246 articles from MONDAY 4.5.2020
Overlapping versions of our genetic history complicate precision medicine
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 23:19
The promise of personalized medicine has not fully materialized, say researchers, because the full sophistication of the genetic blueprint has a more complex and far-reaching influence on human health than scientists had first realized.
COVID-19 has unmasked significant health disparities in the U.S.
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 23:18
The COVID-19 pandemic has unmasked longstanding racial and ethnic health-related disparities, according to a new article. The essay notes higher rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations, deaths or positive cases among blacks, Hispanic/LatinX and Native Americans are being reported at local and national levels.
Multiple flooding sources threaten Honolulu's infrastructure
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 22:57
Researchers found in the next few decades, sea level rise will likely cause large and increasing percentages of land area to be impacted simultaneously by the three flood mechanisms. Further, they found direct marine inundation represents the least extensive -- only three percent of the predicted flooding, while groundwater inundation represents the most extensive flood source.
Engineers demonstrate next-generation solar cells can take the heat, maintain efficiency
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 22:57
Engineers have developed a next-generation solar cell that takes advantage of the promising elctro-optical properties of perovskite materials. They've made the materials much more stable at high temperatures and demonstrated a consistent, clean way to fabricate them into solar cells. Those could be important steps toward commercial production of new, low-cost, efficient, lightweight and flexible...
Recently recovered COVID-19 patients produce varying virus-specific antibodies
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 22:57
Most newly discharged patients who recently recovered from COVID-19 produce virus-specific antibodies and T cells, a new study suggests, but the responses of different patients are not all the same. While the 14 patients examined in the study showed wide-ranging immune responses, results from the 6 of them that were assessed at two weeks after discharge suggest that antibodies were maintained for...
Similar brain glitch found in slips of signing, speaking
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 22:57
The discovery of a common neural mechanism in speech and ASL errors -- one that occurs in just 40 milliseconds -- could improve recovery in deaf signers after a stroke.
Novel magnetic field effect in diamagnetic molecules
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 22:57
New research demonstrates that an applied magnetic field will interact with the electronic structure of weakly magnetic, or diamagnetic, molecules to induce a magnetic-field effect that, to their knowledge, has never before been documented. With the experimental application of magnetic fields up to 25 Tesla, molecules with little intrinsic magnetism exhibit magneto-sensitive optical and...
New insight on maternal infections and neurodevelopmental disorders
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 22:57
The immune responses of a female mouse before pregnancy can predict how likely her offspring are to have behavioral deficits if the immune system is activated during pregnancy. The findings could help resolve what role serious infections during pregnancy play in the development of conditions such as autism and schizophrenia.
Novel research speeds up threat detection, prevention for Army missions
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 22:57
Threat detection and prevention are essential to ensuring the safety and security of warfighters. Researchers have developed a way to speed up the processing of extremely large graphs and data, making the most efficient use of modern Army computational resources before and during Soldier deployment.
Two drugs show promise against COVID-19
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 22:56
Korean researchers have screened 48 FDA-approved drugs against SARS-CoV-2, and found that two, that are already FDA-approved for other illnesses, seem promising. The FDA approval for other uses would greatly reduce the time needed to gain FDA approval of use in COVID-19.
Exoplanets: How we'll search for signs of life
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 22:56
An interdisciplinary team of researchers has provided a framework called a 'detectability index' to help prioritize exoplanets to study and provide scientists with a tool to select the best targets for observation and maximize the chances of detecting life.
Google and Apple have laid out rules for contact tracing apps
The news: Apple and Google have announced that their coronavirus tracing technology will ban the use of location tracking. The announcement could create potential complications for some apps that planned to use the two companies’ system for notifying people of potential exposure to covid-19.
The what: Contact tracing is the process of tracking and contacting people who have been potentially...
Billions projected to suffer nearly unlivable heat in 2070
In just 50 years, 2 billion to 3.5 billion people, mostly the poor who can't afford air conditioning, will be living in a climate that historically has been too hot to handle, a new study said.
A Short History of STEVE
A citizen scientist working with NASA's Aurorasaurus project has unearthed an exciting piece of scientific history. In the writings of early 20th-century aurora explorer Carl Størmer, citizen scientist Dr. Michael Hunnekuhl noticed mentions of “feeble homogeneous arcs of great altitude” and recognized them as descriptions of the subauroral phenomenon STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission...
TACC COVID-19 twitter dataset enables social science research about pandemic
Of the myriad ways researchers are fighting the spread of the coronavirus, studying Tweets may not be the first that come to mind. But now, as in past crises, tapping into one of the world's leading real-time messaging service can help identify new pandemic hotspots, highlight new symptoms, or interpret how people and communities are responding to orders to practice social distancing.
Imaging technology allows visualization of nanoscale structures inside whole cells
Since Robert Hooke's first description of a cell in Micrographia 350 years ago, microscopy has played an important role in understanding the rules of life.
New study spotlights the dark side of venture capitalist funding
Susan Fowler turned Silicon Valley upside down in 2017 when she posted an essay on her website about the sexual harassment she experienced while working for Uber.
Study reveals single-step strategy for recycling used nuclear fuel
A typical nuclear reactor uses only a small fraction of its fuel rod to produce power before the energy-generating reaction naturally terminates. What is left behind is an assortment of radioactive elements, including unused fuel, that are disposed of as nuclear waste in the United States. Although certain elements recycled from waste can be used for powering newer generations of nuclear reactors,...
Warming Midwest conditions may result in corn, soybean production moving north
If warming continues unabated in the Midwest, in 50 years we can expect the best conditions for corn and soybean production to have shifted from Iowa and Illinois to Minnesota and the Dakotas, according to Penn State researchers.
Climate change has been influencing where tropical cyclones rage
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:52
While the global average number of tropical cyclones each year has not budged from 86 over the last four decades, climate change has been influencing the locations of where these deadly storms occur, according to new research.
Microorganisms in parched regions extract needed water from colonized rocks
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:52
Cyanobacteria living in rocks in Chile's Atacama Desert extract water from the minerals they colonize and, in doing so, change the phase of the material from gypsum to anhydrite. Researchers gained verification of this process through experiments, and the work points to possible strategies for humans to stay hydrated in harsh environments.
Intensive farming increases risk of epidemics
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:52
Overuse of antibiotics, high animal numbers and low genetic diversity from intensive farming increase the risk of animal pathogens transferring to humans.
Rethinking tsunami defense
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:51
Careful engineering of low, plant-covered hills along shorelines can mitigate tsunami risks with less disruption of coastal life and lower costs compared to seawalls.
Single-step strategy for recycling used nuclear fuel
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:51
A typical nuclear reactor uses only a small fraction of its fuel rod to produce power before the energy-generating reaction naturally terminates. What is left behind is an assortment of radioactive elements, including unused fuel, that are disposed of as nuclear waste in the United States. Although certain elements recycled from waste can be used for powering newer generations of nuclear reactors,...
Targeting depression: Researchers ID symptom-specific targets for treatment of depression
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:51
For the first time, physician-scientists have identified two clusters of depressive symptoms that responded to two distinct neuroanatomical treatment targets in patients who underwent transcranial magnetic brain stimulation (TMS) for treatment of depression. The team's findings shed new light on the brain circuitry underlying specific symptoms of depression and may facilitate personalized TMS...
Q&A with the Student Who Named Ingenuity, NASA's Mars Helicopter
Vaneeza Rupani was chosen by NASA from the finalists for the agency's "Name the Rover" contest for the Mars 2020 mission, Ingenuity is an apt description for the history-making spacecraft, which launches with NASA's Perseverance rover this summer. Here, we ask Rupani what it's like to be part of a pioneering experiment.
News Article Type: Homepage ArticlesPublished: Monday, May...
Five Eyes network contradicts theory Covid-19 leaked from lab
No current evidence to suggest coronavirus leaked from Wuhan research lab, agencies sayCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThere is no current evidence to suggest that coronavirus leaked from a Chinese research laboratory, intelligence sources have told the Guardian, contradicting recent White House claims that there is growing proof this is how the pandemic began.The...
How many jobs do robots really replace?
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:02
In many parts of the U.S., robots have been replacing workers over the last few decades. But to what extent, really? Some technologists have forecast that automation will lead to a future without work, while other observers have been more skeptical about such scenarios.
Warming Midwest conditions may result in corn, soybean production moving north
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:02
If warming continues unabated in the Midwest, in 50 years we can expect the best conditions for corn and soybean production to have shifted from Iowa and Illinois to Minnesota and the Dakotas, according to researchers.
Solar and wind energy sites mapped globally for the first time
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:02
Researchers have mapped the global locations of major renewable energy sites, providing a valuable resource to help assess their potential environmental impact.
Single-crystal electrodes can speed up design of new battery systems
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:02
Scientists have created and tested a single-crystal electrode that promises to yield pivotal discoveries for advanced batteries under development worldwide.
Water-splitting module a source of perpetual energy
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:02
Researchers have integrated high-efficiency solar cells and electrode catalysts into an efficient, low-cost device that splits water to produce hydrogen fuel.
How synaptic changes translate to behavior changes
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:02
Learning changes behavior by altering many connections between brain cells in a variety of ways all at the same time, according to a study of sea slugs. The findings offer insight into how human learning can impact widespread brain areas.
Long-term risks of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy impact more women
- ScienceDaily
- 20/5/4 21:02
Twice as many women who experienced a hypertensive disorder during any of their pregnancies were at increased risk of developing heart or kidney diseases earlier in life based on incidence per woman versus per pregnancy, according to a new study.
Blood flows could be more turbulent than previously expected
Blood flow in the human body is generally assumed to be smooth due to its low speed and high viscosity. Unsteadiness in blood flow is linked to various cardiovascular diseases and has been shown to promote dysfunction and inflammation in the inner layer of blood vessels, the endothelium. In turn, this can lead to the development of arteriosclerosis—a leading cause of death worldwide—where...
Climate change has been influencing where tropical cyclones rage: study
While the global average number of tropical cyclones each year has not budged from 86 over the last four decades, climate change has been influencing the locations of where these deadly storms occur, according to new NOAA-led research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Intensive farming increases risk of epidemics, warn scientists
Overuse of antibiotics, high animal numbers and low genetic diversity caused by intensive farming techniques increase the likelihood of pathogens becoming a major public health risk, according to new research led by UK scientists.
Scholes finds novel magnetic field effect in diamagnetic molecules
The Princeton University Department of Chemistry publishes research this week proving that an applied magnetic field will interact with the electronic structure of weakly-magnetic, or diamagnetic, molecules to induce a magnetic-field effect that, to their knowledge, has never before been documented.
Research shows how park-like tsunami defenses can provide a sustainable alternative to towering seawalls
In tsunami preparedness, it turns out there can be strength in beauty. Rows of green hills strategically arranged along coastlines can help to fend off destruction from tsunamis while preserving ocean views and access to the shore. For some communities, they may offer a better option than towering seawalls.
Microorganisms in parched regions extract needed water from colonized rocks
In Northern Chile's Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, microorganisms are able to eke out an existence by extracting water from the very rocks they colonize.