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Sat, 31 May 08
Possible Ice On Mars Seen By Phoenix Lander Robotic Arm Camera
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301591278/080530204454.htm
Scientists have discovered what may be ice that was exposed when soil was blown away as NASA's Phoenix spacecraft landed on Mars last Sunday, May 25. The possible ice appears in an image the robotic arm camera took underneath the lander, near a footpad.

Sat, 31 May 08
Fruits, Vegetables And Teas May Protect Smokers From Lung Cancer, Researchers Report
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301591279/080529091128.htm
Tobacco smokers who eat three servings of fruits and vegetables per day and drink green or black tea may be protecting themselves from lung cancer, according to a first-of-its-kind study by cancer researchers. The study is the first to find that plant components called flavonoids may prevent the disease.

Sat, 31 May 08
Olfactory Receptor Neurons Select Which Odor Receptors To Express
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301591280/080527201826.htm
Scientists have looked at the problem of understanding the regulatory mechanisms that create different cells from a single template by using the olfactory system of the fruit fly. The ability to discriminate odors depends on receptor cells expressing different patterns of receptor genes, despite each cell having the same genes. Receptor patterns are controlled by DNA sequences upstream of the receptor genes.

Sat, 31 May 08
Quest For Better Treatment For Effects Of Menopause
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301591281/080528102929.htm
During menopause, lack of estrogens increases the risk of suffering cardiovascular diseases. Menopause is a natural period in the aging process of a woman. On ceasing the ovary function, the body gradually stops producing eggs and female sex hormones (amongst these being estrogen and progesterone), responsible for regulating the menstrual cycle. Lack of estrogens increases the risk of very important diseases with respect to premenopause, amongst these being osteoporosis and illnesses related to the cardiovascular system.

Sat, 31 May 08
Healthy Parents Provide Clues To Survival Of Young Haddock On Georges Bank
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301591282/080527155450.htm
In 2003, haddock on Georges Bank experienced the largest baby boom ever documented for the stock, with an estimated 800 million new young fish entering the population. With typical annual averages of 50 to 100 million new fish in the last few decades, fisheries biologists have been puzzled by the huge increase and its ramifications for stock management. They have been looking for answers and may have found one -- healthy adults.

Sat, 31 May 08
Inflammation, Depression And Antidepressant Response: Common Mechanisms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301591283/080529162740.htm
In findings published electronically in Molecular Psychiatry, researchers found polymorphisms in inflammation-related genes that are associated with susceptibility to major depression and antidepressant response. Two genes critical for T-cell function in the immune system have been associated with susceptibility for major depressive disorder and antidepressant treatment response: PSMB4 (proteasome beta 4 subunit) and TBX21 (T-bet).

Sat, 31 May 08
Slide Rule Sense: Amazonian Indigenous Culture Demonstrates Universal Mapping Of Number Onto Space
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301442181/080529141344.htm
The ability to map numbers onto a line is universal. But for an Amazonian tribe, this mapping is not linear but logarithmic. The finding illuminates both the nature and the limits of the human predisposition to measurement, a foundation for science, engineering, and much of our modern culture.

Sat, 31 May 08
Alzheimer's Plaques Cleared Up In Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301411831/080530132216.htm
Blocking a common immune system response cleared up plaques associated with Alzheimer's Disease and enabled treated mice to recover some lost memory, Yale University researchers report in the journal Nature Medicine.

Sat, 31 May 08
Apparent Problem With Global Warming Climate Models Resolved
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301442182/080530144943.htm
Yale University scientists may have resolved a controversial glitch in models of global warming: A key part of the atmosphere didn't seem to be warming as expected. Computer models and basic principles predict atmospheric temperatures should rise slightly faster than, not lag, increases in surface temperatures. Also, the models predict the fastest warming should occur at the Tropics at an altitude between eight and 12 kilometers. However, temperature readings taken from weather balloons and satellites have, according to most analysts, shown little if any warming there compared to the surface.

Sat, 31 May 08
Colon Cancer Screening Sooner? Prevalence Of Pre-cancerous Masses In Colon Same In Patients In Their 40s And 50s
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301442183/080530144012.htm
The prevalence of pre-cancerous masses in the colon is the same for average-risk patients who are 40 to 49 years of age and those who are 50 to 59 years of age, reports a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute.

Sat, 31 May 08
Access To Electronic Medical Records Significantly Increases Efficiency Of Emergency Care
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301251709/080530074313.htm
A new study discusses the benefits gained from providing health care workers with immediate access to patient medical records during a mass casualty incident. The authors believe that using radiofrequency devices that electronically contain a person’s medical records presents a solution that could both streamline aid and reduce medical charges, two often incompatible goals.

Sat, 31 May 08
New West Nile And Japanese Encephalitis 'Pseudoinfectious' Vaccines Produced
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301279359/080530095509.htm
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers have developed new vaccines to protect against West Nile and Japanese encephalitis viruses. The investigators created the vaccines using an innovative technique that they believe could also enable the development of new vaccines against other diseases, such as yellow fever and dengue fever, which are caused by similar viruses.

Fri, 30 May 08
Did Walking On Two Feet Begin With A Shuffle?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935666/080529140042.htm
A pair of researchers have developed a model that suggests shuffling emerged millions of years ago as a precursor to walking on two feet as a way of saving metabolic energy by a common ancestor of today's primates.

Fri, 30 May 08
Even Low Levels Of Air Pollution May Pose Stroke Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935667/080529162856.htm
A new study investigated the association between short-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter and the risk of stroke. Researchers found that recent exposure to fine particulate matter may increase the risk of ischemic cerebrovascular events.

Fri, 30 May 08
New Vegetarian Food With Several Health Benefits
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935668/080528095627.htm
A new vegetarian food that boosts the uptake of iron and offers a good set of proteins. The food, called tempe, is moreover a whole-grain product with high folate content. It is generally accepted in medicine that whole-grains reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and it is also believed that it protects against age-related diabetes and certain forms of cancer. The B vitamin folate is the natural form of folic acid and, among other things, is necessary for normal fetal development.

Fri, 30 May 08
Genetic Cause For A Type Of Childhood Epilepsy Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935669/080529120715.htm
Researchers have discovered the genetic cause of a type of childhood epilepsy called childhood absence epilepsy, which accounts for 10-12 percent of epilepsy cases in children under age 16. The finding may explain why CAE mysteriously disappears in adulthood. In addition, the study may provide insight into developing treatments and cures for CAE and other forms of epilepsy.

Fri, 30 May 08
New Design Enables More Cost-effective Quantum Key Distribution
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935670/080529124827.htm
Researchers have demonstrated a simpler and potentially lower-cost method for distributing cryptographic keys using quantum cryptography, the most secure method of transmitting data. The new method minimizes the required number of detectors, by far the most costly components in quantum cryptography.

Fri, 30 May 08
Looking Tired Or Angry May Have More To Do With Facial Aesthetics Than How You Feel
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935671/080528102900.htm
The old saying, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," has been scientifically shown to be true. A study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that variations in eyebrow shape, eyelid position, and wrinkles significantly impact how your facial expressions, and subsequent mood, are perceived by others.

Fri, 30 May 08
Big Bangs: 'Stirring' Secrets Of Deadly Supervolcanoes Uncovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935672/080529131034.htm
Researchers have simulated in the lab the process that can turn ordinary volcanic eruptions into so-called "supervolcanoes." Supervolcanoes are orders of magnitude greater than any volcanic eruption in historic times. They are capable of causing long-lasting change to weather, threatening the extinction of species, and covering huge areas with lava and ash.

Fri, 30 May 08
Abnormalities In Gene For Melanoma Found
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935673/080529170602.htm
New research from the Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute about mutations in melanoma may bring a wellspring of hope to many patients. Researchers have discovered that there are several different kinds of DNA abnormalities that can occur in a gene called the KIT gene. These abnormalities are associated with different kinds of acral and mucosal melanomas, which are less common, but highly malignant forms of skin cancer.

Fri, 30 May 08
Could Amyloid Deposits Have Potential As Nanomaterials?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935674/080528105931.htm
Amyloid deposits in tissues and organs are linked to a number of diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, type II diabetes, and prion diseases such as BSE. However, amyloids are not just pathological substances; they have potential as nanomaterials.

Fri, 30 May 08
Researchers Identify Genetic Markers That Predict Efficacy Of Novel Cancer Drug
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935675/080529120722.htm
Researchers have identified genetic markers in cancer cells that predicted the benefit of a novel cancer drug prior to chemotherapy. Specific genetic profile within tumor cells may indicate increased patient benefit from a particular drug.

Fri, 30 May 08
Organic Free Grazing Cows Are Cream Of The Crop
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299902217/080527101003.htm
Organic farmers who let their cows graze as nature intended are producing better quality milk. Milk from grazing cows on organic farms in the UK contains significantly higher beneficial fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins than its conventional 'high input' counterparts. During the summer, one of the beneficial fats in particular -- conjugated linoleic acid -- was found to be 60 percent higher.

Fri, 30 May 08
Where Man Boldly Goes, Bacteria Follow
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935676/080528191418.htm
Life in outer space is an absolute certainty, and it is likely to be more familiar than we might think, according to an article in Microbiology Today. Ever since the start of the space race we have sent more than just satellites and astronauts into space: spacecraft are not routinely decontaminated and are teeming with microbial life.

Fri, 30 May 08
Mars' Water Appears To Have Been Too Salty To Support Life
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935677/080529141404.htm
A new analysis of the Martian rock that gave hints of water on the Red Planet -- and, therefore, optimism about the prospect of life -- now suggests the water was more likely a thick brine, far too salty to support life as we know it.

Fri, 30 May 08
Pregnancies Linked To Tooth Loss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935678/080529162934.htm
Women who have more children are more likely to have missing teeth, according to a nationwide study of 2,635 women. Profound biological and behavioral changes related to pregnancy and child birth are likely to be a factor in tooth loss.

Fri, 30 May 08
World's Rarest Rhinos Make First Video Trap Appearance -- Then Toss Camera
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935679/080529200129.htm
After just a month in operation, specially designed video cameras installed to capture wildlife footage in the jungles of South East Asia have twice recorded remarkable images of a mother and child pair of the world's rarest rhino. But the success was not without incident as after a short inspection, the rhino mother charged the camera installation in Ujung Kulon National Park and sent it flying.

Fri, 30 May 08
Sugar-coated Antibiotics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935680/080528095709.htm
Researchers have recently elucidated the structure and function of an enzyme which is involved in decorating antibiotics with sugar molecules. Many antibiotics have different carbohydrate molecules attached to them which can help the antibiotic to be taken up by the target organism or overcome resistance. By manipulating the sugar, it may be possible to restore usefulness in antibiotics to which resistance has developed.

Fri, 30 May 08
Computer Scientists Devise A 'P4P' System For Efficient Internet Usage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935681/080527155517.htm
A Yale research team has engineered a system with the potential for making the Internet work more efficiently, in which Internet Service Providers and Peer-to-Peer software providers can work cooperatively to deliver data.

Fri, 30 May 08
Altruism In Social Insects Is A Family Affair
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935682/080529141329.htm
The contentious debate about why insects evolved to put the interests of the colony over the individual has been reignited by new research from the University of Leeds, showing that they do so to increase the chances that their genes will be passed on.

Fri, 30 May 08
Stonehenge Could Have Been Resting Place For Royalty
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935683/080529195341.htm
Archaeologists at the University of Sheffield have revealed new radiocarbon dates of human cremation burials at Stonehenge, which indicate that the monument was used as a cemetery from its inception just after 3000 B.C. until well after the large stones went up around 2500 B.C.

Fri, 30 May 08
Cumulative Radiation Exposure Shows Increased Cancer Risk For Emergency Department Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935684/080521093034.htm
According to a new study, patients are receiving estimated doses of radiation from medical diagnostic imaging studies, such as CT scans, that may be detrimental to their long term health, putting them at an increased risk of developing cancer.

Fri, 30 May 08
The Secret Behind Silkworm's Hardy Stomachs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935685/080527170509.htm
Researchers have found that silkworms produce a special digestive enzyme, previously not found in any animals, that is not affected by the toxic chemicals found in mulberry leaves.

Fri, 30 May 08
C-sections A Critical Factor In Preterm Birth Increase
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935686/080528095746.htm
C-sections account for nearly all of the increase in US singleton preterm births. Between 1996 and 2004 there was an increase of nearly 60,000 singleton preterm births and 92 percent of those infants were delivered by a c-section. While singleton preterm births increased by about 10 percent during this time, the c-section rate for this group increased by 36 percent.

Fri, 30 May 08
Sticky Business: Researchers Devise New Way Of Mapping The Viscosity Of Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935687/080523201301.htm
A fluorescent dye can be used to map how viscous, or 'gloopy', different parts of a cell are, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Changes in viscosity have been linked to disease and malfunction in human cells. For example, changes in the viscosity of the membranes of red blood cells have been observed in diabetes patients. Knowing more about these changes could lead to a greater understanding of how some diseases affect the human body.

Fri, 30 May 08
Active Social Life May Delay Memory Loss Among US Elderly Population
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935688/080529162938.htm
In a new study, Harvard School of Public Health researchers found evidence that elderly people in the US who have an active social life may have a slower rate of memory decline.

Fri, 30 May 08
Common Aquatic Animal's Genome Can Capture Foreign DNA
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935689/080529141401.htm
Long viewed as straitlaced spinsters, sexless freshwater invertebrate animals known as bdelloid rotifers may actually be far more promiscuous than anyone had imagined: Scientists have found that the genomes of these common creatures are chock-full of DNA from plants, fungi, bacteria, and animals. The apparent ease of DNA incorporation may reveal a bizarre new form of sexual reproduction.

Fri, 30 May 08
Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Naproxen May Be Equally Effective At Reducing Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935690/080528162804.htm
Different types of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin, appear to be equally effective in lowering the risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to the largest study of its kind published in Neurology. Experts have debated whether a certain group of NSAIDs that includes ibuprofen may be more beneficial than another group that includes naproxen and aspirin.

Fri, 30 May 08
New Breathing Exercises Help Manage Asthma
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935691/080528095853.htm
A presentation that demonstrates breathing exercises designed to help reduce the use of asthma inhalers is today available to the general public for free from the Cooperative Research Centre for Asthma and Airways website.

Fri, 30 May 08
Killer Algae's 'Fingerprints' Wrap Up The Case
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935692/080527211502.htm
Phytoplankton are microscopic plants that are the base of the food chain in oceans and lakes. Some phytoplankton can produce toxins that are harmful to other marine organisms, including fish. Researchers have studied the DNA of phytoplankton in order to identify and quantify different types of harmful phytoplankton species. New work forms a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to understanding when and how harmful phytoplankton species, such as e.g. the "killer algae" become dominant and threaten to kill off fish.

Fri, 30 May 08
A Little Bit Of Egg Makes Tracking Aphids Easier
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935693/080527120756.htm
The green peach aphid, despite its name, is a pest of potatoes. Besides siphoning off juices from potato plants, the aphid can infect the plants with viruses that cause an estimated $100 million annually in yield losses. Now, tracking where and when the aphid is likely to transmit potato viruses could be easier to do than ever.

Fri, 30 May 08
Exercise Cuts Cancer Death In Men
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935694/080529093431.htm
Men who exercise often are less likely to die from cancer than those who don't exercise, according to a new study from a Swedish medical university. In the study, the researchers looked at the effect of physical activity and cancer risk in 40,708 men aged between 45 and 79.

Fri, 30 May 08
Scientists Hold Seance For Supernova
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935695/080529141946.htm
Astronomers have unearthed secrets from the grave of a star that blasted apart in a supernova explosion long ago. By decoding ghostly echoes of light traveling away from the remains of a supernova called Cassiopeia A, the scientists have pieced together what the star looked like in life, and ultimately how it met its demise.

Fri, 30 May 08
Long-term Hormone Replacement Therapy Increases Breast Cancer Risk Until 5 Years After Use, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935696/080528102922.htm
Now there is proof for women in Germany, too: If hormone replacement therapy is taken over a period of more than five years, the risk of breast cancer will increase. While this risk is considerably elevated during use of hormone medication, it drops back to the original level within about five years after a woman has stopped taking hormones.

Fri, 30 May 08
Biofuels: Fungus Use Improves Corn-to-ethanol Process
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935697/080527155540.htm
Scientists are developing a process that cleans up and improves the dry-grind ethanol production process. The process uses fungus to reduce energy costs, allow more water recycling and improve a co-product that's used as livestock feed. The process could change ethanol production in dry-grind plants so much that energy costs can be reduced by as much as one-third, according to researchers.

Fri, 30 May 08
High Throughput Microscopy Quantifies Regulation Of Estrogen Receptor
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935698/080527201836.htm
High throughput microscopy that uses robots and special microscopes and techniques to generate thousands of images of a cell in a short time enabled researchers to describe how the genetic message of estrogen receptor-alpha is regulated, a finding that could have implications for breast cancer.

Fri, 30 May 08
Structure Of Salt Lake Archaeal Virus Solved In Finland
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935699/080527183017.htm
Researchers have solved the structure of archaeal virus SH1 to the resolution of one nanometer. The results that shed new light on the evolution of viruses.

Fri, 30 May 08
Relaxation Exercises Sharpens Shooting In Biathlon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300935700/080529093411.htm
Biathletes who have learned to apply a relaxation technique can improve their results in the rifle-shooting range. Half of the test group integrated the relaxation exercise in their rifle-shooting practice for ten weeks. The control group practiced as usual. The results showed a clear difference. The group that used the relaxation technique learned to shoot better. They held their rifle barrels steadier and placed their shots within a narrower area. The control group made no progress whatsoever.

Fri, 30 May 08
Carbon Nanoribbons Could Make Smaller, Speedier Computer Chips
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300568672/080528095936.htm
Stanford chemists have developed a new way to make transistors out of carbon nanoribbons. The devices could someday be integrated into high-performance computer chips to increase their speed and generate less heat, which can damage today's silicon-based chips when transistors are packed together tightly.

Fri, 30 May 08
Medication Shows Promise For Patients With Severe Chronic Constipation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300568673/080528172015.htm
A new medication appears to offer significant relief to patients with severe chronic constipation while minimizing the likelihood of cardiac-related side effects. Constipation is a common medical problem, affecting about 15 percent of Americans who spend several billion dollars each year on laxatives and other treatments.

Fri, 30 May 08
Skin Defects Set Off Alarm With Widespread And Potentially Harmful Effects
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300568674/080527201755.htm
When patches of red, flaky and itchy skin on newborn mice led rapidly to their deaths, researchers looked for the reason why. What they found was a molecular alarm system that serves as a sentinel to monitor the integrity of skin -- the body's essential protective barrier.

Fri, 30 May 08
Many Patients With Heart Disease Have Poor Knowledge Of Heart Attack Symptoms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655853/080526171406.htm
Nearly half of patients with a history of heart disease have poor knowledge about the symptoms of a heart attack and do not perceive themselves to have an elevated cardiovascular risk, according to a new article.

Fri, 30 May 08
Tourists To Caribbean Urged To Pay One Dollar Each To Help Fight Tropical Diseases Of Poverty
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300568675/080527201817.htm
In an editorial in this month's PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the journal's Editor in Chief, Professor Peter Hotez (George Washington University and Sabin Vaccine Institute) proposes that a modest $1 airline or cruise ship tax or a tax on tourist entry could provide a funding mechanism for the Caribbean countries to control these NTDs.

Fri, 30 May 08
Heat, Not Light, May Be Real Engine Driving Biodiversity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300568676/080527155533.htm
The diversity of species increases from the poles to the tropics, but until now bacteria were thought to be an exception. A new study shows that bacteria follow the same pattern and provides new insight in a long debate about the relative importance of temperature and sunlight in driving biodiversity.

Fri, 30 May 08
First 'Smell Map' Supports Idea That Universal Laws For Smell Are Hard-Wired In Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118707/080527094159.htm
Scientists have created a 'smell map' based on the chemical properties of odor molecules. This map, which can predict the neural response to an unfamiliar smell, supports the idea that universal laws governing smell are hard-wired into the brain.

Fri, 30 May 08
Robots Go Where Scientists Fear To Tread
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300568678/080527170513.htm
Researchers have created specially designed robots called SnoMotes to traverse potentially dangerous ice environments. The SnoMotes work as a team, autonomously collaborating among themselves to gather data that could give scientists a better understanding of the important dynamics that influence the stability of ice sheets.

Fri, 30 May 08
Has Decreased Infection Load Of Infants Led To Increased Allergic And Autoimmune Diseases?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/300568680/080528095732.htm
The starting point of the hygiene hypothesis is that the decreasing infection load of infants in the developed countries leads to an increase in allergic and autoimmune diseases. Such development has been observed practically in all industrialized countries after the Second World War. Now an extensive research project begins to establish how the living environment affects the development and maturation of a child's immune system.

Thu, 29 May 08
Geoengineering Could Slow Down Global Water Cycle
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500245/080527155519.htm
As fossil fuel emissions continue to climb, reducing the amount of sunlight hitting the Earth would definitely have a cooling effect on surface temperatures.

Thu, 29 May 08
Bone Repair Using Patient's Stem Cells Comes Closer
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298624929/080526170313.htm
Enzyme induces adult stem cells to grow bone. Until now it has been difficult to induce adult human stem cells to produce bone, e.g. in order to repair bone tissue. Researchers have just shown that if the enzyme PKA is previously activated in the stem cells in the lab, following implantation this results in substantial bone formation. This opens up new ways of repairing bone tissue using cell material from the patient.

Thu, 29 May 08
Miracle Leaves That May Help Protect Against Liver Damage
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296493962/080523064620.htm
Sea buckthorn berries are well known for their cholesterol busting properties, but scientists in India say that its leaves are also rich in antioxidants and may help ward off liver disease, according to new research in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Thu, 29 May 08
Current Vitamin D Recommendations Fraction Of Safe, Perhaps Essential Levels For Children
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299085826/080527084255.htm
The current recommended daily allowance of vitamin D for children is 200 International Units, but new research reveals that children may need and can safely take ten-times that amount. According to a recent article in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, this order-of-magnitude increase could improve the bone health of children worldwide and may have other long-term health benefits.

Thu, 29 May 08
Rice In Your Gas Tank: Boosting Biofuel Production From Rice Straw
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298594437/080526153329.htm
Researchers in China are reporting a discovery that could turn rice straw into an inexpensive new renewable source of biofuel. Their new study describes a way to boost production of biofuel from rice straw by almost 65 percent.

Thu, 29 May 08
Flat Carbonated Drinks Not An Effective Alternative To Oral Rehydration Solution, Study Finds
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299085824/080527084303.htm
"Flat" carbonated drinks should not be used as an alternative for oral rehydration solution to prevent dehydration in children with acute vomiting and diarrhea, according to advice in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Thu, 29 May 08
Authentic Viking DNA Retrieved From 1,000-year-old Skeletons
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500246/080527201804.htm
Although "Viking" literally means "pirate," recent research has indicated that the Vikings were also traders to the fishmongers of Europe. Stereotypically, these Norsemen are usually pictured wearing a horned helmet but in a new study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen, investigated what went under the helmet; the scientists extracted authentic DNA from ancient Viking skeletons, avoiding many of the problems of contamination faced by past researchers.

Thu, 29 May 08
New Technique Allows Targeted Inactivation Of Genes In Research Model
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500247/080527101044.htm
A new technique improves the ability of scientists to target individual genes for inactivation -- a technique with broad potential implications for both basic science research and human disease.

Thu, 29 May 08
Using Maize As An Efficient 'Factory' For Protein-based Pharmaceutical Products
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297742405/080525085111.htm
Maize (corn) seeds are an effective and dependable platform within molecular agriculture in the effort to alleviate diseases. Over the next few years AIDS could be one of the first diseases to benefit from these results, although regulations for this technology are being developed at the same time as research is being undertaken. Maize, the third most important cereal in the world, has a great number of advantages for molecular agriculture. Among these are its physiology, its capacity to express recombinant proteins in the seeds, its widespread cultivation and its genetic diversity, as well as being anti-allergenic and non-toxic.

Thu, 29 May 08
New Cancer Stem Cell Driving Metastatic Tumors Identified
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500248/080522181533.htm
The molecular profile of cancer stem cells that initiate metastatic colon tumors is significantly different from those responsible for primary tumors, according to new research. New data, generated by analysis of human colon cancer cells and mice, have shed doubt on the recently proposed designation of the protein CD133 as a marker of colon cancer stem cells -- a term given to the small number of cells within a colon cancer that are thought to be able to give rise to a new tumor and that therefore are responsible for tumor recurrence and metastasis.

Thu, 29 May 08
Super-hard Nanocrystalline Iron Developed That Can Take The Heat
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500249/080527155512.htm
Researchers have created a substance far stronger and harder than conventional iron, and which retains these properties under extremely high temperatures -- opening the door to a wide variety of potential applications, such as engine components that are exposed to high stress and high temperatures.

Thu, 29 May 08
Electroshock: Electroconvulsive Therapy Without Cognitive Side Effects
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500250/080527091907.htm
Scientists report that a new form of electroconvulsive therapy is just as effective as older forms in treating depression but without any of the cognitive side effects found in the older forms.

Thu, 29 May 08
Giant Flying Reptiles Preferred To Walk
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500251/080527201814.htm
New research into gigantic flying reptiles has found they weren't all gull-like predators grabbing fish from the water but that some were strongly adapted for life on the ground. Pterosaurs lived during the age of dinosaurs 230 to 65 million years ago. A new study on one particular type of pterosaur, the azhdarchids, claims they were more likely to stalk animals on foot than fly.

Thu, 29 May 08
Hormone May Hold Key To Helping Elderly Men Live Longer
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299085827/080527084252.htm
Elderly men with higher activity of the hormone IGF-1 -- or insulin-growth factor 1 -- appear to have greater life expectancy and reduced cardiovascular risk, according to a new study accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Thu, 29 May 08
Novel Toxin Receptor Discovered For Ulcer-causing Stomach Pathogen
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500252/080523162909.htm
Helicobacter pylori is one tough bug. It can survive in the human stomach, a zone with a pH somewhere between that of lemon juice and battery acid. Now researchers have discovered how an H. pylori toxin gets into cells, a feat that helps the bacterium live in one of the most inhospitable environments in the body.

Thu, 29 May 08
Cocoa Could Be A Healthy Treat For Diabetic Patients
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655850/080526171410.htm
For people with diabetes, sipping a mug of steaming, flavorful cocoa may seem a guilty pleasure. But new research suggests that indulging a craving for cocoa can actually help blood vessels to function better and might soon be considered part of a healthy diet for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Thu, 29 May 08
New Method Identifies Rat Poison In Humans
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118710/080527094142.htm
Researchers have developed a method to identify bromadiolone poisoning in humans. Bromadiolone is a rat poison that can be purchased freely in shops. A number of cases have been reported internationally where people have been poisoned, with a mortality rate of 20 percent.

Thu, 29 May 08
People With ADHD Do One Month's Less Work Per Year, Study Finds
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500253/080527125324.htm
Workers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do 22 days less work per year than people who do not have the disorder, finds new research. So much work is being lost that the researchers recommend employers consider screening staff for ADHD and providing treatment for those affected, because it would be more cost-effective for their businesses.

Thu, 29 May 08
Chemists Create Cancer-detecting Nanoparticles
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500254/080527100950.htm
Chemists have created the smallest iron oxide nanoparticles to date for cancer detection by magnetic resonance imaging. The magnetic nanoparticles operate like tiny guided missiles, seeking and attaching themselves to malignant tumor cells. Once they bind, the particles emit stronger signals that MRI scans can detect.

Thu, 29 May 08
Antibiotics Accompanying Surgery Prevent Some Infections But Increasingly Cause Another
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500255/080527155508.htm
The risk of contracting a Clostridium difficile infection following operations for which a "prophylactic" antibiotic is given to prevent infection is 21 times greater now than it was just a decade ago, according to researchers.

Thu, 29 May 08
Scientists Remove Thousands Of Aspen Trees To Glimpse Forest's Future
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500256/080523095759.htm
Armed with chainsaws and pry bars, researchers recently hastened the end for nearly 7,000 mature aspen and birch trees in a large-scale, long-term experiment to glimpse the Great Lakes region's future forests.

Thu, 29 May 08
Many Men With Low Testosterone Levels Do Not Receive Treatment
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655856/080526171401.htm
The majority of men with androgen deficiency may not be receiving treatment despite having sufficient access to care, according to a new article.

Thu, 29 May 08
Battling Bird Flu By The Numbers
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500257/080527120211.htm
A new mathematical tool could help health experts and crisis managers determine in real time whether an emerging infectious disease such as avian influenza H5N1 is poised to spread globally.

Thu, 29 May 08
Family Feuds: Why Close Relatives Keep Their Distance In The Animal Kingdom
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500258/080527193138.htm
Mammals cannot share their habitat with closely related species because the need for the same kind of food and shelter would lead them to compete to the death, according to new research.

Thu, 29 May 08
Massive Star In Nearby Galaxy Has Mammoth Belt
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500259/080527110944.htm
Talk about a diet! By resolving, for the first time, features of an individual star in a neighboring galaxy, ESO's VLT has allowed astronomers to determine that it weighs almost half of what was previously thought, thereby solving the mystery of its existence. The behemoth star is found to be surrounded by a massive and thick torus of gas and dust, and is most likely experiencing unstable, violent mass loss.

Thu, 29 May 08
New Treatments For Viral And Other Diseases By Blocking Genes
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298624930/080526165817.htm
The elusive goal of developing effective treatments for viral diseases such as AIDS and influenza has been brought closer by dramatic progress in the ability to interfere with viral genetic machinery. It has been possible for many years to protect against some viral diseases such as polio in advance by vaccination, but there is still no effective treatment for patients once infection has occurred.

Thu, 29 May 08
Origin Of Cells For Connective Tissues Of Skull And Face Challenged
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500260/080523162928.htm
With improved resolution, tissue-specific molecular markers and precise timing scientsists have possibly overturned a long-standing assumption about the origin of embryonic cells that give rise to connective and skeletal tissues that form the base of the skull and facial structures in back-boned creatures from fish to humans.

Thu, 29 May 08
CT May Better Predict Those At Higher Risk For Heart Disease
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655861/080526171355.htm
Adding noninvasive imaging to current risk-assessment protocols may identify more people who are at risk of developing heart disease, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

Thu, 29 May 08
Large-scale Community Protein Annotation -- WikiProteins
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500261/080527193146.htm
Today sees the launch of a new collaborative website initially focusing on proteins and their role in biology and medicine. The WikiProfessional technology underlying the site has been developed based upon the collaborative Wikipedia approach. WikiProteins provides a method for community annotation on a huge scale.

Thu, 29 May 08
Parental Involvement Strongly Impacts Student Achievement
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500262/080527123852.htm
New research shows that students do much better in school when their parents are actively involved in their education. Parents seemed particularly interested in the academic achievements of their daughters. The researchers found parents spent more time talking to their daughters about their school work during dinnertime discussions.

Thu, 29 May 08
DNA Clues To Reproductive Behavior
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118689/080523200910.htm
A species of wild yeast goes through a cycle of sexual reproduction once in every 1,000 asexual generations, according to new research. The study focused on the wild yeast Saccharomyces paradoxus, which is able to reproduce both sexually and asexually. The scientific team used this yeast to examine how sexual and asexual reproduction cause different types of variations in an organism's DNA sequence.

Thu, 29 May 08
Common Gene Disorder Doubles Risk Of Lung Cancer, Even Among Nonsmokers
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655862/080526171349.htm
Researchers have found that carrying a common genetic disorder doubles the risk of developing lung cancer in smokers and nonsmokers.

Thu, 29 May 08
NASA Mars Lander Prepares To Move Arm
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500263/080527213850.htm
NASA's Phoenix Lander is ready to begin moving its robotic arm, first unlatching its wrist and then flexing its elbow. Mission scientists are eager to move Phoenix's robotic arm, for that arm will deliver samples of icy terrain to their instruments made to study this unexplored Martian environment.

Thu, 29 May 08
Understanding Autumn Rain Decline In SE Australia
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118691/080523091736.htm
Fluctuations in sea-surface temperatures to the north of Australia and changes in atmospheric circulation patterns over the sub-tropical Indian Ocean have been identified as key factors leading to declining rainfalls in southeastern Australia since 1950.

Thu, 29 May 08
Hypoxia Training Suppresses Harmful Cardiac Nitric Oxide Production During Heart Attack
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118692/080523162957.htm
Ischemic heart disease is the leading killer in the United States and other developed nations, yet clinically effective, noninvasive therapies to prevent ischemic damage of the heart remain elusive. Researchers are studying how a program of brief, moderate hypoxia exposures increases the heart's resistance to ischemia-induced damage. This study shows that hypoxia conditioning dampens enzymatic nitric oxide formation, which minimizes the toxic burst of nitric oxide formation when blocked coronary arteries are reopened.

Thu, 29 May 08
'Avalanche Effect' In Solar Cells Demonstrated
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118712/080527091942.htm
Researchers have found irrefutable proof that the so-called avalanche effect by electrons occurs in specific, very small semiconducting crystals. This physical effect could pave the way for cheap, high-output solar cells. One possible improvement could derive from a new type of solar cell made of semiconducting nanocrystals (crystals with dimensions in the nanometre size range). In conventional solar cells, one photon (light particle) can release precisely one electron.

Thu, 29 May 08
Educating Managers On Computer Fraud Could Cut Crime
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118693/080523095755.htm
A computer scientist has devised an antifraud strategy for business. He suggests that managers should be made aware of security issues and send out cues to junior staff that they have this knowledge. Researchers in this field and security practitioners have recently begun to emphasize the need to take into account the "social" aspects of information security. They also emphasize that a lack of communication at the wider organizational level is often associated with computer fraud.

Thu, 29 May 08
Electron Traps That Compute
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296516809/080523075105.htm
Physicists have used a semiconductor material to create superimposed quantum dots that "trap" single electrons. Not only can these dots be studied with lasers, their energy can be influenced as well. Another point: the state of one of the dots governs that of the other above it. This has taken the researchers another step closer to quantum computers.

Thu, 29 May 08
Failed HIV Drug Gets Second Chance With Addition Of Gold Nanoparticles
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298769912/080523162920.htm
Researchers have discovered that adding tiny bits of gold to a failed HIV drug rekindle the drug's ability to stop the virus from invading the body's immune system. The addition of gold nanoparticles to a modified version of a drug designed in the 1990s to combat HIV - but discarded due to its harmful side effects - creates a compound that prevents the virus from gaining a cellular foothold.

Thu, 29 May 08
Neuromuscular Activation By Means Of Vibrations
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118694/080522082716.htm
Researchers have studied the possible effects of vibrations as a mean of neuromuscular activation to improve jumping performance. The results suggest that the effect could be dependent on the level of training.

Thu, 29 May 08
A Protein's Role In Enabling AIDS Virus To Reproduce Detailed
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118695/080523162950.htm
Scientists have discovered new details about how a simian strain of the AIDS virus replicates. The findings are significant because they suggest new strategies to prevent replication, and because they are applicable to human strains of the virus, which, despite the persistent efforts of scientists over two decades, can only be slowed by drug treatments but neither cured nor prevented.

Thu, 29 May 08
Building A Better DNA Molecule
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118708/080527094154.htm
Scientists have demonstrated that a mathematical concept called recursion can be applied to constructing flawless synthetic DNA molecules. The ideal molecules are created in successive rounds in which faultless segments are lifted from longer, error-containing DNA strands and assembled anew.

Thu, 29 May 08
Raising A Stop Sign To Human Traffic
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118696/080523095752.htm
Trade in people is not a new phenomenon, but the modern manifestation of slavery, according to US researchers. However, writing in the Journal of Global Business Advancement, they point out that human trafficking and trade in human organs has intensified with increased globalization. They hope to raise awareness of the issue among the business research community with a view to finding solutions.

Thu, 29 May 08
Next-generation Explosives: More Power And Safety Without The Pollution
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298594438/080526153255.htm
Scientists in Germany are reporting development of a new generation of explosives that is more powerful than TNT and other existing explosives, less apt to detonate accidentally, and produce fewer toxic byproducts.

Thu, 29 May 08
New Immunization Strategy Could Be Effective Against 10 To 15 Percent Of All Cancers
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299145286/080527091916.htm
Researchers have discovered a new strategy for an immunization against certain forms of cancer. They have determined that immune cells react strongly to the modified proteins in tumor cells in which a DNA repair defect has occurred. It is estimated that this repair defect is present in some 15 percent of all tumors.

Thu, 29 May 08
New Target For Cancer Drugs? Gatekeepers Are Discovered In The Human Cell 'Shredder'
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118702/080522093344.htm
Human cells make use of a "shredder," the proteasome, to degrade proteins that are old, misfolded or no longer needed. If the system does not work, illnesses such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease may occur. Biochemist report finding a long-awaited receptor for ubiquitin on the proteasome which may have a key role in fighting tumors.

Thu, 29 May 08
Drug Bivalirudin Better Than Heparin After Heart Attack, Large Study Suggests
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118703/080523163004.htm
Heart attack patients who were administered the direct thrombin inhibitor bivalirudin during primary angioplasty had a reduced rate of adverse clinical events, a lower rate of major bleeding, and a lower mortality rate than those who were treated with a regimen of heparin and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors.

Thu, 29 May 08
New Serpentine Nanotube Structures Created
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118709/080527094150.htm
Scientists are developing techniques to coax carbon nanotubes to self-assemble into ordered structures -- essentially making the nanotubes do the hard work for them. Ironically, the universal principle of 'order through chaos,' has allowed the team’s most recent research to give rise to nanotubes that are strikingly more ordered and complex than any ever observed before. These intriguing new nanotube structures have dubbed 'serpentines' due to their self-assembly into snake-like or looped configurations.

Wed, 28 May 08
Geoengineering Could Slow Down Global Water Cycle
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500245/080527155519.htm
As fossil fuel emissions continue to climb, reducing the amount of sunlight hitting the Earth would definitely have a cooling effect on surface temperatures.

Wed, 28 May 08
Bone Repair Using Patient's Stem Cells Comes Closer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298624929/080526170313.htm
Enzyme induces adult stem cells to grow bone. Until now it has been difficult to induce adult human stem cells to produce bone, e.g. in order to repair bone tissue. Researchers have just shown that if the enzyme PKA is previously activated in the stem cells in the lab, following implantation this results in substantial bone formation. This opens up new ways of repairing bone tissue using cell material from the patient.

Wed, 28 May 08
Current Vitamin D Recommendations Fraction Of Safe, Perhaps Essential Levels For Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299085826/080527084255.htm
The current recommended daily allowance of vitamin D for children is 200 International Units, but new research reveals that children may need and can safely take ten-times that amount. According to a recent article in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, this order-of-magnitude increase could improve the bone health of children worldwide and may have other long-term health benefits.

Wed, 28 May 08
Rice In Your Gas Tank: Boosting Biofuel Production From Rice Straw
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298594437/080526153329.htm
Researchers in China are reporting a discovery that could turn rice straw into an inexpensive new renewable source of biofuel. Their new study describes a way to boost production of biofuel from rice straw by almost 65 percent.

Wed, 28 May 08
Flat Carbonated Drinks Not An Effective Alternative To Oral Rehydration Solution, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299085824/080527084303.htm
"Flat" carbonated drinks should not be used as an alternative for oral rehydration solution to prevent dehydration in children with acute vomiting and diarrhea, according to advice in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Wed, 28 May 08
Authentic Viking DNA Retrieved From 1,000-year-old Skeletons
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500246/080527201804.htm
Although "Viking" literally means "pirate," recent research has indicated that the Vikings were also traders to the fishmongers of Europe. Stereotypically, these Norsemen are usually pictured wearing a horned helmet but in a new study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen, investigated what went under the helmet; the scientists extracted authentic DNA from ancient Viking skeletons, avoiding many of the problems of contamination faced by past researchers.

Wed, 28 May 08
New Technique Allows Targeted Inactivation Of Genes In Research Model
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500247/080527101044.htm
A new technique improves the ability of scientists to target individual genes for inactivation -- a technique with broad potential implications for both basic science research and human disease.

Wed, 28 May 08
New Cancer Stem Cell Driving Metastatic Tumors Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500248/080522181533.htm
The molecular profile of cancer stem cells that initiate metastatic colon tumors is significantly different from those responsible for primary tumors, according to new research. New data, generated by analysis of human colon cancer cells and mice, have shed doubt on the recently proposed designation of the protein CD133 as a marker of colon cancer stem cells -- a term given to the small number of cells within a colon cancer that are thought to be able to give rise to a new tumor and that therefore are responsible for tumor recurrence and metastasis.

Wed, 28 May 08
Super-hard Nanocrystalline Iron Developed That Can Take The Heat
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500249/080527155512.htm
Researchers have created a substance far stronger and harder than conventional iron, and which retains these properties under extremely high temperatures -- opening the door to a wide variety of potential applications, such as engine components that are exposed to high stress and high temperatures.

Wed, 28 May 08
Electroshock: Electroconvulsive Therapy Without Cognitive Side Effects
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500250/080527091907.htm
Scientists report that a new form of electroconvulsive therapy is just as effective as older forms in treating depression but without any of the cognitive side effects found in the older forms.

Wed, 28 May 08
Giant Flying Reptiles Preferred To Walk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500251/080527201814.htm
New research into gigantic flying reptiles has found they weren't all gull-like predators grabbing fish from the water but that some were strongly adapted for life on the ground. Pterosaurs lived during the age of dinosaurs 230 to 65 million years ago. A new study on one particular type of pterosaur, the azhdarchids, claims they were more likely to stalk animals on foot than fly.

Wed, 28 May 08
Hormone May Hold Key To Helping Elderly Men Live Longer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299085827/080527084252.htm
Elderly men with higher activity of the hormone IGF-1 -- or insulin-growth factor 1 -- appear to have greater life expectancy and reduced cardiovascular risk, according to a new study accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Wed, 28 May 08
Novel Toxin Receptor Discovered For Ulcer-causing Stomach Pathogen
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500252/080523162909.htm
Helicobacter pylori is one tough bug. It can survive in the human stomach, a zone with a pH somewhere between that of lemon juice and battery acid. Now researchers have discovered how an H. pylori toxin gets into cells, a feat that helps the bacterium live in one of the most inhospitable environments in the body.

Wed, 28 May 08
Cocoa Could Be A Healthy Treat For Diabetic Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655850/080526171410.htm
For people with diabetes, sipping a mug of steaming, flavorful cocoa may seem a guilty pleasure. But new research suggests that indulging a craving for cocoa can actually help blood vessels to function better and might soon be considered part of a healthy diet for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Wed, 28 May 08
New Method Identifies Rat Poison In Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118710/080527094142.htm
Researchers have developed a method to identify bromadiolone poisoning in humans. Bromadiolone is a rat poison that can be purchased freely in shops. A number of cases have been reported internationally where people have been poisoned, with a mortality rate of 20 percent.

Wed, 28 May 08
People With ADHD Do One Month's Less Work Per Year, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500253/080527125324.htm
Workers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do 22 days less work per year than people who do not have the disorder, finds new research. So much work is being lost that the researchers recommend employers consider screening staff for ADHD and providing treatment for those affected, because it would be more cost-effective for their businesses.

Wed, 28 May 08
Chemists Create Cancer-detecting Nanoparticles
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500254/080527100950.htm
Chemists have created the smallest iron oxide nanoparticles to date for cancer detection by magnetic resonance imaging. The magnetic nanoparticles operate like tiny guided missiles, seeking and attaching themselves to malignant tumor cells. Once they bind, the particles emit stronger signals that MRI scans can detect.

Wed, 28 May 08
Antibiotics Accompanying Surgery Prevent Some Infections But Increasingly Cause Another
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500255/080527155508.htm
The risk of contracting a Clostridium difficile infection following operations for which a "prophylactic" antibiotic is given to prevent infection is 21 times greater now than it was just a decade ago, according to researchers.

Wed, 28 May 08
Scientists Remove Thousands Of Aspen Trees To Glimpse Forest's Future
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500256/080523095759.htm
Armed with chainsaws and pry bars, researchers recently hastened the end for nearly 7,000 mature aspen and birch trees in a large-scale, long-term experiment to glimpse the Great Lakes region's future forests.

Wed, 28 May 08
Many Men With Low Testosterone Levels Do Not Receive Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655856/080526171401.htm
The majority of men with androgen deficiency may not be receiving treatment despite having sufficient access to care, according to a new article.

Wed, 28 May 08
Battling Bird Flu By The Numbers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500257/080527120211.htm
A new mathematical tool could help health experts and crisis managers determine in real time whether an emerging infectious disease such as avian influenza H5N1 is poised to spread globally.

Wed, 28 May 08
Family Feuds: Why Close Relatives Keep Their Distance In The Animal Kingdom
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500258/080527193138.htm
Mammals cannot share their habitat with closely related species because the need for the same kind of food and shelter would lead them to compete to the death, according to new research.

Wed, 28 May 08
Massive Star In Nearby Galaxy Has Mammoth Belt
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500259/080527110944.htm
Talk about a diet! By resolving, for the first time, features of an individual star in a neighboring galaxy, ESO's VLT has allowed astronomers to determine that it weighs almost half of what was previously thought, thereby solving the mystery of its existence. The behemoth star is found to be surrounded by a massive and thick torus of gas and dust, and is most likely experiencing unstable, violent mass loss.

Wed, 28 May 08
New Treatments For Viral And Other Diseases By Blocking Genes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298624930/080526165817.htm
The elusive goal of developing effective treatments for viral diseases such as AIDS and influenza has been brought closer by dramatic progress in the ability to interfere with viral genetic machinery. It has been possible for many years to protect against some viral diseases such as polio in advance by vaccination, but there is still no effective treatment for patients once infection has occurred.

Wed, 28 May 08
Origin Of Cells For Connective Tissues Of Skull And Face Challenged
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500260/080523162928.htm
With improved resolution, tissue-specific molecular markers and precise timing scientsists have possibly overturned a long-standing assumption about the origin of embryonic cells that give rise to connective and skeletal tissues that form the base of the skull and facial structures in back-boned creatures from fish to humans.

Wed, 28 May 08
CT May Better Predict Those At Higher Risk For Heart Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655861/080526171355.htm
Adding noninvasive imaging to current risk-assessment protocols may identify more people who are at risk of developing heart disease, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

Wed, 28 May 08
Large-scale Community Protein Annotation -- WikiProteins
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500261/080527193146.htm
Today sees the launch of a new collaborative website initially focusing on proteins and their role in biology and medicine. The WikiProfessional technology underlying the site has been developed based upon the collaborative Wikipedia approach. WikiProteins provides a method for community annotation on a huge scale.

Wed, 28 May 08
Parental Involvement Strongly Impacts Student Achievement
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500262/080527123852.htm
New research shows that students do much better in school when their parents are actively involved in their education. Parents seemed particularly interested in the academic achievements of their daughters. The researchers found parents spent more time talking to their daughters about their school work during dinnertime discussions.

Wed, 28 May 08
DNA Clues To Reproductive Behavior
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118689/080523200910.htm
A species of wild yeast goes through a cycle of sexual reproduction once in every 1,000 asexual generations, according to new research. The study focused on the wild yeast Saccharomyces paradoxus, which is able to reproduce both sexually and asexually. The scientific team used this yeast to examine how sexual and asexual reproduction cause different types of variations in an organism's DNA sequence.

Wed, 28 May 08
Common Gene Disorder Doubles Risk Of Lung Cancer, Even Among Nonsmokers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655862/080526171349.htm
Researchers have found that carrying a common genetic disorder doubles the risk of developing lung cancer in smokers and nonsmokers.

Wed, 28 May 08
NASA Mars Lander Prepares To Move Arm
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299500263/080527213850.htm
NASA's Phoenix Lander is ready to begin moving its robotic arm, first unlatching its wrist and then flexing its elbow. Mission scientists are eager to move Phoenix's robotic arm, for that arm will deliver samples of icy terrain to their instruments made to study this unexplored Martian environment.

Wed, 28 May 08
Understanding Autumn Rain Decline In SE Australia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118691/080523091736.htm
Fluctuations in sea-surface temperatures to the north of Australia and changes in atmospheric circulation patterns over the sub-tropical Indian Ocean have been identified as key factors leading to declining rainfalls in southeastern Australia since 1950.

Wed, 28 May 08
Hypoxia Training Suppresses Harmful Cardiac Nitric Oxide Production During Heart Attack
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118692/080523162957.htm
Ischemic heart disease is the leading killer in the United States and other developed nations, yet clinically effective, noninvasive therapies to prevent ischemic damage of the heart remain elusive. Researchers are studying how a program of brief, moderate hypoxia exposures increases the heart's resistance to ischemia-induced damage. This study shows that hypoxia conditioning dampens enzymatic nitric oxide formation, which minimizes the toxic burst of nitric oxide formation when blocked coronary arteries are reopened.

Wed, 28 May 08
'Avalanche Effect' In Solar Cells Demonstrated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118712/080527091942.htm
Researchers have found irrefutable proof that the so-called avalanche effect by electrons occurs in specific, very small semiconducting crystals. This physical effect could pave the way for cheap, high-output solar cells. One possible improvement could derive from a new type of solar cell made of semiconducting nanocrystals (crystals with dimensions in the nanometre size range). In conventional solar cells, one photon (light particle) can release precisely one electron.

Wed, 28 May 08
Educating Managers On Computer Fraud Could Cut Crime
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118693/080523095755.htm
A computer scientist has devised an antifraud strategy for business. He suggests that managers should be made aware of security issues and send out cues to junior staff that they have this knowledge. Researchers in this field and security practitioners have recently begun to emphasize the need to take into account the "social" aspects of information security. They also emphasize that a lack of communication at the wider organizational level is often associated with computer fraud.

Wed, 28 May 08
Neuromuscular Activation By Means Of Vibrations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118694/080522082716.htm
Researchers have studied the possible effects of vibrations as a mean of neuromuscular activation to improve jumping performance. The results suggest that the effect could be dependent on the level of training.

Wed, 28 May 08
A Protein's Role In Enabling AIDS Virus To Reproduce Detailed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118695/080523162950.htm
Scientists have discovered new details about how a simian strain of the AIDS virus replicates. The findings are significant because they suggest new strategies to prevent replication, and because they are applicable to human strains of the virus, which, despite the persistent efforts of scientists over two decades, can only be slowed by drug treatments but neither cured nor prevented.

Wed, 28 May 08
Building A Better DNA Molecule
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118708/080527094154.htm
Scientists have demonstrated that a mathematical concept called recursion can be applied to constructing flawless synthetic DNA molecules. The ideal molecules are created in successive rounds in which faultless segments are lifted from longer, error-containing DNA strands and assembled anew.

Wed, 28 May 08
Raising A Stop Sign To Human Traffic
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118696/080523095752.htm
Trade in people is not a new phenomenon, but the modern manifestation of slavery, according to US researchers. However, writing in the Journal of Global Business Advancement, they point out that human trafficking and trade in human organs has intensified with increased globalization. They hope to raise awareness of the issue among the business research community with a view to finding solutions.

Wed, 28 May 08
Next-generation Explosives: More Power And Safety Without The Pollution
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298594438/080526153255.htm
Scientists in Germany are reporting development of a new generation of explosives that is more powerful than TNT and other existing explosives, less apt to detonate accidentally, and produce fewer toxic byproducts.

Wed, 28 May 08
New Immunization Strategy Could Be Effective Against 10 To 15 Percent Of All Cancers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299145286/080527091916.htm
Researchers have discovered a new strategy for an immunization against certain forms of cancer. They have determined that immune cells react strongly to the modified proteins in tumor cells in which a DNA repair defect has occurred. It is estimated that this repair defect is present in some 15 percent of all tumors.

Wed, 28 May 08
New Target For Cancer Drugs? Gatekeepers Are Discovered In The Human Cell 'Shredder'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118702/080522093344.htm
Human cells make use of a "shredder," the proteasome, to degrade proteins that are old, misfolded or no longer needed. If the system does not work, illnesses such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease may occur. Biochemist report finding a long-awaited receptor for ubiquitin on the proteasome which may have a key role in fighting tumors.

Wed, 28 May 08
Drug Bivalirudin Better Than Heparin After Heart Attack, Large Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118703/080523163004.htm
Heart attack patients who were administered the direct thrombin inhibitor bivalirudin during primary angioplasty had a reduced rate of adverse clinical events, a lower rate of major bleeding, and a lower mortality rate than those who were treated with a regimen of heparin and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors.

Wed, 28 May 08
New Serpentine Nanotube Structures Created
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/299118709/080527094150.htm
Scientists are developing techniques to coax carbon nanotubes to self-assemble into ordered structures -- essentially making the nanotubes do the hard work for them. Ironically, the universal principle of 'order through chaos,' has allowed the team’s most recent research to give rise to nanotubes that are strikingly more ordered and complex than any ever observed before. These intriguing new nanotube structures have dubbed 'serpentines' due to their self-assembly into snake-like or looped configurations.

Tue, 27 May 08
Electron Traps That Compute
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296516809/080523075105.htm
Physicists have used a semiconductor material to create superimposed quantum dots that "trap" single electrons. Not only can these dots be studied with lasers, their energy can be influenced as well. Another point: the state of one of the dots governs that of the other above it. This has taken the researchers another step closer to quantum computers.

Tue, 27 May 08
Scientists Announce Top 10 New Species In Last Year
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298769910/080523163054.htm
Scientists responsible for species exploration and classification -- have just announced the top 10 new species described in 2007. The taxonomists are also issuing a SOS -- State of Observed Species report card on human knowledge of Earth's species. In it, they report that 16,969 species new to science were discovered and described in 2006.

Tue, 27 May 08
Light-driven 'Molecular Brakes' Provide Stopping Power For Nanomachines
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298594439/080526153228.htm
Researchers in Taiwan report development of a new type of "molecular brake" that could provide on-demand stopping power for futuristic nanomachines. The brake, thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair, is powered by light and is the first capable of working at room temperature, the researchers say.

Tue, 27 May 08
Why Are Some People Unable To Express Their Emotions?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298624933/080526164054.htm
Italian investigators have published a new study on the neurobiologic correlates of the inability to express emotions (alexithymia). A deficit in interhemispheric transfer was hypothesized in alexithymia more than 30 years ago, following the observation that split-brain patients manifest certain alexithymic characteristics.

Tue, 27 May 08
Bright Sparks Make Gains Towards Plastic Lasers Of The Future
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298769911/080523201046.htm
Researchers have come one step closer to finding the 'holy grail' in the field of plastic semiconductors by demonstrating a class of material that could make electrically-driven plastic laser diodes a reality. Conventional electrically-powered laser diodes used in everyday consumer goods like DVD players are currently based on inorganic semiconductor materials such as gallium arsenide, gallium nitride and related alloys. The term 'semiconductor' describes the material's ability to pass an electric current, which lies somewhere between that of a metallic conductor and that of an insulator.

Tue, 27 May 08
Failed HIV Drug Gets Second Chance With Addition Of Gold Nanoparticles
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298769912/080523162920.htm
Researchers have discovered that adding tiny bits of gold to a failed HIV drug rekindle the drug's ability to stop the virus from invading the body's immune system. The addition of gold nanoparticles to a modified version of a drug designed in the 1990s to combat HIV - but discarded due to its harmful side effects - creates a compound that prevents the virus from gaining a cellular foothold.

Tue, 27 May 08
Chaotic Lasers Tamed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296516810/080523074709.htm
"Classical" laser light has become part of everyday life. There is a laser in every CD player, lecturers point to their slides with laser pointers and surgeons carry out medical operations with laser beams. Nevertheless there are numerous unusual kinds of laser light that are still largely unexplored, one of them being Diffusive Random Lasers.

Tue, 27 May 08
Protein May Be Key To New Therapies For Elevated Triglycerides
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298769913/080523095748.htm
Diabetes researchers have identified a potential target for the development of new therapies to treat hypertriglyceridemia, a lipid disorder commonly seen in people who are obese and diabetic.

Tue, 27 May 08
Short-term Use Of Antipsychotics In Older Adults With Dementia Linked To Serious Adverse Events
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655854/080526171404.htm
Older adults with dementia who receive short-term courses of antipsychotic medications are more likely to be hospitalized or die than those who do not take the drugs, according to a new article.

Tue, 27 May 08
Melting Glaciers May Release DDT And Contaminate Antarctic Environment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298594442/080526153152.htm
In an unexpected consequence of climate change, scientists are raising the possibility that glacial melting is releasing large amounts of the banned pesticide DDT, which is contaminating the environment in Antarctica.

Tue, 27 May 08
'Intrabody' Can Mop Up Mutant Protein In Huntington's Disease Model
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298374216/080526081225.htm
Scientists have created a tool for mopping up the clumps of mutant protein that drive neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease. Researchers engineered a virus to make an intracellular antibody or 'intrabody' against huntingtin, the protein whose mutant forms poison the brain cells of people with Huntington's. Injecting the virus into the brains of mice that make mutant huntingtin improves their ability to move their limbs, although it does not prolong their lives.

Tue, 27 May 08
Lifestyle Evolution Of Wild Marine Bacteria: Free-floating Cells Share With Attached Relatives
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298769914/080522145217.htm
Marine bacteria in the wild organize into lifestyle groups that partition resources rather than competing for them, so that microbes with one lifestyle, such as free-floating cells, flourish in proximity with related microbes that may spend life attached to zooplankton or algae. This information and the methodology behind it could change the way scientists approach the classification of microbes by making it possible to determine on a large scale the genetic basis for ecological niches.

Tue, 27 May 08
New Cheaper Method For Mapping Disease Genes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298624931/080526165347.htm
Scientists have developed a new DNA-sequencing method that is much cheaper than those currently in use in laboratories. They hope that this new method will make it possible to map disease genes in large patient groups, which in turn can mean quicker breakthroughs for new treatments for a wide variety of diseases.

Tue, 27 May 08
How Fast Does A Stressed Cell React?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298624935/080526162114.htm
When subjected to stress, such as an alteration to its environment, a cell reacts more or less rapidly in order to ensure its survival. In yeast, this takes place through a series of reactions that are well-known, but whose dynamics had never been studied -- until now.

Tue, 27 May 08
Male-Male Courtship Pattern Shaped By Emergence Of A New Gene In Fruit Flies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655852/080526171408.htm
When a young gene known as sphinx is inactivated in the common fruit fly, it leads to increased male-male courtship. Such behavior is widespread in many fly species, but not in Drosophila melanogaster, which has the sphinx gene. Other fly species do not. When two D. melanogaster males that lack the sphinx gene are put together, they court each other.

Tue, 27 May 08
Scorched Earth Millenium Map Shows 'Fire Scars'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298769915/080522093333.htm
A geographer has produced for the first time a map of the scorched Earth for every year since the turn of the millennium. The map reveals that between 3.5 and 4.5 million square kilometers of vegetation burns on an annual basis. This is an area larger than the country of India that is burnt every year. The information is vital for scientists and agencies involved in monitoring global warming, measuring and understanding pollutants in the atmosphere, managing forests and controlling fire and even for predicting future fire occurrence.

Tue, 27 May 08
Camera On Mars Orbiter Snaps Phoenix During Landing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298594435/080526155742.htm
A telescopic camera in orbit around Mars caught a view of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander suspended from its parachute during the lander's successful arrival at Mars Sunday evening, May 25. "We can see cracks in the troughs that make us think the ice is still modifying the surface," said Phoenix Principal Investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, Tucson. "We see fresh cracks. Cracks can't be old. They would fill in."

Tue, 27 May 08
Immune Cells May Induce Gastritis During H. Pylori Infection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296516812/080523071035.htm
Researchers have examined the inflammatory response induced by macrophages that may contribute to the development of gastritis during Helicobacter pylori infection in mice. H. pylori is the causative agent of human chronic gastritis, a condition that often leads to gastrointestinal ulcers and cancer.

Tue, 27 May 08
Clinical Investigation Meets Computer Simulation To Analyze Risk Factor Of Heart Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298769916/080522210021.htm
Researchers have developed a novel, computer-based strategy to study plasma lipoprotein profiles considered a major predictor of cardiovascular disease. Lipoproteins are the "container ships" in our blood that transport lipids (fats) such as cholesterol and triglycerides to various tissues; they differ largely in size and "cargo" composition. Abnormalities in the amount of certain lipoprotein fractions are considered a major risk factor for atherosclerosis and CVD.

Tue, 27 May 08
First Female DNA Sequenced
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298594436/080526155300.htm
Geneticists have, for the first time, determined the DNA sequence of a woman. She is also the first European whose DNA sequence has been determined. Following in-depth analysis, the sequence will be made public, except incidental privacy-sensitive findings. The results will contribute to insights into human genetic diversity.

Tue, 27 May 08
Vertigo Can Be Treated Easily And Quickly
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298655849/080526171412.htm
A new guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology found that the best treatment for vertigo is the easiest and quickest one. The disorder causes a feeling of spinning or whirling when the head is moved in certain ways, such as looking up or bending. The feeling lasts a short time but can be severe.

Tue, 27 May 08
Biological Control: Insect Release Proposed To Control Exotic Strawberry Guava
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298769917/080522093339.htm
US Forest Service scientists with the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry have submitted a proposal to release a Brazilian insect to control the spread of strawberry guava, a South American tree that has invaded and degraded native Hawaiían ecosystems since it was introduced in 1825 as a garden plant.

Tue, 27 May 08
New Single-Dose Orthopoxvirus Drug In First Stage Of Human Trials
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296516811/080523071221.htm
A new single-dose antiviral drug has been developed against orthopoxvirus that was safely tolerated in humans during phase I trials and could potentially be used to prevent and treat smallpox. Prior to eradication, variola virus, the causative agent of smallpox and member of the orthopoxvirus family, was estimated to have killed, crippled, or disfigured up to 10% of the human population.

Tue, 27 May 08
New System Which Eliminates Carbon Dioxide Emissions Through Microalgae Under Development
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298624932/080526165116.htm
Scientists are carrying out a research project on the development of new systems to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions through the use of microalgae photosynthetic activity. The mechanism developed is simple on paper. By the gas emission points a water tank would be installed in order to retain the pollutant gases resulting from a specific industrial process. This polluted water would go through a system of bioreactors with a microalgae culture system, which would then transform the carbon dioxide emissions into vegetal matter and oxygen through the photosynthesis process, according to researchers.

Tue, 27 May 08
Virtual Health Care Worker Could Save Patient Time And Nursing Resources
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298769918/080523162954.htm
With search engine companies establishing online personal health records for their users and surgeons on the brink of making robotic surgery routine, it makes sense to have a remote medical care system that can support nursing staff, care managers and other health care workers.

Tue, 27 May 08
Miracle Leaves That May Help Protect Against Liver Damage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296493962/080523064620.htm
Sea buckthorn berries are well known for their cholesterol busting properties, but scientists in India say that its leaves are also rich in antioxidants and may help ward off liver disease, according to new research in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Tue, 27 May 08
Why Don't Monkeys Infected With HIV-like Viruses Get AIDS?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298406776/080522181527.htm
Many strains of monkey become naturally infected with viruses that are related to HIV. These viruses are known collectively as SIV and naturally infected monkeys do not develop AIDS. It is hoped that understanding why monkeys naturally infected with SIV do not develop AIDS might teach researchers important lessons about the mechanisms underlying the development of AIDS in humans infected with HIV and identify ways to prevent this happening.

Tue, 27 May 08
How Arteries And Veins Develop In Parallel Pairs In The Embryo
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298406777/080522090023.htm
Using physical measurements, theoretical models and numerical simulations, researchers have shown how the growth of the arteries directly controls that of the veins through a process that depends solely on the mechanical forces present.

Tue, 27 May 08
High Blood Pressure Patients Advised To Use Home Monitors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298406778/080522181538.htm
People with hypertension should routinely monitor their blood pressure at home to help manage the disease, according to a new joint scientific statement from the American Heart Association, American Society of Hypertension and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses' Association.

Tue, 27 May 08
President Bush Signs Landmark Genetic Nondiscrimination Information Act Into Law
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298594434/080526152654.htm
U.S. President George W. Bush has signed into law the first civil rights legislation of the new millennium, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). GINA is the first and only federal legislation that will provide protections against discrimination based on an individual's genetic information in health insurance coverage and employment settings.

Tue, 27 May 08
New Research Forces U-turn In Population Migration Theory
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298406779/080523163046.htm
Genetic evidence that overturns existing theories about human migration into Island Southeast Asia (covering the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysian Borneo) taking the timeline back by nearly 10,000 years has been discovered.

Tue, 27 May 08
Phoenix Spacecraft Reports Good Health After Mars Landing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298340849/080526075337.htm
A NASA spacecraft has sent pictures showing itself in good condition after making the first successful landing in a polar region of Mars. The images from NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander also provided a glimpse of the flat valley floor expected to have water-rich permafrost within reach of the lander's robotic arm. The landing ends a 422-million-mile journey from Earth and begins a three-month mission that will use instruments to taste and sniff the northern polar site's soil and ice.

Mon, 26 May 08
Scientists Image A Single HIV Particle Being Born
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297875410/080525132345.htm
By using a specialized microscope that only illuminates the cell's surface, scientists have for the first time, in real time and in plain view, seen hundreds of thousands of molecules coming together in a living cell to form a single particle of the virus that has, in less than 25 years, claimed more than 25 million lives: HIV.

Mon, 26 May 08
Oral Hormone Replacement Therapy More Than Doubles Risk Of Blood Clots, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121965/080522210018.htm
Hormone replacement therapy given in skin patches may cause fewer blood clots than HRT given orally, according to a new report. Furthermore, women who take the oral form of HRT more than double their risk of developing a blood clot, say the authors.

Mon, 26 May 08
Climate Change Does Double-whammy To Animals In Seasonal Environments
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121971/080521201206.htm
Plant-eating animals in highly seasonal environments, such as the Arctic, face two climate-related challenges in locating nutritious food. Not only are these animals now arriving at their breeding grounds after the plants there have passed their peak nutritional value (previously published) but now animals also are less able to find good food by moving to locations where plants had been available later in the season, prior to global warming.

Mon, 26 May 08
Children's Premature Tooth Loss Can Affect Oral Health For Years To Come
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121974/080522181523.htm
According to a new study parents and caretakers more often than not do not know what to do with a traumatically affected tooth and do not take proper steps to respond to the injury, which can affect their child's oral health permanently.

Mon, 26 May 08
Tapping The Early Universe For Secrets Of Fundamental Physics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121975/080523163050.htm
The future of fundamental physics research lies in observing the early universe and developing models that explain the new data obtained. The availability of much higher resolution data from closer to the start of the universe is creating the potential for further significant theoretical breakthroughs and progress resolving some of the most difficult and intractable questions in physics. But this requires much more interaction between astronomical theory and observation, and in particular the development of a new breed of astronomer who understands both.

Mon, 26 May 08
Fixing The Education Digital Disconnect One Video Game At A Time: FAS Launches Immune Attack
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121978/080522090248.htm
A fast-moving new video game, Immune Attack, teaches the critical scientific facts of immunology. The game is designed to teach how the immune system works to defend the body against invading bacteria. The visual elements and simulations are critical for grasping the complex interactions of the biological systems.

Mon, 26 May 08
Big Earthquakes Spark Jolts Worldwide
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297875409/080525132352.htm
Until 1992, when California's magnitude-7.3 Landers earthquake set off small jolts as far away as Yellowstone National Park, scientists did not believe large earthquakes sparked smaller tremors at distant locations. Now, a definitive study shows large earthquakes routinely trigger smaller jolts worldwide, including on the opposite side of the planet and in areas not prone to quakes.

Mon, 26 May 08
Protein That Provides Innate Defense Against HIV Could Lead To New Treatments
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297875411/080525132341.htm
The HIV-1 protein Vpu is necessary for the HIV-1 virus to be released from human cells. Scientists have identified CAML as a human cellular protein that blocks the release of HIV-1 viral particles from the membrane of infected cells. The Vpu protein is able to counteract the effects of CAML and allow the release of HIV-1 particles. Understanding how CAML provides an innate defense against HIV and how Vpu counteracts this defense should help scientists develop new treatments.

Mon, 26 May 08
Anti-rejection Drug May Increase Risk Of Diabetes After Kidney Transplant
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121980/080522121621.htm
For patients undergoing kidney transplantation, treatment with the anti-rejection drug sirolimus may lead to an increased risk of diabetes, reports a new study. The results suggested a higher rate of post-transplant diabetes among patients treated with sirolimus, compared to other anti-rejection drugs. Depending on which additional drugs they received, diabetes risk was 36 to 66 percent higher for patients receiving sirolimus.

Mon, 26 May 08
Honey Bee Losses Continue To Rise In U.S.
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121981/080521205303.htm
Colony Collapse Disorder, diseases, parasitic mites and other stressors continue to take a devastating toll on U.S. honey bee populations, but Pennsylvania beekeepers on average fared better than their counterparts nationally during this past winter, according to apiculture experts in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. A recent survey by the Apiary Inspectors of America found that losses nationwide topped 36 percent of managed hives between September 2007 and March 2008, compared to a 31 percent loss during the same period a year earlier.

Mon, 26 May 08
Americans Believe Wounded Iraq War Veterans Are Not Receiving High Quality Medical Care In U.S.
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297875412/080525080011.htm
A majority of Americans (62 percent) believe that wounded Iraq war veterans do not receive high quality care in military and Veteran's Administration hospitals once they return to the US. Americans who have a close family member who is serving or has served in the military are just as likely as Americans with no military connection to say that wounded Iraq veterans do not receive high quality care in military and VA hospitals (64% versus 59%).

Mon, 26 May 08
New Image-recognition Software Could Let Computers 'See' Like Humans Do
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298152210/080526000936.htm
It takes surprisingly few pixels of information to be able to identify the subject of an image, a team led by an MIT researcher has found. The discovery could lead to great advances in the automated identification of online images and, ultimately, provide a basis for computers to see like humans do.

Mon, 26 May 08
Parts Of UK Could Be Too Hot For Wine-making By 2080, Research Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298152211/080526000353.htm
Increasing summer temperatures could mean some parts of southern England are too hot to grow vines for making wine by 2080, according to a new book launched today.

Mon, 26 May 08
Interactive Web Sites Draw Minds, Shape Public Perception
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298152212/080526000349.htm
The interactive look and feel of a corporate website could help shape positive perceptions about the organization if the site includes a likable design and features that engage the target audience, especially job seekers, according to Penn State media researchers.

Mon, 26 May 08
NASA's Phoenix Spacecraft Lands At Martian Arctic Site
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121984/080525232853.htm
NASA's Phoenix spacecraft landed in the northern polar region of Mars May 25 to begin three months of examining a site chosen for its likelihood of having frozen water within reach of the lander's robotic arm.

Mon, 26 May 08
Anti-HIV Drugs Reduce The Cause Of Some Forms Of Vision Loss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121986/080522181535.htm
A potential new therapeutic use for anti-HIV drugs known as protease inhibitors in limiting the vision loss that often follows retinal detachment has been suggested by researchers studying the effects of the drugs in a mouse model of the condition.

Mon, 26 May 08
What Is The Value Of Biodiversity To Our Collective Future?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295105325/080521105713.htm
What will the loss of biodiversity cost us in the long term? How much do national economies need to invest now in order to stop the trend? And what price will we have to pay if we do not act?

Mon, 26 May 08
Metagenomics Of Skin Reveals Insights Into The Human Microbiome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121989/080522145226.htm
The human body is home to a diverse range of microorganisms, estimated to outnumber human cells in a healthy adult by ten fold. The importance of characterizing human microbiota for understanding health and disease is highlighted by the recent launch of the Human Microbiome Project by the National Institutes of Health. A report, published in Genome Research describes the investigation of healthy human skin for microbiota diversity and establishes the basis for determining a core microbiome.

Mon, 26 May 08
New Coronavirus Found in Beluga Whale
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121990/080522155802.htm
Researchers have determined a never before seen virus found in the liver of a beluga whale to be a new strain of the coronavirus. With emerging infectious diseases on the rise, it is now estimated that 75% derive from zoonotic sources. This being the case, health officials are now looking to zoological parks and aquariums for emerging virus surveillance.

Mon, 26 May 08
Unlocking The Promise Of Clinical And Translational Science
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/298121991/080522145200.htm
The emerging field of clinical and translational science provides the bridging force that transforms lab discoveries into customized, patient-specific therapy.

Mon, 26 May 08
Ideal Treatment For Potentially Fatal Heart Condition Changes With Age, Research Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297875407/080525134758.htm
Doctors now make more informed decisions on how to treat an electrical disorder of the heart -- be it with drugs, an implanted device or nothing -- thanks to a series of decades-long studies. The two latest studies in the series further defined the ideal treatments for the youngest and oldest of patients with Long QT syndrome (LQTS) and concluded that they are not the same. Another conclusion is that the risk of fatal events in children is relatively low, and that implanted devices, while clearly important for some high-risk patients, may create more risk than the condition itself in some cases. That may change, however, if that patient survives past 40, when the same device becomes a lifesaver.

Mon, 26 May 08
Roadmap To Next-generation Cancer Therapies Outlined
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297875408/080525132354.htm
Pinpointing new targets for cancer treatments is as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, yet a scientists have now discovered an entire novel class of genes they believe will lead to a greater understanding of cancer cell function and the next generation of effective and less harmful therapies for patients.

Mon, 26 May 08
Arctic Explorer Delivers Unique Snow-depth Data For CryoSat
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297742404/080525090113.htm
Following a formidable 106-day trek across the Arctic, which ended with the two Arctic Arc expedition members relying on Envisat images to guide them safely through disintegrating sea-ice, intrepid polar explorer Alain Hubert recently visited ESA to handover a unique set of snow-depth measurements. To coincide with the launch of the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008, explorers ventured out onto the sea-ice to embark upon a trek from Siberia to northern Greenland via the North Pole -- a route never before attempted.

Mon, 26 May 08
Scientists Back The Use Of Maize As An Efficient 'Factory' For Protein-based Pharmaceutical Products
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297742405/080525085111.htm
Maize (corn) seeds are an effective and dependable platform within molecular agriculture in the effort to alleviate diseases. Over the next few years AIDS could be one of the first diseases to benefit from these results, although regulations for this technology are being developed at the same time as research is being undertaken. Maize, the third most important cereal in the world, has a great number of advantages for molecular agriculture. Among these are its physiology, its capacity to express recombinant proteins in the seeds, its widespread cultivation and its genetic diversity, as well as being anti-allergenic and non-toxic.

Mon, 26 May 08
HIV Patients Suffer More From Osteoporosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297742407/080525084559.htm
Following the introduction of HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy), the survival and quality of life for people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) have increased in the resource-rich countries. However, with this improved prognosis an increase in long term negative disorders has been observed, namely osteoporosis (the gradual loss of bone mass). Osteoporosis is a multifactorial disease that is characterized by a reduction in bone mass and its mechanical resistance, and leads to an increased propensity to bone fractures.

Sun, 25 May 08
Over 50 Percent Of Oceanic Shark Species Threatened With Extinction
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332587/080522094652.htm
The first study to determine the global threat status of 21 species of wide-ranging oceanic pelagic sharks and rays reveals serious overfishing and recommends key steps that governments can take to safeguard populations. Sharks and rays are particularly vulnerable to overfishing due to their tendency to take many years to become sexually mature and have relatively few offspring. These findings are published in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems.

Sun, 25 May 08
At The Synapse: Gene May Shed Light On Neurological Disorders
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332588/080522181503.htm
In our brains, where millions of signals move across a network of neurons like runners in a relay race, all the critical baton passes take place at synapses. These small gaps between nerve cell endings have to be just the right size for messages to transmit properly. Synapses that grow too large or too small are associated with motor and cognitive impairment, learning and memory difficulties, and other neurological disorders.

Sun, 25 May 08
Therapeutic Vest Will Help Children With Autism, ADHD, Anxiety
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332589/080521174320.htm
Children with autism and ADHD may soon get anxiety relief from a novel "deep-pressure" vest. The vest, which can also be used for adults with mental illness, delivers a "portable hug" called deep pressure touch stimulation (DPTS). "People with developmental disorders and mental illness are often overwhelmed in everyday environments such as school and the workplace, and solutions available to families and mental health professionals are limited," says the doctoral student of mechanical engineering who developed the product. He said, "This is an alternative therapy that can safely and discreetly provide the treatment they need to function in mainstream society."

Sun, 25 May 08
More Patients With Drug-coated Cardiac Stents Survive, Avoid Costly Follow-up Procedures
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332590/080522104432.htm
Patients with drug-coated stents are less apt to die, have heart attacks or require extra stents or bypass surgery in the two years following placement of the stent, compared to those who receive bare metal stents, according to new research.

Sun, 25 May 08
Real-time Observation Of DNA-repair Mechanism
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332591/080522120610.htm
For the first time, researchers have witnessed the spontaneous repair of damage to DNA molecules in real time. They observed this at the level of a single DNA molecule. Insight into this type of repair mechanism is essential as errors in this process can lead to the development of cancerous cells.

Sun, 25 May 08
Video Games Can Make Us Creative If Spark Is Right
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332592/080523163059.htm
Video games that energize players and induce a positive mood could also enhance creativity, according to media researchers. However, the study also finds that players who were not highly energized and had a negative mood, registered the highest creativity.

Sun, 25 May 08
Finding Explosives: Glowing Films Reveal Traces Of Explosives
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332593/080523162905.htm
New spray-on films will be the basis of portable devices that can quickly reveal trace amounts of nitrogen-based explosives. Contaminated fingerprints leave dark shadows on the films, which glow blue under ultraviolet light. One of the films can distinguish between different classes of explosive chemicals, a property that could provide evidence to help solve a crime, or prevent one.

Sun, 25 May 08
The Emerging Role Of Infection In Alzheimer's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332594/080522155752.htm
A number of chronic diseases are in fact caused by one or more infectious agents. For example, stomach ulcers are caused by Helicobacter pylori, chronic lung disease in newborns and chronic asthma in adults are both caused by Mycoplasmas and Chlamydia pneumonia, while some other pathogens have been associated with atherosclerosis. The realization that pathogens can produce slowly progressive chronic diseases has opened new lines of research into Alzheimer's disease.

Sun, 25 May 08
Saltwater Sleuths: Seeking Clues To Help Determine The Ages Of Fish And Shellfish Populations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295151952/080521114919.htm
Sandy Sutherland looks through the lens of the microscope at tiny sections of fish earbones, known as otoliths, each showing annual bands of growth. She carefully counts the bands to determine the age of the fish, then moves on to the next sample. Known as an age reader, Sutherland is one of a small team at NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center whose aging work is critical to stock assessments needed to manage the nation's fishery resources in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.

Sun, 25 May 08
Blood Cholesterol Levels Predict Risk Of Heart Disease Due To Hormone Therapy, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295775628/080522072333.htm
A simple blood test may indicate whether post-menopausal hormone therapies present an elevated risk of a heart attack. Women with ratios of "bad" cholesterol to "good" cholesterol less than 2.5 did not appear to be at an increased heart disease risk when using hormone therapy.

Sun, 25 May 08
Interesting Effects Of Light On Small Molecules On Earth And In Space
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332595/080522102436.htm
A Dutch researcher has investigated the influence of light on the behavior of small molecules, and has calculated the effect of light for several types of molecules. His theoretical research into light-induced processes in the hydroxyl radical (OH), the hydrogen molecule (H2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) has directly contributed to a better understanding of chemical processes taking place on Earth as well as in the universe.

Sun, 25 May 08
Male Painters And Decorators Exposed To Fertility Damaging Chemicals, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332596/080523163034.htm
Men working as painters and decorators who are exposed to glycol ethers are more likely to have poor semen quality, according to new research. Men who work with solvents such as glycol ether have a 2.5 fold increased risk of having a low motile sperm count compared to men with low exposure.

Sun, 25 May 08
Is Indy Chasing A Fake? Two Well-known Crystal Skulls Did Not, After All, Come From Ancient Mexico
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332597/080523163016.htm
Two well-known crystal skulls, held in the British Museum and the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, did not come from ancient Mexico as was once thought. Modern scientific techniques suggest that the British skull is of 19th century origin, and the US of 20th century.

Sun, 25 May 08
Photodynamic Therapy Breakthrough In Cancer Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332598/080523100553.htm
Researchers have modified a photodynamic therapy treatment that combines a topically applied cream with visible light to destroy cancer cells while leaving surrounding tissue unharmed.

Sun, 25 May 08
Genetic 'Fix' For Problem In Some Sweet Corn Hybrids Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295105327/080521102619.htm
A genetic quirk discovered in some sweet corn hybrids is helping plant breeders make critical "repairs" to the crop's herbicide-degrading machinery. Several herbicides registered for use on sweet corn kill weeds but not the crop, thanks to protective enzymes in corn that rapidly degrade the chemicals. But some sweet corn hybrids aren't so lucky; they harbor a genetic defect that impedes the enzymes, causing herbicides to linger in the plants, which suffer stunted growth or other harm.

Sun, 25 May 08
Stabilizing Cancer-fighting P53 Can Also Shield A Metastasis-promoter
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332599/080514171823.htm
Efforts to protect the tumor-suppressor p53 could just as easily shelter a mutant version of the protein, causing cancer cells to thrive and spread rather than die, according to new research in Genes and Development.

Sun, 25 May 08
Nitrogen Loss In Seagrass Fields Is Retained By Animals And Microorganisms In Ecosystem
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332600/080522081818.htm
The nitrogen cycle plays a major role in seagrass fields. A Dutch researcher studied the nitrogen dynamics of seagrasses in Indonesia. He discovered that the interaction between seagrasses, animals and microorganisms results in an efficient nitrogen cycle in tropical seagrass fields. Consequently the nitrogen lost from seagrasses is still retained.

Sun, 25 May 08
Lone Asylum Seeking Children Have Experienced High Levels Of War Trauma And Need Better Care, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297332602/080523163041.htm
Lone asylum seeking children are more likely to have experienced high levels of war trauma, combat and torture than those who arrive in a country with adult carers, according to a new study looking at the mental health of asylum seeking children in the UK. The authors are calling on governments to ensure that children who arrive in a country on their own are offered appropriate support.

Sun, 25 May 08
NOAA Predicts Near Normal Or Above Normal Atlantic Hurricane Season
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297201200/080524082543.htm
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center has announced that projected climate conditions point to a near normal or above normal hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin this year. The prediction was issued at a news conference called to urge residents in vulnerable areas to be fully prepared for the onset of hurricane season, which begins June 1. For 2008, the outlook indicates a 60 to 70 percent chance of 12 to 16 named storms, including 6 to 9 hurricanes and 2 to 5 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale).

Sun, 25 May 08
Fetal Exposure To PCBs Impacts Reproductive Markers Of Children And Grandchildren of Exposed Animals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/297177054/080524075256.htm
Since the 1962 publication of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, awareness of how environmental toxicants can impact fertility has increased. Researchers now provide evidence that adverse reproductive effects of toxicants may extend not only to the children of exposed individuals, but also to the next generation.

Sat, 24 May 08
Mathematicians Reveal Secrets Of The Ancient And Universal Art Of Symmetry
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589219/080521173851.htm
Humans have used symmetrical patterns for thousands of years in both functional and decorative ways. Now, a new book by three mathematicians offers both math experts and enthusiasts a new way to understand symmetry and a fresh way to see the world.

Sat, 24 May 08
Experimental Agent Blocks Prostate Cancer In Animal Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589221/080522114251.htm
An experimental drug has blocked the progression of prostate cancer in an animal model with an aggressive form of the disease, new research shows. The agent, OSU-HDAC42, belongs to a new class of drugs called histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, compounds designed to reactivate genes that normally protect against cancer but are turned off by the cancer process. The study showed that the agent kept mice with a precancerous condition from developing advanced prostate cancer. Human testing of the compound is expected to begin early next year.

Sat, 24 May 08
Ocean Acidification: Another Undesired Side Effect Of Fossil Fuel-burning
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295151956/080521105251.htm
Up to now, the oceans have buffered climate change considerably by absorbing almost one third of the worldwide emitted carbon dioxide. The oceans represent a significant carbon sink, but the uptake of excess carbon dioxide stemming from man's burning of fossil fuels comes at a high cost: ocean acidification.

Sat, 24 May 08
DHEA Supplements Not Effective In Treating Cognitive Decline, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589223/080521171805.htm
DHEA supplements are widely-available and touted as a preventive agent for many chronic diseases. A new study however, finds no evidence of a beneficial effect of DHEA supplements on cognitive function in healthy older adults.

Sat, 24 May 08
Tidal Cycle Could Amplify Global-warming Related Sea-level Rises
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589236/080522084943.htm
The results of several scientific studies conducted since 1993 have confirmed a 3.2 cm sea level rise. Although this variation might appear negligible, it has in fact turned out to be twice as high as that recorded over the whole of the previous century. This increase in sea level is a consequence of global warming. When sea temperature rises, the sea expands and therefore occupies a greater volume. This phenomenon is now well known to scientists, but other processes that have received less research attention, such as the tidal cycle, seem to contribute at global scale just as much to changes in sea level.

Sat, 24 May 08
Licorice Extract Provides New Treatment Option For Canker Sores
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589237/080522154850.htm
What common oral condition appears as shallow ulcers of different sizes, affects one in five Americans, can be caused by food allergies and hormonal changes, and also can cause severe mouth pain? Commonly referred to as "canker sores," recurrent aphthous ulcers now can be treated by an extract in licorice root herbal extract, according to a study in General Dentistry.

Sat, 24 May 08
Many Paths, Few Destinations: How Stem Cells Decide What They'll Become
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295812368/080521131552.htm
The conventional view of how stem cells differentiate assumes that cells are "instructed" to progress along prescribed signaling pathways. However, new research shows that the decision is made collectively by an entire network of genes and proteins. It reveals an elegant yet simple system that maintains cells in a stable state, yet enables them to differentiate under the right conditions. The work also suggests a much more efficient way of differentiating stem cells for therapeutic purposes. The new evidence supports a 'systems' view -- and gives a glimpse at how it works.

Sat, 24 May 08
The Genetics Of Fat Storage In Cells Revealed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589238/080521171808.htm
New research has revealed the genetic determinants of fat storage in cells, which may lead to a new understanding of and potential treatments for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Sat, 24 May 08
Ozone Might Help Make Bee Hives Cleaner And Safer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295105330/080521101229.htm
Ozone, which is already used to sanitize drinking water and swimming pools, might help make hives cleaner and safer for America's beleaguered honey bees. Entomologist tested ozone's effects on two pesticides widely used by beekeepers to control varroa mites, a major enemy of bees. Studies elsewhere indicate that residues of these chemicals can accumulate in hives, including in the honeycomb. Beekeepers typically reuse the honeycomb after the honey has been extracted.

Sat, 24 May 08
Insights Into Lung Disease And Lung Function In Young Adults
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295024148/080521081921.htm
Two new studies provide insights into lung disease and lung function in young adults. One links low levels of a protein called adiponectin in fat cells to an increase in asthma risk in young women. A second finds that high levels of a protein called ICAM-1 is associated with lower lung function.

Sat, 24 May 08
Fluorescent Nano-barcodes Could Revolutionize Diagnostics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589239/080522094655.htm
A new technology with research and clinical application including the early detection of disease has just been invented. The new fluorescent "barcodes" called nanostrings, offers greater sensitivity and accuracy than current detection methods.

Sat, 24 May 08
Gender Stereotypes Influence Intent To Pursue Entrepreneurial Careers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589240/080522113313.htm
Studies reveal that in the dog-eat-dog, look-out-for-No. 1, highly competitive business world, only the aggressive, risk-taking alpha male can expect to succeed as an entrepreneur. That statement may sound sexist, but it represents a commonly held gender stereotype. Researcher found that these stereotypes influence whether or not men and women decide to pursue entrepreneurship as a viable career option.

Sat, 24 May 08
Dramatic Impact Of Sea-Level Rise On Chesapeake Bay's Coastal Habitats
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296552989/080523083007.htm
A new report, Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Habitats of the Chesapeake Bay, shows in vivid detail the dramatic effects of sea-level rise on the largest estuary in the US, which sustains more than 3,600 species of plants, fish and animals including great blue herons and sea turtles. If global warming continues unabated, projected rising sea levels will significantly reshape the region's coastal landscape, threatening waterfowl hunting and recreational saltwater fishing in Virginia and Maryland, according to the report by the National Wildlife Federation.

Sat, 24 May 08
How Common Vaccine Booster Works
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589241/080521154549.htm
A common ingredient in many vaccines stimulates and interacts with the immune system to help provide protection against infectious diseases. Vaccines must possess not only the bacterial or viral components that serve as targets of protective immune responses, but also ingredients to kick start those immune responses.

Sat, 24 May 08
Being 'Always On' Impacts Personal Relationships More Than It Impacts The Written Language
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589242/080520161340.htm
Instant messaging. Blogs. Wikis. Social networking sites. Cell phones. All of these allow us to communicate with each other--wherever, whenever. Many people speculate that online and mobile technologies have widely impacted written language, especially that of teenagers and young adults. But a linguistics expert says that surprisingly, this probably isn't so.

Sat, 24 May 08
Data Re-analysis Shows Drug Finasteride May Reduce Risk For Most Prostate Cancers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589243/080520144001.htm
A re-analysis of data from the landmark Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial finds that finasteride may reduce the risk for prostate cancer without boosting the odds of aggressive tumors. Adjusting for prostate volume, findings from landmark PCPT trial refute notion that drug boosts aggressive disease.

Sat, 24 May 08
New Statistical Method Reveals Surprises About Our Ancestry
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296589244/080522210025.htm
A statistical approach to studying genetic variation promises to shed new light on the history of human migration. Application of the method has already turned up such surprising findings as a strong Mongolian contribution to the genes of the Native American Pima people and gene flow from the north of Europe to Eastern Siberia.

Fri, 23 May 08
Why Do Astronauts Suffer From Space Sickness?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295151953/080521112119.htm
Centrifuging astronauts for a lengthy period provided Dutch researcher Suzanne Nooij with better insight into how space sickness develops, the nausea and disorientation experienced by many astronauts.

Fri, 23 May 08
New Discovery May Lead To Early Cancer Detection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296293052/080522145152.htm
Researchers are shining a new ray of hope on patients with pancreatic cancer. They've developed new reagents, or antibodies, that can recognize this often lethal disease. This important discovery may one day lead to earlier detection and treatment.

Fri, 23 May 08
Best Bet For Boosting Brawn In Women Is Traditional Strength Training
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296293054/080520210700.htm
Women who want to build muscle strength and endurance should choose traditional strength training methods instead of low velocity routines, according to a recent study. The study examined whether low velocity resistance training is a more effective workout than conventional routines, as some experts maintain. The team studied 34 healthy, college-aged females who performed three different training methods over a six-week period.

Fri, 23 May 08
New Study Firms Up Promise Of Potential New Cervical Cancer Screening Tool
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296293055/080521150641.htm
New research into the causes of cervical cancer appears to lend weight to the promise of a potential early detection method that could help prevent the disease.

Fri, 23 May 08
Phoenix Mission To Mars Will Search For Climate Clues
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296293056/080522181520.htm
The search for life on Mars enters a new phase May 25 with the scheduled landing of a NASA Phoenix Mission spacecraft on the Red Planet's northern plains. Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis are playing key roles in the mission, including one student who helped pick the landing site, a place called Green Valley. Phoenix will dig near the surface and search for evidence of an environment favorable for microbial life.

Fri, 23 May 08
To Block The Carcinogens, Add A Touch Of Rosemary When Grilling Meats
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296293057/080521184129.htm
Rosemary, a member of the mint family and a popular seasoning on its own, also has benefits as a cancer prevention agent. Apply it to hamburgers and it can break up the potentially cancer-causing compounds that can form when the meat is cooked. Most people don't want a rosemary-flavored burger, So if you get the extract you don't really know it's there, according to the researcher.

Fri, 23 May 08
A Trial Of Removing Food Additives Should Be Considered For Hyperactive Children, Experts Suggest
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296293058/080522210010.htm
A properly supervised trial eliminating colors and preservatives from the diet of hyperactive children should considered a part of the standard treatment, according to experts.

Fri, 23 May 08
U.S. Pacific Coast Waters Turning More Acidic
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296293059/080522181511.htm
Scientists surveying the waters of the continental shelf off the West Coast of North America have discovered for the first time high levels of acidified ocean water within 20 miles of the shoreline, raising concern for marine ecosystems from Canada to Mexico.

Fri, 23 May 08
Food-related Clock In The Brain Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296293060/080522145213.htm
In investigating the intricacies of the body's biological rhythms, scientists have discovered the existence of a "food-related clock" which can supersede the "light-based" master clock that serves as the body's primary timekeeper.The findings, which appear in Science, help explain how animals adapt their circadian rhythms in order to avoid starvation, and suggest that by adjusting eating schedules, humans too can better cope with changes in time zones and nighttime schedules that leave them feeling groggy and jet-lagged.

Fri, 23 May 08
New Peanut Variety Resistant To Nematodes, Virus
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295105329/080521101458.htm
A new peanut variety may help farmers in their battle against two key peanut problems. Peanuts are a very popular commodity, with annual U.S. production well above 2 billion pounds. But peanut varieties are plagued by pests like the peanut root-knot nematode and diseases like tomato spotted wilt virus.

Fri, 23 May 08
Possible Biological Explanation For C-Section-linked Allergies And Asthma Found
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295024149/080521081918.htm
Scientists believe they may have identified a biological explanation for the link between cesarean-section delivery and risk of allergy and asthma in childhood.

Fri, 23 May 08
Oregano Oil Works As Well As Synthetic Insecticides To Tackle Common Beetle Pest
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295775627/080522072339.htm
New research in the Society of Chemical Industry's Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture shows that oregano oil works as well as synthetic insecticides to combat infestation by a common beetle, Rhizoppertha dominica, found in stored cereals.

Fri, 23 May 08
First, Do No Harm: Limiting Resident Work Hours Does Not Harm ICU Patients, Researchers Find
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296293061/080520175421.htm
Limits on the number of hours that medical residents are allowed to work in a day does not negatively affect outcomes in even the most sensitive patient population: critically ill patients in intensive care units. Moreover, there has been a decrease in mortality among ICU patients in both teaching and nonteaching hospitals alike during the work-hours reform.

Fri, 23 May 08
Disaster Earthquake Scenario Unveiled For Southern California
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060152/080522104754.htm
Scientists have unveiled a hypothetical scenario describing how a magnitude 7.8 Southern California earthquake -similar to the recent earthquake in China- would impact the region, causing loss of lives and massive damage to infrastructure, including critical transportation, power, and water systems. In the scenario, the earthquake would kill 1800 people, injure 50,000, cause $200 billion in damage, and have long-lasting social and economic consequences. This is the most comprehensive analysis ever of what a major Southern California earthquake would mean, and is the scientific framework for what will be the largest earthquake preparedness drill in California history.

Fri, 23 May 08
Common Foodborne Pathogen In Poultry Finds Resistance To Antibiotic Used By Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060153/080521183417.htm
Recent studies have shown a connection between people who became infected with Campylobacter jejuni, a pathogen found in poultry, and their contact with certain chicken products that contained the pathogen. It also turned out that the Campylobacter jejuni from those products was becoming resistant to ciprofloxacin, a synthetic antibiotic used by humans to fight bacterial infections. The prevalence of Campylobacter -- which is a major cause of foodborne illness -- is common on raw poultry.

Fri, 23 May 08
Unique Adaptive Evolution Found In Snake Proteins Provide New Insight Into Vertebrate Physiology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060154/080520203007.htm
Before the advent of large sequence datasets, it was assumed that innovation and divergence at the morphological and physiological level would be explained at the molecular level. Molecular explanations for physiological adaptations have, however, been rare. Biologists now provide evidence that major macroevolutionary changes in snakes have been accompanied by massive functional redesign of core metabolic proteins.

Fri, 23 May 08
Tuberculosis Not The Only Risk From New Immunological Drugs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294374380/080520110412.htm
A new survey cautions physicians that drugs commonly prescribed for patients suffering from immunological disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease may carry risks of serious infections other than the known risk of tuberculosis.

Fri, 23 May 08
Joint NASA-French Satellite To Track Trends In Sea Level, Climate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060155/080520130807.htm
A satellite that will help scientists better monitor and understand rises in global sea level, study the world's ocean circulation and its links to Earth's climate, and improve weather and climate forecasts is undergoing final preparations.

Fri, 23 May 08
Estrogen Fuels Female Need For Power And Control
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295775626/080522075940.htm
New psychology research suggests that the sex hormone estrogen may be for women what testosterone is for men: The fuel of power. Until recently, some researchers doubted whether women had a biologically anchored need for dominance.

Fri, 23 May 08
New Family Of Gecko Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060156/080522145204.htm
A new family of gecko, the charismatic large-eyed lizard popularized by car insurance commercials, has been discovered. Scientists have long been interested in geckos and their evolution because they are key biodiversity indicators and are found on nearly every continent.

Fri, 23 May 08
Major 'Missed' Biochemical Pathway Emerges As Important In Virtually All Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060157/080522145209.htm
A new study in Science provides compelling evidence that the nitric oxide system in cells is very broad-based and important, resembling in its essence the much-studied system of phosphorylation. The findings may offer new insights into how cells work and the basis of many diseases.

Fri, 23 May 08
Reproductive Plasticity Revealed: Neotropical Treefrog Can Choose To Lay Eggs In Water Or On Land
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294293487/080520090608.htm
Researchers have discovered a treefrog known to lay eggs terrestrially, also lays eggs in water both at the surface and fully submerged. Although this yellow treefrog is the first vertebrate discovered to show reproductive flexibility, it is probably not alone.

Fri, 23 May 08
New Treatment Gives Hope For Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060158/080520090443.htm
Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis may have a new treatment option, according to researchers in Japan. In a Phase III, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, the investigators discovered that a daily dose of pirfenidone could slow the progression of IPF, reducing the loss of lung capacity.

Fri, 23 May 08
Physicists Demonstrate Precise Manipulation Of DNA-Drug Interactions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060159/080520162514.htm
Being able to target the genetic code to develop an effective treatment of a disease is the ultimate goal for many scientists. Focusing on how the DNA interacts with a potential drug is an important element of DNA therapy research. Scientists have now developed a method using optical tweezers to better understand how those interactions occur.

Fri, 23 May 08
Brain's 'Trust Machinery' Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295185781/080521120511.htm
The brain centers triggered by a betrayal of trust have been identified by researchers, who found they could suppress such triggering and maintain trust by administering the brain chemical oxytocin. The researchers said their findings not only offer basic insights into the neural machinery underlying trust; the results may also help in understanding the neural basis of social disorders such as phobias and autism.

Fri, 23 May 08
Foot-dragging Mars Rover Finds Yellowstone-like Hot Spring Deposits
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060160/080522145222.htm
An ancient Martian hydrothermal system like those in Yellowstone National Park has been discovered on Mars. Deposits of nearly pure silica discovered by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit in Gusev Crater formed when volcanic steam or hot water (or maybe both) percolated through the ground. Such deposits are found around hydrothermal vents like those in Yellowstone National Park.

Fri, 23 May 08
New Hope For HIV Vaccine: Unique HIV Vaccine Formula Elicits Strong Immune Responses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060161/080522104439.htm
Scientists report that their unique HIV vaccine formulation was effective in eliciting strong and balanced immune responses in healthy human volunteers. In light of these initial findings, additional assays on volunteers' samples were done by other researchers, independently confirming the presence of long lasting and high quality T cell responses against HIV antigens.

Fri, 23 May 08
Relocation Of Endangered Chinese Turtle May Save Species
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295812358/080521154206.htm
There are only four specimens of the Yangtze giant softshell turtle left on Earth -- one in the wild and three in captivity. In order to save this species from extinction, conservation partners recently paired two of them. Listed at the top of the World Conservation Union's Red List, the Yangtze giant softshell turtle is the most critically endangered turtle in the world.

Fri, 23 May 08
Latent TB Treatment Saves Time, Money, And Lives
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060162/080520090457.htm
A new way to treat patients with latent tuberculosis, who are infected with TB but without symptoms, can effectively treat it in less than half the time and at a lower cost than the current standard treatment, according to researchers who conducted a multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

Fri, 23 May 08
New Technology Puts Biomedical Imaging In Palm Of Hands
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060163/080520110408.htm
Researchers have created a new, single-exposure imaging tool that could significantly improve point-of-care medical and forensic imaging by empowering front line clinicians with no specialized training to detect and assess, in real-time, the severity of bruises and erythema, regardless of patient skin pigmentation or available lighting.

Fri, 23 May 08
No Link Found Between Antidepressants And Birth Defects, According To New Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060164/080522102431.htm
Expectant mothers can safely use prescribed antidepressants during their first trimester, according to a new study in the British Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers found that antidepressants had no effect on fetal development.

Fri, 23 May 08
Gene Mutations In Mice Mimic Human-like Sleep Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060165/080520175401.htm
Mutations in two genes that control electrical excitability in a portion of the brain involved in sleep create a human-like insomnia disorder in mice, researchers have found.

Fri, 23 May 08
Doctors Can Unmask Deceptive High-risk Breast Tumors Using Genetic Profile
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060166/080521154203.htm
A unique genetic signature can alert physicians to high-risk breast tumors that are masquerading as low-risk tumors, according to research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and collaborating institutions. Although these tumors are apparently estrogen-receptor positive -- meaning they should depend on estrogen to grow -- they don't respond well to anti-estrogen therapy.

Fri, 23 May 08
Plant Flavonoid In Celery And Green Peppers Found To Reduce Inflammatory Response In The Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294293481/080520094115.htm
Researchers report that a plant compound found in abundance in celery and green peppers can disrupt a key component of the inflammatory response in the brain.

Fri, 23 May 08
Hypertension Treatment With Diuretics Recommended In New Guide
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060168/080520090538.htm
A thiazide-type diuretic is the best first-choice drug for hypertensive patients according to recent research. According to the American Heart Association, about one in three U.S. adults has high blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure.

Fri, 23 May 08
Tool Creates Personalized Catch-up Immunization Schedules For Missed Childhood Vaccinations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294334075/080520100103.htm
A new downloadable software tool will help pediatricians, parents and other health-care professionals determine how to adjust complex childhood immunization schedules when one or more vaccine doses aren't received at the proper time.

Fri, 23 May 08
High-school Girls Who Consider Themselves Attractive Are More Likely To Be Targets For Bullying
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060169/080522102420.htm
High school females who viewed themselves as attractive had a 35 percent higher risk of being indirectly victimized. This includes being involved in emotionally damaging scenarios such as receiving hurtful anonymous notes, being socially excluded, or having rumours spread about them, including threats of physical harm.

Fri, 23 May 08
Jupiter: Turbulent Storms May Be Sign Of Global Climate Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060170/080522121036.htm
The first images of Jupiter since it came out from behind the sun show that the turbulence and storms that have plagued the planet for the past two years continue. Whether or not this is a sign of global warming, the turbulence does seem to be spawning new spots. As Red Spot Jr. and the Great Red Spot approach a June conjunction, a new third spot may merge with the GRS in August.

Fri, 23 May 08
Fruit Juice Consumption Not Related To Overweight In Children, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060171/080522145156.htm
Despite studies that assert otherwise, 100% fruit juice consumption is not related to overweight in children, according to a new study.

Fri, 23 May 08
Noninvasive Device For GERD, Obesity Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060172/080520161914.htm
A new, noninvasive gastroplasty device to treat two separate disorders -- gastroesophageal-reflux disease (GERD) and morbid obesity has recently been developed. Typically, operations for GERD or obesity are performed using incisions, which requires hospitalization and have the potential for significant complications, he said. The device, a flexible tube with a metal capsule that is 3-feet-long and less than 4/5 of an inch in diameter -- avoids the need for incisions.

Fri, 23 May 08
Trends Of Vitamin B6 Status In US Population Sample Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294334069/080520103435.htm
In an epidemiological study, researchers identified trends of vitamin B6 status in a sample of the United States population based on measures of plasma pyridoxal 5'- phosphate levels in the bloodstream. Some study participants demonstrated inadequate vitamin B6 status, despite consuming the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin B6.

Fri, 23 May 08
The Very Model Of A Modern Transistor
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/296060173/080521184825.htm
New models of how two types of power transistors perform will result in more efficient smart electrical circuits, making such technologies as cars and home appliances more reliable and environmentally friendly. Power transistors are used to control large electrical loads and are at the heart of the modern smart circuits used in all kinds of equipment from motor steering units to stereo amplifiers. More efficient transistors would thus contribute to the move toward greener power supplies by using energy sources in a more economical manner.

Fri, 23 May 08
High School Knee Injuries By Sport And Gender
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295775629/080522072325.htm
Knee injuries, among the most economically costly sports injuries, are the leading cause of high school sports-related surgeries according to a study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine. The knee was the second most frequently injured body site overall, with boys' football and wrestling and girls' soccer and basketball recording the highest rates of knee injury.

Fri, 23 May 08
Some Like It Hot! Structure Of Receptor For Hot Chili Pepper And Pain Revealed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295812357/080520090524.htm
You can now not only feel the spicy kick of a jalapeno pepper, you can also see it in full 3-D, thanks to researchers at Baylor College of Medicine. Using sophisticated equipment, the researchers generated the first three dimensional view of the protein that allows you to sense the heat of a hot pepper.

Fri, 23 May 08
RNA Toxicity Contributes To Neurodegenerative Disease, Scientists Say
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295151950/080521105243.htm
Biologists have determined that faulty RNA, the blueprint that creates mutated, toxic proteins, contributes to a family of neurodegenerative disorders in humans. The study demonstrates that faulty RNA also assists in the onset and progression of disease in fruit fly models.

Fri, 23 May 08
Regenerative Activity In The Peripheral Nervous System Could Mean Regeneration For The Central Nervous System
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293512986/080519092202.htm
Researchers have for the first time identified a protein that is key to the regeneration of damage in the peripheral nervous system and which could with further research lead to understanding diseases of our peripheral nervous systems and provide clues to methods of repairing damage in the central nervous system, according to a study in the Journal of Cell Biology.

Fri, 23 May 08
Merging 'Control' Software With Smart Devices Could Optimize Manufacturing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295105326/080521105255.htm
Real-time access to manufacturing data is essential to modern factories. Researchers are developing software that takes advantage of the real-time data generated by smart devices to support real-time decision-making.

Thu, 22 May 08
Grasshopper-Inspired Jumping Microrobot Can Make Staggering Leaps
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295185783/080521120504.htm
Researchers from the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at EPFL are unveiling a novel, grasshopper-inspired jumping robot at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. The robot weighs a minuscule 7 grams, and can jump 1.4 meters, or more than 27 times its body size -- ten times farther for its size and weight than any existing jumping robot.

Thu, 22 May 08
New Blood Test Reveals Risk For Metabolic Syndrome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328658/080520175351.htm
Researchers have discovered that people with high oxidation levels of the low-density lipoprotein particle that carries cholesterol throughout the blood are much more likely to develop metabolic syndrome -- which can lead to a considerably increased risk of developing heart disease.

Thu, 22 May 08
Invasion Of Gigantic Burmese Pythons In South Florida Appears To Be Rapidly Expanding
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328659/080520131750.htm
The invasion of gigantic Burmese pythons in South Florida appears to be rapidly expanding, according to a new report from a researcher who's been chasing the snakes since 2005. The new document follows the February release of a U. S. Geological Survey climate map that showed -- based solely on climate, not habitat -- pythons could potentially survive across the lower third of the United States.

Thu, 22 May 08
Virtual Biopsy Can Tell Whether Colon Polyp Is Benign Without Removal, Researchers Say
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295151955/080521110624.htm
A probe so sensitive that it can tell whether or not a cell living within the human body is veering towards cancer development may revolutionize how future colonoscopies are done.

Thu, 22 May 08
Scientists Characterize Protein Structure Of Environmentally Friendly Bacteria
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328660/080521133913.htm
Scientists have determined the structure of a key protein domain in a bacterium that could help with bioremediation of uranium-contaminated land sites.

Thu, 22 May 08
Protecting Polar Bears Must Include Mitigating Global Warming, Group Argues
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328661/080521100419.htm
Following a three-year legal battle to protect the polar bear from extinction due to global warming, three environmental groups won protection for the species with the announcement May 14 that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is listing the polar bear as a federally "threatened" species. While the polar bear listing is one of the administration's clearest acknowledgments to date of the urgent threat posed by global warming, the administration is simultaneously attempting to reduce the protections the bear will receive under the Act.

Thu, 22 May 08
How Can We Measure The Emotional States Of Animals?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328662/080520203003.htm
Rats housed in standard conditions show a stronger response to the loss of an expected food reward than those housed in enriched conditions, perhaps indicating a more negative emotional state, according to new research.

Thu, 22 May 08
Early Life Exposure To Cats May Reduce Risk Of Childhood Allergies And Asthma Symptoms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328664/080520150717.htm
Cat ownership may have a protective effect against the development of asthma symptoms in young children at age five. The study found that children with cats in the home were more likely to have made allergy-related antibodies to cats.

Thu, 22 May 08
Gene Therapy: Oral Gene Delivery System For Inflammatory Bowel Disease Works, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328665/080520163044.htm
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) afflicts as many as 10 out of 100,000 people in the United States and currently available treatment options are short-term and invasive with toxic side effects. Now medical scientists are successfully developing a safe and effective, orally administered non-viral gene delivery system that promises a painless treatment option with long-term effects and aims to ultimately replace the frequent injection regimen offered to patients today.

Thu, 22 May 08
Daily Glass Of Wine Could Improve Liver Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328667/080520162239.htm
Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine are challenging conventional thinking with a study showing that modest wine consumption, defined as one glass a day, may not only be safe for the liver, but may actually decrease the prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). The study showed that for individuals who reported drinking up to one glass of wine per day, as compared to no alcohol consumption, the risk of liver disease due to NAFLD was cut in half. In contrast, compared with wine drinkers, individuals who reported modest consumption of beer or liquor had over four times the odds of having suspected NAFLD.

Thu, 22 May 08
Technique For Nasal Obstruction Helps Patients Breathe Easier, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328668/080519165952.htm
Z-plasty, a minimally invasive surgical technique to treat internal nasal valve collapse, showed significant improvement in relieving nasal obstruction with less recovery time compared to more traditional open rhinoplasty, according to new research.

Thu, 22 May 08
Iron Transport Protein Mapped
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295024154/080521080347.htm
Scientists have mapped the human protein Steap3, which plays an important role in the absorption of iron into the bloodstream. Iron irregularities are some of the most common blood disorders in the world.

Thu, 22 May 08
Identifying The Global Elements Of Job Satisfaction
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328669/080521093031.htm
When it comes to satisfaction at work, workers in different countries find it in different ways, according to new studies. Researchers are probing the ways in which firms interact with their employees to get the most out of them.

Thu, 22 May 08
Most North Pacific Humpback Whale Populations Rebounding
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328670/080521162541.htm
The number of humpback whales in the North Pacific Ocean has increased since international and federal protections were enacted in the 1960s and 70s, according to a new study conducted by more than 400 whale researchers throughout the Pacific region. However, some humpback populations still slow to recover.

Thu, 22 May 08
Method To Duplicate Primitive Stem Cells And Prevent Cell Differentiation Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328671/080521131538.htm
Researchers have discovered a new mechanism to allow embryonic stem cells to divide indefinitely and remain undifferentiated. The study also reveals how embryonic stem cell multiplication is regulated, which may be important in understanding how to control tumor cell growth.

Thu, 22 May 08
White-handed Gibbons Now Presumed 'Extinct' In China, Forest Survey Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328672/080520213819.htm
China's fauna exhibits a unique diversity of apes. Unfortunately, the apes are more strongly endangered by extinction in China than in any other country. A research team assembled by anthropologists of Zurich University now conclude that another ape species has just become extinct in China's Yunnan province.

Thu, 22 May 08
Neural Cell Transplants May Help Those With Parkinson's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328673/080519083013.htm
Researchers publishing their studies in CELL TRANSPLANTATION are seeking new ways to treat Parkinson's disease using cell transplantation in animal models. Recent studies are aimed at finding ways to track the progress of transplanted cells and monitor motor and behavioral changes in test animals. The survival of transplanted cells in the microenvironment to which they are directed, and their ability to be efficacious in the presence of tracking tools, is of prime importance.

Thu, 22 May 08
Scientists Develop Way To Predict Properties Of Light Nuclei
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328674/080521131528.htm
Scientists have spent 70 years trying to predict the properties of nuclei, but have had to settle for approximate models because computational techniques were not equal to the task. Scientists at U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have learned to compute what happens when nuclei collide.

Thu, 22 May 08
Continuing Upward Pressure On Retail Gasoline Prices Expected
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328677/080521150645.htm
With the price of a barrel of oil hovering around $120, US drivers can expect to pay more at the pump in the near future, according to a new study.

Thu, 22 May 08
Kangaroos Threaten One Of Australia's Last Remaining Original Grasslands, And Endangered Animals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295151949/080521114923.htm
Australian Department of Defense is currently culling hundreds of kangaroos on the outskirts of the capital Canberra that have produced heated discussions and hit international headlines. Australia's iconic animal has multiplied so much over recent years that Canberra now has three times as many kangaroos as inhabitants. The situation is particularly critical at two enclosed military sites on the outskirts of the city, which form an ideal refuge for the eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus).

Thu, 22 May 08
Analysis Of Millions Of US Births Shows Association Between Birth Defects And Preterm Birth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295024153/080521080401.htm
An analysis of nearly 7 million US live births found that about 8 percent of babies born preterm had a birth defect -- more than twice the rate as full-term infants. Birth defects and preterm birth are the leading causes of infant death.

Thu, 22 May 08
Mars Express Mission Controllers Ready For NASA Phoenix Landing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328678/080520113146.htm
ESA's Mars Express mission control team are ready to monitor Phoenix's critical entry, descent and landing onto the Martian surface on May 26, 2008.

Thu, 22 May 08
Dermatologists Link Family History To Shingles Susceptibility
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328679/080519165945.htm
Researchers have identified family history as one reason why some people might be more susceptible to shingles, a severe skin condition. Shingles, or Herpes Zoster, is a burning, painful, itchy skin rash with blisters that can last up to five weeks and pain that can last months to years. Nearly 1 million shingles cases are diagnosed each year in the United States.

Thu, 22 May 08
Halting Methane Squanderlust: Catalyst Converts Methane To More Useful Compounds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328681/080521125331.htm
The pipes that rise from oil fields, topped with burning flames of natural gas, waste fossil fuels and dump carbon dioxide into the air. Scientists have identified the structure of a catalytic material that can turn methane into a safe and easy-to-transport liquid. The insight lays the foundation for converting excess methane into a variety of useful fuels and chemicals.

Thu, 22 May 08
Food For Thought: Environmental Cost Of Getting Food To Restaurants Far Higher, UK Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328682/080519122526.htm
Pioneering research recommends a full government environmental audit of British restaurants. The report — 'The Environmental Sustainability of the British Restaurant Industry: A London Case Study' — has revealed that the environmental cost of getting food to the restaurant plate is far higher than previously thought.

Thu, 22 May 08
Carbon Nanotubes That Look Like Asbestos, Behave Like Asbestos, Could Lead To Asbestos-related Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295224867/080520144004.htm
A major study in Nature Nanotechnology suggests some forms of carbon nanotubes -- a poster child for the "nanotechnology revolution" -- could be as harmful as asbestos if inhaled in sufficient quantities.

Thu, 22 May 08
Determining Genetic Signature Of Lung Tumors Can Help Guide Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294334074/080520103424.htm
The first US clinical trial using genetic screening to identify lung tumors likely to respond to targeted therapies supports the use of those drugs as first-line treatment rather than after standard chemotherapy has failed.

Thu, 22 May 08
Targeting A Pathological Area Using MRI
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295224869/080519154844.htm
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become a common tool in clinical diagnosis due to the use of contrast agents, which are like colorants, enabling the contrast between healthy tissue and diseased tissue to be increased. However, the agents currently used clinically do not allow the identification of particular pathologies or of the affected area of the body. The recent work has brought new hope to this field.

Thu, 22 May 08
Tracking Influenza's Every Movement
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328683/080519165939.htm
Analysis of approximately 13,000 human influenza A viruses from six continents 2002--2007 revealed continuous circulation in east/southeast Asia via a regional network of temporally overlapping epidemics and that epidemics in the temperate regions were seeded from this network each year. If the trends are an accurate representation of overall patterns, then the antigenic characteristics of A viruses outside Asia may be forecast each year based on surveillance within Asia, with consequent improvements to vaccine strain selection.

Thu, 22 May 08
Turning Conventional Video Coding Wisdom On Its Head
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328684/080520214357.htm
A major drawback of the latest generation video products and applications has been the complex requirements for coding and decoding signals. An alternative put forward by European researchers turns the traditional video coding paradigm on its head.

Thu, 22 May 08
Delayed Adverse Effects May Occur Following Injection With Cosmetic Skin Fillers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328685/080519170157.htm
Polyalkylimide implants -- injections used as cosmetic fillers primarily in Europe -- may be associated with infrequent but sometimes severe immune-related adverse effects months following the procedure, according to a new report.

Thu, 22 May 08
First-born Babies' Higher Asthma And Allergy Rates Due To Pregnancy Conditions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295224868/080520090453.htm
First-born children are at higher risk of developing asthma and allergy because of different conditions they experience in the uterus, according to new research.

Thu, 22 May 08
Observation Of X-rays From Birth Of Supernova Leads To All-out Effort To Record Stellar Death
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328686/080521131547.htm
NASA's Swift satellite caught the rare birth of a supernova earlier this year, allowing astronomers to rapidly deploy ground-based telescopes to follow its evolution and learn about normal stellar explosions. Astronomers have analyzed the data to conclude that the original star was more than 30 times the mass of the sun, but only slightly larger, when its core ran out of fuel and imploded, blowing the star to smithereens.

Thu, 22 May 08
Blood-clotting Protein Modified For People With Hard-to-treat Hemophilia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295224871/080519150605.htm
Pathologists have developed a chemically modified protein that may help people with a hard-to-treat form of a genetic bleeding disorder known as hemophilia A. With a shortage of the blood-clotting protein Factor VIII (FVIII), people with Hemophilia A typically receive injections of FVIII derived from plasma or produced synthetically to control potentially life-threatening episodes of bleeding. Unfortunately as many as 1 in 3 people with Hemophilia A produce inhibitor antibodies, which attack the externally-administered FVIII and negate its blood-clotting benefits.

Thu, 22 May 08
Counting Immune Cells On A 'Protein Printboard'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295224872/080520212615.htm
In order to monitor how far an HIV infection has progressed, the number of immune cells – lymphocytes – must be counted. Researchers have developed a method that neatly arranges the antibodies that bind to these immune cells on a ‘molecular printboard’.

Thu, 22 May 08
Teen Blood Donors Have Higher Risk Of Donation-related Complications
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295224874/080520175409.htm
Sixteen- and 17-year olds who donate blood are significantly more likely to experience donation-related complications such as fainting and bruising than older blood donors.

Thu, 22 May 08
Ancient Amphibian: Debate Over Origin Of Frogs And Salamanders Settled With Discovery Of Missing Link
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295328687/080521131541.htm
The description of an ancient amphibian that millions of years ago swam in quiet pools and caught mayflies on the surrounding land in Texas has set to rest one of the greatest current controversies in vertebrate evolution.

Thu, 22 May 08
New Research Tool Can Detect Autism At 9 Months Of Age
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294374377/080520112133.htm
The ability to detect autism in children as young as nine months of age is on the horizon. The Early Autism Study has been using eye tracker technology that measures eye direction while the babies look at faces, eyes and bouncing balls on a computer screen.

Thu, 22 May 08
Fungus That Produces Biofuels From Plants: Genome Sequenced
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295224875/080519153925.htm
The fungus Trichoderma reesei optimally breaks down plants into simple sugars, the basic components of ethanol. The fungus's genome has recently been sequenced. The results show that only a few genes are responsible for the fungus's enzymatic activity. They offer new avenues for the fabrication of second generation biofuels from plant waste.

Thu, 22 May 08
New Research Improves Early Detection And Survival For Pancreatic Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295224876/080520112306.htm
There are new and innovative methods to better understand the risk factors for and improve earlier detection of pancreatic cancer. Specifically, researchers can demonstrate that the development of, new biomarkers, novel treatment targets, innovative approaches to screening and surveillance and improved understanding of risk factors can lead to diagnosis of pancreatic cancer at earlier more treatable stages.

Thu, 22 May 08
Scientists 'Paint' Viruses To Track Their Fate In The Body
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294334070/080520103432.htm
Here's a new twist on the relationship between biology and art. Researchers describe how they were able to coat--or paint--viruses with proteins. This breakthrough should boost the efficiency of some forms of gene therapy, help track and treat viral disease and evolution, improve the efficiency of vaccines, and ultimately allow health-care professionals track the movement of viral infections within the body.

Thu, 22 May 08
Increase In Drunk Driving Fatalities Followed Ban On Smoking In Bars
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295151951/080521120216.htm
A ban on cigarette smoking in bars is meant to save lives by reducing patrons' exposure to secondhand smoke. But it may actually be having an unintended consequence. By comparing data from a variety of locations around the United States where laws requiring smoke-free bars exist with locations without bans, researchers found a relative increase in fatalities caused by drunk driving following ban enactment. It seems that smokers are willing to drive longer distances to an establishment that allows smoking.

Thu, 22 May 08
Storm Winds Blow In Jupiter's Little Red Spot
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295185780/080521122129.htm
Astronomers have found that one of the solar system's largest and newest storms -- Jupiter's Little Red Spot -- has some of the highest wind speeds ever detected on any planet. This is the first time that high resolution, close--up imaging of the Little Red Spot has been combined with powerful Earth--orbital and ground-based imagery made at ultraviolet through mid--infrared wavelengths.

Thu, 22 May 08
Improved Gene Therapy Agent Is 30 Times More Efficient Than Current One
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295224877/080520090529.htm
Geneticists have developed a new version of the adeno-associated virus gene transfer vector. With just a small molecular change, AAV works about 30 times more efficiently at transferring genes in mice. The research is reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Thu, 22 May 08
Old Antibiotic May Find New Life As A Stroke Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295224878/080519150602.htm
An old intravenous antibiotic may have new life as a stroke treatment, researchers say. Minocycline appears to reduce stroke damage in multiple ways -- inhibiting white blood cells and enzymes that, at least acutely, can destroy brain tissue and blood vessels, respectively, say researchers. The broad-spectrum antibiotic also seems to reduce cell suicide in the minutes and hours following a stroke, enabling more cells to recover.

Thu, 22 May 08
Incisionless Procedure To Reduce Weight Regain After Gastric Bypass Surgery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295224879/080520160855.htm
Every year more than 100,000 U.S. patients undergo gastric bypass surgery for the treatment of obesity. Experience now shows approximately 20 percent of these patients will regain weight within a few years after the surgery, due to the stretching of the stomach, and will be at renewed risk for diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The Center for the Treatment of Obesity at UC San Diego Medical Center now offers a new incision-free procedure to reverse weight gain after gastric bypass surgery.

Thu, 22 May 08
Biofuels: Process Used To Roast Coffee Beans May Give Biomass A Power Boost
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/295151957/080521102826.htm
A process used to roast coffee beans could give Britain's biomass a power boost, increasing the energy content of some leading energy crops by up to 20 per cent.

Wed, 21 May 08
New Meaning For The Term 'Computer Bug': Genetically Altered Bacteria For Data Storage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294293489/080520090551.htm
Researchers have created 'living computers' by genetically altering bacteria. The research demonstrates that computing in living cells is feasible, opening the door to a number of applications including data storage and as a tool for manipulating genes for genetic engineering. A research team from biology and the mathematics departments of Davidson College, Biologists and mathematicians added genes to Escherichia coli bacteria, creating bacterial computers able to solve a classic mathematical puzzle, known as the burnt pancake problem.

Wed, 21 May 08
Hormone Replacement Therapy Is Safe For Healthy Women Entering Menopause, Summit Concludes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707891/080520090430.htm
Menopause experts have concluded that hormone replacement therapy in the early postmenopausal period is safe, and healthy women going through the first few years of the menopause who need HRT to relieve symptoms should have no fears about its use.

Wed, 21 May 08
Superconducting State Can Be Induced By High Pressure In So-called High-temperature Superconductors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707892/080519150608.htm
Superconductors can convey more than 150 times more electricity than copper wires because they don't restrict electron movement, the essence of electricity. But to do this, the materials have to be cooled below a very low, so-called, transition temperature, which often makes them impractical for widespread use. Now for the first time, scientists have found that in addition to chemical manipulation, the superconducting state can be induced by high pressure in so-called high-temperature superconductors.

Wed, 21 May 08
Abnormal 'Editing' Of Gene Messages May Be A Cause Of Lupus
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707893/080519155131.htm
Researchers have uncovered evidence that the abnormal "editing" of gene messages in a type of white blood cell may be behind the development of lupus. Scientists hope the finding will lead to earlier diagnosis, a way to monitor patients' response to therapy and possibly a new way to treat the disease.

Wed, 21 May 08
Monitor Sanctuary In Good Health Overall, But Historic Shipwreck Still Faces Threats
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294405566/080515102043.htm
The natural resources of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary off the North Carolina coast are in good condition overall, but the wreck of the Civil War ironclad encompassed by the site is at risk from human activity and natural deterioration, according to a new NOAA report.

Wed, 21 May 08
When Your Memories Can No Longer Be Trusted
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707894/080520212222.htm
You went to a wedding yesterday. The service was beautiful, the food and drink flowed and there was dancing all night. But people tell you that you are in hospital, that you have been in hospital for weeks, and that you didn't go to a wedding yesterday at all. The experience of false memories like this following neurological damage is known as confabulation. The reasons why patients experience false memories such as these has largely remained a mystery.

Wed, 21 May 08
Diamond-Like Crystals Discovered In Brazilian Beetle Solve Issue For Future Optical Computers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707896/080520090534.htm
Researchers have been unable to build an ideal "photonic crystal" to manipulate visible light, impeding the dream of ultrafast optical computers. But now chemists have discovered that nature already has designed photonic crystals with the ideal, diamond-like structure: They are found in the shimmering, iridescent green scales of a beetle from Brazil.

Wed, 21 May 08
Sleep-deprived Brains Alternate Between Normal Activity And 'Power Failure'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707898/080520175354.htm
Neuroscience researchers have shown for the first time what happens to the visual perceptions of healthy but sleep-deprived volunteers. They found that even after sleep deprivation, people had periods of near-normal brain function in which they could finish tasks quickly. However, this normalcy mixed with periods of slow response and severe drops in visual processing and attention.

Wed, 21 May 08
Cancer Drug May Help Patients With Heart-lung Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707900/080519133446.htm
A drug developed to fight cancer is showing early promise as a treatment for pulmonary hypertension. In the first human trial of sorafenib as a treatment for pulmonary hypertension, 8 out of the first 9 patients increased their ability to exercise. Six out of 9 had improved right ventricular ejection fraction. Four had a significant decrease in pulmonary artery pressures.

Wed, 21 May 08
Astronomers Search For Orphan Stars Using Newly Upgraded Telescope
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707901/080519155133.htm
Using new charge coupled device instrumentation, astronomers can now view the night sky wider and deeper than before.

Wed, 21 May 08
To Here But Not Sea: Complexities Of Spelling Difficulties Explored
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707902/080520212057.htm
Children who can read and have good phonetic skills - the ability to recognize the individual sounds within words – may still be poor spellers, a study of primary school children has shown. Researchers show that this subgroup of poor spellers is more likely to be right handed than other poor spellers.

Wed, 21 May 08
First Dinosaur Tracks Discovered On Arabian Peninsula
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707903/080520203013.htm
The first dinosaur tracks on the Arabian Peninsula have just been discovered. Scientists found evidence of a large ornithopod dinosaur, as well as a herd of 11 sauropods walking along a Mesozoic coastal mudflat in what is now the Republic of Yemen.

Wed, 21 May 08
Stroke Victims Experiencing Seizures More Likely To Die, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707904/080519132452.htm
Seizures may be a sign of significant brain injury, and may occur in patients that experience any type of stroke. A new study finds that stroke patients with ensuing seizures are more likely to die in the 30 days following stroke than patients without seizures. The findings show a mortality rate of over 30 percent at thirty days after stroke.

Wed, 21 May 08
Embryonic Pathway Delivers Stem Cell Traits
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707905/080515120807.htm
Cells that undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition show properties of stem cells, including the ability to self-renew. In addition, stem cells exhibit properties of cells that undergo EMT. Strikingly, both normal and cancer stem cells can be generated from differentiated cells by EMT. Understanding the role of EMT in adult stem cell creation may lead toward the development of healthy stem cells for regenerative medicine and provide drug targets for cancer.

Wed, 21 May 08
Research Advances May Help Prevent And Improve Diagnosis Of Celiac Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293623072/080519112044.htm
For those suffering from celiac disease, there may be good news on the horizon. New research will discuss the latest advancements in the diagnosis and prevention of celiac sprue.

Wed, 21 May 08
Rice Grown In United States Contains Less-dangerous Form Of Arsenic
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293553213/080519102012.htm
Rice grown in the United States may be safer than varieties from Asia and Europe, according to a new global study of the grain that feeds over half of humanity. The study evaluated levels of arsenic, which can be toxic at high levels, in rice worldwide.

Wed, 21 May 08
Recalled Toy Beads, Aqua Dots, Did Contain High Level Of Poisonous Chemical, 'Date Rape' Drug, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707906/080520175259.htm
Reports of children becoming unconscious after swallowing Aqua Dots beads led to a voluntary recall of the product in November 2007. At the time, it was widely reported that the potentially toxic chemical 1,4-butanediol (BD) had been used in place of the benign but more expensive 1,5-pentanediol (PD) in the manufacture of the beads. A new study confirms these reports, finding that Aqua Dots contained no 1,5-PD at all, but had a surprisingly high level – almost 14 percent - of extractable 1,4-BD. According to the study, consumption of several dozen Aqua Dots beads containing these levels of the chemical, a central nervous system depressant commonly known as a “date-rape drug,” would be enough to induce the reported vomiting and self-limited comas experienced by children that ingested the toys.

Wed, 21 May 08
Cure For The Common Cold? Smallpox Drug May Also Target Some Upper-Respiratory Infections
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707907/080520090542.htm
Scientists have made two key discoveries that could lead to the first-ever human testing of a drug to target the adenovirus, which causes a number of severe upper-respiratory infections and is one of many viruses that causes the common cold. There are currently no drugs approved specifically to treat adenovirus infections in large part because there has been no animal model in which to test drug candidates, a key prerequisite before testing in humans.

Wed, 21 May 08
West Nile Vaccine Breakthrough
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293623069/080519120154.htm
Researchers have made a giant leap forward in the race to develop a vaccine for the potentially debilitating West Nile virus. Researchers have found a way to generate immune response levels comparable to a live virus vaccine, which could also help suffers of other disease such as dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis.

Wed, 21 May 08
Native Plants Can Also Benefit From The Invasive Ones
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291774546/080516125934.htm
Using empirical tests, a pioneering study shows how plant species, such as the prickly pear, invade Mediterranean ecosystems, and can either rob the native plants of pollinating insects, or, surprisingly, can attract them, thus benefiting the whole plant community, such as in the case of balsam. The research contradicts the hypothesis of the "floral market" whereby only the invasive flowers are seen to benefit and the native flowers are no longer visited by pollinating insects.

Wed, 21 May 08
Turn Off Gene Regulators To Tune In To Development
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707908/080516163315.htm
For a fertilized egg to develop into an embryo a mass of identical cells must be directed to become a large number of distinct cell types with different functions and then these cells must be organized into functional organs and tissues. The proteins that direct these crucial events control the expression of an enormous number of genes and are known as transcription factors.

Wed, 21 May 08
Using Forest Residues Reduces Soil Carbon Stock
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707909/080520211441.htm
The use of harvest residues for energy production decreases soil carbon stocks. These changes in soil carbon stocks are remarkable compared to the other greenhouse gas emissions caused by the use of forest residues for energy. On a national scale, soil carbon stocks play an important role in forest carbon balances.

Wed, 21 May 08
Overweight In Adolescence Gives Increased Mortality Rate, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294374378/080520110423.htm
People who were already overweight in adolescence (14-19 years old) have an increased mortality rate from a range of chronic diseases as adults; endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer and respiratory diseases. There were also many cases of sudden death in this group.

Wed, 21 May 08
Clue To Mystery Crustacean In Parasite Form
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294293488/080520090559.htm
First identified in 1899, y-larvae have been one of the greatest zoological mysteries for over a century. No one has ever found an adult of these puzzling crustaceans, despite the plethora of these larvae in plankton, leading generations of marine zoologists to wonder just what y-larvae grow up to be. A new study reports the transformation of the larvae into a previously unseen, wholly un-crustacean-like, parasitic form.

Wed, 21 May 08
Could Common Pain Killers Have A Role In Cancer Prevention?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707910/080519092211.htm
Recently, researchers have begun looking to NSAIDs as having a potential role in the prevention of colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer and pancreatitis. Three new studies investigate the potentially beneficial role that NSAID medications can play in the treatment of GI-related cancer and in the prevention of surgery-related inflammation.

Wed, 21 May 08
Plant Biologists Discover Unexpected Proteins Affecting Small RNAs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707911/080515120750.htm
Now that high school biology students can recite that genes are made of DNA, which is transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA), which is then translated into protein, along comes a new class of molecules, sending students -- and many scientists -- scrambling for updated textbooks.

Wed, 21 May 08
Benefit Of Surgery For Gastroesophageal Reflux Confirmed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707912/080519165954.htm
Despite the growing availability of prescription and over-the-counter medications for gastroesophageal reflux disease, surgical treatment remains a viable alternative for patients whose symptoms persist. A survey of almost 200 patients who had laparoscopic antireflux surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital produced near-normal quality-of-life scores from most respondents, who also indicated considerable satisfaction with their long-term results.

Wed, 21 May 08
Silver-coated Endotracheal Tube Dramatically Reduces Resistant Infections
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707913/080519133449.htm
A silver-coated endotracheal tube may reduce infections with highly resistant bacteria over traditional tubes by nearly half, according to the results of a large randomized trial.

Wed, 21 May 08
Clear Racial Discrepancies Exist Among Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294707914/080519083016.htm
Black patients are more likely to die in the early stages of chronic kidney disease than whites, a finding that may explain the lower mortality rates observed among blacks with advanced kidney disease.

Wed, 21 May 08
Simple, Low-cost Carbon Filter Removes 90 Percent Of Carbon Dioxide From Smokestack Gases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293553217/080519092205.htm
Researchers report development of a low-cost carbon filter that can remove 90 percent of carbon dioxide gas from the smokestacks of electric power plants that burn coal and other fossil fuels. The new technology addresses a pressing need for simple, inexpensive new technologies to remove carbon dioxide from smokestack gases. Coal-burning electric power plants are major sources of the greenhouse gas, and control measures may be required in the future.

Wed, 21 May 08
Mapping Of Prostate Cancer Genes Opens The Door To New Treatments
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294334078/080520090555.htm
Genetic changes during the initiation and progression of prostate cancer have eluded scientists to date. Now for the first time researchers have identified a specific gene expression profile of prostate cancer stem cells, with important implications for future treatments. The findings revealed 581 genes that are differentially expressed in certain prostate cancer cells, highlighting several pathways important in the cancer stem-cells biology, and offering targets for new chemopreventative and chemotherapeutic approaches.

Wed, 21 May 08
Mouse Model Might Help Individuals With The Genetic Disorder Costello Syndrome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294405567/080516163212.htm
Researchers have developed a new mouse model of Costello syndrome (CS) -- an inherited disorder that affects many parts of the body, causing multiple symptoms; for example, effects on the brain and heart result in mental retardation and structural heart defects, respectively.

Wed, 21 May 08
New Mid-infrared Lasers Show Doubled Efficiency
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294405568/080519165935.htm
Researchers have recently doubled the efficiency of infrared lasers under the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Efficient Mid-wave Infrared Lasers program. As these types of lasers become more efficient, they could be used in next-generation laser-based defense systems to fool incoming missile attacks or detect explosives or toxins in the atmosphere. Such lasers could also be used in commercial applications like trace chemical analysis, pollution monitoring, and free space communication.

Wed, 21 May 08
Farm Moms May Help Children Beat Allergies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294405569/080520090438.htm
Mothers exposed to farms, particularly to barns and farm milk, while pregnant confer protection from allergies on their newborns, according to a group of German researchers.

Wed, 21 May 08
Burning Incense Is Psychoactive: New Class Of Antidepressants Might Be Right Under Our Noses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294374375/080520110415.htm
Burning frankincense (resin from the Boswellia plant) activates poorly understood ion channels in the brain to alleviate anxiety or depression. This suggests that an entirely new class of depression and anxiety drugs might be right under our noses.

Wed, 21 May 08
Erectile Dysfunction May Signal A Broken Heart
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294293486/080520090619.htm
Erectile dysfunction is always a matter of the heart, but new research shows that more than romance is at stake. Two new studies of men with type 2 diabetes found that erectile dysfunction was a powerful early warning sign for serious heart disease, including heart attack and death.

Wed, 21 May 08
First Evidence Of Native Dendritic Cells In Brain Surprises Scientists
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293553212/080519103818.htm
In a finding that has the potential to change the way researchers think about the brain, scientists at Rockefeller University have found dendritic cells where they've never been seen before: among this organ's neurons and connective cells. The immunity-directing dendritic cell had previously been seen in the human nervous system only after brain injury or disease. But the new study shows for the first time that the brain has its own, resident population of dendritic cells that may serve as a line of defense against pathogens that sneak past the blood-brain barrier.

Wed, 21 May 08
Drug Brings Relief For Many IBS Patients Who Experience Constipation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293472947/080519083028.htm
Many patients may soon find relief from the bloating, cramping, abdominal pain and constipation associated with irritable bowel syndrome. AMITIZA was just approved by the FDA for use in women with IBS plus constipation, thanks to new research that demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the drug for treatment of IBS-C.

Wed, 21 May 08
Physicists Develop Laser With Bandwith Spanning Two Telecom Windows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293592364/080519113215.htm
Physicists have developed new near-infrared broadband laser materials with tunability ranges around triple those of earlier crystals. The new crystals have a tunability range of as much as 460 nanometers (nm) and have potential application in such fields as telecommunications, biomedical imaging and remote sensing.

Wed, 21 May 08
A Loving Partner Can Save Your Skin
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294293480/080520094119.htm
Even couples that have been together for years may be embarrassed to let a partner see their less than perfect bodies naked in bright light. That can hamper their willingness to do total body skin exams on each other to check for melanoma. A new study has found that couples with close bonds were able to leap the self-conscious hurdle and perform regular skin checks. This increases the chance of finding a new melanoma earlier and lowering mortality from the disease.

Wed, 21 May 08
Missing Matter Of Universe Found; Cosmic Web Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294521214/080520152013.htm
Although the universe contains billions of galaxies, only a small amount of its matter is locked up in these behemoths. Most of the universe's matter that was cooked up during and just after the Big Bang must be found elsewhere. Now, in an extensive search of the relatively recent, local universe, astronomers said they have definitively found about half of the missing normal matter, called baryons, in the spaces between the galaxies.

Wed, 21 May 08
Will Lung Cancer Recur? A Genetic Test May Provide The Answer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293623070/080519120151.htm
The goal of developing reliable genetic tests to guide lung cancer treatment has taken a step forward. Researchers recently evaluated the ability of five high-risk genetic profiles, or signatures, to predict the likelihood that cancer would recur in patients whose non-small cell lung cancer was caught early and surgically removed.

Wed, 21 May 08
Emergency Links: 'Sweet Spot' For Radios In Tunnels Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294405571/080516164822.htm
Researchers have confirmed that underground tunnels -- generally a difficult setting for radios -- can have a frequency "sweet spot" at which signals may travel several times farther than at other frequencies. The finding may point to strategies for enhancing rescue communications in subways and mines.

Wed, 21 May 08
Biodiversity Loss Puts People At Risk: World Wildlife Fund
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291733157/080516112715.htm
Future generations face hunger, thirst, disease and disaster if we carry on losing biodiversity. And as biodiversity plummets our use of resources soars. WWF now estimates that biodiversity has declined by more than a quarter in the last 35 years.

Wed, 21 May 08
Teaching Evolution? Many High School Biology Teachers Include Creationism In Their Curriculum
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294334077/080520090630.htm
In recent years, US courts have consistently ruled that teaching explicitly religious alternatives to evolution in public schools is a violation of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. But now a political scientist show that despite these many legal victories, a surprising number of public high school biology teachers still include creationism or intelligent design in their curriculum.

Tue, 20 May 08
Global Warming Has Little Impact In Tropical Storm And Hurricane Numbers, NOAA Reports
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294003708/080519134306.htm
A new model simulation of Atlantic hurricane activity for the last two decades of this century projects fewer hurricanes overall, but a slight increase in intensity for hurricanes that do occur. Hurricanes are also projected to have more intense rainfall, on average, in the future.

Tue, 20 May 08
Traditional Herbal Medicine Kills Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Researchers Report
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293512985/080519092215.htm
An herb used in traditional medicine by Middle Eastern countries may help fight pancreatic cancer. Researchers have found that thymoquinone, an extract of nigella sativa seed oil, blocked pancreatic cancer cell growth and killed cells by enhancing programmed cell death. The findings suggest that thymoquinone could eventually have use as a preventative in those who have had surgery and chemotherapy or who are at risk of developing cancer.

Tue, 20 May 08
First Evidence That Bacteria Get 'Touchy-feely' About Dangerous Biofilms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293553214/080519101927.htm
Researchers report for the first time that bacteria use a sense of touch in deciding where to form biofilms. Those colonies of microbes grow on medical implants and other devices and play a key role in the multi-billion-dollar-per-year problem of antibiotic resistant infections. The finding could lead to safer implant materials for fighting biofilms, which are linked to thousands of deaths each year, the scientists say.

Tue, 20 May 08
Is The Future Of Surgery Painless And Scarless?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294003709/080519092213.htm
A sophisticated new surgical technology holds promise for future painless and scarless surgery with shorter recovery times than laparoscopic surgery. New research supports the safety and efficacy of natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) using new tools and robotic applications.

Tue, 20 May 08
Improved Ion Mobility Is Key To New Hydrogen Storage Compound
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294003710/080516164817.htm
A materials scientist has deciphered the structure of a new class of materials that can store relatively large quantities of hydrogen. The new analysis may point to a practical hydrogen storage material for automobile fuel cells and similar applications.

Tue, 20 May 08
21st Birthday Binge Drinking Extremely Common; Can Pose Serious Health Hazards
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293592367/080519113210.htm
The "21 for 21" ritual, where 21st birthday revelers attempt to down 21 alcoholic drinks, is highly prevalent among college students, according to new research. In the largest study of its kind, researchers have determined that many college students drink to excess on their 21st birthdays and potentially jeopardize their health.

Tue, 20 May 08
New Artificial Cornea Could Restore Vision For Millions Worldwide
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293553202/080519101849.htm
An improved artificial cornea, which could restore the vision of more than 10 million people worldwide who are blind due to diseased corneas, finally is moving toward reality, scientists in California conclude in a new analysis of research on the topic.

Tue, 20 May 08
Retraining Immune Cells To Kill Tumors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294003711/080519092208.htm
Tumors escape destruction by immune cells by turning off their tumor killing functions. A team of scientists have now found a way to retrain the impotent cells into potent tumor destroyers.

Tue, 20 May 08
Dosage Of Fertilizer Helps To Enhance Quality Of Wheat
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293592369/080519104605.htm
Breaking up the dosage of fertilizer into three phases of application enhances the quality of wheat and limits its negative effects on the environment. Wheat yields have increased over the decades, more concretely during the second half of the XX century when grain production per unit area doubled.

Tue, 20 May 08
Closing In On New Melanoma Gene
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293553215/080519100600.htm
It has long been known that prolonged exposure to the suns harmful UV rays can lead to Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. An unanswered question, however, is why some people are more likely to develop melanoma than others. Despite years of research and clinical development, melanoma incidences continue to rise around the world. According to the National Cancer Institute, the percentage of people in the United States who develop melanoma each year has more than doubled in the past 30 years. Researchers have now identified a region on chromosome 20 (20q11.22) that influences a person's risk of developing melanoma.

Tue, 20 May 08
Tool Helps Internet Master Top-level Domains
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294003712/080516170653.htm
At the request of a worldwide Internet organization, a computer scientist at NIST developed an algorithm that may guide applicants in proposing new "top-level domains." The NIST algorithm checks whether the newly proposed name is confusingly similar to existing ones by looking for visual likenesses in its appearance.

Tue, 20 May 08
Remote Pools Boost Aboriginal Child Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293592368/080519110700.htm
A new study has found that swimming pools in remote Aboriginal communities can dramatically reduce rates of skin, ear and chest infections. Skin infections are of major concern because they can lead to chronic heart or kidney disease later in life.

Tue, 20 May 08
Ancient Deep-sea Coral Reefs Off Southeastern US Serve As Underwater 'Islands' In The Gulf Stream
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293512983/080519095526.htm
Largely unexplored deep-sea coral reefs, some perhaps hundreds of thousands of years old, off the coast of the southeastern US are not only larger than expected but also home to commercially valuable fish populations and many newly discovered and unusual species. Results from a series of NOAA-funded expeditions to document these previously unstudied and diverse habitats and their associated marine life have revealed some surprising results.

Tue, 20 May 08
Blood Test Can Help Improve Treatment Outcomes For Breast Cancer Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291774550/080516123852.htm
With the goal of tailoring cancer treatment for each individual, researchers have presented a study suggesting a simple blood test can help doctors more reliably assess treatment efficacy for patients with metastatic breast cancer. Circulating tumor cells are a reliable predictor of treatment response in metastatic breast cancer.

Tue, 20 May 08
Larger Horns A Gamble For Young Soay Sheep
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294003713/080515120810.htm
When it comes to winning mates, larger horns are an asset for male Soay sheep. But those that grow them may be putting their young lives on the line.

Tue, 20 May 08
Broadband Access Opens Doors To Networking, Economic Development For Rural Areas
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/294003714/080519132448.htm
Proactive policies are needed to facilitate broadband Internet access and adoption in rural areas so that rural hospitals, schools and businesses can drive social and economic development and better position themselves to compete.

Tue, 20 May 08
Improving Asthma Patients' Care Through Computer-based Simulation Program
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293512984/080519092218.htm
Mayo Clinic pulmonary researchers have designed and tested a new patient education computer program intended to help people with asthma manage their disease. Overall, the computer-based experience was positive for users, showing promise as a tool that can help manage disease and control medical costs.

Tue, 20 May 08
Self-repairing Aircraft Could Revolutionize Aviation Safety
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293553207/080519105052.htm
A new technique that mimics healing processes found in nature could enable damaged aircraft to mend themselves automatically, even during a flight. As well as the obvious safety benefits, this breakthrough could make it possible to design lighter airplanes in future. This would lead to fuel savings, cutting costs for airlines and passengers and reducing carbon emissions too.

Tue, 20 May 08
Sulfur In Marine Archaeological Shipwrecks: The 'Hull Story' Gives A Sour Aftertaste
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293662178/080516094353.htm
Advanced chemical analyses reveal that, with the help of smart scavenging bacteria, sulfur and iron compounds accumulated in the timbers of the Swedish warship Vasa during her 333 years on the seabed of the Stockholm harbor.

Tue, 20 May 08
Multiple New Species Of Fruit Flies With Overlapping Niches Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293662180/080515145412.htm
Evidence of physically similar species hidden within plant tissues suggest that diversity of neotropical herbivorous insects may not simply be a function of plant architecture, but may also reflect the great age and area of the neotropics.

Tue, 20 May 08
With Age Comes A Sense Of Peace And Calm, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293623067/080519122522.htm
Aging brings a sense of peace and calm. Starting at about age 60, participants reported more feelings of ease and contentment than their younger counterparts. The findings reveal aging is associated with more positive than negative emotions, and more passive than active emotions.

Tue, 20 May 08
Vaccine Triggers Immune Response, Prevents Alzheimer's In Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293592363/080519105045.htm
A new vaccine prevents the development of Alzheimer's disease-like pathology in mice without causing inflammation or significant side effects. Vaccinated mice generated an immune response to the protein known as amyloid-beta peptide, which accumulates in what are called "amyloid plaques" in brains of people with Alzheimer's. The vaccinated mice demonstrated normal learning skills and functioning memory in spite of being genetically designed to develop an aggressive form of the disease.

Tue, 20 May 08
Cancer Stem Cells May Be At The Root Of Brain Tumors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293662181/080516164115.htm
Stem cells -- popularly known as a source of biological rejuvenation -- may play harmful roles in the body, specifically in the growth and spread of cancer. Amongst the wildly dividing cells of a tumor, scientists have located cancer stem cells.

Tue, 20 May 08
Surgeon Operates To Rescue Chimp With Rare Deformity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293553206/080519105054.htm
An orthopedic surgeon has performed a groundbreaking operation on a chimp in Cameroon to correct a deformity more commonly seen in dogs. The three year-old chimp called Janet was rescued from the Cameroon pet trade last year and now lives in a chimpanzee reserve supported by the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund. Janet was unable to climb and had difficulty walking because a bone in her forearm - the ulna - had stopped growing.

Tue, 20 May 08
By Adding Graphene, Researchers Create Superior Polymer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293553209/080519105049.htm
Researchers have created a new kind of polymer that, because of its extraordinary thermal and mechanical properties, could be used in everything from airplanes to solar cells. The polymer, a nanocomposite that incorporates functionalized, exfoliated graphene sheets, even conducts electricity, and researchers hope to use that property to eventually create thermally stable, optically transparent conducting polymers.

Tue, 20 May 08
Genes For Musical Aptitude In Finnish Families Located
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293553211/080519104624.htm
Researchers from Finland and USA have identified one major and several potential loci associated with musical aptitude in the human genome. The results raise an interesting question about common evolutionary background of music and language faculties.

Tue, 20 May 08
Ear Infections In Children Linked To Passive Smoking
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293592359/080519110703.htm
A strong link has been found between childhood ear infections and exposure to tobacco smoke. The impact of passive smoking in the home on ear infections was reduced if the children also attended day care.

Tue, 20 May 08
New Video Game Lets Visually Impaired Share The Fun
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293592360/080515214926.htm
A new computer game developed by students makes it possible for visually impaired people to play the game on a level field with their sighted friends. The game, called AudiOdyssey, simulates a deejay trying to build up a catchy tune and get people dancing. By swinging the remote-control device used by the Nintendo Wii, which senses motion, the player can set the rhythm and lay down one musical track after another, gradually building up a richer musical track.

Tue, 20 May 08
Disabling Mouse Enzyme Increases Fertility
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291733152/080516115811.htm
Changing the sugars attached to a hormone produced in the pituitary gland increased fertility levels in mice nearly 50 percent. The change appears to alter a reproductive "thermostat," unveiling part of an intricate regulatory system that may one day be used to enhance human fertility.

Tue, 20 May 08
Study Implicates 350 Gene Regions In Cancer Development In The Mouse
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293592361/080515120802.htm
A large genetic study in mice has identified hundreds of genes involved in the development of cancer by examining the DNA of more than 500 lymphomas to find the cancer causing mutations. The study found just over 10,000 mutations in total, which together implicate almost 350 regions in the mouse genome in cancer formation. Fifty of these regions correspond to genes known to be involved in human cancers.

Tue, 20 May 08
People With Obstructive Sleep Apnea At Risk For Cardiac Stress On Airline Flights
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292935010/080518122138.htm
People with severe obstructive sleep apnea on commercial airline flights may have a greater risk of adverse events from cardiac stress than healthy people, according to new research.

Tue, 20 May 08
The Mouse That Roared: Pipsqueak Star Unleashes Monster Flare
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293592362/080519113218.htm
On April 25, NASA's Swift satellite picked up the brightest flare ever seen from a normal star other than our sun. The flare, an explosive release of energy from a star, packed the power of thousands of solar flares. It would have been visible to the naked eye if the star had been easily observable in the night sky at the time. The star (EV Lacertae) can be likened to an unruly child that throws frequent temper tantrums.

Tue, 20 May 08
Bone Drug Could Help Prevent The Spread Of Breast Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291798871/080516123827.htm
Maintaining bone density could be a key to decreasing the spread of cancer in women with locally advanced breast cancer, according to new research. Bones are common sites for the spread, or metastasis, of breast cancer. Scientists have found that women treated for stage II/III breast cancer who also received a bone strengthening drug were less likely to have breast tumor cells growing in their bones after three months.

Tue, 20 May 08
Bacteria-resistant Films Created: Microbe Adhesion Depends On Surface Stiffness
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293512980/080515171017.htm
Having found that whether bacteria stick to surfaces depends partly on how stiff those surfaces are, MIT engineers have created ultrathin films made of polymers that could be applied to medical devices and other surfaces to control microbe accumulation.

Tue, 20 May 08
An Ancient Protein Balances Gene Activity And Silences Foreign DNA In Bacteria
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293512981/080515145401.htm
Compared to humans, bacteria have a much tidier genome. The tiny microorganisms pack their genes closely together, and don't carry around a lot of extraneous DNA, so-called junk DNA that fills in the gaps between genes. Some 90 percent of the complete genome sequence of the bacteria E. coli contains sequences of DNA that code for protein, while 90 percent of the human genome is non-coding junk DNA.

Tue, 20 May 08
How Did That Chain Letter Get To My Inbox?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293512982/080516150656.htm
Everyone who has an e-mail account has probably received a forwarded chain letter promising good luck if the message is forwarded on to others -- or terrible misfortune if it isn't. The sheer volume of forwarded messages such as chain letters, online petitions, jokes and other materials leads to a simple question -- how do these messages reach so many people so quickly?

Mon, 19 May 08
Fuels Cells: New Material Increases Power Output By More Than 50 Percent
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242780/080515145345.htm
Engineers have improved the power output of one type of fuel cell by more than 50 percent through technology that could help these environmentally friendly energy storage devices find a much broader market, particularly in portable electronics.

Mon, 19 May 08
Protein Combination Triggers 9-1-1 To Make Cells Fight Cancer-causing agents
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242781/080515120747.htm
Microbiologists have found a way to trigger a protein combination called 9-1-1 that sends an SOS signal for cells to fight cancer-causing agents such as industrial toxins, ultraviolet radiation, and X-rays. The finding may be a breakthrough in cancer research that could lead to better cancer diagnosis through targeting defective genes. It may also pave the way for a drug that activates the SOS response in cells.

Mon, 19 May 08
Perfect, Tiny Golden Nano-crown Made
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242782/080514102223.htm
Researchers in China have recently made a "golden crown" with a diameter of only a few nanometers, a large ring-shaped molecule containing 36 gold atoms.

Mon, 19 May 08
Can One 'Pin Down' Electrons?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242783/080515145358.htm
Experiments by physicists end a long-lasting dispute with an answer that apparently satisfies everyone. When atoms form molecules, they share their outer electrons and this creates a negatively charged cloud. Here, electrons buzz around between the two positively charged nuclei, making it impossible to tell which nucleus they belong to. They are delocalized. But is this also true for the electrons located closer to the nucleus?

Mon, 19 May 08
Why Nations Fail To Act In The Face Of Genocide
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242784/080515145348.htm
Why do people, who emotionally care for and respond to one person in need, become emotionally numb to many people in need? The international community should take formal steps to justify inaction when conditions of genocide exist anywhere in the world, a new article urges.

Mon, 19 May 08
Compound Has Potential For New Class Of AIDS Drugs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242785/080514171758.htm
Researchers have developed what they believe is the first new mechanism in nearly 20 years for inhibiting a common target used to treat all HIV patients, which could eventually lead to a new class of AIDS drugs.

Mon, 19 May 08
Early Stage Bone Cells Produce Potential Estrogen Substitute
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242786/080515101649.htm
Cells on their way to forming bone also produce an estrogen-like substance that mimics the naturally occurring female sex hormone estradiol. Researchers hope such a molecule might provide some of the benefits but, hopefully, not the health risk of traditional hormonal therapies for menopause and bone loss.

Mon, 19 May 08
Scientists Aim To Unlock Deep-sea 'Secrets' Of Earth's Crust
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242787/080514093301.htm
Scientists will use robots to explore the depths of the Atlantic Ocean to study the growth of underwater volcanoes that build the Earth's crust. During the five-week expedition they will use explorer robots to map individual volcanoes on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge tectonic plate boundary -- which effectively runs down the centre of the Atlantic Ocean - almost two miles (3km) below the surface of the sea.

Mon, 19 May 08
Nearly 40 Percent Of GERD Patients Taking PPIs Experience Recurring Symptoms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242788/080515145404.htm
Despite daily use of doctor-recommended proton pump inhibitors to control gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms, nearly 40 percent of patients who take them continue to experience breakthrough, which is a return of GERD symptoms, such as acid regurgitation and heartburn. These breakthrough symptoms lead more than half of GERD sufferers to use over-the-counter remedies, according to a recent survey.

Mon, 19 May 08
Scientists Identified Earthquake Faults In Sichuan, China
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291774551/080516123837.htm
Only last summer research published by earth scientists in the international journal Tectonics concluded that geological faults in the Sichuan Basin, China "are sufficiently long to sustain a strong ground-shaking earthquake, making them potentially serious sources of regional seismic hazard." An international team of scientists carefully mapped and analyzed a series of geologically young faults that cross Sichuan Province like recently healed scars.

Mon, 19 May 08
Mother's Prenatal Stress Predisposes Their Babies To Asthma And Allergy, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292935009/080518122143.htm
Women who are stressed during pregnancy may pass some of that frazzlement to their fetuses in the form of increased sensitivity to allergen exposure and possibly future asthma risk, according to new research from Harvard Medical School.

Mon, 19 May 08
Pain Free Without Numbness: Substance Combination With Chili Peppers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291733158/080516112459.htm
A dentist's injection typically causes numbness for several hours. This experience could soon be history. Now, researchers have developed a combination of two agents which is able to specifically block pain without producing numbness or motor paralysis. The substance is composed of a normally inactive derivative of the local anesthetic lidocaine, called QX314, and capsaicin, the pain-producing substance in chili peppers. Capsaicin works by opening channels present only in pain fibers to allow the QX314 only into these cells, where it blocks their function.

Mon, 19 May 08
Drug Therapy To Bolster Immune System Cells Found Effective Toward Childhood Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242789/080515113320.htm
Researchers have found a possible approach to therapy that may make cancer cells more sensitive to attack by immune system cells while making the immune system cells more powerful.

Mon, 19 May 08
Does Fishing On Drifting Fish Aggregation Devices Endanger The Survival Of Tropical Tuna?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242790/080515094614.htm
Biologists studying tropical tuna fisheries aimed to establish if the use of drifting fish aggregation devices, a technique employed increasingly for industrial-scale tuna fishery, could act as just such an ecological trap for these species. Examination revealed that the tuna species caught from under the floating objects were less healthy than those taken from free schools. Results suggested that the tuna, in following the artificial rafts, move away from their usual migration routes, which leads them into ecologically less appropriate waters.

Mon, 19 May 08
New Drug Reduces One Cause Of Vision Loss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242791/080515171038.htm
In the industrialized world, most diseases that cause vision loss do so by altering the permeability of the blood vessels in the retina of the eye. One recently developed treatment for many of these diseases requires the repeated injection of the drug into the eye. But a new study in mice and rabbits indicates that there might be a more painless and simple approach to reduce blood vessel permeability in the eye.

Mon, 19 May 08
Disorder Enables Extreme Sensitivity In Piezoelectric Materials
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242792/080516164814.htm
A research team has found an explanation for the extreme sensitivity to mechanical pressure or voltage of a special class of solid materials called relaxors. The ability to control and tailor this sensitivity would allow industry to enhance a range of devices used in medical ultrasound imaging, loudspeakers, sonar and computer hard drives.

Mon, 19 May 08
Men At Increased Risk Of Death From Pneumonia Compared To Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292935023/080518122132.htm
A new study of nearly 2,220 pneumonia patients finds that men who come to the hospital generally are sicker than women, and have a 30 percent higher risk of dying over the next year, despite aggressive medical care. Researchers further found significant differences in immune system response to infection, leading to speculation that future pneumonia treatments could be gender-based.

Mon, 19 May 08
First Transgenic Monkey Model Of Huntington's Disease Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293020975/080518152643.htm
Scientists have developed the first genetically altered monkey model that replicates some symptoms observed in patients with Huntington's disease, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Researchers are now able to better understand this complex, devastating and incurable genetic disorder affecting the brain. This advance, reported in Nature, could lead to major breakthroughs in the effort to develop new treatments for a range of neurological diseases.

Mon, 19 May 08
Personalized Therapy For Asthma And COPD Could Soon Be Here
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293020976/080518152636.htm
Researchers have defined a new type of immune response that is activated in patients with severe asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Their discovery could dramatically improve diagnosis and treatment of patients with chronic inflammatory lung disease.

Mon, 19 May 08
Restoring Fish Populations Leads To Tough Choice For Great Lakes Gulls
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242793/080514171807.htm
You might think that stocking the Great Lakes with things like trout and salmon would be good for the herring gull. The birds often eat from the water, so it would be natural to assume that more fish would mean better dining. But a new report published in the journal Ecology says that restoring fish has not been good for the birds.

Mon, 19 May 08
Genes May Play Role In Risk Assessment For Prostate Cancer Among Hispanics And Caucasians
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290880740/080515072953.htm
Genetic differences may explain the greater risk for prostate cancer among Caucasian men compared with Hispanic men, which could help clinicians predict who is more likely to develop the disease, according to an article in Clinical Cancer Research.

Mon, 19 May 08
Jaguar Upgrade Brings ORNL Closer To Petascale Computing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293242794/080515145334.htm
Upgrades to Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Jaguar supercomputer have more than doubled its performance, increasing the system's ability to deliver far-reaching advances in climate studies, energy research and a wide range of sciences.

Mon, 19 May 08
Explorers Marvel At 'Brittlestar City' On Seamount In Powerful Current Swirling Around Antarctica
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292935007/080518122148.htm
Scientists, plumbing the secrets of a vast underwater mountain range south of New Zealand, captured the first images of a novel "Brittlestar City" that colonized against daunting odds the peak of a seamount. Millions of starfish-like creatures catch passing food in 4 km/h current and cod shelter from 'rattling' current in folds of huge bubblegum coral in this marine metropolis.

Mon, 19 May 08
Green Tea Compounds Beat Obstructive Sleep Apnea-related Brain Deficits, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290880741/080515072944.htm
Chemicals found in green tea may be able to stave off the cognitive deficits that occur with obstructive sleep apnea, according to a new study in the Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Mon, 19 May 08
Innovative Antennae May Signal A 'New Wave' In Health Care Provision
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293020971/080514093253.htm
Compact, wireless and power efficient body sensors that allow doctors to monitor illnesses and injuries remotely are a step closer thanks to new research.

Mon, 19 May 08
Increasing Sun Exposure Is Not The Way To Decrease Breast Cancer Risk, Despite New Data, Warn Cancer Experts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293020972/080515102017.htm
Cancer researchers and physicians have warned of the link between unprotected sun exposure and the development of skin cancer for decades, but experts from Yale Cancer Center warn that recent publicity about a new study linking a decreased risk of breast cancer to increased levels of vitamin D may be confusing.

Mon, 19 May 08
New Tool To Understand Evolution Of Multi-domain Genes Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293020973/080515205640.htm
Computational biologists have for the first time tackled the dilemma of how to study the ancestry of multidomain genes, which encode an important class of proteins called multidomain proteins that are crucial to human health. They found that standard methods for analyzing gene evolution, are critically flawed when applied to multidomain genes, mutations of which often are associated with cancers.

Mon, 19 May 08
Treatment Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea With CPAP May Lower Blood Pressure
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293097328/080518182658.htm
Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea with continuous positive airway pressure may also lower blood pressure among hypertensive adults, according to new research.

Mon, 19 May 08
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Causes Earlier Death In Stroke Patients, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293097329/080518182655.htm
Stroke victims who have obstructive sleep apnea die sooner than stroke victims who do not have sleep apnea or who have central sleep apnea, according to Swedish researchers, who will present their findings at the American Thoracic Society's 2008 International Conference in Toronto on Monday, May 19.

Mon, 19 May 08
A Liver Molecule In All Animals, Ashwell Receptor, Reduces Mortality During Sepsis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293020974/080518152647.htm
In research that solves the longest-standing mystery in glycobiology -- a field that studies complex sugar chains called glycans -- researchers have discovered that a molecule in the liver of all animals, called the Ashwell receptor, is critical in helping the body fight off the abnormal and lethal blood clotting caused by bacterial infection.

Mon, 19 May 08
Finasteride May Help Preventing Prostate Cancer, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/293020977/080518152633.htm
A comprehensive re-evaluation of the largest prostate cancer prevention study ever completed produced new findings suggesting that men and their doctors should consider a more aggressive approach that includes finasteride to prevent the development of prostate cancer.

Mon, 19 May 08
For Children With Sickle Cell Disease, Lung Disease Is Part Of The Package
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292935008/080518122145.htm
Children with sickle cell disease have a significantly sharper decline in lung function with age when compared to other children of the same race and age. Furthermore, that loss of function appears to be linked to a restrictive rather than obstructive pattern, contrary to previous research that has focused on obstructive or asthma-like patterns in loss of lung function with sickle cell disease.

Sun, 18 May 08
Exploring The Mechanics Of Judgment, Beliefs: Technique Images Brain Activity When We Think Of Others
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292725467/080515212112.htm
How do we know what other people are thinking? How do we judge them, and what happens in our brains when we do? MIT neuroscientist Rebecca Saxe is tackling those tough questions and many others. Her goal is no less than understanding how the brain gives rise to the abilities that make us uniquely human--making moral judgments, developing belief systems and understanding language.

Sun, 18 May 08
Cardiovascular Risk: Low Sodium Diets Might Be Worse Than High Salt Diets
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292725468/080515171020.htm
Contrary to long-held assumptions, high-salt diets may not increase the risk of death. Researchers reached their conclusion after examining dietary intake among a nationally representative sample of adults in the U.S. They actually observed a significantly increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease associated with lower sodium diets. They report their findings in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Sun, 18 May 08
Excessive Reactive Nitrogen in Environment Alarms Environmental Scientists
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292725469/080515145419.htm
The problem of excessive reactive nitrogen in the environment is little-known beyond a growing circle of environmental scientists who study how the element cycles through the environment and negatively alters local and global ecosystems and potentially harms human health. Two new papers by leading environmental scientists bring the problem to the forefront in the journal Science.

Sun, 18 May 08
Therapeutic Vaccine Prolongs Survival And Improves Quality Of Life
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290916256/080515072847.htm
A new prostate cancer vaccine may give hope to men with metastatic prostate cancer by enabling their immune systems to fight the disease. In recent years, the concept of vaccine immunotherapy for advanced prostate cancer has become increasingly high profile as research has expanded.

Sun, 18 May 08
Automatic Eyeglasses Prescriptions? New Formula Connects Optical Quality With Visual Acuity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292725470/080515092612.htm
For the first time, a study combines measurements of abnormalities in the eye with models for assessing how well an individual can see, meaning it may be possible to program a machine to automatically produce prescriptions for corrective lenses. The model for predicting visual clarity -- based on measurements taken by today's highly accurate aberrometers -- could also enable surgeons to more accurately assess and correct the vision of patients undergoing lasik or refractive surgery.

Sun, 18 May 08
Climate Changes Creating Green And Flowering Mountains
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291774554/080516121650.htm
Sweden's mountains are growing greener. At the border between woods and bare mountain, trees that require warm temperatures, such as oak, elm, maple, and black alder, have become established for the first time in 8,000 years. Over the last century, the temperature has risen by more than one degree. The cooling trend over several thousand years is broken, and this has triggered changes in flora, fauna, and landscapes. In important respects, the present state is similar to what occurred directly after the latest ice age.

Sun, 18 May 08
Chemotherapy Might Help Cancer Vaccines Work
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292725471/080515215901.htm
Chemotherapy given in conjunction with cancer vaccines may boost the immune system's response, potentially improving the effectiveness of this promising type of cancer therapy.

Sun, 18 May 08
Nanostructures Will Raise Thin-Film Solar Cell Efficiency
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292725472/080515211449.htm
Thanks to nanostructures that scatter and channel light, electrical engineers are working toward thin-film "single junction" solar cells with the potential for nearly 45 percent sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiencies. This new effort aims to break the theoretical limit of 31 percent efficiency for conventional single junction cells.

Sun, 18 May 08
Low Cholesterol Leads To Lower PSA, Lower Prostate Cancer Risk, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292725473/080515072654.htm
Managing your cholesterol may also help you manage your prostate- specific antigen level. New data explores the relationship between low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and PSA prior to beginning statin therapy.

Sun, 18 May 08
Geneticists Trace The Evolution Of St. Louis Encephalitis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292725474/080515113308.htm
Researchers have sequenced the entire genetic code of 23 strains of Flavivirus, the virus that causes St. Louis encephalitis, to understand its evolutionary history. This study, published in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, found that a single mutation made the virus pathogenic to humans and that the North and South American strains divided about 116 years ago.

Sun, 18 May 08
Parents Use Cough Medicines On Toddlers Under Two Despite The Warnings
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/292725475/080515100659.htm
More than 40 percent of parents have used cough medicine for children younger than two -- even though it is not recommended, nor proven effective for children in this age group, a new study has found.

Sat, 17 May 08
Climbing As Easy As Walking For Smaller Primates
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291867065/080515145406.htm
Smaller primates expend no more energy climbing than they do walking. This surprising discovery may explain the evolutionary edge that encouraged the tiny ancestors of modern humans, apes and monkeys to climb into the trees about 65 million years ago and stay there.

Sat, 17 May 08
Reducing Intake Of Dietary Fat Prevents Prostate Cancer In Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290880734/080515073031.htm
Scientists have showed that lowering intake of the type of fat common in a Western diet helps prevent prostate cancer in mice, the first finding of its kind in a mouse model that closely mimics human cancer, researchers said. The study focused on fat from corn oil, which is made up primarily of omega-6 fatty acids, or the polyunsaturated fat commonly found in the Western diet.

Sat, 17 May 08
Ice Cores Reveal Fluctuations In Earth's Greenhouse Gases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291867066/080514131131.htm
The newest analysis of trace gases trapped in Antarctic ice cores now provide a reasonable view of greenhouse gas concentrations as much as 800,000 years into the past, and are further confirming the link between greenhouse gas levels and global warming, scientists have reported in Nature.

Sat, 17 May 08
Incontinence Treatment: Muscle-derived Stem Cells Prove Effective In Reparing Sphincter Damage To Restore Continence
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291867067/080515072735.htm
Transplantation of muscle-derived stem cells may provide a safe and effective treatment for patients suffering from urinary incontinence following a surgical procedure. Patients with incontinence resulting from iatrogenic sphincter damage may benefit from this therapy.

Sat, 17 May 08
Success By Learning: Smallest Predator Recognizes Prey By Its Shape
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291733159/080516111849.htm
The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus) is one of the world's smallest mammals. It is about four centimetres long and weighs merely two grams. Being a nocturnal animal, it hunts predominantly with its sense of touch. "As quick as a flash, the Etruscan shrew scans its prey and adapts, when necessary, its hunting strategy," explained one of the researchers. "Thus, no prey escapes."

Sat, 17 May 08
Gravity-defying Bird Beak Mystery Solved: Shorebirds Benefit From Surface Tension
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291867068/080515145426.htm
As Charles Darwin showed nearly 150 years ago, bird beaks are exquisitely adapted to the birds' feeding strategy. A team of mathematicians and engineers has now explained exactly how some shorebirds use their long, thin beaks to defy gravity and transport food into their mouths. Some species rely exclusively on a feeding mechanism that takes advantage of water's surface tension, and so are extremely vulnerable to oil spills.

Sat, 17 May 08
Common Virus May Serve As Target For Vaccine In Fight Against Deadly Brain Tumors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291774548/080516123857.htm
By targeting a common virus, doctors may be able to extend the lives of patients diagnosed with the most prevalent and deadly type of brain tumor. A type of herpes virus called human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is found in up to 80 percent of Americans, though the virus normally produces very few clinical symptoms, is dormant, and usually undetectable in most people.

Sat, 17 May 08
New World Record For Efficiency For Solar Cells; Inexpensive To Manufacture
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291867069/080514154702.htm
Scientists have improved the efficiency of an important type of solar cell from 21.9 to 23.2 percent (a relative improvement of 6 per cent). The efficiency improvement is achieved by the use of an ultra-thin aluminum oxide layer at the front of the cell, and it brings a breakthrough in the use of solar energy a step closer. The costs of applying the thin layer of aluminum oxide are expected to be relatively low.

Sat, 17 May 08
Gastric Bypass Surgery Restores Sexual Function In Morbidly Obese Men
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290916264/080515072749.htm
Losing weight may help resolve erectile dysfunction in obese men. Morbid obesity can cause sexual dysfunction independent of other common confounders, including diabetes, hypertension and smoking.

Sat, 17 May 08
Carbon-coated Nanomagnets Could Be A New Form Of Cancer Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290916263/080515072753.htm
Carbon-coated nanomagnets may offer a new form of cancer treatment. New research suggests that nanoparticles consisting of metallic iron with a protective carbon coat could serve as a safe and effective hyperthermia agent.

Sat, 17 May 08
Gene Linked To Vertebral Defects In Patient Populations Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291867070/080515145353.htm
Genes known to cause spinal mutations in chick and mouse model systems also play an important role in human patients with congenital vertebral abnormalities. Working with samples from 31 patients at Boston Children's Hospital with various congenital vertebral defects, the team sequenced five genes thought to be involved in the malformations.

Sat, 17 May 08
Parrot Fossil 55 Million Years Old Discovered In Scandinavia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291774552/080516123153.htm
Palaeontologists have discovered fossil remains in Scandinavia of parrots dating back 55 million years. The fossils indicate that parrots once flew wild over what is now Norway and Denmark. Parrots today live only in the tropics and southern hemisphere, but this new research suggests that they first evolved in the North, much earlier than had been thought.

Sat, 17 May 08
Current Regenerative Medical Techniques Hold Great Promise For Bladder Regeneration
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290880743/080515072923.htm
Bladder regeneration via a neo-bladder replacement may prove to be effective in humans.

Sat, 17 May 08
Pioneering Induction Of Bone Formation Using Embryonic Stem Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291867071/080514091744.htm
Researchers have successfully creating bone tissue "in vivo", using embryonic stem cells. They imitated bone formation in embryos and children, which uses cartilage as a template. This new approach appears to be a promising way of repairing bone defects. Previous attempts to create bone using embryonic stem cells were unsuccessful. In the lab, there was clear evidence that these stem cells were differentiating into the bone lineage "in vitro", however this process stalled after implantation and no bone tissue was formed. Yet, this approach did lead to bone formation when cultured adult stem cells from bone marrow were used. This direct approach is, amongst others, involved in the formation of the bone found in the skull.

Sat, 17 May 08
Maternal Exposure To Persistent Organic Pollutants Linked To Urologic Conditions In Boys
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290916258/080515072828.htm
Higher incidences of congenital anomalies, including cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) and hypospadias, were found in boys whose mothers had higher serum levels of certain organochlorine compounds, researchers say.

Sat, 17 May 08
Immune Cells Kill Foes By Disrupting Mitochondria Two Ways
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291867072/080515120804.htm
T cells can initiate cellular suicide, also known as apoptosis, by a previously unrecognized pathway that starts with the destruction of a key enzyme in mitochondria, the power plant of the cell.

Sat, 17 May 08
Monkey Studies Important For Brain Science
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291867073/080515092624.htm
Studies with non-human primates have made major contributions to our understanding of the brain and will continue to be an important, if small, part of neuroscience research, according to a recent review.

Sat, 17 May 08
Interior Of Mars Is Colder Than Previously Thought, So Any Possible Liquid Water Would Be Deep Underground
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291733155/080516113418.htm
New observations from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter indicate that the crust and upper mantle of Mars are stiffer and colder than previously thought. The findings suggest any liquid water that might exist below the planet's surface and any possible organisms living in that water, would be located deeper than scientists had suspected.

Sat, 17 May 08
Natural Killer Cells In Umbilical Cord Blood Fight Leukemia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291733149/080516112532.htm
Researchers have found a therapy that effectively kills human leukemia cells in mice using natural killer cells from umbilical cord blood. They have demonstrated an effective method for expanding the number of NK cells from a single cord blood unit while retaining the cells' anti-leukemia effects.

Sat, 17 May 08
Nanowires May Boost Solar Cell Efficiency, Engineers Say
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291798868/080514092329.htm
Electrical engineers have created experimental solar cells spiked with nanowires that could lead to highly efficient thin-film solar cells of the future. The new design increases the number of electrons that make it from the light-absorbing polymer to an electrode.

Sat, 17 May 08
Starting Point Of Sun-induced Skin Cancer Discovered: Molecular 'Hooks' Also Pull Compounds From Marijuana From Bloodstream
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291798869/080515072642.htm
The earliest event in the development of sun-induced skin cancer may have been identified. Researchers found that the point of entry for skin cancer in response to sun exposure is in receptor molecules, molecular "hooks" on the outer surface of cells that also pull cannabinoid compounds found in marijuana out of the bloodstream.

Sat, 17 May 08
Italian Satellites Monitor Earthquake Damages In Sichuan
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291774547/080516125428.htm
COSMO-SkyMed, the Italian satellite system for Earth observation, is being used to help the Chinese areas hit by the devastating earthquake of May 12. By request of the Chinese Government, the ASI satellites captured two images of the area surrounding the city of Guan Xian, close to the epicentre, thus proving to be able to operate on critical areas with very short response time.

Sat, 17 May 08
Link Between Vitamin D Status And Breast Cancer Illuminated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291798870/080515174000.htm
Using newly available data on worldwide cancer incidence, researchers have shown a clear association between deficiency in exposure to sunlight, specifically ultraviolet B, and breast cancer.

Sat, 17 May 08
Automotive Safety Systems Get More Dependable
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291774555/080516121241.htm
As automotive safety systems become more complex, the risk of failure increases. But European researchers believe they have found a way to improve dependability. Modern cars are complex beasts with electric and electronic components that are smarter than the average desktop computer. They perform split-second calculations so they can deploy, for example, an airbag at the appropriate time.

Sat, 17 May 08
New Drug Combination Kills Leukemia Cells By Shutting Down Their Energy Source
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291733151/080516112529.htm
Researchers have discovered a drug combination that kills leukemia cells by shutting down their energy source and hastening cell starvation.

Fri, 16 May 08
Simple Artificial Cell Created From Scratch To Study Cell Complexity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291630418/080515171023.htm
Researchers have developed a simple artificial cell with which to investigate the organization and function of two of the most basic cell components: the cell membrane and the cytoplasm -- the gelatinous fluid that surrounds the structures in living cells. The work could lead to the creation of new drugs that take advantage of properties of cell organization to prevent the development of diseases.

Fri, 16 May 08
Targeted Therapy Plus Chemotherapy May Pack 1-2 Punch Against Melanoma
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290880733/080515072939.htm
By targeting and disabling a protein frequently found in melanoma tumors, doctors may be able to make the cancer more vulnerable to chemotherapy, according to a new study. Although this study was done in laboratory rats, a clinical trial applying the same concept to humans has already begun at four comprehensive cancer centers nationwide.

Fri, 16 May 08
Key Molecule Discovered In Venus's Atmosphere
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291630419/080515092606.htm
Venus Express has detected the molecule hydroxyl on another planet for the first time. This detection gives scientists an important new tool to unlock the workings of Venus's dense atmosphere.

Fri, 16 May 08
New Study Strengthens Association Of Prostate Cancer With Exposure To Agent Orange
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290916260/080515072810.htm
As men age, their risk of developing prostate cancer increases. Aging Vietnam veterans are giving researchers new opportunities to solidify the connection between in-country exposure to Agent Orange and subsequent prostate cancer development.

Fri, 16 May 08
LIDAR Imaging Detector Could Build 'Super Road Maps' Of Planets And Moons
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291630420/080515113255.htm
Technology that could someday "MapQuest" Mars and other bodies in the solar system is under development. Scientists are developing a new generation of optical/ultraviolet imaging LIDAR detectors that will significantly extend NASA science capabilities for planetary applications by providing 3-D location information for planetary surfaces and a wider range of coverage than the current technology.

Fri, 16 May 08
Electric Shocks Can Cause Neurologic And Neuropsychological Symptoms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291630421/080515113311.htm
Researchers have shown that an electric shock ranging from 120 to 52,000 volts can cause neurologic and neuropsychological symptoms in humans. Following an electrical injury, some patients may show various emotional and behavioral aftereffects, such as memory loss and symptoms of depression.

Fri, 16 May 08
'Mitochondrial Eve' Research: Humanity Was Genetically Divided For 100,000 Years
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369977/080515154635.htm
Humanity was genetically divided for as much as 100,000 years, according to new findings. Climate change, reduction in populations and harsh conditions may have caused and maintained the separation.

Fri, 16 May 08
Molecular 'Clock' Could Predict Risk For Developing Breast Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290099384/080514064933.htm
A chemical reaction in genes that control breast cancer provides a molecular clock that could one day help researchers more accurately determine a woman's risk for developing breast cancer and provide a new approach for treatment.

Fri, 16 May 08
El Niño May Have Been Factor In Magellan's Pacific Voyage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369978/080515171026.htm
Archaeologists show that Ferdinand Magellan's historic circumnavigation of the globe was likely influenced in large part by unusual weather conditions -- including what we now know as El Niño -- which eased his passage across the Pacific Ocean, but ultimately led him over a thousand miles from his intended destination.

Fri, 16 May 08
Risk Of Death Persists In Heart Patients With Acute Kidney Injury, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369979/080515092628.htm
Acute kidney injury, a common complication of cardiac surgery during hospitalization, is linked to increased and prolonged risk of death in heart attack patients who have been discharged from the hospital, according to a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine.

Fri, 16 May 08
Nanotechnology In Reverse Uses Red Blood Cell To Calibrate Atomic Force Microscope
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369980/080515092622.htm
Nanotechnology researchers have shown that they can use a red blood cell to calibrate a sensitive instrument, an atomic force microscope. An atomic force microscope uses a tiny lever that runs over the surface of an object. Small deflections of the tip are read and translated to produce an image of the object's surface. However, accurate calibration of the springiness of the tip is difficult.

Fri, 16 May 08
Having Less Power Impairs The Mind And Ability To Get Ahead, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369981/080515113259.htm
New research appearing in Psychological Science suggests that being put in a low-power role may impair a person's basic cognitive functioning and thus, their ability to get ahead.

Fri, 16 May 08
Crystal (Eye) Ball: Visual System Equipped With 'Future Seeing Powers'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369982/080515145356.htm
Catching a football. Maneuvering through a room full of people. Jumping out of the way when a golfer yells "fore." Most would agree these seemingly simple actions require us to perceive and quickly respond to a situation. An assistant professor of cognitive science argues they require something more -- our ability to foresee the future.

Fri, 16 May 08
Most Effective Initial Therapy For HIV-1 Infection Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369983/080514171814.htm
In the largest study of its kind to evaluate commonly used HIV drugs, researchers confirmed that one of the most frequently prescribed triple drug combinations for initial HIV infection is indeed the most effective at suppressing HIV. The study also found that a two-drug regimen performed comparably to the triple-drug regimens.

Fri, 16 May 08
Deep Sea Methane Scavengers Captured
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369984/080514082740.htm
Scientists succeeded in capturing syntrophic (means "feeding together") microorganisms that are known to dramatically reduce the oceanic emission of methane into the atmosphere. These microorganisms that oxidize methane anaerobically are an important component of the global carbon cycle and a major sink for methane on Earth. Methane - a more than 20 times stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide - constantly seeps out large methane hydrate reservoirs in the ocean floors, but 80 percent of it are immediately consumed by these microorganisms.

Fri, 16 May 08
Prostate Cancer Increases The Risk Of Bone Fracture, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369985/080514092327.htm
As unlikely as it sounds, scientists have shown that there is a link between prostate cancer and a higher risk of bone fracture. Men with prostate cancer face a 50% higher risk of fracture, which increases to nearly doubled risk if they are receiving treatment.

Fri, 16 May 08
Firearms Microstamping Feasible But Variable, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369986/080514092333.htm
New technology to link cartridge cases to guns by engraving microscopic codes on the firing pin is feasible, but did not work equally well for all guns and ammunition tested in a pilot study by researchers from the forensic science program at UC Davis. Microstamping technology uses a laser to cut a pattern or code into the head of a firing pin or another internal surface.

Fri, 16 May 08
Mixed Results For Late-talking Toddlers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369987/080515092610.htm
New research findings from the world's largest study on language emergence have revealed that one in four late-talking toddlers continue to have language problems by age seven.

Fri, 16 May 08
Rapid, Dramatic 'Reverse Evolution' Documented In Tiny Fish Species
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369988/080515120759.htm
Evolution is supposed to inch forward over eons, but sometimes, at least in the case of a little fish called the threespine stickleback, the process can go in relative warp-speed reverse, according to a new study. The adaptation coincides with the '60s cleanup of toxic pollution in Seattle's Lake Washington.

Fri, 16 May 08
Common Bacteria Activating Natural Killer T Cells May Cause Autoimmune Liver Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369989/080514144300.htm
A bacteria commonly found in soil and water triggered autoimmune symptoms in mice similar to those found in an incurable liver disease called Primary Biliary Cirrhosis. Injecting laboratory mice with the bacterium -- Novosphingobium aromaticivorans -- prompted activation of natural killer T cells, which were critical to initiating autoimmune processes that led to liver disease.

Fri, 16 May 08
Bears And Hibernation: New Insights Into Metabolism In Extreme Conditions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369990/080514082019.htm
Due to their ability to produce a potent inhibitor of protein degradation, hibernating bears do not lose muscle mass after long periods of hibernation. The team researched for the first time the physiological reasons for an effect that is well known to the scientific community -- the fact that hibernating bears do not lose muscle tissue, only fat. The team studied the physiological response of muscle cells of laboratory rats grown with hibernating bear plasma outside the period of hibernation.

Fri, 16 May 08
New Role Found For A Cardiac Progenitor Population
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369991/080514131127.htm
In a discovery that could one day lead to an understanding of how to regenerate damaged heart tissue, researchers have found that parent cells involved in embryonic development of the epicardium -- the cell layer surrounding the outside of the heart -- give rise to three important types of cells with potential for cardiac repair.

Fri, 16 May 08
Student Innovation Could Improve Data Storage, Magnetic Sensors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369992/080514111746.htm
Paul Morrow, who will graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on May 17, has come a long way from his days as an elementary school student, pulling apart his mother's cassette player. The talented young physicist has developed two innovations that could vastly improve magnetic data storage and sense extremely low level magnetic fields in everything from ink on counterfeit currency to tissue in the human brain and heart.

Fri, 16 May 08
Obesity And Unhealthy Lifestyles Linked To More Complex Urinary Problems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369993/080515092559.htm
Obesity, unhealthy lifestyles and lower social economic status have been linked to more complex urinary problems in an American survey of 5,506 men and women. 58 percent were female, 32 percent were white, 32 percent were black and 34 percent were Hispanic.

Fri, 16 May 08
Atmosphere Threatened By Nitrogen Pollutants Entering Ocean
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369994/080515145350.htm
A large quantity of nitrogen compounds -- emitted into the atmosphere by humans through the burning of fossil fuels and the use of nitrogen fertilizers -- enters the oceans and may lead to the removal of some carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, concluded a team of international scientists.

Fri, 16 May 08
Innovative Swiss Programme Offers New Hope For Long Term Weight-loss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369995/080514091013.htm
Successful long-term weight loss for obese patients can be achieved without drugs using a low-cost approach that involves innovative intensive therapy followed by long term support, new research shows. Swiss researchers found that more than half a group of morbidly obese patients maintained a 10 kg weight reduction and overall 70% of their patients succeeded in avoiding further weight gain after five years.

Fri, 16 May 08
Spotlight On A Key Player In The Dance Of Chromosomes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289531556/080513114829.htm
Cell division is essential to life, but the mechanism by which emerging daughter cells organize and divvy up their genetic endowments is little understood. Researchers report on how a key motor protein orchestrates chromosome movements at a critical stage of cell division.

Fri, 16 May 08
Aprotinin Used In Heart Surgery Associated With Increased Risk Of Death, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369996/080514131136.htm
Aprotinin is associated with a 50 percent increase in the relative risk of death, according to a major Canadian clinical trial comparing three drugs routinely used to prevent blood loss during heart surgery. The trial shows that approximately six per cent of patients who received aprotinin died within 30 days of surgery compared to four per cent of patients who received tranexamic acid or aminocaproic acid.

Fri, 16 May 08
Window Of Opportunity For Restoring Oaks Small, New Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291369997/080514133137.htm
Communities of Oregon white oak were once widespread in the Pacific Northwest's western lowlands, but, today, they are in decline. Fire suppression, conifer and invasive plant encroachment, and land use change have resulted in the loss of as much as 99 percent of the oak communities historically present in some areas of the region. A new study indicates that if oaks are to be successfully restored, more aggressive management is needed within the next several decades.

Fri, 16 May 08
Culture Affects How Teen Girls See Sexual Harassment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290880744/080515072645.htm
Teenage girls of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds still experience sexism and sexual harassment -- but cultural factors may control whether they perceive sexism as an environmental problem or as evidence of their own shortcomings. Older girls and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds experienced more sexism than their peers. Latina and Asian American girls reported less harassment than others. Sexual harassment may lead girls to believe demeaning behaviors are normal in relationships.

Fri, 16 May 08
Strange Spinning Star Stumps Astronomers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291657132/080516094407.htm
Astronomers have discovered a speedy spinning pulsar in an elongated orbit around an apparent Sun-like star, a combination never seen before, and one that has them puzzled about how the strange system developed. The obese oddball of a star has left astronomers wondering how it could have formed. The star is a pulsar -- a compact, rapidly spinning star -- called J1903+0327. It lies 20,000 light-years away spinning at a rate of 465 revolutions per second -- the fifth fastest-spinning pulsar known in our Galaxy.

Fri, 16 May 08
Study Revives Olympic Prospects For Amputee Sprinter
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694778/080516103833.htm
The Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne, Switzerland, has ruled that Pistorius is eligible to participate in International Association of Athletics Federations sanctioned competitions. If he qualifies for the 2008 Beijing games, Pistorius would be the first disabled athlete ever to run against able-bodied athletes in an Olympic event.

Fri, 16 May 08
Iressa Shows Promise For Treatment Of Metastatic Breast Cancer When Combined With Hormonal Therapy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694779/080516103829.htm
Gefitinib, the once-promising drug formerly approved as a second line treatment for lung cancer, also known as Iressa, enhanced the effectiveness of hormonal therapy for the treatment of specific types of metastatic breast cancer, according to a Phase II clinical trial led by researchers.

Fri, 16 May 08
Weather, Waves And Wireless: Super Strength Signalling
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694780/080516100946.htm
A new study has discovered a particular window of time when mobile signals and radio waves are 'super strength' -- allowing them to be clearer and travel greater distances, potentially interfering with other systems. The research, examining the signal strength of radio waves travelling over the sea, identified late afternoons and early evenings in spring and summer as a time when enhanced signals occur.

Fri, 16 May 08
New Study Links Fate Of Personal Care Products To Environmental Pollution And Human Health Concerns
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694781/080516100942.htm
People's concern in maintaining germ-free homes has led to the widespread use of anti-bacterial soaps and cleaning agents. But the active ingredients of those antiseptic soaps have come under scrutiny due to environmental and human health concerns. Now, researchers have shown that antimicrobial ingredients used a half a century ago persist today in estuarine sediments into which New York City and Baltimore have discharged their treated domestic wastewater.

Fri, 16 May 08
How Small Molecule Can Take Apart Alzheimer's Disease Protein Fibers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291657133/080516094455.htm
Researchers have shown, in unprecedented detail, how a small molecule is able to selectively take apart abnormally folded protein fibers connected to Alzheimer's disease and prion diseases. Finding a way to dismantle misfolded proteins has implications for new treatments for a host of neurodegenerative diseases.

Fri, 16 May 08
HIV Infection Stems From Few Viruses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291657134/080516094452.htm
A new study reveals in unprecedented detail the genetic identity of versions of HIV responsible for sexual transmission. In 80 percent of the study's newly infected patients, a single HIV variant caused transmission, according to researchers. The detail provides important clues in the ongoing search for an effective HIV/AIDS vaccine.

Fri, 16 May 08
Tracking The Effects Of Addictive Drugs On Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694782/080516094438.htm
Researchers may have unlocked the key to better understanding the effect addictive drugs have on the human brain. Researchers discovered that a drug that works through the cannabinoid 1 receptor recognizing the active ingredient of marijuana activates many different transcription factors, triggering the differentiation of neurons, causing permanent changes in a person's brain.

Fri, 16 May 08
Proteins That Help Develop Mammalian Hearts Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694783/080516094434.htm
The absence of two proteins in mammalian embryos prevents the development of a healthy heart, a new study has found. This is the first study that has successfully identified the factors responsible for the onset of heart formation in the mammalian embryo. Until now, no single mutation had been identified that was thought to be responsible for blocking proper development of the heart in mammalian embryos. The identification of these major developmental switches will allow researchers to unravel the fundamental mechanisms that define heart cell formation.

Fri, 16 May 08
Ponderosa Pine Forests Need Thinning Or Controlled Burns To Keep Old-Growth Characteristics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694784/080516094431.htm
Preliminary findings in one of the first landscape-scale experiments on how forest management affects western Ponderosa pine ecosystems have been completed. The results suggests that in the absence of treatments like thinning and controlled burns, old-growth characteristics will be lost as a result of lower growth rates and higher tree mortality. The scientists reached this conclusion by evaluating decades of growth data obtained on the experimental forest.

Fri, 16 May 08
Cancer Patients' Quality Of Life Directly Relates To Their Survival
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694785/080516094428.htm
Patients who feel better live longer, say Mayo Clinic researchers, in study results. The team found that baseline quality of life was a strong predictor of survival.

Fri, 16 May 08
Mastectomies On The Rise And MRI Use May Explain Part Of The Trend, Say Mayo Researchers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694786/080516094425.htm
The number of women undergoing mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer has increased in the last three years. The increase follows a steady decline during the prior seven years. Researchers say the reasons for this increase are unclear.

Fri, 16 May 08
Cancer Treatment: Adding Epratuzumab To Standard Chemotherapy Looks Promising
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694787/080516094423.htm
Adding a second monoclonal antibody drug to chemotherapy looks promising for treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, according to researchers working with the North Central Cancer Treatment Group.

Fri, 16 May 08
Cancer Treatment: Administering Calcium And Magnesium Effectively Reduces Neurological Sensitivity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694788/080516094420.htm
Researchers in the North Central Cancer Treatment Group have shown that patients who receive intravenous calcium and magnesium before and after the chemotherapy drug oxaliplatin for the treatment of advanced colon cancer experience a significantly reduced incidence and severity of neurological side effects.

Fri, 16 May 08
Separation From Mom, Dad Linked With Learning Trouble In Kids
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694789/080516094416.htm
In the wake of divorce, illness, violence and other problems that can unsettle homes, countless young children are liable to experience temporary separations from one or both parents before packing their knapsacks for kindergarten. Researchers warn that such kids are at increased risk for learning difficulties.

Fri, 16 May 08
Novel Enzyme Inhibitor Paves Way For New Cancer Drug: Agent proves effective against melanoma cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694790/080516094411.htm
Scientists have developed a new type of enzyme inhibitor capable of blocking a biochemical pathway that plays a key role in cancer development. Based on studies in human melanoma cells, the research paves the way for developing new ways to treat cancer by dampening overactive enzyme activity that leads to uncontrolled tumor growth. The study shows how small-molecule inhibitors can be designed to target a family of signaling proteins, called phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinases, or PI3Ks.

Fri, 16 May 08
Precision Control Of Movement In Robots
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694791/080516094400.htm
Scientists are investigating the characteristics of various types of materials for their use in the generation and measurement of precise movements. When the arms of a robot move to pick up an egg or an electric lamp, the greatest precision possible is essential. To this end, advances in the science and technology of materials have provided the design and control of systems equipped with sensors and actuators built with new materials.

Fri, 16 May 08
Biosensor For Measuring Stress In Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/291694792/080516094356.htm
Reactive oxygen compounds, including the well-known "free radicals," have an oxidation effect and, thereby, damage cells. However, at low levels, they also regulate key life processes. Scientists have developed a highly sensitive biological measuring system for determining the oxidation state of living cells in real time.

Thu, 15 May 08
Warming Climate Is Changing Life On Global Scale, Says New Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370818/080514131125.htm
A vast array of physical and biological systems across the earth are being affected by warming temperatures caused by humans, says a new analysis of information not previously assembled all in one spot. The effects on living things include earlier leafing of trees and plants over many regions; movements of species to higher latitudes and altitudes in the northern hemisphere; changes in bird migrations in Europe, North America and Australia; and shifting of the oceans' plankton and fish from cold- to warm-adapted communities.

Thu, 15 May 08
When It Comes To Living Longer, It's Better To Go Hungry Than Go Running, Mouse Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290099387/080514064921.htm
A study investigating aging in mice has found that hormonal changes that occur when mice eat significantly less may help explain an already established phenomenon: a low calorie diet can extend the lifespan of rodents, a benefit that even regular exercise does not achieve.

Thu, 15 May 08
Human Vision Inadequate For Research On Bird Vision
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288781656/080512113508.htm
The most attractive male birds attract more females and as a result are most successful in terms of reproduction. This is the starting point of many studies looking for factors that influence sexual selection in birds. However, is it reasonable to assume that birds see what we see? Researchers now show that our human vision is not an adequate instrument.

Thu, 15 May 08
Adding Ultrasound Screening To Mammography Brings Benefits, Risks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370821/080513171426.htm
Results from a major clinical trial show that adding a screening ultrasound examination to routine mammography reveals more breast cancers than mammography alone -- but also increases the rates of false positive findings.

Thu, 15 May 08
New Cars Are Gathering Information On You That Might Interest Insurance Companies, Advertisers, Government
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289492512/080513101713.htm
As cars become entertainment centers and data-gathering devices, the amount of information they're collecting about you is rapidly growing. And guess who might be interested? Insurance companies, advertisers, government agencies, your boss and perhaps your spouse. On the other hand, say researchers, an intelligent car with a caring voice might persuade humans to drive more safely.

Thu, 15 May 08
Female Sex Offenders Often Have Mental Problems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370822/080514111742.htm
Women who commit sexual offenses are just as likely to have mental problems or drug addictions as other violent female criminals. This according to the largest study ever conducted of women convicted of sexual offenses in Sweden.

Thu, 15 May 08
Wandering Poles Left Scars On Jupiter's Moon Europa: Could Life Exist Beneath Icy Crust?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370823/080514131133.htm
Curved features on Jupiter's moon Europa may indicate that its poles have wandered by almost 90 degrees, report scientists. Such an extreme shift suggests the existence of an internal liquid ocean beneath the icy crust, which could help build the case for Europa as possible habitat for extraterrestrial life.

Thu, 15 May 08
How Tuberculosis Bacteria Hide And Multiply In The Human Body
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370824/080514134645.htm
Researchers have discovered how tuberculosis bacteria hide and multiply in the human body and are working toward a treatment to block this mechanism of infection. The missing link between a TB protein and its newly discovered counterpart protein in the human body’s white blood cells (macrophages) has been discovered.

Thu, 15 May 08
Put The Trees In The Ground: A Fix For The Global Carbon Dioxide Problem?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289492519/080513101652.htm
One possible approach to carbon dioxide reduction would be to deliberately plant forests, bind the carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and then removed the trees from the global cycle by burial.

Thu, 15 May 08
Sugar Linkage Could Lead To Better Treatment For Autoimmune Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370825/080513145252.htm
Researchers have identified a specific carbohydrate structure that confers anti-inflammatory activity to a glycoprotein antibody that could lead to improved treatment of autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. The study was reported in Science.

Thu, 15 May 08
NASA's GLAST Gets Shades, Blankets For The Beach
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370826/080513125853.htm
NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is receiving finishing touches at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, near the beaches of eastern central Florida for its launch. The spacecraft is set for launch aboard a Delta II rocket no earlier than June 3. The launch window runs from 11:45 a.m. to 1:40 p.m. EDT.

Thu, 15 May 08
Patients Suffering From 'Hemineglect' Ignore Things On Their Left, But They See Them Nonetheless
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370827/080514100859.htm
Patients suffering from "hemineglect" ignore things presented to their left side. However, sometimes these ignored stimuli may be processed without awareness. In a new study, researchers report that unconscious processing in hemineglect is not limited to low level features of the stimuli.

Thu, 15 May 08
Families Shed Light On Likely Causative Gene For Alzheimer's
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370828/080514113704.htm
The genetic profile of two large Georgia families with high rates of late-onset Alzheimer's disease points to a gene that may cause the disease, researchers say.

Thu, 15 May 08
Scientists Get Inside A Long-suspected HIV Hideout In Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370829/080513190755.htm
Scientists have broken inside a cell long suspected of harboring HIV during drug treatment and determined it is indeed a reservoir of the virus in humans, where it remains highly infectious. Researchers have discovered the genetic nature of HIV trapped by follicular dendritic cells, also called FDCs, which are located throughout the body in specialized sites known as lymphoid tissues.

Thu, 15 May 08
Gaining Independence For People With Disabilities Through Video Games
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370830/080513191103.htm
Today's video games serve a multitude of functions ranging from entertainment to exercise and even education. Now, three recent graduates have created a game with an even more important purpose --- to foster independence among disabled individuals. Graduating seniors have led an interdisciplinary student team made up of programmers, game designers, character and level artists, electrical engineers, and music composers to create a groundbreaking interactive game simulation to help individuals with disabilities develop life skills and obtain increased autonomy.

Thu, 15 May 08
Exposure To Coarse Air Pollution Not Associated With Hospital Admission For Respiratory Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370831/080513171430.htm
Exposure to coarse particulate matter air pollution such as from agricultural activities, windblown dust and mechanical grinding is not statistically significantly associated with emergency hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases among Medicare patients This is the largest US nationwide study on the acute health effects of coarse particle pollution. Coarse particles are airborne pollutants that fall between 2.5 and 10 microns in diameter.

Thu, 15 May 08
Scientists Discover Small RNAs That Regulate Gene Expression And Protect The Genome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370834/080513153947.htm
RNA is best known as a working copy of the DNA sequence of genes. In this role, it's a carrier of the genes' instructions to the cell, which manufactures proteins according to information in the RNA molecule. But molecular biologists have increasingly realized that many RNA snippets -- so-called small RNAs -- also directly influence which genes make proteins, and in some cases, how much protein.

Thu, 15 May 08
Office Initiative Reduces Headaches And Neck And Shoulder Pain By More Than 40 Percent
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370836/080514092319.htm
When office staff took part in a workplace educational and physical initiative, headaches fell by 41 percent, neck and shoulder pain fell by 43 percent and painkiller use fell by 51 percent. Researchers taught staff office and home relaxation techniques and provided red stickers to place around the workplace to avoid excessive contraction of the head and shoulder muscles. 169 staff were in the intervention group with 175 in the control group. All kept daily diaries.

Thu, 15 May 08
Weird Shrimp Has Astounding Vision
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370837/080513210456.htm
A Swiss marine biologist and an Australian quantum physicist have found that a species of shrimp from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, can see a world invisible to all other animals. Mantis shrimp not only have the ability to see colors from the ultraviolet through to the infrared, but have optimal polarization vision -- a first for any animal and a capability that humanity has only achieved in the last decade using fast computer technology.

Thu, 15 May 08
New Light Shed On Heroin Addiction
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370838/080514101200.htm
Researchers have identified a factor that may contribute towards the development of heroin addiction by manipulating the adenosine A2A receptor, which plays a major role in the brain's 'reward pathway.' Using mice specifically bred without the adenosine A2A receptor, scientists showed that these mice had a reduced desire to self-administer morphine; heroin is converted to morphine in the body.

Thu, 15 May 08
Fighting Pests And Diseases Organically With Help From Wild Cocoa Trees In French Guiana
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370839/080514094245.htm
In every production zone worldwide, cocoa trees are faced with pests and diseases that can wipe out entire harvests. To protect their crops, farmers often use costly, polluting chemicals or labour-intensive manual techniques. However, there are now clean, ecological methods, for instance using sources of natural resistance. In this respect, a highly specific group of cocoa trees, the wild trees found in French Guiana, looks very promising.

Thu, 15 May 08
Familial Breast Cancer Risk Continues Throughout a Woman's Life
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370840/080513171505.htm
Women who have a sister diagnosed with breast cancer are at an increased risk of developing the disease throughout their lives. The increased risk is most pronounced in younger women, regardless of the age at which the first sister was diagnosed. Women who have a first degree relative affected by breast cancer are at increased risk for the disease, but it is unclear how a woman's risk varies with her current age and the age at which her relative was diagnosed.

Thu, 15 May 08
Prism Glasses Expand The View For Patients With Hemianopia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370841/080512163833.htm
Innovative prism glasses can significantly improve the vision and the daily lives of patients with hemianopia, a condition that blinds half the visual field in both eyes.

Thu, 15 May 08
Middle Class Relaxing With Marijuana
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370842/080514111721.htm
A variety of middle-class people are making a conscious but careful choice to use marijuana to enhance their leisure activities. A qualitative study showed that there is no such thing as a 'typical' marijuana user, but that people of all ages are selectively lighting up the drug as a way to enhance activities ranging from watching television and playing sports to having sex, painting or writing.

Thu, 15 May 08
Discovery Of Most Recent Supernova In Our Galaxy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290370843/080514131118.htm
The most recent supernova in our Galaxy has been discovered by tracking the rapid expansion of its remains. This result, using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and NRAO's Very Large Array, has implications for understanding how often supernovas explode in the Milky Way galaxy.

Wed, 14 May 08
Architecture For Fundamental Processes Of Life Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289492509/080513103957.htm
Researchers have completed a massive survey of the network of protein complexes that orchestrate the fundamental processes of life. In the journal Science, researchers describe protein complexes and networks of complexes never before observed -- including two implicated in the normal mechanisms by which cells divide and proliferate and another that controls recycling of the molecular building blocks of life called autophagy.

Wed, 14 May 08
Fibromyalgia: The Invisible Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131272/080513191552.htm
"Drug approved. Is disease real?" "Does it really exist or is it all in women's heads?" "The doctors are in. The jury is out. " The New York Times headlines rankle Barbara Keddy. For more than 40 years, she has suffered from fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain and fatigue.

Wed, 14 May 08
Teen Helps Design Classroom DNA Experiments Using Common Food Dyes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131273/080513140139.htm
Agarose gel electrophoresis? Most teenagers wouldn't have a clue what this scientific term means, but middle school student Andrew Trigiano knows the protocol inside and out. Setting out to compare differences in popular brands of Easter egg dyes, Trigiano's project grew into a full-blown scientific study and set of replicable classroom experiments.

Wed, 14 May 08
Anti-inflammatory Drugs Do Not Improve Cognitive Function In Older Adults, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288956494/080512163845.htm
The anti-inflammatory drugs naproxen and celecoxib do not appear to improve cognitive function in older adults with a family history of Alzheimer's disease, and naproxen may have a slightly detrimental effect, according to a new article.

Wed, 14 May 08
Lasers Used To Align Molecules: Technique Could Revolutionize Human Protein Imaging
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131274/080513125210.htm
Protein crystallographers have only scratched the surface of the human proteins important for drug interactions because of difficulties crystallizing the molecules for synchrotron x-ray diffraction. Scientists have devised a way to eliminate the need for crystallization by using lasers to align large groups of molecules.

Wed, 14 May 08
Neglected Tropical Diseases Rarely Make The Headlines
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131275/080513210458.htm
A new study of leading news organizations has found that neglected tropical diseases rarely make headlines, despite the huge amount of illness, suffering, and poverty that they cause.

Wed, 14 May 08
What's The Difference Between A Human And A Fruit Fly?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288990121/080512172904.htm
Fruit flies are dramatically different from humans not in their number of genes, but in the number of protein interactions in their bodies, according to scientists who have developed a new way of estimating the total number of interactions between proteins in any organism.

Wed, 14 May 08
Girls, Young Women Can Cut Risk Of Early Breast Cancer Through Regular Exercise
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131276/080513171443.htm
Mothers, here's another reason to encourage your daughters to be physically active: Girls and young women who exercise regularly between the ages of 12 and 35 have a substantially lower risk of breast cancer before menopause compared to those who are less active, new research shows.

Wed, 14 May 08
First-Ever Comprehensive Global Map Of Freshwater Systems Released
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288922922/080512153631.htm
Over a decade of work and contributions by more than 200 leading conservation scientists have produced a first-ever comprehensive map and database of the diversity of life in the world's freshwater ecosystems. Freshwater Ecoregions of the World divides the world's freshwater systems into 426 distinct conservation units, many of which are rich in species but under increasing pressure from human population growth, rising water use, and habitat alteration.

Wed, 14 May 08
Drug Therapy For PKU Reverses Heart Damage, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131277/080513153945.htm
A pricy drug used to treat a rare but well-known genetic disorder may hold wider promise as a treatment for millions of Americans with potentially lethal enlarged hearts, due mainly to high blood pressure, a new study shows.

Wed, 14 May 08
New Molecules Could Change The Face Of Explosives Detection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131279/080513191831.htm
Chemists have developed complex molecules for use in portable sensors that quickly and reliably detect the presence of plastic explosives, a pressing need for soldiers in Iraq. The molecules can also identify which type of explosive is present, allowing security personnel to quickly determine which material they are dealing with.

Wed, 14 May 08
Children More Likely To Use Fruit Tuck Shops When Schools Ban Unhealthy Snacks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290163843/080512191132.htm
Children who attend schools that run fruit tuck shops are much more likely to eat more fruit if they and their friends are also banned from bringing unhealthy snacks on to the school premises, according to new research.

Wed, 14 May 08
Genetic Variation Linked To Preference Sugary Food
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290099386/080514064928.htm
Individuals with a specific genetic variation consistently consume more sugary foods. The study offers the first evidence of the role that a variation in the GLUT2 gene -- a gene that controls sugar entry into the cells -- has on sugar intake, and may help explain individual preferences for foods high in sugar.

Wed, 14 May 08
Tooth Loss Strongly Linked To Risk Of Esophageal, Head And Neck, And Lung Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290099383/080514064925.htm
Studying thousands of patients, Japanese researchers have found a strong link between tooth loss and increased risk of three cancers -- esophageal, head and neck, and lung. They suggest that preservation of teeth may decrease risk of developing these diseases.

Wed, 14 May 08
Henry Moore Sculpture Could Be Re-erected Thanks To 21st Century Science
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289492520/080513101641.htm
A dismantled Henry Moore sculpture could be re-erected in Kensington Gardens, London, thanks to the latest rock engineering techniques, says a team of experts.

Wed, 14 May 08
Phantoms In The Brain: Pain After Amputation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288781663/080512105712.htm
Losing a limb can be a traumatic experience and, in some cases, emotional and physical pain can linger for years. To better understand the phenomenon, dubbed "phantom limb syndrome," a graduate student is inviting amputees to come forward and share their experiences for a major study.

Wed, 14 May 08
Light Emitting Diodes Save Energy And Can Now Concentrate Light Precisely Where Needed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131282/080513101620.htm
Light-emitting diodes save energy. In terms of their light output, however, they have so far been unable to compete with light bulbs. A new, low-priced optical component is set to change that situation: It concentrates the light and directs it precisely to where it is needed.

Wed, 14 May 08
Educated People In US Living Longer, Less Educated Have Unchanged Death Rate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131284/080513210448.htm
A new study finds a gap in overall death rates between Americans with less than high school education and college graduates increased rapidly from 1993 to 2001. The study says the widening gap was due to significant decreases in mortality from all causes, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and other conditions, in the most educated while death rates among the least educated remained relatively unchanged.

Wed, 14 May 08
Wild Three-Toed Sloths Sleep 6 Hours Less Per Day Than Captive Sloths, First Electrophysical Recording Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131285/080513191934.htm
In the first experiment to record the electrophysiology of sleep in a wild animal, three-toed sloths carrying miniature electroencephalogram recorders slept 9.63 hours per day -- 6 hours less than captive sloths did.

Wed, 14 May 08
Chemical Compound Prevents Cancer In Lab
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131287/080513145249.htm
A chemical compound derived from vitamin A prevents cancer from forming and is being developed by the National Cancer Institute as a daily preventive pill. The compound, which still faces several rounds of clinical trials, successfully stopped normal cells from turning into cancer cells and inhibited the ability of tumors to grow and form blood vessels. If successful tests continue, researchers eventually hope to create a daily pill that would be taken as a cancer preventive.

Wed, 14 May 08
Fecal Microorganisms Inhabit Sandy Beaches Of Florida
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131289/080513101555.htm
A study of Florida beaches has shown that wet sand and dry sand above the intertidal zone have significantly more fecal bacteria than near-shore seawater. Scientists researched whether indicator bacteria survive longer in sand relative to open water and found that all feces-derived bacteria were capable of enhanced growth and survival in sand, while in seawater the bacterial populations steadily decreased over time.

Wed, 14 May 08
First Use Of DNA Fingerprinting To Identify Viable Embryos
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131291/080513191938.htm
Fertility researchers have used DNA fingerprinting for the first time to identify which embryos have implanted after in vitro fertilization and developed successfully to result in the births of healthy babies. The technique, combined with sampling cells from blastocysts before implantation in the womb, opens the way to pin-pointing a handful of genes that could be used to identify those blastocysts most likely to result in a successful pregnancy.

Wed, 14 May 08
Study May Explain Variations In Superconducting Temperatures
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131292/080512213306.htm
New experiments at Cornell have verified a theory that variations in the distance between atoms in cuprate superconductors account for differences in the temperature at which the material begins to superconduct. A better understanding of the process could lead to superconductors that work at higher temperatures.

Wed, 14 May 08
Using Music To Explore The Neural Bases Of Emotional 'Processing' In The Autistic Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289492511/080513101717.htm
Researchers will use music as a tool to explore the ability of children with ASD to identify emotions in musical excerpts and facial expressions.

Wed, 14 May 08
Biochips Can Detect Cancers Before Symptoms Develop
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289673875/080513130424.htm
n their fight against cancer, doctors have just gained an impressive new weapon to add to their arsenal. Researchers have developed a chip that can save lives by diagnosing certain cancers even before patients become symptomatic. The new technology, known as a biochip, consists of a one-centimeter by one centimeter array that comprises anywhere between several dozen and several hundred "dots," or small drops. Each of these drops contains a unique protein, antibody or nucleic acid that will attach to a particular DNA sequence or antigen.

Wed, 14 May 08
Researchers Pinpoint How Smoking Causes Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289673870/080513130635.htm
Researchers have pinpointed the protein that can lead to genetic changes that cause lung cancer. They discovered the production of a protein, FANCD2, is slowed when lung cells are exposed to cigarette smoke. Low levels of FANCD2 leads to DNA damage, triggering cancer. Cigarette smoke curbs the production of 'caretaker' proteins, like FANCD2, which prevent cancer by fixing damages in DNA and causing faulty cells to die.

Wed, 14 May 08
Astronaut Health On Moon May Depend On Good Dusting
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289492508/080513104001.htm
To prepare for a return to the moon, researchers are evaluating how dust deposits in the lungs in reduced gravity in order to assess the health risk of long-term exposure to lunar particles. The findings will influence the design of lunar bases and could also provide benefits for health care on Earth, such as improved delivery of aerosol medications to the lungs.

Wed, 14 May 08
Some Kids Benefit More From Asthma Drug
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289673872/080513140144.htm
Girls and children who have asthma and are exposed to tobacco smoke respond particularly well to montelukast (Singulair), a new study shows. Researchers also identified two biomarkers that may help physicians predict even more precisely which patients will benefit from montelukast.

Wed, 14 May 08
New Clues To How Proteins Dissolve And Crystallize
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288821424/080512121227.htm
The Hofmeister series governs the strengths of ions in inducing protein unfolding and many other phenomena and remains vital to protein chemistry to this day. Although it dates from the late 19th century, its mechanism has never been properly understood. Scientists have now found strong experimental support for a new explanation of Hofmeister effects, known as the Law of Matching Water Affinities.

Wed, 14 May 08
Establishing Faster-growing, Durable Football Fields
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289673874/080513140134.htm
A recent study offers new information that can help schools and contractors get outdoor athletic fields ready for fall sports more quickly. Certain blends of grass work better than others.

Wed, 14 May 08
NASA Phoenix Mission Ready For Mars Landing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/290131293/080514073843.htm
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander is preparing to end its long journey and begin a three-month mission to taste and sniff fistfuls of Martian soil and buried ice. The solar-powered robotic lander will manipulate a 2.35 meter arm (7.7 foot) to scoop up samples of underground ice and soil lying above the ice. Onboard laboratory instruments will analyze the samples. One research goal is to assess whether conditions at the site ever have been favorable for microbial life.

Wed, 14 May 08
New Understanding Of Pain Sensitivity: Heat Sensing Regulator Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289673877/080513101552.htm
Neuroscientists are a step closer to understanding pain sensitivity -- specifically why it's variable instead of constant -- having identified a gene that regulates a heat-activated molecular sensor.

Wed, 14 May 08
It Started With A Squeak: Moonlight Serenade Helps Lemurs Pick Mates Of The Right Species
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289673878/080507084005.htm
Some Malagasy mouse lemurs are so similar that picking a mate of the right species, especially at night time in a tropical forest, might seem like a matter of pot luck. However, new research has shown that our desperately cute distant cousins use vocalizations to pick up a partner of the right species.

Wed, 14 May 08
Novel Mechanisms Controlling Insulin Release And Fat Deposition Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289492513/080513101705.htm
Scientists have in two recent studies shown that a receptor called ALK7 plays important roles in the regulation of body fat deposition as well as the release of insulin from beta-cells in the pancreas. These findings have implications for the development of treatments against diabetes and obesity.

Wed, 14 May 08
Traffic Woes? New Method Allows Traffic Optimization Over Large Geographic Areas
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289673879/080513101610.htm
How can traffic be monitored and controlled more effectively? Scientists have now developed methods of determining the traffic situation across a wide area, and have refined processes that enable traffic to be optimally channeled. Traffic jams on the way to work, to the shops or to a holiday destination – a common experience for most of us.

Wed, 14 May 08
Exercising In The City? Don't Get Exhaust-ed; Take It Inside
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288883551/080512150141.htm
As environmentalists have pointed out, it can be as dangerous to be outdoors behind a city bus -- walking or bicycling -- as it is to be in front of one. All the exhaust and smoke -- even when they have been reduced by clean-air technology -- can damage a person's health. The dangers of urban air pollution are of special concern to those who exercise by running, bicycling or skating. These individuals, while trying to help their bodies through exercise, should take care that they do not harm themselves through exposure to air pollution.

Wed, 14 May 08
Archaeologist Uses Satellite Imagery To Explore Ancient Mexico
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289531565/080513112348.htm
Satellite imagery obtained from NASA will help archaeologists peer into the ancient Mexican past. In a novel archaeological application, multi- and hyperspectral data will help build the most accurate and most detailed landscape map that exists of the southern state of Oaxaca, where the Zapotec people formed the first state-level and urban society in Mexico.

Wed, 14 May 08
Gene Therapy Clinical Trial Yields Promising Results For Batten Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289427683/080513081322.htm
Promising results from a team of physician-scientists show that gene therapy is both safe and effective at slowing the progression of Batten disease, or Late Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis, a rare, genetic, degenerative neurological disorder that usually becomes fatal in children by the age of 8 to 12.

Wed, 14 May 08
HPV Linked To Better Survival In Tonsil, Tongue Cancer, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289673880/080512191139.htm
Researchers have found a series of markers that indicate which patients are more likely to survive cancers of the base of the tongue and tonsils. Most notably, they found that cancers linked to HPV, or human papillomavirus, are the most responsive to current chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Wed, 14 May 08
Genetic Links To Impaired Social Behavior In Autism
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289492518/080513101659.htm
Individuals with autism spectrum disorders show profound deficits in social interactions and communications and display repetitive behaviors and abnormal responses to sensory experiences. One aspect of an autistic child's impaired social abilities is their lack of affiliative behaviors, i.e., behaviors such as touching and hugging that strengthen social bonds.

Wed, 14 May 08
Satellite Communications By Laser Looks Promising
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289492507/080513104004.htm
Satellites currently use radio waves to exchange data. Now the data rate has been increased a hundredfold by using lasers instead of radio signals. Two test satellites each carried a diode laser pump module. The data whizzed back and forth at the speed of light between German satellite TerraSAR-X and US satellite NFIRE, covering more than 5000 kilometers in space without any errors.

Wed, 14 May 08
Patients' Expectation Of Getting Better Is Crucial In Recovery From Whiplash
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289339370/080513054841.htm
An individual's expectation of getting better plays a crucial role in the likelihood of his or her recovery, even after the severity of their physical and psychological symptoms are taken into account. Researchers investigated the role of individuals' expectation of recovery by using a questionnaire-based study of adult insurance claimants.

Wed, 14 May 08
Psychological Stress Linked To Overeating, Monkey Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289638398/080513125216.htm
Researchers found socially subordinate female rhesus macaques over consume calorie-rich foods, resulting in accelerated weight gain and an increase in fat-derived hormones. The study is a critical step in understanding the psychological basis for the sharp increase in obesity across all age groups since the mid-1970s. This is the first study to show how food intake can be reliably and automatically measured, thus identifying the optimal animal model and setting for future obesity studies.

Wed, 14 May 08
Air Pollution, Smoking Affect Latent Tuberculosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289492510/080513101721.htm
A toxic gas present in air pollution and tobacco smoke plays a significant role in triggering tuberculosis infection, according to a new study. The study shows for the first time how carbon monoxide triggers Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, to shift from active infection to a drug-resistant dormant state. TB latency is a global problem that results in tuberculosis escaping detection and treatment. The CO biological trigger happens with both airborne and internal sources of the gas.

Wed, 14 May 08
Alternative Sweeteners Are Increasing By 8% A Year
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289673881/080512140912.htm
The demand for alternative sweeteners to sugar is increasing at a rate of 8% per year. The market is showing more and more interest in natural sweeteners compared to synthetic ones. This research highlights the rise in the market of natural non-caloric sweeteners, particularly those that have a low glycaemic index (GI), and contain polyhydric alcohols.

Wed, 14 May 08
Acupuncture And Myofascial Trigger Therapy Treat Same Pain Areas
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289673882/080513101614.htm
Ancient acupuncture and modern myofascial pain therapy each focus on hundreds of similar points on the body to treat pain, although they do it differently, says a physician at Mayo Clinic who analyzed the two techniques.

Wed, 14 May 08
Soldered Lenses In Optical Devices Avoid Problems With Adhesives
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289673883/080513101617.htm
Lenses in optical devices are kept in place by adhesives. This can cause problems when the microscopes and cameras are employed inside a vacuum, as the adhesives may release gases that contaminate the lenses. One alternative is to solder them instead.

Wed, 14 May 08
Risk Of Hospitalization From Violent Assault Increases When Local Alcohol Sales Rise
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289339369/080513054849.htm
The risk of being hospitalized from being violently assaulted increases when there is increased alcohol sales near the victim's residence. For every extra 1,000 liters of alcohol sold per store per day (a doubling of alcohol sales), the overall risk of being hospitalized for assault increased by 13%. At peak times of alcohol sales, the risk of assault was 41% higher than at times when alcohol sales were lowest.

Tue, 13 May 08
Designing Bug Perception Into Robots
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289572487/080512141718.htm
Insects have provided the inspiration for a team of European researchers seeking to improve the functionality of robots and robotic tools. The research furthers the development of more intelligent robots, which can then be used by industry, and by emergency and security services, among others. Smarter robots would be better able to find humans buried beneath the rubble of a collapsed building, for example.

Tue, 13 May 08
Possible Connection Between Marijuana Abuse And Stroke Or Heart Attacks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289362466/080513054830.htm
Marijuana abuse leads to blood flow problems in the brain and increased risks for heart problems. To understand the way that marijuana might cause these side-effects, NIH scientists measured proteins in the blood of marijuana abusers and found that heavy marijuana users show increased levels of a protein called apolipoprotein CIII which can cause increases in blood triglyceride levels. These findings might explain why marijuana users suffer from brain and cardiac problems.

Tue, 13 May 08
Vision Therapy Appears To Improve Visual Function In Macular Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289572488/080512163836.htm
A low-vision therapy program that includes a home visit, counseling, assistive devices such as magnifiers and assignments to practice using them appears to significantly improve vision in veterans with diseases of the macula, according to a new article.

Tue, 13 May 08
Engineering Researchers Automate Analysis Of Protein Patterns
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288883553/080512145232.htm
Engineers have developed software toolbox that is intended to help bioscience researchers characterize protein patterns in human tissues. The automated protein pattern recognition tool and its underlying methods as important for identifying biomarkers that could be useful for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Tue, 13 May 08
Depression And Anger Can Plague Recent University Graduates
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289531563/080513112355.htm
The post-university years can start out tough. The good news: it gets better. A new study of almost 600 recent graduates (ages 20-29 years old) tracked mental health symptoms in participants for seven years post-graduation and looked at how key events like leaving home and becoming a parent were related to depression and anger. Graduates showed a significant decrease in depressive symptoms over the seven years. Expressed anger also declined over time after graduation, suggesting improved mental health.

Tue, 13 May 08
Alternative To Silicon Chip Invented By Student
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289531568/080513112341.htm
Even before Weixiao Huang received his doctorate, his new transistor captured the attention of some of the biggest American and Japanese automobile companies. The 2008 graduate's invention could replace one of the most common pieces of technology in the world -- the silicon transistor for high-power and high-temperature electronics.

Tue, 13 May 08
Vitamin D Protects Cells From Stress That Can Lead To Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289531564/080513112351.htm
By inducing a specific gene to increase expression of a key enzyme, vitamin D protects healthy prostate cells from the damage and injuries that can lead to cancer, researchers report.

Tue, 13 May 08
First Veterinary Corneal Implant Procedure In U.S. Performed On Dog
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288857844/080512135105.htm
The patient's sight was restored through a two-step surgical procedure that involves cutting into the eye to take out the cloudy cornea and inserting a permanent, plastic cornea. The new cornea is sutured, or stitched, into place. The entire eye including the new, plastic cornea is then covered with tissue from the dog to help the eye heal from the surgery. Because of the tissue and the bandages, the dog cannot see after this procedure. After several weeks, the bandages are removed and a hole is cut into the tissue exposing the new, plastic cornea.

Tue, 13 May 08
Obesity And Its Association With Heart Risk Documented
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288956493/080512163847.htm
Obesity rates appear high in most but not all ethnic groups in the United States, and extra weight is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and markers of sub-clinical heart disease, according to a new article.

Tue, 13 May 08
Beijing Game For Clean Air Challenge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289492521/080513101634.htm
With the Olympic Games in sight, the Chinese Government is committed to improving the air quality in Beijing, and has had measures in place since 1998 which have already made a difference. However, there is still some way to go to meet national air quality standards in the Chinese capital, according experts in environmental science in Beijing.

Tue, 13 May 08
Most Female Child Molesters Were Victims Of Sexual Abuse, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289572489/080513101605.htm
A new study that is the first to systematically examine a large sample of female child molesters finds that many of them were themselves victims of sexual abuse as children. The finding has the potential to help break the cycle of abuse by improving treatment for offenders and their young victims.

Tue, 13 May 08
'Shaquille O'Neal' Of Bacteria Big Enough To See With Naked Eye
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289111927/080512212320.htm
Cornell researchers are studying bacterium big enough to see -- the Shaquille O'Neal of bacteria. The secret to an unusual bacterium's massive size -- it's the size of a grain of salt, or a million times bigger than E. coli bacteria, and big enough to see with the naked eye -- may be found in its ability to copy its genome tens of thousands of times.

Tue, 13 May 08
Women Who Breastfeed For More Than A Year Halve Their Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289111928/080512191129.htm
Women who breast feed for longer have a smaller chance of getting rheumatoid arthritis, suggests a new study. The study also found that taking oral contraceptives, which are suspected to protect against the disease because they contain hormones that are raised in pregnancy, did not have the same effect. Also, simply having children and not breast feeding also did not seem to be protective.

Tue, 13 May 08
Treatment For Severe Blood Loss: Less Is More
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288990119/080512174547.htm
Intravenous administration of isotonic fluids is the standard emergency treatment in the U.S. for patients with severe blood loss, but now bioengineering researchers have reported improved resuscitation with a radically different approach. Building on earlier studies in humans that have shown benefits of intravenous fluids that are eight times saltier than normal saline, the researchers combined hypertonic saline with viscosity enhancers that thicken blood.

Tue, 13 May 08
Physical Activity More Likely To Prevent Breast Cancer In Certain Groups
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289111929/080512191124.htm
Physically active women are 25 percent less likely to get breast cancer, but certain groups are more likely to see these benefits than others, finds a review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The type of activity undertaken, at what time in life and the woman's body mass index (BMI) will determine how protective the activity is against the disease.

Tue, 13 May 08
Using Fruit To Aid The Sun's Work
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288883556/080512143743.htm
Blackberries, blueberries, oranges and grapes --- chemistry students are loading up on their fruits these days, but it has nothing to do with the food pyramid. The students are using the fruit to produce solar energy. Actually, they are using the dye from the fruit in a process to create solar cells.

Tue, 13 May 08
When Following The Leader Can Lead Into The Jaws Of Death
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288990122/080512172901.htm
An international study of animal behavior has important implications for human decision-making. For animals that live in social groups, and that includes humans, blindly following a leader could place them in danger. To avoid this, animals have developed simple but effective behavior to follow where at least a few of them dare to tread -- rather than follow a single group member. This pattern of behavior reduces the risk of imitating maverick behavior of an individual as the group recognize that consensus is better than following someone that goes it alone.

Tue, 13 May 08
Hot Climate Could Shut Down Plate Tectonics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288857846/080512135102.htm
A new study of possible links between climate and geophysics finds that a much hotter climate could shut down the Earth's plate tectonics. While human-induced climate change couldn't generate the needed heat, volcanic activity or changes in the sun's luminosity could. The research, in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, may help explain why Venus swelters beneath a thick blanket of heat-trapping carbon dioxide.

Tue, 13 May 08
Electrode Re-implantation Helps Some Parkinson's Disease Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288956495/080512163842.htm
A study of seven patients with Parkinson's disease suggests that those who have poor results following implantation of electrodes to stimulate the brain may benefit from additional surgery to correct the electrode placement, according to a new report.

Tue, 13 May 08
Fish Diet To Avoid Fights With Slightly Larger Rivals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288712497/080512094446.htm
People diet to look more attractive. Fish diet to avoid being beaten up, thrown out of their social group and getting eaten as a result. Researchers have discovered that subordinate gobis deliberately diet to avoid posing a challenge to their larger rivals by consistently remaining 5-10% smaller. Once a subordinate fish grows to within 5-10% of its larger rival, it provokes a fight which usually ends in the smaller goby being expelled from the group.

Tue, 13 May 08
Timing Improves Cleft Palate Surgery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289046308/080512142526.htm
New research is changing the way cleft palate surgeries are performed throughout North America and around the world. Surgical timing has been a controversial topic with various cleft centers around the world opting for early closure at about 3-6 months of age. However, research complied over the past 20 years has shown that the best time to close the cleft at the alveolus (gum) in patients with either one or two sided clefts is at eight or nine years of age prior to canine tooth eruption.

Tue, 13 May 08
'Super Yeasts' Produce 300 Times More Protein Than Previously Possible
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288712500/080512092318.htm
Researchers in California report development of a new kind of genetically modified yeast cell that produces complex proteins up to 300 times more than possible in the past. These "super yeasts" could help boost production and lower prices for a new generation of protein-based drugs that show promise for fighting diabetes, obesity, and other diseases, the researchers suggest.

Tue, 13 May 08
Asthma Linked To Higher Suicidal Thoughts With Attempts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289046309/080512143356.htm
Asthma is associated with higher suicidal thoughts with attempted suicide, but does not seem to be linked with suicidal thoughts without attempts, according to a new report in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Cigarette smoking and concurrent mental health conditions may independently account for significant proportions (but not all) of the association between asthma and suicidal thoughts with attempts noted researchers.

Tue, 13 May 08
A Molecular Thermometer For The Distant Universe
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289046310/080512191135.htm
For the first time, astronomers have detected in the ultraviolet the carbon monoxide molecule in a galaxy located almost 11 billion light-years away, a feat that had remained elusive for 25 years. This detection allows them to obtain the most precise measurement of the cosmic temperature at such a remote epoch.

Tue, 13 May 08
Multiple Sclerosis Can Affect Children's IQ, Thinking Skills
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288956489/080512163859.htm
Multiple sclerosis typically starts in young adulthood, but about five percent of cases start in childhood or the teen years. Children with MS are at risk to exhibit low IQ scores and problems with memory, attention and other thinking skills, according to a new study in Neurology.

Tue, 13 May 08
Sniffing Dogs Detect Feces To Help Monitor And Protect Threatened Animals In Brazil
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288741839/080512094438.htm
It's a tough job, but somebody, or at least some dogs, have to do it. In the Cerrado region of Brazil, four dogs trained to detect animal feces by scent are helping researchers monitor rare and threatened wildlife such as jaguar, tapir, giant anteater and maned wolf in and around Emas National Park, a protected area with the largest concentration of threatened species in Brazil.

Tue, 13 May 08
Nearly One-third Of All Inexpensive Earrings Examined Tested Positive For Nickel
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288883555/080512144306.htm
For the estimated 82 percent of women with pierced ears, earrings are an important fashion accessory that many women wear, and change, daily. However, a new study suggests that women may be getting more than they bargained for when purchasing inexpensive earrings. Nickel exposure from these earrings is a common cause of dermatitis on the earlobes and repeated exposure can make treatment difficult.

Tue, 13 May 08
Ancient Protein Offers Clues To Killer Condition
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288781659/080512105736.htm
More than 600 million years of evolution has taken two unlikely distant cousins -- turkeys and scallops -- down very different physical paths from a common ancestor. But researchers have found that a motor protein, myosin 2, remains structurally identical in both creatures.

Tue, 13 May 08
College Student Sleep Patterns Could Be Detrimental
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288883552/080512145824.htm
Many college students have sleep patterns that could have detrimental effects on their daily performance. As a graduate student, the researcher had her own trouble sleeping, prompting her to conduct a study to determine if other students experienced the same problems. Many of the students surveyed admitted that it took longer than 30 minutes for them to fall asleep and/or they woke more than once a night for at least five nights a week.

Tue, 13 May 08
Seeing Alzheimer's Amyloids With Electron Microscopy For First Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288990124/080512170723.htm
In an important step toward demystifying the role protein clumps play in the development of neurodegenerative disease, researchers have created a stunning three-dimensional picture of an Alzheimer's peptide aggregate using electron microscopy. Researchers have shown -- for the first time -- how A-beta peptide, found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, forms a spaghetti-like protein mass called an amyloid fibril.

Tue, 13 May 08
New Approach To Protect The Hearts Of Patients With Muscular Dystrophy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289046311/080512170720.htm
Researchers have recently shown that the administration of sildenafil protects the heart in mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The researchers explain that the choice of sildenafil was based on their previous studies indicating that the hearts of dystrophic mice do not function as effectively and are more susceptible to stress-induced cell death.

Tue, 13 May 08
New Technique Measures Ultrashort Laser Pulses At Focus
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289046312/080508151505.htm
Lasers that emit ultrashort pulses of light are used for numerous applications, but the quality of the results is limited by distortions caused by lenses and other optical components that are part of the experimental instrumentation. Researchers have developed a system that tells researchers what types of aberrations are present, which allows them to create the desired pulse at the focus that's free of distortions.

Tue, 13 May 08
New Theory Suggests How Hepatitis C May Cause Rare Immune Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288922923/080512150655.htm
Of the hepatitis alphabet, the C variant may be the nastiest. In 1990, researchers observed that most patients with hepatitis C also develop a rare autoimmune disease called mixed cryoglobulinemia, a condition that frequently leads to cancer, arthritis or both. Now, researchers say that a decade-old explanation of how one disease causes the other is likely wrong, and instead offer a new -- albeit controversial -- theory of their own: that the pathogen causing the disease zeros in on a specific cellular target that has yet to be identified.

Tue, 13 May 08
Texting Costs In UK Are 'Out Of This World' -- More Expensive Than Downloading Data From Hubble Space Telescope
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289046313/080512115938.htm
Space scientist says texting in the United Kingdom is at least four times more expensive than receiving scientific data from space.

Tue, 13 May 08
Medical Research Should Include More Women Participants And Examine The Role Of Gender In Disease, Researchers Urge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288821425/080512121224.htm
Are the health needs of women adequately addressed by medical research as it is currently conducted? A team of Australian researchers and two cardiologists closely examine this question.

Tue, 13 May 08
Molecule With 'Self-control' Synthesized
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288990123/080512172317.htm
Plants have an ambivalent relationship with light. They need it to live, but too much light leads to the increased production of high-energy chemical intermediates that can injure or kill the plant. The intermediates do this because the efficient conversion of sunlight into chemical energy cannot keep up with sunlight streaming into the plant.

Tue, 13 May 08
New MRI Technique Detects Subtle But Serious Brain Injury
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288956490/080512163852.htm
A new technique for analyzing magnetic resonance imaging data can reveal serious brain injury missed by current tests and help predict a patient's degree of recovery. In brain injuries sustained when the head suddenly stops moving — during a motor vehicle accident, for instance — the force can shear and damage nerve cells. This kind of injury does not show up on computerized tomography scans, the researchers said, and magnetic resonance imaging does not yet reliably detect this type of injury.

Tue, 13 May 08
Invasion Of The Spiny Water Fleas: Drying Anchor Lines Can Help Contain Spread
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289046314/080509171616.htm
Reducing the spread of some invasive species into our lakes could be as simple as asking boaters and fishers to dry out their equipment, says one biology professor studying invasive species in Lake Ontario. When anchor rope, fishing line and the boats themselves are thoroughly dried, the invasive species and their eggs will die, rather than spreading to another location, she explains. "It's such a simple thing for the general public to do, and yet it could make a big difference in the way that our lake ecosystems function."

Tue, 13 May 08
Identifying Abnormal Protein Levels In Diabetic Retinopathy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288712501/080512092214.htm
Researchers in Massachusetts are reporting an advance in bridging huge gaps in medical knowledge about the biochemical changes that occur inside the eyes of individuals with diabetic retinopathy (DR) -- a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in adults. They report discovery of 37 proteins that were increased or decreased in the eyes of patients with DR compared to patients without the disease.

Tue, 13 May 08
Consumers Warm Up To 'Greener' Personal Care Products, But Labeling Controversy Broils
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288712502/080512091947.htm
From soaps to body lotions to shampoos, consumers are increasingly drawn to personal care products that are labeled "green" or environmentally-friendly, a fast-growing market that chalks-up an estimated $4 billion in sales per year worldwide. Despite the hype over these products, there's growing confusion by consumers and manufacturers alike over what it really means to be labeled as "green," according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News.

Tue, 13 May 08
Memory Lane: Older Persons With More Schooling Spend Fewer Years With Cognitive Loss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288821426/080512115927.htm
Those with at least a high school education spend more of their older years without cognitive loss -- including the effects of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and dementia -- but die sooner after the loss becomes apparent, reveals a new study in the Journal of Aging and Health.

Tue, 13 May 08
How Embryonic Stem Cells Develop Into Tissue-specific Cells Demonstrated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288781660/080512105729.htm
While it has long been known that embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into any kind of tissue-specific cells, the exact mechanism as to how this occurs has heretofore not been demonstrated. Now, researchers have succeeded in graphically revealing this process, resolving a long-standing question as to whether the stem cells achieve their development through selective activation or selective repression of genes.

Tue, 13 May 08
High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol May Be Associated With Retinal Vascular Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289046315/080512163840.htm
High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels appear to be risk factors for retinal vein occlusion, a condition that causes vision loss, according to a new article. Retinal vein occlusion occurs when one or more veins carrying blood from the eye to the heart become blocked, according to background information in the article. Bleeding (hemorrhage) or fluid buildup (edema) may follow, damaging vision.

Tue, 13 May 08
Beyond Fashion: Why You Gotta Wear Shades
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289046316/080509165641.htm
Cheap sunglasses may cost you less, but are they just as likely to protect against the effects of harmful UV rays as expensive sunglasses? According to the chair of ophthalmology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital there is no certain way for consumers to be sure they are getting ultraviolet or UV protection from their sunglasses -- even if they are labeled "UV absorbing" or "UV blocking." Cost is no indicator of UV protection. An expensive pair of sunglasses does not guarantee sufficient protection from the sun. Sunglasses are not just a fashion statement; their lenses block harmful UV rays that, in severe cases, can cause permanent damage to the eyes in the form of cataracts, pterygium and possibly retinal degeneration.

Tue, 13 May 08
Gene Function In Regulating Body Size Helps Inform Novel Cancer Treatments
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289046317/080512163831.htm
In a leading study that has implications for the development of novel therapies for a number of breast, lung and ovarian cancers that have lost the expression of a gene called glypican-3, researchers have discovered how the loss of the GPC3 gene induces overgrowth through certain growth factors such as Sonic Hedgehog which stimulate cancer growth.

Tue, 13 May 08
Waste Water Treatment: Oxidation Of Contaminants As If They Got Burnt In The Water Itself
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288781658/080512105739.htm
Reducing the level of contamination of water is the aim of a new line of research. Chemists are investigating chemical treatment capable of eliminating contaminants dumped by industry, in order to reuse the waste water. Industrial activity is one of the principal causes of contamination in water, given that industry dumps large amounts of chemical compounds into rivers that are not capable of degrading by themselves.

Tue, 13 May 08
Both Boys And Girls Negatively Affected By Sexual Harassment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288781655/080512115935.htm
A new study in Psychology of Women Quarterly explored the outcomes of sexual harassment on both boys and girls. While girls were harassed more frequently, boys were indirectly yet negatively affected through a school climate that tolerates the harassment of girls.

Mon, 12 May 08
Female Concave-eared Frogs Draw Mates With Ultrasonic Calls
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288328540/080511190843.htm
Most female frogs don't call; most lack or have only rudimentary vocal cords. A typical female selects a mate from a chorus of males and then -- silently -- signals her beau. But the female concave-eared torrent frog, Odorrana tormota, has a more direct method of declaring her interest: She emits a high-pitched chirp that to the human ear sounds like that of a bird.

Mon, 12 May 08
Fruit Fly Avoidance Mechanism Could Lead To New Ways To Control Pain In Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288328543/080511190830.htm
At first, fruit flies eat like horses. Hatching inside over-ripe fruit where they were laid, they feed wildly in the sugar-rich environment until nature sends them an offer they can't refuse. To survive, they must leave the fruit, wander off and burrow into the earth where they avoid food as if it were poison. Only then can the larvae grow and hatch into flies that will take wing to lay their own eggs. Researchers have now discovered that the important developmental switch from food attraction to aversion in the fruit fly larva is controlled by a timing mechanism in the brain and its sensory system. The study shows how this important avoidance mechanism has been recruited into evolutionary processes to promote development and could lead to new methods of controlling pain in humans and other animals.

Mon, 12 May 08
Hot-air Balloon Research May Improve Tornado Predictions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354598/080508182435.htm
Three hot-air balloons dropped asphalt shingles, lumber, sticks, leaves and pine needles onto a north Alabama landfill, so scientists could gather data needed to improve tornado warnings. The payloads dropped by the balloons were similar to the types of debris thrown into the air by tornados that touch the ground. Scientists hope the Doppler radar data collected will be a first step toward programming National Weather Service Doppler radar to recognize tornado debris, so more timely and precise tornado warnings might be issued.

Mon, 12 May 08
Worms Triple Sperm Transfer When Paternity Is At Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354599/080508174651.htm
Scientists used to think that hermaphrodites, due to their low position in the evolutionary scale, did not have sufficiently developed sensory systems to assess the "quality" of their mates. A new work has shown, however, that earthworms are able to detect the competition by fertilizing the eggs that is going to find its sperm, tripling its volume when there is rivalry. This ability is even more refined as they are able to transfer more sperm to more fertile partners.

Mon, 12 May 08
Gene Linked To Alcohol And Cocaine Dependence
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354600/080505162829.htm
The search for genes associated with alcohol dependence has recently been extended to the tachykinin receptor 3 gene, located within a broad region on chromosome 4q. Researchers have found that seven of the nine single nucleotide polymorphisms -- DNA sequence variations -- in the 3' region of TACR3 have a significant association with AD as well as cocaine dependence.

Mon, 12 May 08
Tomato Stands Firm In Face Of Fungus
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354601/080508222429.htm
Scientists have discovered how to keep one's tomatoes from wilting -- the answer lies at the molecular level. Farmers and fellow agriculturalists are continuously battling the ability of plant pathogens to co-evolve alongside their host's immune system. In agriculture, the most environmentally friendly way to combat the evolutionary change in plant diseases is to make use of the innate immune system of plants.

Mon, 12 May 08
One Third of Hospital Toilets Not Properly Cleaned: C. Difficile Germs Linger
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288075685/080511094422.htm
Hospital cleaners should watch out because the toilet police are patrolling with their new secret weapon: invisible markers. A team of Canadian scientists using a lotion which glows under ultraviolet light have shown that up to a third of patient toilets are not properly cleaned. Their findings, also show that spores from the nasty bacteria Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) linger in the loo even when it has been thoroughly wiped down.

Mon, 12 May 08
Human Aging Gene Found In Flies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354602/080511205328.htm
Scientists have discovered a fast and effective way to investigate important aspects of human aging: a gene in fruit flies that means flies can now be used to study the effects aging has on DNA. The researchers found that flies with damage to this gene share important features with people suffering from the rapid aging condition Werner syndrome.

Mon, 12 May 08
Number Of Fat Cells Remains Constant From Teenhood In All Body Types
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354603/080509133100.htm
The radioactive carbon-14 produced by above-ground nuclear testing in the 1950s and '60s has helped researchers determine that the number of fat cells in a human's body, whether lean or obese, is established during the teenage years. Changes in fat mass in adulthood can be attributed mainly to changes in fat cell volume, not an increase in the actual number of fat cells.

Mon, 12 May 08
Warming Up For Magnetic Resonance Imaging
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354604/080508164408.htm
A new method of magnetic resonance imaging, much faster, more selective -- able to distinguish even among different target molecular species -- and many thousands of times more sensitive, has just been developed. The new technique has the capacity to choose among targets by slight adjustments in temperature.

Mon, 12 May 08
Clues Into How Preeclampsia May Surface In Some Pregnancies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288328539/080511190846.htm
The COMT gene -- known already for its role in schizophrenia -- has been found to play a role in preeclampsia, according to a report in Nature. The study further suggests that a steroid molecule, 2-ME, may serve as both a diagnostic marker and therapeutic supplement for the treatment of this dangerous pregnancy disorder.

Mon, 12 May 08
Inventor, Engineering Students Explore New Type Of Solar Collectors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354605/080508181259.htm
A team of students led by a chemical engineering professor are working with a New Jersey inventor to advance a new solar thermal collector. The engineering students pointed out that this is the first truly new solar thermal system in more than three decades, and the company stated that it is unique among renewable energy technologies as it is cost effective without any government subsidies.

Mon, 12 May 08
Braille Converter Bridges The Information Gap
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354606/080508174310.htm
A free, e-mail-based service that translates text into Braille and audio recordings is helping to bridge the information gap for blind and visually impaired people, giving them quick and easy access to books, news articles and web pages. Developed by European researchers, the RoboBraille service offers a unique solution to the problem of converting text into Braille and audio without the need for users to operate complicated software.

Mon, 12 May 08
Genetics Confirm Oral Traditions Of Druze In Israel
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354607/080508182219.htm
DNA analysis of residents of Druze villages in Israel suggests these ancient religious communities offer a genetic snapshot of the Near East as it was several thousands of years ago. The Druze harbor a remarkable diversity of mitochondrial DNA types or lineages that appear to have separated from each other many thousands of years ago, according to a new study by multinational team.

Mon, 12 May 08
Magnet Lab Researchers Make Observing Cell Functions Easier
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354608/080508145501.htm
Now that the genome of humans and many other organisms have been sequenced, biologists are turning their attention to discovering how the many thousands of structural and control genes -- the "worker bees" of living cells that can turn genes on and off -- function.

Mon, 12 May 08
Groundbreaking Methodology For Identify Cancerous Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354609/080509170224.htm
Recognizing the distinction between healthy and cancerous cells has traditionally been up to the eye of highly-trained cytologists and pathologists. While the majority of the resulting diagnoses are accurate, new technology can enhance the accuracy and alleviate the physical strain on the human observer. Now scientists have developed an automatic method based on vibrational microspectroscopy that identifies the presence of metastatic cancer cells without the need for staining, and without human input.

Mon, 12 May 08
Scientists Endure Arctic For Last Campaign Prior To CryoSat-2 Launch
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891101/080509101607.htm
An international group of scientists has swapped their comfortable offices for one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet to carry out a challenging field campaign that is seen as the key to ensuring the data delivered by ESA's ice mission CryoSat will be as accurate as possible.

Mon, 12 May 08
Mechanism Of Action Of Antibiotic Able To Reduce Neuronal Cell Death In Brain Uncovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354610/080509145457.htm
Researchers have discovered how an antibiotic works to modulate the activity of a neurotransmitter that regulates brain functions, which eventually could lead to therapies to treat Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, stroke, dementia and malignant gliomas.

Mon, 12 May 08
Tapping Into Australia's Unique Hot Energy Resources
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354611/080508132406.htm
Australia is uniquely endowed with heat-producing elements under its surface that could provide potentially unlimited amounts of geothermal power for this country, say geoscientists. West of the line between Cairns and the mouth of the Murray River lies a belt of rocks containing the enriched elements uranium, thorium, and potassium that are around 1.5 billion years old. These enriched elements are essentially a heat source located in the upper part of the continental crust.

Mon, 12 May 08
Reason For Concern In Childhood And Adolescent Obesity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354612/080509133056.htm
Childhood and adolescent obesity negatively impacts vascular endothelial function, which relates to cardiac health. Obesity has been increasing rapidly in the U.S. during the past 20 years and obesity in adults has been linked to cardiovascular disease. The incidence of obesity in children is also increasing and many cardiovascular diseases that are manifested in adulthood may actually begin in childhood.

Mon, 12 May 08
Anti-virulence Factor In Salmonella Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354613/080509170744.htm
Researchers have discovered an anti-virulence factor in Salmonella, knowledge that could be used to design improved Salmonella vaccines. Virulence factors allow a pathogen to thrive in the host and cause disease. An anti-virulence factor controls the degree of infectiveness.

Mon, 12 May 08
Feedstock Makes A Difference In Feeding Distiller's Grains
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354614/080508151501.htm
When it comes to using distiller's grains in finishing rations of High Plains cattle, scientists say the type of grain used makes all the difference. An AgriLife Research beef nutritionist at Amarillo, said there's been some skepticism about using distiller's grains in this region. Distiller's grains are a by-product of ethanol processing that can be used for animal feed.

Mon, 12 May 08
Molecular Response Of Cartilage To Injury Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354615/080508143253.htm
It's an unfortunate fact backed by studies of former professional football and soccer players: injury to joint cartilage escalates the risk of developing of osteoarthritis (OA). However, why this occurs --- the details of how joint cartilage cells respond to acute trauma and how this response leads to progressive cartilage degradation --- remains open to investigation.

Mon, 12 May 08
New Cost-effective Means To Reconstruct Virus Populations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354616/080508222417.htm
Researchers from the United States and Switzerland have developed mathematical and statistical tools for reconstructing viral populations using pyrosequencing, a novel and effective technique for sequencing DNA.

Mon, 12 May 08
Nutrition For The Growing Athlete: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288354617/080509165154.htm
For millions of American children and teens playing sports, good nutrition is critical for maximum health, performance and normal growth. Yet, with all the information available out there, it's becoming harder than ever for a young athlete to filter truth from myth, and detangle the good from the bad and the ugly, says a pediatric sports nutritionist at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

Mon, 12 May 08
Digging Deeper Into The Genetics Of Schizophrenia By Evaluating MicroRNAs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288328538/080511190849.htm
Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have illuminated a window into how abnormalities in microRNAs may contribute to the behavioral and neuronal deficits associated with schizophrenia and possibly other brain disorders. They uncovered a previously unknown alteration in the production of microRNAs of a mouse modeled to have the same chromosome 22q11.2 deletions previously identified in humans with schizophrenia.

Mon, 12 May 08
Binge Drinkers Have A Disconnect Between Assessing Their Driving Abilities And Reality
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288328541/080511190840.htm
While many people believe that alcohol-impaired drivers are usually alcoholics, in fact, 80 percent of AI incidents are caused by binge drinkers. A recent study conducted among college students has found that binge drinkers, even when legally intoxicated, nonetheless believe they having adequate driving abilities.

Mon, 12 May 08
Men Are More Likely Than Women To Crave Alcohol When They Feel Negative Emotions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/288328542/080511190834.htm
Women and men tend to have different types of stress-related psychological disorders. Women have greater rates of depression and some types of anxiety disorders than men, while men have greater rates of alcohol-use disorders than women. A new study of emotional and alcohol-craving responses to stress has found that when men become upset, they are more likely than women to want alcohol.

Sun, 11 May 08
'Wall Paper Peeling Mystery' Explained By Physicists
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286920122/080509110717.htm
When you try to remove adhesive paper from a surface, you inevitably get a pointy flap, while what you want is to remove the entire piece. Physicists have finally explained the physics behind this frustrating experience.

Sun, 11 May 08
Birth Order Linked To Asthma Symptoms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720291/080508164634.htm
Among four year-olds attending Head Start programs in New York City, those who had older siblings were more likely to experience respiratory symptoms including an episode of wheezing in the past year than those who were oldest or only children.

Sun, 11 May 08
Dying Bats In The Northeast U.S. Remain A Mystery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720292/080508170916.htm
Investigations continue into the cause of a mysterious illness that has killed thousands of bats since March 2008. At more than 25 caves and mines in the northeastern US, bats exhibiting a condition now referred to as "white-nosed syndrome" have been dying. The US Geological Survey recently issued a Wildlife Health Bulletin, advising wildlife and officials throughout the US to lookout for the condition known as "white-nose syndrome" and to report suspected cases of the disease.

Sun, 11 May 08
Of Mice, Rabbits, And Men: New Rabbit Model Of Sudden Cardiac Death Provides Insight Into The Human Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720294/080508174839.htm
Individuals with long QT syndrome are at increased risk of sudden death due to irregular heartbeats (also known as a cardiac arrhythmias). Although mutations in several genes have been shown to cause the disease, the most commonly affected genes are KCNQ1 and KCNH2.

Sun, 11 May 08
Quantum Cryptography: Researchers Break 'Unbreakable' Crypto
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720295/080508143107.htm
Quantum cryptography has been regarded as 100-percent protection against attacks on sensitive data traffic. But now a research team in Sweden has found a hole in this advanced technology. The risk of illegal accessing of information, for example in money transactions, is necessitating more and more advanced cryptographic techniques.

Sun, 11 May 08
Intensive Farming Is Fine For Birds And Bees, Says Report
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720296/080508173558.htm
Eco-friendly plant and animal life have been thriving in intensively managed cereal farms alongside increasing crop yields, according to the first study of its kind. The analysis of 230 farms shows that Government and EU policies which subsidize farmers to protect the environment are - at least to some degree - working.

Sun, 11 May 08
'Early Birds' Adapt To Climate Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720297/080509113330.htm
Individual birds can adjust their behavior to take climate change in their stride, according to a study by scientists from the University of Oxford. A study of the great tit population in Wytham Woods, near Oxford, has shown that the birds are now laying their eggs, on average, two weeks earlier than half a century ago.

Sun, 11 May 08
Bread Mold May Unlock Secret To Eliminating Disease-causing Genes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720298/080508135223.htm
Scientist have examined a new mechanism in the reproductive cycle of a certain species of mold. This mechanism protects the organism from genetic abnormalities by "silencing" unmatched genes during meiosis (sexual reproduction). The finding could have implications for higher organisms and may lead to precise "targeting" of unwanted genes, such as those from the HIV virus.

Sun, 11 May 08
How Slow Growth As A Fetus Can Cause Diabetes As An Adult
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720299/080508174843.htm
Intrauterine growth retardation results in a baby having a low birth weight and has been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes in adulthood. It has been suggested that IUGR alters the expression of key genes during fetal development and that this affects disease susceptibility later in life. Evidence to support this hypothesis and indicating that the changes in gene expression are permanent has now been generated using a rat model of IUGR.

Sun, 11 May 08
Method For Integrating Nanowire Devices Directly Onto Silicon Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720300/080508164412.htm
Scientists have developed a new technique for fabricating nanowire photonic and electronic integrated circuits that may one day be suitable for high-volume commercial production. The fabrication technique could yield low-cost, scalable nanowire photonic and electronic circuits.

Sun, 11 May 08
Novel Insight Into Cardiac Arrhythmias, Sudden Cardiac Death
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720301/080508174846.htm
A new study provides much-needed insight into the molecular mechanisms that cause arrythmia, or irregular heartbeat, and how it triggers sudden cardiac death, one of the nation's leading killers.

Sun, 11 May 08
Chromosome 'Lassoing': A New Key Mechanism In Cell Division
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720302/080508141525.htm
Scientists have revealed the function of a protein that is indispensable for passing on an accurate copy of the genome from mother to daughter cells. This study opens up new avenues of research to reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer. The protein can be compared to a cowboy's lasso: it catches chromosomes and ties them to a transitory structure assembled during cell division. Once they have been neatly tied up, the chromosomes await the end of replication to be equally distributed between the two daughter cells.

Sun, 11 May 08
Stroke Survivors Walk Better After Human-assisted Rehabilitation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720303/080508164414.htm
Therapist-assisted walking rehabilitation showed greater improvements in walking ability in ambulatory stroke survivors compared to robotic-assisted therapy. Post-stroke patients in both groups improved their walking ability, but the amount of improvement in the physical therapist-assisted group was greater. Robotic devices may be best reserved for acute stroke patients who have no ability to walk on their own.

Sun, 11 May 08
Why Emotional Memories Of Traumatic Life Events Are So Persistent
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720304/080509152307.htm
Emotional memories of traumatic life events such as accidents, war experiences or serious illnesses are stored in a particularly robust way by the brain. This renders effective treatment very difficult. Researchers have now successfully tracked down the molecular bases of these strong, very persistent memories.

Sun, 11 May 08
How Body Size Is Regulated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720305/080509162338.htm
Scientists are beginning to unravel the question why people distinctly vary in size. An international genome-wide study has discovered ten new genes that influence body height and thus provides new insights into biological pathways that are important for human growth.

Sun, 11 May 08
Eel Fishing Multiplies The Accidental Capture Of Other Fish By Eight
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720306/080508172939.htm
In the Ebro River delta, the fishing of elver (an eel, Anguilla anguilla) leads to the accidental capture of other fish species, with the capture of one ton of elver possibly resulting in the capture of up to 8.2 tons of accompanying species. Researchers who have assessed the effects of this method of fishing and identified the most fragile species, propose improvements in current methodologies.

Sun, 11 May 08
New Study Shows How Genes Control Blood Proteins Important To Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720310/080508222414.htm
A new study shows how genes control levels of many blood proteins implicated in disease. Newly published determine how many of the key proteins within our blood are under genetic control, showing that diet and lifestyle are not the only factors influencing its makeup.

Sun, 11 May 08
Endangered Species Up The Risk Of Extinction For Other Species In Ecological Community
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720311/080508142820.htm
An endangered species of flora or fauna ups the risk of the extinction of the other species in its ecological community. Trophically unique species are more vulnerable for cascading extinction, according to studies of a team of theoretical biologists.

Sun, 11 May 08
Major Shift In HIV Prevention Priorities Needed, Analysts Urge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287720312/080508143313.htm
According to a new policy analysis the most common HIV prevention strategies -- condom promotion, HIV testing, treatment of other sexually transmitted infections, vaccine and microbicide research, and abstinence -- are having a limited impact on the predominantly heterosexual epidemics found in Africa.

Sat, 10 May 08
Surprising Discovery: Multicellular Response Is 'All For One'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287002985/080508143317.htm
It has been widely assumed that, in single-celled organisms, each cell perceives its environment -- and responds to stress conditions -- individually. Likewise, it had been thought that cells in multicellular organisms respond the same way, but scientists have now discovered otherwise. In studies of the worm C. elegans, they found that authority is taken away from individual cells and given to two specialized neurons to sense temperature stress and organize an integrated molecular response for the entire organism.

Sat, 10 May 08
Diet High In Saturated Fat Contributes To Prostate Cancer Treatment Failure, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287002986/080508184143.htm
Men who consumed high saturated fat diets (HSF) were younger and had higher BMIs at diagnosis than men with who consumed low saturated fat diets (LSF). Saturated fats were most commonly consumed as beef steaks, cheese and cheese spreads, hamburgers and cheeseburgers, eggs, ice cream and salad dressings.

Sat, 10 May 08
Biological Weapons To Control Cane Toad Invasion In Australia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287002987/080508131953.htm
New research on cane toads in Northern Australia has discovered a way to control the cane toad invasion using parasites and toad communication signals. Biologists says that controlling toads has been difficult as things that kill them will often kill frogs. Professor Shine and his team studied cane toads in Queensland that lagged behind the invasion front and found they were infected with a lungworm parasite which slows down adults and, in laboratory tests, kills around 30% of baby toads.

Sat, 10 May 08
Previously Unseen Switch Regulates Breast Cancer Response To Estrogen
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287002988/080508120519.htm
A tiny modification called methylation on estrogen receptors prolongs the life of these growth-driving molecules in breast cancer cells. Most breast cancers contain estrogen receptors, which enable them to grow in the presence of the hormone estrogen. Their presence can determine whether tumors will respond to the estrogen-blocking drug tamoxifen. The finding will help researchers sort out how mutations change the estrogen receptor's function and allow some breast cancers to resist tamoxifen.

Sat, 10 May 08
NASA Successfully Completes First Series Of Ares Engine Tests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891098/080509102949.htm
NASA engineers Thursday successfully completed the first series of tests in the early development of the J-2X engine that will power the upper stages of the Ares I and Ares V rockets, key components of NASA's Constellation Program. Ares I will launch the Orion spacecraft that will take astronauts to the International Space Station and then to the moon by 2020. The Ares V will carry cargo and components into orbit for trips to the moon and later to Mars.

Sat, 10 May 08
Teen 'Self Medication' For Depression Leads To More Serious Mental Illness, New Report Reveals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891096/080509105348.htm
Millions of American teens report experiencing weeks of hopelessness and loss of interest in normal daily activities and many of these depressed teens are using marijuana and other drugs, making their situation worse, according to a new White House report.

Sat, 10 May 08
Justice In The Brain: Equity And Efficiency Are Encoded Differently
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287002989/080508143321.htm
Which is better, giving more food to a few hungry people or letting some food go to waste so that everyone gets a share? A study appearing in Science finds that most people choose the latter, and that the brain responds in unique ways to inefficiency and inequity.

Sat, 10 May 08
Suspected Cause Of Type 1 Diabetes Caught 'Red-handed' For The First Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286920121/080509111240.htm
Scientists working with diabetic mice have examined in unprecedented detail the immune cells long thought to be responsible for type 1 diabetes. They caught the immune cells, known as dendritic cells, "red-handed": they were carrying insulin and fragments of insulin-producing cells known as beta cells. This can be the first step in a misdirected immune system attack that destroys the beta cells, causing diabetes.

Sat, 10 May 08
Federal Polar Bear Research Critically Flawed, Forecasting Expert Asserts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287002990/080508132549.htm
Research done by the US Department of the Interior to determine if global warming threatens the polar bear population is so flawed that it cannot be used to justify listing the polar bear as an endangered species, according to a new study. The Interior Department has been ordered to make a determination by May 15.

Sat, 10 May 08
Arthritis Is A Potential Barrier To Physical Activity For Adults With Diabetes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287002995/080508120516.htm
People with diagnosed diabetes are nearly twice as likely to have arthritis, and the inactivity caused by arthritis hinders the successful management of both diseases, according to a new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report study. This is one of the first studies of its kind to look at the relationship between arthritis and diabetes and the outcomes associated with physical activity.

Sat, 10 May 08
Swedish Space Gym Being Tested By Astronauts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287002996/080508142121.htm
The crew of the International Space Station (ISS) is presently testing a Swedish space gym. The aim is to counteract muscle atrophy and osteoporosis in astronauts. Astronauts who spend a long time in space can face problems when they return to earth. Weightlessness atrophies the muscles and decalcifies the skeleton. It doesn't help to "pump iron." Barbells and dumbbells are also weightless on a space voyage.

Sat, 10 May 08
Newest GREET Model Updates Environmental Impacts Of Specific Fuels And Automobiles
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287002997/080508115822.htm
The newest version of the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy use in Transportation model will provide researchers with even more tools to evaluate and compare the environmental impacts of new transportation fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. The newest update released May 9 will allow scientists to model combustion of ethanol produced from Brazilian sugarcane and used by U.S. automobiles; production and use of bio-butanol as a potential transportation fuel; and production and use of biodiesel and renewable diesel via hydrogenation, coal/biomass co-feeding for Fischer-Tropsch diesel production and various corn ethanol plant types with different process fuels.

Sat, 10 May 08
Taking The Sex Out Of Sexual Health Screening
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287002998/080508222424.htm
Young women would accept age-based screening for the sexually transmitted infection chlamydia, but would want this test to be offered to everyone, rather than to people "singled out" according to their sexual history.

Sat, 10 May 08
When Bears Steal Human Food, Mom's Not To Blame
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891084/080507105606.htm
Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society found that the black bears that become habituated to human food and garbage may not be learning these behaviors exclusively from their mothers, as widely assumed. Bears that steal human food sources are just as likely to form these habits on their own or pick them up from unrelated, "bad influence" bears.

Sat, 10 May 08
Virus Mimics Human Protein To Hijack Cell Division Machinery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287002999/080508143310.htm
Viruses are masters of deception, duping their host's cells into helping them grow and spread. A new study has found that human cytomegalovirus can mimic a common regulatory protein to hijack normal cell growth machinery, disrupting a cell's primary anti-cancer mechanism.

Sat, 10 May 08
Silicon's Effect On Sunflowers Studied
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287003000/080507132850.htm
As the popularity of sunflowers grows among commercial growers and everyday gardeners, scientists are looking for new supplements and growing methods to enhance production and quality of this celebrated annual.

Sat, 10 May 08
Speedier Precise Cancer Radiotherapy Now Available
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287003001/080507174954.htm
RapidArc is the next-generation of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) offering radiation delivery up to eight times faster than conventional IMRT. The first US patient to be given the new therapy is an Alabama man with early-stage prostate cancer whose treatment started May 6.

Sat, 10 May 08
How Light Squeezes Through Small Holes: Detailed For First Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287003002/080508100718.htm
How does light pass through a tiny hole? For the first time, scientists have succeeded in mapping this process in detail. Their research also promises a significant improvement in Terahertz microscopy in the long term, a potentially interesting new imaging technique, and Terahertz microspectroscopy, a technique for identifying tiny quantities of substances using light.

Sat, 10 May 08
Improving Anxiety Treatment Through The Help Of Brain Imaging: A Potential Future Treatment Strategy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/287003004/080508100721.htm
Wouldn't it be nice if our doctors could predict accurately whether we would respond to a particular medication? This question is important because research studies provide information about how groups of patients tend to respond to treatments, but inevitably, differences among groups of patients with the same diagnosis mean that findings about groups of patients may not apply to individuals from those groups.

Sat, 10 May 08
Photosynthetic Dimmer Switch For Plants Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891083/080508144332.htm
In a study of the molecular mechanisms by which plants protect themselves from oxidation damage should they absorb too much sunlight during photosynthesis, researchers have discovered a molecular "dimmer switch" that helps control the flow of solar energy moving through the system of light harvesting proteins. This discovery holds important implications for the future design of artificial photosynthesis systems that could provide the world with a sustainable and secure source of energy.

Sat, 10 May 08
A Real-life 'I Am Legend?' Researcher Champions Development Of 'Reovirus' As Potential Treatment For Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891085/080508185334.htm
A virologists and cancer biologists was on his way to the American Association of Cancer Research in San Diego recently when he decided to check out the in-flight movie I Am Legend. The premise of the sci-fi horror movie is that a virus successfully used to fight cancer in clinical trials has gone out of control, pushing humankind to the edge of extinction. Early on in the movie, survivor Robert Neville (Will Smith) replays a three-year-old TV interview which foreshadows the impending disaster.

Sat, 10 May 08
Computed Radiography System Helps Uncover Secrets From The Past
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891086/080507083944.htm
Digital medical imaging and information technology is helping The Field Museum discover and analyze secrets hidden within its world-class collections. A computed radiography system enables the museum -- for the first time -- to capture, archive and share digital x-ray images from more than one million priceless artifacts in its Anthropology collection. The museum is also using a picture archiving and communications system (PACS) to manage, view and store the growing collection of digital images.

Sat, 10 May 08
Designer Isotopes Push The Frontier Of Science
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891087/080508164631.htm
Designer labels have a lot of cachet -- a principle that's equally true in fashion and physics. The future of nuclear physics is in designer isotopes -- the relatively new power scientists have to make specific rare isotopes to solve scientific problems and open doors to new technologies, according to some physicists.

Sat, 10 May 08
Young People Are Intentionally Drinking And Taking Drugs For Better Sex, European Survey Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891088/080508222420.htm
Teenagers and young adults across Europe drink and take drugs as part of deliberate sexual strategies. A third of 16-35 year old males and a quarter of females surveyed are drinking alcohol to increase their chances of sex, while cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis are intentionally used to enhance sexual arousal or prolong sex.

Sat, 10 May 08
Merging Antennae Galaxies Move Closer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891089/080509101622.htm
New research on the Antennae Galaxies shows that this benchmark pair of interacting galaxies is in fact much closer than previously thought -- 45 million light-years instead of 65 million light-years.

Sat, 10 May 08
New Link To Schizophrenia Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891090/080508122517.htm
Neuroscientists have discovered that mice lacking an enzyme that contributes to Alzheimer disease exhibit a number of schizophrenia-like behaviors. The finding raises the possibility that this enzyme may participate in the development of schizophrenia and related psychiatric disorders and therefore may provide a new target for developing therapies.

Sat, 10 May 08
Cane Use May Reduce Risk Of Knee Osteoarthritis Progression
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891091/080508143303.htm
A common, incurable joint disease, osteoarthritis is the leading cause of disability in elderly people. While nearly any joint can be affected, OA most often strikes the knee, particularly the inner aspect of the tibiofemoral joint. One source of stress on this vulnerable joint compartment is the knee adduction moment, an indication of weight placement while walking.

Sat, 10 May 08
Modern Ceramics Help Advance Technology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891092/080508143307.htm
Many important electronic devices used by people today would be impossible without the use of ceramics. A new study illustrates the use of ceramic materials in the development of technological devices, including mobile communication and ultrasonic imaging.

Sat, 10 May 08
Carbon Dioxide Capture And Storage: Grasping At Straws In The Climate Debate?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286891093/080508142552.htm
Great hopes are being placed on undeveloped technology. Capturing and storing carbon dioxide is predicted to be one of the most important measures to counter the threats to our climate. But the technology still hasn't been tested in full scale, and the complications and risks it entails may have been grossly underestimated.

Fri, 9 May 08
What's Bugging Locusts? It Could Be They're Hungry -- For Each Other
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441289/080508132545.htm
Since ancient times, locust plagues have been viewed as one of the most spectacular events in nature. In seemingly spontaneous fashion, as many as 10 billion critters can suddenly swarm the air and carpet the ground, blazing destructive paths that bring starvation and economic ruin. What makes them do it? In a word, cannibalism.

Fri, 9 May 08
New Cancer Gene Found
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286171410/080508115829.htm
Scientists have identified a new gene that causes cancer. The gene and its protein, both called RBM3, are vital for cell division in normal cells. In cancers, low oxygen levels in the tumors cause the amount of this protein to go up dramatically. This causes cancer cells to divide uncontrollably, leading to increased tumor formation.

Fri, 9 May 08
Piecing Together The Next Generation Of Cognitive Robots
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/284746417/080506120216.htm
European researchers are making progress on piecing together a new generation of machines that are more aware of their environment and better able to interact with humans. While building robots with anything akin to human intelligence remains a far off vision, making them more responsive would allow them to be used in a greater variety of sophisticated tasks in the manufacturing and service sectors. Such robots could be used as home helpers and caregivers, for example.

Fri, 9 May 08
When Statins Aren't Enough: New Trial Drug Points To Better Management Of Coronary Heart Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441290/080508133357.htm
Despite widespread use of cholesterol-lowering drugs, a significant number of cardiac patients continue to suffer heart attacks and stroke. Researchers theorize that high levels of an enzyme found in coronary plaques may be to blame, by making plaques more likely to rupture and block blood flow. The drug darapladib may offer a way to fight that risk, according to new research.

Fri, 9 May 08
New Gas Sensors For Monitoring Carbon Dioxide Sinks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441291/080508115835.htm
A novel gas sensor system makes it possible to monitor large areas cost-effectively the first time. The patented gas sensor is based on the principle of diffusion, according to which certain gases pass through a membrane faster than others. Using a tube-like sensor it is possible to measure an average gas concentration value over a certain distance without influencing or distorting conditions in the measuring environment.

Fri, 9 May 08
Elderly In Long-term Care Setting Suffer Depression More Than Those Cared For At Home
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441292/080508181557.htm
Elderly in a long-term care setting are more likely to be prescribed antidepressants and to self-report depression compared to those in a home-health care setting, according to a study. The study of 272 elders, with an average age of 81, examined how often patients reported feeling depressed and were prescribed antidepressants at both a long-term care facility and through a home-care agency in west-central Indiana.

Fri, 9 May 08
Koalas Under Threat From Climate Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441293/080508131118.htm
New research shows increased temperatures and carbon dioxide levels are a threat to the Australian national icon, the koala. Biologists have been researching the effects of carbon dioxide increases and temperature rises on eucalypts. They have shown in the laboratory that increases in carbon dioxide affect the level of nutrients and 'anti-nutrients' (things that are either toxic or interfere with the digestion of nutrients) in eucalypt leaves. Anti-nutrients in eucalypts are built from carbon and an increase in carbon dioxide levels will favor the production of anti-nutrients over nutrients. Koalas are fussy about the species of eucalypts that they eat as different species contain different ratios of nutrients to anti-nutrients.

Fri, 9 May 08
'Dancing' Hair Cells Are Key To Humans' Acute Hearing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441294/080507132848.htm
Researchers have found that an electrically powered amplification mechanism in the cochlea of the ear is critical to the acute hearing of humans and other mammals. The findings will enable better understanding of how hearing loss can result from malfunction of this amplification machinery due to genetic mutation or overdose of drugs such as aspirin.

Fri, 9 May 08
Molecular Espionage Shows A Single HIV Enzyme's Many Tasks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441295/080507133334.htm
Using ingenious molecular espionage, scientists have found how a single key enzyme, seemingly the Swiss army knife in HIV's toolbox, differentiates and dynamically binds both DNA and RNA as part of the virus' fierce attack on host cells.

Fri, 9 May 08
Genetic 'Tag Team' Keeps Cells On Cycle
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441296/080507133239.htm
By surveying the activity of thousands of genes at several different time points, researchers have uncovered new evidence that a network of influential genes act as a kind of genetic tag team to orchestrate one of the most fundamental aspects of all life: the cell cycle.

Fri, 9 May 08
Priority Regions For Threatened Frog And Toad Conservation In Latin America
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441297/080507083955.htm
Nearly 35% of all amphibians are now threatened of extinction raising them to the position of the most endangered group of animals in the world. Decline of amphibian populations and species is ongoing due to habitat loss, fungal disease, climate shift and agrochemical contaminants. These impacts are even worse to frogs that reproduce in water bodies such as streams and ponds. Scientists now propose a priority set of areas for the conservation of frogs and toads in Latin America. The study is unprecedented in terms of not only the proposition of key-conservation areas, but also because it shows that the inclusion of species biological traits, such as reproductive modes, affects the performance of area-prioritization analyses.

Fri, 9 May 08
Asthma Inhaler Misuse Widespread Among Anti-social Teens
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441298/080508125736.htm
Nearly one out of four teens who use an asthma inhaler say their intent is to get high. Findings from a new study identified high levels of asthma inhaler misuse among anti-social youths, who displayed higher levels of distress and were more likely to abuse other substances.

Fri, 9 May 08
New Evidence From Earliest Known Human Settlement In The Americas
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441299/080508143324.htm
New evidence from the Monte Verde archaeological site in southern Chile confirms its status as the earliest known human settlement in the Americas and provides additional support for the theory that one early migration route followed the Pacific Coast more than 14,000 years ago.

Fri, 9 May 08
Nitrates In Vegetables Protect Against Gastric Ulcers, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441300/080507105601.htm
Fruits and vegetables that are rich in nitrates protect the stomach from damage. This takes place through conversion of nitrates into nitrites by the bacteria in the oral cavity and subsequent transformation into biologically active nitric oxide in the stomach. This also means that antibacterial mouthwashes can be harmful for the stomach.

Fri, 9 May 08
How 'Horse Tranquilizer' Stops Depression
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/284746421/080506112416.htm
Researchers have shown exactly how the anaesthetic ketamine helps depression with images that show the orbitofrontal cortex -- the part of the brain that is overactive in depression -- being 'switched off'. Ketamine, an anaesthetic that is popular with doctors on the battlefield and also with vets because it allows a degree of awareness without pain, is a new hope for the treatment of depression -- but the minute-by-minute images show how the drug achieves this in an unexpected way.

Fri, 9 May 08
Skin Flaps Deliver Cancer-fighting Therapy, Study Reveals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441301/080508100715.htm
Using gene therapy, plastic surgeons have delivered cancer fighting proteins through skin flaps placed on cancerous tumors on rats with a 79 percent reduction in tumor volume, according to a study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Fri, 9 May 08
Tiny Electronics: Contact Through Silver Particles In Ink
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/284708280/080506103048.htm
Conductor paths in sensor systems have to be correctly "wired." Now, instead of using obtrusive connecting wires, researchers print the conductor paths. The connections thus produced are thinner, and the sensor delivers more accurate measurements.

Fri, 9 May 08
Do Antidepressants Enhance Immune Function?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441302/080508100725.htm
Infection with human immunodeficiency virus, which leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is an epidemic of global concern. The functioning of natural killer (NK) cells, which are a major element of the innate immunity system and are involved in the body's first line of defense against infections such as HIV, is decreased in both HIV and depression. A group of researchers who have previously found that stress and depression impair NK cell function and accelerate the course of HIV/AIDS are now publishing a new report in Biological Psychiatry.

Fri, 9 May 08
Superbug Genome Sequenced: Steno Has Remarkable Capacity For Drug Resistance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441303/080507083928.htm
The genome of a newly-emerging superbug, commonly known as Steno, has just been sequenced. The results reveal an organism with a remarkable capacity for drug resistance. The research was carried out by scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute near Cambridge and the University of Bristol.

Fri, 9 May 08
Prions Show Their Good Side
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441304/080507105649.htm
Prions, the infamous agents behind mad cow disease and its human variation, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, also have a helpful side. New research shows that normally functioning prions prevent neurons from working themselves to death. The findings appear in the May 5 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology.

Fri, 9 May 08
Seed Dispersal In Mauritius -- Dead As A Dodo?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441305/080507083958.htm
Walking through the last rainforests on the volcanic island of Mauritius, located some 800 km east of Madagascar, one is surrounded by ghosts. Since human colonisation in the 17th century, the island has lost most of its unique animals. The litany includes the famous flightless dodo, giant tortoises, parrots, pigeons, fruitbats, and giant lizards. It is comparatively easy to notice the loss of a species, but much more difficult to realise how many interactions have been lost as a result.

Fri, 9 May 08
Key Roadblock To Gene Expression Identified: Implications For AIDS
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286143307/080508103623.htm
For the first time, research has made possible a detailed map of how the building blocks of chromosomes, the cellular structures that contain genes, are organized in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. The work identifies a critical stop sign for transcription, the first step in gene expression, and has implications for understanding how the AIDS virus regulates its genes.

Fri, 9 May 08
RFID Testbed Measures Multiple Tags At Once And Rapidly Assesses New Antenna Designs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441306/080505165804.htm
Researchers have designed a system capable of simultaneously measuring hundreds of radio frequency identification tags and rapidly testing new RFID tag prototypes. This testbed allows researchers to measure the signal strength of tags hidden behind other tags and to rapidly test unique antenna configurations and multiple antennas without actually constructing new tags for each experiment.

Fri, 9 May 08
Racial Discrimination Has Different Mental Health Effects On Asians, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441308/080508115812.htm
The first national study of Asians living in the United States shows that for some individuals, strong ties to their ethnicity can guard against the negative effects of racism. For others, strong ties to ethnicity can actually make the negative effects of discrimination worse. And the mental health effects of such discrimination may shift over a lifetime as Asian-Americans continue to examine their ethnic ties, say researchers.

Fri, 9 May 08
Computer Game's High Score Could Earn The Nobel Prize In Medicine
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441309/080508122520.htm
Gamers have devoted countless years of collective brainpower to idle pursuits. This week researchers will try to harness those finely honed skills to make medical discoveries through a competitive protein-folding computer game.

Fri, 9 May 08
Too Much Or Too Little Weight Gain Poses Risks To Pregnant Mothers, Babies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441310/080507155802.htm
Women who gain more or less than recommended amounts of weight during pregnancy are likely to increase the risk of problems for both themselves and their child, according to a new report. Among the report's key findings is a strong association between high maternal weight gain and increased fetal growth and infant birth weight, which can contribute to complications during labor if a baby is too big, and can lead to long term health effects for the child.

Fri, 9 May 08
GIOVE-B Transmitting Its First Signals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441311/080507105616.htm
Following a successful launch on April 27, GIOVE-B began transmitting navigation signals May 7. This is a truly historic step for satellite navigation since GIOVE-B is now, for the first time, transmitting the GPS-Galileo common signal using a specific optimised waveform, MBOC (multiplexed binary offset carrier), in accordance with the agreement drawn up in July 2007 by the EU and the US for their respective systems, Galileo and the future GPS III.

Fri, 9 May 08
6-month Follow-up Diagnostic Mammograms Recommended For Women With Probably Benign Lesions, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441312/080508115826.htm
Radiologists can, with confidence, recommend a six-month follow-up diagnostic mammogram rather than an immediate biopsy for patients with "probably benign" breast lesions, a new study emphasizes.

Fri, 9 May 08
76-teraflop Supercomputer Installed For Critical Research On Climate Change, Severe Weather
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441313/080508115809.htm
The National Center for Atmospheric Research has taken delivery of a new IBM supercomputer that will advance research into severe weather and the future of Earth's climate. The supercomputer, known as a Power 575 Hydro- Cluster, is the first in a highly energy-efficient class of machines to be shipped anywhere in the world.

Fri, 9 May 08
Patients With Chronic Illness Benefit From Telehealth Intervention
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441314/080507175000.htm
Telehealth, using telecommunication technology to deliver health care, is increasingly being used to improve the delivery and availability of health care services to patients. Patients who received a telehealth intervention from care providers had significantly delayed hospital readmission rates when compared to patients who received traditional care.

Fri, 9 May 08
Cell's 'Power Plant' Genes Raise Vision Disorder Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286103432/080507083949.htm
Genetic variation in the DNA of mitochondria -- the "power plants" of cells -- contributes to a person's risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, investigators report. The study is the first to examine the mitochondrial genome for changes associated with AMD, the leading cause of blindness in Caucasians over age 50.

Fri, 9 May 08
Undergrad Has Sweet Success With Invention Of Artificial Golgi
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286103433/080507155309.htm
A graduating senior has put his basic knowledge of sugars to exceptional use by creating a lab-on-a-chip device that builds complex, highly specialized sugar molecules, mimicking one of the most important cellular structures in the human body -- the Golgi Apparatus.

Fri, 9 May 08
Vitamin D Linked To Reduced Mortality Rate In Chronic Kidney Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286103434/080507133247.htm
For patients with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease, treatment with activated vitamin D may reduce the risk of death by approximately one-fourth, suggests a new study.

Fri, 9 May 08
Large Reductions In Agricultural Chemical Use Can Still Result In High Crop Yields And Profits
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286103459/080508091947.htm
Researchers investigated whether yield, weed suppression, and profit characteristics of low-external-input farming systems could match or exceed those of conventional farming systems. Yields and profits were similar or higher in the LEI systems as in the conventional system, and lower herbicide inputs did not lead to increased weed problems. The results suggest that large reductions in agrichemical use can be compatible with high crop yields and profits.

Fri, 9 May 08
Depression Diversity: Brain Studies Reveal Big Differences Among Individuals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286103435/080508090044.htm
Depressed people may have far fewer of the receptors for some of the brain's "feel good" stress-response chemicals than non-depressed people, new research shows. And even among depressed people, the numbers of these receptors can vary greatly -- and may be linked with the severity of their symptoms and response to treatment.

Fri, 9 May 08
Exhaling For Exploration: Scientists Test Lunar Breathing System
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286103436/080508091605.htm
Imagine yourself hip-to-hip, shoulder-to-shoulder, inside a room the size of a walk-in closet for eight hours with five people you just met. Does that make you sweat? Or maybe make your breathing a little more animated? For three weeks, 23 volunteers dedicated time to do just that -- sweat and breathe -- inside a test chamber so NASA scientists at Johnson Space Center in Houston could measure the amount of moisture and carbon dioxide absorbed by a new system being developed for future space vehicles. The system is designed to control carbon dioxide and humidity inside a crew capsule to make air breathable and living space more comfortable.

Fri, 9 May 08
Breast Cancer Tumors Grow Faster In Younger Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286036239/080508075221.htm
A new approach to estimating tumor growth has been developed based on breast screening results from almost 400,000 women. This new model can also estimate the proportion of breast cancers which are detected at screening (screen test sensitivity). It provides a new approach to simultaneously estimating the growth rate of breast cancer and the ability of mammography screening to detect tumors.

Fri, 9 May 08
Biologists Names New Spider After Neil Young
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286441315/080508181914.htm
A biologist has brought his admiration of Neil Young to a whole new class. Or species, to be exact. A professor of biology has named a newly discovered trapdoor spider, Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi, after the legendary rock star.

Fri, 9 May 08
Immune System Pathway Identified To Fight Allergens, Asthma
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286103438/080507114451.htm
For the first time, researchers have identified genetic components of dendritic cells that are key to asthma and allergy-related immune response malfunction. Targeting these elements could result in more effective drugs to treat respiratory disorders. While dendritic cells are vital to immune response, the new study goes further to describe a pathway that allergens use to act directly on dendritic cells to initiate the allergic cascade.

Fri, 9 May 08
Chemists Measure Chilli Sauce Hotness With Nanotubes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/284746419/080506115604.htm
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen and into the lab -- chemists can now use carbon nanotubes to judge the heat of chilli sauces. The technology might soon be available commercially as a cheap, disposable sensor for use in the food industry.

Fri, 9 May 08
Speaking More Than One Language May Slow The Aging Process In The Mind
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286103439/080507152419.htm
Children who speak a second or third language may have an unexpected advantage later in life, a new study has found. Knowing and speaking many languages may protect the brain against the effects of aging.

Fri, 9 May 08
Climate Models Overheat Antarctica, New Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286103440/080507132855.htm
Computer analyses of global climate have consistently overstated warming in Antarctica, new research concludes. The study can help scientists improve computer models and determine if Earth's southernmost continent will warm significantly this century, a major research question because of Antarctica's potential impact on global sea-level rise.

Fri, 9 May 08
Mothers' High Normal Blood Sugar Levels Place Infants At Risk For Birth Problems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286103441/080507175012.htm
Pregnant women with blood sugar levels in the higher range of normal -- but not high enough to be considered diabetes -- are more likely than women with lower blood sugar levels to give birth to babies at risk for many of the same problems seen in babies born to women with diabetes during pregnancy, according to a new study.

Fri, 9 May 08
Hydrogen For Fuel Cells Extracted From Formic Acid At Room Temperature
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286103442/080507105630.htm
Matthias Beller and his team at the Leibniz Institute of Catalysis in Rostock have succeeded in the controlled extraction of hydrogen from formic acid without the need for a high-temperature reforming process. This room-temperature hydrogen source can be directly introduced into fuel cells.

Fri, 9 May 08
Gene That Gives Rise To Neuroblastoma, An Aggressive Childhood Cancer, Located
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/286036238/080508075225.htm
Using advanced gene-hunting technology, researchers have identified a chromosome region that is the source of genetic events that give rise to neuroblastoma, an often fatal childhood cancer. The investigators found that common DNA variations in a region of chromosome 6 raise the risk that a child will develop a particularly aggressive form of neuroblastoma.

Wed, 7 May 08
Iron 'Snow' Helps Maintain Mercury's Magnetic Field, Scientists Say
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285459242/080507110712.htm
New scientific evidence suggests that deep inside the planet Mercury, iron "snow" forms and falls toward the center of the planet, much like snowflakes form in Earth's atmosphere and fall to the ground. The movement of this iron snow could be responsible for Mercury's mysterious magnetic field.

Wed, 7 May 08
Plants' Flavonoids Have Beneficial Effect On Alzheimer's Disease, Study In Mice Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285539551/080507105646.htm
A new study in mice suggests molecules in plants may have beneficial effects on Alzheimer's disease. Researchers administered molecules called flavonoids, which are found in certain fruits and vegetables, to a mouse model genetically programmed to develop Alzheimer's disease.

Wed, 7 May 08
Boosting 'Mussel' Power: New Technique For Making Key Marine Mussel Protein
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/284995121/080505093416.htm
Researchers in Korea report development of a way to double production of a sticky protein from marine mussels destined for use as an antibacterial coating to prevent life-threatening infections in medical implants. The coating, produced by genetically-engineered bacteria, could cut medical costs and improve implant safety, the researchers say.

Wed, 7 May 08
MicroRNAs Appear Essential For Retinal Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502592/080507114457.htm
Retinas in newborn mice appear perfectly fine without any help from tiny bits of genetic material called microRNAs except for one thing -- the retinas do not work.

Wed, 7 May 08
Unmanned Aircraft To Study Southern California Smog And Its Consequences
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/284708284/080506100329.htm
Using sophisticated unmanned aircraft, research scientists hope to assess Southern California's potential for climate change and better understand the sources of air pollution.

Wed, 7 May 08
Does The Brain Control Muscles Or Movements?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285539552/080507133321.htm
One of the major scientific questions about the brain is how it can translate the simple intent to perform an action -- say, reach for a glass -- into the dynamic, coordinated symphony of muscle movements required for that action.

Wed, 7 May 08
Why Face Symmetry Is Sexy Across Cultures And Species
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502580/080507083952.htm
In a study published in the May 7 issue of the journal PLoS ONE, Anthony Little of the University of Stirling and colleagues show that measurements of symmetry and sexual dimorphism from faces are related in humans, both in Europeans and African hunter-gatherers, and in a non-human primate. In all samples, symmetric males had more masculine facial proportions and symmetric females had more feminine facial proportions.

Wed, 7 May 08
Humans And Fruit Flies Have Same Insulin-regulated Molecular Pathway To Maintain Energy Balance When Starved
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502581/080506120946.htm
Humans and fruitflies -- those pesky little buggers that are irresistibly attracted to overripe fruit -- share more than a sweet tooth. Both rely on the same insulin-regulated molecular pathway to maintain their energy balance when starved for food, reports a team of researchers.

Wed, 7 May 08
Nanotube Production Leaps From Sooty Mess In Test Tube To Ready Formed Chemical Microsensors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502582/080506100306.htm
Carbon nanotubes' potential as a super material is blighted by the fact that when first made they often take the form of an unprepossessing pile of sooty black mess in the bottom of a test tube. Now chemists have found a way of producing carbon nanotubes in which they instantly form a highly sensitive ready made electric circuit.

Wed, 7 May 08
Steroids Provide No Survival Benefit For Children With Bacterial Meningitis, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285459245/080506163922.htm
Corticosteroids given to children who are hospitalized for bacterial meningitis do not provide a benefit in survival or in reduced hospital stays, according to a large multicenter study by pediatric researchers. This finding stands in contrast to previous studies in hospitalized adults, for which corticosteroids dramatically reduced mortality. When given, the corticosteroids supplement the primary treatment, antibiotics.

Wed, 7 May 08
Farmland Dust Cloud From Ukraine Impact Air Quality As Far As Germany
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/284708275/080506105139.htm
Fallow agricultural land and steppe-formation processes are evidently capable of having a much greater effect on global air quality than was previously assumed. This is the conclusion drawn by researchers after examining a dust cloud that formed over parched fields in southern Ukraine and led to extremely high concentrations of particulate matter in Central Europe. On March 24, 2007, the dust cloud spread across Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic to Germany.

Wed, 7 May 08
Ranking Consumers By Environmental Behavior: India, Brazil Top Index; United States Ranks Last
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285539553/080507133314.htm
National Geographic and the international polling firm GlobeScan will unveil results of a new mechanism for measuring and comparing consumer behavior concerning the environment. Fourteen thousand consumers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain and the United States were polled in this first-ever study of environmentally sustainable consumption and behavior. The study will be conducted annually and will assess progress people are making to protect the environment.

Wed, 7 May 08
Animal Interaction Behind Cambrian Explosion? 'Missing' Ancestors Of Today's Animals May Not Be Missing After All
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502593/080506195605.htm
An event as simple as the world's first bite may have sparked an ancient "explosion" of life 500 million years ago that led to the rise of the broad groups of animals that are still alive today. A Harvard professor suggests that it was an increase in interactions between species, such as predation, that drove an escalating evolutionary process that led to the development of teeth and claws and the wide variety of characteristics that we see among Earth's animals today.

Wed, 7 May 08
Killer Competition: Neurons Duke It Out For Survival
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502595/080506165527.htm
The developing nervous system makes far more nerve cells than are needed to ensure target organs and tissues are properly connected to the nervous system. As nerves connect to target organs, they somehow compete with each other resulting in some living and some dying. Now, using a combination of computer modeling and molecular biology, neuroscientists have discovered how the target tissue helps newly connected peripheral nerve cells strengthen their connections and kill neighboring nerves.

Wed, 7 May 08
New Technology Tests Maturity Of Stem Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/284708287/080506100318.htm
Stem cells can differentiate into 220 different types of body cell. The development of these cells can now be systematically observed and investigated with the aid of two new machines that imitate the conditions in the human body with unprecedented accuracy.

Wed, 7 May 08
Elucidating Iron Transport Mechanisms In Tuberculosis Bug Identifies New TB Drug Targets
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285353378/080507084018.htm
It is pathetically true that Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB is still thriving the test of scientific interventions despite affecting almost one -third of the worlds' population. The fact that it takes approximately one human life every 15 second somewhere in the world is an unfortunate death statistics unmatched by any other microbe. Researchers have now worked out the mechanism of iron uptake system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is considered to be one of the important drug targets.

Wed, 7 May 08
Ponds Found To Take Up Carbon Like World's Oceans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285539554/080507105549.htm
Research led by Iowa State University limnologist John Downing finds that ponds around the globe could absorb as much carbon as the world's oceans.

Wed, 7 May 08
Study Suggests Caution On A New Anti-obesity Drug In Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285539555/080507133326.htm
A new class of anti-obesity drugs that suppresses appetite by blocking cannabinoid receptors in the brain could also suppress the adaptive rewiring of the brain necessary for neural development in children, studies with mice have indicated.

Wed, 7 May 08
Common Herbicide Disrupts Human Hormone Activity In Cell Studies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285353376/080507084013.htm
A common weedkiller in the US, already suspected of causing sexual abnormalities in frogs and fish, has now been found to alter hormonal signaling in human cells, scientists report. The herbicide atrazine is the second most widely used weedkiller in the U.S., applied to corn and sorghum fields throughout the Midwest and also spread on suburban lawns and gardens. It was banned in Europe after studies linked the chemical to endocrine disruptions in fish and amphibians.

Wed, 7 May 08
Combined Physical And Genetic Map Finds Cancer's 'Ignition Key'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285430252/080505125617.htm
Whole-organ maps that superimpose genetic information over the terrain of cancerous bladders chart the molecular journey from normal cell to invasive cancer. By geographically relating an organ's varied tissues -- normal, precancerous and malignant -- to their underlying genetic variation or regulation, the team also identified a crucial new category of genes that launches the process of cancer development.

Wed, 7 May 08
Screw Worm Outbreak In Yemen
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502597/080506100310.htm
An outbreak of the insidious "screw worm" fly in Yemen, is threatening livelihoods, in a country where rearing livestock is a traditional way of life. The menacing fly lays its eggs in a cut or open wound of a warm-blooded animal. The maggots then feast off the living flesh, and can kill the animal if it´s not treated in time.

Wed, 7 May 08
Folic Acid, B Vitamins Not Linked To Reduced Risk Of Cardiovascular Events In High-risk Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502598/080506163935.htm
Women at high-risk of cardiovascular disease who took a daily supplement of folic acid and vitamin B6 and B12 for seven years did not have an overall reduced rate of cardiovascular events, despite a significant lowering of homocysteine levels, according to a new study.

Wed, 7 May 08
Biodiversity: It's In The Water
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285539556/080507133330.htm
What if hydrology is more important for predicting biodiversity than biology? New research challenges current thinking about biodiversity, and opens up new avenues for predicting how climate change or human activity may affect biodiversity patterns.

Wed, 7 May 08
After Divorce, Stable Families Help Minimize Long-term Harm To Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285539557/080507132910.htm
For children of divorce, what happens after their parents split up may be just as important to their long-term well-being as the divorce itself. A new study found that children who lived in unstable family situations after their parents divorced fared much worse as adults on a variety of measures compared to children who had stable post-divorce family situations.

Wed, 7 May 08
First Steps Toward Autonomous Robot Surgeries
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285430250/080506100302.htm
The day may be getting a little closer when robots will perform surgery on patients in dangerous situations or in remote locations, such as on the battlefield or in space, with minimal human guidance.

Wed, 7 May 08
Stem Cell Researchers Demonstrate Safety Of Gene Therapy Using Adult Stem Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285430251/080506163910.htm
A new study provides evidence that methods using human bone marrow-derived stem cells to deliver gene therapy to cure diseases of the blood, bone marrow and certain types of cancer do not cause the development of tumors or leukemia.

Wed, 7 May 08
Ocean Carbon Cycle Research Gets Boost From Satellite Data
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285459240/080505094125.htm
The Earth's oceans play a vital role in the carbon cycle, making it imperative that we understand marine biological activity enough to predict how our planet will react to the extra 25,000 million tons of carbon dioxide humans are pumping into the atmosphere annually.

Wed, 7 May 08
Discovery Of A Novel Mechanism For The Development Of Colon Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285459241/080505125625.htm
Recent work has shed light on the mechanisms of colon tumor development and may help to design better treatment for this disease. The study published in Cancer Cell describes a mechanism by which harmless colon polyps acquire the ability to form malignant tumors.

Wed, 7 May 08
Importance Of Retrofitting Existing Housing To Make It More Environmentally Friendly
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/284708286/080506100322.htm
It is a great shame that the most creative professional group in the building trade, the architects, rarely apply themselves to existing housing, researchers assert. A large proportion of the Netherlands' climate targets will need to be achieved through modifications to existing housing.

Wed, 7 May 08
Mental Disorders Cost Society Billions In Unearned Income
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502599/080507083940.htm
Major mental disorders cost the nation at least $193 billion annually in lost earnings alone, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health.

Wed, 7 May 08
Researchers Target Tumors With Tiny 'Nanoworms'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285015606/080506200531.htm
Scientists have developed nanometer-sized "nanoworms" that can cruise through the bloodstream without significant interference from the body's immune defense system and--like tiny anti-cancer missiles--home in on tumors.

Wed, 7 May 08
Blocked Brain Enzyme Decreases Appetite And Promotes Weight Loss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285459243/080506123059.htm
One blocked brain enzyme helps mice to decrease appetite, lose weight, and better manage their blood sugar levels. For many years, scientists have been identifying and testing every step of the appetite stimulation and suppression pathways in search of a target. Such research is considered critical to finding ways for people to better control their weight and minimize their risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions.

Wed, 7 May 08
How Cells Communicate To Activate The Cell Division Machinery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285459244/080505120757.htm
A study performed on the fruit fly unveils how distinct signaling pathways operate between neighboring cells in order to activate the cell proliferation machinery that results in the organized growth of the fly wing. The signaling pathways involved in this process are also conserved in humans, and when altered give rise to the appearance of different types of cancer, including cancer of the colon and skin, and leukemia.

Wed, 7 May 08
Double Duty: Loss Of Protective Heart Failure Protein Causes High Blood Pressure
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285459246/080505162816.htm
Scientists have found that a protein that appears to have protective and perhaps healing effects for failing hearts also plays a similar role in high blood pressure. They found lower-than-normal levels of the protein S100A1 in cells that line blood vessel walls in animals with high blood pressure. Experimentally lowering the amount of S100A1 in the blood vessels dramatically increased blood pressure. The results suggest that S100A1 could be a target for blood pressure treatment.

Wed, 7 May 08
Mathematics Simplifies Sleep Monitoring
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285459247/080507105644.htm
A new way to measure breathing patterns in sleeping infants which may also work for adults has just been created. The researcher has created a mathematical formula that measures varying breathing patterns which indicate different sleep states such as active or quiet sleep.

Wed, 7 May 08
Expert Predicts 'Monsoon Britain'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502600/080507083947.htm
Prepare for more floods -- in ways we are not used to. That's the message from experts at Durham University who have studied rainfall and river flow patterns over 250 years. Last summer was the second wettest on record and experts say Britain must prepare for worse to come.

Wed, 7 May 08
Child Abuse May 'Mark' Genes In Brains Of Suicide Victims
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502601/080507084001.htm
Scientists have discovered important differences between the brains of suicide victims and so-called normal brains. Although the genetic sequence was identical in the suicide and non-suicide brains, there were differences in their epigenetic marking -- a chemical coating influenced by environmental factors. All of the 13 suicide victims in the study had experienced abuse as children.

Wed, 7 May 08
Obesity Can Increase Dementia Risk By Up To 80 Percent, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285502602/080507105556.htm
Obesity may increase adults' risk for having dementia. Obesity increases the risk of dementia in general by 42 percent, Alzheimer's by 80 percent and vascular dementia by 73 percent. Being underweight increases the general dementia risk by 36 percent. But researchers who carried out an international review of research since 1995 found no elevated risk in people who were normal or overweight.

Wed, 7 May 08
Smart Miniature Pump Could Deliver Medicine
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/284746425/080506105133.htm
An innovative micro-pump makes it possible for tiny quantities of liquid -- such as medicines -- to be dosed accurately and flexibly. Active composites and an electronic control mechanism ensure that the low-maintenance pump works accurately -- both forwards and backwards.

Wed, 7 May 08
New Agent Strikes At Most Common Cause Of Infant Hospitalization In U.S.
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285430255/080505130258.htm
Researchers have achieved promising results with a potential new weapon against respiratory syncytial virus, the most common cause of infant hospitalization in the United States. RSV infects almost all children by age two, but normally causes only a cold-like upper respiratory infection.

Wed, 7 May 08
Finding The Real Potential Of No-till Farming For Sequestering Carbon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285430256/080506103032.htm
Researchers investigated the potential of no-tillage agricultural soils for increasing the soil organic carbon pool. The results of the study revealed that no till farming impacts on soil carbon sequestration depended on soil type and sampling depth, with greater sequestration evident only in surface (0-10 cm) no till soils.

Wed, 7 May 08
New Method For Processing Rape Evidence Could Eliminate Crime-lab Backlogs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285353377/080507084218.htm
Approximately 250,000 items of sexual assault evidence are mired in three- to 12-month backlogs awaiting analysis in US forensic laboratories. A forensic chemist has now developed a method for handling rape evidence that reduces part of the DNA analysis time from 24 hours to as little as 30 to 45 minutes and improves the sperm cell recovery rate by 100 percent.

Wed, 7 May 08
Platypus Genome Explains Animal's Peculiar Features; Holds Clues To Evolution Of Mammals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/285539558/080507131453.htm
The duck-billed platypus: part bird, part reptile, pa