Brightsurf Science News and Current Science News Events

 
Ponds found to take up carbon like world's oceans
Research led by Iowa State University limnologist, or lake scientist, John Downing finds that ponds around the globe could absorb as much carbon as the world's oceans.


When bears steal human food, mom's not to blame
Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) found that the black bears that become habituated to human food and garbage may not be learning these behaviors exclusively from their mothers, as widely assumed.




Platypus Genome Decoded
The curious discovery of the duck-billed, egg-laying, otter-footed, beaver-tailed, venomous platypus in Australia in 1798 convinced British scientists that it must be a hoax. Sketches of its appearance were thought to be impossible.


Nitrates in vegetables protect against gastric ulcers
Fruits and vegetables that are rich in nitrates protect the stomach from damage. This takes place through conversion of nitrates into nitrites by the bacteria in the oral cavity and subsequent transformation into biologically active nitric oxide in the stomach.


Iron 'snow' helps maintain Mercury's magnetic field, scientists say
New scientific evidence suggests that deep inside the planet Mercury, iron "snow" forms and falls toward the center of the planet, much like snowflakes form in Earth's atmosphere and fall to the ground.


Obesity Linked to Increased Risk for Dementia
Obesity may increase adults' risk for having dementia, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Their analysis of published obesity and dementia prospective follow-up studies over the past two decades shows a consistent relationship between the two diseases.


Mothers' high normal blood sugar levels place infants at risk for birth problems
Pregnant women with blood sugar levels in the higher range of normal-but not high enough to be considered diabetes-are more likely than women with lower blood sugar levels to give birth to babies at risk for many of the same problems seen in babies born to women with diabetes during pregnancy, according to a study funded in large part by the National Institutes of Health.


Climate Models Overheat Antarctica, New Study Finds
Computer analyses of global climate have consistently overstated warming in Antarctica, concludes new research by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Ohio State University.


Immune system pathway identified to fight allergens, asthma
For the first time, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have identified genetic components of dendritic cells that are key to asthma and allergy-related immune response malfunction.


Too much or too little weight gain poses risks to pregnant mothers, babies
Women who gain more or less than recommended amounts of weight during pregnancy are likely to increase the risk of problems for both themselves and their child, according to a new report by the RTI International-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center.


Mathematics simplifies sleep monitoring
A UQ researcher has created a new way to measure breathing patterns in sleeping infants which may also work for adults.


Rainfall and river networks prove accurate predictors of fish biodiversity
Princeton researchers have invented a method for turning simple data about rainfall and river networks into accurate assessments of fish biodiversity, allowing better prediction of the effects of climate change and the ecological impact of man-made structures like dams.


Depression diversity: Brain studies reveal big differences among individuals
Depressed people may have far fewer of the receptors for some of the brain's "feel good" stress-response chemicals than non-depressed people, new University of Michigan Depression Center research shows.


Lack of motivation in schizophrenia linked to brain chemical imbalance
A study of patients with psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia suggests an alternative explanation for why many sufferers lack motivation. The research is described today BioMed Central's journal BMC Psychiatry.


Record-setting laser may aid searches for Earthlike planets
Scientists at the University of Konstanz in Germany and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated an ultrafast laser that offers a record combination of high speed, short pulses and high average power.


Silicon's effect on sunflowers studied
Vibrant, showy sunflowers are revered worldwide for their beauty and versatility. While many varieties of sunflower are grown specifically for their nutritional benefits, ornamental sunflowers have become standards for commercial growers and everyday gardeners.


Genetic 'tag team' keeps cells on cycle
By surveying the activity of thousands of genes at several different time points, researchers at the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy have uncovered new evidence that a network of influential genes act as a kind of genetic tag team to orchestrate one of the most fundamental aspects of all life: the cell cycle.


Prisoner HIV program leads to continuum of medical care after release
By linking HIV positive prisoners to community-based medical care prior to release through an innovative program called Project Bridge, 95 percent of ex-offenders were retained in health care for a year after being released from incarceration, according to researchers from The Miriam Hospital.


MIT study suggests caution on new anti-obesity drug in kids
Anti-obesity drugs that work by blocking brain molecules similar to those in marijuana could also interfere with neural development in young children, according to a new study from MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory.


Commencement 2008: Undergrad Has Sweet Success With Invention of Artificial Golgi
An undergraduate student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has learned very quickly that a spoonful of sugar really does help the medicine go down. In fact, with his invention, the sugar may actually be the medicine.


Alternatives to ozone-depleting pesticide studied
Methyl bromide, an odorless, colorless gas used as an agricultural pesticide, was introduced in the 1980s as an effective way to control weeds and increase fruit yields.


MicroRNAs appear essential for retinal health
Retinas in newborn mice appear perfectly fine without any help from tiny bits of genetic material called microRNAs except for one thing - the retinas do not work.


The Montreal Children's Hospital of the MUHC begins search for causes of autism
Dr. Eric Fombonne, from the Research Institute of the MUHC at the Montreal Children's Hospital, is involved in a multi-site consortium to gather DNA samples from 2,000 autism patients and their families over the next three years.


UAB First in U.S. to Offer Speedier Precise Cancer Therapy
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) this month became the first U.S. medical center to offer a speedier cancer radiation therapy. The new technique can turn a 20-minute radiotherapy session into a 90-second session for selected patients.


Keeping yields, profits and water quality high
One of the key questions facing agriculturalists in the 21st century is how to produce adequate amounts of food and farm income while protecting environmental quality.


Patients with Chronic Illness Benefit from Telehealth Intervention
Telehealth, using telecommunication technology to deliver health care, is increasingly being used to improve the delivery and availability of health care services to patients.


Ultrasound first, not CT, for diagnosing suspected acute appendicitis
Color Doppler ultrasound, not CT, should be the first imaging examination for adult patients with suspected acute appendicitis, a new study emphasizes.


New analysis shows DAYTRANA offered ADHD symptom control for 12 months
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced findings from a new data analysis that was conducted to examine treatment differences with DAYTRAN (methylphenidate transdermal system) between boys and girls aged 6 to 12 years with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).


Over the back fence: gardeners get advice from neighbors, friends
Where do gardeners turn when they need information about annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees" Staff at University of Minnesota Extension have published results of a survey that concludes that the majority of backyard gardeners get their planting and plant information informally-most often from friends, neighbors and local garden centers.


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