Obesity and diabetes are a downside of human evolution, research suggests
As if the recent prediction that half of all Americans will have diabetes or pre-diabetes by the year 2020 isn't alarming enough, a new genetic discovery published online in the FASEB Journal provides a disturbing explanation as to why: we took an evolutionary "wrong turn." In the research report, scientists show that human evolution leading to the loss of function in a gene called "CMAH" may make humans more prone to obesity and diabetes than other mammals.
"Diabetes is estimated to affect over 25 million individuals in the U.S., and 285 million people worldwide," said Jane J. Kim, M.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla, CA. "Our study for the first time links human-specific sialic acid changes to insulin and glucose metabolism and therefore opens up a new perspective in understanding the causes of diabetes."
February 25, 2011
BBC News - Mouse heart 're-grows when cut', study shows
BBC News - Mouse heart 're-grows when cut', study shows
Scientists in the United States have found newborn mice can re-grow their own hearts.
The mice had a large chunk of their heart removed a day after birth, only for the heart to restore itself within three weeks.
Fish and amphibians are known to have the power to re-grow heart tissue, but the study in Science is the first time the process has been seen in mammals.
Scientists in the United States have found newborn mice can re-grow their own hearts.
The mice had a large chunk of their heart removed a day after birth, only for the heart to restore itself within three weeks.
Fish and amphibians are known to have the power to re-grow heart tissue, but the study in Science is the first time the process has been seen in mammals.
February 23, 2011
Private Stock Trades Investigated By SEC
Private Stock Trades Investigated By SEC
If the SEC has its way, the murky market in private company stock may soon become more transparent.
Investors are jumping at the chance to buy stakes in hot technology companies, but the process by which shares of those privately-held companies are traded is relatively unregulated. Even the most sought-after private companies -- like Facebook and Twitter -- don't have to disclose basic pieces of financial information, forcing most outsiders to simply guess about a company's income and profit. The market is exclusive, the valuations are high and the transactions have relatively little government oversight.
If the SEC has its way, the murky market in private company stock may soon become more transparent.
Investors are jumping at the chance to buy stakes in hot technology companies, but the process by which shares of those privately-held companies are traded is relatively unregulated. Even the most sought-after private companies -- like Facebook and Twitter -- don't have to disclose basic pieces of financial information, forcing most outsiders to simply guess about a company's income and profit. The market is exclusive, the valuations are high and the transactions have relatively little government oversight.
‘Alone Together’ by Sherry Turkle - Review - NYTimes.com
‘Alone Together’ by Sherry Turkle - Review - NYTimes.com
Teenagers who send and receive six to eight thousand texts a month and spend hours a day on Facebook. Mourners who send text messages during a memorial service because they can’t go an hour without using their BlackBerries. Children who see an authentic Galapagos tortoise at the American Museum of Natural History and can’t understand why the museum didn’t use a robot tortoise instead. High school students who wonder how much they should tilt their Facebook profiles toward what their friends will think is cool, or what college admissions boards might prize.
Teenagers who send and receive six to eight thousand texts a month and spend hours a day on Facebook. Mourners who send text messages during a memorial service because they can’t go an hour without using their BlackBerries. Children who see an authentic Galapagos tortoise at the American Museum of Natural History and can’t understand why the museum didn’t use a robot tortoise instead. High school students who wonder how much they should tilt their Facebook profiles toward what their friends will think is cool, or what college admissions boards might prize.
Cellphone calls alter brain activity: study | Reuters
Cellphone calls alter brain activity: study | Reuters
Spending 50 minutes with a cellphone plastered to your ear is enough to change brain cell activity in the part of the brain closest to the antenna.
But whether that causes any harm is not clear, scientists at the National Institutes of Health said on Tuesday, adding that the study will likely not settle recurring concerns of a link between cellphones and brain cancer.
"What we showed is glucose metabolism (a sign of brain activity) increases in the brain in people who were exposed to a cellphone in the area closet to the antenna," said Dr. Nora Volkow of the NIH, whose study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Spending 50 minutes with a cellphone plastered to your ear is enough to change brain cell activity in the part of the brain closest to the antenna.
But whether that causes any harm is not clear, scientists at the National Institutes of Health said on Tuesday, adding that the study will likely not settle recurring concerns of a link between cellphones and brain cancer.
"What we showed is glucose metabolism (a sign of brain activity) increases in the brain in people who were exposed to a cellphone in the area closet to the antenna," said Dr. Nora Volkow of the NIH, whose study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Heaviest Antimatter Found; Made in U.S. Atom Smasher
Heaviest Antimatter Found; Made in U.S. Atom Smasher
A tiny "big bang" set off in Long Island recently created a new type of antimatter that's literally off the charts, scientists announced last week.
Dubbed the antihypertriton, the newfound antimatter is the heaviest yet detected. What's more, it's the first type of particle that contains what's called an antistrange quark, which puts the antihypertriton in a new plane on the periodic table of elements.
A tiny "big bang" set off in Long Island recently created a new type of antimatter that's literally off the charts, scientists announced last week.
Dubbed the antihypertriton, the newfound antimatter is the heaviest yet detected. What's more, it's the first type of particle that contains what's called an antistrange quark, which puts the antihypertriton in a new plane on the periodic table of elements.
Babies and toddlers can suffer mental illness, seldom get treatment
Babies and toddlers can suffer mental illness, seldom get treatment
Infants and toddlers can suffer serious mental health disorders, yet they are unlikely to receive treatment that could prevent lasting developmental problems, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Infants and toddlers can suffer serious mental health disorders, yet they are unlikely to receive treatment that could prevent lasting developmental problems, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
February 22, 2011
BBC News - GM crops continue spread, passing 'billion hectares'
BBC News - GM crops continue spread, passing 'billion hectares'
The area of the world's farmland used for growing genetically modified crops increased by about 10% last year.
GM use grew fastest in Brazil but fell in the EU, says the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).
Virtually all GM strains used were engineered for just two traits, disease resistance and herbicide tolerance.
ISAAA is an organisation partly funded by industry that promotes biotechnology as a path to sustainability.
The area of the world's farmland used for growing genetically modified crops increased by about 10% last year.
GM use grew fastest in Brazil but fell in the EU, says the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).
Virtually all GM strains used were engineered for just two traits, disease resistance and herbicide tolerance.
ISAAA is an organisation partly funded by industry that promotes biotechnology as a path to sustainability.
Yoga Journal - Yoga Meditation - Embrace Reality
Yoga Journal - Yoga Meditation - Embrace Reality
Ignorance, or avidya, is a root cause of suffering, according to Patanjali's Yoga Sutra (II.5). But the ignorance Patanjali refers to is less a lack of knowledge than an almost willful ignoring of reality. Today we call it denial. For instance, we may intellectually know that all things change, yet we desperately deny this truth—a denial that leads to anxiety, fear, and confusion.
Ignorance, or avidya, is a root cause of suffering, according to Patanjali's Yoga Sutra (II.5). But the ignorance Patanjali refers to is less a lack of knowledge than an almost willful ignoring of reality. Today we call it denial. For instance, we may intellectually know that all things change, yet we desperately deny this truth—a denial that leads to anxiety, fear, and confusion.
Group of Short Ecuadoreans Holds Anti-Aging Secret - Yahoo! News
Group of Short Ecuadoreans Holds Anti-Aging Secret
A group of short-statured Ecuadoreans has surprised scientists, not for its members' dwarfism, but because they are also immune to cancer and diabetes. Now scientists think they've figured out the group's healthy secret.
The individuals have Laron syndrome, a rare disease that causes stunted growth in about 250 people worldwide. Scientists have known the syndrome results from a mutation in a gene that regulates how cells grow and divide. And it turns out the mutation's effect on a growth-signaling pathway in the body also leads to resistance to cancer and diabetes.
A group of short-statured Ecuadoreans has surprised scientists, not for its members' dwarfism, but because they are also immune to cancer and diabetes. Now scientists think they've figured out the group's healthy secret.
The individuals have Laron syndrome, a rare disease that causes stunted growth in about 250 people worldwide. Scientists have known the syndrome results from a mutation in a gene that regulates how cells grow and divide. And it turns out the mutation's effect on a growth-signaling pathway in the body also leads to resistance to cancer and diabetes.
Life of crime begins at 3 for some children: Scientists identify disturbing traits | Mail Online
Life of crime begins at 3 for some children: Scientists identify disturbing traits
At the age of three, most children will want to grow up to be a train driver, astronaut or princess.
But according to scientists, some toddlers are already destined for a life of crime.
Disturbing evidence has emerged that the psychological seeds of a criminal career can be seen before they even reach nursery school.
At the age of three, most children will want to grow up to be a train driver, astronaut or princess.
But according to scientists, some toddlers are already destined for a life of crime.
Disturbing evidence has emerged that the psychological seeds of a criminal career can be seen before they even reach nursery school.
Dry copper kills bacteria on contact
Dry copper kills bacteria on contact
Metallic copper surfaces kill microbes on contact, decimating their populations, according to a paper in the February 2011 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. They do so literally in minutes, by causing massive membrane damage after about a minute's exposure, says the study's corresponding author, Gregor Grass of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. This is the first study to demonstrate this mechanism of bacteriocide.
"When microbes were exposed to copper surfaces, we observed contact killing to take place at the rate of tens to hundreds of millions of bacterial cells within minutes," says Grass. "This means that usually no live microorganisms can be recovered from copper surfaces after exposure."
Metallic copper surfaces kill microbes on contact, decimating their populations, according to a paper in the February 2011 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. They do so literally in minutes, by causing massive membrane damage after about a minute's exposure, says the study's corresponding author, Gregor Grass of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. This is the first study to demonstrate this mechanism of bacteriocide.
"When microbes were exposed to copper surfaces, we observed contact killing to take place at the rate of tens to hundreds of millions of bacterial cells within minutes," says Grass. "This means that usually no live microorganisms can be recovered from copper surfaces after exposure."
New Idea to Reduce Global Warming: Everyone Eat Insects
New Idea to Reduce Global Warming: Everyone Eat Insects
There is a rational, even persuasive, argument for voluntarily eating insects: Bugs are high in protein, require less space to grow and offer a more environmentally friendly alternative to the vertebrates we Westerners prefer, advocates of the bug fare say.
However, this topic is not a hotbed of research, so while some data exist — in particular on the protein content of insects — there are some assumptions built into the latter part of this argument.
"The suggestion that insects would be more efficient has been around for quite some time," said Dennis Oonincx, an entomologist at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. He and other researchers decided to test it, by comparing the greenhouse gas emissions from five species of insects with those of cattle and pigs.
There is a rational, even persuasive, argument for voluntarily eating insects: Bugs are high in protein, require less space to grow and offer a more environmentally friendly alternative to the vertebrates we Westerners prefer, advocates of the bug fare say.
However, this topic is not a hotbed of research, so while some data exist — in particular on the protein content of insects — there are some assumptions built into the latter part of this argument.
"The suggestion that insects would be more efficient has been around for quite some time," said Dennis Oonincx, an entomologist at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. He and other researchers decided to test it, by comparing the greenhouse gas emissions from five species of insects with those of cattle and pigs.
The Midlife Crisis Is a Total Myth - Yahoo! News
The Midlife Crisis Is a Total Myth
He — the person is usually depicted as a "he" — turns off the alarm, stares into a bowl of soggy cereal, puts on a tired-looking suit and goes to the office for more of the same drab routine. And so it continues until one day, usually the day he realizes he is mortal (or starting to lose his hair), he goes berserk: He bangs his secretary, quits his job and buys a red convertible.
And we all nod, acknowledging the inevitable midlife crisis. One made Monica Lewinsky famous, another won an Academy Award for "American Beauty," and the concept is as embedded in our culture as the belief in the power of positive thinking.
He — the person is usually depicted as a "he" — turns off the alarm, stares into a bowl of soggy cereal, puts on a tired-looking suit and goes to the office for more of the same drab routine. And so it continues until one day, usually the day he realizes he is mortal (or starting to lose his hair), he goes berserk: He bangs his secretary, quits his job and buys a red convertible.
And we all nod, acknowledging the inevitable midlife crisis. One made Monica Lewinsky famous, another won an Academy Award for "American Beauty," and the concept is as embedded in our culture as the belief in the power of positive thinking.
Pollution with antibiotics leads to resistant bacteria, scientists find
Pollution with antibiotics leads to resistant bacteria, scientists find
Many of the substances in our most common medicines are manufactured in India. Some of these factories release huge quantities of drugs to the environment. Swedish scientists now show that bacteria in polluted rivers become resistant to a range of antibiotics. International experts fear that this may contribute to the development of untreatable infectious diseases worldwide.
Many of the substances in our most common medicines are manufactured in India. Some of these factories release huge quantities of drugs to the environment. Swedish scientists now show that bacteria in polluted rivers become resistant to a range of antibiotics. International experts fear that this may contribute to the development of untreatable infectious diseases worldwide.
February 21, 2011
Can a Fake Smile Be Bad for Your Health?
Can a Fake Smile Be Bad for Your Health?
When was the last time you flashed a fake smile at the office?
For some, it may be just another mundane aspect of work life — putting on a game face to hide your inner unhappiness. But new research suggests that it may have unexpected consequences: worsening your mood and causing you to withdraw from the tasks at hand.
In a study published this month in the Academy of Management Journal, scientists tracked a group of bus drivers for two weeks, focusing on them because their jobs require frequent, and generally courteous, interactions with many people.
When was the last time you flashed a fake smile at the office?
For some, it may be just another mundane aspect of work life — putting on a game face to hide your inner unhappiness. But new research suggests that it may have unexpected consequences: worsening your mood and causing you to withdraw from the tasks at hand.
In a study published this month in the Academy of Management Journal, scientists tracked a group of bus drivers for two weeks, focusing on them because their jobs require frequent, and generally courteous, interactions with many people.
Athletes Replacing Sports Drinks With Beer
Athletes Replacing Sports Drinks With Beer
In the past you might think you would have to be sitting in the stands of a sporting event to get a cold brew. Now a new trend has athletes joining in on the beer drinking.
A Bavarian brewmeister is touting its no-alcohol beer as the latest sport drink for athletes, handing it out at the finish line of sporting events and touting its regenerative benefits.
Unlike Gatorade, Erdinger Alkoholfrei is served up with a frothy head. And it comes in one color, a golden hue, unlike conventional sport drinks.
In the past you might think you would have to be sitting in the stands of a sporting event to get a cold brew. Now a new trend has athletes joining in on the beer drinking.
A Bavarian brewmeister is touting its no-alcohol beer as the latest sport drink for athletes, handing it out at the finish line of sporting events and touting its regenerative benefits.
Unlike Gatorade, Erdinger Alkoholfrei is served up with a frothy head. And it comes in one color, a golden hue, unlike conventional sport drinks.
Being bilingual may delay Alzheimer's and boost brain power
Being bilingual may delay Alzheimer's and boost brain power
Learning a second language and speaking it regularly can improve your cognitive skills and delay the onset of dementia, according to researchers who compared bilingual individuals with people who spoke only one language.
Their study suggests that bilingual speakers hold Alzheimer's disease at bay for an extra four years on average compared with monoglots. School-level language skills that you use on holiday may even improve brain function to some extent.
In addition, bilingual children who use their second language regularly are better at prioritising tasks and multitasking compared with monolingual children, said Ellen Bialystok, a psychologist at York University in Toronto.
Learning a second language and speaking it regularly can improve your cognitive skills and delay the onset of dementia, according to researchers who compared bilingual individuals with people who spoke only one language.
Their study suggests that bilingual speakers hold Alzheimer's disease at bay for an extra four years on average compared with monoglots. School-level language skills that you use on holiday may even improve brain function to some extent.
In addition, bilingual children who use their second language regularly are better at prioritising tasks and multitasking compared with monolingual children, said Ellen Bialystok, a psychologist at York University in Toronto.
Physicists build bigger 'bottles' of antimatter to unlock nature's secrets
Physicists build bigger 'bottles' of antimatter to unlock nature's secrets
Once regarded as the stuff of science fiction, antimatter -- the mirror image of the ordinary matter in our observable universe -- is now the focus of laboratory studies around the world.
While physicists routinely produce antimatter with radioisotopes and particle colliders, cooling these antiparticles and containing them for any length of time is another story. Once antimatter comes into contact with ordinary matter it "annihilates" -- or disappears in a flash of gamma radiation.
Once regarded as the stuff of science fiction, antimatter -- the mirror image of the ordinary matter in our observable universe -- is now the focus of laboratory studies around the world.
While physicists routinely produce antimatter with radioisotopes and particle colliders, cooling these antiparticles and containing them for any length of time is another story. Once antimatter comes into contact with ordinary matter it "annihilates" -- or disappears in a flash of gamma radiation.
US will no longer dominate science and research, expert predicts
US will no longer dominate science and research, expert predicts
A shift in the global research landscape will reposition the United States as a major partner, but not the dominant leader, in science and technology research in the coming decade, according to a Penn State researcher. However, the U.S. could benefit from this research shift if it adopts a policy of knowledge sharing with the growing global community of researchers.
A shift in the global research landscape will reposition the United States as a major partner, but not the dominant leader, in science and technology research in the coming decade, according to a Penn State researcher. However, the U.S. could benefit from this research shift if it adopts a policy of knowledge sharing with the growing global community of researchers.
BBC - Earth News - Monkeys 'display self-doubt' like humans
BBC - Earth News - Monkeys 'display self-doubt' like humans
Monkeys trained to play computer games have helped to show that it is not just humans that feel self-doubt and uncertainty, a study says.
US-based scientists found that macaques will "pass" rather than risk choosing the wrong answer in a brainteaser task.
Awareness of our own thinking was believed to be a uniquely human trait.
But the study, presented at the AAAS meeting in Washington DC, suggests that our more primitive primate relatives are capable of such self-awareness.
Monkeys trained to play computer games have helped to show that it is not just humans that feel self-doubt and uncertainty, a study says.
US-based scientists found that macaques will "pass" rather than risk choosing the wrong answer in a brainteaser task.
Awareness of our own thinking was believed to be a uniquely human trait.
But the study, presented at the AAAS meeting in Washington DC, suggests that our more primitive primate relatives are capable of such self-awareness.
BBC News - 'Printing out' new ears and skin
BBC News - 'Printing out' new ears and skin
Hod Lipson: 'People have been trying to expand the range of materials that can be fabricated using a 3D printer'
Continue reading the main story
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The printed future of Christmas dinner
Tech Know: Life hacking
3D printing revolution
The next step in the 3D printing revolution may be body parts including cartilage, bone and even skin.
Three-dimensional printing is a technique for making solid objects with devices not unlike a computer printer, building up line by line, and then vertically layer by layer.
While the approach works with polymers and plastics, the raw ingredients of 3D printing have been recently branching out significantly.
Hod Lipson: 'People have been trying to expand the range of materials that can be fabricated using a 3D printer'
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories
The printed future of Christmas dinner
Tech Know: Life hacking
3D printing revolution
The next step in the 3D printing revolution may be body parts including cartilage, bone and even skin.
Three-dimensional printing is a technique for making solid objects with devices not unlike a computer printer, building up line by line, and then vertically layer by layer.
While the approach works with polymers and plastics, the raw ingredients of 3D printing have been recently branching out significantly.
Scientists steer car with the power of thought
Scientists steer car with the power of thought
You need to keep your thoughts from wandering, if you drive using the new technology from the AutoNOMOS innovation labs of Freie Universität Berlin. The computer scientists have developed a system making it possible to steer a car with your thoughts. Using new commercially available sensors to measure brain waves -- sensors for recording electroencephalograms (EEG) -- the scientists were able to distinguish the bioelectrical wave patterns for control commands such as "left," "right," "accelerate" or "brake" in a test subject.
You need to keep your thoughts from wandering, if you drive using the new technology from the AutoNOMOS innovation labs of Freie Universität Berlin. The computer scientists have developed a system making it possible to steer a car with your thoughts. Using new commercially available sensors to measure brain waves -- sensors for recording electroencephalograms (EEG) -- the scientists were able to distinguish the bioelectrical wave patterns for control commands such as "left," "right," "accelerate" or "brake" in a test subject.
Using amphetamines may increase risk of Parkinson's disease, study suggests
Using amphetamines may increase risk of Parkinson's disease, study suggests
New research shows people who have used amphetamines such as benzedrine and dexedrine appear to be at an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to a study released February 22 that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu April 9 to April 16, 2011.
Benzedrine and Dexedrine are amphetamines often prescribed to increase wakefulness and focus for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, a disorder that can cause excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden attacks of sleep. They are also used to treat traumatic brain injuries.
New research shows people who have used amphetamines such as benzedrine and dexedrine appear to be at an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to a study released February 22 that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu April 9 to April 16, 2011.
Benzedrine and Dexedrine are amphetamines often prescribed to increase wakefulness and focus for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, a disorder that can cause excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden attacks of sleep. They are also used to treat traumatic brain injuries.
February 17, 2011
Arlene Weintraub: Astaxanthin Makes Flamingos Rosy, But Will It Keep You Young?
Arlene Weintraub: Astaxanthin Makes Flamingos Rosy, But Will It Keep You Young?
Another day, another anti-aging phenom.
The newest supplement to catch the fancy of folks who refuse to get old is astaxanthin, an antioxidant found in algae. Astaxanthin (pronounced as-ta-ZAN-thin) is the compound that gives salmon and flamingos their pink hue. Proponents claim that in people, it has the power to reduce inflammation and oxidative damage to cells, which in turn preserves the eyes, skin, joints and central nervous system.
Another day, another anti-aging phenom.
The newest supplement to catch the fancy of folks who refuse to get old is astaxanthin, an antioxidant found in algae. Astaxanthin (pronounced as-ta-ZAN-thin) is the compound that gives salmon and flamingos their pink hue. Proponents claim that in people, it has the power to reduce inflammation and oxidative damage to cells, which in turn preserves the eyes, skin, joints and central nervous system.
US public's knowledge of science: Getting better but a long way to go, study finds
US public's knowledge of science: Getting better but a long way to go, study finds
Amid concerns about the lagging math and science performance of American children, American adults are actually scoring higher than they did 20 years ago on a widely used index of civic scientific literacy, according to a University of Michigan researcher.
In 1988, just 10 percent of U.S. adults had sufficient understanding of basic scientific ideas to be able to read the Tuesday Science section of The New York Times, according to Jon Miller, a researcher at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR). By 2008, 28 percent of adults scored high enough to understand scientific ideas at that level.
Despite the improvement, the American public has a long way to go, says Miller, who contributed to the latest publication of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Science and the Educated American.
Amid concerns about the lagging math and science performance of American children, American adults are actually scoring higher than they did 20 years ago on a widely used index of civic scientific literacy, according to a University of Michigan researcher.
In 1988, just 10 percent of U.S. adults had sufficient understanding of basic scientific ideas to be able to read the Tuesday Science section of The New York Times, according to Jon Miller, a researcher at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR). By 2008, 28 percent of adults scored high enough to understand scientific ideas at that level.
Despite the improvement, the American public has a long way to go, says Miller, who contributed to the latest publication of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Science and the Educated American.
Regrowing hair: Researchers may have accidentally discovered a solution
Regrowing hair: Researchers may have accidentally discovered a solution
It has been long known that stress plays a part not just in the graying of hair but in hair loss as well. Over the years, numerous hair-restoration remedies have emerged, ranging from hucksters' "miracle solvents" to legitimate medications such as minoxidil. But even the best of these have shown limited effectiveness.
Now, a team led by researchers from UCLA and the Veterans Administration that was investigating how stress affects gastrointestinal function may have found a chemical compound that induces hair growth by blocking a stress-related hormone associated with hair loss -- entirely by accident.
It has been long known that stress plays a part not just in the graying of hair but in hair loss as well. Over the years, numerous hair-restoration remedies have emerged, ranging from hucksters' "miracle solvents" to legitimate medications such as minoxidil. But even the best of these have shown limited effectiveness.
Now, a team led by researchers from UCLA and the Veterans Administration that was investigating how stress affects gastrointestinal function may have found a chemical compound that induces hair growth by blocking a stress-related hormone associated with hair loss -- entirely by accident.
Periodic table of shapes' to give a new dimension to math
Periodic table of shapes, to give a new dimension to math
Mathematicians are creating their own version of the periodic table that will provide a vast directory of all the possible shapes in the universe across three, four and five dimensions, linking shapes together in the same way as the periodic table links groups of chemical elements.
The three-year project should provide a resource that mathematicians, physicists and other scientists can use for calculations and research in a range of areas, including computer vision, number theory, and theoretical physics.
The researchers, from Imperial College London and institutions in Australia, Japan and Russia, are aiming to identify all the shapes across three, four and five dimensions that cannot be divided into other shapes.
Mathematicians are creating their own version of the periodic table that will provide a vast directory of all the possible shapes in the universe across three, four and five dimensions, linking shapes together in the same way as the periodic table links groups of chemical elements.
The three-year project should provide a resource that mathematicians, physicists and other scientists can use for calculations and research in a range of areas, including computer vision, number theory, and theoretical physics.
The researchers, from Imperial College London and institutions in Australia, Japan and Russia, are aiming to identify all the shapes across three, four and five dimensions that cannot be divided into other shapes.
On ‘Jeopardy!’ Computer Win Is All but Trivial
On ‘Jeopardy!’ Computer Win Is All but Trivial
In the end, the humans on “Jeopardy!” surrendered meekly.
Facing certain defeat at the hands of a room-size I.B.M. computer on Wednesday evening, Ken Jennings, famous for winning 74 games in a row on the TV quiz show, acknowledged the obvious. “I, for one, welcome our new computer overlords,” he wrote on his video screen, borrowing a line from a “Simpsons” episode.
From now on, if the answer is “the computer champion on “Jeopardy!,” the question will be, “What is Watson?”
In the end, the humans on “Jeopardy!” surrendered meekly.
Facing certain defeat at the hands of a room-size I.B.M. computer on Wednesday evening, Ken Jennings, famous for winning 74 games in a row on the TV quiz show, acknowledged the obvious. “I, for one, welcome our new computer overlords,” he wrote on his video screen, borrowing a line from a “Simpsons” episode.
From now on, if the answer is “the computer champion on “Jeopardy!,” the question will be, “What is Watson?”
As World Runs Out of I.P. Addresses, Switch to IPv6 Nears
As World Runs Out of I.P. Addresses, Switch to IPv6 Nears
In 1976, Mr. Cerf and his colleagues in the R.& D. office of the Defense Department had to make a judgment call: how much network address space should they allocate to an experiment connecting computers in an advanced data network?
They debated the question for more than a year. Finally, with a deadline looming, Mr. Cerf decided on a number — 4.3 billion separate network addresses, each one representing a connected device — that seemed to provide more room to grow than his experiment would ever require, far more, in fact, than he could ever imagine needing. And so he was comfortable rejecting the even larger number of addresses that some on his team had argued for
In 1976, Mr. Cerf and his colleagues in the R.& D. office of the Defense Department had to make a judgment call: how much network address space should they allocate to an experiment connecting computers in an advanced data network?
They debated the question for more than a year. Finally, with a deadline looming, Mr. Cerf decided on a number — 4.3 billion separate network addresses, each one representing a connected device — that seemed to provide more room to grow than his experiment would ever require, far more, in fact, than he could ever imagine needing. And so he was comfortable rejecting the even larger number of addresses that some on his team had argued for
Man Survives With Knife in Head for 4 Years
Man Survives With Knife in Head for 4 Years
A 37-year-old Chinese man, who suffered from chronic migraines, finally has some relief after doctors removed a 4-inch knife blade that has been in his head for more than four years, AsiaOne.com reported.
Li Fu, from Yunnan Province, was stabbed in the head during an armed robbery in 2006, but doctors who treated his injuries at the time did not realize the knife was embedded in his skull.
Last month, doctors finally took an X-ray of Li’s skull, to find the source of his headaches, and that’s when they made the startling discovery.
A 37-year-old Chinese man, who suffered from chronic migraines, finally has some relief after doctors removed a 4-inch knife blade that has been in his head for more than four years, AsiaOne.com reported.
Li Fu, from Yunnan Province, was stabbed in the head during an armed robbery in 2006, but doctors who treated his injuries at the time did not realize the knife was embedded in his skull.
Last month, doctors finally took an X-ray of Li’s skull, to find the source of his headaches, and that’s when they made the startling discovery.
Man With Lung, Prostate and Throat Cancer to Hike 2,600 Miles
Man With Lung, Prostate and Throat Cancer to Hike 2,600 Miles
A 68-year-old Florida man with stage 4 lung cancer is training for a 2,600 mile hike from the Mexican border all the way to Canada, MyFoxOrlando.com reported.
John Casterline has not only been fighting lung cancer for almost five years, but in the past few months he was also diagnosed with two other types.
"The fact that I'm still alive, I'm in a very small elite group that lasted this long, it has been 4-and-a-half years. I've developed two more cancers. In November, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, had my prostate removed and then in December I was diagnosed with throat cancer," he said.
A 68-year-old Florida man with stage 4 lung cancer is training for a 2,600 mile hike from the Mexican border all the way to Canada, MyFoxOrlando.com reported.
John Casterline has not only been fighting lung cancer for almost five years, but in the past few months he was also diagnosed with two other types.
"The fact that I'm still alive, I'm in a very small elite group that lasted this long, it has been 4-and-a-half years. I've developed two more cancers. In November, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, had my prostate removed and then in December I was diagnosed with throat cancer," he said.
For Some Troops, Powerful Drug Cocktails Have Deadly Results
For Some Troops, Powerful Drug Cocktails Have Deadly Results
In his last months alive, Senior Airman Anthony Mena rarely left home without a backpack filled with medications.
He returned from his second deployment to Iraq complaining of back pain, insomnia, anxiety and nightmares. Doctors diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder and prescribed powerful cocktails of psychiatric drugs and narcotics.
Yet his pain only deepened, as did his depression. “I have almost given up hope,” he told a doctor in 2008, medical records show. “I should have died in Iraq.”
Airman Mena died instead in his Albuquerque apartment, on July 21, 2009, five months after leaving the Air Force on a medical discharge. A toxicologist found eight prescription medications in his blood, including three antidepressants, a sedative, a sleeping pill and two potent painkillers.
In his last months alive, Senior Airman Anthony Mena rarely left home without a backpack filled with medications.
He returned from his second deployment to Iraq complaining of back pain, insomnia, anxiety and nightmares. Doctors diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder and prescribed powerful cocktails of psychiatric drugs and narcotics.
Yet his pain only deepened, as did his depression. “I have almost given up hope,” he told a doctor in 2008, medical records show. “I should have died in Iraq.”
Airman Mena died instead in his Albuquerque apartment, on July 21, 2009, five months after leaving the Air Force on a medical discharge. A toxicologist found eight prescription medications in his blood, including three antidepressants, a sedative, a sleeping pill and two potent painkillers.
February 16, 2011
They've really clicked! Dolphins and scientists talk to each other using shared primitive language
They've really clicked! Dolphins and scientists talk to each other using shared primitive language
Dolphins are the world's second brightest creatures after humans and have many brain features associated with high intelligence.
So clever are the aquatic mammals that scientists have frequently communicated with those in captivity by rewarding their responses with fish.
But behavioural biologists have now carried out two-way communication with dolphins in the wild in the first study of its kind.
Dolphins are the world's second brightest creatures after humans and have many brain features associated with high intelligence.
So clever are the aquatic mammals that scientists have frequently communicated with those in captivity by rewarding their responses with fish.
But behavioural biologists have now carried out two-way communication with dolphins in the wild in the first study of its kind.
World Bank: Food prices at "dangerous levels"
World Bank: Food prices at "dangerous levels"
Global food prices have hit "dangerous levels" that could contribute to political instability, push millions of people into poverty and raise the cost of groceries, according to a new report from the World Bank.
The bank released a report Tuesday that said global food prices have jumped 29 percent in the past year, and are just 3 percent below the all-time peak hit in 2008. Bank President Robert Zoellick said the rising prices have hit people hardest in the developing world because they spend as much as half their income on food.
"Food prices are the key and major challenge facing many developing countries today," Zoellick said. The World Bank estimates higher prices for corn, wheat and oil have pushed 44 million people into extreme poverty since last June.
Global food prices have hit "dangerous levels" that could contribute to political instability, push millions of people into poverty and raise the cost of groceries, according to a new report from the World Bank.
The bank released a report Tuesday that said global food prices have jumped 29 percent in the past year, and are just 3 percent below the all-time peak hit in 2008. Bank President Robert Zoellick said the rising prices have hit people hardest in the developing world because they spend as much as half their income on food.
"Food prices are the key and major challenge facing many developing countries today," Zoellick said. The World Bank estimates higher prices for corn, wheat and oil have pushed 44 million people into extreme poverty since last June.
Early balding linked to risk of prostate cancer | Reuters
Early balding linked to risk of prostate cancer | Reuters
A study showing that men who start to go bald at 20 may be more likely to develop prostate cancer in later life suggests they might benefit from early screening or preventative therapy, scientists said on Tuesday.
French researchers compared 388 men being treated for prostate cancer with 281 healthy men and found that those with the disease were twice as likely as the healthy men to have started losing their hair when they were 20.
If the men only started going bald when they were 30 or 40, there was no difference in their risk of developing prostate cancer compared to the healthy group.
A study showing that men who start to go bald at 20 may be more likely to develop prostate cancer in later life suggests they might benefit from early screening or preventative therapy, scientists said on Tuesday.
French researchers compared 388 men being treated for prostate cancer with 281 healthy men and found that those with the disease were twice as likely as the healthy men to have started losing their hair when they were 20.
If the men only started going bald when they were 30 or 40, there was no difference in their risk of developing prostate cancer compared to the healthy group.
BBC News - Sun unleashes huge solar flare
BBC News - Sun unleashes huge solar flare
The Sun has unleashed its strongest flare in four years, observers say.
The eruption is a so-called X-flare, the strongest type; such flares can affect communications on Earth.
Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft recorded an intense flash of extreme ultraviolet radiation emanating from a sunspot.
The Sun has unleashed its strongest flare in four years, observers say.
The eruption is a so-called X-flare, the strongest type; such flares can affect communications on Earth.
Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft recorded an intense flash of extreme ultraviolet radiation emanating from a sunspot.
Carnivorous Plant Snaps Shut With 600 Gs
Carnivorous Plant Snaps Shut With 600 Gs
A carnivorous plant that lives in bogs worldwide traps its prey in less than a millisecond, more than 100 times faster than a Venus flytrap can manage, a new study finds. The study is the first to capture a high-speed recording of the plant's traps snapping shut.
Utricularia, a genus of rootless carnivorous plants, is better known by its common name, bladderwort. There are more than 200 species worldwide, living in fresh water and saturated soils. To survive without roots, bladderworts trap and digest tiny organisms, including protozoa and tiny crustaceans. They do so with small bladder-like traps that line their stems.
A carnivorous plant that lives in bogs worldwide traps its prey in less than a millisecond, more than 100 times faster than a Venus flytrap can manage, a new study finds. The study is the first to capture a high-speed recording of the plant's traps snapping shut.
Utricularia, a genus of rootless carnivorous plants, is better known by its common name, bladderwort. There are more than 200 species worldwide, living in fresh water and saturated soils. To survive without roots, bladderworts trap and digest tiny organisms, including protozoa and tiny crustaceans. They do so with small bladder-like traps that line their stems.
February 14, 2011
I.B.M.’s Watson - Computers Close In on the ‘Paris Hilton’ Problem - NYTimes.com
I.B.M.’s Watson - Computers Close In on the ‘Paris Hilton’ Problem - NYTimes.com
At the dawn of the modern computer era, two Pentagon-financed laboratories bracketed Stanford University. At one laboratory, a small group of scientists and engineers worked to replace the human mind, while at the other, a similar group worked to augment it.
In 1963 the mathematician-turned-computer scientist John McCarthy started the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. The researchers believed that it would take only a decade to create a thinking machine.
Also that year the computer scientist Douglas Engelbart formed what would become the Augmentation Research Center to pursue a radically different goal — designing a computing system that would instead “bootstrap” the human intellige
At the dawn of the modern computer era, two Pentagon-financed laboratories bracketed Stanford University. At one laboratory, a small group of scientists and engineers worked to replace the human mind, while at the other, a similar group worked to augment it.
In 1963 the mathematician-turned-computer scientist John McCarthy started the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. The researchers believed that it would take only a decade to create a thinking machine.
Also that year the computer scientist Douglas Engelbart formed what would become the Augmentation Research Center to pursue a radically different goal — designing a computing system that would instead “bootstrap” the human intellige
Twisted Tropics: Growth of Vines Imperils Ecosystem
Twisted Tropics: Growth of Vines Imperils Ecosystem
rees are the backbone of a forest, but in tropical forests throughout the Americas, trees appear to be losing ground to the woody vines that climb them in a race to reach the sunlight above. This shift could have important implications for tropical ecosystems and for the globe, according to researchers.
"This is the first major structural change in tropical ecosystems that we have witnessed. That is key," said Stefan Schnitzer, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Schnitzer is one of the two researchers who pulled together evidence from eight studies that, collective, show a pattern of woody vine growth in American tropical and subtropical forests.
"That is going to have cascading effects on things like species diversity, tropical forest functioning in carbon storage and whole forest water use — really important and practical things that will change the way these forests work," said Schnitzer, who is also a research associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.
rees are the backbone of a forest, but in tropical forests throughout the Americas, trees appear to be losing ground to the woody vines that climb them in a race to reach the sunlight above. This shift could have important implications for tropical ecosystems and for the globe, according to researchers.
"This is the first major structural change in tropical ecosystems that we have witnessed. That is key," said Stefan Schnitzer, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Schnitzer is one of the two researchers who pulled together evidence from eight studies that, collective, show a pattern of woody vine growth in American tropical and subtropical forests.
"That is going to have cascading effects on things like species diversity, tropical forest functioning in carbon storage and whole forest water use — really important and practical things that will change the way these forests work," said Schnitzer, who is also a research associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.
Butterflies make partial comeback in Mexico
Butterflies make partial comeback in Mexico
MEXICO CITY – The number of monarch butterflies migrating from Canada and the U.S. to Mexico has increased this year, a hopeful sign following a worrying 75 percent drop in their numbers last year, experts reported Monday.
The total amount of forest covered by the colonies — millions of orange-and-black butterflies that hang in clumps from the boughs of fir trees — more than doubled from last year's historic low.
But concerns persist about the monarchs' long-term survival, because their numbers remain well below average.
This winter, there are 9.9 acres (4 hectares) of colonies, more than double the 4.7 acres (1.9 hectares) last year, the lowest level since comparable record-keeping began in 1993.
MEXICO CITY – The number of monarch butterflies migrating from Canada and the U.S. to Mexico has increased this year, a hopeful sign following a worrying 75 percent drop in their numbers last year, experts reported Monday.
The total amount of forest covered by the colonies — millions of orange-and-black butterflies that hang in clumps from the boughs of fir trees — more than doubled from last year's historic low.
But concerns persist about the monarchs' long-term survival, because their numbers remain well below average.
This winter, there are 9.9 acres (4 hectares) of colonies, more than double the 4.7 acres (1.9 hectares) last year, the lowest level since comparable record-keeping began in 1993.
Energy Drinks May Hurt Kids: Study
Energy Drinks May Hurt Kids: Study
Energy drinks such as Red Bull, AMP and Rockstar have no health value and may even harm some children and teens, a new review finds.
The increasingly popular, highly caffeinated drinks are especially risky for children with heart abnormalities, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other health or emotional problems, said Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, co-author of the study, published online Feb. 14 in the journal Pediatrics.
"It's a set of products that are totally unregulated and have no therapeutic benefit," said Lipshultz, chairman of pediatrics at the University of Miami.
Surveys suggest that 30 percent to 50 percent of U.S. teenagers and young people consume energy drinks, despite warnings about their safety. Many users mix the energy drinks with alcohol, further heightening the potential for ill effects, say the researchers.
Energy drinks such as Red Bull, AMP and Rockstar have no health value and may even harm some children and teens, a new review finds.
The increasingly popular, highly caffeinated drinks are especially risky for children with heart abnormalities, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other health or emotional problems, said Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, co-author of the study, published online Feb. 14 in the journal Pediatrics.
"It's a set of products that are totally unregulated and have no therapeutic benefit," said Lipshultz, chairman of pediatrics at the University of Miami.
Surveys suggest that 30 percent to 50 percent of U.S. teenagers and young people consume energy drinks, despite warnings about their safety. Many users mix the energy drinks with alcohol, further heightening the potential for ill effects, say the researchers.
Berries May Offer Sweet Protection Against Parkinson's Disease
Berries May Offer Sweet Protection Against Parkinson's Disease
People who eat foods rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, especially berries, may be protecting themselves from developing Parkinson's disease, a new study suggests.
In addition to berries, flavonoids are found in a variety of foods such as apples, chocolate, and citrus fruits. These compounds have been touted as protective against some diseases because of their antioxidant effects, researchers say.
However, not all flavonoids are created equal. Only those known as anthocyanins, found in berries and other red/purplish fruits and vegetables, protected both men and women, according to the results of this study, which was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
People who eat foods rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, especially berries, may be protecting themselves from developing Parkinson's disease, a new study suggests.
In addition to berries, flavonoids are found in a variety of foods such as apples, chocolate, and citrus fruits. These compounds have been touted as protective against some diseases because of their antioxidant effects, researchers say.
However, not all flavonoids are created equal. Only those known as anthocyanins, found in berries and other red/purplish fruits and vegetables, protected both men and women, according to the results of this study, which was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
Dating Service Matches People With Herpes
Dating Service Matches People With Herpes
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a Canadian-based dating service is matching people who have herpes, the Toronto Sun reported.
Camelot Introductions, which is located in Winnipeg, also will no longer work with smokers, it announced.
“As of a year ago, we stopped accepting clients who smoke, because time after time, when we were attempting to match (them), their files would be rejected,” said Lianne Tregobov, of Camelot.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a Canadian-based dating service is matching people who have herpes, the Toronto Sun reported.
Camelot Introductions, which is located in Winnipeg, also will no longer work with smokers, it announced.
“As of a year ago, we stopped accepting clients who smoke, because time after time, when we were attempting to match (them), their files would be rejected,” said Lianne Tregobov, of Camelot.
Roses get celery gene to help fight disease
Roses get celery gene to help fight disease
A rose by any other name would smell … like celery? North Carolina State University research intended to extend the "vase life" of roses inserts a gene from celery inside rose plants to help fight off botrytis, or petal blight, one of the rose's major post-harvest diseases.
Some fungal pathogens, the bad guys that infect plants, produce a sugar alcohol called mannitol that interferes with the plant's ability to block disease like petal blight, which produces wilty, mushy petals -- an effect similar to what happens to lettuce when it's been in the crisper too long.
A rose by any other name would smell … like celery? North Carolina State University research intended to extend the "vase life" of roses inserts a gene from celery inside rose plants to help fight off botrytis, or petal blight, one of the rose's major post-harvest diseases.
Some fungal pathogens, the bad guys that infect plants, produce a sugar alcohol called mannitol that interferes with the plant's ability to block disease like petal blight, which produces wilty, mushy petals -- an effect similar to what happens to lettuce when it's been in the crisper too long.
February 11, 2011
Google's Latest Plan: Woo Brides - Who needs a wedding planner when you have Google?
Google's Latest Plan: Woo Brides - Who needs a wedding planner when you have Google?
oogle has already enmeshed itself in your email, your mapping needs, your book collection … why not your wedding as well? The search giant announced Google for Weddings yesterday on its official blog. Wedding planners, watch out: The site will allow users to do everything from organizing guests lists and schedules to creating a wedding website to making save-the-date cards. (The templates were actually designed with the help of "renowned" wedding planner Michelle Rago.)
oogle has already enmeshed itself in your email, your mapping needs, your book collection … why not your wedding as well? The search giant announced Google for Weddings yesterday on its official blog. Wedding planners, watch out: The site will allow users to do everything from organizing guests lists and schedules to creating a wedding website to making save-the-date cards. (The templates were actually designed with the help of "renowned" wedding planner Michelle Rago.)
Alcohol kills more than AIDS, TB or violence - Health
Alcohol kills more than AIDS, TB or violence - Health
GENEVA — Alcohol causes nearly 4 percent of deaths worldwide, more than AIDS, tuberculosis or violence, the World Health Organization warned on Friday.
Rising incomes have triggered more drinking in heavily populated countries in Africa and Asia, including India and South Africa, and binge drinking is a problem in many developed countries, the United Nations agency said.
Yet alcohol control policies are weak and remain a low priority for most governments despite drinking's heavy toll on society from road accidents, violence, disease, child neglect and job absenteeism, it said.
GENEVA — Alcohol causes nearly 4 percent of deaths worldwide, more than AIDS, tuberculosis or violence, the World Health Organization warned on Friday.
Rising incomes have triggered more drinking in heavily populated countries in Africa and Asia, including India and South Africa, and binge drinking is a problem in many developed countries, the United Nations agency said.
Yet alcohol control policies are weak and remain a low priority for most governments despite drinking's heavy toll on society from road accidents, violence, disease, child neglect and job absenteeism, it said.
Global data storage calculated at 295 exabytes
Global data storage calculated at 295 exabytes
Mankind's capacity to store the colossal amount of information in the world has been measured by scientists.
The study, published in the journal Science, calculates the amount of data stored in the world by 2007 as 295 exabytes.
That is the equivalent of 1.2 billion average hard drives.
The researchers calculated the figure by estimating the amount of data held on 60 technologies from PCs and and DVDs to paper adverts and books.
Mankind's capacity to store the colossal amount of information in the world has been measured by scientists.
The study, published in the journal Science, calculates the amount of data stored in the world by 2007 as 295 exabytes.
That is the equivalent of 1.2 billion average hard drives.
The researchers calculated the figure by estimating the amount of data held on 60 technologies from PCs and and DVDs to paper adverts and books.
Study of volcanoes in the outer solar system produces unexpected bonus for nanotechnology
Study of volcanoes in the outer solar system produces unexpected bonus for nanotechnology
Mysterious expanding ice crystals in the moons of Saturn and Neptune may be of interest to future developers of microelectronics. Neutron scattering has discovered that methanol crystals that may be found in outer solar system 'ice lavas' have unusual expansion properties. The unexpected finding by a British planetary geologist using neutrons at the Institut Laue-Langevin and the ISIS neutron source will interest developers of 'nano-switches' -- single atom thick valves used in 'micro-electronics' at the nano scale.
Whilst these results form the next step towards understanding outer solar system volcanic activity, Fortes' discovery is of significant interest for material scientists developing nanotechnology. The predictable expansion of NLC materials in a particular direction under pressure makes them a good candidate for nano-switches where their shape-shifting properties can be used like a microscopic, pressure-controlled valve directing the flow of electricity.
NLC materials are extremely rare wi
Mysterious expanding ice crystals in the moons of Saturn and Neptune may be of interest to future developers of microelectronics. Neutron scattering has discovered that methanol crystals that may be found in outer solar system 'ice lavas' have unusual expansion properties. The unexpected finding by a British planetary geologist using neutrons at the Institut Laue-Langevin and the ISIS neutron source will interest developers of 'nano-switches' -- single atom thick valves used in 'micro-electronics' at the nano scale.
Whilst these results form the next step towards understanding outer solar system volcanic activity, Fortes' discovery is of significant interest for material scientists developing nanotechnology. The predictable expansion of NLC materials in a particular direction under pressure makes them a good candidate for nano-switches where their shape-shifting properties can be used like a microscopic, pressure-controlled valve directing the flow of electricity.
NLC materials are extremely rare wi
Natural toxin implicated as triggering Parkinson's disease
Natural toxin implicated as triggering Parkinson's disease
New research from Saint Louis University, investigators have found evidence that a toxin produced by the brain is responsible for the series of cellular events that lead to Parkinson's disease. The study, published in PLoS One, found that the brain toxin DOPAL plays a key role in killing the dopamine neurons which trigger the illness.
New research from Saint Louis University, investigators have found evidence that a toxin produced by the brain is responsible for the series of cellular events that lead to Parkinson's disease. The study, published in PLoS One, found that the brain toxin DOPAL plays a key role in killing the dopamine neurons which trigger the illness.
Exercise helps overweight children think better, do better in math
Exercise helps overweight children think better, do better in math
Regular exercise improves the ability of overweight, previously inactive children to think, plan and even do math, Georgia Health Sciences University researchers report.
Regular exercise improves the ability of overweight, previously inactive children to think, plan and even do math, Georgia Health Sciences University researchers report.
Red Planet for Sale? How Corporate Sponsors Could Send Humans to Mars
Red Planet for Sale? How Corporate Sponsors Could Send Humans to Mars
NASA scientists and their colleagues are now proposing corporate financing for a human mission to Mars. This raises the prospect that a spaceship named the Microsoft Explorer or the Google Search Engine could one day go down in history as the first spaceship to bring humans to the Red Planet.
The proposal suggests that companies could drum up $160 billion for a human mission to Mars and a colony there, rather than having governments fund such a mission with tax dollars.
The plan covers "every aspect of a journey to the Red Planet — the design of the spacecrafts, medical health and psychological issues, the establishment of a Mars base, colonization, and a revolutionary business proposal to overcome the major budgetary obstacles which have prevented the U.S. from sending astronauts to Mars," said Joel Levine, a senior research scientist at NASA Langley Research Center.
NASA scientists and their colleagues are now proposing corporate financing for a human mission to Mars. This raises the prospect that a spaceship named the Microsoft Explorer or the Google Search Engine could one day go down in history as the first spaceship to bring humans to the Red Planet.
The proposal suggests that companies could drum up $160 billion for a human mission to Mars and a colony there, rather than having governments fund such a mission with tax dollars.
The plan covers "every aspect of a journey to the Red Planet — the design of the spacecrafts, medical health and psychological issues, the establishment of a Mars base, colonization, and a revolutionary business proposal to overcome the major budgetary obstacles which have prevented the U.S. from sending astronauts to Mars," said Joel Levine, a senior research scientist at NASA Langley Research Center.
Pot Use May Mellow Out Men's Sexual Function - Yahoo! News
Pot Use May Mellow Out Men's Sexual Function - Yahoo! News
Marijuana users sometimes report that pot enhances their desire for sex. But a new review of research on marijuana and sexual health suggests that male smokers could be courting sexual dysfunction.
Research on the topic is contradictory and few studies are high-quality, said study researcher Rany Shamloul, a physician with appointments at the University of Ottawa and Queen's University in Canada as well as the University of Cairo. But recent research – including the finding that the penis contains receptors for marijuana's active ingredient – suggests that young men may want to think about long-term effects before rolling a joint, Shamloul told LiveScience.
Marijuana users sometimes report that pot enhances their desire for sex. But a new review of research on marijuana and sexual health suggests that male smokers could be courting sexual dysfunction.
Research on the topic is contradictory and few studies are high-quality, said study researcher Rany Shamloul, a physician with appointments at the University of Ottawa and Queen's University in Canada as well as the University of Cairo. But recent research – including the finding that the penis contains receptors for marijuana's active ingredient – suggests that young men may want to think about long-term effects before rolling a joint, Shamloul told LiveScience.
New hybrid drug, derived from common spice, may protect, rebuild brain cells after stroke
New hybrid drug, derived from common spice, may protect, rebuild brain cells after stroke
Whether or not you're fond of Indian, Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern food, stroke researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center think you may become a fan of one of their key spices.
Whether or not you're fond of Indian, Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern food, stroke researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center think you may become a fan of one of their key spices.
Looking at a tough hill to climb? Depends on your point of view
Looking at a tough hill to climb? Depends on your point of view
People tend to overestimate the steepness of slopes -- and psychologists studying the phenomenon have made a discovery that refutes common ideas about how we perceive inclines in general.
For more than a decade, researchers thought that our judgment was biased by our fatigue or fear of falling, explained Dennis Shaffer, associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University's Mansfield campus. We perceive climbing or descending hills as difficult or dangerous, so when we look at an incline, our view is clouded by the expected physical exertion or danger of traversing it.
For a study in the current issue of the journal Psychological Science, Shaffer and then-undergraduate student Mariagrace Flint uncovered a contradiction, when they compared how we perceive the angle of stairs versus escalators.
"We found that people tend to overestimate a slant even when they are looking at an escalator, and climbing or descending it
People tend to overestimate the steepness of slopes -- and psychologists studying the phenomenon have made a discovery that refutes common ideas about how we perceive inclines in general.
For more than a decade, researchers thought that our judgment was biased by our fatigue or fear of falling, explained Dennis Shaffer, associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University's Mansfield campus. We perceive climbing or descending hills as difficult or dangerous, so when we look at an incline, our view is clouded by the expected physical exertion or danger of traversing it.
For a study in the current issue of the journal Psychological Science, Shaffer and then-undergraduate student Mariagrace Flint uncovered a contradiction, when they compared how we perceive the angle of stairs versus escalators.
"We found that people tend to overestimate a slant even when they are looking at an escalator, and climbing or descending it
LED products billed as eco-friendly contain toxic metals, study finds
LED products billed as eco-friendly contain toxic metals, study finds
Those light-emitting diodes marketed as safe, environmentally preferable alternatives to traditional lightbulbs actually contain lead, arsenic and a dozen other potentially hazardous substances, according to newly published research.
Those light-emitting diodes marketed as safe, environmentally preferable alternatives to traditional lightbulbs actually contain lead, arsenic and a dozen other potentially hazardous substances, according to newly published research.
February 10, 2011
Brain-controlled robot arm kicks off new FDA program to speed up approval of medical devices -- Engadget
Brain-controlled robot arm kicks off new FDA program to speed up approval of medical devices -- Engadget
As we've seen, the FDA approval process for medical devices and other gadgets can be a long one, but it looks like things could soon be speeding up considerably. The agency has just announced a new "Innovation Pathway" program that promises to allow for priority reviews of "truly pioneering technologies," which could potentially cut the approval process time in half. Somewhat ironically, however, that program itself will first need some further review before it's broadly deployed, but the FDA has already kicked things off on a limited basis with its first submission: a brain-controlled robotic arm from DARPA. It's not clear which arm that is, but it sounds a lot like the now-famous "Luke" arm (pictured above) developed by Dean Kamen's Deka organization, which just so happens to be funded by DARPA. Head on past the break for the official press release, and a video of the FDA's webcast announcing the program.
As we've seen, the FDA approval process for medical devices and other gadgets can be a long one, but it looks like things could soon be speeding up considerably. The agency has just announced a new "Innovation Pathway" program that promises to allow for priority reviews of "truly pioneering technologies," which could potentially cut the approval process time in half. Somewhat ironically, however, that program itself will first need some further review before it's broadly deployed, but the FDA has already kicked things off on a limited basis with its first submission: a brain-controlled robotic arm from DARPA. It's not clear which arm that is, but it sounds a lot like the now-famous "Luke" arm (pictured above) developed by Dean Kamen's Deka organization, which just so happens to be funded by DARPA. Head on past the break for the official press release, and a video of the FDA's webcast announcing the program.
The 'thinking cap' that could unlock your inner genius and boost creativity
The 'thinking cap' that could unlock your inner genius and boost creativity
There is a theory that the spark of genius lurks hidden within all of us.
Now scientists are developing a 'thinking cap' that could turn that theory into practice and unlock the amazing potential of the human brain.
The device uses tiny magnetic pulses to change the way the brain works and has produced remarkable results in tests.
There is a theory that the spark of genius lurks hidden within all of us.
Now scientists are developing a 'thinking cap' that could turn that theory into practice and unlock the amazing potential of the human brain.
The device uses tiny magnetic pulses to change the way the brain works and has produced remarkable results in tests.
Man vs. Machine to play out on "Jeopardy!" next week
Man vs. Machine to play out on "Jeopardy!" next week
"What is Watson?" It's a question that will be answered next week on "Jeopardy!" during a three-day, winner-take-all, million-dollar tournament pitting the all-time best quiz show braniacs against a computer.
Man vs. Machine sounds like a storyline straight out of "The Big Bang Theory" but it's a reality that will be explored Feb. 14-16 on the popular quiz show.
In the human corner stands Ken Jennings, who became a household name when he won 74 games in a row. Next to him, the all-time biggest "Jeopardy!" money winner, undefeated Brad Rutter, who has won more than US$3.2 million over several tournaments.
They'll face their "biggest" opponent ever. "Jeopardy!" executive producer Harry Friedman says most of Watson won't even fit on a stage. Its size is "the equivalent of ten refrigerators," he says.
"What is Watson?" It's a question that will be answered next week on "Jeopardy!" during a three-day, winner-take-all, million-dollar tournament pitting the all-time best quiz show braniacs against a computer.
Man vs. Machine sounds like a storyline straight out of "The Big Bang Theory" but it's a reality that will be explored Feb. 14-16 on the popular quiz show.
In the human corner stands Ken Jennings, who became a household name when he won 74 games in a row. Next to him, the all-time biggest "Jeopardy!" money winner, undefeated Brad Rutter, who has won more than US$3.2 million over several tournaments.
They'll face their "biggest" opponent ever. "Jeopardy!" executive producer Harry Friedman says most of Watson won't even fit on a stage. Its size is "the equivalent of ten refrigerators," he says.
Common insecticide used in homes associated with delayed mental development of young children
Common insecticide used in homes associated with delayed mental development of young children
When the EPA phased out the widespread residential use of chlorpyrifos and other organophosphorus (OP) insecticides in 2000-2001 because of risks to child neurodevelopment, these compounds were largely replaced with pyrethroid insecticides. But the safety of these replacement insecticides remained unclear, as they had never been evaluated for long-term neurotoxic effects after low-level exposure. In the first study to examine the effects of these compounds on humans and the first evaluation of their potential toxicity to the developing fetal brain, scientists of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found a significant association between piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a common additive in pyrethroid formulations, measured in personal air collected during the third trimester of pregnancy, and delayed mental development at 36 months.
When the EPA phased out the widespread residential use of chlorpyrifos and other organophosphorus (OP) insecticides in 2000-2001 because of risks to child neurodevelopment, these compounds were largely replaced with pyrethroid insecticides. But the safety of these replacement insecticides remained unclear, as they had never been evaluated for long-term neurotoxic effects after low-level exposure. In the first study to examine the effects of these compounds on humans and the first evaluation of their potential toxicity to the developing fetal brain, scientists of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found a significant association between piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a common additive in pyrethroid formulations, measured in personal air collected during the third trimester of pregnancy, and delayed mental development at 36 months.
Revolutionary microchip technology?
Revolutionary microchip technology?
A team of scientists at Tyndall National Institute, UCC have made the world's first junctionless transistor even smaller. The transistor is the building block of the microchip. The development of the world's first junctionless transistor by Tyndall's Professor Jean-Pierre Colinge had already sparked off huge interest amongst the leading semiconductor manufacturers around the globe when it was published in Nature Nanotechnology.
A team of scientists at Tyndall National Institute, UCC have made the world's first junctionless transistor even smaller. The transistor is the building block of the microchip. The development of the world's first junctionless transistor by Tyndall's Professor Jean-Pierre Colinge had already sparked off huge interest amongst the leading semiconductor manufacturers around the globe when it was published in Nature Nanotechnology.
Salivary glands as organs of immunity: New research makes oral immunization easier to swallow
Salivary glands as organs of immunity: New research makes oral immunization easier to swallow
If you don't like shots or needles, you're in luck. New research published online in The FASEB Journal gives the development of new oral vaccinations a shot in the arm thanks to discoveries involving the salivary glands of mice. In addition, this research report also offers a tantalizing glimpse of vaccines that could prevent infection at mucosal surfaces, even if direct injections into the body fail to cause immunity. This technique may be effective for a wide range of diseases from influenza to cholera.
If you don't like shots or needles, you're in luck. New research published online in The FASEB Journal gives the development of new oral vaccinations a shot in the arm thanks to discoveries involving the salivary glands of mice. In addition, this research report also offers a tantalizing glimpse of vaccines that could prevent infection at mucosal surfaces, even if direct injections into the body fail to cause immunity. This technique may be effective for a wide range of diseases from influenza to cholera.
Obesity Tied to Education, Income, but Not Suburbia: Study
Obesity Tied to Education, Income, but Not Suburbia: Study
Low levels of education and income, but not suburban sprawl, are associated with higher rates of obesity, researchers report.
The finding challenges the widely held view that people who live in cities tend to be thinner because they have more opportunities to walk, while people in suburban and rural areas have to drive most everywhere they go.
For this study, researchers analyzed data from about 7 million people in rural and urban counties in Illinois, including residents in the metropolitan Chicago area.
Within zip codes, increased rates of obesity were associated with being older and being male, along with the percentage of people who commute by car, are black or Hispanic, or own their homes, said the researchers at the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Low levels of education and income, but not suburban sprawl, are associated with higher rates of obesity, researchers report.
The finding challenges the widely held view that people who live in cities tend to be thinner because they have more opportunities to walk, while people in suburban and rural areas have to drive most everywhere they go.
For this study, researchers analyzed data from about 7 million people in rural and urban counties in Illinois, including residents in the metropolitan Chicago area.
Within zip codes, increased rates of obesity were associated with being older and being male, along with the percentage of people who commute by car, are black or Hispanic, or own their homes, said the researchers at the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Curry Drug Could Help Rebuild Brain Cells After Stroke
Curry Drug Could Help Rebuild Brain Cells After Stroke
A drug derived from the popular curry spice turmeric could help aid the recovery of stroke patients, U.S. researchers found.
Scientists from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center announced Wednesday that they created a new molecule from curcumin -- a chemical component of turmeric -- and found in laboratory experiments that it affects mechanisms that protect and help regenerate brain cells after a stroke.
The new drug, called CNB-001, does not attack clots but instead repairs stroke damage at the molecular level that supports pathways that feed brain cells, said research scientist Dr. Paul Lapchak, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
A drug derived from the popular curry spice turmeric could help aid the recovery of stroke patients, U.S. researchers found.
Scientists from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center announced Wednesday that they created a new molecule from curcumin -- a chemical component of turmeric -- and found in laboratory experiments that it affects mechanisms that protect and help regenerate brain cells after a stroke.
The new drug, called CNB-001, does not attack clots but instead repairs stroke damage at the molecular level that supports pathways that feed brain cells, said research scientist Dr. Paul Lapchak, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
BBC News - Pain reduced by changing what you look at
Pain reduced by changing what you look at
What you look at can influence how much pain you feel, a study has revealed.
Contrary to many people's compulsion to look away during a painful event such as an injection, scientists found that looking at your body - in this case the hand - reduces the pain experienced.
The team also showed that magnifying the hand to make it appear larger cut pain levels further still.
The study, published in Psychological Science, is shedding light on how the brain processes pain.
What you look at can influence how much pain you feel, a study has revealed.
Contrary to many people's compulsion to look away during a painful event such as an injection, scientists found that looking at your body - in this case the hand - reduces the pain experienced.
The team also showed that magnifying the hand to make it appear larger cut pain levels further still.
The study, published in Psychological Science, is shedding light on how the brain processes pain.
Bing searches more accurate than Google's, study finds - Computerworld
Bing searches more accurate than Google's, study finds - Computerworld
Microsoft's Bing search engine, and even Yahoo, are providing users with more-accurate searches than their rival Google, according to a report out this week.
Bing and Yahoo, which is now using Microsoft's Bing search technology, had the highest search success rates last month, reported Experian Hitwise, an Internet monitoring firm. More than 81% of the searches on Bing and Yahoo sites led users to visit a Web site.
Google wasn't as successful with its January searches. According to Experian Hitwise, the dominant player in the search market had a 65% success rate.
Google did not respond to a request for a reaction to the study.
Microsoft's Bing search engine, and even Yahoo, are providing users with more-accurate searches than their rival Google, according to a report out this week.
Bing and Yahoo, which is now using Microsoft's Bing search technology, had the highest search success rates last month, reported Experian Hitwise, an Internet monitoring firm. More than 81% of the searches on Bing and Yahoo sites led users to visit a Web site.
Google wasn't as successful with its January searches. According to Experian Hitwise, the dominant player in the search market had a 65% success rate.
Google did not respond to a request for a reaction to the study.
Omega-3 may keep blindness at bay - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Omega-3 may keep blindness at bay
New research suggests omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent retinopathy, an eye disease that can lead to blindness in premature babies and people with diabetes.
Retinopathy causes abnormal blood vessels to grow in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye.
This growth can cause the retina to detach from the back of the eye leading to vision loss.
"For people who have had diabetes for 25 years, more than half of them will have retinopathy," says Dr Lois Smith, a professor of ophthalmology at the Harvard Medical School .
New research suggests omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent retinopathy, an eye disease that can lead to blindness in premature babies and people with diabetes.
Retinopathy causes abnormal blood vessels to grow in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye.
This growth can cause the retina to detach from the back of the eye leading to vision loss.
"For people who have had diabetes for 25 years, more than half of them will have retinopathy," says Dr Lois Smith, a professor of ophthalmology at the Harvard Medical School .
Chocolate is a 'super fruit': Rich source of antioxidants
Chocolate is a 'super fruit': Rich source of antioxidants
It is widely known that fruit contains antioxidants which may be beneficial to health. New research published in the open access journal Chemistry Central Journal demonstrates that chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants and contains more polyphenols and flavanols than fruit juice.
It is widely known that fruit contains antioxidants which may be beneficial to health. New research published in the open access journal Chemistry Central Journal demonstrates that chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants and contains more polyphenols and flavanols than fruit juice.
Extra testosterone reduces your empathy, researchers find
Extra testosterone reduces your empathy, researchers find
A new study from Utrecht and Cambridge Universities has for the first time found that an administration of testosterone under the tongue in volunteers negatively affects a person's ability to 'mind read', an indication of empathy. The findings are published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In addition, the effects of testosterone administration are predicted by a fetal marker of prenatal testosterone, the 2D:4D ratio. The study has important implications for the androgen theory of autism (testosterone is an androgen) and confirms earlier rodent research that shows that testosterone in early brain development organizes the activation of the very hormone in later life.
A new study from Utrecht and Cambridge Universities has for the first time found that an administration of testosterone under the tongue in volunteers negatively affects a person's ability to 'mind read', an indication of empathy. The findings are published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In addition, the effects of testosterone administration are predicted by a fetal marker of prenatal testosterone, the 2D:4D ratio. The study has important implications for the androgen theory of autism (testosterone is an androgen) and confirms earlier rodent research that shows that testosterone in early brain development organizes the activation of the very hormone in later life.
Crocodile tears don't fool us all: Study gives behavioral clues to spot fabricated versus genuine displays of remorse
Crocodile tears don't fool us all: Study gives behavioral clues to spot fabricated versus genuine displays of remorse
How easy is it to fake remorse? Not so easy if your audience knows what to look for.
In the first investigation of the nature of true and false remorse, Leanne ten Brinke and colleagues, from the Centre for the Advancement of Psychology and Law (CAPSL), University of British Columbia and Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, show that those who fake remorse show a greater range of emotional expressions and swing from one emotion to another very quickly -- a phenomenon referred to as emotional turbulence -- as well as speak with more hesitation. These findings have important implications for judges and parole board members, who look for genuine remorse when they make their sentencing and release decisions.
How easy is it to fake remorse? Not so easy if your audience knows what to look for.
In the first investigation of the nature of true and false remorse, Leanne ten Brinke and colleagues, from the Centre for the Advancement of Psychology and Law (CAPSL), University of British Columbia and Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, show that those who fake remorse show a greater range of emotional expressions and swing from one emotion to another very quickly -- a phenomenon referred to as emotional turbulence -- as well as speak with more hesitation. These findings have important implications for judges and parole board members, who look for genuine remorse when they make their sentencing and release decisions.
February 9, 2011
More strokes hitting young, middle-aged - Health - Heart health - msnbc.com
More strokes hitting young, middle-aged - Health
Doctors are reporting an alarming rise in strokes among young and middle-aged Americans even as the disease declines among older people.
They think the obesity epidemic may be starting to shift the age burden of strokes, which still take their greatest toll on the elderly.
Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared a nationwide sample of stroke hospitalizations during 1994 and 1995 to those in 2006 and 2007.
Doctors are reporting an alarming rise in strokes among young and middle-aged Americans even as the disease declines among older people.
They think the obesity epidemic may be starting to shift the age burden of strokes, which still take their greatest toll on the elderly.
Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared a nationwide sample of stroke hospitalizations during 1994 and 1995 to those in 2006 and 2007.
Huge volcano under Yellowstone Park rising - Technology & science - Science - OurAmazingPlanet - msnbc.com
Huge volcano under Yellowstone Park rising - Technology & science
The huge volcano under Yellowstone National Park has been rising at an unprecedented rate during the past several years, according to a new study.
In the ancient past, the Yellowstone volcano produced some of the biggest-known continental eruptions, but the recent rising doesn't mean another doomsday eruption is looming, scientists say.
The recent rising is unprecedented for Yellowstone's caldera — the cauldron-shaped part of the volcano — but it's not uncommon for other volcanoes around the world. The new study has simply revealed a more active caldera at Yellowstone than scientists realized.
The huge volcano under Yellowstone National Park has been rising at an unprecedented rate during the past several years, according to a new study.
In the ancient past, the Yellowstone volcano produced some of the biggest-known continental eruptions, but the recent rising doesn't mean another doomsday eruption is looming, scientists say.
The recent rising is unprecedented for Yellowstone's caldera — the cauldron-shaped part of the volcano — but it's not uncommon for other volcanoes around the world. The new study has simply revealed a more active caldera at Yellowstone than scientists realized.
Anti-energy drinks: Relaxation in a can
Anti-energy drinks: Relaxation in a can
It's not enough to fizz with carbonation and taste sweet.
For years, drinks have been infused with promises of electrolytes, caffeine and instant energy. But now, some sodas and other concoctions are offering the opposite of Red Bulls and Four Lokos -- they slow things down.
It's not enough to fizz with carbonation and taste sweet.
For years, drinks have been infused with promises of electrolytes, caffeine and instant energy. But now, some sodas and other concoctions are offering the opposite of Red Bulls and Four Lokos -- they slow things down.
College Students Struggle with Obesity - Yahoo! News
College Students Struggle with Obesity
Ask a college student what they had for dinner and they're bound to say pizza and beer. The two have always been synonymous with college students, but studies show their fast food diets are causing health problems.
A new study at North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park, Minn., shows 47.7 percent of students on campus are obese or overweight.
"Our study mirrors the national trend we've seen when it comes to a drastic increase in obesity," Study Coordinator and Dean of Institutional Effectiveness Lisa Scholotterhausen said. "We weren't surprised to learn that our students are battling problems with weight."
Ask a college student what they had for dinner and they're bound to say pizza and beer. The two have always been synonymous with college students, but studies show their fast food diets are causing health problems.
A new study at North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park, Minn., shows 47.7 percent of students on campus are obese or overweight.
"Our study mirrors the national trend we've seen when it comes to a drastic increase in obesity," Study Coordinator and Dean of Institutional Effectiveness Lisa Scholotterhausen said. "We weren't surprised to learn that our students are battling problems with weight."
Successful operation of carbon nanotube-based integrated circuits manufactured on plastic substrates
Successful operation of carbon nanotube-based integrated circuits manufactured on plastic substrates
As part of NEDO's Industrial Technology Research Grant Japan-Finland collaborative project, Professors Yutaka Ohno from Nagoya University in Japan and Esko I. Kauppinen from Aalto University in Finland along with their colleagues have developed a simple and fast process to manufacture high-quality carbon nanotube-based thin film transistors (TFT) on a plastic substrate.
They used this technology to manufacture the world's first sequential logic circuits using carbon nanotubes. The technology could lead to the development of high-speed, roll-to-roll manufacturing processes to manufacture low-cost flexible devices such as electronic paper in the future.
As part of NEDO's Industrial Technology Research Grant Japan-Finland collaborative project, Professors Yutaka Ohno from Nagoya University in Japan and Esko I. Kauppinen from Aalto University in Finland along with their colleagues have developed a simple and fast process to manufacture high-quality carbon nanotube-based thin film transistors (TFT) on a plastic substrate.
They used this technology to manufacture the world's first sequential logic circuits using carbon nanotubes. The technology could lead to the development of high-speed, roll-to-roll manufacturing processes to manufacture low-cost flexible devices such as electronic paper in the future.
Robots to get their own internet
Robots to get their own internet
Robots could soon have an equivalent of the internet and Wikipedia.
European scientists have embarked on a project to let robots share and store what they discover about the world.
Called RoboEarth it will be a place that robots can upload data to when they master a task, and ask for help in carrying out new ones.
Researchers behind it hope it will allow robots to come into service more quickly, armed with a growing library of knowledge about their human masters.
Robots could soon have an equivalent of the internet and Wikipedia.
European scientists have embarked on a project to let robots share and store what they discover about the world.
Called RoboEarth it will be a place that robots can upload data to when they master a task, and ask for help in carrying out new ones.
Researchers behind it hope it will allow robots to come into service more quickly, armed with a growing library of knowledge about their human masters.
Understanding current causes of women's underrepresentation in science — PNAS
Understanding current causes of women's underrepresentation in science — PNAS
Explanations for women's underrepresentation in math-intensive fields of science often focus on sex discrimination in grant and manuscript reviewing, interviewing, and hiring. Claims that women scientists suffer discrimination in these arenas rest on a set of studies undergirding policies and programs aimed at remediation. More recent and robust empiricism, however, fails to support assertions of discrimination in these domains...
Explanations for women's underrepresentation in math-intensive fields of science often focus on sex discrimination in grant and manuscript reviewing, interviewing, and hiring. Claims that women scientists suffer discrimination in these arenas rest on a set of studies undergirding policies and programs aimed at remediation. More recent and robust empiricism, however, fails to support assertions of discrimination in these domains...
Brain's 'radio stations' have much to tell scientists
Brain's 'radio stations' have much to tell scientists
Like listeners adjusting a high-tech radio, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have tuned in to precise frequencies of brain activity to unleash new insights into how the brain works.
Researchers used electrocorticography, a technique for monitoring the brain with a grid of electrodes temporarily implanted directly on the brain's surface. Clinically, Leuthardt and other neurosurgeons use this approach to identify the source of persistent, medication-resistant seizures in patients and to map those regions for surgical removal. With the patient's permission, scientists can also use the electrode grid to experimentally monitor a much larger spectrum of brain activity than they can via conventional brainwave monitoring.
Like listeners adjusting a high-tech radio, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have tuned in to precise frequencies of brain activity to unleash new insights into how the brain works.
Researchers used electrocorticography, a technique for monitoring the brain with a grid of electrodes temporarily implanted directly on the brain's surface. Clinically, Leuthardt and other neurosurgeons use this approach to identify the source of persistent, medication-resistant seizures in patients and to map those regions for surgical removal. With the patient's permission, scientists can also use the electrode grid to experimentally monitor a much larger spectrum of brain activity than they can via conventional brainwave monitoring.
New explanation for heart-healthy benefits of chocolate
New explanation for heart-healthy benefits of chocolate
In time for the chocolate-giving and chocolate-noshing fest on Valentine's Day, scientists are reporting discovery of how this treat boosts the body's production of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) -- the "good" form of cholesterol that protects against heart disease. Just as those boxes of chocolates get hearts throbbing and mouths watering, polyphenols in chocolate rev up the activity of certain proteins, including proteins that attach to the genetic material DNA in ways that boost HDL levels.
In time for the chocolate-giving and chocolate-noshing fest on Valentine's Day, scientists are reporting discovery of how this treat boosts the body's production of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) -- the "good" form of cholesterol that protects against heart disease. Just as those boxes of chocolates get hearts throbbing and mouths watering, polyphenols in chocolate rev up the activity of certain proteins, including proteins that attach to the genetic material DNA in ways that boost HDL levels.
Neutron analysis reveals 'two doors down' superconductivity link
Neutron analysis reveals 'two doors down' superconductivity link
Neutron scattering analysis of two families of iron-based materials suggests that the magnetic interactions thought responsible for high-temperature superconductivity may lie "two doors down": The key magnetic exchange pairings occur in a next-nearest-neighbor ordering of atoms, rather than adjacent atoms.
Neutron scattering analysis of two families of iron-based materials suggests that the magnetic interactions thought responsible for high-temperature superconductivity may lie "two doors down": The key magnetic exchange pairings occur in a next-nearest-neighbor ordering of atoms, rather than adjacent atoms.
Russian Scientists: Apophis Asteroid Could Destroy Earth in April 2036 - Yahoo! News
Russian Scientists: Apophis Asteroid Could Destroy Earth in April 2036
It seems like apocalyptic predictions concerning large asteroids crop up every year or two. In 2011, the latest scare involves an asteroid that has been in the limelight before: Apophis. In a Jan. 26 report that was issued by Russian scientists, a new prediction concerning the asteroid's possible collision with the Earth was featured. The report has renewed concerns among people around the world about the possibility of the end of life as everyone knows it. However, NASA scientists quickly downplayed the Russian report. While they admit it is theoretically possible for the asteroid to hit the planet, they note that the odds are microscopic; in fact, they put the odds at 1 in 250,000, which should put the minds of most people at ease.
It seems like apocalyptic predictions concerning large asteroids crop up every year or two. In 2011, the latest scare involves an asteroid that has been in the limelight before: Apophis. In a Jan. 26 report that was issued by Russian scientists, a new prediction concerning the asteroid's possible collision with the Earth was featured. The report has renewed concerns among people around the world about the possibility of the end of life as everyone knows it. However, NASA scientists quickly downplayed the Russian report. While they admit it is theoretically possible for the asteroid to hit the planet, they note that the odds are microscopic; in fact, they put the odds at 1 in 250,000, which should put the minds of most people at ease.
Ultrafast quantum computer closer: Ten billion bits of entanglement achieved in silicon
Ultrafast quantum computer closer: Ten billion bits of entanglement achieved in silicon
Scientists from Oxford University have made a significant step towards an ultrafast quantum computer by successfully generating 10 billion bits of quantum entanglement in silicon for the first time -- entanglement is the key ingredient that promises to make quantum computers far more powerful than conventional computing devices.
The researchers used high magnetic fields and low temperatures to produce entanglement between the electron and the nucleus of an atom of phosphorus embedded in a highly purified silicon crystal. The electron and the nucleus behave as a tiny magnet, or 'spin', each of which can represent a bit of quantum information. Suitably controlled, these spins can interact with each other to be coaxed into an entangled state -- the most basic state that cannot be mimicked by a conventional computer.
Scientists from Oxford University have made a significant step towards an ultrafast quantum computer by successfully generating 10 billion bits of quantum entanglement in silicon for the first time -- entanglement is the key ingredient that promises to make quantum computers far more powerful than conventional computing devices.
The researchers used high magnetic fields and low temperatures to produce entanglement between the electron and the nucleus of an atom of phosphorus embedded in a highly purified silicon crystal. The electron and the nucleus behave as a tiny magnet, or 'spin', each of which can represent a bit of quantum information. Suitably controlled, these spins can interact with each other to be coaxed into an entangled state -- the most basic state that cannot be mimicked by a conventional computer.
February 8, 2011
Fingerprint makes computer chips counterfeit-proof
Fingerprint makes computer chips counterfeit-proof
Product counterfeiters are increasingly targeting chips and electronic components, with attacks on hardware modules becoming commonplace. Tailor-made security technology utilizes a component's individual material properties to generate a digital key. This provides components with an identity -- since their unique structure cannot be copied.
Product counterfeiters are increasingly targeting chips and electronic components, with attacks on hardware modules becoming commonplace. Tailor-made security technology utilizes a component's individual material properties to generate a digital key. This provides components with an identity -- since their unique structure cannot be copied.
Sleep deprivation: Late nights can lead to higher risk of strokes and heart attacks, study finds
Sleep deprivation: Late nights can lead to higher risk of strokes and heart attacks, study finds
New research from Warwick Medical School published in the European Heart Journal shows that prolonged sleep deprivation and disrupted sleep patterns can have long-term, serious health implications. Leading academics from the University have linked lack of sleep to strokes, heart attacks and cardiovascular disorders which often result in early death.
New research from Warwick Medical School published in the European Heart Journal shows that prolonged sleep deprivation and disrupted sleep patterns can have long-term, serious health implications. Leading academics from the University have linked lack of sleep to strokes, heart attacks and cardiovascular disorders which often result in early death.
Brief diversions vastly improve focus, researchers find
Brief diversions vastly improve focus, researchers find
A new study in the journal Cognition overturns a decades-old theory about the nature of attention and demonstrates that even brief diversions from a task can dramatically improve one's ability to focus on that task for prolonged periods.
The study zeroes in on a phenomenon known to anyone who's ever had trouble doing the same task for a long time: After a while, you begin to lose your focus and your performance on the task declines.
Some researchers believe that this "vigilance decrement," as they describe it, is the result of a drop in one's "attentional resources," said University of Illinois psychology professor Alejandro Lleras, who led the new study. "For 40 or 50 years, most papers published on the vigilance decrement treated attention as a limited resource that would get used up over time, and I believe that to be wrong. You start performing poorly on a task because you've stopped paying attention to it," he said. "But you are always paying attention to something. Attention is not the problem."
A new study in the journal Cognition overturns a decades-old theory about the nature of attention and demonstrates that even brief diversions from a task can dramatically improve one's ability to focus on that task for prolonged periods.
The study zeroes in on a phenomenon known to anyone who's ever had trouble doing the same task for a long time: After a while, you begin to lose your focus and your performance on the task declines.
Some researchers believe that this "vigilance decrement," as they describe it, is the result of a drop in one's "attentional resources," said University of Illinois psychology professor Alejandro Lleras, who led the new study. "For 40 or 50 years, most papers published on the vigilance decrement treated attention as a limited resource that would get used up over time, and I believe that to be wrong. You start performing poorly on a task because you've stopped paying attention to it," he said. "But you are always paying attention to something. Attention is not the problem."
What your TV habits may say about your fear of crime
What your TV habits may say about your fear of crime
What's your favorite prime-time crime show? Do you enjoy the fictional world of "CSI" or "Law & Order," or do you find real-life tales like "The First 48" or "Dateline" more engrossing? Your answers to those questions may say a lot about your fears and attitudes about crime, a new study finds.
What's your favorite prime-time crime show? Do you enjoy the fictional world of "CSI" or "Law & Order," or do you find real-life tales like "The First 48" or "Dateline" more engrossing? Your answers to those questions may say a lot about your fears and attitudes about crime, a new study finds.
Lack of sleep found to be a new risk factor for colon cancer
Lack of sleep found to be a new risk factor for colon cancer
An inadequate amount of sleep has been associated with higher risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and death. Now colon cancer can be added to the list.
In a ground-breaking new study published in the Feb. 15, 2011 issue of the journal Cancer, researchers from University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, found that individuals who averaged less than six hours of sleep at night had an almost 50 percent increase in the risk of colorectal adenomas compared with individuals sleeping at least seven hours per night. Adenomas are a precursor to cancer tumors, and left untreated, they can turn malignant.
An inadequate amount of sleep has been associated with higher risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and death. Now colon cancer can be added to the list.
In a ground-breaking new study published in the Feb. 15, 2011 issue of the journal Cancer, researchers from University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, found that individuals who averaged less than six hours of sleep at night had an almost 50 percent increase in the risk of colorectal adenomas compared with individuals sleeping at least seven hours per night. Adenomas are a precursor to cancer tumors, and left untreated, they can turn malignant.
Researchers predict future of electronic devices, see top ten list of expected breakthroughs
Researchers predict future of electronic devices, see top ten list of expected breakthroughs
In the first published critical review of technical developments related to electronic paper devices (i.e., e-readers like the Amazon Kindle), UC researcher Jason Heikenfeld and industry counterparts review the next generation of these devices.
In the first published critical review of technical developments related to electronic paper devices (i.e., e-readers like the Amazon Kindle), UC researcher Jason Heikenfeld and industry counterparts review the next generation of these devices.
UVM professor explores robot's ability to evolve | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, Vermont
UVM professor explores robot's ability to evolve | The Burlington Free Press
If you had to choose the word that best describes the robots Josh Bongard has been working with lately, “robotic” would not be it.
“Adaptive” is more like it. He designs robots that can change or evolve — in body and in mind. “Mind,” that is, to the extent that a robot has a one, or a brain, in the form of the program that’s driving it.
Bongard, an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Vermont, got some attention a few years ago for his work on a robot dubbed “Starfish” that taught itself to walk. His recent research, which has also received national notice, looks at a robot with a flexible spine and four legs. Robots with this physique are given a simple task (the scientific term is “phototaxis”): to move from Point A to Point B (a light source) as quickly as possible, without falling.
If you had to choose the word that best describes the robots Josh Bongard has been working with lately, “robotic” would not be it.
“Adaptive” is more like it. He designs robots that can change or evolve — in body and in mind. “Mind,” that is, to the extent that a robot has a one, or a brain, in the form of the program that’s driving it.
Bongard, an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Vermont, got some attention a few years ago for his work on a robot dubbed “Starfish” that taught itself to walk. His recent research, which has also received national notice, looks at a robot with a flexible spine and four legs. Robots with this physique are given a simple task (the scientific term is “phototaxis”): to move from Point A to Point B (a light source) as quickly as possible, without falling.
'Universal' Flu Vaccine Shows Promise in Early Trial - Yahoo! News
'Universal' Flu Vaccine Shows Promise in Early Trial - Yahoo! News
A small group of 22 British volunteers is testing out a new "universal" influenza vaccine: one that one day might be effective against all strains of flu and wouldn't have to be reformulated each year, as now happens.
"Our hope is to develop a vaccine that works against all strains of influenza A and all subtypes so we won't need to keep making new flu vaccines each year and new flu vaccines when there is a pandemic," said lead researcher Sarah Gilbert, from the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford. "We will have one vaccine that works against all of them."
The experimental vaccine -- which targets relatively stable proteins inside the virus that are common to most or all strains -- might someday turn flu immunization into just another shot that people could get any time of the year. Fears of flu shot shortages could become a thing of the past, experts said.
A small group of 22 British volunteers is testing out a new "universal" influenza vaccine: one that one day might be effective against all strains of flu and wouldn't have to be reformulated each year, as now happens.
"Our hope is to develop a vaccine that works against all strains of influenza A and all subtypes so we won't need to keep making new flu vaccines each year and new flu vaccines when there is a pandemic," said lead researcher Sarah Gilbert, from the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford. "We will have one vaccine that works against all of them."
The experimental vaccine -- which targets relatively stable proteins inside the virus that are common to most or all strains -- might someday turn flu immunization into just another shot that people could get any time of the year. Fears of flu shot shortages could become a thing of the past, experts said.
Could Ingesting Poop Be Good for You?
Could Ingesting Poop Be Good for You?
Treating medical patients with feces, sounds, well, facetious, but some doctors think it's not such a crappy idea.
Recently, the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology published research suggesting that, in certain cases, patients suffering from the nasty clostridium difficile bug may need fecal transplants or "transpoosions."
"C. Diff," as it is commonly called among the gastric groupies, is a tough little bug that patients are increasingly catching in hospitals and nursing homes.
Although antibiotics are now the first mode of attack, a growing number of gastroenterologists like Dr. Lawrence Brandt of the Montefiore Medical Center, in New York, believe that, in some cases, injecting excrement either by enema or through a gastric tube inserted in the nose is more effective.
Treating medical patients with feces, sounds, well, facetious, but some doctors think it's not such a crappy idea.
Recently, the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology published research suggesting that, in certain cases, patients suffering from the nasty clostridium difficile bug may need fecal transplants or "transpoosions."
"C. Diff," as it is commonly called among the gastric groupies, is a tough little bug that patients are increasingly catching in hospitals and nursing homes.
Although antibiotics are now the first mode of attack, a growing number of gastroenterologists like Dr. Lawrence Brandt of the Montefiore Medical Center, in New York, believe that, in some cases, injecting excrement either by enema or through a gastric tube inserted in the nose is more effective.
Processed, Fatty Foods May Dumb Down Your Kids: Study
Processed, Fatty Foods May Dumb Down Your Kids: Study
Feeding children lots of fatty, sugary and processed foods may lower their IQ, while a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients appears to boost it, British researchers say.
This is particularly true during the first three years of life when the brain is developing rapidly, the study authors explained. They speculate that good nutrition may promote brain growth and cognitive development.
"We have found some evidence to suggest that a diet associated with increasing consumption of foods that are high in fat, sugar and processed foods in early childhood is associated with small reductions in IQ in later childhood," said lead researcher Kate Northstone, a research fellow in the department of social medicine at the University of Bristol.
Feeding children lots of fatty, sugary and processed foods may lower their IQ, while a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients appears to boost it, British researchers say.
This is particularly true during the first three years of life when the brain is developing rapidly, the study authors explained. They speculate that good nutrition may promote brain growth and cognitive development.
"We have found some evidence to suggest that a diet associated with increasing consumption of foods that are high in fat, sugar and processed foods in early childhood is associated with small reductions in IQ in later childhood," said lead researcher Kate Northstone, a research fellow in the department of social medicine at the University of Bristol.
Breastfeeding linked to fewer seizures in kids - Health
Breastfeeding linked to fewer seizures in kids - Health
Babies that are breastfed may have fewer seizures after they're a year old, according to a recent study in Denmark.
And the longer babies are breastfed, the better, the researchers found. Babies who had mom's milk for more than 9 months had fewer seizures than babies who had breast milk for a shorter time, report the authors in the Journal of Pediatrics.
Past studies have shown a link between breastfeeding and risk for mental disorders later in life, such as attention deficient disorder or schizophrenia, said Dr. Michael Kramer, professor of pediatrics at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, who was not involved in the study. But this is the first time anyone's looked at a possible link between the seizure disorder epilepsy and breastfeeding.
Babies that are breastfed may have fewer seizures after they're a year old, according to a recent study in Denmark.
And the longer babies are breastfed, the better, the researchers found. Babies who had mom's milk for more than 9 months had fewer seizures than babies who had breast milk for a shorter time, report the authors in the Journal of Pediatrics.
Past studies have shown a link between breastfeeding and risk for mental disorders later in life, such as attention deficient disorder or schizophrenia, said Dr. Michael Kramer, professor of pediatrics at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, who was not involved in the study. But this is the first time anyone's looked at a possible link between the seizure disorder epilepsy and breastfeeding.
Chocolate: The Love Drug . . .And Why It's Good for You
Chocolate: The Love Drug . . .And Why It's Good for You
For many, Valentine’s Day is the greatest of holidays, because it celebrates love and ardor. One of the most widely offered Valentine’s Day gifts is chocolate. Chocolate is a complex material possessing numerous compounds, which act upon the brain, producing a sense of delight that no other substance can replicate.
Chocolate is surprisingly good for health, especially for the heart. Cocoa, the primary ingredient in finished chocolate, is rich in antioxidant polyphenols, a group of protective chemicals found in many plant foods including red wine and tea.
For many, Valentine’s Day is the greatest of holidays, because it celebrates love and ardor. One of the most widely offered Valentine’s Day gifts is chocolate. Chocolate is a complex material possessing numerous compounds, which act upon the brain, producing a sense of delight that no other substance can replicate.
Chocolate is surprisingly good for health, especially for the heart. Cocoa, the primary ingredient in finished chocolate, is rich in antioxidant polyphenols, a group of protective chemicals found in many plant foods including red wine and tea.
Popularity Increases Aggression in Kids, Study Finds
Popularity Increases Aggression in Kids, Study Finds
Popular kids - except those at the absolute top of the social ladder - are most likely to act aggressively toward other kids, a new study finds.
It isn't aggression that makes kids more popular. But becoming more popular makes kids more aggressive, said study author Bob Faris, a sociologist at the University of California, Davis - suggesting that those kids see tormenting others as a way to gain and cement status.
Popular kids - except those at the absolute top of the social ladder - are most likely to act aggressively toward other kids, a new study finds.
It isn't aggression that makes kids more popular. But becoming more popular makes kids more aggressive, said study author Bob Faris, a sociologist at the University of California, Davis - suggesting that those kids see tormenting others as a way to gain and cement status.
Math may help calculate way to find new drugs for HIV and other diseases
Math may help calculate way to find new drugs for HIV and other diseases
Using mathematical concepts, Princeton researchers have developed a method of discovering new drugs for a range of diseases by calculating which physical properties of biological molecules may predict their effectiveness as medicines.
The technique already has identified several potential new drugs that were shown to be effective for fighting strains of HIV by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
"The power of this is that it's a general method," said Princeton chemical and biological engineering professor Christodoulos Floudas, who led the research team. "It has proven successful in finding potential peptides to fight HIV, but it should also be effective in searching for drugs for other diseases."
Using mathematical concepts, Princeton researchers have developed a method of discovering new drugs for a range of diseases by calculating which physical properties of biological molecules may predict their effectiveness as medicines.
The technique already has identified several potential new drugs that were shown to be effective for fighting strains of HIV by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
"The power of this is that it's a general method," said Princeton chemical and biological engineering professor Christodoulos Floudas, who led the research team. "It has proven successful in finding potential peptides to fight HIV, but it should also be effective in searching for drugs for other diseases."
Risk of cancer increases with exposure to low-dose radiation from cardiac imaging, study finds
Risk of cancer increases with exposure to low-dose radiation from cardiac imaging, study finds
Exposure to low-dose radiation from cardiac imaging and other procedures after a heart attack is associated with an increased risk of cancer, found a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
The use of procedures with low-dose ionizing radiation, such as computed tomography (CT) angiography and nuclear scans, is increasing which has led to mounting concern in the medical community that patients may be at increased risk of cancer. For patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease, the trend towards increased use of these procedures is particularly strong. In many centres, these procedures are replacing those that do not use radiation, such as stress tests on exercise treadmills and echocardiography. However, little is known about the effects of exposure to radiation and the risk of cancer.
Exposure to low-dose radiation from cardiac imaging and other procedures after a heart attack is associated with an increased risk of cancer, found a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
The use of procedures with low-dose ionizing radiation, such as computed tomography (CT) angiography and nuclear scans, is increasing which has led to mounting concern in the medical community that patients may be at increased risk of cancer. For patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease, the trend towards increased use of these procedures is particularly strong. In many centres, these procedures are replacing those that do not use radiation, such as stress tests on exercise treadmills and echocardiography. However, little is known about the effects of exposure to radiation and the risk of cancer.
Antipsychotics for schizophrenia associated with subtle loss in brain volume
Antipsychotics for schizophrenia associated with subtle loss in brain volume
Patients with schizophrenia who take antipsychotic medications appear to lose a small but measurable amount of brain tissue over time, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Schizophrenia affects 1 percent of the worldwide population and remains a leading cause of chronic disability among young adults, according to background information in the article. Progressive changes in brain volume observed in patients with schizophrenia have been thought to be an effect of the disease. "However, recent animal studies indicate that antipsychotics, the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia patients, may also contribute to brain tissue volume decrement," the authors write. "Because antipsychotics are prescribed for long periods for schizophrenia patients and have increasingly widespread use in other psychiatric disorders, it is imperative to determine their long-term effects on the human brain."
Patients with schizophrenia who take antipsychotic medications appear to lose a small but measurable amount of brain tissue over time, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Schizophrenia affects 1 percent of the worldwide population and remains a leading cause of chronic disability among young adults, according to background information in the article. Progressive changes in brain volume observed in patients with schizophrenia have been thought to be an effect of the disease. "However, recent animal studies indicate that antipsychotics, the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia patients, may also contribute to brain tissue volume decrement," the authors write. "Because antipsychotics are prescribed for long periods for schizophrenia patients and have increasingly widespread use in other psychiatric disorders, it is imperative to determine their long-term effects on the human brain."
Lifestyle affects life expectancy more than genetics, Swedish study finds
Lifestyle affects life expectancy more than genetics, Swedish study finds
How long your parents lived does not necessarily affect how long you will live. Instead it is how you live your life that determines how old you will get, reveals research from the University of Gothenburg recently published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
It is often assumed that people with parents who lived to be very old are more likely to live to a grand old age themselves.
"But that's just not true -- our study shows that hereditary factors don't play a major role and that lifestyle has the biggest impact," says professor emeritus Lars Wilhelmsen, referring to the 1913 Men study that formed the basis of the current research.
How long your parents lived does not necessarily affect how long you will live. Instead it is how you live your life that determines how old you will get, reveals research from the University of Gothenburg recently published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
It is often assumed that people with parents who lived to be very old are more likely to live to a grand old age themselves.
"But that's just not true -- our study shows that hereditary factors don't play a major role and that lifestyle has the biggest impact," says professor emeritus Lars Wilhelmsen, referring to the 1913 Men study that formed the basis of the current research.
February 7, 2011
Kids' Rising Obesity Rates Due to Bad Habits, Not Genes
Kids' Rising Obesity Rates Due to Bad Habits, Not Genes
Poor eating and activity habits, not genetics, are the underlying causes for most cases of adolescent obesity, new research suggests.
The finding stems from an analysis involving more than 1,000 Michigan sixth-grade students who participated in the Project Healthy Schools program, which is in place in 13 middle schools across the state.
"For the extremely overweight child, genetic screening may be a consideration," study senior author Dr. Kim A. Eagle, a cardiologist and a director of the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center in Ann Arbor, said in a center news release.
Poor eating and activity habits, not genetics, are the underlying causes for most cases of adolescent obesity, new research suggests.
The finding stems from an analysis involving more than 1,000 Michigan sixth-grade students who participated in the Project Healthy Schools program, which is in place in 13 middle schools across the state.
"For the extremely overweight child, genetic screening may be a consideration," study senior author Dr. Kim A. Eagle, a cardiologist and a director of the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center in Ann Arbor, said in a center news release.
British scientists claim flu vaccine breakthrough - Yahoo! News
British scientists claim flu vaccine breakthrough - Yahoo! News
Scientists in Britain have successfully tested a vaccine which could work against all known flu strains, the Guardian newspaper reported Monday.
The new vaccine, developed by scientists at Oxford University, differs from traditional treatments by targeting proteins inside the flu virus rather than proteins on the flu's external coat.
The two proteins within the virus are similar across strains and less likely to mutate, meaning new vaccines would not have to be developed for each new strain of the illness.
Traditional vaccines stimulate the body to produce antibodies to fight the flu, whereas the new treatment, developed by a team led by Sarah Gilbert, boosts the production of T-cells, which identify and kill infected cells.
Scientists in Britain have successfully tested a vaccine which could work against all known flu strains, the Guardian newspaper reported Monday.
The new vaccine, developed by scientists at Oxford University, differs from traditional treatments by targeting proteins inside the flu virus rather than proteins on the flu's external coat.
The two proteins within the virus are similar across strains and less likely to mutate, meaning new vaccines would not have to be developed for each new strain of the illness.
Traditional vaccines stimulate the body to produce antibodies to fight the flu, whereas the new treatment, developed by a team led by Sarah Gilbert, boosts the production of T-cells, which identify and kill infected cells.
Allergies Linked to Lower Brain Cancer Rate in Study
Allergies Linked to Lower Brain Cancer Rate in Study
If you suffer from allergies, take heart: Researchers say you may be less likely to develop a tough-to-treat brain cancer, possibly because your immune system is on high alert.
It's not clear how this knowledge might improve prevention or treatment of brain cancer, but the study's lead author said the findings pave the way for further research.
"We need to do more studies to really get at that underlying mechanism. Then we might be able to do things that would influence people who might have a higher risk or may have a family history," said Bridget J. McCarthy, a research associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The lesions studied are known as gliomas, the most common type of adult brain tumor. They account for more than half of the 18,000-plus malignant brain tumors diagnosed in the United States every year, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
If you suffer from allergies, take heart: Researchers say you may be less likely to develop a tough-to-treat brain cancer, possibly because your immune system is on high alert.
It's not clear how this knowledge might improve prevention or treatment of brain cancer, but the study's lead author said the findings pave the way for further research.
"We need to do more studies to really get at that underlying mechanism. Then we might be able to do things that would influence people who might have a higher risk or may have a family history," said Bridget J. McCarthy, a research associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The lesions studied are known as gliomas, the most common type of adult brain tumor. They account for more than half of the 18,000-plus malignant brain tumors diagnosed in the United States every year, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
Giving Baby Solid Foods Too Early Linked to Obesity Later - Yahoo! News
Giving Baby Solid Foods Too Early Linked to Obesity Later - Yahoo! News
Babies who were formula-fed and introduced to solid foods before they were 4 months old were more likely to be obese when they were 3, researchers report.
The timing of solid foods didn't increase the odds of becoming obese in youngsters who were breast-fed. But among children who were never breast-fed -- or who stopped breast-feeding before the age of 4 months -- introducing solid foods before 4 months of age was linked to a sixfold increase in the risk of obesity, according to the research, which was published online Feb. 7 and will appear in the March print issue of Pediatrics.
"Our study results suggest that adhering to the current American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines of waiting till 4 months to introduce solids has the potential to reduce the risk of obesity later on," explained study author Dr. Susanna Y. Huh, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Children's Hospital Boston.
Babies who were formula-fed and introduced to solid foods before they were 4 months old were more likely to be obese when they were 3, researchers report.
The timing of solid foods didn't increase the odds of becoming obese in youngsters who were breast-fed. But among children who were never breast-fed -- or who stopped breast-feeding before the age of 4 months -- introducing solid foods before 4 months of age was linked to a sixfold increase in the risk of obesity, according to the research, which was published online Feb. 7 and will appear in the March print issue of Pediatrics.
"Our study results suggest that adhering to the current American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines of waiting till 4 months to introduce solids has the potential to reduce the risk of obesity later on," explained study author Dr. Susanna Y. Huh, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Children's Hospital Boston.
Facebook users more prone to developing eating disorders, study finds
Facebook users more prone to developing eating disorders, study finds
The more time adolescent girls spend in front of Facebook, the more their chances of developing a negative body image and various eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia and exaggerated dieting. This has been shown in a new study from the University of Haifa.
Eating disorders include a wide spectrum of abnormal mental and behavioral conducts related to food and body weight, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. This study, conducted by Prof. Yael Latzer, Prof. Ruth Katz and Zohar Spivak of the Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences at the University of Haifa, set out to examine the effects of two factors on the development of eating disorders in young girls: exposure to the media and self-empowerment.
The more time adolescent girls spend in front of Facebook, the more their chances of developing a negative body image and various eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia and exaggerated dieting. This has been shown in a new study from the University of Haifa.
Eating disorders include a wide spectrum of abnormal mental and behavioral conducts related to food and body weight, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. This study, conducted by Prof. Yael Latzer, Prof. Ruth Katz and Zohar Spivak of the Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences at the University of Haifa, set out to examine the effects of two factors on the development of eating disorders in young girls: exposure to the media and self-empowerment.
Normal air could halve fuel consumption
Normal air could halve fuel consumption
Every time a car brakes, energy is generated. At present this energy is not used, but new research shows that it is perfectly possible to save it for later use in the form of compressed air. It can then provide extra power to the engine when the car is started and save fuel by avoiding idle operation when the car is at a standstill.
Air hybrids, or pneumatic hybrids as they are also known, are not yet in production. Nonetheless, electric cars and electric hybrid cars already make use of the brake energy, to power a generator that charges the batteries. However, according to Per Tunestål, a researcher in Combustion Engines at Lund University in Sweden, air hybrids would be much cheaper to manufacture. The step to commercialisation does not have to be a large one.
Every time a car brakes, energy is generated. At present this energy is not used, but new research shows that it is perfectly possible to save it for later use in the form of compressed air. It can then provide extra power to the engine when the car is started and save fuel by avoiding idle operation when the car is at a standstill.
Air hybrids, or pneumatic hybrids as they are also known, are not yet in production. Nonetheless, electric cars and electric hybrid cars already make use of the brake energy, to power a generator that charges the batteries. However, according to Per Tunestål, a researcher in Combustion Engines at Lund University in Sweden, air hybrids would be much cheaper to manufacture. The step to commercialisation does not have to be a large one.
Experts: Contamination from GM alfalfa certain
Experts: Contamination from GM alfalfa certain
Contamination of organic and traditional crops by recently deregulated, genetically modified alfalfa is inevitable, agriculture experts said, despite Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's recent assurances the federal government would take steps to prevent such a problem.
Many farmers had been pushing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to approve the use of genetically modified alfalfa. Monsanto developed the seed to resist the weedkiller Roundup, allowing farmers to use the two together to save time and labor on weeding. Supporters also say the use of the genetically modified seeds lets farmers grow more alfalfa on each acre and helps keep food prices low.
Opponents, many of them organic farmers, say widespread planting of genetically modified alfalfa will result in pollen from those plants contaminating organic and traditional crops, destroying their value. While alfalfa is mostly used as hay for cattle, some consumers don't want to eat foods, such as milk or beef, from animals that have consumed genetically modified plants.
Alfalfa is grown on about 20 million acres in almost every state in the U.S. and is the fourth largest field crop behind corn, soybeans and wheat.
Contamination of organic and traditional crops by recently deregulated, genetically modified alfalfa is inevitable, agriculture experts said, despite Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's recent assurances the federal government would take steps to prevent such a problem.
Many farmers had been pushing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to approve the use of genetically modified alfalfa. Monsanto developed the seed to resist the weedkiller Roundup, allowing farmers to use the two together to save time and labor on weeding. Supporters also say the use of the genetically modified seeds lets farmers grow more alfalfa on each acre and helps keep food prices low.
Opponents, many of them organic farmers, say widespread planting of genetically modified alfalfa will result in pollen from those plants contaminating organic and traditional crops, destroying their value. While alfalfa is mostly used as hay for cattle, some consumers don't want to eat foods, such as milk or beef, from animals that have consumed genetically modified plants.
Alfalfa is grown on about 20 million acres in almost every state in the U.S. and is the fourth largest field crop behind corn, soybeans and wheat.
Seeing the light: Scientists bring plasmonic nanofields into focus
Seeing the light: Scientists bring plasmonic nanofields into focus
In typical plasmonic devices, electromagnetic waves crowd into tiny metal structures, concentrating energy into nanoscale dimensions. Due to coupling of electronics and photonics in these metal nanostructures, plasmonic devices could be harnessed for high-speed data transmission or ultrafast detector arrays. However, studying plasmonic fields in nanoscale devices presents a real roadblock for scientists, as examining these structures inherently alters their behavior.
In typical plasmonic devices, electromagnetic waves crowd into tiny metal structures, concentrating energy into nanoscale dimensions. Due to coupling of electronics and photonics in these metal nanostructures, plasmonic devices could be harnessed for high-speed data transmission or ultrafast detector arrays. However, studying plasmonic fields in nanoscale devices presents a real roadblock for scientists, as examining these structures inherently alters their behavior.
Engineers grow nanolasers on silicon, pave way for on-chip photonics
Engineers grow nanolasers on silicon, pave way for on-chip photonics
Engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found a way to grow nanolasers directly onto a silicon surface, an achievement that could lead to a new class of faster, more efficient microprocessors, as well as to powerful biochemical sensors that use optoelectronic chips.
They describe their work in a paper to be published Feb. 6 in an advanced online issue of the journal Nature Photonics.
"Our results impact a broad spectrum of scientific fields, including materials science, transistor technology, laser science, optoelectronics and optical physics," said the study's principal investigator, Connie Chang-Hasnain, UC Berkeley professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences.
Engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found a way to grow nanolasers directly onto a silicon surface, an achievement that could lead to a new class of faster, more efficient microprocessors, as well as to powerful biochemical sensors that use optoelectronic chips.
They describe their work in a paper to be published Feb. 6 in an advanced online issue of the journal Nature Photonics.
"Our results impact a broad spectrum of scientific fields, including materials science, transistor technology, laser science, optoelectronics and optical physics," said the study's principal investigator, Connie Chang-Hasnain, UC Berkeley professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences.
Expectations speed up conscious perception
Expectations speed up conscious perception
The human brain works incredibly fast. However, visual impressions are so complex that their processing takes several hundred milliseconds before they enter our consciousness. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt am Main have now shown that this delay may vary in length. When the brain possesses some prior information − that is, when it already knows what it is about to see − conscious recognition occurs faster. Until now, neuroscientists assumed that the processes leading up to conscious perception were rather rigid and that their timing did not vary.
The human brain works incredibly fast. However, visual impressions are so complex that their processing takes several hundred milliseconds before they enter our consciousness. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt am Main have now shown that this delay may vary in length. When the brain possesses some prior information − that is, when it already knows what it is about to see − conscious recognition occurs faster. Until now, neuroscientists assumed that the processes leading up to conscious perception were rather rigid and that their timing did not vary.
February 6, 2011
Small Asteroid Just Buzzed Earth
Small Asteroid Just Buzzed Earth
If you felt a sudden breeze at about 19:40 GMT (2:40 pm EST), it was probably from a small asteroid that came extremely close to the Earth today (Feb. 4, 2011). The object, officially designated 2011 CQ1, is fairly small — about 2-3 meters (6.5 -10 ft) wide — and at closest approach it came within 11,855 km (7,366 miles) or about 0.03 lunar distances (LD), or 0.00008 astronomical units (AU). Yep, that’s pretty close.
Richard Kowalski with the Catalina Sky Survey discovered this object early today. The image above is from Giovanni Sostero & Ernesto Guido who made remote follow-up observations to confirm with the Tzec Maun Observatory in New Mexico.
There was no chance this object was going to hit Earth, but it did come well within what is known as the Clarke Belt among geosynchronous satellites.
http://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2011/02/2011-cq1-very-close-approach.html
If you felt a sudden breeze at about 19:40 GMT (2:40 pm EST), it was probably from a small asteroid that came extremely close to the Earth today (Feb. 4, 2011). The object, officially designated 2011 CQ1, is fairly small — about 2-3 meters (6.5 -10 ft) wide — and at closest approach it came within 11,855 km (7,366 miles) or about 0.03 lunar distances (LD), or 0.00008 astronomical units (AU). Yep, that’s pretty close.
Richard Kowalski with the Catalina Sky Survey discovered this object early today. The image above is from Giovanni Sostero & Ernesto Guido who made remote follow-up observations to confirm with the Tzec Maun Observatory in New Mexico.
There was no chance this object was going to hit Earth, but it did come well within what is known as the Clarke Belt among geosynchronous satellites.
http://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2011/02/2011-cq1-very-close-approach.html
New twist on the electron beam
New twist on the electron beam
Electron microscopes are among the most widely used scientific and medical tools for studying and understanding a wide range of materials, from biological tissue to miniature magnetic devices, at tiny levels of detail. Now, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have found a novel and potentially widely applicable method to expand the capabilities of conventional transmission electron microscopes (TEMs). Passing electrons through a nanometer-scale grating, the scientists imparted the resulting electron waves with so much orbital momentum that they maintained a corkscrew shape in free space.
Electron microscopes are among the most widely used scientific and medical tools for studying and understanding a wide range of materials, from biological tissue to miniature magnetic devices, at tiny levels of detail. Now, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have found a novel and potentially widely applicable method to expand the capabilities of conventional transmission electron microscopes (TEMs). Passing electrons through a nanometer-scale grating, the scientists imparted the resulting electron waves with so much orbital momentum that they maintained a corkscrew shape in free space.
Gas stations pollute their immediate surroundings, Spanish study finds
Gas stations pollute their immediate surroundings, Spanish study finds
In Spain it is relatively common to come across gas (petrol) stations surrounded by houses, particularly in urban areas. Researchers from the University of Murcia (UM) have studied the effects of contamination at petrol stations that are potentially harmful to health, which can be noted in buildings less than 100 metres from the service stations.
"Some airborne organic compounds -- such as benzene, which increases the risk of cancer -- have been recorded at petrol stations at levels above the average levels for urban areas where traffic is the primary source of emission," Marta Doval, co-author of the study and a researcher at the UM, said.
In Spain it is relatively common to come across gas (petrol) stations surrounded by houses, particularly in urban areas. Researchers from the University of Murcia (UM) have studied the effects of contamination at petrol stations that are potentially harmful to health, which can be noted in buildings less than 100 metres from the service stations.
"Some airborne organic compounds -- such as benzene, which increases the risk of cancer -- have been recorded at petrol stations at levels above the average levels for urban areas where traffic is the primary source of emission," Marta Doval, co-author of the study and a researcher at the UM, said.
Yoga as a Stress Reliever in Infertility? - NYTimes.com
Yoga as a Stress Reliever in Infertility? - NYTimes.com
KIMBERLY SORANNO, a 39-year-old Brooklynite undergoing an in vitro fertilization cycle as part of her quest to become pregnant, had gone to her share of yoga classes, but never one like that held on a recent Tuesday night in a reception area of the New York University Fertility Center. There were no deep twists or headstands; just easy “restorative” poses as the teacher, Tracy Toon Spencer, guided the participants — most of them women struggling to conceive — to let go of their worries.
KIMBERLY SORANNO, a 39-year-old Brooklynite undergoing an in vitro fertilization cycle as part of her quest to become pregnant, had gone to her share of yoga classes, but never one like that held on a recent Tuesday night in a reception area of the New York University Fertility Center. There were no deep twists or headstands; just easy “restorative” poses as the teacher, Tracy Toon Spencer, guided the participants — most of them women struggling to conceive — to let go of their worries.
February 3, 2011
Internet Officially Runs Out of Addresses | News & Opinion | PCMag.com
Internet Officially Runs Out of Addresses | News & Opinion | PCMag.com
Today the well of addresses on the Internet officially runs dry, but there's no need to panic. The exhaustion has been known about for years, and new addresses—which are designed not to run out for a long, long time—are already in operation.
The Number Resource Organization (NRO), and industry group made up of five regional Internet provider registries, held an event in Montevideo, Uruguay, today where members announced that it had today handed out the last of the available addresses on the old system.
Today the well of addresses on the Internet officially runs dry, but there's no need to panic. The exhaustion has been known about for years, and new addresses—which are designed not to run out for a long, long time—are already in operation.
The Number Resource Organization (NRO), and industry group made up of five regional Internet provider registries, held an event in Montevideo, Uruguay, today where members announced that it had today handed out the last of the available addresses on the old system.
Tiny water flea has more genes than you - Yahoo! News
Tiny water flea has more genes than you - Yahoo! News
A tiny, translucent water flea that can reproduce without sex and lives in ponds and lakes has more genes than any other creature, said scientists who have sequenced the crustacean's genome.
Daphnia pulex, named after the nymph in Greek mythology who transforms into a tree in order to escape the lovestruck Apollo, has 31,000 genes compared to humans who have about 23,000, said the research in the journal Science.
Often studied by scientists who want to learn about the effects of pollution and environmental changes on water creatures, the almost-microscopic freshwater Daphnia is the first crustacean to have its genome sequenced.
A tiny, translucent water flea that can reproduce without sex and lives in ponds and lakes has more genes than any other creature, said scientists who have sequenced the crustacean's genome.
Daphnia pulex, named after the nymph in Greek mythology who transforms into a tree in order to escape the lovestruck Apollo, has 31,000 genes compared to humans who have about 23,000, said the research in the journal Science.
Often studied by scientists who want to learn about the effects of pollution and environmental changes on water creatures, the almost-microscopic freshwater Daphnia is the first crustacean to have its genome sequenced.
Scientists make nanosheets with high-tech potential | Reuters
Scientists make nanosheets with high-tech potential | Reuters
A novel way of splitting materials into sheets just one atom thick could lead to new electronic and energy storage technologies, scientists said Thursday.
An international team of researchers said they had invented a versatile way to create one atom thick "nanosheets" from a range of layered materials, similar to the graphite used in pencils, using ultrasonic pulses and common solvents.
The new method is simple, cheap, fast, and could be scaled up to work on an industrial scale, the scientists said in a report of their work published in the journal Science.
A novel way of splitting materials into sheets just one atom thick could lead to new electronic and energy storage technologies, scientists said Thursday.
An international team of researchers said they had invented a versatile way to create one atom thick "nanosheets" from a range of layered materials, similar to the graphite used in pencils, using ultrasonic pulses and common solvents.
The new method is simple, cheap, fast, and could be scaled up to work on an industrial scale, the scientists said in a report of their work published in the journal Science.
Scientists grow blood vessels for human surgery
Scientists grow blood vessels for human surgery
Scientists can grow blood vessels in a lab for use in coronary bypass or dialysis, a promising alternative to harvesting from the patient, said a study published on Wednesday.
The process involves taking smooth muscle cells from a human cadaver and grafting them onto tubes made of the material used in making dissolvable stitches, called polyglycolic acid.
Within eight to 10 weeks, the tubes degrade and a "fully formed vascular graft" remains, said the research by scientists from Duke University, East Carolina University and Yale University.
Scientists can grow blood vessels in a lab for use in coronary bypass or dialysis, a promising alternative to harvesting from the patient, said a study published on Wednesday.
The process involves taking smooth muscle cells from a human cadaver and grafting them onto tubes made of the material used in making dissolvable stitches, called polyglycolic acid.
Within eight to 10 weeks, the tubes degrade and a "fully formed vascular graft" remains, said the research by scientists from Duke University, East Carolina University and Yale University.
Zap to the brain 'helps solve puzzles' - Telegraph
Zap to the brain 'helps solve puzzles' - Telegraph
Zapping the brain with an electrical current can help people solve difficult problems, scientists have claimed.
Researchers in Australia found that volunteers who received electrical stimulation of the brain's anterior temporal lobes were three times more likely to be able to figure out an unfamiliar puzzle than those who did not get a zap.
Richard Chi and Allan Snyder, from the Centre for the Mind at the University of Sydney said the current can provide people with a flash of inspiration under pressure.
They explained that people often find it difficult to be creative because they continue to adopt practices that have been successful before.
However, they believed that an electrical current can stimulate parts of the brain that help us solve problems and encouraging us to be more creative.
Zapping the brain with an electrical current can help people solve difficult problems, scientists have claimed.
Researchers in Australia found that volunteers who received electrical stimulation of the brain's anterior temporal lobes were three times more likely to be able to figure out an unfamiliar puzzle than those who did not get a zap.
Richard Chi and Allan Snyder, from the Centre for the Mind at the University of Sydney said the current can provide people with a flash of inspiration under pressure.
They explained that people often find it difficult to be creative because they continue to adopt practices that have been successful before.
However, they believed that an electrical current can stimulate parts of the brain that help us solve problems and encouraging us to be more creative.
Roasting coffee beans a dark brown produces valued antioxidants, scientists find
Roasting coffee beans a dark brown produces valued antioxidants, scientists find
Food scientists at the University of British Columbia have been able to pinpoint more of the complex chemistry behind coffee's much touted antioxidant benefits, tracing valuable compounds to the roasting process.
Food scientists at the University of British Columbia have been able to pinpoint more of the complex chemistry behind coffee's much touted antioxidant benefits, tracing valuable compounds to the roasting process.
Oysters disappearing worldwide: study - Yahoo! News
Oysters disappearing worldwide: study - Yahoo! News
A survey of oyster habitats around the world has found that the succulent mollusks are disappearing fast and 85 percent of their reefs have been lost due to disease and over-harvesting.
Most of the remaining wild oysters in the world, or about 75 percent, can be found in five locations in North America, said the study published in BioScience, the journal of the American Institute of Biological Sciences.
An international team of researchers led by Michael Beck of the Nature Conservancy and the University of California, Santa Cruz, examined the condition of native oyster reefs in 40 ecoregions, including 144 bays.
A survey of oyster habitats around the world has found that the succulent mollusks are disappearing fast and 85 percent of their reefs have been lost due to disease and over-harvesting.
Most of the remaining wild oysters in the world, or about 75 percent, can be found in five locations in North America, said the study published in BioScience, the journal of the American Institute of Biological Sciences.
An international team of researchers led by Michael Beck of the Nature Conservancy and the University of California, Santa Cruz, examined the condition of native oyster reefs in 40 ecoregions, including 144 bays.
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