Smaller, faster, greener "high-rise" 3D chips are ready for Big Data

 

A four-story 3-D chip designed at Stanford could help address the current data processing limitations of today's technology (Image: Stanford University) Stanford engineers have pioneered a new design for a scalable 3D computer chip that tightly interconnects logic and memory, with the effect of minimizing data bottlenecks and saving on energy usage. With further work, the advance could be the key to a very substantial jump in performance, efficiency, and the ability to quickly process very large amounts of information  –  known as "Big Data"  –  over conventional chips. Bottlenecks A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. In the context of chip design, that link is usually the data bus that connects the memory and logic components and fetches data from memory, delivers it to the logic units for processing, and then sends it back over for storage. As it turns out, both CPU speeds and memory size are advancing at a much faster rate than the throughput speed of the data bus is improving. This means that when processing large amounts of data the CPU has to slow down to a crawl, constantly waiting for new data to arrive, wasting a lot of time and energy in the process. And things are only going to get worse as the gap increases. Couple this trend with the huge interest in Big Data in recent years and it’s easy to see how, if nothing is done to address this, we might end up with a serious problem on our hands. One way to deal with the data bottleneck could be to ferry data inside a chip using the much faster optical fibers, though the technology still seems quite far from mass production. Instead, a team led by professors Subhasish Mitra and Philip Wong at Stanford is exploring the more radical avenue of creating dense 3D chips that integrate memory and logic right on top of each other, and that exchange data using an array of thousands of vertical nanoscale interconnections. The sheer number of short-distance connections allow the data to travel much faster, using less electricity, and sidestepping the bottleneck problem almost entirely. A standard one-story chip versus an exploded view of Stanford's multi-story design (Image: Stanford University) "The memory is now right on top of the logic, so the data doesn’t have to move back and forth across long distances," lead author of the paper Max Shulaker tells Gizmag. "Putting them so close together (vertically over one another) therefore saves a lot of energy in passing data back and forth between the logic and memory. Also, now that the bandwidth between the memory and logic is greatly increased, the processor doesn’t have to waste time or energy waiting to get the data." A prototype 3D chip built by the researchers packs four layers on top of each other, two layers of memory "sandwiched" between two layers of logic. This shows that the researchers are able to stack all possible combinations on top of each other  –  memory on logic, memory on memory, logic on memory, and logic over logic. "But you could build even more layers using the exact same methodology depending on what your application required," says Shulaker. A matter of temperature This sort of close-quarters stacking is not possible in your standard chip because manufacturing a memory chip requires very high temperatures, on the order of 1,000° C (1,800° F), which would melt down the layer below it. So the team opted for a special type of memory which they had previously developed, called RRAM (for "resistive random access memory"). It doesn’t use silicon, but rather a combination of titanium nitride, hafnium oxide and platinum. Applying electricity to the memory cell one way causes it to resist the flow of electricity (hence the name), which equates to a "0" bit, while applying voltage the opposite way causes the structure to conduct again  –  representing a "1" bit. Apart from consuming less energy, the advantage of RRAM is that it can be built at much lower temperatures, meaning it can be manufactured right on top of other circuits, paving the way for building functional 3D chips. Interestingly, the transistors which are part of the "high-rise" design can be either standard silicon field-effect transistors (Si-FET) or made out of the much more energy-efficient carbon nanotubes (CNFET). In a previous study, Mitra, Wong and colleagues found a way to manufacture what they say are some of the highest-performing nanotube-based transistors to date. In the CNTFETs, multiple parallel carbon nanotubes replace silicon as the transistor channel (Image: Stanford University) "We benchmarked our CNFETs against silicon-based transistors which are in production today," Shulaker tells us. "We take the foundry models (the models the companies that make the silicon transistors use) for the silicon transistors, and change parameters in their models to match the CNT transistors we make in our lab at Stanford (since industry labs can print much smaller transistors than we can in an academic lab), and we see that our CNT transistors are now competitive with these silicon transistors." Previous CNTFETs could not reach high levels of performance because the concentration of carbon nanotubes was too low to build an effective chip. The Stanford team used a simple but ingenious workaround: the researchers started growing the nanotubes as usual and then used a sort of metal "Scotch tape" to transfer the nanotubes onto a silicon wafer that would serve as the base of the chip. Repeating the process 13 times per wafer resulted in a very high-density carbon nanotube grid. "It is projected that CNT transistors will achieve an order of magnitude benefit in energy-delay product  –  a metric of energy efficiency  –  compared to silicon CMOS once we can work out the remaining obstacles," Shulaker continues. "Thus, for one third the amount of energy, your circuit would run three times faster, for instance." Interconnections As the scientists deposited each memory layer, they were also able to create thousands of nanoscale interconnections into the logic layer below, which are meant to serve the role of the data bus. The great number of connections, along with the extremely short distances that data has to travel, allows the chip to avoid the data "traffic jams" that are plaguing current chip designers. As you can see from the figure above, the interconnections between the logic and memory can be arbitrary. In the first layer from the bottom, the logic layer is made out of standard (Si-FET) transistors, demonstrating how this design can integrate with existing technology. Crunching Big Data This research is still in its early stages, but the scientists say their design and manufacturing techniques are scalable and could lead to a significant leap in computing performance. "Monolithic 3D integration of logic and memory and emerging nanotechnologies like CNT transistors are promising steps for building the next generation of ultra-high efficiency and high performance electronic systems that can operate on massive amounts of data," says Shulaker. "The ability to operate on massive amounts of data in an energy-efficient manner could enable new applications that we can’t dream of today." The next step for the team will be to use this integration scheme to demonstrate new systems that cannot be built using today’s technologies and which leverage the data-crunching abilities of such systems. "Paradigm shift is an overused concept, but here it is appropriate," says Prof. Wong. "With this new architecture, electronics manufacturers could put the power of a supercomputer in your hand." Two papers describing their advance were presented at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) on December 15–17. Source: Stanford University

Personalized advertising attracts more attention and makes contents of ads easier to remember

 

December 19, 2014 University of Cologne - Universität zu Köln Personalized advertisements on the Internet not only attract more attention, they also remain in our memory longer than impersonal ads. People who surf the internet and shop online leave many traces of their behavior behind. These data are increasingly being used by companies to present ads on their websites that are intended to meet people's individual interests and preferences. Personalized advertisements on the Internet not only attract more attention, they also remain in our memory longer than impersonal ads. This is the result of a study conducted by Professor Kai Kaspar from the Psychology Department of the University of Cologne in collaboration with his colleagues Moritz Köster, Marco Rüth and Dr. Kai-Christoph Hamborg in Osnabrück. Specifically, they investigated the gaze behavior of female students on websites. People who surf the internet and shop online leave many traces of their behavior behind. These data are increasingly being used by companies to present ads on their websites that are intended to meet people's individual interests and preferences. However, so far it has been unclear if this form of personalized advertising actually attracts people's attention to a greater degree than impersonal ads. In their study, which was published in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology, the four researchers asked female students to read the current events presented on a news portal. The advertisements of various companies were also displayed, but the test persons tended not to look at these ads very much -- an effect also known as "banner blindness." Personalized advertisements, however, attracted much more attention than impersonal ones. Moreover, there was a significant effect on the memories of the test persons: in a later test, the female students recognized the images and slogans that were previously integrated into personalized ads much more often than those in impersonal ones. But the personalization of advertising had no effect on the test persons' memories of company logos or the contents of the news they were viewing. These combined effects are highly relevant for advertisers and website operators. However, web users should also be more aware of the uses to which the traces they leave behind of their online activities can be put. Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by University of Cologne - Universität zu Köln. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Family criticizing your weight? You might add more pounds

 

Women whose loved ones are critical of their weight tend to put on even more pounds, says a new study on the way people's comments affect our health. Professor Christine Logel from Renison University College at the University of Waterloo led the study, which appears in the December issue of the journal Personal Relationships. "When we feel bad about our bodies, we often turn to loved ones -- families, friends and romantic partners -- for support and advice. How they respond can have a bigger effect than we might think," said Professor Logel, who teaches social development studies. The study found that women who received a higher number of what the researchers called acceptance messages about their weight saw better weight maintenance and even weight loss than their counterparts who did not receive this positive messaging from their loved ones. The researchers studied university-age women, a demographic often dissatisfied with personal weight. The team of social psychologists asked the women their height and weight, and how they felt about what they see on the scale. About five months later, they asked them if they had talked to their loved ones about their concerns, and if so, how they had responded. About three months after that, they tracked whether their weight and their concerns about it changed in that time. "On average, the women in the study were at the high end of Health Canada's BMI recommendations, so the healthiest thing is for them to maintain the weight they have and not be so hard on themselves," said Professor Logel. "But many of the women were still very concerned about how much they weigh, and most talked to their loved ones about it." Overall, the women in the sample gained some weight over time, which is not uncommon for young adults. But if the women got the message from their loved ones that they look fine, then they maintained or even lost a bit of weight. Women who received comparatively few weight acceptance messages from their loved ones gained almost 4.5 pounds on average, whereas women who received comparatively more weight acceptance messages lost a pound. The results showed that when women concerned about their weight heard that their loved ones accepted them as they are, they felt better about their bodies, and subsequently they did not gain like other women did. "Lots of research finds that social support improves our health," said Professor Logel. "An important part of social support is feeling that our loved ones accept us just the way we are." Pressure from loved ones about weight loss was not helpful for women already concerned about it. And it actually led women who weren't originally concerned about their weight to gain some weight. "We all know someone who points out our weight gain or offers to help us lose weight. These results suggest that these comments are misguided," said Professor Logel. The research suggests that feeling better about themselves caused the women to be more active or eat more sensibly. Receiving unconditional acceptance might have lowered their stress, a known cause of weight gain. Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by University of Waterloo. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: CHRISTINE LOGEL, DANU ANTHONY STINSON, GREGORY R. GUNN, JOANNE V. WOOD, JOHN G. HOLMES, JESSICA J. CAMERON. A little acceptance is good for your health: Interpersonal messages and weight change over time. Personal Relationships, 2014; 21 (4): 583 DOI: 10.1111/pere.12050

Lost memories might be able to be restored, suggests research into marine snail

 

For decades, most neuroscientists have believed that memories are stored at the synapses -- the connections between brain cells, or neurons -- which are destroyed by Alzheimer's disease. The new study provides evidence contradicting the idea that long-term memory is stored at synapses. "Long-term memory is not stored at the synapse," said David Glanzman, a senior author of the study, and a UCLA professor of integrative biology and physiology and of neurobiology. "That's a radical idea, but that's where the evidence leads. The nervous system appears to be able to regenerate lost synaptic connections. If you can restore the synaptic connections, the memory will come back. It won't be easy, but I believe it's possible." The findings were published recently in eLife. Glanzman's research team studies a type of marine snail called Aplysia to understand the animal's learning and memory. The Aplysia displays a defensive response to protect its gill from potential harm, and the researchers are especially interested in its withdrawal reflex and the sensory and motor neurons that produce it. They enhanced the snail's withdrawal reflex by giving it several mild electrical shocks on its tail. The enhancement lasts for days after a series of electrical shocks, which indicates the snail's long-term memory. Glanzman explained that the shock causes the hormone serotonin to be released in the snail's central nervous system. Long-term memory is a function of the growth of new synaptic connections caused by the serotonin, said Glanzman, a member of UCLA's Brain Research Institute. As long-term memories are formed, the brain creates new proteins that are involved in making new synapses. If that process is disrupted -- for example by a concussion or other injury -- the proteins may not be synthesized and long-term memories cannot form. (This is why people cannot remember what happened moments before a concussion.) "If you train an animal on a task, inhibit its ability to produce proteins immediately after training, and then test it 24 hours later, the animal doesn't remember the training," Glanzman said. "However, if you train an animal, wait 24 hours, and then inject a protein synthesis inhibitor in its brain, the animal shows perfectly good memory 24 hours later. In other words, once memories are formed, if you temporarily disrupt protein synthesis, it doesn't affect long-term memory. That's true in the Aplysia and in human's brains." (This explains why people's older memories typically survive following a concussion.) Glanzman's team found the same mechanism held true when studying the snail's neurons in a Petri dish. The researchers placed the sensory and motor neurons that mediate the snail's withdrawal reflex in a Petri dish, where the neurons re-formed the synaptic connections that existed when the neurons were inside the snail's body. When serotonin was added to the dish, new synaptic connections formed between the sensory and motor neurons. But if the addition of serotonin was immediately followed by the addition of a substance that inhibits protein synthesis, the new synaptic growth was blocked; long-term memory could not be formed. The researchers also wanted to understand whether synapses disappeared when memories did. To find out, they counted the number of synapses in the dish and then, 24 hours later, added a protein synthesis inhibitor. One day later, they re-counted the synapses. What they found was that new synapses had grown and the synaptic connections between the neurons had been strengthened; late treatment with the protein synthesis inhibitor did not disrupt the long-term memory. The phenomenon is extremely similar to what happens in the snail's nervous system during this type of simple learning, Glanzman said. Next, the scientists added serotonin to a Petri dish containing a sensory neuron and motor neuron, waited 24 hours, and then added another brief pulse of serotonin -- which served to remind the neurons of the original training -- and immediately afterward add the protein synthesis inhibitor. This time, they found that synaptic growth and memory were erased. When they re-counted the synapses, they found that the number had reset to the number before the training, Glanzman said. This suggests that the "reminder" pulse of serotonin triggered a new round of memory consolidation, and that inhibiting protein synthesis during this "reconsolidation" erased the memory in the neurons. If the prevailing wisdom were true -- that memories are stored in the synapses -- the researchers should have found that the lost synapses were the same ones that had grown in response to the serotonin. But that's not what happened: Instead, they found that some of the new synapses were still present and some were gone, and that some of the original ones were gone, too. Glanzman said there was no obvious pattern to which synapses stayed and which disappeared, which implied that memory is not stored in synapses. When the scientists repeated the experiment in the snail, and then gave the animal a modest number of tail shocks -- which do not produce long-term memory in a naive snail -- the memory they thought had been completely erased returned. This implies that synaptic connections that were lost were apparently restored. "That suggests that the memory is not in the synapses but somewhere else," Glanzman said. "We think it's in the nucleus of the neurons. We haven't proved that, though." Glanzman said the research could have significant implications for people with Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, just because the disease is known to destroy synapses in the brain doesn't mean that memories are destroyed. "As long as the neurons are still alive, the memory will still be there, which means you may be able to recover some of the lost memories in the early stages of Alzheimer's," he said. Glanzman added that in the later stages of the disease, neurons die, which likely means that the memories cannot be recovered. The cellular and molecular processes seem to be very similar between the marine snail and humans, even though the snail has approximately 20,000 neurons and humans have about 1 trillion. Neurons each have several thousand synapses. Glanzman used to believe that traumatic memories could be erased but he has changed his mind. He now believes that, because memories are stored in the nucleus, it may be much more difficult to modify them. He will continue to study how the marine snail's memories are restored and how synapses re-grow. Co-authors of the study include Shanping Chen, Diancai Cai and Kaycey Pearce, research associates in Glanzman's laboratory. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Science Foundation. Almost all the processes that are involved in memory in the snail also have been shown to be involved in memory in the brains of mammals, Glanzman said. In a 1997 study published in the journal Science, Glanzman and colleagues identified a cellular mechanism in the Aplysia that plays an important role in learning and memory. A protein called N-methyl D-aspartate, or NMDA, receptor enhances the strength of synaptic connections in the nervous system and plays a vital role in memory and in certain kinds of learning in the mammalian brain as well. Glanzman's demonstration that the NMDA receptor plays a critical role in learning in a simple animal like the marine snail was entirely unexpected at the time.

Coenzima Q10

 

Coenzima Q10 Produzida naturalmente pelas nossas células, a coenzima Q10 (CoQ-10), como o próprio nome indica, é um co-factor de uma enzima. As enzimas são substâncias que se encontram em todos os seres vivos, e são necessárias para o crescimento e reparação de células e tecidos vivos. A coenzima Q10 trata-se de uma ubiquinona (a ubidecarenona), composto derivado das benzoquinonas, que participa no transporte dos electrões na cadeia respiratória ao nível das mitocôndrias das células. Existem dez coenzimas mas a coenzima Q10 é a única que se encontra no tecido humano. Este nutriente desempenha um papel importante na produção de trifosfato de adenosina (ATP), o componente básico da energia celular. Sendo sintetizada no nosso organismo, a sua concentração mais elevada é encontrada no coração e no fígado. Uso terapêutico A CoQ-10 tem sido alvo de importantes pesquisas, nos últimos 30 anos. Sob a forma de suplemento, é usada com o objectivo de melhorar o aporte energético ao organismo cansado ou debilitado. Ajuda na circulação sanguínea e no aparelho cardíaco, estimula o sistema imunitário, combate os radicais livres, fortalece o fígado e o coração, aumenta a oxigenação dos tecidos e possui efeito anti-envelhecimento. A deficiência em coenzima Q10 tem sido relacionada com a obesidade, problemas cardíacos, doenças das gengivas, diabetes, distrofia muscular e o processo de envelhecimento. Só no Japão, seis milhões de pessoas tomam-na regularmente. Efeitos Colaterais Até hoje, nenhum efeito colateral ou secundário foi relatado, desconhecendo-se qualquer toxicidade desta substância, independentemente da dosagem tomada. Coenzima Q10 – Beneficios Antioxidante A coenzima Q10 é uma substância semelhante às vitaminas, parecida com a vitamina E, mas cujo poder antioxidante é ainda mais poderoso. A CoQ-10, componente essencial celular, é um antioxidante natural, combatendo assim os radicais livres da célula, impedindo o seu envelhecimento, com todas as consequências benéficas que daí advêem para o nosso organismo. Obesidade Estudos feitos nos EUA e Bélgica, mostraram que os obesos têm baixos níveis de CoQ10 nas suas células, comparados com as pessoas mais magras. O processo de acumulação de gorduras no nosso corpo é muitas vezes devido à dificuldade do fígado em metabolizá-las. Esta dificuldade é, na maior parte dos casos, devida à descida dos níveis de CoQ-10 que enfraquece o fígado, impedindo-o de desempenhar a sua tarefa. Assim, ao tomar um suplemento de coenzima Q10, os níveis são repostos, fornecendo a energia necessária às células do fígado para que estas passem a exercer a sua função metabólica sem qualquer quebra. Como também encontramos grandes concentrações de CoQ-10 no fígado, a manutenção dos níveis deste produto é prioritário para haver um bom funcionamento deste orgão tão vital a todo o equilíbrio do nosso organismo. Coração e Hipertensão O caso do coração é exemplar e está amplamente documentado na comunidade científica. Como o coração se apresenta constituído por tecidos musculares activos, com um dos maiores metabolismos do nosso organismo, vai precisar de um constante fornecimento de energia para a sua acção natural de contínuo batimento. Por causa das elevadas concentrações de CoQ-10 no coração, o seu fornecimento regular ao organismo vai diminuir o risco de ataques cardíacos, pois ajuda à respiração do músculo cardíaco e aparentemente, confere protecção contra inflamações do coração causadas por vírus, contribuindo também para a prevenção de arritmias cardíacas. Devido à sua acção de fortalecimento do músculo cardíaco, muitos cirurgiões utilizam a CoQ-10 em pacientes prestes a sofrer uma operação cardíaca. Em testes clínicos efectuados, verificou-se que 75% dos doentes que sofrem de problemas cardíacos possuem níveis deficientes de CoQ-10. Mais de 12 milhões de pessoas tomam regularmente este suplemento para o tratamento de doenças cardíacas e hipertensão. Alguns estudos mostraram que a coenzima Q10 consegue baixar a pressão arterial sem qualquer outra medicação ou mudança de dieta. A sua acção reflecte-se de forma particularmente positiva em algumas perturbações do coração, como é o caso da insuficiência cardíaca congestiva e angina de peito. Sistema Imunitário A CoQ-10 tem um papel crucial na eficácia do sistema imunitário. Os seus beneficios para a saúde não se ligam exclusivamente ao coração, já que se apresenta como uma substância estimuladora do funcionamento das defesas imunológicas, o que é fácil de perceber, pois se a CoQ-10 actua como um catalisador de toda a energia celular, vai ser esta energia a capacitar o sistema imunitário a responder a ataques constantes a que o nosso organismo está exposto. A SIDA é o principal alvo da pesquisa actual sobre a coenzima Q-10, devido aos seus imensos benefícios para o sistema imunitário. Câncer O New England Institute (EUA) relata que a co-enzima Q-10 sózinha reduz com eficácia a mortalidade em animais de laboratório atacados por tumores e leucemia. Em 1993, um relatório clínico da Dinamarca, descreve o caso de duas mulheres, portadoras de cancro da mama em avançado estado de metástase, que tomaram diairamente uma dose elevada (390 miligramas) de CoQ10, por vários meses, o que fez desaparecer todos os traços de malignidade. No ano seguinte, foram relatados mais três casos de cura como estes. O uso da coenzima Q 10 parece ser um passo importante na prevenção e controle do câncer. Testes clínicos estão a ser usados também na administração conjunta com quimioterapia (como no caso da Adriamicina, com toxicidade para o coração) para reduzir os efeitos colaterais desses medicamentos. Tônus Muscular A CoQ-10 é um dos coadjuvantes mais essenciais para a produção de energia no organismo. É recomendada quando o corpo necessita de produzir mais energia como, por exemplo, durante as actividades desportivas, em casos de esforço físico, em pessoas de idade com fraca massa muscular, em situações de convalescência, de distrofia muscular e em casos de perda geral de energia. Patologias Diversas Para além de todos os efeitos terapêuticos já mencionados, a CoQ-10 também tem apresentado bons resultados nos tratamentos de doenças das gengivas, candidíase, esclerose múltipla, e diabetes. Pesquisas no Japão revelaram que a coenzima Q-10 protege o revestimento do estômago e do duodeno, podendo ajudar a curar úlceras. A coenzima Q-10 tem ainda a capacidade de controlar a histamina e é, portanto, valiosa para as pessoas que sofrem de alergias, asma e doenças respiratórias. Tem sido também utilizada para tratar disfunções mentais como a esquizofrenia e a doença de Alzheimer. Envelhecimento Com o decorrer dos anos de vida, o nosso organismo perde a capacidade de fabricar as quantidades necessárias de CoQ-10, podendo esta redução atingir proporções até aos 80%. Esta redução dos níveis de CoQ-10 é responsável por muitos fenómenos desagradáveis relacionados com o envelhecimento. Ao declinar a sua presença no organismo com o avançar da idade (em condições normais de saúde, a partir dos 50 anos), torna-se necessário um suplemento deste nutriente visto desempenhar um papel crucial na eficácia do sistema imunitário e em todo o processo de envelhecimento. A CoQ-10 contribui ainda para prevenir os efeitos tóxicos dos fármacos tradicionais utilizados no tratamento de várias doenças associadas ao envelhecimento. Contudo, além do envelhecimento, existem outros factores que podem provocar no nosso organismo deficiências de CoQ-10, aumentando assim o risco do aparecimento de várias doenças. Dentro destes factores podem destacar-se os maus hábitos de alimentação, o stress e condições particulares como uma infecção.

Technophobia may keep seniors from using apps to manage diabetes

 

December 19, 2014 University of Waterloo Despite showing interest in web or mobile apps to help manage their type 2 diabetes, only a small number of older adults actually use them, says a new study. Approximately 2.2 million Canadians are living with type 2 diabetes, 2 million of whom are age 50 or older. A study found that although more than 90 per cent of research participants owned a computer or had daily Internet access, just 18 per cent used applications on this technology to help manage their diabetes. While almost half owned smartphones, only 5 per cent used them to manage their disease. Despite showing interest in web or mobile apps to help manage their Type 2 diabetes, only a small number of older adults actually use them, says a new study from the University of Waterloo. Approximately 2.2 million Canadians are living with Type 2 diabetes, 2 million of whom are age 50 or older. The study, which appears in the online edition of the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, found that although more than 90 per cent of research participants owned a computer or had daily Internet access, just 18 per cent used applications on this technology to help manage their diabetes. While almost half owned smartphones, only 5 per cent used them to manage their disease. "There was a strong association between age and confidence -- confidence about technology use really dropped off in the oldest age groups," said Professor Peter Hall, of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences at Waterloo and senior author of the paper. "This drop in confidence was mirrored by a corresponding drop in intentions to use the technology in the near future." Earlier research shows that people who use smartphone and web apps to manage chronic diseases follow their doctors' recommendations more closely and make positive changes in their health, at least among those already positively inclined toward such technology. In diabetes management, technology can provide platforms for glucose logs, dietary and physical activity journals, and create opportunities for scheduled prompting or interventions. "It may be that older adults are unaware of apps available, they had low confidence about using them regularly, or both," said Kathleen Dobson, a graduate student and lead author on the paper. Despite the low use of assistive technology among older adults, the majority of study participants felt that adopting Internet or smartphone applications to manage their diabetes was a good idea. More than two-thirds intended to adopt assistive technology moving forward. "Successful diabetes management improves quality of life, reduces risk of complications and generally extends life expectancy," said Professor Hall. "My hope is that we can find ways to encourage adoption of these new self-management tools, even among those older adults who don't consider themselves to be especially tech-savvy." The development of senior-friendly apps that are easier to see and use along with encouragement from health-care practitioners to use assistive technology could help increase the number of older adults who use their phones and computers as tools to better manage their diabetes. Raising awareness about existing applications and boosting confidence is also key in increasing the use of assistive technology among older adults. A future phase of this research will involve seniors who aren't tech-savvy to determine their receptivity to different types of applications. Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by University of Waterloo. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: K. G. Dobson, P. Hall. A Pilot Study Examining Patient Attitudes and Intentions to Adopt Assistive Technologies Into Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, 2014; DOI: 10.1177/1932296814560395

Stress in the United States of America and how you can cope with it-republishing-

 

Every year since 2007, the American Psychological Association (APA) has released an annual Stress in America™ survey which explores sources of stress, attitudes around stress, how people cope with it, and its impact, among other issues involved with stress. This post covers some of the findings from the 2013 study as they relate to teenagers, sleep, exercise and eating. Some tips about how to cope with stress are also offered. Stress and teenagers It is really no secret that many Americans are more stressed than ever, but the concerning news that the APA's study found is that stress is on the rise in teenagers. On a scale of 1-10, teens reported that their average stress level was 5.8, which is well over the number considered to be a healthy amount of stress (3.9), and was even greater than the average stress level of adults (5.1). 31% of these teens say that their level of stress is greater than it was in the last year. Of similar concern is the fact that many teens report that they don't know how to cope with this stress, with only about one of every two teenagers stating they feel confident in handling their personal problems, and 42% stating that they don't believe they do enough to manage their stress. Stress and sleep APA's study demonstrated that unhealthy stress levels interfere with the sleep of both adults and teenagers. Good sleep has many benefits to health and overall well being, so it is a big problem when we are not sleeping well. 43% of adults and 35% of teens indicated stress has caused them to lie awake at night. There are several reasons related to stress why people do not sleep well. Fortunately, many resources exist on how to get a good night's sleep, which include setting up sleep routines, making sure to wake up and go to bed at the same time every night, and deep breathing. Stress and exercise Exercise has many stress-busting effects, and APA's survey found that many Americans realize this, but even so, do not exercise daily. 37% of adults and 20% of teens reported they exercised less than once a week if at all. 39% of adults stated that they skipped exercising because of stress. If you feel short on time or struggle with getting enough exercise, you can still incorporate easy ways of getting exercise into your daily routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park a little further away from your destination, or just take two minutes out of your day to do some push ups. Stress and eating The Stress in the States’ survey indicates that stress contributes to how US people eat. 38% of adults indicated that they overate or ate unhealthily because of stress, and 27% reported that they eat to manage stress. 26% of teens also reported they eat unhealthily to cope with stress, with 33% of those saying that they eat to distract themselves from whatever is causing them stress. With many negative health consequences of obesity, these statistics are concerning. It would do US people well to get a better grip on stress. How to conquer stress The APA notes that popular ways of coping with stress are not always effective. 40% of adults indicate that they watch television or movies for more than two hours a day to cope with stress, but only 32% of them state that doing so is helpful. 42% note that they go online to cope with stress, with only 29% of them saying it is actually helpful. One of the most beneficial coping strategies was found to be psychotherapy, with 68% of respondents citing that this was helpful. Only 5%, however, indicated that they actually did this. If you are a parent of a stressed out teen, your son or daughter could benefit tremendously from talking to a mental health professional. APA suggests that you not only talk to your primary care physician about stress, but make sure to also seek psychological help and have your psychologist and physician work together to help you conquer stress.

Nikola Tesla's Best Productivity Tricks–republishing-

 

Inventor Nikola Tesla has certainly become one of the internet's darlings over the years. Part of the reason for that is because he managed to do a lot with his life. With that in mind, let's take a look at what was behind the brain that helped make Tesla so productive. Nikola Tesla is most famously known for his contributions to the design of the alternating current electricity system, but he's also credited with around 300 other patents for all kinds of inventions. Throughout his life, he was continually working on projects and getting things done. While he certainly had his share of bad habits (he'd often work on two hours of sleep), one doesn't do as much as Tesla did without a strict set of productivity tips. To that end, here are a few things we can all learn from how he got things done. Take Time to Really Think Before Building Nikola Tesla often talked about how he could visualize machines, and rarely drew out schematics before he started building. The process, often referred to as visual thinking, isn't ingrained in all of us, but we've shown you how to identify it before. Even if it's not a trait most of us have, the idea to just concentrate on the end product is certainly something we've talked about before, and creative thinking often requires that you relax and just work through problems in your head. In his autobiography, Tesla describes the process like so.: My method is different. I do not rush into actual work. When I get an idea I start at once building it up in my imagination. I change the construction, make improvements and operate the device in my mind. It is absolutely immaterial to me whether I run my turbine in thought or test it in my shop. I even note if it is out of balance. There is no difference whatever, the results are the same. In this way I am able to rapidly develop and perfect a conception without touching anything. When I have gone so far as to embody in the invention every possible improvement I can think of and see no fault anywhere, I put into concrete form this final product of my brain. Invariably my device works as I conceived that it should, and the experiment comes out exactly as I planned it. In twenty years there has not been a single exception. Why should it be otherwise? Engineering, electrical and mechanical, is positive in results. There is scarcely a subject that cannot be mathematically treated and the effects calculated or the results determined beforehand from the available theoretical and practical data. The carrying out into practice of a crude idea as is being generally done is, I hold, nothing but a waste of energy, money and time. We can't all sit around thinking about projects until they become a working machine in our brains, but Tesla's brand of thinking still works as an experiment most of us will benefit from taking the time to do. More importantly, he wasn't born with these skills either, he did certain exercises to train his brain as a child Although I must trace to my mother's influence whatever inventiveness I possess, the training he gave me must have been helpful. It comprised all sorts of exercises—as, guessing one another's thoughts, discovering the defects of some form or expression, repeating long sentences or performing mental calculations. These daily lessons were intended to strengthen memory and reason and especially to develop the critical sense, and were undoubtedly very beneficial. Sit back, and try to visualize how something might work when you're done with it. This might be a work project, a DIY project, or even just a change in the way you do things. From the smallest parts to the biggest, go through it in your head to figure out how you want it to work. You might be surprised at how well you can get that machine working in your brain. The idea isn't all that different from memory tricks like the memory palace, which builds on our spatial reasoning to memorize and visualize things better. Take a Walk We've seen the benefits of going out for a quick walk time and time again to boost creativity. Tesla seemed to adhere to this idea as well, and although his walking habits eventually became an obsessive compulsive habit, he shares that several of his "eureka" moments came when he was out for a walk. One of the more famous examples of this is when Tesla came up with his idea of the alternating current;. In 1881, Tesla moved to Budapest, after recovering from his breakdown, and he was walking through a park with a friend, reciting poetry, when a vision came to him. There in the park, with a stick, Tesla drew a crude diagram in the dirt—a motor using the principle of rotating magnetic fields created by two or more alternating currents. While AC electrification had been employed before, there would never be a practical, working motor run on alternating current until he invented his induction motor several years later. The idea here is that when you leave your workspace, take a walk, and let an idea incubate, you're more likely to come to the solution you're looking for. It doesn't have to mean taking a walk, but it's good to step out of your box, and do some creative thinking on the go now and again. Work Through Problems with a Bit of Solitude Like many inventors and creative types, Nikola Tesla was an advocate for solitude when creating and working. Most famously, he's quoted as saying: "The mind is sharper and keener in seclusion and uninterrupted solitude. No big laboratory is needed in which to think. Originality thrives in seclusion free of outside influences beating upon us to cripple the creative mind. Be alone, that is the secret of invention; be alone, that is when ideas are born. The idea that you need to work in solitude to get things done is by no means new. We've talked before about how it can boost creativity, and how setting aside some alone time is a great way to recharge to boose productivity. In the end, it's all about productive introspection and using your alone time well. Most of us don't need to work through as complex of problems as Tesla, but that doesn't mean we can't benefit from a little solitude now and again while working through issues. If you're struggling to come up with ideas or get things done, don't be afraid to step away for a bit.

New technique for generating electricity from mechanical vibrations

 

Natural vibrations caused by two surfaces with different work functions repelling and attracting each other can be used to generate electricity (Image: VTT) Electrical energy is normally generated through heat, motion, nuclear transformation, or chemical reactions, but now scientists at VTT Technical Research Center of Finland have devised a new method that involves mechanical vibrations. They figured out how to "harvest" the vibrational energy that occurs naturally when two surfaces with different work functions are connected via electrodes, and this energy could potentially be used to power wearables and other low-power electronics. A work function is a property of the surface of a material that is defined as the difference between the energy of an electron at rest and the minimum thermodynamic work (another form of energy) that is required to remove said electron from the material. It's often applied in photoelectric devices and cathode-ray tubes, and is sometimes guarded against in electronic circuits involving different metals, but it had not before been used in vibration energy harvesting. The VTT scientists created a parallel-plate capacitor with copper and aluminum that was hooked up to an external circuit. The plates' respective work functions provided the initial one volt charge as electrons fled from one surface to the other. Different electrode materials could theoretically yield higher voltages – over 3 V with wide band-gap semiconductors or over 5 V with n and p-type diamond. The copper plate was fixed in place while a motor vibrated the aluminum plate perpendicular to both plates, either continuously or in pulses. The researchers also ran simulations of their work function energy harvester in realistic microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scenarios, determining that the built-in voltage could lead to output power over one order of magnitude higher when the vibration frequency is matched with the mechanical resonance frequency of the device. Work function energy harvesters have one big advantage over the piezoelectric and electrostatic devices that generate electricity from mechanical vibrations to power many sensors and medical implants. The scientists note that such harvesters don't need an external power source or any electret materials (essentially, electrostatic magnets), and moreover they can generate more power in many operating conditions. VTT estimates that it will take three to six years for this new technology to be rolled out on an industrial scale, though the researchers caution in their study conclusions that MEMS versions still need to be realized. The research was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Chip-Making Tools Produce Ultra-Efficient Solar Cells

 

Equipment for making microchips has led to solar cells that are twice as efficient as conventional ones. By Kevin Bullis on December 16, 2014 A wafer bearing 500 tiny solar cells, made by Soitec, has produced a new world record. Soitec, a French manufacturing company, says it has used techniques designed for making microprocessors to produce solar cells with a record-setting efficiency of 46 percent, converting more than twice as much sunlight into electricity as conventional cells. Although the cells are more complicated to produce, using established manufacturing techniques promises to keep production costs down. Ordinary solar cells use one semiconductor to convert sunlight into electricity. The cells made by Soitec have four semiconductors, each designed to target a different part of the solar spectrum. Soitec produced its first four-semiconductor cell about a year ago. Since then, it’s been improving efficiencies rapidly, and it looks on track to be the first company to hit the long-awaited milestone of 50 percent efficiency. Over the last several years, the costs of solar power have come down by over 80 percent, mostly because companies have found cheaper ways to manufacture conventional silicon solar cells. But solar power is still more expensive than fossil fuels in most places. Soitec is one of several companies attempting to lower costs by making solar cells more efficient, so fewer are needed to generate the same amount of power. That cuts installation costs, which can account for more than half the cost of solar power (see “Solar Panels That Configure Themselves”). The challenge is achieving high efficiencies without significantly increasing the cost of making the cells. Combining multiple semiconductors in a solar cell is an old idea that’s hard to execute in practice. It is possible to grow the semiconductor materials separately and then bond them together, but that requires multiple crystalline templates, which is expensive, and it can result in imperfect bonds. To make its four-semiconductor solar cells, Soitec starts by growing two atomically compatible semiconductor materials on one template and two different compatible semiconductors on another. One of the templates is then removed so it can be reused (the structure of the final solar cell makes it difficult to remove the other one). Finally, the two pairs of semiconductors are stacked together. Soitec has already used the process of reusing the template and bonding the semiconductors for years to make components for microprocessors and other electronics. The company plans to begin high-volume manufacturing of its four-semiconductor cells in 2016. Some questions remain about how cheap its process will be, though. The company isn’t providing specific estimates for the cost per kilowatt of solar power using its technology, saying the numbers depend on location. Other companies are vying to be the first to reach 50 percent efficiency. This year the startup Semprius demonstrated four-semiconductor cells that were 44.1 percent efficient, and the company says it’s on track to break the world record next year. source : MIT Technology Review