Redder than Blood red: Porphyrin complex used as doping agent in highly efficient infrared-light-emitting diodes

More and more, conventional inorganic semiconductor electronics are being complemented with organic components. For example, flexible displays, large illuminated displays, or flat-panel displays can be made from organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Whereas research into OLEDs has thus far focused almost exclusively on those that emit light in the visible part of the spectrum, American researchers led by Mark E. Thompson have worked on OLEDs that emit infrared light. more  

Orthodontic treatment may not help psychological health

A major 20-year study by psychologists and dentists has cast doubt on the assumption that orthodontic treatment improves psychological well-being. more

New dopamine brain target discovered

A team of Canadian researchers, lead by Dr. Susan George and Dr. Brian O'Dowd at the Centre for Addiction and Mental health (CAMH), discovered a distinct dopamine signalling complex in the brain. Composed of two different types of dopamine receptors, this novel target may have a significant role in understanding and treating schizophrenia. more  

Who laid the first egg? An update

A decade ago, Shuhai Xiao, associate professor of geosciences at Virginia Tech, and his colleagues discovered thousands of 600-million-year-old embryo microfossils in the Doushantuo Formation, a fossil site near Weng'an, South China. In 2000, Xiao's team reported the discovery of a tubular coral-like animal that might be a candidate for parenthood. more

Dental researchers test no-needle anesthesia, no-drilling cavity care  

Imagine having a decayed tooth repaired, painlessly, without drilling or shots of anesthesia to numb the area. more

Bioterrorism alerts induce anxiety and may pose health risk, Einstein study finds  

In the wake of September 11, 2001, the government and the media have periodically alerted the American people to potential threats of bioterrorism. Now, a team of researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University has found that such messages measurably raise anxiety levels, which could pose adverse health effects. more

Cells passed from mother to child during pregnancy live on and make insulin

It has been known for some years that mother and baby exchange stem cells in the course of pregnancy, and that these may live on for many years, apparently tolerated by the new host. The phenomenon is known as microchimerism, and it is still unclear as to whether the presence of such cells can be harmful to the recipient. A Bristol team has looked for maternal cells in children with type 1 diabetes, an immune-mediated disorder, and found that around 20 per cent of these children have unusually high levels of maternal DNA in their circulation. An even more surprising finding is that some maternal cells have entered the child's pancreas and are functioning there as insulin-producing beta cells. The study, initially undertaken in the belief that maternal cells might trigger autoimmunity in the child, has now taken an interesting new twist, for the maternal cells might even be helping the child to repair injury. more

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