Health benefits of vitamin D dependent on type taken

New research funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has shown that vitamin D3 supplements could provide more benefit than the close relative vitamin D2

On early Earth, iron may have performed magnesium's RNA folding job

On the periodic table of the elements, iron and magnesium are far apart. But new evidence suggests that 3 billion years ago, iron did the chemical work now done by magnesium in helping RNA fold and function properly.

Bias found in state supreme courts, according to UGA study

The assignment to write a court's majority opinion is one of the major tools for shaping judicial and, consequently, public policy. Researchers at the University of Georgia, along with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, recently examined factors that might influence such an assignment.

Methane on Mars is not an indication for life

It was a sensation when scientists discovered methane in Mars' atmosphere nine years ago.

Dana-Farber: Study reports first success of targeted therapy in type of non-small cell lung cancer

A novel compound has become the first targeted therapy to benefit patients with the most common genetic subtype of lung cancer, an international clinical trial led by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and other institutions will report at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) June 1-5 in Chicago.

University of Tennessee professor uncovers clues about asteroid that will pass near Earth

The work of a University of Tennessee, Knoxville, professor has helped reveal a rare orbital shift and the density of an asteroid that will pass close to Earth.

Sex: It's a Good Thing, Evolutionarily Speaking

Sure, sex may be fun, but it's a lot of work, and the payoff is by no means certain. Scientists have speculated for a long time on why all living things don't simply make like amoebas and split.

Memory training unlikely to help in treating ADHD, boosting IQ

Working memory training is unlikely to be an effective treatment for children suffering from disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity or dyslexia, according to a research analysis published by the American Psychological Association.

Dementia care model that reduces hospitalizations successfully translated into practice

An innovative model of dementia care that significantly reduces emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and encourages use of medications that are not harmful to older brains, has now been used to treat over 1,000 patients.

Scientists identify possible drug target for acute pancreatitis

Scientists from the Universities of Illinois and California have found that the inflammatory protein interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a pivotal role in the duration of acute pancreatitis in animal models with this condition.

Researchers Call for Obesity Prevention Efforts to Focus on Community-Wide Systems that Influence Early Life

National data show that currently more than 10 percent of preschoolers in the United States are obese, and an additional 10 percent are overweight. In a recently published article, a researcher from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with peers and colleagues from across the nation, says that effective strategies to target pregnancy, infancy, and toddlers are urgently needed to stop the progression of childhood obesity.

'Like a jet through solid rock': Volcanic arc fed by rapid fluid pulses

In the depths of the earth, it is anything but peaceful: large quantities of liquids carve their way through the rock as fluids, causing magma to form.

'Killer stainless steel': New process gives icon of cleanliness antibacterial coating

Stainless steel is the icon of cleanliness for home and commercial kitchens, restaurants, hospitals and other settings, but it can collect disease-causing bacteria like other surfaces if not cleaned often.

Geoengineering: A whiter sky

One idea for fighting global warming is to increase the amount of aerosols in the atmosphere, scattering incoming solar energy away from the Earth's surface.

Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital identify a genetic cause for CLOVES syndrome

Using advanced technologies for rapidly sequencing and analyzing DNA from clinical and pathologic samples, a multidisciplinary research team consisting of geneticists, pathologists and surgeons at Boston Children's Hospital has identified the genetic basis for CLOVES syndrome, a rare congenital malformation and overgrowth disorder.

Kitchen exhaust fans vary in effectiveness in reducing indoor air pollution

Here's the recipe from a new study for minimizing indoor air pollution from cooking - which can produce levels of indoor air pollution higher than those encountered in heavily polluted outdoor air: Turn on the range exhaust fan and cook on the back burners. The study appears in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology.

New type of biosensor is fast, super-sensitive

A whole new class of biosensor that can detect exceptionally small traces of contaminants in liquids in just 40 minutes has been developed by a UNSW-led team of researchers.

Highway through Amazon worsens effects of climate change, provides mixed economic gains

Paving a highway across South America is providing lessons on the impact of road construction elsewhere.

The first prehistoric Iberian twins have been found

Researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) have discovered the remains of newborn twin girls in the archaeological site of Olèrdola in Barcelona.

Listening in, Researchers Learn About End-of-Life Communication

What is the best way to talk to someone about prognosis and quality of life when serious illness strikes? It turns out that no one had studied that question through direct observation, until the University of Rochester Medical Center audio-recorded 71 palliative care discussions.

Penn study finds delayed side effects of head and neck cancer treatments go unreported

New data from an Internet-based study show that patients with head and neck cancers (HNC) may be at risk for significant late effects after their treatment, but they're unlikely to discuss these and other survivorship care issues with their doctors.

X-ray laser probes biomolecules to individual atoms

An international team led by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has proved how the world's most powerful X-ray laser can assist in cracking the structures of biomolecules, and in the processes helped to pioneer critical new investigative avenues in biology.

4 telltale signs of propaganda on Twitter

As Election Day 2012 draws nearer, the "Twitterverse" promises to light up again and again with explosions of political opinion. But which tweets are the genuinely expressed feelings of individual users and which are systematic disseminations of information meant to support or discredit an idea-the textbook definition of propaganda?

Fantasizing about your dream vacation could lead to poor decision-making

Summer vacation time is upon us. If you have been saving up for your dream vacation for years, you may want to make sure your dream spot is still the best place to go.

New treatment for irritability in autism

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects social and communication skills. Irritability is a symptom of autism that can complicate adjustment at home and other settings, and can manifest itself in aggression, tantrums, and self-injurious behavior.

Monkey lip smacks provide new insights into the evolution of human speech

Scientists have traditionally sought the evolutionary origins of human speech in primate vocalizations, such as monkey coos or chimpanzee hoots.

ASCO: Liver metastases and its prognostic significance in men with metastatic prostate cancer

Liver metastases predicts shorter overall survival in men with metastatic castration-refractory prostate cancer (mCRPC), according to data being presented at the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Intravenous kidney cell transplant experiments raise hope for future human kidney failure treatments

Indiana University School of Medicine scientists have successfully transplanted primary kidney cells intravenously to treat renal failure in rats, pointing the way to a possible future alternative to kidney transplants and expensive dialysis treatments in humans.

Dual effect on tumor blood vessels

As soon as they have grown to pinhead size, tumors rely on the formation of new blood vessels - a process which is scientifically called angiogenesis.

Advanced visualization techniques could change the paradigm for diagnosis and treating heart disease

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine are pioneering new ultrasound techniques that provide the first characterization of multidirectional blood flow in the heart. By focusing on fluid dynamics - specifically, the efficiency with which blood enters and exits the heart's left ventricle - the researchers believe they can detect heart disease even when traditional measures show no sign of trouble.

Liberals versus conservatives: how politics affects charitable giving

Americans are more likely to donate to a charity that reflects the values of their political affiliation, according to a new study from Rice University, the University of Texas at San Antonio and Pennsylvania State University.

New molecular structure offers first picture of a protein family vital to human health

The 20 proteins in the Wnt family are some of the most important proteins in controlling how an organism develops and grows, but for 30 years scientists have not known what these vital proteins actually look like.

Hepatitis C "switch" offers target for new drug research

Scientists have discovered a "switch" in the Hepatitis C virus which could be used as a target for new kinds of drug treatment.

New strategy directly activates cellular 'death protein'

Researchers at Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center have devised a strategy to directly activate a natural "death" protein, triggering the self-destruction of cells. They say the development could represent a new paradigm for designing cancer drugs.

Sex and Trauma Research Is Less Upsetting to College Students Than Previously Assumed

Research on sex and trauma faces an ethical dilemma: how can we find out more about the effects of such psychologically sensitive topics without hurting the people who participate in the study?

Drug companies moving toward green goals

Many pharmaceutical companies in a new survey are making progress in embracing the guiding principles of green chemistry, which seek to minimize the use of potentially hazardous substances in producing medications, reduce the generation of waste and operate in other environmentally friendly ways.

U of A maps vaccine for deadly pathogenic fungus

University of Alberta researchers have made breakthrough use of 3-D magnetic resonance technology to map the structure of a common fungus that is potentially deadly for individuals with impaired immune function.

New device warns workers of high levels of airborne metals in minutes rather than weeks

Scientists are reporting development of a new paper-based device that can warn workers that they are being exposed to potentially unhealthy levels of airborne metals almost immediately, instead of the weeks required with current technology.

Finding good music in noisy online markets

In 2004, a trio of researchers at Columbia University began an online experiment in social-media marketing, creating nine versions of a music-download site that presented the same group of unknown songs in different ways.