Eurekalert

One-quarter to one-third of young, active patients who undergo anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction experience a second ACL injury after they return to sport (RTS). New research indicates that young athletes who feel confident about their knee health at the time of medical clearance for sports participation after ACL surgery have a higher likelihood of meeting all RTS criteria related to physical function but also have a higher likelihood of experiencing a second ACL injury within 2 years after RTS.

A new study shows that mathematical topology can reveal how human cells organize into complex spatial patterns, helping to categorize them by the formation of branched and clustered structures.

New expert statement confirms strong links between our hormones and COVID-19: The endocrine system is strongly involved in SARS-Cov-2 infection - so much so that evidence of an "endocrine phenotype" of COVID-19 has emerged, according to a statement by the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) published in the journal Endocrine in April 2021.

A new study from the Centers for Genomics and Systems Biology at New York University and NYU Abu Dhabi uses computational modeling to assess the biological significance of spike protein mutations, uncovering versions of the virus that bind more tightly or resist antibodies and offering a promising public health surveillance tool.

Scientists at UVA's School of Engineering have developed a novel elastomer that is very stretchable and 10,000 times softer than a conventional rubber. It can be 3D printed for use in health care. The team, led by Assistant Professor Liheng Cai, collaborated with beamline scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory to reveal the inner makeup of the printed materials without damaging the samples. Their research is published as a cover article in Chemistry of Materials.

Computed tomography -- CT scanning -- which combines a series of X-ray images taken from different angles around an organism and uses computer processing to create cross-sectional images of its bones, is providing new insight into an old initiative to characterize fishes in Africa's Lake Malawi.

The work was conducted under the auspices of the Russian Science Foundation; the project "Synthesis and research of a new class of nanocomposite ceramics with degenerate dielectric constant for optoplasmonic applications" is headed by Professor Sergey Kharintsev (KFU's Institute of Physics).

A new study describes multiple ways to achieve the same health benefits from exercise--as long as your exercise "cocktail" includes plenty of light physical activity.

NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) researchers have developed a special noncontact multi-physics probe (NMP) that enables them to collect cytoplasmic samples from single tumor cells without disrupting their spatial configurations in the original tissue. As a result, the NMP will facilitate advanced studies that could improve the current understanding of the basic building blocks of diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer's, and lead to the development of new therapies.

Bristol scientists have successfully treated flies displaying behavioural problems linked to newly discovered schizophrenia-associated genes in humans, using common anti-psychotics.

Skoltech researchers and their colleagues from China and Germany have presented a new search algorithm for single-atom-alloy catalysts (SAACs) that found more than 200 yet unreported candidates. Their work provides a recipe for finding best SAACs for various applications.

Little is known concerning environmental contaminants in predators at the top of a food chain. A study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry has demonstrated that new types of brominated flame retardants accumulate in the tissues of killer whales near Norway and are also passed on to nursing offspring.

Brazil is the world leader in sweet orange production, but citrus cultivation in the region faces constant threats concerning the availability of water and the outbreak of diseases. New research published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology indicates that a fatty acid called hexanoic acid may help protect against one such problem: citrus canker, a bacterial infection that causes brownish eruptive lesions on the leaves, stems, and fruit of citrus trees.

Active music-making can provide cognitive benefits to older adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia, according to an analysis of all relevant studies. The analysis, which is published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, also found that music may help improve their quality of life and mood.

In many parts of Southeast Asia, rainforest is being replaced by palm oil plantations. This is causing far-reaching problems for the natural world, for example for southern pig-tailed macaques, a species from Southeast Asia that is native to the rainforests of Malaysia.

World-leading eye experts have made a breakthrough that could potentially change the way cataracts are treated - with potential for drug therapy to replace surgery.

Research indicates that strict COVID-19 lockdowns might be responsible for delaying normal cardiorespiratory development in children. The study found that a group of 12-14-year-olds in Spain - who were tested pre-pandemic in November 2019 and then again in November 2020 - displayed lower levels of fitness than would be expected with maximal oxygen intake (VO2 max) development, which increases with age.

Scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University and Université Grenoble Alpes (France) have proposed a more accurate method for loading capability assessment of power transformers. As an example, the scientists defined the loading capability of the power transformer in Tomsk and Grenoble. The research findings are published in the International Journal of Electrical Power and Energy Systems (IF: 3,588, Q1).

An antigen-based detection technique developed by University of Helsinki researchers could be used to analyse as many as 500 samples per hour. In a recently completed study, the rapid test was able to diagnose a viral infection almost as accurately as PCR tests, which are known for their sensitivity. The new rapid test format can also be used to rapidly diagnose other respiratory infections.

Robots are becoming more and more omnipresent in our lives, even though we may not notice. New research shows that when a boxy motorized hospital robot can talk, people find it funny and engaging. And that may help people be more willing to accept new technologies, like robots, in their everyday lives.