Applied physicists at the University of Sydney have proposed new standards to measure moisture leaks into bionic devices such as pacemakers, cochlear hearing implants and retinal replacements. The researchers, who received an industry partnership funding through the Australian Research Council to undertake the study, say the new moisture standards could give the wearers of bionic implants extra confidence in the operation of the life-changing devices. They also say that the improved moisture-testing regime could be used in the emerging renewable energy industry where new-generation solar cells require high standards of humidity control. Bionic implants must be able to operate successfully in moist environments ...

Scientists reported new research results today suggesting that artificial objects in orbit around the Earth are brightening night skies on our planet significantly more than previously understood. The research, accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, finds that the number of objects orbiting Earth could elevate the overall brightness of the night sky by more than 10 percent above natural light levels across a large part of the planet. This would exceed a threshold that astronomers set over 40 years ago for considering a location "light polluted". "Our primary motivation was to estimate the potential contribution to night sky brightness from external sources, such ...

A team of scientists led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has developed a diagnostic test that can detect the virus that causes COVID-19 even after it has gone through mutations. Called the VaNGuard (Variant Nucleotide Guard) test, it makes use of a gene-editing tool known as CRISPR, which is used widely in scientific research to alter DNA sequences and modify gene function in human cells under lab conditions, and more recently, in diagnostic applications. Since viruses have the ability to evolve over time, a diagnostic test robust against potential mutations ...

Scientists at MIPT have found a possible explanation for the anomalously fast release of gas from nuclear fuel. Supercomputer simulations have uncovered an unexpected mechanism for accelerating the escape of gas bubbles from the uranium dioxide crystal matrix to the surface. The result points the way to eliminate the paradoxical discrepancy of several orders of magnitude between existing theoretical models and experimental results. The paper was published in the Journal of Nuclear Materials. The diffusion of gas bubbles during reactor operation is one of the important topics in nuclear power relating to radiation safety. Bubbles of gaseous fission products (mainly xenon), accumulating in the fuel, affect many of its properties. Therefore, it is important, ...

Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a new way of using nanomaterials to identify and enrich skeletal stem cells - a discovery which could eventually lead to new treatments for major bone fractures and the repair of lost or damaged bone. Working together, a team of physicists, chemists and tissue engineering experts used specially designed gold nanoparticles to 'seek out' specific human bone stem cells - creating a fluorescent glow to reveal their presence among other types of cells and allow them to be isolated or 'enriched'. The researchers concluded their new technique is simpler and quicker than other methods and up to 50-500 times more effective at enriching stem cells. The study, led by Professor ...

The vast majority of the world's largest meat and dairy companies have not made an explicit commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, finds a new analysis by researchers at New York University. The study, which appears in the journal Climatic Change, examines the climate impacts of the biggest 35 largest meat and dairy companies around the globe as well as their influence in shaping political responses to climate change. It is the first peer-reviewed study to assess climate responsibilities of the largest meat and dairy companies. "Large meat and dairy companies are not doing enough to tackle climate change, and countries are not doing enough in terms of holding them accountable," says Jennifer ...

Research into the flower preferences of pollinating moths may have delivered a vital clue to the simple factors needed for the emergence of new species. Strong coevolutionary relationships between plants and animal pollinators have long been recognised as a potential driver of high rates of speciation in the 275,000 extant flowering plants. Shifts between pollinators, such as bumblebees, hummingbirds, hawkmoths and bats, often coincide with plant speciation events. Each of these pollinator "guilds" is attracted by a different set of floral traits such as colour, patterns, scent, shape, and nectar reward, collectively known as a pollination ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Why do some people with cold sores around their lips experience painful lesions, while others have no symptoms at all, yet still spread the virus? A new study conducted at Penn State finds that these differences could be due to variations in the way certain strains of herpes simplex (HSV-1) -- the virus that causes cold sores, as well as genital herpes -- activate gene expression in neurons. "HSV-1 occurs in more than half the global population," said Moriah Szpara, associate professor of biology and biochemistry and molecular biology. "Not only does it cause recurrent problems, such as cold sores ...

Transition metal perovskites oxides exhibit several desirable properties, including high-temperature superconductivity and electrocatalysis. Now, scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology explore the structure and properties of a perovskite oxide, PbFeO3, in anticipation of the unusual charge distribution and exotic magnetic transitions displayed by such systems. They report two of the magnetic transitions, with a distinctive transition above room temperature and look into its causes, opening doors to potential applications in realizing new spintronic devices. The advent of electronics has revolutionized our lives to an extent where it is impossible to imagine going about our day without relying on an electronic device in some form. What is even more remarkable, ...

In a new publication from Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications; DOI https://doi.org/10.15212/CVIA.2021.0008, Zeyi Cheng, Miaomiao Qi, Chengyuan Zhang and Yanxia Mao from Sichuan University, Sichuan, China, Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China and The Second Medical School of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China consider myocardial fibrosis in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The authors review the application of myocardial fibrosis in the diagnosis and treatment of HCM, focusing on research progress and the application ...

In a new publication from Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications; DOI https://doi.org/10.15212/CVIA.2021.0007, Sharen Lee and Gary Tse from Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology, Hong Kong, HKG, China, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China and Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital, Xiamen, China consider a case of atezolizumab-induced autoimmune diabetes mellitus presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis. Atezolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, is a humanized monoclonal, anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody used for the treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma that has progressed after chemotherapy. PD-L1 inhibitors can induce type 1 diabetes, and patients can present with diabetic ketoacidosis. ...

In a new publication from Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications; DOI https://doi.org/10.15212/CVIA.2021.0006, Li Jingxiu, Zhang Fujun, Wei Xijin and Peng Ding from Anhui Provincial Hospital, Hefei, China, Chizhou Second People's Hospital, Chizhou, China, The Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of TCM, Jinan, China and The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan, China consider using three-dimensional Lorenz Scatter Plots to detect patients with atrioventricular node double path caused by interpolated ventricular premature systoles. A series of related electrophysiology ...

In a new publication from Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications; DOI https://doi.org/10.15212/CVIA.2021.0005, Nikhil H. Shah, Steven J. Ross, Steve A. Noutong Njapo, Justin Merritt, Andrew Kolarich, Michael Kaufmann, William M. Miles, David E. Winchester, Thomas A. Burkart, and Matthew McKillop from UF Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA, UVA Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Radiology, Baltimore, MD, USA, The Heart Center, Huntsville, AL, USA, Intermountain Medical Center, St. George, UT, USA and Carolina Cardiology Consultants, Greenville, SC, USA consider appropriate use of implantable ...

In a new publication from Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications; DOI https://doi.org/10.15212/CVIA.2021.0001, Zesen Han, Lihong Lai, Zhaokun Pu and Lan Yang from The People's Hospital of Hua County, Henan, China and Henan University of Science and Technology, Henan, China consider the use of nomograms to predict patients with obstructive coronary artery disease. The authors developed and validated clinical prediction models for the development of a nomogram to estimate the probability of patients having coronary artery disease (CAD). An individualized clinical prediction model for patients with CAD allowed an accurate estimation in Chinese populations. The Akaike information criterion is a better method in screening risk factors. The ...

In a new publication from Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications; DOI https://doi.org/10.15212/CVIA.2021.0002, Pei Huang, Yi Zhang, Yi Tang, Qinghua Fu, Zhaofen Zheng, Xiaoyan Yang, Yingli Yu from The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University) Chang Sha, China and Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China consider the study of the left atrial function index in cardiovascular disease. Some studies have shown that left ventricular structure and function play an important role in the risk stratification and prognosis of cardiovascular disease. The clinical application of left atrial function in cardiovascular disease has gradually attracted attention in the cardiovascular field. There are ...

Hail severity will increase in most regions of the world while Australia and Europe are expected to experience more hailstorms as a result of climate change, an international review led by a UNSW Sydney researcher has found. The review study, published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, examined the effects climate change will have on hail in the future. It shows a global summary of hail trends from past observations and projected future trends from simulations and models. The review led to the general expectation that hailstorm frequency will decrease in East Asia and ...

A study led by scientists at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has decoded the genomes of the deep-sea clam (Archivesica marissinica) and the chemoautotrophic bacteria (Candidatus Vesicomyosocius marissinica) that live in its gill epithelium cells. Through analysis of their genomic structures and profiling of their gene expression patterns, the research team revealed that symbiosis between the two partners enables the clams to thrive in extreme deep-sea environments. The research findings have been published in the academic journal Molecular Biology and Evolution. Due to the general lack of photosynthesis-derived organic matter, the deep-sea was once considered a ...

SAN ANTONIO -- March 29, 2021 -- The SwRI-led Ultraviolet Spectrograph (UVS) orbiting Jupiter aboard NASA's Juno spacecraft has detected new faint aurora features, characterized by ring-like emissions, which expand rapidly over time. SwRI scientists determined that charged particles coming from the edge of Jupiter's massive magnetosphere triggered these auroral emissions. "We think these newly discovered faint ultraviolet features originate millions of miles away from Jupiter, near the Jovian magnetosphere's boundary with the solar wind," said Dr. Vincent Hue, lead author of a paper accepted by the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics. "The solar wind is a supersonic ...

SPOKANE, Wash. - New research led by scientists at Washington State University has found that a protein known as GBP5 appears to play a key role in suppressing inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, a potentially debilitating disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own joint tissues. Published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology, the discovery could someday lead to new treatments to slow or halt the progress of the disease, which affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans. The researchers said it may also have applications in other inflammatory diseases. First author ...

A combination of esophageal brushing and extensive genetic sequencing of the sample collected can detect chromosome alterations in people with Barrett's Esophagus, identifying patients at risk for progressing to esophageal cancer, according to a new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve University. In Barrett's Esophagus (BE), chronic acid reflux from the stomach damages the cells lining the lower esophagus, causing them to become more like cells of the lower digestive system. Cells in the lower esophagus progress through several precancerous stages before sometimes developing into esophageal adenocarcinoma, a cancer with a five-year survival rate below 20 percent. BE is the only known precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma. Clinicians ...

EU imports of products including palm oil, soybeans, and beef contribute significantly to deforestation in other parts of the world. In a new study, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, and the University of Louvain, Belgium, evaluated over a thousand policy proposals for how the EU could reduce this impact, to assess which would have the largest potential to reduce deforestation - while also being politically feasible. "Unsurprisingly, there is weaker support for tougher regulations, such as import restrictions on certain goods. But our study shows that there is broad support in general, ...

New genetic analysis and years of painstaking research has revealed that one of the world's most endangered marine mammals is actually two species rather than one, as scientists had long assumed. Scientists spent about two decades crossing Asia and Europe in pursuit of river dolphins skulls and reexamining tissue samples with modern genetic techniques. Their findings revealed that Indus and Ganges river dolphins are separate species, according to a new study published in Marine Mammal Science. The two dolphins that live in the muddy waters ...

SINGAPORE, 29 March 2021 - A low-cost intervention to improve hypertension--or high blood pressure (BP)--prevention and management can be cost-effectively scaled up for rural communities in low- and middle-income countries, according to findings from a multi-country trial published in The Lancet Global Health. Led by Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, the Control of Blood Pressure and Risk Attenuation--Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka (COBRA-BPS) trial, conducted in partnership with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), Aga Khan University in Pakistan, the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka, analysed the budget impact and cost-effectiveness ...

A Japanese research group combined motion analysis that uses smartphone application and machine learning that uses an anomaly detection method, thereby developing a technique to easily screen for carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is common amongst middle-aged women. The disease causes compressed nerves in the wrist, causing numbness and difficulty with finger movements. While an accurate diagnosis can be reached with nerve conduction study, this is not widely used because it requires expensive devices and specialized skills. Thus, a simple screen tool that does ...

Astronomers found a number of stellar eggs containing baby stars around the center of the Milky Way using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Previous studies had suggested that the environment there is too harsh to form stars. These findings indicate that star formation is more resilient than researchers thought. Stars form in stellar eggs, cosmic clouds of gas and dust which collapse due to gravity. If something interferes with the gravity driven contraction, star formation will be suppressed. There are many potential sources of interference near the Galactic Center. Strong turbulence can stir up the clouds ...