231 articles from MONDAY 6.7.2020

What kind of face mask gives the best protection against Covid-19?

Your questions answered on what type of mask to wear to cut the risk of getting Covid-19Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageYes. Different types of mask offer different levels of protection. Surgical grade N95 respirators offer the highest level of protection against Covid-19 infection, followed by surgical grade masks. However, these masks are costly, in limited supply,...

2D semiconductors found to be close-to-ideal fractional quantum hall platform

Columbia University researchers report that they have observed a quantum fluid known as the fractional quantum Hall states (FQHS), one of the most delicate phases of matter, for the first time in a monolayer 2D semiconductor. Their findings demonstrate the excellent intrinsic quality of 2D semiconductors and establish them as a unique test platform for future applications in quantum computing.

A 'breath of nothing' provides a new perspective on superconductivity

Zero electrical resistance at room temperature? A material with this property, i.e. a room temperature superconductor, could revolutionize power distribution. But so far, the origin of superconductivity at high temperature is only incompletely understood. Scientists from Universität Hamburg and the Cluster of Excellence 'CUI: Advanced Imaging of Matter' have succeeded in observing strong...

A different Chia-PET provides insight into prostate cancer

UT Southwestern researchers have identified vast webs of small snippets of the genome that interact with each other and with genes to promote prostate cancer. Their findings, published June 22 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, could lead to new ways to treat the most common type of malignancy in American men other than skin cancer.

A new biotinylation enzyme for analyzing protein-protein interactions

Proteins play roles by interacting with various other proteins. Therefore, interaction analysis is an indispensable technique for studying the function of proteins. In this research, we have developed a biotinylation enzyme, AirID, using an ancestral enzyme reconstruction algorithm. AirID is a highly active biotinylation enzyme with low toxicity. By using AirID, comprehensive biotinylation of...

A tiny ancient relative of dinosaurs and pterosaurs discovered

Dinosaurs and pterosaurs may be known for their remarkable size, but a newly described species that lived around 237 million years ago suggests that they originated from extremely small ancestors. The fossil reptile, named Kongonaphon kely, or "tiny bug slayer," would have stood just 10 centimeters tall. The study may help explain the origins of flight in pterosaurs, the presence of "fuzz" on both...

Age-related impairments reversed in animal model

Frailty and immune decline are two main features of old age. Researchers from the University of Bern and the University Hospital Bern now demonstrate in an animal model that these two age-related impairments can be halted and even partially reversed using a novel cell-based therapeutic approach.

Asthma and allergies more common in 'night owl' teens: study

Teenagers who prefer to stay up late at night and sleep in late the next day are more likely to develop asthma and allergies than their 'early bird' counterparts, according to new research published today.'Compared to the morning type, those who go to bed late have approximately three times higher risk of developing asthma,' said principal investigator Subhabrata Moitra, a post-doctoral fellow in...

Behind the dead-water phenomenon

What makes ships mysteriously slow down or even stop as they travel, even though their engines are working properly? This was first observed in 1893 and was described experimentally in 1904 without all the secrets of this "dead water" being understood. A French team has explained this phenomenon for the first time.

Black patients have higher rates of death after PCI

Black patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are at an increased risk for major adverse outcomes, including death, compared to white patients, according to a study published today in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. The study underscores the high rates of cardiovascular disease and risk factors in minorities and continued need for further research on race-based outcomes...

Cancer treatment in young women need not mean the end of their fertility

The first long-term record of how cancer patients made use of their stored eggs and embryos after cancer treatment is presented today at the 36th Annual Meeting of ESHRE. The results demonstrate from the 20-year data how successful fertility preservation can be in these patients, especially those with breast cancer. Details of the analysis, covering the longest reported period of use, are...