- 30-05-2008 - Top Science News Stories from Firstscience.com

MBL awards journalism fellowships
30 May 2008
Biology 'boot camp' to provide reporters with hands-on science training in Woods Hole, Alaska and Antarctica Sixteen science writers and editors have been awarded prestigious Science Journalism Fellowships from the MBL (Marine Biological...

Caltech astrophysicist wins 1 of first Kavli Prizes
30 May 2008
PASADENA, Calif.--Quasars--now known to be compact halos of matter that surround the massive black holes of distant galaxies--were once thought to be stars in our own galaxy. Now, Maarten Schmidt, who showed that quasars are thousands of...

Goddard scientists receive Lindsay Award for black hole research
30 May 2008
GREENBELT, Md. - Dr. Joan M. Centrella and Dr. John G. Baker are the 2008 recipients of the John C. Lindsay Memorial Award for Space Science. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., honors one or more of its civil servant space...

Brown to host conference on advances in neurotechnology
30 May 2008
Scientists nationwide will discuss cutting-edge research involving the brain and other areas of the human central nervous system at the fifth annual Frontiers Healthcare Conference June 9 at Brown University.... Click here for...

Zero-calorie Aqua-Lyte hydrates as well as leading sports drink
30 May 2008
All-natural new water beverage presents exercise hydration without the calories A new study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting today, demonstrates that Aqua-Lyte®, an all natural, zero-calorie, zero...

Largest ever acoustics meeting is next month from June 30 to July 4, in Paris, France
30 May 2008
May 15, 2008 -- There is only one place this summer where the tiger's roar will meet birdsongs; where the voice of the banjo and clarinet will be heard next door to advanced sonar systems; where the echoing din of the urban soundscape meets...

7 outstanding young gastroenterologists receive AGA Foundation 2008 Research Scholars Award
30 May 2008
Prestigious program encourages young investigators in academic gastroenterology The Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition has announced the 2008 American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Foundation Research Scholars. The grants...

New text highlights role of microorganisms in alternative energy development
30 May 2008
As the demand for and price of oil and other sources of energy continues to rise scientists are increasingly looking for abundant, cost-effective alternative sources of energy. One of the least studied and most promising sources,...

International Diabetes Federation grant supports study to prevent type 2 diabetes in India
30 May 2008
- The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) BRIDGES translational research grant programme will fund a lifestyle intervention trial that seeks to reduce the risk of for people developing type 2 diabetes in Chennai, India. The community...

Advil or Excedrin? New model helps predict product choices
30 May 2008
In today's world, consumers face a dizzying array of product choices. Most often, there's not just one ideal product; it depends on the individual and the context. A beer might be perfect for relaxing after work; a sports beverage after...

£1.2M trial to test effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy
30 May 2008
Study to map effectiveness of CBT for patients who have not responded to antidepressants A team of researchers, led by Dr Nicola Wiles at the University of Bristol and involving researchers from the Peninsula Medical School in the South West,...

Sophisticated soil analysis for improved land use
30 May 2008
Scientists investigate how soil variability can be quantified for applications in agriculture, engineering, hydrology, and environment Soil variation occurs across multiple geographic scales ranging from vast climatic regions of the Earth to a...

MIT develops a 'paper towel' for oil spills
30 May 2008
Nanowire mesh can absorb up to 20 times its weight in oil CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--A mat of nanowires with the touch and feel of paper could be an important new tool in the cleanup of oil and other organic pollutants, MIT researchers and colleagues...

Research measures movement of nanomaterials in simple model food chain
30 May 2008
Photomicrograph of ciliate T. pyriformis during cell division with accumulated quantum dots appearing red. Click here for more information. New research* shows that while engineered nanomaterials can be transferred...

Researchers pinpoint gene mutations responsible for 10 percent of schizophrenia
30 May 2008
A. Genetic mutations that result in fewer than two (middle offspring) or more than two (right offspring) genomic copies of a chromosomal region, are present in individuals who have schizophrenia,... Click here for more...

Story tips from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, June 2008
30 May 2008
NAVIGATION -- Micro gyro . . . Airplanes, submarines and even automobiles of tomorrow may be equipped with arrays of inexpensive high-performance micro-mechanical gyroscopes for navigation and other purposes. The proprietary system of MEMS...

NYP/Columbia physician-scientists present at ASCO 44th annual meeting
30 May 2008
NEW YORK (May 29, 2008) -- Physician-scientists from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center will present their latest research findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago, May 30 to...

Self-assembled viruses
30 May 2008
Intended for use in gene therapy, artificial viruses efficiently carry genes and drug molecules into tumor cells This release is available in German. A filament-shaped artificial virus is formed by using a preorganized...

Even low levels of air pollution may pose stroke risk
30 May 2008
ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Short-term exposure to low levels of particulate air pollution may increase the risk of stroke or mini-stroke, according to findings that suggest current exposure standards could be insufficient to protect the public. "The...

Bikini-clad women make men impatient
30 May 2008
Images of sexy women tend to whet men's sexual appetite. But stimulating new research in the Journal of Consumer Research says there's more than meets the eye. A recent study shows that men who watched sexy videos or handled lingerie sought...

Young adults at risk: 13.7 million lack health insurance coverage
30 May 2008
Of all age groups, 19-to-29-year-olds most likely to be uninsured; 2 of 5 high school grads and 1/3 of college grads will be uninsured in year after graduation May 30, 2008, New York—The number of uninsured young adults in the United...

IEEE-USA-supported Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act signed into law
30 May 2008
WASHINGTON (30 May 2008) -- Legislation that IEEE-USA has long supported protecting people from discrimination in employment and health insurance based on genetic information was recently signed into law. The Genetic Information...

Forest canopies help determine natural fertilization rates
30 May 2008
Scientists clarify controls on boreal nitrogen resource that dictates long-term forest productivity Nitrogen is the primary nutrient that dictates productivity (and thus carbon consumption) in boreal forests. In pristine boreal ecosystems, most...

Leeds medics solve an ancient riddle -- and offer new tool for diagnosis
30 May 2008
The classic symptoms of finger clubbing. Click here for more information. A puzzling medical condition, identified more than 2,000 years ago by Hippocrates, has finally been explained by researchers at the...

Does fishing on drifting fish aggregation devices endanger the survival of tropical tuna?
30 May 2008
Fishermen hold empirical knowledge that tuna aggregate under floating objects, such as lengths of old rope, pieces of wood, or even large marine mammals. There is still no full explanation for this aggregation behaviour, but the past 20 years...

Eribulin mesylate demonstrated anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced breast cancer
30 May 2008
Phase II data presented at ASCO showed acceptable tolerability profile, with low incidence of Grade 3 and 4 Neuropathy Woodcliff Lake, N.J., May 15, 2008¡ªThe investigational chemotherapeutic agent eribulin mesylate (E7389)...

Drug may prolong organ life in noncompliant kidney transplant patients
30 May 2008
UC San Diego researchers present findings at American Transplant Congress New research from the University of California, San Diego Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, shows that the anti-rejection drug sirolimus (brand name...

Rivaroxaban phase III pivotal data presented at EFORT annual meeting
30 May 2008
FDA submission planned for Q3 2008 Nice, France (May 30, 2008) –– Results from a pivotal Phase III clinical trial presented today demonstrate that rivaroxaban, an oral, once-daily, investigational anticoagulant medication, was...

Potential therapy discovered for hypophosphatasia, a congenital form of rickets
30 May 2008
Burnham Institute for Medical Research. Click here for more information. Researchers at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, led by José Luis Millán, Ph.D., have demonstrated in mice the first...

Most caregivers of young children lack basic knowledge of potentially toxic household products
30 May 2008
According to a new study, knowledge of potentially toxic household substances among primary caregivers for young children is alarmingly poor. The results show that less than one-third of primary caregivers for children under the age of six...

Saving face with a baby-face? Shape of CEO's face affects public perception
30 May 2008
When a corporation has a public relations crisis, the news media splash photos of the company's CEO around the world. According to new research in the Journal of Consumer Research the shape of the CEO's face evokes judgments about the person...

Prevalence of pre-cancerous masses in the colon same in patients in their 40s and 50s
30 May 2008
New findings point to potential to begin colon cancer screening at a younger age The prevalence of pre-cancerous masses in the colon is the same for average-risk patients who are 40 to 49 years of age and those who are 50 to 59 years of age,...

Greater awareness of genetic testing for impaired fetal movement can save babies' lives
30 May 2008
Barcelona, Spain: New genetic mutations responsible for impaired fetal movement, which leads to a multitude or problems in later life as well as early spontaneous abortion, have been identified by a group of scientists, the annual conference...

Yale researchers clear up Alzheimer's plaques in mice
30 May 2008
New Haven, Conn. – Blocking a common immune system response cleared up plaques associated with Alzheimer’s Disease and enabled treated mice to recover some lost memory, Yale University researchers report Friday in the journal...

UNC health researchers explore how to take interactive video games to the next level
30 May 2008
CHAPEL HILL – The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health has received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to explore how interactive digital games could be better designed to improve...

Golf prolongs life
30 May 2008
[PRESS RELEASE, 30 May 2008] Golf can be a good investment for the health, according to a new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet. The death rate for golfers is 40 per cent lower than for other people of the same...

US soldiers in high-tuberculosis areas face new epidemic: false positives
30 May 2008
U.S. Army service members are increasingly deployed in regions of the world where tuberculosis (TB) is rampant, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and the military now faces a growing medical problem. But it is not TB itself that is on the...

Stretchy spider silks can be springs or rubber
30 May 2008
What makes spider silk stretchy? It’s stronger than steel and nylon, and more extensible than Kevlar. So what is this super-tough material? Spider silk; and learning how to spin it is one of the materials industries’ Holy Grails....

OHSU Cancer Institute researchers find novel chemo drug helps treat prostate cancer
30 May 2008
International study of sagopilone shows promise in some cases of advanced prostate cancer PORTLAND, Ore. – Men with a certain type of prostate cancer have been shown to respond to a new chemotherapy drug, Sagopilone, plus prednisone in an...

Jefferson, Ohio State team find gene signature profile for metastasis
30 May 2008
(PHILADELPHIA) A common signature of tiny, specific pieces of non-coding genetic material known as microRNAs (miRNAs) may be directly involved in the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at...

Living fossils have long- and short-term memory
30 May 2008
Living fossil's memories Nautiloids are the sole surviving family of externally-shelled cephalopods that thrived in the tropical oceans 450–150 million years ago. However, in the intervening years their modern soft bodied relatives dumped...

Look before you leap: New study examines self-control
30 May 2008
Reckless decision-making can lead to dire consequences when it comes to food, credit cards, or savings. What's the key to making good decisions? A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research outlines a novel method for measuring people's...

Spontaneous mutations rife in nonfamilial schizophrenia
30 May 2008
Non-hereditary genetic variations may help explain illness's evolutionary staying power People with schizophrenia from families with no history of the illness were found to harbor eight times more spontaneous mutations – most in pathways...

Smoking during pregnancy increases risk of SIDS
30 May 2008
A new study provides the most direct evidence that there exists a causal link between smoking during pregnancy and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Clinicians have long considered prenatal cigarette smoke exposure a major contributing risk...

How about dessert?
30 May 2008
Understanding their emotions helps consumers make better choice People with highly developed emotional sensibilities are better at making product choices, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "Consumers who understand...

New research shows overheating newborns can increase the risk of SIDS
30 May 2008
New research at the University of Calgary shows that smoking while pregnant, as well as thermal stress, can lead to an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Increased ambient temperature such as over-wrapping a baby at night...

Tumor suppressor genes speed up and slow down aging in engineered mouse
30 May 2008
ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Mayo Clinic researchers have developed an animal model that can test the function of two prominent tumor suppressor genes, p16 and p19, in the aging process. Scientists knew that both these genes were expressed at increased...

All bets are off: Office pools lead to unhappiness
30 May 2008
Office pools for the NCAA basketball tournament or Oscar contests are fun, right? Not according to the Journal of Consumer Research. A recent study suggests that betting on the outcome actually reduces people's enjoyment of the events. Authors...

Treatment guidelines lead to four-fold increase in survival rate for cardiac arrest
30 May 2008
A new study finds that recent guidelines outlined by the American Heart Association (AHA) for treatments used by emergency and critical care medical practitioners on cardiac arrest patients has lead to substantial improvements in survival...

Access to electronic medical records significantly increases efficiency of emergency care
30 May 2008
A new study led by Paul Sierzenski, MD, RDMS, of Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, DE, discusses the benefits gained from providing health care workers with immediate access to patient medical records during a mass casualty...

Whole milk is effective and cost-effective as oral contrast agent
30 May 2008
An item commonly found in many homes – whole milk – is just as effective, costs less and is easier on the patient than a diluted (0.1%) barium suspension that is also commonly used as an oral contrast agent in conjunction with CT...

Unexpected results from study in mice may open new strategy against Alzheimer's disease
30 May 2008
In laboratory mice, immune system cells from the bloodstream entered the brain and devoured plaque that is believed to play a major role in Alzheimer's disease LOS ANGELES (EMBARGOED UNTIL May 30, 2008 at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time) --...