Stress During Pregnancy Has Detrimental Effect On Offspring (October 29, 2008) -- That stress during a mother's pregnancy can cause developmental and emotional problems for offspring has long been observed by behavioral and biological researchers, but the objective measuring and timing of that stress and its results are difficult to prove objectively in humans. New experimental work has demonstrated the relationship between maternal stress and impairment of offspring in rats. ... > full story
Mapping The Boreal Forest (October 29, 2008) -- How best to map 'boreal' or northern forest with space-borne radar is the focus of an ESA campaign currently underway in northern Sweden. Covering about 15% of the Earth’s land surface, boreal forest plays an important role in the global cycling of energy, carbon and water. ... > full story
How Women With Lupus Can Increase Chance For Healthy Pregnancies (October 29, 2008) -- In the not so distant past, women with systemic lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease, were advised not to have children, and if they became pregnant, to have therapeutic abortions to prevent severe flares of their lupus. Research by rheumatologists at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, in patients with lupus who have had successful pregnancies is yielding insights that support a reversal of that thinking. ... > full story
Laser Flashes Without Bounds (October 29, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a novel optical fiber that enables transmission of ultrashort light pulses with an unprecedented low degree of distortions. The researchers transmitted light pulses of 13 fs duration (1 fs = 1 millionth billionth of a second) over one meter distance, with the pulses only stretching to about double of the initial duration. "Currently, no other fiber-based technique is capable of such little distortion", says one of the researchers. ... > full story
Groups of Dangerous Drivers Identified (October 29, 2008) -- Young drivers, elderly drivers and motorcyclists are stigmatized by society, according to one professor. He's researching who the dangerous drivers really are. ... > full story
New Cell Division Mechanism Discovered (October 29, 2008) -- A novel cell division mechanism has been discovered in a microorganism that thrives in hot acid. The finding may also result in insights into key processes in human cells, and in a better understanding of the main evolutionary lineages of life on Earth. ... > full story
Rheumatoid Arthritis Rising Among Women (October 29, 2008) -- After four decades on the decline, rheumatoid arthritis is on the upswing among women in the United States. Compared to the previous decade when approximately 36 women out of every 100,000 developed rheumatoid arthritis each year, the new study showed a jump to 54 women in the more recent decade. ... > full story
Neighborhood Greenness Has Long Term Positive Impact On Kids' Health (October 29, 2008) -- In the first study to look at the effect of neighborhood greenness on inner city children's weight over time, researchers report that higher neighborhood greenness is associated with slower increases in children's body mass over a two year period, regardless of residential density. ... > full story
Increasing Number Of People Vaccinated Against Influenza Can Decrease Burden Of Disease (October 29, 2008) -- Two new studies published in the journal PLoS Medicine show that increasing the number of people vaccinated against influenza can decrease the burden of the disease, and not just in the individuals receiving the vaccine. ... > full story
Nitrous Oxide Emissions Respond Differently To No-till Depending On The Soil Type (October 29, 2008) -- The practice of no-till has gained in popularity as it creates a soil less prone to erosion and more rich in organic matter, but a new study raises questions about its influence on net greenhouse gas emissions. While scientists have been documenting the benefits of carbon sequestration in no-till crops, researchers have found that an increased amount of nitrous oxide emissions may offset the benefits of the carbon dioxide sink created, depending on soil type. ... > full story
Improved Poverty Analysis: Early Warning System For Food Shortages (October 29, 2008) -- In areas of extreme poverty it is often difficult to determine the standard of living. During her doctoral research in Uganda, Nicky Pouw developed a method to analyze relatively simple material and immaterial possessions that can serve, for example, as an early warning system for food shortages. ... > full story
Soybeans No Longer 'A Musical Fruit?' (October 28, 2008) -- Soybeans may drop off the list of musical fruit. Scientists in Singapore are reporting victory over some consumers' No. 1 complaint about soy products -- the "flatulence factor" caused by indigestible sugars found in soy. ... > full story
Exploring Use Of Fat Cells As Heart Attack Therapy (October 28, 2008) -- For those of us trained to read nutrition labels, conventional wisdom tells us that fat isn't good for the heart. But a team researchers has set out to use fat cells to beef up heart muscles damaged by heart attack -- and they're using an out-of-this-world device to do it. ... > full story
Revolutionary Operation Performed Live For Heart Rhythm Congress (October 28, 2008) -- A revolutionary heart operation technique using cutting edge technology is being performed live to delegates at the Heart Rhythm Congress 2008. The procedure to tackle heart rhythm disorder will be performed using technology that allows rapid and accurate location of the origin of the heart rhythm disturbance in a 3-dimensional geometry of the heart chambers and guides successful treatment with the use of catheter ablation. ... > full story
BRAF Mutations In Colorectal Cancer Cause Resistance To Anti-EGFR Therapy, Study Finds (October 28, 2008) -- European researchers have found that metastatic colorectal cancer patients with a mutation in the BRAF gene do not respond to anti-EGFR therapy with cetuximab and panitumumab. The finding could help doctors better identify which patients are likely to benefit from such treatment, which is commonly used as last-effort therapy but only works in a fraction of patients. ... > full story
Nanoscale Coating Protects Products And The Economy (October 28, 2008) -- A professor's unique nanolaminate coatings adjust to protect products from a wide range of adverse conditions. Her work has applications in industries such as manufacturing, optical products and biomedical devices. ... > full story
Credit Crunch Threatens New Medicines (October 28, 2008) -- The global financial crisis could seriously delay the discovery and production of many new life-saving medicines, warns a major international conference. ... > full story
Red Enhances Men's Attraction To Women, Psychological Study Reveals (October 28, 2008) -- Psychologists have added color -- literally and figuratively -- to the age-old question of what attracts men to women. Psychologists have demonstrated that the color red makes men feel more amorous toward women. And men are unaware of the role the color plays in their attraction. ... > full story
Sensitive Ultrasound To Spot Early-stage Cancer (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have developed highly sensitive ultrasound equipment that can detect tiny quantities of reflective microbubbles engineered to stick to specific tumor cells. The technique should pick up tumors early and improve patients' chances of survival. ... > full story
DNA Research Taking Guesswork Out Of Finding The 'Therapeutic Window' (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers are using DNA to "custom fit" your drug prescriptions, before you even take one dose. The quest to personalize medicine is underway as researchers target warfarin, a drug often associated with adverse drug reactions. ... > full story
Anti-Inflammatory Medications May Become A Treatment For Schizophrenia (October 28, 2008) -- Many of the structural and neurochemical features of schizophrenia are present long before the full syndrome of schizophrenia develops. What processes tip the balance between the ultra-high risk states and the development of schizophrenia? One candidate mechanism is cerebral inflammation, according to an article in Biological Psychiatry. ... > full story
Robotic Technology Takes Inspiration From Service Dogs (October 28, 2008) -- Service dogs, invaluable companions providing assistance to physically impaired individuals, are an elite and desired breed. Their presence in a home can make everyday tasks that are difficult - if not impossible - achievable, enhancing the quality of life for the disabled. Yet with a cost averaging ,000 per dog -- not to mention the two years of training required to hone these skills -- the demand for these canines' exceeds their availability. ... > full story
Can You Recognize People By Their Voices? Case Study Of Phonagnosic (October 28, 2008) -- The first known case of someone born without the ability to recognize voices has been reported. The rare condition is known as phonagnosia. Phonagnosia has only been documented so far in people with brain lesions in the right hemisphere following a stroke or brain damage, and the mechanisms behind it are not well understood. In this newly documented case, a MRI brain scan showed no evidence of brain damage in regions associated with voice or auditory perception, and her hearing abilities were found to be normal. ... > full story
Undressing The Human Body: Program Created To Calculate Body Shape Under Clothing (October 28, 2008) -- Imagine you are a police detective trying to identify a suspect wearing a trench coat, baggy pants and a baseball cap pulled low. Or imagine you are a fashion industry executive who wants to market virtual clothing that customers of all shapes and sizes can try online before they purchase. Computer scientists have now created a computer program that for the first time can accurately estimate the human body's shape from digital images or video. ... > full story
Stem-cell Sentry Sounds The Alarm To Maintain Balance Between Cancer And Aging, Researchers Find (October 28, 2008) -- Like a sentry guarding the castle walls, a molecular messenger inside adult stem cells sounds the alarm when it senses hazards that could allow the invasion of an insidious enemy: Cancer. ... > full story
Snakes, Salamanders And Other Creatures Thrive In Areas With Higher Deer Populations (October 28, 2008) -- Reducing the number of deer in forests and parks may unexpectedly reduce the number of reptiles, amphibians and insects in that area, new research suggests. A recent study found that higher deer activity is modifying forest ecosystems in unexpected ways. Out of several species of snakes, salamanders, and invertebrates studied, a greater diversity of animals were found in areas with deer populations than were in areas with no deer activity. ... > full story
Novel Genetic Screens Provide Panoramic Views Of Cellular Systems (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers often use the technique of RNA interference to identify genes involved in particular biological processes by knocking them down, one at a time, and observing the result. But this approach fails to capture some key players because many genes are redundant. Thus, cells can mask their distress when they lose a single gene by turning to fail-safes with the same function. A team has now overcome this obstacle, using RNAi to systematically knock down pairs of genes in fruit fly cells. ... > full story
Removal Of 'Super-polluters' Could Reduce Pollution From Nanoparticles By 25% (October 28, 2008) -- If the "super-polluters", the high-polluting vehicles, such as certain buses and transport trucks in a poor condition, were removed, pollution from nanoparticles could be reduced by up to 25% and 48%, depending on the parameter analyzed. These minute particles may cause serious health problems. ... > full story
Stress May Make You Itch (October 28, 2008) -- Current research suggests that stress may activate immune cells in your skin, resulting in inflammatory skin disease. ... > full story
How We See Objects In Depth: Brain's Code For 3-D Structure (October 28, 2008) -- Neuroscientists have discovered patterns of brain activity that may underlie our remarkable ability to see and understand the three-dimensional structure of objects. ... > full story
Fight Obesity With New Antibody That Degrades Appetite Stimulant? (October 28, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered a catalytic antibody that degrades a known appetite stimulant. The antibody works against the gastric hormone ghrelin, which has been linked to weight gain and fat storage through its metabolic actions. ... > full story
NASA Tests Rover Concepts In Arizona (October 28, 2008) -- NASA's newest lunar rover prototype has now gone farther than it ever has before. A collection of engineers, astronauts and geologists have spent the past week testing out the Small Pressurized Rover in the 11th annual Desert RATS -- or Research and Technology Studies -- field tests. ... > full story
Healing Process Found To Backfire In Lung Patients (October 28, 2008) -- A mechanism in the body which typically helps a person heal from an injury, may actually be causing patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis to get worse, researchers have found. ... > full story
Models Help Assess Biofuels' Sustainability (October 28, 2008) -- Many agricultural products can be converted into feedstocks for alternative fuel. Now analysis from the Agricultural Research Service suggests that they can be used this way without reducing the nation's food supply, soil production capacity or environmental quality. ... > full story
Does Religion Make A Difference In Politics? (October 28, 2008) -- Hoping to answer the question of which political party has a monopoly on the "best" values and how religion affects these values, researchers compared the "extrinsic" values (financial success, status, appearance) with "intrinsic" values (growth, intimacy, helping) of self-declared Democrats and Republicans in four different samples. ... > full story
Fire Out Of Africa: A Key To The Migration Of Prehistoric Humans (October 28, 2008) -- The ability to make fire millennia ago was likely a key factor in the migration of prehistoric hominids from Africa into Eurasia, according to an archaeologist studying the findings at the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov archaeological site in Israel. ... > full story
Masks, Hand Washing, Prevent Spread Of Flu-like Symptoms By Up To 50 Percent (October 28, 2008) -- Wearing masks and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers may prevent the spread of flu symptoms by as much as 50 percent, a new study suggests. ... > full story
NASA's Spitzer Gets Sneak Peek Inside Comet Holmes (October 28, 2008) -- When comet Holmes unexpectedly erupted in 2007, professional and amateur astronomers around the world turned their telescopes toward the spectacular event. Their quest was to find out why the comet had suddenly exploded. Observations taken of the comet after the explosion by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope deepen the mystery, showing oddly behaving streamers in the shell of dust surrounding the nucleus of the comet. ... > full story
Honing In On New Strategy To Treat Common Infection (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have successfully tested a genetic strategy designed to improve treatment of human infections caused by the yeast Candida albicans, ranging from diaper rash, vaginitis, oral infections (or thrush which is common in HIV/AIDS patients), as well as invasive, blood-borne and life-threatening diseases. ... > full story
North Pole Exploration: Large Sliding Masses Close Beneath The Seafloor Of East-Siberian Continental Shelf Discovered (October 28, 2008) -- RV Polarstern has returned to Bremerhaven from the Arctic Sea. It has cruised both the Northeast and the Northwest Passages and thereby circled the North Pole. The third part of the research vessel's 23rd Arctic expedition started its journey on Aug. 12 in Reykjavik and ended it on Oct. 17 in Bremerhaven. The ship traveled a distance of 20,000 km. ... > full story
News Flash: Candidates' Ads Actually Match Deeds In Congress (October 28, 2008) -- If you think candidates never keep their promises and will say anything to get elected, you're certainly not alone. And you're not right, either. ... > full story
Bacteria Cause Old Buildings To Feel Off-color (October 28, 2008) -- The assumption that time, weather, and pollution are what cause buildings to decline is only partly true. Bacteria are also responsible for the aging of buildings and monuments -- a process known as biodeterioration. Scientists have just isolated five new strains of bacteria that degrade old buildings. ... > full story
Common Epilepsy Drug Could Prevent And Treat Alzheimer's Disease (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered that a drug used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorders blocks the formation of plaques that cause Alzheimer's disease in animal models. ... > full story
Exposing Chicks To Maternal Stress Leads To Long-term Reproductive Success (October 28, 2008) -- Exposure to maternal stress during pre-natal development has negative impacts, so why doesn't natural selection work to block it? European starling sons exposed to the stress hormone corticosterone experienced increased mortality. But those that survived were of better quality. The mothers began later broods in better condition, had increased future reproduction, and increased survival compared to "stressed" mothers that raised "normal" offspring that were not exposed to corticosterone. ... > full story
New Test Promises Quicker, More Accurate Evaluation For Cystic Fibrosis Patients (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have identified a simple gene-based blood test that more accurately and quickly measures cystic fibrosis patients' response to therapy than current tests. The test, a measure of inflammatory gene expression, could improve patient care and help clear a backlog of promising medications now hung up in clinical trials. ... > full story
Scientists Unwrap The Elements Of Life (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have taken a step forward in our understanding of how the fundamental building blocks of life are put together. They have revealed a mechanism that ensures the right metal goes to the right protein. Proteins are essential and involved in just about every process in living cells. ... > full story
Role Of Slave Trade In Evolution Of American Wild Rice Species (October 28, 2008) -- Rice is the world’s foremost cereal crop as a human food source. Today’s cultivated varieties derive from the species Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrina, domesticated respectively in Asia and West Africa. Besides these two domestic taxa, there are around 20 species of wild rice of the genus Oryza, all located in the tropics. Their common ancestor appears to have emerged from Eurasia about 50 million years B.P. ... > full story
