A medical researcher with the University of Alberta and his team just published their findings about their work on developing 'homing beacon drugs' that kill only cancer cells, not healthy ones, thanks to nano-technology. John Lewis, the Frank and Carla Sojonky Chair in Prostate Cancer Research with the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, published his findings in the peer-reviewed journal, Nano Letters. He is also an associate professor in the Department of Oncology, a Fellow with the National Institute for Nanotechnology at the U of A and director of the Translational Prostate ...

This press release is available in German. Flowers need water and light to grow. Even children learn that plants use sunlight to gather energy from earth and water. Members of Professor Dr. Olaf Kruse's biological research team at Bielefeld University have made a groundbreaking discovery that one plant has another way of doing this. They have confirmed for the first time that a plant, the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, not only engages in photosynthesis, but also has an alternative source of energy: it can draw it from other plants. This finding could also have ...

CHESTNUT HILL, MA (Nov. 20, 2012) – The executive pay provisions of the TARP – the Troubled Asset Relief Program – stoked controversy. Bankers claimed the rules would thwart their efforts to attract and retain the best executives. But the pay rules may have had an unintended benefit of reducing the scope of the program, researchers say. A newly published report in the Journal of Banking, Finance & Accounting finds that pay provisions did discourage some banks from participating in TARP, which was intended to help banks weather the 2008-2009 financial crisis, according ...

Some grey seal mums adopt risky tactics when it comes to the future of their young, a strategy that can give their pup a real advantage, according to scientists. Researchers from Durham University, UK, and the University of St Andrews, looking at grey seal colonies in Scotland, found that some seal mothers are flexible in the parenting style they adopt and 'gamble' on the outcome of their actions, whilst other play it safe and steady. The study is the first to demonstrate how variation in personality traits in large marine mammals in the wild can persist, rather than ...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2012 — The American Chemical Society (ACS) today launched a new video series that highlights headline-making research from the society's suite of more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific journals. The first episode of Breakthrough Science focuses on research reported in one of those journals, ACS Nano. It involved development of new transparent solar cells, an advance toward giving windows in homes and other buildings the ability to generate electricity while still allowing people to see outside. The video is available at http://pubs.acs.org/page/videos/breakthroughscience.html. Breakthrough ...

Providence, RI - - Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is considered the most effective treatment option for patients with severe depression who cannot find symptom relief through antidepressant medications or psychotherapy. In a new study, researchers at Butler Hospital and Bradley Hospital in Rhode Island found a sharp decline in the availability and use of ECT in general hospitals across the U.S. The findings were published online in the journal Biological Psychiatry on October 10, 2012. The researchers analyzed data from a nationally representative survey of US general ...

Health professionals may soon have a new method of diagnosing Parkinson's disease, one that is noninvasive and inexpensive, and, in early testing, has proved to be effective more than 90 percent of the time. In addition, this new method has the potential to track the progression of Parkinson's, as well as measure the effectiveness of treatments for the disorder, said Rahul Shrivastav, professor and chairperson of Michigan State University's Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders and a member of the team developing the new method. It involves monitoring a ...

Called BRIGHTs, the tiny probes described in the online issue of Advanced Materials on Nov. 15, bind to biomarkers of disease and, when swept by an infrared laser, light up to reveal their location. Tiny as they are, the probes are exquisitely engineered objects: gold nanoparticles covered with molecules called Raman reporters, in turn covered by a thin shell of gold that spontaneously forms a dodecahedron. The Raman reporters are molecules whose jiggling atoms respond to a probe laser by scattering light at characteristic wavelengths. The shell and core create an ...

The risk of developing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) following insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD) is very low, whether or not women have been screened beforehand for gonorrhea and chlamydia, according to a joint study of nearly 60,000 women by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research. The study appears this week in the current online issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the official journal of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, also known as Green Journal. The ...

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., – Nov. 20, 2012 – Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have modified electrically-conductive polymers, commonly used in solar energy applications, to develop revolutionary polymer nanoparticles (PNs) for a medical application. When the nanoparticles are exposed to infrared light, they generate heat that can be used to kill colorectal cancer cells. The study was directed by Assistant Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nicole H. Levi-Polyachenko, Ph.D., and done in collaboration with colleagues at the Center for Nanotechnology ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- "And don't let the bed bugs bite" is no longer a harmless adage. In reality today, these bloodthirsty bugs infest thousands of homes. According to a team of Penn State entomologists, biopesticides -- naturally occurring microorganisms -- might provide an answer to this pest problem. Bed bugs need blood meals for growth and development throughout their life cycle. Increased travel, widespread insecticide resistance and changes in management practices have caused a resurgence in those insects throughout North America and Europe. Compounding the problem ...

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Scotch tape, a versatile household staple and a mainstay of holiday gift-wrapping, may have a new scientific application as a shape-changing "smart material." Researchers used a laser to form slender half-centimeter-long fingers out of the tape. When exposed to water, the four wispy fingers morph into a tiny robotic claw that captures water droplets. The innovation could be used to collect water samples for environmental testing, said Babak Ziaie, a Purdue University professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering. The ...

Children with Prader-Willi syndrome may receive relief from sleep disorders after undergoing an adenotonsillectomy, suggests a new study from Nationwide Children's Hospital published in the November print issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. "Patients with Prader-Willi syndrome are at risk for sleep disordered breathing as growth hormone commonly used to treat their condition can cause the tonsils and adenoids to enlarge," said the study's lead author Kris Jatana, MD, FAAP, with Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery at Nationwide Children's. "Growth ...

On Nov. 20, 2012, at 7:09 a.m. EST, the sun erupted with a coronal mass ejection or CME. Not to be confused with a solar flare, a CME is a solar phenomenon that can send solar particles into space and can reach Earth one to three days later. When Earth-directed, CMEs can affect electronic systems in satellites and on Earth. Experimental NASA research models, based on observations from the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), show that the Nov. 20 CME left the sun at speeds of 450 miles per second, which is a slow to average speed for CMEs. CMEs can cause ...

OAK BROOK, Ill. – MRI shows changes in the brains of people with post-concussion syndrome (PCS), according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. Researchers hope the results point the way to improved detection and treatment for the disorder. PCS affects approximately 20 percent to 30 percent of people who suffer mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI)—defined by the World Health Organization as a traumatic event causing brief loss of consciousness and/or transient memory dysfunction or disorientation. Symptoms of PCS include headache, poor concentration ...

Pregnant women with mental health disorders are facing too many barriers to help them quit smoking during pregnancy despite their willingness to accept support, finds a new study published today (21 November) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The study, undertaken by researchers at King's College London, looked at referrals to smoking cessation services and what barriers pregnant women with mental health disorders face compared to those women without disorders. Overall 400 women, who reported smoking at their first appointment, were monitored ...

Harrisburg pedestrian deaths hint at national trend On the morning of October 31, 2012, a 16-year-old girl was struck and killed by a large vehicle in the intersection of South 13th and Sycamore in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The fatal accident occurred shortly before 9:00 a.m. as parents walked their children to nearby Foose Elementary School. Initial news reports indicated that the driver had fled the scene, but he has since been identified and has reportedly been cooperating with the authorities. Investigators are working to determine whether the driver knew he had ...

New California law guards consumers from LTC insurance premium increases California legislatures recently passed a new law designed to protect consumers from being taken advantage of by insurance companies providing long-term care, or LTC, policies. These insurance policies are designed to provide consumers with assistance funding long-term care facilities like assisted living facilities, nursing homes and home care programs. Long-term care facilities may be needed when an individual is no longer able to take care of themselves. Insurance companies consider a person ...

Estate planning: It's for everybody Pennsylvanians of all ages and income levels, take note: estate planning can benefit you. Many people of modest means believe that only the wealthy need to plan ahead for what will happen to their possessions, but that is a misconception. Why everyone needs to plan The future is uncertain, and people cannot predict their life span or when the need for estate planning will arise. It is better to plan early and have decades of peace of mind than to wait until it is too late. Plans can be readily changed throughout a lifetime, so ...

Protecting children's interests in blended families Getting divorced and remarried have become common occurrences for people in Pennsylvania and across the country. Over half of all couples in first marriages eventually get divorced, according to the National Stepfamily Resource Center. In addition, three-quarters of those who divorce will get married again. Blended families make for complex finances A Pew Research Center study this year found that over 40 percent of adults in the United States have at least one step-relative. Considering that people already have ...

Coloradans who lost homes to foreclosure may qualify for reimbursement In September 2012, the Colorado attorney general mailed letters to Colorado residents who may qualify for reimbursement from the national mortgage settlement that the five largest mortgage lenders in the U.S. reached with the federal government and 49 state governments, informing people of the deadlines for filing claims. People in Colorado should be aware of the details of the national mortgage settlement, the provisions the settlement includes for payments to borrowers to reimburse them for their ...

Dealing With the Aftermath of a Natural Disaster in Texas Super Storm Sandy caused billions of dollars of damage throughout the East Coast and 20 states. According to a study by Scientific American, the storm has the potential to be the most expensive in the history of the U.S. Moody's has estimated the damage at $50 billion. Part of the high cost came from where Sandy made landfall, as it struck one of the most crowded corridors in the U.S. Of course, Texans are no strangers to hurricane damage to their homes and businesses, either. No matter where a hurricane, tornado ...

Common Commercial Hurricane Damage Claim Disputes in Texas Insurance companies are experienced at contesting certain types of claims that result from hurricanes and large storms. With Super Storm Sandy leaving $50 billion in damage, according to an estimate by Moody's, rebuilding damage in the wake of a devastating storm is on many people's minds. The reason an insurance company may deny or underpay on a claim is varied and depends on the type of insurance coverage, the provisions in the coverage and the integrity of the insurance company. Type of Water Damage Water ...

Preventing Pedestrian Injuries in Texas One person died every three hours on Texas roadways in 2011 and The Texas Department of Transportation is trying to change this by asking drivers to "Drive Friendly, Drive Safe." Officials from the Texas DOT recall having to give death notifications to families informing them that their loved ones have been killed in a car crash. One Texas DOT spokesperson said that he hates using the word accident when it comes to giving these notifications because they are not usually accidents but something caused by people who are ...

New Study: Years Required to Recover from Traumatic Brain Injury According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1.7 million people in the United States suffer traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) each year. And while physicians have long recognized that even mild TBIs can cause serious problems, researchers have discovered that they may be even more dangerous than previously believed. Indeed, a recent study out of the University of Oklahoma suggests that symptoms of traumatic brain injuries may last for years without decreasing in intensity. Details ...