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. Escherichia coli is a commonly used indicator organism for detecting the presence of fecal contamination in drinking water supplies. The importance of E. coli as an indicator organism has led to several studies looking at the transport behavior of this important microorganism in groundwater environments. Commonly only a single strain of E. coli is used in these studies, yet research has shown that a significant amount of genetic variability exists among strains of E. coli isolated from different host species and even from the same host species. If these genetic differences result in differences in cell properties that affect transport, different strains of E. coli may exhibit different rates of transport in the environment. http://www.physorg.com/news155827998.html Space & Earth Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:34:02 EST news155827998 (PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists and industrialists have invented a sophisticated new air quality measuring device that can act as a pollution radar over cities. http://www.physorg.com/news155818041.html Space & Earth Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:47:53 EST news155818041 Hormonal changes and diminished sexual quality of life among obese men are related to the degree of obesity, and both are improved after gastric bypass surgery according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). http://www.physorg.com/news155294803.html Medicine & Health Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:26:56 EST news155294803 The agglutination and accumulation of proteins in nerve cells are major hallmarks of age-related neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease. Cellular survival thus depends on a controlled removal of excessive protein. Scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany) have now discovered exactly how specific control proteins regulate protein breakdown during the ageing process. http://www.physorg.com/news155141336.html Biology Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:49:58 EST news155141336 Orchard floor and groundcover management is important to fruit growers, affecting the efficiency of orchard operations, fruit tree performance, and soil quality. http://www.physorg.com/news154968453.html Biology Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:47:57 EST news154968453 Signs were posted at several shorelines and parks in Richmond, Calif., warning that water might be contaminated with harmful bacteria after nearly 1 million gallons of runoff and raw sewage overflowed and spilled into San Francisco Bay. http://www.physorg.com/news154768320.html Space & Earth Wed, 25 Feb 2009 07:12:43 EST news154768320 Sometimes a high price tag, a label, or an ingredient can lead us to believe that we're purchasing a high-quality item. But what happens if the attribute that attracted us to the product is false or meaningless? A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research examines consumer responses to "biasing cues," features that consumers assume are related to the quality of the item. http://www.physorg.com/news154632983.html Other Sciences Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:36:54 EST news154632983 (PhysOrg.com) -- For years, hearing scientists have known that cochlear implants improve the communication of children who receive them. What they didn`t know was whether the children and their parents perceived an improvement in their overall quality of life. http://www.physorg.com/news154193710.html Medicine & Health Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:35:35 EST news154193710 If you're looking for bargain air travel, a new study finds that you should look at more than just the ticket price. Instead, a researcher at North Carolina State University who co-authored the study says that consumers need to consider the quality of the flights being offered in order to get the best "price efficiency." http://www.physorg.com/news154007899.html Other Sciences Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:59:07 EST news154007899 Industry-sponsored studies on influenza vaccines are published in journals with higher rankings (impact factors) and are cited more than studies with other sponsors, but this is not because they are bigger or better, finds a study published on bmj.com today. http://www.physorg.com/news153737129.html Medicine & Health Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:49:55 EST news153737129 (PhysOrg.com) -- That irresistible craving for a cheeseburger has its roots in the dramatic growth of the human brain and body that resulted from environmental changes some 2 million years ago. http://www.physorg.com/news153674736.html Biology Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:26:15 EST news153674736 For the first time, farmers have data that tracks at the county level on-site and off-site energy use and carbon dioxide emissions associated with growing crops in the United States. http://www.physorg.com/news153415661.html Space & Earth Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:28:45 EST news153415661 The Delmarva Peninsula, flanking the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, is home to some 600 million chickens. The resulting poultry manure and some of the chicken house bedding material is usually composted and then spread onto croplands as a fertilizer. http://www.physorg.com/news152374066.html Space & Earth Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:08:15 EST news152374066 Pediatricians usually have about seven minutes to sit face-to-face with patients during a typical visit. It's barely enough time to perform an exam, let alone assess how a child is faring at school or at home. http://www.physorg.com/news151852405.html Medicine & Health Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:13:50 EST news151852405 Scientists have developed a ground-breaking method for testing the quality of a sperm before it is used in IVF and increase the chances of conception. http://www.physorg.com/news151595395.html Medicine & Health Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:51:13 EST news151595395 Cloaked in the clouds of emissions and exhaust that hang over the city are clues that lead back to the polluting culprits, and a research team led by the University of Houston is hot on their trails. http://www.physorg.com/news151001439.html Space & Earth Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:50:39 EST news151001439 Currently, plant testing in the United States to determine potential ecological risks from chemical pesticides to nontarget plants requires two tests, both of which use immature plants. Protection of the plant development and reproduction are not considered, unlike tests required for the protection of animals. Past research conducted by the USEPA and others have shown that plant development/reproduction is not adequately protected with the current test protocols. http://www.physorg.com/news150558365.html Biology Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:46:05 EST news150558365 The over-enrichment of fresh, transitional, and marine waters with nitrogen (N) can lead to problems associated with eutrophication, such as a change in species composition of aquatic plants and nuisance algal blooms. In this context, dynamic models of flow and water quality are required to aid the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and to understand the impacts of environmental change. http://www.physorg.com/news150373619.html Space & Earth Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:26:59 EST news150373619 Policymakers and economists often promote managed-care plans based on the assumption that they prevent the overuse of unnecessary surgical procedures or help steer patients to high-quality providers, compared to traditional fee-for-service insurance plans. A recent study by a researcher at UT Southwestern Medical Center, however, found that in the case of one common surgical procedure, the checks and balances assumed with managed care did not improve the quality or outcome of care. http://www.physorg.com/news149768854.html Medicine & Health Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:27:34 EST news149768854 Adult Cystic Fibrosis patients can provide important information that helps to predict their prognosis, according to research that asked 223 adult CF patients to assess their own health and well-being. http://www.physorg.com/news149750128.html Medicine & Health Mon, 29 Dec 2008 05:15:28 EST news149750128 (PhysOrg.com) -- Cell phones have already revolutionized the way people around the world communicate and do business. Thanks to advances being made at UCLA, they are about to do the same thing for medicine. http://www.physorg.com/news149190128.html Technology Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:42:08 EST news149190128 Only 3 percent of kids' meals served at fast-food restaurants met federal dietary guidelines in the first study to examine the nutrient quality of such meals in a major U.S. metropolitan market. http://www.physorg.com/news149186570.html Medicine & Health Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:42:50 EST news149186570 (PhysOrg.com) -- Research by a team led by Professor Derek Clements-Croome at the University of Reading has shown a direct association between the environmental conditions in classrooms and pupils' cognitive performance. http://www.physorg.com/news149185730.html Medicine & Health Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:28:50 EST news149185730 Postpartum depression (PPD) can lead to poor sleep quality, recent research shows. A study published in the current issue of the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing shows that depression symptoms worsen in PPD patients when their quality of sleep declines. http://www.physorg.com/news148134055.html Medicine & Health Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:20:55 EST news148134055 Frequent price cuts can have a major adverse effects on brand equity, even for well respected brands, according to a study published in a journal of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). http://www.physorg.com/news147979530.html Other Sciences Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:25:30 EST news147979530 Attending a high quality pre-school followed by an academically effective primary school gives a significant boost to children's development. These are the findings of a new study which shows that a stimulating early years home-learning environment also provides a sound foundation on which these experiences build. http://www.physorg.com/news147359760.html Other Sciences Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:16:00 EST news147359760 "Time poor" single mothers come surprisingly close in the number of hours they spend caring for their children compared to married mothers, and the difference is explained almost entirely by socio-economic factors and the kind of jobs they hold, say University of Maryland sociologists in a new study. The researchers conclude public policy focuses too heavily on the mother's marital status. http://www.physorg.com/news146837874.html Other Sciences Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:17:54 EST news146837874 "Huntington's disease presents an ideal vantage point to study neurodegenerative disease, because we know the misfolded protein that's responsible," says Martin Duennwald, formerly a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Whitehead Member Susan Lindquist. "But we don't understand how this protein causes cellular damage and death for the neurons that are affected." http://www.physorg.com/news146117606.html Medicine & Health Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:13:26 EST news146117606 Imagine a scenario where doctors from different hospitals can collaborate on a surgery without having to actually be in the operating room. What if doctors in remote locations could receive immediate expert support from top specialists in hospitals around the world? http://www.physorg.com/news145720900.html Medicine & Health Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:01:40 EST news145720900 Opting for less damaging treatments, staying active and learning about the warning signs of lymphedema: that's how women with breast cancer can avoid developing chronic lymphedema, according to the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). Women can learn more about how to protect themselves from this common and distressing adverse effect of treatment as well as handle the condition at the Institute's website, www.informedhealthonline.org. http://www.physorg.com/news145191197.html Medicine & Health Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:53:17 EST news145191197