ASU researchers demonstrate new technique that improves the power of atomic force micrscopy
TEMPE, Ariz. A team of researchers have developed a method that could vastly improve the ability of atomic force microscopes to "see" the chemical composition of a sample, follow variations of the sample, as well as map its topographic structure. ... ...The advance could have significant implications for drug development by allowing scientists to monitor the effects of potential drugs on an ever...Measuring artificial viruses to improve disease detection
A new method* developed by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for accurately measuring the concentration of artificial viruses in a solution may ultimately help doctors diagnose diseases like HIV and hepatitis C earlier. ......These artificial viruses are commercial standards made from the same basic chemical components in RNA (the single stranded version of...Measuring blood sugar with a wave of the arm
People with diabetes could soon be waving goodbye to the pain and hassle of needles, thanks to a new under-skin sensor that monitors blood sugar levels with a simple wave of the arm....... , a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, also shows promise for monitoring environmental toxins and terro...Study helps satellites measure Great Lakes' water quality
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State University engineers are helping satellites form a clearer picture of water quality in the Great Lakes....... The study -- the first ever to rate the effectiveness of various computer models for monitoring the Great Lakes -- might also aid studies of global climate change....... As algae flourishes in the five freshwater lakes every summer, satellite images show the w...51 globally threatened species get new lease on life in the Caucasus
Tbilisi, Georgia (25 May 2004, 0200 GMT) - WWF, the conservation organization, and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) today announced a CEPF investment strategy and a high-level advisory council of governmental and nongovernmental representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Russia and Turkey to help conserve the rich natural resources of the region.... ...Support for the...Developing tools for reliable 'gene chip' measurements
Microarrays, sometimes called "gene chip" devices, enable researchers to monitor the activities of thousands of genes from a single tissue sample simultaneously, identifying patterns that may be novel indicators of disease status. But generating consistent, verifiable results is difficult because of a lack of standards to validate these analyses, scientists from the National Institute of Standard...ASU advance could provide insight into human's ability to recognize patterns
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Computers, for all of their computational muscle, do not hold a candle to humans in the ability to recognize patterns or images. This basic quandary in computational theory why can computers crunch numbers but cannot efficiently process images has stumped scientists for many years. ... ...Now, researchers at Arizona State University have come up with a model that could help unlo...Measurement clarifies role between protein structure and cell adhesion
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Scientists studying the adhesive properties of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) -- a protein that helps bind the nervous system together -- have found that two opposing models of cell adhesion are both correct.... ..."Our extremely sensitive technique allows us to directly measure how these proteins bind to one another, and to further explore the relationship between th...Glowing microspheres improve fluorescence measurements
Laboratories that measure emissions from fluorescent particles in a wide range of applications from clinical chemistry to biodefense research to pharmaceutical development now can have more confidence in their results thanks to new theory, standards and methods developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).... ...The culmination of five years of research, NIST's newest re...A picture is worth a thousand miles not traveled to measure the fossil of an ancient sea creature
(Blacksburg, Va.) -- The body size of ancient creatures, bivalves and brachiopods, could tell geoscientists a lot about the creatures' life history and about the ecology of the times in which they lived. However, traveling the world to measure these creatures' fossils would take several life-times and more travel funds than scientists usually have. ... ...Since the same creatures have al...Duke study gives first worldwide measure of sea turtle casualties by longline fishing
DURHAM, N.C. -- More than 250,000 loggerhead and 60,000 leatherback turtles are estimated to be inadvertently snared each year by commercial longline fishing, with up to tens of thousands dying, according to the first global assessment of the problem. The researchers who conducted the assessment said that, although their numbers are estimates, they are firm enough to warrant the development of r...System to measure carbon dioxide flux from soil patented
Asheville, NC - USDA Forest Service researchers from the Southern Research Station (SRS) unit in Research Triangle Park, NC, have patented a system for measuring the carbon dioxide emitted from forest soils and the woody tissue of trees....... John Butnor, Chris Maier, and Kurt Johnson from the SRS Biological Foundations of Southern Forest Productivity and Sustainability unit developed the Automa...Measuring perchlorate levels in lettuce
A leak from a rocket fuel plant into the groundwater near Henderson, Nev., near Las Vegas, has led to perchlorate contamination in the lower Colorado River. As the river moves from Nevada to Mexico the water is redirected for urban, industrial and agricultural use. Colorado River water is used for both drinking and irrigation throughout the region. ......A concern that perchlorate would make its...Running afowl: NU researchers first to measure energy used by leg muscles
01-02-04 - Researchers at Northeastern University today announced that they have demonstrated that, contrary to previous research, swinging the limbs during the act of running requires a significant fraction of energy. In contrast to the established hypothesis, which asserted that force produced when the foot is on the ground (stance-phase) is the only determinant of the energy cost of running, N...World's leading 'mad cow' diagnostic company, responds to USDAs additional BSE protection measures
Sunnyvale, Calif., December 31, 2003 Prionics AG, the world leader in testing procedures for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), today issued the following statement in response to the announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding additional BSE protection measures: ..."Prionics praises the approach taken by the USDA and its decision to bolster the already aggressive su...Researchers measure the 'heat of life,' offering clues to DNA damage
NEW BRUNSWICK/PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- A Rutgers-led team has produced the first ever measurement of the "heat of life" the energies involved in DNA replication and synthesis. The researchers' findings have opened the door to a better understanding of the origins of replication errors that can result in genetic mutations and serious illness. This is crucial knowledge for the development of medical...UCSD, VA and Cal-(IT) wireless technology to enhance mass casualty treatment in disasters
SAN DIEGO, CA -- The use of sophisticated wireless technology to coordinate and enhance care of mass casualties in a terrorist attack or natural disaster is the focus of a new federally funded research project at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). The project brings together broad-based participation from academia, industry, the military, and emergency responders from the City and C...Exercise measures identify heart disease in seemingly healthy women
A woman's fitness level and the time it takes for her heart to return to normal after exercise are more accurate predictors of female heart disease risk than electrical recordings of the heart, according to a national study led by Johns Hopkins researchers. ... ...Among nearly 3,000 women ages 30 to 80 who underwent treadmill exercise tests, these fitness measures clearly identified women at ris...Researchers measure effects of flow regulation and diking on salmon habitat loss
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Using a simple, yet sophisticated computer analysis, Oregon researchers have determined that flood-control dikes in the Columbia River floodplain and reduction of peak water flows have reduced shallow water habitat for juvenile salmon by about 62 percent during the crucial May to July period when salmon most need such shallow waters for their transition to the Pacific Ocean. The...Atomic force microscope used to measure how well live bacteria stick
(Blacksburg, Va., September 9, 2003) Virginia Tech researchers are using a modified form of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to observe at subatomic levels the efficiency of the attachment of bacteria to silica surfaces.... ...The geological scientists are simulating environments similar to ground water in sandy soils. Sticking efficiency of bacteria has not been previously measured experimentally u...OHSU researcher publishes first measurements of 'free-base' nicotine in cigarette smoke
PORTLAND, Ore. -- When it comes to nicotine content, all cigarettes are not created equal, according to a new study by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University. In fact, the study finds that some commercial cigarette brands contain 10 to 20 times higher percentages of nicotine in the so-called "free-base" form -- the form thought to be most addictive -- than believed up to now. The study...ASU law professor receives NIH grant
Gary Marchant, Professor of Law and Executive Director of the Center for Law, Science and Technology at the College of Law at Arizona State University has been awarded a $500,000 grant over two years from the National Institutes of Health to analyze the legal, ethical and policy effects that sequencing the human genome will have on federal environmental policy and regulation....... Professor Mar...Public health measures can contain SARS, two modeling studies suggest
The SARS virus is contagious enough to cause a very large epidemic if left unchecked, but could nonetheless be controlled with rigorous public health measures, two research teams report. These results are being released today by the journal , published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). ...... Both teams used data about recent SARS cases to make projections about...Modern blood vessel measurements test belief that magnetic fields can influence blood flow
San Diego, CA April 9, 2003 -- Some 2,000 years, the Chinese first advocated the use of magnetic therapy. In the Middle Ages, Paracelsus (1493-1543), a physician and alchemist, came to the conclusion that since magnets have the power to attract iron, perhaps they can also attract diseases and leach them from the body. ... ...Even in the 21st century, the magnetic therapy industry generates appr...Atomic force microscope powerful new tool for measurement of particle attraction
Blacksburg, Va., March 23, 2003 -- Tracy L. Cail, a Ph.D. student in geological sciences at Virginia Tech, is developing a new method for calculating sticking efficiency at the nanoscale with the aim of someday developing improved filters for removing contaminants from solutions, such as bacteria from groundwater. She will present her research at the 225th American Chemical Society national meeti...Intelligent device shows promise in physical activity measurement market
San Jose, Calif.--March 3, 2003--Rapid strides in microelectronics and computers are facilitating the design and development of smart devices such as the Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and Activity (IDEEA) that can accurately monitor physical activities and even provide guidance on suitable amount and type of activity. ... ...Leagues ahead of measurement devices like the pedometer or a...Risk of future Exxon Valdez declines 92% since risk assessment, safety measures, says O.R. study
LINTHICUM, MD - The danger of a future Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska's Prince William Sound has declined substantially since the State of Alaska, environmentalists, oil companies, and the fishing industry brought together a risk management team, according to a study in a journal of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). ...... Measures taken before the for...Ground temperature aids in measuring water levels
MADISON, WI, FEBRUARY 7, 2003 - Scientists have discovered an unusual way to measure how fast water moves from the ground surface to the water table: they analyze the ground temperature.... ...Research in Vadose Zone Journal, published by the Soil Science Society of America, describes the methodology behind using temperature to analyze how much water is recharging the ground water at a specific l...A bed of microneedles: Johns Hopkins scientists' gadget measures muscle cell force
Using the same technology that creates tiny, precisely organized computer chips, a Johns Hopkins research team has developed beds of thousands of independently moveable silicone "microneedles" to reveal the force exerted by smooth muscle cells. ......Each needle tip in the gadget, whose development and testing is reported this week in the advance online edition of the Proceedings of the National...Too little attention is paid to the side effects of emission-limiting measures
With measures aimed at reducing the emission of pollutants such as ammonia, policy makers pay too little attention to the consequences for the emission of other substances. This is revealed in a computer model constructed by Corjan Brink from Wageningen University during his doctoral research. For example, the model shows that reducing the amount of ammonia emitted leads to an increase in the emi...Center for Health Law and Policy presents program on bioterrorism measures and civil liberties
The events of 9/11, the ensuing anthrax attacks, and the present threat of war with Iraq have dramatically increased concerns about bioterrorism. What is the level of the government's preparedness? Do proposed government plans to ensure the public health of U.S. citizens threaten our civil liberties? Just how sweeping should the states' powers be during a health crisis?... ... On Thursday, Januar...Cocaine harms brain's 'pleasure center,' addict study finds
... ...ANN ARBOR, MI New research results strongly suggest that cocaine bites the hand that feeds it, in essence, by harming or even killing the very brain cells that trigger the "high" that cocaine users feel.... ...This first-ever direct finding of cocaine-induced damage to key cells in the human brain's dopamine "pleasure center" may help explain many aspects of cocaine addiction, and perhap...Blasting antibodies with lasers provides direct way of measuring their flexibilities
A group of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and San Diego Supercomputer Center at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) have used a powerful laser in combination with innovative quantum mechanical computations to measure the flexibility of mouse antibodies. ......The new technique, described in an upcoming issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of S...The mouse genome and the measure of man
WASHINGTON, Dec.4, 2002 -- The international Mouse Genome Sequencing Consortium today announced the publication of a high-quality draft sequence of the mouse genome -- the genetic blueprint of a mouse -- together with a comparative analysis of the mouse and human genomes describing insights gleaned from the two sequences. The paper appears in the Dec. 5 issue of the journal Nature. ...... The ach...Needle-free blood and tissue measurements
HOUSTON (October 1, 2002) Whether 240 miles above in the International Space Station or firmly grounded on Earth, medical testing without needles wins everyone's vote....... Refinements under way to current near infrared (NIR) spectroscopic techniques will expand the range of non-invasive blood and tissue chemistry measurements. These changes also will provide accurate readings unaffected by sk...Would 'race' disappear if the United States officially stopped measuring it?
WASHINGTON, DC -- What if the U.S. government stopped measuring race? Would the results be positive, negative, or indifferent? Under what conditions does the classification of people by race for the purpose of scientific inquiry promote racial division, and when does it aid in the achievement of justice and equality?...... Some scholarly and civic leaders believe that the very idea of "race" ha...ASU researcher puts recalled Firestone tires to good use
TEMPE, Az., July 24, 2002 -- An Arizona State University researcher is making good use of some of the 14 million Firestone tires that were recalled two years ago. The tires were used on Ford Explorers and recalled after reports of tread separation. How to dispose of all those used tires without causing serious environmental hazards once had state officials scratching their heads, but Civil and E...Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard enhanced with new measures to protect biodiversity
Washington, DC, July 2, 2002 - The Sustainable Forestry Board (SFB) today announced stronger provisions for the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard (SFIS), which will be applied to more than 60 million acres in the United States and Canada. The American Forest & Paper Association, the largest U.S. timber industry trade association whose members include manufacturers of over 80 percent of th...Basic motion measuring technology may be alternative to more expensive testing procedures
New Orleans, LA The great nuclear-powered aircraft carriers now on station in the Indian Ocean are 1,092 feet long, or about one-fifth of a mile. These largest of warships have more than 11 decks, a flight deck area measuring four-and-one-half acres, and more than 3,000 rooms and compartments throughout. Todays sailors, male and female, expend considerable energy walking about these ships. Acc...LIVERMORE, Calif.Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have created a three-dimensional simulation of how a biological or chemical release could spread in and around Salt Lake City. ... The simulation was not created in response to any known threat. But rather, it was made to display how a dangerous airborne substance would flow through downtown buildings in Salt Lake City as...