Study findings suggest that women who contract the virus face a higher incidence of a severe pneumonia, which could lead to preterm birth.
Persistent inequitable exposure to air pollution in Salt Lake County schools
Salt Lake County, Utah’s air pollution is at times the worst in the United States. Underserved neighborhoods—and their schools—experience the highest concentrations. A new study utilized nearly 200 PM 2.5 sensors through the Air Quality and U network and revealed persistent social inequalities in Salt Lake County schools.
UCLA launches clinical trial to help reduce severity of COVID-19 illness in men
UCLA researchers have launched a new clinical trial that uses a hormone suppresser commonly used to treat men with prostate cancer to help improve clinical outcomes for men infected with COVID-19.
At graduation, an astronaut’s thoughts on isolation
Astronaut Christina Koch, who set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with a total of 328 days in space, was the surprise guest “speaker” on Ursinus’s commencement webpage on Friday, May 15.
Bizarre new species discovered… on Twitter
While many of us use social media to be tickled silly by cat videos or wowed by delectable cakes, others use them to discover new species.
Social good creates economic boost
As unemployment rates skyrocket around the world in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a world-first study has found social venture start-ups not only alleviate social problems but also are much more important for job creation than previously thought.
Modern Sea-Level Rise Linked to Human Activities, Rutgers Research Reaffirms
New research by Rutgers scientists reaffirms that modern sea-level rise is linked to human activities and not to changes in Earth’s orbit. Surprisingly, the Earth had nearly ice-free conditions with carbon dioxide levels not much higher than today and had glacial periods in times previously believed to be ice-free over the last 66 million years, according to a paper published in the journal Science Advances.
Ocean ‘breathability’ key to past, future habitat of West Coast marine species
Historical observations collected off California since the 1950s suggest that anchovies thrive where the water is breathable — a combination of the oxygen levels in the water and the species’ oxygen needs, which are affected by temperature. Future projections suggest that the waters off Mexico and Southern California could be uninhabitable by 2100.
Using Big Data to Design Gas Separation Membranes
Researchers at Columbia Engineering and the University of South Carolina have developed a method that combines big data and machine learning to selectively design gas-filtering polymer membranes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Their study, published today in Science Advances, is the first to apply an experimentally validated machine learning method to rapidly design and develop advanced gas separation membranes.
In a step forward for orbitronics, scientists break the link between a quantum material’s spin and orbital states
Until now, electron spins and orbitals were thought to go hand in hand in a class of materials that’s the cornerstone of modern information technology; you couldn’t quickly change one without changing the other. This study raises the possibility of controlling them separately.
Model of critical infrastructures reveals vulnerabilities
An interdisciplinary team of Kansas State University researchers developed a computer simulation that revealed beef supply chain vulnerabilities that need safeguarding — a realistic concern during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blood clotting abnormalities reveal COVID-19 patients at risk for thrombotic events
When researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, used a combination of two specific blood-clotting tests, they found critically ill patients infected with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) who were at high risk for developing renal failure, venous blood clots, and other complications associated with blood clots, such as stroke.
Sandia Labs wins 4 national tech transfer awards
Sandia National Laboratories won four awards from the Federal Laboratory Consortium. The awards are ranked as some of the most prestigious honors for federal laboratories and industry partners that demonstrate outstanding technology transfer achievements.
Treatment with interferon-α2b speeds up recovery of COVID-19 patients in exploratory study
Treatment with antivirals such as interferons may significantly improve virus clearance and reduce levels of inflammatory proteins in COVID-19 patients, according to a new study in Frontiers in Immunology.
Sandia tests distillery’s hand sanitizer developed to address severe shortage
In response to the severe, widespread shortage of hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 pandemic, Wayward Sons Craft-Distillery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, reconfigured its operations to produce a hand sanitizer they named Elbow Bump, and worked with Sandia National Laboratories to test and confirm that it meets standards set by the World Health Organization and the U.
Birdwatchers Set World Records On Global Big Day
Birdwatchers set a new world record on May 9 for birds documented in a single day. During the annual Global Big Day, participants reported a record-breaking 2.1 million bird observations, recording 6,479 species. An all-time high of 50,000 participants submitted more than 120,000 checklists, shattering the previous single-day checklist total by 30%.
Why have nursing homes been hit harder by the coronavirus, and should you remove your relative?
ANN ARBOR—Nursing home residents and workers account for about one-third of COVID-19 deaths in the United States, so far, according to media reports.Sheria Robinson-Lane, a gerontologist and assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing, is an expert in palliative and long-term care and nursing administration.
Teens pay it forward, use 3D printers built at Sandia to make face shields
Teens who built 3D printers during a weeklong robotics camp at Sandia National Laboratories last year have used them to make more than 3,000 face shields that have been donated to medical professionals and first responders in New Mexico.
WVU Extension provides general workplace safety guidance as businesses begin to reopen
As West Virginia moves forward with reopening plans, it is critical for businesses of all types to prepare their workplaces and employees for controlling and reducing the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus in the workplace. West Virginia University Extension Service Safety…
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Convocation: Class of 2020 Graduates at Historic Moment for Public Health
As the world grapples with the greatest public health crisis in more than a century, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health will hold a virtual convocation to recognize the graduating Class of 2020 on Tuesday, May 19.
Behind the mask with a WVU doctor: What to wear and whether face coverings should be mandated
“To mask or to not mask” is no longer the primary question dominating the COVID-19 public discourse. As states reopen amid the pandemic, the question now is, “Should face coverings be required in public?” Mandates vary by state. In West…
New Study Finds Nutritional Supplement Jubilance Relieves PMS Mood Symptoms
Jubilance, containing Oxaloacetate (OAA), shown to improve PMS anxiety and gloominess by more than 50% in peer-reviewed clinical trial
Global Cooling Event 4,200 Years Ago Spurred Rice’s Evolution, Spread Across Asia
A major global cooling event that occurred 4,200 years ago may have led to the evolution of new rice varieties and the spread of rice into both northern and southern Asia, an international team of researchers has found.
Heart attacks, heart failure, stroke: COVID-19’s dangerous cardiovascular complications
A new guide from emergency medicine doctors details the potentially deadly cardiovascular complications COVID-19 can cause.
Scheduling appointments during COVID-19
The Stay Home, Work Safe order has been lifted across the state, but with so much uncertainty still lingering around COVID-19, many patients may be wary of attending their much-needed appointments, potentially putting themselves at risk for worsening their condition.
McMaster chemists develop foolproof new test to track the fats we eat
A team of researchers at McMaster University has developed a reliable and accurate blood test to track individual fat intake, a tool that could guide public health policy on healthy eating.
Jonathan Schilling: Then and Now
Jonathan Schilling is a professor in the Department of Plant & Microbial Biology at the University of Minnesota. He is also the director of the Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories in northern Minnesota.
New Algorithm Analyzes the Genetic Building Blocks of Immunity
Scientists with UC San Diego’s Jacobs School of Engineering and the Qualcomm Institute have developed a new gene prediction algorithm, called MINING-D, that could help researchers investigate the genetic clues behind the variation of symptoms shown in COVID-19 patients — information that is key to creating a versatile and effective vaccine.
Ocean explorer and filmmaker James Cameron to host virtual event on Extreme Ocean Machines
On May 20, ocean explorer and world-renowned filmmaker James Cameron will host a special edition of Ocean Encounters, a popular virtual event series from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
UCI and County of Orange partner on large-scale COVID-19 infection survey
Irvine, Calif., May 15, 2020 — It’s almost certain that The University of California, Irvine is partnering with the Orange County Health Care Agency to participate in a rigorous, large-scale, population-based study that will generate a more accurate estimate of the true prevalence of the pandemic in Orange County.
Alcohol Screening in the General Population: One in Five Low-Risk Drinkers Transition to Risky Drinking Within One Year
Routine screening for risky alcohol use in general practice can identify people who may benefit from simple interventions to reduce consumption. However, the optimal time interval for repeat screening, including for those who have screened negative, is uncertain. A new study published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research has revealed that, for a significant minority of the population, alcohol risk status can change from ‘low risk’ to ‘at-risk’ (or vice versa) within one year – potentially complicating the interpretation of infrequent screening tests.
Meet the Intern Using Quantum Computing to Study the Early Universe
During an internship at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Juliette Stecenko is using modern supercomputers and quantum computing platforms to perform astronomy simulations that may help us better understand where we came from.
APS ISSUES RARE RESOLUTION TO CONGRESS
For the first time in more than 60 years, the American Philosophical Society (APS), founded by Benjamin Franklin and the nation’s oldest learned society, has issued a public resolution calling on Congress to enact a National Defense Education Act for the 21st Century. The resolution has been sent to the bipartisan leadership of the House and Senate.
New Study Suggests U.S. COVID-19 Cases Could Have Been 35 Times Higher Without These Measures
The authors found the closing of entertainment businesses — such as restaurants, movie theaters and gyms — and shelter-in-place orders — such as Gov. Andy Beshear’s “Healthy at Home” initiative — resulted in a dramatic reduction in COVID-19 cases.
Genome-wide pattern found in tumors from brain cancer patients predicts life expectancy
For the past 70 years, the best indicator of life expectancy for a patient with glioblastoma — the most common and the most aggressive brain cancer — has simply been age at diagnosis. Now, an international team of scientists has experimentally validated a predictor that is not only more accurate but also more clinically relevant: a pattern of co-occurring changes in DNA abundance levels, or copy numbers, at hundreds of thousands of sites across the whole tumor genome.
Masks On, Ready to Work: Meet the People Supporting COVID-19 Science
David Richardson’s job is literally to make sure the light stays on. But it’s not just any light – it’s a very special X-ray light that could play a crucial role in an eventual treatment for COVID-19. Richardson is an operator at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s synchrotron light source facility, the Advanced Light Source (ALS), and is one of a handful of workers providing essential services to scientists working on COVID-19-related research.
Binge drinkers beware, Drunkorexia is calling
Mojito, appletini or a simple glass of fizz – they may take the edge off a busy day, but if you find yourself bingeing on more than a few, you could be putting your physical and mental health at risk according new research at the University of South Australia.
Woven Light Rail Design wins Gold at JEC World 2020 Innovation Awards
The ‘BRAINSTORM’ project involving researchers at WMG, University of Warwick has won gold at the JEC World 2020 Innovation Awards in the category ‘Railway Vehicles and Infrastructure’
Following ethical principles in times of wealth and social tranquility is easy. But take the same ethical principles and drop them into a time of scarcity and panic, and the world looks very different, says University of Redlands professor
Riaz Tejani is an associate professor of business ethics at the University of Redlands who can comment on ethical business issues rising out of the pandemic. “Following ethical principles in times of wealth and social tranquility is easy. People share,…
Study Demonstrates Impact of Both Inherited and Acquired Mutations on Cancer
The common belief that tumors arise via activation of a few genes that “drive” cancer development is unsupported by a widespread investigation into those genes and others in three large patient genetic databases, according to a study led by Yale Cancer Center (YCC) researchers.
Life cycle assessment of cars — new web tool helps consumers and researchers
Decision support for car buyers: Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute have developed a web tool called the Carculator that can be used to compare the environmental performance of passenger cars in detail. The program determines the environmental balance of…
Chromium speciation in marine carbonates and implications on atmospheric oxygenation
The oxidation of Earth’s early atmosphere and ocean played an important role in the evolution of life. Reconstructing the paleo-redox conditions is crucial for the understanding of the coevolution of life and environment. The Cr isotopic composition in sedimentary rocks…
Enhancement of bitter taste sensor reduces salt intake and improves cardiovascular dysfunction
High salt intake is a well-known risk factor of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Reducing salt intake can significantly lower blood pressure and ameliorate target organ damage caused by hypertension. However, in the past three decades, several strategies have failed to…
New bone-graft biomaterial gives patients a nicer smile and less pain
A new recipe for a bone-graft biomaterial that is supercooled before application should make it easier to meet dental patients’ expectation of a good-looking smile while eliminating the pain associated with harvesting bone from elsewhere in their body. The findings…
Clarification of microbial community structures around Antarctic lakes
Overview A research group of Assistant Prof. Yuu Hirose of the Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science at Toyohashi University of Technology, Niigata University, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), and the National Institute of Polar…
Exploring climate change impacts through popular proverbs
The proverbs related to environmental issues traditionally used by the local population in rural areas of Spain are currently considered imprecise and unreliable due to climate change impacts. This is the result of a study carried out by the Institut…
UHN-U of T-led study shows antiviral drug can speed up recovery of COVID-19 patient
International research shows for the first time that interferon-α2b improves virus clearance and decreases levels of inflammatory markers
Tiny particle, big payoff
Innovative virus research may save wheat and other crops
Eavesdropping on single molecules with light by replaying the chatter
Scientists have pioneered a new technique to expose hidden biochemical pathways involving single molecules at the nanoscale. A team of researchers from the University of Exeter’s Living Systems Institute used light to establish a means to monitor the structure and…
Pine martens like to have neighbors — but not too near
Pine martens need neighbours but like to keep their distance, according to new research. Over three years, the cat-like predators were caught in Scotland and moved to mid-Wales by Vincent Wildlife Trust. By attaching miniaturised radio-transmitter collars to 39 of…