April GEOLOGY and GSA TODAY media highlights
...dred meters before being frozen into hydrate. The significance of this observation is that in places where appropriate migration pathways exist, it is likely that a lot of gas would find its way from the region below the hydrate stability zone into the ocean. The cycling of methane between seafloor sediments, th...Conference focuses on practical strategies for preventing and treating obesity
...arwater Beach. The conference takes on particular significance in light of the recent IRS ruling making physician-prescribed plans to treat obesity tax deductible. "This will have a profound effect in legitimizing obesity as a public health issue," said Conference Director Duane Eichler, PhD, professor of bioch...Unique social system found in famous Tsavo lions
...neless lions should shed light on the evolutionary significance of the mane, says Kays, curator at the New York State Museum in Albany. Kays was a post-doc at The Field Museum when the research was conducted. On-going research Whatever the ultimate evolutionary purpose of manelessness, the potential mechanism...Nature's own antidote to cocaine
...ut version. The p-value - a measure of statistical significance - for this study was .042 (values of .05 and lower are considered to be significant). "We were very lucky to have well-characterized subjects for this study," says Andrew Chen, M.D., Ph.D., first author of the study and a research associate at Rocke...New findings could lead to innovative treatment technologies for patients with sickle cell
... heparin. This observation on heparin is of great significance in that it offers hope that heparin might be used to prevent blockage of blood vessels in patients with sickle cell disease. The development of heparin preparations that can be taken by mouth may provide promise for a novel treatment of sickle cell ...Ten new candidate genes associated with salt sensitivity and hypertension are identified in rats
...s allowing us to further understand the functional significance of these genes and the proteins they encode. Therefore, this research study required the comparison of transcriptional profiles of kidney from two strains of rat, salt-resistant normotensive and salt-sensitive hypertensive, on high and low salt diets...Obesity may exacerbate a heart disorder in African American females
...r mothers and daughters, which reached statistical significance for the obese daughters. Conclusion These results indicate a positive association between obesity and long QTc and an inverse association between self reported PA and QTc duration. Consequently, otherwise healthy individuals with obesity are at an...UT Southwestern, M.D. Anderson researchers identify lung-cancer tumor suppressor genes
...ted in the process of lung cancer development. The significance of the finding could be far-reaching, he said, with greater opportunity for earlier detection, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of lung cancer. Discovering a region on a chromosome, as opposed to a single gene, that contributes to cancer developm...Genomic data viewed on biological pathways with new computer program, GenMAPP
... these diagrams, they could examine the biological significance of a genes change in expressioninformation obtained from DNA microarrays. Finding the diagrams useful, they hired a computer programmer to write a program that would enable them to input their data easily and generate diagrams called MAPPs. With GenM...New research could spearhead permanent nuclear waste storage
..." said Johnston, a Purdue agronomy professor. "The significance of that is related to two different areas: minimizing high-level nuclear waste volume for permanent storage, and eventually determining what happens to the material when it leaks out of the tank." Scientists want to be able to decrease the waste volu...Two genetic suspects are identified in the mystery of why we need to sleep
...e mammals, flies will die if they dont sleep. "The significance of the study is that sleep is an important part of life and that without it you die," said lead project scientist Paul Shaw. "It is so important that it has survived throughout evolution even though it is a costly behavior. While animals sleep, the...Research shows older children, adolescents grew heavier in Brazil, China, U.S. over past 30 years
...opulation, authors said. It underscores the global significance of health-damaging weight gain among a sizeable percentage of youth. "This work shows the burden of nutritional problems is shifting from energy deficiencies to energy excesses among many children in countries like Brazil and China," said lead author...'Trojan horse' technology destroys blood supply to cancer tumors in mice
...e year at M. D. Anderson, Dr. Rosenblum said. "The significance of this fusion toxin is that it's not specific to one kind of tumor it has impressive anti-tumor effects in various kinds of tumors including melanoma and prostate cancers," Dr. Rosenblum said. "We need additional research to determine if it is equ...Lakeshore development affects birds
...e detailed analyses that considered the ecological significance of birds in these habitats, we would have missed these important but subtle effects of development." Lindsay speculates that lakeside homeowners' habits of clearing brush, planting lawns, and stocking feeders with birdseed contribute to the differenc...Cranberry may offer protection against antibiotic-resistant bacteria that cause UTIs
...tic resistance of many bacteria, the public health significance of the role of foods, such as cranberry juice cocktail, in preventing infections warrants further consideration. A lower number of infections means reduced use of antibiotics and lower potential risk of developing further bacterial antibiotic resist...New research site established in Australia to help predict climate change
...have been strategically selected for diversity and significance of climate and cloud conditions. The ARM program concentrates on the complex role and impact that clouds have on the energy balance of the climate system, an area that researchers think is critical for more accurate predictions for climate change. C...Leading lab expert to update medical community on diagnostic testing for thyroid function
...or identifying this disorder, and will discuss the significance of subclinical hypothyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism....World's largest scientific society to honor DuPont scientists for 2 breakthrough discoveries
...lly. "Their scientific achievements have enduring significance for our world. They are outstanding science and technology role models for those working to unleash the next wave of innovation for our world." Safer glass Rees invented a unique family of tough, clear plastics called Surlyn ionomer resins. Aft...Protein transforms sedentary muscles into exercised muscles, researchers report
...e II muscle fibers into type I muscle fibers. "The significance of this finding is that a nuclear cofactor alone was found to be sufficient to drive easily fatigued muscles into fatigue-resistant muscles," said Dr. Hai Wu, second author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher in molecular biology at UT Southwe...Evolution of language: FOXP2 and human uniqueness in religious perspective
...esearch suggests that we should not exaggerate the significance of the now banal observation that we share almost 99% of our genetic makeup with chimps. Even one gene, as we see in the report, can make all the difference in the world. Q: Is it a case of a small difference making a big difference? A: "The world...