Intense 2-color double X-ray laser pulses: a powerful tool to study ultrafast processes A team working at the SACLA X-ray Free-Electron Laser (XFEL) in Japan has succeeded in generating ultra-bright, two-color X-ray laser pulses, for the first time in the hard X-ray region. ...

New study identifies 5 distinct humpback whale populations in North Pacific NEWPORT, Ore. – The first comprehensive genetic study of humpback whale populations in the North Pacific Ocean has identified five distinct populations – at the same time a proposal ...

Dads: How important are they? New MUHC research highlights the value of fathers in both neurobiology and behavior of offspring This news release is available in French. MONTREAL December 4th, 2013 — Even with today's technology, it still ...

10 times more throughput on optic fibers EPFL scientists have shown how to achieve a dramatic increase in the capacity of optical fibers; Their simple, innovative solution reduces the amount of space required between the pulses of light that ...

Baicalin inhibits neurotoxicity of colistin sulfate effectively Baicalin, a type of flavonoid extracted from the dried root of Scutellaria baicalensis georgi, has been shown to effectively inhibit cell apoptosis. Colistin sulfate, a cyclic cationic polypeptide ...

Toll-like receptor 4-mediated apoptosis of hippocampal neurons Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antibody, protein kinase B (AKT) inhibitor, LY 294002, and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) inhibitor, LiCl, were used by Yu He and colleagues from Nantong University, ...

Parkinson's disease patients following subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation: fully understanding of social maladjustment Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation can significantly improve the motor features of the Parkinson's disease in carefully selected ...

Depression in pregnant mothers may alter the pattern of brain development in their babies Reports a new study in Biological Psychiatry Philadelphia, PA, December 4, 2013 – Depression is a serious mental illness that has many negative consequences for sufferers. But depression ...

Rapid climate changes, but with a 120 year time lag Regional climate changes can be very rapid. A German-British team of geoscientists now reports that such a rapid climate change occurred in different regions with a time difference ...

Swallowing a diagnostic pill A tiny capsule that can carry out a chemical analysis of the contents of one's stomach could identify the presence of so-called "occult" blood at very low levels. The data is automatically broadcast to an external monitoring device for detection ...

CNIO team turns tumor suppressor into anti-cancer target Blocking the Cdh1 protein, previously proposed as a tumour suppressor, prevents cell growth and could be used therapeutically to treat cancer The laboratory of Marcos Malumbres, who is head ...

Harlequin ladybirds escape enemies while native species succumb The astonishing success of the alien invasive harlequin ladybird in Britain has given a team of scientists a unique opportunity to investigate a key ecological theory – the Enemy Release Hypothesis. The ...

Working odd shifts can hurt parent-child relationships Research from North Carolina State University shows that working a job that doesn't keep 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours can hurt the relationships between parents and adolescents, increasing the likelihood ...

Looks are all important for girls on tween TV Researchers believe that television programs for 8- to 12-year-olds may skew their concepts about gender roles "Girls can participate in everything that boys can, but while doing so they should be attractive." This, according ...

Ocean crust could store many centuries of industrial CO2 Researchers from the University of Southampton have identified regions beneath the oceans where the igneous rocks of the upper ocean crust could safely store very large volumes of carbon dioxide. The ...

Education -- not fertility -- key for economic development Laxenburg, Austria - A new study published in the journal Demography shows that improvements in education levels around the world have been key drivers of economic growth ...

Fossils clarify the origins of wasps and their kin: alderfly ancestors, snakefly cousins Wasps, bees, ants and relatives comprise the megadiverse insect order Hymenoptera, the third most speciose animal group on Earth, far surpassing the number of known vertebrate species. All ...

An important discovery related to anxiety disorders and trauma IRCM researchers discover a protein's critical role in the brain Montréal, December 4, 2013 – A team of Montréal researchers at the IRCM led by Dr. Nabil G. Seidah, in collaboration ...

Silkworms spin colored silks while on a 'green' dyed-leaf diet For some 5,000 years, cultivated silkworms have been spinning luxurious white silk fibers destined for use in the finest clothing. But current dyeing practices produce wastewater that contains ...

New report on stem cell research reveals the field is growing twice as fast as the world average Presenting positive implications for innovative new treatments and personalized medicine San Diego, December 4, 2013 – Elsevier, EuroStemCell, and Kyoto University's ...

Scientists unearth secrets of Périgord truffles, the culinary 'black diamond' Just in time for the holidays when cooks in France and elsewhere will be slipping bits of the coveted black Périgord truffle under their turkeys' skin for a luxurious flavor, ...

Storing carbon in the Arctic While the Arctic Ocean is largely a carbon sink, researchers find parts are also a source of atmospheric carbon dioxide For the past three decades, as the climate has warmed, the massive plates of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean ...

Turning waste into power with bacteria -- and loofahs Loofahs, best known for their use in exfoliating skin to soft, radiant perfection, have emerged as a new potential tool to advance sustainability efforts on two fronts at the same time: energy and waste. ...

Quieting rail transit New devices may cut wheel squeal in public rail systems but do little to reduce rolling noise, research says SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 27, 2013 – Vibration absorbers are devices used to damp vibration in everything from engines to buildings. ...

MU researcher develops virtual wall which could stop the spread of oil and could help build invisible barrier for oil spills