Societal values and perceptions have shaped the energy landscape as much as the technologies that drive its production and consumption, a new paper from an Oregon State University researcher suggests.
* This article was originally published here
Friday, 31 May 2019
Amazon digital assistant Alexa gets new skill: amnesia
Amazon on Wednesday added the ability to tell its Alexa digital assistant to forget what it has heard in a move that could assuage concerns about Echo devices remembering conversations.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
US holds CBD hearing as fans, sellers await legal clarity
CBD products have surged in popularity despite confusion around their legal status . Now U.S. regulators are exploring ways to officially allow the hemp ingredient in food, drinks and dietary supplements.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers add 'time-travel' feature to drives to fight ransomware attacks
One of the latest cyber threats involves hackers encrypting user files and then charging "ransom" to get them back. In the paper, "Project Almanac: A Time-Traveling Solid State Drive," University of Illinois students Chance Coats and Xiaohao Wang and Assistant Professor Jian Huang from the Coordinated Science Laboratory look at how they can use the commodity storage devices already in a computer, to save the files without having to pay the ransom.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
PULP Dronet: A 27-gram nano-UAV inspired by insects
Researchers at ETH Zürich and the University of Bologna have recently created PULP Dronet, a 27-gram nano-size unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a deep learning-based visual navigation engine. Their mini-drone, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv, can run aboard an end-to-end, closed-loop visual pipeline for autonomous navigation powered by a state-of-the-art deep learning algorithm.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers try to recreate human-like thinking in machines
Researchers at Oxford University have recently tried to recreate human thinking patterns in machines, using a language guided imagination (LGI) network. Their method, outlined in a paper pre-published on arXiv, could inform the development of artificial intelligence that is capable of human-like thinking, which entails a goal-directed flow of mental ideas guided by language.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Exercise, therapy may improve depression, diabetes outcomes
(HealthDay)—Exercise and/or behavioral treatment interventions may provide clinically meaningful improvements in depression outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and major depressive disorder (MDD), according to a study published online May 21 in Diabetes Care.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
G20 digital tax takes step closer
Global efforts to impose a unified tax policy on Google, Facebook and other internet giants have cleared a major hurdle ahead of a G20 summit in Japan, officials said Friday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
How much coffee is too much?
(HealthDay)—From cappuccinos to cold brew, coffee is a morning must for many Americans, but is it healthy and how much is too much?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Shared control allows a robot to use two hands working together to complete tasks
A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin and the Naval Research Laboratory has designed and built a robotic system that allows for bimanual robot manipulation through shared control. In their paper published in the journal Science Robotics, the group explains the ideas behind their work and how well they worked in practice.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Bipedal robot Digit seen as final step in autonomous delivery system
Self-driving cars for delivering packages is already familiar enough as a "vision." As Ford continues sketching out the self-driving car as part of the transportation future, the delivery system that needs to fulfill the customer's one-click shopping wish adds to its interest.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
FDA approves first test for Zika in human blood
(HealthDay)—The first test to detect the Zika virus in human blood has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Violent video games, unlocked guns a dangerous combo for kids
(HealthDay)—Shoot 'em up video games might be making your children far too comfortable with how they approach and handle real-life firearms, a new study argues.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Smoke from Canadian wildfires drifts into 5 US states
Smoke from large wildfires in Canada's Alberta province has drifted into five U.S. states and is causing haze and air quality issues.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Examining perceptions of accessibility symbols
Recent research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Occupational Therapy has assessed individual comprehension and perceptions of nine existing and newly created accessibility pictograph symbols, and it identified one that represented universal access to fitness equipment.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Research deepens understanding of gut bacteria's connections to human health, disease
Researchers at Oregon State University have made an important advance in understanding the roles that gut bacteria play in human health.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Winter could pose solar farm 'ramping' snag for power grid
By adding utility-scale solar farms throughout New York state, summer electricity demand from conventional sources could be reduced by up to 9.6% in some places.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Release of solar panel dataset helps cities make power grids more safe, reliable
Solar power researchers have traditionally only used the power measurements from single residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to estimate the power generated within a city. But one installation isn't a good representation of all the rooftops in the city, where the time of day, panel direction, and shade cast by trees and clouds affect power production.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Understanding why virus can't replicate in human cells could improve vaccines
The identification of a gene that helps to restrict the host range of the modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) could lead to the development of new and improved vaccines against diverse infectious agents, according to a study published May 30 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Bernard Moss of the National Institutes of Health, and colleagues.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Over half a million corals destroyed by port of Miami dredging, study finds
A team of researchers including scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, published new findings that reveal significant damage to Miami's coral reefs from the 16-month dredging operation at the Port of Miami that began in 2013. The study found that sediment buried between half to 90 percent of nearby reefs, resulting in widespread coral death.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Transgenic fungus rapidly killed malaria mosquitoes in West African study
According to the World Health Organization, malaria affects hundreds of millions of people around the world, killing more than 400,000 annually. Decades of insecticide use has failed to control mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasite and has led to insecticide-resistance among many mosquito strains. In response, scientists began genetically modifying mosquitoes and other organisms that can help eradicate mosquitoes. Until now, none of these transgenic approaches made it beyond laboratory testing.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday, 30 May 2019
A deep neural network that can maximize or minimize coloring to blend into or stand out against a background
A team of researchers at the University of Bristol has developed a deep learning neural network that can identify the best way to minimize or maximize coloring to allow for blending into a background or standing out. In their paper published in Journal of the Royal Society Interface, the team describes their network and possible uses for it.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
NICER's night moves trace the X-ray sky
In this image, numerous sweeping arcs seem to congregate at various bright regions. You may wonder: What is being shown? Air traffic routes? Information moving around the global internet? Magnetic fields looping across active areas on the Sun?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Transgender no longer classified as mental health disorder by WHO
(HealthDay)—Transgender people will no longer be classified as having a mental disorder by the World Health Organization.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Renault and Fiat Chrysler stuck over merger terms: report
Talks between Fiat Chrysler and Renault have hit a roadblock over the financial terms of the proposed merger between the Italian-US and French carmakers, the French business daily Les Echos reported online Thursday, citing sources close to Fiat Chrysler.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Nailing digital fakes with AI-learned artifacts
We see the imaginative feats of photo fakery; now we have to figure out what to do about them. Being able to tell fake from real is the goal, but how to get there? Forensics is the key tool to hunt down fake photos and it does not appear to be an easy task in getting that tool to perform well.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Uncovering microgel mysteries
Researchers at Shinshu University successfully recorded previously unexplained behavior of hydrogel microspheres (microgels) using a newly customized tool: temperature-controlled high-speed atomic force microscopy (TC HS AFM). This machine, which is the only one in the world, was assembled by Dr. Takayuki Uchihashi of Nagoya University to investigate proteins. It was applied for the first time to the study of microgels by the team at Daisuke Suzuki Laboratory, Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology and RISM (Research Initiative for Supra-Materials) of Shinshu University. The study lead by first year doctoral candidate, Yuichiro Nishizawa, succeeded in observing the structure of the microgels which had been difficult due to limitations of previous equipment.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Physicists 'teleport' logic operation between separated ions
Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have teleported a computer circuit instruction known as a quantum logic operation between two separated ions (electrically charged atoms), showcasing how quantum computer programs could carry out tasks in future large-scale quantum networks.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday, 29 May 2019
When drug treatment for social anxiety is insufficient
A Japanese study group clarified that cognitive therapy maintained its effects more than a year after the end of therapy for patients with a social anxiety disorder (SAD) even for those who did not respond to antidepressant drugs. The study was published online in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics on May 23, 2019.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Fuels out of thin air: New path to capturing and upgrading CO2
A research team from U of T Engineering has developed a new electrochemical path to transform CO2 into valuable products such as jet fuel or plastics. The technology could significantly improve the economics of capturing and recycling carbon directly from the air.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New Hampshire sues 3M, Dupont, other chemical companies
New Hampshire is suing eight companies including 3M and Dupont for damage it says has been caused statewide by a class of potentially toxic chemicals found in everything from pizza boxes to fast-food wrappers.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Research reveals the link between primate knuckles and hand use
Research carried out by the University of Kent has found differences between the knuckle joints of primates that will enable a better understanding of ancient human hand use.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday, 28 May 2019
PixelGreen: A hybrid, green media wall for existing high-rise buildings
Researchers at Deakin University and the University of Hong Kong have recently designed a hybrid green architectural wall system for high-rise buildings that integrates a vertical micro-farm and a media screen. They presented this wall, called PixelGreen, in a paper published on Research Gate. PIXEL GREEN is designed for integration into the wall surfaces of existing buildings, turning them into analogue media screens.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Three convolutional neural network models for facial expression recognition in the wild
Two researchers at Shanghai University of Electric Power have recently developed and evaluated new neural network models for facial expression recognition (FER) in the wild. Their study, published in Elsevier's Neurocomputing journal, presents three models of convolutional neural networks (CNNs): a Light-CNN, a dual-branch CNN and a pre-trained CNN.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thousands of US kindergartners unvaccinated without waivers
States are heatedly debating whether to make it more difficult for students to avoid vaccinations for religious or philosophical reasons amid the worst measles outbreak in decades, but schoolchildren using such waivers are outnumbered in many states by those who give no excuse at all for lacking their shots.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Misreporting the science of lab-made organs is unethical, even dangerous
I work in the field of bioprinting, where the aim is to build biological tissues by printing living cells into 3-D structures.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Production of more than 250,000 chips embedded within fibers in less than a year
In the summer of 2018, a team led by MIT researchers reported in the journal Nature that they had successfully embedded electronic devices into fibers that could be used in fabrics or composite products like clothing, airplane wings, or even wound dressings. The advance could allow fabrics or composites to sense their environment, communicate, store and convert energy, and more.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Monday, 27 May 2019
PAL: A wearable system for context-aware health and cognition support
Researchers at MIT Media Lab have developed a wearable platform that provides real-time, personalized, and context-aware health and cognition support. Their system, called personalized active learner (PAL), was presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Short-term use of opioids increases subjective pleasure
The human opioid system contributes to the regulation of emotions, pleasure and pain. Opioids are strong analgesics. In addition to effectively relieving pain, external opioids may improve mood and reduce negative emotions. However, not much has been known about the effect of opioids on emotional responses caused by external stimuli.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
In vitro fertilization linked to deadly heart disease in pregnancy
Women undergoing fertility treatment should urgently see their doctor if they have heart failure symptoms, according to a study presented today at Heart Failure 2019, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Diuretic withdrawal is safe for stable heart failure patients
Drug therapy for patients with stable heart failure can be simplified by stopping diuretics, according to late breaking results from the ReBIC-1 trial presented today at Heart Failure 2019, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sunday, 26 May 2019
Obstructive sleep apnea linked to cancer diagnosis in women
(HealthDay)—Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with cancer diagnosis, especially among women, according to a research letter published online May 20 in the European Respiratory Journal.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sea dragons captivate visitors at California aquarium
At first glance, it looks like a branch of kelp, but then an eye moves among its leafy appendages, and ridges of tiny, translucent fins start to flutter, sending the creature gliding through the water like something from a fairy tale.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Zero-carbon electric transport is already in reach for small islands
At a recent talk on the UK's energy sector, the head of an electric utility company claimed that "the problem of decarbonising our electricity sector is fixed". Eyebrows were raised at this, but his point quickly became clear. The technologies needed to decarbonise the UK's electricity system now exist, he explained. Indeed, grid operators in the UK expect a zero carbon electricity system by 2025.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
An approach to enhance machine learning explanations
Researchers at IBM Research U.K., the U.S. Military Academy and Cardiff University have recently proposed a technique they call Local Interpretable Model Agnostic Explanations (LIME) for attaining a better understanding of the conclusions reached by machine learning algorithms. Their paper, published on SPIE digital library, could inform the development of artificial intelligence (AI) tools that provide exhaustive explanations of how they reached a particular outcome or conclusion.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
If you could learn every disease your child could possibly develop in life, would you?
Newborn screening is required in the U.S. and differs slightly depending on which state you live in. For the most part, it's done before a newborn baby leaves the hospital and includes a blood test that screens for 30-50 serious health problems that usually arise in infancy or childhood, and could hinder normal development.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
WHO praises Brazil lawsuit against tobacco giants
The World Health Organization has praised Brazil's move to sue two global cigarette makers and their local units for costs of treating tobacco-related diseases, but the firms said Friday they were still waiting for details of the lawsuit.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Study analyzes mortality risks among pro athletes
Professional football players appear to have a somewhat elevated risk of death, including higher risk of succumbing to cardiac and neurodegenerative diseases, compared with professional baseball players of similar age, according to new research.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
U.S. incidence of pediatric thyroid cancer on the rise
(HealthDay)—From 1973 to 2013, there was an increase in the incidence rates of pediatric thyroid cancer, with marked increases from 2006 to 2013, according to a study published online May 23 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Driverless cars working together can speed up traffic by 35%
A fleet of driverless cars working together to keep traffic moving smoothly can improve overall traffic flow by at least 35 percent, researchers have shown.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Rare albino panda caught on camera in China: state media
A rare all-white panda has been caught on camera at a nature reserve in southwest China, showing albinism exists among wild pandas in the region, state media reported.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Growing up high: Neurobiological consequences of adolescent cannabis use
About one in five Canadian adolescents uses cannabis (19% of Canadians aged 15-19), and its recent legalization across the country warrants investigation into the consequence of this use on the developing brain. Adolescence is associated with the maturation of cognitive functions, such as working memory, decision-making, and impulsivity control. This is a highly vulnerable period for the development of the brain as it represents a critical period wherein regulatory connection between higher-order regions of the cortex and emotional processing circuits deeper inside the brain are established. It is a period of strong remodeling, making adolescents highly vulnerable to drug-related developmental disturbances. Research presented by Canadian neuroscientists Patricia Conrod, Steven Laviolette, Iris Balodis and Jibran Khokhar at the 2019 Canadian Neuroscience Meeting in Toronto on May 25 featured recent discoveries on the effects of cannabis on the adolescent brain.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Huawei could be stripped of Google services after US ban
Huawei could lose its grip on the No. 2 ranking in worldwide cellphone sales after Google announced it would comply with U.S. government restrictions meant to punish the Chinese tech powerhouse.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Electrified methane reformer produces far less carbon dioxide
A team of researchers from several institutions in Denmark, along with colleagues from Sintex and Haldor Topsoe, has developed an electrified methane reformer that produces far less CO2 than conventional steam-methane reformers. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their new technology and how well it works. Kevin Van Geem, Vladimir Galvita and Guy Marin with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology and Center for Sustainable Chemistry in Ghent have published a Perspective piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
United Airlines extends cancellation of Boeing Max flights
United Airlines is canceling another month's worth of flights with Boeing 737 Max planes that were grounded after two deadly accidents.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Ex-Facebook exec recommends Zuckerberg step down as CEO
Facebook's former security chief is disagreeing with calls to break up the social network.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A quicker eye for robotics to help in our cluttered, human environments
In a step toward home-helper robots that can quickly navigate unpredictable and disordered spaces, University of Michigan researchers have developed an algorithm that lets machines perceive their environments orders of magnitude faster than similar previous approaches.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Private, stable and landed: Meet Tor Browser 8.5
A Tor browser has arrived as a stable release for Android. Ultraprivate. And some Tor wish-listers will say, finally. "Until recently, it was only available on desktop devices. Now, the stable version is available for Android, too," said George Burduli, XDA Developers.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
FDA approves $2M medicine, most expensive ever
U.S. regulators have approved the most expensive medicine ever, for a rare disorder that destroys a baby's muscle control and kills nearly all of those with the most common type of the disease within a couple of years.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
US dentists out-prescribe UK dentists when it comes to opioids
Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have found that dentists practicing in the U.S. write 37 times more opioid prescriptions than dentists practicing in England. And, the type of opioids they prescribe has a higher potential for abuse.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Paper stickers to monitor pathogens are more effective than swabs
Using paper stickers to collect pathogens on surfaces where antisepsis is required, such as in food processing plants, is easier, and less expensive than swabbing, yet similarly sensitive. The research is published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Saturday, 25 May 2019
Researchers gain key insight into solar material's soaring efficiency
The rows of blue solar panels that dot landscapes and rooftops are typically made out of crystalline silicon, the workhorse semiconductor found in virtually every electronic device.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Friday, 24 May 2019
CycleMatch: a new approach for matching images and text
Researchers at Leiden University and the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT), in China, have recently developed a new approach for image-text matching, called CycleMatch. Their approach, presented in a paper published in Elsevier's Pattern Recognition journal, is based on cycle-consistent learning, a technique that is sometimes used to train artificial neural networks on image-to-image translation tasks. The general idea behind cycle-consistency is that when transforming source data into target data and then vice versa, one should finally obtain the original source samples.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New neurons form in the brain into the tenth decade of life, even in people with Alzheimer's
In a new study from the University of Illinois at Chicago, researchers examining post-mortem brain tissue from people ages 79 to 99 found that new neurons continue to form well into old age. The study provides evidence that this occurs even in people with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, although neurogenesis is significantly reduced in these people compared to older adults with normal cognitive functioning.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday, 23 May 2019
Obsessive-compulsive disorder research needs more focus on patients, new study asserts
For people living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), scientific research into their condition is not an abstract concept; it can have profound real-life implications.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New York subway riders will be able to tap and pay the fare starting May 31
New Yorkers routinely grumble about overcrowded subways and having to wait on long lines to purchase or refill their Metro Cards.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
High-deductible health plans may be harmful for patients with COPD
(HealthDay)—For patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) are associated with increased likelihood of reporting foregoing care because of costs and cost-related nonadherence, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2019 International Conference, held from May 17 to 22 in Dallas.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Scientists create new standard genome for heavily studied worm
A new Cornell University-led study finds that the genome for a widely researched worm, on which countless studies are based, was flawed. Now, a fresh genome sequence will set the record straight and improve the accuracy of future research.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
This robot helps you lift objects—by looking at your biceps
We humans are very good at collaboration. For instance, when two people work together to carry a heavy object like a table or a sofa, they tend to instinctively coordinate their motions, constantly recalibrating to make sure their hands are at the same height as the other person's. Our natural ability to make these types of adjustments allows us to collaborate on tasks big and small.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Try this whole-grain lemony quick bread
(HealthDay)—If you love quick breads but crave a healthier treat, this lighter take on Grandma's traditional recipe serves up a lemony lift. And because it calls for whole grains, dried fruit and nuts, it's packed with goodness.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Hot spots in rivers that nurture salmon 'flicker on and off' in Bristol Bay region
Chemical signatures imprinted on tiny stones that form inside the ears of fish show that two of Alaska's most productive salmon populations, and the fisheries they support, depend on the entire watershed.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers create soft, flexible materials with enhanced properties
A team of polymer chemists and engineers from Carnegie Mellon University have developed a new methodology that can be used to create a class of stretchable polymer composites with enhanced electrical and thermal properties. These materials are promising candidates for use in soft robotics, self-healing electronics and medical devices. The results are published in the May 20 issue of Nature Nanotechnology.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Experimental brain-controlled hearing aid decodes, identifies who you want to hear
Our brains have a remarkable knack for picking out individual voices in a noisy environment, like a crowded coffee shop or a busy city street. This is something that even the most advanced hearing aids struggle to do. But now Columbia engineers are announcing an experimental technology that mimics the brain's natural aptitude for detecting and amplifying any one voice from many. Powered by artificial intelligence, this brain-controlled hearing aid acts as an automatic filter, monitoring wearers' brain waves and boosting the voice they want to focus on.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Home-schoolers see no added health risks over time
Years of home-schooling don't appear to influence the general health of children, according to a Rice University study.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Translational research uncovers new treatment for fatty liver disease
A team of researchers led by Duke-NUS Medical School and National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) found that deactivating the interleukin 11 (IL11) protein with therapeutic antibodies reverses inflammation and scarring of the liver in patients suffering from untreatable non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The findings, published in Gastroenterology, have implications for the development of drugs to treat the disease.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
How does the nervous system create behavior? Muscle activity map in Hydra gives insight
Accomplishing perhaps a world first, researchers at Columbia University and the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) have mapped the full-body muscular activity of an animal while it was moving and behaving.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Clocks, gravity, and the limits of relativity
The International Space Station will host the most precise clocks ever to leave Earth. Accurate to a second in 300 million years the clocks will push the measurement of time to test the limits of the theory of relativity and our understanding of gravity.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Ultra-small microorganisms contribute to global carbon cycles
Scientists report that ultra-small microorganisms make greater contributions to global carbon cycles than previously realized and are crucial to the health of the oceans.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday, 22 May 2019
Soft, social robot brings coziness to home robotics
A few years ago, when social robots began appearing in stores and homes, Guy Hoffman wondered why they all looked so much alike.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Potentially fatal buildup of proteins in the heart often goes undiagnosed
A potentially fatal buildup of abnormal proteins in the heart and other organs is being delayed in its diagnosis and undertreated—despite new drugs that can combat it, a new study suggests.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
With a hop, a skip and a jump, high-flying robot leaps over obstacles with ease
Topping out at less than a foot, Salto the robot looks like a Star Wars imperial walker in miniature. But don't be fooled by its size—this little robot has a mighty spring in its step. Salto can vault over three times its height in a single bound.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Flamingoes, elephants and sharks: How do blind adults learn about animal appearance?
They've never seen animals like hippos and sharks but adults born blind have rich insight into what they look like, a new Johns Hopkins University study found.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Firearm mortality highest in young men, and is associated with race and education
Firearms are a leading contributor to mortality in men aged 15-34 years in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, according to an observational study using national data for 106.3 million deaths, including 2.5 million firearm deaths in these 4 countries, published in The Lancet Public Health journal.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Monday, 20 May 2019
US tech firms to take hit from Huawei sanctions
The tough sanctions imposed on Huawei by President Donald Trump could deal a blow to the many US firms that make up the Chinese tech giant's supply chain.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Novel technique reduces obstruction risk in heart valve replacement
Researchers at the National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, have developed a novel technique that prevents the obstruction of blood flow, a common fatal complication of transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). The new method, called LAMPOON, may increase treatment options for high-risk patients previously ineligible for heart valve procedures. The Journal of the American College of Cardiology published the findings online on May 20.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Juno finds changes in Jupiter's magnetic field
NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter made the first definitive detection beyond our world of an internal magnetic field that changes over time, a phenomenon called secular variation. Juno determined the gas giant's secular variation is most likely driven by the planet's deep atmospheric winds.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers develop new lens manufacturing technique
Researchers from Washington State University and Ohio State University have developed a low-cost, easy way to make custom lenses that could help manufacturers avoid the expensive molds required for optical manufacturing.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
The top 5 veggies to add to your diet
(HealthDay)—The guidelines to eat more vegetables are clear, and eating a rainbow of colors gets you the widest variety of nutrients and phyto-nutrients, those hard-to-duplicate compounds that go beyond vitamins and minerals.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Helping robots remember: Hyperdimensional computing theory could change the way AI works
The Houston Astros' José Altuve steps up to the plate on a 3-2 count, studies the pitcher and the situation, gets the go-ahead from third base, tracks the ball's release, swings ... and gets a single up the middle. Just another trip to the plate for the three-time American League batting champion.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Young children willing to punish misbehavior, even at personal cost, new research shows
Children as young as three years old are willing to punish others' bad behavior, even at personal cost, finds a new study by psychology researchers at New York University. The work adds to growing evidence that human beings distinguish between right and wrong at a very young age and are willing to pay a personal cost to encourage positive behavior in others.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sunday, 19 May 2019
Essentials for growing tasty herbs on your windowsill
(HealthDay)—Whether you have a dedicated space in an outdoor garden or just a few buckets on a small patio, there's nothing quite like having your own herb garden for giving your cooking fresh flavor boosts.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wearable cooling and heating patch could serve as personal thermostat and save energy
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a wearable patch that could provide personalized cooling and heating at home, work, or on the go. The soft, stretchy patch cools or warms a user's skin to a comfortable temperature and keeps it there as the ambient temperature changes. It is powered by a flexible, stretchable battery pack and can be embedded in clothing. Researchers say wearing it could help save energy on air conditioning and heating.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers develop electric field-based dressing to help heal wound infections
Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine have found a way to charge up the fight against bacterial infections using electricity.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
What's behind the belief in a soulmate?
The United States appears to be in a romantic slump. Marriage rates have plummeted over the last decade. And compared to previous generations, young single people today are perhaps spending more time on social media than actual dating. They are also having less sex.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers imagine a cheaper, fairer marketplace for digital goods
E-commerce is sizzling. Last year, consumers spent more than $517 billion online with US merchants, up 15 percent from the year before, according to Internet Retailer.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Samsung at foundry event talks about 3nm, MBCFET developments
"The nanometer process deals with the space between the transistors mounted on a substrate at a nanometer level," said Pulse.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Facebook breakup could boost China rivals: Sandberg
Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said Friday a breakup of big US technology would not address "underlying issues" facing the sector and suggested that such a move could help rivals in China.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Scientists capture first-ever video of body's safety test for T-cells
For the first time, immunologists from The University of Texas at Austin have captured on video what happens when T-cells—the contract killers of the immune system, responsible for wiping out bacteria and viruses—undergo a type of assassin-training program before they get unleashed in the body. A new imaging technique that allowed for the videos, described today in the journal Nature Communications, holds promise for the fight against autoimmune disorders such as Type 1 diabetes.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New machine learning algorithm can predict age and gender from just your Twitter profile
A new "demographic inference" tool developed by academics can make predictions based solely on the information in a person's social media profile (i.e. screen name, biography, profile photo, and name). The tool—which works in 32 languages—could pave the way for views expressed on social media to be factored in to popular survey methods.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Virtual reality game simulates experiences with race
Video games that use virtual reality to create immersive experiences have become increasingly popular for entertainment and for research. However, the representation of race in these simulations is often shallow—and fails to go beyond physical appearance attributes like skin color.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers develop novel framework for tracking developments in optical sensors
Plasmonics and photonics have been drawing attention in both academia and industry due to their use in an extensive range of applications, one of which includes optical sensing. The development of optical sensing technology not only contributes to the scientific research community as a versatile tool, but also offers substantial commercial value for smart city and Internet of Things (IOT) applications due to its energy efficiency, lightweight, small size and suitability for remote sensing. Reinforcing its significance, Scientific American identified plasmonic sensing as one of the top 10 emerging technologies of 2018.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
EU adopts powers to respond to cyberattacks
The European Union on Friday adopted powers to punish those outside the bloc who launch cyberattacks that cripple hospitals and banks, sway elections and steal company secrets or funds.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Saturday, 18 May 2019
Integrated stepped alcohol treatment for people in HIV care improves both HIV and alcohol outcomes
New clinical research supported by the National Institutes of Health shows that increasing the intensity of treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) over time improves alcohol-related outcomes among people with HIV. This stepped approach to AUD treatment also improves HIV-related disease measures in this patient population. A report of the new study, led by researchers at Yale University, is now online in The Lancet HIV.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
WhatsApp flaw let spies take control with calls alone (Update)
Spyware crafted by a sophisticated group of hackers-for-hire took advantage of a flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program to remotely hijack dozens of targeted phones without any user interaction.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sugary drinks and fruit juice may increase risk of early death
(HealthDay)—Most folks know that sugary drinks aren't healthy, but a new study finds fruit juices are not much better.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tobacco and e-cigarette promotions spark teens' use of nicotine products, study finds
Owning items that promote e-cigarettes and other alternative tobacco products doubles the likelihood that a young person will try these products, a new study led by the Stanford University School of Medicine has found. The finding illustrates the influence of such marketing on teenagers.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thresholds found for unilateral optic nerve lesions in MS
(HealthDay)—A new anatomic threshold may be useful for identifying unilateral optic nerve lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis, according to a study published in the May issue of the Annals of Neurology.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
First anticoagulant approved for preventing VTE recurrence in children
(HealthDay)—Fragmin (dalteparin sodium) injection has been granted the first approval for subcutaneous use in preventing recurrence of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children aged 1 month or older, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Cancer drug could be repurposed to provide treatment for brain aneurysms
An important class of drug used to treat cancer patients could be used to treat brain aneurysms, according to new research published this week.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Study describes TBI caregiver QOL measurement system
(HealthDay)—A new tool, the Traumatic Brain Injury Caregiver Quality of Life (TBI-CareQOL), combines five new measures and 10 existing measures and can identify health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among caregivers of individuals with TBI, according to a study published in the April issue of the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Metals influence C-peptide hormone related to insulin
Metals such as zinc, copper and chromium bind to and influence a peptide involved in insulin production, according to new work from chemists at the University of California, Davis. The research is part of a new field of "metalloendocrinology" that takes a detailed look at the role of metals in biological processes in the body.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
When an aircraft landing system is made to enter the spoofing zone
Just what the airplane passenger who is always skittish does not want to hear: Radio navigation on planes for landing purposes is not secure; signals can be hacked.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
How the Trump prescription for drug prices transparency could make health care well again
When it comes to the prescription drugs America use, too often money is the last thing consumers think about. Formulaic prescription drug ads are part of the reason why.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Quinn on Nutrition: Carbs—how low can we go?
"Fruit has carbs? I had no idea," a stunned patient told me recently.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A social perception scheme for behavior planning of autonomous cars
To navigate dynamic environments, autonomous vehicles (AVs) should be able to process all information available to them and use it to generate effective driving strategies. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have recently proposed a social perception scheme for planning the behavior of autonomous cars, which could help to develop AVs that are better equipped to deal with uncertainty in their surrounding environment.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Being sick in the morning can be different from being sick at night
In a review published May 17 in the journal Trends in Immunology, researchers discuss how time of day affects the severity of afflictions ranging from allergies to heart attacks.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Machine learning speeds modeling of experiments aimed at capturing fusion energy on Earth
Machine learning (ML), a form of artificial intelligence that recognizes faces, understands language and navigates self-driving cars, can help bring to Earth the clean fusion energy that lights the sun and stars. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) are using ML to create a model for rapid control of plasma—the state of matter composed of free electrons and atomic nuclei, or ions—that fuels fusion reactions.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sleep duration tied to adverse measures of glycemia
(HealthDay)—Self-reported short and long sleep are both associated with adverse measures of glycemia among adults with prediabetes, according to a study published online May 10 in Diabetes Care.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Early dengue virus infection could 'defuse' Zika virus
"We now know for sure that Zika virus infection during pregnancy can affect the unborn foetus in such a way that the child develops microcephaly and other severe symptoms," explains Prof Felix Drexler, a virologist at Charité who has been developing diagnostic tests for Zika and other viruses at the DZIF. Just a few years ago, pictures of affected newborns were cause for worldwide dismay and perplexity. "However, what we did not understand then was that high incidence of microcephaly seemed to occur particularly in northeastern Brazil," says Drexler. Why are expecting mothers in these regions at a higher risk of developing a severe Zika-associated disease than in other regions? The scientists consequently began to search for cofactors that have an influence on whether a Zika infection during pregnancy will develop fatal consequences or not.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Life goes on under cloud of smog in Mexico City
Scientists say breathing the heavily polluted air in Mexico City these days is like smoking somewhere between a quarter- and a half-pack of cigarettes a day.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Ernst Haeckel: Pioneer of modern science
"By ecology, we understand the whole science of the organism's relationship with the surrounding outside world, which includes in a broader sense all 'existential conditions'. These are partly organic and partly inorganic in nature; both the former and the latter are, as we have previously shown, of utmost importance for the form of the organisms, because they force them to adapt to them."
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New AI sees like a human, filling in the blanks
Computer scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have taught an artificial intelligence agent how to do something that usually only humans can do—take a few quick glimpses around and infer its whole environment, a skill necessary for the development of effective search-and-rescue robots that one day can improve the effectiveness of dangerous missions. The team, led by professor Kristen Grauman, Ph.D. candidate Santhosh Ramakrishnan and former Ph.D. candidate Dinesh Jayaraman (now at the University of California, Berkeley) published their results today in the journal Science Robotics.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Healthcare, social media and a web of moral issues
"Ethics asks what we owe to one another and how we should treat one another. The internet has changed the landscape in which we, as humans, relate, and ethicists need to keep pace," explains Assistant Professor of Philosophy Moti Gorin.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Friday, 17 May 2019
A new approach to targeting cancer cells
A University of California, Riverside, research team has come up with a new approach to targeting cancer cells that circumvents a challenge faced by currently available cancer drugs.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New computer program can help crack precision medicine
Researchers from ANU have helped develop a new computer program to find out a person's genetic make-up, bringing us a step closer to an era of precision medicine.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Augmented reality affects people's behavior in the real world
As major technology firms race to roll out augmented reality products, Stanford researchers are learning how it affects people's behavior – in both the physical world and a digitally enhanced one.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Study aims to improve capturing wind power for energy production
Scientists have released the first of several reports outlining major results that could help wind industry officials manage wind power facilities more efficiently and increase renewable energy production.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Framework improves 'continual learning' for artificial intelligence
Researchers have developed a new framework for deep neural networks that allows artificial intelligence (AI) systems to better learn new tasks while "forgetting" less of what it has learned regarding previous tasks. The researchers have also demonstrated that using the framework to learn a new task can make the AI better at performing previous tasks, a phenomenon called backward transfer.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Dangerous pathogens use this sophisticated machinery to infect hosts
Gastric cancer, Q fever, Legionnaires' disease, whooping cough—though the infectious bacteria that cause these dangerous diseases are each different, they all utilize the same molecular machinery to infect human cells. Bacteria use this machinery, called a Type IV secretion system (T4SS), to inject toxic molecules into cells and also to spread genes for antibiotic resistance to fellow bacteria. Now, researchers at Caltech have revealed the 3-D molecular architecture of the T4SS from the human pathogen Legionella pneumophila with unprecedented details. This could in the future enable the development of precisely targeted antibiotics for the aforementioned diseases.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Ultra-clean fabrication platform produces nearly ideal 2-D transistors
Semiconductors, which are the basic building blocks of transistors, microprocessors, lasers, and LEDs, have driven advances in computing, memory, communications, and lighting technologies since the mid-20th century. Recently discovered two-dimensional materials, which feature many superlative properties, have the potential to advance these technologies, but creating 2-D devices with both good electrical contacts and stable performance has proved challenging.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Eyes in the sky project will show power plant pollution marks
Air pollution is responsible for millions of deaths every year, worldwide. According to a State of Global Air report, air pollution is the fifth greatest global mortality risk.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers unravel mechanisms that control cell size
Working with bacteria, a multidisciplinary team at the University of California San Diego has provided new insight into a longstanding question in science: What are the underlying mechanisms that control the size of cells?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Earthquake in 2009 intensified American Samoa's rising sea levels
The 2009, magnitude-8.1 Samoa earthquake dealt a great deal of damage to the Samoan Islands: Tsunami waves as high as 14 meters (46 feet) wiped out multiple villages, claiming nearly 200 lives and severely damaging water and electrical systems.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Changes in subsistence hunting threaten local food security
Scientists with the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and WCS Ecuador Program publishing in the journal BioTropica say that subsistence hunting in Neotropical rain forests—the mainstay of local people as a source of protein and a direct connection to these ecosystems—is in jeopardy from a variety of factors.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Partial breast irradiation effective treatment option for low-risk breast cancer
Partial breast irradiation produces similar long-term survival rates and risk for recurrence compared with whole breast irradiation for many women with low-risk, early stage breast cancer, according to new clinical data from a national clinical trial involving researchers from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC—James).
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New laws of robotics needed to tackle AI: expert
Decades after Isaac Asimov first wrote his laws for robots, their ever-expanding role in our lives requires a radical new set of rules, legal and AI expert Frank Pasquale warned on Thursday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
EasyJet losses deepen in first half
British low-cost airline EasyJet said Friday that first-half net losses more than quadrupled due to "tough" market conditions and high fuel costs.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Mercedes want to abandon combustion engines by 2039
German giant Mercedes-Benz said Monday it wants to stop selling traditional combustion engine cars by 2039 and plans for its new vehicles sold worldwide by that time to be carbon-neutral.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Baidu posts first quarterly loss since IPO, top exec quits
Chinese internet giant Baidu has posted its first quarterly loss since going public in 2005, and the head of its core search business resigned as the company struggles to grow sales.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
'Foldable' PC? Lenovo ThinkPad laptop screen bends in half like a book
Samsung has gained a lot attention lately for its Galaxy Fold hybrid smartphone/tablet, though given the recent display snags that have prompted a delay in the product's release, not necessarily for all the right reasons.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Team develops EHR-based social needs screener to improve patient outcomes
Boston Medical Center (BMC) has implemented a social determinants of health screener for primary care patients in order to better identify and address patients' unmet social needs. Clinician researchers developed the electronic health record-based (EHR) model, THRIVE, which facilitates an automatic print out of referral information for resources based at the hospital and in the community when the patient asks for help with a need they have identified in the screener. The hospital's work, published in Medical Care, demonstrates an innovative systematic model that can help clinicians better address the social needs of patients to improve their overall health.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday, 16 May 2019
Flexibility of working memory from random connections
A new article in Neuron from Princeton University neuroscientists Flora Bouchacourt and Tim Buschman presents a new model of working memory.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Pinterest reports smaller 1Q loss but guidance drags stock
Pinterest, fresh off its initial public offering, posted a loss for the first three months of the year that was larger than analysts were expecting, though revenue was slightly stronger. Its revenue outlook, though, was below expectations and its shares slumped in after-hours trading.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Galaxy blazes with new stars born from close encounter
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has taken a new look at the spectacular irregular galaxy NGC 4485, which has been warped and wound by its larger galactic neighbour. The gravity of the second galaxy has disrupted the ordered collection of stars, gas and dust, giving rise to an erratic region of newborn, hot, blue stars and chaotic clumps and streams of dust and gas.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Protecting rare species can benefit human life
Preserving rare species for the sake of global biodiversity has long been the primary focus for conservationists.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
When science and politics collide: Support for enhancing FDA independence
Earlier this year, twin papers authored by seven former Food and Drug Administration commissioners, published by Health Affairs and the Aspen Institute on the same day, suggested that the FDA should become an independent agency.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Study finds higher risk of stroke-linked plaque in men, possible test for women
Men are more likely than women to develop unstable plaques in their neck arteries, a dangerous condition that can lead to strokes, according to new research that also identified a helpful warning sign for rupture-prone plaques in women.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Chemists ID possible addiction-free pain reliever
An estimated 1.7 million Americans suffer from substance abuse disorders related to opioid use for pain relief, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This causes an economic burden of more than $78 billion per year in health care and addiction treatment costs, as well as loss of worker productivity and increased criminal activity. In 2017, more than 47,000 people died as a result of drug abuse involving opioids and related drugs.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New security flaw in Intel chips could affect millions
Intel has revealed another hardware security flaw that could affects millions of machines around the world.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Same computer password for the last 10 years? You might need a vibrating cybernudge
Technology used in exercise and lifestyle apps may hold the key to answering that most difficult of challenges—getting people to change their passwords and better protect their online privacy and data.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A multi-scale body-part mask guided attention network for person re-identification
Person re-identification entails the automated identification of the same person in multiple images from different cameras and with different backgrounds, angles or positions. Despite recent advances in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), person re-identification remains a highly challenging task, particularly due to the many variations in a person's pose, as well as other differences associated with lighting, occlusion, misalignment and background clutter.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Have you got the right personality for Facebook?
How do personality traits affect one's use of the online social networking site, Facebook? That is the question researchers from Greece hope to answer in a paper in the International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising. The team surveyed 367 university students and analysed their answers concerning Facebook with the backdrop of different personality traits: extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Officials in US, Europe charge 10 in malware attacks
Ten people have been charged in connection with malicious software attacks that infected tens of thousands of computers and caused more than $100 million in financial losses, U.S. and European authorities announced Thursday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Drilling the seabed below Earth's most powerful ocean current
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is the planet's most powerful and arguably most important. It is the only one to flow clear around the globe without getting diverted by any landmass, sending up to 150 times the flow of all the world's rivers clockwise around the frozen continent. It connects all the other oceans, and is thought to play a key role in regulating natural climate swings that have repeatedly swept the earth for millions of years. But much is still not known about how it works, including how it might now respond to human-induced climate change.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Protecting children's data privacy in the smart city
The devices that we use have unique identifiers. With cross-browser fingerprinting, the data we generate as users isn't as anonymized as we believe it is. The tracking of our online activity is extensive, comprehensive and persistent, and generates marketable data shadows that do not need our personal information in order to target us as consumers.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
HIV outbreak sparks panic in southern Pakistan
Parents nervously watch as their children wait to be tested for HIV in a village in southern Pakistan, where hundreds of people have been allegedly infected by a doctor using a contaminated syringe.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
China blocks all language editions of Wikipedia
Beijing has broadened its block of online encyclopedia Wikipedia to include all language editions, an internet censorship research group reported just weeks ahead of China's most politically explosive anniversary.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
First smartphone app that can hear ear infections in children
Ear infections are the most common reason that parents bring their children to a pediatrician, according to the National Institutes of Health.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
'Striking' differences in rates of HIV/AIDS within African nations
Despite the rapid scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) since 2000, HIV/AIDS is still the most common cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa, according to data from the Global Burden of Disease.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Atlas is rockstar cross-stepper over tricky terrain
Robot enthusiasts were sending up cheers this month to the team advancing Atlas into an even more human-like walker through obstacles including a bunch of cinder blocks and a balance beam. They have turned Atlas into the very credible hulk, who wins the spotlight with its display of walking, which was recorded May 1.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
As bumblebee diets narrow, ours could too
There has been a lot of buzz about honeybees' failing health because they pollinate our produce. Less well known is how critical bumblebees are for some of our favorite foods. And their numbers are also rapidly declining.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Artificial intelligence shines light on the dark web
Beneath the surface web, the public form of the internet you use daily to check email or read news articles, exists a concealed "dark web." Host to anonymous, password-protected sites, the dark web is where criminal marketplaces thrive in the advertising and selling of weapons, drugs, and trafficked persons. Law enforcement agencies work continuously to stop these activities, but the challenges they face in investigating and prosecuting the real-world people behind the users who post on these sites are tremendous.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
What's causing your vertigo? Goggles may help with diagnosis
Vertigo is a form of severe dizziness that can result in a loss of balance, a feeling of falling, trouble walking or standing, or nausea. There is more than one type of vertigo, each with a different cause, and sometimes requiring different treatment. Now a proof-of-concept study has found that special goggles that measure eye movements during an episode of vertigo may help more accurately diagnose which type of vertigo a person has. The study is published in the May 15, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Calling attention to gender bias dramatically changes course evaluations
With growing evidence of gender bias on student course evaluations, a new intervention developed by Iowa State University researchers may help reduce bias against women instructors.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Curbing a skin oil might help curb acne, study suggests
Acne is the bane of many teens, and even some adults. Now, researchers say they might have hit on a new approach to easing the condition.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Video: Fly over Mount Sharp on Mars
Ever wanted to visit Mars? A new animated video shows what it would be like to soar over Mount Sharp, which NASA's Curiosity rover has been climbing since 2014.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
How to tell whether machine-learning systems are robust enough for the real world
MIT researchers have devised a method for assessing how robust machine-learning models known as neural networks are for various tasks, by detecting when the models make mistakes they shouldn't.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New strategy of reprogramming regulatory T cells may improve cancer therapies
While therapies that harness the power of the immune system against cancer have made remarkable progress against certain types of tumors, they still remain ineffective in most cancer patients. A new study from the Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases (CIID) at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) describes a method of reprogramming the regulatory T cells that usually suppress immune responses into inflammatory cells that not only permit but also intensify an antitumor immune response. Their paper is receiving advance online release in Nature.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tencent profit climbs as it emerges from gaming quagmire
Chinese internet giant Tencent said Wednesday net profit soared nearly 17 percent in the first quarter as the company appeared set to emerge from the battering it received from Beijing's crackdown on gaming.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
CDC: Racial disparity seen with lupus-related deaths
(HealthDay)—Mortality from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is significantly higher among blacks, according to research published in the May 10 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Stop gambling with black box and explainable models on high-stakes decisions
As the buzzwords "machine learning" continue to grow in popularity, more industries are turning to computer algorithms to answer important questions, including high-stakes fields such as healthcare, finance and criminal justice. While this trend can lead to major improvements in these realms, it can also lead to major problems when the machine learning algorithm is a so-called "black box."
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Teachers grapple with climate change: 'A pretty scary topic'
When science teacher Diana Allen set out to teach climate change, a subject she'd never learned in school, she fell into a rabbit's hole of misinformation: Many resources presented online as educational material were actually junk.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday, 14 May 2019
Researchers find way to build potassium-oxygen batteries that last longer
Researchers have built a more efficient, more reliable potassium-oxygen battery, a step toward a potential solution for energy storage on the nation's power grid and longer-lasting batteries in cell phones and laptops.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
WhatsApp discovers spyware that infected with a call alone
Spyware crafted by a sophisticated group of hackers-for-hire took advantage of a flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program to remotely hijack dozens of phones, the company said late Monday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
This may be why slashing salt lowers blood pressure
Slash sodium from your diet. That's the advice inevitably given to everyone.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sunday, 12 May 2019
More than a scent: Cyprus promoting its perfume past
Before Cyprus gained fame as the mythical birthplace of the goddess of love Aphrodite nearly three millennia ago, Cyprus was known around the Mediterranean for its perfumes, scents that the mighty queens of Egypt coveted.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Making a case for robotic objects as anger outlets
Coochi coo. Robots have undergone impressive designs and engineering for social use, manifested in puppy-like robots with expressive, blinking eyes, to little space robots. These little pals and helpers appeal to the home-confined elderly and children. These are social robots designed to understand and respond to cues.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Elon Musk cracks a lewd joke at Jeff Bezos' new 'Blue Moon' lander
The moon lander introduced Thursday by Blue Origin, the aerospace company run by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, has caught the attention of Elon Musk.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Saturday, 11 May 2019
37 spotted seal pups rescued from China traffickers released
Animal rights groups have cheered the release of 37 spotted seal pups rescued from traffickers into the wild in northern China.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New recommendations developed for breast cancer screening
(HealthDay)—New recommendations have been developed for breast cancer screening based on a life-years-gained model; the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) official statement was published online May 3.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Norwegian woman dies of rabies after rescuing Filipino puppy
A 24 year-old Norwegian woman died this week of rabies, after she was bitten by a puppy she rescued while on vacation in the Philippines, her family announced.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Lab builds autopilot software allowing UAVs to soar on thermals
A Navy scientist has re-engineered the software that allows long-endurance drones to powerlessly climb into the sky on bubbles of warm air.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Scientists introduce novel perspective in robotic capability
University of Illinois researcher Amy LaViers has introduced a new point of view from which to observe robotic capabilities in her paper, "Counts of Mechanical, External Configurations Compared to Computational, Internal Configurations in Natural and Artificial Systems," published today in PLOS ONE, a leading interdisciplinary research journal.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
The race is on to cultivate a seaweed that slashes greenhouse emission from cows, other livestock
Those concerned with climate change may soon feel less compunction about biting into a cheeseburger.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Manipulating superconductivity using a 'mechanic' and an 'electrician'
In strongly correlated materials such as cuprate high-temperature superconductors, superconductivity can be controlled either by changing the number of electrons or by changing the kinetic energy, or transfer energy, of electrons in the system. Although a large number of strongly correlated materials have been examined with different parameters to understand the mechanism of superconductivity, the range of parameter control is always limited. A versatile experimental method to achieve simultaneous control of the number and the transfer energy of the electrons has been long desired.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Nanotubes enable travel of Huntington's protein
A toxic protein linked to Huntington's disease can move from neuron to neuron through a nanotube tunnel whose construction is initiated by a protein called Rhes, say scientists at Scripps Research.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
NASA Northern quadrant strength in Tropical Cyclone Lili
NASA's Aqua satellite used infrared light to analyze the strength of storms in Tropical Cyclone Lili as it moved through the Southern Indian Ocean. Infrared data provides temperature information, and the strongest thunderstorms that reach high into the atmosphere have the coldest cloud top temperatures.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Box of Pain: A new tracer and fault injector for distributed systems
In computer science, distributed systems are systems with components located on different devices, which communicate with one another. While these systems have become increasingly common, they are typically filled with bugs.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Doctors aware of patient difficulties affording medical care
(HealthDay)—Physicians are aware of patients' difficulty with affording medical care and consider out-of-pocket costs in their decision making, according to an article published in a supplement to the May 7 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Cover up! Don't soak up those sun rays
(HealthDay)—Only half of Americans routinely protect themselves from the sun when outdoors, a recent American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) survey found.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
An approach for securing audio classification against adversarial attacks
Adversarial audio attacks are small perturbations that are not perceivable by humans and are intentionally added to audio signals to impair the performance of machine learning (ML) models. These attacks raise serious concerns about the security of ML models, as they can cause them to make mistakes and ultimately generate wrong predictions.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Turkey fines Facebook for failing to protect personal data
Turkey's state-run news agency says the country's data protection agency has fined Facebook 1.650 million Turkish lira ($270,000) for contravening data laws.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Hong Kong to cull 6,000 pigs as first swine fever case found
Hong Kong will cull 6,000 pigs after African swine fever was detected in an animal at a slaughterhouse close to the border with China, the first case of the disease in the densely populated financial hub.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A surprising experiment opens the path to new particle manipulation methods
Researchers at Aalto University have discovered a surprising phenomenon that changes how we think about how sound can move particles. Their experiment is based on a famous experiment recognisable from high school science classrooms worldwide—the Chlandni Plate experiment, where particles move on a vibrating surface. The experiment was first performed in 1787 by Ernst Chladni, who is now known as the father of acoustics. Chladni's experiment showed that when a plate is vibrating at a certain frequency, heavy particles move towards the regions with less vibration, called nodal lines. This experiment has been extensively repeated during the centuries since, and has shaped the common understanding of how heavy particles move on a vibrating plate. But researchers at Aalto University have now shown a case where heavy particles move towards the regions with more vibrations, or antinodes. "This is a surprising result, almost a contradiction to common beliefs," says Professor Quan Zhou.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Pixel 3a vs. Pixel 3: Great camera for the price makes Google's $399 phone the better buy
Google's launch Tuesday of the $399 Pixel 3a and $479 Pixel 3a XL smartphones only seven months after the release of the pricier Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL handsets likely has you asking: "Why would I want to spend at least $400 more for Google's premium flagships, when these latest mid-priced devices offer so many overlapping features?"
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Friday, 10 May 2019
Researchers discover the Achilles' heel of an aggressive brain cancer
Glioblastoma is the most prevalent and also the most lethal type of brain tumour in adults, with no curative treatment currently available. Glioblastomas cannot be surgically completely excised, as the tumour cells are adept at invading tissues and spreading around the brain. In addition, glioblastoma cells are extremely resistant to existing drug therapies.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Rideshare firms have snarled up San Francisco: study
The ride-hailing era ushered in by Uber and Lyft once promised to complement public transit, reduce car ownership and alleviate congestion.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A face-following robot arm with emotion detection
Researchers at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) have recently developed a face-following robotic arm with emotion detection inspired by Pixar Animation Studios' Luxo Jr. lamp. This robot was presented by Vernon Stanley Albayeros Duarte, a computer science graduate at UAB, in his final thesis.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Homemade mayonnaise made easy
(HealthDay)—An immersion blender is one of the handiest tools you can have in the kitchen. Not only does it let you whip up a soup or sauce in seconds, it stores easily in a drawer.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Dyson driving towards all-terrain electric car
James Dyson, famed for his vacuum cleaners, hinted Thursday that his electric car would be more energy efficient than rivals—and with "very large wheels" for city and rough-terrain driving.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Using AI to predict breast cancer and personalize care
Despite major advances in genetics and modern imaging, the diagnosis catches most breast cancer patients by surprise. For some, it comes too late. Later diagnosis means aggressive treatments, uncertain outcomes, and more medical expenses. As a result, identifying patients has been a central pillar of breast cancer research and effective early detection.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Working to the beat: How music can make us more productive
Music makes us happy. Listening to music produces dopamine—nature's happy pill—in the brain. And music also makes us sad. Listening to Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle," Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt" or just about anything by Hank Williams produces tears. In fact, music can evoke every emotion known to man.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Trial remedies racial disparities in treatment for early-stage lung and breast cancer patients
Results from a study published in the Journal of the National Medical Association show that a pragmatic system-based intervention within cancer treatment centers can nearly eliminate existing disparities in treatment and outcomes for black patients with early-stage lung and breast cancer. The treatment completion rates before this intervention were 87.3 percent for white patients versus 79.8 percent for black patients. With the intervention in place, treatment completion climbed to 89.5 percent for white patients and 88.4 percent for black patients.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
How much protein do you need for weight loss and muscle growth?
(HealthDay)—Low-carb, vegetarian, Mediterranean—whatever your diet, it's important to get enough protein.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
HIV prevention drug can curb the epidemic for high-risk groups in India
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a combination drug used to prevent HIV infection, has already gained significant traction in the U.S. and Europe. The once-a-day pill, when taken consistently, can reduce the risk of HIV acquisition by over 85 percent. A new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases by an international research team suggests that making PrEP available to men who have sex with men (MSM) and people who inject drugs (PWID) in India may be a cost-effective way of curbing the epidemic there.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New progress in developing an animal model of hepatitis C
Small differences in a liver cell protein have significant impacts on hepatitis C virus replication in mice and humans, findings that could facilitate the development of a mouse model of the infection. The report, led by researchers at Princeton University, was published today in the journal eLife.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
UK reaches jolly good milestone in days without coal
The UK has gone more than five days without burning coal, the longest streak without burning the fuel since the Industrial Revolution, said Bloomberg. It breaks the previous record from earlier this year, a total of 90 hours.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Replanting oil palm may be driving a second wave of biodiversity loss
The environmental impact of palm oil production has been well publicised. Found in everything from food to cosmetics, the deforestation, ecosystem decline and biodiversity loss associated with its use is a serious cause for concern.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A friction reduction system for deformable robotic fingertips
Researchers at Kanazawa University have recently developed a friction reduction system based on a lubricating effect, which could have interesting soft robotics applications. Their system, presented in a paper published in Taylor & Francis' Advanced Robotics journal, could aid the development of robots that can efficiently manipulate objects under both dry and wet conditions.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Road test proves adaptive cruise control can add to traffic jam problem
A new, open-road test of adaptive cruise control demonstrated that the feature, designed to make driving easier by continuously adjusting a vehicle's speed in response to the car ahead, doesn't yet solve the problem of phantom traffic jams.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Just add water: Salt battery could help renewable energy use
Amid the hum and heat of Berlin's Reuter thermal power station stands a shining contraption that looks out of place in the decades-old machine hall.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Whole body MRI may help to detect spread of cancers more quickly
Trials with people with newly-diagnosed colorectal and non-small cell lung cancer suggest that whole body MRI could reduce the time it takes to diagnose the stage of cancers. The results are from two prospective trials with nearly 500 patients across 16 UK hospitals, published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology and The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journals.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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