ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

In Many Fungi, Reproductive Spores Are Remarkably Aerodynamic Posted: 04 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST The reproductive spores of many species of fungi have evolved remarkably drag-minimizing shapes, according to new research by mycologists and applied mathematicians at Harvard University. In many cases, the scientists report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the drag experienced by these fungal spores is within one percent of the absolute minimum possible drag for their size.

Fewer Deaths With Preventive Antibiotic Use Posted: 04 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Administering antibiotics as a preventive measure to patients in intensive care units increases their chances of survival. This has emerged from a study involving nearly six thousand Dutch patients in thirteen hospitals.

Organic Weed Control: Scientists Serve Up Mustard Meal To Tame Weeds Posted: 04 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Sinalbin, the same compound that gives white mustard its pungent flavor, could also prove useful in fighting weeds.

Immune Molecule Decreases Severity Of Multiple Sclerosis-like Disease In Mice Posted: 04 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Scientists have explored the expression of an immune molecule (CXCL1) that interacts with myelin-producing cells, finding that CXCL1 decreases the severity of disease in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS).

New Visualization Techniques Yield Star Formation Insights: Gravity Plays Larger Role Than Thought Posted: 04 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST New computer visualization technology developed by the Harvard Initiative in Innovative Computing has helped astrophysicists understand that gravity plays a larger role than previously thought in deep space's vast, star-forming molecular clouds.

Biofuel Development Shifting From Soil To Sea, Specifically To Marine Algae Posted: 04 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Attention in biofuel development has shifted recently from the soil to the sea, and specifically to marine algae. An emerging algal biofuel consortium now sees algae as a "green bullet" -- science and society's best hope for a clean bioenergy source that will help loosen broad dependence on fossil fuel, counteract climate warming, and power the vehicles of the future.

Cancer Drug Effectively Treats Transplant Rejections Posted: 04 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new therapy for transplant patients, targeting the antibody-producing plasma cells that can cause organ rejection.

Sulfurous Ping-pong In The Urinary Tract Posted: 04 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Entirely new protein structures are very rarely found to drive known biochemical processes. But molecular biologists have just succeeded in finding an example. They studied the protein ASST, present in pathogenic E. coli bacteria, which cause urinary tract infections. In addition to an entirely new structure, the researchers found a transfer mechanism similar to ping-pong, whereby the "ball" is held a previously unknown manner.

Vitamins C And E And Beta Carotene Again Fail To Reduce Cancer Risk In Randomized Controlled Trial Posted: 04 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Women who took beta carotene or vitamin C or E or a combination of the supplements had a similar risk of cancer as women who did not take the supplements, according to data from a randomized controlled trial.

Trapped Water Cause Of Regular Tremors Under Vancouver Island Posted: 04 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers are offering the first compelling evidence to explain regular tremors under Vancouver Island.

Societal, Economic Burden Of Insomnia Is High Posted: 04 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST The indirect costs of untreated insomnia are significantly greater than the direct costs associated with its treatment. The study estimates that the total annual cost of insomnia in the province of Quebec is 6.5 billion Canadian dollars, representing about one percent of the province's $228.5 billion in gross domestic product for 2002. The largest proportions of all insomnia-related expenses are attributed to lost job productivity, absences from work and alcohol used as a sleep aid.

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