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Science News Archive September 2003 - Page 3


Page 3 of 10

UCAR wins funding for new weather forecasting tools to aid scientists and the public

The National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research has been awarded $11.25 million to develop new weather forecasting tools, including the LEAD project. The tool will enable researchers to access state-of-the-art weather prediction models on demand and collaborate with colleagues in real-time.

Sex selection for social reasons: religious and moral perspectives

According to a survey, allowing sex selection in Germany and the UK would be unlikely to skew biological sex balance. However, experts argue that selecting the sex of offspring raises ethical concerns about parental desires vs. unconditional acceptance of children. Most respondents have no intention of using sex selection techniques, r...

SourceScience and Religion Information Service·JournalHuman Reproduction·DateSep 24, 2003

Could diabetes treatments fight cancer?

Researchers identified a link between LKB1, an enzyme that reduces blood glucose levels, and AMPK, which inhibits cell growth. This connection could lead to more effective anti-diabetes drugs, such as metformin, also being used to treat cancer. The study found that LKB1 plays a crucial role in preventing tumor growth by activating AMPK.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalJournal of Biology·DateSep 24, 2003

Resistance exercise resets the body clock

Researchers found that resistance exercise can alter the expression of clock genes in human skeletal muscle, causing a phase shift similar to winding on (resetting) the muscle clock. This suggests that peripheral clocks can regulate themselves independently of the central clock.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalGenome Biology·DateSep 24, 2003

Findings offer further understanding about growth and development in young male gymnasts

A new study has found that intense gymnastics training during childhood and adolescence does not have significant effects on resting testosterone or sexual maturation in male gymnasts. The research, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, recruited 21 elite gymnasts and 24 age-matched boys to compare their physical and pubertal...

SourceAmerican Physiological Society·JournalJournal of Applied Physiology·DateSep 23, 2003

Species vs. Species

The San Clemente loggerhead shrike's federal recovery program has hindered the species' co-existence with island foxes. Researchers propose shifting funds from predator control to habitat restoration to support both species. This approach may enable species co-existence, benefiting conservation efforts.

SourceSociety for Conservation Biology·JournalConservation Biology·DateSep 23, 2003

Live seafood trade linked to species invasions

The live seafood trade is spreading non-native bivalves across the Pacific Northwest, posing a significant threat to local ecosystems. Researchers found that nearly as many ocean quahogs survived in the short-term as established species, highlighting the need for regulations and monitoring programs to control introductions.

SourceSociety for Conservation Biology·JournalConservation Biology·DateSep 23, 2003

IT advances underground construction

A new grant from NSF's ITR Program will support the development of an integrated system, AMADEUS, which uses IT for real-time data gathering and computational modeling. This can lead to safer, more efficient, and economical underground construction methods.