PhysOrg.com

Researchers uncover attack mechanism of illness-inducing bacterium
An infectious ocean-dwelling bacterium found in oysters and other shellfish kills its host's cells by causing them to burst, providing the invader with a nutrient-rich meal, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.

---

Novel fungus helps beetles to digest hard wood
A little known fungus tucked away in the gut of Asian longhorned beetles helps the insect munch through the hardest of woods according to a team of entomologists and biochemists. Researchers say the discovery could lead to innovative methods of controlling the invasive pest, and potentially offer more efficient ways of breaking down plant biomass for generating biofuels.

---

Signals from the Atlantic salmon highway
For years scientists have struggled to understand the decline and slow recovery of Atlantic salmon, a once abundant and highly prized game and food fish native to New England rivers. Biologists agree that poor marine survival is affecting salmon in the U.S. and Canada, but specific causes are difficult to determine in the ocean. Small acoustic tags and associated technology may provide some answers.

---

Vitamin D's wild days: Who to test, what to take?
(AP) -- Don't be surprised if your doctor orders a vitamin D test during your next physical. Blood tests to check levels of the so-called sunshine vitamin are on the rise as doctors and patients react to headline-grabbing research that suggests having too little may not only hurt your bones - it might increase your risk of certain cancers or heart disease.

---

IBM Research Unleashes Powerful Speech Software
(PhysOrg.com) -- IBM today announced the availability of state-of-the-art speech recognition software to clients and partners exploring the development of real-world consumer and business solutions.

---

Rainforest expedition will shine light on frog deaths
(PhysOrg.com) -- A physicist and a conservationist from The University of Manchester are heading for the rain forests of Costa Rica - in a bid to understand more about a deadly fungus that is killing amphibians around the world.

---

Using everyday language to explain scientific concepts could help students learn, study finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- To talk about photosynthesis, you need to know a little Latin, a bit of French, some Greek, a word coined by a pair of French chemists in the 19th century, and a word of ancient origin that has been adopted and adapted by scientists around the world.

---

Researchers Study Facial Structures, Brain Abnormalities to Reveal Formula for Earlier Detection of Autism
(PhysOrg.com) -- Recently, Harvard researchers reported that children with autism have a wide range of genetic defects, making it nearly impossible to develop a simple genetic test to identify the disorder.

---

Cells in eye could help control sleep
(PhysOrg.com) -- A set of nerve cells in the eye control our levels of sleepiness according to the brightness of our surroundings, Oxford University researchers have discovered. The cells directly regulate the activity of sleep centres in the brain, providing a new target for the development of drugs to control sleep and alertness.

---

Olympic Swimmers Shattering Records in NASA-Tested Suit
(PhysOrg.com) -- Swimmers from around the world are setting world and Olympic records in Beijing this month and most are doing it wearing a swimsuit made of fabric tested at NASA.

---

...