The Navier–Stokes equations are important for science and engineering, since they describe the motion of fluids. However, these equations can not describe the physical responses of fluids with a complex microstructure. Michal Bathory, Miroslav Bulíček, and Josef Málek, Charles University, Czech Republic, have developed a robust mathematical theory for viscoelastic fluids. Which could serve as an analytical framework, to quantify errors between exact and computed solutions for these models. Read ...
Jan 11, 2023•10 min
Understanding how living cells work is difficult due to the number of varied and complex processes occurring in them. This complexity can be elucidated by breaking these processes down and focusing on a particular mechanism. One approach is to use mathematical equations – the basis of computational modelling. Dr Susan Mertins, the founder and CEO of Biosystem Strategies LLC, in the USA, is exploring how ordinary differential equations and machine learning can be applied to cancer data for biomar...
Jan 06, 2023•12 min
Southeast Asia mirrors global trends; people are living longer and there is a growing elderly population, and disease prevention is a key contributing factor. There’s also been a rise use of digital technology; for healthcare, digital innovation offers a way to improve care for millions of people. Start-ups are a vital part of this digital health ecosystem, and Dr Hoe Siu Loon of Singapore Management University has examined the state of start-ups and digital technology applications in Southeast ...
Jan 04, 2023•10 min
There are many factors involved in the reception of Ukrainian refugees, and the response from governments and civil society has been, mildly put, remarkable. The role of sports clubs in the reception of refugees is gaining increasing recognition. Research by Tony Mickelsson Blomqvist, a PhD student at the School of Social Sciences at Södertörn University in Sweden, demonstrates the role of these clubs, in Sweden, as an important arenas for integration and improving refugee wellbeing. Read some o...
Dec 19, 2022•12 min
Students without adequate understanding of basic mathematical concepts and skills after completing kindergarten go on to struggle throughout their maths education. So how can the teaching of maths be improved to enable children to learn best? Dr Jonathan Brendefur and colleagues at the Developing Mathematical Thinking Institute, USA have developed the five dimensions of the Developing Mathematical Thinking framework, a professional development programme for teachers and other educators. Read mor...
Dec 16, 2022•13 min
Most international success indices rank countries according to how they perform against various measures and include happiness as a key value, but fail to include the cost, especially to others. Emeritus Professor Yew-Kwang Ng of Monash University in Australia suggests that a happiness ranking that considers environmental costs – the Environmentally Responsible Happy Nation Index – would be a more appropriate barometer of success Read more in Research Outreach Read some of their latest work here...
Dec 14, 2022•9 min
In the USA, Black and Hispanic ovarian cancer patients experience much poorer outcomes than White patients, suggesting they have less access to quality care. But why does this disparity exist, and what can be done to bridge this gap? Dr Akinyemiju, Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine and Duke Cancer Institute, USA, is tackling these questions and more in the Ovarian Cancer Epidemiology, Healthcare Access, and Disparities Study, or simply, ORCHi...
Dec 12, 2022•12 min
'Sustainable development’ has become a familiar term, but with over 300 definitions it can mean different things to different people, and is proving difficult to achieve globally. Dr Pekka Peura at the Vaasa Energy Business Innovation Center at the University of Vaasa and his colleagues, Dr Olli Voutilainen and Professor Jussi Kantola, trace the emergence and development of an innovative waste management system implemented in the Vaasa region of Finland. Read more in Research Outreach Read some ...
Dec 09, 2022•11 min
If there is to be any hope of resolving the racial disparities that mark society, the healing of racial inequity needs to begin early enough to prevent old biases reinforcing themselves any further. In this episode, we are joined again by Dr Neitzel, along with the President of the Educational Equity Institute, Dr Ebonyse Mead, to discuss their upcoming book ; The Handbook of Racial Equity in Early Childhood Education , and the challenges facing educators in a time of social uncertainty. Find mo...
Dec 07, 2022•51 min
To tackle the challenge of monitoring air quality and assessing personal pollutant exposure in urban settings, low-cost sensors have become increasingly available. However, most of these commercial devices suffer from limitations in the treatment of the data collected. Fabian Lenartz at the Scientific Institute of Public Service (ISSeP) in Liège, Belgium, has developed a low-cost versatile monitoring device – Antilope – that is suitable for fixed and itinerant measurements, both indoor and outdo...
Dec 05, 2022•11 min
Facial recognition technology establishes a person’s identity from a single digital image of their face. This technology to identify criminals and prevent crime, but also in a range of other commercial settings. However, issues including trust, consent and bias, limits its use in some regions. Research conducted by Gary Chan, Professor of Law at Singapore Management University, investigates how to build trust in facial recognition technology via technological measures, ethnical guidelines, and l...
Dec 02, 2022•9 min
Lifes challenges can become lasting burdens if we don’t have the psychological resources to meet them. So how can we build up a psychological toolbox containing powerful inner strengths that are readily accessible when we need them? Dr Rick Hanson, of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center US, and colleagues have developed new model of emotional and mental growth, which actively engages people's experiences with neurologically informed methods that heighten the conversion of passing states of...
Nov 30, 2022•11 min
Understanding the function of time and space when an ecosystem is disturbed is essential for devising sustainable conservation and management policies, further complicated by anthropogenic disturbances. To understand and predict the response of ecological systems to these disturbances, researchers must develop new theoretical and experimental approaches. The research team at the Theoretical and Experimental Ecology Station ( SETE ) founded by Jean Clobert and Michel Loreau, aims to provide both ...
Nov 25, 2022•9 min
Clinical electrophysiology, the application of electricity to monitor or produce a physiological effect, seems such a core part of any modern hospital stay that it's surprising how new it really is. Today, devices and techniques are more accurate and less invasive, making these lifesaving technologies practically commonplace. We spoke with Benjamin Scherlag, Professor of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma, USA, about his role in this part of medical history and why his dual roles in both cli...
Nov 23, 2022•18 min
Diagnosing diseases requires understanding of how cells respond to different medical conditions. Histology is a common two-dimensional way of studying such disease abnormalities, however major diseases are associated with three-dimensional cellular and tissue architectural changes. Dr Cheng’s team has created X-ray histotomography, the first 3D imaging method that allows digital cell and tissue diagnostics from entire tissue samples and small organisms. Read more in Research Outreach Read the or...
Nov 18, 2022•14 min
The rapid spread and constant evolution of COVID-19, has presented significant challenges to tracking true disease prevalence . In addition, the way we test for the disease is adapting and changing as more is learnt about the virus and new technologies become available. Some of these technologies can result in bias, and may not present an accurate picture of COVID-19 prevalence in a population. Researchers Amy Hou, Genevieve Pang and Lorrin Pang at the Hawaii Department of Health propose that pr...
Nov 16, 2022•9 min
The demand for organically grown food has increased over the past few decades, with environmentally savvy consumers concerned about how the food they eat affects both their health and the planet. However, organic farming usually produces a lower yield when compared to ‘conventional’ methods, and rely on the same CO2 emitting machinery. Professor Sean Clark of Berea College, Kentucky, examined the carbon footprint of organic strawberries grown in high tunnels, otherwise known as polytunnels, and ...
Nov 11, 2022•9 min
Cancer affects not just peoples physical body but also their mental and spiritual wellbeing. With such complex manifestations, holistic treatment approaches personalised to meet the unique needs of individuals warrant consideration and research. Terri Crudup and colleagues at IQVIA, in collaboration with the Samueli Foundation, USA, demonstrate the value of integrative oncology, combining conventional cancer treatment with what is known as complementary and lifestyle therapies, in improving both...
Nov 09, 2022•11 min
Over the course of his career, Dr Ofer Aluf has developed cutting-edge innovations in a wide range of technologies, including computer chips, semiconductors, antennas, and high-power lasers. His latest book, Dr Aluf introduces laser elements as a concept in circuit analysis, and explains the mathematical principles in parallel with their application in real-world scenarios. Find Advance Elements of Laser Circuits and Systems at Springer: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64103-0 Dr Alufs other b...
Nov 04, 2022•11 min
Designing, building, and maintaining homes in the 21st century has to consider the wellbeing of residents and the environment. From the heavy machinery required on building sites, to the rubble of its demolition, every tonne of carbon consumed and released over the length of a buildings lifecycle can be accounted for. Dr Stefanie Weidner of Werner Sobek outlines the companies mission in sustainable engineering, highlights their case studies for successful design, and discusses what the future of...
Nov 02, 2022•36 min
Companies and businesses generally exist to create wealth. Yet, increasingly over the past three decades, companies have come to regard Corporate Social Responsibliity programmes as an important bottom-line measure Associate Professor Alwyn Lim from Singapore Management University and Shawn Pope from Léonard de Vinci Pôle Universitaire dig into the underlying motivators that propel businesses to design and roll-out these programmes, and their impacts. Read the original article: https://doi.org/1...
Oct 31, 2022•11 min
The dramatic collapse of the Polcevera Viaduct, in the Italian port city of Genoa in 2018, had all the hallmarks of unfortunate tragedy, but to the trained eye it was inevitable. Janusz Rymsza, PhD Eng, is a Professor at the Road and Bridge Research Institute in Warsaw. Since 2009 he has held the position of Deputy Director of the Institute. His professional work relates to the full range of bridge works including designing and field testing, as well as supervision over bridge works. Read the or...
Oct 28, 2022•11 min
Approximately 10-20% of women will experience some form of postpartum depression. Without prompt access to care and support, the wellbeing of both mother and child could be in jeopardy. Dr Maureen Sayres Van Niel and Dr Jennifer Payne discuss working together in the field of women's mental health at the American Psychiatric Association, as well as the many changes and challenges in women's bodies during pregnancy and after birth, and how recognising and treating perinatal mood and anxiety disord...
Oct 26, 2022•31 min
Professor A E Eiben at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, in The Netherlands, shows how robots could pass on their advantageous traits to new generations, allowing them to adapt to unfamiliar environments. Named ‘EvoSphere’, this system could one day allow robots to perform tasks which, until now, have remained far beyond our reach. Read more the original article: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66494-7_2 Read more in Research Outreach...
Oct 21, 2022•12 min
Children from families with low or insecure incomes are at greater odds of hindered language development and cognitive growth, with gaps in ability between poor and secure families evident as early as preschool. Dr. Karyn Allee, assistant professor of Elementary Education at Mercer University asks if guided play could encourage the uptake of language, learning and behaviour among disadvantaged children. Read the original article: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-020-01141-6...
Oct 19, 2022•13 min
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to human health, and are mainly sourced from wild caught fish. Those same fish are also an essential part of feeding farmed salmon as their own source of omega-3. With increasing demands on the fishing industry globally, there is a pressing need for sustainably sourced omega-3 oils for human and salmon alike. Benita Boettner, global general manager for Nuseed Nutritional , discusses their omega-3 canola oil, and the potential of plant-based technologies to impro...
Oct 14, 2022•30 min
There have been scores of drug approvals across the globe for treating cancer in recent years, and the right combination of treatment and patient can lead to longer, better living with the disease. With all these breakthroughs on top of years of experience in care administration, how much has the patient experience changed? Professor David Stewart , medical oncologist and professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa and Ottawa Hospital, has compiled his decades of clinical experience, pract...
Oct 12, 2022•36 min
The infrastructure for transport within and between towns offers more than just a means to get from one place to another. It can shape the formation of those towns, and how people relate to traveling from a psychological, not just practical, standpoint. Ole Aasvik of Institute of Transport Economics and the University of Oslo discusses his research into transport access, attitudes and autonomy in Norway, and how the ease of use for any part of public roads can affect or be affected by the people...
Oct 07, 2022•31 min
A trusting society is open, inclusive, and promotes both social and personal well-being. Understanding the interpersonal trust between any members of society, be it a belief, intention or behaviour, is of crucial importance to fields ranging from psychology and neuroscience to economics. Prof Frank Krueger of George Mason University brings together economic exchange games, psychological systems and neuroscience mechanisms (e.g. brain circuits, hormones, genes) to build a ‘psychoneurobiological’ ...
Oct 05, 2022•10 min
Our world is always changing. Some of those changes, such as climate change or depletion of natural resources, are coming fast, and could have far reaching impacts on nature and culture for generations to come. Prof Jim Perry of The University of Minnesota describes his work in Adaptive Heritage, and discusses how citizens and governments alike can act now to ensure a future for those fast-vanishing environments. Read the original article: https://doi.org/10.3390/cli9080128...
Sep 30, 2022•56 min
