|  No association between frequency of marijuana use and health or healthcare utilization  | Researchers have found frequency of marijuana use was not significantly associated with health services utilization or health status. | Read More » Whale earwax used to determine contaminant exposure in whales  | A novel technique has been developed for reconstructing contaminant and hormone profiles using whale earplugs to determine, for the first time, lifetime chemical exposures and hormone profiles, from birth to death, for an individual whale. This information has not been previously attainable. | Read More » Theory and formula to improve 'plastic' semiconductors developed  | We could find many uses for bendable electronics, such as e-readers that folded like newspapers or smart phones that curved in our back pockets. Polymer semiconductors could get us there. But their electrical properties are not well understood. In some novel work scientists explain how the structure of polymers affects their electrical properties with an eye toward improving their performance as electronic components. | Read More » Siberian hamsters show what helps make seasonal clocks tick  | Many animals, including humans, have internal clocks and calendars to help them regulate behavior, physiological functions and biological processes. Although scientists have extensively studied the timekeeping mechanisms that inform daily functions (circadian rhythms), they know very little about the timekeeping mechanisms that inform seasonal functions. | Read More » Global warming is likely to increase severe thunderstorm conditions in U.S., research finds  | Severe thunderstorms, often exhibiting destructive rainfall, hail and tornadoes, are one of the primary causes of catastrophic losses in the United States. New climate models suggest a robust increase in these types of storms across the country. | Read More » Wind and rain belts to shift north as planet warms: Redistribution of rainfall could make Middle East, Western US and Amazonia drier  | As humans continue to heat the planet, a northward shift of Earth's wind and rain belts could make a broad swath of regions drier, including the Middle East, American West and Amazonia, while making Monsoon Asia and equatorial Africa wetter, says a new study. | Read More » Non-precious metal catalysts outperforming Pt-based one  | Researchers have discovered a new family of non-precious metal catalysts. These catalysts exhibit better performance than platinum in oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR) only with 10% of the production cost of a platinum catalyst. | Read More » First look at complete sorghum genome may usher in new uses for food and fuel  | Although sorghum lines underwent adaptation to be grown in temperate climates decades ago, a researcher said he and his team have completed the first comprehensive genomic analysis of the molecular changes behind that adaptation. | Read More » More archeological treasures found in Southern Turkey: Statue head of goddess Aphrodite, mosaic temple floor, more evidence of Roman influence  | Shoveling and sweeping to expose still-hidden portions of a 1,600-square-foot marble mosaic that dates to Roman times, an archeological team this past summer unearthed a new treasure in southern Turkey. Lying face down in more than a millennium of soil was a life-size marble head, the remnant of a sculpture of the goddess Aphrodite – still beautiful, though scarred by chips on its nose and face. | Read More » Math explains history: Simulation accurately captures the evolution of ancient complex societies  | The question of how human societies evolve from small groups to the huge, anonymous and complex societies of today has been answered mathematically, accurately matching the historical record on the emergence of complex states in the ancient world. | Read More » The inefficient acquisition: Research gives new reason why some companies overpay for merger targets  | Sometimes, companies know they're paying too much for another company, and a researcher says they have a good reason for doing it anyway. | Read More » Headway towards quantum information transfer via nanomechanical coupling  | Fiber optics has made communication faster than ever, but the next step involves a quantum leap –– literally. In order to improve the security of the transfer of information, scientists are working on how to translate electrical quantum states to optical quantum states in a way that would enable ultrafast, quantum-encrypted communications. | Read More » Stretchable, foldable transparent electronic display created  | Imagine an electronic display nearly as clear as a window, or a curtain that illuminates a room, or a smartphone screen that doubles in size, stretching like rubber. Now imagine all of these being made from the same material. Researchers have developed a transparent, elastic organic light-emitting device, or OLED, that could one day make all these possible. | Read More » Protecting specific area of the brain during radiation therapy substantially reduces memory loss  | Protecting the stem cells that reside in and around the hippocampus -- a C-shaped area in the temporal lobe on both sides of the brain associated with the ability to form and store memories -- substantially reduces the rate of cancer patients' memory loss during whole-brain radiotherapy without a significant risk of recurrence in that area of the brain, a new study shows. | Read More » Human brain tumor cells erased in mice  | Working with mice, researchers have discovered that weeks of treatment with a repurposed FDA-approved drug halted the growth of — and ultimately left no detectable trace of — brain tumor cells taken from adult human patients. | Read More » Enormous catalog of more than 300,000 nearby galaxies  | More than 83,000 volunteer citizen scientists. Over 16 million galaxy classifications. Information on more than 300,000 galaxies. This is what you get when you ask the public for help in learning more about our universe. | Read More » Spinning CDs to clean sewage water  | Audio CDs, all the rage in the '90s, seem increasingly obsolete in a world of MP3 files and iPods, leaving many music lovers with the question of what to do with their extensive compact disk collections. While you could turn your old disks into a work of avant-garde art, researchers in Taiwan have come up with a more practical application: breaking down sewage. | Read More » Fossil record shows crustaceans vulnerable as modern coral reefs decline  | Many ancient crustaceans went extinct following a massive collapse of reefs across the planet, and new research suggests modern species living in rapidly declining reef habitats may now be at risk. | Read More » World record solar cell with 44.7% efficiency  | Researchers in Germany report a new world record for the conversion of sunlight into electricity using a new solar cell structure with four solar subcells. A new record efficiency of 44.7% was measured at a concentration of 297 suns, indicating that 44.7% of the solar spectrum's energy, from ultraviolet through to the infrared, is converted into electrical energy. The achievement is being hailed as a major step towards reducing the costs of solar electricity. | Read More » Alzheimer's progression tracked prior to dementia  | Important progress has been made on the challenge of identifying and tracking preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Scientists show that markers for preclinical disease can help predict the start of dementia. | Read More » Preoperative blood typing may not be needed for some pediatric surgeries  | Certain pediatric surgeries carry such low risk of serious blood loss that clinicians can safely forgo expensive blood typing and blood stocking before such procedures, suggest the results of a small study. | Read More » Pesticide regulation in California is flawed  | In at least one case, the California system for approving a pesticide for use on crops failed by approving a chemical called methyl iodide for use on strawberries. Methyl iodide is a neurotoxicant and is carcinogenic. It is also a developmental toxicant, impairing fetal development and causing fetal death, at low doses. | Read More » Modifying rice crops to resist herbicide prompts weedy neighbors' growth spurt  | Rice containing an overactive gene that makes it resistant to a common herbicide can pass that genetic trait to weedy rice, prompting powerful growth even without a weed-killer to trigger the modification benefit, new research shows. | Read More » Researchers discover a new way that influenza can infect cells  | Scientists have uncovered a new mechanism by which influenza can infect cells – a finding that ultimately may have implications for immunity against the flu. | Read More » New recommendations for treating obstructive sleep apnea  | People diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea should lose weight and use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) as initial therapy, according to new recommendations from the American College of Physicians. | Read More » Pedestrians, cyclists need consistency at rail crossings  | The risk of pedestrian and bicycle accidents at railroad grade crossings would decrease with sustained enforcement and education by local governments, along with consistency in design standards for warning devices. | Read More » New theory for analysing interacting nuclear spins in solvents  | Hardly a spectroscopic method boasts so many different applications as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, better known as "NMR." The approach of NMR spectroscopy is based on monitoring the so-called nuclear spin, namely the angular momentum of atoms, or, more precisely: the magnetic moment associated with them. The atom thus becomes a bar magnet, whose axis is aligned within a magnetic field but is otherwise arbitrarily oriented within its environment. | Read More » New device to revolutionize gaming in virtual realities  | How is it possible to walk through 3D virtual realities while staying in one place? Engineers have solved this problem and are now introducing their "Virtualizer". | Read More » Caffeine consumption slows down brain development  | Humans and other mammals show particularly intensive sleeping patterns during puberty. The brain also matures fastest in this period. But when pubescent rats are administered caffeine, the maturing processes in their brains are delayed. | Read More » Counting on neodymium: Promising candidate for information processing with magnetic molecules  | Magnetic molecules are regarded as promising functional units for the future of information processing. Scientists have now produce particularly robust magnetic molecules that enable a direct electrical readout of magnetic information. This was made possible by selecting the rare earth metal neodymium as the central building block of the molecule. | Read More » The dragon awakens: Colossal explosion from supermassive black hole at centre of galaxy revealed  | Two million years ago a supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy erupted in an explosion so immensely powerful that it lit up a cloud 200,000 light years away, astronomers have revealed. | Read More » Scientists develop artificial surfaces insects cannot stick to  | Beetles, cockroaches, and ants will have a harder time walking up the sides of buildings or air conditioners in the future -- thanks to the bio-inspired, anti-adhesive surfaces. The team studied plant surfaces in order to determine what influence cell form and microstructure as well as surface chemistry exert on the adhesion behavior of insects. | Read More » Voyager 1 magnetic data surprise intrigues researchers  | Scientists are exploring surprising data from Voyager 1's crossing of the heliopause into the interstellar medium of our galaxy. | Read More » Develop after-sex contraceptive pill for routine use, urge researchers: Political opposition biggest hurdle  | A contraceptive pill that could be routinely used after, rather than before, sex and fertilization is probably scientifically feasible and would probably be welcomed by many women, say researchers. | Read More » Marriage associated with better cancer outcomes  | People who are married when diagnosed with cancer live longer than those who are not, report researchers. Married patients also tended to have cancers diagnosed at an earlier stage -- when it is often more successfully treated -- and to receive more appropriate treatment. The findings suggest that the availability of social support when facing a serious illness may improve outcomes. | Read More » Implanted device helps patients with central sleep apnea  | A small implant being studied for the treatment of central sleep apnea is showing significant promise in patients. | Read More » Some heart birth defects may increase children's heart infection risk  | Children with specific types of heart birth defects who are under 3 or who've had cardiac surgery within the last six months may face an elevated risk of heart infection. Parents of children with heart birth defects should discuss with their physicians how to prevent these potentially serious infections. | Read More » Cancer-killing cells controlled by epigenetic process  | Natural killer cells are white blood cells that can kill and contain cancer and infectious diseases. Scientists have identified a specific enzyme that controls the development of natural killer cells in the body. Understanding how that enzyme affects the natural killer cell may help focus future drug development in the fight against cancer. | Read More » Genetic and physiological basis for metabolic diseases  | The results of a new study provide a significant step in understanding the molecular, genetic and physiological basis for a spectrum of metabolic diseases related to circadian function. | Read More » Fusion, anyone? Not quite yet, but scientists show just how close we've come  | The dream of igniting a self-sustained fusion reaction with high yields of energy, a feat likened to creating a miniature star on Earth, is getting closer to becoming reality, according to a new review of recent research. | Read More » New password in a heartbeat  | Researchers propose a system to prevent cyberattacks on pacemakers, defibrillators and other devices that use wireless communications. | Read More » Sports medicine specialists make pitch to prevent overuse injuries in young athletes  | Numerous studies indicate that approximately half of the sports-related injuries among children and adolescents in this country are caused by overuse. And overuse injuries are preventable. | Read More » Drug found to eradicate HIV permanently from infected cells  | The anti-fungal drug Ciclopirox causes HIV-infected cells to commit suicide by jamming up the cells' powerhouse, the mitochondria, according to a new study. And unlike current anti-HIV drugs, Ciclopirox completely eradicates infectious HIV from cell cultures, with no rebound of virus when the drug is stopped. | Read More » Brain may rely on computer-like mechanism to make sense of novel situations  | Researchers have demonstrated that our brains could process novel situations by relying on a method similar to the "pointer" system used by computers. | Read More » Bedsharing associated with longer breastfeeding; study warns of bedsharing risk  | Frequent bedsharing between a mother and infant was associated with longer duration of breastfeeding, but researchers warned of the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) associated with bedsharing. | Read More » Professional French horn players in danger of developing noise-induced hearing loss  | A new study has found further evidence that French horn players are one of the most at-risk groups of developing noise-induced hearing loss among professional orchestral musicians. | Read More » Disease-specific human embryonic stem cell lines placed on NIH registry  | Scientists have announced that 16 human embryonic stem cell lines have been approved by the National Institutes of Health, making them freely available for federally-funded research in the USA. The stem cell lines, which carry genes for a variety of hereditary disorders, are considered to be ideal research tools for designing models to understand disease progression, and ultimately in helping scientists develop new treatments for patients. | Read More » Possible way to turn fungus from foe to friend  | Candida albicans is a double agent: In most of us, it lives peacefully, but for people whose immune systems are compromised by HIV or other severe illnesses, it is frequently deadly. Now a new study shows how targeting a specific fungal component might turn the fungus from a lion back into a kitten. | Read More » Time to rethink misguided policies that promote biofuels to protect climate, experts say  | Policymakers need to rethink the idea of promoting biofuels to protect the climate because the methods used to justify such policies are inherently flawed, according to a University of Michigan energy researcher. | Read More » New methods increases food and bioenergy production from cassava  | New ways to utilize starch from cassava can provide food to an additional 30 million people without taking more arable land than today. By 2030, the figure will be 100 million. In addition, the same land can also contribute to an increased production of bioenergy. | Read More » Scientists confirm functionality of emergency ventilation system for horses  | Respiratory or cardiovascular arrest in outdoor animals poses a huge challenge to veterinarians. Ventilation equipment is generally hard to operate and requires electricity and compressed air. Vetrinary anaesthesiologists have now developed an inexpensive device for the ventilation of large animals. It is easy to transport and can save animal lives in emergencies. | Read More » New steering tech for heavy equipment saves fuel, ups efficiency  | Researchers have shown how to reduce fuel consumption while improving the efficiency of hydraulic steering systems in heavy construction equipment. | Read More » Chemists slide a splitting catalyst over DNA for first time  | Chemists have developed a catalyst that binds to DNA, slides over it, and splits the molecule in particular places. The researchers were able to do this by synthetically modifying a natural catalyst. This finding is a first in the field of chemistry and will help in the selective modification of polymers such as DNA. | Read More » New research shows how heart cells communicate to regulate heart activity  | New research is leading to a better understanding of what happens during heart failure, knowledge that could lead to better therapeutics or a more accurate predictor of risk. The research found the heart is regulated not only by nervous systems but also by heart cells sending messages to each other through the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. | Read More » | |
No comments:
Post a Comment