Researchers have developed an index scale to help physicians predict a patient's risk of dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The ADO index can help physicians assess the severity of a patient's illness to determine the appropriate level of treatment. COPD is a major public health problem and it is the fourth leading cause of death in the US.

A novel natural product yields potential new ways to fight diseases. Researchers have deciphered the highly unusual molecular structure of a naturally produced, ocean-based compound that is giving new understanding of the function of mammalian nerve cells.

A Japanese research group has found that after a cerebral stroke in one side of a mouse brain, another side of the brain rewires its neural circuits to recuperate from damaged neural function.

As scientists attempt to learn more about how galaxies evolve, an open question has been whether collisions with our dwarf galactic neighbors will one day tear apart the disk of the Milky Way. That grisly fate is unlikely, a new study now suggests.

One of the long standing problems in the drinks industry is how to prevent chemical processes in the drinks compromising their taste, quality and shelf life. In particular, riboflavin (vitamin B2) is responsible for driving photooxidation reactions that affect the flavour of many drinks and so they often have to be packaged in light-shielded containers. Now scientists have developed a way of removing riboflavin.

Computer scientists have developed an inexpensive solution for diagnosing networking delays in data center networks as short as tens of millionths of seconds -- delays that can lead to multi-million dollar losses for investment banks running automatic stock trading systems.

New tools are now available for generating specifically targeted genetic mutations in bacteria, mammalian cells and mice. The new recombinase, Dre, is similar to its predecessor, Cre, but targets unique sites within DNA for recombination. It may be used in combination with currently available methods to produce more complex mouse models to understand disease.

A new study details how sandfish -- small lizards with smooth scales -- move rapidly underground through desert sand. In this first thorough examination of subsurface sandfish locomotion, researchers found that the animals place their limbs against their sides and create a wave motion like snakes to propel themselves through granular media.

When bees sting, they pump poison into their victims. Now the toxin in bee venom has been harnessed to kill tumor cells. Researchers attached the major component of bee venom to nano-sized spheres that they call nanobees.

Dedicated to serving the private cord blood banking needs of Southern California, PacifiCord (www.pacificord.com) today announced it will be offering free prenatal classes in Temecula starting September 21, 2009.