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40 articles from ScienceDaily

Designing flexible and stretchable single crystal electronic systems

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in collaboration with a Purdue team have discovered that certain crystals are more flexible and stretchable compared to current materials used for electronic applications. These new materials could therefore be used for making sensors and in robotics.

Signs of fetal alcohol syndrome detected in womb

New images reveal the earliest impairments to nonhuman primate fetal brain development due to alcohol ingested by the mother, in a study involving rhesus macaques. Magnetic resonance imaging showed impairments to brain growth during the third trimester of pregnancy, even though the fetus was exposed to alcohol only during the first trimester.

Is video game addiction real?

A recent six-year study, the longest study ever done on video game addiction, found that about 90% of gamers do not play in a way that is harmful or causes negative long-term consequences. A significant minority, though, can become truly addicted to video games and as a result can suffer mentally, socially and behaviorally.

Infecting the mind: Burnout in health care workers during COVID-19

Doctors and nurses across the country are experiencing occupational burnout and fatigue from the increased stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A team of researchers and medical professionals are working together to fight two afflictions: COVID-19 and the mental strain experienced by medical professionals.

A new, highly sensitive chemical sensor uses protein nanowires

Scientists report that they have developed bioelectronic ammonia gas sensors that are among the most sensitive ever made. It uses electric-charge-conducting protein nanowires derived from the bacterium Geobacter to provide biomaterials for electrical devices. They grow hair-like protein filaments that work as nanoscale ''wires'' to transfer charges for their nourishment and to communicate with...

3D VR blood flow to improve cardiovascular care

Biomedical engineers are developing a massive fluid dynamics simulator that can model blood flow through the full human arterial system at subcellular resolution. One of the goals of the effort is to provide doctors with a virtual reality system that can guide their treatment plans by allowing them to simulate a patient's specific vasculature and accurately predict how decisions such as stent...

New comet discovered by solar observatory

In late May and early June, Earthlings may be able to glimpse Comet SWAN. The comet is currently faintly visible to the unaided eye in the Southern Hemisphere just before sunrise. The new comet was first spotted in April 2020, by an amateur astronomer named Michael Mattiazzo using data from the SOHO satellite.

A disease trigger for pancreatitis has been identified

One factor contributing to the development of pancreatitis lies in mutations within a cell membrane ion channel that is characterized by its specific permeability for calcium ions. These insights could lead to the development of new therapeutic agents for treating and preventing chronic pancreatitis.

Pofatu: A new database for geochemical 'fingerprints' of artefacts

Due to the improvement and increased use of geochemical fingerprinting techniques during the last 25 years, the archaeological compositional data of stone tools has grown exponentially. The Pofatu Database is a large-scale collaborative project that enables curation and data sharing. The database also provides instrumental details, analytical procedures and reference standards used for calibration...

Tracing the evolution of self-control

Advances in the craftsmanship of stone hand axes around 500,000 years ago suggest individuals at this time possessed characteristics which demonstrate significant self-control, such as concentration and frustration tolerance.

Noble metal aerogels enabled by freezing

Chemists developed a freeze-thaw method, capable of synthesizing various noble metal aerogels (NMAs) with clean surfaces and multiscale structure. In virtue of their hierarchical structures and unique optical properties, outstanding performance for electro-oxidation of ethanol is found. The research provides new ideas for designing various gel or foam materials for high-performance...

Excess coffee consumption a culprit for poor health

Cappuccino, latte or short black, coffee is one of the most commonly consumed drinks in the world. But whether it's good or bad for your health can be clarified by genetics, as a world-first study shows that excess coffee consumption can cause poor health.

Missing component of innate immune signaling identified

Scientists have identified a new key element of the multi-component machinery responsible for sorting out the nature and severity of the pathogen challenge. The new protein, named TASL, is indispensable for the signaling of so-called Toll-like receptors (TLR) in the endosomes leading to activation of the gene-activator IRF5 in certain immune cells.