A handheld screening device that detects subtle misalignment of the eyes accurately identifies children with amblyopia (lazy eye), according to a new study. «The findings suggest that pediatricians and other primary care providers could use the device to catch amblyopia at an early age when it’s easier to treat,» said Michael F. Chiang, M.D., director…

Researchers showed that diamonds with color center defects can act as nonlinear optical materials for second-harmonic photon generation. This discovery can pave the way for completely light-based communication and logic systems that do not require conversion of light into electrical signals. Current fiber optical technology uses light pulses to transfer broad-bandwidth data that let you…

For decades, forensic scientists have tested strands of hair to reveal drug use or poisoning. But in recent years, reports have questioned the technique — in particular, its ability to distinguish between the intake of a substance and external contamination of the hair. When a person ingests a drug or medication, the substance travels through…

A new study has shown that the airborne transmission of COVID-19 is highly random and suggests that the two-metre rule was a number chosen from a risk ‘continuum’, rather than any concrete measurement of safety. A team of engineers from the University of Cambridge used computer modelling to quantify how droplets spread when people cough.…

Engineering researchers have developed a new technique for eliminating particularly tough blood clots, using engineered nanodroplets and an ultrasound ‘drill’ to break up the clots from the inside out. The technique has not yet gone through clinical testing. In vitro testing has shown promising results. Specifically, the new approach is designed to treat retracted blood…

Scientists developed a photodiode using a crystalline film composed of lead perovskite compounds with organic chiral molecules to detect circularly polarized light without a filter. It is expected as a technology for visualization of the invisible change of object surfaces such as stress intensity and distribution. A technology to detect «polarization,» or oscillation direction of…

When we inhale isolated coronavirus particles, more than 65 percent reach the deepest region of our lungs, new research has discovered, and more of these aerosols reach the right lung than the left. Lead author of the study Dr Saidul Islam, from the University of Technology Sydney, said while previous research has revealed how virus…

An influenza vaccine that is made of nanoparticles and administered through the nose enhances the body’s immune response to influenza virus infection and offers broad protection against different viral strains, according to new research. Recurring seasonal flu epidemics and potential pandemics are among the most severe threats to public health. Current seasonal influenza vaccines induce…

Scientists combine two promising photocatalysts to obtain higher solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency and durability in a water splitting cell. One way to do that is by splitting water via «artificial photosynthesis,» a process in which materials called «photocatalysts» leverage solar energy to produce oxygen and hydrogen from water. However, the available photocatalysts are not yet where…

Researchers have developed a microfilter device that can easily separate and capture trace amounts of cancer cells in blood. The palm-sized device is expected to contribute to the development of new cancer diagnostic technologies based on cancer cells in the blood, such as early detection by blood test, postoperative management, and recurrence monitoring. The blood…