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Electrical and magnetic trans‐spinal stimulation can be used to increase the motor output of multiple spinal segments and modulate cortico‐spinal excitability. The application of direct current through the scalp as well as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation are known to influence brain excitability, and hence can also modulate other central nervous system structures, including spinal cord. This study aimed to evaluate the effects and the therapeutic usefulness of these noninvasive neuromodulatory techniques in healthy subjects and in the neurorehabilitation of patients with spinal cord disorders, as well as to discuss the possible mechanisms of action. A comprehensive review that summarizes previous studies using noninvasive spinal cord stimulation is lacking. PubMed (MEDLINE) and EMBASEwere systematically searched to identify the most relevant published studies. We performed here an extensive review in this field. By decreasing the spinal reflex excitability, electrical and magnetic trans‐spinal stimulation could be helpful in normalizing reflex hyperexcitability and treating hypertonia in subjects with lesions to upper motor neurons. Transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation, based on applying direct current through the skin, influences the ascending and descending spinal pathways as well as spinal reflex excitability, and there is increasing evidence that it also can induce prolonged functional neuroplastic changes. When delivered repetitively, magnetic stimulation could also modulate spinal cord functions; however, at present only a few studies have documented spastic‐reducing effects induced by repetitive spinal magnetic stimulation. Moreover, paired peripheral and transcranial stimulation can be used to target the spinal cord and may have potential for neuromodulation in spinal cord‐injured subjects. Noninvasive electrical and magnetic spinal stimulation may provide reliable means to characterize important neurophysiologic and pathophysiologic aspects of spinal cord function. Moreover, transcutaneous direct current stimulation and repetitive magnetic stimulation may hold therapeutic promise in patients with spinal cord disorders, although future well‐controlled studies are needed to corroborate and extend the preliminary findings.

The article discusses the highlights of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists & Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) annual meeting held from October 30-November 3, 2017 in Minnesota. Topics include the holding of student development workshops on resume writing, financial literacy and professional dress, an opening remarks by NOBCChE president Emanuel Waddell about a trying time early in his career and the Science Bowl competition participated by several students.

The article presents profile of artist and inventor Mary O'Reilly. Topics discussed include her views regarding her interest in research, Purdue University joined by her for undergraduate research and her postdoc at Scripps Research Institute California; and growth of her science illustration business. It adds chemistry taught by her at the University of San Diego.

The article offers information on 253rd American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting to be held from April 2-6, 2017 in San Francisco, California and mentions the event's theme being based on advance materials, systems, processes and technologies.

The article profiles several members of the American Chemical Society (ACS) which include Joseph Delfino, Marianne Kipper, and Darleane Hoffman. Topics include the discussion of Delfino on the association between environmental chemistry and industrial ecology, the expansion of the focus of ACS, and the impact of technological advancement to ACS.

The article offers information on the 252nd American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting with theme "Chemistry of the People, by the People, for the People" to be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from August 21-25, 2016.

The article provides information on career prospects of research chemist Regina Easley including her journey to select oceanography as her career. Topics discussed include education of parents and their approach for Easley's education, applying for oceanography program in University of South Florida, and research on seawater.

Introduction:Interstitial light chain amyloid (AL) fibril deposition alters myocardial composition in cardiac amyloidosis (CA). Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) T1 and T2 mapping have emerged as powerful tools to characterize myocardial composition. Whether myocardial composition differs in the active-phase/growing AL compared to the remission-phase/mature AL is not known.Hypothesis:Our aim was to test the hypothesis that patients with active growing AL fibrils manifest a distinct CMR biosignature compared to patients with mature AL fibrils.Methods:We prospectively recruited subjects with biopsy-proven AL amyloidosis with cardiac involvement (active, prior to chemotherapy and complete or very good partial remissionat least one year after AL chemotherapy in complete light chain remission). All subjects underwent gadolinium-enhanced CMR with native T2 and T1 mapping, calculation of extracellular volume (ECV); cardiac function; tagging and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging. Native T1 is a marker of interstitial infiltration with amyloid or fibrosis; T2 is a marker of edema.Results:Patient and CMR characteristics of 52 patients are shown in the Table. Left ventricular indexed mass was lower in the remission-AL cohort. ECV indexed to myocardial volume (iECV) was lower in the remission group compared to the active-AL group, although the native T1 values were significantly higher. Only one subject in the active group and one in the remission group had abnormal T2 values, suggesting a lack of significant myocardial edema.Conclusions:The remission-AL cohort, compared to the active-AL cohort, demonstrated a distinct CMR biosignature with higher native T1 values with similar ECV, possibly reflecting a change in myocardial composition. Validation of these findings longitudinally within the same subject will be important, as these biosignatures may serve as important markers to personalize therapy and assess therapeutic response.

The article discusses the research conducted by biologist Mary C. Stoddard and her team on the shape of eggs of different bird species. Topics of the article include the impact of the bird's lifestyle and bodies on the shape of the eggs they lay, along with the development of a Google game into studying how humans draw circles.

Fish slime could teach scientists about bacteria that live on fish and aid in the hunt for new kinds of antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

See-through solar cells could turn greenhouses into solar power plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientists have made a new rewritable paper that can hold text and images for at least six months. It also can be reused more than 100 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study led by Michigan State University professor Dave Wartinger which found the significant role played by riding roller coasters on people with kidney stones. Topics include the Thunder Mountain ride at the Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Florida, Mike's Maze in Sunderland, Massachusetts, and the 100th anniversary of the U.S. National Park Service.

The article focuses on Joan Frye, program director of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Topics discussed include her views about the television show "Star Trek" which inspired her for the science field, her views on physical chemistry, and her education from the University of Chicago. Other topics include working with chemical firm Arco Chemical and chemist Takeshi Oka during college.

The article comments on research published in the March 13, 2018 issue of "ACS Nano" on the development of a nontoxic wallpaper lined with a network of hydroxyapatite nanowires that is fire resistant and capable of triggering fire alarms and warning lights when it gets really hot.

The article provides information on research made on effervescence by researcher Kyle Spratt and his coworkers of Applied Research Laboratories. Topics discussed include delicacy of bubbles formed in older champagnes and sparkling effect seen in wines; impact of high pitched crackling sound; and consistency of bubble formation.

The article offers quirky science news briefs as of April 30, 2018. A Harvard university research team under James Crall have conducted a research into bee behavior through a 24/7 monitoring. Another team of scientists are devising a fleet of robotic marsbees to gather information about planet Mars.

This article presents Project SEED scholar Anita Hurtado-Strok, a chemical engineering graduate job experiences in Merck.According to the article, Anita Hurtado-Strok believes that opportunities led her to learn new skills and take risks to which she attributes her colleagues, former teachers, Project SEED mentors, and family.

The article offers various developments related to chemistry study and teaching. It is stated that experience of Weike Wang as an in a chemistry lab at Harvard served as the inspiration for her debut novel "Chemistry," that confronts many issues relevant to graduate students. A team of students at the University of California, Berkeley, has developed React!, a multiplayer board game that helps chemistry learners get comfortable building molecules and carrying out reactions.

The article discusses career development of chemist Karen Goodwin. Topics discussed include her views regarding her early love for teaching along with her degree in chemistry from California State University, her family and tenured position teaching organic chemistry at Centralia College in Centralia, Washington.

The article focuses on earth scientists researching erosion in a bedrock gorge by painting it and using high-tech laser scanners.

The article focuses on the use of laser-stimulated fluorescence pioneered by Tom Kaye of the Foundation for Scientific Advancement, for analyzing and researching fossils. It discusses how some fossils may not be suited for normal ultraviolet (UV) light and in such situations, a laser is preferred. It also talks about geochemical differences between fossils apparent from the interaction of laser photons with atoms.

The article discusses the career of Angela Hoffman, an educator and chemist in the U.S. It states that she became a nun when she joined the Order of Saint Benedict after high school and started teaching second grade students. It notes that she enrolled at the Oregon Graduate Center and worked at the University of Portland. It mentions that she employs undergraduates in her laboratory.

The article focuses on a study by researcher Takao Sasaki, that details different types of interactions that occur among these insects.