science-innovation
China Focus: Scientists develop AI model for quick cancer detection
Using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, an international research team led by Chinese scientists has developed a rapid and accurate screening model to detect lymph nodes, which can assist doctors in cancer treatment.
5 years ago
Technology detects eating in real time to prevent obesity
NeckSense, a new technology, can detect in the real world when people are eating, how fast they chew, how many bites they take and how many times their hands head to their mouths, according to a study of Northwestern University (NU).
The data, along with other information like heart rate, will help scientists understand what leads to binging or troublesome eating behaviors and how to intervene to stop those behaviors in real time, said the study posted on the website of NU on Wednesday.
The data also will include self-reported physical details such as and how hungry or satiated you feel or psychological details such as how depressed or how anxious you are. The user also will upload photos of their food via a smartphone app.
The technology includes wearing a tiny camera pendant to validate what the necklace is sensing. Eventually the camera will be removed.
A Northwestern Medicine study with 20 participants has validated the technology.
"The arsenal of the dietician has been upgraded," said lead study author Nabil Alshurafa, an assistant professor of preventive medicine at NU Feinberg School of Medicine. "The ability to easily record dietary intake patterns allows dieticians or even laypeople making use of our tech to deliver timely digital interventions that occur as eating is happening to prevent overeating."
"The beauty of this is that it requires almost no effort on the part of the wearer," he said.
Measuring people's eating patterns allows scientists to begin to understand how these variables are associated with overeating, providing them with new ways to intervene.
Currently, dieticians must rely on self-reporting based on 24-hour recall by the patient, a notoriously unreliable method because people forget what they ate or fabricate their diet. Another method, journaling food/drink consumption as it occurs, is subject to error because it is burdensome and disruptive to day-to-day routine.
In the next step, the researchers will test NeckSense along with several other wearable devices with 60 participants who have obesity and validate the device against standard 24-hour recall, and will tweak the necklace to make it more fashionable and test the feasibility of real-time interventions.
NeckSense is part of a broader study called SenseWhy, which will assess if wearing sensors will help us understand people's problematic eating behaviors in real time.
The technology has been published in the Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies.
5 years ago
BCSIR’s genome sequencing reveals almost certain arrival via Europe
The Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) became the latest institution to sequence the genome of coronavirus samples from Bangladesh, revealing the 3 samples they worked with strongly suggested the virus arrived here from Europe.
5 years ago
A mammoth discovery!
The bones of about 60 mammoths were found at an under-construction airport north of Mexico City, reports AP.
5 years ago
NASA selects companies to develop human landers for moon missions
NASA has selected three U.S. companies to design and develop human landing systems for the agency's Artemis program, one of which will land the first woman and next man on the surface of the moon by 2024.
5 years ago
Russian cargo ship docks with space station
An unmanned Russian cargo capsule docked with the International Space Station, bringing more than 2 tons of supplies to the three-person crew.
5 years ago
China recollects first satellite stories after entering space for 50 years
The Space Day of China, which falls on April 24, is more special this year, as it marks the 50th anniversary of the successful launch of Dongfanghong-1, the country's first man-made satellite.
5 years ago
NASA, SpaceX to launch first crewed mission to space
NASA announced on Friday to launch its first SpaceX crewed flight to the International Space Station (ISS) on May 27.
5 years ago
Chinese researchers identify key gene related to body height
Chinese researchers have identified a key gene related to body height and bone development, providing a reference for treating people with short stature.
5 years ago
NASA to reveal name of latest Mars rover
After a months-long contest among U.S. students to name NASA's latest Mars rover, the agency will reveal the name of the rover Thursday, according to a release of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on Tuesday.
5 years ago