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How Hyenas 'Inherit' Their Social Status Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST Scientists have now answered the question how social status is inherited in one of the most social of all mammals, the spotted hyena. The scientists used observations during the last 20 years of rare cases of adoption among hyenas in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania in combination with the latest molecular techniques to identify genetic mothers to demonstrate that hyena mothers pass on their social status by supporting their young during social interactions with other group members.

Promising Target To Treat Chronic Abdominal Pain Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST High levels of a protein linked to the way pain signals are sent to the brain led to a decrease in abdominal pain in a recent study in mice. Researchers say the finding suggests the protein might someday serve as the basis of new treatments for chronic pain associated with a number of bowel disorders.

Origins Of Pompeii-style Artifacts Examined Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST Roman artifacts which are nearly two thousand years old with similarities to ancient remains found at Pompeii in Italy have been examined at the Science and Technology Facilities Council's ISIS neutron source.

Arthritis Hinders Physical Activity For Adults With Heart Disease Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST Arthritis affects more than half of adults with heart disease and appears to be a substantial barrier to utilizing physical activity to help manage their condition, according to a new study. According to the Arthritis Foundation, the study underscores the importance of physical activity in effective management for adults with both arthritis and heart disease.

Less Nitrogen Could Increase Profit, Sustainability Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST More fertilizer doesn't always mean more profit. Research results suggest that when managing fields with relatively high nitrogen levels, farmers could benefit economically from reduced nitrogen fertilization rates.

Alcohol Abuse May Lead To Depression Risk, Rather Than Vice Versa Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST A statistical modeling study suggests that problems with alcohol abuse may lead to an increased risk of depression, as opposed to the reverse model in which individuals with depression self-medicate with alcohol, according to a new report.

Bizarre Bird Behavior Predicted By Game Theory Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST A team of scientists has used game theory to explain the bizarre behavior of a group of ravens. Juvenile birds from a roost in North Wales have been observed adopting the unusual strategy of foraging for food in 'gangs'. New research explains how this curious behavior can be predicted by adapting models more commonly used by economists to analyze financial trends. This is the first time game theory has been used to successfully predict novel animal behavior in the real world.

'Silver Nanoparticle' Microscope May Shed New Light On Cancer, Bone Diseases Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST In a finding that could help speed the understanding of diseases ranging from cancer to osteoporosis, researchers are reporting development of a new microscope technique that uses "silver nanoparticle" mirrors to reveal hidden details inside bones, cancer cells, and other biological structures. The method also can help identify structural damage in a wide variety of materials, including carbon-fiber plastics used in airplanes, the researchers say.

Health Is Going High Tech WIth Camera Pills, Health Sensors And Ultrasound Maps For Surgeons Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST Camera pills and ultrasound creating maps of the body: health has become high technology. Scientists have created a new IT-base window on the inside of the body, a window that makes a patient transparent on a screen when a surgeon inserts operating instruments through small openings in the abdominal wall.

New Tool Guides Doctors To Save Cancer Patients' Fertility Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST The powerful chemotherapy and radiation used to save cancer patients' lives can also destroy their fertility. Research in a new field called oncofertility has advanced the ability of doctors to preserve the reproductive health of cancer patients. Yet, many oncologists aren't familiar with these new strategies. Oncofertility scientists have written a guide to help doctors navigate their patients through the new technologies to preserve their fertility and understand the fertility threats posed by cancer treatments.

Desert Shrub, Guayule, May Be Fuel Of The Future Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST Superb natural latex from a desert shrub called guayule (why-YOU-lee) makes high-quality gloves, medical devices, and other in-demand natural rubber products. But guayule may also prove to be an economical, environmentally friendly source of another valuable resource--energy.

Swimming Lessons Do Not Increase Drowning Risk In Young Children, Study Finds Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST Providing very young children with swimming lessons appears to have a protective effect against drowning and does not increase children's risk of drowning, researchers report.

Peptides-on-demand: Radical New Green Chemistry Makes The Impossible Possible Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PST Chemists have discovered an entirely new way of synthesizing peptides using simple reagents, a process that would be impossible in classical chemistry.

Drinking Wine Lowers Risk Of Barrett's Esophagus, Precursor To Nation's Fastest Growing Cancer, Study Suggests Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PST A new study found drinking one glass of wine a day may lower the risk of Barrett's Esophagus by 56 percent. There was no reduction of Barrett's Esophagus risk among people who drank beer or liquor.

Students Designing Cockpit For World's Fastest Car: 1,000 Mph Record Attempt Planned Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PST World land speed challenger Andy Green OBE visited the University of the West of England recently to try out for the first time a mock-up of the cockpit he will use in his 1000 mph record attempt. The cockpit test rig, designed and built by second-year product design students, will ensure that cockpit components such as chair and controls are in the optimum ergonomic position for the challenge.

Liver Tumors Associated With Metabolic Syndrome Differ From Other Tumors Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PST A new study suggests that the metabolic response to obesity and insulin resistance, particularly as it pertains to the liver, differs among ethnic groups in the US African-Americans are more resistant to the buildup of fat in the abdominal adipose tissue and liver, and to high triglyceride levels associated with insulin resistance.

Olive Groves May Be Rescued By Helpful Wasp Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PST Olives basking in sunny California groves might find that their new best friend is a small brown wasp. Known to scientists as Psyttalia cf. concolor, the little wasp can help foil the olive fruit fly, a powerful natural enemy of olives.

Virtual And Real Worlds: Two Worlds Of Kids' Morals Posted: 07 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PST Children's moral behavior and attitudes in the real world largely carry over to the virtual world of computers, the Internet, video games and cell phones. Interestingly, there are marked gender and race differences in the way children rate morally questionable virtual behaviors, according to new research.

New Light Shed On Marine Luminescence Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PST The mystery of how some marine animals produce light has come one step closer to being solved. Researchers have discovered that krill, the luminous crustacean, can use special and previously unknown muscles to regulate light intensity.

New Origin Found For Critical Immune Response Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PST An immune system response that is critical to the first stages of fighting off viruses and harmful bacteria comes from an entirely different direction than most scientists had thought, according to a new study. This finding will have important implications in vaccine science and autoimmune disease therapy development.

Collared Coyote Leaves Record Of 150-Mile Trek Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PST A coyote collared with a global positioning system tracking device in upstate New York last spring was trapped this winter 150 miles away in eastern Pennsylvania, giving researchers a record -- in unprecedented detail -- of its movements over an eight-month period.

Better Sequence Searches Of Genes And Proteins Devised Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PST Often, the sequences of genes and proteins can suggest to us what their function is -- especially if we compare them with known sequences. Researchers have now developed a method that makes such analyses significantly more sensitive.

Citrus Disease Bacterium Sequenced Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PST Researchers have a new tool to combat citrus Huanglongbing (HLB), a disease threatening the nation's $2.2 billion citrus industry.

Many Middle-aged And Older Americans Not Getting Adequate Nutrition Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PST As older adults tend to reduce their food intake as they age, there is concern that deficits in micronutrients lead to medical problems. Researchers examined how well different ethnic groups met the recommended daily allowances through food intake and supplement consumption. The study determined that many middle-aged and older Americans are not getting adequate nutrition.

How Moths Key Into Scent Of A Flower Posted: 06 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST Although a flower's bouquet can be composed of hundreds of chemicals, the tobacco hornworm moth needs to smell just a handful to identify its favorite source of nectar, the sacred datura flower. It is the first time researchers have recorded an insect's brain activity as the animal smelled all the individual chemicals captured from a real flower. Previous research used only synthetic odors.

Study Of Human Pancreases Links Virus To Cause Of Type 1 Diabetes Posted: 06 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST Scientist have found that a common family of viruses (enteroviruses) may play an important role in triggering the development of diabetes.

Climate Change Hurting Hares: White Snowshoe Hares Can't Hide On Brown Earth Posted: 06 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST Researchers have noticed an exceptional number of white snowshoe hares on brown earth. They contend that climate change and the color mismatch are causing much more hare mortality.

Protein Encourages Cell Growth And Migration In Prostate Cancer Posted: 06 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST Researchers have identified a protein, proepithelin, that appears to play a significant role in the growth and migration of prostate cancer cells, especially androgen-independent prostate cancer cells.

Converting Solar Light To Electricity: Silicon-free Photoelectric Module Integrates Easily Posted: 06 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST European researchers have made a laboratory-scale photoelectric panel which, apart from fulfilling the function of converting solar light into electricity, solves the problems of integratability and availability that current technology presents.

Inadequate Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Found Among U.S. Children Posted: 06 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PST Children and adolescents aren't meeting guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption, according to researcher.

Unexpected Source Of Gamma Rays Discovered In Space Posted: 06 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PST Astrophysicists have discovered a source of very high energy gamma rays in the region of the distant galaxies 3C 66A and 3C 66B. This new gamma emission, observed from the MAGIC telescope in La Palma (Canary Islands) is not consistent with what scientists expected to find, and has resulted in them suggesting three hypotheses to explain their origin.

Cats' Eye Diseases Genetically Linked To Diseases In Humans Posted: 06 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PST About one in 3,500 people are affected with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a disease of the retina's visual cells that eventually leads to blindness. Now researchers have identified a genetic link between cats and humans for two different forms of RP. This discovery will help scientists develop gene-based therapies that will benefit both cats and humans.

Crab Claws Pack Strengthening Bromide-rich Biomaterial Posted: 06 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PST Next time you have an unlucky encounter with a crab's pincers, consider that the claw tips may be reinforced with bromine-rich biomaterial 1.5 times harder than acrylic glass and extremely fracture resistant.

Study Shows Benefits Of Hormone Found In Fat Tissue Posted: 06 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PST It's called the obesity paradox. Although obese people are more apt to suffer from inflammatory diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, they are also more likely to survive a major attack caused by one of those conditions. Scientists shed light on the reasons for this phenomenon in a study in Endocrinology.

Jordan's Fossil Water Source Has High Radiation Levels Posted: 06 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PST Ancient groundwater being tapped by Jordan, one of the 10 most water-deprived nations in the world, has been found to contain 20 times the radiation considered safe for drinking water.

Gestures Lend A Hand In Learning Mathematics; Hand Movements Help Create New Ideas Posted: 06 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PST Gesturing helps students develop new ways of understanding mathematics. Scholars have known for a long time that movements help retrieve information about an event or physical activity associated with action. A new report, however, is the first to show that gestures not only help recover old ideas, they also help create new ones. The information could be helpful to teachers.

Naked Mole Rats May Hold Clues To Successful Aging Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST Naked mole rats resemble pink, wrinkly, saber-toothed sausages and would never win a beauty contest, even among other rodents. But these natives of East Africa are the champs for longevity among rodents, living nine times longer than similar-sized mice. Not only do they have an extraordinarily long lifespan, but they maintain good health for most of it and show remarkable resistance to cancer.

Link Between Type 1 Diabetes And Common Viral Infection Suggested By Genetic Mutations Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST Scientists have discovered four rare mutations of a gene associated with type 1 diabetes (T1D) that reduce the risk of developing the disease. Their findings, published in the journal Science, suggest a link between T1D and the enterovirus (a common virus that enters via the gastrointestinal tract but is often non-symptomatic).

Predicting Risk Of Stroke From One's Genetic Blueprint Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST The ability to predict a person's lifelong risk of stroke would allow clinicians to advise individuals at high risk. Researchers report on such a statistical model, which draws on 1,313 known genetic predictors. Used in 569 patients presenting with possible stroke, the model, known as a Bayesian network, was able to predict the true occurrence of stroke with 86 percent accuracy.

New Gene-searching Method Uncovers Possible New Targets For Crohn's Disease Drugs Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST Discovering the different genes that contribute to a complex disease is like searching in the proverbial haystack for an unknown number of needles. But if some needles are linked to each other by fine threads, you might pull out clumps of them together. A novel approach that combines identifying genes on crucial biological pathways with genome-wide association studies has discovered new genes involved in Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammation of the GI tract.

Human Role In Indonesian Forest Fires Traced Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST Severe fires in Indonesia -- responsible for some of the worst air quality conditions worldwide -- are linked not only to drought, but also to changes in land use and population density, according to a new study.

Inappropriate Drug Prescriptions Wasting Millions, Raising Health Risks Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST A recent study in Oregon suggests that drugs designed for treating the most severe mental illnesses are often prescribed at inappropriately low doses and at considerable expense, for use in conditions where their benefit has not been established.

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