feed info
278,908 articles from PhysOrg
Mothers' high blood sugar in pregnancy is linked to children's reduced insulin sensitivity
Children of mothers whose blood glucose (sugar) was high during pregnancy are more likely to have low insulin sensitivity -a risk factor for type 2 diabetes -even after taking into consideration the children's body weight, a new study shows. The results will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego.
New genetic analysis reveals principles of phenotypic expression
The Human Genome Project, along with numerous parallel efforts to solve the DNA sequences of hundreds of animal, plant, fungal, and microbe genomes in the last few decades, has produced enormous amounts of genetic data with which researchers are struggling to keep pace. Knowing gene sequences, after all, may not directly reveal what roles that genes play in the actual manifestation of physical...
New lung cancer drug shows dramatic results for shrinking tumors
Patients with a specific kind of lung cancer may benefit from a Phase III clinical trial offered by the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. The new drug, crizotinib, under development by Pfizer, showed dramatic results in reducing lung cancer tumors in some patients during Phase I and II clinical trials.
Newspaper takes stand against 'comment trolls'
They lurk in the comments sections of websites, firing off inflammatory messages behind a cloak of anonymity.
Physician-journalist guidelines proposed in wake of Haiti earthquake
In the wake of extensive television news reporting in Haiti by physicians such as Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN, guidelines for physician-journalists in covering disasters are proposed in the current issue of Electronic News.
Quantum gas in free fall: Physicists produce a Bose-Einstein condensate at zero gravity
(PhysOrg.com) -- A sensitive measuring device must not be dropped - because this usually destroys the precision of the instrument. A team of researchers including scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics has done exactly this, however. And the researchers want to use this experience to make the measuring instrument even more sensitive.
Radio signals research scans new horizons
A study at the University of Leicester aims to understand the reasons why radio signals sometimes act unpredictably- travelling beyond the horizon and interfering with other signals.
Study finds that caring for an elderly, sick spouse sometimes has positive elements
Although long-term care of sick or disabled loved ones is widely recognized as a threat to the caregiver's health and quality of life, a new study led by University at Buffalo psychologist Michael Poulin, PhD, finds that in some contexts, helping valued loved ones may promote the well being of helpers.
Team examines how to rapily assess children's tooth decay risk
Researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry have determined that ATP-driven (adenosine triphosphate-driven) bioluminescence - a way of measuring visible light generated from ATP contained in bacteria - is an innovative tool for rapidly assessing in children at the chair-side the number of oral bacteria and amount of plaque that can ultimately lead to tooth decay.
US unveils strategy to fight piracy of intellectual property
The United States unveiled Tuesday a wide-ranging strategic plan on protection of intellectual property ranging from pharmaceuticals to Hollywood films, pledging to confront governments that fail to crack down on piracy.
Wireless vs. wireless
3G and Wi-Fi are the two main mobile communications technologies today, but until recently they have been complementary services, the former offering users network access through cell phone masts forming a wide-area network (WAN), the latter based on hot-spot connections through a local-area network (LAN). Both then provide connectivity to the web, email and other services.
'BC5' material shows superhard, superconducting potential
What could be better than diamond when it comes to a superhard material for electronics under extreme thermal and pressure conditions? Quite possibly BC5, a diamond-like material with an extremely high boron content that offers exceptional hardness and resistance to fracture, but unlike diamond, it is a superconductor rather than an insulator. A research team in China studying BC5 describes its...
Adaptation is (not) in the eye of the beholder
The limited immune response in the eyes of freshwater fishes has created a great home for parasites, according to research published online in the journal Molecular Ecology. The study provides a lens into the evolutionary world of the larval flukes that parasitize Canadian fish.
Computer fun helps improve girls' food choices, fitness
Lively, educational comic strips, geared to 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls, can help these young viewers make better food choices and improve their physical fitness. That's what happened in a preliminary study, reported several years ago, with 78 Internet-savvy African American girls age 8 to 10. Now, the program's creators hope to repeat the study in a larger test with 400 young...
Data mining algorithm explains complex temporal interactions among genes
Researchers at Virginia Tech, New York University (NYU), and the University of Milan, Italy, have created a data mining algorithm they call GOALIE that can automatically reveal how biological processes are coordinated in time.
Genetically modified cell procedure may prove useful in treating kidney failure
A protein whose primary role is in the embryonic development of kidneys may play a future role in treating kidney failure.
Gut bacteria could be key indicator of colon cancer risk
The human body contains more bacteria than it does cells. These bacterial communities can have a positive effect on our health, by training our immune systems and helping to metabolize the foods we eat. But they can also set us up to develop digestive disorders, skin diseases, and obesity.
High fructose, trans fats lead to significant liver disease, says study
Scientists at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have discovered that a diet with high levels of fructose - levels equivalent to that in high fructose corn syrup - and of trans fats not only increases obesity, but also leads to significant fatty liver disease with scar tissue.
How lead exposure damages the brain: New research fills in the picture
Effective brain function depends on the efficient signaling from one neuron to the next, a lightning-fast process that depends on a quick release of neurotransmitters at synapses. Exposure to lead during early childhood and even later in life has long been known to affect the release of these critical neurotransmitters. However, the precise mechanism by which lead ions (Pb2+) impair this process...
Hubble captures bubbles and baby stars (w/ Video)
A spectacular new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image - one of the largest ever released of a star-forming region - highlights N11, part of a complex network of gas clouds and star clusters within our neighbouring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. This region of energetic star formation is one of the most active in the nearby Universe.
Humans have a mighty bite: Size matters, but efficiency matters more
The robust jaws and formidable teeth of some of our ancestors and ape cousins may suggest that humans are wimps when it comes to producing a powerful bite: but a new study has found the opposite is true, with major implications for our understanding of diet in ancestral humans.
Liquid crystals light way to better data storage
As cell phones and computers continue to shrink, many companies are seeking better ways to store hundreds of gigabytes of data in small, low-power devices.
NASA's TRMM satellite sees Hurricane Celia's moderate rainfall
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite known as TRMM has been monitoring the rainfall rates in Hurricane Celia, and noticed rain is falling moderately as the storm continues to strengthen.
New design for motorcycle engines powered by compressed air
Most motorcycles in the world today use engines that burn gasoline, contributing to greenhouse gasses and adding air pollution to the surrounding area. Now two scientists in India have conceptually designed a new, cleaner motorcycle engine that uses compressed air to turn a small air turbine, generating enough power to run a motorcycle for up to 40 minutes.
Researchers create self-assembling nanodevices that move and change shape on demand
By emulating nature's design principles, a team at Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has created nanodevices made of DNA that self-assemble and can be programmed to move and change shape on demand. In contrast to existing nanotechnologies, these programmable nanodevices are highly suitable for medical...