ScienceDaily: Matter & Energy News

New technology to detect lingering cancer cells during breast surgery Posted: 05 Jan 2015 08:27 AM PST Some patients undergoing lumpectomy surgery for the removal of an early detected breast tumor – the surgical option of choice for this diagnosis -- are benefiting from new intra-operative technology that detects microscopic amounts of cancer cells on removed tumor tissue not visible during or following surgical intervention.

Acoustic levitation made simple Posted: 05 Jan 2015 08:25 AM PST Scientists have developed a new levitation device that can hover a tiny object with more control than any instrument that has come before.

New technology focuses diffuse light inside living tissue Posted: 05 Jan 2015 07:15 AM PST For the first time, a new technique that focuses diffuse light inside a dynamic scattering medium containing living tissue has been revealed by researchers. In addition, they have improved the speed of optical focusing deep inside tissue by two orders of magnitude. This improvement in speed is an important step toward noninvasive optical imaging in deep tissue and photodynamic therapy.

Sensor demonstrates lack of space in living cells Posted: 05 Jan 2015 07:14 AM PST Proteins and other bio-molecules are often analyzed exclusively in aqueous solutions in test tubes. But it is uncertain if these experimental studies can be transferred to the densely-packed cellular environment. Researchers have developed a novel method that can be used to analyze the effects of the lack of space in living cells with the aid of a microscope for the first time. They designed a sensor that changes color depending on how confined the space in the cell is.

Atoms queue up for quantum computer networks Posted: 05 Jan 2015 07:14 AM PST In order to develop future quantum computer networks, it is necessary to hold a known number of atoms and read them without them disappearing. To do this, researchers have developed a method with a trap that captures the atoms along an ultra-thin glass fiber, where the atoms can be controlled.

Technology to recycle all type of plastics without using water Posted: 04 Jan 2015 12:23 PM PST Traditionally, plastic recycling processes involve using a lot of water. In order to avoid this waste, researchers have developed a new green technology that doesn't require liquids, and has the capacity to process materials such as styrofoam, polystyrene and ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) using the same type of customizable machinery.

Production of 500 daily litres of bioethanol from food waste Posted: 04 Jan 2015 12:23 PM PST From waste generated in the processing of cereals, scientists have produced bioenergy in the form of ethanol, and designed a prototype plant that generates 500 litres of bioethanol a day.

3D reconstruction software for antique auto parts and prehispanic objects Posted: 04 Jan 2015 12:23 PM PST A program has been developed that can produce digital 3D images from the projection and digitization of binary data. This allows three-dimensional reconstruction of various objects in order to reproduce parts of classic  automobiles, prehispanic antiques, as well as serving as a tool for face recognition.

Bamboo bike recharges mobile devices, external batteries by peddling Posted: 04 Jan 2015 12:23 PM PST A bamboo bicycle that transforms the kinetic energy generated by pedaling into a source of electricity has been developed by researchers. The bike has the ability to simultaneously recharge mobile devices, smartphone’s external battery and a navigation dashboard located on the handlebars which measures the distance and time, and also has Bluetooth connection.

Microscopy reveals how atom-high steps impede oxidation of metal surfaces Posted: 29 Dec 2014 12:22 PM PST Certain features of metal surfaces can stop the process of oxidation in its tracks, new research has found. The findings could be relevant to understanding and perhaps controlling oxidation in a wide range of materials—from catalysts to the superalloys used in jet engine turbines and the oxides in microelectronics.

New half-light half-matter quantum particles created Posted: 29 Dec 2014 11:14 AM PST Prospects of developing computing and communication technologies based on quantum properties of light and matter may have taken a major step forward thanks to new research.

A qubit candidate shines brighter Posted: 29 Dec 2014 09:26 AM PST Scientists taken a major step forward in effectively enhancing the fluorescent light emission of diamond nitrogen vacancy centers -- a key step to using the atom-sized defects in future quantum computers. The technique hinges on the very precise positioning of NV centers within a structure called a photonic cavity that can boost the light signal from the defect.

American cities are many times brighter at night than German counterparts Posted: 29 Dec 2014 05:17 AM PST German cities emit several times less light per capita than comparably sized American cities, according to recent research. The size of the gap grew with city size, as light per capita increased with city size in the USA but decreased with city size in Germany. The study also examined regional differences, and surprisingly found that light emission per capita was higher in cities in the former East of Germany than from those in the former West.

Live adaptation of organ models in the OR Posted: 29 Dec 2014 05:17 AM PST During minimally invasive operations, a surgeon has to trust the information displayed on the screen: A virtual 3D model of the respective organ shows where a tumor is located and where sensitive vessels can be found. Soft tissue, such as the tissue of the liver, however, deforms during breathing or when the scalpel is applied. Endoscopic cameras record in real time how the surface deforms, but do not show the deformation of deeper structures such as tumors. Young scientists have now developed a real-time capable computation method to adapt the virtual organ to the deformed surface profile.

Researchers create method that recovers high value metals for industries while protecting the environment Posted: 27 Dec 2014 06:13 AM PST Researchers have developed an extraction column which recovers metals companies use in their production processes; and thus cuts environmental pollution and lessen economic losses.

Optogenetics captures neuronal transmission in live mammalian brain Posted: 25 Dec 2014 11:35 AM PST Scientists have used a cutting-edge method to stimulate neurons with light. They have successfully recorded synaptic transmission between neurons in a live animal for the first time.

Development of software that 'predicts' sudden cardiac death Posted: 24 Dec 2014 07:30 AM PST At Galway Hospital, in Ireland, a device is currently used to "predict" cardiac events in people at risk of sudden cardiac death. This technology was developed by a Mexican, and the city's University patented it looking to sell it to specialized companies.

Young entrepreneurs innovate in green energy with an in situ organic waste digester Posted: 24 Dec 2014 07:30 AM PST Young entrepreneurs have developed a bio-digestion plant capable of generating electricity from organic waste in the market of the Nopal Collection Center in Mexico City.

That smartphone is giving your thumbs superpowers Posted: 23 Dec 2014 09:22 AM PST When people spend time interacting with their smartphones via touchscreen, it actually changes the way their thumbs and brains work together, according to a new report. More touchscreen use in the recent past translates directly into greater brain activity when the thumbs and other fingertips are touched, the study shows.

How electrons split: New evidence of exotic behaviors Posted: 23 Dec 2014 08:42 AM PST Electrons split into electrical charge and magnetic moment in a two-dimensional model, a study has shown for the first time. The discovery marks a new understanding in the discovery of exotic materials such as high-temperature superconductors.

Nano Filter cleans dirty industry Posted: 23 Dec 2014 08:38 AM PST Prototypes of nano-cellulose based filters with high purification capacity towards environmentally hazardous contaminants from industrial effluents have been developed by researchers. The research has reached a breakthrough with the prototypes and will now be tested on a few industries in Europe.

System captures mercury from air in gold shops Posted: 23 Dec 2014 08:38 AM PST Nearly 20 percent of the world’s gold supply is produced by workers in artisanal and small-scale gold mining shops that purify gold by burning off mercury. Researchers have teamed up to stop this mercury where it starts.

Hunt for Big Bang particles offering clues to the origin of the universe Posted: 23 Dec 2014 08:38 AM PST Billions upon billions of neutrinos speed harmlessly through everyone's body every moment of the day, according to cosmologists. The bulk of these subatomic particles are believed to come straight from the Big Bang, rather than from the sun or other sources. Experimental confirmation of this belief could yield seminal insights into the early universe and the physics of neutrinos. But how do you interrogate something so elusive that it could zip through a barrier of iron a light-year thick as if it were empty space?

Breakthrough in predictions of pressure-dependent combustion chemical reactions Posted: 23 Dec 2014 07:28 AM PST A method to successfully predict pressure-dependent chemical reaction rates has been demonstrated by scientists for the first time. It’s an important breakthrough in combustion and atmospheric chemistry that is expected to benefit auto and engine manufacturers, oil and gas utilities and other industries that employ combustion models.

Using targeted brain stimulation to change attention patterns for anxious individuals Posted: 23 Dec 2014 05:41 AM PST Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a painless treatment strategy that uses weak electrical currents to deliver targeted stimulation to the brain via electrodes placed on the scalp. tDCS has shown promise in treating mood, anxiety, cognition, and some symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

New-generation 'thinking' biomimetic robots developed as ocean engineering solutions Posted: 23 Dec 2014 05:41 AM PST Researchers are closer to creating underwater robotic creatures with a brain of their own -- besides behaving like the real thing. In the near future, it would not be too tall an order for the team to produce a swarm of autonomous tiny robotic sea turtles and fishes for example, to perform hazardous missions such as detecting nuclear wastes underwater or other tasks too dangerous for humans.

Using laparoscopy for ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement Posted: 23 Dec 2014 05:39 AM PST Researchers conducted a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial to compare a laparoscopic procedure with a mini-laparotomy for insertion of a peritoneal catheter during ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery. The deciding factor was the rate of shunt malfunction. Although overall shunt failure rates did not differ substantially between patients in the two surgery groups, the authors identified a significant reduction in the rate of distal shunt failure in patients in whom laparoscopy was used.

Gecko grippers get a microgravity test flight Posted: 22 Dec 2014 05:54 PM PST There are no garbage trucks equipped to leave the atmosphere and pick up debris floating around Earth. But what if we could send a robot to do the job? Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, are working on adhesive gripping tools that could grapple objects such as orbital debris or defunct satellites that would otherwise be hard to handle.

Graphene 'cut and paste' with microwaves Posted: 22 Dec 2014 02:04 PM PST Researchers have demonstrated a variety of transformations taking place on carbon surface under the influence of metal nanoparticles and microwaves.

This Endoscope Zaps Tumors Posted: 22 Dec 2014 02:03 PM PST To examine internal organs, doctors often use a tube with light and a tiny camera attached to it. The device, called an endoscope, helps detect cancer and other illnesses. It may soon serve another purpose: zapping tumors. The biomedical advancement, which is under development, could make chemotherapy more efficient, reduce its side effects and improve how doctors treat some of the most deadly forms of cancer.

Hands on: Crafting ultrathin color coatings Posted: 22 Dec 2014 01:55 PM PST An ultra-thin layer of a metal and a semiconductor could be applied to essentially any rough or flexible material to produce a vividly colored coating, researchers report. The technique, which exploits optical interference effects, could potentially be used on wearable fabrics or stretchable electronics.

Acoustic tweezers manipulate cell-to-cell contact Posted: 22 Dec 2014 01:55 PM PST Sound waves can precisely position groups of cells for study without the danger of changing or damaging the cells, according to a team of researchers who are using surface acoustic waves to manipulate cell spacing and contact.

New non-invasive method can detect Alzheimer's disease early Posted: 22 Dec 2014 11:30 AM PST A noninvasive MRI approach that can detect the Alzheimer's disease in a living animal, well before typical Alzheimer's symptoms appear, has been developed by researchers. The research team created an MRI probe that pairs a magnetic nanostructure with an antibody that seeks out the amyloid beta brain toxins responsible for onset of the disease. The accumulated toxins, because of the associated magnetic nanostructures, show up as dark areas in MRI scans of the brain.

Mysteries of 'molecular machines' revealed: Phenix software uses X-ray diffraction spots to produce 3-D image Posted: 22 Dec 2014 11:30 AM PST Scientists are making it easier for pharmaceutical companies and researchers to see the detailed inner workings of molecular machines.

Universality of charge order in cuprate superconductors Posted: 22 Dec 2014 10:15 AM PST Scientists have now identified charge order in HgBa2CuO4 , a pristine cuprate material. A further important result of the study is the finding that the charge order is closely related to quantum oscillations under a magnetic field. Finding a universal connection between the period of these quantum oscillations and the spatial period of the charge order is one of the achievements of the study.

Using light to understand the brain Posted: 22 Dec 2014 10:13 AM PST An innovative way to understand how the brain works by using flashes of light, has been developed by researchers, allowing them to both 'read' and 'write' brain signals.The new technique combines two cutting-edge technologies for reading and writing electrical activity in the brain.

Piezoelectricity in a 2-D semiconductor: Piezoelectricity in molybdenum disulfide holds promise for future MEMS Posted: 22 Dec 2014 10:13 AM PST Researchers have opened the door to low-power off/on switches in micro-electro-mechanical systems, MEMS, and nanoelectronic devices, as well as ultrasensitive bio-sensors, with the first observation of piezoelectricity in a free standing two-dimensional semiconductor.

Ultrasounds dance the 'moonwalk' in new metamaterial Posted: 22 Dec 2014 08:17 AM PST Metamaterials have extraordinary properties when it comes to diverting and controlling waves, especially sound and light: for instance, they can make an object invisible, or increase the resolving power of a lens. Now, researchers have developed the first three-dimensional metamaterials by combining physico-chemical formulation and microfluidics technology. This is a new generation of soft metamaterials that are easier to shape.

New technology makes tissues, someday maybe organs Posted: 22 Dec 2014 08:16 AM PST A new device for building large tissues from living components of three-dimensional microtissues borrows on ideas from electronics manufacturing. The Bio-Pick, Place, and Perfuse is a step toward someday making whole organs.

More safety on thermal drying plants of sewage sludge Posted: 22 Dec 2014 05:43 AM PST A series of trials have been carried out to study the explosiveness of sludge on thermal drying plants of sewage sludge. The obtained result will allow scientists to set protection and prevention measures on site in order to reduce or even eliminate explosion risks associated to handling, transport and storage of these materials.

Intelligent façades generating electricity, heat and algae biomass Posted: 22 Dec 2014 05:43 AM PST Windows that change their light permeability at the touch of a button, façades whose color can be changed according to the sunlight, façades and window parts in which transparent photovoltaic modules are integrated or in which microalgae are being bred to provide the house with its own biofuel: This is what the buildings of the future could feature, or at least something similar, experts say.

Researchers move closer to new range of biosensors Posted: 20 Dec 2014 08:43 PM PST Researchers have found a way of binding peptides to the surface of gallium nitride in a way that keeps the peptides stable even when exposed to water and radiation. The discovery moves researchers one step closer to developing a new range of biosensors for use in medical and biological research applications.

First direct evidence that a mysterious phase of matter competes with high-temperature superconductivity Posted: 20 Dec 2014 07:41 AM PST Scientists have found the first direct evidence that a mysterious phase of matter known as the "pseudogap" competes with high-temperature superconductivity, robbing it of electrons that otherwise might pair up to carry current through a material with 100 percent efficiency.

Atom-thick CCD could capture images Posted: 19 Dec 2014 01:06 PM PST An atomically thin material may lead to the thinnest-ever imaging platform. Synthetic two-dimensional materials based on metal chalcogenide compounds could be the basis for superthin devices.

Possible avenue to better electrolyte for lithium ion batteries Posted: 19 Dec 2014 01:06 PM PST Researchers carried out the first X-ray absorption spectroscopy study of a model electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries and may have found a pathway forward to improving LIBs for electric vehicles and large-scale electrical energy storage.

Cheaper 3-D virtual reality system: Powerful enough for a gamer, made for an engineer Posted: 19 Dec 2014 01:06 PM PST It's like a scene from a gamer's wildest dreams: 12 high-definition, 55-inch 3-D televisions all connected to a computer capable of supporting high-end, graphics-intensive gaming. On the massive screen, images are controlled by a Wii remote that interacts with a Kinnect-like Bluetooth device (called SmartTrack), while 3-D glasses worn by the user create dizzying added dimensions.

Breakthrough in optical fiber communications Posted: 19 Dec 2014 10:05 AM PST Researchers from the University of Southampton have revealed a breakthrough in optical fiber communications. They developed an approach that enables direct modulation of laser currents to be used to generate highly advanced modulation format signals. The research explores a radically new approach to the generation of spectrally-efficient advanced modulation format signals as required in modern optical communication systems.

Yellowstone's thermal springs: Their colors unveiled Posted: 19 Dec 2014 10:01 AM PST Researchers have created a simple mathematical model based on optical measurements that explains the stunning colors of Yellowstone National Park’s hot springs and can visually recreate how they appeared years ago, before decades of tourists contaminated the pools with make-a-wish coins and other detritus.