Katy Kao, assistant professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, and Stanford University colleague Gavin Sherlock say their new study of yeast cells has resulted in the most detailed picture of an organism's evolutionary process to date.

Working with populations of yeast cells, which were color-coded by fluorescent markers,  they were able to evolve the cells while maintaining a visual analysis of the entire process. 

What does that mean?   It means the evolutionary process is even more dynamic than initially thought, with multiple beneficial adaptations arising within a population. These adaptations, Kao explained, triggered a competition between these segments, known as "clonal interference." 

The ecology is a dynamic, complex system so even small changes, or small experiments, can have big responses.   Some of these responses, including insect outbreaks, wildfire, and forest dieback, may adversely affect people as well as ecosystems and their plants and animals. 

Writing in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, a group of researchers found that nutrient deprivation of neurons produced sex-dependent effects. Male neurons more readily withered up and died, while female neurons did their best to conserve energy and stay alive.

That's right, nature has declared female brains should survive with a lot less than males.   Take that, glass ceiling!

The idea that the sexes respond differently to nutrient deprivation is not new and revolves around the male preferences to conserve protein and female preferences to conserve fat. However, these metabolic differences have really only been examined in nutrient-rich tissues like muscles, fat deposits, and the liver. 

While the scientific community, and most of the intelligent world, has widely accepted that the theory of natural selection is underlying mechanism of organic evolution, until recently our studies of evolutionary processes have been confined to the examples from a small plant orbiting an insignificant star in a mid-sized galaxy. From this limited viewpoint we know that evolution is intimately connected with life... but as scientists, we would love to expand the reaches of our database.

WASHINGTON, January 15 /PRNewswire/ --

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that upgraded biometric technology is in place at major U.S. ports of entry, and most international visitors should expect to use the new technology when they enter the United States. DHS's US-VISIT program began upgrading its biometric technology from a two- to a 10-fingerprint collection standard in 2007 to make the entry process faster and more accurate, enabling DHS officials to focus their attention on people who may pose a risk to the United States.

OAK PARK, Michigan, January 15 /PRNewswire/ --

- Actions Designed to Rationalize Product Development, Reduce Costs

Azure Dynamics Corporation (TSX: AZD, LSE: ADC OTCQX: AZDDF) - (Azure or the Company), a leading developer of hybrid electric and electric powertrains for commercial vehicles, today announced a restructuring and comprehensive cost reduction plan designed to address the realities of today's economy and marketplace while meeting the demand for tomorrow's most energy efficient commercial vehicles.

ANTONY, France, January 15 /PRNewswire/ --

EUR millions 2007 07/06 2008 08/07 EUR % sales % change EUR % sales % change millions millions Southern Europe (1) 32.0 75 14 36.4 73 14 Other EU Countries 9.7 22 17 11.3 23 17 (2) Other markets 1.4 3 10 2.0 4 45 SLIT 34.6 80 21 40.4 81 17 SCIT 7.1 17 4 7.5 15 6 Other products 1.4 3 (25) 1.8 4 32 Total Q4 sales 43.1 100 15 49.7 100 15 Southern Europe (1) 109.2 74 17 124.9 73 14 Other EU countries 32.5 22 16 38.5 23 18 (2) Other markets 5.4 4 11 7.5 4 38 SLIT 116.5 79 21 137.9 81 18 SCIT 24.9 17 3 26.3 15 6 Other products 5.7 4 (7) 6.7 4 16 Cumulative 12-month 147.1 100 16 170.9 100 16 sales

(1) Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece; (2) Switzerland included

Sales growth and financial position, 2009 outlook

Scientists have achieved the first definitive detection of methane in the atmosphere of Mars, which would seem to indicate our reddish neighbor is biologically active.   Or geologically active.   Or both.

Wait, how can a bunch of smart people from NASA not know which?   

It's because methane, four atoms of hydrogen bound to a carbon atom, is the main component of natural gas on Earth and is released by organisms as they (and we) digest nutrients  but is also created in purely geological processes, like oxidation of iron. 

LONDON, January 15 /PRNewswire/ --

- Twice as Fast Trolley Prototype Developed to Shave Minutes off the Supermarket Shop

- With Photo

You've got a big grocery shop to do, the supermarket is packed, the kids are getting restless and on top of this, you've picked a trolley with wonky wheels. Well you're not the only one. New research from Nurofen Express reveals that over three quarters (78%) of UK shoppers' supermarket sprees are slowed down by misbehaving trolleys, with wonky wheels (36%) and cumbersome trolleys (23%) being reprimanded as the top offenders.

CHENNAI, India, January 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Sify Technologies Limited (Nasdaq NM: SIFY), a leader in Consumer Internet Services and Enterprise Services in India with global delivery capabilities, today announced that it will report its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2008-2009 ended December 31, 2008 on January 23, 2009 before the market opens.

In conjunction with the earnings release, Sify will host a conference call at 9:00 AM EST hosted by Mr. Raju Vegesna, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. CVS Suri, Chief Operating Officer and Mr. MP Vijay Kumar, Chief Financial Officer.