Soft rehabilitation gloves have become popular tools for helping patients with hand function-related disabilities recover finger movement. These gloves often use soft pneumatic actuators that employ air pressure to generate movements. Despite significant design improvements in recent years, many available soft actuators have drawbacks in achieving bidirectional motion typical of finger joints—such soft actuators facilitate finger bending (or flexion) but not finger straightening (or extension).   A group of biomedical researchers from Chiba University successfully ...

The bull elephants gather in the evening coolness to drink. After a spell, a senior male lifts his head and turns from the waterhole. With ears flapping gently, he lets out a deep, resonant rumble.  One by one, the others respond, their voices overlapping in a sonorous, infrasonic chorus that whispers across the savanna. This elephant barbershop quartet conveys a clear message: It’s time to move on. Gradually, the elephants shift, their massive bodies swaying as they follow their rumbling leader to the next stop on their nocturnal wanderings. For the first time, scientists from Stanford University and other institutions have documented male elephants using “let’s ...

Submarine canyons are crucial for the instability of the Antarctic ice sheet Antarctic canyons play a crucial role in the instability of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, as they facilitate the transfer of relatively warm water (Circumpolar Deep Water) from the abyssal areas to the continental shelf and from there to the base of the ice sheet, thus contributing to its melting.  The new study, conducted by an international team of researchers led by the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS) and including the University of Southampton, ...

Research Highlights: Adults in their 50s with peripheral artery disease or PAD — are more likely than adults older than 80 to undergo leg amputation one to five years after an emergency surgery to restore blood flow to the lower limbs. This study analyzes outcomes among patients older than age 50 hospitalized with PAD, as noted in eight years of data collected in England. Researchers say early diagnosis, risk factor modification and treatment are warranted to help prevent patients from developing severe forms of PAD. Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Monday, July 22, 2024 DALLAS, ...

KANSAS CITY, MO—July 22, 2024—Mosquito-borne viral infections once confined to tropical regions are spreading. Dengue virus infects up to 400 million people worldwide each year according to World Health Organization estimates, and no available treatments exist for this disease. Now, research from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research has uncovered surprising strategies for how dengue and hundreds of other viruses replicate in their hosts, with the potential to aid in developing novel antiviral treatments and vaccines. Led by Stowers Predoctoral Researcher Luciana ...

Peer reviewed: Yes Type of evidence: Observational study Subject: Animals   UNDER STRICT EMBARGO until 10:00 hours [UK BST] / 05:00 hours [US EDT] Monday 22 July 2024 Smell of human stress affects dogs’ emotions leading them to make more pessimistic choices Dogs experience emotional contagion from the smell of human stress, leading them to make more ‘pessimistic’ choices, new research finds.  The University of Bristol-led study, published in Scientific Reports today [22 July], is the first to test how human stress odours affect dogs' learning and emotional state.   Evidence in humans suggests that the smell of a stressed ...

Research on thousands of proteins measured from a drop of blood demonstrates the ability of proteins to predict the onset of many diverse diseases. The research, published today (22 July 2024) in Nature Medicine, was carried out as part of an international research partnership between GSK, Queen Mary University of London, University College London, Cambridge University and the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité Universitätsmedizin, Germany. The researchers used data from the UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project (UKB-PPP), ...

Virginia Tech researchers have found a new way to identify genetic targets useful for control of mosquito populations, potentially offering an alternative to insecticides. Their study, published today in Communications Biology, focused on the genetic basis of species incompatibility. They crossed Ae. aegypti, a major global arboviral disease vector, and its sibling species, Ae. mascarensis, from the Indian Ocean. When offspring is crossed back with one parent, about 10 percent of the progeny becomes intersex and is unable to reproduce. The researchers identified abnormalities in the sex determination pathways of these ...

On average, healthcare professionals involved in surgical procedures and care in hospitals experience more stress and burnout than other professional groups in Europe. An estimated 60% of these caregivers are showing symptoms of burnout, while up to half of nurses are considering leaving their profession. To address this, thanks to a Horizon Grant of almost 6.5 million euros, Amsterdam UMC will lead a European consortium in search of the best solutions to stress.  "Healthcare providers involved in surgical procedures are under enormous pressure. Think of surgeons, nurses, theatre assistants, anesthesiologists. They ...

ANN ARBOR, Mich. –  As children grow, it may feel like they’re constantly outgrowing one clothing item essential for so many activities: their shoes. But many parents in a new national poll acknowledge a lack of confidence in ensuring their children are wearing properly fitting shoes – which experts say is necessary to support growth and prevent injuries. One in seven parents also say they’ve had concerns about their child’s feet or the way they walk while one in 10 parents report their child ...

Raising squid in aquaculture has been a challenge that researchers have tried to address for many decades without meaningful success. Squid are highly sensitive to changes in water flow, are vulnerable to disease, have complex life cycles and hard-to-meet food preferences, and can become aggressive towards each other, all of which make them difficult to rear. At the same time, the population of wild squid is plummeting due to overfishing and climate change, and in Japan alone, it’s estimated ...

People can reduce their risk of age-related dementia by exercising their brains properly instead of Googling, according to a leading Canadian academic. Professor Mohamed I. Elmasry says simple daily habits such as afternoon naps, memory ‘workouts’ and not reaching for a smartphone can increase the odds of healthy aging. His new book, iMind: Artificial and Real Intelligence (with foreword by Canadian cell biologist Dr. Aileen Burford-Mason), says the focus has shifted too far away from RI (natural, or real) intelligence in favor of ...

New incubator aims to tap industry experts to bridge the knowledge and funding gap to enhance bench-to-bedside success LIVE Ventures provides up to $500,000 for high-potential academic research projects   Duke-NUS Medical School today launched LIVE Ventures, a S$20 million incubation programme designed to catalyse the commercialisation of innovative academic research. Focused on translating scientific breakthroughs into clinical applications, LIVE Ventures will provide Duke-NUS scientists conducting ...

University of Cambridge media release UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL 00:01AM (UK TIME) ON MONDAY 22ND JULY 2024   A collection of French fashion engravings offers precious new insights into the life of Samuel Pepys years after his premature final diary entry. The prints show the tailor’s son remained fascinated by the power of fashion long after he had secured wealth and status. But they also expose Pepys’ internal conflict over French style. Most of what we know about Samuel ...

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a group of inherited diseases that causes progressive degeneration of the light sensitive cells at the back of the eye. Dogs with PRA have normal sight at birth, but by the age of four or five they will be totally blind. There is no treatment. Now a team led by the University of Cambridge has identified the genetic mutation that causes PRA in English Shepherd Dogs, and developed a DNA test for it. By identifying dogs carrying the disease before their eyesight starts to fail, this provides a tool to guide breeding decisions so the disease is not passed on to puppies. Owners usually don’t realise their dog has PRA until it is ...

New Curtin University research has revealed at least 46,000 Australian welders are exposed to high levels of dangerous, potentially cancer-causing fumes at work — and little is being done to protect them.   A joint Curtin School of Population Health and University of Sydney project funded through the Centre for Work Health and Safety, the Australian-first study was published today in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.   The research team surveyed 634 workers and employers involved in welding from across Australia ...

Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have devised a way to measure both the temperature and velocity profiles of fluid in a convective plume at millimeter length scales in 3D. They combined near-infrared absorption imaging and image processing to separate the motion of tracer particles from snapshots of how light is absorbed, producing both a smooth velocity and temperature map. The technology promises new insights into optimizing the design of micro-heating and cooling devices.   Accurate maps of how heat and matter flow at the microscale are vital to the design of micro-heating and cooling devices. A classic example ...

Artificial intelligence (AI) has grown rapidly in the last few years, and with that increase, industries have been able to automate and improve their efficiency in operations. A feature article published in AIChE Journal identifies the challenges and benefits of using Intelligence Augmentation (IA) in process safety systems. Contributors to this work are Dr. Faisal Khan, professor and chemical engineering department head at Texas A&M University, Dr. Stratos Pistikopoulos, professor and director of the Energy Institute, Drs. Rajeevan Arunthavanathan, Tanjin Amin, and Zaman Sajid from the Mary Kay O’Connor Safety Center. Additionally, Dr. Yuhe ...

Researcher Rocio Uria-Martinez was named one of four “Women with Hydro Vision” at this year’s  HYDROVISION International 2024 conference taking place in Denver this week. Awarded by a committee of industry peers, the honor recognizes women who use their unique talents and vision to improve and advance the worldwide hydropower industry.  Uria is an energy and environmental economist and senior R&D staff member at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge ...

UCLA has been selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in a new Medicare alternative payment model designed to support people living with dementia and their caregivers. UCLA is one of almost 400 participants building Dementia Care Programs (DCPs) across the country working under CMS’ Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model  to increase care coordination and improve access to services and supports, including respite care, for people living ...

Some species of fish can evolve their egg-laying habits in response to predators in the area in order to survive, according to new research from The University of Texas at Arlington. It has long been observed that organisms modify their traits, including reproductive patterns, in response to changes in their environment. This type of evolutionary plasticity has been observed in many types of animals in different habitats and with varying predators. “We knew that fish who laid their eggs externally often adapted depending on the predators in the area, but we did not know how quickly species could change to these externals pressures,” said biology Professor Matthew Walsh, ...

“[...] myeloid neoplasms associated with DDX41 variants likely exhibit a unique pathogenesis that diverges from the conventional understanding of myeloid neoplasms.” BUFFALO, NY- July 19, 2024 – A new editorial paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 15 on July 2, 2024, entitled, “DDX41 and its unique contribution to myeloid leukemogenesis.” In this new editorial, researcher Hirotaka Matsui from the National Cancer Center Hospital in Tokyo, Japan, and Kumamoto University discusses myeloid neoplasms. Until ...

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- In an “Industry Watch” research paper in the journal Tobacco Control, two scientists at the University of California, Riverside, raise the alarm on new electronic cigarette products equipped with touch screens, animated displays, and built-in games. Because the products are user friendly and attractive to youth, they may couple nicotine addiction with gaming disorder, the researchers caution. Of particular concern to the researchers is that coupling nicotine to existing youth behaviors, such as video gaming and screen time use, could broaden the smart electronic cigarette market to include youth with no prior interest in nicotine products, while ...

When deciding what material to use for infrastructure projects, metals are often selected for their durability. However, if placed in a hydrogen-rich environment, like water, metals can become brittle and fail. Since the mid-19th century, this phenomenon, known as hydrogen embrittlement, has puzzled researchers with its unpredictable nature. Now, a study published in Science Advances brings us a step closer to predicting it with confidence. The work is led by Dr. Mengying Liu from Washington and Lee University in collaboration with researchers at Texas A&M University. The team ...

A new study shows that by combining different chemotherapy drugs, testicular cancer remains highly treatable and often curable, even after first-line treatment fails.  .  The recent study published in the prestigious Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) was led by Professor Jack Gleeson, Associate Professor at Cancer Research at University College Cork (UCC) and the Medical Oncology Department at Cork University Hospital, and was conducted during his time at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.  Over ...