Saturday, October 31, 2009

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


New Analyses Of Dinosaur Growth May Wipe Out One-third Of Species

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Paleontologists Mark Goodwin and Jack Horner have dug for 11 years in Montana's Hell Creek Formation in search of every dinosaur fossil they can find, accumulating specimens of all stages of development. Their new report on the growth stages of dome-headed dinosaurs shows that two named species are really just young pachycephalosaurs. They say that perhaps one-third of all named dinosaurs may not be separate species, but juvenile or subadult stages of other known dinosaurs.

Donor Race May Impact Kidney Transplant Survival

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

The race of kidney donors may affect the survival rates of transplant recipients, according to a new study.

Major Advance In Human Antibody Therapy Against Deadly Nipah Virus

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Scientists report a major step forward in the development of an effective therapy against two deadly viruses, Nipah virus and the related Hendra virus.

High-definition Colonoscopy Detects More Polyps, Researchers Say

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

High-definition colonoscopy is much more sensitive than standard colonoscopy in finding polyps that could morph into cancer, say researchers.

New DNA Method Makes It Easier To Trace Criminals

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

DNA samples often convict criminals. But many of today's forensic tests are so polluted by soil, tobacco and food remains, for example, that they can not be used. Now researchers in Sweden have improved a critical part of the analysis process. The first findings indicate that the new method strengthens the DNA analysis so that previously negative samples yield positive and usable DNA profiles.

Stress-induced Changes In Brain Circuitry Linked To Cocaine Relapse

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Stress-evoked changes in circuits that regulate serotonin in certain parts of the brain can precipitate a low mood and a relapse of cocaine-seeking, based on mouse studies.

Regeneration Can Be Achieved After Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Scientists report that regeneration of central nervous system axons can be achieved in rats even when treatment delayed is more than a year after the original spinal cord injury.

Progress Made On Group B Streptococcus Vaccine

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Scientists have completed a phase II clinical study that indicates a vaccine to prevent Group B Streptococcus infection is possible.

Interactions With Aerosols Boost Warming Potential Of Some Gases

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

For decades, climate scientists have worked to identify and measure key substances -- notably greenhouse gases and aerosol particles -- that affect Earth's climate. And they've been aided by ever more sophisticated computer models that make estimating the relative impact of each type of pollutant more reliable. Yet the complexity of nature -- and the models used to quantify it -- continues to serve up surprises. The most recent? Certain gases that cause warming are so closely linked with the production of aerosols that the emissions of one type of pollutant can indirectly affect the quantity of the other. And for two key gases that cause warming, these so-called "gas-aerosol interactions" can amplify their impact.

Placental Precursor Stem Cells Require Testosterone-free Environment To Survive

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Trophoblast stem cells, found in the layer of peripheral embryonic stem cells from which the placenta is formed, are thought to exhibit "immune privilege" that aids cell survivability and is potentially beneficial for cell and gene therapies. Survivability of TSCs has been thought to require the presence of ovarian hormones. This study, however, demonstrates that it is the absence of male hormones, rather than the presence of female hormones, that allows extended transplanted cell survivability.

LANL Roadrunner Models Nonlinear Physics Of High-power Lasers

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Scientists are using an adapted version of VPIC, a particle-in-cell plasma physics code, to model the nonlinear physics of laser backscatter energy transfer and plasma instabilities in an attempt to reach fusion ignition.

Gay Men Prefer Masculine-faced Men, Study Suggests

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

New research suggests that regardless of sexual orientation, men prefer sexual dimorphism in faces. This study finds that gay men preferred the most masculine-faced men, while straight men preferred the most feminine-faced women. The findings suggest that regardless of sexual orientation, men's brains are wired for attraction to sexually dimorphic faces -- those with facial features that are most synonymous with their gender.

Opening Up A Colorful Cosmic Jewel Box

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

The combination of images taken by three exceptional telescopes, the ESO Very Large Telescope on Cerro Paranal, the MPG/ESO 2.2-m telescope at ESO's La Silla observatory and the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, has allowed the stunning Jewel Box star cluster to be seen in a whole new light.

Surgery Potentially Best Option For Severe Migraine Headaches

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

In newly released research, 79 migraine sufferers were followed for at least five years after having undergone detection of migraine "trigger sites" and surgery. New data find promising outcomes for treating trigger sites surgically for migraine headaches resulting in elimination of pain for those afflicted with the condition.

Largest Bat In Europe Inhabited Northeastern Spain More Than 10,000 Years Ago

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Spanish researchers have confirmed that the largest bat in Europe, Nyctalus lasiopterus, was present in north-eastern Spain during the Late Pleistocene. The Greater Noctule fossils found in the excavation site at Abric Romani prove that this bat had a greater geographical presence more than 10,000 years ago than it does today, having declined due to the reduction in vegetation cover.

Genetic Links To Fungal Infection Risk Identified

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Two genetic mutations that may put individuals at increased risk of fungal infections have been identified by scientists, increasing understanding about the genetic basis of these infections and potentially aiding the development of new treatments.

Remotely Operated Vehicles And Satellite Tags Aid Turtle Studies

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Researchers are using a remotely operated vehicle and satellite-linked data loggers to learn more about turtle behavior in commercial fishing areas and to develop new ways to avoid catching turtles in fishing gear. This marks the first time an ROV has been used to follow turtles in the wild to learn about their behavior and how they interact with their habitat

'Culture Of We' Buffers Genetic Tendency To Depression

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

A genetic tendency to depression is much less likely to be realized in a culture centered on collectivistic rather than individualistic values, according to a new study. In other words, a genetic vulnerability to depression is much more likely to be realized in a Western culture than an East Asian culture that is more about we than me-me-me. The study takes a global look at mental health across social groups and nations.

HIV Tamed By Designer 'Leash'

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Researchers have shown how an antiviral protein produced by the immune system, dubbed tetherin, tames HIV and other viruses by literally putting them on a leash, to prevent their escape from infected cells. The insights allowed the research team to design a completely artificial protein -- one that did not resemble native tetherin in its sequence at all -- that could nonetheless put a similar stop to the virus.

Researchers Find Brain Cell Transplants Help Repair Neural Damage

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT

A study aimed at determining whether autografted cells derived from primate cortical gray matter, cultured for one month and re-implanted in the caudate nucleus of dopamine depleted primates, effectively survived and migrated. When transplanted, autologous cells, derived from the most dopamine depleted region of the caudate nucleus, migrated, re-implanted into the right caudate nucleus, and migrated through the corpus callosum to the contralateral striatum. Re-implanted cells survived at rate of 50 percent four months post-implantation.

Battery Of The Future: New Storage Material Improves Energy Density Of Lithium-ion Battery

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT

High-performance energy storage technologies for the automotive industry or mobile phone batteries and notebooks providing long battery times – these visions of the future are being brought one step nearer. Researchers have developed a new method that utilizes silicon for lithium-ion batteries. Its storage capacity is ten times higher than the graphite substrate which has been used up to now, and promises considerable improvements for users.

New Insight In The Fight Against The Leishmania Parasite

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Medical researchers have gained a better understanding of how the Leishmania donovani parasite manages to outsmart the human immune system and proliferate with impunity, causing visceral leishmaniasis, a chronic infection that is potentially fatal if left untreated.

All-electric Spintronics Created

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Scientists have always attempted to develop spin transistors by incorporating local ferromagnets into device architectures. A far better and practical way to manipulate the orientation of an electron's spin would be by using purely electrical means. Researchers have now found an innovative and novel way to control an electron's spin orientation using purely electrical means.

What You See Is Not Always What You Do

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Imagine: during lunch your colleague throws an apple to you. You catch it (of course) without difficulty. But what actually happened? Did you consciously decide to catch the apple with two hands? And how did your hands know where they had to be to catch the apple? According to a Dutch researcher, you can catch an apple like this thanks to the close cooperation between two separate visual systems. He has now established for the first time how these areas cooperate.

Friday, October 30, 2009

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Nanoparticle Coating Prevents Freezing Rain Buildup

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Preventing the havoc wrought when freezing rain collects on roads, power lines, and aircrafts could be only a few nanometers away. A research team has now demonstrated a nanoparticle-based coating that thwarts the buildup of ice on solid surfaces and can be easily applied.

Exploring The Final Frontier: Disease Proposed As Major Barrier To Mars And Beyond

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Scientists argue that human missions to Mars, as well as all other long-term space flights might be compromised by microbial hitchhikers, such as bacteria. That's because long-term space travel packs a one-two punch to astronauts: first it appears to weaken their immune systems; and second, it increases the virulence and growth of microbes.

Bodybuilding With Steroids Damages Kidneys

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Athletes who use anabolic steroids may gain muscle mass and strength, but they can also destroy their kidney function, according to a new article. The findings indicate that the habitual use of steroids has serious harmful effects on the kidneys that were not previously recognized.

For Big Athletes, Possible Future Risk: Heightened Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Among Professional Football Linemen

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT

New research comparing the signs of metabolic syndrome in professional baseball and football players reveals that the larger professional athletes -- football linemen in particular -- may encounter future health problems despite their rigorous exercise routines.

New Technology May Cool The Laptop

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Does your laptop sometimes get so hot that it can almost be used to fry eggs? New technology may help cool it and give information technology a unique twist.

Inequality, 'Silver Spoon' Effect Found In Ancient Societies

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT

The so-called "silver spoon" effect -- in which wealth is passed down from one generation to another -- is well established in some of the world's most ancient economies, according to anthropologists.

No Pain, No Gain: Mastering A Skill Makes Us Stressed In The Moment, Happy Long Term

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

No pain, no gain applies to happiness, too, according to new research. People who work hard at improving a skill or ability, such as mastering a math problem or learning to drive, may experience stress in the moment, but experience greater happiness on a daily basis and longer term, the study suggests.

Scientists Propose New Explanation For Flu Virus Antigenic Drift

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Influenza viruses evade infection-fighting antibodies by constantly changing the shape of their major surface protein. Now, researchers have proposed a new explanation for the evolutionary forces that drive antigenic drift.

New Celestial Map Gives Directions For GPS

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Many of us have been rescued from unfamiliar territory by directions from a Global Positioning System navigator. GPS satellites send signals to a receiver in your GPS navigator, which calculates your position based on the location of the satellites and your distance from them. The distance is determined by how long it took the signals from various satellites to reach your receiver.

New Studies Explore Connection Between High Stress Jobs And GI Disorders

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

In a six year study of World Trade Center workers, researchers probed the connection between the high frequencies of GERD and mental health disorders reported among exposed workers during the post 9/11 cleanup. And researchers from the United States Navy examining functional gastrointestinal disorders within the active military population and their connection to of infectious gastroenteritis found not only a significant association between IGE and FGD, but also that almost 30 percent of those effected received care for two years after their initial diagnosis.

Electrical Engineers Go Head To Head With Genius On Music Playlists

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Electrical engineers recently pitted Genius -- the music recommendation system in Apple's iTunes -- against two experimental music recommender systems. Genius appears to capture acoustic similarities among songs within the same playlist, the researchers found. The electrical engineers also discovered that the music recommender they built from scratch can generate song playlists that human subjects thought were as good as those that Genius generates.

'Happy Life Years'; Costa Rica Outscores U.S.

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Quality-of-life in nations is measured using an index of 'Happy Life Years', developed at Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Netherlands. This index combines average appreciation of life with average length of life. Costa Rica is on top with 66.7 and Zimbabwe at the bottom with only 12.5 happy life years. The USA rank in the sub-top with an average of 58 years lived happily.

Scientists Discover Influenza's Achilles Heel: Antioxidants

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT

As the nation copes with a shortage of vaccines for H1N1 influenza, a team of Alabama researchers have raised hopes that they have found an Achilles' heel for all strains of the flu -- antioxidants. In a new study, they show that antioxidants -- the same substances found in plant-based foods -- might hold the key in preventing the flu virus from wreaking havoc on our lungs.

Helper T Cell's Effect Raises Possibility Of Cellular Therapy, Vaccine Development

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT

A specific type of T helper cell awakens the immune system to the stealthy threat of cancer and triggers an attack of killer T cells custom-made to destroy the tumors, scientists report.

First Detailed Documentation Of Tsunami Erosion

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT

For the first time, a group of scientists working in the Kuril Islands off the east coast of Russia has documented the scope of tsunami-caused erosion and found that a wave can carry away far more sand and dirt than it deposits.

Geneticists Hunt For Scleroderma Triggers

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT

At its most benign, the autoimmune disease scleroderma can discolor parts of the skin of its sufferers. At its most pernicious, it can thicken and harden their skin, their blood vessels, and their internal organs before, in many cases, killing them. Geneticists now report a closer connection between a gene profile for the profibrotic pathway TGF-beta and a tendency in some scleroderma sufferers to develop lung problems.

Scientists Build First 'Frequency Comb' To Display Visible 'Teeth'

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Scientists have built the first optical frequency comb -- a tool for precisely measuring different frequencies of visible light -- that actually looks like a comb.

Disappearing Vowels 'Caught' On Tape In US Midwest

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Try to pronounce the words "caught" and "cot." If you're a New Yorker by birth, the two words will sound as different as their spellings. But if you grew up in California, you probably pronounce them identically

'Moonlighting' Molecules Discovered; Researchers Uncover New Kink In Gene Control

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Since the completion of the human genome sequence, a question has baffled researchers studying gene control: How is it that humans, being far more complex than the lowly yeast, do not proportionally contain in our genome significantly more gene-control proteins? Now, a collaborative effort to examine protein-DNA interactions across the whole genome has uncovered more than 300 proteins that appear to control genes, a newly discovered function for all of these proteins previously known to play other roles in cells.

Protein Critical For Insulin Secretion May Be Contributor To Diabetes

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

A cellular protein from a family involved in several human diseases is crucial for the proper production and release of insulin, new research has found, suggesting that the protein might play a role in diabetes. Mice lacking the ClC-3 channel, a passageway that allows negatively-charged chloride ions to pass through cell membranes, have only one-fifth the circulating insulin of normal mice, according to new research.

Key To How 'Triggering Event' In Cancer Occurs: Researchers Link Hormone To Creation Of Gene Fusion In Prostate Cancer

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered what leads to two genes fusing together, a phenomenon that has been shown to cause prostate cancer to develop.

Fitness Levels Decline With Age, Especially After 45

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Men and women become gradually less fit with age, with declines accelerating after age 45, according to a new report. However, maintaining a healthy body-mass index, not smoking and being physically active are associated with higher fitness levels throughout adult life.

Improved Adhesive For Products Like Transparent Tape Could Benefit Biofuels Economy

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

A researcher said that developing bio-based adhesives to replace environmentally hazardous materials also could produce high-value products needed to sustain the biofuels economy.

Gossip In The Workplace: A Weapon Or Gift?

Posted: 30 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Gossip in the workplace can be a weapon in reputational warfare or a gift and can offer clues to power and influence not found on organizational charts. New research details how the weapon is wielded -- and its influence muted -- in a rare study that catches this national pastime on video.

New Wrinkle In Ancient Ocean Chemistry

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Geoscientists have corroborated evidence that oxygen production began in Earth's oceans at least 100 million years before the Great Oxidation Event (GOE). The researchers analyzed 2.5 billion-year-old black shales, which revealed that episodes of hydrogen sulfide accumulation in the oxygen-free deep ocean occurred nearly 100 million years before the GOE. Scientists have long believed that the early ocean was characterized by high amounts of dissolved iron.

Possible Link Between IBD Therapy And Skin Cancer, Study Reveals

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Findings from a new retrospective cohort study indicate that patients with inflammatory bowel disease, especially those receiving the thiopurine class of medications to treat IBD, may be at risk for developing non-melanoma skin cancer.

Woman Accidentally Swallows Coffee Spoon, Has It Removed From Jejunum With No Complications

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Foreign-body ingestion is a relatively common presentation at emergency departments, but long metallic spoon swallowing is an infrequent occurrence. Researchers report a case of a coffee spoon that was swallowed accidentally and passed through the stomach and reached the jejunum, with no complications.

Barrett's Esophagus Patients Have Same Survival Rates As General Population

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT

New research has found that survival rates of patients with Barrett's esophagus, which can be a precursor for esophageal cancer, are no different than the survival rates for the general population.

Roadrunner Supercomputer Simulates Nanoscale Material Failure

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT

How nanowires evolve under stress has been simulated atom-by-atom over a period of time that is closer than ever to experimental reality, thanks to the new Roadrunner supercomputer.

Adolescents Think School Bullying 'Will Keep On Happening' And Resign Themselves To It

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Research in Spain reveals that schoolchildren see the victims as "passive persons and socially incompetent", and the abusers as "strong, brave and extrovert individuals."

Magnetic Mixing Creates Quite A Stir

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT

Researchers have developed a process that can mix tiny volumes of liquid, even in complicated spaces. The discovery of how to mix tiny liquid volumes arose from research directed at improving the sensitivity of the chemical sensors developed in his lab. While their original project did not lead to the expected results, researchers were surprised by the wide variety of physical effects they discovered along the way, including magnetic mixing. These effects, they said, ended up being much more interesting and important than the original goal.

Stem Cell Therapy May Offer Hope For Acute Lung Injury

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT

Researchers have shown that adult stem cells from bone marrow can prevent acute lung injury in a mouse model of the disease.

Universal Helmet Laws For Motorcycling Most Important Policy For Saving Lives Of Motorcyclists

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT

Researchers conducted one of the first longitudinal analyses of the effect of public policies to reduce motorcycle injuries and fatalities. According to the study, the most significant policy in reducing both fatal and non-fatal motorcycle injuries is the universal helmet laws. The findings indicate that about 489 lives could have been saved if universal helmet laws were in effect in all 48 states in 2005.

Exercise Keeps Dangerous Visceral Fat Away A Year After Weight Loss, Study Finds

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT

A study conducted by exercise physiologists finds that as little as 80 minutes a week of aerobic or resistance training helps not only to prevent weight gain, but also to inhibit a regain of harmful visceral fat one year after weight loss.

Soil Moisture And Ocean Salinity Satellite Ready For Launch

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT

A new European Earth observation satellite will be launched in the early hours of Monday November 2 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia. The European Space Agency Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satellite will measure moisture levels in the Earth's soils and the saltiness of the world's oceans from space for the very first time.

Biofield Therapies: Helpful Or Full Of Hype? Review Looks At Reiki, Therapeutic Touch And Healing Touch

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT

Biofield therapies -- Reiki, therapeutic touch and healing touch -- are promising complementary interventions for reducing the intensity of pain in diverse conditions, anxiety for hospitalized patients and agitated behaviors in dementia. A review of the science behind biofield therapies has now been published.

Physicist Makes New High-resolution Panorama Of Milky Way

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Cobbling together 3,000 individual photographs, a physicist has made a new high-resolution panoramic image of the full night sky, with the Milky Way galaxy as its centerpiece.

Triple-combo Drug Shows Promise Against Antiviral-resistant H1N1

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

An experimental drug cocktail that includes three prescriptions now widely available offers the best hope in developing a single agent to treat drug-resistant H1N1 swine flu, says a virology researcher.

Vegetables Can Protect Unborn Child Against Diabetes

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

New evidence is emerging for how important it is for pregnant women to eat good, nutritious food. Expecting mothers who eat vegetables every day seem to have children who are less likely to develop type 1 diabetes.

Left Side Grafting Is Procedure Of Choice For Adult-to-adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

A recent study by doctors in Japan determined that left side grafting has lower risk to donors compared to grafts taken from the right lobe, and it appears to be the procedure of choice for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation.

French Male Bears In Immediate Need Of More Females

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

The population of brown bears in France is now so small that the species might become extinct in the near future. However, there is new hope. New research suggests that relocating new bears doesn't just boost the population size but can also reverse some of the causes of the population decline.

Study Shows Linkage Between Teen Girls' Weight And Sexual Behavior

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT

A new study sheds new light on the relationship between race, body weight and sexual behavior among adolescent girls. The results suggest that a girl's ethnicity and her actual weight or perception of her weight may play a role in her participation in risky sexual behaviors.

Global Warming Cycles Threaten Endangered Primate Species

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT

One of the first-ever analyses of the effects of global warming on endangered primates has examined how El NiƱo warming has affected the abundance of four highly threatened New World monkeys. All four monkey species showed drops in abundance relating to large-scale climate fluctuations. The study suggests that the consequences of intensified climate fluctuations could be devastating for several primate species.

Drug-radiation Combo Eradicates Lung Cancer In Mice

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Researchers have eliminated non-small cell lung cancer in mice by using an investigative drug called BEZ235 in combination with low-dose radiation.

Change In Treating Pulmonary Embolisms Recommended By Experts

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT

A new treatment called catheter-directed therapy or catheter-directed thrombolysis for massive blood clots in the lungs can saves lives, a new study has found. In fact, the data indicate that the catheter procedure was life-saving in 86.5 percent of the cases studied.

Scientists Are First To Observe The Global Motions Of An Enzyme Copying DNA

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Scientists here have identified how the motions of an enzyme are related to correctly copying genetic instructions, setting the stage for studies that can uncover what happens when DNA copying mistakes are made. Perpetuation of DNA mistakes can cause mutations that lead to cancer and other diseases.

Lack Of Insurance May Have Figured In Nearly 17,000 Childhood Deaths In US, Study Shows

Posted: 29 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Lack of health insurance might have led or contributed to nearly 17,000 deaths among hospitalized children in the United States in the span of less than two decades, according to new research.