ScienceDaily: All - May 10, 2024
Today's top research news
A research team has demonstrated that an iron-based amorphous alloy, widely used as a soft magnetic material in transformers and motors, can be transformed into a 'transverse' thermoelectric conversion material that converts electric and thermal currents in orthogonal directions, with just a short period of heat treatment. This is the first example that highlights the importance of microstructure engineering in the development of transverse thermoelectric conversion materials, and provides new design guidelines for materials development to realize environmentally friendly power generation and thermal management technologies using magnetic materials.
GPS-like system shows promise as HIV vaccine strategy to elicit critical antibodies
A team has developed a vaccine approach that works like a GPS, guiding the immune system through the specific steps to make broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV.
Image: peterschreiber.media/Shutterstock.com
Discrimination may accelerate aging
Discrimination may speed up the biological processes of aging, according to a new study.
Good vibrations: New tech may lead to smaller, more powerful wireless devices
What if your earbuds could do everything your smartphone can, but better? A new class of synthetic materials could allow for smaller devices that use less power.
'Smart' contact lenses could someday enable wireless glaucoma detection
Most people with early-stage glaucoma don't know they have it, even though early treatment is key to reducing vision loss. While detecting a subtle increase in eye pressure helps doctors to diagnose glaucoma, it's challenging to monitor continuously, especially with the variety of temperatures eyes experience. Now, researchers report a prototype 'smart' contact lens that measures eye pressure accurately, regardless of temperature.
New machine learning algorithm promises advances in computing
Systems controlled by next-generation computing algorithms could give rise to better and more efficient machine learning products, a new study suggests.
New 'forever chemical' cleanup strategy discovered
A method has been discovered to treat water heavily contaminated with unhealthful forever chemicals, known by chemists as PFAS or poly- and per-fluoroalkyl substances. It involves treating heavily contaminated water with ultraviolet (UV) light, sulfite, and a process called electrochemical oxidation. It breaks up strong fluorine-to-carbon bonds in the PFAS compounds and other concentrated organic compounds in heavily polluted water. The reaction also occurs at room temperature without a need for additional heat or high pressure. This method is expected to be useful in cleanups of PFAS pollution from decades of fire suppressant foam use at military facilities.
Squeezed by neighbors, planet glows with molten lava
Astrophysicists discovered that an exoplanet is covered with so many active volcanoes that seen from a distance it would take on a fiery, glowing-red hue.
Transformation of ocean management is underway
Despite its benefits and recognition as a keystone practice of ocean stewardship and conservation, adoption of ecosystem-based management has been slow to take hold. To support this change in ocean management, a group of researchers and practitioners investigated the global progress of marine EBM initiatives.
A fragment of human brain, mapped in exquisite detail
Researchers have created the largest synaptic-resolution, 3D reconstruction of a piece of human brain to date, showing in vivid detail each cell and its web of neural connections in a piece of human temporal cortex about half the size of a rice grain.
Ocean biodiversity work needs improvement
An international collaboration says the world's largest marine protected areas aren't collectively delivering the biodiversity benefits they could be because of slow implementation of management strategies and a failure to restrict the most impactful human activities.
Take cover! Survey shows tornado warnings widely misunderstood
A study showed that about half of those surveyed in the mid-South could not accurately identify a tornado warning.
New treatment could reverse hair loss caused by an autoimmune skin disease
Researchers developed a potential new treatment for alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss. The microneedle patch delivers immune-regulating molecules that can teach T cells not to attack hair follicles, helping hair regrow.
An entirely new COVID-related syndrome
An international collaboration recently uncovered a previously overlooked COVID-related syndrome: MDA5-autoimmunity and Interstitial Pneumonitis Contemporaneous with COVID-19, or MIP-C for short.
Improved wildfire smoke model identifies areas for public health intervention
The Canadian wildfires of June 2023 exposed a large portion of the Northeastern United States to unprecedented levels of smoke. A new model that combines wildfire smoke forecasts and data from ground-based sensors may help public health officials plan targeted interventions in areas most at risk for the negative health effects of unexpected smoke events and air pollution, according to scientists.
New Rhizobia-diatom symbiosis solves long-standing marine mystery
Scientists have discovered a new partnership between a marine diatom and a bacterium that can account for a large share of nitrogen fixation in vast regions of the ocean. The newly-discovered bacterial symbiont is closely related to the nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia which live in partnership with many crop plants and may open up new avenues to engineer nitrogen-fixing plants.
High school student helps transform 'crazy idea' into innovative research tool
A 'crazy idea' hatched during a walk in the woods and first tested by a high school student is now an innovative research tool used by scientists worldwide to predict neurotransmitters in fruit fly connectomes.
New sex-determining mechanism in African butterfly discovered
In a study of a species of African butterfly, researchers have discovered a previously undescribed molecular mechanism of how the sex of an embryo is initially specified.
How night shift work can raise risk of diabetes, obesity
Just a few days on a night shift schedule throws off protein rhythms related to blood glucose regulation, energy metabolism and inflammation, processes that can influence the development of chronic metabolic conditions. The finding provides new clues as to why night shift workers are more prone to diabetes, obesity and other metabolic disorders. Though more research is needed, the researchers said the study shows that these disrupted rhythms can be seen in as little as three days, which suggests early intervention to prevent diabetes and obesity is possible. Such intervention could also help lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, which is elevated in night shift workers as well.
The division between liberals and conservatives on both climate-change beliefs and related policy support is long-standing. However, the results of a newly released global experiment show that despite these differences, the two camps actually align when it comes to taking certain actions to combat climate change.
2D all-organic perovskites: potential use in 2D electronics
Perovskites are among the most researched topics in materials science. Recently, a research team has solved an age-old challenge to synthesize all-organic two-dimensional perovskites, extending the field into the exciting realm of 2D materials. This breakthrough opens up a new field of 2D all-organic perovskites, which holds promise for both fundamental science and potential applications.
Researchers harness blurred light to 3D print high quality optical components
Researchers have developed a new 3D printing method called blurred tomography that can rapidly produce microlenses with commercial-level optical quality. The new method may make it easier and faster to design and fabricate a variety of optical devices.
AI advancements make the leap into 3D pathology possible
Researchers present Tripath: new, deep learning models that can use 3D pathology datasets to make clinical outcome predictions. The research team imaged curated prostate cancer specimens, using two 3D high-resolution imaging techniques. The models were then trained to predict prostate cancer recurrence risk on volumetric human tissue biopsies. By comprehensively capturing 3D morphologies from the entire tissue volume, Tripath performed better than pathologists and outperformed deep learning models that rely on 2D morphology and thin tissue slices.
Robotic system feeds people with severe mobility limitations
Researchers have developed a robotic feeding system that uses computer vision, machine learning and multimodal sensing to safely feed people with severe mobility limitations, including those with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis.
Generative AI that imitates human motion
Walking and running is notoriously difficult to recreate in robots. Now, a group of researchers has overcome some of these challenges by creating an innovative method that employs central pattern generators -- neural circuits located in the spinal cord that generate rhythmic patterns of muscle activity -- with deep reinforcement learning. The method not only imitates walking and running motions but also generates movements for frequencies where motion data is absent, enables smooth transition movements from walking to running, and allows for adapting to environments with unstable surfaces.
Rapid oyster reef restoration gives hope for repairing the sea
After a century of functional extinction on the Australian mainland, a Flat oyster reef has been successfully restored along a metropolitan Adelaide coastline.
Getting dirty to clean up the chemical industry's environmental impact
The global chemical industry is a major fossil fuel consumer and climate change contributor; however, new research has identified how the sector could clean up its green credentials by getting dirty.
Saturated soils could impact survival of young trees planted to address climate change
New research has looked into the potential effects of increased rainfall in regions being earmarked for expansion of temperate rainforests. Amid global calls for more trees to be planted as part of efforts to combat climate change, this study highlights the importance of factoring in soil conditions when looking at where and how to create the temperate rainforests of the future.
Discover optimal conditions for mass production of ultraviolet holograms
Scientists delve into the composition of nanocomposites for ultraviolet metasurface fabrication.
Astrophysicists discover a novel method for hunting the first stars
A recent study has discovered a novel method for detecting the first-generations stars, known as Population III (Pop III) stars, which have never been directly detected. These potential discoveries about Pop III stars hold the promise of unlocking the secrets of the universe's origin and providing a deeper understanding of the remarkable journey from the primordial cosmos to the world we inhabit today.
Fluidic systems resembling blood vascular tissues: Artificial blood vessels and biomedicine
Nature has consistently inspired engineering applications. Recently, a group of researchers drew new inspirations from the vascular network and developed a new type of fluidic system named VasFluidics.
An epigenome editing toolkit to dissect the mechanisms of gene regulation
A recent study led to the development of a powerful epigenetic editing technology. The system unlocks the ability to precisely program chromatin modifications at any specific position in the genome, to understand their causal role in transcription regulation. This innovative approach will help to investigate the role of chromatin modifications in many biological processes, and to program desired gene activity responses, which may prove useful in disease settings.
How biological aging clocks tick
Aging clocks can measure the biological age of humans with high precision. Biological age can be influenced by environmental factors such as smoking or diet, thus deviating from the chronological age that is calculated using the date of birth. The precision of these aging clocks suggests that the aging process follows a program. Scientists have now discovered that aging clocks actually measure the increase in stochastic changes in cells.
Researchers lay out the need for design safety protocols that prevent the emerging 'digital afterlife industry' causing social and psychological harm.
Researcher found that exposed individuals with confirmed TB infection -- i.e. a positive skin or blood test -- should receive priority treatment in settings with a low prevalence of the disease, regardless of their age. However, in high-burden settings, all exposed individuals should be considered for preventative treatment, even without a confirmed infection. This strategy can help end the tuberculosis epidemic and support global public health efforts to reduce TB mortality by 95 percent by 2035 (from 2015 estimates).