304 articles from TUESDAY 2.3.2021

A new blindness gene uncovered in a canine study

A study has uncovered a mutation in the IFT122 gene in blind dogs. The gene defect now discovered results in the progressive destruction of photoreceptor cells and retinal dystrophy. IFT122 is a new candidate also for retinal dystrophy in humans. A gene test in support of breeding and diagnostics has been developed based on the finding.

Fuel efficiency of one car may be cancelled by your next car purchase

Researchers find that consumers tend to buy something less fuel efficient for their second car after springing for an eco-friendly vehicle. The study reports a 57% reduction in the benefits of your fuel efficient car based on the purchase of your second vehicle. Findings have major implications for the design of carbon mitigation programs that aren't taking into account consumers with multiple...

Division of labor within regenerating liver maintains metabolism, mouse study finds

The liver has a rare superpower among body organs - the ability to regenerate. It also keeps up its metabolic and toxin-removing work while regenerating, thanks to a subset of cells that expand their workload while the rest focus on multiplication, a new study in mice found. Furthermore, the cells of the liver communicate with each other to coordinate regeneration activity, which progresses from...

Researchers detects chiral structures using vortex light

Recently, the Laboratory of Micro and Nano Engineering, School of Engineering Science, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) has made important progress in the field of structural chirality detection research using vortex light, and found that photon orbital angular momentum can efficiently detect the optical chiral signal of structures.

Polymerization process of hydrogel microspheres on video

Aqueous free-radical precipitation polymerization is one of the most useful methods to prepare uniformly sized hydrogel microspheres (microgels), and an understanding of the polymerization mechanism is crucial to control the structure or physicochemical properties of microgels. However, the details of the mechanism of precipitation polymerization remain unclear.

Soft and comfortable e-textiles that can be used to measure photoplenthysmography

Advances in wearable devices have enabled e-textiles, which fuse lightweight and comfortable textiles with smart electronics, and are garnering attention as the next-generation wearable technology. In particular, fiber electronic devices endowed with electrical properties, while retaining the specific characteristics of textiles, are key elements in manufacturing e-textiles.

Indoor air quality study shows aircraft in flight may have lowest particulate levels

If you're looking for an indoor space with a low level of particulate air pollution, a commercial airliner flying at cruising altitude may be your best option. A newly reported study of air quality in indoor spaces such as stores, restaurants, offices, public transportation—and commercial jets—shows aircraft cabins with the lowest levels of tiny aerosol particles.

Bitter receptor involved in anti-inflammatory effect of resveratrol?

Resveratrol is a plant compound found primarily in red grapes and Japanese knotweed. Its synthetic variant has been approved as a food ingredient in the EU since 2016. At least in cell-based test systems, the substance has anti-inflammatory properties. A recent collaborative study by the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich and the Institute of...

Wolf social group dynamics matter for infectious disease spread, models suggest

By modeling wolves in Yellowstone National Park, researchers have discovered that how a population is organized into social groups affects the spread of infectious diseases within the population. The findings may be applicable to any social species and could be useful in the protection of endangered species that suffer from disease invasion.

Model describes interactions between light and mechanical vibration in microcavities

Optomechanical microcavities are extremely small structures with diameters of less than 10 micrometers (about a tenth of a human hair) inside which light and mechanical vibrations are confined. Thanks to their small size and to efficient microfabrication techniques that enable them to hold intense light energy and interact with mechanical waves, microcavities can be used as mass and acceleration...

Study finds the fuel efficiency of one car may be cancelled by your next car purchase

In a recent collaborative study led by the University of Maryland (UMD), researchers find that consumers tend to buy something less fuel efficient than they normally would for their second car after springing for an eco-friendly vehicle. While this sounds like an all-too-logical conclusion, the study reports a 57% reduction in the benefits of driving your fuel efficient car for carbon emissions...

Photon-photon polaritons: the intriguing particles that emerge when two photons couple

Scientists at the University of Bath in the UK have found a way to bind together two photons of different colors, paving the way for important advancements in quantum-electrodynamics—the field of science that describes how light and matter interact. In time, the team's findings are likely to impact developments in optical and quantum communication, and precision measurements of frequency, time...