A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, found that discontinuing universal free school meal (UFSM) policies significantly increases school meal debt, student stigma, and declines in participation. The research, based on a survey of nearly 1,000 school food authorities (SFAs) across eight states, also found that states continuing UFSM through state-level policies reported more stable revenues and greater student access to nutritious meals.

Childhood trauma has often been linked to adverse mental health outcomes, but its impact on genetic changes often goes unnoticed. A new study at University of Fukui identified “epigenetic scars” in DNA, leading to structural alterations of brain regions related to emotional regulation, memory retrieval, and social cognition. Findings suggest that these biological markers may enable early detection, personalized treatment, and prevention of these effects—offering hope for breaking the intergenerational cycle of child abuse.

George Gamow® award, established by the Russian-American Association of Scientists (RASA-America, Russian-American Science Association) in memory of the outstanding Russian-American physicist, Professor Georgy Antonovich Gamow (1904-1968) and to encourage members of the Russian-speaking scientific diaspora for outstanding achievements recognized by the wider scientific community, for 2024 is awarded to:

Anna Krylov professor of the University of Southern California “For her pioneering contributions to theoretical and computational chemistry, particularly the development of novel electronic structure methods for open-shell and electronically excited species; for her leadership within the theoretical chemistry community; and for her advocacy of scientific integrity and academic freedom”.

Mikhail Yampolsky, professor of the New York University “For his uniquely original contributions as a cultural theorist and commentator, whose work bridges literature, film, philosophy, and social theory; for the breadth and depth of his scholarship, which have reshaped the study of Russian culture and intellectual history; and for his influential critical voice in Russian and international intellectual life” .