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Science is the answer to everything.

Vitamin D, once linked to only bone diseases, is now recognized as a major player in contributing to overall human health, emphasizes UC Riverside’s Anthony Norman, an international expert on vitamin D. He lists 36 organ tissues in the body whose cells respond biologically to vitamin D. The list includes bone marrow, breast, colon, intestine, kidney, lung, prostate, retina, skin, stomach and the uterus. According to Norman, vitamin D deficiency can impact all 36 organs.

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New analytical tools coming on line at the Spallation Neutron Source, the Department of Energy’s state-of-the-art neutron science facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, include a beam line dedicated to nuclear physics studies.

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A novel enzyme may play a major role in anencephaly, offering hope for a genetic test or even therapy for the rare fatal birth defect in which the brain fails to develop, according to a study from researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine.

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Wildfires can boost ozone pollution to levels that violate US health standards. A new study by NCAR scientists found that California wildfires in 2007 tripled the number of ozone violations across a broad area.

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Existing recommendations for treating vitamin D deficiency in children with cystic fibrosis are too low to cover the serious need, leaving most at high risk for bone loss and rickets, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.

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Following are a few of the many technical highlights to be discussed at the meeting.

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Work by researchers at North Carolina State University is leading to a new kind of crab harvest — blue crabs grown and harvested from freshwater ponds, instead of from the sea.

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Research results from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine show that the progression of age-related macular degeneration is markedly slowed in new laboratory-engineered mice when they received treatments of retinylamine, a trial drug that has been tested in a medical school lab. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older.The findings from the National Eye Institute-funded research are reported in the prestigious Journal of Biological Chemistry.

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Dozens of cars in the Boston area are testing the latest generation of an MIT mobile-sensor network for traffic analysis that could help drivers cut their commuting time, alert them to potential engine problems and more.

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During election season, Americans are reminded of their freedoms and rights that allow them to vote for their leaders. As countless political polls try to predict how voters are being swayed, those polled may not be allowed to vote at all. A University of Missouri professor of law says that the current economic crisis could cause disenfranchisement, depriving citizens the right to vote.

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