Monday, March 08, 2021

Veterans see positive changes in emotional resilience after intervention

A six-week training program designed to strengthen resilience against emotional distress in military veterans was associated with positive changes in brain function and increased confidence in their ability to regulate emotions, researchers report.

'Significant' racial disparities in care of heart patients during first pandemic wave

There were 'significant' racial disparities in the presentation and care of heart attack patients during the first wave of the pandemic in England, reveals a large national study, published online in the journal Heart.

Digital COVID-19 'symptom checkers' may delay treatment for serious illness

Digital COVID-19 'symptom checkers' may stop some patients from getting prompt treatment for serious illness, suggests an international case simulation study, published in the online journal BMJ Health & Care Informatics.

Researchers develop improved recycling process for carbon fibers

Recycling of composite materials could be up to 70 percent cheaper and lead to a 90-95 percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to standard manufacturing.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-recycling-carbon-fibers.html

Gender in geosciences: The leaky pipeline needs fixing

Hacking through the jungle. An uphill battle. Being the Road Runner but on an ice-skating rink. These are just some of the ways a woman's career path in geosciences is described by those working in the field.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-gender-geosciences-leaky-pipeline.html

Scientists reveal dynamic coupling of strong hydrogen bond

Hydrogen bonds (HBs), the main intermolecular interactions, are inherently fluctuant in nature.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-scientists-reveal-dynamic-coupling-strong.html

A biosensor for measuring extracellular hydrogen peroxide concentrations

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Biosensors and Bioelectronics a successful test of a sensor for measuring hydrogen peroxide concentrations near cell membranes. The sensor has the potential to become a tool for new cancer therapies.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-biosensor-extracellular-hydrogen-peroxide.html

Invasive weed may help treat some human diseases, researchers find

Native to the southeastern United States, a weedy grass has spread northward to Canada and also made its way to Australia and Japan. Andropogon virginicus grows densely packed and up to seven feet tall, disrupting growth patterns of other plants and competing for resources. When burned, it grows back stronger. There is no way to effectively remove the weed once it has invaded. But there might be a way to use it to human advantage.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-invasive-weed-human-diseases.html

Tiny diamonds prove an excellent material for accelerator components

When it comes to producing high-quality electron beams like those found in state-of-the-art scientific equipment like free-electron lasers, ultrafast electron diffraction and imaging and wakefield accelerators, scientists have looked to photocathode technology as a way to convert light to electrons. These tools give researchers a way to more deeply penetrate into materials and atomic structure and behavior under real-world conditions.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-tiny-diamonds-excellent-material-components.html

Centimeter-scale porous single-crystalline monoliths with high-density Lewis acid sites to enhance propane dehydrogena

Surface/interface structure and catalytic mechanism are of great significance in many practical catalytic reactions.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-centimeter-scale-porous-single-crystalline-monoliths-high-density.html

'Magic sand' might help us understand the physics of granular matter

Sand is a fascinating material. It can flow and be poured like a liquid, but retains many of the properties of solids, clogging pipes or forming sand dunes. The behavior of collections of small particles like sand is known as granular physics, and is an immensely important field for the handling and transport of the wide range of granular materials out there like grains, rice, powders and the vast amounts of sand used in the construction industry.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-magic-sand-physics-granular.html

Most distant quasar with powerful radio jets discovered

With the help of the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT), astronomers have discovered and studied in detail the most distant source of radio emission known to date. The source is a "radio-loud" quasar—a bright object with powerful jets emitting at radio wavelengths—that is so far away its light has taken 13 billion years to reach us. The discovery could provide important clues to help astronomers understand the early Universe.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-distant-quasar-powerful-radio-jets.html

Folsom, California Inventory Professional Achieves Industry Designation

The National Inventory Certification Association congratulates member Cynthia Breazeale for achieving the Certified Inventory Specialist designation. [PR.com]

Reduced heat leakage improves wearable health device

North Carolina State University engineers continue to improve the efficiency of a flexible device worn on the wrist that harvests heat energy from the human body to monitor health.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-leakage-wearable-health-device.html

Stroke affecting the eye requires immediate treatment, can signal future vascular events

While most people think of strokes affecting the brain, they can also affect the eye. Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a rare form of acute ischemic stroke that occurs when blood flow is blocked to the main artery of the eye. It typically causes painless, immediate vision loss in the impacted eye, with fewer than 20% of people regaining functional vision in that eye.

Cardiac arrest from opioid overdose has unique features affecting prevention and treatment

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests triggered by opioid overdose are a significant cause of death among adults 25 to 64, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association, the nation's largest voluntary health organization focused on heart and brain health for all. The statement published today in the Association's flagship journal Circulation.

Reduced heat leakage improves wearable health device

North Carolina State University engineers continue to improve the efficiency of a flexible device worn on the wrist that harvests heat energy from the human body to monitor health.

Diphtheria risks becoming major global threat again as it evolves antimicrobial resistance

Diphtheria—a relatively easily-preventable infection—is evolving to become resistant to a number of classes of antibiotics and in future could lead to vaccine escape, warn an international team of researchers from the UK and India.

England's children go back to school after virus lockdown

Children return to school in England on Monday for the first time since January, as the government begins to ease tough restrictions thanks to a mass vaccination drive against the coronavirus.

Helping people understand glaucoma with a mobile app

Researchers from City, University London, supported by Allergan Pharmaceuticals and Glaucoma UK, have today released the latest edition of an app to help people newly diagnosed with glaucoma.

Investigating youth suicides among children involved with the welfare system

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 5 to 21 years in the United States. Between 2010 and 2019, suicide rates among this group increased 40%.

Virtual avatar coaching with community context for adult-child dyads

Virtual reality avatar-based coaching shows promise to increase access to and extend the reach of nutrition education programs to children at risk for obesity, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

Drug to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women of 'very limited use'

An independent analysis of the medical trials which formed the final basis of approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strongly suggests the drug bremelanotide has very limited effectiveness as a treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women, and that trial participants preferred a placebo.

Study suggests wearing a face mask during intense exercise is safe for healthy people

Wearing a protective face mask has only a modest effect on the ability of healthy people to do vigorous exercise, according to a study published today in the European Respiratory Journal.

Globalization of cancer clinical trials linked to lower enrollment of Black patients

For the drug approval process in the United States, investigators have been expanding clinical trials to sites outside the country. However, a new study indicates that this trend may be widening racial disparities in patient enrollment in cancer clinical trials. The study is published by Wiley early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

New Lancet series shows mixed progress on maternal and child undernutrition in last decade

The Lancet today published the latest Series on Maternal and Child Undernutrition Progress, including three new papers that build upon findings from the previous 2008 and 2013 Series, which established an evidence-based global agenda for tackling undernutrition over the past decade. The papers conclude that despite modest progress in some areas, maternal and child undernutrition remains a major global health concern, particularly as recent gains may be offset by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Series reiterates that previously highlighted interventions continue to be effective at reducing stunting, micronutrient deficiencies, and child deaths and emphasizes the importance of delivering these nutrition interventions within the first 1,000 days of life. However, despite this evidence, program delivery has lagged behind the science and further financing is needed to scale up proven interventions.