Friday 6 May 2022

Was this hyena a distant ancestor of today's termite-eating aardwolf?

Of the hundred or so known species of hyena—living and extinct—that stalked the earth, all have been meat eaters or omnivores except one, the aardwolf, which, mysteriously, eats termites.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/was-this-hyena-a-distant-ancestor-of-todays-termite-eating-aardwolf

Arrhythmia mapping technology demonstrates positive clinical results

Bioengineers and cardiologists from the University of California San Diego invented a technology that can accurately and noninvasively map atrial and ventricular heart arrhythmias in a matter of minutes. The technology, developed by Vektor Medical Inc., a company co-founded by UC San Diego faculty, demonstrated 97.3% accuracy in a clinical validation study, and recently received FDA clearance.

'Spot the difference' to help reveal Rosetta image secrets

Today, ESA and the Zooniverse launch Rosetta Zoo, a citizen science project that invites volunteers to engage in a cosmic game of "spot the difference." By browsing through pictures collected by ESA's Rosetta mission, you can help scientists figure out how a comet's surface evolves as it swings around the Sun.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/spot-the-difference-to-help-reveal-rosetta-image-secrets

Self-propelled, endlessly programmable artificial cilia

For years, scientists have been attempting to engineer tiny, artificial cilia for miniature robotic systems that can perform complex motions, including bending, twisting, and reversing. Building these smaller-than-a-human-hair microstructures typically requires multi-step fabrication processes and varying stimuli to create the complex movements, limiting their wide-scale applications.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/self-propelled-endlessly-programmable-artificial-cilia

'Stressed' cells offer clues to eliminating build-up of toxic proteins in dementia

It's often said that a little stress can be good for you. Now scientists have shown that the same may be true for cells, uncovering a newly-discovered mechanism that might help prevent the build-up of tangles of proteins commonly seen in dementia.

No health benefits among adults who used both e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes

People who use both traditional (combustible) cigarettes and e-cigarettes do not reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease compared to people who exclusively use traditional cigarettes, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship, peer-reviewed journal Circulation.