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Science News Archive 2021 - Page 142


Page 142 of 510

UT Health Science Center San Antonio, UT Rio Grande Valley selected as NIA Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley have been designated as a new National Institute on Aging (NIA)-designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. The centers aim to promote research collaboration, encourage data sharing, and offer information and clinical trials f...

Study identifies the importance of modeling neonatal opioid withdrawal and brain adaptations in both sexes

Researchers identified sex-dependent changes in gene expression in the brainstem during neonatal opioid withdrawal, which could lead to new therapeutic targets for preventing or mitigating Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome symptoms. The study found that prenatal opioid exposure compromised neurodevelopmental 'wiring' of the brain and...

SourceBoston University School of Medicine·JournaleNeuro·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 9, 2021

University professor helps make breakthrough achievement in quantum computing

A UTSA researcher has developed a theory behind the record-setting experiment, which demonstrates the most accurate entangling gate without lasers. This achievement enables more cost-effective and easier-to-use quantum computers, with potential applications in fields such as science, engineering, and finance.

SourceUniversity of Texas at San Antonio·JournalNature·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 9, 2021

Researchers: Majority of patients with Alzheimer’s disease would not have been eligible for clinical trials of new controversial Alzheimer’s drug

Researchers found that over 92% of patients with Alzheimer's disease related dementia met at least one aducanumab trial exclusion criterion, highlighting the need for additional research on high-risk groups. The study suggests that Medicare should restrict coverage for aducanumab to eligible patients only.

A new gene-delivery vehicle could make gene therapy for muscle diseases safer and more effective

Researchers have developed a new family of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) that target muscle tissue more efficiently, reducing the risk of liver damage and allowing for lower doses. This improved delivery method has shown promise in treating genetic muscle diseases, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy and X-linked myotubular myopathy.

SourceBroad Institute of MIT and Harvard·JournalCell·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 9, 2021

Phase III POSEIDON trial shows positive results for patients taking chemotherapy plus durvalumab and tremelimumab

The Phase III POSEIDON trial demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival and overall survival for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) treated with chemotherapy plus durvalumab and tremelimumab. Durvalumab combined with tremelimumab and chemotherapy reduced the risk of death...

Math researchers find new ways to improve the science of ‘trade-offs’

QUT researchers developed a new mathematical model to enable faster solutions for complicated problems in agriculture, ecology and medicine. The method improves how to determine the 'best' intervention strategies, balancing benefits and side effects, and can be applied to farming practices and chemotherapy.

SourceQueensland University of Technology·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 9, 2021

Smart dental implants

Researchers have developed a smart dental implant that resists bacterial growth and generates its own electricity through chewing and brushing. The implant uses a nanoparticle-infused material that repels bacteria and an embedded light source powered by piezoelectric properties to conduct phototherapy.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 9, 2021

University of Illinois researchers design extreme heat exchanger using metal 3D printing

Researchers at the University of Illinois designed a tube-in-tube heat exchanger with significantly higher volumetric power density than current state-of-the-art devices. The optimized design enables more efficient energy transfer in industries requiring compact and high-performance heat exchangers.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering·JournalJoule·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateSep 9, 2021

Low-poverty US communities may eliminate cervical cancer by 2030 but high-poverty communities may lag behind

A predictive model estimated that cervical cancer may be eliminated in the US by 2030 in low-poverty areas, but not until 2044 in high-poverty areas. Health care disparities are a major contributor to these disparities, including lower vaccination rates and higher prevalence of cancer-causing HPV types.

SourceAmerican Association for Cancer Research·JournalCancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention·DateSep 9, 2021

Disparities in opioid overdose deaths continue to worsen for Black people, study suggests

A recent NIH-supported study highlights alarming disparities in opioid overdose deaths among non-Hispanic Black individuals in the US. The rates increased by 38% from 2018 to 2019, with Kentucky and Ohio experiencing the largest increases. The research emphasizes the need for community-based interventions addressing these disparities.

SourceNIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse·JournalAmerican Journal of Public Health·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 9, 2021

Lasting immunity and protection from new single-shot, room-temperature stable COVID-19 vaccine

A novel gene-based COVID-19 vaccine leveraging an adeno-associated viral vector platform was highly effective in eliciting neutralizing antibody responses and cellular immunity from a single dose. The vaccine provided near-complete protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge in nonhuman primates for at least 11 months.

SourceMass Eye and Ear·JournalCell Host & Microbe·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 8, 2021

Houser to receive funding for doctoral dissertation research in economics: Asymmetric Shocks In Contests: Theory and Experiment

Daniel E. Houser and Jian Song will investigate how the distribution of random shocks affects effort provisions in rank-tournament participants using economic theory and laboratory experiments. The research aims to develop an improved understanding of why and how people make decisions when facing unlikely but possible bad outcomes.

500-million-year-old fossil represents rare discovery of ancient animal in North America

Researchers uncover a 500-million-year-old 'worm-like' fossil, expanding the number of worm-like species known from this time period in North America. The discovery provides new clues about prehistoric environments and ecologies, helping scientists better understand the diversity of ancient animals during the Cambrian explosion.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalActa Palaeontologica Polonica·DateSep 8, 2021

Using electricity to give chemistry a boost

Researchers have successfully produced iron-based Metal Organic Framework (MOF) materials directly using renewable electricity at room temperature, overcoming challenges in scalability and environmental friendliness. The new method is 96% efficient and enables the creation of advanced MOF sensors.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalACS Central Science·DateSep 8, 2021

New way to pull lithium from water could increase supply, efficiency

A new research method developed by an interdisciplinary team of engineers and scientists has the potential to significantly increase lithium supply and reduce costs for devices that rely on it. The technique involves extracting lithium from contaminated water using precise membranes, which can improve efficiency and simplify the extrac...

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 8, 2021

Mapping the evolution of materials

Lehigh University researchers are developing a model to understand the impact of grain growth on material properties. The project aims to create new materials informatics methods, innovative stochastic differential equations, and models of grain growth to improve material performance and reliability.

A T-cell power-up for tumor treatments

Researchers at USC Viterbi School of Engineering have discovered a way to boost the effectiveness of CAR T-cell therapy for treating solid tumors, including breast and melanoma. By engineering CAR T-cells to produce an enzyme called adenosine deaminase, they break down an immune-suppressive microenvironment, allowing cancer-killing cel...

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalHuman Gene Therapy·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 8, 2021