feed info

278,997 articles from PhysOrg

New research identifies changes to the brain in patients with spinal cord compression

Spinal degeneration is an unavoidable part of aging. For some, it leads to compression of the spinal cord which can cause problems with dexterity, numbness in the hands, the ability to walk, and in some cases, bladder and bowel function. Now, new research from The University of Western Ontario looks beyond the spinal cord injury in these patients to better understand what is happening in the...

Outwit the Grim Reaper by walking faster

Men aged 70 and older can elude the Grim Reaper by walking at speeds of at least 3 miles (or 5km) an hour, finds a study in the Christmas issue published in the British Medical Journal today.

Qantas trials inflight Internet access

Australian flag carrier Qantas said Friday customers will be able to access the Internet inflight on certain services from February using their personal electronic devices.

Traumatic experiences may make you tough

(Medical Xpress) -- Your parents were right: Hard experiences may indeed make you tough. Psychological scientists have found that, while going through many experiences like assault, hurricanes, and bereavement can be psychologically damaging, small amounts of trauma may help people develop resilience.

Can proteins in the blood predict an early death?

Certain measures of kidney health may predict who is likely to die prematurely, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The findings suggest that some markers of kidney function are better than others at predicting an individual's prognosis.

FBI contacted phone monitoring firm about software

A senior executive at a technology company that makes monitoring software secretly installed on 141 million cellphones said Thursday that the FBI approached the company about using its technology but was rebuffed. The disclosure came one day after FBI Director Robert Mueller assured Congress that agents "neither sought nor obtained any information" from the company, Carrier IQ.

Shooting for the moon -- to mine it

Most people don't take it literally when they're told to shoot for the moon - but thinking small isn't Naveen Jain's way. The 52-year-old Internet entrepreneur is a co-founder of Moon Express Inc., one of several companies in the Google Lunar X Prize competition, in which privately funded teams will try to put robots on the moon by 2016.


THURSDAY 15. DECEMBER 2011


Analysis of fetal meconium can reveal gestational alcohol exposure

In recent years, medical professionals have begun to measure fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in meconium as a direct and reliable marker of gestational alcohol exposure during the second and third trimesters. This study extended that research – by examining prenatal exposure to alcohol in seven Italian cities through analysis of FAEEs and of a new biomarker, ethylglucuronide (EtG), in...

BlackBerry maker RIM's net income falls in 3Q

(AP) -- BlackBerry maker Research In Motion says its net income sank 71 percent as revenue fell and the company took a large accounting charge because it had to sell its PlayBook tablet computer at a deep discount.

Canada unveils Arctic drilling rules

Canada's energy regulator rolled out new rules on Thursday allowing for alternative ways to deal quickly with blowouts in the Arctic other than drilling relief wells.

Diabetes risk reduced among Latinos in UMass clinical study

An inexpensive, culturally sensitive diabetes prevention program created by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School reduced pre-diabetes indicators in a Latino population at risk for developing diabetes. Results of this three-year study, which were published online in the American Journal of Public Health, are significant because they replicate results of earlier studies that...

Full ban on driver calls could be tough to enforce

(AP) -- A driver in the next lane is moving his lips. Is he on a hands-free cell phone or just talking to himself? If lawmakers follow the advice of a federal board, police officers will have to start figuring that out.

Gene discovered for Weaver syndrome

Scientists have found a gene that causes Weaver syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that typically causes large size at birth, tall stature, developmental delay during childhood, and intellectual disability. Published today in the American Journal of Human Genetics, the discovery means that testing the EZH2 gene for mutations could help families who are seeking a diagnosis for their child.

Hubble serves up a holiday snow angel

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope presents a festive holiday greeting that’s out of this world. The bipolar star-forming region, called Sharpless 2-106, looks like a soaring, celestial snow angel. The outstretched “wings” of the nebula record the contrasting imprint of heat and motion against the backdrop of a colder medium.