The redox-active pigments responsible for the blue-green stain of the mucus that clogs the lungs of children and adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) are primarily signaling molecules that allow large clusters of the opportunistic infection agent, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, to organize themselves into structured communities, report Massachusetts Institute of Technology geobiologists at American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) 48th Annual Meeting, Dec. 13-17, 2008 in San Francisco.

For decades, these pigments, called phenazines, have been wrongly regarded as antibiotics, generated by P. aeruginosa, to kill off the microbe's bacterial competitors in the lungs. 

Unparalleled warming over the last few decades has triggered widespread ecosystem changes in many temperate North American and Western European lakes, say researchers at Queen's University and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.

The team reports that striking changes are now occurring in many temperate lakes similar to those previously observed in the rapidly warming Arctic, although typically many decades later. The Arctic has long been considered a "bellwether" of what will eventually happen with warmer conditions farther south.

Raw milk advocates claim that unpasteurized milk cures or prevents disease, but no scientific evidence supports this notion. Testing raw milk, which has been suggested as an alternative to pasteurization, cannot ensure a product that is 100 percent safe and free of pathogens. Pasteurization remains the best way to reduce the unavoidable risk of contamination, according to the authors of a review published in the January 1, 2009 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases which examines the dangers of drinking raw milk.

LONDON, December 16 /PRNewswire/ --

LONDON, December 16 /PRNewswire/ --

- First Study of its Kind Shows That Consumption of Activia(R) Helps Reduce Abdominal Distension Among People With IBS

Distension of the tummy can be reduced by up to 78% in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) simply by eating probiotic yogurt, according to a UK study published today in Alimentary Pharmacology Therapeutics (http://www.apandt.org).

The research gives new hope for people with IBS (constipation predominant - IBS-C) who can experience distension of the tummy - the physical increase in waist measurement - by as much as 12cm over the course of a day.(1)

GAITHERSBURG, Maryland, December 16 /PRNewswire/ --

- Patton expands TDM, Ethernet, and Metro-Optical transport offerings by acquiring product and technology rights to the OnSite S10 product line.

Patton -- the leader in carrier-class network access, connectivity, and VoIP products -- has acquired all rights to OnSite Systems' S10 Micro-MSPP products and technologies.

Patton's OnSite S10 provides IP/Ethernet service migration while interfacing to any SONET/SDH transport network with integrated QoS, and TDM switching. The OnSite acquisition broadens Patton's edge-access multiservice offering for service providers, carriers, and mobile operators.

PHILADELPHIA, December 15 /PRNewswire/ --

- The Windows-based network emulation solution includes more reporting tools, enhanced analysis capabilities and the capability to easily rollout networked applications across the enterprise

Millions of 100-megaton hydrogen bombs exploding at once should be enough to tear anything apart, including atomic nuclei. But ever since observations of a solar flare from NASA's STEREO spacecraft in 2006 suggested otherwise, scientists have wondered how a large amount of hydrogen atoms managed to make through the flare seemingly unscathed.

LONDON, December 15 /PRNewswire/ --

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been selected to provide a new computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system for the London Ambulance Service to handle emergency calls and ambulance movements. Northrop Grumman will design, develop and implement the new system, which will be introduced in 2010. It will improve the effectiveness of the dispatch process while allowing for future growth and expanded capabilities.

The system will be fully operational to support the London Ambulance Service during the 2012 London Olympics.

GENEVA, Switzerland, December 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Swiss-based http://www.dnartistic.com's first piece of DNA luxury jewellery will be sold at 1 million CHF and some of the proceeds will be used to finance the anti-aging services and life extension research of sister company http://www.inneova.com.

Dr. Ivan de Weber, a young Swiss scientist specialized in molecular genetics of aging and co-founder of both Inneova(TM) and DNArtistic has brought together a group of jewellers who work with the world's most exclusive brands including Chopard and Bulgari. They will integrate the DNA and genetic fingerprint of the jewel's future owner into the object via a fusion of molecular biology and jewellery-making.

MOSCOW, December 15 /PRNewswire/ --

Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL) announces that it intends to release its results for the first half ending June 30, 2008, and the nine months ending on September 30, 2008 on Thursday, December 18, 2008. In conjunction with this release, Mechel will host a conference call, which will be simultaneously broadcast live over the Internet. Igor Zyuzin, Chief Executive Officer, will host the call.

Listeners can access the conference call live over the Internet through a link on Mechel's web site at http://www.mechel.com/investors/fresults/index.wbp at the following times:

Thursday, December 18, 2008 6:00 PM Moscow Time 3:00 PM London Time 10:00 AM New York Time