Tech

How high is the sky? Scientists have a pretty good handle on that one, what with their knowledge of the troposphere, stratosphere an the other "o-spheres." Now, thanks to new work headed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), they are closing in on the other half of that age-old query: How deep is the ocean?

NASA's Terra sees Eyjafjallajokull ash plume pulled to the northeast

NASA's Terra satellite continues to provide visible and infrared imagery of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull Volcano ash plume, and the most recent imagery showed the plume being pulled in a northeasterly direction over the island nation.

Nanotech discovery at Rensselaer could lead to breakthrough in infrared satellite imaging technology

Troy, N.Y. – Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new nanotechnology-based "microlens" that uses gold to boost the strength of infrared imaging and could lead to a new generation of ultra-powerful satellite cameras and night-vision devices.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---At the scale of the very small, physics can get peculiar. A University of Michigan biomedical engineering professor has discovered a new instance of such a nanoscale phenomenon---one that could lead to faster, less expensive portable diagnostic devices and push back frontiers in building micro-mechanical and "lab on a chip" devices.

Profiles created for physicians based on the cost of the care they provide can vary widely depending upon the methods used by insurance companies to create the profiles, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

Researchers say the findings add to the concern about the accuracy of physician cost profiles that are being created by insurance companies in order to encourage patients to visit low-cost physicians.

There's currently no reliable tool to help prosthetic developers fit artificial limbs without ensuing discomfort or pain, or tell medical personnel when bed-ridden patients need to be moved to avoid bedsores and other problems.

Cover crops reduce erosion, runoff

MADISON, WI, May 18, 2010 – Cover crops may be more effective at reducing soil erosion and runoff after maize harvest than rough tillage, according to scientists from the Université Catholique de Louvain, in collaboration with the Independent Center for the Promotion of Forage (CIPF).

INDIANAPOLIS – A new Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University Center for Aging Research (IUCAR) study provides effective strategies to help hospital systems, physicians and other care providers to overcome end zone hurdles and actually take evidence-based research to the patient's hospital or clinic bedside.

The paper has been published online by the Journal of Clinical Interventions in Aging, a peer-reviewed, open access publication.

COLUMBIA, Mo. – In the current economic climate, many small businesses face difficulties when applying for loans. However, the process may vary depending on the business' previous relationships with financial institutions. In a recent study, Tansel Yilmazer, assistant professor in the MU Department of Personal Financial Planning, found that relationships between small businesses and financial institutions affect both the borrower's decision to apply for a loan when in need, and whether the institution approves the loan.

Internal organs of Nephtys hombergii marine worm imaged for first time

Scientists have for the first time successfully imaged the internal tissues of a soft bodied marine worm at high resolution using a technique borrowed from biomedical science. The findings are published in the Journal of Microscopy.

ATS 2010, NEW ORLEANS— Adult patients without health insurance admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in Pennsylvania hospitals are at a 21 percent increased risk of death compared to similar patients with private insurance, according to researchers from the University of Pennsylvania. The difference in mortality risk was not explained by patient characteristics or differences in care at the hospital level, suggesting that uninsured patients might receive poorer quality care.

The findings will be presented at the ATS 2010 International Conference in New Orleans.

Sinus surgery performed using an endoscope appears to be increasingly common for the management of chronic sinus disease among Medicare beneficiaries, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Caltech researchers find schooling fish offer new ideas for wind farming

The quest to derive energy from wind may soon be getting some help from California Institute of Technology (Caltech) fluid-dynamics expert John Dabiri—and a school of fish.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Using NASA satellite data and Google Earth, a Purdue University researcher has reported finding evidence that North Korea has been logging in what is designated as a protected United Nations forest preserve.

Guofan Shao, professor of geo-eco-informatics, studies the Mount Paekdu Biosphere Reserve, a 326,000-acre forest preserve in North Korea. Since many researchers are unable to visit North Korea, Shao studies changes in the forest using remote sensing data.

If you're debating about what impatiens to plant in your yard, a recent study at the University of Illinois suggests that you go with Cajun Carmine, that is if you want fewer insects in your garden. Why some varieties of the popular bedding plant impatiens attract more thrips than others was one of the questions graduate student Katie Yu investigated.