New Report Calls for a More Tailored Approach to Addressing Cannabis Use Among Expectant Mothers Report led by UMass Amherst’s Devon Greyson says a better understanding of why – and how – women use cannabis during pregnancy is key to providing the right support
February 3, 2021
Devon Greyson
AMHERST, Mass. – A greater understanding of why expectant mothers choose to use cannabis during their pregnancies, and how they take the drug, are key for health care workers to be able to determine a course of support, according to a new article authored by Devon Greyson of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
As the legal use of medicinal, therapeutic and recreational cannabis expands across the United States, Greyson and co-authors found that those considering or using it during pregnancy frequently rely on their friends, family and the internet for education, as they report experiencing stigma and a lack of information from heal
Alfred Pasieka/SPL/Getty
Computers can measure your pulse remotely by bouncing ultrasound waves off your body and analysing the reflections to detect the tiny chest movements caused by your heart pumping. The system could one day operate on home smart speaker devices.
Researchers at the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing and the University of Massachusetts Amherst used a laptop connected to a speaker to send out chirps of ultrasound at a frequency of 48 kilohertz. They then used a standard microphone to record the … Continue reading Subscribe now for unlimited access
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Yongjin Kim, UMass Amherst
Inspired by the way plants like Venus flytraps can snap closed and reset themselves, scientists have developed new materials that alter their shape in the blink of the eye as a way of propelling themselves forward, powered only by their own energy and their interactions with the environment. These self-propelling devices could find uses in all sorts of areas, ranging from toys, to robotics and mechanical systems for the US Army.
This new material is the handiwork of scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, whose research was funded by the US Army with the intention of recreating the mechanisms of fast-moving organisms in engineered systems. This refers to plants and animals that feature spring-like body parts that enable ultra-fast movements. We ve seen this form of biomimicry make it into robotic grippers inspired by the Venus flytrap, for example, though these typically rely on external power sources to trigger their movement.
UMass Amherst research advances understanding of interracial contact and communication about inequality
February 2, 2021
Linda Tropp
AMHERST, Mass. – When different groups of people come into contact, what’s the key to motivating advantaged racial groups to join historically disadvantaged racial minority groups to strive for racial equality and social justice? It’s a complex conundrum studied for years by social scientists like Linda Tropp, professor of social psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Her latest research, published in the International Journal of Intercultural Relations, tested and supported Tropp and colleagues’ proposition that having open communication about group differences is a crucial pathway.
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Vaccine Cloud launched to accelerate global vaccine management
Dubai, UAE, February 2, 2021 Salesforce, a global leader in CRM, has announced Vaccine Cloud, technology to help government agencies, healthcare organizations, businesses, nonprofits and educational institutions more rapidly, safely and efficiently deploy and manage their vaccine programmes. Today, international, federal, state and local agencies, healthcare providers and nonprofits worldwide are using Salesforce technology specifically for vaccine administration, including Northwell Health, Illinois Lake County, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and more, a statement said. Now that safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines are available, every country, state and city is rapidly establishing vaccination programmes to get shots in the arms of billions of people. However, many government agencies and healthcare organizations don t have the technology infrastructure in