With the holiday season at a fever pitch and charitable giving on people's minds, new research from the University of Delaware suggests that for organizations interested in increasing the number of givers and the amount of donations, the solution might be as easy as a simple change in how charitable gifts are made.

For the past three years, as part of their course requirements, 190 of Kent Messer's undergraduate students have attended a guest lecture presented by Kate Hackett, executive director of Delaware Wild Lands (DWL).

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.