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Microscopic 'Clutch' Puts Flagellum In Neutral
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315638694/080619142109.htm
A tiny but powerful engine that propels the bacterium Bacillus subtilis through liquids is disengaged from the corkscrew-like flagellum by a protein clutch, scientists have learned. Scientists have long known what drives the flagellum to spin, but what causes the flagellum to stop spinning -- temporarily or permanently -- was unknown.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Lifestyle Can Alter Gene Activity, Lead To Insulin Resistance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315446074/080619031526.htm
A Finnish study of identical twins has found that physical inactivity and acquired obesity can impair expression of the genes which help the cells produce energy. The findings suggest that lifestyle, more than heredity, contributes to insulin resistance in people who are obese. Insulin resistance increases the chance of developing diabetes and heart disease.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
New Findings On Immune System In Amphibians
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315487849/080619104407.htm
Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes produce proteins that are crucial in fighting pathogen assault. Researchers characterized genetic variation and detected more than one MHC class II locus in a tailed amphibian. Unlike mammals, not much has been known until now about the immune defense of amphibians.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
New Discoveries Get To The Heart Of Cardiovascular Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821626/080618114733.htm
Even if you eat right and exercise regularly, chances are high that you'll still die of a heart attack or stroke. But thanks to new findings the odds may finally shift in your favor. Two unrelated studies on atherosclerosis that have the potential to save millions of lives.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
World's Only Captive Hairy-nosed Otter Gets New Home
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314756287/080618094346.htm
The world's only captive hairy-nosed otter is given a chance for survival in a new home. Thought to be extinct in the 1990s, the hairy-nosed otter is known to survive only in a few regions of Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Sumatra. Otters in Asia are increasingly threatened by the illegal international fur trade. They are also captured for pets or killed for use in traditional medicines. Another growing threat is loss of habitat, due in part to impacts from global climate change.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Intimate Examinations Should Not Be Performed Without Consent, Editorial Argues
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821627/080619194132.htm
Intimate examinations, performed by medical students on anesthetised patients, are often carried out without adequate consent from patients, but this violates their basic human rights and should not be allowed, claims an editorial.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
DNA Study Unlocks Mystery To Diverse Traits In Dogs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317799847/080622225503.htm
New research reveals locations in a dog's DNA that contain genes that scientists believe contribute to differences in body and skull shape, weight, fur color and length -- and possibly even behavior, trainability and longevity.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Drug Reverses Mental Retardation Caused By Genetic Disorder; Hope For Correcting How Autism Disrupts Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821628/080622224428.htm
A new UCLA study shows that the FDA-approved drug rapamycin reverses mental retardation in mice with a genetic disease called tuberous sclerosis complex. Because half of TSC patients also suffer from autism, the findings offer a possible mechanism for addressing learning disorders due to autism.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
DNA Knot Keeps Viral Genes Tightly Corked Inside Shell, Scientists Discover
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821629/080617142904.htm
A novel twist of DNA may keep viral genes tightly wound within a capsule, waiting for ejection into a host, a high-resolution analysis of its structure has revealed. Using electron microscopy and three-dimensional computer reconstruction, biologists and chemists have produced the most detailed image yet of the protein envelope of an asymmetrical virus and the viral DNA packed within.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Gene Mutation Improves Leukemia Drug's Effect, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821630/080617142854.htm
Gene mutations that make cells cancerous can sometimes also make them more sensitive to chemotherapy. People with acute myeloid leukemia whose leukemic cells have mutations in the RAS gene are more likely to be cured when treated after remission with high doses of the drug cytarabine. It also suggests that testing for RAS mutations might help doctors identify which AML patients should receive high-dose cytarabine as their post-remission therapy. The findings could change how doctors manage these patients.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
The Time Is Ripe For An Apple That Tastes Like Berries And One That Doesn't Brown
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821631/080617115905.htm
Mention an apple and most people will immediately associate the word with a crisp, juicy, sweet-tart red fruit. But ask Cornell fruit geneticist Susan Brown about apples, and she'll share visions of deep red flesh or skin patterned like feathers on a bird's back, of flavors like anise, berries or roses. She'll talk of apples loaded with cancer-preventive antioxidants or as much vitamin C as an orange, that don't brown when cut or go soft in storage.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Sexually Transmitted Disease, Urinary Tract Infections May Be Bad Combination For Birth Defect
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821632/080620195439.htm
Women who reported having both a sexually transmitted disease and urinary tract infection just before or during early pregnancy were four times more likely to have babies with gastroschisis -- a severe birth defect in which infants are born with their intestines and other internal organs outside the abdomen.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Tissue Regeneration: New Source Of Heart Stem Cells Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821633/080622224433.htm
Researchers have pinpointed a new, previously unrecognized group of stem cells that give rise to cardiomyocytes, or heart muscle cells. These stem cells, located in the surface of the heart, or epicardium, advance the hope of being able to regenerate injured heart tissue.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
New Weight Loss Diet Recommends High-carb And Protein Big Breakfast
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821634/080617142920.htm
Researchers have found a possible way to overcome the common problem of dieters eventually abandoning their diet and regaining the weight they lost. Eat a big breakfast packed with carbohydrates and protein, then follow a low-carb, low-calorie diet the rest of the day, the authors of a new study recommend. Only five percent of carbohydrate-restrictive diets are successful after two years, one of the researchers said. Most carbohydrate-restrictive diets, she said, do not address addictive eating impulses.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Urologists Identify Seven Biomarkers That May Help Pinpoint Prostate Cancer Recurrence
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821635/080617142857.htm
A simple blood test may help doctors better predict whether prostate cancer will recur or spread in patients who have undergone surgery for the disease, researchers have found.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Testosterone Replacement Benefits Older Men With Low Testosterone, Studies Suggest
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821636/080617124016.htm
In older men with low testosterone levels, testosterone replacement therapy improves their risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to two new studies.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Heritage Of A Deadly Disease Pinpointed With Help From Iceland's Genealogical Database
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821637/080619203249.htm
Scientists have used Iceland's genealogical database to trace the ancestors of patients suffering from hereditary cystatin C amyloid angiopathy. Analysis shows that the deadly mutation in the cystatin C gene, L68Q, derives from a common ancestor born roughly 18 generations ago, around 1550AD.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
'Feeling Fat' Is Worse Than Being It, German Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821638/080620120006.htm
The quality of life of adolescents who think they are too fat is worse than for adolescents who really are obese. This was a result of the all Germany Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) of the Robert Koch Institute, as presented by Bärbel-Maria Kurth and Ute Ellert in the current edition of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Hypertension Treatment Effective In Reversing Vascular Damage, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821639/080617142900.htm
A hypertension medication called olmesartan medoxomil is effective in reversing the narrowing of the arteries that occurs in patients with high blood pressure. One of the study's lead investigators and director of the Hypertension and Vascular Research Center at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, said, "We believe the data add to the growing evidence for the role of angiotensin receptor blockers in preventing or reversing vascular damage at many stages during this disease process."
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Lack Of Certain Gene Expression Sets Stage For Breast Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821640/080619145819.htm
Scientists have identified key steps in breast-tissue cell division that go awry when CHFR's action is low or absent. The gene's expression is missing in more than a third of breast cancers. The findings could make it possible to identify which patients are more likely to benefit from taxanes, a class of widely used cancer drugs which includes paclitaxel and docetaxel.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Potential Protein Biomarkers For Growth Hormone Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821641/080617113747.htm
Scientists have identified several proteins in mice that might act as biomarkers for growth hormone. The research could be the first step to finding a more reliable way to detect recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), which some athletes and teenagers use illegally to in an effort to boost muscle and reduce fat.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
New Web Resource To Improve Crop Engineering
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821642/080619151106.htm
The Carnegie Institution's Department of Plant Biology has announced the launch of a new web-based resource that promises to help researchers around the world meet increasing demands for food production, animal feed, biofuels, industrial materials, and new medicines.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Family Stress And Child's Temper Extremes Contribute To Anxiety And Depression In Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821643/080620115946.htm
Small children who grow up in a family where the mother has psychological distress, the family is exposed to stress or is lacking social support, are at higher risk of developing anxious and depressive symptoms in early adolescence. Girls are more vulnerable than boys, and very timid or short-tempered children are more vulnerable than others to develop emotional problems. This is shown in a new doctorate study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
Stroke Study Reveals Key Target For Improving Treatment And Suggests That Gleevec May Help
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317799848/080622224654.htm
For over a decade, the drug called tPA has proven its worth as the most effective emergency treatment for the most common kind of stroke, but bleeding risks and a limited time window for treatment have held it back. Now, a new study reveals why tPA has these limitations and gives tantalizing evidence about how those problems might be overcome, if a stroke victim first takes a drug currently used to treat leukemia.
Mon, 23 Jun 08
A Plane With Wings Of Glass?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317821644/080622224438.htm
Glass is actually a "jammed" state of matter that moves very slowly. Like cars in a traffic jam, atoms in a glass can't reach their destination because the route is blocked by their neighbors, so it never quite becomes a "proper" solid. Now scientists have revealed that glass "fails" to be a solid due to the special atomic structures that form in a glass when it cools.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
New Discovery Proves 'Selfish Gene' Exists
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258764/080620115905.htm
A new discovery provides conclusive evidence that the "selfish" gene does exist. In studying genomes, the word "selfish" does not refer to self-centered behavior but rather to the blind tendency of genes wanting to continue their existence into the next generation. Biologists have isolated a region on the honey bee genome that houses this "selfish" gene in female workers bees.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Advance Towards Early Alzheimer's Diagnosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314640958/080618091703.htm
An Australian research project has found a way to bring forward the detection of early stage Alzheimer's disease by up to 18 months. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by very high levels of a molecule called beta-amyloid in the brain.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Sprinters Closest To Starter Pistol Have Advantage Over Those Farther Away, Says Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314640956/080618094349.htm
"In sprint events, where hundredths of a second can make the difference between a gold medal and a silver, minimizing reaction time can be the key to an athlete's success. We suggest that procedures presently used to start the Olympic sprint events give runners closer to the starter the advantage of hearing the "go" signal louder; consequently, they react sooner than their competitors," says a researcher who has studied the question.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Striving To Break The Link Between Obesity And Diabetes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258771/080617120155.htm
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are inextricably linked, but biochemist and geneticist Ling Qi is working to break that connection. Finding just the right gene could do it, says one professor of nutritional sciences.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Novel X-ray Source Could Be Brightest In The World
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316338092/080620115912.htm
The future of high-intensity X-ray science has never been brighter now that scientists have devised a new type of next generation light sources. The oscillator is projected to increase the current brightness by millions of times.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Addicted To Grief? Chronic Grief Activates Pleasure Areas Of The Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258777/080620195446.htm
Most of us experience the grief associated with the loss of a loved one at some point in our lives. New research now suggests that people who never get over their loss, who never "let go," may be activating neurons in the reward centers of the brain, possibly giving these memories addiction-like properties.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Birds Migrate Earlier, But Some May Be Left Behind As Climate Warms Rapidly
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316338091/080620115925.htm
Many birds are arriving earlier each spring as temperatures warm along the East Coast of the United States. However, the farther those birds journey, the less likely they are to keep pace with the rapidly changing climate.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Mom's High Fat Diet During Pregnancy May Be Key To Child's Weight Issues
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258782/080618205134.htm
The notion that you are what you eat may go back even farther -- to your mother, said a Baylor College of Medicine researcher in a report that appears in the current issue of the Journal of Molecular Endocrinology.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Phoenix Mars Lander Delivers Soil Sample To Microscope
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258785/080622001716.htm
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Saturday beamed back images showing that Phoenix's Robotic Arm successfully sprinkled soil onto the delivery port of the lander's Optical Microscope.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
New Technology May Prevent Vitamin B12 Deficient Seniors And Vegetarians From Needing Injections
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258786/080617104938.htm
For those patients who receive the nearly 40 million intramuscular injections per year to treat their B12 deficiency, a new oral option may soon exist. According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to a wide spectrum of conditions, such as anemia, dementia and reduced cognitive functioning.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Harnessing The Tibetan Sun
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258787/080617115524.htm
In many villages throughout Tibet, there are two ways to cook a meal. There's the traditional open fire, fueled by yak dung or the region's increasingly scarce wood. And then there are solar cookers, concentrating mirrors made of two-inch-thick concrete and covered with a mosaic of small glass mirrors.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Poor Children More Likely To Develop Diabetes As Adults
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258788/080619151917.htm
Diabetes strikes harder at those who were poor as children, according to a new study that spans more than three decades. Participants who were disadvantaged in youth were more likely to develop diabetes than better-off peers were during the 34-year study time frame.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Newly Born Twin Stars Are Far From Identical
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258789/080618133731.htm
The analysis of the youngest pair of identical twin stars yet discovered has revealed surprising differences in brightness, surface temperature and possibly even in size, suggesting that the stars formed at significantly different times rather than simultaneously as generally assumed.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
How Measles Virus Spreads: Discovery May Rewrite Textbooks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316564787/080620195502.htm
Measles, one of the most common contagious diseases, has been thought to enter the body through the surface of airways and lungs, like many other major viruses. Now, scientists say that's not the case, and some medical texts will have to be revised.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Phoenix Mars Lander Confirms Frozen Water On Red Planet
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258790/080622001541.htm
Scientists relishing confirmation of water ice near the surface beside NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander anticipate even bigger discoveries from the robotic mission in the weeks ahead.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Researchers See Alternative To Common Colorectal Cancer Drug
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258791/080617102843.htm
A compound that accumulates in cells more readily than a commonly used colorectal cancer drug may be just as useful in treating colorectal tumors, but with fewer side effects, researchers have found.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
Efficiency Experts Seek To Save Precious Minutes In Deploying Ambulances
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258792/080617102848.htm
Every extra second it takes an ambulance to get to its destination can mean life or death. But how, besides driving faster, can ambulances get emergency services to people in need as efficiently as possible, every day? It's a classic operations research question that three researchers are tackling in groundbreaking ways.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
The Economics Of Nice Folks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315638692/080619142115.htm
A researcher argues in Science that a basic tenet of economics -- that people always behave selfishly -- can be wrong, sometimes badly so. He points to new experimental evidence that people do often act against their own personal self-interest in favor of the common good, and they do so in predictable, understandable ways. Poorly-designed economic institutions fail to take advantage of intrinsic moral behavior and often undermine it.
Sun, 22 Jun 08
NASA Launches Ocean Satellite To Keep A Weather, Climate Eye Open
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/317258793/080622001251.htm
A new NASA-French space agency oceanography satellite launched today from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on a globe-circling voyage to continue charting sea level, a vital indicator of global climate change. The mission will return a vast amount of new data that will improve weather, climate and ocean forecasts.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Saturn’s Secondary Aurora Is Much More Like Jupiter’s In Origin Than It Is The Earth’s
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315487846/080619105513.htm
Researchers have discovered a secondary aurora sparkling on Saturn and also started to unravel the mechanisms that drive the process. Their results show that Saturn's secondary aurora is much more like Jupiter's in origin than it is the Earth's.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Low Testosterone Appears To Increase Long-term Risk Of Death
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316646303/080617124020.htm
Men may not live as long if they have low testosterone, regardless of their age, according to a new study. The new study adds to the scientific evidence linking deficiency of this sex hormone with increased death from all causes over time--so-called "all-cause mortality."
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Getting Wrapped Up In Solar Textiles
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316646304/080617114723.htm
Expert in the integration of solar cell technology in architecture are creating designs for flexible photovoltaic materials that may change the way buildings receive and distribute energy.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Promising Chinese Herbal Targets Identified For Acute Pancreatitis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313819682/080617094200.htm
Researchers have determined the genetic treatment mechanism of Chaiqinchengqi decoction, which is a basic Chinese herbal compound commonly used in the treatment of acute pancreatitis. It can upregulate sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) mRNA expression of pancreatic tissue as well as inhibit the elevation of calcium concentration in pancreatic acinar cells while relieving pancreatic lesions in an acute pancreatitis model of rats.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Experimental Phone Network Uses Virtual Sticky Notes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315599310/080619133111.htm
The rapid convergence of social networks, mobile phones and global positioning technology has given engineers the ability to create something they call "virtual sticky notes," site-specific messages that people can leave for others to pick up on their mobile phones.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Chill Out, Your Computer Knows What’s Best For You
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315487851/080619103528.htm
Computers are starting to become more human-centric, anticipating your needs and smoothly acting to meet them. The technologies under development leave humans free to concentrate on their real work instead of having to think about the computer and how to operate it.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Exciton-Based Circuits Eliminate A ‘Speed Trap’ Between Computing And Communication Signals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315529327/080619111138.htm
Particles called excitons that emit a flash of light as they decay could be used for a new form of computing better suited to fast communication, physicists at UC San Diego have demonstrated.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Huntington's Disease: Discovery Will Assist Treatment And Research Into Fatal Brain Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316646305/080616223422.htm
Research using newly developed Magnetic Resonance Imaging technology could soon allow clinicians to confirm Huntington's disease before symptoms appear in people who have the gene for the fatal brain disease.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Digital Water Pavilion Makes A Splash In Spain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316646306/080617115237.htm
An MIT-designed building with walls made entirely of water is being unveiled Thursday at the opening of the Zaragoza World Expo in Spain. This is the first of its kind and illustrates the potential of digital architecture to create spaces that dynamically adjust to people and conditions. The "water walls" that make up the structure are generated by high-speed computer controlled solenoid valves. They can be programmed to take varying shapes, to display patterns, images and text, and to respond dynamically to input from sensors.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
New Weapon For Attacking Tumor Invasion And Metastasis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313819683/080617093700.htm
Scientists have determined that AMD3100, originally developed in acquired immune deficiency syndrome treatment, could markedly inhibit spreading of colorectal cancer cells by blocking a new pair of ligands and its unique receptor. This effect differs from the usual inhibition by a conventional chemotherapic agent that is more specific to cancer cells with high metastatic potential.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Wavelets Crunch Through Doctors' Day Long Struggle To Diagnose Brain Tumors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316646307/080617102857.htm
Today if doctors devote a full day to analysis and expert thought, they may be able to provide just half a dozen patients with a diagnosis of the precise type of brain tumor they face. Now researchers have devised an automated technique that can give a preliminary analysis of the precise brain tumor type within seconds.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Elderly's Restless Nights Helped By Ancient Martial Art
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316646308/080620195434.htm
More than half of all older adults complain about having difficulties sleeping. Most don't bother seeking treatment. Those who do usually turn to medications, which can lead to other health problems. Now, researchers report that practicing Tai Chi Chih, the Westernized version of the 2,000-year-old Chinese martial art, promotes sleep quality in older adults with moderate sleep complaints.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Novel Compound May Treat Acute Diarrhea
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316646309/080616170801.htm
In a development that may lessen the epidemic of diarrhea-related deaths among children in developing countries, scientists have discovered a novel compound that might lead to an inexpensive, easy-to-take treatment.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Project Succeeding To Relocate Caspian Terns
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316646310/080616133113.htm
A major initiative to create alternative nesting sites for the largest colony of Caspian terns in the world -- and to help protect juvenile salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River -- is finding early success.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
New Inhibitors Of Estrogen-dependent Breast Cancer Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316646311/080616144902.htm
Researchers have discovered a new family of agents that inhibit the growth of estrogen-dependent breast cancer cells. The finding has opened an avenue of research into new drugs to combat estrogen-dependent breast cancers.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Aquatic Insect 'Family Trees' Provide Clues About Sensitivity To Pollution
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316646312/080616170810.htm
A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that examining an insect's "family tree" might help predict a "cousin" insect's level of tolerance to pollutants, and therefore could be a reliable way to understand why certain insect species thrive or suffer under specific ecological conditions.
Sat, 21 Jun 08
Educational Benefits Of Social Networking Sites Uncovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/316646313/080620133907.htm
In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers have discovered the educational benefits of social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. The same study found that low-income students are in many ways just as technologically proficient as their counterparts.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Zebra's Stripes, Butterfly's Wings: How Do Biological Patterns Emerge?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315529326/080619111748.htm
A zebra's stripes, a seashell's spirals, a butterfly's wings: these are all examples of patterns in nature. The formation of patterns is a puzzle for mathematicians and biologists alike. How does the delicate design of a butterfly's wings come from a single fertilized egg? How does pattern emerge out of no pattern? Using computer models and live cells, researchers have discovered a specific pattern that can direct cell movement and may help us understand how metastatic cancer cells move.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Legionnaire Microbe's Tricks Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315638696/080619142056.htm
Researchers have shed new light how bacteria like the ones that cause Legionnaires' disease and Q-fever raise such havoc in human patients. In order to survive, the gram-negative bacteria use genes that have evolved in tandem with ones in their hosts to essentially disarm immune system cells trying to kill them, the scientists report in the journal Science.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
New System Helps Police Match Tattoos To Suspects
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315599313/080619133057.htm
An automatic image retrieval system has been created, whereby law enforcement agencies will be able to match scars, marks and tattoos to identify suspects and victims.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Minimally-invasive Weight Loss Surgery Improves Health And Morbidly Obese Teens
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315869377/080617160810.htm
Teenagers' obesity-related medical complications improve just six months after laparoscopic gastric banding surgery, according to outcomes data. The study reports that the small group of extremely obese teenagers who received the minimally invasive surgery, also called the Lap-Band procedure, as part of a clinical trial lost an average of 20 pounds after six months and had significant improvements in abdominal fat, triglyceride measurements (levels of fat in the blood) and blood sugar levels as measured by hemoglobin A1c -- all risk factors for diabetes and heart disease.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Toxic To Aliens -- But Key To Health Of Planet
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314756283/080618114713.htm
Scientists are using an ingredient found in common shampoos to investigate how the oxygen content of the oceans has changed over geologically recent time.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Liter Of Fuel Would Last UK 1 Year If Cars Had Kept Pace With Computers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315599308/080619135207.htm
One liter of fuel would serve the UK for a year and oil reserves would last the expected lifetime of the solar system -- if efficiency in the car industry had improved at the same rate as in the computer world -- a leading computer scientist has said.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Surprisingly Rapid Changes In Earth’s Core Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315487852/080619102553.htm
The movements in the liquid part of the Earth's core are changing surprisingly quickly, and this affects the Earth's magnetic field, according to new research.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Radiation Therapy Prolongs Life In Men With Recurrent Prostate Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315869379/080617160804.htm
Men whose tumors recur after prostate cancer surgery are three times more likely to survive their disease long term if they undergo radiotherapy within two years of the recurrence. Surprisingly, survival benefits were best in men whose new tumors were growing fastest, according to results of a "look-back" study of 635 men by Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions researchers reported June 18 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Space Radar To Improve Miners' Safety
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315446069/080619094002.htm
Advanced ground penetration radar, originally developed to investigate the soil structure on the moon and other planets on ESA planetary missions, is now being used in Canadian mines to spot hidden cracks and weaknesses in mine roofs.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Allergy Expert Has Advice For Flood Victims
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315869380/080619142053.htm
As if the emotional and financial impact of flood damage isn't bad enough, floodwaters can also bring health problems. Scientists say after the water recedes, damp homes and businesses are fertile grounds for mold growth, which can cause allergic reactions and asthmatic symptoms in sensitive people.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
'Man-made' Water Has Different Chemistry
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315599309/080619135123.htm
As population growth, food production and the regional effects of climate change place greater stress on the Earth's natural water supply, "man-made" water -- created by removing salt from seawater and brackish groundwater through reverse osmosis desalination -- will become an increasingly important resource for millions of humans, especially those in arid regions such as the Middle East, the western United States, northern Africa and central Asia.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Should Doctors Be 'Selling' Drugs For The Pharmaceutical Industry?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315869381/080619194134.htm
Are senior doctors who help drug companies sell their drugs independent experts or just drug representatives in disguise? According to the article, drug companies will pay influential doctors up to $400 an hour to act as key opinion leaders, and some doctors earn more than $25,000 a year in advisory fees.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Expect More Droughts, Heavy Downpours, Excessive Heat, And Intense Hurricanes Due To Global Warming, NOAA
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315811168/080619175522.htm
The U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research has released a scientific assessment that provides the first comprehensive analysis of observed and projected changes in weather and climate extremes in North America and U.S. territories. Among the major findings reported in this assessment are that droughts, heavy downpours, excessive heat, and intense hurricanes are likely to become more commonplace as humans continue to increase the atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases. The report is based on scientific evidence that a warming world will be accompanied by changes in the intensity, duration, frequency, and geographic extent of weather and climate extremes.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
New Computerized System Estimates Geographic Location Of Photos
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315869382/080618114700.htm
Researchers have devised the first computerized method that can analyze a single photograph and determine where in the world the image likely was taken. It's a feat made possible by searching through millions of GPS-tagged images in the Flickr online photo collection.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Experimental Anti-cancer Synthetic Molecule Targets Tumor Cell Growth And Angiogenesis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315869383/080617204455.htm
A recent study describes a new candidate anti-cancer drug, HB-19. In contrast to conventional anti-cancer drugs, HB-19 has a dual mechanism of action by independently targeting tumor cell growth and tumor. The molecular target of HB-19 is nucleolin expressed on the surface of all activated cells, in particular rapidly growing tumor cells and endothelial cells that play a key role in angiogenesis.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
New Way To Control Water Pollution? Mats Designed To Capture And Stabilize Pollution In Rivers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315869384/080617103918.htm
In a mud flat at the edge of the Cocheco River, just outside downtown Dover, New Hampshire, scientists are testing an innovative way to treat polluted sediment in coastal waterways. Rather than dredging up the problem, or burying it under several feet of sand, they've created a patch -- black geotextile mats designed to cap and stabilize pollution in place.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Failure To Bridle Inflammation Spurs Atherosclerosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315869385/080618114609.htm
When a person develops a sore or a boil, it erupts, drawing to it immune system cells that fight the infection. Then it resolves and flattens into the skin, often leaving behind a mark or a scar. A similar scenario plays out in the blood vessels.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Jules Verne Refuels The International Space Station
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315869386/080618114613.htm
ESA's Jules Verne ATV was used for the first time yesterday to transfer in one step 811 kg of refueling propellant to the International Space Station while the two vehicles orbited Earth at 28 000 km/h. With this premiere for Europe, Jules Verne becomes the first western spaceship to succeed in refueling another space infrastructure in orbit.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Global War Deaths Have Been Substantially Underestimated, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315869387/080619194142.htm
Globally, war has killed three times more people than previously estimated, and there is no evidence to support claims of a recent decline in war deaths, concludes a new study.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Chemical Clues Point To Dusty Origin For Earth-like Planets
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315638687/080619142124.htm
Higher than expected levels of sodium found in a 4.6 billion-year-old meteorite suggest that the dust clouds from which the building blocks of the Earth and neighboring planets formed were much denser than previously supposed.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Lou Gehrig's Protein Found Throughout Brain, Suggesting Effects Beyond Motor Neurons
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315811169/080616144848.htm
Two years ago researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discovered that misfolded proteins called TDP-43 accumulated in the motor areas of the brains of patients with Lou Gehrig's disease. Now, the same group has shown that TDP-43 accumulates throughout the brain, suggesting the disease has broader neurological effects than previously appreciated and treatments need to take into account more than motor neuron areas.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Latrines And Out-houses Trounce Toilets In Global War Against Poor Sanitation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315811170/080617142851.htm
While Americans may consider flush-and-forget-it indoor plumbing to be the pinnacle of sanitary science, the lowly latrine could be a far better solution for many parts of the developing world. Installing water-guzzling appliances such as toilets can actually promote unsanitary conditions when the effluent is discharged untreated into once-clean rivers and streams. A properly built latrine, on the other hand, keeps sewage safely separate from drinking water.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Technique Used In Human Ankle Injuries Modified To Treat Dogs' Knees
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315811171/080616160514.htm
A common sports injury in human knees is even more common in dogs. Each year, more than one million dogs suffer from cranial cruciate ligament deficiency, which is comparable to the anterior cruciate ligament injury in humans. The common method of treatment by many veterinary surgeons involves cutting the tibia bone to stabilize the CCL-deficient knee in these dogs. Now, a new minimally invasive technique with less severe complications than previous methods has been developed.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
New Technique To Optimize Computer Speed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315487850/080619103919.htm
Who doesn't dream of increasingly fast computers that consume less and less energy? To design these computers of the future, it is important to be able to control nanoscale strain in the processors. Until now, this strain remained difficult to observe.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Gallons Per Mile Would Help Car Shoppers Make Better Decisions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315638691/080619142118.htm
Posting a vehicle's fuel efficiency in "gallons per mile" rather than "miles per gallon" would help consumers make better decisions about car purchases and environmental impact, researchers report in the journal Science.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Bright Chunks At Phoenix Lander's Mars Site Must Have Been Ice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315904968/080619221234.htm
Dice-size crumbs of bright material have vanished from inside a trench where they were photographed by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander four days ago, convincing scientists that the material was frozen water that vaporized after digging exposed it.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Immune Molecule That Plays A Powerful Role In Avoiding Organ Rejection Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741157/080616152036.htm
When a mouse's immune system is deciding whether to reject a skin graft, one powerful member of a molecular family designed to provoke such a response can effectively reduce the visibility of the mouse's own cells and help the graft survive, researchers say.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Complex Changes In The Brain's Vascular System Occur After Menopause
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741171/080616153622.htm
Many women experience menopausal changes in their body including hot flashes, moodiness and fatigue, but the changes they don't notice can be more dangerous. Researchers have now discovered significant changes in the brain's vascular system when the ovaries stop producing estrogen. Scientists predict that currently used estrogen-based hormone therapies may complicate this process and may do more harm than good in postmenopausal women.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Researchers Witness Assembly Of Molecules Critical To Protein Function
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741172/080616170813.htm
Iron-sulfur clusters are critical to life on earth. They are necessary for protein function in cellular processes, such as respiration in humans and other organisms and photosynthesis by plants. A research group has isolated proteins responsible for the iron-sulfur cluster assembly process and witnessed the necessary protein interactions in vivo -- within a cell.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Low Testosterone May Cause Health Problems That Lead To Erectile Dysfunction
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741175/080616210025.htm
Men with erectile dysfunction should be examined for testosterone deficiency and the metabolic syndrome, because these conditions commonly occur together, a new study shows.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Active Submarine Volcanoes Found Near Fiji
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315446070/080619093259.htm
Several huge active submarine volcanoes, spreading ridges and rift zones have been discovered northeast of Fiji. The summits of two of the volcanoes, named 'Dugong', and 'Lobster', are dominated by large calderas at depths of 1100 and 1500 meters.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Vitamin D Linked To Colon Cancer Survival
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315446067/080619090749.htm
Patients diagnosed with colon cancer who had abundant vitamin D in their blood were less likely to die during a follow-up period than those who were deficient in the vitamin, according to a new study.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Coats Of Cellulose From Bacteria Yield Greener, Stronger Natural Composites
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313046889/080616091602.htm
Researchers report the first use of bacteria to deposit sticky coatings of cellulose on the surfaces of plant fibers, a process that may expand the use of natural fibers in renewable plastic composites used as strong, lightweight materials for cars, airplanes, and other products.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Developing Unique Brain Maps To Assist Surgery And Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741176/080616115727.htm
Researchers are developing new technology to create individualized brain maps that will revolutionize diagnosis of disease and enhance the accuracy of brain surgery.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Toward Designing Medications To Enhance Innate Immunity: A Single VSOP Can Do 'Proton' Magic
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741177/080616170804.htm
Researchers found that a single protein of VSOP, Voltage Sensor Only Protein/Hv1, can carry protons even without making a multimeric complex. This finding may help to design new medications for enhancing the activities of innate immunity.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Pharmacology Of Crystal Meth Described
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741178/080616170826.htm
When smoked, crystal meth rapidly achieves high concentrations in the brain without the burdens of the intravenous route. Scientists review the actions of methamphetamine and explain the potential role of dopamine in methamphetamine craving.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Researchers Explain Nitrogen Paradox In Forests, Illuminating How Ecosystems Respond To Global Warming
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741179/080618133726.htm
Nitrogen is essential to all life on Earth, and the processes by which it cycles through the environment may determine how ecosystems respond to global warming. But certain aspects of the nitrogen cycle in forests have puzzled scientists, defying, in a sense, the laws of supply and demand. Now scientists have explained the paradox by recognizing the role of two other factors: temperature and the abundance of another key element, phosphorous.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
New Method Drastically Reduces Wait Time For New Teeth Implant
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741180/080617105005.htm
A new odontological technique manages to reduce from six months to two weeks the wait time to implant new teeth. It is possible thanks to the use of the growth hormone in oral implantology, which allows bone regeneration and the hastening of the integration between bone base and dental implant.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Lake Sediments Help Scientists Trace 7,000 Years Of Mining, Metal Use In China
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313046887/080616092214.htm
A new geochemical study illuminates 7,000 years of mining and metal use in central China and links these trends to fluctuations in airborne pollution during the Bronze Age and other military and industrial periods in Chinese history. The study could help scientists better assess the accumulative environmental effects of human activity in the region since prehistory times.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
New Role Of Inflammatory Protein In Polycycstic Kidney Disease Identified, Could Lead To Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741181/080616144852.htm
Scientists have discovered that a protein previously shown to have a role in inflammation may also have a role in the formation of cysts in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease -- one of the most common life-threatening genetic diseases -- and has shown that a drug inhibiting the protein can slow the disease in mice.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Ultrasonic Instruments Associated With Improved Outcomes For Some Surgical Procedures
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741182/080616163436.htm
Using ultrasonic surgical instruments is associated with more favorable outcomes when compared with conventional instruments for some procedures, according to a meta-analysis of 51 previously published studies.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Depression And Diabetes: Fellow Travelers, Researchers Say
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315741183/080617160813.htm
Researchers have long known that type 2 diabetes and depression often go hand in hand. However, it's been unclear which condition develops first in patients who end up with both. Now, a new study suggests that this chicken-and-egg problem has a dual answer: Patients with depression have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of developing depression.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Greenland Ice Core Analysis Shows Drastic Climate Change Near End Of Last Ice Age
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315638693/080619142112.htm
Information gleaned from a Greenland ice core by an international science team shows that two huge Northern Hemisphere temperature spikes prior to the close of the last ice age some 11,500 years ago were tied to fundamental shifts in atmospheric circulation.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Same Drug, Different Results: Researchers On The Path To Personalized Medicine
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315560488/080619113709.htm
Medicine has moved a closer to the era of treatments based on the genetic profiles of individual patients. A new study shows how minor genetic differences between individuals alter the way a common drug affects the body.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Eight-day Undersea Mission Begins Experiment To Improve Coral Reef Restoration
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311441368/080613174716.htm
Scientists have begun an eight-day mission, in which they are living and working at 60 feet below the sea surface in an underwater "space station," to determine why some species of coral colonies survive transplanting after a disturbance while other colonies die. The team of "aquanauts" is to improve the restoration of damaged reefs.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Mechanism Contributing To Appropriate Formation Of The Spine Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315676364/080618152400.htm
Scientists have shed light on the mechanism causing animals to develop the appropriate number of vertebrae. Vertebrae are formed from their embryonic precursors, called somites. The number of somites is consistent within a species, but varies significantly across species. By comparing the developing embryos of zebrafish, chicken, mice, and corn snakes, the team established an understanding of how an organism regulates the number of somites formed.
Fri, 20 Jun 08
Identifying Canadian Freshwater Fish Through DNA Barcodes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315676365/080617204451.htm
New research by Canadian scientists brings some good news for those interested in the conservation of a number of highly endangered species of Canadian fish.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Great Apes Think Ahead: Conclusive Evidence Of Advanced Planning Capacities
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314756286/080618114602.htm
Apes can plan for their future needs just as we humans can -- by using self-control and imagining future events. Swedish researchers are the first to provide conclusive evidence of advanced planning capacities in nonhuman species.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
First Gene Therapy For Heart Failure Offered In Clinical Trials
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012380/080618145938.htm
Could injecting a gene into a patient with severe heart failure reverse their disabling and life-threatening condition? Physician-scientists are setting out to answer that question in a first-ever clinical trial of gene therapy to treat severe heart failure.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Test Of Bacteria Toxin Delivery System Could Pave Way For New Antibiotic Drugs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012381/080616115718.htm
Researchers have achieved a breakthrough in monitoring the toxin-delivery system of highly pathogenic bacteria -- an accomplishment that could help pave the way for new drugs that will be capable of neutralizing those germs.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
PET Scans Reveal Hormone Replacement Therapy May Be Beneficial For Postmenopausal Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012382/080616115847.htm
Postmenopausal women are at an increased risk of developing coronary artery disease, yet recent research studies have sometimes resulted in conflicting data regarding how best to treat or minimize the effects of the disease.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
IRobot Secures Licensing Agreement For Underwater Seagliders
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012383/080612132840.htm
University of Washington record-holding, ocean-observing robots that operate at sea for months at a time -- traveling thousands of miles at the behest of operators on land directing activities via a satellite phone network -- will be commercially produced by iRobot under a new licensing agreement.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Ordered Drinks Can Be Larger And Have Greater Alcohol Content Than You May Think
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012384/080617160816.htm
Most alcohol research tends to assume that drinks contain the same amount of pure alcohol: 0.6 ounces or 18 milliliters. Why is this important? Researchers need accuracy to do their job well, and consumers need to know what they're drinking, especially if they are going to drive. New research has found that the average size of wine, mixed drinks and beer served in Northern California bars, restaurants and other drinking establishments is larger than the standard, and alcohol content can vary widely. Researchers visited 80 bars and restaurants in Northern California.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Birds Communicate Reproductive Success In Song
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314601354/080618082046.htm
Some migratory songbirds figure out the best place to live by eavesdropping on the singing of others that successfully have had baby birds -- a communication and behavioral trait so strong that researchers playing recorded songs induced them to nest in places they otherwise would have avoided.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Stem Cell Researchers Give Old Muscle New Pep
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312525401/080615142255.htm
When bioengineers tweaked how adult stem cells reacted to biochemical signals regulating cell division, they gave muscle in old mice a shot of youthful vigor. The research sets the path for research on new treatments for age-related degenerative conditions, including muscle atrophy and Alzheimer's disease.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Marine Biologists Investigate Aliens Beneath The Waves
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012385/080616115703.htm
Marine biologists are appealing for help from the public in looking at ways to detect and stop the spread of marine aliens.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Molecular Imaging Sheds New Light On Progression Of Alzheimer's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012386/080616115841.htm
In the past, physicians were able only to follow the progression of Alzheimer's disease through careful clinical histories, noting the often subtle changes associated with cognitive decline over a number of years. Recent research suggests that the use of molecular imaging in the management of neurodegenerative disease, particularly for early diagnosis of AD, will enable researchers to monitor the progression of the disease, identifying those at risk and assessing the effectiveness of new therapies.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Low Cost Quantum Dots For Biological Research Produced Through Microwave Synthesis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310430337/080612095523.htm
Materials researchers have developed a simplified, low-cost process for producing high-quality, water-soluble 'quantum dots' for biological research.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Steroids In Female Mouse Urine Light Up Nose Nerves Of Male Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012387/080617204515.htm
A group of steroids found in female mouse urine goes straight to the male mouse's head. Researchers found the compounds activate nerve cells in the male mouse's nose with unprecedented effectiveness.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Worm-like Marine Animal Providing Fresh Clues About Human Evolution
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012388/080618133715.htm
Research on the genome of a marine creature is shedding new light on a key area of the tree of life. Because amphioxus is evolving slowly -- its body plan remains similar to that of fossils from the Cambrian time -- the animal serves as an intriguing comparison point for tracing how vertebrates have evolved and adapted. This includes new information about how vertebrates have employed old genes for new functions.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Patient's Own Infection-fighting T Cells Put Late-stage Melanoma Into Long-term Remission
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012389/080618172959.htm
Researchers describe the first successful use of a human patient's cloned infection-fighting T cells as the sole therapy to put an advanced solid-tumor cancer into long-term remission.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Plants Can Make Golf Courses Greener By Filtering Pesticides
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012390/080613164153.htm
Researchers have found several plants, including blue flag iris, that can reduce the amount of common pesticides used on gold courses in soils. Using these plants as a "living filter" on the edge of golf greens will help protect waterways from the impact of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
New Possibilities For Breast Cancer Treatment On The Horizon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012391/080616115836.htm
The first patient scans from a custom-built scanner combining positron emission tomography and computed tomography technologies indicate that these scans could significantly improve breast cancer imaging capabilities and lead to more targeted treatment options, according to researchers. The prototype scanner is designed to help physicians determine stages of breast cancer in patients already diagnosed with the disease, rather than as a mammography screening tool.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Grains And Liquids Demonstrate Similar Cohesion Effects
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012392/080611185948.htm
What if sand flowed like water? Researchers have just demonstrated that even without an attractive force between grains in flowing sand, they have a cohesion similar to that of liquids.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Claims Linking Health Problems And The Strength Of Cannabis May Be Exaggerated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012393/080617125751.htm
Claims that a large increase in the strength of cannabis over the last decade is driving the occurrence of mental health and other problems for users are not borne out by a study of the worldwide literature, say researchers at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre and the National Drug Research Institute, both from Australia.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Thinking Ahead: Bacteria Anticipate Coming Changes In Their Environment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012394/080618161546.htm
Microbes may be smarter than we think. Bacteria don't just react to changes in their surroundings -- they anticipate and prepare for them. The findings, reported in Science, challenge the prevailing notion that only organisms with complex nervous systems have this ability.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
New Cancer Treatment Targets Both Tumor Cells And Blood Vessels
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012395/080618133718.htm
It takes more than one punch to fight tumors. Often, tumors have more than one way of surviving, and attacking the tumor alone is not enough. Now, in a new study, University of Missouri researchers have developed a new non-toxic treatment that effectively reduces breast cancer cells, by combining a small molecular drug that targets tumor cells with an antibody that causes selective shutdown of tumor blood vessels.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Tropical Forest Sustainability: A Climate Change Boon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208100/080613103425.htm
Improved management of the world's tropical forests has major implications for humanity's ability to reduce its contribution to climate change, according to a new article in Science.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Unexpected Link Between Coronavirus Replication And Protein Secretion In Infected Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208107/080613101123.htm
Coronavirus replication is critically linked to two factors within the early secretory pathway, according to new findings in PLoS Pathogens. The SARS virus is within the coronavirus group.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Computer Predicts Anti-cancer Molecules
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012396/080616223426.htm
A new computer-based method of analyzing cellular activity has correctly predicted the anti-tumor activity of several molecules. New research in Molecular Cancer describes 'CoMet' -- a tool that studies the integrated machinery of the cell and predicts those components that will have an effect on cancer.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Group Therapy May Help Memory
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012397/080617125557.htm
Investigators are reporting a new method of improving memory disturbances in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. Patients with memory complaints, but without objective cognitive impairment, suffer considerably in their daily lives, as they experience frequent lapses of memory and attention leading to embarrassment, anxiety, reported occupational shortcomings and often the fear of dementia.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Chimps Not So Selfish: Comforting Behavior May Well Be Expression Of Empathy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314640955/080618093247.htm
Compared to their sex-mad, peace-loving bonobo counterparts, chimpanzees are often seen as a scheming, war-mongering, and selfish species. As both apes are allegedly our closest relatives, together they are often depicted as representing the two extremes of human behavior.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Gene Variants Linked To Metabolic Syndrome And HDL Cholesterol Levels
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012398/080617204430.htm
Nutrition researchers have identified five common genetic variations that increase the risk of metabolic syndrome, a group of factors linked to heart disease and diabetes. Another variant they found appeared to protect against the condition.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
NASA Aircraft Examine Impact Of Forest Fires On Arctic Climate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012399/080612201754.htm
As the summer fire season heats up, NASA aircraft are set to follow the trail of smoke plumes from some of Earth's northernmost forest fires, examining their contribution to arctic pollution and implications for climate change.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
The APCs Of Nerve Cell Function
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012401/080616115706.htm
Best known for its role in colorectal cancer, the protein adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) has recently been found to play an essential role in the nervous system. This new study provides novel insights into the molecular basis of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, mental retardation, schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Computers As Safe As Medical Experts In Prescribing Blood Thinning Drugs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314756284/080618114703.htm
The largest ever study into the administration of blood thinning drugs, principally warfarin, has concluded that dosages calculated by computer are at least as safe and reliable as those provided by expert medical professionals.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
People With Lower Incomes, Lower Education Levels Have Higher Death Rates After Heart Attacks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/315012402/080617142842.htm
Researchers have long suspected that socioeconomic factors like education level and income also might affect survival rates following heart attack. Researchers present new data suggesting that people with lower incomes and education levels are more likely to die after heart attack than more affluent, educated people.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Flies Found To Have Internal Thermosensors To Monitor Environmental Temperatures
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794890/080611135103.htm
Flies, unlike humans, can't manipulate the temperature of their surroundings so they need to pick the best spot for flourishing. New research in Nature reveals that they have internal thermosensors to help them. As global warming leads hundreds of species, including insects, fish, birds, and mammals to seek out different environments in which temperature is more optimal, understanding the molecules and the internal neural cues that drive these behaviors will shed light on the strategies animals use to cope with changes in their environments.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
New Cellular Mechanism That Will Significantly Advance Vaccine Development Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794891/080616144856.htm
Scientists have discovered a new, previously unknown mechanism in how the body fights a virus. The finding runs counter to traditional scientific understanding of this process and will provide scientists a more effective method for developing vaccines.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Plan To Conserve Forests May Be Detrimental To Other Ecosystems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794892/080612141354.htm
Conserving biodiversity must be considered in plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation, researchers warn in Science. The UNFCCC is currently discussing ways of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation. REDD has potential to deliver benefits for biodiversity and people, as well as for the climate. These benefits will be concentrated in forests with high carbon stocks. Land use may shift to low-carbon forests and other ecosystems important for biodiversity.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
HIV Screening Found Cost-effective In Older Adults
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794893/080616170756.htm
Recent studies suggest that large numbers of Americans remain sexually active well into their 60's, 70's and even 80's. But researchers say seniors may be overlooked as possible carriers of the AIDS virus, and based on a new study, they are recommending screening for most adults ages 55 to 75 as a sensible, cost-effective way to prolong life, and decrease the spread of the disease.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
New Intrusion Tolerance Software Fortifies Server Security
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794894/080616144905.htm
In spite of increased focus and large investments in computer security, critical infrastructure systems remain vulnerable to attacks. The increasing sophistication and incessant morphing of cyber-attacks lend importance to the concept of intrusion tolerance: a system must fend off, or at least limit, the damage caused by unknown and/or undetected attacks.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
It's The Way You Say It: How Using The Right Words Can Cut Environmental Conflicts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794895/080617204447.htm
Ecologists have developed a new "tool" that could in future help prevent costly and acrimonious environmental conflicts such as campaigns against culling problem populations of charismatic animals and arguments over genetically modified organisms. The tool, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, involves a novel use of computer-aided content analysis and is based on the recent environmental conflict surrounding hedgehog culling on the Outer Hebrides in Scotland.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Stress During Childhood Increases Risk Of Allergies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314723469/080618114728.htm
Moving house or the separation of parents can significantly increase the risk of children developing allergies later on. These are the results from a long-term study correlating lifestyle, immune system development and allergies.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Inflammatory Disease Causes Blindness, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794897/080616163425.htm
New research shows a link between blindness and temporal arteritis, a problem that restricts blood flow to the brain. The research finds that giant cells play a key role in the disease, as well as another inflammatory problem that causes aches and stiffness in the arms, thighs and neck.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Dingo Urine Offers Humane Solution To Kangaroo Cull
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311341323/080613143647.htm
Tasmania's marsupials have been offered a life-line by researchers utilizing cutting edge science involving fresh dingo urine. Historically, Tasmania's logging industry has used 1080 poison, shooting and more recently cyanide to control kangaroos and wallabies in areas marked for reforestation, however this method is unselective and kills all wildlife.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Blood Pressure Levels In Childhood Track Into Adulthood
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794899/080616163445.htm
High blood pressure in childhood is associated with higher blood pressure or hypertension in adulthood, according to a new study.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Rising Diesel Prices Renew Interest In Fuel-saving Technologies For Heavy Trucks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794900/080611154206.htm
Diesel fuel prices approaching $5 a gallon -- and the resulting economic impact on products transported by truck -- have created renewed interest in fuel-saving technologies developed during the past decade.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Patterns Of Normal Brain Activity May Predispose Individuals To Different Symptoms Of Psychosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794901/080617204519.htm
A new study offers a potential predictive technique to anticipate how individuals might behave during a psychotic episode. The study related the brain activity of healthy participants to how they behaved after exposure to ketamine (a psychosis-inducing drug that mimics schizophrenia symptoms). The findings help explain why schizophrenia symptoms vary greatly from person to person and may ultimately help personalize diagnosis and intervention.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Black Holes Have Simple Feeding Habits
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794902/080618133708.htm
The biggest black holes may feed just like the smallest ones, according to data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and ground-based telescopes. This discovery supports the implication of Einstein's relativity theory that black holes of all sizes have similar properties, and will be useful for predicting the properties of a conjectured new class of black holes.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Olfactory Bulb Size May Change As Sense Of Smell Changes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794903/080616163428.htm
The olfactory bulb in the brain appears to change in size in a way that corresponds to individual alterations in sense of smell, according to a report in the Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Key Mechanism Of DDT Resistance Found In Malarial Mosquitoes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794904/080616170758.htm
Researchers have identified a key detoxifying protein in Anopheles mosquitoes that metabolizes DDT, a synthetic insecticide used since World War II to control the mosquitoes that spread malaria.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Gene Variation May Be Why Some Don't Respond To Cholesterol-lowering Drugs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794905/080616163443.htm
A variation in the way a gene is processed may explain varied individual responses to cholesterol-lowering drugs. This is the first study to show that a biological process substantially influences the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins. The discovery could lead to better treatment for high cholesterol and other ailments.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
New Soft Safety Helmet Lining Turns Into Rock Hard Shock Absorber When Hit
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794906/080611183702.htm
If something hits you on the head while you are wearing this safety helmet, its soft flexible inner layer will instantly turn into a rock-hard shock-absorbent material. The helmet is lined on the inside with a material that is soft and flexible under normal conditions, but which "locks" instantaneously, becoming hard and shock-absorbent, if the helmet is subjected to impact or blows.
Thu, 19 Jun 08
Male Homosexuality Can Be Explained Through A Specific Model Of Darwinian Evolution, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314794907/080617204459.htm
An Italian research team found that the evolutionary origin and maintenance of male homosexuality in human populations could be explained by a model based around the idea of sexually antagonistic selection, in which genetic factors spread in the population by giving a reproductive advantage to one sex while disadvantaging the other.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
New Research On Octopuses Sheds Light On Memory
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158658/080617102853.htm
Research on octopuses has shed new light on how our brains store and recall memory. Why octopuses? Octopuses and other related creatures, known as cephalopods, are considered to be the most intelligent invertebrates because they have relatively large brains and they can be trained for various learning and memory tasks.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Abortion Drug's Off-label Use May Have Led To Deaths
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158659/080616115657.htm
Scientists suggests that the immunosuppressive effect of the drug misoprostol, if given vaginally rather than orally along with RU-486 to terminate a pregnancy, is likely the reason a small number of women taking the two-drug combination have contracted a rare, fatal bacterial infection.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Get A Little Sun This Summer -- It Could Help Save Your Life, Researcher Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158661/080616161111.htm
As summer comes and people across America get ready to start slathering on the sunscreen, a note of caution is in order -- a little sunshine is good for you. Studies increasingly are suggesting the value of vitamin D -- often known as the sunshine vitamin, because that's one way you can obtain it -- in everything from bone metabolism to maintaining muscle strength, immune function, reducing hypertension and possibly even playing a role in prevention of cancer and autoimmune disease.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Aerobic Exercise Increases A Blood Protein That May Suppress Appetite
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158663/080616115855.htm
Three months of aerobic exercise decreased body fat and calorie intake in overweight and obese people, according to a new study, and the researchers believe that changes to a central nervous system factor are responsible.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Perfecting A Solar Cell By Adding Imperfections
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158664/080616163421.htm
Nanotechnology is paving the way toward improved solar cells. New research shows that a film of carbon nanotubes may be able to replace two of the layers normally used in a solar cell, with improved performance at a lower cost. Researchers have found a surprising way to give the nanotubes the properties they need: add defects. Currently, these solar cells, called dye-sensitized solar cells, have a transparent film made of an oxide that is applied to glass and conducts electricity. In addition, a separate film made of platinum acts as a catalyst to speed the chemical reactions involved.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Type And Severity Of Combat Wounds In Iraq War Have Changed Over Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158665/080616163438.htm
The transition in Iraq from maneuver warfare to insurgency warfare is associated with changes in the type and severity of injuries treated by surgical units of the U.S. Marine Corps, according to a new report. In the second, insurgent phase of the war, injuries have been more severe, transport times longer, more injuries have occurred per individual and more soldiers have been killed in action or died of their wounds.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Symmetry Of Homosexual Brain Resembles That Of Opposite Sex, Swedish Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158668/080617151845.htm
Swedish researchers have found that some physical attributes of the homosexual brain resemble those found in the opposite sex.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Grape Seed Extract May Reduce Cognitive Decline Associated With Alzheimer's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158669/080617165716.htm
A compound found in grape seed extract reduces plaque formation and resulting cognitive impairment in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease, new research shows. The nutritional supplement was as effective as red wine in preventing amyloid beta plaque build up.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Engineering Students Launch Record-breaking Balloon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158670/080617120433.htm
Early-career engineers at Lockheed Martin who are also earning engineering degrees at Cornell broke the world amateur high-altitude balloon record in a recent near-space flight that exceeded 125,000 feet. The students' flight beat the previous amateur altitude record by nearly 5,000 feet.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Key Developmental Pathway Activates Lung Stem Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158671/080617143634.htm
Researchers found that the activation of a molecular pathway important in stem cell and developmental biology leads to the increase in lung stem cells. Harnessing this knowledge could help develop therapies for lung-tissue repair after injury or disease.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Promising Step Towards More Effective Hydrogen Storage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158672/080616115724.htm
Scientists have demonstrated an atomistic mechanism of hydrogen release in magnesium nanoparticles -- a potential hydrogen storage material.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Athletic Benefit Of Growth Hormone Doping: Is It All In The Athlete's Mind?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314158673/080617113743.htm
If athletes believe they are using a performing-enhancing drug, they may think their athletic performance improves, and in some men it can, even if they are actually taking a dummy drug, a new study has found.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Shallow Water Corals Evolved From Deep Sea Ancestors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314220855/080617204512.htm
New research shows that the second most diverse group of hard corals first evolved in the deep sea, and not in shallow waters. Stylasterids, or lace corals, diversified in deep waters before launching at least three successful invasions of shallow water tropical habitats in the past 40 million years. This finding provides the first strong evidence that a group of deep-sea animals invaded and diversified in shallow waters.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
New Study Shows Potential To Treat Or Prevent Viral Cancers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314220856/080616115744.htm
A new study shows that radioimmunotherapy targeting viral antigens offers a novel option to treat -- or even prevent -- many viral cancers by targeting cancer cells expressing viral antigens or infected cells before they convert into malignancy.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Phoenix Makes First Trench In Science Preserve
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314220857/080617210034.htm
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander began digging in an area called "Wonderland" early Tuesday, taking its first scoop of soil from a polygonal surface feature within the "national park" region that mission scientists have been preserving for science.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Anti-inflammatory Effects Of Pomegranate In Rabbits: A Potential Treatment In Humans?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314220858/080612193833.htm
Oral ingestion of pomegranate extract reduces the production of chemicals that cause inflammation. The findings indicate that pomegranate extract may provide humans with relief of chronic inflammatory conditions.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Natural Plant Materials To Regulate Starch Digestion
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313046886/080616092430.htm
Researchers in Switzerland are reporting discovery of natural plant materials that may regulate starch digestion -- slowing down the body's conversion of potatoes, rice, and other carbohydrate-rich foods into sugar. The findings could lead to new functional foods that fight diabetes according to research in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
'Hazardous Drinking' May Be A New 'Check Stop' On The Way To Alcohol Dependence
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314220859/080617160822.htm
Current diagnostic guides divide alcohol-use disorders into two categories: alcohol abuse/harmful use and alcohol dependence. Some researchers and clinicians believe this is insufficient, that there should be a third, preceding diagnosis known as "hazardous drinking," defined as drinking more than guidelines recommend. A Finnish study has found that hazardous drinking is quite common.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Soccer Parents: Why They Rage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314256021/080617152020.htm
A new study found that ego defensiveness, one of the triggers that ignites road rage, also kicks off parental "sideline rage," and that a parent with a control-oriented personality is more likely to react to that trigger by becoming angry and aggressive.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Ability To Track Stem Cells In Tumors Could Advance Cancer Treatments
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314220861/080616115751.htm
Using noninvasive molecular imaging technology, a method has been developed to track the location and activity of mesenchymal stem cells in the tumors of living organisms. This ability could lead to major advances in the use of stem cell therapies to treat cancer.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Medical Research On Ice: Antarctic Study Will Measure How Humans Physically Adapt To Extreme Environment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314220862/080612131903.htm
New medical equipment recently delivered to the Antarctic station Concordia will help understand how our bodies physically adapt to this extreme environment -- knowledge which could help prepare for a future human mission to Mars. ESA is currently looking for a candidate with a medical background to support projects at the research base.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Serum Sodium Predicts Mortality 10 Times Higher In PAH Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314220864/080613101110.htm
Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension -- chronically high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs -- whose serum sodium levels are low have a very poor chance of survival and a high rate of right-heart failure, according to new research.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Threatened Or Invasive? Species' Fates Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311179509/080613093732.htm
A new ecological study should help identify species prone to extinction under environmental change, and species that are likely to become a pest. The researchers analysed life-history and ecological traits in more than 8900 species of the legume, or the Fabaceae plant family, and found a correlation between evolved species' traits and a particular susceptibility to a species becoming threatened or invasive.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Focus Attention Upon Distributors Of Human Growth Hormone, Scientists Urge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314220865/080617160837.htm
A great deal of attention has been paid to the use of growth hormone by elite athletes and a few vocal entertainers. But underlying this tip of the iceberg is a $2 billion dollar a year business, likely involving hundreds of thousands of regular people, and promoted by anti-aging and age-management clinics and compounding pharmacies who aggressively market and sell growth hormone with the claim that it has anti-aging or athletic enhancing properties.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Bee Species Outnumber Mammals And Birds Combined
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313857668/080611135020.htm
Scientists have discovered that there are more bee species than previously thought. In the first global accounting of bee species in over a hundred years, scientists at the Division of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History compiled online species pages and distribution maps for more than 19,200 described bee species, showcasing the diversity of these essential pollinators.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Researchers Use A Patient's Own Bone To Accelerate Orthodontics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313857669/080616115917.htm
Researchers at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry say they have improved upon a surgical procedure that rapidly straightens teeth, delivering a healthy bite and attractive smile in months instead of years.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Significant Efficacy Of Travelers' Diarrhea Vaccine Shown
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313857670/080611220426.htm
Researchers have found that patients given a travelers' diarrhea vaccine were significantly less likely to suffer from clinically significant diarrhea than those who received placebo, according to a new study. The patch-based vaccine is part of the Phase 2 study in conjunction with the Iomai Corp.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Phoenix Lander Bakes Sample, Arm Digs Deeper
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/314220866/080617205826.htm
One of the ovens on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander continued baking its first sample of Martian soil over the weekend, while the Robotic Arm dug deeper into the soil to learn more about white material first revealed on June 3.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Nerves Behind Pain Relief Provided By Stressful Situations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313857671/080612172150.htm
The increased beating of the heart that one experiences when in a stressful situation is just one part of the body's response, often known as the "fight-or-flight response", to stress. Another component of the fight-or-flight response is the suppression of pain, also known as stress-induced analgesia. New research has now revealed that nerves producing the peptide N/ORQ and nerves producing the peptide Hcrt are key regulators of SIA in mice.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Centromeres Cross Over, A Lot
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313857672/080612125029.htm
Recombination at centromeres is higher than anywhere else on the chromosome, even though methyltransferases do their best to prevent it, according to new research. Centromeric recombination has been hard to study because the DNA at centromeres is so repetitive -- it's hard to see when a segment has switched chromatids.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Being Overweight Does Not Result In Decreased Sperm Production, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313857674/080616210334.htm
Overweight men are not more likely to be infertile, as past research has shown to be true in obese women, according to a new study. Findings of the study, performed in New York in nearly 300 very overweight men, were unexpected.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Nanotechnology, Biomolecules And Light Unite To 'Cook' Cancer Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313857675/080616170807.htm
Researchers are testing a new way to kill cancer cells selectively by attaching cancer-seeking antibodies to tiny carbon tubes that heat up when exposed to near-infrared light.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Hot Flashes Under-reported, And Linked To Forgetfulness
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313857676/080616175905.htm
Women in midlife under-report the number of hot flashes that they experience by more than 40 percent, and these hot flashes are linked to poor verbal memory, according to a new study.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Golfers And Golf Courses Benefit From Native Grasses In Roughs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310459136/080612105313.htm
Some golfers may prefer a well-manicured golf course, highly-maintained with very green, very short grass that's easy to play off of. But, according to two recent studies, a naturalized landscape that incorporates native grasses benefits biodiversity, saves costs on pesticides and labor for the golf course, and could create a course which is just as challenging for golfers.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
On The Evolutionary Trail Of Molecules That Cause Lou Gehrig's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310536117/080612125045.htm
What became a scientific quest a few scientists began with trying to define the function of a protein that plays a role in the nervous system. That led to work with similar proteins in the nerve cells of worms, fruit flies, and people and culminated in important clues about what goes wrong in the nerves and muscles of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease).
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Ultra Low-cost Plastic Memory Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313819674/080616204649.htm
Researchers have developed a technology for a plastic ferro-electric diode which they believe will achieve a breakthrough in the development of ultra low-cost plastic memory material.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Popular Stimulant's Role In Brain Function Deterioration Is Cause For Concern, According To Researchers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313857677/080616115843.htm
Concerned by the growing numbers of people using stimulant medications such as methylphenidate -- either legally or illegally -- to improve attention and focus, researchers used positron emission tomography imaging with the radiotracer fluorodeoxyglucose to assess the effects of the drug on brain function in the normal human brain.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
First Successful Reverse Vasectomy On Endangered Species Performed At The National Zoo
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313819671/080616160142.htm
Veterinarians at the Smithsonian's National Zoo performed the first successful reverse vasectomy on a Przewalski's horse. Przewalksi's horses are a horse species native to China and Mongolia that was declared extinct in the wild in 1970.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Possible Link Between Different Forms Of Epilepsy Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313819672/080616115715.htm
Carnegie Mellon neuroscientists have identified what may be the first known common denominator underlying inherited and sporadic epilepsy -- a disruption in an ion channel called the BK channel. Although BK channels have been linked to a rare, familial form of epilepsy, their involvement in other types of seizure disorders has never been demonstrated. These findings indicate that BK channels are a new target for anticonvulsant therapies, offering new hope to individuals suffering from epilepsy.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Chemists Get Scoop On Crude 'Oil' From Pig Manure
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310430336/080612095527.htm
Researchers have developed the first detailed chemical analysis revealing what processing is needed to transform pig manure derived 'crude oil' into fuel for vehicles or heating. Mass production of this type of biofuel could help consume a waste product overflowing at US farms, but it will require a lot of refining.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Hearing Loss Is Twice As Common In People With Diabetes Compared To Those WIthout The Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313819673/080616170837.htm
Hearing loss is about twice as common in adults with diabetes compared to those who do not have the disease, according to a new study. Also, adults with pre-diabetes, whose blood glucose is higher than normal but not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis, had a 30 percent higher rate of hearing loss compared to those with normal blood sugar tested after an overnight fast.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
'Nanoglassblowing' Seen As Boon To Study Of Individual Molecules
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310459139/080612100445.htm
Researchers have developed a new fabrication technique called 'nanoglassblowing' that creates nanoscale fluidic devices to isolate and study single molecules in solution, including individual DNA strands.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Learning From The Dead: What Facial Muscles Can Tell Us About Emotion
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313819675/080616205044.htm
Laugh and the world laughs with you, but wrinkle your nose and you could find yourself on your own. A scientist who examined the facial muscles in cadavers has found that the muscles which control our facial expressions are not common to everyone.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Lizards Pull A Wheelie
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313819676/080613101121.htm
Lizards that run on two legs haven't evolved to pull the stunt; they're simply pulling a wheelie. Researchers have found that lizards shift their center of mass back as they accelerate forward so that they're forelimbs lift off the ground leaving them running on two legs.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Heightened Sense Of Taste Can Promote Weight Loss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313819678/080616115852.htm
People can lose weight by flavoring their food with calorie-free seasonings and sweeteners, which may make them feel full faster and decrease their consumption, according to a new study.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
From Canada To The Caribbean: Tree Leaves Control Their Own Temperature, Study Reveals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313819679/080611135100.htm
The temperature inside a healthy, photosynthesizing tree leaf, about 21 degrees C, is affected less by outside environmental temperature than originally believed, according to new research from biologists at the University of Pennsylvania. Surveying 39 tree species ranging in location from subtropical to boreal climates, researchers found a nearly constant temperature in tree leaves. These findings provide new understanding of how tree branches and leaves maintain a homeostatic temperature considered ideal for photosynthesis and suggests that plant physiology and ecology are important factors to consider as biologists tap trees to investigate climate change.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Hand Bone Mineral Density Is An Effective Predictor Of Mortality In Rheumatoid Arthritis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310430338/080612094701.htm
Low bone mineral density in the hand is a valid predictor of overall mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and indicates long-term prognosis, according to a new study. Digital X-ray radiogrammetry demonstrated bone mineral density to be as effective predicting mortality as well-established means of assessment such as radiographic damage and functional disability.
Wed, 18 Jun 08
Diamonds Reveal Deep Source Of Platinum Deposits
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313819680/080611135115.htm
The world's richest source of platinum and related metals is an enigmatic geological structure in South Africa known as the Bushveld Complex. The source of its metallic riches has long been a matter of scientific dispute. Now researchers have traced the origin of the unique ore deposits by using another of South Africa's treasures -- diamonds.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Coffee Drinkers Have Slightly Lower Death Rates, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313549896/080616170839.htm
Regular coffee drinking (up to 6 cups per day) is not associated with increased deaths in either men or women. In fact, both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption is associated with a somewhat smaller rate of death from heart disease.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Protein Linked To Alzheimer's Disease Also Has Role In HIV Progression
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313549897/080616170816.htm
A protein related to heart disease and Alzheimer's is found to be a factor in HIV. The apolipoprotein (apo) E4 isoform has been implicated in neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. Now, investigators have shown that this troubling protein is a risk factor for AIDS progression rates and promotes entry of HIV into cells.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Samoa Found To Be In Path Of Geological Hotspots, Adding Fuel To Debate Over Origins Of Volcanic Chains
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313549898/080616161631.htm
A new study that determines Samoa is indeed on the path of a geologic "hotspot" trail is adding fuel to a vigorous scientific debate over the origins of volcano chains -- especially in the Pacific Ocean.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Medicines Derived From Cannabis Show Some Non-serious Adverse Events
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313549899/080616170831.htm
Researchers have determined that medical use of cannabinoids do not cause an increase in serious adverse events, but are associated with an increase in some non-serious adverse events. Of all non-serious adverse events, dizziness was the most common.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Red Wine's Resveratrol May Help Battle Obesity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313549900/080616115850.htm
Resveratrol, a compound present in grapes and red wine, reduces the number of fat cells and may one day be used to treat or prevent obesity, according to a new study.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Children Learn Smart Behaviors Without Knowing What They Know
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313549901/080616130458.htm
Young children show evidence of smart and flexible behavior early in life -- even though they don't really know what they're doing, new research suggests. In a series of experiments, scientists tested how well 4- and 5-year-olds were able to rely on different types of information to choose objects in a group.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Age At Puberty Linked To Mother's Prenatal Diet
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330292/080616151748.htm
A high-fat diet during pregnancy and nursing may lead to the child having an early onset of puberty and subsequent adulthood obesity, according to a new animal study.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Complete 'Family Tree' Of All British Birds Gives Clues About Which Species Might Be Endangered Next
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330293/080610192018.htm
A new complete evolutionary 'family tree' showing how all British bird species are related to each other may provide clues about which ones are at risk of population decline. The greenfinch and the ptarmigan are at risk of becoming endangered, according to new research in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Are HIV Prevention Gels Safe For Pregnant Women, Their Babies?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310430344/080612090914.htm
Clinical trials hoping to identify a vaginal microbicide that is safe and effective against HIV have all but skirted questions befitting evaluation of an approach intended primarily for sexually active women of childbearing age: What if a woman gets pregnant while using a product? Can exposure during pregnancy pose a risk to the fetus? Researchers will begin addressing these and other questions in the first clinical trial of a candidate vaginal microbicide in pregnant women.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Physicists Model Single Molecular Switch, Computing's Elusive Holy Grail
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330294/080616144859.htm
Physicists have developed a model to explain the mechanism behind computing's elusive Holy Grail, the single molecular switch. If born out experimentally, his work could help explode Moore’s Law and could revolutionize computing technology.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Eastern Independence, Western Conformity?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311246027/080613111844.htm
While the act of selecting an everyday writing utensil seems to be a simple enough task, scientists have found that it actually could shed light on complex cultural differences. Psychologists used the seemingly simple task of pen choice to determine if Japanese and American cultural differences are a function of social constraints.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Lower Midwest U.S. Braces For Floods
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330297/080616150751.htm
Residents of the central and southern Midwest are crossing their fingers, saying their prayers, planning evacuations, and in some cases filling sandbags in preparation for the excessive water ravishing communities in Iowa and Wisconsin. The flood wave is propagating down the Mississippi River towards St. Louis at about the pace of a brisk walk, according one geologist. He says, "This is serious water."
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Diabetes Drug Slows Early-onset Puberty In Girls, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330298/080616163450.htm
In young girls at risk of early puberty and insulin resistance, the diabetes drug metformin delayed the onset of menstruation and decreased the development of insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. Getting a first menstrual period before age 12 has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Perfect Vision But Blind To Light
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330299/080610212413.htm
Mammals have two types of light-sensitive detectors in the retina. Known as rod and cone cells, they are both necessary to picture their environment. However, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have found that eliminating a third sensor -- cells expressing a photopigment called melanopsin that measures the intensity of incoming light -- makes the circadian clock blind to light, yet leaves normal vision intact.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Novel Targeted Therapy Reduces Chemoresistance In Mouse Model Of Melanoma
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309581438/080611073244.htm
A novel small molecule inhibitor reduced both endogenous and drug-induced resistance to chemotherapy in a mouse model of melanoma. The NF-κB pathway is often active in human cancers and promotes resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs. Some cytostatic drugs, such as doxorubicin, induce NF-κB pathway activity.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
'Saucy' Software Update Finds Symmetries Dramatically Faster
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330300/080611135052.htm
Computer scientists have developed open-source software that cuts the time to find symmetries in complicated equations from days to seconds in some cases.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Aging Is Satisfying, New Research Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330301/080616094222.htm
New research is turning conventional wisdom on its head when it comes to grumpy old men and women. Researchers found that younger adults engaged in a lot more social activities, but were no happier with their social lives than older adults. Researchers noted that older adults appear to see the good things in life more easily and are less likely to be upset by the little things that go wrong.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Decision-Making, Risk-Taking Similar In Bees And Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311408678/080613165830.htm
Most people think before making decisions. As it turns out, so do bees. Researchers show that when making decisions, people and bees alike are more likely to gamble on risky courses of action - rather than taking a safer option - when the differences between the various possible outcomes are easily distinguishable. When the outcomes are difficult to discern, however, both groups are far more likely to select the safer option - even if the actual probabilities of success have not changed.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Gene Therapy Improves Survival And Quality Of Life Of Dogs With Cancer: Could It Also Help Humans?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330302/080616133121.htm
A new gene therapy has helped pet dogs with cancer live longer and could potentially improve the quality of life and survival of people with cancer, said the therapy's developers.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Global Impact Of Urbanization Threatening World's Biodiversity And Natural Resources
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330303/080610182856.htm
A new study has examined the effect of staggering urban growth on nature and people that finds if we don't improve urban planning now, we may lose some animals, plants and natural resources for good.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
New Target To Enhance Anti-cancer Drug Sensitivity Found In Translation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330304/080612172155.htm
The development of resistance to anticancer chemotherapeutic agents remains a large problem. In some cases, such resistance is associated with altered control of a cellular process known as translation. Researchers have now identified a drug that inhibits translation and can enhance the sensitivity of mouse cancer cells to standard anticancer chemotherapeutic agents.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Phantom Parent Molecule Of Important Class Of Chemical Compounds Isolated For First Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330305/080611135106.htm
Scientists have, for the first time, synthesized and characterized the elusive parent molecule of an important class of chemical compounds.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Society's Attitudes Have Little Impact On Choice Of Sexual Partner
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313330306/080616101119.htm
A unique new study suggests that the attitude of families and the public have little impact on if adults decide to have sex with persons of the same or the opposite sex. Instead, hereditary factors and the individual's unique experiences have the strongest influence on our choice of sexual partners.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
NASA Plans To Visit The Sun
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313125772/080611142452.htm
For more than 400 years, astronomers have studied the sun from afar. Now NASA has decided to go there. The name of the mission is Solar Probe+. It's a heat-resistant spacecraft designed to plunge deep into the sun's atmosphere where it can sample solar wind and magnetism first hand.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Fever May Trigger Heart Failure In Patients With The Genetic Disease LQT-2
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313125773/080612172153.htm
The changes in heart rate that are potentially fatal in individuals with LQT2 are caused by changes in the electrical activity in the heart because of mutations in the HERG gene. New data have now revealed that fever can trigger life-threatening changes in the electrical activity in the heart of patients with LQT-2.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Nanoparticles Have Negative Impact On Mussels
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313125774/080610170705.htm
Nanoparticles are now a part of many common household products. Aside form their use in electronics and bio-imagery, nanoparticles can be found in sunscreen, DVD players, cleaning products, textiles, fuel, paints, tires, ink cartridges and even certain foods.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Pharmaceutical Study: Less Hemorrhaging After Stroke, But Not Fewer Deaths
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313125775/080611095245.htm
A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown that the coagulation factor VIIa can limit the extent of a cerebral hemorrhage. However, in the long term it does not prevent death or severe impairment.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Untapped Energy From Oil Flare-offs Can Be Used To Release Water Locked In Gypsum
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313125777/080611093842.htm
Gypsum, a rocky mineral is abundant in desert regions where fresh water is usually in very short supply but oil and gas fields are common. Researchers have hit on the idea of using the untapped energy from oil and gas flare-off or small-scale solar power to release the water locked in gypsum.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Teen Drivers Often Ignore Bans On Using Cellphones And Texting
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313125778/080610185625.htm
Teenage drivers' cellphone use edged higher in North Carolina after the state enacted a cellphone ban for young drivers, a new study finds. This is the case even though young drivers and their parents said they strongly support the restrictions. Parents and teens alike believe the ban on hand-held and hands-free phone use isn't being enforced.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Coffee's Aroma Kick-starts Genes In The Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313046888/080616092116.htm
Drink coffee to send a wake-up call to the brain? Or just smell its rich, warm aroma? An international group of scientists is reporting some of the first evidence that simply inhaling coffee aroma alters the activity of genes in the brain.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Precision Blood Pressure Measurement To Improve Heart Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313125779/080613105917.htm
Researcher are trialling new, cutting-edge technology for measuring blood pressure and the health of the heart.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Head Injuries Increase Dramatically After Motorcycle Helmet Law Repeal
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313125780/080612162240.htm
Large increases in head injury deaths and hospitalizations occurred in Pennsylvania in the two years following the repeal of the motorcycle helmet law in 2003, says a new study in the American Journal of Public Health. Accounting for increases in motorcycle registrations, study authors noted a 32 percent increase in head injury deaths and a 42 percent increase in head injury-related hospitalizations, raising concerns about motorcyclists' safety and the impact on health care costs.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
New Treatment For Rheumatoid Arthritis Leaves 50 Percent Of Recent Onset Patients Symptom-free Within 36 Weeks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313125781/080611135043.htm
At least 50 percent of recent onset rheumatoid arthritis patients achieve remission within 36 weeks when following a systematic approach of step-up DMARD treatment in combination with tight control, according to new results.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Microchip Sets Low-power Record With Extreme Sleep Mode
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311441367/080613174720.htm
A low-power microchip uses 30,000 times less power in sleep mode and 10 times less in active mode than comparable chips now on the market.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Chemists Investigate Lost Reds In Homer Painting
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313125782/080610180353.htm
Scientific evidence has shown that the sky in Winslow Homer's watercolor "For to be a Farmer's Boy" (1887) once glowed with color. A Northwestern University chemist and an Art Institute of Chicago conservation scientist are working to determine exactly what those colors were. They are using a powerful analytical technique called surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, which requires much less material for samples.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Molecule Created That Nudges Nerve Stem Cells To Mature
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312525403/080615142250.htm
Inspired by a chance discovery during another experiment, researchers have created a small molecule that stimulates nerve stem cells to begin maturing into nerve cells in culture.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
When It Comes To Nitrogen, The 'Fix' Is In
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313019998/080610170057.htm
The discovery in the last decade of new suites of microorganisms capable of using various forms of nitrogen -- discoveries that have involved a number of University of Washington researchers -- is one reason to rethink what we know about the nitrogen cycle.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Expectant Moms Should Wait Out Due Date For Deliveries, Experts Urge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313019999/080610181114.htm
Many parents become anxious toward the end of a pregnancy, when women are sleepless, fatigued and finding it difficult to perform their daily activities. Technology during the past 10 years has made labor induction easier and more successful, and now, more than ever before, deliveries are planned during the last few weeks of pregnancies. But studies are showing that a delivery even two weeks early can be associated with newborn complications, according to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Protecting The Wild Cousin Of Llama, The Guanacos, In Chile
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313020000/080610154800.htm
The Wildlife Conservation Society has launched a study in Chile's Karukinka reserve on Tierra del Fuego to help protect the guanaco -- a wild cousin of the llama that once roamed in vast herds from the Andean Plateau to the steppes of Patagonia.
Tue, 17 Jun 08
Humor Shown To Be Fundamental To Our Success As A Species
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/313020001/080612150144.htm
Experts explain how and why we find things funny and identify the reason humor is common to all human societies, its fundamental role in the evolution of homo sapiens and its continuing importance in the cognitive development of infants.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Hunger Hormone Increases During Stress, May Have Antidepressant Effect
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312525402/080615142252.htm
New research may explain why some people who are stressed or depressed overeat. While levels of the so-called "hunger hormone" ghrelin are known to increase when a person doesn't eat, new findings suggest that the hormone might also help defend against symptoms of stress-induced depression and anxiety.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Estrogen Therapy Helps Or Hurts The Brain Depending On Reproductive Status, Animal Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312525399/080615142301.htm
Estrogen therapy may limit stroke damage if started close to, but not long after reproductive cycles are over, according to a new animal study.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Video Game Technology May Help Surgeons Operate On Beating Hearts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730308/080610161311.htm
To do complex cardiac repairs while the heart is still beating, surgeons need images that show depth -- especially when navigating inside the hearts of children and newborns. Now cardiac surgeons report good results with a technology borrowed from the gaming industry: flickering glasses that provide stereoscopic vision.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Allergies: Specific Immunotherapy Works For Many People, Research Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730309/080611135034.htm
Specific immune therapy works for many people and it is becoming increasingly popular in Europe. When it is green and the flowers have returned, the allergy season has hit its peak. And the number of people affected is still rising. At least 1 in 5 people in get hayfever, and up to half of the population react at least sometimes to airborne allergens like pollen or house dust mites.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Leicestershire Burial Mounds Reveal Ancestral Insights
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730310/080610191910.htm
Researchers have recently completed work on the results of three closely related Bronze Age round barrows excavated at Cossington, Leicestershire. Their excavations revealed a variety of burial practices from Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and Anglo Saxon times, showing how the three barrows were used in repeated ceremonies to honor the dead. They offer the first definite example of an Anglo Saxon cemetery sited on an earlier monument to be found in Leicestershire.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Wisdom Comes With Age, At Least When It Comes To Emotions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730311/080612185428.htm
Scientists have identified brain patterns that help healthy older people regulate and control emotion better than their younger counterparts. The study identified two regions in the brain that showed increased activity when participants over the age of 60 were shown standardized pictures of emotionally challenging situations.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Uncovering The Truth Behind The Largest Marsupial To Walk The Earth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730312/080613111131.htm
Researchers is uncovering the truth behind the largest marsupial ever to walk the earth -- the 2.5 tonne wombat-like Diprotodon. Standing 1.8 meters tall and reaching up to 3.5 meters in length, this huge beast lived more than 100,000 years ago, and despite being one of the most celebrated examples of Australia's Pleistocene "megafauna", there is very little known about them.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Low Melatonin Associated with Increased Risk of Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730313/080610161255.htm
Low melatonin levels are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, according to a prospective case-control study.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Radiation Testing: Northwestern Transistors On Space Station
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730314/080610160049.htm
Transistors based on a new kind of material created by Northwestern University researchers have been lifted into outer space on the space shuttle Endeavour and attached to the outside of the International Space Station for radiation testing. The transistors, which used a new kind of gate dielectric material called a self-assembled nanodielectric, will remain there for a year as part of a NASA materials experiment to see how they and other materials hold up to the harsh space environment.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Scenes Of Nature Trump Technology In Reducing Low-level Stress
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730315/080610154746.htm
Technology can send a man to the moon, help unlock the secrets of DNA and let people around the world easily communicate through the Internet. But it can't replace nature in reducing low-level stress.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Drug Commonly Used For Alcoholism Curbs Urges Of Pathological Gamblers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730316/080613104758.htm
A drug commonly used to treat alcohol addiction has a similar effect on pathological gamblers -- it curbs the urge to gamble and participate in gambling-related behavior, according to new research.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Using Brainwaves To Chat And Stroll Through Second Life: World's First
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730317/080613163213.htm
For the first time, a person with a serious muscular disorder has used brainwaves to chat and stroll through the virtual world of Second Life. The computer system uses electrodes as small as 1cm in diameter that are attached to the scalp. A computer detects brainwaves from the sensory-motor cortex when the subject slightly moves fingers of his/her right and left hand, and moves the avatar accordingly. The computer also detects the subject's will to move forward, and makes the avatar move forward.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Anti-estrogen Drug Therapy Reduces Risk Of Invasive Breast Cancer In Older Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730318/080610161252.htm
New analysis of a drug approved for osteoporosis prevention and treatment has provided definitive evidence that the medication is also effective as a breast cancer preventative for certain cancers. Women who took the drug raloxifene were less likely to develop invasive, estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer compared with women who did not take the drug.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
U.S. Farmers Who Plant -- Or Replant -- After June 20 May See Yields Drop By Half
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311623364/080610103744.htm
A costly deadline looms for many growers in the Midwest, as every day of waiting for the weather to cooperate to plant corn and soybeans reduces potential yields.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Radical Reform Is Needed To Stop The 'Inhumane' Practice Of Transplant Tourism, Experts Urge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730319/080613105902.htm
The UK government must bring in presumed consent to organ donation or allow a controlled donor compensation program for unrelated live donors, in order to bring the "inhumane" practice of transplant tourism from the UK to an end, claims a doctor writing in the British Medical Journal.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Sea's Ebb And Flow Drive World's Big Extinction Events, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312525404/080615142247.htm
If you are curious about Earth's periodic mass extinction events such as the sudden demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, you might consider crashing asteroids and sky-darkening super volcanoes as culprits. But a new study, suggests that it is the ocean, and in particular the epic ebbs and flows of sea level and sediment over the course of geologic time, that is the primary cause of the world's periodic mass extinctions during the past 500 million years.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Some Patients May Not Need Insulin For Long-term Control Of Type 2 Diabetes, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312525400/080615142258.htm
Some patients with type 2 diabetes can control their disease for years yet avoid insulin injections by using multiple classes of oral diabetic medications, a new study found.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Hox Genes Control Path Of Neurons Responsible For Nervous System Development
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773076/080610092756.htm
Scientists demonstrate that pontine neuron migration in mice is controlled by specific Hox genes. They show that by knocking out the expression of the Hoxa2 gene the path of the neurons changes, causing them to end up in the wrong part of the brain.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Prevalence Of Pre-cancerous Masses In The Colon Same In Patients In Their 40s And 50s
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730320/080610120643.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, according to a new study.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
'Clearwater': An Eco-Friendly Feed Barley
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306267240/080606134126.htm
A new barley that benefits the environment as well as farm animals has just been developed. "Clearwater" hulless barley is rich in the kinds of phosphorus -- an essential nutrient -- that pigs, fish and other single-stomached, or "monogastric," animals can use. That's unlike grain from conventional barleys, which contains more of the phytate type of phosphorus, the kind that monogastric animals find difficult to digest.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
High Impulsivity Predicts The Switch To Compulsive Cocaine-taking
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730321/080612144501.htm
Scientists have found impulsivity, a trait often associated with addicts' behavior, predicts whether casual drug use will lead to compulsive drug use. Many individuals take addictive drugs at some point in their lives -- not just illicit drugs like cocaine and heroin, but also legal and commonly available substances such as alcohol and nicotine. But only a sub-group of those who take drugs eventually lose control over their drug use and become 'addicted'.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
New Insights Into How Genes Are Governed And Why They Sometimes Go Wrong
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730322/080613104804.htm
European researchers have made significant progress unraveling how genes are governed and why this sometimes goes wrong in disease. The key lies in the dynamic ever-changing structure of the chromatin, which is the underlying complex of protein and DNA making up the chromosomes in which almost all genes are housed within the genome.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Durable, Inexpensive, Bamboo Houses Can Be Assembled Quickly For Earthquake Victims
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730323/080610122111.htm
A professor on sabbatical in China has created a prototype of a sturdy, quick-to-build bamboo house designed to help the vast number of people made homeless by the May 12 Sichuan earthquake.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Essential Dental Treatment Safe For Pregnant Women, Says New Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730324/080610105940.htm
Pregnant women can safely undergo essential dental treatment and receive topical and local anesthetics at 13 to 21 weeks gestation, says a new study.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Electrical Conductivity Stopped Cold By A Hint Of Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312730325/080612145635.htm
Physicists observe small defects changing some conducting materials suddenly into insulating materials. These results will make it possible to better understand the role of disorder in the electrical properties of certain materials.
Mon, 16 Jun 08
Groundbreaking Depression Research Being Tested In Real-world Setting
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310358834/080612070402.htm
Psychiatry researchers have taken what they learned from groundbreaking research on treating depression and are applying it to real-world clinical settings. The study, STAR*D, provided evidence for step-by-step guidelines to address treatment-resistant depression and found that half of depressed patients became symptom-free or had major improvement after the first two treatments with medication.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Australian Dinosaur Found To Have South American Heritage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030654/080613111410.htm
Australia's links to South America have just gotten a bit closer, but not due to economic forces, rather fossil forces. Palaeontologists working in Australia identified a fossil that had previously only been found in South America.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Engineer Develops Detergent To Promote Peripheral Nerve Healing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030655/080610105948.htm
A detergent solution that treats donor nerve grafts to circumvent an immune rejection response has been used to create acellular nerve grafts now used successfully in hospitals around the country. Research also shows early promise of the detergent solution having possible applications in spinal cord repair.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Taking A Cue From Breath Fresheners, Researcher Develops New Method For Taste Testing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030656/080610103748.htm
Using the same concept behind commercial breath-freshening strips, a Temple University researcher has developed a new, easier method for clinical taste testing, created taste strips similar to breath-freshening strips, but these edible strips contain one of the five basic tastes that are detected by humans -- sweet, sour, salty, bitter and monosodium glutamate, which is also known as umami taste.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Mutation Related To ADHD Drug Metabolism Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030657/080613165301.htm
Researchers have discovered a gene mutation directly involved in the metabolism of the most common and perhaps most known medication used to treat ADHD, methylphenidate (MPH), or Ritalin. The discovery may open the door to pre-testing of patients for the appropriate ADHD medication, instead of having to undergo trial and error.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Untangled Quantum Quirk Is Significant Step Toward Quantum Computing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030658/080611093854.htm
Quantum computing has been hailed as the next leap forward for computers, promising to catapult memory capacity and processing speeds well beyond current limits. Several challenging problems need to be cracked, however, before the dream can be fully realized. Two researchers have proposed a solution to one of the most controversial of these conundrums and, in the process, may have taken a significant step toward realizing a quantum computing future.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
People Who Can't Carry A Tune Either Don't Know Or Don't Care, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030659/080612112628.htm
Acoustical analyses of people belting out "Jingle Bells," "Brother John" and a Polish birthday song, "Sto Lat" reveal that most people sing in tune and in time, even without musical training. Moreover, two distinct "phenotypes", or recognizable forms, of impaired singing exist that are linked to perceptual abilities. Researchers identified two phenotypes of impaired singing: off-pitch singers with perceptional deficits who don't know they're landing on the wrong notes, and poor-pitch singers who can tell they're off and sing anyway.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Synthetic Cocoa Chemical Slows Growth Of Tumors In Human Cell Lines
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208085/080613104813.htm
A synthetic chemical based on a compound found in cocoa beans slowed growth and accelerated destruction of human tumors in laboratory studies, and should be tested further for cancer chemoprevention or even treatment, say researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Oily Fish Can Protect Against Rheumatoid Arthritis, But Smoking And Psychosocial Stress Increase Its Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311246025/080613111850.htm
New data show that intake of oily fish is associated with a reduced risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, whereas psychosocial work stress and smoking can increase the risk of developing the condition. The findings, all taken from a large population-based case-control study in Sweden, shed light on the important role of environmental and social factors in the development of RA.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Male Bird At Smithsonian's National Zoo Has Special Reason To Celebrate Father's Day
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306364276/080606160708.htm
How will the only male rhea at the Smithsonian's National Zoo spend Father's Day? He will spend it much like he has spent the past eight weeks: as a proud papa nurturing and caring for his four chicks born April 20. This is the first time in some 30 years that rhea chicks have hatched at the Zoo.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Wealth Of Genomic Hotspots Discovered In Embryonic Stem Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311246023/080613115331.htm
Singapore scientists unveil an atlas showing the location of "genomic hotspots" of essential protein "switches" (transcription factors) that help maintain the embryonic stem cell state. Using advanced high throughput sequencing technology, the scientists discovered over 3,000 hotspots. These findings could improve understanding of the unique properties of stem cells that enable them to maintain their intriguing ability to grow and differentiate to virtually any cell type.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Plastics Containing ‘Smart Elements’ Can Reliably Detect Mercury In Drinking Water, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030660/080613164921.htm
Researchers have developed plastics containing "smart elements" that can instantly detect the presence of mercury at or below the drinking water standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, even when other metals are present in the solution.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
What's Wrong With Selling Kidneys?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311246024/080613111854.htm
Doctors in the British Medical Journal debate the issue of selling kidneys. A regulated system of compensation for living donors may be the solution to the growing shortage of kidneys for transplantation, writes a surgery professor. In many areas of the United States the average wait for a transplant from a deceased donor is five years, but in some parts it is as long 10 years. Because of this the annual death rate for suitable transplant candidates has risen from 6.3% in 2001 to 8.1% in 2005.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
What Makes An Old Geyser Faithful?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311812899/080614080441.htm
New research suggests that how often Old Faithful and other Yellowstone geysers erupt may depend on annual rainfall patterns. Geysers are rare hot springs that periodically erupt bursts of steam and hot water. Old Faithful has remained faithful for at least the past 135 years, showering appreciative tourists every 50 to 90 minutes (most recently an average of 91 minutes).
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Salmonella: Trickier Than We Imagined
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030661/080613104801.htm
Salmonella is serving up a surprise not only for tomato lovers around the country but also for scientists who study the rod-shaped bacterium that causes misery for millions of people. Researchers have identified a molecular trick that may explain part of the bacteria's fierceness: A protein allows the bacteria to maintain a low profile in the body, giving Salmonella crucial time to gain a foothold before the immune system is roused to fight the invader.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Breakthrough In Understanding Tumor Immune Therapy: Induction Of Tumor Dormancy Instead Of Killing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030662/080611183015.htm
Researchers have uncovered an entirely new understanding on how the immune system may control tumor development. Until now it is strongly believed that the immune system controls growth of tumors by killing tumor cells. The researchers now show that immune responses can prevent tumor growth without killing tumor cells.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Next-generation Spacesuit: NASA Awards Contract For Constellation Spacesuit For The Moon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311860151/080614104320.htm
NASA has awarded a contract to Oceaneering International Inc. of Houston, for the design, development and production of a new spacesuit system. The spacesuit will protect astronauts during Constellation Program voyages to the International Space Station and, by 2020, the surface of the moon.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Fat Mass And Obesity-associated Genes Increase Risk Of Disease In Mexican-Americans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030663/080610092738.htm
A new study suggests people of Mexican-American descent who have genetic variants of fat gene FTO and Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) had higher triglyceride and lower HDL levels.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Nanoparticles Aid Bone Growth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311246026/080613111847.htm
In the first study of its kind, bioengineers and bioscientists have shown they can grow denser bone tissue by sprinkling stick-like nanoparticles throughout the porous material used to pattern the bone.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
One In Ten Adults In England Has A Non-earlobe Piercing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208104/080613103406.htm
One in ten adults in England have had a piercing somewhere other than their ear lobe, with a quarter experiencing complications, and one in 100 piercings resulting in a hospital admission.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Early And Intense Tornado Season Could Be Record
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311314769/080613135309.htm
This year may set records for tornadoes and tornado-related deaths. "We have already seen more than 115 tornado-related deaths, making this the deadliest tornado season since 1998," said a meteorologist at NOAA's Storm Prediction Center. "It is only the third time since the 1974 super tornado outbreak that there have been more than 100 tornado-related deaths during a single tornado season in the U.S.," a research meteorologist at NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory added.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
'Addicted' Cells Provide Early Cancer Diagnosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311831746/080610141755.htm
Scientists have detected subtle changes that may make the bowel more vulnerable to tumor development. One of the mechanisms controlling gene activity is the "epigenetic code," a set of chemical tags attached to the DNA molecule. Changes in the epigenetic code may begin to occur in apparently normal tissues, and the scientists are investigating whether diet could control these changes and delay or reverse the onset of cancer.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Even The Antarctic Winter Cannot Protect Wilkins Ice Shelf
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208087/080613104743.htm
Wilkins Ice Shelf has experienced further break-up with an area of about 160 square kilometers breaking off from May 30-31, 2008. ESA's Envisat satellite captured the event -- the first ever-documented episode to occur in winter.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Link Between Migranes And Sleep Disorders In Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308788747/080610072013.htm
Children with a migraine headache are more likely to have sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea and lack of sleep, than children without a migraine.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Stripes Instead Of Layers: Miniaturizing Magnetic Sensors By Means Of Ion Technology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306230218/080606125530.htm
Due to the enormous progress in fabrication and characterization techniques, novel magnetic materials have been widely applied, for instance as magnetic sensors in cars (angle or position sensors). Magnetic sensors are made of thin layers with different magnetic properties. With the help of ion technology, scientists were now able to shrink these multilayer systems down to one layer, retaining their magnetic properties. This discovery could make magnetic sensors even more powerful.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Risk-of-death Charts By Age And Gender Updated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311831747/080610161305.htm
Researchers have updated charts that show an American's risk of dying from a given cause over the next ten years, based on age, sex and smoking status. At all ages, men have a higher risk of death from all causes combined, relative to women. For both men and women, smoking increases the risk of death by nearly the same magnitude as adding approximately 5 years to a person's age.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
NASA Tests Lunar Robots And Spacesuits On Earthen Moonscape
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030664/080614180350.htm
Conditions on the moon will be harsher, but prototype NASA robotic vehicles braved sand storms and unprecedented temperature swings this month on sand dunes near Moses Lake, Wash., to prepare for future lunar expeditions. Teams from seven NASA centers and several universities conducted the tests from June 2-13.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Novel Mouse Model Of Osteosarcoma Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030665/080614170515.htm
A new mouse model of osteosarcoma has been developed. Osteosarcoma is the most common type of malignant bone cancer, and one of the most lethal: The 5-year survival rate is only about 60%, and this statistic drops steeply once the cancer spreads.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
How Montezuma Gets His Revenge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/312030666/080614170510.htm
Every year, about 500 million people worldwide are infected with the parasite that causes dysentery, a global medical burden that among infectious diseases is second only to malaria. In a new study appearing in Genes and Development, researchers may have found a way to ease this burden by discovering a new enzyme that may help the dysentery-causing amoeba evade the immune system.
Sun, 15 Jun 08
Students Make Hybrid Racing Car, Free-kicking Robot
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311812898/080614081721.htm
It is built in sparkling white and with a striking similarity to a real Formula 1 racer, but just a little bit smaller. Students of mechanical engineering at the D-MAVT recently unveiled their Formula student racer called "Maloja". Its preceding model "Albula" was present, too - converted into a hybrid racing car. In addition, a free-kick robot and a four-legged walking robot were presented.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Ancient Mineral Shows Early Earth Climate Tough On Continents
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311408677/080613170202.htm
A new analysis of ancient minerals called zircons suggests that a harsh climate may have scoured and possibly even destroyed the surface of the Earth's earliest continents.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Syphilis Bacteria Study Yields Valuable Diagnostic Tool
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311375265/080613151218.htm
Variations in a gene within the family of bacteria that causes syphilis may hold clinical, epidemiological and evolutionary significance. Researchers have identified sequence variations in the acidic repeat protein gene that allow straightforward differentiation of venereal syphilis from non-venereal Treponema pallidum subspecies.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Monumental Debt-for-Nature Swap Provides $20 Million To Protect Biodiversity In Madagascar
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311623360/080612170515.htm
The largest debt-for-nature swap agreement in Madagascar's history was just signed between the Government of Madagascar and the Government of France, allocating roughly $20 million (13 million Euros) to preserve Madagascar's rich biodiversity, WWF has announced. Nearly 98 percent of Madagascar's land mammals, 92 percent of its reptiles, and 80 percent of its plants are found nowhere else on earth.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Missing Protein In Fragile X Syndrome Is Key To Transporting Signals Within Neurons
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308159063/080609124559.htm
A team of scientists has discovered new information about how Fragile X Syndrome interferes with signaling between the nucleus of neurons and the synapse, the outer reaches of the neuron where two neurons communicate via chemical and electrical signals. The discovery should help lead the way to the development of new treatments for FXS, the most common form of inherited mental retardation and also a genetic contributor to some types of autism and epilepsy.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
'Green Chemistry' Used To Produce Amines, Chemical Compounds Used Widely In Industry
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311623361/080612171107.htm
Chemists have discovered an inexpensive, clean and quick way to prepare amines -- nitrogen-containing organic compounds derived from ammonia that have wide industrial applications such as solvents, additives, anti-foam agents, corrosion inhibitors, detergents, dyes and bactericides.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
How The Brain Separates Audio Signals From Noise
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311623362/080610092753.htm
How are we able to follow a single conversation in the midst of a crowded and noisy room? Little is known about how the human brain accomplishes the seemingly simple task of extracting meaningful signals from noisy acoustic environments. Scientists provide an important advance towards solving this mystery by discovering the neural correlates of conscious auditory perception.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Pigeons Show Superior Self-recognition Abilities To Three Year Old Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311341322/080613145535.htm
Scientists have shown that pigeons are able to discriminate video images of themselves even with a 5-7 second delay, thus having self-cognitive abilities higher than untrained 3-year-old children who have difficulty recognizing their self-image with only a 2 second delay. Researchers trained pigeons to discriminate real-time self-image using mirrors as well as videotaped self-image, and proved that pigeons can recognize video images that reflect their movements as self-image.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Ancient Antibody Molecule Offers Clues To How Humans Evolved Allergies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311623363/080612193831.htm
Scientists have discovered how evolution may have lumbered humans with allergy problems. The team are working on a molecule vital to a chicken's immune system which represents the evolutionary ancestor of the human antibodies that cause allergic reactions. Crucially, they have discovered that the chicken molecule behaves quite differently from its human counterpart, which throws light on the origin and cause of allergic reactions in humans and gives hope for new strategies for treatment.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Phoenix Mars Lander Inspects Delivered Soil Samples
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311649118/080614010657.htm
New observations from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander provide the most magnified view ever seen of Martian soil, showing particles clumping together even at the smallest visible scale. In the past two days, two instruments on the lander deck -- a microscope and a bake-and-sniff analyzer -- have begun inspecting soil samples delivered by the scoop on Phoenix's Robotic Arm.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Combining Radiation And Surgery Significantly Improves Survival For Head And Neck Cancer Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311623365/080609171158.htm
Adding radiation therapy to surgery significantly improves overall survival in patients diagnosed with node-positive head and neck cancer when compared to treating with surgery alone, according to a study in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Global Limits Of Biomass Energy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311623366/080611181214.htm
Biomass energy--energy generated from agricultural waste or specially grown energy crops--has been widely touted as a clean, renewable alternative to fossil fuels. Research is booming to improve energy crops and methods of converting crops to fuel. Already, Brazil gets 30% of its automotive fuel from ethanol distilled from sugar cane. But critics warn that "energy farming" will gobble up land needed to grow food or will impinge on natural ecosystems, possibly even worsening the climate crisis.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Virginity Pledges May Help Postpone Intercourse Among Youth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311623367/080610105945.htm
Making a virginity pledge may help some young people postpone the start of sexual activity. Researchers found that adolescents who made pledges to remain virgins until they are married were less likely to be sexually active over the three-year study period than other youth who were similar to them, but who did not make a virginity pledge.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Ultraviolet Gives View Inside Real ‘Death Star’
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311314768/080613134315.htm
Scientists have, for the first time, observed a flash of ultraviolet light from within a dying star giving vital evidence of how stars turn into supernovae. combined data from ground-bound telescopes observing visible light from supernovae with data from a space telescope looking for an earlier peak in ultraviolet light from an associated dying star. They were able to spot telltale signs of the shockwave that forms within a star before it explodes into a supernova.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
World-record Supercomputer Mimics Human Sight Brain Mechanisms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208015/080612140031.htm
Less than a week after Los Alamos National Laboratory's Roadrunner supercomputer began operating at world-record petaflop-per-second data-processing speeds, Los Alamos researchers are already using the computer to mimic extremely complex neurological processes. The code run on the machine mimics brain mechanisms underlying human sight.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Blood Substitute's Effectiveness And Safety Addressed In Large Clinical Trial
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208021/080610165104.htm
A blood substitute's effectiveness and safety was addressed in a large Phase III clinical trial by academic and industry researchers.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Students Explore The Physics Of Fizz
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208025/080612173622.htm
Just about everyone knows what happens when you drop Mentos mints into a Diet Coke. Students have documented why the reaction occurs by studying the physics responsible for the fizzy result and had the results published in the American Journal of Physics.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Unexpected Finding Of Molecule's Dual Role In Mice May Open New Avenue To Cholesterol Reduction
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208031/080612141348.htm
Scientists have discovered an unknown regulator of fat and cholesterol production in the liver of mice, a significant finding that could lead to new therapies for lowering unhealthy blood levels of cholesterol and fats.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
International Mission Studying Sun To Conclude
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310536115/080612130146.htm
After over 17 years of operation, the joint ESA/NASA mission Ulysses will officially conclude on 1 July this year. The spacecraft, which studied the Sun and its effect on the surrounding space for almost four times its expected lifespan, will cease to function because of the decline in power produced by its on-board generators.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Transfer Of Learning Traced To Areas Of The Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311179510/080613091439.htm
Practice makes perfect, but a question that still remains a mystery is why it is so difficult to transfer learning from a trained to an untrained task? Why are we no better at remembering faces when we have been training our memory for words? Scientists now show in the journal Science that the answer lies in the brain areas activated by each task.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Nuisance Noise Silenced By Acoustic Cloak
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208037/080612193837.htm
Researchers in Spain have proven that metamaterials, materials defined by their unusual man-made cellular structure, can be designed to produce an acoustic cloak -- a cloak that can make objects impervious to sound waves, literally diverting sound waves around an object.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Road Pollution Blamed For Higher Allergy Risk In Kids
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208040/080613101114.htm
New evidence blames traffic-related pollution for increasing the risk of allergy and atopic diseases among children by more than fifty percent. What's more, the closer children live to roads, the higher their risk.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
If A Tree Falls In The Forest, And No One Is Around To Hear It, Does Climate Change?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208043/080612171111.htm
There are roughly 42 million square kilometers of forest on Earth, a swath that covers almost a third of the land surface, and those wooded environments play a key role in both mitigating and enhancing global warming.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome Linked To Irregular Menstrual Cycles, Premenstrual Symptoms In Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308788741/080610072156.htm
Women with delayed sleep phase syndrome are more likely to report irregular menstrual cycles and premenstrual symptoms.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
NASA Data Helps Pinpoint Impacted Populations In Disaster Aftermath
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208047/080612202145.htm
When two catastrophic natural disasters struck within days of each other in May 2008, disaster relief, humanitarian aid, and health officials, as well as members of the news media tapped into a unique set of NASA data products describing the location of the exposed populations. In the hours and days following the cyclone in Burma and the earthquake in China's Sichuan Province, workers had the data they needed to assess the numbers of people possibly affected in these deadly events. What arose was a timely example of how NASA data comes to the aid of officials when such disasters occur.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
One In Eight Lower Manhattan Residents Had Signs Of PTSD Two To Three Years After 9/11
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311208079/080613101105.htm
Lower Manhattan residents developed post-traumatic stress disorder at three times the usual rate in the years following 9/11. The rate among residents matched the rate previously reported among rescue and recovery workers.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Life's Raw Materials May Have Come From The Stars, Scientists Confirm
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311179508/080613092514.htm
Scientists have confirmed for the first time that an important component of early genetic material which has been found in meteorite fragments is extraterrestrial in origin. The finding suggests that parts of the raw materials to make the first molecules of DNA and RNA may have come from the stars.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
NASA Finds New Type Of Comet Dust Mineral
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311111424/080612194945.htm
NASA researchers and scientists from the United States, Germany and Japan have found a new mineral in material that likely came from a comet. The mineral, a manganese silicide named Brownleeite, was discovered within an interplanetary dust particle, or IDP, that appears to have originated from comet 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup. The comet originally was discovered in 1902 and reappears every 5 years.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Some Bird Flu Strains Have Acquired Properties That Might Enhance Potential To Infect Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310358826/080612074908.htm
A new study suggests that some North American avian influenza A H7 virus strains have properties that might enhance their potential to infect humans as well as their potential to spread from human to human.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
For Hurricanes, Storms, Raindrop Size Makes All The Difference
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311111425/080610092746.htm
When Tropical Storm Gaston hit Richmond, Va., in August 2004, its notable abundance of small and mid-sized raindrops created torrential rains that led to unexpected flash flooding throughout the city and its suburbs. New research from NASA has concluded that tropical cyclones like Gaston produce rain differently than another class of storms called "extra-tropical" cyclones. Making a proper distinction between these systems may be a key to assisting weather forecasters in estimating rainfall intensity.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Source Of Drug-tolerant Tuberculosis Possibly Behind TB Relapses, Intensity Of Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311111426/080611135046.htm
The primary bacteria behind tuberculosis can grow on surfaces and that drug-tolerant strains flourish in these bacterial communities, according to new research in Molecular Microbiology. The findings suggest a possible reason why human tuberculosis requires months of intensive antibiotic treatment and indicate a potential cause of the relapses that can nonetheless occur.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Keeping The Seductive, Shiny Brown Surface Of Fresh Chocolate As It Ages
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311111427/080610191040.htm
What do George Clooney and old chocolate have in common? Both are still delicious but have greyed with age -- and while this certainly hasn't damaged the image of the former ER star, it does detract from the appeal of the mocha ambrosia, despite being perfectly safe to eat.
Sat, 14 Jun 08
Physical Activity: Not Just A 'Walk In The Park'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/311111429/080610123106.htm
Scientists reveal that there is little or no relationship between living near green spaces and participation in physical activity.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Physicists Produce Quantum-entangled Images
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773064/080612141344.htm
Using a convenient and flexible method for creating twin light beams, researchers have produced "quantum images," pairs of information-rich visual patterns whose features are "entangled," or inextricably linked by the laws of quantum physics.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Stroke: Tsunami In The Human Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310459137/080612100904.htm
After a stroke, even unaffected areas of the brain are at risk -- depolarization waves arise at the edges of the dead tissue and spread through the adjacent areas of the brain. If these waves are repeated, more cells die. This has previously been observed only in animal studies.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Three-month-old Infants Are Sensitive To Emotional Cues Referring To Objects In The World
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773065/080610212401.htm
Scientists have discovered that three-month-old infants are sensitive to emotional signals that refer to objects in the world. It was once thought that young infants could only process social signals that were directed at them. However, in a new study published in PLoS ONE, researchers show that three-month-olds go beyond face-to-face social interactions: they even use social cues to process objects in the world around them.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
CT Lung Cancer Screening No Cure-all For Smokers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773066/080610093413.htm
Screening for lung cancer with computed tomography may help reduce lung cancer deaths in current and former smokers, but it won't protect them from other causes of death associated with smoking, according to a new study.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Crystal Clear Savings For Drug Giants
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306203764/080606105444.htm
Drug companies could save millions thanks to a new technology to monitor crystals as they form. The technique is a potentially invaluable tool in drug manufacture, where controlling crystal forms is crucial both to cost and product safety.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Ace Perceptual Skills Of Tennis Pros
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773067/080610212408.htm
Tennis Grand Slam season is upon us once again with the French Open already over, and Wimbledon hot on its heels later in the month. Researchers have found that tennis players are often better than the rest of us at certain time-related, perceptual skills, such as speed discrimination.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Mysterious Mountain Dinosaur May Be New Species
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773068/080612144558.htm
A partial dinosaur skeleton unearthed in 1971 from a remote British Columbia site is the first ever found in Canadian mountains and may represent a new species.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Primary Tumors Can Drive The Growth Of Distant Cancers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310536116/080612125047.htm
Primary tumors can encourage the growth of stray cancer cells lurking elsewhere in the body that otherwise may not have amounted to much. As people age, most may have such indolent cancer cells given the sheer number of cells in the body, although their rarity makes them impossible to detect, according to a new study.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
New Insights Into Hidden World Of Protein Folding
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773069/080611161044.htm
The proteins upon which life depends share an attribute with paper airplanes: Unless folded properly, they just won't fly. Proteins, long and linear when first made, must fold into specific configurations before they can properly do their job in a cell. How they are folded is a mystery, but researchers have begun prying the lid off a type of molecule called a chaperonin, which folds some of the most essential proteins for life. The goal is to control protein folding, which has therapy implications for many diseases caused by misfolding.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Mechanism Explains Link Between Apolipoprotein E And Alzheimer's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773070/080611135123.htm
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which apolipoprotein E, a molecule whose mutation is linked to Alzheimer's disease, stimulates degradation of sticky amyloid beta protein within the brain. The research may lead to a powerful new therapy for this devastating disease.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Boon To Drug Discovery: Interactions Within Membrane Complexes Can Be Maintained In Vacuum Of Mass Spectrometer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773071/080612141351.htm
Against currently held dogma, scientists have revealed that the interactions within membrane complexes can be maintained intact in the vacuum of a mass spectrometer. Their research is published in Science Express. The researchers were surprised to discover that membrane complexes could remain associated as it has always been assumed that they would not survive once transferred to the alien conditions inside the mass spectrometer. This new finding will enable scientists to investigate membrane complexes with from a variety of sources and with a range of small molecules. Since about 60% of all drug targets are membrane proteins this is a significant discovery.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Delaying School Start Time By One Hour Positively Affects Adolescents' Cognitive Performance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310358828/080612070445.htm
Delaying an adolescent's school start time by one hour has a positive effect on his or her cognitive performance.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Closing Ozone Hole Will Have Major Impact On Global Warming, And Probably Not For The Better
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773072/080612141015.htm
The closing of the ozone hole, which is projected to occur sometime in the second half of the 21st century, may significantly affect climate change in the Southern Hemisphere, and therefore, the global climate, according to a new article in Science. Ozone hole recovery could lead to increased warming of the Antarctic.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
New Way To Reduce Neuronal Loss In Brain Of A Person With Alzheimer's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773073/080610092650.htm
Neuroscientists have discovered a new way to reduce neuronal loss in the brain of a person with Alzheimer's disease. Memory loss in people with Alzheimer's disease can be attributed to several factors.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Large Areas Of Conservation Land Needed To Save Small Frogs, Turtles And Other Marine Species
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308788752/080610071911.htm
Scientists were surprised with findings of a recent study that reveals many animal species believed to persist in small contained areas actually need broad, landscape level conservation to survive. Overall, the study provides strong new evidence supporting the integration of multiple scales of conservation, including protected areas as well as landscape and seascape level conservation strategies.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Vitamin Supplement Little More Than 'Snake Oil,' Researcher Claims
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773074/080611220431.htm
A popular vitamin supplement is being advertised with claims that are demonstrably untrue, as revealed by recent research.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Cell Surface Receptors Are All 'Talk' In T Cell Stimulation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310536118/080612125042.htm
Using imaging techniques, researchers have revealed the dynamic processes that allow receptors to communicate with one another to stimulate the immune system. By understanding this "crosstalk" researchers expect to gain insights into autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
University Experts Dispute Hawk-eye's Wimbledon Line Call
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310430341/080612092025.htm
Ahead of Wimbledon fortnight, researchers from Cardiff University are advising that sports decision aids such as the Hawk-Eye system should come with a 'health' warning attached. Hawk-Eye, and similar officiating tools which are used to supplement or replace decision-making by umpires and referees, are becoming an increasingly common part of televised sports coverage. But the new technology has also attracted its critics.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Memory Loss Linked To Common Sleep Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309581446/080611071037.htm
Got memory problems? If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, your brain could be to blame. Researchers have discovered that people with sleep apnea show tissue loss in brain regions that help store memory. The findings emphasize the importance of early detection of the disorder, which afflicts an estimated 20 million Americans. Sleep apnea occurs when a blocked airway repeatedly halts the sleeper's breathing, resulting in loud bursts of snoring and chronic daytime fatigue. Memory loss and difficulty focusing are also common complaints. Prior studies have linked the disorder to a higher risk of stroke, heart disease and diabetes.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Drugs Being Tested For Alzheimer's Disease Work In Unexpected And Beneficial Ways
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773075/080611135109.htm
Researchers have discovered how a class of agents now in testing to treat Alzheimer's disease work, and say they may open up an avenue of drug discovery for this disease and others.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Phoenix Mars Lander Delivers Soil Sample To Microscope
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310803666/080612201429.htm
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander sprinkled a spoonful of Martian soil Wednesday onto the sample wheel of the spacecraft's robotic microscope station, images received early June 12 confirmed.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Black Patients With Diabetes Fared Worse Than White Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308306665/080609162108.htm
Primary care physicians caring for patients with diabetes have worse outcomes among their black patients than their white patients, reports a new study.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Computer Climate Models Need Updated Forest Dynamics Data
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310773077/080612141356.htm
An improved understanding of forest dynamics is needed to better predict environmental change. New research suggests that a new generation of realistic forest modelling, which is urgently needed and now within reach, will significantly improve an understanding of how forests work, how tree species respond to deforestation, and how forests impact climate regulation and environmental change. The world's forests play a vital role in understanding and predicting future climate change.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
US Still Leads The World In Science And Technology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310358833/080612070406.htm
Despite perceptions that the nation is losing its competitive edge, the United States remains the dominant leader in science and technology worldwide, according to a new RAND Corporation study. The United States accounts for 40 percent of the total world's spending on scientific research and development, employs 70 percent of the world's Nobel Prize winners and is home to three-quarters of the world's top 40 universities.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Detective Astronomers Unearth Hidden Celestial Gem
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310575641/080612132236.htm
ESA's orbiting X-ray observatory XMM-Newton has re-discovered an ignored celestial gem. The object in question is one of the youngest and brightest supernova remnants in the Milky Way, the corpse of a star that exploded around 1000 years ago.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Unique Drug Combination May Hold The Key To Reversing Type I Diabetes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310575644/080610112632.htm
Scientists are reporting promising results from a study that tested a novel therapy for reversing Type 1 diabetes. The treatment combines a drug that halts the immune damage that causes Type 1 diabetes with another drug that stimulates the pancreas to regenerate.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Has Global Warming Research Misinterpreted Cloud Behavior?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310575646/080611184722.htm
When researchers observe natural changes in clouds and temperature, they have assumed that temperature change caused the clouds to change, and not the other way around. This can lead to overestimates of how sensitive Earth's climate is to greenhouse gas emissions.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Women, Mexican-Americans At Higher Risk Of Ruptured Brain Aneurysm
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310575649/080611161048.htm
A type of bleeding stroke that can strike at any age, and kills one-third of its victims, appears to be more common in women and Mexican-Americans than in non-Hispanic white men, according to a new study. The new research on subarachnoid hemorrhage may help public health officials reach out to higher-risk groups with information on prevention and the importance of rapid treatment.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Key Regulator Of DNA Mutations Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310358824/080612075846.htm
As a general rule, your DNA is not something you want rearranged. But there are exceptions -- especially when it comes to fighting infections. Since the number of microbes in the world far surpasses the amount of human DNA dedicated to combat them, specialized cells in the immune system have adopted an ingenious, if potentially disastrous, strategy for making antibodies. These cells, called B lymphocytes, intentionally mutate their own DNA to ward off invaders they have never seen before.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Insomnia In Parents Can Result In Sleep Problems, Suicidal Behavior Among Their Offspring
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310358830/080612070438.htm
A history of chronic insomnia in parents is not only associated with elevated risk for insomnia but also with elevated risks for use of hypnotics, psychopathology and suicidal behavior in adolescent offspring.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Reverse Engineering The Brain To Model Mind-body Interactions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310358823/080612080431.htm
When you grab a cold beverage out of the cooler this summer, what is really going on between your brain, your eyes and your hands? Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), scientists are cataloging body parts and functions and tracing their interactions with the brain. This information is being used to create a working three-dimensional computer model of all these functions.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
'Faulty' Brain Connections May Be Responsible For Social Impairments In Autism
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310575651/080612131223.htm
The brains of adults with autism are "wired" differently from people without the disorder and this abnormal pattern of connectivity may be responsible for the social impairments that are characteristic of autism.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Doritos Makes History With World's First Extra Terrestrial Advertisement
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310536119/080612122817.htm
Doritos is making history, taking the UK's first step in communicating with aliens as they broadcast the first ever advert directed towards potential extra terrestrial life. The University of Leicester has played a key part in the success of the project.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Teens Who Repeatedly Cut Themselves Have Greater HIV Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310358832/080612070410.htm
Teens who repeatedly cut themselves are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, increasing their chances of possibly contracting HIV, according to a new study.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Statistics Phenomenon On The Pitch: Often Two Players With The Same Birthday At The World Cup
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310575652/080611182646.htm
The German defender Philipp Lahm and the Portuguese midfield star Maniche were both born on November 11 -- and they were both playing in the game for the third place at the World Cup 2006. Anyway, in more than half of the games at the World Cup 2006 at least two persons on the field had the same birthday. That is what a young researcher found out within the scope of her bachelor thesis. And for the European Championship 2008 which has just started, one can expect a similar result. The reason is the so-called birthday paradox.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Sexual Arousal Dependent On Flow Of Potassium Ions In Brain Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310358825/080612075331.htm
When it comes to sex, a female rat knows how to avoid a communication breakdown. To announce her sexual readiness, she will automatically arch her back, deflect her tail and stand rigid to allow an aroused male to mount. Now, researchers have figured out the precise chemical and physical mechanism in a group of brain cells that controls this swayback posture, a reflex called lordosis that signals one of life's most complex yet primitive instincts -- the need for sex. The team also found that when female rats are treated with the sex hormone estradiol before the experiment, the number of cells that respond to norepinephrine soar, making the impulse to mate stronger.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Freshwater Runoff From Greenland Ice Sheet Will More Than Double By End Of Century
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310430343/080612090919.htm
The Greenland Ice Sheet is melting faster than previously calculated according to a recently released scientific paper. The study is based on the results of state-of-the-art modeling using data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as well as satellite images and observations from on the ground in Greenland.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Smoking And Body Mass Index Linked To Hearing Loss, But Alcohol Has Protective Effect
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310499692/080610092641.htm
Smoking and body mass index are risk factors in the development of age-related hearing loss, says one of the largest-ever studies into risk factors for hearing loss -- but alcohol has a protective effect.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Hubble’s Sweeping View Of The Coma Galaxy Cluster
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310499693/080610092427.htm
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the magnificent starry population of the Coma Cluster of Galaxies, one of the densest known galaxy collections in the Universe. Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys has observed a large portion of the Coma Cluster, stretching across several million light-years. The entire cluster is more than 20 million light-years in diameter, is nearly spherical in shape and contains thousands of galaxies.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
How Cocaine Impairs Fetal Brain Development
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310499694/080610092750.htm
Exposure of the developing brain to cocaine can cause neurological and behavioral abnormalities in babies born to mothers who use the drug during pregnancy. Researchers -- who note that cocaine use occurs in several hundred thousand pregnancies per year in the United States alone -- investigated the mechanism of cocaine's effect on fetal brain development.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Computer Model For Finding Mosquito Repellent Compounds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306267245/080606132842.htm
Summer reminds us that one of the most useful tools for preventing mosquito bites is insect repellent. Scientists have shown that a computer modeling program that looks at compounds' chemical structure can predict which compounds are likely to stop mosquito bites.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Excessive Drinking And Relapse Rapidly Cut In New Approach
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310499695/080609170806.htm
Boosting the level of a specific brain protein quickly cut excessive drinking of alcohol in a new animal study, and also prevented relapse -- the common tendency found in sober alcoholics to easily return to heavy drinking after just one glass.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Professor Designs Plasma-propelled Flying Saucer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310391615/080611135049.htm
Flying saucers may soon be more fact than mere science fiction. A mechanical and aerospace engineering professor has submitted a patent application for a circular, spinning aircraft design reminiscent of the spaceships seen in countless Hollywood films. The proposed prototype is small -- the aircraft will measure less than six inches across -- and will be efficient enough to be powered by on-board batteries.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Belly Fat May Affect Liver Function
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310391616/080610092734.htm
A new stud suggests the release of lipids from abdominal fat, which drains directly to the liver, increases overnight, providing additional insight as to how abdominal fat is associated with type 2 diabetes risk. The findings suggest that the increase of lipids released overnight from abdominal fat may cause insulin resistance.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Love That Garlic? Fresh May Be Healthier Than Bottled
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308049126/080609092230.htm
The next time you use garlic for its renowned antibacterial effects, consider fresh garlic instead of those bottles of chopped garlic. Researchers report that fresh garlic maintains higher levels of a key healthy ingredient than preserved versions and may be better for you. In the new study, scientists point out that allicin is one of the main active ingredients in garlic.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Biomarkers Of Early-stage Pancreatic Cancer In Mice And Man Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308788738/080610072418.htm
Researchers have identified a panel of proteins linked to early development of pancreatic cancer in mice that applies also to early stages of the disease in humans -- a breakthrough that brings scientists a significant step closer to developing a blood test to detect the disease early, when cure rates are highest.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Tapping Computer Science For A More ACCURATE Vote
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/310391617/080610092644.htm
Inspiring campaign rallies. Whistle-stop stump speeches. Intense debates. This year's presidential elections have already exhibited a number of time-honored traditions in American democracy. Unfortunately, recent presidential elections have included a new ritual --questions and controversies over the accuracy of voting technologies Americans use to cast and count their ballots.
Fri, 13 Jun 08
Caloric Intake Negatively Influences Healthy Adults' Sleep Patterns
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308788744/080610072056.htm
Caloric intake negatively influences sleep patterns in healthy adults. Positive and statistically significant correlations were found between total energy intake and late-night snack energy intake and awakenings during sleep.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
New Properties Discovered In Entire Class Of Non-magnetic Materials
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984577/080611161041.htm
Researchers have just shown that the entire class of non-magnetic materials, such as those used in some computer components, could have considerably more uses than scientists had thought. The findings are important because they reveal previously unknown information about the structure of these materials, expanding the number of properties and uses that they potentially could have.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Pigs Raised Without Antibiotics More Likely To Carry Bacteria, Parasites
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984578/080611144016.htm
While consumers are increasing demand for pork produced without antibiotics, more of the pigs raised in such conditions carry bacteria and parasites associated with food-borne illnesses, according to a new study. A comparison of swine raised in antibiotic-free and conventional pork production settings revealed that pigs raised outdoors without antibiotics had higher rates of three food-borne pathogens than did pigs on conventional farms.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Children With Bigger Neck Sizes Face An Increased Risk Of A Sleep-related Breathing Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308788740/080610072347.htm
Children with bigger age-adjusted neck sizes may be at increased risk for a sleep-related breathing disorder, as well as increased severity of the disease.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Global Warming Could Release Trillions Of Pounds Of Carbon Annually From East Siberia's Vast Frozen Soils
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984579/080611154839.htm
East Siberia's permafrost contains about 500 Gigatons (1100 trillion pounds) of frozen carbon deposits that are highly susceptible to disturbances as the climate warms. Once started, irreversible thawing could release 4.4-6.2 trillion pounds of carbon per year into the atmosphere between the years 2300 and 2400, transforming 74 percent of the initial carbon stock into carbon dioxide and methane.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
What's Mine Is Mine: Brain Scans Reveal What's Behind The Aversion To Loss Of Possessions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984580/080611135128.htm
Did you ever wonder why it is so difficult to part with your stuff? A new study reveals fascinating insights into the specific neuropsychological mechanisms that are linked with the potential loss of possessions. The research has important implications for both neuroscience and economics and may even explain why you are reluctant to sell your iPod.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Woolly Mammoth Gene Study Changes Extinction Theory
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984581/080611161038.htm
A large genetic study of the extinct woolly mammoth has revealed that the species was not one large homogenous group, as scientists previously had assumed, and that it did not have much genetic diversity. The discovery is particularly interesting because it rules out human hunting as a contributing factor, leaving climate change and disease as the most probable causes of extinction.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Researchers Block Transmission Of Malaria In Animal Tests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984582/080609171152.htm
By disrupting the potassium channel of the malaria parasite, a team of researchers has been able to prevent new malaria parasites from forming in mosquitoes and has thereby broken the cycle of infection during recent animal tests.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Technology Enrolled In Hunt For Life On Mars
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309654531/080610185204.htm
Scientists looking for evidence of life on Mars have turned to technology invented by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers to help with their mission. A team from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., has created a device for use on the European ExoMars rover mission scheduled for launch in 2013. That space voyage is one of several planned expeditions to the red planet that will follow in the footsteps of NASA's Phoenix mission, which landed on Mars late last month and this week began preparing to test soil samples.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Primary Snoring In Children Impacts Cardiovascular Functioning
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309581443/080611071124.htm
Primary snoring in children may have an impact on cardiovascular functioning equivalent to that of moderate obstructive sleep apnea.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Designing Microchips That Contain Multiple Selves
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984583/080611135030.htm
Computer engineers have created a way to design integrated circuits that contain many individual selves. The chips can assume different identities, depending on the user's needs. The new method enables programmers to strategically reconfigure application-specific integrated circuits while preserving their advantages, such as speed and low power. The chips could be used for enhanced device security, content provisioning, application metering, device optimization and many other design tasks.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Remedial Instruction Can Make Strong Readers Out Of Poor Readers, Brain Imaging Study Reveals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984584/080611103900.htm
A new brain imaging study of poor readers found that 100 hours of remedial instruction not only improved the skills of struggling readers, but also changed the way the parietotemporal regions of their brains activated when they comprehended written sentences. This was the first brain imaging study in which children were tested on their understanding of sentences, not just on recognition of single words.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Vitamin D: New Way To Treat Heart Failure?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984585/080611135038.htm
Activated vitamin D protects the heart against avoid overwork and enlargement, two of the hallmarks of heart failure, a new study in animals shows. The results, the first to show vitamin D can prevent the damaging effects of heart failure, add heart health to the growing list of vitamin D's benefits.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Pivotal Breakthrough Made In Alcohol Addiction Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984586/080609162049.htm
Remarkably, and for the first time, addiction experts report the results of a clinical trial whereby an effective therapeutic medication, topiramate, not only decreases heavy drinking but also diminishes the physical and psychosocial harm caused by alcohol dependence.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Beneficial Bacteria Help Control Produce Pathogen
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306267241/080606133836.htm
A new food safety treatment could increase the effectiveness of conventional produce sanitization methods. Microbiologists developed and tested the method, which pits beneficial bacteria against potentially harmful ones. The beneficial bacteria inhibit the growth of pathogens that survive initial physical or chemical attempts to remove them from fresh produce. Produce pathogens are a prominent source of food-borne illness in the United States.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
TB Treatment For Elderly Likely Requires Boost To Immune Response
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308235581/080609143746.htm
Manipulating the immune system in elderly people appears to be the most likely way to help older patients wage an effective battle against tuberculosis, a new study suggests. Mathematical modeling of how mice respond to TB infection suggests that potential therapy options for elderly TB patients could either increase their white blood cell count or enhance infected cells' interaction with their immune system.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Chemical Engineering Researchers Identify Biofilms That Cause Infections
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984588/080611135026.htm
Understanding the way bacterial cells "talk" to each other could lead to more effective methods for fighting the often persistent and serious infections caused by the biofilms they form, says a professor of chemical engineering who not only has deciphered their language but also discovered how to quell their conversation.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Moderate Exercise Can Improve Sleep Quality Of Insomnia Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309581442/080611071129.htm
An acute session of moderate aerobic exercise, but not heavy aerobic or moderate strength exercises, can reduce the anxiety state and improve the sleep quality of insomnia patients.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Fossils Found In Tibet Revise History Of Elevation, Climate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984589/080611144021.htm
About 15,000 feet up on Tibet's desolate Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau, an international research team was surprised to find thick layers of ancient lake sediment filled with plant, fish and animal fossils typical of far lower elevations and warmer, wetter climates.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Measuring The Footprint Of Cells For Health And Competitive Sports
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984590/080606105439.htm
Researchers have devised a novel sensor that will enable human somatic cells to be identified on the basis of their characteristic locomotion pattern. The sensor is expected to facilitate the diagnosis of diseases or the assessment of healing processes. Even the slightest differences are important in competitive sport: To improve a ski jumper's performance, the trainer can analyze the jump very accurately using force sensors.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Diabetes Medication Associated With Slower Progression Of Retina Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984591/080609162056.htm
Patients with diabetes who take the medication rosiglitazone may be less likely to develop the eye disease proliferative diabetic retinopathy or to experience reductions in visual acuity, according to a new report.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
European System For Cutting Carbon Dioxide Emissions Is Working Well
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984592/080610154749.htm
In a bid to control greenhouse gas emissions linked to climate change, the European Union has been operating the world's first system to limit and to trade carbon dioxide. Despite its hasty adoption and somewhat rocky beginning three years ago, the EU "cap-and-trade" system has operated well and has had little or no negative impact on the overall EU economy, according to an MIT analysis.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Decline In Cigarette Smoking Offset By Increase In Cigars, Snuff And Other Tobacco Products
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984593/080610161240.htm
While trends in cigarette smoking and sales have declined in the US for the past decade, sales of non-cigarette tobacco products have been on the rise. Researchers found that 30 percent of the recent decline in cigarette sales may be offset by the robust sale of small cigars, snuff and roll-your-own products.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Global Network Of Telescopes Simulates 6,000-mile Wide Telescope
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309654518/080610154805.htm
On May 22, Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico joined other telescopes in North America, South America, Europe and Africa in simultaneously observing the same targets, simulating a telescope more than 6,800 miles (almost 11,000 kilometers) in diameter.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Cancer-killing Viruses Influence Tumor Blood-vessel Growth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309654520/080610180356.htm
Viruses genetically designed to kill cancer cells offer a promising strategy for treating incurable brain tumors, but the body often eliminates the viruses before they can eliminate the tumor. This animal study helps explain why this happens. The research shows that as the viruses destroy tumor cells, the cells release proteins that stimulate new blood-vessel growth to the tumor. These vessels bring immune cells that eradicate the viruses and actually stimulate regrowth of the tumor.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Space Weather: Interfering With The Global Positioning System
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309615455/080611080132.htm
You can't always trust your GPS gadget. As scientists have long known, perplexing electrical activity in the upper atmospheric zone called the ionosphere can tamper with signals from GPS satellites. Now, new research and monitoring systems are clarifying what happens to disruptive clouds of electrons and other electrically charged particles, known as ions, in the ionosphere. The work may lead to regional predictions of reduced GPS reliability and accuracy.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Disturbed Rest-Activity Rhythms Strongly Associated With Mortality Rates In Older Men
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309581441/080611071143.htm
Strong associations between disturbed rest/activity rhythms and mortality rates in older, community-dwelling (noninstitutionalized) men have been reported.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Mercury Contamination Found In Stranded Victorian Dolphins
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309654523/080610092720.htm
Research by an honors student has revealed high mercury levels may be a contributing factor to dolphin deaths in Australia.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
'Plutoid' Chosen As Name For Solar System Objects Like Pluto
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309654524/080611094136.htm
The International Astronomical Union has decided on the term plutoid as a name for dwarf planets like Pluto at a meeting of its Executive Committee in Oslo. Almost two years after the IAU General Assembly introduced the category of dwarf planets, the IAU, as promised, has decided on a name for transneptunian dwarf planets similar to Pluto.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Gene Linked To Adult-onset Obesity Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309654525/080610105943.htm
Researchers have discovered a gene that may provide a clue as to why obesity rates increase with age. The age-dependence of the obesity seen in this mouse model mimics human obesity patterns, researchers said. Indeed, the likelihood of people developing obesity more than doubles between the ages of 20 and 60.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
GLAST Lifts Off On Gamma Ray Mission
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309984594/080611143818.htm
NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Telescope successfully launched aboard a Delta II rocket June 11. The spacecraft will study the highest-energy form of light, helping scientists to answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Eating Fish And Foods With Omega-3 Fatty Acids Linked To Lower Risk Of Age-related Eye Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309654528/080609162058.htm
Eating fish and other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids is associated with reduced risk of the eye disease age-related macular degeneration, according to a meta-analysis of nine previously published studies. However, the accumulated evidence includes few clinical trials and is insufficient to support the routine consumption of such foods for AMD prevention, the authors note.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Air-powered Go-cart Hits The Track
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126892/080606091445.htm
It's Sunday afternoon. Thousands of fans cheer wildly as race cars fly by at speeds nearing 200 mph for 200 laps. They whiz down the pit road making pit stops, changing tires and refueling. Only, the tanks are not being filled with gas; they're being filled with air. That scenario may sound futuristic, but it may not be long before we see air-powered engines take to the track. A group of mechanical engineering students have already started the journey down that road.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Evening-type College Students On Early Daytime Class Schedules At A Disadvantage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308788746/080610072044.htm
Eveningness is associated with not only later phases of a person's sleep-wake cycle, but also with sleep irregularities, more pronounced sleep restriction during the week, and higher sleep compensation on weekends. Evening type college students may, therefore, need a sleep education that helps them adjust to imposed morning schedules, and would probably benefit from later class schedules.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
The Symbolic Monkey? Animals Can Comprehend And Use Symbols, Study Of Tufted Capuchins Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309654529/080610212404.htm
From paintings and photographs to coins and credit cards, we are constantly surrounded by symbolic artifacts. The mental representation of symbols -- objects that arbitrarily represent other objects -- ultimately affords the development of language, and certainly played a decisive role in the evolution of our hominid ancestors. Can other animal species also comprehend and use symbols? New evidence demonstrates symbolic reasoning in tufted capuchin monkeys.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Hi-dose Immunosuppressant Drug Reverses Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms In Selected Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309654530/080609162053.htm
A short-term, very-high dose regimen of the immune-suppressing drug cyclophosphamide seems to slow progression of multiple sclerosis in most of a small group of patients studied and may even restore neurological function lost to the disease, Johns Hopkins researchers report. The findings in nine people, most of whom had failed all other treatments, suggest new ways to treat a disease that tends to progress relentlessly.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
NASA's Phoenix Lander Has An Oven Full Of Martian Soil
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309830629/080611143120.htm
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has filled its first oven with Martian soil. The lander's Robotic Arm delivered a partial scoopful of clumpy soil from a trench informally called "Baby Bear" to the number 4 oven on TEGA last Friday, June 6, which was 12 days after landing.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Carbon Monoxide May Reduce Skeletal Muscle Injuries, Mouse Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309654532/080610185957.htm
Inhalation of carbon monoxide (CO) can reduce skeletal muscle injury after the following limb peripheral vascular disease (ischemia), where blood flow is interrupted and can be compounded by reperfusion, when damage is caused after the blood supply returns to the tissue. When this occurs, there can be limb loss or death.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Mini-helicopters With Fuel Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306165579/080606102558.htm
In the future, an unmanned helicopter will search for people trapped in fallen buildings or investigate contaminated terrain. The mini-helicopter will be powered by a very light fuel cell that weighs only 30 grams and has an output of 12 watts.
Thu, 12 Jun 08
Tune-deaf People May Hear A Sour Note Unconsciously
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309654533/080610212416.htm
People with tune deafness, an auditory processing disorder in which a person with normal hearing has trouble distinguishing notes in a melody, are able to detect a wrong note unconsciously, researchers have found. Because tune deafness is a commonly occurring phenomenon that is largely inherited, the study of this disorder could enable scientists to use the tools of genetic research to better understand the differences between conscious and unconscious thought.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Early Humans Experimented To Get Bow And Arrow Just Right, Findings Suggest
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169410/080610165057.htm
When the "cutting-edge" technology of the bow and arrow was introduced to the world, it changed the way humans hunted and fought. Archaeologists have discovered that early man, on the way to perfecting the performance of this new weapon, engaged in experimental research, producing a great variety of projectile points in the quest for the best, most effective system.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Men With Vitamin D Deficiency May Have Increased Risk Of Heart Attack
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169411/080609162100.htm
Low levels of vitamin D appear to be associated with higher risk of myocardial infarction in men, according to a new report.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Unique Acoustic System Protects Manatees From Injuries And Death
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126891/080606091943.htm
Researchers have developed and improved upon a unique acoustic system designed to keep manatees from being injured or killed by flood gates and boat locks. Locks are used on sections of a canal or river that may be closed off by gates to control the water level to enable the raising and lowering of boats passing through. The "Manatee Acoustic Detection Sensor Protection System" is composed of an array of unique acoustic transmitters and receivers that provide non-contact detection of manatees as they pass through the gates of the lock.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Mixing And Matching Genes To Keep Nerve Cells Straight
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308159061/080609124611.htm
With fewer than 30,000 human genes with which to work, Nature has to mix and match to generate the myriad types of neurons or nerve cells needed to assemble the brain and nervous system. Keeping this involved process on the straight and narrow requires a clever balance of promotion and inhibition, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Goodbye To Batteries And Power Cords In Factories
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169412/080606105442.htm
A broken cable or a soiled connector? If a machine in a factory goes on strike, it could be for any of a thousand reasons. Self-sufficient sensors that provide their own power supply will soon make these machines more robust.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Cancer Incidence And Mortality In Young People Decreases With Increasing Deprivation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308089116/080609103308.htm
Results of research into the associations between cancer and socio-economic deprivation and affluence have shown that, in contrast to cancers in older people, the numbers of new cases and deaths from the disease in teenagers and young adults decrease with increasing deprivation. Researchers also noted increases in the incidence of a number of cancers, including two potentially preventable cancers among younger people: cervical cancer and melanoma.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Physicists Reveal Secrets Of Newest Form Of Carbon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169413/080610154752.htm
Using one of the world's most powerful sources of man-made radiation, physicists have uncovered new secrets about the properties of graphene -- a form of pure carbon that may one day replace the silicon in computers, televisions, mobile phones and other common electronic devices.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Common Bowel Problem Linked To Chili Pepper Pain Receptor
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169414/080610092648.htm
People with irritable bowel syndrome have a higher than usual number of chili pepper pain receptors, according to a new study. The research could lead to new therapies for the estimated one in five adults in the UK and US who have irritable bowel syndrome, a painful condition which is poorly understood.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Good Dental Hygiene May Help Prevent Heart Infection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169415/080609162047.htm
Avoiding dental disease is important for patients at risk of infective endocarditis. While bacteria can get into the bloodstream during tooth brushing, the risk is much lower when the teeth and the tissues around them are healthy. Preventive antibiotics reduce the likelihood of bacteria being found in the bloodstream when a tooth is extracted but antibiotics are only recommended for patients at the highest risk of a bad outcome from infective endocarditis.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Understanding Delayed Puberty: Scientists Study Migration Of Neurons That Enable Sexual Maturity in Zebrafish
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169416/080605093331.htm
Scientists are watching a small group of neurons that enable sexual maturity and fertility make a critical journey: from where they form, near the developing nose, to deep inside the brain.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Traits Of Aggressive Form Of Prostate Cancer Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169417/080609124557.htm
Researchers have identified traits of an aggressive type of prostate cancer that occurs in about 10 percent of men who have the disease. They hope the discovery could lead, possibly within the next few years, to a simple urine test that will help to diagnose this variation of prostate cancer.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
New Wireless Sensor Network Keeps Tabs On The Environment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169418/080604165554.htm
A new wireless sensor network allows for the clandestine data collection of environmental factors in remote locations and its monitoring from anywhere in the world where the Internet is available.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Expecting To Be Treated With Prejudice May Be Self-fulfilling Prophecy, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308089119/080609103225.htm
Expecting to be treated with prejudice may be part of a self-fulfilling prophecy, according to new research. Researchers, however, warned against blaming the victim.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Permafrost Threatened By Rapid Retreat Of Arctic Sea Ice, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169419/080610112628.htm
The rate of climate warming in the Arctic could more than triple, raising concerns about thawing permafrost and the potential consequences for sensitive ecosystems.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
World's Oldest Woman Had Normal Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308049123/080609093252.htm
A 115-year-old woman who remained mentally alert throughout her life had an essentially normal brain, with little or no evidence of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study in the August issue of Neurobiology of Aging.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Otters Reveal Their Identity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169420/080605095616.htm
Researchers have developed two new methods, in order to be able to better estimate the numbers of European otters (Lutra lutra) and their effects on the fish farming industry. Genetic analyses of the feces could prove to be a promising approach when investigating otter populations, as reported in the scientific journal Conservation Genetics. The new method does not only apply to otters, but also to all vertebrates.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Stem Cell Discovery Sheds Light On Placenta Development
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169421/080609124547.htm
By manipulating a specific gene in a mouse blastocyst -- the structure that develops from a fertilized egg but is not yet an actual embryo -- scientists caused cells destined to build an embryo to instead change direction and build the cell mass that leads to the placenta.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Stripes Key To Nanoparticle Drug Delivery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308119451/080609112254.htm
In work that could at the same time impact the delivery of drugs and explain a biological mystery, engineers have created the first synthetic nanoparticles that can penetrate a cell without poking a hole in its protective membrane and killing it.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Potential Dangers Faced By Narcoleptics Who Smoke Cigarettes Considered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307975263/080609071317.htm
This research abstract provides the first description of nicotine use by narcolepsy patients. Because people with narcolepsy can fall asleep suddenly and without warning, even while eating, walking or driving, those who smoke nicotine in bed are at a high risk of burning either themselves or the objects around them, or starting a fire, if they fall asleep.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Suprafroths: How Cappuccino Froth Is Like A Superconductor
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308823579/080605134626.htm
Who would think that the froth on a morning cup of cappuccino has a lot in common with superconductors? Physicists have found that the bubble-like arrangement of magnetic domains in superconducting lead exhibits patterns that are very similar to everyday froths like milk on a fancy coffee. The similarities between "suprafroths" and conventional froths establish suprafroths as a model system for the study of all froths.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Use Of Bright Lighting May Improve Dementia Symptoms For Elderly Persons
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169422/080610161247.htm
The use of daytime bright lighting to improve the circadian rhythm of elderly persons was associated with modest improvement in symptoms of dementia, and the addition of the use of melatonin resulted in improved sleep.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Creating A Safe Zone For Right Whales
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306338744/080606153019.htm
It's called the "area to be avoided,"-- 1,000 square nautical miles located in the Roseway Basin region of the Scotian Shelf, just south of Barrington, N.S. And since June 1, ships have been asked to make a detour around the area, a crucial habitat for the endangered North Atlantic right whale. There may be only 350 these right whales left in the Atlantic Ocean. Without measures to protect and grow their numbers, they could be extinct by 2020.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Outing The Outliers: Strategy Matches Oncogene With Subtype Of Prostate Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308159060/080609124616.htm
A new study reveals a previously unidentified candidate oncogene that appears to play a significant role in a subset of prostate cancers. The research describes a new strategy that can be used to find "outlier" genes in cancer subtypes that are not well understood.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Genome Of 150 Different Avian Influenza Viruses Released
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306267244/080606133251.htm
The complete genetic coding sequences of 150 different avian influenza viruses have been released. The information improves scientific understanding of avian influenza, a virus that mainly infects birds but that can also infect humans.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
More Marital Happiness = Less Sleep Complaints
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307975260/080609071336.htm
Marital happiness may lower the risk of sleep problems in Caucasian women, while marital strife may heighten the risk. Happily married women had less difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, fewer early morning awakenings, and more restful sleep as compared to unhappily married women.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Serotonin Link To Impulsivity, Decision-making, Confirmed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169423/080605150908.htm
New research suggests that the neurotransmitter serotonin, which acts as a chemical messenger between nerve cells, plays a critical role in regulating emotions such as aggression during social decision-making. Though many have hypothesized the link between serotonin and impulsivity, this is one of the first studies to show a causal link between the two.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Children Of Women Who Gain Excessive Weight During Pregnancy More Likely To Be Overweight
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308089118/080609103229.htm
Children of mothers who gain more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy are more likely to be overweight at age seven. Children of mothers who are obese prior to pregnancy and gain excessive weight are at the greatest risk for becoming overweight.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Ocean Life Under Threat From Climate Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306165577/080606105448.htm
The international science community must devote more resources to research into the effects climate change is having on ocean environments, according to a paper recently published in the journal Science.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Microenvironment A Main Driver Of Aggressive Multi-lineage Leukemia Disease Type
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308159062/080609124602.htm
New clues into what causes different types of a particularly aggressive group of blood cancers known as mixed lineage leukemias (MLL) and how the disease might be treated have been discovered, according to a study in Cancer Cell.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Quick Responses To Influenza Outbreaks Reduces Illness And Death
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/309169424/080610154808.htm
Influenza outbreaks were shorter and resulted in fewer cases and fewer deaths at long-term care facilities that started residents on preventive antiviral medications within five days of the first case, compared to those that started later, according to a new study in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
High School Students With A Delayed School Start Time Sleep Longer, Report Less Daytime Sleepiness
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307975270/080609071202.htm
High school students with a delayed school start time are more likely to take advantage of the extra time in bed, and less likely to report daytime sleepiness.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Glass Microspheres To Carry Hydrogen, Deliver Drugs, Filter Gases And Detect Nuclear Development
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306267237/080606135330.htm
Newly developed porous glass microspheres can be filled with absorbents to store gas and other materials. On a macro scale, these strong, reusable microspheres can be made to behave like a liquid. Applications for hydrogen storage, gas transport, gas purification and separation, sensor technologies, global-warming applications, and drug delivery systems are underway. Coatings, plates and fibers with similar properties can also be fabricated.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Risk Of ALS Exposure In Gulf War Veterans Is Time Limited, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306089304/080606084113.htm
A new study says that cases of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis among soldiers who served in the first Persian Gulf War were caused by certain events during their deployment to the war zone, meaning the exposure and illness is not as widespread as previously thought.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
New Research Refutes Myth Of Pure Scandinavian Race
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308823582/080609172919.htm
A team of forensic scientists at the University of Copenhagen has studied human remains found in two ancient Danish burial grounds dating back to the iron age, and discovered a man who appears to be of Arabian origin. The findings suggest that human beings were as genetically diverse 2,000 years ago as they are today and indicate greater mobility among the Danish iron age populations than was previously thought.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Ethical Implications Of Modifying Lethal Injection Protocols
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308788739/080610072413.htm
A team of medical, ethical and legal scholars argues in PLoS Medicine that in some US states the modification of lethal injection protocols is tantamount to experimentation upon prisoners without the prisoners' consent and without any ethical safeguards.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Gene Variation Linked To Earlier Onset Of Alzheimer's Symptoms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308823583/080609170803.htm
Investigators have identified a genetic variation associated with an earlier age of onset in Alzheimer's disease. Unlike genetic mutations previously linked to rare, inherited forms of early-onset Alzheimer's disease -- which can strike people as young as their 30s or 40s -- these variants influence an earlier presentation of symptoms in people affected by the more common, late-onset form of the disease.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Midlife Smokers May Have Worse Memory Than Non-smokers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308306666/080609162105.htm
Smoking appears to be associated with increased risk of poor memory among middle-age adults, according to a new article. The results are important because individuals with cognitive impairment in midlife may progress to dementia at a faster rate.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Honeybee Dance Breaks Down Cultural Barrier
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304505197/080604074930.htm
Asian and European honeybees can learn to understand one another's dance languages despite having evolved different forms of communication, an international research team has shown for the first time.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
New PET Scanning Probe Will Allowing Monitoring Of The Immune System
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307475012/080608131218.htm
Researchers have modified a common chemotherapy drug to create a new probe for Positron Emission Tomography, an advance that will allow them to model and measure the immune system in action and monitor response to new therapies.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Sniffing Out A Broad-spectrum Of Airborne Threats In Seconds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308049127/080609092056.htm
Scientists are reporting successful laboratory and field tests of a new device that can sniff out the faintest traces of a wide range of chemical, biological, nuclear, and explosive threats - and illicit drugs - from the air in minutes with great accuracy. The ultra-sensitive detector, known as the single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry (SPAMS) system, could tighten security at airports, sports stadiums and other large-scale facilities.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Golf Cart Injuries On The Rise
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308788753/080610071908.htm
As golf carts are used in more settings off the golf course, the number of injuries is rising. According to an article in the July 2008 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, from 1990 until 2006, the injury rate rose more than 130 percent. During this period, nearly 150,000 golf cart-related injuries were recorded in people as young as 2 months and as old as 96 years.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Who Shalt Not Kill? Brain Power Leads To Level-headedness When Faced With Moral Dilemmas
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308119449/080609115219.htm
Should a sergeant sacrifice a wounded private on the battlefield in order to save the rest of his troops? Is euthanasia acceptable if it prevents needless suffering? Many of us will have to face some sort of extreme moral choice such as these at least once in our life. A new study in Psychological Science explores how people understand morality and make decisions on moral issues.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Is ADHD An Advantage For Nomadic Tribesmen?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308788735/080609195604.htm
A propensity for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder might be beneficial to a group of Kenyan nomads, according to new research in BMC Evolutionary Biology. Scientists have shown that an ADHD-associated version of the gene DRD4 is associated with better health in nomadic tribesmen, and yet may cause malnourishment in their settled cousins.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
Inhalable Form Of Gene-therapy Takes Aim At Lung Cancer And Inflammatory Lung Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308049128/080609091913.htm
A new inhalable form of gene therapy -- based on technology recognized in the 2006 Nobel medicine prize, shows increasing promise for treating lung cancer, infectious diseases and inflammatory lung disease, scientists have concluded after an exhaustive review of worldwide research on the topic.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
New Type Of Glass Can Dissolve And Release Calcium Into The Body
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308823584/080605095623.htm
British scientists are developing a new type of glass that can dissolve and release calcium into the body. This will enable patients to regrow bones and could signal a move away from bone transplants.
Wed, 11 Jun 08
New Zealand Bird Outwits Alien Predators
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304529991/080604074920.htm
New research which found that the New Zealand bellbird is capable of changing its nesting behavior to protect itself from predators, could be good news for island birds around the world at risk of extinction.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
'Super Paper:' New Nanopaper More Break-resistant Than Cast Iron
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308049130/080609090706.htm
Researchers in Sweden and Japan report development of a new type of paper that resists breaking when pulled almost as well as cast iron. The new material, called "cellulose nanopaper," is made of sub-microscopic particles of cellulose and may open the way for expanded use of paper as a construction material and in other applications, they suggest.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Solid Tumor Cells Not Killed By Radiation And Chemotherapy Become Stronger
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308507479/080609124555.htm
Because of the way solid tumors adapt the body's machinery to bring themselves more oxygen, chemotherapy and radiation may actually make these tumors stronger.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Brain Pathway That Shuts Down Seizures Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307475014/080608131216.htm
Researchers have uncovered a brain pathway that shuts down seizures. They found that an acid-activated ion channel in the brain reacts to a drop in pH (increased acid) in a way that shuts down seizure activity. The link between low pH in the brain and seizure termination was first hinted at nearly 80 years ago when clinical experiments showed that breathing carbon dioxide, which makes brain tissue more acidic, helps stop epileptic seizures.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Using Carbon Nanotubes For Molecular Transport
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308235585/080609141229.htm
Molecular transport across cellular membranes is essential to many of life's processes, for example electrical signaling in nerves, muscles and synapses. In biological systems, the membranes often contain a slippery inner surface with selective filter regions made up of specialized protein channels of sub-nanometer size. These pores regulate cellular traffic, allowing some of the smallest molecules in the world to traverse the membrane extremely quickly, while at the same time rejecting other small molecules and ions.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
New Pathogen From Pigs' Stomach Ulcers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308507481/080608213752.htm
Scientists have isolated a new bacterium in pigs' stomachs thanks to a pioneering technique, offering hope of new treatments to people who suffer with stomach ulcers, according to research in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Biometrics: Tell Me By The Way I Walk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308235582/080609141241.htm
Biometrics is commonly associated retinal scans, iris recognition and DNA databases, but researchers in India are working on another form of biometrics that could allow law enforcement agencies and airport security to recognize suspects based on the way they were, their characteristic gait. Viewed from the side, we each have a unique gait that makes us easily recognizable.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Poor Sleep May Increase Odds Of Emotional, Behavioral Disturbances Including ADHD
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307975269/080609071206.htm
Insufficient sleep among adolescents may not only contribute to lower grades and a lack of motivation, but may also increase the odds of serious levels of emotional and behavioral disturbances, including ADHD.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Climate Change Hastens Extinction In Madagascar's Reptiles And Amphibians
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308119450/080609115216.htm
New research provides the first detailed study showing that global warming forces species to move up tropical mountains as their habitats shift upward. Herpetologists predict that at least three species of amphibians and reptiles found in Madagascar's mountainous north could go extinct between 2050 and 2100 because of habitat loss associated with rising global temperatures. These species are moving upslope to compensate for habitat loss at lower and warmer altitudes.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Promising Advances In Islet Cell Transplants For Diabetes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308235586/080609141225.htm
Researchers have modified the procedure for islet cell transplantation and achieved insulin independence in diabetes patients with fewer but better-functioning pancreatic islet cells.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
New Catfish Species Named For Museum Mail Supervisor
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308235590/080609141215.htm
He's not well known like President Bush and musician Neil Young, but Philadelphian Frank Gallagher now has something in common with them: He has a new species named after him. New species often are named for prominent scientists, generous benefactors or even spouses. A biologist recently named a new trapdoor spider after popular singer-songwriter Neil Young. A few years ago an entomologist named a new slime-mold beetle after the president. Rarely, if ever, has a new species been named for a postman.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Antibiotics Can Prevent Wound Complications Of Childbirth, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308235584/080609141234.htm
A single dose of antibiotics can significantly aid healing of the severe tearing that occurs in vaginal tissues during many births, according to researchers. As many as one in five women suffer severe vaginal tears during childbirth. In the study, those who received the antibiotic endured roughly one-third as many infections or other wound-healing complications two weeks after surgical repair of their tears.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Drilling, Not Earthquake, Caused Java Mud Volcano, Report Confirms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308049125/080609093238.htm
A two-year-old mud volcano which is still spewing huge volumes of mud, has displaced more than 30,000 people and caused millions of dollars worth of damage was caused by the drilling of a gas exploration well, an international team of scientists has concluded.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Cardiac Devices And Advanced Heart Failure: Are We Selecting The Wrong Patients?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306398828/080606174341.htm
Patients with advanced heart failure may be receiving implantable cardiac devices that do not help them because they are too ill to benefit from the treatment -- a practice that is not only costly, but puts patients through unnecessary suffering.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Toxic Algal Blooms May Cause Seizures In California Sea Lions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308089117/080609103232.htm
An increase of epileptic seizures and behavioral abnormalities in California sea lions can result from low-dose exposure to domoic acid from toxic algal blooms as a fetus. This brain disturbance is a newly recognized chronic disease.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
New Cancer Clue: MicroRNA Controls Expression Of Oncogenes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308235591/080609124614.htm
A new study demonstrates that microRNAs can modulate the expression of well known tumor-specific oncogenic translocation proteins and may play a significant role in some human cancers. The research is likely to lead to new strategies for treating some specific lymphomas and leukemias.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Phoenix Mars Lander Testing Sprinkle Technique
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308507482/080609225734.htm
Engineers operating the Robotic Arm on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander are testing a revised method for delivering soil samples to laboratory instruments on Phoenix's deck now that researchers appreciate how clumpy the soil is at the landing site.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Sweet Talking: Artificial Vesicles And Bacterial Cells Communicate By Way Of Sugar Components
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308507483/080605105207.htm
For an organism to develop and function, the individual cells must exchange information, or communicate, with each other. Is it possible to learn their language and "talk to" the cells? Yes it is: Researchers have been able to facilitate a conversation between bacterial cells and artificial polymer vesicles by way of sugar groups on the vesicle surface.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Therapeutic Potential Of Cord Blood Stem Cells Enhanced With New Technology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308507484/080606105436.htm
A CD26 Inhibitor increases the efficiency and responsiveness of umbilical cord blood for bone marrow transplants and may improve care for blood cancer patients according to research.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Bright Light Therapy May Improve Nocturnal Sleep In Mothers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308507485/080609071132.htm
Bright light therapy may improve a mother's nocturnal sleep, decrease daytime sleepiness and be beneficial to her well-being.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Cells That Initiate A Common Infant Tumor Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308507486/080605181212.htm
Infantile hemangiomas, exemplified by the strawberry-like patches that appear on the skin of infants soon after birth, are benign tumors that develop in 5 percent of Caucasian infants, and usually disappear by the age of 9 without treatment. Researchers have now identified the cells that give rise to these tumors and used them to develop a new mouse model of this disease, which they hope to use to identify new therapeutic targets.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Modified Surgical Technique Further Reduces Lung Surgery Pain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306230219/080606122902.htm
A simple variation in a surgical technique to reduce acute and chronic pain following lung surgery further reduces pain and helps return patients to normal activity quicker than the previous technique.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
More Sensitive Radiology Monitoring
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308089115/080609103340.htm
Networks for radiological monitoring are designed to monitor radioactivity levels in the environment and detect possible incidents. A new scientific methodology distinguishes between natural radioactivity and radiological incidents caused externally.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Extra Sleep Improves Athletic Performance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308507487/080609071106.htm
Extending their sleep to 10 hours per day enabled Stanford swimmers to improve their 15-meter sprint times, reaction times, turn times and kick strokes. Alertness and mood also improved. Results agree with data obtained from athletes on other Stanford sports teams in this ongoing study.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Persistent Man-made Chemical Pollutants Found In Deep-sea Octopods And Squids
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308266374/080609155135.htm
New evidence that chemical contaminants are finding their way into the deep-sea food web has been found in deep-sea squids and octopods, including the strange-looking "vampire squid." These species are food for deep-diving toothed whales and other predators
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Gene That Regulates Glucose Levels And Increases Risk For Diabetes Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308049131/080609085957.htm
Researchers have identify a genetic variant that regulates glucose levels and also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Parasitoid Turns Its Host Into A Bodyguard
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308344376/080604074916.htm
A research team offer evidence that behavioral changes of a host are beneficial to the parasite in the field. They studied a moth, the caterpillars of which can be parasitized by an insect parasitoid wasp. Once infected, subversion of the caterpillar normal behavior leads to the protection of the parasite from other predators.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Discovery Of New Signal Pathway Important To Diabetes Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304609976/080604101556.htm
Scientists have discovered that cells in the pancreas cooperate -- signal -- in a way hitherto unknown. The discovery can eventually be of significance to the treatment of diabetes.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Mammalian Neurogenesis Breaks Into The Most Static Brain Region
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308344377/080604074911.htm
Fifteen years ago, the discovery of adult neurogenesis (the production of new neurons) in the highly static, non-renewable mammalian brain was a breakthrough in neuroscience. Now new neuronal progenitors were found to be produced in the cerebellum of young and adult rabbits. This is rather astonishing since the mammalian cerebellum is known as one of the most static brain regions, wherein microscopic synaptic remodelling has long been considered as the only type of plasticity.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Poor Sleep Quality And Insomnia Associated With Suicidal Symptoms Among College Students
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307975258/080609071355.htm
Poor sleep quality and insomnia are significantly associated with suicidal symptoms among college undergraduates. Insomnia is a classification of sleep disorders in which a person has trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up too early. It is the most commonly reported sleep disorder. About 30 percent of adults have symptoms of insomnia.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Sun Goes Longer Than Normal Without Producing Sunspots
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308159064/080609124551.htm
The sun has been laying low for the past couple of years, producing no sunspots and giving a break to satellites. Periods of inactivity are normal, but this one has gone on longer than usual, scientists said recently.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Brain Stem Cells Can Be Awakened, Say Scientists
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306203763/080606110925.htm
Scientists have identified specific molecules in the brain that are responsible for awakening and putting to sleep brain stem cells, which, when activated, can transform into neurons and repair damaged brain tissue. Their findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Brown Argus Butterfly Sees Positive Effects Of Climate Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306165569/080602092537.htm
Global warming is generally thought to have a negative affect on the habitats of many animals and plants. Not for the Brown Argus butterfly, however. This insect seems to be bucking the trend and expanding its numbers quicker and more effectively, according to new research.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
New Molecular Link Between Diabetes And Kidney Failure
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308306661/080605203740.htm
Diabetes is an increasingly common cause of kidney failure in developed countries. It is thought that activation of a hormone system known as the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) early in the course of diabetes has an important role in the development of kidney disease.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Chinese Red Yeast Rice Is Good For Your Heart, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308306662/080609071102.htm
A clinical study on patients who have suffered a heart attack found that a partially purified extract of Chinese red yeast rice, Xuezhikang, reduced the risk of repeat heart attacks by 45 percent, revascularization (bypass surgery/angioplasty), cardiovascular mortality and total mortality by one-third and cancer mortality by two-thirds. The multicenter, randomized, double-blind study, was conducted on almost 5,000 patients in the People's Republic of China.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Sleepy Driving Highly Prevalent Among College Students
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307975266/080609071228.htm
A high prevalence of sleepy driving is reported among college students. 17 percent of students reported falling asleep behind the wheel, while 2.2 percent actually had accidents related to falling asleep. Importantly, 67 percent of those who reported accidents had significant levels of daytime sleepiness.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Excessive Mobile Phone Use Affects Sleep In Teens, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307975255/080609071402.htm
Teenagers who excessively use their cell phone are more prone to disrupted sleep, restlessness, stress and fatigue. When compared to subjects with restricted use of cell phones, young people with excessive use of cell phones (both talking and text messaging) have increased restlessness with more careless lifestyles, more consumption of stimulating beverages, difficulty in falling asleep and disrupted sleep, and more susceptibility to stress and fatigue. They behave more like larks than owls, suggesting a delayed biological clock.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Laser Technique Fights Cancer With Light
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126889/080606093329.htm
When Sammie Bush mentioned to his doctor that he sometimes felt something in the back of his throat, he didn't expect to learn that he had cancer or that he would be the first patient at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago to undergo photodynamic therapy -- a new procedure that uses light to destroy cancer.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Giant Telescope Mirrors For The Moon Could Be Made With Carbon, Epoxy And Lunar Dust
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308009992/080604143416.htm
Scientists working at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center have concocted an innovative recipe for giant telescope mirrors on the Moon. To make a mirror that dwarfs anything on Earth, just take a little bit of carbon, throw in some epoxy, and add lots of lunar dust.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
How Drug That Blocks Cholesterol Absorption From The Diet Works
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/308009993/080603121208.htm
A new study sheds light on the action of the drug ezetimibe (trade name Zetia), which is used to treat high cholesterol. Ezetimibe is unique among cholesterol-lowering drugs in that it works by cutting the amount of cholesterol taken in from the diet rather than by blocking cholesterol's manufacture in the body.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
New Bridge Can Be Built In Two Weeks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304650257/080604115310.htm
With new bridge-building materials, industrial production methods, and an efficient construction process, it will be possible to start using a bridge only two weeks after construction starts on the site.
Tue, 10 Jun 08
Circadian Math: 1 Plus 1 Doesn't Always Equal 2
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306364275/080606160712.htm
Like a wristwatch that needs to be wound daily for accurate time-telling, the human circadian system -- the biological cycles that repeat approximately every 24 hours -- requires daily light exposure to the eye's retina to remain synchronized with the solar day. Researchers have demonstrated that when it comes to the circadian system, not all light exposure is created equal.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Sheep's Sex Determined By Diet Prior To Pregnancy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692494/080608213756.htm
Maternal diet influences the chances of having male or female offspring. Research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology has demonstrated that ewes fed a diet enriched with polyunsaturated fats for one month prior to conception have a significantly higher chance of giving birth to male offspring.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Complex Synapses Drove Brain Evolution
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307475018/080608131209.htm
One of the great scientific challenges is to understand the design principles and origins of the human brain. New research has shed light on the evolutionary origins of the brain and how it evolved into the remarkably complex structure found in humans. The research suggests that it is not size alone that gives more brain power, but that, during evolution, increasingly sophisticated molecular processing of nerve impulses allowed development of animals with more complex behaviors.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Caution On Stem Cell Therapy: Single Organs May Contain Several Types Of Adult Stem Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307475009/080608131221.htm
A single organ may contain more than one type of adult stem cell -- a discovery that complicates prospects for using the versatile cells to replace damaged tissue as a treatment for disease, according to a new study.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Lower Crop Yields Due To Ozone A Factor In World Food Crisis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692495/080603183309.htm
Heat waves, droughts and fuel prices are just a few reasons for the current global food crisis that is making headlines around the world. New research indicates that rising background levels of ozone in the atmosphere are a likely contributor to the problem, lowering the yield of important food crops, such as wheat and soybeans.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Enzyme Plays Key Role In Cell Fate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692496/080604141033.htm
The road to death or differentiation follows a similar course in embryonic stem cells according to new research in the journal Cell Stem Cell. Caspases, known as 'killer enzymes,' that are activated during programmed cell death, are also active in the initial phases of cell differentiation, according to researchers.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Magnetic Sensor That Brooks No Interference
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692497/080603105630.htm
A novel magnetic sensor for the first time detects tiny fluctuations in a small magnetic field -- even when there is a strong magnet right beside it. The sensor can thus be utilized even in places where power cables generate an interference field -- for instance in a car's side mirror.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Scientific Information Largely Ignored When Forming Opinions About Stem Cell Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306203761/080606112831.htm
When forming attitudes about embryonic stem cell research, people are influenced by a number of things. But understanding science plays a negligible role for many people.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Possible New Approach To Purifying Drinking Water, Thanks To Genetic Tool
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303794443/080603104414.htm
A genetic tool used by medical researchers may also be used in a novel approach to remove harmful microbes and viruses from drinking water. In a series of proof-of-concept experiments, engineers demonstrated that short strands of genetic material could successfully target a matching portion of a gene in a common fungus found in water and make it stop working.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
New Hope For Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferers: B Cells As Promising New Therapeutic Targets
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430417/080602160801.htm
B cells, precursors of autoantibody-secreting cells, have emerged as promising new therapeutic targets in autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Antarctic Ice Stream Radiates Seismically: Sticks, Slips Like An Earthquake
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692498/080604141005.htm
Seismologists have found seismic signals from a giant Antarctic river of ice that make California's earthquake problem seem trivial. They combined seismological and global positioning system analyses to reveal two bursts of seismic waves from an ice stream in Antarctica every day, each one equivalent to a magnitude seven earthquake.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Longer Life For Paraplegic Patients With Superman Bicycle
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692499/080603172558.htm
A new type of exercise equipment can prevent serious lifestyle illnesses in paraplegic patients. The equipment was first designed for the American actor Christopher Reeve. Patients who are unable to walk after a spinal injury have a poorer quality of life and a shortened lifespan than their non-paralyzed counterparts. Sitting passively in a chair makes people susceptible to weight and digestion problems, lower bone density, diabetes -- and last but not least, heart and circulation problems.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Why Alcohol Is Bad For Your Pancreas
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692500/080605203902.htm
Much is known about the mechanisms by which excessive alcohol consumption causes damage to organs such as the liver, heart, and brain. However, only recently has progress been made in understanding how excessive alcohol consumption causes damage to the pancreas, and new insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying pancreatic damage in mice following alcohol exposure has now been provided.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Galaxy Collision Debris As A Laboratory To Study Star Formation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692501/080603183121.htm
Astronomers have shown that debris formed when two galaxies collide makes a simpler, more accessible laboratory for studying the process of star formation.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Sour Comes After A Lemon Has Gone
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306089303/080606084117.htm
Scientists found that a sour taste receptor, PKD1L3-PKD2L1 channel complex, could be activated by acid stimulus but opened gate only after the removal of acid stimulus. They call this new type of response as "off-response" of sour taste receptor.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
School Of Robofish Communicate With Each Other In Underwater Robot Teams
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306165576/080606105454.htm
Most ocean robots have to talk to scientists or satellites to share information. A new school of robotic fish communicate directly, allowing them to work cooperatively without coming to the surface.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Improving Drug Design: Chemist Learn To Make Left Or Right Versions Of Synthetic Drug Molecules
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692502/080605124336.htm
A chemist has apparently solved a long-standing frustration in creating certain synthetic molecules that make up drugs, which could lead to better drugs with fewer side effects. Like human hands, many molecules that make up drugs come in two shapes, right and left. But usually only one of the two versions has the desired effect; the other is at best useless and sometimes even harmful. For example, side effects from the morning sickness drug Thalidomide resulted in profound birth defects because one shape of the molecule was therapeutic and the other was dangerous.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Magnet-controlled Camera In The Body
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303837152/080603105634.htm
Images from inside the body? It can be done with tiny cameras which the patient has to swallow. In the past there was no way of controlling the device as it passed through the body. Now it can be steered and stopped where desired, and even deliver images of the esophagus.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Understanding Kidney Cell Suicide In Diabetes Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304650261/080604114026.htm
Diabetes is the leading cause of renal failure that requires dialysis. The disease generates such a hostile environment that it forces the kidney cells to kill themselves, progressively reducing the renal functions of the kidneys. A research group has studied the causes and consequences of the cell suicide of renal cells. Diabetes slowly destroys the kidney up to the point where the renal function has to be taken on by dialysis (artificial kidney) or a transplanted kidney.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Mystery Of Infamous 'New England Dark Day' Solved By Three Rings
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306303719/080606145620.htm
At noon, it was black as night. It was May 19, 1780, and some people in New England thought judgment day was at hand. Accounts of that day, became known as "New England's Dark Day." The mystery of this day has been solved by researchers who say evidence from tree rings reveals massive wildfires as the likely cause.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Film Content, Editing, And Directing Style Affect Brain Activity, Neuroscientists Show
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692503/080606105432.htm
Using advanced functional imaging methods, neuroscientists have found that certain motion pictures can exert considerable control over brain activity. Moreover, the impact of films varies according to movie content, editing, and directing style.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Caribbean Monk Seal Gone Extinct From Human Causes, NOAA Confirms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307323759/080608074828.htm
After a five year review, NOAA's Fisheries Service has determined that the Caribbean monk seal, which has not been seen for more than 50 years, has gone extinct--the first type of seal to go extinct from human causes.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Weight Gain May Be Healthy When It Comes To Type 1 Diabetes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306779928/080607082100.htm
Gaining body fat may be a good thing, at least for people with type 1 diabetes. The new study followed 655 patients with type 1 diabetes for 20 years and found patients whose body mass index increased the most were one-third less likely to die than those who had decreases or smaller increases in BMI.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Novel 'Noise Thermometry' May Help Redefine International Unit Of Temperature
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303794448/080603102743.htm
After seven years of work, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have built a system that relies on the "noise" of jiggling electrons as a basis for measuring temperatures with extreme precision. The system is nearly precise enough now to help update some of the crucial underpinnings of science, including the 54-year-old definition of the Kelvin, the international unit of temperature.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Pinning Down A Cause Of Disease In A Model Of Psoriasis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692504/080602214201.htm
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that affects approximately 2--3% of individuals in the Western world. New data have indicated that a subset of immune cells known as Tregs (which act to prevent other immune cells from responding inappropriately) are dysfunctional in a mouse model of psoriasis and that this dysfunction contributes substantially to the development of disease.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Did Slow Deformation Mitigate Peru Quake?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692505/080604140930.htm
Between 1992 and 2007, nine magnitude 7 or larger earthquakes have rocked the subduction zone of southern Peru and northern Chile, including a magnitude 8.1 earthquake in August 2007 near Pisco, Peru. Researchers combined data from seismometers and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) to determine the Pisco earthquake's heterogeneous slip distribution.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Scientists Decipher The Neurological Basis Of Timely Movement
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306165578/080606102607.htm
Surprisingly, the way we interact with the world is not a simple matter of sensing and then reacting. Our sensory systems are far too slow, placing everything we sense a little bit in the past. Scientists have now uncovered the trick the brain uses to get around this, providing the first neural evidence that voluntary limb movements are guided by our brain's prediction of what will happen an instant into the future.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Surprising Graphene: Precise Measurement Reveals Strange Properties
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307475015/080608131213.htm
Graphene is the two-dimensional form of carbon, a single layer of carbon atoms thought impossible as a free-standing crystal until created in 2004. Now researchers have measured the extraordinary properties of graphene with an accuracy never before achieved, confirming many strange features but also revealing significant departures from theoretical predictions.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Why Diesel Particulates Cause Cardiovascular Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304650260/080604114550.htm
A previously unknown mechanisms may explain why air pollution in the form of particulates causes heart attacks, stroke, and increasing mortality. Particulates in diesel exhaust are a substantial cause of the negative health effects traced to air pollution, above all in traffic environments. Diesel exhaust contains a number of extremely tiny particles about 1/10,000 mm in diameter, with chemical compounds bound to the surface that have been suggested to lie behind the ability of these particles to cause harmful health effects.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Phoenix Mars Lander Sifts For Samples, Continues Imaging Landing Site
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692506/080608213839.htm
On Sunday, Sol 14 of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander mission, mechanical shakers inside the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer will attempt to loosen clumped soils on the device's screens to allow material to fall into the oven for analysis later in the week.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
The Cormorant: 'Black Plague' Or An Example Of Successful Species Conservation?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304609975/080604101601.htm
Europe requires a common management strategy for cormorants in order to reconcile nature conservation and fishing interests. An effective regulation of cormorant populations can only work at the European level, researchers from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research write in the scientific journal Environmental Conservation. Furthermore, they suggest a five-step action plan, which would start with a consensus on the real numbers of animals and end in an international management plan.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Saving Teeth By Using Periodontal Ligament Regeneration
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304609977/080604101549.htm
Teeth may fall out as a result of inflammation and subsequent destruction of the tissues supporting the teeth. Dutch researchers have investigated a possible solution to this problem. They studied the regeneration of the periodontal ligament by use of tissue engineering. The 3-D in-vitro model she has developed appears to be promising for regenerating periodontal ligament and may also prove valuable for restoring tendons and ligaments elsewhere in the body.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
New Satellite Remote Sensing Tool For Improving Agricultural Land Use Observation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307692509/080603105626.htm
Scientists have completed an extensive study of two semi-arid farming regions -- one in Morocco and the other in Mexico. The results obtained showed the numerous potential functions high spatial and temporal resolution satellite imagery offers. They should, in the long term, lead to improved management of water and plant resources in agricultural areas.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Hands On Learning For The Visually Impaired
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306230217/080606130201.htm
European researchers have made it easy for software developers to build educational tools that let pupils collaborate to see, hear -- and now also feel -- what is on the computer screen. When you think of the solar system you probably picture a textbook diagram: nine planets, different sizes and colors, all circling the bright yellow sun. But how can a visually impaired child take in this information? How can they grasp how the solar system works?
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Fossilized Burrows 245 Million Years Old Suggest Lizard-like Creatures In Antarctica
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141546/080607232647.htm
Scientists find evidence of tetrapods living in Antarctica during the early Triassic epoch, about 245 million years ago. The fossils were created when fine sand from an overflowing river poured into the animals' burrows and hardened into casts of the open spaces. The largest preserved piece is about 14 inches long, 6 inches wide and 3 inches deep. The burrows' relatively small size prompted scientists to speculate that their owners might have been small lizardlike reptiles called Procolophonids or an early mammal relative called Thrinaxodon.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Improving Brain Function In Rats Following A Stroke
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141547/080605203618.htm
Researchers have now shown that rats transplanted with cells isolated from human nasal polyps have improved brain function following a stroke compared with rats not transplanted with these cells.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Substance In Red Wine, Resveratrol, Found To Keep Hearts Young
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141548/080604074908.htm
How, scientists wonder, do the French get away with a clean bill of heart health despite a diet loaded with saturated fats? The answer to the so-called "French paradox" may be found in red wine. More specifically, it may reside in small doses of resveratrol, a natural constituent of grapes, pomegranates, red wine and other foods, according to a new study by an international team of researchers.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Mouse Ovaries And Testes Age In Unique Ways
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141549/080602214128.htm
Aging leads to large changes in gene activity in the ovaries of mice, but only limited changes in testes, according to new research. A lifespan-extending calorie-restricted diet reversed some of the aging effects -- but, unlike the widespread changes observed in somatic organs, it had an impact only in a small number of gonad-specific genes.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Better Way To Make A Wafer Of Polyethylene
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303794450/080603102740.htm
Layers of plastic, much thinner than a strand of hair—this type of ultrathin polymer film is of great interest to scientists and engineers. A new method to produce wafer-thin layers of polymer materials, which may be used as protective coatings, has been developed.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Average Shoppers Are Willing To Pay A Premium For Locally Produced Food
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141550/080603120242.htm
Research suggests the average supermarket shopper will pay a premium price for locally produced foods, providing some farmers an attractive option to enter a niche market that could boost their revenues. The study showed that shoppers at farm markets would pay almost twice as much extra as retail grocery shoppers for the same locally produced foods. Both kinds of shoppers also will pay more for guaranteed fresh produce and tend to favor buying food produced by small farms over what they perceive as corporate operations.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Astronomers Weigh The Coldest Brown Dwarfs With Astronomy's Sharpest Eyes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141551/080602153630.htm
Astronomers have used ultrasharp images obtained with the Keck Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope to determine for the first time the masses of the coldest class of "failed stars," a.k.a. brown dwarfs.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Protein Found To Promote Antibiotic Resistance In A Common Food-borne Pathogen
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141552/080605200445.htm
Researchers have identified a novel factor that promotes the development of antibiotic resistance in a bacterial pathogen. The study explains that Mfd, a protein involved in DNA transcription and repair, plays an important role in the development of fluoroquinolone resistance in Campylobacter, a bacterial pathogen commonly associated with food poisoning in humans.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Earthworm Detectives Provide Genetic Clues For Dealing With Soil Pollution
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141553/080602214125.htm
The humble earthworm provides a new sensitive and detailed picture of what is going on in our contaminated soil ecosystems. New research shows that copper contamination has a detrimental effect by interfering with the energy metabolism of the exposed invertebrates and that different pollutants have unique molecular effects, with implications for both monitoring and remediation of toxins.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
New Method Of Managing Risk In Pregnancy Leads To Healthier Newborns, Better Outcomes For Moms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141554/080602163837.htm
Researchers have found an alternative method for obstetric care that leads not only to healthier newborns, but better outcomes for moms as well. The method maximizes the chance for vaginal delivery, as opposed to C-sections, which are potentially harmful and increasing in trend.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Finding Out What The Big Bang And Ink Jets Have In Common
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303751175/080603100124.htm
It often turns out there is more to commonplace everyday events than meets the eye. The folding of paper, or fall of water droplets from a tap, are two such events, both of which involve the creation of singularities requiring sophisticated mathematical techniques to describe, analyze and predict.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Family Traits Provide Clues To Genes For Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141555/080604160118.htm
It is important to identify the endophenotypes -- traits associated with a clinical disorder -- that can serve as a roadmap for detecting disease-related genes. That is why researchers are studying families to detect relatives who are carriers of the genes for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, even though these individuals don't have the diseases themselves.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Nano-tech Process Produces Plastics That Are 10 Times More Stretchable
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141556/080602090541.htm
Move over, Rumplestiltskin. Researchers in China report the first successful "electrospinning" of a type of plastic widely used in automobiles and electronics. The high-tech process, which uses an electric charge to turn polymers into thin fibers in the presence of electricity, produced plastic mats that can stretch 10 times more without breaking than the original material and could lead to new uses for the plastic, they say.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Genes May Determine Which Smoking Cessation Treatment Works Best
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141557/080602160847.htm
Kicking the habit may soon become easier for the nation's 45 million smokers. For the first time, researchers have identified patterns of genes that appear to influence how well individuals respond to specific smoking cessation treatments.
Mon, 9 Jun 08
Phoenix Mars Lander Checking Soil Properties
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141558/080607232609.htm
The arm of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander released a handful of clumpy Martian soil onto a screened opening of a laboratory instrument on the spacecraft Friday (June 6), but the instrument did not confirm that any of the sample passed through the screen.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Burrows Of Land Vertebrates 245 Million Years Old Discovered In Antarctica
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141546/080607232647.htm
Scientists find evidence of tetrapods living in Antarctica during the early Triassic epoch, about 245 million years ago. The fossils were created when fine sand from an overflowing river poured into the animals' burrows and hardened into casts of the open spaces. The largest preserved piece is about 14 inches long, 6 inches wide and 3 inches deep.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Improving Brain Function In Rats Following A Stroke
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141547/080605203618.htm
Researchers have now shown that rats transplanted with cells isolated from human nasal polyps have improved brain function following a stroke compared with rats not transplanted with these cells.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Substance In Red Wine, Resveratrol, Found To Keep Hearts Young
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141548/080604074908.htm
How, scientists wonder, do the French get away with a clean bill of heart health despite a diet loaded with saturated fats? The answer to the so-called "French paradox" may be found in red wine. More specifically, it may reside in small doses of resveratrol, a natural constituent of grapes, pomegranates, red wine and other foods, according to a new study by an international team of researchers.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Mouse Ovaries And Testes Age In Unique Ways
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141549/080602214128.htm
Aging leads to large changes in gene activity in the ovaries of mice, but only limited changes in testes, according to new research. A lifespan-extending calorie-restricted diet reversed some of the aging effects -- but, unlike the widespread changes observed in somatic organs, it had an impact only in a small number of gonad-specific genes.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Better Way To Make A Wafer Of Polyethylene
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303794450/080603102740.htm
Layers of plastic, much thinner than a strand of hair—this type of ultrathin polymer film is of great interest to scientists and engineers. A new method to produce wafer-thin layers of polymer materials, which may be used as protective coatings, has been developed.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Average Shoppers Are Willing To Pay A Premium For Locally Produced Food
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141550/080603120242.htm
Research suggests the average supermarket shopper will pay a premium price for locally produced foods, providing some farmers an attractive option to enter a niche market that could boost their revenues. The study showed that shoppers at farm markets would pay almost twice as much extra as retail grocery shoppers for the same locally produced foods. Both kinds of shoppers also will pay more for guaranteed fresh produce and tend to favor buying food produced by small farms over what they perceive as corporate operations.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Astronomers Weigh The Coldest Brown Dwarfs With Astronomy's Sharpest Eyes
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141551/080602153630.htm
Astronomers have used ultrasharp images obtained with the Keck Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope to determine for the first time the masses of the coldest class of "failed stars," a.k.a. brown dwarfs.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Protein Found To Promote Antibiotic Resistance In A Common Food-borne Pathogen
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141552/080605200445.htm
Researchers have identified a novel factor that promotes the development of antibiotic resistance in a bacterial pathogen. The study explains that Mfd, a protein involved in DNA transcription and repair, plays an important role in the development of fluoroquinolone resistance in Campylobacter, a bacterial pathogen commonly associated with food poisoning in humans.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Earthworm Detectives Provide Genetic Clues For Dealing With Soil Pollution
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141553/080602214125.htm
The humble earthworm provides a new sensitive and detailed picture of what is going on in our contaminated soil ecosystems. New research shows that copper contamination has a detrimental effect by interfering with the energy metabolism of the exposed invertebrates and that different pollutants have unique molecular effects, with implications for both monitoring and remediation of toxins.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
New Method Of Managing Risk In Pregnancy Leads To Healthier Newborns, Better Outcomes For Moms
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141554/080602163837.htm
Researchers have found an alternative method for obstetric care that leads not only to healthier newborns, but better outcomes for moms as well. The method maximizes the chance for vaginal delivery, as opposed to C-sections, which are potentially harmful and increasing in trend.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Finding Out What The Big Bang And Ink Jets Have In Common
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303751175/080603100124.htm
It often turns out there is more to commonplace everyday events than meets the eye. The folding of paper, or fall of water droplets from a tap, are two such events, both of which involve the creation of singularities requiring sophisticated mathematical techniques to describe, analyze and predict.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Family Traits Provide Clues To Genes For Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141555/080604160118.htm
It is important to identify the endophenotypes -- traits associated with a clinical disorder -- that can serve as a roadmap for detecting disease-related genes. That is why researchers are studying families to detect relatives who are carriers of the genes for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, even though these individuals don't have the diseases themselves.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Nano-tech Process Produces Plastics That Are 10 Times More Stretchable
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141556/080602090541.htm
Move over, Rumplestiltskin. Researchers in China report the first successful "electrospinning" of a type of plastic widely used in automobiles and electronics. The high-tech process, which uses an electric charge to turn polymers into thin fibers in the presence of electricity, produced plastic mats that can stretch 10 times more without breaking than the original material and could lead to new uses for the plastic, they say.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Genes May Determine Which Smoking Cessation Treatment Works Best
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141557/080602160847.htm
Kicking the habit may soon become easier for the nation's 45 million smokers. For the first time, researchers have identified patterns of genes that appear to influence how well individuals respond to specific smoking cessation treatments.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Phoenix Mars Lander Checking Soil Properties
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141558/080607232609.htm
The arm of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander released a handful of clumpy Martian soil onto a screened opening of a laboratory instrument on the spacecraft Friday (June 6), but the instrument did not confirm that any of the sample passed through the screen.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Gene Therapy Involving Antibiotics May Help Patients With Usher Syndrome
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141559/080602214121.htm
A new approach to treating vision loss caused by Type 1 Usher syndrome (USH1), the most common condition affecting both sight and hearing, has been developed. Preliminary results using a class of drugs called aminoglycosides, commonly used as antibiotics, had had promising effects in vitro and in cell culture.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Climate Change Could Impact Vital Functions Of Microbes
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303710619/080603085922.htm
Global climate change will not only impact plants and animals but will also affect bacteria, fungi and other microbial populations that perform a myriad of functions important to life on earth. It is not entirely certain what those effects will be, but they could be significant and will probably not be good.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Advertising, Alcohol And Adolescents
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304650256/080604120039.htm
The advertising of alcohol, the marketing of alcoholic products, peer pressure and parental influence all play a part in the level of alcohol consumption among young people. Researchers found that advertising seems to be most effective in the case of alcopops and cider.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Health Care Providers Urged To Address The Relationship Between Type 2 Diabetes And Sleep Apnea By International Diabetes Federation
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/307141560/080607232650.htm
The International Diabetes Federation has warned that recent research demonstrates that type 2 diabetes and obstructive sleep apnea are closely related, and that both disorders have significant implications on public health and on individuals.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Having Heart Surgery? Watch Your Blood Sugar, Especially If You're Overweight Or Older
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306935715/080607142858.htm
Nearly half of all heart surgery patients may experience blood sugar levels high enough to require temporary insulin treatment after their operation, even though they've never had diabetes, according to a new study. And a significant minority of those patients might need to take medicines for days or even weeks after they leave the hospital, to help their blood sugar levels reach normal again, the researchers show.
Sun, 8 Jun 08
Weight Gain May Be Healthy When It Comes To Type 1 Diabetes
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306779928/080607082100.htm
Gaining body fat may be a good thing, at least for people with type 1 diabetes. The new study followed 655 patients with type 1 diabetes for 20 years and found patients whose body mass index increased the most were one-third less likely to die than those who had decreases or smaller increases in BMI.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
White Dwarf Lost In Planetary Nebula
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430416/080603183811.htm
Call it the case of the missing dwarf. A team of stellar astronomers is engaged in an interstellar CSI (crime scene investigation). They have two suspects, traces of assault and battery, but no corpse. The southern planetary nebula SuWt 2 is the scene of the crime, some 6,500 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Centaurus.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Manipulation Of Molecule Protects Intestinal Cells From Radiation
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126878/080604141029.htm
A new study identifies a signaling molecule that plays a major role in radiation-induced intestinal damage. The research may lead to new strategies for protecting normal tissues from radiation during cancer therapies.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
New Hope For Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferers: B Cells As Promising New Therapeutic Targets
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430417/080602160801.htm
B cells, precursors of autoantibody-secreting cells, have emerged as promising new therapeutic targets in autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Could Heart Transplants Become A Thing Of The Past?
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430418/080602231622.htm
Heart transplants save the lives of more than 2,100 Americans every year. But many more patients are still waiting for a new heart to become available, and hundreds will die without ever getting a second chance at life. Meanwhile, tens of thousands more people aren't sick enough to need a transplant, but struggle every day with severe heart failure that limits all aspects of their lives.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Molecular Changes In Brain Fluid Give Insight Into Brain-damaging Disease
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430419/080602214214.htm
Researchers have developed a new approach to identify molecular changes in the fluid bathing the central nervous system and used it to obtain insight into the mechanisms of central nervous system damage in a monkey model of the dementia and encephalitis (acute inflammation of the brain) that can occur during the late stages of HIV/AIDS. It is hoped that similar approaches could be used to provide new information about other neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Harnessing Microbes To Meet Our Future Energy Needs
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303794446/080603102752.htm
The threat of global warming may also present a significant opportunity for innovation and fresh solutions to today's energy challenges. According to some researchers,there is a vast untapped potential in using microbes in service to society to meet our energy challenges.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Vigorous Exercise Can Help Seniors Avoid Disability
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430420/080603185228.htm
Healthy seniors who are physically active and exercise for more than 60 minutes each week can lessen their chances of disability as they age, finds a new long-term study. "This study contributes to the large body of scientific evidence supporting the importance of continuing to be physical active over one's life," said the lead author.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Futuristic Linkage Of Animals And Electronics
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306267239/080606134607.htm
The same Global Positioning System (GPS) technology used to track vehicles is now being used to track cows. But animal scientists have taken tracking several steps further with a Walkman-like headset that enables him to "whisper" wireless commands to cows to control their movements across a landscape --- and even remotely gather them into a corral.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Largest Ever Study Of Diabetes Shows Intensive Glucose Control Reduces Serious Complications
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306398829/080606171213.htm
New results from the world’s largest ever study of diabetes treatments show that intensive blood glucose (sugar) control using modified release gliclazide and other drugs as required, protects patients against serious complications of the disease. In particular, intensive treatment reduces the risk of kidney disease by one-fifth.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Keeping Beer Fresher
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430421/080602091414.htm
Scientists in Venezuela are reporting an advance in the centuries-old effort to preserve the fresh taste that beer drinkers value more than any other characteristic of that popular beverage. Their study identifies key substances involved in giving beer an aged or "oxidized" flavor.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Feasibility Of Preventing Malaria Parasite From Becoming Sexually Mature Demonstrated
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430422/080602121258.htm
Researchers have demonstrated the possibility of preventing the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which is responsible for more than a million malaria deaths a year, from becoming sexually mature.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
New Ballast Treatment Could Protect Great Lakes Fish
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304609974/080604104354.htm
A professor has developed a new water treatment that could help keep a deadly fish disease out of Lake Superior. It involves bleach and vitamin C.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Should Medical Researchers Share Their Results With Volunteers In Their Studies?
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/289427685/080513054836.htm
Every year, thousands of Americans volunteer to take part in medical research studies. But what happens after their participation is over? Many might never hear what those studies revealed. Now, a new review of the issue suggests that participants' desire to know the results of studies outweighs concerns by some bioethicists about the potential negative psychological consequences of sharing some results.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
IBM Cools 3-D Computer Chips With Water
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306338745/080606152512.htm
In IBM's labs, miniscule rivers of water are cooling computer chips that have circuits and components stacked on top of each other, a design that promises to extend Moore's Law into the next decade and significantly reduce the energy consumed by data centers.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
New Model Predicts Whether Patients Will Be Free Of Renal Cancer 12 Years After Initial Treatment
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430423/080602152904.htm
Physicians and other researchers have developed a unique statistical model that predicts the probability of a patient being cancer free 12 years after initial surgical treatment.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Lead Leaching And Faucet Corrosion In PVC Home Plumbing
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430424/080602091241.htm
Scientists in Virginia are reporting that home plumbing systems constructed with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic pipes may be more susceptible to leaching of lead and copper into drinking water than other types of piping -- especially when PVC systems include brass fixtures and pipefittings.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Salmonella In Garden Birds Responsive To Antibiotics
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430425/080602103340.htm
Scientists have found that salmonella bacteria found in garden birds are sensitive to antibiotics, suggesting that the infection is unlike the bacteria found in livestock and humans.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Printed Biochips: Laser Printing To Unleash Potential Of Peptide Arrays
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405998/080529105406.htm
Peptide arrays are powerful tools for developing new medical substances as well as for diagnosis and therapy techniques. A new production method based on laser printing will enable the potential of peptide arrays to be effectively utilized for the first time.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Grandma And Grandpa Are Good For Children
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306430426/080605091358.htm
A national survey about the relationships that adolescents have with their grandparents shows that grandparents who are involved in the upbringing of their grandchildren can contribute to a child's well-being.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Plastic Brain Outsmarts Experts: Training Can Increase Fluid Intelligence, Once Thought To Be Fixed At Birth
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126877/080605163804.htm
Can human beings rev up their intelligence quotients, or are they stuck with IQs set by their genes at birth? Until recently, nature seemed to be the clear winner over nurture. But new research suggests that at least one aspect of a person's IQ can be improved by training a certain type of memory.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Targeting Blood Sugar To Near-normal Levels Increases Risk Of Death In Persons With Diabetes At High Risk, ACCORD Trial Shows
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306398827/080606170942.htm
Intensively targeting blood sugar to near-normal levels in adults with type 2 diabetes at especially high risk for heart attack and stroke does not significantly reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as fatal or nonfatal heart attacks or stroke, but increases risk of death, compared to standard treatment.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Mars Lander Scoops First Soil Sample For Laboratory Analysis
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306398826/080606180207.htm
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander made its first dig into Martian soil for science studies and is poised to deliver the scoopful to a laboratory instrument on the lander deck. The instrument will bake and sniff the soil to assess its volatile ingredients, such as water.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Brown Argus Butterfly Sees Positive Effects Of Climate Change
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306165569/080602092537.htm
Global warming is generally thought to have a negative affect on the habitats of many animals and plants. Not for the Brown Argus butterfly, however. This insect seems to be bucking the trend and expanding its numbers quicker and more effectively, according to new research.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Vitamins Help Prevent Vision Loss From AMD -- If Used Correctly
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306165570/080602121006.htm
A study of individuals with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) found that nearly 40 percent of those likely to benefit from specific vitamin/mineral supplements were either not taking the supplements or not using the recommended dosage. The study also showed that some patients used high-dose supplements even in the absence of evidence that these would be effective for their levels of AMD or other eye conditions.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Where Mathematics And Astrophysics Meet
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306165571/080605181158.htm
The mathematicians were trying to extend an illustrious result in their field, the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra. The astrophysicists were working on a fundamental problem in their field, the problem of gravitational lensing. That the two groups were in fact working on the same question is both expected and unexpected: The "unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics" is well known throughout the sciences, but every new instance produces welcome insights and sheer delight.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Admiring Celebrities Can Help Improve Self-esteem
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306203758/080605150824.htm
A new study shows how "connections" to celebrities help those with low-self esteem view themselves more positively. People with low self-esteem can use their parasocial relationships to feel closer to the ideals they hold for themselves.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Mountain Ranges Rise Much More Rapidly Than Geologists Expected
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126883/080605150912.htm
Mountains may experience a "growth spurt" that can double their heights in as little as two to four million years -- several times faster than the prevailing tectonic theory suggests.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
How To Lose Weight Without Losing Bone
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126884/080605113006.htm
A higher-protein diet that emphasizes lean meats and low-fat dairy foods as sources of protein and calcium can mean weight loss without bone loss -- and the evidence is in bone scans taken throughout a new study.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
How To Construct A 'Firefly' Worm: Measuring Metabolism Of Entire Organism In Real Time
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301893972/080531103827.htm
For the first time, research describing a new modified luminescent worm allows scientists to measure -- in real time -- the metabolism of an entire living organism. The key behind this capacity relies in the fact that the luminescence is produced using the animal's available energy, which reflects its metabolism that, as such, can be extrapolated from measuring the emitted light.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
How Cell's Master Transcribing Machine Achieves Near Perfection
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126879/080605120701.htm
One of the most critical processes in biology is the transcription of genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA (mRNA), which provides the blueprint for the proteins that form the machinery of life. Now, researchers have discovered new details of how the cell's major transcriptional machinery, RNA polymerase II (Pol II), functions with such exquisite precision.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Family History Of Colorectal Cancer Linked With Reduced Risk Of Cancer Recurrence
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126880/080603164401.htm
Among patients with advanced colon cancer receiving treatment that includes chemotherapy, a family history of colorectal cancer is associated with a significant reduction in cancer recurrence and death, with the risk reduced further by having an increasing number of affected first-degree relatives, according to a new study.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Socializing Can Help Elderly Women Stay Sharp
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126881/080603185011.htm
Socializing with friends and family can do more than lift the spirits of elderly women -- it can improve cognition and might help prevent dementia, according to a new study. The study began in 2001 and included women at least 78 years old who were free of signs of dementia. Researchers conducted follow-up interviews between 2002 and 2005.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Fish 380 Million Years Old Found With Unborn Embryo
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306165575/080606104814.htm
Australian researchers have discovered a remarkable 380-million-year-old fossil placoderm fish with intact embryo and mineralized umbilical cord. The discovery makes the fossil the world's oldest known vertebrate mother. It also provides the earliest evidence of vertebrate sexual reproduction, wherein the males (which possessed clasping organs similar to modern sharks and rays) internally fertilized females.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Adult Stem Cell Findings Offer New Hope For Parkinson's Cure
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306165572/080606102603.htm
New research provides evidence that a cure for Parkinson's disease could lie just inside the nose of patients themselves. Adult stem cells harvested from the noses of Parkinson's patients gave rise to dopamine-producing brain cells when transplanted into the brain of a rat.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Prototype Of Machine That Copies Itself Goes On Show
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126885/080605211522.htm
A UK researcher who oversees a global effort to develop an open-source machine that 'prints' three-dimensional objects is celebrating after the prototype machine succeeded in making a set of its own printed parts. The machine, named RepRap, works a bit like a printer, but, rather than squirting ink onto paper, it puts down thin layers of molten plastic which solidify
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Niacin's Role In Maintaining Good Cholesterol
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126886/080605150904.htm
A research team has uncovered the likely target of niacin in the liver, which should provide a clearer picture of how this vitamin helps maintain adequate HDL-cholesterol levels in the blood and thus lower the risk of heart disease.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
When Is A Liquid Not Like A Liquid? Secrets Of Nanoparticle Haloing Unveiled
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126887/080605130507.htm
A glass of milk, a gallon of paint and a bottle of salad dressing all look to the naked eye like liquids. But when viewed under a microscope these everyday liquids, called "colloids," actually contain small globules or particles that stay suspended in solution. A new colloidal stabilization method may give scientists a new way to control the stability of some colloidal suspensions.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Teenagers Attending College Less Likely To Engage In Risky Sexual Behavior
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/306126888/080605125553.htm
Aolescents attending college six months after they completed high school are significantly less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior than those who do not go to college, according to the first study to directly compare the two groups.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Cassini Sees Collisions Of Moonlets On Saturn's Ring
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700279/080605095627.htm
A team of scientists has discovered that the rapid changes in Saturn's F ring can be attributed to small moonlets causing perturbations. Their results are reported in Nature. Saturn's F ring has long been of interest to scientists as its features change on timescales from hours to years and it is probably the only location in the solar system where large scale collisions happen on a daily basis.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
New Fat-based Anti-wrinkle Lotion Slows Down Aging of Skin, Study Shows
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700280/080605150900.htm
Topical applications of a naturally occurring fat molecule have the potential to slow down skin aging, whether through natural causes or damage. Through both the normal aging process and external factors like UV damage, smooth, young skin inevitably becomes coarse and wrinkled. The basis of this wrinkling is that time and damage both lower the production of new collagen while increasing the levels of enzymes called MMPs that chew up existing collagen.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean Dolphin Populations Improving
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700281/080605123913.htm
The numbers of Northeastern offshore spotted and eastern spinner dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are increasing after being severely depleted because of accidental death in the tuna purse-seine fishery between 1960 and 1990, according to biologists.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Low Vitamin D Levels Appear Common In Healthy Children
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700283/080602160835.htm
Many healthy infants and toddlers may have low levels of vitamin D, and about one-third of those appear to have some evidence of reduced bone mineral content on X-rays, according to a new article.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Taking Computer Chat To A Whole New Level
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700285/080604195431.htm
Natural spoken dialogue technology has long been a dream for many. Advances by European researchers are making this a reality. The results of their work could soon be used to allow us to verbally interact with technology in our everyday lives, from the music systems in our cars to functions in the homes of wheelchair users.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Building On Pyramids Of Trash
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700287/080605113012.htm
A Dutch engineer has devised a simple solution to the growing amounts of waste society generates. He suggests solidifying waste in a concrete-type material and using the resulting slabs to build pyramids that not only deal with waste disposal but could become tourist traps and major landmarks for our cities.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Highest Resolution View Ever From Mars Comes From NASA Lander
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700289/080605201019.htm
A microscope on NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander has taken images of dust and sand particles with the greatest resolution ever returned from another planet. The mission's Optical Microscope observed particles that had fallen onto an exposed surface, revealing grains as small as one-tenth the diameter of a human hair.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
New Insights Into Role Of Breastfeeding In Preventing Infant Death, HIV Infection
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700291/080604170857.htm
Two studies offer insights into preventing early death and HIV infection among breastfeeding infants of mothers with HIV in resource poor countries.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
First 'Molecular Snapshot' Of A Virulence Factor On Bacterial Surface
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868297/080531091842.htm
Scientists have captured a view of proteins during translocation across the bacterial outer membrane, for the first time. This "molecular snapshot" may enlighten scientists to the process of protein secretion across membranes, a problem faced by all cells, and provide a foundation to understanding certain bacterial virulence factors that allow bacteria to cause disease.
Sat, 7 Jun 08
Children's Consumption Of Sugar-sweetened Beverages
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700293/080602112340.htm
A new study found that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are an increasingly large part of children and teens' diets. Teens who consume these SSBs drink an average of 356 calories per day, a significant increase from 10 years earlier.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Cassini Sees Collisions Of Moonlets On Saturn's Ring
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700279/080605095627.htm
A team of scientists has discovered that the rapid changes in Saturn's F ring can be attributed to small moonlets causing perturbations. Their results are reported in Nature. Saturn's F ring has long been of interest to scientists as its features change on timescales from hours to years and it is probably the only location in the solar system where large scale collisions happen on a daily basis.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
New Fat-based Anti-wrinkle Lotion Slows Down Aging of Skin, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700280/080605150900.htm
Topical applications of a naturally occurring fat molecule have the potential to slow down skin aging, whether through natural causes or damage. Through both the normal aging process and external factors like UV damage, smooth, young skin inevitably becomes coarse and wrinkled. The basis of this wrinkling is that time and damage both lower the production of new collagen while increasing the levels of enzymes called MMPs that chew up existing collagen.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean Dolphin Populations Improving
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700281/080605123913.htm
The numbers of Northeastern offshore spotted and eastern spinner dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are increasing after being severely depleted because of accidental death in the tuna purse-seine fishery between 1960 and 1990, according to biologists.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Low Vitamin D Levels Appear Common In Healthy Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700283/080602160835.htm
Many healthy infants and toddlers may have low levels of vitamin D, and about one-third of those appear to have some evidence of reduced bone mineral content on X-rays, according to a new article.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Taking Computer Chat To A Whole New Level
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700285/080604195431.htm
Natural spoken dialogue technology has long been a dream for many. Advances by European researchers are making this a reality. The results of their work could soon be used to allow us to verbally interact with technology in our everyday lives, from the music systems in our cars to functions in the homes of wheelchair users.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Building On Pyramids Of Trash
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700287/080605113012.htm
A Dutch engineer has devised a simple solution to the growing amounts of waste society generates. He suggests solidifying waste in a concrete-type material and using the resulting slabs to build pyramids that not only deal with waste disposal but could become tourist traps and major landmarks for our cities.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Highest Resolution View Ever From Mars Comes From NASA Lander
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700289/080605201019.htm
A microscope on NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander has taken images of dust and sand particles with the greatest resolution ever returned from another planet. The mission's Optical Microscope observed particles that had fallen onto an exposed surface, revealing grains as small as one-tenth the diameter of a human hair.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
New Insights Into Role Of Breastfeeding In Preventing Infant Death, HIV Infection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700291/080604170857.htm
Two studies offer insights into preventing early death and HIV infection among breastfeeding infants of mothers with HIV in resource poor countries.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Children's Consumption Of Sugar-sweetened Beverages
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700293/080602112340.htm
A new study found that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are an increasingly large part of children and teens' diets. Teens who consume these SSBs drink an average of 356 calories per day, a significant increase from 10 years earlier.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
How Can Quantum Physics Be Harnessed?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700294/080605095631.htm
The long cherished goal of applying the strange properties of quantum mechanics to the macroscopic world we inhabit has been brought closer by a series of recent developments. The exciting progress was made in the important field of quantum optics and discussed recently at a high level conference.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Exposure Therapy May Help Prevent Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700296/080602160842.htm
Exposure-based therapy, in which recent trauma survivors are instructed to relive the troubling event, may be effective in preventing the progression from acute stress disorder to post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
New Way To Think About Earth's First Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700298/080604140959.htm
A team of researchers have modeled in the laboratory a primitive cell, or protocell, that is capable of building, copying and containing DNA. Since there are no physical records of what the first primitive cells on Earth looked like, or how they grew and divided, the research team's protocell project offers a useful way to learn about how Earth's earliest cells may have interacted with their environment approximately 3.5 billion years ago.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
New Mouse Model Mimics Hyperglycemia, Aids In Diabetes Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700300/080602075732.htm
Researchers have genetically engineered a laboratory mouse in which pancreatic beta cells can regenerate after being induced to die. The new animal model's regenerative ability may provide future insights into improved treatments of diabetes, which affects millions of Americans.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Advances In C. Difficile Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302938050/080602075851.htm
New research into the toxins, virulence, spread and prevention of the superbug Clostridium difficile is reported in the Journal of Medical Microbiology. These findings will play a crucial role in providing us with ammunition in the fight against a sometimes deadly pathogen.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Australian Dryness Linked To Sea Surface Temperatures
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700302/080604150228.htm
Since 1950, rainfall over southern and eastern Australia has decreased, significantly reducing inflows to the Murray and Darling rivers, Australia's longest river system. In particular, precipitation in late austral autumn has decreased by about 40 percent from the long-term seasonal average for Victoria, Australia's most densely populated state.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Obesity And Depression May Be Linked
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700303/080602152913.htm
New research indicates people who are obese may be more likely to become depressed, and people who are depressed may be more likely to become obese. People who are obese may be more likely to become depressed because they experience themselves as in poor health and are dissatisfied with their appearance. This occurrence was particularly prevalent among women and those of high socio-economic status.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Molecular 'Ratcheting' Of Single Ribosome Molecules Observed In Act Of Building Proteins
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700304/080605181153.htm
Researchers have reported that they are the first to observe the dynamic, ratchet-like movements of single ribosomal molecules in the act of building proteins from genetic blueprints. The study reveals a key mechanism in the interplay of molecules that allows cells to build the proteins needed to sustain life.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
New Kidney Protein Speeds, Improves Diagnosis Of Failing Kidneys
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700305/080602214141.htm
To tackle the gap between damage, diagnosis and treatment of acute kidney injury, a unique team of scientists, physicians, and medical students is focusing on a small protein found in the urine at the time of sudden kidney failure. The protein detects kidney injury one to two days sooner than the creatinine test for renal failure.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Western U.S. Forests At Risk: Complex Dynamics Underlie Bark Beetle Eruptions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302970150/080602075818.htm
Biological interactions involving fungi as well as trees and competing insects drive bark beetle outbreaks. The processes are sensitive to a forest's condition and the local climate, but prediction is difficult because the processes turn on multiple critical thresholds. Nonetheless, human activities are making outbreaks more extensive and frequent. Climate change and biological processes at large and small scales drive outbreaks now killing forests in the American West.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
New Treatment Combination Safe For Pancreatic Cancer Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700306/080602090538.htm
Treating pancreatic cancer with a combination of chemotherapy, biotherapy and radiotherapy prior to surgery is safe and may be beneficial for patients, according to a new study. In the preliminary study, physicians examined the safety of combining gemcitabine with bevacizumab and radiotherapy in patients with operable pancreatic cancer.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Antarctic Current Roils Deep Ocean Waters
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700307/080604145854.htm
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current, a prominent ocean current that flows around Antarctica, is an important component of global ocean circulation and climate. The current consists of a number of fronts. Observations indicate that turbulent mixing is enhanced in these fronts, penetrating through much of the water column.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Improved Foster Care Reduces Risk Of Adult Mental And Physical Illness, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305700308/080602160721.htm
In the first controlled follow-up study ever to examine the long-term health effects of foster care programs, researchers from Harvard Medical School showed that the extremely high rates of mental and physical disorders typically found among adult alumni of public foster care programs were significantly reduced among alumni of a private foster care program staffed by highly trained social workers with low caseloads and good access to quality services.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Scientists Uncover How Plant Roots Respond To Physical Forces Such As Gravity, Pressure, Or Touch
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305353216/080602114703.htm
Researchers have identified two proteins responsible for mechanosensitive ion channel activities in plant roots. Scientists have long known that plant cells respond to physical forces. Until now, however, the proteins controlling the ion channel response remained a mystery.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Neurologically Impaired Mice Improve After Receiving Human Stem Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305314297/080604141026.htm
Scientists report a dramatic success in what may be the first documented rescue of a congenital brain disorder by transplantation of human neural stem cells. The research may lead the way to new strategies for treating certain hereditary and perinatal neurological disorders.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Nutritional Supplement Could Improve Clinical Situation Of ICU Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305353218/080604101536.htm
For the first time, it has been determined the exact quantity of vitamins A, E and C and minerals needed to improve the clinic situation of critical patients. This study suggests that the oxide stress increase during patients stays in the Intensive Care Unit is due to the low levels of antioxidant food consumption.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Probiotic Bacteria Protect Endangered Frogs From Lethal Skin Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304609972/080604104404.htm
Laboratory tests and field studies continue to show promise that probiotic bacteria can be used to help amphibian populations, including the endangered yellow-legged frog, fend off lethal skin diseases.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Public Funding Impacts Progress Of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305314298/080604140945.htm
Bolstered by supportive policies and public research dollars, the United Kingdom, Israel, China, Singapore and Australia are producing unusually large shares of human embryonic stem cell research, while states like California and New York are picking up more research funding in the US.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Venus Express Reveals New Details On Venusian Clouds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305314299/080604231527.htm
As ESA's Venus Express orbits our sister planet, new images of the cloud structure of one of the most enigmatic atmospheres of the Solar System reveal brand-new details. Venus is covered by a thick layer of clouds that extends between 45 and 70 km above the surface. These rapidly-moving clouds are mainly composed of micron-sized droplets of sulphuric acid and other aerosols (fine solid or liquid droplets suspended in a gas), the origin of which is unknown.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Discovery Of New Family Of Genetic Mutations Involved In Inflammatory Intestinal Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305314300/080602112347.htm
The discovery of new genetic mutations involved in inflammatory intestinal disorders could lead to a better understanding of these common conditions.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
A Flexible Approach To New Computer Displays
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305314301/080602155934.htm
Flat screen displays currently used in computer monitors, television sets and numerous other electronic devices are all built on a glass base. Most use liquid crystal devices (LCDs), which filter light from behind to form an image. But the glass substrate makes LCD displays rigid and fragile, limiting their use. Now display manufacturers are working to develop a new generation of robust, flexible displays that can be curved to fit the shape of a product or even rolled up like a magazine. The question is, which of the technologies under development is the best?
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Are Panic And Inability To Express Emotions Related?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305314302/080602155657.htm
Investigators have explored the inability to express emotions (alexithymia) in panic disorder in an article in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. In patients with panic disorder (PD), the difficulty to identify and manage emotional experience might contribute to the enduring vulnerability to panic attacks. Such a difficulty might reflect a dysfunction of fronto-temporo-limbic circuits. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that drug-free patients with PD, as compared with healthy subjects (HS), show a higher prevalence of alexithymia, greater difficulty in emotional stimuli processing and poorer performance on neuropsychological tests exploring the activity of fronto-temporo-limbic circuits.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Arthritis Hope: Engineers Use High Pressure To Stimulate Growth Of New Cartilage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304609973/080604104402.htm
Bioengineers have discovered that intense pressure -- similar to what someone would experience more than a half-mile beneath the ocean's surface -- stimulates cartilage cells to grow new tissue with nearly all of the properties of natural cartilage. The new method requires no stem cells and may eventually provide relief for thousands of arthritis sufferers. It also holds promise for producing tissues to repair bladders, blood vessels, kidneys, heart valves, bones and more.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Sun Exposure And Vitamin D Levels May Play Strong Role In Risk Of Type 1 Diabetes In Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305287759/080605073804.htm
Sun exposure and vitamin D levels may play a strong role in risk of type 1 diabetes in children, according to new findings. This association comes on the heels of similar research findings by this same group regarding vitamin D levels and several major cancers.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Locomotor Training Restores Walking Function In Child With Spinal Cord Injury
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305314303/080604113048.htm
A new report shows that a non-ambulatory (unable to walk or stand) child with a cervical spinal cord injury was able to restore basic walking function after intensive locomotor training. The case study evaluated the effects of locomotor training in a 4 ½ year-old-boy, who had no ability to walk following a gunshot wound sixteen months earlier.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Human Control Of Earth's Radiation Belt
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305314304/080604145543.htm
Charged particles within the Earth's radiation belts travel in spiral trajectories along geomagnetic field lines. The strength of the magnetic field increases as the particles approach the Earth; because charge flows perpendicular to magnetic field lines, the component of the particles' velocity parallel to the magnetic field decreases.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Road Traffic Deaths In China Have Soared Almost 100 Percent In 20 Years
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305314305/080604194701.htm
The number of road traffic deaths in China has soared almost 100 percent in two decades, reveals a study published in the journal Injury Prevention.
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Drinking Alcohol Cuts Risk Of Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis In Half, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/305287758/080605073818.htm
Alcohol cuts the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis by up to 50 percent, reveals new research. And the more alcohol was consumed, the lower the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Among those who drank regularly, the quarter with the highest consumption were up to 50% less likely to develop the disease compared with the half who drank the least. The effect was the same for both men and women.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Search For ET: New Telescope Array Could Help Detect Possible Signals From Advanced Civilizations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304650259/080604114644.htm
Scientists are taking advantage of promising new ideas on where to search for possible extraterrestrial intelligence in our galaxy. They propose using the new Allen Telescope Array, made up of hundreds of specially produced small dishes to search for possible signals from technologically advanced civilizations elsewhere in our galaxy.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Estrogen Applied To Human Penis Could Block Spread Of HIV, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909258/080604161313.htm
A new study has shown that topical estrogen could help prevent HIV infection by blocking entry of the virus into the human penis. The study reveals that application of estrogen to the human penis increased the thickness of the natural keratin layer on the skin, which could prevent HIV from infecting the male.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Could Nanotechnology End Cartilage Loss?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909259/080603123528.htm
Scientists have long wrestled with how to aid those who suffer cartilage damage and loss. One popular way is to inject an artificial gel that can imitate cartilage's natural ability to act as the body's shock absorber. But that solution is temporary, requiring follow-up injections. Now nanotechnology engineers have shown, for the first time, how a surface of carbon nanotubes combined with electrical pulses could help regenerate cartilage naturally in the body.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Human Viruses Appear To Be Making Wild Chimpanzees Sick
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909260/080603164840.htm
After studying chimpanzees in the Tanzania's Mahale Mountains National Park for the past year, biologists have evidence that chimpanzees are becoming sick from viral infectious diseases they have likely contracted from humans.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Humans Have Ten Times More Bacteria Than Human Cells: How Do Microbial Communities Affect Human Health?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303710621/080603085914.htm
The number of bacteria living within the body of the average healthy adult human are estimated to outnumber human cells 10 to one. Changes in these microbial communities may be responsible for digestive disorders, skin diseases, gum disease and even obesity.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
A New Way To Protect Computer Networks From Internet Worms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909261/080604143419.htm
Scientists may have found a new way to combat the most dangerous form of computer virus. The method automatically detects within minutes when an Internet worm has infected a computer network. Network administrators can then isolate infected machines and hold them in quarantine for repairs.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Amphetamine Abuse Linked To Heart Attacks In Young Adults
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304569245/080604091829.htm
Young adults who abuse amphetamines may be at greater risk of suffering a heart attack. Amphetamines may contribute to heart attacks by increasing heart rate and blood pressure and by causing inflammation and artery spasms that limit blood to the heart muscle.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Holodeck 1.0? Star Trek-style 3-D Displays Make Their Debut
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909262/080604195058.htm
True 3-D display technology developed by European researchers offers enormous potential for design, education and collaboration. Star Trek's holodeck is a famous science fiction concept. Crew members could walk through the garden of their childhood home, re-enact famous historical events or watch full, 3-D performances of famous plays. It was a rich source of story lines for the Star Trek writers because the holodeck offered so many opportunities to work, rest and play.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Drinking Tap Water Disinfected With Chlorine May Harm Fetus, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909263/080602103343.htm
Drinking water disinfected by chlorine while pregnant may increase the risk of having children with heart problems, cleft palate or major brain defects, according to a new study.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Unravelling The Mystery Of The Kitty Litter Parasite In Marine Mammals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909264/080602103404.htm
Researchers have discovered what may be a clue to the mystery of why marine mammals around the world are succumbing to a parasite that is typically only associated with cats. The key may just be the lowly anchovy, according to new research.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Are Microbes The Answer To The Energy Crisis?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304933374/080604141014.htm
The answer to the looming fuel crisis in the 21st century may be found by thinking small, microscopic in fact. Microscopic organisms from bacteria and cyanobacteria, to fungi to microalgae, are biological factories that are proving to efficient sources of inexpensive, environmentally friendly biofuels that can serve as alternatives to oil.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Memory In Honeybees: What The Right And Left Antenna Tell The Left And Right Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304529990/080604074924.htm
The idea that all vertebrate species, even nonhuman ones without any linguistic skills, have an asymmetric brain seems to be finally accepted. Now brain lateralization has been extended beyond the class Vertebrata. Insects, with their nervous system so different from that of vertebrates, are also "lateralized."
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Microsurgery On Fruit Fly Brain Leads To New Insights Into Irreparable Nerve Injuries
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909265/080603171442.htm
Every year, millions of people are confronted with potentially irreparable brain or spinal cord injuries resulting from traffic accidents. Because the nerves in a damaged spinal cord cannot, or cannot fully, be repaired, the patient remains (partially) paralyzed. Now, scientists have successfully developed a simple model that enables the study of injured brain tissue.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
A Molecular 'Salve' To Soothe Surface Stresses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909266/080529121206.htm
A single layer of molecular 'salve' can significantly soothe the stresses affecting clean metal surfaces. The discovery may help scientists to understand the factors that influence surface stress, which is important in a broad array of applications from chemical and biological sensors to semiconductor manufacturing and metal plating.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
UK Medics Solve Ancient Riddle Of 'Finger Clubbing'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909267/080529163120.htm
A puzzling medical condition, identified more than 2,000 years ago by Hippocrates, has finally been explained by researchers at the University of Leeds. The phenomenon of "finger clubbing", a deformity of the fingers and fingernails, has been known for thousands of years, and has long been recognized to be a sign of a wide range of serious diseases -- especially lung cancer.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
New Superconductors Present New Mysteries, Possibilities
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909268/080604150539.htm
Researchers gave unlocked some of the secrets of newly discovered iron-based high-temperature superconductors, research that could result in the design of better superconductors for use in industry, medicine, transportation and energy generation.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Knowing Looks: Using Gaze Aversion To Tell When Children Are Learning
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909269/080602103336.htm
People use eye contact in a variety of ways every minute of every day but how often do you find yourself staring into space with concentrating on an issue or problem? Psychologists now know that people who are carrying out a complex task tend to look away from anyone else who is nearby. They refer to it as "gaze aversion."
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Human Stem Cells Show Promise Against Fatal Children's Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304933376/080604140955.htm
Scientists have used human stem cells to dramatically improve the condition of mice with a neurological condition similar to a set of diseases in children that are invariably fatal. With a one-time injection of stem cells just after birth, scientists were able to repair defective wiring throughout the brain and spinal cord -- the entire central nervous system -- of mutant "shiverer mice," so called because of the way they shake and wobble.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Blocking Signaling Protein Prevents Prostate Cancer Spread, Scientists Find
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909270/080602092540.htm
Researchers have shown that by blocking a signaling protein, they can prevent prostate cancer cells from metastasizing. In a series of experiments in both the laboratory and animal models, they found that the protein, Stat3, is key to the metastatic progression of prostate cancer. The work opens the door to studies examining the protein as a target for therapies to keep prostate cancer at bay.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Rewriting Greenland's Immigration History
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909271/080529141347.htm
The first immigrants in Greenland were not Indians from the North American continent or Canadian Inuit as previously suggested. And it is not just a question of revising the Greenlandic immigration history. The discovery is the world's first successful attempt to sequence an entire mitochondrial genome from an extinct human.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Physicists Determine Density Limit For Randomly Packed Spherical Materials
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909272/080602114657.htm
The problem of how many identical-sized spheres can be randomly packed into a container has challenged mathematicians for centuries. A team of physicists has come up with a solution that could have implications for everything from processing granular materials to shipping fruit.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Kids May Hesitate To Tell Their Doctor, But Will Freely Answer Sex And Drugs Questions On Doctor's Computer Questionnaire
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302970154/080602075801.htm
Texting, IM, email -- most kids are comfortable using computers to communicate. It's led to an innovative idea among doctors. Children are given a touch pad and asked a series of questions about topics like sexual activity and depression. Kids hesitate to talk openly to a doctor or in front of a parent, but the study shows they are honest with the computer. That gives doctors more chances to treat proactively and even save lives.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
New Method Developed To Weigh, Resolve Distant Black Holes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909273/080602230155.htm
A new, simple method to learn about black holes up to eight billion light years away -- thousands of times farther away than black holes can be measured today -- has been developed. Astronomers and physicists have concluded that the larger the black hole at the center of a spiral galaxy, the tighter the galaxy's arms wrap around itself. If correct, the simple relationship would give researchers an easy way to learn about black holes.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Prenatal Biochemical Screening Only Detects Half Of Chromosomal Abnormalities
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302970148/080602075834.htm
Prenatal biochemical screening tests are widely used to look for chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus which can lead to serious handicap, or even death during gestation or in the first few days after birth. But these tests are only able to detect fewer than half of the total chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Forest Canopies Help Determine Natural Fertilization Rates
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909274/080529141435.htm
A newly identified factor that controls the natural input of new nitrogen into boreal forest ecosystems has been reported in Science. The researchers showed that this natural fertilization process appears to be partially controlled by trees and shrubs that sit above the feather mosses.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Vitamin D Insufficiency May Be Present In Pediatric Patients With Low Bone Density
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304909275/080602075750.htm
Vitamin D insufficiency is common in adults and is emerging in the world of pediatrics. A mild degree of vitamin D deficiency, also known as vitamin D insufficiency, causes rickets in children and can be treated with increased amount of nutritional vitamin D intake as well as increased sun exposure.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Synergy Between Biology And Physics Drives Cell-imaging Technology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302970151/080602075812.htm
Developing techniques to image the complex biological systems found at the sub-cellular level has traditionally been hampered by divisions between the academic fields of biology and physics. However, a new interdisciplinary zeal has seen a number of exciting advances in super-resolution imaging technologies.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Nearly 1 In 5 Teenagers Admit Eating Problems, But Anxiety Is A Bigger Problem Than Appearance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304569243/080604092852.htm
Eighteen percent of teenagers who took part in a survey of 15-17 year-olds admitted eating problems. Students who reported suffering from anxiety earlier in adolescence were 20 times more likely to report problems. Anxiety was a bigger problem than dissatisfaction with appearance. 372 students took part and 57 percent were girls.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Synthetic Molecules Hold Promise For New Family Of Anti-cancer Drugs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304743329/080604101546.htm
Synthetic molecules have succeeded in reducing and even eliminating the growth of human malignant tissues in mice, while having no toxic effects on normal tissue.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Brief, Intense Exercise Can Benefit The Heart, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304743330/080604101529.htm
Short bursts of high intensity sprints -- known to benefit muscle and improve exercise performance -- can improve the function and structure of blood vessels, in particular arteries that deliver blood to our muscles and heart, according to new research.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Hayfever Hope: Probiotic Drink Can Modify Immune System's Response To Grass Pollen
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304529986/080602214117.htm
Scientists have found that a daily drink containing probiotic bacteria can modify the immune system's response to grass pollen, a common cause of seasonal hay fever. In a pilot study in humans, the probiotic significantly reduced the production of molecules associated with allergy. But they are not yet recommending that sufferers rush to the supermarket as the changes may not have an immediate effect on symptoms.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Silver Rings To Treat Arthritis Symptoms Validated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304529982/080603174302.htm
Research into the effectiveness of wearing a particular type of silver ring to alleviate symptoms of arthritis has found some benefits to their use. Researchers found the silver ring splints effective in controlling hyperextension deformity of finger joints, which is common in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Schistosomes, Hookworm And Trichuris Infections Synergize To Increase The Risk Of Anemia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304529989/080604074936.htm
New research provides evidence that the risk of anemia is amplified in children simultaneously infected with hookworm and schistosomes or hookworm and trichuris, when compared to the sum of risks for children with singular infections.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Weather, Stomach Bugs And Climate Change: Refining The Model
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304743331/080604101542.htm
Researchers introduce a model for predicting infectious disease outbreaks that takes into account weather and other factors. Accounting for these factors creates a more accurate model for forecasting infectious disease outbreaks and designing early warning systems.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Heart Failure Patients Often Overestimate Their Own Life Expectancy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304743332/080603164404.htm
Many patients with heart failure -- especially younger ones and those with more severe disease -- significantly overestimate how long they going to live, say Duke University Medical Center researchers.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Transgenic Plants Don't Hurt Beneficial Bugs, Entomologists Find
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304529980/080603182545.htm
Genetically modified (GM) plants that use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), a common soil bacterium, to kill pests won't harm the pests' natural enemies, according to new research by Cornell entomologists. That is welcome news for ecologists and farmers in the debate over GM plants. Much of the debate surrounding the use of GM crops focuses on their effect on organisms that aren't pests.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Drinking Juice Not Associated With Being Overweight In Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304529981/080602160724.htm
Children who drink 100-percent juice are no more likely to be overweight and may have a better overall nutrient intake than children who do not drink juice, according to a new report
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Hunt For Superearth Planets Underway
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304569244/080604092443.htm
NASA's EPOXI mission, which uses the Deep Impact spacecraft, has begun its search for "super Earth" planets.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Tumor Suppressor Gene Identified; Deletion Results In Liver Cancer In Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304529983/080603155208.htm
Scientists have taken the search for cancer-causing genes an important step forward. They confirm that a gene called DLC1 is a tumor suppressor. They have demonstrated in living mice that its deletion, inactivation or loss precipitates events culminating in an aggressive type of liver cancer closely related to common human epithelial cancers of the liver.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Electricity From The Exhaust Pipe
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303837149/080603110849.htm
Researchers are working on a thermoelectric generator that converts the heat from car exhaust fumes into electricity. The module feeds the energy into the car's electronic systems. This cuts fuel consumption and helps reduce the carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Are People More Likely To Become Friends Based on Proximity Or Shared Values and Interests?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304529984/080602163842.htm
Rather than picking our friends based on intentional choice and common values and interests, our friendships may be based on more superficial factors like proximity or group assignments. As reported in a recent issue of Psychological Science sitting in neighboring seats as a result of randomly assigned seat numbers when meeting for the first time led to higher ratings of friendship intensity one year later.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Brain's Gray Cells Appear To Be Changed By Trauma Of Major Events Like 9/11 Attack, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304529985/080603184256.htm
Healthy adults who were close to the World Trade Center during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, have less gray matter in key emotion centers of their brains compared with people who were more than 200 miles away, finds a new Cornell study. "This suggests that really bad experiences may have lasting effects on the brain, even in healthy people," said the study's lead researcher.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Long-term Pesticide Exposure May Increase Risk Of Diabetes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304650254/080604113322.htm
Licensed pesticide applicators who used chlorinated pesticides on more than 100 days in their lifetime were at greater risk of diabetes. The associations between specific pesticides and incident diabetes ranged from a 20 percent to a 200 percent increase in risk, said the scientists with the NIH's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Cancer Institute.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Mobile Robotic Arm Taught To Manipulate Objects Such As Scissors And Shears
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304529987/080603184624.htm
Movies portray robots that can move through the world as easily as humans, and use their hands to operate everything from dishwashers to computers with ease. But in reality, the creation of robots with these skills remains a major challenge. Researchers are solving this problem by giving a mobile robotic arm the ability to "see" its environment through a digital camera.
Thu, 5 Jun 08
Survivors Of Childhood Hodgkin's Lymphoma At Higher Risk Of Future Health Problems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302375756/080531185849.htm
Adults who survived childhood Hodgkin's Lymphoma should be especially vigilant about cancer and cardiovascular screenings, according to new research.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Genetic Mutation Linked To Walking On All Fours
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302938051/080602075844.htm
What are the genes implicated in upright walking of humans? The discovery of four families in which some members only walk on all fours may help us understand how humans, unlike other primates, are able to walk for long periods on only two legs.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Gene That Magnetically Labels Cells Shows Potential As Imaging Tool
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004012/080603164835.htm
Mammalian cells can produce tiny magnetic nuggets after the introduction of a single gene from bacteria, scientists have found. The gene MagA could become a valuable tool for tracking cells' movement through the body via magnetic resonance imaging.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Quotas Allow More Caviar Export, Further Jeopardize Endangered Sturgeon, Group Says
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301314699/080530095456.htm
In a decision that could jeopardize already imperiled sturgeons, more caviar will be exported from Caspian Sea and Amur River states this year as a result of unacceptably permissive new trade quotas announced by CITES, according to the Pew Institute for Ocean Science. These quotas will further damage this ancient fish's chance of recovery and survival, since sturgeon must be killed to harvest their eggs which are then processed into caviar, the group says.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Circumcision Safe In Both HIV-infected And HIV-uninfected Men, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004014/080602214155.htm
Adult circumcision is safe in HIV-infected men without advanced HIV disease, according to research in PLoS Medicine. Analyzing results of two clinical trials of circumcision in the rural Rakai district of Uganda, scientists found approximately a 3 percent rate of moderate or severe surgical complications -- primarily infections -- in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative men, when circumcision was performed under optimal conditions.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
New Fingerprint Breakthrough By Forensic Scientists
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004015/080602103331.htm
New techniques have been developed for identifying fingerprints on metal. The technique can enhance -- after firing -- a fingerprint that has been deposited on a small caliber metal cartridge case before it is fired.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Mother Nature's Antibacterial Dyes: Bright Colors And A Knockout Punch For Germs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004016/080602091038.htm
A strain of marine bacteria produces large amounts of bright red pigments that can be used as a natural dye for wool, nylon, silk and other fabrics, scientists in California are reporting. The dyes from Mother Nature's palate also have an anti-bacterial effect that could discourage harmful bacteria from growing on socks, undergarments, and other clothing, they report in a new study.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Kinship Care More Beneficial Than Foster Care, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004017/080602112351.htm
Children removed from their homes after reports of maltreatment have significantly fewer behavior problems three years after placement with relatives than if they are put into foster care, according to new research.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Tornados, Flooding May Warn Of Climate Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004018/080602231312.htm
Record-keeping meteorologists at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration say this year's tornado season is one of the deadliest in a decade and may be on pace to set a record for the most tornadoes. And flooding in the Midwest has been at 100-year levels this spring.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Thinness Vs. Obesity Not Directly Linked To Eating Habits, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004019/080603121212.htm
Whether you are fat or thin isn't directly determined by your eating habits, suggest researchers who report new findings made in worms. While both feeding and fat in worms depends on serotonin levels in the nervous system, they found evidence that the nerve messenger acts through independent channels to control whether you eat versus what to do with those calories once you've eaten them.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Large-scale Experiments Needed To Predict Global Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004020/080602110237.htm
Ecosystems are constantly exchanging materials through the movement of air in the atmosphere and water in lakes and rivers. The effects of humans, however, are another major source of connections among ecosystems.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Cure Of Fatal Childhood Skin Disease On The Horizon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004021/080603120246.htm
Physicians have set the path to a cure for a young boy's fatal genetic skin disease, recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, by using a cord blood and bone marrow transplant. Nate Liao, a 25-month-old from Clarksburg, N.J., underwent the experimental therapy in October 2007.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
How To Make Microwaves On A Chip To Replace X-rays For Medical Imaging And Security
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004022/080529162717.htm
Is microwave radiation the nondestructive imaging technology of the future? Microwaves with frequencies from a few hundred gigahertz up to slightly over 1 terahertz, penetrate just a short distance into surfaces without the ionizing damage caused by X-rays. The technology could be used to detect skin cancer or image dental flaws beneath the enamel.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Instant Messaging Proves Useful In Reducing Workplace Interruption
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004024/080603120251.htm
Employers seeking to decrease interruptions may want to have their workers use instant messaging software, a new study suggests. A recent study found that workers who used instant messaging on the job reported less interruption than colleagues who did not. The study challenges the widespread belief that instant messaging leads to an increase in disruption.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
'Cyborg Engineering' Enables Coronary Bypass Grafting Using Artificial Veins And Arteries
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303751172/080603092417.htm
A team of London scientists have taken a major step in making the use of artificial veins and arteries in coronary bypass grafts a reality. Researchers have developed artificial graft tissue by combining man-made materials with human cells to make it elastic and durable and so it can attach to host tissue.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Antibacterial Wipes Can Spread Bacteria Around
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004025/080603133410.htm
A new study looked into the ability of antimicrobial-surface wipes to remove, kill and prevent the spread of such infections as MRSA. They found that current protocols utilized by hospital staff have the potential to spread pathogens after only the first use of a wipe, particularly due to the ineffectiveness of wipes to actually kill bacteria.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
How Defects In One Gene Causes Three Devestating Diseases; Risk For Cancer, Early Aging
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004026/080529120718.htm
The protein XPD is one component of an essential repair mechanism that maintains the integrity of DNA. Pinpoint mutations of this single protein are responsible for three different human diseases associated with increased risk of cancer and accelerated aging: xeroderma pigmentosum, Cockayne syndrome, and trichothiodystrophy. Researchers have now solved the essential structure of XPD, revealing novel insights into the processes of aging and cancer.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Researchers Discover Natural Inflammation-fighting Mechanism In Body-fat Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004027/080603121203.htm
Researchers have shown for the first time that fat-storing cells, or adipocytes, contain a protective anti-inflammatory immune mechanism that prevents the cells from over-reacting to inflammation-causing stimuli, such as fatty acids in the diet.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Men Fighting Over Women? It's Nothing New, Suggests Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004028/080602214132.htm
Men may usually settle it over a drunken brawl in the pub or perhaps a verbal spat -- but new evidence has shown for the first time that fighting over women in prehistoric times could have been worse than that.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
New Zealand's Colonization 1000 Years Later Than Previously Thought?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004029/080603162919.htm
The dating project, in one of the largest studies of its kind, has shown that the country was not visited by humans over 2000 years ago, as some previous research suggests. The new research shows that the earliest evidence for human colonization is about 1280-1300 AD, and no earlier. They based their results on new radiocarbon dating of Pacific rat bones and rat-gnawed seeds. Their results do not support previous radiocarbon dating of Pacific rat bones which implied a much earlier human contact about 200 BC.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Finding Clues For Nerve Cell Repair
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303794444/080603104407.htm
A new study identifies a key mechanism for the normal development of motor nerve cells (motor neurons) -- cells that control muscles. This finding is crucial to understanding and treating a range of conditions involving nerve cell loss or damage, from spinal cord injury to neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
GLAST Spacecraft Will Observe Cosmic Sources Of Gamma Rays As It Orbits Above The Earth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004030/080529140048.htm
GLAST will explore the universe's most extreme environments, searching for answers to long-standing questions about dark matter, black holes, and gamma-ray bursts. Scientists expect the orbiting telescope to detect thousands of hitherto unknown gamma-ray sources. With its extraordinary sensitivity and wide field-of-view, it is the first imaging gamma-ray observatory capable of scanning the entire sky every three hours on a daily basis.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Aggression Between Nursing-home Residents More Common Than Widely Believed, Studies Find
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004031/080602170924.htm
When people hear about elder abuse in nursing homes, they usually think of staff members victimizing residents. However, new research suggests that a more prevalent and serious problem may be aggression and violence that occurs between residents themselves.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Spitzer Captures Stellar Coming Of Age In Our Galaxy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004032/080603160535.htm
More than 800,000 snapshots from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have been stitched together to create a new 'coming of age' portrait of stars in our inner Milky Way galaxy.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Potential Treatments From Cryptic Genes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302938049/080602075854.htm
Big pharma gave up on soil bacteria as a source of antibiotics too soon, according to research in Microbiology. Scientists have been mining microbial genomes for new natural products that may have applications in the treatment of MRSA and cancer and have made some exciting discoveries.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Fruit Fly Helps Identify Protein Critical To Eggshell Formation That May Be Pesticide Target
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004033/080529112630.htm
The common fruit fly circling your week-old peach has helped scientists zero in on a protein critical to the insect's eggshell formation. The paradoxical finding gives scientists a better understanding of how the innermost protective eggshell layer forms as it points to a likely target for pesticide development.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Potential Therapy Discovered For Hypophosphatasia, A Congenital Form Of Rickets
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004034/080530132132.htm
Researchers have demonstrated in mice the first successful use of enzyme replacement therapy to prevent hypophosphatasia, a primary skeletal disease of genetic origin. This discovery lays the foundation for future clinical trials for HPP patients.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Sophisticated Soil Analysis For Improved Land Use
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004035/080530132127.htm
Researchers investigated different components of variation in soil at diverse scales ranging from the nanoscale to entire biomes in order to improve predictions of soil processes. Scientists used a variety of mathematical approaches to explore patterns of soil properties including water content, water movement, corn yields, and remote sensing data.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
People More Likely To Overestimate Their Credit Quality
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004036/080602152910.htm
A new study examined consumers’ self-assessments of their credit rating and found that respondents were more likely to believe they had average or above average credit and those who overestimated their credit quality were less likely to budget, save, and invest regularly.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
New Combination Therapy Safe, Promising For Melanoma Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302552359/080601161833.htm
Researchers in the melanoma and skin cancer program at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute combined two biotherapies, high-dose interferon alfa-2b and tremelimumab, and found the combination may be beneficial for patients with inoperable melanoma. The study has since moved into the second stage, where it will enroll 21 additional patients.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
The Crack As A Tool: New Process Cut Brittle Glass Super-sharp
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303866328/080529105403.htm
We encounter glass everywhere -- as window and facade glazing, coffee-table tops and shelving. A new process makes it possible to cut the brittle material cost-efficiently and opens up new applications thanks to superior edge quality.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Gene Signature Profile For Metastasis Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301521393/080530172632.htm
Researchers have identified a common signature of tiny, specific pieces of non-coding genetic material known as microRNAs (miRNAs) that may be directly involved in the spread of cancer. The findings may represent a novel diagnostic tool in characterizing gene targets in metastatic cancer.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Healthy Intestinal Bacteria Found Within Chicken Eggs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303866331/080602103402.htm
The conventional wisdom among scientists has long been that birds acquire the intestinal bacteria that are necessary for good health from their environment, but a new study finds that chickens are actually born with those bacteria.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Lawn Mowing Injuries Common In Children And Teens
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303751182/080603091342.htm
Protecting children during summer activities conjures up thoughts of bike helmets, knee pads and sunblock. However, during the summer months, mowing the lawn can be as routine for some children as riding a bike and can be dangerous if proper safety precautions are not taken. In fact, nearly 210,000 people -- approximately 16,200 of them children under age 19 -- were treated in doctors' offices, clinics and emergency rooms for lawn mower-related injuries in 2007, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission reports.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Rapid Wound Healing With Dressing Made Of Silica Gel Fibers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303837141/080529112634.htm
A new type of wound dressing made of silica gel fibers will soon help to heal difficult wounds caused by burns or diabetes. The dressing forms a supporting matrix for newly growing skin cells and is fully absorbed by the body during the healing process.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
People With Joint Pain Can Really Forecast Thunderstorms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301521391/080530174619.htm
The summer brings many thunderstorms to the east coast of the United States, and one of the nation's leading joint specialists says you should believe your grandmother, friend or co-worker when they tell you it's going to rain--even if it's simply because their aching knees, hips, hands or shoulders "say so."
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Micro-mechanical Gyroscopes May Provide Navigation For Planes And Cars Of The Future
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301521392/080530172637.htm
Airplanes, submarines and even automobiles of tomorrow may be equipped with arrays of inexpensive high-performance micro-mechanical gyroscopes for navigation and other purposes. The proprietary system of MEMS gyroscope arrays under development is radically different than today's gyroscopes, which are big and costly.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Medical Geneticists Cautions Against Rushing Into Genetic Testing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303837145/080531185843.htm
Just because scientific advances now allow individuals to learn their genetic make-up doesn't mean they should rush into genetic testing in hopes of making revolutionary improvements to their health, cautions a geneticist and practicing physician.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Two Of The Milky Way's Spiral Arms Go Missing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/304004037/080603160245.htm
For decades, astronomers have been blind to what our galaxy, the Milky Way, really looks like. Now, new images from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope are shedding light on the true structure of the Milky Way, revealing that it has just two major arms of stars instead of the four it was previously thought to possess.
Wed, 4 Jun 08
Gene That Regulates Glucose Levels Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303751179/080603091345.htm
In an effort to understand how genes work, a collaborative study has identified a gene that regulates glucose levels. The results may provide further understanding of the underlying causes of diabetes.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Good News In Our DNA: Defects You Can Fix With Vitamins And Minerals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405978/080602214135.htm
As DNA sequencing becomes cheaper, it will become common for people to have their complete genomes sequenced. Personal genomes will not only tell people about genetic susceptibility to cancer and heart disease, but will also tell them which vitamins and how much can improve their health. A new study shows that one enzyme can be tuned up with vitamins, suggesting that one day we all may take personalized vitamin supplements.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Link Between Inflammation, Cancer Confirmed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405979/080602214138.htm
Chronic inflammation of the intestine or stomach can damage DNA, increasing the risk of cancer, MIT scientists have confirmed. Chronic inflammation accelerated tumor formation in mice lacking the ability to repair DNA damage.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Feather Colors Affect Bird Physiology, Barn Swallows Show
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405980/080602121302.htm
In the world of birds, where fancy can be as fleeting as flight, the color of the bird apparently has a profound effect on more than just its image. A new study of barn swallows reveals it also affects the bird's physiology. A manipulation of breast feather color results in higher testosterone levels for male barnswallows.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
New Approach To Treating Autoimmune Disease Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405981/080602103348.htm
Scientists have developed a new approach to treating such autoimmune diseases as irritable bowel syndrome using genetically-engineered regulatory T cells. This approach may be adapted to a number of autoimmune diseases, as it can be used treat the disease without knowing its exact cause.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Evolution Of An Imprinted Domain In Mammals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405982/080602214249.htm
A new PLoS Biology article investigates the evolution of genomic imprinting in a specific region of the mammalian genome. The work shows that different regions became imprinted at different times during mammalian evolution.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Golf Prolongs Life, Swedish Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301314705/080530095413.htm
Golf can be a good investment for the health, according to a new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet. The death rate for golfers is 40 percent lower than for other people of the same sex, age and socioeconomic status, which correspond to a 5 year increase in life expectancy. Golfers with a low handicap are the safest.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Long-term Cannabis Users May Have Structural Brain Abnormalities
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405983/080602160845.htm
Long-term, heavy cannabis use may be associated with structural abnormalities in areas of the brain known as the hippocampus and amygdala, according to a new article in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Treatment Improves Walking Ability Of Parkinson's Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405984/080602163846.htm
The use of electrical impulses to stimulate weak or paralyzed muscles, called functional electrical stimulation, is often used to help stroke or multiple sclerosis patients to walk.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
New, Flexible Computers Use Displays With Any Shape
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405985/080602114700.htm
Computers of the future will change shape, respond to touch and physics, and fold into your pocket. The shape of things to come in the computer world will be anything but flat, predicts one computing professor, who is now developing prototypes of these new "non-planar" devices in his Human Media Laboratory.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Long-term Bouts With Hay Fever Worsen Ability To Breathe Through Your Nose
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302375746/080601092212.htm
New evidence for the first time suggests that people suffering from hay fever will over time experience a progressive worsening of their nasal passage functioning, depending on how long they have the disorder.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Quantum Systems Could Flout Physics Law
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405986/080602103359.htm
Scientists have shown how quantum systems might disobey a hard and fast rule of physics: While an ensemble of small systems in a larger heat bath should eventually reach thermal equilibrium, repeated measuring of quantum systems could interfere with the process, causing them to heat further or lose energy to the heat bath.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
More Girls Than Boys Benefit From Breastfeeding, Research Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405987/080602075746.htm
Challenging the long-standing belief that breast-feeding equally protects all babies against disease, new research suggests that when it comes to respiratory infections, the protective effects of breast milk are higher in girls than in boys.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Micro-robots Dance On Something Smaller Than A Pin's Head
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405988/080602133313.htm
Microscopic robots crafted to maneuver separately without any obvious guidance are now assembling into self-organized structures after years of continuing research led by a Duke University computer scientist.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Vaccine May Double Survival In Patients With Deadly Brain Tumors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405990/080602114709.htm
A vaccine aimed at inducing immunity to the most common and deadly type of brain tumor may stave off recurrence and more than double survival in patients, according to a new study.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Engineers Whip Up First Long-lived Nanoscale Bubbles
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405991/080529141335.htm
With the aid of kitchen mixers, engineers at Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have whipped up, for the first time, permanent nanoscale bubbles -- bubbles that endure for more than a year -- from batches of foam made from a mixture of glucose syrup, sucrose stearate and water. The microbubbles could significantly extend the lifetimes of common gas-liquid products that experience rapid disintegration, such as aerated personal-care products and contrast agents for ultrasound imaging.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Fatal Mine Collapse Covered 50 Acres
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302970149/080602075828.htm
New calculations show that the deadly Crandall Canyon mine collapse -- which registered as a magnitude-3.9 earthquake -- began near where miners were excavating coal and quickly grew to a 50-acre cave-in, seismologists say in a report on the tragedy. The University of Utah Seismograph Stations estimated the size of the collapse is about four times larger than was thought shortly after the time of the Aug. 6, 2007, disaster.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Sad Children Out-perform Happy Children In Attention-to-detail Tasks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405992/080602131109.htm
Psychologists have conducted experimental research that contrasts with the belief that happy children are the best learners. The findings show that where attention to detail is required, happy children may be at a disadvantage.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Small Planet Discovered Orbiting Small Star
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405993/080602131105.htm
Astronomers have discovered an extra-solar planet of about three earth masses orbiting a star with a mass so low that its core may not be massive enough to maintain nuclear reactions. The planet, referred to as MOA-2007-BLG-192Lb, establishes a record for the lowest mass planet to orbit a normal star.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
New 'Quasiparticles' Discovered; May Pave Way Toward New Quantum Computer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405997/080602103355.htm
Scientists have demonstrated, for the first time, the existence of "quasiparticles" with the one quarter the charge of an electron. While charges with odd denominators have been seen, the new, quarter-charge quasiparticle is significant because it might form the basis of a novel type of quantum computer.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Strong Evidence For A Genetic Marker For Nearsightedness
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405994/080602120910.htm
New research supports the theory that the refractive errors known as nearsightedness and farsightedness are primarily inherited. The group also identified the probable location---on the long arm of chromosome 5---of genes that help determine axial length, a key factor in these refractive errors. Axial length is a specific measurement from the front to back of the eye; this distance is longer than normal when a person is nearsighted and shorter than normal in a farsighted person.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Protons Pair Up With Neutrons: Finding Sheds New Light On Structure Of Nuclear Systems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405995/080529141325.htm
New research has found that protons are about 20 times more likely to pair up with neutrons than with other protons in the nucleus. The result, based on the first-ever simultaneous measurement of such pairings and their constituents, could have implications for understanding the structure of nuclear systems from light nuclei to neutron stars.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Stretching Exercises May Reduce Risk Of Pre-eclampsia During Pregnancy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405996/080528172009.htm
Stretching exercises may be more effective at reducing the risk of pre-eclampsia than walking is for pregnant women who have already experienced the condition and who do not follow a workout routine.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Printed Biochips: Laser Printing To Unleash Potential Of Peptide Arrays
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405998/080529105406.htm
Peptide arrays are powerful tools for developing new medical substances as well as for diagnosis and therapy techniques. A new production method based on laser printing will enable the potential of peptide arrays to be effectively utilized for the first time.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Globalization Exposes Food Supply To Unsanitary Practices
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303405999/080602132248.htm
As the United States continues to import increasingly more of its food from developing nations, we are putting ourselves at greater risk of foodborne disease because many of these countries do not have the same sanitary standards for production, especially in the case of seafood and fresh produce.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Toad Research Could Leapfrog To New Muscle Model
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303406000/080602144411.htm
The deceptively simple, remarkably fast feeding action of toads and chameleons offers a new look at how muscles work. This fresh perspective could lead to designing more efficient electric motors, better prostheses and new medical treatments for neuromuscular diseases like Parkinson's. Science has long held that muscles behave largely like motors. Northern Arizona University researcher Kiisa Nishikawa suggests that muscle acts more like a spring.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Drug Found To Stimulate Immune System In Patients With Prostate Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303406001/080602132921.htm
Researchers have found that a drug called Ipilimumab, also known as MDX-010, works to stimulate the body's own immune system to fight prostate cancer. The drug was found to be effective in study participants with a serious type of prostate cancer -- one where the tumor has spread and was resistant to hormonal treatment and, in some cases, also to chemotherapy.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Bunk Beds Pose Dangers To Kids And Adults, U.S. Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302970152/080602075809.htm
What would sleepovers and summer camps be without bunk beds? According to a new national study, they might be a little safer. For the first time, researchers have looked at injury rates in bunk beds for people ages 1 through 21, and found some surprising results. Not only are kids under 6 hurt most often, there is an additional spike in injuries between ages 18 and 21. Experts attribute that to young adults using bunk beds in places like college dorms or military barracks.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
New Research Offers Insight Into Oral Cancer, Chronic Pediatric Ear Infections, And Hearing Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302375747/080601092209.htm
Three new studies published in Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery focus on what role gender plays in the prognosis of oral tongue cancer, chronic ear infections in children, and the success rates of hearing aid implants in the elderly.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
New Geomorphological Index Created For Studying Active Tectonics Of Mountains
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303406002/080529105308.htm
To build a hospital, nuclear power station or a large dam you need to know the possible earthquake risks of the terrain. Now, researchers have developed, based on relief data from the southern edge of the Sierra Nevada, a geomorphological index that analyzes land form in relation to active tectonics, applicable to any mountain chain on the planet.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Injuries To High School Baseball Players Becoming More Serious
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302970155/080602075757.htm
Although the overall rate of high school baseball-related injuries has decreased within the last 10 years, the severity of injuries that occur has increased, according to a new study. During the two-year study period, an estimated 132,000 high school baseball-related injuries occurred with an injury rate of more than one per 1,000 athletic exposures.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Probing The Dynamics Of The Crab Pulsar And Gravitational Waves
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303406003/080602112344.htm
The search for gravitational waves has revealed new information about the core of one of the most famous objects in the sky: the Crab Pulsar in the Crab Nebula. An new analysis has shown that no more than 4 percent of the energy loss of the pulsar is caused by the emission of gravitational waves.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Novel Chemo Drug Helps Treat Prostate Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301521394/080530172628.htm
Men with a certain type of prostate cancer have been shown to respond to a new chemotherapy drug, sagopilone, plus prednisone in an international trial. The research involved men with androgen-independent prostate cancer that has metastasized, meaning their cancer has spread beyond the prostate and is not longer responding to hormonal therapies.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Reforestation Using Exotic Plants Can Disturb Fertility Of Tropical Soils
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303406004/080529105241.htm
A research program recently conducted by an IRD team and its partners found new clues for understanding the influence of exotic species on the biodiversity of communities of mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobial soil bacteria. Exotic tree plantations appear to generate, under certain climatic conditions, an abrupt decrease in soil microbial diversity which lead to significant degradation of its fertility.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Treatment Guidelines Lead To Four-fold Increase In Survival Rate For Cardiac Arrest
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301251710/080530074303.htm
A new study finds that recent guidelines outlined by the American Heart Association for treatments used by emergency and critical care medical practitioners on cardiac arrest patients has lead to substantial improvements in survival rates.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Statistical Tool Could Explain Gene Study Variations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303406005/080528172013.htm
A biostatistician is using statistics to explain variations in genome-wide association studies. Scientists use genome-wide association studies to compare the genes of people with health conditions to the genes of healthy people, thereby better understanding basic biological processes that affect health and possibly how to better diagnose and treat disease. Some studies account for differences by using control groups who self-report similar ethnicities. But there can be wide variations because people are not always completely aware of their ancestry.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Emotional Intelligence Helps Make Better Product Choices
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303406006/080530132111.htm
People with highly developed emotional sensibilities are better at making product choices, according to a new study. This research establishes a new method for assessing consumers' emotional intelligence.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Warm Coronal Loops Offer Clue To Mysteriously Hot Solar Atmosphere
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302993523/080529120710.htm
Scientists at NASA reveal a new understanding of the mysterious mechanism responsible for heating the outer part of the solar atmosphere, the corona, to million degree temperatures. The corona is made up of loops of hot gas that arch high above the sun's surface. These loops can have a wide range of temperatures, many reaching several million degrees Kelvin, but those of intermediate temperature have proven the most difficult to explain. Impulsive energy bursts called nanoflares seem to be the key.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Cold Medication Use In Young Children Can Lead To Adverse Effects, Even Death
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301849201/080531074844.htm
Cough and cold medication use in young children has been linked to a significant number of adverse effects and several deaths. Despite these concerns about safety and efficacy, there has been little research on patterns of cough and cold medication use in very young children. Now, a new study from reveals important new statistics about medication use in children under the age of two.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Phoenix Scoops Up Martian Soil
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/303406007/080602105519.htm
One week after landing on far-northern Mars, NASA Phoenix spacecraft lifted its first scoop of Martian soil as a test of the lander's Robotic Arm.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Diabetes Doubles Liver Cancer Risk For Patients With Advanced Hepatitis C
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302993524/080529162901.htm
Patients who have chronic hepatitis C with advanced fibrosis have twice the risk of developing liver cancer if they also have diabetes. Recent studies have suggested that diabetes increases one’s risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), also known as liver cancer, possibly because diabetes often occurs as part of the metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can lead to liver cancer.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
NASA Selects Small Explorer Investigations for Concept Studies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301251712/080530074246.htm
NASA has selected six candidate mission proposals for further evaluation as part of the agency's Small Explorer (SMEX) Program. The proposals will study the far reaches of the universe, including the Earth's thermosphere and ionosphere, the sun, black holes, the first stars, and Earthlike planets around nearby stars.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Look Before You Leap: New Study Examines Self-control
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302993525/080530132101.htm
Reckless decision-making can lead to dire consequences when it comes to food, credit cards, or savings. What's the key to making good decisions? A new study outlines a novel method for measuring people's abilities to consider the consequences of their actions. It also provides hope for consumers who want to make more prudent decisions.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Wireless Vision Implant: Implantable Prosthesis Lets Patients Perceive Visual Images
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302993526/080529105357.htm
About 30 million people around the world have grown legally blind due to retinal diseases. The EPI-RET project has sought for a technical solution for the past twelve years to help these patients. This work has resulted in a unique system -- a fully implantable visual prosthesis.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Smokers With Advanced Colon Cancer May Face Higher Odds Of Disease Recurrence
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301314704/080530095421.htm
People with advanced colon cancer who have smoked cigarettes or used other tobacco products for many years may have an increased risk that their colon cancer will return, according to research by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists.
Tue, 3 Jun 08
Factors That Make Bacteria More Modular Detailed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302993527/080529162727.htm
Many bacteria break their metabolic processes into chunks. That may be logically tidy, but it's often metabolically inefficient. Researchers have now figured out the factors that tend to make bacteria more modular. Researchers constructed metabolic networks of many species of bacteria and measured how much those networks broke into pieces, or modules. They found that large networks involving many different enzymes tended to be more modular. Also, bacteria that tend to live in many different environments are generally more modular. Finally, the researchers found that modularity decreases over generations.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Self-assembled Viruses Efficiently Carry Genes And Drug Molecules Into Tumor Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301314697/080530102627.htm
Korean researchers have made an artificial virus, which they have been able to use to transport both genes and drugs into the interior of cancer cells.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
How Enzyme Works: A Molecular Switch Turns On The Flame In 'Nature's Blowtorch'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302688007/080529170518.htm
Uncontrolled reaction of organic compounds with oxygen is easy: we call it fire. But nature often needs to do oxidations very specifically, adding oxygen to a particular carbon atom in a complicated molecule without disturbing anything else. Usually, this job falls to an enzyme called cytochrome P450.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Dehydrated Tomatoes Show Promise For Preventing Prostate Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302688008/080529091118.htm
New research suggests that the form of tomato product one eats could be the key to unlocking its prostate cancer-fighting potential, according to a new article. The protective effect of tomato products against prostate cancer has been suggested in many studies, but researchers remain uncertain about the exact mechanisms.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Bilateral Cochlear Implants: A Case When Two Are Definitely Superior To One
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302688009/080529162930.htm
A study of cochlear implant patients seen by physicians shows evidence that cochlear implants in both ears significantly improves quality of life in patients with profound hearing loss and that the cost of the second implant is offset by its benefits.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Ultra-thin Image Sensor Based On Insect Eye Being Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302688010/080529105353.htm
Insects are a source of inspiration for technological development work. For example, researchers around the world are working on ultra-thin imaging systems based on the insect eye. The principle of hyperacuity has now been successfully incorporated in a technical model.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Bikini-clad Women Make Men Impatient
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302688011/080530132051.htm
Images of sexy women tend to whet men's sexual appetite. But stimulating new research says there's more than meets the eye. A recent study shows that men who watched sexy videos or handled lingerie sought immediate gratification -- even when they were making decisions about money, soda, and candy.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Nanowire-mesh 'Paper Towel' For Oil Spills Absorbs 20 Times Its Weight In Oil
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301471244/080530132212.htm
A mat of nanowires with the touch and feel of paper could be an important new tool in the cleanup of oil and other organic pollutants, researchers report in Nature Nanotechnology. The Nanowire mesh can absorb up to 20 times its weight in oil.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Tumor Suppressor Genes Speed Up And Slow Down Aging In Engineered Mouse
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301471246/080530132155.htm
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed an animal model that can test the function of two prominent tumor suppressor genes, p16 and p19, in the aging process. Scientists knew that both these genes were expressed at increased levels as humans and mice age, but their role in the aging process was not clear. Findings show that p16 provides gas to accelerate cellular aging, while p19 stops that process.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Fireflies' Glow Helps Researchers Track Cancer Drug's Effectiveness
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662750/080529091058.htm
The gene that allows fireflies to flash is helping researchers track the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs over time. The technique requires a substrate called luciferin to be added to the bloodstream, which carries it to cells throughout the body. When luciferin reaches cells that have been altered to carry the firefly gene, those cells emit light.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Chemotherapy Diminishes Fertility In Breast Cancer Patients, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301314701/080530095450.htm
Pre-menopausal breast cancer survivors who were treated with chemotherapy following surgery were more likely to have diminished ovarian reserve -- the capacity of the ovaries to provide eggs capable of being fertilized -- compared to women who have never had breast cancer, according to a study led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators. Their findings will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Fruit Fly Protein Acts As Decoy To Capture Tumor Growth Factors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662751/080528155632.htm
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have shown how Argos, a fruit fly protein, acts as a "decoy" receptor, binding growth factors that promote the progression of cancer. Knowing how Argos neutralizes tumor growth may lead to new drug designs for inhibiting cancer.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Drinking At An Early Age Can Lead To Later Alcohol Dependence
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302375753/080531185923.htm
An early age at onset of drinking is a strong predictor of subsequent alcohol dependence. New findings indicate that an early AOD among women born after 1944 may account for their increased rates of lifetime AD. An earlier AOD may be connected to decreased minimum legal drinking age laws.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
New Metamaterial Proves To Be A 'Perfect' Absorber Of Light
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662754/080529190038.htm
Researchers have engineered a new metamaterial that uses its unique geometric surface features to "perfectly" absorb all of the electric and magnetic properties of a microwave. Resonators couple individually to electric and magnetic fields to absorb all incident radiation.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Combination Therapy Packs 1-2 Punch Against Melanoma
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302552358/080601161837.htm
Disabling a protein frequently found in melanoma tumors may make the cancer more vulnerable to chemotherapy, according to a pilot study led by researchers in the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. Melanoma often affects people on their extremities, with a common scenario being a mole that appears on the foot and then spreads up the leg.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
A Great Lakes Mystery: The Case Of The Disappearing Species
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662752/080528172001.htm
Throughout the overlooked depths of Lake Michigan and other Great Lakes, a small but important animal is rapidly disappearing. Until recently, the animal -- a shrimplike, energy-dense creature called Diporeia -- was a major food source for commercially important species like lake whitefish and many prey fish upon which salmon, trout and walleye rely.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Lack Of Dental Care May Have Life-threatening Implications
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301215580/080530074318.htm
Admissions for the surgical treatment of dental abscess have doubled in the last ten years in the UK despite the fact that these serious, potentially life-threatening, infections are preventable with regular dental care.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Marine Chemist Says 'Not So Fast' To Quick Oil Detection Method
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662753/080528145410.htm
A new method for assessing environmental contamination after oil spills is in danger of being applied in situations where it doesn't work and might produce false conclusions.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
'Freshman 15' May Be More Like 'Freshman 5'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302375751/080601092201.htm
The "Freshman 15," the notion that students gain 15 pounds during their first year of college, may overstate students' actual weight gain, according to new research. In a sample of 116 first-year female students, the average weight gain was 5.29 pounds.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Traditional Mediterranean Diet Protects Against Diabetes, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301215579/080530074338.htm
Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of developing diabetes: prospective cohort study. The Mediterreanean diet is rich in olive oil, grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and fish, but low in meat, dairy products and alcohol.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Why Some Treatments Rescue Aging Skin
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662755/080528152141.htm
Dozens of studies show collagen repair is possible and demonstrate why three types of available skin treatments are effective: topical retinoic acid, carbon dioxide laser resurfacing and injections of cross-linked hyaluronic acid.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Getting Better With A Little Help From Our 'Micro' Friends
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662756/080528140223.htm
A naturally occurring molecule made by symbiotic gut bacteria may offer a new type of treatment for inflammatory bowel disease, according to scientists at the California Institute of Technology. The 100 trillion bacteria occupying the human gut have evolved along with the human digestive and immune systems for millions of years. Some harmful microbes are responsible for infection and acute disease, while "other bacteria, the more intelligent ones, have taken the evolutionary route of shaping their environment by positively interacting with the host immune system to promote health, which gives them an improved place to live; it's like creating bacterial nirvana," says one of the researchers.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
US Soldiers In High-tuberculosis Areas Face New Epidemic: False Positives
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301251711/080530074251.htm
US Army service members are increasingly deployed in regions of the world where tuberculosis is rampant, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and the military now faces a growing medical problem. But it is not TB itself that is on the rise -- instead, the problem lies with the growing number of "pseudoepidemics," or clusters of false-positives.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Designer 'Nanobatons' Could Be Used To Trap Oil, Deliver Drugs: Nanoparticles Assemble By Millions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662757/080529162653.htm
In a development that could lead to new technologies for cleaning up oil spills and polluted groundwater, scientists at have shown how tiny, stick-shaped particles of metal and carbon can trap oil droplets in water by spontaneously assembling into bag-like sacs.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
It's Okay To Keep Those Feelings Inside, New Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302375748/080601092206.htm
Contrary to popular notions about what is normal or healthy, new research has found that it is okay not to express one's thoughts and feelings after experiencing a collective trauma, such as a school shooting or terrorist attack.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Computer Model Reveals How Brain Represents Meaning
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302688012/080529141354.htm
Scientists have taken an important step toward understanding how the human brain codes the meanings of words by creating the first computational model that can predict the unique brain activation patterns associated with names for things that you can see, hear, feel, taste or smell. The model predicts brain activation patterns for thousands of concrete nouns.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Protein Plays Key Role In Transmitting Deadly Malaria Parasite To Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662758/080528140231.htm
The transmembrane MAEBL is critical for completing the life cycle of malaria parasites in mosquitoes, allowing the insects to transmit the potentially deadly infection to humans, researchers have shown.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
New Insights On Spinal Muscular Atrophy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662759/080529162721.htm
Researchers have discovered that the effect of a protein deficiency, which is the basis of the neuromuscular disease spinal muscular atrophy, is not restricted to motor nerve cells, suggesting that SMA is a more general disorder. This new insight will allow for better understanding of how this complex disease arises.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
World's Fastest-growing Mud Volcano Is Collapsing, Says New Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662760/080528121311.htm
The world's fastest-growing mud volcano is collapsing and could subside to depths of more than 140 meters with consequences for the surrounding environment, according to new research. As the second anniversary of the eruption on the Indonesian island of Java approaches, scientists have also found that the center of the volcano -- named Lusi -- is collapsing by up to three meters overnight.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Alcoholics Anonymous And Narcotics Anonymous Benefit Adolescents Who Attend, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302375754/080531185918.htm
While Alcoholics Anonymous has existed for more than 70 years, and is the most commonly sought source of help for alcohol-related problems in the United States, there is little "hard scientific evidence" showing that AA and Narcotics Anonymous can improve substance-use outcomes. This study examined how helpful AA and NA may be for adolescents, finding long-term benefits even though many youth discontinue attendance after time.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Smoking During Pregnancy Increases Risk Of SIDS
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301215581/080530074258.htm
A new study provides the most direct evidence that there exists a causal link between smoking during pregnancy and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Clinicians have long considered prenatal cigarette smoke exposure a major contributing risk factor for SIDS, but researchers had not proved a casual relationship. Other contributing factors include disturbances of breathing and heart rate regulation and impaired arousal responses, thermal stress (primarily overheating from too high temperatures or too much clothing) and sleeping in the prone (belly-down) position.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Students' Device Allows ICU Patients To Get Back On Their Feet
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662761/080529091053.htm
Students have designed and built a device to enable critically ill intensive care unit patients to leave their beds and walk while remaining tethered to essential life-support equipment. The invention allows doctors to better understand whether carefully supervised rehabilitation, as opposed to continuous sedation and bed rest, can improve the recovery of intensive care patients.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Many Stomach Cancer Patients Are Not Getting Best Therapy, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662762/080529140039.htm
New findings from Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute show significant numbers of patients nationwide who are not getting the recommended therapy after surgery to remove stomach cancer.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Kew Gardens Provides Climate For Agricultural Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302662763/080528124710.htm
A device to help some of the most impoverished farmers in Africa maximize their crop yields is being tested at London's Kew Gardens. The sensor device gathers data on air temperature, humidity, air pressure, light, and soil moisture and temperature – information crucial to making key agricultural decisions about planting, fertilization, irrigation, pest and disease control and harvesting.
Mon, 2 Jun 08
Not All University Students Will 'Mature Out' Of Heavy Drinking Habits
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302375755/080531185855.htm
Not all university students will "mature out" of their heavy-drinking habits. A new study examines the density of college students' family history of alcoholism. This type of measure -- looking at first-, second- and third-degree relatives -- identified a significant number of at-risk individuals who would have been missed using regular family-history measures.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Talking Distractions: Why Cell Phones And Driving Don't Mix
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301849198/080531084958.htm
The notion that talking on a cell phone while driving a car isn't safe seems obvious, yet what happens in the brain while it juggles the two tasks is not. A new study provides a better understanding of why language -- talking and listening, including on a cell phone -- interferes with visual tasks, such as driving.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Ecstasy Deaths Linked To Raised Body Temperature
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868298/080531091527.htm
A new study has revealed that effects of the drug ecstasy are compounded when taken in warm environments. Preclinical research shows that ecstasy deaths, which are invariably related to elevated body temperature, may be related to drug users' failure to recognize their body is abnormally hot.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Nanotechnology In The Food Chain? Nanomaterials Tested Not Concentrating In Higher Level Organisms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301521390/080530174732.htm
New research shows that while engineered nanomaterials can be transferred up the lowest levels of the food chain from single celled organisms to higher multicelled ones, the amount transferred was relatively low and there was no evidence of the nanomaterials concentrating in the higher level organisms.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Enzyme Helps Males Make Up For Their X Chromosome Shortage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176777/080529121210.htm
Researchers have revealed new insights into how sex chromosomes are regulated. A chromatin modifying enzyme helps compensate for the fact that males have only one copy of the sex chromosome X, while females have two.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
New High-Temperature Superconductors Are Iron-based With Unusual Magnetic Properties
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176778/080528140242.htm
In the initial studies of a new class of high-temperature superconductors discovered earlier this year, research has revealed that new iron-based superconductors share similar unusual magnetic properties with previously known superconducting copper-oxide materials.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Perfect Night Vision? New Superlattice Structure Enables High Performance Infrared Imaging
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176779/080528095919.htm
Scientists have demonstrated for the first time a high-performance infrared imager, based on a Type II superlattice, which looks at wavelengths 20 times longer than visible light. The technology has the potential for broad applications in the detection of terrorist activities, such as use in night vision, target identification, and missile tracking.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Gene Mutations Responsible For 10 Percent Of Schizophrenia Pinpointed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301442185/080530132220.htm
People with schizophrenia from families with no history of the illness were found to harbor eight times more spontaneous mutations -- most in pathways affecting brain development -- than healthy controls. By contrast, no spontaneous mutations were found in people with schizophrenia who had family histories of the illness. The findings strongly suggest that rare, spontaneous mutations likely contribute to vulnerability in cases of schizophrenia from previously unaffected families.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Rett Syndrome Gene Is Full Of Surprises
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176780/080529141357.htm
A new study has transformed scientists' understanding of Rett syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes autistic behavior and other disabling symptoms. Until now, scientists thought that the gene behind Rett syndrome was an "off" switch, or repressor, for other genes. But the new study, published today in Science, shows that it is an "on" switch for a startlingly large number of genes.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Fatty Liver Linked To Increased Risk Of Diabetic Kidney Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176781/080529162551.htm
For patients with type 2 diabetes, a condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease may be an important risk factor for diabetes-related chronic kidney disease, according to a new study.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Organic Corn: Increasing Rotation Complexity Increases Yields Substantially
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176782/080528102904.htm
Researchers investigated the impact of increasing crop rotation length and complexity on crop yields in organic agricultural systems over a ten year period. They found that longer, more complex rotations using corn, soybean, wheat, and hay offered up to 30 percent greater corn yield than a simple corn-soybean rotation. The additional crop variety and rotation time helps provide adequate nitrogen and decrease weed competition, thereby increasing production.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Young Age May Give Survival Advantage To Children With Certain Brain Tumors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176783/080529162555.htm
Investigators have shown that children under 3 years old who have a brain tumor called diffuse pontine glioma appear to have a better outcome than older children with the same cancer.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Living Fossils Have Long- And Short-term Memory Despite Lacking Brain Structures Of Modern Cephalopods
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301827180/080531074905.htm
Nautilus, the ancient living ancestors of modern cephalopods, have both long and short-term memory, despite lacking the brain structures that modern cephalopods evolved for long-term memory.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Enzyme May Hold Key To Improved Targeting Of Cancer-fighting Drugs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176784/080529162558.htm
Building on their earlier research into neocarzinostatin, a team of researchers discovered that one of the enzymes contained in the bacteria used to produce the drug may hold promise in creating newer, more stable compounds from the structurally complex class of antibiotic known as chromoproteins.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Camera On Arm Looks Beneath NASA Mars Lander
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176785/080531231836.htm
A view of the ground underneath NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander adds to evidence that descent thrusters dispersed overlying soil and exposed a harder substrate that may be ice.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Combination Of Two Novel Anti-cancer Agents May Help Fight CML Resistant To Current Therapy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176786/080529124823.htm
Researchers have identified that a combination of novel anti-cancer compounds is able to kill chronic myelogenous leukemia cells previously resistant to conventional forms of therapy.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Potential Tool For Selectively Manipulating Electron Spins In New Technologies Arises Unexpectedly
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176787/080528095901.htm
Researchers trying to flip the spin of electrons with laser bursts lasting picoseconds (a trillionth of a second) instead found a way to manipulate and control the spin -- knowledge that may prove useful in a variety of new materials and technologies.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Alzheimer's Protection? Appealing The Death Sentence For Brain Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302176788/080529162711.htm
A new drug candidate could provide protection against Alzheimer's disease. This compound could also treat a number of diseases where patients suffer from cognitive deficits, such as schizophrenia and Parkinson’s, by limiting damage to the brain. The new drug candidate, known as AL-108, was found to protect American patients with mild cognitive damage against memory loss by protecting the skeleton and transport system of brain cells.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
How Plasma From Superstorms Affects Near-Earth Space
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301471243/080530154103.htm
NASA scientists have uncovered new details about how plasma from superstorms interact with Earth's magnetosphere.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Human Stem Cell Line Made Containing Sickle Cell Anemia Mutation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868284/080529141341.htm
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have established a human cell-based system for studying sickle cell anemia by reprogramming somatic cells to an embryonic stem cell like state. Publishing online on May 29, the team describes a faster and more efficient method of reprogramming cells that might speed the development of stem cell therapies.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Plant Foods For Preserving Muscle Mass
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868285/080527121104.htm
Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals and fiber that are key to good health. Now, new research suggests plant foods also may help preserve muscle mass in older men and women.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
New CT Technology Offer Roadmap To Quicker, Cheaper Chest Pain Screening In Emergency Rooms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868286/080529105410.htm
Eight million Americans visit US emergency departments for chest pain each year. Just five to 15 percent of them are found to be suffering from heart attacks or other cardiac diseases, but more than half are admitted to the hospital for observation and further testing. Computed tomography angiography offers a way to more quickly and cost effectively identify patients at low-risk of cardiac problems that lead to heart attacks, according to the new University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine research.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
X-rays Often Repeated For Patients In Developing Countries
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868287/080528095643.htm
Patients in developing countries often need to have X-ray examinations repeated so that doctors have the image quality they need for useful medical diagnosis, the IAEA is learning. The findings come from a survey involving thousands of patients in 45 hospitals and 12 countries of Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Most Caregivers Of Young Children Lack Basic Knowledge Of Potentially Toxic Household Products
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301215584/080530074233.htm
According to a new study, knowledge of potentially toxic household substances among primary caregivers for young children is alarmingly poor.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Invasion Strategy Of World's Largest Virus Revealed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301849196/080531090353.htm
A new study provides important new insights into the process of viral infection. The study reveals certain mechanisms by which mimivirus -- a virus so called because it was originally thought to mimic bacteria in various aspects of their behavior -- invades amoeba cells. Living cells become infected by viruses in two steps. First, the virus penetrates the cell. Next, in the second and crucial step, the cell starts producing new viruses, which spread and infect additional cells. At the beginning of this production process, the cell makes the outer wall of the virus, which is a container of sorts composed of proteins and known as the capsid. The cell then makes copies of viral DNA and inserts it into the capsid. The result is a new, functioning virus that is ready to leave the host cell and infect more cells.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Scientists Discover Stinging Truths About Jellyfish Blooms In The Bering Sea
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868289/080529112627.htm
A new study helps explain a cyclic increase and decrease of jellyfish populations, which transformed parts of the Bering Sea -- one of the United States' most productive fisheries -- into veritable jellytoriums during the 1990s.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
New Method Effective In Detecting Dangerous Coronary Plaque
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868290/080529120705.htm
A new non-invasive method has shown success in detecting and measuring non-calcified plaque, a buildup of soft deposits embedded deep within the walls of the heart's arteries, undetectable by angiography or cardiac stress tests -- and prone to rupture without warning.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
A New Way To Look At Lung Cancer And Tobacco Carcinogens
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868291/080528124719.htm
Previous studies have shown how polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons damage DNA, with the emphasis on how PAHs bind directly to DNA itself, leading to the mutations in critical genes that cause disease. Now, researchers have shown that PAHs, via oxidative stress, can also led to mutations in critical genes important in lung cancer.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Sex, Age And Ethnicity Assciated With Colorectal Cancer Survival
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868293/080529091123.htm
The interaction of sex, age and ethnicity has a significant impact on overall survival in metastatic colorectal cancer patients, a new study suggests. Researchers found that pre-menopausal women with metastatic colorectal cancer (18-44 years old) lived longer than younger men, while older women (75 and older) had significantly worse overall survival than older men.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Magnetic Nanoparticles: Suitable For Cancer Therapy?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868294/080528095649.htm
A new measuring procedure can help to investigate in some detail the behavior of magnetic nanoparticles which are used for cancer therapy.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Quality Of Life Predicts Cancer Survival, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301868295/080529170512.htm
Head and neck cancer patients who reported lower physical quality of life were more likely to die from their disease, according to a new study. The findings could mean that identifying patients with poor quality of life could also identify patients with particularly aggressive tumors.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Acupuncture Reduces Pain And Dysfunction In Head And Neck Cancer Patients After Neck Dissection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/302075046/080531185839.htm
New data from a randomized, controlled trial found that acupuncture provided significant reductions in pain, dysfunction, and dry mouth in head and neck cancer patients after neck dissection.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Laser Light Produces Complex Nanostructures
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301893971/080531105541.htm
A single laser pulse can create complex, ordered nanostructure systems. "We have discovered a method for controlling the pattern into which the nanoparticles organize themselves", says one of the physicists. The researchers started with a layer of disordered nanoparticles of gold or silver on a membrane of nanometer thickness. The patterning is a consequence of several transformations of the light, which finally results in partial melting and moving of the nanoparticles.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
How To Construct A 'Firefly' Worm
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/301893972/080531103827.htm
Research describing a new modified luminescent worm that allows, for the first time, to measure, in real time, the metabolism of an entire living organism. The key behind this capacity relies in the fact that the luminescence is produced using the animal's available energy, which reflects its metabolism that, as such, can be extrapolated from measuring the emitted light. The new altered Caenorhabditis elegans - which is widely used to study human genes - by detecting metabolic changes in the exact moment these occur, will help to understand the cause behind these changes and contribute to understand C. elegans (and human) genes, as well as the mechanisms behind disease and health. In fact, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and different types of stress -- such as starvation and oxygen deprivation - are just some of the phenomena characterised by visible metabolic changes that can now be further investigated using this new animal model.
Sun, 1 Jun 08
Taxonomists Describe The Top 10 Most Surprising Species Discovered In 2007
http://feeds.