Tech
The temporal evolution of the universe, from the Big Bang to the present, is described by Einstein's field equations of general relativity. However, there are still a number of open questions about cosmological dynamics, whose origins lie in supposed discrepancies between theory and observation. One of these open questions is: Why is the universe in its present state so homogeneous on large scales?
From the Big Bang to the present
A new research result from Aarhus University shows that a so-called circular RNA molecule, which has been designated as carcinogenic, is actually not found in the cancer cells. The results have just been published in Nature Communications.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia have been putting virtual reality rehabilitation for stroke survivors to the test.
They have created a new gaming platform which uses low cost videogame technology to improve the lives of stroke patients suffering from complex neurological syndromes caused by their stroke.
And they have been working with stroke survivors and their carers to see how they get on with using the new technology.
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) shed light on the relationship between the magnetic properties of topological insulators and their electronic band structure. Their experimental results shed new insights into recent debates regarding the evolution of the band structure with temperature in these materials, which exhibit unusual quantum phenomena and are envisioned to be crucial in next-generation electronics, spintronics, and quantum computers.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Scientists are planning for Phase 1 human trials of a vaccine they developed by using CRISPR gene-editing technology to mutate the parasite that causes leishmaniasis, a skin disease common in tropical regions of the world and gaining ground in the United States.
In a series of animal studies, the vaccine protected mice against the disease - including mice with compromised immune systems and mice exposed to the parasite in the same way humans are, through the bite of infected sand flies.
Scientists have created a cellular and molecular map of the healthy human heart, to understand how this vital organ functions, and to shed light on what goes wrong in cardiovascular disease.
Self-erasing chips developed at the University of Michigan could help stop counterfeit electronics or provide alerts if sensitive shipments are tampered with.
They rely on a new material that temporarily stores energy, changing the color of the light it emits. It self-erases in a matter of days, or it can be erased on demand with a flash of blue light.
HOUSTON -- A new data analysis tool developed by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center incorporates a user-friendly, natural-language interface to allow biomedical researchers without specialized expertise in bioinformatics or programming languages to conduct intuitive analysis of large datasets.
In his paper, Life Less Normal, published in the July-August 2020 special edition of the Association of Computing Machinery's journal, Interactions, City, University of London's Reader in Human Computer Interaction, Dr Alex Taylor invites an examination of life as normal, and asks whether it is really something we want to return to, or indeed should return to.
BOSTON - One of the of the most important questions in managing a hospital's response to the COVID-19 pandemic is determining when healthcare workers infected with COVID-19 can return to the job. Recently, investigators from Mass General Brigham (MGB) assessed the experience of using a test-based protocol in over 1000 infected health care workers.
Their research was published in the latest edition of Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
One of the basic approaches in organic farming is to use organisms beneficial to the system to combat pests. The bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens is one such beneficial organism. In the case of insect larvae infestation, the bacterium produces a variety of different toxins which quickly kill the larvae. Yet, it seems this is not the only ability of Photorhabdus that can be exploited for organic plant cultivation.
CLEVELAND--An interdisciplinary group of researchers at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University have uncovered a new suite of human blood biomarkers which could someday help emergency clinicians quickly recognize whether someone is experiencing a stroke with a simple blood test.
For the past couple of decades, there has been a loneliness pandemic, marked by rising rates of suicides and opioid use, lost productivity, increased health care costs and rising mortality. The Covid-19 pandemic, with its associated social distancing and lockdowns, have only made things worse, say experts.
Conversion of large swaths of land to uniform tree plantations and single-crop species may lead to unintended consequences for the water cycle, putting ecosystems at greater risk for fires, floods, droughts and even hurricanes, warns a think-tank group of almost 30 water scientists from 11 countries.
Approval ratings of political leaders surged in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In the days and weeks with high numbers of new COVID-19 cases there were also large boosts to leader approval. These results support a "rally 'round the flag" phenomenon in which citizens rally around their leaders during times of crisis and may have voting implications.