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Technology27 Apr 2021

NIST study suggests how to build a better 'nanopore' biosensor

Researchers have spent more than three decades developing and studying miniature biosensors that can identify single molecules. In five to 10 years, when such devices may become a staple in doctors' offices, they could detect molecular markers for cancer and other diseases and assess the effectiveness of drug treatment to fight those illnesses. To help make that happen and to boost the accuracy and speed of these measurements, scientists must find ways to better understand how molecules interact with these sensors. Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) have now developed a new approach. ...

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Science27 Apr 2021

Skoltech researchers propose a new data-driven tool to better understand startups

Skoltech researchers used Google Trends' Big Data ensuing from human interactions with the Internet to develop a new methodology - a tool and a data source - for analyzing and researching the growth of startups. A paper reporting these important findings was published in technology management journal, Technological Forecasting and Social Change. Startups and high-growth technology-based ventures they transform into are regarded as the key drivers of economic development, innovation, and job creation on the national and global level. However, despite their crucial importance for the economy and high interest from researchers and policy-makers, startups display growth patterns that are difficult to analyze. These fragile, early-stage private ...

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Technology27 Apr 2021

Study suggests that silicon could be a photonics game-changer

New research from the University of Surrey has shown that silicon could be one of the most powerful materials for photonic informational manipulation - opening up new possibilities for the production of lasers and displays. While computer chips' extraordinary success has confirmed silicon as the prime material for electronic information control, silicon has a reputation as a poor choice for photonics; there are no commercially available silicon light-emitting diodes, lasers or displays. Now, in a paper published by Light: Science and Applications journal, a Surrey-led international team of scientists has ...

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Science27 Apr 2021

Study links child behaviour problems to prenatal tobacco smoke and traffic density

A pregnant woman's exposure to tobacco smoke and pollution from road traffic can influence the development of behavioural outcomes in early childhood. This is the conclusion of a recent study led by a team from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation. The study, published in Environmental International, is the first to investigate the impact of the exposome--i.e. the set of all environmental exposures, both chemical and non-chemical, during the prenatal and postnatal stages--on child behaviour. Previous research had assessed the impact of environmental ...

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Medicine27 Apr 2021

New mouse model provides first platform to study late-onset Alzheimer's disease

Irvine, Calif., April 27, 2021 -- University of California, Irvine biologists have developed a new genetically engineered mouse model that, unlike its predecessors, is based on the most common form of Alzheimer's disease. The advance holds promise for making new strides against the neurodegenerative disease as cases continue to soar. Their study appears in the journal, Nature Communications. Link to study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-22624-z While over 170 Alzheimer's mouse models have been in use since the 1990s, those models mimic early-onset AD, also known as "familial AD," which accounts for less than 5 percent of total AD cases. Until ...

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Environment27 Apr 2021

Canola growth environments and genetics shape their seed microbiomes

Just as humans receive the first members of their microbiomes from their mothers, seeds may harbor some of the first microorganisms plants encounter. While these initial microbes could become influential players in the plants' microbiomes, the microbial communities that colonize seeds have not received as much attention as root, shoot, or soil microbiomes. To understand how seed microbiomes are assembled, a group of researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (Canada) examined the relative effects of growth environment and plant genotype on the seed microbiome of canola, a globally important crop grown in diverse environments. In their recently published paper in Phytobiomes Journal, ...

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Science27 Apr 2021

Seaweed solutions

It's easy to think that more nutrients -- the stuff life needs to grow and thrive -- would foster more vibrant ecosystems. Yet nutrient pollution has in fact wrought havoc on marine systems, contributing to harmful algae blooms, worse water quality and oxygen-poor dead zones. A team of researchers from UC Santa Barbara has proposed a novel strategy for reducing large amounts of nutrients -- specifically nitrogen and phosphorous -- after they have already been released into the environment. In a study appearing in the journal Marine Policy, the authors contend that seaweed's incredible ability to draw nutrients from the water could provide an efficient and cost-effective solution. Looking at the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, the team identified over 63,000 square kilometers suitable for seaweed aquaculture. "A ...

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Energy27 Apr 2021

'Dominating' fungus could be solution to producing more biofuels and chemicals

The discovery of a novel enzyme that releases a valuable chemical from agricultural waste could provide an important breakthrough in the upscaling of renewable fuels and chemicals, a new study shows. Researchers - led by the University of York - have discovered an enzyme in a fungus which can act as a catalyst to bring about a biochemical reaction that breaks down lignocellulose Lignocellulose is found in forestry and agricultural waste like wheat straw, which was used in this research. It has long been considered by scientists that this dry matter could ...

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Medicine27 Apr 2021

The science of sound, vibration to better diagnose, treat brain diseases

A team of engineering researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology hopes to uncover new ways to diagnose and treat brain ailments, from tumors and stroke to Parkinson's disease, leveraging vibrations and ultrasound waves. The five-year, $2 million National Science Foundation (NSF) project initiated in 2019 already has resulted in several published journal articles that offer promising new methods to focus ultrasound waves through the skull, which could lead to broader use of ultrasound imaging -- considered safer and less expensive than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. Specifically, the team is researching a broad range of frequencies, spanning low frequency vibrations (audio frequency range) and moderate frequency guided waves (100 kHz to 1 MHz) to high ...

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Earth Science27 Apr 2021

New duckbilled dinosaur discovered in Japan

DALLAS (SMU) - An international team of paleontologists has identified a new genus and species of hadrosaur or duck-billed dinosaur, Yamatosaurus izanagii, on one of Japan's southern islands. The fossilized discovery yields new information about hadrosaur migration, suggesting that the herbivors migrated from Asia to North America instead of vice versa. The discovery also illustrates an evolutionary step as the giant creatures evolved from walking upright to walking on all fours. Most of all, the discovery provides new information and asks new questions about dinosaurs in Japan. The research, "A New Basal Hadrosaurid (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) From the latest Cretaceous Kita-ama Formation in Japan implies the origin of Hadrosaurids," ...

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Medicine27 Apr 2021

University of Chicago scientists design "Nanotraps" to catch, clear coronavirus

Researchers at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at the University of Chicago have designed a completely novel potential treatment for COVID-19: nanoparticles that capture SARS-CoV-2 viruses within the body and then use the body's own immune system to destroy it. These "Nanotraps" attract the virus by mimicking the target cells the virus infects. When the virus binds to the Nanotraps, the traps then sequester the virus from other cells and target it for destruction by the immune system. In theory, these Nanotraps could also be used on variants of the virus, leading to a potential new way to inhibit the virus going forward. Though the therapy remains in early stages of testing, the researchers envision it could be administered ...

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Technology27 Apr 2021

Research shows consuming prebiotic supplements once a day has a positive impact on anxiety levels

In a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers from Surrey investigated whether the daily consumption of a prebiotic food supplement could improve overall wellbeing in a group of 18 to 25 year-olds. The study found that those who received a daily dose of prebiotics improved mental wellbeing by reducing anxiety levels and had better gut health than the control group. Researchers studied a group of 64 healthy female participants with no current or previous clinical diagnoses of anxiety. Participants received either a daily dose of the prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) or a placebo for 28 days. All those involved in the trial completed surveys about their health experiences, including mood, anxiety and sleep quality and provided a stool sample ...

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Medicine27 Apr 2021

Incentives could turn costs of biofuel mandates into environmental benefits

New studies from the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) shed more light on the economic and environmental costs of mandates in the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), a federal program to expand the nation's biofuels sector. Researchers said the studies indicate the need to adopt more targeted policies that value the environmental and ecosystem benefits of perennial bioenergy crops over cheaper options -- and provide financial incentives for farmers to grow them. The RFS was issued in 2005 and updated through the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 ...

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Medicine27 Apr 2021

Antiviral response: Eosinophils active in immediate defense during influenza a infection

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - For the first time in published literature, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) researchers showed that a variety of white blood cells known as eosinophils modify the respiratory barrier during influenza A (IAV) infection, according to a recent paper in the journal Cells. This research could have implications in understanding SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection in asthmatic patients. The Le Bonheur/UTHSC study found that eosinophils immunomodulate airway epithelial cells during IAV infection, helping to neutralize the virus and ...

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Technology27 Apr 2021

The pioneering technology that is uncovering the mysteries of the 'Kraken'

The legend of the "kraken" has captivated humans for millennia. Stories of deep-sea squid dragging sailors and even entire ships to their doom can be found in everything from ancient Greek mythology to modern-day movie blockbusters. It is therefore ironic that the species that inspired these stories, the giant squid Architeuthis dux, is camera-shy. In fact, filming this species in the wild has proven an insurmountable challenge for countless scientists, explorers, and filmmakers. To date, only one scientist, Dr. Edith Widder of the Ocean Research & Conservation Association, has repeatedly caught a live giant squid on camera. In a new study, Dr. Widder and her colleagues have finally revealed the secrets behind their success. This study, which is free to access, also ...

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Science27 Apr 2021

Do senior faculty publish as much as their younger colleagues?

An Academic Analytics Research Center (AARC) study published in the journal Scientometrics found that senior faculty (scholars who earned their terminal degree 30 or more years ago) research publication activity exceeded expectations based on age cohort population for book chapters and book publications, and senior scholars largely kept pace in terms of journal article publications. "Across all disciplines, senior faculty may be uniquely positioned to invest their time in a longer-term publication effort, shifting their research focus to the review and synthesis of ideas through the publication of books and chapters," said AARC Senior Researcher and Co-Author of the study, Bill Savage, Ph.D. The study explored the publishing activity of 167,299 unique faculty members at American ...

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Science27 Apr 2021

Improved catalyst may translate to petrochemical production gains

Aromatics are major building blocks of polymers, or plastics, that turn up as everything from PET bottles for water to breathable, wrinkle-resistant polyester clothing. These petrochemicals comprise a specialized, value-added sector of the energy industry. The process for refining crude oil into useful aromatic streams for derivative use often involves the usage of a catalyst to facilitate chemical reactions. Among the various types of catalysts, many are zeolites - porous aluminosilicates - such as ZSM-5, a unique synthetic zeolite prolifically used in the upgrading of chemicals in alkylation and isomerization. Petrochemicals producers are constantly looking to minimize overhead costs to weather the volatility in commodity markets and provide a competitive end product ...

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Space27 Apr 2021

Physicists net neutron star gold from measurement of lead

NEWPORT NEWS - Nuclear physicists have made a new, highly accurate measurement of the thickness of the neutron "skin" that encompasses the lead nucleus in experiments conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility and just published in Physical Review Letters. The result, which revealed a neutron skin thickness of .28 millionths of a nanometer, has important implications for the structure and size of neutron stars. The protons and neutrons that form the nucleus at the heart of every atom in the universe help determine each atom's identity and properties. Nuclear physicists are studying different nuclei to learn more about how these protons and neutrons act inside the nucleus. The Lead Radius Experiment collaboration, called PREx (after ...

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Technology27 Apr 2021

Nontoxic, flexible energy converters could power wearable devices

WASHINGTON, April 27, 2021 -- A wide variety of portable and wearable electronics have become a large part of our daily lives, so a group of Stanford University researchers wondered if these could be powered by harvesting electricity from the waste heat that exists all around us. Further inspiration came from a desire to ultimately fabricate energy converting devices from the same materials as the active devices themselves, so they can blend in as an integral part of the total system. Today, many biomedical nanodevices' power supplies come from several types of batteries that must be separated from the active portion of the systems, which is not ...

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Medicine27 Apr 2021

Benefits of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine outweigh its risks

WASHINGTON, April 27, 2021 -- The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is suspected of being linked to a small number of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) cases, which recently emerged within Europe as millions of people received vaccinations. This led several countries to suspend AstraZeneca injections and investigate the causal links to DVT. Researchers within Europe teamed up to explore a hypothesis that pausing AstraZeneca vaccinations, even for a short duration, could cause additional deaths from the faster spread of COVID-19 within a population of susceptible ...

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Medicine27 Apr 2021

Investigating association between age at diabetes onset, subsequent risk of dementia

What The Study Did: Researchers examined whether younger age at onset of type 2 diabetes was associated with an increased risk of subsequent dementia. Authors: Archana Singh-Manoux, Ph.D., of the Université de Paris, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jama.2021.4001) Editor's Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, ...

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Science27 Apr 2021

HPV vaccination in young adults

What The Study Did: Survey data were used to estimate the rate of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among young adults ages 18 to 21 in the United States. Authors: Michelle M. Chen, M.D., M.H.S., of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jama.2021.0725) Editor's Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support. # # # Media advisory: The full study is linked ...

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Medicine27 Apr 2021

Reasons for admissions to children's hospitals during COVID-19

What The Study Did: Researchers compared reasons for hospitalizations in children's hospitals in the United States before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Authors: Jay G. Berry, M.D., M.P.H., of Harvard Medical School in Boston, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jama.2021.4382) Editor's Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support. # ...

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Medicine27 Apr 2021

USPSTF reaffirms recommendation of screening for high blood pressure in adults

Bottom Line: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) reaffirms its earlier recommendation of screening for high blood pressure in adults 18 years or older with office blood pressure measurement and obtaining measurements outside of the clinical setting for confirming a diagnosis of high blood pressure before starting treatment. Hypertension affects approximately 45% of adults in the United States and is a major contributing risk factor for heart failure, heart attack, stroke and chronic kidney disease. The USPSTF routinely makes recommendations about the effectiveness of preventive care services and this recommendation reaffirms its 2015 statement. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jama.2021.4987) Editor's ...

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Medicine27 Apr 2021

Association of facial paralysis with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines

What The Study Did: This analysis uses the World Health Organization pharmacovigilance database to explore the potential safety signal of facial paralysis after COVID-19 vaccination. When compared with other viral vaccines, mRNA COVID-19 vaccines did not display a signal of facial paralysis. Authors: Charles Khouri, Pharm.D., of the University Grenoble Alpes and Grenoble Alpes University Hospital in Grenoble, France, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.2219) Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including ...

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