Media Watch
Blood Test Might Diagnose Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
HealthDay -
The test tracks changes in the electrical pattern of a person's cells, and it accurately flagged all CFS patients in a small group of 40 people, researchers report. "When we stress the cells, we can easily differentiate them based on the signal they are showing," said lead author Rahim Esfandyarpour. "It's a huge difference." [Rahim] Esfandyarpour worked on the test with a team while at Stanford University in California. He's now an assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of California, Irvine.
Fabric mimics squid’s skin to achieve perfect temperature
The Times -
“Ultra-lightweight space blankets have been around for decades. You see marathon runners wrapping themselves in them to prevent the loss of body heat after a race -- but the key drawback is that the material is static,” said Alon Gorodetsky of the University of California, Irvine (UCI). … Dr. Gorodetsky’s laboratory specializes in drawing inspiration from the animal kingdom. In this case they were influenced by the abilities of a certain species of squid, octopus and cuttlefish to camouflage themselves. [Subscription required, you can request an electronic copy of the article by sending an email to communications@uci.edu.]
‘Flailing’ Blood Cells and Plasma Signal Chronic Fatigue
Futurity -
The problem, he says, is that they’re not looking deep enough. Now, [Ron] Davis; Rahim Esfandyarpour, a former Stanford research associate; and their colleagues have devised a blood-based test that successfully identified participants in a study with chronic fatigue syndrome. … A paper describing the research findings appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Davis is the senior author. Esfandyarpour, who is now on the faculty of the University of California-Irvine, is the lead author.
Squid-inspired material keeps the heat – or loses it
New Atlas -
[UCI] Assoc. Prof. Alon Gorodetsky, co-author of the paper [said] "Our invention could lead to clothing that adjusts to suit the comfort of each person indoors. This could result in potential savings of 30 to 40 percent on heating and air conditioning energy use."
Los Angeles sets dramatic new goals for electric cars and clean buildings
Los Angeles Times -
Some researchers agree with SoCalGas that substituting cleaner fuels for gas would be easier and cheaper than swapping out gas for electricity. They include Jack Brouwer, a UC Irvine engineering professor, who has led a project to inject small amounts of hydrogen into the university’s gas pipelines. “Our policy goals cannot be met without hydrogen, is my view,” Brouwer said in an interview last month. [Subscription required, you can request an electronic copy of the article by sending an email to communications@uci.edu.]
Newly designed space blanket was inspired by the skin of squid
Earth -
Engineers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) have created a space blanket that mimics the adaptive skin of some sea creatures. Unlike similar materials already available on the market, the temperature of the new blanket can be adjusted. Study co-author Alon Gorodetsky is an associate professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at UCI.
A dynamic thermoregulatory material inspired by squid skin
Nature -
[UCI Professor] Alon Gorodetsky and others write, “Effective thermal management is critical for the operation of many modern technologies, such as electronic circuits, smart clothing, and building environment control systems. By leveraging the static infrared-reflecting design of the space blanket and drawing inspiration from the dynamic color-changing ability of squid skin, we have developed a composite material with tunable thermoregulatory properties.”
Squid skin inspires creation of next-generation space blanket
PhysOrg -
"Ultra-lightweight space blankets have been around for decades - you see marathon runners wrapping themselves in them to prevent the loss of body heat after a race - but the key drawback is that the material is static," said co-author Alon Gorodetsky, UCI associate professor of chemical & biomolecular engineering. "We've made a version with changeable properties so you can regulate how much heat is trapped or released."
The real renewable energy storage solution
Los Angeles Daily News -
Jack Brouwer is the director of the National Fuel Cell Research Center at UC Irvine writes, “Right here at UC Irvine, we’re doing a little science experiment that could make a big difference for countries around the globe as they look for ways to replace fossil fuels and stop climate change. This experiment is focused on how to store extra solar energy.” [Subscription required, you can request an electronic copy of the article by sending an email to communications@uci.edu.]
"Empower Them To Succeed." A Female Alumnus Looks to Close the Engineering Gender Gap
Inside Philanthropy -
She [Stacy Nicholas] is the founder of the Irvine-based Opus Foundation, which supports STEM education outreach and the arts. This is her second major gift to a University of California campus, following a 2014 gift to UC Irvine’s Henry Samueli School of Engineering to fund scholarships and graduate fellowships, support outreach programs, and endow its deanship.