USA Archives

X-ray histotomography: Characterising every cell of a whole organism

Written by

Histology is a powerful technique to study thin slices of tissue samples.

Histology is a powerful technique used to distinguish normal and abnormal cells and tissue. In practice, only a small sampling of thin, 2-dimensional slices is readily available for diagnosis. In contrast, micro-CT allows full-volume, 3-dimensional (3D) imaging of biological samples. By optimising micro-CT, a multidisciplinary team led by Dr Keith Cheng from Pennsylvania State University created X-ray histotomography, a technique […]

Weighing weightless photons for laser-based manufacturing

Written by

Laser beam machining has become a routine part of many industries.

It may be hard to believe that a beam of light can melt steel, but that is exactly what happens during laser beam machining. Using lasers for processing has become increasingly common but knowing exactly how much energy and heating occurs during these processes is a challenging task. This is why colleagues Dr John Lehman and Dr Paul Williams at […]

Relieving heat stress in dairy cattle

Written by

Dr Stone found that cows with access to sprinklers were less affected by heat stress.

Dairy cattle in warm climates are at risk of heat stress, which can adversely affect both their welfare and milk production. To investigate the effects of heat stress on cattle, Dr Amanda Stone of Mississippi State University, USA, uses Precision Dairy Monitoring Technologies. Some of these technologies allow for continuous monitoring of the body temperature of cattle. Recently, Dr Stone’s […]

Beyond Alchemy: Robert Boyle’s Mechanical Philosophy

Written by

Dr Marina Paola Banchetti-Robino is a researcher at Florida Atlantic University. In her book, The Chemical Philosophy of Robert Boyle: Mechanism, Chymical Atoms, and Emergence, she offers a detailed account of the mechanistic theory of matter advanced by Robert Boyle. She explains the ways in which Boyle departed from his predecessors to create a more complex and complete chemical philosophy […]

Improving the iron delivery from staple food crops and food products

Written by

Dr Raymond Glahn, US Department of Agriculture and Cornell University, has pioneered several techniques to assess how much iron (Fe) is bioavailable from foods, meals and the overall diet. Such techniques are essential to identify and optimise dietary sources of Fe and alleviate iron deficiency, one of the leading global nutritional deficiencies. Staple food crops are a focus of this […]

The bees are back in town: Pollinators in an urban ecosystem

Written by

The growing urbanisation of the landscape poses a major threat to insect pollinators. The reduction in number of these insects, especially bee species, could have a severe impact on agricultural production as many of the crops that we rely on could not produce seeds without pollination. Working with the Volusia Sandhill Pollinator Project, Professors Cindy Bennington and Peter May investigate […]

Headaches and neck pain: The impact of cervical anatomy

Written by

Headaches can be caused by a dysfunction in the neck. There appears to be a relationship between the movement or position of the spine and the intensity of headaches. Dr Rob Sillevis, from Florida Gulf Coast University, explored the anatomical relationship between a variety of structures in the upper cervical spine and the spinal cord. His observations could help understand how […]

ThreatSCOPE: Addressing software vulnerability in embedded systems

Written by

The team at cyber-security firm BlueRISC Inc., is led by Dr Csaba Andras Moritz, Founder and Chairman of BlueRISC Inc. and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. They have developed ThreatSCOPE, a system assurance tool that analyses and mitigates software vulnerabilities and cyber threats in embedded systems. ThreatSCOPE uses BlueRISC’s patented ImmuneSoft technology to […]

Seizing control over quantum systems through measurement

Written by

Thanks to the deep complexities of quantum mechanics, physicists have so far faced serious difficulties in establishing control over quantum systems. In his research, Dr Arjendu Pattanayak at Carleton College in Minnesota demonstrates that the dynamics of vibrating quantum systems can be altered by adjusting the settings of the lasers used to measure them. His team’s results could lead to […]

How real-world experience shapes clinical practice: Following one antibiotic’s journey over time

Written by

While clinical trials are vital in getting drugs to market, these tightly-controlled studies are unable to address the diverse needs of many patients in the real world. Real-world experience research can bridge the gap between clinical trials and clinical practice. Recently, Dr Mark Redell of Melinta Therapeutics, USA, introduced a collection of research experiences on the real-world use of the […]