http://www.physorg.com/ en-us Physorg.com internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. (AP) -- An extremely rare infection has been passed from an organ donor to at least one recipient in what is thought to be the first human-to-human transfer of the amoeba, medical officials said Friday. http://www.physorg.com/news180469832.html Medicine & Health Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:00:06 EST news180469832 The number of registered vehicles in Beijing topped four million this week, state media reported, meaning a quarter of the 16 million permanent residents in China's capital have a car. http://www.physorg.com/news180469663.html Space & Earth Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:40:03 EST news180469663 (AP) -- A historic U.N. climate conference ended Saturday with only a nonbinding "Copenhagen Accord" to show for two weeks of debate and frustration. It was a deal short on concrete steps against global warming, but signaling a new start for rich-poor cooperation on climate change. http://www.physorg.com/news180469765.html Space & Earth Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:40:01 EST news180469765 (AP) -- Jubilant Democrats locked in Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson as the 60th and decisive vote for historic health care legislation Saturday, putting President Barack Obama's signature issue firmly on a path for Christmas Eve passage. http://www.physorg.com/news180469737.html Medicine & Health Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:29:56 EST news180469737 Despite being separated from their families, astronauts heading to the International Space Station next week are excited to be spending Christmas in space, a crew member said Saturday. http://www.physorg.com/news180469586.html Space & Earth Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:26:57 EST news180469586 Skull fragments of prehistoric koalas from the Riversleigh rainforests of millions of year ago suggest they shared the modern koala's "lazy" lifestyle and ability to produce loud "bellowing" calls to attract mates and provide warnings about predators. http://www.physorg.com/news180469378.html Other Sciences Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:23:45 EST news180469378 Google smartphones are either a daring foray into the telecom world or a misunderstood test of the next-generation of the Internet giant's Android mobile operating system. http://www.physorg.com/news180426137.html Technology Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:23:21 EST news180426137 Scientists at Queen Mary, University of London have uncovered fundamental differences between the bone which makes up the skull and the bones in our limbs, which they believe could hold the key to tackling bone weakness and fractures. http://www.physorg.com/news180426060.html Medicine & Health Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:21:26 EST news180426060 The standard desktop computer is about as popular as swine flu these days, with all the major innovations happening in the laptop and netbook segment. http://www.physorg.com/news180378872.html Electronics Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:30:03 EST news180378872 (AP) -- Verizon Wireless says it started charging customers more to break service contracts for smart phones because those devices cost much more. http://www.physorg.com/news180378413.html Technology Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:30:01 EST news180378413 (AP) -- David Walsh said when he was assembling his first report card on video game violence 13 years ago, children were attacking on-screen monsters or aliens with imaginary chain saws and guns. http://www.physorg.com/news180377925.html Technology Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:10:01 EST news180377925 (AP) -- A Paris court ruled Friday that Google Inc.'s expansion into digital books breaks France's copyright laws, and a judge slapped the Internet search leader with a euro10,000-a-day fine until it stops showing literary snippets. http://www.physorg.com/news180378174.html Technology Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:04:13 EST news180378174 A new study led by a team of researchers at New York Medical College suggests that that medical liability concerns may be playing a role in the increase of MRSA in healthcare settings by encouraging clinicians to prescribe antibiotics more often and more broadly than clinical circumstances and evidence-based guidelines warrant. The study appeared in the September-October issue of the American Journal of Therapeutics. http://www.physorg.com/news180377056.html Medicine & Health Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:00:01 EST news180377056 Excessive sway during quiet standing is a common and significant consequence of chronic alcoholism, even after prolonged sobriety, and can lead to fall-related injury and even death. A new study of residual postural instability in alcohol-abstinent men and women shows that alcoholics improve with prolonged sobriety, but the improvement may not fully erase the problem of instability. http://www.physorg.com/news180377194.html Medicine & Health Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:49:09 EST news180377194 Dark spots on flower petals are common across many angiosperm plant families and occur on flowers such as some lilies, orchids, and daisies. Much research has been done on the physiological and behavioral mechanisms for how these spots attract pollinators. But have you ever wondered what these spots are composed of, how they develop, or how they only appear on some but not all of the ray florets? http://www.physorg.com/news180376920.html Biology Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:43:21 EST news180376920 Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Roughly eight to 12 percent of marijuana users are considered "dependent" and, just like alcohol, the severity of symptoms increases with heavier use. A new study has found that use and misuse of alcohol and marijuana are influenced by a common set of genes. http://www.physorg.com/news180376533.html Medicine & Health Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:36:04 EST news180376533 (PhysOrg.com) -- Would a so-called Twinkie tax help curb obesity rates? Should shoppers who buy healthy goods earn rebates? A new study will seek to unravel the likely implications of legislative attempts to promote healthy eating. http://www.physorg.com/news180372432.html Medicine & Health Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:50:03 EST news180372432 (PhysOrg.com) -- The restaurant industry has lobbied hard against mandatory menu labeling in restaurants, highlighting the importance of a new study from Yale University measuring the impact of such regulations. Yale scientists found that calorie labels result in the consumption of significantly fewer calories. The study appears online in the American Journal of Public Health. http://www.physorg.com/news180372506.html Medicine & Health Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:50:01 EST news180372506 Internet powerhouse Google and Japanese electronics giant Fujitsu have joined an alliance to promote the ability of objects from appliances to cars to communicate with one another online. http://www.physorg.com/news180372614.html Technology Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:30:54 EST news180372614 (PhysOrg.com) -- University at Buffalo sociologist Sampson Blair says Tiger Woods' alleged rampant infidelities don't affect the status of marriage and the family because his lifestyle and wealth are regarded by most Americans as an exception to the rule, and his behavior is seen as attached to the lifestyle. http://www.physorg.com/news180371334.html Other Sciences Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:30:02 EST news180371334 (PhysOrg.com) -- Similarities between webs of terrorists and networks of rescue personnel may seem unlikely. To an eclectic collaboration of engineers and social scientists, the connections are not only possible, but a potential source of deep insights. http://www.physorg.com/news180371964.html Other Sciences Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:30:02 EST news180371964 (PhysOrg.com) -- At first blush, it may not seem like robots and aircraft control systems have anything in common. When you put them together, however, you arrive at the core of Guangjun Liu`s unique research expertise. http://www.physorg.com/news180369853.html Technology Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:20:04 EST news180369853 (PhysOrg.com) -- Everybody gets sick, but how sick you get is in your genes. New research now reveals a mutation on a gene that makes children susceptible to a severe form of mycobacterial disease. The work not only supports a controversial idea that certain genes evolved to combat specific bacteria but also reveals new mechanistic details of how the immune system fights off one of the planet`s fiercest pathogens. http://www.physorg.com/news180371240.html Medicine & Health Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:20:02 EST news180371240 (PhysOrg.com) -- By 2022, federal regulations will require a 400 percent increase in the amount of renewable fuel in America`s gasoline, from 9 billion to 36 billion gallons. http://www.physorg.com/news180371787.html Technology Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:20:00 EST news180371787 (PhysOrg.com) -- Irish computer scientists have developed a system to improve the helpfulness of online customer reviews. In recognition of the quality of their work, the group received a distinguished paper award at the British Computer Society`s annual Artificial Intelligence Conference. http://www.physorg.com/news180370101.html Technology Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:10:03 EST news180370101 (PhysOrg.com) -- Computer simulations of thunderstorms using data from a field campaign in Australia confirm that the "ice-phase" cloud processes in climate models contribute most to the wide discrepancy between model results and actual cloud measurements.  This was a key finding from PNNL scientist Dr. Yi Wang and his colleagues from a recent study. http://www.physorg.com/news180371126.html Space & Earth Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:05:53 EST news180371126 (PhysOrg.com) -- The European Space Agency has released a preview of the first science results from the Herschel Space Observatory, including the UK-led SPIRE instrument. The new data which include images of previously invisible stardust - the stuff that all life is made from - will give us valuable new information about how stars and galaxies are made and reveal the life cycle of the cosmos. http://www.physorg.com/news180369536.html Space & Earth Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:00:02 EST news180369536 (PhysOrg.com) -- There is no lack of worry this season over the flu, both the seasonal and H1N1 varieties, but there is a critical lack of understanding of the viruses that cause these illnesses. For years, scientists have recognized that interactions between the influenza virus and its human host - intricate dances involving the virus's genes and proteins and those in humans - are important in determining the course and severity of disease. But a deep, comprehensive knowledge of such host-virus interactions has been elusive. http://www.physorg.com/news180368422.html Biology Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:42:36 EST news180368422 Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York, have identified three key regulators required for the formation and development of biofilms. The discovery could lead to new ways of treating chronic infections. http://www.physorg.com/news180369659.html Biology Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:41:37 EST news180369659 (PhysOrg.com) -- States with small governments, low taxes and labor market freedom enjoy greater benefits from natural resource development than states with large and intrusive government policies, according to a new study by a Florida State University researcher. http://www.physorg.com/news180368874.html Other Sciences Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:40:01 EST news180368874