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Science News Archive 2021 - Page 2


Page 2 of 510

Challenging ‘rule breakers’ – children will confront their peers, but how they do so varies across cultures

A new study reveals that children globally will confront peers when rules are broken, but their approach differs across cultures. Children from rural areas tend to use verbal protests more than urban kids, who may rely on indirect methods like reputation to enforce compliance.

SourceUniversity of Plymouth·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateDec 27, 2021

Penn Medicine awarded $14 million NIH grant to apply CAR T immunotherapies to match more patients in need of kidney transplants

A clinical trial will harness synthetic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells to deplete immune B cells and plasma cells producing donor-specific antibodies, aiming to achieve a compatible kidney match for patients with pre-existing antibodies. The NIH-funded study, led by Penn Medicine, intends to begin enrolling patients in 2022.

Antarctic oceanographers use seals to do research where ships fear to go

Oceanographers replaced ship-based studies with sensors attached to seals to navigate icy waters, revealing seasonally varying water flows and their impact on biological production. The study found that warm, low-salinity water appears during autumn, positively affecting seal foraging behavior and potentially enhancing prey availability.

SourceResearch Organization of Information and Systems·JournalLimnology and Oceanography·DateDec 27, 2021

Stopping dementia at the nose with combination of rifampicin and resveratrol

A new combination therapy using rifampicin and resveratrol administered intranasally has shown to improve cognitive function in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, and Lewy bodies. The treatment effectively reduces oligomer accumulation and restores brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression.

SourceOsaka City University·JournalFrontiers in Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 27, 2021

Sleeping mice show busy brains

A new study reveals that the superior colliculus, a lesser-studied region responsible for saccades and facial recognition, dynamically changes its clustering of neurons depending on the mouse's conscious state. This finding suggests that the brain optimizes visual information processing based on its awake or anesthetized state.

SourceKyoto University·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 27, 2021

When a kidney transplant fails, retransplantation may offer better survival over dialysis

A recent study published in CJASN found that patients who undergo retransplantation after a failed first kidney transplant have a longer average survival time compared to those on dialysis. The study analyzed data from 2,346 adults and showed that retransplantation resulted in an additional 5.8 months of life expectancy.

SourceAmerican Society of Nephrology·JournalClinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateDec 27, 2021

Penn Medicine researchers develop structural blueprint of nanoparticles to target white blood cells responsible for acute lung inflammation

Researchers at Penn Medicine have developed a structural blueprint for nanoparticles that can target and deliver treatment to white blood cells, such as neutrophils, that contribute to acute lung inflammation. The findings represent a significant step in understanding the condition and function of the immune system.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateDec 27, 2021

Biomolecular explosion

Scientists have observed that ionizing radiation can cause intermolecular Coulombic decay in organic molecules, leading to damage in DNA and proteins. This new understanding could lead to the development of more effective substances for radiation therapy and improve knowledge of how radiation damages healthy tissue.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature Chemistry·DateDec 27, 2021

Opioid prescribing declines, but cuts are not uniform

Per capita morphine milligram equivalents (MME) volume declined most in metropolitan counties and counties with higher fatal opioid overdoses. Clinical specialties showed significant declines, except for some states' counties with both increases and decreases.

SourceRAND Corporation·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 27, 2021

Kilohertz label-free non-contact quantitative mapping of optical properties for strongly turbid media

A team developed a new optical imaging method that can quantify optical properties of strongly turbid media at high-speed (e.g., kHz) capabilities. The halftone spatial frequency domain imaging technique projects sinusoidal light patterns onto the sample and collects reflectance images, increasing the measurement speed by approximately...

Cylindrical vector beam multiplexer/demultiplexer using off-axis polarization control

Researchers have proposed a new method for controlling the polarization of cylindrical vector beams (CVBs) using a metal-dielectric-metal metasurface. This enables independent modulation of the left- and right-handed circularly polarized components, allowing for efficient multiplexing and demultiplexing of CVBs.

The future of 3D display and the emergence of holographic television

Recent advancements in machine learning and neural networks enable real-time computer-generated holograms, overcoming data transmission challenges. Larger spatial light modulators and improved rendering hardware are also bringing holographic projection systems closer to consumer market.

Transmissive-detected laser speckle imaging for blood flow monitoring in thick tissue

Researchers have developed a new laser speckle imaging technique that can monitor blood flow velocity in thick tissue without the need for surgical windows or optical clearing. This non-invasive method uses transmission detection to improve signal-to-background ratio and enables individual-vessel resolution in human subjects.

Researchers construct a framework to solve bound and scattering state problems in quantum mechanics education

A research team from USTC has constructed a theoretical framework and thinking mechanism model to help students solve bound and scattering state problems in quantum mechanics. The study found three key nodes of difficulty: recognizing Schrodinger equations, selecting energy constants, and using superposition forms.

SourceUniversity of Science and Technology of China·JournalPhysical Review Physics Education Research·DateDec 24, 2021

International team of scientists proposes a global network—International Meridian Circle Program—to monitor major threats on our environment

An international team of scientists proposes a global network to monitor hazards threatening Earth's ecosystems and human activities. The International Meridian Circle Program aims to track space weather events, geomagnetic field changes, and atmospheric disturbances using a diverse range of instruments.

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience China Earth Sciences·DateDec 24, 2021

COVID-19 outbreak convergence thru an SIR model

Researchers used an SIR model to show COVID-19 convergence in Japan, with growth rates initially high then decreasing as cumulative infected people increase. The study aims to control infections and mitigate economic impact through risk management.

SourceShinshu University·JournalEconomic Analysis and Policy·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 24, 2021

The Lancet: Phase 3 trial reports one dose of Ad5-nCoV COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, including against severe disease

A phase 3 trial has shown that one dose of the Ad5-nCoV COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective against severe disease, with an efficacy rate of 91.7% at 28 days post-vaccination. The vaccine has also been found to be safe, with no serious vaccine-related adverse events or deaths reported among trial participants.

SourceThe Lancet·JournalThe Lancet·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateDec 23, 2021

"Heavy" hydrogen stabilizes drugs

Researchers at the University of Bonn have developed a new method to introduce heavy hydrogen isotopes into drugs, potentially making them more effective. The technique involves the use of epoxides and a titanium-based catalyst, allowing for precise control over the placement of deuterium atoms.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalAngewandte Chemie·DateDec 23, 2021

‘Pop-up’ electronic sensors could detect when individual heart cells misbehave

Scientists have created a new tool that monitors the electrical activity inside individual heart cells using tiny 'pop-up' sensors. The device directly measures signal movement and speed within single heart cells and between multiple cells, offering potential breakthroughs in diagnosing arrhythmia and cardiac fibrosis.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2021

Cochlear implant in deaf children with autism can improve language skills and social engagement

A study by Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago found that cochlear implantation can improve language skills and social engagement in deaf children with autism spectrum disorder. The study reported improved outcomes in 86% of children, including enhanced communication and interaction with families.

Researchers use electron microscope to turn nanotube into tiny transistor

Researchers from Australia, China, Japan and Russia successfully created a tiny transistor 25,000 times smaller than a human hair using an electron microscope. The innovation demonstrates the ability to control the electronic properties of individual carbon nanotubes, opening up new possibilities for the development of tiny transistors.

SourceQueensland University of Technology·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2021