Scientists discovered that the magnetic strength of magnetite -- the most abundant magnetic mineral on Earth -- declines drastically when put under pressure. Researchers have found that when magnetite is subjected to pressures between 120,000 and 160,000 times atmospheric pressure its magnetic strength declines by half. They discovered that the change is due to what is called electron spin pairing.

  Researchers have discovered the first genetic evidence that secondhand smoke can worsen lung disease. The report describes one gene variation that can weaken lung function as well as shorten the lifespan of those affected by cystic fibrosis and also are exposed to secondhand smoke.

  Fishing fleets from more than 30 countries on the high seas of the Atlantic and Pacific will now use new ways to avoid accidentally snaring seabirds going after bait on long lines. The new protections are the focus of strong international measures, promoted by NOAA, that go into effect this year. The measures will protect many albatross and seabird species that fly far from land and whose populations are declining faster than most birds around the world, in part due to their incidental catch in fishing long lines used to catch tuna, swordfish and other tuna-like fish.

  The annual number of Americans older than 65 newly diagnosed with diabetes increased by 23 percent between 1994 to 1995 and 2003 to 2004, according to a new article. Most patients with diabetes experienced at least one complication within the next six years; for example, almost half had congestive heart failure.

  Four years ago the first ever structure of a voltage-dependent potassium ion channel -- a protein that controls the flow of potassium ions across nerve cell membranes and opens and closes in response to changes in cell membrane voltage was published. Now the same scientist has released new renderings of these channels that describe a possible mechanism for how the paddle carries its charged cargo through the channel as well as how the charged paddles are stabilized within the cell's membrane.

  Scientists have reported new findings about how the mammalian brain interprets and fashions representations of sound that may help explain how we are able to focus on one particular sound among many in noisy environments such as offices or cocktail parties. Neurons in the brain’s auditory cortex interpret incoming sound signals and send them to the rest of the nervous system, in the brain and spinal cord. Using rats, the team discovered that a very small minority of available auditory neurons react strongly when exposed to any specific sound.

  A new anti-sliding adhesive developed by engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, may be the closest man-made material yet to mimic the remarkable gecko toe hairs that allow the tiny lizard to scamper along vertical surfaces and ceilings. The researchers say that such an adhesive could one day be used to outfit a small robot that could climb up walls.

  A vaccine against the most common and deadliest strain of avian flu, H5N1, has been engineered and tested. The vaccine produced a strong immune response in mice and protected them from death following infection with the H5N1 virus. The vaccine is being tested in humans in an early-phase clinical trial.

  New coral reef maps released by NOAA reveal that the Big Island of Hawaii has the highest percentage of live coral of the main Hawaiian islands. The finding supports studies indicating that geologically young islands such as the Big Island generally have more live coral cover than older islands. "Live coral covers 57 percent, or 29 square miles, of the waters surrounding the Big Island of Hawaii," said an oceanographer with NOAA's Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment. "That is the most live coral coverage of any of the main Hawaiian islands."

  A novel treatment for blood clots in the legs appears to be safe and effective, according to a pilot study. The study found that injecting or "lacing" the clot with a fiber-binding thrombolytic agent effectively treats deep vein thrombosis and reduces the risk of subsequent recurrence or bleeding.

  A cell's membrane-bound nucleus contains precious contents -- its DNA -- so it must be very careful about what enters and leaves this important space. To do this, it uses hundreds to thousands of nuclear pores as its gatekeepers, selective membrane channels that are responsible for regulating the material that goes to and from a cell's DNA and the signals that tell a cell what to do and how to do it. But the structure of each of these nuclear pores is so large, and so flexible, that it couldn't be visualized in detail using existing methods. Now scientists have nailed down the first complete molecular picture of this huge, 450-protein pore and their findings provide a glimpse into how the nucleus itself first evolved.

  Personality traits do not appear to be associated with breast cancer risk. Previous studies have linked personality traits with cancer risk. In 1996 a weak association was found between the development of breast cancer and anti-emotionality -- a lack of emotional behavior or trust in one's own feelings. No other personality traits were associated with breast cancer risk in this study.

  Since our ancestors first harnessed fire, we've used heat to cook burgers, forge steel and power rockets. Now researchers are using heat for another purpose: turning genes on and off at will. By exploiting the heat shock response, an ancient mechanism that protects cells from dangerously high temperatures, researchers have developed a new method to introduce foreign genes, called transgenes, into an organism and control when and where these transgenes are expressed. Unlike other techniques, which are labor intensive and inefficient, this new method makes controlling transgene expression as easy as turning the dial on an oven.

  Finding answers about optimal dosage and timing for stem cell therapy in adults with strokes and newborns with ischemic injuries is a goal of two new federally funded studies. If additional laboratory studies replicate the promising results of the pilot studies, which indicate about a 25 percent improvement in recovery over controls, researchers hope to begin clinical trials in new ischemic injuries in adults and children within two years.