【推荐1】Sallows, the owner of a barbershop(理发店), designed a wheelchair-accessible barber chair, which was brought to reality by the engineers in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. They have developed the device that will help individuals with physical disabilities have a more tailored, comfortable and safe experience at the barbershop. “It’s a barber chair—that was the first concept,” said Sallows. “But now we are in the process of creating, developing, and applying new technologies for applications in multiple settings such as dentist chairs or stadium seats,” said Sallows.

Sallows worked in a hospital as a certified therapist(治疗专家)for nearly 20 years. He enjoyed his career but decided to learn a trade. “I want something in the wheelhouse of therapists,” said Sallows. “I need something fulfilling, so I think barbering.” In one way, some may see it as a big career change, but Sallows says he is still a therapist. “I joke, I say I’ve gone from therapy to ‘hairapy’,” said Sallows. “Barbering gives me that therapeutic kind of environment that allows me to still talk. People know me as a therapist when they come in, not only as a barber, and so, just the conversations are really cool.”

Sallows learned that a barbershop proved complex for clients in wheelchairs. Having one’s hair washed or getting a close shave often means being physically lifted out of the wheelchair and into a barber chair—an experience that is both difficult and embarrassing. So Sallows, with the help of the UPMC, has created the barber chair that lifts and tips a wheelchair back safely and comfortably. The user rolls onto the barber chair and is raised one or two feet, much like what one would see in a car shop. Sallows hopes that the device will provide clients with the kind of service people have come to appreciate at a barbershop.

【推荐2】Robots have learned to drive on Mars, carry out brain operation and defeat master chess players. But when it comes to baking, making tasty desserts is far from a piece of cake. After many failed attempts, US researchers have successfully 3D printed a cherry cheesecake, although the outcome is unlikely to trouble the world’s dessert masters.

In the latest experiment, researchers tried various cheesecake designs. In early attempts, which involved simply adding ingredients one by one, the team found that the cake quickly turned into a mixture. Through trial and error, they discovered that a more architectural solution was needed. Walls of biscuit base were required throughout the cake to hold the softer ingredients, while triangular (三角的) biscuit supports on the inside were necessary to keep the cake from falling apart. “To print the cake successfully, we need to put the ingredients together in a careful way,” said the team leader Cooper.

Although much work is still needed to collect data and improve the designs, scientists are hopeful that once mastered, 3D printing could replace traditional cooking, allowing food to be adapted to different nutritional(营养)needs. “We have a huge problem with the low nutrition of processed foods,” said Cooper. “3D food printing will still produce processed foods, but perhaps the silver lining will be, for some people, a better control of nutrition based on personalized needs.”

The team said 3D printing could also allow chefs to create entirely new food experiences, with flavours and textures (质地) placed very precisely. “It is particularly practical for the plant-based meat market, where texture and flavour need to be carefully designed to taste like real meats,” said Cooper. And, with more concern about food safety, food prepared with less human handling could lower the risk of food-related illness and the spread of disease. According to Cooper, this seems like a win-win solution for all of us.

【推荐3】Carla Brown discovered her interest in health and science communication as a teenager. One day when she was in her doctor’s office, she remembered looking at a poster on the wall, which listed directions for washing hands. She said to her mom, “When I’m older, I’m going to do things like that, but way better.” She has since gone in for a career to communicate health information in an unusual way—using gaming technology.

For her Ph.D. research, Brown looked into new antibiotics (抗生素) to treat diseases. Besides, she ran microbiology workshops to educate children about the right use of antibiotics. Through the workshops, she became interested in finding new ways to interest children in the learning process, so she came up with the idea of developing a card game they could play with one another. Named “Bacteria Combat”, the game asks players to light their competitors using cards standing for good and bad bacteria, as well as antibiotics. Some bacteria are not killed by antibiotic attacks, teaching game players about antibiotic resistance (抗性).

Brown, who was a good gamer when she was a child, gained funding to convert her card game into a mobile app. Then, upon finishing her Ph. D., she set up her own company called Came Doctor to develop computer games for education and health care organizations

In the company’s early years, Brown worked to develop Game Doctorin her spare time while she completed a project researching the effectiveness of science education games. She then worked for Public Health England for 1 year, designing teaching materials.

Last year, though, she decided to put her heart and soul fully in her company to see it grow well enough. It’s an experience that she has found challenging. but also fun- with similarities to the experience of playing an actual game. She shared her professional joys and challenges with Science Careers as part of the ongoing. “A Day in the Lite of a Scientist” series.

【推荐1】A few days ago, the Brooklyn Nets basketball player Ben Simmons donated a basketball court to Machang township in Southwest China’s Guizhou Province during a ceremony. Simmons has visited China several times since he was young. He has been deeply touched by the Chinese people’s warmth and friendly feelings toward him and their enthusiasm for the basketball.

Impressed by the news that basketball competitions had been held in Guizhou at a village with their own “Village Basketball Association(VBA)”, Simmons decided to donate a basketball court to the village during the Chinese New Year Basketball Competition in January. After conducting a survey, he set up the basketball court in Machang township in Gui’an New Area in the hope that it would create more opportunities for young fans to play basketball.

In the mountainous village of Machang, there are no huge electronic screens or advertisements at basketball games, but they can still be thrilling thanks to local players’ love for the sport. These players later became a hit in China and even went global. A recent final competition attracted 30,000 viewers on site and more than 1 billion viewers online.

Comparatively, the NBA boasts the best players in the world, top-class basketball gyms and professionally made commercials, so its exciting games draw fans around the world. NBA and the “VBA”are thousands of miles apart, but their games are equally striking, fueling thousands of fans’ enthusiasm. Both focus on a common interest of basketball fans in the U. S. and China and their shared pursuit of sports and a better life.

Although Machang township lacks modern sports facilities, the local people’s love for basketball remains strong. So Simmons’ donation will surely help improve the village’s situation to a certain extent, but more importantly, it will bring people separated by the Pacfe Ocean closer through this sport.

【推荐2】A new study published Monday in an American Heart Association journal Hypertension, examined 360,000 participants who provided blood, urine and saliva (唾液) samples, as well as detailed information about their lifestyles. Researchers found that adults who napped often were more likely to develop high blood pressure and have a stroke. But that doesn’t mean the napping causes these health issues — instead, napping may be due to unhealthy behaviors. The researchers found that a high percentage of frequent nappers reported cigarette smoking, daily drinking, insomnia (失眠症) and other factors that could contribute to health-related issues.

Dr. Margaret Blattner, clinical instructor, from the department of neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, tells PEOPLE that frequent or long daytime naps can disturb healthy nighttime sleep. Napping during the day may make it harder to fall asleep at night or cause nighttime sleep to become fragmented and that missing out on night time sleep can cause severe daytime sleepiness.

“Often, naps continuing long are less restorative than more brief daytime naps; people often wake up unrefreshed after a long nap,” she adds. “Additionally, long day time naps take away time from other healthy things that people enjoy during the day: spending time with family, enjoying hobbies, and exercise.”

When napping during the day becomes unpredictable, uncontrollable, or prevents an individual from accomplishing what they need or want to do, it could indicate a possible sleep disorder.

But Blattner assures that taking naps can also be beneficial. ”Napping is not always a cause for concern. Taking a nap can be refreshing and enjoyable,” she says. “The key is, are you missing out on things that you enjoy because you are too sleepy to stay awake — that can indicate a problem -or does the nap help you get more out of your day?”

“Taking a brief nap can feel restorative, reduce stress, and improve focus. Early afternoon is a good time to nap, as this agrees with a physical circle dip in energy,“ Blattner continues.” However, napping too late into the afternoon or evening may impact night time sleep quality and make it harder to fall asleep.”