Plastic peril: The chemical in your tupperware disrupts pregnancy in mice
From University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 05/09/23 We are constantly exposed to phthalates in our environment through plastic products such as storage containers, medical devices, packages, fabrics, and toys. Specifically, di-isononyl phthalate is inevitably becoming a part of our lives. Unfortunately, the impact of DiNP on the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy is largely unknown. […]
Mindfulness gets spherical: The shape-shifting ball that mimics your breath
From University of Bath 01/09/23 A soft ball that ‘personifies’ breath, expanding and contracting in synchronicity with a person’s inhalations and exhalations, has been invented by a PhD student at the University of Bath in the UK. The ball is designed to support mental health, giving users a tangible representation of their breath to keep […]
New tool predicts irregular heartbeat condition, reducing stroke risk
From University of East Anglia 28/08/23 Researchers at the University of East Anglia have developed a new way of identifying patients at risk of an irregular heartbeat, known as ‘atrial fibrillation’. While not life threatening, the condition increases people’s risk of having a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or stroke by up to five times. A […]
Engineered bacteria can detect tumor DNA
From University of California – San Diego 28/08/23 Pushing into a new chapter of technologically advanced biological sensors, scientists from the University of California San Diego and their colleagues in Australia have engineered bacteria that can detect the presence of tumor DNA in a live organism. Their innovation, which detected cancer in the colons of […]
Paper drinking straws may be worse for the environment than plastic versions – innovation opp.
From Taylor & Francis Group 25/08/23 Long-lasting “forever chemicals”, which can cause damaging health issues, found in 18/20 brands of paper straws “Eco-friendly” paper drinking straws contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals, a new study has concluded. In the first analysis of its kind in Europe, and only the second in the world, Belgian researchers […]
Do digital hugs work?
From Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University 24/08/23 Research shows the way to cultivate meaningful social connections online At first glance, the term “digital hug” might seem paradoxical. After all, how does the physical act of embracing one another have anything to do with the digital world in which we are so […]
Space travel depletes red blood cells and bone, but bone marrow fat may come to the rescue
From The Ottawa Hospital 22/08/23 A study of 14 astronauts suggests that while space travel depletes red blood cells and bone, the body can eventually replenish them back on Earth with the help of fat stored in the bone marrow. The study, published in Nature Communications, has important implications for health in space and on […]
AI predicts throat and stomach cancers from health records
From University of Michigan 23/08/23 In the United States and other western countries, a form of esophageal and stomach cancer has risen dramatically over the last five decades. Rates of esophageal adenocarcinoma, or EAC, and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma, or GCA, are both highly fatal. However, Joel Rubenstein, M.D., M.S., a research scientist at the Lieutenant […]
How old are you, really? AI can tell your true age by looking at your chest
From Osaka Metropolitan University 21/08/23 Could your chest reveal your age more accurately than your face? Scientists at Osaka Metropolitan University have created an advanced AI model that uses chest X-rays to estimate a person’s age and even detect potential chronic diseases. This breakthrough in medical imaging has the potential to revolutionize early disease detection […]
Diagnosis of Parkinson’s voice condition from call audio
From Toyohashi University of Technology 20/08/23 Overview Assistant Professor Yuya Hosoda of the Center for IT-Based Education (CITE), Toyohashi University of Technology developed a method for estimating the pitch of vocal cord vibrations of humans from call audio. In this method, the pitch is estimated by integrating the feature quantities extracted from the amplitude and […]