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Exploding Bubbles Trim The Prostate Posted: 28 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT In the traditional treatment for prostate growths, a rigid instrument is inserted through the penis and used to scrape away cells lining the walnut-sized gland. Urologists are developing a less invasive way to remove tissue using focused pulses of ultrasound. Their technique, histotripsy, has now been used to safely trim the interiors of aging prostates in the body.

Eating Fatty Fish And Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Reduce Risk Of Heart Failure Posted: 28 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Eating fatty fish and marine omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, seems to protect men from heart failure, according to one of the largest studies to investigate the association.

Double-lung Transplants Work Better Than Single For Long-term Survival Posted: 28 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Having both lungs replaced instead of just one is the single most important feature determining who lives longest after having a lung transplant, more than doubling an organ recipient's chances of extending their life by over a decade, a study by a team of transplant surgeons shows.

New Human Movement Model Can Aid In Studying Epidemic Outbreaks, Public Planning Posted: 28 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new statistical model that simulates human mobility patterns, mimicking the way people move over the course of a day, a month or longer. The model is the first to represent the regular movement patterns of humans using statistical data. The model has a host of potential uses, ranging from land use planning to public health studies of epidemic disease.

Buddhist Deity Meditation Temporarily Augments Visuospatial Abilities, Study Suggests Posted: 28 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT The results showed that following the meditation period, practitioners of the DY style of meditation showed a dramatic improvement on both the mental rotation task and the visual memory task compared to OP practitioners and controls. These results indicate that DY meditation allows practitioners to access greater levels of visuospatial memory resources, compared to when they are not meditating.

Presto! Fast Color-changing Material May Lead To Improved Sunglasses Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers in Japan are reporting development of a new so-called "photochromic" material that changes color thousands of times faster than conventional materials when exposed to light. The development could lead to a wide range of new products including improved sunglasses, more powerful computers, dynamic holograms, and better medicines, the researchers say.

Autism May Be Linked To Being Firstborn, Breech Births Or Moms 35 Or Older Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Children who are firstborn or breech or whose mothers are 35 or older when giving birth are at significantly greater risk for developing an autism spectrum disorder, according to a new study with Utah children.

Live-in Domestics: Mites As Maids In Tropical Rainforest Sweat Bee Nests Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Mites not only inhabit the dust bunnies under your bed, they also occupy the nests of tropical sweat bees where they keep fungi in check. Bees and their young are healthier when mites live-in, according to new research.

Researchers Identify Gene Associated With Muscular Dystrophy-related Vision Problems Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT A new study sheds light on a possible genetic cause of the world's third most common type of muscular dystrophy, facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy or FSHD.

Inadequate Sleep Leads To Behavioral Problems, Study Finds Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT A recent Finnish study suggests that children's short sleep duration even without sleeping difficulties increases the risk for behavioral symptoms of ADHD.

Hubble Survey Reveals Formation Of Universe's First Massive Galaxies Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT First results from the GOODS NICMOS survey, the largest Hubble Space Telescope program ever led from outside of the United States, reveal how the most massive galaxies in the early universe assembled to form the most massive objects in the universe today.

Orthodoxy On How Macrophages Kill Bacteria Overturned With New Study Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT For decades, microbiologists assumed that macrophages, immune cells that can engulf and poison bacteria and other pathogens, killed microbes by damaging their DNA. A new study disproves that.

The Life That Escaped Darwin’s Notice Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Darwin was a brilliant observer and described everything he could perceive with the naked eye. However, the micro-organisms from the beginning of evolution remained hidden from him. He came unsuspectingly close to them in his essay on reefs.

Antibody Targeting The Protein FGFR3 Inhibits Cancer Cell Growth Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Several forms of cancer are associated with either overexpression or perpetual activation of the protein FGFR3. A new paper now provides evidence that FGFR3 might be a good therapeutic target for these cancers and describes the development of an FGFR3-targeted antibody that had potent antitumor activity in mice transplanted with human tumor cells expressing either too much or overactive FGFR3.

DNA Of Uncultured Organisms Sequenced Using Novel Single-cell Approach Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists from the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute and the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences have assembled high quality, contamination-free draft genomes of uncultured biodegrading microorganisms using a novel single cell genome sequencing approach. The research offers researchers a new method to access and decipher the information embedded in genomes of interest with only minute quantities of DNA.

Reading Reports Involving Risk-taking Affects Financial Decision Making Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT An innovative study examined factors influencing decisions by investment advisors and accountants, finding that irrelevant substance, such as newspaper articles dealing with unrelated risky decisions, affects financial decision making.

How Human Ear Translates Vibrations Into Sounds: Discovery Of Ion Channel Turns Ear On Its Head Posted: 27 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Scientists thought they had a good model to explain how the inner ear translates vibrations in the air into sounds heard by the brain. Now, based on new research, it looks like parts of the model are wrong.

New Hope For Advances In Treating Malaria Posted: 27 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers in England have developed chemicals which kill the most deadly malaria-causing parasite, Plasmodium falciparum -- including those resistant to existing drugs.

Salmon Virus With Potential For Change Posted: 27 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) is one of the most economically-damaging diseases in Norwegian fish farming industry. It is caused by a marine Orthomyxovirus, the same family that produces the influenza A virus that causes disease in birds and mammals. Researchers have looked at factors of the ISA virus genes that influence its ability to cause disease in salmon.

New Gene Regions Linked With Susceptibility To HIV-1–associated Kidney Disease Posted: 27 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT HIV-1–associated nephropathy (HIVAN) is a kidney disease that occurs commonly in individuals infected with HIV-1. Several studies have linked variants of genes expressed in kidney cells known as podocytes to HIVAN.

Reversing Time To Spot Cracks In Gas Pipes Posted: 27 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Checking natural gas pipelines for wear and tear costs big bucks. Sections of pipe must be manually exhumed to be tested for cracks or corrosion with acoustic or magnetic scanners. Scientists are now developing a way to monitor pipes continuously and remotely using embedded, low-power ultrasonic detectors.

Does A Person's Insurance Coverage Affect Their Access To Quality Cancer Care? Posted: 27 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Does a person's insurance coverage affect their access to quality cancer care? Insurance coverage may not only affect a patient's access to health care, but also the quality of care they receive.

Hormone Therapy Offers Potential Protective Effect Against Colon Cancer In Older Women Posted: 27 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have observed that self-reported use of hormone therapy was associated with a significantly lower colorectal cancer risk. However, the mechanisms for the apparent protective association are still unclear.

Shadow Of A Forming Star Posted: 27 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT A team of astronomers has found an interesting shadow cast by a forming star system.

New MR Technique May Help Save Women From Unnecessary Breast Biopsies Posted: 27 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT A new MR procedure that uses diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to determine whether or not a breast lesion is malignant or benign may help reduce unnecessary breast biopsies, according to a study performed at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Md. DWI is a method that produces images detecting the exchange of water molecules between tissue compartments (diffusion).

Laser Makes Big Bangs Underwater Posted: 27 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Technologies that use underwater acoustics -- for sonar, communications, or navigation -- often require a piece of hardware in the water to create sound remotely. Physicists are working on ways to use flashes of laser light instead.

Genetics Can Mediate Vulnerability To Alcohol's Effects During Pregnancy Posted: 27 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to teratogenesis, the development of embryonic defects. The estimated incidence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, referring to a wide array of alcohol-exposure effects, is approximately one percent of live births in the US. Yet not all women who drink during pregnancy give birth to children with observable deficits. A mouse study has found that genetics may help to explain alcohol-related susceptibility and resistance.

'Super Reefs' Fend Off Climate Change, Study Says Posted: 27 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT A new study shows that some coral reefs off East Africa are unusually resilient to climate change due to improved fisheries management and a combination of geophysical factors.

How An Antibody Helps The Immune System Reject Cancer Posted: 27 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have shown that an engineered antibody called DTA-1 led to rejection of 50 to 60 percent of tumors in a mouse model of melanoma. The antibody allows the immune system to overcome its natural reluctance to attack tumor cells, the researchers say, and might serve to boost the effectiveness of cancer vaccines.

Cosmic 'Fountain Of Youth' Spied By Hubble Space Telescope Posted: 27 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT To commemorate the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope's 19 years of success, the orbiting telescope has photographed a peculiar system of galaxies known as Arp 194. This interacting group contains several galaxies along with a "cosmic fountain" of stars, gas and dust that stretches over 100,000 light years.

Throwing The Micro Switch: MicroRNA May Link Smoking Risk Gene To Neurobiology Of Addiction Posted: 27 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT During the past several years, significant progress has been made in identifying susceptibility genes for nicotine dependence through genetic linkage and association analyses. Although a large number of genes have been associated with tobacco smoking, only a very limited number of genetic variants are considered to be causative.

Clogged Pipes Make A Special Sound, Mathematicians Report Posted: 27 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT One way to find a clog under a sink is to take on the dirty job of dismantling the pipes. Now mathematicians have developed a cleaner way that hears where a blockage is located, using a technique pioneered in underwater acoustics.

Wimps Hear Dangerous Noises Differently Posted: 27 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Scrawnier people are more likely to perceive an approaching sound as closer than it actually is. This connection between physical fitness and the brain's auditory system may have evolved to help the weak get out of the way of approaching danger.

Swine Flu: Public Health Emergency Declared, Investigation Continues Posted: 27 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT As new human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection are identified in the United States and internationally, health officials around the world are continuing their investigation and response effort surrounding the outbreak of swine flu.

As Swine Flu Scare Unfolds, Virologist Underscores Need For Research On Animal Pathogens Posted: 27 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT The rapidly developing swine flu scare has activated a global response from the public health community and alarmed hundreds of millions of people, but there are a number of reasons why people should remain realistic and calm concerning the scope of the problem, according to one of the world's leading experts on swine viruses.

Mass-loss Leaves Close-in Exoplanets Exposed To The Core Posted: 27 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have found that giant exoplanets orbiting very close to their stars could lose a quarter of their mass during their lifetime. They found that planets that orbit closer than 2% of an Astronomical Unit (AU), the distance between the Earth and the Sun, may lose their atmospheres completely, leaving just their core.

Lupus Kidney Damage Linked To Malfunction Of Immune Cells Posted: 27 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Kidney damage associated with the autoimmune disease lupus is linked to a malfunction of immune cells that causes them to congregate in and attack the organs, researchers have discovered in a mouse study.

'Moderately Large' Potential For Red Tide Outbreak In Gulf Of Maine Region Posted: 27 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT The potential for an outbreak of the phenomenon commonly called "red tide" is expected to be "moderately large" this spring and summer, according to researchers.

Universal Health Insurance Might Not Save Lives Posted: 27 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new analysis suggests that universal health insurance might not save many adult lives -- or any -- if the United States actually puts it into place.

Single-molecule Nano-vehicles Synthesized: 'Fantastic Voyage' Not So Far-Fetched Posted: 27 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT Imagine producing vehicles so small they would be about the size of a molecule and powered by engines that run on sugar. To top it off, a penny would buy a million of them. Researchers are investigating technologies that could realize these remarkable machines whose uses might include delivering medicine to specific tissue, accomplishing surgeries or communicating with the outside world from inside the human body.

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