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42 articles from ScienceDaily

Text messaging: The next gen of therapy in mental health

In the US, approximately 19% of all adults have a diagnosable mental illness. Clinic-based services may fall short of meeting patient needs. In the first randomized controlled trial of its kind, a team investigated the impact of a texting intervention as an add-on to a mental health treatment program versus one without it. A new study finds that a text-messaging-based intervention can be a safe,...

Discovery will allow more sophisticated work at nanoscale

The movement of fluids through small capillaries and channels is crucial for processes ranging from blood flow through the brain to power generation and electronic cooling systems, but that movement often stops when the channel is smaller than 10 nanometers. Researchers have reported a new way to stimulate the fluid flow by using a small increase in temperature or voltage.

Metal-breathing bacteria could transform electronics, biosensors, and more

When the Shewanella oneidensis bacterium 'breathes' in certain metal and sulfur compounds anaerobically, the way an aerobic organism would process oxygen, it produces materials that could be used to enhance electronics, electrochemical energy storage, and drug-delivery devices. The ability of this bacterium to produce molybdenum disulfide -- a material that is able to transfer electrons easily,...

Research could save years of breeding for new Miscanthus hybrids

As climate change becomes increasingly difficult to ignore, scientists are working to diversify and improve alternatives to fossil-fuel-based energy. Renewable bioenergy crops, such as the perennial grass Miscanthus, show promise for cellulosic ethanol production and other uses, but current hybrids are limited by environmental conditions and susceptibility to pests and diseases.

Reproductive effects of weed killer, glyphosate, examined in mice

A pair of recently published studies analyzed how ovarian function in mice responded to various levels of exposure to glyphosate, a chemical extensively used to kill weeds. The results showed exposure changed the level of some ovarian proteins but did not impact ovarian steroid production, an indication glyphosate may not adversely affect reproduction.

Tendency to select targeted retirement fund ending in zero may impact wealth

New research shows that selecting a targeted retirement fund that ends in a zero could negatively impact your retirement savings. The study identified a ''zero bias'' or tendency for individuals to select retirement funds ending in zero, which affects the amount people contribute to retirement savings and leads to an investment portfolio with an incompatible level of risk.

Pesticides can protect crops from hydrophobic pollutants

Researchers have revealed that commercial pesticides can be applied to crops in the Cucurbitaceae family to decrease their accumulation of hydrophobic pollutants, thereby improving crop safety. The team developed two approaches to control the functions of plant proteins related to the transport of hydrophobic pollutants. These findings will lead to these new functions of pesticides being utilized...

Novel diabetes drug candidate shows promising properties in human islets and mouse models

Researchers have discovered a new drug candidate that offers a major advance in the treatment for diabetes. Tested on isolated human and mouse pancreatic islets, mouse and rat cell cultures and animal models of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, the experimental drug significantly improved four detrimental characteristics of diabetes: hyperglycemia; hyperglucagonemia, elevation in the hormone...