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38 articles from ScienceDaily

Possible new combo therapy for head and neck cancer

Researchers have tested a new combination therapy in animal models to see if they could find a way to make an already effective treatment even better. Since they're using a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug to do it, this could help people sooner than later.

Crystal structures in super slow motion

Laser beams are used to change the properties of materials in an extremely precise way. However, the underlying processes generally take place at such unimaginably fast speeds and at such a small scale that they have so far eluded direct observation. Researchers have now managed to film, for the first time, the laser transformation of a crystal structure with nanometer resolution and in slow...

From fins to limbs

In a new study an international team of researchers examined three-dimensional digital models of the bones, joints, and muscles of the fins and limbs of two extinct early tetrapods and a closely related fossil fish and discover these early tetrapods had a very distinct pattern of muscle leverage that didn't look like a fish fin or modern tetrapod limbs and their limbs were more adapted for...

Exercising muscle combats chronic inflammation on its own

Biomedical engineers have demonstrated that human muscle has an innate ability to ward off damaging effects of chronic inflammation when exercised. The discovery was made possible through the use of lab-grown, engineered human muscle, demonstrating the potential power of the first-of-its-kind platform in such research endeavors.

Tiny particles that seed clouds can form from trace gases over open sea

New results from an atmospheric study over the Eastern North Atlantic reveal that tiny aerosol particles that seed the formation of clouds can form out of next to nothingness over the open ocean. The findings will improve how aerosols and clouds are represented in models that describe Earth's climate so scientists can understand how the particles -- and the processes that control them -- might...

Geographic factors that affect HPV vaccination rates

A team of researchers have conducted the first-ever systematic review of area-level data reported in the United States between 2006 and 2020 to determine how geography, neighborhoods and sociodemographic factors impact HPV vaccination rates among adolescents and young adults.

AI trained to read electric vehicle charging station reviews to find infrastructure gaps

Although electric vehicles that reduce greenhouse gas emissions attract many drivers, the lack of confidence in charging services deters others. Building a reliable network of charging stations is difficult in part because it's challenging to aggregate data from independent station operators. But now, researchers have developed an AI that can analyze user reviews of these stations, allowing it to...

Single atoms as a catalyst: Surprising effects ensue

Catalysts are getting smaller - 'single-atom' catalysts are the logical end point of this downsizing. However, individual atoms can no longer be described using the rules developed from larger pieces of metal, so the rules used to predict which metals will be good catalysts must be revamped - this has now been achieved. As it turns out, single atom catalysts based on much cheaper materials might...

Fungi strengthen plants to fend off aphids

Researchers have demonstrated that unique fungi strengthen the 'immune systems' of wheat and bean plants against aphids. Fungi enter and influence the amount of a plant's own defenses, resulting in fewer aphids. The results could serve to reduce agricultural insecticide use.

Shift in caribou movements may be tied to human activity

Human activities might have shifted the movement of caribou in and near the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, according to scientists who tracked them using isotopic analysis from shed antlers. The study is timely given the auction this year of oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Indigenous Alaskans opposed the leases, arguing development could disrupt the migration of...

PTSD link to pandemic fears

A new study of 1040 online participants from five western countries explores people's response to the stresses of the escalating pandemic, finding more than 13 percent of the sample had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related symptoms consistent with levels necessary to qualify for a clinical diagnosis.

Highly functional membrane developed for producing freshwater from seawater

Researchers have developed a new desalination membrane by laminating a two-dimensional carbon material on to the surface of a porous polymer membrane. This membrane has the potential to perform highly efficient desalination because it is possible to control the gaps between its nanosheets and the charge on the nanosheets' surfaces. It is hoped that this research will contribute towards the...

Defects may help scientists understand the exotic physics of topology

Real-world materials are usually messier than the idealized scenarios found in textbooks. Imperfections can add complications and even limit a material's usefulness. To get around this, scientists routinely strive to remove defects and dirt entirely, pushing materials closer to perfection. Now, researchers have turned this problem around and shown that for some materials defects could act as a...