Scientists have discovered that Archaeopteryx, the famous link between birds and reptiles, did not give rise to modern birds. Instead, they appear to have descended from a different, unknown ancestor with many characteristics of modern birds. This discovery challenges the classic view of bird evolution.
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology developed a novel experimental technique called Thermoiré to track circuit board warpage in real-time. This allows manufacturers to make design changes before production, reducing losses and increasing product reliability.
A new laser technique called Scanning Lidar Imager of Canopies by Echo Recovery (SLICER) can rapidly assess forest canopy shapes, allowing for accurate predictions of carbon storage and tree characteristics. This technology has the potential to improve our understanding of forest management and global climate change.
Researchers localized the gene responsible for Parkinson's disease to a small region of chromosome 4, marking a significant advancement in understanding the disease. This finding is based on a large family study with multiple cases of Parkinson's disease over several generations.
The PowerDigm solid-state transfer switch is being installed at Ford Motor Co.'s Sheldon Road Plant to protect against costly power interruptions. The switch can sense disturbances in one power source and automatically switch to a different source, improving reliability and reducing outages.
Leptospirosis, a bacterial disease carried by rats, poses a significant risk to urban residents in the US. Studies have shown that up to 10% of infected individuals develop severe Weil's disease, which can be fatal.
Researchers identify a gene on chromosome 4 as a potential cause of Parkinson's disease, shedding light on the mysterious origins of this debilitating condition. The discovery may lead to genetic testing, early diagnosis, and treatment options for all forms of Parkinson's disease.
A new Weizmann Institute of Science study finds that high levels of leptin disrupt insulin's activities, leading to raised blood sugar levels. Researchers discovered that excessive leptin suppresses insulin's ability to slow down gluconeogenesis, a process that can cause diabetes-related symptoms.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have visualized the first image of a membrane-spanning molecule thought to transport proteins across cell membranes. The study reveals a dynamic structure that appears and disappears on demand, with the channel opening in two dimensions for different protein types.
A University of Kansas researcher has successfully demonstrated a method to convert grass, stalks, and farm byproducts into sugar for use as a primary component in fuel for diesel engines. The alternative fuel mixture is estimated to cost less than traditional diesel fuel and has already been tested in conventional diesel engines.
A new study reveals that premature infants born to women with mild high blood pressure may have a lower incidence of respiratory distress syndrome compared to those born to mothers with severe hypertension. Infants born to mothers with mild hypertension tend to mature faster, reducing the risk of chronic lung problems.
A diet high in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and other low-fat foods significantly lowers blood pressure, according to a multicenter study. The combination diet reduced systolic blood pressure by an average of 5.5 mm Hg and diastolic pressure by an average of 3.0 mm Hg within two weeks.
Researchers found that people with only occasionally elevated blood pressure already had blood vessel abnormalities before the onset of sustained high blood pressure. The study suggests that vascular changes may lead to hypertension, rather than vice versa, in people.
A computer-based system aims to establish a scientific basis for equitable and sustainable water resources management. The integrated decision support system uses hydrometeorological data to simulate the response of rivers and reservoirs to different climatic inputs, water and power demands, and decision policies.
Researchers at Emory University report a link between mental stress and cardiovascular damage. They suggest that chronic stress can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress, ultimately damaging the heart. The study's findings have implications for understanding the causes of cardiovascular disease in individuals with fragile X syndrome.
The Georgia Institute of Technology has established a new Test and Evaluation Research and Education Center (TEREC) to find less expensive ways to test new technologies. The center will provide an international focal point for T&E research and education, and a catalyst for the invention of the future of the discipline.
Researchers found a 5% increase in sun-protective behaviors among beachgoers who received personalized sun-protection strategies, based on their stage of behavioral change. The study suggests that beaches are an effective site for reaching high-risk sunbathers and promoting behavior change.
Researchers at Purdue University developed chilled-aeration technology to control pests in stored grains without using chemical fumigants. The method is economically competitive with fumigation and reduces total energy consumption. For fresh-picked produce, the technology increases marketability by cooling it immediately after harvesting.
Two NIH-supported studies show that lifestyle modifications, such as a low-fat, high-fiber diet, can substantially reduce blood pressure in adults. The findings also suggest that weight loss and reduced dietary sodium can safely reduce the need for antihypertensive medication in older patients.
A Duke University Medical Center study found that over half of US cardiologists performing angioplasty procedures don't meet recommended minimum standards, leading to increased risk of complications and heart bypass operations. The study confirms the inverse relationship between physician experience and patient outcomes.
Research by Dr. Eric Peterson found stenting costs $13,000, exceeding Medicare's payment of $10,000 to $13,000. This expense may lead hospitals to lose money on each procedure, potentially reducing the treatment's popularity.
Researchers are testing a promising new vaccine against pancreatic cancer, which boasts one of cancer's poorest survival rates. The vaccine targets an abnormal variant of the ras gene, designed to stimulate an immune response against mutant ras protein.
Research reveals regional differences in US heart attack treatment, with the West Coast showing a balanced approach to resource utilization. The study found that patients in the Pacific states had lower costs for year-long care, while those in New England and Mid-Atlantic states stayed in hospital longer.
Researchers found that taking vitamins C and E before a high-fat meal can prevent impairment of blood vessel dilation. The study suggests that vitamins may influence minute-by-minute changes in blood vessels that lead to heart disease. Vitamins may blunt the process by releasing nitric oxide, which allows vessels to dilate.
Researchers at Caltech found that the brain uses temporal activity patterns of neurons to represent odors, with specificity arising from considerations of their timing. This coding principle may be common to most animals, including humans, and could have implications for understanding odor perception.
A Johns Hopkins study uses an atomic force microscope to probe living heart cells, revealing that actin plays a crucial role in maintaining cell elasticity. The findings suggest that measuring heart cells' elasticity may improve understanding of healthy and diseased cells, leading to better diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
Two Duke University studies suggest that diabetics with severe coronary artery disease do equally well if they receive either angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery. The studies recommend considering factors other than diabetes when choosing a treatment.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found that exercise treadmill tests and myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) are equally effective in detecting heart disease and predicting outcomes in women. This discovery will enable physicians to screen and treat their female patients more accurately.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a rechargeable, all-plastic battery that can operate in extreme temperatures and has potential for small consumer devices. The battery's unique design allows for flexibility and adaptability, making it suitable for various applications including space satellites.
Researchers have developed a rapid nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test that can measure heart cell damage from heart attacks in living animals. The new method quickly measures damage to the heart when blood flow stops and restarts, producing sodium 'maps' of the heart.
The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has signed a CRADA with American Magnetics Inc. to produce high-temperature superconductor leads, promising improved energy efficiency and smaller size in cryogenic systems. The new leads will be stronger, carry more current, and reduce cryogen costs.
Researchers successfully used a harmless virus to deliver a normal gene into muscle cells in animals and humans, producing the enzyme for at least three months. This breakthrough could lead to a single treatment for children with Pompe's disease, an inherited fatal heart condition.
A new study of 460 adults found that people with triglyceride levels as low as 100 mg/dl were more than twice as likely to suffer from future heart disease. Regular exercise, a diet low in saturated fat, and omega-3 rich foods can help break down fatty deposits in blood vessels.
Aperlae, a 2,400-year-old Mediterranean port city, was established in the 4th century B.C. to harvest Tyrean purple dye, despite its harsh coastline and lack of fresh water. Archaeological evidence suggests the city's residents used large tanks to manufacture and store the valuable dye.
Researchers at Resources for the Future (RFF) found that leading federal programs relying on incentives have little impact on the environment or regulatory system. The report identifies three major concerns: lack of statutory basis, poor management by EPA, and mistrust among parties involved.
Infants as young as 7 1/2 months old can distinguish one voice in a clutter of distracting background noise, enabling them to learn language more efficiently. This ability, known as the 'cocktail party effect,' is believed to play an important role in infants' language development by increasing the amount of information available to them.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a supercomputer that can process complex data in real-time, reducing the need for expensive custom signal processing chips. The new platform uses Wormhole RTR to allocate resources and pathways dynamically, allowing streams of data to navigate themselves through the system.
A new UB study published in JAMA reveals a strong association between smoking and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women with the slow-acting NAT2 gene. Women born with this genotype who smoked more than a pack of cigarettes per day before menopause had seven times the risk of developing breast cancer.
A study by Johns Hopkins Medicine reveals that boosting production of the molecule arginine can restore normal blood vessel responses in people with coronary artery disease. By increasing nitric oxide production, researchers were able to improve blood flow and reduce the risk of ischemia and heart attack.
In a groundbreaking study, antidepressant Zoloft significantly reduced depression, anxiety, insomnia, and reexperiencing of trauma in rape victims with chronic PTSD. Four out of five women participating in the study responded positively to treatment after 12 weeks on Zoloft.
Astrophysicists at MIT propose that newly discovered planets in Jupiter-sized systems underwent violent instability upon formation. This instability can lead to the ejection of one planet and a smaller, eccentric orbit for another, with potential consequences for planetary system evolution and intelligent life.
A temporary metal filter successfully caught a life-threatening blood clot in a bedridden patient, preventing catastrophic lung damage. The procedure, performed by Johns Hopkins physicians, marks the first use of the filter in the US and holds potential for thousands of accident victims.
A multiyear project called EXPRESSO aims to explore how vegetation and fires interact with the atmosphere in tropical regions. The study will help define the degree of influence central Africa has on global chemistry cycles.
Scientists are releasing 15,000 fingerlings into northeast Georgia's Broad River as part of a reintroduction effort for the robust redhorse, a fish thought extinct until survivors were discovered in 1991. The fingerlings have been artificially bred from surviving members and will be released at seven sites to help the species flourish.
The program aims to increase understanding of climate change policy issues, focusing on economic and environmental consequences, policy design, interactions with other policies, equity and efficiency, and development of analytical tools. RFF will conduct research projects and issue papers on selected topics.
A new report by Resources for the Future highlights the District of Columbia's environmental priorities, ranking drinking water and air pollution as top concerns. The study suggests creating a separate environmental agency to address these issues, which have serious consequences for attracting businesses and residents.
Researchers from UC Berkeley have disproved the hypothesis that the Earth's inner core is a perfectly aligned mass of iron crystals. Instead, they found that the crystals align themselves like boats in a circular eddy, driven by the rise of hotter iron toward the surface. This finding has implications for modeling the Earth's magnetic ...
Archaeologists found that prehistoric Indian villagers in southeastern Iowa consumed knotweed and little barley seeds, which were rich in carbohydrates. The discovery sheds light on the diet and agriculture practices of the Oneota Culture, a Native American tribe that lived from 1580 to 1640.
Researchers discovered a genetic basis for the hormonal mechanism regulating drone development in male honey bees, which accelerates their growth and allows them to mature early. The findings provide evolutionary insight into the mechanisms controlling worker bee behavior and could lead to new tools for brain research.
A study by University of Illinois researcher Peter Mulhall found that middle-school-age latchkey youth are three times more likely to say they have ever been drunk, and almost four times more likely to drink in the past month. The study also reveals higher rates of marijuana use and smoking among latchkey youth.
A robot has been taught to play air hockey, a step towards developing intelligent robots that can perform complex tasks. The robot's ability to sense its surroundings and react accordingly opens up new horizons for robotic applications.
The digital hard hat combines functions of a camcorder, tape recorder, notepad, and digital camera into one device. It allows workers to collect, store, receive, and transmit construction-project information via text, images, sound, and video.
Researchers highlight the ongoing threat of ice on small plane wings, which can compromise control and safety. Despite a redesigned deicing 'boot', other aircraft and severe icing conditions remain a concern.
A University of Michigan study analyzes data from various studies to show that whole-body metabolic rate changes over the course of the menstrual cycle, becoming about 7 percent lower after menstruation. This metabolic cycling saves an amount of energy equivalent to six days' worth of food over four menstrual cycles.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin Medical School have shown that vaccination can reduce or prevent fatal immune responses to a virus in mice, even though the virus continues to live in the animals. This finding has important implications for treating chronic and latent viral infections such as AIDS, herpes, and tuberculosis.
Researchers found that seed corn growers in Illinois using irrigated sandy soils can increase profits by cutting back on nitrogen fertilizer use. Excessive nitrogen application leads to organic nitrogen accumulation in soil microorganisms, hindering crop growth.
Emory University researchers identified a subpopulation of HIV-infected infants with a thymic-defect profile, characterized by low CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts. These high-risk infants were found to develop AIDS symptoms sooner and have increased mortality rates compared to those without the profile.
A recent University of Illinois study found that using starter fertilizer on no-till corn fields can increase yields by up to 14 bushels per acre. This technique provides early nutrient availability, which is particularly beneficial for no-till farming due to cool and wet soils during the initial growing season.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine examines firearm injuries in three American cities, finding that nearly 90% of non-fatal gunshot wounds resulted from confirmed or probable assaults. The study also reveals alarming rates of injury and fatality among young black men, with a rate of 1,708.4 per 100,000 person-years.
A long-term epidemiological study found a strong association between high bone mass and increased risk of breast cancer. Women with higher bone mass had 3.5 times the risk of developing postmenopausal breast cancer compared to those in the lowest quartile.