Schepens Eye Research Institute receives 'Roadmap' grant to develop center for curing eye diseases
Boston, Mass The Schepens Eye Research Institute has been awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health to form teams of basic and clinical researchers from many disciplines to find cures for blinding eye diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. The Institute competed with hundreds of organizations for the award. It is the only eye research institute to...Northeastern University receives $12.4 million NSF grant for creation of nanomanufacturing institute
(9-21-04) BOSTON, Mass. The National Science Foundation today announced a $12.4 ($12.376 million for five years) million grant for a new nanoscale science and engineering center to be headquartered at Northeastern University. The grant fortifies a partnership between Northeastern and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, the University of New Hampshire Durham, and a number of industry partners...URI oceanographers to build laboratory to study subseafloor life
In 2002 URI scientists were the first to lead an ocean drilling expedition dedicated to the exploration of life beneath the seafloor. They found an enormous community of microorganisms whose biomass has been estimated to dwarf the total biomass of the ocean above it. ... ...To further study life beneath the bottom of the sea, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded University of Rhode...K-State's National Agricultural Biosecurity Center receives $1.3 Million from Department of Defense
MANHATTAN, KAN. -- The Department of Defense has awarded a $1.38 million two-year contract to the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center at Kansas State University. ... ...Through efforts by the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center and its three subcontractors, the project will develop content and software to help the nation's emergency management personnel respond more effectively to an ag...Computer scientists at UH developing 'nurturing' computers
HOUSTON, Sept. 7, 2004 Imagine a day when your computer will be able to let you know if you need a break, alert you to take medication or even go to the doctor. ...... In some computer science labs at the University of Houston, such human-computer interaction is becoming a reality. Ioannis Pavlidis, associate professor of computer science at UH, and his Infrared Imaging Group at UH's computer...Homeland security initiative takes Memphis' ORNL technologies to the nation
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Aug. 23, 2004 The Department of Homeland Security's recent selection of Memphis as a "best practices" model for high-tech security measures could speed the implementation of similar technologies in other cities.... ...As the third of four sites to be named under DHS' Regional Technology Integration Initiative, Memphis becomes a source of practical security "know-how," provid...Congress to fund Sequim-based coastal security research effort
SEQUIM, Wash.--A $4.2 million Congressional appropriation...will fund a new coastal security program designed to develop advanced sensors capable of providing early warning of biological, chemical or nuclear material releases in marine and coastal environments. The research program will be based at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Sequim Marine Research Operations facility in Sequim, Wash...Plant pathologists meeting in Anaheim, CA to discuss agricultural security, food safety, and more
St. Paul, MN (August 2, 2004) Plant pathologists (plant disease experts) from around the world are meeting in Anaheim, CA for the 2004 Annual Meeting of The American Phytopathological Society (APS) that runs through August 4. Over a five-day period, these plant scientists will present more than 30 different sessions on agricultural issues, new research discoveries, and more. Upcoming sessions of...Whale carcass yields bone-devouring worms
MOSS LANDING-Scientists studying a whale carcass in Monterey Canyon recently announced the discovery of two new species of unique worms that feed on the bones of dead whales. In the July 30 issue of Science, the researchers describe these worms, whose bodies and feeding strategies differ from those of any other known animal. The worms have no eyes, legs, mouths, or stomachs, but they do have colo...Anxiety during pregnancy affects child behavior
The idea that a woman's emotional state during pregnancy affects her unborn child has persisted for centuries and has, in recent years, been supported by science. Called the "fetal programming hypothesis," it theorizes that certain disturbing factors occurring during certain sensitive periods of development in utero can "program" set points in a variety of biological systems in the unborn child....Understanding urinary tract infections
St. Louis, Jan. 19, 2004 -- Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Stanford University have captured time-lapse movies of a urinary tract infection (UTI) in progress, illuminating several new details of how the bacteria E. coli invade cells and gang up to overwhelm the cells' defenses. ......The images reveal for the first time that E. coli, which are responsible...Progeria: Facing old age is hard facing it during childhood is unthinkable
Fleur Tobutt was a lot like every other two-year old. She was cute, curious and full of life, but something set her apart from the typical toddler: Fleur had a fatal disease, and her life was destined to be short lived. ...... Little Fleur was one in approximately 30 to 40 children worldwide currently diagnosed with a rare genetic disease called Progeria. Children with Progeria are, in spirit, j...Tourism leaders and conservation organizations to devise Caribbean conservation action plan
In a first of its kind 'chief executives meeting,' key decision-makers influencing Caribbean tourism development will come together to develop a sustainable tourism action plan. Balancing business interests with regional conservation will be the focus of Making Biodiversity Work For Your Travel Business: Increasing Profitability While Protecting the Environment, taking place April 24-26, 2003 at...Plant pathologists look to forensics to aid in biosecurity
St. Paul, MN (July 7, 2004) - In an effort to protect the nation's crops from possible bioterrorism, plant pathologists are exploring how to apply techniques typically used in crime labs as a tool to fight bioterrorism. ......According to Jacqueline Fletcher, plant pathology professor, Oklahoma State University, the potential for microbes to be used with an intent to harm people, societies, or th...Croatian skeletons reveal changing status of cancer in Europe across the centuries
Cancer incidence rates in the developed world are increasing each year and developing countries are also now showing an increased incidence of the disease. But how much were our ancestors affected by the disease? Dr. Mario Slaus of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zagreb presented archaeological findings at the 18th Annual meeting of the European Association of Cancer Research (EACR-1...Measuring artificial viruses to improve disease detection
A new method* developed by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for accurately measuring the concentration of artificial viruses in a solution may ultimately help doctors diagnose diseases like HIV and hepatitis C earlier. ......These artificial viruses are commercial standards made from the same basic chemical components in RNA (the single stranded version of...Deserts and rainforests are equally productive during drought
New Haven, Conn. A team of researchers led by Melinda Smith at Yale and Travis Huxman at the University of Arizona report that, from desert to rainforest, during drought conditions, the maximum rain use efficiency (RUEmax), or effective productivity of plant growth per unit of precipitation converges to a common value. ...... During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the International Biological P...Measuring blood sugar with a wave of the arm
People with diabetes could soon be waving goodbye to the pain and hassle of needles, thanks to a new under-skin sensor that monitors blood sugar levels with a simple wave of the arm....... , a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, also shows promise for monitoring environmental toxins and terro...Germans must research the history of reproductive medicine during the Nazi era
Berlin, Germany: Researching the history of reproductive medicine during the Nazi era is still taboo, a leading German professor will tell the 20th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Monday 28 June). ...... However, it is vital that such research is conducted, because if Germans do not understand what motivated the behaviour of doctors in the pas...Antioxidants during pregnancy may help prevent birth defects tied to alcohol
CHAPEL HILL -- Pregnant women who abuse alcohol may reduce the risk of birth defects in their babies by taking antioxidants during pregnancy, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study indicates.... ...The new research found a 36 percent reduction in limb malformations in the offspring of pregnant mice exposed to ethanol and at the same time given a newly developed antioxidant...Trapping carbon in soil key for protecting global food security, dealing with climate change
COLUMBUS, Ohio Restoring soil carbon levels should be a top priority among the global community, according to a viewpoint article in this week's issue of the journal Science.... ...The amount of carbon that can be restored in the world's degraded agricultural soils will directly influence global food security and climate change within our lifetime, said Rattan Lal, author of the article and dire...Four tourist destinations named best worldwide
June 8, 2004 (Washington, D.C.) Conservation International (CI) and National Geographic Traveler magazine announced today the winners of the 2004 World Legacy Award, given to environmental and social leaders in tourism. The award will be presented to four winners at a ceremony hosted by Her Majesty Queen Noor tonight at the National Geographic Society world headquarters in Washington. ... .....Lowly weeds may hold promise for curing host of common health woes
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Unwanted, pulled or poisoned, the lowly weed is sometimes better than its highly touted "herbal" cousins for preventing and curing a host of diseases, according to University of Florida research.... "If I had one place to go to find medicinal plants, it wouldn't be the forest," said John Richard Stepp, a UF anthropologist who did the study. "There are probably hundreds of w...Gene therapy tested to protect bone marrow during chemotherapy
Researchers at the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at Case Western Reserve University and the Ireland Cancer Center at University Hospitals of Cleveland report progress toward the goal of employing gene therapy to help protect the bone marrow cells of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. ... ...Stanton Gerson, M.D., pro...Plant pathologists to meet in Anaheim, CA to discuss agricultural security, food safety, and more
St. Paul, MN (May 19, 2004) On July 31 August 4, 2004, thousands of plant pathologists (plant disease experts) from across the world will gather at the Anaheim Convention Center for The American Phytopathological Society (APS) Annual Meeting. Over a five-day period, these plant scientists will present more than 30 different sessions on agricultural issues, new research discoveries, and more. Fo...Imaging study shows brain maturing
The brain's center of reasoning and problem solving is among the last to mature, a new study graphically reveals. The decade-long magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of normal brain development, from ages 4 to 21, by researchers at NIH's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) shows that such "higher-order" brain centers, such as the prefronta...Researchers find no link between alcohol consumption during pregnancy and asthma during childhood
... Maternal smoking has been associated with childhood asthma.... A new study examines if those children born to mothers who consume alcohol during pregnancy have a greater risk of hospitalization for asthma.... Findings indicate no causal link between alcohol consumption during pregnancy and asthma during childhood.... ...Asthma is a major public health problem throughout the world. In the Un...Chemical reaction in birds provides sense of direction during migratory flights
Irvine, Calif., May 12, 2004 Migrating birds stay on track because of chemical reactions in their bodies that are influenced by the Earths magnetic field, a UC Irvine-led team of researchers has found. ... ...The birds are sensitive even to rapidly fluctuating artificial magnetic fields. These fields had no effect on magnetic materials such as magnetite, indicating that the birds do not rely on...Plant disease under the homeland security microscope
AMARILLO -- Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, questions on plant diseases have added significance, said Dr. Charles Rush, plant pathologist with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station at Amarillo. Plant pests, including weeds, insects and diseases, cause extensive...yield losses to crops every year....... "Intentional or unintentional introduction of exotic pests or pathogens could directly i...Lewis and Clark data show a different Missouri River
The oldest data available on the Missouri River - from the logs of ...Lewis and Clark - show that water flow on the river today is far more ...variable than it was 200 years ago. The data also show that the ...river is some 220 yards narrower at St. Charles, Mo., today at 500 ...yards across than in 1804 when it spread out some 720 yards. ... These changes are due to modifications of the...Fox Chase Cancer Center research shows kidney cancer can be diagnosed in urine
Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers have demonstrated the ability to identify kidney cancer, including localized (stage I) cancer, in the urine of affected patients. What's more, urine tests were repeated following the removal of the cancerous kidney and none of the tests showed DNA evidence of disease. These research findings were presented at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting...Carnegie Mellon U. develops microgel to recover enzymes for manufacturing, research assays
Carnegie Mellon University scientists have employed biological molecules to create a microgel that could recover costly enzymes for repeated use in catalyzing commercially important reactions. The microgel could potentially recover any enzyme and theoretically save manufacturers considerable money. ... "By enabling efficient enzyme recovery, this microgel system overcomes significant obstacles in...Newer drugs more effective at curing strep throat than penicillin
Pediatricians treating a child who has strep throat should reconsider the role of penicillin given that a newer class of antibiotics called cephalosporins are three times more effective, according to a study being published in the April issue of Pediatrics. The findings will spark widespread debate, because they contradict long-established guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Ameri...AIDS drug helps to keep HBV at bay during chemotherapy for breast cancer
Hamburg, Germany: Researchers in Hong Kong have discovered a way to help prevent the reactivation of the hepatitis B virus in women who are being treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer....... Dr Winnie Yeo told the 4th European Breast Cancer Conference in Hamburg: "In several developing countries, as many as twelve per cent of breast cancer patients carry the hepatitis B virus. These patien...UVa researchers describe method of protecting chromosomes during cell division
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Mar. 4 One hallmark of most cancer cells is that they have the incorrect number of chromosomes, a state called aneuploidy. Now, researchers at the University of Virginia Health System, writing in a recent issue of the journal Current Biology, think they know how cells protect themselves from aneuploidy when they divide in a process known as mitosis. "During mitosis, the cel...Capturing cell protein production in action could help fight antibiotic resistance
The fight against antibiotic resistance could be aided by new 3D images of the final steps involved in manufacturing proteins in living cells, scientists reveal today in a letter to ....... By refining a technique known as cryo-electron microscopy, researchers from Imperial College London and CNRS-Inserm-Strasbourg University have determined how the enzyme RF3 helps prepare the protein-making fa...Preventative bed rest during pregnancy may be more harmful than helpful
(Thousand Oaks, CA) -- A study published in the latest issue of BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH FOR NURSING reports that prescribed bed rest during pregnancy may cause a myriad of problems for mothers as well as babies with lower than normal birth weights. This news is alarming considering antepartum bed rest is prescribed for more than 700,000 pregnant women in the United States each year in order to preven...URI oceanographer awarded NSF grant to study function of jellyfish in coastal ecosystems
URI Graduate School of Oceanography biological oceanographer Dr. Dian Gifford and collaborators Dr. John Costello, Providence College, and Dr. Sean Colin, Roger Williams University, have been awarded an $860,400 grant by the National Science Foundation to study the ecological function of small jellyfish (hydromedusae) in coastal ecosystems. The three-year project will begin on June 1.... The foc...New hereditary cancer mutation found -- arrived with a German immigrant almost three centuries ago
Columbus, Ohio Scientists have combined genetic testing with genealogical detective work to discover and trace the source of an unusual gene mutation. That mutation apparently was brought to the United States at least 13 generations ago by a German immigrant, and it may be responsible for a sizeable portion of certain hereditary cancers in Americans.... ...People with this mutation are at high...A leak from a rocket fuel plant into the groundwater near Henderson, Nev., near Las Vegas, has led to perchlorate contamination in the lower Colorado River. As the river moves from Nevada to Mexico the water is redirected for urban, industrial and agricultural use. Colorado River water is used for both drinking and irrigation throughout the region. ......A concern that perchlorate would make its...