🤖 Tech & Computer Science

Caricature-visual face recognition based on jigsaw solving and modal decoupling

Caricature-visual Face Recognition Model Based on Jigsaw Solving and Modal Decoupling (CVF-JSM) enhances caricature face recognition by combining feature extraction and decoupling. It uses a graph attention network to extract shape features via jigsaw puzzle construction and solving. A three-branch decoupling module separates modal and identity features, aligning them in a common subspace for improved accuracy. Experiments on multiple datasets confirm that CVF-JSM outperforms existing methods in recognizing exaggerated caricature faces.

UniHands: Unifying Various Wild-Collected Keypoints for Personalized Hand Reconstruction

UniHands introduces a method for creating personalized, standardized 3D hand models from diverse keypoint data, overcoming inconsistencies and low-fidelity issues. Using parametric models like MANO and NIMBLE, UniHands reconstructs detailed hand meshes and unified joints, integrating seamlessly into hand-related tasks. Tests on FreiHAND and InterHand2.6M datasets confirm its precision in capturing intricate hand motions. User studies highlight a preference for UniHands’ joint accuracy and naturalism, making it a scalable solution for high-detail hand motion capture and modeling.

⚛️ Physics and Chemistry

Transforming marine waste and carbonated water into hydrogels via CO₂ release behavior

Researchers developed a method to synthesize hydrogels using carbon dioxide (CO2) instead of acidic agents, addressing safety concerns for biological applications. Using alginate and calcium carbonate, CO2 facilitates gelation and dissipates post-formation. The study revealed that slower CO2 release enhances hydrogel crosslinking and mechanical strength, while faster release reduces stiffness. This method could repurpose marine waste into valuable hydrogels for medical uses like wound healing and tissue engineering. Findings highlight how CO2 release impacts hydrogel properties, opening doors for safer, sustainable materials.

Nanoflake-based breath sensor delivers ultrasensitive lung cancer screening

Researchers developed a highly sensitive gas sensor using platinum-loaded indium oxide (Pt@InNiOx) nanoflakes to detect isoprene in human breath, a biomarker for lung cancer. The sensor demonstrated superior performance, detecting ultralow isoprene levels (as low as 2 ppb) with high selectivity and stability in humid conditions. Clinical tests distinguished lung cancer patients, whose exhaled isoprene levels were consistently below 40 ppb, from healthy individuals with over 60 ppb. This advancement paves the way for non-invasive cancer screening using portable breath-analysis devices.

🧬 Biology & Medicine

Fat cells have a ‘memory’ of obesity — hinting at why it’s hard to keep weight off

Fat cells retain an "obesity memory" in their epigenome even after significant weight loss, impairing normal function and increasing the likelihood of weight regain, according to a new study in Nature. This memory is linked to epigenetic changes—chemical modifications that alter gene activity. The findings highlight the challenges of sustaining weight loss and suggest that long-term support is often necessary to maintain healthy weight levels. Researchers stress that this difficulty is not a personal failing but a biological effect of prior obesity.

Revumenib Approved for R/R Acute Leukemia With KMT2A Translocation

The FDA approved revumenib (Revuforj) for relapsed or refractory acute leukemia with KMT2A gene translocation in patients aged 1 year and older. Based on the AUGMENT-101 trial, the drug showed a 21.2% remission rate with a median duration of 6.4 months. Revumenib, a menin inhibitor, blocks interactions driving this rare leukemia. Common side effects include nausea, infection, QT prolongation, and differentiation syndrome. Limited doses for patients under 40 kg will initially be available via an expanded access program.

Parkinson's study reveals dopamine's unexpected link to tremor

Researchers at the Champalimaud Foundation discovered that Parkinson's disease (PD) rest tremors may be linked to preserved dopamine in the brain's caudate nucleus. Surprisingly, higher dopamine levels in the caudate corresponded to stronger tremors, challenging the belief that dopamine loss drives all PD symptoms. This study, involving over 500 patients, used wearable sensors and imaging to reveal how dopamine imbalance affects tremors. The findings suggest tremor-specific neural circuits and may guide tailored treatments, emphasizing the need for nuanced approaches to PD care.

🔭 Space & Astronomy

Student-Built Rocket Shatters Altitude Record

A student team from the University of Southern California's Rocket Propulsion Lab (USCRPL) set a new record for the highest altitude reached by an independently designed suborbital rocket, Aftershock II, which soared to 470,000 feet (143,256 meters). Launched from Nevada's Black Rock Desert, the rocket reached Mach 5.5 and surpassed the previous record by 90,000 feet. This achievement builds on USCRPL's past successes, including launching a rocket beyond the Karman Line in 2019. The students enhanced the rocket's design with new avionics, thermal protection, and titanium-coated fins to handle hypersonic speeds.

NASA to Provide Coverage of Progress 90 Launch, Space Station Docking

NASA will provide live coverage of the Progress 90 cargo spacecraft launch on Nov. 21 at 7:22 a.m. EST from Kazakhstan. The spacecraft, carrying nearly three tons of supplies for the ISS crew, will dock autonomously on Nov. 23 at 9:35 a.m. EST. Live coverage of the docking will begin at 8:45 a.m. on NASA+. The spacecraft will stay docked for six months before re-entering Earth's atmosphere to dispose of trash. The mission supports the ISS's ongoing role in research and technology development for space exploration.

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