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Science News Archive September 2021 - Page 40


Page 40 of 40

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia researchers develop tools to measure skeletal muscle function in patients with mitochondrial disease

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have created a new outcome measure called 'Mitochondrial Myopathy-Composite Assessment Tool' (MM-COAST) to monitor disease severity in patients with mitochondrial disease. The tool evaluates key aspects of disease, including muscle weakness, fatigue, and exercise capacity, providing in...

SourceChildren's Hospital of Philadelphia·JournalJCSM Clinical Reports·TypeObservational study·DateSep 1, 2021

Rice physicists find 'magnon' origins in 2D magnet

Researchers found that spin-orbit coupling induces asymmetric interactions between electrons in chromium triiodide, affecting its topological excitations. This discovery could exist in other 2D van der Waals magnets and has implications for spintronics.

SourceRice University·JournalPhysical Review X·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 1, 2021

Comparing seniors who relocate long-distance shows where you live affects your longevity

Researchers found that seniors moving from low-mortality areas to high-mortality areas experience a significant decrease in life expectancy. On the other hand, urban areas on the East and West Coasts have positive effects on longevity for seniors, while Midwestern metro areas score well. The study also identified parts of the deep Sout...

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalAmerican Economic Review·DateSep 1, 2021

Ultrafast electronic control of magnetic anisotropy by mid-infrared light

A team of researchers from Osaka University and international partners used intense mid-infrared laser pulses to alter magnetic anisotropy in a weak ferromagnet. They found that electronic excitation, rather than lattice heating, was responsible for the ultrafast change, enabling faster spintronics devices. This breakthrough has signif...

SourceOsaka University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 1, 2021

DGIST develops artificial intelligence technology for detecting objects based on aerial photographs via industry-academia collaboration

Prof. Jae Youn Hwang's team developed an AI neural network module that can accurately extract buildings from aerial images for remote sensing. This technology can significantly improve the performance of extracting buildings from various aerial image domains.

SourceDGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalIEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 1, 2021

New articles for Geosphere posted online in August

A new study on Haleakala volcano's crater and great valleys proposes a landslide hypothesis to explain the formation of these features. The researchers suggest that a giant landslide on the volcano's northeastern flank displaced the surface, creating the valleys and crater. Another article presents detrital zircon research on Sierra Ne...

SourceGeological Society of America·JournalGeosphere·DateSep 1, 2021

Double vaccination halves risk of Long COVID

Researchers at King's College London found that double vaccination significantly reduces the risk of Long COVID, with a 49% lower likelihood of contracting the virus. Fully vaccinated individuals also experience milder symptoms, fewer hospitalizations, and a lower burden of acute symptoms.

SourceKing's College London·JournalThe Lancet Infectious Diseases·DateSep 1, 2021

Adding foreign atoms to graphene does wonders to boost its properties!

Researchers from South Korea have developed a method to add metal oxides to graphene, enhancing its physical and chemical properties. This creates composite structures with unique characteristics, suitable for energy storage and flexible devices. The study's findings pave the way for biocompatible, durable, eco-friendly materials.

SourceDGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalNano Energy·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 1, 2021

How ant teeth cut like a scalpel

A recent study reveals that ants, worms, spiders, and other tiny creatures have a built-in set of tools that maximize cutting efficiency thanks to the arrangement of individual atoms of zinc. This biomaterial allows animals to use less force, making their smaller muscles spend less energy.

SourceDOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 1, 2021

Light-induced shape shifting of MXenes

Researchers at the University of Konstanz have discovered that MXenes can be switched repeatedly between a flat and a rippled shape by applying femtosecond laser pulses. This discovery could lead to improved energy storage capacity, enhanced catalytic or antibiotic activity, and new applications in sensing and active plasmonic devices.

SourceUniversity of Konstanz·JournalACS Nano·DateSep 1, 2021

COVID-19: An innovative candidate vaccine shows efficacy in preclinical models

A novel COVID-19 vaccine candidate demonstrates high efficacy in preclinical models by stimulating the immune system and inducing a robust neutralizing antibody response. The vaccine protects against reinfection and provides better protection than natural immunity, making it a potential supplement to existing vaccines.

SourceINSERM (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale)·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 1, 2021

Marginal land available for bioenergy crops much scarcer than previously estimated

A recent study by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment suggests that bioenergy crops can be produced on economically marginal land. The research team estimated that 1.4-2.2 million hectares in the rainfed region are suitable for bioenergy crop production on such land.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 1, 2021

The Lancet Infectious Diseases: COVID-19 vaccines are effective at reducing severe illness and hospitalisation, new UK study confirms

A large-scale UK study confirms that COVID-19 vaccines are effective in reducing severe illness and hospitalisation. The study found that people who received one or two vaccine doses had lower odds of severe disease or hospitalisation than unvaccinated individuals, with a significant reduction in long COVID cases.

SourceThe Lancet·JournalThe Lancet Infectious Diseases·TypeObservational study·DateSep 1, 2021

Human health may be at risk from long-term exposure to air pollution below current air quality standards and guidelines

A study published in The BMJ found that long-term exposure to air pollution below current standards is associated with higher mortality rates. Researchers analyzed data from eight European groups and found that even at low concentrations, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and black carbon were linked to increased natural deaths.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalThe BMJ·TypeObservational study·DateSep 1, 2021

Family of proteins offers promise as ischemic stroke treatment, preclinical trial finds

A preclinical trial has found that boosting a naturally occurring protein family may reduce damage from ischemic strokes. The study, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, discovered that administering supplemental IAIP after an ischemic stroke reduced the size of the damaged area and improved functional recovery.

SourceUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateSep 1, 2021

Exposure to persistent environmental toxins in everyday products may increase diabetes risk in Latina adolescents

A new USC study found a link between 'forever chemicals' and changes in glucose metabolism in Latina girls, potentially increasing their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers measured the impact of PFAS on glucose metabolism over time among adolescents and young adults.

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·JournalEnvironmental Health Perspectives·TypeObservational study·DateSep 1, 2021