Researchers have identified certain chemical compounds that could help fight infestations of the parasitic Varroa destructor mite, a major pest for beekeepers. The mites use smell to distinguish between different worker types in the bee colony, preferring younger ‘nurse’ bees over older foragers. The team found that treating the bees with certain chemical compounds confused […]
World Alzheimer Report 2014 – What’s good for your heart is good for your brain
Control of diabetes and high blood pressure as well as smoking cessation have the potential to reduce the risk of dementia even in late-life, a new report says. Looking at the literature, they report for example that diabetes can increase the risk of dementia by 50%. The report also includes survey data which shows […]
Climate change: cropland could expand in Canada
A new simulation of the impact of climate change on the supply of agricultural land shows that suitable cropland will expand in Canada, Russia, China and other countries in the high latitudes of the Northern hemisphere. On the other hand the authors project a significant loss of highly fertile cropland in the Mediterranean regions and […]
New technology could make our smartphones even smarter
Engineers have created a laser-written light-guiding systems that could embed the display glass of smartphones with layer upon layer of sensors. One example-system that the authors created is a temperature sensor that consists of one straight and one curved waveguide. When the glass heats up, it expands and changes the path length of the waveguides. […]
Canadian researcher wins Ig Nobel prize for explaining “Jesus toast”
Kang Lee, a professor at the University of Toronto’s Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study, has won an Ig Nobel prize for explaining why people have a tendency to see faces in ordinary objects, such as the face of Jesus in toast. In a paper published earlier this year, Lee’s team showed that the […]
Sang de cordon: une nouvelle molécule facilitera son utilisation
Des chercheurs ont identifié une molécule qui permet aux cellules souches dans le sang de cordon de se multiplier afin de produire encore plus de cellules souches. Le sang de cordon ombilical peut être utilisé pour traiter des maladies génétiques et des malformations des cellules sanguines, comme la leucémie. Toutefois la faible quantité de cellules […]
‘Stem cell factory’ could help treat blood disorders
Researchers have identified a molecule that causes the stem cells found in cord blood to multiply into more stem cells. Umbilical cord blood can be used to treat genetic and blood cell formation disorders, including leukemia, but the small number of blood stem cells in this kind of blood limits its widespread use. Researchers have […]
Gaz de schiste: identifier la source de contamination des eaux souterraines
Des chercheurs montrent que le méthane qui contamine certains puits d’eau potable autour de puits de gaz de schiste en Pennsylvanie et au Texas provient de fissures dans la structure en béton du puits d’extraction, et non du forage ou de la fracturation hydraulique. Pour ce faire, ils ont développé une nouvelle technique pour analyser […]
Le lait, c’est aussi bon pour la pression artérielle
Une nouvelle étude fait un lien entre manger au moins 2 portions de produits laitiers par jour et avoir une plus faible concentration de glucose dans le sang (glycémie) et une pression artérielle plus basse. Des chercheurs ont demandé à 254 participants en santé de la région de Québec de répondre à un questionnaire sur […]
Meilleure coordination des soins, moins de visites à l’urgence
Une revue de la littérature confirme que certains types de patients ayant accès à une meilleure coordination de leurs soins de santé avaient 20% de risques d’être admis à l’hôpital. Chez les aînés, ce genre de stratégies peut diminuer les admissions aux urgences jusqu’à 31%. La coordination des soins survient quand un médecin cesse d’être […]
Comment est mort le roi Richard III?
Un nouvel article montre que le roi Richard III a reçu 11 blessures lors de son dernier combat il y a 500 ans, dont 9 à la tête. Les auteurs de l’étude en concluent qu’il avait certainement enlevé ou perdu son casque. Le crâne du roi Richard III a été découvert en 2012 sous […]
Un patient végétatif capable de suivre l’histoire d’un film de Hitchcock
Une nouvelle étude montre que certains patients considérés comme étant dans un état végétatif sont capables d’avoir des expériences conscientes. Des chercheurs ont utilisé l’imagerie par résonance magnétique fonctionnelle pour enregistrer l’activité cérébrale de 2 patients avec lésions cérébrales et 12 participants en bonne santé pendant qu’ils regardaient un extrait de 8 minutes d’un […]
Chin strap device generates power from chewing
Researchers have created a device capable of harvesting the mechanical energy generated by chewing or talking. The device works via the piezoelectic effect, in which certain materials generate electricity when stretched or squeezed. In this case, the chin strap contains a strip of piezoelectric material made of electrodes that are embedded into plastic. Chewing gum […]
Got milk for your blood pressure?
Eating at least 2 portions of dairy products a day is linked to lower blood glucose and lower blood pressure according to a new study. Researchers asked a total of 254 healthy participants from the greater Quebec City metropolitan area to fill out a food frequency questionnaire and took blood samples from them. The study showed that […]
What really killed Richard III?
Modern forensic techniques provide a blow-by-blow account of the injuries sustained by England’s Richard III over 500 years ago. The remains of the last English monarch to die in battle were discovered under a car park in 2012 and confirmed by DNA analysis in 2013. The latest paper provides detailed analysis of the 11 wounds […]
Better care coordination, fewer emergency visits
Patients with chronic conditions other than mental illness are less likely to be admitted to hospital if their care is co-ordinated, a metanalysis shows. This review of the literature also shows that among the elderly, such strategies decreased emergency department use by 31 per cent. Care coordination happens when physicians stop being the sole care provider, […]