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• How different strains of parasite infection affect behavior differently
• Compound from Chinese medicine blocks biofilm formation on medical implant materials
• A better test for human papillomavirus
• Streptococcus enzyme could compete with toothbrushes, dental floss
• New technique could help solve mystery of vanishing bees
• Scientists crack molecular code regulating neuronal excitability
• New treatment may desensitize kids with milk allergies, study suggests
• Surprising results in the first genome sequencing of a crustacean
• Biodiversity leads to higher productivity
• The importance of clarifying language in mathematics education
• Webb Telescope sunshield is like an umbrella on the shores of the universe
• Cardiovascular disease: Polypill appears safe and accepted by physicians and patients in developing countries
• Breakthrough in Niemann-Pick Type C research
• Trauma patients protected from worse outcomes associated with so-called 'weekend effect'
• Spacebound bacteria inspire earthbound remedies
• Chicken soup for the soul: Comfort food fights loneliness
• Huge ocean 'Frisbees' spin off Brazil's coast
• Scientists grow personalized collections of intestinal microbes
• New statement offers advice on treating dangerous, deep blood clots
• How the lily blooms: Ruffling at the edge of each petal drives the delicate flower to open
• Templated growth technique produces graphene nanoribbons with metallic properties
• Periocular treatment improves eye comfort and quality of life for patients with facial paralysis
• Changes in taste function related to obesity and chronic ear inflammation
• Newborn hearing screenings do not appear to identify all children at risk for hearing loss
• Melanoma diagnosis in women associated with higher socioeconomic status
• Gastric banding associated with relatively poor long-term outcomes, study suggests
• Primordial soup gets spicier: 'Lost' samples from famous origin of life researcher shed new light on Earth's first life
• Stem cells may show promise for people with rapidly progressing multiple sclerosis
• Fish know to avoid the spear
• Health information technology 'control tower' could improve earthquake response
• Ecosystem-wide framework for monitoring coral reef fisheries can be used on global scale
• Motion sensors used to determine equine lameness
• Saving one of the world's most endangered birds
• Feeling angry? Say a prayer and the wrath fades away, study suggests
• A dose of safflower oil each day might help keep heart disease at bay
• Ancient human trash heaps gave rise to Everglades tree islands, research suggests
• Seeing in stereo: Engineers invent lens for 3-D microscope
• Engineers make breakthrough in ultra-sensitive sensor technology
• Channeling powerful Kansas wind to keep electricity running
• Native Americans modified American landscape years prior to arrival of Europeans
• Fault-finding coral reefs can predict the site of coming earthquakes
• Vaccine to cure asthma brought on by house dust mite allergies?
• Teenagers, parents and teachers unaware of social networking risks
• Time lived with obesity linked with mortality
• Canadian Avalanche victims die significantly quicker than Swiss counterparts, study finds
• Combination ACE inhibitor therapy increases risk of kidney failure and death, study finds
• Bees could reveal key to dementia
• Madrid event marks Spain's role in next Mars mission
• Next Mars rover gets a test taste of Mars conditions
• Alternatives have begun in bid to hear from NASA's Spirit Mars rover
• Stars gather in 'downtown' Milky Way
• Mercury-bound instruments aboard MESSENGER arrive at target
• When it comes to the environment, education affects our actions
• Worm research defines role of multiple disease genes at base of cilia
• Children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy at increased risk of becoming smokers, mouse study suggests
• 'Informant' jumping gene offers new method for studying how genes are regulated
• Migraine rates up for no apparent reason, Norwegian study finds
• Multiple sclerosis: Risk factors in children
• The drive toward hydrogen vehicles just got shorter
• Molecular determinant of cell identity discovered

How different strains of parasite infection affect behavior differently Posted: 21 Mar 2011 05:34 PM PDT Toxoplasma gondii infects approximately 25 percent of the human population. The protozoan parasite is noted for altering the behavior of infected hosts. Researchers have found clear differences in the manipulation of host gene expression among the three clonal lineages that predominate in Europe and North America, despite the high level of genetic similarity among them.

Compound from Chinese medicine blocks biofilm formation on medical implant materials Posted: 21 Mar 2011 05:33 PM PDT A compound that is an active ingredient in plants commonly used in Chinese medicine prevents biofilm formation on polystyrene and polycarbonate surfaces by Staphylococcus aureus. The research suggests that this compound, 1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucopyranose (PGG) is highly promising for clinical use in preventing biofilm formation by S. aureus.

A better test for human papillomavirus Posted: 21 Mar 2011 05:32 PM PDT A new test for human papillomavirus (HPV) is just as sensitive as the old one, but more specific for detecting cervical cancer, meaning that it has fewer false positive results, according to a new study.

Streptococcus enzyme could compete with toothbrushes, dental floss Posted: 21 Mar 2011 05:31 PM PDT Investigators from Japan show in vitro that the bacterium Streptococcus salivarius, a non-biofilm forming, and otherwise harmless inhabitant of the human mouth, actually inhibits the formation of dental biofilms, otherwise known as plaque. Two enzymes this bacteria produces are responsible for this inhibition.

New technique could help solve mystery of vanishing bees Posted: 21 Mar 2011 05:16 PM PDT Ecologists have developed a better way of rearing bee larvae in the laboratory that could help discover why honey bee populations worldwide are declining. The technique, together with details of how statistics adapted from other areas of ecology can aid bee research, is published in a new article.

Scientists crack molecular code regulating neuronal excitability Posted: 21 Mar 2011 04:14 PM PDT A key question in protein biochemistry is how proteins recognize "correct" interaction partners in a sea of cellular factors. Nowhere is that more critical to know than in the brain, where interactions governing channel protein activity can alter an organism's behavior. A team of biologists has recently deciphered a molecular code that regulates availability of a brain channel that modulates neuronal excitability, a discovery that might aid efforts to treat drug addiction and mental disorders.

New treatment may desensitize kids with milk allergies, study suggests Posted: 21 Mar 2011 03:30 PM PDT Milk allergy is the most common, affecting 2.5 percent of children under age 3. In a small clinical study, scientists report effectively desensitizing milk-allergic patients by increasing their exposure to milk in tandem with an allergy drug called omalizumab, allowing children to build up resistance quickly with limited allergic reactions.

Surprising results in the first genome sequencing of a crustacean Posted: 21 Mar 2011 03:30 PM PDT There are many different kinds of crustaceans, ranging from edible shellfish to their tiny relatives found in the millions in both freshwater and saltwater. One of the latter, Daphnia pulex, is the first crustacean to have its genome sequenced.

Biodiversity leads to higher productivity Posted: 21 Mar 2011 03:30 PM PDT Ecosystems containing several species are more productive than individual species on their own. Using data from more than 400 published experiments, an international research team has found overwhelming evidence that biodiversity in the plant kingdom is very efficient in assimilating nutrients and solar energy, resulting in greater production of biomass.

The importance of clarifying language in mathematics education Posted: 21 Mar 2011 03:30 PM PDT The way in which teachers and textbooks use language and different metaphors in mathematics education determines how pupils develop their number sense, according to new research from Sweden.

Webb Telescope sunshield is like an umbrella on the shores of the universe Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:20 PM PDT The James Webb Space Telescope has a unique shield to protect its sensitive instruments from the heat and light of the sun. The sunshield is like an umbrella popping open on the shores of the cosmos that allows the instruments beneath it to see far into the universe.

Cardiovascular disease: Polypill appears safe and accepted by physicians and patients in developing countries Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:20 PM PDT A new study provides evidence that a CVD polypill may be a viable option for developing countries, where CVD is strongly emerging and the demand for cost-effective, low maintenance treatment is high.

Breakthrough in Niemann-Pick Type C research Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:20 PM PDT Researchers explain how use of a histone deacetylase inhibitor corrects the damage done by the genetic disorder Niewmann-Pick Type C and allowed once-diseased cells to function normally.

Trauma patients protected from worse outcomes associated with so-called 'weekend effect' Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:20 PM PDT Patients who've been hurt in car or bike crashes, been shot or stabbed, or suffered other injuries are more likely to live if they arrive at the hospital on the weekend than during the week, according to new research.

Spacebound bacteria inspire earthbound remedies Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:20 PM PDT Recent research aboard the Space Shuttle is giving scientists a better understanding of how infectious disease occurs in space and could someday improve astronaut health and provide novel treatments for people on Earth.

Chicken soup for the soul: Comfort food fights loneliness Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:20 PM PDT Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, meatloaf ... they may be bad for your arteries, but according to an upcoming study, they're good for your heart and emotions. The study focuses on "comfort food" and how it makes people feel.

Huge ocean 'Frisbees' spin off Brazil's coast Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:20 PM PDT Current rings have been known to exist off northeastern coast of Brazil for decades, but knowledge of their basic properties such as size, speed, depth, and rotation velocity has been limited. Researchers now describe the basic properties of 10 rings sampled between 1998 and 2000. Overall, this research has established that the North Brazil Current rings seem to be bigger, faster, and taller than previous observations suggested.

Scientists grow personalized collections of intestinal microbes Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:20 PM PDT Scientists have shown they can grow and manipulate personalized collections of human intestinal microbes in the laboratory and pluck out particular microbes of interest. The research sets the stage for identifying new probiotics and evaluating in preclinical trials whether microbe transplants can restore the natural balance of intestinal bacteria in "sick" microbial communities.

New statement offers advice on treating dangerous, deep blood clots Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:19 PM PDT More than 250,000 Americans are hospitalized yearly because of blood clots that form in veins deep inside the body. A new American Heart Association statement gives doctors guidance on diagnosing and treating these potentially deadly blockages.

How the lily blooms: Ruffling at the edge of each petal drives the delicate flower to open Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:19 PM PDT The "lily white" has inspired centuries' worth of rich poetry and art, but when it comes to the science of how and why those delicately curved petals burst from the bud, surprisingly little is known. Mathematics has now revealed that differential growth and ruffling at the edges of each petal -- not in the midrib, as commonly suggested -- provide the driving force behind the blooming of the lily. The research contradicts earlier theories regarding growth within the flower bud. The findings explain the blooming process both theoretically and experimentally.

Templated growth technique produces graphene nanoribbons with metallic properties Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:19 PM PDT A new "templated growth" technique for fabricating nanoribbons of epitaxial graphene has produced structures just 15 to 40 nanometers wide that conduct current with almost no resistance. These structures could address the challenge of connecting graphene devices made with conventional architectures -- and set the stage for a new generation of devices that take advantage of the quantum properties of electrons.

Periocular treatment improves eye comfort and quality of life for patients with facial paralysis Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:19 PM PDT Patients with facial paralysis who underwent surgical treatment for a condition that leaves them unable to completely close their eyes reported improvement in comfort around the eyes and overall quality of life, according to a new study.

Changes in taste function related to obesity and chronic ear inflammation Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:19 PM PDT Children with chronic inflammation of the middle ear can experience changes in their sense of taste, and these changes may be related to childhood obesity, according to a new study.

Newborn hearing screenings do not appear to identify all children at risk for hearing loss Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:19 PM PDT Although universal newborn hearing screening programs appear to identify children with hearing loss at a younger age, nearly one-third of pediatric cochlear implant recipients pass newborn screening only to be diagnosed later in infancy or early childhood, according to a new study.

Melanoma diagnosis in women associated with higher socioeconomic status Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:19 PM PDT The incidence of melanoma appears higher in non-Hispanic white adolescent girls and young women living in higher socioeconomic neighborhoods than those living in lower socioeconomic areas, according to a new study.

Gastric banding associated with relatively poor long-term outcomes, study suggests Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:19 PM PDT In a study of 82 patients who were evaluated 12 or more years after undergoing laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding for morbid obesity, a majority of patients reported that they were satisfied with the procedure, although approximately 40 percent experienced major complications and nearly half required removal of their bands, according to a new study.

Primordial soup gets spicier: 'Lost' samples from famous origin of life researcher shed new light on Earth's first life Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:19 PM PDT Stanley Miller gained fame with his 1953 experiment showing the synthesis of organic compounds thought to be important in setting the origin of life in motion. Five years later, he produced samples from a similar experiment, shelved them and, as far as friends and colleagues know, never returned to them in his lifetime. More 50 years later, Jeffrey Bada, Miller's former student and now a professor of marine chemistry, discovered the samples in Miller's laboratory material and made a discovery that represents a potential breakthrough in the search for the processes that created Earth's first life forms.

Stem cells may show promise for people with rapidly progressing multiple sclerosis Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:19 PM PDT A long term study reports about the effectiveness of replacing bone marrow, purposely destroyed by chemotherapy, with autologous (self) stem cell rescue for people with aggressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Fish know to avoid the spear Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:47 AM PDT Fish are not as dumb as people sometimes think. Marine scientists have found that fish that are regularly hunted with spearguns are much more wary and keep their distance from fishers. In investigating the effects of marine areas closed to fishing by customary laws, an international team of researchers working in the Pacific found that fish exposed to speargun fishing take flight much earlier when a diver approaches compared with those living in protected zones.

Health information technology 'control tower' could improve earthquake response Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:47 AM PDT A new study foresees improvements in patient outcomes after a major earthquake through more effective use of information technology. A control tower-style telemedicine hub to manage electronic traffic between first responders and remote medical experts could boost the likelihood that critically injured victims will get timely care and survive, according to the team's computer simulation model.

Ecosystem-wide framework for monitoring coral reef fisheries can be used on global scale Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:47 AM PDT Scientists have created a framework that increases the effectiveness of critical reef monitoring techniques. The new framework improves the accuracy and efficiency of fish counts and can be used to determine the best long term management strategies -- whether the reefs are in Florida, Hawaii or anywhere around the world.

Motion sensors used to determine equine lameness Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:47 AM PDT The most common ailment to affect a horse is lameness. An equine veterinarian has developed a system to effectively assess this problem using motion detection. This system has been referred to as "Lameness Locator."

Saving one of the world's most endangered birds Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:47 AM PDT The entire population of the Tuamotu Kingfisher -- less than 125 -- lives on one tiny island in the south Pacific, and without serious intervention, these birds will no longer exist. One researcher is trying to stop the birds' extinction by working with farmers and residents on the island inhabited by the kingfishers.

Feeling angry? Say a prayer and the wrath fades away, study suggests Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:47 AM PDT Saying a prayer may help many people feel less angry and behave less aggressively after someone has left them fuming, new research suggests. A series of studies showed that people who were provoked by insulting comments from a stranger showed less anger and aggression soon afterwards if they prayed for another person in the meantime.

A dose of safflower oil each day might help keep heart disease at bay Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:46 AM PDT A daily dose of safflower oil, a common cooking oil, for 16 weeks can improve such health measures as good cholesterol, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity and inflammation in obese postmenopausal women who have Type 2 diabetes, according to new research. This finding comes about 18 months after the same researchers discovered that safflower oil reduced abdominal fat and increased muscle tissue in this group of women after 16 weeks of daily supplementation.

Ancient human trash heaps gave rise to Everglades tree islands, research suggests Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:46 AM PDT Garbage mounds left by prehistoric humans might have driven the formation of many of the Florida Everglades' tree islands, distinctive havens of exceptional ecological richness in the sprawling marsh that are today threatened by human development.

Seeing in stereo: Engineers invent lens for 3-D microscope Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:46 AM PDT Engineers have invented a lens that enables microscopic objects to be seen from nine different angles at once to create a 3-D image. Other 3-D microscopes use multiple lenses or cameras that move around an object; the new lens is the first single, stationary lens to create microscopic 3-D images by itself.

Engineers make breakthrough in ultra-sensitive sensor technology Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:46 AM PDT Researchers have invented an extremely sensitive sensor that opens up new ways to detect a wide range of substances, from tell-tale signs of cancer to hidden explosives.

Channeling powerful Kansas wind to keep electricity running Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:46 AM PDT Engineers are researching ways to use Kansas wind and other distributed energy sources to avoid cascading failures and prevent major power outrages.

Native Americans modified American landscape years prior to arrival of Europeans Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:46 AM PDT A new study shows that Native Americans' land use nearly a century ago produced a widespread impact on the eastern North American landscape and floodplain development several hundred years prior to the arrival of major European settlements.

Fault-finding coral reefs can predict the site of coming earthquakes Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:46 AM PDT Scientists are surveying "mass wasting," a unique geological phenomenon of the Red Sea, to identify active fault-line activity along fossil coral reefs and sediment levels. They say that their research is applicable to any coastal land areas, such as Japan and the west coast of the US.

Vaccine to cure asthma brought on by house dust mite allergies? Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:45 AM PDT Researchers are working on a vaccine that could completely cure asthma brought on by house dust mite allergies.

Teenagers, parents and teachers unaware of social networking risks Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:44 AM PDT A report into the legal risks associated with the use of social networking sites has found that while 95 percent of students surveyed in years 7 to 10 use social networking sites, nearly 30 percent did not consider social networking to hold any risks.

Time lived with obesity linked with mortality Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:44 AM PDT Researchers have found the number of years individuals live with obesity is directly associated with the risk of mortality.

Canadian Avalanche victims die significantly quicker than Swiss counterparts, study finds Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:44 AM PDT Avalanche victims buried in Canada die significantly quicker than those buried in Switzerland, according to new research.

Combination ACE inhibitor therapy increases risk of kidney failure and death, study finds Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:44 AM PDT Elderly patients prescribed combination angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers had a higher risk of kidney failure and death, according to a new study.

Bees could reveal key to dementia Posted: 21 Mar 2011 07:21 AM PDT Scientists have succeeded in reversing the aging process in the bee brain – findings which she believes may bring hope to people with dementia.

Madrid event marks Spain's role in next Mars mission Posted: 21 Mar 2011 07:20 AM PDT Spain is providing a key science instrument and the high-gain antenna communication subsystem for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission, on track for launch this year.

Next Mars rover gets a test taste of Mars conditions Posted: 21 Mar 2011 07:19 AM PDT A space-simulation chamber at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., is temporary home for the Curiosity rover, which will land on Mars next year.

Alternatives have begun in bid to hear from NASA's Spirit Mars rover Posted: 21 Mar 2011 07:16 AM PDT Hopes for reviving NASA's Spirit Mars rover dimmed further with passage of the point at which the rover's locale received its maximum sunshine for the Martian year.

Stars gather in 'downtown' Milky Way Posted: 21 Mar 2011 07:11 AM PDT The region around the center of our Milky Way galaxy glows colorfully in a new version of an image taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.

Mercury-bound instruments aboard MESSENGER arrive at target Posted: 21 Mar 2011 07:05 AM PDT As the MESSENGER spacecraft begins its science operations above the surface of Mercury, NASA instruments are gearing up to help unveil the planet's mysteries.

When it comes to the environment, education affects our actions Posted: 21 Mar 2011 06:38 AM PDT The more highly educated are more likely to display their environmental credentials through what they buy rather than with actions such as turning off lights, according to findings from the world's largest household panel survey.

Worm research defines role of multiple disease genes at base of cilia Posted: 21 Mar 2011 06:38 AM PDT An international collaboration has outlined how cilia disease gene products regulate important aspects of early cilium formation and the integrity of the ciliary transport gate.

Children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy at increased risk of becoming smokers, mouse study suggests Posted: 21 Mar 2011 06:38 AM PDT New research has revealed that prenatal exposure to nicotine increases the vulnerability to nicotine self-administration in adolescent mice. The results support the hypothesis that adolescents with prenatal nicotine exposure are more likely to start smoking earlier than their peers and that they are also more susceptible to the addictive effects of nicotine, especially as a result of stress and peer pressure.

'Informant' jumping gene offers new method for studying how genes are regulated Posted: 21 Mar 2011 06:38 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new method for studying gene regulation, by employing a jumping gene as an informant. Called GROMIT, it allows scientists to also create mouse models for human diseases caused by chromosomal rearrangements, such as Down syndrome.

Migraine rates up for no apparent reason, Norwegian study finds Posted: 21 Mar 2011 06:38 AM PDT Migraine rates in a comprehensive Norwegian health study have climbed by one percent in a decade, which may not sound like much, but could mean 45,000 more migraine sufferers in Norway -- and if the trend were to hold for the European Union, that would be an additional 5 million more people plagued by migraines.

Multiple sclerosis: Risk factors in children Posted: 21 Mar 2011 06:37 AM PDT A new study identifies a particular gene involved in the immune response that puts certain children at a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis.

The drive toward hydrogen vehicles just got shorter Posted: 21 Mar 2011 06:37 AM PDT Researchers have revealed a new single-stage method for recharging the hydrogen storage compound ammonia borane. The breakthrough makes hydrogen a more attractive fuel for vehicles and other transportation modes.

Molecular determinant of cell identity discovered Posted: 21 Mar 2011 06:36 AM PDT If a big bunch of your brain cells suddenly went rogue and decided to become fat cells, it could cloud your decision-making capacity a bit. Fortunately, early in an organism's development, cells make firm and more-or-less permanent decisions about whether they will live their lives as, say, skin cells, brain cells or, well, fat cells.

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