The Life Technology™ News Blog: 11/16/20

Monday, November 16, 2020

Michael Terence Publishing Announce the Release of "The Reinecke Diary" by Terence James

Michael Terence Publishing is excited to announce the release of The Reinecke Diary – a thriller by Terence James. [PR.com]

Permanent night shift workers at heightened risk of moderate to severe asthma

Shift workers, especially those working permanent night shift rotas, may be at heightened risk of moderate to severe asthma, suggests research published online in the journal Thorax.

Design and market sexbots for older adults with disabilities, argues ethicist

The sexbot industry should include older adults with disabilities in the design and marketing of its products, to support their emotional health and wellbeing and help counter ageism and stereotyping, argues an ethicist in the Journal of Medical Ethics.

Sharp rise in sedentary time among newly retired women evident 2+ years later

The sharp rise of more than 20 minutes a day in average sedentary time among newly retired women seems to be maintained 2 or more years later, reveals research published online in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

Researchers study the unique hydraulics in the Barbegal water mills, the world's earliest known industrial plant

The Barbegal watermills in southern France are a unique complex dating back to the second century AD. The construction and its 16 waterwheels represent the first attempt in Europe to build a machine complex on an industrial scale. The complex was created when the Roman Empire was at the height of its power. However, little is known about technological advances, particularly in the field of hydraulics and the spread of knowledge at the time. A team of scientists led by Professor Cees Passchier from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has now gained new knowledge about the construction and principle of the water supply to the mills in Barbegal. The research results were published in Scientific Reports.

Second coronavirus vaccine shows early success in U.S. tests

For the second time this month, there's promising news from a COVID-19 vaccine candidate: Moderna said Monday its shots provide strong protection, a dash of hope against the grim backdrop of coronavirus surges in the U.S. and around the world.

Vaccine will not be enough to stop pandemic: WHO chief

The head of the World Health Organization said Monday that a vaccine would not by itself stop the coronavirus pandemic.

Genetic code evolution and Darwin's evolution theory should consider DNA an 'energy code'

Darwin's theory of evolution should be expanded to include consideration of a DNA stability "energy code"—so-called "molecular Darwinism"—to further account for the long-term survival of species' characteristics on Earth, according to Rutgers scientists.

Stay Well Campaign Stays Strong with 3 MarCom Wins

Scientology Media Productions is proud to announce three wins for its Stay Well Campaign at this year’s MarCom Awards, one of the most respected creative competitions in the world. MarCom is the leader in recognizing excellence in the distillation of ideas, messages and media by marketing and communication professionals. As the pandemic spread, Scientology Media Productions, the Church’s multimedia [PR.com]

Attorney Julie Ritchie Joins Kahana Feld’s Business & Commercial Litigation and Labor & Employment Litigation Practice Groups

Kahana Feld LLP welcomes Julie Ritchie, Esq., as a new attorney with the firm’s Business & Commercial Litigation and Labor & Employment Litigation practice groups. “We are excited to announce that Ms. Ritchie has joined our team,” said Amir Kahana, Founding and Managing Partner of the firm. “She is a problem solver and talented lawyer who has demonstrated her commitment to her clients and [PR.com]

Finland's battery plans spark environmental fears

Lines of trucks carrying piles of rock crisscross Finland's rugged Terrafame mine, which sits 300km (186 miles) below the Arctic Circle and is Europe's largest source of nickel for electric car batteries.

Novel technique 'stuns' arthritis pain in shoulder and hip

A novel outpatient procedure offers lasting pain relief for patients suffering from moderate to severe arthritis in their hip and shoulder joints, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Researchers said the procedure could help reduce reliance on addictive opiates.

Healthy sleep habits help lower risk of heart failure

Adults with the healthiest sleep patterns had a 42% lower risk of heart failure regardless of other risk factors compared to adults with unhealthy sleep patterns, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation. Healthy sleep patterns are rising in the morning, sleeping 7-8 hours a day and having no frequent insomnia, snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness.

Merkel eyes schools, contacts in tougher virus curbs push

Chancellor Angela Merkel will on Monday push for tougher curbs including masks in all schools, smaller class sizes and drastic limits on contacts to bring down coronavirus infections in Germany.

Free unlimited photo storage is a thing of the past—thanks a lot, Google. So what to do?

Don MacAskill has been trying for 18 years to persuade people to pay to back up and view their photos online, as an alternative to the home hard drives or keeping everything on the phone.

Mayo Clinic Minute: Reversing a vasectomy

People change their minds. Some men who had a vasectomy to become infertile might decide for whatever reason that they want to have more children. In those cases, vasectomy reversal can be an option.

Xbox and PlayStation: How Sony and Microsoft changed the way we play video games

With new video game consoles out this week, Microsoft and Sony are decades-long incumbents in the industry. But that wasn't always the case.

Genetic code evolution and Darwin's evolution theory should consider DNA an 'energy code'

Finland's battery plans spark environmental fears

Free unlimited photo storage is a thing of the past—thanks a lot, Google. So what to do?

Don MacAskill has been trying for 18 years to persuade people to pay to back up and view their photos online, as an alternative to the home hard drives or keeping everything on the phone.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-free-unlimited-photo-storage-pastthanks.html

Xbox and PlayStation: How Sony and Microsoft changed the way we play video games

With new video game consoles out this week, Microsoft and Sony are decades-long incumbents in the industry. But that wasn't always the case.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-xbox-playstation-sony-microsoft-video.html

Category 4 Hurricane Iota closes in on storm-battered Central America

Hurricane Iota rapidly strengthened into a "dangerous" Category Four as it headed towards Central America on Monday, the US National Hurricane Center warned, two weeks after powerful storm Eta devastated much of the region and left more than 200 people dead or missing.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-hurricane-iota-storm-battered-central-america.html

Pandemic pushes steep drop in foreign college students

Just two semesters short of earning a cybersecurity master's degree in the U.S., Sai Naini is stuck in India, unsure what his future holds.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-pandemic-steep-foreign-college-students.html

Korean Air to take over troubled Asiana Airlines for $1.6 bn

South Korean flag carrier Korean Air said Monday it will buy out its smaller, troubled rival Asiana Airlines in a $1.6 billion deal as it looks to consolidate with the global aviation sector devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-korean-air-asiana-airlines-bn.html

Pharmacy dropboxes can help improve proper drug disposal, study finds

Proper disposal of leftover medications can prevent overdoses and protect waterways from becoming polluted by pharmaceuticals. Drug take-back boxes are a safe and secure way to dispose of unwanted medications, but a new Portland State University study shows awareness of these dropboxes as well as knowledge about risks of improper disposal remain low.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-pharmacy-dropboxes-proper-drug-disposal.html

Former piece of Pacific Ocean floor imaged deep beneath China

In a study that gives new meaning to the term "rock bottom," seismic researchers have discovered the underside of a rocky slab of Earth's surface layer, or lithosphere, that has been pulled more than 400 miles beneath northeastern China by the process of tectonic subduction.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-piece-pacific-ocean-floor-imaged.html

SpaceX launches four astronauts to ISS

Four astronauts were successfully launched on the SpaceX Crew Dragon "Resilience" to the International Space Station on Sunday, the first of what the US hopes will be many routine missions following a successful test flight in late spring.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-spacex-astronauts-iss.html