13 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots
Surgeons Now Have the Ability to See CancerThanks to advances in technology, new high-tech glasses to be worn by surgeons allow them to see cancer cells. The glasses, developed by a team led by Samuel Achilefu, PhD, professor of radiology and biomedical engineering at Washington University, were used for the first time this week at Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. Surgeons...... Read More
12 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots
Scientists Using Tiny Sensors to Track Honey BeesHoney bees have been in a number of science articles over the past few years as their population has been steadily declining. The efforts of a group of Australian scientists could help the world gain an understanding of how the spread of diseases has wiped out bee populations in the northern hemisphere. According to an eScience News article, the scientists are tracking the beesâ movements in an effort...... Read More
10 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots
How you experience pain may depend on your lifestyle.Everyone is familiar with pain, but no one fully understands its underlying molecular mechanisms. Scientists at Kingâs College, London, are doing something about that. In a recent study they found that life style and environmental factors that affect the epigenome, such as diet, smoking, drinking and exposure to pollution, might also alter a personâs sensitivity to pain. The study, published...... Read More
05 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots
MERS Coronavirus Infections a Larger Threat than PublicizedReports of MERS infections have been on the decline over the past few years, but according to current news, the problem remains a significant one. Infection control experts reported in a science journal editorial recently that the problem is âsignificant but underappreciated.â Due to the concentration of vulnerable patients in the hospital, their frequent movement, and the repeated contact between...... Read More
04 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots
Old Plaque DNA in 6th Century Teeth May Lead to New Strains TodaySeveral recent science articles focus on new discoveries that bring forth concerns about old bacteria causing many deaths in the past could lead to new bacteria that may cause future outbreaks. Researchers have found tiny bits of DNA in the teeth of two German victims of the Justinian plague from around 1,500 years ago. Scientists say strains of the same plague resulted in two of the worldâs deadliest...... Read More
03 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots
White Matter Matters for Some Areas of MathThe quality of white matter in the brain may have an impact on an individualâs ability to excel at addition and multiplying, according to a new study. The white matter in the brain performs as a protectant sheath around neural pathways made up of gray cells, or gray matter. The neural pathways are like bundles of cables, and they serve as tracts for signals to be transferred. The more pathways there...... Read More
29 Jan, 2014 | by Labroots
High-Energy Variations of Table Salt Show Exciting PossibilitiesThe rules of chemistry have been well understood for ages. It's also known that under extreme conditions of temperature/pressure that these rules aren't always followed, creating unusual chemical variations. Assumptions inherent in the rules of classical chemistry may break down under extreme high-energy conditions and allow for chemical configurations that couldn't be formed normally. A recent article...... Read More
27 Jan, 2014 | by Labroots
DNA Study Suggests New Territory for Ancient AmericansIt has long been an accepted theory among paleontologists that the Americas were first populated by nomadic tribes of hunter-gatherers who emigrated from the far east of Asia during the last Ice Age nearly 15,000 years ago. With ocean levels reduced worldwide because of glaciations drawing a vast portion of water into the ice, a dry âland bridgeâ emerged from the shallow waters to connect the...... Read More
23 Jan, 2014 | by Labroots
Going Forward with GenomicsAfter the sequencing of the human genome a decade ago, hopes of massive discoveries of new drugs to treat all types of diseases fell short. Now, a partnership between an up-and-coming biotechnology company, Regeneron, and the Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania is generating new hope and a great deal of excitement, with their plans to push genomics forward with an ambitious effort to get the results...... Read More
22 Jan, 2014 | by Labroots
Enhance Memory with CaffeineThe majority of people wake up to a new day by drinking at least one caffeine-containing beverage of choice. From tea, to coffee, to carbonated beverages, a variety of drinks served warm, hot or cold, are made with caffeine to meet the needs of millions of people for an instant wake-me-up. Although we all know how effective caffeine can be at getting us up and keeping us alert, the stimulant has now...... Read More