Astronomers have discovered an extrasolar planet only three times more massive than our own, the smallest yet observed orbiting a normal star. The star itself is not large, perhaps as little as one twentieth the mass of our Sun, suggesting to the research team that relatively common low-mass stars may present good candidates for hosting Earth-like planets.

The astronomers used a technique called gravitational microlensing (1) to find the planet, a method that can potentially find planets one-tenth the mass of our own.

The gravitational microlensing technique, which came from Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, relies upon observations of stars that brighten when an object such as another star passes directly in front of them (relative to an observer, in this case on Earth). The gravity of the passing star acts as a lens, much like a giant magnifying glass. If a planet is orbiting the passing star, its presence is revealed in the way the background star brightens. A full explanation of the technique follows this release.

MUMBAI, India, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Tata Interactive Systems (TIS) and Dave Vance, formerly President of Caterpillar University, conducted a TOPSIM(R) Learning Manager simulation workshop for decision makers in Learning and Development in the UK.

The one-day workshop, held on 22nd May at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) in London, saw a group of HR and Learning professionals get together to discuss, dissect and compete to see which would be the best L&D team on the day. Dave Vance (ex-President of Caterpillar University and CLO of the Year 2006) ran the simulation and presented a case study on "Improving the Effectiveness and Efficiency of the Training Organisation."

LONDON, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtual International Mobile Network Operator, Morodo Ltd, continues to expand the device footprint of its popular MO-Call low-cost calling service. Customers can now use MO-Call in any one of 850 different mobiles from over 30 different mobile manufacturers.

MO-Call offers low-cost international calling direct from a mobile phone, without the need to change mobile number, SIM or network. Used when traveling overseas, MO-Call also helps avoid roaming charges. Providing seamless connection of a low-cost call from a mobile phone, MO-Call offers savings of up to 90% over existing Mobile Network International Tariffs

BERLIN, Germany, June 2 /PRNewswire/ --

- First Crossover Study to Compare Fixed Combination Therapies Presented at EGS

Greater intra-ocular pressure (IOP) lowering benefit can be achieved for glaucoma patients treated with a fixed combination of bimatoprost and timolol (Ganfort(R), Allergan), new data presented today has revealed. The results, presented today at the European Glaucoma Society (EGS), show that patients can achieve significantly greater IOP-lowering effect after 12 weeks' treatment with Ganfort compared to Xalacom (Xalacom(R), Pfizer)(1). IOP is the major risk factor for glaucoma, and lowering IOP is currently the only proven means of preserving the patient's visual field. Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness globally(2).

LONDON, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- IT equipment in UK data centres is wasting UK companies GBP10m a year and releasing 50,000 tonnes of unnecessary CO2 into the atmosphere, just on flashing lights, according to recent research conducted by infrastructure specialist, LS Simple.

Legion upon legion of IT equipment, such as switches and routers, routinely and pointlessly flash LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) in UK data centres. With 21 million LEDs flashing in data centres alone, cash and energy are being wasted, and additionally, the wasted energy could ultimately pose a threat to continuing data centre operations, and even business survival.

LONDON, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Manpower Software plc, a leading workforce optimisation applications provider in the UK healthcare market, is pleased to announce a comprehensive interface between its industry leading e-Rostering and Bank Staff Management solutions in response to the growing requirement from its NHS customer base. NHS customers will have the opportunity to benefit from a stronger more functionally rich offering.

LONDON, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Arthritis Society is offering a free 53-page book "All About Arthritis" plus a free natural supplement based on the latest science detailed in the book by well-known nutritionist Ben Ong.

The Society is also guaranteeing unconditionally that both the information in the book and the supplement "Arthritis Comfort" works. The Arthritis Society recommends using the information in the book and continuing to use the "Arthritis Comfort" supplement for three months. If at the end of those three months someone has not seen any improvement, customers will get a full refund for the supplements they have paid for.

The contentious debate about why insects evolved to put the interests of the colony over the individual has been reignited by new research from the University of Leeds, showing that they do so to increase the chances that their genes will be passed on.

A team led by Dr Bill Hughes of the University’s Faculty of Biological Sciences studied 'kin selection' – the theory that an animal may pass on its genes by helping relatives to reproduce, because they share common genes, rather than by reproducing itself.

The concept of ‘kin selection’ was developed in 1964 by the evolutionary biologist Bill Hamilton, first proposed by Charles Darwin to explain, for example, why sterile workers evolved in social insect groups and why a honeybee would sacrifice its life to defend the colony. Charles Darwin recognized that such altruistic behaviour in highly social insect groups was at odds with his theory of natural selection, and Bill Hamilton’s theory of kin selection showed that this behaviour can evolve because it still fulfills the drive to pass on genes - but through relatives instead.

CALGARY, Canada, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (TSX: ONC, NASDAQ: ONCY) announced that interim results of a Phase II study of intravenous REOLYSIN(R) in patients with sarcomas metastatic to the lung were presented yesterday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. The presentation, entitled "A Phase II Study of Intravenous REOLYSIN (Wild-type Reovirus) in the Treatment of Patients with Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas Metastatic to the Lung" was delivered by Dr. Monica Mita, the study principal investigator and her team at the Institute of Drug Development (IDD), the Cancer Therapy and Research Center at the University of Texas Health Science Center, (UTHSC), San Antonio, Texas.

COLLEGEVILLE, Pennsylvania, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth (NYSE: WYE), today announced the initiation of the INTORACT (Investigation of TORISEL And bevacizumab Combination Therapy) study, a worldwide randomized, open-label, phase 3b study comparing TORISEL(R) (temsirolimus) plus Avastin(R) (bevacizumab) versus Avastin plus interferon-alfa for first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Wyeth Research is conducting the INTORACT study with the support and assistance of Roche and Genentech.