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• Images capture split personality of dense suspensions
• Organics probably formed easily in early solar system
• Regular Chocolate Eaters are Thinner
• Middle-of-the-Night PCIs Do Not Adversely Affect Success of Next-Day Procedures
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Fish Oil Added to Yogurt May Help Meet Daily Nutritional Requirements
• Low Levels of Resistant Bacteria Found in Chicago Area Ambulances
• Newly Discovered Foot Points to a New Kid on the Hominin Block
• University of Florida researchers develop plant-based technology that helps biofuels, may fight cancer
• Honeycombs of magnets could lead to new type of computer processing
• Interstellar Beacons to Guide Astronauts Across the Universe
• Benefits of Taking Fido to Work May Not Be Far 'Fetched'
• Scientists reveal genetic mutation depicted in van Gogh’s sunflower paintings
• Slow snails, fast genes: Predatory snails refine venoms through continuous gene duplication

Images capture split personality of dense suspensions Posted: 30 Mar 2012 08:03 PM PDT Stir lots of small particles into water, and the resulting thick mixture appears highly viscous. When this dense suspension slips through a nozzle and forms a droplet, however, its behavior momentarily reveals a decidedly non-viscous side. University of Chicago physicists recorded this surprising behavior in laboratory experiments using high-speed photography, which can capture action taking place in one hundred-thousandths of a second or less. read more

Organics probably formed easily in early solar system Posted: 30 Mar 2012 07:55 PM PDT Complex organic compounds, including many important to life on Earth, were readily produced under conditions that likely prevailed in the primordial solar system. Scientists at the University of Chicago and NASA Ames Research Center came to this conclusion after linking computer simulations to laboratory experiments. read more

Regular Chocolate Eaters are Thinner Posted: 30 Mar 2012 11:49 AM PDT Katherine Hepburn famously said of her slim physique: “What you see before you is the result of a lifetime of chocolate.” New evidence suggests she may have been right. read more

Middle-of-the-Night PCIs Do Not Adversely Affect Success of Next-Day Procedures Posted: 30 Mar 2012 11:43 AM PDT A single-center study found that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures performed during the middle of the night do not adversely affect the safety and effectiveness of procedures performed the next day by the same operator. read more

Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Fish Oil Added to Yogurt May Help Meet Daily Nutritional Requirements Posted: 30 Mar 2012 11:40 AM PDT Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to have great health benefits.  Omega-3 fatty acids are found naturally in fish and fish products. Scientists at Virginia Tech have now demonstrated that it may be possible to achieve the suggested daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids in a single serving of a savory-flavored yogurt, providing an easily incorporated dietary source for these valuable fatty acids. The study is published in the April issue of the Journal of Dairy Science. read more

Low Levels of Resistant Bacteria Found in Chicago Area Ambulances Posted: 30 Mar 2012 11:36 AM PDT Treatment areas of ambulances fared well when tested for dangerous bacteria, according to a new study published in the April issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of External link  APIC - the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Approximately six percent of sites sampled in Chicago-area ambulances tested positive for Staphyloccocus aureus (S. aureus), a bacterium that can cause serious infections and can easily acquire resistance to potent antibiotics. read more

Newly Discovered Foot Points to a New Kid on the Hominin Block Posted: 30 Mar 2012 10:58 AM PDT It seems that “Lucy” was not the only hominin on the block in northern Africa about 3 million years ago. A team of researchers that included Johns Hopkins University geologist Naomi Levin has announced the discovery of a partial foot skeleton with characteristics (such as an opposable big toe bone) that don’t match those of Lucy, the human ancestor (or hominin) known to inhabit that region and considered by many to be the ancestor of all modern humans. read more

University of Florida researchers develop plant-based technology that helps biofuels, may fight cancer Posted: 30 Mar 2012 09:13 AM PDT For the first time, University of Florida researchers have developed plant-based technology that could reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and may also help treat cancer. Known as lignin nanotubes, these cylindrical containers are smaller than viruses and tiny enough to travel through the body, carrying cancer patients’ medicine. They can be created in biorefineries from lignin, a plant substance that is a byproduct of bioethanol production. read more

Honeycombs of magnets could lead to new type of computer processing Posted: 30 Mar 2012 09:01 AM PDT Scientists have taken an important step forward in developing a new material using nano-sized magnets that could ultimately lead to new types of electronic devices, with greater processing capacity than is currently feasible, in a study published today in the journal Science. Many modern data storage devices, like hard disk drives, rely on the ability to manipulate the properties of tiny individual magnetic sections, but their overall design is limited by the way these magnetic 'domains' interact when they are close together. read more

Interstellar Beacons to Guide Astronauts Across the Universe Posted: 30 Mar 2012 08:50 AM PDT The use of stars, planets and stellar constellations for navigation was of fundamental importance for mankind for thousands of years. Now a group of scientists at the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany, have developed a new technique using a special population of stars to navigate not on Earth, but in voyages across the Universe. Team member Werner Becker presented their work at the National Astronomy Meeting in Manchester on Friday 30 March. read more

Benefits of Taking Fido to Work May Not Be Far 'Fetched' Posted: 30 Mar 2012 08:33 AM PDT Man’s best friend may make a positive difference in the workplace by reducing stress and making the job more satisfying for other employees, according to a Virginia Commonwealth University study. read more

Scientists reveal genetic mutation depicted in van Gogh’s sunflower paintings Posted: 30 Mar 2012 08:17 AM PDT In addition to being among his most vibrant and celebrated works, Vincent van Gogh's series of sunflower paintings also depict a mutation whose genetic basis has, until now, been a bit of a mystery. In a study published March 29 in the journal PLoS Genetics, however, a team of University of Georgia scientists reveals the mutation behind the distinctive, thick bands of yellow "double flowers" that the post-Impressionist artist painted more than 100 years ago. read more

Slow snails, fast genes: Predatory snails refine venoms through continuous gene duplication Posted: 30 Mar 2012 07:46 AM PDT When tropical marine cone snails sink their harpoon-like teeth into their prey, they inject paralyzing venoms made from a potent mix of more than 100 different neurotoxins. Biologists have known for more than a decade that the genes which provide the recipes for cone snail toxins are among the fastest-evolving genes in the animal kingdom, enabling these predatory gastropods to constantly refine their venoms to more precisely target the neuromuscular systems of their prey. read more

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