For the most part, politicians do put their money where their mouths are. A recent study of U.S senators and representatives finds that the more liberal a politician's voting record is, the more likely the politician is to invest in socially responsible stocks.
* This article was originally published here
Friday 31 May 2019
Sprint launches mobile 5G network in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Kansas City
Sprint is still sweating out regulatory approval for its would-be merger with T-Mobile.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
SpaceX says 60 Starlink satellites will grow harder to see
SpaceX said Friday that the first 60 satellites in its "Starlink" constellation, which is intended to provide internet from space, will be less and less visible from Earth as they reach their final orbit.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Quick liquid packaging: Encasing water silhouettes in 3-D polymer membranes for lab-in-a-drop experiments
The ability to confine water in an enclosed compartment without directly manipulating it or using rigid containers is an attractive possibility. In a recent study, Sara Coppola and an interdisciplinary research team in the departments of Biomaterials, Intelligent systems, Industrial Production Engineering and Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare in Italy, proposed a water-based, bottom-up approach to encase facile, short-lived water silhouettes in a custom-made adaptive suit.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
More than half of patients in pain management study took no opioids after operations
The opioid epidemic has become a public health crisis in the U.S. While primary care physicians have been writing fewer opioid prescriptions over the last several years, new opioid prescriptions by surgeons increased 18 percent from 2010-2016. However, many surgeons are now diligently working to change their prescribing practices. One approach has been to try reducing excessive opioid prescriptions by exploring pain management strategies that include fewer or no opioids at all for surgical patients.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Hydrogen-power electric flying vehicle: Long road to liftoff
A transportation company is betting its sleek new hydrogen-powered electric flying vehicles will someday serve as taxis, cargo carriers and ambulances of the sky, but experts say they will have to clear a number of regulatory hurdles before being approved for takeoff years in the future.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sensor-packed glove learns signatures of the human grasp
Wearing a sensor-packed glove while handling a variety of objects, MIT researchers have compiled a massive dataset that enables an AI system to recognize objects through touch alone. The information could be leveraged to help robots identify and manipulate objects, and may aid in prosthetics design.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Exercise, therapy may improve depression, diabetes outcomes
(HealthDay)—Exercise and/or behavioral treatment interventions may provide clinically meaningful improvements in depression outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and major depressive disorder (MDD), according to a study published online May 21 in Diabetes Care.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Video: What are the northern lights?
Every winter, thousands of tourists head north hoping to catch a glimpse of the luminous auroras dancing in the sky.
* 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
Three ways to travel at (nearly) the speed of light
One hundred years ago today, on May 29, 1919, measurements of a solar eclipse offered verification for Einstein's theory of general relativity. Even before that, Einstein had developed the theory of special relativity, which revolutionized the way we understand light. To this day, it provides guidance on understanding how particles move through space—a key area of research to keep spacecraft and astronauts safe from radiation.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Variations on the plank: popular exercise for your core
(HealthDay)—The plank is one of the most popular exercises, surpassing sit-ups and crunches for effective core work.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Is traffic-related air pollution killing us?
It's summer getaway season. According to AAA, two-thirds of American families are taking a summer vacation this year, and more than half of us are planning a road trip.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Water governance: Flexibility, uncertainty and participation
Whenever I start a presentation about water governance, I ask the audience if they know what the price of a litre of tap water is. Usually the room goes quiet, shoulders shrug and only a few make a guess, usually an overestimation. My next question is about the price of a litre of petrol. Within a split second, I get the right answer from the audience.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
In hot pursuit of dinosaurs: Tracking extinct species on ancient Earth via biogeography
One researcher at the University of Tokyo is in hot pursuit of dinosaurs, tracking extinct species around ancient Earth. Identifying the movements of extinct species from millions of years ago can provide insights into ancient migration routes, interaction between species, and the movement of continents.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Study details regulation of a multi-drug transporter
Vanderbilt University researchers have discovered how a protein pump distinguishes between chemicals that it will expel from a cell and inhibitors that block its action.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Dating app users may be more likely to control their weight in unhealthy ways
Use of dating apps may be associated with an increased risk of unhealthy weight control behaviors, including vomiting, laxative use, or diet pill use, a study in the open access Journal of Eating Disorders suggests.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A new mechanism for accessing damaged DNA
UV light damages the DNA of skin cells, which can lead to skin cancer. But this process is counteracted by DNA repair machinery, acting as a molecular sunscreen. It has been unclear, however, how repair proteins work on DNA tightly packed in chromatin, where access to DNA damage is restricted by protein packaging. Using cryo electron microscopy, researchers from the Thomä group at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) have identified a new mechanism whereby repair proteins detect and bind to damaged DNA that is densely packed in nucleosomes.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A 'Noah's Ark' project for corals: Scientists race to save Florida Reef from killer disease
On a sunny afternoon in Dania Beach, a dozen scientists unloaded crates full of corals from a dive boat and onto a pickup truck. They gently removed each piece from large tanks on the deck and placed them inside smaller containers, which were slowly taken onshore.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Over half a million corals destroyed by port of Miami dredging, study finds
A team of researchers including scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, published new findings that reveal significant damage to Miami's coral reefs from the 16-month dredging operation at the Port of Miami that began in 2013. The study found that sediment buried between half to 90 percent of nearby reefs, resulting in widespread coral death.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
Thursday 30 May 2019
Cancer patients vaping in growing numbers
(HealthDay)—Vaping is gaining a foothold in an unlikely population: New research shows a growing number of cancer patients are using electronic cigarettes.
* 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
Infectious Diseases A-Z: Vaccine best way to prevent hepatitis A as infections rise nearly 300%
Drug use and homelessness are cited as two main reasons why hepatitis A infections have increased nearly 300% in the U.S. since 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "Hepatitis A is a viral hepatitis that can infect humans, and it infects through the oral-fecal route," says Dr. Stacey Rizza, an infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Recent plateauing seen in prevalence of diagnosed diabetes
(HealthDay)—The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes has plateaued during the last eight years, while the incidence has declined, according to a study published online May 28 in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
From viruses to social bots, researchers unearth the structure of attacked networks
The human body's mechanisms are marvelous, yet they haven't given up all their secrets. In order to truly conquer human disease, it is crucial to understand what happens at the most elementary level.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Mole rats are pain-free, thanks to evolution
African mole rats are insensitive to many kinds of pain. As an international research team led by the MDC's Gary Lewin reports in Science, this characteristic has allowed mole rats to populate new habitats. Thanks to a genetic change, the highveld mole rat is able to live alongside venomous ants with painful stings that other mole rats avoid.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
How the immune system keeps the Epstein-Barr virus in check
A protein called PD-1, which is found on immune cells called CD8+ T cells, plays a key role in controlling infection with the Epstein-Barr virus, according to a study published May 30 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Christian Münz of the University of Zurich, and colleagues. The results from this study indicate that monitoring PD-1 signaling during future vaccination and immunotherapy studies may inform patient outcomes.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday 29 May 2019
Apple unveils first new iPod model in four years
Apple on Tuesday introduced its first new iPod model in four years, highlighting music and games as it continued to make a priority of serving up digital content.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Among older women, 10,000 steps per day not needed for lower mortality
In the world of step goals and activity trackers, the number 10,000 can sound like a magic one. Many wearable devices that track the number of steps a person takes each day come pre-programmed with a daily goal of 10,000 steps. But while a large body of evidence shows that physical activity is good for a person's health and longevity, few studies have examined how many steps a day are associated with good health, particularly long-term health outcomes. A new study led by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital sought to address this knowledge gap by examining outcomes over an average of more than four years for older women in the Women's Health Study who had measured their steps for a full week. The team reports that, among older women, taking as few as 4,400 steps per day was significantly associated with lower risk of death compared to taking 2,700 steps per day. Risk of death continued to decrease with more steps taken but leveled off at around 7,500 steps per day—less than the 10,000 steps default goal in many wearables. The team's results are presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting and published simultaneously in JAMA Internal Medicine.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Societal values and perceptions shape energy production and use as much as new technology
Societal values and perceptions have shaped the energy landscape as much as the technologies that drive its production and consumption, a new paper from an Oregon State University researcher suggests.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday 28 May 2019
An approach to enhance machine learning explanations
Researchers at IBM Research U.K., the U.S. Military Academy and Cardiff University have recently proposed a technique they call Local Interpretable Model Agnostic Explanations (LIME) for attaining a better understanding of the conclusions reached by machine learning algorithms. Their paper, published on SPIE digital library, could inform the development of artificial intelligence (AI) tools that provide exhaustive explanations of how they reached a particular outcome or conclusion.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Limiting screen use is not the way to tackle teenage sleep problems
Both in Europe and the US, more than 90% of adolescents have their faces buried in screens before bed. Often, this comes at a cost to sleep. Frequent screen users are much more likely to report falling asleep later, sleeping less, and waking during the night. Such difficulties are linked not only to poorer academic performance, but also increased risk of health issues such as diabetes and heart disease in later life.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Artificial intelligence detects a new class of mutations behind autism
Many mutations in DNA that contribute to disease are not in actual genes but instead lie in the 99% of the genome once considered "junk." Even though scientists have recently come to understand that these vast stretches of DNA do in fact play critical roles, deciphering these effects on a wide scale has been impossible until now.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Getting to Mars, whatever it takes
Sending manned missions to Mars is essential, according to Pierre Brisson, the president of Mars Society Switzerland, "because we can." We spoke with him about this challenge while he was at EPFL recently to give a talk.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Bringing human-like reasoning to driverless car navigation
With aims of bringing more human-like reasoning to autonomous vehicles, MIT researchers have created a system that uses only simple maps and visual data to enable driverless cars to navigate routes in new, complex environments.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Monday 27 May 2019
Malaria back with a vengeance in crisis-hit Venezuela
If it weren't for the Center for Malaria Studies in Caracas, Francelis Pacheco would have been unable to get treatment for a disease she has contracted around 20 times.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
WHO praises Brazil lawsuit against tobacco giants
The World Health Organization has praised Brazil's move to sue two global cigarette makers and their local units for costs of treating tobacco-related diseases, but the firms said Friday they were still waiting for details of the lawsuit.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Gold-coated fungi are the new gold diggers
The thread-like fungi attach gold to their strands by dissolving and precipitating particles from their surroundings, in a process that could offer clues for finding new gold deposits.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sunday 26 May 2019
'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
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
Huawei could be stripped of Google services after US ban
Huawei could lose its grip on the No. 2 ranking in worldwide cellphone sales after Google announced it would comply with U.S. government restrictions meant to punish the Chinese tech powerhouse.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Nobel-winning physicist Murray Gell-Man dies at 89
Murray Gell-Mann, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist who brought order to the universe by helping discover and classify subatomic particles, has died at the age of 89.
* 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
Researchers discover how three-dimensional organization of the genome regulates cell differentiation
A new study from the University of Minnesota Medical School clarifies how the three-dimensional organization of the genome is regulated at the onset of skeletal muscle formation. Although the DNA sequence of the genome is a linear code, like a long sentence, the actual DNA molecule twists and folds in 3-D space, with some sequences that are distant from each other in sequence being physically close to each other in space. These 3-D interactions are thought to allow proteins that bind DNA to regulate the activity of genes that are distant from where they are binding.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Would overturning abortion rights turn back clock to 1973?
A wave of state abortion bans has set off speculation: What would happen if Roe v. Wade, the ruling establishing abortion rights nationwide, were overturned?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Support needed for multiple-birth families to improve outcomes
Having multiple-birth babies can be a time of wonder and excitement, however, according to the first-ever international collaborative report released today, these babies and their families can face serious disadvantages compared to parents of single-birth babies.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
'Don't be too optimistic': Huawei employees fret at US ban
While Huawei's founder brushes aside a US ban against his company, the telecom giant's employees have been less sanguine, confessing fears for their future in online chat rooms.
* 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
FDA approves $2M medicine, most expensive ever
U.S. regulators have approved the most expensive medicine ever, for a rare disorder that destroys a baby's muscle control and kills nearly all of those with the most common type of the disease within a couple of years.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
Mobile phone app designed to boost physical activity in women shows promise in trial
Activity trackers and mobile phone apps are all the rage, but do they really help users increase and maintain physical activity? A new study has found that one mobile phone app designed for inactive women did help when combined with an activity tracker and personal counseling.
* 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
NASA's first-of-kind tests look to manage drones in cities
NASA has launched the final stage of a four-year effort to develop a national traffic management system for drones, testing them in cities for the first time beyond the operator's line of sight as businesses look in the future to unleash the unmanned devices in droves above busy streets and buildings.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Don't overdo omega-6 fat consumption during pregnancy
In Western societies, we are eating more omega 6 fats, particularly linoleic acid, which are present in foods such as potato chips and vegetable oil. Other research has shown that linoleic acid can promote inflammation and may be associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tapping the power of AI and high-performance computing to extend evolution to superconductors
Owners of thoroughbred stallions carefully breed prizewinning horses over generations to eke out fractions of a second in million-dollar races. Materials scientists have taken a page from that playbook, turning to the power of evolution and artificial selection to develop superconductors that can transmit electric current as efficiently as possible.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Engineered bacteria could be missing link in energy storage
One of the big issues with sustainable energy systems is how to store electricity that's generated from wind, solar and waves. At present, no existing technology provides large-scale storage and energy retrieval for sustainable energy at a low financial and environmental cost.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New approaches to study the genetics of autism spectrum disorder may lead to new therapies
Canadian neuroscientists are using novel experimental approaches to understand autism spectrum disorder, from studying multiple variation in a single gene to the investigation of networks of interacting genes to find new treatments for the disorder.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Saturday 25 May 2019
Researchers recommend limiting the time during which mother's milk is given to premature babies
Giving human milk to premature babies is recommended by the WHO for at least six months to provide nutrients and essential antimicrobial substances for those babies born with low weight or who are immunosuppressed. In premature babies, milk is administered through a nasogastric tube. These newborns are at risk of infection by pathogens such as Cronobacter sakazakii.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Friday 24 May 2019
Hospitals fall short in teaching fall prevention to departing patients
Falls are a leading cause of hospitalizations and emergency room visits among older adults, but until now, little was known about the relationship between falls and hospital readmissions.
* 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
Poor glycemic control linked to sarcopenia in T2DM
(HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes, poor glycemic control is associated with sarcopenia, according to a study published online May 9 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday 23 May 2019
For civilians, finding a therapist skilled in PTSD treatments is a tough task
Lauren Walls has lived with panic attacks, nightmares and flashbacks for years. The 26-year-old San Antonio teacher sought help from a variety of mental health professionals—including spending five years and at least $20,000 with one therapist who used a Christian-faith-based approach, viewing her condition as part of a spiritual weakness that could be conquered—but her symptoms worsened. She hit a breaking point two years ago, when she contemplated suicide.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Reading with toddlers reduces harsh parenting, enhances child behavior
People who regularly read with their toddlers are less likely to engage in harsh parenting and the children are less likely to be hyperactive or disruptive, a Rutgers-led study finds.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
CycleMatch: a new approach for matching images and text
Researchers at Leiden University and the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT), in China, have recently developed a new approach for image-text matching, called CycleMatch. Their approach, presented in a paper published in Elsevier's Pattern Recognition journal, is based on cycle-consistent learning, a technique that is sometimes used to train artificial neural networks on image-to-image translation tasks. The general idea behind cycle-consistency is that when transforming source data into target data and then vice versa, one should finally obtain the original source samples.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
European pilots 'deeply disturbed' by possible 737 MAX return
European pilots said Thursday they found it "deeply disturbing" that the Boeing 737 MAX was already being considered for a return to service after being grounded worldwide following two deadly crashes.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Ecologists find bush dog, native of South America, in remote central Costa Rica
Wildlife ecologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who are studying different conservation practices in the forests of Costa Rica recently made a startling discovery on a wildlife camera trap—wild bush dogs documented farther north than ever before and at the highest elevation.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
100% renewables doesn't equal zero-carbon energy, and the difference is growing
While 160 companies around the world have committed to use "100 percent renewable energy," that does not mean "100 percent carbon-free energy." The difference will grow as power grids become less reliant on fossil power, according to a new Stanford study published today in Joule. Entities committed to fighting climate change can and should measure the environmental benefits of their renewable strategies accurately, the authors write.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Scientists engineer vascularized kidney tissue
Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) researchers have shown the feasibility of bioengineering vascularized functional renal tissues for kidney regeneration, developing a partial augmentation strategy that may be a more feasible and practical approach than creating whole organs.
* 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
The geometry of an electron determined for the first time
Physicists at the University of Basel have shown for the first time how a single electron looks in an artificial atom. A newly developed method enables them to show the probability of an electron being present in a space. This allows improved control of electron spins, which could serve as the smallest information unit in a future quantum computer. The experiments were published in Physical Review Letters and the related theory in Physical Review B.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday 22 May 2019
Boy or girl? Hong Kong at centre of banned China gender test
Shady middle-men are openly advertising on Chinese social media to smuggle blood samples of pregnant women to Hong Kong to skirt the mainland's ban on gender testing, an AFP investigation has found.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Two Japanese carriers postpone release of Huawei phones
Two of Japan's top mobile phone carriers said Wednesday they will delay releasing new handsets made by Huawei after a US ban on American companies selling technology to the Chinese tech giant.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Space travel and your joints
A novel Henry Ford Hospital study of mice aboard a Russian spaceflight may raise an intriguing question for the astronauts of tomorrow: Could traveling in space be bad for your joints?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers develop new flying / driving robot
The first experimental robot drone that flies like a typical quadcopter, drives on tough terrain and squeezes into tight spaces using the same motors, has been developed by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Monday 20 May 2019
Studies: Benralizumab not effective reducing exacerbations in moderate to very severe COPD
More than 15.3 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is the third leading cause of death in this country, according to the American Lung Association. Patients often experience potentially life-threatening exacerbations, which can include days-long flare-ups of symptoms including shortness of breath that occur when the airways narrow from muscle tightness, swelling and mucus.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
High-quality jadeite tool discovered in underwater ancient salt works in Belize
Anthropologists discovered a tool made out of high-quality translucent jadeite with an intact rosewood handle at a site where the ancient Maya processed salt in Belize. The discovery of these high-quality materials—jadeite and rosewood—used as utilitarian tools, demonstrates that salt workers played an important role in the Classic Maya marketplace economy more than 1,000 years ago.
* 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
Dog-like robot jumps, flips and trots
Putting their own twist on robots that amble through complicated landscapes, the Stanford Student Robotics club's Extreme Mobility team has developed a four-legged robot that is not only capable of performing acrobatic tricks and traversing challenging terrain but is also designed with reproducibility in mind. Anyone who wants their own version of the robot, dubbed Stanford Doggo, can consult comprehensive plans, code and a supply list that the students have made freely available online.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sunday 19 May 2019
EU adopts powers to respond to cyberattacks
The European Union on Friday adopted powers to punish those outside the bloc who launch cyberattacks that cripple hospitals and banks, sway elections and steal company secrets or funds.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
What to do when your child throws a fit
(HealthDay)—You know the scenario—your child has a meltdown, leaving you frustrated, embarrassed and arguing even though your brain says it's a battle you're not likely to win.
* 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
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
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
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
Cyber attacks are rewriting the 'rules' of modern warfare—and we aren't prepared for the consequences
Governments are becoming ever more reliant on digital technology, making them more vulnerable to cyber attacks. In 2007, Estonia was attacked by pro-Russian hackers who crippled government servers, causing havoc. Cyber attacks in Ukraine targeted the country's electricity grid, while Iran's nuclear power plants were infected by malware that could have led to a nuclear meltdown.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Heroin overdose ED visits decreased from 2017 to 2018
(HealthDay)—From 2017 to 2018, there was a decrease in heroin overdose emergency department visits, although the declines were not consistent among states, according to a study published online May 16 in the American Journal of Public Health.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Avelumab and axitinib approved for treatment of renal cell carcinoma
(HealthDay)—Avelumab (BAVENCIO) was approved this week for first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in combination with axitinib, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Artificial intelligence shines light on the dark web
Beneath the surface web, the public form of the internet you use daily to check email or read news articles, exists a concealed "dark web." Host to anonymous, password-protected sites, the dark web is where criminal marketplaces thrive in the advertising and selling of weapons, drugs, and trafficked persons. Law enforcement agencies work continuously to stop these activities, but the challenges they face in investigating and prosecuting the real-world people behind the users who post on these sites are tremendous.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Machine learning speeds modeling of experiments aimed at capturing fusion energy on Earth
Machine learning (ML), a form of artificial intelligence that recognizes faces, understands language and navigates self-driving cars, can help bring to Earth the clean fusion energy that lights the sun and stars. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) are using ML to create a model for rapid control of plasma—the state of matter composed of free electrons and atomic nuclei, or ions—that fuels fusion reactions.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
'Brand Me' presentations increase students' confidence and enhance their employability
The University of Portsmouth is helping its students build a strong personal brand to increase their confidence and enhance their employability.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Saturday 18 May 2019
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
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
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
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
Tester eyes unhackable claim on USB flash drive
When the unhackable turns hackable you know there will be lots of noise. Case in point: The eyeDisk USB flash drive. Passwords exposed in clear text were discovered.
* 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
Button batteries can rapidly damage stomach lining before symptoms appear
Damage to the lining of the stomach can occur quickly when children swallow button batteries; therefore, clinicians should consider prompt endoscopic removal, even when the child is symptom free and the battery has passed safely through the narrow esophagus, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2019. The recommendations represent a change from current practice of watching and waiting.
* 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
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
Facebook breakup could boost China rivals: Sandberg
Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said Friday a breakup of big US technology would not address "underlying issues" facing the sector and suggested that such a move could help rivals in China.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Augmented reality affects people's behavior in the real world
As major technology firms race to roll out augmented reality products, Stanford researchers are learning how it affects people's behavior – in both the physical world and a digitally enhanced one.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
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
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
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
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
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
Friday 17 May 2019
Changes in subsistence hunting threaten local food security
Scientists with the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and WCS Ecuador Program publishing in the journal BioTropica say that subsistence hunting in Neotropical rain forests—the mainstay of local people as a source of protein and a direct connection to these ecosystems—is in jeopardy from a variety of factors.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Essentials for growing tasty herbs on your windowsill
(HealthDay)—Whether you have a dedicated space in an outdoor garden or just a few buckets on a small patio, there's nothing quite like having your own herb garden for giving your cooking fresh flavor boosts.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
A new era in 3-D printing
In the mid-15th century, a new technology that would change the course of history was invented. Johannes Gutenberg's printing press, with its movable type, promoted the dissemination of information and ideas that is widely recognized as a major contributing factor for the Renaissance.
* 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
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
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
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
Helping robots remember: Hyperdimensional computing theory could change the way AI works
The Houston Astros' José Altuve steps up to the plate on a 3-2 count, studies the pitcher and the situation, gets the go-ahead from third base, tracks the ball's release, swings ... and gets a single up the middle. Just another trip to the plate for the three-time American League batting champion.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Microsoft alerts hospitals to fix potential security risk
Computer experts inside hospitals were working diligently on Wednesday to address a serious new security vulnerability in older versions of the Windows operating system, which is still used in many health care devices even though Microsoft hasn't actively supported the older software in years.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Extraordinarily transparent compact metallic metamaterials
In materials science, achromatic optical components can be designed with high transparency and low dispersion. Materials scientists have shown that although metals are highly opaque, densely packed arrays of metallic nanoparticles with more than 75 percent metal by volume can become more transparent to infrared radiation than dielectrics such as germanium. Such arrays can form effective dielectrics that are virtually dispersion-free across ultra-broadband ranges of wavelengths to engineer a variety of next-generation metamaterial-based optical devices.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Virtual reality game simulates experiences with race
Video games that use virtual reality to create immersive experiences have become increasingly popular for entertainment and for research. However, the representation of race in these simulations is often shallow—and fails to go beyond physical appearance attributes like skin color.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
North Korea seeing worst drought in a century: state media
North Korea is experiencing its worst drought in over a century, official media reported Friday, days after the World Food Programme expressed "very serious concerns" about the situation in the country.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
Ultrasound used to trigger insulin release in mice shows promise for diabetes therapy
The World Health Organization ranks Type 2 diabetes among the most common causes of death in the world. Current treatments can help the body use insulin at various stages of the disease, but they can also be expensive and subject patients to lifelong medication regimens and side effects. Thanks to new therapeutic ultrasound technology, one promising alternative looks to reshape how early Type 2 diabetes is managed.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Scientists develop technology to capture tumor cells
Instead of searching for a needle in a haystack, what if you were able to sweep the entire haystack to one side, leaving only the needle behind? That's the strategy researchers in the University of Georgia College of Engineering followed in developing a new microfluidic device that separates elusive circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from a sample of whole blood.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday 16 May 2019
Same computer password for the last 10 years? You might need a vibrating cybernudge
Technology used in exercise and lifestyle apps may hold the key to answering that most difficult of challenges—getting people to change their passwords and better protect their online privacy and data.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Poll: Many adults worried about developing dementia
(HealthDay)—Many adults are worried about developing dementia and about half report taking steps to maintain or improve memory, according to a report published by the National Poll on Healthy Aging.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Here's why your internet may be delivered by a drone someday soon
As the pilotless flying wing came in for a landing, winds suddenly picked up. Facebook Inc.'s Aquila drone—powered by the sun and wider than a Boeing 737 jetliner—struggled to adjust. Just before landing, part of the right wing broke off.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
CosmoGAN: Training a neural network to study dark matter
As cosmologists and astrophysicists delve deeper into the darkest recesses of the universe, their need for increasingly powerful observational and computational tools has expanded exponentially. From facilities such as the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument to supercomputers like Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Cori system at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing (NERSC) facility, they are on a quest to collect, simulate, and analyze increasing amounts of data that can help explain the nature of things we can't see, as well as those we can.
* 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
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
Wikipedia 'doing very well financially': co-founder
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales said Thursday that the free online encyclopedia is in good financial shape, although increasing mobile phone use may cut into future donations.
* 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
Archaeological discovery upends a piece of Barbados history
Which came first, the pigs or the pioneers? In Barbados, that has been a historical mystery ever since the first English colonists arrived on the island in 1627 to encounter what they thought was a herd of wild European pigs.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Why adults at risk for Huntington's choose not to learn if they inherited deadly gene
As many as 90 percent of individuals who have a parent with Huntington's disease (HD) choose not to take a gene test that reveals if they will also develop the fatal disorder—and a new study details the reasons why.
* 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
Early weight-loss surgery may improve type 2 diabetes, blood pressure outcomes
Despite similar weight loss, teens who had gastric bypass surgery were significantly more likely to have remission of both type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, compared to adults who had the same procedure. Results are from an NIH-funded study comparing outcomes in the two groups five years after surgery. Previously, no treatment has shown longer-term effectiveness at reversing type 2 diabetes in youth, which tends to advance more quickly than in adults.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
FDA: Tattoo inks recalled due to bacterial contamination
(HealthDay)—Six tattoo inks have been recalled because they are contaminated with bacteria and could lead to infection that poses a serious health risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Mapping the global distribution of phytoplankton
Researchers at ETH have charted the distribution of phytoplankton in the world's oceans for the first time and investigated the environmental factors that explain this distribution. They concluded that plankton diversity is only partially congruent with previous theories of biodiversity for the seas between the equator and the poles.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Mutations synergize in pediatric brain cancer
A new Northwestern Medicine study finds that a combination of two mutations cause a form of pediatric brain tumors to become more deadly, according to findings published in Nature Communications.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Regular crosswords and number puzzles linked to sharper brain in later life
Older adults who regularly take part in word and number puzzles have sharper brains, according to the largest online study to date.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers teach robots handwriting and drawing
An algorithm developed by Brown University computer scientists enables robots to put pen to paper, writing words using stroke patterns similar to human handwriting. It's a step, the researchers say, toward robots that are able to communicate more fluently with human co-workers and collaborators.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Surgeon who transplanted baboon heart into baby dies
Dr. Leonard Bailey, who in 1984 transplanted a baboon heart into a tiny newborn dubbed "Baby Fae" in a pioneering operation that sparked both worldwide acclaim and condemnation, has died. He was 76.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday 15 May 2019
China blocks all language editions of Wikipedia
Beijing has broadened its block of online encyclopedia Wikipedia to include all language editions, an internet censorship research group reported just weeks ahead of China's most politically explosive anniversary.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New study shows climate change, maternal care, parasitic infection all connected in South American fur seals
South American fur seal pups with high levels of hookworm infection spend more time in the water, but that's not necessarily a good thing, report Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at the University of Georgia.
* 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
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
Video: Fly over Mount Sharp on Mars
Ever wanted to visit Mars? A new animated video shows what it would be like to soar over Mount Sharp, which NASA's Curiosity rover has been climbing since 2014.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
How a new father views his relationship with his partner
A new father's views on his changing relationship with his wife or partner may depend in part on how much support he feels from her when he is caring for their baby, a new study suggests.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Review: Edifier headphones and earbuds give you great sound, no wires
There are times when we all would like to tune out the outside world and just relax in peace and quiet.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Imagine Apple's App Store with no walled garden
Gregg Spiridellis isn't shy when it comes to his feelings about the Apple iOS App Store.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Lyme disease now a threat in city parks
(HealthDay)—As deer populations have exploded across America, moving from forests to suburbs to urban parks, they have brought the threat of Lyme disease to millions of city dwellers, a new study finds.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Planetary scientists unravel mystery of Egyptian desert glass
A Curtin University researcher has solved a nearly 100-year-old riddle by discovering that glass found in the Egyptian desert was created by a meteorite impact, rather than atmospheric airburst, in findings that have implications for understanding the threat posed by asteroids.
* 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
Help coming on blocking scam calls for robocall-plagued US
New measures by U.S. regulators could help thwart some of the billions of robocalls received in the U.S.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Exploring people's perception of geometric features, personalities and emotions in videos with virtual humans
Researchers at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul have recently carried out a study aimed at evaluating people's perceptions of geometric features, personalities and emotions presented in video sequences with virtual humans. Their study, outlined in a paper pre-published on arXiv, merges computer science tools with psychology research practices.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New security flaw in Intel chips could affect millions
Intel has revealed another hardware security flaw that could affects millions of machines around the world.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New surface treatment could improve refrigeration efficiency
Unlike water, liquid refrigerants and other fluids that have a low surface tension tend to spread quickly into a sheet when they come into contact with a surface. But for many industrial process it would be better if the fluids formed droplets, which could roll or fall off the surface and carry heat away with them.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Negative personal experiences add meaning to life
While many people say they appreciate positive experiences more than negative ones, there is a hidden benefit of negative experiences. While someone involved in a negative situation might not enjoy it, a recent study from the University of Minnesota and Stanford University indicates that a negative experience can provide meaning for the individual.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Largest sea-surface salinity dataset to date helps researchers map salty waters
The length and precision with which climate scientists can track the salinity, or saltiness, of the oceans is set to improve dramatically according to researchers working as part of ESA's Climate Change Initiative.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
'Reporter islets' in the eye may predict autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes
Identifying a reliable biomarker to predict the onset of autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes (T1D) has eluded scientists. As a result, T1D is typically diagnosed long after the majority of insulin-producing cells have been irreversibly destroyed. Unlike the onset of other autoimmune diseases which can be seen on the body or felt through symptoms, the attack on the islets cannot be observed because they reside deep within the pancreas.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday 14 May 2019
In robotics classes, Armenian teens dream of high-tech future
In a sleek classroom in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, one of the poorest post-Soviet republics, 14-year-old Nazeli Ter-Petrosyan peers at the screen of her Apple Mac.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Big Brother-style surveillance gives new insight into Amazon's hidden wildlife
Scientists are deploying ultra-sensitive sensors in the Amazon to collect images and sounds of the rainforest's rich biodiversity in real time, in an effort to track preservation efforts.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
One in five civil monetary penalties due to EMTALA violations involved psychiatric emergencies
Nearly one in five civil monetary penalty settlements related to Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) violations involved psychiatric emergencies. That is the conclusion of a study to be published in the May 2019 issue of Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM), a journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM). Settlements related to psychiatric emergencies were costlier and more often associated with failure to stabilize than for nonpsychiatric emergencies.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sunday 12 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
Secrets of fluorescent microalgae could lead to super-efficient solar cells
Tiny light-emitting microalgae, found in the ocean, could hold the secret to the next generation of organic solar cells, according to new research carried out at the Universities of Birmingham and Utrecht.
* 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
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
Saturday 11 May 2019
Uber shifts into reverse in disappointing Wall Street debut
Uber shares skidded Friday in a disappointing Wall Street debut following a massive public offering from the global ride-hailing giant.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Review: Motorola Moto G7 is the inexpensive Android phone you've been waiting for
I'm a tech reviewer, so I think people expect me to carry the newest iPhone—at least that's what I tell my wife.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sharing data with surgeons can reduce overuse of Mohs surgery
(HealthDay)—Sharing personalized practice pattern data with physicians that is benchmarked to national data for their peers can reduce overuse of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) among outliers, according to a study published online May 5 in JAMA Dermatology.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
WHO warns Ebola could spread elsewhere if attacks don't stop
The World Health Organization warned Friday that it may not be possible to contain Ebola to the two affected provinces in eastern Congo if violent attacks on health teams continue.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Space-tourism dream edges toward reality in New Mexico
British billionaire Richard Branson and his space-tourism company Virgin Galactic announced new steps Friday toward offering thrill rides into the low reaches of space for paying passengers, with the company immediately starting to move personnel and space vehicles from California to a launch and landing facility in the New Mexico desert.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Stricken ship refloated after Solomons oil spill
The ship at the centre of an environmental disaster near World-Heritage listed waters in the Solomon Islands was refloated Saturday after being stranded on a coral reef for more than three months.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
An approach for securing audio classification against adversarial attacks
Adversarial audio attacks are small perturbations that are not perceivable by humans and are intentionally added to audio signals to impair the performance of machine learning (ML) models. These attacks raise serious concerns about the security of ML models, as they can cause them to make mistakes and ultimately generate wrong predictions.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
NASA Northern quadrant strength in Tropical Cyclone Lili
NASA's Aqua satellite used infrared light to analyze the strength of storms in Tropical Cyclone Lili as it moved through the Southern Indian Ocean. Infrared data provides temperature information, and the strongest thunderstorms that reach high into the atmosphere have the coldest cloud top temperatures.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
Instagram to start blocking hashtags with vaccine misinformation
Instagram will start blocking any hashtags spreading misinformation about vaccines, becoming the latest internet platform to crack down on bad health information.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
The poorest pupils spurn school meals, study finds
Pupils from the poorest backgrounds are the ones most likely to leave school at lunchtime to buy food, a University of Hertfordshire investigation revealed today—and the choice is often chips together with other items high in fat, sugar and salt.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
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
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
Friday 10 May 2019
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
New study highlights fundamental challenges of living with wildfire
Wildfires can have dramatic impacts on Western landscapes and communities, but human values determine whether the changes caused by fire are desired or dreaded. This is the simple—but often overlooked—message from a collaborative team of 23 researchers led by University of Montana faculty in a study published in the May issue of the journal BioScience.
* 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
Just add water: Salt battery could help renewable energy use
Amid the hum and heat of Berlin's Reuter thermal power station stands a shining contraption that looks out of place in the decades-old machine hall.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
Lab builds autopilot software allowing UAVs to soar on thermals
A Navy scientist has re-engineered the software that allows long-endurance drones to powerlessly climb into the sky on bubbles of warm air.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Opioid doctor and pharmacy 'shoppers' may also shop at home, study finds
As states crack down on doctor and pharmacy "shopping" by people who misuse opioids, a new study reveals how often those individuals may still be able to find opioids to misuse in their family medicine cabinets.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Doctors aware of patient difficulties affording medical care
(HealthDay)—Physicians are aware of patients' difficulty with affording medical care and consider out-of-pocket costs in their decision making, according to an article published in a supplement to the May 7 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Cover up! Don't soak up those sun rays
(HealthDay)—Only half of Americans routinely protect themselves from the sun when outdoors, a recent American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) survey found.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
The regulatory role of ethical labelling
A Victoria University of Wellington study has found ethical certification has become a 'tick in the box' exercise in some industries, and fails to address underlying sustainability and equality injustices.
* 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
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
A face-following robot arm with emotion detection
Researchers at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) have recently developed a face-following robotic arm with emotion detection inspired by Pixar Animation Studios' Luxo Jr. lamp. This robot was presented by Vernon Stanley Albayeros Duarte, a computer science graduate at UAB, in his final thesis.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
We must rip up our environmental laws to address the extinction crisis
Humans are causing the Earth's sixth mass extinction event, with an estimated one million species at risk of extinction.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Dyson driving towards all-terrain electric car
James Dyson, famed for his vacuum cleaners, hinted Thursday that his electric car would be more energy efficient than rivals—and with "very large wheels" for city and rough-terrain driving.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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
Show your hands: Smartwatches sense hand activity
We've become accustomed to our smartwatches and smartphones sensing what our bodies are doing, be it walking, driving or sleeping. But what about our hands? It turns out that smartwatches, with a few tweaks, can detect a surprising number of things your hands are doing.
* 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
Hepatitis A infections soaring: CDC
(HealthDay)—The number of Americans infected with hepatitis A has grown nearly 300% in just three years, health officials reported Thursday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Unpacking the links: Chronic stress, fertility and the 'hunger hormone'
Researchers have uncovered a new link between chronic stress and reproductive problems, in a pre-clinical study that shines the spotlight on a hunger-triggering hormone.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday 9 May 2019
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
Gravitational waves leave a detectable mark, physicists say
Gravitational waves, first detected in 2016, offer a new window on the universe, with the potential to tell us about everything from the time following the Big Bang to more recent events in galaxy centers.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
DNA nanostructures designed for drug delivery remain a technical challenge
Many studies indicating that DNA nanostructures can enter cells more readily than simple DNA strands are flawed, according to researchers at McGill University.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
An electric tongue can handle more spicy foods than you can
Thousands of new spicy products hit supermarket shelves every year. Some people crave the heat, some fear the burn. But if you enjoy it, spicy food wears out taste buds quickly.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Google's AI Assistant aims to transcend the smart speaker
When Google launched its now distinctive digital assistant in 2016, it was already in danger of being an also-ran.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Weight-loss procedure works long-term, without surgery
Could people struggling with obesity make headway in their efforts to shed pounds without having to go under the knife?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers make transformational AI seem 'unremarkable'
Physicians making life-and-death decisions about organ transplants, cancer treatments or heart surgeries typically don't give much thought to how artificial intelligence might help them. And that's how researchers at Carnegie Mellon University say clinical AI tools should be designed—so doctors don't need to think about them.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Uber to price IPO at $45, valuing company at $82 bn: source
Uber was preparing a share offering that values the global ridesharing giant at up to $82 billion, a source familiar with the deal said Thursday.
* 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
Researchers document the oldest known trees in eastern North America
A recently documented stand of bald cypress trees in North Carolina, including one tree at least 2,624 years old, are the oldest known living trees in eastern North America and the oldest known wetland tree species in the world.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Free video streaming offers some gems—if you can find them
Free video services let you watch thousands of movies and TV shows online, but many of the offerings consist of reality TV, long-forgotten "classics" and movies that never made it to theaters.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers discover 'daywake,' a siesta-suppressing gene
Rutgers researchers have identified a siesta-suppressing gene in fruit flies, which sheds light on the biology that helps many creatures, including humans, balance the benefits of a good nap against those of getting important activities done during the day.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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