Why some animals have smaller eyes: Lifestyle matters
... size throughout various stages of development. He observes that human eyes grow rapidly in the womb and for the first three months after birth. That explains why babies are so adorably cute: Their disproportionately big eyes gaze out from those little round faces. By three months, our eyes are as big as they...Search for macular degeneration genes narrows
... atrophy or choroidal neovascularization). Swaroop observes that this group is likely to carry a heavier load of genetic susceptibility factors than patients in earlier stages of the disease, and thus would be well suited for genetic investigations. In addition, each of the affected individuals was paired wi...Return to space for Spanish ESA astronaut
...and work only began once we had arrived in orbit," observes Duque. Dutch ESA astronaut Andr Kuipers is the backup astronaut for the Cervantes mission and is himself scheduled to fly on a Dutch Soyuz mission scheduled for April next year. You can find further information on the Cervantes mission and follow th...New compound library to speed drug discovery
...s still in its earliest planning stages, Heemskerk observes that the value of Stockwell's collection "is something that's widely recognized in industry. Brent is forging new territory in academia." And although this new territory could one day include a completely comprehensive library of biologically active ...Gene mutation found for eye disease that mimics macular degeneration
...tance we have observed in members of this family," observes Ayyagari. For example, in the fourth generation, a...are the two families described in the paper. Khani observes that the detailed family history of the SUNY901 family presented genetic researchers with an unusual...Not for women only: Osteoporosis in men
...male osteoporosis is not yet understood, but Rosen observes that men with the following history are at greatest risk: Genetics : If a man's mother or father had osteoporosis, that individual is significantly more likely to have it than a male whose parents had no such history. Kidneys stones: men with kidne...The stinky smell of success of Ted the Titan: a tale from Chemical & Engineering News
...es do they anticipate? "Maybe as fly attractants," observes Murphy....Pathogenic yeasts and fungi: A growing health concern
...rganism and debilitating it by making a mutation," observes Fink, who also is a professor of genetics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "But these debilitated organisms weren't very informative about the healthy pathogen. A much more fruitful approach is if you make something that's hypervirulent, bec...Virginia Tech inventions, creations can improve lives
...teger. Mike Martin, VTIP executive vice president, observes that "the patents awarded to Virginia Tech faculty members, students, and staff represent a significant resource for economic development." Patents were awarded for power electronic improvements, including switches for hybrid fuel cell/electric vehic...UGA student questions why snakes cross roadways
...to settle the snake down before release. She then observes from a specially constructed blind, raises the bucket and records the behavior of the snake. Andrews also notes the conditions at the time of release. The research is expected to take a year and will involve several hundred snakes of all sizes and mo...... causes macular degeneration," says Ayyagari. She observes that other scientists, including Kellogg's Anand Swaroop, Ph.D., have studied RPGR extensively and have discovered a large number of mutations that lead to retinal diseases, including RP. Now, with the new discovery, researchers may gain a more com...Osteoarthritis and genetic link
...that a genetic component plays an important role," observes the study's chief researcher, Dr. S. Demissie of the Boston University School of Public Health. "Estimates of heritability range from 10 to 60% and may vary by the joint affected." She contends: "Searching for sites within the genome that accounts...Microbe first to break down PCBs
...g with a keen understanding of microbial ecology," observes Hunter-Cevera.PCBs are either oily liquids or solids that are odorless, tasteless and nearly colorless. Before being banned, they freely entered the air, water and soil during their manufacture, use and disposal. Although often buried in anaerobic ri...Beware of leap year when predicting climate change, warns researcher
... but not quite as early as we originally thought," observes Sagarin. Most climate experts are predicting a sharp increase in global temperatures in the next 50 to 100 years, so the need for accurate data is more important than ever, he concludes. "The discrepancy between calendar year data and vernal equinox...Stanford engineer studies neural prosthetics
... a long way from helping people who are paralyzed, observes Shenoy. Three major challenges remain: developing a better understanding of the brain, especially its ability to adapt to injury and other changes; designing electrodes that can function in the brain for extended periods of time; and engineering an o...Using hard science to protect fragile seas
...han outside her office window, where she routinely observes sea otters a few yards offshore noisily munching on Pacific sea urchins. The southern sea otter was hunted to near-extinction by 19th-century Russian fur traders. A tiny population was discovered along California`s remote central coast in the 1930s ...Scientists monitor global air pollution from space
...vel by the Environmental Protection Agency. MOPITT observes carbon monoxide in the atmosphere two miles above the surface, where it interacts with other gases to form ozone, another human health hazard and a greenhouse gas. Carbon monoxide can rise to higher altitudes, where it is blown rapidly for great dist...Deregulation will cause significant fluctuations in electricity prices, new study reveals
...tions in the various parts of the United States,`` observes Huntington. ``Regions like the Pacific Northwest may not like to see their prices rise, but their export sales will benefit their own economies as well as those in higher-cost states like California.`` Environmental impact The study also addresses t...Household ant invasions are determined by weather, not pesticide use, new study finds
...lt to control is because of their unusual biology, observes Gordon. ``Unlike other species, Argentine ants have many queens, and the workers can go back to any nest, so it`s impossible to kill off a colony by killing off one queen,`` she notes. Unfortunately, adds Gordon, most pesticides are designed to elimi...Officials design Web-based software for managing hazardous chemicals
...anagement is getting a lot of attention nowadays," observes Gibbs. "Studies show that the cost of chemical management by an organization can be up to 10 times higher than the actual purchase cost of the chemical." Recognizing a broader need for Web-based chemical tracking, Gibbs and his colleagues launched a ...