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From Humming Fish To Puccini: Vocal Communication Evolved With Ancient Species Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT It's a long way from the dull hums of the amorous midshipman fish to the strains of a Puccini aria -- or, alas, even to the simplest Celine Dion melody. But the neural circuitry that led to the human love song -- not to mention birdsongs, frog thrums and mating calls of all manner of vertebrates -- was likely laid down hundreds of millions of years ago with the hums and grunts of the homely piscine.

Partially Shared Genetic Profile Between Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can be disabling conditions, and both present clinically with significant mood and psychotic symptoms. These two illnesses also share genetic variants that might be involved in the predisposition to both disorders.

'Snapshots' Of Eyes Could Serve As Early Warning Of Diabetes Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT A new vision screening device, already shown to give an early warning of eye disease, could give doctors and patients a head start on treating diabetes and its vision complications, a new study shows. It captures images of the eye to detect metabolic stress and tissue damage that occur before the first symptoms of disease are evident.

Foot Pain? Custom-made Insoles Offer Relief Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Custom-made insoles known as foot orthoses can reduce foot pain caused by arthritis, overly prominent big toe joints and highly arched feet, a new systematic review shows.

Promising New Method To Fabricate Ultra-thin Silicon Solar Cells Developed Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Researchers are developing a new method to produce ~50µm thin crystalline silicon wafers for use in solar cells. The process involves mechanically initiating and propagating a crack parallel to the surface of a Si wafer. In this way, Si foils with an area of 25cm² and a thickness of 30-50µm have already been produced. The method makes use of industrially available tools (screen printer, belt furnace) and is potentially kerf-loss free.

Tobacco Industry Manipulated Cigarette Menthol Content To Recruit New Smokers Among Young People, Research Shows Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health explored tobacco industry manipulation of menthol levels in specific brands and found a deliberate strategy to recruit and addict young smokers by adjusting menthol to create a milder experience for the first time smoker. Internal industry documents, independent lab tests and survey data reveal strategy.

Fragile Antarctic Marine Life Pounded By Icebergs: Biodiversity Suffering Posted: 18 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT Antarctic worms, sea spiders, urchins and other marine creatures living in near-shore shallow habitats are regularly pounded by icebergs. New data suggests this environment along the Antarctic Peninsula is going to get hit more frequently. This is due to an increase in the number of icebergs scouring the seabed as a result of shrinking winter sea ice, according to a study in the journal Science.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Linked To Brain Activity Posted: 18 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT Researchers have discovered that people with OCD and their close family members show under-activation of brain areas responsible for stopping habitual behavior. This is the first time that scientists have associated functional changes in the brain with familial risk for the disorder.

Gene Produces Hormones That Lead To Obesity Posted: 18 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT Obesity and common weight gain share a genetic basis. Scientists have discovered a new obesity gene that plays an essential role in the maturation of several key hormones that control food intake. Mutations in this gene increase the risk of severe obesity and can lead to excessive weight.

Placenta Removal: A Safer Method After Caesareans Posted: 18 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT In Caesarean deliveries the placenta is usually removed by hand or by a technique known as 'cord traction'. A recent systematic review by Cochrane researchers shows that cord traction poses less risk to the mother than manual removal.

Researchers Generate Hydrogen Without The Carbon Footprint Posted: 18 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT A greener, less expensive method to produce hydrogen for fuel may eventually be possible with the help of water, solar energy and nanotube diodes that use the entire spectrum of the sun's energy.

Golf Technique Challenged: When It Comes To Putting, Tiger Might Not Have The Best Advice Posted: 18 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT Golfers who heed the advice of instructors to keep their heads perfectly still while putting may be hampering their game, according to a study that examined coordination patterns. The findings run contrary to conventional wisdom, or at least conventional golf wisdom. Using an infrared tracking system, researchers recorded the putter head and the golfer's head during sixty putts.

Glimpses Of Earliest Forms Of Life On Earth: Remnant Of Ancient 'RNA World' Discovered Posted: 18 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Some bacterial cells can swim, morph into new forms and even become dangerously virulent -- all without initial involvement of DNA. Researchers describe how bacteria accomplish this amazing feat in the journal Science -- and in doing so provide a glimpse of what the earliest forms of life on Earth may have looked like.

Genetic Cause Of Innate Resistance To HIV/AIDS Posted: 18 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Some people may be naturally resistant to infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. New results bring us closer to a genetic explanation. Two genes are involved in an innate resistance to HIV infection.

Sun Could Cause 15% To 20% Of Effects Of Climate Change, Researcher Says Posted: 18 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Global warming is mainly caused by greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activities; however, current climatic variations may be affected "around 15% or 20%" by solar activity," according to one researcher. In the past, the sun was the main external agent affecting climate change on Earth, together with the effects of volcanic explosions and internal factors such as ocean currents. The role of the sun in the Earth's climatic variations "is not inconsiderable," but the researcher pointed out that over the last 40 years solar activity has not increased, and has in fact remained constant or even diminished, which is why it is difficult to attribute a significant global warming effect to it.

Resistance To Widely-used Antibiotics Found Among Inhabitants Of Remote South American Villages Posted: 18 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Resistance to ciprofloxacin, a member of one of the most commonly used groups of antibiotics in the world, has been discovered by a team of Canadian researchers among people in remote South American villages who are believed to have never taken this medication.

Flexible ECG Patch Extended To Enable Arrhythmia Detection Posted: 18 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers have extended the functionality of the wireless ECG patch for cardiac monitoring. The innovative ECG patch is intended to monitor single-lead ECG in daily-life conditions, opening new perspectives for cardiovascular disease management.

Good News For Veggies: Personal Values Deceive Taste Buds Posted: 18 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Many heavy meat eaters believe they eat a lot of meat because of the taste. But according to groundbreaking new research the reason that a beef burger tastes better than a veggie burger to some people has more to do with values than actual taste.

Alzheimer's Drug Reverses Cognitive Decline Over 12 Month Period In Early Human Testing Posted: 18 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT A drug once approved as an antihistamine in Russia improved thinking processes and ability to function in patients with Alzheimer's disease in a new study. Dimebon is the first drug tested for Alzheimer's disease that demonstrated continued improvement in patients over a 12 month period.

Booster Vaccination May Help With Possible Future Avian Influenza Pandemic Posted: 18 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT New evidence suggests that a booster vaccination against H5N1 avian influenza given years after initial vaccination with a different strain may prove useful in controlling a potential future pandemic.

Distribution Of A Species Of Butterfly Predicted Using Geometric Variables Posted: 18 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT Biologists have recently explored the distribution of the butterfly Iolana iolas, one of the endangered species in the Madrid region whose population dynamics are determined by its host plant. The study proposes a new path for designing conservation plans for the species using geometric variables.

Improving Understanding Of Cell Behavior In Breast Cancer Posted: 18 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT The invasion and spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body, known as metastasis, is a principal cause of death in patients diagnosed with breast cancer.

Modeling Erosion Damage From Ephemeral Gullies Posted: 18 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT Ephemeral gullies are common features on agricultural landscapes. Concentrated water flows can erode cropland soils and carve out these small drainage ditches, which then transport field runoff laden with eroded sediments into nearby streams. In fact, these gullies may lead to soil losses that exceed soil losses from sheet or rill erosion.

Type 2 Diabetes: Culturally-tailored Education Can Improve Blood Sugar Control Posted: 18 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT Using community-based health advocates, delivering information within same-gender groups or adapting dietary and lifestyle advice to fit a particular community's likely diet can help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels, certainly for up to six months, following health education. This conclusion was reached by a team of Cochrane researchers after they considered the data in 11 trials that involved 1,603 people.

Should We Move Species To Save Them From Climate Change? Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Many species must move to new areas to survive climate change. Often, this seems impossible. Species stranded on mountain tops in southern Europe that are becoming too hot for them, for instance, are unlikely to be able to reach northern Europe unaided. So should humans step in to help? The journal Science reports that conservation scientists are calling for new conservation tactics, such as assisted migration, in the face of the growing threat of climate change.

Breast Self-exams Do Not Appear To Reduce Breast Cancer Deaths Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT A review of recent studies says there is no evidence that self-exams actually reduce breast cancer deaths. Instead, the practice may be doing more harm than good, since it led to almost twice as many biopsies that turned up no cancer in women who performed the self-exams, compared to women who did not do the exams.

Farming At Young Age May Lead To Bone Disease In Adulthood Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Although farm chores are likely to keep young boys in shape and out of trouble, environmental health experts caution that it could be harmful to overall bone health if done too often at a young age.

Brain Cancer Study: Magnitude Of Post-vaccine Immune Response Linked To Clinical Outcomes Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Researchers conducting a clinical trial of a dendritic cell vaccine designed to fight malignant brain tumors called glioblastoma multiforme have found a correlation between the "intensity" of a patient's immune response and clinical outcome, according to an article in the journal Cancer Research.

Defining Complications From Organophosphate Poisoning From Pesticides Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Every year, many thousands of people die as a result of poisoning by pesticides; one of the commonest types of pesticides involved are the organophosphates. Amongst individuals with organophosphate poisoning, changes in nerve transmission are seen before the development of intermediate syndrome, a complication involving muscle weakness that can lead to respiratory failure and poor outcome.

Chronic Fatigue Patients Benefit From Cognitive Behavior Therapy Posted: 18 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Cognitive behavior therapy is effective in treating the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, according to a recent systematic review carried out by Cochrane researchers.

Could Arthritis Wonder Drugs Provide Clues For Other Diseases? Posted: 17 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Drugs that have helped treat millions of rheumatoid arthritis sufferers may hold the key to many more medical conditions, including atherosclerosis -- a leading cause of heart disease -- says the researcher who jointly invented and developed them.

Organ Transplantation Linked To Cancer Risk: Mechanism Exposed Posted: 17 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Researchers have determined a novel mechanism through which organ transplantation often leads to cancer, and their findings suggest that targeted therapies may reduce or prevent that risk.

Record-setting Dead Zones Predicted For Gulf Of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay Posted: 17 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Record-setting "dead zones" in the Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay appear likely this summer, according to new forecasts. Scientists make the annual forecasts using models driven by nutrient load estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey.

TG2 Identified As Potential Therapeutic Target In Chemo-resistant Ovarian Cancer Posted: 17 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Researchers connect overexpression of tissue type transglutaminase with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer, identify the relevant pathway, and shut TG2 down with an siRNA liposomal nanoparticle. They previously pinpointed TG2's role in resistant and metastatic melanoma and breast and pancreatic cancers. This crucial protein fuels different cancers through different pathways.

Keeping Invasive Species Out Of The Great Lakes Posted: 17 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT The United States should follow Canada's lead and adopt standards identical to those proposed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to prevent invasive species from entering the Great Lakes, says a new report from the United States' National Research Council. Both nations should ensure that only vessels adhering to these standards gain access to the lakes, and binational surveillance measures should be in place to monitor the presence of aquatic invasive species.

New Study Replicates Association Between Genetic Variation And Antidepressant Treatment Response Posted: 17 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Pharmacogenetics, the study of genetic variation that influences an individual's response to drugs, is an important and growing focus in all of medical research, including psychiatry.

Three Red Spots Mix It Up On Jupiter Posted: 17 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT A new sequence of Hubble Space Telescope images offers an unprecedented view of a planetary game of Pac-Man among three red spots clustered together in Jupiter's atmosphere. The images were taken by the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2, developed and built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

Low-fat Diets May Not Be Best For Weight Loss, Study Suggests Posted: 17 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Low-carbohydrate and Mediterranean diets may be just as safe and effective in achieving weight loss as the standard, medically prescribed low-fat diet, according to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine. Although participants actually decreased caloric intake a similar amount. They lost only 6.5 lbs. (2.9 kg) compared to 10 lbs. (4.4 kg) on the Mediterranean diet, and 10.3 lbs. (4.7 kg) on the low-carbohydrate diet.

Great Ape Trust To Provide Home For Entertainment Orangutans Posted: 17 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT A group of orangutans who appeared in Hollywood films, television commercials and magazine advertisements is being relocated to Great Ape Trust of Iowa -- a significant move that begins to close the curtain in the United States on the decades-long use of orangutans in the entertainment industry.

New Therapies Revealed For Diabetes-induced Microvascular Disease Posted: 17 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT New findings could lead to future treatments to prevent lower limb amputations in diabetes. Diabetes can have serious complications like gangrene and skin ulcers due to a restriction of blood supply to and healing capacity of the affected areas and this causes the dysfunction of cells lining the blood vessels. Legs and feet are often severely affected, and, after blood supply is obstructed or injury, the tissue seems to be unable to heal itself by growing new blood vessels making the situation much worse.

Fuel From Food Waste: Bacteria Provide Power Posted: 17 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Researchers have combined the efforts of two kinds of bacteria to produce hydrogen in a bioreactor, with the product from one providing food for the other. This technology has an added bonus: leftover enzymes can be used to scavenge precious metals from spent automotive catalysts to help make fuel cells that convert hydrogen into energy.

Using Genetics To Improve Traditional Psychiatric Diagnoses Posted: 17 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Psychiatry has begun the laborious effort of preparing the DSM-V, the new iteration of its diagnostic manual. In so doing, it once again wrestles with the task set by Carl Linnaeus, to "cleave nature at its joints." However, these "joints," the boundaries between psychiatric disorders, such as that between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, are far from clear. We now know that symptoms of bipolar disorder may be seen in patients with schizophrenia and the reverse is true, as well.

Single Boulder May Prove That Antarctica And North America Were Once Connected Posted: 17 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT A lone granite boulder found against all odds high atop a glacier in Antarctica may provide additional key evidence to support a theory that parts of the southernmost continent once were connected to North America hundreds of millions of years ago.

Gene That Regulates And Blocks Ovulation Discovered Posted: 17 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT Researchers have unlocked the mystery of a gene with the potential to both regulate and block ovulation. The findings could lead to the development of pharmaceuticals that activate the Lrh1 gene, which may prove critical in giving infertile couples hope in producing children.

Icelandic Volcanoes Help Researchers Understand Potential Effects Of Eruptions Posted: 17 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT For the first time, researchers have taken a detailed look at what lies beneath all of Iceland's volcanoes -- and found a world far more complex than they ever imagined. They mapped an elaborate maze of magma chambers -- work that could one day help scientists better understand how earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in Iceland and elsewhere in the world.

First Worldwide Analysis Of Cancer Survival Finds Wide Variation Between Countries Posted: 17 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT Cancer survival varies widely between countries according to a new worldwide study with more than 100 investigators. Black men and women have substantially lower survival than white men and women in the United States, but US has the highest survival for prostate cancer of all 31 countries included.

Phoenix Rasps Frozen Layer, Collects Sample Posted: 17 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT A powered rasp on the back of the robotic arm scoop of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander successfully drilled into the frozen soil and loosened material that was collected in the lander's scoop.

Old Eyes Can Learn New Tricks; Findings Offer Hope For Adults With 'Lazy Eye' Posted: 17 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT New evidence that the brain regions responsible for vision are capable of adapting in adults offers new hope for those with an untreated condition commonly known as lazy eye. Also called amblyopia, the condition is the most prevalent cause of visual impairment in a single eye, affecting about six million people in the United States alone.

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