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Instruments and Supplies RSS FeedsWhen species are about to become extinct: New research may help predict tipping point - What if there were a way to predict when a species was about to become extinct -- in time to do something about it? Findings from a new study may eventually lead to such an outcome -- and that is only the start. Their study also has implications for understanding drastic, even catastrophic, changes in many other kinds of complex systems, from the human brain to entire ecosystems....Feed Source: feeds.sciencedaily.com Liver defect likely cause of DHA deficiency in Alzheimer's patients, UCI study finds - Researchers have discovered that markedly depleted amounts of an omega-3 fatty acid in brain tissue samples from Alzheimer's patients may be due to the liver's inability to produce the complex fat, also contained in fish-oil supplements.... NASA satellites reveal surprising connection between beetle attacks, wildfire - If your summer travels have taken you across the Rocky Mountains, you've probably seen large swaths of reddish trees dotting otherwise green forests. While it may look like autumn has come early to the mountains, evergreen trees don't change color with the seasons. The red trees are dying, the result of attacks by mountain pine beetles.... Corn bred to contain beta-carotene is a good source of vitamin A, study finds - A new study has found that corn bred to contain increased levels of beta-carotene is a good source of vitamin A. The discovery gives added support to the promise of biofortified corn being developed through conventional plant breeding as an effective tool to combat vitamin A deficiency in developing countries.... Tectonic zip: Predictable events of the February 2010 earthquake in Chile - The complex fracture pattern created by the earthquake in Concepción (Chile) on February 27, 2010 was to a certain extent predictable. GPS observations from the years before the earthquake showed the pattern of stresses that had accumulated through the plate movements during the past 175 years in this area.... Chronic drinking increases levels of stress hormones, leading to neurotoxicity - Alcohol consumption, withdrawal, and abstinence can all raise stress hormones in humans and animals. A review has described how stress hormones called glucocorticoids are associated with neurotoxicity during abstinence after withdrawal from alcohol dependence. Glucocorticoid receptor antagonism may therefore represent a pharmacological option for recovery.... Extreme X-ray source suggests new class of black hole - Astronomers have found proof to confirm the distance and brightness of the most extreme ultra-luminous X-ray source, which may herald a new type of black hole.... Self-administered vaccine patch may protect against potentially pandemic flu viruses - A self-administered patch containing tiny microneedles may effectively deliver influenza virus-like particles through the skin and protect against potentially pandemic flu viruses such as H5N1.... Why the biological clock? Aging reduces centromere cohesion, disrupts reproduction, biologists discover - Biologists studying human reproduction have identified what is likely the major contributing factor to the maternal age-associated increase in aneuploidy, the term for an abnormal number of chromosomes during reproductive cell division.... These dendritic cells are fishy, but that's a good thing - Scientists have identified dendritic antigen-presenting cells in zebrafish, opening the possibility that the tiny fish could become a new model for studying the complexities of the human immune system.... Portable laser backpack revolutionizes 3-D mapping - A portable, laser backpack for 3-D mapping is being hailed as a breakthrough technology capable of producing fast, automatic and realistic 3-D mapping of difficult interior environments.... Adults demonstrate modified immune response after receiving massage, researchers show - Researchers have reported people who undergo massage experience measurable changes in their body's immune and endocrine response. Although there have been previous, smaller studies about the health benefits of massage, the new study is believed to be the first systematic study of a larger group of healthy adults.... Laws of physics vary throughout the universe, new study suggests - A team of astrophysicists based in Australia and England has uncovered evidence that the laws of physics are different in different parts of the universe. The report describes how one of the supposed fundamental constants of Nature appears not to be constant after all. Instead, this 'magic number' known as the fine-structure constant -- 'alpha' for short -- appears to vary throughout the universe.... New compound safely reduces plaques in mouse model of Alzheimer's disease - A team of scientists has synthesized hundreds of new compounds with the potential of reducing the production of the A-beta 42 peptide, a primary component of Alzheimer's disease. In mouse models, one tested compound specifically reduced levels of A-beta 42, which is believed to be responsible for the destruction of neurons, but left other essential enzymatic activities in the brain unaffected.... It takes less than you think to create a starling spectacular - Hundreds of starlings flocking at dusk have become a familiar sight in towns and cities across the UK. But new research suggests that the birds react to minimal information from those nearest them to create these spectacular twilight roosting displays.... Muscle wasting in cancer does not spare the heart - The wasting disease associated with some cancers that is typically seen affecting skeletal muscles can also cause significant damage to the heart, new research in mice suggests. Before now, cachexia, characterized by muscle wasting and dramatic weight loss, was believed to spare the heart. But a new study shows that the condition reduces heart function and changes the heart muscle structure in mice with colon cancer.... Deepwater Horizon oil remains below surface, will come ashore in pulses, expert says - A coastal studies expert disagrees with published estimates that more than 75 percent of the oil from the Deepwater Horizon incident has disappeared.... Decision-making deficits related to driving under the influence are often undetected - Driving under the influence of alcohol is a major public health problem. New findings show that people who had relapsed to DUI have subtle deficits in their decision-making abilities. These deficits tend to go undetected through conventional neuropsychological testing.... Most penguin populations continue to decline, biologists warn - Penguin biologists from around the world warn that ten of the planet's eighteen penguin species have experienced further serious population declines. The effects of climate change, overfishing, chronic oil pollution and predation by introduced mammals are among the major factors cited repeatedly by penguin scientists as contributing to these population drops.... Parents report a widely prescribed antibiotic is effective for fragile X treatment - One of the antibiotics most commonly prescribed to treat adolescent acne can increase attention spans and communication and decrease anxiety in patients with fragile X syndrome, according to a new study.... Is organic farming good for wildlife? It depends on the alternative - Even though organic methods may increase farm biodiversity, a combination of conventional farming and protected areas could sometimes be a better way to maintain food production and protect wildlife.... Molecular gatekeeper of arthritis identified: Removal of key protein leads to initiation of disease - Elimination of a molecular gatekeeper leads to the development of arthritis in mice, scientists report. The newly discovered gatekeeper is a protein that determines the fate -- survival or death -- of damaging cells that mistakenly attack the body's own tissues and lead to autoimmune disorders. Better understanding how arthritis develops will offer scientists an opportunity to explore new treatments for patients who have not had success with current therapies.... Microbial breakthrough impacts health, agriculture, biofuels - For the first time ever, researchers have discovered how microbes break down hemicellulose plant matter into simple sugars using a cow rumen bacterium as a model.... Consumers will pay more for goods they can touch - We've all heard the predictions: e-commerce is going to be the death of traditional commerce; online shopping spells the end of the neighborhood brick-and-mortar store. While it's true that online commerce has had an impact on all types of retail stores, it's not time to bring out the wrecking ball quite yet, says a team of researchers.... Researchers hear puzzling new physics from graphene quartet's quantum harmonies - Using a one-of-a-kind instrument, researchers have discovered an unexpected and tantalizing set of energy levels in graphene, a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon with potentially revolutionary electronic properties, when the material is exposed to extremely low temperatures and extremely high magnetic fields.... Potential new drug for neurodegenerative disease identified - Scientists have discovered a small molecule that helps human cells discard disfigured proteins, such as those that may be involved in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative ailments.... Computer-based video analysis boosts data gathering in behavioral studies - Scientists have developed a computer-based system that can learn how to identify behaviors of interest and then analyze many hours of video.... How insulin stimulates fat cells to take in glucose - Using high-resolution microscopy, researchers have shown how insulin prompts fat cells to take in glucose in a rat model. By studying the surface of healthy, live fat cells in rats, researchers were able to understand the process by which cells take in glucose. Next, they plan to observe the fat cells of people with varying degrees of insulin sensitivity, including insulin resistance-considered a precursor to type 2 diabetes. These observations may help identify the interval when someone becomes at risk for developing diabetes.... Cloud computing method greatly increases gene analysis - Researchers have developed new software that greatly improves the speed at which scientists can analyze RNA sequencing data. The software, known as Myrna, uses "cloud computing," an Internet-based method of sharing computer resources. Faster, cost-effective analysis of gene expression could be a valuable tool in understanding the genetic causes of disease.... Research on team loyalty yields new insight into 'die-hard' fandom - There's a reason why some sports fans are referred to as "die-hards" -- even after they move away, their loyalty to their hometown team endures, according to new research.... Woolly mammoth, woolly rhinoceros and reindeer lived on Iberian Peninsula 150,000 years ago, findings show - Researchers in Spain have gathered together all findings of the woolly mammoth, the woolly rhinoceros and the reindeer in the Iberian Peninsula to show that, although in small numbers, these big mammals -- prehistoric indicators of cold climates -- already lived in this territory some 150,000 years ago.... New class of peptides may protect against septic shock - A new class of peptides may neutralize the endotoxin that causes sepsis, offering a new therapeutic strategy against an often lethal systemic bacterial infection.... Satellite data reveal seasonal pollution changes over India - Armed with a decade's worth of satellite data, atmospheric scientists have documented some surprising trends in aerosol pollution concentration, distribution and composition over the Indian subcontinent.... Micro-RNA determines malignancy of lung cancer - A small RNA molecule determines whether or not lung cancer cells grow invasively and metastasize, according to researchers in Germany. Moreover, they found out that the following is true also for patients with non-small cell lung cancer: The less micro-RNA is produced by tumor cells, the higher the tumor's tendency to metastasize.... Experts question claim that Alexander the Great's half-brother is buried at Vergina - Claims that a tomb at Vergina, Greece, the ancient burial place of the Macedonian royal family in the fourth century B.C., contains the body of King Philip III Arrhidaios, half-brother of Alexander the Great, and not Philip II, Alexander's father, are called into question by researchers in the UK.... Reading food labels, combined with exercise, can lead to weight loss, study finds - Nutritional science and food marketing has become so sophisticated in recent decades that a trip to the supermarket can require a complete nutritional re-education. The average consumer needs to be on guard against preservatives, added fat, colorings, and calories, false advertising, and sophisticated but misleading labels. Although guidelines for the information of food labels have gotten a bad rap in recent years, a new study suggests that observing them may lead to weight loss, especially for women entering their middle years.... Music on prescription could help treat emotional and physical pain - New research into how music conveys emotion could benefit the treatment of depression and the management of physical pain. Using an innovative combination of music psychology and leading-edge audio engineering the project is looking in more detail than ever before at how music conveys emotion.... Joint replacement: New clinical guidelines for diagnosing periprosthetic joint infections of the hip and knee - A periprosthetic joint infection occurs when bacteria or other foreign organisms enter the wound during or at any point following joint replacement surgery, sometimes even years after surgery. Research indicates that periprosthetic infection, also known as "septic failure," is the leading cause of total knee replacement revision (25 percent) and the second-leading cause of total hip replacement revision (15 percent) in the U.S.... Biofeedback for your brain? - There is new evidence that people can learn to control the activity of some brain regions when they get feedback signals provided by functional magnetic resonance brain imaging (fMRI).... Simplified heart-risk guideline may miscalculate risk for millions - A method that is widely used to predict the risk of a major coronary event may over- or underestimate risk for millions of Americans, according to a new study.... Massachusetts health reform fails the disadvantaged, study finds - A new study looking at the effects of the 2006 Massachusetts Health Reform on access to care, health status and ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in healthcare, shows that the legislation has led to improvements in insurance coverage as well as a decline in financial barriers to care. However, to date, it has not increased people's access to a personal physician or improved their self-rated health. Neither has it reduced healthcare inequalities between ethnic or income groups.... Emission reductions slowed down by heavier and more powerful cars - The potential for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from cars is not being fully realized. The average Swedish car buyer still purchases a heavier and thirstier car than the average European, even though the difference has decreased in recent years.... Oldest Roman baths in Asia Minor discovered in Sagalassos - An archaeological team has discovered the oldest Roman baths in Asia Minor known to date in Sagalassos, Turkey. Sagalassos was inhabited as a city until the 7th century AD, when it was destroyed by earthquakes.... Brain needs to remember faces in three dimensions - In our dynamic 3-D world, we can encounter a familiar face from any angle and still recognize that face with ease, even if the person has, for example, changed his hair style. This is because our brain has used the 2-D snapshots perceived by our eyes (like a camera) to build and store a 3-D mental representation of the face, which is resilient to such changes. This is an automatic process that most of us are not consciously aware of, and which appears to be a challenge for people with a particular type of face-blindness, suggests new research.... There is more to motor imagery than mental simulation - The human brain is a powerful simulation machine. Sports professionals and amateurs alike are well aware of the advantages of mentally rehearsing a movement prior to its execution and it is not surprising that the phenomenon, known as motor imagery, has already been extensively investigated. However, a new study suggests that there may be more to motor imagery than previously thought. A group of neuroscientists in Italy have shown that the brain is able to invent creative new solutions in order to perform impossible actions.... First UK cameras to scan the night skies - An astronomy graduate has set up the first UK camera which can continuously scan the night sky and dictates the best conditions for surveys.... Limiting harmful acrylamide: Lactic acid bacteria to lower risk of cancer - A small research-based Norwegian company has developed a method to reduce the formation of the carcinogenic compound acrylamide during industrial production of potatoes and coffee. International food giants are paying attention.... Aging drug users are increasing and facing chronic physical and mental health problems - Health and social services are facing a new challenge, as many illicit drug users get older and face chronic health problems and a reduced quality of life. UK researchers interviewed people aged 49 to 61 in contact with voluntary sector drug treatment services. The study, plus wider research, suggest that older people who continue to use problematic or illegal drugs are emerging as an important, but relatively under-researched, international population. The problem is international, with US and European figures suggesting the number of people with addiction problems will at least double by 2020.... Copyright © 2010, LadyWebSoftware. All Rights Reserved. |