Aging | The potential benefit of metformin to reduce delirium risk and mortality: a retrospective cohort study

Peer-Reviewed Publication

IMPACT JOURNALS LLC

 

IMAGE: FIGURE 1. PREVALENCE OF DELIRIUM BY COMPARING THREE PATIENT GROUPS BASED ON THEIR DM STATUS AND HISTORY OF METFORMIN USE. THE view more 

CREDIT: 2022 YAMANASHI ET AL.

“In this report, we showed the potential benefit of metformin in decreasing the risk of delirium and mortality in DM [diabetes mellitus] subjects.”

BUFFALO, NY- December 7, 2022 – A new research paper was published in Aging (listed as "Aging (Albany NY)" by MEDLINE/PubMed and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 14, Issue 22, entitled, “The potential benefit of metformin to reduce delirium risk and mortality: a retrospective cohort study.”

Metformin has been reported to improve age-related disorders, including dementia, and to lower mortality. This study was conducted to investigate whether metformin use lowers delirium risk, as well as long-term mortality.

In the current retrospective cohort study, researchers Takehiko Yamanashi, Zoe-Ella EM Anderson, Manisha Modukuri, Gloria Chang, Tammy Tran, Pedro S. Marra, Nadia E. Wahba, Kaitlyn J. Crutchley, Eleanor J. Sullivan, Sydney S. Jellison, Katie R. Comp, Cade C. Akers, Alissa A. Meyer, Sangil Lee, Masaaki Iwata, Hyunkeun R. Cho, Eri Shinozaki, and Gen Shinozaki from Stanford University School of Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa College of Public Health, and Tottori University Faculty of Medicine analyzed 1,404 previously recruited subjects. The relationship between metformin use and delirium, and the relationship between metformin use and 3-year mortality were investigated.

“Thus, in this report we aimed to investigate the relationship between DM [diabetes mellitus] and delirium risk with a focus on the influence from metformin. We hypothesized that history of metformin use is associated with lower risk for delirium. We were also interested in testing if history of metformin use can alter one of the most important patient outcomes, mortality.”

242 subjects were categorized into a type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM)-without-metformin group, and 264 subjects were categorized into a DM-with-metformin group. Prevalence of delirium was 36.0% in the DM-without-metformin group, and 29.2% in the DM-with-metformin group. A history of metformin use reduced the risk of delirium in patients with DM (OR, 0.50 [95% CI, 0.32 to 0.79]) after controlling for confounding factors. 

The 3-year mortality in the DM-without-metformin group (survival rate, 0.595 [95% CI, 0.512 to 0.669]) was higher than in the DM-with-metformin group (survival rate, 0.695 [95% CI, 0.604 to 0.770]) (p=0.035). A history of metformin use decreased the risk of 3-year mortality after adjustment for confounding factors (HR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.48 to 0.98]). The researchers concluded that metformin use may lower the risk of delirium and mortality in DM patients.

“In this report, we showed the potential benefit of metformin in decreasing the risk of delirium and mortality in DM subjects.”

 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204393 

Corresponding Author: Gen Shinozaki

Corresponding Email: gens@stanford.edu 

Keywords: delirium, metformin, diabetes mellitus, mortality, aging

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About Aging-US:

Launched in 2009, Aging (Aging-US) publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways.

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JOURNAL

Aging-US

DOI

10.18632/aging.204393 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

The potential benefit of metformin to reduce delirium risk and mortality: a retrospective cohort study

Understanding how the perception of risks and benefits influence cancer clinical trial withdrawal outcomes

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL OF NURSING

PHILADELPHIA (December 7, 2022) – While people with cancer have options to participate in cancer clinical trials (CCTs), it can be challenging when they encounter difficulties enrolling and remaining in the trial. Trial withdrawal, although every participant’s right, can thwart study goals and hamper advancing novel treatments.

Until now, little attention has focused on what influences retention after participants are enrolled in the trial, especially the role of perceived benefits and burdens. A new investigation from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) has examined the association between patients’ perceived benefits and burdens of research participation and CCT retention. It found that patients perceived important benefits from CCT participation, which was associated with trial retention, even among those who also perceived substantial burdens.

“The findings of how perceptions of benefits and burdens were associated with CCT withdrawal outcomes provide novel and foundational evidence of the importance of understanding these perceptions for trial retention,” explains Connie M. Ulrich, PhD, RN, FAAN, Lillian S. Brunner Chair in Medical and Surgical Nursing, Professor of Nursing and Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Penn Nursing. Ulrich is the lead investigator of the study.

The study found that when perceived benefits were equal to or greater than perceived burdens, participants were less likely to withdraw than those who perceived the burdens to be greater than the benefits. How participants think about benefits and burdens in a research trial may differ from how researchers and IRBs discern the trial’s acceptability.

“Protection of human participants is critical, but more research is needed on how participants perceive benefits, the different types and categories of benefits, and implications of perceived benefits for retention to elucidate the role of benefits compared with the risks and burdens that participants are asked to bear,” says Ulrich.

The results of the study have been published in the article “Association of Perceived Benefit or Burden of Research Participation With Participants’ Withdrawal From Cancer Clinical Trials,” available online on JAMA Network. Coauthors of the article include: Mary D. Naylor, PhD, RN, FAAN, Marian S. Ware Professor in Gerontology Director of the NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health, Therese S. Richmond, PhD, RN, FAAN, Andrea B. Laporte Professor of Nursing and Associate Dean for Research & Innovation, and Liming Huang, all of Penn Nursing;  Sarah J. Ratcliffe of the University of Virginia; Qiuping Zhou of the George Washington University; Camille Hochheimer of the Colorado School of Public Health; Thomas Gordon of the University of Massachusetts; Kathleen Knafl of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Marilyn M. Schapira of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Christine Grady of the National Institutes of Health; and Jun J. Mao of Memorial Sloan Kettering.

Ulrich was supported in part by grant R01CA196131 from the National Cancer Institute of the NIH (NCI/NIH). Ratcliffe was supported in part by grant R01-NR014865 from the NCI/NIH. Richmond was supported in part by grant R01CA196131 from the NCI/NIH. Mao was supported in part by grants P30CA008748 and R01CA240417 from the NCI/NIH.

# # #

About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world’s leading schools of nursing. For the seventh year in a row, it is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS University. In a first for any undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program in the country, our BSN program is ranked # 1 in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings. Penn Nursing is also consistently ranked highly in the U.S. News & World Report annual list of best graduate schools and is ranked as one of the top schools of nursing in funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through innovation in research, education, and practice. Follow Penn Nursing on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, & Instagram.  

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JOURNAL

JAMA

ARTICLE TITLE

Association of Perceived Benefit or Burden of Research Participation With Participants’ Withdrawal From Cancer Clinical Trials

 Ancient stone tools from China provide earliest evidence of rice harvesting

Striations and residue reflect harvesting methods

Peer-Reviewed Publication

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE

 

IMAGE: A SELECTION OF STONE FLAKE TOOLS FROM THE SHANGSHAN ((A)-(H)) AND KUAHUQIAO ((I)–(L)) CULTURES. RED DOTS DELINEATE WORKING EDGE OF TOOLS. view more 

CREDIT: IMAGE BY JIAJING WANG.

A new Dartmouth-led study analyzing stone tools from southern China provides the earliest evidence of rice harvesting, dating to as early as 10,000 years ago. The researchers identified two methods of harvesting rice, which helped initiate rice domestication. The results are published in PLOS ONE.

Wild rice is different from domesticated rice in that wild rice naturally sheds ripe seeds, shattering them to the ground when they mature, while cultivated rice seeds stay on the plants when they mature.

To harvest rice, some sort of tools would have been needed. In harvesting rice with tools, early rice cultivators were selecting the seeds that stay on the plants, so gradually the proportion of seeds that remain increased, resulting in domestication.

“For quite a long time, one of the puzzles has been that harvesting tools have not been found in southern China from the early Neolithic period or New Stone Age (10,000 – 7,000 Before Present) — the time period when we know rice began to be domesticated,” says lead author Jiajing Wang, an assistant professor of anthropology at Dartmouth. “However, when archaeologists were working at several early Neolithic sites in the Lower Yangtze River Valley, they found a lot of small pieces of stone, which had sharp edges that could have been used for harvesting plants.”

“Our hypothesis was that maybe some of those small stone pieces were rice harvesting tools, which is what our results show.”

In the Lower Yangtze River Valley, the two earliest Neolithic culture groups were the Shangshan and Kuahuqiao.

The researchers examined 52 flaked stone tools from the Shangshan and Hehuashan sites, the latter of which was occupied by Shangshan and Kuahuqiao cultures.

The stone flakes are rough in appearance and are not finely made but have sharp edges. On average, the flaked tools are small enough to be held by one hand and measured approximately 1.7 inches in width and length.

To determine if the stone flakes were used for harvesting rice, the team conducted use-wear and phytolith residue analyses.

For the use-wear analysis, micro-scratches on the tools’ surfaces were examined under a microscope to determine how the stones were used. The results showed that 30 flakes have use-wear patterns similar to those produced by harvesting siliceous (silica-rich) plants, likely including rice.

Fine striations, high polish, and rounded edges distinguished the tools that were used for cutting plants from those that were used for processing hard materials, cutting animal tissues, and scraping wood.

Through the phytolith residue analysis, the researchers analyzed the microscopic residue left on the stone flakes known as “phytoliths” or silica skeleton of plants. They found that 28 of the tools contained rice phytoliths.

“What's interesting about rice phytoliths is that rice husk and leaves produce different kinds of phytolith, which enabled us to determine how the rice was harvested,” says Wang.

The findings from the use-wear and phytolith analyses illustrated that two types of rice harvesting methods were used — “finger-knife” and “sickle” techniques. Both methods are still used in Asia today.

The stone flakes from the early phase (10,000 – 8,200 BP) showed that rice was largely harvested using the finger-knife method in which the panicles at the top of the rice plant are reaped. The results showed that the tools used for finger-knife harvesting had striations that were mainly perpendicular or diagonal to the edge of the stone flake, which suggests a cutting or scraping motion, and contained phytoliths from seeds or rice husk phytoliths, indicating that the rice was harvested from the top of the plant.

“A rice plant contains numerous panicles that mature at different times, so the finger-knife harvesting technique is especially useful when rice domestication was in the early stage,” says Wang.

The stone flakes however, from the later phase (8,000 – 7,000 BP) had more evidence of sickle harvesting in which the lower part of the plant was harvested. These tools had striations that were predominantly parallel to the tool’s edge, reflecting that a slicing motion had likely been used.

“Sickle harvesting was more widely used when rice became more domesticated, and more ripe seeds stayed on the plant,” says Wang. “Since you are harvesting the entire plant at the same time, the rice leaves and stems could also be used for fuel, building materials, and other purposes, making this a much more effective harvesting method.”

Wang says, “Both harvesting methods would have reduced seed shattering. That’s why we think rice domestication was driven by human unconscious selection.”

Wang is available for comment at: Jiajing.Wang@dartmouth.edu. Jiangping Zhu at Pujiang Museum, Dongrong Lei at Longyou Museum, and Leping Jiang at Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and the University of Science and Technology of China, also served as co-authors of the study.

Phytolith recovered from stone flakes from Shanghsan and Hehuashan flakes: rice husk phytolith (on left) and rice leaf phytolith.

Schematic representation of rice harvesting methods using a finger-knife and sickle.

CREDIT

Illustration by Jiajing Wang.

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JOURNAL

PLoS ONE

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

“Sandwich generation” study shows challenges of caring for both kids and aging parents

Millions of Americans juggle caregiving for two generations; new analysis shows the strain on their time, and financial and mental health

Peer-Reviewed Publication

MICHIGAN MEDICINE - UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Their older parents need care. Their kids are still under 18. And they probably have a job, too.

They’re the “sandwich generation” – a longtime nickname for the mostly female, mostly middle-aged group of Americans who serve as caregivers for both older and younger family members at once.

A new study estimates there are at least 2.5 million of them, while giving a detailed view into who they are, and which older adults rely on them.

In all, nearly one quarter of adults who provide care for at least one parent over the age of 65 also take care of at least one child under 18, according to the new study from a team based in the University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry.

Writing in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, the researchers show how being in the middle of a caregiving sandwich differs from being a caregiver with an older adult, but no minor children, to care for.

Overall, sandwich generation caregivers were twice as likely to report financial difficulty (36% vs. 17%) and more likely to report substantial emotional difficulty (44% vs. 32%) than their peers who only act as caregiver to a parent over 65.

Those in the middle of a caregiving sandwich also had a higher average score on a measure of overload than those with only older adult caregiving duties. Both groups of caregivers had about the same average score on a measure of positive impacts of caregiving.

Heath policy implications

In addition to taking care of parents and kids, sandwich generation caregivers are also more likely than other caregivers to work for pay (69% vs. 54%). Yet both they and their parents are also much more likely to have Medicaid coverage, which is open to people with lower incomes (21% vs. 11% for caregivers, and 30% vs. 21% for their parents).

That makes this group of caregivers a unique group for policymakers to pay attention to, given their particular needs, the researchers say.

The help of a family caregiver might make the difference between an older person living independently and their need to move to a nursing home; the federal/state Medicaid program pays for the care of 60% of all nursing home residents. This is especially important in the face of a rising median age for first-time mothers and smaller numbers of children per family.

The study was done by U-M Department of Psychiatry postdoctoral fellow Lianlian Lei, Ph.D., geriatric psychiatry associate professor Donovan Maust, M.D., M.S., who is also a member of the Center for Clinical Management Research at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and of the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, and Amanda N. Leggett, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the Wayne State University Institute of Gerontology & Department of Psychology.

How the study was done

The researchers combined data from the National Study of Caregiving and the National Health and Aging Trends Study. They painstakingly paired the anonymous survey data of caregivers with their parents.

In all, they had data from 1,106 caregivers – 194 of whom had at least one child under 18. These sandwich generation caregivers took care of a total of 436 older parents for whom survey data were available; the 912 non-sandwich caregivers took care of 1,217 older adults.

The surveys did not include information about the characteristics of the children under 18, nor any young adults or grandchildren who caregivers might have had some responsibility for.

In all, about 60% of both caregiver groups were women, and the groups had similar racial/ethnic, marital status, education, and income makeups. However, the sandwich generation caregivers were younger on average (46 vs. 56 years for non-sandwich caregivers, with 35% of sandwich generation caregivers under age 45 compared with only 9% of non-sandwich caregivers). 

Differences in caregiving experiences

The older adults who the sandwich generation caregivers took care of were more likely to be living in a setting other than the residential care offered by nursing homes and assisted living centers (91% vs. 78%).

Both groups put in about 75 hours of caregiving in the past month. In keeping with their age, non-sandwich caregivers had been taking care of their older parents for about 8 years on average, compared with 5.5 years for sandwich generation caregivers.

The two groups of parents differed in some important ways, with those who had a sandwich generation caregiver being younger on average, more likely to be married and less likely to live alone. They also received more hours of care on the whole and were more likely to have multiple caregivers helping them.

Among the caregivers in the study who also worked for pay, there was no difference between the two groups in missing work due to caregiving or doing less work while at work, called ‘absenteeism’ or ‘presenteeism’.

Only a minority of both groups used supportive services to help with their caregiving duties, such as caregiver training and support groups, though the sandwich generation caregivers were more likely to have found financial support programs for their aging parents. This fits with the higher percentage who are eligible for Medicaid.

“Our analysis highlights the extraordinary level of demand faced by sandwich generation caregivers, who by many measures provide as much support to their aging parents as the non-sandwich caregivers, while also taking care of children under 18,” says Lei. “More research is needed on this specific population’s challenges and needs.”

“Policymakers and employers should pay special attention to the individuals caught in this ‘trilemma’ of being caregivers to two generations and members of the workforce at the same time,” says Maust. “Making support services and paid time off available to all caregivers of older adults, whether they are taking care of aging parents, other relatives or friends or neighbors, could make a difference in workforce participation and even nursing home use.”

The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging (AG075145, AG056557, AG056407, AG053760, AG054004, AG032947).

Citation:

A national profile of sandwich generation caregivers providing care to both older adults and children, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18138, https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.18138

 

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JOURNAL

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

DOI

10.1111/jgs.18138 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

A national profile of sandwich generation caregivers providing care to both older adults and children

Arizona State University expands microelectronics workforce development opportunities

New courses for non-degree learners designed to meet industry demand for talent

Reports and Proceedings

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO. IS BUILDING THE FIRST OF TWO CHIP FABRICATION FACILITIES, SHOWN UNDER CONSTRUCTION ABOVE, IN NORTH PHOENIX. MEANWHILE, INTEL CORP. IS INVESTING $20 BILLION FOR TWO NEW FABRICATION SITES AT ITS CAMPUS IN CHANDLER, ARIZONA. THE DEMAND FOR TALENT TO ENABLE SUCH DRAMATIC EXPANSION HAS INSPIRED ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY’S NEW ONLINE MICROELECTRONICS TRAINING PORTFOLIO. view more 

CREDIT: ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Responding to market forces created by the federal CHIPS and Science Act and Arizona’s New Economy Initiative, Arizona State University has launched a new microelectronics portfolio for those seeking to enter the semiconductor field.

Driven by commercial demand for a bigger talent pipeline and new ways to educate prospective workers, ASU leadership and faculty have worked with industry to design a portfolio that provides technical skills critical for microelectronics professionals. Learners gain exposure to materials, tools, design, applications, manufacturing processes and packaging — all the fundamental elements in one place. Plus, the approach will enable learners to stack credentials into different pathways that support their career and personal development.

“We are seeking to close a talent gap that is challenging the rapid growth of the semiconductor space,” said Terry Alford, a professor of materials science and engineering at Arizona State University and a primary designer of the content.

“So, this collection of coursework represents something very exciting,” Alford said. “It extends our very significant curricular resources to serve a broad array of people who are not enrolled in a conventional university program but who have something to offer, and a lot to gain, from joining the growth of the semiconductor industry in Arizona.”

When complete, nine topical specializations offered through the microelectronics portfolio will include:

• Materials Science for Technological Applications
• Materials Science for Advanced Technological Applications
• Additive Manufacturing Processes
• Industrial Automation
• Rapid Prototyping and Tooling
• Rapid Prototyping Using 3D Printing
• Battery Technologies
• Introduction to Semiconductor Packaging
• Introduction to Semiconductor Characterization

Each specialization can be completed through 35 to 40 hours of interactive instruction and assessment led by senior university engineering faculty as well as industry experts. Learners who do so gain greater opportunities for employment and access to further education.

With more than 30,000 enrolled students, including more than 7,000 in degree programs that will prepare them for a career in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering has grown to be the largest in the country. Industry leaders like Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), ON Semiconductor and many others will need these talented engineering graduates, but workforce requirements also include skilled employees who do not have a four-year degree.

“We need technicians—generally between three and five of them for each engineer’s role,” said Alford. “So, the new microelectronics portfolio can help meet that demand by upskilling people who are, for example, just finishing their associate degree with a community college or who are already serving in a mid-skill position in a technical field. This program can support their entry into semiconductor manufacturing and related equipment manufacturing, wherever they are in their life trajectory.”

Available this month, the first two specializations in the portfolio teach materials science for technological applications. Content focuses on key concepts in atom bonding, crystal structure, diffusion and phase diagrams as well as metals, polymers, ceramics and composites. Instruction occurs through short video courses that include sessions for learner practice and assessments with feedback. 

Additional specializations include an introduction to semiconductor packaging. Fundamental topics are taught by senior engineering faculty from ASU, while central aspects of packaging architecture and manufacturing are taught by multiple experts from Intel Corporation.

The new portfolio has been developed by the Fulton Schools’ Office of Global Outreach and Extended Education in collaboration with the ASU CareerCatalyst team for job skills development within the university’s Learning Enterprise. The array of specializations is delivered through the Coursera online course platform for broad accessibility and affordability.

“With recent public and private investments to catalyze the semiconductor industry, manufacturers need a skilled workforce to support growth,” said Meredyth Hendricks, head of ASU CareerCatalyst. “ASU is actively working with leading semiconductor companies to identify their current and future talent needs and build career education programs that prepare the semiconductor workforce with critical job skills.”

While the new microelectronics specializations draw directly from the expertise behind ASU’s leading undergraduate and graduate engineering programs, they also extend other innovative efforts that the university has created to serve the semiconductor industry.

One example is the Certificate in Semiconductor Processing program launched by the Fulton Schools. The 15-credit, graduate-level course framework provides professional training in multiple aspects of chip production. At its core are three courses: Advanced Silicon Processing, an electrical engineering course; Design Engineering Experiments, an industrial engineering course; and Advanced Materials Characterization, a materials science and engineering course.

The combination helps students build their practical understanding of semiconductor fabrication work. And beyond these core courses, certificate program participants choose two electives from among 11 options. Doing so makes the most of their current knowledge as graduate students and supports the development of areas in which they want or need additional depth.

“The result is an understanding of the terminology and fundamentals of the semiconductor manufacturing process to a level that enables immediate engagement with colleagues at a factory and the ability to get work done well,” said Alford.

Radiation shielding: MAPbI3/epoxy composites exhibit superior performance

Peer-Reviewed Publication

LIGHT PUBLISHING CENTER, CHANGCHUN INSTITUTE OF OPTICS, FINE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS, CAS

 

IMAGE: CRYSTAL PLANE ENGINEERING REGULATES THE GAMMA-RAY SHIELDING PERFORMANCE OF MAPBI3/EPOXY COMPOSITES. view more 

CREDIT: BY KAI CUI, YANG LI, WENJING WEI, QIANQIAN TENG, TIANYU ZHANG, JINZHU WU, HONGJUN KANG, WEI QIN, AND XIAOHONG WU

As the rapid development of aerospace and nuclear industries, higher requirements are raised for the service life of detectors and the safety of staff. Gamma ray with extremely short wavelength and strong penetration would cause the serious damage to the detectors and staff. Therefore, it is important to develop gamma ray shielding materials with outstanding radiation shielding performance. However, the traditional Lead shielding material cannot suitable for further commercial applications due to its heavy weight and high toxicity. Therefore, it is very urgent to develop alternative lightweight materials with the excellent radiation shielding performance, alleviating the radiation risks and reducing the costs.

In a new paper published in Light: Advanced Manufacturing, a team of scientists, led by Professor Xiaohong Wu from School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, China, and co-workers have developed a lightweight MAPbI3/epoxy composite prepared via a crystal plane engineering strategy. These composites delivered excellent radiation shielding performance against gamma rays and was 10 times higher than the epoxy. MAPbI3 with altered crystal planes plays a determining role in the gamma-ray shielding performance of the corresponding composites. Crystal plane engineering was shown to be an effective strategy to regulate the electron density of MAPbI3/epoxy composites, thereby controlling the possibility of collision between the incident gamma rays and MAPbI3/epoxy composites. The reported method and technique will open new avenues for designing and developing high-efficiency radiation shielding materials.

These scientists summarize the mechanism whereby crystal plane engineering regulates the gamma-ray shielding performance of MAPbI3/epoxy composites:

“When gamma rays (59.5 keV) reach the MAPbI3/epoxy composites, interaction between the incident gamma ray and the (110) plane or (220) plane induces the photoelectric effect. The electron density of the (110) plane is higher than that of the (220) plane. Therefore, it could be deduced that the attenuation of the incident gamma ray by the (110) plane is greater than that of the (220) plane because of the more effective collisions between the incident photons and extranuclear electrons. In other words, MAPbI3/epoxy composites with more (110) planes exhibited improved gamma-ray shielding performance.”

“Crystal plane engineering is a useful strategy for the preparation of MAPbI3/epoxy composites with the aim of enhancing the gamma-ray shielding performance by increasing the electron density. The present work provides essential guidelines for the design and synthesis of high-efficiency radiation-shielding materials.” they added.

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JOURNAL

Light: Advanced Manufacturing

DOI

10.37188/lam.2022.051 

ARTICLE TITLE

Crystal plane engineering of MAPbI3 in epoxy-based materials for superior gamma-ray shielding performance

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

8-Dec-2022

Deep-space discovery: Oddball gamma-ray burst forces revision of theoretical framework

A long-duration gamma-ray burst observed in late 2021 revealed signatures typically associated with short-duration bursts, forcing puzzled scientists to create a new model for the origin of this unique burst.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS

 

IMAGE: ARTIST RENDERING. view more 

CREDIT: (IMAGE CREDIT: ANYU LEI AND JING CHEN, NANJING UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARTS)

LAS VEGAS – December 7, 2022 – The mysteries of the cosmos continue to amaze astronomers, and with each new observation comes a chance to deepen – or upend – our understanding of the universe.

In the Dec. 7 issue of the journal Nature, an international team of astrophysicists report the discovery of a unique cosmological gamma-ray burst (GRB) that defies prevailing theories of how the violent cosmic explosions form. This “oddball” burst led the team to propose a new model, or source, for certain types of GRBs.

Gamma-ray bursts are the most luminous and violent explosions in the universe. They signify the deaths of stars or collisions of stellar remnants. Observed GRBs are typically placed into two categories: short- or long-duration GRBs. Long GRBs originate from the deaths of massive stars, and are typically associated with bright optical transients named supernovae. Short GRBs have a duration of less than two seconds and originate from the collisions of two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole, and are typically associated with more faint optical transients known as kilonovae.

For decades, GRBs nestled nicely into these cozy categories. Until now.

On Dec.11, 2021, a GRB triggered several gamma-ray detectors in space, including NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Telescope and the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. This burst, with a duration of nearly 70 seconds, would typically be regarded as a normal long GRB. That is, until multiple teams from the U.S. and Europe performed follow-up observations and discovered a surprising signature.

“This GRB includes two parts: a 13-second long hard spike and a 55-second softer extended emission,” said UNLV alumnus and study corresponding author Bin-Bin Zhang, who’s currently with China’s Nanjing University. “The duration of the 13-second hard spike should have completely excluded this burst from the short GRB category.”

In other words, instead of showing a much brighter supernova, as expected, the observation was consistent with a kilonova that is more typically associated with a short GRB.

“Such a peculiar GRB was the first of its kind ever detected,” said UNLV astrophysics professor Bing Zhang, co-corresponding-author of the Nature paper. “This discovery not only challenged our understanding of GRB origins, it also requires us to consider a new model for how some GRBs form.”

The research team believes that this unique GRB, known as GRB 211211A, likely formed through collision between a neutron star and a white dwarf, what’s known as a WD-NS merger.

White dwarfs are earth-sized objects that form from the death of low-mass stars – those with a mass smaller than that of about eight of our Suns. Neutron stars form when more massive stars, those with a mass of between about eight and 20 Suns, die off. When even larger stars die, they form black holes directly.

Massive, low-density stars make long-duration GRBs whereas high-density stars, including neutron stars, make short duration GRBs. According to UNLV’s Zhang, white dwarfs have intermediate densities, which make them ideal origins for the type of GRB discovered in 2021 as it displays an intermediately long duration without involving a massive star.

“Despite the relatively large number of GRBs observed each year, the unique signature of GRB 211211A pushed the envelope of our current categorial systems and required a new way of thinking,” said Zhang. “After careful review, the only merger scenario that made sense was that of a white dwarf and neutron star.”

UNLV doctoral student Shunke Ai and a student from Nanjing University collaborated to develop a detailed model to interpret the peculiar kilonova signature observed by GRB 211211A. Ai found that if a WD-NS merger leaves behind a rapidly spinning neutron star, known as a magnetar, the additional energy injection from the magnetar combined with the nuclear reaction energy from the material thrown during the burst can account for the kilonova emission observed for GRB 211211A.  

About the Study

The study, “A long-duration gamma-ray burst with a peculiar origin”, appeared Dec. 7 in the journal Nature. The paper includes 10 co-authors from 4 institutions, with UNLV and Nanjing University being the lead institutions. Published in the same issue are three parallel papers that report the detection of the kilonova. This paper focuses on the peculiar gamma-ray emission itself and proposes the WD-NS merger model to interpret the data.

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JOURNAL

Nature

DOI

10.1038/s41586-022-05403-8 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

A long-duration gamma-ray burst with a peculiar origin.

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

7-Dec-2022

UTEP receives $5M Department of Energy grant to train next generation nuclear security workforce

UTEP-led group will provide scholarships, stipends, internships and research opportunities to underrepresented students

Grant and Award Announcement

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO

 

IMAGE: THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO AND THE NORTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURAL AND TECHNICAL STATE UNIVERSITY WILL PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF NUCLEAR SECURITY ENTERPRISE TALENT TO DEVELOP ELECTRONICS FOR EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH A FIVE-YEAR, $5 MILLION GRANT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. view more 

CREDIT: UTEP MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

EL PASO, Texas (Dec. 7, 2022) – The University of Texas at El Paso in partnership with the University of New Mexico and the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will prepare the next generation of nuclear security enterprise (NSE) talent to develop electronics for extreme environments through a five-year, $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

“With this grant, UTEP will make substantial research contributions to national security with a special emphasis on nuclear security, extreme environment electronics and computer systems,” said Kenith Meissner, Ph.D., dean of the UTEP College of Engineering. “We are excited to lead this nationally coordinated consortium of industry, government and university partners.”

Electronics for extreme environments include materials, electronic devices, sensors, circuits, electronic packaging and systems that can sustain environmental challenges such as extreme temperatures, mechanical stresses and radiation fields. Applications include the use of electronics in high-power energy conversion, space and weapon systems, all critical to DOE and its National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

The grant will fund the efforts of the newly established Consortium for Education and Research in Electronics for Extreme Environments (E3C) to create a sustainable pipeline of electrical engineers from underrepresented populations for the NSE workforce. The consortium includes Hispanic-Serving Institutions UTEP and the University of New Mexico (UNM), both top-tier research universities, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&T), one of the top 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report. NNSA partners include Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) and Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL).

The award is part of NNSA’s Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program, an initiative designed to build a sustainable pipeline between DOE sites and labs and minority-serving institutions in STEM disciplines.

“This grant will provide outstanding opportunities for our students and for UTEP to grow in our capabilities in electronics research and teaching,” said Miguel Velez-Reyes, Ph.D., professor and chair of electrical and computer engineering, and the grant’s principal investigator. “We are at a particular point in time in which there is a recognition among leaders in industry and government of the pressing need to increase the electrical engineering workforce to spur domestic growth in areas such as chip manufacturing, transportation electrification, aerospace systems and advanced electronics packaging.”

Velez-Reyes also said he expects recent changes in U.S. manufacturing policies to increase the demand for electrical engineers, particularly as it pertains to electronic devices, systems and their applications.

To address that demand, over the next five years the program will provide financial support to at least 65 graduate and undergraduate students from the three academic institutions in the form of stipends, scholarships and health insurance assistance. Many other program participants will benefit from new curriculum, research opportunities and internships at DOE partner facilities, and professional and career development activities.

The project’s collaborative research program will be performed in collaboration with scientists and engineers from KCNSC, Sandia and LANL.

The consortium also will engage in outreach opportunities to community college and high school students to introduce them to careers and career paths in electrical engineering.

At UTEP, faculty will also develop new courses in electronics for extreme environments, micro-electro-mechanical systems, and emerging additive manufacturing technologies for electronics.

Joining Velez-Reyes at UTEP are co-principal investigators Robert C. Roberts, Ph.D., assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering; David Zubia, Ph.D., professor of electrical and computer engineering; Brian E. Schuster, Ph.D., associate professor of metallurgical, materials and biomedical engineering; and Raymond C. Rumpf, Ph.D., professor of electrical and computer engineering and computational science. The lead at UNM is Daniel Feezell, Ph.D., associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, and at NCA&T is Abdullah Eroglu, Ph.D., department chair and professor of electrical engineering.

The consortium is recruiting students from electrical engineering and materials science and engineering to start in the program beginning in spring 2023.

 To learn more, visit www.e3consortium.org

The University of Texas at El Paso in partnership with the University of New Mexico and the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will prepare the next generation of nuclear security enterprise talent to develop electronics for extreme environments through a five-year, $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

CREDIT

UTEP Marketing and Communications