New Shock Absorber Harvests Energy From Bumps In The Road, Increases Fuel Economy

New Shock Absorber Harvests Energy From Bumps In The Road, Increases Fuel Economy
February 13, 2009 at 11:00 am
________________________________
Undergraduate students have invented a shock absorber that harnesses energy from small bumps in the road, generating electricity while it smooths the ride more effectively than conventional shocks. The students hope to initially find customers among companies that operate large fleets of heavy vehicles. They have already drawn interest from the US military and several truck manufacturers.
________________________________
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Prevent Medical Complications Of Obesity, Study Suggests
February 13, 2009 at 11:00 am
________________________________
Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids protect the liver from damage caused by obesity and the insulin resistance it provokes. This research should give doctors and nutritionists valuable information when recommending weight-loss diets and help explain why some obese patients are more likely to suffer some complications associated with obesity. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in canola oil and fish.
________________________________
Mother-of-pearl From Shells Could Inspire Regeneration of Human Bones
February 13, 2009 at 11:00 am
________________________________
Scientists have studied nacre's growing mechanism of gastropods, a step for the artificial reproduction of this material in laboratories which could make possible its use in biomedicine. Although molluscs have been producing nacre for million years, humans have not been able to reproduce it artificially. One of its possible applications would be the regeneration of human bones.
________________________________
Fat-free Diet Reduces Liver Fat In Fat-free Mice, Researchers Report
February 13, 2009 at 11:00 am
________________________________
Researchers have uncovered crucial clues about a paradoxical disease in which patients with no body fat develop many of the health complications usually found in obese people.
________________________________
Reducing Carbon Dioxide Through Technology And Smart Growth
February 13, 2009 at 11:00 am
________________________________
A new study on climate change, published by Environmental Science and Technology, shows that "smart growth" combined with the use of hybrid vehicle technology could reduce cities' carbon dioxide emissions -- the principal driver of global warming -- significantly by 2050.
________________________________
First-time Mothers At Greater Risk Of Psychosis In Month Following Childbirth
February 13, 2009 at 11:00 am
________________________________
A study of risk factors associated with psychotic illness after childbirth shows that first-time mothers are at the greatest risk of developing psychosis in the month following the birth of their child -- even if they have never been treated in hospital for mental illness in the past.
________________________________
Stem Cells From Skin Cells Can Make Beating Heart Muscle Cells
February 13, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
A little more than a year after scientists showed they could turn skin cells back into stem cells, they have pulsating proof that these "induced" stem cells can indeed form the specialized cells that make up heart muscle.
________________________________
New Target For Medicine To Combat Alzheimer's: Scientists Confirm Protein's Key Role
February 13, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
Scientists have demonstrated that a particular protein is extremely well suited to be a target for a new medicine against Alzheimer's disease.
________________________________
Method For Detecting 23 Drugs And Medicines In Saliva Developed
February 13, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
Scientists have developed a technique for detecting the presence of 23 illicit drugs and medicines in saliva samples. The method is already being used by the DGT in Spain, as part of a European study on the frequency of alcohol and drug consumption amongst drivers.
________________________________
HIV Antiretroviral Medications Linked To Heart Attacks
February 13, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
New research findings help explain why some HIV patients treated with antiretroviral medications experience increased incidence of heart attacks.
________________________________
Molecular Machines Drive Plasmonic Nanoswitches
February 13, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
Plasmonics -- a possible replacement for current computing approaches -- may pave the way for the next generation of computers that operate faster and store more information than electronically-based systems and are smaller than optically-based systems, according to an engineer who has developed a plasmonic switch.
________________________________
True Or False? How Our Brain Processes Negative Statements
February 13, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
Previous research has suggested that including negative words in the middle of a sentence can throw off our brains and make it more difficult to understand. A new study reveals that the way negative statements are processed in the brain depends on the structure of the sentence itself. This indicates that negation, when it is useful and informative, does not make it more challenging for the brain to understand the negative meaning of the statement.
________________________________
Astronomers Unveiling Life's Cosmic Origins
February 13, 2009 at 5:00 am
________________________________
The foundations for life on Earth were laid by the processes of star and planet formation, and the production of complex, prebiotic molecules in interstellar space. Those processes are yielding their secrets to astronomers with powerful research tools and better tools are on the way.
________________________________
Drug Found To Prevent Colon Cancer Development In Mice
February 13, 2009 at 5:00 am
________________________________
Researchers have found that a drug now being tested to treat a range of human cancers significantly inhibited colon cancer development in mice. Because the agent appears to have minimal side effects, it may represent an effective chemopreventive treatment in people at high risk for colon cancer, the investigators say.
________________________________
Uranium Poisoning Treatment Developed
February 13, 2009 at 5:00 am
________________________________
Researchers have developed a protein that binds to uranium selectively and tightly -- a simple, effective methods for the sensitive detection and effective treatment of uranium poisoning.
________________________________
Bone Marrow Transplant Patients May Benefit From New Immune Research
February 13, 2009 at 5:00 am
________________________________
Bone marrow transplant researchers may have found a mechanism that could preserve the leukemia-killing effects of a transplant graft, while limiting the damage donor immune cells might do to the recipient host's vital organs.
________________________________
Fresh Fruits And Vegetables Are Increasingly Recognized As A Source Of Food Poisoning Outbreaks
February 13, 2009 at 5:00 am
________________________________
Raw fruits and vegetables are good for you but may also send you to the doctor. New research highlights the fact that fresh fruits and vegetables are increasingly recognized as a source of food poisoning outbreaks in many parts of the world.
________________________________
Read My Lips: Using Multiple Senses In Speech Perception
February 13, 2009 at 5:00 am
________________________________
When someone speaks to you, do you see what they are saying? We tend to think of speech as being something we hear, but recent studies suggest that we use a variety of senses for speech perception - that speech is not meant to be just heard, but also to be seen. A new report describes research examining how our different senses blend together to help us perceive speech.
________________________________
Code Of The Common Cold Cracked
February 13, 2009 at 2:00 am
________________________________
Scientists have begun to solve some of the mysteries of the common cold by putting together the pieces of the genetic codes for all the known strains of the human rhinovirus. The researchers say this work provides a powerful tool that may lead to the development of the first effective treatments against the common cold. The study also sheds light on the suspected cause of asthma and acute asthma attacks.
________________________________
Can A Dietary Supplement Stave Off Hearing Loss?
February 13, 2009 at 2:00 am
________________________________
Many people take a vitamin each morning to maintain good nutrition, energy, bone strength, and overall health. Can popping a pill also protect our hearing against damage caused by loud noise?
________________________________
Exercise After Knee Replacement Critical
February 13, 2009 at 2:00 am
________________________________
Exercising to strengthen your quadriceps after knee replacement surgery can boost the function of your new knee to nearly that of a healthy adult your age. It's a simple thing, but such rehab isn't common practice.
________________________________
Healthy People With High Urinary Protein Levels Have Elevated Kidney Disease Risk
February 13, 2009 at 2:00 am
________________________________
Measuring the amount of protein lost in the urine can identify individuals at risk of developing kidney disease, according to a new study. The results suggest that a simple and low-cost urine screen is a promising way to address the epidemic of chronic kidney disease.
________________________________
Two Genes Influence Social Behavior, Visual-spatial Performance In People With Williams Syndrome
February 13, 2009 at 2:00 am
________________________________
Unraveling the genetics of social behavior and cognitive abilities, researchers have traced the role of two genes, GTF2I and GTF2IRD, in a rare genetic disorder known as Williams Syndrome.
________________________________
Rift Zones: New Understanding Of Incredible Forces, Oil And Gas Reserves Beneath The Earth's Surface
February 12, 2009 at 11:00 pm
________________________________
Researchers have developed a new model to explain the forming of rift zones. Rift zones are long cracks in the Earth's crust between the tectonic plates. They are generally over 1000km long, 30-100km wide and up to 10km deep. Over time they fill up with the remains of volcanic explosions and other sediment. The research results has great significance for oil and natural gas exploration, plus our general understanding of the forces beneath.
________________________________
Long-term Use Of Popular Inhalers Increases Risk Of Pneumonia For COPD Patients
February 12, 2009 at 11:00 pm
________________________________
Newly published research out of Wake Forest University School of Medicine finds that a popular class of anti-inflammatory inhalers significantly increases the risk of pneumonia in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
________________________________
Chronic Asthma: Study Reveals Long-Lasting Airway Blockages, Even In Medicated Asthma Patients
February 12, 2009 at 11:00 pm
________________________________
Scientists now are able to get a much clearer picture of what happens inside the lungs of asthma patients, thanks to an innovative MRI technique that shows the flow of air within the lung. The new images show that asthma patients can continue to have persistent narrowing of airways over a span of a month or more – even while taking medication.
________________________________
Angiogenesis Linked To Poor Survival In Patients With Rare Type Of Ovarian Cancer
February 12, 2009 at 11:00 pm
________________________________
Researchers have found that increased angiogenesis, or blood vessel formation, and vascular endothelial growth factor expression are associated with poor survival in women with sex cord-stromal ovarian tumors.
________________________________
Portuguese Mine Generates Acidic Water Following 43 Years Of Inactivity
February 12, 2009 at 11:00 pm
________________________________
Located five kilometers from the Spanish border, the Portuguese São Domingos mine, abandoned since 1966, continues to pollute the river ways that flow into Chanza dam, the largest drinking water reservoir in the province of Huelva, according to scientists. The new study shows that oxidation and the dissolving of sulfurs are processes that remain active today, so the researchers are asking that solution plans be put in place.
________________________________
How Do You Build A Synthetic Brain?
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 pm
________________________________
Nanocarbon modeling may be the next step toward emulating human brain function. That's the focus of a "synthetic cortex" under development.
________________________________
Wrinkles Removed With Protein RHAMM, Study Shows
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 pm
________________________________
Hollywood stars of a certain age take note: New research suggests that a protein linked to the spread of several major human cancers may also hold great potential for the elimination of wrinkles and the rejuvenation of the skin. If this promise bears fruit, the protein, called RHAMM, could one day replace injections with neurotoxins that carry such unpleasant side-effects as muscle paralysis and loss of facial expressions.
________________________________
Artificial Vision Used To Improve Recycling Of Electronic Scrap Metal
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 pm
________________________________
Researchers are studying an innovative method based on multispectral artificial vision systems to enhance the value of electronic scrap which currently represent 4% of urban waste in Europe.
________________________________
Cystic Fibrosis And Muscular Dystrophy: New Findings Raise Questions About Identifying Experimental Drug
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 pm
________________________________
Researchers have revealed surprising new insights into the process used to initially identify an experimental drug now being tested in people with cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy.
________________________________
Multimedia System Provides New View Of Musical Performance
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 pm
________________________________
Musicians can now use 3D computer analysis to radically improve their technique using the latest research in multimedia technology.
________________________________
Boys Have Greater Psychological Well-being Than Girls, Due To Better Physical Self-concept, Study Finds
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 pm
________________________________
New research has investigated the relationship between adolescents' perception of their physical qualities and their psychological well-being and unwellness.
________________________________
Restoring Function Of A Mutant Gene Without Altering DNA Might Be Possible
February 12, 2009 at 5:00 pm
________________________________
Researchers have demonstrated that it might be possible to treat genetic diseases, including some forms of cancer, by "rescuing" the misshapen, useless proteins produced by some mutant genes. The researchers demonstrate that manipulating the cellular amounts of a protein called Hsp70, they can give mutants another shot at refolding. The researchers believe it may be a means of hacking the natural biochemistry of cells to restore proteins otherwise lost to mutation.
________________________________
People Who Exercise Lower Their Risk Of Colon Cancer
February 12, 2009 at 5:00 pm
________________________________
An ambitious new study has added considerable weight to the claim that exercise can lower the risk for colon cancer. Researchers combined and analyzed several decades worth of data from past studies on how exercise affects colon cancer risk. They found that people who exercised the most were 24 percent less likely to develop the disease than those who exercised the least.
________________________________
A Better Mesh: Researchers 'Tighten' Body's Protective Coating
February 12, 2009 at 5:00 pm
________________________________
Fibers in the mucus coatings of the eyes, lungs, stomach or reproductive system naturally bundle together and allow the tiniest disease-causing bugs, allergens or pollutants to slip by. But researchers have discovered how to shrink the holes in the mucus layer's "netting" so that it keeps out more unwanted particles.
________________________________
Mediterranean Sea Dried Up Five Million Years Ago
February 12, 2009 at 5:00 pm
________________________________
Upward movement of the Earth's crust transformed the Straits of Gibraltar into a dam. Approximately five million years ago, the Mediterranean Sea dried up after it was sealed off from the Atlantic Ocean. According to earth scientists, a reduction in the weight on the Earth's crust led to the Straits of Gibraltar moving upwards.
________________________________
Alcohol Advertisements Attract The Young
February 12, 2009 at 5:00 pm
________________________________
Alcohol advertising and marketing may lead to underage drinking. A large systematic review of more than 13,000 people suggests that exposure to ads and product placements, even those supposedly not directed at young people, leads to increased alcohol consumption.
________________________________
New Refrigeration System Based On Magnetics More Economical And Quieter Than Current Technology
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm
________________________________
An exotic metal alloy may be the key to a new quieter, more economical class of home and commercial refrigeration systems based on magnetics rather than conventional gas compression and expansion.
________________________________
Women Who Drink Lots Of Soda At Higher Risk For Early Kidney Disease
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm
________________________________
Women who drink two or more cans of soda pop per day are nearly twice as likely to show early signs of kidney disease, a recent study has found. However, researchers did not find an elevated risk for men, or for people who drink diet soda.
________________________________
Carbon Nanotube Avalanche Process Nearly Doubles Current
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm
________________________________
By pushing carbon nanotubes close to their breaking point, researchers have demonstrated a remarkable increase in the current-carrying capacity of the nanotubes, well beyond what was previously thought possible.
________________________________
Lack Of Specific Gene Plays Role In Autism, Study Shows
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm
________________________________
It is estimated that three to six out of every 1,000 children in the United States have autism -- and the number of diagnosed cases is rising. Autism is one of a group of series developmental problems called autism spectrum disorders that appear in early childhood, usually before age 3. Through symptoms and severity vary, all autism disorders affect a child's ability to communicate and interact with others.
________________________________
Fish Oil Alternatives To Farmed Fish Feed May Alleviate Global Seafood Shortage
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm
________________________________
Fish oil replacements for farmed fish feeds may help reduce the aquaculture industry's dependence on wild fisheries for their essential omega-3 requirements. This move may also help overcome existing barriers that impede the industry's expansion. A new study focuses on the effects of fish oil replacement in finfish nutrition on feed quality, fish performance, feed efficiency, lipid metabolism, final eating quality and related economic aspects.
________________________________
How Your Brain Deciphers Cocktail Party Banter
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm
________________________________
Anyone who has tried to carry on a conversation in a roomful of talkers knows how difficult it can be to concentrate on what one person is saying while tuning everyone else out. Researchers now have a better picture of how the brain manages this feat.
________________________________
Did Burst Of Gene Duplication Set Stage For Human Evolution?
February 12, 2009 at 11:00 am
________________________________
Roughly 10 million years ago, a major genetic change occurred in a common ancestor of gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans. Segments of DNA in its genome began to form duplicate copies at a greater rate than in the past, creating an instability that persists in the genome of modern humans and contributes to diseases like autism and schizophrenia. But that gene duplication also may be responsible for a genetic flexibility that has resulted in some uniquely human characteristics.
________________________________
Could Carbon Dioxide Replace Antibiotics In Surgery?
February 12, 2009 at 11:00 am
________________________________
Filling a surgical wound with carbon dioxide gas could reduce infection and improve healing. A wound could continuously be flooded with carbon dioxide gas during surgery. Carbon dioxide could prevent airborne bacteria from reaching the wound and would also suffocate germs. CO2 is already used for this purpose in the food packaging business. Humidified CO2 would also keep the wound warm and moist, which should reduce tissue damage and speed-up healing.
________________________________
Dangerous Printer Particles Identified
February 12, 2009 at 11:00 am
________________________________
The identity and origin of tiny, potentially hazardous particles emitted from common laser printers have been revealed by a new study.
________________________________
Leukemia Stem Cells Have More In Common With Embryonic Stem Cells Than Adult Stem Cells
February 12, 2009 at 11:00 am
________________________________
Research using a mouse model of human leukemia has provided critical insight into the genetic factors related to the generation and maintenance of myeloid leukemia stem cells. The study is likely to have a profound impact on the future design of therapeutic approaches targeted against cancer stem cells.
________________________________
Born To Be Wild? Thrill-seeking Behavior May Be Based In The Brain
February 12, 2009 at 11:00 am
________________________________
What draws some people to daredevil behavior while others shy away from it? The results of a new study in Psychological Science show that high sensation seekers respond very strongly to arousing cues, but have less activity in brain areas associated with emotional regulation. These findings may indicate the way by which sensation seeking results in negative behaviors, including substance abuse and antisocial behavior.
________________________________
Why Sleep Is Needed To Form Memories
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
If you ever argued with your mother when she told you to get some sleep after studying for an exam instead of pulling an all-nighter, you owe her an apology, because it turns out she's right. And now, scientists are beginning to understand why. Scientists describe for the first time how cellular changes in the sleeping brain promote the formation of memories.
________________________________
High Level Of Adverse Drug Reactions In Hospitals Found
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
In a study of more than 3,000 patients, researchers have found that one in seven admitted to hospital experience adverse drug reactions to medical treatment.
________________________________
Decoding Funny Faces To Detect Mental Illness
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
Researchers have discovered that brain imaging can identify mental illness before it starts. Until now, detecting mental illness before symptoms appear has been nearly impossible.
________________________________
New Clues To Pancreatic Cells' Destruction In Diabetes
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
Researchers have found what appears to be a major culprit behind the loss of insulin-producing b cells from the pancreases of people with diabetes, a critical event in the progression of the disease.
________________________________
New Tool Gets Handle On Cropland Carbon Dioxide Emissions
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
For the first time, farmers have data that tracks at the county level on-site and off-site energy use and carbon dioxide emissions associated with growing crops in the United States.
________________________________
Happy Hospitals Make Happy Patients
February 12, 2009 at 8:00 am
________________________________
Imagine a hospital where morale is high, employee turnover is low and patient call buttons rarely go unanswered -- and if they do, you can call the hospital's CEO.
________________________________
Engineers Revolutionize Nano-device Fabrication Using Amorphous Metals
February 12, 2009 at 5:00 am
________________________________
Engineers have created a process that may revolutionize the manufacture of nano-devices from computer chips to biomedical sensors by exploiting a novel type of metal. The material can be molded like plastics to create features at the nanoscale and yet is more durable and stronger than silicon or steel.
________________________________
Drug Discovery Short-circuits Cancer Growth
February 12, 2009 at 5:00 am
________________________________
A new drug that blocks cancer's main source of growth has been created in the lab and proven effective in mice, scientists are reporting. It is now being readied for clinical trials in patients.
________________________________
Genetics May Predict Risk For Relapse Among Alcohol-dependent Patients
February 12, 2009 at 5:00 am
________________________________
A number of biological markers have been linked to a predisposition for developing alcohol dependence (AD). New findings have linked relapse among AD patients to the Val66Met polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene.
________________________________
Researchers Shake Up Scientific Theory On Motor Protein
February 12, 2009 at 5:00 am
________________________________
Scientists have shed new light on the little-understood motor protein called dynein, thought to be involved in progressive neurological disorders such as motor neuron disease.
________________________________
Girls Growing Up With Heroin-addicted Parent More Resilient Than Boys
February 12, 2009 at 5:00 am
________________________________
Growing up with a heroin-addicted parent exposes children to a variety of detrimental experiences before the age of 18 and new research indicates that girls are four times more resilient than boys in overcoming such adverse events.
________________________________
New Prostate Cancer Marker In Urine Indicates Whether Cancer Is Spreading
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 am
________________________________
Researchers have identified a new biological marker present in the urine of patients with prostate cancer that indicates whether the cancer is progressing and spreading. Scientists identified 10 metabolites that become more abundant in prostate cells as cancer progresses. Their studies showed that one of these chemicals, sarcosine, helps prostate cancer cells invade surrounding tissue.
________________________________
Arginine Discovery Could Help Fight Human Obesity
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 am
________________________________
Arginine, an amino acid, reduces fat mass in diet-induced obese rats and could help fight human obesity.
________________________________
Automatic Measuring Stations For Pollen Will Improve Forecasts
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 am
________________________________
The snow is thawing, the first crocuses are fighting their way through the cold earth into the daylight and hay fever sufferers are already pulling out their handkerchiefs. A new type of measuring station will automatically determine the pollen count and thus improve the forecast.
________________________________
Surgical Technique Enables Extirpation Of Benign Tumors Of The Pancreas
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 am
________________________________
A laparoscopic surgical technique enables extirpation of pancreatic tumors that are benign or of scant, highly localized malignant potential and that preserves the function of the organ to the maximum, at the same time significantly reducing the number of possible complications and the period of hospitalization.
________________________________
Test Tube Chemistry Inside A Carbon Nanotube
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 am
________________________________
Test tube chemistry just took a leap down in size to the nano-scale, with new test-tubes measuring only about one billionth of a meter across. The scaling factor is like scaling up from a normal test tube to one a hundred kilometers across. When chemistry is performed in a conventional manner in laboratory test tubes, the reactions that occur are a result of billions and billions of molecules reacting with each other and with anything else we put into the tube. Being able to watch or control chemical reactions between individual molecules at this scale is like understanding and then controlling the interaction between two people on a tube train while you are sitting in the International Space Station!
________________________________
New Direction In Search For Genetic Causes Of Schizophrenia Proposed
February 12, 2009 at 2:00 am
________________________________
A new study shows that schizophrenia is caused, at least in part, by large, rare structural changes in DNA referred to as copy number variants -- not the tiny, single letter alterations (single nucleotide polymorphisms that scientists have pursued for years.