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Toward A Rosetta Stone For Microbes' Secret Language
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094701.htm
Scientists are on the verge of decoding the special chemical language that bacteria use to "talk" to each other, British researchers report. That achievement could lead to new treatments for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including so-called superbugs that infect more than 90,000 people in the United States each year, they note.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Human Genetic Variation: Science's 'Breakthrough Of The Year'
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220140817.htm
In 2007, researchers were dazzled by the degree to which genomes differ from one human to another and began to understand the role of these variations in disease and personal traits. Science recognize "Human Genetic Variation" as the Breakthrough of the Year, and identify nine other of the year's most significant scientific accomplishments.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
James Webb Space Telescope Testing To Find Infrared Light
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207120822.htm
A model of the James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-InfraRed Instrument will be tested before Christmas at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire, England to ensure the final instrument can see infrared light.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Cell-death Receptor Links Cancer Susceptibility And Inflammation
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071227183749.htm
Researchers demonstrated for the first time a link between cell-death-inducing TRAIL's receptor and cancer susceptibility. Unexpectedly, they also found a connection -- via TRAIL -- between inflammation and cancer susceptibility.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Physicists Find New Explanation For Superconductivity's 'Glue'
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220170338.htm
Researchers have identified an alternative explanation for the microscopic origins of the "glue" that binds electrons during high-temperature superconductivity.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
A Real Attention Grabber: Scientist Finds Way To Measure Covert Attention
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071202155257.htm
The person you're speaking with may be looking at you, but are they really paying attention? Or has the person covertly shifted their attention, without moving their eyes? Dr. Brian Corneil, of the Center for Brain and Mind at the University of Western Ontario has found a way of actually measuring covert attention. His research "Neuromuscular consequences of reflexive covert orienting" is posted on the Advance Online Publication of Nature Neuroscience.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
2007 A Top Ten Warm Year For U.S. And Globe
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071230211952.htm
The year 2007 is on pace to become one of the 10 warmest years for the contiguous U.S., since national records began in 1895. The year was marked by exceptional drought in the U.S. Southeast and the West, which helped fuel another extremely active wildfire season. The year also brought outbreaks of cold air, and killer heat waves and floods. Meanwhile, the global surface temperature for 2007 is expected to be fifth warmest since records began in 1880.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
New Drug Targets May Fight Tuberculosis And Other Bacterial Infections In Novel Way
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071227183731.htm
Over the course of the 20th Century, doctors waged war against infectious bacterial illness with the best new weapon they had: antibiotics. But the emergence of dangerous, multi-drug resistant strains of tuberculosis and other killer infections means that in the 21st century antibiotics are losing ground against bacterial disease. Researchers now say exciting new molecular targets -- so-called "virulence factors" that bacteria use to thrive once they are in the host -- present an alternative, potent means of stopping TB, leprosy and other bacterial illness.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Buyer Beware: Stressed Plants Won't Survive Shipping
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203094829.htm
It's a common springtime disappointment: you buy beautiful, flourishing potted plants from your local retailer, only to watch the once-healthy flowers wither and die shortly after you place them on your patio or porch. How do you know you are actually buying plants that will thrive after they leave the garden store?
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Scientists Discover New Role For MiRNA In Leukemia
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094430.htm
Scientists here have found that mini-molecules called micro-RNA may play a critical role in the progression of chronic myeloid leukemia from its more treatable chronic phase to a life-threatening phase, called blast crisis. Furthermore, they discovered an entirely new function for these molecules. The researchers show that microRNAs can sometimes directly control a protein's function -- not just whether or not the protein is made by the cell, as has been believed.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Mapmaking For The Masses: User-generated Content Can Profoundly Impact Geographic Information Systems
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203111251.htm
Sites such as Wikimapia and OpenStreetMap are empowering citizens to create a global patchwork of geographic information. According to Michael Goodchild from the University of California in Santa Barbara, 'volunteered geographic information' has the potential to be a significant source of geographers' understanding of the surface of the Earth. His review has just been published online in Springer's GeoJournal.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Nurses Working Extended Shifts, Are Tired At Work And Sleep Little Likely To Drive Drowsy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071201082336.htm
Hospital staff nurses who work extended hours, work at night, struggle to remain awake at work, or obtain less sleep are more likely to experience a drowsy driving episode.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Overeating And Obesity Triggered By Lack Of One Gene
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071227183853.htm
Neuroscience researchers demonstrate for the first time that brain-derived neurotrophic factor is an essential component of neural circuits which regulate body weight in adult mice and that its expression in two particular brain regions is required to suppress appetite.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
New Research Promises Personalized Dietary Guidelines
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071230093708.htm
Better diets for fighting diabetes, obesity and heart disease may soon be only a finger-prick away. By analyzing the unique metabolic changes in an individual's body, researchers hope to develop more personalized dietary guidelines for improving health, according to a new article.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Integrated Receiver For High Frequency Applications On A Tiny Chip
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071128092106.htm
Scientists have combined a receiver for high frequencies with an antenna on a small chip. This circuit can be used, for instance, in radiometer systems in future safety systems looking for concealed weapons without an intrusive search.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Hazards Of CT Scans Overstated, According To Physicist
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071130173233.htm
The American Association of Physicists in Medicine says CT scans are a critical part of medical care and questions the statistical method used in the New England Journal of Medicine article linking CT scans to cancer.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
New Ship Breaks New Grounds, And Old Ice
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071130101036.htm
It can crush ice sideways and stay precisely on station to an accuracy of a meter. It can drill a hole 1,000 meters deep into the seabed while floating above 5,000 meters of ocean and it can generate 55 megawatts of power. So far, Aurora Borealis is the most unusual ship that has never been built, and it represents a floating laboratory for European science, a breakthrough for polar research and a very big headache for international lawyers.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Which Intervention Would Do The Most To Improve The Health Of The Extreme Poor?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071022203138.htm
Experts were asked to name the one intervention that would improve the health of those living on less than $1 a day. The collected responses--from health researchers and activists, journalists, academics, and communities living in poverty--highlight effective, low tech, and remarkably cheap ways to make a profound difference to the lives of the poorest people on the planet.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
New National Park For Russian Tigers
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080101202917.htm
Endangered northern Amur tigers have received a boost to their protection through the creation of a new national park in Khabarovsk province, located in the Russian Far East. Tiger habitats in the Russian Far East face extreme pressures from uncontrolled logging, construction and wildfires.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Saving Plants That Save Lives
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080101202622.htm
Poor or non-existent collection controls are threatening the survival of many of the plant species used in traditional and modern medicines. Some estimates indicate that 15,000 of the 50,000 -- 70,000 plant species used for medicinal purposes and mostly collected from the wild may be threatened, many as a direct result of unsustainable collection practices.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Upsurge In Rhino Poaching In Zimbabwe
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080101202351.htm
There has been an alarming upsurge in armed poaching of endangered rhinos primarily in the "Lowveld Conservancies" in South Eastern Zimbabwe over the past three years, according to World Wildlife Fund. Since 2000, 22 black rhinos have been shot in the Lowveld Conservancies in addition to 45-50 black rhinos that have been shot by poachers in other conservancies.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Climate Pollution From Aviation Increasing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080101201618.htm
EU environment ministers have failed to seize a key opportunity to curb emissions from the aviation sector through the European Emissions Trading Scheme, WWF said at the conclusion of the EU Environment Council in Brussels. Scientists estimate that the effect of aviation emissions on the climate is up to five times the impact of emissions occurring on the ground.
Mon, 31 Dec 07
Riddle Of The Jade Jewels Reveals Vast Trade Arena
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080101193937.htm
Analyzing the origins of jade used in ancient jewelery has revealed a trading arena that was active for more than 3,000 years and sprawled over 3,000km in Southeast Asia -- possibly the largest such network discovered in the region to date. Archaeologists used electron probe microanalysis to examine jade earrings excavated from sites all over Southeast Asia, and were able to pinpoint the origin of the precious stone to a source in Taiwan.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Sshhh, It's Listening: Totally New Computer Interfaces
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221225708.htm
Keyboards are a necessary part of today's computers, right? Maybe not for much longer. A group of scientists have used acoustic sensors to turn wooden tabletops and even three-dimensional objects into a new type of computer interface. Sound vibrating a windowpane or through a tabletop is something most people experience daily. Sound waves travel well through most solid materials. Now, researchers have exploited the excellent propagation of sound waves through solids to turn everyday objects -- including 3D objects -- into a new kind of computer interface.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy Closer To Reality
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071227183950.htm
Since the year 2000, much has been learned about the potential for using transplanted cells in therapeutic efforts to treat varieties of cardiac disorders. Cardiac stem cell therapy involves delivering a variety of cells into hearts following myocardial infarction or chronic cardiomyopathy. A brief overview of current research and research goals is presented, followed by a summary of results of studies aimed at improving implanted cell survival and the repair process, as well as several techniques aimed at improving efficacy.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Seabed Microbe Study Leads To Low-cost Power, Light For Developing World
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220152427.htm
A biology professor's fascination with seafloor microbes has led to the development of a revolutionary, low-cost power system consuming garbage, compost, and other waste that could provide light for the developing world. He has developed a fuel cell run by the natural activity of anaerobic microbes. The cells can be manufactured for just a few U.S. dollars, putting them within reach of many of the world's poor who today do not have access to electricity.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Novel Virus Identified In Endangered Species May Represent Evolution Of Two Major Virus Families
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221113707.htm
The near extinction of the western barred bandicoot has led to the identification of a novel virus exhibiting characteristics of two ancient virus families. The western barred bandicoot, an Australian marsupial once commonly found across western and southern Australia, is now endangered throughout parts of the country and already extinct on the mainland. While promoting conservation efforts, researchers discovered a debilitating disease affecting the species causing full body lesions.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Study Maps Life In Extreme Environments
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071227184008.htm
A team of biologists have developed a model mapping the control circuit governing a whole free living organism. This is an important milestone for the new field of systems biology and will allow the researchers to model how the organism adapts over time in response to its environment.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Brain Imaging And Genetic Studies Link Thinking Patterns To Addiction
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226003608.htm
Scientists have for the first time identified brain sites that fire up more when people make impulsive decisions. In a study comparing brain activity of sober alcoholics and non-addicted people making financial decisions, the group of sober alcoholics showed significantly more "impulsive" neural activity.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
New Ingredients In Drug-like Anti-aging Products Improve Skin
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071228215557.htm
Cosmecueticals, beauty aids that reportedly work like prescription drugs, are providing new ways to treat aging skin. A study in Cosmetic Dermatology explores a variety of new ingredients in cosmeceuticals that provide a visibly noticeable improvement in maturing skin.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Sulfur Dioxide May Have Helped Maintain A Warm Early Mars
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220140813.htm
Sulfur dioxide may have played a key role in the climate and geochemistry of early Mars, geoscientists suggest in the journal Science. Their hypothesis may resolve longstanding questions about evidence that the climate of the Red Planet was once much warmer than it is today.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Handling Pesticides Associated With Greater Asthma Risk In Farm Women
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071228215633.htm
New research on farm women has shown that contact with some commonly used pesticides in farm work may increase their risk of allergic asthma. They found an average increase of 50 percent in the prevalence of allergic asthma in all farm women who applied or mixed pesticides.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Cell Growth Discovery: Protein Interactions Of MAP Kinase Signaling Pathway Measured
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213124908.htm
Scientists have achieved a quantitative in vivo measurement of the dynamic protein-protein interactions in the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade signaling pathway, which is critical to growth and differentiation decisions in all eukaryotic cells.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Voting Systems For Seniors Can Improve Voting Accuracy And Speed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071227183738.htm
Researchers have identified ways to improve electronic voting accuracy among older voters while also shortening waiting time at the polls. They tested four configurations and found that the pure touchscreen format with one ballot per screen was found to produce the most accurate results, but the pure touchscreen with full ballot on a single screen showed the fastest completion times. As is often the case with human-machine interfaces, there is a trade-off between accuracy and speed.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
LASIK Works Well, According To Long-term Study Of Highly Myopic Patients
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071228215645.htm
Although over 18 million LASIK procedures have been performed worldwide, there is still some controversy regarding the maximum correction possible and efficacy with this technique. In a new article researchers report that LASIK for myopia over -10 D is a safe and effective procedure in the long-term, ten years after surgery.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Innovative Model Connects Circuit Theory To Wildlife Corridors
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220133441.htm
Scientists have developed a model that uses circuit theory to predict gene flow across landscapes. Their approach could give managers a better way to identify the best spots for wildlife corridors, which are crucial to protecting biodiversity.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
New Therapy Reduces Mortality In Patients With Severe COPD
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071228215629.htm
Patients with severe COPD may benefit more from therapy that combines salmeterol and fluticasone than treatment with tiotropium, according to results from a long-term, multi-center study that directly compared the two therapies.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Allergic Reactions To Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents Are Rare, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071228215622.htm
Allergic-like reactions to gadolinium-containing contrast injections in adults and pediatric patients (those younger than 19 years of age) are rare, according to a recent study. "When these reactions do occur, most of them are mild," said the lead author of the study.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Men Need More Botox Than Women In Cosmetic Procedures
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071228215539.htm
Men can be treated with Botox for cosmetic procedures in the same way as women but require higher doses of Botox in all treatment areas. There has recently become a growing interest in cosmetic procedures by men. Although most practices see a majority of women, the number of male patients who seek treatment is slowly increasing.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Turning Anthrax Toxin Into A Cancer Killer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071231111915.htm
Most people wouldn't consider anthrax toxin to be beneficial, but this bacterial poison may someday be an effective cancer therapy. Anthrax toxin has actually been shown to be fairly selective in targeting melanoma cells, although the risk of non-cancer toxicity prevents any clinical use.
Sun, 30 Dec 07
Breast Cancer Cells Have To Learn To Walk Before They Can Run
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071231091455.htm
Early-stage breast cancer that has not yet invaded the surrounding tissues may already contain highly motile cells, bringing the tumor one step closer to metastasis. This study suggests that these cells, although not yet invasive, could wander off along milk ducts and seed new tumors within the same breast.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
Anti-malarial Drug Prevents Cancer In Mice, Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220172131.htm
New data have indicated that the antimalarial drug chloroquine effectively prevents cancer in mouse models of two distinct human cancer syndromes, Burkitt lymphoma and ataxia telangiectasia.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
New Way To Sort Stem Cells Discovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220140217.htm
Scientists have found a new way to sort stem cells that should be quicker, easier and more cost-effective than current methods. The technique could in the future expedite therapies for people with conditions ranging from brain and spinal cord damage to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
Link Uncovered Between Variation In Humans With Extreme Body Mass And Abnormal Splicing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220172139.htm
Researchers report new insights into how genetic variation may create phenotypic differences between individuals. This study, which investigates the influence of mutations associated with obesity on the mechanism of splicing, is published in Genome Research.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
Gadget Helps People At Risk Of Dehydration Or Congestive Heart Failure
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220110321.htm
Researchers are improving the odds for people medically at risk from dehydration or congestive heart failure. They are improving and miniaturizing a medical device that monitors a person's hydration, or level of fluid. This is important to members of the military and to thousands of home health care patients, athletes, firefighters and first responders.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
How An Atkins-like Diet Can Treat Epilepsy: Leptin Attenuates Rodent Seizure Severity
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220172129.htm
Not all individuals who have epilepsy respond to traditional treatments. Strict adherence to a ketogenic diet high in fats and extremely low in carbohydrates is sometimes used to treat these patients. A new study shows that intranasal delivery of leptin, a hormone important in feeding and energy metabolism, delays the onset of convulsions in rodents, leading to the suggestion that leptin-triggered signaling may be a key to how a ketogenic diet combats epilepsy.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
2000 Tigers Possible In Thailand, Study Says
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220110324.htm
Thailand's Western Forest Complex -- a 6,900 square mile (18,000 square kilometers) network of parks and wildlife reserves -- can potentially support some 2,000 tigers, making it one of the world's strongholds for these emblematic big cats, according to a new study.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
Stickleback Fish Follow Prawns To Find Good Places To Eat
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221233239.htm
A new study reveals that prawns can be used by fish species to find the best places to eat. Research into the behavior patterns of sticklebacks highlights the fact they use prawns to determine the best place to be. Prawns, it seems however, don't have the same aptitude to use the sticklebacks for their advantage.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
Fast-acting Cyanide Antidote Discovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071227183912.htm
Researchers have discovered a new fast-acting antidote to cyanide poisoning. The antidote has potential to save lives of those who are exposed to the chemical -- namely firefighters, industrial workers and victims of terrorist attacks.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
Taxol With Avastin Greatly Slowed Breast Cancer Progression, Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071227183824.htm
Treatment of breast cancer with Taxol and Avastin increased the period patients went without progression of their disease from 5.9 months to 11.8 months. "The tumor can't grow bigger than the size of a sesame seed without an oxygen supply," said one of the researchers. "And patients can stay on Avastin as long at it works. It is not a chemotherapy drug so it has minimal toxicity. "
Sat, 29 Dec 07
Smelly Sounds: One Person Out Of Every 1,000 Has Synesthesia
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226003600.htm
One person out of every thousand has synesthesia, a psychological phenomenon in which an individual can smell a sound or hear a color. Most of these people are not aware they are synesthetes: they think the way they experience the world is normal. The research field has grown from grapheme-color synesthesia to include other forms of synaesthesia in which flavors are evoked by music or words (lexical-gustatory synesthesia), space structures by time units, colours by music, etc.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
Southern Indiana Is Greener, But For How Long?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071230104548.htm
Southern Indiana's rolling hills are greener now than they were a century ago, but the region's rate of reforestation may be on the verge of being outpaced by suburban sprawl's deforestation, according to a new report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Reforestation of abandoned agricultural areas has been the trend in much of the eastern U.S. since the early 20th century.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
Solving Another Mystery Of An Amazing Water Walker
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071230093816.htm
Walking on water may seem like a miracle to humans, but it is a ho-hum for the water strider and scientists who already solved the mystery of that amazing ability. Now researchers are reporting a long-sought explanation for the water strider's baffling ability to leap onto a liquid surface without sinking.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
Declining Water Levels In The Great Lakes May Signal Global Warming
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071230093533.htm
Researchers report new evidence that water levels in the Great Lakes, which are near record low levels, may be shrinking due to global warming. Their study, which examines water level data for Lakes Michigan and Huron over more than a century. Researchers point out that water levels in the Great Lakes, which supply drinking water to more than 40 million U.S. and Canadian residents, have fluctuated over thousands of years. But recent declines in water levels have raised concern because the declines are consistent with many climate change projections, they say.
Sat, 29 Dec 07
'Golden Bullet' Shows Promise For Killing Common Parasite
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071230093430.htm
Researchers in Australia report development of a new type of gold nanoparticle that destroys the parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis, a potentially serious disease acquired by handling the feces of infected cats or eating undercooked meat. Their so-called "golden bullet" could provide a safer, more effective alternative for treating the disease than conventional drug therapy, they say. Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite that causes the disease, infects more than 60 million people in the United States alone.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Insect Gut Detects Unhealthy Meal
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094918.htm
Plant leaves and surfaces are teeming with microbial life, yet the insects that feed on plants lack adaptive immune systems to fend off any intruding microorganisms they eat along with their greens. Now research shows how food-borne bacteria affect an insect's immune system.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Orphaned Children Show Higher Intelligence And Fare Better In Foster Care Than In Institutions
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221130041.htm
New research, published in Science, shows strong evidence that children fare much better in foster care than in an institution. The study -- conducted in Bucharest, Romania -- could be a wake-up call to nations that feel institutionalization is the best way to handle abandoned children. Children reared in institutions showed greatly diminished intellectual performance relative to children reared in their families of origin. Further, children who were randomly assigned to foster care experienced "significant gains in cognitive function."
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Newly Discovered Properties Of Certain Crystals Could Impact The Miniaturization Of Electronic Devices
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221182423.htm
The dashing start of electrons in a crystal does not remain without consequences for their further fate. Researchers examined the ultrafast movement of electrons in a gallium arsenide crystal exposed for a short time to a very high electrical field. This conceptually new experiment shows for the first time a collective, oscillatory motion of the electrons with ultrahigh frequency, which arises additionally to the well-known drift motion of these particles. This newly discovered effect could play an important role in connection with the miniaturization of electronic devices.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Metal Foam Has A Good Memory
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220111513.htm
A new class of materials known as "magnetic shape-memory foams" has been developed by two research teams headed by Peter Müllner at Boise State University and David Dunand at Northwestern University, both funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The foam consists of a nickel-manganese-gallium alloy whose structure resembles a piece of Swiss cheese with small voids of space between thin, curvy "struts" of material.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Why Exertion Leads To Exhaustion
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220103702.htm
Researchers have discovered the dramatic changes that occur in our muscles when we push ourselves during exercise. We all have a sustainable level of exercise intensity, known as the "critical power." This level can increase as we get fitter, but will always involve us working at around 75-80 percent of our maximal capacity. This research shows why, when we go beyond this level, we have to slow down or stop altogether.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Firefly Genes In Mice Allow Testing Of New Therapy Against Lymphoma
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219134958.htm
Researchers here have figured out a way to use a firefly gene to let them see just how effective a new drug combination actually is against some forms of cancer and its serious complication. The new study looked at ATLL, adult T cell lymphoma and leukemia, a form of cancer where it is particularly hard to gauge the disease's progress, and where the patients' prognosis is generally poor. There is now no widely effective therapy available to treat this disease successfully.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
First Look At An Enzyme Target For Antibacterial And Cancer Drugs
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220133435.htm
The veil has finally been lifted on an enzyme that is critical to the process of DNA transcription and replication, and is a prime target of antibacterial and anticancer drugs. Researchers have produced the first three-dimensional structural images of a DNA-bound Type II topoisomerase (topo II) that is responsible for untangling coiled strands of the chromosome during cell division.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Two 'Noses' Are Necessary For Flies To Navigate Well
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226230117.htm
Animals and insects communicate through an invisible world of scents. By exploiting infrared technology, researchers at Rockefeller University just made that world visible. With the ability to see smells, these scientists now show that when fly larvae detect smells with both olfactory organs they find their way toward a scented target more accurately than when they detect them with one.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Modified Protein May Lead To First Cure For Cirrhosis Of The Liver
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226225538.htm
University of California, San Diego researchers have proven in animal studies that fibrosis in the liver can be not only stopped, but reversed. Their discovery, to be published in PLoS Online on Dec. 26, opens the door to treating and curing conditions that lead to excessive tissue scarring such as viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, pulmonary fibrosis, scleroderma and burns.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Vaccine Against Malaria Will Reduce Disease, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220111516.htm
Researchers have just published data potentially impacting the three billion people exposed to malaria every year. Novel findings show that new antibodies inhibit infection by the Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) malaria parasite.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Fisheries Should Be Regarded As Part Of Maritime Environment, Experts Urge
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220103659.htm
Professional fishery is in many sea areas a serious ecological threat to the maritime environment. On the other hand, changes in the environment, e.g. the increase of fish-eating animals like seals and cormorants, may impact the fisheries. One of the new guiding principles of political decision-making in fishery issues is that a holistic "ecosystems approach" should be used instead of traditional protection of fish populations.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Deep-sea Species' Loss Could Lead To Oceans' Collapse, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071227184100.htm
The loss of deep-sea species poses a severe threat to the future of the oceans, suggests a new report in Current Biology. In a global-scale study, the researchers found some of the first evidence that the health of the deep sea, as measured by the rate of critical ecosystem processes, increases exponentially with the diversity of species living there.
Fri, 28 Dec 07
Exoplanet Reflected Light Detected For The First Time
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226225432.htm
For the first time ever, astronomers have detected and monitored the visible light that is scattered in the atmosphere of an exoplanet. Employing techniques similar to how Polaroid sunglasses filter away reflected sunlight to reduce glare, the team of scientists were able to extract polarized light to enhance the faint reflected starlight 'glare' from an exoplanet.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
Songbirds Offer Clues To Highly Practiced Motor Skills In Humans
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221134339.htm
The melodious sound of a songbird may appear effortless, but his elocutions are actually the result of rigorous training undergone in youth and maintained throughout adulthood. His tune has virtually "crystallized" by maturity. The same control is seen in the motor performance of top athletes and musicians. Yet, subtle variations in highly practiced skills persist in both songbirds and humans. Now, scientists think they know why.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
Can A Vibrating Mouse Prevent Computer-related Injuries?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221163210.htm
An international authority on office ergonomics studies a chair that undulates, a mouse that vibrates, a monitor attached to a movable arm and other newfangled workstations. Back injuries also account for one-third of all workplace injuries. A decade ago most of these were associated with heavy lifting. Today they are mostly caused by people sitting for longer periods of time -- often in front of a computer.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
Sandwich Technique Eases 3D Optical Chip Fabrication
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221214701.htm
Complex three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits involving both optical and electronic elements are now easier to make, thanks to a "wafer bonding" technique developed by a European research consortium. Photonics is the science of controlling photons -- the particles that make up light. Photonic devices are essential in telephone and computer networks, where they manage the flow of information along optical fibres. Pollution monitors, laser rangefinders, surgical lasers and DVD players are other examples of photonics in action.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
How Mars Could Have Been Warm And Wet But Limestone Free
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221130045.htm
Planetary scientists have puzzled for years over an apparent contradiction on Mars. Abundant evidence points to an early warm, wet climate on the red planet, but there's no sign of the widespread carbonate rocks, such as limestone, that should have formed in such a climate. A new analysis suggests that on Mars, sulfur went through a whole cycle comparable to the well-known carbon cycle on Earth.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
Researchers Prove How Plants Transport Sugars
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221163216.htm
Using genetic engineering techniques, researchers have proven a long-standing theory of how many plants ship sugars from their leaves to flowers, roots, fruits and other parts of their structure.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
Psychologists Explore Public Policy And Effects Of Media Violence On Children
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221134342.htm
Psychologists have authored a new study that reviews the literature on children's exposure to media violence and assesses the lack of effective public policy response to curb the risks. They also recommend more effective public policy strategies in the future.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
Brain Abnormalities Underlying Key Element Of Borderline Personality Disorder Identified
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094757.htm
Using new approaches scientists have gained a view of activity in key brain areas associated with a core difficulty in patients with borderline personality disorder -- shedding new light on this serious psychiatric condition.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
Scientist On Quest For Disappearing Eel
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221173633.htm
Environmental scientists will be trying to determine whether American eels -- the slimy, snake-like fish considered worldwide to be a food delicacy -- are dying from chemical pollution in Lake Ontario. Declared a "species of concern" under Canada's new Species at Risk Act, American eels have until recently supported a multi-million-dollar historic fishery in Ontario and an even larger industry in Quebec. But with rapidly decreasing numbers of eels, the Ontario fishery has been closed and the Quebec fishery is in serious decline.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
Solar Powered Bottle Sorter And Other Eco-friendly Inventions By Students
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221172413.htm
The assignment was wide open: Design something based on the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle, and develop it into a prototype product. The results ranged from simple mechanical devices to complex electronic machines, but all served that central purpose in original ways.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
Hormone May Be New Drug Target For Preventing Lymphedema, Tumor Spread
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220172126.htm
A hormone secreted by cells throughout the body and known to play a role in cardiovascular disease and other cell functions is also critical for proper formation of the lymphatic system in mice, according to new research.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
Evolution Of Crop Grasses Linked To Greenhouse Gases
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220152555.htm
Evolutionary biologists provide strong evidence that changes in global carbon dioxide levels probably had an important influence on the emergence of a specific group of plants, termed C4 grasses. These grasses include major cereal crops, plants used for biofuels, and species that represent important components of grasslands across the world.
Thu, 27 Dec 07
Most Breast Cancer Surgeons Don't Talk To Patients About Reconstruction Options, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094750.htm
Only a third of patients with breast cancer discussed breast reconstruction options with their surgeon before their initial surgery, according to a new study. What's more, women who did discuss reconstruction up front were four times more likely to have a mastectomy compared to those women who did not discuss reconstruction.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
Biologists Find Unusual Plant Gene: Abstinence By Mutual Consent
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220140221.htm
Biologists have discovered a gene in plants that disrupts fertilization only when mutations in the gene are present in both the female and male reproductive cells. Their discovery has been named the "abstinence by mutual consent" mutation because of its unusual properties.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
Certain Diseases, Birth Defects May Be Linked To Failure Of Protein Recycling System
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220133443.htm
A group of signaling proteins known as Wnt -- which help build the human body's skin, bone, muscle and other tissues -- depend on a complex delivery and recycling system to ensure their transport to tissue-building cell sites. Failure of this system may be a mechanism of cancer, heart disease or birth defects related to Wnt proteins, according to new research.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
Dance Of Water With Proteins: Disco Becomes A Minuet
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221224910.htm
It is in particular the type of fold that determines the function of proteins -- this is a dynamic process that takes place very quickly. Some 1000 water molecules are "brought into line" by one protein: If their movement without protein more closely resembles a bunch of unchoreographed disco dancers, then in the vicinity of a protein it looks more like they are dancing a minuet.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
What Tips The Balance? Understanding Why X Chromosome Inactivation Can Be Skewed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220172123.htm
To ensure that women and men express equivalent levels of the genes found on X chromosomes, one of the two X chromosomes in the cells of a women is inactive. X chromosome inactivation (XCI) occurs early in development, at approximately the time an embryo implants in the womb, and all cells stemming from a given cell have the same X chromosome inactivated.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
Immigrant Children Are At Increased Risk Of Lead Poisoning, Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219202807.htm
Immigrant children are five times as likely as US-born children to suffer from lead poisoning in New York City, according to a new Health Department study, and the risk is highest among the most recent immigrants.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
What A Wireless World Could Mean For The Average Person
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221180421.htm
The Wireless World Initiative has developed prototype user-centered systems that will potentially enable millions of people to make the most of third-generation (3G) and beyond mobile technology to work, relax and play any time, anywhere. ICT Results reports back from WWI's crowning event. It is Monday morning in the not-too-distant future and two neighbors, Bob the builder and Bob the businessman, are getting ready for work. The builder has to drive to a job in a nearby town and the businessman needs to take the train to the office. They switch on their televisions and request information on road and rail conditions.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
Will Beetles Inherit The Earth? Evolutionary Study Reveals Their Long-term Success
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220140810.htm
Most modern-day groups of beetles have been around since the time of the dinosaurs and have been diversifying ever since, says new research in Science. Beetles have displayed an exceptional ability to seize new ecological opportunities and develop a great range of life styles and feeding types.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
EPO Prevents Chemotherapy Cardiotoxicity, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220123841.htm
The use of several chemotherapeutic agents in oncology is limited by their cardiac toxicity. Recent experimental studies suggest that recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) can be considered as a protective agent against cardiac ischemic injury. Here we show that pretreatment by rhEPO protects myocardium against cardiotoxicity induced by acute doxorubicin or trastuzumab exposure, using the isolated rat heart model. Further clinical investigations are now needed to explore the potential benefit of rhEPO in oncology.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
'Hybrid' Semiconductors Show Zero Thermal Expansion; Could Lead To Hardier Electronics
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219122842.htm
The fan in your computer is there to keep the microprocessor chip from heating to the point where its component materials start to expand, inducing cracks that interrupt the flow of electricity -- and not incidentally, ruin the chip. Thermal expansion can also separate semiconducting materials from the substrate, reduce performance through changes in the electronic structure of the material or warp the delicate structures that emit laser light.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
Helping Hand From The Grandparents, Observed in Birds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221101725.htm
Scientists have discovered the existence of "grandparent" helpers in the Seychelles warbler -- the first time this behavior, which rarely occurs except in humans, has been observed in birds.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
Demonstrating The Influence Of The Microenvironment In The Process Of Metastasis
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220111524.htm
An in vitro culture model of human colon cancer has been created in order to reproduce the gene regulation that is expressed in these cancer cells during their growth as metastasis in the liver of patients.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
Loma Prieta Fault In California Stronger Than Previously Thought
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219130301.htm
A new study adds to evidence that the fault responsible for the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, is not as unusually weak as had been thought. In general, a "weak" fault is one that ruptures relatively easily, resulting in smaller but more frequent earthquakes, while a "strong" fault can accumulate more strain before breaking in larger shocks.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
Marathons Cut Risk Of Fatal Vehicle Crashes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094840.htm
Organized marathons are not associated with an increased risk of sudden death, despite the media attention they attract. In fact, marathons lower the risk of fatal motor vehicle crashes that might otherwise have taken place if the roads had not been closed, finds a new study.
Wed, 26 Dec 07
Adult Male Chimpanzees Don't Stray Far From The Home
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071227184054.htm
When it comes to choosing a place to live, male chimpanzees in the wild don't stray far from home. Researchers found that adult male chimps out on their own tend to follow in their mother's footsteps, spending their days in the same familiar haunts where they grew up. Male chimpanzees are generally very social, but how they use space when they are alone might be critical to their survival, the researchers said.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Mysterious Cosmic Powerhouses Explored
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220102247.htm
Astronomers are shedding new light on some of the most energetic objects in our galaxy, but objects that remain shrouded in mystery. These cosmic powerhouses pour out vast amounts of energy, and they accelerate particles to almost the speed of light. But very little is known about these sources because they were discovered only recently.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Herpes Virus May Play Role In Central Nervous System Diseases
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094901.htm
Scientists have discovered evidence suggesting a herpes virus may be responsible for some cases of meningitis and encephalitis. Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is one of the most prevalent in humans. There are two variants of HHV-6, HHV-6A and HHV-6B which is attributed to a common childhood disease characterized by a high fever and rash.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Pinot Noir Grape Sequenced
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219082611.htm
Viticulture, the growing of grapes to make wine, is an ancient form of agriculture. We have a detailed understanding of how nurture affects the qualities of a grape harvest. Now a high quality draft genome sequence of a pinot noir grape complements that knowledge.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Scoring System Identifies MDS Patients Who Have Low-risk Disease But A Poor Prognosis
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221161939.htm
A new scoring system for a form of leukemia known as myelodysplastic syndrome identifies patients who appear to have low-risk disease but actually have poor prospects of survival. Physicians tend to adopt a watch and wait approach to low-risk MDS patients, which the researcher says misses low-risk/poor prognosis patients.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
From Shooting Pain To Shiver, Role Of Gatekeeper Protein In Sensing Cold Confirmed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192041.htm
For the first time, neuroscientists have visualized cold fibers -- strands reaching from sensory neurons near the spinal cord to nerve endings in the skin tuned to sense different types of cold. The study confirms the important role of the protein TRMP8 in cold-sensing neurons.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Physiology Of Champions
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221190742.htm
What could be a greater test of the limits of human physiology than the Olympics? To mark the 2008 games in Beijing researchers are taking a look at the science behind human athleticism and endurance.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Squirrels Use Old Snake Skins To Mask Their Scent From Predators
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219130305.htm
California ground squirrels and rock squirrels chew up rattlesnake skin and smear it on their fur to mask their scent from predators. Ground squirrels and rock squirrels have been seen applying snake scent to themselves by picking up pieces of shed snakeskin, chewing it and then licking their fur.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Engineering Students Design A Better Surf Board
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218191948.htm
Surfers in Hawaii had better beware. Four engineering science and mechanics students have completed "Surf Green" for their senior design project, and conclude that they can technically improve the surfboard's performance. The Beach Boys may have sung about surfing but these students decided to "quantify the feel of surfing," something only engineers would try to do.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Receptor Protein Appears To Be Key In Breakdown Of Kidney Filtration
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219154011.htm
Researchers have identified a new molecular pathway that appears to be involved in urinary protein loss, an early-stage kidney disease that affects 100 million people around the world, and is caused by a breakdown in the kidney's filtering structures. The pathway may be new target for cell-specific treatment of chronic kidney diseases.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Bangladesh To Dramatically Expand Technology That Doubles Efficiency Of Urea Fertilizer Use
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192026.htm
Using current broadcast technology, most nitrogen is lost to the air and water, and rice plants actually use only one bag of urea in three. Urea deep placement (UDP) puts nitrogen near rice roots so it is not lost. Farmers who use UDP can increase yields by 25 percent with less than half as much urea. The Bangladesh Government is expanding UDP to almost 1 million hectares of riceland, reaching 1.6 million farm families, in the coming dry season. Urea deep placement cuts nitrogen losses significantly.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Unknown Monumental Building Of Herod The Great (73-4 BC) Unearthed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221232712.htm
Excavations are underway in the East Jordan Land. With findings on the mountain Tall adh-Dhahab (West) in the Jabbok Valley the archaeologists could substantiate one assumption: everything points to the fact that the building remains from the Hellenistic and Roman era, found in 2006, were part of a yet unknown monumental building of Herod the Great (73-4 BC).
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Success Of Invasive Argentine Ants Linked To Diet Shifts
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101226.htm
The ability of Argentine ants to change from carnivorous insect eaters to plant sap-loving creatures has helped these invasive social insects rapidly spread throughout coastal California, according to a new study, displacing many native insects and creating ant infestations familiar to most coastal residents.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Snake Venoms Share Similar Ingredients
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219202946.htm
Venoms from different snake families may have many deadly ingredients in common, more than was previously thought. A new study has unexpectedly discovered three-finger toxins in a subspecies of the Massasauga Rattlesnake, as well as evidence for a novel toxin genes resulting from gene fusion.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Safer, More Accurate Radiation Therapy For Expecting Mothers
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218122417.htm
Developing fetuses are extremely sensitive to radiation, which poses an impossible dilemma for expecting mothers in need of screening or treatment for cancer. Now researchers have developed a new set of modeling tools that could enable safer, more accurate, and more effective radiation therapy and nuclear medicine imaging procedures for pregnant women.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
New Solutions To Reproductive Problems Related To Chromosomal Variations
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219142052.htm
Approximately one in every 500 to 650 baby boys is born with an extra X chromosome, a variation in their genetic code that until a few years ago was thought to result in infertility in all cases. However, this is no longer the case. New treatments for both children and adults are coming available.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
World's Largest Silicon Tracking Detector Installed At CERN
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218115622.htm
Installation of the world's largest silicon tracking detector was successfully completed at CERN on December 18, 2007. With a total surface area of 205 square metres, about the same as a singles tennis court, the CMS Silicon Strip Tracking Detector is by far the largest semiconductor silicon detector ever constructed. Its silicon sensors are patterned to provide a total of 10 million individual sensing strips, each of which is read out by one of 80,000 custom designed microelectronics chips.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Update To Food Guide Pyramid For Older Adults
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220082821.htm
Tufts University researchers have updated their Food Guide Pyramid for Older Adults to correspond with the USDA food pyramid, now known as MyPyramid. The Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults continues to emphasize a nutritionally adequate diet with specific emphasis on nutrient-dense food choices and the importance of fluid balance and regular physical activity for older adults.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Novel Method Used To Classify New Vs. Recurrent Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226004648.htm
Researchers have developed a new method for distinguishing between breast cancer recurrences and new primary tumors, according to a study published online December 25 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Cannabinoids May Inhibit Cancer Cell Invasion
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226004546.htm
Cannabinoids may suppress tumor invasion in highly invasive cancers, according to a study published online December 25 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Environmental Factors Early In Life May Influence Testicular Cancer Risk
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226004434.htm
The risk of testicular cancer was significantly lower among first-generation immigrants to Denmark, compared with men born in Denmark to immigrant parents and Danish men with Danish parents, according to a study published online December 25 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. This suggests that early exposure to environmental factors may influence the development of the disease.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Few Cancer Services Provided To Nursing Home Residents, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226004314.htm
Elderly nursing home residents receive relatively few cancer care services, including screening, surgical treatment, or hospice care, according to a study published online December 25 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Lung Cancer Cells' Survival Gene Seen As Drug Target
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226003936.htm
When a key gene called 14-3-3zeta is silenced, lung cancer cells can't survive on their own, researchers have found. The gene is a potential target for selective anticancer drugs.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Anthracyclines Improve Survival In HER2-positive Breast Cancer Patients
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226003850.htm
Treatment with the class of chemotherapy drugs called anthracyclines improves survival in women with HER2-positive breast cancer who have previously had surgery, but it may not offer any benefit for women with HER2-negative tumors, according to a study published online Dec. 25 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Chemotherapy And Tamoxifen Reduce Risk Of Second Breast Cancer, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226003841.htm
Among breast cancer patients, both chemotherapy and tamoxifen independently reduced the risk of developing a second cancer in the other breast, according to a study published online Dec. 25 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The risk reduction persisted for at least 10 and 5 years, respectively.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Mutation May Cause Inherited Neuropathy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226003821.htm
Mutations in a protein called dynein, required for the proper functioning of sensory nerve cells, can cause defects in mice that may provide crucial clues leading to better treatments for a human nerve disorder known as peripheral neuropathy, which affects about three percent of all those over age 60.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Some Types Of Temporary Neurological Problems Associated With Increased Risk For Stroke, Dementia
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226003805.htm
Patients who experience symptoms described as transient neurological attacks, such as temporary amnesia or confusion, may have a higher risk for stroke and dementia, according to a study in the Dec. 26 issue of JAMA.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Neglected Tropical Diseases Burden Those Overseas, But Travelers Also At Risk
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226003700.htm
A new paper by NIAID scientist Thomas Nutman, M.D., and colleagues reviews network data collected between 1997 and 2004 to determine demographic and travel characteristics of travelers diagnosed with parasitic worm (filarial) infections.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Breast Cancer Gene Mutation More Common In Hispanic, Young Black Women, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226003653.htm
A genetic mutation already known to be more common in Ashkenazi Jewish breast cancer patients is also prevalent in Hispanic and young African-American women with breast cancer, according to one of the largest, multiracial studies of the mutation to date.
Tue, 25 Dec 07
Photo-monitoring Whale Sharks: Largest Fish In The Sea Appear To Thrive Under Regulated Ecotourism
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226003604.htm
Up to 20 meters long and weighing as much as 20 tons, its enormous size gives the whale shark its name. Listed as a rare species, relatively little is known about whale sharks. However, a new study combines computer-assisted photographic identification with ecotourism to study the rare species and suggests whale shark populations in Ningaloo, Western Australia are healthy. The study appears in the Ecological Society of America's January issue of Ecological Applications.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Towards Cloaking Visible Light: Three-dimensional Metamaterials For The Optical Wavelength Range
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221231539.htm
Last year researchers from Duke University stunned the world when they announced a cloaking device for the microwave range. This device made use of metamaterials that had a negative refractive index for electromagnetic radiation. The metamaterials were carefully designed split-ring resonators with a structure size much smaller than the wavelength. Only 10 stacked layers of metamaterials were necessary to achieve the desired invisibility effect. Now researchers have succeeded in manufacturing a stacked split-ring metamaterial for the optical wavelength range.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Cancer Stem Cells May Be At The Root Of Brain Tumors
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221125945.htm
Stem cells, popularly known as a source of biological rejuvenation, may play harmful roles in the body, specifically in the growth and spread of cancer. Amongst the wildly dividing cells of a tumor, scientists have located cancer stem cells. Physician-scientists are studying these cells with hopes of combating malignant cancers in the brain.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Dolphin 'Therapy' A Dangerous Fad, Researchers Warn
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101131.htm
People suffering from chronic mental or physical disabilities should not resort to a dolphin "healing" experience, warn two researchers. The scientists have launched an educational campaign countering claims made by purveyors of what is known as dolphin-assisted therapy. While swimming with dolphins may be a fun, novel experience, no scientific evidence exists for any long-term benefit from 'dolphin-assisted therapy.'
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Missing Link In A Heart Disease Pathway Revealed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220140806.htm
Scientists have helped characterize a previously unknown link in the chain of biochemical reactions implicated in some forms of heart disease. The finding provides a new target for future drug therapies.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Study Of Bear Hair Will Reveal Genetic Diversity Of Yellowstone's Grizzlies
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218134821.htm
Montana State University's library of 400 grizzly bear hair samples will be analyzed to determine the genetic diversity of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population. The study will also determine if bears from the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem are adding their genetic diversity to the Yellowstone group.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Insurance Status Linked To Cancer Outcomes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220082825.htm
Lack of adequate health insurance coverage is associated with less access to care and poorer outcomes for cancer patients. The uninsured are less likely to receive recommended cancer screening tests, are more likely to be diagnosed with later stage disease, and have lower survival rates than those with private insurance for several cancers.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
To Curious Aliens, Earth Would Stand Out As Living Planet
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221105611.htm
With powerful instruments scouring the heavens, astronomers have found more than 240 planets in the past two decades, none likely to support Earth-like life. But what if aliens were hunting life outside their own planet? Armed with telescopes only a bit bigger and more powerful than our own, could they peer through the vastness of space and lock in onto Earth as a likely home to life?
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Flu Vaccine In Powder Form: The Answer To A Pandemic?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221220200.htm
In recent years, the bird flu virus has caught the attention of the world. In 2006 in particular, there was a lot of speculation about a wide-scale flu outbreak, in other words a pandemic. The Dutch government was worried about running short of vaccine, mainly because it has a very short shelf-life. All that could change, says a PhD student. In his thesis he describes a way of storing flu vaccine in powder form. It can then be stored for at least a year -- more than enough time to build up national stocks.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Cancer Treatment: Light Powered Platinum 80 Times More Powerful Than Similar Cancer Treatments
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221105926.htm
Researchers have discovered a new light-activated platinum-based compound that is up to 80 times more powerful than other platinum-based anti-cancer drugs and which can use "light activation" to kill cancer cells in much more targeted way than similar treatments.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Study Shows Urban Sprawl Continues To Gobble Up Land
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217171404.htm
Despite reports to the contrary, urban sprawl has continued to grow significantly for the past several decades, new research suggests. A study of changing land use patterns in the state of Maryland found substantial and significant increases in sprawl between 1973 and 2000.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Scientists Tackle Obstacles To Treating Brain Disorders
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220150412.htm
Scientists have outlined the challenges and made suggestions on how to advance research and improve treatments for brain disorders. Many neurological disorders are difficult to treat because of a natural barrier in the brain. The blood-brain barrier is a specialized system of cells that acts as a gatekeeper for the brain, blocking harmful substances from entering while allowing in necessary nutrients. The barrier is necessary to keep the brain and nervous system healthy. However, it also causes problems in medication delivery because it treats medications as the enemy, preventing the therapeutic agents from doing their job.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Measuring The Density Of Ultra-pure Water
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101202.htm
For the description of ocean currents accurate measurements of the density of sea water are of great importance. For this purpose, measuring instruments are needed which reach a small uncertainty. To be able to calibrate these measuring instruments, ultra-pure water is required as a reference fluid -- the density of which can now be measured with the required accuracy over a large temperature range by means of a method which has been further developed at PTB.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Mental Health Linked To Amputation Risk In Diabetic Veterans
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220101845.htm
For US veterans with diabetes, lower scores on a test of mental health functioning are associated with an increased risk of major amputations, reports a new study.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Biochip Mimics The Body To Reveal Toxicity Of Industrial Compounds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217171354.htm
A new biochip technology could eliminate animal testing in the chemicals and cosmetics industries, and drastically curtail its use in the development of new pharmaceuticals, according to new findings.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
A 'Gizmo' That Saves Lives After Disasters
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217141422.htm
Police, firefighters and other emergency workers responding to natural or manmade disasters may someday save more lives with the help of ?Gizmo,? an advanced mobile wireless communications device. "Gizmo," which looks like a cross between a remote-controlled toy truck and a lunar landing vehicle, may eventually transform disaster response by collecting and transmitting in real time any information that emergency personnel need via any communications system they're using.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Standard Treatment For Breast Cancer Frequently Not Followed, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221144514.htm
The majority of older women with early stage breast cancer fail to adhere to the standard of treatment -- five years of daily oral use of the chemo-prevention drug Tamoxifen. Researchers determined that premature tamoxifen discontinuation is quite common and deserves closer attention.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Protons Extracted Into New Transfer Beamline From ISIS Accelerator
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218113452.htm
Protons were successfully extracted into the new proton transfer beamline from the existing ISIS accelerator and delivered to the new target station. The high energy beam of protons will be used to release neutrons from a tungsten target. By scattering these neutrons off sample materials, scientists can visualize the positions and motions of atoms.
Mon, 24 Dec 07
Exposure To Terrorist Attacks Increases Mental Health Problems In Children
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220162623.htm
A new report reveals that children exposed to terrorist attacks show elevated symptoms of mental health problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder, separation anxiety disorder and general anxiety disorder.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Explosives On A Chip: Unique Structure Enables New Generation Of Military Micro-detonators
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218105422.htm
Tiny copper structures with pores at both the nanometer and micron size scales could play a key role in the next generation of detonators used to improve the reliability, reduce the size and lower the cost of certain military munitions.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Miscarriage And Abortion Triple Chances Of Future Low Birthweight Babies
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220235518.htm
Women who have miscarried or had an abortion run three times the normal risk of having a subsequent low birthweight baby, suggests new research. The more miscarriages or abortions a woman has, the greater are her chances of giving birth to a child that is underweight or premature in the future, the research shows. Low birthweight (under 2500 g) and premature birth (less than 37 weeks) are two of the major contributors to deaths among newborn babies and infants.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
New Potential Target In The Treatment Of Fatal Brain Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220173710.htm
Hypertensive encephalopathy is an often-fatal disease of the brain that results from extremely high blood pressure. This disorder can lead to a breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, resulting in fluid accumulation in the brain, a condition known as cerebral edema. The mechanisms underlying the breakdown of the BBB were previously unknown.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Cryptic Messages Boost Data Security
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221214400.htm
Quantum cryptography, or quantum key distribution, enables two communicating parties to produce a shared random bit string know only to them, which can be used as a key to crypt and decrypt messages. An important and unique feature of quantum cryptography is the ability of the two communicating parties to quickly detect the presence of any third party trying to gain access to the key. This third party, the eavesdropper if you like, is commonly known as Eve among cryptographers. Quantum cryptography then is essentially all about cutting Eve out of the equation.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Nonhospital Health-care Workers At Substantial Risk Of Exposure To Bloodborne Pathogens
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220170332.htm
In one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers assessed the risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens among nonhospital based registered nurses, and found that nearly one out of 10 of the more than 1100 nurse participants reported at least one needlestick injury in the previous 12 months.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Scientists Find Good News About Methane Bubbling Up From The Ocean Floor
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220170341.htm
Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is emitted in great quantities as bubbles from seeps on the ocean floor near Santa Barbara. About half of these bubbles dissolve into the ocean, but the fate of this dissolved methane remains uncertain. Researchers have discovered that only one percent of this dissolved methane escapes into the air -- good news for the Earth's atmosphere.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Christmas Tree, Holiday Light, Safety Tips
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220222353.htm
When we think of the holiday season, pleasant and joyous thoughts come to mind but each and every year there are those families for whom the holidays turn tragic. Fires during the holiday season each year claim the lives of more than 400 people, injure 1,650 more, and cause more than $990 million in damage within the United States.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Humor Develops From Aggression Caused By Male Hormones, Professor Says
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220195636.htm
Humor appears to develop from aggression caused by male hormones, according to new research. A professor conducted a year long study observing how people reacted to him as he rode a unicycle through the streets of Newcastle upon Tyne in England. What began as a hobby turned into an observational study after he realized that the huge number of stereotypical and predictable responses he received must be indicative of an underlying biological phenomenon.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Lack Of Sunlight May Increase Lung Cancer Risk
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220235735.htm
Lack of sunlight may increase the risk of lung cancer, suggests a study of rates of the disease in over 100 countries. Lung cancer kills over a million people every year around the globe. The researchers looked at the association between latitude, exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) light, and rates of lung cancer according to age in 111 countries across several continents.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Cooking Up New Mems: A Taste Of Microscopic Machines To Come
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221215230.htm
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are tiny components etched from silicon. Production is extremely complex, sometimes with hundreds of steps, each with dozens of parameters. One European project has developed software that can test, simulate, track and share new manufacturing processes. It could slash development times and pave the way for innovative MEMS designs. If you could shrink yourself smaller than a dust mite and explore the innards of a modern car you would discover some amazing microscopic machines. Carefully etched out of silicon wafers are microscale accelerometers to trigger airbags, gyroscopes to detect and correct dangerous yaw and pressure sensors to monitor tyre inflation.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
How Muscle Weakness Caused By Myasthenia Gravis Can Be Stopped, According To New Research
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220170334.htm
Severe muscle weakness caused by myasthenia gravis -- a highly debilitating autoimmune disorder -- can be prevented or reversed by blocking a key step in the immune response that brings on the disease, researchers have found. Myasthenia gravis, which affects about 120,000 Americans, is caused when the immune system produces antibodies that attack and damage acetylcholine receptors, which are mechanisms that play a key role in transmitting the electrical impulses that cause muscles to move and contract.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Next-generation RAM: Remembering The Future
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221174912.htm
As electronics designers cram more and more components onto each chip, current technologies for making random-access memory (RAM) are running out of room. European researchers have a strong position in a new technology known as resistive RAM (RRAM) that could soon be replacing flash RAM in USB drives and other portable gadgets. On the 'semiconductor road map' setting out the future of the microchip industry, current memory technologies are nearing the end of the road. Future computers and electronic gadgets will need memory chips that are smaller, faster and cheaper than those of today --and that means going back to basics.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
World's Only Ultrafast Electron Microscope Takes 4-D 'Movies' Of Molecules
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071224130039.htm
A unique electron microscope that can help create four-dimensional "movies" of molecules may hold the answers to research questions in a number of fields including chemistry, biology, and physics.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
New Report Challenges Idea That Snuff Is A 'Safer' Substitute For Cigarettes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071224125651.htm
A 20-year review of scientific research on tobacco and cancer challenges the idea that moist snuff -- increasingly popular in the United States -- can be a safer substitute for cigarette smoking.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Culinary Shocker: Cooking Can Preserve, Boost Nutrient Content Of Vegetables
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071224125524.htm
In a finding that defies conventional culinary wisdom, researchers in Italy report that cooking vegetables can preserve or even boost their nutritional value in comparison to their raw counterparts, depending on the cooking method used.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Toward An Urgently Needed Antidote For Cyanide Poisoning Disasters
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071224125429.htm
Citing an "alarming" lack of preparedness for terrorist attacks or other incidents involving release of cyanide, researchers in Minnesota are announcing development of potential new antidotes for the deadly poison that can be taken by mouth rather than injection.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Researcher Seeks Clues To How Tuberculosis Infects Cells
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071224124805.htm
Cornell researchers are using advanced genetic techniques to better understand the relationship between the bacteria that cause tuberculosis and the human immune system defense cells that engulf them.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Gold Nanoparticle Probes May Allow Earlier Cancer Detection
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071224124751.htm
Using tiny gold particles embedded with dyes, researchers have shown that they can identify tumors under the skin of a living animal. These tools may allow doctors to detect and diagnose cancer earlier and less invasively. Studded with antibody fragments called ScFv peptides that bind cancer cells, the gold particles grab onto tumors after their injection into a mouse. When illuminated with a laser beam, the tumor-bound particles send back a signal that is specific to the dye.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Sleep Chemical Central To Effectiveness Of Deep Brain Stimulation
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071224124718.htm
A brain chemical that makes us sleepy also appears to play a central role in the success of deep brain stimulation to ease symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease and other brain disorders. The surprising finding is outlined in a paper published online Dec. 23 in Nature Medicine.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Where And Why Humans Made Skates Out Of Animal Bones
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071224124656.htm
Archaeological evidence shows that bone skates (skates made of animal bones) are the oldest human powered means of transport, dating back to 3000 B.C.
Sun, 23 Dec 07
Some Brain Injuries Reduce Likelihood Of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071224124639.htm
A new study of combat-exposed Vietnam War veterans shows that those with injuries to certain parts of the brain were less likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. The findings, from the National Institutes of Health and the National Naval Medical Center, suggest that drugs or pacemaker-like devices aimed at dampening activity in these brain regions might be effective treatments for PTSD.
Sat, 22 Dec 07
Geologists Say 'Wall Of Africa' Allowed Humanity To Emerge
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219082604.htm
Scientists long have focused on how climate and vegetation allowed human ancestors to evolve in Africa. Now, geologists are calling renewed attention to the idea that ground movements formed mountains and valleys, creating environments that favored the emergence of humanity.
Sat, 22 Dec 07
New Insights Into Deadly Heart Rhythm Disorder
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220102250.htm
Every year, 300,000 Americans die suddenly when, out of the blue, a "storm" of electrical activity arises within their heart muscle. A new paper sheds new light on the origins of this phenomenon, called ventricular fibrillation, and the ability of VF research in animals to be translated into humans.
Sat, 22 Dec 07
Cat Fleas' Journey Into The Vacuum Is A 'One-way Trip'
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217111010.htm
Homeowners dogged by household fleas need look no farther than the broom closet to solve their problem. Scientists have determined that vacuuming kills fleas in all stages of their lives, with an average of 96 percent success in adult fleas and 100 percent destruction of younger fleas. In fact, the results were so surprisingly definitive that the lead scientist repeated the experiments several times to be sure the findings were correct.
Sat, 22 Dec 07
Colon Cancer Screenings May Not Pay Off And Could Pose Harm To Some
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218151729.htm
Even though current guidelines advocate colorectal cancer screenings for those with severe illnesses, they may bring little benefit and may actually pose harm, according to a recent study.
Sat, 22 Dec 07
Software Wrapper For Smarter, Networked Homes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221215021.htm
Homes today are filled with increasing numbers of high-tech gadgets, from smart phones and PCs to state-of-the-art TV and audio systems, many of them with built-in networking capabilities. Combined, these devices could form the building blocks of the smart homes of the future, but only if they can be made to work together intelligently. Although the idea of creating intelligent networked home environments as a way to make life easier, safer and more enjoyable has been around for some time, the technology has yet to catch up with the vision. Home automation systems have become more commonplace and consumer electronics have more networking capability, but no one has, so far, gotten all the high-tech and not so high-tech gadgetry cluttering modern homes to work together in an intelligent way. It is not yet common for fridges to talk to your TV to warn that the door has been left open or for heating systems to turn on when you return home, for example.
Sat, 22 Dec 07
What's The Rush? Taking Time To Acknowledge Loss Is Not That Bad
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219202810.htm
There are two guarantees in every person's life: happiness and sadness. Although lost opportunities and mistaken expectations are often unpleasant to think and talk about, these experiences may impact personality development and overall happiness. A seven-year study indicates that individuals who take time to stop and think about their losses are more likely to mature and achieve a potentially more durable sense of happiness.
Sat, 22 Dec 07
Mars Rovers Find New Evidence Of 'Habitable Niche'
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221161922.htm
Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity have found new evidence that the planet could once have sustained life. Measurements showed the soil to be about 90 percent amorphous silica -- a substance associated with life-supporting environments on Earth.
Sat, 22 Dec 07
Protein That Controls Bone Growth Discovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219110311.htm
Scientists have uncovered the molecular mechanism by which the protein osteocrin controls bone growth -- a discovery that may have important implications for people suffering from bone diseases affecting skeletal growth.
Sat, 22 Dec 07
Neuronal Circuits Able To Rewire On The Fly To Sharpen Senses
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216155630.htm
Researchers have for the first time described a mechanism called "dynamic connectivity," in which neuronal circuits are rewired "on the fly" allowing stimuli to be more keenly sensed.
Sat, 22 Dec 07
Imaging Procedures For Diagnosing Blood Clots In The Lung Examined
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192048.htm
New research indicates that a diagnostic strategy using computed tomographic pulmonary angiography may be a safe alternative to conventional lungs scans (known as ventilation-perfusion scans) for excluding the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lung vessels), although CTPA may detect more clots, according to a new study.
Sat, 22 Dec 07
Twin Study Indicates Genetic Basis For Processing Faces, Places
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192044.htm
A new study of twins indicates that the genetic foundation for the brain's ability to recognize faces and places is much stronger than for other objects, such as words. The results are some of the first evidence demonstrating the role of genetics in assigning these functions to specific regions of the brain.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
10,000 Earths' Worth Of Fresh Dust Found Near Star Explosion
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220132156.htm
Astronomers have at last found definitive evidence that the universe's first dust -- the celestial stuff that seeded future generations of stars and planets -- was forged in the explosions of massive stars. The findings are the most significant clue yet in the longstanding mystery of where the dust in our very young universe came from.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Why Don't We Get Cancer All The Time?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219130310.htm
To replace worn-out cells, having the neighboring cell split into two identical daughter cells would seem to be the simplest way to keep bodies from falling apart. Instead, multicellular organisms use a seemingly inefficient, multi-step process to replace lost cells. That longer process is a defense against cancer, according to new research.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Ancient Egyptian Glassmaking Recreated
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214094026.htm
Archaeologist have reconstructed a 3,000-year-old glassmaking furnace, suggesting that Ancient Egyptian technology was more advanced than previously thought. It was previously thought that the Ancient Egyptians may have imported their glass from the Near East at around this time. However, the excavation team believes the evidence from Amarna shows they were making it themselves, possibly in a single stage operation.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Can Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help Depression?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220082829.htm
Researchers are seeking participants for a clinical trial examining whether two polyunsaturated Omega-3 fatty acids are effective treatments for depression. The two fatty acids being studied -- docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) -- are found naturally in fish oil, flaxseed and walnuts. Previous studies have indicated that nutritional supplements that contain Omega-3 fatty acids can be an effective treatment for depression.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
DNA-protein Complex Crucial To Spread Of Antibiotic Resistance Among Bacteria Solved
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220162625.htm
Researchers have solved the structure of a DNA-protein complex that is crucial in the spread of antibiotic resistance among bacteria. Knowing this structure also provides fundamental insight into how cells successfully divide into two new cells with intact DNA.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Are You An Impulse Shopper?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220225637.htm
As the Christmas shopping season moves into its final days, new research from shows that certain shoppers who exhibit distinct cognitive skills are more apt to be impulse buyers.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Whales Descended From Tiny Deer-like Ancestors
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220220241.htm
Scientists since Darwin have known that whales are mammals whose ancestors walked on land. But one critical step was missing: The identity of the land ancestors of whales. Researchers have now discovered the skeleton of a 48-million-year-old mammal called an Indohyus. It is a fox-sized mammal that looked something like a miniature deer and is the closest known fossil relative of whales. Because Indohyus itself is not a whale, but a close cousin, the discovery suggests that the first whales were themselves aquatic, rather than evolving aquatic habits after they took to the water.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Mutant Gene Identified As Villain In Hardening Of The Arteries
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218113455.htm
A genetic mutation promotes hardening of the arteries. The researchers found that mice engineered without the Akt1 gene and fed a high cholesterol diet had many more signs of aortic atherosclerosis compared to their littermates. And, surprisingly, their coronary lesions were similar to humans, say the scientists.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Two New Species Of Soft Coral Discovered In Caribbean
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213152310.htm
Two new species of soft corals were discovered during a recent expedition to Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles, the largest atoll in the Caribbean. Marine biologists collected 40 species of soft corals and nearly 100 different species of crustaceans in just ten days of SCUBA diving and exploration. One of the likely new species was found in deep water (70 m), and the other, surprisingly, was found to be common in shallow water (20 m).
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Breakthrough In Rapid Malaria Detection Reported
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220082812.htm
Scientists have developed a radically new technique that uses lasers and non-linear optical effects to detect malaria infection in human blood. The researchers say the new technique holds the promise of simpler, faster and far less labor-intensive detection of the malaria parasite in blood samples.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Results Promising For Computational Quantum Chemical Methods For Drug Development
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220170328.htm
New research may someday help natural-products chemists decrease by years the amount of time it takes for the development of certain types of medicinal drugs. The research involves computations of optical rotation angles on chiral -- non-superimposable -- molecules. Many chiral molecules are important for medical treatment for illnesses ranging from acid-reflux to cancer. The term "chiral" means that two mirror images of a molecule cannot be superimposed onto each other. In other words, some are "left-handed" and some are "right-handed."
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Sex Education Linked To Delayed Teen Intercourse, New Study Says
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220231428.htm
Sex education greatly boosts the likelihood that teens will delay having intercourse, according to a new study that is the first of its kind in years. Male teens who received sex education in school were 71 percent less likely -- and similarly educated female teens were 59 percent less likely -- to have sexual intercourse before age 15. Males who attended school, meanwhile, were 2.77 times more likely to rely upon birth control the first time they had intercourse if they had been in sex-education classes.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Many Common Medical Beliefs Are Untrue
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220195639.htm
Should we drink at least eight glasses of water a day? Does shaving hair cause it to grow back faster or coarser? Does reading in dim light ruin your eyesight? These are just some of the common medical myths that are unproven or untrue, according to a new study.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Nano Bible: Entire Old Testament Written On A Pinhead
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220222917.htm
In a nanotechnology breakthrough, scientists have printed the entire Old Testament onto a silicone chip smaller than a pinhead (less than 1/1000th of an inch). The text was written using a focused ion beam (FIB) generator that shot tiny particles called Gallium ions onto a gold surface covering a base layer of silicone. In a process that can be likened to digging a hole in the earth using a water jet, the ion beam etched the surface of the gold layer, making the underlying silicone layer visible. The actual "writing" of the full text took just 90 minutes. The computer program that guided the FIB, however, took more than three months.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Artificial Skin System Can Heal Wounds, Research Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220162620.htm
A new study in Artificial Organs tested the effects of a wound dressing created with hair follicular cells. The findings reveal that skin substitutes using living hair cells can increase wound healing.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Stunning Survey Unveils New Secrets Of Caistor Roman Town
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213101359.htm
On the morning of Friday July 20, 1928, the crew of an RAF aircraft took photographs over the site of the Roman town of Venta Icenorum at Caistor St. Edmund in Norfolk, a site which now lies in open fields to the south of Norwich. Now, new investigations at Caistor Roman town using the latest technology have revealed the plan of the buried town at an extraordinary level of detail which has never been seen before.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Walking And Moderate Exercise Help Prevent Dementia
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219202948.htm
People age 65 and older who regularly walk and get other forms of moderate exercise appear to significantly lower their risk of developing vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Fruit Flies Learn and Remember Better When Lacking One Receptor
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219122858.htm
When fruit flies lack a receptor for the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid, their ability to learn or remember is enhanced, the first time scientists have been able to induce this effect in the insects.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Active Computer Games No Substitute For Playing Real Sports
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220195643.htm
New generation active computer games stimulate greater energy expenditure than sedentary games, but are no substitute for playing real sports, according to a new study.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Mountains Discovered On Titan, Saturn's Largest Moon
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220223729.htm
Astronomers have discovered and analyzed mountains on Saturn's largest moon, additional evidence that it has some of the most earthlike processes of any celestial body in the solar system. Titan's mountains are most likely made of water ice and are relatively small in height, at most 2 km (1.25 mi) from base to peak.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Depletion Of One Antioxidant Linked To Parkinson's In Mice
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220232034.htm
Scientists have shown that mice suffering from a depletion of the antioxidant glutathione in dopamine-producing neurons developed nerve damage and symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) in humans. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced in the mid-brain which facilitates many critical functions, including motor skills. Past studies have shown that depletion of the naturally occurring antioxidant in the affected area of the brain is one of the earliest signs of PD, but this study shows that glutathione depletion may be a causal factor in the disorder.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Vitamin B-12 Function May Be Diminished By Excessive Folate
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101124.htm
In a study of adults aged 20 and over, researchers at Tufts University showed that homocysteine and methylmalonic acid are at much higher levels in individuals who have a combination of vitamin B-12 deficiency and high blood folate levels than in individuals who are also vitamin B12 deficient but have normal folate levels.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Agent Orange Chemical, Dioxin, Attacks The Mitochondria To Cause Cancer, Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217171406.htm
Researchers have demonstrated the process by which the cancer-causing chemical dioxin attacks the cellular machinery, disrupts normal cellular function and ultimately promotes tumor progression.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Airport Security Measures Not Backed By Solid Evidence
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220195648.htm
There is no solid evidence that the huge amounts of money spent on airport security screening measures since Sept. 11 are effective, argue researchers.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Created That Avoid Immune Rejection
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220123837.htm
In a groundbreaking experiment scientists have derived four unique embryonic stem cell lines that open the door for the creation of therapeutic cells that will not provoke an immune reaction in large segments of the population. The stem cell lines are "HLA-homozygous," meaning that they have a simple genetic profile in the critical areas of the DNA that code for immune rejection. The stem cells under development are derived from unfertilized donor eggs, not from fertilized embryos, so the technique does not carry the same ethical burden.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Blood-brain Barrier: A Misunderstood Key To Finding Life-saving Cures To Brain Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101237.htm
Scientists demystify the blood-brain barrier. They suggest several strategies to propel research for treatments of brain diseases that include multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, obesity and stroke.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Faster X-ray Interferometers Due To Single-photon Interference
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101155.htm
By means of X-ray interferometers, lengths down to the mm range can be measured with a resolution of less than one nm. The low translation velocity of the interferometers, which made their use in practice more difficult, could now be increased by a factor of 100 by exploiting the temporal correlation of singly interfering X-ray photons.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
How Windproof Are Cable Cars?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216142011.htm
A measuring system deals with the question as to the effects different wind loads have on cable cars. Two researchers have thrown light on vibration-control problems, an area little researched up to now and were able to account for the occurrence of lateral vibrations from various wind conditions right through to meteorological calm.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
'False-positive' Activation Of Cardiac Catheterization May Occur In Some With Suspected Heart Attack
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192046.htm
Physicians caring for patients suspected of having a heart attack may trigger "false-positive" activation of the cardiac catheterization laboratory based on test results suggestive of a heart attack, according to a new study.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Variable Light Illuminates The Distribution Of Picophytoplankton
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219082607.htm
Tiny photosynthetic plankton less than a millionth of a millimeter in diameter numerically dominate marine phytoplankton. Their photosynthesis uses light to drive carbon dioxide uptake, fueling the marine food web over vast areas of the oceans. A new study illuminates how the environment regulates the distributions of these ecologically important species.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Built-in Exercise Monitor Predicts Fitness
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101138.htm
A series of studies over the last two years, culminating in three academic papers in the past two months, has shown a consistently close correlation between actual and perceived exertion in people of all levels of fitness. The team has found that an individual's own sense of how hard he or she is working corresponds exactly with actual level of exertion, measured by heart-rate and oxygen uptake.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Wildlife Corridor Gives Endangered Elephants In India Passage Between Reserves
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220212827.htm
More than one thousand wild elephants have been given a right of passage, with the safeguarding of a wildlife corridor that links two reserves in Karnataka, Southern India. Elephant corridors are narrow strips of land that allow elephants to move from one habitat patch to another.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Link Between Cellular Defense Processes Found, Showing How Cancer Cells Survive
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219133217.htm
Investigators have discovered that immune system cells that engulf and destroy germs in the body enlist help for this task from a common housekeeping mechanism that most cells use to keep their interiors healthy. A mechanism in cells that kills germs and destroys cancer drugs and antibiotics is enlisted by a second mechanism that ingests germs from the environment, a finding that could improve treatments for cancer and infections.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Fizeau Interferometers For Surfaces With Different Reflectivity
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101150.htm
Due to their stable design, Fizeau interferometers are used to determine the topography of surfaces such as, e.g., plane surfaces. PTB has now developed a method which makes it possible to analyze surfaces with different reflectivities in a simple way. This method can also be extended to dynamic measurements.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
What AM I? AM Is A Regulator Of Vascular System Functionality
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220173855.htm
The two vascular systems in mammals develop sequentially during embryonic life. The blood vascular system, which is essential for the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, develops first. This is followed by the lymphatic vascular system that returns extracellular fluid and proteins back to the blood vascular system from the spaces between the tissues.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Precise Role Of Seminal Proteins In Sustaining Post-mating Responses In Fruit Flies
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101230.htm
Successful reproduction is critical to pass genes to the next generation. In sexually reproducing organisms, sperm enter the female with seminal proteins that are vital for fertility. Scientists have now knocked down the levels of 25 seminal proteins individually in male fruit flies, testing the males' abilities to modulate egg production, sperm storage and release, and the females' post-mating behavior and physiology.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Cardiovascular Disease Death Rates Decline, But Risk Factors Still Exact Heavy Toll
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220152553.htm
Cardiovascular disease death rates are declining, but CVD is still the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, and risk factor control remains a challenge for many, according to the most recent data from the American Heart Association's Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics - 2008 Update.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Astronomers Monitor Asteroid To Pass Near Mars
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221162707.htm
Astronomers funded by NASA are monitoring the trajectory of an asteroid estimated to be 50 meters (164 feet) wide that is expected to cross Mars' orbital path early next year. Observations provided by the astronomers and analyzed by NASA's Near-Earth Object Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., indicate the object may pass within 30,000 miles of Mars at about 6 a.m. EST (3 a.m. PST) on Jan. 30, 2008.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Surgery Without Stitches: Bio-film From Crab Shells Seals Surgical Wounds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221101736.htm
A thin polymer bio-film that seals surgical wounds could make sutures a relic of medical history. Measuring just 50 microns, the film is placed on a surgical wound and exposed to an infrared laser, which heats the film just enough to meld it and the tissue, thus perfectly sealing the wound. Known as Surgilux, the device's raw material is extracted from crab shells and has Food and Drug Administration approval in the US.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Key Enzyme Helps Keep The Synapse On Track
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094755.htm
At its core, healthy neurological function hinges on the efficient passage of information between brain cells via the synapse. Figuring out how the synapse traffics this information -- a process called neurotransmission -- is crucial to understanding the function of the healthy and diseased brain.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
El Niño Affected By Global Warming
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220133426.htm
Scientists have made some unexpected findings about the recent evolution of the ENSO system. Investigation of marine sedimentary drill cores enabled them to retrace the changes in the ENSO's functioning since the XVIIth Century to the present. Results showed a 2°C fall in temperature of the waters of the Humboldt current system for the period 1820-1878. This time corresponds to the end of the Little Ice Age yet coincides with a warming of the Earth.
Fri, 21 Dec 07
Putting The Brakes On Bike Thieves: System Alerts Security If Someone Takes Your Bike
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221101727.htm
New technology could put the brakes on bicycle thieves and may also be useful in flagging suspicious events in public places. The new computer system detects individuals parking their bicycles and can automatically warn security staff if it appears that someone other than the owner retrieves the vehicle.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Monkeys Can Perform Mental Addition
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101240.htm
Monkeys have the ability to perform mental addition. In fact, monkeys performed about as well as college students given the same test. The findings shed light on the shared evolutionary origins of arithmetic ability in humans and non-human animals.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Drug Aimed At Two Bioterror Agents Blocks Live Viral Infection, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219154014.htm
Two deadly and highly infectious viruses -- both potential bioterror threats -- may have met their match in a new drug. Hendra and Nipah viruses are related, newly recognized zoonotic viruses that can spread from their natural reservoir in fruit bats to larger animals -- including pigs, horses and humans.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
For Babies With Heart Defects, Death Risk Is Far Lower At Most Experienced Hospitals
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217092926.htm
Though the odds for infants with heart defects are much better now than they were even 10 years ago, a new study suggests a way to give them a better chance at survival: Get them to hospitals that are the most experienced at handling such cases. It's the first national study of this issue, and lends support to the creation of regional congenital heart centers.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Older Antibiotic Gains New Respect As Potent Treatment For Tuberculosis
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101243.htm
It has no current market, not even a prescription price. Its makers stopped commercial production years ago, because demand was so low. But an antibiotic long abandoned as a weak, low-dose treatment for tuberculosis may have found renewed purpose, this time as a potent, high-dose fighter against the most common and actively contagious form of the lung disease. Rifapentine is already approved for use in humans.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
'Jekyll And Hyde' Bacteria Offer Pest Control Clue
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219115306.htm
New research has revealed so-called 'Jekyll and Hyde' bacteria, suggesting a novel way to control insect pests without using insecticides. Scientists studied the relationship between plant-dwelling insects and the bacteria that live in them -- and discovered an unexpected interaction.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Creative Work Has Health Advantages, Population Research Center Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101223.htm
Employees who have more control over their daily activities and do challenging work they enjoy are likely to be in better health, according to a new study. Although people who work do give up some control over their daily activities, the study found that being employed leads to better health generally, regardless of the amount of creativity required in their work.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Hot Spot On Saturn's Tiny Moon Enceladus Causes Icy Plumes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217155253.htm
Enceladus, the tiny satellite of Saturn, is colder than ice, but data gathered by the Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn and Titan has detected a hot spot that could mean there is life in the old moon after all. The hot spot is causing plumes of ice and vapor to arise above Enceladus, say astronomers. If there is water on Enceladus, could there be life?
Thu, 20 Dec 07
New Brain Mechanism Identified For Interpreting Speech
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219122901.htm
In conversation, humans recognize words primarily from the sounds they hear. However, scientists have long known that what humans perceive goes beyond the sounds and even the sights of speech. The brain constructs its own unique interpretation. Scientists have now identified brain areas responsible for this perception. One of these areas, Broca's region, is typically thought of as an area of the brain used for talking rather than listening.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Experiments Unraveled Dynamic Core Movements Of Magnetic Swirls
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216134745.htm
Physicists investigated an unusual arrangement of three magnetic "swirls" - so called magnetic vortices - in a thin magnetic film. Their experiments unraveled the dynamic core movements of these magnetic swirls for the first time.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Chronic Kidney Disease Linked To Oxygen-deprived Tissue
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218105414.htm
Researchers have discovered how low-oxygen conditions can worsen chronic kidney disease. The key player is a protein called hypoxia-inducible-factor that, as its name suggests, is active when the kidney does not get enough oxygen, a condition known as hypoxia. This research has implications for new approaches to kidney dialysis.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Smaller, Faster Integrated Circuits Created By Using Computer-aided Design Software
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219154738.htm
Integrated circuits are the "brain" in computers, cell phones, and many other electronic devices. Scientists have demonstrated substantial improvements in integrated circuits, also known as silicon chips, achieved not by costly improvements in manufacturing, but by improved computer-aided design software based on better mathematical algorithms.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
No Need For Reduced Alcohol Consumption In Later Life, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101205.htm
Provided they stick to the same guidelines about alcohol consumption as younger adults, regular moderate drinking poses no additional risks to the 'over 65s,' and may even bring health benefits, according to two new studies.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Earliest Stage Of Planet Formation In Our Solar System Dated
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219130308.htm
Researchers have dated the earliest step in the formation of the solar system -- when microscopic interstellar dust coalesced into mountain-sized chunks of rock -- to 4,568 million years ago, within a range of about 2,080,000 years.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Genetic Link To Spina Bifida Discovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192016.htm
Researchers have discovered an association between genes regulating glucose metabolism and spina bifida. The decade-long study looked at more than 1,500 DNA samples from parents and their children with that birth defect.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
New Mechanical Insights Into Wound Healing And Scar Tissue Formation
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217092914.htm
When we are injured, the body launches a complex rescue operation. Two new insights into wound healing and scar tissue formation are expected to lead to improved treatment. The insights relate to the mechanical factors that play a critical role in the differentiation and function of fibroblasts and connective tissue cells that play a role in wound healing and scar tissue formation.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Heart Attack Risk From Smoking Due To Genetics, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219143050.htm
Heart attacks among cigarette smokers may have less to do with tobacco than genetics. A common defect in a gene controlling cholesterol metabolism boosts smokers? risk of an early heart attack, according to a new study. The findings also show that smokers without the defect normally have heart attacks no sooner than their non-smoking peers.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Color Sudoku Puzzle Demonstrates New Vision For Computing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101215.htm
Computer scientists have developed a color-based sudoku puzzle that will help sudoku players solve traditional sudoku puzzles but also helps demonstrate the potential benefits of a radical new vision for computing.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Jingle Bells Not Merry For Tone-deaf Individuals
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219154746.htm
A new neuroimaging study has found that tone-deaf or amusic individuals have more gray matter in specific regions of the brain related to processing musical pitch (the right interior frontal gyrus and the right auditory cortex), as compared to those who are musically intact.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
New Gene Therapy Heals Growth Deficiency Disorder In Live Animal
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192020.htm
Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that a new type of gene therapy, called RNA interference, can heal a genetic disorder in a live animal. RNA interference can "rescue" a strain of mouse that has been genetically engineered to express a defective human hormone that interferes with normal growth.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Scientists Identify And Repress Breast Cancer Stem Cells In Mouse Tissue
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217171350.htm
By manipulating highly specific gene-regulating molecules called microRNAs, scientists have succeeded in singling out and repressing stem-like cells in mouse breast tissue -- cells that are widely thought to give rise to cancer.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Move Over, Silicon: Advances Pave Way For Powerful Carbon-based Electronics
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192013.htm
Bypassing decades-old conventions in making computer chips, engineers developed a novel way to replace silicon with carbon on large surfaces, clearing the way for new generations of faster, more powerful cell phones, computers and other electronics. The new practical technique shows great promise with the carbon material called graphene.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Simple Push Filling Wins Crown In Battle Against Tooth Decay
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219202820.htm
A simple technique using a preformed crown offers an improved and effective method to fight tooth decay in children's molars, according to new research.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
New Gene Prediction Method Capitalizes On Multiple Genomes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219202944.htm
Scientists report a new approach to computationally predicting the locations and structures of protein-coding genes in a genome. Gene finding remains an important problem in biology as scientists are still far from fully mapping the set of human genes. Furthermore, gene maps for other vertebrates, including important model organisms such as mouse, are much more incomplete than the human annotation. The new technique works by comparing a genome of interest to the genomes of several related species.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Why Do People Support Underdogs And Find Them So Appealing?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219155445.htm
Do people root for the clear winner or the underdog when they watch competitions? Recent research showed that people most often support the underdog. The researchers propose that those who are viewed as disadvantaged arouse people's sense of fairness and justice -- important principles to most people.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Why Diving Marine Mammals Resist Brain Damage From Low Oxygen
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192033.htm
No human can survive longer than a few minutes underwater, and even a well-trained Olympic swimmer needs frequent gulps of air. Our brains need a constant supply of oxygen, particularly during exercise. Certain animals -- including dolphins, whales and sea otters -- appear to be protected by elevated levels of oxygen-carrying proteins in their brains, according to a new article.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Researchers Train The Immune System To Deliver Virus That Destroys Cancer In Lab Models
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218154220.htm
Scientists have designed a technique that uses the body's own cells and a virus to destroy cancer cells that spread from primary tumors to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Elevated Carbon Dioxide Changes Soil Microbe Mix Below Plants, May Help Plants Grow
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219105808.htm
A detailed analysis of soil samples taken from a forest ecosystem with artificially elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide reveals distinct changes in the mix of microorganisms living in the soil below trembling aspen. These changes could increase the availability of essential soil nutrients, thereby supporting increased plant growth and the plants' ability to "lock up," or sequester, excess carbon from the atmosphere.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
New Strategy Suggested For Protecting Aging Americans Against Infectious Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217141436.htm
Researchers have uncovered new information about the body's immune system in a study that suggests new strategies may be in order for protecting the country's aging population against disease. The scientists discovered an actual process by which naïve T-cells are lost later in life.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Robotic Device Appears Useful For Surgical Removal Of Cancer Involving The Tonsils
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217162516.htm
A new robotic surgery technique appears promising for the removal of cancer involving the tonsil region, according to a new article. Typically, surgeons trying to remove tonsils of patients with cancer through the mouth have limited access to the area. If the cancer has spread to any of the surrounding tissues, an open approach involving cutting through the skin is needed.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
New Neuroimaging Study Identifies 'Brain Signature' For Cigarette Cravings
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192058.htm
A new brain imaging study shows that cigarette cravings in smokers who are deprived of nicotine are linked with increased activation in specific regions of the brain. Using a novel method of measuring brain blood flow, this study is the first to show how abstinence from nicotine produces brain activation patterns that relate to urges to smoke.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Inherited Retardation And Autism Corrected In Mice
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219122855.htm
Scientists have corrected key symptoms of mental retardation and autism in mice. They have significantly alleviated a wide range of abnormalities due to fragile X syndrome by altering only a single gene, countering the effects of the fragile X mutation. Fragile X syndrome, affecting 100,000 Americans, is the most common inherited cause of mental retardation and autism. New research points to a potential drug treatment.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Bad PMS May Mean A Depressed Nervous System
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219202940.htm
For some women premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a minor monthly annoyance, but for others, more severe symptoms seriously disrupt their lives. New findings suggest not only that PMS is tied to decreased nerve activity each month, but also that those with extreme symptoms may have a permanently depressed nervous system.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Breath Test Can Discriminate Between A Bacterial Overgrowth And IBS
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219103059.htm
An overgrowth of intestinal bacteria is often present in adult population of Westernized countries, because of poor daily intake of fibres and faecal stasis; such an overgrowth contributes to a chronic inflammation on intestinal mucosa and development of symptoms that look like those of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBS). However, a modern test can now discriminate between a bacterial overgrowth and an IBS and, therefore, addresses the patients towards an appropriate treatment with antibiotics.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Videoconferencing Can Help Surgeons Make Their Rounds From A Distance
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217162528.htm
Using robotic teleconferencing to monitor patients after urologic surgery appears to result in similar patient outcomes and satisfaction as traditional bedside rounds, according to a new report.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Domestic Violence Identified As Stressor Associated With Smoking
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219105811.htm
Using a large population survey researchers has found an association between domestic violence and adult smoking. Smoking and chewing tobacco contribute to some 800,000 deaths in India every year.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
New Nanowire Battery Holds 10 Times The Charge Of Existing Ones
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219103105.htm
Researchers have found a way to use silicon nanowires to increase the storage capacity of lithium ion batteries by 10. A laptop that nows runs for two hours on battery could run a stunning 20 hours.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Overexcited Neurons Not Good For Cell Health
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217162513.htm
Neurotransmitters have consequences. They initiate events that are critical to a healthy life, giving us the ability to move, to talk, to breathe, to think. But that's if the neurotransmitters are getting it right and sending proper signals downstream to muscle cells, neurons or other cells. A new study reports that a mutation in a transcription factor that controls a neurotransmitter in the nematode C. elegans causes an imbalance in neuronal signaling that results in protein damage in target cells.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Obese Patients Wait Longer For Kidney Transplants, Research Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219122845.htm
New research suggests that obese kidney disease patients face not only the usual long odds of a tissue match and organ rejection, but also are significantly less likely than normal-weight people to receive a kidney transplant at all.
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Classifying Indoor Tanning Behaviors Can Help Physicians Tailor Prevention Messages
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217162522.htm
Identifying indoor tanning behavior patterns can help physicians tailor prevention messages, according to a new report. Four types of tanners were identified: special event (tan numerous times over a short period associated with a special event, followed by extended periods of no tanning); spontaneous or mood (non-regular tanners with spontaneous patterns strongly influenced by mood); regular year-round (tan weekly or biweekly) and mixed (have both regular tanning periods and shorter periods associated with special events).
Thu, 20 Dec 07
Where Vets Served Affects Frequency Of ER Visits But Not Hospital Stays
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217111012.htm
Five years post-conflict, individuals who served in the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War were 25 percent more likely to visit an emergency department than veterans of the same era who were not deployed, but were no more likely to have a hospital stay or an outpatient visit, according to a recent study.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Sperm's Immune-protection Properties Could Provide Link To How Cancers Spread
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213101352.htm
Sugar-based markers on human sperm cells which may prevent them from being attacked by the female immune system could provide a vital clue to how some cancers spread in the human body. The new research analyzed these markers which are believed to tell the female immune system that the sperm are not dangerous pathogens, and therefore should not be attacked by the woman's white blood cells during the reproductive process.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Simple Strategy Could Prevent Half Of Deadly Tuberculosis Infections
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218151737.htm
By using a combination of inexpensive infection control measures, hospitals around the world could prevent half the new cases of extensively drug resistant tuberculosis, according to a new study.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Biocapture Surfaces Produced For Study Of Brain Chemistry
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120924.htm
A novel method has been developed for attaching small molecules, such as neurotransmitters, to surfaces, which then are used to capture large biomolecules. Researchers can make the technique applicable to a wide range of "bait" molecules including drugs, chemical warfare agents, and environmental pollutants. Ultimately, the researchers also hope to identify synthetic biomolecules that recognize neurotransmitters so that they can fabricate extremely small biosensors to study neurotransmission in the living brain.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Intensive Training Post-spinal Cord Injury Can Stimulate Repair In Brain And Spinal Cord
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218151732.htm
Intensive rehabilitation training for patients with spinal cord injuries can stimulate new branches growing from severed nerve fibers, alongside compensatory changes in the brain, say researchers. Most importantly, it could lead to restoring hand function and the ability to walk. A new article highlights the remarkable benefits of rehabilitation training after cervical spinal cord injury -- something that has been overshadowed in recent years by the promise of cutting-edge stem cell research.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Nano Flakes May Revolutionize Solar Cells
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218105420.htm
A new material, nano flakes, may revolutionize the transformation of solar energy to electricity. If one researcher's future solar cells meet the expectations, both the economy and the environment will benefit from the research. Less than 1 per cent of the world?s electricity comes from the sun because it is difficult to transform solar energy to electricity. But the discovery may be a huge step towards boosting the exploitation of solar energy.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Researchers Find Factors That Encourage Cannabis Use Among University Students
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218113506.htm
What are University students' motivations for using or not using cannabis? Researchers found various factors that might encourage use. Compared to non-users, users believed more strongly that cannabis would help them fit in with their friends, feel relaxed, forget their worries, and enjoy themselves. They also believed that their friends would approve of their use.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Engineering Blood Vessels That Could Be Used In Human Body
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217155248.htm
Scientists have found a way to induce cells to form parallel tube-like structures that could one day serve as tiny engineered blood vessels. The researchers found that they can control the cells' development by growing them on a surface with nano-scale patterning.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Most Powerful Group Of Microscopes In The World
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216141241.htm
Seven new super-microscopes and a specially designed building will give scientists unique opportunities to design new materials. Among the areas that will benefit are the environment, manufacturing, energy and transport. One of the total of seven new microscopes is the almost four-metre-high 'Environmental Transmission Electron Microscope', developed in association with DTU by world-leading microscope manufacturer FEI Company. It is the most powerful of its type in the world.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Even Tiny Breast Tumors Can Be Aggressive And May Require Maximum Therapy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216104305.htm
Breast tumors that are 1 centimeter in size or smaller -- no more than 0.4 inch in length -- can still be very aggressive and may require more intensive therapy than is routinely offered today, say researchers.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Light And Sound: The Way Forward For Better Medical Imaging
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201407.htm
Detection and treatment of tumors, diseased blood vessels and other soft-tissue conditions could be significantly improved, due to an innovative imaging system being developed that uses both light and sound.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
BMI Criteria For Obesity Surgery Should Be Lowered, Researchers Suggest
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101221.htm
Researchers have found that the existing body mass index criteria for obesity surgery often excludes a group of obese patients at risk of cardiovascular disease.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Protein Fingerprinting Made Easy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216133823.htm
Combining some traditional experimental methods of molecular biology with computational methods of artificial intelligence, scientists have demonstrated a novel approach for producing 'protein fingerprints' of diverse tissues. This result could lead to the development of new convenient methods in medical diagnostics. Being directly responsible for a great majority of processes in living cells, proteins are the most important class of biological molecules.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Childhood Exposure To Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Negatively Affects Verbal Ability
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218115626.htm
Childhood exposure to disadvantaged neighborhoods appears to have a lasting negative effect on verbal ability. The effect, roughly equivalent to missing one year of school, continues even after the child has moved out of the neighborhood.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Wild Chimpanzees Appear Not To Regularly Experience Menopause
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120950.htm
A pioneering study of wild chimpanzees has found that these close human relatives do not routinely experience menopause, rebutting previous studies of captive individuals which had postulated that female chimpanzees reach reproductive senescence at 35 to 40 years of age. Together with recent data from wild gorillas and orangutans, the finding suggests that human females are rare or even unique among primates in experiencing a lengthy post-reproductive lifespan.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Moderate Exercise Cuts Rate Of Metabolic Syndrome
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217092936.htm
Research shows that even a modest amount of brisk walking weekly is enough to trim waistlines and cut the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), an increasingly frequent condition linked to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Air Quality Forecasts See Future In Space
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213101348.htm
Weather broadcasts have long been a staple for people planning their day. Now with the help of NASA satellites, researchers are working to broaden daily forecasts to include predictions of air quality, a feat that is becoming reality in some parts of the world.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
What Factors Are Associated With Survival In Advanced Laryngeal Cancer?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217162520.htm
Type of treatment, sex, race and insurance status are associated with survival rates among patients with advanced laryngeal cancer, according to a new article.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Top 10 Advances In Materials Science Over Last 50 Years
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101208.htm
What are the defining discoveries and great developments that are shaping the way we use materials and technologies today? Top of the list of the top ten most significant advances in materials science over the last 50 years is actually not a research finding but rather a way of organizing research priorities and planning R&D.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Family Ties That Bind: Maternal Grandparents Are More Involved In The Lives Of Their Grandchildren
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218122412.htm
As families gather round for the winter holidays, some faces may be more familiar than others. A recent study shows that the amount of social interaction between extended family members depends on whether people are related through their mother or father.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Supercomputers Offer New Explanation Of Tunguska Disaster
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218122415.htm
The stunning amount of forest devastation at Tunguska a century ago in Siberia may have been caused by an asteroid only a fraction as large as those postulated in previously published estimates, Sandia supercomputer simulations suggest. Because there are more smaller asteroids than larger ones, the need to guard against such impacts may be greater than previously thought.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Molecular Signal That Helps Muscle Regenerate Discovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218101212.htm
It does not take much to injure a muscle. Sometimes one sudden, inconsiderate movement does the job. Unfortunately, damaged muscles are not as efficient at repair as other tissues such as bone. Researchers have now discovered a molecular signal that helps muscle regenerate and protects it from atrophy. They report that the naturally occurring protein is a promising candidate for new strategies in treating muscle damage and wasting.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Consumer Demand For Antioxidants Has Outpaced Scientific Knowledge
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217092932.htm
Consumer demand for dietary supplements containing large amounts of plant-based antioxidants has outpaced scientific knowledge on the actual health benefits, best dosages, and risks of those phytochemicals, according to a new article.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Bacteria That Cause Urinary Tract Infections Invade Bladder Cells
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217212223.htm
Scientists have found definitive proof that some of the bacteria that plague women with urinary tract infections are entrenched inside human bladder cells. The finding confirms a controversial revision of scientists' model of how bacteria cause UTIs. Previously, most researchers assumed that the bacteria responsible for infections get into the bladder but do not invade the individual cells that line the interior of the bladder.
Wed, 19 Dec 07
Widespread Support For Nonembryonic Stem Cell Research, Survey Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219082600.htm
The VCU Life Sciences Survey is the first poll to reflect the discovery reported internationally in November that human skin cells can be used to create stem cells or their near equivalents. When asked about the implications of this development, more than six in 10, or 63 percent, say that both embryonic and nonembryonic stem cell research is still needed, 22 percent say this development means embryonic stem cell research is no longer necessary.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Marijuana Smoke Contains Higher Levels Of Certain Toxins Than Tobacco Smoke
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217110328.htm
Here's another reason to "keep off the grass." Researchers report that marijuana smoke contains significantly higher levels of several toxic compounds -- including ammonia and hydrogen cyanide -- than tobacco smoke and may therefore pose similar health risks. The scientists found that ammonia levels were 20 times higher in the marijuana smoke than in the tobacco smoke, while hydrogen cyanide, nitric oxide and certain aromatic amines occurred at levels 3-5 times higher in the marijuana smoke, they say.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Strong Link Between Obesity And Colorectal Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214094112.htm
A clear, direct link between obesity and colorectal cancer has been shown in a new analysis. The report shows that obese individuals have a 20% greater risk of developing colorectal cancer compared with those of normal weight. The analyses also indicated that obese men are at 30% greater risk of developing the cancer compared with obese women. Findings from the study also showed that carrying even a few excess kilos substantially increases the risk of colorectal cancer; for every 5 kg weight gain the risk of developing the cancer increases by 7%.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Arctic Expeditions Find Giant Mud Waves, Glacier Tracks Underwater
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201343.htm
Scientists gathering evidence of ancient ice sheets uncovered a new mystery about what's happening on the Arctic sea floor today. Sonar images revealed that, in some places, ocean currents have driven the mud along the Arctic Ocean bottom into piles, with some "mud waves" nearly 100 feet across.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
New Strategy To Cut Heart Attack Risk Is Effective In Initial Test
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217171358.htm
The first clinical trial of a new kind of drug to cut the risk of cardiovascular disease has been found safe and effective at dropping levels of "bad" low density lipoprotein cholesterol by as much as 40 percent. High LDL levels increase the risk for heart attack and stroke.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
New Property Found In Ancient Mineral Lodestone
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217173315.htm
Using the latest nanofabrication methods, physicists have discovered a surprising new electronic property in one of the earliest-known and most-studied magnetic minerals on Earth -- lodestone. Also known as magnetite, lodestone was used to make compass needles as early as 900 years ago. The researchers describe how super-cooled magnetite reverted from an insulator to a conductor when the voltage was altered in their experiment.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
A Faster, Simpler Test For Disease Biomarkers
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217105657.htm
In an advance toward earlier diagnosis of cancer and other disorders, scientists are reporting development of a potentially fast, simple and inexpensive blood test to detect disease "biomarkers." They explain that serum biomarkers can reveal critical information about the onset and progression of many diseases. Several roadblocks hinder clinical use of existing biomarker tests, which will demand smaller sensors, faster detection times, and less expensive ways of analyzing samples of blood and other body fluids.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Pain Treatment In The Field: Good For Soldiers' Comfort And Better For Rebuilding Troop Strength
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217141428.htm
Noncombat-related acute and recurrent chronic pain are the leading causes of soldier attrition in modern war, with the return-to-duty rate as low as 2 percent when these soldiers are treated outside the theaters of operation. However, that rate jumps to 95 percent when troops and officers are treated and managed for pain in the field of instead of being sent elsewhere for therapy, according to a new study.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Two New Mammal Species Discovered In Indonesia's Wilderness
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217092939.htm
A tiny possum and a giant rat were recorded by scientists as probable new species on a recent expedition to Indonesia's remote and virtually unknown "Lost World" in the pristine wilderness of western New Guinea's Foja Mountains.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
How Fat Is Stored In Cells: Fundamental Discovery
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217171416.htm
In discovering the genes responsible for storing fat in cells, scientists have answered one of biology's most fundamental questions. Their findings could lead to new strategies for treating obesity and the diseases associated with it.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Deep-sea Drilling Yields Clues To Mega-earthquakes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201948.htm
Researchers fresh from an eight-week scientific drilling expedition off the Pacific coast of Japan have reported their discovery of strong variation in the tectonic stresses in a region notorious for generating devastating earthquakes and tsunamis, the Nankai Trough.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Poultry Workers At Increased Risk Of Carrying Antibiotic-resistant E. Coli
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217100041.htm
Poultry workers in the United States are 32 times more likely to carry E. coli bacteria resistant to the commonly used antibiotic, gentamicin, than others outside the poultry industry, according to a recent study. This is the first US research to show exposure occurring at a high level among industrial poultry workers.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Emerging Field Of Neuroecology Bridges Neural Basis Of Behavior And Ecological Consequences
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217092943.htm
Neuroecology bridges a critical gap between studying the neural basis of behavior (neuroethology) and evaluating the consequences of that behavior at the ecological levels of populations and communities. A squid escapes a predator by clouding the water with ink -- but is this a visual defense, or are there chemical implications for the ecosystem as well?
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Massage May Help Ease Pain And Anxiety After Surgery
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217162531.htm
A 20-minute evening back massage may help relieve pain and reduce anxiety following major surgery when given in addition to pain medications, according to a new report. Many patients still experience pain following major surgery despite the availability of pain-relieving medications, according to background information in the article.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
New Hope For Sleep Disorders: Genetic Switch For Circadian Rhythms Discovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201458.htm
Researchers have identified the chemical switch that triggers the genetic mechanism regulating our internal body clock. The finding, which uncovers the most specific information about the body's circadian rhythms to date, identifies a precise target for new pharmaceuticals that can treat sleep disorders and a host of related ailments.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Constipation Most Common Cause Of Children's Abdominal Pain
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217100045.htm
Acute and chronic constipation together accounted for nearly half of all cases of acute abdominal pain in children treated at one hospital. The study also suggests that physicians should do a simple rectal examination for constipation when trying to determine the cause of abdominal pain in children.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Quicky Assembled Bamboo Bridge, Strong Enough For Trucks, Opens In China
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201434.htm
In China, bamboo is used for furniture, artwork, building scaffolding, panels for concrete casting and now, truck bridges. The sustainable design is the first of its kind: the 10-meter span in Hunan province was assembled in days without heavy equipment and easily carries 8-ton vehicles.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Breathless Babies: Preemies' Lung Function Shows Prolonged Impairment
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214094102.htm
Many premature babies face serious health challenges, not the least of which is breathing. But now research suggests that even relatively healthy preemies confront deficits in lung function that last into their second year, if not longer.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Existing Biotechnology Could Save Energy And Cut Carbon Dioxide By 100 Percent
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217105920.htm
A new analysis has concluded that use of existing biotechnology in the production of so-called bulk chemicals could reduce consumption of non-renewable energy and carbon emissions by 100 percent. Bulk chemicals like ethylene, butanol or acrylic acid are the basic raw materials used in the production of everything from plastics and fertilizers to electronic components and medicines.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Teachers Play Critical Role In Adolescent Health Promotion Efforts
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217141431.htm
Teachers are among the most important influences in the lives of school-aged children, yet relatively little emphasis has been placed on examining the potential role general academic teachers may play in facilitating adolescent health promotion efforts.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Making Gas Out Of Crude Oil: Discovery Could Lead To Dramatic Improvement In Fossil Fuel Processing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201431.htm
Crude oil in deposits around the world are naturally broken down by bacteria, resulting in methane production. The discovery could yield dramatic improvements in how fossil fuels are recovered and processed.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Brain Malfunction Explains Dehydration In Elderly
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217192400.htm
As Australia faces another hot, dry summer, scientists have warned that elderly people are at risk of becoming dehydrated because their brains underestimate how much water they need to drink to rehydrate.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Building Disease-beating Wheat
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201428.htm
Disease resistance genes from three different grass species have been combined in the world's first "trigenomic" chromosome, which can now be used to breed disease resistant wheat varieties.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Treatment With SN Reduces Injury To The Brain Following Stroke, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213194124.htm
Stroke is the term used to describe deteriorating brain function due to either the leaking of blood vessels (hemorrhage) or oxygen deprivation (ischemia) in the brain. A new report has revealed a beneficial effect of the protein secretoneurin in rat with ischemia-induced stroke, leading the authors of the study to suggest that SN holds promise as a small-molecule drug for the treatment of individuals who have had a stroke.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Bodily Breakdown Explained: How Cell Differentiation Patterns Suppress Somatic Evolution
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214094031.htm
Natural selection can occur at the cellular level, where it is detrimental to health. Fortunately it is normally controlled by a well-known pattern of ongoing cell differentiation in the mature tissues of animals, according to a new study.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
When Disease Discriminates: Women And COPD
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214094053.htm
Women have made a good deal of welcome progress in the last several decades, but at least one advance is unwanted: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is on the rise in women in prevalence, morbidity and mortality. By 2000, the number of women dying from COPD surpassed the number of men. But the rising number of cases in women has not been matched by medical understanding of the disease's apparent gender bias.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Ancient Fish Bones Reveal Impacts Of Global Warming Beneath The Sea
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201437.htm
Through the study of archaeological material, tax accounts, church registers and account books of monasteries, an international group of fisheries ecologists and fisheries/maritime historians have drawn a picture of marine life in the northern European seas as it looked in the past.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
How Molecular Muscles Help Cells Divide
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214145000.htm
Time-lapse videos and computer simulations provide the first concrete molecular explanation of how a cell flexes tiny muscle-like structures to pinch itself into two daughter cells at the end of each cell division, according to a report in Science Express.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
As Waters Clear, Scientists Seek To End A Muddy Debate
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213152603.htm
Geologists have long thought muds will only settle when waters are quiet, but new research shows muds will accumulate even when currents move swiftly. This may seem a trifling matter at first, but understanding the deposition of mud could significantly impact a number of public and private endeavors, from harbor and canal engineering to oil reservoir management and fossil fuel prospecting.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Molecular Code Broken For Drug Industry's Pet Proteins
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216131231.htm
All cells are surrounded by protective, fatty membranes. In the cell membrane there are thousands of membrane proteins that transport nutritional substances, ions, and water through the membrane. Membrane proteins are also necessary for cells to recognize each other in the body and for a nervous system, for example, to be formed. Researchers have now managed to reveal the "molecular code" that governs the insertion of proteins in the cell membrane.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Unsupervised Children Are More Sociable And More Active, Study Says
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192030.htm
Youngsters who are allowed to leave the house without an adult are more active and enjoy a richer social life than those who are constantly supervised, according to a new study.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Intergalactic 'Shot In The Dark' Shocks Astronomers
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218123744.htm
Astronomers have discovered a cosmic explosion that seems to have come from the middle of nowhere -- thousands of light-years from the nearest galaxy-sized collection of stars, gas, and dust. This "shot in the dark" is surprising because the type of explosion, a long-duration gamma-ray burst, is thought to be powered by the death of a massive star.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Global Climate Change: The Impact Of El Niño On Galápagos Marine Iguanas
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212202020.htm
A before-and-after study led by Yale biologists, of the effects of 1997 El Niño on the genetic diversity of marine iguanas on the Galápagos Islands, emphasizes the importance of studying populations over time and the need to determine which environmental and biological factors make specific populations more vulnerable than others.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Diabetics Most At Risk From Neglected Post Meal Sugar Peak
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216140305.htm
Christmas time is full of food when most of us simply have to worry about our expanding waist lines but new research says that people with diabetes need to pay attention to the dangers of a neglected post meal peak in blood glucose. Indeed the research shows that this post meal peak can do even more damage than a more sustained rise in blood sugar. Until recently, the main focus of therapy for people with diabetes has been on lowering blood sugar or glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, with a strong emphasis on fasting plasma glucose.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
New Report Estimates 12 Million Cancer Cases Worldwide In 2007
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217092929.htm
A new American Cancer Society report estimates that there will be over 12 million new cancer cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths (about 20,000 cancer deaths a day) worldwide in 2007. In economically developed countries, the three most commonly diagnosed cancers in men are prostate, lung, and colorectal cancer. Among women, they are breast, colorectal, and lung cancer.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Heat From Earth's Magma Contributing To Melting Of Greenland Ice
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212103004.htm
Scientists have discovered what they think may be another reason why Greenland's ice is melting: a thin spot in Earth's crust is enabling underground magma to heat the ice. They have found at least one "hotspot" in the northeast corner of Greenland -- just below a site where an ice stream was recently discovered.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Identification Of New Genes Shows A Complex Path To Cell Death
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214095732.htm
Researchers gained new insights into autophagy -- a cellular degradation process associated with a form of programmed cell death -- by studying the salivary gland cells of the fruit fly. They have defined a multi-step pathway that allows for cell survival and death.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Wind Power Explored Off California's Coast
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201424.htm
Researchers have completed the first detailed study ever done to assess the potential for building wind farms offshore along the California coastline.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Cardiology: Stressed-out Hearts Put MEF2D To Work
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213194119.htm
Injury to the human heart, such as caused by high blood pressure and heart attack, results in the enlargement of heart muscle cells (cardiomyocyte hypertrophy) and the activation of a fetal program of cardiac gene expression. This pathological response leads to heart failure and death. On a molecular level, this pathological response is driven by enhanced expression of genes in response to the presence of proteins named transcription factors, including the MEF2 family of transcription factors.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Breakthrough Technology Observes Synapse In Real Time, Supporting Theory Of Vesicular Recycling
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214094115.htm
For the first time, scientists have observed in real time a cellular mechanism that's crucial to how brain cells communicate. In doing so, they've also laid to rest a competing theory as to how key cellular processes?called endocytosis and exocytosis?work. Healthy neurological function hinges on the efficient passage of information between brain cells via the synapse, and exocytosis/endocytosis is the complex trafficking mechanism that allows this to happen.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Parents Blind To Children's Risk Taking & Skilled Risk Management
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216140050.htm
Parents are often totally unaware of just how often their children take risks and just how good they are at managing that risk. Researchers found children indulge in a great deal of thoughtful and considered risk taking that is invisible to adults. On average the researchers found that while children may make misjudgments, they do not, as is sometimes assumed, 'blindly' throw themselves into risk-taking behaviors.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
'Death Star' Black Hole Fires At Neighboring Galaxy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218103611.htm
A jet from a black hole at the center of a galaxy strikes the edge of another galaxy. This is the first time such an interaction has been found. The jet impacts the companion galaxy at its edge and is then disrupted and deflected, much like how a stream of water from a hose will splay out after hitting a wall at an angle. Each wavelength shows a different aspect of this system, known as 3C321. The Chandra X-ray image provides evidence that each galaxy contains a rapidly growing supermassive black hole at its center.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
How Plants Control The Size of Leaves and Flowers
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201420.htm
Scientists have discovered how plants tightly control the size of their leaves and flowers, creating the remarkable uniformity within a given plant species that makes nature so beautiful to look at.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Breast Cancer: Herceptin Helps Women With Multiple Chromosomes Containing HER2 Gene, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214115015.htm
The targeted therapy Herceptin helps women with HER2+ type of breast cancer independent of whether patients have extra copies of chromosome 17, home to the HER2 gene which produces the HER2 protein that fuels cancer growth. Prior to this report, there were conflicting opinions about whether that was the case.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Evolution With A Restricted Number Of Genes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214094106.htm
Single-cell organisms were already in existence 500 million years ago, with several thousand genes providing different cellular functions. Further developments seemed dependent on producing even more genes. For a highly developed organism like a human, this form of evolution would have resulted in several million genes. Researchers were therefore surprised to learn, following publication of the human genome, that a human only has around 25,000 genes ? not many more than a fruit fly or a worm with approximately 15,000 to 20,000 genes. It would appear that, over the last 500 million years, other ways to produce highly complex organisms have evolved. Evolution has simply found more efficient ways to use the genes already there. But what could have made this possible? New light has now been shed on the purpose of an unusual structure in RNA polymerase II.
Tue, 18 Dec 07
Scrooge Or Samaritan: Personality Type Is Key To Donations
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216135422.htm
Peoples' personality types predicts their donations to charities and noble causes. In a sample of almost 1000 participants researchers found that people with a pro-social personality gave more money to charities and other noble causes. For instance, with donations to 'third world organisations', 52% of people with a pro-social personality gave money, compared to 42% of people with an individualistic personality and only 21% of people with a competitive personality.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Skin Color Evolution In Fish And Humans Determined By Same Genetic Machinery
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213121006.htm
Despite the vast evolutionary gulf between humans and the three-spined stickleback fish, the two species have adopted a common genetic strategy to acquire the skin pigmentation that helps each species thrive in new environments.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Fuel Cells Help Make Noisy, Hot Generators A Thing Of The Past
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212202013.htm
Advances in fuel desulfurization and reforming lead to a successful demonstration of a portable fuel cell system using JP-8 military jet fuel. Portable fuel cell power units are quieter, more efficient and have lower emissions than standard diesel generators, but are challenged when used with JP-8 fuel because of its sulfur content. The fuel desulfurization and reforming systems developed at PNNL reduce the sulfur content of JP-8 and generate a hydrogen stream compatible with an integrated fuel cell.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Blood Pressure Drug Telmisartan Shows Powerful Activity Against Stroke, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201325.htm
Telmisartan, a drug widely used to help control blood pressure, may have uniquely potent activity in preventing stroke, according to a new study conducted in an animal model.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Reversible Data Transfers From Light To Sound
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213152556.htm
As a step towards designing tomorrow's super-fast optical communications networks, scientists have demonstrated a way to transfer encoded information from a laser beam to sound waves and then back to light waves again.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
NIH Panel Seeks To Dispel Stigma Associated With Fecal And Urinary Incontinence
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201205.htm
An independent panel convened this week by the NIH found that fewer than half of individuals experiencing fecal or urinary incontinence -- the inability to control bowel movements or urination, respectively -- report their symptoms to healthcare providers without being prompted. The secrecy and distress surrounding these issues erode the quality of life for millions, and hamper scientific understanding and development of prevention and treatment strategies.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Ape To Human: Walking Upright May Have Protected Heavy Human Babies
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201347.htm
The transition from apes to humans may have been partially triggered by the need to stand on two legs, in order to safely carry heavier babies. For safety, all nonhuman primates carry their young clinging to their fur from birth, and species survival depends on it. The carrying pattern changes as the infant grows.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
New Approach For Attacking Lupus Identified
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216155436.htm
Investigators have identified two new targets for drugs aimed at controlling lupus. If companies are able to develop drugs that hone in on these targets, patients may be able to control their disease with few side effects. Because abnormally high levels of interferon-alpha can lead to lupus, researchers have developed drugs that block interferon. These drugs, however, have immunosuppressive side effects that can leave patients vulnerable to various illnesses and infections, some of which can be deadly.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
New Imaging System Maps Nanomechanical Properties
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201229.htm
NIST has developed an imaging system that quickly maps the mechanical properties of materials -- how stiff or stretchy they are, for example -- at scales on the order of billionths of a meter. The new tool can be a cost-effective way to design and characterize mixed nanoscale materials such as composites or thin-film structures.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Combination Therapy Including Antibiotics May Be Beneficial For Multiple Sclerosis
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163342.htm
A preliminary study suggests that combining a medication currently used to treat multiple sclerosis with an antibiotic may slow the progress of the disease, according to a new article. The most common type is relapsing-remitting MS, in which patients experience attacks of symptoms such as muscle weakness and spasms followed by periods of symptom-free remission.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Software Help Mars Rovers Find Winter Havens
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233023.htm
New software is helping NASA find safe places for the Spirit rover to ride out future Martian winters -- and also plan where Spirit and its companion rover, Opportunity, will explore in the future. The steep Martian mesa dubbed "Von Braun" would be a safe haven, the software and data analysis determined -- but the path that Spirit would have to follow to get there is a little too risky to travel with winter on the way.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
UN Climate Change Convention In Bali: Forum Approves Climate Roadmap
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216144144.htm
The outcome of the United Nations Climate Change Convention in Bali, Indonesia was that 187 countries agreed to launch a two-year process of formal negotiations on strengthening international efforts to fight, mitigate and adapt to the problem of global warming. After almost two weeks of marathon discussions, delegates have agreed on both the agenda for the negotiations and a 2009 deadline for completing them so that a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions can enter into effect in 2013.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Laser Beam 'Fire Hose' Used To Sort Cells; Could Enable New Kinds Of Biological Research
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163008.htm
Separating out particular kinds of cells from a sample could become faster, cheaper and easier thanks to a new system developed by MIT researchers that involves levitating the cells with light. The system, which can sort up to 10,000 cells on a conventional glass microscope slide, could enable a variety of biological research projects that might not have been feasible before, its inventors say. It could also find applications in clinical testing and diagnosis, genetic screening and cloning research, all of which require the selection of cells with particular characteristics for further testing.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Drug Combination Shrinks Breast Cancer Metastases In Brain
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216104315.htm
A combination of a "targeted" therapy and chemotherapy shrank metastatic brain tumors by at least 50 percent in one-fifth of patients with aggressive HER2-positive breast cancer. Up to one-third of women with advanced, HER-2-positive breast cancer may develop metastases to the brain.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Student Identifies Enormous New Dinosaur
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233706.htm
The remains of one of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs ever found have recently been recognized as representing a new species by a student working at the University of Bristol.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Lymphoma Drug Used To Treat Skin Disorders
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214183424.htm
Rituximab, a drug used to treat lymphoma, is now becoming used by dermatologists to treat various dangerous skin diseases. Originally developed as the standard therapy in treating aggressive lymphomas, the drug rituximab is showing increased non-cancer use.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Children With Sickle Cell Disease, Silent Strokes Show Some Relief With Blood Transfusions
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163217.htm
A group of children who have sickle cell disease and who experience silent strokes showed some relief from the silent strokes with blood transfusion therapy, researchers have found. Silent strokes are strokes that don't show the classic symptoms of overt strokes, such as numbness, tingling, headache or slurred speech.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
'Combinatorial' Approach Squashes Software Bugs Faster, Cheaper
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201212.htm
Software researchers are developing an open-source tool that uses an emerging approach called 'combinatorial testing' to catch programming errors. The tool could save software developers significant time and money when it is released next year.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Hidden Cosmic Giant: New Cluster Of Galaxies Discovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216125519.htm
Astronomers have discovered a new cluster of galaxies, hidden behind a previously identified cluster of galaxies. The recently exposed cosmic giant is apparently just as bright as the first group, but is six times further away.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Huge Success With Directly Loaded Implants In The Mouth
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216124743.htm
In the near future toothless patients will no longer have to wait several months for ordinary titanium implants to heal. Nearly every one of 450 patients who had bridges anchored in their implants had immediate success. Most patients who have titanium implants in their mouth have to wait between four and seven months before the implant is considered stable enough for crowns or bridges to be secured in the screw.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
New Paper Reveals Nanoscale Details Of Photolithography Process
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201226.htm
The first direct measurements of the infinitesimal expansion and collapse of thin polymer films used in the manufacture of advanced semiconductor devices have been made. It's a matter of only a couple of nanometers, but it can be enough to affect the performance of next-generation chip manufacturing.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Short Sleep Times In Patients With Chronic Medical Diagnoses Linked To Obesity
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215155746.htm
An association has been shown between short sleep times and obesity in patients with chronic medical problems. According to the results, subjects with short sleep times (less than seven hours) had a significantly increased likelihood of obesity when compared to the reference group of eight to nine hours.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Ancient Flood Disrupted Ocean Circulation And Triggered Climate Cooling
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216124230.htm
As the giant North American ice sheets melted an enormous pool of freshwater, many times larger than all of the Great Lakes, formed behind them. About 8400 years ago this pool of freshwater burst free and flooded the North Atlantic. About the same time, a sharp century long cold spell is observed around the North Atlantic and other areas. Researchers have often speculated that the cooling was the result of changes in ocean circulation triggered by this freshwater flood. The sudden addition of so much freshwater would have curtailed (suppressed) the sinking of deep water in the North Atlantic and as a consequence less warm water would be pulled north in the Gulf stream.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Largest Digital Survey Of The Milky Way Released
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210112009.htm
A collaboration of over 50 astronomers has released the first comprehensive optical digital survey of our own Milky Way. Conducted by looking at light emitted by hydrogen ions the survey contains stunning red images of nebulae and stars.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
New Technique Reveals Insights Into Lung Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213101356.htm
Doctors are using magnetic resonance technique to image and quantify the air spaces inside the lungs -- and the results of their research may lead to a link between childhood disease and later degenerative lung disease.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Perfusion In Burn Injuries Rapidly Determined By Using Improved Laser-Doppler Technology, Hospital Test Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216130313.htm
The perfusion of a burn injury can now rapidly be determined by using a new technique. Using the perfusion image made by a laser and an ultra fast camera, doctors will be able to determine whether a burn needs surgery. Tests in hospital show that the system is perfectly capable of measuring differences in perfusion in burn wounds; patients and medical staff speak positively about the high speed of the system and the quality of the images.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Most Adults With Conditions That Increase Cardiovascular Disease Risk Have High Blood Pressure
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163330.htm
Nearly three-fourths of American adults with conditions such as coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes or others that raise their risk for cardiovascular complications also have hypertension (high blood pressure), according to a new report. Although about 75 percent of these individuals are being treated for hypertension, only one-third to one-half are reaching blood pressure goals.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
PET/CT Imaging Proves Golden For Detecting Cancer In Children
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201321.htm
PET/CT imaging exhibits significantly higher sensitivity, specificity and accuracy than conventional imaging when it comes to detecting malignant tumors in children, according to new research. And that's not all: PET/CT imaging provides doctors with additional information about cancer in children, possibly sparing young patients from being overtreated.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Piddling Fish Face Off Threat Of Competition
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201413.htm
Aggressive territorial male Mozambique tilapia fish send chemical messages to rival males via their urine. They increase urination, have smellier urine and store more in their bladders than less aggressive males, according to new research.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Explosives At The Microscopic Scale Produce Shocking Results
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211094952.htm
US troops blew up enemy bridges with explosives in World War II to slow the advance of supplies or enemy forces. In modern times, patrollers use explosives at ski resorts to purposely create avalanches so the runs are safer when skiers arrive. Other than creating the desired effect (a destroyed bridge or avalanche), the users didn?t exactly know the microscopic details and extreme states of matter found within a detonating high explosive. In fact, most scientists don?t know what happens either.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
What Is The Link Between Women's Hormones And Mood Disorders?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201208.htm
Women's health experts argue there is an urgent need for carefully designed, gender-specific research to better understand the relationship of female sex hormones to mood states and disorders. Estrogen can be used to treat various mood disturbances in women -- such as perimenopausal, postmenopausal and postpartum depression -- but the results of these treatments can be difficult to interpret because researchers are only beginning to recognize the complex interactions among estrogens, serotonin and mood.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
No Connection Between Environmental Crises And Armed Conflict, New Study Argues
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216133126.htm
Climate advocate Al Gore accepted the Nobel Peace Prize this December 10th. New Norwegian research suggests, however, that there is no connection between environmental crises and armed conflict. This may seem paradoxical -- lands where resources are heavily exploited show a clear connection to a lack of armed conflict. Or alternatively, nations troubled by war during the research period had lower exploitation rates of their natural resources. The findings give researchers solid empirical support for stating that environmental scarcity is not the reason behind violent conflict.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Survival Shortened When ER/PR Negative Breast Cancer Spreads To The Brain, Studies Show
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216104308.htm
Two studies of women whose breast cancer spread to their brain, have found that women whose tumors do not have estrogen or progesterone receptors have the worst overall outcomes. Because of this, these patients should be treated aggressively after an initial diagnosis to help prevent such a metastasis, say the investigators.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Venlafaxine Extended-release Effective For Patients With Major Depression, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201404.htm
Major depressive disorder is the most common major mental illness, afflicting almost one in five individuals. More than 75 percent of people who recover from an episode of MDD will have at least one recurrence, with the majority having multiple recurrences.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Survey Underscores Importance Of Emotional, Educational Needs Among Women With Advanced Breast Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216104300.htm
Psychosocial support in women with advanced or metastatic breast cancer is as important as the need for disease- and treatment-related information, according to results of a survey. The survey of 367 women with advanced breast cancer also underscores dissatisfaction with treatment experience and the importance of the Internet as an informational resource.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Without Its Insulating Ice Cap, Arctic Surface Waters Warm To As Much As 5 C Above Average
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201236.htm
Record-breaking amounts of ice-free water have deprived the Arctic of more of its natural "sunscreen" than ever in recent summers. The effect is so pronounced that sea surface temperatures rose to 5 C above average in one place this year, a high never before observed, say oceanographers who have compiled the first-ever look at average sea surface temperatures for the region.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Researchers Nix Low-carb Diet
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217150506.htm
For most of the past decade, there was much hubbub about the Atkins and Zone diets. Both focus on quick, effective ways to lose weight through high-protein and low-carbohydrate foods. Today, many still swear by them. However, research on these diets has been very limited. A group of scientists who have been studying the diets since 2005, now report finding many biomarkers being negatively affected by the severely low-carbohydrate intake.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
New Technique Could Dramatically Lower Costs Of DNA Sequencing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201233.htm
Using computer simulations, researchers have demonstrated a strategy for sequencing DNA by driving the molecule back and forth through a nanopore capacitor in a semiconductor chip. The technique could lead to a device that would read human genomes quickly and affordably.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Exercise Testing May Help Predict Seriousness Of Mitral Regurgitation
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233009.htm
In as many as one in five people over age 55, when the heart contracts to send blood around the body, some degree of backward leakage occurs across the mitral valve, a condition known as mitral regurgitation. A new study finds that monitoring the capacity of these patients to exercise on a treadmill -- an evaluation called exercise tolerance testing -- may be useful in predicting the condition's progression and whether the patient will need surgery.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Medical Lab Tests Could Confuse Computer Systems With Several Names For Same Test
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214101400.htm
I may say soda and you may say pop, but what if the hospital lab you go to today says BMP and the one you visit next week calls the same test SMA7? Your physician knows that these are the same tests, but the computer systems they use don't automatically know. How can we develop a national healthcare information network, or even regional healthcare information exchanges, if we don't have a lingua franca?
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Surviving Childhood Cancer: The Success Story
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216134203.htm
Patient pressure has influenced how scientific advances in the space of only 50 years have transformed childhood cancer from a disease that was usually fatal, into one that the majority of newly diagnosed children can expect to survive. Today more than 80 per cent of children with childhood leukemia survive.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Desktop Device Generates And Traps Rare Ultracold Molecules
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201158.htm
Physicists have combined an atom-chiller with a molecule trap, creating for the first time a device that can generate and trap huge numbers of elusive-yet-valuable ultracold polar molecules. Scientists believe ultracold polar molecules will allow them to create exotic artificial crystals and stable quantum computers.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Severe Psoriasis Associated With Increased Risk Of Death
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217162525.htm
Patients with severe psoriasis appear to have an increased risk of death compared with patients without the skin condition, according to a new article. Psoriasis is a common inflammatory disorder that affects the skin and joints.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Scat Sniffing Dogs Detecting Rare California Carnivores
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233016.htm
Scientists found scat sniffing dogs might be the best way to confirm the presence of rare carnivores in forested areas like the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Predicting Growth Hormone Treatment Success
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201410.htm
Growth hormone treatments work better on some children than on others, but judging which candidates will gain those vital inches in height is no simple task, according to new research. Now researchers have developed a new mathematical model which predicts the optimal dose of growth hormone to treat children who are abnormally short for a wide range of reasons.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Engineering Researchers Capture Optical 'Rogue Waves'
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201239.htm
Researchers have succeeded in creating and capturing rogue waves. In their experiments, they have discovered optical rogue waves -- freak, brief pulses of intense light analogous to the infamous oceanic monsters -- propagating through optical fiber.
Mon, 17 Dec 07
Heavy Traffic Makes Breathing A Burden In Children
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214094057.htm
Exposure to traffic pollution may increase respiratory problems and reduce lung volumes in children with asthma, according to researchers who studied the effects of road and traffic density on children's lung function and respiratory symptoms in the border town of Ciudad Juarez in Mexico.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Fish Farms Drive Wild Salmon Populations Toward Extinction
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213152606.htm
Parasitic sea lice infestations caused by salmon farms are driving nearby populations of wild salmon toward extinction. The results show that the affected pink salmon populations have been rapidly declining for four years. The scientists expect a 99 percent collapse in another four years, or two salmon generations, if the infestations continue.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Genetic Differences Influence Aging Rates In The Wild
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201351.htm
Long-lived, wild animals harbor genetic differences that influence how quickly they begin to show their age, according to the results of a long-term study. Evidence for the existence of such genetic variation for aging rates -- a central tenet in the evolutionary theory that explains why animals would show physiological declines as they grow older -- had largely been lacking in natural populations until now, the researchers said.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
'Retrospective Rubber' Remembers Its Old Identities
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201154.htm
Researchers have developed a shape-memory rubber that may enable applications as diverse as biomedical implants, conformal face-masks, self-sealing sutures, and "smart" labels. The material forms a new class of shape-memory polymers, which are materials that can be stretched to a new shape and will stay in that form until heated, at which time they revert to their initial shape.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Cancer: Why The Switch Stays On
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201317.htm
Scientists have discovered the way in which a specific protein-protein interaction prevents the cell from turning one of its switches off, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation -- one of the hallmarks of cancer.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Analysis Of Documentary Photos Revises History
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211095823.htm
By analyzing some lesser-known photographs, taken by world famous documentary photographers, art historian Cecelia Strandroth relates a new history of the Depression Era in the United States.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Voters' Bodies Recoil At Negative Political Advertising; Brain Remembers Negative Messages
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215205917.htm
They're aversive. They're arousing. They're fairly well-remembered. They're negative political ads, and one researcher has found scientific evidence that they do have a physiological and psychological effect on voters. American voters should get ready to feel uncomfortable and remember a lot of mudslinging sentiments -- even if they're incorrect, according to the researcher. "The question was simple." he said "Are negative political ads unpleasant enough to engage a person's emotional circuitry? The data show that negative ads do indeed engage emotional circuits involved in helping humans avoid unpleasantness."
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Stem Cells Show Power To Predict Disease, Drug Toxicity
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213170722.htm
For the first time, scientists have used human embryonic stem cells to predict the toxic effects of drugs and provide chemical clues to diagnosing disease. Scientists have used all-purpose stem cells to elicit and identify the telltale chemical signals secreted by cells when exposed to a drug known to cause autism.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
New Research Alters Concept Of How Circadian Clock Functions
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213145822.htm
Scientists have identified a molecule that may govern how the circadian clock in plants responds to environmental changes. The researchers have discovered that a signaling molecule, known to be important for environmental stress signaling in plants, also regulates their circadian clock. They believe that the molecule may therefore incorporate information about environmental changes into the biological clock that regulates the physiology of plants. The research dramatically changes our current understanding of the circadian clock and may have important implications for the agricultural community.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
To Catch A Panda
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210162837.htm
A panda habitat research team has spent years collecting mountains of data aimed at understanding and saving giant pandas. Now a graduate student is working to catch crucial data that's black, white and furry. One young researcher is in the snowy, remote mountains of the Sichuan, China -- which also is the heart of panda habitat. She's hoping to capture, collar and track up to four wild pandas using advanced global positioning systems.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Advancing Stem Cell Gene Therapy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201306.htm
Researchers recently made great strides in stem cell gene therapy research by transferring a new gene to cancer patients, via their own stem cells, with the ultimate goal of being able to use stronger chemotherapy treatment with less severe side effects. This is the first time selection of this gene has been shown to occur in patients.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
New Carbon Calculator Aims To Conserve Forests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211095832.htm
A new online carbon calculator helps people easily calculate how much they are adding to global greenhouse gases. Tropical deforestation emits at least 20 percent of total greenhouse gases that cause climate change -- more than all the world's cars, SUVs, trucks, trains and airplanes combined. The calculator determines personal or family carbon emissions from home energy, vehicle, travel and diet behaviors, or from an individual event or travel.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Workplace Opportunities And Stresses Are Both Increasing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214094036.htm
Teamworking and other modern employment practices can put as much strain on a woman's family relationships as working an extra 120 hours a year, an extensive study suggests. The research finds that while British employers have maintained long-term career relationships with employees in spite of competitive market pressures, they have devised ways of extracting more effort and higher performance. These practices include team-based forms of work organization, individual performance-related pay, and policies that emphasize the development of individual potential.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Deep Impact Spacecraft Heads For Comet Hartley 2
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215203737.htm
The Deep Impact spacecraft is heading to Comet Hartley 2 on a two-part extended mission known as EPOXI. The spacecraft will fly by Earth on New Year's Eve at the beginning of a more than two-and-a-half-year journey to Hartley 2. The EPOXI mission is actually two new missions in one. During the first six months of the journey to Hartley 2, the Extrasolar Planet Observations and Characterization (EPOCh) mission will use the larger of the two telescopes on the Deep Impact spacecraft to search for Earth-sized planets around five stars selected as likely candidates for such planets.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Active Compounds Found In Fungus Has Potential To Treat Prostate Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201357.htm
A new development in the fight against cancer: Molecules found in common fungus Ganoderma lucidum aid in suppressing some of the mechanisms involved in the progression of prostate cancer. The main action of the fungus: disrupting androgen receptor activity and impeding the proliferation of cancerous cells.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
The Sea Louse, A Common Parasite Of Wild Fish
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206224647.htm
The sea louse, a parasitic copepod, is widely distributed among wild fish species along the Norwegian coast. The parasite is found in large numbers in the lumpfish, which is now considered to be one of the primary hosts of the parasite. The lumpfish in turn infects several types of farmed fish when it comes into the coast during the spring months.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Protein-dependent 'Switch' Regulates Intracellular Trafficking In Epithelial Cells
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233400.htm
Scientists have shed important new light on key trafficking mechanisms within epithelial cells. Epithelial cells line the outside of nearly all organs. Specifically, the team has discovered a molecular "switch" in developed epithelial cells that selects from a large family of "motor proteins," called kinesins. Each kinesin facilitates the transport of specific surface markers from production sites inside the cell to their ultimate home on the cell's surface.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Hydrogen Fuel-cell Membrane Structure Conundrum Solved
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232823.htm
Researchers have struggled to explain the molecular structure of proton exchange membranes, the key component in hydrogen fuel cells. Researchers have developed a model that explains how the membrane works. The new model provides the best explanation to date for the membrane?s structure and how it functions.
Sun, 16 Dec 07
Health Needs Higher For Kids Of Abused Moms
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214183440.htm
Children whose mothers have a history of abuse by intimate partners have higher health-care needs than children whose mothers have no history of abuse, according to a study conducted at Group Health, a Seattle-based health plan. These needs -- expressed in terms of the cost of providing care and use of health services -- were higher even if the abuse occurred before the children were born, the research team found.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Losses Of Long-established Genes Contribute To Human Evolution
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214094129.htm
While it is well understood that the evolution of new genes leads to adaptations that help species survive, gene loss may also afford a selective advantage. Scientists identified 26 losses of long-established genes, including 16 that were not previously known. Next they compared the identified genes in the complete genomes of the human, chimpanzee, rhesus monkey, mouse, rat, dog, and opossum to estimate the amount of time the gene was functional before it was lost. This refined the timing of the gene loss and also served as a benchmark for whether the gene in question was long-established, and therefore probably functional, or merely a loss of a redundant gene copy. Through this process, they found 6 genes that were lost only in the human.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Cholesterol Fine Tunes Hearing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214183442.htm
Levels of cholesterol in the membranes of hair cells in the inner ear can affect your hearing according to an article in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. There are two types of sensory hair cells in the inner ear called the inner and outer hair cells. It is the outer hair cells that are affected by cholesterol levels and produce the inaudible sounds in the ear canal.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Fresh-cut Produce Washing Practices Can Minimize Food-borne Illness Risks
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206145222.htm
Researchers recently examined the safety and quality of "wash techniques" used in the production of packaged produce. The study simulated washing techniques to learn more about how industry practices affect quality and safety of pre-cut lettuce.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Oncology: The Long And Winding Trail To Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214201334.htm
Two new mouse studies have provided insight into the role of the death-inducing protein TRAIL and its receptors in tumor development and metastasis. Binding of TRAIL to its receptors induces the cells expressing the receptors to undergo a form of cell death known as apoptosis. Scientists found that if lymphoma-prone mice were deficient in the TRAIL receptor they developed lymphoma more frequently than TRAIL receptor--sufficient lymphoma-prone mice.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Newer, Simpler Fixes Restore Corroded Pipelines
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214183428.htm
Researchers are taking the guesswork out of repairing corroded oil and gas pipelines. Historically, engineers repairing corroded pipeline segments have not had much guidance in regard to measuring the effectiveness of their choice of repair materials.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Therapy Can Reduce Tics And Tourette Syndrome
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214183432.htm
At a time when doctors reach for drugs as a first line of treatment for psychological disorders, a review of the reported research indicates that behavioral programs and procedures can reduce the symptoms of tic disorders.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Penguins In Peril As Climate Warms
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213203604.htm
The penguin population of Antarctica is under pressure from global warming. Four populations of penguins that breed on the Antarctic continent -- Adélie, Emperor, Chinstrap and Gentoo -- are under escalating pressure. For some, global warming is taking away precious ground on which penguins raise their young. For others, food has become increasingly scarce because of warming in conjunction with overfishing.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Another 'Smart' Cancer Drug Can Have Toxic Effects On The Heart, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214094126.htm
Another FDA-approved targeted cancer drug, sunitinib, may be associated with cardiac toxicity, report researchers at Children's Hospital Boston, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Thomas Jefferson University. Sunitinib is one of several new "smart" cancer drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors that targets specific signaling molecules inside cancer cells that aid cancer spread, and was originally thought to be relatively free of cardiac side effects.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
New, Rare And Threatened Species Discovered In Ghana
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206110818.htm
Scientists exploring one of the largest remaining blocks of tropical forest in Western Africa discovered significant populations of new, rare and threatened species underscoring the area's high biological diversity and value. The discoveries include a critically endangered frog species, an unusually high 22 species of large mammals and six species of primates including two species of global conservation concern.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Oncology: A 'Neu' Protein Target In The Treatment Of Breast Cancers
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214201052.htm
Overexpression of the protein EphA2 in aggressive breast cancer is common, and generally leads to poor outcome for the patient. However, the function of Eph2A in cancer progression is controversial, with conflicting evidence suggesting both pro- and anti-cancer roles for the protein. Scientists have now presented evidence that the role Eph2A in breast cancer is highly context dependent.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Carbon Dioxide Expelled From Peatland When Natural Swamp Forest Is Converted To Oil Palm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206235448.htm
A new data analysis shows conclusively that large amounts of carbon dioxide are released from peatland in Southeast Asia when it is converted from natural swamp forest to plantations of oil palm or pulpwood trees. This supports the findings of a recent Greenpeace report on the impact of growing oil palm on tropical peatlands.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Predicting Post-traumatic Stress Disorders In Deployed Veterans
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120937.htm
Canada's peacekeepers suffer similar rates of post-traumatic stress disorders as combat, war-zone soldiers, according to new research. Researchers also found that PTSD rates and severity were associated with younger age, single marital status and deployment frequency.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
New Oil-repelling Material Created
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206145231.htm
Engineers have designed the first simple process for manufacturing materials that strongly repel oils. The material, which can be applied as a flexible surface coating, could have applications in aviation, space travel and hazardous waste cleanup.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Effective New Treatment For Schizophrenia
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213101409.htm
Schizophrenia is one of the most debilitating of the major psychiatric disorders, and is also one of the most difficult to treat. Although numerous antipsychotic treatments are available, they can cause significant side effects and many patients experience only a partial relief of their symptoms and up to 30 percent no relief at all.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Scientists Reveal Role Of Gene In Sensitivity To Thermal Pain
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206223658.htm
The skin is the largest human sensory organ. What is not fully understood is how the skin responds to stimuli, especially to pain. Research has now demonstrated that Stem Cell Factor and its receptor, c-Kit, play a central role in tuning the responsiveness of sensory neurons to heat stimuli. "As yet, c-Kit is the first example of a single gene being required for normal noxious heat sensitivity of C-fibers," according to the neurobiologists.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Cardiovascular Disease: New Ideas For Treatment Of Atherosclerosis
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214200818.htm
Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the arterial blood vessels enhanced by the presence of immune cells known as macrophages. Macrophages migrate to the cholesterol-rich atherosclerotic plaques that form in the blood vessels and are the central component of atherosclerotic disease. Phospholipase C (PLC) is a protein that has known importance in immune cell signaling, although no specific known function in atherosclerosis. But now, researchers have discovered that the beta-3 form of PLC plays an important role in encouraging macrophage survival within atherosclerotic plaques.
Sat, 15 Dec 07
Message To The Elderly: It's Never Too Late To Prevent Illness
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213152540.htm
A new study has an important message for the elderly: It's not too late to improve your health through diet and exercise, even if you've had an unhealthy lifestyle in the past! The report surveyed scientific literature and found that adults, 65 and older, can have significant health improvements with simple and realistic lifestyle changes. It found that risk can be reduced for many diseases--including obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Biometrics: Unlocking Doors With Your Eyes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204100422.htm
It is not science fiction to think that our eyes could very soon be the key to unlocking our homes, accessing our bank accounts and logging on to our computers, according to one scientist. New research is helping to remove one of the final obstacles to the everyday application of iris scanning technology.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Too Much Fructose Could Leave Dieters Sugar Shocked
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201311.htm
Dieters should focus on limiting the amount of fructose they eat instead of cutting out starchy foods such as bread, rice and potatoes, report researchers, who propose using new dietary guidelines based on fructose to gauge how healthy foods are.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Global Warming Is Destroying Coral Reefs, Major Study Warns
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213152600.htm
Major new research indicates that coral reefs won't survive the rapid increases in global temperatures and atmospheric carbon dioxide forecast by the IPCC. The livelihoods of 100 million people living along the coasts of tropical developing countries will be among the first casualties. Marine scientists argue for drastic action by world leaders on carbon dioxide emissions. Immediate use of proven policy and management tools to address over-fishing, pollution and unsustainable coastal development is critical to saving coral reefs.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Molecular Pathway Appears Crucial In Development Of Pulmonary Fibrosis
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201335.htm
Researchers may have found a key mechanism underlying idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a usually fatal lung disease for which transplantation is the only successful treatment. The investigators found that a specific molecular pathway appears responsible for key aspects of the scarring of lung tissue that characterizes IPF, the cause of which is currently unknown.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Can Interacting Pathogens Explain Disease Patterns?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201328.htm
Interaction of parasites may help predict outbreaks of infectious diseases. This could lead to predicting more successfully when infectious cyclical diseases in humans are likely to occur.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Gliese 581: Extrasolar Planet Might Indeed Be Habitable
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213101403.htm
In April, a European team of astronomers announced the discovery of two possibly habitable Earth-like planets. Two new detailed studies of this system confirm that one of the planets might indeed be located within the habitable zone around the star Gliese 581. More than 10 years after the discovery of the first extrasolar planet, astronomers have now discovered more than 250 of these planets.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Muscular Dystrophy: Reprogrammed Human Adult Stem Cells Rescue Diseased Muscle In Mice
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212202004.htm
Scientists report that adult stem cells isolated from humans with muscular dystrophy can be genetically corrected and used to induce functional improvement when transplanted into a mouse model of the disease. The research represents a significant advance toward the future development of a gene therapy that uses a patient's own cells to treat this devastating muscle-wasting disease.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
California's Hayward Fault Revealed: Most Dangerous Urban Fault In America?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214001612.htm
As the 140th Anniversary of the last big earthquake on the Hayward Fault approaches, new U.S. Geological Survey studies provide mounting evidence that the San Francisco Bay Area should get ready for another big quake soon. The Hayward Fault has ruptured about every 140 years for its previous five large earthquakes. October 21, 2008, marks the 140th Anniversary of the 1868 approximate Magnitude 7 earthquake. Two and half million people now live along the Hayward Fault and seven million people in the region would feel a repeat event of the same magnitude.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
New Hope For Deadly Childhood Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201333.htm
Investigators have uncovered a promising drug therapy that offers a ray of hope for children with Batten disease -- a rare neurodegenerative disease that strikes seemingly healthy kids, progressively robs them of their abilities to see, reason and move, and ultimately kills them in their young twenties. The study explains how investigators improved the motor skills of feeble mice that model the disease.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Virtual Factory On The Tabletop
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206231449.htm
Many industrial processes involve reactions in places that are difficult to see directly. A novel tabletop touch screen allows hidden sequences of events to be observed in progress. It can be operated intuitively using a combination of fingers and recognizes swiping movements. A crowd of people is gathered around a large table with an illuminated surface, on which images of a journey through pipes and machines in a factory are being displayed. Users can select individual components by touching the corresponding image with a finger. The objects can be rotated and observed by swiping a finger over them -- and the same method can be used to watch a process in slow motion.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Intensive Care Quality Of Sleep Improved By New Drug, Reports Study
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201415.htm
A new sedative drug has been shown to improve the sleep quality and comfort levels of intensive care patients, compared to the most commonly-used medication, according to new research.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Captain Kidd's Shipwreck Of 1699 Discovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213162036.htm
Resting in less than 10 feet of Caribbean seawater, the wreckage of Quedagh Merchant, the ship abandoned by the scandalous 17th century pirate Captain William Kidd as he raced to New York in an ill-fated attempt to clear his name, has escaped discovery -- until now. An underwater archaeology team has just announced the discovery of the remnants.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Overweight People More Likely To Have Bad Breath, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213124931.htm
A direct link between obesity and bad breath has been found: the more overweight you are, the more likely your breath will smell unpleasant to those around you. While widespread obesity is a modern invention, bad breath is not. The phenomenon goes back thousands of years.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Moss Is A Super Model For Feeding The Hungry
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213152550.htm
Scientists have sequenced the genome for moss (Physcomitrella) -- the first nonflowering or "lower" plant to be sequenced. Now that they have sequenced the moss's DNA, scientists will be able to identify which genes control moss' survival tactics and adapt food crops to do the same.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Green Tea May Protect Brain Cells Against Parkinson's Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213101406.htm
Does the consumption of green tea, widely touted to have beneficial effects on health, also protect brain cells? Green tea polyphenols protect dopamine neurons and this effect increases with the amount consumed, according to new research.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Observing Nanscale Metallic Puddles And Mystery Behavior In Electrons
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213140339.htm
Scientists have, for the first time, viewed on a nanoscale the formation of mysterious metallic puddles that facilitate the transition of an electrically insulating material into an electrically conducting one. The images provide clues to Mott transition in semi- and superconductors.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Early Treatment Stops Epilepsy In Its Tracks, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120931.htm
It is possible to suppress the development of epilepsy in genetically predisposed animals, which could open the door to treating epilepsy as a preventable disease. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that affects about 50 million people worldwide.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Andean Highlands In Chile Yield Ancient South American Armored Mammal Fossil
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214002808.htm
A paleontological dig in Chile at an altitude of more than 14,000 feet in the Andes has yielded fossils of an 18-million-year-old armored mammal. It appears to be one of the most primitive members of a family of extinct mammals known as "glyptodonts," a group closely related to the modern-day armadillo.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Semen Ingredient 'Drastically' Enhances HIV Infection
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213121014.htm
A plentiful ingredient found in human semen drastically enhances the ability of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to cause infection, according to a new report. The findings help to understand the sexual transmission of HIV and suggest a potential new target for preventing the spread of AIDS, the researchers said.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Mom's Personality Means Survival For Her Squirrel Pups
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203204150.htm
A recent study indicates that mother squirrels have personalities, and they are essential for the growth rate and survival of her pups. Giving a squirrel a personality test requires an open mind, the proper tools and patience. Researchers found that red squirrels have a range of personalities, from exploratory and aggressive to careful and passive.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Blind Humans Lacking Rods And Cones Retain Normal Responses To Non-visual Effects Of Light
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120939.htm
In addition to allowing us to see, the mammalian eye also detects light for a number of "nonvisual" phenomena. A prime example of this is the timing of the sleep/wake cycle, which is synchronized by the effects of light on the circadian pacemaker in the hypothalamus.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Unexpected Activity Of Fuel Cell Catalysts Revealed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213140335.htm
Researchers have unveiled important details about a class of catalysts that could help improve the performance of fuel cells. With the goal of producing "clean" hydrogen for fuel cell reactions in mind, the researchers determined why two next-generation catalysts including gold, cerium, titanium, and oxygen nanomaterials exhibit very high activity.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Anti-drinking Campaign Ads May Be 'Catastrophically Misconceived'
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213194417.htm
Some anti-drinking advertising campaigns may be "catastrophically misconceived" because they play on the entertaining 'drinking stories' that young people use to mark their social identity, say researchers who have just completed a three year study of the subject. Advertisements that show drunken incidents, such as being thrown out of a nightclub, being carried home or passing out in a doorway, are often seen by young people as being a typical story of a 'fun' night out, rather than as a cautionary tale.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Jupiter's Moon Europa: What Could Be Under The Ice?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213180823.htm
New research brings scientists closer to exploring the ice-covered ocean of Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. New methods in measuring gravity and magnetic fields, new radar sounding techniques, new technology being field tested in Antarctica, and findings of lower radiation levels and the presence of carbon dioxide (a key ingredient for life) on Europa make the moon a tantalizing prospect for exploration.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Why Vaccines Directed Against Cancer, HIV Don't Work
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120945.htm
Researchers have found evidence suggesting why vaccines directed against the virus that causes AIDS and many cancers do not work. Chemical markers prevalent on cancer and HIV-infected cells can fool the body and make immune cells and antibodies leave them untouched.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Primitive Early Relative Of Armadillos Helps Rewrite Evolutionary Family Tree
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212103049.htm
A team of US and Chilean scientists working high in the Andes have discovered the fossilized remains of an extinct, tank-like mammal they conclude was a primitive relative of today's armadillos. The results of their surprising new discovery are described in an upcoming issue of Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Drug Study For Brain Cancer Shows Promising Results
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120952.htm
A clinical study on the use of a drug to extend the survival of patients with the most common and aggressive type of brain cancer, has yielded results that were significantly better than expected.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Engineer Develops Laser Technologies To Analyze Combustion, Biofuels
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205122527.htm
Mechanical engineers are using laser technology to develop advanced sensors capable of analyzing the combustion inside engines, power generators and heating systems. The sensors will be used to study -- and potentially improve -- the combustion of alternative fuels.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Nuclear Medicine Procedures Can Trigger Radiation Alarms In Public Places, Surprising Patients
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206113214.htm
Twenty million nuclear medicine procedures that detect and evaluate heart disease, brain disorders and cancer -- and that use radiopharmaceuticals to treat overactive thyroids and some cancers -- are performed each year. Sometimes patients who have received these treatments inadvertently set off radiation alarms in public buildings.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
'Magma P.I.' Unearths Clues To How Earth's Crust Was Sculpted
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203135731.htm
About a decade ago, Johns Hopkins University geologist Bruce Marsh challenged the century-old concept that the Earth's outer layer formed when crystal-free molten rock called magma oozed to the surface from giant subterranean chambers hidden beneath volcanoes. Marsh's theory ? that the deep-seated plumbing underneath volcanoes is actually made up of an extensive system of smaller sheet-like chambers vertically interconnected with each other and transporting a crystal-laden "magmatic mush" to the surface ? has become far more widely accepted. Now he proposes that Earth's magma delivery system fractured the planet's crust to provide a sort of "template," guiding the sculpting of valleys and mountain ranges.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Immune System May Target Some Brain Synapses, Researchers Find
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213121010.htm
A baby's brain has a lot of work to do, growing more neurons and connections. Later, a growing child's brain begins to pare down these connections until it develops into the streamlined brain of an adult. Now researchers have discovered the sculptor behind that paring process: the immune system.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
UT Southwestern Urologist Uses Botox To Treat Debilitating Condition
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205095354.htm
Eight years ago, Lynette Kunz suffered a severe spinal cord injury that left her a quadriplegic and sufferer of involuntary bladder contractions. The condition constantly interfered with her daily life.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Elective Caesareans Carry Increased Risk Of Breathing Problems
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212202023.htm
Babies delivered by elective caesarean section around term carry up to a fourfold increased risk of breathing problems compared with babies delivered vaginally or by emergency caesarean section, concludes a study from Denmark.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Reduce Fish Catch Now For Bigger Net Profits Later, Urge Economists
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206145252.htm
Economists have demonstrated in four diverse fisheries that highest profits are made when fish stocks are allowed to rise beyond levels traditionally considered optimal. The reason is 'the stock effect': when fish are more plentiful and easier to catch, fishers spend less on fuel and other costs to fill their nets -- profits are higher. The findings could help upend conventional fisheries management thinking.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
A Drink To Healthy Aging
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213101422.htm
Researchers say a glass of wine a day may be of benefit to the health of older women. Moderate consumption of alcohol in older women, in line with Australian alcohol guidelines, is associated with better survival and quality of life.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Present-day Species Of Piranha Resulted From Marine Incursion Into Amazon Basin
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203131505.htm
Marine biologists have acquired a better understanding of the evolutionary history of piranhas. About 4 million years BP, rise in sea level appears to have brought about the isolation of small populations of piranhas in the upper reaches of the great rivers. This situation favoured speciation and hence the formation of the present species. Such populations would then have descended to colonize the lowland waters of these rivers following the regression of the Atlantic Ocean.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
MicroRNA Regulates Cancer Stem Cells: Could Lead To Treating Cancer As A Whole
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213121001.htm
Researchers have discovered a key molecular switch that regulates cancer stem cells. This switch, which belongs to a class of molecules called microRNAs, can decrease a cancer stem cell's ability to propagate tumors. These findings offer a way for targeting cancer stem cells directly, and as a result open up new avenues for potentially treating cancer as a whole.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Natural Pest Control: Tiny Pest-eating Insect Fights Fruit Flies
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206145217.htm
Farmers and vineyard owners have a new weapon in their pest management arsenal. A commonly used parasitoid, or parasitic insect that kills its host, has proven to be quite effective in the control of fruit flies in vineyards.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Vasopressin Caution In Septic Shock, Animal Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201506.htm
Vasopressin should be used with great caution for the treatment of hypotension in septic shock, according to new results. The experiments -- conducted in pigs -- show it can significantly reduce blood flow to vital organs.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Learning How The Herpes Virus Invades Cells, Through Use Of Bimolecular Complementation
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120928.htm
Researchers have uncovered an important step in how herpes simplex virus, HSV-1, uses cooperating proteins found on its outer coat to gain entry into healthy cells and infect them. Further, the study's authors say, they have demonstrated the effectiveness of monitoring these protein interactions using biomolecular complementation.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Putting Risk In Perspective: Do People Make Better Decisions When They Understand Average Risk?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120942.htm
If there were a pill that would cut your risk of breast cancer in half, would you take it? What if you were told your risk of breast cancer was already below average? In a newly published survey, women who were told their risk of breast cancer was above average were more likely to endorse taking the hypothetical pill than women who were told their risk was below average.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Crash Tests Predict Fatality Risk In Cars, Not In Trucks
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215214334.htm
Frontal crash tests in laboratories are strong predictors of passenger cars' safety on the road, though they fail to accurately project driver fatality risks for trucks, according to a recent study. The study examined the frontal crash test ratings that vehicles received from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and compared them to fatality rates in the vehicles. It also compared a smaller sample of test ratings given by the privately funded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which uses a 40-percent frontal offset crash test, with the vehicles' fatality rates.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Infants Fine-Tune Visual, Auditory Skills In First Year
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215213647.htm
Infants refine and narrow their ability to discriminate between things they see and hear in their first year, revealing what appears to be a decline in ability at a time when most other skills and functions are dramatically increasing. The observed process, however, may be an important recalibration of developing brain functions in infants that prepares them for later life, researchers say.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Arctic Impact Crater Lake Reveals Interglacial Cycles In Sediments
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215212916.htm
Scientists have taken cores from the sediments of a Canadian Arctic lake and found an interglacial record indicating two ice-free periods that could pre-date the Holocene Epoch. By examining relationships between modern diatom communities and their environment,they can reconstruct various historic environmental changes quantitatively.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Wind Turbines Produce 'Green' Energy And Airflow Mysteries
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215212425.htm
Using smoke, laser light, model airplane propellers and a campus wind tunnel, researchers are trying to solve the airflow mysteries that surround wind turbines, an increasingly popular source of "green" energy.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Patients Fare Better In Hospitals Using Information Technology
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215211834.htm
Patients are more likely to have better health outcomes if they are treated at hospitals using information technology (IT) systems, according to a comprehensive new study. The study compared overall IT adoption with patient discharge data at 98 hospitals across Florida, providing the most comprehensive analysis to date of the relationship between information technology use and health outcomes.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Engineering Faculty Develop Solution To Cell-Tracking Riddle
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215210923.htm
Time is money, especially in the race to discover new anti-inflammatory drugs and bring them to market. Pharmaceutical companies typically spend years in the pre-clinical stage of the drug development process, incurring millions of dollars in costs. New medications for diseases such as heart disease, stroke, arthritis and multiple sclerosis could improve treatment for millions of people. Yet a key part of the discovery process -- monitoring the movement and speed of white blood cells in living tissue -- involves hours of tedious and often inherently flawed handwork.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Milky Way Galaxy Wears Two Halos Of Stars
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215210517.htm
Though it's devoured and destroyed countless smaller galaxies in its nearly 14-billion-year history, the Milky Way has earned itself two halos of stars, according to astronomers. Though our galaxy is shaped like a flat disk of up to 400 billion stars rotating clockwise, it also wears two crowns of stars that make up a spherical haze and envelops the galaxy's disk. Though others have suggested that the galaxy wears two halos of stars before, this is the first definitive proof of two different halos, he said.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Milk And Egg Allergies Harder To Outgrow
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215205437.htm
Considered "transitional" a generation ago, milk and egg allergies now appear to be more persistent and harder to outgrow, according to new research. In what are believed to be the largest studies to date of children with milk and egg allergies, researchers followed more than 800 patients with milk allergy and nearly 900 with egg allergy over 13 years, finding that, contrary to popular belief, most of these allergies persist well into the school years and beyond.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Crawling Worms May Illuminate Dopamine's Role In Human Aging Diseases
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215205041.htm
Research carried out with a paintbrush bristle, a metronome, smelly chemicals and thousands of microscopic worms called nematodes may reveal important information about human aging diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Scientists are investigating the little-understood link between the neurotransmitter called dopamine and diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Specifically they are looking at how dopamine affects the complex chain of messages that constitutes neuronal signaling, ultimately affecting mental and physical health, especially in aging adults.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Researcher Doubts U.S. Program To Track Avian Flu In Wild Birds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215204410.htm
Government monitoring for H5N1 focuses on migrating waterfowl in Alaska. According to an expert, a more effective system to detect the appearance of H5N1 would track wild birds all along the Atlantic and Pacific "flyways" of North America. An investigator, closely following the spread of the avian influenza known as H5N1, said that U.S. government monitoring efforts easily could miss the entry of the virus into North America.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Rodents Thrive Near Highways
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215202517.htm
There is something out there, and what a professor and his students are finding is surprising them. They are evaluating the quality of Interstate 70 as a small mammal habitat from the Indiana state line to Marshall, Illinois. They are finding mice and other rodents that call the medians, triangles and roadsides home.
Fri, 14 Dec 07
Cellular Pump Sabotages Cancer Drug Studies That Use 'Glow Chemical'
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215202009.htm
Scientists have by chance discovered that a widely used means of illuminating cancer cells could undermine studies of the potential value of experimental anti-cancer drugs because the natural "pump" that cells use to clear out the chemical light source alters their chemistry. Scientists have increased their use of "glowing" markers to track cellular activity in rats and mice, in part, because the tactic is non-invasive and more humane for the animals.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Mars Orbiter Examines 'Lace' And 'Lizard Skin' Terrain
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212000500.htm
Scrutiny by NASA's newest Mars orbiter is helping scientists learn the stories of some of the weirdest landscapes on Mars, as well as more familiar-looking parts of the Red Planet. One type of landscape near Mars' south pole is called "cryptic terrain" because it once defied explanation, but new observations bolster and refine recent interpretations of how springtime outbursts of carbon-dioxide gas there sculpt intricate patterns and paint seasonal splotches.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
High Blood Pressure Associated With Risk For Mild Cognitive Impairment
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163346.htm
High blood pressure appears to be associated with an increased risk for mild cognitive impairment, a condition that involves difficulties with thinking and learning, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
New High-tech Tool For Brain Disorders, Gamma Knife, Now In Use
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203164747.htm
A new advanced noninvasive, radiosurgery tool for treating a variety of brain disorders -- including tumors has become available. Called the Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion, the machine is the latest generation in gamma knife radiosurgery, a noninvasive technology that delivers a finely focused, high dose of radiation to a specific area of the brain.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Researcher Develops Test For Targeted Therapy In Acute Myeloid Leukemia
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094249.htm
Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute researcher Jeff Tyner, Ph.D., has created a way to identify proteins that are candidates for targeted therapy in acute myeloid leukemia using an assay that yields results in just four days.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Nitrous Oxide From Ocean Microbes Could Be Adding To Global Warming
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210103955.htm
A large amount of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide is produced by bacteria in the oxygen poor depths of the ocean. Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas some 300 times more so than carbon dioxide, it also attacks the ozone layer and causes acid rain.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Immigrant Patients Less Likely To Report Family History Of Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094304.htm
Immigrants in the United States may be less likely to report a family history of cancer, which may lead to inadequate screening and cancer prevention strategies according to a new study.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Distorted Self-image In Body Image Disorder Due To Visual Brain Glitch, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203103409.htm
Although they look normal, people suffering from body dysmorphic disorder perceive themselves as ugly and disfigured. New imaging research reveals that the brains of people with BDD look normal, but function abnormally when processing visual details.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Cattle Fed Byproducts Of Ethanol Production Harbor Dangerous E. Coli Bacteria
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204091851.htm
Feeding cattle a byproduct of ethanol production causes E. coli 0157 to spike. This particular type of E. coli is present in healthy cattle but poses a health risk to humans, who can acquire it through undercooked meat, raw dairy products and produce contaminated with cattle manure.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
To Keep Mouths Safe, Don't Just Wear A Mouthguard; Keep It Clean
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163207.htm
According to a new study mouthguards worn by athletes harbor large numbers of bacteria, yeasts and molds that can possibly lead to life and/or health-threatening infectious/inflammatory diseases.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
New Study Increases Concerns About Climate Model Reliability
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211101623.htm
A new study comparing the composite output of 22 leading global climate models with actual climate data finds that the models do an unsatisfactory job of mimicking climate change in key portions of the atmosphere. This research raises new concerns about the reliability of models used to forecast global warming.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Good Physical Function After Age 40 Tied To Reduced Risk Of Stroke
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163421.htm
People who have good physical function after the age of 40 may lower their risk of stroke by as much as 50 percent compared to people who are not able to climb stairs, kneel, bend, or lift as well, according to research published in the Dec. 11, 2007, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Brain Stem Cells Sensitive To Space Radiation
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233500.htm
Studies in mice show identifying medications or physical shielding to protect astronauts from cosmic and solar radiation will be important for the success of human space missions beyond low Earth orbit, according to researchers from the University of Florida, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and NASA.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
New Marker To Identify Cancer Stem Cells Discovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203121425.htm
Researchers have found a marker that can be used to identify stem cells in breast tumors, suggesting a potential simple test that could help determine the best treatment for breast cancer. The marker corresponds to worse outcomes and could help determine treatments.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Calcium In Coronary Arteries May Be Linked To Increased Risk For Heart Disease In Low-risk Women
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163355.htm
About 5 percent of women considered low-risk for heart disease by current classification standards have evidence of advanced coronary artery calcium and may be at increased risk for cardiovascular events, according to a report in the Dec. 10/24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Aquatic Food Sources May Be Threatened By Rising Carbon Dioxide
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210103939.htm
Carbon dioxide increasing in the atmosphere may affect the microbial life in the sea, which could have an impact on fish, a major food source. The researcher is sequencing the DNA of different ocean bacteria to find out how they will respond to an increase in carbon dioxide.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Study Outlines Passenger Rail Systems Which Cost-effectively Prevent Terrorist Attacks
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211094937.htm
A RAND Corporation study issued recently gives rail security planners and policymakers a framework to develop cost-effective plans to secure their rail systems from terrorist attacks.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Hazy Red Sunset On Extrasolar Planet
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211094914.htm
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has given astronomers a fascinating new insight into the atmosphere of a planet in orbit around another star. The observations provide evidence of the presence of hazes in the atmosphere of the planet HD 189733b.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Natural Human Hormone As The Next Antidepressant?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233646.htm
Novel treatment strategies for major depression with broader treatment success or a more rapid onset of action would have immense impact on public health, a new study published in the Dec. 1 issue of Biological Psychiatry explains.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Giardia Loses Its Hold On Intestinal Tissue After 'Tonic Shock'
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203103423.htm
The single-celled intestinal parasite Giardia lamblia colonizes the upper small intestine by fastening to the microvillus brush border of intestinal cells. But exactly how Giardia attaches itself was unknown until now. Researchers now present evidence that Giardia uses an osmotic 'suction cup' to hang on, a discovery that could make attachment a prime target for new treatments of Giardia infections.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Methane From Microbes: A Fuel For The Future
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210103934.htm
Methanogenic micro-organisms could provide a clean, renewable energy source and use up carbon dioxide in the process. Methanogens produce about one billion tonnes of methane every year.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
When She's Turned On, Some Of Her Genes Turn Off, Fish Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210162931.htm
When a female is attracted to a male, entire suites of genes in her brain turn on and off, show biologists from the University of Texas at Austin studying swordtail fish.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Building Blocks Of Life Formed On Mars, Scientists Conclude
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211095141.htm
Organic compounds contain carbon and hydrogen and form the building blocks of all life on Earth. By analyzing organic material and minerals in the Martian meteorite Allan Hills 84001, scientists at the Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory have shown for the first time that building blocks of life formed on Mars early in its history. Previously, scientists have thought that organic material in ALH 84001 was brought to Mars by meteorite impacts or more speculatively originated from ancient Martian microbes.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Gene Linked To Aggressive Prostate Cancer, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233939.htm
Results from two genome-wide association studies have identified a genetic variant of the DAB2IP gene that is associated with the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Research teams from the Translational Genomics Research Institute, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions made the discovery jointly.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
New Tests Identify Lethal Prion Strains Quickly And Accurately
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204154723.htm
Scientists have developed two new tests for prions, infectious proteins that cause a number of diseases including "mad cow disease," and a human counterpart, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. These advances open the door to better understanding and diagnosis of these troubling conditions.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Silencing Small But Mighty Cancer Inhibitors
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163222.htm
Researchers have uncovered another reason why one of the most commonly activated proteins in cancer is in fact so dangerous. The Myc protein can stop the production of at least 13 microRNAs, small pieces of nucleic acid that help control which genes are turned on and off.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Scientists Seek To Assess The Microbial Risks In The Water We Drink
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233418.htm
Disease outbreaks sometimes originate from a source that most people in the United States and other developed countries trust unquestioningly: drinking water. However, there is much we do not know about the causes and likelihood of waterborne illness, and we can and should do more to assess the risks, according to a new report, Clean Water: What is Acceptable Microbial Risk?, released by the American Academy of Microbiology.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
US Middle School Math Teachers Ill-prepared, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233424.htm
Middle school math teachers in the United States are not as well prepared to teach this subject compared to teachers in five other countries, something that could negatively affect the US as it continues to compete on an international scale.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Massive Dinosaur Discovered In Antarctica Sheds Light On Life, Distribution Of Sauropodomorphs
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210214308.htm
A new genus and species of dinosaur from the Jurassic has been discovered in Antarctica. The massive plant-eating primitive sauropodomorph is called Glacialisaurus hammeri and lived about 190 million years ago. The fossils were painstakingly removed from the ice and rock using jackhammers, rock saws and chisels under extremely difficult conditions over two field seasons. The long-necked herbivorous sauropods were the largest animals to walk the earth. They include Diplodocus and Apatosaurus.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Smoking Associated With Increased Risk Of Diabetes, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211234048.htm
A review of previous studies indicates that people who currently smoke have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared with nonsmokers, according to an article in the Dec. 12 issue of JAMA.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
New NASA Mission To Reveal Moon's Internal Structure And Evolution
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212000831.htm
At a Dec. 10 meeting of the American Geophysical Union, NASA's Associate Administrator for Science Alan Stern announced the selection of a new mission that will peer deep inside the moon to reveal its anatomy and history. The Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory, or Grail, mission is a part of NASA's Discovery Program. It will cost $375 million and is scheduled to launch in 2011. Grail will fly twin spacecraft in tandem orbits around the moon for several months to measure its gravity field in unprecedented detail. The mission also will answer longstanding questions about Earth's moon and provide scientists a better understanding of how Earth and other rocky planets in the solar system formed.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Extracellular Protein Sensitizes Ovarian Cancer Cells To Chemotherapy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163425.htm
Scientists have uncovered critical new details about the mechanisms that modulate the response of ovarian cancer cells to chemotherapy. The research, published by Cell Press in the December issue of Cancer Cell, helps to explain why many patients develop resistance to the taxane class of drugs and may lead to improved treatment of ovarian cancer.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
More Plant Litter From Higher Carbon Dioxide Could Boost Carbon Released Into Atmosphere
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233959.htm
A new study looks at a poorly understood process with potentially critical consequences for climate change. Emma Sayer, postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Jennifer Powers, an assistant professor in the University of Minnesota's Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, and Edmund Tanner, researcher at Cambridge University, published the findings of their long-term study on the effects of increased plant litter on soil carbon and nutrient cycling in the Dec. 12 edition of PLoS ONE.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Kids More Active When Playground Has Balls, Jump Ropes, Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233517.htm
Children play harder and longer when their child care centers provide portable play equipment (like balls, hoola hoops, jump ropes and riding toys), more opportunities for active play and physical activity training and education for staff and students, according to a study published in the January 2008 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health examined environmental factors that encourage children to be active with greater intensity and for longer periods of time.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
NASA Spacecraft Make New Discoveries About Northern Lights
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233038.htm
A fleet of NASA spacecraft, launched less than eight months ago, has made three important discoveries about spectacular eruptions of Northern Lights called "substorms" and the source of their power. NASA's Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) mission observed the dynamics of a rapidly developing substorm, confirmed the existence of giant magnetic ropes and witnessed small explosions in the outskirts of Earth's magnetic field.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Accuracy Of Diagnostic Mammograms Varies By Radiologist, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211234019.htm
For women with breast symptoms such as lumps, the ability of diagnostic mammograms to detect breast cancer accurately depends strongly on which radiologist reads them, according to a Group Health study published online on December 11 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Collision Avoidance Technology For Mine Haul Trucks
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205095348.htm
Today's mine haul tracks are massive vehicles in which drivers have limited vision and cannot see anything within around 30 meters. If a smaller vehicle on the mine site gets in the way of one of these monsters, the consequences can be dire.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Obesity Reduces Chances Of Spontaneous Pregnancy In Women Who Are Subfertile But Ovulating Normally
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233947.htm
A new study of obesity and the probability of pregnancy has shown that a woman's chances of a spontaneous pregnancy steadily decrease the fatter she is. For every BMI unit above 29 kg/m2, the probability of pregnancy was reduced by four percent, according to the research published in Human Reproduction journal.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Climate Gas Could Disrupt Food Chain
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210103944.htm
Levels of the climate cooling gas dimethyl sulphide will change as carbon dioxide increases, affecting food webs along the way. Microbes in the ocean produce the gas dimethyl sulphide, or DMS. It causes clouds to form above the sea, which reflect the sun's rays away from the earth. Research suggests that plankton produce more DMS when they get hot so that clouds will cool them down.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Parenting Practices Don't Suffer During Divorce, According to Large Study
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163203.htm
New research is challenging the notion that parents who divorce necessarily exhibit a diminished capacity to parent in the period following divorce. A large, longitudinal study has found that divorce does not change parenting behavior, and that there are actually more similarities than differences in parenting between recently divorced and married parents.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Greenland Melt Accelerating, According To Climate Scientist
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233433.htm
The 2007 melt extent on the Greenland ice sheet broke the 2005 summer melt record by 10 percent, making it the largest ever recorded there since satellite measurements began in 1979, according to a University of Colorado at Boulder climate scientist.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Use Of Diabetes Medication By Older Adults Linked With Increased Risk Of Heart Problems, Death
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211234101.htm
Older patients treated with the diabetes medications known as thiazolidinediones (which include rosiglitazone) had a significantly increased risk of heart attack, congestive heart failure and death, compared with the use of other hypoglycemic drugs, according to a study in the Dec. 12 issue of JAMA. The authors suggest that these results provide further evidence that this class of medication may cause more harm than good.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Changing View Of Earth's Gravitational Forces Recognized With Award
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211235842.htm
A mission that has changed the way we study Earth's gravitational forces has been recognized with a prestigious award for helping scientists better understand our home planet. NASA and the U.S. Department of the Interior presented the coveted William T. Pecora Award to the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (Grace) mission team.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Sedative May Have Better Outcomes Than Common Medication For ICU Patients On Respirator
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211234055.htm
Intensive care unit patients on respirators who were sedated with the drug dexmedetomidine had more days alive without delirium or coma and better sedation compared to patients treated with the recommended drug lorazepam, according to a study in the Dec. 12 issue of JAMA.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Greenhouse Gas From English Streams Adding To Global Warming, Expert Says
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210103949.htm
A common plant in English streams helps methane generated by bacteria in the sediment beneath the plants to escape into the atmosphere. The plant also causes a build-up of sediment from neighboring farmland, which aids the production of methane by bacteria in the stream.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Aging With GRACE: Improving Health Care For Older Adults
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211234041.htm
A JAMA study reports success by Indiana University School of Medicine researchers in both improving quality of care and health-related quality of life measures while reducing emergency department use for low income seniors. Hospital admissions also were reduced in the second year of the program in a group at high risk for hospital admission.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Scientists Overcome Major Obstacles To Stem Cell Heart Repair
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201501.htm
Scientists have overcome two significant obstacles on the road to harnessing stem cells to build patches for damaged hearts. They have made significant progress in maturing beating heart cells derived from embryonic stem cells and in developing the physical scaffolding that would be needed to hold the patch in place in the heart in any future clinical application.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Immune Compound Blocks Virus' Ability To Hijack Antibodies
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201455.htm
Researchers have shown that a controversial phenomenon known as antibody-dependent enhancement of infection is suppressed by C1q, a blood-borne immune system compound. The link may give researchers the lead they need to begin untangling a snarl of evidence from decades of puzzling epidemiological and laboratory-based studies of ADE.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
New Model Revises Estimates Of Terrestrial Carbon Dioxide Uptake
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233441.htm
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a new model of global carbon and nitrogen cycling that will fundamentally transform the understanding of how plants and soils interact with a changing atmosphere and climate. Current models do not account for nitrogen processing, and probably exaggerate the terrestrial ecosystem's potential to slow atmospheric carbon dioxide rise, the researchers say.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Chronic Knee Pain: Is Surgery The Only Solution?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201511.htm
A new study published in the online open access journal, BMC Medicine, has revealed that arthroscopic surgery combined with exercise is no better than exercise alone in alleviating chronic knee pain.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Solving Solar System Quandaries Is Simple: Just Flip-flop The Position Of Uranus And Neptune
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232758.htm
The planets in our solar system weren't always in the order they are today. Four billion years ago, early in the solar system's evolution, Uranus and Neptune switched places, according to new work by a Arizona State University researcher, who based this conclusion on calculations of the surface density of the solar nebula. The solar nebula is the disk of gas and dust out of which all of the planets formed.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Turkish Health Workers Condone Wife Beating, Study Says
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201509.htm
Domestic violence is an inherent problem in Turkey, and healthcare workers are doing little to combat the prevalence of wife beating, according to research published in the online open access journal, BMC Public Health. A survey of medical personnel reveals that a lack of training and a cultural acceptance of domestic violence may prevent victims from obtaining the support they desperately require.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Epigenetics May Be The Underlying Cause For Male Infertility
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212202006.htm
Researchers suggest epigenetics, or the way DNA is processed and expressed, may be the underlying cause for male infertility.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Light Sheds On New Fiber's Potential To Change Technology
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210104013.htm
Photonic crystal fiber's ability to create broad spectra of light, which will be the basis for important developments in technology, has been explained for the first time. The fiber can change a pulse of light with a narrow range of wavelengths into a spectrum hundreds of times broader and ranging from visible light to the infra-red. This is called a supercontinuum.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Deadly Virus Strips Away Immune System's Defensive Measures
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201449.htm
When the alert goes out that a virus has invaded the body, cells that have yet to be attacked prepare by "armoring" themselves for combat, attaching specific antiviral molecules to many of their own proteins to help resist the invader. Unfortunately, the deadly Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus knows a simple but devastating way around this defense: just cut the armor off host cell proteins.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Aging In Salmon Depends On Choosy Bears
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211234007.htm
According to George Bernard Shaw: "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." But how fast does that aging occur once started? In the case of populations of salmon in Alaska studied by Stephanie Carlson and colleagues at the University of Washington and McGill University and reported on in this week's PLoS ONE, it all depends on how choosy are the bears which feed on them.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Large Earthquakes May Broadcast Warnings, But Is Anyone Tuning In To Listen?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201254.htm
There may be a way to detect the footfalls of large earthquakes a week or more before they strike. A Stanford professor thinks a method to provide such warnings may have been buried in the scientific literature for over 40 years. Antony Fraser-Smith, professor emeritus of electrical engineering and of geophysics, has evidence that big temblors emit a burst of ultra-low-frequency electromagnetic radio waves days or even weeks before they hit.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Natural Climate Changes Can Intensify Hurricanes More Efficiently Than Global Warming
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201954.htm
Natural climate variations, which tend to involve localized changes in sea surface temperature, may have a larger effect on hurricane activity than the more uniform patterns of global warming. In the debate over the effect of global warming on hurricanes, it is generally assumed that warmer oceans provide a more favorable environment for hurricane development and intensification. However, several other factors, such as atmospheric temperature and moisture, also come into play.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Granddaddy Of Human Blood Cells Identified
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201951.htm
Researchers have isolated a human blood cell that represents the great-grandparent of all the cells of the blood, a finding that could lead to new treatments for blood cancers and other blood diseases.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Current Melting Of Greenland's Ice Mimicks 1920s-1940s Event
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094332.htm
Two researchers here spent months scouring through old expedition logs and reports, and reviewing 70-year-old maps and photos before making a surprising discovery: They found that the effects of the current warming and melting of Greenland 's glaciers that has alarmed the world's climate scientists occurred in the decades following an abrupt warming in the 1920s.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Zebrafish Study Shows Key Enzyme In Gut Is A Peacemaker
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201958.htm
Scientists, using zebrafish to study the gastrointestinal tract, say that an enzyme long assumed to be involved in digestion instead is a detoxifying traffic cop, maintaining a friendly rapport between resident gut bacteria and cells.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Earth's Magnetic Field Could Help Protect Astronauts Working On The Moon
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211094857.htm
It has been 35 years since humans last walked on the moon, but there has been much recent discussion about returning, either for exploration or to stage a mission to Mars. However, there are concerns about potential radiation danger for astronauts during long missions on the lunar surface. New research indicates that Earth's magnetic field can provide some protection from radiation for humans on the moon, new research shows.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Close Relations Exhibit Greater Agreement On The Attractiveness Of Faces
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201259.htm
Researchers at Harvard University have shown that spouses, siblings and close friends are more likely to have similar preferences with regard to the attractiveness of faces.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Mars Rover Investigates Signs Of Steamy Martian Past
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212000742.htm
Researchers using NASA's twin Mars rovers are sorting out two possible origins for one of Spirit's most important discoveries, while also getting Spirit to a favorable spot for surviving the next Martian winter. The puzzle is what produced a patch of nearly pure silica -- the main ingredient of window glass -- that Spirit found last May. It could have come from either a hot-spring environment or an environment called a fumarole, in which acidic steam rises through cracks. On Earth, both of these types of settings teem with microbial life.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
More 'Functional' DNA In Genome Than Previously Thought
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232720.htm
Surrounding the small islands of genes within the human genome is a vast sea of mysterious DNA. While most of this non-coding DNA is junk, some of it is used to help genes turn on and off. As reported online this week in Genome Research, Hopkins researchers have now found that this latter portion, which is known as regulatory DNA and contributes to inherited diseases like Parkinson's or mental disorders, may be more abundant than we realize.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Neurotransmitters In Biopolymers Stimulate Nerve Regeneration
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211233410.htm
Research reported Dec. 11 in the journal Advanced Materials describes a potentially promising strategy for encouraging the regeneration of damaged central nervous system cells known as neurons. The technique would use a biodegradable polymer containing a chemical group that mimics the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to spur the growth of neurites, which are projections that form the connections among neurons and between neurons and other cells. The biomimetic polymers would then guide the growth of the regenerating nerve.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Female Lower Back Has Evolved To Accommodate The Weight Of Pregnancy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201946.htm
A new study shows that women's spines have evolved to compensate for the weight of the baby during pregnancy. This dimorphism allows a woman to remain more active and mobile, despite the weight of the baby.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Rising Carbon Dioxide Signals Wetter Storms For Northern Hemisphere, Study Says
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232947.htm
While two new studies by researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder's Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences predict wetter storms for the Arctic and for the Northern Hemisphere because of global warming, whether or not this means more net precipitation depends on the latitude.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Different Areas Of The Brain Respond To Belief, Disbelief And Uncertainty
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212202008.htm
Using fMRI, researchers have identified clear differences in the areas of the brain involved in belief, disbelief, and uncertainty. This finding has implications for the detection of deception, for the control of the placebo effect during drug design, and for the study of any higher cognitive phenomenon in which the differences among belief, disbelief and uncertainty might be relevant.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
New Computational Technique Can Predict Drug Side Effects
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232919.htm
Early identification of adverse effects of drugs before they are tested in humans is crucial in developing new therapeutics, as unexpected effects account for a third of all drug failures during the development process. Now researchers at the University of California-San Diego have developed a novel technique using computer modeling to identify potential side effects of pharmaceuticals, and have used the technique to study a class of drugs that includes tamoxifen.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Researchers Build New Model Of Bio-exploration
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232955.htm
Two land-grant universities have developed a new approach to global bio-exploration, one that returns most of the fruits of discovery to the countries that provide the raw materials on which the research depends. The new approach has become a model of sustainable, non-exploitive research in the developing world.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Caught In The Act: The Dynamic Dance Of Enzymes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232813.htm
In a new study in Nature, Brandeis University Howard Hughes Medical Investigator Dr. Dorothee Kern and collaborators pull back the curtain on the secret lives of enzymes, the ubiquitous proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in the cell. Harnessing a slew of sophisticated technologies to capture a key enzyme changing shape in near real time, Kern was able to show that these proteins are not the wallflowers of the biological world scientists had once thought, essentially passive until catalysis occurs. Rather, Kern and her team demonstrated that the enzyme adenylate kinase, and presumably many more, engages in a dynamic dance even before its catalytic date--the substrate to which it binds--shows up.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
New Tibetan Ice Cores Missing A-bomb Blast Markers; Suggest Himalayan Ice Fields Haven't Grown In Last 50 Years
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232938.htm
Ice cores drilled last year from the summit of a Himalayan ice field lack the distinctive radioactive signals that mark virtually every other ice core retrieved worldwide. That missing radioactivity, originating as fallout from atmospheric nuclear tests during the 1950s and 1960s, routinely provides researchers with a benchmark against which they can gauge how much new ice has accumulated on a glacier or ice field.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Women Persist In Plastic Surgery Treatments That Are Not Working, Research Says
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201504.htm
Women are more likely to persist with using creams, supplements and plastic surgery to look younger if they feel these are not yet working, new research says. Researchers found that when women want to avoid a feared self-image, they kept trying if they perceive themselves to be failing, but as soon as they began to succeed their anxiety lessened and they stopped trying.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Using Carbon Nanotubes To Seek And Destroy Anthrax Toxin And Other Harmful Proteins
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210121638.htm
Researchers have developed a new way to seek out specific proteins, including dangerous proteins such as anthrax toxin, and render them harmless using nothing but light. The technique lends itself to the creation of new antibacterial and antimicrobial films to help curb the spread of germs, and also holds promise for new methods of seeking out and killing tumors in the human body.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
How Bacteria In Cows' Milk May Cause Crohn's Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210104002.htm
Scientists have found how a bacterium, known to cause illness in cattle, may cause Crohn's disease in humans. Crohn's is a condition that affects one in 800 people in the UK and causes chronic intestinal inflammation, leading to pain, bleeding and diarrhea.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Discovery Of Primary Depoist Of Rubies Leads To Improved Prospecting Strategies
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203135739.htm
A primary deposit of rubies has just been discovered in Madagascar. The combination of this new field data with the oxygen isotope composition gave geologists the possibility to determine exactly the origin of all the rubies and sapphires found in alkaline basalts. This information could enable geologists locally to trace the origin back up to the parent-rock and thus increase the possibilities of exploitation of these gem stone deposits.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Cholesterol-lowering Drugs And The Risk Of Hemorrhagic Stroke
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212202001.htm
People taking cholesterol-lowering drugs such as atorvastatin after a stroke may be at an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke, or bleeding in the brain, a risk not found in patients taking statins who have never had a stroke.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Pre-natal Alcohol Exposure Shapes Sensory Preference, Upping Odds Of Later Alcohol Use And Abuse
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201956.htm
Young people whose mothers drank when pregnant may be more likely to abuse alcohol because, in the womb, their developing senses came to prefer its taste and smell. Researchers have found that because the developing nervous system adapts to whatever mothers eat and drink, young rats exposed to alcohol (ethanol) in the womb drank significantly more alcohol than nonexposed rats.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Voyager 2 Proves Solar System Is Squashed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210111958.htm
NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft has followed its twin Voyager 1 into the solar system's final frontier, a vast region at the edge of our solar system where the solar wind runs up against the thin gas between the stars.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Three-drug Combination 'Extremely Promising' As First-line Therapy For Multiple Myeloma
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232835.htm
A new combination of bortezomib (Velcade) and two other drugs is showing a very high response rate in patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a team headed by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
300 Pets May Have Died From Contaminated Pet Food Due To Lethal Combination Of Contaminants
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203203820.htm
A survey, commissioned by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians has found that more than 300 dogs and cats may have died earlier this year as a result of eating contaminated pet food. In addition, the survey also determined that the cause of death may have been related to two food contaminants which, separately, are relatively harmless, but together can be deadly.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Multiple Myeloma Clinical Trial Shows Distinct Survival Benefit With Lower Dose Of Steroids
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094445.htm
Results of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Phase III clinical trial E4A03, for multiple myeloma show significantly better overall survival with lenalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone therapy compared to lenalidomide plus high-dose dexamethasone.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Purified Wastewater From Hospitals
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206231740.htm
Hospital wastewater is contaminated with drugs that can pollute the environment. A newly developed system deals with the problem at source, directly treating and purifying wastewater from the toilets before it ever reaches the sewage plant. Antibiotics, cytostatics and psychotropics -- many are the drugs swallowed by hospital patients.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
The Effect Of 'In Your Face' Political Television On Democracy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201354.htm
Television can encourage awareness of political perspectives among Americans, but the incivility and close-up camera angles that characterize much of today's "in your face" televised political debate also causes audiences to react more emotionally and think of opposing views as less legitimate.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Top 11 Warmest Years On Record Have All Been In Last 13 Years
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213101419.htm
Preliminary global temperature figures show that the top 11 warmest years have all occurred in the last 13 years. The provisional data currently places 2007 as the seventh warmest on records back to 1850.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Molecular 'Trip Switch' Shuts Down Inflammatory Response: Important Implications For Lupus
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213121017.htm
Like a circuit breaker that prevents electrical wiring from overheating and bringing down the house, a tiny family of three molecules stops the immune system from mounting an out-of-control, destructive inflammatory response against invading pathogens. This major finding means that new methods can now be pursued to shut down uncontrolled inflammation, restore immune system regulation, and treat chronic autoimmune disorders such as lupus.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
NASA'S GLAST Satellite Arrives At Naval Research Lab For Testing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204175758.htm
NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope has arrived at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, for its final round of testing. The GLAST spacecraft has successfully completed two of its three environmental tests. These tests included exposure to extreme vibrations and electromagnetic fields.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Clues To Cystic Fibrosis Gene Dysfunction And Gastrointestinal Disease Discovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120958.htm
Researchers discover a new regulatory element in a region of the cystic fibrosis gene that can control the gene's expression in the gastrointestinal tract, offering new insight into it's role in the development of digestive diseases.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Experts Urge Complete Global Access To Iodized Salt; Prevents IQ Loss And Brain Damage In Babies
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201453.htm
The Network for Sustained Elimination of Iodine Deficiency at the UN has urge renewed international commitment to prevent loss of IQ due to fetal brain damage by facilitating access to iodized salt for the final 30 percent of world households that don't yet have it -- most of them found in just 20 countries.
Thu, 13 Dec 07
Dust Mite Levels In Sydney Are Seasonal
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071126100611.htm
House dust mite allergen levels in Sydney beds are determined by the season, with new research discovering fluctuations of such magnitude between summer and autumn levels they may be sufficient to influence asthma symptoms in sufferers.
Wed, 12 Dec 07
Tiny Dust Particles From Asian Deserts Common Over Western United States
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213000427.htm
Dust from the Gobi and Taklimakan deserts in China and Mongolia is routinely present in the air over the western United States during spring months, a researcher has found. He found that in years with large Asian dust storms there was an increase in particles of 2.5 microns or less in the air over the western United States. Particles that small can be inhaled more deeply into the lungs and are a health concern.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
In Search For Water On Mars, Clues From Antarctica
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094326.htm
Scientists have gathered more evidence that suggests flowing water on Mars -- by comparing images of the red planet to an otherworldly landscape on Earth. In recent years, scientists have examined images of several sites on Mars where water appears to have flowed to the surface and left behind a trail of sediment. Those sites closely resemble places where water flows today in the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica , the new study has found.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Scientists Strike Blow In Superbugs Struggle
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205095326.htm
Scientists have pioneered new ways of tweaking the molecular structure of antibiotics -- an innovation that could be crucial in the fight against powerful superbugs. They have paved the way for the development of new types of antibiotics capable of fighting increasingly resistant bacteria.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Physicians Seek To Improve The Quality Of Sleep In ICU
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094245.htm
The sleep patterns of patients in the intensive care unit are so superficial that they barely spend any time in the restorative stages of sleep that aid in healing, UT Southwestern Medical Center physicians have found.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Discovery Opens New Window To Understanding Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094346.htm
Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute researchers have opened a new window into the roots of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). "We are looking under the surface of CML to understand better where the cancer is coming from. We have discovered abnormal cells in the early stem cell population in some CML patients, which don't belong to the CML clone. These are abnormal cells that are not part of the CML clone," said Thomas Bumm, M.D., OHSU Cancer Institute member.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
World's Protected Areas Threatened By Climate Change, New Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094234.htm
Climate change will affect national parks, forest reserves and other protected areas around the world, in some cases altering conditions so severely that the resulting environments will be virtually new to the planet, according to a study presented at the UN climate change talks in Bali, Indonesia.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Far Flung Food: Europe's Distant Diets
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210112005.htm
Across the European Union, food is traveling more, and not always in ways that make sense. Consider the chocolate covered waffle: Last year, Britain both imported 14,000 tons, and exported 15,000 tons. And it is not just waffles that are traveling further, as Europeans are eating -- and importing -- more food from outside the EU than ever before.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Researcher Discovers What Fuels Certain Cancer Mutation
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163410.htm
An Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute researcher has discovered that a particular hormone is responsible for driving a cancer enzyme to cause an often deadly red blood cell cancer. Researchers working with the cancer mutation in the JAK2 enzyme have found that the enzyme is dependent on the hormone TNF-alpha to grow and cause a red blood cell cancer called polycythemia vera, said principal investigator Thomas Bumm, M.D., Ph.D., OHSU Cancer Institute member.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Vaccine Improves Event-free Survival For Leukemia Patients
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094351.htm
Patients whose immune system responded to a peptide vaccine for leukemia enjoyed a median remission that was more than three times longer than nonresponders, according to researchers.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
New Smartpen And Paper To Help Teach Blind College Students
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203121438.htm
Subjects like physics, calculus and biology are challenging for most students, but imagine tackling these topics without being able to see the graphs and figures used to teach them. A new smartpen and paper technology that works with touch and records classroom audio aims to bring these subjects to life for blind students.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Mediterranean Diet And Physical Activity Each Associated With Lower Death Rate Over 5 Years
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163349.htm
Eating a Mediterranean diet and following national recommendations for physical activity are each associated with a reduced risk of death over a five-year period, according to two reports in the Dec. 10/24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Both studies use data from the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study, which began when questionnaires were returned from 566,407 AARP members age 50 to 71 in six states between 1995 and 1996.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Waterborne Carbon Increases Threat Of Environmental Mercury
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210162850.htm
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin and a worrisome environmental contaminant, but the severity of its threat appears to depend on what else is in the water. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that the presence of dissolved organic material increases the biological risk of aqueous mercury and may even serve as an environmental mercury source.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Is There A Developmental Component To The Risk For Depression?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210112012.htm
Psychiatrists remain divided as to how to define and classify the mood and anxiety disorders, the most common mental disorders. Authors of a new study explain that their findings support a proposed "fetal programming" model for depression and anxiety, which posits that prenatal stress may result in permanent maladaptive changes to the developing fetal brain.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Plasma Science Instrument Finds Surprises At Solar System's Edge
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210162949.htm
The Voyager 2 spacecraft's Plasma Science instrument, developed at MIT in the 1970s, has turned up surprising revelations about the boundary zone that marks the edge of the Sun's influence in space.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Neurons In The Frontal Lobe May Be Responsible For Rational Decision-making
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094455.htm
Scientists have found that when monkeys choose between different options, the value neurons assign to each option does not depend on the menu of choices. This phenomenon may explain a behavioral trait called preference transitivity, which is the hallmark of rational economic choice. The results may also elucidate our understanding of certain "choice deficits" such as eating disorders, compulsive gambling and other abnormal social behaviors.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Beetle Dung Helps Forests Recover From Fire
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203135742.htm
Beetle droppings -- known in the scientific world as frass -- are crucial to forests recovering from fire.Armed with a pair of tweezers and a handful of beetle droppings,researchers have discovered why bug-sized dung is so important to areas ravaged by fire.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Bird-flu Expert Calls For Changes In Early-warning System
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207091915.htm
The international science community is not doing enough to track the many avian influenza viruses that might cause the next pandemic, according to new research.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Smaller Storms Drop Larger Overall Rainfall In Hurricane Season
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210104022.htm
Researchers have found that when residents of the US southeastern states look skyward for rain to alleviate a long-term drought, they should be hoping for a tropical storm over a hurricane for more reasons than one. According to a new study using NASA satellite data, smaller tropical storms do more to alleviate droughts than hurricanes do over the course of a season by bringing greater cumulative rainfall.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Psychiatrists: Least Religious But Most Interested In Patients' Religion
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163123.htm
Although psychiatrists are among the least religious physicians, they seem to be the most interested in the religious and spiritual dimensions of their patients, according to survey data.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
For The Fruit Fly, Everything Changes After Sex
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163142.htm
The females of many insect species change their behavior right after mating: mosquitoes look for a meal of fresh blood, and flies begin to lay eggs. Researchers at Austria's Research Institute of Molecular Pathology managed to identify the molecular switches that are responsible for these behavioral changes. This could open up new possibilities to control agricultural pests or disease carriers. Researchers in the journal Nature report on the discovery in its current online release.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Researchers Can Read Thoughts To Decipher What A Person Is Actually Seeing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206222634.htm
Following ground-breaking research showing that neurons in the human brain respond in an abstract manner to particular individuals or objects, researchers have now discovered that, from the firing of this type of neuron, they can tell what a person is actually seeing. The original research showed that one neuron fired to, for instance, Jennifer Aniston, another one to Halle Berry, another one to the Sydney Opera House, etc.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Vaccine Shows Promise In Preventing Mono
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210121632.htm
A new study suggests that a vaccine targeting Epstein-Barr virus may prevent infectious mononucleosis, commonly known as "mono" or "glandular fever." EBV is a member of the herpes virus family and one of the most common viruses in humans, with nearly all adults in developed countries such as the United States having been infected.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Chemicals Used As Fire Retardants Could Be Harmful, Researchers Say
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210162904.htm
Margarita Curras-Collazo's lab at the University of California-Riverside has done research that shows that polybrominated diphenyl ethers, chemicals used as fire retardants, disrupt mechanisms that are responsible for releasing hormones in the body. Moreover, her lab has shown that like polychlorinated biphenyls, whose manufacture in the US was discontinued in 1977, PBDEs alter calcium signaling in the brain.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Knee Operations Can Lead To Other Injuries
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206225158.htm
Operating on an anterior cruciate ligament injury can lead to other damage to the knee and to changes that remain a full year after the first injury. If an operation is to be carried out, the patient may have to rest his/her knee longer than would have been necessary without an operation. "If operated young soccer players return to play after just a few months, the risk of osteoarthritis development in the knee will increase in the long term" says the researcher.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Cooler, Faster, Cheaper: Researchers Advance Process To Manufacture Silicon Chips
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203111304.htm
The next generation of laptops, desk computers, cell phones and other semiconductor devices may get faster and more cost-effective with new research. "We've developed a new process and equipment that will lead to a significant reduction in heat generated by silicon chips or microprocessors while speeding up the rate at which information is sent," says one of the researchers.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Living Longer With Obesity Means Heavier Burden For Hospitals
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163105.htm
Living longer with obesity can lead to both longer hospital stays and more avoidable trips to the hospital, according to two new studies from Purdue University.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Are Humans Evolving Faster? Findings Suggest We Are Becoming More Different, Not Alike
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210212227.htm
Researchers have discovered genetic evidence that human evolution is speeding up -- and has not halted or proceeded at a constant rate, as had been thought -- indicating that humans on different continents are becoming increasingly different.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Cord Blood Viable Option For Kids With Life-threatening Metabolic Disorders
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163317.htm
Children born with inherited metabolic disorders that cause organ failure and early death can be treated successfully with umbilical cord blood transplants from unrelated donors and, in some cases go on to live for many years, according to a study led by Duke University Medical Center researchers.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Ice Ages And Rivers May Have Affected Gorilla Diversification
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210212200.htm
Geography and historical climate change may have both played a major role in gorilla evolutionary diversification, according to a new genetic study by Cardiff University and the University of New Orleans. The collaborative School of Biosciences study shows that the genetic composition of gorilla populations varies across different parts of their current geographic range and that this variation may be tied to Ice Age climate change and river barriers.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Can Fruit Flies Help Treat Stroke And Transplant Patients?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205095411.htm
Reperfusion injury takes place when an animal or an organ is starved of oxygen, then exposed to oxygen again. This occurs in strokes and organ transplants and causes many deaths per year. Now scientists have discovered that reperfusion injury can be induced in fruit-flies, a convenient, cheap, well-characterized model animal.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Arsenic Contamination Lacks One-size-fits-all Remedy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210214711.htm
Though a worldwide problem, arsenic contamination of drinking water does not have a universal solution.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Morphine: A Comfort Measure For The Dying Or Pain Control For The Living?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210212155.htm
Cancer patients are suffering unnecessarily because they wrongly believe that morphine and other opioids are only used as "comfort for the dying" and as a "last resort" rather than seeing them as legitimate pain killers that can improve their quality of life, according to research published in Annals of Oncology.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Eating More Red And Processed Meats Linked To Greater Risk For Bowel And Lung Cancer, Findings Suggest
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210213133.htm
New findings provide evidence that people who eat a lot of red and processed meats have greater risk of developing bowel and lung cancer than people who eat small quantities. The research by Amanda Cross and colleagues at the US National Cancer Institute is published in the latest issue of PLoS Medicine.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Lipids In The Brain An Important Factor For Alzheimer's Disease?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163251.htm
As the most common form of dementia in the Western world, Alzheimer's disease carries enormous implications for our ageing society. It is generally accepted that the disease is caused by Alzheimer peptide protofibrils. Until now, the conditions under which this type of protofibril is formed and leads to the disease remained unknown. VIB researchers have now discovered that certain lipids, present also in our brains, promote the formation of this protofibril.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Genome Study Places Modern Humans In Evolutionary Fast Lane
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210213316.htm
Countering a common theory that human evolution has slowed to a crawl or even stopped in modern humans, a new study examining data from an international genomics project describes the past 40,000 years as a time of supercharged evolutionary change, driven by exponential population growth and cultural shifts.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Delicate Protein Balance Behind Immune System Response Uncovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210214715.htm
A team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine has identified the protein interactions involved in the immune system process that fights infection yet, in certain inflammatory diseases, runs amok and attacks friendly tissue.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Scientists Develop New Measure Of 'Socioclimactic' Risk
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210214720.htm
Researchers have taken a first step toward quantifying the "socioclimactic" exposure of different countries to future climate change. The research team found that China, India and the United States face substantial exposure relative to other nations. By integrating state-of-the-art global climate model experiments with socioeconomic indicators of poverty, wealth and population, we create a unique measure of 'socioclimactic' risk for each nation.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Doctors Trained On Patient Simulators Exhibit Superior Skills
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210213101.htm
Senior internal medicine residents who are trained in critical resuscitation skills on patient simulators become more skilled than residents who undergo traditional training, according to new research. Though prior studies have already shown that simulation training is effective in imparting such skills, this study sought to demonstrate the superiority of simulation training over traditional methods. In doing so, researchers found that simulation-trained residents out-performed their traditionally trained counterparts during a simulated scenario of respiratory arrest.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Threatened Birds May Be Rarer Than Geographic Range Maps Suggest
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210214707.htm
Geographic range maps that allow conservationists to estimate the distribution of birds may vastly underestimate the actual population size of threatened species and those with specific habitats, according to a study published online this week in the journal Conservation Biology.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Unprecedented View Of Mysterious 'Night-shining' Clouds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210112002.htm
NASA's AIM satellite has provided the first global-scale, full-season view of iridescent polar clouds that form 50 miles above Earth's surface. Very little is known about these 'clouds at the edge of space', also called Polar Mesospheric Clouds.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Keeping At-risk Cells From Developing Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210213042.htm
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that cancers arising from epigenetic changes -- in this case the inappropriate activation of a normally silent gene -- develop by becoming addicted to certain growth factors. Reporting online in next week's Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences, the team shows that blocking this "addiction" can greatly prevent cancer growth.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Study On Toxin That Tainted Spinach, Shiga Toxin, Reveals Treatment Possibility
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203103405.htm
If you've survived Shiga toxin and the after-effects of food poisoning, you may have been the innocent victim of a battle for survival between predator and prey. Bacteria that carry a virus (a bacteriophage) that packs the Shiga toxin gene (Stx) may depend on it for protection from bacterial predators like the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena. A discovery by University at Buffalo biologists that may explain the evolution of a lethal toxin is providing new information that could lead to more effective treatments for humans who fall victim to it.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
New Therapeutic Options For Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Patients
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163401.htm
Mayo Clinic researchers have presented results of a phase II trial of myeloma induction therapy -- a first step therapy designed to reduce cancer cells numbers -- with cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (Cybor-D) showing an improved response over the traditional lenalidomide-dexamethasone (L-Dex) therapy.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Targeted Fertilizer Applications Combat Slowing Rice Yields
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210214701.htm
Scientists at Punjab Agricultural University, IRRI, and Virginia Tech report in Agronomy Journal their success in increasing rice yields using site-specific nutrient management strategies.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Alarming Rise In Substance Abuse Among Somali Combatants
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210213123.htm
An alarming rise in drug-related problems amongst militia in southern and central Somalia, which has not been under the control of any type of government for more than a decade, is reported in a study published this week in the open access journal PLoS Medicine.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
Abdominal Fat Distribution Predicts Heart Disease, Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163211.htm
Abdominal obesity is a strong independent risk factor for heart disease, and using the waist-hip ratio rather than waist measurement alone is a better predictor of heart disease risk among men and women, researchers reported in a study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
New Study Reveals For First Time How BRCA1 Mutations Cause Breast Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210094448.htm
Scientists have revealed how mutations in the BRCA1 gene lead to breast cancer. Findings show that one way BRCA1 mutations cause cancer is by knocking out a powerful tumor suppressor gene known as PTEN.
Tue, 11 Dec 07
James Webb Space Telescope Marks Successful Completion
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204175742.htm
A preliminary design review has concluded and verified the integrated performance of all subsystems in the Optical Telescope Element on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. The Optical Telescope Element or OTE is the "eye" of the Webb Observatory.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
World's Most Endangered Gorilla Fights Back
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205122539.htm
In the wake of a study that documented for the first time the use of weaponry by Cross River gorillas to ward off threats by humans, the Wildlife Conservation Society has announced new field surveys to better protect this most endangered great ape.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Herbal Extract Found To Increase Lifespan
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205115232.htm
The herbal extract of a yellow-flowered mountain plant indigenous to the Arctic regions of Europe and Asia increased the lifespan of fruit fly populations, according to a UC-Irvine study.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Ultrasound Helps Skin Transplants On Open Leg Ulcers 'Take Root' Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206232133.htm
For skin transplants to "take root", it needs to be ensured that the patient's tissue is properly irrigated with blood. Low-frequency ultrasound can promote this effect. Researchers have developed the first device that permits variable control of the ultrasound frequency. Minor skin wounds might hurt a lot, but they usually heal within a matter of days. For diabetics, the slightest scratch can have more serious consequences.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Major Physics Breakthrough In Understanding Supersolidity
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205131155.htm
Physicists are reporting a major advance in the understanding of what appears to be a new state of matter -- supersolidity. Physicists have been manipulating solid helium so they can study its unusual behavior.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Pain-free Window Into Painful Neuropathies
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205102441.htm
Scientists have demonstrated a new technique for detecting a painful nerve condition known as neuropathy, which affects millions of people with diabetes and many other patients as well. The painless technique focuses on tiny structures in the skin known as Meissner corpuscles, which encapsulate the endings of microscopic nerves in our hands, feet, and other areas. When someone tickles your feet, or lightly brushes the palm of your hand, or gives you a kiss -- it's Meissner corpuscles that are detecting the touch. The tiny structures act like little sensors, allowing us to feel light touch and pressure.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Rise In Serious Head Injuries Among Snowboarders And Skiers
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190554.htm
Serious head injuries among alpine skiers and snowboarders have risen over the past 15 years. The increase has coincided with faster speed and the inclusion of more jumping and acrobatics as the norm in these sports, say the authors.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Cystic Fibrosis Proteins Photographed Interacting
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207150735.htm
New microscopic pictures show the first-ever physical evidence of interaction between two proteins involved in cystic fibrosis (CF) disease. UAB studied a CF-causing protein and another protein called epithelial sodium channel, or ENaC. Both proteins are known to play a role in CF, but exactly what role each plays is unclear.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Dam The Red Sea And Release Gigawatts
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206093006.htm
Damming the Red Sea could solve the growing energy demands of millions of people in the Middle East and alleviate some of the region's tensions pertaining to oil supplies through hydroelectric power. Equally, such a massive engineering project may cause untold ecological harm and displace countless people from their homes.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Cognitive 'Fog' Of Normal Aging Linked To Brain System Disruption
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205122601.htm
Comparisons of the brains of young and old people have revealed that normal aging may cause cognitive decline due to deterioration of the connections among large-scale brain systems. The researchers linked the deterioration to a decrease in the integrity of the brain's "white matter," the tissue containing nerve cells that carry information. The researchers found that the disruption occurred even in the absence of pathology associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Generosity May Be Genetically Programmed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206100557.htm
Are those inclined towards generosity genetically programmed to behave that way? Psychologists believes that this could very well be the case. Through an online task involving making a choice whether or not to give away money, the researchers found that those who chose to give away some or all of their money differed genetically from those involved in the exercise who chose not to give their money away.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
'Smart' Flower Bulbs Pull Themselves To Deeper Ground
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203094826.htm
Confused about the right planting depth for flower bulbs? Trust the bulbs! Researchers have discovered that some flower bulbs are actually 'smart' enough to adjust themselves to the right planting depth.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Treating Patients With Psychiatric Disorders For Hepatitis C
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203142916.htm
People with severe mental illnesses are far more likely to be infected with hepatitis C virus compared to the general population. While the National Institutes of Health once advised doctors against treating HCV-infected patients who continued to use illicit drugs, drink alcohol, or who had a psychiatric history, in 2002, the agency released a statement that said "efforts should be made to increase the availability of the best current treatments" to those patients.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Ancient Maya Marketplace Located, Challenges Views On Goods Distribution
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203134409.htm
Coaxing answers from 1500-year-old clues hidden in soil clumps, a team of archaeologists and environmental scientists identified a marketplace in an ancient Maya city, calling into question archaeologists' widely held belief that people of the era relied on rulers to tax and re-distribute goods, rather than trading them with one another.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Depression Linked To Death Following Heart Attack
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208081550.htm
Depression nearly triples the risk of death following a heart attack, even when accounting for other heart attack risk factors, according to new research which showed that among 360 depressed, post myocardial infarction patients followed for more than six years, those who did not recover from their depression in the first six months were more than twice as likely to die.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Like Humans, Monkey See, Monkey Plan, Monkey Do
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206102256.htm
How many times a day do you grab objects such as a pencil or a cup? We perform these tasks without thinking, however the motor planning necessary to grasp an object is quite complex. For example, waiters will pick up an inverted glass with their thumb pointing down if they plan to pour water into the glass. Is this something that other animals, non-tool users, would do?
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Bacteria Employ Type Of DNA Modification Never Before Seen In Nature
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203142430.htm
Scientists have discovered that bacteria employ a type of DNA modification never before seen in nature. For several decades, researchers have known that it is possible to modify synthetic oligonucleotides (short strands of DNA) by adding sulfur to the sugar-phosphate DNA backbone as a phosphorothioate. Researchers often use such modifications in the laboratory to make DNA resistant to nucleases (enzymes that snip DNA in certain locations) as a step toward gene and antisense therapies of human diseases. Scientists were surprised to discover that a group of bacterial genes, known as the dnd gene cluster, gives bacteria the ability to employ the same modification on their own.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
This Is Your Brain On Violent Media
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206093014.htm
Scientists show that a brain network responsible for suppressing behaviors like inappropriate or unwarranted aggression became less active after study subjects watched several short clips from popular movies depicting acts of violence. These changes could render people less able to control their own aggressive behavior.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Pathogens Use Previously Undescribed Mechanism To Sabotage Host Immune System
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207173642.htm
New research identifies a previously unknown enzymatic mechanism that subverts the early host immune response and promotes pathogenicity by manipulating a common signaling pathway in host cells. The research may have important implications for the food industry and for development of new antibiotics. In addition, the results lead to intriguing questions about whether mammalian cells can make use of a similar mechanism for potentially permanent and irreversible post-translational modifications.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Strawberry Fields Ripe For The Picking
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206145228.htm
Researchers compared three different strawberry production systems over a two-year period (2003-2004) to determine which system was preferred by consumers who frequented pick-your-own farms.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Secrets Of Alcohol's Effect On Brain Cells Revealed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207150730.htm
Alcohol triggers the activation of a variety of genes that can influence the health and activity of brain cells, and new research sheds light on how that process occurs.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Nanotube-producing Bacteria Show Manufacturing Promise
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207150717.htm
Engineers have found semiconducting nanotubes produced by living bacteria -- a discovery that could help in the creation of a new generation of nanoelectronic devices.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Study Points To Possibility Of Blood Test To Detect Lung Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208081602.htm
A test for four blood proteins may provide a less-invasive follow-up for patients who have suspicious lesions on chest radiographs or computerized tomography scans, according to a new study .
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Molecular Mechanism Discovered That Plays A Key Role In Giving A Cell Its Shape
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071202155311.htm
Researchers have now decoded a molecular mechanism that plays an important role in the development of a cell's shape. They report a new experimental approach that sheds light on the interaction between proteins and the cell's skeleton.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Obesity And Metabolism: Weight Gain And The Growing Risk Of Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207120836.htm
During this holiday season with its tempting bounty of edible delights, new research calls attention to the role of the expanding American waistline in health and medicine. New research strengthens the link between obesity, diabetes and metabolism to cancer risk.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Aerosol Launches Immune Response In Lungs To Wipe Out Lethal Infections
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203103414.htm
A purified extract prepared from a common microbe and delivered to the lungs of laboratory mice in a spray set off a healthy immune response and provided powerful protection against all four major classes of pathogens including those responsible for anthrax and bubonic plague, according to new research.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Knowing How Ketamine Impairs Brain Circuitry May Lead To New Therapies For Schizophrenia
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206145243.htm
Scientists know that the drug ketamine -- street name "Special K" -- can induce schizophrenia-like symptoms in drug abusers. Ketamine is also used as an anesthetic and, more recently, as an antidepressant -- raising concerns by researchers at the UCSD School of Medicine, who have found that ketamine leads to the impairments in brain circuitry observed in both drug abusers and schizophrenic patients by causing increased production of a toxic free radical called "superoxide."
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Mechanism For Regulation Of Growth And Differentiation Of Adult Muscle Stem Cells Is Revealed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207150725.htm
During muscle regeneration, a natural response to injury and disease, environmental cues cause adult muscle stem cells to shift from dormancy to actively building new muscle tissue. Scientists analyzed the mechanism by which certain cellular signaling cues cause epigenetic modifications when released within the regenerative microenvironment, thus controlling the expression of genes that regulate growth and differentiation of muscle stem cells that repair injured muscle.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
New National Map Shows Relative Risk For Zebra And Quagga Mussel Invasion
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203103358.htm
Researchers use information on zebra mussels and quagga mussels preferred habitats and needs for survival to create a map to better determine where the species may appear next. There is considerable interest in determining the range of habitats an invasive alien species could possibly reach.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Brain Differences Identified In Adolescents With Mental Illness
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208081554.htm
Puberty may have an impact on areas of the brain that contribute to bipolar disorder or schizophrenia in youth, according to a new study.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
How Chikungunya Virus Has Spread To New Vectors And Locations
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207091940.htm
Researchers have discovered how a key protein switch allows chikungunya virus to spread to new vectors. The study explains how the virus has increased its ability to infect and be transmitted by the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Melting Ice Displaces Walruses In The Russian Arctic
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071126143646.htm
Some 40,000 walruses have appeared on the Russian Arctic coast, a phenomenon that scientists believe is a result of global warming melting Arctic sea ice. According to WWF, this is the largest walrus haul out -- areas where walruses rest when they are out of the water -- registered in the Russian Arctic.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Stable Sleep Patterns And Regular Routines May Improve Outcomes In Bipolar Disorder
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208081558.htm
Bipolar disorder, commonly known as manic-depressive disorder, is highly influenced by the circadian system -- the body's internal clock -- and a specific kind of psychotherapy may help decrease irregularities in the circadian system that can trigger key symptoms of bipolar disorder, according to a new study.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Scientists Snap Images Of Solar Wind Sweeping Past Earth
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207120825.htm
Large waves of solar material have been seen sweeping past Earth. The SECCHI team has obtained images of the density enhancements whose prior existence was known only from point measurements by in situ spacecraft.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Brain Overgrowth In One-year-olds Linked To Development Of Autism, Study Says
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208092451.htm
Brain overgrowth in the latter part of an infant's first year may contribute to the onset of autistic characteristics, according to research. These findings support concurrent research which has found brain overgrowth in autistic children as young as 2 years old.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Study Questions Impact Of Hemoglobin Variations On Mortality In Dialysis Patients
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205105005.htm
For patients with dialysis-related anemia, the risk of death is increased when hemoglobin levels remain persistently low over a period several months -- not necessarily when they fluctuate over time, according to a new study.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Elasticity Of Short DNA Molecules: In Theory And Experiment
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207150738.htm
DNA, the biomolecule that provides the blueprint for life, has a lesser-known identity as a stretchy polymer. The authors have found a flaw in the most common model for DNA elasticity, a discovery that will improve the accuracy of single-molecule research and perhaps pave the way for DNA to become an official standard for measuring picoscale forces, a notoriously difficult challenge.
Mon, 10 Dec 07
Complementary Medicine Training Provides Health Professionals With Balance, Not Bias, Survey Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204091917.htm
Complementary and alternative medicines training for students in the health professions improves their ability to provide balanced, evidence-based advice to patients. Overall 96 per cent of pharmacy students believed they need to be equipped to advise patients about complementary and alternative medicines and 90 percent said it should therefore be a core part of their education.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Young Chimps Top Adult Humans In Numerical Memory
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203094823.htm
Young chimpanzees have an "extraordinary" ability to remember numerals that is superior to that of human adults, researchers report. The researchers said they believe that the young chimps' newfound ability to top humans in the numerical memory task is "just a part of the very flexible intelligence of young chimpanzees."
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Surgical Objects Accidentally Left Inside About 1,500 Patients In US Each Year
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208171847.htm
Every year, in the United States about 1,500 people have surgical objects accidentally left inside them after surgery, according to medical studies. About two-thirds of the surgical objects left behind are sponges, which can lead to pain, infection, bowel obstructions, problems in healing, longer hospital stays, additional surgeries and in rare cases, death.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Heads Or Tails? Scientists Identify Gene That Regulates Polarity In Regenerating Flatworms
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206145248.htm
When cut, a planarian flatworm can use a population of stem cells called neoblasts to regenerate new heads, new tails or even entire new organisms from a tiny fragment of its body. Mechanisms have been sought to explain this process of regeneration polarity for over 100 years, but until now, little was known about how planaria can regenerate heads and tails at their proper sites. The gene Smed-beta-catenin-1 has now been discovered to regulate polarity in regenerating flatworms.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Green Tea Shown To Possess Antitumor Effect In Breast Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208171411.htm
Scientists have shown that green tea has anti-tumor effect in breast cancer cells. A new study observed that green tea can inhibit the invading capacity of breast cancer cells and have also identified the mechanisms involved in death inducing and invasion inhibiting effects of green tea.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
New Research May Lead To Better Climate Models For Global Warming, El Niño
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207150721.htm
From nine different countries, 150 scientists are starting a program to gain insights about the Earth's climate and the complex system involving the oceans, atmosphere and land. They are studying the Southeastern Pacific Ocean off South America's west coast -- research that should improve global computer climate models, which would lead to improved predictions about global warming and El Niños.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Faster Help For Avalanche Victims
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206232453.htm
Victims buried by an avalanche only have a chance of survival if they can be quickly and precisely located under the snow. A novel position-ing system, which will use the signals of Europe's future satellite system 'Galileo', is to help improve the search. It's the start of the skiing season: Attracted by bright sunshine and fresh snow, winter sports enthusiasts flock to the snow-covered slopes. But for some, the white splendor will prove fatal, especially for those who wander off the regular slope.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Age-old Mystery Of Missing Chemicals From Earth's Mantle May Be Solved
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205131152.htm
Observations about the early formation of Earth may answer an age-old question about why the planet's mantle is missing some of the matter that should be present. Earth is made from chondrite, very primitive rocks of meteorites that date from the earliest time of the solar system before the Earth was formed. However, scientists have been puzzled why the composition of Earth's mantle and core differed from that of chondrite.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Why People With Schizophrenia Have Lower Rates Of Cancer: New Clues
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208092440.htm
New studies clarify the evidence of a genetic link between schizophrenia and cancer, providing a surprising possible scientific explanation for lower rates of cancer among patients with schizophrenia -- despite having poor diets and high rates of smoking -- and their parents.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Genome Mapping Yields Clues About Cattle Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208165846.htm
Researchers are developing a biological map of how three tiny pathogens cause big losses for cattle producers each year. Using a newly developed technique called proteogenomic mapping, they have overcome the limitations inherent in computer modeling. They are using mass spectrometers to identify protein amino acid sequences and map them back onto the genome DNA sequences.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Looking Through The Eyes Of A Mouse, Scientists Monitor Circulating Cells In Its Bloodstream
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203121435.htm
Scientists have developed an optical device that allows them to peer through the eyes of a mouse and monitor the cells passing through its bloodstream. The new optical device may help scientists test cancer therapies.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
'Nanohybrid' Plastic May Expand Use Of Biodegradable Plastic
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203120115.htm
Scientists are reporting development of a new biodegradable "nanohybrid" plastic that can be engineered to decompose much faster than existing plastics used in everything from soft drink bottles to medical implants.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Lifestyle And Cancer Prevention: Making Choices That Change Cancer Risk
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207120839.htm
How do the lifestyle choices we make affect our chances of developing cancer? According to new findings, while genetics and environment are major contributors to cancer risk, the simple decisions made each day often matter too. Whether you are picking up a pack of cigarettes, a bottle of suntan lotion, or your walking pace, studies show the power to influence cancer risk is in your hands.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Car Prototype Generates Electricity, And Cash
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203133532.htm
The price of oil nearly reached $100 a barrel recently, but a new prototype vehicle demonstrates how the cost of the black stuff could become a concern of the past. The system enables vehicles to not only run on electricity alone, but also to generate revenue by storing and providing electricity for utilities. The technology -- known as V2G, for vehicle-to-grid--lets electricity flow from the car's battery to power lines and back.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
First-ever Genetic Animal Model Of Autism
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208092448.htm
By introducing a gene mutation in mice, investigators have created what they believe to be the first accurate model of autism not associated with a broader neuropsychiatric syndrome, according to new research.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Birthwort Plant's Dark Side: Contaminated Grain Linked To Kidney Disease And Cancer In Balkan Countries
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208173454.htm
Seeds from birthwort (Aristolochia clematis), a plant which grows in wheat fields in the Balkan region and which has been used throughout Europe and Asia as an herbal remedy for 2000 years, is contaminating the wheat grain, leading to a devastating kidney disease affecting rural residents in that region.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
CMV Retinitis Is Causing Blindness In Young People With HIV In The Developing World
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071201000234.htm
"We have unequivocally observed that CMV retinitis is causing blindness in a young population in developing countries, even though the full scope of the problem remains to be defined," says an international team of 14 eye doctors, HIV specialists, and medical and humanitarian aid workers. Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a member of the herpesvirus family, was a familiar cause of blindness and death in patients with advanced AIDS in Western countries prior to the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). In the era before HAART, about 1/3 of patients with AIDS in the West suffered potentially blinding CMV retinitis.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
How fMRI And Neural Signals Develop In Young Animals
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071130115607.htm
Using fMRI to study early brain development requires learning more about the fMRI signal in the developing brain. MIT neuroscientists studying rats found the signal changes during first few weeks of life in relation to actual brain activity. Correcting for those changes, the researchers could monitor the development of the rat brain. The findings also identified a key player in the age-related changes in neurovascular coupling that gives rise to the BOLD signal.
Sun, 9 Dec 07
Psychotherapy Useful In Treating Post-traumatic Stress Disorder In Early Stages
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208092445.htm
When treated within a month, survivors of a psychologically traumatic event improved significantly with psychotherapy, according to a new study. The researcher says his results indicate that it is best for survivors to be treated as early as possible.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Mussels Inspire New Surgical Glue Possibilities
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206230814.htm
In a few years' time, instead of fiddling with needle and thread, surgeons may simply use glue to connect implants to living tissue. They took their idea from mussels, which can stick to any surface, be it porous rock or the smooth hull of a ship. It sounds like a venturous plan: Implants such as artificial heart valves and vessels are to be welded to the body's own tissue using a special glue, completely obviating the need for bothersome sutures. The bond will be rapidly hardened by UV light, so that only 30 seconds later, the foreign object is firmly implanted in the patient's body.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Ancient Blood Found On Sculptures From Kingdom Of Mali
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203091232.htm
Scientists are reporting for the first time that sculptors from the fantastically wealthy ancient Empire of Mali -- once the source of almost half the world's gold -- used blood to form the beautiful patina, or coating, on their works of art. They describe development of a new, noninvasive test that accurately identifies traces of blood apparently left on ancient African artifacts used in ceremonies involving animal sacrifices.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
'Mini Transplant' Patients' Outcomes Similar Using Related And Unrelated Donor Cells
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203103355.htm
People who undergo nonmyeloablative stem-cell transplants, or 'mini transplants,' for leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers have comparable outcomes regardless of whether they receive tissue-matched stem cells from a related or unrelated donor, according to new findings.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Cleaner Diesels Thanks To Laser Light
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207095100.htm
Researchers have developed a laser system to investigate soot development in diesel engines. Small soot particles are not retained by a soot filter but are, however, more harmful than larger soot particles. Therefore, soot development needs to be tackled at the source. Laser Induced Incandescence is a technique that reveals exactly where soot is generated and can be used by project partners to develop cleaner diesel engines.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Is Infant Male Circumcision An Abuse Of The Rights Of The Child?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207120817.htm
Circumcision is one of the most common surgical procedures performed on males. Opponents argue that infant circumcision can cause both physical and psychological harm, while recent evidence shows that circumcision is medically beneficial. Two doctors debate the issue.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Most Ancient Case Of Tuberculosis Found In 500,000-year-old Human; Points To Modern Health Issues
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207091852.htm
Although most scientists believe tuberculosis emerged only several thousand years ago, new research reveals the most ancient evidence of the disease has been found in a 500,000-year-old human fossil from Turkey. The discovery of the new specimen of the human species, Homo erectus, suggests support for the theory that dark-skinned people who migrate northward from low, tropical latitudes produce less vitamin D, which can adversely affect the immune system as well as the skeleton.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Anticancer Drugs Might Be Of Benefit To Sickle-cell Patients
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207091936.htm
Although some individuals with the inherited blood disorder sickle cell disease benefit from treatment with hydroxyurea, which increases fetal hemoglobin expression, it does not work for all sickle-cell patients. Now, hope for a new therapy has been provided by the observation that the anticancer drugs lenalidomide and pomalidomide were more effective than hydroxyurea at inducing HbF expression by red blood cells derived in vitro from CD34+ cells from both healthy and sickle-cell individuals.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Monitoring And Controlling Deforestation And Forest Degradation
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203090126.htm
As UNFCCC negotiations move towards powerful new mechanisms for compensating tropical countries for their reductions of greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, important questions remain: How much will REDD cost? Will it benefit forest people? Can forests in chronically cloud-covered countries be accurately monitored? These topics are addressed in four new studies just released by the Woods Hole Research Center in anticipation of the 13th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Powerful Tool To Study The Genetics Of Inflammation Developed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071130101214.htm
Scientists have known which genes are linked to inflammation, but now researchers have organized this information to develop a powerful tool to aid investigators in studying the genetics of inflammatory diseases.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Participation In High School Activities Lowers Risk Of Smoking 3 Years After Graduation
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207091924.htm
Students who participate in high school sports or individual physical activity are less likely to smoke than their classmates. The new study indicates that the protective effect of participation extends at least three years beyond graduation. Researchers discovered, however, that girls do not derive the same level of protection from school sports as do boys.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Antibacterial Chemical Disrupts Hormone Activities, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207150713.htm
A new study shows that a common antibacterial chemical added to bath soaps is an endocrine disruptor that can alter hormonal activity in rats and in human cells in the laboratory -- and does so by a previously unreported mechanism. Called endocrine disruptors, or endocrine disrupting substances (EDS), such chemicals have been linked in animal studies to a variety of problems, including cancer, reproductive failure and developmental anomalies.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
New Drug Can Restore Social Ability In Schizophrenics
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206225858.htm
The social behavior of rats displaying schizophrenic tendencies is restored when they are treated with two new potential drugs that seem to have unique effects on dopaminergic signaling. Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder with symptoms that include hallucinations and delusions. Other common effects are social withdrawal, lack of initiative, dulled emotions, and difficulty in experiencing pleasure.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Good Diet and Gardening Linked To Lower Lung Cancer Risk
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207120806.htm
By simply eating four or more servings of green salad a week and working in the garden once or twice a week, smokers and nonsmokers alike may be able to substantially reduce the risk of developing lung cancer, say researchers.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
Meniscal Damage And The Development Of Persistent Knee Pain
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129085757.htm
Meniscal damage does often not directly provoke knee symptoms. Meniscal damage is a feature of knee osteoarthritis, independent of knee pain, aching, and stiffness, according to new research.
Sat, 8 Dec 07
New Study Finds Biodiversity Conservation Secures Ecosystem Services For People
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205131149.htm
Healthy ecosystems that provide people with essential natural goods and services often overlap with regions rich in biological diversity, underscoring that conserving one also protects the other, according to a new study. Biological diversity should therefore be a priority for conservation efforts, according to a new report.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Subliminal Smells Bias Perception About A Person's Likeability
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206163437.htm
Anyone who has bonded with a puppy madly sniffing with affection gets an idea of how scents, most not apparent to humans, are critical to a dog's appreciation of her two-legged friends. Now new research suggests that humans also pick up infinitesimal scents that affect whether or not we like somebody. The smells elicited psychological and physiological changes suggesting that humans get much more information from barely perceptible scents than previously realized.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Really Big Planets: When Do Gas Giants Reach The Point Of No Return?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205131158.htm
Astronomers have identified the point at which a star causes the atmosphere of an orbiting gas giant to become critically unstable. Depending upon their proximity to a host star, giant Jupiter-like planets have atmospheres which are either stable and thin, or unstable and rapidly expanding. The research enables us to work out whether planets in other systems are stable or unstable by using a 3-D model to characterize their atmospheres.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Diet And Cancer Prevention: New Evidence For The Protective Effects Of Fruits And Veggies
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206105144.htm
The age-old refrain, "Eat your vegetables!" gets scientific support as researchers present the latest findings on cancer prevention at the American Association for Cancer Research's Sixth Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Scientists Issue Bali Climate Change Warning
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206105136.htm
More than 200 leading climate scientists have warned the United Nations Climate Conference of the need to act immediately to cut greenhouse gas emissions, with a window of only 10-15 years for global emissions to peak and decline, and a goal of at least a 50 percent reduction by 2050.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Breast MRI Spots Other Cancers, May Alter Treatment Plan
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205122531.htm
MRI, which is not routinely administered to women who plan to undergo a lumpectomy, can find additional cancerous areas in the breast that previously evaded detection, discover cancer in the opposite breast that standard imaging tests such as mammography and ultrasound missed, or determine a tumor is actually larger than expected.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Methanol Shows Increasing Promise As An Alternative Fuel
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203120546.htm
After grabbing headlines for years as the ultimate solution to world energy problems, the "hydrogen economy" has an emerging but lesser-known competitor called the "methanol economy," according to a new article. Methanol, an alcohol like ethanol, shows increasing promise as an alternative energy source with advantages over both ethanol and hydrogen.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Price Of Lower-calorie Foods Rising Drastically, Researchers Find
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205115240.htm
As food prices rise, the costs of lower-calorie foods are rising the fastest, according to a new study. As the prices of fresh fruit and vegetables and other low-calorie foods have jumped nearly 20 percent in the past two years, the researchers say, a nutritious diet may be moving out of the reach of some American consumers.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
'Hellish' Hot Springs Yield Greenhouse Gas-eating Bug
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206110822.htm
A new species of hardy methane-eating bacteria has been discovered in hot springs in New Zealand. Scientists discovered the methane-eating microorganism in the geothermal field known as Hell's Gate, near the city of Rotorua in New Zealand.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Caffeine Cream Tones Thighs
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206110809.htm
Caffeine appears to have the novel benefit of slenderizing thighs. Researchers studied 99 women treated with a cream consisting mostly of a 7 percent caffeine solution. More than 80 percent of the women had a reduction in the circumference of their upper and lower thighs. Nearly 68 percent also reduced their hip measurements.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
'Flying Fish' Unmanned Aircraft Takes Off And Lands On Water
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205190838.htm
Flying fish were the inspiration for an unmanned seaplane with a 7-foot wingspan just developed. The autonomous craft is believed to be the first seaplane that can initiate and perform its own takeoffs and landings on water.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Brain Systems Become Less Coordinated With Age, Even In The Absence Of Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205122554.htm
Using neuroimaging, researchers have identified that among older individuals, brain systems are less likely to be in sync with one another, even in the absence of Alzheimer's disease. Normal aging disrupts communication between different regions of the brain.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
New Software To Aid Early Detection Of Infectious Disease Outbreaks
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206102300.htm
A newly released software program will let health authorities at the site of an infectious disease outbreak quickly analyze data, speeding the detection of new cases and the implementation of effective interventions.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Pass The Popcorn! Study Finds That Film Enjoyment Is Contagious
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204133730.htm
Loud commentary and cell phone fumbling may be distracting, but new research suggests that the presence of other people may enhance our movie-watching experiences. Over the course of the film, movie-watchers influence one another and gradually synchronize their emotional responses. This mutual mimicry also affects each participant's evaluation of the overall experience -- the more in sync we are with the people around us, the more we like the movie.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Adult Cells, Reprogrammed To Embryonic Stem Cell Like State, Treat Sickle-cell Anemia In Mice
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206145301.htm
This is the first proof of principle for using adult cells reprogrammed to an embryonic-stem-cell-like state, combined with gene and cell therapy, for successful disease treatment in mice. Similar "induced pluripotent stem cells" were recently derived with human cells.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Missing Protein May Be Key To Autism
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205115236.htm
A missing brain protein may be one of the culprits behind autism and other brain disorders. The protein helps synapses develop. Synapses--through which neurons communicate with one other-underlie our ability to learn and remember.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Ultrafast Optical Shutter Is Switched Entirely By Laser Light
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206155526.htm
It's a rare case of all light and no heat: A new study reports that a laser can be used to switch a film of vanadium dioxide back and forth between reflective and transparent states without heating or cooling it.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Biomarkers For Inflammatory Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205190919.htm
Gene-expression profiles might be used to identify prognostic biomarkers for Kawasaki disease, and help to unravel the underlying biology of the illness. The new findings also support the idea that gene-expression profiles might be used to generate biomarkers for other systemic inflammatory illnesses.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Robotics Lab Helps Stroke Patients With Recovery
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204121938.htm
Robotics engineers and doctors are developing a PC-based system for stroke rehabilitation. Sixteen patients are testing a prototype system. They use joysticks to move objects on a computer screen. Using force-feedback technology, the joystick resists moves in the wrong direction and guides patients along the right path. Researchers hope to refine the system to allow stroke patients to recover more quickly.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Bioprospectors Identify Hot New Biofuel-producing Bacteria
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203120344.htm
A bioprospecting expedition to Iceland's famed hot springs has yielded new strains of bacteria with potential of producing hydrogen and ethanol fuels from wastewater now discharged from factories that process sugar beets, potatoes and other plant material. The microbes hold potential for combining energy production with wastewater treatment.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Optimism Isn't Always Healthy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204133733.htm
People are generally optimistic, believing they'll do better in the future than they've done in the past. This time around, I'll actually use that gym membership. I'm sticking to the diet this time. Now is the time to start saving for a down payment on a house. However, a new study reveals that this "optimism bias" can lead us to make immediate choices that go against our long-term goals.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Climate Change Will Significantly Increase Impending Bird Extinctions
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206094116.htm
Where do you go when you've reached the top of a mountain and you can't go back down? It's a question increasingly relevant to plants and animals, as their habitats slowly shift to higher elevations, driven by rising temperatures worldwide. In one of the first analyses of extinction rates to incorporate the most recent climate change scenarios set forth in the IPCC 2007 reports, researchers say that by 2100 up to 30 percent of land-bird species may be extinct.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
More Babies Born Prematurely, New Report Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206124852.htm
The preterm birth rate, the percentage of babies born at less than 37 weeks gestation, is continuing its relentless rise, with more than 525,000 babies, or 12.7 percent, born prematurely in 2005. The preterm birth rate has increased more than 20 percent since 1990.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Kids Eat More Fruits, Vegetables When Schools Offer Salad Bar
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206161421.htm
A new study has found that elementary schools can significantly increase the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption among low-income students by providing a lunch salad bar.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Beating Hospital Yeast Infection
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205190906.htm
Increasing numbers of critically ill patients develop fungal or yeast infections, which are associated with high mortality. Now a review compares treatments involving single-drug antifungal prophylaxis or a multi-drug regimen of selective digestive tract decontamination and suggests that both methods reduce yeast-related morbidity and mortality, but to different extents.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
PET And Bioluminescent Imaging Aid Evaluation Of Stem Cells' Potential For New Ways To Treat Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206113219.htm
Using positron emission tomography imaging with bioluminescence -- the light produced by a chemical reaction within an organism -- researchers are starting to understand the behavior of transplanted or implanted stem cells that may one day be used to develop new treatments for disease.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Miscarriage Myths Persist Despite Prevalence Of Medical Information
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206145204.htm
More than a third of women surveyed about their beliefs surrounding miscarriage and birth defects said they thought that a pregnant woman's foul mood could negatively affect her baby. One in four of these women thought a pregnant woman's exposure to upsetting situations could hurt her unborn child, and one in five believed excessive exercise could cause a woman to miscarry.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Supercomputer Simulation Of Universe May Help In Search For Missing Matter
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206113223.htm
Much of the gaseous mass of the universe is bound up in a tangled web of cosmic filaments that stretch for hundreds of millions of light-years, according to a new supercomputer study.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Closest Look Ever At Native Human Tissue
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205122549.htm
Seeing proteins in their natural environment and interactions inside cells has been a long-standing goal. Using an advanced microscopy technique called cryo-electron tomography, researchers have visualized proteins responsible for cell-cell contacts for the first time. They now have 3-D images of human skin at molecular resolution that reveal the molecular Velcro-like organization that interlinks cells.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Protein Protects Brain Against Compound In Lead Poisoning, Liver Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206161416.htm
Scientists have discovered that a protein known as PEPT2 protects the brains of mice from a naturally occurring but potentially toxic compound present in lead poisoning and in a class of liver diseases that can cause serious neurological complications.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Unlocking The Mechanics -- And Mysteries -- Of Joint Pain
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206162651.htm
When you think of towering skyscrapers and large bridges spanning deep valleys, you wouldn't normally link them to the joints and tendons throughout your body that allow you to move. One researcher does. It turns out that many of the same design principles are at work.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Mechanism For Faulty Protein Disposal Found
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206163427.htm
New insights have been made into how myeloma cells dispose of defective or excess proteins. The discovery shows how a group of molecules pulls certain types of defective proteins out of the cell's protein factory, a finding that could help development of new cancer drugs.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Ultra-bright Single Photon Source Developed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206124847.htm
Important advances have recently been made in high-performance single-photon sources that bring such possibilities closer to reality. In particular, single photons can be used to implement absolutely secure optical communication, also known as quantum cryptography. With this new source, recording a single-photon signature that took eight hours five years back can now be achieved on a millisecond time scale. This remarkable progress was achieved by developing a novel type of microcavity structure which strongly enhances the light extraction from the optically active material.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Study Of African Traditional Medicine Will Begin World-first Clinical Trial
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206155530.htm
Sutherlandia may be unfamiliar to many North Americans, but in South Africa, where traditional medicines are used by many people, and often supplement conventional medicines, many consider it a miracle plant. Those that use Sutherlandia claim it cures ailments from depression to cancer. Sutherlandia is a new focus of research.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Chemoprevention, Naturally: Findings On Plant-derived Cancer Medicines
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206124856.htm
The next cancer-fighting therapeutic could be growing in your garden. For example, a black raspberry-based gel might offer a means of stopping oral lesions from turning into a particularly dangerous and disfiguring form of cancer. And new studies show that cancer prevention might come in drinkable form: green tea extract, a powerful antioxidant, shows efficacy against colorectal cancer; and a new berry-rich beverage, made from a combination of known plant-based antioxidants, could prevent or slow the growth of prostate cancer.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
It's Not Just A Kid Thing: Fluoridated Tap Water Benefits Older Adults Even More
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204102442.htm
The benefits of fluoridation in preventing tooth decay have been known for over half a century and today approximately two-thirds of Americans have access to fluoridated public water. New research shows that older adults benefit even more significantly from fluoridation than children.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Testing Time For Instrument On Hubble's Successor
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206102304.htm
A significant milestone for the Hubble Space Telescope successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, is on course to be reached before Christmas with the testing of the verification model of the Mid-InfraRed Instrument at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
HIV-infected Infants Respond Poorly To Childhood Vaccination
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205095404.htm
It is known that HIV-infected children who do not receive appropriate antiretroviral drugs experience immune depression, and may become susceptible to infectious diseases that would otherwise be prevented by childhood immunization. It is therefore important to find out to what extent HIV-infected children are able to generate adequate levels of antibodies following routine childhood immunizations. A new article describes the results of a cross-sectional study carried out amongst 18-36 month-old children born to HIV-infected mothers and living in Central Africa. The study suggested that immuno-suppressed HIV-infected children have a low persistence of antibodies to the vaccines of the Expanded Program on Immunization.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Digital Preservation: Alliance Set To Tackle Science's New Frontier
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204180015.htm
A new digital divide, or rather chasm, is opening up in the scientific enterprise, and something urgently needs to be done to prevent data from being lost into oblivion At the Second International Conference on Permanent Access to the Records of Science the Alliance for Permanent Access, a group of stakeholders dedicated to preserving digital science records, was launched to do just that.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Parents Want Teachers Who Make Children Happy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206163305.htm
Parents prefer teachers who make their children happy even more than those who emphasize academic achievement, a new study shows. When requesting a teacher for their elementary school children, parents are more likely to choose teachers who receive high student satisfaction ratings than teachers with strong achievement ratings.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Hinode Reveals New Insights About The Origin Of Solar Wind
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206145256.htm
Images from telescopes aboard a Japanese satellite have shed new light about the sun's magnetic field and the origins of solar wind, which disrupts power grids, satellites and communications on Earth.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Chemists Characterize Alzheimer's Neurotoxin Structure
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203135744.htm
Chemists have characterized the molecular structure of the intermediate stage of plaque-forming amyloid fibrils, believed to cause Alzheimer's disease. The finding may lead to new drug targets for this and other amyloid diseases, such as Parkinson's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Free Software Brings Affordability, Transparency To Mathematics
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071206145213.htm
Mathematicians are on a mission to replace the costly software used in education and research with a free, open-source version. More than 100 mathematicians around the world are helping to develop the tool.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Developing Innovative Tissue Processing Approaches
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204180531.htm
Scientists are working on improving dermal tissue processing. Tissue engineers will utilize a laser developed on the Raydiance Ultrashort Pulse laser platform, which can instantly vaporize material without heat or residual damage at very precise scales, down to a resolution of several microns. The technology is expected to deliver less expensive and faster solutions for skin transplants for burn and reconstructive procedures.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Factors Responsible For Restart Of Meiotic Cycle Identified
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204091929.htm
Scientists haave identified a pair of proteins that work in concert to restart the meiotic cycle of oocytes following a natural period of dormancy. The long-term implications of this work for human health and biology lie in a better understanding of how eggs are matured and released, knowledge that will have profound implications for treating infertility. Additionally, Polo kinase is strongly expressed in many types of tumor cells, so identifying a specific inhibitor for this protein may aid in the development of improved drugs for treating cancer.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Mental Health Treatment Extends Lives Of Older Patients With Diabetes And Depression
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205103241.htm
Older adults with diabetes and depression are half as likely to die over a 5-year period when they receive depression care management than depressed patients with diabetes who do not receive depression care management.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
New 3-D Real-time Heart 'Mapping' Technology Improves Precision And Patient Safety
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208172537.htm
A new ultrasound technology has now been introduced to guide ablation of atrial fibrillation, offering potential improvements in both the precision and safety of this therapy. AF is the most common type of heart rhythm disorder. With the new software imaging technology, the CartoSound? Image Integration Module and SoundStar? 3D Catheter, physicians now are able to visualize and create a whole new kind of "map" of the heart in order to perform atrial ablation.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Can Where You Live Lead To An Early Death?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208165543.htm
For people in five regions of the United States, their choice of where to live may significantly impact longevity. Four areas -- the Mississippi Delta, Appalachia, Coastal Plains along the East Coast, and northern Nevada -- have clusters of counties with some of the highest mortality rates nationwide. At the other end of the scale, the upper Great Plains has groups of some of the lowest mortality rates. Researchers are not sure why.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Sunshine To Petrol Project Seeks Fuel From Thin Air
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208150135.htm
Using concentrated solar energy to reverse combustion, scientists are building a prototype device intended to chemically ?reenergize? carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide using concentrated solar power. The carbon monoxide could then be used to make hydrogen or serve as a building block to synthesize a liquid combustible fuel, such as methanol or even gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Artificial Jellyfish, Explosives Sensor Among Projects Being Developed At Undersea Technology Center
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208145842.htm
Artificial jellyfish, explosives sensors and seabed batteries are among the diverse research projects under way just nine months after the creation of a Center of Excellence in Undersea Technology. When researchers began to investigate how to create a covert network of widely-distributed underwater sensors, they imagined attaching the sensors to artificial jellyfish that could maintain their place in the water while passing information from one sensor to the next.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Tips To Ease The Heartburn Of Pregnancy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208145406.htm
Physician experts have compiled important health tips on managing heartburn symptoms during pregnancy, and importantly, identifying which heartburn medications are safe for use in pregnant women and those, which should be avoided. Heartburn symptoms are one of the most commonly reported complaints among pregnant women. Heartburn usually starts during the first trimester and tends to worsen during the second and third trimesters.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
High-tech Helmets Reveal New Information About The Impact Of Hard Hits To The Head
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208144246.htm
In a game that spawned the term "slobber knocker," is there a limit to the amount of impact a football player's head can handle before the player suffers a concussion? The answer is yes ... and no, say researchers. High-tech helmets worn by some University of North Carolina football players over the 2004 to 2006 seasons yielded new data that challenges conventional theories about these mild traumatic brain injuries.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Fever May Briefly Alleviate Autism Symptoms
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208144002.htm
The behavior of children with autism may improve during a fever, according to a first-of-kind study. Researchers hypothesize that fever may restore nerve cell communications in regions of the autistic brain. The restoration may help children improve socialization skills during a fever.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
New Image-Guided Radiotherapy System Benefits High-Risk Patients
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208143543.htm
A new radiotherapy system that combines high-tech imaging with precision tumor-targeting capability is helping cancer specialists treat patients. Those with medically inoperable tumors, at high-risk for surgery, or who do not want surgical treatment may benefit most from the ExacTrac® X-ray 6D System for image-guided radiotherapy. The system adds to patient options for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), a technique that features high radiation doses with pinpoint precision to tumors.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Patients With Mild Cushing Syndrome May Benefit From Adrenalectomy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208143055.htm
Patients with a mild form of Cushing syndrome, a metabolic disorder caused by adrenal tumors, showed substantial clinical improvement after adrenalectomy. The study is the largest series of surgical outcomes reported in patients with subclinical Cushing syndrome to date.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Sugary Beverages May Increase Alzheimer's Risk
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208142559.htm
Excess drinking of sugary beverages like soda may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, suggests new research in mice. Although the exact mechanisms aren't known, obesity and diabetes are both associated with higher incidences of Alzheimer's.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
New Strategy For Developing Fast-acting Antidepressants
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208092508.htm
Researchers may be able to develop an antidepressant which takes effect almost immediately by directly targeting novel molecules in the brain instead of taking a less direct route, which can lead to longer times for medication to take effect, according to a new study.
Fri, 7 Dec 07
Nicotine Addiction Might Be Controlled By Influencing Brain Mechanisms
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208092505.htm
There is a clear link between GABA -- a chemical substance of the central nervous system that inhibits neurons in the brain -- and nicotine dependence, according to a study presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Annual Meeting. Researchers discovered that nicotine has significant effects on brain GABA, a finding which could potentially help curb the pleasurable effects of nicotine and help people break their addiction to it.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
A Really Inconvenient Truth: Divorce Is Not Green
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190625.htm
The data is in. Divorce is bad for the environment. A novel study that links divorce with the environment shows a global trend of soaring divorce rates has created more households with fewer people, has taken up more space and has gobbled up more energy and water.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Possible Markers For Mental Illness Discovered
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190604.htm
Researchers have discovered natural genetic differences that might help predict the most effective antipsychotic drugs for particular patients with mental disorders such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's and drug addiction. They found the differences in the gene for a molecule called the dopamine D2 receptor, a protein present on brain cells that are sensitive to the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Better Membranes For Water Treatment, Drug Delivery Developed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129121129.htm
Researchers have developed a new generation of biomimetic membranes for water treatment and drug delivery. The highly permeable and selective membranes are based on the incorporation of the functional water channel protein Aquaporin Z into a novel A-B-A triblock copolymer.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Re-engineered Gleevec Reduces Heart Risks, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190607.htm
Using a new bottom-up approach for rational drug design, researchers have reengineered the powerful anticancer drug imatinib -- best known by its brand name Gleevec -- to more specifically target one type of cancer while potentially curbing a rare life-threatening cardiotoxic side effect. The modified drug just as effective against gastrointestinal cancer. The re-design strategy employed in the study is broadly applicable to reducing side effects in other drugs.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Promising Approach To A More Effective Sunscreen
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190644.htm
Chronic sun exposure increases the risk of an individual developing skin cancer, because UV light from the sun can cause genetic mutations that enable skin cells to grow in an uncontrolled manner. Hope for a new sunscreen that can prevent and treat UV light -- induced skin cancers has been provided by a new study that demonstrates that applying an agent known as CP-31398 to the skin of mice reduced a specific form of skin cancer.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Pure Spin Currents In Silicon Generated, Modulated, And Electrically Detected
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203121432.htm
Scientists have generated, modulated and electrically detected a pure spin current in silicon, the semiconductor used most widely in the electronic device industry. This demonstration is a key enabling step for developing devices which rely on electron spin rather than electron charge, an emergent field known as "semiconductor spintronics." Progress in this field is expected to lead to devices which provide higher performance with lower power consumption and heat dissipation.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Could Hydrogen Sulfide Hold The Key To A Long Life?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190614.htm
Hydrogen sulfide, the chemical that gives eggs their sulfurous stench, has been shown to significantly increase life span and heat tolerance in the nematode worm, or C. elegans. In an effort to understand the mechanisms by which hydrogen sulfide induces hibernation in mice, the researchers turned to the tiny nematode, a workhorse of laboratory science because its biology is similar in many respects that of humans.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Commonly Found Contaminant May Harm Nursing Infants
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190610.htm
Scientists have shown that perchlorate -- an industrial pollutant linked to thyroid ailments -- is actively concentrated in breast milk. Their findings suggest that perchlorate contamination of drinking water may pose a greater health risk than previously realized.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Green Turtle Nesting Sites Discovered In Senegal
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071126144446.htm
Several marine turtle nesting sites on the beaches of Senegal have been discovered, prompting calls from conservationists to improve protection of the endangered species. The survey discovered nine new green turtle nests on the beaches of Joal-Fadiouth in the Saloum Delta south of the capital, Dakar.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
How Is Asthma Related To Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204100403.htm
Two new studies exploring the causes and treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease could lead to the development of drugs to battle these debilitating conditions.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Super Water Repellent Could Cause Big Wave In Market
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129142426.htm
A new water repellent outperforms nature at its best and could open a floodgate of commercial possibilities. The super-water repellent (superhydrophobic) material is easy to fabricate and uses inexpensive base materials. The process could lead to the creation of a new class of water repellent products, including windshields, eyewear, clothing, building materials, road surfaces, ship hulls and self-cleaning coatings. The list of likely applications is virtually endless.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Kids Of Depressed Moms More Prone To Behavioral Problems And Injury
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190557.htm
Young children whose mothers are depressed are more prone to behavioral problems and injury, suggests new research. For every 1 point increase on the depression score, the risk of injury rose by 4% and the risk of behavioral problems increased by 6%.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Combustion Of Waste May Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207001203.htm
A joint research project has proved that development of waste management is a cost-efficient means to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. Considerable reductions can be achieved by combustion of waste and by collecting methane from landfills. The collected methane can either be used directly in energy production or flared off, i.e. eliminated through combustion without energy production.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Wind Power Need Not Be Backed Up By An Equal Amount Of Reserve Power
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207000819.htm
Wind power need not be backed up by an equal amount of reserve power, according to new research. The production of wind power varies and is harder to forecast than the fluctuations in electricity demand. Adding large quantities of wind power to power systems is therefore challenging. The power system impacts of wind power were studied in depth. The results indicate that the frequently stated claim of wind power requiring an equal amount of reserve power for back-up is not correct.
Thu, 6 Dec 07
Humans Appear Hardwired To Learn By 'Over-Imitation'
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205102433.htm
Children learn by imitating adults and will change what they know about an object to mimic adult behavior. Watching an adult do something wrong, or in a disorganized or inefficient way, can make it much harder for a child to learn to do it right.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Gene Implicated In Human Language Affects Song Learning In Songbirds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204091933.htm
The FoxP2 gene, which is essential for human speech and language, is also required for proper song development in songbirds, raising the possibility that songbirds and humans share molecular pathways for learned vocalizations.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Mitochondria Defects Linked To Social Behavior And Spatial Memory
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204102511.htm
Respiration deficiencies in mitochondria, the cell's powerhouses, are associated with changed social behavior and spatial memory in laboratory mice. This research may open the door to understanding the connection in humans between mitochondrial breakdowns and mental illness.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
New Chimeric Mouse Model For Human Liver Diseases, Drug Testing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204091921.htm
Cells cultured in the lab are like a fish out of water. Often, their behavior does not reflect their biological function within an entire organ or organism, which, for example, turns studying human liver cells into a big challenge.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Replacing The Cells Lost In Parkinson Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190623.htm
Parkinson disease is caused by the progressive degeneration of dopamine brain cells. Replacing these cells is considered a promising therapeutic strategy. Although DA cell--replacement therapy by transplantation of human fetal mesencephalic tissue has shown promise, limited tissue availability means other sources of these cells are needed. A recent study has described one new source for DA cells that provided marked benefit when transplanted into mice with a PD-like disease.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Workplace Repetitive Strain Injury Likely To Be Significantly Overestimated
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190601.htm
The prevalence of workplace repetitive strain injury in Europe is likely to have been exaggerated, a new study suggests. How common is repetitive strain injury? The authors conclude that simply counting people who think their RSI is related to their work can substantially inflate the number of cases that are actually caused or worsened by it.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Four Reasons Why High School Seniors Drink: One Could Signal Problem Drinking
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204091854.htm
Most high school seniors drink because they want to experiment with alcohol, some drink for the thrill of it, and others because it helps them relax. A new study finds that a fourth group of high school students share all those reasons for drinking, but they also drink to get away from problems and to deal with anger or frustration issues.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Neanderthal Children Grew Up Fast
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204100409.htm
Tooth growth suggests rapid maturation in a Neanderthal child. Neanderthal life history, or the timing of developmental and reproductive events, has been under great debate during the past few decades. Across primates, tooth development, specifically the age of molar eruption, is related to other developmental landmarks such as weaning and first reproduction.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Waistline Growth On High-carb Diets Linked To Liver Gene
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204122010.htm
Experts have been warning for years that foods loaded with high-fructose corn syrup and other processed carbohydrates are making us fatter. Now a new study has uncovered the genetic basis for why this is so.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Elite Athletes More Susceptible To Common Illnesses, Research Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204091909.htm
Elite athletes -- often perceived as the epitome of health and fitness -- may be more susceptible to common illness and are therefore proving useful in helping scientists understand more about the immune system.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Simple Two-in-one Test Signals High Risk After A Heart Attack
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204091937.htm
Everyone loves a two-fer, but a two-in-one heart test that has the potential to save lives is the real deal. According to new research, pairing two findings from one simple test makes it significantly more likely that doctors will identify patients who face the greatest risk after a heart attack. Problems in both the nervous system and the heart's electrical system spell trouble.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Cosmopolitan Microbes: Hitchhikers On Darwin's Dust
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204100359.htm
Scientists have analyzed aerial dust samples collected by Charles Darwin and confirmed that microbes can travel across continents without the need for planes or trains -- rather bacteria and fungi hitchhike by attaching to dust particles.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Disguising Environmental Harm Eases Only Our Conscience
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204091902.htm
We can disguise environmentally harmful practices and dress them up in words to help ease our consciences, argues one psychologist, but such practices will have a negative impact on the planet and the quality of life of future generations, no matter how we label them.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Life On Earth May Have Originated As The Organic Filling In A Multilayer Sandwich Of Mica Sheets
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204102500.htm
Life may have begun in the protected spaces inside of layers of the mineral mica, in ancient oceans, according to a new theory. The narrow, confined spaces between nonliving mica layers could have provided exactly the right conditions for the rise of the first biomolecules.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Transcendental Meditation Effective In Reducing High Blood Pressure, Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204121953.htm
This study is unique in that it shows transcendental meditation to be effective in reducing high blood pressure compared to other stress reduction programs. The transcendental meditation technique produces a statistically significant reduction in high blood pressure that is not found with other forms of relaxation, meditation, biofeedback or stress management.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
New Form Of Hydride Stimulates Research On Hydrogen Storage, Hydrogen-fueled Cars
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204105554.htm
Research on hydrogen-fueled cars may be one step closer to application because of the discovery of a new form of hydride. The material, lithium borohydride, is a promising energy storage system: it contains 18 weight percents of hydrogen, which makes it attractive for use in hydrogen-fueled cars. Its drawback is that it only releases hydrogen at temperatures above 300C. The team has found a new form of the compound that could possibly release hydrogen in mild conditions.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Protein Controls Blood Vessel Formation, Offers New Drug Target
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204154717.htm
After an injury, the body grows new blood vessels to repair damaged tissue. But sometimes too much growth causes problems, as when new blood vessels in the eyes leak, causing diabetic retinopathy and blindness if not treated. A recently discovered protein called CIB1 appears to play a major role in controlling new blood vessel growth, offering a target for drug treatments to help the body repair itself after injury and control unwanted blood vessel growth.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Computer Calls Can Talk Couch Potatoes Into Walking, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204122000.htm
Computer-generated phone calls may be an effective, low-cost way to encourage sedentary adults to exercise, according to a recent study. What most surprised researchers was that the computer calls were almost as effective as the calls by a real person.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Smaller Babies More Prone To Depression, Anxiety Later On
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204154710.htm
Turns out there might be some truth to the popular wisdom that plump babies are happy babies. A landmark public health study has found that people who had a low birth weight are more likely to experience depression and anxiety later in life.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Astronomers Discover How White Dwarf Stars Get Their 'Kicks'
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204102504.htm
Astronomer have discovered that white dwarf stars are born with a natal kick, explaining why these smoldering embers of sun-like stars are found on the edge rather than at the center of globular star clusters.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Bone Marrow Cell Transplants Help Nerve Regeneration
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204154720.htm
Researchers inserted bone marrow-derived cells (BMCs) into 15mm silicon tubes and subsequently implanted into animal models at sites intended for nerve regeneration. When the BMCs were nourished with bioengineered additives -- such as growth factors and cell adhesion molecules -- the BMCs differentiated into cells with characteristics of Schwann cells -- a variety of neural cell providing insulating myelin around the axons of peripheral nerve cells. The work represents a further step in developing artificial nerves.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Certain Toys May Permanently Damage Children's Hearing If Used Improperly, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204122004.htm
The High School Musical Rockerz Jammin' Guitar and the Cheetah Girls In Concert Collection Doll may be what kids want most this holiday season, but if parents aren't careful about how these and other popular toys are used, a season of joy might turn into a lifetime of hearing loss for their children.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Liver Transplant Offers Survival Benefits For Patients Of All Sizes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204154726.htm
Patients with high BMIs experience a significant survival benefit from liver transplantation and had similar rates of mortality after transplant compared to patients with normal BMI.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Small Earthquakes are Useful Predictor of Large Ones
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204154741.htm
Conventional wisdom in seismology says slip on faults that rupture during the largest continental strike-slip earthquakes is generally limited to the seismogenic layer, the upper 15 km or so of the earth's crust to which aftershocks extend and background seismicity is limited. That idea when coupled with theory predicts that the amount of slip on faults in large earthquakes should not continue to increase once the dimensions of a rupture have surpassed about 15 km. The prediction is not supported by observation.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Labeling Keeps Our Knowledge Organized, Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204154714.htm
A popular urban legend suggests that Eskimos have dozens of words for snow. As a culture that faces frigid temperatures year-round, it is important to differentiate between things like snow on the ground ("aput") and falling snow ("qana"). Psychologists are taking note of this phenomenon, and are beginning to examine if learning different names for things helps to tell them apart.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Global Warming Likely To Increase Stormy Weather, Especially In Certain US locations
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204121949.htm
Researchers who study severe weather and climate change joined forces to study the effects of global warming on the number of severe storms in the future and discovered a dramatic increase in potential storm conditions for some parts of the US.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Fitness Level, Not Body Fat, May Be Stronger Predictor Of Longevity For Older Adults
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204163249.htm
Adults over age 60 who had higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness lived longer than unfit adults, independent of their levels of body fat, according to a new study. Previous studies have provided evidence that obesity and physical inactivity each can produce a higher risk of death in middle-aged adults. Whether this is also true for older adults is uncertain, according to background information in the article.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Technique Controls Nanoparticle Size, Makes Large Numbers
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204121957.htm
In a world that constantly strives for bigger and bigger things, some researchers are working to make things smaller and smaller. Nanoparticles are the building blocks for nanotechnology. For the first time, scientists have shown that they can independently control the size of the nanoparticles that they make while keeping their other properties the same.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Pneumococcal Vaccine Linked To Less Hospitalizations, Costs For Children Under Age 2
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203164755.htm
Vaccinating children younger than age 2 with the pneumococcal vaccine appears to be associated with decreased hospitalizations from pneumonia and reduced health care expenses, according to a new article.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Yucca Mountain: Putting A Limit On Risk
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204170120.htm
Looking ahead 100 million years, new research puts a maximum limit of 3.6 meters per second on potential ground movement caused by earthquakes at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, the site of the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository. Yucca Mountain has unique characteristics that make it arguably the best location to store hazardous waste, chiefly a water table so low that it is possible to store steel canisters of waste 1000 feet below ground and 1000 feet above the water table. Two questions form the current debate: how dry will the site remain, and what is the risk from earthquakes?
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Refuted Claims From Observational Studies Often Persist Despite Strong Evidence Against Them
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204163245.htm
Prominent claims from observational studies of the cardiovascular benefits of vitamin E often continue to be supported in medical literature despite strong contradictory evidence from randomized trials, according to a study. Similar findings were found for claims regarding the protective effects of beta-carotene on cancer and estrogen on Alzheimer disease.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Complex 'Wicked' Problems Better Solved Individually Than Through Internet Groups
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071130172937.htm
What's the best way to solve a wicked problem -- by working in a large group sharing ideas via the intranet or as individuals? New research had some surprising results. It turned out that people working as individuals were at least as effective and possibly more so than those brainstorming in a group over the web when trying to solve 'wicked,' tangled problems. The quality of ideas from the people responding as individuals was "significantly better across all three quality ratings."
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Some Common Treatments For Sinus Infections No Better Than Placebo
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204163252.htm
A comparison of common treatments for acute sinusitis that included an antibiotic and a topical steroid found neither more effective than placebo, according to a new study. Acute sinusitis (sinus infection) is a common clinical problem with symptoms similar to other illnesses, and is often diagnosed and treated without clinical confirmation.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Mutations Help Clarify Processes In Cell Division
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071130160450.htm
The architecture of cell division -- a fundamental process about which little is known, but when something goes wrong, it can cause cell death -- is the focus of a new study. Researchers are searching for cellular factors that counteract destructive mutations in this process.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Treating Type 1 Diabetes By Eliminating B Cells
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190636.htm
Autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are caused when immune cells known as lymphocytes attack our own body tissues. Depletion of the B cell subset of lymphocytes using an antibody specific for the protein CD20 has been shown to be effective for the treatment of RA. The effectiveness of such an approach for the treatment of type I diabetes is not known, largely because the reagents to address this question in preclinical models have been lacking.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
New Rapid Chlamydia Test Could Enable 'Test And Treat' Strategy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129195514.htm
Researchers have successfully completed the clinical trial for a new rapid test for the sexually transmitted infection chlamydia. The researchers believe the test, which is able to detect chlamydia in less than 30 minutes -- and often much faster -- could be a valuable addition to screening programs already in place, as well as providing a crucial diagnostic test in the developing world.
Wed, 5 Dec 07
Diagnosing Health-care System Ills, Showing How To Achieve Universal Coverage
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190631.htm
In a new evidence-based paper, the American College of Physicians analyzes health care in the US and 12 other industrialized countries and identifies eight lessons that could be applied to the political and social culture of the United States to achieve a high performing health care system, including achieving universal health insurance coverage for all Americans.