‘Mac people’ more open, liberal than PC users
San Francisco – People who prefer Apple’s Macintosh computers over PCs have long been considered to be on the artsy, hip end of the personality spectrum — and now a study proves that “Mac people” indeed are more liberal and open-minded than average folks.

Web yields deadly tricks for crime writers
LONDON (Reuters) – Thinking about killing someone and can’t figure out how to finish the job and make crime pay? It’s the kind of stuff that keeps crime fiction writers awake at night.
But bear in mind that an over-active Big Brother could misinterpret this kind of research.

Virtual Schools Could Get Logged Off
Some parents consider virtual schools to be a godsend for parents who prefer their children learn from home. But critics say the cyber charter schools amount to little more than home schooling at taxpayers’ expense.

Do Today’s Young People Really Think They Are So Extraordinary?
Researchers found no evidence that today’s young people have inflated impressions of themselves compared to the youth of previous generations.

Company claims cloned humans and made stem cells
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A California company said on Thursday it used cloning technology to make five human embryos, with the eventual hope of making matched stem cells for patients. 

Evolution Of Human Genome’s ‘Guardian’ Gives People Unique Protections From DNA Damage
ScienceDaily (Jan. 18, 2008) — Human evolution has created enhancements in key genes connected to the p53 regulatory network — the so-called guardian of the genome — by creating additional safeguards in human genes to boost the network’s ability to guard against DNA damage that could cause cancer or a variety of genetic diseases.

Study Gets Closer to Origins of Leukemia
Targeting a mutated cell might bring better treatments, researchers say

Cold Meds Not Safe for Kids Under 2, FDA Warns
Decision on kids aged 2-12 expected this spring, officials add.

Toxoplasma Infection Increases Risk Of Schizophrenia, Study Suggests
ScienceDaily (Jan. 18, 2008) — Findings from what is believed to be the largest comparison of blood samples collected from healthy individuals and people with schizophrenia suggest that infection with the common Toxoplasma gondii parasite, carried by cats and farm animals, may increase the risk of schizophrenia.

Do Cholesterol Drugs Help?
Research suggests that, except among high-risk heart patients, the benefits of statins such as Lipitor are overstated

Study explains how protein keeps hunger at bay
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Diets high in protein may be the best way to keep hunger in check, U.S. researchers said on Thursday in a study that offers insight into how diets work. 

How The Brain Regulates Blood Flow To Neurons: Powerful Enzyme Could Play Key Role In Alzheimer’s Disease
ScienceDaily (Jan. 18, 2008) — The human brain contains its own store of a powerful enzyme (and stroke drug) called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), which appears to be a key regulator of blood flow to brain cells, a team at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City reports… Besides elucidating the role of naturally produced tPA in neuronal blood flow, the new findings could have implications for the study of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.

Discovery Of ‘Creator’ Gene For Cerebral Cortex Points To Potential Stem Cell Treatments
ScienceDaily (Jan. 18, 2008) — University of California, Irvine researchers have identified a gene that is specifically responsible for generating the cerebral cortex, a finding that could lead to stem cell therapies to treat brain injuries and diseases such as stroke and Alzheimer’s.

Pacific Islanders’ Ancestry Emerges in Genetic Study
An international team of scientists found evidence that Polynesians and Micronesians were more closely related to East Asians, and had few links to western Pacific islanders.

Method Developed To Identify Sparticles In Big Bang Conditions
ScienceDaily (Jan. 18, 2008) — Three Northeastern University researchers have proposed a new approach for the highly anticipated discovery of supersymmetric particles, often called sparticles. The methodology is based on identifying the hierarchical mass patterns of sparticles, which are assumed to exist in a new class of particle physics theories beyond the Standard Model.