Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai jailed after bail revoked
Thursday 31 December 2020
Wednesday 30 December 2020
Tuesday 29 December 2020
Surveys identify relationship between waves, coastal cliff erosion
Researchers have always known that waves were an important part of the cliff erosion process, but they haven't been able to separate the influence of waves and rain before. After decades of debate over the differing roles that both play, new findings provide an opportunity to improve forecasts.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201228165818.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201228165818.htm
Common brain malformation traced to its genetic roots
Researchers have shown that Chiari 1 malformation can be caused by variations in two genes linked to brain development, and that children with large heads are at increased risk of developing the condition.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201228165816.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201228165816.htm
Monday 28 December 2020
Sunday 27 December 2020
Astrocytes eat connections to maintain plasticity in adult brains
Developing brains constantly sprout new neuronal connections called synapses as they learn and remember. Important connections -- the ones that are repeatedly introduced, such as how to avoid danger -- are nurtured and reinforced, while connections deemed unnecessary are pruned away. Adult brains undergo similar pruning, but it was unclear how or why synapses in the adult brain get eliminated. Now, a team of researchers has found the mechanism underlying plasticity and, potentially, neurological disorders in adult brains.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201224090406.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201224090406.htm
Weedy Seadragon genomics reveal highly distinct populations
To describe weedy seadragons as unique is an understatement. With a fused, elongated jaw, body armor, leafy appendages and no pelvic fins, these fish are like no other. Found only along Australia's temperate coast, numbers have been declining. Now a landmark study using genomics reveals four distinct populations in south-eastern Australia.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201223142450.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201223142450.htm
Turning the heat down: Catalyzing ammonia formation at lower temperatures with ruthenium
Scientists report that the metal ruthenium, supported with lanthanide oxyhydrides, can efficiently catalyze the synthesis of ammonia at a much lower temperature than the traditional approach. In their new study, they highlight the advantages of the oxyhydride support and its potential in becoming a feasible catalyst for low-temperature ammonia synthesis in the future.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201223142448.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201223142448.htm
Saturday 26 December 2020
Friday 25 December 2020
Thursday 24 December 2020
Quantum wave in helium dimer filmed for the first time
For the first time, an international team of scientists has succeeded in filming quantum physical effects on a helium dimer as it breaks apart. The film shows the superposition of matter waves from two simultaneous events that occur with different probability: The survival and the disintegration of the helium dimer. This method might in future make it possible to track experimentally the formation and decay of quantum Efimov systems.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201223125734.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201223125734.htm
Scientists develop new gene therapy for deafness
A new study presents an innovative treatment for deafness, based on the delivery of genetic material into the cells of the inner ear. The genetic material 'replaces' the genetic defect and enables the cells to continue functioning normally. They maintain that this novel therapy could lead to a breakthrough in treating children born with various mutations that eventually cause deafness.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201223125732.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201223125732.htm
Wednesday 23 December 2020
Model predicts where ticks, Lyme disease will appear next in Midwest states
By drawing from decades of studies, scientists created a timeline marking the arrival of black-legged ticks, also known as deer ticks, in hundreds of counties across 10 Midwestern states. They used these data - along with an analysis of county-level landscape features associated with the spread of ticks - to build a model that can predict where ticks are likely to appear in future years.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222192959.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222192959.htm
Birds: Competition for mates leads to a deeper voice than expected based on size
Competition for mates leads to a deeper voice than expected based on size.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222192957.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222192957.htm
Mouse-controlled mouse helps researchers understand intentional control
Researchers have devised a brain machine interface (BMI) that allows mice to learn to guide a cursor using only their brain activity. By monitoring this mouse-controlled mouse moving to a target location to receive a reward, the researchers were able to study how the brain represents intentional control.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222141531.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222141531.htm
Chemists synthesize 'flat' silicon compounds
Chemists have synthesized extremely unusual compounds. Their central building block is a silicon atom. Different from usual, however, is the arrangement of the four bonding partners of the atom, which are not in the form of a tetrahedron around it, but flat like a trapezoid. This arrangement is usually energetically extremely unfavorable, yet the molecules are very stable.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222141530.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222141530.htm
In shaky times, focus on past successes, if overly anxious, depressed
The more chaotic things get, the harder it is for people with clinical anxiety and/or depression to make sound decisions and to learn from their mistakes. On a positive note, overly anxious and depressed people's judgment can improve if they focus on what they get right, instead of what they get wrong, suggests a new study.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222141528.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222141528.htm
Fluvial mapping of Mars
It took fifteen years of imaging and nearly three years of stitching the pieces together to create the largest image ever made, the 8-trillion-pixel mosaic of Mars' surface. Now, the first study to utilize the image in its entirety provides unprecedented insight into the ancient river systems that once covered the expansive plains in the planet's southern hemisphere.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222141526.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222141526.htm
A powerful computational tool for efficient analysis of cell division 4D image data
A research team has developed a novel computational tool that can reconstruct and visualize three-dimensional (3D) shapes and temporal changes of cells, speeding up the analyzing process from hundreds of hours by hand to a few hours by the computer. Revolutionizing the way biologists analyze image data, this tool can advance further studies in developmental and cell biology, such as the growth of cancer cells.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132115.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132115.htm
Extracting energy from manure to meet peak heating demands
Cornell University is developing a system to extract energy from cattle manure to meet the campus's peak demands for heat in the winter months. Scientists involved with the project give a detailed analysis of the issues required to make this work, including scientific, economic, and energy policy considerations.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132106.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132106.htm
How a large protein complex assembles in a cell
A team of researchers has developed a method that allows them to study the assembly process for large protein complexes in detail for the first time. As their case study, the biologists chose one of the largest cellular complexes: the nuclear pore complex in yeast cells.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132032.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132032.htm
Scientists invent glue activated by magnetic field
Scientists have developed a new way to cure adhesives using a magnetic field.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132024.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132024.htm
Droughts, viruses and road networks: Trends that will impact our forests
A new study assembled an array of experts to highlight major trends that will impact the world's forests, and the people living around them, in the decade ahead. These trends include drought, viral outbreaks and vast infrastructure expansions across the globe. According to the researchers, a global strategy for human-nature interaction must be developed if we intend on ensuring the survival of both.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132022.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132022.htm
Brain gene expression patterns predict behavior of individual honey bees
An unusual study that involved bar coding and tracking the behavior of thousands of individual honey bees in six queenless bee hives and analyzing gene expression in their brains offers new insights into how gene regulation contributes to social behavior.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132016.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132016.htm
Japanese art technique inspires new engineering technique
A team of engineers is using ideas taken from paper-folding practices to create a sophisticated alternative to 3D printing.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132015.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201222132015.htm
Tuesday 22 December 2020
Melody of an Alpine summit falling apart
The summit of the 2592 meters high Hochvogel is sliced by dangerous fracture which continues to open. It is difficult to judge when the summit might crack. Researchers are developing a new monitoring method. Seismic sensors measure the summit's natural vibration. The pitch of the mountain changes depending on the tension in the rock allowing unique conclusions about the development of a landslide.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221160434.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221160434.htm
Scientists complete yearlong pulsar timing study after reviving dormant radio telescopes
While the scientific community grapples with the loss of the Arecibo radio telescope, astronomers who revived a long-dormant radio telescope array in Argentina hope it can help compensate for the work Arecibo did in pulsar timing. Last year, scientists began a pulsar timing study using two upgraded radio telescopes in Argentina.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134156.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134156.htm
Ecosystem dynamics: Topological phases in biological systems
Physicists have shown that topological phases could exist in biology, and in so doing they have identified a link between solid-state physics and biophysics.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134153.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134153.htm
CRISPR helps researchers uncover how corals adjust to warming oceans
The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system can help scientists understand, and possibly improve, how corals respond to the environmental stresses of climate change. New work details how the revolutionary, Nobel Prize-winning technology can be deployed to guide conservation efforts for fragile reef ecosystems.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134146.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134146.htm
Citizens versus the internet: Confronting digital challenges with cognitive tools
Researchers recommend ways that psychological and behavioral sciences can help decrease the negative consequences of Internet use. These recommendations emphasize helping people gain greater control over their digital environments.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134142.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134142.htm
New phase for synthetic aperture microscopy
Although SAM is undoubtedly a promising approach, current implementations lack in both spatial resolution and frame rate to be useful for emerging applications.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134139.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134139.htm
Gene pathway linked to schizophrenia identified through stem cell engineering
Using human-induced pluripotent stem cells engineered from a single family's blood samples, a gene signaling pathway linked to a higher risk for developing schizophrenia was discovered.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134136.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221134136.htm
New model reveals previously unrecognized complexity of oceanic earthquake zones
Researchers constructed a state-of-the-art model based on seismic data from the January 2020 Caribbean earthquake. The model revealed considerable complexity in rupture speed and direction, related to a bend in the fault that triggered several rupture episodes. The analysis revealed previously unrecognized complexity of rupture processes and fault geometry in ocean faults that had been assumed to be simple and linear, with implications for future earthquake modeling and a possible interaction with seafloor evolution.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221121754.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221121754.htm
Fungal RNA viruses: Unexpected complexity affecting more than your breakfast omelet
Traditional approaches for studying fungal RNA viruses have relied upon sequence similarity, resulting in an underestimation of RNA viral genome diversity. Researchers have now used an advanced technological approach called Fragmented and Primer Ligated Double Stranded RNA sequencing, or FLDS, to identify viral sequences that were previously overlooked. They identified novel viruses and viral genome structures and show that FLDS is a powerful tool for understanding RNA viral genome diversity.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221121749.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221121749.htm
Light signal emitted during photosynthesis used to quickly screen crops
Researchers have revealed a new approach to estimate the photosynthetic capacity of crops to pinpoint their top-performing traits and speed up the plant screening process, according to a new study.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221173119.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221173119.htm
Antigen tests -- are self-collected nasal swabs a reliable option?
Under certain conditions, antigen testing using self-collected swabs from the anterior nose may constitute a reliable alternative to antigen testing using nasopharyngeal swabs collected by health professionals.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221121739.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221121739.htm
New energy conversion layer for biosolar cells
A research team has produced a semi-artificial electrode that could convert light energy into other forms of energy in biosolar cells. The technique is based on the photosynthesis protein Photosystem I from cyanobacteria. The group showed that they could couple their system with an enzyme that used the converted light energy to produce hydrogen.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221121737.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221121737.htm
Biotech cotton key to eliminating devastating pest from US and Mexico
A collaboration between the University of Arizona, cotton growers, and government and industry partners eradicated the pink bollworm -- one of the world's most damaging crop pests -- from the United States and Mexico.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221173140.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221173140.htm
When light and atoms share a common vibe
Scientists demonstrate a state of vibration that exists simultaneously at two different times. They evidence this quantum superposition by measuring the strongest class of quantum correlations between light beams that interact with the vibration.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221160511.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221160511.htm
New Muni Route to Serve Bayview and Hunters Point Neighborhoods
New Muni Route to Serve Bayview and Hunters Point Neighborhoods
By Enrique Aguilar
Published December 22, 2020 at 04:39AM
https://ift.tt/3nH6nrB
By Enrique Aguilar
Starting in early 2021, Muni’s new 15 Bayview Hunters Point Express line will improve Downtown access, reduce commute times and add transit capacity for residents of the Bayview and Hunters Point neighborhoods. This community-designed route connects the hilly communities east of Third Street to Downtown and was chosen by residents who voted in a fall 2020 survey. The process and the route demonstrates our commitment to working with communities to provide equitable Muni service.
Launching the new route coincides with the gradual return of Muni Metro rail service. Returning to rail frees up enough buses to run new service, like the 15 Bayview Hunters Point Express and new 27 Bryant route, and improve frequency on other key routes. Service on the 15 will run every 10 minutes from approximately 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. weekdays and 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekends.
The Muni Service Equity Strategy highlights the importance of improving transit performance in neighborhoods with high percentages of low-income households and people of color. The Bayview is San Francisco’s most diverse neighborhood, comprised of 27% African Americans, 37% Asian and Pacific Islanders, 24% Latinx, 12% seniors, 24% youth and over 30% of households having less than $30,000 in annual income.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Southeast neighborhoods the hardest. Prioritizing transportation for those with the fewest options and in an area with a high concentration of essential workers is a critical principle in our Transportation Recovery Plan. Residents often endure long travel times to get to jobs, health care, education and other essential trips whose destination is not within the neighborhood. Addressing long and unreliable travel times is the most consistent request we receive from customers when identifying needed improvements. The 15 Bayview Hunters Point Express directly responds to this feedback by following the community’s lead in identifying the best way to link the Bayview neighborhood to downtown San Francisco.
Muni bus on 3rd Street in Bayview
Community Collaboration
The SFMTA has been working in collaboration with residents of the Bayview and Hunters Point community to improve transportation. Last year the SFMTA adopted the Bayview Community Based Transportation Plan, which identifies transportation priorities that reflect community values and support a growing and resilient Bayview.
In coordination with District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton’s Office, the SFMTA project team formed a working group comprised of community leaders. In response to COVID-19 physical distancing constraints, the group met virtually and had regular meetings starting in August 2020. The group structure allowed for deep discussions that were critical in identifying key priorities and destinations and provided other important feedback to shape three route alternatives. Those three alternatives were put to a community vote with the preferred option being one that residents felt provided service closer to their homes, made trips shorter and served a part of the community where service is most needed.
We thank Supervisor Shamann Walton’s office, the working group members and all those whose voted on a preferred route – your voice helped us identify and build this exciting new Muni line to serve the community.
Published December 22, 2020 at 04:39AM
https://ift.tt/3nH6nrB
Monday 21 December 2020
Sunday 20 December 2020
King of the Cave: New centipede on top of the food chain in the sulphurous-soaked Movile
A new species of endemic, troglobiont centipede was discovered by an international team of scientists in the Romanian cave Movile: a unique underground ecosystem, isolated several millions years ago during the Neogene, whose animal life only exists because of the chemosynthetic bacteria. As the largest Movile's inhabitant, the new species can easily be crowned as the 'king' of this 'hellish' ecosystem.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218165112.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218165112.htm
New class of cobalt-free cathodes could enhance energy density of next-gen lithium-ion batteries
Researchers have developed a new family of cathodes with the potential to replace the costly cobalt-based cathodes typically found in today's lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles and consumer electronics.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218165108.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218165108.htm
The incredible, variable bacteria living in your mouth
Researchers have examined the human oral microbiome and discovered tremendous variability in bacterial subpopulations living in certain areas of the mouth. In many cases, the team was able to identify a handful of genes that might explain a particular bacterial group's habitat specificity.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218165105.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218165105.htm
Low-income preschoolers exposed to nurturing care have with higher IQ scores later on
Preschoolers living in impoverished communities who have access to a nurturing home environment have significantly higher intelligence quotient (IQ) scores in adolescence compared to those raised without nurturing care.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218152721.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218152721.htm
Shifting gears toward chemical machines
Researchers have utilized a catalytic reaction that causes a two-dimensional, chemically-coated sheet to spontaneously 'morph' into a three-dimensional gear that performs sustained work.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218133708.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218133708.htm
Living environment affects the microbiota and health of both dogs and their owners
In urban environments, allergic diseases are more common among dogs and their owners compared to those living in rural areas. Simultaneous allergic traits appear to be associated with the microbes found in the environment, but microbes relevant to health differ between dogs and humans.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218112526.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218112526.htm
Growing numbers of critically endangered sawfish in Miami waters
A new collaborative study found evidence of growing numbers of critically endangered smalltooth sawfish within coastal waters off Miami, Florida, an area where the regular presence of this rare species had gone largely undocumented, until now.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218152725.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218152725.htm
Saturday 19 December 2020
CAPTUREing Whole-Body 3D movements
Neuroscientists have made major advances in their quest to study the brain; however, there are no tools to precisely measure the brain's principal output -- behavior -- in freely moving animals. Researchers present CAPTURE, a new method for long-term continuous three-dimension motion tracking in freely behaving animals. Attaching markers to rats' head, trunk, and limbs, researchers can use CAPTURE to record the animal's natural behavior continuously for weeks.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218112536.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218112536.htm
New way to deliver DNA-based therapies for diseases
Researchers have created a new polymer to deliver DNA and RNA-based therapies for diseases. For the first time in the industry, the researchers were able to see exactly how polymers interact with human cells when delivering medicines into the body. This discovery opens the door for more widespread use of polymers in applications like gene therapy and vaccine development.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218112534.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218112534.htm
Researchers monitor bees by 'dressing' them in high visibility retro-reflective vests
A team have been trialing new, low-cost ways to monitor bee species in the UK, by dressing bees in high visibility retro-reflective vests.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218112521.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218112521.htm
AI-supported test predicts eye disease three years before symptoms
A pioneering new eye test may predict wet AMD, a leading cause of severe sight loss, three years before symptoms develop, finds a new study.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218112519.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218112519.htm
By the numbers: Protecting Operator and Customer Health and Safety
By the numbers: Protecting Operator and Customer Health and Safety
By Emily Stefiuk
Published December 19, 2020 at 06:30AM
https://ift.tt/2WAatFX
By Emily Stefiuk
The SFMTA has responded to COVID-19 by working to minimize the risk of transmission and protect the health and safety of our employees and the public. Health and safety is SFMTA’s Transportation Recovery Plan’s number one priority.
To assess how we are doing, the SFMTA has been monitoring data through our Transportation Recovery Plan Dashboards. The Objective 1 dashboard compiles metrics associated with health and safety, including sanitizing vehicles and facilities, promoting physical distancing, and encouraging mask compliance. Here’s what we’re seeing:
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As of December 6, operator reported mask-related incidents are down 92% from the peak in April.
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Mask compliance on Muni is at an all-time high at 96% of observed passengers wearing masks.
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We’ve upped our mask distribution – our Transit Information Program (TIP) staff distributed over 14,000 masks to customers the week of November 16.
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To date, no COVID-19 positive cases have been traced to riding Muni.
These findings are even more important as the city and the region have been experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases after the Thanksgiving holiday. While there is an alarming surge in cases, it's important to recognize that our science-based best practices paired with the public's embrace of critical interventions like wearing a face masks or face coverings allows us to keep our system running for those who need us during this unprecedent time. Additionally, we are maintaining a safe and healthy system so that when increased activity is permitted once again, Muni will be ready for you.
These numbers reflect efforts that have been underway since the beginning of the pandemic to protect operator and customer health and safety. Since March, SFMTA has implemented mitigation measures that limit the possibility of exposure to, and transmission of, COVID-19. To encourage customers to practice good public health behavior throughout their journey, we launched our Ambassador Program in April and expanded it as the TIP program in September. TIP staff provide information to customers on best practices and alternatives to Muni like our recently-launched Essential Trip Card discount taxi program. TIP staff also provide the public with information about COVID-19 Muni Core Service, help manage crowding and distribute masks to customers that may have forgotten theirs.
Other measures Muni has implemented include audio announcements and head signs on buses to remind customers that masks are required when riding Muni. We have also continued the sanitization practices we implemented at the onset of the pandemic. Vehicles return to our operating divisions at the end of each run, so each operator starts their shift with a sanitized vehicle.
The metrics show that these measures and added precautions to ensure the health and safety of our employees and the public are paying off. As the pandemic continues, the SFMTA is committed to using data to inform our COVID response, service delivery, and budget decisions.
Customer Reminders
Remember, we still need your help. Help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission by:
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Staying home, except for essential trips.
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Shopping locally and supporting your neighborhood businesses.
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Wearing a face mask or face covering over your mouth and nose and maintaining physical distance such as leaving a seat open between you and anyone who is not in your household.
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Use alternate transportation whenever possible – walk, bike or take a taxi – to save a seat on Muni for those who don’t have other options.
If you do need to travel on Muni:
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Please respect your Muni operator. They are working hard for you.
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Face coverings are required on Muni. To avoid getting passed up, cover your nose and mouth with face cover or mask while you are waiting for Muni and on Muni.
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Board by the back door unless you require assistance.
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Give yourself extra time just in case. Your fare is good for two hours across multiple routes.
Published December 19, 2020 at 06:30AM
https://ift.tt/2WAatFX
Friday 18 December 2020
Thursday 17 December 2020
Potential treatment approach kills lymphoma while sparing healthy cells
Scientists at Scripps Research have demonstrated a promising new strategy for treating lymphomas, a group of cancers that begin in infection-fighting cells of the immune system called lymphocytes.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216183707.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216183707.htm
Experimental vaccine can counter dangerous effects of synthetic cannabinoids
Made in clandestine laboratories and sold widely across the United States, the diverse class of drugs known as synthetic cannabinoids presents a growing public health threat. In a new study, scientists have devised a way to deactivate these designer drugs after they've been administered -- offering a potential path for treating addiction and overdose.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216183705.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216183705.htm
How the spread of the internet is changing migration
The spread of the Internet is shaping migration in profound ways. A new study of over 150 countries links Internet penetration with migration intentions and behaviors, suggesting that digital connectivity plays a key role in migration decisions and actively supports the migration process.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216183653.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216183653.htm
Dark storm on Neptune reverses direction, possibly shedding a fragment
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope watched a mysterious dark vortex on Neptune abruptly steer away from a likely death on the giant blue planet.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216183649.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216183649.htm
Researchers identify neurons that control nausea-like responses in mice
Researchers have identified neurons that regulate nausea-like responses in mice. When these neurons are experimentally turned on, nausea-like responses can be activated regardless of exposure to nausea-triggering substances. Without these neurons, nausea-like responses to poisons are lost. The results shed light on the sensation of nausea and present new targets for the design of improved, more precise antinausea medications.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216183642.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216183642.htm
Driving force behind cellular 'protein factories' identified
Researchers have identified the driving force behind a cellular process linked to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and motor neuron disease.
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216155213.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201216155213.htm
Tenderloin Streets Transform During COVID-19
Tenderloin Streets Transform During COVID-19
By Kimberly Leung
Published December 17, 2020 at 05:26AM
https://ift.tt/2Kyk51e
By Kimberly Leung
COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted people who live and work in the Tenderloin. As a result, the SFMTA has been working closely with District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney’s office, other city departments, the Tenderloin Traffic Safety Task Force and community members to address the public health issues and unique challenges in the neighborhood through innovative interventions.
The Tenderloin is home to many of our most vulnerable communities including historically marginalized groups such as people with disabilities, residents of SROs and supportive housing and limited-English proficient communities. With every single street in the Tenderloin on the city’s High Injury Network -- the 13 percent of San Francisco streets that account for 75 percent of severe traffic injury collision and fatalities -- this critical neighborhood is the focus of our latest efforts to make the city safer for everyone.
As part of the city’s COVID-19 response, the SFMTA prioritized changes to Tenderloin streets that aim to achieve immediate and long-term results. Our main priorities, based on community advocacy and feedback, are:
- Expand physical distancing space to alleviate public health concerns around overcrowding
- Support local community group activities and small businesses
SFMTA COVID-19 projects in the Tenderloin:
- Parking Lane Prohibitions and Block Closures – Temporary vehicle restrictions were implemented on major blocks in the neighborhood to support essential services like safe sleeping sites, physical distancing and meal services. This includes daily street closures on the 100 block of Golden Gate at St. Anthony’s and the 300 block of Ellis (except Saturday) in collaboration with GLIDE to provide the community with free meals programs. These closures have allowed the blocks to transform into vibrant, community spaces where residents and workers can receive COVID-19 testing, visit pop-up food pantries, take showers, get meals, and simply have outdoor space.
- Outdoor Dining (Temporarily paused for our current Health Order) – The city’s Shared Spaces program is a vital lifeline for businesses by creating flexible uses of sidewalks, streets and outdoor spaces for restaurant and retail activities. In the Tenderloin, the program facilitated temporary closures on Larkin Street between Eddy and O’Farrell streets and previously parts of Golden Gate Avenue for Tenderloin restaurants and retail.
- Play Streets – Through partnerships with the Boys & Girls Club, Tenderloin Community Benefit District and other community-based organizations, a weekly closure of Taylor Street between Leavenworth and Jones streets provides temporary car-free open space for children, seniors and Tenderloin neighbors to enjoy every Saturday. Play Streets have been successful in creating a space for children to play, for COVID-19 testing and resources and for neighbors to take a break outside.
- Jones Street Physical Distancing Lanes – Between Golden Gate Avenue and O’Farrell Street, a lane was established to provide temporary walking and rolling space on a critical north-south connection in the neighborhood. The eastern parking lane and one vehicle lane on Jones Street were repurposed to provide this pedestrian walking space -- doubling the width of the sidewalk.
- Turk Street Physical Distancing Zones – The sidewalks on Turk Street, a key east-west corridor in the neighborhood, have been expanded at intersections with high pedestrian volumes, including Jones, Leavenworth and Hyde streets so that people could physically distance themselves while waiting to cross the intersection.
Upcoming Projects:
- Golden Gate and Leavenworth Vision Zero Quick-Builds - The project goal of the Quick-Builds is to improve overall comfort and safety for those walking and bicycling on Golden Gate Avenue between Market and Polk streets and on Leavenworth Street between McAllister and Post streets. Please join us for the Virtual Open House for the Golden Gate and Leavenworth Quick-Build projects from December 15th through January 8th. The Virtual Open House will be hosted in seven languages reflecting the diversity of the community.
- Tenderloin Neighborhood Traffic Safety Improvements - Building on past comprehensive neighborhood-wide efforts in the Tenderloin, including daylighting and signal retiming, we are proposing to reduce the neighborhood speed limit and implement “no turn on red” regulations. Studies show that lowering speeds greatly improves a pedestrian’s chance of survival in the event of a collision. Currently, most Tenderloin streets are 25 miles per hour, and now, the SFMTA is proposing to lower the neighborhood speed limit to 20 miles per hour. If approved, the Tenderloin will be the first neighborhood in San Francisco to have widespread speed reductions.
Thank You Tenderloin Community!
We want to express sincere appreciation and acknowledge the Tenderloin community groups who have been tenacious in advocating for traffic safety and travel options in their neighborhood: Tenderloin Traffic Safety Task Force, Tenderloin People’s Congress, Tenderloin Community Benefit District, Central City SRO Collaborative, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation and many others. We are committed to being responsive and partnering with the community as we work through this crisis together.
Published December 17, 2020 at 05:26AM
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Wednesday 16 December 2020
An avocado a day keeps your gut microbes happy, study shows
Eating avocado as part of your daily diet can help improve gut health, a new study shows. Avocados are a healthy food that is high in dietary fiber and monounsaturated fat. However, it was not clear how avocados impact the microbes in the gastrointestinal system or 'gut.'
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201215175758.htm
source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201215175758.htm
27 Bryant Returns to Serve Communities in Mission, SOMA and Tenderloin
27 Bryant Returns to Serve Communities in Mission, SOMA and Tenderloin
By Enrique Aguilar
Published December 16, 2020 at 06:04AM
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By Enrique Aguilar
Beginning on Saturday, January 23, the 27 Bryant will return to service with a route realignment that will improve service reliability by using temporary emergency transit lanes.
The 27 Bryant makes critical connections for three of San Francisco’s Muni Service Equity Strategy neighborhoods that have been hit especially hard by the pandemic. The Tenderloin is one of most diverse and dense neighborhoods in San Francisco with many seniors, families, lower income households and persons with disabilities relying on transit. The 27 Bryant will soon travel directly to FoodsCo and Costco in SoMa to provide a connection to other food options. It will also stop just a couple of blocks away from the Mission Food Hub on Alabama Street in the Mission, an organization that provides free groceries to Latinx families.
27 Bryant on Bryant Street at 20th St in the Mission
With the anticipated return of rail in August, SFMTA had initially planned to prioritize the return of the 27 Bryant to service in fall 2020. The unexpected Muni Metro motorization, however, meant that the buses that would have gone to the 27 were put on rail lines instead. The upcoming phased return of rail service in early 2021 allows us to free up buses for the 27 Bryant so customers can again take this line to go grocery shopping, attend medical appointments, and access social services.
Thank you to the community groups, especially in the Tenderloin, for continued advocacy for this essential lifeline throughout the last few months. To engage with community groups representing the neighborhoods served by the 27, staff provided updates at biweeky meetings and hosted a virtual open house in September, inviting key community stakeholders for feedback on proposed changes.
During this emergency period, the 27 Bryant will be on a temporary modified route through SoMa that will travel southbound on Jones connecting to 8th Street between Market and Harrison streets and northbound on 7th Street between Market and Folsom Streets continuing on Leavenworth. The 27 route will not serve Ellis, Eddy, and 5th Streets.
Map of temporary 27 Bryant modified route, the solid blue line indicates active route and dashed blue line indicates discontinued route. Muni and BART icons placed near Powell Station to display option to connect.
The temporary emergency transit lanes that are currently on 7th and 8th Streets restrict private automobiles so Muni service can keep moving. Prior to the pandemic, traffic congestion on 5th Street caused unreliable travel times that can cause long wait times during peak hours. By rerouting the 27 to use the transit lanes, it can help improve the reliability of the route by providing more consistent travel time in that segment and reduce the bunching and gapping that we often see on the 5th Street corridor. This is especially important during the pandemic when avoiding crowded buses is a priority for the SFMTA and riders alike.
Over the next few months, feedback from the Tenderloin, SoMa, and Mission communities will help inform the proposal developed for the permanent route of the 27 Bryant. As for the 31 Balboa, we do not yet have a timeline for the return of this line. Please review the route map for more details including terminal changes and let us know if you’d like to receive updates or have questions or comments by contacting staff:
Jean Long, Transit Planner, Jean.Long@SFMTA.com
Enrique Aguilar, Public Information Officer, Enrique.Aguilar@SFMTA.com
Published December 16, 2020 at 06:04AM
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