288 articles from TUESDAY 4.5.2021

One step closer to efficient cannabis production

Micropropagation is a technique used for growing large quantities of new plants from fewer "parent" plants, yielding clones with the same, predictable qualities. The cannabis (Cannabis sativa) industry, however, has been largely left out of this beneficial technique, because this species of plant is extremely difficult to micropropagate.

Our immune systems blanket the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with antibodies

A previously underappreciated part of the body's natural defense against SARS-CoV-2, called non-RBD-directed antibodies, actually plays a major role in combating the virus, according to a new study in the journal Science. That's good news for scientists designing the next generation of vaccines to protect against variants of the virus or future emerging coronaviruses.

Pandemic worsened older adults' mental health & sleep; others show long-term resilience

Nearly one in five older adults say their mental health has gotten worse since the pandemic began in March 2020, and an equal percentage say their sleep has suffered in that time too. More than one in four say they're more anxious or worried than before the COVID-19 era, according to a new poll of people age 50 to 80. But the poll also reveals hopeful signs that many older adults are showing...

People with familial longevity show better cognitive aging

If you come from a family where people routinely live well into old age, you will likely have better cognitive function (the ability to clearly think, learn and remember) than peers from families where people die younger. Researchers affiliated with the Long Life Family Study (LLFS) recently broadened that finding in a paper published in Gerontology, suggesting that people who belong to long-lived...

Polarization and mobilization on social media affect infection figures

Measures to contain the Corona pandemic are the subject of politically charged debate and tend to polarize segments of the population. Those who support the measures motivate their acquaintances to follow the rules, while those who oppose them call for resistance in social media. But how exactly do politicization and social mobilization affect the infection figures? Researchers at the Max Planck...

Polarization-sensitive photodetection using 2D/3D perovskite heterostructure crystal

Polarization-sensitive photodetection is central to optics applications and has been successfully demonstrated in photodetectors of layered hybrid perovskites; however, achieving high polarization sensitivity in such a photodetector remains challenging. Scientists based in China demonstrate a high-performance polarization-sensitive photodetector using single-crystalline 2D/3D perovskite...

Poor grasp of dating violence in college perpetuates 'boys will be boys' views

A study to understand the dating violence experience and perpetration of college-age women, as well as how they conceptualize violence in dating relationships, reveals normalization of unhealthy violent behaviors where sexual pressure or sexualized verbal harassment are viewed as an innate part of men, supporting the idea that "boys will be boys." Study participants demonstrated a lack of...

Powering Discovery: A new expert panel report from the CCA

Research funding agencies around the world are testing creative approaches to address urgent needs while laying the foundation for discoveries that will meet the unpredictable demands of the future. According to a new expert panel report from the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA), Canada can bolster its research capacity by reducing administrative burdens, experimenting with funding approaches,...

Research reveals Medicaid expansion is still improving hospital finances

A new study published in Medical Care Research and Review found that the Affordable Care Act, which expanded Medicaid programs to cover people previously uninsured, provided a financial boost to hospitals. The study is the first to investigate the effects of Medicaid expansion by comparing estimates using data from both the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid...

Scientists at NREL report new synapse-like phototransistor

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a breakthrough in energy-efficient phototransistors. Such devices could eventually help computers process visual information more like the human brain and be used as sensors in things like self-driving vehicles.

Scientists find gene mutation linked to exfoliation syndrome,most common cause of glaucoma

A team of researchers from A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) have identified a genetic mutation associated with exfoliation syndrome, characterised by abnormal protein material accumulating in the front of the eye. It is the most common cause of glaucoma, and a major cause of irreversible...