Monday 20 May 2019

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

Circadian mechanism may not be driver behind compound linked to obesity and diabetes

SR9009 is a compound that can lead to a wide range of health benefits in animals, including reduced risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Until now, researchers—and companies that sell the compound for human use in the form of a nutraceutical—have attributed the effects to SR9009's role in altering the body's circadian clock, specifically its work through proteins called REV-ERBS that link metabolism and circadian rhythm. However, in a first-of-its-kind study from Penn Medicine, published today in PNAS, researchers found that SR9009 can effect cell growth and metabolic function without the involvement of REV-ERBs.

* This article was originally published here

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

Bacteria change behavior to tackle tiny obstacle course

It's not exactly the set of TV's "American Ninja Warrior," but a tiny obstacle course for bacteria has shown researchers how E. coli changes its behavior to rapidly clear obstructions to food. Their work holds implications for not only biology and medicine, but also robotic search-and-rescue tactics.

* This article was originally published here

Computer program designed to calculate the economic impact of forest fires

High temperatures and low humidity—summer is approaching and with it the fire season. The lack of precipitation also makes 2019 a year characterised by risk, so some Spanish regions, such as the Balearic Islands, have taken swift action and already begun their prevention operations. According to a report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, every year there are an average of 12,000 fires and outbreaks, affecting more than 100,000 hectares of forest. This means not only enormous damage to the environment, but also to the economy.

* This article was originally published here

AlterEgo opens silent spring of computer connections via wearable

OK, we get it. Artificial intelligence experts are on a fast clip from year to year, month to month, showing off what their research can promise. But could it be that we have reached that stage in human-computer interaction, where you can think of a question —— without saying a word— and the machine will respond with the answer?

* This article was originally published here

Expert judgement provides better understanding of the effect of melting ice sheets

Melting ice sheets in Greenland and the Antarctic, and subsequent sea level rise (SLR) this will cause, is widely recognised as posing a significant threat to coastal communities and ecosystems.

* This article was originally published here