Tech

ANAHEIM, March 31, 2011 — Scientists today described development and successful initial tests of a spray-on material that both detects and renders harmless the genre of terrorist explosives responsible for government restrictions on liquids that can be carried onboard airliners. They reported on the new ink-like explosive detector/neutralizer at the 241st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), being held here this week.

Just in time for Mother's Day teens have spoken out on what they consider makes a good mother. The project Young Lives and Times, part of the Timescapes study and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), reveals how teens view their mums.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—Getting older doesn't mean giving up muscle strength.

Not only can adults fight the battle of strength and muscle loss that comes with age, but the Golden Years can be a time to get stronger, say experts at the University of Michigan Health System.

On April 8, 2011, the scientific community will celebrate the centennial of the discovery of superconductivity—the ability of certain materials to conduct electricity without resistance when cooled below a specific temperature. Quantum voltage standards are among the successful practical applications of superconductivity, so to mark the anniversary, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has created an online museum highlighting important accomplishments and historical images from the voltage standards program.

PITTSBURGH—Scientists led by Carnegie Mellon University chemist Krzysztof Matyjaszewski are using electricity from a battery to drive atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), a widely used method of creating industrial plastics. The environmentally friendly approach, reported in the April 1 issue of Science, represents a breakthrough in the level of control scientists can achieve over the ATRP process, which will allow for the creation of even more complex and specialized materials.

New data presented today at the International Liver CongressTM confirm the antiviral activity of fluvastatin -- commonly used as a cholesterol-lowering treatment -- in patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV).

New Haven, Conn.—Fuel cells have been touted as a cleaner solution to tomorrow's energy needs, with potential applications in everything from cars to computers.

Lignin is the durable biopolymer that gives carrots their fiber and crunch and meat grilled over a campfire its characteristic smoky flavor. Acting as the glue that holds the plant cell wall together, lignin imparts tremendous mechanical strength to the plant. Present in all land plants except mosses, lignin performs three important functions: it allows plants to grow upright as they compete for sunlight, it facilitates the upward movement of water and minerals through the plant's vascular tissue, and it protects plants from pathogens and foraging animals.

A study of newly installed, hands-free faucets at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, all equipped with the latest electronic-eye sensors to automatically detect hands and dispense preset amounts of water, shows they were more likely to be contaminated with one of the most common and hazardous bacteria in hospitals compared to old-style fixtures with separate handles for hot and cold water.

Most research studies that look at parenting focus on mothers. But fathers also exert direct, unique influences on their children, most likely because they engage with their children in different activities and have different styles of interaction than mothers—such as greater encouragement of risk taking and children's independence. Today, there is renewed attention to the role played by fathers, and there's new research on fathers and their influences on children's development.

School victimization of sexual-minority youths—those who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, for example—is well documented. This type of victimization has been linked to a variety of negative psychosocial and academic outcomes. But a number of questions about the effects of victimization on sexual-minority youths remain.

The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) will host a symposium during its Biennial Meeting that brings together researchers to consider this issue from a number of perspectives. Among the questions that will be addressed:

ANAHEIM March 30, 2011 — The next-generation battery, like next-generation TV, may be 3-D, scientists reported here today at the 241st National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). They described a new lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, already available in a prototype version, with a three-dimensional interior architecture that could be perfect for the electric cars now appearing in auto dealer showrooms.

A type of adult stem cell is now proving itself more versatile for research and therapies thanks to revolutionary 3D experiments. These cells have already shown great promise for repairing damaged bone and cartilage but until now have been fairly limited in the types of cells they can form in the laboratory.

Speaking at the UK National Stem Cell Network conference in York later today (31 March), Professor Tessa Holyoake from the University of Glasgow will discuss a brand new approach to treating chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in which a small number of cancer cells persist despite effective therapy thus preventing cure.

Stem cells in the intestine, which when they mutate can lead to bowel cancers, might also be grown into transplant tissues to combat the effects of those same cancers, the UK National Stem Cell Network (UKNSCN) annual science meeting will hear today.