Deep-CEE: The AI deep learning tool helping astronomers explore deep space

Galaxy clusters are some of the most massive structures in the cosmos, but despite being millions of lightyears across, they can still be hard to spot. Researchers at Lancaster University have turned to artificial intelligence for assistance, developing "Deep-CEE" (Deep Learning for Galaxy Cluster Extraction and Evaluation), a novel deep learning technique to speed up the process of finding them. Matthew Chan, a Ph.D. student at Lancaster University, is presenting this work at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy meeting on 4 July at 3:45pm in the Machine Learning in Astrophysics session.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/deep-cee-the-ai-deep-learning-tool-helping-astronomers-explore-deep-space

Collision course: Amateur astronomers play a part in efforts to keep space safe

Heavy traffic is commonplace on Earth but now congestion is becoming an increasing problem in space. With over 22,000 artificial satellites in orbit it is essential to keep track of their positions in order to avoid unexpected collisions. Amateur astronomers from the Basingstoke Astronomical Society have been helping the Ministry of Defence explore what is possible using high-end consumer equipment to track objects in space.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/collision-course-amateur-astronomers-play-a-part-in-efforts-to-keep-space-safe

Substantial increase in body weight since 1960s due to interplay between genes and environment

People with a genetic predisposition to obesity are not only at greater risk of excess weight, their genes interact with an increasingly "obesogenic" environment, resulting in higher body mass index (BMI) in recent decades, finds a study from Norway published by The BMJ today.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/substantial-increase-in-body-weight-since-1960s-due-to-interplay-between-genes-and-environment

The costs of cancer in 2015: 8.7 million years of life and $94 billion in lost earnings

Cancer took more than 8.7 million years of life and $94.4 billion in lost earnings among people ages 16 to 84 in the United States in 2015. The calculation comes from a new report by American Cancer Society researchers that appears early online in JAMA Oncology.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/the-costs-of-cancer-in-2015-8-7-million-years-of-life-and-94-billion-in-lost-earnings

Optimized gene-editing tool prevents hearing loss in mice with hereditary deafness without detectable off-target effects

Scientists at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital have used a novel gene-editing approach to salvage the hearing of mice with genetic hearing loss and succeeded in doing so without any apparent off-target effects as a result of the treatment.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/optimized-gene-editing-tool-prevents-hearing-loss-in-mice-with-hereditary-deafness-without-detectable-off-target-effects

Plants don't think, they grow: The case against plant consciousness

If a tree falls, and no one's there to hear it, does it feel pain and loneliness? No, experts argue in an opinion article publishing on July 3rd in the journal Trends in Plant Science. They draw this conclusion from the research of Todd Feinberg and Jon Mallatt, which explores the evolution of consciousness through comparative studies of simple and complex animal brains.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/plants-dont-think-they-grow-the-case-against-plant-consciousness

Determined DNA hunt reveals schizophrenia clue

An 18-year study using the DNA of thousands of people in India has identified a new clue in the quest for causes of schizophrenia, and for potential treatments.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/determined-dna-hunt-reveals-schizophrenia-clue

Pediatric cancers: Towards more targeted therapy

In Belgium, there are 70,000 new adult cases of cancer every year, compared to 350 in children. Owing to lack of interest from pharmaceutical groups, treatments for pediatric cancers are developing much less rapidly than those for adults. The chemotherapy recommended for most childhood cancers is just as toxic as it was 20 years ago. In addition, it has significant consequences for the child: infertility, deafness, and premature ageing. After chemotherapy sessions, the child suffers a loss of stem cells, which are crucial to the healing and regeneration of tissues. The cured child has an entire life to live, yet the capacity of his or her tissues to regenerate has diminished.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/pediatric-cancers-towards-more-targeted-therapy

Social context influences decision-makers' willingness to take risks

Do differences in performance have an impact on the appetite for risk-taking in decision-makers? Economists at the University of Göttingen have addressed this question. The result of their study is that people's willingness to take risks increases as soon as they get a lower return than other people with whom they compare themselves. At the same time, decision-makers take lower risks if they get a higher return than their peers. The study was published in the journal Games and Economic Behavior.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/social-context-influences-decision-makers-willingness-to-take-risks

CEO political activism: Jobseekers want bosses who take a stand

Chief executives who speak out on political issues and take a principled stance are increasingly sought out by jobseekers who believe such behaviour signals fair treatment, respect for employees, and a more responsible vision beyond nurturing the bottom line, new research shows.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/ceo-political-activism-jobseekers-want-bosses-who-take-a-stand

Up to 30% of children carry a gene variant that may increase susceptibility to methylmercury

Prenatal exposure to low levels of methylmercury does not affect child cognition, but certain gene variants may increase susceptibility. These are the main conclusions of a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by "la Caixa," in collaboration with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the University of Bristol.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/up-to-30-of-children-carry-a-gene-variant-that-may-increase-susceptibility-to-methylmercury

The energy system of the future and Power-to-X

In a joint research project of five Swiss competence centres for energy research, scientists of the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and colleagues have prepared a white paper on "Power-to-X" for consideration by the Swiss Federal Energy Research Commission (CORE). The goal of the white paper is to gather together the most important insights available on Power-to-X technologies. Among other things, the study sheds light on contributions that could be made to Switzerland's energy strategy by different technologies based on conversion and storage of various forms of energy. The experts are presenting the findings of this study on July 8th at ETH Zurich.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/the-energy-system-of-the-future-and-power-to-x

First time human-on-a-chip predicts in vivo results based on in vitro model

Hesperos Inc., pioneers of the "human-on-a-chip" in vitro system has announced the use of its innovative multi-organ model to successfully measure the concentration and metabolism of two known cardiotoxic small molecules over time, to accurately describe the drug behavior and toxic effects in vivo. The findings further support the potential of body-on-a-chip systems to transform the drug discovery process.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/first-time-human-on-a-chip-predicts-in-vivo-results-based-on-in-vitro-model

Maize-centric diet may have contributed to ancient Maya collapse

The question of how to best adapt to extreme climate is a critical issue facing modern societies worldwide. In "The Role of Diet in Resilience and Vulnerability to Climate Change among Early Agricultural Communities in the Maya Lowlands," published in Current Anthropology, authors Claire Ebert, Julie Hoggarth, Jaime Awe, Brendan Culleton, and Douglas Kennett examine the role of diet in the ability of the ancient Maya to withstand periods of severe climatic stress. The authors found that an increase in the elite Maya's preference for a maize-based diet may have made the population more vulnerable to drought, contributing to its societal collapse.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/maize-centric-diet-may-have-contributed-to-ancient-maya-collapse

Researchers find targeted treatment that reduces symptoms of psychosis

Treatment for individuals who experience psychosis, such as hallucinations and delusions as a result of a psychiatric illness, can be targeted to a specific structural mutation, according to a study published by researchers from McLean Hospital and other institutions in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/researchers-find-targeted-treatment-that-reduces-symptoms-of-psychosis

Blood pressure drug linked with increased risk of bowel condition

This condition causes small bulges or pouches to appear in the lining of the intestine. Particularly affecting the elderly (as many as 65 per cent of over 85s may be affected), diverticulosis can in some cases can lead to a medical emergency if the pouches become infected or burst.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/blood-pressure-drug-linked-with-increased-risk-of-bowel-condition

Taking to the treadmill can ease period pain

A treadmill exercise regime can reduce period pain and improve long-term quality of life, according to a new study published in the journal Contemporary Clinical Trials.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/taking-to-the-treadmill-can-ease-period-pain

Two new species of parasitic wasps described from an altitude of over 3,400 m in Tibet

Specimens kept in the collection of the Institute of Beneficial Insects at the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU, China) revealed the existence of two previously unknown species of endoparasitoid wasps. Originally collected in 2013, the insects are known to inhabit prairies and bushes at above 3,400 m, which is quite an unusual altitude for this group of wasps.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/two-new-species-of-parasitic-wasps-described-from-an-altitude-of-over-3-400-m-in-tibet

Old-growth forest may provide valuable biodiversity refuge in areas at risk of severe fire

New findings show that old-growth forests, a critical nesting habitat for threatened northern spotted owls, are less likely to experience high-severity fire than young-growth forests during wildfires. This suggests that old-growth forest could be leveraged to provide valuable fire refuges that support forest biodiversity and buffer the extreme effects of climate change on fire regimes in the Pacific Northwest.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/old-growth-forest-may-provide-valuable-biodiversity-refuge-in-areas-at-risk-of-severe-fire

Quorn protein builds muscle better than milk protein

A study from the University of Exeter has found that mycoprotein, the protein-rich food source that is unique to Quorn products, stimulates post-exercise muscle building to a greater extent than milk protein.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/quorn-protein-builds-muscle-better-than-milk-protein

US media sector braces for brutal year for jobs

The struggling US media industry is facing its worst year for job layoffs in a decade as news organizations continue to cut staff and close shop, according to a new survey.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/us-media-sector-braces-for-brutal-year-for-jobs

'Tsunami' on a silicon chip: a world first for light waves

A tsunami holds its wave shape over very long distances across the ocean, retaining its power and 'information' far from its source.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/tsunami-on-a-silicon-chip-a-world-first-for-light-waves

Ebola case reported near S.Sudan border: health official

South Sudan has stepped up surveillance along its porous southern border after an Ebola case was detected just inside DR Congo, an health official in Juba told AFP Wednesday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/ebola-case-reported-near-s-sudan-border-health-official

Lithuania declares emergency as drought hits farmers

Lithuania declared an emergency on Wednesday as a severe drought hit the Baltic EU state, threatening to slash this year's harvest by up to half.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/lithuania-declares-emergency-as-drought-hits-farmers

Reacting against a 'too clean' world, some parents go too far the other way

Somewhere between the mom who obsessively wipes down every knob and toy her child might touch, and the Dad who thinks rolling in the dirt is "good" for kids, there's a healthy medium, British experts say.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/reacting-against-a-too-clean-world-some-parents-go-too-far-the-other-way

Flesh-eating bacteria claims life of Florida woman

A Florida woman died late last week from flesh-eating bacteria two weeks after cutting her leg while walking along the coast.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/flesh-eating-bacteria-claims-life-of-florida-woman