Launch pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida will soon see the Shuttle blasting off again for a new exciting mission in space. According to NASA’s current schedule, this will be between 15 May and 3 June (the precise date will be set once the flight readiness review process has been completed at the end of April).
The success of this mission will secure the future of the International Space Station (ISS), as the Shuttle is the only spacecraft capable of transporting new mod
”Smart clothes” are clothes that employ new technologies: technological developments have made it possible to integrate electronic components into conventional garments. In demanding conditions, such as working in heavy industries, very specific demands are placed on work apparel and materials, as they must protect the wearer from any hazards found in the working environment. Smart clothes design offers new material technology applications to make work apparel safer and more specifically suit
A study by researchers into the diagnosis of patients with lung cancer suggests that avoidable patient delays in reporting symptoms of the disease is an important factor in its treatment.
The research carried out by the University of Southampton indicates that the widely held view that lung cancer is silent until far advanced may be inaccurate.
Lung cancer remains the most common cause of death from cancer in the UK with over 33,000 deaths a year. Delay in the diagnosis of
The University of Kent is collaborating with research teams from the University of Warwick, Imperial College London and University College London (UCL) to develop novel forms of degradable glass for a variety of medical applications, including new bone growth.
The Kent team, led by Bob Newport, Professor of Materials Physics and Director of the Functional Materials Group, has successfully steered a joint bid to the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), whic
Acupuncture, in combination with exercise in the home, is clearly the best way to alleviate pain in pregnant women in connection with symphysiolysis, or slippage in the cartilage holding together bones. This is shown in research from the Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University in Sweden, that is being published in the British Medical Journal BMJ.
Pelvic pain, so-called symphysiolysis, is a common disorder among pregnant women throughout the world. One third of those affect
A particular gene variant that could serve as a predictor for type 2 diabetes has been identified by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Their findings indicated that a variation in the gene ENPP1 was as much as 13 percent more common in people with type 2 diabetes and those at greater risk for the disease. While further studies are needed, researchers said these results suggest that the variant may serve as an important genetic marker in identifying people at risk for
The health of the public is being put at risk by recommendations to cover up and stay out of the sun in the UK. These recommendations, which are part of Cancer Research UK’s SunSmart programme, increase the risk of several types of cancer, and may also increase deaths from melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.
Increased exposure to sunlight or greater intake of vitamin D has been found to reduce the risk of five common cancers in case/control studies. These are cancer
Annual screening with helical computed tomography (CT) can help radiologists detect lung cancers at their earliest, most curable stage, but has not been shown to reduce mortality from the disease, according to a study published in the April issue of the journal Radiology.
“What we’re finding with CT screening are more early-stage cancers. That could be good news–finding cancers that we’d otherwise find at a late stage,” said the study’s lead author, Stephen J. Swens
Two new studies present evidence that the virus causing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) may spread through the air, not just through direct contact with contaminated water droplets as previous research had shown.
SARS coronavirus was detected in the air in a patient’s room during the 2003 outbreak in Toronto, according to a new study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Another study, from Hong Kong, shows patients in hospital bays near a SARS patient had a muc
Research published in Nature shows theoretical feasibility of quake forecasting
Earthquakes along a set of fault lines in the Pacific Ocean emit small “foreshocks” that can be used to forecast the main tremor, according to research in the March 24 issue of Nature. It is the first demonstration that some types of large imminent earthquakes may be systematically predictable on time scales of hours or less. Statistically reliable forecasting of imminent quakes has been an elusive goal f
NASA continues to explore the impact of black carbon or soot on the Earth’s climate. NASA uses satellite data and computer models that recreate the climate. New findings show soot may be contributing to changes happening near the North Pole, such as accelerating melting of sea ice and snow and changing atmospheric temperatures.
Dorothy Koch of Columbia University, New York, and NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), New York, and James Hansen of NASA GISS are c
Engineers and applied physicists have laid the foundations for a new type of “plug and play” laser — the Raman injection laser — and in the process, several key innovations in laser technology. The device combines the advantages of nonlinear optical devices and semiconductor injection lasers with a compact design, and may one day lead to wide-ranging applications in imaging and detection.
Published in the Feb. 24th issue of Nature, the proof of concept model was developed by Mari
For several years, crippling leg pain has prevented Joan Erickson from walking more than a block. If she paused to rest, she could walk a little more, but not enough to continue playing golf, her favorite pastime.
An ultrasound and CT scan early this year showed that an artery in Erickson’s thigh was almost completely blocked, confirming that her troubles were caused by peripheral arterial disease, or PAD – a condition in which arteries to the arms, legs or internal organs are har
Researcher at Rice University’s Baker Institute recommends good public policy
Many opponents of needle-exchange programs argue that supplying drug users with clean needles sends the wrong message. But a researcher at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy advises that they should be concerned about the message they’re actually sending. Despite the overwhelming evidence that needle-exchange programs (NEPs) can help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, many legisl
Revolutionary advancements in the treatment options for diseases associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) now include nonsurgical options such as chemoprevention and vaccines. A review of these methods is published in the latest issue of the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer.
The standard treatment to date has been to surgically remove the infected tissue, which puts patients at risk for reproductive consequences and does not ensure that all infected tissue has been
Researchers now have the physical evidence to show why it’s important for older people to exercise. And it comes with the discovery that, in aging racehorses, regular aerobic workouts decreased the prevalence of muscle damage that can be caused by exertion.
Mammalian skeletal muscle tissue is the same regardless of which species of mammal it is in, said Steven Devor, the study’s lead author and an assistant professor of exercise science education at Ohio State University.
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