News on R&D across science and industry. Covers R&D awards, applied studies, quantum institutes, and university research initiatives.
Wellcome and DNDi partner to develop novel, orally administered treatments for leishmaniasis, a devastating parasitic disease affecting one billion people worldwide. The three-year programme aims to select two new chemical entities for Phase II studies, focusing on safety, efficacy, affordability, and administration.
CABI will work with governments, universities, and research organizations in India and Ethiopia to share data on soil health, agronomy, and fertilizers, promoting better decision-making for farmers. The project aims to create national data policies and databases for improved access and sharing of agricultural data.
A study by Nir Grinberg and colleagues found that only a small fraction of Twitter users accounted for the vast majority of fake news exposures and shares. Most people, including liberals, got their political news from factual media outlets.
Researchers developed PopPUNK, a computational tool that analyzes tens of thousands of bacterial genomes in a single run, up to 200-fold faster than previous methods. This enables the efficient estimation of population structure and easy identification of emerging strains.
Researchers at UBC's Okanagan campus have developed a state-of-the-art microfluidic gas detector that can detect small traces of gases quickly and efficiently. The device uses 3D-printed parts to create the microchannel and metal oxide semiconductor, and has potential applications in environmental monitoring, food quality assessments, ...
Funding for neglected diseases reached a record high of $3.5 billion in 2017, driven mainly by increased investments from the UK, European Commission, Germany, and India. Despite progress, overall funding falls short of global targets, with many countries struggling to meet even 50% of the recommended 0.01% of GDP allocation.
UNIST professors Eunmi Choi and Yong Hwan Kim received recognition for their groundbreaking research on remote detection of hazardous radioactive substances. Their innovative technology has the potential to detect radioactivity from tens of kilometers away, revolutionizing radiation detection.
A new approach to collating and analyzing qualitative studies has led to the creation of tailored reporting guidance for meta-ethnography. This will give researchers and healthcare bosses greater confidence in findings, ultimately improving patient care and services.
Research highlights long-term cognitive deficits in children from institutions, but benefits observed with foster care; gaps persist despite intervention. Cognitive improvements seen in visual-spatial memory among placed-in-foster-care children.
Researchers at North Carolina State University developed a new technique to assess radiation exposure using insulator materials found in electronics, enabling rapid triage in radiological disasters. The high-throughput method can accurately identify individuals exposed to high levels of radiation within an hour.
A new study by researchers from the University of Copenhagen reveals that glial cells play a crucial role in the development of Huntington's disease. The study found that glial cell maturation is severely impaired in patients with the disease, leading to behavioral and motor changes.
Researchers developed Structural Unsupervised Viewlets Models (SUVMs) to recognize object categories, inspired by brain's unsupervised learning ability. The SUVMs performed well on the face dataset but underperformed on airplane images.
Funding for higher education research and development (R&D) in the US increased by 4.7% to $75.3 billion in FY2017, with federal funding accounting for 53.5% of total expenditures. Basic research accounted for 62% of R&D spending, down from 66% in FY2010.
A new study found that a simple online game can teach people to sort waste correctly with lasting results. Players who received immediate feedback on their sorting choices showed significant improvements in accuracy, even after multiple sessions.
A new paper examines the rationale behind the 'Barcelona Declaration' for responsible AI development and usage in Europe, focusing on safety, reliability, and ethics issues. The declaration aims to integrate best practices proactively as part of the design process.
Researchers successfully engineered a better type of memory using a virus, reducing millisecond time delays for faster computing. Phase-change memory technology can now be integrated into current integrated circuits without material separation constraints.
An international team of astronomers has confirmed over 100 exoplanets using a combination of space-based and ground-based telescopes. The discovery includes ultra-short orbital period planets and low-mass rocky exoplanets, offering insights into their formation processes.
Researchers have developed a faster way to acquire 3D endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) images using 40% less data, which could aid in early detection and classification of various diseases. The new method uses computational approaches that create full 3-D images from incomplete data.
The project aims to drastically reduce costs and time for the pilot production of new photonic products, enabling a thousand new companies and thousands of jobs. The new facility will utilize a shared use model to combine PICs from different companies on one wafer, reducing costs.
The OARtrac radiation treatment monitoring system has been awarded a 2018 R&D 100 Award for its innovative application of scintillating fiber material. The system, developed by RadiaDyne and Jefferson Lab, allows clinicians to monitor and adjust radiation delivery to patients.
A new Research Training Group will develop computer-based tools for cancer research, addressing key challenges in data analysis and interpretation. The program aims to promote international networking and provide comprehensive training for researchers.
Researchers at NSLS-II have developed a TXM that can image samples in 3D faster than previously possible, reducing the time from over 10 minutes to just one minute. The new microscope enables scientists to visualize their samples much faster and collect more valuable data.
Argonne researchers develop HyMag magnets increasing electric motor efficiency; Darshan software optimizes scientific data access; GRID-M provides near-real-time disaster supply chain status; Swift/T enables large-scale supercomputer calculations. These technologies have been recognized for their impact on various industries and fields
Scientists have discovered a new OGG1 inhibitor that decreases lung inflammation in mice, which could lead to better treatments for diseases like sepsis and autoimmune disorders. The inhibitor blocks the onset of inflammation associated with oxidative stress, offering a new mechanism for preventing inflammatory conditions.
Researchers developed a new AI method to evaluate treatment effectiveness in individual patients. The method uses causal Bayesian networks and was applied to obstructive sleep apnea treatment, showing reduced mortality rates by 5%.
A new framework, EnfPire, is proposed to preserve users' privacy when using photo-based information services. The framework successfully abstracts location information and returns a set of candidates to the user, who compares them with the original feature using a simple recognizer.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University developed a synthetic molecule that can recognize and bind to double-stranded DNA or RNA under normal physiological conditions. The Janus gamma PNAs have an extraordinarily high binding energy and can be designed to target genomic DNA for gene editing and transcriptional regulation.
A study by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and Pablo de Olavide University found that dynamic audiovisual editing increases attention by reducing blink rates and stimulating brain activity in the visual processing areas. In contrast, continuous editing stimulates cognitive processing activity in frontal lobe regions.
The joint research team has developed a high-speed module to measure switching currents in STT-MRAM memory arrays with high precision. This technology enables minute changes in currents to be observed, representing a significant stride toward practical application and failure analysis of STT-MRAM technology.
Researchers aim to develop more efficient classification and predictive models for traumatic brain injuries, which would allow clinicians to provide targeted care and improve patient outcomes. The study's findings could also inform clinical trials and allocate resources more effectively.
Researchers have discovered four new ways to 'history sniffing' attacks, which can profile a user's online activity in seconds and work across recent web browsers. The attacks can be used by hackers to learn which websites users have visited, and could also be deployed by legitimate companies for marketing and advertising purposes.
Dr. Susan Fullerton, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, has received the 2019 Marion Milligan Mason Award for her novel work on ion transport and next-generation electronic devices. The award recognizes her contributions to advancing women in the chemical sciences and provides funding and leadership development opportunities.
Researchers found that small changes, such as virtual characters acknowledging users' presence, can have a significant positive impact on people's sense of presence in a VR news scenario. This is demonstrated by a 25% conversion rate from the VR experience to further information about the refugee crisis.
A new tool developed at Princeton University streamlines the creation of computer-animated images by automatically separating repeating objects into layers. The tool allows users to manually select and draw motion lines, which are then used to animate similar elements in a believable manner.
Federico Rosei, an INRS professor, has received the APS John Wheatley Award for his efforts in bridging the science gap between developed and developing nations. He organizes international conferences to foster scientific dialogue and supports young researchers from developing countries.
Michael Krainak, leader of NASA's Laser and Electro-Optics Branch, is recognized for his innovative approach to applying emerging technologies to agency-priority spaceflight needs. His work on optical communications, photonic integrated chips, and laser-based technologies has significant potential for breakthrough capabilities.
A newly discovered mineral zircon in Galapagos basalts raises questions about the Earth's crust-mantle system. Geoscientists from Mainz University and partners will collaborate to investigate hypotheses and explore a geological enigma, with implications for understanding island formation.
Researchers at Cornell University developed a tool that tracks alertness using smartphone cameras, capturing pupil size through photographs taken every time the device is unlocked. This non-invasive method reliably predicts alertness levels.
Researchers developed a simple and robust malonyl-CoA biosensor to monitor intracellular malonyl-CoA abundance in bacteria. The biosensor enabled rapid screening for gene targets increasing malonyl-CoA accumulation, leading to high-level production of four natural products.
The U.S. Army Research Laboratory has developed a new resource for teaching synthetic biology to kindergartners through high school using an affordable, hands-on kit called BioBitTM. The kit enables experiments that circumvent current barriers in science education and fills a gap in STEM education.
A novel algorithm enables localization of humans and robots in areas with limited or no GPS coverage. The technique uses the gradient of received signal strength to estimate direction of arrival, robustly estimating source location even in obstacle-rich scenes.
Ross Boyce, a clinical instructor at UNC Chapel Hill, receives a Grand Challenges Explorations grant to study vaccination coverage in Uganda. He aims to identify gaps and develop innovative solutions to improve immunization rates, particularly for marginalized communities.
A new computational approach has been developed to analyze large databases of clinical and splicing information for thousands of tumors. The software detects patterns of similarities between cases and identifies molecular alterations associated with patient survival and resistance to therapy.
The University of Oklahoma Advanced Radar Research Center is developing a mobile radar testbed to address operational missions and increase public safety outcomes. The all-digital polarimetric phased array system will provide multiple radar modes, including weather monitoring and air traffic surveillance and control.
Kazunori Sugiyasu, a renowned Japanese chemist, has been awarded the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award for his groundbreaking work on supramolecular polymers. He will collaborate with Professor Frank Würthner at the University of Würzburg to develop artificial chloroplasts that harness light energy to produce fuels.
The new global marine environmental forecasting system will provide accurate predictions of ocean temperature, salinity, velocity, and tidal currents with a horizontal resolution of 10 km. The system's accuracy is expected to reach an advanced international level, enabling clear identification of ocean mesoscale phenomena.
The £1.35 million Future Leaders in Innovation, Enterprise and Research (FLIER) programme will create a network of talented individuals equipped to lead innovation and collaboration across academia, industry, the NHS, and government. The programme aims to develop dynamic future leaders in biomedical and health research.
Developed by City University of Hong Kong, the mini delivery-robot can carry heavy loads and adapt to adverse environments. Its unique design with hundreds of pointed legs reduces friction significantly, enabling efficient movement inside the human body.
A new grant will help Penn State researchers develop a quick-acting foam that seals wounds quickly, stopping bleeding and stabilizing patients until hospital transport. The foam is expected to be bioabsorbable and have an easy-to-use design.
Bioscience engineers at KU Leuven have created a roadmap for producing cellulose gasoline, a second-generation biofuel, by converting plant waste into hydrocarbon chains. The process involves adding cellulose to the petroleum refining process, resulting in a strongly bio-sourced gasoline.
A team of researchers at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology has developed ultrathin, transparent, and conductive hybrid nanomembranes for skin-attachable loudspeakers and microphones. These wearable devices can produce sounds and detect vocal vibrations, opening up potential applications in sound input/output devices.
Researchers created a database of over 500 dragonfly specimens and developed an algorithm to differentiate unique wing shapes. They found similarities in distribution across families and species, proposing a developmental model for pattern formation involving inhibitory signals and random zone emergence.
The research collaboration aims to create human organs-on-chips using miniature devices that mimic specific tissues and organs. These organs-on-chips have the potential to predict drug activity and toxicity more accurately than animal models.
A new method for compressing film plots into short, silent video clips has been developed using facial expression tracking. The research found that audiences prefer clips with a specific sequence of scenes, including a key scene placed towards the end, to increase happiness and watching intention.
A study of nearly 2,000 individuals found that cadmium exposure was associated with increased risk of impaired contrast sensitivity. The findings suggest that common sources of cadmium inhalation, such as cigarette smoke and green leafy vegetables, may contribute to decreased visual acuity.
Researchers developed a flexible, wearable photostimulator that speeds up hair growth in mice, achieving significantly faster hair regrowth and wider regrowth areas compared to untreated or minoxidil-injected mice.
Researchers at the University of Basel have developed a new technique to probe individual edge states in novel materials, such as topological insulators and 2D materials. This allows for precise measurement of current-carrying edge states with nanometer resolution.
The American Gastroenterological Association has launched a new initiative to foster opportunities for underrepresented minorities in gastroenterology research and career development. The program aims to provide training, mentoring, and leadership skills to promote diversity in the field.
The RAND Opioid Policy Tools and Information Center (OPTIC) will analyze policies aimed at curbing the nation's opioid epidemic, developing more powerful tools for tackling the crisis. Researchers will create a simulation tool to inform methods for identifying effective policies in specific communities.
A team of researchers has developed a new proactive defense technique called moving target defense (MTD) to protect computer systems from cyberattacks. MTD involves changing the IP address of computers frequently enough to confuse attackers and make it harder for them to exploit vulnerabilities.