Monday 17 June 2019

Tuning into the LCDs of tomorrow: Exploring the novel IGZO-11 semiconductor

In 1985, Noboru Kimizuka of the National Institute for Research in Inorganic Materials, Japan had pioneered the idea of polycrystalline indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) ceramics, with the general chemical formula (InGaO3)m(ZnO)n (m, n = natural number; hereafter referred to as IGZO-mn). Little would he have thought that its curious electrical properties would bring the electronics industry to license thin-film transistors (TFTs) made from these metal oxides for various devices, including touchable displays. However, this did not come easy. Even today, many of the characteristics of pure IGZO crystals remain unknown owing to their difficult extraction procedure. Then what makes them tantalizing?

* This article was originally published here

Tracking life's first step: Two molecules 'awaken' brand new genome

Within hours after fertilization, a unique genome forms from chromosomes contributed by the egg and sperm. However, this new genome is initially inactive and must be "awakened" to begin the transcription of its DNA and start embryonic development. How life's first step happens has long fascinated developmental biologists.

* This article was originally published here

How to recognize early learning challenges in kids

(HealthDay)—Many children have difficulty with learning at some point, but those with learning disabilities often have several specific and persistent signs, which can start in preschool years. Recognizing them as soon as possible allows a child to get needed help and make better progress.

* This article was originally published here

Climate change threatens commercial fishers from Maine to North Carolina

Most fishing communities from North Carolina to Maine are projected to face declining fishing options unless they adapt to climate change by catching different species or fishing in different areas, according to a study in the journal Nature Climate Change.

* This article was originally published here

First lung map uncovers new insights into asthma

For the first time, researchers have mapped the building blocks of the human lungs and airways, in both asthma patients and normal people. The research from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, University Medical Center Groningen, Open Targets, GSK and collaborators revealed the identity of each cell type, creating the first draft Human Cell Atlas of the lung. They also discovered an entirely new cell state that produces mucus in asthma patients.

* This article was originally published here

Inducing an osteoarthritic (OA) phenotype in a cartilage-on-a-chip (COC) model

In an aging population, the social impact of osteoarthritis (OA) can dramatically increase to become the most common musculoskeletal disease. However, at present, therapies are limited to palliative treatments or surgical intervention alone, since disease-modifying OA (DMOA) drugs are scarce, primarily due to the absence of relevant preclinical models of the disease. As a result, tissue engineers and materials scientists aim to develop in vitro models for reliably predicting the efficacy of the requisite DMOA drugs.

* This article was originally published here

Tanzania 'in danger' following Ebola cases in neighbour Uganda: minister

Tanzania's health minister issued an Ebola 'alert' Sunday after the disease, which has killed over 1,400 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, appeared in their shared neighbour, Uganda.

* This article was originally published here

Working in the last 6 months before haemodialysis is associated with a better survival

Employment is a key determinant of quality of life for all people, including haemodialysis patients. Employment offers social support and improves patients' lifestyle, financial status, quality of life, and self-esteem, whilst unemployed people often face financial and social difficulties as well as physical and psychological problems. Unemployed people may spiral into a deep depression, sometimes accompanied by alcohol and drug abuse.

* This article was originally published here

Dust storms on Mars

Dust is a critical component in the Martian atmosphere. It influences the atmosphere's circulation by heating or cooling it and is in turn redistributed around the planet by atmospheric winds. In this dust cycle, dust storms play a particularly important role. Storms are traditionally classified into local, regional and planet-encircling dust storms, with small, local storms occurring throughout the year but global storms being most active during the northern fall and winter seasons. A dust storm that spreads over a large enough region and that lasts long enough can significantly affect the visibility, thermal structure and atmospheric circulation. Such major dust storms often result from dust storm sequences that follow specific trajectories and display coherent development histories.

* This article was originally published here