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Science News Archive January 2021


Page 32 of 40

Use of telehealth jumped as pandemic shutdown began

The study found that almost half of people undergoing treatment when the pandemic began reported using some form of telemedicine. Researchers also noted that use of telehealth for behavioral health conditions was lower among women, older adults, and those with less than a high school education.

Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica Bvolume 10, issue 12 publishes

This issue of APSB features studies on the anticancer effects of berberine, baicalein's potent antivirus ability against HSV-1, and a new class of PDE10A inhibitors for treating PAH. Additionally, several articles explore innovative drug delivery systems and novel targets for cancer therapy.

Exciting times for efficient heavy-atom-free OLEDs

An international team from Osaka University has reported a novel hybrid emitter that could revolutionize OLED display design. The SiAz material achieved an external quantum efficiency of 4%, making it the best-performing heavy-atom-free OLED to date.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Impacts of climate change on our water and energy systems: it's complicated

Researchers developed a framework to evaluate climate change adaptations for water and energy systems, finding that conserving water can alleviate electricity grid stress. The study applied this framework to California, highlighting two possible adaptation pathways: one energy-intensive and another that saves both water and energy.

Carbon monoxide reduced to valuable liquid fuels

Rice University engineers have created a process that converts carbon monoxide directly into acetic acid, a widely used chemical agent. The electrochemical process uses nanoscale copper cubes and solid-state electrolytes to produce highly purified acetic acid with up to 98% purity.

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Laser harmony

Researchers have developed a femtosecond laser with unprecedented precision and stability, allowing for the observation of chemical transformations inside cells and the creation of ultra-thin layers on microchips. The laser's harmonic mode locking system enables precise control over pulse frequencies, opening up new avenues for applica...

'Swiss Army knife' catalyst can make natural gas burn cleaner

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago developed a new catalyst made from 10 elements that can lower methane combustion temperatures by half. This could lead to a significant reduction in harmful greenhouse gases produced by burning natural gas in households, power turbines, and cars.

Shifting shell mineralogy of a foundational marine species

A study of Mytilus californianus shells reveals a shift in mineralogical composition over the past 60 years, from aragonite to calcite. Ocean acidification is likely responsible for this change, indicating potential impacts on marine ecosystems.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

More management measures lead to healthier fish populations

A new study published in Nature Sustainability found that more management measures employed in fisheries lead to better outcomes for fish populations. The research team analyzed data from nearly 300 fish populations and confirmed that increased management attention is linked to healthier fisheries.

Scientists discover bizarre new mode of snake locomotion

Researchers at Colorado State University and the University of Cincinnati have discovered a new mode of snake locomotion, called lasso locomotion, which enables brown tree snakes to ascend larger smooth cylinders. This discovery may help protect endangered birds from the snakes' impact.

Advances in understanding autism, based on "mosaic" mutations

Two studies reveal that mosaic mutations during embryonic development contribute to the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with most brains harboring 'point' mutations in enhancers. Additionally, large copy number variants (CNVs) were found in people with ASD, often affecting multiple genes and chromosome regions.

COVID-19 pandemic indirectly disrupted heart disease care

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant indirect impact on heart disease patients in the US and globally. Deaths from ischemic heart disease and hypertensive diseases increased during the pandemic, while cardiovascular testing disruptions were observed worldwide.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

UVA-led team expands power grid planning to improve system resilience

A UVA-led team has developed a new approach to power grid planning that incorporates the impacts of hurricanes, reducing costs and emissions. The model simulates the likelihood and intensity of storms, allowing for more efficient infrastructure investments and projected average electricity costs.

Bacterium produces pharmaceutical all-purpose weapon

A bacterium has been identified that produces the potent substance FR900359, which inhibits Gq proteins with similar potency to no other compound. The discovery facilitates large-scale production of the substance, allowing researchers to explore its therapeutic potential.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Simple monitoring could reduce medicine misuse in care homes

A simple nurse- or carer-led medicines' monitoring system has been shown to reduce medication-related illness in people living in residential care homes. The Adverse Drug Reaction Profile (ADRe-p) system helped identify medicines' mismanagement and adverse drug reactions, leading to improved prescribing and reduced harm.

New process more efficiently recycles excess CO2 into fuel, study finds

Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a new electrochemical reaction using polymers to improve CO2-to-ethylene conversion efficiency. The study found that the new polymer-entrained electrodes produced more stable chemical intermediates, resulting in up to 87% ethylene production, surpassing previous reports.

Core design strategy for fire-resistant batteries

Researchers at KIST have developed a breakthrough material design strategy to overcome the problem of high interfacial resistance between solid electrolytes and cathodes in all-solid-state batteries. The new approach improves charge transfer and stability by optimizing the crystal structure of the cathode material.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Canada must dismantle anti-Black racism in medicine

Anti-Black racism in healthcare has significant negative effects on the physical and mental health of Black people. The authors recommend dismantling systemic racism through training, data collection, and increased accessibility for Black students.

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

GridTape: An automated electron microscopy platform

The new technique allows researchers to study whole neural circuits in high detail and at scale. They used it to create a comprehensive map of neuronal circuits that control motor function in fruit flies, discovering new sensory neurons.

Rice model offers help for new hips

The study incorporates fluid dynamics and roughness of joint surfaces to evaluate artificial hips, aiming to advance the design of more robust prostheses. The model could help clinicians personalize hip joints for patients depending on gender, weight, age, and gait variations.

First human culture lasted 20,000 years longer than thought

A recent study published in Scientific Reports has uncovered evidence of the youngest known occurrence of Middle Stone Age tools, dated to around 11 thousand years ago. This discovery challenges the long-held view that these tool types were replaced by a miniaturized toolkit after 30 thousand years ago.

Higher coffee intake may be linked to lower prostate cancer risk

A pooled data analysis suggests that drinking several cups of coffee daily may be associated with a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. The study found that each additional daily cup was linked to a relative risk reduction of nearly 1%, with the highest intake group showing a 9% lower risk compared to the lowest.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

Unicellular protists' fluid flow engineering

Researchers investigated the flagellar arrangements of 15 unicellular species, revealing their impact on swimming speed and fluid flow architecture. Dinoflagellates were found to excel in both feeding and stealth behaviors due to their unique flagellar arrangement.

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

Early warning system fills in gaps in infectious disease surveillance

Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School developed an early warning system that optimizes surveillance site selection and forecasts the geographic spread of influenza. The method can be applied to other respiratory outbreaks and diseases, providing cost-effective support for public health officials.

Breakthrough on diarrhea virus opens up for new vaccines

Researchers at Umeå University have made a significant discovery about the diarrhea virus, revealing its ability to survive acidic stomach environments and infect intestines. This understanding could lead to the development of new vaccines, potentially given in edible form, and has implications for tackling diseases like COVID-19.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

Positive 'tipping points' offer hope for climate

Researchers identify human societal tipping points to rapidly cut carbon emissions, citing examples of road transport and power generation transitions. Small coalitions of countries could trigger upward-scaling cascades to achieve more, say experts.

Ferrofluid surface simulations go more than skin deep

Researchers at KAUST have developed a computational algorithm to simulate ferrofluid behavior, enabling more accurate predictions of the liquid's response to a magnet. By simulating only the surface layer of the ferrofluid, they were able to reduce computational complexity and accurately reproduce complex spike patterns.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Liquid metal ink liberates form

Researchers at POSTECH developed a new liquid metal ink that can withstand harsh deformation and maintain electrical conductivity, enabling the creation of flexible electronics. The ink was successfully printed on various substrates, displaying negligible resistance changes even when stretched up to 500%.

A charge-density-wave topological semimetal

Researchers have discovered a new material that exhibits both charge density wave and topological metal properties, featuring Weyl points and immense chiral charges. The discovery reveals an intimate connection between topology and electron correlations, opening up avenues for observing axion electrodynamics in condensed matter systems.

Expanding the boundaries of CO2 fixation

Researchers have engineered a new-to-nature metabolic connection, the TaCo pathway, which fixes CO2 instead of releasing it in photorespiration. This synthetic pathway is more energy-efficient than any other proposed alternative, with potential applications in improving crop yield and recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Transition metal 'cocktail' helps make brand new superconductors

Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University have designed a new superconductor using high entropy alloys, preserving zero resistivity under extreme pressures. The new compound, Co0.2 Ni0.1 Cu0.1 Rh0.3 Ir0.3 Zr2, has a superconducting transition at 8K, offering a relatively high temperature for an HEA-type superconductor.