Better Artificial Nose Inspired By Sniffer-dogs

Better Artificial Nose Inspired By Sniffer-dogs
February 15, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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For the sensitive work of detecting explosives and drugs in airports and other high-risk areas, humans have long relied on a marvel of evolutionary biology: the sniffer dog. The canine nose can detect a seemingly infinite range of odors, alone and in combination, at concentrations down to the parts per trillion level.
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Shades Of 1918? Comparing Avian Flu With A Notorious Killer From The Past
February 15, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Scientists compared the recent avian strain known in the scientific community as H5N1, with genetic ressortants of the 1918 virus -- source of the most severe influenza pandemic in recorded history. H5N1 was found to replicate profusely within the first 24 hours, causing severe damage to respiratory tissues while sending the host's innate immune response into a lethal overdrive, reminiscent of the trajectory of the original 1918 virus.
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Inuit Trails Represent Complex Social Network Spanning Canadian Arctic
February 15, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Inuit trails are more than merely means to get from A to B. In reality, they represent a complex social network spanning the Canadian Arctic and are a distinctive aspect of the Inuit cultural identity. And what is remarkable is that the Inuit's vast geographic knowledge has been passed through many generations by oral means, without the use of maps or any other written documentation.
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Tailor-made Recombinant Proteins In Mammals
February 15, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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"Aldehyde tags" are used to label proteins in bacterial recombinant-DNA systems -- and now in proteins that can only be expressed by mammalian systems. While some recombinant drugs like insulin are made in bacterial systems, most have to be produced by mammalian cells. Aldehyde tags direct chemical modifications to specific sites on proteins, including monoclonal antibodies and other therapeutics important in the pharmaceutical industry.
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Volcanic Spreading And Lateral Variations In Structure Of Olympus Mons, Mars
February 15, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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The immense Olympus Mons volcano on Mars (about 23 km tall and 600 km wide) exhibits a somewhat lopsided structure: elongated to the northwest, shortened to the southeast, with corresponding types of faulting (extensional and compressional, respectively) prevalent in each sector.
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Pre-verbal Number Sense Common To Monkeys, Babies, College Kids
February 15, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Scientists are studying how human adults and infants, lemurs, and monkeys think about numbers without using language. One researcher is looking for the brain systems that support number sense and trying to figure out how this cognitive skill develops.
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Climate Change Likely To Be More Devastating Than Experts Predicted, Warns Top IPCC Scientist
February 15, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Without decisive action, global warming is likely to accelerate at a much faster pace and cause more environmental damage than predicted, says Stanford scientist Chris Field, a leading member of the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Field warns that higher temperatures could ignite tropical forests and melt the Arctic tundra, releasing billions of tons of greenhouse gas that could raise temperatures even more -- a vicious cycle that could spiral out of control.
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How Deadly Fungus Protects Itself
February 15, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Researchers have discovered how a deadly microbe evades the human immune system and causes disease. The study may help scientists develop new therapies or vaccines against infections caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. These fungal infections occur most commonly in those with compromised immune systems ý especially AIDS patients and transplant patients who must take lifelong immunosuppressive therapy.
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Ways To Minimize Tinnitus -- Troublesome Noises In The Ears
February 15, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Ringing, whining, whistling, hissing or whooshing. Any of those sounds in one or both ears when there is no external noise present could be a sign of tinnitus.
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Researchers Dig Through Millennia In The Valley Of The Kings
February 15, 2009 at 11:00 am
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The first field season is now over at the hut village of the workmen who built the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. However, the archaeologists working on the excavation have found that they still have a great deal to do. The sun, the wind and tourists have left their mark on the village, originally discovered by Bernard Bruyère in 1935.
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It's Hard Work That Fosters Responsibility In Teen Programs
February 15, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Researchers surveying more than 100 high schoolers involved in 11 different summer and after-school programs find that it's not the fun and games of these programs but the tough tasks -- those that ask young people to make sacrifices and do difficult things for the good of the group -- that are most likely to foster responsibility and self-discipline. In fact, many respondents spontaneously reported that developing responsibility was a goal of their participation in these programs.
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Micro RNA Plays A Key Role In Melanoma Metastasis
February 15, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Scientists have long wondered how melanoma cells travel from primary tumors on the surface of the skin to the brain, liver and lungs, where they become more aggressive, resistant to therapy, and deadly. Now, scientists have identified the possible culprit -- a short strand of RNA called microRNA that is over-expressed in metastatic melanoma cell lines and tissues.
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'Wake Up' To Health Risks Of Heavy Snoring
February 15, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Heavy snoring can be far from a nuisance. It can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition where an individual briefly stops breathing during the night which raises the risk of heart failure and strokes.
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Plan Offers Guidance For Evaluating Menopause-like Condition In Girls And Young Women
February 15, 2009 at 5:00 am
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A comprehensive plan to help health care professionals diagnose and treat primary ovarian insufficiency -- a menopause-like condition affecting girls and young women that may occur years before normal menopause is expected -- has been developed.
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White-nose Kills Hundreds Of Bats Near Abandoned Mines In Pennsylvania
February 15, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Several hundred little brown bats are dead from White-Nose Syndrome in Lackawanna County, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission is looking to residents for help uncovering other sites where this deadly disorder may have surfaced.
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Amid Rising Childhood Obesity, Preschoolers Found To Be Inactive
February 15, 2009 at 5:00 am
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A study of children enrolled at 24 community-based preschool programs finds that preschoolers are inactive for much of their preschool day, with 89 percent of physical activity characterized as sedentary. The study also finds that teachers very rarely encourage children to be more physically active. Based on these findings, there may be more of a need for preschool teachers to organize, model and encourage physical activity.
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Humans And Chimpanzees Genetically More Similar Than One Yeast Variety Is To Another
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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There may be greater genetic variation between different yeasts of the same species than between humans and chimpanzees. This is one of the findings of a new study. This study heralds a new era in evolutionary genetics research -- the mapping of an individual's DNA.
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Vigorous Exercise May Help Prevent Vision Loss
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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Vigorous exercise may help prevent both cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, according to a pair of studies that tracked approximately 31,000 runners for more than seven years.
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World's Oldest Swan Found Dead In Denmark
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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What was probably the world's oldest mute swan has been found dead in Denmark. This unusual example of Denmark's national bird lived to just past the ripe old age of 40. The previous record for a mute swan was 28 years old.
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New Surgical Technique Shows Promise For Improving Function Of Artificial Arms
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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A surgical technique known as targeted muscle reinnervation appears to enable patients with arm amputations to have improved control of functions with an artificial arm, according to a new study.
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New Cancer Research Tool: Tool Analyzes Function Of Crucial Set Of Proteins In Animals
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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Scientists have developed a new tool that enables them to analyze the function of a crucial set of proteins in animals --- a finding that could lead to a host of better drugs for and deeper insights into the workings of cancer.
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Tracking The Digital Traces Of Social Networks
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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Researchers have studied the massive online virtual world Second Life to test whether or not certain social theories are true. Having access to huge amounts of data gave them a way to answer how networks are created. Searching through anonymized data from Teen Grid, where only teenage players can socialize, the researchers found that teens' online friendships were disproportionately with people in their immediate geographic area -- likely with people they already knew.
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When It Comes To Elephant Love Calls, The Answer Lies In A Bone-shaking Triangle
February 14, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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An ecologist has been studying elephant communication for more than 15 years. During that time she's puzzled over which or their two seismic sensing systems -- either bone conduction or somatosensory reception -- elephants use most often in locating the source of a call. In her most recent field season last summer, she finally got an answer.
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New Genomic Test Can Personalize Breast Cancer Treatment
February 14, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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A set of 50 genes can be used to reliably identify the four known types of breast cancer, according to new research. Using this 50-gene set, oncologists can potentially predict the most effective therapy for each breast tumor type and thereby personalize breast cancer treatment for all patients.
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Ongoing Statin Therapy Associated With Lower Risk Of Death
February 14, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Patients with high cholesterol levels who continually take statins appear to have a lower risk of death over four to five years, regardless of whether they already have diagnosed heart disease, according to a new report.
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Public Funding For Specialty Crops Inadequate, Research Suggests
February 14, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Specialty crops, including fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops, have become increasingly important compared to other categories of agriculture in the United States over the past 50 years. These crops have continued to grow in production value, but this growth has not been matched by growth in public agricultural research spending.
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Social Support During Breast-feeding Helps Humans Have More Children
February 14, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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The fact that human mothers have support from family while they're breast-feeding may be a key strategy that enables humans to reproduce more rapidly than other primates, new research suggests. Social support helps mothers conserve energy in a way that allows their bodies to prepare for their next pregnancy.
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Cupid's Arrow May Cause More Than Just Sparks To Fly This Valentine's Day
February 14, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Getting struck by Cupid's arrow may very well take your breath away and make your heart go pitter patter this Valentine's Day, reports an expert. Dopamine creates feelings of euphoria while adrenaline and norepinephrine are responsible for the pitter patter of the heart, restlessness and overall preoccupation that go along with experiencing love.
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Wildlife Salute Valentines Day Of Their Own
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 am
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While they might not be giving roses and writing love poems, wildlife have some pretty fascinating -- and sometimes downright bizarre -- courtship and mating rituals of their own.
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Camouflaging Of Viral DNA Could Be Crucial Step In Progression Of Cancers
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Fifteen percent of cancers can be linked to a viral infection. However, the biological changes that cause some asymptomatic carriers of a virus to develop malignancies are not well understood. In a new study, scientists mapped a chemical modification of DNA in Epstein-Barr, human papilloma and hepatitis B viruses and found that the viral genomes undergo changes during the progression of disease, with implications for new prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies.
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Education And Money Attract A Mate; Chastity Sinks In Importance
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 am
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This Valentine's Day, researchers have some new answers to the perennial question of what men and women want in a partner.
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Talking And Treating Erectile Dysfunction
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 am
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The conversation about male sexual dysfunction has grown from a whisper to a roar. From Bob Dole to Mike Ditka, erectile dysfunction, or ED, is no longer hush-hush as more men are talking more openly.
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Continuous Descent Arrivals: Atlanta Flight Test Evaluates Technique For Saving Fuel And Reducing Noise In Airliners
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Airline passengers arriving in Atlanta on early morning "redeye" flights during the past few months may have noticed something different during their descent to the runway. Instead of the typical sound of engine power rising and falling as the aircraft descended in a series of level flight steps, they may have noticed a quieter arrival -- without the steps.
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New Happiness Research Demonstrates When Material Items Are The Best Option
February 14, 2009 at 11:00 am
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It matters whether you give your loved one a material gift or an experience for Valentine's Day, say researchers.
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Hamsters On Treadmills Provide Electricity Through Use Of Nanogenerators
February 14, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Could hamsters help solve the world's energy crisis? Probably not, but a hamster wearing a power-generating jacket is doing its own small part to provide a new and renewable source of electricity.
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Targeted Immune Cells Shrink Tumors In Mice
February 14, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Researchers have generated altered immune cells that are able to shrink, and in some cases eradicate, large tumors in mice. The immune cells target mesothelin, a protein that is highly expressed, or translated in large amounts from the mesothelin gene, on the surface of several types of cancer cells. The approach shows promise in the development of immunotherapies for certain tumors.
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Spaniards Prefer Love To Be Passionate, Study Shows
February 14, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Spaniards of all ages, in the main, have a "romantic" conception of love. They see it as an irresistible passion, which involves great intimacy and a strong physical attraction, which is classified as "Eros" love. Far fewer of them view the sentiment as a lasting commitment based on closeness, friendship, companionship and affection (amiable or "storge" love), a model which is more common in the north of Europe.
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Computerized Writing Aids Make Writing Easier For Persons With Aphasia
February 14, 2009 at 5:00 am
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New research shows that it is possible to improve writing skills for those with aphasia with the aid of computerized writing aids.
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Exposure To Ash From TVA Spill Could Have 'Severe Health Implications'
February 14, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Scientists who analyzed water and ash samples from last month's coal sludge spill in eastern Tennessee concludes that "exposure to radium- and arsenic-containing particulates in the ash could have severe health implications" in the affected areas.
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Air Pollution Too High Near Some US Schools
February 14, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Air pollution is dangerously high around schools near some U.S. industrial plants, according to a recent study.
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Vitamin E May Decrease Mortality Of Elderly Male Smokers, Yet Increase Mortality Of Middle-aged Smokers
February 14, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Six-year vitamin E supplementation decreased mortality by 41% in elderly male smokers who had high dietary vitamin C intake, but increased mortality by 19% in middle-aged smokers who had high vitamin C intake.
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New Data Suggest 'Jumping Genes' Play A Significant Role In Gene Regulatory Networks
February 14, 2009 at 12:00 am
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New research suggests that mobile repetitive elements -- also known as transposons or "jumping genes" -- do indeed affect the evolution of gene regulatory networks.
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Radioimmunotherapy: Promising Treatment For HIV Infection And Viral Cancers
February 14, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Scientists have piggybacked antibodies onto radioactive payloads to deliver doses of radiation that selectively target and destroy microbial and HIV-infected cells. The experimental treatment -- called radioimmunotherapy, or RIT -- holds promise for treating various infectious diseases, including HIV and cancers caused by viruses.
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Biofuels Boom Could Fuel Rainforest Destruction, Researcher Warns
February 14, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Farmers across the tropics might raze forests to plant biofuel crops, according to new research. "If we run our cars on biofuels produced in the tropics, chances will be good that we are effectively burning rainforests in our gas tanks," she warned.
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Mixed Population Provides Insights Into Human Genetic Makeup
February 14, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Genetic diseases and genetically mixed populations can help researchers understand human diversity and human origins according to a physical anthropologist.
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Virtual Games Players Stick Close To Home
February 14, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Researchers have analyzed a "gold mine" of networking data from EverQuest II, a fantasy massive multiplayer online role-playing game, along with a survey of 7,000 players. Their findings include that many players underestimate the amount of time they spend playing the games, the number of players who say they are depressed is disproportionately high -- and surprisingly -- most people played with people in their general geographic area.
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Molecules Self-assemble To Provide New Therapeutic Treatments
February 14, 2009 at 12:00 am
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By tailoring peptide amphiphiles, small synthetic molecules, and combining them with other molecules, researchers can make a wide variety of structures that may provide new treatments for medical issues including spinal cord injuries, diabetes and Parkinson's disease. Combining the PA molecules with hyaluronic acid, a biopolymer found in the human body in places like joints and cartilage, resulted in an instant membrane structure in the form of self-assembling sacs.
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Could Nanotechnology Make An Average Donut Into Health Food?
February 14, 2009 at 12:00 am
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European food companies already use nanotechnology in consumer products, but few voluntarily inform consumers. "The promise of nanotechnology," a Dutch scientist said, "is that it could allow re-engineering ingredients to bring healthy nutrients more efficiently to the body while allowing less-desirable components to pass on through."