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Science News Archive 2021 - Page 415


Page 415 of 510

Sophisticated skin

Researchers have discovered that squids can not only change the color of their skin but also its brightness, achieved through the action of 'osmotic motors' driven by reflectin proteins. This complex mechanism allows for a wide range of iridescent colors and brightness levels.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateMar 8, 2021

Paw hygiene no reason to ban assistance dogs from hospitals

Researchers at Utrecht University discovered that assistance dogs' paws are cleaner than their users' shoe soles, invalidating hygiene reasons for banning them from hospitals. A pilot study of 25 assistance dogs and their owners found no significant presence of fecal bacteria or diarrheal bacteria on the dogs' paws.

SourceUtrecht University·JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·DateMar 8, 2021

Algorithm helps artificial intelligence systems dodge "adversarial" inputs

A new deep-learning algorithm, CARRL, is designed to help machines build a healthy skepticism of their measurements and inputs. By combining reinforcement-learning algorithms with deep neural networks, researchers created an approach that outperformed standard machine-learning techniques in scenarios with uncertain and adversarial inputs.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalIEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems·DateMar 7, 2021

Biological artificial organs like skin, vessels...now produced more easily

A Korean research group has developed a new cell co-culture platform that enables the differentiation of stem cells into desired cell types without special pretreatment. The platform displays surface traits similar to those of the extracellular matrix, providing cells with an environment similar to that of the body.

SourceNational Research Council of Science & Technology·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateMar 7, 2021

It's time to bolster women in conservation

A University of Queensland and Nature Conservancy study reveals that women's voices are critically lacking in conservation, with gender discrimination being systemic and consistent. The research found positive impacts when women were involved in conservation, but existing gender roles and dynamics limit their participation.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalOryx·DateMar 7, 2021

Watching the brain learn

Researchers at Göttingen University have discovered that adult mice brains display increased experience-dependent spine removal, a hallmark of critical period-like plasticity. This study reveals structural changes in the visual cortex associated with silent synapses and sheds light on lifelong neural plasticity.

SourceUniversity of Göttingen·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 6, 2021

Controlling adhesions in the abdomen

Adhesions form after inflammation or surgery and can lead to chronic pain, digestive problems, infertility, and life-threatening consequences. Researchers have discovered that macrophages play a key role in their development and have developed a new imaging system to visualize them.

SourceUniversity of Bern·JournalScience·DateMar 5, 2021

Health care use among undocumented patients

Researchers found that increased anti-immigrant rhetoric during the 2016 presidential campaign led to a significant increase in healthcare services usage among undocumented patients. The study suggests that this association may be attributed to decreased trust and increased stress related to immigration policies.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateMar 5, 2021

The amazing promise of artificial intelligence in health care

Artificial intelligence has already shown promise in pathology, including image classification and diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. Future developments aim to further enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve patient outcomes through augmented intelligence. The authors emphasize the need for careful validation, performance monitoring, ...

SourceUniversity of Virginia Health System·JournalArchives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine·DateMar 5, 2021

Key task in computer vision and graphics gets a boost

A Kanazawa University researcher has developed a method to speed up non-rigid point set registration, a fundamental problem in computing with extensive applications in autonomous driving, medical imaging, and robotic manipulation. The proposed technique reduces computing time for large point sets, outperforming state-of-the-art approac...

SourceKanazawa University·JournalIEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence·DateMar 5, 2021

Study reveals how egg cells get so big

A new study in fruit flies reveals the process of oocyte growth relies on physical phenomena analogous to gas exchange between balloons. Nurse cells surrounding the larger oocyte dump their contents into it, using a counterintuitive mechanism where air flows from smaller to larger balloons.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 5, 2021

Chimpanzees without borders

A recent study found that chimpanzees have been reconnected for extended periods during the most recent maximal expansion of African forests, contrary to previous assumptions. The team's comprehensive sampling and use of rapidly-evolving genetic markers revealed genetic connectivity mirrors geographic distance and local factors.

SourceMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology·JournalCommunications Biology·DateMar 5, 2021

Rapid 3D printing method moves toward 3D-printed organs

A new rapid 3D printing method developed by University at Buffalo engineers has the potential to create life-sized human tissue and organs in just minutes, rather than hours. The technique uses hydrogels and stereolithography to print cells with embedded blood vessel networks, a key step towards producing functional 3D-printed organs.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalAdvanced Healthcare Materials·DateMar 5, 2021

Blind trust in social media cements conspiracy beliefs

A recent study from Washington State University reveals that people who blindly trust information on social media are more likely to believe conspiracy theories, even if they can identify misinformation. Researchers found that a strong trust in social media information lowers the ability to reject conspiracy beliefs, highlighting the n...

SourceWashington State University·JournalPublic Understanding of Science·DateMar 5, 2021

Building networks not enough to expand rural broadband

Rural broadband cooperatives face high operation and maintenance costs, low population density, and prohibitively high service fees. Policymakers should consider eliminating property taxes on broadband infrastructure and payments to rent space on poles to make high-speed internet more affordable.

SourceCornell University·JournalTelecommunications Policy·DateMar 5, 2021

Christopher Tunnell wins NSF CAREER Award

Dr. Christopher Tunnell, a computational astroparticle physicist at Rice University, has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award to further his research on dark matter and other phenomena. The award will support a combined physics and computer science effort to detect rare particles and understand the universe.

CVIAhas just published a new issue, Volume 5 Issue 3

This issue of CVIA features important papers on COVID-19's impact on cardiology, including a meta-analysis of pacemaker complications and risk factors for pressure injuries during aortic surgery. Research also explores the relationship between cardiac injury and inflammatory biomarkers in severe COVID-19 patients.

SourceCompuscript Ltd·JournalCardiovascular Innovations and Applications·DateMar 5, 2021

Tracking proteins in the heart of cells

Scientists at UNIGE have developed a fluorescent dye to track the movement of kinesin proteins within cells, revealing their path and direction. This breakthrough enables researchers to study the fundamental question of protein transport and cargo distribution in cells.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 5, 2021