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Public Release: 9-Feb-2010
 Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesCells can read damaged DNA without missing a beat Under certain growth-limiting conditions, enzymes that read DNA can skim through damaged DNA without skipping any letters in the genetic "text." This suggests a mechanism that can allow bacteria to develop resistance to antibiotics. 
National Institutes of Health
Contact: Vince Dollard
Public Release: 9-Feb-2010
Nature MaterialsCaltech researchers develop nanoscale structures with superior mechanical properties Researchers at Caltech have developed a way to make some notoriously brittle materials ductile -- yet stronger than ever -- simply by reducing their size. The work could eventually lead to the development of innovative, superstrong, yet light and damage-tolerant materials. These new materials could be used as components in structural applications, such as in lightweight aerospace vehicles that last longer under extreme environmental conditions and in naval vessels that are resistant to corrosion and wear.
National Science Foundation, US Office of Naval Research
Contact: Kathy Svitil
Public Release: 9-Feb-2010
FASEB JournalThe biggest loser: Maternal obesity puts a load on her offspring that lasts a lifetime As if there are not enough reasons for obese people to lose weight, a research report recently published online in The FASEB Journal, adds several more. In a study involving rats, Duke University researchers found that obesity in mothers causes cellular programming in utero that predisposes offspring to inflammation-related disorders (such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease and more) from birth, regardless of whether or not the offspring are obese themselves. Contact: Cody Mooneyhan
Public Release: 9-Feb-2010
Astronomy & AstrophysicsA new 3-D map of the interstellar gas within 300 parsecs from the sun Astronomy & Astrophysics is publishing new 3-D maps of the interstellar gas in the local area around our sun. A French-American team of astronomers presents new absorption measurements towards more than 1800 stars. They were able to characterize the properties of the interstellar gas within each sight line. Contact: Dr. Jennifer Martin
Public Release: 8-Feb-2010
ScienceResearchers reveal 3-D structure of bullet-shaped virus with potential to fight cancer, HIV A recent UCLA study demonstrates that with advanced imaging technique, the vesicular stomatitis virus can be modified to serve as an anti-cancer agent because it displays high selectivity in killing cancer cells while sparing normal cells. It can also be engineered as a potent vaccine against HIV/AIDS.
National Institutes of Health
Contact: Jennifer Marcus
Public Release: 8-Feb-2010
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early EditionScripps research team reveals how an old drug could have a new use for treating river blindness Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a potential new use for the drug closantel, currently the standard treatment for sheep and cattle infected with liver fluke. The new research suggests that the drug may be useful in combating river blindness, a tropical disease that is the world's second leading infectious cause of blindness for humans.
Worm Institute for Research and Medicine at Scripps Research
Contact: Keith McKeown
Public Release: 8-Feb-2010
Journal of NeuroscienceNew era of pain drugs advanced by Barrow researcher Research led by a scientist at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center has opened the door for the advancement of a new category of painkillers, called TRPV1 antagonists. Contact: Lynne Reaves
Public Release: 8-Feb-2010
One-third of antimalarial medicines sampled in 3 African nations found to be substandard The first results from a large-scale study of key antimalarial medicines in ten Sub-Saharan African countries reveal that a high percentage of medicines circulating on national markets are of substandard quality and thus may contribute to the growth of drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent form of malaria. Contact: Francine Pierson
Public Release: 8-Feb-2010
New international satellite observations help assess future earthquake risk in Haiti Analyzing images captured using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) by Japan's ALOS satellite before and just after Haiti's earthquake on Jan. 12, University of Miami scientists are making new discoveries. The images show that the earthquake rupture did not reach the surface--unusual for an earthquake this size. More importantly, the images confirm that only the western half of the fault actually ruptured this time. Scientists are interpreting the data to establish the probability of another large quake in the next 20-30 years.
NASA, National Science Foundation, National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program
Contact: Barbra Gonzalez
Public Release: 8-Feb-2010
Physical Review LettersExtra large carbon The nucleus of one form of carbon is much larger and more stable than expected. Contact: James Riordon
Public Release: 8-Feb-2010
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & PreventionMore smokers than non-smokers accept HPV vaccination for their daughters A parent's existing health habits or behaviors, like cigarette smoking, may influence the likelihood that they will have their daughters vaccinated against HPV. Contact: Tara Yates
Public Release: 8-Feb-2010
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & PreventionFew women take tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer Less than a quarter of one percent of women took tamoxifen in 2000 and 2005 to prevent breast cancer. Further research is recommended to explore explanations for the drug's low use. Contact: Tara Yates
Public Release: 7-Feb-2010
PNAS Early EditionNew magnetic tuning method enhances data storage Researchers in Chicago and London have developed a method for controlling the properties of magnets that could be used to improve the storage capacity of next-generation computer hard drives.
US Department of Energy and United Kingdom Engineering and the Physical Sciences Research Council
Contact: Steve Koppes
Public Release: 7-Feb-2010
Nature MedicineInhibiting serotonin in gut could cure osteoporosis An investigational drug that inhibits serotonin in the gut, administered orally once daily, effectively cured osteoporosis in mice and rats, reports a new paper in Nature Medicine. Serotonin in the gut has been shown in recent research to stall bone formation. The finding could lead to new therapies that build new bone; most osteoporosis drugs only prevent the breakdown of old bone. Contact: Elizabeth Streich
Public Release: 5-Feb-2010
BioTechniquesMescal worm test shows DNA leaks into preservative liquids Research team uses mescal (and the famous worm) to prove their theory that DNA from a preserved specimen leaks into the preservative medium, allowing the medium itself to be directly PCR amplified. Contact: John Chenery
Public Release: 5-Feb-2010
ScienceElectrons on the brink: Fractal patterns may be key to semiconductor magnetism A Princeton-led team of scientists has observed electrons in a semiconductor on the brink of the metal-insulator transition for the first time. Caught in the act, the electrons formed complex patterns resembling those seen in turbulent fluids, confirming some long-held predictions and providing new insights into how semiconductors can be turned into magnets. The work also could lead to the production of smaller and more energy-efficient computers.
National Science Foundation, US Office of Naval Research, US Army Research Office
Contact: Kitta MacPherson
Public Release: 5-Feb-2010
SciencePrinceton scientist makes a leap in quantum computing Princeton University's Jason Petta has demonstrated a method that alters the properties of a lone electron without disturbing the trillions of electrons in its immediate surroundings. The feat is essential to the development of future varieties of superfast computers with near-limitless capacities for data.
Sloan Foundation, Packard Foundation, National Science Foundation, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Contact: Kitta MacPherson
Public Release: 5-Feb-2010
International Journal of Green EconomicsRenewable oil companies The entry of oil companies into the realm of renewable energy could present major obstacles for the development of a sustainable economy that is not based on carbon resources, according to a report in the International Journal of Green Economics. Contact: Jack Reardon
Public Release: 5-Feb-2010
Science SignalingSweet! -- sugar plays key role in cell division Using an elaborate sleuthing system they developed to probe how cells manage their own division, Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered that common but hard-to-see sugar switches are partly in control.
National Institutes of Health
Contact: Maryalice Yakutchik
Public Release: 5-Feb-2010
Journal of Molecular BiologyCarnegie Mellon first to measure energy released from a virus during infection For the first time, Carnegie Mellon University physicist Alex Evilevitch has directly measured the energy associated with the expulsion of viral DNA, a pivotal discovery toward fully understanding the physical mechanisms that control viral infection and designing drugs to interfere with the process.
Swedish Research Council, Royal Physiographic Society, Lilly and Sven Lawski's Foundation
Contact: Jocelyn Duffy
Public Release: 5-Feb-2010
ScienceCarbonate veins reveal chemistry of ancient seawater The chemical composition of our oceans is not constant but has varied significantly over geological time. In a study published this week in Science, researchers describe a novel method for reconstructing past ocean chemistry using calcium carbonate veins that precipitate from seawater-derived fluids in rocks beneath the seafloor. The research was led by scientists from the University of Southampton's School of Ocean and Earth Science hosted at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton.
Natural Environment Research Council
Contact: Dr. Rory Howlett
Public Release: 4-Feb-2010
ScienceAiming to the side Research on bats at the Weizmann Institute reveals the best strategy for locating an object in the dark, while on the wing: throw a sonar beam to either side of the intended target. Contact: Yivsam Azgad
Public Release: 4-Feb-2010
Brain ResearchYork study maps the effects of acupuncture on the brain New research from the University of York and the Hull York Medical School about the effects of acupuncture on the brain may provide an understanding of the complex mechanisms of acupuncture and could lead to a wider acceptability of the treatment. Contact: David Garner
Public Release: 4-Feb-2010
Habit-learning device will lower energy bills under new clean energy cashback scheme Smart control units that learn householders' energy habits and provide immediate feedback on consumption could give home energy savings of up to 20 percent without compromising comfort. Contact: EPSRC Press Office
Public Release: 4-Feb-2010
Astronomy & AstrophysicsForming the present-day spiral galaxies Using data from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have created a demographic census of galaxy types and shapes from a time before the Earth and the sun existed, to the present day. The results show that more than half of the present-day spiral galaxies had peculiar shapes only 6 billion years ago, which, if confirmed, highlights the importance of collisions and mergers in the recent past of many galaxies. It also provides clues for the unique status of our own galaxy. Contact: Colleen Sharkey
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