Stanford University computer science graduate student Mackenzie Leake has been quilting since age 10, but she never imagined the craft would be the focus of her doctoral dissertation. Included in that work is new prototype software that can facilitate pattern-making for a form of quilting called foundation paper piecing, which involves using a backing made...
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Most Californians Unaware of Law to Prevent Gun Violence but Would Support Using It
Extreme risk protection orders, also known as gun violence restraining orders (GVROs) or “red flag” orders, exist in 19 states and the District of Columbia. The laws allow law enforcement, family and household members, some co-workers, employers and teachers to work with a judge to temporarily remove access to firearms and ammunition from people at significant risk...
Technique Inspired by Lace Making Could Someday Weave Structures in Space
Lauren Dreier was paging through a 19th century book by the German architect Gottfried Semper when she spotted some intriguing patterns inspired by lace. A professional artist and designer who often incorporates technology into her work, Dreier, who is also a doctoral student at the School of Architecture at Princeton University, decided to recreate the...
Gene Protection for Covid-19 Identified
The first evidence of a genetic link explaining why some people who catch Covid-19 don’t become sick has been discovered A scientific and medical team led by Newcastle University, UK, has demonstrated that the gene, HLA-DRB1*04:01, is found three times as often in people who are asymptomatic. This suggests that people with this gene have...
Disparities in Covid-19 Rates Among Adults with Kidney Failure in New York City
Among adults with kidney failure undergoing hemodialysis in New York City, Black and Hispanic patients were more likely to develop symptomatic COVID-19 than White patients. Neighborhood-level social vulnerability factors were associated with COVID-19 incidence among White patients, but these factors did not explain racial/ethnic disparities. In an analysis of patients on hemodialysis in New York...
Scientists Can Predict How Well a Stroke Survivor Will Recover Language Skills Using Computer Simulations of the Brain
A team of researchers from Boston University is working to better understand how language and speech is processed in the brain, and how to best rehabilitate people who have lost their ability to communicate due to brain damage caused by a stroke, trauma, or another type of brain injury. This type of language loss is...
Global Travelers Pick Up Numerous Genes That Promote Microbial Resistance
Carried like stowaways in the guts of international travelers, new and potentially deadly strains of antimicrobial resistant superbugs may be coming to a community near you, suggests new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, we knew that international travel was contributing to the rapid global increase...
Postpartum Mental Health Visits 30% Higher During Covid-19 Pandemic
Mental health visits for new mothers were 30% higher during the COVID-19 pandemic than before the pandemic, particularly in the first 3 months after giving birth, found new research in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. “Increased visit rates began in March 2020, although the state of emergency was declared only midway through the month, suggesting...
How a Vietnamese Raw Pork Snack Could Help Us Keep Food Fresh, Naturally
A traditional Vietnamese meat snack could hold the key to developing a safe and natural food preservative, addressing the twin global problems of food waste and food-borne illnesses. Key Points Bacteria-killing compound discovered in Nem Chua, a fermented pork snack Toxic to bacteria but safe for humans, it’s a natural alternative to artificial food preservatives...
Parler Provided Echo Chamber for Vaccine Misinformation, Conspiracy Theories
In the early days of COVID-19 vaccine development, a new social media platform provided a place for like-minded people to discuss vaccines, share misinformation and speculate about the motivations for its development. A new study from the University of Kansas shows people flocked to Parler to discuss the vaccines in an echo chamber-type environment, and...









