Monthly Archives: April 2012
Bahrain court orders retrial for 21 activists
A Bahraini appeals court has ordered a retrial in a civil court in the cases of 21 opposition activists, including hunger striker Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, alleged to have been involved in the Gulf
Suu Kyi to swear Myanmar parliament oath
Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar’s opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), says that a dispute over the wording of the country’s parliamentary oath of office has been resolved. Suu
Treating Brain Cancer With Viral Vector
“This clinical trial targets glioblastoma — one of the deadliest forms of brain tumor,” said principal investigator Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD, director of neuro-oncology in the Moores Cancer Center and in the
Mucus from Pig Stomachs Is Effective as Anti-Viral Agent: May Be Useful in Cosmetics and Baby Formula
Their study appears in ACS’ journal Biomacromolecules. In the report, Katharina Ribbeck and colleagues point out that mucus, which coats the inside of the nose, mouth and vagina, is the immune system’s
Boron-Nitride Nanotubes Show Potential in Cancer Treatment
The study was carried out by researchers in Italy at the Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa with BNNTs provided by researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center, the Department
Handheld Probe Shows Great Promise for Oral Cancer Detection
The probe, which is around 20 cm long and 1 cm wide at its tip, could be used by doctors to diagnose oral cancer in real-time or as a surgical guidance tool;
Fruit Flies Provide New Knowledge About Uninhibited Cell Growth
The results have just been published in the well-reputed journal PNAS. Scientists from The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen have put a special type of fruit
‘Warming Hole’ Delayed Climate Change Over Eastern United States
While greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane warm Earth’s surface, tiny particles in the air can have the reverse effect on regional scales. “What we’ve shown is that particulate pollution over
Geneticists Identify Genes Linked to Western African Pygmies’ Small Stature
Now a new study of the Western African Pygmies in Cameroon, led by geneticists from the University of Pennsylvania, identifies genes that may be responsible for the Pygmies’ relatively small size. The
Scar Tissue Turned Into Heart Muscle Without Using Stem Cells
The study, published online April 26 in the journal Circulation Research, used molecules called microRNAs to trigger the cardiac tissue conversion in a lab dish and, for the first time, in a
New Form of Lava Flow Discovered On Mars
The new result came out of research into possible interactions of lava flows and floods of water in the Elysium volcanic province of Mars. “I was interested in Martian outflow channels and
Atomic Clock Comparison Via Data Highways
Optical atomic clocks measure time with unprecedented accuracy. However, it is the ability to compare clocks with one another that makes them applicable for high-precision tests in fundamental theory, from cosmology all
Sperm Viability Greatly Reduced in Offspring of Animals Treated With Common Antibiotic Tetracycline
“This is the first research to show a transgenerational effect of antibiotics,” David Zeh, chair of the Department of Biology in the College of Science, said. “Tetracycline has a significant detrimental effect
Almost Seven Million Birds Perish at Communication Towers in North America Each Year
The birds are killed by the 84,000 communication towers that dot North America and can rise nearly 2,000 feet into the sky, according to the authors of “An Estimate of Avian Mortality
Cassini Finds Saturn Moon Has Planet-Like Qualities
Scientists had their first close-up look at Phoebe when Cassini began exploring the Saturn system in 2004. Using data from multiple spacecraft instruments and a computer model of the moon’s chemistry, geophysics
Scientists Provide First Large-Scale Estimate of Reef Shark Losses in the Pacific Ocean
In a study published online April 27 in the journal Conservation Biology, an international team of marine scientists provide the first estimates of reef shark losses in the Pacific Ocean. Using underwater
Wearable electronics:Transparent, Lightweight, Flexible Conductor Could Revolutionize Electronics Industry
GraphExeter could also be used for the creation of ‘smart’ mirrors or windows, with computerised interactive features. Since this material is also transparent over a wide light spectrum, it could enhance by
Thinking in a Foreign Language Helps Economic Decision-Making
People are more likely to take favorable risks if they think in a foreign language, the new study showed. “We know from previous research that because people are naturally loss-averse, they often
New Particle Discovered at CERN
In particle physics, the baryon family refers to particles that are made up of three quarks. Quarks form a group of six particles that differ in their masses and charges. The two
Particularly Dangerous Salmonella Discovered
These “hypervirulent” bugs can override vaccines and pose a risk to food safety — and mitigation efforts are currently under way. Previous strategies to find the more dangerous bugs were unsuccessful since
Birds Cultivate Decorative Plants to Attract Mates
Published April 24, in Current Biology the research was carried out by the Universities of Exeter (UK), Postdam (Germany), Deakin and Queensland (Australia). This is the first time a species other than
Beyond Apples: A Serving a Day of Dark Chocolate Might Keep the Doctor Away
In fact, chocolate is a great source of myriad substances that scientists think might impart important health benefits. For instance, it contains compounds called “flavanols” that appear to play a variety of
Can Organic Food Feed the World? New Study Sheds Light On Debate Over Organic Vs. Conventional Agriculture
A new study published in Nature concludes that crop yields from organic farming are generally lower than from conventional agriculture. That is particularly true for cereals, which are staples of the human
New sexual-misconduct charges hit US agents
The US Secret Service has confirmed an investigation into allegations that agents hired strippers and prostitutes in El Salvador, before a visit last year by US president Barack Obama. A new report
Guantanamo 9/11 arraignments to be broadcast
The arraignment for the self-proclaimed mastermind of the September 11, 2001, attacks in the US and four other Guantanamo Bay prisoners will be broadcast by closed-circuit television to eight sites in the
Persian Gulf for ever
Persian Gulf in the Ancient World Archaeological evidence suggests that Dilmun returned to prosperity after the Assyrian Empire stabilized the TigrisEuphrates area at the end of the second millennium B.C. A powerful
Dutch court upholds ‘weed pass’ restrictions
A Dutch judge has upheld a government plan to introduce a “weed pass” to prevent foreigners from buying marijuana in coffee shops in the Netherlands. A lawyer for coffee shop owners said
Bin Laden family ‘to be sent to Saudi Arabia’
Local media in Pakistan is reporting that the widows of Osama Bin Laden, as well a number of children, are being deported from the country. It is thought Bin Laden’s family will
