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Mon, 31 Mar 08
Squid Beak Is Both Hard And Soft, A Material That Engineers Want To Copy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/259256334/080327172330.htm
How did nature make the squid's beak super hard and sharp -- allowing it, without harm to its soft body -- to capture its prey? The question, considered has captivated those interested in creating new materials that mimic biological materials. The results are published in the journal Science. The sharp beak of the Humboldt squid is one of the hardest and stiffest organic materials known.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Self-assembled Materials Form Mini Stem Cell Lab
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/259256331/080327172303.htm
Researchers have discovered a new and unexpected mode of self-assembly involving a polymer (hyaluronic acid) and a small molecule (peptide amphiphiles). When brought together, the two instantly assemble into a flexible but strong sac in which the researchers can grow human stem cells, creating a sort of miniature laboratory. The sacs can survive for weeks in culture, and their membranes are permeable to proteins. The method also can produce thin films whose size and shape can be tailored.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
One Bad Experience Linked To Sniffing Out The Danger
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260986161/080327172314.htm
Each human nose encounters hundreds of thousands of scents in its daily travels perched front and center on our face. Some of these smells are nearly identical, so how do we learn to tell the critical ones apart? Something bad has to happen. Then the nose becomes a very quick learner. New research shows a single negative experience linked to an odor rapidly teaches us to discriminate that odor from similar ones.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Mechanism That Helps Fruit Flies Lock-in Memories Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260353506/080329083435.htm
To lock in a memory, nerve cells must strengthen their connections with some neighbors but not others. Scientists have identify a protein whose action helps alter the strength of synaptic connections in fruit flies as they form memories.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Small Desert Beetle Found To Engineer Ecosystems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260986162/080327172055.htm
A tiny beetle is wreaking catastrophic action on the deteriorating Chihuahuan desert.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Most People Believe Smallpox Not An Extinct Disease, Survey Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260986163/080330200633.htm
The vast majority of Scottish people interviewed in the streets of Edinburgh are unaware of one of the greatest achievements of medical science -- the eradication of smallpox from the world over 40 years ago. A recent poll has revealed that 87% of 200 individuals questioned did not know that the horrendous, killer disease is now extinct.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
New Breed Of Cognitive Robot Is A Lot Like A Puppy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260353501/080329122121.htm
Designers of artificial cognitive systems have tended to adopt one of two approaches to building robots that can think for themselves: classical rule-based artificial intelligence or artificial neural networks. Both have advantages and disadvantages, and combining the two offers the best of both worlds, say researchers who have developed a new breed of cognitive, learning robot that goes beyond the state of the art.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Neurons Hard Wired To Tell Left From Right
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260986164/080330200643.htm
It's well-known that the left and right sides of the brain differ in many animal species and this is thought to influence cognitive performance and social behavior. For instance, in humans, the left half of the brain is concerned with language processing whereas the right side is better at comprehending musical melody. Now scientists have pinpointed for the first time, the left/right differences in how brains are wired at the level of individual cells.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
New System Aims To Efficiently Convert Biomass To Ethanol
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260986165/080320182932.htm
Researchers are developing an integrated system of thermochemical and catalytic technologies to efficiently produce ethanol from plant biomass. It will use a nanotechnology-based catalyst to produce ethanol fuel.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Bacterial Combinations Do Not Result In Enhanced Cytokine Production, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260986166/080318094541.htm
Probiotic bacteria, defined as living microorganisms that have beneficial effects on human health, have been used for the prevention and treatment of a diverse range of disorders. However, the ways in which probiotic bacteria elicit their health effects are not fully understood. One of the action mechanisms could be the ability to induce cytokines that further regulate innate and adaptive immune responses.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Portable Hydrogen-generating Power System Could Lighten Soldiers Load
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/259713504/080328114403.htm
Researchers are developing a portable, hydrogen-generating power system to power everything from laptops to communications gear for soldiers in the battlefield. The system transforms jet fuel into hydrogen and will relive soldiers from having to carry heavy loads of batteries. Individual soldiers carry between 20 to 40 pounds of batteries on standard four-day missions. The batteries power soldiers' personal portable electronics, such as GPS systems and night-vision goggles.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Hidden Tragedy Of Under-reported Neonatal Mortality In Northern Vietnam
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/259598609/080328070133.htm
In Northern Vietnam, neonatal mortality is almost four times higher than the official figure according to a new report. This under-reporting could mean neonatal healthcare in the country is massively under-funded.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Smart Clothes: Textiles That Track Your Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260353503/080329121141.htm
Garments that can measure a wearer's body temperature or trace their heart activity are just entering the market, and a new project weaves new functions into smart textiles. Miniaturized biosensors in a textile patch can now analyze body fluids, even a tiny drop of sweat, and provide a much better assessment of someone's health.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Vaccine For Ebola Virus Successful In Primates
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260986167/080330200630.htm
One of the world's deadliest diseases, caused by the Ebola virus, may finally be preventable thanks to US and Canadian researchers, who have successfully tested several Ebola vaccines in primates and are now looking to adapt them for human use.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Why Wallpaper Won't Peel Off Easily And Why Tape Refuses To Pull Off The Roll Straight
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260856309/080330140037.htm
Frustrated by tape that won't peel off the roll in a straight line? Angry at wallpaper that refuses to tear neatly off the wall? A new study reveals why these efforts can be so aggravating. Wallpaper is not out to foil you -- it's just obeying the laws of physics.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
MRSA In Hospital Intensive Care: What's Growing Where?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260986168/080330200645.htm
Researchers are finding out which bugs grow in intensive care units to develop a novel sampling regime that would indicate the threat of MRSA and other superbugs in the environment.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
New Software Aids Researchers Analyzing Millions Of DNA Sequences
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260986169/080328070108.htm
As the scope of genome research expands on an almost daily basis, researchers confront increasingly large volumes of data. Now biologists are developing software that enables researchers to analyze millions of DNA sequences faster and with greater accuracy.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Robotic Minds Think Alike?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260353502/080329121353.htm
Most schoolchildren struggle to learn geometry, but they are still able to catch a ball without first calculating its parabola. Why should robots be any different? Researchers have developed an artificial cognitive system that learns from experience and observation rather than relying on predefined rules and models.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Huge Meteorite Impact Found In UK -- Britain's Largest
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260965511/080330190410.htm
Evidence of the biggest meteorite ever to hit the British Isles has been found. Scientists believe that a large meteorite hit northwest Scotland about 1.2 billion years ago near the Scottish town of Ullapool.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Gene Variation Predicts Response To Treatment In Common Infertility Disorder, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260942939/080330184817.htm
Researchers have discovered that women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are less likely to ovulate in response to a promising new drug treatment for the condition if they have a variation in a particular gene. The gene, known as STK (serine-threonine kinase) 11 is involved in controlling blood sugar levels. Along with infertility and cyst-like structures in the ovaries, women with PCOS often have insulin resistance, a pre-diabetic condition in which higher-than-normal amounts of insulin are required to reduce blood sugar levels.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Faster Hawaiian Tree Growth Without Adverse Ecosystem Effects
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260986170/080327093626.htm
US Forest Service scientists with the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry have completed a study on ways to make high-value koa trees grow faster, while increasing biodiversity, carbon sequestration, scenic beauty and recreation opportunities in native HawaiÃan forests.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Somalia Is Again Polio-free -- One Year Since Last Reported Case
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260942938/080330185140.htm
Somalia is again polio-free, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) announced today, calling it a 'historic achievement' in public health. Somalia has not reported a case since 25 March 2007, a major landmark in the intensified eradication effort launched last year to wipe out the disease in the remaining few strongholds. Against a backdrop of widespread conflict, large population movements and a dearth of functioning government infrastructure, transmission of poliovirus in the country has been successfully stopped.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Micro Chips Could Speed Up Detection Of Livestock Viruses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260986171/080330200647.htm
Some of the worst threats to farm workers and farm animals such as bird flu, foot-and-mouth disease and other emerging viruses could soon be quickly identified by using a newly developed simple screening chip.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Treating Wife's Stress May Be Indirect Care For Men With Prostate Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260942940/080330184017.htm
When a couple is dealing with cancer, a partner's psychological distress might drag down the well-being of either person, according to a new study of 168 married couples. The physical health of husbands seemed to be especially vulnerable to the poor emotional well-being of their wives.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Six New Genes Associated With Type 2 Diabetes Discovered, Including One With Role In Prostate Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260856307/080330140015.htm
Scientists have identified six new genes which play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes, and among the group is the second gene known to also play a role in prostate cancer.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
New Drug May Help Rescue The Aging Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260942932/080330183235.htm
As people age, their brains pay the price -- inflammation goes up, levels of certain neurotransmitters go down, and the result is a plethora of ailments ranging from memory impairment and depression to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. But in a long-term study with implications to treat these and other conditions, researchers have found that an experimental drug, taken chronically, has the ability to stem the effects of aging in the rat brain.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Who's Bad? Chimps Figure It Out By Observation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258328895/080326095411.htm
Chimpanzees make judgments about the actions and dispositions of strangers by observing others' behavior and interactions in different situations. Specifically, chimpanzees show an ability to recognize behavioral traits and make assumptions about the presence or absence of these traits in strangers in similar situations thereafter. Chimpanzees have sophisticated social skills and there is evidence that primates eavesdrop.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Postoperative Chemotherapy Does Not Improve Survival In Gastric Cancer Patients, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260942933/080311215911.htm
The use of combination chemotherapy following surgery did not improve survival in patients with gastric cancer, according to a randomized clinical trial.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
BMW Hydrogen 7 Emissions Well-below Super-ultra Low-emission Vehicle Standards, Government Tests Confirm
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260942934/080328070103.htm
Independent tests conducted by engineers at the US Department of Energy on a BMW Hydrogen 7 Mono-Fuel demonstration vehicle have found that the car's hydrogen-powered engine surpasses the super-ultra low-emission vehicle level, the most stringent emissions performance standard to date.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Communicating Your Way To A Healthy Heart
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260877985/080330154101.htm
Pairing an interned-based health reporting system with regular clinic visits enabled healthy patients in rural and urban settings at high-risk for heart disease to lower risk factors through frequent communication with their doctor.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
3-D Imaging: First Insights Into Magnetic Fields
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260856311/080330140019.htm
3-D images are not only useful in medicine; the observation of internal structures is also invaluable in many other fields of scientific investigation. Researchers have now succeeded, for the first time, in a direct, three-dimensional visualization of magnetic fields inside solid, non-transparent materials.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Salmonella Bacteria Turned Into Cancer Fighting Robots
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243592613/080229171124.htm
Salmonella bacteria can be turned into tiny terminator robots that venture deep into cancerous tumors where conventional chemotherapy can't reach. Once in place, the bacteria manufacture drugs that destroy cancer cells. This could translate chemotherapy that is more specific, more effective and easier on patients.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
How Dengue Virus Matures, Becomes Infectious
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/259256333/080327172348.htm
Biologists have determined why dengue virus particles undergo structural changes as they mature in host cells and how the changes are critical for enabling the virus to infect new host cells.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
ALS Aggregates Are Composed Of Only One Protein
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255684905/080321140315.htm
Researchers have provided a big new clue to help combat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), deciphering that the dense protein aggregates that contribute to the nerve decay of ALS are composed of just one protein: superoxide dismutase (SOD1). While the aggregation of mutated SOD1, a protein that normally protects cells from free radical damage, is a tell-tale sign of familial ALS, the exact composition of these aggregates has been unclear.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Visual Technology Enables Brain To Learn In New Ways
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565611/080321104655.htm
Tufts University has literally expanded the visualization concept with a new 14-foot by 8-foot visualization wall that enables researchers to translate the most abstract, complex science into 3-dimensional images that are clearer and more precise than those produced by most conventional systems. "Users will be able to manipulate, simulate, touch and literally immerse themselves in data in a way they never have been able to before," according to the university.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Genetic Counselors Turn To Unconventional Counseling To Meet Demand For Genetic Testing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253021927/080317090118.htm
Imagine receiving genetic test results for a disease you could develop later in life without having anyone with whom to discuss your options for managing the risk. That's becoming a common occurrence as people turn to the Internet and other outlets for genetic testing without genetic counseling. In an effort to broaden accessibility to genetic counseling, researchers are exploring nonconventional counseling methods that challenge traditional approaches.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Sensors For Bat-inspired Spy Plane Under Development
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260856308/080330144843.htm
A six-inch robotic spy plane modeled after a bat is being developed to gather data from sights, sounds and smells in urban combat zones and transmit information back to a soldier in real time.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Real-time Imaging Device May Improve Surgery For Congenital Colon Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260942935/080229094721.htm
Researchers are developing a spectral imaging system that could result in shorter operating times for infants undergoing surgery for Hirschsprung's disease, according to a results from a new mouse study. Spectral imaging identifies diseased tissue without need for biopsy.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Jules Verne ATV's Will Attempt To Dock With The International Space Station
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260942936/080328112830.htm
After several days spent in a parking orbit 2000 km ahead of the ISS, Jules Verne ATV is now ready to join up with the International Space Station. This first docking attempt can be followed live on April 3, 2008 from 15:30 CEST onwards from one of the European participating centers.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Rectal Artemisinins Rapidly Eliminate Malarial Parasites
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/259598611/080328070130.htm
Artemisinin-based suppositories can help "buy time" for malaria patients who face a delay in accessing effective, injectable antimalarials, according to new research.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Project To Help Power Developing Nations Underway
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260942937/080312134132.htm
With a proposed fiscal year 2009 budget of $20 million, the effort by the Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and partners to develop grid-appropriate reactors is gaining steam.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Improvement Found In The Care Of Children With Cancer At The End Of Life
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260353504/080329083547.htm
Expanded use of palliative care services is associated with enhanced communications between families and caregivers, improved symptoms management, and better quality of life for children dying from cancer, according to new study. The study's findings also suggest that the parents were more likely to feel they were prepared for their children's end-of-life medical problems.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
How Color Vision Is Processed: Fly Brain Circuitry Mapped
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260760199/080325113407.htm
Biologists have mapped the medulla circuitry in fruit flies, setting the stage for subsequent research on how color vision is processed. The work will enable researchers to explore how color vision is processed in the optic lobe of the fruit fly Drosophila, providing a paradigm for more complex systems in vertebrates.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Being Born Bottom First Is Inherited, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260760200/080328070122.htm
A baby is twice as likely to be born bottom first if either or both the parents were themselves breech deliveries, according to a new study. The results suggest genes are a contributing factor.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Sore Wrists And Hands Can Result From Our Work: But Is It Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/259713505/080328113442.htm
Do you feel numbness, burning pain or a tingling sensation in your hand or wrist that seems to increase at night; have difficulty holding objects without dropping them; or find it increasingly difficult to perform repetitive movements such as using your computer mouse or keyboard without pain? If so, then you may be one of the estimated 2 million people in the United States affected by carpal tunnel syndrome.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Too Many Women Still Dying From Breast Cancer, Says UK Charity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260760201/080327172227.htm
Thousands of women die from breast cancer each year because current treatments are not always effective and in some cases fail to stem the disease, warns the United Kingdom-based charity Breast Cancer Campaign.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
'Wildcat Power Cord' Repairs Cruciate Ligament In Dairy Cow's Knee
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/260760202/080327171031.htm
An 8-year-old Jersey dairy cow is back at her Kansas farm thanks to a decade of research and an experimental surgery performed at Kansas State University's Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

Mon, 31 Mar 08
Early Living Together, Marriage, Parenting Benefits Some Young Adults
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/259683474/080328104039.htm
Young people are always encouraged to complete their education and postpone marriage and children to achieve more rewarding lifestyles. However, a Penn State study found that for some young adults, getting married or living together and having children have provided positive benefits.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Artificial Photosynthesis Moves A Step Closer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023287/080325104519.htm
Scientists have made an important step on the long road to artificially mimicking photosynthesis. They were able to synthesise a stable inorganic metal oxide cluster, which enables the fast and effective oxidation of water to oxygen. Artificial photosynthesis may decisively contribute to solving energy and climate problems, if researchers find a way to efficiently produce hydrogen with the aid of solar energy.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Spit Tests May Soon Replace Many Blood Tests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023288/080325101138.htm
One day soon patients may spit in a cup, instead of bracing for a needle prick, when being tested for cancer, heart disease or diabetes. A major step in that direction is the cataloguing of the "complete" salivary proteome, a set of proteins in human ductal saliva, identified by a consortium of three research teams, according to a new article.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
MRI: A Window To Genetic Properties Of Brain Tumors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257285307/080324173609.htm
Researchers have shown that Magnetic Resonance Imaging technology has the potential to non-invasively characterize tumors and determine which of them may be responsive to specific forms of treatment.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Managing Seven Common Conditions Without Medication
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257354014/080324202826.htm
We've gotten used to taking pills for everything that ails us, but medications have side effects and cost money. It takes some discipline, but in many cases, the nonpharmacological approach can do as much as pills. Seven common conditions are listed along with treatment options that don't require taking medication.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Organism That Causes Buruli Ulcer Has Been Isolated And Characterized
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023289/080325212836.htm
Scientists have for the first time isolated from the environment and fully characterized the organism that causes Buruli ulcer. The study lends support to the idea that the organism, Mycobacterium ulcerans, is transmitted to humans from environmental aquatic niches, rather than from person-to-person.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Running Words Together: The Science Behind Cross-linguistic Psychology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023290/080325163752.htm
While communication may be recognized as a universal phenomenon, differences between languages -- ranging from word order to semantics -- undoubtedly remain as they help to define culture and develop language. Yet, little is understood about similarities and differences in languages around the world and how they affect communication. Recently, however, two studies have emerged that aid in our understanding of cross-linguistic distinctions in language usage.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Global Warming Could Radically Change Lake Tahoe In Ten Years
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023291/080325141202.htm
A new study predicts that climate change will irreversibly alter water circulation in Lake Tahoe in the Western US, radically changing the conditions for plants and fish in the lake -- and it could happen in 10 years.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Targeting Aggressive Breast Cancers By Putting Them To Sleep
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257677320/080325092650.htm
It is well established that Id1, a gene normally produced only in embryonic development, is reactivated in many "solid" cancers, or carcinomas. New research shows that by 'switching off' the Id1 gene, it is possible to induce a state of 'senescence', or permanent sleep, within a tumour, preventing it from growing or spreading.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Colon Cancer Screening Key To Prevention, Increased Survival
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257354015/080324202016.htm
Colon cancer screening is a tough sell. It's icky, uncomfortable and the thought of a colonoscopy, especially the prep, can be intimidating, to say the least. But here's what clinches the sale: Colon cancer can be largely prevented through proper screening.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Fruit Fly Phlebotomy Holds Neuroscience Promise
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023292/080325143113.htm
Neuroscientists have developed a technique for extracting useful quantities of insect blood from a single fruit fly. The technique may prove useful in genetic studies and for studying minute amounts of fluid from disease hot-spots, such as those where some retinal diseases begin.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Organic Crops Impressively Productive When Compared With Conventionally Grown Crops
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023293/080325101134.htm
Scientists investigated yield differences between organic and conventional cash grain and forage crops in the Upper Midwest to compare the productivity of the two cropping systems. The researchers found that: organic forage crops yielded as much or more dry matter as their conventional counterparts with quality sufficient to produce as much milk as the conventional systems; and organic grain crops: corn, soybean, and winter wheat produced 90 percent as well as their conventionally managed counterparts.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Family Wealth May Explain Differences In Test Scores In School-age Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257677326/080325083329.htm
A new study using new methods to examine the dynamics of wealth found that family wealth might partly explain differences in test scores of school-age children, and examined how wealth affects children's cognitive achievement at different stages of childhood. Wealth had a stronger effect on school aged children than on preschoolers, and had a stronger association with math than reading skills. Family wealth also was positively associated with parenting behavior, home environment, and children's self-esteem.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Primitive Mouse-Like Creature May Be Ancestral Mother Of Australia's Unusual Pouched Mammals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023294/080325203453.htm
A new study has confirmed that a primitive mouse-like creature that lived 55 million years ago (called Djarthia) is also a primitive relative of the small marsupial known as the Monito del Monte -- or "little mountain monkey" -- from the dense humid forests of Chile and Argentina.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Hormone Replacement Therapy Increases Breast Cancer Recurrence, New Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023295/080325163812.htm
Hormone replacement therapy for peri- and postmenopausal symptoms increases disease recurrence in breast cancer survivors, according to a new article. Previous studies have shown that HRT increases breast cancer incidence in healthy women, but its impact on breast cancer survivors has remained obscure.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Fuji Apples, Popular Apple Variety, Harbor Unusual Cell Growth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023296/080325100112.htm
A scientist has discovered callus hair growth while imaging Fuji apples. The variety was developed in Japan, but is widely grown in the Southern Hemisphere, China, Southern Europe and the USA. It is a cross between Ralls Janet and Red Delicious, and is itself used as a parent in breeding programs.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Radiologists Use Special MRI To Identify Brain Cancer Early
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023297/080325083333.htm
A special type of magnetic resonance imaging can depict changes in blood volume in the brain that often precede cancerous transformation of brain tumors, according to a new study.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Shorebirds' Migratory Wetland Habitat Declining Fast
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257354013/080324203807.htm
A decline by more than 70 percent of several North American shorebird species since the early 1970s has brought state, federal and international concern about conservation efforts for these birds and their wetland habitat. Wildlife ecologists are particularly interested in conservation measures aimed at slowing the decline.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Children Who Bully Also Have Problems With Other Relationships
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023298/080325083300.htm
Children who bully were found to have conflict in relationships with their parents and friends, and also to associate with others who bully. Researchers looked at 871 students for seven years, beginning at age 10, and found that most children engage in bullying at some point. The research underscores that bullying is a "relationship problem" that calls for interventions targeting the aggressive behavior, social skills, and problem-solving skills, and also on bullying children's strained relationships.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Living Upside-down Shapes Spiders For Energy Saving
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023299/080325203450.htm
Consider the possible effects of the peculiar lifestyle of numerous spider species, which live, feed, breed and "walk" in an upside-down hanging position. According to new research, such "unconventional" enterprise drives a shape in spiders that confers high energy efficiency, as in oscillatory pendulums.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Discovery May Bring Special Treatment For Premature Male Babies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023300/080325095242.htm
Researchers have discovered that male babies born prematurely are more vulnerable to cardiovascular complications than female babies. This finding may explain why male babies born prematurely are twice as likely to die as female babies in the first 72 hours of life. It could also lead to new ways of treating premature babies throughout the world.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Giant Ocean Eddy Shadows Sydney, Australia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023301/080325100117.htm
The giant ocean eddy that cooled Sydney's shores a year ago has been superseded by another 300 km diameter giant. The cold water at the new eddyâ€™s center has welled up about 500m from the ocean depths.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
New Approach To Detecting Epidemic Outbreaks Holds Promise For Developing Countries
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257677321/080325093610.htm
A new approach to monitoring infectious disease outbreaks using statistical algorithms as well as "pre-diagnostic" data--such as medication sales, patients' symptoms, and absenteeism from work--holds promise for improving public health security in developing countries, argue researchers in PLoS Medicine.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Several Methods Possible For Enhancing The Functioning Of Defibrillators In Cases Of Heart Attack
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/258023302/080325111757.htm
A young scientist puts forth various methods for the elimination of interference caused by compressions and ventilations of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the context of cardiac defibrillation.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Mother-child Attachment, Children's Temperament Play A Role In 'Terrible 2' Conflicts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257677329/080325083309.htm
Attachment security was found to be related to the quality, but not frequency of conflict between mothers and their 2-year-olds. Observations with 60 mothers and their children at 30 months and 36 months were used to examine whether their conflict contained compromise, justification or aggravation. Those in secure relationships were seen to have constructive conflict. The researchers also found that highly active children who had trouble controlling their behavior had more conflict with mothers.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Earliest Signs Of Corn As Staple Food Found After Spreading South From Mexican Homeland
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257709717/080324173538.htm
A new technique for examining ancient cooking pots has produced the earliest directly dated examples of domesticated corn (maize) being consumed on the South American continent. The discovery shows the spread of maize out of Mexico more than 9,000 years ago occurred much faster than previously believed and provides evidence that corn was likely a vital food crop for villages in tropical Ecuador at least 5,000 years ago.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Mantis Shrimp Vision Reveals New Way That Animals Can See
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255026996/080320120732.htm
Mantis shrimp can see the world in a way that had never been observed in any animal before, researchers report. The discovery suggests that the ability to perceive circular polarized light may lend mantis shrimp a secret mode of communication.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Dieting And Medication May Reduce Blood Pressure In Patients With Hypertension
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257709714/080324173548.htm
Adults with hypertension may be able to lower their weight and their blood pressure by following a weight-loss diet or using the medication orlistat, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
College Students Score Higher In Classes That Incorporate Instructional Technology Than In Traditional Classes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257177103/080324125154.htm
The lives of today's college students have always included computers and the Internet. That technology now has moved from the ether into instruction. A new technical report finds that students in a "hybrid class" that incorporated instructional technology with in-class lectures scored a letter-grade higher on average than their counterparts who took the same class in a more traditional format.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
When Should Children With HIV Infection Start On Anti-HIV Medications?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257677324/080325083352.htm
The advent of effective medications for treating HIV dramatically improved the outlook for both adults and children infected with HIV who had access to treatment, but the optimal timing for starting treatment remains controversial, particularly in children.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
'Digital Skills Divide' Emerging
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257354016/080324201319.htm
While the "digital divide" may be narrowing in terms of access to the Internet, a significant "digital skills divide" is emerging. Researchers found the higher the socio-economic status, the greater the time spent on the Web and the more sophisticated the search and evaluation skills. Google was the favored search engine by parents in the high socio-economic group.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Hospitals That Participate In Clinical Trials May Provide Better Patient Care
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257285309/080324173602.htm
Hospitals that participate in clinical trials appear to provide better care for patients with heart attacks or other acute heart events and have lower death rates than hospitals that do not participate in clinical trials, according to a new report.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Toward A New Generation Of Vaccines For Malaria And Other Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085014/080324090552.htm
Researchers have a new strategy for designing the next generation of synthetic vaccines that could lead to more effective treatments for fighting malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS and other infectious diseases. These conditions kill more than 17 million people around the world each year.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Patients With Psoriasis At Increased Risk For Developing Other Serious Medical Conditions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257148136/080324124350.htm
It has long been known that psoriasis, a chronic skin condition characterized by thick, red, scaly plaques that itch and bleed, can have a significant negative impact on a patient's overall quality of life. Now, dermatologists are finding that psoriasis, especially severe psoriasis, is linked with a number of serious medical conditions -- including cardiovascular disease, depression and cancer.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Elderly Improve With Exercise, Too
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257709719/080321123721.htm
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans strongly urge people to engage in regular physical activity and avoid sedentary pastimes. That's because previous research has provided evidence that physical activity and nutrition work together for better health. Scientists now report on how the elderly also can engage in physical activity to improve quality of life.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
New Approach To Help Control Drug Resistance In Leukemia Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257709720/080324173534.htm
Researchers have found that an experimental drug known as SGX393 is effective against Gleevec-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia. New research gives additional therapeutic tools for even more effective and longer control of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Eleven Genetic Variations Linked To Type 2 Diabetes, New Mathematical Tools Show
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257148135/080324124643.htm
Mathematicians have developed powerful new tools for winnowing out the genes behind some of humanity's most intractable diseases. With one, they can cast back through generations to pinpoint the genes behind inherited illness. With another, they have isolated 11 variations within genes -- called single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs or "snips"--associated with type 2 diabetes.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Will Whole Genome Research Result In Genetic Profiling?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257677322/080325083407.htm
Interest in whole-genome research has grown substantially over the past few months. But what are the ethics issues associated with this work? In whole-genome research, participants quickly lose control over access to their personal information, and they run the risk of "genetic profiling."

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Huge Iceberg Breaks Away, Antarctic Ice Shelf 'Hangs By A Thread'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257775807/080325120714.htm
British Antarctic Survey has captured dramatic images of an Antarctic ice shelf that looks set to be the latest to break out from the Antarctic Peninsula. A large part of the Wilkins Ice Shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula is now supported only by a thin strip of ice hanging between two islands. Scientists monitoring satellite images of the Wilkins Ice Shelf spotted that a huge iceberg appears to have broken away in recent days -- it is still on the move.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Periodontal Disease Can Lead To Gestational Diabetes, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257148138/080324122301.htm
A dental research team has discovered evidence that pregnant women with periodontal disease are more likely to develop gestational diabetes mellitus than pregnant women with healthy gums.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Water Pollution Continues At Famous Russian Lake
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085010/080324103026.htm
Despite widespread concerns about preserving the world's largest body of fresh water, researchers report that pollution is continuing in Russia's fabled Lake Baikal. The deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal holds 20 percent of the world's unfrozen freshwater and is home to more than 1,500 species found nowhere else on earth.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Birth Control Pill Effective In Timing IVF Treatments, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257709721/080324173530.htm
Women who have tried to conceive using in vitro fertilization (IVF) methods are painfully aware that timing is of the essence. There are cancelled vacations, too many sick days taken from work, and the necessity to plan everything around "the treatment." In a surprising finding, researchers have discovered that the same pill used to prevent pregnancy can actually help a woman conceive.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Cotton Studies Target Killer: Fusarium Wilt
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255628626/080321125116.htm
The long, warm days of a typical California summer make life easy for sun-loving cotton plants. But a fungal enemy that causes what's known as Fusarium wilt can make things tough for the plants--and for growers' balance sheets, too.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
Mythbusted: People Who Wear Glasses Aren't Geeks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257709722/080325101141.htm
Latest Australian research into myopia or shortsightedness reveals that people who wear glasses are not stereotypical geeks or nerds.

Wed, 26 Mar 08
'Suspended Animation' Induced In Mice With Sewer Gas: Effects Are Reversible
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257677319/080325083254.htm
Low doses of the toxic gas responsible for the unpleasant odor of rotten eggs can safely and reversibly depress both metabolism and aspects of cardiovascular function in mice, producing a suspended-animation-like state. Heart rate and metabolism drop, while blood pressure and oxygen levels are maintained.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Ultrahigh-energy Cosmic Rays Are From Extremely Far Away
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255510364/080321084612.htm
Final results from the University of Utah's High Resolution Fly's Eye cosmic ray observatory show that the most energetic particles in the universe rarely reach Earth at full strength because they come from great distances, so most of them collide with radiation left over from the birth of the universe. The findings confirm a 42-year-old prediction -- known as the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin "cutoff," "limit" or "suppression" -- about ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Baby Boys Are More Likely To Die Than Baby Girls
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257400722/080324173552.htm
Male infants in developed nations are more likely to die than female infants, a fact that is partially responsible for men's shorter lifespans, reveals a new study. The paper analyzes 15 countries spanning three continents and hundreds of years. It finds that the gender gap in infant mortality was as high as 30 percent at its peak around 1970.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
In Poker, Psychologists Place Bets On Skill
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255657133/080321125835.htm
Is it luck of the draw in poker? The answer is 'no', according to new findings from two psychology studies. In the first study, DeDonno had 41 college students play eight games, totaling 200 hands, of Turbo Texas Hold'em, a computerized simulation of 10-player Hold'em poker.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Certain Liver Disease Related To Cardiovascular Fitness
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257400724/080324173520.htm
Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease have suboptimal levels of cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, body composition and physical fitness, according to a new study.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Short-tailed Albatross Chicks Moved Out Of The Shadow Of The Volcano
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255684903/080321142057.htm
Ten Short-tailed Albatross chicks have been moved by helicopter, from their current stronghold on Torishima Island to the site of a former colony 350 km to the South-east. The potential for future volcanic events on Torishima is among the most serious threats to this vulnerable species. Currently, 80-85% of the world population breeds on a highly erodible slope on the outwash plain from the caldera of an active volcano.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Americans Sleeping More, Not Less, Says New Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257109238/080324111509.htm
Contrary to conventional wisdom, Americans average as much sleep as they did 40 years ago, and possibly more, according to sociologists. The researchers report that adult sleep averages have increased about three hours per week over the last decade, up from 56 to 59 hours.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Birth On An Enzyme: Scientists Succeed In Designing Artificial Enzymes That Also Undergo 'Evolution In A Test Tube'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085013/080324100050.htm
A team of scientists has succeeded in creating a new type of enzyme for a reaction for which no naturally occurring enzyme has evolved, by using a combination of novel computational methodologies and molecular in vitro evolution. This achievement opens the door to the development of a variety of potential applications in medicine and industry.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Ants Are Experienced Fungus Farmers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257400725/080324173459.htm
It turns out ants, like humans, are true farmers. The difference is that ants are farming fungus. Entomologists are providing new insight into the agricultural abilities of ants and how these abilities have evolved throughout time.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Model Offers New Understanding Of Cell Signaling, Will Speed Finding Of Drug Targets
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257400726/080324173455.htm
A new mathematical model gives scientists a smarter way to learn which cellular processes are key in many diseases and thus find the most effective drug targets. Scientists say the model, now freely available to researchers, should speed the search for effective treatments for cancer, inflammation and other conditions that affect millions of people.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
A Chemical 'Keypad Lock' For Biomolecular Computers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085011/080324102640.htm
Researchers are reporting an advance toward a new generation of ultra-powerful computers built from DNA and enzymes, rather than transistors, silicon chips, and plastic. They describe development of a chemical "keypad lock," one of the first chemical-based security systems of its kind.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
CSI Fact Catching Up With Fiction As Chemists Develop New Technology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085012/080324101956.htm
Real-life crime scene analysis of bloodstains, fingerprints, and other evidence does not match the speed and certainty on television shows such as CSI. But thanks to advances in chemistry, fact is catching up with fiction as researchers develop faster, more sensitive forensics tools.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Electrons Can Travel Over 100 Times Faster In Graphene Than In Silicon, Physicists Show
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257056348/080324094514.htm
Physicists have shown that in graphene the intrinsic limit to the mobility, a measure of how well a material conducts electricity, is higher than any other known material at room temperature. Graphene, a single-atom-thick sheet of graphite, is a new material which combines aspects of semiconductors and metals.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
'Mutant' Proteins Could Lead To New Treatment For Heart Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257204333/080324142708.htm
Heart damage due to blocked arteries remains the leading cause of disease and death in the Western world, but a Florida State University College of Medicine researcher is helping to open new pathways toward treating the problem.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
New Triple-threat Weapon Needed In War Between Man And Microbe
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085009/080324103239.htm
Humanity's age-old battle against infectious diseases stands to rage on and on, unless scientists develop a new generation of triple-action antibiotics, according to a new article.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Dramatic Rise Found In Hepatitis C-related Deaths In The United States
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257400727/080324173515.htm
Hepatitis C-related deaths in the United States increased by 123 percent from 1995 through 2004, the most recent year for which data are available. Mortality rates peaked in 2002, then declined slightly overall, while continuing to rise among people 55 to 64 years old.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Environmentally-Friendly Controls For Peach Tree Pests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257400728/080321121657.htm
Peach growers combat several insects that harm their crop, usually using chemical pesticides to do so. Agricultural Research Service scientists are seeking environmentally friendly alternatives. For the peachtree borer, the researchers found a beneficial nematode.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Too Much Information? Study Shows How Ignorance Can Be Influential
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257177102/080324130159.htm
Researchers provide a challenge to the classic economic model of information manipulation, in which knowing more than anybody else is the key to influence. Instead, economists present a situation -- commonly observed in real life -- in which all parties have access to the same information, but one party still manages to control public opinion.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Delicate Partnership Between Coral And Algae Threatened By Global Warming
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257056349/080324091101.htm
Over two hundred million humans depend for their subsistence on the fact that coral has an addiction to "junk food" -- and orders its partners, the symbiotic algae, to make it. This curious arrangement is one of nature's most delicate and complex partnerships -- a collaboration now facing grave threats from climate change.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
New Hope For Children With Kidney Tumors Deemed Inoperable
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257177101/080324135241.htm
Physicians have demonstrated that children with bilateral Wilms tumor, a cancer of the kidneys, can retain normal function in both kidneys by undergoing a procedure called bilateral nephron-sparing surgery, even when preoperative scans suggest that the tumors are inoperable.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Facts On Fats Could Prompt Healthier Eating
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257400729/080321122604.htm
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans included --- for the first time --- recommendations that U.S. consumers keep their intake of trans fatty acids as low as possible. The dietary guidelines now recommend consuming less than 10 percent of daily calories from saturated fatty acids; that's 22 grams or less for a 2,000-calorie diet. But a 2007 data analysis shows that about 64 percent of adults exceed this recommendation.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Parents' High Blood Pressure Associated With Increased Risk Of Hypertension Throughout Life In Men
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257285310/080324173559.htm
Individuals who have one or two parents with hypertension appear to have a significantly increased risk of developing elevated blood pressure throughout their adult lives, according to a new report.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Hyper-entangled Photons: 'Superdense' Coding Gets Denser
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257109237/080324112847.htm
The record for the most amount of information sent by a single photon has been broken. Using the direction of "wiggling" and "twisting" of a pair of hyper-entangled photons, they have beaten a fundamental limit on the channel capacity for dense coding with linear optics.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Insects Take A Bigger Bite Out Of Plants In A Higher Carbon Dioxide World
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257285306/080324173612.htm
Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are rising at an alarming rate, and new research indicates that soybean plant defenses go down as carbon dioxide goes up. Elevated carbon dioxide impairs a key component of the plant's defenses against leaf-eating insects, according to a new article.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Cancer Treatments In Phase 3 Trials Successful Up To Half Of The Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257285308/080324173606.htm
About one-fourth to one-half of new cancer treatments that reach assessment in phase 3 randomized clinical trials are eventually proven successful, according to a new report. Overall, 30 percent of the trials had statistically significant results; in 80 percent of those cases, new treatments were superior to established protocols.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
How To Ignite, Retain Female Interest In The Study Of Science
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257400731/080320150037.htm
It might be surprising that 40,275 grams of slime, 4,030 ink dots, 3,876 M&Ms, 977 baby diapers, 489 cups of milk and a few electrified pickles can make a difference in the academic lives of adolescent girls, but it's true.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Obesity May Keep Some Women From Getting Screened For Breast, Cervical Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257400732/080324173525.htm
A review of cancer screening studies shows that white women who are obese are less likely than healthy weight women to get the recommended screenings for breast and cervical cancer.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Soybean Varieties Viable In Southern Indiana, Resistant To Root-knot Nematode
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257400733/080320173605.htm
Researchers have identified several soybean varieties that grow well in areas of the Midwest like southern Indiana, US and are resistant to root-knot nematodes, a plant-destroying parasite with a recently confirmed presence in that part of the state.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Federal Protection Against Genetic Discrimination Urged By American College of Physicians
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257148139/080324122252.htm
A policy monograph highlighting the need for federal protections against genetic discrimination in employment and insurance practices was just released by the American College of Physicians.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Fly's Tiny Brain May Hold Huge Human Benefits
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257306923/080324173545.htm
A study in fruit flies has shown that by manipulating levels of certain compounds associated with the "circuitry" of the brain, key genes related to memory can be isolated and tested. The results of the study may benefit human patients suffering from Parkinson's disease and could eventually lead to discoveries in the treatment of depression.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Beef Jerky Safety Boosted Simply: Heat For Longer To Kill Salmonella And E. Coli
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257028826/080324080304.htm
The latest spate of meat recalls due to E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella contamination might have consumers wondering about the safety of their meat products. But beef jerky connoisseurs need not worry.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Cheap Beet Pulp Turned Into Value-Added Plastics Ingredient
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257306924/080321122925.htm
Sugar beet pulp may help cut the costs of making biodegradable plastic, new studies suggest. The pulp is a fiber-rich byproduct of sucrose extraction procedures used by sugar beet processors. Most of the 40 million tons of U.S. sugar beet pulp generated each year is used as an inexpensive livestock feed or pet-food ingredient. But chemists aim to breathe new economic life into the pulp.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
NASA's Webb Telescope Sunshield Preliminary Design Review Complete
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254992741/080320103243.htm
The tennis court-sized sunshield built by Northrop Grumman for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has completed its preliminary design review at the company's Space Technology facility.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Free Drug Samples May Burden Patients' Pockets
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257028825/080324080307.htm
Following free drug sample receipt, patients who receive these samples have significantly higher out-of-pocket prescription costs than those who don't, according to the first study to look at the out-of-pocket cost associated with free-sample use.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Computers Show How Bats Classify Plants According To Their Echoes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085002/080320205227.htm
Researchers have developed a computer algorithm that can imitate the bat's ability to classify plants using echolocation. The study represents a collaboration between machine learning scientists and biologists studying bat orientation.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Strengthening The Tumor-fighting Ability Of T Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257056351/080324090555.htm
Researchers may have found a new way to promote immune cell attack on tumors. When faced with cancer, the immune system dispatches cells, called T cells, to kill the tumor. But these killer cells often fail to completely eliminate the tumor because they're deactivated by a distinct population of T cells known as regulatory T cells.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Flies And Salmonella: A Bad Combo In Poultry Houses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255628627/080321124759.htm
Flies may be more than a mere nuisance. They may also spread food poisoning bacteria like Salmonella enteritidis to chickens and their eggs. Microbiologists found that the common housefly, Musca domestica, readily picks up bacteria from its surroundings. When the chickens eat the flies, the bacteria get inside the birds.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Research To Lead To Brain Tumor Therapies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257028824/080324080310.htm
No therapy, other than invasive surgery aiming at a single tumor and which may not eradicate the full extent of the tumors, currently exists. By developing drug therapies will provide patients with a viable, non-invasive alternative.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Mass Measurement Technique Uncovers New Iron Isomer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085003/080320191308.htm
A ground state atomic nucleus can be something of a black box, masking subtle details about its structure behind the aggregate interplay of its protons and neutrons. This is one reason nuclear scientists are so keenly interested in isomers -- relatively long-lived excited-state nuclei that more easily give up their structural secrets to experimentalists.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Tracking Risky Teen Behavior Using GPS-enabled Cell Phones
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085004/080324100045.htm
How can researchers track where teens go when not in or near home or school to see if this movement has an impact on health-related behavior such as smoking or sexual activity? The answer is through that ubiquitous teen accessory -- the cell phone.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Tiny Buckyballs Squeeze Hydrogen Like Giant Jupiter
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254963186/080320095005.htm
Could tiny carbon cages store hydrogen for a hydrogen economy? Tiny carbon capsules called buckyballs are strong enough to hold volumes of hydrogen nearly as dense as those found at the center of Jupiter. Using a computer model, materials scientists found some buckyballs were capable of holding hydrogen volumes so dense as to be almost metallic.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
How HIV Turns Food-poisoning Into Lethal Infection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257056350/080324090558.htm
Nearly half of all HIV-positive African adults who become infected with Salmonella die from what otherwise would be a seven-day bout of diarrhea. Now, scientists have discovered how salmonella becomes lethal for AIDS patients.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
A Clearer Picture Of Cloudy Eyes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255684904/080321140945.htm
A new study provides more insight into cataracts, the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the elderly, finding that small pieces of a perfectly normal protein become toxic during the aging process. A cataract results from deterioration in the highly ordered assembly of crystallin proteins in the eye lens.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Genetic Study Of Latin Americans Sheds Light On A Troubled History
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085005/080320205224.htm
A recent molecular analysis of ancestry across Latin America has revealed a marked differentiation between regions and demonstrated a "genetic continuity" between pre-and post Columbian populations. This study provides the first broad description of how the genome diversity of populations from Latin America has been shaped by the colonial history of the region.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Physicists Learn How Quantum Mechanical States Break Down
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085007/080320173602.htm
Researchers have made significant advancements in understanding a fundamental problem of quantum mechanics -- one that is blocking efforts to develop practical quantum computers with processing speeds far superior to conventional computers. Theoretical and experimental studies are investigating how microscopic objects lose their quantum-mechanical properties through interactions with the environment.

Tue, 25 Mar 08
Do Attractive Women Want It All?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/257085008/080320155237.htm
Although many researchers have believed women choose partners based on the kind of relationship they are seeking, a new study reveals women's preferences can be influenced by their own attractiveness.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Chemists Find New Important Contributor To Urban Smog
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800813/080320150032.htm
Chemists have discovered that a chemical reaction in the atmosphere above major cities long assumed to be unimportant in urban air pollution is in fact a significant contributor to urban ozone -- the main component of smog.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Therapeutic Cloning Treats Parkinson's Disease In Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256777336/080323210229.htm
Therapeutic cloning, also known as somatic-cell nuclear transfer, can be used to treat Parkinson's disease in mice. For the first time, researchers showed that therapeutic cloning or SCNT has been successfully used to treat disease in the same subjects from whom the initial cells were derived. While this current work is in animals, it could have future implications as this method may be an effective way to reduce transplant rejection and enhance recovery in other diseases and in other organ systems.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Eating Causes Stress, But Antioxidants Can Help
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800814/080321123343.htm
No matter how pleasant a meal is, eating causes what's known as oxidative stress. As we digest our food, we create sometimes-harmful molecules known as free radicals. But antioxidants -- healthful compounds in fruits and vegetables -- can help by neutralizing the free radicals.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Medications Plus Dental Materials May Equal Infection For Diabetic Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800815/080312125557.htm
What many diabetic patients may not know is that the medications that help control healthy insulin levels may lead to unexpected events at the dentist's office. According to a new study, diabetic patients especially need to communicate special needs to their dentists. This is due to harmful interactions that could occur because of the materials and medications used at dental appointments.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Iron Gets Into The North Pacific In Unexpected Ways, Will Impact Climate Change Predictions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800816/080319121816.htm
Most oceanographers have assumed that the iron needed to fertilize infrequent plankton blooms in the high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll regions of the world's oceans comes almost entirely from wind-blown dust. Earth scientists have now shown that in at least one of three major HNLCs around the globe, the Subarctic North Pacific, the key source of iron is not dust but the volcanic continental margins. Understanding the origins, transport mechanisms, and fate of naturally occurring iron in high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll surface waters is important in calculating climate change.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
We Help Friends Due To Empathy; Relatives Due To Expectation Of Reciprocity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255594715/080321114214.htm
Empathy is an emotional reaction to the plight of others. Empathy can lead to altruistic behavior, i.e. helping someone with the sole intention of enhancing that person's wellbeing. If we see people in difficulty, for example, we feel the same emotions, and this may prompt us to help them. Yet the relationship between empathy and altruism is still far from clear. One young psychologist has researched the topic and concluded that when we help friends in need, we are prompted by feelings of empathy, and that when we help relatives we do so because we have expectations of reciprocity.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Black Carbon Pollution Emerges As Major Player In Global Warming
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256777337/080323210225.htm
Black carbon, a form of particulate air pollution most often produced from biomass burning, cooking with solid fuels and diesel exhaust, has a warming effect in the atmosphere three to four times greater than prevailing estimates. soot and other forms of black carbon could have as much as 60 percent of the current global warming effect of carbon dioxide, more than that of any greenhouse gas besides carbon dioxide. The researchers also noted, however, that mitigation would have immediate societal benefits in addition to the long term effect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Promising New Drug Targets Identified For Huntington's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256777335/080323210232.htm
A number of promising new drug targets for Huntington's disease, a neurodegenerative disease, have emerged. Scientists have identified a number of candidate drugs to investigate further which encourage cells to "eat" the malformed proteins that lead to the disease.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Plants Appear To Cluster The Genes Needed For Defense
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800817/080320150030.htm
Plants may cluster the genes needed to make defense chemicals, which may provide a way to discover new natural plant products of use as drugs, herbicides or crop protectants. Using a gene cluster that makes an antifungal compound in oats as a template, they uncovered a previously unknown gene cluster making a related compound in a different species, and now want to extend the search to other plants.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Smokers Treated For Brain Aneurysm With Coils At Higher Risk Of Recurrence
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800818/080320095031.htm
Cigarette smokers who were treated for cerebral aneurysms with coil embolization (blocking of a blood vessel) are at greater risk of developing another aneurysm, say neurological surgeons.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Pitching Mound Height Affects Throwing Motion, Injury Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256777341/080323210203.htm
A study involving several Major League Baseball pitchers indicates that the height of the pitcher's mound can affect the athlete's throwing arm motion, which may lead to potential injuries because of stress on the shoulder and elbow.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Language Feature Unique To Human Brain Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256777338/080323210220.htm
Researchers have identified a language feature unique to the human brain that is shedding light on how human language evolved. The study marks the first use of diffusion tensor imaging, a noninvasive imaging technique, to compare human brain structures to those of chimpanzees, our closest living relative.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Signaling Protein Helps Limit Damage In Heart Attack, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255758668/080321174214.htm
Scientists have shown that a signaling protein helps protect the heart and adapt during a heart attack. The protein Gi has increased activity in failing hearts, but researchers have never been sure if it was helping the heart adapt to damage or if it was causing heart cells to die. The team blocked the protein in the hearts of genetically engineered mice experiencing heart attacks. The animals had greater heart damage than did normal mice.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Gulf Stream Leaves Its Signature Seven Miles High
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800821/080320181838.htm
The Gulf Stream's impact on climate is well known, keeping Iceland and Scotland comfortable in winter compared to the deep-freeze of Labrador at the same latitude. That cyclones tend to spawn over the Gulf Stream has also been known for some time. A new study reveals that the Gulf Stream anchors a precipitation band with upward motions and cloud formations that can reach 7 miles high and penetrate the upper troposphere. The discovery shows that the Gulf Stream has a pathway by which to directly affect weather and climate patterns over the whole Northern Hemisphere, and perhaps even world wide.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
New Insight Into The Genetics Of Brain Tumor Formation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800822/080317164345.htm
Researchers have identified a potential new neuronal tumor suppressor. Neural crest-derived tumors include neuroblastomas and medulloblastomas, which are the most common malignant pediatric solid tumors, as well as paragangliomas (relatively rare tumors of the sympathetic nervous system) and melanomas, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Findings Could Improve Fuel Cell Efficiency
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800823/080319133704.htm
A new type of membrane based on tiny iron particles appears to address one of the major limitations exhibited by current power-generating fuel cell technology. While there are many types of fuel cells, in general they generate electricity as the result of chemical reactions between an external fuel -- most commonly hydrogen -- and an agent that reacts with it. The membrane that separates the two parts of the cell and facilitates the reaction is a key factor in determining the efficiency of the cell.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Childhood Personality Can Predict Important Outcomes In Emerging Adulthood
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255537503/080321094158.htm
A new study in the Journal of Personality reveals the extent to which children's personality types can predict the timing of key transitional moments between childhood and adulthood. The 19-year longitudinal study illustrated that childhood personality types were meaningfully associated with the timing of the transitions.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Good Luck Indeed: 53 Million-year-old Rabbit's Foot Bones Found
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254878700/080319170008.htm
One day last spring, fossil hunter and anatomy professor Kenneth Rose, Ph.D. was displaying the bones of a jackrabbit's foot as part of a seminar at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine when something about the shape of the bones looked oddly familiar. That unanticipated eureka moment has led researchers at the school to the discovery of the oldest known record of rabbits.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
New Method Disrupts Hepatitis C Virion Production
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255537504/080321093114.htm
Scientists have discovered a method to disrupt the production of infectious virus particles that cause hepatitis C, a blood-borne liver disease. This discovery might be a first step in developing new and more effective therapies against the hepatitis C virus. Current anti-virals are ineffective for the majority of patients infected with the viral strains most prevalent in the United States.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Increasing Iron Uptake In Infants
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800824/080321122124.htm
Researchers have developed new techniques for boosting the amount of iron infants absorb from solid food. Children who are five to six months old are growing rapidly and need sufficient iron to fuel their development. However, this is also the time when an infant's first iron reserves start becoming depleted.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Researchers Study New Drug And Indications For Heated Chemotherapy Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800825/080314202115.htm
Studies have shown that surgery combined with Intraperitoneal Hyperthermic Chemotherapy can improve survival rates for select patients with peritoneal carcinoma (cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity) that has spread from colorectal or appendix cancer.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Cheap New Solar Cells Made Much More Efficient
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256800826/080320095008.htm
A cheap alternative to silicon solar cells can be found in dye-sensitized solar cells. This type of cell imitates the natural conversion of sunlight into energy by, for instance, plants and light-sensitive bacteria. Researchers have now succeeded in substantially improving a process in this type of solar cell, which is similar to Graetzel cells.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Consideration For Others Stimulates Positive Behavior
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255594716/080321113541.htm
Imagine that you are walking in the park and you have just finished a soft drink. There are no waste bins to be seen anywhere. Just when you are considering throwing the empty can into the bushes, you remember that your mother would not approve. With this in mind, you will probably continue to look for a waste bin. Even when we are not in the company of others, we can feel obliged to keep to certain standards of behavior. Simply thinking about parents or a partner, for example, is enough to remind us how we should behave.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Switch Controls Whether Cells Pass Point Of No Return
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256777339/080323210206.htm
Investigators have revealed the hidden properties of an on-off switch that governs cell growth. The team proved that if the switch is on, then a cell will divide, even if it's damaged or the signal to grow disappears.

Mon, 24 Mar 08
Protein Protects Embryonic Stem Cells' Versatility And Self-renewal
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256777342/080323210158.htm
The protein REST protects the pluripotentiality and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells by suppressing a specific microRNA. The basic finding has implications for regenerative medicine. The new research builds on earlier work connecting the protein to medulloblastoma -- an aggressive childhood brain cancer.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
New Zealand's 'Living Dinosaur' -- The Tuatara -- Is Surprisingly The Fastest Evolving Animal
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255057791/080320120708.htm
Researchers have found that, although tuatara have remained largely physically unchanged over very long periods of evolution, they are evolving -- at a DNA level -- faster than any other animal yet examined.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
Eye Test Peers Into Heat-related Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254992742/080320103240.htm
A bodysuit that heats or cools a patient, combined with painless measurements of eye movements, is providing multiple sclerosis researchers with a new tool to study the mysterious link between body temperature and severity of MS symptoms.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
'Nanominerals' Influence Earth Systems From Ocean To Atmosphere To Biosphere
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256346999/080320150039.htm
The ubiquity of tiny particles of minerals -- mineral nanoparticles -- in oceans and rivers, atmosphere and soils, and in living cells are providing scientists with new ways of understanding Earth's workings. Our planet's physical, chemical, and biological processes are influenced or driven by the properties of these minerals.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
No Evidence Growth Hormone Boosts Athletic Performance, Review Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255057789/080320132224.htm
Athletes who risk their careers by taking banned growth hormone to improve performance may not be getting the benefits they'd anticipated, according to a new analysis. Researchers pooled data from previous studies in an attempt to summarize what's known about growth hormone's effects on athletic performance.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
Shells Inspire Nano-battery Research For Cell Phones, PDAs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256347002/080319135829.htm
An MIT materials scientist's research on sea snails has helped transform battery technology and may end the era when cell phones die if they're dropped and PDAs must be replaced if they get dunked in the tub. Thanks to those sea snails and a eureka moment a professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Biological Engineering is developing smart nano-materials -- hybrids of organic and inorganic components -- beginning with a rechargeable, biologically based battery that looks like plastic food wrap.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
Can Involvement In Extra-curricular Activities Help Prevent Juvenile Delinquency?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255758670/080321174211.htm
Parents concerned about their teens' involvement in risky and criminal behavior have traditionally involved their kids in sports, church and community activities. Do those activities really help prevent risky behaviors in youth? And do the activities affect boys and girls differently? New research in Crime & Delinquency studies those questions, helping parents and youth workers design effective delinquency prevention plans.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
A MicroRNA Molecule Can Reduce Lung Cancer Growth, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256347005/080320150018.htm
A small RNA molecule, known as let-7 microRNA (miRNA), substantially reduced cancer growth in multiple mouse models of lung cancer. This new work demonstrates that let-7 inhibits the growth of lung cancer cells in culture and in lung tumors in mice. They also showed that let-7 can be applied as an intranasal drug to reduce tumor formation in a RAS mouse model lung cancer.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
Gene Therapy Can Cause Leukemia In Large Animals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256347007/080320173632.htm
Individuals with a number of life-threatening genetic diseases of the immune system have been successfully treated by gene therapy -- that is, they were infused with early precursors of immune cells that had the correct form of the defective gene delivered into them by agents known as retroviral vectors. However, some patients later developed leukemia.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
Tuberculosis Bacterium Is Double-protected, 3-D Images Show
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256347008/080319103123.htm
The first 3-D images that disclose a double membrane surrounding mycobacteria have been recorded, ending a long scientific debate about the mycobacterial outer membrane and opening new pathways to improve the development of chemotherapeutic substances against tuberculosis.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
Brains Are Hardwired To Act According To The Golden Rule
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255657132/080321131055.htm
Wesley Autrey, a black construction worker, a Navy veteran and 55-year-old father of two, didn't know the young man standing beside him. But when he had a seizure on the subway platform and toppled onto the tracks, Autrey jumped down after him and shielded him with his body as a train bore down on them. Autrey could have died, so why did he put his life on the line -- literally -- to save this complete stranger?

Sun, 23 Mar 08
Current Major Flooding In U.S. A Sign Of Things To Come, NOAA Predicts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256347009/080321140042.htm
Major floods striking America's heartland in mid-March offer a preview of the spring seasonal outlook, according to NOAA's National Weather Service. Several factors will contribute to above-average flood conditions, including record rainfall in some states and snow packs, which are melting and causing rivers and streams to crest over their banks. The week of March 15, more than 250 communities in a dozen states are experiencing flood conditions.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
First Study Hints At Insights To Come From Genes Unique To Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255594714/080321114414.htm
Among the approximately 23,000 genes in human DNA, scientists estimate that there may be as few as 50 to 100 that have no counterparts in other species. Little is known about the distinctive contributions these genes likely make to our species. Now scientists have produced the first detailed analysis of the cellular functions of a gene found only in humans and primate relatives known as hominoids.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
Gene Linked To Development Of The Parkinson's Disease In Those With Family History Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255026994/080320120837.htm
Research has uncovered a gene that could hold the key to developing new treatments for Parkinson's disease. Although less than a quarter of all cases of Parkinson's are familial, researchers believe genes like GIGYF2 can provide clues to the mechanisms behind Parkinson's and could point to new treatments for the more common and sporadic forms of the disease.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
Sharpening The Search For New Marine Medicines With Novel Techniques
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256347010/080319110158.htm
With the number of terrestrial sources that yield novel treatments for human disease decreasing year by year, the oceans have been tapped as a promising resource for discovering new natural biomedicines. Two new studies each utilizing mass spectrometry in novel ways, have helped narrow the gap in identifying potent natural compounds from the sea that could one day treat diseases such as cancer.

Sun, 23 Mar 08
Adolescents With Chronic Insomnia Report 'Twofold To Fivefold' Increase In Personal Problems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/256347011/080320192339.htm
Chronic insomnia is costing adolescents more than sleep. It's been linked to a wide range of physical, psychological and interpersonal problems, according to public health researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, who completed the first prospective study of adolescents with persistent sleep problems. Documenting a "twofold to fivefold" increase in personal problems among adolescents with persistent sleeplessness, public health researchers say they have completed the first prospective study demonstrating the negative impact of chronic insomnia on 11 to 17 year olds. More than one fourth of the youths surveyed had one or more symptoms of insomnia and almost half of these youngsters had chronic conditions.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Powerful Stellar Explosion: An Action Replay
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254992738/080320114337.htm
Astronomers have made the best ever determination of the power of a supernova explosion that was visible from Earth long ago using X-ray observations of a supernova remnant and optical observations of the expanding light echoes from the explosion. These results establish the validity of an important new method for studying supernovas.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Promising Research On The Susceptibility To And Drug Targets For Parkinson's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903850/080320205217.htm
Better understanding of Parkinson's disease onset during aging is important for improving diagnostics and developing strategies for therapeutic intervention. Scientists have now identified genes and processes that may underlie what makes some people more susceptible to this disease.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Floating A Big Idea: Ancient Use Of Rafts To Transport Goods Demonstrated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903851/080319114619.htm
Oceangoing sailing rafts plied the waters of the equatorial Pacific long before Europeans arrived in the Americas, and carried trade goods for thousands of miles all the way from modern-day Chile to western Mexico, according to new findings by MIT researchers in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Are Dual Cord Blood Banks The Answer To Increasing Stem Cell Demand?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903852/080320205202.htm
Demand for stem cells from cord blood is greater than supply. Two senior doctors analyze the UK's growing cord blood banking industry and the potential impact of a new bank that provides blood for both personal and public use. One private cord blood bank will store 20% of a sample for private use and 80% for public use.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Tug Of War In The Cells: Shedding Light On Transport Mechanism
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903853/080319100741.htm
Logistics is a key part of life. Nutrition, tools and information constantly have to be transported from one place to another in cells. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces have now discovered how molecular motors transport cargo in cells. Two competing teams of motors pull in opposite directions, like in a tug-of-war contest. The winning team determines the direction of transport after the competition.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Children With Healthier Diets Do Better In School, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254963185/080320105546.htm
A new study in the Journal of School Health reveals that children with healthy diets perform better in school than children with unhealthy diets. Students with an increased fruit and vegetable intake and less caloric intake from fat were significantly less likely to fail the literacy assessment.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Ancient Lemur's Little Finger Poses Mystery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903854/080319161734.htm
Analysis of the first hand bones belonging to an ancient lemur has revealed a mysterious joint structure that has scientists puzzled.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Dietary Guidelines Associated With Lower Risk Of Metabolic Syndrome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903855/080321124540.htm
Based on a close look at the everyday eating habits of a large group of men and women, researchers have found that people whose diets were most similar to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were least likely to have metabolic syndrome. For the study, metabolic syndrome was defined as a condition occurring among people who have at least three of the following health risks: abdominal obesity, poor blood sugar control, high blood fats, low levels of HDL "good" cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Treatment Gives Lung Cancer Patients With Inoperable Tumors Two Years Or More, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903856/080318225500.htm
Radiofrequency ablation -- an interventional treatment that "cooks" and kills lung cancer tumors with heat -- greatly improves survival time from primary or metastatic inoperable lung tumors, according to a new study. These survival results are similar to surgical results from other studies, but the interventional treatment is less invasive and has far fewer side effects and less recovery time.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Molecular Science Could Further Improve Leukemia Survival, Researchers Say
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255537502/080321094201.htm
The dramatic increase that has occurred in the cure rate for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia will be difficult to replicate in older patients without considerable additional research, according to a new article. Research aimed at understanding the success in treating pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia combined with molecular science could help clinicians treat adolescents and adults with the disease.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Survival Mechanism Of T Lymphocytes Uncovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903857/080318213921.htm
When an individual is challenged by a virus, a bacterium or any other infectious agent, several classes of white blood cells are being activated in order to fight the invasion. One particular important class of white blood cells are the so-called T lymphocytes. These cells originate in the bone marrow and mature in the thymus, hence called 'T' cells. Once matured, these cells circulate as naÃ¯ve T cells throughout the body in an inactive form.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Virtual-reality Video Game To Help Burn Patients Play Their Way To Pain Relief
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903858/080319152744.htm
To a patient recovering from severe burns, no place would be more soothing than a polar landscape of gently falling snowflakes, snowmen, penguins, igloos and icy rivers. That's the thinking behind SnowWorld, an interactive, virtual-reality video game being used to manage pain felt by burn patients during wound care and physical therapy.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
New 3-D Camera Will Have 12,616 Lenses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903859/080319160105.htm
Electrical engineers are developing an on-chip imaging sensor with small pixels and 12,616 mini-optic lenses that are created as part of the semiconductor manufacturing process. Used in a digital camera, these lenses will record overlapping views of the scene, creating an electronic "depth map" as well as a photograph. Downloaded to a computer, the map can be used in many ways. The camera technology produces a "depth map" of a scene. The possible uses range from facial recognition to 'in vivo' biological imaging.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Serious Weakness Found In Virus Responsible For Most Cervical Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254992740/080320103251.htm
The virus responsible for most cases of cervical cancer has a serious weakness which may provide hope for new treatments for the disease. Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a virus which causes several types of cancer but is particularly associated with cervical cancer, has developed clever ways of hiding in the body, but researchers have found that its ability to trick the body's first line of defense leaves it vulnerable to attack from a second defense system.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Spring Training For Parents?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903860/080318151746.htm
Spring training for parents isn't a bad idea because as cries of "play ball" ring out this spring, they surely will be followed by complaints of anxiety and stress from young athletes wanting to quit sports. Parents and coaches can make youth sports a fun, learning experience or a nightmare, according to sport psychologists.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Hispanics With Clogged Arteries At Greatest Risk Of Stroke, Heart Attack, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903861/080319170020.htm
Hispanics who have even a small amount of plaque build-up in the neck artery that supplies blood to the brain are up to four times more likely to suffer or die from a stroke or heart attack than Hispanics who do not have plaque, according to a new study.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
NIST Evaluates Firefighting Tactics In NYC High-rise Test
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903862/080318182728.htm
NIST fire protection engineers turned an abandoned New York City brick high-rise into a seven-story fire laboratory last month to better understand the fast-moving spread of wind-driven flames, smoke and toxic gases through corridors and stairways of burning buildings.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Depressed Caregivers Hostile, Not Warm, To Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255903863/080319170016.htm
Caregivers with moderate to severe depressive symptoms showed greater hostility and less warmth. The study focused on caregivers of low-income children with persistent asthma. Caregivers with higher levels of depressive symptoms exhibited lower levels of warmth and higher levels of hostility during both loss and conflict tasks.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Happily Marrieds Have Lower Blood Pressure Than Social Singles
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565591/080320192610.htm
Happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singles with supportive social networks. Both men and women in happy marriages scored four points lower on 24-hour blood pressure than single adults. Having supportive friends did not translate into improved blood pressure for singles or unhappily marrieds. New research shows that happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singles with supportive social networks, suggesting marriage may literally be a matter of the heart.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Safer Gene Therapy May Be Possible Using Novel Approach
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565592/080320192009.htm
A novel strategy for circumventing safety problems that have plagued gene therapy has been offered by a complex multicenter group of researchers. The study reports that adenovirus type 5, a common vector for delivering gene therapy, transfects liver cells by a different mechanism than previously thought. That mechanism offers a new target for modifying the viral vector to make it safe for clinical use.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Arctic Pollution's Surprising History: Explorers Saw Particulate Haze In Late 1800s
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565594/080319085406.htm
Scientists know that air pollution particles from mid-latitude cities migrate to the Arctic and form an ugly haze, but a new study finds surprising evidence that polar explorers saw the same phenomenon as early as 1870.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Parasitic Worm May Be More Widespread Than Previously Thought
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565595/080319085411.htm
A new genetic analysis suggests that the parasitic worm Schistosoma mekongi is more widespread than previously thought. According to the study, the human population at risk of infection could be up to 10 times greater than previously estimated. Furthermore, it posits an increased possibility of the spread of the parasite across Laos and Vietnam.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Rice Breeding: Highly Specific Gene Silencing Successful In Rice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565596/080319093106.htm
A new tool for rice genetics allows rice breeders to surgically inactivate genes that confer unwanted properties. Imagine you are a rice breeder and one day within a large field you discover a plant that has just the characteristics you have been looking for. You happily take your special plant to the laboratory where you find out that the spontaneous, beneficial event was due to inactivation of a single gene. This is a great observation; however, there are many different strains grown in different parts of the world, well adapted to the particular region they grow in. How can you now transfer the inactivated gene to other strains of rice?

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Money Buys Happiness When You Spend On Others, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565597/080320150034.htm
Researchers have found that it's possible to buy happiness after all: when you spend money on others. Employees were given a small amount of money and instructed to either spend it on themselves or others. What affected the employees' happiness was not so much the size of the bonus but how they spent it.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
New Family Of Superconductors Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565598/080318223250.htm
Scientists have identified a new family of superconductors --- research that could eventually lead to the design of better superconducting materials for a wide variety of industrial uses. In an article in Science, they produced the first experimental proof that superconductivity can occur in hydrogen compounds known as molecular hydrides.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
'Jumping Gene' May Contribute To A Premature Aging Syndrome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565599/080320205221.htm
Scientists have identified a fusion protein that may contribute to Cockayne syndrome, a devastating disease characterized by developmental defects, neurodegeneration, severe wasting, and premature aging.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Killer Stairs? Taking The Elevator Could Be Worse For Your Body
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565600/080318182741.htm
Researchers have found direct evidence to support the claim of the Centers for Disease Control that a reduction in daily physical activity is an actual cause of many of the risk factors for chronic diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The research team also found that it only takes about two weeks of reduced activity for individuals to start noticing the effects.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Neuronal Regulators Offer Potential Targets For Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565601/080319142401.htm
In a previous study, researchers showed that a protein called REST -- which keeps neural programs silent in most parts of the body -- serves as a tumor suppressor. Now they've identified a protein that promotes tumor growth by tagging REST for destruction, thereby activating neural programs.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Rabbit Fish To The Rescue Of The Reef
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565602/080319093118.htm
While rabbits continue to ravage Australia's native landscapes, rabbit fish may help save large areas of the Great Barrier Reef from destruction. The reason, say scientists, is the same in both cases -- both rabbits and rabbit fish are efficient herbivores, capable of stripping an area of vegetation. However, in the case of the Reef, it is the vegetation that is the problem -- and the rabbit fish, the answer.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
The Song Doesn't Remain The Same In Fragmented Bird Populations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565603/080318203313.htm
The song of passerine birds is a conspicuous and exaggerated display shaped by sexual selection in the context of male-male competition or mate attraction. At the level of the individual, song is considered an indicator of male 'quality'. Researchers found an association between individual song diversity and the viability of the population as a whole, as measured by the annual rate of population change.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Instead of Euthanasia: Continuous Deep Sedation Used Increasingly In The Netherlands
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565604/080320205207.htm
The use of continuous deep sedation for patients nearing death in the Netherlands is increasing, while cases of euthanasia have declined, according to a new study.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Upright Walking Began 6 Million Years Ago, Thigh Bone Comparison Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565605/080320183657.htm
A shape comparison of the most complete fossil femur (thigh bone) of one of the earliest known pre-humans, or hominins, with the femora of living apes, modern humans and other fossils, indicates the earliest form of bipedalism occurred at least six million years ago and persisted for at least four million years.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Infection With A Mutated HIV Strain Results In Better Survival
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565606/080320205213.htm
Persons infected with a mutated HIV strain, transmitted from those who have the genetic advantages to control the virus, results in improved survival according to a recent study by South African researchers. The study looked for genetic mutations in the infecting virus in 24 newly infected people in Durban, South Africa.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Giant Panda Mating Season At National Zoo
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565607/080320163106.htm
The 2008 giant panda mating season began March 18, at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Female Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) and male Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN) attempted to mate throughout the day Tuesday. Zoo staff carefully observed each mating and, because satisfactory mating did not occur, Zoo scientists and veterinarians performed a nonsurgical artificial insemination Wednesday morning. Both pandas were anesthetized, allowing Zoo scientists to collect sperm from Tian Tian and insert it directly into Mei Xiang's uterus.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
'Metafilms' Can Shrink Radio, Radar Devices
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565608/080318182735.htm
Recent research has demonstrated that thin films made of "metamaterials" -- manmade composites engineered to offer strange combinations of electromagnetic properties -- can greatly reduce the size of resonating circuits that generate microwaves, potentially enabling even smaller cell phones and other microwave devices.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Color Vision System Independent Of Motion Detection in Eye Sight
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565609/080319114627.htm
The vision system used to process color is separate from that used to detect motion, according to a new study. The findings run counter to previous scholarship that suggested motion detection and color contrast may work in tandem.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Forecasting Tsunami Threats Through Layers Of Sand And Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255565610/080318224409.htm
Azhii peralai: from the deep ... large waves. This is the expression for 'tsunami' in Tamil, the oldest language in southern India. For an ancient dialect to have its own phrase for destructive waves triggered by earthquakes, the people of Tamil Nadu likely experienced tsunamis periodically through the centuries, say scientists. In other words, the catastrophic Indian Ocean event in December 2004 that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries -- including 15,000 in India -- was hardly a one freak occurrence, he says, and people could have been much better prepared for it.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Early Americans Arrived Thousands of Years Earlier Than Previously Believed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255057790/080320120714.htm
Anthropologists provide evidence that the first Americans came to this country 1,000 to 2,000 years earlier than the 13,500 years ago previously thought, which could shift historic timelines.

Sat, 22 Mar 08
Stunning Gamma Ray Burst Explosion Detected Halfway Across Universe
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255537501/080321093110.htm
A powerful stellar explosion detected March 19 by NASA's Swift satellite has shattered the record for the most distant object that could be seen with the naked eye. "This burst was a whopper," said the Swift principal investigator "It blows away every gamma ray burst we've seen so far."

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Ancient Asteroids Formed At Solar System's Start
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166219/080320150022.htm
Using visible and infrared data collected from telescopes on Hawaii's Mauna Kea, astronomers have identified three asteroids that appear to be among our solar system's oldest objects.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Impaired Sense Of Smell May Be Early Indicator Of Parkinson's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166220/080320155232.htm
Impaired sense of smell occurs in the earliest stages of Parkinson's disease and there is mounting evidence that it may precede motor symptoms by several years.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
New Strategy To Prevent Genetically Altered Rice From Uncontrolled Spreading
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166221/080318203316.htm
A method of creating selective terminable transgenic rice has been developed. Unintended spreading of transgenic rice by pollen and seed dispersal is a major concern for planting transgenic rice, especially transgenic rice expressing pharmaceutical or industrial proteins.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Researchers Unmask Proteins In Telomerase, A Substance That Enables Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255026995/080320120834.htm
One of the more intriguing workhorses of the cell, a protein conglomerate called telomerase, has in its short history been implicated in some critical areas of medicine including cancer, aging and keeping stem cells healthy.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Animation Aids Psychology In 'Second Life' Experiment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166222/080318215512.htm
A new project will test how people respond to extreme social situations - particularly the 'bystander effect' - using an immersive virtual environment like Second Life where real people interact with each other socially through lifelike animated characters. The bystander effect suggests that the more witnesses there are to an emergency, the less likely an individual bystander is to intervene. This phenomenon was identified as a particular consequence of the assault and murder of Kitty Genovese in New York in 1964 which was witnessed by some 38 people, all of whom remained bystanders and failed to come to Kitty's aid.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Men And Women Have Different Eating Habits, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166223/080319120318.htm
When it comes to what we eat, men and women really are different according to scientific research. In general, men are more likely to report eating meat and poultry items and women are more likely to report eating fruits and vegetables.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Nano-breakthrough: Dramatic Increase In Thermoelectric Efficiency Heralds New Era In Heating, Cooling And Power Generation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166224/080320150027.htm
Researchers have used nanotechnology to achieve a major increase in thermoelectric efficiency, a milestone that paves the way for a new generation of products -- from semiconductors and air conditioners to car exhaust systems and solar power technology -- that run cleaner. The team's low-cost approach, detailed in Science, involves building tiny alloy nanostructures that can serve as micro-coolers and power generators.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Motor Neuron Disease And Toxic Substances: Possible Link?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166225/080320163109.htm
Scientists have found that people with a form of inherited motor neuron disease have abnormalities in the same gene that appears to be affected in people who suffer nerve damage after exposure to harmful amounts of organophosphates. The results raise the possibility that healthy people may have gene variants that make them vulnerable to nerve damage if exposed to the chemicals, which include common insecticides and have been linked to Gulf War illness.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Modeling Stress and Strain In Bones And Statues
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253752391/080318104221.htm
For statues, stress injuries come from standing in place for hundreds of years. Using a novel technique, researchers have now developed a way to predict such fracturing, applying the procedure to Michelangelo's David in an analysis that proved simpler, faster and more accurate than previous methods. In applying the technique to other objects -- including human bones -- the researchers are also gaining new perspective on how these structures are likely to fail.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Scans Spot Hidden Tumors In Rare Cancer Syndrome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166226/080318160308.htm
Researchers report that full-body PET/CT scanning detected unsuspected, treatable tumors in 3 of 15 patients with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare genetic cancer syndrome for which no screening tests have been recommended. They caution, however, that further, larger studies are needed to determine whether PET/CT screening is beneficial in LFS patients, who are highly susceptible to a variety of cancers from an early age because of an inborn gene mutation.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Cycling For Food: Engineers Work On Pedal-powered Grain Crusher
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166227/080318221759.htm
Students have produced a fairly simple mechanical device that people in developing countries can use to process anything from corn to barley. If it's successful, the grain crusher can help produce food for residents of Third World countries and enable some people to generate an income as they travel from community to community crushing foodstuff for a price.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Many Moms Use Cigarettes, Marijuana, Alcohol During Pregnancy; Dads Don't Help, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254992743/080320095045.htm
Despite public health campaigns, a surprising number of women continue to use substances such as tobacco, marijuana and alcohol during pregnancy and their usage rebounds to pre-pregnancy levels within two years of having a baby. Dads, meanwhile, don't get the messages at all.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Deadly Genetic Disease Prevented Before Birth In Zebrafish
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166228/080320155644.htm
By injecting a customized "genetic patch" into early stage fish embryos, researchers were able to correct a genetic mutation so the embryos developed normally. The research could lead to the prevention of up to one-fifth of birth defects in humans caused by genetic mutations, according to the scientists involved in the study.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
How Humans Make Up For An 'Inborn' Vitamin C Deficiency
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255026998/080320120726.htm
A new study appears to explain how humans, along with other higher primates, guinea pigs and fruit bats, get by with what some have called an "inborn metabolic error": an inability to produce vitamin C from glucose.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
New Natural Family Planning Method Appeals To Wide Range Of Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253717193/080318104225.htm
A study in the journal Contraception reports that the Standard Days Method, a natural family planning method brings new women to family planning. More than half the women who selected the Standard Days Method had never previously used family planning and on average, contraceptive use increased by 8 percent in communities where the method was introduced.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Uric Acid May Provide Early Clues To Diabetic Kidney Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166229/080318104217.htm
For patients with type 1 diabetes, increased levels of uric acid in the blood may be an early sign of diabetic kidney disease -- appearing before any significant change in urine albumin level, the standard screening test, reports a new study.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
What Is The Life Cycle Of Salmonella Like In The Internal Organs?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166230/080318182813.htm
Salmonella enteritidis is one of the main causes of food-borne illness worldwide. In severe cases, it can reach the circulatory system. Knowledge about the distribution in the internal organs may lead to new insights into prevention and therapy. New research has provided significant data for understanding the life cycle of Salmonella.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Sleep Deprivation Used To Diagnose Sleepwalking
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166231/080319085402.htm
A new study found that sleep deprivation can precipitate sleepwalking in predisposed individuals and can therefore serve as a valuable tool in diagnosing this disorder. Somnambulism (sleepwalking), which usually involves misperception and unresponsiveness to the environment, mental confusion and amnesia about sleepwalking episodes, affects up to 4 percent of adults.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Ocean May Exist Beneath Titan's Crust, Cassini Spacecraft Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166232/080320150828.htm
NASA's Cassini spacecraft has discovered evidence that points to the existence of an underground ocean of water and ammonia on Saturn's moon Titan. The findings made using radar measurements of Titan's rotation will appear in the March 21 issue of the journal Science.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Cholesterol-associated Gene Variants Can Predict Cardiovascular Events, Study Confirms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166233/080319171815.htm
A new study confirms that a combination of gene variants previously associated with cholesterol levels does reflect patients' cholesterol levels and can signify increased risk of heart attack, stroke or sudden cardiac death.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Satellites Can Help Arctic Grazers Survive Killer Winter Storms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253752389/080318121552.htm
Rain falling on snow sounds like a relatively harmless weather event, but when it happens in the far north it can mean lingering death for reindeer, musk oxen and other animals that normally graze on the Arctic tundra. Scientists say satellite data could be used to help save herds of musk oxen and reindeer from starvation when ice storms cut off their food supply.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Gene And Activity Level Of HDL-associated Protein Linked To Risk Of Heart Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253686149/080318101006.htm
The gene for the HDL-associated protein paraoxonase 1 appears to be associated with coronary artery disease and with the risk of developing adverse cardiac events, and variations in both the PON1 gene and its related enzyme activity may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease events.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Clean-vehicle Research Initiative Making Progress: Midcourse shift in strategic plan needed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166234/080319104308.htm
A public-private effort to develop technologies for more fuel-efficient automobiles and to investigate the feasibility of hydrogen-based vehicles has made significant progress in most research areas, says a new report.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Sanitation Investment In Poor Countries Would Yield $9-to-1 Benefits In Productivity, Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255166235/080320095022.htm
World Water Day, to be marked March 20, focuses this International Sanitation Year on the 2.6 billion people with inadequate access to toilets. UN estimates show that achieving its sanitation goal, agreed in 2000 -- to simply halve number of people without access to a toilet by 2015 -- would cost $38 billion, less than 1% of annual world military spending. That investment, however, would yield $347 billion worth of benefits -- much of it related to higher productivity and improved health.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Rethinking Early Evolution: Earth's Earliest Animal Ecosystem Was Complex And Included Sexual Reproduction
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255140884/080320150025.htm
Paleontologists studying ancient fossils they excavated in the South Australian outback argue that Earth's ecosystem has been complex for hundreds of millions of years -- at least since around 565 million years ago. In describing Funisia dorothea, a tubular organism seen in the fossils, the researchers found that the organism had multiple means of growing and propagating -- similar to strategies used by most invertebrate organisms for propagation today.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Insulin Has Previously Unknown Effect That Has Role In Aging And Lifespan
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255026997/080320120729.htm
Researchers have shown that insulin has a previously unknown effect that plays a role in aging and lifespan, a finding that could ultimately provide a mechanism for gene manipulations that could help people live longer and healthier lives.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Keeping The Brain Sharp: Stopping A Receptor Called 'Nogo' Boosts Synapses In Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255115073/080318104212.htm
New findings about a protein called the nogo receptor are offering fresh ways to think about keeping the brain sharp. Scientists have found that reducing the nogo receptor in the brain results in stronger brain signaling in mice, effectively boosting signal strength between the synapses, the connections between nerve cells in the brain. The work ties together several research threads that touch upon the health benefits of exercise.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Gene Variants Associated With Increased Risk Of Bone Fractures, Low Bone Mineral Density
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253686150/080318101000.htm
Results from a large study indicate that variants of the gene LRP5 are associated with a significant increase in the risk of fractures, by up to 20 percent, and lower levels of bone mineral density in the spine and hip, according to a new study.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Cause Of Death Of Russian Baby Mammoth Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255115074/080318214854.htm
In 2004, the front part of a baby mammoth's body was found in Olchan mine in Russia. There remained only the head, part of the proboscis, the neck area and part of the breast of the baby mammoth's body. The baby mammoth's skin is well preserved, it is smooth, greyish-brown, the tawny hair fell out and froze into the ice near the body.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Introspective Experiences Inform Inferences About Similar People -- But Not Dissimilar
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253717189/080318110333.htm
Brain imaging illustrates that the same region of the brain is used for thoughts of self and similar others. Researchers have shown that we use the region of the brain associated with introspection to make inferences about the thoughts and feelings of people that we perceive to be similar, but not those that are dissimilar.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Unlocking The Psychology Of Snake And Spider Phobias
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255087600/080320132646.htm
Researchers have unlocked new evidence that could help them get to the bottom of our most common phobias and their causes. Hundreds of thousands of people count snakes and spiders among their fears, and while scientists have previously assumed we possess an evolutionary predisposition to fear the unpopular animals, new research seem to indicate otherwise.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Mars Salt Deposit Discovery Points To A New Place To Hunt For Life's Ancient Traces
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255115075/080320150042.htm
Scientists using a Mars-orbiting camera have discovered the first evidence for deposits of chloride minerals -- salts -- in numerous places on Mars. These deposits, say the scientists, show where water was once abundant and may also provide evidence for the existence of former Martian life.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
New Method Can Rapidly ID Optimal Drug Cocktails
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255087593/080317173333.htm
Researchers have developed a feedback control scheme that can search for the most optimal and effective drug combinations to treat various diseases, including cancers and infections, a discovery that could significantly facilitate clinical drug cocktail trials.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Silent Tiny Cooling Systems Made For Laptop Computers, Other Devices
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253717191/080318110327.htm
Engineers harnessing the same physical property that drives silent household air purifiers have created a miniaturized device that is now ready for testing as a silent, ultra-thin, low-power and low maintenance cooling system for laptop computers and other electronic devices.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Reducing Heart Disease Risk Naturally Post-menopause
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255087594/080318084333.htm
Aerobic exercise significantly decreased the chemical imbalances that can lead to heart disease and stroke in postmenopausal women according to a study in the Journal of Women and Aging.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
First 3-D View Of Anti-cancer Agent Reported
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255087595/080318124812.htm
Researchers have created the first 3-D image of how a well-established chemotherapy agent targets and binds to DNA. These images may help scientists develop better chemotherapy drugs to treat a wide range of cancers.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
High-tech Interrogations May Promote Abuse Of Detainees
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253717187/080318111649.htm
There is evidence that brain imaging technology is being used to interrogate suspected terrorists despite concerns that it may not be reliable, and that it might inadvertently promote abuse of detainees, according to a new research. Researchers say the risk that such technology could license further abuse of detainees remains ever present, given President Bush's March 8 veto of legislation that would have prohibited the CIA from conducting aggressive interrogations.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Oldest Cretaceous Period Dinosaur Discovered Represents New Genus Of Prehistoric Aquatic Predator
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254963184/080320104100.htm
One of the oldest and most complete plesiosaur fossils recovered in North America, and the oldest yet discovered from the Cretaceous Period, represents a new genus of the prehistoric aquatic predator according to palaeontologists who have formally described the creature after its remains were uncovered in a mine near Fort McMurray in 1994.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Community-acquired Staph Pneumonia Appears More Common, Including MRSA
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255087597/080319120322.htm
Preliminary research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that community acquired pneumonia caused by the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium may be more common than originally suspected, including that caused by antibiotic resistant strains.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
What Gets A Female's Attention, At Least A Songbird's
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255087598/080318084359.htm
Male songbirds produce a subtly different tune when they are courting a female than when they are singing on their own. Now, new research offers a window into the effect this has on females, showing they have an ear for detail. The finding provides insights not only into the intricacies of songbird attraction and devotion but also into the way in which the brain develops and responds to social cues, in birds -- and humans.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Trauma Patients Likely To Experience Moderately Severe Pain One Year After Injuries
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/255087599/080317164404.htm
Most patients have moderately severe pain resulting from their injuries one year after sustaining major trauma, according to a new article. Recent studies have shown that most patients with pelvic fractures and lower extremity injuries continue to experience chronic pain five to seven years after injury. Pain after injury can lead to disability, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Mark Robotic First For British Antarctic Survey
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253686153/080318100925.htm
Scientists have completed the first ever series of flights by autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles in Antarctica. This is the first time that unpiloted UAVs have been used in the Antarctic and the successful flights open up a major new technique for gathering scientific data in the harshest and remotest environment on Earth.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Past Child Abuse Plus Variations In Gene Result In Potent PTSD Risk For Adults
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253686151/080318100955.htm
PTSD symptoms were doubled in adults who underwent trauma if they had two key factors: variations in a gene active in the stress-response system and past child abuse. The gene variations and the impact of child abuse appear to affect each other in ways that change the body's stress-hormone system during the crucial developmental years. The study was conducted in the inner city, where PTSD rates are as high as in veterans.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Lyme Disease Can Be Prevented With New Shot, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254904825/080319193029.htm
Lyme disease is the blight of countryside users but it may be prevented with a single injection, according to research in the Journal of Medical Microbiology. Researchers found that a new formulation that is programmed to release the anti-Lyme disease drug over a 20 day period was 100% effective.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Scientists See Norwalk Virus' Achilles Heel
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254904826/080319085355.htm
Using the Canadian Light Source synchrotron, researchers have determined the detailed structure of the enzyme the Norwalk virus uses to make copies of its genetic code in order to replicate itself. The information is crucial to developing drugs that could be used to treat outbreaks of Norwalk and other related viruses.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Chemical Engineers Discover New Way To Control Particle Motion
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254904827/080317150237.htm
Chemical engineers have discovered a new way to control the motion of fluid particles through tiny channels, potentially aiding the development of micro- and nano-scale technologies such as drug delivery devices, chemical and biological sensors, and components for miniaturized biological "lab-on-a-chip" applications.

Fri, 21 Mar 08
Risk Of Treatment-resistant Infection Following Facelift Surgery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254904828/080317164412.htm
About one-half percent of patients undergoing facelift surgery at one outpatient surgical center between 2001 and 2007 developed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections, according to a new report.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Skulls Of Modern Humans And Ancient Neanderthals Evolved Differently Because Of Chance, Not Natural Selection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687040/080319104600.htm
New research adds to the evidence that chance, rather than natural selection, best explains why the skulls of modern humans and ancient Neanderthals evolved differently. The findings may alter how anthropologists think about human evolution.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Genetic Abnormalities In Sperm Linked To Dietary Folate Intake, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687041/080319193036.htm
It may not be just women who need extra folate in their diets to reduce the risk of birth defects. A new study puts the spotlight on the other sex, finding that healthy men who report lower levels of the nutrient folate in their diets have higher rates of genetic abnormalities in their sperm.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
How Stealthy HIV Protein Gets Into Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687043/080317131638.htm
Scientists have known for more than a decade that a protein associated with the HIV virus is good at crossing cell membranes, but they didn't know how it worked. Now they have solved the mystery, and their findings could improve the design of therapeutic agents that cross a variety of membrane types.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Molecular Biology Of Sleep Apnea Could Lead To New Treatments
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687045/080319111920.htm
Researchers have provided, for the first time, a detailed look at the molecular pathways underlying sleep apnea. The team found that in an animal model of sleep apnea poorly folded proteins accumulate in one compartment of a muscle nerve cell, which, under certain conditions, tells a cell to heal itself or destroy itself.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Bridge From Conventional To Molecular Electronics Possible
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687046/080318182724.htm
NIST researchers have set the stage for building the "evolutionary link" between the microelectronics of today built from semiconductor compounds and future generations of devices made largely from complex organic molecules.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Genomic Medicine Coming: Health Professionals, Public Unprepared
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253686152/080318100950.htm
Advances in genomic medicine for common adult chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer hold promise for improved prevention, diagnosis and treatment. But a new study finds that health professionals and the public are not prepared to effectively integrate these new tools into practice.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Mars, Earth And Moon From 'Unique Planetary Nursery'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687047/080319140319.htm
A study of meteorites suggests that Mars, the Earth and the Moon share a common composition from 'growing up' in a unique planetary nursery in the inner solar system. The finding could lead to a rethink of how the inner solar system formed.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Autism Connected To Gene Central To Neuron Formation, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687048/080319150615.htm
Scientists have found that a disruption of the Contactin 4 gene on chromosome 3 may be linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). What causes ASD, a developmental disorder of the central nervous system, is largely unknown. New finding suggests that mutations affecting Contactin 4 may be relevant to ASD pathogenesis, and thus a potential biomarker for some individuals with the disorder.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Breast Cancer In Black Women May Be Connected To Neighborhood Conditions, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687049/080317164342.htm
Researchers are studying possible connections between living in disadvantaged neighborhoods and the development of early onset breast cancer in a path-breaking project that is the first to use animal models to help determine what the biological factors might be behind the development of certain forms of breast cancer.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Testicular Cancer Gauge Often Not Used
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253052716/080317102012.htm
A standard part of testicular cancer care isn't used in more than half of all patients who have the condition, researchers have found. The tumor markers can show presence or absence of disease.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Gene's 'Selective Signature' Aids Detection Of Natural Selection In Microbial Evolution
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253752388/080318121556.htm
Scientists have come up with a mathematical approach for analyzing a protein simultaneously in a set of ecologically distinct species to identify occurrences of natural selection in an organism's evolution. The new method determines the "selective signature" of a gene, that is, the pattern of fast or slow evolution of that gene across a group of species, and uses that signature to infer gene function or to map changes to ecological shifts.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Comprehensive Sex Education Might Reduce Teen Pregnancies, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687053/080319151225.htm
New research suggests that comprehensive sex education might lead to less teen pregnancy, and there are no indications that it boosts the levels of sexual intercourse or sexually transmitted diseases. "It is not harmful to teach teens about birth control in addition to abstinence," said the study's lead author. Parents and educators have long argued over whether students should get instruction in birth control or simply learn how to say no. At issue is which approach will best postpone sex.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
'Designer Enzymes' Created By Chemists Have Defense And Medical Uses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687056/080319160050.htm
Chemists have created "designer enzymes" -- a major milestone in computational chemistry and protein engineering. Designer enzymes will have applications for biological warfare defense by deactivating pathogenic biological agents, and for creating more effective medications.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Pneumococcal Disease Rates Down Significantly Post-vaccine
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687057/080318124054.htm
Since the approval of a vaccine against pneumococcal bacteria for young children in 2000, rates of invasive pneumococcal disease are down significantly in all age groups, while rates of IPD caused by nonvaccine strains are modestly on the rise. Streptococcus pneumoniae, also called pneumococcus, is one of the most common causes of bacterial pneumonia and deadly bloodstream infections in the United States.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
New Industrial-scale Process For Making Big Molecules With A Big Future
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687059/080317114243.htm
Scientists are reporting discovery of a new method that will enable manufacturers to produce industrial-size batches of dendrimers for the first time. Dendrimers are giant molecules with tree-like branches with a range of potentially valuable commercial and industrial applications. Dendrimers can be produced in custom-designed shapes, sizes, structures and weights suitable for specific uses.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Asthma Medicines Often Not Prescribed As National Guidelines Recommend, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687060/080319111924.htm
More than a decade after national guidelines were issued for asthma treatment, some patients still don't receive prescriptions for the inhalers that experts say offer the safest and most effective long-term control of the disease, a new study suggests.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
New Discovery Alters Longstanding Concept Of Fixed Protein Structure
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687061/080317171024.htm
The thousands of proteins found in nature are simply strings of amino acids, assembled by genes, and scientists have long believed that they automatically fold themselves into uniquely fixed, 3-dimensional shapes to fire the engine of life. In the era of genetic research, identifying those shapes and their functions has become a worldwide focus of biomedical science.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Reducing Carbon Emissions Could Help -- Not Harm -- US Economy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254687062/080319114623.htm
A national policy to cut carbon emissions by as much as 40 percent over the next 20 years could still result in increased economic growth, according to an interactive website that reviews 25 of the leading economic models used to predict the economic impacts of reducing emissions.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Can Cancer Causing Compounds Be Cut From Tobacco? Gene 'Knockout' Floors Tobacco Carcinogen
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253717188/080318110336.htm
In large-scale field trials, scientists have shown that silencing a specific gene in burley tobacco plants significantly reduces harmful carcinogens in cured tobacco leaves. The finding could lead to tobacco products -- especially smokeless products -- with reduced amounts of cancer-causing agents. Researchers stress that the best way for people to avoid the risks associated with tobacco use is to avoid using tobacco products.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Saving Spanish Brown Bears With Help From European Bears Might Make Sense
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271686/080318094519.htm
Brown bears from the Iberian Peninsula are not as genetically different from other brown bears in Europe as was previously thought. A new study shows that, to the contrary, the Spanish bear was only recently isolated from other European strains. These findings shed new light on the discussion of how to save the population of Spanish bears.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Lithium Chloride Slows Onset Of Skeletal Muscle Disorder, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253717192/080318110323.htm
A new study finds that lithium chloride, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder, can slow the development of inclusion body myositis, a skeletal muscle disease that affects the elderly. In the study, mice genetically engineered to have IBM demonstrated markedly better motor function six months after receiving daily doses of lithium chloride, compared with non-treated mice.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Work With Power Grids Leads To Cell Biology Discovery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271687/080317164339.htm
Gene therapy is a promising experimental technique for the prevention and treatment of disease. Now a research team reports that a counterintuitive approach also holds promise. The targeted removal of genes can restore cellular function in cells with genetic defects, such as mutations. The results have ramifications for medical research as well as for optimizing certain metabolic processes used in the production of biofuels, such as ethanol.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Disgusting Videos Used To Study Coping Methods
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271688/080318094522.htm
Emotions play an important role in the lives of humans, and influence our behavior, thoughts, decisions, and interactions. The ability to regulate emotions is essential to both mental and physical well-being.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Tiny Sensor Developed To Detect Homemade Bombs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271689/080318151740.htm
A team of chemists and physicists has developed a tiny, inexpensive sensor chip capable of detecting trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide, a chemical used in the most common form of homemade explosives.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Promising New Research For Cystic Fibrosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253717186/080318113511.htm
New research holds promise for developing innovative therapies against cystic fibrosis and may also serve as a model for future therapies against the HIV virus. Past studies have shown it is possible to prevent or delay the onset of certain chronic or deadly infections in cystic fibrosis patients with early antibiotic treatment.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Zebrafish Enables Cell Regeneration Studies To Help Understand, Treat Human Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271690/080317155040.htm
One aquarium fish's uncanny ability to regenerate essentially any cell type has given scientists a way to mimic cell loss that occurs in diseases such as Parkinson's and diabetes then watch how the fish make more of them.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Overweight But Active: Vascular Benefits From Exercise
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271691/080318133628.htm
Overweight but active men responded dramatically better compared to their inactive counterparts in a first-of-its kind study that examined the vascular response to exercise in overweight men. Vascular function is important because of its relationship to cardiovascular disease.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Loss Of Egg Yolk Genes In Mammals And The Origin Of Lactation And Placentation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253686156/080318094610.htm
The major egg yolk genes, those that express vitellogenins, appear to have progressively lost their functionality during mammalian evolution, probably due to the emergence of the mammalian-specific developmental nourishment resources, lactation, and placentation.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
HPV Vaccine -- What's A Parent To Do?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271692/080318122331.htm
A random telephone survey of adults' opinions about whether the HPV vaccine should be mandatory for middle school students reveals an "ambivalence about sexuality in our culture," similar to debates surrounding contraception and sex education. Parents face a real dilemma. They want to protect their children, but they're fearful of the protective methods, note the researchers.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Hubble Finds First Organic Molecule On Extrasolar Planet
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254460914/080319140759.htm
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has made the first detection ever of an organic molecule in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting another star. This breakthrough is an important step in eventually identifying signs of life on a planet outside our Solar System.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Blood Disease Protects Against Malaria In An Unexpected Way, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271693/080318094553.htm
Children with an inherited blood disorder called alpha thalassemia make unusually small red blood cells that mostly cause a mild form of anemia. Now, researchers have discovered that this disorder has a benefit -- it can protect children against one of the world's greatest killers, malaria, according to a new study.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Mercury's Shifting, Rolling Past
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271694/080317123246.htm
Patterns of scalloped-edged cliffs or lobate scarps on Mercury's surface are thrust faults that are consistent with the planet shrinking and cooling with time. However, compression occurred in the planet's early history and Mariner 10 images revealed decades ago that lobate scarps are among the youngest features on Mercury. Why don't we find more evidence of older compressive features? A new simulation reveals a possible cause of Mercury's distinctive features.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Foodborne Outbreaks From Leafy Greens On Rise
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271695/080317164356.htm
Over the past 35 years the proportion of foodborne outbreaks linked to the consumption of leafy green vegetables has substantially increased and that increase can not be completely attributed to Americans eating more salads according to new research.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Fake Diamonds Help Jet Engines Take The Heat
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271696/080317123255.htm
Engineers are developing a technology to coat jet engine turbine blades with zirconium dioxide -- commonly called zirconia, the stuff of synthetic diamonds -- to combat high-temperature corrosion. The zirconia chemically converts sand and other corrosive particles that build up on the blade into a new, protective outer coating. In effect, the surface of the engine blade constantly renews itself.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Only Two Percent Of Child Drug Trials Have Independent Safety Checks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253686154/080318094948.htm
Only two percent of pediatric drug trials reported using independent safety monitoring committees that can help lead to the early detection of adverse drug reactions, according to a major review. Seven out of ten trials reported adverse events and a fifth of the trials reported a serious adverse event, ie. an untoward medical occurrence, not necessarily related to a drug. Adverse drug reactions were reported in just under 37 per cent of trials, with 11 per cent of trials reporting moderate or severe adverse drug reactions.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Mice Could Provide Clues To Autistic Behaviors, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271698/080317151933.htm
Scientists have developed a new mouse model to help illuminate the vagaries of autism, according to a study from a Stanford University School of Medicine researcher and other colleagues. The study focused on mice missing the gabrb3 gene, which codes for a protein important in brain development and normal adult brain function

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Rare White Killer Whale Spotted In Alaskan Waters
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271699/080318203016.htm
Scientists in the North Pacific have sighted a creature of great rarity and even myth: a white whale. The white killer whale was spotted with its pod about two miles off Kanaga Volcano, part of Alaska's Aleutian Islands, on February 23. At the time, the marine researchers were assessing pollock fish stocks near Steller sea lion haulout sites.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Surprising Discovery From First Large-scale Analysis Of Biodiversity And Biogeography Of Viruses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271700/080317124005.htm
Viruses and bacterial viruses are among the planet's most abundant life forms. Two recent Nature papers analyse the geographical distribution of viral communities in modern organosedimentary structures known as microbialites, living analogues of oldest fossils on Earth, and come up with surprising nuggets of information. Modern Microbialites May Be Endemic Remnants Of Ancient Ecosystems

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Bile Acids As Drug Candidates
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251625723/080314165355.htm
Bile acid derivatives can turn on the vitamin D receptor without causing excess calcium buildup, a finding that could lead to vitamin D therapies for conditions beyond just bone and skin disorders.

Thu, 20 Mar 08
Royal Jelly Makes Bee Queens, Boosts Nurture Case
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/254271701/080317152324.htm
New research may explain why eating royal jelly destines honeybee larvae to become queens instead of workers -- and in the process adds new weight to the role of environmental factors in the nature/nurture divide. Scientists have discovered that a copious diet of royal jelly flicks a genetic switch in young bees that determines whether they'll become a queen, or live a life of drudgery.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Cutting-edge Computing Helps Discover Origin Of Life On Earth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253990551/080318212430.htm
Computing grids have helped scientists shed light on how life on earth may have originated. Deep ocean hydrothermal vents have long been suggested as possible sources of biological molecules such as RNA and DNA but it was unclear how they could survive the high temperatures and pressures that occur round these vents.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Link Between Alzheimer's And Stroke Illuminated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253052726/080317093908.htm
Researchers have found a process in the brain that may help explain the link between Alzheimer's and stroke. This finding connects the dots between a peptide called p25 and increased production of amyloid beta. This newly identified p25/cdk5 pathway could explain why the risk of Alzheimer's disease is significantly higher following a stroke.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Asia's Odd-ball Antelope Faces Migration Crisis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253990552/080317123240.htm
Take a deer's body, attach a camel's head and add a Jimmy Durante nose, and you have a saiga -- the odd-ball antelope with the enormous schnoz that lives on the isolated steppes of Central Asia.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
HIV 'Switch' Research Offers Promise
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253052723/080317094858.htm
If the battle against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is a chess match, then new research published today gives new insight into one of the virus' most important moves. The findings reveal information about how a critical genetic switch in the virus operates. When HIV infects an immune cell, it can enter one of two states: activation, where the virus replicates and then destroys the host cell; and latency, where the viral genetic material continues to exist in the cell, but there is no production of additional virus.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Algorithm Finds The Network -- For Genes Or The Internet
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253990553/080317123237.htm
Human diseases and social networks seem to have little in common. However, at the crux of these two lies a network, communities within the network, and farther even, substructures of the communities. Computer scientists and geneticists can now use a new computer program to automatically discover communities and their subtle structures in a variety of networks.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Botox For Newborns
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253990554/080317164348.htm
Botox, is best known as one of the most commonly used molecules to reduce wrinkles. It is also known as one of the most poisonous naturally occurring substances. Now, after new research, it has become an effective method to save newborns suffering from CHARGE Syndrome from devastating tracheotomies.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Loopy Photons Clarify 'Spookiness' Of Quantum Physics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967176/080318174941.htm
Researchers have developed a new method for creating pairs of entangled photons, particles of light whose properties are interlinked in a very unusual way dictated by the rules of quantum physics.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Like Sweets? You're More Like A Fruit Fly Than You Think
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967175/080317131642.htm
According to researchers, fruit flies are more like humans in their responses to many sweet tastes than are almost any other species, including some species of monkeys. The findings demonstrate the critical role of environment in shaping the evolution of taste preferences and feeding behavior.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
New Portrait Of Earth Shows Land Cover As Never Before
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967170/080317123249.htm
A new global portrait taken from space details Earth's land cover with a resolution never before obtained. Earth's land cover has been charted from space before, but this map, which will be made available to the public upon its completion in July, has a resolution 10 times sharper than any of its predecessors.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Cancer Detected Earlier, Faster, With New Medical Imaging, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967171/080317093901.htm
Doctors may one day be able to detect early stages of colon cancer without a biopsy, using a new technique. The imaging technology is one of many new ways of detecting cancers in the body in real time.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Turtle Nesting Threatened By Logging Practices In Gabon, Smithsonian Warns
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967172/080314160222.htm
Endangered sea turtles are victims of sloppy logging practices in the west central African country Gabon, according to a new study. Sea turtle nesting attempts are impeded by lost or abandoned logs that accumulate along the country's coastal beaches. Logs are floated downriver from forests to coastal lumberyards in the Gabonese Republic, but some float out to sea and then wash ashore, where they form large tangles.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
New Insights Into Mad Cow Disease: Diversity Of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Agents Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967173/080317154402.htm
Researchers have identified four separate biochemical subgroups in a selection of cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The study suggests that these subgroups could represent distinct prion strains in what is the most common human prion disease.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Toward The Next Generation Of High-efficiency Plastic Solar Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967174/080317114050.htm
Researchers report an advance toward the next generation of plastic solar cells, which are widely heralded as a low cost, environmentally-friendly alternative to inorganic solar cells for meeting rising energy demands. Plastic solar cells, fabricated from bulk heterojunction materials comprising semiconducting polymers and fullerenes, have already demonstrated promising performance.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
One In Six Women, One In Ten Men At Risk For Alzheimer's Disease In Their Lifetime
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253717185/080318114824.htm
Researchers have estimated that one in six women are at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease in their lifetime, while the risk for men is one in ten. Stroke and dementia are the most widely feared age-related neurological diseases, and are also the only neurological disorders listed in the ten leading causes of disease burden.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Obesity Study Sheds Light On How Genetics Affect Risk And Onset Of Common Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253990555/080318200625.htm
Scientists have detailed a major mechanism through which genetic factors contribute to major public health problems. In its work on the inherited components of dozens of common diseases, deCODE has discovered gene variants that significantly affect individual susceptibility or protection against disease. In the common forms of these conditions -- such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases -- deCODE has previously shown that genetic variants confer increased or decreased risk by upregulating or downregulating the activity of major biological pathways. As a result, these variants place individuals on a spectrum of risk, with most of the population clustered at roughly average risk and a smaller number of people at either significantly higher or lower risk.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
First Sex Chromosome Gene Involved In Meiosis And Male Infertility Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251625725/080314164119.htm
A team of veterinary researchers have identified a gene on the X chromosome, which when disrupted in mice renders the males sterile and reduces female fecundity. It's the first study of the genetic causes of infertility that links a particular sex chromosome meiosis-specific gene to sterility. Researchers hypothesize that a screening of the TEX11 gene may provide a pre-birth diagnosis for infertility in men.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Tiny Wasp Used To Wipe Out Major Agricultural Pest In Tahiti
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251537612/080314130426.htm
Entomologists have used a tiny wasp to help nearly eradicate the glassy-winged sharpshooter, a major agricultural pest, from Tahiti and neighboring islands. The stingless wasp attacks sharpshooter eggs by drilling a tiny hole in the egg through which the parasite lays its own egg. The wasp larva that hatches from the egg then eats the inside of the glassy-winged sharpshooter egg, killing it.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Reconstructing Jumping Gene: New Tool For Elucidating The Function Of Genes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251537608/080314134952.htm
They can be found in plants, animals and even in humans -- inactive remains of jumping genes, transposons. Researchers are striving to develop active transposons from these remains, using them as tools to decode gene function. Now researchers have now succeeded in reconstructing the first active transposon of the harbinger transposon superfamily. Transposons comprise about half of the human genome.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Environmentally Friendly Fireworks And Other Pyrotechnics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967177/080317102449.htm
You know it is chemistry when it stinks and goes boom â€” and entrances us. Chemistry certainly makes people think of fireworks. Yet fireworks pollute the environment in many ways. New research shows possible ways to make less-polluting pyrotechnics, but they are likely to cost more to make.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Does Stress Damage The Brain?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967178/080318094525.htm
Individuals who experience military combat obviously endure extreme stress, and this exposure leaves many diagnosed with the psychiatric condition of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. PTSD is associated with several abnormalities in brain structure and function.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Arctic Sea Ice Still At Risk Despite Cold Winter, NASA Says
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967169/080318151743.htm
Using the latest satellite observations, NASA researchers and others report that the Arctic is still on "thin ice" when it comes to the condition of sea ice cover in the region. A colder-than-average winter in some regions of the Arctic this year has yielded an increase in the area of new sea ice, while the older sea ice that lasts for several years has continued to decline.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Satellite Makes First Ever Observation Of Regionally Elevated Carbon Dioxide From Manmade Emissions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253717190/080318110330.htm
Using data from an environmental satellite, scientists have for the first time detected regionally elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide -- the most important greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming -- originating from manmade emissions.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Blood Vessel Protein Reverses Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy In Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252618800/080316161136.htm
Two major eye diseases and leading causes of blindness -- age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy -- can be reversed or even prevented by drugs that activate a protein found in blood vessel cells, researchers have discovered.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
New Crystallization Method To Ease Study Of Protein Structures
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251566796/080314140038.htm
Researchers have developed a new technique for crystallizing proteins that will ease experimentation into protein structures. In order to study protein structures, biologists must turn what is essentially a soup of purified protein into crystals that have a consistent and ordered structure. Each protein consists of a chain of amino acid subunits that twists into helices, ribbons and loops. Some proteins have less tidy molecular structures than others; in these, disordered amino acid chains dangle off the protein like split ends.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Signaling System That Halts The Growth Of A Childhood Brain Cancer Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251650834/080314173544.htm
A new discovery suggests a safer way to treat medulloblastoma, a rare but often fatal childhood brain tumor. Researchers discovered that proteins BMP2, BMP4 and BMP7 inhibit the growth of medulloblastoma tumors, while inducing malignant cells to develop into normal neurons, a finding that may lead to better treatments for the cancer.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Coal Reemerges As Important Raw Material In Chemical Manufacturing Industry
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967179/080317113734.htm
With oil prices hovering around $100 per barrel, coal is reemerging as a key raw material in the manufacture of the basic chemical materials used to make plastics, fertilizers, and hundreds of other products, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
London's HIV Epidemic Was Driven By Clusters Of Sexual Contacts, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253967180/080318094604.htm
The rapid growth of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in London during the late 1990s was driven in part by transmission of the AIDS virus within clusters of sexual contacts, with individuals frequently passing the virus to others within months after becoming infected themselves, according to new research.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
On The Trail Of Rogue Genetically Modified Pathogens
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253783332/080317191441.htm
Bacteria can be used to engineer genetic modifications, thereby providing scientists with a tool to combat many challenges in areas from food production to drug discovery. However, this sophisticated technology can also be used maliciously, raising the threat of engineered pathogens. New research in Genome Biology shows that computational tools could become a vital resource for detecting rogue genetically engineered bacteria in environmental samples.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
New Aspirin-like Substances May Provide Safer Way To Fight Heart Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253783334/080317113914.htm
Researchers report the development of a new group of aspirin-like substances that may be safer and as effective as conventional aspirin for fighting heart disease, the leading cause of death in the developed world. Physicians have known for years that daily low-doses of aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, reduce the risk of developing heart attacks and stroke in some people. However, prolonged use of aspirin can damage the stomach lining, causing bleeding and ulcers that can be life-threatening. A safer form of aspirin is needed, researchers say.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Gold Scroll Discovered: Earliest Evidence Of Jewish Inhabitants In Austria
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252533301/080316124416.htm
Archaeologists have found an amulet inscribed with a Jewish prayer in a Roman child's grave dating back to the 3rd century CE at a burial ground in the Austrian town of Halbturn. The 2.2-centimeter-long gold scroll represents the earliest sign of Jewish inhabitants in present-day Austria.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Severe West Nile Infection Could Lead To Lifetime Of Symptoms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253783335/080317134259.htm
Most people who suffer severe infection with West Nile virus still experience symptoms years after infection and many may continue to experience these symptoms for the rest of their lives according to new research.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Clovis-age Overkill Didn't Take Out California's Flightless Sea Duck
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253783336/080317150150.htm
Clovis-age natives, often noted for overhunting during their brief dominance in a primitive North America, deserve clemency in the case of California's flightless sea duck. New evidence says it took thousands of years for the duck to die out.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Excess Worrying Can Harm Parents' Relationships With Grown Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253783337/080317151646.htm
The amount of worry shared by parents and their grownup children can feel like a warm comforter or wet blanket, a new study finds. Just the right amount of concern could solidify ties between parents and their adult children, but too much fretting may become a burden to the relationship, according to the psychology professor who led the research.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
New Hope For Regenerating Damaged Human Retina: Sleeping Stem Cells Successfully Awakened
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253717184/080318113517.htm
Scientists at Schepens Eye Research Institute have discovered what chemical in the eye triggers the dormant capacity of certain non-neuronal cells to transform into progenitor cells, a stem-like cell that can generate new retinal cells. The discovery, published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, offers new hope to victims of diseases that harm the retina, such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Gene Variant Increases Breast Cancer Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253783338/080314130420.htm
A common gene variant increases the risk of developing breast cancer. In roughly five to ten percent of breast cancer cases there is a family history of breast cancerâ€“ i.e., hereditary and, thus, genetic factors play a role here. Alterations in the genes known as BRCAI and BRCAII are a major cause of familial breast cancer â€“ these are responsible for roughly 25 percent of such cases.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Hissing Cockroaches Are Popular, But They Also Host Potent Mold Allergens
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253783339/080317123243.htm
Their gentle nature, large size, odd sounds and low-maintenance care have made Madagascar hissing cockroaches popular educational tools and pets for years. But the giant insects also have one unfortunate characteristic: Their hard bodies and feces are home to many mold species that could be triggering allergies in the kids and adults who handle the bugs, according to a new study.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
ECG Standards Should Be Revised For Elderly, Researchers Urge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253783340/080314140147.htm
Researchers at Mayo Clinic suggest that the established "normal" ranges for evaluating electrocardiograms for persons over 80 years old should be revisited. After analyzing readings from more than 700 patients 80 or older, the researchers discovered that the average cutoffs (beginning and end points) for measuring all three ECG intervals -- PR, QRS and QT -- were greater than the current established norms.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Mathematicians Find New Solutions To An Ancient Puzzle
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251566795/080314145039.htm
Many people find complex math puzzling, including some mathematicians. Recently, a mathematician has found solutions to a puzzle that has been around for centuries. They have found a way to generate an infinite number of solutions for a puzzle known as 'Euler's Equation of degree four.' The equation is part of a branch of mathematics called number theory.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Time Isn't Money: Study Finds That We Spend The Resources Differently
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253021922/080317095622.htm
Economists usually treat time like money -- as another scarce resource that people spend to achieve certain ends. Money is used to pay for things like furniture and plane tickets; time is spent assembling the do-it-yourself bookshelf or searching for cheap flights on the Internet. But despite the old adage, the two are far from psychologically equivalent -- particularly when it comes to consumer spending decisions.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
MicroRNAs Help Zebrafish Regenerate Fins
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253654983/080314202107.htm
Biologists have discovered a molecular circuit breaker that controls a zebrafish's remarkable ability to regrow missing fins, according to a new study. Tiny wonders of the aquarium world, zebrafish can regenerate organs and tissues, including hearts, eye parts and fins. When a fin is lost, the fish regenerates a perfect copy in two weeks by orchestrating the growth of many tissue types, including bone, nerves, blood vessels, connective tissue and skin.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Potential Alzheimer's Disease Drug Target Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251537609/080314130436.htm
In findings with the potential to provide a therapy for Alzheimer's disease patients where none now exist, scientists have demonstrated in mice a way to reduce the overproduction of a peptide associated with the disease.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Heart-healthy Yak Cheese
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253783341/080317093858.htm
In a finding likely to get cheese lovers talking, researchers in Nepal and Canada report that yak cheese contains higher levels of heart-healthy fats than cheese from dairy cattle, and may be healthier. Producers make the cheese from the milk of yaks. Those long-haired humped animals are fixtures in Tibet and throughout the Himalayan region of south central Asia, Mongolia, and a few other countries.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
New Chemical Can Kill Latent Tuberculosis Bacteria, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253783342/080314112637.htm
Success in the laboratory suggests that a new compound can point the way to preventing active tuberculosis in people infected with the latent form of the bacterium. A drug with such properties could also be useful in treating people who already have tuberculosis by shortening the lengthy treatment period. The discovery also points to new ways of thinking about fighting bacterial infection, which is becoming increasingly resistant to traditional antibiotics.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Modeling How Electric Charges Move
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253783343/080313203209.htm
Learning how to control the movement of electrons on the molecular and nanometer scales could help scientists devise small-scale circuits for many applications, including more efficient ways of storing and using solar energy. A theoretical chemist has been researching theoretical techniques used to understand the factors affecting electron movement.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Fungi Can Tell Us About The Origin Of Sex Chromosomes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253021924/080317094851.htm
Fungi do not have sexes, just so-called mating types. A new study shows that there are great similarities between the parts of DNA that determine the sex of plants and animals and the parts of DNA that determine mating types in certain fungi. This makes fungi interesting as new model organisms in studies of the evolutionary development of sex chromosomes.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Memory Of One In Three People Over 70 Is Impaired, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253752387/080318124436.htm
More than a third of people over age 70 have some form of memory loss according to a national study. While an estimated 3.4 million Americans have dementia, defined as a loss of the ability to function independently, the researchers estimate that another 5.4 million over age 70 have memory loss that disrupts their regular routine but is not severe enough to affect their ability to complete daily activities.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
New Treatment Strategy Possible For Muscular Dystrophy, Mouse Studies Show
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252618804/080316161133.htm
An investigational antiviral drug currently undergoing human trials in Europe for treating hepatitis C infections may have potential to reduce muscle cell damage in Duchenne and other forms of muscular dystrophy according to results using three different mouse models of MD.

Wed, 19 Mar 08
Pollution Visible From East Asia To North America In New Satellite Image
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253654984/080317164336.htm
In a new NASA study, researchers taking advantage of improvements in satellite sensor capabilities offer the first measurement-based estimate of the amount of pollution from East Asian forest fires, urban exhaust and industrial production that makes its way to western North America.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Gecko's 'Active' Tail Key To Preventing Falls And Aerial Maneuvers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266249/080317171030.htm
While most recent research has focused on geckos' toes as the key to climbing walls and hanging from ceilings, UC Berkeley biologists have found that their tails play a critical role in preventing falls after a slip. The tail prevents pitch-back while the gecko regains traction. Unlike cats, which don't need their tail to right themselves in midair, geckos also rely on their tails to rotate face down and then maneuver to a secure perch. Tails are now being designed for robots, but could also aid astronauts.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Inhaled Tuberculosis Vaccine More Effective Than Traditional Shot, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266250/080312154835.htm
A novel aerosol version of the most common tuberculosis vaccine, administered directly to the lungs as an oral mist, offers significantly better protection against the disease in experimental animals than a comparable dose of the traditional injected vaccine, researchers report.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
DNA-Guided Nanoparticle Assembly
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266251/080313202938.htm
Scientists have developed a new method for controlling the self-assembly of nanometer and micrometer-sized particles. Based on designed DNA shells that coat a particle's surface, the method can be used to manipulate the structure of numerous materials. Such fine-tuning of materials at the molecular level may lead to numerous applications, including cell-targeted systems for drug-delivery and bio-molecular sensing for environmental monitoring or medical applications.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Clues To Prevent Spread Of Ovarian Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266252/080313185738.htm
A drug that blocks production of an enzyme that enables ovarian cancer to gain a foothold in a new site can slow the spread of the disease and prolong survival in mice, but only if the drug is given early in the disease process.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Dynamic Visualization Made Of Simplest Circadian Clock
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250881277/080313124455.htm
Scientists have acquired a more dynamic picture of events that underlie the functions of a bacterial biological clock. New research shows how the simplest organism known to have a circadian clock keeps time and may enhance our understanding of how other organisms establish and govern chronological rhythms.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Does Touch Affect Flavor? Study Finds That How A Container Feels Can Affect Taste
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253052722/080317095610.htm
Does coffee in a flimsy cup taste worse than coffee in a more substantial cup? Firms such as McDonalds and Starbucks spend millions of dollars every year on disposable packaging, but a new study suggests that trying to skimp in this area might not be worth it -- and may negatively impact consumers' perceptions of taste and quality. The effect is most pronounced for those who do not usually like to touch things while shopping.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
New Luminous Spots Found On Jupiter
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266253/080317124002.htm
Among luminous spots on Jupiter akin to Earth's Northern lights, scientists have observed a new type of spot. Generally, Jupiter's auroral spots result from waves generated by the giant planet's moon Io. The new discovery upsets previous models of how Jovian auroral spots form, and may have implications for our understanding of distant exoplanets which orbit other stars than the Sun.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Parkinson's Disease Drug Might Work In Cancer Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266254/080313185743.htm
Dopamine, a drug currently used to treat Parkinson's disease and other illnesses, also might work in cancer patients. The study, which was done in mouse and laboratory models, shows that dopamine could possibly prevent new blood vessels from growing and as a result, slow cancer progression.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Ultra-fast, Ultra-intense Laser Has Clean-cut Advantage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266255/080313140103.htm
Many people equate lasers with a sci-fi battle in a galaxy far, far away or, closer to home, with grocery store scanners and compact disc players. However, an ultra-fast, ultra-intense laser, with laser pulse durations of one quadrillionth of a second, otherwise known as one femtosecond, could change cancer treatments, dentistry procedures, precision metal cutting, and joint implant surgeries.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Chronic Sleep Disruption Can Cause Heart And Kidney Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266256/080313211420.htm
Chronic sleep disruption can cause heart and kidney disease. The importance of circadian rhythms - the body's "hard-wired" 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, is well understood in the regulation of cardiovascular physiology. Earlier studies have suggested that renewal of cardiovascular tissues predominantly occur during sleep; therefore sleep interruption can directly damage organs.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Promote Green Buildings For Biggest, Easiest Cuts In North American Carbon Dioxide Emissions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266257/080313140108.htm
Promoting the green design, construction, renovation and operation of buildings could cut North American carbon dioxide emissions more deeply, quickly and cheaply than any other available measure, according to a new report. Buildings are responsible for over one-third of continent's carbon dioxide emissions.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Neighborhoods Play Key Role In How Much People Exercise, Study Says
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266258/080317123252.htm
The neighborhoods people live in can help inspire -- or discourage -- their residents to exercise and keep physically active, new research suggests. Residents of neighborhoods with higher levels of poverty, lower education, and more female-headed families are less likely than others to exercise, according to the study.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Glaciers Are Melting Faster Than Expected, UN Reports
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266259/080317154235.htm
The world's glaciers are continuing to melt away with the latest official figures showing record losses, the UN Environment Programme has announced. Data from close to 30 reference glaciers in nine mountain ranges indicate that between the years 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 the average rate of melting and thinning more than doubled.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
New Drug Protects Nerve Cells From Damage In Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266260/080313185753.htm
Individuals with multiple sclerosis develop progressive neurological disability that is thought to be caused by degradation of nerve cells. A new study has characterized an agent that protected nerve cells from damage in culture and markedly reduced disease progression in a mouse model of MS. The authors of the study therefore suggested that agents similar to the one they characterized might provide a new approach to treating individuals with MS and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
How TB 'Develops Invincibility' Against Only Available Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250759773/080313083035.htm
Scientists have uncovered a dramatic new twist in the battle against TB. They have identified how the killer bacterium makes itself immune to a key component of the only effective treatment against the disease.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Pinpointing When A Fetus Develops Male Genitalia, And Birth Defects Related To Male Sex Organs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266261/080313185758.htm
New data has indicated that in rats, "male" hormones drive the decision to become a male during a window of time before male genitalia develop, and that blocking "male" hormones during this time caused male genitalia birth defects. These defects were associated with a decreased ano-genital distance, leading to the suggestion that measuring human neonatal AGD could provide a noninvasive method to predict those at risk of developing male genitalia birth defects.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Bioinformatics Technology Provides New Insight Into Microbial Activities
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477728/080314112235.htm
Scientists may gain a new insight into the relationship between viruses and their environments thanks to a new computational technology. This technology has already been used to identify subtle differences in the metabolic processes of microbial communities.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Urban Planning A Factor In Rising Obesity Rates, Says New Report
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253266262/080313185713.htm
You may want to buy healthy food for your family, but if the good grocery stores are far away and pricey and the fast-food outlets are cheap and plentiful, it may be harder to make the healthy choice. New research confirms there are links between our urban surroundings and how likely we are to struggle with obesity.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
'Predictor' Test Developed For Pregnant Women At Risk Of Miscarriage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250817760/080313103111.htm
A medical team has established, for the first time, a predictor for pregnant women who may have miscarriages and those who won't. The researchers measured the levels of a naturally occurring 'cannabis' (an endocannabinoid) known as anandamide in women who presented with a threatened miscarriage (bleeding in early pregnancy with a viable baby) and found that those who at the time of the test had significantly higher levels of anandamide subsequently miscarried.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Wheat Killer Detected In Iran: Dangerous Fungus On The Move From East Africa To The Middle East
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253021925/080317091046.htm
A new and virulent wheat fungus, previously found in East Africa and Yemen, has moved to major wheat growing areas in Iran, reports the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization. The fungus is capable of wreaking havoc to wheat production by destroying entire fields. It is estimated that as much as 80 percent of all wheat varieties planted in Asia and Africa are susceptible to the wheat stem rust (Puccinia graminis). The spores of wheat rust are mostly carried by wind over long distances and across continents.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Overweight, Obese Women Improve Quality Of Life With 10 To 30 Minutes Of Exercise
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253084407/080313140113.htm
Sedentary, overweight or obese women can improve their quality of life by exercising as little as 10 to 30 minutes a day, researchers have reported. The women who exercised more also improved in physical functioning, role limitations in work or other activities due to physical problems and role limitations due to emotional problems, the researchers said. None of the women reported a statistically significant improvement in pain.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
How Fundamental Particles Lose Track Of Quantum Mechanical Properties
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253084408/080313143055.htm
Physicists report a series of experiments in Science that mark an important step toward understanding a longstanding fundamental physics problem of quantum mechanics. The problem the physicists addressed is how a fundamental particle in matter loses track of its quantum mechanical properties through interactions with its environment.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Biotechnology Needs 21st Century Patent System, Expert Argues
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253052725/080317094855.htm
Biotechnology discoveries -- like the method for creating synthetic life forms -- are at risk of being unduly hindered or taken hostage by private corporations unless patent systems are brought into the 21st century, an expert argues.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Crop Scientists Discover Gene That Controls Fruit Shape
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253084409/080313143057.htm
Crop scientists have cloned a gene that controls the shape of tomatoes, a discovery that could help unravel the mystery behind the huge morphological differences among edible fruits and vegetables, as well as provide new insight into mechanisms of plant development. The gene, dubbed SUN, is only the second ever found to play a significant role in the elongated shape of various tomato varieties.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Children's Memory May Be More Reliable Than Adults' In Court Cases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253084410/080313124445.htm
The US legal system has long assumed that all testimony is not equally credible, that some witnesses are more reliable than others. In tough cases with child witnesses, it assumes adult witnesses to be more reliable. But what if the legal system had it wrong?

Tue, 18 Mar 08
People With Job's Syndrome Lack Specific Immune Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253021923/080317094901.htm
Scientists have made another major breakthrough -- the second in the past year -- in understanding a rare immune disorder called Job's syndrome. Job's syndrome is characterized by recurrent and often severe bacterial and fungal infections leading to outbreaks of abscesses and boils. Now, scientists have shown that Job's sufferers lack a specific type of infection-fighting white blood cell called Th17 cell, making them vulnerable to attacks by bacteria and fungi.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
New Tool To Monitor Nuclear Reactors Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250787791/080313091522.htm
International inspectors may have a new tool in the form of an antineutrino detector, that could help them peer inside a working nuclear reactor. Scientists recently demonstrated that the operational status and thermal power of reactors can be quickly and precisely monitored over hour-to month-time scales, using a cubic-meter-scale antineutrino detector. The detector could be used to determine the operational amount of plutonium or uranium necessary to run the reactor and place a direct constraint on the amount of fissile material the reactor creates throughout its lifecycle.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Tightwads Outnumber Spendthrifts: Spending Can Be A Pain To Some
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253052719/080317095619.htm
We all have a friend who can't seem to save, constantly splurging on new shoes or the latest gadgets. But, contrary to persistent media coverage of overspending and under-saving, a recent international survey of more than 13,000 shoppers suggests that chronic under-spending is far more widespread than originally thought. In fact, the study reveals that tightwads outnumber spendthrifts by a 3 to 2 ratio.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Protein Identified That Triggers Aggressive Breast Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253084411/080312141256.htm
SATB1 is a nuclear protein well known for its crucial role in regulating gene expression during the differentiation and activation of T cells, making it a key player in the immune system. But scientists have discovered that SATB1 has a darker side: it is an essential contributing factor in the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Same Process Discovered To Both Form Skeleton And Protect It For Life
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253084412/080312103757.htm
A protein signaling pathway recently discovered to guide the formation of the skeleton in the fetus also keeps bones strong through adult life. Furthermore, the same mechanism may be at the heart of osteoporosis, where too little bone is made over time, and bone cancer, where uncontrolled bone growth contributes to tumors. Lastly, the results argue that an experimental Alzheimer's drug may also be useful against bone cancer.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
How Diabetes Drives Atherosclerosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253084413/080313124430.htm
Researchers have discovered how diabetes, by driving inflammation and slowing blood flow, dramatically accelerates atherosclerosis. Experts once believed that atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, developed when too much cholesterol clogged arteries with fatty deposits called plaques. When blood vessels became completely blocked, heart attacks and strokes occurred. Today most agree that the reaction of the body's immune system to fatty build-up, more than the build-up itself, creates heart attack risk.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Exploring Mars: Icy Promethei Planum
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253084414/080312115427.htm
Promethei Planum, an area seasonally covered with a more than 3500 meters thick layer of ice in the Martian south polar region, has been photographed. The total amount of water ice contained at both the south and north poles of Mars makes up the largest water reservoir on the planet today. If polar ice melted, the entire surface of the planet would be covered by an ocean 11-m deep.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Glimpses Of A New Mathematical World
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253084415/080313124415.htm
A new mathematical object, long know to exist but never seen, had its first sighting yesterday. Two researchers have exhibited the first example of a third degree transcendental L-function. These L-functions encode deep underlying connections between many different areas of mathematics.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Blood Discovery: New Hemoglobin Type Found
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253052715/080317102452.htm
Scientists have discovered a new rare type of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin transports oxygen in the red blood corpuscles. When bound to oxygen it changes color. The new hemoglobin type appears optically to be transporting little oxygen. Measurements of the blood oxygen level therefore present a similar picture to patients suffering from an inherited cardiac defect. Instruments falsely report anoxia in affected people.

Tue, 18 Mar 08
Appendix Removed Via Mouth; First Such Surgery In U.S.
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/253021921/080317093904.htm
On Wednesday, March 12, 2008, surgeons at UC-San Diego Medical Center performed what is believed to be the country's first removal of a diseased appendix through the mouth. They made one small incision to insert a small camera in the belly button for the oral appendix removal procedure.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Huge Iceberg Splits In Southern Atlantic Ocean
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251456453/080314100420.htm
Envisat captures the break up of the massive A53A iceberg located just east of the South Georgia Island in the southern Atlantic Ocean.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Light Waves Can Detect Alzheimer's Disease Early On, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251625724/080314164122.htm
Researchers have developed a way of examining brain tissue with near-infrared light to detect signs of Alzheimer's disease. The new technique may help identify ways to predict and prevent deadly disease.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Soy Compound May Halt Spread Of Prostate Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251456450/080314085038.htm
A compound found in soybeans almost completely prevented the spread of human prostate cancer in mice, according to a new study in Cancer Research. Researchers say that the amount of the chemical, an antioxidant known as genistein, used in the experiments was no higher than what a human would eat in a soybean-rich diet.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
New Bird Species Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251427023/080314095059.htm
The discovery of a new bird comes with a twist: It's a white-eye, but its eye isn't white. Still, what this new bird lacks in literal qualities it makes up for as one of the surprises that nature still has tucked away in little-explored corners of the world. Ornithologists describe for science a new species of bird from the Togian Islands of Indonesia -- Zosterops somadikartai, or Togian white-eye.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Genes That Reduce 'Bad Cholesterol' And Protect Against Atherosclerosis Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251456455/080314091645.htm
One way of combating atherosclerosis is to reduce levels of "bad cholesterol" in the blood. Scientists have now identified the genes that bring about this beneficial effect. Atherosclerosis is the main cause of myocardial infarction and stroke in Western nations.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Speed Of Light: Sub-femtosecond Stop Watch For 'Photon Finish' Races
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750851/080313185734.htm
Using a system that can compare the travel times of two photons with sub-femtosecond precision, scientists have found a remarkably large difference in the time it takes photons to pass through nearly identical stacks of materials with different arrangements of refractive layers. The technique could provide an empirical answer to a long-standing puzzle over how fast light crosses narrow gaps that do not permit the passage of conventional electromagnetic waves.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Pain-free Childbirth? Get Real
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251427024/080314085108.htm
A pain-free and drug-free labor may be many expectant mothers' dream but a new review reveals that reality hits hard. Most women's labor experiences differ markedly from their expectations. They are often ill-prepared for what might happen, and consequently may be disappointed when the birth does not "go to plan."

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Second Depth-perception Method Discovered In Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252618807/080316161128.htm
It's common knowledge that humans and other animals are able to visually judge depth because we have two eyes and the brain compares the images from each. But we can also judge depth with only one eye, and scientists have been searching for how the brain accomplishes that feat.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Rare North Island Brown Kiwi Hatches At Smithsonian's National Zoo
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750852/080312160247.htm
One of the world's most endangered species -- a North Island brown kiwi -- has just hatched at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Bird House. Keepers had been incubating the egg for five weeks, following a month long incubation by the chick's father, carefully monitoring it for signs of pipping: the process in which the chick starts to break through the shell. The chick remained in an isolet for four days and is now in a specially designed brooding box.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Regular Low Dose Aspirin Cuts Asthma Risk In Women, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750853/080312220010.htm
A small dose of aspirin on alternate days can cut the risk of developing asthma among women, suggests a large study. The findings are based on almost 40,000 female healthcare professionals, who were part of the Women's Health Study. The women were all aged 45 and above, and had no serious illness, allergy, or asthma at the start of the study.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Nanomaterials Show Unexpected Strength Under Stress
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750854/080312141241.htm
In yet another twist on the strangeness of the nanoworld, researchers have discovered that materials such as silica that are quite brittle in bulk form behave as ductile as gold at the nanoscale. Their results may affect the design of future nanomachines.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Toddlers Affected Most By Secondhand Smoke Exposure At Home, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750855/080313185810.htm
Secondhand smoke in the home appears to induce markers for heart disease as early as the toddler years, researchers reported. It has long been known that many forms of cardiovascular disease in adults are initiated and progress silently during childhood. Now researchers have found a young child's response to smoke may not just affect the respiratory system, but the cardiovascular system as well.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Implantable Medical Devices May Expose Patients To Security, Privacy Risks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750856/080312134128.htm
Implantable cardiac defibrillators that are equipped with wireless technology are vulnerable to having private medical information extracted -- and even having the devices reprogrammed -- without the patients' knowledge. Not only does this pose a potential security risk, it could also endanger patients' physical safety.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
New Leads For Treating Parasitic Worm Disease Schistosomiasis Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252618805/080316161131.htm
Scientists have identified chemical compounds that hold promise as potential therapies for schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease that afflicts more than 200 million people worldwide. The compounds may provide much-needed new weapons in worldwide battle against schistosomiasis.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Like Dogs, Like Humans? Day Blindness In The Wirehaired Dachshund
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750857/080311204812.htm
A young researchers has been investigating a retinal disease called cone-rod dystrophy in the Norwegian population of wirehaired dachshunds. His findings are of comparative interest for the corresponding disease in people. Inherited photoreceptor diseases (diseases of the sensitive cells of the retina) occur naturally in both people and dogs.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Ibuprofen Destroys Aspirin's Positive Effect On Stroke Risk, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750858/080312171140.htm
Stroke patients who use ibuprofen for arthritis pain or other conditions while taking aspirin to reduce the risk of a second stroke undermine aspirin's ability to act as an anti-platelet agent, researchers have shown.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Single-crystal Semiconductor Wire Built Into An Optical Fiber
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750859/080312115412.htm
A process has been developed for growing a single-crystal semiconductor inside the tunnel of a hollow optical fiber. The new device will add new electronic capabilities to optical fibers, which are ideal media for transmitting many types of signals and which are used in a wide range of technologies that employ light, including telecommunications, medicine, computing, and remote-sensing devices.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Yin And Yang Of Genes For Mood Disorders
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750860/080312172620.htm
Individual genes do not cause depression, but they increase the probability of having a depression in the face of other accumulating risk factors, such as other genes and environmental stressors. This study is the first to shows that two genes related to the development of serotonin systems in the brain linked to the experience of negative emotions and to the treatment of depression exaggerate each other's effects on this brain system crucial for depression.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Space Station Crew Assembles Dextre Robot During Second Spacewalk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252533300/080316125842.htm
Dextre, the final element of the International Space Station's Mobile Servicing System, was put together during the second spacewalk of STS-123. Two arms will allow Dextre to transport objects, use tools, and install and remove equipment on the space station. Dextre also is equipped with lights, video equipment, a tool platform and four tool holders. Sensors will allow the robot to "feel" the objects it is dealing with and automatically react to movements or changes.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Protein Deficiency Leads To Faster Fat Burning In Mice, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750861/080312143900.htm
Researchers have developed a new, lean mouse with characteristics suggesting that someday, using medication to manipulate a specific protein in humans could emerge as a strategy to treat obesity and disorders associated with excess weight, such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome. To create the hybrid, scientists crossed mice deficient in protein kinase C beta with the C57 black mouse, a common animal used in research for studying diabetes and obesity.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Do Fungi Cause Retinopathies?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750862/080311210040.htm
Researchers are studying fungi as a possible cause of strange retinopathies such as AZOOR. There are several retinopathies of unknown cause; among them AZOOR, Multifocal choroiditis, Serpiginous choroiditis, Idiopathic Blind Spot Enlargement Syndrome ... etc. The progressive nature of these conditions causes most patients to gradually lose their vision until many of them are left blinded.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Populations Of Brain Cells Adapt To Changing Images
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750863/080312141225.htm
Neuroscientists studying the mind's ability to process images have completed the first empirical study to demonstrate, using animal models, how populations of nerve cells in visual cortex adapt to changing images. Their findings could lead to sight-improving therapies for people following trauma or stroke.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
High-speed WLAN Network Tested
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750864/080312103805.htm
With the aid of multiple antenna technology, researchers have succeeded in quadrupling the existing transmission rate of conventional networks from 54 megabytes per second (Mbps) to 216 Mbps. According to the communication theory, only a limited amount of data can be transmitted within a given bandwidth for wireless communication.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Family Cardiac Caregivers May Have Higher Heart Disease Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750865/080312172617.htm
Caring for a family member with a serious heart ailment may increase your risk of cardiac disease, according to a new report. Researchers examined heart risk factors in family members of cardiac patients and found that those who provided all or most of a patient's care had higher levels of risk factors for heart disease than non-caregivers and those who reported higher caregiver strain after six months were more likely to be depressed than those who provided less or no care.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Mars Express Reveals The Red Planet's Volcanic Past
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477729/080314112230.htm
A new analysis of impact cratering data from Mars reveals that the planet has undergone a series of global volcanic upheavals. These violent episodes spewed lava and water onto the surface, sculpting the landscape that ESA's Mars Express looks down on today.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Copolymers Block Out New Approaches To Microelectronics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252750866/080312141238.htm
Researchers have improved manipulation of so-called block copolymers -- polymers made of a mixture of two or more different molecule building blocks that are tethered at a junction point -- which can form arrays of tiny dots that could be used as the basis for electronic components that pack terabytes (1000 gigabytes) of memory in something as small as a pack of gum.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Researchers Make Case For Standardized Analysis Of Cardiac Imaging
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250787792/080313091518.htm
For accuracy's sake, medical professionals should use the same software for comparing and analyzing diagnostic heart images taken from different time periods and laboratories, a team of researchers has concluded.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Carbon Nanotubes Outperform Copper Nanowires As Interconnects
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250817763/080313095629.htm
Researchers have created a road map that brings academia and the semiconductor industry one step closer to realizing carbon nanotube interconnects, and alleviating the current bottleneck of information flow that is limiting the potential of computer chips in everything from personal computers to portable music players. The scientists have created robust quantum models to compare key characteristics of copper and CNTs.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Male Vanity? Men Are Opting To Remove Spider Veins Over Replacing Hair
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251650836/080314165855.htm
The standard treatment for spider and varicose veins (sclerotherapy) is now the number two most performed cosmetic surgical procedure, due in large part to men. Sclerotherapy has seen a 226.3% increase in males over the past five years. A drastic comparison to the 3.5% increase in females since 2002.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Correct Levels Of Stress Hormones Boost Learning, Squirrel Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251397587/080314085041.htm
Tests on the influence that a stress-related hormone has on learning in ground squirrels could have an impact on understanding how it influences human learning. The study has found that when they perform normal survival tasks, ground squirrels learn more quickly if they have a modest amount of cortisol, a hormone produced in response to stress, than those with either high or low levels of cortisol.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Paradoxical Alzheimer's Finding May Shed New Light On Memory Loss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252533295/080312164838.htm
Who'd a thunk? Younger brains show evidence of more memory loss than those with Alzheimer's. But those younger brains are also making memories faster than they lose them. A new study shows that normal memory loss is hyperactivated in Alzheimer's, pointing to AD as a syndrome affecting the plasticity or malleability of the brain.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Post Brain Injury: New Nerve Cells Originate From Neural Stem Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252533296/080311165900.htm
Another step has been taken towards the understanding of processes to be able to substitute for injured brain cells after accidents. Stem cells that originate from supporting cells can evolve again into new nerve cells.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Cause Of Severe Allergic Reaction To Cancer Drug Found
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252533297/080312171144.htm
Clinicians have been perplexed by the fact that some patients given the drug cetuximab -- an immune-based therapy commonly used to treat persons diagnosed with head and neck cancer, or colon cancer -- have a severe adverse reaction to the drug. Researchers have now discovered that pre-existing antibodies cause the severe reaction to the drug. This discovery in turn has enabled them to explain the unusual geographic pattern of this reaction seen among individuals in the US.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Flexible Mating Calls May Contribute To Ecological Success Of Species
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252533298/080311163628.htm
Katydid (or didn't she?) respond to the mating call of her suitors. According to scientists, one species of katydid may owe its ecological success and expanded habitat range to the ability of male katydids to adjust their mating calls to attract females. Female katydids prefer mates 'cool' in winter and 'hot' in summer.

Mon, 17 Mar 08
Transgenic Mice Don't Mind Cold Weather
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252533299/080314160218.htm
Overexpressing a protein involved in the uptake of fat in muscle of mice can improve their tolerance to cold temperatures, reports a new study that showcases the over-looked role muscle may play in the cold response. When temperatures drop, mammals respond by generating heat (thermogenesis), through mechanisms like shivering and breaking down 'brown fat' (high energy fat cells that are especially prominent in newborns and hibernating animals).

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Cup Of Black Tea Could Defend Against Athrax Threat, Research Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252246809/080312100045.htm
A cup of black tea could be the next line of defense in the threat of bio-terrorism according to new international research. A new study has revealed how the humble cup of tea could well be an antidote to Bacillus anthracis -- more commonly know as anthrax. Components in English breakfast tea such as polyphenols have the ability to inhibit the activity of anthrax.

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Study Raises Caution On New Painkillers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252246810/080312141250.htm
A new class of painkillers that block a receptor called TRPV1 may interfere with brain functions such as learning and memory, a new study suggests. The experiments with rat brain found that the TRPV1 receptor regulates a neural mechanism called long-term depression, which is believed to be central to establishing memory pathways in the brain.

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Structure Reveals How Cells 'Sugar-coat' Proteins
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252246811/080311123430.htm
Biologists have deciphered the structure of a large protein complex responsible for adding sugar molecules to newly formed proteins -- a process essential to many proteins' functions. The structure offers insight into the molecular "sugar-coating" mechanism, and may help scientists better understand a variety of diseases that result when the process goes awry.

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Novel Discovery Could Lead To Much-needed Kidney Failure Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252246812/080312154843.htm
The unwanted activation of an important cell-signaling pathway may play a role in two kidney problems that are major causes of end-stage renal disease, scientists have found. Their research opens up a novel approach for treating kidney failure.

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Closing The 'Pseudogap' On Superconductivity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252246813/080313203053.htm
One of the biggest mysteries in studying high-temperature (Tc) superconductors - materials that conduct electrical current with no resistance below a certain transition temperature - is the origin of a gap in the energy level of the materials' electronic spectrum. Physicists are researching this "pseudogap."

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Natural Selection: Mathematical Model Predicts Success Of Businesses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251456451/080314102734.htm
Many gamblers claim to have a "system," whether they're shooting craps, backing horses or punting on the stock market. Now, researchers in Taiwan have devised an approach to spotting when a company is likely to fail based on the principles of natural selection.

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Early Bird Doesn't Always Get The Worm, New Researcher Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252246814/080312102430.htm
Competing against older brothers and sisters can be tough work, as any youngest child will tell you. But a biologist shows that when it comes to some birds, you should reserve any underdog sympathies for the first born -- or rather, first laid -- siblings as well.

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Popular Energy Drinks Cause Tooth Erosion, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252246815/080312125606.htm
Previous scientific research findings have helped to warn consumers that the pH (potential of hydrogen) levels in beverages such as soda could lead to tooth erosion, the breakdown of tooth structure caused by the effect of acid on the teeth that leads to decay. However, the pH level of soft drinks isn't the only factor that causes dental erosion. A beverage's "buffering capacity," or the ability to neutralize acid, plays a significant role in the cause of dental erosion. Popular energy drinks also cause tooth erosion.

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Key Protein In Cell's 'Self-eating' Function Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252246816/080311123421.htm
Molecular biologists have found one piece of the complex puzzle of autophagy, the process of 'self-eating' performed by all eukaryotic cells -- cells with a nucleus -- to keep themselves healthy. This finding is important because it allows scientists to control this one aspect of cellular autophagy, and may lead to the ability to control other selective â€œself-eatingâ€ processes. This, in turn, could help illuminate autophagyâ€™s role in aging, immunity, neurodegeneration and cancer.

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Model Identifies Targets For Eradication Of Malaria
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252246817/080311215658.htm
Scientists have shown that malaria eradication in Africa is sustainable, and any re-emergence of malaria in industrialized nations is highly unlikely. Researchers have created a mathematical model of malaria transmission throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Astronomers Find Grains Of Sand Around Distant Stars
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/252246818/080312142357.htm
In a find that sheds light on how Earth-like planets may form, astronomers say they have found the first evidence of small, sandy particles orbiting a newborn star system at about the same distance as the Earth orbits the sun. The researchers confirmed the find with light reflected from the sand itself, which is about 2,400 light years from Earth in a two-star system called KH-15D.

Sun, 16 Mar 08
Better Regulation Of Home Genetic Tests Needed, Researchers Urge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251456456/080314085059.htm
Better regulation is urgently needed for genetic tests, particularly those marketed directly to the public, argue researchers. In the past 18 months, studies have identified dozens of inherited DNA variations associated with common conditions such as heart attacks, diabetes and asthma. In many cases, these findings provide insight on the cause of the disease, but clinical applications are still mostly unclear.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Designing A Lunar Telescope To See Into The Dark Ages
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720823/080311124548.htm
Scientists and engineers will study how to design a telescope on the moon for peering into the last unexplored epoch in the universe's history. There was an interval, now called the "Dark Ages," in which the Universe was unlit by any star.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
New Method Selects Eggs With Best Chance Of Leading To Successful Pregnancy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720824/080312103801.htm
Scientists have identified genetic markers that allow the selection of eggs with the best chance of leading to successful pregnancy after in vitro fertilization. This finding could both increase the success rate of single embryo transfer and diminish the risk of multiple pregnancies.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Harlequin Frog Rediscovered In Remote Region Of Colombia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720825/080311160514.htm
After 14 years without having been seen, several young scientists have rediscovered the Carrikeri harlequin frog in a remote mountainous region in Colombia.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
New Defense Mechanism Against Intestinal Inflammation Found
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720826/080312141253.htm
The body's first line of defense against pathogenic bacteria that we ingest may not be the immune system but rather the cells that line the intestine. This, and the various mechanisms revealed by this discovery, could lead to important therapeutic innovations, particularly in the treatment of diarrheal diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Space Shuttle Brings New Experiments To Space Station
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251625726/080314160235.htm
The space shuttle is carrying with it an experiment designed to isolate how each component of the low-earth orbit environment contributes to the overall degradation each material specimen. The results will help guide the development of next-generation satellite materials that will be durable in space.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Adolescent Girls With ADHD Are At Increased Risk For Eating Disorders, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251456460/080314085032.htm
Girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder stand a substantially greater risk of developing eating disorders in adolescence than girls without ADHD, a new study has found. "Adolescent girls with ADHD frequently develop body-image dissatisfaction and may go through repeating cycles of binge eating and purging behaviors that are common in bulimia nervosa," said the psychologist who led the study.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Exploring A 'Lost' City Of The Mycenaeans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720827/080311120621.htm
Along an isolated, rocky stretch of Greek shoreline, researchers are unlocking the secrets of a partially submerged, "lost" harbor town believed to have been built by the ancient Mycenaeans nearly 3,500 years ago.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
How Antibiotic Resistant Bugs Became Resistant To Penicillin, And How Penicillin Could Work Again
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720828/080312100041.htm
New research has uncovered exactly how the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae has become resistant to the antibiotic penicillin. The same research could also open up MRSA to attack by penicillin and help create a library of designer antibiotics to use against a range of other dangerous bacteria.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Coolest Winter Since 2001 For U.S., Globe, According To NOAA Data
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251650832/080314175834.htm
The average temperature across both the contiguous U.S. and the globe during climatological winter (December 2007-February 2008) was the coolest since 2001, according to scientists at NOAAâ€™s National Climatic Data Center. In terms of winter precipitation, Pacific storms, bringing heavy precipitation to large parts of the West, produced high snowpack that will provide welcome runoff this spring.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Majestic Lesser Flamingos Survive In Contaminated Indian Waters
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720829/080311123417.htm
Researchers are investigating the remarkable survival of birds in contaminated Indian waters. Ecologists are setting out to discover why flamingos are so in the pink of health, considering their less than pristine habitat.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Fight Against Obesity: Increase Cells' Energy Consumption With Mitochondrial Uncoupling?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720830/080311215656.htm
With obesity still on the increase, it appears that the main weapon in the fight against it -- reducing energy consumption by eating less -- is ineffective. There is evident need to search for new treatment strategies dealing with the opposite aspect of the energy balance: increasing energy consumption. Researchers have now found a way to increase cells' energy consumption: mitochondrial uncoupling. Mitochondrial uncoupling has been demonstrated in human skeletal muscle.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Insecticide Combo Delivers Knockout Punch
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720831/080311215643.htm
A cocktail of insecticides containing a plant protein and a common insecticide may be more lethal to crop pests than either ingredient used alone, according to biologists. The one-two punch also inhibits the insects' growth rate and reduces their chance of developing resistance.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Meditation Can Lower Blood Pressure, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251537611/080314130430.htm
Transcendental meditation is an effective treatment for controlling high blood pressure with the added benefit of bypassing possible side effects and hazards of anti-hypertension drugs, according to a new meta-analysis. The meta-analysis evaluated nine randomized, controlled trials using transcendental meditation as a primary intervention for hypertensive patients. The practice of transcendental meditation was associated with approximate reductions of 4.7 mm systolic blood pressure and 3.2 mm diastolic blood pressure.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Winking Star: First Step Of Earth-Like Planet Formation Observed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251625722/080314163401.htm
For the first time, astronomers have observed the initial phase in the formation of an earth-like planet. Astronomers observed that a protoplanetary disk, or ring, around the binary star known as KH 15D, is composed of solid particles larger than what is usually observed in space. For hundreds of years, scientists have been theorizing that Earth-like planets form when gas and dust around a star get compressed into these disks and the material begins to coalesce into planets.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Royal Corruption Is Rife In The Ant World
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720832/080311103904.htm
Far from being a model of social cooperation, the ant world is riddled with cheating and corruption -- and it goes all the way to the top. Ants have always been thought to work together for the benefit of the colony rather than for individual gain. But new research has shattered this illusion.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Gene Hunters Fine-tune Marker For Common Obesity Gene
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720833/080311215639.htm
Genomics researchers, seeking to replicate another group's discovery of an important gene associated with obesity, have further refined the signal to a particular variant in DNA that may be more helpful in identifying this gene's role in obesity in various human populations worldwide. The finding suggests that the gene variant, identified in DNA from African-American children, may be a tag of an ancient mutation that first arose in Africa, where humans originated.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
New Modular Platform Makes Planning Complex Laboratory Systems Easy As Lego
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720834/080311105912.htm
Things that work on a small scale are not necessarily as successful on a large one. It takes a lot of patience and money to scale up analytical or therapeutic processes from the laboratory to industrial manufacture. The new "Modular Process Automation Laboratory m:Pal" platform makes it possible to plan for complex laboratory equipment faster and more efficiently.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Lymphoma Patients Benefit From Combined PET-CT Scanning, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720835/080312092829.htm
Combined positron emission tomography and computed tomography imaging of lymphoma patients is a more effective method to evaluate response to radiation therapy, and may help patients avoid unnecessary follow-up treatments, a new study suggests. The fused imaging results in greater accuracy when evaluating treatment results.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
New Tool Determines Age Of Anchovies With Greater Precision, Will Improve Fisheries Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720836/080312102438.htm
The European anchovy supports an important fishing industry, and it is also fundamental in marine growth chains. European anchovy catches have dropped alarmingly over the last few decades, going from 83,615 tons in 1965 to 4,456 tons in 1982 and only 950 tons in 2005. A new tool determines the age of anchovies with greater accuracy on a monthly or even weekly basis, will enable studies of the earliest phases of life to be undertaken.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Ten Questions Shaping 21st-century Earth Science Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251720837/080312115423.htm
Ten questions driving the geological and planetary sciences have been identified. Far-reaching questions range from increasing our understanding of the beginning of the universe, the origin of life, earthquakes and climate change.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Bird Brains Suggest How Vocal Learning Evolved
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477713/080311215702.htm
Though they perch far apart on the avian family tree, birds with the ability to learn songs use similar brain structures to sing their tunes. Neurobiologists now have an explanation for this puzzling likeness.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Gene Therapy Could Save Kids From A Lifetime Of Eating Cornstarch
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477714/080312115415.htm
A gene therapy treatment that restores a missing liver enzyme in test animals could provide a cure for a rare metabolic disorder in humans, according to medical researchers. People born with the disorder, called glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia), can't make an enzyme that helps the liver store and release glucose, the sugar that all cells use for energy. Without treatment, their blood sugar levels drop dangerously low, causing seizures and organ damage. Eating raw cornstarch, a slowly digested carbohydrate, and avoiding dietary sugar can help people with GSD-Ia maintain their glucose levels.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Intelligent Side-impact Protection System Dramatically Reduces Risk Of Injury In Car Crashes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477715/080311102322.htm
A car body that thinks intelligently and protects its occupants at the crucial moment has been every driver's dream for a long time. Research scientists have developed an intelligent side-impact protection system that dramatically reduces the risk of injury. Just recently the system has proved it actually works in a real crash situation.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Anchoring Protein Variant Associated with Increased Breast Cancer Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477716/080311165935.htm
Individuals who carry a rare genetic variant have an increased risk of developing breast cancer over their lifetimes, compared with those who do not have the variant. Few genes have been found to have a large impact on the risk of familial breast cancer, and researchers expect that most breast cancers are influenced by the combined effects of multiple genes, each of which has a small impact on its own. One of those genes may be AKAP9.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Wireless Networks That Build Themselves
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477717/080311200326.htm
From traffic lights to mobile phones, small computers are all around us. Enabling these 'embedded systems' to create wireless communications networks automatically will have profound effects in areas from emergency management to healthcare and traffic control. Networks of mobile sensors and other small electronic devices have huge potential. Applications include emergency management, security, helping vulnerable people to live independently, traffic control, warehouse management, and environmental monitoring.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Many Teens Spend 30 Hours A Week On 'Screen Time' During High School
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477718/080312172614.htm
While most teenagers (60 percent) spend on average 20 hours per week in front of television and computer screens, a third spend closer to 40 hours per week, and about 7 percent are exposed to more than 50 hours of "screen-time" per week, according to a new study.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Increased Level Of Magnetic Iron Oxides Found In Alzheimer's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477720/080312092826.htm
A team of scientists have found, for the first time, raised levels of magnetic iron oxides in the part of the brain affected by Alzheimer's Disease. Though the results are based on a small number of samples, they give an indication that iron accumulation associated with Alzheimer's appears to involve the formation of strongly magnetic iron compounds.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Amphibians Respond Behaviorally To Impact Of Clear Cutting
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477721/080311093341.htm
The number of amphibians drastically decreases in forest areas that are clearcut, according to previous studies. However, some animals may not be dying. Instead, a biologist says some animals may be moving away (possibly to return later) or retreating underground. The finding could have major implications for both the timber industry and the survival of amphibians.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
MRSA Screening At Hospital Admission Not Linked To Reduced Rates Of Infection In Surgical Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477722/080311165926.htm
New findings do not support the recommendation for universal screening on hospital admission for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to reduce the rate of hospital-acquired infections in surgical patients.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Clean Diesel Possible With New Diesel Particulate Filter Technology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477724/080311102319.htm
Most diggers and construction machines discharge unfiltered exhaust fumes into the air. This is because special vehicles are made in small batches, and each requires a different filter geometry. Diesel soot filters of varying shapes can now be produced at competitive prices. Modern diesel cars are not only quieter than their predecessors but also release considerably fewer exhaust fumes into the atmosphere. The filters for heavy-duty, construction and off-road vehicles are not yet state-of-the-art. A new diesel particulate filter technology will soon teach even these vehicles to give up smoking.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Emotional 'Bummer' Of Cocaine Addiction Mimicked In Animals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477725/080312141248.htm
Cocaine addicts often suffer a downward emotional spiral that is a key to their craving and chronic relapse. While researchers have developed animal models of the reward of cocaine, they have not been able to model this emotional impact, until now.

Sat, 15 Mar 08
Do Meteors Create Life? Explosion Of New Life Coincided With Hundreds Of Meteorite Impacts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251477726/080314110406.htm
Meteorite impacts are often associated with huge disasters, mass extinction and why the dinosaurs disappeared from the face of the Earth some 65 million years ago. However, the opposite may also occur -- that new and more varied animal life arises following such a catastrophe, is shown by new research. In prehistoric times, the Earth was hit by a hailstorm of meteorites with a belt of dust that subsequently covered the planet. At this time new and more varied animal life arose.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Sand Dollar Larvae Use Cloning To 'Make Change,' Confound Predators
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170954/080313143100.htm
Biologists find that sand dollar larvae created clones of themselves within 24 hours of being exposed to fish mucous, a cue that predators are near. The cloning process resulted in small new larvae and original larvae that were substantially smaller.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Pain Receptor In Brain May Be Linked To Learning And Memory
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250881276/080313125347.htm
For the first time, a researchers have linked pain receptors found throughout the nervous system to learning and memory in the brain. The findings, published in Neuron, point up new drug targets for memory loss or epileptic seizures.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
How Do Infections And Toxins Launch A Cell's Self-destruct And Alarm System?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170955/080310171453.htm
Some cells self-destruct peacefully. Others, exposed to toxins or infections, spill a chemical warning when they die. The body responds with inflammation that can backfire and damage vital tissues. The inflammatory response to dying cells' distress calls may be helpful or harmful, research shows.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Dermatology Team Finds Treatment For Rare 'Life-ruining' Condition
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251195212/080311192306.htm
Relief is now available for 600 people around the world who suffer from a rare genetic condition triggered by exposure to cold. "It's like you're freezing from the inside out," says Rachel Doherty, who took part in a clinical trial. In proving the effectiveness of anakinra, a Dalhousie dermatology team successfully concluded a 20-year quest to find a treatment for Familial Cold Autoinflammatory Syndrome.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Hybrid Cars May Require Hundreds Of New Power Plants To Be Built, If Owners Charge Up During Peak Hours
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251195213/080312140123.htm
A growing number of plug-in hybrid electric cars and trucks could require major new power generation resources or none at all -- depending on when people recharge their automobiles. A recent study examined how an expected increase in ownership of hybrid electric cars and trucks will affect the power grid depending on what time of day or night the vehicles are charged. In the worst-case scenario â€”- if all hybrid owners charged their vehicles at 5 p.m. -- up to 160 large power plants would be needed nationwide to supply the extra electricity.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Quitting Smoking In Pregnancy Boosts Chances Of Easygoing Child
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251195214/080312220014.htm
Giving up smoking during pregnancy may boost the chances of giving birth to an easy going child. The findings are based on over 18,000 UK babies born between 2000 and 2002, who were taking part in the Millennium Cohort Study.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Two-Dimensional High-Temperature Superconductor Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170956/080313204503.htm
Scientists have discovered a state of two-dimensional (2D) fluctuating superconductivity in a high-temperature superconductor with a particular arrangement of electrical charges known as "stripes." The finding was uncovered during studies of directional dependence in the material's electron-transport and magnetic properties. In the 2D plane, the material acts as a superconductor -- conducts electricity with no resistance -- at a significantly higher temperature than in the 3D state.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Chemicals Like DEET In Bug Spray Work By Masking Human Odors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251195215/080313143052.htm
Researchers have definitively shown that the widely used bug repellent DEET acts like a chemical cloak, masking human odors that blood-feeding insects find attractive. The research now makes it possible not only to systematically improve upon the repellent properties of DEET but also to make it a safer chemical.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Worldâ€™s Largest Fusion Experiment Of The Stellarator Type -- Wendelstein 7-X -- Taking Shape
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170957/080313124448.htm
The first milestone in the successive assembly of the Wendelstein 7-X fusion device has been reached on schedule with the completion of the first two half-modules of the large-scale experiment: Two-tenths of the inner core of the device is now ready, and is being assembled. Construction of the complex device will take about another six years.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Policing Cells Demand ID To Tell Friend From Foe, Say Cell Engineers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251195216/080311141021.htm
Scientists studying macrophages, the biological cells that spring from white blood cells to eat and destroy foreign or dying cells, have discovered how these "policemen" differentiate between friend and foe.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
New Technique Puts DNA Profiling Of E. Coli On Fast Track
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170958/080310181602.htm
Using new genetic techniques, scientists are unlocking the secrets of how E. coli bacteria contaminate food and make people sick. Michigan State University has developed a new technique to test the DNA of E. coli bacteria by examining very small genetic changes called single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs. Using SNPs, scientists analyzed 96 markers, making genetic analysis of pathogenic bacteria possible at a rate never before accomplished.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Rate Of Escalator Injuries To Older Adults Has Doubled
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250848719/080313110337.htm
The first large scale national study of escalator-related injuries to older adults reports that the rate of these injuries has doubled from 1991 to 2005. Using U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data, the researchers found nearly 40,000 older adults were injured on escalators between 1991 and 2005.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Cassini Flies Through Watery Plumes Of Saturn's Moon Enceladus
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170959/080313213204.htm
NASA's Cassini spacecraft performed a daring flyby of Saturn's moon Enceladus on March 12, flying about 15 kilometers per second (32,000 mph) through icy water geyser-like jets. The spacecraft snatched up precious samples that might point to a water ocean or organics inside the little moon.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Common Cold Linked To Ear Infections, Researchers Confirm
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250848720/080313103101.htm
A new five-year study confirms the suspected close link between the two most common diseases of young children: colds and ear infections. Ear infections are the driving force behind antibiotic resistance, a troubling medical issue, as physicians often administer antibiotics for the painful, persistent ailment.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Damaged Veins Heal Faster With Heparin Treatment, Laboratory Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250817758/080313103916.htm
Research in mice lends credence to hospitals' aggressive tactics to prevent and respond to deep-vein thrombosis. A commonly used medication that prevents blood clots from forming may also prevent existing clots from damaging delicate vein walls -- and may accelerate healing in a clot-damaged area of vein wall. The findings, made in laboratory mice, add more evidence to support the aggressive anticlot efforts now under way at American hospitals and nursing homes.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Increased Carbon Dioxide In Atmosphere Linked To Decreased Soil Organic Matter, Decreased Plant Growth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170960/080311123413.htm
A recent study created a bit of a mystery for soil scientists -- increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was expected to increase plant growth, increase plant biomass and ultimately beef up the organic matter in the soil -- but it didn't. What researchers found instead was that organic matter decay increased along with residue inputs when carbon dioxide levels were increased and they think the accelerated decay was due to increased moisture in the soil.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Prescription Costs Rise More Than 6 Times When Patients Reach 65, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250817759/080313103115.htm
A detailed review of 5.47 million primary health-care records has revealed that prescribing costs rise dramatically when people reach 65. They are six-and-a-half times times higher than for people under 65 and 16 times higher than for children under four.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Alligators' Muscles Move Lungs Around For Sneaky Maneuvers In Water
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250881278/080313124451.htm
Without a ripple in the water, alligators dive, surface or roll sideways, even though they lack flippers or fins. Biologists have discovered alligators maneuver silently by using their diaphragm, pelvic, abdominal and rib muscles to shift their lungs like internal flotation devices: toward the tail when they dive, toward the head when they surface and sideways when they roll.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Phase I Diabetes Trial Aims To Reverse Type 1 Diabetes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170961/080313125344.htm
Scientists have initiated a phase 1 clinical trial to reverse type 1 diabetes. The trial is exploring whether the promising lab results can be applied in human diabetes. Previous studies have shown that mice with a form of diabetes that closely resembles type 1 diabetes in humans can be cured.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Marine Bacteria's Mealtime Dash Is A Swimming Success
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170962/080310181559.htm
Goldfish are able to dash after food flakes at mealtime, reaching them before they sink or are eaten by other fish. Researchers recently proved in lab experiments that marine bacteria behave in a similar fashion at mealtime, using their swimming skills to reach tiny food patches that appear randomly in the ocean blue. This behavior at small scales could have global implications for the oceans' carbon cycle.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Paradigm Shift: Switch For Programmed Cell Death Promotes Spread Of Glioblastoma
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170963/080311120624.htm
The protein CD95 is known to act as a molecular switch that triggers the apoptosis death program in cells. Scientists have now shown that activation of this switch in glioblastoma has a totally unexpected effect. Instead of forcing the cancer cells to commit suicide, their spread is even promoted. Activation of CD95 was found to increase the tumor's ability to invade surrounding brain tissue. This finding reveals an unexpected target for new therapies.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Probing The Mysteries Of A Surprisingly Tough Hydrogel
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170964/080311131854.htm
Researchers are studying an unusually pliant yet strong synthetic cartilage replacement in hopes of providing arthritis victims with some relief. They report on a gel that, while having the pliancy of gelatin, won't break apart even when deformed over 1,000 percent.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
How Social Pressure Increases Voter Turnout: Evidence From A Large-scale Field Experiment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251195217/080313124403.htm
New research by political scientists concludes that direct mail campaigns which include a social pressure aspect are more effective at increasing voter turnout and are cheaper than other forms of voter mobilization, including door-to-door or telephone canvassing.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
New Window Opens On The Secret Life Of Microbes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170965/080313124419.htm
Nowhere is the principle of "strength in numbers" more apparent than in the collective power of microbes: despite their simplicity, these one-cell organisms -- which number about 5 million trillion trillion strong (no, that is not a typo) on Earth -- affect virtually every ecological process, from the decay of organic material to the production of oxygen.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Genetic Markers Found For Lung Cancers Most Likely To Recur
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251195218/080312172611.htm
Researchers have uncovered clearly recognizable genetic alterations in tumors and tissue removed from patients with early-stage lung cancers that look like good predictors of which of these cancers are more likely to recur.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Surface Structure Of Gold Nanocrystals Probed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170966/080310151952.htm
Finding the key to gold's chemical reactivity (or that of any metal nanocrystal) has been difficult, as few measurement techniques work at the nanoscale. Now, researchers have demonstrated a sensitive probe that can identify and characterize the atomic structure of gold and other nanocrystalline materials.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
COX-2 Expression Is Marker For Cancer Development In Some Benign Breast Biopsies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251195219/080311165916.htm
It's a good news, bad news situation. Some women who have a breast biopsy are told that while they don't have cancer, they do have atypical hyperplasia -- cells that aren't quite normal and might become cancerous someday. This happens to one-fourth of women undergoing breast biopsies but no one knows which individuals are at risk. Women whose atypia tissue expressed COX-2 enzymes were more likely to develop breast cancer subsequently, and that the more the enzyme expressed, the higher the risk.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Modern Physics Is Critical To Global Warming Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251170967/080311130811.htm
Science has come a long way with predicting climate. Increasingly sophisticated models and instruments can zero in on a specific storm formation or make detailed weather forecasts -- all useful to our daily lives. But to understand global climate change, scientists need more than just a one-day forecast. They need a deeper understanding of the complex and interrelated forces that shape climate. Physicists now make the case that statistical physics can provide a better understanding of global weather patterns -- information critical for more accurately predicting climate change.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Revealed: The Secrets Of Successful Ecosystems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/251195220/080312141228.htm
The productivity and biodiversity of an ecosystem is significantly affected by the rate at which organisms move between different parts of the ecosystem. When there is little or no dispersal, populations of species that remain in harsh areas of an ecosystem are unable to adapt to their environment due to a low population size and lack of genetic variation. Conversely, when there is too much dispersal in an ecosystem, species evolve to be 'generalists' that can survive in many habitats, but fail to thrive in any given one. The scientific team behind this new research found that both the biodiversity and productivity of an ecosystem are at a peak when there is an intermediate rate of dispersal of species - not too little and not too much - between different parts of the ecosystem.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Fundamental Process Of Tumor Growth Explained
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250787787/080312141243.htm
Nearly 80 years ago, scientist Otto Warburg observed that cancer cells perform energy metabolism in a way that is different from normal adult cells, but it has not been known exactly how tumor cells perform this alternate metabolic feat, nor was it known if this process was essential for tumor growth. Now, two new articles in Nature help answer these questions.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Handheld DNA Detector
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910745/080310173246.htm
A scientists has taken a mathematical approach to a biological problem -- how to design a portable DNA detector. A mathematical simulation shows how a new type of nanoscale transistor might be coupled to a DNA sensor system.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Improving NASA Moon Rocket Engine
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910747/080310164854.htm
Engineers are conducting experiments using a new hydrogen facility to help NASA create designs to improve the cooling efficiency and performance of the J-2X rocket engine, critical for future missions to Mars and the moon.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Late Treatment With Letrozole Can Reduce Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910748/080310181556.htm
Treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence even when initiated one to seven years after a course of tamoxifen therapy. Among women originally in the placebo arm of an international trial of letrozole who chose to begin letrozole treatment after the initial trial was halted, the risk that their cancer would recur was cut in half compared with those who never received letrozole.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Are Existing Large-scale Simulations Of Water Dynamics Wrong?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910749/080310151956.htm
A new study implies that large-scale simulations of water dynamics in soil may be imprecise to completely wrong. But, it also opens new options for a specific refinement of simulation techniques using locally adaptive grids. These findings should be transferable to applications such as the simulation of oil reservoirs or models for soil remediation techniques.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Minorities, Whites Get Equal Care In Hospitals, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910750/080311102315.htm
A new study of whether people receive different quality of hospital care because of their race or ethnicity found that when whites and minorities are admitted to a hospital for the same reason, they receive the same quality care in that hospital.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Short-term Stress Can Affect Learning And Memory
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910751/080311182434.htm
Short-term stress lasting as little as a few hours can impair brain-cell communication in areas associated with learning and memory, researchers have found. It has been known that severe stress lasting weeks or months can impair cell communication in the brain's learning and memory region, but this study provides the first evidence that short-term stress has the same effect.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Extra Vitamin D In Early Childhood Cuts Adult Diabetes Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910752/080312220006.htm
Vitamin D supplements in early childhood may ward off the development of type 1 diabetes in later life, reveals new research. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, in which insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas are destroyed by the body's own immune system, starting in early infancy. The disease is most common among people of European descent, with around 2 million Europeans and North Americans affected.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Camera Brings Vast Improvement For Surveillance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910753/080311195746.htm
Researchers have developed a wide-angle camera that will be able to provide security forces with the ability to monitor large areas through high-resolution images taken from a satellite or an airborne craft. If you point a large number of lenses toward a common point, and then make a small correction on each of the lenses, you provide a camera with capabilities that far surpass existing technologies.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Weight Loss More Effective Than Intensive Insulin Therapy For Type 2 Diabetics, Expert Argues
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910754/080311165921.htm
Weight loss and major lifestyle changes may be more effective than intensive insulin therapy for overweight patients with poorly controlled, insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes, according to a diabetes researcher.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Embedded Systems Get Smarter, Tougher
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910755/080311202414.htm
A European research team has achieved the twin, and apparently contradictory goals, of making embedded systems both smarter and tougher. The RobuCab, an autonomous vehicle about the size of a golf cart, trundles at 10kph along a quiet French street. Alarmingly, it looks like it is driving itself. Surprisingly, that is more or less true.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Different Use Of Brain Areas May Explain Memory Problems In Schizophrenics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910756/080311215653.htm
The enduring memory problems that people with schizophrenia experience may be related to differences in how their brains process information, new research has found.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Spitzer Finds Organics And Water Where New Planets May Grow
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250943025/080313141418.htm
Researchers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have discovered large amounts of simple organic gases and water vapor in a possible planet-forming region around an infant star, along with evidence that these molecules were created there. They've also found water in the same zone around two other young stars.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Puzzling 'Eye Of A Hurricane' On Venus
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250817764/080313095626.htm
Venus Express has constantly been observing the south pole of Venus and has found it to be surprisingly fickle. An enormous structure with a central part that looks like the eye of a hurricane, morphs and changes shape within a matter of days, leaving scientists puzzled.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Radiation Exposure In Utero And In Young Children Increases Adult Cancer Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910757/080311190417.htm
Radiation exposure before birth or during early childhood increased the risk of adult solid cancers, according to a study of survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. It is known that radiation exposure during fetal development increases the risk of childhood cancers and that exposure during early childhood increases the risk of adult-onset cancers. However it was not known if radiation exposure to the fetus increases the risk of adult cancers.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
New Satellite Imaging Research Could Save The Lemur In Madagascar
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910758/080310174132.htm
New satellite imaging research may help save the dwindling lemur population in the African nation of Madagascar. Using satellite imagery, GIS and ecological and demographic data from the field, researchers have studied the effects of deforestation on the ringtailed lemur population in Madagascar during the last forty years.

Fri, 14 Mar 08
Post-stroke Clot-busting Therapy Beneficial For Patients On Aspirin
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250910760/080310164917.htm
Patients given a clot-busting drug following stroke appear to have better outcomes if they were already taking anti-platelet medications, despite an apparent increased risk for bleeding in the brain, according to a new article.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Snakes Vault Past Toxic Newts In Evolutionary Arms Race
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249503339/080311075326.htm
Rough-skinned newts harbor in their skin massive doses of the same deadly toxin found in blowfish. Garter snakes that dine on the newts have evolved resistance to the toxin, spurring greater toxicity in the newts by natural selection. But now researchers report that in some areas, the snakes have somehow evolved levels of resistance far beyond what the newts are capable of countering.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
New Potential Treatment For Muscular Dystrophy Appears To Be Safe
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250513475/080311142307.htm
Myostatin, a protein that blocks muscle growth, has shown promising results as a potential therapeutic target for treating muscular dystrophy in animal studies, where its inhibition led to increased muscle mass and strength. A new study, the first to evaluate a myostatin inhibitor in patients, assessed its safety in adults with muscular dystrophy and found that it was well-tolerated.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
NOAA Launches Final Two Buoys To Complete U.S. Tsunami Warning System
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250513476/080311090733.htm
NOAA has just deployed the final two tsunami detection buoys in the South Pacific, completing the buoy network and bolstering the U.S. tsunami warning system. This vast network of 39 stations provides coastal communities in the Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico with faster and more accurate tsunami warnings.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Genetic Analysis Reveals Range Of Rett Syndrome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250513477/080311092155.htm
The first comprehensive analysis of the clinical effects of genetic mutations involved in Rett syndrome will enable affected families to receive a more accurate indication of their child's prognosis.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Stunt Doubles: Ultracold Atoms Could Replicate The Electron 'Jitterbug'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489299/080310131513.htm
Ultracold atoms moving through a carefully designed arrangement of laser beams will jiggle slightly as they go, two NIST scientists have predicted. If observed, this never-before-seen "jitterbug" motion would shed light on a little-known oddity of quantum mechanics arising from Paul Dirac's 80-year-old theory of the electron.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
To Bet Or Not To Bet: How The Brain Learns To Estimate Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489300/080312093854.htm
Researchers have made an important neurobiological discovery of how humans learn to predict risk. The research, appearing in the Journal of Neuroscience, will shed light on why certain kinds of risk, notably financial risk, are often underestimated, and whether abnormal behavior such as addiction (e.g. to gambling or drugs) could be caused by an erroneous evaluation of risk.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Bipolar Disorder: Manic Mouse Made With One Gene Missing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250124708/080312081256.htm
Bipolar Disorder (BPD or manic-depressive illness) is one of the most serious of all mental disorders, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Affected individuals alternate between states of deep depression and mania. Now, a mouse model of the disease has been developed. Researchers found that the glutamate receptor 6 (GluR6) gene is associated with bipolar disorder. Mice that were missing the GluR6 gene underwent a series of tests designed to approximate the symptoms of mania. These mice showed many of the symptoms of mania, including hyperactivity, aggressiveness, driven or increased goal-directed pursuits, risk-taking, and super-sensitivity to amphetamine. The researchers also found that treating the mice with lithium -- the classic treatment for bipolar disorder -- reduced these symptoms.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Health Problems In Persian Gulf War Veterans Higher Due To Chemical Exposure, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489301/080310181550.htm
There is increasing evidence that high rates of illness in Persian Gulf War veterans can be explained, in part, by exposure to certain chemicals, including pesticides and nerve agents.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Rivers Great And Small Can Fight Pollution, If Given Chance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250513479/080312141246.htm
Big rivers typically get the credit for being powerful and mighty, but a sweeping national study shows that when it comes to pollution control, even little streams can pack a punch. Researchers studied nine streams that flowed through cities, forests and agricultural land in the Kalamazoo River watershed of southwestern Michigan as part of a nationwide team seeking to understand what happens to the nitrogen washed into the water.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
All Done With Mirrors: Microscope Tracks Nanoparticles In 3-D
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489302/080310131509.htm
A clever new microscope design allows nanotechnology researchers to track the motions of nanoparticles in solution as they dart around in three dimensions. The researchers hope the technology, which NIST plans to patent, will lead to a better understanding of the dynamics of nanoparticles in fluids and, ultimately, process control techniques to optimize the assembly of nanotech devices.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Magnesium Associated With Lower Risk For Some Strokes In Male Smokers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489303/080310164912.htm
Male smokers who consume more magnesium appear to have a lower risk for cerebral infarction, a type of stroke that occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked, according to a new report.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
How Nanopackaging And Nanovalves For Medicines Should Be Like Skewered Pumpkins
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489304/080307120218.htm
We encounter valves every day, whether in the water faucet, the carburetor in our car, or our bicycle tire tube. Valves are also present in the world of nanotechnology. Researchers have developed a nanovalve which operates in an aqueous environment and under physiological conditions --a prerequisite for any application as a gate for nanoscopic drug-transport agents, which need to set their cargo free at the right place and time.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Diesel Exhaust Inhalation Stresses Your Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249474998/080311075339.htm
If the smell of diesel exhaust isn't enough to make you avoid getting a lungful, new research now shows that even a short exposure to the fumes can affect your brain. Even an hour of sniffing exhaust induces a stress response in the brain's activity.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
New Longevity Genes Identified: Yeast, Worms And People May Age By Similar Mechanisms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250538998/080312172608.htm
Scientists have identified 25 genes regulating lifespan in two organisms separated by about 1.5 billion years in evolutionary change. At least 15 of those genes have very similar versions in humans, suggesting that scientists may be able to target those genes to help slow down the aging process and treat age-related conditions.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Domestication Of The Donkey May Have Taken A Long Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489305/080310170636.htm
Researchers have found evidence for the earliest transport use of the donkey and the early phases of donkey domestication, suggesting the process of domestication may have been slower and less linear than previously thought.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Protein That Stimulates Fat Formation Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489306/080311091637.htm
Scientists have discovered a protein that plays a fundamental part in the formation of new fat cells. The protein has a potential use in the treatment of obesity and cachexia (morbid weight loss). The discovery of the protein, which is called TRAP and which is secreted by immune cells in fat tissue, provides new insights into the chronic fat tissue inflammation that characterizes obesity.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Jules Verne On Track For Long Journey To ISS
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489307/080312095219.htm
Following an overnight recovery operation, Jules Verne ATV's propulsion system has successfully been restored to full robustness. The spacecraft has since performed the first orbital manoeuvres necessary to set up phasing with the International Space Station.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Glaucoma Associated With Increased Risk Of Cardiovascular Death In Black Patients, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489309/080310164909.htm
Black patients with diagnosed and treated glaucoma and those with high pressure in their eyes appear to have an increased risk of death from cardiovascular causes, according to a new article.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Code Of 3-D Structure In Key Metabolic Protein Cracked
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489310/080310131527.htm
Using X-ray crystallography, researchers have deciphered the three-dimensional structure of an enzyme that plays a crucial role in glycerol metabolism -- a discovery that could lead to important advances against obesity, diabetes and a potential host of other diseases. The sugar-alcohol glycerol is an essential source of cellular energy.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Cooperation Between Figs, Wasps And Parasites Proves Three Is Not Always A Crowd
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489311/080311093345.htm
The larvae of pollinating wasps in the inner flowers of figs are safe from parasitic wasps. Parasites may contribute to stability in the fig-pollinator mutualism because outer flowers avoided by pollinators tend to develop into seeds.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Pain In Fibromyalgia Is Linked To Changes In Brain Molecule
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248957888/080310112658.htm
Researchers have found a key linkage between pain and a specific brain molecule, a discovery that lends new insight into fibromyalgia, an often-baffling chronic pain condition.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Maternal Obesity Not Strongly Linked To Obesity In Offspring Says Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249474999/080311075330.htm
Greater maternal body mass index during offspring development does not have a marked effect on offspring fat mass at ages nine to eleven years, according to a new study. They found that both maternal and paternal BMI were positively associated with offspring fat mass but the effect of maternal BMI was greater than the effect of paternal BMI. However, the greater effect of maternal BMI was too weak to explain the recent obesity epidemic.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Lung Damage In Babies With Congenital Heart Disease Under Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489312/080310131515.htm
Trying to understand and stop the collateral lung damage that can occur in babies with congenital heart disease is the focus of a new study. When a baby's heart defect results in too much blood in the lungs, more blood vessels are made, apparently to handle the increased volume, then new blood vessel growth is abruptly halted.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Recurrent Low-grade Carcinoma Of The Ovary Less Responsive To Chemo Than More Common Ovarian Cancers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489313/080310155228.htm
Recurrent low-grade serous carcinoma, a rare type of ovarian cancer, is less sensitive to chemotherapy and therefore more difficult to treat than more common high-grade ovarian cancers, according to researchers.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
ESA Aims To Save Earth Science Data
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489308/080310110903.htm
The amount of information being generated about our planet is increasing at an exponential rate, but it must be easily accessible in order to apply it to the global needs relating to the state of the Earth.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Nuclear Fuel Performance Milestone Achieved
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250489314/080310143531.htm
The research to improve the performance of coated-particle nuclear fuel met an important milestone by reaching a burnup of 9 percent without any fuel failure. The research is key in supporting reactor licensing and operation for high-temperature reactors such as the Next Generation Nuclear Plant and similar reactors envisioned for subsequent commercial energy production.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Universal Signalling Pathway In Vertebrates Mediates Formation Of Blood Vessels Both In Embryos And Tumours
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152832/080307101615.htm
A signaling pathway that is universal in vertebrates mediates the formation of blood vessels (vascularisation) both in embryos and tumours. The research into this mechanism opens up new opportunities to develop novel medicines for cancer treatment.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Make Or Break Time For Osteoporosis Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152833/080310131522.htm
A new study shows that 50 percent of women stop their ongoing osteoporosis treatment within one year. Women who do not comply with treatment instructions for osteoporosis or who do not respond to treatment are more likely to suffer further fractures, which seriously affects their quality of life. There is an urgent need to provide support to these patients and address their issues.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Force Governs Function Of Proteins
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448855/080307102046.htm
Today nanotechnology enables us to attract individual molecules mechanically, allowing their behavior when exposed to a mechanical force to be observed. With the aid of computer simulations, researchers can now illustrate how a particular scaffolding protein in the bonding between the extra-cellular matrix and the internal cytoskeleton can be activated by exerting force upon it.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Climate Change Predicted To Have Major Impact On Transportation Infrastructure And Operations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152834/080311120617.htm
While every mode of transportation in the United States will be affected as the climate changes, potentially the greatest impact on transportation systems will be flooding of roads, railways, transit systems and airport runways in coastal areas because of rising sea levels and surges brought on by more intense storms, says a new report from the National Research Council.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
New Protein Family Implicated In Inflammatory Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152835/080310110850.htm
A newly discovered new protein family may play an important role in preventing inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, some forms of cancer and even heart disease.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Laser Treatment Transforms MDF, Producing Appearance Of Rare Wood Grains
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152836/080310110857.htm
Researchers have devised a way of using a laser that transforms inexpensive MDF giving it a surface finish that looks like some of the most expensive wood grains.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Cardiovascular Benefits Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reviewed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152837/080310164906.htm
Thousands of research studies have documented how the oils known as omega-3 fatty acids can benefit the cardiovascular system, particularly among people diagnosed with coronary artery disease.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
More Computer-aided Drug Design Developed Will Speed Up Drug Development
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248897238/080310094113.htm
Researchers in Germany report an advance toward the much awaited era in which scientists will discover and design drugs for cancer, arthritis, AIDS and other diseases almost entirely on the computer, instead of relying on the trial-and-error methods of the past. The new method involves using computers to analyze the chemical structures of potential drugs and pinpoint the most promising candidates.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Better Searches Or Big Brother? Gathering Information On You To Customize Internet Search
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152838/080311201731.htm
Internet searching is something of an art form. The spaghetti-like tangle of documents and fragments resulting from what you thought were perfectly cogent keyword searches can make the web a forbidding place. More precision and integration are inevitable developments on the net: "Information will be integrated and clustered from a large number of different, heterogeneous data sources all over the internet, provided by software agents, responding to users' data needs in whatever contexts," according to one computer specialist who is working on a model to do just that.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Startling Discovery About Photosynthesis: Many Marine Microorganism Skip Carbon Dioxide And Oxygen Step
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152839/080311131851.htm
A startling discovery puts a new twist on photosynthesis, arguably the most important biological process on Earth. Two studies suggest that certain widespread marine microorganisms have evolved a way to break the rules of normal photosynthesis -- they can harvest solar energy without a net release of oxygen or uptake of carbon dioxide.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Sperm-Check Home Test Receives FDA Approval
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152840/080311192626.htm
New technology could soon have a dramatic impact on male contraception practices throughout the U.S. Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved SpermCheck Vasectomy, a home test that confirms men's post-vasectomy sterility. The device gives men an opportunity to test their post vasectomy fertility status at home rather than return to the physician's office or a laboratory with semen samples, as has traditionally been required to confirm sub-fertile sperm levels.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Gene Therapy: Polymer Translocation Pulled through a Narrow Pore
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152841/080310164903.htm
When polymeric molecules squeeze through a nanometer-sized pore in membranes, in a process known as translocation, they leave a distinct signature at the pore. Present-day techniques can exploit translocation to recognize individual polymeric molecules by analyzing these signatures. Interestingly, one encounters translocation more frequently as a serious bottleneck: the prospect of polymeric molecules passing through nanometer-sized pores in inter/intra-cellular membranes hinders efficient delivery of drug molecules to their activation sites, and of healthy gene fragments to their target sites in gene therapy.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Physicists Confirm Rare Particle Prediction, After 30 Years Of Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152842/080310131525.htm
High-energy physicists devoted to recreating the conditions at the beginning of the universe have for the first time observed a new way to produce those basic particles of atoms, protons and neutrons. Confirming a decades-old prediction physicists say they observed a rare and extremely short-lived subatomic particle with the unusual name of â€œcharmed-strange mesonâ€ decay into a proton and anti-neutron.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Mind Over Body: New Hope For Quadriplegics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152843/080311202008.htm
Around 2.5 million people worldwide are wheelchair bound because of spinal injuries. Half of them are quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down. European researchers are now offering them new hope thanks to groundbreaking technology that uses brain signals alone to control computers, artificial limbs and even wheelchairs.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Evidence Of Ice Age Hunters: 28 Palaeolithic Handaxes Found In North Sea
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152844/080311203247.htm
An amazing haul of 28 flint hand-axes, dated by archaeologists to be around 100,000 years-old, have been unearthed in gravel from a licensed marine aggregate dredging area 13km off Great Yarmouth. The find was made by a Dutch amateur archaeologist, who regularly searches for mammoth bones and fossils in marine sand and gravel delivered by British construction materials supplier Hanson to a Dutch wharf at Flushing, south west Netherlands.

Thu, 13 Mar 08
Researchers May Have Found Test For Depression
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/250152845/080311182438.htm
Researchers have discovered that a change in the location of a protein in the brain could serve as a biomarker for depression, making it possible with a simple, rapid, laboratory test to identify patients with depression and to determine whether a chosen antidepressant therapy will provide a successful response.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Red-light Cameras Increase Crashes, Florida Researchers Find
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794927/080311151159.htm
Rather than improving motorist safety, red-light cameras significantly increase crashes and are a ticket to higher auto insurance premiums, researchers conclude. Researchers analyzed several comprehensive studies of the effectiveness of red-light cameras nationwide to provide insight to Florida communities debating the cameras' merits. They recommend engineering solutions to improve intersection safety, particularly to accommodate elderly drivers.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Digits Grow In Surprising Ways
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794928/080311160506.htm
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health are wagging a finger at currently held notions about the way digits are formed. Studying the embryonic chick foot, the developmental biologists have come up with a model that explains how digits grow and why each digit is different from the others. The scientists found that the development and fate of each digit depends on a surprisingly dynamic process in unanticipated locations and involving unexpected players.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
New Discovery At Jupiter Could Help Protect Earth-orbit Satellites
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248495372/080309151238.htm
Radio waves accelerate electrons within Jupiter's magnetic field in the same way as they do on Earth, according to new research. The discovery overturns a theory that has held sway for more than a generation and has important implications for protecting Earth-orbiting satellites.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Obese Women Gain Too Much Weight During Pregnancy, Expert Says
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794929/080311145121.htm
Heavy women gain too much weight during pregnancy, says an obstetrician and obesity expert. Recommendations which are followed worldwide by obstetricians, encourage obese women to gain at least 15 pounds during pregnancy and specify no upper limit for weight gain. Overweight or obese women don't need to gain that much weight and should exercise and watch their calorie consumption during pregnancy, according to a new editorial.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Sniffing Out Uses For The Electronic Nose
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248897239/080310094005.htm
Despite 25 years of research, development of an "electronic nose" even approaching the capabilities of the human sniffer remains a dream, chemists in Germany conclude in an overview on the topic. Electronic noses do excel, however, at picking up so-called "non-odorant volatiles"-- chemicals that mammalian noses cannot pick up like carbon monoxide.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Scientists Simulate Pandemic Influenza Outbreak In Chicago, Make Recommendations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794930/080310170640.htm
By using computer simulations and modeling, researchers have determined how a pandemic influenza outbreak might travel through a city similar in size to Chicago, Ill. This information helped them to determine the preferred intervention strategy to contain a potential flu pandemic, including what people should do to decrease the likelihood of disease transmission. An outbreak in the US could be mitigated with prompt implementation of social-distancing measures combined with antiviral treatment and prophylaxis until a vaccine is available, the study suggests.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Which Came First, Social Dominance Or Big Brains? Wasps May Tell
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794931/080311151203.htm
There's new evidence supporting the idea that bigger brains are better. A study of a tropical wasp suggests that the brainpower required to be dominant drives brain capacity. Researchers have found that key processing regions in the brains of both males and females of one wasp species not only increased in size with age but were also associated with being dominant.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
First Early-detection Blood Test For Parkinson's Shows Promise
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794932/080311163624.htm
A test that profiles molecular biomarkers in blood could become the first accurate diagnostic test for Parkinson's disease, new research shows. The screen relies on changes in dozens of small molecules in serum. These "metabolomic" alterations form a unique pattern in people with Parkinson's disease.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Insect's Sensory Data Tells A New Story About Neural Networks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794933/080307182748.htm
A group of researchers has developed a novel way to view the world through the eyes of a common fly and partially decode the insect's reactions to changes in the world around it. The research fundamentally alters earlier beliefs about how neural networks function and could provide the basis for intelligent computers that mimic biological processes.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
New Method May Revolutionize Diabetes Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794934/080311091926.htm
Scientists have developed a method for studying complicated cell processes, such as the secretion of insulin in the pancreas, of living animals -- something that has not been possible to this date. The new method, which involves the transplantation of a tiny part of the pancreas onto the iris of mice, paves the way for radical approaches to diabetes research, which has previously been conducted on single cells in artificial laboratory environments.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
What Happens To Water Under Antarctica's Glaciers In The Cold Dark Winter?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248927664/080310095817.htm
Researchers are in Antarctica for 2 1/2 months at the beginning of the coldest and darkest part of the year. During Antarctica's winter -- also called the "Polar Night" -- daylight disappears completely and temperatures can reach minus-55 degrees F.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Rush To Produce Corn-based Ethanol Will Worsen 'Dead Zone' In Gulf Of Mexico, Study Says
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794936/080310181604.htm
The US government's rush to produce corn-based ethanol as a fuel alternative will worsen pollution in the Gulf of Mexico, increasing a "dead zone" that kills fish and aquatic life, according to a new study.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Arctic Climate Models Playing Key Role In Polar Bear Decision
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794937/080311163631.htm
The pending federal decision about whether to protect the polar bear as a threatened species is as much about climate science as it is about climate change. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently considering a proposal to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, a proposal largely based on anticipated habitat loss in a warming Arctic. Climate models -- mathematical representations of the natural processes affecting climate -- factored heavily in the scientific information requested by the FWS to guide its official recommendation, which was due Jan. 9.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Advanced-stage Ovarian Cancer Patients With BRCA Live Longer, May Respond Better To Treatment, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794938/080310155225.htm
Two abstracts underscoring the importance of testing for BRCA1/2 mutations in women with ovarian cancer have recently been presented. The majority of women with ovarian cancer are unaware BRCA testing is available.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Columbus Camera Captures First Views Of Earth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794939/080311100010.htm
One of the experiments housed on the European Columbus laboratory's external platform is an automated eye in the sky known as the Earth Viewing Camera. Now, after several weeks of troubleshooting, the first pictures from the orbiting camera have arrived safely back on Earth.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Herb Anise Contains Unique Healthful Phenylpropanoids, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247391741/080307082741.htm
People use anise to add a hint of licorice to everything from holiday cookies to robust bottles of ouzo and raki. Now plant pathologists have found that anise (Pimpinella sp.) is more than just another jar in the spice rack. Researchers have isolated 22 compounds in Pimpinella's essential oils and found high levels of organic mixtures called phenylpropanoids. Phenylpropanoids are found in a wide variety of plants, and some are thought to have health-boosting benefits. However, the chemical structure and biological activity of the Pimpinella phenylpropanoids are unique.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Synthetic Fuel Concept To Steal Carbon Dioxide From Air
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794940/080307191300.htm
Los Alamos National Laboratory has developed a low-risk, transformational concept, called Green Freedom, for large-scale production of carbon-neutral, sulfur-free fuels and organic chemicals from air and water. At the heart of the technology is a new process for extracting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and making it available for fuel production using a new form of electrochemical separation.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Life Expectancy Rises For The Educated; The Less-educated Reap No Benefit
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249503335/080311081149.htm
While life expectancy has increased significantly for educated people over the last twenty years, it has plateaued for less educated people. In other words, those whose education level does not exceed high school have not been sharing the benefits of prolonged lifespan. This is the case for both African Americans and Caucasians. Deaths related to tobacco use account for at least one-fifth of the growth in mortality differences by education that create this life expectancy gap.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Searching For A Tiny New Dimension, Curled Up Like The Universe Before The Big Bang
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794941/080310151949.htm
Researchers are exploring the possibility of an extra dimension -- an imperceptibly small dimension, about one billionth of a nanometer. Researchers say: "This extra dimension would be curled up, in a state similar to that of the entire universe at the time of the Big Bang."

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Confronting The Challenge Of Antimicrobial Resistance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794942/080310110853.htm
Drug resistance is making many diseases increasingly difficult -- and sometimes impossible -- to treat. In a new report in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, now available online, Dr. Fauci outlines NIAID's commitment to addressing this urgent public health issue.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Breeding Heat-Tolerant Cotton
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247391740/080307083038.htm
Some plants like it hot. Cotton with superior heat tolerance can be a profitable crop for warmer climates, so scientists are identifying tolerance-specific genetic selection tools to assist breeding efforts. Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to differentiate between heat tolerance and heat avoidance simply by examining the quantity and quality of final crop yields. Heat avoidance refers to characteristics that enable a plant to withstand the heat with similar, but less reliable, results--for example, by shifting the bulk of metabolic activity to cooler, evening periods.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Low Levels Of PYY Hormone A Very Early Indicator Of Type 2 Diabetes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794943/080310110912.htm
It may soon be possible to take a simple blood test and predict whether or not someone has low levels of a particular molecule, predisposing them to the development of type 2 diabetes. If the test is positive, it may then be possible to use preventative treatment, slowing down, or even halting that development.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
On A 'Roll': Researchers Devise New Cell-sorting System
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794944/080307095620.htm
Capitalizing on a cell's ability to roll along a surface, MIT researchers have developed a simple, inexpensive system to sort different kinds of cells -- a process that could result in low-cost tools to test for diseases such as cancer, even in remote locations.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Epigenetic Changes Discovered In Major Psychosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794945/080311103908.htm
Scientists at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health have discovered epigenetic changes in individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This is the first epigenome-wide investigation in psychiatric research, and this groundbreaking data may be a significant step on the journey to fully understanding major psychosis.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
How The Peruvian Meteorite Made It To Earth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794946/080311141024.htm
A new study of the Peruvian meteorite has yielded some interesting conclusions that could upend the conventional wisdom about the size and type of meteorites that can strike Earth. Scientists have determined the Carancas fireball was a stony meteorite -- a fragile type long thought to be ripped into pieces as it enters the Earth's atmosphere and then leaves little more than a whisper of its journey. However, the speed of the Carancas fireball, roughly 15,000 miles per hour at the moment of impact, changed everything.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Outlook Improves For Patients With Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Over Past Decade
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794947/080310164914.htm
Five- and 10-year survival rates for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma appear to have increased from the 1990s to the early 21st century, according to a new report.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
MicroRNA-203 Helps Build Skin's Protective Barrier
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247418328/080307090229.htm
Every minute, 30,000 of our outermost skin cells die so that we can live. When they do, new cells migrate from the inner layer of the skin to the surface of it, where they form a tough protective barrier. In a series of elegant experiments in mice, researchers at Rockefeller University have now discovered a tiny RNA molecule that helps create this barrier. The results not only yield new insight into how skin first evolved, but also suggest how healthy cells can turn cancerous.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Novel Regulator Of Chromosome Function Characterized
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248957887/080310112701.htm
New light has been shed on a novel histone acetyltransferase protein complex called ATAC. Acetyltransferases are enzymes that introduce a new acetyl functional group into histone proteins, a process by which all chromosome functions are controlled.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Computers Explain Why Pears May Become Brown During Commercial Storage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249794948/080307133655.htm
Internal browning of pears stored under low oxygen conditions is related to restricted gas exchange inside the fruit, according to a new study. A new computer model can be used to improve long-term storage of fruit under controlled atmospheres.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
US Stands To Lose A Generation Of Young Researchers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249503338/080311081142.htm
Leading academic research institutions seek increased NIH funding to reverse effects that are threatening advances in medicine. They warned that if NIH does not get consistent and robust support in the future, the nation will lose a generation of young investigators to other careers and other countries and, with them, a generation of promising research that could cure disease for millions for whom no cure currently exists.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Heart Attack And Stroke: Key Found To Breakthrough Drug For Clot Victims
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249532241/080310164850.htm
Researchers have described for the first time the mechanism that gives a mutant enzyme molecule that they have engineered -- and patented -- the potential to become a breakthrough drug for treating heart attacks and strokes.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
How Frequency Of Meals May Affect Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247391739/080307084626.htm
The health consequences of eating one large meal a day compared with eating three meals a day has not been established. Now two new journal articles are among the first to report the effects of meal skipping on key health outcomes, based on a study involving a group of normal-weight, middle-aged adults.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Prostate Cancer Screening: Biopsy Techniques Have Made PSA Test Less Predictive
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249532242/080310092351.htm
A new study suggests that improved biopsy techniques make PSA less useful in prostate cancer screening. The study suggests that improved biopsy techniques make PSA less useful in prostate cancer screening.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Record-breaking Simulation Of Aircraft Wake Turbulence
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448852/080307104712.htm
Dangerous vortexes form when an aircraft takes off or lands. A combination of optimised numerical methods, a supercomputer and highly developed visualisation methods revealed how this process generates primary and secondary vortexes, and how the secondary vortexes cause the primary ones to decay.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Long-term Muscle Improvements Shown In Gene Therapy Study In Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249532243/080310171459.htm
Injecting a gene responsible for making a specific protein into a mouse that's used as a model for muscular dystrophy can lead to long-term improvements in the animal's muscle size and strength, a new study shows. Researchers investigating the gene delivery of the protein in animals suggest the results warrant testing the same approach in human clinical trials for diseases associated with muscle wasting, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the most common form of the childhood disorder.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Nanoscale Tool Allows Scientists To Study Membrane Proteins One At A Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247391738/080307085536.htm
In biology, as in construction, it's all about having tools that fit the job. Researchers at Rockefeller University have now created a tiny tool, more than 10,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, capable of encasing single membrane proteins from living cells. The new system, which resembles a nanoscale sushi roll, will allow investigators to individually stimulate these key proteins with specific molecules and signals in order to precisely define the biological reactions that result.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Potential Brain Cancer Drug For Children May Damage Bones
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249532244/080310131541.htm
A novel drug that fully eliminated brain tumors from mice in a dramatic 2004 study has shown a darker side -- causing permanent bone damage in younger mice. The researcher who conducted both studies says the disappointing new finding raises concerns about using similar drugs to treat children's cancers, at least until there is a more thorough understanding of possible risks.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
When It Comes To Red Cabbage, More Is Better
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247391745/080307081409.htm
Plant pigments called anthocyanins provide fruits and vegetables with beneficial blue, purple and red coloring. Now scientists are learning more about these compounds and their absorption into the human blood stream. Anthocyanins are a group of healthful compounds that fall within the flavonoid class of plant nutrients. Agricultural Research Service scientists have identified 36 anthocyanins in red cabbage, including eight that had never before been detected in the cabbage.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Non-human Primates Convey Meaning Through Call Combinations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249532245/080310131532.htm
Researchers have made what they say is the first experimental demonstration that a primate other than humans conveys meaning by combining distinct alarm calls in particular ways. They provide evidence that the various "hacks" and "pyows" of male putty-nosed monkey contain at least three types of information: the event witnessed, the caller's identity, and whether he intends to travel, all of which are recognized by other monkeys.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Injection Of Human Umbilical Cord Blood Helps The Aging Brain, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249532246/080310155221.htm
When injected into aged laboratory animals, human umbilical cord blood cells improved the brain's microenvironment, decreasing inflammation in the brain, increasing neurogenesis, and restoring some lost capacity of stem/progenitor cells to proliferate and differentiate into neurons. Researchers found that the number of proliferative cells increased within 24 hours of injection, with proliferation continuing for at least 15 days. Researchers concluded that cell therapy may be an effective way of improving the microenvironment of the hippocampus.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Residential Oil Boilers Raise Health Concerns For Northeastern U.S.
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248897240/080310092356.htm
New research suggests that residential oil boilers, commonly used for home heating in the northeastern United States, should receive more attention as sources of air pollutants. The study is the first to identify certain specific air pollutants in home heating oil emissions. Homes in the New England and Central Atlantic States consume about 80 percent of the 25 billion gallons of home heating oil burned in the United States. Scientists have been aware of potential public health effects of those emissions.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Mouse Model For Mesothelioma Reproduces Human Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249532247/080310131537.htm
Scientists have established a mouse model for human malignant mesothelioma that will provide valuable insight into cancer development and progression along with new directions for design of therapeutic strategies.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Compound Safely Quells Bee-Killing Chalkbrood
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247391743/080307082022.htm
From rabbits to horses to cows, many animals love alfalfa. America's premier pollinator of that crop, the alfalfa leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata), is vulnerable to a deadly fungal disease called chalkbrood. But the bees might be best protected from chalkbrood if their leafy nests are sprayed with an iprodione fungicide.

Wed, 12 Mar 08
Poor Sleep More Dangerous For Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249532248/080310131529.htm
Researchers say they may have figured out why poor sleep does more harm to cardiovascular health in women than in men. Their study, in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, found that poor sleep is associated with greater psychological distress and higher levels of biomarkers associated with elevated risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. They also found that these associations are significantly stronger in women than in men.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Micronesian Islands Colonized By Small-bodied Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136451/080310151958.htm
Since the reporting of the so-called "hobbit" fossil from Flores in Indonesia, debate has raged as to whether these remains are of modern humans (Homo sapiens), reduced in stature, or whether they represent a new species, Homo floresiensis.Now researchers describe fossils of small-bodied humans from Palau, who inhabited the island between 1,400 and 3,000 years ago and share some features with the H. floresiensis specimens.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Offspring Of Parents Who Both Have Alzheimer's Disease May Be More Likely To Develop The Illness
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136452/080310164920.htm
Adult-age offspring of parents who have both been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease appear to have an increased risk of developing the disease compared with the general population, according to a new report.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Wandering Albatrosses Follow Their Nose
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136453/080306202531.htm
The first study of how individual wandering albatrosses find food shows that the birds rely heavily on their sense of smell. The birds can pick up a scent from several miles away, researchers have found. Wandering albatrosses fly for thousands of miles across the ocean, usually gliding a few feet above sea level. Floating carrion, especially squid, make up a large part of their diet.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Structure Of Brain Receptor Implicated In Epilepsy And Pre-Menstrual Tension Determined
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248600273/080309204439.htm
Scientists have identified the structure of a receptor in the brain implicated in conditions such as epilepsy and pre-menstrual tension. The same receptor has also been reported to be highly sensitive to alcohol.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Cotton: A Body Armor For Wounds?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247391744/080307081715.htm
Cotton fabrics that might save lives on the battlefield --- and make people more comfortable in hospital beds --- are being developed by Agricultural Research Service scientists. They are testing specially-treated cotton fabrics that might someday be made into military uniforms and gauze pads that can stanch bleeding, prevent infections and promote healing. These fabrics can also be made into hospital sheets that are highly absorbent, smooth, soft and antibacterial, to treat or even prevent bed sores.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Invasive Species Can Produce 'Hotspots Of Evolutionary Novelty,' Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136454/080310131535.htm
When exotic species invade new territory, they often present a major threat to the other plants and animals living there--that much is clear. In addition to their destructive tendencies, invasive species can also have a surprisingly "creative" side. Researchers discovered that an invasive population of the freshwater snail harbors a tremendous amount of genetic variation for key life-history traits, such as fecundity, juvenile size, and age at first reproduction. And that means they have a remarkably large potential for evolutionary change.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Cassini Spacecraft To Dive Into Water Plume Of Saturn Moon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136455/080310171102.htm
NASA's Cassini spacecraft will make an unprecedented "in your face" flyby of Saturn's moon Enceladus on Wed., March 12. The spacecraft, orchestrating its closest approach to date, will skirt along the edges of huge Old-Faithful-like geysers erupting from giant fractures on the south pole of Enceladus. Cassini will sample scientifically valuable water-ice, dust and gas in the plume. The source of the geysers is of great interest to scientists who think liquid water, perhaps even an ocean, may exist in the area.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
New TB Test Means Quicker And Easier Diagnosis For Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136456/080307095216.htm
A new blood test could enable doctors to rule out tuberculosis infection within days rather than weeks, according to a new study. Doctors can determine that a patient does not have tuberculosis with 99% accuracy when using the new blood test, ELISpot-Plus, in conjunction with a skin test known as tuberculin skin testing, already in use.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Quasicrystal Mystery Unraveled With Computer Simulation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136459/080306190859.htm
The method to the madness of quasicrystals has been a mystery to scientists. Quasicrystals are solids whose atoms aren't arranged in a repeating pattern, as they are in ordinary crystals. Yet they form intricate patterns that are technologically useful.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Drosophila Drug Screen For Fragile X Syndrome Finds Promising Compounds And Potential Drug Targets
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248495373/080309151235.htm
Scientists using a new drug screening method in Drosophila (fruit flies), have identified several drugs and small molecules that reverse the features of fragile X syndrome -- a frequent form of mental retardation and one of the leading known causes of autism. The discovery sets the stage for developing new treatments for fragile X syndrome.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Measuring The Wind To Optimize For Wind Energy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136462/080306221723.htm
Wind energy is currently regarded as the most important source of renewable energy. The optimal operation of the newest generation of large wind turbines is possible through the reliable measurement of the wind inflow characteristics. Experience has shown that the accurate power generation estimation based on wind speed is a challenging task. For large new turbine models, conventional met mast wind speed measurements are not feasible based on cost and technical considerations.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
The Hand Can't Be Fooled, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248927663/080310103232.htm
New research suggests that humans are not as fooled as they seem when viewing visual illusions. Research participants were presented with the â€œPonzoâ€ illusion, an image common in psychological research that makes two objects that are similar in length appear drastically different. They then hooked participantsâ€™ index finger and thumb to computerized position tracking equipment and asked them to grasp the objects with their fingers. Even thought the object appeared to be larger (or smaller) than it really was, the size of their grasp reflected the objectâ€™s real rather than apparent size.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Major Advance In Biofuel Technology: Trash Today, Ethanol Tomorrow
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136465/080310164901.htm
Research that started with bacteria from the Chesapeake Bay has led to a process that may be able to convert large volumes of all kinds of plant products, from leftover brewer's mash to paper trash, into ethanol and other biofuel alternatives to gasoline.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Typical North American Diet Is Deficient In Omega-3 Fatty Acids
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136466/080307133659.htm
The typical North American diet of eating lots of meat and not much fish is deficient in omega-3 fatty acids and this may pose a risk to infant neurological development. The researchers found that the women who ate lots of meat and little fish were deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and their babies didn't do as well on eye tests as babies from mothers who weren't deficient. The results were noticeable as early as two months of age.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Breath Of The Ocean Links Fish Feeding, Reefs, Climate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136468/080306183149.htm
An ocean odor that affects global climate also gathers reef fish to feed as they "eavesdrop" on events that might lead them to food. DMSP is given off by algae and phytoplankton, microscopic one-celled plants that float in the ocean. Release of DMSP usually indicates either that tiny animals in the plankton are feeding on the algae, or that massive growth of algae -- an algal bloom -- has occurred. Once released from the ocean into the atmosphere, derivatives of DMSP promote cloud formation, so clouds reflect more sunlight back into space and cool the Earth.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Treatment For Mild Asthma Leads To Improved Lung Function
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248927662/080310103240.htm
In patients with very mild or well-controlled asthma, regular treatment with low dose ICS leads to significantly better day--to-day lung function, new research shows.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Rock: Electrons Run Through It
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136469/080306183140.htm
Chemical reactions on one side of a hematite crystal can send electrons through the bulk of the mineral to another side, new research shows. The activity, which occurs only under certain chemical conditions, results in iron building up pyramids on one side and dissolving from the other. This finding might help us to understand how elements move through sediments, to maintain good water quality, and to clean up pollution.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Virtual Reality And Computer Technology Improve Stroke Rehabilitation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136470/080310110859.htm
A new computer program will be able to identify the type of brain damage a patient has had, to calculate the probability of recovery and recommend the most effective ways to treat the patient.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Alarming Growth In Expected Carbon Dioxide Emissions In China, Analysis Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136471/080310155857.htm
The growth in China's carbon dioxide emissions is far outpacing the previously expected trajectory for the country, making the goal of stabilizing atmospheric greenhouse gases even more difficult, according to a new analysis.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Genetic Research Unveils Common Origins For Distinct Clinical Diagnoses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248495371/080309151242.htm
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that two clinically different inherited syndromes are in fact variations of the same disorder. The scientists suggest that at least for this class of disorders, the total number and "strength" of genetic alterations an individual carries throughout the genome can generate a range of symptoms wide enough to appear like different conditions.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
MegaBee Nourishes Beleaguered Honey Bees
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247391748/080307075703.htm
Bees busily ferrying pollen from one cream-white almond blossom to another in California orchards this winter might get some of their zip from a new food called MegaBee: The Tucson Diet. Researchers have created this new, convenient source of proteins, vitamins and minerals that bees need for good health.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Deadly Disease Eliminated In Children Under 5 Years Of Age In Uganda, Research Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248957889/080310103242.htm
Hib meningitis has been virtually eliminated in young children in Uganda just five years after the country introduced Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine nationwide, according to an independent study.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Nanatechnology Past And Future: Big Engineering Achievements On A Small Scale
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448853/080307103832.htm
Wires made of individual carbon atoms could be used to reduce the size of today's microchips several-fold. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) were researched in the past few years and used in initial experimental applications. Nano-engineering now has the task of developing production technologies to make CNT applications commonplace even for the mass market.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Systems That Process And Understand Spoken Language Under Development
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249136472/080310110906.htm
Scientists are developing systems that process and understand spoken language and automatically obtain information particularly from Basque radio and television. Carrying out a search in the net for written documents is an easy task â€“ the word is simply introduced in to the search tool. Nevertheless, these searches do not work with the spoken word or with audio archives, unless these have an accompanying written explanation.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Bringing Second Life To Life: Researchers Create Character With Reasoning Abilities Of A Child
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248957885/080310112704.htm
Scientists are engineering video game characters with the capacity to have beliefs and to reason about the beliefs of others. The characters will be able to predict and manipulate the behavior of even human players, with whom they will directly interact in the real, physical world, according to the team.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Colorectal Cancer Gene Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249022623/080307123841.htm
A new study identifies the hereditary components of colorectal cancer (CRC.) It is the first large linkage study of families with CRC and colon polyps in the US. Because only five percent of CRC cases are due to known gene defects, this study is designed to identify the remaining CRC-related susceptibility genes.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Spring Is Aurora Season
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249022624/080306161746.htm
What are the signs of spring? They are as familiar as a blooming daffodil, a songbird at dawn, a surprising shaft of warmth from the afternoon sun. And, oh yes, don't forget the aurora borealis. Spring is aurora season. For reasons not fully understood by scientists, the weeks around the vernal equinox are prone to Northern Lights. Canadians walking their dogs after dinner, Scandinavians popping out to the sauna, Alaskan Huskies on the Iditarod trail -- all they have to do is look up and behold, green curtains of light dancing across the night sky. Spring has arrived! This is a bit of a puzzle. Auroras are caused by solar activity, but the sun doesn't know what season it is on Earth. So how could one season yield more auroras than another?

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Low Micro-RNA Level Linked To High Gene Activity In AML
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249022625/080306190907.htm
A new study suggests that acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may occur in part because abnormally low levels of a particular microRNA result in the over-activity of two genes important to the disease. The research involved 85 patients with AML and gene mutations called NPM1, seen in about one-third of adult AML cases, and FLT3. The findings suggest new therapeutic targets for treating the disease and should improve the understanding of AML.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Sun's Corona Is Both Hot And Kinky
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249022626/080306183137.htm
Astrophysicists are having a heated debate over the wave structure of the Sun's corona -- a debate which may one day influence solar weather forecasting and the theory behind fusion reactors.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Parental Supervision During High School May Curb College Drinking Problems, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249022627/080306190911.htm
Parental monitoring can reduce high-school drinking and, as a result, have a protective effect on students' drinking at college. Underage drinking is linked to a number of negative outcomes in this group, including suicide, high-risk sexual activity and an increased chance of alcohol dependence.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Real And Virtual Pendulums Swing As One In Mixed Reality State
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249082133/080310131511.htm
Using a virtual pendulum and its real-world counterpart, scientists have created the first mixed reality state in a physical system. Through bidirectional instantaneous coupling, each pendulum "sensed" the other, their motions became correlated, and the two began swinging as one.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Discovery Of Earth's Inner, Innermost Core Confirmed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249052727/080310131507.htm
Geologists have confirmed the discovery of Earth's inner, innermost core, and have created a three-dimensional model that describes the seismic anisotropy and texturing of iron crystals within the inner core.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Thirsty Hybrid And Electric Cars Could Triple Demands On Scarce Water Resources
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248897235/080310094555.htm
Eco-minded drivers in drought-prone states take note: A new study concludes that producing electricity for hybrid and fully electric vehicles could sharply increase water consumption in the United States. Each mile driven with electricity consumes about three times more water than with gasoline, the study found.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Chronically Elevated Blood Sugar Levels Disable 'Fasting Switch'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249022628/080306202739.htm
Continually revved up insulin production, the kind that results from overeating and obesity, slowly dulls the body's response to insulin. As a result, blood sugar levels start to creep up, setting the stage for diabetes-associated complications such as blindness, stroke and renal failure. To make matters even worse, chronically elevated blood sugar concentrations exacerbate insulin resistance.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
New Polymers Engineered To Change Their Stiffness And Strength When Exposed To Liquids
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249022629/080306183131.htm
Scientists have created a new type of polymer that displays chemoresponsive mechanic adaptability -- meaning the polymer can change from hard to soft plastic and vice versa in seconds when exposed to liquid. "The materials on which we reported in Science were designed to change from a hard plastic -- think of a CD case -- to a soft rubber when brought in contact with water," according to one of the researchers.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Rett Syndrome Research Reveals High Fracture Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249022630/080307095231.htm
Girls and young women with Rett syndrome are nearly four times more likely to suffer a fracture. The study also found that girls with epilepsy and more severe forms of Rett syndrome were more likely to suffer fractures.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Mining Poultry Manure For Phosphorus
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247391746/080307081030.htm
Underground phosphorus deposits around the world are mined for use as a much-valued fertilizer. Now soil scientists have found a way to "mine" the phosphorus in poultry manure. In 2006, the United States produced 8.9 billion broilers--and piles and piles of residual litter rich in phosphorus and nitrogen.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Funding Cuts Jeopardize Cleanup Of Nuclear Waste Sites
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248897237/080310094352.htm
The Federal Government may need at least 20 years longer than previously planned -- and an additional $50 billion -- to clean up radioactive and hazardous wastes at nuclear weapons sites, according to a new article. Clean-up costs may reach $305 billion at about 25 sites where nuclear weapons materials were manufactured.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Finally, The 'Planet' In Planetary Nebulae?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249082134/080310131505.htm
New studies may vindicate a 300-year-old astronomical 'mistake.' Astronomers have announced that low-mass stars and possibly even super-Jupiter-sized planets may be responsible for creating some of the most breathtaking objects in the sky. The news is ironic because the name "planetary" nebula has always been considered a misnomer.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Allergic Response Tied To Lipid Molecules In Cell Membrane
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/249022631/080307095226.htm
Researchers have found that lipid molecules in cell membranes participate in mammals' reactions to allergens in a living cell. The finding will help scientists better understand how allergy symptoms are triggered, and could contribute to the creation of improved drugs to treat them.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
First Step Taken To Create Cystic Fibrosis Model Using Pigs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248927656/080306202726.htm
The median lifespan for those with cystic fibrosis is 36 years, and lung disease is the major cause of mortality. For years, scientists have studied cystic fibrosis using mice in which the cystic fibrosis gene was altered. However, mice do not develop lung disease like humans with cystic fibrosis. Now, researchers have taken the first step in developing a porcine cystic fibrosis model that may more faithfully mimic the disease in humans.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
How Worms Protect Their Chromosomes: Thereby Hangs A Surprising Tail
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248927657/080306133935.htm
Scientists have discovered that the roundworm C. elegans constructs the protective tips of its chromosomes -- known as telomeres -- with a little more panache than do mammals, a finding that could deepen our understanding of the interrelationship of aging and cancer.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Complexity of Disease Phenotypes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248927658/080306153052.htm
Animal models have been invaluable in understanding how gene mutations physically affect a complex organism. However, as vividly illustrated in a new research study examining mice with a metabolic disease, the same mutation in the same species can produce wildly variable results.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Torrefacto-roasted Coffee Has Higher Antioxidant Properties
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248927659/080306112550.htm
Torrefacto-roasted coffee has higher antioxidant properties than natural roast, according to a young biologist. She has emphasized in her study that the addition of sugar during the roasting process increases the development of compounds with high antioxidant activity. Coffee has an antioxidant capacity which is ten times higher than other drinks, such as red wine and tea.

Tue, 11 Mar 08
Human-Computer Interaction Redefines Science
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248927660/080306170924.htm
In a provocative new article in Science, computer specialists says it's time for the laboratory research that has defined science for the last 400 years to make room for a revolutionary new method of scientific discovery.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Colorful Idea Sparks Renewable Electricity From Painting Solar Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248641830/080306223745.htm
Researchers are developing a new, eco-friendly technology that could generate as much electricity as 50 wind farms. They are investigating ways of painting solar cells onto the flexible steel surfaces commonly used for cladding buildings.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Moderate Alcohol Consumption In Middle Age Can Lower Cardiac Risk, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247367617/080307073045.htm
Previous studies have pointed out the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption as a factor in lowering cardiovascular risk. Researchers have now found that middle-aged nondrinkers who began consuming moderate amounts of alcohol saw an immediate benefit of lower cardiac disease morbidity with no change in mortality after four years.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Food Compounds That Kill Test-Tube Cancer Cells Analyzed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247391747/080307080638.htm
Strawberries, grapes, blueberries and some familiar seasonings like rosemary contain compounds that can--in test tubes--kill cells of a childhood cancer. Molecular biologists are working to understand exactly how the powerful plant chemicals fight the disease known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Investigations provide some new clues about how phytochemicals attack cancer cells. Phytochemicals interfere with the orderly operations of mitochondria, the miniature energy-producing power plants inside cells.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
New Composite Material Is Almost Better Than Mother-of-pearl
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448854/080307102657.htm
Strong, tough but light is the rare but desired combination of properties for numerous artificial materials. Now a new material is similar to natural mother-of-pearl, but twice as strong. Nacre, or mother-of-pearl, is one of nature's outstanding examples of a durable brick and mortar structure.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Curing Addiction With Cannabis Medicines?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247481824/080307110348.htm
Smokers trying to quit in the future could do it with the help of cannabis based medicines, according to new research. Teams of pharmacologists, studying the cannabis-like compounds which exist naturally in our bodies (endocannabinoids), are exploring the potential for medical treatment. This includes treating conditions as diverse as obesity, diabetes, depression and addiction to substances like nicotine.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Brain Network Linked To Contemplation In Adults Is Less Complex In Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248641831/080306193230.htm
A brain network linked to introspective tasks -- such as forming the self-image or understanding the motivations of others -- is less intricate and well-connected in children, scientists have learned. They also showed that the network establishes firmer connections between various brain regions as an individual matures. The scientists are working to establish a picture of how these connections and other brain networks normally develop and interact. They want to use that picture to conduct more detailed assessments of the effects of aging, brain injuries and conditions such as autism on brain function.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Tiny Wire Assembly Technique May Help Detect Cancer And Other Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247481829/080307110342.htm
Bottom-up manufacturing may hold the key to production of tiny medical devices capable of testing for multiple molecules like viruses or cancer markers, according to researchers.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Electronic Structure Of DNA Revealed For First Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620851/080228100712.htm
Utilizing a technique that combines low temperature measurements and theoretical calculations, scientists have revealed for the first time the electronic structure of single DNA molecules. The knowledge of the electronic properties of DNA is an important issue in many scientific areas from biochemistry to nanotechnology -- for example in the study of DNA damage by ultraviolet radiation that may cause the generation of free radicals and genetic mutations.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Power-packed Soy Breakfast Cereal Created
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620852/080306161930.htm
Breakfast of champions? That would be a soy protein-packed, low-fat, high-fiber cereal that meets the requirements for three different FDA health claims and leaves you feeling full so you won't be tempted to eat again until lunch. Scientist have cooked up a "recipe" for just such a cereal, one that's passed the taste test of her sensory panel.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Nutria, A Rat-like Pest Ravaging Gulf Coast Wetlands, Can Be Lured With New Substance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620853/080306094624.htm
A 10-pound rodent pest called nutria ravaging southern wetlands in the US, which has been especially damaging to the marshland ecology in the Mississippi Delta following Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, may have finally met its match thanks to molecular science.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Alzheimer's Care: Grief Is Heaviest Burden For Caregivers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620854/080306220016.htm
The hardest part of caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's-type disorders is not the everyday practical challenge, but rather the emotional impact of losing the patients' support and companionship as the disease robs them of their faculties, according to new research.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Researchers Control Growth Rate Of Replacement Blood Vessels, Tissues
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248641833/080306190902.htm
Researchers have discovered a way to control the growth rate of replacement tissue and the formation of new blood vessels, which solves one of the vexing problems of growing replacement tissue to treat injuries and trauma in humans.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
MRI/PET Scanner Combo Made For First Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620855/080307095241.htm
Two kinds of body imaging -- positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging -- have been combined for the first time in a single scanner. Combining the two types of scan in a single machine is difficult because the two systems interfere with each other. MRI scanners rely on very strong, very smooth magnetic fields that can easily be disturbed by metallic objects inside the scanner. At the same time, those magnetic fields can seriously affect the detectors and electronics needed for PET scanning.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Rare Maud Island Frogs Hatched In New Zealand
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620856/080305194942.htm
What looks at first to be a slimy mess in a Petri dish represents a highly-significant advance in conservation and restoration ecology. Ecologists are celebrating the arrival of the first Maud Island frogs (Leiopelma pakeka) to hatch on mainland New Zealand for many years. No larger than a human adult's little fingernail, the Maud Island froglets differ from most frog species in that they hatch from the egg as fully-formed froglets without going through the usual tadpole stage.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Smoking And High Blood Pressure: Double Blow For Bleeding Stroke Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620857/080306162756.htm
Smoking may exacerbate the increased risk of a blood vessel bursting inside the brain (intracerebral stroke) already faced by people with high blood pressure, according to a new study in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. For every 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) increase in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a reading), smokers face an additional 15 percentage point increase in risk of hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in the brain), compared with nonsmokers.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Scientists Seek To Disarm TB's 'Molecular Weapon'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246767084/080306075226.htm
Researchers seek to gain edge in war against ancient foe, TB. They have isolated the molecular 'weapons' of the bacterium and are now assessing ways to make the bacterium impotent. They are focusing on two proteins in the TB bacterium which, it is thought, allows it to thrive in white blood cells.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Corporate Voluntary Environmental Programs Backfire, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620858/080306143000.htm
Companies which participate in voluntary environmental programs actually do worse in their attempts to help the environment than those that do not take on these programs. Companies that are self-monitored â€” as opposed certified by an external third party â€” appear to do even worse in their overall environmental goals. Nonparticipating companies outperformed companies participating in self-monitored voluntary environmental programs by 24 percent.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
History Of Life Seen In The Structure Of Transfer RNA
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248641834/080306202749.htm
Transfer RNA is an ancient molecule, central to every task a cell performs and thus essential to all life. A new study indicates that it is also a great historian, preserving some of the earliest and most profound events of the evolutionary past in its structure.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Fugitive Cancer Cells Can Be Blocked By Stopping Blood Cells That Aid Them, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620859/080306190856.htm
Cancer cells get a helping hand from platelets, specialized blood cells involved in clotting. Platelets shelter and feed tumor cells that stray into the bloodstream, making it easier for cancer to spread, or metastasize. Research suggests that inactivating platelets could slow down or prevent metastasis.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Broccoli May Help Boost Aging Immune System
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620860/080306133919.htm
A chemical in broccoli switches on a set of antioxidant genes and enzymes in specific immune cells, which then combat the injurious effects of molecules known as free radicals that can damage cells and lead to disease. Free radicals are byproducts of normal body processes, such as the metabolic conversion of food into energy, and can also enter the body through small particles present in polluted air.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
DNA Vaccines That Home In On DCs Are More Potent
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620861/080306202735.htm
One strategy being pursued to develop new vaccines against infectious diseases is DNA vaccination. The idea is that following administration of a DNA vaccine, the body converts the information in the DNA vaccine into a protein that activates an immune response. Current DNA vaccines induce relatively weak immune responses. However, new data, generated in mice, has now identified a way to make DNA vaccines more potent.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Structural Alphabet Of RNA Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620862/080306141511.htm
A team of bioinformaticians report the discovery of a structural alphabet that can be used to infer the 3-D structure of ribonucleic acid from sequence data, providing new tools to understand the role of this important class of cellular regulators. The folding of a single-stranded RNA molecule is determined by the interactions between its constituent nucleotides.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Smoking Is Major Risk Factor For Stroke In China, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620863/080306162752.htm
Smoking is a major risk factor for stroke in China, accounting for about one in seven strokes in men. Many studies in western populations have shown that cigarette smoking is a strong and independent risk factor for stroke. But the relationship between cigarette smoking and stroke hasn't been well-studied in Asian populations -- including China, where stroke is the second leading cause of death.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Understanding Our Saliva
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620864/080306155718.htm
Researchers have developed a novel technique to separate and analyze all the proteins found in human saliva, not just the soluble ones, providing an approach that may reveal protein markers for oral cancer and other disorders in the oral cavity.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Tracking A Deteriorating Heart
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620865/080306154705.htm
Researchers have conducted a detailed molecular survey of how heart muscle proteins change over time in diseased tissue, revealing clues that may lead to earlier diagnosis of heart disease.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Function Of Molecular Switch Pinpointed In Severe Congenital Neutropenia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620866/080306133939.htm
Researchers cleared an important hurdle to clarifying the molecular mechanics behind Severe Congenital Neutropenia, a deadly disease characterized by a deficiency of neutrophils -- mature white blood cells important to fighting infection and disease. A genetic mutation found in humans with SCN blocks neutrophil development in mouse bone marrow cells, providing a way to more effectively study the disease.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Mid-Level Computer Screen Displays Can Minimize Musculoskeletal Strain In Schoolchildren
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620867/080306140851.htm
A new study by human factors researchers suggests that students' posture is affected by the height at which they view classroom learning materials. The researchers cited computer screen displays positioned at mid-level as causing less musculoskeletal strain than high- and book-level displays. The mid display was found to promote a more upright and symmetrical posture and lower average muscle activity than either the high- or the book-level position.

Mon, 10 Mar 08
Cooperation, Punishment And Revenge In Economics And Society
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248620868/080306183134.htm
Researchers have shed new light on the way in which people co-operate for the common good -- and what happens when they don't. In a new study of 16 countries, published in Science, economists studied the extent to which some people will sacrifice personal gain to benefit the wider public, while 'freeloaders' try to take advantage of their generosity. Marked national differences arose when freeloaders were punished for putting their own interests ahead of the common good. And whether they accepted their punishment or retaliated in kind depended on what kind of society they lived in, the researchers found. In countries like the USA, Switzerland and the UK, freeloaders accepted their punishment and became much more co-operative. But in countries based on more authoritarian and parochial social institutions such as Oman, Saudi Arabia, Greece and Russia, the freeloaders took revenge -- retaliating against those who had punished them.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
New Stem Cell Technique Improves Genetic Alteration
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247584499/080307150657.htm
Researchers have discovered a dramatically improved method for genetically manipulating human embryonic stem cells, making it easier for scientists to study and potentially treat thousands of disorders ranging from Huntington's disease to muscular dystrophy and diabetes.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Engineered Protein Shows Potential As A Strep Vaccine
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248113832/080306202722.htm
Immunization with a stabilized version of a protein found on Streptococcus bacteria can provide protection against Strep infections, which afflict more than 600 million people each year and kill 400,000.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Can Allergic Reactions To Soy Be Overcome Through Fermentation?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248113833/080306113750.htm
If you're allergic to soy, help is on the way. Two new studies show that fermenting soy dramatically reduces its potential allergenicity and also increases the number of essential amino acids in soy products, making them a healthy and a safe choice for consumers.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
New Species Of Bacteria Contaminates Hairspray
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248113834/080307110337.htm
Microbiologists have discovered a new species of bacteria that can live in hairspray. Scientists now need to determine the clinical importance of the new species, as similar bacteria have been found to infect humans.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Bullying More Harmful Than Sexual Harassment On The Job, Say Researchers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247937081/080308090927.htm
Workplace bullying, such as belittling comments, persistent criticism of work and withholding resources, appears to inflict more harm on employees than sexual harassment, according to researchers.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Anti-rejection Nanotherapy Shows Promise In Rodent Lung Transplant Model
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248113836/080306220347.htm
Existing therapies for rejection of donor lungs can cause kidney damage. Just as some lung transplant patients celebrate the ability to breathe again, their immune systems begin to attack their new organ. This inflammatory autoimmune activity, called rejection, can lead to failure of the transplanted lungs. Of the people who receive new lungs each year, 30 percent to 40 percent will suffer an episode of rejection within a year of transplant.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
First Advertisement To Be Broadcast Into Space
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248113837/080307095219.htm
On 12th June, a space-bound advertisement will be broadcast from a 500MHz Ultra High Frequency Radar from the EISCAT Space Centre in Svalbard, which lies in the Arctic Ocean about midway between northern Norway and the North Pole. The transmission is being directed at a solar system just 42 light years away from Earth with planets that orbit its star '47 Ursae Majoris' (UMa). 47 UMa is located in the Great Bear Constellation (also known as "The Plough") - easily identifiable to even the most amateur stargazer. It is very similar to our Sun and is believed to host a habitable zone that could potentially harbour small terrestrial planets and support life as we know it.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Role Of Tiny RNAs In Controlling Stem Cell Fate Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246741160/080306075234.htm
Scientists have shown that microRNAs play an important role in stem cell differentiation. Understanding these key regulatory factors is critical for potential therapeutic use of stem cells.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Student Captures Image Of Rare Wolverine In California While Trying To Photograph Birds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248113838/080306144240.htm
A rare wolverine has been documented in the Tahoe National Forest -- the first confirmed sighting of the animal in nearly three-quarters of a century. A graduate student had been conducting research in the forest on the effects of landscape change on American martens, a bird species. The project uses a large array of cameras that remotely capture images of martens and other animals through the use of motion sensors or heat detectors. However, one of the cameras captured an image from behind of a larger animal with telltale black and brown markings that experts say is a wolverine.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Comeback To A Pre-injury Level Disappointing For Professional Baseball Players
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247937078/080308091008.htm
Only forty-five percent of baseball players were able to return to the game at the same or higher level after shoulder or elbow surgery. Researchers found that overall, only 20 of the 44 players returned to the same or higher level of professional baseball. For ballplayers at the major league, AAA, or AA level, the study found only 4 of 22 (18 percent) were able to return to the same or higher level.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Newborn Stars: Seeing Dark Filaments Inside A Molecular Cloud
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248113839/080307095223.htm
Astronomers have measured the distribution of mass inside a dark filament in a molecular cloud with an amazing level of detail and to great depth. The measurement is based on a new method that looks at the scattered near-infrared light or 'cloudshine' and was made with ESO's New Technology Telescope. Associated with the forthcoming VISTA telescope, this new technique will allow astronomers to better understand the cradles of newborn stars.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Severe Psychological Stress May Be Linked To Breast Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247957735/080308103341.htm
A new study has uncovered a possible biological link between severe psychological stress and an increased risk of developing breast cancer. The study found that the stress hormone hydrocortisone may repress the activity of a tumour-suppressing gene known as BRCA1 that is related to breast cancer.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Newly Defined Signaling Pathway Could Mean Better Biofuel Sources
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247481825/080307110345.htm
A newly defined biochemical pathway in plants may provide the scientific tools to design plants that will yield larger quantities of alternative transportation fuels than currently can be produced, according to researchers.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Soaking Potatoes In Water Before Frying Reduces Acrylamide
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246767085/080306075222.htm
Good news for chips lovers everywhere -- new research in the journal Science of Food and Agriculture shows that pre-soaking potatoes in water before frying can reduce levels of acrylamide. Acrylamide is a naturally occurring chemical that occurs when starch rich foods are cooked at high temperatures, such as frying, baking, grilling or roasting.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Nintendo Wii With A New Mission: Wiimote As An Interface Bridging Mind And Body
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248113840/080304200905.htm
The Nintendo Wii is a popular source of video game entertainment, but more recently, it has been adapted for a number of different uses. By integrating the Nintendo Wiimote with a laboratory computer, psychologists have extracted rich information about a person's reaching movements while they performed a learning task.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Teenage Girls Aren't The Only Ones Who Tan Indoors, Older Adults Do So As Well
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248113841/080307095623.htm
Think you won't run into grandparents at your local tanning salon? According to new research, you just might. In fact, a recent health survey of 29,394 American adults suggests that while 20 percent of 18-39 year olds visited tanning beds, as many as 10 percent of those between 50 and 64 years of age and eight percent of those older than 65 tanned indoors.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Beck's Petrel Flies Back From Presumed Extinction
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/248181679/080308223914.htm
A bird not seen for almost 80 years has been discovered in the Pacific to the delight of conservationists. Only two records of Beck's petrel existed previously, from the late 1920s when ornithologist Rollo Beck collected two of the tube-nosed seabirds on his quest for museum specimens from the region.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Controversial Shoulder Surgery For First-time Dislocation Proven Effective Long-term, According to Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247937079/080308091005.htm
Young, athletic, first-time shoulder dislocation patients benefit from arthroscopic surgery long term, according to a new study. The study found that for highly active patients, surgery, rather than conservative methods, yielded excellent results.

Sun, 9 Mar 08
Emergency On-field Treatment For Neck Injuries In Young Sports Athletes No Different Than Adults, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247937080/080308090957.htm
New guidelines for on-field treatment and emergency transport of young athletes with suspected neck injuries should recommend keeping both helmet and shoulder pads on for initial stabilization and transport, followed by removal of both, once the patient is in a controlled setting, according to new research.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Astronomers Capture Rare Video Of Meteor Falling To Earth; Hunt For Meteorite
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247543343/080307133703.htm
Astronomers have captured rare video of a meteor falling to Earth. The physics and astronomy department has a network of all-sky cameras in Southern Ontario that scan the sky monitoring for meteors. On March 5, 2008 cameras captured a video of a large fireball.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
How Deadly Food Poisoning And Bioterrorism Toxins Can Be Tamed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681832/080306140857.htm
A powerful plant toxin, ricin, widely feared for its bioterrorism potential, may one day be tamed using findings about how the toxin attacks cells. Biotechnology researchers discovered that ricin tricks a cell into turning off a natural defense mechanism that destroys foreign proteins. The discovery allows scientists to explore ways to disarm ricin, and may also help them combat food poisoning episodes such as those caused by bacteria-tainted produce and ground meat.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
More Than Meets The Ear In Successful Cocktail Party Conversations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681833/080304200855.htm
Just picture the scene: you're at a cocktail party, talking to someone you would like to get to know better but the background noise is making it hard to concentrate. Luckily, humans are very gifted at listening to someone speaking while many other people are talking loudly at the same time. This so-called cocktail-party-phenomenon is based on the ability of the human auditory system to decompose the acoustic world into discrete objects of perception. Now researchers have a better understanding of how this occurs. Different speakers have different temporal fine structure in their voiced speech and such signals are represented in different areas of the auditory cortex according to this different time structure. This provides a new solution for the cocktail party problem whereby people are able to hear and understand their conversation partner at a party in spite of considerable background noise.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Genetic Variation To Predict Initial Response To Warfarin Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681834/080306103847.htm
Scientists have identified which variations of a specific gene determine a patient's initial response to treatment with the blood-thinning (anticoagulant) drug warfarin. Researchers found that the gene VKORC1 plays a major role in determining a patient's initial sensitivity to warfarin treatment -- when dosage amounts are most critical to prevent clotting problems in patients.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Antarctic Fish Species Adopts Winter Survival Strategy Similar To Hibernation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246169790/080305090939.htm
Scientists have discovered an Antarctic fish species that adopts a winter survival strategy similar to hibernation. The Antarctic 'cod' Notothenia coriiceps effectively 'puts itself on ice' to survive the long Antarctic winter.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Profound Impact Of Our Unconscious On Reaching Goals Revealed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681835/080307110340.htm
Whether you are a habitual list maker, or you prefer to keep your tasks in your head, everyone pursues their goals in this ever changing, chaotic environment. We are often aware of our conscious decisions that bring us closer to reaching our goals, however to what extent can we count on our unconscious processes to pilot us toward our destined future?

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Your Brain On Krispy Kremes: How Hunger Motivates
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681836/080306113754.htm
What makes you suddenly dart into the bakery when you spy chocolate-frosted donuts in the window, though you certainly hadn't planned on indulging? As you lick the frosting off your fingers, don't blame a lack of self-control. New research reveals how hunger works in the brain and the way neurons pull your strings to lunge for the sweet fried dough. The research demonstrates how our brain decides what to pay attention to in a world full of stimuli -- not just sweets.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
More U.S. Teeth Susceptible To Silent Enamel-eating Syndrome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681837/080305201926.htm
Cavities or not, your teeth could be in more trouble than you know because of a silent and destructive phenomenon called dental erosion. Scientists have found that the incidence of dental erosion, which is the steady loss of the teeth's protective enamel, is on the rise in the United States.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Weaknesses In Structures -- From Massive Bridges To Nanotechnology -- Identified With New Gadget
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245719461/080304153747.htm
A new gadget can identify weaknesses in structures ranging from massive bridge construction to the tiniest elements of nanotechnology no larger than a speck of dust on a pinhead. The deformation prediction instrument uses the technology of optical interferometry to make precise measurements that identify weak spots in a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics and other products.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Cell Recycling Protects Tumor Cells From Anti-cancer Therapy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681838/080306094621.htm
Autophagy is a process by which a cell degrades its own components. In tumor cells, this mechanism is frequently initiated by anti-cancer therapy. It is not known why the cells respond by activating the catabolic process of autophagy. Researchers have now been able to show that blocking of autophagy makes cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Unique Locks On Microchips Could Reduce Hardware Piracy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681839/080305173345.htm
Hardware piracy, or making knock-off microchips based on stolen blueprints, is a burgeoning problem in the electronics industry. Computer engineers have devised a comprehensive way to head off this costly infringement: Each chip would have its own unique lock and key. The patent holder would hold the keys. The chip would securely communicate with the patent-holder to unlock itself, and it could operate only after being unlocked.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Increasing Food Quality Risks Are Affecting Global Food Supply Chain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681840/080306133923.htm
A new study illustrates the real potential for contamination of globally sourced foods and proposes a conceptual framework of supply chain quality management. Various quality problems have been associated with foods and ingredients imported from China. There exists limited capacity of current regulatory bodies to police product flows, including lack of enforcement by the FDA, according to the new research.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Can Moths Or Butterflies Remember What They Learned As Caterpillars?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681841/080304200858.htm
Butterflies and moths are well known for their striking metamorphosis from crawling caterpillars to winged adults. This radical change makes it seem unlikely that learned associations or memories formed at the larval or caterpillar stage could be accessible to the adult moth or butterfly. However, scientists have recently discovered that a moth can indeed remember what it learned as a caterpillar.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
New Mouse Model Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Created And Successfully Treated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681842/080306115346.htm
Researchers trying to improve cancer immune therapy have made an unexpected find: They've produced the most accurate mouse model to date of inflammatory bowel disease, a cluster of conditions that afflict approximately 1.4 million Americans with abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Newly Identified Eye Disease In Dogs Can Be Easily Treated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681843/080304173310.htm
A professor of veterinary medicine has identified and named a previously unknown eye disease. Immune-Mediated Retinopathy, or IMR, causes loss of function in retinal cells and, in some cases, blindness. IMR is very similar to a previously known malady called Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome or SARDS. Both diseases occur when the dog produces auto antibodies that attack the retinal cells. The antibodies mistake retinal cells for cancerous tumors or tissues that need to be destroyed.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Turning Genes Off And On: Methylation Process Is Transient, Cyclical And Dynamic, Not Static As Previously Thought
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681844/080305144230.htm
New revelations have been made on possible ways to switch genes on and off that impacts on previous understandings of the biological process of how cells interpret their DNA. Until now, it had been presumed that in the chemical process of methylation (when a gene is turned on or turned off) a gene was stable and unchangeable.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Nano-rings Made of Double-Stranded DNA, With Little Gaps For New Molecules
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681845/080305104853.htm
What appear under an atomic force microscope to be tiny rings with little bits missing are actually nanoscopic rings made of double-stranded DNA with a little gap in the form of a short single-stranded fragment. Researchers have created nanoscopic rings made of double-stranded DNA with a little gap in the form of a short single-stranded fragment. This gap is a place to attach other molecules that have the potential to transform the rings into versatile nanocomposites for various applications.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Quitting Smoking: It's Never Too Late
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681846/080306103839.htm
Of all the times of life to give up smoking, a recent study shows that on retirement is a great time to kick the habit. The research showed that a total of 42.5 per cent of those who had recently retired had quit smoking, compared with 29.3 per cent of those in employment and 30.2 per cent for those who were already retired. The results indicate those who undergo the transition into retirement are more likely to quit smoking than those who do not.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
TV Scheduling In America Has Overshadowed Natural Circadian Rhythms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448839/080306161926.htm
Television, not the sun, determines sleep schedules in America. American's natural timing cues -- the circadian rhythms determined by the sun -- seem to have lost out to the man-made cues brought on within the last century, mainly by the creation of time zones and the television broadcast schedule. In this relatively brief time, they find, the markers for how we structure our day have been dramatically altered.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Arthritis Medications Reduce Risk Of Heart Attacks And Strokes, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246741161/080306075231.htm
Patients prescribed drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis could be at a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to a study in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy. Taking the most widely used DMARD for just one year for example was found to be associated with an 18% reduction in risk of heart attack and an 11% decrease in risk of stroke, the researchers say.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Tiny Polyps Need Two Kinds Of Carbon To Survive Coral Bleaching
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245559151/080304101436.htm
How well ocean reefs recover from the growing damage caused by warming sea temperatures depends both on how much the tiny coral polyps can eat, and how healthy they can keep the microscopic algae that live inside their bodies. New research may change the way scientists look at this symbiotic partnership, shifting it from a case where the polyps function only as landlords to one where the tiny creatures actually nurture their algae.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
New Protein Discovery Helps Researchers Understand Autoimmune Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681847/080306094630.htm
APS-1 is an rare hereditary disease where the immune system attacks the body's own organs. Scientists have now managed to identify a protein that opens new possibilities of understanding both APS-1 and other autoimmune disorders.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Nanoswitches Toggled By Light
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681848/080305104850.htm
Microscopic fissures in a tiny crystal open and closeâ€”on command. Researchers have successfully used an ultrafast electron microscopy to observe switchable nanochannels, which could be useful for future nanoelectronics and nanoscopic "machines."

Sat, 8 Mar 08
When It Comes To Emotions, Eastern And Western Cultures See Things Very Differently
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681849/080305120850.htm
A team of researchers from Canada and Japan have uncovered some remarkable results on how eastern and western cultures assess situations very differently. The majority of Japanese participants reported that their judgments of the center person's emotions were influenced by the emotions of the background figures, while most North Americans reported they were not influenced by the background figures at all.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
NASA Probe Finds Sea Of Cosmic Neutrinos, New Evidence Of Early Universe
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247660533/080307182745.htm
There is new evidence that a sea of cosmic neutrinos permeates the universe, clear evidence the first stars took more than a half-billion years to create a cosmic fog, and tight new constraints on the burst of expansion in the universe's first trillionth of a second, all from five years of data collected by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP).

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Biologists Surprised To Find Parochial Bacterial Viruses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245593308/080304113608.htm
Biologists examining ecosystems similar to those that existed on Earth more than 3 billion years ago have made a surprising discovery: Viruses that infect bacteria are sometimes parochial and unrelated to relatives in other parts of the globe. It's surprising because bacteria are ubiquitous on Earth, and both they and the viruses that affect them were long believed to be cosmopolitan, having similar genetic histories across the globe.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Synthetic Peptoids Hold Forth Promise For New Antibiotics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247681850/080305191406.htm
Drug-resistant bacterial infections are a growing concern, and much research has been devoted to finding new classes of antibiotics to fight them. Researchers may have found some answers in peptoids, a class of manmade molecules very similar to natural proteins that play an important role in the human immune system.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Visualizing Complex Pigment Mixtures In Living Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245625142/080304120749.htm
In a technical advance that could allow researchers to watch cells as they act during the process of photosynthesis, scientists have developed a method that extends the power of fluorescence-mediated bio-imaging to see discrete pigments inside live cells of bacteria. The method is providing fresh insights into what happens on a molecular level during photosynthesis, the process of collecting sunlight and turning it into chemical energy.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Conditional Model of Parkinson's Disease Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448840/080304214427.htm
The pathological mediators of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease are unknown. One hypothesis postulates that neurodegeneration results from proteolytic stress due to accumulation and aggregation of misfolded or overexpressed proteins.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Virtual Gaming No Replacement For Real Exercise
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245658033/080304130751.htm
Video games like Wii Sports and Dance Dance Revolution can play an important role in getting kids off the couch and involved in physical activity. But are they a replacement for traditional exercise? Definitely not, a university wellness coordinator.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Topsy-Turvy World Of Daylight-Saving Time Returns
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448841/080307102554.htm
The arrival of daylight-saving time this weekend means extra time for evening yard work or barbecues, but for some it also means sleepy days at work and even a bit of crankiness. This year, clocks will be move forward one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9. That hour of lost sleep shouldn't cause any long-term health hazard, but it may require some adjustment time, say medical experts.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Researchers Warn Parents About Dangers Of Childhood Foot Burns
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448842/080305144154.htm
University of Florida burn experts found that 69 percent of the 155 pediatric foot and ankle burns they reviewed were caused by children walking on hot ashes, coals and embers -- with some injuries occurring as long as a day or more after the fires were thought to be extinguished.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
'Quantum Logic Clock' Rivals Mercury Ion As World's Most Accurate Clock
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448843/080306202743.htm
An atomic clock that uses an aluminum atom to apply the logic of computers to the peculiarities of the quantum world now rivals the world's most accurate clock, based on a single mercury atom. Both clocks under study at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are at least 10 times more accurate than the current US time standard.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Invisibility Cloak: New Technique To Control Nanoparticles
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247481819/080306161934.htm
Scientists have created a version of Harry Potter's famed "invisibility cloak" for nanoparticles. Researchers demonstrate that controlling the structure of nanoparticles can "shrink" their visible size by a factor of thousands without affecting a particle's actual physical dimension.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Aspirin Could Reduce Breast Cancer And Help Existing Sufferers, Review of Studies Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448844/080306091127.htm
Experts who reviewed studies on NSAIDs and breast cancer have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that these popular non-prescription drugs could, if used correctly, play an important role in preventing and treating breast cancer. They suggest that they could reduce breast cancer by up to 20 percent. The 27-year review covers 21 studies of 37,000 women. But further research is needed to see if the risks outweigh the benefits.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Mercury Threatens Next Generation Of Loons
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245625141/080304120752.htm
Environmental mercury -- much of which comes from human-generated emissions -- is impacting both the health and reproductive success of common loons in the Northeastern US. Loons with high levels of mercury -- about 16 percent of the adult population in the study area -- were found to spend some 14 percent less time at the nest than normally behaving birds. Unattended nests have a higher rate of failure due to either chilling of the eggs or predation by minks, otters, raccoons and other egg robbers.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
New Way To Screen Infants For Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Suggested
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448845/080305105213.htm
Children who have been diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are more likely to have serious psychiatric and behavioral problems later in life. Studies have shown that early intervention is a key element in minimizing the negative effects of FAS. Early diagnosis of FAS is not always possible, especially if certain physical characteristics are not present. A new way to diagnose infants affected by FAS has been devised.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Grand Canyon Water Surge Aims To Build Beaches, Restore Ecosystem
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448846/080306184249.htm
The Grand Canyon will be experiencing a spring of yesteryear, as water flow rates from the Glen Canyon Dam will be significantly increased, then throttled back in a high-flow experiment that runs March 4 through 9. The result will be a controlled swelling of downstream canyon waters. The goal of the high-flow experiment, the third since 1996, is to see if such high flows can help reconstruct some of the canyon's beaches and sand bars that are instrumental to ecological systems and native fishes that have suffered since the building of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Smoking Doesn't Make You Happy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448847/080306103842.htm
If you are planning to ignore the messages of national No Smoking Day on 12th March by claiming that smoking is one of the few pleasures left to you, then recent research may make you think again. A study involving 9176 individuals shows that smoking doesn't make you happy.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Alpha Centauri Should Harbor Detectable, Earth-like Planets
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247514147/080307121613.htm
A rocky planet similar to Earth may be orbiting one of our nearest stellar neighbors and could be detected using existing techniques, according to astronomers. The closest stars to our Sun are in the three-star system called Alpha Centauri, a popular destination for interstellar travel in works of science fiction. Computer simulations of planet formation show that terrestrial planets are likely to have formed around the star Alpha Centauri B and to be orbiting in the "habitable zone" where liquid water can exist on the planet's surface. Such planets could be observed using a dedicated telescope.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Key Component Of Earth's Crust Formed From Moving Molten Rock
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448848/080305144216.htm
By studying what were once pockets of hot, melted rock 13 kilometers deep in the Earth's crust 55 million years ago, scientists are able to explain how granulite, a major component of continental crust, is formed.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Immune Cells Genetically Engineered Into Potent Weapons For Battling HIV
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448849/080306190905.htm
By outfitting immune-system killer cells with a new pair of genes, scientists have transformed them into potent weapons that destroy cells infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Their novel strategy of genetically engineering immune cells to redirect their infection-fighting ability toward killing HIV-infected cells could lead to an entirely new approach for combating AIDS and other viral diseases.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Giant Panda Genome To Be Sequenced
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448850/080306094633.htm
The giant panda is a much loved animal all over the world and is considered a symbol of China. Now, the panda genome will be sequenced. Such data will aid in understanding the genetic and biological underpinnings of this unique species, especially with regard to its very specific niche in the environment and the molecular mechanisms of its evolution.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Rare Oryx Going Into The Wild, To Help Species Recover
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245593310/080304110435.htm
A male scimitar-horned oryx from the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Conservation and Research Center is playing an important role in ensuring the species does not vanish from the planet. Oryx are a type of desert antelope that are mostly white with reddish-brown necks and marks on the face and a long, dark, tufted tail. They stand up to 4 feet and 6 inches tall at the shoulder, and both male and female oryx have curved horns that grow to be several feet long.

Sat, 8 Mar 08
Emotional Intelligence Developed For Computerized Tutors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247448851/080306220547.htm
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are developing interactive computerized tutors that sense a student's emotional and motivational state of mind at the same time it presents information designed to appeal to a person's intellectual curiosity. Special sensors are used to help make the computer tutor respond when students become angry, frustrated or bored, based on body language, attention and other indicators.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Controlling Most Atoms Now Possible
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103088/080306133926.htm
Stopping and cooling most of the atoms of the periodic table is now possible. Physicists stopped atoms by passing a supersonic beam through an "atomic coilgun" and cooled them using "single-photon cooling." The techniques are a major step forward in atomic physics and have a variety of scientific and technological applications. They could be used to determine the mass of the neutrino, which is the primary candidate for dark matter.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Sensor Necklace Records When Pill In Swallowed, And Prompts Patient When It Is Time To Take Another
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103089/080305111857.htm
Researchers have designed a sensor necklace that records the date and time a pill is swallowed, which they hope will increase drug compliance and decrease unnecessary health care costs. The device could be used to ensure that the elderly and subjects in clinical drug trials take their medications as directed by a physician. The necklace, called MagneTrace, contains an array of magnetic sensors that could be used to detect when specially-designed medication containing a tiny magnet passes through a person's esophagus. And for persons who may not want to wear a necklace, MagneTrace sensors can be incorporated into a patch attached to the chest.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Evidence Of Commerce Between Ancient Israel And China
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245559155/080304100410.htm
Throughout the 12th and 13th centuries -- during the time of the Crusades -- ceramic vessels reached Acre from: Mediterranean regions, the Levant, Europe, North Africa, and even China -- reveals new research, which examined trade of ceramic vessels.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Leukemia Therapy During Pregnancy May Cause Infant Abnormalities, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103090/080305153026.htm
While doctors already face many challenges in treating patients with cancer, treating pregnant women with the disease, in particular, can be quite difficult as studies suggest that certain therapies can harm developing fetuses. According to the results of a new study expectant women treated with imatinib, a commonly used therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia, may be at moderate risk of developing fetal abnormalities.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
New Sensitive Steroid Test For Athletes Uses Oil Exploration Technique
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103091/080305104900.htm
It's a technique that has previously been used for oil exploration -- now researchers have developed a new, highly sensitive, anti-doping steroid test using hydropyrolysis.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Children Of Alcoholics: Different Brain Regions Effect Who May Or May Not Develop Alcohol Problems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103092/080304214434.htm
Although children of alcoholics have a greater risk of developing alcohol-use disorders, not all children of alcoholics will develop alcohol-use disorders. A new study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine brain activity of adolescent children of alcoholics. Findings indicate that different brain regions may contribute to whether children of alcoholcs will be resilient or vulnerable to the development of alcohol-use disorders.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Ringed Moon Circles Ringed Planet: Saturn's Moon Rhea Also May Have Rings
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103093/080306160209.htm
NASA's Cassini spacecraft has found evidence of material orbiting Rhea, Saturn's second largest moon. This is the first time rings may have been found around a moon. A broad debris disk and at least one ring appear to have been detected by a suite of six instruments on Cassini specifically designed to study the atmospheres and particles around Saturn and its moons.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Cause Of Flu Epidemics Uncovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245593312/080304105825.htm
The exchange of genetic material between two closely related strains of the influenza A virus may have caused the 1947 and 1951 human flu epidemics, according to biologists. The findings could help explain why some strains cause major pandemics and others lead to seasonal epidemics.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Bio-Sensor Quickly Detects Anthrax, Smallpox And Other Pathogens
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245625143/080304120746.htm
A powerful sensor that can detect airborne pathogens such as anthrax and smallpox in less than three minutes has been developed. Current sensors take at least 20 minutes to detect harmful bacteria or viruses in the air. The device could be used in buildings, subways and other public areas, and can currently detect 24 pathogens, including anthrax, plague, smallpox, tularemia and E. coli.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
PET's Targeted Imaging May Lead To Earlier Diagnosis Of Dementia And Alzheimer's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103094/080305122528.htm
Researchers involved in a large, multi-institutional study using positron emission tomography imaging with the radiotracer fluorodeoxyglucose were able to classify different types of dementia with very high rates of success, raising hopes that dementia diagnoses may one day be made at earlier stages.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Mysteries Of Oceanic Bacteria Probed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103098/080303190555.htm
Microbes living in the oceans play a critical role in regulating Earth's environment, but very little is known about their activities and how they work together to help control natural cycles of water, carbon and energy.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Mother-daughter Conflict, Low Serotonin Level May Be Deadly Combination
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103099/080305144202.htm
The combination of negative mother-daughter relationships and low blood levels of serotonin, an important brain chemical for mood stability, may be lethal for adolescent girls, leaving them vulnerable to engage in self-harming behaviors such as cutting themselves.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Mysterious Eel Fishery Decline Blamed On Changing Ocean Conditions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103101/080306141505.htm
American eels are fast disappearing from restaurant menus as stocks have declined sharply across the North Atlantic. While the reasons for the eel decline remain as mysterious as its long migrations, a recent study says shifts in ocean-atmosphere conditions may be a primary factor in declining reproduction and survival rates.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Neural Progenitor Cells As Reservoirs For HIV In The Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103103/080304150510.htm
Impaired brain function is a prominent and still unsolved problem in AIDS. Shortly after an individual becomes infected with HIV, the virus can invade the brain and persist in this organ for life. Many HIV-infected individuals experience disturbances in memory functions and movement, which can progress to serious dementia. How the virus causes brain disease is still unclear.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Dissolved Organic Matter In Water Column May Influence Coral Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245559152/080304101433.htm
Bacterial communities endemic to healthy corals could change depending on the amount and type of natural and man-made dissolved organic matter in seawater. Healthy corals naturally exude a surrounding mucous layer in which a complex population of bacteria exists. Recent studies have indicated that some coral diseases may be linked to community shifts in this bacterial population.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Flat Colon Lesions Relatively Common, Associated With Colorectal Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103105/080304173351.htm
Flat, non-polypoid colorectal neoplasms, which may be difficult to detect, appear to be relatively common and may have a greater association with cancer compared with the more routinely diagnosed type of colorectal polyps, according to a new study.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Gesture-driven Computers Will Take Computer Gaming To New Level
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103106/080304200631.htm
A man stands in front of a large screen gesticulating in a seemingly hectic manner. As if by magic, images suddenly appear on the display. Their movements follow the actor's gestures, rotate at the slightest turn of a finger, and become larger or smaller as desired. This scene will look familiar to anyone who has watched the science fiction film 'Minority Report'.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Adolescents At Risk Of Developing A Substance-use Disorder Have Deficits In Frontal Brain Activation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103108/080304214431.htm
Children and adolescents at high risk for developing a substance-use disorder tend to show deficits in executive cognitive function. A study using functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess eye movements in adolescents has found a link between brain functioning and risk for developing an substance-use disorder.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Astronomers Hail First Celestial Views With Twin Giant Mirrors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246767083/080306075214.htm
The Large Binocular Telescope has taken celestial images using its huge twin side-by-side, primary mirrors together, achieving first "binocular" light. The third image is a composite of ultraviolet, green and deep red light and shows the detailed structure of hot, moderate and cool stars in the galaxy.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Schistosomiasis More Debilitating Than Previously Estimated, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103109/080304200911.htm
The health effects of one strain of schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease common in developing countries, are seven to 46 times greater than previously estimated, according to new Brown University research. The study findings may have major implications for global health policy.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Paving The Way For Green Roads
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103111/080221114244.htm
A new green roads program that develops criteria for what makes a roadway green has been established. A lot of the infrastructure in this country needs to be re-built, and it could be done in a more environmentally-friendly way than it has been done in the past.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
New More Effective Tuberculosis Screening Test For HIV Victims
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103112/080305105242.htm
World Health Organization (WHO) figures show that each year an estimated 9 million new cases of tuberculosis (TB) arise in the world. The growth of this disease remains particularly strong in Africa owing to a high proportion of HIV patients (nearly 13% compared with less than 1% in Asian countries for example). This region of the world is experiencing accelerating advance of a deadly combination of AIDS and TB, developed because the virus weakens the immune system of TB-infected individuals. Sensitivity to the standard test for TB infection is weakened in HIV-positive patients. New techniques based on in vitro determination of the rate of interferon-Â³ have recently been developed.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
New Method To Estimate Sea Ice Thickness
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103113/080305105209.htm
Scientists recently developed a new modeling approach to estimate sea ice thickness. This is the only model based entirely on historical observations. The model was developed by scientists with the US Geological Survey and the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow.

Fri, 7 Mar 08
Low Maternal Education Linked To Intellectual Disabilities In Offspring
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/247103114/080305121015.htm
Using a epidemiologic approach, researchers have discovered a key indicator for increased risk of mental retardation in the general population. Researchers found that low maternal education resulted in the highest risk of intellectual disability to offspring compared with other factors such as maternal illness, delivery complications, gestational age at birth, and even very low birth weight.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Mars And Venus Are Surprisingly Similar
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246823282/080305105128.htm
Using two ESA spacecraft, planetary scientists are watching the atmospheres of Mars and Venus being stripped away into space. The simultaneous observations by Mars Express and Venus Express give scientists the data they need to investigate the evolution of the two planets' atmospheres. Despite the differences in size and distance from the Sun, Mars and Venus are surprisingly similar. Both planets have beams of electrically charged particles flowing out of their atmospheres. The particles are being accelerated away by interactions with the solar wind, a constant stream of electrically charged particles released by the Sun.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Bacteria May Reduce Risk For Kidney Stones
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246505705/080305121018.htm
The bacteria Oxalobacter formigenes (O. formigenes), a naturally occurring bacterium that has no known side effects, is associated with a 70 percent reduction in the risk of recurrent kidney stones. According to the researchers, up to 80 percent of kidney stones are predominately composed on calcium oxalate (CaOx) and urinary oxalate is a major risk factor for CaOx stone formation. O. formigenes metabolizes oxalate in the intestinal tract and is present in a large proportion of the normal adult population.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Cancer Risk Slightly Higher For Women In Discontinued Hormone Treatment Trial
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246823283/080304173349.htm
A follow up study of participants in the Women's Health Initiative clinical trial has found that women who were taking the combined hormone therapy of estrogen plus progestin may have an increased risk of cancer since the intervention was stopped, compared to participants in the trial's placebo group.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Beluga Sturgeon Threatened With Extinction, Yet Caviar Quotas Remain Unchanged
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245528739/080304093748.htm
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species announced trade quotas governing the export of wild sturgeon and their prized caviar eggs from the Caspian Sea. The Pew Institute for Ocean Science has analyzed the quotas, which are re-set each year, and has determined that beluga caviar quotas are virtually unchanged from 2007 and do little to halt continued population declines.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Women Are Treated Less Frequently Than Men With Statins, Aspirin And Beta-blockers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246823289/080304150505.htm
Women and men experience a similar prevalence of adverse drug reactions in the treatment of coronary artery disease; however, women are significantly less likely than their male counterparts to be treated with statins, aspirin, and beta-blockers according to a new study.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Digital Home: An All-in-one Device To Control Most Everything
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246823290/080304193035.htm
Thick instruction manuals, a confusing tangle of cables and endless different standards -- trying to connect your flat screen, DVD recorder, MP3 player, surround system and computer to one another and get them to work is rather a complicated task. Help is on its way in the form of a project called WiMAC(at)home (Wireless Media and Control at Home). In this project, which is being financed by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), researchers are working on the wireless connection of electronic devices for broadcasting and entertainment in home networks.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Are Smart People Drawn To The Arts Or Does Arts Training Make People Smarter?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246823291/080304150459.htm
Learning, Arts, and the Brain, a study three years in the making, is the result of research by cognitive neuroscientists from seven leading universities across the United States. One of the eight findings are that specific links exist between high levels of music training and the ability to manipulate information in both working and long-term memory; these links extend beyond the domain of music training.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Runners' High Demonstrated: Brain Imaging Shows Release Of Endorphins In Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244928369/080303101110.htm
Throughout the world, amateurs, experts and the media agree that prolonged jogging raises people's spirits. And many believe that the body's own opioids, so called endorphins, are the cause of this. But this has never been proven until now. Researchers have now succeeded in demonstrating the existence of an 'endorphin driven runner's high'. In an imaging study they were able to show, for the first time, increased release of endorphins in certain areas of the athletes' brains during a two-hour jogging session. These results are also relevant for patients suffering from chronic pain.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Blood Stem Cells Originate And Are Nurtured In The Placenta
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246505700/080305121006.htm
Solving a long-standing biological mystery, stem cell researchers have discovered that blood stem cells, the cells that later differentiate into all the cells in the blood supply, originate and are nurtured in the placenta.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Invading Trees Put Rainforests At Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246823296/080303190645.htm
To the list of threats to tropical rainforests you can add a new one -- trees. It might seem that for a rainforest the more trees the merrier, but a new study warns that non-native trees invading a rainforest can change its basic ecological structure -- rendering it less hospitable to the myriad plant and animal species that depend on its resources.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Cannabinoid-blocking Weight-loss Drug Might Fight Alcoholic Fatty Liver
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245625138/080304124345.htm
The cannabinoid receptors best known for delivering the psychological effects of marijuana also explain the connection between chronic alcohol use and a buildup of fat in the liver. Mice treated with rimonabant, a drug designed to block cannabinoid receptors, become resistant to alcohol's fat-building effects in the liver. Rimonabant is now in use for weight loss in several European countries but has not received FDA approval for use in the United States.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Future 'Quantum Computers' Will Offer Increased Efficiency And Security Risks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246823298/080305104847.htm
Physicists have made a discovery that may revolutionize encryption technology while bringing quantum computing one step closer. Consumers, credit card companies and high-tech firms rely on cryptography to protect the transmission of sensitive information. The basis for current encryption systems is that computers would need thousands of years to factor a large number, making it very difficult to do. However, if new observations can be fully understood and applied, scientists may have the basis to create quantum computers -- which could easily break the most complicated encryption in a matter of hours.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Genes Hold The Key To How Happy We Are, Scientists Say
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245559150/080304103308.htm
Happiness in life is as much down to having the right genetic mix as it is to personal circumstances according to a recent study. Happiness is partly determined by personality traits and that both personality and happiness are largely hereditary.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Possibly Once-habitable Ancient Martian Lake Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246950110/080306133930.htm
Scientists have discovered never-before-seen impact "megabreccia" and a possibly once-habitable ancient lake on Mars at a place called Holden crater. Topping the clay layers that formed in the placid Holden crater lake are layers of great boulder-filled debris unleashed later, when water breached Holden crater rim, creating a torrential flood that eroded the older lake sediments. The body of water would have been larger than Lake Huron.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
New Potential Drug Target For The Treatment Of Atherosclerosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245625139/080304123424.htm
A nuclear receptor protein, known for controlling the ability of cells to burn fat, also exerts powerful anti-inflammatory effects in arteries, suppressing atherosclerosis in mice prone to developing the harmful plaques. The research offers a new and specific target for the development of drugs that specifically treat cardiovascular complications associated with metabolic syndrome.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Secrets Of Cooperation Between Trees And Fungi Revealed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246823308/080305144228.htm
Plants gained their ancestral toehold on dry land with considerable help from their fungal friends. Now, millennia later, that partnership is being exploited as a strategy to bolster biomass production for next generation biofuels. The genetic mechanism of this kind of symbiosis, which contributes to the delicate ecological balance in healthy forests, also provides insights into plant health that may enable more efficient carbon sequestration and enhanced phytoremediation, using plants to clean up environmental contaminants.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Watery Pools In Bone Marrow Key To Psoriatic Arthritic Damage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246823310/080303190604.htm
Researchers have learned more about how a leading drug prevents certain types of arthritis from eating away at bone. Precursors to bone-eating cells are a likely target of next-generation arthritis treatments.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Physicists Search For Dark Matter Deep In Minnesota Mine
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246823311/080228100731.htm
Physicists have built the world's most sensitive WIMP detectors in an attempt to catch some of those mysterious particles of dark matter. Running a clearn-room laboratory a half-mile underground in an old iron ore mine raises challenges of its own.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Television Shows Can Affect Racial Judgments
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246823313/080220141202.htm
Viewers can be influenced by exposure to racial bias in the media, even without realizing it. The research indicates that stereotype-based processing may occur based on media exposure, even when at a conscious level people try to dismiss what they are seeing as harmless. Indeed, TV images not only affected what the viewers thought about minorities, but also led to an us-versus-them mentality.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Tree Of Animal Life Has Branches Rearranged, By Evolutionary Biologists
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246505699/080305144221.htm
Evolutionary biologists have re-written the animal tree of life. A new study uses new genomics tools to answer old questions about animal evolution -- and offers up a few surprises among the branches. The study involved 40 million base pairs of new DNA data taken from 29 animal species. It settles some long-standing debates about the relationships between major groups of animals and offers up a few surprises. The big shocker: Comb jellyfish -- common and extremely fragile jellies with well-developed tissues -- appear to have diverged from other animals even before the lowly sponge, which has no tissue to speak of. This finding calls into question the very root of the animal tree of life, which traditionally placed sponges at the base.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
High Levels Of Estrogen Associated With Breast Cancer Recurrence
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246767086/080306075218.htm
Women whose breast cancer came back after treatment had almost twice as much estrogen in their blood than did women who remained cancer-free -- despite treatment with anti-estrogen drugs in a majority of the women.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Just Listening To Cell Phones Significantly Impairs Drivers, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246505701/080305104905.htm
Scientists have shown that just listening to a cell phone while driving is a significant distraction, and it causes drivers to commit some of the same types of driving errors that can occur under the influence of alcohol. Brain imaging reveals drivers are distracted even if they don't talk.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
Sticky Blood Protein Yields Clues To Autism
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/246505702/080304170255.htm
Many children with autism have elevated blood levels of serotonin -- a chemical with strong links to mood and anxiety. But what relevance this "hyperserotonemia" has for autism has remained a mystery. Investigators provides a physical basis for this phenomenon, which may have profound implications for the origin of some autism-associated deficits.

Thu, 6 Mar 08
'Power Napping' In Pigeons
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244996431/080303120357.htm
Pigeons prevented from taking naps in the afternoon sleep more intensely at night. In humans, as in all mammals, sleep consists of two phases: deep, dreamless slow-wave-sleep (SWS) alternates with dream phases, called Rapid Eye Movement (REM)-sleep. Although several studies suggest that information is processed and memories are consolidated during sleep, this remains a hotly debated topic in neurobiology.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
First Humanoid Robot That Will Develop Language May Be Coming Soon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243514865/080229141032.htm
iCub, a one metre-high baby robot which will be used to study how a robot could quickly pick up language skills, will be available next year. ITALK aims to teach the robot to speak by employing the same methods used by parents to teach their children. Robotics specialists will conduct experiments in human and robot language interaction to enable the robot to converse with humans.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
'Innocent Bystanders' Can Be The Cause Of Tumor Development
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244892527/080303093538.htm
Tumor growth has commonly been viewed as a result of mutations in a given cell that will therefore proliferate uncontrollably. However, a new study has demonstrated that in certain type of gastrointestinal polyps, the cause of tumor development are mutations in the smooth muscle cells, previously regarded as "innocent bystanders."

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Could Volcanic Activity In West Antarctic Rift Destabilize Ice Sheet?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243614325/080229183818.htm
The West Antarctic rift is a region of volcanic activity and crustal stretching that is roughly the size of the western United States (from Salt Lake City to the Pacific Ocean). About 98 percent of it is buried beneath glacial ice, up to 2.5 miles thick, and bedrock beneath the ice is 2000--3000 feet below sea level over large areas. All of this makes it a difficult region to study. It is interesting nevertheless, because volcanic eruptions beneath the ice could destabilize the ice sheet, leading to as much as 25 feet of sea-level rise.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Evolution Of Root Nodule Symbiosis With Nitrogen-fixing Bacteria
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245499617/080304075746.htm
Root nodule symbioses with nitrogen-fixing bacteria provide many plants with a source of nitrogen. This study uncovers evidence that changes in the gene SYMRK were involved in the evolution of this important biological innovation.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Clinical Depression Raises Risk Of Death For Heart Attack Patients Years After Attack
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245747826/080303170029.htm
Depressed heart attack patients have a higher risk for sudden death in the months following a heart attack. Now researchers have found that the risk continues for many years. In the five years following a heart attack, 106 patients died. Of those, 62 had been diagnosed with depression, while 44 had not.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Irritating And Potentially Dangerous Smells Alert Special Cells At Nose Entry
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245499622/080304075703.htm
If you cook, you know. Chop an onion and you risk crying over your cutting board as a burning sensation overwhelms your eyes and nose. Scientists do not know why certain chemical odors, like onion, ammonia and paint thinner, are so highly irritating, but new research in mice has uncovered an unexpected role for specific nasal cavity cells. A particular cell, abundant near the entry of many animal noses, plays a crucial and previously unknown role in transmitting irritating and potentially dangerous odors.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
New Material Shows Great Promise For Nuclear Waste Clean-Up
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238119/080303190649.htm
Nuclear power has advantages, but, if this method of making power is to be viable long term, discovering new solutions to radioactive waste disposal and other problems are critical. Chemists are now focusing on metal sulfide materials as a possible source for nuclear waste remediation methods. The new material is extremely successful in removing strontium from a sodium-heavy solution, which has concentrations similar to those in real liquid nuclear waste.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Carbon Dioxide Tied To Air Pollution Mortality
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245747827/080226135421.htm
Rising carbon dioxide levels from burning fossil fuels have been linked to sea level changes, snowmelt, disease, heat stress, severe weather, and ocean acidification. Yet because it does not affect respiration directly, carbon dioxide is not considered a classic air pollutant. Noting that increasing levels of carbon dioxide cause temperature and water vapor content to rise, researchers analyzed how this could harm lung function and irritate the respiratory system. They found that each one degree Celsius rise in temperature may increase U.S. annual air pollution deaths by about 1000.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
A Little Rosemary Can Go A Long Way In Reducing Acrylamide In Food
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243514863/080229142817.htm
Several animal tests have shown acrylamide to be a carcinogen, and a recent study has shown a positive association between acrylamide and breast cancer in humans. "Acrylamide is formed during the preparation of many ordinary foods. It is therefore important both for consumers and the food industry to find methods to reduce the acrylamide content," says one of the researchers. Over the past five years, a research project has identified several ways of reducing acrylamide in foods.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Novel Mechanism Found That May Boost Impaired Function Of Leukemia Protein
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243592607/080229172247.htm
A novel mechanism that can enhance the function of a protein that is frequently impaired in patients with acute forms of leukemia. The protein, called AML1, plays a critical role in the development of the blood system and in the production of platelets and immune cells.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Zebrafish Provide Useful Screening Tool For Genes, Drugs That Protect Against Hearing Loss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243542456/080229153115.htm
Scientists have developed a research method that relies on a zebrafish's lateral line -- the faint line running down each side of a fish that enables it to sense its surroundings -- to quickly screen for genes and chemical compounds that protect against hearing loss from some medications.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Low Testosterone Levels Associated With Depression In Older Men
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238123/080303190624.htm
Older men with lower free testosterone levels in their blood appear to have higher prevalence of depression, according to a new article. Women are more likely to be depressed than men until age 65, when sex differences almost disappear. Several studies have suggested that sex hormones might be responsible for this phenomenon.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Shorter Women May Have Very Long Lives: Gene Mutation Found
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245593307/080304110439.htm
A gene linked to living a very long life -- to 90 and beyond -- is also associated with short stature in women, according to new research. Animal research had shown that mutations to genes involved in the IGF-I signaling pathway cause two effects: Affected animals have impaired growth but also longer life spans. Newly discovered gene mutations somehow play a role in extending the human life span as well that of many other organisms. Remarkably, the female children of centenarians had IGF-I plasma levels that were 35 percent higher than female controls.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
'Lazy Eye' Treatment Shows Promise In Adults
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238120/080303190647.htm
Positive results have been found in a pilot clinical trial of a treatment for amblyopia, or "lazy eye." The treatment was effective on 20-year-old subjects. Amblyopia is normally considered mostly irreversible after age eight. Many amblyopes, especially in developing countries, are diagnosed too late for conventional treatment with an eye patch. The disorder affects about nine million people in the U.S. alone.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Aromatherapy May Make You Feel Good, But It Won't Make You Well, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244892526/080303093553.htm
One of the most comprehensive investigations done to date on aromatherapy failed to show any improvement in either immune status, wound healing or pain control among people exposed to two often-touted scents. While one of two popular aromas touted by alternative medicine practitioners -- lemon -- did appear to enhance moods positively among study subjects, the other -- lavender -- had no effect on reported mood, based on three psychological tests.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
New Genetic Marker For Breast Cancer Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238121/080303190610.htm
Scientists have identified a new genetic marker of risk for breast cancer. Women with this DNA variation are at a 1.4 times greater risk of developing breast cancer compared to those without the variation.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Biological Electron Transfer Captured In Real Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238122/080303190607.htm
Scientists have for the first time succeeded in monitoring electron transfer by Complex I in real time. In the future, this work might, for example, have medical relevance, because most of the maternally inherited so-called mitochondrial diseases are caused by dysfunction of Complex I.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Ohio 'Paper' Vote System Debuting With Flaws, Researchers Say
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245747828/080303145236.htm
The new voting system that Cleveland and its suburbs will use in the primary election has serious flaws that risk greater voter error according to researchers who conducted a comprehensive analysis of the technology over the past several years.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Researchers ID Promising New Cancer Drug
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238124/080303190612.htm
Researchers have designed a small molecule that is highly effective in cell cultures at inhibiting the interaction between the protein p53 and another protein that inactivates p53 in cancer. The new molecule is ideal for drug development as it can be given orally as a pill and it appears to be safe for use in animals.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Tamoxifen May Help Treat Mania In Patients With Bipolar Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238125/080303190626.htm
A small, three-week trial of tamoxifen, a drug typically used to treat breast cancer, indicates that it also may decrease symptoms of mania in patients with bipolar disorder, according to a new article.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Realism Of Computer Games Dramatically Improved With New Modeling Of Light
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243487866/080229130355.htm
In the ever more complex world of computer games, developers are constantly looking for new ways to make the playing experience more life-like. One problem that had remained unsolved was how to quickly simulate the gradation of shadows caused by indirect light bouncing off objects -- until a recent breakthrough. A new method can be used to model the path of light as it bounces off surfaces. Graphics are now far more realistic, with more variation in shade on an object, and hues of reflected light adding extra detail.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Toxins In Oil Spills And Cigarette Smoke Prevent Stem Cells From Becoming Cartilage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244965594/080303110153.htm
A toxic pollutant spread by oil spills, forest fires and car exhaust is also present in cigarette smoke, and may represent a second way in which smoking delays bone healing, according to new research.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Key For Converting Waste To Electricity Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238126/080303190535.htm
Researchers studying bacteria capable of generating electricity have discovered that riboflavin (commonly known as vitamin B-2) is responsible for much of the energy produced by these organisms.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Testosterone Could Guard Against Eating Disorders
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238127/080303164518.htm
Testosterone appears to protect people against eating disorders, providing further evidence that biological factors -- and not just social influences -- are linked to anorexia and bulimia.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
New Discovery Of 'Old Growth' Crystals Provides New Record Of Planetary Evolution
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244996433/080303120343.htm
Three-billion year-old zircon microcrystals found in northern Ontario are proving to be a new record of the processes that form continents and their natural resources, including gold and diamonds. Measuring no more than the width of a human hair, the 200-million-year growth span of these ancient microcrystals is longer than any previously discovered.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Head Injuries Result In Widespread Brain Tissue Loss One Year Later
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238128/080303190628.htm
In a rare, large-scale study of traumatic brain injury patients who span the full range of severity from mild to moderate and severe, researchers have found that the more severe the injury, the greater the loss of brain tissue, particularly white matter.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Biomagnetics Developed For Use In New Breast Cancer Tests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243487867/080229125740.htm
Scientists have developed a new medical device which will make the early detection of breast cancer more cost effective and easier to administer. The team plans to use magnetic nanoparticles and an extremely sensitive magnetometer called the 'HistoMag' to detect cancerous cells in samples of breast tissue.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Receptor Revealed That Turns On Genes After Consuming Unsaturated Fats
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243514862/080229143151.htm
Scientists demonstrate the tremendous importance of dietary fat as a regulator of gene expression. Via a combination of several nutrigenomic tools they reveal that dietary unsaturated fatty acids govern a huge number of genes and do so almost entirely via a special receptor called PPARa.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Steel Forges Foundation For Cheaper Solar Power
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238129/080303163341.htm
Steel forged railroads, skyscrapers and the automobile industry. Now it may help solar energy become cheaper and more widely available. Scientists now report an advance in replacing the single most expensive component of a cutting-edge family of solar cells with less costly material. These so-called "nanostructured dye solar cells (DSCs)" are a relatively new family of photovoltaic devices. Their simple manufacturing methods are hoped to lead to lower production costs compared to conventional solar cells. Traditionally, DSCs are deposited on conductively coated glass sheets which accounts for more than 30 percent of the material costs.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Restricting Kids' Video Time Reduces Obesity, Randomized Trial Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238130/080303164504.htm
Entrenched sedentary behavior such as watching television and playing computer video games has been the bane for years of parents of overweight children and physicians trying to help those children lose pounds. Researchers now have shown in a randomized trial that by using a device that automatically restricted video-viewing time, parents reduced their children's video time by an average of 17.5 hours a week and lowered their body-mass index significantly.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Promising New Material For Capturing Carbon Dioxide From Smokestacks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238131/080303163804.htm
Scientists and engineers have developed a new low-cost material for capturing carbon dioxide from the smokestacks of coal-fired electric power plants and other industrial sources before the notorious greenhouse gas enters the atmosphere.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Gene Variants May Increase Risk Of Anxiety Disorders
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238132/080303190630.htm
Scientists have discovered perhaps the strongest evidence yet linking variation in a particular gene with anxiety-related traits. Particular versions of a gene that affect the activity of important neurotransmitter receptors were more common in both children and adults assessed as being inhibited or introverted and also were associated with increased activity of brain regions involved in emotional processing. It has long been recognized that the tendency to anxiety disorders can run in families and is believed to be influenced by the interaction of several genes.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Are Wolves The Pronghorn's Best Friend?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245056322/080303145300.htm
As western states debate removing the gray wolf from protection under the Endangered Species Act, a new study cautions that doing so may result in an unintended decline in another species: the pronghorn, a uniquely North American animal that resembles an African antelope.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Children With Autism May Learn From 'Virtual Peers'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243428535/080229115314.htm
Researchers are developing an intervention using "virtual peers" -- technology driven, animated life-size children -- to help develop communication and social skills in children with autism. Preliminary findings suggest children with autism produce more and more "contingent" (conversationally relevant) sentences when interacting with virtual peers than with real-life children. What's more, virtual peers are endlessly patient, never tire and can be programmed to elicit socially-skilled behavior.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Genes Involved In Inflammation May Hold Clue To Age-related Macular Degeneration
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243514867/080229140218.htm
Scientists have identified a new genetic risk factor for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of untreatable blindness in elderly people in developed countries. AMD is a progressive disease affecting the retinal pigment in the macular region at the back of the eye. Building on previous research, which showed that genes that control inflammation were important for developing AMD, the researchers took DNA samples from 478 people with AMD and from 555 people with no signs of the disease. They then looked for evidence of variations in genes controlling the production and suppression of cytokines - powerful chemicals involved in inflammatory processes in the body.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
140-year-old Math Problem Solved
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244965592/080303110214.htm
A problem which has defeated mathematicians for almost 140 years has now been solved. The breakthrough is in an area of mathematics known as conformal mapping, a key theoretical tool used by mathematicians, engineers and scientists to translate information from a complicated shape to a simpler circular shape so that it is easier to analyze. Key additions have been made to the Schwarz-Christoffel formula.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Car Crash Deaths Increase Starting At Age 12
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238133/080303212740.htm
Child passengers, ages 12 to 16, are more likely to die in a car crash than younger children, according to a new study. This risk increases with each teenage year. The study offers evidence-based guidelines for parents and policymakers to help protect this vulnerable age group. Researchers examined 45,560 crashes involving 8- to 17-year-old passengers.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Will Global Warming Increase Plant Frost Damage?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244845892/080303072651.htm
Damage to plants from a freeze that occurred across much of the Eastern United States in April 2007 was made worse because it had been preceded by two weeks of unusual warmth. More freeze and thaw fluctuations are possible in future winters as a result of global warming, and rising carbon dioxide levels increase the susceptibility of some plants. The 2007 event could be a scenario for an effect of future climate change.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Finding Cancer At An Early Stage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243487865/080229132251.htm
New ultrasound technology will make it possible for doctors to discover cancer tumors far earlier than before. A method that transmits new and more advanced ultrasound signals is being tested. The chances of discovering and diagnosing tumors in the prostate and breast are expected to improve significantly.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
CERN Particle Detector: ATLAS Completes World's Largest Jigsaw Puzzle
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238134/080229112216.htm
Today the ATLAS collaboration at CERN celebrates the lowering of its last large detector element. The ATLAS detector is the world's largest general-purpose particle detector, measuring 46 metres long, 25 meters high and 25 meters wide; it weighs 7000 tons and consists of 100 million sensors that measure particles produced in proton-proton collisions in CERN's Large Hadron Collider.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Nicotine's Effects Are Receptor Specific
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243456765/080229120651.htm
Following chronic nicotine exposure, nicotine receptors increase in number, an upregulation that contributes to nicotine's addictive properties. While a current belief is that this process is independent of the type of nicotine receptor, researchers have now uncovered this is not the case: the transient and prolonged changes in the nicotine levels of smokers each affect a specific receptor subtype.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Unfavorable Ocean Conditions Likely Cause Of Low 2007 Salmon Returns Along West Coast
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245056323/080303145253.htm
Scientists are reviewing unusual environmental conditions in the Pacific Ocean as the likely culprit for the dramatically low returns of Chinook and coho salmon to rivers and streams along the West Coast of the United States in 2007.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Non-medical Use Of Prescription Medications Associated With Drug Abuse Among College Students
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238135/080303190618.htm
College students who take frequently abused medications without a prescription appear to have a higher risk for drug abuse than those who use such therapies for medical reasons, according to a new report.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Increased Allergen Levels In Homes Linked To Asthma
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243567920/080229163035.htm
Results from a new national survey demonstrate that elevated allergen levels in the home are associated with asthma symptoms in allergic individuals. The study suggests that asthmatics that have allergies may alleviate symptoms by reducing allergen exposures inside their homes. Asthma is one of the most common chronic ailments in the United States, affecting more than 22 million people. Asthma has been shown to be triggered by a wide range of substances called allergens.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
Recurrent Brain Cancer Responds To New Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243592610/080229172028.htm
One of the toughest cancers to treat effectively is glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common form of primary brain cancer. Patients who have a recurrence of this cancer have had no effective therapy -- until now. Researchers have discovered that a compound has shown the ability to effectively treat GBM in some patients.

Tue, 4 Mar 08
'Jules Verne' Automated Transfer Vehicle Ready To Leave For International Space Station
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238136/080229102056.htm
With ESA's Columbus laboratory successfully attached and operating on the International Space Station, the time has now come for another European milestone mission to leave for the ISS -- that of the first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), named "Jules Verne."

Tue, 4 Mar 08
New Study Of Targeted Therapies For Breast Cancer Is Model For Global Clinical Trials
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/245238137/080229075210.htm
Two targeted medications designed to treat an aggressive form of breast cancer are being tested in a new study involving 8,000 participants in 50 countries across six continents -- a clinical trial that investigators hope will provide a new model for global cancer research.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
West Antarctic Glaciers Melting At 20 Times Former Rate, Rock Analysis Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243338244/080229075228.htm
Boulders the size footballs could help scientists predict the West Antarctic Ice Sheet's contribution to sea-level rise according to new research in Geology. Initial results show that Pine Island Glacier has 'thinned' by around 4 centimeters per year over the past 5,000 years, while Smith and Pope Glaciers thinned by just over 2 cm per year during the past 14,500 years. These rates are more than 20 times slower than recent changes: satellite, airborne and ground based observations made since the 1990s show that Pine Island Glacier has thinned by around 1.6 meters per year in recent years. The scientists reached their conclusions by investigating how long the boulders have been exposed to cosmic radiation rather than being shielded by ice or sediment.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Common Variations In Gene Segments That Increase The Risk For Prostate Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154291/080228200648.htm
Researchers report that a set of genetic variations in at least four regions of DNA strongly predicts prostate cancer risk and that these variations may be responsible for a large number of prostate cancer cases in white men in the United States. Researchers are scanning the entire human genome to identify common, inherited gene variations that increase the risks for breast and prostate cancers.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Future â€˜Battlegroundsâ€™ for Habitat Conservation Very Different to Those in Past
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154292/080228100735.htm
Biologists have developed a series of global maps that show where projected habitat loss and climate change are expected to drive the need for future reserves to prevent biodiversity loss. Many of the regions that face the greatest habitat change in relation to the amount of land currently protected â€”- such as Indonesia and Madagascar â€”- are in globally threatened and endemic species-rich, developing tropical nations that have the fewest resources for conservation. Conversely, many of the temperate regions of the planet with an already expansive network of reserves are in countries â€”- such as Austria, Germany and Switzerland â€”- with the greatest financial resources for conservation efforts, but comparatively less biodiversity under threat.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Low-intensity Exercise Reduces Fatigue Symptoms By 65 Percent, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154293/080228112008.htm
Sedentary people who regularly complain of fatigue can increase their energy levels by 20 percent and decrease their fatigue by 65 percent by engaging in regular, low intensity exercise, according to a new study. Interestingly, improvements in energy and fatigue were not related to increases in aerobic fitness that the exercisers experienced.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Steps Towards Warship Invisibility
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243396283/080229103717.htm
Naval warships might look like all-powerful vessels but they are also highly vulnerable to being spotted by the enemy. That fear of being detected has led the military to develop new stealth technologies that allow ships to be virtually invisible to the human eye, to dodge roaming radars, put heat-seeking missiles off the scent, disguise their own sound vibrations and even reduce the way they distort the Earth's magnetic field.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
When The Rules Of The Game Are Broken: Sports Injuries Related To Illegal Activity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243542459/080229141827.htm
It is estimated that more than 98,000 sports injuries in US high schools in 2005-2007 were directly related to an action that was ruled illegal activity by a referee, official or disciplinary committee.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Liquid Water Found Flowing On Mars? Not Yet
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243367249/080229075203.htm
Liquid water has not been found on the Martian surface within the last decade after all, according to new research. The finding casts doubt on the 2006 report that the bright spots in some Martian gullies indicate that liquid water flowed there sometime since 1999. The researchers took advantage of the detailed topographic data derived from images of Mars taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Protein Protects Lung Cancer Cells From Efforts To Fix Or Kill Them
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154294/080228120946.htm
A protein that helps lung cancer cells thrive appears to do so by blocking healthy cells' ability to fix themselves when radiation or chemicals such as nicotine damage their DNA, according to a new article. The study explains how the protein enables cancer cells to circumvent the body's own efforts to change them back into healthy cells -- or evade treatments designed to kill them.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Why Juniper Trees Can Live On Less Water
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154295/080227142653.htm
An ability to avoid the plant equivalent of vapor lock and a favorable evolutionary history may explain the unusual drought resistance of junipers, some varieties of which are now spreading rapidly in water-starved regions of the western United States, a new study has found.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Tendon Complications, Though Rare, Linked To Statins, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154296/080228080539.htm
Statins, the most effective treatment for lowering cholesterol, are widely used and have been demonstrated to be safe in large clinical trials. Although side effects are usually mild, more severe side effects, especially musculoskeletal complications, have been reported. Tendon impairment has been reported anecdotally but has not been included in large-scale studies. A new study found that, although rare, tendon complications are linked to the use of statins.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Mathematicians Prove New Way To Build A Better Estimate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243367250/080229090817.htm
Brown applied mathematicians have found a new way to sift through mountains of data and draw reliable inferences from it -- a Holy Grail in science and technology. Their pioneering work, the development of a new class of statistical estimators, could lead to better methods for analyzing the large data sets that are increasingly common in fields from biology to business.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Spanking Kids Increases Risk Of Sexual Problems As Adults
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154299/080228220451.htm
Children who are spanked or victims of other corporal punishment are more likely to have sexual problems as a teen or adult, according to new research. Researchers analyzed the results of four studies and found that spanking and other corporal punishment by parents is associated with an increased probability of three sexual problems as a teen or adult.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Genetic Cancer Link Between Humans And Dogs Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154300/080228112011.htm
Cancer researchers have found that humans and dogs share more than friendship and companionship -- they also share the same genetic basis for certain types of cancer. Furthermore, the researchers say that because of the way the genomes have evolved, getting cancer may be inevitable for some humans and dogs.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Newly Discovered Antibody Can Potently Neutralize Two Viruses, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154302/080228200337.htm
Scientists have discovered an antibody that neutralizes two viruses classified as henipaviruses. Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) are highly infectious agents that transitioned from infecting flying foxes in the mid-1990s to causing fatal disease in humans and livestock in Australia, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, and Singapore. Recent outbreaks have resulted in encephalitis and acute respiratory distress, person-to-person transmission, and up to 70 percent fatality rates.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Biofuel Blending Is Often Inaccurate, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154303/080227155026.htm
While sampling blended biodiesel fuels purchased from small-scale retailers, researchers found that many of the blends do not contain the advertised amount of biofuel. When testing fuels listed as 20 percent biodiesel (commonly known as B20), they found that the actual percentage of biofuel ranged from as little as 10 percent to as much as 74 percent. Only 10 percent of samples met the specifications for biofuel blends required for vehicles of the U.S. Department of Defense.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Anti-TNF Therapy Can Help Heart Of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154304/080228080549.htm
A chronic autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by persistent inflammation of the synovial membrane and progressive joint destruction. Beyond loss of mobility, sufferers face a high risk of heart failure. A new study indicates that anti-TNF therapy does a patient's heart more good than harm, when it successfully reduces the inflammatory toll of RA.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Improving The Quality Of Laboratory Data With Computer Modeling
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154307/080229075232.htm
Many areas of research and medicine rely critically upon knowing a person's individual immune system proteins, as they determine an individual's ability to fight disease or mistakenly attack their own tissues. However, obtaining this information is costly and difficult. A new study demonstrate how statistical modeling can help researchers obtain this information more easily and cost effectively.

Sun, 2 Mar 08
Stimulant Treatment For ADHD Has No Effect On Risk Of Future Substance Abuse, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244137669/080301214758.htm
A new study finds that the use of stimulant drugs to treat children with ADHD has no effect on their future risk of substance abuse. The report assessed more than 100 young men 10 years after they had been diagnosed with ADHD and is the most methologically rigorous analysis of any potential relationship between stimulant treatment and drug abuse.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Kilogram Is Losing Weight: Redefine Kilogram Based On Universal Constants, Scientists Urge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693195/080228120943.htm
The kilogram is losing weight and many scientists agree that it's time to redefine it. They are hoping to redefine the kilogram by basing it on standards of universal constants rather than on an artifact standard. "The idea is to replace the single master kilogram with something based on physical constants, rather than an artifact that could be damaged accidentally," says one mechanical engineer.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
How Cigarette Smoke Causes Cancer: Study Points To New Treatments, Safer Tobacco
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242766224/080228080544.htm
Everyone has known for decades that that smoking can kill, but until now no one really understood how cigarette smoke causes healthy lung cells to become cancerous. Researchers now show that hydrogen peroxide (or similar oxidants) in cigarette smoke is the culprit. This finding may help the tobacco industry develop "safer" cigarettes, while helping medical researchers develop new lung cancer treatments.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Nature's Helpers: Using Microorganisms To Remove TCE Pollutants From Water
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693196/080228100728.htm
The chlorinated solvent trichloroethene (TCE) has been found to be an increasingly problematic contaminant in groundwater. The detection of TCE recently forced the shut down of the water supply for the Greater Phoenix area municipalities of Paradise Valley and Scottsdale. TCE has been widely used as a cleaning agent and solvent for many military, commercial, and industrial applications. Its widespread use, along with its improper handling, storage, and disposal, has resulted in frequent detection of TCE in the groundwater. TCE has the potential to cause liver damage, malfunctions in the central nervous system and it is considered a likely human carcinogen. Now researchers have found an effective way to remove TCE from groundwater.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Hormone Replacement Therapy Appears To Have No Effect On Risk And Severity Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693197/080228080536.htm
Although rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more predominant in women, the reasons for this are unclear. Many studies have examined the effects of estrogen on the risk and severity of RA, but the results are conflicting and controversial. A new study using data from the Women's Health Initiative clinical trials on hormone replacement therapy found that there were no significant differences in the risk of developing RA or the severity of RA between postmenopausal women who were on hormone replacement therapy and those who took placebos.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Inexpensive Solar Cells Made More Efficient With New Sensitizers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693198/080228112015.htm
Scientists have developed new sensitizers that should help an inexpensive type of solar cell to be more efficient. The sensitizers are based on the dye indoline.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Class Size Alone Not Enough To Close Academic Achievement Gap
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693199/080228112004.htm
A study investigating the effects of class size on the achievement gap between high and low academic achievers suggests that high achievers benefit more from small classes than low achievers, especially at the kindergarten and first grade levels. "While decreasing class size may increase achievement on average for all types of students, it does not appear to reduce the achievement gap within a class."

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Engineering The World's Fastest Swimsuit
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693200/080228100709.htm
A highly specialized computer modeling technique has been instrumental in the design of a revolutionary new swimsuit which is now being hailed as the fastest in the world. Within a week of its launch athletes wearing the new swimsuit had broken three world records.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Blocking Protein Kills Prostate Cancer Cells, Inhibits Tumor Growth, Study Find
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693201/080228080532.htm
Researchers have shown that they can effectively kill prostate cancer cells in both the laboratory and in experimental animal models by blocking a signaling protein that is key to the cancer's growth. The work proves that the protein, Stat5, is both vital to prostate cancer cell maintenance and that it is a viable target for drug therapy.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Does Gingko Biloba Affect Memory?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693202/080227164125.htm
Taking the supplement ginkgo biloba had no clear-cut benefit on the risk of developing memory problems, according to a new study. The three-year study involved 118 people age 85 and older with no memory problems. Half of the participants took ginkgo biloba extract three times a day and half took a placebo. During the study, 21 people developed mild memory problems, or questionable dementia. Although there was a trend favoring ginkgo, the difference between those who took gingko versus the placebo was not statistically significant.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Breast Cancer Subtypes Linked To Survival From Secondary Brain Tumors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693203/080227205118.htm
Screening breast cancers for three receptors could help doctors predict the likely survival of patients with brain metastases. A new study shows that patients with tumours that are negative for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth receptor-2 or that are HER2+/ER- appear to be most at risk from developing brain metastases. Survival is also correlated to the triple receptor status.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Clues To How Plants Form Cell Walls Could Aid Biofuels, Nanotech
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693204/080227215051.htm
When plant cells divide, they assemble molecular building blocks into new cell walls made of carbohydrate and protein, but scientists know almost nothing about how this process occurs. Researchers have found that the first step in building new plant cell walls is the assembly of a scaffold made of structural proteins, a process similar to using a metal or wood scaffold to construct the walls of a building. Unlocking the secrets of how plants build cell walls could lead to better materials for the production of biofuels such as ethanol from cellulose, plant fibers that are a cheaper and more plentiful alternative to the starches currently used.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Maternal Love: How A Mother's Brain Responds To Her Infant
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693205/080228100717.htm
The distinctive ability of mothers to identify the cries of their offspring is widely evident in nature, where it is critical to the survival of these offspring. Particular circuits in the brain, involving several regions in the cerebral cortex and limbic system, are distinctively activated when mothers distinguish the smiles and cries of their own infants from those of other infants.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Increased Hurricane Losses Due To More People, Wealth Along Coastlines, Not Stronger Storms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242712861/080228074324.htm
A team of scientists have found that the economic damages from hurricanes have increased in the U.S. over time due to greater population, infrastructure, and wealth on the U.S. coastlines, and not to any spike in the number or intensity of hurricanes.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Degenerative Eye Disease More Than Doubles Heart Attack And Stroke Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693206/080227212932.htm
The progressive eye disease, age related macular degeneration, or AMD for short, doubles the risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. AMD affects the center of the retina (macula) at the back of the eye, which is used for fine central vision tasks, such as reading and driving.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
New Theory For Dogfish And Skate Population Outburst, Off New England Shore, US
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693207/080227121853.htm
New research questions the long-held belief that a lack of predators and competitors was the primary cause for the increase of skates and dogfish observed in Southern New England's George's Bank following overfishing of commercially important species in the 1980's. Scientists now suggest that the increase of winter skate on George's Bank was the result of a migration to the area from adjacent -- or connected -- waters. This hypothesis challenges the current notion that the Georges Bank's population is closed and if true, could have significant implications to management of the fishery.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Data Show A Decline In Cystic Fibrosis Since Introduction Of Prenatal Carrier Screening
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693208/080227174940.htm
Data show a declining incidence of the genetic disease cystic fibrosis, providing what may be the first demonstration of a link between two independent population-based screening programs. The number of live-born infants with CF dropped by about 50 percent from one four-year period to the next. Moreover, among the babies who were born with CF, markedly fewer had two copies of the delta F508 gene mutation, associated with a severe form of CF.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Earlier Plantings Underlie Yield Gains In Northern Corn Belt
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693209/080227174936.htm
US farmers plant corn much earlier today than ever before and it seems to be paying off, at least in the north. Earlier plantings could account for up to half of the yield gains seen in some parts of the northern corn belt since the late 1970s.

Sat, 1 Mar 08
Comparison Of Antipsychotic Treatments In Adolescents With Schizophrenia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243693210/080228100720.htm
There is a wealth of scientific literature available on the treatment of adults diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, there is a paucity of data to guide the treatment of children and adolescents with schizophrenia. The researchers discovered that clozapine was approximately twice as likely to produce a treatment response as olanzapine.