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| Engineers discover method to create upward water fountain in deep water Posted: 18 Jan 2022 03:46 PM PST Engineers have discovered that they can actually move deep water and create upward fountains by shining laser beams on the water's surface. The finding, credited to the Marangoni effect, has potential to impact fluid dynamics in many applications. |
| COVID-19 may cause fetal inflammation even in absence of placental infection, researchers report Posted: 18 Jan 2022 01:24 PM PST Researchers have found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, may cause fetal inflammation even in the absence of placental infection. |
| Kernel flow: A wearable device for noninvasive optical brain imaging Posted: 18 Jan 2022 12:48 PM PST Most noninvasive brain scanning systems use continuous-wave fNIRS, where the tissue is irradiated by a constant stream of photons. However, these systems cannot differentiate between scattered and absorbed photons. A recent advancement to this technique is time-domain (TD)-fNIRS, which uses picosecond pulses of light and fast detectors to estimate photon scattering and absorption in tissues. However, such systems are expensive and complex and have a large form factor, limiting their widespread adoption. To overcome these challenges, researchers have developed a wearable headset based on TD-fNIRS technology. |
| Researchers pinpoint how Zika virus evades cell's antiviral response Posted: 18 Jan 2022 12:48 PM PST In a new study of the Zika virus, scientists have discovered a key mechanism used by the virus to evade the antiviral response of the cell it is attacking. This finding contributes to a better understanding of how viruses infect cells, overcome immune barriers and replicate -- information that is essential for fighting them. |
| On the tiniest of scales, chemistry isn’t all about 'billiard-ball' reactions Posted: 18 Jan 2022 12:48 PM PST In a recent study, scientists provide evidence of the effects of photodissociation on the quantum level for an atmospheric pollutant, formaldehyde, thereby showing photodissociation reactions can't be treated classically, like 'billiard-balls' coming together, colliding and reconnecting, said an author of a new study. |
| Research team identifies new mechanism for protecting DNA Posted: 18 Jan 2022 12:48 PM PST Researchers have identified a new mechanism by which a protein known for repairing damaged DNA also protects the integrity of DNA by preserving its structural shape. The discovery, involving the protein 53BP1, offers insight into understanding how cells maintain the integrity of DNA in the nucleus, which is critical for preventing diseases like premature aging and cancer. |
| New models assess bridge support repairs after earthquakes Posted: 18 Jan 2022 11:59 AM PST Civil engineers develop a computational modeling strategy to help plan effective repairs to damaged reinforced concrete columns. |
| Students with attention problems more likely to cheat Posted: 18 Jan 2022 11:59 AM PST High school students who have trouble paying attention in class are more likely to admit to cheating, a new study shows. |
| Arthritis-related gene also regenerates cartilage in joints and growth plates Posted: 18 Jan 2022 11:59 AM PST The IL-6 family of proteins are associated with inflammation, arthritis, autoimmune disease and even cancer. However, a new study reveals the importance of IL-6 and associated genes for maintaining and regenerating cartilage in both the joints and in the growth plates that enable skeletal growth in children. Scientists took a close look at a key gene activated by IL-6: STAT3. In both lab-grown human cells and in mice, the scientists demonstrated that STAT3 is critical for the proliferation, survival, maturation and regeneration of cartilage-forming cells in the joints and growth plates. When the gene ceased to function, cartilage-forming cells became increasingly dysfunctional over time, resulting in smaller body size, prematurely fused growth plates, underdeveloped skeletons and mildly degenerated joint cartilage. |
| Posted: 18 Jan 2022 11:59 AM PST New therapies for autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) that are designed to better regulate lipid (fat) metabolism, could significantly reduce the harmful side-effects caused by conventional treatments, finds a new large-scale review. |
| Machine learning model uses blood tests to predict COVID-19 survival Posted: 18 Jan 2022 11:57 AM PST A single blood sample from a critically ill COVID-19 patient can be analyzed by a machine learning model which uses blood plasma proteins to predict survival, weeks before the outcome, according to a new study. |
| Weight loss before fertility treatment may not increase births for obese women Posted: 18 Jan 2022 11:56 AM PST Health care professionals often encourage women with obesity to lose weight prior to trying to conceive or start infertility treatments. But a new nationwide study found that women with obesity and unexplained infertility who lost weight prior to starting infertility treatments did not have a greater chance of having a healthy baby than those who did not lose weight prior to starting therapy. |
| Study highlights connections between addictive drugs and brain function in mice Posted: 18 Jan 2022 11:43 AM PST Researchers used high-resolution technologies to see how dopamine circuitry in mice is affected by addictive drugs. The results answered older structural questions, while raising new ones about plasticity and recovery in the brain. |
| Why did ocean productivity decline abruptly 4.6 million years ago? Posted: 18 Jan 2022 09:51 AM PST By drilling deep down into sediments on the ocean floor researchers can travel back in time. A research team now presents new clues as to when and why a period often referred to as the 'biogenic bloom' came to an abrupt end. Changes in the shape of the Earth's orbit around the Sun may have played a part in the dramatic change. |
| New AI model helps discover causes of motor neurone disease Posted: 18 Jan 2022 09:51 AM PST Scientists have developed a new machine learning model for the discovery of genetic risk factors for diseases such as Motor Neurone Disease (MND). |
| Posted: 18 Jan 2022 09:51 AM PST Expanding rapid testing stands out as an affordable way to help mitigate risks associated with COVID-19 and emerging variants. Infectious disease researchers have developed a new model that tailors testing recommendations to new variants and likely immunity levels in a community, offering a new strategy as public health leaders seek a way out of a pandemic that has so far thwarted the best efforts to end its spread. |
| Increase in marine heat waves threatens coastal habitats Posted: 18 Jan 2022 09:51 AM PST Heat waves -- like the one that blistered the Pacific Northwest last June -- also occur underwater. A new study paints a worrisome picture of recent and projected trends in marine heat waves within the nation's largest estuary, with dire implications for the marine life and coastal economy of the Chesapeake Bay and other similarly impacted shallow-water ecosystems. |
| Fear of catching COVID-19 heightened Americans' disgust sensitivity Posted: 18 Jan 2022 09:51 AM PST A new study suggests that disgust sensitivity -- how intensely a person is repulsed by images, ideas or situations that could be considered really gross or merely unpleasant -- was affected by the pandemic, when concern about catching COVID increased sensitivity to disgust. |
| Posted: 18 Jan 2022 09:36 AM PST A new data portal called Cancer-Immu established by a team of biostatisticians can help cancer clinicians and researchers predict which patients will respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors. With data from 3,652 samples for 16 cancer types, Cancer-Immu is the largest immune checkpoint blockade-related data portal for exploring immunogenomic connections. |
| Halting antibiotic resistance is a little less futile Posted: 18 Jan 2022 09:35 AM PST Bioscientists develop a microfluidic platform for high-throughput studies of how bacteria evolve antibiotic resistance. |
| Posted: 18 Jan 2022 08:14 AM PST Boxing up molecular machines. The construction of a molecular rotor inside a nanostructured cage allows for the development of a tunable molecular device. |
| Automating blood smears for easier malaria diagnosis Posted: 18 Jan 2022 08:13 AM PST Researchers have developed devices to automate blood smears. Their devices, called autohaem smear and smear+, can consistently create high-quality smears equivalent to those created by human experts, automating the smearing process so every smear is correct and consistent. A key goal of the project was to make the devices accessible to as many people as possible, so the researchers designed their devices to be easy to build, using readily available or 3D-printed components. |
| A giant panda’s gut bacteria help it remain chubby while on a bamboo diet Posted: 18 Jan 2022 08:13 AM PST The giant panda feeds exclusively on fibrous bamboo, yet they still manage to stay chubby and healthy. Researchers reveal that shifts in the bear's gut microbiota in the season when nutritious bamboo shoots become available helps the herbivorous bear gain more weight and store more fat, which may compensate for the lack of nutrients in seasons when there are only bamboo leaves to chew on. |
| Owl wing design reduces aircraft, wind turbine noise pollution Posted: 18 Jan 2022 08:13 AM PST Researchers used the characteristics of owl wings to inform airfoil design and significantly reduce trailing-edge noise. The team used noise calculation and analysis software to conduct a series of detailed theoretical studies of simplified airfoils with characteristics reminiscent of owl wings. They applied their findings to suppress the noise of rotating machinery. Improving the flow conditions around the trailing edge and optimizing the shape of the edge suppressed the noise. |
| Rivers speeding up Arctic ice melt at alarming rate Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST Freshwater flowing into the Arctic Ocean from the continent is thought to exacerbate Arctic amplification, but the extent of its impact isn't fully understood. New research measures how the flow of the Yenisei River -- the largest freshwater river that flows into the Arctic Ocean -- has changed over the last few hundred years, and describes the impact freshwater has had on the Arctic. |
| Boosting T cells improves survival in mice with glioblastoma Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST A new study shows that treatment with an immune-boosting protein called interleukin 7 (IL-7) in combination with radiation improves survival in mice with glioblastoma. The study in mice suggests promise for a phase 1/2 clinical trial that is investigating a long-acting type of IL-7 in patients with glioblastoma. |
| Nutritional value of huhu grubs assessed Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST Huhu grubs have long been prized as a traditional food source and their nutritional value has just been analysed. |
| Harnessing the brain's plasticity to acquire epilepsy resilience Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST Patients with epilepsy must take medicine to manage seizures. Even then, only 65% are able to control their symptoms, rendering invasive surgery the only cure. Now, a research group has investigated a new stimulation paradigm that could cultivate greater resistance to epilepsy. |
| Scientists identify therapeutic target for Epstein-Barr virus Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST A new study has identified a new potential pathway for developing therapeutics that target Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). |
| Development of fatty liver disease under a healthy diet Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST A new study identifies two genes, previously reported to be involved in cancer, as regulators of the metabolic state of the liver. Alterations in these genes influence the likelihood of developing fatty liver disease. |
| Additional antibodies may protect against COVID, study shows Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST When we talk about antibodies against COVID-19, we tend to mean the so-called neutralizing antibodies, that offer protection by blocking the virus from invading our cells. Now, a new study has revealed that non-neutralizing antibodies may also be important in providing protection against COVID. |
| Edge processing research takes discovery closer to use in artificial intelligence networks Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST Researchers have successfully demonstrated proof-of-concept of using their multimodal transistor (MMT) in artificial neural networks, which mimic the human brain. This is an important step towards using thin-film transistors as artificial intelligence hardware and moves edge computing forward, with the prospect of reducing power needs and improving efficiency, rather than relying solely on computer chips. |
| Integrated modeling of climate impacts on electricity demand and cost Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST Around the world, energy systems are increasingly impacted by the effects of a changing climate. Energy systems, especially the electric-power system, are vulnerable to natural stressors such as wildfires, severe storms, extreme temperatures and long-term disruptions of the hydrological cycle. |
| Smart soil bugs offer farmers an ecofriendly route to controlling crop diseases Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST An innovative method of controlling a range of damaging crop diseases using native, beneficial soil bacteria has emerged from a research-industry collaboration. |
| Researchers explore ways to make hatchery steelhead more like wild fish Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST Hatchery-raised steelhead trout have offspring that are good at gaining size under hatchery conditions but don't survive as well in streams as steelhead whose parents are wild fish, new research shows. |
| New MRI technique could improve diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis Posted: 18 Jan 2022 07:41 AM PST It is important that multiple sclerosis (MS) is diagnosed and treated as early as possible in order to delay progression of the disease. The technique of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays a key role in this process. A new MRI technique could pave the way to quicker assessment of disease activity in MS. |
| Posted: 18 Jan 2022 06:41 AM PST Climate change will force 45 per cent of the fish stocks that cross through two or more exclusive economic zones to shift significantly from their historical habitats and migration paths by 2100, a challenge that may lead to international conflict, according to a new study. |
| Celebrated malting barley came from a single plant Posted: 18 Jan 2022 05:54 AM PST The 200-year-old malting barley variety 'Chevalier' was for a long time world-leading in beer brewing and is thought to have originated from a single plant. In a new study, researchers have investigated this claim. They have analyzed seed samples that are older than 150 years using molecular genetic methods. The results give a revealing insight into the plant breeding of times gone by. |
| Respiratory viruses that hijack immune mechanisms may have Achilles' heel Posted: 18 Jan 2022 05:54 AM PST One viral protein could provide information to deter pneumonia causing the body's exaggerated inflammatory response to respiratory viruses, including the virus that causes COVID-19. That viral protein is NS2 of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and a study has found that if the virus lacks this protein, the human body's immune response can destroy the virus before exaggerated inflammation begins. |
| Newly discovered carbon may yield clues to ancient Mars Posted: 17 Jan 2022 01:55 PM PST NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars on Aug. 6, 2012, and since then has roamed Gale Crater taking samples and sending the results back home for researchers to interpret. Analysis of carbon isotopes in sediment samples taken from half a dozen exposed locations, including an exposed cliff, leave researchers with three plausible explanations for the carbon's origin -- cosmic dust, ultraviolet degradation of carbon dioxide, or ultraviolet degradation of biologically produced methane. |
| Improving reading skills through action video games Posted: 17 Jan 2022 08:51 AM PST What if video games, instead of being an obstacle to literacy, could actually help children improve their reading abilities? Scientists have tested an action video game for children, aimed to enhance reading skills. The results demonstrate improved reading abilities after just twelve hours of training. Notably, these gains persist over time, to the point that language school grades are seen to improve more than a year after the end of training. |
| Nanotherapy offers new hope for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes Posted: 17 Jan 2022 08:51 AM PST Individuals living with Type 1 diabetes must carefully follow prescribed insulin regimens every day, receiving injections of the hormone via syringe, insulin pump or some other device. And without viable long-term treatments, this course of treatment is a lifelong sentence. Now a team of researchers has discovered a better way. |
| Enhanced statistical models will aid conservation of killer whales and other species Posted: 17 Jan 2022 06:30 AM PST Retrieving an accurate picture of what a tagged animal does as it journeys through its environment requires statistical analysis, especially when it comes to animal movement, and the methods statisticians use are always evolving to make full use of the large and complex data sets that are available. A recent study by researchers at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF) and the UBC department of statistics has taken us a step closer to understanding the behaviours of northern resident killer whales by improving statistical tools useful for identifying animal behaviours that can't be observed directly. |
| Inciting instead of coercing, 'nudges' prove their effectiveness Posted: 17 Jan 2022 06:30 AM PST To get through challenges such as the pandemic or the climate change, citizens must change their habits and behaviors. But how can this be achieved without resorting to coercive measures? The answer to this question may be the 'nudges' that have been gaining popularity over the last decade. By making small changes in our environment, these interventions aim to encourage changes in our behavior, while preserving our freedom of choice. From adding informative labels to reorganizing the food offer in a cafeteria, the overall effectiveness of these interventions has now been demonstrated. |
| Bone growth inspired 'microrobots' that can create their own bone Posted: 17 Jan 2022 05:58 AM PST Inspired by the growth of bones in the skeleton, researchers have developed a combination of materials that can morph into various shapes before hardening. The material is initially soft, but later hardens through a bone development process that uses the same materials found in the skeleton. |
| Repeated exposure to major disasters has long-term mental health impacts Posted: 16 Jan 2022 05:19 AM PST Repeated exposure to major disasters does not make people mentally stronger, a recent study found: individuals who have been repeatedly exposed to major disasters show a reduction in mental health scores. |
| Powerful volcanic blast not the cause for 2018 Indonesian island collapse Posted: 14 Jan 2022 04:26 PM PST The dramatic collapse of Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano in December 2018 resulted from long-term destabilising processes, and was not triggered by any distinct changes in the magmatic system that could have been detected by current monitoring techniques, new research has found. |
| New study sheds light on origins of life on Earth Posted: 14 Jan 2022 12:34 PM PST Addressing one of the most profoundly unanswered questions in biology, a team has discovered the structures of proteins that may be responsible for the origins of life in the primordial soup of ancient Earth. |
| A catalyst for more efficient green hydrogen production Posted: 14 Jan 2022 12:34 PM PST Researchers have developed a new water-splitting process and material that maximize the efficiency of producing green hydrogen, making it an affordable and accessible option for industrial partners that want to convert to green hydrogen for renewable energy storage instead of conventional, carbon-emitting hydrogen production from natural gas. |
| Nuclei-free cells prove utility in delivering therapeutics to diseased tissues Posted: 14 Jan 2022 10:11 AM PST Researchers report successfully removing the nucleus from a type of ubiquitous cell, then using the genetically engineered cell as a unique cargo-carrier to deliver therapeutics precisely to diseased tissues. |
| How to make sure digital technology works for the public good Posted: 14 Jan 2022 08:57 AM PST The Internet of Things (IoT) is completely enmeshed in our daily lives, a network of connected laptops, phones, cars, fitness trackers -- even smart toasters and refrigerators -- that are increasingly able to make decisions on their own. But how to ensure that these devices benefit us, rather than exploit us or put us at risk? New work proposes a novel framework, the 'impact universe,' that can help policymakers keep the public interest in focus amidst the rush to adopt ever-new digital technology. |
| Being in space destroys more red blood cells Posted: 14 Jan 2022 08:57 AM PST A world-first study has revealed how space travel can cause lower red blood cell counts, known as space anemia. Analysis of 14 astronauts showed their bodies destroyed 54 percent more red blood cells in space than they normally would on Earth, according to a new study. |
| Cellular receptors identified for eastern equine encephalitis Posted: 14 Jan 2022 08:57 AM PST A new study has identified a set of cellular receptors for at least three related alphaviruses shared across mosquitoes, humans, and animals that host the virus. |
| Scientists uncover 'resistance gene' in deadly E. coli Posted: 14 Jan 2022 08:57 AM PST Scientists have pinpointed a gene that helps deadly E. coli bacteria evade antibiotics, potentially leading to better treatments for millions of people worldwide. |
| Biologists pinpoint key factor in immune system response to viral infection Posted: 14 Jan 2022 08:56 AM PST Researchers studying how small worms defend themselves against pathogens have discovered a gene that acts as a first-line response against infection. They identified 'ZIP-1' as a centralized hub for immune response, a finding could have implications for understanding human immunity against viruses. |
| Arase satellite uncovers coupling between plasma waves and charged particles in Geospace Posted: 14 Jan 2022 08:56 AM PST Researchers show that high-frequency plasma waves in the Geospace can generate low-frequency plasma waves through wave-particle interactions by heating up low-energy ions, unveiling a new energy transfer pathway in collisionless plasma. |
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