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'Molecular Ripcord' For Chemical Reactions Posted: 07 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have developed an entirely new method for starting chemical reactions. For the first time, they used mechanical forces to control catalytic activity -- one of the most fundamental concepts in chemistry. This allowed them to initiate chemical reactions with mechanical force. This discovery paves the way to developing materials capable of repairing themselves under the influence of mechanical tension.

Experimental 'Gene-silencing' Treatment Has Wide-ranging Side Effects Posted: 07 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT The side effects of an experimental "gene-silencing" treatment that is currently being investigated for a variety of diseases are even more wide-ranging than previously discovered, according to a new study.

Lice Genomes Uniquely Fragmented: How Did It Evolve? Posted: 07 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Parents and school nurses take note. Lice are a nuisance and vectors of serious diseases, such as epidemic typhus, in developing regions. New research indicates that lice may be quite unique in the animal world. In a study published in Genome Research, scientists analyzed the mitochondrial genome of the human body louse and discovered that it is fragmented into pieces -- a remarkable finding in animals that will spark discussion about how it evolved.

Intestinal Parasites Alter Immunity In Cholera Patients Posted: 07 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Cholera patients also infected with parasitic intestinal worms have a significantly reduced immune response to the cholera toxin, according to a new report. Results of the study suggest that parasitic infection could reduce immunity to future cholera infection and may compromise the effectiveness of cholera vaccines.

Geologist’s Research Could Provide Breakthrough For Heart Patients Posted: 07 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT A geologist has discovered a modeling technique during his research into how planets are formed which can also be used to detect heart defects. The finding has already helped surgeons at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital confirm the location of a potentially life-threatening blood clot.

You Wear Me Out: Thinking Of Others Causes Lapses In Our Self-control Posted: 07 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Exerting self-control is exhausting. In fact, using self-control in one situation impairs our ability to use self-control in subsequent, even unrelated, situations. What about thinking of other people exerting self-control? A new study in Psychological Science suggests that our own self-control can be worn out simply by mentally simulating another person acting with self-control.

Evolution-proof Insecticides May Stall Malaria Forever Posted: 07 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Killing just the older mosquitoes would be a more sustainable way of controlling malaria, according to entomologists who add that the approach may lead to evolution-proof insecticides that never become obsolete.

Autism Linked With Stress Hormone Levels Posted: 07 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Some of the symptoms of the autistic condition Asperger Syndrome, such as a need for routine and resistance to change, could be linked to levels of the stress hormone cortisol, suggests new research.

Technique Measures Heat Transport In The Earth's Crust Posted: 07 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Putting a new spin on an old technique, a research professor of earth and planetary sciences has revolutionized scientists' understanding of heat transport in the Earth's crust, the outermost solid shell of our planet.

Oxycodone Effective Against Shingles Pain Posted: 07 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT The painkiller oxycodone is effective at treating the acute pain of shingles, an illness that often causes severe pain which can become long-lasting and sometimes even permanent. Good treatment is crucial. It's possible that the pain of shingles is more likely to become a long-term problem if the pain is not adequately treated initially.

Boosting Energy Production From 'Ice That Burns' Posted: 07 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT In a step toward using gas hydrates as a future energy source, researchers in New York are reporting the first identification of an optimal temperature and pressure range for maximizing production of natural gas from the icy hydrate material.

Substituting Water For Sugar-sweetened Beverages Can Reduce Excess Calorie Consumption Posted: 07 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Replacing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages with water could eliminate an average of 235 excess calories per day among children and adolescents. Such a replacement would be a simple and effective way to reduce excess intake of calories causing childhood overweight and obesity, as well as address dental cavities and other health problems associated with added sugar.

Brine-Loving Microbes Reveal Secrets To Success In Chemically Extreme Environments Posted: 07 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have completed the first study of microbes that live within the plumbing of deep-sea mud volcanoes in the Gulf of Mexico, where conditions may resemble those in extraterrestrial environments and early Earth. The study was conducted in an area where clusters of seafloor vents spew mud, oil, brine and gases that support food chains independently of the Sun.

Maternal Smoking May Alter Arousal Process Of Infants, Increasing Their Risk For SIDS Posted: 07 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT A new study shows that maternal smoking is associated with an impaired infant arousal process that may increase the risk for sudden infant death syndrome. The authors suggest that maternal smoking has replaced stomach sleeping as the greatest modifiable risk factor for SIDS.

DNA-based Assembly Line For Precision Nano-cluster Construction Posted: 07 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Building on the idea of using DNA to link up nanoparticles -- particles measuring mere billionths of a meter -- scientists have designed a molecular assembly line for predictable, high-precision nano-construction.

Angiogenesis Inhibitor Improves Brain Tumor Survival By Reducing Edema Posted: 07 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT The beneficial effects of anti-angiogenesis drugs in the treatment of the deadly brain tumors called glioblastomas appear to result primarily from reduction of edema -- the swelling of brain tissue -- and not from any direct anti-tumor effect. A new report describes how treatment with the experimental drug cediranib reduced edema and improved survival in three mouse models of glioblastoma.

Device Controls Electron Spin At Room Temperature Posted: 07 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT In a breakthrough for applied physics, researchers have developed a magnetic semiconductor memory device, using GaMnN thin films, which utilizes both the charge and spin of electrons at room temperature.

Mental Health Problems In Childhood May Predict Later Suicide Attempts In Males Posted: 07 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Most males who commit suicide or need hospital care for suicide attempts during their teen or early adult years appear to have high levels of psychiatric problems at age eight, according to a new report. However, later suicide attempts in females are not predicted by mental health issues at this age.

Cooperative Behavior Meshes With Evolutionary Theory Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT One of the questions raised by evolutionary theory is how cooperative behavior, which benefits other members of a species at a cost to the individual, came to exist. If only the fittest survive, genes for a behavior that benefits everybody in a population should not last and cooperative behavior should die out. Now researchers have used game theory to understand one solution yeast use to get around this problem.

Milestone Toward Ending River Blindness In The Western Hemisphere By 2012 Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Scientists report that the transmission of onchocerciasis or river blindness has been broken in Escuintla, Guatemala, one of the largest endemic areas in the Western Hemisphere to date to stop the transmission of the parasitic disease.

New Link In Liver Cancer Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Liver damage can be triggered by various insults, including hepatitis infection or alcohol-induced cirrhosis. In severe cases, this damage can lead to cancer. A new study reveals how one protein helps decide the fate of damaged livers in mice.

Improved Predictive Value Of Biomarkers In Heart Failure Makes Earlier Diagnosis And Better Management Possible Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT The use of biomarkers for identifying those at risk of cardiovascular mortality is now central to the management of patients with heart failure. Research now aims to find new, more sensitive markers and more efficient use of existing markers. The ultimate goal is to make earlier and more accurate diagnosis possible, and thereby improve treatment and survival.

Can Organic Cropping Systems Be As Profitable As Conventional Systems? Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT The rise in organic cropping has led agronomists to study whether or not it can be as profitable for farmers as monocropping systems, and they were able to conclude that governmental policy supporting mono-culture is outdated and should be shifted to promote organic farming practices.

Children With Low Self-control More Likely To Become Overweight Preteens Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Young children who do not display an ability to regulate their behavior or to delay gratification in exchange for a larger reward appear predisposed to gain extra weight by their preteen years, according to two new articles.

Seeing Single RNA Molecules Inside Living Cells: Researchers Develop New Method Posted: 06 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Biomedical engineers have developed a new type of probe that allows them to visualize single ribonucleic acid molecules within live cells more easily than existing methods. The tool will help scientists learn more about how RNA operates within living cells.

New Evidence Of Periodontal Disease Leading To Gestational Diabetes Posted: 06 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT A new study has uncovered evidence that pregnant women with periodontal disease face an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes even if they don't smoke or drink.

Brain Building: Brain Growth Tied To Cell Division In Mouse Embryos Posted: 06 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT How your brain grows might come down to how your cells divide. Scientists report that mouse protein Vangl2 controls the asymmetrical cell division and developmental fate of progenitor neurons.

Targeted Drug Therapy Prevents Exercise-induced Arrhythmias Posted: 06 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Researchers report that the clinically available drug flecainide prevents potentially lethal arrhythmias in patients with a specific type of exercise or stress-induced arrhythmia disorder called CPVT.

New Clues Discovered About Divergent Origin Of Sudden Oak Death Pathogen Posted: 06 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Sudden oak death not only causes nearly instant death to the mighty oak trees of the western United States, but also has forced many tree nurseries out of business in that region. But a new discovery about the disease pathogen's distant past--perhaps as long ago as half a million years -- may offer clues to scientists about ways to thwart the disease.

Partner Behavior Better Predicts STD Risks Posted: 06 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Risky behaviors such as not using condoms or having sex with multiple people put young adults at risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases, but perhaps not as much as the characteristics of their sexual partners, University of Florida researchers say.

Saturn's Moon Titan May Have Subsurface Ocean Of Hydrocarbons Posted: 06 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Saturn's largest moon, Titan, may have a subterranean ocean of hydrocarbons and some topsy-turvy topography in which the summits of its mountains lie lower than its average surface elevation, according to new research. Titan is also more squashed in its overall shape -- like a rubber ball pressed down by a foot -- than researchers had expected.

Obesity Associated With Periodontal Disease Posted: 06 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Investigators asked "Is there a prospective association between obesity and periodontal disease?" They observed significant associations between all measures of obesity and periodontal disease when accounting for age, smoking, race, dental profession, physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, and diabetes status at baseline.

Archaeological Discovery In Jordan Valley: Enormous 'Foot-shaped' Enclosures Posted: 06 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT "Foot-shaped" structures have been revealed in the Jordan valley and are among the earliest sites that archeologists believe were built by the ancient people of Israel. The structures are thought to be symbolic of the biblical concept of ownership.

Enzyme And Vitamin Define The Yin And Yang Of Asthma Posted: 06 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT The allergen breathed in by a person with asthma triggers a proteinase or enzyme called MMP7 that activates a cascade of events to prompt an allergic reaction. In particular, MMP7 activates interleukin 25, a key mediator of the allergic response in the lung. Researchers have identified a form of vitamin A made in the lung that is critical for dampening the inflammatory effect.

Rust Resistance Genes In Soybeans Identified Posted: 06 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Using state-of-the-art genomics techniques, scientists have identified a cluster of soybean genes that provide resistance to the fungus which causes Asian soybean rust. The discovery will help defend the $27 billion U.S. soybean crop against the disease, through conventional breeding or biotechnological means.

Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy Could Help Some Smokers Quit Gradually Posted: 06 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Smokers who do not want to quit right now, but are prepared to try to reduce their smoking are twice as likely to stop smoking in the long-term if they use nicotine replacement therapy to help them cut down gradually, according to new research.

Arctic Literally On Thin Ice, According To New Satellite Data Posted: 06 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT The latest data from NASA and the University of Colorado at Boulder's National Snow and Ice Data Center show the continuation of a decade-long trend of shrinking sea ice extent in the Arctic, including new evidence for thinning ice as well.

Protein Protects Neurons In Brain From Damage Due To Inflammation Posted: 06 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new study helps to explain why people who carry mutations in a gene known as Nurr1 develop a rare, inherited form of Parkinson's disease, the most prevalent movement disorder in people over the age of 65. Scientists have identified a protein in the brain of mice that protects neurons from excessive inflammation, which can lead to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

Broccoli Sprouts May Prevent Stomach Cancer By Defeating Helicobacter Pylori Posted: 06 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT A small, pilot study in 50 people in Japan suggests that eating two and a half ounces of broccoli sprouts daily for two months may confer some protection against a rampant stomach bug that causes gastritis, ulcers and even stomach cancer.

Big Men More Susceptible To Atrial Fibrillation Posted: 06 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Older men who were big during their 20s face an increased risk of suffering from atrial fibrillation, or abnormal heart rhythm. New research reveals that height and weight are both factors.

Mathematicians Provide New Insight Into Tsunamis Posted: 06 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new mathematical formula that could be used to give advance warning of where a tsunami is likely to hit and how destructive it will be has been worked out by scientists at Newcastle University. The research was prompted by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami disaster which devastated coastal communities in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand.

Possibility Of Brain Scan-assisted Diagnosis For PTSD A Step Closer Posted: 06 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Research examining the difference in brain activity between soldiers with PTSD and those without it moves scientists a step closer to the possibility of being able one day to use brain scans to help diagnose the condition. The search for the footprints left in the brain by psychiatric disorders such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder is a growing area of research. Scientists hope it will lead to the identification of brain patterns that could be used to improve diagnosis and treatment.

Dwarf In The Elfin Forests: Tiniest Frog In South America’s Andes Mountains Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT It fits on a fingertip: Noblella pygmaea is a midget frog, the smallest ever found in the Andes and among the smallest amphibians in the world. Only its croaking was to be heard from the leaves on the mossier ground of the "elfin forests" in the highlands of Manu National Park, before German and Peruvian herpetologists discovered the tiny little thing in south-eastern Peru.

Sports Drink Consumption Can Cause Tooth Erosion, Study Finds Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT While sipping on sports drinks all day may provide an energy boost, this popular practice is also exposing people to levels of acid that can cause tooth erosion and hypersensitivity, dental researchers have found.

Surveillance Vehicles Take Flight Using Alternative Energy Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT Nearly undetectable from the ground, unmanned aerial vehicles are widely used by the military to scan terrain for possible threats and intelligence. Now, fuel cell powered UAVs are taking flight to help tactical decision-makers gather critical information more efficiently... and more quietly. This latest technology merges two separate efforts -- UAV technology and fuel cell systems.

Cancer Mutations In The Heart Of Gene Regulation Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have identified a new cancer gene -- one that is common to many cancers and affects the most basic regulation of our genes. The new example -- a gene on the X chromosome called UTX -- is found in 10 percent of cases of multiple myeloma and eight percent of esophageal cancers. When "tumor suppressor genes" such as this are inactivated, other genes can run riot.

Flexible, Transparent Supercapacitors Could Pave Way To E-Paper Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT A prototype high-performance device uses a novel architecture of carbon nanotubes and metal nanowires set in indium oxide films to temporarily store large amounts of electrical energy for release when needed.

People Will Make Healthier Choices If Restaurants Provide Nutritional Data, Study Finds Posted: 06 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT As more and more Americans eat meals outside the home, the country also faces an epidemic of obesity. An association between eating out and weight-related diseases has led to demands for nutritional labeling of restaurant foods. A new study examines the potential benefits of such labeling.

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