ABC.net
Hobbled Hubble waits for mercy mission
Ground-control teams are working around the failure of a steering device on the Hubble Space Telescope, as NASA plans to send a shuttle crew to service it continue.[see more details in ABC.net]
BBC
$1m prizes to complement Nobels
Three new $1m awards for scientific endeavour are announced at the British Association festival in York.[see more details in BBC]
Fossett sought via Google Earth
Web users are being enrolled in a scheme to scour Google Earth images for the missing adventurer.[see more details in BBC]
Keyhole boost for heart patients
Frailer heart patients could benefit from an advance in keyhole surgery carried out for the first time in the UK.[see more details in BBC]
eurekalert.com
2 drugs equally effective for heart patients undergoing angioplasty, Mayo study finds
In lifesaving procedures to open blocked heart arteries a key question has persisted for years: Is use of the more expensive drug, abciximab, justified over use of the less-expensive eptifibatide?[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Adverse drug events reported to FDA appear to have increased markedly
The number of serious adverse drug events reported to the US Food and Drug Administration more than doubled between 1998 and 2005, as did deaths associated with adverse drug events, according to a report in the Sept. 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Altered expression of ultraconserved noncoding RNAs linked to human leukemias and carcinomas
A new study provides evidence that noncoding RNAs and interactions between noncoding genes play a much greater role in human cancer than was previously understood. The research, published by Cell Press in the September issue of the journal Cancer Cell, may be useful for identifying tumor-specific signatures associated with diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cancer.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Antidepressant shows early promise in treating agitation and psychotic symptoms of dementia
Researchers have found surprising evidence that an antidepressant (citalopram) may perform as well as a commonly prescribed antipsychotic (risperidone) in the alleviation of severe agitation and psychotic symptoms of dementia. Researchers also found that the antidepressant was associated with "significantly lower" adverse side effects.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Being overweight may independently increase risk for heart disease events
Being moderately overweight or obese appears to increase the risk for developing coronary heart disease events independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies in the Sept. 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Chemotherapy may be culprit for fatigue in breast cancer survivors
A new study finds that, compared to healthy women, breast cancer survivors reported more days of fatigue and more severe fatigue symptoms.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Decline in blood platelet count associated with increased risk of HIV-related dementia
HIV patients with declining platelet counts appear to be at increased risk for HIV-associated dementia, according to a report in the Sept. issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Drawing nanoscale features the fast and easy way
Scientists at Georgia Tech have developed a new technique for nanolithography that is extremely fast and can be used in liquids and outside of a vacuum. The technique could help make the manufacturing of nanocircuits commercially viable.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Drug-free treatments offer hope for older people in pain
Mind-body therapies, which focus on the interactions between the mind, body and behavior, and the ways in which emotional, mental, social and behavioral factors can affect health, may be of particular benefit to elderly chronic pain sufferers. A new study published in Pain Medicine provides a structured review of eight mind-body interventions for older people, including progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, hypnosis, tai chi and yoga.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Europe needs collective effort on System Biology, says ESF Task Force
Most of the diseases which plague humankind today are multifactorial: They are not simply the result of one mutation in one gene, producing one rogue protein that can no longer carry out its job. Diabetes and obesity, for instance, depend on many simultaneous genetic and environmental factors.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Examining the Lacey Act
Andrea Fowler, David Lodge, and Jennifer Hsia (University of Notre Dame) examined the efficacy of the Lacey Act in their research communication, "Failure of the Lacey Act to protect US ecosystems against animal invasions." The study appears in the September issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Gray whales a fraction of historic levels, genetic research says
Gray whales in the Pacific Ocean, long thought to have fully recovered from whaling, were once three to five times as plentiful as they are now, according to a report to be published September 10 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
HARDY rice: less water, more food
An international team of scientists has produced a new type of rice that grows better and uses water more efficiently than other rice crops.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Human C-reactive protein regulates myeloma tumor cell growth and survival
Scientists report that a protein best known as a common marker of inflammation plays a key role in the progression of human cancer. The research, published by Cell Press in the September issue of the journal Cancer Cell, implicates C-reactive protein (CRP) as a potential target for cancer treatment.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Icy calculations on a hot topic
University of Utah mathematicians have arrived at a new understanding of how salt-saturated ocean water flows through sea ice -- a discovery that promises to improve forecasts of how global warming will affect polar icepacks.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Implantable device designed to detect, stop seizures under study at MCG
A small device implanted in the skull that detects oncoming seizures, then delivers a brief electrical stimulus to the brain to stop them is under study at the Medical College of Georgia.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Japanese beetle may help fight hemlock-killing insect
The eastern hemlock, a tall, long-lived coniferous tree that shelters river and streamside ecosystems throughout the eastern United States and Canada, is in serious danger of extinction because a tiny, non-native insect is literally sucking the life out of it. Entomologists at Virginia Tech are now studying a beetle from Japan that may be a natural predator of Adelges tsugae, or hemlock woolly adelgid.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Louisiana Tech researchers investigate tracking, sensors to assist Air Force
The research conducted by two Louisiana Tech professors will affect many applications such as chemical agent monitoring, weather and hurricanes tracking and monitoring and explosive detection at the battlefield, Selmic said. The project also aims to develop unmanned air vehicle sensor nodes and a wireless sensor network test bed for the Air Force.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Medication appears helpful for treatment of erectile dysfunction in men with spinal cord injuries
The drug tadalafil appears to improve erectile function in men with spinal cord injuries, according to an article posted online today that will appear in the Nov. 2007 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Mouse model for schizophrenia has genetic on-off switch
The researchers developed the transgenic mouse by inserting the gene for mutant Disrupted-In-Schizophrenia-1 (DISC-1) into a normal mouse, along with a promoter that enables the gene to be switched on or off. Mutant DISC-1 was previously identified in a Scottish family with a strong history of schizophrenia and related mental disorders.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Mutations in the insulin gene can cause neonatal diabetes
Insulin gene mutations can cause permanent neonatal diabetes, a rare form of diabetes that affects very young children. This is the first time that an insulin mutation has been connected to severe early onset diabetes. The researchers describe 10 mutations. These alter the way insulin folds. Misfolded insulin may interfere with cellular processes in ways that kill cells that produce insulin. The finding suggests new approaches to treatment.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Natural aorta grafts have few side effects for infection-prone patients
A vascular surgery technique pioneered at UT Southwestern Medical Center, in which veins are removed from the thigh to repair the aorta does not create blood-flow problems and painful side effects in a majority of patients, researchers report.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
New lung cancer guidelines oppose general CT screening
New evidenced-based guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians provides 260 of the most comprehensive recommendations related to lung cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, staging and medical and surgical treatments.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
News briefs from the journal Chest, September 2007
Selected studies from the September 2007 issue of the journal Chest, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin associated with reduced risk for age-related eye disease
Consuming higher levels of the yellow plant pigments lutein and zeaxanthin may be associated with a lower risk for age-related macular degeneration, according to a report in the Sept. issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Organisms found on contact lenses can provide clues to cause of corneal eye infection
Cultures of contact lenses may sometimes identify the organisms involved in cases of corneal eye infection, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Scientists demonstate link between genetic variant and effectiveness of smoking cessation meds
A genetic variant present in nearly half of Americans of European ancestry is linked to greater effectiveness of the smoking cessation medication bupropion (Zyban), according to research by scientists supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. People with this variant were less likely than those without it to have resumed smoking six months after treatment with bupropion.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Scientists learn role of oxidative stress in estrogen-related bone loss
Scientists have discovered new information about an immune pathway in mice that explains how oxidative stress that results from acute estrogen deficiency leads to the loss of bone. The finding could help in identifying a new drug target for preventing postmenopausal bone loss.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Stem cell research produces a key discovery for Fragile X Syndrome
An important finding has been made by McMaster researchers about Fragile X Syndrome, a sex-linked genetic disorder that affects approximately one in 4,000 males and one in 6,000 females.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Study reveals predation-evolution link
The fossil record seems to indicate that the diversity of marine creatures increased and decreased over hundreds of millions of years in step with predator-prey encounters, Virginia Tech geoscientists report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Study shows adverse drug events reported to the FDA have significantly increased
A new study shows the number of drug-therapy related deaths and injuries reported to the US Food and Drug Administration nearly tripled between 1998 and 2005.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
The fight against colorectal cancer
In 2007, colorectal cancer will kill approximately 8,700 Canadians. To draw attention to this situation, Dr. Alan Barkun, director of the gastroenterology department at the McGill University Health Center and Dr. Ken Flegel, service chief in internal medicine, have co-authored an editorial that will appear in the Sept. 11, 2007, issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
Vitamin D supplements appear to be associated with lower risk of death
Individuals who take vitamin D supplements appear to have a lower risk of death from any cause over an average follow-up time of six years, according to a meta-analysis of 18 previously published studies in the Sept. 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.[see more details in eurekalert.com]
fox news
Global Warming May Cancel Next Ice Age
British study finds that accumulated carbon dioxide could stick around for hundreds of thousands of years -- long enough to pre-empt next five glacial cycles.[see more details in fox news]
High-Altitude Ozone May Cause In-Flight Headaches
Danish-American study finds that levels of harmful oxygen isotope commonly experienced during jet travel can cause headaches, dry eyes.[see more details in fox news]
Human Activity Redrawing Maps of World
Shrinking lakes due to river water being diverted to agriculture is reflected in latest maps.[see more details in fox news]
Inca Mummy Unveiled to Public
Argentine museum shows off 15-year-old girl thought to have been sacrificed more than 500 years ago, found in icy pit with two other children.[see more details in fox news]
Microchip Implants Linked to Tumors in Animals
Veterinary, toxicology studies dating back to mid-1990s show RFID implants induced malignant tumors in mice, rats.[see more details in fox news]
Tiny Dinosaur Was Almost Ready to Fly
Miniature reptile was only two feet long, weighed 25 ounces, indicating that small size reached before birds truly evolved.[see more details in fox news]
national geographic
Asian Catfish Migrates Hundreds of Miles, Rivals Salmon
 | The Mekong catfish travels more than 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) upriver to spawn?a discovery that means a planned dam on the river might spell disaster for the species. |
[see more details in national geographic]
Bay of Bengal Faces Major Tsunami Threat, Study Says
 | More than 60 million people in the northern Indian Ocean may be at risk of a tsunami as big as the one that struck Indonesia on December 26, 2004, scientists say. |
[see more details in national geographic]
Flexing Muscle Sheets Made With Rat Heart Cells
 | New self-flexing films could pave the way for "soft robots" and better replacement organs, scientists say. With video. |
[see more details in national geographic]
Moray Eels Grab Prey With "Alien" Jaws
 | Like a creature out of a horror film, moray eels have a second set of protruding jaws that allow the fish to grip and swallow prey whole, a new study says. |
[see more details in national geographic]
NASA "Clean Rooms" Brimming with Bacteria
 | The rooms where spacecraft are assembled seem spotless to the human eye, but they may actually harbor several species of hardy bacteria, a new study says. |
[see more details in national geographic]
NASA "Clean Rooms" Brimming With Bacteria
| | The rooms where spacecraft are assembled seem spotless to the human eye, but they may actually harbor several species of hardy bacteria, a new study says. |
[see more details in national geographic]
Photo in the News: Hubble Fans Dispute "Sharpest" Title
 | Astronomers backing the aging space telescope say that claims of more detailed ground-based snapshots are premature. |
[see more details in national geographic]
Rare Gorillas Helpless as Congo Rangers Flee Rebels
 | Though victimized by execution-style killings and other atrocities this year, the apes have been able to count on a dedicated ranger force. Until now. |
[see more details in national geographic]
Syria Mass Graves Suggest Ancient Urban Conflict
 | Pits crammed with Stone Age skeletons suggest a bloody era of fighting nearly 6,000 years ago over the rapidly growing city of Tell Brak, according to archaeologists. |
[see more details in national geographic]
U.S. Bee Collapse May Be Due to Alien Virus
 | An imported virus could be a factor in the mysterious, ongoing U.S. honeybee die-off in the past year, though some experts claim there is no link. |
[see more details in national geographic]
Week in Photos: Etna Erupts, 1st Female Beefeater, More
 | A two-headed turtle celebrates his tenth birthday, locusts plague Yemen, surfers in Africa attempt new record, and more. |
[see more details in national geographic]
nature.com
Acid rain may hit coastal waters hard
Nitrogen and sulphur compounds contribute to declining ocean pH.[see more details in nature.com]
A question of breeding
China needs to rethink its approach to conservation if it wants to protect its endangered tigers.[see more details in nature.com]
BioPolis report paints fractured picture of EU biotech
Targeted programs complement general spurs to economic growth, but the gap between new and old EU countries remains[see more details in nature.com]
Biotech crop rules get rewrite
US regulations on genetically modified organisms under review.[see more details in nature.com]
Blooming biotech
Recombinant technology has not yet taken root in ornamental plant breeding, but if some early genetically modified products succeed in the marketplace, might this change?[see more details in nature.com]
Britain gets hybrid embryo go-ahead
Human-animal embryos given green light after public backing.[see more details in nature.com]
Chinese law aims to quell fear of failure
Science ministry hopes to encourage risk-takers.[see more details in nature.com]
Dark energy probe gets high praise
Independent panel prioritizes NASA programmes.[see more details in nature.com]
DNA probe finds hints of human
Contamination of ancient samples may have led to claims that humans and Neanderthals interbred.[see more details in nature.com]
Eels imitate Alien
Fearsome fish have protruding jaws in their throats to grab prey.[see more details in nature.com]
Funding crunch forces stem cell company to abandon therapies
ES Stem Cell International goes after medium-term revenues.[see more details in nature.com]
Futile protein cycle keeps mice thin
Making and breaking proteins helps mice to burn off extra calories.[see more details in nature.com]
Glycerin bioprocessing goes green
New ways of handling waste from biodiesel production may improve its cache.[see more details in nature.com]
Hydrogen hopes
Europe has started to invest in hydrogen, potentially paving the way for a fertile jobs market.[see more details in nature.com]
Is this the clearest picture of space ever taken?
Claims of the "sharpest" photos of space are a little fuzzy.[see more details in nature.com]
Keep your eye on the goal
In my tortuous road to a biotech job, I learned some important job-hunting lessons.[see more details in nature.com]
Killer asteroid fingered
Astronomical forensics pins down dinosaur killer.[see more details in nature.com]
Life as we know it
To understand the human genome, researchers must spread their wings to all branches of life.[see more details in nature.com]
Local livestock breeds at risk
Indigenous animals are dying out as commercial breeds sweep the world.[see more details in nature.com]
Magnets harnessed to clean artwork
Sponges filled with iron nanoparticles make lifting dirt easy.[see more details in nature.com]
Mini-muscles go for a swim
Artificial heart patches can grip, wriggle and pulse.[see more details in nature.com]
NASA clean rooms breed hardy bacteria
Catalogue made of bugs that survive preparations for space.[see more details in nature.com]
News in brief
[see more details in nature.com]
New tsunami warning
60 million people in the Bay of Bengal may be at risk.[see more details in nature.com]
Palaeontology: Time traps
The whole world felt the effects of the dinosaur-killing mass extinction 65 million years ago. But a spot in Colorado may have the best record of it. Rex Dalton reports from Denver.[see more details in nature.com]
Prospect
US graduate education rebounds from effects of visa restrictions after 9/11. But how much has competition from abroad siphoned away talent?[see more details in nature.com]
Radicals unite antibiotics
Drugs that target different pathways share a way to kill bacteria.[see more details in nature.com]
Speedy drugs for depression
Drug hastens relief in rats.[see more details in nature.com]
Taxonomy: The Collector
How Paddy Patterson, one of the architects of the Encyclopedia of Life, hopes to present biodiversity to the world.[see more details in nature.com]
The big splash
An unforeseeable chain of insights into an event 65 million years ago merits celebration.[see more details in nature.com]
The dune chorus
Desert songs divide sand researchers[see more details in nature.com]
The gene that makes your mouth water
Ability to digest starch could have spurred human evolution.[see more details in nature.com]
Tiger mosquitoes bring tropical disease to Europe
Invasive species could cause Chikungunya to become endemic.[see more details in nature.com]
To teach or not to teach?
To get a teaching position I may have to cut down on my current teaching duties.[see more details in nature.com]
Turkish physicists face accusations of plagiarism
Scores of papers are removed from arXiv server.[see more details in nature.com]
Virus could be cause of disappearing bees
Study combs bees guts to investigate colony collapse disorder.[see more details in nature.com]
Why did the monkey pee on his feet?
Study helps to answer question of odd primate behaviour.[see more details in nature.com]
William Chameides, dean, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
Former chief scientist at Environmental Defense heads to Duke University.[see more details in nature.com]
New York Times
In Austria, Pope Emphasizes Protection of the Environment
Pope Benedict XVI briefly expanded on the Vatican?s increasing focus on the environment at the end of a three-day visit to Austria.[see more details in New York Times]
Study Finds Evidence of Genetic Response to Diet
It is becoming clear that the human genome responds to changes in diet, even though it takes many generations to do so.[see more details in New York Times]
The Basics: The Art of Mapping on the Run
The intensifying impact of human activities is visibly altering the planet, requiring ever more frequent redrawing of the Earth?s features themselves.[see more details in New York Times]
sciencedaily.com
Adverse Drug Events Reported To FDA Appear To Have Increased Markedly
The number of serious adverse drug events reported to the US Food and Drug Administration more than doubled between 1998 and 2005, as did deaths associated with adverse drug events, according to a new report.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Altered Expression Of Ultraconserved Noncoding RNAs Linked To Human Leukemias And Carcinomas
A new study provides evidence that noncoding RNAs and interactions between noncoding genes play a much greater role in human cancer than was previously understood. The research may be useful for identifying tumor-specific signatures associated with diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cancer.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Antidepressant Shows Early Promise In Treating Agitation And Psychotic Symptoms Of Dementia
Researchers have found surprising evidence that an antidepressant (citalopram) may perform as well as a commonly prescribed antipsychotic (risperidone) in the alleviation of severe agitation and psychotic symptoms of dementia. Researchers also found that the antidepressant was associated with "significantly lower" adverse side effects.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Being Overweight May Independently Increase Risk For Heart Disease
Being moderately overweight or obese appears to increase the risk for developing coronary heart disease events independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Chemotherapy May Be Culprit For Fatigue In Breast Cancer Survivors
Compared to healthy women, breast cancer survivors reported more days of fatigue and more severe fatigue symptoms. Fatigue is a common complaint in the general population and, anecdotally, common among cancer patients. Comparative fatigue studies between the two populations, however, have been marred by methodological shortcomings, such as poorly matched controls and patient populations.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Controlling Invasive Species: How Effective Is The Lacey Act?
Scientists examined the efficacy of the Lacey Act in their research communication, "Failure of the Lacey Act to protect US ecosystems against animal invasions." With over 100 years on the books (passed in 1900), the Lacey Act is the main legal defense against invasive animal species. The study appears in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Device To Predict Proper Light Exposure For Human Health
Scientists have long known that the human body runs like clockwork, guided by a circadian system that responds to daily patterns of light and darkness. Now a team of researchers is developing a personal device to measure daily light intake and activity, which could allow them to predict optimal timing for light therapy to synchronize the circadian clock to the 24-hour solar day and relieve psychosocial stress.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Dinosaur To Birds: Height Or Flight?
Paleontologists have long theorized that miniaturization was one of the last stages in the long series of changes required in order for dinosaurs to make the evolutionary "leap" to take flight and so become what we call birds. New evidence from a tiny Mongolian dinosaur, however, may leave some current theories about the evolution of flight up in the air.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Drawing Nanoscale Features The Fast And Easy Way
Scientists have developed a new technique for nanolithography that is extremely fast and can be used in liquids and outside of a vacuum. The technique could help make the manufacturing of nanocircuits commercially viable.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Ethnic Minorities Do Stick With Clinical Research
A significant number of people from ethnic minority backgrounds can be persuaded to take part in research studies, according to a new report. This contradicts previous research that suggests that ethnic minorities are less likely to volunteer for clinical research, possibly due to famous breaches of medical ethics, such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Genetic Background To Severe Urinary Tract Infections
If you sit on cold boulders or forget to wear your woollen pants, you can develop a urinary tract infection, or so the story goes. It turns out though, that these diseases are more complicated than this, and in some cases they have a genetic background. Scientists have found a gene that appears to lie behind many of the most severe urinary tract infections.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Gray Whales A Fraction Of Historic Levels, Genetic Research Says
Gray whales in the Pacific Ocean, long thought to have fully recovered from whaling, were once three to five times as plentiful as they are now, according to a new article. A vastly reduced population of gray whales has likely exerted large changes in Pacific ocean ecosystems. Starving whales are a warning sign of problems in the food chain.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
How One Storm Can Affect Another
Weather forecasting and climate modeling for the notoriously unpredictable Sahel region of Africa could be made easier in the future, thanks to new research results coming from the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis study. The scientists gathered new atmospheric data by using satellite imagery to plot flight paths over areas where storms had produced very wet soils. Dropsondes (weather reconnaissance devices) were launched from a research aircraft above these wet areas to record data such as humidity, wind strength and temperature.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
How Vitamin C Stops Cancer
Nearly 30 years after Nobel laureate Linus Pauling famously and controversially suggested that vitamin C supplements can prevent cancer, a team of Johns Hopkins scientists have shown that in mice, at least, vitamin C -- and potentially other antioxidants -- can indeed inhibit the growth of some tumors, just not in the manner suggested by years of investigation.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Human C-reactive Protein Regulates Myeloma Tumor Cell Growth And Survival
Scientists report that a protein best known as a common marker of inflammation plays a key role in the progression of human cancer. The research implicates C-reactive protein (CRP) as a potential target for cancer treatment.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Improved E-jet Printing Provides Higher Resolution And More Versatility
By combining electrically induced fluid flow with nanoscale nozzles, researchers have established new benchmarks for precision control and resolution in jet-printing processes. This type of e-jet printing could be used for large-area circuits, displays, photovoltaic modules and related devices, as well as other wide-ranging application possibilities in security, biotechnology and photonics, according to the scientists.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Japanese Beetle May Help Fight Hemlock-killing Insect
The eastern hemlock, a tall, long-lived coniferous tree that shelters river and stream-side ecosystems throughout the eastern United States and Canada, is in serious danger of extinction because a tiny, non-native insect is literally sucking the life out of it. Entomologists are now studying a beetle from Japan that may be a natural predator.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Magnets Can Boost Production Of Ethanol For Fuel
In a finding that could reduce the cost of ethanol fuel, researchers in Brazil report success in using low frequency magnetic waves to significantly boost the amount of ethanol produced through the fermentation of sugar. While bioethanol (ethanol produced from corn and other plants) is a promising alternative to fossil fuels, it currently is expensive and inefficient to make. An intensive research effort now is underway to improve production methods for this biofuel, which is expected to be the cornerstone of the renewable fuel industry. Researchers have just discovered that extremely low frequency magnetic waves boosted ethanol production by 17 percent.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
More Nutritional Cassava (Yucca) For Developing World
An intensive international effort to improve the nutritional value of cassava -- a staple food for millions of poverty stricken people in sub-Sahara Africa and other areas -- has led to development of a New form of cassava that may be easier to digest than other varieties. Also known as yucca or manioc, the roots of the plant are similar to potatoes and are often eaten boiled or deep fried.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Mouse Model For Schizophrenia Has Genetic On-off Switch
The researchers developed the transgenic mouse by inserting the gene for mutant Disrupted-In-Schizophrenia-1 (DISC-1) into a normal mouse, along with a promoter that enables the gene to be switched on or off. Mutant DISC-1 was previously identified in a Scottish family with a strong history of schizophrenia and related mental disorders.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Nanotubes And Nano-rods Show Promise As Catalysts, Sunscreen
Scientists have developed new ways to make or modify nanorods and nanotubes of titanium oxide, a material used in a variety of industrial and medical applications. The methods and new titanium oxide materials may lead to improved catalysts for hydrogen production, more efficient solar cells, and more protective sunscreens.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
New Cause Of Blindness Discovered
Scientists found evidence for blindness associated with a gene involved in retinal pH regulation. Their characterization of a mouse model with a targeted disruption of the Slc4a3 gene has revealed a new cause of blindness.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
New CPR Promises Better Results By Compressing Abdomen, Not Chest
A biomedical engineer at Purdue University has developed a new method to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation that promises to be more effective than standard CPR because it increases nourishing blood flow through the heart by 25 percent over the current method. A new technique is desperately needed because conventional CPR has a success rate of 5 percent to 10 percent, depending on how fast rescuers are able to respond and how well the procedure is performed. For every one minute of delay, the resuscitation rate decreases by 10 percent.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
New Drug Paradigm: Liquid Crystal Pharmaceuticals
An innovative liquid crystal technology that offers the promise of new drugs which may more effectively manage cancer and other diseases has been developed. The most recent research involving Liquid Crystal Pharmaceuticals has yielded a new investigational anti-tumor drug called Tolecine?, a compound that also has antiviral and antibacterial applications. It has been shown to be even more effective than the current standard of care for herpes.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Newer Antidepressants Led To Less, Not More, Teen Suicides
Contrary to newly mandated FDA black-box warnings, a new study finds antidepressants dramatically lower suicide attempts in youth. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents in this country, following only unintentional injuries and homicide. In real numbers, about 30,000 young people take their own lives in America each year.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
New Lung Cancer Guidelines Oppose Certain Vitamins, Suggest Acupuncture
New evidenced-based guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians provides 260 of the most comprehensive recommendations related to lung cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, staging and medical and surgical treatments. The guidelines cite there is little evidence to show lung cancer screening impacts mortality in patients, including those who are considered at high risk for the disease.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
New Treatment Option For Life-Threatening Symptom Of Parathyroid Cancer
New research reveals that the drug cinacalcet HCl (cinacalcet) may effectively reduce the dangerous accumulation of calcium in the blood that typically accompanies parathyroid cancer. This drug therapy could provide a new and effective medical treatment option for patients with inoperable parathyroid carcinoma (cancer).[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Overweight Mother Before Pregnancy, Overweight Child At Age Nine
New research shows children whose mothers had a high pre-pregnant body mass index or large mid-upper arm circumference in late pregnancy, have a greater fat mass index at age nine years than other children in their age group.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
PCBs May Threaten Killer Whale Populations For 30-60 Years
Orcas or killer whales may continue to suffer the effects of contamination with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for the next 30 to 60 years, despite 1970s-era regulations that have reduced overall PCB concentrations in the environment, researchers report. Other threats to orca survival include ship traffic, reduced abundance of prey and environmental contamination. Orcas, which reach a length exceeding 25 feet and weights of 4-5 tons, already are the most PCB-contaminated creatures on Earth.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Predation Linked To Evolution, Study Suggests
The fossil record seems to indicate that the diversity of marine creatures increased and decreased over hundreds of millions of years in step with predator-prey encounters. For decades, there has been a debate between paleontologists, biologists, and ecologists on the role of ecological interactions, such as predation, in the long term patterns of animal evolution.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis More Severe In African-American And Hispanic Patients
Non-Caucasian patients seeking medical care for primary biliary cirrhosis have more severe liver disease compared to Caucasian patients, a new study has found. The reasons for the health disparities are unknown, since patients in both groups were of similar age and had the disease for similar lengths of time.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Primates Expect Others To Act Rationally
Researchers have found that when understanding behavior, primates assume rationality and make inferences based on environmental restraints. The researchers studied over 120 primates from the three major groups of primates, and found the same responses among all three types.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Refugia Of Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest Could Be Basis For Its Regeneration
Changes that have occurred in Brazil tropical rainforest for more than 100,000 years were studied by a team of researchers. They combined data from botany, palynology and genetics. Results indicated that the expansion of tropical conifer populations never occurred during interglacial periods, in contrast to what usually happened in the temperate latitudes. Such a finding should be useful for forest conservation in the face of climate change.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Rehab For Fried Food Loving Couch Dwellers
Northwestern University is using an economics theory to rehab people with lousy health habits. Researchers want participants to just change two unhealthy behaviors to see if the others will tag along. Sort of a buy two, get two free sale based on the Behavioral Economics Theory used by Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman. Couch potatoes also get an arsenal of high-tech tools to help them make the changes.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Role Of Oxidative Stress In Estrogen-related Bone Loss Illuminated
Scientists have discovered new information about an immune pathway in mice that explains how oxidative stress that results from acute estrogen deficiency leads to the loss of bone. The finding could help in identifying a new drug target for preventing postmenopausal bone loss.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Safer Car Controls
The number of electronic components in cars is growing rapidly. To ensure that vehicle electronics will work properly in future despite the overabundance of software and its increasing complexity, researchers are remodeling it and making it even safer. The sight of a shiny new car suggests streamlined high-tech devices. But appearances are deceptive. Under the hood, all is confusion. Around 100 microprocessors control auxiliary functions such as ABS, ESP or the headlight that can shine around corners. Almost as many control units send their commands to fuel injection systems, airbags and other functional modules.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Signaling Protein For Multiple Myeloma Identified
Researchers have discovered a mechanism that plays a critical role in the multiple myeloma cell cycle and survival. This new research may result in identification of a new therapeutic target for treating multiple myeloma.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Social Cues Used By Those With Autism Illuminated
New research suggests that individuals with autism take note of social cues such as eye contact more closely than previously thought, regardless of whether or not they have an additional language impairment. Many researchers believe that poor social understanding lies at the heart of autistic disorders. Testing this hypothesis has traditionally proved tricky as the methods used are often far removed from real life situations and make extra demands on the subject, such as requiring language comprehension and prolonged memory use. Eye-tracking technology is enabling researchers to investigate social processing in situations that are much closer to those experienced in real life.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Socioeconomic Position Associated With Effectiveness Of HIV Drugs
Socioeconomic position is a determinant of antiretroviral treatment effectiveness during initial therapy for HIV-1 infection. The effect was found even among subjects with high rates of drug adherence, according to a new study.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Stem Cell Research Produces A Key Discovery For Fragile X Syndrome
An important finding has been made about fragile X syndrome, a sex-linked genetic disorder that affects approximately one in 4,000 males and one in 6,000 females. Fragile X syndrome is the most common genetic disorder associated with mental impairment. Many children go undiagnosed with fragile X.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Stem Cells In Tendons That Regenerate Tissue Identified In Animal Model
Scientists have identified unique cells within the adult tendon that have stem-cell characteristics -- including the ability to proliferate and self-renew. The research team was able to isolate these cells and regenerate tendon-like tissue in the animal mode.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Systems Biology Poised To Revolutionize The Understanding Of Cell Function And Disease
Systems Biology is transforming the way scientists think about biology and disease. This novel approach to research could prompt a shake up in medical science and it might ultimately allow clinicians to predict and treat complex diseases such as diabetes, heart failure, cancer and metabolic syndrome for which there are currently no cures.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Teen Binge Drinkers Risk Alcoholism And Social Exclusion As Adults
Teen binge drinkers are significantly more likely to become heavy drinkers as adults and find themselves with a string of criminal convictions, indicates a new study. The researchers monitored the health and prospects of more than 11,000 UK children born in 1970 at the ages of 16 and 30. They collected information on binge drinking during the preceding fortnight and habitual drinking during the previous year from the 16 year olds. One in four of the 16 year olds were habitual drinkers, drinking more than two to three times a week.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Testosterone Deficiency Relatively Rare In Men
A new study reveals that relatively few men, only 5.6 percent of the male population, actually suffer from low testosterone accompanied by clinical symptoms. That percentage, however, rises substantially with age.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Vitamin D Supplements Appear To Be Associated With Lower Risk Of Death
Individuals who take vitamin D supplements appear to have a lower risk of death from any cause over an average follow-up time of six years, according to a meta-analysis of 18 previously published studies. Individuals who took vitamin D had a 7 percent lower risk of death than those who did not.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
Vocal Cord Dysfunction May Be Caused By Work
Researchers have diagnosed two patients affected with vocal cord dysfunction, which causes coughing and difficulty in breathing due to irritating agents that are breathed in at the workplace. Until now, medical literature had only described two cases of patients with occupational vocal dysfunction.[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
When Does Being Obese Not Lead To Diabetes? When Mice Lack Osteopontin
Obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for type 2 diabetes. One reason for this is thought to be the chronic inflammation characterized by macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue that accompanies obesity, because it has been linked to the development of insulin resistance (which in turn often leads to type 2 diabetes).[see more details in sciencedaily.com]
sciencemag.org
[NEWS] BIOMEDICINE: HIV Drug Shows Promise as Potential Cancer Treatment
The first AIDS drug to come to market was initially developed to treat cancer, and now a drug approved for AIDS is being tested in humans as an anticancer agent.Author: Jon Cohen
[see more details in sciencemag.org]
[NEWS FOCUS] AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY MEETING: Antisense Particles Send Up a Flare
BOSTON--At the American Chemical Society meeting, held here from 19 to 23 August, chemists reported creating tiny particles that not only turn off the activity of genes inside cells but also send off molecular signal flares when they do, allowing researchers to instantly see whether their gene blockers are working.Author: Robert F. Service
[see more details in sciencemag.org]
[NEWS FOCUS] AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY MEETING: Dipstick Test Flags Spoiling Food
BOSTON--At the American Chemical Society meeting, held here from 19 to 23 August, chemists reported developing a dipstick-style sensor that signals the early stages of fish going bad with a change of color.Author: Robert F. Service
[see more details in sciencemag.org]
[NEWS FOCUS] AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY MEETING: Silicon Adds to Its Roster of Skills
BOSTON--At the American Chemical Society meeting, held here from 19 to 23 August, researchers reported that collections of whiskerlike silicon nanowires make an impressive thermoelectric material.Author:
[see more details in sciencemag.org]
[NEWS FOCUS] WILDLIFE BIOLOGY: Can the Wild Tiger Survive?
HARBIN, HEILONGJIANG PROVINCE, CHINA--China is pushing to reintroduce wild tigers, but critics say its breeding centers offer the tiger only a more roundabout path to extinction.Author: Virginia Morell
[see more details in sciencemag.org]
[NEWS] GENOMICS: Puzzling Decline of U.S. Bees Linked to Virus From Australia
Researchers report online in Science this week () that they have found an imported virus that may be associated with the sudden disappearance of honey bees in the United States, known as colony collapse disorder.Author: Erik Stokstad
[see more details in sciencemag.org]
[SPECIAL/NEWS] All Together Now--Pull!
NGAMBA ISLAND, UGANDA--At wildlife sanctuaries, apes demonstrate their limits of cooperation, providing clues about the evolution of sophisticated social behavior.Author: Greg Miller
[see more details in sciencemag.org]
[SPECIAL/NEWS] Sanctuaries Aid Research and Vice Versa
African wildlife sanctuaries are benefiting from the support and expertise of visiting scientists. And researchers gain access to larger numbers of apes in more natural living conditions.Author: Greg Miller
[see more details in sciencemag.org]
[SPECIAL/NEWS] The Art of Virtual Persuasion
Social scientists are finding that online experiences influence offline thinking () and that manipulation--for political, advertising, or other purposes--may be much more sophisticated in virtual environments.Author: Greg Miller
[see more details in sciencemag.org]
[SPECIAL/NEWS] The Promise of Parallel Universes
For social psychologists, computer-generated realities provide exciting new terrain for exploring human behavior and complex social interactions.Author: Greg Miller
[see more details in sciencemag.org]
sciencenow
Another Asian Tsunami Threat Looms
Megaquake could kill millions around Bay of Bengal[see more details in sciencenow]
Anticipating Sex Increases Breeding Potential
Quails conditioned to expect coitus sire more offspring[see more details in sciencenow]
Born to Run Long Distance
Stamina-stretching mutation widespread in some groups of people[see more details in sciencenow]
Do Social Smarts Set Us Apart?
Study suggests that our ability to understand others makes humans more intelligent than other primates[see more details in sciencenow]
Dwindling Days for Arctic Ice
New projections suggest greater and greater annual melts[see more details in sciencenow]
Gray Whales Far From Recovered?
Genetic analysis reveals population is still well below its historic high[see more details in sciencenow]
How to Build a Craig Venter
Genome pioneer is the first person to have both copies of each chromosome sequenced[see more details in sciencenow]
Italian Virus Outbreak May Portend Global Spread
Chikungunya transmitted by mosquito that has already conquered large parts of the world[see more details in sciencenow]
Mutation Gives Mice Autistic Symptoms
Finding provides clues to nature of disorder in humans[see more details in sciencenow]
Reports Blame Lab for Foot-and-Mouth Fiasco
Two panels cite biosecurity breaches at Institute for Animal Health[see more details in sciencenow]
Schizophrenia Treatment Without Side Effects?
New class of drug curbs disease symptoms without inducing weight gain or movement problems[see more details in sciencenow]
Stem Cell Hybrids Coming to U.K.
Government okays research that combines animal and human cells for disease research[see more details in sciencenow]
Swine Envy in the Neolithic
Archaeologists trace the origins of pig domestication in Europe[see more details in sciencenow]
Texas University Responds to Biosafety Complaints
President hopes changes will allow school to resume sensitive research[see more details in sciencenow]
Thin Films Pump Up
Muscle cells grown on plastic supports could one day heal damaged hearts[see more details in sciencenow]
yahoo news
2 bodies exhumed from Viking grave (AP)
AP - Archaeologists opened a Viking burial mound on Monday, seeking to learn more about two women — possibly a queen and a princess — laid to rest there 1,173 years ago.
[see more details in yahoo news]
Africa gets biotech boost against killer diseases (Reuters)
Reuters - South African President Thabo Mbeki opened an international biotechnology centre on Monday that aims to develop vaccines for HIV/AIDS and other diseases that kill thousands of Africans daily.
[see more details in yahoo news]
Endangered minnow said rebounding in NC (AP)
AP - Biologists say an endangered minnow is rebounding in central North Carolina, thanks largely to demolition of an old dam.[see more details in yahoo news]
Explosions strike Mexico gas pipelines (AP)
AP - Mexican gas and oil pipelines were attacked in six places before dawn Monday, causing explosions, fires and gas leaks that forced the evacuation of thousands of people.
[see more details in yahoo news]
Gabrielle returns to Atlantic (AP)
AP - Gabrielle, struggling to stay organized as it pulled away from the North Carolina coast, weakened from a tropical storm to a tropical depression early Monday, the National Hurricane Center said.
[see more details in yahoo news]
Gray Whales Still Not Recovered From 19th Century Whaling (LiveScience.com)
LiveScience.com - Nearly 100,000 or more gray whales once thrived in the Pacific Ocean, greatly outnumbering today's population, a new study suggests.[see more details in yahoo news]
Hubble Telescope: Solved and Unsolved Mysteries (SPACE.com)
SPACE.com - Beyond snapping extraordinary pictures of faraway nebulas, the revolutionary Hubble Space Telescope has completely transformed our view of the universe since it was launched in 1990. By capturing the clearest, deepest images of the cosmos ever, Hubble has shed light on some long-standing mysteries perplexing scientists-while uncovering far deeper ones that have yet to be solved.[see more details in yahoo news]
Mexico's Pemex says explosions at several pipelines (Reuters)
Reuters - Mexican state-owned energy company Pemex said on Monday explosions caused by sabotage hit several of its natural gas pipelines on the Gulf of Mexico.[see more details in yahoo news]
NASA Gives Rocketplane Kistler Termination Notice (SPACE.com)
SPACE.com - WASHINGTON - NASA formally notified Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) Sept. 7 that it is 30 days away from having its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement terminated for failure to live up to the terms of the deal.[see more details in yahoo news]
Radio frequencies help burn salt water (AP)
AP - An Erie cancer researcher has found a way to burn salt water, a novel invention that is being touted by one chemist as the "most remarkable" water science discovery in a century.[see more details in yahoo news]
Study questions comeback of gray whale (AP)
AP - One of the great success stories of the ocean, the return of the Pacific gray whale, may have been based on a miscalculation, scientists reported Monday in a study based on whale genetics.[see more details in yahoo news]
Teacher-astronaut talks about space life (AP)
AP - Three weeks after returning to Earth, teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan cheerfully carried out her first space education assignment Monday, sharing the magic of flying in orbit with children at Walt Disney World.
[see more details in yahoo news]
Weakened Gabrielle returns to Atlantic (AP)
AP - Gabrielle, struggling to stay organized as it pulled away from the North Carolina coast, weakened from a tropical storm to a tropical depression early Monday, the National Hurricane Center said.
[see more details in yahoo news]
Weather around the U.S.A. (AP)
AP - Weather around the U.S.A.[see more details in yahoo news]
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