Alcohol plus energy drink only masks drunkenness
People who combine energy drinks with their alcohol may feel more sober than they truly are, a new study suggests.
In experiments with young male volunteers, Brazilian researchers found that the men were no less impaired when they drank a mix of alcohol and the energy drink Red Bull than when they downed a standard mixed drink.
Prescription Sleep Aids Not Always Best for Insomniacs
Studies show that many Americans are struggling to get a good night’s sleep, and an increasing number of those people are turning to fast-acting prescription sleep aids.
Seeing a doctor for an instant insomnia “cure,” however, shouldn’t be the first course of action, says a Purdue University expert.
“When new products come out on the market, doctors tend to rely upon them because samples are readily available and doctors are short on time,” says Gail Newton, an associate professor of pharmacy practice in Purdue’s School of Pharmacy.
Cystic Fibrosis Research May Benefit from New Sensing Tool
Researchers are using an innovative, multi-functional sensing tool to investigate adenosine triposphate (ATP) release and its role in cystic fibrosis. The ATP study marks the first application of a novel sensing system developed by a research team led by Christine Kranz at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
This patented technology adds recessed micro- and nano-electrodes to the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM), creating a single tool that can simultaneously monitor topography along with electrochemical activity at the cell surface.
Clinton urges investment in disaster early warning
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton urged the world on Monday to invest in early warning systems to prevent the massive death and destruction seen in recent earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters.
“Hazards are not disasters by definition. Hazards only become disasters when lives and livelihoods are swept away,” Clinton said in a statement before the start of the International Early Warning Conference in Bonn on Monday.
Scientists seek biotech answer to hunger
As he pores over plant tissue and Petri dishes in a biotech seed lab in Johnston, Iowa, Luke Mehlo is half a world away from his home in South Africa.
Although the corn fields of Iowa bear little resemblance to the arid plains of Africa, the research center where Mehlo toils has become home to a unique joint venture that is merging African agricultural interests with U.S. money and technology.
The goal is to turn sorghum—a common U.S. row crop used in animal feed, cereals and industrial products—into a plant that can not only weather devastating drought but also yield a rich blend of vitamins and minerals. Researchers believe such a combination could help combat the hunger and malnutrition ravaging parts of Africa.
New glucose-monitoring system approved in US
DexCom Inc. on Monday announced that U.S. regulators approved its glucose-monitoring system designed to diabetics manage their blood-sugar levels.
DexCom said its STS Continuous Glucose Monitoring System consists of a tiny wire-like sensor that is inserted by the patient just under the skin.
