Many people in the U.S. believe that their statistical knowledge is limited, but they would rely on statistics for decision-making more if they understood statistics better, according to a new study led by a Penn State researcher. 

About the Study: In this randomized clinical trial of US children, spectacle lenses with HAL provided a reduction in myopia progression and axial elongation over 24 months. While longer-term data are needed to evaluate sustained treatment efficacy, these findings support HAL as a safe and effective myopia control intervention and underlie US Food and Drug Administration authorization of the study device.

About the Study: This meta-analysis evaluates individual participant data from randomized clinical trials to investigate whether mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is associated with worsening symptoms of depression.

The moon is a hostile place for life as we know it. Extreme temperatures aside, intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation pummels the lunar surface with deadly rays. A new study pinpoints shaded nooks and crannies around the lunar south pole where bacteria and fungi from Earth can survive for at least a week, with implications for crewed space missions in the future.

A researcher at University of Tsukuba has developed an artificial intelligence model that integrates observational data with the physical laws governing mantle convection. The approach may enable researchers to reconstruct past temperatures and flow patterns deep inside the Earth, which cannot be directly observed, using only limited information on the mantle motion near the Earth's surface and the present-day temperature distribution within the mantle. The model was validated by directly comparing the reconstructed mantle history from controlled numerical experiments with a known reference solution.

About the Study: In a randomized clinical trial of 100 children younger than 5 years with sickle cell anemia in Uganda, daily zinc supplementation at 20 mg reduced all-cause infections over 6 months compared with placebo. No adverse events requiring discontinuation of the study intervention were observed, although the authors note that multisite trials are needed to validate the findings.

About the Study: In this randomized clinical trial of elective digestive cancer surgery, a preoperative pulse dose of methylprednisolone did not improve major postoperative outcomes compared with placebo. The findings do not support routine use of high-dose corticosteroids in this setting.