Tech
LOS ALAMOS, N.M., May 11, 2020--New research has found that El Niño events are often associated with droughts in some of the world's more vulnerable tropical regions. Associated with warmer than average ocean temperatures in the eastern Pacific, El Niños can in turn influence global weather patterns and tropical precipitation, and these changes can lead to massive plant die-offs if other extreme factors are also at play.
DALLAS, May 11, 2020 -- How children are fed may be just as important as what they are fed, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, "Caregiver Influences on Eating Behaviors in Young Children," published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Once unimaginable, transistors consisting only of several-atom clusters or even single atoms promise to become the building blocks of a new generation of computers with unparalleled memory and processing power. But to realize the full potential of these tiny transistors -- miniature electrical on-off switches -- researchers must find a way to make many copies of these notoriously difficult-to-fabricate components.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) - While the number of pediatric emergency department (ED) visits across the nation has remained stable over the last 10 years, visits for mental health disorders have risen 60% and the rate of visits for deliberate self-harm have increased 329%.
Some light-emitting diodes (LEDs) created from perovskite, a class of optoelectronic materials, emit light over a broad wavelength range. Scientists from the University of Groningen have now shown that in some cases, the explanation of why this happens is incorrect. Their new explanation should help scientists to design perovskite LEDs capable of broad-range light emission. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications on 11 May.
Scientists have used 3D models to break down the DNA behavior of cancer cells, in a breakthrough new study which could revolutionize treatment for the disease.
In what is a first for science, a research team led by Dr Manel Esteller, Director of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), demonstrated how 3D models (known as organoids) can now be used to develop a characterization of the DNA make-up - or the epigenetic fingerprint - of human cancer.
First evidence that early treatment with triple antiviral therapy of interferon beta-1b, lopinavir-ritonavir, and ribavirin - alongside standard care - is safe and shortens duration of viral shedding compared to lopinavir-ritonavir alone (average 7 days vs 12 days), in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.
The authors say that larger phase 3 studies in critically ill patients are needed to confirm whether this triple regimen can provide clinically meaningful benefit.
Inspired by the biomechanics of cheetahs, researchers have developed a new type of soft robot that is capable of moving more quickly on solid surfaces or in the water than previous generations of soft robots. The new soft robotics are also capable of grabbing objects delicately - or with sufficient strength to lift heavy objects.
Quantum entanglement is a physical phenomenon where two particles remain inter-connected, sharing physical traits regardless of how far apart they are from one another.
May 8, 2020 -- A study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that black subjects who were exposed to highly segregated neighborhoods in young adulthood exhibited worse performance in cognitive skills in mid-life. The findings are published online in JAMA Neurology.
Until this research, there had been little information on the association of racial residential segregation and cognitive function.
Photosynthetic systems in nature transport energy very efficiently towards a reaction centre, where it is converted into a useful form for the organism. Scientists have been using this as inspiration to learn how to transport energy efficiently in, for example, molecular electronics. Physicist Richard Hildner from the University of Groningen and his colleagues have investigated energy transport in an artificial system made from nanofibres. The results were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
PITTSBURGH, May 8, 2020 - Chronic rejection of transplanted organs is the leading cause of transplant failure, and one that the field of organ transplantation has not overcome in almost six decades since the advent of immunosuppressive drugs enabled the field to flourish.
The human brain is a highly advanced information processor composed of more than 86 billion neurons. Humans are adept at recognizing patterns from complex networks, such as languages, without any formal instruction. Previously, cognitive scientists tried to explain this ability by depicting the brain as a highly optimized computer, but there is now discussion among neuroscientists that this model might not accurately reflect how the brain works.
Robots with toes? Experiments suggest that climbing robots could benefit from having flexible, hairy toes, like those of geckos, that can adjust quickly to accommodate shifting weight and slippery surfaces.
Biologists from the University of California, Berkeley, and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics observed geckos running horizontally along walls to learn how they use their five toes to compensate for different types of surfaces without slowing down.
In recent years, giant viruses have been unearthed in several of the world's most mysterious locations, from the thawing permafrost of Siberia to locations unknown beneath the Antarctic ice. But don't worry, "The Thing" is still a work of science fiction. For now.