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Science News Archive December 2024 - Page 19


Page 19 of 39

Researchers 3D print compact, low-cost vortex beam generators

A team of researchers has created a compact and low-cost device that generates twisting light beams with orbital angular momentum, enhancing the capacity and reliability of future wireless systems. The device achieves high out-of-band suppression, exceeding 30 dB, reducing interference and ensuring clean signal transmission.

SourceOptica·JournalOptics Express·DateDec 12, 2024

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prizes 2025

The 2025 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prizes were awarded to four female and six male researchers, with two working in the humanities and social sciences, four in life sciences, three in natural sciences, and one in engineering sciences. The winners received €2.5 million each to fund their research for up to seven years.

The development and appraisal of MELD 3.0 in liver diseases: Good things never come easy

MELD 3.0 builds upon previous variants by incorporating serum albumin and gender to correct disparities in organ allocation, particularly for women. It demonstrates improved prognostication for various chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and acute-on-chronic liver failure.

SourceXia & He Publishing Inc.·JournalJournal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology·DateDec 11, 2024

Straining a material’s atomic arrangement may make for cleaner, smarter devices

A team of researchers at Penn State has developed a novel technique called strain tuning to precisely manipulate the atomic arrangement of materials. This process enables the creation of thin films with improved ferroelectric performance, paving the way for environmentally friendly advancements in consumer electronics and medical devices.

SourcePenn State·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 11, 2024

Balancing act: the science behind BallBot control

Researchers discover that modifying BallBot's body mass and ball size can significantly improve its balancing abilities, enabling more stable and reliable robots. The study introduces a Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) controller to fine-tune the robot's movements, allowing for improved balance and stability in dynamic environments.

SourceMaximum Academic Press·JournalInternational Journal of Mechanical System Dynamics·DateDec 11, 2024

Adoption of AI calls for new kind of communication competence from sales managers

The study found that integrating AI into sales teams requires sales managers to combine traditional interpersonal communication competence with new AI-related skills. Effective communication involves motivation, knowledge, empathy, and adaptability, as well as crafting effective prompts to AI and maintaining a polite tone.

SourceUniversity of Eastern Finland·JournalIndustrial Marketing Management·DateDec 11, 2024

University of Virginia's Silvia Blemker recognized by NAI for advancing muscle health through innovation

Silvia Blemker, a University of Virginia biomedical engineer, has been elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) for her work on muscle health. Her patented technology, Image-based Identification of Muscle Abnormalities, uses advanced imaging and analytics to provide detailed insights into muscle health.

MD Anderson’s Lauren Averett Byers receives TAMEST O’Donnell Award for seminal contributions to lung cancer research

Lauren Averett Byers, a professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center, has received the 2025 Edith and Peter O'Donnell Award in Medicine from Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST) for her fundamental discoveries in small cell lung cancer. Her work has led to personalized treatments and improved patient outcomes.

Brain mechanisms underpinning loss of consciousness identified

A team of researchers at Penn State has pinpointed the exact moment of loss of consciousness due to anesthesia by mapping what happens in different brain regions during that moment. The study found that rapid activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus triggers loss of consciousness.

SourcePenn State·JournalAdvanced Science·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 11, 2024

Having a good breakfast reduces cardiovascular risk

Consuming 20-30% of daily energy at breakfast is associated with lower body mass index, smaller waist circumference, significantly lower triglyceride levels, and higher HDL cholesterol. A high-quality breakfast with proper balance of proteins, fats, fiber, and nutrients also contributes to reducing cardiovascular risk factors.

SourceIMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute)·JournalThe journal of nutrition health & aging·DateDec 11, 2024

How helicopter parenting protects baby reef fish

Researchers discovered a species of damselfish actively eating gnathiid isopods, which are common reef parasites, to protect their young. This unique 'great fish parenting' behavior increased the survival rate of juvenile fish by three times.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateDec 11, 2024

Team’s sequential control policy framework offers high success in multiple peg-in-hole assembly tasks

A research team at Tsinghua University Press has developed a sequential control policy framework that offers high success in multiple peg-in-hole assembly tasks. The framework improves robots' performance by adapting to different working scenarios, including object geometry and pose, with higher training efficiency and faster convergence.

SourceTsinghua University Press·JournalCAAI Artificial Intelligence Research·DateDec 11, 2024

Unlocking next-gen chip efficiency: UVA researchers confirm thermal insights for tiny circuits

Researchers at UVA confirmed a key principle governing heat flow in thin metal films, providing a breakthrough in understanding thermal conductivity. The validation of Matthiessen's rule paves the way for refining materials that interconnect circuits in advanced computer chips.

SourceUniversity of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 11, 2024

New, simple, and natural method for producing vitamin B2

A team of researchers from DTU has successfully produced vitamin B2 using a novel, cost-effective, and climate-friendly method involving food-approved lactic acid bacteria. The production process requires only basic fermentation tools and can be integrated into traditional foods, enhancing public health and reducing environmental impact.

SourceTechnical University of Denmark·JournalJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·DateDec 11, 2024