Earthworms can change the chemical nature of the carbon in North American forest litter and soils, potentially affecting the amount of carbon stored in forests. Scientists want to determine the earthworms’ effect on forest chemistry by comparing carbon composition in forests that vary in earthworm activity.

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Research could expand the options for controlling schizophrenia by identifying a brain region that responds to more than one type of antipsychotic drug. The findings illustrate for the first time that the orbitofrontal cortex could be a promising target for developing future antipsychotic drugs — even those that have very different mechanisms of action.

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A universal bias in the way people perceive moving objects means that tennis referees are more likely to make mistakes when they call balls “out” than when they call them “in,” according to a new report. Because recent rule changes allow professional tennis players to challenge the refs’ calls, athletes could exploit the new findings [...]

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Two proteins interact in a previously unknown molecular mechanism that may have broad implications in future studies looking for the causes of defective organs in fetuses, metastatic cancers and other diseases, according to new researcher, Reporting their work in Genes & Development, the researchers said the mechanism coordinates cell identity and behavior in the forming [...]

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admin on November 7th, 2008

Doctors use diagnostic sonography or ultrasound to visualize organs and other internal structures of the human body. Scientist have now developed a computer model that can predict the sound transmission of improved designs for ultrasound instruments. The computer model is capable of processing large quantities of data and can be run on both a PC [...]

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Pycnodysostosis, a condition from which the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec suffered, is a genetic disease characterized by short stature. This rare disease, surprisingly, provides a window into how joints are destroyed by arthritis.

Continue reading about Famous French Artist’s Genetic Disorder Sheds Light On Enzyme’s Role In Bone Metabolism

admin on November 7th, 2008

A brain isn’t born fully organized. It builds its abilities through experience, making physical connections between neurons and organizing circuits to store and retrieve information in milliseconds for years afterwards. Now that process has been caught in the act for the first time by a research team that watched a naïve brain organize itself to [...]

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Scientists have identified a combination of small molecules that significantly improve the reprogramming of general adult cells into pluripotent stem cells, which can then develop into all cell types.

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admin on November 7th, 2008

Deleting a signaling molecule spurs crushed mouse nerves to regenerate

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admin on November 7th, 2008

A migrating bird rests half of its brain while the other half remains alert

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