These are the latest science news links and snippets from Sciencebase:
- Diabetics drop the needle – A new device based on Raman spectroscopy has been developed by scientists at MIT to help patients with diabetes monitor their blood glucose levels without needing to prick their fingers to take a blood sample.
- Pocket spotted – Researchers have identified a new class of chemicals that bind to a previously unknown allosteric pocket-a pocket outside the enzyme active site-and inhibit the enzyme FPPS. The work could have implications for new treatments of bone diseases, Paget's disease and tumour-induced bone degradation.
- Infrared watermarks – Water molecules continuously form short-lived clusters that can be rapidly protonated in the liquid state. Now, computer simulations revealed how protonated water clusters interact with nearby messenger molecules, which are required to measure their geometrical structures and the chemical properties by IR spectroscopy.
- Dollar signs and the brain – Functional magnetic resonance imaging has revealed a region of the brain about two inches above the left eyebrow that lights up whenever a person anticipating a reward for a task performed successfully is shown a dollar sign. The response is linked to dopamine release in response to pre-determined cues of which a symbol for money is one.
- Top ten writing tips for scientists – If you’re more at home with numbers than words, writing can be a difficult prospect. Learning a few simple techniques can make all the difference, according to Sciencebase guest contributor Rob Ashton.
- Dental care without toothpaste – Hmmm…they're apparently still testing this toothpaste-free toothbrush, but the blurb says: "The Soladey-J3DX toothbrush is powered by natural sunlight and brings teeth brushing to a new technological plateau. It does away with toothpaste because the embedded solar panel in the centre of the toothbrush can transmit electrons which react with the acid in the saliva to fight plague and bacteria." Like I said. Hmmm…