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Flight Of The Bumble Bee Is Based More On Brute Force Than Aerodynamic Efficiency Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Brute force rather than aerodynamic efficiency is the key to bumblebee flight, Oxford University scientists have discovered.

Key Protein Keeps Chronic Infection In Check Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new study explains how a protein released by immune cells during chronic infection could restrict viruses like HIV and hepatitis C from spreading through the body.

Carbon Nanotubes: Innovative Technology Or Risk To Health Or Environment? Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT On the one hand, carbon nanotubes raise hopes for innovative applications in fields ranging from technology to medicine, promising considerable economic benefits. On the other hand, there is still need for much more thorough research on if and how these tubes may adversely affect the environment and human health.

Glioma: Origin Of Brain Tumor Discovered Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Glioma is the most common and most serious form of brain tumors that affect adults. It has not yet been determined which specific type of cell in the brain is the source of the tumor, but now scientists can show that glioma can start from immature support cells.

Climate Adds Fuel To Asian Wildfire Emissions Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT In the last decade, Asian farmers have cleared tens of thousands of square miles of forests to accommodate the world's growing demand for palm oil, an increasingly popular food ingredient. Ancient peatlands have been drained and lush tropical forests have been cut down. As a result, the landscape of equatorial Asia now lies vulnerable to fires, which are growing more frequent and having a serious impact on the air as well as the land.

Protecting Rescue Workers Deployed In A Catastrophe Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT How can we better protect rescue workers when they are deployed in a catastrophe -- or find avalanche victims more efficiently? Researchers are currently working on a localization solution that combines satellite-based positioning with terrestrial guidance tools and situation-based sensor systems (such as integrated toxic gas sensors).

Greenland's Constant Summer Sunlight Linked To Summer Suicide Spike Posted: 10 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT Suicide rates in Greenland increase during the summer, peaking in June. Researchers speculate that insomnia caused by incessant daylight may be to blame.

Skin Color Clue To Nicotine Dependence Posted: 10 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT Higher concentrations of melanin -- the color pigment in skin and hair -- may be placing darker pigmented smokers at increased susceptibility to nicotine dependence and tobacco-related carcinogens than lighter skinned smokers, according to scientists.

Tree-Killing Hurricanes Could Contribute To Global Warming Posted: 10 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT A first-of-its kind, long-term study of hurricane impact on U.S. trees shows that hurricane damage can diminish a forest's ability to absorb carbon dioxide, a major contributor to global warming, from the atmosphere. Researchers examined the impact of tropical cyclones on U.S. forests from 1851--2000 and found that changes in hurricane frequency might contribute to global warming.

Bacteria Play Role In Preventing Spread Of Malaria Posted: 10 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT Bacteria in the gut of the Anopheles gambiae mosquito inhibit infection of the insect with Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria in humans, according to new research. Scientists found that removing these bacteria, or microbial flora, with antibiotics made the mosquitoes more susceptible to Plasmodium infection because of a lack of immune stimulation.

Erosion Of The Yucca Mountain Crest Posted: 10 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT The Yucca Mountain crest in Nevada has been proposed as a permanent site for high level radioactive waste. But a new study shows that there may be erosion of the crest.

Still Irritating After All These Years: Study Of Adult Children And Parents Posted: 10 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT The majority of parents and adult children experience some tension and aggravation with one another, a new study says.

Vise Squad: Putting The Squeeze On A Crystal Leads To Novel Electronics Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT A clever materials science technique that uses a silicon crystal as a sort of nanoscale vise to squeeze another crystal into a more useful shape may launch a new class of electronic devices that remember their last state even after power is turned off.

First Swine Flu DNA Test Produced Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have produced the first DNA test kit for the Mexican swine flu. The first shipment of rapid-results tests has been sent today directly to Mexico as well as many other territories to help authorities monitor the increasing number of suspected cases.

Chaitén Volcano In Southern Chile: Historic Volcanic Eruptions Significantly Underestimated, Ash Fallout Analysis Shows Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT A study into ash fallout from the biggest volcanic eruption in almost 20 years has shown that the impact of past eruptions is likely to have been significantly underestimated as so much of the evidence quickly disappears.

Arrythmia Associated With Heart Attacks Linked To Higher Risk Of Death Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT Heart attack patients who develop serious arrhythmia in connection with procedures to open blocked arteries face a significantly higher risk of death for several months after the procedure, when compared to similar patients who do not develop such complications.

Virologists Developing More Potent Vaccine Technology That Could Apply To Many Viruses Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT Virologists are developing cell culture-based vaccine technology that is more rapid than the egg-based growth system presently used to create vaccines. The technology involves introducing membrane-bound immune-system stimulatory molecules such as cytokines into cells in such a way that the virus will incorporate them as part of its envelope.

Cardiovascular Benefits Of Daily Exercise In School Children Are Evident Even After One Year Posted: 10 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT School children as young as 11 can benefit from a daily exercise program in reducing their levels of several known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. An ongoing study, which began four years ago in the German city of Leipzig, shows already that children assigned to daily exercise lessons reduced their overall prevalence of obesity, improved their exercise capacity, increased their levels of HDL-cholesterol, and reduced their systolic blood pressure.

New Robot With Artificial Skin To Improve Human Communication Posted: 09 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT Work is beginning on a robot with artificial skin to be used to investigate how robots can help children with autism learn about social interaction.

Treatment For Extreme Nausea, Vomiting During Pregnancy Posted: 09 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT A new medication protocol for treating extreme nausea and vomiting during pregnancy appears effective in improving symptoms more quickly and provides a safer option than those previously available.

Level Of Cellular Stress Determines Longevity Of Retinal Cells Posted: 09 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT Stress can be adaptive. It can make you sharper, help you focus and it can even improve your performance. But too much of it can tax cells to the point where they can no longer cope and slowly self-destruct. Scientists now show that when the protein-making factory of the cell is exposed to moderate stress, neurons in the fruit fly retina and other cells not only resist death but also shore up their defenses against damaging free radicals and ultraviolet radiation.

Process Controlling T Cell Growth And Production Identified Posted: 09 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT Identifying one of the processes that plays a role in naïve and memory T-cells' growth and production could one day lead to better vaccines and possibly more effective cancer immunotherapy.

Cave Activity Discouraged To Help Protect Bats From Deadly White-nose Syndrome Posted: 09 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT White-nose syndrome, a wildlife crisis of unprecedented proportions, has killed hundreds of thousands of bats from Vermont to West Virginia and continues unchecked. Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking those who use caves where bats hibernate - called hibernacula - to take extra precautions and to curtail activities to help prevent the spread of WNS.

Meditate Your Way To Better Bladder Health Posted: 09 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT Cognitive therapy is an effective management strategy for urge incontinence. Cognitive therapy employs deep-breathing and guided-imagery exercises that train the brain to control the bladder without medication or surgery.

Baboons Benefit From Strong Social Networks, Expert Says Posted: 09 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Baboons are surprisingly skilled social animals. Researchers describe a female baboon that herded goats in an African village. The baboon knew all of the relationships between the goats so well that at night she would carry a bleating kid from one barn directly to its mother in another barn.

New Technique May Help Detect Potential Breast Cancer Spread Posted: 09 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new phase III clinical trial of early stage breast cancer patients has shown that a molecule designed to home in on nearby lymph nodes is just as accurate as current techniques, but faster, more specific and easier to use.

How Light Fights Psoriasis Posted: 09 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Ultraviolet light is a proven treatment for psoriasis, one of humanity's oldest known diseases. Sunshine can also beat back the chronic autoimmune disorder of the skin. But explaining light's therapeutic effects has been difficult.

Moving Gene Therapy Forward With Mobile DNA Posted: 09 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new non-viral gene technology approach. This approach overcomes side-effects associated with the current viral vectors, such as inflammation or the development of cancer. The result offers new hope for optimizing gene therapy as a possible cure for specific diseases, such as genetic disorders and cancer.

Measuring Snow With A Bucket, A Windmill, And The Sun? Government Goes Off The Power Grid In Maine Posted: 09 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT In Maine, government scientists have figured out how to measure snowfall in remote areas with a bucket, a small windmill, and the sun -- all the while saving money, energy, and, ultimately helping to save lives.

Unprecedented Use Of DDT Concerns Experts Posted: 09 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT The current practice of spraying DDT indoors to fight malaria is leading to unprecedented -- and insufficiently monitored -- levels of exposure to the pesticide, say experts concerned about the risk to human health.

More Choice Is Not Better In Search Engine Use Posted: 08 May 2009 09:00 PM PDT Google provides almost 100 million results for the query "Britney Spears". Researchers have shown that users can get overwhelmed with an increasing number of results. They are more satisfied with their choice when they are only given a few items to choose from.

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