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Genetic Discovery Could Lead To Advances In Dental Treatment Posted: 24 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Researchers have identified the gene that ultimately controls the production of tooth enamel, a significant advance that could some day lead to the repair of damaged enamel, a new concept in cavity prevention, and restoration or even the production of replacement teeth.

Male Infertility Associated With Testicular Cancer Posted: 24 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Men who are infertile appear to have an increased risk of developing testicular cancer, according to a new report.

How A Cometary Boulder Lit Up The Spanish Sky Posted: 24 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Astronomers link a brilliant fireball seen in 2008 to the breakup of Comet Metcalf in 1920. They suggest that pieces of the comet may have survived their fiery passage through the Earth's atmosphere and could be recovered for study in a laboratory.

Drug Improves Memory In Alzheimer's Disease, Animal Study Suggests Posted: 24 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST A drug used in a type of hereditary metabolic disorder improved the memory of laboratory animals with Alzheimer's disease.

Biofuels Boom Could Fuel Rainforest Destruction, Researcher Warns Posted: 24 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Farmers across the tropics might raze forests to plant biofuel crops, according to new research. "If we run our cars on biofuels produced in the tropics, chances will be good that we are effectively burning rainforests in our gas tanks," she warned.

Mating That Causes Injuries Posted: 24 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Researchers can now show that what is good for one sex is not always good for the other sex. In fact, evolutionary conflicts between the two sexes cause characteristics and behaviors that are downright injurious to the opposite sex.

Technique Tricks Bacteria Into Generating Their Own Vaccine Posted: 24 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Scientists have developed a way to manipulate bacteria so they will grow mutant sugar molecules on their cell surfaces that could be used against them as the key component in potent vaccines. Any resulting vaccines, if proven safe, could be developed more quickly, easily and cheaply than many currently available vaccines used to prevent bacterial illnesses.

Vitamin D Deficiency May Increase Risk Of Colds, Flu Posted: 24 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Vitamin D may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold. In the largest and most nationally representative study of the association between vitamin D and respiratory infections, people with the lowest blood vitamin D levels reported having significantly more recent colds or cases of the flu. The risks were even higher for those with chronic respiratory disorders, such as asthma and emphysema.

Structure Of Bacteria That Causes Lyme Disease Detailed In 3D Posted: 24 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST They are borne by ticks and can cause acute and chronic symptoms in joints, muscles and the nervous system -- the bacteria that cause Lyme borreliosis. Researchers have now succeeded in identifying their structure more accurately. Using a cryo-tomography microscope, the previously unknown detailed structure of the spirochete bacteria can be shown in three dimensions.

Childhood Chicken Pox Can Lead To Shingles Later In Life Posted: 24 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST You may recall as a child catching the itchy red rash, chicken pox. The unsightly infection was caused by the varicella zoster virus and was responsible for nearly 4 million cases each year, until a vaccine introduced in 1995 reduced that number by 83 percent. Varicella zoster can lie dormant in the body for decades, and if activated can lead to herpes zoster, more commonly referred to as shingles, according to a new study.

Nanoparticle Toxicity Doesn't Get Wacky At The Smallest Sizes Posted: 24 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST The smallest nano-sized silica particles used in biomedicine and engineering likely won't cause unexpected biological responses due to their size, according to new research. The result should allay fears that cells and tissues will react unpredictably when exposed to the finest silica nanomaterials in industrial or commercial applications. The researchers concluded this by using total surface area as a measure of dose, rather than particle mass or number of particles.

For Iraq Veterans, Headaches Continue After Traumatic Brain Injury Posted: 24 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Many soldiers who experienced mild head trauma or a blast exposure while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan are returning to the United States with headaches, according to a new study.

Brain Hub That Links Music, Memory And Emotion Discovered Posted: 24 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST By using fMRI to map brain activity of college students as they listened to a variety of tunes from their younger years, then comparing the activity to the students' responses to questions about each tune, a researcher has found that the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex is a hub that responds to music, memory and emotion.

Calcium Associated With Lower Risk Of Cancer In Women Posted: 24 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Women with higher intake of calcium appear to have a lower risk of cancer overall, and both men and women with high calcium intakes have lower risks of colorectal cancer and other cancers of the digestive system, according to a new report.

Figuring Out Green Power: Scientists Speed Up Discovery Of Plant Metabolism Genes Posted: 24 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers are dramatically speeding up identification of genes that affect the structure and function of chloroplasts, which could lead to plants tailored specifically for biofuel production or delivering high levels of specific nutrients.

Wakefulness Tests To Detect Daytime Sleepiness In Drivers May Be Unreliable, Study Finds Posted: 24 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST A new study shows that a 40 minute protocol for the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test is superior to a 20-minute protocol at detecting excessive daytime sleepiness in adults who may be unable to maintain wakefulness while driving. Yet results also suggest that the test may not be completely reliable when the strong motivation to keep a driver's license enables individuals to overcome sleepiness during the test.

Breaking The Barrier: Discovery Of Anti-resistance Factors And Novel Ocean Drugs Posted: 24 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Investigations into coral disease, red tides and other marine environmental issues have led to discoveries of new chemicals as a source for pharmaceuticals. These chemicals function as antibiotics for microorganism providing survival advantages and may be usable in human health care. We believe that one could apply many of these chemical mechanisms or novel pharmaceuticals to human disease resulting in a number of alternatives to deal with growing antibiotic resistance.

Re-shaping The Family: What Happens When Parents Seek Siblings Of Their Donor-conceived Children Posted: 24 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Parents who have conceived children with the help of sperm or egg donors and then try to find the donors and also other children conceived with the donors' help, often end up creating new forms of extended families, according to new research.

Shape-shifting Coral Evade Identification Posted: 24 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST The evolutionary tendency of corals to alter their skeletal structure makes it difficult to assign them to different species. Researchers have used genetic markers to examine coral groupings and investigate how these markers relate to alterations in shape, in the process discovering that our inaccurate picture of coral species is compromising our ability to conserve coral reefs.

Insight Into Ways Organ Systems Outside The Brain May Affect Alzheimer's Disease Posted: 24 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST A new study provides insights into the way A-beta in the peripheral blood stream affects A-beta clearance in the brain. Scientists found that when circulating A-beta levels in the blood stream of rats were elevated, known amounts of radioactively tagged A-beta were swept from the brain more slowly.

Village Bird Study Highlights Loss Of Wildlife Knowledge From One Generation To Another Posted: 24 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Our ability to conserve and protect wildlife is at risk because we are unable to accurately gauge how our environment is changing over time, says new research.

HPV Vaccine Does Not Increase Risk Of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Study Suggests Posted: 24 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST The HPV vaccine does not increase the risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome, according to a new study. Guillain-Barre is a disorder that causes muscle weakness and tingling that can progress to paralysis.

Survival Of The Weakest? Cyclical Competition Of Three Species Favors Weakest As Victor Posted: 24 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Researchers have shown in computer simulations that in a cyclical competition of three species, it is nearly always the weakest species that comes out as victor -- while the other two are condemned to extinction.

Women Less Likely To Receive Critical Care After A Stroke, Researchers Find Posted: 24 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Women are 30 percent less likely than men to receive a critical clot-busting drug than can limit brain damage after a stroke, according to a new study.

Hot Chili Peppers Help Unravel The Mechanism Of Pain Posted: 23 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Capsaicin, the active ingredient in spicy hot chili peppers such as the jalapeno, is most often experienced as an irritant, but it may also be used to reduce pain. New research uses capsaicin to uncover novel insight into how pain-receptor systems can adapt to painful stimuli.

Common Gene Variants Increase Risk Of Hypertension Posted: 23 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST A new study has identified the first common gene variants associated with an increased incidence of hypertension -- a significant risk factor for heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. The report identifies variants in genes for proteins involved with cardiovascular response to stress that also appear to influence blood pressure levels, an association previously seen in animals but not demonstrated in humans.

Foraging Behavior Of Key Antarctic Predators Unchanged After Storms That Alter Prey Distribution Posted: 23 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Chinstrap penguins and fur seals showed persistent preferences for particular foraging areas even after a storm reduced the availability of food of choice in those areas, according to a new study. The research shows that the spatial distribution of fur seals and foraging chinstrap penguins did not change after a near gale, despite substantial changes in the abundance and distribution of their prey, Antarctic krill.

Periodontitis And Myocardial Infarction: A Shared Genetic Predisposition Posted: 23 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST A mutual epidemiological relationship between aggressive periodontitis and myocardial infarction has already been shown in the past. Scientists have now presented the first evidence of a shared genetic variant on chromosome 9, which maps to a genetic region that codes for the "antisense RNA" Anril.

Superconductivity: The New High Critical Temperature Superconductors Posted: 23 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Scientists are helping to broaden our understanding of the nature of superconducting materials and of the origin of the superconductivity phenomenon in high critical temperature materials.

Increased Research In Flu Transmission Needed To Prepare For Pandemic Flu Outbreak, Study Suggests Posted: 23 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Researchers have completed a study to better understand the impact of infection control measures during a possible flu pandemic. Their study focused on the likelihood of the transmission of flu from individuals showing no symptoms (asymptomatic) or from individuals who are infected but have not yet exhibited symptoms. The researchers call on the scientific community to better understand the transmission of influenza in order to provide guidelines for effective pandemic flu planning.

Protein Complex Linked To Parkinson Disease Posted: 23 Feb 2009 09:00 PM PST Mutations in the genes PINK1, PARKIN, and DJ-1 have each been linked to early-onset inherited forms of Parkinson disease. However, the functional relationship between the proteins generated by these genes and how the mutations lead to Parkinson disease are not well understood.

New Insight Into How The Immune System Is Finely Balanced In The Livers Of Individuals Chronically Infected With Hepatitis C Virus Posted: 23 Feb 2009 09:00 PM PST One group of immune cells that help control viral infections are known as T cells. However, it is important to keep these cells under control, as overly vigorous T cell responses can lead to tissue damage, which has potentially serious health consequences.

Muscular Dystrophy And Exercise-induced Muscle Fatigue Have More In Common Than You Might Think Posted: 23 Feb 2009 09:00 PM PST Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which is a severe disorder characterized by rapid progression of muscle weakness that ultimately leads to death, is caused by genetic mutations that result in the absence of the protein dystrophin. Loss of localization of the muscle-related molecule nNOS at the muscle cell membrane (which is known as the sarcolemma) is also observed in DMD and has been linked to muscle damage. What determines the localization of nNOS in muscle cells is not well understood.

Materials Science Mystery Of 'Hidden Order' Solved: How A New Phase Arises And Why Posted: 23 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Scientists have now explained the formerly unsolved mystery in materials science known as 'the hidden order' -- how a new phase arises and why. This is a discovery that can be of great importance to our understanding of how new material properties occur, how they can be controlled and exploited in the future. The findings may be of great importance to future energy supply.

Nano-hydrogels Capable Of Detecting Cancer Cells Posted: 23 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST One of the problems in the treatment of cancers continues to be the lack of ability when it comes to discriminating between healthy and unhealthy cells, with the result being that all cells are affected non-specifically by the treatment. Now scientists have been to provide an answer to this problem by using intelligent nano-hydrogels - small particles capable of detecting diseased cells and releasing the medication only where required.

Take A Darwinian Approach To A Dangerous World: Ecologist Preaches 'Natural' Security For Homeland Defense Posted: 23 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Global society is undergoing rapid political and socioeconomic changes, to which our security measures must adapt. Fortunately, we're surrounded by millions of examples of security measures from nature that do just that.

Women's Cancer Outcomes Improved By Surgical Evaluation Posted: 23 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Too many hysterectomy patients should have had a more comprehensive cancer surgery, something a specialist is trained to do, according to a new data. If seen by a specialist, it should be recommended they undergo a procedure that focuses on lymph nodes and other organs not involved in a traditional hysterectomy, according to an expert.

Molecular Machine Turns Packaged Messenger RNA Into A Linear Transcript Posted: 23 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST For RNA, the gateway to a productive life outside the nucleus is the nuclear pore complex, an amalgamation of 30 kinds of proteins that regulates all traffic passing through the nuclear membrane. New research shows that one of these proteins magnetically couples with a special molecule -- a helicase -- to form a machine that unpacks balled-up messenger RNA particles so that they can be translated.

Non-traditional Therapy Is Effective As Pain Management, Study Suggests Posted: 23 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Researchers have discovered that 73 percent of patients receiving Non-Contact Therapeutic Touch experienced a significant reduction in pain, had fewer requests for medication, and slept more comfortably following surgery.

Tree Lizard’s Quick Release Escape System Makes Jumpers Turn Somersaults Posted: 23 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Lizards have the ultimate quick release escape system. When in a predator's grips, they drop their tails to escape. But what price do tree dwelling lizards pay for freedom? Biologists tested the effect the loss had on the lizards' mobility and found that the lizards are extremely compromised. They can no longer jump, somersaulting backwards, making it difficult to land safely when jumping between branches.

Key To Regenerative Therapies? Process For Expansion And Division Of Heart Cells Identified Posted: 23 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have unraveled a complex signaling process that reveals how different types of cells interact to create a heart.

'Quantum Data Buffering' Scheme Demonstrated; Potentially Useful For Quantum Computers Posted: 23 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Pushing the envelope of Albert Einstein's "spooky action at a distance," known as entanglement, researchers have demonstrated a "quantum buffer" -- a technique that could be used to control the data flow inside a quantum computer.

Number Of Cerebral Cells At Embryonic Development Stage Controlled By Newly Discovered Mechanism Posted: 23 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have discovered that a protein present in the nucleus of progenitor cells of the embryonic central nervous system forms part of the genetic mechanisms through which these cells transform into neurons and astrocytes, the two cell types that constitute the majority of the adult brain.

New Questions About Evolution Of Hormones In Mammals Posted: 23 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST The recent developments of noninvasive techniques such as tracking mammals to gather feces, and sensitive assays for fecal hormone metabolites, have allowed the formulation of a more complete picture of the relationships among behavior, social systems and hormone function in mammals in the wild -- sometimes contradicting findings in the lab.

Asian Elephants Under Increasing Threat As Illegal Ivory Prices Soar Posted: 23 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Southeast Asia's few surviving elephants are under increasing threat from booming illegal ivory prices in Vietnam, according to a new study. Vietnamese illegal ivory prices could be the highest in the world, with tusks selling for up to $1,500 per kilogram and small, cut pieces selling for up to $1,863 per kilogram.

Most Detailed Lunar Map Suggests Little Water Inside Moon Posted: 23 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST The most detailed map of the Moon ever created has revealed never-before-seen craters at the lunar poles. The map is also revealing secrets about the Moon's interior -- and hinting about Mars's interior as well.

Suppressing Cancer With A Master Control Gene Posted: 23 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Starting with the tiny fruit fly and then moving into mice and humans, researchers have shown that expression of the same gene suppresses cancer in all three organisms. Reciprocally, switching off the gene -- called Ato in flies and ATOH1 in mammals -- leads to cancer. The authors show there is a good chance that the gene can be switched on again with a drug.

Fruit Flies Soar As Lab Model, Drug Screen For The Deadliest Of Human Brain Cancers Posted: 23 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Fruit flies and humans share most of their genes, including 70 percent of all known human disease genes. Taking advantage of this remarkable evolutionary conservation, researchers transformed the fruit fly into a laboratory model for an innovative study of gliomas, the most common malignant brain tumors.

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