Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have developed a new strategy for finding novel antibiotic compounds, using a diagnostic panel of bacterial strains for screening chemical extracts from natural sources. Public health officials warn of a looming antibiotic crisis due to the steady increase in antibiotic resistance and a dramatic decline in the development of new antibiotics. Most currently available antibiotics are derived from natural compounds produced by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. New antibiotics developed by drug companies are ...

Cambridge, Mass. - November 26, 2012 - Now you see it, now you don't. A new device invented at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) can absorb 99.75% of infrared light that shines on it. When activated, it appears black to infrared cameras. Composed of just a 180-nanometer-thick layer of vanadium dioxide (VO2) on top of a sheet of sapphire, the device reacts to temperature changes by reflecting dramatically more or less infrared light. Announced today in the journal Applied Physics Letters, and featured on its cover, this perfect absorber ...

Two drugs commonly given during cardiac surgery can lead to convulsive seizures, but anesthetics can help cut the risk, according to new research from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Patients undergoing complex heart operations or trauma surgery are often given tranexamic acid (TXA) and aminocaproic acid (EACA) to reduce blood loss. But Faculty of Medicine researchers found these drugs are associated with a four-to-six-fold increase in post-operative seizures. The risk is highest for cardiac surgery patients – between three and seven and a half per ...

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Nov. 26, 2012 — A team of researchers, including engineers from Los Alamos National Laboratory, has demonstrated a new concept for a reliable nuclear reactor that could be used on space flights. The research team recently demonstrated the first use of a heat pipe to cool a small nuclear reactor and power a Stirling engine at the Nevada National Security Site's Device Assembly Facility near Las Vegas. The Demonstration Using Flattop Fissions (DUFF) experiment produced 24 watts of electricity. A team of engineers from Los Alamos, the NASA Glenn Research ...

Cyber Monday is here and it brings one last chance for electronic cigarette fans to save big on all of their favorite e-cig starter kits and accessories. CocktailNerd.com is offering readers big savings on Cyber Monday with exclusive deals that will expire at midnight. This is the year's biggest sale on all of the best electronic cigarettes brands and with exclusive coupon codes from Cocktail Nerd, e-cig shoppers can save up to 65% on all of their favorite products. Cocktail Nerd is the Internet's most cutting edge website for e-cig news, reviews, and savings. The site ...

Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common causes of dementia. In Germany and Switzerland alone, around 1.5 million people are affected, and forecasts predict a doubling of the number of patients worldwide within the next 20 years. The accumulation of particular abnormal proteins, including amyloid-ß (Aβ) among others, in patients' brains plays a central role in this disease. Prof. Frank Heppner from the Department of Neuropathology at Charité and his colleague Prof. Burkhard Becher from the Institute for Experimental Immunology at the University of Zurich were ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Doctors now use cancer-killing viruses to treat some patients with lethal, fast-growing brain tumors. Clinical trials show that these therapeutic viruses are safe but less effective than expected. A new study led by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) shows that the reason for this is in part due to the patient's own immune system, which quickly works to eliminate the anticancer virus. The findings, published in the journal Nature ...

(Philadelphia, PA) – A team of scientists from Temple University School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania has moved another step closer to solving a decades-long mystery of how the all-important flow of calcium into the cell's power source, the mitochondria, is controlled. By painstakingly shutting down the activity of 50 genes, one at a time, they have identified a protein, MCUR1, which hugs the inside of the mitochondrial membrane and is part of an elaborate mitochondrial channel pore system. MCUR1 acts as an accelerator to help regulate calcium coming ...

CHICAGO – People with Parkinson's disease benefit from exercise programs on stationary bicycles, with the greatest effect for those who pedal faster, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) data showed that faster pedaling led to greater connectivity in brain areas associated with motor ability. Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive disorder of the central nervous system. Early-stage symptoms like shaking and difficulty with walking ...

CHICAGO – Both very high and very low levels of physical activity can accelerate the degeneration of knee cartilage in middle-aged adults, according to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Nearly one in every two people in the U.S. may develop knee osteoarthritis by age 85, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By 2030, an estimated 67 million Americans over the age of 18 are projected to have physician-diagnosed arthritis. Researchers at the University of California in San Francisco ...

CHICAGO – An active lifestyle helps preserve gray matter in the brains of older adults and could reduce the burden of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Dementia exacts a staggering toll on society. More than 35 million people worldwide are living with the disease, according to the World Health Organization, and the prevalence is expected to double by 2030. AD is the most common cause of dementia and currently has no cure. Cyrus Raji, M.D., Ph.D., radiology ...

CHICAGO – Using a special magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to image patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), researchers have identified a biomarker that may predict which patients will do well over the long term, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The results of the study showed that in some patients the brain may have changed to compensate for the damage caused by the injury. "This finding has huge potential implications for preventing and repairing the damage that accompanies ...

CHICAGO – All patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) lose brain cells, which leads to a shrinking, or atrophy, of the brain. But the pattern of gray matter loss is significantly different in men and women, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). "We found that the extent and distribution of regional gray matter volume loss in the brain was strongly influenced by gender," said lead researcher Maria Vittoria Spampinato, M.D., associate professor of radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina ...

VIDEO: Inflatable bouncers such as bounce houses, slides or obstacle courses are the new craze for kids' birthday parties and/or celebrations. While they appear to be a fun activity for a... Click here for more information. A new study by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital examined pediatric injuries associated with inflatable bouncers, such as bounce houses and moonwalks. Researchers found ...

November 26, 2012 – (BRONX, NY) – Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center have found that a special magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique may be able to predict which patients who have experienced concussions will improve. The results, which were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), suggest that, in some patients, the brain may change to compensate for the damage caused by the injury. "This finding could lead to strategies for preventing and repairing ...

Metallic glass alloys (or liquid metals) are three times stronger than the best industrial steel, but can be molded into complex shapes with the same ease as plastic. These materials are highly resistant to scratching, denting, shattering and corrosion. So far, they have been used in a variety of products from golf clubs to aircraft components. And, some smartphone manufacturers are even looking to cast their next-generation phone cases out of it. But despite their potential, the mechanical properties of these substances are still a scientific mystery. One lingering question ...

PULLMAN, Wash.—Scientists and business people have known for decades that certain scents—pine boughs at Christmas, baked cookies in a house for sale—can get customers in the buying spirit. Eric Spangenberg, a pioneer in the field and dean of the Washington State University College of Business, has been homing in on just what makes the most commercially inspiring odor. Spangenberg and colleagues at WSU and in Switzerland recently found that a simple scent works best. Writing in the Journal of Retailing, the researchers describe exposing hundreds of Swiss shoppers to simple ...

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- What types of public messages will most likely deter drug and alcohol abuse or dissuade people from engaging in risky behavior? Negatively framed messages may not be an effective way to reach those most in need of persuasion, suggests a new study in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors by researchers from Indiana University and Wayne State University. "The findings are somewhat ironic because a whole lot of public service announcements say, 'Drugs are bad for you,' 'Just say no,' or 'This is your brain on drugs' with an image of an egg frying," said ...

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- An Indiana University study in the Journal of Child Neurology proposes an innovative treatment for developmental coordination disorder, a potentially debilitating neurological disorder in which the development of a child's fine or gross motor skills, or both, is impaired. DCD strikes about one in 20 children, predominantly boys, and frequently occurs alongside ADHD, autism spectrum disorders and other better known conditions. Like ADHD, DCD has broad academic, social and emotional impact. It can severely affect reading, spelling and handwriting abilities; ...

Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel Dubai hosted a leading press delegation from the UK recently. The journalists representing popular regional English publications such as The Liverpool Echo, South Wales Echo, Western Daily Press, Bristol Evening Post, The Western Daily Press and Southern Daily Echo were flown in by Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) to promote the emirates and its numerous attractions. In addition to a show-around of the hotel and its facilities, the highlight of the fam trip was an exclusive evening held at the Kris Lounge. Mr Scott Butcher, ...

Are you tired of belittling yourself when you look in the mirror and see your outline? Are you jealous of hot models that have slender bodies? Top Diet Guru, a top tier weight loss website, is willing to help you achieve the body that you want. Top Diet Guru will lessen your burden in losing weight. Top Diet Guru will be offering a range of products such as diet courses, ebooks, books, and many more to help you in your conquest in losing weight. Exercise is a vital part of losing weight. Top Diet Guru will provide you with exercise routines that best suit your weight ...

Popfax.com advices you how to run an effective fax mailing campaign using the just launched fax mailing tool Most companies spend huge amounts of money on marketing and promoting their brands. That's why it is important to create an effective campaign that will address your company's overall business goals. Given the fact that more than 90% of companies have at least one fax number, and billions of faxes are sent and received annually, it would be a shame to ignore this channel for marketing communication. Even though fax is a very flexible tool, before conducting ...

Lifelong musician Rick Moyer has released his newest project "Relaxing Music Pro." The long-playing album is comprised of over four hours of well-orchestrated, tasteful music to not only soothe the body and mind, but also to inspire the listener upon waking. The album is extremely deliberate. No measure, no beat, no tick is without purpose. The relaxation record is purportedly the first to cover not only the nocturnal hours, but also the dayime. Part One of the album, "Relaxing Music Pro" includes tracks one through seven, each of which contains twenty ...

Megan (Meg) Baerg of joinmegonthechallenge.com has recently started a new Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge.   The Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge is a health/fitness/weight loss challenge that is built around ViSalus Sciences flag ship product, the Vi-Shape Shake Mix.   Megan made a bold move starting her challenge on November 19, 2012.  The week of American Thanksgiving is the North American start of the holiday season.  When asked why she started her challenge now, her reply was "I have been a master lately of letting myself off the hook.  Starting my new Body By Vi ...

George F. Indest III, President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, shares his knowledge of health law in a Business Insurance article. The article discusses lawsuits against physicians who administered steroid injections that were tainted with meningitis, leading to a nationwide outbreak. Mr. Indest was asked to give his expert opinion on whether or not the physicians can be held liable. Mr. Indest believes that there could be viable cause for action if the physicians who administered the tainted drugs knew the compounding pharmacy was not filling prescriptions ...