Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Ice loss likely to continue in Antarctica

A new international study led by Monash University climate scientists has revealed that ice loss in Antarctica persisted for many centuries after it was initiated and is expected to continue.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-ice-loss-antarctica.html

Air pollution killed 500k newborns in 2019: global study

Air pollution killed 476,000 newborns in 2019, with the biggest hotspots in India and Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new global study which said that nearly two-thirds of the deaths came from noxious fumes from cooking fuels.

DC debuts smartphone-based COVID-19 exposure alert system

The nation's capital has become one of the first jurisdictions in the country to employ a new COVID-19 notification system, a joint Google-Apple venture that delivers alerts to people's phones, notifying them that they may have been exposed to the coronavirus.

Safety considerations for visiting primary care doctors

The COVID-19 pandemic has left many people with chronic health conditions relying on telemedicine rather than seeing their doctor in person when necessary or putting off important visits entirely because they fear being infected.

Critically ill infants given blood transfusions before surgery have poorer outcomes

Critically ill newborns who receive blood transfusions prior to surgery had about a 50% increased rate of complications or death than those who did not receive transfusions, according to a new study published today in Pediatrics by Nemours Children's Health System researchers. The findings demonstrate the potential danger that blood transfusions may have on the surgical outcomes of neonatal patients.

Evidence review confirms CDC guidance about infectivity of novel coronavirus

A review of dozens of studies by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and Oregon State University suggests that people may shed virus for prolonged periods, but those with mild or no symptoms may be infectious for no more than about 10 days. People who are severely ill from COVID-19 may be infectious for as long as 20 days.

Community noise may affect dementia risk

Results from a new study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia support emerging evidence suggesting that noise may influence individuals' risk of developing dementia later in life.

Study reveals disparities in access to high-quality surgical care

Among U.S. patients diagnosed with breast, prostate, lung, or colorectal cancer from 2004 to 2016, those who were uninsured or had Medicare or Medicaid were less likely than privately insured patients to receive surgical care at high-volume hospitals. The findings are published in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Cholesterol medications linked to lower cancer-related deaths in women

Among women with breast cancer, colorectal cancer, or melanoma, those who were taking cholesterol-lowering medications, were less likely to die from cancer, according to an analysis published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

Researchers analyze studies of interventions to prevent violence against children

Numerous studies have examined interventions aimed at preventing violence against children. A recent analysis reveals various gaps not adequately addressed by these studies.

Quibi may have to shut down if buyer not found: report

Quibi, the short video streaming service launched with great fanfare in April, may have to shut down if a buyer isn't found, specialty news site The Information reported Tuesday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-quibi-buyer.html

An electric Hummer? Battery-powered trucks head to showrooms

Seven auto companies have plans to roll out new battery-powered pickup trucks over the next two years, aiming to cash in on a popular and lucrative market for expensive vehicles.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-electric-hummer-battery-powered-trucks-showrooms.html

Cathay Pacific to cut workforce by nearly a quarter

Cathay Pacific announced plans Wednesday to cut its workforce by nearly a quarter and close one of its short-haul airlines in an effort to survive the "devastating" impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-cathay-pacific-jobs-shutters-regional.html

Study: COVID speeds up human vs machine standoff over work

As automation and online work gain ground, organizers of the annual Davos forum are projecting employers will split work equally between machines and people by 2025, with the coronavirus pandemic accelerating changes in the labor market.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-covid-human-machine-standoff.html

Netflix reports a summer slump in subscriber growth

Netflix's subscriber growth slowed dramatically during the summer months after surging in the spring fueled by pandemic lockdowns that corralled millions of people in their homes.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-netflix-summer-slump-subscriber-growth.html

NASA probe OSIRIS-REx 'boops' asteroid Bennu in historic mission

After a four-year journey, NASA's robotic spacecraft OSIRIS-REx briefly touched down on asteroid Bennu's boulder-strewn surface on Tuesday to collect rock and dust samples in a precision operation 200 million miles (330 million kilometers) from Earth.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-nasa-probe-osiris-rex-boops-asteroid.html

Innovation spins spider web architecture into 3-D imaging technology

Purdue University innovators are taking cues from nature to develop 3-D photodetectors for biomedical imaging.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-spider-web-architecture-d-imaging.html

Do black lives matter protests impact fatal police interactions and crime?

A new analysis of nine years of nationwide data examines the impacts of the Black Lives Matter movement on fatal interactions with police, and on crime and arrests.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-black-protests-impact-fatal-police.html

The effects of wildfires and spruce beetle outbreaks on forest temperatures

Results from a study published in the Journal of Biogeography indicate that wildfires may play a role in accelerating climate-driven species changes in mountain forests by compounding regional warming trends.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-effects-wildfires-spruce-beetle-outbreaks.html

Does classroom indoor environmental quality affect teaching and learning?

What impact does a classroom's indoor environment have on teaching, learning, and students' academic achievement in colleges and universities? This is the question researchers set out to answer in their analysis of all relevant published studies.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-classroom-indoor-environmental-quality-affect.html

Quibi may have to shut down if buyer not found: report

Quibi, the short video streaming service launched with great fanfare in April, may have to shut down if a buyer isn't found, specialty news site The Information reported Tuesday.

An electric Hummer? Battery-powered trucks head to showrooms

Seven auto companies have plans to roll out new battery-powered pickup trucks over the next two years, aiming to cash in on a popular and lucrative market for expensive vehicles.

Cathay Pacific to cut workforce by nearly a quarter

Cathay Pacific announced plans Wednesday to cut its workforce by nearly a quarter and close one of its short-haul airlines in an effort to survive the "devastating" impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

Netflix reports a summer slump in subscriber growth

Netflix's subscriber growth slowed dramatically during the summer months after surging in the spring fueled by pandemic lockdowns that corralled millions of people in their homes.