The recent Ebola outbreak highlighted the challenges to governments and local public health authorities in determining when individuals or populations should be subjected to quarantine. While one state or country can legally enact such laws, others may not. In many instances unintended negative consequences have resulted, and the ensuing chaos has led to major frustration both for patients and medical staff, as well as for local authorities. Donna Barbisch, Institute for Global and Regional Readiness, and co-authors Kristi L. Koenig, UC Irvine, Center for Disaster Medical ...

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 24, 2015 -- Move over, vapor compression cooling technology. Emerging "elastocaloric" refrigeration is potentially much more efficient and, unlike vapor compression, relies on environmentally-friendly refrigerants. In elastocaloric materials a change in mechanical stress can create a change in temperature. In the Journal of Applied Physics, from AIP Publishing, a team of researchers from Technical University of Denmark report that the elastocaloric effect opens the door to alternative forms of solid-state refrigeration that are direct replacements ...

WASHINGTON D.C., March 24, 2015 - Attempting to develop a novel type of permanent magnet, a team of researchers at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland has discovered a new class of magnetic materials based on Mn-Ga alloys. Described as a zero-moment half metal this week in the journal Applied Physics Letters, from AIP Publishing, the new Mn2RuxGa magnetic alloy has some unique properties that give it the potential to revolutionize data storage and significantly increase wireless data transmission speeds. The discovery realizes a goal researchers have sought for several ...

Among patients with symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis (narrowing of an artery inside the brain), the use of a balloon-expandable stent compared with medical therapy (clopidogrel and aspirin) resulted in an increased of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), according to a study in the March 24/31 issue of JAMA. Intracranial arterial stenosis is a common cause of stroke worldwide. The recurrent stroke risk with severe symptomatic intracranial stenosis may be as high as 23 percent at 1 year, despite medical therapy, according to background information in the ...

An analysis of the trends in salaries of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States from 1988 through 2013 finds that male RNs outearned female RNs across settings, specialties, and positions, with no narrowing of the pay gap over time, according to a study in the March 24/31 issue of JAMA. Fifty years after the Equal Pay Act, the male-female salary gap has narrowed in many occupations. Yet pay inequality persists for certain occupations, including medicine and nursing. Studies have documented higher salaries for male registered nurses, although analyses have not considered ...

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 24, 2015 - Silicon solar cells dominate 90 percent of the global photovoltaic market today, yet the record power conversion efficiency of silicon photovoltaics has progressed merely from 25 percent to 25.6 percent during the past 15 years -- meaning the industry is keen to explore alternatives. A collaboration between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford University may be poised to shake things up in the solar energy world. By exploring ways to create solar cells using low-cost manufacturing methods, the team has developed ...

A multivalent candidate vaccine elicits broad antibody responses to a range of norovirus strains, including strains not included in the vaccine or previously encountered by participants, according to a new study published this week in PLOS Medicine. The results of the study, led by Lisa Lindesmith and Ralph Baric of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, indicate that a vaccine to norovirus may be available in the future. Worldwide, noroviruses cause one in five cases of viral gastroenteritis. An estimated annual 300 million cases of norovirus infection contribute ...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass--Researchers at MIT and Stanford University have developed a new kind of solar cell that combines two different layers of sunlight-absorbing material in order to harvest a broader range of the sun's energy. The development could lead to photovoltaic cells that are more efficient than those currently used in solar-power installations, the researchers say. The new cell uses a layer of silicon -- which forms the basis for most of today's solar panels -- but adds a semi-transparent layer of a material called perovskite, which can absorb higher-energy particles ...

After decades of debate there remains no generally accepted definition of a "natural" food product. Regulatory agencies have refused to settle the issue but may be under new pressure from consumer lawsuits, according to a new study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing. "Consumers don't agree on a definition either, yet clearly believe that 'natural' is important," writes author Ross D. Petty (Babson College). "In 2009, 30% of newly launched foods claimed to be natural but by 2013 this dropped to 22%, possibly due to an increase in the number of consumer lawsuits. ...

New research from NYU Langone orthopaedic surgeons finds patients with diabetes who fracture their ankle incur significantly more inpatient health care costs compared to patients who do not have diabetes. The research, led by Kenneth A. Egol, MD, a professor and vice chair of education in the Department of Orthoapedic Surgery at NYU Langone, showed patients with diabetes who undergo ankle fracture surgery have significantly longer lengths of stay and total hospital charges compared to non-diabetics, with worse trends seen among patients with complicated disease. NYU ...

Philadelphia, PA, March 24, 2015 - In a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, researchers from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill compared the relative risks of laparoscopic hysterectomy (with morcellation) with abdominal surgery for hysterectomy in premenopausal women undergoing surgery for presumed uterine fibroids. Examining short- and long-term complications, quality of life, and overall mortality, they found that abdominal surgery carries a higher risk of complications, decreased quality of life, and death. Hysterectomy ...

Adolescent patients who need scoliosis surgery may benefit most from going to a hospital that performs a high volume of the procedures, according to new research from NYU Langone spine surgeons presented March 24 at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2015 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. Researchers looked at a New York State database of hospital discharges and identified 3,928 surgeries for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, and found reoperation rates were significantly lower among surgeons who perform a high volume of the procedures. Specifically, 14.1 percent ...

WHAT: Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, have determined that certain red blood cell traits in children can increase or decrease their risk for malaria. The findings could help identify future targets for new malaria drugs and vaccines. From 2008 to 2011, NIAID scientists and their collaborators followed 1,543 children ranging from 6 months to 17 years old in Mali, a West African country with a high incidence of childhood malaria. Throughout the study period, the children experienced a ...

Despite catastrophic earthquakes, the most vulnerable residents do not take steps to prepare themselves against future disaster, according to a new study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing. The authors provide an example from southern Spain. "Spain's persistent economic crisis and unemployment rate suggest that many residents of southern Spain belong to this vulnerable segment," write authors Shintaro Okazaki (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), Amadeo Benavent-Climent (University of Madrid), Angeles Navarro (Universidad de Murcia), and Jörg Henseler (University ...

Online word-of-mouth communications are having a significant effect on product sales, yet research to date has failed to understand why that effect fluctuates, according to a new study in the Journal of Marketing. "Previous investigation into online communications had focused on product reviews, but it was clear that far more information was needed," write authors Ya You (College of Charleston), Gautham G. Vadakkepatt (George Mason University), and Amit M. Joshi (University of Central Florida). "The current study hypothesized that additional platforms such as blogs, ...

Consumers are tuning out TV commercials, making advertisers run louder, higher-energy ads to force their attention. This may be backfiring critically when consumers are watching sad or relaxing shows, according to a new study in the Journal of Marketing. "This research stands to fundamentally change the ways advertisers approach the use of commercials," write authors Nancy M. Puccinelli (Oxford University), Keith Wilcox (Columbia University), and Dhruv Grewal (Babson College). "Firms will realize substantially greater success if they use moderately energetic commercials ...

TORONTO, March 24, 2015 -- Diabetes is associated with more advanced stage breast cancer, according to a new study by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and Women's College Hospital. The findings, published today in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, confirm a strong link between diabetes and later stage breast cancer at diagnosis for Canadian women. "Our findings suggest that women with diabetes may be predisposed to more advanced stage breast cancer, which may be a contributor to their higher cancer mortality," said Dr. Lorraine ...

How can beef be made healthier for consumption purposes? This question has been answered by Inmaculada Gómez-Bastida in her PhD thesis, read at the NUP/UPNA-University of Navarre. When ingredients rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, like flax seeds, and CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) were added to the food of these animals, their fat was modified, achieving an increase in omega-3 fatty acids and CLA -regarded as being beneficial for health- and a reduction in saturated fatty acids linked to cardiovascular disease. "Adding flax seeds and CLA to the diet of calves," ...

The link between taking aspirin, and similar medications called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (or NSAIDS), and bowel (colorectal) cancer prevention is well established. However, the mechanisms behind the protective effect have not been understood and it is not known why some people appear to benefit while others do not. Conducted by investigators from four countries, including Professors Mark Jenkins and John Hopper from the University of Melbourne, the findings suggest this protection differs according to variations in DNA. "We've known for a long time ...

Published recently in the journal Advanced Materials, the new membranes will supply clean water for use in desalination and water purification applications. Sandra Kentish, Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering said that up until now, there has not been a way to add chlorinating agents to water to prevent biological growth in the desalination process. "Such biofouling has been a major issue to date, but the new membranes have the potential to lead to a more economic desalination operation," she said. For Professor Kentish, the availability ...

WASHINGTON, DC -- March 24, 2015--In the first study of an entire wine grapevine's microbiome, researchers have found that the microbes associated with the grapes, leaves and flowers are largely derived from the soil microbes found around the plant's roots. The findings, published in mBio the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, could help dissect how microbes affect a wine's properties and pave the way for biotechnological advances for producing hardier crops. "Growers have been sub-selecting the best regions to grow grapes over thousands ...

WASHINGTON, DC - March 24, 2015- The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum produces chemical compounds called terpenes that give off odors that attract mosquitoes, according to new research. The study, published this week in mBio®, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, might explain why the insects are more likely to bite humans or animals infected with the organism. The work could lead to new diagnostic tests for malaria, said senior study author Audrey R. Odom, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of pediatrics and of molecular microbiology ...

New research conducted at the University of Kansas Medical Center has found a correlation between milk consumption and the levels of a naturally-occurring antioxidant called glutathione in the brain in older, healthy adults. In-Young Choi, Ph.D., an associate professor of neurology at KU Medical Center, and Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., professor and chair of dietetics and nutrition at KU Medical Center, worked together on the project. Their research, which was published in the Feb. 3, 2015 edition of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests a new way that drinking ...

HOUSTON -- ( March 24, 2015 ) -- An experimental drug that attacks brain tumor tissue by crippling the cells' energy source called the mitochondria has passed early tests in animal models and human tissue cultures, say Houston Methodist scientists. As reported on the cover of the April 2015 ChemMedChem (early online), Houston Methodist Kenneth R. Peak Brain & Pituitary Tumor Center Director David S. Baskin, M.D., and Peak Center Head of Research Martyn Sharpe, Ph.D. designed a drug called MP-MUS that destroyed 90 to 95 percent of malignant glioma cells, yet in other experiments ...

Dallas, TX (March 24, 2015) - John Rodakis, the parent of a child with autism was not looking to launch an international investigation into the microbiome (the collection of microorganisms that live on and in us) and autism, but, as he describes in his newly published article in the scientific journal Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease, when his young son's autism unexpectedly and dramatically improved while taking an antibiotic for strep throat, he began a quest to understand why. Following the surprise improvement, Mr. Rodakis, who in addition to being a parent ...