Hair analysis has become standard practice for determining whether someone has abused illicit drugs. But some experts have questioned whether current methods to wash away external contaminants from samples might affect test results. Now one team confirms that for cocaine detection, a pretreatment step can cause the drug on the outside of a hair shaft to wash into it and potentially lead to falsely identifying someone as a drug user. Their study appears in ACS’ journal Analytical Chemistry. Testing a person’s locks for evidence of drug abuse has several advantages over urine and blood analyses. Sampling is simple and non-invasive.…
Author: Deep
e results of the largest infectious disease study ever to be undertaken have revealed that 100 million people around the world are at risk of blindness from the infectious disease trachoma. Smartphones enabled organizers to ensure that data could be easily collected in even the most remote parts of the world and then subsequently transmitted for analysis. Image credit: Sightsavers/Tom Saater The research project, which involved 2.6 million participants in 29 different countries, over a 3-year period, was made possible by the use of smartphone technology to help collect, log and transmit data from surveyors operating around the world. Dr.…
African-American women are prone to hair loss, and new data presented at the American Academy of Dermatology’s 74th Annual Meeting in Washington illustrates the scope of this problem, which often goes undiagnosed. Certain styling practices may increase the risk of hair loss in this population; women who are concerned about losing their hair should consider different styling practices and see a dermatologist if they notice any signs of hair loss. AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY EXPERT Information provided by board-certified dermatologist Yolanda M. Lenzy, MD, FAAD, clinical associate, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Conn. CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS According to Dr. Lenzy,…
t foods rich in vitamin C, if you want to keep cataracts at bay. A study published in Ophthalmologysuggests that diet and lifestyle, rather than genetics, may have the most significant impact on cataract development, and vitamin C could cut the risk of the disorder by one third. Cataracts involve a clouding of the lens. Cataracts develop with age. Results of a survey of 19 US states, carried out in 2006-2008 and published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suggest that cataracts affect around 29.2% of Americans. A cataract clouds the lens of the eye, causing it…
Sony’s announcement of the pricing and release date of the PlayStation VR, a virtual reality (VR) gaming system, has set the scene for tough competition among tech giants offering VR products. A report by market researchers SuperData estimates VR gaming software and devices generating $5.1 billion in revenue in 2016. This week, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Andrew House revealed the PlayStation VR will be released in October with a price tag of $399. In comparison, the Facebook-owned VR system, the Oculus Rift, will cost $599, while the HTC Vive will cost $799. However, the Vive and Oculus Rift will require…
UNISA CERTIFICATE PROGRAMMES *This project has been ear-marked for social franchise development. Education Africa, with the UNISA Centre for Business Management, has developed two 1-year Certificate programmes which we run through the University of South Africa (UNISA): 1. THE PROGRAMME IN BUSINESS FOCUSED MANAGEMENT This Programme consists of the following modules: Module 1: Introduction to the business world Module 2: The entrepreneur and his business Module 3: Specialised areas of management Module 4: Critical factors determining the success of a manager The objectives of this programme are to equip potential managers with: • a basic knowledge of the economic environment •…
Sony’s version of virtual reality will cost a few hundred dollars less than competitors when its headset is released in October. The company announced a $399 price tag and October release date for PlayStation VR on Tuesday during the Game Developers Conference, an annual gathering of video game creators. “We’re proud of the price point we’ve been able to achieve because it means more gamers will be able to bring PlayStation VR into their living rooms,” said Andrew House, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment. House noted that Sony has sold 36 million PS4 consoles since the console first…
Facebook activated its Safety Check feature Tuesday morning, following explosions around Brussels. The option allows users in a tragedy or natural disaster to mark themselves as safe, and was widely used — and praised — after the Paris shootings attacks last November. Brussels Airport was the scene of at least two explosions Tuesday morning, with another blast at a nearby subway station. The threat level in Brussels has been raised to high, all public transport has been shut down and residents have been advised to stay home. More from NBC News: Deadly explosions rock airport, subway in Brussels 20 Years…
Miffed with Karnataka board’s inability in keeping a check on paper leak, students staged a protest after the chemistry paper of class 12 was leaked twice within a span of 10 days. According to the police, a section of the agitated students pelted stones and damaged glass windows while protesting in front of the Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE) building in Bengaluru. At least 40 DPUE employees have been suspended in connection with the second paper leak. The government has now decided to hold the examination for a third time on April 12. Around 1.74 lakh second year pre-university course…
The pop star canceled all VIP meet-and-greet sessions for the remainder of his Purpose World Tour, a perk that can cost up to $2,000 each. Bieber took to Instagram to reveal his decision to cancel the meet and greets, citing emotional exhaustion and depression. However, Bkstg, a platform that allows fans to purchase limited-edition merchandise and VIP tickets, said in a statement that it was a security incident that caused the VIP package to be discontinued immediately. More irksome to fans than missing out on a VIP experience they already bought, they can’t actually cancel their VIP purchase without foregoing…