Objectively Measuring Pain

Researchers have developed a new test to objectively measure pain and test medications. The old test involves looking at how fast an animal withdraws its paw when it's poked. This electroencephalography-based test shows that at low doses animals would behave as if the pain was less when it actually wasn't. This means that it would appear that the medication was actually working at the low dose when, in fact, it wasn't. The new test could improve patient pain assessments and reduce the over-prescription of opioids, the researchers say.

Five-minute neck scan can spot dementia

Imagine determining the risk of dementia with a simple ultrasound scan to the neck. It can detect how will the carotid artery is cushioning the pulses from the heart. When cushioning is lost, the pulse begin to damage the brain's vascular system.

Graphene takes a step towards renewable fuel

Researchers are working to develop a method to convert water and carbon dioxide to the renewable energy of the future, using the energy from the sun and graphene applied to the surface of cubic silicon carbide. They have now taken an important step towards this goal, and developed a method that makes it possible to produce graphene with several layers in a tightly controlled process.