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19 GoKawiil briefs on this topic

US Regulators Probe Tesla's Self-Certification of Cybercab Robotaxi

US safety regulators have opened an investigation into how Tesla self-certified its Cybercab, a robotaxi that notably lacks a steering wheel and pedals. The probe examines whether Tesla's internal approval process for this unconventional vehicle design met required safety standards before deployment.

Two-year Shigella outbreak in lab primates yields data for broader vaccine design

Researchers analyzed immune responses from over 150 non-human primates infected during a prolonged Shigella outbreak at a research facility, identifying specific bacterial molecules and antibody binding sites linked to protective immunity. The findings, published in Science Translational Medicine, pinpoint precise structural targets that could inform vaccine design against multiple Shigella strains.

Medieval physicians ranked foods as hot, cold, wet or dry to guide health

Historical texts show medieval Europeans followed Galen's belief that food was central to medical treatment, classifying foods by their supposed qualities of hot/cold and wet/dry to determine their effect on the body. Physicians taught that eating properly balanced these qualities and prevented illness, tied to a theory of three-stage digestion occurring in the stomach, liver, and throughout the body. Diet quality also reflected social class, with the wealthy eating fine wheat bread while poorer people relied on coarser barley or rye.

Studies Link Travel to Lasting Mental Health Gains

New research cited by The Wall Street Journal suggests vacations do more than offer temporary fun—they can measurably boost mental well-being. A Journal of Travel Medicine study found improvements in mood and sleep that persist after returning home, while a separate meta-analysis of over 4,400 participants tied nature time and active pursuits like hiking to real psychological benefits.

JAMA Paper by Emanuel and Khosla Argues AI Alone Beats Doctor-AI Teams

A new JAMA article co-authored by oncologist Ezekiel Emanuel and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla argues that autonomous AI systems are approaching, or have already reached, the point where they outperform both human physicians and doctor-AI hybrid teams on core clinical tasks. Those tasks include taking patient histories, diagnosing illness, choosing tests, prescribing treatment, and managing chronic disease. The authors claim that human oversight can actually degrade AI's performance rather than improve it, based on their review of AI medical research published since January 2024.

Single-cell study links depression to impaired hippocampal neurogenesis

Researchers analyzed nearly half a million brain cells from tissue of 30 deceased individuals, creating a detailed cellular map of the adult hippocampus. The study, published in Nature Medicine, found that people who had depression showed disrupted production of new neurons compared with those without the disorder.

FDA clears WashU-derived PrecivityAD2 blood test for Alzheimer's diagnosis

The FDA has cleared PrecivityAD2, a blood test built on technology from Washington University School of Medicine, to help identify amyloid plaques linked to Alzheimer's disease. Developed by WashU spinoff C2N Diagnostics, the test uses high-resolution mass spectrometry to quantify biomarkers with over 90% accuracy, offering a less invasive option than spinal taps or brain imaging.