This cohort study examines the incidence and proportion of interval cancer and screen-detected breast cancer and identifies factors associated with interval cancer.
Category: biotech/medical – Page 202
New superconducting state discovered: Cooper-pair density modulation
Superconductivity is a quantum physical state in which a metal is able to conduct electricity perfectly without any resistance. In its most familiar application, it enables powerful magnets in MRI machines to create the magnetic fields that allow doctors to see inside our bodies. Thus far, materials can only achieve superconductivity at extremely low temperatures, near absolute zero (a few tens of Kelvin or colder).
But physicists dream of superconductive materials that might one day operate at room temperature. Such materials could open entirely new possibilities in areas such as quantum computing, the energy sector, and medical technologies.
“Understanding the mechanisms leading to the formation of superconductivity and discovering exotic new superconducting phases is not only one of the most stimulating pursuits in the fundamental study of quantum materials but is also driven by this ultimate dream of achieving room-temperature superconductivity,” says Stevan Nadj-Perge, professor of applied physics and materials science at Caltech.
Beyond ambiguous reflections: Bridging optical 3D metrology and computer vision
Accurate and robust 3D imaging of specular, or mirror-like, surfaces is crucial in fields such as industrial inspection, medical imaging, virtual reality, and cultural heritage preservation. Yet anyone who has visited a house of mirrors at an amusement park knows how difficult it is to judge the shape and distance of reflective objects.
This challenge also persists in science and engineering, where the accurate 3D imaging of specular surfaces has long been a focus in both optical metrology and computer vision research. While specialized techniques exist, their inherent limitations often confine them to narrow, domain-specific applications, preventing broader interdisciplinary use.
In a study published in the journal Optica, University of Arizona researchers from the Computational 3D Imaging and Measurement (3DIM) Lab at the Wyant College of Optica l Sciences present a novel approach that significantly advances the 3D imaging of specular surfaces.
Terahertz imaging reveals new views of internal cochlea structure
For the first time, researchers have shown that terahertz imaging can be used to visualize internal details of the mouse cochlea with micron-level spatial resolution. The non-invasive method could open new possibilities for diagnosing hearing loss and other ear-related conditions.
“Hearing relies on the cochlea, a spiral-shaped organ in the inner ear that converts sound waves into neural signals,” said research team leader Kazunori Serita from Waseda University in Japan. “Although conventional imaging methods often struggle to visualize this organ’s fine details, our 3D terahertz near-field imaging technique allows us to see small structures inside the cochlea without any damage.”
Terahertz radiation, which falls between microwaves and the mid-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, is ideal for biological imaging because it is low-energy and non-harmful to tissues, scatters less than near-infrared and visible light and can pass through bone while also being sensitive to changes in hydration and cellular structure.
Who’s to blame when AI makes a medical error?
Assistive artificial intelligence technologies hold significant promise for transforming health care by aiding physicians in diagnosing, managing, and treating patients. However, the current trend of assistive AI implementation could actually worsen challenges related to error prevention and physician burnout, according to a new brief published in JAMA Health Forum.
The brief, written by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, explains that there is an increasing expectation of physicians to rely on AI to minimize medical errors. However, proper laws and regulations are not yet in place to support physicians as they make AI-guided decisions, despite the fierce adoption of these technologies among health care organizations.
The researchers predict that medical liability will depend on whom society considers at fault when the technology fails or makes a mistake, subjecting physicians to an unrealistic expectation of knowing when to override or trust AI. The authors warn that such an expectation could increase the risk of burnout and even errors among physicians.
Bird Flu Simulator #shorts
We got a bird flu simulator before GTA 6… 🐔
But seriously – why does bird flu spread so quickly and why is it so difficult to contain its spread? Let’s look at it together.
#kurzgesagt.
#inanutshell #kurzgesagt_inanutshell #learnwithshorts #science #birdflu #birdflutreatment #biology.
Sources & further reading:
https://sites.google.com/view/kgs-tiktok-sources.
Follow us for more sciencey content! 🦆
OUR CHANNELS
Cartilage and bone development: Three paths to skeleton formation
In vertebrates, the skeleton of different regions of the body arises from different precursor cells. Researchers at the University of Basel have now discovered that these skeletal cells do not just differ in their developmental origin, but also in their gene regulation—which may be a key to the vertebrates’ evolutionary success story.
From the skull to the smallest bone in your pinky toe, the skeleton acts as internal scaffolding to give stability to the body, and forms protective cocoons around important organs. Despite their similar structure, however, not all bones are created equal: in vertebrates (including humans), the various parts of the skeleton arise from different groups of precursor cells during embryonic development.
During this process, each group produces its own set of regulator proteins and goes through its own developmental program to produce cartilage and bone. Researchers from the University of Basel have reported these findings in the journal Nature Communications.