Submission + - Nerds make the best boyfriends (the-independent.com)
Bruce66423 writes: It appears that women are missing out!
Submission + - 30% of Doctors In UK Use AI Tools In Patient Consultations, Study Finds (theguardian.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Almost three in 10 GPs in the UK are using AI tools such as ChatGPT in consultations with patients, even though it could lead to them making mistakes and being sued, a study reveals. The rapid adoption of AI to ease workloads is happening alongside a “wild west” lack of regulation of the technology, which is leaving GPs unaware which tools are safe to use. That is the conclusion of research by the Nuffield Trust thinktank, based on a survey of 2,108 family doctors by the Royal College of GPs about AI and on focus groups of GPs.
Ministers hope that AI can help reduce the delays patients face in seeing a GP. The study found that more and more GPs were using AI to produce summaries of appointments with patients, assisting their diagnosis of the patient’s condition and routine administrative tasks. In all, 598 (28%) of the 2,108 survey respondents said they were already using AI. More male (33%) than female (25%) GPs have used it and far more use it in well-off than in poorer areas.
It is moving quickly into more widespread use. However, large majorities of GPs, whether they use it or not, worry that practices that adopt it could face “professional liability and medico-legal issues," and “risks of clinical errors” and problems of “patient privacy and data security” as a result, the Nuffield Trust’s report says. [...] In a blow to ministerial hopes, the survey also found that GPs use the time it saves them to recover from the stresses of their busy days rather than to see more patients. “While policymakers hope that this saved time will be used to offer more appointments, GPs reported using it primarily for self-care and rest, including reducing overtime working hours to prevent burnout," the report adds.
Ministers hope that AI can help reduce the delays patients face in seeing a GP. The study found that more and more GPs were using AI to produce summaries of appointments with patients, assisting their diagnosis of the patient’s condition and routine administrative tasks. In all, 598 (28%) of the 2,108 survey respondents said they were already using AI. More male (33%) than female (25%) GPs have used it and far more use it in well-off than in poorer areas.
It is moving quickly into more widespread use. However, large majorities of GPs, whether they use it or not, worry that practices that adopt it could face “professional liability and medico-legal issues," and “risks of clinical errors” and problems of “patient privacy and data security” as a result, the Nuffield Trust’s report says. [...] In a blow to ministerial hopes, the survey also found that GPs use the time it saves them to recover from the stresses of their busy days rather than to see more patients. “While policymakers hope that this saved time will be used to offer more appointments, GPs reported using it primarily for self-care and rest, including reducing overtime working hours to prevent burnout," the report adds.
Submission + - 'End-To-End Encrypted' Smart Toilet Camera Is Not Actually End-To-End Encrypted (techcrunch.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Earlier this year, home goods maker Kohler launched a smart camera called the Dekoda that attaches to your toilet bowl, takes pictures of it, and analyzes the images to advise you on your gut health. Anticipating privacy fears, Kohler said on its website that the Dekoda’s sensors only see down into the toilet, and claimed that all data is secured with “end-to-end encryption.” The company’s use of the expression “end-to-end encryption” is, however, wrong, as security researcher Simon Fondrie-Teitler pointed out in a blog post on Tuesday. By reading Kohler’s privacy policy, it’s clear that the company is referring to the type of encryption that secures data as it travels over the internet, known as TLS encryption — the same that powers HTTPS websites. [...] The security researcher also pointed out that given Kohler can access customers’ data on its servers, it’s possible Kohler is using customers’ bowl pictures to train AI. Citing another response from the company representative, the researcher was told that Kohler’s "algorithms are trained on de-identified data only."
Submission + - Japanese Devs Face Font Licensing Dilemma As License Increases From $380 To $20K (gamesindustry.biz)
An anonymous reader writes: Japanese game makers are struggling to locate affordable commercial fonts after one of the country's leading font licensing services raised the cost of its annual plan from around $380 to $20,500 (USD). As reported by Gamemakers and GameSpark and translated by Automaton, Fontworks LETS discontinued its game licence plan at the end of November. The expensive replacement plan – offered through Fontwork's parent company, Monotype – doesn't even provide local pricing for Japanese developers, and comes with a 25,000 user-cap, which is likely not workable for Japan's bigger studios.
The problem is further compounded by the difficulties and complexities of securing fonts that can accurately transcribe Kanji and Katakana characters. UI/UX designer Yamanaka stressed that this would be particularly problematic for live service games; even if studios moved quickly and switched to fonts available through an alternate licensee, they will have to re-test, re-validate, and re-QA check content already live and in active use. The crisis could even eventually force some Japanese studios to rebrand entirely if their corporate identity is tied to a commercial font they can no longer afford to license.
The problem is further compounded by the difficulties and complexities of securing fonts that can accurately transcribe Kanji and Katakana characters. UI/UX designer Yamanaka stressed that this would be particularly problematic for live service games; even if studios moved quickly and switched to fonts available through an alternate licensee, they will have to re-test, re-validate, and re-QA check content already live and in active use. The crisis could even eventually force some Japanese studios to rebrand entirely if their corporate identity is tied to a commercial font they can no longer afford to license.
Submission + - Why meetings can harm employee well-being (phys.org) 1
alternative_right writes: On average, managers spend 23 hours a week in meetings. Much of what happens in them is considered to be of low value, or even entirely counterproductive. The paradox is that bad meetings generate even more meetings in an attempt to repair the damage caused by previous ones.
A 2015 handbook laid the groundwork for the nascent field of "Meeting Science". Among other things, the research revealed that the real issue may not be the number of meetings, but rather how they are designed, the lack of clarity about their purpose, and the inequalities they (often unconsciously) reinforce.
Faced with what we call meeting madness, the solution is not to eliminate meetings altogether, but to design them better. It begins with a simple but often forgotten question: why are we meeting?
A 2015 handbook laid the groundwork for the nascent field of "Meeting Science". Among other things, the research revealed that the real issue may not be the number of meetings, but rather how they are designed, the lack of clarity about their purpose, and the inequalities they (often unconsciously) reinforce.
Faced with what we call meeting madness, the solution is not to eliminate meetings altogether, but to design them better. It begins with a simple but often forgotten question: why are we meeting?
Submission + - Yes, tattoos ARE bad for you (latimes.com)
Bruce66423 writes: 'Tattoo ink moves through the body, killing immune cells and weakening vaccine response
'''Tattoo ink doesn’t just sit inertly in the skin. New research shows it moves rapidly into the lymphatic system, where it can persist for months, kill immune cells, and even disrupt how the body responds to vaccines.
'Scientists in Switzerland used a mouse model to trace what happens after tattooing. Pigments drained into nearby lymph nodes within minutes and continued to accumulate for two months, triggering immune-cell death and sustained inflammation.'
'''Tattoo ink doesn’t just sit inertly in the skin. New research shows it moves rapidly into the lymphatic system, where it can persist for months, kill immune cells, and even disrupt how the body responds to vaccines.
'Scientists in Switzerland used a mouse model to trace what happens after tattooing. Pigments drained into nearby lymph nodes within minutes and continued to accumulate for two months, triggering immune-cell death and sustained inflammation.'
Submission + - San Francisco Will Sue Ultraprocessed Food Companies (nytimes.com)
An anonymous reader writes: The San Francisco city attorney filed on Tuesday the nation’s first government lawsuit against food manufacturers over ultraprocessed fare, arguing that cities and counties have been burdened with the costs of treating diseases that stem from the companies’ products. David Chiu, the city attorney, sued 10 corporations that make some of the country’s most popular food and drinks. Ultraprocessed products now comprise 70 percent of the American food supply and fill grocery store shelves with a kaleidoscope of colorful packages. Think Slim Jim meat sticks and Cool Ranch Doritos. But also aisles of breads, sauces and granola bars marketed as natural or healthy.
It is a rare issue on which the liberal leaders in San Francisco City Hall are fully aligned with the Trump administration, which has targeted ultraprocessed foods as part of its Make America Healthy Again mantra. Mr. Chiu’s lawsuit, which was filed in San Francisco Superior Court on behalf of the State of California, seeks unspecified damages for the costs that local governments bear for treating residents whose health has been harmed by ultraprocessed food. The city accuses the companies of “unfair and deceptive acts” in how they market and sell their foods, arguing that such practices violate the state’s Unfair Competition Law and public nuisance statute. The city also argues the companies knew that their food made people sick but sold it anyway.
It is a rare issue on which the liberal leaders in San Francisco City Hall are fully aligned with the Trump administration, which has targeted ultraprocessed foods as part of its Make America Healthy Again mantra. Mr. Chiu’s lawsuit, which was filed in San Francisco Superior Court on behalf of the State of California, seeks unspecified damages for the costs that local governments bear for treating residents whose health has been harmed by ultraprocessed food. The city accuses the companies of “unfair and deceptive acts” in how they market and sell their foods, arguing that such practices violate the state’s Unfair Competition Law and public nuisance statute. The city also argues the companies knew that their food made people sick but sold it anyway.
Submission + - How Long Poop Stays in Your Body Could Impact Your Health, Study Finds (sciencealert.com)
alternative_right writes: According to a 2023 review that brought together data from dozens of studies, distinct differences can be seen between the gut microbiomes of 'speeders' and 'slowpokes'.
Since the human gut microbiome is intrinsically linked to health, this could have implications that have gone unnoticed before now.
In particular, slow transit times and constipation have been linked with metabolic and inflammatory disorders, as well as neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
Since the human gut microbiome is intrinsically linked to health, this could have implications that have gone unnoticed before now.
In particular, slow transit times and constipation have been linked with metabolic and inflammatory disorders, as well as neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
Comment Re:yeah right. (Score 1) 66
In my country (also Europe) phones are banned in schools (all the way up to high schools) as well. The kids just put them in their locker in the morning, and take them out again when they leave. If you get caught with it, you face detention. So yeah, that works.
Comment "minor detail": with a fixed end date (Score 1) 267
This article really caught my attention because I myself also rent privately, but fortunately I live in a part of the world that cares about its civilians and so I don't have an end-date in my contract, nor can the owner increase the rent unrestrictedly. - so I guess I'll just continue getting older from actual old age
Comment Re:No shit. (Score 1) 47
I think what is meant here (or at least, this is also my opinion): a company that doesn't trust its workers and wants to treat them like this will get no commitment from their staff, and they will lack any motivation to make this business a success. After all: it's the people that make the business, that talk to your customers, etc.
Aside from that, it should be illegal in the US as well.
Comment "Investment" (Score 1) 49
I think that the words 'investment' and 'crypto' should never be in the same sentence. Though 'gambling' and 'crypto', sure.
Submission + - Steve Randy Waldman: The 1996 Law That Ruined the Internet (theatlantic.com)
An anonymous reader writes: The real problem with Section 230, which I used to strongly support, is the kind of internet it has enabled. The law lets large sites benefit from network effects (I’m on Facebook because my friends are on Facebook) while shifting the costs of scale, like shoddy moderation and homogenized communities, to users and society at large. That’s a bad deal. Congress should revise Section 230—just not for the reasons the president and his supporters have identified.
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