Life on Mars Is Pickled

Darkfrog submitted, created time 7 months 1 week (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

This article actually ties microbiology together with space travel rather neatly.

The Mars Phoenix lander was shipped off to the icy polar regions for one primary purpose (though I'm sure the NASA guys can come up with more now that it's there): search for liquid water and, importantly, microbial ilfe on Mars. That last possibility is looking less and less likely. Mars is showing high levels of salt, too high for known microbial life. Estimates put Mars' water at ten to a hundred times saltier than Earth's oceans. NASA has not given up hope yet

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Adverse Cardiovascular Effects of Acute Salt Loading in Young Normotensive Individuals.

kavin submitted, created time 7 months 3 weeks (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

In the paper, the researchers explored the effects of salt loading in young normotensives on vascular endothelial function, echocardiographic left ventricular diastolic function, and electrocardiographic QT dispersion. Sixteen healthy normotensive male volunteers were randomized in a double-blind crossover fashion to 5-day treatment periods with either placebo or salt tablets (200 mmol/d of sodium) separated by a 2-week washout period

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Molten salts give biofuels a boost

kavin submitted, created time 8 months 1 week (www.sciencenews.org)

As we know, it is favourable that breaking down cellulose could improve prospects for energy-efficient biofuels. But it is diffecult to degrade cellulose. In this study, the researchers find that molten salts can help break down the tough, energy-containing cellulose molecules without creating unwanted by-products.

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Lowered BP after

Cutting salt does not reduce processed food safety say scientists

kitty submitted, created time 1 year 4 months (www.eurekalert.org)

Low salt foods are just as safe or safer than high salt level products in spite of expectations that cutting salt levels in food would increase the risk of spoilage by bacteria, say scientists today, Sept. 4, 2007, at the Society for General Microbiology's 161st Meeting at the University of Edinburgh, UK, which runs Sept. 3-6, 2007.

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Polymorphism of CYP11B2 Determines Salt Sensitivity in Japanese

medal submitted, created time 1 year 9 months (hyper.ahajournals.org)

"Aldosterone plays essential roles in body fluid and electrolyte homeostasis and blood pressure. However, the association between polymorphisms in the CYP11B2 gene and hypertension is controversial."

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Salt will help you to start at birth

angelfish submitted, created time 1 year 11 months (www.abc.net.au)

In tests where the children could choose from salty or sweet snacks, those born with low sodium levels reached for a salty snack more often.
Some people with a penchant for salty snacks may have been born with it, a new study suggests.
The study also found that children with the most severe sodium deficiency at birth weighed 30% more, on average, than their peers born with the highest sodium levels.

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