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• Fossils From Animals And Plants Are Not Necessary For Crude Oil And Natural Gas, Swedish Researchers Find
• Shining A Light On Disease: Tracking Light-emitting Bacteria During Infection
• The Buzz On An Amazing New Mosquito Repellent: Will It Fly?
• Genes Identified May Help Breast Cancer Diagnosis
• Safe Seed: Researchers Yielding Good Results On Food Cotton In Field
• Groups Are Key To Good Health
• Aging Muscles: 'Hard To Build, Easy To Lose'
• Children With Fatter Midsections At Increased Risk For Cardiovascular Disease, Study Finds
• Intelligent Crutch With Sensors To Monitor Usage
• Common Viral Infection In Infants May Persist Long-term In Central Nervous System
• Find Local Rideshares Quickly Via Mobile Phone
• Plastic Surgeons Should Be Part Of Disaster Relief Planning, Response
• Cement's Basic Molecular Structure Finally Decoded
• New Method Monitors Early Sign Of Oxidative Stress In Cancer
• MRI Simulation Of Blood Flow Helps Plan Child's Delicate Heart Surgery
• New WHO Data Underscores Global Threat Of World's Leading Child Killer: Pneumonia
• Superscanner Helps Scientists See Into The Unknown
• Ground Zero-scale Trauma Can Prompt Psychological Growth
• A Boy For Every Girl? Not Even Close: Scientists Trace Evolution Of Butterflies Infected With Deadly Bacteria
• Two Genes Identified As Potential Therapeutic Targets For Multiple Sclerosis
• High In Sodium: Highly Charged Tungsten Ions May Diagnose Fusion Energy Reactors
• Exercise Alone Shown To Improve Insulin Sensitivity In Obese Sedentary Adolescents
• How Do You Analyse A Criminal?
• Scientists Develop Novel Use Of Neurotechnology To Solve Classic Social Problem
• Evolution Coup: Study Reveals How Plants Protect Their Genes
• Scientists Discover Mechanism To Make Existing Antibiotics More Effective At Lower Doses
• Electronic Nose To Return From Space Station
• Yeast Unravels Effects Of Chemotherapy Drugs
• Seismic Shift In Methods Used To Track Earthquakes
• Heavy-drinking Colleges Showing No Improvements

Fossils From Animals And Plants Are Not Necessary For Crude Oil And Natural Gas, Swedish Researchers Find Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers in Sweden have managed to prove that fossils from animals and plants are not necessary for crude oil and natural gas to be generated. The findings are revolutionary since this means, on the one hand, that it will be much easier to find these sources of energy and, on the other hand, that they can be found all over the globe.

Shining A Light On Disease: Tracking Light-emitting Bacteria During Infection Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT By attaching light-emitting genes to infectious bacteria in an experimental system, researchers in Ireland have been able to track where in the body the bacteria go -- giving an insight into the path of the infection process leading to the development of more targeted treatments

The Buzz On An Amazing New Mosquito Repellent: Will It Fly? Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT After searching for more than 50 years, scientists finally have discovered a number of new mosquito repellents that beat DEET, the gold standard for warding off those pesky, sometimes disease-carrying insects. The stuff seems like a dream come true. It makes mosquitoes buzz off three times longer than DEET, the active ingredient in many of today's bug repellents. It does not have the unpleasant odor of DEET. And it does not cause DEET's sticky-skin sensation.

Genes Identified May Help Breast Cancer Diagnosis Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have identified two genes which may help improve the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer patients. They found that the survival rate for patients with a low expression of a gene known as Fau, a tumour suppressor, is twice as bad as for people with normal levels, while a high expression of cancer-causing gene MELK has a similar effect.

Safe Seed: Researchers Yielding Good Results On Food Cotton In Field Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Field trials of a new cotton are verifying previous lab and greenhouse studies indicating the crop could become a source of protein for millions of malnourished people in the world. The cotton was engineered so that the toxic gossypol is reduced to tolerable levels in the high-protein seed but remain at higher levels in the rest of the plant to ward off pests and disease.

Groups Are Key To Good Health Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT The quality of a person's social life could have an even greater impact than diet and exercise on their health and well-being. There is growing evidence that being a member of a social group can significantly reduce the risk of conditions like stroke, dementia and even the common cold. New research highlights the importance of belonging to a range of social groups, of hanging onto social groups, and of building new social groups in dealing with life changes.

Aging Muscles: 'Hard To Build, Easy To Lose' Posted: 12 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Have you ever noticed that people have thinner arms and legs as they get older? As we age it becomes harder to keep our muscles healthy. They get smaller, which decreases strength and increases the likelihood of falls and fractures. New research is showing how this happens -- and what to do about it.

Children With Fatter Midsections At Increased Risk For Cardiovascular Disease, Study Finds Posted: 12 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Children with more fat around their midsections could be at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life, researchers say.

Intelligent Crutch With Sensors To Monitor Usage Posted: 12 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT A forearm crutch which incorporates sensor technology to monitor whether it is being used correctly has been developed by engineers.

Common Viral Infection In Infants May Persist Long-term In Central Nervous System Posted: 12 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT A new study suggests that coxsackievirus, a significant human pathogen that commonly infects the central nervous system of newborns, may persist in the body as a low-level, long-term infection causing ongoing inflammatory lesions. This discovery disputes previous beliefs that while acute, coxsackievirus is also self-limiting.

Find Local Rideshares Quickly Via Mobile Phone Posted: 12 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT In spite of rising energy prices, many car drivers in large cities still ride alone. The OpenRide mobile ridesharing service aims to save them money while reducing the amount of traffic and thus the burden on the environment. At the IFA international consumer electronics exhibition in Berlin, researchers presented a prototype of their open infrastructure for organizing spontaneous ridesharing opportunities.

Plastic Surgeons Should Be Part Of Disaster Relief Planning, Response Posted: 12 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT When a terrorist bomb explodes, a tornado rips through a town, a hurricane devastates a region, or wildfires ravage homes and businesses, plastic surgeons are not typically atop the list of emergency responders.

Cement's Basic Molecular Structure Finally Decoded Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT In the 2,000 years since the Roman Empire employed a naturally occurring form of cement to build a vast system of concrete aqueducts, researchers have analyzed the molecular structure of natural materials and created entirely new building materials such as steel. Oddly enough, the three-dimensional crystalline structure of cement hydrate had eluded scientific attempts at decoding, until an MIT team tackled the problem.

New Method Monitors Early Sign Of Oxidative Stress In Cancer Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT The growth of cancerous tumors is fueled, at least in part, by the buildup of free radicals--highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules. It stands to reason, then, that cancer should respond to treatment with antioxidants, which inhibit the rogue radicals, or with pro-oxidants, which go the opposite direction, increasing "oxidative stress" on cancer cells to the point of vanquishing them. But experiments with such treatments have had mixed results, possibly because patients differ in their "redox profiles," or oxidative stress levels.

MRI Simulation Of Blood Flow Helps Plan Child's Delicate Heart Surgery Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have developed a virtual surgery tool that allows heart surgeons to manipulate 3-D cardiac magnetic resonance images of a patient's specific anatomy to select the best approach for each patient before entering the operating room. In a new study, the researchers detail how the tool helped them plan the surgery of a 4-year-old girl born with just one functional ventricle instead of two.

New WHO Data Underscores Global Threat Of World's Leading Child Killer: Pneumonia Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT New World Health Organization data sheds new light on two leading causes of pneumonia, the world's leading killer of children under age 5, both globally and within specific countries. The results, which are the first ever available at the country level, are expected to serve as a clarion call to developing country governments to invest in pneumonia prevention programs.

Superscanner Helps Scientists See Into The Unknown Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers in the UK have a new weapon in their arsenal of tools to push back the boundaries of science, engineering, veterinary medicine and archaeology.

Ground Zero-scale Trauma Can Prompt Psychological Growth Posted: 12 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT People who live through an extreme traumatic experience such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks or an airplane crash often have the capacity to bounce back or even grow to a higher level of functioning and personal strength, according to an expert in the effects of horrifying trauma.

A Boy For Every Girl? Not Even Close: Scientists Trace Evolution Of Butterflies Infected With Deadly Bacteria Posted: 11 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT In a perfect world, for every boy there would of course be a girl, but a new study shows that actual sex ratios can sometimes sway very far from that ideal. In fact, the male-to-female ratio of one tropical butterfly has shifted rapidly over time and space, driven by a parasite that specifically kills males of the species, reveals a new report.

Two Genes Identified As Potential Therapeutic Targets For Multiple Sclerosis Posted: 11 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT A new study has found that two genes in mice were associated with good central nervous system repair in multiple sclerosis.

High In Sodium: Highly Charged Tungsten Ions May Diagnose Fusion Energy Reactors Posted: 11 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT Physicists at NIST are studying their own version of a sodium substitute -- sodium-like tungsten ions that could be useful in monitoring the ultra-hot plasma inside fusion energy devices.

Exercise Alone Shown To Improve Insulin Sensitivity In Obese Sedentary Adolescents Posted: 11 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT A moderate aerobic exercise program, without weight loss, can improve insulin sensitivity in both lean and obese sedentary adolescents, according to a new study. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas that permits glucose to enter cells to be used for energy or stored for future use by the body.

How Do You Analyse A Criminal? Posted: 11 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT The use of digital data analysis within law enforcement is not simple. For example, how can you predict if somebody is a terrorist? A Dutch researcher has developed a model that makes digital data analysis more reliable.

Scientists Develop Novel Use Of Neurotechnology To Solve Classic Social Problem Posted: 11 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT Economists and neuroscientists have shown that they can use information obtained through functional magnetic resonance imaging measurements of whole-brain activity to create feasible, efficient, and fair solutions to one of the stickiest dilemmas in economics, the public-goods free-rider problem -- long thought to be unsolvable. This is one of the first-ever applications of neurotechnology to real-life economic problems, the researchers note.

Evolution Coup: Study Reveals How Plants Protect Their Genes Posted: 11 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Unlike animals and humans, plants can't run and hide when exposed to stressful environmental conditions. So how do plants survive? A new study has found a key mechanism that enables plants to keep dangerous gene alterations in check to ensure their continued existence.

Scientists Discover Mechanism To Make Existing Antibiotics More Effective At Lower Doses Posted: 11 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new study reveals a conceptually novel mechanism that plays an important role in making human pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis resistant to numerous antibiotics.

Electronic Nose To Return From Space Station Posted: 11 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Sniffing out any potential contaminants on the International Space Station where it was stationed for the last six months, the NASA-built electronic nose, or ENose, is homeward bound. While on the space station, the ENose sampled the air with 32 sensors that can detect various odors and pinpoint which ones are dangerous to humans.

Yeast Unravels Effects Of Chemotherapy Drugs Posted: 11 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Until now, the mode of action of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate (N-BP) cancer drugs, used to relieve bone pain and to prevent skeletal complications in bone metastasis, has been almost entirely unknown. Researchers have used "barcoded" yeast mutants to identify new biological processes involved in the cellular response to N-BPs, opening up opportunities for the development of new anticancer drugs.

Seismic Shift In Methods Used To Track Earthquakes Posted: 11 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have developed a new technique to monitor movements beneath the Earth's surface, helping them better understand how earthquakes behave.

Heavy-drinking Colleges Showing No Improvements Posted: 11 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT US colleges with the biggest student drinking problems have so far failed to turn the tide, according to a new study.

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