Synthetic biology is an emerging field and industry, with a growing number of applications in the pharmaceutical, chemical, agricultural and energy sectors. While it may propose solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing the environment, such as climate change and scarcity of clean water, the introduction of novel, synthetic organisms may also pose a high risk for natural ecosystems. This future brief outlines the benefits, risks and techniques of these new technologies, and examines some of the ethical and safety issues.

Disease-fighting microbes, insect-eating predators and mating-disrupting pheromones are among the tools listed in a new review of methods that can be used to reduce synthetic pesticide use on grapevines in Europe. Using these alternative methods can reduce the environmental and health risks associated with chemical pesticides, but further development is required to make them attractive to growers.

How do you turn a problem into an opportunity? When looking for innovative ways to increase the reach and impact of an annual global event, while reducing travel costs, Andres Bulto talked to BT.

American Express cardholders can sync their accounts with Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare and receive special savings offers at select merchants. But the whole

Locked-in syndrome, often the result of injury or illness (such as Lou Gehrig's), causes complete paralysis. With advanced technology, these people get closer t

Comedian describes the litany of health issues claimed by people living near wind turbines - which includes, of all things, herpes.

It's a breakthrough that scientists around the world have been pursuing for years.

Today HP unveils a breakthough in powerful computer chip technology that can process data, store memory and stack 3-dimensionally.. just like a brain synapse.

As clicheé as it sounds, the grass isn't always greener on the other side when you're debating between grass and artificial turf on playing fields.

Teens with metabolic syndrome — a set of health conditions linked with the development of heart disease and diabetes — perform worse in school than their he

Researchers in Sweden found that children who skipped breakfast regularly had a significant increase in symptoms of metabolic syndrome as adults.

There have been about 100 known cases of the rare condition since it was first reported in the 1940s.

New research suggests why we feel so in tune with performers at a concert, and it's called "inter-brain coherence."

Synesthetes can taste sounds, smell colors or see scents, and research proves these people experience reality differently.

The experiences of the most successful acquirers yield some counterintuitive lessons.

Sunlight in the form of fuel? A breakthrough new discovery brings science one step closer to creating clean hydrogen fuel using only water and sunlight.

Breakthrough technology could make long-distance space travel feasible, clean our air here on Earth, and even combat global warming.

Technology could lead to the transformation of clothes, cars, buildings and even billboards.

Here's how one girl is embracing uncombable hair syndrome with style.

Join host Robert Reiss as he interviews Pete Van Deventer of SynapSense and Maryrose Sylvester of GE Intelligent Platforms to discuss GE’s green partnership w

Researchers just released dozens of bats they successfully treated for white-nose syndrome, marking a milestone in the wildlife epidemic.

A vast unseen force, more expansive than gravity, seems to connect galaxies separated by vast distances.

Every June, the Elkmont Ghost Town in Great Smoky Mountains National Park lights up with the world's largest gathering of synchronous fireflies.

A fungus is obliterating North America's bats in 'one of the most severe wildlife diseases ever recorded,' scientists warn.

What is the real science behind ethyl epa fish oil and why it could be helping so many people

Artificial grass distributor celebrates new showroom with food, giveaways and discounts.

The San Juan office opening is expected to help the group step up its contribution to the island's economic recovery and hurricane relief efforts.

Synopsis, a party game that encourages creative writing, inside jokes and laughter has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $5000 to kick-off production. Casual gamers young and old have early access to the initial set of storylines.

COVID-19 is creating an imperative to avoid putting entire healthcare facilities and populations at risk. Traditional delivery of face-to-face screening and care can result in contamination, exposing many more patients and healthcare workers

Sharpe's books are riveting inspirational thrillers written in honor of her daughter Kate and her husband Steve.

Synensys, LLC was selected by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Air Mobility Command (AMC) to serve as the prime contractor for the Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) program.

Patent Covers Ability for Replacing a Portion of Video Broadcast Audio With a Customized, Live-Streaming Alternate Media Stream

Synensys selected by the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) to serve as the prime contractor for their Patient Safety Specialist program.

Synensys will collect, analyze, and report critical operational safety data for continuous improvement using the proven LOSA methodology.

Acquisition enables launch of Blue Badge Program for job seekers and small businesses, with incentives ranging between $2,400 and $9,600.

The platform provides end-to-end capabilities and multiple features to enable small and medium size enterprises' easier access to tax credits for hiring eligible employees.

By Nathan Layne (Reuters) - Three children in New York have died from a rare inflammatory syndrome believed to be linked to the novel coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday, a development that may augur a pandemic risk for children. Cuomo had on Friday disclosed the death of a 5-year old linked to the coronavirus and a syndrome that shares symptoms with toxic shock and Kawasaki disease, which was the first known fatality tied to the rare illness in New York. The governor told a daily briefing on Saturday that the illness had now taken the lives of at least three young people across the state

The post Rare syndrome tied to COVID-19 kills three children in New York, Cuomo says appeared first on Firstpost.

We're currently working on an unannounced PC/console title (with an exciting pedigree), and need help bringing the game world to life. If you love building levels and bringing worlds to life for players, read on!Responsibilities Creating interesting, lived-in worlds with clever world building in Unreal Engine. Placing environment assets, VFX, lighting, and so on Establishing and maintaining technical requirements for environment assets and levels Working closely with designers to iterate on and finalize level layouts Utilization of 3DS Max or Maya, Photoshop, and other related tools to author environment assets Working with art leadership to review, critique and iterate on work Required Familiarity with the usual tools of the trade: modeling tools, game engines, source control, and so on. A keen willingness to adapt work as design iterates or evolves A do-whatever-it-takes mindset: flexibility to learn and grow to fill the needs of a small team Good understanding of how to create believable and visually memorable levels Good understanding optimization needs and other technical requirements regarding performance 5+ years of experience, demonstrating the above responsibilities in action Must be immediately eligible to work in the United States Pluses Titles shipped using Unreal Titles shipped across major platforms Affinity to learning new tools and techs Proficiency creating hand-painted textures Please note, due to a high volume of applicants we cannot reply to each individually. Only those in consideration for a position will receive a reply. Thank you!

We're currently working on an unannounced PC/console title featuring a new and original IP, and need a veteran gameplay programmer to help bring it to life. If you've got the experience and enjoy working with a focused group of talented and passionate game devs, then we're the place for you. RESPONSIBILITIES: Gather requirements based on stakeholder input Provide reasonable time estimates, and communicate when adjustments are needed Collaborate iteratively with designers, artists and other team members to deliver polished gameplay Create internal tools as needed to improve and support workflow Deliver clean, efficient and well-documented code Fearlessly and relentlessly debug difficult problems   REQUIREMENTS: Experience on at least one commercial game title At least 3-5 years commercial game development experience Solid knowledge and experience using C++ Motivated self-starter; complete tasks without intense supervision Good oral and written communication skills Proof of eligibility to work in the United States   PLUSES: Experience working with Unreal 4 Experience working on a live-service game Multiplayer programming experience in Unreal 4 Latest generation console development experience Recent time travel SOME OF THE BENEFITS WE OFFER: Full health benefits including medical, dental and vision Profit sharing Generous PTO PLUS... Office movie lunches Snacks on snacks on snacks Ping Pong with a leaderboard One sick mame cabinet Please note, due to a high volume of applicants we cannot reply to each individually. Only those in consideration for a position will receive a reply. Thank you!

Airship is currently seeking a Senior VFX artist to help drive the creation and quality of VFX across the studio on multiple projects. If you have the experience and enjoy working with a focused group of talented and passionate game devs, then we're the place for you!Responsibilities Creation of stylized, hand-crafted 3D VFX for characters, action combat, and supernatural environments Implementation of, and technical setup of all work using Unreal and related tools Troubleshooting work and optimization of effects for performance on multiple platforms (PC and consoles) Collaboration with art leads to collect feedback and iterate on work Collaboration with other disciplines to ensure timelines and coverage across the game Self-regulation of time and resources to keep pace with project needs Oversight on outsource VFX resources, including direction, feedback, and integration Required Experience building 3D VFX in Unreal 5+ years of commercial game development experience At least one notable shipped title, demonstrating the ability to take a project to completion Proficiency with all tools necessary to create (from scratch) stylized, hand-painted 3D VFX assets Knowledge of modern 3D game engines and the tools required to implement VFX in-game, including the creation and use of shaders and/or scripting A demo reel that shows significant relevant work Pluses Shipped titles on PC and consoles Airship is located in sunny, thriving Austin, Texas. If you have experience making games and want to work on compelling, creative multi-platform titles, this might be the place for you.Some of the benefits we offer: Full health benefits including medical, dental and vision Profit sharing Generous PTO 401k plan Relocation packages Plus... Office movie lunches Snacks on snacks on snacks Work on a small team of experienced devs with a lively atmosphere Please note, due to a high volume of applicants we cannot reply to each individually. Only those in consideration for a position will receive a reply. Thank you!

Margaret Parker, MD, MCCM, speaks with Neal J. Thomas, MD

Rather than opting for the costly and complex process of using stem cells to cure age-related macular degeneration, scientists used skin cells.

The post Irreversible No Longer: Blind Mice See Again Thanks To New Method of Synthesizing Lost Cells appeared first on Good News Network.

Land use and climate change are two key factors with the potential to affect stream conditions and fish habitat. Since the 1950s, Washington and Oregon have required forest practices designed to mitigate the effects of timber harvest on streams and fish.

The kitchen cabinet industry has shown significant growth recently, with expanding residential markets, new cabinet styles, and larger kitchens. This industry represents an opportunity for small Alaska wood producers to create high-value secondary products. In response to recent trends in kitchen cabinet manufacturing and the need to identify opportunities for underutilized species, the Alaska Wood Utilization Research and Development Center has conducted numerous studies evaluating consumer preferences for Alaska's primary hardwoods-Alaska birch (Betula papyrifera var. humilis )Reg.) Fern & Raup) and red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.). These studies explored consumer preferences under a range of marketing parameters, cabinet appearances, and regional market locations. This paper summarizes these studies and offers insights into the potential market for Alaska's hardwoods as secondary wood products such as kitchen cabinets.

Hemlock dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium tsugense [Rosendahl] G.N. Jones) is a small, inconspicuous parasite that has significant effects on tree growth and stand structure in coastal forest ecosystems of western North America. Most previous research focused on the effects of hemlock dwarf mistletoe on timber production. Previous clearcut harvesting of large areas that removed virtually all infected trees and forestry practices that established even-aged stands of trees effectively prevented or minimized future hemlock dwarf mistletoe impacts. Under this regime, further research on hemlock dwarf mistletoe was considered unnecessary. However, current forestry practices that restrict clearcut harvesting to small openings and retain live trees to preserve attributes of old-growth forests create conditions that appear highly favorable for enhanced seed production by hemlock dwarf mistletoe, early spread of the mistletoe to infect young trees, and, consequently, increased growth impacts to residual trees over time. More information is needed on the biology and impacts of hemlock dwarf mistletoe in coastal western hemlock retention harvested forests in the United States of America and Canada. Further work is recommended to develop sampling and monitoring procedures to determine hemlock dwarf mistletoe spread and impacts. We also need to investigate several unusual aspects of hemlock dwarf mistletoe biology and development such as long-distance seed dispersal and persistence in old-growth forests. Detailed tree, stand, and forest-level models are needed to monitor and project hemlock dwarf mistletoe effects over a wide range of ecological conditions and management regimes in coastal forests.

We examine the use of woody residues, primarily from forest harvesting or wood products manufacturing operations (and to a limited degree from urban wood wastes), as a feedstock for direct-combustion bioenergy systems for electrical or thermal power applications. We examine opportunities for utilizing biomass for energy at several different scales, with an emphasis on larger scale electrical power generation at stand-alone facilities, and on smaller scale facilities (thermal heating only) such as governmental, educational, or other institutional facilities. We then identify west-wide barriers that tend to inhibit bioenergy applications, including accessibility, terrain, harvesting costs, and capital costs. Finally, we evaluate the role of government as a catalyst in stimulating new technologies and new uses of biomass material.

Nationally, there is growing public interest in and policy pressure for developing alternative and renewable sources of energy. Wind energy facilities in the Pacific Northwest expanded rapidly over the past decade, as a result of state policies that encourage wind energy development. While much of the development thus far has occurred on private lands, there is interest in expanding onto federal land. However, there are concerns about the impacts of wind energy on wildlife. Wind energy facilities have the potential to harm wildlife both directly through collisions with turbines and transmission lines, and indirectly by modifying habitat. This report synthesizes the available scientific literature on potential wind energy facility impacts to wildlife, with a focus on the Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington), and summarizes the current best management practices recommended in federal and state guidelines for wind energy development. Research gaps in our understanding of wind energy impacts on wildlife remain. Future research needs include long-term, multisite, experimental studies of wind energy impacts on wildlife, improved ability to estimate population-level and cumulative impacts of wind energy facilities on wildlife, and better knowledge of key wildlife species' migration and demography.

The effects of climate change are expected to be more severe for some segments of society than others because of geographic location, the degree of association with climate-sensitive environments, and unique cultural, economic, or political characteristics of particular landscapes and human populations. Social vulnerability and equity in the context of climate change are important because some populations may have less capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate-related hazards and effects. Such populations may be disproportionately affected by climate change. This synthesis of literature illustrates information about the socioeconomic, political, health, and cultural effects of climate change on socially vulnerable populations in the United States, with some additional examples in Canada. Through this synthesis, social vulnerability, equity, and climate justice are defined and described, and key issues, themes, and considerations that pertain to the effects of climate change on socially vulnerable populations are identified. The synthesis reviews what available science says about social vulnerability and climate change, and documents the emergence of issues not currently addressed in academic literature. In so doing, the synthesis identifies knowledge gaps and questions for future research.

OWASHINGTON, D.C., JUNE 11, 2018—The USDA Forest Service today released a report that will serve as the scientific foundation for land management planning in western Washington, western Oregon, and northern California.

CUMULUS MEDIA’s WESTWOOD ONE has launched MORNING KOFFY, a new, national Country radio morning show airing MONDAY-FRIDAY from 6 to 10a (ET) featuring PAUL KOFFY, and JASMINE SADRY as … more