CulCharge puts a powerbank and charger on your keychain

 

CulCharge recharges mobile devices on the go Image Gallery (3 images) Our mobile devices running out of power is a constant worry, although portable chargers can help alleviate some of that anxiety. CulCharge, a new charger/powerbank still in its concept stage, is intended as an easy-to-carry option as it is small enough to slot onto a keychain. The device is only 2.1 inches (5.5 cm) long and weighs 38 g (1.3 oz). Created by a start-up based in Bratislava, Slovakia, the CulCharge PowerBank is equipped with a 1,000 mAh battery. This enables a pocket-friendly size, but won't go as far as larger powerbanks. For instance, it provides around 55 percent of a full charge on the iPhone 6 and 39 percent of a full charge on the Galaxy S6. The unit recharges via USB, and can be connected to a notebook/desktop computer and a mobile device at the same time. This brings us to the third prong in the device's 3-in-1 functionality. In addition to being a powerbank and a charger, the CulCharge also works as a data cable for syncing your computer and mobile device. The gadget has protruding plugs for charging smartphones, avoiding potentially pesky tangling cables. There is a Lightning model for compatible iPhones, while a microUSB model is aimed at Android/Windows/Blackberry devices equipped with microUSB ports. CulCharge's estimated working life is 500 recharge cycles. To take CulCharge Powerbank from project to product, the company is carrying out an Indiegogo campaign, which has already met its initial target by a comfortable margin, with a massive boost from Slovak Telekom (a branch of Deutsche Telekom). The telecom company made a pre-order of US$50,000 on the first day of campaign. Funding packages start at $49 for two units, with the retail price estimated at $70. Shipping is not included and the product will be delivered worldwide. CulCharge has introduced a 100 percent money back guarantee if the product does not meet expectations. Estimated delivery is December 2015. Source: CulCharge

Malloy Aeronautics is developing its Hoverbike for the US Department of Defense

 

It looks more likely than ever that we'll see the Malloy Aeronautics Hoverbike take to the skies (Credit: Malloy Aeronautics) Image Gallery (4 images) You'll likely remember Malloy Aeronautics' ambitious quadcopter Hoverbike from when Gizmag caught up with its creators last year. Well, the company has been busy in the last 10 months, today announcing a partnership with a Maryland-based military research firm to develop the vehicle for the US Department of Defense. Gizmag caught up with the Hoverbike team at the 2015 Paris Air Show. Back in August 2014, we got up close and personal with Malloy Aeronautics' Hoverbike – a helicopter-like vehicle with electric motors driving four rotors – and were impressed with what we saw. The company recently conducted successful flight tests of the full-size electric vehicle, and development is full-steam ahead, though with a few big changes in the works. Gizmag was on the ground at the Paris Air Show, where the company was joined by Maryland Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford to announce a new partnership with the state's defense firm – Survice Engineering. The company will work together with the UK-based Malloy Aeronautics (which is opening a US office) on the development of Hoverbike technology for the US Department of Defense, with the goal of the vehicle operating as a new class of Tactical Reconnaissance Vehicle (TRV). Talking to Malloy Aeronautics and Survice, Gizmag learned that the Department of Defense is interested in moving development toward a gas-powered engine for the vehicle, allowing for long-haul flights and the ability to carry weightier payloads. According to Survice Engineering's Bruce Simon, those payloads, or "assets," might sometimes be equipment and supplies, but could also include a soldier in full kit, meaning it'll need to be able to handle anything up to 800 lb (363 kg) of weight. While the team is currently focusing on ironing out all the bugs before a human element is introduced, several options are being discussed when it comes to methods of control. These include the vehicle being piloted by an onboard soldier, with a drive-by-wire system being used. Discussions are also ongoing as to the best choice of physical controls, with options including motorcycle-like handlebars and Xbox-style gamepads. It's not currently clear whether pilots will require a license to control the craft, though this will likely hinge on whether it's being piloted remotely or not. While developing for the military will play a big role in the future of the technology, Malloy was keen to emphasize that there's still a lot of potential for the use of the tech in humanitarian applications. For example, multiple Hoverbikes could be loaded into troop carrier aircraft (the vehicle is designed to fold up for easier transport), dispatched to disaster zones and tasked with delivering vital supplies, or even autonomously removing people from danger. Looking forward, development of the Hoverbike will continue in both the UK and US. The vehicle has come a long way since we saw the first, dual rotor prototype back in 2011, and it's looking more likely than ever that we'll see the full-size vehicles in the sky sooner rather than later. For a look at the different stages of the Hoverbike project, including the recent flight tests, you can watch the video below. Source: Malloy Aeronautics

Avocado-derived molecule attacks leukemia at its roots

 

A molecule found in avocado has shown promise as a potential drug to treat a form of leukemia (Credit: Light Imaging/University of Waterloo) Brimming with nutrients, antiooxidants and healthy fats, avocado – otherwise known as nature's butter – carries a multitude of health benefits inside its coarse, leathery skin. But new research is now pointing to what could be its most valuable secret yet. A Canadian scientist has discovered a lipid in avocado that could prove key to battling leukemia by attacking the deadly disease at its core, namely the highly resilient stem cells that drive the disease and make treating it such a difficult task. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of cancer where blood stem cells evolve into abnormal blood cells, rather than the healthy cells the body would normally produce. These then build up in the bone marrow and crowd out the healthy cells, leading to infection and often death. Professor Paul Spagnuolo from Canada's University of Waterloo believes that the disease can be best combated at its core. He managed to identify a compound in avocado, called Avocatin B, which is precise in its targeting of the leukemia stem cells, and can be applied without causing peripheral damage to the surrounding cells. "The stem cell is really the cell that drives the disease," says Spagnuolo. "The stem cell is largely responsible for the disease developing and it’s the reason why so many patients with leukemia relapse. We’ve performed many rounds of testing to determine how this new drug works at a molecular level and confirmed that it targets stem cells selectively, leaving healthy cells unharmed." Spagnuolo's work is still in its very early stages and he estimates Avocatin B-inspired leukemia medication to be years away from approval for human use. But he says it could one day greatly improve the quality of life and life expectancy for those suffering from AML. At present he is carrying out experiments with a view to preparing a drug for Phase I clinical trials. The research was published in the journal Cancer Research. Source: University of Waterloo

Isso me irrita

 

Nada me irrita mais do que ler em uma publicação algo como “Diabetes affects millions of americans every year”..   Bem, não existe apenas estadunidenses no mundo, (o GENTÍLICO referente aos Estados Unidos é “Estadunidenses” ou em inglês “the Staters” ou se quiserem,  “the US people, the US residents, the US citizens”, e não “Americans”) ou seja, não existe apenas um país nas Américas, os Estados Unidos.   Um importante website como por exemplo o Science Daily, presumo que não irá publicar algo dirigido apenas à eles, porque o alcance da internet como todos sabem é GLOBAL, e uma doença como o diabetes atinge o mundo todo. Sempre que topo com isso eu retiro essa anormalidade.  Estamos todos no mesmo barco.  Se um site quer que apenas os estadunidenses tomem conhecimento de um artigo, basta usar uma criptografia que seja decodificada apenas pelos residentes dos Estados Unidos, e assim o resto do mundo não tomará conhecimento.  Como isso não é possível, convém lembrar que todos dependem uns dos outros, em todos os sentidos.  A Internet é uma entidade GLOBAL, não pertence apenas aos Estados Unidos. Já existe o equívoco de usar “americans” para o povo estadunidense. Tampouco existe o termo “North americans” designando exclusivamente os habitantes da terra do Tio Sam. Eles são óbviamente “Norte-Americanos”, porém há mais países na América do Norte.      Dizer que o diabetes afeta milhões de americanos todos os anos tem um duplo sentido. Na verdade ele afeta centenas de milhões de pessoas no mundo todo, e não apenas pessoas residentes nos “States” Fica aqui registrada a minha indignação. Divulgue-se e cumpra-se de acordo com as normas éticas vigentes na Web. JS Melo

'Crosstalk' gives clues to diabetes

 

Sugar levels are managed by interactions between cells of the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. The hormone urocortin (green) is produced and stored in the same cells as insulin in the islets. Cells that make glucagon, which works to raise blood sugar, are stained red. Credit: Mark Huising, UC Davis Sometimes, listening in on a conversation can tell you a lot. For Mark Huising, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior at the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences, that crosstalk is between the cells that control your body's response to sugar, and understanding the conversation can help us understand, and perhaps ultimately treat, diabetes. Huising's lab has now identified a key part of the conversation going on between cells in the pancreas. A hormone called urocortin 3, they found, is released at the same time as insulin and acts to damp down insulin production. A paper describing the work appears online on June 15 in the journal Nature Medicine. "It's a beautiful system," Huising said. "It turns out that there is a lot of crosstalk going on in the islets to balance insulin and glucagon secretion. The negative feedback that urocortin 3 provides is necessary to tightly control blood sugar levels at all times." Both forms of the disease -- type 1, "juvenile" or "insulin-dependent" diabetes, and type 2 or "adult-onset" diabetes -- occur when the body fails to regulate the level of sugar properly. Diabetes is tied to structures called the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Within the islets, beta cells make insulin. Increasing blood sugar stimulates insulin production, which causes the body's cells to pull sugar out of circulation. The islets also house alpha cells, which make another hormone, glucagon, which acts on the liver to release more glucose into the bloodstream. An islet of Langerhans with urocortin stained green in beta cells. Glucagon-making cells are stained red. Credit: Mark Huising. An islet of Langerhans with urocortin stained green in beta cells. Glucagon-making cells are stained red. Credit: Mark Huising. Urocortin 3 was originally identified as a hormone that is related to the signal in our brain that kick-starts our stress response. Instead, urocortin 3 is produced by islet beta cells and stored and released alongside insulin. In a series of experiments, Huising's group showed that urocortin 3 causes another cell type in the islets, delta cells, to release somatostatin, which turns down insulin production and acts as a natural brake on the release of insulin. Urocortin 3 is reduced in laboratory animal models of diabetes and in beta cells from diabetic patients. Without urocortin 3, islets produce more insulin, but at the same time lose control over how much insulin they release. By understanding how different cells and systems communicate to regulate blood sugar, Huising hopes to get a better understanding of what happens when this regulation goes wrong, leading to the different forms diabetes. Eventually this approach could lead to new ways to treat or prevent the disease. Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - Davis. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: Talitha van der Meulen, Cynthia J Donaldson, Elena Cáceres, Anna E Hunter, Christopher Cowing-Zitron, Lynley D Pound, Michael W Adams, Andreas Zembrzycki, Kevin L Grove, Mark O Huising. Urocortin3 mediates somatostatin-dependent negative feedback control of insulin secretion. Nature Medicine, 2015; DOI: 10.1038/nm.3872

Graphene quantum dot LEDs

 

A schematic illustration of the preparation method of highly efficient GQDs (left) and an image of GQDs dispersed in water (right). Credit: KAIST The first graphene quantum dot light-emitting diodes (GQD-LEDs), fabricated by using high-quantum-yield graphene quantum dots through graphite intercalation compounds, exhibit luminance in excess of 1,000 cd/m2. Graphene is a 2D carbon nanomaterial with many fascinating properties that can enable to creation of next-generation electronics. However, it is known that graphene is not applicable to optical devices due to its lack of an electronic band gap. On the other hand, graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which are merely a few nanometers large in the lateral dimension, are shown to emit light upon excitation in the visible spectral range. The GQDs have attracted a great deal of attention as a next-generation luminescent material for their outstanding properties: tunable luminescence, superior photostability, low toxicity, and chemical resistance. Recently, Prof. Seokwoo Jeon (Material Science and Engineering), Prof. Yong-Hoon Cho (Physics), and Prof. Seunghyup Yoo (Electrical Engineering) have succeeded in developing LEDs based on graphene quantum dots. Highly pure GQDs were synthesized by an environmentally-friendly method designed by Prof. Jeon's group, their light-emitting mechanisms were carefully studied by Prof. Cho's group with their transient spectroscopic technique, and finally Prof. Yoo's group brought their OLED expertise to create GQD-based LEDs. The GQDs with high luminance tunability and efficiency were synthesized by a route based on graphite intercalation compounds (GICs). The proposed method is cost-effective, eco-friendly, and scalable, as it allows direct fabrication of GQDs using water without surfactant or chemical solvent. GQDs were then used as emitters in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) in order to identify the GQD's key optical properties. After carefully designing the layer configuration so that electron and hole injection could be balanced, the constructed GQD LEDs exhibited luminance of 1,000 cd/m2, which is well over the typical brightness levels of the portable displays used in smartphones. Considering how thin GQDs are, a foldable paper-like display could soon become a reality. The present work, for the first time, demonstrated that GQDs can be applied to optical devices by fabricating GQD-based LEDs with meaningful brightness. Although, the efficiency of GQD-based LEDs is currently less than those of conventional LEDs, they are expected to improve in the near future with an optimized material process and device structure. This research was published as a cover article in Advanced Optical Materials (Vol.2, 1016-1023 (2014)). Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.