245 articles from WEDNESDAY 6.1.2021
Researchers fabricate arrays of atomically smooth iron-coated silicon pyramids with unusual magnetic properties
Ultra-small integrated circuits have revolutionized mobile phones, home appliances, cars, and other everyday technologies. To further miniaturize electronics and enable advanced functions, circuits must be reliably fabricated in three dimensions. Achieving ultrafine 3-D shape control by etching into silicon is difficult, because even atomic-scale damage reduces device performance. Researchers at...
Long-term study finds dozens of new genetic markers associated with lifetime bone growth
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:57
A multidisciplinary team of researchers has discovered several genetic markers associated with bone mineral accrual, which could ultimately help identify causes of eventual osteoporosis earlier in life through genetic testing.
A prognostic Alzheimer's disease blood test in the symptom-free stage
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:57
Using a blood test, a research team has predicted the risk of Alzheimer's disease in people who were clinically diagnosed as not having Alzheimer's disease but who perceived themselves as cognitively impaired (Subjective Cognitive Declined, SCD). The researchers analyzed blood samples from an SCD cohort. Using a newly developed test, they identified all 22 subjects at study entry who developed...
Guinea baboons grunt with an accent
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:57
Vocal learning leads to modification of call structure in a multi-level baboon society.
Neuronal circuits for fine motor skills
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:57
Writing, driving a screw or throwing darts are only some of the activities that demand a high level of skill. How the brain masters such exquisite movements has now been described. A map of brainstem circuits reveals which neurons control the fine motor skills of the arm and hand.
Competitive athletics: Detecting CRISPR/Cas gene doping
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:57
All athletes want to be at the top of their game when they compete, but some resort to nefarious approaches to achieve peak muscle growth, speed and agility. Recent developments in gene editing technology could tempt athletes to change their DNA to get an edge. Now, researchers demonstrate first steps toward detecting this type of doping both in human plasma and in live mice.
Gut microbe may promote breast cancers
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:57
A microbe found in the colon and commonly associated with the development of colitis and colon cancer also may play a role in the development of some breast cancers, according to new research.
EU approves Moderna jab amid tensions over slow rollout of vaccines
Move should ease frustrations over low supplies of Pfizer vaccine and EU’s longer authorisation process Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe European Medicines Agency has approved the Moderna vaccine, making it the second coronavirus shot to be cleared for general use across the EU, as tensions continued to rise over the slow progress of vaccination programmes in the...
Britain could be mass-producing its Covid shot. Shame we junked our industrial base | Aditya Chakrabortty
The dire state of UK manufacturing has left us dependent on other nations. We may soon find out why some call this a ‘national security risk’Everything now hinges on a vaccine: how many more Britons die, whether the NHS finally breaks, how long the UK stays locked down. All depends on how fast the country can get vaccinated against this plague. Yet we’re in this position in large part...
Manufacturing process of ultra-thin sensor for smart contact lenses
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:20
Smart contact lenses could soon become mainstream thanks to a new manufacturing process that has allowed researchers to develop a multifunctional ultra-thin sensor layer.
Will global warming bring a change in the winds? Dust from the deep sea provides a clue
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:20
Climate researchers describe a new method of tracking the ancient history of the westerly winds--a proxy for what we may experience in a future warming world.
Ineffective 'learning styles' theory persists in education
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:19
A new review by Swansea University reveals there is widespread belief, around the world, in a teaching method that is not only ineffective but may actually be harmful to learners. For decades educators have been advised to match their teaching to the supposed 'learning styles' of students. However, a new paper by Professor Phil Newton, of Swansea University Medical School, highlights that this...
Identifying strategies to advance research on traumatic brain injury's effect on women
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:19
New work reveals gaps in and opportunities for research to improve understanding of the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in women.
Link between dietary fiber and depression partially explained by gut-brain interactions
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:19
Fiber is a commonly recommended part of a healthy diet. That's because it's good for your health in so many ways -- from weight management to reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer. A new study also finds that it might be linked with a reduced risk of depression, especially in premenopausal women.
Researcher cracks the hidden strengthening mechanism in biological ceramics
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/6 17:19
In addition to adding strength, this design allows the structure to use its crack patterns to minimize damage into the inner shell.
Newly observed monovalent calcium ion displays unexpected metallicity and ferromagnetism
Calcium ions are present in rocks, bones, shells, biominerals, geological deposits, ocean sediments, and many other important materials. Calcium ions also play major roles in the retention of carbon dioxide in natural waters, water hardness, signal transduction and tissue generation. As one of the alkaline earth metals, the calcium atom has two valence electrons according to the octet rule. Up to...
Researchers discover a novel mechanism of recruiting ARF family proteins
The small GTPases of the ADP-ribosylation factor (Arf) family are key initiators of various physiological processes including secretion, endocytosis, phagocytosis and signal transduction. Arf family proteins function to mediate recruitment of cytosolic effectors to specific subcellular compartments. This process facilitates Arf effectors to perform cargo recognition, lipid modification or other...
First global study shows uneven urbanization among large cities in the last two decades
The world has experienced dramatic urbanization in recent decades. According to the latest report from the United Nations (UN), the global population in 2018 was 7.6 billion and the urban population was 4.2 billion. By 2050, the global population is expected to soar to 9.7 billion, with 68% of the population living in urban areas.
A bit too much: Reducing the bit width of Ising models for quantum annealing
Given a list of cities and the distances between each pair of cities, how do you determine the shortest route that visits each city exactly once and returns to the starting location? This famous problem is called the 'traveling salesman problem' and is an example of a combinatorial optimization problem. Solving these problems using conventional computers can be very time-consuming, and special...
The revelation of the crustal geometry of the western Qilian Mountains, NE Tibetan Plateau
As the largest orogenic plateau on Earth, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was caused by a complex crustal deformation process during the continuous collision and compression process between the Indian and Eurasian continents starting at least 60-50 Ma ago. The formation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau records the collision of the two continents and the deformation process and mechanism within the...
New review says the ineffective 'learning styles' theory persists in education
A new review by Swansea University reveals there is widespread belief, around the world, in a teaching method that is not only ineffective but may actually be harmful to learners.
The new face of the Antarctic
In the future, the Antarctic could become a greener place and be colonized by new species. At the same time, some species will likely disappear. 25 researchers recently presented these and many other findings in a major international project, in which they analyzed hundreds of articles on the Antarctic published in the past ten years. By doing so, the team have provided an exceptionally...
Producing milk from yeast that looks and tastes like cow's milk
Might a new technological development of researchers from Tel Aviv University soon revolutionize the dairy products we consume? The initiators of the development believe that in the not-too-distant future we will be able to buy dairy products in the supermarket that are identical in taste and color to the ordinary dairy products that we consume today, but with one small difference: the dairy...
New work provides insight into the relationship between complexity and diversity
Most forms of life—species of mammals, birds, plants, reptiles, amphibians, etc.—are most diverse at Earth's equator and least diverse at the poles. This distribution is called the latitudinal gradient of biodiversity.
Researchers discover how a bio-pesticide works against spider mites
Scientists have uncovered why a food-ingredient-based pesticide made from safflower and cottonseed oils is effective against two-spotted spider mites that attack over a thousand species of plants while sparing the mites' natural predators.