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Competition May Have Led To New Dinosaur Species In Northwestern Alberta Posted: 15 May 2009 11:00 AM PDT The discovery of a gruesome feeding frenzy that played out 73 million years ago in Northwestern Alberta may also lead to the discovery of new dinosaur species there. Paleontologists found a nesting site and the remains of baby, plant-eating dinosaurs and the teeth of a predator.

Embryo's Heartbeat Drives Blood Stem Cell Formation Posted: 15 May 2009 11:00 AM PDT Biologists have long wondered why the embryonic heart begins beating so early, before the tissues actually need to be infused with blood. Two new articles show that the mechanical stresses of a beating heart and blood flow are required for the blood system to develop, and offer clues that may help in developing cell-based therapies for blood diseases such as leukemia, immune deficiency and sickle cell anemia.

Implantable Device Offers Continuous Cancer Monitoring Posted: 15 May 2009 11:00 AM PDT Surgical removal of a tissue sample is now the standard for diagnosing cancer. Such procedures, known as biopsies, are accurate but only offer a snapshot of the tumor at a single moment in time. Monitoring a tumor for weeks or months after the biopsy, tracking its growth and how it responds to treatment, would be much more valuable. Now researchers report the first implantable device that can do just that.

Smoking Interferes With Recovery From Alcohol-related Brain Damage Posted: 15 May 2009 11:00 AM PDT Excessive drinking can damage the brain, especially the frontal and parietal cortices. Some of this damage is reversible with abstinence from alcohol. New findings show that chronic cigarette smoking is associated with poor recovery of brain blood flow during abstinence from long-term heavy drinking.

Small RNAs Yield Great Amounts Of Data From Ocean Microbe Samples Posted: 15 May 2009 11:00 AM PDT An ingenious new method of obtaining marine microbe samples while preserving the microbes' natural gene expression has yielded an unexpected boon: the presence of many varieties of small RNAs -- snippets of RNA that act as switches to regulate gene expression in these single-celled creatures. Before now, small RNA could only be studied in lab-cultured microorganisms.

Past Experience Is Invaluable For Complex Decision Making, Brain Research Shows Posted: 15 May 2009 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have shown that past experience really does help when we have to make complex decisions based on uncertain or confusing information. They show that learning from experience actually changes the circuitry in our brains so that we can quickly categorize what we are seeing and make a decision or carry out appropriate actions.

Oldest Example Of Mutualism: Termites And Protozoa Discovered Together In Ancient Amber Posted: 15 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT The analysis of a termite entombed for 100 million years in an ancient piece of amber has revealed the oldest example of "mutualism" ever discovered between an animal and microorganism, and also shows the unusual biology that helped make this one of the most successful, although frequently despised insect groups in the world.

Human Nose Too Cold For Bird Flu, Says New Study Posted: 15 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT Avian influenza viruses do not thrive in humans because the temperature inside a person's nose is too low, according to new research. The authors of the study say this may be one of the reasons why bird flu viruses do not cause pandemics in humans easily.

New 'Smart' Polymer Reduces Radioactive Waste At Nuclear Power Plants Posted: 15 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new polymer that reduces the amount of radioactive waste produced during routine operation of nuclear reactors.

Diet Prescribed To Lower Blood Pressure Also Reduces Women's Risk Of Heart Failure Posted: 15 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT The DASH diet was initially developed to help patients lower their blood pressure, but a large study demonstrates that women who followed the diet also significantly reduced their risk of developing heart failure.

New Insight Into Decline Of Arctic Sea Ice Cover Posted: 15 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT The mechanical behavior of the Arctic sea ice cover appears to favor its rapid decline. Scientists have analyzed the trajectories of drifting buoys anchored in the ice and found that the mean drift rate and deformation rate of Arctic sea ice has strongly increased over the last three decades. These effects, related to the mechanical properties of the cover, contribute to the faster-than-expected decline of Arctic sea ice.

Cocaine-linked Genes Enhance Behavioral Effects Of Addiction Posted: 15 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT New research sheds light on how cocaine regulates gene expression in a crucial reward region of the brain to elicit long-lasting changes in behavior. The study provides exciting insight into the molecular pathways regulated by cocaine and may lead to new strategies for battling drug addiction.

How Bees Hold Onto Flowers: 'Velcro'-like Structures On Flower Petals Help Bees Stick Posted: 15 May 2009 05:00 AM PDT When bees collect nectar, how do they hold onto the flower? Scientists have s now shown that it is down to small cone-shaped cells on the petals that act like Velcro on the bees' feet.

Breakthrough In The Treatment Of Bacterial Meningitis Posted: 15 May 2009 05:00 AM PDT It can take just hours after the symptoms appear for someone to die from bacterial meningitis. Now, after years of research, experts have finally discovered how the deadly meningococcal bacteria is able to break through the body's natural defense mechanism and attack the brain.

Cereal And Milk Is The New Sports Supplement Posted: 15 May 2009 05:00 AM PDT A bowl of whole-grain cereal is as good as a sports drink for recovery after exercise. Research has shown that the readily available and relatively inexpensive breakfast food is as effective as popular, carbohydrate-based "sports drinks."

Eating Fish, Nuts And Olive Oil May Be Associated With Reduced Risk Of Age-related Blindness Posted: 15 May 2009 05:00 AM PDT Regularly eating fish, nuts, olive oil and other foods containing omega-three fatty acids and avoiding trans fats appears to be associated with a lower risk for the eye disease age-related macular degeneration, according to two new articles.

Nanotechnology: Self-assembly Of Building Blocks Of DNA Can Now Be Easily Controlled Posted: 15 May 2009 05:00 AM PDT Nature has long perfected the construction of nanomachines. Now researchers have brought the construction of artificial supramolecular structures a step closer. They have managed to carefully control the self-assembly of guanosine, one of the building blocks of our DNA.

Can You See The Emotions I Hear? Brain Imaging Study Says Yes Posted: 15 May 2009 05:00 AM PDT By observing the pattern of activity in the brain, scientists have discovered they can "read" whether a person just heard words spoken in anger, joy, relief, or sadness. The discovery is the first to show that emotional information is represented by distinct spatial signatures in the brain that can be generalized across speakers.

Melting Threat From West Antarctic Ice Sheet May Be Less Than Expected; But U.S. Coastal Cities At Risk Posted: 15 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT While a total or partial collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet as a result of warming would not raise global sea levels as high as some predict, levels on the US seaboards would rise 25 percent more than the global average and threaten cities like New York, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, according to a new study.

Key Protein Regulating Inflammation May Prove Relevant To Controlling Sepsis Posted: 15 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT Singapore scientists have identified the protein WIP1 as the molecular "brake" that curbs severe inflammation in the body. The findings may prove relevant to developing more effective treatments against sepsis, the severe inflammatory condition caused by bacterial infection that afflicts many patients in intensive care units.

Ancient Trading Raft Sails Anew Posted: 15 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT For the first time in nearly 500 years, a full-size balsa-wood raft just like those used in pre-Columbian Pacific trade took to the water on Sunday, May 10. Only this time, instead of the Pacific coast between Mexico and Chile where such rafts carried goods between the great civilizations of the Andes and Mesoamerica as long as a millennium ago, the replica raft was floated in the Charles River basin.

Cancer: Dealing With Blocked Bile Ducts Posted: 15 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT A consequence of the different cancers of the hepatobiliary system is blocked bile ducts. However, artificial catheters known as "stents" can remediate this problem. Stents are medical implants which reopen narrowed bile ducts to allow the outflow of bile. However, bacteria colonize these catheters forming dense communities, so-called biofilms. Inside these biofilms, bacteria are not only protected from the immune response initiated by the host but also from antibiotics.

Single Electron Captured In Tunable Carbon Nanotube Quantum Dot Posted: 15 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have successfully captured a single electron in a highly tunable carbon nanotube double quantum dot. This was made possible by a new approach for producing ultraclean nanotubes. Moreover, the researchers discovered a new sort of tunneling as a result of which electrons can fly straight through obstacles.

Playing For Keeps: Computerized Play Helps Elderly Stay Sharp Posted: 15 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have built a computerized play platform for elderly people. Field testing shows that the system keeps elderly players mentally sharp, stimulates socialization, and can alert caregivers to developing problems.

Basking Sharks: Disappearing Act Of World's Second Largest Fish Explained Posted: 14 May 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have discovered where basking sharks -- the world's second largest fish -- hide out for half of every year. The discovery revises scientists' understanding of the iconic species and highlights just how little we still know about even the largest of marine animals, the researchers said.

Age-related Eye Disease May Be Associated With Cognitive Impairment Posted: 14 May 2009 11:00 PM PDT Older adults with low scores on tests of cognitive function, including thinking, learning and memory appear more likely to have the early stages of the eye disease age-related macular degeneration, according to a new report.

For Northern Shrimp Populations In North Atlantic, Timing Is Everything Posted: 14 May 2009 11:00 PM PDT Even for Northern shrimp which support commercial fisheries worldwide, timing is everything in life. The tiny creatures, eaten in shrimp rolls and shrimp salad, occupy a pivotal role in the oceanic food chain and may serve as early indicators of changing climate due to their sensitivity to temperature. Northern shrimp also seem to have an uncanny sense of reproductive timing, releasing their larvae to match the arrival of food and thus maximizing larval survival.

Heart Device: Novel Patent Foramen Ovale Closure System Safe And Effective, Study Suggests Posted: 14 May 2009 11:00 PM PDT A new device designed to close a common heart defect known as a patent foramen ovale is safe and effective at 90-days follow up, according to a new study.

Managing Douglas-fir Forests For Diversity Posted: 14 May 2009 11:00 PM PDT Creating diverse forests for multiple uses is important to natural resource managers and landowners. The findings from a 1983 study conducted in southwestern Oregon provide forest managers with information that offers choices when managing land for a variety objectives that may include a high level of wood production, a moderate level of wood production with some wildlife habitat features, or low wood production that provides cover and forage for a wider variety of wildlife species.

Hypnotherapy Boosts Quality Of Life And Health For Ulcerative Colitis Patients Posted: 14 May 2009 11:00 PM PDT Ulcerative colitis is a nasty gastrointestinal disease that flares without warning and makes it vital to find a bathroom fast. Often diagnosed when people are in their late 20s and early 30s, the disease causes long absences from work and messes up lives. In early data, subjects report treatment with hypnotherapy improves their quality of life and health, enabling them to go to parties and travel with the boss.

Neandertals Sophisticated And Fearless Hunters, New Analysis Shows Posted: 14 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT Neandertals, the supposedly 'stupid' cousins of modern humans, were capable of capturing the most impressive animals. This indicates that Neandertals were anything but dim. An analysis of their daily forays for food revealed that the hunting was very knowledge intensive.

Vaccine Slows Progression Of Skeletal Muscle Disorder Posted: 14 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT A potential vaccine for Alzheimer's disease also has been shown in mice to slow the weakening of muscles associated with inclusion body myositis, a disorder that affects the elderly.

Working On The Railroad? Using Concrete Could Help Environment Posted: 14 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT Wood or concrete? Railroads around the world face that decision as they replace millions of deteriorating cross ties, also known as railway sleepers, those rectangular objects used as a base for railroad tracks. A new report concludes that emissions of carbon dioxide — one of the main greenhouse gases contributing to global warming — from production of concrete sleepers are up to six times less than emissions associated with timber sleepers.

Herpes Medication Does Not Reduce Risk Of HIV Transmission Posted: 14 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT Acyclovir, a drug widely used as a safe and effective treatment to suppress herpes simplex virus-2, which is the most common cause of genital herpes, does not reduce the risk of HIV transmission when taken by people infected with both HIV and HSV-2.

More 'Star Trek' Than 'Snuggie': Student Design To Protect Lunar Outpost From Dangerous Radiation Posted: 14 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT Alien creatures are the least of NASA's worries when it comes to moon travel. There are several potential threats to future missions -- with space radiation at the top of the list. Now scientists have developed a "blanket" of sorts that covers lunar outposts -- the astronauts' living quarters -- to provide astronauts protection against radiation while also generating and storing power.

Small Promotional Items From Drug Companies May Influence Medical Students' Attitudes Posted: 14 May 2009 08:00 PM PDT Exposure to small promotional items from pharmaceutical companies, such as clipboards and notepads, appears to influence medical students' unconscious attitudes toward the marketed product, according to a new article. Students whose medical school restricts marketing practices had less favorable attitudes toward the product following exposure to the items, while those at a school with no such limitations responded more favorably.

Can Happiness Be Inherited? Posted: 14 May 2009 05:00 PM PDT Our feelings in our lifetime can affect our children. A wide range of chemicals that our brain generates when we are in different moods could affect 'germ cells' (eggs and sperm), the cells that ultimately produce the next generation. Such natural chemicals could affect the way that specific genes are expressed in the germ cells, and hence how a child develops.

Scorpion Sting: Antivenom Results In Prompt Recovery From Nerve Poisoning, Study Shows Posted: 14 May 2009 05:00 PM PDT Youngsters suffering severe nerve poisoning following a scorpion sting recover completely and quickly if a scorpion-specific antivenom is administered, according to a new study.

Sniffing Out The Physical Condition Of Other Animals Of The Same Species Posted: 14 May 2009 05:00 PM PDT The sense of smell (olfactory mechanism) supplies an abundance of important information: detecting and evaluating the quality of foodstuffs, remotely perceiving possible hazards, recognizing territorial boundaries, subconsciously activating memories considered forgotten. Researchers have gained new insights into the scent signals between animals of the same species that are of particular significance for their social and sexual communication.

Bone Marrow Stem Cell Co-transplantation Prevents Embryonic Stem Cell Transplant-associated Tumors Posted: 14 May 2009 05:00 PM PDT Transplanted embryonic stem cells can potentially treat the effects of spinal cord injury (SCI), yet a serious drawback has been the development of tumors following transplantation. A new study has found that co-transplanting embryonic stem cells and bone marrow stem cells suppressed tumor formation in laboratory mice, leading researchers to speculate that future and similar co-transplantation may lead to benefits for humans suffering the effects of SCI.

Mathematical Model Developed To Predict Immune Response To Influenza Posted: 14 May 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have developed a mathematical model to predict immune responses to infection with influenza A viruses, including novel viruses such as the emergent 2009 influenza A (H1N1). This model examines the contributions of specific sets of immune cells in fighting influenza A virus. The model also helps predict when during the immune response to viral infection antiviral therapy would be most effective.

Moral Judgment Falters As Time Crunch Sets In Posted: 14 May 2009 05:00 PM PDT When it comes to the crunch, we are not as moral as we like to think. The closer in time an event gets, the more our moral judgment falters.

Herschel And Planck On Way To Study Our Cosmic Roots Posted: 14 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT The Herschel and Planck spacecraft successfully blasted into space May 14 from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. Herschel will explore, with unprecedented clarity, the earliest stages of star and galaxy birth in the universe; it will help answer the question of how our sun and Milky Way galaxy came to be. Planck will look back to almost the beginning of time itself, gathering new details to help explain how our universe came to be.

Molecular Defect Involved In Hearing Loss Discovered Posted: 14 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have elucidated the action of a protein, harmonin, which is involved in the mechanics of hearing. This finding sheds new light on the workings of mechanotransduction, the process by which cells convert mechanical stimuli into electrical activity. Defects in mechanotransduction genes can cause devastating diseases, such as Usher's syndrome, which is characterized by deafness, gradual vision loss, and kidney disease, which can lead to kidney failure.

Visualizing Virus Replication In Three Dimensions Posted: 14 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Dengue fever is the most common infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes -- some 100 million people around the world are infected. A new three-dimensional model shows the location in the human cell where the virus is reproduced. This research provides an insight into the exact process of viral replication and serves as a model for other viruses. It offers new approaches for developing measures to prevent or treat dengue fever.

Milestone Study On Blood Pressure Medications Confirmed Posted: 14 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT New research supports the findings of a landmark drug comparison study published in 2002 in which a diuretic drug or "water pill" outperformed other medications for high blood pressure.

New Method For Producing Transparent Conductors Developed Posted: 14 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have outlined a new method for producing a graphene -- carbon nanotube (G-CNT) hybrid, which is a high performance transparent conductor. Placing both graphite oxide and carbon nanotubes in a hydrazine solution produces not only graphene, but a hybrid layer of graphene and carbon nanotubes. G-CNTs have the potential to provide the building blocks of tomorrow's optical electronics.

One In Five Obese Women Select Overweight Or Obese Silhouettes As Their Ideal Body Image Posted: 14 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT For many women, body image is a constant struggle; a poor self-image can lead to a host of both mental and physical health problems. But a new study finds that an extremely good body image can also take its toll on a woman's health.

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