Sunday, August 24, 2008

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Rigorous Earthquake Simulations Aim To Make Buildings Safer

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Engineering researchers have concluded months of rigorous earthquake simulation tests on a half-scale three-story structure, and will now begin sifting through their results so they can be used in the future designs of buildings across the nation.

How Well Do Antimicrobial Products Kill Biofilms?

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Scientist Darla Goeres knows that there is more than one way to grow a biofilm, a fact that she uses to make sure that when a product claims it kills "99 percent" of bacteria, it really does the job. Biofilms are the extremely common communities of bacteria that form on most wet surfaces. They range from the plaque on teeth to the slime on streamside rocks to the sludge that clogs pipes.

Foul Owls Use Feces To Show They Are In Fine Feather

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Researchers now provide descriptive and experimental evidence that suggests that owl feces and prey remains could act as previously unrecognized visual signals for eagle owls.

Seeing Through Tooth Decay

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Dental caries afflict at least 90 percent of the world's population at some time in their lives. Detecting the first signs of this disease, which can be lethal in extreme cases, just got easier thanks to work discussed in the latest issue of the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology.

Candy-coating Keeps Proteins Sweet

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Researchers have developed a fast, inexpensive and effective method for evaluating the sugars pharmaceutical companies use to stabilize protein-based drugs for storage at room temperature.

Ventriloquism In Motion: How Sound Can Move Light

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT

New research confirms that what we see can sometimes depend as much on our ears as on our eyes.

'Cutting By Color': New Imaging Technique For More Precise Cancer Surgery

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Instead of "paint by number," you might call it "cutting by color": Researchers in Massachusetts now report development and early clinical trials of a new imaging system that highlights cancerous tissue in the body so that surgeons can more easily see and remove diseased tissue with less damage to normal tissue near the tumor. Their research will be presented in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia.

Going From Ulcers To Cancer

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Researchers have uncovered a big clue as to why some of the bacteria that cause stomach ulcers pose a greater risk for serious problems like stomach cancer than others; it turns out these bacteria can exploit the surrounding stomach cells to protect them from the immune system.

Addiction Treatment Proves Successful In Animal Weight Loss Study

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Vigabatrin, a medication proposed as a potential treatment for drug addiction, also leads to rapid weight loss and reduced food intake according to a new animal study from the same research group. Genetically bred 'fat rats' experience dramatic weight loss, reduced food intake after being given vigabatrin. Vigabatrin is currently undergoing US Food and Drug Administration-approved Phase II clinical trials against cocaine and methamphetamine addiction across the US.

Insight Into Physiologic Role Of Blood Protein Factor XII Finally Revealed

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT

The formation of a blood clot is the culmination of a series of events that involve a number of proteins in the bloodstream, including Factor XI, which is one of the proteins activated early on in this cascade of events.

Light Touch: Controlling The Behavior Of Quantum Dots

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Researchers from NIST and the Joint Quantum Institute have reported a new way to fine-tune the light coming from quantum dots by manipulating them with pairs of lasers. Their technique could significantly improve quantum dots as a source of pairs of entangled photons for applications in quantum information technologies.

Snacks In Small Packages May Lead To Overeating

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Tempting treats are being offered in small package sizes these days, presumably to help consumers reduce portion sizes. Yet new research found that people actually consume more high-calorie snacks when they are in small packages than large ones. And smaller packages make people more likely to give in to temptation in the first place.

Exploding Chromosomes Fuel Research About Evolution Of Genetic Storage

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Research into single-celled, aquatic algae called dinoflagellates is showing that these and related organisms may have evolved more than one way to tightly pack their DNA into chromsomes. Even so, the evolution of chromosomes in dinoflagellates, humans and other mammals seem to share a common biochemical basis.

Enzyme New Potential Target In Treating Blood Cancer

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT

A discovery by researchers in Sweden may lead to new treatments for blood cancer and other diseases. By stopping the production of a specific enzyme, ICMT, researchers were able to alleviate disease symptoms in mice with blood cancer.

Biodegradable Polymers Show Promise For Improving Treatment Of Acute Inflammatory Diseases

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT

A family of biodegradable polymers called polyketals and their derivatives may improve treatment for such inflammatory illnesses as acute lung injury, acute liver failure and inflammatory bowel disease by delivering drugs, proteins and snips of ribonucleic acid to disease locations in the body.

Characteristics, Treatment Options For XXYY Syndrome

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Researchers have described the medical and psychological characteristics of a rare genetic disorder in which males have two "X" and two "Y" chromosomes, rather than the normal one of each.

Getting To The Root Of The Matter

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT

A number of current issues related to water availability and climate change are giving impetus to new research aimed at roots and their functioning. The research is producing new experimental methods, data acquisition and theoretical understanding. Recently, scientists from the US Salinity Laboratory, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, assembled a collection of new research in the form of 13 papers that are published as a special section of the August issue of Vadose Zone Journal.

The Older The Fatter: Longitudinal Study About Overweight Children

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Fast food and soda instead of fruits and vegetables: the consequences can already be seen in children – more and more of them suffer from overweight and adiposity. But what are the reasons? In what way are they connected, for example, with social status and body weight of the parents?

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