PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Polar bear fur-inspired fibers offer exceptional thermal insulation, tested in a sweater

2023-12-21
(Press-News.org) Inspired by the structure of polar bear fur, researchers present a knittable aerogel fiber with exceptional thermal and mechanical properties. The fibers are washable, dyeable, durable, and well-suited to be used in advanced textiles. This allowed the researchers to test them in a sweater that demonstrated impressive thermal insulation, among other features. Aerogels are an ideal material for thermal insulation. They demonstrate high porosity and extremely low thermal conductivity. However, the application of aerogels in insulating fibers for textiles has been limited because of their fragility and poor processability. Not only do they lack the strength and stretchability needed to weave or knit them into practical textiles, but current aerogel fibers are not machine washable and quickly lose their thermal insulation capability in wet or humid environments. Many animals that live in extremely cold environments have evolved specialized furs that keep them warm and dry. For example, polar bear hair is comprised of a porous core enclosed within a dense shell structure. As a result, the hairs provide outstanding thermal insulation while maintaining strength and flexibility. Mimicking the core-shell structure of polar bear hair, Mingrui Wu and colleagues used a freeze-spinning approach to create a strong polymeric aerogel fiber with lamellar pores. They then encapsulated it with a thin, stretchable rubber layer. The resulting encapsulated aerogel fiber (EAF) achieves excellent thermal insulation performance while also being mechanically robust, making it suitable for knitting or weaving. Despite the fiber’s high internal porosity (over 90%), Wu et al. show that the fiber is stretchable up to 1000% strain – a significant improvement compared to traditional aerogel fibers, which only achieve ~2% strain. The fiber maintained its thermal insulation properties with minimal impact even after 10,000 repeated stretching cycles at 100% strain. Moreover, the authors demonstrate that the EAF is washable and dyeable. As a proof-of-concept, Wu et al. wove a thin sweater made from the fibers, which, despite being roughly one-fifth as thick as a down jacket, provided comparable insulating performance. In a related Perspective, Zhizhi Sheng and Xuetong Zhang discuss the study in greater detail.

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Racial disparities in health motivate more support for social action than other racial disparities

2023-12-21
Racial disparities related to health and physical well-being motivate Americans to take action for social change more than racial disparities related to other factors, like economics, a new study finds. This is because health-related racial inequalities are perceived to be more unjust. The results suggest that framing racial disparities to tap into feelings of moral injustice may motivate policy reform – a finding of potential interest to policymakers, social movements, and citizens seeking to gain support for actions to reduce racial inequality. “…this work can help us understand ...

Octopus DNA reveals West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse during Last Interglacial

2023-12-21
Genetic analyses of an Antarctic octopus show that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) collapsed during the Last Interglacial ~129,000 to 116,000 years ago when temperatures were only about 1 degree Celsius (°C) warmer than preindustrial levels. The findings suggest that WAIS collapse and resultant sea-level rise could be caused by even the minimal temperature rises projected by the most optimistic climate change mitigation plans. Climate change is driving unprecedented change to Earth’s cryosphere. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is considered particularly vulnerable to warming ...

Can cryptocurrencies be legal tender? A case study from El Salvador

2023-12-21
In El Salvador, preference for cash and privacy fears deterred the widespread adoption of Bitcoin as an everyday currency, researchers report. The findings suggest that policies incentivizing cryptocurrency adoption as legal tender will likely fail unless populations are financially literate and already trust digital currencies. The introduction of digital currencies is one of the most important developments in monetary economics in the last decade. Unlike traditional digital currencies, which rely on central authorities such as governments or banks governed by regulations ...

Researchers map how measles virus spreads in human brain

2023-12-21
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers mapped how the measles virus mutated and spread in the brain of a person who succumbed to a rare, lethal brain disease. New cases of this disease, which is a complication of the measles virus, may occur as measles reemerges among the unvaccinated, say researchers. Using the latest tools in genetic sequencing, researchers at Mayo Clinic reconstructed how a collective of viral genomes colonized a human brain. The virus acquired distinct mutations that drove the spread of the virus from the frontal cortex outward. "Our study provides compelling data that ...

Organic compounds in asteroids formed in colder regions of space: study

2023-12-21
Analysis of organic compounds – called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – extracted from the Ryugu asteroid and Murchison meteorite has found that certain PAHs likely formed in the cold areas of space between stars rather than in hot regions near stars as was previously thought. The findings open new possibilities for studying life beyond Earth and the chemistry of objects in space. The only Australian members of an international research team, scientists from Curtin’s WA-Organic ...

Advanced computational tool for understanding quantum materials

Advanced computational tool for understanding quantum materials
2023-12-21
Researchers at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME), Argonne National Laboratory, and the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia have developed a new computational tool to describe how the atoms within quantum materials behave when they absorb and emit light. The tool will be released as part of the open-source software package WEST, developed within the Midwest Integrated Center for Computational Materials (MICCoM) by a team led by Prof. Marco ...

Role of enzyme SMYD3 clarified in prostate cancer progression

2023-12-21
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men other than skin cancer, and more than 288,000 new cases are diagnosed every year, according to the American Cancer Society. The disease’s fatality rate has decreased by more than half since the 1990s, but there is still room for progress—especially in treating or preventing advanced, metastatic disease, which is much more likely to be fatal. A new paper published in Science Advances clarifies how an enzyme called SMYD3 may be involved in prostate ...

Professor Vladimir A. Botchkarev, Boston University School of Medicine, receives Skin Ageing & Challenges Best Scientific Award 2023

Professor Vladimir A. Botchkarev, Boston University School of Medicine, receives Skin Ageing & Challenges Best Scientific Award 2023
2023-12-21
The Skin Ageing & Challenges 2023 conference, held in November 2023 in Lisbon, has recognized the outstanding contributions of Prof. Vladimir A. Botchkarev, a distinguished Professor of Dermatology and Co-Director at the Boston University Center for Aging Research, with the prestigious Skin Ageing & Challenges Best Scientific Award 2023. The award acknowledges Prof. Botchkarev's exceptional research in the field of skin biology and aging. Prof. Botchkarev's award-winning work, titled "Skin Aging in Long-Lived Naked Mole-Rats: Mechanisms and Perspectives", delves into the complicated aging process of Naked Mole Rats' skin. His comprehensive ...

Save the date for the 11th World Congress on Targeting Microbiota 2024 – Revolutionizing Future Medicine

Save the date for the 11th World Congress on Targeting Microbiota 2024 – Revolutionizing Future Medicine
2023-12-21
Targeting Microbiota 2024: Vision, Strategies and Perspectives The 11th Annual Congress of the International Society of Microbiota (ISM), Targeting Microbiota 2024, is scheduled on October 17-18, at Corinthia Palace Malta. Targeting Microbiota 2024 will not only present the latest advancements but also serve as a pivotal hub for sharing visionary strategies and perspectives that will redefine the landscape of medicine. The Congress promises an immersive experience, offering a dynamic platform for the exchange of ideas, insights, and the exploration of innovative approaches that will shape the future of medicine. Save the date and ...

Location, location, location: The hidden power of intracellular neighborhoods

Location, location, location: The hidden power of intracellular neighborhoods
2023-12-21
Highlights Messenger RNA (mRNA) is translated into proteins in the cytoplasm of cells. But rather than being a uniform “soup,” the cytoplasm is divided into multiple distinct compartments or regions. Each region is largely responsible for translating functionally similar types of mRNA, a new MSK study finds. And the location of translation determines the amount of protein produced by the mRNA. The movement of mRNA to specific regions is directed by their size and shape, as well as by RNA-binding protein partners. The findings could help develop new approaches to increase ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

CMD-OPT model enables the discovery of a potent and selective RIPK2 inhibitor as preclinical candidate for the treatment of acute liver injury

Melatonin receptor 1a alleviates sleep fragmentation-aggravated testicular injury in T2DM by suppression of TAB1/TAK1 complex through FGFR1

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals Shen-Bai-Jie-Du decoction retards colorectal tumorigenesis by regulating the TMEM131–TNF signaling pathway-mediated differentiation of immunosuppressive dendritic ce

Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B Volume 15, Issue 7 Publishes

New research expands laser technology

Targeted radiation offers promise in patients with metastasized small cell lung cancer to the brain

A high clinically translatable strategy to anti-aging using hyaluronic acid and silk fibroin co-crosslinked hydrogels as dermal regenerative fillers

Mount Sinai researchers uncover differences in how males and females change their mind when reflecting on past mistakes

CTE and normal aging are difficult to distinguish, new study finds

Molecular arms race: How the genome defends itself against internal enemies

Tiny chip speeds up antibody mapping for faster vaccine design

KTU experts reveal why cultural heritage is important for community unity

More misfolded proteins than previously known may contribute to Alzheimer’s and dementia

“Too much going on”: Autistic adults overwhelmed by non-verbal social cues

What’s driving America’s deep freezes in a warming world?

A key role of brain protein in learning and memory is deciphered by scientists

Heart attacks don’t follow a Hollywood script

Erin M. Schuman wins 2026 Nakasone Award for discovery on neural synapse function and change during formation of memories

Global ocean analysis could replace costly in-situ sound speed profiles in seafloor positioning, study finds

Power in numbers: Small group professional coaching reduces rates of physician burnout by nearly 30%

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage: A comprehensive review of CCUS-EOR

New high-temperature stable dispersed particle gel for enhanced profile control in CCUS applications

State gun laws and firearm-related homicides and suicides

Use of tobacco and cannabis following state-level cannabis legalization

Long-term obesity and biological aging in young adults

Eindhoven University of Technology and JMIR Publications announce unlimited open access publishing agreement

Orphan nuclear receptors in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease development

A technological breakthrough for ultra-fast and greener AI

Pusan National University researchers identify key barriers hindering data-driven smart manufacturing adoption

Inking heterometallic nanosheets: A scalable breakthrough for coating, electronics, and electrocatalyst applications

[Press-News.org] Polar bear fur-inspired fibers offer exceptional thermal insulation, tested in a sweater