With the aid of computerized image analysis, it may be possible in the future for radiologists to feel images with the help of a three-dimensional mouse. The new technology should make it easier to diagnose and plan the treatment of cancer, and other diseases. Computerized image analysis can be used to determine the size of organs like the liver, or to construct three-dimensional models of organs when surgery or radiation is being planned. The quality of these images often varies, however - what's more we humans can actually look very different from each other inside, which makes it difficult for the computer to find the information that is relevant fully automatically.

  Researchers have discovered a possible added benefit of a novel new drug that lowers blood pressure.They found in animal studies that aliskiren not only lowered blood pressure but also significantly reduced artery-clogging lesions that are the leading cause of heart attack and stroke, the top cause of death worldwide.

  Researchers have developed a non-invasive imaging method that can be used to diagnose and monitor a number of diseases, including osteoarthritis and inter-vertebral disc degeneration, in their early stages. The research team examined glycosaminogycans (GAGs), which are molecules that serve as the building blocks of cartilage and are involved in numerous vital functions in the human body. Mapping the GAG concentration in vivo, or in a living organism, is desirable for the diagnosis and monitoring of a number of diseases.

  Research has shown that the main metabolite of the insecticide DDT could be associated with aggressive breast cancer tumors, but there has been no explanation for this observation to date. Now a new report shows how DDT could act to disrupt hormone-sensitive breast cancer cells.

  Topical drop application of alpha-linolenic acid led to a significant decrease in clinical signs of dry eye syndrome in animal models. ALA is a fatty acid that cannot be made by the body, and must be supplied in the diet.

  Graphene is a nanomaterial combining very simple atomic structure with intriguingly complex and largely unexplored physics. Since its first isolation about four years ago researchers suggested a large number of applications for this material in anticipation of future technological revolutions. In particular, graphene is considered as a potential candidate for replacing silicon in future electronic devices.

  Kids with active father figures are less likely to suffer psychological and behavioral problems and having a father figure around can reduce crime and enhance cognitive skills like intelligence, reasoning and language, in low-income families. Researchers are calling for father figures to be more involved in health and policy makers to promote more father-friendly policies.

  Astronomers have discovered two planets that resemble smaller versions of Jupiter and Saturn in a solar system nearly 5,000 light years away. The find suggests that our galaxy hosts many planetary systems like our own. The newly-discovered planets appear to be gaseous planets like Jupiter and Saturn -- only about 80 percent as big -- and they orbit a star about half the size of the sun. The star is dim and cold compared to ours, issuing only five percent as much light. Still, the new solar system appears to be a smaller analog of our own. The larger planet is about as massive compared to its star as Jupiter is to ours. The smaller planet shares a similar mass ratio with Saturn.

  Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who were treated with a gene therapy protocol began making antibodies that reacted against their own leukemia cells. Researchers inserted a gene with the potential to activate an immune response into six patients with CLL, the most common form of adult leukemia. Several of the patients started making antibodies that reacted against their own leukemia cells. When tested in the lab, the antibodies also reacted with the leukemia cells of other patients with the disease.

  Scientists are testing a robotic probe in a polar-style, under-ice exploration of Madison's Lake Mendota that may have out-of-this world applications. The wintry Wisconsin conditions are hoped to simulate and to demonstrate whether the probe's systems can operate in icy conditions as a first test of using such a vehicle in a similar environment on Jupiter's moon Europa.

  Corneal grafts obtained from donors dying in the hospital or with cancer may be associated with an increased risk of infection for the recipient, according to a new report. The results provide evidence that the donor's health before death may affect their eye tissue, but do not warrant excluding broad categories of donors, the authors note.

  An engineering student has designed a safety helmet that could help save the lives of thousands of outdoor sports enthusiasts involved in accidents each year. His Wireless Impact Guardian, or WIG signals for help even if the wearer is unconscious.

  Fatal shark attacks worldwide dipped to their lowest levels in two decades in 2007 with the sole casualty involving a swimmer vacationing in the South Pacific, according to the latest statistics. Except for 1987, when there were no fatalities, the last year a single human death occurred from a shark attack was in 1985. By comparison, there were four deaths each in 2005 and 2006, and seven in 2004.

  A new study finds an association between heavy cell phone use and tumors of the salivary gland. Those who used a cell phone heavily on the side of the head where the tumor developed were found to have an increased risk of about 50% for developing a tumor of the main salivary gland (parotid), compared to those who did not use cell phones.