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Personalizing treatment for severe limb injuries

A team of scientists at the University of Missouri used small wearable sensors to gather data on how people with a traumatic hand amputation use a prosthesis versus a transplanted hand. The study found that hand transplant recipients exhibit a more balanced pattern of limb use, while prosthesis users rely heavily on their prosthetic hand.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalNeurorehabilitation and Neural Repair·DateJan 10, 2022

Putting the fizz into salty water

A new study from the University of Bath is shedding light on the behavior of saline solutions under extreme conditions, a crucial step towards carbon storage in deep-sea aquifers. The research uses neutron diffraction to examine the interaction between salt ions and water molecules at high pressures and temperatures.

SourceUniversity of Bath·JournalThe Journal of Chemical Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 2, 2021

The calculated costs of setting up labs to monitor antimicrobial resistance in resource-limited settings may be prohibitive without financial support

The cost of establishing laboratories to track antimicrobial resistance in Southeast Asian hospitals is substantial, making it challenging for many countries to implement such programs. Financial support is crucial to overcome these costs and provide effective antimicrobial resistance monitoring.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Global Public Health·DateOct 13, 2021

The deepest dive into the Earth's soil

The University of Idaho's Deep Soil Ecotron facility will be a game-changer for understanding soil ecosystems, allowing researchers to conduct experiments at unprecedented depths. By studying deep soils, scientists can better understand how organisms respond to global environmental change and improve carbon sequestration.

Extending LIGO's reach into the cosmos

A new study by LIGO reveals a new type of mirror coating made of titanium oxide and germanium oxide reduces background noise in mirrors by a factor of two. This allows for an eight-fold increase in the volume of space that can be probed, enabling more frequent detection of gravitational waves.

SourceCalifornia Institute of Technology·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 29, 2021

500-million-year-old fossil represents rare discovery of ancient animal in North America

Researchers uncover a 500-million-year-old 'worm-like' fossil, expanding the number of worm-like species known from this time period in North America. The discovery provides new clues about prehistoric environments and ecologies, helping scientists better understand the diversity of ancient animals during the Cambrian explosion.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalActa Palaeontologica Polonica·DateSep 8, 2021

Russian researchers present ultra-precise brain imaging tool

A team from the Russian Quantum Center developed a novel solid-state supersensitive room-temperature magnetometer capable of registering weak electrical sources in the brain. The device successfully detected alpha rhythm, a sinusoidal electric current in the back of the brain, and showed higher sensitivity than existing systems.

SourceSkolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech)·JournalHuman Brain Mapping·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 13, 2021

Remember: A personal dosimeter is waiting in your first aid kit!

Scientists from the Institute of Nuclear Physics PAS discovered that medicines like painkillers can be used as makeshift emergency dosimeters due to their composition and standardization procedures. This method is more personal and easier than previous methods, which require breaking down expensive devices.

SourceThe Henryk Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences·JournalIEEE Sensors Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 12, 2021

Staying on schedule

Researchers developed an optimized schedule for automated biology lab robots, maximizing experiments within time and resource constraints. The S-LAB framework accounts for time constraints and resource conflicts, improving efficiencies in life science experiments.

SourceUniversity of Tsukuba·JournalSLAS TECHNOLOGY·DateJul 15, 2021

New Web Tool Fights Antibacterial Resistance

A new web tool, webSalvador, offers more accurate methods for constructing confidence intervals and comparing mutation rates in bacteria mutation research. This tool eliminates the need for scientists to learn programming languages, increasing efficiency and efficacy of the Luria-Delbrück experiment.

Scientists launch 'next generation' human brain imaging lab

Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a wearable headset that measures brain activity in real-time, allowing for the study of social interactions, humans of all ages and sizes, and people in motion. The optically pumped magnetometry technology enables movement-tolerant brain imaging simultaneously with two research volunteers.

Dark matter detection

Scientists are certain that dark matter exists, but have no direct evidence. Researchers at the University of Delaware propose using tabletop sensors to detect ultralight dark matter particles. They plan to use optomechanical accelerometers to measure changes in acceleration between materials.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMay 5, 2021

New optical hydrogen sensors eliminate risk of sparking

A new study from the University of Georgia has developed an inexpensive and spark-free optical-based hydrogen sensor that detects hydrogen presence without electronics, making it safer for widespread use. The sensor boasts faster response time and increased sensitivity compared to previous models, addressing key hurdles in hydrogen pow...

SourceUniversity of Georgia·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 29, 2021

Gold digger: Neural networks at the nexus of data science and electron microscopy

Researchers at Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience used machine learning to develop Gold Digger software that can accurately identify gold particles bound to specific proteins of interest. The software uses a deep learning approach to distinguish gold particles from shadow artifacts with near-human level accuracy.

SourceMax Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience·JournalScientific Reports·DateApr 20, 2021

Science snapshots from Berkeley Lab

India aims to quintuple wind and solar energy capacity by 2030, which could hold greenhouse gas emissions at 2018 levels while nearly doubling electricity supply. Researchers also discover a hidden charge-generating pathway in copper-phthalocyanine:fullerene material for more efficient sunlight conversion.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 29, 2021

Video gamers skills enhanced by training 10 minutes a day

Researchers at Lero found that novice gamers benefit most from tDCS before training sessions, improving performance on complex sensory-motor actions. The study suggests that neurostimulation can accelerate motor performance improvements in novice esports participants.

SourceLero·JournalComputers in Human Behavior·DateMar 26, 2021