Articles
The financial toxicity of multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurologic autoimmune disease that is generally diagnosed in young adults. It is a lifelong condition, as it is currently incurable. The medical costs are high, as patients have to cover frequent hospital visits and prescription medications, such as emerging disease modifying drugs. As a result, many patients do not adhere to treatment plans, which further […]
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The attraction of New Zealand: Gravity anomalies of the Taupō Volcanic Zone
New Zealand’s Taupō Volcanic Zone (TVZ) is characterised by faulting, subsidence, voluminous volcanism, and geothermal activity. The gravity anomalies this activity produces have been mapped for more than 70 years. Through a new programme of collection and analysis of these data, Dr Vaughan Stagpoole, Dr Craig Miller and colleagues of GNS Science have revealed known collapse calderas in greater detail […]
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Advancing connector technologies for multicore optical fibres
Optical fibres play indispensable roles in modern communication technologies, as well as in remote sensing and power transmission. With the expansion of the domain of application of optical fibre communication to subscriber and customer premises, the focus of new optical fibre-based technologies has been shifting from performance improvement to miniaturisation and cost reduction. Optical connectors are crucial components of optical […]
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The benefits of exercise programmes for pre-school children with autism spectrum disorders
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) see the world differently and can find it hard to interact with both their environment and other people. Sport has many benefits for mental and physical health, and therefore Kelong Cai, of Yangzhou University, hypothesised that sport may offer a novel therapy for pre-school children with ASD. He implemented a 12-week mini-basketball programme for […]
Reducing treatment costs for thyroid cancer patients in Japan
Japan’s healthcare system disincentivises longer hospital stays to reduce costs, but also categorises certain complications as secondary diseases, which incur separate additional payments. The high rate of occurrence of these complications makes these costs unavoidable. Hiroki Konno, Associate Professor at the College of Sports Sciences at Nihon University, Japan, studied the implications of this for four prognostic factors affecting thyroid […]
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A rigorous model of electron attachment in lanthanide atoms
Understanding the physical mechanism underlying negative ion formation in low-energy electron collisions with lanthanide atoms is of fundamental importance in physics and chemistry. It also has important implications for a wide range of applications, from catalysis to drug delivery and water purification. Unfortunately, the complexity of the interactions among electrons in lanthanides has for a long time made it virtually […]
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Pioneering materials informatics: Clean technologies from molecular design
Tackling global challenges in sustainable energy production calls for the rational design of new generations of clean materials, coupling efficiency with low environmental impact. Materials discovery offers a powerful means to predict structure-property relationships in novel materials, but often lacks the ability to account for the complex interplay of length- and timescales that ultimately determine the potential of a material […]
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How cultural institutions prevent stigma around Lake Victoria
Professor Koen Stroeken proposes a new method of analysis for understanding cultural practices. His method extends beyond the situational analysis by intervention professionals to focus on the logics of action embedded within cultural traditions. He applies his proposed method of Cultural Analysis to describe the layered meanings within various rituals of Sukuma farmers in Tanzania. He argues against popular understandings […]
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MERICS: Researching contemporary China in Europe
The Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) is a European research institute which seeks to enhance knowledge about contemporary China in Europe. Based in Berlin, but with close connections to capitals across Europe, MERICS is harnessing global expertise to deliver nuanced insights into China and Chinese international relations. Countering the widespread misunderstanding of China which exists in European public debate, […]
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The ultimate veg patch: Can phytotechnology save cultivated peatlands?
Intact, water-logged peatlands are a stable store of the world’s carbon, but if drained they can become near perfect (organic) soils for growing high-cost vegetables. It was thought that you couldn’t cultivate a peatland without ruining it and releasing its carbon into the atmosphere. Dr Jacynthe Dessureault-Rompré, with her team at Laval University in Québec, Canada, has been investigating whether […]
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