Research by University of Utah professor of computing highlights innovative ways to simplify making compilers, synthesizers and other software optimizing tools. Pavel Panchekha’s “egg” downsizes programs to make them more nimble.

Scientists have reconstructed the complete genome of a real person, with full sets of chromosomes from each parent, a breakthrough expected to advance research, improve the diagnosis of genetic diseases and make personalized genomics routine in medical care.

The work from the Telomere-to-Telomere (T2T) Consortium, led by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), establishes the most complete and highest quality human genome sequence ever constructed, filling critical gaps. The new approach allows any individual’s unique genome to be fully analyzed at much higher accuracy than the current standard, which excludes sequences that are different or missing from the historical reference genome.

Improving the efficiency of solar cells is key to reducing the cost of solar power. Now, scientists have developed a new synergistic metallization strategy for tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cells. The approach achieved a certified power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 26.31%, among the highest reported for this technology.

About the Study: In this cross-sectional study of 684 propensity score–matched children, outpatient melatonin use was associated with a small reduction in REM sleep percentage and was not associated with differences in total sleep time, non-REM sleep stages, respiratory parameters, arousal architecture, or periodic limb movements. The REM association was attenuated when psychiatric diagnoses were added to the propensity model. Residual confounding cannot be excluded, and prospective studies with documented dose, timing, and adherence are needed to clarify the directionality of this association.