Since the earliest days of virtual chess and solitaire, video games have been a playing field for developing artificial intelligence (AI). Each victory of machine against human has helped make algorithms smarter and more efficient. But in order to tackle real world problems—such as automating complex tasks including driving and negotiation—these algorithms must navigate more complex environments than board games, and learn teamwork. Teaching AI how to work and interact with other players to succeed had been an insurmountable task—until now.
* This article was originally published here
Friday, 31 May 2019
'Slothbot' takes a leisurely approach to environmental monitoring
For environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, infrastructure maintenance and certain security applications, slow and energy efficient can be better than fast and always needing a recharge. That's where "SlothBot" comes in.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
Flexible generators turn movement into energy
Wearable devices that harvest energy from movement are not a new idea, but a material created at Rice University may make them more practical.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Simplifying soft robots
A soft robot developed by researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) could pave the way to fully untethered robots for space exploration, search and rescue systems, biomimetics, medical surgery, rehabilitation and more.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Patent talk: Apple has foldables, durability on its mind
Fact of life: Consumers chase the new and shiny, at least enough of them to justify constant trade-ins and barely necessary purchases.
* 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
New organic flow battery brings decomposing molecules back to life
After years of making progress on an organic aqueous flow battery, Harvard University researchers ran into a problem: the organic anthraquinone molecules that powered their ground-breaking battery were slowly decomposing over time, reducing the long-term usefulness of the battery.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
U.S. Postal Service mail, packages are headed to Dallas by self-driving truck
Before letters end up in your mailbox and packages land on your doorstep, many travel hundreds or thousands of miles in the back of a truck. Now, the United States Postal Service is testing what it would take to shuttle that cargo without a driver in the front seat.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Community impacts from extreme weather shape climate beliefs
Recent studies have suggested that people who experience the impacts of hurricanes, catastrophic flooding or other severe weather events are more likely to believe in, and be concerned about, climate change in the wake of the disaster.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
An approach to enhance machine learning explanations
Researchers at IBM Research UK, the U.S. Military Academy and Cardiff University have recently proposed a new approach to improve the sensitivity of LIME (Local Interpretable Model Agnostic Explanations), a technique for attaining a better understanding ofthe 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
New mail and messaging tools expected for iPhones, WWDC
New iPhones won't be out until the fall. But Monday, we'll get a sneak peek at what new features Apple has planned for us, not just for the next models but recent iPhones and iPads as well.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Hyphens in paper titles harm citation counts and journal impact factors
According to the latest research results, the presence of simple hyphens in the titles of academic papers adversely affects the citation statistics, regardless of the quality of the articles. The phenomenon applies to all major subject areas. Thus, citation counts and journal impact factors, commonly used for professorial evaluations in universities worldwide, are unreliable.
* 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
New records show spread of parasitic deer flies across the U.S.
With flattened bodies, grabbing forelegs and deciduous wings, deer keds do not look like your typical fly. These parasites of deer—which occasionally bite humans—are more widely distributed across the U.S. than previously thought, according to Penn State entomologists, who caution that deer keds may transmit disease-causing bacteria.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
What does the public think about corporate responsibility?
What is the public's opinion when it comes to the responsibility of Swiss companies abroad? ETH researchers have investigated this question and are able to show that there is a great deal of support for the so-called Responsible Business Initiative.
* 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
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
Experiments and calculations allow examination of boron's complicated dance
Work opens a path to precise calculations of the structure of other nuclei.
* 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
Thursday, 30 May 2019
Combination of three gene mutations results in deadly human heart disease
Congenital heart disease occurs in up to 1% of live births, and the infants who are affected may require multiple surgeries, life-long medication, or heart transplants. In many patients, the exact cause of congenital heart disease is unknown. While it is becoming increasingly clear that these heart defects can be caused by genetic mutations, it is not well understood which genes are involved and how they interact. Genetic mutations, also called genetic variants, can also cause poor heart function, but the type and severity of dysfunction varies widely even among those with the same mutation.
* 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
Exposure to airborne metal pollution associated with increased risk of mortality
Although there is ample evidence that air pollution—specifically airborne particulate matter—is associated with an increased risk of premature death, it is still not known which specific particles are responsible for this effect. The Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a research centre supported by "la Caixa," participated in a study that used wild moss samples to estimate human exposure to airborne metal particles in order to analyse the relationship between atmospheric metal pollution and risk of mortality.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
James Webb Space Telescope emerges successfully from final thermal vacuum test
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has successfully cleared another critical testing milestone, taking this ambitious observatory one step closer to its 2021 launch. The spacecraft has gone through its final thermal vacuum test meant to ensure that its hardware will function electronically in the vacuum of space, and withstand the extreme temperature variations it will encounter on its mission.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Defense against wireless attacks using a deep neural network and game theory
A growing number of devices are now connected to the internet and are capable of collecting, sending and receiving data. This interconnection between devices, referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), poses serious security threats, as cyberattackers can now target computers and smartphones, but also a vast array of other devices, such as tablets, smart watches, smart home systems, transportation systems and so on.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
Wednesday, 29 May 2019
Hip fracture linked to increased risk for death in T2DM patients
(HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes, hip fracture is associated with an increased risk for death, according to a study published online May 21 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
737 MAX jet grounded for at least 10-12 more weeks: IATA
The global aviation association IATA expects Boeing's troubled 737 MAX 8 plane to remain grounded for at least 10 to 12 more weeks, director general Alexandre de Juniac said Wednesday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Mass die-off of puffins recorded in the Bering Sea
A mass die-off of seabirds in the Bering Sea may be partially attributable to climate change, according to a new study publishing May 29 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Timothy Jones of the citizen science program COASST at University of Washington, Lauren Divine from the Aleut Community of St Paul Island Ecosystem Conservation Office, and colleagues. The birds appeared to have died from the effects of starvation.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Analyzing a protein from cerebrospinal fluid will help diagnose patients with prion diseases
Every year in Catalonia 15 new cases of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease are diagnosed. It is a deadly prion disease whose cause is unknown and has no treatment, though it is very similar to mad cow disease, also brought on by prions and otherwise known as CJD variant. The challenge has always been to diagnose prion diseases when a person or an animal is suffering from them, since currently the definitive diagnosis can only be made once the patient is dead.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday, 28 May 2019
Could the Stanley Cup spread disease?
A lot of traditions have developed around the Stanley Cup since it was first awarded to hockey champions in 1893. One of those traditions is for members of the winning team to drink from the Cup, which raises the question: could the Stanley Cup spread disease?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
German prosecutors raid Porsche in corruption probe
Prosecutors in Stuttgart said they raided German sports car maker and Volkswagen subsidiary Porsche on Tuesday on suspicion that an auditor was bribed to pass information to the company's tax advisor.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Monday, 27 May 2019
NASA's Mars 2020 gets a dose of space here on Earth
NASA's Mars 2020 spacecraft has completed acoustic and thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The acoustic test of the spacecraft that will carry the Mars 2020 rover to a soft touchdown in Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021, is the best Earthly approximation for what the spacecraft will endure during launch, where it will encounter potentially destructive levels of sound and vibration. TVAC introduces the vacuum and extreme temperatures of space that could cause components to malfunction or fail.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
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
Sunday, 26 May 2019
LG will smarten home appliances with eyes and ears
LG has made news headlines recently because now it has its own artificial intelligence chip. LG is out to impress with its own chip for smart home products—to make them even smarter.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A gut check for heart failure patients
Heart failure patients who consume more dietary fibre tend to have healthier gut bacteria, which is associated with reduced risk of death or need of a heart transplant. The fibre study was 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
In vaping response, schools mull treatment with discipline
A glimpse of student athletes in peak physical condition vaping just moments after a competing in a football game led Stamford High School Principal Raymond Manka to reconsider his approach to the epidemic.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Lonely patients with heart failure least likely to follow treatment recommendations
Less than 10% of heart failure patients comply with advice on salt and fluid restrictions, daily weighing, and physical activity, reports 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
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
Soil communities threatened by destruction, instability of Amazon forests
The clearing and subsequent instability of Amazonian forests are among the greatest threats to tropical biodiversity conservation today.
* 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
Dead roots, not just waves, account for marsh losses in gulf
A new Duke University-led study finds that the death of marsh plants due to disturbances like the heavy oiling from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill can double the rate of shoreline erosion in hard-hit marshes.
* 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
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
Close encounters? SpaceX satellites spark Dutch UFO frenzy
A Dutch website set up to record UFO sightings was flooded early Saturday with reports after a "train of stars" was spotted crossing the Netherlands' skies, sparking fears of an alien invasion.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Engineers create a simple test that can measure stress hormones in sweat, blood, urine or saliva
Stress is often called "the silent killer" because of its stealthy and mysterious effects on everything from heart disease to mental health.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Rare iron oxide could be combined with 2-D materials for electronic, spintronic devices
Rice University researchers have simplified the synthesis of a unique, nearly two-dimensional form of iron oxide with strong magnetic properties that is easy to stack atop other 2-D materials.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Vertical plating offers benefit for mandibular body fractures
(HealthDay)—For treatment of mandibular body fractures, vertical plating offers equal or greater resistance to torsional forces and is associated with reduced incidence of postoperative complications and operative time, according to a study published online May 23 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Google Glass struck out for masses but enterprise class has takers
My, have we grown. All eyes are on the Glass Enterprise Edition 2. with its hardware update and new frames. Google Glass has come a long way since its debut in 2013. As Scott Stein in CNET quipped, "You might remember Glass as a strange 2013 footnote."
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Renault in team-up talks with Fiat Chrysler: reports
French carmaker Renault is in talks with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles with the long-term prize a world-leading alliance including Japan's Nissan and Mitsubishi, reports say.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
'Neural Lander' uses AI to land drones smoothly
Landing multi-rotor drones smoothly is difficult. Complex turbulence is created by the airflow from each rotor bouncing off the ground as the ground grows ever closer during a descent. This turbulence is not well understood nor is it easy to compensate for, particularly for autonomous drones. That is why takeoff and landing are often the two trickiest parts of a drone flight. Drones typically wobble and inch slowly toward a landing until power is finally cut, and they drop the remaining distance to the ground.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Saturday, 25 May 2019
Researchers use 3-D printing to push knowledge of microbial communities
As enthusiasm grows for 3-D printing, hailed by hobbyists and high-tech industry as a new frontier in the creation of custom products, researchers at Montana State University are using the technology for another purpose: studying bacteria.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Friday, 24 May 2019
Hubble spies curious galaxy moving a little closer
This Hubble image stars Messier 90, a beautiful spiral galaxy located roughly 60 million light-years from the Milky Way in the constellation of Virgo (the Virgin). The galaxy is part of the Virgo Cluster, a gathering of galaxies that is over 1,200 strong.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Comet inspires chemistry for making breathable oxygen on Mars
Science fiction stories are chock full of terraforming schemes and oxygen generators for a very good reason—we humans need molecular oxygen (O2) to breathe, and space is essentially devoid of it. Even on other planets with thick atmospheres, O2 is hard to come by.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday, 23 May 2019
Aftershocks of 1959 earthquake rocked Yellowstone in 2017-18
On Aug. 17, 1959, back when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president, the U.S. had yet to send a human to space and the nation's flag sported 49 stars, Yellowstone National Park shook violently for about 30 seconds. The shock was strong enough to drop the ground a full 20 feet in some places. It toppled the dining room fireplace in the Old Faithful Inn. Groundwater swelled up and down in wells as far away as Hawaii. Twenty-eight people died. It went down in Yellowstone history as the Hebgen Lake earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.2.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
AlterEgo opens silent spring of computer connections via wearable
OK, we get it. Artificial intelligence experts are on a fast clip from year to year, month to month, showing off what their research can promise. But could it be that we have reached that stage in human-computer interaction, where you can think of a question —— without saying a word— and the machine will respond with the answer?
* 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
Live fast, die young: Study shows tiny fishes fuel coral reefs
Scientists have long sought to understand how coral reefs support such an abundance of fish life despite their location in nutrient-poor waters. According to a new study published May 23 in the journal Science, an unlikely group fuels these communities: tiny, mostly bottom-dwelling creatures called "cryptobenthic" reef fishes.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Video: Could there be life without carbon?
One element is the backbone of all forms of life we've ever discovered on Earth: carbon.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
MobiKa: A low-cost mobile robot that can assist people in a variety of settings
Researchers at Fraunhofer IPA, in Stuttgart, Germany, have recently developed MobiKa, a low-cost, mobile robot capable of two-modal (voice and text) interactions with humans. Their robot, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv, could be particularly useful for assisting elderly people.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Threat or promise? E-auto boom could cost industry jobs
Over 115 years the auto industry in the east German town of Zwickau has lived through wrenching upheavals including World War II and the collapse of communism. Now the city's 90,000 people are plunging headlong into another era of change: top employer Volkswagen's total shift into electric cars at the local plant.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Do physicians properly advise women with dense breasts on cancer risk?
A new study has shown that more than half of physicians—primary care doctors and specialists—may be unaware that dense breasts are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, and nearly half reported not being aware of laws requiring physicians to inform women about mammography-related breast density risks and supplemental screening options. This timely and newsworthy study, which also compared the knowledge and practices of primary care physicians to specialists regarding breast density, is published in Journal of Women's Health.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New Flatland material: Physicists obtain quasi-2D gold
Researchers from the MIPT Center for Photonics and 2-D Materials have synthesized a quasi-2-D gold film, revealing how materials not usually classified as two-dimensional can form atomically thin layers. Published in Advanced Materials Interfaces, the study shows that by using monolayer molybdenum disulfide as an adhesion layer, quasi-2-D gold can be deposited on an arbitrary surface. The team says the resulting ultrathin gold films, which are only several nanometers thick, conduct electricity very well and are useful for flexible and transparent electronics. The finding might contribute to a new class of optical metamaterials with the unique potential to control light.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
CDC: cancer death rates decreased, heart disease deaths rose
(HealthDay)—Cancer death rates declined for adults aged 45 to 64 years from 1999 to 2017, while heart disease death rates decreased to 2011 and then increased, according to the May 22 National Vital Statistics Reports, a publication from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday, 22 May 2019
Early life exposure to nicotine alters neurons, predisposes brain to addiction later
Neonatal exposure to nicotine alters the reward circuity in the brains of newborn mice, increasing their preference for the drug in later adulthood, report researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine in a study published "in press" April 24, 2019 in Biological Psychiatry.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Solving a scientific mystery and finding a solution for industry
In solving a scientific mystery, researchers from the University of Houston and the nation's national laboratories also discovered a new avenue for clearing toxins from water, including wastewater produced by hydraulic fracturing.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
The top 25 medical lab tests around the world
A recent study can help governments understand which diagnostic laboratory tests are most important when developing universal health coverage systems.
* 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
Monday, 20 May 2019
Circadian mechanism may not be driver behind compound linked to obesity and diabetes
SR9009 is a compound that can lead to a wide range of health benefits in animals, including reduced risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Until now, researchers—and companies that sell the compound for human use in the form of a nutraceutical—have attributed the effects to SR9009's role in altering the body's circadian clock, specifically its work through proteins called REV-ERBS that link metabolism and circadian rhythm. However, in a first-of-its-kind study from Penn Medicine, published today in PNAS, researchers found that SR9009 can effect cell growth and metabolic function without the involvement of REV-ERBs.
* 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
SABER tech gives DNA and RNA visualization a boost
Researchers have been using "Fluorescence in situ hybridization" (FISH) analysis for decades to literally fish for specific DNA and RNA sequences in intact cells and tissues within their vast seas of nucleic acid molecules. Because of its ability to light specific sequences up under the microscope at the exact locations at which they reside, FISH has come to be a go-to method in the diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities, investigation of the 3-D organization of genomes in cells' nuclei, analysis of the immediate products of gene expression known as messenger RNAs and more.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
German startup to offer electric air taxis 'by 2025'
German startup firm Lilium announced Thursday the maiden flight of its all-electric pilotless jet-powered 'air taxi' which it hopes to operate in various cities around the world 'by 2025'.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Want to curb your robocall agony? Try these 3 things now
We all hate robocalls and spam calls, but there's an easy solution for answering the phone with ease.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers demonstrate double-lock protection mechanism in crucial cellular switches
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich researchers have used CRISPR technology to probe the mechanisms that guide the developmental trajectories of stem cells in the brain. The results show that crucial cellular switches are doubly protected against unintended activation.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
'Spidey senses' could help autonomous machines see better
What if drones and self-driving cars had the tingling "spidey senses" of Spider-Man?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sunday, 19 May 2019
Toy transformers and real-life whales inspire biohybrid robot
Drawing inspiration from biology and the toy shelf, researchers at Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College and City University of Hong Kong have developed a swimming robot with a light-controlled cellular engine that can perform highly-targeted drug delivery.
* 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
'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
North carolina sues electronic cigarette maker JUUL
(HealthDay)—North Carolina is suing electronic-cigarette manufacturer JUUL for allegedly marketing its products to children and misleading the public about the health risks of the products. This lawsuit is the first filed by a state over JUUL's alleged marketing toward teens, CNN reported.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Eating ultra-processed foods will make you gain weight. Here's the scientific proof
For four weeks, 20 healthy volunteers checked into a research center hospital and were served a variety of tempting meals: cinnamon french toast, stir-fry beef with broccoli and onions, turkey quesadillas and shrimp scampi. Researchers scrutinized everything that was eaten and came away with the first hard evidence to support a long-held suspicion: Heavily processed foods could be a leading factor in America's obesity epidemic.
* 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
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
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
For many HIV+ women, daily survival takes precedence over viral suppression
According to scientists who study women infected with HIV, statistics often paint an impressionist view of the lives of these women that misses the granular detail that tells the real story. The imprecise big picture is that most of this population is doing a good job at suppressing the virus, but facts gathered on the ground show that many struggle with issues of daily living that can make taking a pill to keep HIV at bay difficult.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Manipulating atoms one at a time with an electron beam
The ultimate degree of control for engineering would be the ability to create and manipulate materials at the most basic level, fabricating devices atom by atom with precise control.
* 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
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
FDA approves venetoclax for chronic, small lymphocytic leukemia
(HealthDay)—Venetoclax (VENCLEXTA) has been approved to treat adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Saturday, 18 May 2019
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
Americans increasingly open about mental health
(HealthDay)—Americans are becoming more positive about mental health, although some stigma remains, according to the results of a new poll released by the American Psychological Association (APA).
* 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
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
Museum volunteers discover new species of extinct heron at North Florida fossil site
When the bones of an ancient heron were unearthed at a North Florida fossil site, the find wasn't made by researchers but by two Florida Museum of Natural History volunteers.
* 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
After the Moon, people on Mars by 2033... or 2060
On December 11, 2017, US President Donald Trump signed a directive ordering NASA to prepare to return astronauts to the Moon "followed by human missions to Mars and other destinations."
* 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
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
Sedimentary, dear Johnson: Is NASA looking at the wrong rocks for clues to Martian life?
In 2020, NASA and European-Russian missions will look for evidence of past life on Mars. But while volcanic, igneous rock predominates on the Red Planet, virtually the entire Earth fossil record comes from sedimentary rocks.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
HP Enterprise buying supercomputer star Cray
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) on Friday announced a $1.3 billion deal to buy supercomputer maker Cray, part of a move to expand into data analysis from connected devices .
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
As bitcoin gyrates, less euphoria in evidence at blockchain gathering
The vibe at a gathering this week for blockchain enthusiasts felt decidedly less exuberant than its predecessor a year ago after dizzying swings in bitcoin.
* 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
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
Just like toothpaste: Fluoride radically improves the stability of perovskite solar cells
Solar cells made of perovskite hold much promise for the future of solar energy. The material is cheap, easy to produce and almost as efficient as silicon, the material traditionally used in solar cells. However, perovskite degrades quickly, severely limiting its efficiency and stability over time. Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology, energy research institute DIFFER, Peking University and University of Twente have discovered that adding a small amount of fluoride to the perovskite leaves a protective layer, increasing stability of the materials and the solar cells significantly. The solar cells retain 90 percent of their efficiency after 1000 hours operation at various extreme testing conditions. The findings are published today in the leading scientific journal Nature Energy.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
To win online debates, social networks worth a thousand words
Want to win an argument online? Bolstering your social network may be more helpful than rehearsing your rhetorical flourishes.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Clinical trial improves treatment of genetic rickets
A new study shows a drug developed in conjunction with investigators at Indiana University School of Medicine to alleviate symptoms of a rare musculoskeletal condition is significantly more effective than conventional therapies. The findings are published in Lancet.
* 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
Friday, 17 May 2019
Missouri, latest US state to restrict abortion
The Missouri House passed a bill on Friday banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, making it the latest US state to pass restrictions on ending a pregnancy.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Machine learning reduces language barriers in global trade, research shows
Machine learning and artificial intelligence have exploded onto the scene in recent years, offering the hope of greater business efficiency. At the same time, researchers have found virtually no empirical evidence supporting the promised strides in labor productivity and economic activity.
* 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
Imagine: Our attitudes can change solely by the power of imagination
Sometimes in life there are special places that seem to stand out to us—a school playground, perhaps an old church, or that inconspicuous street corner where you were kissed for the first time. Before the kiss you had never even noticed that corner. It's as if the special experience with that beloved person transferred positive emotion to the location. Our attitude towards these places thus suddenly changes—they become valuable to us. But could this also happen purely by the power of imagination rather than by actual experiences?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Lunar South Pole Atlas—a new online reference for mission planners
The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), managed by Universities Space Research Association (USRA), has compiled and made available an atlas of the Moon's south pole. Given NASA's recent direction to implement Space Policy Directive-1 landing astronauts at the south pole by 2024, the LPI has compiled a series of maps, images, and illustrations designed to provide context and reference for those interested in exploring this area.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Earliest evidence of the cooking and eating of starch
New discoveries made at the Klasies River Cave in South Africa's southern Cape, where charred food remains from hearths were found, provide the first archaeological evidence that anatomically modern humans were roasting and eating plant starches, such as those from tubers and rhizomes, as early as 120,000 years ago.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Human capital benefits of military boost economy by billions
A recent study from North Carolina State University finds that U.S. government spending on military personnel has a positive impact on the nation's human capital—essentially improving the American workforce. Using a new computer model, the study estimates the economic impact of this human capital improvement to be $89.8 billion for 2019 alone.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Dirty data: Firms count environmental costs of digital planet
Technology is often touted as a solution to the world's environmental challenges, but it is also part of the problem: industry executives are facing rising pressure to clean up their energy and resource-intensive business.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Making the best of sparse information
New findings reported by LMU researchers challenge a generally accepted model of echolocation in bats. They demonstrate that bats require far less spatial information than previously thought to navigate effectively.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Bullet train champion in Japan will debut in 2030, now being tested
Testing for a train capable of 249mph (400 kph) speeds is to happen about twice a week at night. Bloomberg said ALFA-X is the world's fastest bullet train— well, for now, it is holding that title. Japan has also been working on a maglev train.
* 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
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
'Smart' insulin could prevent hypoglycemia during diabetes treatment
UCLA bioengineers and their colleagues have developed a new type of insulin that could help prevent hypoglycemia in people who use the drug to manage diabetes.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
SpaceX postpones launch of its first internet network satellites
SpaceX postponed a launch of 60 satellites into low-Earth orbit that was scheduled for Thursday night, possibly until next week, citing a need for software updates.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Policy makers must attend to menstrual stigma to improve wellbeing, study finds
Researchers have found that addressing attitudes to menstruation may be necessary to improve well-being in low and middle-income countries, far more than simply better access to sanitary products.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
How host-cell enzymes combat the coronavirus
Host-cell enzymes called PARP12 and PARP14 are important for inhibiting mutant forms of a coronavirus, according to a study published May 16 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Stanley Perlman of the University of Iowa, Anthony Fehr of the University of Kansas, and colleagues.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers discover how a member of a family of light-sensitive proteins adjusts skin color
A team of Brown University researchers found that opsin 3—a protein closely related to rhodopsin, the protein that enables low-light vision—has a role in adjusting the amount of pigment produced in human skin, a determinant of skin color.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday, 16 May 2019
What do they mean by 'stem cells'? Recommended guidelines for reporting on cell therapies
Cell therapies including so-called "stem cells" are increasingly being marketed and used for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders - despite questions about these treatments and their effectiveness. A new tool for standardizing communication about cell therapies is presented in the May 15 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Scientists find new type of cell that helps tadpoles' tails regenerate
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have uncovered a specialised population of skin cells that coordinate tail regeneration in frogs. These 'Regeneration-Organizing Cells' help to explain one of the great mysteries of nature and may offer clues about how this ability might be achieved in mammalian tissues.
* 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
Could better tests help reverse the rise of drug-resistant infections?
A growing number of infections—such as pneumonia, gonorrhea and tuberculosis—are becoming harder to treat, as bacteria evolve defenses against antibiotics faster than we can develop new drugs to replace them.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A simplified method to categorize olive oil
Olive oil classification is currently very costly and slow. In order to categorize oil into extra virgin (EVOO), virgin (VOO) and lampante olive oil (LOO), an offical method is used, consisting of a physicochemical analysis and a sensory analysis in the end. This last part is based on the work of a panel of expert tasters who try each olive oil one by one in order to determine its category. This process is very costly for the bottlers. For this reason, they are keen on developing a complementary analytical classification method. Moreover, there are very few expert olive oil tasters in other countries, hence the urgency to find another way to categorize olive oil that does not involve sensory analysis.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New study reveals that some over reported stress after 2016 election to support political party
In a new study, researchers found that many Democrats may have over reported mental stress after the 2016 election. By comparing personal online searches made by Democrats, Republicans and Spanish-Speaking Latinos with public surveys, their study claims those not directly targeted by Trump's campaign claimed more stress than experienced.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Electric car switch on for health benefits
Could the health benefits and reduced costs to healthcare systems be enough to justify subsidizing charging infrastructure to allow society to switch from the internal combustion engine to electric vehicles faster than current trends predict?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
How to overcome a fear of maths
It's fair to say maths is not everyone's favourite subject. In fact, for many people, the feelings of tension and anxiety that arise when trying to solve a mathematical problem can be all consuming. This is known as maths anxiety – and this feeling of being a failure at maths can affect people's self-worth for years to come.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Miro2 is a Parkin receptor for selective removal of damaged mitochondria
Mitophagy plays a central role in the mitochondrial quality control system, and defective mitophagy is linked to a variety of human diseases. At present, how the damaged mitochondria are selectively recognized and removed to ensure the accuracy of mitophagic clearance remains unclear.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Frog fungus fights back
Amphibian populations have been declining around the world for more than 40 years. One culprit is the fungus B. dendrobatidis, which causes the disease chytridiomycosis.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Reprogrammable satellite takes shape
The payload and platform of the first European satellite that can be completely reprogrammed after launch have been successfully joined together.
* 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
A work patch for better nursing home care
Placing a loved one in a nursing home can be a traumatic experience for the entire family with concerns about the care and attention they will receive. Imagine if those concerns were eased, simply by some changes in the way the schedules are done for the staff at that facility.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Neanderthals and modern humans diverged at least 800,000 years ago
Neanderthals and modern humans diverged at least 800,000 years ago, substantially earlier than indicated by most DNA-based estimates, according to new research by a UCL academic.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday, 15 May 2019
How egg cells choose their best powerhouses to pass on
Developing egg cells conduct tests to select the healthiest of their energy-making machines to be passed to the next generation. A new study in fruit flies, published online May 15 in Nature, shows how the testing is done.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
How climate change will affect the rural northeast: Expect three weeks of heat
While extreme cold and snow often make headlines in the Northeast, by 2060, there will be far more record heat. Imagine the most sweltering day of the year. By 2060, you will experience that type of hot day for approximately three weeks of the year, assuming we don't substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to a Dartmouth study, of the rural Northeast counties represented, those in the bottom two lowest income quartiles will be hit hardest, as their communities will be disproportionately affected by increases in extremely hot days relative to wealthier counties. The findings are published in the Annals of the American Association of Geographers.
* 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
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
Can sound protect eagles from wind turbine collisions?
Every year, bald and golden eagles are killed when they inadvertently fly into wind turbine blades. One possible way to prevent these deaths is to chase the birds away with acoustic signals—sound. To determine what types of sounds are most effective in deterring the birds, researchers at the University of Minnesota and their colleagues tested the behavioral responses of bald eagles to a battery of both natural and synthetic acoustic stimuli.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
FAA chief defends handling of Boeing Max safety approval
The acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that Boeing should have done more to explain an automated flight-control system on its 737 Max aircraft before two deadly crashes, but he defended his agency's safety certification of the plane and its decision not to ground the jet until other regulators around the world had already done so.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Flying cars mooted for Paris' public transport network
European aerospace giant Airbus and Paris underground operator RATP will study the viability of adding flying vehicles to the city's urban transport network, the companies said Wednesday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Transfer of EU powers leads to silent erosion of UK pesticide regulation
New analysis by the UK Trade Policy Observatory is warning that what should have been the technical formality of transferring EU powers into national law when the UK leaves the European Union, could instead open the gates for the widespread use of outlawed carcinogenic pesticides that have been shown to alter human reproductive, neurological, and immune systems.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Ancient fish ponds in the Bolivian savanna supported human settlement
A network of fish ponds supported a permanent human settlement in the seasonal drylands of Bolivia more than one thousand years ago, according to a new study published May 15, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Gabriela Prestes-Carneiro of Federal University of Western Para, Brazil, and colleagues. The study is the first to document the full range of fish species likely kept in these constructed ponds, and provides new insights into how humans modified the savannah environment to cope with the months-long droughts that characterize this region of the Amazon Basin.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Clean and effective electronic waste recycling
As the number of electronics devices increases around the world, finding effective methods of recycling electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing concern. About 50 million tons of e-waste is generated each year and only 20% of that is recycled. Most of the remaining 80% ends up in a landfill where it can become an environmental problem. Currently, e-waste recycling involves mechanical crushers and chemical baths, which are expensive, and manual labor, which can cause significant health and environmental problems when not performed properly. Thus, researchers from Kumamoto University, Japan have been using pulsed power (pulsed electric discharges) to develop a cleaner and more efficient recycling method.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Fighting staph infections with the body's immune system
Researchers have gained a greater understanding of the biology of staphylococcus skin infections in mice and how the mouse immune system mobilizes to fight them. A study appears this week in the PNAS. Community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) typically causes skin infections but can spread throughout the body to cause invasive infections such as sepsis, and possibly death.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Differences between skeletal and heart muscle ion channel lends insight into inherited heart disease
Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers recently found a key structural differences in channels that regulate how and when heart and skeletal muscles contract. Identifying the differences between the two, say researchers, provides scientists with new potential drug targets to treat inherited heart disease.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday, 14 May 2019
Home-based cardiac rehabilitation is an option to overcome barriers of traditional cardiac rehabilitation
Home based, medically supervised cardiac rehabilitation may be, for some patients, an alternative to traditional medical center cardiac rehabilitation programs after a heart attack or other heart procedure, according to a joint scientific statement from the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
NASA dubs 2024 Moon mission 'Artemis,' asks for $1.6 billion
NASA's next mission to the Moon will be called Artemis, the US space agency announced Monday, though it's still looking for the money to make the journey happen by its accelerated 2024 deadline.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers seek 'fingerprints' of severe mental diseases
Researchers from McLean Hospital and Yale University have published findings of their study of large-scale systems in the brain, findings that could improve understanding of the symptoms and causes of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and other mental illnesses. Their paper, "Functional Connectomics of Affective and Psychotic Pathology," published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, details their investigation into brain network connectivity in patients with psychotic disorders.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sunday, 12 May 2019
Good sleep quality and good mood lead to good working memory with age
A team of psychologists has found strong associations between working memory—a fundamental building block of a functioning mind—and three health-related factors: sleep, age, and depressed mood. The team also reports that each of these factors is associated with different aspects of working memory.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Collision-detecting suitcase, wayfinding app help blind people navigate airports
Carnegie Mellon University researchers say a smart suitcase that warns blind users of impending collisions and a wayfinding smartphone app can help people with visual disabilities navigate airport terminals safely and independently.
* 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
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
Receiving weekend food improves school attendance among children living with hunger
Children living in food-insecure households are more likely to attend school on Fridays if they're participating in a food-distribution program that provides them with backpacks of meals for the weekend, researchers at the University of Illinois found in a new study.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Saturday, 11 May 2019
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
Limiting oxygen could control symptoms of Friedreich's ataxia
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a rare, inherited disorder that causes progressive damage to the nervous system. This damage leads to ataxia—problems with movement and coordination—that worsens with time. Other symptoms, such as loss of strength and sensation in the arms and legs, muscle stiffness, and impaired speech, hearing, and vision, can also result. New research in cell models and in mice suggests that limited environmental oxygen, known as hypoxia, might one day help FRDA patients, although the safety of doing so is yet unknown.
* 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
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
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
Research spotlights the role of cover crops in slowing herbicide resistance
An article in the most recent edition of the journal Weed Science shows that cover crops can play an important role in slowing the development of herbicide resistant weeds.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Prehospital Tx guidelines may improve outcomes in severe TBI
(HealthDay)—Implementation of prehospital traumatic brain injury (TBI) guidelines is associated with improvement in survival to hospital discharge for patients with severe TBI, according to a study published online May 8 in JAMA Surgery.
* 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
Clean fuel cells could be cheap enough to replace gas engines in vehicles
Advancements in zero-emission fuel cells could make the technology cheap enough to replace traditional gasoline engines in vehicles, according to researchers at the University of Waterloo.
* 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
Anal cancer is on the rise, especially in women. Should they be screened?
Now that actress Marcia Cross has been in remission from anal cancer for about a year, she has a mission.
* 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
Storm water banking could help Texas manage floods and droughts
Massive, destructive floods such as those caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 are a stark reality in Texas, but so are prolonged ground-cracking droughts.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Friday, 10 May 2019
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
Measuring quality of life after pediatric kidney transplant
After receiving a kidney transplant, children may experience quality-of-life difficulties that underscore the importance of screening transplant recipients for psychosocial function, according to Children's research presented May 4, 2019, during the 10th Congress of the International Pediatric Transplant Association.
* 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
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
Washington state limits exemptions for measles vaccine
Parents in Washington state will no longer be able to claim a personal or philosophical exemption for their children from receiving the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine before attending a day care center or school under a measure signed Friday by Gov. Jay Inslee.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Google bucks soaring smartphone prices with new Pixel
Google bucked the soaring smartphone price trend Tuesday, unveiling a high-performance Pixel handset aimed at the middle of the market as part of a wide-ranging pitch to developers of its new hardware, software and privacy efforts.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Will smoggy L.A. have 'zero bad air' in 2025? Don't hold your breath
It was one of Mayor Eric Garcetti's most dramatic pledges in his sweeping "Green New Deal" for Los Angeles: "We will have zero days of unhealthy air quality by 2025."
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
AI can detect depression in a child's speech
A machine learning algorithm can detect signs of anxiety and depression in the speech patterns of young children, potentially providing a fast and easy way of diagnosing conditions that are difficult to spot and often overlooked in young people, according to new research published in the Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Smallest pixels ever created could light up color-changing buildings
The smallest pixels yet created—a million times smaller than those in smartphones, made by trapping particles of light under tiny rocks of gold—could be used for new types of large-scale flexible displays, big enough to cover entire buildings.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Luxembourg and US agree to deepen cooperation in space
The tiny EU country of Luxembourg and the United States agreed on Friday to work more closely on projects in space, including research and exploration as well as defence and commerce.
* 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
Suppressed star formation in the early universe
Massive clusters of galaxies, some with more mass than a hundred Milky Way galaxies, have been detected from cosmic epochs as early as about three billion years after the big bang. Their ongoing star formation makes them bright enough to be detected at these distances. These kinds of clusters were predicted by simulations of cosmological evolution but their properties are very uncertain. Astronomers piecing together the evolution of stars in the universe are particularly interested in these clusters because of their abundance of stars and activity.
* 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
Hospital ship plies turbulent waters of Colombia's Pacific coast
As a white ship chugs through the muddy waters of the San Juan River, pirogues from the jungle glide toward it almost reverently, bringing their sick to healers they liken to angels.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Serotonin boosts neuronal powerplants protecting against stress
Mitochondria in neurons are the powerhouses that generate energy to execute cellular functions and regulate neuronal survival under conditions of stress. Collaborative research by Prof. Vidita Vaidya and Prof. Ullas Kolthur-Seetharam groups at TIFR, along with Dr. Ashok Vaidya, at the Medical Research Centre, Kasturba Health Society, has demonstrated an unusual function for the neurotransmitter serotonin, in the generation of new mitochondria—a process called mitochondrial biogenesis—in neurons, accompanied by increase in cellular respiration and ATP, the energy currency of the cell.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Odyssey's three views of Martian moon Phobos
For the first time, NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter has caught the Martian moon Phobos during a full moon phase. Each color in this new image represents a temperature range detected by Odyssey's infrared camera, which has been studying the Martian moon since September of 2017. Looking like a rainbow-colored jawbreaker, these latest observations could help scientists understand what materials make up Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Rare Asian black bear spotted in Korean DMZ
A rare Asiatic black bear has been photographed in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas, Seoul's environmental ministry said.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Nut intake in first trimester may benefit child neurodevelopment
(HealthDay)—Nut intake during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with long-term child neuropsychological development, according to a study published online May 7 in the European Journal of Epidemiology.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Mexico's prized beaches threatened by smelly algae invasion
Tourists looking for sun and sand in Mexican resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum have been disgusted by foul-smelling mounds of sargassum—a seaweed-like algae—piling up on beaches and turning turquoise waters brown, and experts are warning that it may be the new normal.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday, 9 May 2019
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
Amazon's Bezos unveils lunar lander project 'Blue Moon'
Jeff Bezos, who heads both Amazon and space company Blue Origin, unveiled on Thursday a lunar lander that he said would be used to transport equipment, and possibly human beings, to the south pole of the Moon by 2024.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Apple's 'most ambitious' retail store set for US capital
Half store, half museum, Apple's new location in the US capital within a historic landmark is being described as the "most ambitious" project for its retail operations.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Will MSC micropellets outperform single cells for cartilage regeneration?
Repair of cartilage injuries or defects is aided by the introduction of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which can be incorporated into hydrogels to amplify their effects. In a new report, researchers directly compared chondrogenic induction by hydrogels that were prepared using MSCs either as single cell suspensions or as 100-500-cell micropellets. The study is published in Tissue Engineering.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Methane-consuming bacteria could be the future of fuel
Known for their ability to remove methane from the environment and convert it into a usable fuel, methanotrophic bacteria have long fascinated researchers. But how, exactly, these bacteria naturally perform such a complex reaction has been a mystery.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Egg yolk precursor protein regulates mosquitoes' attraction to humans
Feeding mosquitoes sugar makes them less attracted to humans, a response that is regulated by the protein vitellogenin, according to a study publishing May 9 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Jessica Dittmer, Paolo Gabrieli and colleagues at the Università degli Studi di Pavia in Italy.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Biomarker test predicts mild, serious IBD in newly diagnosed
(HealthDay)—A new test can predict the course of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in patients, according to a study published online April 27 in Gut.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New model of measles-elimination progress may help target vaccination efforts
A country's progress towards measles elimination can be mapped on a "canonical path" that in turn can guide vaccination strategies, according to a study from scientists at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
* 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
Increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among children with immigrant fathers
Children born in Finland who had an immigrant father were two times more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD than those with two Finnish parents, discovered researchers from the Research Centre for Child Psychiatry at the University of Turku in Finland. Researchers stress that schools and clinicians should become more aware of intergenerational transmission of trauma.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Portrait of a Google AI art project as a poetic you
Roses are red violets are blue, AI writing poems? Can't be true. Or can it? And if so, how low can we go in expectations? Brush low expectations aside for now, as Google is on to something special, and that is, AI for self-portrait poetry.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Opinion: Why Australia needs to kill cats
Introduced cats are a key threat to 123 of Australia's threatened species.
* 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
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
UN shifts response as Ebola outbreak in DR Congo drags on
The United Nations is stepping up its response to the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, now in its 10th month, and needs additional resources, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
HIV epidemic stubbornly persists despite proven tool to prevent spread
The nation's HIV epidemic remains stubbornly persistent, with almost 40,000 new infections annually in the United States. That's despite the fact that physicians have a proven tool to prevent the spread of the virus among high-risk individuals. The question is: Why isn't pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, more widely prescribed?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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