We all know that light effects the growth and development of plants but a new paper by Nathalie Hoang et al., published in PLoS Biology examines the effects light has on humans and animals.

In plants, cryptochromes are photoreceptor proteins which absorb and process blue light for functions such as growth, seedling development, and leaf and stem expansion. Cryptochromes are present in humans and animals as well and have been proven to regulate the mechanisms of the circadian clock. But how they work in humans and animals is still somewhat of a mystery.

When plants are exposed to blue light, they experience a reduction in flavin pigments. This reduction activates the cryptochromes and thus allows for growth and seedling development. Hoang et al. sought to study the effect of blue light on fly, animal, and human cryptochromes by exposing them to blue light and measuring the change in the number of oxidized flavins. After a prolonged exposure to blue light, the authors found that the number of flavins did in fact decrease, as they do in plants.

Children studying subjects like math, physics and chemistry have a harder time gettings A's than students of similar ability studying subjects like media studies and psychology, according to a new report that really doesn't surprise anyone.

Durham University researchers analyzed and compared data from nearly one million schoolchildren sitting GCSE and A-level exams and reviewed 28 different studies of cross subject comparison conducted in the UK since 1970.

They found significant differences in the relative difficulty of exams in different subjects with the sciences among the hardest. On average, subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Biology at A-level are a whole grade harder than Drama, Sociology or Media Studies, and three-quarters of a grade harder than English, RE or Business Studies.

CAMBRIDGE, England, June 30 /PRNewswire/ --

- Energy technology pioneer closes biggest VC round in sector for five years

ARKeX, a worldwide leader in geophysical imaging technology, has successfully raised US$30 million (15.4 million pounds Sterling) in a deal that marks the largest venture capital round in its sector for five years.

The investment was led by Ferd Venture of Oslo, Norway, and included existing investors Energy Ventures of Stavanger, Norway; Scottish Equity Partners of Glasgow, UK; and members of ARKeX senior management. This is the third round of funding raised by ARKeX since 2004 and the largest venture round for a service company supplying the onshore and offshore oil and gas E&P sector since 2003.

LONDON, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier this year the Author's Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) signed a three year deal with CILIP to support the dedicated awards website until 2010.

"I want to say one word to you. Just one word," spoke Mr. Maguire to young Benjamin in the 1967 film The Graduate. That word was 'plastics' and it became a cultural litany meaning lots of different things but it's never been more true in its original form. Plastics are still the future.

With market analysts predicting an increase from £1.5 billion to £15.5 billion in the value of the organic light emitting display industry by 2014, it is no surprise that scientists and governments alike are keen to advance research into new 'plastics' - in this case the electronic kind.

For a long time, plastic was thought of as an insulating material that could not conduct electricity, but ground-breaking research in the 1970s proved that some plastics could do so. Now, more than thirty years later some of the potential applications of these breakthrough materials – electronic billboards, flexible laptops, high-definition television screens only one centimetre thick – are coming to light.

PARIS, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Five years after the identification of the gene responsible for progeria, a rare disease causing accelerated and premature ageing, a team of Spanish and French researchers (Carlos Lopez-Otin and coll. - University of Oviedo - and Nicolas Levy and coll. - Inserm/AP-HM, Marseille, France) have successfully demonstrated a treatment for the disease, using mice. This treatment, combining two existing pharmacological molecules, should slow down the progression of this disease which has hitherto remained untreatable.

VEENENDAAL, The Netherlands, June 30 /PRNewswire/ --

- Jos Lamers Brings Years of International Senior Management Experience to His New Role

VEENENDAAL, The Netherlands, June 30 /PRNewswire/ --

Nucletron announced today the appointment of Jos Lamers as its new chief executive officer. The appointment marks the next phase for the company following its successful management buy-out from Delft Instruments in August 2007, which created an independent company fully dedicated to radiation oncology.

LONDON, June 30 /PRNewswire/ --

- Intelligent content security solves critical business issues for service providers and enterprises worldwide with a unique integrated model

Optenet, a leading global IT security company and a provider of intelligent, integrated content security solutions, today announced the availability of its Optenet Content Security Portfolio for service providers and enterprises in the UK as part of its goal to reach 120 million users worldwide in 2008.

BEIJING, June 30 /PRNewswire/ --

OpenV ( http://www.openv.com ), China's largest Chinese-language Internet TV and Video content provider today announced that it has obtained from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television the License for Publishing Online Audio-Visual Programs (Video License). Industry sources widely believe that the issuance of the Video License will accelerate standardization of the online video industry while promoting healthy market growth.

BEAVERTON, Oregon, June 30 /PRNewswire/ --

- Company Introduces Planar Precision(TM) Electronics for Simplified Advanced Image Calibration

Planar Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLNR), a worldwide leader in specialty display solutions, today announced three new displays featuring leading-edge technology for optimum image quality. The Clarity x100HD, Clarity c80RP and Planar m52L support the company's ongoing strategy to expand its line of advanced display solutions for demanding government, utility, security, transportation, broadcast and corporate environments.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080114/AQM001LOGO)