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Scientist Uncovers Miscalculation In Geological Undersea Record Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT The precise timing of the origin of life on Earth and the changes in life during the past 4.5 billion years has been a subject of great controversy for the past century. The principal indicator of the amount of organic carbon produced by biological activity traditionally used is the ratio of the less abundant isotope of carbon, 13C, to the more abundant isotope, 12C. A new study challenges how geologists interpret variations in the 13C/12C ratio throughout Earth's history.

Mad Cow Disease Also Caused By Genetic Mutation Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT New findings about the causes of mad cow disease show that sometimes it may be genetic. Until several years ago, it was thought that the cattle prion disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy -- also called BSE or mad cow disease -- was a foodborne disease.

Infidelity Dissected: New Research On Why People Cheat Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT The probability of someone cheating during the course of a relationship varies between 40 and 76 percent. "It's very high," say researchers.

Some Bladder Problems Are Provoked By Colon Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT For up to a million women, enjoying a piece of pepperoni pizza has painful consequences. They have a chronic bladder condition that causes pelvic pain. Spicy food, as well as citrus and caffeine, can intensify the pain, which is so intense some women inject lidocaine into their bladders. Researchers previously thought chemicals from the food irritated the bladder. A surprising discovery now reveals the symptoms actually are being provoked by the colon. The discovery opens up new treatment possibilities.

Color-coded Bacteria Can Spot Oil Spills Or Leaky Pipes And Storage Tanks Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT Oil spills and other environmental pollution, including low level leaks from underground pipes and storage tanks, could be quickly and easily spotted in the future using color-coded bacteria, scientists report.

'Dodgy Dossier' Partly To Blame For Failure Of War Against Malaria In The Tropics Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT The war against malaria in tropical countries was fought and lost in the 20th century on the basis of faulty intelligence, a 'dodgy dossier' which argued that the same methods used to tackle the disease in temperate countries would also work in the tropics.

DNA 'Tattoos' Link Adult, Daughter Stem Cells In Planarians Posted: 13 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT Using the molecular equivalent of a tattoo on DNA that adult stem cells pass to their "daughter" cells in combination with gene expression profiles, researchers have identified two early steps in adult stem cell differentiation -- the process that determines whether cells will form muscle, neurons, skin, etc., in people and animals.

Key Enzyme For Regulating Heart Attack Damage Found, Scientists Report Posted: 13 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT Marauding molecules cause the tissue damage that underlies heart attacks, sunburn, Alzheimer's and hangovers. But scientists say they may have found ways to combat the carnage after discovering an important cog in the body's molecular detoxification machinery.

Tracking Down The Menace In Mexico City Smog Posted: 13 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT Chemical scientists have shown that, bad as the traffic is, the most harmful air pollution in Mexico City may not come from burning fossil fuels. Instead the culprit may be garbage incineration.

New Marker For Raised Intracranial Pressure Posted: 13 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT Magnetic resonance imaging measurements of the thickness of the optic nerve sheath are a good marker for raised intracranial pressure. New research shows that a retro-bulbar optic nerve sheath diameter above 5.82mm predicts raised ICP in 90 percent of cases.

New Method For Creating Inducible Stem Cells Is Remarkably Efficient Posted: 13 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT Some of the most challenging obstacles limiting the reprogramming of mature human cells into stem cells may not seem quite as daunting in the near future. Two independent research papers describe new tools that provide invaluable platforms for elucidating the molecular, genetic, and biochemical mechanisms associated with reprogramming.

Amount Of Work For Medical Residents -- Not Just Hours -- Need Review, Study Finds Posted: 13 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT The first objective study on the effect that on-call workloads have on the quality of the education medical residents receive found that the complexity of care patients require has just as much impact on residents' training as the number of hours they work.

Curbing Coal Emissions Alone Might Avert Climate Danger, Say Researchers Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT An ongoing rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide from burning of fossil fuels might be kept below harmful levels if emissions from coal are phased out within the next few decades, say researchers. They say that less plentiful oil and gas should be used sparingly as well, but that far greater supplies of coal mean that it must be the main target of reductions.

Untapped Potential Of Antidepressants For Cancer Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT A comprehensive review of current scientific literature has suggested that antidepressants can help the human body fight cancer by boosting its own immune response, amongst other mechanisms.

Computational Biochemist Uncovers A Molecular Clue To Evolution Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT A Florida State University researcher who uses high-powered computers to map the workings of proteins has uncovered a mechanism that gives scientists a better understanding of how evolution occurs at the molecular level.

Early Stage Colon Cancer Characterized By Inactivation Of Gatekeeper Gene Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT The absence or inactivation of the RUNX3 gatekeeper gene paves the way for the growth and development of colon cancer, Singapore scientists report in the September issue of the journal Cancer Cell. Previous studies have shown that RUNX3 plays a role in gastric, breast, lung and bladder cancers.

Math Model Helps Unravel Relationship Between Nutrients And Biodiversity Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT The level of nutrients in soil determines how many different kinds of plants and trees can thrive in an ecosystem, according to new research published by biologists and mathematicians in Nature.

Study Links Primary Care Shortage With Salary Disparities Posted: 13 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT The nation's shortage of primary care physicians has been linked to a host of poor health outcomes, and a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that salary disparities play a major role in the shortage.

Robot Scout: Fly Me (Safely) To The Moon Posted: 12 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT The first attempt to land humans on the moon -- Apollo 11 -- was a triumph that almost ended in disaster. The landings for NASA's return to the moon are likely to be even more challenging. Mission planners want to be able to set down on the edge of enormous craters in the polar regions, because the crater rims will be bathed in gentle but nearly-permanent sunlight. Steady sunshine provides a reliable source of power for long-term expeditions.

Clinical Trial For New Tuberculosis Vaccine Posted: 12 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT With annually 2 million deaths and 9 million new cases, there are more victims of tuberculosis than of any other infectious disease, apart from AIDS. Worsening the situation, many strains of tuberculosis are so resistant that they no longer respond to traditional treatment, making the necessity of a new tuberculosis vaccine more urgent than ever. For the first time in 80 years, a promising live tuberculosis vaccine has reached the clinical trial stage in Germany.

Psychiatry: When The Mirror Becomes An Enemy Posted: 12 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT A nose that's too big, hair that's too curly or a beauty mark in the wrong place -- who hasn't focused on a small detail of their appearance while staring at a mirror? But when these imperfections take over our thoughts, or exist only in our heads, it's a sign that such obsessing is a disorder.

Is Probiotic Yakult Helpful In The Treatment Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Posted: 12 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is a common feature in irritable bowel syndrome and may be directly related to symptoms. SIBO is detected indirectly using the lactulose breath test, where an early rise in breath hydrogen is suggestive of SIBO. Researchers examined the effect of L. strain Shirota. After 6 weeks, there was a significant shift in the time of first rise after the lactulose breath test, indicating a reduction in SIBO.

Astronomers Tune In To 'Radio Universe' Posted: 12 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT An innovative project aims to address many key issues in astrophysics: What is the universe made of and how does it evolve? Are we alone in the universe? How do galaxies, stars and planets form and evolve? What are the laws of physics in extreme conditions? And how does the Sun affect the Earth?

Teens' Failure To Use Condoms Linked To Partner Disapproval, Fear Of Less Sexual Pleasure Posted: 12 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT Approximately one in four teens in the United States will contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts believe a major contributing factor is the failure of many teens to use condoms consistently and routinely. Now a new study provides some insight into some of the factors that influence condom use among teenagers.

Strict Mediterranean Diet Can Help Reduce Deaths From Major Chronic Diseases Posted: 12 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Sticking to a full Mediterranean diet provides substantial protection against major chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.

Risk Of Breast Cancer Mutations Underestimated For Asian Women Posted: 12 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Oncologists were perplexed. Computer models designed to identify women who might have dangerous genetic mutations that increase their risk of breast and ovarian cancer worked well for white women. But they seemed to be less reliable for another ethnic group. Researchers have now found that two computer models widely used to determine who should undergo genetic testing for BRCA mutations under predicted mutation frequency in Asian-American women by 50 percent.

Genetically Engineered Thermophilic Bacterium: Researchers Advance Cellulosic Ethanol Production Posted: 12 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT A team of researchers have made a discovery that is important for producing large quantities of cellulosic ethanol, a leading candidate for a sustainable and secure alternative to petroleum-derived transportation fuel. For the first time, the group has genetically engineered a thermophilic bacterium, meaning it's able to grow at high temperatures, and this new microorganism makes ethanol as the only product of its fermentation.

Off-label Medicine Combinations Are Predominant Treatment In Survey Of Schizophrenics Posted: 12 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Researchers report that 74.5 percent of 200 community-based schizophrenic patients, who were interviewed and evaluated (including a review of clinical records), were treated with off-label medication treatments. Specifically, 42.5 percent of subjects reported they were simultaneously treated with more than one antipsychotic drug, an unapproved treatment for schizophrenia. The most common unapproved drug combination was the use of both an antipsychotic drug and a mood stabilizer (45 percent of patients).

Mathematics Aids Mayonnaise Production Posted: 12 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT How bubbles behave in liquids is important to many production processes, but also extremely difficult to calculate. TU Delft researcher Jok Tang is helping to change this.

Searching In Space And Minds: Research Suggests Underlying Link Posted: 12 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT New research from Indiana University has found evidence that how we look for things, such as our car keys or umbrella, could be related to how we search for more abstract needs, such as words in memory or solutions to problems. "Common underlying search mechanisms may exist that drive our behavior in many different domains," said IU cognitive scientist Peter Todd.

My, What Big Teeth You Had! Extinct Species Had Huge Teeth On Roof Of Mouth Posted: 12 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT Paleontologists have found a previously unknown amphibious predator that probably made the Antarctica of 240 million years ago something less than a hospitable place.

Male-specific Neurons Directly Linked To Gender-specific Behaviors Posted: 12 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT New research identifies a few critical neurons that initiate sex-specific behaviors in fruit flies and, when masculinized, can elicit male-typical courtship behaviors from females. The study demonstrates a direct link between sexual dimorphism in the brain and gender differences in behavior.

Hurricane Ike Impact Felt In Space Posted: 12 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT Hurricane Ike has delayed the scheduled Friday arrival of a Russian Progress cargo ship at the International Space Station 220 miles above Earth.

Killing Bacteria Isn't Enough To Restore Immune Function After Infection Posted: 12 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT A bacterial molecule that initially signals to animals that they have been invaded must be wiped out by a special enzyme before an infected animal can regain full health, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.

Food Soil Stuck To Surfaces Can Hold Bacteria In Food Processing Factories Posted: 12 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT Tiny amounts of food soil stuck to surfaces can act as a reservoir for potentially pathogenic bacteria. This food may help bacteria to survive industrial cleaning regimes in food processing factories, scientists report.

Brains Rely On Old And New Mechanisms To Diminish Fear Posted: 12 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT Humans have developed complex thought processes that can help to regulate their emotions, but these processes are also linked with evolutionarily older mechanisms that are common across species, according to a study by neuroscientists at New York and Rutgers universities.

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