A new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that prohibiting smoking in restaurants had no adverse economic effect on the industry. The research analyzed data from counties with strict smoking ordinances and compared it to similar counties without such laws, revealing no significant changes in restaurant sales.
A UNC-CH study reveals that premature infants are resuscitated primarily based on parents' preferences and medical uncertainty, rather than solely on the prognosis of survival. The study found that resuscitation generally postpones death by only a few days but does not contribute substantially to over-treatment.
Scientists have discovered two new variants of the APC gene associated with an increased risk of bowel cancer. These variants, found in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may be more common than previously thought and increase susceptibility to pre-cancerous polyps.
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute created a 2D system to study fire propagation, revealing that flame dynamics follow simple laws governing penetration of liquids into porous materials. This breakthrough provides a low-cost alternative to studying fire in space and could aid in detecting slow-moving flames in aircraft.
Researchers at Rice University have developed metal nanoshells, particles that can absorb or scatter light at virtually any wavelength, enabling new applications in energy-efficient paints and windows, solar collection materials, and chemical sensors. The team has also shown promise in extending their range to the far infrared.
A research team led by Prof. Yitzhak Maron has developed a method to definitively determine how electricity flows through hot and dense plasmas. By measuring the electric current and its distribution in the plasma, scientists can gain crucial information on how to condense plasma more effectively for controlled fusion.
Researchers at Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory have concluded that atmospheric holes in satellite imagery are caused by instrument noise, not small comets. The study analyzes raw data from the Polar spacecraft and shows that dark pixel clusters are consistent with instrumental noise.
A Northwestern University study found that women with sexually transmitted diseases or elevated progesterone levels are more susceptible to HIV infection after unprotected sex with an HIV-positive partner. The research suggests that blocking chemokine receptors in genital tissues could be a key strategy for preventing male-to-female HI...