Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Debut issue of Foot & Ankle Specialist

The debut issue of Foot & Ankle Specialist features a 3-step treatment plan for patients with diabetic foot infections, recommending tissue removal followed by comprehensive assessment and restructuring. This approach can help prevent limb loss, enabling practitioners to provide the best current diagnosis and therapy.

SourceSAGE·JournalFoot & Ankle Specialist·DateFeb 13, 2008

Using flower power to fight foot woes

Researchers have found that marigold therapy can clear or greatly reduce the number and size of plantar warts in four to six sessions, even in HIV-positive patients who are harder to treat. The therapy uses extracts from several types of marigold plants and has been used for nearly 30 years in the UK to treat various foot issues.

Does time slow in crisis?

Studies show that humans do not experience events in slow motion during crisis situations. Instead, longer durations are a result of memory distortion and increased activity in brain areas associated with fear response. This understanding is crucial for grasping how time is represented in the brain.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalPLOS ONE·DateDec 11, 2007

Expensive trainers are a waste of money

A recent study found that cheap and moderately priced running shoes provide similar cushioning impact and comfort as expensive trainers. Plantar pressure measurements showed no significant differences among the shoes, regardless of brand or price.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalBritish Journal of Sports Medicine·DateOct 10, 2007

Study: diabetic neuropathy costs billions per year in lost work time

A recent study found that workers with diabetic neuropathic symptoms lose an average of 1.4 hours per week due to health-related lost productive time, resulting in $3.65 billion annual costs. Those with diabetes without symptoms still experience a higher likelihood of unemployment compared to their non-diabetic counterparts.

SourceGeisinger Health System·JournalJournal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine·DateOct 5, 2007

New dynamic brace developed to advance clubfoot treatment

A new dynamic brace, designed by Matthew B. Dobbs, has shown to be at least as effective as traditional braces in treating clubfoot, while resulting in better parental compliance. The brace allows for active movement, preserves muscle strength, and is less restrictive than traditional braces.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalJournal of Pediatric Orthopaedics·DateJun 28, 2007

March of the giant penguins

Two newly discovered species of giant prehistoric penguins lived in equatorial Peru during the Eocene epoch, contradicting previous hypotheses on penguin evolution and climate change. The species, Icadyptes salasi and Perudyptes devriesi, stood up to 5 feet tall and had unique beak features.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 25, 2007

Why a Rocky Mountain high?

A University of Utah study reveals that temperature differences within Earth's crust and upper mantle explain about half of North America's elevation. Coastal cities, including New York City and Boston, would be underwater if not for the buoyant effect of heat on rock, with elevations ranging from 1,427 to 3,756 feet below sea level.

Researchers demonstrate way to control tree height

Researchers at Oregon State University have successfully manipulated the growth in height of trees using genetic modification, creating miniature trees that can range from a few inches to over 50 feet tall. The findings offer potential for new products in the ornamental and nursery industries, but regulatory hurdles must be overcome.

Maggots rid patients of MRSA

Researchers at the University of Manchester have successfully treated diabetic patients with MRSA-contaminated foot ulcers using green bottle fly larvae. The study found that all but one patient were cured within three weeks, significantly shorter than conventional treatment.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalDiabetes Care·DateMay 3, 2007

How to look at dinosaur tracks

Researchers provide a guide for geologists to account for various factors, including erosion types and surface conditions, when examining dinosaur tracks. They describe different levels of preservation, such as true tracks and undertracks, which reveal the squishing and displacement of sand when dinosaurs took steps.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalThe Journal of Geology·DateApr 30, 2007

Tracking sperm whales and jumbo squid

Researchers successfully tag sperm whales and jumbo squid swimming together, providing new insights into the diving behavior of both species. The study, published in Marine Ecology Progress Series, raises questions about the feeding habits and hunting strategies of sperm whales and their prey.

SourceStanford University·JournalMarine Ecology Progress Series·DateMar 8, 2007

Yellowstone's quiet power

A new study reveals that Yellowstone's volcanic hotspot is much more active than previously believed, exerting powerful forces on the surrounding terrain even between eruptions. The hotspot's effects are evident in the deformation of Earth's crust, with the Yellowstone caldera rising at an unprecedented rate.

New sucker-footed bat discovered in Madagascar

Scientists have discovered a new species of bat, Myzopoda schliemanni, in Madagascar with large flat adhesive organs on its thumbs and hind feet. The new species is found only in the dry western forests of Madagascar, and research suggests it has adapted well to degraded environments.

SourceField Museum·JournalMammalian Biology·DateJan 5, 2007

Beetle feet stick to their promises

Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Metals Research develop adhesive material mimicking beetle feet's microhairs for improved adhesion. The material exhibits excellent performance, lasting hundreds of applications and showing benefits such as no visible marks or need for cleaning.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·DateNov 3, 2006

Geological feature key to finding, protecting tombs

Researchers have identified a connection between fracture traces and rock-cut tombs in Egyptian valleys, which may aid in locating and protecting previously undiscovered tombs. The discovery also offers insights into preserving the tombs from water damage, ensuring their preservation for future generations.