Page 17
Dec 31, 2024
Massive healthcare breaches prompt US cybersecurity rules overhaul
Posted by Genevieve Klien in categories: biotech/medical, cybercrime/malcode, encryption, health
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed updates to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to secure patients’ health data following a surge in massive healthcare data leaks.
These stricter cybersecurity rules, proposed by the HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and expected to be published as a final rule within 60 days, would require healthcare organizations to encrypt protected health information (PHI), implement multifactor authentication, and segment their networks to make it harder for attackers to move laterally through them.
“In recent years, there has been an alarming growth in the number of breaches affecting 500 or more individuals reported to the Department, the overall number of individuals affected by such breaches, and the rampant escalation of cyberattacks using hacking and ransomware,” the HHS’ proposal says.
Dec 31, 2024
Switchbacks: Solar Jets may hold the Key for Understanding Complete Magnetic Field Reversals
Posted by Natalie Chan in categories: physics, space
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe mission has detected magnetic distortions in solar wind, known as switchbacks. To better understand these phenomena, whose origins remain uncertain, a study was conducted by a network of collaborators. This study, published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, reveals that solar jets can create similar disturbances without causing a complete reversal of the magnetic field.
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe mission revealed the presence of switchbacks, sudden and rapid reversals of the magnetic field in the solar wind. These peculiar phenomena, rarely observed near Earth, have captivated the scientific community due to their enigmatic origins. A leading theory suggests that switchbacks originate from solar jets, which are ubiquitous in the lower atmosphere of the sun.
To investigate their origins, a team of researchers from LPP, LPC2E, FSLAC, the University of Dundee and Durham University conducted 3D numerical simulations to replicate plasma behavior in the sun’s atmosphere. These simulations modeled solar jets and studied their propagation in solar wind.
Dec 31, 2024
Researchers found a way to 3D print plastic that’s cheap, stretchable, and recyclable
Posted by Shubham Ghosh Roy in categories: 3D printing, materials
A new type of 3D-printed plastic can easily be stretched, melted, and reformed, making it a perfect material for multiple industries.
Dec 31, 2024
Critical review of aging clocks and factors that may influence the pace of aging
Posted by Shubham Ghosh Roy in categories: biological, computing, genetics, life extension
Background and objectives: Aging clocks are computational models designed to measure biological age and aging rate based on age-related markers including epigenetic, proteomic, and immunomic changes, gut and skin microbiota, among others. In this narrative review, we aim to discuss the currently available aging clocks, ranging from epigenetic aging clocks to visual skin aging clocks.
Methods: We performed a literature search on PubMed/MEDLINE databases with keywords including: “aging clock,” “aging,” “biological age,” “chronological age,” “epigenetic,” “proteomic,” “microbiome,” “telomere,” “metabolic,” “inflammation,” “glycomic,” “lifestyle,” “nutrition,” “diet,” “exercise,” “psychosocial,” and “technology.”
Results: Notably, several CpG regions, plasma proteins, inflammatory and immune biomarkers, microbiome shifts, neuroimaging changes, and visual skin aging parameters demonstrated roles in aging and aging clock predictions. Further analysis on the most predictive CpGs and biomarkers is warranted. Limitations of aging clocks include technical noise which may be corrected with additional statistical techniques, and the diversity and applicability of samples utilized.
Dec 31, 2024
It Literally Takes Fire And Brimstone to Transport Gold to Earth’s Surface
Posted by Shubham Ghosh Roy in category: futurism
The processes that haul gold up to the surface from deep within Earth’s mantle rely on the sulfur that bubbles beneath active volcanoes.
Two new papers have agreed that some forms of sulfur form molecular bonds with gold that would otherwise remain sequestered in the mantle, allowing the precious element to rise.
What they don’t quite agree on is which form of sulfur is most important.
Dec 31, 2024
New method traces molecular gas mass in distant galaxies
Posted by Saúl Morales Rodriguéz in categories: evolution, space
Prof. Zhao Yinghe from the Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with collaborators, have conducted a study examining the correlation between the [C II] 158 micron emission and the CO(1−0) line. Their findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal.
Molecular gas (H2) plays a critical role in star formation, a key factor in the evolution of galaxies. Therefore, measuring the gas content in galaxies is crucial. However, the traditional tracer for H2 mass, the CO(1−0) line, is challenging to detect in the early universe due to various factors, including lower metal content.
As a result, there is a pressing need for alternative H2 tracers, especially as more galaxies at high redshifts are being discovered.
Dec 31, 2024
Microplastics found in multiple human organ tissues correlated with lesions
Posted by Saúl Morales Rodriguéz in categories: biotech/medical, food, health
Research led by Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University in China has performed a metadata investigation into the presence of microplastics in humans. They report a concerning relationship between micro and nanoplastic (MNP) concentrations in damaged tissues and links with multiple health conditions.
Plastic usage soared from 1.5 million metric tons in the 1950s to nearly 390.7 million in 2021. With the increased use in consumer products came elevated microscopic plastic pollution circulating in soil and waterways, eventually accumulating in the environment, food webs and human tissues.
Consistent methods to pinpoint and quantify MNPs in human tissues are lacking. Reliable data linking MNPs to human diseases are necessary for assessing potential risks and developing mitigation measures.
Dec 31, 2024
Engineers develop first deep-UV microLED display chips for maskless photolithography
Posted by Saúl Morales Rodriguéz in categories: computing, nanotechnology
In a breakthrough set to revolutionize the semiconductor industry, the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed the world’s first-of-its-kind deep-ultraviolet (UVC) microLED display array for lithography machines. This enhanced efficiency UVC microLED has showcased the viability of a lowered cost maskless photolithography through the provision of adequate light output power density, enabling exposure of photoresist films in a shorter time.
Conducted under the supervision of Prof. Kwok Hoi-Sing, Founding Director of the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Displays and Optoelectronics Technologies at HKUST, the study was a collaborative effort with the Southern University of Science and Technology, and the Suzhou Institute of Nanotechnology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
A lithography machine is crucial equipment for semiconductor manufacturing, applying short-wavelength ultraviolet light to make integrated circuit chips with various layouts. However, traditional mercury lamps and deep ultraviolet LED light sources have shortcomings such as large device size, low resolution, high energy consumption, low light efficiency, and insufficient optical power density.
Dec 31, 2024
The science behind your Christmas sweater: How friction shapes the form of knitted fabrics
Posted by Saúl Morales Rodriguéz in categories: physics, science
A trio of physicists from the University of Rennes, Aoyama Gakuin University, and the University of Lyon have discovered, through experimentation, that it is friction between fibers that allows knitted fabrics to take on a given form. Jérôme Crassous, Samuel Poincloux, and Audrey Steinberger have attempted to understand the underlying mechanics involved in the forms of knitted garments. Their paper is published in Physical Review Letters.
The research team noted that while many of the factors that are involved in intertwined fabrics have been studied to better understand their characteristics (such as why sweaters keep people warm despite the gaps between stitches), much less is known about the form garments made using such techniques can take.
To learn more, they conducted experiments using a nylon yarn and a well-known Jersey knit stitch called the stockinette—a technique that involves forming interlocked loops using knitting needles. They knitted a piece of fabric using 70×70 stitches and attached it to a biaxial tensile machine.