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Study finds breathing and talking contribute to COVID-19 spread

Current knowledge about the role of aerosols in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 warrants urgent attention. Current guidance and public health information has slowly shifted focus towards aerosols as a transmission pathway - predominantly associated with breathing and talking by asymptomatic individuals.




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Accurate 3D imaging of sperm cells moving at top speed could improve IVF treatments

Tel Aviv University (TAU) researchers have developed a safe and accurate 3D imaging method to identify sperm cells moving at a high speed. The new method has the potential to significantly improve IVF treatments.




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Clinicians and autistic transgender youth partner to create first community-built care model

The first ever set of specific recommendations to support transgender autistic young people was co-created by these youth and their families working hand-in-hand with clinical experts. The resulting model offers clinicians a set of concrete ways to provide this unique population the support they need.




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Molecule reduces multiple pathologies associated with Alzheimer's disease

When tested in brain cells and in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, a new compound significantly reduced the number of amyloid plaques in the brain, lessened brain inflammation and diminished other molecular markers of the disease.




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GW survey evaluates influence of social media in attracting patients

A recent survey from the George Washington University suggests that patients do not take social media into consideration when looking for a dermatologist and recommend that practitioners should use social media as a tool in engaging and educating patients.




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NIH-funded study links early sleep problems to autism diagnosis among at-risk children

A small study funded by the National Institutes of Health suggests that sleep problems among children who have a sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may further raise the likelihood of an ASD diagnosis, compared to at-risk children who do not have difficulty sleeping. Previous research has shown that young children who have a sibling with ASD are at a higher risk for also being diagnosed with the condition.




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The great unconformity

The geologic record is exactly that: a record. The strata of rock tell scientists about past environments, much like pages in an encyclopedia. Except this reference book has more pages missing than it has remaining. So geologists are tasked not only with understanding what is there, but also with figuring out what's not, and where it went.




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The Lancet Rheumatology: Small observational study of patients with severe COVID-19 treated with the arthritis drug anakinra finds clinical improvements

The first study to report use of the rheumatoid arthritis drug anakinra to treat COVID-19 patients found that high-dose anakinra was safe and was associated with respiratory improvements and reduced signs of cytokine storm [1] in 72% (21/29) of patients, according to results from patients studied for 21 days (enrolled from 17 to 27 March 2020) in a Milan hospital, published in The Lancet Rheumatology journal.




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Key failings in government's approach to COVID-19 preparations and emergency response

The UK government made key failings in their strategic preparations and emergency response to coronavirus and this, in turn, undermined the NHS's ability to cope with the crisis.These are the findings recently published in a research paper for the Journal of Risk Research by academics from Cass Business School, Glasgow Caledonian University, Vlerick Business School, and Nottingham University Business School.




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Treatment for Diverticulitis -- updated ASCRS Guidelines published in Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Reflecting research-driven changes in clinical practice, a revised set of evidence-based recommendations for the medical and surgical treatment of left-sided colonic diverticulitis has been published in Diseases of the Colon & Rectum (DC&R), the official journal of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS). The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.




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Do I look mad? Reading facial cues with the touch-screen generation

Are today's children, who grew up with mobile technology from birth, worse at reading emotions and picking up cues from people's faces than children who didn't grow up with tablets and smartphones? A new UCLA psychology study suggests today's kids are all right.




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Immunity of recovered COVID-19 patients could cut risk of expanding economic activity

New modeling of coronavirus behavior suggests that an intervention strategy based on shield immunity could reduce the risk of allowing the higher levels of human interaction needed to support expanded economic activity.




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Stem cells shown to delay their own death to aid healing

A new study shows how stem cells -- which can contribute to creating many parts of the body, not just one organ or body part -- are able to postpone their own death in order to respond to an injury that needs their attention. The study was done in planarians, which are tiny worms used as model organisms to study regeneration because of their ability to recover from any injury using stem cells.




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Scientists measured electrical conductivity of pure interfacial water

Skoltech scientists in collaboration with researchers from the University of Stuttgart, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the Russian Quantum Center achieved the first systematic experimental measurements of the electrical conductivity of pure interfacial water, hence producing new results significantly extending our knowledge of interfacial water.




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Olanzapine may help control nausea, vomiting in patients with advanced cancer

Olanzapine, a generic drug used to treat nervous, emotional and mental conditions, also may help patients with advanced cancer successfully manage nausea and vomiting unrelated to chemotherapy. These are the findings of a study published Thursday, May 7, 2020 in JAMA Oncology.




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Telescopes and spacecraft join forces to probe deep into Jupiter's atmosphere

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the ground-based Gemini Observatory in Hawaii have teamed up with the Juno spacecraft to probe the mightiest storms in the solar system, taking place more than 500 million miles away on the giant planet Jupiter.




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CCNY physicists shed light on the nanoscale dynamics of spin thermalization

In physics, thermalization, or the trend of sub-systems within a whole to gain a common temperature, is typically the norm. There are situations, however, where thermalization is slowed down or virtually suppressed; examples are when considering the dynamics of electron and nuclear spins in solids. Understanding why this happens and how it can be controlled is presently at the center of a broad effort, particularly for applications in the emerging field of quantum information technologies.




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Treatment for opioid use disorder is rare in hospitals, study finds

Despite a national opioid-related overdose epidemic that continues to claim tens of thousands of lives annually, a new nationwide study shows that a scant proportion of hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder receive proven life-saving medications both during and after they're discharged.




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Dendrimers finally have what it takes to break into the laser scene

A team including researchers from the University of Tsukuba has produced a family of dendrimers that form single-crystals and can harvest non-polarized light and transform it into polarized emission. The dendrimer crystals are both optically and mechanically stable to optical pumping, making them the first example of a crystalline material combining dendrimer properties and laser performance. The crystals are expected to have numerous applications in the field of laser optics, for example in displays.




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Controlling quantumness: Simulations reveal details about how particles interact

A recent study at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University has described new states that can be found in super-cold atom experiments, which could have applications for quantum technology.




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Ancient DNA paints genetic portrait of Andes civilizations

An international team of researchers including the University of Adelaide, has completed the first large-scale study of DNA belonging to ancient humans of the central Andes in South America and found early genetic differences between groups of nearby regions, and surprising genetic continuity over thousands of years.




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New invisibility concept and miniaturization of photonic circuits using ultrafast laser

Thanks to its unique three-dimensional manufacturing capacity, ultrafast laser writing is a prime candidate to meet the growing demand for the miniaturization of photonic circuitry, e.g., for scaling up optical quantum computers capacity. Towards this goal, scientists from Canada discovered a phenomenon related to the material electronic resonance that allows a much greater miniaturization of the laser written devices. Surprisingly, the new phenomenon allows other intriguing applications such as a new concept of invisibility.




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Potentially fatal combinations of humidity and heat are emerging across the globe

A new study has identified thousands of incidents of previously rare or unprecedented extreme heat/humidity combinations in parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, South America and North America, including in the US Gulf Coast region.




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IST Austria scientists demonstrate quantum radar prototype

Physicists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) have invented a new radar prototype that utilizes quantum entanglement as a method of object detection. This successful integration of quantum mechanics into our everyday devices could significantly impact the biomedical and security industries. The research is published in the journal Science Advances.




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New antigen test for detecting COVID-19 could help triage patients during the pandemic

A new antigen test for detecting COVID-19 can return results within 15 minutes. Researchers who evaluated the assay, which was developed by a biotech company in Belgium, say it could help with patient diagnostics in areas hardest hit by the pandemic. While not as sensitive as tests that use viral RNA to detect the presence of an antigen, the COVID-19 Ag Respi-Strip test could be a useful tool in slowing the spread of the virus.




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First simulation of a full-sized mitochondrial membrane

Scientists from the University of Groningen have developed a method that combines different resolution levels in a computer simulation of biological membranes. Their algorithm backmaps a large-scale model that includes features, such as membrane curvature, to its corresponding coarse-grained molecular model. This has allowed them to zoom in on toxin-induced membrane budding and to simulate a full-sized mitochondrial lipid membrane. Their approach opens the way to whole-cell simulations at a molecular level.




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Prehistoric sea creatures evolved pebble-shaped teeth to crush shellfish

Ichthyosaurs were marine reptiles during the time of the dinosaurs, and scientists don't know much about their ancestry. But by CT-scanning the fossil of one of the first ichthyosaurs, scientists discovered pebble-shaped teeth hidden in its short snout. These strange teeth, probably used for crushing the shells of snails and clam-like bivalves, help illuminate the ways that early ichthyosaurs filled different roles in Triassic marine ecosystems.




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Computer vision helps SLAC scientists study lithium ion batteries

New machine learning methods bring insights into how lithium ion batteries degrade, and show it's more complicated than many thought.




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Disproportionate burden of COVID-19 for immigrants in the Bronx, New York

The authors explain why COVID-19 presents a greater burden for immigrant communities and this article advocates for a more equitable health care system.




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Gene therapy in mice builds muscle, reduces fat

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that gene therapy in mice helped build strength and significant muscle mass quickly, while reducing the severity of osteoarthritis. The gene therapy also prevented obesity, even when the mice were fed a high-fat diet.




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Flies sleep when need arises to adapt to new situations

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that flies sleep more when they can't fly, possibly because sleeping helps them adapt to a challenging new situation.




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How a molecular 'alarm' system in plants protects them from predators

Some plants, like soybean, are known to possess an innate defense machinery that helps them develop resistance against insects trying to feed on them. However, exactly how these plants recognize signals from insects has been unknown until now. In a new study, scientists in Japan have uncovered the cellular pathway that helps these plants to sense danger signals and elicit a response, opening doors to a myriad of agricultural applications.




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Canadian study finds temperature, latitude not associated with COVID-19 spread

Temperature and latitude do not appear to be associated with the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to a study of many countries published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), but school closures and other public health measures are having a positive effect.




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KIST-CUK research team develops vaccine platform applicable to various viruses

MERS, which struck South Korea in a 2015 outbreak, was caused by a coronavirus--the same family of viruses that is responsible for COVID-19. Recently, a Korean research team announced that it had developed a new vaccine platform using RNA-based adjuvants for the MERS coronavirus. The research team successfully conducted an experiment on nonhuman primates. It is expected that the new vaccine platform will soon be applicable to the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, an urgent global health priority.




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A pioneering study into the description of the architecture of a new standard for telecommunications

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is a United Nations Organization agency commissioned to regulate international telecommunications between different operating administrations and businesses. Pursuant to specific recommendations by this organization, on 1 July, standard Y.3172, an architecture for machine learning in future networks (5G and beyond), was approved for telecommunications networks.




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Scientists have created new nanocomposite from gold and titanium oxide

ITMO University researchers together with their colleagues from France and the USA have demonstrated how a femtosecond laser can be used to tune the structure and nanocomposite properties for titanium dioxide films filled with gold nanoparticles.




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More selective elimination of leukemia stem cells and blood stem cells

Hematopoietic stem cells from a healthy donor can help patients suffering from acute leukemia. However, the side effects of therapies are often severe. A group of researchers led by the University of Zurich have now shown how human healthy and cancerous hematopoietic stem cells can be more selectively eliminated using immunotherapy instead of chemotherapy in mice. The aim is to test the new immunotherapy in humans as soon as possible.




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Newly discovered cell type plays crucial role in immune response to respiratory infections

With a discovery that could rewrite the immunology textbooks, an international group of scientists, including the teams of Bart Lambrecht, Martin Guilliams, Hamida Hammad, and Charlotte Scott (all from the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research) identified a new type of antigen-presenting immune cell.




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Protein shredder regulates fat metabolism in the brain

A protein shredder that occurs in cell membranes of brain cells apparently also indirectly regulates the fat metabolism. This is shown by a recent study by the University of Bonn. The shredder, known as gamma-secretase, is considered a possible target for drugs against cancer and Alzheimer's disease. However, the results suggest that such agents may have long-range effects that need to be watched closely. The study has now been published in "Life Science Alliance".




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Like a molecular knob: That is how a gene controls the electrical activity of the brain

Its name is Foxg1, it is a gene, and its unprecedented role is the protagonist of the discovery just published on the journal Cerebral Cortex. Foxg1 was already known for being a "master gene" able to coordinate the action of hundreds of other genes. As this new study reports, the "excitability" of neurons, namely their ability to respond to stimuli, communicating between each other and carrying out all their tasks, also depends on this gene.




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How to manipulate light on the nanoscale over wide frequency ranges

An international team has discovered an effective method for controlling the frequency of confined light at the nanoscale in the form of phonon polaritons (light coupled to vibrations in the crystal). The results have now been published in Nature Materials.




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Hydrogen blamed for interfering with nickelate superconductors synthesis

Prof. ZHONG Zhicheng's team at the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering has investigated the electronic structure of the recently discovered nickelate superconductors NdNiO2. They successfully explained the experimental difficulties in synthesizing superconducting nickelates, in cooperation with Prof. Karsten Held at Vienna University of Technology.




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International research improves quality of CT scan imagery

Computerized tomography (CT) is one of the most effective medical tests for analysing the effects of many illnesses, including COVID-19. An international team has developed a new method that improves the quality of the images obtained from CT scans. The algorithm, tested on simulated data, enables them to distinguish different body's tissue types better and opens the door to lowering the doses of radiation to which patients are exposed during this type of test.




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The Lancet: New triple antiviral drug combination shows early promise for treating COVID-19 in phase 2 randomized trial

A two-week course of antiviral therapy with interferon beta-1b plus lopinavir-ritonavir and ribavirin, started within 7 days of showing COVID-19 symptoms, is safe and more effective at reducing the duration of viral shedding than lopinavir-ritonavir alone in patients with mild to moderate illness, according to the first randomized trial of this triple combination therapy involving 127 adults (aged 18 and older) from six public hospitals in Hong Kong.




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Discovered a multilayer haze system on Saturn's Hexagon

The most extensive system of haze layers ever observed in the solar system have been discovered and characterised on the planet Saturn.




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Fishing can disrupt mating systems

In many fish species body size plays an important role in sexual selection. Large individuals are preferred mating partners because they can enhance offspring survival by providing better quality resources than small individuals. While large females and males are often favored by sexual selection, fishing targets and removes these reproductively superior individuals. Academy Research Fellow Silva Uusi-Heikkilä discusses in her recent literature review the implications fisheries selection might have on sexual selection, individual reproductive success and population viability.




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Stroke evaluations drop by nearly 40% during COVID-19 pandemic

A study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that stroke evaluations fell by nearly 40% during a period of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that many stroke patients are not seeking potentially life-saving medical treatment.




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Neighborhood and cognitive performance in middle-age: Does racial residential segregation matter?

A study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that black subjects who were exposed to highly segregated neighborhoods in young adulthood exhibited worse performance in cognitive skills in mid-life. This outcome may explain black-white disparities in dementia risk at older age.




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Forecasting urbanization

A new global simulation model offers the first long-term look at how urbanization -- the growth of cities and towns--will unfold in the coming decades. The research team projects the total amount of urban areas on Earth can grow anywhere from 1.8 to 5.9-fold by 2100, building approximately 618,000 square miles.




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Epithelial GPS: Position of RNAi machinery is associated with epithelial identity

Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina show in a new report that the RNA interference machinery, normally thought to reside in the nucleus or cytoplasm, predominantly localizes to these apical junctions and influences cell biology in the colon. Interestingly, in colon tumors, this localization is dysregulated and may shift the balance of RNAs to promote tumorigenesis.