Health Care 

Risk of marijuana's 'gateway effect' overblown, new research shows - New research shows that the "gateway effect" of marijuana -- that teenagers who use marijuana are more likely to move on to harder illicit drugs as young adults -- may be overblown. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EDT

Ancient brew masters tapped antibiotic secrets - A chemical analysis of the bones of ancient Nubians shows that they were regularly consuming tetracycline, most likely in their beer. The finding is the strongest evidence yet that the art of making antibiotics, which officially dates to the discovery of penicillin in 1928, was common practice nearly 2,000 years ago. The study finds that it's likely this prehistoric population was using empirical evidence to develop therapeutic agents. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EDT

Mineral physicists find new scenery at Earth's core-mantle boundary - Using a diamond-anvil cell to recreate the high pressures deep within the earth, researchers have found unusual properties in an iron-rich magnesium- and iron-oxide mineral that may explain the existence of several ultra-low velocity zones at the core--mantle boundary. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EDT

Success stops drug trial: Apixaban prevents stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation who are unsuitable for warfarin - The data monitoring committee of the AVERROES study, seeing overwhelming evidence of the success of apixaban in the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation who are unsuitable for the conventional treatment of warfarin, has recommended early termination of this study. The decision came after repeated review and careful consideration of all efficacy and safety data. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EDT

New evidence that fat cells are not just dormant storage depots for calories - Scientists are reporting new evidence that the fat tissue in those lower belly pooches -- far from being a dormant storage depot for surplus calories -- is an active organ that sends chemical signals to other parts of the body, perhaps increasing the risk of heart attacks, cancer, and other diseases. They are reporting discovery of 20 new hormones and other substances not previously known to be secreted into the blood by human fat cells and verification that fat secretes dozens of hormones and other chemical messengers. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EDT

Computer scientists leverage dark silicon to improve smartphone battery life - A new smartphone chip prototype under development will improve smartphone efficiency by making use of "dark silicon" -- the underused transistors in modern microprocessors. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EDT