Chula Researchers Find Chemicals in Sweat That Can Reveal “Extreme Stress and Depression” and Successfully Test Firefighters’ Mental Health for the First Time!

A team of researchers from the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, have found chemicals in sweat that indicate high stress and depression. The pilot study of firefighters in Bangkok yielded the results with 90% accuracy, so they are poised to conduct mental health screening in other high-stress, and high-risk groups of professions hoping to reduce mental health problems and violence in society.

Bail reform law in New York had negligible effect on increases in crime

In a new study, researchers evaluated the effect of the law on state crime rates, considering the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although rates of murder, larceny, and motor vehicle theft rose after the bail reform law went into effect, none of the increases were statistically significant when compared with a control group. This suggests that the effect of bail reform on crime rate increases was negligible.

Projects to fight biological threats receive $5 million in federal funding

To help computer models better mimic reality, Argonne National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories will collaborate on agent-based modeling projects.

Digital Reporting Tool Aims to Protect Fire Investigators and Boost Public Safety

After a fire, investigators charged with determining the cause of the blaze sometimes stumble on unstable surfaces, breathe in toxins, or face other health and safety risks. But they had no central place to document their exposure to hazards at work, and researchers had no central place to evaluate that data to try to mitigate those risks — until now.

ComEd report shows how science and supercomputers help utilities adapt to climate change

Shifting climates are causing utility companies to take a closer look at the current and future power needs of their customers. Northern Illinois’ ComEd and Argonne National Laboratory used science to glimpse the future.

Lowering the temperature on a hot topic: a climate change primer

Earth Day presents a good opportunity to help clear up some essential questions about climate change; what it is, what is responsible and how we know it’s real.

S&T Partnership Enhances Public Safety Spectrum Efficiency, Improves Interoperability

S&T’s work with APCO and NRPC is an ongoing effort that has helped enhance public safety communication capabilities; through this partnership, S&T will continue to support CAPRAD improvements to improve spectrum licensing efforts and training for public safety.

SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Model Offers Decision-Making Pathways for Safe School Opening

Can schools safely remain open or reopen during periods of significant community spread of COVID-19? According to predictions from a model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the school setting, yes – if appropriate precautions are followed both in school and in the community.

Menacing Assaults on Science Causing Alarming and Avoidable Deaths in the U.S.

In early 2016, the U.S. was judged to have been best prepared for the existential threat of a pandemic, but turned out to be the least prepared for the actual threat. In a commentary, researchers say that “pandemic politics” is causing assaults on science, the FDA and CDC. They say that politicization of the FDA and CDC is creating continued losses of trust by the U.S. public and continued harm to their longstanding reputations of respect and admiration worldwide.

DHS S&T Selects Georgia Tech Group to Improve Info Sharing & Safeguarding for Public Safety Comms

DHS S&T awarded a $704,000 research-and-development (R&D) contract to Atlanta-based Georgia Tech Applied Research Center (GTARC) to address a crucial gap in the trustmark framework for the public safety community’s information sharing and safeguarding (IS&S) capabilities.