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• Loyal Alligators Display Mating Habits Of Birds
• 'Treason' By Immune System Cells Aids Growth Of Multiple Myeloma
• New Aluminum-water Rocket Propellant Promising For Future Space Missions
• New Target For Treating Leukemia Identified
• 'Significant Risk' Of Oil Production Peaking In Ten Years, Report Finds
• While Adolescents May Reason As Well As Adults, Their Emotional Maturity Lags, Says New Research
• Trackway Analysis Shows How Dinosaurs Coped With Slippery Slopes
• Stem Cells Which 'Fool Immune System' May Provide Vaccination For Cancer
• New Coastland Map Could Help Strengthen Sea Defenses
• Genetic Effects Of Radiation: Study Will Help Understand Radiation Exposure In Cancer Survivors And Their Children
• For Future Superconductors, A Little Bit Of Lithium May Do Hydrogen A Lot Of Good
• Unnatural Selection: Birth Control Pills May Alter Choice Of Partners
• NASA Refines Asteroid Apophis' Path Toward Earth
• New Link Found Between Osteoporosis And Celiac Disease
• Jumping Genes, Gene Loss And Genome Dark Matter
• Milk Protein Supplement May Help Prevent Sepsis In Very Low Birth-weight Infants
• Good Results For New Vaccine Against Horse Strangle Disease
• Specialty Hospitals Cherry-pick Patients, Exaggerate Success, Experts Say
• Large-Scale Cousin Of Elusive 'Magnetic Monopoles' Found At NIST
• New Approach For Growing Bone To Fight Osteoporosis And Other Diseases
• Peering Under The Ice Of Collapsing Polar Coast
• Genes Signal Late-stage Laryngeal Cancer, Poorer Outcome
• Electrosurgical Devices, Lasers Cited As Most Common Igniters Of Operating Room Fires
• Injury And Hazards In Home Health Care Nursing Are A Growing Concern
• World-first Sustainable Racing Car Runs On Chocolate, To Take On Formula 3
• Sophisticated Genetic Engineering Improves Insulin-producing Beta Cells
• In Search Of Wildlife-friendly Biofuels: Are Native Prairie Plants the Answer?
• Surgeons' Unanimous Consensus: Needle Biopsy Is Gold Standard For Breast Cancer Diagnosis
• MicroRNA Drives Cells' Adaptation To Low-oxygen Living
• UK Incidence Of Children Living With Substance-misusing Parents Considerably Underestimated
• High Rates Of Childhood Exposure To Violence And Abuse In United States, New Study Finds
• Nerve Cells Live Double Lives
• A Simple Way For Older Adults To Assess Arterial Stiffness: Reach For The Toes
• Major Irish River Now 'Wired' To Detect Pollution Incidents
• The High Cost Of Treating Alcohol-impaired Drivers
• Novel Polymer Delivers Genetic Medicine, Allows Tracking
• Genetic Mutation A Strong Indicator Of Age-related Hearing Loss Risk
• Come On In: Nuclear Barrier Less Restrictive Than Expected In New Cells
• Los Angeles Fast-food Restaurant Ban Unlikely To Cut Obesity, Study Finds
• Autism Associated With Single-letter Change In Genetic Code

Loyal Alligators Display Mating Habits Of Birds Posted: 08 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Alligators display the same loyalty to their mating partners as birds. The ten-year-study reveals that up to 70% of females chose to remain with their partner, often for many years.

'Treason' By Immune System Cells Aids Growth Of Multiple Myeloma Posted: 08 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Scientists have found that multiple myeloma cancer cells thwart many of the drugs used against them by causing nearby cells to turn traitor -- to switch from defending the body against disease to shielding the myeloma cells from harm.

New Aluminum-water Rocket Propellant Promising For Future Space Missions Posted: 08 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Researchers are developing a new type of rocket propellant made of a frozen mixture of water and "nanoscale aluminum" powder that is more environmentally friendly than conventional propellants and could be manufactured on the moon, Mars and other water-bearing bodies.

New Target For Treating Leukemia Identified Posted: 08 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT New research integrates sophisticated interdisciplinary approaches to solve a molecular mystery that may lead to alternative therapeutic strategies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The study identifies a previously unrecognized AML target that responds well to pharmacological inhibition and may be an excellent candidate for use in future clinical trials.

'Significant Risk' Of Oil Production Peaking In Ten Years, Report Finds Posted: 08 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT A new report argues that conventional oil production is likely to peak before 2030, with a significant risk of a peak before 2020. The report concludes that the UK Government is not alone in being unprepared for such an event -- despite oil supplying a third of the world's energy.

While Adolescents May Reason As Well As Adults, Their Emotional Maturity Lags, Says New Research Posted: 08 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT A 16-year-old might be quite capable of making an informed decision about whether to end a pregnancy -- a decision likely to be made after due consideration and consultation with an adult -- but this same adolescent may not possess the maturity to be held to adult levels of responsibility if she commits a violent crime, according to new research into adolescent psychological development.

Trackway Analysis Shows How Dinosaurs Coped With Slippery Slopes Posted: 08 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT A new investigation of a fossilized tracksite in southern Africa shows how early dinosaurs made on-the-fly adjustments to their movements to cope with slippery and sloping terrain. Differences in how early dinosaurs made these adjustments provide insight into the later evolution of the group.

Stem Cells Which 'Fool Immune System' May Provide Vaccination For Cancer Posted: 08 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT A new study reveals the potential for human stem cells to provide a vaccination against colon cancer. This discovery builds upon a century old theory that immunizing with embryonic materials may generate an anti-tumour response. However, this theory has never before been advanced beyond animal research so the discovery that human stem cells are able to immunize against colon cancer is both new and unexpected.

New Coastland Map Could Help Strengthen Sea Defenses Posted: 08 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT A new map plots the most accurate predictions yet for land uplift and subsidence and shows that southern Ireland and Wales, and southern and eastern England are continuing to sink, whilst Scotland is rising, at rates less than previously predicted.

Genetic Effects Of Radiation: Study Will Help Understand Radiation Exposure In Cancer Survivors And Their Children Posted: 08 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT A massive international study is underway to investigate the possible genetic effects of radiation and cancer drug exposures on future generations.

For Future Superconductors, A Little Bit Of Lithium May Do Hydrogen A Lot Of Good Posted: 08 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have a long and unsuccessful history of attempting to convert hydrogen to a metal by squeezing it under incredibly high and steady pressures. A new tudy suggests strategies for converting hydrogen to metal at significantly lower pressures.

Unnatural Selection: Birth Control Pills May Alter Choice Of Partners Posted: 08 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Is it possible that the use of oral contraceptives is interfering with a woman's ability to choose, compete for and retain her preferred mate? A new paper reviews emerging evidence suggesting that contraceptive methods which alter a woman's natural hormonal cycles may have an underappreciated impact on choice of partners for both women and men and, possibly, reproductive success.

NASA Refines Asteroid Apophis' Path Toward Earth Posted: 08 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Using updated information, NASA scientists have recalculated the path of a large asteroid. The refined path indicates a significantly reduced likelihood of a hazardous encounter with Earth in 2036. Initially, Apophis was thought to have a 2.7 percent chance of impacting Earth in 2029. Additional observations of the asteriod ruled out any possibility of an impact in 2029. However, the asteroid is expected to make a record-setting -- but harmless -- close approach to Earth on Friday, April 13, 2029, when it comes no closer than 29,450 kilometers (18,300 miles) above Earth's surface.

New Link Found Between Osteoporosis And Celiac Disease Posted: 08 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT People with celiac disease may develop osteoporosis because their immune system attacks their bone tissue, a new study has shown.

Jumping Genes, Gene Loss And Genome Dark Matter Posted: 08 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT An international team presents a new map of changes to human genome structure and a resource for researchers to look at the role of these changes in human disease. They also identify 75 "jumping genes" found in more than one location. However, they caution that they have not found large numbers of variants implicated in common diseases such as diabetes or heart disease. They suggest strategies for finding this "dark matter" of genetic variation.

Milk Protein Supplement May Help Prevent Sepsis In Very Low Birth-weight Infants Posted: 08 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Very low birth-weight newborns who received the milk protein lactoferrin alone or in combination with a probiotic had a reduced incidence of late-onset sepsis, according to a new study.

Good Results For New Vaccine Against Horse Strangle Disease Posted: 08 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Tests show good results for a new vaccine against horse strangle disease. In time this may also lead to new vaccines against human diseases.

Specialty Hospitals Cherry-pick Patients, Exaggerate Success, Experts Say Posted: 08 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Although many specialized hospitals deliver better and faster services in cardiac care and other specialties, a newly presented paper maintains that these hospitals cherry-pick patients to achieve these results, and that average patients actually receive worse care.

Large-Scale Cousin Of Elusive 'Magnetic Monopoles' Found At NIST Posted: 08 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Any child can tell you that a magnet has a "north" and a "south" pole, and that if you break it into two pieces, you invariably get two smaller magnets with two poles of their own. But scientists have spent the better part of the last eight decades trying to find, in essence, a magnet with only one pole. A team working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has found one.

New Approach For Growing Bone To Fight Osteoporosis And Other Diseases Posted: 08 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Results from a new study suggest a targeted approach by which drugs may be able to fight osteoporosis and other degenerative bone diseases. Researchers have found a new mechanism of bone formation in mice that works without inducing the complementary bone breakdown.

Peering Under The Ice Of Collapsing Polar Coast Posted: 08 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Starting this month, a giant NASA DC-8 aircraft loaded with geophysical instruments and scientists will buzz at low level over the coasts of West Antarctica, where ice sheets are collapsing at a pace far beyond what scientists expected a few years ago. The flights, dubbed Operation Ice Bridge, are an effort to image what is happening on, and under, the ice, in order to estimate future sea-level rises that might result.

Genes Signal Late-stage Laryngeal Cancer, Poorer Outcome Posted: 08 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have identified tumor-suppressing genes that may provide a more accurate diagnosis of disease stage and survival for laryngeal cancer patients than current standards. The study finds genetic abnormalities of the ESR1 gene and the HIC1 gene are predictors of late-stage laryngeal cancer and shorter survival, respectively, for patients with the disease.

Electrosurgical Devices, Lasers Cited As Most Common Igniters Of Operating Room Fires Posted: 08 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT While operating room fires can occur in a variety of clinical settings, it is the use of lasers and electrosurgical devices that are most likely to cause them, according to new research.

Injury And Hazards In Home Health Care Nursing Are A Growing Concern Posted: 08 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Patients continue to enter home health care "sicker and quicker," often with complex health problems that may require extensive nursing care. This increases the risk of needlestick injuries in home health care nurses. In a recent study, the rate of needlestick-type injuries was 7.6 per 100 nurses. At this rate, the scientists estimate that there are nearly 10,000 such injuries each year in home care nurses.

World-first Sustainable Racing Car Runs On Chocolate, To Take On Formula 3 Posted: 07 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Can the idea of "green motorsport" actually work? Yes, according a U.K. researcher who led the research team which designed and built the world-first fully sustainable Formula 3 racing car, which runs on biofuel made from chocolate and animal fats.

Sophisticated Genetic Engineering Improves Insulin-producing Beta Cells Posted: 07 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have used sophisticated genetic engineering to remove or "knock out" the Lkb1 gene from beta cells of laboratory mice. The result was an increase in both the size and number of beta cells, as well as greater amounts of insulin stored and released by the cells.

In Search Of Wildlife-friendly Biofuels: Are Native Prairie Plants the Answer? Posted: 07 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT One of the unintended consequences of crop-based biofuels may be the loss of wildlife habitat, particularly the birds who call this country's grasslands home.

Surgeons' Unanimous Consensus: Needle Biopsy Is Gold Standard For Breast Cancer Diagnosis Posted: 07 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT A new report indicates that an alarming 35 percent of initial diagnostic breast biopsies in the United States are still being done using unnecessary open surgical techniques. This in spite of the fact that it costs as much as three times more than the much less invasive and equally accurate needle biopsy technique.

MicroRNA Drives Cells' Adaptation To Low-oxygen Living Posted: 07 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have fresh insight into an evolutionarily ancient way that cells cope when oxygen levels decline. In studies of cells taken from the lining of human pulmonary arteries, they show that a microRNA -- a tiny bit of RNA that regulates the activity of particular genes and thus the availability of certain proteins -- allows cells to shift their metabolic gears, in a process known as the Pasteur effect.

UK Incidence Of Children Living With Substance-misusing Parents Considerably Underestimated Posted: 07 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Current figures underestimate the number of children who may be at risk of harm from parental substance use. Researchers have generated new estimates using five national surveys which include measures of binge, hazardous and dependent drinking, illicit drug use and mental health.

High Rates Of Childhood Exposure To Violence And Abuse In United States, New Study Finds Posted: 07 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT A new study finds that US children are routinely exposed to even more violence and abuse than has been previously recognized, with nearly half experiencing a physical assault in the study year.

Nerve Cells Live Double Lives Posted: 07 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have identified a new neural circuit in the retina responsible for the detection of approaching objects. Surprisingly, however, this is not the only function the circuit fulfills. The same nerve cells are also responsible for night vision. This is the first time such a dual function has been demonstrated, shedding new light on the nervous system's information-processing capacity.

A Simple Way For Older Adults To Assess Arterial Stiffness: Reach For The Toes Posted: 07 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT How far you can reach beyond your toes from a sitting position -- normally used to define the flexibility of the body -- may be an indicator of how stiff your arteries are. Because arterial stiffness often precedes cardiovascular disease, the results suggest that this could become a quick measure of a person's risk for heart attack or stroke.

Major Irish River Now 'Wired' To Detect Pollution Incidents Posted: 07 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT An innovative project has been developed to deploy a network of environmental sensors along the length of the River Lee -- a major Irish river -- to monitor water quality on a round-the-clock basis.

The High Cost Of Treating Alcohol-impaired Drivers Posted: 07 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT The costs of drinking and driving are all too apparent, with alcohol involved in 41 percent of all motor vehicle crash fatalities in 2006. In addition to the mortality and morbidity, the economic impact of alcohol impaired driving is estimated at $51 billion. Now a new study has found that even minimally injured alcohol-impaired drivers account for higher emergency department costs than other drivers.

Novel Polymer Delivers Genetic Medicine, Allows Tracking Posted: 07 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new molecule that can travel into cells, deliver genetic cargo, and packs a beacon so scientists can follow its movements in living systems.

Genetic Mutation A Strong Indicator Of Age-related Hearing Loss Risk Posted: 07 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Patients who exhibited a certain genetic mutation of anti-oxidant enzymes are three times more likely to develop age-related hearing loss, according to new research.

Come On In: Nuclear Barrier Less Restrictive Than Expected In New Cells Posted: 07 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT When it comes to the two basic types of cells, prokaryotes and eukaryotes, compartmentalization is everything. Prokaryotes are evolutionarily ancient cells that only have a membrane surrounding their outer boundary, while the more complex eukaryotes have an outer membrane and membrane bound compartments within the cell. Perhaps most notable is the double layered membrane that surrounds the nucleus, the cellular compartment which houses the cell's genetic material.

Los Angeles Fast-food Restaurant Ban Unlikely To Cut Obesity, Study Finds Posted: 07 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT A widely publicized set of restrictions on fast-food chain restaurants in South Los Angeles are not addressing the main differences between neighborhood food environments and are unlikely to improve the diet of residents or reduce obesity, according to a new study.

Autism Associated With Single-letter Change In Genetic Code Posted: 07 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have uncovered a single-letter change in the genetic code that is associated with autism. The finding implicates a neuronal gene not previously tied to the disorder and more broadly, underscores a role for common DNA variation.

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