Month: October 2021

Despite a significant but small increase in mental health symptoms early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, overall there was great resilience in mental health during 2020, University of Liverpool researchers have found.

Can Proteins Bind Based Only on Their Shapes?

Proteins bind together through a complex mix of chemical interactions. What if some proteins bind due to their shapes, a much simpler process? Researchers used the Summit supercomputer to model a type of interaction that requires proteins to chemically “fit” precisely. The team found that among a sample of 46 protein pairs that bind to one another, 6 often assembled based on their shapes.

Loyola University Medical Center NICU Patients Celebrate First Halloween in Style

Loyola University Medical Center neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses helped their tiny patients celebrate their first Halloween this morning with handmade costumes. This sweet Halloween tradition started at Loyola more than 35 years ago.

SU’s Wight Named Among Maryland’s Leading Higher Education Influencers

Salisbury University President Charles Wight has been named among Maryland’s leading higher education influencers. Wight joins 29 other college, university and University System of Maryland administrators, faculty and advocates in the Daily Record’s inaugural “Power 30 Higher Education” compilation.

Energy Secretary, Washington Governor Dedicate Energy Sciences Center at PNNL

Fundamental research conducted at the $90-million research facility will help the nation meet its clean energy goals.

Looking into the Future of St. Louis: Advanced Bioimaging

October 29, 2021 sarah Jonasblog

At the Danforth Center, scientists utilize advanced technology to find solutions to some of the most critical problems facing our world.

A Landmark Achievement: The Story of Improved Cowpea

October 29, 2021 sarah Jonasblog

Cowpeas, or black-eyed peas, are an incredibly important staple crop for much of Africa.

Nicholas A. Kotov, University of Michigan professor honored for foundational discoveries in interface-based engineering of self-organizing materials

Kotov will accept the honor during the 2021 MRS Fall Meeting, where, at 9:00 am (EST), Thursday, December 2, he will present his lecture, Nanoscale Biomimetics: From Self-Assembled Nanocomposites to Chiral Nanostructures.

Tulane University Special Olympics recognized by ESPN as Top 5 national program

Tulane University’s Special Olympic (TUSO) program has reached new heights with a pair of national accolades for its meaningful and inclusive work with Special Olympic athletes. ESPN selected the TUSO program as one of the Top 5 Unified Special Olympics Sports groups in the nation and also named TUSO to its 2021 Honor Roll, which features the top 25 schools from across the country.

Harry Atwater, California Institute of Technology Professor to Receive 2021 Von Hippel Award

Atwater will accept the honor during the 2021 MRS Fall Meeting, where, at 9:00 am (EST), Wednesday, December 1, he will present his award lecture Trip the Light Fantastic.

It’s More Than Just Contaminated Candy, NJ Poison Control Center Shares Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is a time filled with exciting and fun activities, but it’s also a busy time for families and the healthcare professionals at the NJ Poison Control Center. With everyone scrambling to prepare for school parades and trick-or-treating, it’s hard to pay close attention to everything that’s happening at home.

St. Louis AgTech: An Innovation Community on the Move

October 29, 2021 sarah Jonasblog

Dr. William H. Danforth, founding chairman of the Danforth Center, had a vision for St. Louis as a bioscience and agriculture innovation ecosystem.

Monell Center Researcher Awarded the 2021 Eppendorf & Science Prize for Work on Gut-Brain Studies

Amber L. Alhadeff, PhD, an assistant member at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, has been awarded the 2021 Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology for her research on how gut-brain connections in the brain influence eating behavior.

New Book by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Marine Scientist Offers a Grim Look at an Endangered Whale Species

A new book by Michael Moore, veterinarian, and marine scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), examines the plight and future of the North Atlantic right whale, one of the most critically endangered species on the planet, and draws on Moore’s 40 years of fieldwork to offer possible solutions.

Facebook name change ‘dystopian’ amid whistleblower leaks, Notre Dame experts say

Facebook has dominated news headlines over the past weeks, after former employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked thousands of internal company documents to a consortium of news organizations, now referred to as the “Facebook Papers,” followed by an announcement on Thursday that Facebook is…

UN Climate Change Conference, Youth, and Climate Anxiety

Sarah Jaquette Ray, professor of Environmental Studies at Humboldt State University in Northern California, United States, is available to comment on specific issues related to topics being presented at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), specifically youth activists who are…

DOE to Provide $6 Million for U.S.-Japan Cooperative Research in High Energy Physics

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $6 million for collaborative research in high energy physics that involves substantial collaboration with Japanese investigators.

You Might Not Know What You’re Saying

SUNY Geneseo’s Jason Ozubko is the first author on a recent paper that looks at a type of memory glitch called a “recognition failure.” It’s when you can come up with a word—like the name of a restaurant you’re struggling to remember—without being sure that the name you just blurted out is the correct name.

Chatbot for addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

What if a few minutes of interaction with a chatbot could effectively address vaccine concerns?

Carter Hall: Then and Now / 2011 Early Career Award Winner

Carter Hall works with colleagues around the world to search for ancient relic particles from the Big Bang, using the LUX and LZ dark matter detectors at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, SD.

MERCY MEDICAL CENTER NAMED AMERICA’S 50 BEST FOR SURGICAL CARE

Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, is one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Surgical Care according to new research released by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems.

Scientists Zoom In on the Atomic Structure of Artificial Proteins

Scientists have created crystalline sheets one molecule thick using a synthetic molecule called a polypeptoid. Scientists take images of these nanosheets using electron microscopes, but until recently these images were blurry. This new study used machine learning to process about 500,000 independent images to produce the first clear image of individual atoms in a synthetic soft material.

COP26 Finance, Strategy Experts Available at Maryland Smith

As world leaders meet Oct. 31-Nov. 12 in Glasgow for COP26 to accelerate actions to confront climate change, experts at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business are available to comment on the summit related to finance,…

Tulane researchers studying challenges of food service workers during COVID-19 pandemic

Tulane psychologists are leading a project that aims to address pandemic-related issues among food service workers, including health and safety issues, stress and other long-term consequences.

The power of vitamin D: What experts already know (and are still learning) about the ‘sunshine vitamin’

It’s no secret that vitamin D is critical to balancing many areas of health. But from pediatric broken bones to cluster headaches, physicians and scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) are still learning just how powerful the so-called “sunshine vitamin” is.

Making the case to improve outcomes for sickle cell disease

UAB’s Julie Kanter, M.D., says statewide surveillance programs for sickle cell disease can help facilitate progress to improve outcomes.

Why I’ll Vaccinate My Kids

As the Food and Drug Administration edges closer to emergency use approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 – which could become available as soon as early November – Rutgers faculty and staff share reasons for why they’ll vaccinate their children.

The Osteoarthritis Action Alliance Expands the Number of “Arthritis-Appropriate Evidence-Based Interventions” (AAEBIs) recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 7 to 18

The Osteoarthritis Action Alliance (OAAA) recently evaluated numerous evidence-based (medically proven) interventions to identify which met established criteria for being known as “Arthritis-Appropriate Evidence-Based Interventions” (AAEBIs). Programs that meet these criteria must be shown to improve arthritis symptoms, such as pain or limitations in function, and demonstrate that they have a sufficient level of support for program oversight and organized, wide-scale community delivery.

Study finds the SARS-CoV-2 virus can infect the inner ear

Many Covid-19 patients have reported symptoms affecting the ears, including hearing loss and tinnitus. Dizziness and balance problems can also occur, suggesting that the SARS-CoV-2 virus may be able to infect the inner ear.

ACS NSQIP recognizes 90 hospitals for achieving meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) has recognized 90 of an eligible 607 hospitals participating in the adult program for achieving meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care in 2020.

High Availability of Fast-Food Restaurants Across All U.S. Neighborhood Types Linked to Higher Rates of Type 2 Diabetes, New Study Finds

A new nationwide study led by researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine published online today in JAMA Network Open suggests that living in neighborhoods with higher availability of fast-food outlets across all regions of the United States is associated with higher subsequent risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

People Who Purchased Guns During Buying Surge More Likely to Have Suicidal Thoughts

People who purchased firearms during the 2020–2021 purchasing surge – particularly first-time buyers – were more likely to have thoughts of suicide, according to a Rutgers study.

Hepatitis C Infections Among Pregnant People Increased Substantially Between 2009 and 2019

The leading cause of HCV in the U.S. is injection drug use as a result of opioid use disorder (OUD), which has seen a rise in most populations, including pregnant people, in recent years. HCV rates have also risen. Between 2009 and 2019, the overall rate per 1,000 live births of HCV in pregnant people increased from 1.8 to 5.1.

Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve School of Medicine Open Call for 2022 Harrington-MSTP Scholar Award

Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have issued a call for proposals for the 2022 Harrington-MSTP (Medical Scientist Training Program) Scholar Award to help the next generation of physician-scientists advance their discoveries towards clinical application.

Runoff, sediment flux in High Mountain Asia could limit food, energy for millions

Rivers flowing from the Tibetan Plateau and the surrounding high Asian mountains which support one-third of the world’s population have experienced rapid increases in annual water and sediment runoff since the 1990s, and the volume of sediment washed downstream could more than double by 2050 under the worst-case scenario, a team of scientists has found.

DUHS Names Accomplished Health Care Leader to Chief Operating Role

Craig Albanese, a seasoned health care executive and distinguished academic pediatric surgeon, has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer of Duke University Health System (DUHS).

Waste of space

University of Utah mechanical engineering professor Jake Abbott has discovered a method to manipulate orbiting space debris by using spinning magnets. This allows agencies to either help clear out such debris or repair damaged satellites by moving or grasping the objects without physically touching them.

Turn Your Free Time into Income with “Wang”, An AI/ML Platform by Chula Students

How wonderful would it be if we can make money in our free time while helping researchers enhance AI efficiency at the same time? This is the idea that came to the mind of two young engineers from Chulalongkorn University who successfully developed ‘Wang’ (Free), a multi-award-winning platform that matches your free time with business opportunities and creates benefits for society. Various innovation awards guarantee the platform is the best startup.

We could feed ten billion people: research offers paths past the climate crisis – Experts from Aalto University available to comment on COP26’s adaptation theme

Greater Helsinki, Finland — Carbon emissions often dominate discussions about our environment, but feeding our growing population creates broader environmental problems that must also be addressed. Researchers have developed innovative solutions to meet this challenge through sustainable and environmentally sound…

Why do humans possess a twisted birth canal?

The relatively narrow human birth canal presumably evolved as a “compromise” between its abilities for parturition, support of the inner organs, and upright walking. But not only the size of the birth canal, also its complex, “twisted” shape is an evolutionary puzzle.

Education essential for eating well on the night shift

In Australia, one in every five employees are shift workers. But when you work irregular hours, you eat at irregular hours and this can put you at increased risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Study led by NUS researchers reveals climate change increases fluvial sediment in the high mountains of Asia

To examine the impact of a warmer and wetter climate in High Mountain Asia, Professor Lu Xixi and Dr Dongfeng Li from the Department of Geography at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences led an international team of researchers to conduct a new analysis of observations of headwater rivers in the area. The study revealed that fluvial sediment loads have been increasing substantially, even much faster than river water discharge. This has important implications for water quality, hydropower development and maintenance, and for the riverine carbon cycle.

UTSW scientists eliminate key Alzheimer’s feature in animal model

A study by UT Southwestern researchers finds that changing the biochemistry of parts of brain cells abolished the formation of amyloid beta plaques in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. The finding, published in eLife, might eventually lead to treatments that prevent the memory-robbing condition in humans.

16-Year-Old with Cystic Fibrosis Receives Double Lung Transplant, a First for Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone

Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone and the NYU Langone Transplant Institute reached a historic, first-ever milestone when surgeons replaced the lungs of a 16-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis.

Magnus Medical Launches with Breakthrough Device Designation for Rapid, Individualized Treatment of Major Depression and $25M in Series A Financing

Magnus Medical, Inc., a medical device company, today announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the company Breakthrough Device Designation for its individualized, rapid-acting, non-invasive neurostimulation technology designed to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in people who have not improved sufficiently from antidepressant medication or other treatments.

LLNL researchers garner three awards among top 100 industrial inventions

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists and engineers have collected three awards among the top 100 industrial inventions

LOW-GRAVITY SIMULATOR DESIGN OFFERS NEW AVENUES FOR SPACE RESEARCH AND MISSION TRAINING

Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory have developed a novel design for a low-gravity simulator that promises to break new ground for future space research and habitation.

World taking measures on climate change – but are they the right ones?

A new study co-authored by the University of Delaware’s A.R. Siders revealed growing evidence that people and organizations are responding to climate change with a wide range of actions, but noted far fewer studies explore whether these actions actually reduce risks associated with climate change.

A Unique Case Highlights the Expertise of Henry Ford’s Orthopedic Trauma Team