Handwritten orders for opioids contributes heavily to a trio of prescribing and processing errors in contrast to those created electronically, researchers have concluded at the end of a small study of opioid prescriptions filled at an outpatient pharmacy.

Researchers have collaborated to employ a novel nanoscale fibrous system that can measure the tiny forces exerted by and upon individual cells with extreme precision. The team hopes that this platform, which investigators call nanonet force microscopy (NFM), will provide new knowledge about smooth muscle cell biology that could have implications for treating cardiovascular disease, which is still a leading cause of death in the United States.

A new unique biosynthetic pathway for D-Glutamate has been discovered, an important cell wall component in pathogenic bacteria, which could lead to the development of medicines and agricultural chemicals.

Chunks of sediment from the ocean floor are being used by scientists to analyze animal life and determine environmental impact from offshore energy facilities.

Why do some people prefer stable, predictable lives while others prefer frequent changes? Why do some people make rational decisions and others, impulsive and reckless ones? Behavioral neuroscientists have identified changes in two brain regions that may hold answers to these questions.

Ugandan bananas high in pro-vitamin A have been developed by researchers. Cooking bananas are the staple food in rural Uganda, and yet worldwide, 650,000-750,000 children die from vitamin A deficiency. Thanks to this new study, Ugandan farmers will be growing pro-vitamin A rich bananas in 2021.

Due to magnetism, iron should -- theoretically -- be a poor superconductor. Nevertheless certain iron based materials possess fine superconducting properties. Why? Because the five unbound electrons found in iron -- as a result of individual modes of operation, it turns out -- facilitate superconductivity.

The invention of the EPICUP epigenetic test and its impact in the clinical management of Cancer of Unknown Primary is discussed in a new article.

The potential benefits of a new nurse-led intervention in supporting carers to manage pain medication in people with terminal cancer have been revealed in a new article.

Well-being in later life is largely dependent on psychosocial factors. Physical impairments tend to play a secondary role, as scientists have discovered.

A strong link between childhood obesity and hip diseases in childhood has been revealed by a new research study.

Vaccines to combat a virus that can lead to fatal lung infections are urgently needed to help prevent child deaths worldwide, research suggests. Experts report that more than 115,000 children under five are dying each year from complications associated with the infection, called Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Around three million are admitted to hospital each year with the virus, which causes breathing difficulties and wheezing.

A personalized diet approach could lead to greater weight loss and maintenance success, report researchers. Their study identifies fasting blood sugar and/or fasting insulin as new biomarkers for weight loss in people with prediabetes or diabetes.

Spilt crude oil has repeatedly polluted and even destroyed marine ecosystems. An effective measure would be to remove spilt oil slicks by absorption into a separable solid phase. As scientists now report, congelation of the oil to a rigid gel within impregnated cellulose and scooping the particles out is possible.

Hypnosis can help people stop smoking, sleep better and even undergo dental treatment without pain. But what exactly is hypnosis and what precisely happens in the brain of a hypnotised person? These questions are currently being studied by psychologists. The aim is to find comprehensive scientific answers to the questions.