Researchers generate terahertz laser with laughing gas
Within the electromagnetic middle ground between microwaves and visible light lies terahertz radiation, and the promise of “T-ray vision.”
Technique identifies T cells primed for certain allergies or infections
When your immune system is exposed to a vaccine, an allergen, or an infectious microbe, subsets of T cells that can recognize a foreign intruder leap into action. Some of these T cells are primed to kill infected cells, while others serve as memory cells that circulate throughout the body, keeping watch in case the invader reappears.
Stressed to the max? Deep sleep can rewire the anxious brain
When it comes to managing anxiety disorders, William Shakespeare’s Macbeth had it right when he referred to sleep as the “balm of hurt minds.” While a full night of slumber stabilizes emotions, a sleepless night can trigger up to a 30% rise in anxiety levels, according to new research from UC Berkeley.
Cocktail proves toxic to leukemia cells
A combination of drugs that affect mitochondria — the power plants inside cells — may become the best weapons yet to fight acute myeloid leukemia, according to Rice University researchers.
Large Study Reveals PTSD Has Strong Genetic Component Like Other Psychiatric Disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, affecting some 8 million adults at some point in their lifetime in the United States. Despite this, it is not clear why only some people who experience a traumatic event develop PTSD. Some researchers have suggested that the disorder is only a social construct, but previous studies have hinted that genetics plays a role. A new study identifies a clear biological basis for PTSD.
New Diagnostic Criteria May Enable Earlier Detection of Cognitive Impairment in Women
Women make up two-thirds of patients with Alzheimer’s disease — so why is it that women are less likely than men to be diagnosed with its precursor, amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI)? This was the question guiding a new study by University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers studying how the life-long female advantage in verbal memory performance might be masking early symptoms of dementia in women.
Water + air + electricity = hydrogen peroxide
The production of hydrogen peroxide can be much safer and simpler through a process developed at Rice University.
A reactor developed by Haotian Wang and his colleagues at Rice’s Brown School of Engineering requires only air, water and electricity to make the valuable chemical in the desired concentration and high purity.
Strong Student-Adult Relationships Lower Suicide Attempts in High Schools
High schools where students are more connected to peers and adult staff, and share strong relationships with the same adults, have lower rates of suicide attempts, according to a new study published by the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
Needle-Free Flu Vaccine Patch Effective in Early Study
A new needle-free flu vaccine patch revved up the immune system much like a traditional flu shot without any negative side effects, according to a study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Though the research is in the early stages (the patch hasn’t been tested in humans), it’s an important step toward a technology that could replace needle-based vaccination methods that require administration by health care workers and biohazard waste removal.
A promising treatment for an incurable, deadly kidney disease
A potential treatment for polycystic kidney disease – a genetic disorder that causes the kidneys to swell with multiple cysts and can eventually lead to organ failure – has shown promising results in animal testing.