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279,036 articles from PhysOrg
Move over Prozac: New drug offers hope for depression
The brain chemistry that underlies depression is incompletely understood, but research suggests that aberrant signaling by a chemical called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor through its receptor TrkB, may contribute to anxiety and depression. Here, researchers describe a screen for stable small molecules that could specifically inhibit TrkB action. They identified one they dubbed ANA-12, which...
Mutated gene found in dog disease the same in humans, researchers find
University of Missouri researchers believe both man and animal will benefit from their discovery that the same gene mutation found in Tibetan Terrier dogs can also be found in a fatal human neurological disorder related to Parkinson's disease.
New kid on the plasmonic block
With its promise of superfast computers and ultrapowerful optical microscopes among the many possibilities, plasmonics has become one of the hottest fields in high-technology. However, to date plasmonic properties have been limited to nanostructures that feature interfaces between noble metals and dielectrics. Now, researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National...
Newer oral contraceptive as safe for gall bladder as older birth-control pills: research
Drospirenone, the top-selling oral contraceptive marketed as Yaz or Yasmin in the U.S. and Canada, doesn't carry any more risk of gall bladder disease than the older generation of birth control pills, despite claims by some consumers and lawyers in both countries, according to a new study by University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researcher Mahyar Etminan.
NIDA raises the curtain on addiction
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) announced today the launch of its Addiction Performance Project, an innovative continued medical education program designed to help primary care providers break down the stigma associated with addiction. The program includes dramatic interpretation of a family's struggle with addiction, followed by a dialogue among participants aimed to foster...
One in five European kids dodge Facebook age limit: survey
Three-quarters of Europe's children have a profile on a social networking website, while one in five under 13 manage to dodge Facebook's age restriction, a survey showed Monday.
Overdose deaths down 35 percent after opening of Vancouver's supervised injection site: study
Illicit drug overdose deaths in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside dropped by 35 per cent after the establishment of Insite, North America's first supervised injection facility, according a new study by researchers at the University of British Columbia and the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.
Predicting premature birth possible through markers in mother's blood
Though more than one in 10 American babies are born prematurely, there have been few clues to predict whether a particular baby is going to arrive too early until now.
Report cites 'liquefaction' as key to much of Japanese earthquake damage
(PhysOrg.com) -- The massive subduction zone earthquake in Japan caused a significant level of soil "liquefaction" that has surprised researchers with its widespread severity, a new analysis shows.
Researchers create super-small transistor, artificial atom powered by single electrons
A University of Pittsburgh-led team has created a single-electron transistor that provides a building block for new, more powerful computer memories, advanced electronic materials, and the basic components of quantum computers.
Results on national study of parental concerns about childhood vaccines announced
A new study led by Allison Kempe, MD, MPH, professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and director of the Children's Outcomes Research (COR) Program at The Children's Hospital, reports the results of a national survey of primary care physicians who deliver vaccinations to children. Major findings include a majority of physicians think that parents' level of concern...
Study sheds light on NHL concussions
A major University of Calgary study of concussions, conducted over seven National Hockey League seasons and led by sports medicine researchers within the Faculty of Kinesiology, indicates that while the rate of injuries leveled out over the study period, the number of days lost per concussion has increased.
Surgeon resigns leadership post over editorial
(AP) -- A University of Michigan surgeon has resigned a leadership post with the American College of Surgeons after writing an editorial in the organization's newspaper that critics say demeaned women.
Television 'breakups' cause some viewers distress: study
Even temporary "breakups" can be distressing for some people at least when it comes to their favorite television programs.
The New Cultural Form: Perfection versus Mortality in Games and Simulation at Rensselaer
Willy Nillys Surf Shack offers a cure for the idealized virtual world of Second Life. The online shop, a project of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Associate Professor of Arts Ben Chang and collaborators, endows otherwise flawless avatars with real-world foils like clumsiness. A project allowing avatars to visibly age over time is in the works.
Wireless webcam is easy to use, hard to beat
I've been a fan of live webcams since I discovered them online years ago. I've also always wanted to set up my own camera, but it's not an easy undertaking.
'Bird brains' are smart on Alzheimer's
(PhysOrg.com) -- Tel Aviv University research says our feathered friends may hold the key to a treatment for brain-related diseases
'William' most popular medieval name
(PhysOrg.com) -- A study of personal names recorded in a major English medieval record source has revealed that William was by far the most common name among the men listed in it.
AIDS prevention pill study halted; no benefit seen
Researchers are stopping a study that tests a daily pill to prevent infection with the AIDS virus in thousands of African women because partial results show no signs that the drug is doing any good.
Antigravity could replace dark energy as cause of Universe's expansion
Since the late 20th century, astronomers have been aware of data that suggest the universe is not only expanding, but expanding at an accelerating rate. According to the currently accepted model, this accelerated expansion is due to dark energy, a mysterious repulsive force that makes up about 73% of the energy density of the universe. Now, a new study reveals an alternative theory: that the...
Big personality birds find the best homes
(PhysOrg.com) -- Birds willing to move around and take risks are better at finding the best places to live, researchers have found. Those with fast-exploring personalities birds tending to be hyperactive are far more likely to end up in areas providing enough food, shelter and reproductive opportunities, a new study shows.
Boosting medicine with nanotechnology to destroy cancers
(PhysOrg.com) -- Melding nanotechnology and medical research, Sandia National Laboratories, the University of New Mexico, and the UNM Cancer Research and Treatment Center have produced an effective strategy that uses nanoparticles to blast cancerous cells with a mélange of killer drugs.
Conservation policies 'impaired by over-confident predictions'
Inappropriate conservation policies may be implemented as a result of scientists failing to sufficiently acknowledge the uncertainty of their models, according to Dr. Colin Beale, of the University of York.
Enhanced cord blood stem cell transplants safe in long-term studies
An innovative experimental treatment for boosting the effectiveness of stem-cell transplants with umbilical cord blood has a favorable safety profile in long-term animal studies, report scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and Children's Hospital Boston (CHB).
Fertility options move way beyond traditional sperm and embryo banks
The joy of motherhood - to twin boys, no less - more than overshadows Ewelina Saputo's diagnosis of leukemia seven years ago .