Articles
Using metabolomics and artificial intelligence to explore the universe of the dark metabolome
Professor David Wishart, University of Alberta, is a member of Canada’s national metabolomics laboratory and leads the Human Metabolome Project. His work aims to identify and catalogue metabolites in human tissues, biofluids and the surrounding environment. He has developed a software package called BioTransformer, which is a chemical prediction tool to explore the mysterious dark metabolome. The program combines artificial […]
Can training for ethics in STEM benefit the workforce?
The ethics in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (E-STEM) programme is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project at Gwynedd Mercy University, Greater Philadelphia. Dr Michelle Kulp McEliece and her colleagues, Dr Christian Hellings and Tara White Hines, created the programme in response to research which suggests that a focus on ethics in STEM can foster the ability of students […]
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Climate change & the Caribbean: Enhancing coastal resilience
Climate change poses a significant threat to Caribbean communities. Building coastal resilience and developing adaptation strategies through convergence research is vital to mitigating the impacts. To address this issue, Dr Rita Teutonico of Florida International University, along with colleagues from Mexico and Cuba, brought together an interdisciplinary group of ecologists, hydrologists, oceanographers, economists, social scientists, engineers, architects, and community practitioners […]
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Information compression as a unifying principle in human learning, perception, and cognition, and as a foundation for the SP Theory of Intelligence
In an extended programme of research, Dr Gerry Wolff of CognitionResearch.org, with colleagues, has been developing the SP Theory of Intelligence and its realisation in the SP Computer Model – and exploring their potential applications. A unifying principle in this research is that much of human learning, perception, and cognition, may be understood as compression of information. A key development in […]
Bayesian inference for 21st century drug development and approval
Traditional statistical hypothesis testing methods have been the mainstay of global regulatory agencies for decades. Dr Stephen Ruberg of Analytix Thinking, argues that a Bayesian approach, combining current data with prior knowledge, offers advantages over traditional methods. He reasons that these quantifiable probability assertions from Bayesian approaches are much more beneficial to both doctors and patients. Regulators should also find […]
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Justice served? Discrimination in algorithmic risk assessment
Algorithmic risk assessment plays a pivotal part in determining an offender’s future, but it isn’t without its flaws. Dr Melissa Hamilton of the University of Surrey puts these flaws under the spotlight, with particular focus on algorithmic fairness and gender bias in criminal justice decision making. In our burgeoning world of information technology, algorithms are at the heart of modern […]
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Overnight orthokeratology: the treatment and control of childhood myopia comes of age
Overnight orthokeratology is a refinement or advancement of the clinical technique of contact lens-based orthokeratology (OK), which has been in use worldwide since the 1960s. It is a corneal refractive therapy used in the treatment of conditions of the eye, principally myopia (short-sightedness), but also presbyopia (long-sightedness), hyperopia (age-related loss of ability to focus on near objects) and astigmatism (an […]
Acoustic waves to brain signals: Identifying the gating spring
The inner workings of our ears have been well understood for some time, but there is still significant debate among researchers over how acoustic vibrations are converted into electrical brain signals. In his research, Dr Jim Hudspeth at The Rockefeller University sheds new light on the discussion, by studying the proteins which connect tiny vibrating hairs in the inner ear with […]
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Where the river meets the sea: Understanding underexplored river estuarine ecosystems
River estuaries are vital bodies of water that provide multiple ecological services, such as nutrient cycling, climate change adaptation, and habitats for a wide range of ecologically and economically important species. In recent years, estuary habitats have been highly degraded by human activities. For this reason, their protection, restoration, and conservation are fundamental. Dr Rei Itsukushima and colleagues at the […]
Nuclear reprogramming: From one cell type to another
Dr Kei Miyamoto from Kindai University in Japan studies how mature, differentiated cells from one individual can be transferred into egg cells from another and reprogrammed to develop into a clone of the original donor animal. This has implications for animal cloning, such as in endangered species or prized livestock lines. Furthermore, studying reprogramming leads to a better understanding of […]
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