ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Electric Fish Plug In To Communicate
• Evolutionary Origins Of Prion Disease Gene Uncovered
• High-heels Linked To Heel And Ankle Pain
• New Vaccine Delivery May Be More Effective Against Measles
• New Nanostructure Technology Provides Advances In Eyeglass, Solar Energy Performance
• A Pet In Your Life Keeps The Doctor Away
• Did The Great Depression Have A Silver Lining? Life Expectancy Increased By 6.2 Years
• Impaired Kidney Function Linked To Cognitive Decline In Elderly
• Global View Of Valleys On Saturn's Moon Titan Shows North-South Contrast
• Few Side Effects Found From Radiation Treatment Given After Prostate Cancer Surgery
• New Sequencing Technique Could Boost Pine Beetle Fight, Improve Cancer Research
• Do Your Children Push The Boundaries? It May Be A Sign Of Future Leadership Abilities
• Hyenas Cooperate, Problem-solve Better Than Primates
• One In Eight Strokes Is Preceded By 'Warning Stroke'
• Perennial Energy Crops Could Be Good For Carbon Savings And For Wildlife
• Strategies For Reducing Painful Breast Cancer Drug Side Effects
• Telltale Tells Story Of Winds At Phoenix Landing Site
• Elderly Suicide Risk After Previous Attempts Varies By Sex
• Light, Photosynthesis Help Bacteria Invade Fresh Produce
• Diabetes Weakens Your Bones, Research Finds
• Orgasms, Sexual Health And Attitudes About Female Genitals
• Hormone Therapy Should Not Be Stopped Prior To Mammograms, Researchers Recommend
• Licence To Go Where No Chemist Has Gone Before
• At-home Care May Be An Alternative To Hospital Care For Elderly Patients With Chronic Heart Failure
• What Proportion Of Psychotic Illness Is Due To Cannabis?
• Obesity Alone Does Not Cause Arthritis In Animals, Scientists Find
• Perfect Image Without Metamaterials ... And A Reprieve For Silicon Chips
• Pesky Fruit Flies Learn From Experienced Females
• Study Finds Increased Risk Of Death For Patients With Celiac Disease-related Disorders
• Focus On The Wild Could Avert Plant Pollination Threat
• Which Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Patients May Be Candidates For Less Invasive Therapy
• Draft Potato Genome Based On Unique Potato Variety
• Group Therapy Benefits Homeless Veterans Prone To Violence, Researchers Find
• Infant Pain, Adult Repercussions: How Infant Pain Changes Sensitivity In Adults
• Mechanism For Potential Friedreich's Ataxia Drug Uncovered
• How HIV Cripples Immune Cells
• Body's Immune System Response To Dental Plaque Varies By Gender And Race
• Software Could Pave The Way To End Tune Plagiarism
• Fit For Fashion And Purpose: Women Call For Better And Safer Clothing To Meet Their Work Needs
• Researchers Go Underground To Reveal 850 New Species In Australian Outback
• Gut Worms May Protect Against House-dust Mite Allergy
• New View Of Lagoon Nebula: GigaGalaxy Zoom Phase 3
• Childhood Kidney Disorder Has Lasting Effects
• Scientists Find Successful Way To Reduce Bat Deaths At Wind Turbines
• New Links Among Alcohol Abuse, Depression, Obesity In Young Women Found

Electric Fish Plug In To Communicate Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Just as people plug in to computers, smart phones and electric outlets to communicate, electric fish communicate by quickly plugging special channels into their cells to generate electrical impulses, researchers have discovered.

Evolutionary Origins Of Prion Disease Gene Uncovered Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have uncovered the evolutionary ancestry of the prion gene, which may reveal new understandings of how the prion protein causes diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as "mad cow disease."

High-heels Linked To Heel And Ankle Pain Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Women should think twice before buying their next pair of high-heels or pumps, according to researchers in a new study of older adults and foot problems.

New Vaccine Delivery May Be More Effective Against Measles Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers are developing new methods for delivering measles vaccines that could potentially reduce costs and improve safety. While vaccines exist to protect children against measles, the vaccines are often difficult to store, costly to transport and may be prone to contamination when shipped to developing countries.

New Nanostructure Technology Provides Advances In Eyeglass, Solar Energy Performance Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Chemical engineers have invented a new technology to deposit "nanostructure films" on various surfaces, which may first find use as coatings for eyeglasses that cost less and work better. Ultimately, the technique may provide a way to make solar cells more efficiently produce energy.

A Pet In Your Life Keeps The Doctor Away Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Lowers blood pressure, encourages exercise, improves psychological health -- these may sound like the effects of a miracle drug, but they are actually among the benefits of owning a four-legged, furry pet.

Did The Great Depression Have A Silver Lining? Life Expectancy Increased By 6.2 Years Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT The Great Depression had a silver lining: during that hard time, US life expectancy actually increased by 6.2 years, according to a new study.

Impaired Kidney Function Linked To Cognitive Decline In Elderly Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT A new study suggests that impaired kidney function is a risk factor for cognitive decline in old age.

Global View Of Valleys On Saturn's Moon Titan Shows North-South Contrast Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT Scientists are presenting the first results of a global analysis of spatial patterns, occurrence and origin of river channels on Saturn's moon Titan.

Few Side Effects Found From Radiation Treatment Given After Prostate Cancer Surgery Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT The largest single-institution study of its kind has found few complications in prostate cancer patients treated with radiotherapy after surgery to remove the prostate. Men in this study received radiotherapy after a prostate-specific antigen test following surgery indicated their cancer had recurred.

New Sequencing Technique Could Boost Pine Beetle Fight, Improve Cancer Research Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have helped developed a cheaper, faster way to compile draft genome sequences that could advance the fight against mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestation and improve cancer research.

Do Your Children Push The Boundaries? It May Be A Sign Of Future Leadership Abilities Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT Children whose parents use a firm parenting style that still allows them to test the rules and learn from it are more likely to assume leadership roles as adults according to a new study.

Hyenas Cooperate, Problem-solve Better Than Primates Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Spotted hyenas may not be smarter than chimpanzees, but a new study shows that they outperform the primates on cooperative problem-solving tests.

One In Eight Strokes Is Preceded By 'Warning Stroke' Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT One out of every eight strokes is preceded by a "warning stroke," which is a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or mild stroke, according to new research.

Perennial Energy Crops Could Be Good For Carbon Savings And For Wildlife Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Growing the energy crops short rotation coppice (SRC) willow and miscanthus grass could help the United Kingdom to reduce carbon emissions and benefit wildlife, according to researchers.

Strategies For Reducing Painful Breast Cancer Drug Side Effects Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT New research has identified patterns that may help breast cancer patients at risk of serious joint pain from aromatase inhibitors. In a recent study, researchers found that estrogen withdrawal may play a role in the onset of arthralgia during treatment: Women who stopped getting their menstrual periods less than five years before starting breast cancer treatment were three times more likely to experience these pains than those who reached menopause earlier.

Telltale Tells Story Of Winds At Phoenix Landing Site Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Wind speeds and directions were measured for the first time in the Mars polar region using the Phoenix lander's Telltale instrument. Astronomers recorded Easterly winds of approximately 15-20 kilometres per hour during the martian mid-summer. When autumn approached, the winds increased and switched round to come predominantly from the West. While these winds appeared to be dominated by turbulence, the highest wind speeds recorded of up to nearly 60 kilometres per hour coincided with the passing of weather systems, when also the number of dust devils increased by an order of magnitude.

Elderly Suicide Risk After Previous Attempts Varies By Sex Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT In older age groups, repeated suicide attempts constitute an increased risk for completed suicide in depressed women, while severe attempts constitute an increased risk for depressed men. Researchers studied suicide attempts in 100 patients who committed suicide and in an age- and sex-matched control group, investigating the effects of age on suicidal behavior, as a risk factor for accomplished suicide.

Light, Photosynthesis Help Bacteria Invade Fresh Produce Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT Exposure to light and possibly photosynthesis itself could be helping disease-causing bacteria to be internalized by lettuce leaves, making them impervious to washing, according to new research.

Diabetes Weakens Your Bones, Research Finds Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT Current research suggests that the inflammatory molecule TNF-alpha may contribute to delayed bone fracture healing in diabetics.

Orgasms, Sexual Health And Attitudes About Female Genitals Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT A new study reports that women who feel more positively about women's genitals find it easier to orgasm and are more likely to engage in sexual health promoting behaviors. The study created a scale for measuring attitudes toward women's genitals. Such a scale could be useful in therapeutic, medical and health education settings. The study also found that men had more positive attitudes about women's genitals than women.

Hormone Therapy Should Not Be Stopped Prior To Mammograms, Researchers Recommend Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers are recommending that menopausal women on hormone therapy continue their treatment prior to having their annual mammogram screenings.

Licence To Go Where No Chemist Has Gone Before Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT Scientists in the UK have overcome one of the significant research challenges facing electrochemists. For the first time they have found a way of probing right into the heart of an electrochemical reaction.

At-home Care May Be An Alternative To Hospital Care For Elderly Patients With Chronic Heart Failure Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT Hospital-at-home care may be a practical alternative to traditional hospital inpatient care for patients with acutely decompensated (suddenly worsening) chronic heart failure, according to a new report.

What Proportion Of Psychotic Illness Is Due To Cannabis? Posted: 28 Sep 2009 09:00 PM PDT In a new paper, a team of researchers from Australia and the US makes the case for estimating the role that cannabis has worldwide as a risk factor for psychosis.

Obesity Alone Does Not Cause Arthritis In Animals, Scientists Find Posted: 28 Sep 2009 09:00 PM PDT The link between obesity and osteoarthritis may be more than just the wear and tear on the skeleton caused by added weight. A new study has found that the absence of the appetite hormone leptin can determine whether obese mice experience arthritis, no matter how heavy they are.

Perfect Image Without Metamaterials ... And A Reprieve For Silicon Chips Posted: 28 Sep 2009 09:00 PM PDT Inspired by James Clerk Maxwell's findings, first expounded in the 1850s, a physicist is reintroducing the idea of using a "fish-eye" lens -- a lens that can work in any direction -- to create the perfect image.

Pesky Fruit Flies Learn From Experienced Females Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT A common nuisance, the fruit fly, is capable of intricate social learning much like that used by humans, according to new research.

Study Finds Increased Risk Of Death For Patients With Celiac Disease-related Disorders Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT New research indicates that patients with lesser degrees of celiac disease-related symptoms, such as intestinal inflammation or latent celiac disease, have a modestly increased risk of death, according to a new study.

Focus On The Wild Could Avert Plant Pollination Threat Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT The global threat to the pollination of flowers and food production crops, highlighted by a dramatic decline in honeybee colonies, could be eased by a renewed focus on 'wild' pollinators. Agri-environment schemes that encourage farmers to create bee-friendly habitats could be the key to increasing numbers of valuable wild pollinators like bumblebees in the wider countryside.

Which Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Patients May Be Candidates For Less Invasive Therapy Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the most common non-invasive lesion of the breast, presents unique challenges for patients and providers largely because the natural course of the untreated disease is not well understood. Because most women diagnosed with DCIS are treated, it is difficult to determine the comparative benefits of different treatment strategies versus active surveillance. An independent panel convened by the NIH urged researchers to identify appropriate biomarkers and other prognostic factors to better predict the risk of developing breast cancer.

Draft Potato Genome Based On Unique Potato Variety Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT The Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium, an international team of scientists from industry and academia in 14 countries, has released a draft sequence of the potato genome. A unique phureja type of potato variety has accelerated the development of a blueprint for one of the world's most important food crops.

Group Therapy Benefits Homeless Veterans Prone To Violence, Researchers Find Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT A new study examines the rates of violence among homeless veterans and their partners and the significant results of group therapy.

Infant Pain, Adult Repercussions: How Infant Pain Changes Sensitivity In Adults Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT Scientists have uncovered the mechanisms of how pain in infancy alters how the brain processes pain in adulthood. Research is now indicating that infants who spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit show altered pain sensitivity in adolescence. These results have profound implications and highlight the need for pre-emptive and post-operative pain medicine for newborn infants.

Mechanism For Potential Friedreich's Ataxia Drug Uncovered Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT Using clever chemistry, researchers have pinpointed the enzyme target of a drug group that stops the progression of the devastating disease Friedreich's ataxia in mice and may do the same for humans. The findings help advance this treatment approach one step closer toward human clinical trials, which will be a welcome event for disease sufferers who currently have few treatment options.

How HIV Cripples Immune Cells Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT In order to be able to ward off disease pathogens, immune cells must be mobile and be able to establish contact with each other. Scientists have discovered a mechanism in an animal model revealing how HIV, the AIDS pathogen, cripples immune cells: Cell mobility is inhibited by the HIV Nef protein.

Body's Immune System Response To Dental Plaque Varies By Gender And Race Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT In a study of healthy men and women, dentistry researchers found that dental plaque accumulation did not result in a change in total white blood count, a known risk factor for adverse cardiac events. However, in black males the researchers noted a significant increase in the activity of neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cell and an essential part of the immune system.

Software Could Pave The Way To End Tune Plagiarism Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT Software developed by a UK researcher could spell the end for future melody plagiarism. The research focuses on how to predict court decisions on music plagiarism using cognitive similarity algorithms.

Fit For Fashion And Purpose: Women Call For Better And Safer Clothing To Meet Their Work Needs Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT As London Fashion Week comes to a close, women working in the engineering, science, technology and construction sectors are calling on clothing manufacturers to fashion better and safer clothing for women. The Women's Engineering Society is launching a survey on their website for women working in science, engineering, technological and construction industries to share their stories about work wear and safety clothing.

Researchers Go Underground To Reveal 850 New Species In Australian Outback Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Australian researchers have discovered a huge number of new species of invertebrate animals living in underground water, caves and "micro-caverns" amid the harsh conditions of the Australian outback.

Gut Worms May Protect Against House-dust Mite Allergy Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT A study conducted in Vietnam has added further weight to the view that parasitic gut worms, such as hookworm, could help in the prevention and treatment of asthma and other allergies.

New View Of Lagoon Nebula: GigaGalaxy Zoom Phase 3 Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT The third image of ESO's GigaGalaxy Zoom project has just been released online. The latest image follows on from views, released over the last two weeks, of the sky as seen with the unaided eye and through an amateur telescope. This third installment provides another breathtaking vista of an astronomical object, this time a 370-million-pixel view of the Lagoon Nebula of the quality and depth needed by professional astronomers in their quest to understand our Universe.

Childhood Kidney Disorder Has Lasting Effects Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT A kidney condition that can arise in children and was until recently believed to disappear after puberty may persist into adulthood and cause significant long-term complications, according to a new study. The findings indicate that better treatment options are needed for children with the disorder, called minimal change nephrotic syndrome.

Scientists Find Successful Way To Reduce Bat Deaths At Wind Turbines Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists in Canada have found a way to reduce bat deaths from wind turbines by up to 60 percent without significantly reducing the energy generated from the wind farm. TransAlta has already applied the low wind mitigation strategy to the 38 turbines identified in the study area.

New Links Among Alcohol Abuse, Depression, Obesity In Young Women Found Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT There is new evidence that depression, obesity and alcohol abuse or dependency are interrelated conditions among young adult women but not men.

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ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• HIV’s Ancestors May Have Plagued First Mammals
• Math Used As A Tool To Heal Toughest Of Wounds
• Ants Vs. Worms: New Computer Security Mimics Nature
• Revolutionary Drug Could Be New Hope For Adrenal Cancer Patients
• Room's Ambience Fingerprinted By Phone
• Pulling Together Increases Your Pain Threshold
• Discovery Brings New Type Of Fast Computers Closer To Reality
• New Antibacterial Chemical Compound Discovered
• New Nanochemistry Technique Encases Single Molecules In Microdroplets
• Certain Cancers More Common Among HIV Patients Than Non-HIV Patients
• MESSENGER Spacecraft Prepares For Final Pass By Mercury
• How Would Einstein Use E-mail? Letter Writers Of Yore Had Same Correspondence Patterns As E-mail Users Today
• New Species Discovered In The Greater Mekong At Risk Of Extinction Due To Climate Change
• Smoking And Heart Disease Risks Can Cut Life Span By 10 Years
• NASA Goddard Shoots The Moon To Track Lunar Spacecraft
• Genetic Cause Of Previously Undefined Primary Immune Deficiency Disease identified
• Mobile Microbloggers Struggle To Make Their Postings Interesting, Study Finds
• Attention Makes Sensory Signals Stand Out Amidst Background Noise In Brain
• Global Increase In Atmospheric Methane Likely Caused By Unusual Arctic Warmth, Tropical Wetness
• Relationship Between Androgen Deficiency And Cardiovascular Disease Proposed
• Infant Development: Do Infants Only Start To Crawl Once They Can See Looming Danger?
• Pregnancy And Birth: Safe For Women With Kidney Transplants
• New Method For Improving The Functional Characteristics Of Enzymes
• Switch Program Increases Kids' Healthy Eating, Reduces Screen Time
• Two Proteins Enable Skin Cells To Regenerate
• C. Difficile Hypervirulence Genes Identified
• Carbon Nanostructure Research May Lead To Revolutionary New Devices
• Does Helicobacter Pylori Eradication Therapy Prevent Gastric Cancer?
• On The Road To Secure Car-to-car Communications
• Major Disasters Tax Surgical Staff But May Reduce Costs For Routine Operations

HIV’s Ancestors May Have Plagued First Mammals Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT The retroviruses which gave rise to HIV have been battling it out with mammal immune systems since mammals first evolved around 100 million years ago -- about 85 million years earlier than previously thought, scientists now believe.

Math Used As A Tool To Heal Toughest Of Wounds Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT Scientists expect a new mathematical model of chronic wound healing could replace intuition with clear guidance on how to test treatment strategies in tackling a major public-health problem. The researchers are the first to publish a mathematical model of an ischemic wound -- a chronic wound that heals slowly or is in danger of never healing because it is fed by an inadequate blood supply.

Ants Vs. Worms: New Computer Security Mimics Nature Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT In the never-ending battle to protect computer networks from intruders, researchers are working with security experts to develop a new defense modeled after one of nature's hardiest creatures -- the ant.

Revolutionary Drug Could Be New Hope For Adrenal Cancer Patients Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT Medical researchers are starting a clinical trial for a drug designed to combat adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), a rare but deadly cancer that attacks the adrenal glands. They hope the new compound, OSI-906, which is administered orally, will stop ACC tumor growth -- perhaps even promote tumor shrinkage -- without the toxic side effects of current chemotherapies. The trial will focus on patients with inoperable tumors who have relapsed or failed to respond to conventional therapies.

Room's Ambience Fingerprinted By Phone Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT Your smart phone may soon be able to know not only that you're at the mall, but whether you're in the jewelry store or the shoe store.

Pulling Together Increases Your Pain Threshold Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT A study of rowers has shown that members of a team who exercised together were able to tolerate twice as much pain as when they trained on their own.

Discovery Brings New Type Of Fast Computers Closer To Reality Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Physicists have successfully created speedy integrated circuits with particles called "excitons" that operate at commercially cold temperatures, bringing the possibility of a new type of extremely fast computer based on excitons closer to reality.

New Antibacterial Chemical Compound Discovered Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have identified a novel chemical compound that targets drug-resistant bacteria in a different way from existing antibiotics. The discovery could lead to new treatments to overcome antibiotic resistance in certain types of microorganisms.

New Nanochemistry Technique Encases Single Molecules In Microdroplets Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Inventing a useful new tool for creating chemical reactions between single molecules, scientists have employed microfluidics to make microdroplets that each contain a single molecules of interest. By combining this new microfluidic with techniques to merge multiple droplets, the research may ultimately lead to new information on the structure and function of important organic materials such as proteins, enzymes, and DNA.

Certain Cancers More Common Among HIV Patients Than Non-HIV Patients Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have found that non-AIDS-defining malignancies such as anal and lung cancer have become more prevalent among HIV-infected patients than non-HIV patients since the introduction of anti-retroviral therapies in the mid-1990s.

MESSENGER Spacecraft Prepares For Final Pass By Mercury Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT NASA's Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry, and Ranging spacecraft known as MESSENGER will fly by Mercury for the third and final time on Sept. 29. The spacecraft will pass less than 142 miles above the planet's rocky surface for a final gravity assist that will enable it to enter Mercury's orbit in 2011. Determining the composition of Mercury's surface is a major goal of the orbital phase of the mission. The spacecraft already has imaged more than 90 percent of the planet's surface. The spacecraft's team will activate instruments during this flyby to view specific features to uncover more information about the planet.

How Would Einstein Use E-mail? Letter Writers Of Yore Had Same Correspondence Patterns As E-mail Users Today Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT You're not as different from Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin after all, at least when it comes to patterns of correspondence. A new study of human behavior has determined that those who wrote letters using pen and paper -- long before electronic mail existed -- did so in a pattern similar to the way people use e-mail today. The probability model provides some insight into how people make choices.

New Species Discovered In The Greater Mekong At Risk Of Extinction Due To Climate Change Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT A bird-eating fanged frog, a gecko that looks like it's from another planet, and a bird which would rather walk than fly -- these are among the 163 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region last year that are now at risk of extinction due to climate change, says a new report.

Smoking And Heart Disease Risks Can Cut Life Span By 10 Years Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT Middle aged men who smoke, have high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels can expect a 10--15 year shorter life expectancy from age 50 compared with men without these risk factors.

NASA Goddard Shoots The Moon To Track Lunar Spacecraft Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT Twenty-eight times per second, engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center fire a laser that travels about 250,000 miles to hit the minivan-sized Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft moving at nearly 3,600 miles per hour as it orbits the moon.

Genetic Cause Of Previously Undefined Primary Immune Deficiency Disease identified Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have identified a genetic mutation that accounts for a perplexing condition found in people with an inherited immunodeficiency. The disorder, called combined immunodeficiency, is characterized by a constellation of severe health problems, including persistent bacterial and viral skin infections, severe eczema, acute allergies and asthma and cancer.

Mobile Microbloggers Struggle To Make Their Postings Interesting, Study Finds Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT A study shows that mobile microbloggers struggle hard is to make postings interesting enough to keep audience coming back and commenting. The analysis shows that microbloggers sometimes put in teasers to postings and highlight interesting aspects of their everyday experiences, inviting others to comment.

Attention Makes Sensory Signals Stand Out Amidst Background Noise In Brain Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT The brain never sits idle. Whether we are awake or asleep, watch TV or close our eyes, waves of spontaneous nerve signals wash through our brains. Researchers studying visual attention have discovered a novel mechanism that explains how incoming sensory signals make themselves heard amidst the constant background rumblings so they can be reliably processed and passed on.

Global Increase In Atmospheric Methane Likely Caused By Unusual Arctic Warmth, Tropical Wetness Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Unusually high temperatures in the Arctic and heavy rains in the tropics likely drove a global increase in atmospheric methane in 2007 and 2008 after a decade of near-zero growth, according to a new study. Methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, albeit a distant second.

Relationship Between Androgen Deficiency And Cardiovascular Disease Proposed Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers believe that androgen deficiency might be the underlying cause for a variety of common clinical conditions, including diabetes, erectile dysfunction, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.

Infant Development: Do Infants Only Start To Crawl Once They Can See Looming Danger? Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Do infants only start to crawl once they are physically able to see danger coming? According to one researcher, infants' ability to see whether an object is approaching on a direct collision course, and when it is likely to collide, develops around the time they become more mobile.

Pregnancy And Birth: Safe For Women With Kidney Transplants Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Women who have had a kidney transplant and have good kidney function can get pregnant and give birth without jeopardizing their health or the health of their transplant. Having children does not affect patients' kidney function or their life-span compared with transplanted women who do not have children, according to a matching cohort study.

New Method For Improving The Functional Characteristics Of Enzymes Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists develop a new method for improving the functional characteristics of enzymes. The method has potential for wide application in the chemical, medicinal and food industries.

Switch Program Increases Kids' Healthy Eating, Reduces Screen Time Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT The Switch program -- "Switch what you Do, View, and Chew" -- has been shown to be capable of promoting children's fruit and vegetable consumption and lowering 'screen time'. Researchers tested the program and report that it offers promise for use in youth obesity prevention.

Two Proteins Enable Skin Cells To Regenerate Posted: 27 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT Never mind facial masks and exfoliating scrubs, skin takes care of itself. Stem cells located within the skin actively generate differentiating cells that can ultimately form either the body surface or the hairs that emanate from it. In addition, these stem cells are able to replenish themselves, continually rejuvenating skin and hair. Now, researchers have identified two proteins that enable these skin stem cells to undertake this continuous process of self-renewal.

C. Difficile Hypervirulence Genes Identified Posted: 27 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT Five genetic regions have been identified that are unique to the most virulent strain of Clostridium difficile, the hospital superbug. Researchers studied the genome of the bacterium, looking for genes relating to motility, antibiotic resistance and toxicity.

Carbon Nanostructure Research May Lead To Revolutionary New Devices Posted: 27 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT Research into carbon nanostructures may some day be used in electronic, thermal, mechanical and sensing devices for the Air Force.

Does Helicobacter Pylori Eradication Therapy Prevent Gastric Cancer? Posted: 27 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT A research team from Japan investigated whether eradication of H. pylori in peptic ulcer patients prevented gastric cancer. They found that eradication did not significantly reduce the incidence of cancer in their patients, who had a mean age of 52.9 years at registration, after a mean follow-up period of 5.6 years.

On The Road To Secure Car-to-car Communications Posted: 27 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT A new research project works out how to keep car-to-car data transmissions private and secure from malicious hackers.

Major Disasters Tax Surgical Staff But May Reduce Costs For Routine Operations Posted: 27 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT New research offers important insights into the long-term impact of a major disaster on routine surgical services in a hospital. In the study, researchers showed that although Hurricane Katrina resulted in a significant loss of surgical staff and an increase in the number of uninsured patients undergoing operations, greater cost efficiencies were achieved.

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