A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that some patients thought to be in a vegetative state were able to answer simple questions.
Researchers studied 23 patients in a vegetative state and 31 minimally conscious patients by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as the patients were asked questions. The fMRI scans showed that the brains of some of the patients responded when researchers asked the patients simple questions.
Patients who
responded to the questions suffered traumatic brain injuries. Researchers did not find any responses from patients who had oxygen deprived from their brains.
The implications of this research are astounding. Could doctors and loved ones eventually communicate with patients in vegetative states? Would doctors be able to find out what a vegetative state is like? Will this research eventually lead to better treatment for patients? The list of questions goes on.
More research will need to be done, though, before anyone can even begin to answer some of those questions. But the mere fact that answers seem possible now brings hope.
A few years ago, Japan justified the continued hunting of
Antarctic minke whales with a hypothesis.
They said the population decline of larger whale species from hunting led to an explosion of the population of minke whales. This explosion resulted in less food for the larger species, preventing their populations from rebounding.
To restore the populations, they said it was necessary to hunt minke whales.
However, their hypothesis was recently discredited in an article that appeared in Molecular Ecology.
A group of researchers studied the genetic makeup of the current Antarctic minke whale population and determined that the number of minke whales today is not much different than the number of minke whales before the larger species were hunted. Thus, hunting minke whales could not restore the other whale populations.
They said the population decline of larger whale species from hunting led to an explosion of the population of minke whales. This explosion resulted in less food for the larger species, preventing their populations from rebounding.
To restore the populations, they said it was necessary to hunt minke whales.
However, their hypothesis was recently discredited in an article that appeared in Molecular Ecology.
A group of researchers studied the genetic makeup of the current Antarctic minke whale population and determined that the number of minke whales today is not much different than the number of minke whales before the larger species were hunted. Thus, hunting minke whales could not restore the other whale populations.
The earthquake was centered 10 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital, at the shallow depth of 6.2 miles, according to the United States Geological Survey.
In recent years, Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, has been hammered by violence and strong storms.
The quake was reportedly felt in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, which shares a border with Haiti on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
The images that have surfaced of the quake's devastation in Port-au-Prince are the best way to understand its impact. CBS NewsOnline recently posted a video of the quake's aftermath. WARNING: It is graphic.
Well, the next time you do, you might want to wear goggles.
After three weeks of suffering from a red, light-sensitive right eye, an English man was referred to the ophthalmologists at a hospital in Leeds, England.
According to their case report, they found small, hair-like projections in his cornea. Some of the projections had even made their way to the innermost layer of the eye.
Just before his eye became inflamed, the man remembered an incident with his pet Chilean Rose tarantula. While cleaning the tarantula's terrarium, the spider sprayed the man's face with "a mist of hairs."
Some species of tarantula, the Chilean Rose included, rub their hind legs against their abdomen, releasing tiny barbed hairs as a defense mechanism.
As a result, the ophthalmologists suggest that people who handle tarantulas frequently should invest in some eye protection.
So, the next time you encounter a tarantula, make sure you cover your eyes. Well, at least if you plan on getting it mad.
After three weeks of suffering from a red, light-sensitive right eye, an English man was referred to the ophthalmologists at a hospital in Leeds, England.
According to their case report, they found small, hair-like projections in his cornea. Some of the projections had even made their way to the innermost layer of the eye.
Just before his eye became inflamed, the man remembered an incident with his pet Chilean Rose tarantula. While cleaning the tarantula's terrarium, the spider sprayed the man's face with "a mist of hairs."
Some species of tarantula, the Chilean Rose included, rub their hind legs against their abdomen, releasing tiny barbed hairs as a defense mechanism.
As a result, the ophthalmologists suggest that people who handle tarantulas frequently should invest in some eye protection.
So, the next time you encounter a tarantula, make sure you cover your eyes. Well, at least if you plan on getting it mad.
If you thought living to 100 was a long time, try living to
13,000.
Scientists from the University of California, Davis and the University of California, Riverside have identified a 13,000 year old plant in Riverside County's Jurupa Hills.
The Palmer's oak shrub, which measures 75 feet wide, may be the oldest plant in California, said researchers in the online publication PLoS One. But it's not the oldest plant in the U.S. A quaking aspen in Utah may be 80,000 years old.
Researchers said the Riverside County plant took root at its current place toward the end of the Pleistocene era, when much of the world was covered with ice.
They determined the approximate age of the plant by counting growth rings in the different sections of the plant to determine its annual rate of growth.
Scientists from the University of California, Davis and the University of California, Riverside have identified a 13,000 year old plant in Riverside County's Jurupa Hills.
The Palmer's oak shrub, which measures 75 feet wide, may be the oldest plant in California, said researchers in the online publication PLoS One. But it's not the oldest plant in the U.S. A quaking aspen in Utah may be 80,000 years old.
Researchers said the Riverside County plant took root at its current place toward the end of the Pleistocene era, when much of the world was covered with ice.
They determined the approximate age of the plant by counting growth rings in the different sections of the plant to determine its annual rate of growth.
Can't put down that box of chocolate chip cookies?
Well, don't fear. New findings in the Journal of Consumer Research may be able to tell you why.
The findings from four studies suggest that resisting that box may depend on your long term goals or diet. It was found that dieting women saw cookies as more threatening and thus believed they had more calories.
One of the other studies looked at a group of college students, finding that the students with higher grades perceived parties in terms of length and the amount of time the parties would take away from studying.
So, next time I find myself gorging on chocolate chip cookies I know that it is because I have not set a goal to avoid them.
Well, don't fear. New findings in the Journal of Consumer Research may be able to tell you why.
The findings from four studies suggest that resisting that box may depend on your long term goals or diet. It was found that dieting women saw cookies as more threatening and thus believed they had more calories.
One of the other studies looked at a group of college students, finding that the students with higher grades perceived parties in terms of length and the amount of time the parties would take away from studying.
So, next time I find myself gorging on chocolate chip cookies I know that it is because I have not set a goal to avoid them.
Teams of researchers across the globe are racing to make
things disappear. An article
in Science News details Ulf Leonhardt's rise to prominence in the field of
cloaking.
In cloaking, scientists develop devices to conceal objects, making them invisible. Cloaking devices work by moving light and electromagnetic waves away from the objects.
Leonhardt, chair of theoretical physics at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, has been working in the field for years. But his research had been largely dismissed until Science published one of his papers in 2006. In the same issue, a paper by John Pendry was published.
Pendry, a professor of theoretical physics at Imperial College London, had been conducting similar research at the same time as Leonhardt.
In cloaking, scientists develop devices to conceal objects, making them invisible. Cloaking devices work by moving light and electromagnetic waves away from the objects.
Leonhardt, chair of theoretical physics at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, has been working in the field for years. But his research had been largely dismissed until Science published one of his papers in 2006. In the same issue, a paper by John Pendry was published.
Pendry, a professor of theoretical physics at Imperial College London, had been conducting similar research at the same time as Leonhardt.
Continue reading Battling for Invisibility.
Solar power is becoming part of the curriculum in the Irvine Unified School District and if students want to see a real-world application of the technology, all they have to do is walk outside the classroom.
That's because the school district's Board of Education voted unanimously on Nov. 17 to establish solar energy at each of the 21 locations. The agreement with SunEdison and SPG Solar is significant in that the cost of the energy will be discounted and offered at a "predictable" rate, according to the district. SunEdison is the same company responsible for the solar energy at California State University, Chico, while SPG Solar has brought solar energy to an elementary school in Marin County as well as to the 15 schools part of the Pleasanton Unified School District.
USGS Researcher David Mech with Brutus. Photo Courtesy of USGS.
On Ellesmere Island, a nearly 76-thousand square mile island in the Canadian Arctic Archepelago, researchers only have a few months (June and July) out of the year to study Arctic wolves. Snow, frigid temperatures, and 24-hour darkness make it nearly impossible for researchers to visit the island any other time of the year, leaving what these wolves do to survive in the winter months a mystery.
David Mech, a United States Geological Survey researcher, and Dean Cluff, a Canadian researcher, put a satellite collar on Brutus, a 9-year-old Arctic wolf. Brutus' collar logs two positions a day, and then sends that information every four days via satellite to Mech's and Cluff's computers.
The information collected so far has helped some of the questions Mech and Cluff had about these wolves. Next summer, Mech and Cluff plan on returning to Ellesmere with a portable GPS system to visit the locations sent to them from the satellite.
In the meantime, you can visit their blog to follow Brutus during his winter travels.
A
Los Angeles Times article said Federal stimulus money has not created the
boost many people had hoped for green jobs.
Since being signed into law in February, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has created or saved 110,000 jobs in California. However, the article said not many of those jobs are in renewable energy or green technology.
Millions of dollars in stimulus money has been granted to green companies in California. But much of the money has gone to research, creating few jobs.
The article said some companies have been denied funds for factory overhauls while at the same time being granted funds for research.
The outlook for green jobs is not completely bleak, though. Funds may trickle down in 2010 when approved projects are implemented, said the article.
Investing in research now also may help create jobs in the future.
Since being signed into law in February, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has created or saved 110,000 jobs in California. However, the article said not many of those jobs are in renewable energy or green technology.
Millions of dollars in stimulus money has been granted to green companies in California. But much of the money has gone to research, creating few jobs.
The article said some companies have been denied funds for factory overhauls while at the same time being granted funds for research.
The outlook for green jobs is not completely bleak, though. Funds may trickle down in 2010 when approved projects are implemented, said the article.
Investing in research now also may help create jobs in the future.
Just days after the guidelines for mammograms was changed the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced that changes
would be made to the guidelines for Pap tests.
Under the new guidelines, women will need to get Pap tests, unpleasant screenings for cervical cancer, less frequently.
The biggest change recommends that women should get their first screening at 21 as opposed to the previous guideline of 18. In addition, women between 21 and 29 will only need to be screened every two years.
An article in the Los Angeles Times suggests both the mammogram and the Pap smear recommendations may lead some people to believe that the healthcare industry is trying to save money.
In the article, the American Cancer Society's director of screening said that that is not the case. The new guidelines are based on a better understanding of how cervical cancer works.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists will release the revised guidelines in more detail in the December issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Under the new guidelines, women will need to get Pap tests, unpleasant screenings for cervical cancer, less frequently.
The biggest change recommends that women should get their first screening at 21 as opposed to the previous guideline of 18. In addition, women between 21 and 29 will only need to be screened every two years.
An article in the Los Angeles Times suggests both the mammogram and the Pap smear recommendations may lead some people to believe that the healthcare industry is trying to save money.
In the article, the American Cancer Society's director of screening said that that is not the case. The new guidelines are based on a better understanding of how cervical cancer works.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists will release the revised guidelines in more detail in the December issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
California has added another item to its list of what it
regulates. Big-screen televisions became the target of new legislation that will require manufacturers to comply with strict energy efficiency standards.
The Los Angeles Times said the regulations are similar to those for other household appliances like refrigerators and washing machines. All TVs up to 58 inches will have to meet energy guidelines by January 1, 2011.
The California Energy Commission approved the legislation Wednesday in 5-0 vote. Commission members said the new rules would help reduce both energy consumption and bills.
If you currently have a big-screen TV, there is no need to worry, though. Television sets now in use will not need to meet the legislation's guidelines.
The Los Angeles Times said the regulations are similar to those for other household appliances like refrigerators and washing machines. All TVs up to 58 inches will have to meet energy guidelines by January 1, 2011.
The California Energy Commission approved the legislation Wednesday in 5-0 vote. Commission members said the new rules would help reduce both energy consumption and bills.
If you currently have a big-screen TV, there is no need to worry, though. Television sets now in use will not need to meet the legislation's guidelines.
Oncologists and gynecologists reacted strongly Monday to a government announcement.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued guidelines that suggested women should start getting mammograms at 50 instead of 40. They said women between the ages of 40 and 50 have a low risk of getting breast cancer, and the side effects that can accompany a false positive are not worth it.
It is no surprise that oncologists and gynecologists disagree, stating that a quarter or all breast cancer diagnoses are for women in their 40s.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued guidelines that suggested women should start getting mammograms at 50 instead of 40. They said women between the ages of 40 and 50 have a low risk of getting breast cancer, and the side effects that can accompany a false positive are not worth it.
It is no surprise that oncologists and gynecologists disagree, stating that a quarter or all breast cancer diagnoses are for women in their 40s.
Researchers
from the University of California, Davis have linked past warming and cooling
trends in the Arctic to drier and wetter weather in California. By examining
stalagmites, mineral formations that form in caves from the ground up, in
Moaning Cavern of the Sierra Nevada, they found corresponding increases and
decreases in mineral concentrations.
Stalagmite mineral concentrations show drought conditions in California 15,000 years ago. This drought coincides with a warming period in the Arctic after the first ice age. An Arctic-cooling trend 13,000 years ago occurred around the same time as a wet period in California.
This link suggests that current warming in the Arctic could result in much drier conditions in California. The researchers do not know exactly why climate change in the Arctic affects California weather. But they do suggest that the jet stream, atmospheric winds that impact climate, may have something to do with it.
Stalagmite mineral concentrations show drought conditions in California 15,000 years ago. This drought coincides with a warming period in the Arctic after the first ice age. An Arctic-cooling trend 13,000 years ago occurred around the same time as a wet period in California.
This link suggests that current warming in the Arctic could result in much drier conditions in California. The researchers do not know exactly why climate change in the Arctic affects California weather. But they do suggest that the jet stream, atmospheric winds that impact climate, may have something to do with it.
Warning: If you click on this link, be prepared to see some of the most interesting arachnids from around the world. Wired Science put together a list and pictures of award worthy spiders. You'll find photos of nearly every type of spider from the smallest to the deadliest.
Want more spiders? Check out this piece Kim Nowacki did for NeonTommy a few weeks ago.
Want more spiders? Check out this piece Kim Nowacki did for NeonTommy a few weeks ago.
At least one more item can
be added to the long list of reasons to avoid cigarettes.
A researcher
at Catholic University of Cordoba in Argentina said tobacco smoke was linked to
an increase in uncontrolled asthma. Carlos Baena-Cagnani also said smoke can
decrease a person's response to asthma medication as well as decrease the
effectiveness of a person's immune system.
Baena-Cagnani presented his
findings at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and
Immunology.
Continue reading Asthma, Allergies, and Tobacco Smoke.
EnergyTomorrow http://www.flickr.com/photos/energytomorrow/3460489128/.
California opened the largest landfill gas to liquefied natural gas facility in the world this week in Altamont, which is in Northern California. At the facility, gas is collected from the natural decomposition of organic landfill waste. This process isn't inexpensive: funding for the facility came in part from a $600,000 grant from the California Air Resources Board and $740,000 from the California Integrated Waste Management Board.
State officials expect the facility to produce as much as 13,000 gallons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) a day. If all goes according to plan, California could reduce greenhouse gases by an estimated 30,000 tons per year.
Continue reading From Trash to Gas: New LNG Plant Opens in Altamont, Calif..
The Walt Disney Company announced Tuesday that it will invest $7 million in forest conservation projects in the Amazon, the Congo and the United States.
Disney plans to partner with Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy and the Conservation Fund to facilitate projects.
These projects will implement various conservation methods, including the prevention of deforestation, reforestation, and better forest land management.
This is just one part of Disney's recent efforts to go green and decrease its carbon emissions.
In March of this year, the company released a corporate responsibility report that outlined its plan to cut its carbon emissions in half by 2012.
Just months before the release of its report, Disney began using recycled cooking oil to power its Disneyland Railroad trains. A move that the company projects will save 200,000 gallons of petroleum diesel per year.
Disney plans to partner with Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy and the Conservation Fund to facilitate projects.
These projects will implement various conservation methods, including the prevention of deforestation, reforestation, and better forest land management.
This is just one part of Disney's recent efforts to go green and decrease its carbon emissions.
In March of this year, the company released a corporate responsibility report that outlined its plan to cut its carbon emissions in half by 2012.
Just months before the release of its report, Disney began using recycled cooking oil to power its Disneyland Railroad trains. A move that the company projects will save 200,000 gallons of petroleum diesel per year.