Ready for iPhone 13? Apple to host its next hardware event September 14

Fans of the iPhone, mark your calendars.

Mix of curiosity, concern, as El Salvador adopts bitcoin currency

Salvadorans queued Wednesday at some of the dozens of bitcoin teller machines erected around the country that has made history by adopting a cryptocurrency as legal tender.

Bitcoin in El Salvador: How will it work?

El Salvador on Tuesday became the first country to use bitcoin as legal tender, alongside the US dollar. But how will it work?

Sydney floats pub promise to boost jab rate

Locked-down Sydney residents could enjoy a beer at the pub as soon as next month if the double-dose vaccination rate hits 70 percent, under an official "roadmap to freedom" released on Thursday.

Nerve disorder listed as 'very rare' side effect of AstraZeneca jab

The European Medicines Agency has listed the neurological disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can cause temporary paralysis, as a "very rare" side effect of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

Can kids get 'long COVID' after coronavirus infections?

Can kids get "long COVID" after coronavirus infections?

Japan to extend virus emergency until end of month

Japan announced Thursday it is extending a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and 18 other areas until the end of September as health care systems remain under severe strain, although new infections have slowed slightly.

Soft components for the next generation of soft robotics

Soft robots driven by pressurized fluids could explore new frontiers and interact with delicate objects in ways that traditional rigid robots can't. But building entirely soft robots remains a challenge because many of the components required to power these devices are, themselves, rigid.

Marine Protected Area status can boost fish populations by almost 400%

Protecting areas of the ocean and coastlines with "whole-site" Marine Protected Area (MPA) status can result in four-fold increases in the abundance and diversity of fish populations, a new study has shown.

Low-poverty US communities may eliminate cervical cancer by 2030 but high-poverty communities may lag behind

A predictive model estimated that cervical cancer may be virtually eliminated in the United States by 2030 in communities with low poverty rates, but not until 2044 in communities with high poverty rates, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Iron supplements not linked to cognitive improvements for kids

A study in rural Bangladesh has concluded that preventive iron treatment has no impact on young children's development.

'MRI' scan reveals spectacular ice age landscapes beneath the North Sea

Spectacular ice age landscapes beneath the North Sea have been discovered using 3D seismic reflection technology. Similar to MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) the images reveal in unprecedented detail huge seafloor channels—each one 10 times wider than the River Thames.

Have COVID-19 lockdowns affected passion and intimacy in relationships?

In a study of dating and married couples in India who were surveyed before and after India's COVID-19 lockdown, relationship satisfaction, love, intimacy, and passion were significantly lower post-lockdown compared with pre-lockdown.

Trends in aortic valve replacement among patients with dementia

For patients who have a narrowed aortic valve that fails to open properly, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a less invasive alternative to open surgical valve replacement. In a recent analysis published in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that examined Medicare data from 2010 to 2016, rates of aortic valve replacement in individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias increased over time, largely driven by the use of TAVR.

Administrative tasks related to healthcare create burdens for U.S. patients

A new study published in Health Services Research found that many U.S. patients are burdened by administrative tasks related to their medical care. Such administrative tasks include appointment scheduling, obtaining information from an insurer or provider, obtaining prior authorizations, resolving insurance or provider billing issues, and resolving insurance premium problems.

Is the nature of academic research changing?

An analysis in Learned Publishing indicates that the number of academic research articles using surveys and questionnaires has dramatically risen in the past 20 years; however, the quality of some of these articles (and therefore the research) may be in doubt.

Can medical marijuana effectively treat childhood epilepsy?

Following media reports of children with epilepsies reportedly deriving benefits from medical marijuana (or cannabis-based medicinal products) accessed abroad, the UK government allowed clinicians to prescribe these products. A review published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology explores the science behind cannabis-based medicinal products in pediatric epilepsies and highlights areas that warrant additional research.

New insights on sleep problems in older adults with chronic diseases

In a study of 120 older adults in southern Taiwan who had chronic diseases, 45.8% of participants experienced sleep problems.

Do choices related to breast reconstruction after mastectomy affect women's long-term perceptions of body image?

Results from a study published in Psycho-Oncology suggest that women with breast cancer recover from negative impacts of mastectomy on body image within four years of surgery, whether they have immediate, delayed, or no breast reconstruction.

A platelet-mediated, beneficial allergic response protects against yeast asthma

We think of asthma and other allergic diseases as unnecessary aberrant immune responses that do more harm than good. However, new evidence by an international team led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine shows that some allergic reactions provide necessary protection against highly invasive and potentially lethal infectious agents, such as yeast.