A NON-INVASIVE WAY TO DIAGNOSE ELABORATE SKIN CANCER

Russian researchers have developed an approach to use fat molecules in cell membranes and several lasers to detect skin cancer with approximately 95% accuracy in a non-invasive manner. This was announced by the Russian Science Fund.

“Thanks to its high sensitivity, this approach can be used to diagnose and will pave the way for very early detection of skin cancer,” indicates researcher Elena Rimskaïa. Specialists plan to perfect the method by analyzing the results of lasers with various wavelengths.

The discovery was made when studying the interaction of different skin cells, healthy and cancerous, with laser radiation at various wavelengths. The diseased cells represented two most common forms of melanoma, caused by the Sun's ultraviolet rays: basalioma and squamous cell carcinoma. Russian physicists have discovered that healthy and tumor cells scatter laser light differently, leading to noticeable changes in the structure of the spectrum of this radiation. To carry out such screening, no expensive and specialized equipment is needed.

ONE OF PROXIMA CENTAURI’S PLANETS MAY BE HABITABLE

One of the planets of the closest star to Earth, Proxima Centauri, is potentially habitable – Russian scientists made this conclusion after evaluating the waters of three planets of this star system, the researcher of Russian Academy of Sciences Sergei Ipatov. It turned out that the amount of water brought to exoplanet B could exceed the amount of water brought to Earth from the zone of giant planets and the water mass of the Earth's oceans, he explained .

Scientists have calculated that the mass of the star Proxima Centauri is about ten times less than the mass of the Sun. In this case, planet B is in the habitable zone, closer to the star than to the ice line. The mass of this planet is slightly greater than the mass of the Earth. The water needed for life on this planet could have come from the orbit of planet C. At the same time, planet D is closer to the star than planet B, and its mass is about four times less to that of the planet. b.

“Analysis of the results obtained showed that, depending on the possible mutual gravitational influence of icy primary bodies, the total mass of matter delivered from the feeding zone of planet C to planet B could be between 0.002 and 0.015 of the Earth's mass, that is, more than the amount of water delivered to Earth from the areas of the giant planets. At the same time, it is likely that the amount of water delivered to the planet Proxima Centauri B exceeds the water mass of the Earth's oceans (which is 0.0002 of the Earth's mass),” added Mr. Ipatov.

AN AI WILL DETECT A FIRE AT NUCLEAR FACILITIES IN RUSSIA

A neural algorithm was developed by researchers at Tomsk Polytechnic University. The neural network is able to determine the cause of a fire or other emergency situations, its location, type and characteristics of the hearth. The algorithm can also suggest possible scenarios and give recommendations on how to deal with them most effectively. This will minimize damage and possible risks of explosions in various industrial and public establishments, indicates the university.

More than 1,000 experiments were carried out: the neural network had to locate and extinguish wood, PVC panels, linoleum, cables, oils, alcohols and flammable liquids in the event of an explosion.

The first industrial prototype of the system should be presented by the end of 2023.

MAN DISRUPT THE SALT CYCLE IN NATURE

Ecologists have found that humanity emits approximately the same amount of salts into the environment as enters ecosystems from natural sources. This disrupts the global salt cycle in nature and leads to salinization of fresh water, reported the press service of the University of Maryland whose study was published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth & Environment.

Scientists came to this conclusion after combining and analyzing a huge amount of data collected over decades of studying the concentrations of sodium, chlorine, magnesium, calcium and other components of mineral salts in different ecosystems. These include both natural ions and their anthropogenic analogues that enter habitats through fertilizers, road salts, and urban runoff.

Thus, humanity throws out huge amounts of salt comparable to the original mass of metal ions, chlorine, phosphoric, nitric and sulfuric acid, as well as other components of mineral salts occurring in nature intact by the man. The rapid growth of this anthropogenic pollution has led to disruption of the natural salt cycle and its accumulation in groundwater and soil over an area of approximately 10.12 million km2, which is comparable to the size of the largest countries of the world. At the same time, the concentration of sodium and chlorine in large rivers has doubled compared to the mid-20th century.

A further increase in salt concentration would have serious consequences for plants, animals, infrastructure and human health, the study authors warn. They call for the development of means of controlling salt releases into the environment.

AS STARFISH EVOLVED, THEIR BODY AND TAIL LOST

The ancestors of starfish lost their entire bodies and tails during evolution. Biologists have discovered that virtually the entire body of starfish is made up of cells that form the basis of the heads of other multicellular animals, Britain's University of Southampton reported.

Source: Burkina Information Agency