One thing that prevents cost-effective uptake of large-scale alternative energy, like solar and wind energy, is a lack of storage solutions. On the small scale, it is only an annoyance that battery technology has not really advanced in decades.

One thing that may help on the small scale is understanding how existing disposable Lithium batteries degrade during normal use, following on a study showing how they fail at high heat. The study follows calls from investigators in August 2015 for a safety review of all lithium battery-powered equipment on planes after a fire on board a grounded Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Heathrow Airport in 2013.

New analysis examines the possibility of using in vitro gametogenesis (IVG) for human reproduction. IVG derives gametes from induced pluripotent stem cells (capable of giving rise to several different cell types) or human embryonic stem cells.

It's not ready for human procreation but it's a good idea to start discussing the implications in case it ever is, according to a study in the Journal of Law and the Biosciences.

When used properly, car seats can reduce the risk of infant death and injury by 71% but a new study in The Journal of Pediatrics found that most families with newborns made at least one serious error in the use and installation of their car safety seat. In 2013, car accidents resulted in approximately 8,500 infants requiring hospitalization or emergency department visits and 135 deaths.  

Scientists led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have developed a new type of synthetic bone graft that boosts the body's own ability to regenerate bone tissue and could produce better outcomes for patients.

The research, which is published in the Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine today (Friday 18 December) found that the new type of graft called Inductigraft was able to guide bone tissue regeneration in as little as four weeks.

Researchers from QMUL's School of Engineering and Materials Science (SEMS) manipulated the pore structure of the graft to mimic natural bone tissue.

Philadelphia, PA, Dec. 14, 2015 - Vitamin D plays a crucial role in ensuring appropriate bone density. Active individuals who enjoy participating in higher impact activities may need to maintain higher vitamin D levels to reduce their risk of stress fractures, report investigators in The Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery.

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Nearly 66 percent of all adverse events experienced by nursing home residents, such as falls, delirium and hallucinations, could be prevented, in part, by monitoring medication more closely. In nursing homes, both registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) perform medication reconciliation, a safety practice during which health care professionals review patients' medications to reduce the likelihood of preventable adverse drug events. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found that RNs are more likely than LPNs to identify high-risk medication discrepancies, suggesting RNs are better equipped to assess and identify medication errors that could pose risks to residents' safety.

From diabetes to dementia, from depression to AIDS, large segments of the UK's population are living with conditions that cannot be cured, but must be managed outside of the hospital environment. How technology could transform the future of healthcare will be discussed by Professor Ian Craddock from the University of Bristol at the IEEE World Forum on the Internet of Things (WF-IoT) in Milan, Italy.

Professor Ian Craddock, Director of SPHERE based in the Faculty of Engineering and Managing Director of Toshiba's Telecommunications Research Laboratory, has been invited to give a keynote talk tomorrow [Tuesday 15 December] about how the Internet of Things will transform health.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Parents of teens may struggle letting go of the reins when it comes to their children's health checkups, a new national poll suggests.

Just 34 percent of parents say their teen discussed health concerns privately with a doctor without them in the room, and less than 10 percent say their teens can complete their health history form independently.

Today's report from the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at the University of Michigan includes a nationally-representative group of parents of teens ages 13-18.

Rochester, MN, Dec. 15, 2015 - More than 95% of the world's adult population is infected with the virus that causes chickenpox. Up to one third of these individuals will develop shingles (herpes zoster) in their lifetime. A new U.S. study has found that there is a short-term increased risk of stroke after having shingles, reports Mayo Clinic Proceedings.