Science Daily
Main
Science
Beeb ScienceClimate Change
Eco News
Science Daily
Random Feeds
Archives
| Mar 2010 | Feb 2010 | Jan 2010 | Dec 2009 | Nov 2009 | Oct 2009 | Sep 2009 | Aug 2009 | Jul 2009 | Jun 2009 | May 2009 | Apr 2009 | Mar 2009 | Feb 2009 | Jan 2009 | Dec 2008 | Nov 2008 | Oct 2008 | Sep 2008 | Aug 2008 | Jul 2008 | Jun 2008 | May 2008 | Apr 2008 | Mar 2008 | Feb 2008 | Jan 2008 | Dec 2007 |Fri, 29 Feb 08
Stem Cell Trial Offers Hope For Patients With Severe Ischemic Heart Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154309/080301222003.htm
Patients with ischemic heart disease, a serious condition that occurs when the heart's arteries become clogged with cholesterol plaque, may have new options if they have exhausted traditional cardiovascular therapies. A newclinical trial is using patients' own stem cells to improve circulation in hearts damaged by inadequate blood flow, by promoting the growth of new, microscopic blood vessels.
Fri, 29 Feb 08
Connections Between Chronic Disease And Supplement Use
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154310/080301221708.htm
With cancer survivors increasingly turning to complementary and alternative medicine to manage the short-term and long-term effects of their conditions, a study from the National Cancer Institute concludes that having a chronic medical condition such as cancer is the primary factor in a person's decision to use dietary supplements. The researchers studied records of more than 9,000 people. They found adults with cancer or other chronic conditions were more likely to use supplements than people reporting no illness.
Fri, 29 Feb 08
Similarity In Meaning Of Sleep Quality Between Insomniacs, Normal Sleepers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244137670/080301214756.htm
Both insomnia patients and normal sleepers define sleep quality by tiredness upon waking and throughout the day, feeling rested and restored upon waking, and the number of awakenings they experienced in the night. Further, people with insomnia have more requirements for judging sleep to be of good quality.
Fri, 29 Feb 08
How Do Dietary Guides Match Up?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154312/080301214753.htm
Since advice about what to eat for optimal health has evolved over time with advances in nutrition science, dietary recommendations are sometimes seen as contradictory. However, a review of three leading dietary guides by researchers at the National Cancer Institute found their essential recommendations are consistent despite the different methodologies used to create the guides.
Fri, 29 Feb 08
Snoring Linked To Cardiovascular Disease, Increased Health-care Utilization
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244137671/080301214745.htm
Loud snoring with breathing pauses is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased health-care utilization. Loud snorers had 40 percent greater odds of having hypertension, 34 percent greater odds of having a heart attack and 67 percent greater odds of having a stroke, compared with people who do not snore, after statistical adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, diabetes, level of education, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Quiet snoring was associated only with an increased risk for hypertension in women. Loud snoring was also associated with increased use of health care resources (emergency visits and hospitalization).
Fri, 29 Feb 08
High Prevalence Of Eating Disorders Found In Narcoleptics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244137672/080301214742.htm
The majority of patients with narcolepsy/cataplexy experience a number of symptoms of eating disorders, with an irresistible craving for food and binge eating as the most prominent features.
Fri, 29 Feb 08
Children With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Have Abnormal Respiratory-related Evoked Potentials
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154313/080301214739.htm
Children with obstructive sleep apnea have abnormal respiratory-related evoked potentials compared to other children their age. This indicates that children with OSA do not perceive their airway closing to the same degree that normal children do, and may explain why these children do not mount protective responses to upper airway collapse, but instead go on and continue to develop OSA.
Fri, 29 Feb 08
Mouse Model Tightly Matches Pediatric Tumor Syndrome, Will Speed Drug Hunt
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154314/080301214737.htm
Frustrated by the slow pace of new drug development for a condition that causes pediatric brain tumors, a neurologist decided to try to fine-tune the animal models used to test new drugs. Instead of studying one mouse model of the disease causing the brain tumors, he evaluated three. They "auditioned" the three models to see which was the best match for neurofibromatosis 1, a genetic condition that increases the risk of brain tumors and afflicts more than 100,000 people in the United States.
Fri, 29 Feb 08
Methylphenidate Can Have Sleep Benefits In Adults With ADHD
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154315/080301214734.htm
Treatment with methylphenidate appears to have beneficial effects on sleep parameters in adults with ADHD, including increased sleep efficiency and a feeling of improved restorative value of sleep.
Fri, 29 Feb 08
Arsenic Aids Tumor Imaging When Joined To Cancer-homing Drug, Researchers Find
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/244154316/080301214730.htm
Arsenic linked to a drug that binds to the blood vessels of cancerous tumors provides a powerful imaging agent that could one day allow physicians to detect hard-to-find tumors and more closely monitor cancer's response to therapy.
Fri, 29 Feb 08
Of Mice And Men ... And Kidney Stones
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243882337/080301081740.htm
Kidney stones are very common -- and painful -- in men. About 3 in 20 men (1 in 20 women) in developed countries develop them at some stage. Mice, however, rarely suffer though the precise reasons are unknown. Now researchers have come up with some answers.
Fri, 29 Feb 08
Clinical Trial Shows Reduction In Mortality For Children With Severe Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/243901481/080301081638.htm
Introducing an increased intensity of chemotherapy in children with severe Langerhans cell histiocytosis can reduce the mortality rate for this disorder by as much as 20 percent when the patient demonstrates a rapid response to such treatment. The LCH clinical trial series, of which this study is the second, are the first-ever randomized clinical trials for the treatment of LCH.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Polluted Prey Causes Wild Birds To Change Their Tune
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450974/080226213436.htm
Considerable attention has been paid to the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals in aquatic environments, but rather less attention has been given to routes of contamination on land. A new study reveals that male birds foraging on invertebrates contaminated with environmental pollutants develop more complex songs, which are preferred by females, even though these males also show reduced immune function.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Chewing Gum Speeds Recovery From Gastrointestinal Surgery, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450975/080227104235.htm
New research has resulted in an immediate change in the way physicians treat their patients -- giving them chewing gum to speed recovery following stomach-related surgery. Chewing the gum is thought to stimulate the smooth muscle fibers and secretion from the salivary glands and liver. The 51 patients who chewed gum recovered their bowel movement significantly faster than those who did not.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Catching Rats' Twitchy Whiskers In Action
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450976/080227121901.htm
Rats use their whiskers in a way that is closely related to the human sense of touch: Just as humans move their fingertips across a surface to perceive shapes and textures, rats twitch their whiskers to achieve the same goal. Now, in a finding that could help further understanding of perception across species, neuroscientists have used high-speed video to reveal rat whiskers in action and show the tiny movements that underlie the rat's perception of its tactile environment.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Adult-Onset Obesity Seen In Mice When Gene Disrupted
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450977/080226184602.htm
Scientists who disrupted one type of the gene ubiquitin (Ubb) in mice observed neuronal death in the hypothalamus, impaired control of energy balance and adult-onset obesity in the rodents. The study hints at a method to treat obesity and neurodegeneration.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Next-best Thing To Being On Mars
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450978/080226160450.htm
Two students are currently living, working and communicating with the outside world as if they were on a mission to Mars. Whenever they go outside their small, round habitat where eight people are spending a two-week "mission," they don spacesuits and pass through an airlock. When they send e-mail, it takes 20 minutes before the recipient can see it -- the time it takes for radio waves to travel to and from the red planet.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Common Heart Drug May Reduce Cocaine Cravings
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450979/080227155016.htm
Diltiazem, a drug used in the treatment of high blood pressure, reduces cocaine cravings in a rat model. Previous work showed that two brain chemicals, dopamine and glutamate, independently contribute to the development of cocaine addiction. This new research indicates that calcium channels provide critical links between dopamine and glutamate that drives the intense craving associated with cocaine addiction.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
NASA Views Landing Site Through Eyes Of Future Moon Crew
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450980/080227182335.htm
NASA has obtained the highest resolution terrain mapping to date of the moon's rugged south polar region, with a resolution to 20 meters per pixel. The imagery generated by the data has been incorporated into animation depicting the descent to the lunar surface of a future human lunar lander and a flyover of Shackleton Crater.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Farmed Fish Fed Cheap Food May Be Less Nutritious For Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450981/080226164105.htm
The main ingredients of fish feed have traditionally been of marine origin but these ingredients are becoming both scarce and expensive. The fish farming industry therefore wishes to utilise alternative lipid (fat) sources in feed used for salmon farming. Vegetable oils also tend to increase growth rate and carcase quality of fish. However, when fed to patients, notable differences were found. The fat composition of the salmon meat affected the fatty acid profile of the patients' blood and the advantageous marine omega-3 fatty acids increased markedly in those patients that ate fish fed on feed containing pure fish oils.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Structure Of Protein Collagen Seen At Unprecedented Level Of Detail
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450982/080226104400.htm
The structure and behavior of one of the most common proteins in our bodies has been resolved at a level of detail never before seen. The scientists kept the tendon tissue intact, so they could see how the collagen molecule binds to collagenases, a class of enzymes which when working properly help to regulate the normal growth and development of animals but when malfunctioning can lead to the metastasis of cancerous tumors or rheumatoid arthritis.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Bubonic Plague: How The 'Syringe' Assembly In Plague Bacteria Works
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450983/080227121858.htm
Bacteria that cause the bubonic plague avoid death in our bodies by injecting our cells with immune evasion proteins. Scientists have discovered a new way bacteria build and hold the syringes, according to research in the journal Microbiology.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Choice Of Robot Companion Depends On Personality Type
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450984/080226165233.htm
The type of robot chosen as a personal companion depends very much on their personality type. People with more extrovert personalities tend to choose more humanoid robots, which have a greater resemblance to humans, with facial features and a human-like voice, whereas more introverted people tend to prefer mechanical-looking robots, more like a box on wheels with a metal head.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
By Sixth Grade Nearly One In Six Children Are Alcohol Users, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450985/080227135749.htm
"Tweens" should receive alcohol prevention programs prior to sixth grade, when nearly one in six children are already alcohol users. The study found that sixth-grade users of alcohol were significantly different from the non-users on almost all risk factors examined. For example, users were more likely to be male, engage in violent or delinquent behavior, and have friends who used alcohol. A new study recommends that prevention programs occur as early as third grade.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Evolution Of Aversion: Why Even Children Are Fearful Of Snakes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450986/080227121840.htm
Some of the oldest tales and wisest mythology allude to the snake as a mischievous seducer, dangerous foe or powerful iconoclast; however, the legend surrounding this proverbial predator may not be based solely on fantasy. As scientists have recently discovered, the common fear of snakes is most likely intrinsic.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
New Approach Stops HIV At Earliest Stage Of Infection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450987/080227142649.htm
Researchers have developed a new two-punch strategy against HIV and they have already successfully tested aspects of it in the laboratory. The unique two-step process is based on latest viral discoveries. The investigators have created devices they call glycodendrons that are designed to do two things at once: inhibit the transport of HIV from where it traditionally enters the body, preventing it from moving deeper inside where it can infect immune cells; and set up an immune antibody response to a unique carbohydrate structure on the surface of the virus. The devices have been able to stimulate the immune system of mice to induce antibodies against HIV surface glycoprotein, and, in laboratory studies, have been able to block the virus from infecting immune cells.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Drug For Anemic Cancer Patients Raises Risk Of Death, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450988/080226162856.htm
Millions of cancer patients take drugs to boost their red blood cells and health when they become anemic after chemotherapy. But a new study by Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine shows these drugs, called erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, actually raise patients' risk of death by 10 percent, possibly by stimulating the growth of cancer cells.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
New Material Is Capable Of Eliminating Pollutants By The Hydrocarbon Industry
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450989/080226112755.htm
Chemists have created a monolithic carbon aerogel which absorbs benzene, toluene or xylene. These are organic solvents widely used in the hydrocarbon industry and generated by road traffic in cities. The world-wide problem of the exposure to aromatic hydrocarbons has mainly focused its attention on benzene, which is considered to be harmful to health, even in low concentrations.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Scientists To Explore Life's Mysteries Through Encyclopedic 'Macroscope'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450990/080225123840.htm
The first 30,000 pages of a 1.8 million page online Encyclopedia of Life are now up and running, as scientific interest grows amid creative ideas emerging about potential insights into life's secrets made possible by the "macroscope" on biodiversity.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Spitzer's Eyes Perfect For Spotting Diamonds In The Sky
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450991/080227183531.htm
Diamonds may be rare on Earth, but surprisingly common in space -- and the super-sensitive infrared eyes of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope are perfect for scouting them. Using computer simulations, researchers have developed a strategy for finding diamonds in space that are only a nanometer (a billionth of a meter) in size. These gems are about 25,000 times smaller than a grain of sand, much too small for an engagement ring. But astronomers believe that these tiny particles could provide valuable insights into how carbon-rich molecules, the basis of life on Earth, develop in the cosmos.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Killer Military Robots Pose Latest Threat To Humanity, Robotics Expert Warns
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450992/080226213451.htm
A robotics expert has issued stark warnings over the threat posed to humanity by new robot weapons being developed by powers worldwide. He expressed concerns that we are beginning to see the first steps towards an international robot arms race. He will warn that it may not be long before robots become a standard terrorist weapon to replace the suicide bomber.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Honey Bee Invaders Exploit The Genetic Resources Of Their Predecessors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450993/080225213731.htm
Like any species that aspires to rule the world, the honey bee invades new territories in repeated assaults. A new study demonstrates that when these honey bees arrive in a place that has already been invaded, the newcomers benefit from the genetic endowment of their predecessors.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Genetic Coding Of The Pea Unraveled
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450994/080225213703.htm
The pea is one of many important crop species that is unsuited to the Agrobacterium-based genetic modification techniques that are commonly used to work with crops. Researchers have now discovered the first high-throughput forward and reverse genetics tool for the pea, could have major benefits for crop breeders around the world.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Voyage To Southern Ocean Aims To Study Air-sea Fluxes Of Greenhouse Gases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450995/080226135414.htm
Scientists will embark from Punta Arenas, Chile, on the tip of South America, to spend 42 days amid the high winds and waves of the Southern Ocean. Here they hope to make groundbreaking measurements to explain how huge fluxes of climate-affecting gases move between atmosphere and sea, and vice-versa.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Brain Stress System Presents Possible Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450996/080226155537.htm
A brain circuit that underlies feelings of stress and anxiety shows promise as a new therapeutic target for alcoholism, according to new studies. Relapse to uncontrolled drinking after periods of sobriety is a defining characteristic of alcoholism and is often triggered by stress.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
This Is Your Brain On Jazz: Researchers Use MRI To Study Spontaneity, Creativity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450997/080226213431.htm
A pair of Johns Hopkins and government scientists have discovered that when jazz musicians improvise, their brains turn off areas linked to self-censoring and inhibition, and turn on those that let self-expression flow.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Protein That Fuels Ovarian Cancer Identified and Shut Down By Researchers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450998/080226162848.htm
A protein that stimulates blood vessel growth worsens ovarian cancer, but its production can be stifled by a tiny bit of RNA wrapped in a fatty nanoparticle, a research team reports. This research demonstrates that high IL-8 expression in tumors is associated with advanced tumor stage and earlier death for ovarian cancer patients.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
From Sharks To Microbes, Key Data At Central Pacific's Line Islands Archipelago Captured
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242450999/080225213657.htm
An ambitious expedition to a chain of little-known islands in the central Pacific Ocean has yielded an unprecedented wealth of information about coral reefs and threats from human activities. The exploration of four atolls in the Line Islands, part of a chain approximately a thousand miles south of Hawaii, has produced the first study of coral reefs comprehensively spanning organisms from microbes to sharks.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Restricting Insulin Doses Increases Mortality Risk In Women With Type 1 Diabetes, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242121120/080227082849.htm
A new study has found that women with type 1 diabetes who reported taking less insulin than prescribed had a three-fold increased risk of death and higher rates of disease complications than those who did not skip needed insulin shots.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Boron Is Essential For The Growth Of Plants And Animals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242451000/080226164521.htm
A research group has shown that boron, although only required in tiny doses, is essential for organogenesis in plants. Research on the biological role of boron (B), a chemical element described almost a century ago as required in small quantities to maintain just the structure of plants, has given more relevance to its importance as an essential element for embryonic development and organogenesis in plants and animals.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Despite Popularity, Not Everyone Can Successfully Learn Through Online Courses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242451001/080226113511.htm
Since the 1990s, online courses have provided an opportunity for busy adults to continue their education by completing courses in the comfort of their own homes. However, this may not be the best solution for everyone. Some students may find success in these types of courses more easily than others.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Centuries-old Maya Blue Mystery Finally Solved
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242451002/080226162953.htm
Anthropologists have discovered how the ancient Maya produced an unusual, widely studied blue pigment that was used in offerings, pottery, murals and other contexts across Mesoamerica from A.D. 300 to 1500. Production of the renowned, extremely stable pigment was part of ritual sacrifices at Chichén Itzá.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Adult Stem Cells May Be Beneficial For Certain Cardiovascular Disorders And Autoimmune Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242451003/080226162859.htm
A review of previously published research suggests that stem cells harvested from an adult's blood or marrow may provide treatment benefit to select patients for some autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular disorders.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Rats On Islands Disrupt Ecosystems From Land To Sea, Researchers Find
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242451004/080225213745.htm
Seabird colonies on islands are highly vulnerable to introduced rats, which find the ground-nesting birds to be easy prey. But the ecological impacts of rats on islands extend far beyond seabird nesting colonies, according to a new study.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Overweight Hispanic Children Shown To Have Vascular Inflammation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242121119/080227082853.htm
Overweight Hispanic children with normal blood glucose levels showed elevated markers for blood vessel inflammation that may predispose them to developing both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Removing Chlorine, Fluorine: Uncharged Organic Molecule Can Bind Negatively Charged Ions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242451005/080226120729.htm
Chemists have designed an organic molecule that binds negatively charged ions, a feat they hope will lead to the development of a whole new molecular toolbox for biologists, chemists and medical researchers who want to remove chlorine, fluorine and other negatively charged ions from their solutions.
Thu, 28 Feb 08
Depressed Teens More Likely To Get Better With Switch To Combination Therapy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242451006/080226162906.htm
More than half of teenagers with the most debilitating forms of depression that do not respond to treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) show improvement after switching to a different medication combined with cognitive behavioral therapy, researchers have found.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Bats Use Magnetic Substance As Internal Compass To Help Them Navigate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924293/080226213443.htm
They may not be on most people's list of most attractive species, but bats definitely have animal magnetism. Researchers have discovered that bats use a magnetic substance in their body called magnetite as an "internal compass" to help them navigate. Researchers studied the directions in which different groups of big brown bats flew after they were given different magnetic pulses and released 20 km north of their home roost.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Autism's Origins: Mother's Antibody Production May Affect Fetal Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924294/080225213444.htm
The mothers of some autistic children may have made antibodies against their fetuses' brain tissue during pregnancy that crossed the placenta and caused changes that led to autism, suggests new research in the Journal of Neuroimmunology.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
New Gadget Lets You Track Your Carbon Footprint
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924295/080225122328.htm
An innovation called Carbon Hero may help reduce global warming by making people more aware of their carbon footprint. The device uses satellite navigation technology to track journeys. With Carbon Hero, to see the effect a journey is having on the environment you just need to look at your mobile phone. The feedback loop is almost immediate.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Combination Vaccine Protects Monkeys From Ebola And Marburg Viruses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924296/080226135434.htm
An experimental, combination vaccine against ebola and Marburg viruses using virus-like particles provides complete protection against infection in monkeys. Traditionally vaccines against viral diseases have consisted of whole viruses, either the one that causes the disease in a weakened or dead state (like the polio vaccine) or a genetically similar virus that does not usually cause disease but elicits a protective immune response. The problem with this approach is there is the risk, however small, of viral reactivation and infection.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Vikings With Vanity: Vivid Colors, Flowing Silk, Fashionable Until Advent of Christianity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924297/080225101117.htm
Vivid colors, flowing silk ribbons and glittering bits of mirrors -- the Vikings dressed with considerably more panache than we previously thought. The men were especially vain, and the women dressed provocatively, but with the advent of Christianity, fashions changed, according to a Swedish archaeologist.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Deadly Sugar Plant Blast Underscores Need For New Regulations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924298/080225092314.htm
The explosion at a sugar refinery in Georgia earlier this month that killed nine workers underscores the need for tougher industrial safety standards regarding production of combustible dust, according to a new article.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Hormones Produced By Heart Eliminated Human Cancers In Most Mice Treated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924299/080226104403.htm
Hormones produced by the heart eliminated human pancreatic cancer in more than three-quarters of the mice treated with the hormones and eliminated human breast cancer in two-thirds of the mice. The treatment has not yet been tried in humans, but clinical trials are in the planning stages.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Acid-seeking 'Warheads' Promise Safer, More Effective Cancer Weapons
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924300/080225092524.htm
Researchers in California report development of an anti-cancer 'warhead' that targets the acidic signature of tumor cells in much the same way that heat-seeking missiles seek and destroy military targets that emit heat. These acid-seeking substances are not toxic to healthy cells, and represent a new class of potentially safer, more effective anti-cancer drugs, they say.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
First Draft Of Corn Genome Completed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924301/080225113019.htm
The corn genome has be sequenced. It is hoped that this basic research will lead to the development of crops that can withstand global climate change, add nutritional value to grain, sequester more atmospheric carbon in agricultural soils, or boost yields so crops can meet growing demands for food, feed, fiber and fuel. The genome of corn is very similar to the genomes of rice, wheat, sorghum, prairie grasses and turf grasses. Therefore, the draft of the corn genome should be able to help researchers improve the other cereals and grasses.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
New Protein Tag Enhances View Within Living Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924302/080222143826.htm
The view into the inner world of living cells just got a little brighter and more colorful. A powerful new research tool, when used with other labeling technologies, allows simultaneous visualization of two or more different proteins as well as the ability to distinguish young and old copies of a protein within one living cell.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Crystal Bells Stay Silent As Physicists Look For Dark Matter
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924303/080225101110.htm
Scientists of the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search experiment have announced that they have set the world's best constraints on the properties of dark matter candidates. WIMPs, or weakly interacting massive particles, are leading candidates for the building blocks of dark matter, which accounts for 85 percent of the entire mass of the universe. Hundreds of billions of WIMPs may have passed through your body as you read these sentences.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
First System Of Human Nerve-cell Tissue Engineered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924304/080226135424.htm
Researchers have demonstrated that living human nerve cells can be engineered into a network that could one day be used for transplants to repair damaged to the nervous system. They obtained human dorsal root ganglia neurons to engineer into transplantable nervous tissue.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
How Skin Color Is Determined
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924305/080222155212.htm
Skin color is one of the most visible indicators that helps distinguish human appearance, and a new study provides more detail as to how one protein helps produce this wide palette. In 2005 researchers identified a gene called SLC24A5 as a key determinant of skin color. Scientists now confirm that the protein product of this gene (NCKX5) is an ion exchanger; it exchanges sodium for calcium across a membrane, regulated by potassium.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Earthworms Found To Contain Chemicals From Households And Animal Manure
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239999900/080223112253.htm
Earthworms studied in agricultural fields have been found to contain organic chemicals from household products and manure, indicating that such substances are entering the food chain. Manure and biosolids, the solid byproduct of wastewater treatment, were applied to the fields as fertilizer. Earthworms continuously ingest soils for nourishment and can accumulate the chemicals present in the soil.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
How Embryonic Livers Store Energy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924306/080222143823.htm
Researchers have uncovered how embryonic livers accumulate an important energy molecule even though they lacks the key enzyme responsible. In adults, the liver stores glycogen, a sugar polymer that provides a steady supply of blood glucose when needed (e.g. during fasting). Glycogen production is controlled by an enzyme called glucokinase (GK), and mutations resulting in too much or too little GK will lead to hypo- and hyper-glycemia, respectively.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Bacteria And Nanofilters: Future Of Clean Water Technology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239510215/080222095403.htm
Bacteria often get bad press, with those found in water often linked to illness and disease. But researchers are now using these tiny organisms alongside the very latest membrane filtration techniques to improve and refine water cleaning technology.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Antidepressants Only Benefit Certain Depressed Patients, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924307/080225213742.htm
A new study suggests that antidepressants only benefit some, very severely depressed patients. "New generation" antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac) are widely prescribed for the treatment of clinical depression. However some studies have suggested that these drugs do not help the majority of depressed people get better by very much. Researchers looked at whether a patient's response to antidepressant therapy depends on how badly depressed they are to start out with.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Why Do We Love Babies? Parental Instinct Region Found In The Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924308/080226213448.htm
Why do we almost instinctively treat babies as special, protecting them and enabling them to survive? Darwin originally pointed out that there is something about infants which prompts adults to respond to and care for them which allows our species to survive. Nobel-Prize-winning zoologist Konrad Lorenz proposed that it is the specific structure of the infant face, including a relatively large head and forehead, large and low lying eyes and bulging cheek region, that serves to elicit these parental responses. But the biological basis for this has until now, remained elusive. A possible brain basis for parental instinct has been discovered. Researchers showed that a region of the human brain called the medial orbitofrontal cortex is specifically active within a seventh of a second in response to (unfamiliar) infant faces but not to adult faces.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Nano Scaffold Developed To Rebuild Nerve Damage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924309/080225085147.htm
A PhD student has developed a new technique that could revolutionize stem cell treatment for Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury. He has used existing polymer-based biodegradable fibers, 100 times smaller than a human hair, and re-engineered them to create a unique 3-D scaffold that could potentially allow stem cells to repair damaged nerves in the human body more quickly and effectively. A combined process of electro-spinning and chemical treatment was used to customize the fiber structure, which can then be located within the body.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Toward A Healthier Food For Fido: Corn Provides Promising Fiber Alternative
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924310/080225092641.htm
In addition to helping fill gasoline tanks with alcohol-based fuel, corn may have a new role in filling Fido's bowl with more healthful food, nutritional biochemists in Illinois are reporting. They found that corn fiber shows promise as a more economical and healthier ingredient in dog food than some of the fibers now in use.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Antibiotic Use High Among Nursing Home Patients With Advanced Dementia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241558614/080226092810.htm
Nursing home residents with advanced dementia are frequently prescribed antibiotic medications, especially during the two weeks before death. This practice raises concerns about the end-of-life care of individual patients dying with advanced dementia, as well as the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Peeling Away Layers Of Dense Liquid Flow Dynamics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239476317/080222101535.htm
Standard microscopy and visible light imaging techniques cannot peer into the dark and murky centers of dense-liquid jets, which has hindered scientists in their quest for a full understanding of liquid breakup in devices such as automobile fuel injectors. Scientists have now developed a technique to peer through high-speed dense liquids using high-energy X-rays from Argonne's Advanced Photon Source.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
About One-quarter Of Women With HIV Want To Become Pregnant
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924311/080225213422.htm
One in four women who have tested positive for HIV expect pregnancy and motherhood to be a part of their future. A woman's age at the time she learns of her HIV status appears to influence this decision. Women in an Ohio State University study who learned of their HIV infection when they were under age 30 were almost four times more likely to say they wanted to become pregnant than were women who were over 30 when they learned they had HIV.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Galaxy Ablaze With Starbirth Imaged With NASA's Swift Satellite
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924312/080226092800.htm
Imagine looking at a tree through eyeglasses that only allow red light to pass through. The tree is going to look a lot different than how it would look without the glasses. The same goes for a galaxy when astronomers look at it through different types of telescopes. This new image from NASA’s Swift satellite demonstrates what happens when astronomers look at a galaxy in ultraviolet light rather than the visible light that we see with our eyes. Swift took the image through a series of filters that only let in ultraviolet light. We cannot see ultraviolet light with our eyes, but we can feel its effects: it gives us sunburn if we stay out in the Sun too long on a bright, sunny day.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Protein 'Shocks' Evolution Into Action
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240022528/080223123054.htm
Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) has a greater impact on the appearance of new traits than previously expected, according to two new articles. HSP90 belongs to a class of proteins called chaperones, which help other proteins in the cell fold properly, prevent protein clumping, and escort improperly made proteins to be recycled. These vital functions become even more important when a cell is stressed by heat, cold, toxins or other hardships that affect protein folding.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Cancer Research: Biochemists Solve Structure Of TGF-beta And Its Receptor
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240022529/080223122241.htm
Researchers have determined the atomic-level structure of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), offering clues as to how it interlocks with cell receptors with which it has special affinity. This interaction plays an important role in normal cells but is especially important in cancer.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Viral DNA Testing Is Cost-Effective for Cervical Cancer Screening
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924313/080226162922.htm
Adjustment of cervical cancer screening protocols as a woman ages may be cost-effective, regardless of whether she has been vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer. The most cost-effective screening protocols for both vaccinated and unvaccinated women included cytology during the early part of a woman's life, followed by HPV DNA-based screening after age 30. This strategy differs from most commonly used screening practices.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Compost Can Turn Agricultural Soils Into A Carbon Sink, Thus Protecting Against Climate Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924314/080225072624.htm
Applying organic fertilizers, such as those resulting from composting, to agricultural land could increase the amount of carbon stored in these soils and contribute significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, according to new research.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
More Elderly Americans Living With Heart Failure, But Heart Failure Declining Among Very Elderly
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241924315/080225213700.htm
Conventional wisdom holds that as the US population ages, the incidence of heart failure will continue to rise. A new study challenges part of that assumption, however, finding that heart failure is actually declining among the very elderly. Yet the number of heart failure cases overall continues to rise.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Did A Mega-collision Alter Venus?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242181066/080226160017.htm
A mega-collision between two large embryonic planets could have created Venus as we know it, according to a new paper by a Cardiff University scientist. Venus is a sister planet to Earth. It is nearly the same size and density yet it has a surface temperature of 720 K, an atmosphere dominated by carbon dioxide and no evidence of oceans or ridges. It has been described as "Earth's evil twin".
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Proteins That Help Bacteria Put Up A Fight Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242181067/080225213430.htm
Scientists have identified the role of two proteins that contribute to disease-causing bacteria cells' versatility in resisting certain classes of antibiotics. The finding is a step toward development of drug therapies that could target bacterial resistance at its cellular source. Before researchers can design such drugs, they must understand all of the activities at play in the conflict between bacteria and the agents that kill them.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Youngest Patient Worldwide To Have Auditory Implant In The Brain Stem
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241558612/080226101342.htm
Surgeons have successfully operated on a 13 month-old girl from Murcia, who had been born deaf due to the lack of auditory nerves. She is the youngest patient in the world who has received an auditory implant in the brain stem.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Minimally Invasive Fibroid Treatment Fares Well In Multicenter Trial
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241558619/080226092807.htm
A new multicenter trial found that uterine artery embolization is a good alternative to hysterectomy in women with symptomatic fibroids. Uterine fibroids are benign growths of the muscle inside the uterus. At least 25 percent of women in the U.S. age 25 to 50 suffer from symptomatic uterine fibroids. Fibroid symptoms can include excessive menstrual bleeding, enlarged uterine size, frequent urination, pelvic pressure or pain and infertility.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
New Electrodes May Provide Safer, More Powerful Lithium-ion (Li-ion) Batteries
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242181068/080225092402.htm
Researchers are reporting development of a new electrode material that could ease concerns about the safety of those unbiquitous lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, while giving Li-ion batteries a power boost, according to a new study.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
What Women Think During Their First Pregnancy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242181069/080226092744.htm
Pregnant women who perceive having had a well-balanced relationship with their parents during their childhood will experience fewer difficulties in the transition to motherhood, as opposed to women whose relationship with their parents was characterized by unresolved anger or rejection, reveals a new study.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Bacterial 'Battle For Survival' Leads To New Antibiotic
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242181070/080226115618.htm
Biologists have provoked soil-dwelling bacteria into producing a new type of antibiotic by pitting them against another strain of bacteria in a battle for survival. The antibiotic holds promise for treatment of Helicobacter pylori, which causes stomach ulcers in humans. Also, figuring out the still murky explanation for how the new antibiotic was produced could help scientists develop strategies for finding other new antibiotics.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Out-of-whack Protein May Boost Parkinson's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242181071/080226135418.htm
Scientists studying rats induced to display a form of Parkinson's disease discovered that a protein commonly found in brain cells can be toxic if -- at one pinpoint location in its amino acid structure -- it lacks a chemical compound called a phosphate. The finding provides insight into the fundamentals of Parkinson's disease and the role of an abundant yet mysterious brain protein known as alpha-synuclein.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Overtaking Assistant Could Help Prevent Many Traffic-related Deaths
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242181072/080226092749.htm
Overtaking on two-lane roads is easier if drivers use what is known as an overtaking assistant, a system which indicates when it is safe to overtake. This system prevents reckless drivers overtaking when it is not safe, and can also aid cautious drivers in overtaking slower vehicles. This is the proposition of young researcher.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
Test Can Reduce Recurrence Of Breast Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242181073/080225122319.htm
A new test that examines large sections of the sentinel lymph node for genes expressed by breast cancer could reduce the risk of recurrence and multiple surgeries, doctors say.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
First Global Malaria Map In Decades Shows Reduced Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242181074/080225213650.htm
About 35 percent of the world's population is at risk of contracting deadly malaria, but many people are at a lower risk than previously thought, raising hope that the disease could be seriously reduced or eliminated in parts of the world.
Wed, 27 Feb 08
How The Atmospheres Of Mars And Venus Are Affected By Carbon Monoxide
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/242181076/080225110209.htm
Modeling of the Earth's atmosphere has acquired economic importance due to its use in the prediction of ozone depletion and in measuring the impact of global warming. Now researchers have found that the rate at which electrons lose energy to carbon monoxide is greater than that to carbon dioxide at higher levels in the atmospheres of both Mars and Venus.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Sun-like Star Flips Its Magnetic Field Like Our Sun: First Observation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264246/080225133649.htm
Astronomers have discovered that the sun-like star tau Bootis flipped its magnetic field from north to south sometime during the last year. It has been known for many years that the Sun's magnetic field changes its direction every 11 years, but this is the first time that such a change has been observed in another star. Magnetic field reversals on the sun are closely linked to the varying number of sunspots seen on the sun's surface.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Obesity And Carbs Linked To Esophageal Cancer, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264247/080225112604.htm
Cases of esophageal cancer in the US have risen in recent decades from 300,000 cases in 1973 to 2.1 million in 2001 at age-adjusted rates. A new study shows that these rates in the US closely mirrored trends of increased carbohydrate intake and obesity from 1973-2001.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
New Switch Of The Immune Response Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264249/080221101319.htm
Scientists have discovered a new mechanism controlling the choice in humans between two lines of defense in the event of attack. In the presence of viruses or bacteria, the immune system can trigger a response that is rapid but devoid of memory -- innate immunity -- or a response that takes longer to put in place but is more specifically targeted -- adaptive immunity. The body is often faced with attacks from outside (viral or bacterial infection) and sometimes from inside, because of the dysfunction of its own cells (cancer), and defends itself by activating its immune system.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
New Hope For Chemo Holidays For Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264250/080225122331.htm
Researchers have found that even men with advanced prostate cancer can take a much-needed safe break, or holiday, from chemotherapy. Prior to this study, it wasn't known whether stopping chemotherapy would lead to treatment resistance.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Off The Hook: Stronger Soft-plastic Fishing Lures Less Damaging To Environment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264251/080221173812.htm
Researchers have perfected a fiber-reinforced fishing lure that may prevent millions of pounds of toxic plastics from polluting waters nationwide. Earning raves in the sport-fishing world, a young entrepreneur plans to launch his strong, sustainable soft lure in sporting goods stores in late February. Each year, more than 12,000 tons of rubbery "soft baits" land at the bottom of lakes, streams and rivers.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Analogue Logic For Quantum Computing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264252/080221101910.htm
Digital logic, or bits, is the only paradigm for the IT world, and up to now researchers used it almost exclusively to study quantum information processing. But European scientists have proved that an analogue approach is far easier in the quantum world. Modern computing is digital, a series of 1s and 0s that, once combined, create powerful information processing systems. The system is so simple – on or off, yes or no – that it almost seems dumb. It is that very simplicity that gives digital computing its power. It works very well. But we have a problem. Silicon circuits are getting so small that they will soon be bumping up against a fundamental physical limit.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Krill Discovered Living In The Antarctic Abyss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264253/080225122334.htm
Scientists have discovered Antarctic krill living and feeding down to depths of 3000 meters in the waters around the Antarctic Peninsula. Until now this shrimp-like crustacean was thought to live only in the upper ocean. The discovery completely changes scientists' understanding of the major food source for fish, squid, penguins, seals and whales.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Mood Markers Isolated In Blood Open Informative Window Into Brain Functioning And Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264254/080225213751.htm
Researchers have isolated biomarkers in the blood that identify mood disorders, a breakthrough that may change the way bipolar illness is diagnosed and treated. The panel of markers is present in differing amounts in individuals suffering from high or low mood states. The concentration of the blood markers also varies depending on the severity of the depression or mania the individual experiences.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Mysterious Bacterial Microcompartments Revealed By Biochemists
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264255/080221152009.htm
Biochemists have answered an important question about the structure of microcompartments -- mysterious molecular machines that seem to be present in a wide variety of pathogens and other bacteria. In the journal Science, the biochemists report how the structure closes, forming a shell around enzymes that are encased inside.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Genetic Mutation Found In Peripheral Artery Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239510211/080222095421.htm
A tiny handful of genes appears to hold important clues to understanding why some patients with peripheral artery disease face high rates of amputation and early death while others are spared those consequences, say researchers. This is the first documented genetic mutation linked to PAD. Although the work was done in mice, researchers say it is likely to give them new insight into how PAD develops and progresses in humans.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Novel Large-scale Method Reveals Drug Targets
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264256/080222095413.htm
Scientists have developed a new large-scale method to identify the interactions between proteins that are a major target for therapeutic intervention. The novel method can identify the weak, short-lived interactions that are characteristic of cell responses to cues from the environment or from within the body. Cell surface proteins are targets for many drugs and are central to many processes of cell regulation, such as some cancer therapeutics, diabetes, and growth.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Crime-fighting Tool: Hair Reveals Where Murder Victims Drank Water
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264257/080225213757.htm
Scientists developed a new crime-fighting tool by showing that human hair reveals the general location where a person drank water, helping police track past movements of criminal suspects or unidentified murder victims.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Male Fertility May Be Harmed By Mix Of Endocrine Disrupters
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264258/080221121026.htm
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which are harmless individually in small doses, can together be a dangerous cocktail. Concurrent exposure to several endocrine-disrupting substances may, among other things, result in malformed sexual organs. Many young men have a low sperm count and more and more boys are born with malformed sexual organs.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Gastric Acid May Help Protect Against Foodborne Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264259/080221200040.htm
A new study suggests that low levels of gastric acid in the stomach can increase one's likelihood of getting a foodborne infection. The belief that gastric acid forms a barrier against bacterial pathogens is widespread among the healthcare community, however no previous experimental data has been reported. One of the three main functions ascribed to gastric acid is inhibiting infectious agents from reaching the intestine and distribution levels noted in fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals indicate evolutionary advantages.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
In The Race To The Top, Zigzagging Is More Efficient Than A Straight Line
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264260/080220130507.htm
A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points, but it isn't necessarily the fastest or easiest path to follow. That's particularly true when terrain is not level, and now American and British researchers have developed a mathematical model showing that a zigzag course provides the most efficient way for humans to go up or down steep slopes. Trails evolve, among other reasons, because of physical differences in people and the differences in the biomechanics and energy cost of ascending and descending a slope.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Adult With Two Colons Suffers Kidney Atrophy: Rare Diagnosis In The Operation Room
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239510214/080222095410.htm
Lower gastrointestinal system duplications are extremely rare entities in the adult. A surgical team in Turkey diagnosed and successfully treated a patient with a duplicated colon which had lead to hydronephrotic kidney.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Busy Beavers Can Help Ease Drought
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264261/080220130511.htm
They may be considered pests, but beavers can help mitigate the effects of drought. Climate models predict the incidence of drought in parts of North America will increase in frequency and length over the next 100 years, and beaver will likely play an important role in maintaining open water and mitigating the impact.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Doggie Robot Eases Loneliness In Nursing Home Residents As Well As Real Dog, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264262/080225213636.htm
A doggie robot works about as well as a real pooch in making nursing home residents feel less lonely, a new study finds. The researchers compared how residents of three nursing homes interacted with Sparky, a living, medium-sized gentle mutt, and Aibo, a doggie robot once manufactured by Sony that looks like a three-dimensional cartoon.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Two Oxygenation Events In Ancient Oceans Sparked Spread Of Complex Life
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264263/080225213645.htm
The rise of oxygen and the oxidation of deep oceans between 635 and 551 million years ago may have had an impact on the increase and spread of the earliest complex life, including animals. Today, we take oxygen for granted. But the atmosphere had almost no oxygen until 2.5 billion years ago, and it was not until about 600 million years ago when the atmospheric oxygen level rose to a fraction of modern levels. For a long time, geologists and evolutionary biologists have speculated that the rise of the breathing gas and subsequent oxygenation of the deep oceans are intimately tied to the evolution of modern biological systems.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Zoologists Challenge Longstanding Theory That 'Eyespots' Mimic The Eyes Of Predators' Enemies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264264/080221090250.htm
Circular markings on creatures such as butterflies are effective against predators because they are conspicuous features, not because they mimic the eyes of the predators' own enemies, according to new research. Many animals possess protective markings to avoid predation, including patterns to reduce the risk of detection (camouflage), to indicate that the animal is toxic or inedible ('warning colors'), or to mimic another animal or object ('mimicry' and 'masquerade'). In addition, many creatures such as butterflies, moths, and fish possess two or more pairs of circular markings, often referred to as 'eyespots'. Many eyespots are effective in startling or intimidating predators, and can help to prevent or stop an attack. For the past 150 years it has been assumed that this is because they mimic the eyes of the predator's own enemies.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Cheap, Clean Drinking Water Purified Through Nanotechnology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238242222/080220094656.htm
Tiny particles of pure silica coated with an active material could be used to remove toxic chemicals, bacteria, viruses, and other hazardous materials from water much more effectively and at lower cost than conventional water purification methods, according to new research.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Past Greenhouse Warming Provides Clues To What The Future May Hold
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238212279/080215151221.htm
Scientists studying an extreme period of global warming 55 million years ago are piecing together an increasingly detailed picture of its causes and consequences. Their findings describe what may be the best analog in the geologic record for the global changes likely to result from continued carbon dioxide emissions from human activities.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
New Details Of A Gene-regulatory Network Governing Metabolism Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264265/080222101538.htm
Metabolism is a central feature of life -- a myriad of biochemical processes that, together, enable organisms to nourish and sustain themselves. Scientists are discovering how the regulation of genes governs fundamental life processes, including metabolism. Such research, performed on simple model organisms like yeast cells, has implications for efforts to understand natural processes such as aging and disease states including cancer. Scientists have just announced a new and unexpected wrinkle in a story they previously thought they understood about how yeast cells, through the action of genes, adjust their metabolism in response to changes in their sources of food.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Directed Self-ordering Of Organic Molecules For Electronic Devices
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264266/080219203513.htm
A simple surface treatment technique potentially offers a low-cost way to mass produce large arrays of organic electronic transistors on polymer sheets for a wide range of applications including flexible displays, "intelligent paper" and flexible sheets of biosensor arrays for field diagnostics.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Acne May Prevent People From Participating In Sport And Exercise, Says Research
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264267/080225103914.htm
Acne patients who are highly anxious about their skin condition say they are less likely to participate in sport or exercise, according to new research.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Venus Has Extraordinarily Changeable And Extremely Large-scale Weather
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264268/080221084148.htm
Venus Express has revealed a planet of extraordinarily changeable and extremely large-scale weather. Bright hazes appear in a matter of days, reaching from the south pole to the low southern latitudes and disappearing just as quickly. Such 'global weather', unlike anything on Earth, has given scientists a new mystery to solve. The cloud-covered world of Venus is all but a featureless, unchangeable globe at visible wavelengths of light. Switch to the ultraviolet and it reveals a truly dynamic nature. Transient dark and bright markings stripe the planet, indicating regions where solar ultraviolet radiation is absorbed or reflected, respectively.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
How Bacteria Gain Resistance To Multiple Types Of Antibiotics: Mechanism Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239476316/080222101547.htm
Scientists have solved the structure of two proteins that allow bacteria to gain resistance to multiple types of antibiotics. This work provides new clues as to how bacteria adapt to resist antibiotics and how to design new drugs that counteract this defense mechanism.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Observing Sustainable Tourism In Antarctica
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239510217/080222095351.htm
Antarctica is the ultimate destination for anyone interested in natural history but it also challenges those people who visit to think broadly about our responsibilities to all life on Earth, according to a professor who has just returned from the Antarctic in his role as an Observer for the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
HIV Prevention: Tenofovir Gel Safe For Daily Use By Women, New Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264269/080225090821.htm
A vaginal microbicide containing a drug normally used to treat HIV is safe for sexually active HIV-negative women to use every day over an extended period. The trial of tenofovir topical gel also found most women adhered to a daily or sex-dependent regimen. The findings are a boost to HIV prevention efforts focused on "next-generation" microbicides to curb infection rates in women, most of whom get HIV through sex with their husbands or steady partners.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
'NMR On A Chip' Features NIST Magnetic Mini-sensor
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264270/080219203523.htm
A super-sensitive mini-sensor developed at NIST can detect nuclear magnetic resonance in tiny samples of fluids flowing through a novel microchip. The prototype chip device may have wide application as a sensitive chemical analyzer, for example in rapid screening to find new drugs.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Energy Strategy To Combat Climate Change Proposed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241264271/080225101126.htm
To even begin to combat climate change effectively, carbon dioxide emissions have to fall sharply: to 1 ton per capita per year. An energy strategy based on the three Es: increased efficiency, renewable energy and electrification may be what is needed to meet this goal.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Protein Shines Light On Cancer Response
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240478078/080224134753.htm
A technique that specifically "tags" tumors responding to chemotherapy may offer a new strategy for determining a cancer treatment's effectiveness within days of starting treatment, according to a new study by Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center investigators.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Attack Of The Invasive Garden Ants
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241590775/080225213534.htm
An ant that is native to Eurasia is threatening to become the latest in a procession of species to invade Europe, as a result of inadvertent human introduction. The invasive garden ant, Lasius neglectus, which is a threat to native species, may already be more widely established than expected.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Notch Controls Bone Formation And Strength
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240497942/080224134750.htm
Notch, a protein known to govern the determination of cell differentiation into different kinds of tissues in embryos, plays a critical role in bone formation and strength later in life. These new findings may provide a basis for understanding osteoporosis and related diseases.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Special Coating Greatly Improves Solar Cell Performance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241590776/080222125628.htm
Current-generation solar cell technologies are too expensive and inefficient for wide-scale commercial applications. Now researchers have developed a new anode coating strategy that significantly enhances the efficiency of solar energy power conversion. Their work focuses on "engineering" organic material-electrode interfaces in bulk-hetero-junction organic solar cells. The breakthrough promises to bring researchers and developers worldwide closer to the goal of producing cheaper, more manufacturable and more easily implemented solar cells.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Heart Attack Rates Fall Following National Smoking Bans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241558609/080226102607.htm
French researchers announced a striking 15 percent decrease in admissions of patients with myocardial infarction to emergency wards since the public ban on smoking came into effect last January. Researchers in Rome found an 11.2 percent reduction of acute coronary events since the January 2005 smoking ban took effect in Italy.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Silica Smart Bombs Deliver Knock-out To Bacteria
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241590777/080225213452.htm
Bacteria mutate for a living, evading antibiotic drugs while killing tens of thousands of people in the United States each year. But as concern about drug-resistant bacteria grows, one novel approach seeks to thwart the bug without a drug by taking a cue from nature.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Getting To The Roots Of Hair Loss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240497943/080224134747.htm
Scientists have identified a gene that is responsible for a rare hereditary form of hair loss. The newly identified receptor plays a role in hair growth. Researchers now hope that their research findings will lead to new therapies that will work with various forms of hair loss.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Gene At Intersection Of Stem Cells, Immunity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240497938/080224142524.htm
A gene that "wakes up" the blood system's stem cells in times of stress also plays an important role in protecting against infection, said researchers in the journal Cell Stem Cell. Researchers note that it makes sense that a serious infection with a pathogen or disease-causing organism could require that stem cells rally to generate new blood cells to fight against the invading organisms.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Catalysis Discovery Takes Aim At NOx Emissions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239476320/080222095427.htm
A discovery in molecular chemistry may help remove a barrier to widespread use of diesel and other fuel-efficient "lean burn" vehicle engines. Researchers have recorded the first observations of how certain catalyst materials used in emission control devices are constructed.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Excavations In Iran Unravel Mystery Of 'Red Snake'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241590778/080218155534.htm
New discoveries unearthed at an ancient frontier wall in Iran provide compelling evidence that the Persians matched the Romans for military might and engineering prowess. The 'Great Wall of Gorgan'in north-eastern Iran, a barrier of awesome scale and sophistication, including over 30 military forts, an aqueduct, and water channels along its route, is being explored by an international team of archaeologists. This vast Wall-also known as the 'Red Snake'-is more than 1000 years older than the Great Wall of China, and longer than Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall put together.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Immune Response Dramatically Boosted With Engineered Artificial 'Cells'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241558611/080226101344.htm
Using artificial cell-like particles, biomedical engineers have devised a rapid and efficient way to produce a 45-fold enhancement of T cell activation and expansion, an immune response important for a patient's ability to fight cancer and infectious diseases.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Many Stroke, Heart Attack Patients May Not Benefit From Aspirin, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241590779/080225213526.htm
Up to 20 percent of patients taking aspirin to lower the risk of suffering a second cerebrovascular event do not have an antiplatelet response from aspirin, the effect thought to produce the protective effect, researchers at the University at Buffalo have shown.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Royals Weren't Only Builders Of Maya Temples, Archaeologist Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241590780/080225134239.htm
An intrepid archaeologist is well on her way to dislodging the prevailing assumptions of scholars about the people who built and used Maya temples.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Early Blood Pressure Reduction May Improve Stroke Outcomes, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241590781/080225101129.htm
Early and intensive lowering of high blood pressure has shown promising effects in stroke patients, according to results of a new stroke study. Initial results of the first large-scale investigation into managing raised blood pressure after intracerebral haemorrhage (stroke) demonstrates that rapid blood pressure lowering is well tolerated and appears to reduce the amount of bleeding in the brain, indicating that such treatment could reduce the risk of death and disability in stroke patients.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Easing Concerns About Pollution From Manufacture Of Solar Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241590782/080225090826.htm
In a finding that could help ease concerns about the potential environmental impact of manufacturing solar cells, scientists report that the manufacture of solar cells produces far fewer air pollutants than conventional fossil fuel technologies. Solar energy has been touted for years as a safer, cleaner alternative to burning fossil fuels to meet rising energy demands. However, environmentalists and others are increasingly concerned about the potential negative impact of solar cell (photovoltaic) technology.
Tue, 26 Feb 08
Facial Asymmetry Persists Despite Surgery To Correct Congenital Deformity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/241558610/080226102602.htm
Adults and teens that underwent surgery as infants to correct a congenital condition -- known as unilateral coronal synostosis -- that causes the forehead and face to appear uneven still have a degree of facial asymmetry years later, according to new research.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Radiation From Mobile Phones Changes Protein Expression In Living People, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240411189/080224100008.htm
A new study on effects of mobile phone radiation on human skin strengthens the results of the human cell line analyses: living tissue responds to mobile phone radiation. Earlier studies have shown that mobile phone radiation alters protein expression and activity in human endothelial cell line. This new study is unique, because for the first time it has examined whether a local exposure of human skin to RF-EMF will cause changes in protein expression in living people.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Bacteria Can Be Made To Spin Spider Silk Through Understanding Of Big Molecules
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639515/080221100539.htm
Biological and medical research is on the threshold of a new era based on better understanding of how large organic molecules bind together and recognize each other. There is great potential for exploiting the molecular docking processes that are commonplace in all organisms to develop new drugs that act more specifically without adverse side effects, and construct novel materials by mimicking nature. One application close to fruition is the engineering of bacteria to produce silks as strong for their thickness as spider webs.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
New Technique Promises To Aid Doctor's Ability To Identify, Treat Bacterial Infections
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639516/080219124520.htm
Chemists have developed a new technique harnessing the power of nanotechnology to help doctors identify and treat bacterial infections in record time. Research shows identification can happen in a few hours instead of days. As more bacterial strains resistant to many drugs emerge, it becomes more critical to quickly identify infections and the antibiotics that would most effectively treat them. Such quick identifications become even more important during epidemics because large numbers of samples would have to be tested at once.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
A Regular Dip In The Pool Could Benefit Fibromyalgia Sufferers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239413195/080222082433.htm
Patients suffering from fibromyalgia could benefit significantly from regular exercise in a heated swimming pool, a study in Arthritis Research & Therapy shows. The findings suggest a cost effective way of improving quality of life for patients with this often-debilitating disorder.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Astronomy Technology Brings Nanoparticle Probes Into Sharper Focus
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639517/080219132140.htm
While pondering the challenges of distinguishing one nano-sized probe image from another in a mass of hundreds or thousands of nanoprobes, researchers made an interesting observation. The tiny, clustered dots of light looked a lot like a starry sky on a clear night. The biomedical researchers realized that astronomers had already made great strides in solving a problem very similar to their own — isolating and analyzing one dot (in this case a star) in a crowded field of light. They hypothesized that a computer system designed for stellar photometry, a branch of astronomy focused on measuring the brightness of stars, could hold the solution to their problem. Researchers have created a technology based on astronomy software that provides more precise images of single molecules tagged with nanoprobes. The clearer images allow researchers to collect more detailed information about a single molecule, such as how the molecule is binding in a gene sequence, taking scientists a few steps closer to truly personalized and predictive medicine as well as more complex biomolecular structural mapping.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Worm Defecation Holds Clues To Widespread Cell-to-cell Communication Process
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639518/080221133320.htm
The focus of two recent Nobel prizes, a species of roundworm has made possible another advance in the understanding of how cells talk to one another. A new mechanism through which cells in the worm's intestine signal for nearby muscle cells to flex by briefly making the area between them more acidic has been discovered. Researchers believe that short-lived changes in acidity may have implications for cell signaling throughout the animal kingdom, from the sending of human nerve messages to worm defecation.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Saturn May Be Surrounded By Undiscovered Near-Invisible Partial Rings
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639519/080220195614.htm
Gaps in the soup of high energy particles near the orbits of two of Saturn's tiny moons indicate that Saturn may be surrounded by undiscovered, near-invisible partial rings. And, the larger Saturnian moons may not be the only ones contributing material to Saturn's ring system.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
New Anti-cancer Agent Can Overcome Resistance To Drugs, Says Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639520/080221093550.htm
A new anti-cancer agent that targets breast cancer can overcome resistance to cancer drugs, according to a new study. Many tumours that are initially responsive to chemotherapy can develop resistance to it, allowing the cancer to progress. Studies have shown that one of the key reasons for the development of resistance is a protein pump called P-glycoprotein. Resistant cancer cells express P-glycoprotein and this removes anti-cancer drugs from the cell before they are able to kill the cell.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Cocaine's Effects On Brain Metabolism May Contribute To Abuse
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639521/080218134721.htm
Many studies on cocaine addiction - and attempts to block its addictiveness - have focused on dopamine transporters, proteins that reabsorb the brain's "reward" chemical once its signal is sent. Since cocaine blocks dopamine transporters from doing their recycling job, it leaves the feel-good chemical around to keep sending the pleasure signal. Now a new study suggests that cocaine's effects go beyond the dopamine system. In the study, cocaine had significant effects on brain metabolism, even in mice that lack the gene for dopamine transporters.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Antioxidants Do Not Help Children With Down's Syndrome Develop, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240022527/080223123616.htm
Giving children with Down's syndrome antioxidants and nutrients does not help their condition improve at all, according to a new study. UK researchers studied the effect of giving such supplements to 156 babies under 7 months old with Down's syndrome over an 18-month period. Down's syndrome is the most common genetic cause of learning disability in the UK affecting around 1 in 1,000 new born babies. Previous studies have investigated the possibility that giving folate, antioxidants, or both might improve the effects of Down's syndrome, particularly language and psychomotor development. Although none have reported any significant effect, use of vitamin and mineral supplements is widespread in children with Down's syndrome in Europe and the USA due to marketing of commercial preparations claiming substantial benefits.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
NASA MidSTAR-1 Successful Technologies May Be Revolutionary
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639522/080219113324.htm
Two new technologies launched onboard a US Naval Academy satellite called MidSTAR-1 have proven successful in their tests in space. One technology is a sensor that can check for harmful chemicals and the other is a special "film" that can control heat.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Could Clothes Be Made To Monitor Heart Beat, Other Vital Signs, Automatically?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639523/080221102208.htm
Pretty soon your gym gear will be more high tech than the groaning treadmill beneath you. Smart textiles and wearable devices can monitor your vital signs as you go about daily life. These clever clothes already exist and look set to find a market niche especially in elite sport and healthcare, say European researchers. And who stands to benefit most from these clever clothes? People with heart conditions or undergoing rehabilitation that require constant monitoring, athletes, newborns and people with sleep apnea are among the potential users.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Oral Contraceptives Could Work For Dogs, Cats, Pigs, Maybe Even Deer And Coyotes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639524/080219132149.htm
If you're a land owner and animals such as coyotes or wild pigs are driving you hog wild, help may soon be on the way to control their numbers in a humane way -- in the form of a birth control pill for animals. The need is apparent: According to the American Humane Society, about 7 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year at animal shelters. One female cat can lead to the production of 420,000 offspring in her lifetime.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Breast Feeding May Help Protect Babies Against Allergic Asthma
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240497939/080224142005.htm
Breast feeding may help protect babies against allergic asthma. Airborne allergen is able to pass from mother to child through breast milk, which creates a tolerance to the allergen. Allergic asthma affects 300 million people worldwide and is characterized by obstruction of the respiratory pathways in response to allergen exposure.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Early Experience Affects Where Birds Breed For Life: What Happens If Habitat Changes?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639525/080218172253.htm
Environmental conditions migratory birds face in their first year may help determine where they breed for the rest of their lives, a factor that could significantly affect the population as climate change makes their winter habitats hotter and drier. The determining factor in where a bird settles for its first breeding season relative to its hatching site -- also known as natal dispersal -- was previously unknown.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Very Large Array Retooling For 21st-century Science
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639526/080218142721.htm
An international project to make the world's most productive ground-based telescope 10 times more capable has reached its halfway mark and is on schedule to provide astronomers with an extremely powerful new tool for exploring the Universe. The National Science Foundation's Very Large Array radio telescope now has half of its giant, 230-ton dish antennas converted to use new, state-of-the-art digital electronics to replace analog equipment that has served since the facility's construction during the 1970s.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Childhood Obesity Leads To Higher Rate Of Problems During Surgery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639527/080222101544.htm
Add this to the growing list of health challenges faced by obese children: A new study finds that obese children are much more likely than normal-weight children to have problems with airway obstruction and other breathing-related functions during surgery.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Has An Ocean Circulation Collapse Been Triggered?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236551003/080217102148.htm
Predictions that the 21st century is safe from major circulation changes in the North Atlantic Ocean may not be as comforting as they seem. "The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that it is very unlikely that the North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation will collapse in the 21st century. They predict a probability of less then 10 percent," says an assistant professor of geosciences. "However, this should not be interpreted as an all clear signal. There can be a considerable delay between the triggering of an MOC collapse and the actual collapse. In a similar way, a person that has just jumped from a cliff may take comfort that pain in the next few seconds is very unlikely, but the outlook over the long term is less rosy."
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Genetic Mutation May Lead To Increased Autoimmunity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639528/080221170646.htm
Scientists have discovered that a mutation in a known DNA recombination mechanism may result in the onset of autoimmunity and an overexpression of autoreactive antibodies--molecules that attack the host--in animal models. The new study highlights the role of "recombining sequence," a DNA element involved in the genetic reprogramming of immune system B cells, a process called receptor editing. These new findings could point toward a possible novel therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases such as lupus.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Chlorine Can React With Sweat, Urine At Indoor Swimming Pools Forming Volatile Disinfection Byproducts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639529/080219161946.htm
Researchers have determined how certain airborne contaminants are created when chlorine reacts with sweat and urine in indoor swimming pools, a step toward learning how to reduce the formation of "volatile disinfection byproducts" that cause respiratory irritation.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Working Toward Effective Treatment for HBV Infection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639530/080222111418.htm
Despite the existence of safe and efficient vaccines, hepatitis B virus is one of the most deadly viruses in the world, killing about 1.2 million people every year. To better understand the direct liver disease induced by hepatitis B virus, recent research brought us one step closer to an effective treatment for HBV infection.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Chemists Measure Copper Levels In Zinc Oxide Nanowires
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240639531/080219203507.htm
Chemists have measured significant amounts of copper incorporated into zinc oxide nanowires during fabrication -- a measurement important to optimizing optical and electrical properties of the nanowires.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Facial Expression Recognition Software Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240022525/080223125318.htm
Researchers have developed an algorithm that is capable of processing 30 images per second to recognize a person's facial expressions in real time and categorize them as one of six prototype expressions: anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise. Applying the facial expression recognition algorithm, the developed prototype is capable of processing a sequence of frontal images of moving faces and recognizing the person's facial expression. The software can be applied to video sequences in realistic situations and can identify the facial expression of a person seated in front of a computer screen. Although still only a prototype, the software is capable of working on a desktop computer or even on a laptop.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Snakes Locate Prey Through Vibration Waves
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240892683/080221105350.htm
It is often believed that snakes cannot hear. This presumption is fed by the fact that snakes lack an outer ear and that scientific evidence of snakes responding to sound is scarce. Snakes do, however, possess an inner ear with a functional cochlea. Scientists now present evidence that snakes use this structure to detect minute vibrations of the sand surface that are caused by prey moving. Their ears are sensitive enough to not only "hear" the prey approaching, but also to allow the brain, i.e., the auditory system, to localize the direction it is coming from.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Masters Of Disguise: Secrets Of Nature's 'Great Pretenders' Revealed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240892684/080219203536.htm
A gene which helps a harmless African butterfly ward off predators by giving it wing patterns like those of toxic species, has been identified. The mocker swallowtail butterfly, Papilio dardanus, is unusual because it emerges from its chrysalis with one of a large number of different possible wing patterns and colors. This is different from most butterfly species which are identified by a common wing pattern and colour. Furthermore, some of the different patterns that the mocker swallowtail exhibits mimic those of poisonous species, which affords this harmless insect a valuable disguise which scares off predators.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Computers Could Be Used To Diagnose Alzheimer's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239413196/080222082429.htm
Computers are able to diagnose Alzheimer's disease faster and more accurately than experts, according to research in the journal Brain. The findings may help ensure that patients are diagnosed earlier, increasing treatment options.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Lensless Camera Uses X-rays To View Nanoscale Materials And Biological Specimens
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240892685/080219150140.htm
X-rays have been used for decades to take pictures of broken bones, but scientists have now developed a lensless X-ray technique that can take images of ultra-small structures buried in nanoparticles and nanomaterials, and features within whole biological cells such as cellular nuclei.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Deficiency In The Protein MBL2 Linked To Increased Cystic Fibrosis Severity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240892686/080221183334.htm
Although it is known that mutations in the CFTR gene cause the hereditary disorder cystic fibrosis disease, variations in other genes between individuals with CF modify the severity of the disease. New data has now clearly established that genetic variations that modify MBL2 expression are associated with more severe clinical symptoms of CF.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
SCUBA-2 Camera Will Explore Earliest Phases Of Galaxy Formation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240892687/080221095420.htm
A giant camera known as SCUBA-2 is being transported to the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. Rather than detecting visible light, SCUBA-2 will detect submillimeter radiation, which is sensitive to the heat emitted by extremely cold dust in the Universe. This material is associated with the mysterious earliest phases of the formation of galaxies, stars and planets, until now largely undetectable. Typically the dust is at temperatures of about -200 Celsius and so detecting its extremely weak emissions presents a huge technological challenge.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Where Will We Find The Next Generation Of Engineers?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240892688/080218161733.htm
A state-by-state ranking of engineering graduates shows an unmet need. A new study that examines the number of engineering graduates coming out of our nation's engineering schools reveals a mixed picture of how prepared each state is for meeting the need for high-tech workers in the coming years.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
New Way To Store Information Via DNA Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240517997/080224150305.htm
Researchers have found a way to get into your body and your bloodstream. No, they're not spiritual gurus or B-movie mad scientists. They are just talented when it comes to manipulating DNA. the researchers discovered a system to encode digital information within DNA. This method relies on the length of the fragments obtained by the partial restriction digest rather than the actual content of the nucleotide sequence.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
New Chemical Tool Kit Manipulates Mitochondria, Reveals Insights Into Drug Toxicity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240478077/080224134756.htm
Why do nearly 1 million people taking cholesterol-lowering statins often experience muscle cramps? Why is it that in the rare case when a diabetic takes medication for intestinal worms, his glucose levels improve? Is there any scientific basis for the purported health effects of green tea? Researchers have developed a chemical toolkit for manipulating mitochondria in its normal cellular environment. After introducing nearly 2,500 compounds to this platform -- many of which are FDA-approved -- the researchers immediately discerned new insights into basic mitochondrial function, which in turn revealed why some commonly used drugs have particular adverse effects.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Salamanders Are 'Keystone' Species: Headwater Streams Critical In Food Chain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239476318/080222095730.htm
A new study in the journal Freshwater Biology revealed the biomass (total mass of an organism in an area) of the black-bellied salamander far exceeds any previous estimates, and the contribution of the species and its habitat may be critical in the food chain.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Copper May Inhibit the Transmission of HIV Through Breast Milk and Blood
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240892689/080221171235.htm
Researchers from the U.S. and abroad have developed an inexpensive copper-based filter that may prevent HIV from being passed through breast milk and blood. Worldwide statistics of HIV transmission through breast milk and blood transfusions are at a disastrous high, especially in developing countries. In 2001 breast-feeding was attributed to up to 50% of the 700,000 mother-to-child transmission cases reported. The World Health Organization has estimated that blood transfusions are responsible for 80,000 to 160,000 HIV infections each year, while the Center for Disease Control reports that transfusions are the cause of 5 to 10% of HIV infections in developing countries.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Dust In West Up 500 Percent In Past Two Centuries
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240497944/080224134744.htm
The West has become 500 percent dustier in the past two centuries due to westward US expansion and accompanying human activity beginning in the 1800s, according to a new study.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Stroke Much More Prevalent In United States Than In Europe
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239510213/080222095416.htm
American adults have a higher prevalence of stroke than their European counterparts, due in part to a higher rate of stroke risk factors among Americans and barriers to care in the United States. Compared to European men, U.S. men had 61 percent higher odds of having a stroke and U.S. women had almost twice the odds of stroke as European women.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Butterfly Fish 'May Face Extinction'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240866847/080225072629.htm
A beautiful black, white and yellow butterflyfish, much admired by eco-tourists, divers and aquarium keepers alike, may be at risk of extinction, scientists have warned. The case of the chevroned butterfly fish is a stark example of how human pressure on the world's coral reefs is confronting certain species with 'blind alleys' from which they may be unable to escape, says one of the scientists.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
New Method To Create An Artificial Heart May Hold Promise For Transplant Surgery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240497941/080224141414.htm
A method to create an artificial heart using the extracellular matrix of an actual heart that has been stripped of all cells may hold promise for its use in transplant surgery. About 3,000 patients in the United States await a donor heart; worldwide, 22 million people live with heart failure. An artificial heart is a theoretical alternative for transplantation.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Chicken Antibodies To Help Detect HER2 Breast Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240892690/080219203526.htm
Generations of mothers have served up chicken soup to remedy the common cold, but now the therapeutic fowl may find use in diagnosis as well. Chicken antibodies may one day improve the detection of an aggressive form of breast cancer. HER2 is one of a family of genes that help regulate the growth and proliferation of human cells.
Mon, 25 Feb 08
Gene Defect Causes Immune Deficiency And Balance Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240892691/080221172822.htm
A genetic defect that causes a severe immune deficiency in humans may also produce balance disorders, according to a new study. The study examined a specialized strain of Jackson Laboratory mice with a mutation that eliminates the production a protein called p22phox. Disruption of this protein causes a form of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) -- a severe immune deficiency -- in humans. The researchers found that mice without p22phox develop an immune deficiency that mimics human CGD. They also discovered that the gene defect produces a severe balance disorder in the mice caused by loss of gravity-sensing crystals in the inner ear.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Bacteria Use 'Invisibility Cloak' To Hide From Human Immune System
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202753/080219102415.htm
An important new step in the mechanism used by bacteria to evade our immune system has been characterized. It is an 'invisibility cloak' which means that bacteria like Haemophilus influenzae, a common cause of ear infections in children, can move about the body without the risk of being attacked by the immune system.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Novel Link Between Excessive Nutrient Levels And Insulin Resistance Uncovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202754/080221143325.htm
For quite some time now, scientists suspected the so-called hexosamine pathway -- a small side business of the main sugar processing enterprise inside a cell -- to be involved in the development of insulin resistance. But they could never quite put their finger on the underlying mechanism. Now, researchers have uncovered the long-missing molecular link: the enzyme OGT, the last in a line of enzymes that shuttle sugars through the hexosamine pathway.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
New Telescopes Planned For Moon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202756/080219132146.htm
NASA has selected a proposal by an MIT-led team to develop plans for an array of radio telescopes on the far side of the moon that would probe the earliest formation of the basic structures of the universe.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Antidepressant Effects Of Ketamine Explored
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202758/080221090953.htm
Drug treatments for depression can take many weeks for the beneficial effects to emerge. The excruciating and disabling nature of depression highlights the urgency of developing treatments that act more rapidly. Ketamine, a drug used in general medicine as an anesthetic, has recently been shown to produce improvements in depressed patients within hours of administration. A new study provides some new insight into the mechanisms by which ketamine exerts its effects.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Amazon Corridors Far Too Narrow, Warn Scientists
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202759/080218134554.htm
Protected forest strips buffering rivers and streams of the Amazon rainforest should be significantly wider than the current legal requirement, according to new research. Brazilian forestry legislation currently requires that all forest strips alongside rivers and streams on private land be maintained as permanent reserves and it sets a minimum legal width of 60m. But after investigating the effects of corridor width on the number of bird and mammal species, researchers say a minimum critical width of 400m is necessary.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Empty Nest Syndrome May Not Be Bad After All, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202762/080221133313.htm
One day they are crawling, the next day they are driving and then suddenly they aren't kids anymore. As children reach adulthood, the parent-child relationship changes as parents learn to adapt to newly independent children. A new study explores the differences in how mothers and fathers interacted with their young adult children.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Sun Will Vaporize Earth Unless We Can Change Our Orbit
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240041833/080223130020.htm
Astronomers predict that the Earth will be swallowed up by the Sun in about 7.6 billion years unless the Earth's orbit can be altered. Previous calculations had suggested that the Earth would escape ultimate destruction, although be battered and burnt to a cinder. But this did not take into account the effect of the drag caused by the outer atmosphere of the dying Sun.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Molecular Pathway, Previously Unknown, Spurs Growth Of New Blood Vessels
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202763/080220175215.htm
Researchers have found a previously unknown molecular pathway in mice that spurs the growth of new blood vessels when body parts are jeopardized by poor circulation. At present, their observation adds to the understanding of blood vessel formation. In the future, though, the researchers suggest it is possible that the pathway could be manipulated as a means of treating heart and blood vessel diseases and cancer.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Fighting 'Fat Bloom' Can Mean A Prettier Look For Old Valentine's Day Chocolates
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202765/080218134657.htm
Chemists in England and the Netherlands have discovered a substance that could keep those boxes of Valentine's Day chocolates, and other goodies, looking fresher and tastier. Their finding prevents formation of unsightly white films on the outside of chocolate. Called "fat bloom," white films are actually tiny particles of crystalline fat and most often appear on the surface of chocolates that contain nut-based fillings.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Moderate Level Of Aerobic Fitness May Lower Stroke Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202767/080221161356.htm
A moderate level of aerobic fitness can significantly reduce stroke risk for men and women, according to a large, long-running study. About 780,000 U.S. adults suffer a stroke each year, and stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association. It’s often fatal, claiming about 150,000 lives and ranking as the No. 3 cause of death.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Antarctic Marine Life Under Threat From Warming Seas, New Predators
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236730721/080217200926.htm
Predatory crabs and fish are poised to return to warming Antarctic waters for the first time in millions of years, threatening the shallow marine ecosystems surrounding Antarctica. Antarctic marine communities resemble the primeval waters of millions years ago because modern predators - crabs and fish - are missing. But this is about to change. 'The crabs are on the doorstep. They are sitting in deep water only a couple of hundred bathymetric meters away from the slightly cooler shallow water in the Antarctic shelf environment.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Inside The Head Of An Ape
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202769/080221120201.htm
Do apes have imagination? How do they understand pictures? A years-long study of apes performed by a cognitive scientist shows, among other things, that it doesn't take a human brain to understand pictures as being a representation. When humans compare a picture with reality, it's often necessary to fill in information that is missing in the picture. For instance, how do we know that a person in a picture is running, as opposed to being frozen in a position?
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Unveiling The Underwater Ways Of The White Shark
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202772/080218134617.htm
Satellite tracking systems and acoustic sensors are giving researchers insights into the behavior and lifestyles of some very elusive animals in the ocean, including the fabled white shark.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Effects Of Vitamin D And Skin's Physiology Examined
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202773/080220161707.htm
Previtamin D3 production varies depending on several factors including skin type and weather conditions. Excessive exposure to sunlight does not result in Vitamin D intoxification because previtamin D3 and vitamin D3 are photolyzed to several photoproducts. During the winter at altitudes above approximately 35 degrees, there is minimal if any previtamin D3 production in the skin.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Herpes Virus Link To Preterm Birth And High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202775/080218134633.htm
Researchers have made a world-first discovery that links viral infection with high blood pressure during pregnancy and preterm birth. Their work demonstrates, for the first time, that exposure to viral infection -- especially viruses of the herpes group -- may be associated with pregnancy-induced hypertensive disease (pre-eclampsia) and also with pre-term birth.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
New Laser Technique Promises Better Process Control In Pharmaceutical Industry
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202777/080218134542.htm
Scientists have developed an effective laser based method for the characterization of the bulk chemical content of pharmaceutical capsules -- without opening the capsules. The technique holds great potential for a range of process control applications in the pharmaceutical industry.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
New Transportation Technology For Micro-cargoes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202778/080218160651.htm
Scientists in Japan are reporting the discovery of a new transportation technology for moving ultra-small cargoes in the coming generation of micromachines and laboratories-on-a-chip. The study describes successful delivery of a simulated microcargo of paper with chemical waves produced by a reaction that has fascinated scientists and students for 50 years.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
To Save Or Savor? It's Decision Time For Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202780/080218134623.htm
Giant bluefin tuna are in trouble, primarily because the powerful muscles that propel their extensive ocean migrations come with an Achilles' heel: They're tasty. Prized by sushi lovers for their savory succulence, all three species of bluefins have seen their population plummet in the past 50 years thanks to worldwide demand. However, there is hope for bluefin. New advances fueled by modern technologies in ocean science may be clarifying how best to manage Atlantic bluefin.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Climate Change Has Major Impact On Oceans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236572762/080217102140.htm
Climate change is rapidly transforming the world's oceans by increasing the temperature and acidity of seawater, and altering atmospheric and oceanic circulation, reported a panel of scientists. Rising greenhouse gas emissions are warming the world's oceans and providing yet a new threat to coral reefs, which already are among the most threatened of all marine ecosystems.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Building Brains: Mammalian-like Neurogenesis In Fruit Flies
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202781/080218193923.htm
A new way of generating brain cells has been uncovered in Drosophila. This novel mode of neurogenesis is very similar to that seen in mammalian brains, suggesting that key aspects of neural development could be shared by insects and mammals. In mammals, neural stem cells may also divide asymmetrically but can then amplify the number of cells they produce through intermediate progenitors, which divide symmetrically.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Social Dynamics Of Yellow Jackets Uncovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202782/080218134545.htm
New research uncovers the social dynamics of yellow jackets, which includes multiple sex partners, extreme cooperation and a caste system. Results show that shown that multiple mating does not cause conflict within a colony, but instead creates a more successful colony. The researchers also found that certain genes are turned on or off to create the different castes.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Single MicroRNA Fine-tunes Innate Immune Response
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202783/080219113318.htm
A single microRNA, microRNA-223, in mice controls the production and activation of granulocytes, white blood cells essential for host defense against invading pathogens. Now, scientists have discovered the first microRNA shown to play a key role in the immune system's early warning system--the innate immune response.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Flawless Data Reception For Internet And Other Fiber-based Telecommunications
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202784/080218162851.htm
Virtually flawless data reception to end users of the Internet and other fiber-based telecommunications systems is possible with a new device. The technology uses a 3-D photonic crystal to filter out unwanted wavelength channels so the end user gets a clear signal without interference from the other optical frequencies.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Calls To Doctor's Office May Delay Stroke Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/240202785/080220161714.htm
Calling a primary care doctor instead of 9-1-1 at the first sign of a stroke can delay patients from reaching an emergency room during the most critical period -- the first three hours after onset of stroke symptoms, researchers reported.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Python Snakes, An Invasive Species In Florida, Could Spread To One Third Of US
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239999899/080223111456.htm
Burmese pythons -- an invasive species in south Florida -- could find comfortable climatic conditions in roughly a third of the United States according to new "climate maps" developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Although other factors such as type of food available and suitable shelter also play a role, Burmese pythons and other giant constrictor snakes have shown themselves to be highly adaptable to new environments. Non-native giant constrictor snakes, such as the Burmese python are now spreading from Everglades National Park in Florida. New "climate match" maps show where climate in the U.S. is similar to places in which Burmese pythons live naturally (from Pakistan to Indonesia). A look at the map shows why biologists are concerned.
Sun, 24 Feb 08
Northern Rocky Mountain Wolves Removed From Endangered Species List
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239978190/080223105255.htm
The gray wolf population in the Northern Rocky Mountains is thriving and no longer requires the protection of the Endangered Species Act, the Deputy Secretary of the Interior has announced. As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will remove the species from the federal list of threatened and endangered species.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Surprise On Journey To Center Of The Earth: Light Tectonic Plates Lead The Way
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835379/080221093208.htm
The first direct evidence of how and when tectonic plates move into the deepest reaches of the Earth is published in Nature. Scientists hope their description of how plates collide with one sliding below the other into the rocky mantle could potentially improve their ability to assess earthquake risks. Contrary to common scientific predictions, dense plates tend to be held in the upper mantle, while younger and lighter plates sink more readily into the lower mantle.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Smoking During Pregnancy Can Put Mothers And Babies At Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239510216/080222095354.htm
Pregnant women who suffer from the high risk condition pre-eclampsia -- which leads to the death of hundreds of babies every year -- are putting the lives of their unborn children at significantly increased risk if they continue to smoke during pregnancy.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Memory Loss And Other Cognitive Impairment Becoming Less Common In Older Americans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835381/080220121317.htm
Although it's too soon to sound the death knell for the "senior moment," it appears that memory loss and thinking problems are becoming less common among older Americans. A new nationally representative study shows a downward trend in the rate of "cognitive impairment" -- the umbrella term for everything from significant memory loss to dementia and Alzheimer's disease -- among people aged 70 and older. The prevalence of cognitive impairment in this age group went down by 3.5 percentage points between 1993 and 2002 -- from 12.2 percent to 8.7 percent, representing a difference of hundreds of thousands of people.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
First Chikungunya Animal Model Created
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835382/080219150142.htm
Researchers have developed the first animal model of the infection caused by chikungunya virus, an emerging arbovirus associated with large-scale epidemics. Using this mouse model scientists determined which tissues and cells are infected by the virus in both the mild and severe forms of the disease it causes.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Carbon Dioxide Has Been Naturally Stored For A Million Years In Colorado And Rocky Mountains
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835383/080217212303.htm
Earth scientists have found that carbon dioxide has been naturally stored for more than a million years in several gas fields in the Colorado Plateau and Rocky Mountains of the United States. Researchers say lessons learned from these natural gas fields will help to find sites suitable for injecting carbon dioxide captured from power station chimneys.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Genetic And Environmental Hormonal Response To Stress In Children Depends On Family Context
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835384/080220110316.htm
A study conducted on 346 19-month-old twins reveals that the genetic and environmental bases of hormonal response to stress depend on the context in which a child grows up. This is the first time such an effect has been reported in young humans.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Small Sea Creatures May Be The 'Canaries In The Coal Mine' Of Climate Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236572765/080217102122.htm
As oceans warm and become more acidic, ocean creatures are undergoing severe stress and entire food webs are at risk, according to molecular ecologists. Biologists have just returned from a research mission to Antarctica where they collected pteropods, tiny marine snails the size of a lentil, that one biologist refers to as the "potato chip" of the oceans because they are eaten widely by so many species.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Potential Antidepressant Compounds Synthesized
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835385/080220103545.htm
New compounds with the potential for antidepressant activity have been found. A chemist has synthesized new molecules which affect two brain targets which are considered to be keys in the development of processes of depression. One of these is the serotonin transporter, whose reuptake reduction has already been shown to improve mood; the other is the serotoninergic receptor 5-HT7, a therapeutic target for serotonin whose modulation can provoke anti-depressant effects.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Secrets Of Memories' Staying Power Revealed Through Genetic Tags In Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835386/080221140727.htm
A better understanding of how memory works is emerging from a newfound ability to link a learning experience in a mouse to consequent changes in the inner workings of its neurons. Researchers have developed a way to pinpoint the specific cellular components that sustain a specific memory in genetically engineered mice. Remarkably, this research demonstrates a way to untangle precisely which cells and connections are activated by a particular memory, according to researchers.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Kava Linked To Liver Damage, New Evidence Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835387/080222111446.htm
Scientists have found new evidence, using innovative techniques, to support the growing body of literature that indicates kava may have a negative effect on the liver. Kava is a plant native to the South Pacific that has been used as a ceremonial beverage in the region for thousands of years, and, more recently, as a natural treatment for medical conditions such as anxiety. In recent years, serious concerns about the dangers of kava and the effects on the liver have resulted in regulatory agencies, such as the US Food and Drug Administration and Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration, banning or restricting the sale of kava and kava products.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Shark Superhighways And Hotspots May Offer Insight Into Saving Sharks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236592538/080217133255.htm
The world's sharks are disappearing. These fearsome yet charismatic fish continue to fall victim to overfishing and many are now at risk of extinction as a result. New research shows that open-ocean sharks are particularly threatened from overfishing, and other work shows that the deeper sharks live, the longer it takes for their populations to recover. Yet researchers are just now learning critical details of their behavior, including the fact that some species migrate quickly along "superhighway" routes and congregate at established "stepping stone" sites.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Premature Births Linked To Physical Abuse
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239510212/080222095418.htm
Premature birth can have serious effects on the development and growth of children. In many parts of the world, preterm deliveries are increasing in frequency. In a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, researchers found that there was a strong link between physical abuse during pregnancy and premature births.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
How Saturn's Moon Enceladus Violently Spurts Dust And Water Plume Into Space: New Theory
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239510209/080222112324.htm
An enormous plume of dust and water spurts violently into space from the south pole of Enceladus, Saturn's sixth-largest moon. This raging eruption has intrigued scientists ever since the Cassini spacecraft provided dramatic images of the phenomenon. Now a physicist has revealed why the dust particles in the plume emerge more slowly than the water vapour escaping from the moon's icy crust. Enceladus orbits in Saturn's outermost "E" ring. It is one of only three outer solar system bodies that produce active eruptions of dust and water vapour. Moreover, aside from the Earth, Mars, and Jupiter's moon Europa, it is one of the only places in the solar system for which astronomers have direct evidence of the presence of water.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
New Techniques For Detecting Harmful Blood Clots, Air Bubbles In Arteries Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835388/080219203533.htm
New techniques for detecting emboli (harmful blood clots/air bubbles in arteries) have played a major role in dramatically reducing stroke rates after carotid endarterectomy. This is an operation designed to remove narrowings in the main arteries supplying the brain before they can cause a stroke. Before per-operative embolus monitoring was introduced in 1992, the intra-operative stroke rate during carotid artery procedures was 4%. Today it is 0.2%. Before post-operative monitoring was introduced in 1995, the post-operative stroke rate was 2.7%. Today it is extremely rare.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Resilience Science Is Promising Approach To Marine Conservation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236550997/080217102153.htm
The fast-growing field of resilience science can produce more effective ocean protection policies than previous models. Resilience science is the study of how ecosystems resist and respond to disturbances, both natural and man-made. This increasingly influential area of environmental science is affecting marine conservation efforts from the Gulf of Maine to the Great Barrier Reef.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Stroke Risk Factors May Signal Faster Cognitive Decline In Elderly
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239510210/080222111450.htm
Older Americans with the highest risk of stroke, but those who have never suffered a stroke, also have the highest rate of cognitive decline, researchers report. The higher your stroke risk score, the more the cognitive decline, according to new research.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
New Technology Makes 3-D Imaging Quicker, Easier
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236592541/080217133242.htm
New technology can make 3-D imaging quicker, easier, less expensive and more accurate. Dubbed FINCH, for Fresnel incoherent correlation holography, this technology could have implications in medical applications such as endoscopy, ophthalmology, CT scanning, X-ray imaging and ultrasounds. It may also be applicable to homeland security screening, 3-D photography and 3-D video.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Higher Rates Of MRSA Among Drug Users Than Six Years Ago
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835389/080221200221.htm
A new comparative study suggests that rates of MRSA infection in injection drug users in Vancouver have significantly increased over the last six years highlighting the need for interventional methods in high-risks groups. Current statistics show that there are an estimated 13 million injection drug users worldwide.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Newly Discovered Role Of Thyroid Hormone During Pregnancy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835390/080220091410.htm
Thyroid hormone deficiencies in early pregnancy can cause locomotor underdevelopment in the child, according to new research. The results bring new insights into brain development and could affect routine pregnancy testing.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Amazing Minaturized 'SIDECAR' Drives Webb Telescope's Signal
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835391/080220121313.htm
Many technologies have become so advanced that they've been miniaturized to take up less space and weigh less. That's what happened to detector controls and data conversion electronics on the James Webb Space Telescope being built by Northrop Grumman. The electronics will convert analog signals to digital signals and provide better images to Earth.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Cardiac Surgery Drug Increases Death Rate, Study Confirms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835392/080220175230.htm
The largest study to date of a controversial cardiac surgery drug shows it increases death rates and damages kidney function. Aprotinin, a drug used to limit bleeding, was temporarily suspended from marketing in the U.S. in November 2007 after a small Canadian study was stopped because similar findings were discovered.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Strange World Of Quarks, Gluons, Described By Physicist
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236612343/080217143832.htm
One of the great theoretical challenges facing physicists is understanding how the tiniest elementary particles give rise to most of the mass in the visible universe. A physicist from MIT will talk about the theory that governs interactions of quarks and gluons, known as quantum chromodynamics.
Sat, 23 Feb 08
Highly Involved Patients Don't Always See Better Health Outcomes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835394/080222152743.htm
Patients who prefer to be highly involved in their treatment don't necessarily have better luck managing chronic health conditions, a new study suggests. The research team offered a couple potential explanations for the results. One possibility is that patients who wanted an active role were dissatisfied with the relatively passive treatment of taking medication to control their conditions, and therefore may not have followed doctors' orders as well.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
New Electron Microscope Identifies Individual Color-coded Atoms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210477/080221153725.htm
A new type of scanning transmission electron microscope is enabling scientists for the first time to form images that uniquely identify individual atoms and see how those atoms bond to one another. And in living color.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Gene Therapy 'Trains' Immune System To Destroy Brain Cancer Cells And Reverses Behavioral Deficits
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210478/080219203557.htm
A new gene therapy approach that attracts and "trains" immune system cells to destroy deadly brain cancer cells also provides long-term immunity, produces no significant adverse effects and -- in the process of destroying the tumor -- promotes the return of normal brain function and behavioral skills, according to a new study.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Optical 'Frequency Comb' Can Detect The Breath Of Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210479/080219203520.htm
Exhale on a cold winter day and you will see the water vapor coming out of your mouth. Light up your breath with a Nobel-Prize-related tool, and you could potentially detect trace amounts of over 1,000 compounds, some of which provide early warning signs of disease. A new optical technique can simultaneously identify tiny amounts of a broad range of molecules in the breath, potentially enabling a fast, low-cost screening tool for disease.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Safer And More Effective Way To Treat Crohn's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210480/080221170135.htm
New research has thrown into question the current method of treating Crohn's disease -- opening the door to a safer and more effective treatment option for sufferers of the chronic disease. The new approach, called "top-down" therapy, employs early use of immune-suppressing drugs combined with an antibody in order to address the disease from the start. Symptom-treating steroids may never even be needed.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
PFC Pollutant Harming Loggerhead Turtles, Could Also Signal Danger For Humans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210481/080219203510.htm
The same chemicals that keep food from sticking to our frying pans and stains from setting in our carpets (PFCs) are damaging the livers and impairing the immune systems of loggerhead turtles -- an environmental health impact that also may signal a danger for humans.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Can We Offset Global Warming By Geoengineering The Climate With Aerosols?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236510747/080217094602.htm
Concerned that energy system transformations are proceeding too slowly to avoid risks from dangerous human-induced climate change, many scientists are wondering whether geoengineering (the deliberate change of the Earth's climate) may help counteract global warming. Sulfate aerosols, commonly released by volcanoes, serve to scatter incoming solar energy in the stratosphere, preventing it from reaching the surface. To investigate the feasibility of deliberately mimicking the effect of volcanic aerosols, researchers explore scenarios in which aerosol properties are varied to assess interactions with the climate system.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Advertisers, Neuroscientists Trace Source Of Emotions In Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210482/080219133804.htm
First came direct marketing, then focus groups. Now, advertisers, with the help of neuroscientists, are closing in on the holy grail: mind reading. According to a new article, the findings suggest "that human emotions are multidimensional, and that self-report techniques ... correspond to a specific task but different functional regions of the brain."
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Astronomers Discover Largest-ever Dark Matter Structures Spanning 270M Light-years
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210483/080221121109.htm
Astronomer have discovered the largest structures of dark matter ever seen. Measuring 270 million light-years across, these dark matter structures criss-cross the night sky, each spanning an area that is eight times larger than the full moon.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Protein May Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210484/080221170930.htm
Scientists report that a protein capable of producing what has been called "Alzheimer's of the heart" has been found to protect against development of Alzheimer's disease in the brain in rodent models. The scientists say the findings suggest that the protein, transthyretin (TTR), could represent a powerful natural defense against development of Alzheimer's disease in humans, a defense that diminishes as people grow older. If so, TTR-based therapy might help treat or prevent the disorder.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Gravity Powered Lamp, Designed By Student, Provides As Much Light As 40 Watt Bulb
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210485/080220221822.htm
The LED lamp, named Gravia, has just won second place in the Greener Gadgets Design Competition in New York City. Concept illustrations of Gravia depict an acrylic column a little over four feet high. The entire column glows when activated. The electricity is generated by the slow fall of a mass that spins a rotor. The resulting energy powers 10 high-output LEDs that fire into the acrylic lens, creating a diffuse light. The operation is silent and the housing is elegant and cord free -- completely independent of electrical infrastructure. The light output will be 600-800 lumens -- roughly equal to a 40 watt incandescent bulb over a period of four hours.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Half Of Heart Patients Significantly Underuse Effective Heart Medications, Many Because Of Cost
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210486/080218172434.htm
Full prescription coverage of heart drugs could help heart attack survivors live longer, better lives and lower the nation's health care costs, according to a new analysis. Researchers who conducted the analysis said as many as 50 percent of patients significantly underused highly effective medications to prevent recurrence of heart attacks. Cost is a major factor in why patients don't take these medications.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Secure Internet Transactions At Internet Cafes Possible With Tiny Security Device
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210487/080219093009.htm
A prototype portable device that will allow people to do business across the Internet on any computer in a trusted manner has been developed Known as a Trust Extension Device, the TED consists of software loaded onto a portable device, such as a USB memory stick or a mobile phone. It is able to minimize the risk associated with performing transactions in untrusted and unknown computing environments.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Deaths Higher In Stroke Patients Who Enter Hospital At Night, Weekends
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210488/080220161720.htm
Stroke patients who enter the hospital at night and on weekends are more likely to die in the hospital than those treated during regular business hours and on weekdays, according to two new studies. "The mortality rate was remarkably lower for weekday admissions than for weekend: 7.9 percent versus 10.1 percent," said the senior author of the study.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Immune System Reactivated In Adults With HIV: Thymus Producing New T-cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210489/080221183340.htm
Scientists have discovered a way to reactivate the thymus to create new T-cells in adults with HIV. The new therapy can be used to stimulate the production of vital immune cells, called "T- cells," in adults with HIV infection. HIV disease destroys T-cells, leading to collapse of the immune system and severe infection. The thymus gland, which produces T-cells, gradually loses function over time (a process called "involution") and becomes mostly inactive during adulthood. Because the thymus gland does not function well in adults, it is difficult for HIV-infected adults to make new T-cells. Thus, therapies that stimulate the thymus to produce new T-cells could help HIV-infected patients to rebuild their embattled immune systems.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Prenatal Exposure To Lead Linked To Obesity In Males
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210490/080220141206.htm
Scientists know exposure to low levels of lead can result in learning disabilities, hearing loss, language impairments and vision loss, but a newly discovered side effect may be adult-onset obesity in men.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Energetic Nanoparticles Swing Sunlight Into Electricity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210491/080221082950.htm
The electrons in nanoparticles of noble metal oscillate together apace with the frequency of the light. This phenomenon can be exploited to produce better and cheaper solar cells, scientists have shown. Electricity-generating solar cells are one of the most attractive alternatives for creating a long-term sustainable energy system, but thus far solar cells have not been able to compete economically with fossil fuels. Researchers are now looking at how nanotechnology can contribute in bringing down the cost.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Pathogen Resistance To Antibiotics In Animals Could Lead To Resistant Human Pathogens
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210492/080220231456.htm
It's bad enough when pathogenic bacteria work their way into the animal food supply. Here's a related problem that has recently attracted scientists' attention: some of the pathogens may become resistant to the antimicrobials that are used to fight animal disease, and that might lead to more human resistance to the benefits of antibiotics. The use of antibiotics as growth promoters appears to create large reservoirs of resistance to antibiotics in animals. That resistance could be transferred to humans who consume the food from those animals.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Cloudy Outlook For Solar Panels: Costs Substantially Eclipse Benefits, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210493/080220224901.htm
Despite increasing popular support for solar photovoltaic panels in the United States, their costs far outweigh the benefits, according to a new analysis. "Solar photovoltaic (PV) is a very exciting technology, but the current technology is not economic," said one researcher. "We are throwing money away by installing the current solar PV technology, which is a loser."
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Fast-learning Computer Translates From Four Languages
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210494/080221101659.htm
Efforts to use computers to translate languages, known as machine translation, date from the 1950s, yet computers still cannot compete with human translators for the quality of the results. Machine translation works best for formal texts in specialized areas where vocabulary is unambiguous and sentence patterns are limited. Aircraft manufacturers, for example, have devised their own systems for quickly translating technical manuals into many languages.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Ancient 'Out Of Africa' Migration Left Stamp On European Genetic Diversity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210495/080220132608.htm
Human migration from Africa to Europe more than 30,000 years ago appears to have left a mark on the genes of Europeans today. A new study compared more than 10,000 sequenced genes from 15 African-Americans and 20 European-Americans. The results suggest that European populations have more harmful variations, though it is unclear what effects these variations actually may have on the overall health of Europeans.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Obesity Linked To Stroke Increase Among Middle-aged Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210496/080221080606.htm
Middle-aged women's waists aren't the only thing that increased in the last decade. So did their chance of stroke. In a new study rising obesity rates have been linked to more strokes among women aged 35 to 54.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Granular Matter On The Boil Behaves Like Fluids
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210497/080217215051.htm
When grains are shaken fiercely, they show behavior that can be compared to water on the boil. Convection takes place, with the typical rolling movement that can also be seen in water. For the first time, researchers show this phenomenon in granular matter using a high speed camera.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
US Cancer Deaths Down But Far Too Few Americans Screened For Colon Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210498/080220091416.htm
New data revealing decreasing trends in cancer deaths in the United States overall, and in colorectal cancer deaths in particular, highlight the remarkable benefits of colorectal cancer screening tests, but the lifesaving potential of these tests is unrealized for many Americans, according to experts from the American College of Gastroenterology.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Fastest Computer: One Million Trillion 'Flops' Per Second Targeted
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210499/080221162405.htm
Preparing groundwork for an exascale computer is the mission of the new Institute for Advanced Architectures, launched jointly at Sandia and Oak Ridge national laboratories. An exaflop is a thousand times faster than a petaflop, itself a thousand times faster than a teraflop. Teraflop computers —the first was developed 10 years ago at Sandia — currently are the state of the art. They do trillions of calculations a second. Exaflop computers would perform a million trillion calculations per second.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Children Show Goal-oriented Behavior By Age Three
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210500/080219132143.htm
Hang on, parents. After the terrible twos come the goal-oriented threes. Kids seem to grow into the ability to act in pursuit of goals outside of what they can immediately sense sometime around that age. Although adults take goal-directed action for granted, it's not in us from birth but rather emerges in a normal developmental timeline that, according to this and similar studies, appears to emerge roughly between the ages of 2 and 3 years -- hence the "terrible twos."
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Powerful Explosions Suggest Neutron Star Missing Link
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210501/080221140724.htm
The youngest known pulsing neutron star has thrown a temper tantrum. The collapsed star occasionally unleashes powerful bursts of X-rays, which are forcing astronomers to rethink the life cycle of neutron stars. What is the evolutionary relationship between pulsars and magnetars? Astronomers would like to know if magnetars represent a rare class of pulsars, or if some or all pulsars go through a magnetar phase during their life cycles.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Tumor-killing Virus Selectively Targets Diseased Brain Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210502/080219203530.htm
New findings show that a specialized virus with the ability to reproduce its tumor-killing genes can selectively target tumors in the brains of mice and eliminate them. Healthy brain tissue remained virtually untouched. With more research, the technique could one day offer a novel way of treating brain cancer in humans.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Changing The Way Antibiotics Are Prescribed May Be Key To Controlling Epidemics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236551004/080217102145.htm
A sophisticated new mathematical model identifies controlling the way that antibiotics are prescribed and administered is the key to control the growing epidemic of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals around the world.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Immune System Versus Solid Tumor: An Example Of The Immune System Winning
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210503/080221183348.htm
It is possible to cure some individuals with leukemia by infusing them with immune cells known as lymphocytes during a surgical procedure known as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). However, little is known about effective HCT approaches to treating individuals with solid tumors. In a new study researchers have outlined an HCT approach for the treatment of metastatic kidney cancer that caused tumor regression associated with a tumor-targeted lymphocyte response in several patients.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Post-Katrina Rebuilding? Mississippi Delta Both Spongy And Stable
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210504/080220225343.htm
The bad news is that the Mississippi Delta is sinking as much as one fifth of an inch per year and sometimes even more. But the good news is that the sinking is mostly limited to the uppermost layer of sediment and the land underneath is much more stable. These findings have implications for the post-Katrina rebuilding of Louisiana. For example, the large flood-control structures under consideration can be more stable than previously believed, provided that foundations penetrate entirely through the soft shallow deposits.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Women Who Suffered Child Abuse Spend More On Health Care
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239210505/080219155648.htm
Middle-aged women who suffered physical or sexual abuse as children spend up to one-third more than average in health-care costs, according to a long-term study of more than 3,000 women. Even decades after the abuse ended, these women used health services at significantly higher rates than did non-abused women, the research found.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Novel Organic Metal Hybrids Will Revolutionize Materials Science And Chemical Engineering
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239835395/080218134605.htm
A novel class of hybrid materials made from metals and organic compounds is changing the face of solid state chemistry and materials science just 10 years after its discovery, with applications already in safe storage of highly inflammable gases such as hydrogen and methane.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Space Tourism To Rocket In This Century, Researchers Predict
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239476319/080222095432.htm
Seeking an out-of-this-world travel destination? Outer space will rocket into reality as "the" getaway of this century, according to researchers. The "final frontier" could begin showing up in travel guides by 2010, they predict.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Precancerous Stem Cells Can Form Tumor Blood Vessels
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239533196/080219203539.htm
Tumors require a blood supply to grow, but how this supply is acquired remains poorly understood. A new study shows that tumor blood vessels can develop from precancerous stem cells, a recently discovered type of cell that can either remain benign or become malignant. Researchers say the findings provide new information about how tumors develop blood vessels, and why drugs designed to block tumor blood-vessel growth are often less effective than expected.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
What Is The Cognitive Rift Between Humans And Other Animals?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236572763/080217102137.htm
A Harvard scientist presents a new hypothesis on what defines the cognitive rift between humans and animals. He identifies four key differences in human thought that make it unique. Animals, for example, have "laser beam" intelligence, in which a specific solution is used to solve a specific problem. But these solutions cannot be applied to new situations or to solve different kinds of problem. In contrast, humans have "floodlight" cognition, allowing us to use thought processes in new ways and to apply the solution of one problem to another situation.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Two-way Cell Talk Provides Clues About Neuromuscular Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236592539/080217133248.htm
It's a scientific given that neurons tell other cells what to do, but new evidence suggests that, like with any good relationship, these target cells also have much to contribute, scientists say. In an animal model, researchers have shown that if a muscle cell fails to produce the protein beta-catenin, its neuron doesn't develop or function properly.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Worldwide Hunt To Solve The Mystery Of Gamma-ray Bursts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236151546/080216114853.htm
Space scientists report on new discoveries about gamma ray bursts obtained from the Swift satellite and coordinated observations from a global network of ground based telescopes. Gamma-ray bursts are short-lived events, lasting between a few milliseconds to a few minutes. The brightest of them emit more energy in a few seconds than our Sun will emit in its whole 10 billion year lifetime. Gamma ray bursts are occurring several times daily somewhere in the universe, fortunately at huge distances from our solar system. These fleeting explosions are precursors to the births of black holes.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
As Depression Symptoms Improve With Antidepressants, Hopelessness Can Linger
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239533197/080218134614.htm
People taking medication for depression typically see a lot of improvements in their symptoms during the first few months, but lagging behind other areas is a sense of hopefulness, according to new research.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Ancient Puzzle Solved In Fossils From Canadian Rockies, Dating To Cambrian Explosion
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239533198/080219095801.htm
Geologists have solved a puzzle found in rocks half a billion years old. Some of the most important fossil beds in the world are the Burgess Shales in the Canadian Rockies. Once an ancient sea bed, they were formed shortly after life suddenly became more complex and diverse -- the so-called Cambrian explosion -- and are of immense scientific interest.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Could Parkinson's Disease Risk Be Assessed Early Enough To Allow For Preventative Treatment?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239533199/080219203544.htm
Humans could be tested to see if they have a risk factor for Parkinson's disease, the progressive, incurable neurodegenerative disorder that affects 1.5 million Americans and receive preventive treatment. The study demonstrates that high levels of MAO-B, an enzyme that regulates nerve activity in the brain, cause Parkinson's-like symptoms in mice genetically engineered to overexpress the protein.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Scientists Shed Light On Long-distance Signaling In Developing Neurons
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239533200/080219124517.htm
Scientists have determined how events at the very tips of the developing neuron's long, skinny axon affect gene transcription back in the cell's distant nucleus. The study also revealed the first-ever evidence of a transcription factor — proteins that influence gene activity — working outside the cell's nucleus.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Possible Origin Of Methane In Ice Core Records
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236510748/080217093816.htm
Ice core records from Antarctica and Greenland show greenhouse gas signatures consistent with climate inferences assumed from records of oxygen isotope fractions through time. Noting that atmospheric methane decays quickly, one researcher seeks to understand what kind of methane source is capable of sustaining the levels and concentrations of methane seen in the ice core record.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Daytime Dozing Linked To Increased Stroke Risk In Elderly
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239533201/080221153730.htm
Regular daytime dozing forewarns of a significantly increased risk of stroke in older Americans, researchers report. Stroke risk was two- to four-fold greater in those with moderate dozing. This suggests that daytime dozing "may be an important and novel stroke risk factor," said the lead author of the study. In this study, dozing refers to a person unintentionally falling asleep.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Rare Massive Star, Eta Carinae, Produces Vast Winds Of Colliding Electrically-charged Particles
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239533202/080221085019.htm
ESA's Integral has made the first unambiguous discovery of high-energy X-rays coming from a rare massive star at our cosmic doorstep, Eta Carinae. It is one of the most violent places in the galaxy, producing vast winds of electrically-charged particles colliding at speeds of thousands of kilometers per second. The only astronomical object that emits gamma-rays and is observable by the naked eye, Eta Carinae is monstrously large, so large that astronomers call it a hypergiant. It contains between 100--150 times the mass of the Sun and glows more brightly than four million Suns put together. Astronomers know that it is not a single star, but a binary, with a second massive star orbiting the first.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Siblings Of Schizophrenia Patients Display Subtle Shape Abnormalities In Brain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239533203/080219124524.htm
Subtle malformations in the brains of patients with schizophrenia also tend to occur in their healthy siblings. Shape abnormalities were found in the brain's thalamus. The researchers performed brain MRI scans in 25 patients with schizophrenia and their non-affected siblings and compared the scans with those of 40 healthy volunteers and their siblings.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Ingredient In Yellow Curry Can Reduce Heart Enlargement And May Prevent Heart Failure
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239533206/080221173235.htm
Eating curcumin, a natural ingredient in the spice turmeric, may dramatically reduce the chance of developing heart failure, researchers have discovered. Researchers found when the herb is given orally to a variety of mouse models with enlarged hearts (hypertrophy), it can prevent and reverse hypertrophy, restore heart function and reduce scar formation. The healing properties of turmeric have been well known in eastern cultures for some time. The herb has been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine to reduce scar formation. For example, when there is a cut or a bruise, the home remedy is to reach for turmeric powder because it can help to heal without leaving a bad scar.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Increased Risk Of Thyroid Diseases Linked To Exposure At Chernobyl, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239533209/080219155636.htm
Persons exposed to radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident as children and adolescents have an increased risk of follicular adenoma or benign tumor of the thyroid gland, according to a new study. Results further suggest that age at exposure, history of thyroid diseases and location of residence do not modify its risk.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Forgotten Source For Planetary Magnetic Anomalies?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236510749/080217093611.htm
Anorthosites, igneous rocks rich in plagioclase feldspar, are common on the Earth, Moon, and possibly other planets. Though anorthosites are usually not considered to be strongly magnetic, researchers note that their magnetic properties could be useful in investigating mineral deposits in addition to magnetic anomalies on other planets, particularly Mars. Through investigations of three ancient anorthosite bodies in Norway, the authors find that two anorthosites have large natural remanent magnetization signatures, indicating that they contain strong signatures of the Earth's magnetic field direction that was present when the rocks crystallized roughly 1 billion years ago.
Fri, 22 Feb 08
Children Who Do Not Get Enough Sleep Sustain More Injuries
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/239533221/080221170127.htm
Lack of adequate sleep can lead to increased injuries among preschool children, new research shows. The average number of injuries during the preschool years is two times higher for children who don't get enough sleep each day as described by their mothers.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Unique Martian Formation Reveals Brief Bursts Of Water
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562094/080220132618.htm
Several formations on Mars indicate incidents of rapid release of water from the planet's interior. Mars has many basins that contain formations that look like fans. A few of these fans, only about 10, have steps down into the basin. Since scientists first reported this feature three years ago, there has been no clear consensus on how they formed.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
More Die At Night Or On Weekends With In-hospital Cardiac Arrests Than During Weekdays
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562095/080219161957.htm
Patients who have an in-hospital cardiac arrest at night or on the weekend have a substantially lower rate of survival to discharge than hospitalized patients who experience a cardiac arrest during day/evening times on weekdays, according to a new study.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Combined Viruses Cause More Deadly Disease In Pigs, Researchers Discover
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236262773/080216181232.htm
A pig virus that exists worldwide has become more dangerous as the virus has mutated and then combined with other pathogens, according to researchers. It's not known why a virus that has been known to infect swine for almost 40 years in North America suddenly started causing disease in young pigs in 1991 and then began mutating into more deadly forms.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Reducing Kids' Salt Intake May Lower Soft Drink Consumption
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562096/080220161711.htm
Children who eat less salt drink fewer sugar-sweetened soft drinks and may significantly lower their risks for obesity, elevated blood pressure and later-in-life heart attack and stroke, researchers report.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Age Of Fish Can Be Determined Through Cold War Era Radiocarbon Traces
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236510750/080217090548.htm
Researchers at NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center are finding trace radiocarbon (C-14) from Cold War nuclear bombs in the ear bones of fish, and turning this artifact of nuclear testing into a timestamp for determining fish ages.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
No Easy Answers In Evolution Of Human Language
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236572764/080217102131.htm
The evolution of human speech was far more complex than is implied by some recent attempts to link it to a specific gene a professor of computational linguistics. Some researchers in recent years have speculated that mutations in a gene called Foxp2 might have played a fundamental role in the evolution of human language.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Mysterious Sea Creatures Found In Antarctic Waters
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562097/080220151306.htm
Research vessels have returned overflowing with a vast array of ocean life including a number of previously unknown species collected from the cold waters near the East Antarctic land mass. French and Japanese ships examined the mid and upper ocean environment, while the Australian vessel had her eyes fixed on the ocean floor, using both traditional and innovative sampling equipment to capture the diversity of life. Scientists have collected huge worms, giant crustaceans and sea spiders the size of dinner plates.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Genetic Pathway Critical To Disease, Aging Found
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562098/080220132623.htm
The same chemical reaction that causes iron to rust plays a similarly corrosive role in our bodies. Oxidative stress chips away at healthy cells and is a process, scientists know, that contributes to a host of diseases and conditions in humans ranging from Alzheimer's, heart disease and stroke to cancer and the inexorable process of aging. Scientists report the discovery of a gene expression pathway that exerts a sweeping influence over the process of oxidative stress.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Can Exposure To Intense Underwater Sound Result In Death Of Whales?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236510751/080217090219.htm
NOAA Fisheries Service is looking at how marine mammals react to underwater sound. Increasing evidence suggests that exposure to intense underwater sound in some settings may cause certain marine mammals to strand and ultimately die. Some of these strandings are associated with mid-frequency active military sonar, and most have involved beaked whales; the dominant species is Cuvier's beaked whale, but the genus Mesoplodon has also been involved.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Gene Newly Linked To Inherited ALS May Also Play Role In Common Dementia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562099/080220123542.htm
Scientists have linked a mutation in a gene known as TDP-43 to an inherited form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the neurodegenerative condition often called Lou Gehrig's disease.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Turning 'Funky' Quantum Mysteries Into Computing Reality
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236131268/080216095718.htm
The strange world of quantum mechanics can provide a way to surpass limits in speed, efficiency and accuracy of computing, communications and measurement, according to new research. Quantum mechanics is the set of physical theories that explain the behavior of matter and energy at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles. It includes a number of strange properties that differ significantly from the way things work at sizes that people can observe directly, which are governed by classical physics.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Predicting Enjoyment: Roads Not Taken Disappear More Quickly Than We Realize
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236592542/080217102128.htm
According to new research, comparisons and 'attentional collapse' are key reasons why people make mistakes when they try to predict future satisfaction. By studying the anticipated versus actual enjoyment of potato chips as compared to sardines or chocolate, they show that our while comparisons might affect how much we think that we might like something, they don't affect how much we will actually like something.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Saturn's Mingling Moons May Share A Dark Past
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308389/080219122014.htm
Despite the incredible diversity of Saturn's icy moons, theirs is a story of great interaction. Some of them are pock-marked, some seemingly dirty, others pristine, one spongy, one two-faced, some still spewing with activity and some seeming to be captured from the far reaches of the solar system. Yet many of them have a common thread -- black "stuff" coating their surfaces. "We are beginning to unravel the mysteries of these different and strange moons," said Rosaly Lopes, Cassini scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. She coordinated a special section of 14 papers about Saturn's icy moons that appears in the February issue of the journal Icarus.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Sperm Damage From Toxins Can Affect Children, Grandchildren
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562100/080217133251.htm
The consequence of maternal exposure to a variety of potentially toxic agents during pregnancy remains the prime focus of concern in scientific endeavors and in society at large. However, there is now mounting evidence that paternal exposure can also adversely affect fetal and postnatal development of offspring and that this imprint can be expressed in subsequent generations. The reported impact on offspring outcome includes low birth weight; increase in childhood cancers; developmental, behavioral, endocrine abnormalities and cross-generational effects.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Gene Research May Help Explain Autistic Savants
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562101/080215205229.htm
Mice lacking a certain brain protein learn some tasks better but also forget faster, according to new research that may explain the phenomenon of autistic savants in humans. The work could also result in future treatments for autism and other brain development disorders.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Structure Of Protein That Mutates DNA Of The AIDS Virus HIV-1 Determined
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562102/080220161659.htm
Understanding the structure of proteins involved in inhibiting HIV-1 infection could help in the battle against AIDS, and researchers have taken a crucial step in that direction. Scientists have determined the structure of a protein that inhibits the AIDS virus, HIV.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
First Direct Observation Of 3-D Molecule Folding In Real Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562103/080214114543.htm
All the crucial proteins in our bodies must fold into complex shapes to do their jobs. These snarled molecules grip other molecules to move them around, to speed up important chemical reactions or to grab onto our genes, turning them "on" and "off" to affect which proteins our cells make. Since the discovery of RNA clumps called "riboswitches," in 2002, scientists have been striving to understand how they work and how they form. Now, researchers are looking closer than ever at how the three-dimensional twists and turns in a riboswitch come together by grabbing it and tugging it straight. By physically pulling on this loopy RNA, they have determined for the first time how a three-dimensional molecular structure folds, step by step.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Saving The Rainforest With ... Toys?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562104/080215205013.htm
Villagers in tiny communities in the rainforest of northeastern Honduras used to take part in the rampant illegal trade in mahogany, but recently they have formed a cooperative and learned to harvest the prized wood in sustainable ways. Now, they mostly use trees that have fallen naturally or harvest them in a sustainable way from around the fringes of the nearby Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, and remove planks from the forest, first on their backs, then on muleback to avoid the disruption caused by heavy machinery.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Most Detailed Global Study Of Genetic Variation Completed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562105/080220161704.htm
Scientists have produced the largest and most detailed worldwide study of human genetic variation. Like astronomers who build ever-larger telescopes to peer deeper into space, population geneticists are using the latest genetic tools to probe DNA molecules in unprecedented detail, uncovering new clues to humanity's origins. The latest study characterizes more than 500,000 DNA markers in the human genome and examines variations across 29 populations on five continents.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Vision Loss Treatment For Age-related Macular Degeneration Looks Hopeful
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238242221/080220103541.htm
Scientists have won a major battle in the fight against age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, a blinding eye disease that affects millions of people. The researchers explain how a deficiency of the CD36 receptor prevents the evacuation of oxidized lipids in the eye. Those oxidized lipids in turn accumulate and attack the layers beneath and over the retina -- thereby causing vision loss.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
You Can't Teach Old Materials New Tricks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236131264/080216114847.htm
A more sensitive, more selective and easily deployable radiation detection material is necessary to meet complex 21st century challenges. Researchers addressed some of the technical challenges and gaps and proposed a science-driven approach to uncovering novel materials that will benefit national security and medicine.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancers More Likely To Spread To Other Organs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562107/080220091431.htm
Prostate cancers that are resistant to androgen deprivation therapy are more invasive and more likely to spread to other organs than androgen dependent prostate cancers, cancer researchers have found.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Theory Of Evolution Of Cities Links Science, Fractal Geometry
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562108/080215211940.htm
A new way of looking at cities that has emerged during the last 20 years that could revolutionize planning and ultimately benefit city dwellers. 'The Size, Scale and Shape of Cities' advocates an integrated approach to the theory of how cities evolve by linking urban economics and transportation behavior with developments in network science, allometric growth and fractal geometry. Professor Batty argues that planning's reliance on the imposition of idealized geometric plans upon cities is rooted in the nineteenth century attitude which viewed cities as chaotic, sprawling and dirty. Instead, he reports research that suggests beneath the apparent chaos, there is a strong order.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Biomedical Engineering Challenges Of The Next Century
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562110/080215191435.htm
Much of the work in MIT Institute Professor Robert Langer's prolific lab sounds like something straight from the pages of science fiction, but its products are already saving lives around the world in a variety of ways. Langer will speak about the great challenges facing biomedical engineering in the next century, at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Emerging Infectious Diseases On The Rise: Tropical Countries Predicted As Next Hot Spot
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562111/080220132611.htm
It's not just your imagination. Providing the first-ever definitive proof, a new study has shown that emerging infectious diseases such as HIV, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, West Nile virus and Ebola are indeed on the rise. This research gives the first insight about where future outbreaks may occur -- and next up is likely the Tropics, a region rich in wildlife species and under increasing human pressure.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Half A Million Cancer Deaths Have Been Averted Since Death Rate Drop, Report Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562112/080220091424.htm
The American Cancer Society's annual cancer statistics report finds death rates from cancer have decreased by 18.4 percent among men and by 10.5 percent among women since the early 1990s, which translates to the avoidance of more than half a million actual cancer deaths (534,500) in the United States. Society epidemiologists predict that in the US in 2008 there will be 1,437,180 new cancer cases and 565,650 cancer deaths.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Chemicals In Our Waters Are Affecting Humans And Aquatic Life In Unanticipated Ways
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236109919/080216095740.htm
Substances that we use everyday are turning up in our lakes, rivers and ocean, where they can impact aquatic life and possibly ourselves. Chemicals are affecting aquatic environments and may be coming back to haunt us in unanticipated ways. Researchers are finding that although the effects of a single chemical may not be deadly, combinations of chemicals in our environment can be more potent. Pesticides are regulated one by one, but in the environment they can mix with other pesticides and such mixtures are not regulated.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
New Strategy For Normalizing Tumor Blood Supply Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562113/080220110320.htm
Manipulating levels of nitric oxide, a gas involved in many biological processes, may improve the disorganized network of blood vessels supplying tumors, potentially improving the effectiveness of radiation and chemotherapy.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
After Successfully Delivering Columbus, Atlantis Is Back On Earth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562114/080220103538.htm
NASA's space shuttle Atlantis, which successfully delivered ESA's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station, has safely returned to Earth with its crew of seven.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Listening To Music Improves Stroke Patients' Recovery, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238562115/080219203554.htm
Researchers from Finland found that if stroke patients listened to music for a couple of hours a day, their verbal memory and focused attention recovered better and they had a more positive mood than patients who did not listen to anything or who listened to audio books. This is the first time such an effect has been shown in humans and the researchers believe it has important implications for clinical practice.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Like Owner, Like Dog: One Third Of US Dogs Are Obese, Cats Also Suffer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238808238/080220221008.htm
Obesity in pets mirrors that of humans, as do the reasons -- decreased physical activity, age, and an increased caloric intake, even genetic predisposition. Like humans, there are also many health problems associated with being obese, such as diabetes mellitus. It's no secret that obesity is a problem in humans. Reality television makes millions of dollars chronicling the efforts of Americans attempting to shed excess weight. And every day, new medical research highlights the serious implications obesity has for heart disease, diabetes and other maladies. Now, more and more attention is being paid to the problem in our pets. The prevalence of obesity in dogs is between 22 and 40 percent.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Effective ADHD Treatment Found For Children With Fragile X Syndrome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238808239/080219093024.htm
Fragile X syndrome is the most common hereditary form of mental retardation. Many children with FXS also suffer from attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder, which complicates social relationships at home and at school. Although stimulant medication such as Ritalin is often successfully used to treat children with ADHD, studies have shown that while it is effective in children with mental retardation, it also causes side effects such as increased irritability, decreased verbalization and social withdrawal.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Is That Sea Otter Stealing Your Lunch -- Or Making It?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236131267/080216095720.htm
Hunted to near extinction, sea otters are making a steady comeback along the Pacific coast. Their reintroduction, however, is expected to reduce the numbers of several key species of commercially valuable shellfish dramatically, such as sea urchins and geoducks.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Focus On Atrial Fibrillation Recognizes Growing Importance Of Common Arrhythmia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238808241/080218172520.htm
When we're young, a racing heart often means love is in the air. If you're a "baby boomer," it might mean you've just joined the 2.2 million Americans who have atrial fibrillation, an irregularity in the heart's rhythm that grows more common as we age and markedly increases the risk for stroke.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Impacts Of Fossil Fuels On Fish And People
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236109921/080216095731.htm
A NOAA scientist reported on a previously unrecognized threat to human health from a ubiquitous class of air pollutants. He reported on how one type of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, a compound found in oil, damaged the developing hearts of Pacific herring and pink salmon embryos after the Exxon Valdez spill of 1989.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Good Ideas Distract Groups From Generating Great Ideas
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238808242/080220091419.htm
One cognitive scientist takes issue with the truism, "The more information, the better." In his experiments, innovation was stifled in groups in which information was freely shared because once a good idea was offered about a difficult problem, the human tendency to glom onto it instead of exploring further took over.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Titan's Surface Organics Surpass Oil Reserves On Earth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238808243/080220200045.htm
Saturn's orange moon Titan has hundreds of times more liquid hydrocarbons than all the known oil and natural gas reserves on Earth, according to new data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The hydrocarbons rain from the sky, collecting in vast deposits that form lakes and dunes.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Antibiotic May Prevent Dreaded Brain Fever, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238808244/080219093000.htm
Two researchers suggest that a common antibiotic called minocycline may prevent children from death due to Japanese encephalitis, or commonly known as brain fever. The team found that minocycline, an US-FDA approved drug, often used to treat acne, limits the death by reducing the microglial activation, neuronal death as well as viral replication. Microglia are cells that act as the "cleanup crew" for the central nervous system.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
'V-Frog' Virtual-Reality Frog Dissection Software Offers First True Physical Simulation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245347/080211215636.htm
V-Frog, the world's first virtual-reality-based frog dissection software designed for biology education -- allowing not mere observation, but physically simulated dissection -- has been developed. V-Frog, which operates on a personal computer using a standard mouse, actually simulates nearly unlimited manipulation of specimen tissue. As a result, every dissection is different, reflecting each student's individual work. The software is designed for grades 7 through 12, plus advanced placement biology students.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Vaccine/antibody Therapy Effective, Milder Side Effects In Melanoma And Ovarian Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238808245/080218172316.htm
Giving periodic infusions of anti-CTLA-4 antibodies to patients with advanced melanoma or ovarian cancer who have been immunized with a GVAX vaccine unleashes a strong immune response to tumors, with less-harsh side effects. Besides demonstrating the potential usefulness of a vaccine-and-antibody approach, the new study suggests a way of refining treatment strategies even further, based on the biological events that antibody treatment sets in motion.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Nanotube Wires Made To Operate At Speed Of Commercial Chips
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236262774/080216180609.htm
Integrated circuits, such as the silicon chips inside all modern electronics, are only as good as their wiring, but copper conduits are approaching physical performance limitations as they get thinner. Chipmakers have hoped that carbon "nanotubes" would allow them to continue using thinner wiring as they pack more devices into chips, but no one had demonstrated nanotube wires working on a conventional silicon chip. Electrical engineers are now reporting using nanotubes to wire a silicon chip operating at speeds comparable to those of commercially available processors and memory.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Sex Differences In Memory: Women Better Than Men At Remembering Everyday Events
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238276704/080220104244.htm
There are several human characteristics considered to be genetically predetermined and evolutionarily innate, such as immune system strength, physical adaptations and even sex differences. Psychologists determine significant sex differences in episodic memory, a type of long-term memory based on personal experiences, favoring women. Specific results indicated that women excelled in verbal episodic memory tasks, such as remembering words, objects, pictures or everyday events, and men outperformed women in remembering symbolic, non-linguistic information, known as visuospatial processing. For example, the results indicate a man would be more likely to remember his way out of the woods.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Greenland's Rising Air Temperatures Drive Ice Loss At Surface And Beyond
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238808249/080220175223.htm
A new NASA study confirms that the surface temperature of Greenland's massive ice sheet has been rising, stoked by warming air temperatures, and fueling loss of the island's ice at the surface and throughout the mass beneath. Greenland's enormous ice sheet is home to enough ice to raise sea level by about 23 feet if the entire ice sheet were to melt into surrounding waters.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Protein In Deer Tick Saliva Prevents HIV-1 From Attaching To T Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237295714/080217224459.htm
The HIV-1 virus cripples the human immune system by targeting white blood cells called T cells that form the body's first line of defense in fighting infections. A recent study shows that a protein found in the saliva of deer ticks prevents the HIV-1 virus from attaching to the surface of T cells, which is the critical first step in the virus' attack strategy. Since the protein suppresses the action of T cells, it may also prove to be an effective treatment for autoimmune diseases like asthma and multiple sclerosis caused by an overactive immune system that mounts an attack against the body's own cells and tissues, and it could be useful to suppress the immune system to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Mars Rovers Sharpen Questions About Livable Conditions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238808250/080220200415.htm
Like salt used as a preservative, high concentrations of dissolved minerals in the wet, early-Mars environment known from discoveries by NASA's Opportunity rover may have thwarted any microbes from developing or surviving. "Not all water is fit to drink," said one of the scientists.
Thu, 21 Feb 08
Missing Chromosome Predicts Brain Tumor Patients' Response To Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238808251/080218172535.htm
People with a highly aggressive type of brain tumor who are missing a specific chromosome live longer and respond better to the chemotherapy drug temozolomide than people without this genetic abnormality. Gliomatosis cerebri is a rare type of brain tumor that is difficult to diagnosis, cannot be operated on, and has an extremely variable prognosis.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Laser Light Can Detect Potential Diseases Via Breath Samples
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779824/080218134515.htm
By blasting a person's breath with laser light, scientists have shown that they can detect molecules that may be markers for diseases like asthma or cancer. Just as bad breath can indicate dental problems, excess methylamine may signal liver and kidney disease, ammonia may be a sign of renal failure, elevated acetone levels can indicate diabetes and nitric oxide levels can be used to diagnose asthma, Ye said.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Study Of 'Ouzo Effect' May Lead To Design Of Improved Drugs, Cosmetics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779825/080218160739.htm
Scientists studying the cloudy emulsions produced by anise-flavored liquors such as Ouzo have discovered new molecular insights into their formation, findings that could lead to the design of better commercial emulsions used in making pharmaceuticals, food products, cosmetics and other materials.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Tornado Images May Lead To Precise Storm Warnings
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779826/080217215726.htm
An unexpected radar image of airborne debris from the Feb. 6 tornado that killed four people in Lawrence County, Ala., might help scientists develop better tools for warning the public when and where strong tornadoes are on the ground. Scientists are studying radar data from the early morning tornado to see if the radar signature from the debris is so distinctive that computers can be programmed to instantly recognize it, so more timely and precise warnings might be issued.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Probiotic Cuts Respiratory Illness Rates In Endurance Athletes, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779827/080217221959.htm
The probiotic Lactobacillus substantially cuts the rate and length of respiratory illness in professional long distance runners, reveals a small study. Intensive exercise can subdue the normal immune response, and as a result, some athletes are vulnerable to respiratory viruses, such as colds and flu. During four months of intensive winter training, 20 elite, endurance athletes were given either three freeze dried capsules twice daily of the probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum or a dummy capsule (placebo).
Wed, 20 Feb 08
ALMA Telescope Will Open New Window On The Universe
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779828/080215151212.htm
In the thin, dry air of northern Chile's Atacama Desert, at an altitude of 16,500 feet, an amazing new telescope system is taking shape, on schedule to provide the world's astronomers with unprecedented views of the origins of stars, galaxies, and planets. The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array will open an entirely new "window" on the Universe, allowing scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Insurance Status Linked To Advanced Stage In Multiple Cancers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236730722/080217190451.htm
A new American Cancer Society study of 12 types of cancer among more than 3.5 million cancer patients finds uninsured patients were significantly more likely to present with advanced stage cancer compared to patients with private insurance. The study uses national data to investigate insurance status and stage of diagnosis for a large number of cancer sites.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Identical Twins Not As Identical As Believed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779829/080215121214.htm
Contrary to our previous beliefs, identical twins are not genetically identical. This surprising finding may be of great significance for research on hereditary diseases and for the development of new diagnostic methods. How can it be that one identical twin might develop Parkinson's disease, for instance, but not the other? Until now, the reasons have been sought in environmental factors. The current study complicates the picture.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Brain Waves Pattern Themselves After Rhythms Of Nature
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779830/080215151203.htm
The same rules of physics that govern molecules as they condense from gas to liquid, or freeze from liquid to solid, also apply to the activity patterns of neurons in the human brain. When liquids undergo phase transitions, they evaporate into gas or freeze into ice. When the brain undergoes a phase transition, it moves from random to patterned activity.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Unexplored Microbes Hold Incredible Potential For Science And Industry
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779831/080215121210.htm
Humans live in the midst of a seething, breathing microbial world. Microorganisms populate every conceivable habitat, both familiar and exotic, from the surface of the human skin, to rainforest floors, to hydrothermal vents in the ocean floors. Despite the powerful and pervasive role of microbes in sustaining life, most of the microbial world remains a mystery. This is the subject of "The Uncharted Microbial World: Microbes and Their Activities in the Environment," a new report released by the American Academy of Microbiology.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Antibiotics Do Not Appear Helpful In Preventing Fluid Buildup In Children With Ear Infections
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779832/080218161743.htm
When prescribed to children with middle ear infections, antibiotics are not associated with a significant reduction in fluid buildup in the ear, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Bottom Trawling Impacts On Ocean, Clearly Visible From Space
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779833/080215121207.htm
Bottom trawling, an industrial fishing method that drags large, heavy nets across the seafloor stirs up huge, billowing plumes of sediment on shallow seafloors that can be seen from space. As a result of scientific studies showing that bottom trawling kills vast numbers of corals, sponges, fishes and other animals, bottom trawling has been banned in a growing number of places in recent years. Now satellite images show that spreading clouds of mud remain suspended in the sea long after the trawler has passed.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
US Not Set Up To Trace Nuclear Terrorist Device In Aftermath, Report Says
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236191421/080216142207.htm
The first question asked after an atomic explosion in the US (or elsewhere) would be, "Who did this to us?" But the US ability to answer that question rapidly has faded since the end of the Cold War. A former director of the nuclear weapons laboratory in Livermore, California says a rejuvenated nuclear forensics program is urgently needed.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Novel Highly Potent Anticancer Drug From The Sea Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235315676/080211172554.htm
Scientists have identified a potent new anticancer drug isolated from a toxic blue-green algae found in the South Pacific. The ScA compound was found in "mermaid's hair," gathered off the coast of Fiji. The researcher noted that if a normal-sized swimming pool full of cancer cells were treated with ScA, it would take only three milligrams -- about the weight of a grain of rice -- to kill all of the cancer cells.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Stress May Increase A Woman's Risk Of Developing Cervical Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779834/080215151225.htm
A woman's daily stress can reduce her ability to fight off a common sexually transmitted disease and increase her risk of developing the cancer it can cause, according to a new study. No such association is seen, however, between past major life events, such as divorce or job loss, and the body's response to the infection.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Moving Beyond Tamoxifen: Drug Discovery And The Future Of Selective Hormone Receptor Modulators
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779835/080215103239.htm
How did a failed contraceptive become the first targeted therapy for the treatment of breast cancer? The transformation of tamoxifen, from cast-off to lifesaver, laid the foundation for a new class of therapeutics -- selective estrogen receptor modulators. New efforts are underway to use the lessons from tamoxifen to develop new hormone receptor-related drugs for both women and men.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
How To Minimize CT Radiation Doses: Report By American Association Of Physicists In Medicine
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779836/080215151142.htm
Aiming to promote the best medical imaging practices nationwide and help ensure the health and safety of the millions of people who undergo computed tomography scans each year in the United States, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine has issued a CT radiation dose management report this month recommending standardized ways of reporting doses and educating users on the latest dose reduction technology.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Reducing Fisheries' By-Catch Through Mathematical Analysis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779837/080215082751.htm
Images of dolphins and turtles ensnared in tuna nets are a heart-wrenching reminder of the impact of fisheries on ocean bio-diversity. Known in fisheries science as 'by-catch,' this killing of non-target species is a complex problem that has resisted easy answers. One possible solution to fisheries bycatch involves digital maps and mathematical analysis to visualize and better understand the location of the most vulnerable marine habitats.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
What Does The Future Hold For Biofuels?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236191422/080216142159.htm
High oil prices, energy security considerations and fears about global warming have helped revive interest in renewable energy sources like biofuels. But there are a few catches. For example, the more corn is used in ethanol production, the less is available for food. Can these limitations be overcome to make biofuels a significant part of the US energy supply?
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Genome Of Marine Organism Tells Of Humans' Unicellular Ancestors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779838/080214144412.htm
A ubiquitous but little-known marine organism, the choanoflagellate, is the last one-celled ancestor of humans and provides insight into how cells learned to assemble into multicelled organisms. The genome of the choanoflagellate Monisiga brevicollis has now been sequenced and offers clues to the origin of the glue that holds many-celled animals together and how cells learned to communicate.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Sleep Apnea Doubles Car Crash Risk, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779839/080218214401.htm
People with sleep apnea -- a breathing disorder that disrupts sleep -- are at double the risk of being in a car crash, a new study finds. The study also found that patients with sleep apnea are three to five times more likely to be in a serious car crash involving personal injury.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Protein Maintains Cross Talk Between Cells That Control Hair Growth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779840/080214191451.htm
Researchers have identified a signaling molecule that is critical for a type of skin cell, called dermal papilla, to ratchet up or clamp down the activity of genes that give them their molecular identity. Without these signals, these skin cells lose their hair-inducing properties -- findings that may provide a new understanding of how stem cells differentiate.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Defining Cancer's Genetic 'Support Network'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779841/080215103312.htm
Researchers have developed a new method that essentially does for the genetic pathways underlying cancer what social networking web sites can do for people: It finds the connections among them. The researchers first identified familiar sets of genes that work together to support the development of cancer by allowing uncontrolled growth or encouraging the development of blood vessels, for example. Then they used their new statistical techniques to look for relationships, or dependencies, that tie those separate gene sets together.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Parasite Biology Clarified With New Model
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237779842/080215103256.htm
Researchers have genetically dissected the way Apicomplexa divides and multiplies within its host cell. This approach should be broadly applicable, allowing unbiased genetic analysis of any part of parasite biology for which a screen can be devised using this model. The specific organism used in the study was Toxoplasma gondii, a parasitic protozoan whose main host is the cat but which can be carried in most warm-blooded animals.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Mental Illness Is Subject To Biological And Sociocultural Factors, Bioethicist Says
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236210968/080216142152.htm
Biology is crucial to understanding psychosis, "but there is more to psychosis than mere biology," says one bioethicist and philosopher of science. While he acknowledges that it's certainly the case that DNA and brain scans are going to be important, "if you ignore everything else, you might never have the capacity to actually influence the well-being of the patient."
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Human Culture Subject To Natural Selection, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236262775/080216175953.htm
The process of natural selection can act on human culture as well as on genes, a new study finds. Scientists have shown for the first time that cultural traits affecting survival and reproduction evolve at a different rate than other cultural attributes. Speeded or slowed rates of evolution typically indicate the action of natural selection in analyses of the human genome.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
New Patterns Of Brain Activation Used In Forming Long-term Memories Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308390/080219100639.htm
Researchers have identified patterns of brain activation linked to the formation of long-term memories. The study also offered an innovative and more comprehensive method for gauging memories. Making sense of and recalling the complex, multi-sensory information encountered in everyday life -- such as reading a newspaper while listening for a boarding announcement at the airport -- is a fundamental task that the brain readily accomplishes. What is less clear is which regions of the brain are employed to encode these experiences.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
African Dust Storms May Cool Atlantic, Lessen Hurricanes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308391/080215191428.htm
Every year, storms over West Africa disturb millions of tons of dust and strong winds carry those particles into the skies over the Atlantic. According to atmospheric scientists, this dust from Africa directly affects ocean temperature, a key ingredient in Atlantic hurricane development.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Before A CT Scan Or Angiogram, Many People Should Take Inexpensive Drug To Protect Kidneys
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308392/080218172300.htm
As more and more Americans undergo CT scans and other medical imaging scans involving intense X-rays, a new study suggests that many of them should take a pre-scan drug that could protect their kidneys from damage. The inexpensive drug, called N-acetylcysteine, can prevent serious kidney damage that can be caused by the iodine-containing "dyes" that doctors use to enhance the quality of such scans.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Learning About Brains From Computers, And Vice Versa
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308393/080215151207.htm
For many years, Tomaso Poggio's lab at MIT ran two parallel lines of research. Some projects were aimed at understanding how the brain works, using complex computational models. Others were aimed at improving the abilities of computers to perform tasks that our brains do with ease. But recently Poggio has found that the two tasks have begun to overlap to such a degree, that it's now time to combine the two lines of research.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Managing Uncertainty Important In Ecological Balance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236592543/080217102125.htm
The balance of nature looms prominently in the public mind these days. Climate change, genetically modified plants and animals, and globally declining fish stocks are but a few of the issues that remind us that ours is a fragile world. Or is it? It depends on whom you ask one professor specializing in biology and society.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Wizkid Robot Hones In On Human Faces And Encourages Interaction
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308394/080219093019.htm
There's a kid waiting to meet you at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Like any kid, it will amuse you, it will ask you lots of questions, and it might even bother you a little bit. But unlike most kids, it doesn't walk or talk, and it pays perfect attention. Meet Wizkid: part computer, part robot, a Swiss kid who's changing our concept of how people interact with machines.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Evolutionary History Of SARS Supports Bats As Virus Source
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238212274/080219150146.htm
Scientists who have studied the genome of the virus that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome say their comparisons to related viruses offer new evidence that the virus infecting humans originated in bats. The analysis tracing the viruses' paths through human and animal hosts counters assertions that SARS was eradicated in 2004 when thousands of palm civet cats in China were identified as the original source and killed in an effort to eliminate the risk of new outbreaks.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Antarctic Life Hung By A Thread During Ice Ages
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308395/080215121220.htm
The extreme cold and environmental conditions of past Ice Ages have been even more severe than seen today and changed life at the Antarctic, forcing the migration of many animals such as penguins, whales and seals, researchers argue. Understanding the changes of the past may help scientists to determine how the anticipated temperature increases of the future will work to further transform this continent.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
MRSA: Mathematical Modeling Offers New Approaches To Fight Dual-resistant Hospital Infections
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236592546/080217102113.htm
A mathematical model that looks at different strategies for curbing hospital-acquired infections suggests that antimicrobial cycling and patient isolation may be effective approaches when patients are harboring dual-resistant bacteria. In an era of "superbugs," such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureas (MRSA), this type of modeling, if used to develop policies and treatment protocols, may reduce dual drug-resistant infections in hospitals.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Melting Snow Provides Clues For Acidification
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308396/080215124502.htm
Scientists investigate accumulated sulfate and nitrate in New England snow and follow it after the snow melts for clues to acidification of soils. In forests of the northeastern United States, sulfate and nitrate are the dominant dissolved forms of sulfur and nitrogen in precipitation. In winter, these acidic agents accumulate in the snowpack and are released to groundwater and streams over a short period of time during spring snowmelt. This pulsed release of sulfate and nitrate in snowmelt can cause episodic acidification in poorly buffered soils, ultimately threatening the health of acid-sensitive biota.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Obesity: Behavioral Changes Needed To Keep The Pounds Off
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236550999/080217102150.htm
Ppeople who are most successful in preventing weight gain, and dieters who lose weight and keep the pounds off, have made major changes in their in diet and exercise routines. Big behavioral changes do stave off weight gain. Small daily changes, say using the stairs, are enough to prevent incremental weight gain that can lead to obesity. Much larger life-style changes -- say exercising 60 to 90 minutes a day -- are needed to prevent weight regain.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Do Animals Think Like Autistic Savants?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308398/080219203603.htm
Do animals have privileged access to lower level sensory information before it is packaged into concepts, as it has been argued for autistic savants? When Temple Grandin argued that animals and autistic savants share cognitive similarities in her best-selling book Animals in Translation (2005), the idea gained steam outside the community of cognitive neuroscientists. Grandin, a professor of animal science whose books have provided an unprecedented look at the autistic mind, says her autism gives her special insight into the inner workings of the animal mind. She based her proposal on the observation that animals, like autistic humans, sense and respond to stimuli that nonautistic humans usually overlook.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Human Stem Cells Aid Stroke Recovery In Rats
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308399/080219203542.htm
Neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells helped repair stroke-related damage in rats' brains and led to improvements in their physical abilities, according to a new study. The study marks the first time researchers have used human embryonic stem cells to generate neural cells that grow well in the lab, improve a rat's physical abilities and consistently don't form tumors when transplanted.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
New Aluminum-rich Alloy Produces Hydrogen On-demand For Large-scale Uses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308400/080219133226.htm
Engineers have developed a new aluminum-rich alloy that produces hydrogen by splitting water and is economically competitive with conventional fuels for transportation and power generation.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Novel Mathematical Model Predicts New Wave Of Drug-resistant HIV Infections In San Francisco
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236592545/080217102117.htm
A mathematical model shows that a new wave of drug-resistant HIV is rising among among men in San Francisco who have sex with men and that this trend will continue over the next few years, according to a new study. At the same time, the evolution of drug-resistant HIV may have actually reduced the severity of the city's epidemic, saving many men from becoming infected.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Fish Devastated By Sex-changing Chemicals In Municipal Wastewater
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236109922/080216095726.htm
While most people understand the dangers of flushing toxic chemicals into the ecosystem through municipal sewer systems, one potentially devastating threat to wild fish populations comes from an unlikely source: estrogen. After an exhaustive seven-year research effort, Canadian biologists found that miniscule amounts of estrogen present in municipal wastewater discharges can decimate wild fish populations living downstream.
Wed, 20 Feb 08
Sniffing Out Insider Threats To Security
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/238308401/080219124512.htm
A rapid way to spot insider threats from individuals within an organization such as a multinational company or military installation is reported in the International Journal of Security and Networks. The technology uses data mining techniques to scour email and build up a picture of social network interactions. The technology could prevent serious security breaches, sabotage, and even terrorist activity.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Spread Of 1918 Flu Pandemic Explained
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608104/080218172441.htm
Researchers have explained why two mutations in the H1N1 avian flu virus were critical for viral transmission in humans during the 1918 pandemic outbreak that killed at least 50 million people. The team showed that the 1918 influenza strain developed two mutations in a surface molecule called hemagglutinin, which allowed it to bind tightly to receptors in the human upper respiratory tract.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Huge Proportion Of Maternal Deaths Worldwide Are Preventable
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608100/080219093039.htm
Women who die during pregnancy and childbirth in sub-Saharan Africa, more may die from treatable infectious diseases than from conditions directly linked to pregnancy. These results indicate that effective treatment and prevention of infectious disease, such as antiretroviral drugs for treating HIV/AIDS and insecticide-treated bed nets for preventing malaria, could greatly reduce the maternal death toll in Mozambique and perhaps in other countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Caribou And Northern Indigenous People: Seeking Sustainability In A World Of Instability
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608101/080214153536.htm
For most northern indigenous people, the roughly 3 million caribou in the world are their most important terrestrial subsistence resource, and while hunters and scientists alike have long expressed concern about the on-going availability of caribou, their perceptions of the causes of change differ.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Which Men Are Likely To Have Persistent Prostate Cancer?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608102/080215103308.htm
A biopsy may reveal more important information about a man's prostate cancer than previously understood. Current sophisticated radiation technologies such as IMRT could allow physicians to tailor treatment for patients.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Animated Computer Tutors Help Remedial Readers, Language Learners, Autistic Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608103/080214153532.htm
Tools developed by researchers exploring language and speech comprehension can be powerful aids for remedial readers, children with language challenges, and anyone learning a second language, according to psychologists.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Child Obesity Seen As Fueled By Spanish Language TV Ads
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237641990/080218155627.htm
Spanish-language television is bombarding children with so many fast-food commercials that it may be fueling the rising obesity epidemic among Latino youth, according to new research. Latino children, who make up one-fifth of the US child population, also have the highest obesity and overweight rates of all ethnic groups.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Long-sought Test For Direct Detection Of Disease-causing E. Coli Bacteria Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237295696/080218160856.htm
Biochemists in Japan are reporting development of a long-sought direct test for identifying the presence E. coli bacteria that get into water and food as a result of fecal contamination. That contamination causes millions of cases of food poisoning and other gastrointestinal illness around the world each year.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Enzyme That Protects Against Intestinal Bacterial Toxin Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608105/080218172437.htm
How the lining of the small intestine, through which nutrients are absorbed, also prevents intestinal bacteria from entering the bloodstream has been a mystery. Now researchers have found that an intestinal enzyme may be able to block the action of the bacterial toxin involved in the overwhelming infection known as sepsis. The findings may also explain why patients recovering from serious injury are less likely to develop infections if they receive gastrointestinal nutrition.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Personalized Medicine Can Cut Breast Cancer Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608106/080215103242.htm
The time has come for breast cancer risk assessment, counseling and genetic testing to move from cancer specialists to the realm of primary care. A growing body of evidence has documented the benefits of preventive measures for high-risk women including those with mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Referral for cancer-risk assessment and BRCA testing in the primary care setting is a necessary step towards personalized medicine for women at risk.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Transplanted Cells May Hold The Key To Curing Hemophilia A
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608107/080215103319.htm
Transplanted cells can cure hemophilia A (the most common form of the disease) in an animal model, new research suggests. Researchers transplanted healthy liver endothelial cells from donor mice into a mouse model of the disease. Their findings also overturned conventional wisdom regarding which cells produce factor VIII, the crucial clotting protein that people with type A hemophilia lack.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
New Method For Measuring Biodiversity Makes It Easier To Identify Key Species
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608108/080218172312.htm
A new method for measuring the impacts of species on local biodiversity has been developed. The system makes it possible to determine whether a certain species promotes or suppresses species diversity. The new method extends a procedure familiar to biologists that involves investigating species numbers in relation to area, by adding sophisticated statistical methods so that it can be used to describe the role of individual species in their impact on biodiversity. The new method makes it easier to identify key species.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Greatest Technological Research Challenges Of The 21st Century Identified By Expert Panel
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608109/080215151157.htm
A panel of maverick thinkers, convened by the National Academy of Engineering, has identified what they consider to be the greatest technological research challenges facing society in the coming century. Panel member Rob Socolow of Princeton University expands upon the NAE Grand Challenges project and the role that technological innovation plays in a vibrant society.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Gecko-inspired Dissolving Bandage Has Nanoscale Hills And Valleys
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237295701/080218172439.htm
Scientists have created a waterproof adhesive bandage inspired by gecko lizards that may soon join sutures and staples as a basic operating room tool for patching up surgical wounds or internal injuries. Drawing on some of the principles that make gecko paws unique, the surface of the bandage has the same kind of nanoscale hills and valleys that allow the lizards to cling to walls and ceilings. Layered over this landscape is a thin coating of glue that helps the bandage stick in wet environments, such as to heart, bladder or lung tissue. And because the bandage is biodegradable, it dissolves over time and does not have to be removed.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Brain Damage Occurs Within Minutes From The Onset Of A Stroke, Study Reveals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608110/080218214642.htm
Harmful changes to the brain's synaptic connections occur within the first three minutes following a stroke. The finding, using mouse models, suggests cardiac arrest and stroke in humans would trigger a similar chain of events. Stroke is caused by loss of blood flow to the brain and is a leading cause of death and disability in North America. Synapses are tiny brain switches that relay information from one neuron to another.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Cleopatra's Cosmetics And Hammurabi's Heineken: Name Brands Far Predating Modern Capitalism
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608111/080214130334.htm
A pioneering new study in Current Anthropology finds that branding, and our attachment to them, far predates modern capitalism, and indeed modern Western society. Labels on ancient containers, which have long been assumed to be simple identifiers, as well as practices surrounding the production and distribution of commodities, actually functioned as branding strategies. Furthermore, these strategies have deep cultural origins and cognitive foundations, beginning in the civilizations of Egypt and Iraq thousands of years ago.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Early Detection Of Cerebral Malaria Possible, Animal Study Indicates
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608112/080215103259.htm
Cerebral malaria kills over 3 million individuals a year. One of the main causes of disease is the adherence of blood cells known as platelets to small blood vessels in the brain. Currently, platelet accumulation can only be detected after the clinical signs of the disease are visible. However, researchers have now developed a new agent that enables platelet accumulation to be detected in the mouse brain before the clinical signs of disease are visible.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
How Believing Can Be Seeing: Context Dictates What We Believe We See
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237608113/080215103210.htm
Scientists have found the link between what we expect to see, and what our brain tells us we actually saw. The study reveals that the context surrounding what we see is all important -- sometimes overriding the evidence gathered by our eyes and even causing us to imagine things which aren't really there.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Physicians Focus On Stopping Pain Epidemic
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236171514/080216114850.htm
Persistent pain is a disease in its own right; this concept is now leading to new specific treatments aimed at physical, psychological, and environmental components of this major disease, including genetic predisposition, one researcher argues. Another researcher presents evidence suggesting we may be doing too much back surgery in the United States at a recent conference on pain medicine.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
New Bone Created In Minimally Invasive Procedure
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237295689/080214153529.htm
A new technique that combines bone marrow removal and injection of a hormone helps promote rapid formation of new bone at targeted locations in the body. The procedure creates new bone tissue that appears structurally and biologically normal and that endows the targeted bone with improved biomechanical properties at a rate and extent that would not be achievable by anabolic therapy alone.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Offsetting Global Warming By Trapping Carbon Dioxide On The Bottom Of The Ocean
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237318185/080218134635.htm
Imagine a gigantic, inflatable, sausage-like bag capable of storing 160 million tons of carbon dioxide -- the equivalent of 2.2 days of current global emissions. Now try to picture that container, measuring up to 100 meters in radius and several kilometers long, resting benignly on the seabed more than 3 kilometers below the ocean's surface. This may offer a viable solution because vast flat plains cover huge areas of the deep oceans. These abyssal plains have little life.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Immune System Protein Starves 'Staph' Bacteria, Could Lead To New Treatments
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237295692/080214144506.htm
Scientists have discovered that a protein inside certain immune system cells blocks the growth of "staph" bacteria by sopping up manganese and zinc. The findings support the notion that binding metals -- to starve bacteria -- is a viable therapeutic option for treating localized bacterial infections. New treatments are urgently needed to combat antibiotic-resistant forms of staph, such as MRSA.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Childhood Respiratory Disease Boosts Illness And Death Risks In Adulthood, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237318186/080217222256.htm
Respiratory disease, particularly bronchitis, in early childhood boosts the risks of illness and premature death in adulthood, indicates new research. The researchers base their findings on around 10,000 male graduates who went to Glasgow University between 1948 and 1968 and agreed to be part of a long term study to track their health.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Experiment Tightens Limits On Dark Matter: Physicists Revive Bubble Chamber Technology To Search For WIMPs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237295694/080214144535.htm
Scientists working on the COUPP experiment at DOE's Fermilab have announced a new development in the quest to observe dark matter. The experiment tightened constraints on "spin-dependent" properties of WIMPS, particles that are candidates for dark matter. Their results, combined with the findings of other dark matter searches, contradict the claims for the observation of such particles by the DAMA experiment and further restrict the hunting ground for physicists to track their dark matter quarry.
Tue, 19 Feb 08
Most Internet Sex Offenders Aim At Teens, Not Young Children, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/237318187/080218185101.htm
Contrary to stereotype, most Internet sex offenders are not adults who target young children by posing as another youth, luring children to meetings, and then abducting or forcibly raping them, according to researchers who have studied the nature of Internet-initiated sex crimes. Instead, Internet offenders target teens, not young children and rarely use force, abduction or deception.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Laser Beam Believed To Set Record For Intensity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753494/080215105051.htm
If you could hold a giant magnifying glass in space and focus all the sunlight shining toward Earth onto one grain of sand, that concentrated ray would approach the intensity of a new laser beam. The pulsed laser beam lasts just 30 femtoseconds. A femtosecond is a millionth of a billionth of a second. Such intense beams could help scientists develop better proton and electron beams for radiation treatment of cancer, among other applications.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
New Way To Reverse Poor Circulation And Heal Wounds Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753495/080214114500.htm
Discoveries about how muscles tell arteries that they need more blood to perform could lead to a new treatment for poor circulation in aging patients, which causes amputation in the worst cases and quadruples the risk of heart attack or stroke. A related mechanism controls blood flow to chronic wounds, and the same discoveries could lead to a pro-growth ointment that speeds healing.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Peptide Discovered In Scorpion Venom May Hold Key To Secretory Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753496/080214114521.htm
Researchers have discovered a peptide in scorpion venom that may hold the key to understanding and controlling cystic fibrosis and other secretory diseases. The novel peptide, called GaTx1, can control the movement of ions and water out of cells by interacting with a crucial chloride channel that is commonly mutated in patients with cystic fibrosis. Chloride channels are crucial for secretion in many epithelial tissues, but little has been known about their structures and mechanisms. Researchers do know that chloride channels open to allow millions of chloride ions to travel through them and out of epithelial cells. This movement creates an osmotic gradient that allows water to flow.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Enzyme Structure Reveals New Drug Targets For Cancer And Other Diseases
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753497/080214191443.htm
Researchers now have a clearer understanding of how a key protein controls gene activity and how mutations in the protein may cause disease. The work could provide new avenues to design drugs aimed at cancer, diabetes, HIV, and heart disease.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Earth's Orbit Creates More Than A Leap Year: Orbital Behaviors Also Drive Climate Changes, Ice Ages
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753498/080213113037.htm
The Earth's orbital behaviors are responsible for more than just presenting us with a leap year every four years. According to one professor of earth and planetary sciences, parameters such as planetary gravitational attractions, the Earth's elliptical orbit around the sun and the degree of tilt of our planet's axis with respect to its path around the sun, have implications for climate change and the advent of ice ages.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Physics Explains Why University Rankings Won't Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753499/080215204726.htm
Constructal theory of flows governs social phenomena like rankings. A Duke University researcher says that his physics theory, which has been applied to everything from global climate to traffic patterns, can also explain another trend: why university rankings tend not to change very much from year to year. Like branching river channels across the earth's surface, universities are part of a relatively rigid network that is predictable based on "constructal theory," which describes the shapes of flows in nature, argues one professor of mechanical engineering.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Direct Democracy In Science May Be Too Much Of A Good Thing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753500/080215103231.htm
Publicly funded science in America is accountable to the people and their government representatives. However, this arrangement raises questions regarding the effect such oversight has on science. It is a problem of particular relevance as the nation prepares for the end of the Bush administration, which has taken divisive stances on a number of issues, including stem cell research and global warming. Striking a balance is an essential question.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Sharks In Peril: Ocean's Fiercest Predators Now Vulnerable To Extinction
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236493093/080217083422.htm
The numbers of many large shark species have declined by more than half due to increased demand for shark fins and meat, recreational shark fisheries, as well as tuna and swordfish fisheries, where millions of sharks are taken as bycatch each year. Now, the global status of large sharks has been assessed by the World Conservation Union.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Long-term Retinal Implant Study Offers Hope For Treating Blindness
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753501/080215121218.htm
Artificial retinal implant takes the next step by expanding the clinical trial. The Argus II is the second generation of an electronic retinal implant designed for the treatment of blindness due to Retinitis Pigmentosa, a group of inherited eye diseases that affect the retina. The Argus II implant consists of an array of 60 electrodes that are attached to the retina. These electrodes conduct information acquired from an external camera to the retina to provide a rudimentary form of sight to implanted subjects.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
'Genetic Corridors' Are Next Step To Saving Tigers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753502/080213124702.htm
The Wildlife Conservation Society and the Panthera Foundation announced plans to establish a 5,000 mile-long "genetic corridor" from Bhutan to Burma that would allow tiger populations to roam freely across landscapes. Rabinowitz said corridors did not have to be pristine parkland but could in fact include agricultural areas, ranches, and other multi-use landscapes -- just as long as tigers could use them to travel between wilderness areas.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Blocked Signals To Immune Cells Extend Their Life And Contribute To Progression Of Lupus
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753503/080214130352.htm
New findings shed light on how lupus develops, which could help in targeting a treatment for the autoimmune disease that affects 1.5 to 2 million Americans. The findings could lead to therapy to fight autoimmune disease.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Mars Images Show Topography Of Red Planet
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753504/080205111718.htm
Mars is about to come into 3D focus as never before, thanks to the data from the Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera. A new high-resolution Digital Terrain Model data set that has just been released onto the Internet, will allow researchers to obtain new information about the Red Planet in 3D.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Ignition Locks Reduce DWIs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753505/080211102444.htm
Interlocks, breath-testing devices that prevent a vehicle's ignition from starting if the driver is above a preset blood alcohol limit, can dramatically reduce driving-while-impaired offenses among first-time offenders, a new study shows.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Terrestrial Planets Might Form Around Many, If Not Most, Of Nearby Sun-like Stars
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236528586/080217102133.htm
Astronomers have discovered that terrestrial planets might form around many, if not most, of the nearby sun-like stars in the disk of our galaxy. At least one in five nearby solar-mass stars may form terrestrial worlds. These new results suggest that worlds with potential for life might be more common than thought.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
New Cataract Gene Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753506/080214130337.htm
Researchers have identified the chromosomal location and exact molecular defect in the coding region of the gene responsible for a childhood cataract. Until now, no human disease could be associated with this gene.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
World's Largest Marine Protected Area Created In Pacific Ocean
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753507/080214080527.htm
The small Pacific Island nation of Kiribati has become a global conservation leader by establishing the world's largest marine protected area -- a California-sized ocean wilderness of pristine coral reefs and rich fish populations threatened by over-fishing and climate change.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Blacks Awaiting Lung Transplants More Likely To Die Or Be Denied Than Whites
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753508/080215082820.htm
Blacks with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were less likely to receive a lung transplant and more likely to die or be removed from the transplant list than whites, according to Columbia University Medical Center researchers.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Coal Gasification Could Fuel Clean Coal: Myths, Challenges And Opportunities
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753509/080215135731.htm
With demand for electricity expected to double by 2050 and renewable resources still years away from offsetting increased demand, it is clear -- coal is here to stay. But can "dirty" coal be used cleanly? The answer may be a resounding yes if gasification becomes common place.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Why Don't The French Get As Fat As Americans? Americans Eat Until The TV Show Is Over
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753510/080215103153.htm
It's the French paradox redux: Why don't the French get as fat as Americans, considering all the baguettes, wine, cheese, pate and pastries they eat? Because they use internal cues -- such as no longer feeling hungry -- to stop eating, reports a new Cornell study. Americans, on the other hand, tend to use external cues -- such as whether their plate is clean, they have run out of their beverage or the TV show they're watching is over.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Stabilizing Climate Requires Near-zero Carbon Emissions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753511/080215103252.htm
Now that scientists have reached a consensus that carbon dioxide emissions from human activities are the major cause of global warming, the next question is: How can we stop it? Can we just cut back on carbon, or do we need to go cold turkey? According to a new study halfway measures won't do the job. To stabilize our planet's climate, we need to find ways to kick the carbon habit altogether.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Mitochondrial DNA Mutations Can Cause Degenerative Heart And Muscle Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753512/080214144414.htm
A single change in the DNA of mitochondria -- the cellular power plants that generate energy in all human cells -- has been found to cause degenerative heart and muscle disease. This study provides insights into age-related diseases and proof that mitochondrial DNA is central to health.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Predicting Radiation Risk To Astronauts On Columbus, International Space Station
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753513/080213111050.htm
European scientists have developed the most accurate method yet for predicting the doses of radiation that astronauts will receive aboard the orbiting European laboratory module, Columbus, recently attached to the ISS.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Urinary Incontinence In Women: Gene Shows Its Strength In Pelvis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753514/080215103305.htm
The quality of life of millions of women is negatively affected by pelvic organ prolapse, which causes symptoms such as urinary incontinence. In women with POP, the main supportive structures of the uterus and vagina, the uterosacral ligaments, are attenuated. Now, mouse studies have shown that the Hoxa11 gene makes a molecular factor essential for USL development, leading to the suggestion that changes in HOXA11-regulated pathways might weaken USLs and thereby cause POP.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Cloud Chemistry Concocts Aerosols
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753515/080213133256.htm
Aerosols influence global climate by scattering incoming solar radiation, causing a cooling effect. Much of this effect results from organic aerosols, which are classified as "primary" or "secondary." Primary organic aerosols are emitted directly into the atmosphere and are thus relatively easy to monitor. Secondary organic aerosols, those which form from reactions of precursor gases in the atmosphere, are more elusive.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
There Is 'Design' In Nature, Biologist Argues
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236612342/080217143838.htm
A Brown University biologist says the best way to communicate evolution in a religious America is to acknowledge that there is indeed a "design" in living things. He says scientists should embrace the concept of "design" in a way that supports evolutionary theory. He argues that science itself, including evolutionary biology, is predicated on the idea of "design" -- the correlation of structure with function that lies at the heart of the molecular nature of life.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
New Predictor Of Prostate Cancer Recurrence Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753516/080214114553.htm
Researchers have found a biomarker that may help improve the ability to predict if a man's prostate cancer is going to come back after surgical removal. In order to make this discovery, researchers examined prostate cancer tissue samples that had been removed during surgical procedures on cancer patients. The researchers found that men whose tumors showed a silencing of the gene CDH13 had a five-fold increased risk of prostate cancer recurrence compared with men whose tumors showed no silencing of this gene.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Possible Progenitor Of Special Supernova Type Detected
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753517/080213133320.htm
Using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, scientists have reported the possible detection of a binary star system that was later destroyed in a supernova explosion. The new method they used provides great future promise for finding the detailed origin of these important cosmic events. The supernova, known as SN 2007on, was identified as a Type Ia supernova. Astronomers generally agree that Type Ia supernovas are produced by the explosion of a white dwarf star in a binary star system. However, the exact configuration and trigger for the explosion is unclear. Is the explosion caused by a collision between two white dwarfs, or because a white dwarf became unstable by pulling too much material off a companion star?
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Role Identified For Glaucoma Gene And Related Signaling Pathway
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753518/080214191447.htm
Researchers have found that a gene and a related signaling pathway play a role in the development of glaucoma, which is a common cause of visual impairment and blindness worldwide. The study, which revealed that over-expression of the gene, sFRP1, elevates pressure in the eye, could help improve glaucoma diagnosis and lead to the development of sight-saving treatments.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
Human-pathogen Protein Interactions Illuminated With Bioinformatics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236753519/080215103333.htm
The first global analysis of human proteins interacting with viral proteins and proteins in other pathogens has been completed. The scientists examined publicly available experimental data for 190 different pathogens that comprise 10,477 interactions between human and pathogen proteins. This approach provides a highly detailed network map of human proteins interfacing with proteins in different pathogens. The network of interactions reveals possible key intervention points for the future development of therapeutics against infectious diseases.
Mon, 18 Feb 08
School Shootings The Result Of Crisis Of Masculinity, Gun Culture, Professor Argues
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236592516/080217133643.htm
The recent fatal shooting rampage at Northern Illinois University, and similar attacks at a Missouri city hall and in a Los Angeles suburb, again raise questions about the eruption of mass violence in America in recent years. What is behind these acts and, more importantly, can anything be done to stop them?
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Saturn's Giant Sponge: One Of Saturn's Rings Does The Housecleaning
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245327/080212143619.htm
One of Saturn's rings does housecleaning, soaking up material gushing from the fountains on Saturn's tiny ice moon Enceladus, according to new observations from the Cassini spacecraft. This is the latest surprising phenomenon associated with the ice geysers of Enceladus to be discovered or confirmed by Cassini scientists. Earlier, the geysers were found to be responsible for the content of the E-ring. Next, the whole magnetic environment of Saturn was found to be weighed down by the material spewing from Enceladus, which becomes plasma -- a gas of electrically charged particles. Now, Cassini scientists confirm that the plasma, which creates a donut-shaped cloud around Saturn, is being snatched by Saturn's A-ring, which acts like a giant sponge where the plasma is absorbed.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Increased Life Expectancy May Mean Lower Fertility
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245328/080215210722.htm
One of the benefits of postindustrial life is that it is largely free of the fear of early mortality. However, a curious side-effect of this confidence seems to be a dramatic reduction in birthrates. Writing in the journal Science, an anthropology professor draws a clear correlation between increased life expectancy and lower fertility in cities.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Breeding Cotton To Beat The Heat
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245329/080212195324.htm
People expect a lot from cotton. Consumers want durable, comfortable fabrics. Producers want easy-to-manufacture textiles. And growers want hardy, thriving plants. Plant geneticists have now bred new cotton lines with qualities to please growers, fabric manufacturers and consumers.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
'Fluorescent' Cells Give Early Warning For Eye Disease, Study Says
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245330/080211214803.htm
A new metabolic imaging instrument can accurately detect eye disease at a very early stage. Such a device would be vision-saving because many severe eye diseases do not exhibit early warning signals before they begin to diminish vision. The testing is noninvasive and takes less than 6 minutes to administer to a patient.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Solar Power: New World Record For Solar-to-grid Conversion Efficiency Set
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245331/080213172955.htm
Scientists have set a new solar-to-grid system conversion efficiency record by achieving a 31.25 percent net efficiency rate. The old 1984 record of 29.4 percent was toppled Jan. 31 on SES's "Serial #3" solar dish Stirling system at Sandia's National Solar Thermal Test Facility. The solar dish generates electricity by focusing the sun’s rays onto a receiver, which transmits the heat energy to a Stirling engine. The engine is a sealed system filled with hydrogen. As the gas heats and cools, its pressure rises and falls. The change in pressure drives the pistons inside the engine, producing mechanical power, which in turn drives a generator and makes electricity.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
From Stem Cells To Organs: The Bioengineering Challenge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236131266/080216095724.htm
Scientists have been making great strides in revving up the production of stem cells and their descendants. The raw materials are adult blood stem cells and embryonic stem cells. The end products are blood and heart cells -- lots of them. Enough mouse heart cells that they form beating tissue.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
New Materials Can Selectively Capture Carbon Dioxide, Chemists Report
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245333/080214144344.htm
Chemists report a major advance in reducing heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions in Science. They have demonstrated that they can capture carbon dioxide -- which contributes to global warming, rising sea levels and increased acidity of oceans -- research which can lead to power plants efficiently capturing carbon dioxide without using toxic materials.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Metabolic Syndrome Linked To Cold Tolerance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245334/080215103326.htm
Researchers have discovered that many of the genetic variations that have enabled human populations to tolerate colder climates may also affect their susceptibility to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of related abnormalities such as obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease, and diabetes. More than 100 years ago, scientists noted that humans inhabiting colder regions were bulkier and had relatively shorter arms and legs. In the 1950s, researchers found correlations between colder climates and increased body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat, based on height and weight. Now, in a new study scientists have found a strong correlation between climate and several of the genetic variations that appear to influence the risk of metabolic syndrome, consistent with the idea that these variants played a crucial role in adaptations to the cold.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Dung Happens And Helps Scientists: Scoop On Poop And Climate Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245332/080215191431.htm
A scientist at Northern Arizona University is in charge of the largest animal dung collection in the world, used for clues about animal evolution and extinction, Ice Age existence and climate change. Researcher Jim Mead admits it is a bizarre resource, but he is one of many around the globe who access dung for DNA information. Mead, a dung authority, continues to grow the collection with specimens from as far away as Siberia.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Hare-less: Yellowstone's Rabbits Have Vanished, Study Says
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245335/080214130317.htm
Jack rabbits living in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem have apparently hopped into oblivion. The study speculates that the disappearance of jack rabbits may be having region-wide impacts on a variety of other prey species and their predators. No one knows what caused the rabbits to disappear.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Experimental HIV Vaccine Gets A Boost From '70s-era Discovery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245336/080215225458.htm
Although science is known for being a forward-looking field, researchers have found that they can often benefit from a glance over their shoulders. By combining an experimental AIDS vaccine with a long-neglected molecule called poly-IC, scientists discovered that they were able to significantly improve its effectiveness. Their new, bolstered vaccine not only stimulated the production of HIV-attacking immune cells in mice, but also allowed the rodents to maintain immunity over a significantly longer period of time. The immunity-directing dendritic cell has long been viewed as a potent resource for vaccine researchers: If they can direct a piece of a pathogen directly to the cell, it should be able to instruct other immune cells to react to the invader.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Why Anyone Can Make A Sandcastle
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245337/080211111310.htm
Anyone trying to build sandcastles on the beach will need some degree of skill and imagination, but not an instruction manual. The water content is actually relatively unimportant to the mechanical properties of the sand. This observation, which is borne out by precise measurements in the laboratory, puzzles researchers. Researcher have now achieve a high level of understanding of the complex structure of moist granules.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Probing Women's Response To Male Odor
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245338/080215230043.htm
A single gene determines whether a whiff of androstadienone smells pleasant or foul, or like nothing at all. But researchers who last year discovered this genetic peculiarity were left wondering about its social implications. In an effort to find out, the team has now launched a series of new studies including one that explores a different link: whether women's perceptions of -- and sensitivity to -- androstadienone corresponds with their bodies' physiological responses to it.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Extremophile Hunt Begins In Strange Antarctic Lake
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245339/080211094158.htm
A team of scientists has just left the country to explore a very strange lake in Antarctica; it is filled with, essentially, extra-strength laundry detergent. No, the researchers haven't spilled coffee on their lab coats. They are hunting for extremophiles -- tough little creatures that thrive in conditions too extreme for most other living things.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Aircraft Noise Raises Blood Pressure Even While People Are Sleeping, Says Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234401359/080213090530.htm
Night-time noise from aircraft or traffic can increase a person's blood pressure even if it does not wake them. Scientists monitored 140 sleeping volunteers in their homes near London Heathrow and three other major European airports. The researchers measured the volunteers' blood pressure remotely at 15-minute intervals and then analyzed how this related to the noise recorded in the volunteers' bedrooms.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
La Niña Conditions Strengthen, Expected To Continue
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245340/080211132843.htm
The current La Niña event, characterized by a cooling of the sea surface in the central and eastern Equatorial Pacific, has strengthened slightly in recent months and is expected to continue through the first quarter of 2008, with a likelihood of persisting through to the middle of the year. The ongoing La Niña event started in the third quarter of 2007 and has already influenced climate patterns during the last six months across many parts of the globe, including in the Equatorial Pacific, across the Indian Ocean, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Sun, 17 Feb 08
Smokers Might Benefit From Earlier Colon Cancer Screening
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/236245341/080213144604.htm
New evidence suggests screening for colorectal cancer, which is now recommended to begin at age 50 for most people, should start five to 10 years earlier for individuals with a significant lifetime exposure to tobacco smoke, a new study said.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
New Approach May Render Disease-causing Staph Harmless
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598555/080214144409.htm
A completely new treatment strategy for serious Staphylococcus aureus infections has been developed. The research comes at a time when strains of antibiotic-resistant Staph (known as MRSA, for methicillin-resistant S. aureus) are spreading in epidemic proportions in hospital and community settings. Among the deadliest of all disease-causing organisms, Staph is the leading cause of human infections in the skin, soft tissues, bones, joints and bloodstream, and drug-resistant Staph infections are a growing threat.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Possible Cause Of Lymphoma Illuminated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235715485/080214153526.htm
The immune system's powerful cellular mutation and repair processes appear to offer important clues as to how lymphatic cancer develops, Yale School of Medicine researchers report.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Why Anticancer Drug Avastin Causes Potentially Fatal Brain Inflammation In Certain Patients, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235715486/080213095631.htm
New research may help explain why the anticancer drug Avastin, which targets a growth factor responsible for creation of new blood vessels, causes potentially fatal brain inflammation in certain patients. Institute scientists mimicked the drug's activity in mice and found that it damaged the cell lining that prevents fluid from leaking from the ventricle into the brain.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Managing Cattle Operations To Protect Lakes And Rivers From Pollution
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235715487/080212194959.htm
Concerns about long-term effects of beef cattle browsing more than 11 million acres of Florida grazinglands led Agricultural Research Service scientists to examine soil fertility changes in bahiagrass-based beef cattle pastures from 1988 to 2002. Analysis of data from that research shows that cattle can be managed in an environmentally safe way, despite the large quantities of waste the animals generate.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Worker Or Queen? Harvester Ant Moms Set Their Daughters' Fates
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235715488/080214130505.htm
When it comes to deciding what harvester ant daughters will be when they grow up, mother queens hold considerable sway, according to a new study. The researchers report evidence that eggs are predetermined to become workers or queens from the moment they are lain.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Superconducting Surprise: Better Understanding Could Bring 'Endless Applications'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659702/080212165412.htm
Physicists have taken a step toward understanding the puzzling nature of high-temperature superconductors, materials that conduct electricity with no resistance at temperatures well above absolute zero. If superconductors could be made to work at temperatures as high as room temperature, they could have potentially limitless applications. But first, scientists need to learn much more about how such materials work.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Experimental MS Drug Shows Promise, Offers New Window On Disease, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659703/080213193758.htm
A drug therapy currently used to treat non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis had a significant effect in treating the most common form of multiple sclerosis in a small, short-term clinical trial. Because the drug targets the immune system's B-cells, rather than the immune system's traditionally targeted T-cells -- long considered the primary culprit -- the finding provides a new insight into the cause of the disease, the researchers say.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
New Findings Contradict A Prevailing Belief About The Inner Ear
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659704/080212144504.htm
A healthy ear emits soft sounds in response to the sounds that travel in. Detectable with sensitive microphones, these otoacoustic emissions help doctors test newborns' hearing. A deaf ear doesn't produce these echoes. New research shows that, contrary to the current scientific thought, the emissions don't leave the ear the same way they entered.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Gene Chips Used To Distinguish Ventilator-associated Pneumonia From Underlying Critical Illness
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234401362/080213090516.htm
Critically ill patients who need a ventilator to breathe face a high risk of pneumonia. The lung infection, however, is exceedingly difficult to diagnose because a patient's underlying condition often skews laboratory test results and masks pneumonia's symptoms -- a reality that can delay appropriate antibiotic treatment. Now there is an early, more accurate detection method on the horizon.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Colony Collapse Disorder: Researchers Work To Control Varroa Mites, Increase Longevity Of Queen Bees
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659705/080212200725.htm
In response to a fast-spreading syndrome called colony collapse disorder (CCD) that's striking honey bees nationwide, scientists at Agricultural Research Service bee laboratories across the country are pooling their expertise. They want to learn what's causing the disappearance of the honey bees that add about $15 billion a year to the value of U.S. crops by pollinating fruit, vegetable, tree nut and berry crops. Some beekeepers have already lost one-half to two-thirds of their colonies to CCD. Researchers are attempting to improve the longevity of honey bee queens, find effective controls for Nosema protozoa and varroa mites, and reduce migratory colony stress.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Negative Implications Of No Child Left Behind: As Graduation Rates Go Down, School Ratings Go Up
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659706/080214080530.htm
Texas' public school accountability system, the model for the national No Child Left Behind Act, directly contributes to lower graduation rates, according to new research. Each year Texas public high schools lose at least 135,000 youth prior to graduation -- a disproportionate number of whom are African-American, Latino and English-as-a-second-language students.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Sheep In Human Clothing: Scientists Reveal Our Flock Mentality
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598536/080214114517.htm
Have you ever arrived somewhere and wondered how you got there? Scientists believe they may have found the answer, with research that shows that humans flock like sheep and birds, subconsciously following a minority of individuals. It takes a minority of just five per cent to influence a crowd's direction -- and that the other 95 per cent follow without realising it.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Ancient Proteins Rebuilt To Reveal Primordial Earth's Temperature
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659707/080207115401.htm
Researchers reconstruct proteins from ancient bacteria to measure the Earth's temperature over the ages. The scientists determined that the Earth endured a massive cooling period between 500 million and 3.5 billion years ago. The team wanted to measure Earth's temperature billions of years ago to learn more about life on Earth during the Precambrian period. But instead of taking the traditional route -- analyzing rock formations or measuring isotopes in fossils -- they opted to do what they knew best: protein reconstruction.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Correcting Poor Vision Can Help Preschoolers' Performance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659708/080211212509.htm
Preschoolers with poor vision have lower scores in developmental testing indicative of success in school performance, but those scores improve significantly within six weeks when the children are given prescription glasses, according to a new study. Since low visual-motor skill scores correlate with lower academic achievements, the research team speculates that improved skills due to corrected vision might lead to improved cognitive and verbal performance.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Expenditures Rising For Back And Neck Problems, But Health Outcomes Do Not Appear To Be Improving
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659709/080212165426.htm
Although expenses related to back and neck problems have increased substantially in the last decade, outcomes such as functional disability and work limitations do not appear to be improving.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
Dissolved Organic Carbon From Rivers Can Strongly Impact Arctic Ocean
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659710/080212134803.htm
Arctic rivers transport huge quantities of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to the Arctic Ocean. The prevailing paradigm regarding DOC in arctic rivers is that it is largely refractory, making it of little significance for the Arctic Ocean biogeochemistry. However, a recent study shows that DOC in Alaskan arctic rivers is remarkably labile during the spring flood period when the majority of annual DOC flux occurs.
Sat, 16 Feb 08
'Old Dogs' Don't Notice New Tricks: Prior Knowledge Affects How Consumers Accept New Information
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659711/080212122101.htm
Over time, consumers develop a set of cues that we then use to make inferences about products, such as "all French restaurants have great service" or "more expensive candles smell better." However, this set of predictable beliefs can make it difficult for us to learn and recognize other real, positive qualities that are indicated by the same cues, reveals a new study.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Neanderthals Moved From Place To Place, Tooth Analysis Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659712/080215103148.htm
A 40,000-year-old tooth has provided scientists with the first direct evidence that Neanderthals moved from place to place during their lifetimes. The tooth, a third molar, was formed when the Neanderthal was aged between seven and nine. It was recovered in a coastal limestone cave in Lakonis, in Southern Greece. The strontium isotope readings, however, indicated that the enamel formed while the Neanderthal lived in a region made up of older volcanic bedrock. The findings could help answer a long-standing debate about the mobility of the now extinct Neanderthal species.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Toward Developing A New Class Of Asthma And Allergy Drugs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598539/080214203934.htm
Scientists have moved closer to developing a new class of effective asthma and allergy drugs. They have found an important target that holds significant promise for millions of people suffering from allergies, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and a range of other inflammatory diseases. This work confirms that a key component of the body's own response to allergens can be targeted to reduce allergic reactions in mice.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Pioneering Eagle Eye Surgery Removes Cataract, Restores Vision, After Injury
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598540/080212162009.htm
Surgeons have restored the sight of a golden eagle. The bird underwent pioneering eye surgery after it flew into electricity cables badly damaging its eyesight. It is believed the shock caused a cataract to develop and the 14lb bird of prey was taken to the Small Animal Hospital where the tricky surgery was carried out. It is the first time a procedure to remove a cataract caused by trauma has been carried out on a golden eagle.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Non-Cancer Deaths More Common Among Breast Cancer Survivors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598541/080212165429.htm
Breast cancer survivors, particularly older women, are at greater risk of death from non-cancer causes than from breast cancer. As breast cancer treatments improve, patients are surviving longer, and many are dying of causes unrelated to breast cancer.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Heavy Rainfall On The Increase In UK
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598544/080214114525.htm
Winter precipitation -- such as rain and snow -- became more intense in the UK during the last 100 years. Similar increases in heavy rainfall have now also become evident in spring and, to a lesser extent, autumn. A previously reported reduction in heavy summer rainfall appears to have ended during the 1990s, with observations for the last decade indicating a return to more typical amounts of intense rainfall in summer. The results will inform other work currently being carried out on flood risk and the impact of extreme weather events. As surface run-off depends on rainfall intensity and frequency, changes in intense rainfall events will impact strongly on floods.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
When People Feel Powerful, They Ignore New Opinions, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598545/080214093135.htm
Don't bother trying to persuade your boss of a new idea while he's feeling the power of his position -- new research suggests he's not listening to you. Powerful people have confidence in what they are thinking. Whether their thoughts are positive or negative toward an idea, that position is going to be hard to change.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Discovery Could Help Reprogram Adult Cells To Embryonic Stem Cell-like State
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235715489/080215130617.htm
Researchers have taken a major step toward eventually being able to reprogram adult cells to an embryonic stem cell-like state without the use of viruses or cancer-causing genes. In a new paper, the researchers report that they have discovered how long adult cells need to be exposed to reprogramming factors before they convert to an embryonic-like state, and have "defined the sequence of events that occur during reprogramming."
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Egypt's Earliest Agricultural Settlement Unearthed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233910339/080212131300.htm
Archaeologists have found the earliest evidence ever discovered of an ancient Egyptian agricultural settlement, including farmed grains, remains of domesticated animals, pits for cooking and even floors for what appear to be dwellings. The archaeological team also found a bracelet made of a type of shell only found along the Red Sea, suggesting a possible trade link with the cradle of agriculture in the Near East. In addition, they unearthed clay floors of what may have been simple structures -- possibly posts with some kind of matting overhead.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
What's Good For The Heart May Be Good For The Prostate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598547/080213102841.htm
Men who eat a diet low in fat and red meat but high in vegetables and lean protein and who drink alcohol in moderation may not just be doing their hearts a favor. A new study shows that such a heart-healthy diet may also be good for the prostate. Specifically, such a diet significantly decreases the risk of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. The bothersome condition is associated with frequent and painful urination that affects about half of all men by the time they reach 50 and nearly all men by age 70.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Location Matters, Even For Genes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598550/080213133334.htm
Moving an active gene from the interior of the nucleus to its periphery can inactivate that gene. Attachment to the inner nuclear membrane, they show, can silence genes, preventing their transcription -- a novel form of gene regulation.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Biologists Race To Clear A Path To Survival For Northwestern Cougars
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233792374/080212085845.htm
When voters in Washington state banned hound hunting with an eye to protecting cougars, they unwittingly triggered a chain of events that wildlife biologists are still trying to understand. Cougars have been under siege in the United States since the arrival of European settlers, victims of extirpation campaigns and habitat destruction as inhabitants converted wilderness to farmland and pasture.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Web Sites Influence Users, Even When They Don't Communicate Directly
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598553/080213150959.htm
Web surfers may get more than just the music, videos and news updates they were looking for when they log onto trendy next-generation sites such as Last.fm, YouTube and Digg, according to new research. Whether they know it or not, they also could be getting swayed -- toward musical genres that stretch their tastes or to video and news clips they might have overlooked without an endorsement by the masses.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
First-ever Global Map Of Total Human Effects On Oceans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598565/080214144417.htm
The first global map of human influences on marine ecosystems has been constructed by a team of researchers, including a Stanford University scientist among the principal investigators, by gathering and interpreting massive amounts of data from the professional literature and from researchers around the world. This study suggests that about 41 percent of oceans bear a serious human "footprint" and that few blue spots on our planet are likely pristine.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Hypnosis Helped Physicians Pinpoint Cause Of Children's Seizures
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598557/080214172701.htm
It was no way for an 11-year-old to live. For a month the boy had endured daily episodes of uncontrollable jerking and foaming at the mouth, and his physicians were concerned that the boy had epilepsy. Before starting the boy on a lifetime of anti-seizure medications, though, they turned to an unconventional diagnostic tool: hypnosis. Researchers used hypnosis to evaluate nine children prone to seizures and found that the technique could help them determine whether the children had epilepsy.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Opiate And Nicotine Have Surprisingly Similar Affect On Brain's Reward System
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598558/080212171131.htm
New research indicates that the effects of nicotine and opiates on the brain's reward system are equally strong in a key pleasure-sensing areas of the brain -- the nucleus accumbens.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
New Sensor System Improves Detection Of Lead, Heavy Metals
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598549/080212141706.htm
Scientists have developed a new rapid, portable and inexpensive detection system that identifies personal exposures to toxic lead and other dangerous heavy metals. The device can provide accurate measurements from blood as well as in urine and saliva samples.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Routine Screenings Uncover Hidden Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598560/080213114215.htm
Emergency physicians suggests that screening all ER patients for carbon monoxide poisoning is a simple yet potentially life-saving practice. In the largest study of its kind, more than 14,000 patients visiting the hospital's emergency department were routinely screened for exposure to carbon monoxide (CO), a highly toxic gas that can cause brain and heart damage and even death.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Insects Will Feast, Plants Will Suffer: Ancient Leaves Show Affect Of Global Warming
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598561/080211172638.htm
Insects will feast and leafy plants will suffer if temperatures warm and atmospheric carbon dioxide increases, according to a team of researchers who studied evidence of insect feeding on fossil leaves from before, during and after the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, more than 55 million years ago.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Is A Medical Warning Sign For Long-term Health Problems, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598562/080213090510.htm
Post-traumatic stress disorder is an indicator of long-term health problems, similar to biological warning signs such as elevated white blood cell counts. With an in-depth study of Vietnam vets, researchers show that PTSD leaves a distinct biological mark on a person's overall health. Considered a psychological or mental health problem, PTSD should now be viewed as a threat to a person's physical health, according to this research.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Robot Rat To Lead The Way In Touch Technology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598563/080211111328.htm
Based on principles of active sensing adopted widely in the animal kingdom, scientists are developing innovative touch technologies, including a "whiskered" robotic rat. They are investigating the ways in which rats use their bristly whiskers to explore their environment, and how the brain processes such information. The whiskered robot will hopefully aid in rescue missions, search missions under conditions of restricted visibility, as well as in planetary research.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Early Warning: PSA Testing Can Predict Advanced Prostate Cancer, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598564/080214191453.htm
A single prostate specific antigen test taken before the age of 50 can be used to predict advanced prostate cancer in men up to 25 years in advance of a diagnosis, according to a new study. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men after lung cancer. This year, more than 230,000 new cases will be diagnosed, and according to the American Cancer Society, more than 27,000 men died from prostate cancer in 2006.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Gharials, Monarch Of Indian Rivers, Under Grave Threat
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235659715/080212191057.htm
More than 90 gharials have been reported dead in the last 2 months in the National Chambal Sanctuary in India for yet-to-be diagnosed reasons. The monarch of Indian rivers is under severe threat. A team of international veterinarians and crocodile experts - on government request - is working closely with scientists from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute. Early results point to levels of heavy metals - lead and cadmium -- leading to immune-suppression (or reduction in body's ability to fight pathogens) and thereby making them susceptible to infections. Post mortems on gharials show debilitating gout affecting the animals.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Fatty Acids Beneficial In Treatment For Dry Eye Syndrome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235315670/080211172640.htm
Topical drop application of alpha-linolenic acid led to a significant decrease in clinical signs of dry eye syndrome in animal models. ALA is a fatty acid that cannot be made by the body, and must be supplied in the diet.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Copper Connections Designed For Ultra High-speed Computing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598566/080211172547.htm
As computers become more complex, the demand increases for more connections between computer chips and external circuitry and better connections that operate at higher frequencies with less loss. Researchers are developing new methods to improve these two types of connections to increase the amount and speed of information that can be sent throughout a computer.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Male Births Are More Likely To Reduce Quality Of Life And Increase Severe Post-natal Depression
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235598567/080213140900.htm
Women who give birth to boys are more likely to suffer from post-natal depression and reduced quality of life. What marks this study out is that, unlike previous research, the women who took part didn't face any cultural pressures over the sex of their baby. And women reported lower quality of life following the birth of a boy, even if they didn't suffer from depression.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Doctors Will Soon Be Able To Feel Organs Via A Display Screen
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233436788/080208085227.htm
With the aid of computerized image analysis, it may be possible in the future for radiologists to feel images with the help of a three-dimensional mouse. The new technology should make it easier to diagnose and plan the treatment of cancer, and other diseases. Computerized image analysis can be used to determine the size of organs like the liver, or to construct three-dimensional models of organs when surgery or radiation is being planned. The quality of these images often varies, however - what's more we humans can actually look very different from each other inside, which makes it difficult for the computer to find the information that is relevant fully automatically.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Blood Pressure Drug May Also Reduce Risk Of Heart Attack, Stroke, Animal Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235315667/080214172715.htm
Researchers have discovered a possible added benefit of a novel new drug that lowers blood pressure.They found in animal studies that aliskiren not only lowered blood pressure but also significantly reduced artery-clogging lesions that are the leading cause of heart attack and stroke, the top cause of death worldwide.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
Non-invasive Imaging Method For Diagnosing Osteoarthritis Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235315668/080211172603.htm
Researchers have developed a non-invasive imaging method that can be used to diagnose and monitor a number of diseases, including osteoarthritis and inter-vertebral disc degeneration, in their early stages. The research team examined glycosaminogycans (GAGs), which are molecules that serve as the building blocks of cartilage and are involved in numerous vital functions in the human body. Mapping the GAG concentration in vivo, or in a living organism, is desirable for the diagnosis and monitoring of a number of diseases.
Fri, 15 Feb 08
How DDT Metabolite Disrupts Breast Cancer Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/235315669/080213193738.htm
Research has shown that the main metabolite of the insecticide DDT could be associated with aggressive breast cancer tumors, but there has been no explanation for this observation to date. Now a new report shows how DDT could act to disrupt hormone-sensitive breast cancer cells.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Wireless Monitoring Of People And Things: Future Of Social Networking?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678143/080212173134.htm
If you need information, the Internet offers a wealth of resources. But if you're hunting down a person or a thing, a computer's not much help. That may soon change. Electronic tags promise to create what some call the "Internet of things," in which objects and people are connected through a virtual network. To see what this future world would be like, a pilot project involving dozens of volunteers in the University of Washington's computer science building provides the next step in social networking, wirelessly monitoring people and things in a closed environment.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
India Caught In Catastrophic Smoking Epidemic: 1 Million Tobacco Deaths Predicted A Year During The 2010s
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678144/080213193753.htm
India is in the midst of a catastrophic epidemic of smoking deaths, which is expected to cause about one million deaths a year during the 2010s -- including one in five of all male deaths and one in 20 of all female deaths at ages 30-69, according to new research.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
New Fish Parasite Species Described
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678145/080211132056.htm
A young scientist has discovered a previously undescribed species of parasite that infects farmed fish and produces serious disease. Single-celled parasites of the genus Spironucleus are known to produce serious illness in farmed and aquarium fish. In farmed salmon, these parasites create foul-smelling, puss-filled abscesses in muscles and internal organs. After the first outbreaks of this disease were described in farmed salmon in the late 1980's, it was assumed that the cause was Spironucleus barkhanus, which is a fairly common parasite in the intestine of wild grayling and Arctic char.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Surgery Improves Quality Of Life For Children With Sleep Apnea, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233852024/080212114855.htm
For children who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy can provide dramatic relief and is successful in solving sleep problems for 80 to 90 percent of children, a new study found.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Singing In The Rainforest: Public Vs. Private Signaling By A Tropical Rainforest Bird
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234401360/080213090527.htm
According to the Chinese proverb, a bird sings because it has a song, not because it has an answer. A team of French and Brazilian researchers, however, may have the answer as to how the song of Brazilian white-browed warbler has become so well-adapted to the acoustic properties of the rainforest environment.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Children Who Have An Active Father Figure Have Fewer Psychological And Behavioral Problems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678146/080212095450.htm
Kids with active father figures are less likely to suffer psychological and behavioral problems and having a father figure around can reduce crime and enhance cognitive skills like intelligence, reasoning and language, in low-income families. Researchers are calling for father figures to be more involved in health and policy makers to promote more father-friendly policies.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Nuclear 'Eye' Reveals That Napoleon Was Not Poisoned, Although Arsenic Levels High At That Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678147/080211131357.htm
Arsenic poisoning did not kill Napoleon in Saint Helena, as affirmed by a new meticulous examination. The examination produced some surprising results. There were no significant differences in arsenic levels between when Napoleon was a boy and during his final days in Saint Helena. Another surprising finding was that the level of arsenic in all of the hair samples from 200 years ago is 100 times greater than the average level detected in samples from persons living today. At the beginning of the 19th people evidently ingested arsenic that was present in the environment in quantities that are currently considered as dangerous.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
HIV Persists In The Gut Despite Long-term HIV Therapy, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678148/080213170338.htm
Because of the importance of the gut to HIV disease, scientists hoped that long-term treatment with antiretroviral drugs could eradicate HIV from the gut-associated lymphoid tissue. A new study has found that this goal seems unlikely with current antiretroviral drugs.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Jules Verne ATV Launch Approaching
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678149/080211120639.htm
After the successful launch of ESA's Columbus laboratory aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis on Feb. 7, it is now time to focus on the next imminent milestone for ESA: the launch of Jules Verne, the first Automated Transfer Vehicle to be sent to the International Space Station.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
New Mouse Model Gives Clue To Muscle-wasting In Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678150/080213163202.htm
A mouse bred to have the same genetic mutation as people with myotonic dystrophy provides important clues about the cause of muscle wasting in the disorder, the most common form of muscular dystrophy that begins in adulthood. Unlike previous mouse models of the disease, these animals have a genetic mutation that causes the muscle wasting that is the most devastating element of this inherited disorder, said one of the researchers, who is also a professor of pathology and molecular and cellular biology.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Computer Models To Provide Better Intelligence For Army
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678151/080211220251.htm
Adversaries the U.S. currently faces in Iraq rely on surprise and apparent randomness to compensate for their lack of organization, technology and firepower. If one could find some method to their madness, however, the asymmetric threat could be made significantly less serious. These scientists hope to help provide a better intelligence posture on these asymmetric threats by developing computer models that identify trends in the behaviors of the adversaries.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
A Sense Of Scarcity: Why It Seems Like All The Good Ones Are Taken
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233819998/080212102339.htm
Singles' bars, classified personals and dating websites are a reflection, not only of the common human desire to find a mate, but of the sense of scarcity that seems to surround the hunt. Many people participate in dating activities in the hopes of finding that special someone, yet feel as though it is an impossible task. However, thanks to an international team of psychologists, the solution may be closer than we think -- within ourselves, to be exact.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Young Stars In Their Baby Blanket Of Dust
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233936343/080212142525.htm
Newborn stars peek out from beneath their natal blanket of dust in this dynamic image of the Rho Ophiuchi dark cloud from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Called "Rho Oph" by astronomers, it's one of the closest star-forming regions to our own solar system. Located near the constellations Scorpius and Ophiuchus, the nebula is about 407 light years away from Earth. Rho Oph is a complex made up of a large main cloud of molecular hydrogen, a key molecule allowing new stars to form from cold cosmic gas, with two long streamers trailing off in different directions.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
New Deep Brain Stimulation Device For Parkinson's, Movement Disorders, Under Evaluation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678152/080213162623.htm
Testing of a new device for patients with Parkinson's disease and essential tremor, a neurological movement disorder is just beginning. A study will help determine whether a new Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) technology is effective in providing relief for patients who are unable to adequately control symptoms of their disease with medication. The DBS system is a surgically implanted medical device that delivers an electrical stimulation to areas of the brain that control movement.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Natural Purple Pigments In Fruits, Vegetables And Berries, Such As Blueberries, May Help Prevent Obesity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678153/080211091354.htm
Scientists in Arkansas are reporting new evidence that natural pigments responsible for the beautiful blue/purple/reddish color of certain fruits and vegetables may help prevent obesity. Their animal study however, reports that eating the whole fruit containing these pigments seems to be less effective than eating an extract of the berry.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Breakthrough In Pre-eclampsia Test
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233819996/080212102343.htm
Scientists have discovered a way of diagnosing pre-eclampsia, a condition which affects almost one in ten pregnant women and accounts for up to 15% of all premature deliveries. They now plan to develop a user-friendly diagnostic kit within five years which could be used in hospitals all over the world to safely and speedily test all pregnant women. There is currently no early predictor of the condition.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Thin-film 'Micro Pharmacy' Can Be Implanted To Deliver Controlled Drug Doses To Targeted Locations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678154/080211172543.htm
A new thin-film coating can deliver controlled drug doses to specific targets in the body following implantation, essentially serving as a "micro pharmacy." The film could eventually be used to deliver drugs for cancer, epilepsy, diabetes and other diseases. It is among the first drug-delivery coatings that can be remotely activated by applying a small electric field.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Is Your Dating Partner Happy? With Some People It Is Hard To Know
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678155/080211111330.htm
People who are highly attuned to social convention and control their behavior and self-image accordingly have been found to be highly likeable and successful at work. But when it comes to romance, new research finds they often are uncommitted to and unsatisfied with their dating partners. What's more, the partners of these high self-monitors may not know that.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Nanotechnology Lends A Hand With 'Self-cleaning' Wool And Silk Fabrics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678156/080211094258.htm
Wool skirts and silk ties may avoid those pricey trips to the dry-cleaner in the future and clean themselves, researchers in Australia and China suggest. They report development of a nanoparticle coating that could lead to "self-cleaning" wool and silk fabrics. Wool and silk, which are composed of natural proteins called keratins, are among the most prized and widely used fabrics in the clothing industry. However, they are difficult fabrics to keep clean and are easily damaged by conventional cleaning agents. A better way to fight stains in these and other protein-based fabrics is needed, scientists say.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Smoking Marijuana Impairs Cognitive Function In MS Patients, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678157/080213160851.htm
People with multiple sclerosis who smoke marijuana are more likely to have emotional and memory problems, according to new research. The study found marijuana smokers performed 50 percent slower on tests of information processing speed compared to MS patients who did not smoke marijuana. There was also a significant association between smoking marijuana and emotional problems such as depression and anxiety.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Light Echoes Whisper The Distance To A Star
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232852122/080210183859.htm
Taking advantage of the presence of light echoes, a team of astronomers have used an ESO telescope to measure, at the 1 percent precision level, the distance of a Cepheid -- a class of variable stars that constitutes one of the first steps in the cosmic distance ladder.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Epilepsy Drug Doesn't Help Prevent Migraine After All, New Research Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678158/080211172647.htm
Contrary to some reports, the epilepsy drug oxcarbazepine does not appear to prevent migraine, according to new research in Neurology. Researchers found no difference between the oxcarbazepine and placebo groups in the change in the number of migraine attacks from the beginning to the end of the study.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Oregon Bee Loves Berries, May Help Fill Gap Caused By Colony Collapse Disorder Of European Bees
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678159/080212192320.htm
Bringing grains of pollen to waiting blackberry and red raspberry blossoms may be the special talent of a small, emerald-green bee. The hardworking bee, native to Oregon and California, may help with pollination chores, augmenting the work of America's best-known crop pollinator, the European honey bee.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
What Men And Women Say And Do In Choosing Romantic Partners Are Two Different Matters
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678160/080213133337.htm
When it comes to romantic attraction men primarily are motivated by good looks and women by earning power. Think again, say researchers. In short, the data from the psychologists' study suggest that what men and women said and did in choosing romantic partners are two different matters. Whether you're a man or a woman, being attractive is just as good for your romantic prospects and, to a lesser extent, so is being a good earner.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Body Part By Body Part, Sumatran Tigers Are Being Sold Into Extinction
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234401363/080213090513.htm
Laws protecting the critically endangered Sumatran tiger have failed to prevent tiger body parts being openly sold in Indonesia, according to a new TRAFFIC report launched. Tiger body parts, including canine teeth, claws, skin pieces, whiskers and bones, were on sale in 10 percent of the 326 retail outlets surveyed during 2006 in 28 cities and towns across Sumatra. Outlets included goldsmiths, souvenir and traditional Chinese medicine shops, and shops selling antique and precious stones.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Stem Cells Give Clues To Understanding Cancer And Make Breakthrough In Childhood Leukaemia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678161/080213121441.htm
Scientists in Switzerland are uncovering new clues about how cancer cells grow -- and how they can be killed -- by studying stem cells, 'blank' cells that have the potential to develop into fully mature or 'differentiated' cells and other scientists in UK have made a breakthrough in understanding the cause of the most common form of childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
February's Red Moon: Lunar Eclipse On 21 February
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678162/080211133105.htm
People across the western hemisphere may be surprised to see a rust-coloured Moon in the sky on 21 February. Early that morning (the evening of the 20 February for observers in North and South America) will be this year's first and only total eclipse of the Moon. In a total lunar eclipse, the Earth, Sun and Moon are almost exactly in line and the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. The Moon is full, moves into the shadow of the Earth and dims dramatically but usually remains visible, lit by sunlight that passes through the Earth's atmosphere. Stronger atmospheric scattering of blue light means that the light that reaches the lunar surface is predominantly red in colour so observers on Earth see a Moon that may be brick-coloured, rusty, blood red or sometimes dark grey, depending on terrestrial conditions.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Promising Technique For Repairing Gene Defect That Causes Spinal Muscular Atrophy Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678163/080211211313.htm
Researchers have discovered a novel technique -- that acts like a "spell-checker" for correcting a misspelling in the DNA code -- to repair the defective gene that causes spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). This hereditary neuromuscular disease is the number-one genetic killer of children under two years old. Babies born with Type 1 SMA, the most severe form of the disease, can't walk, crawl, sit unsupported, lift their heads, or breathe normally. Fifty percent die before their second birthday.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
'Nitty-Gritty' But Vital Data Helps Field Rescue Robots
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678164/080208182557.htm
A new ASTM International standard for urban search and rescue robots and components tackles humble logistics problems that, left unsolved, could hamper the use of life-saving robots in major disasters. The advance is one result of a three-year National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) coordinated effort with first responders and robot manufacturers to develop urban search and rescue robot consensus standards. The new standard details specific ways to describe requirements for the storage, shipping and deployment of urban search and rescue robots.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Beauty Bias: Can People Love The One They Are Compatible With?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678165/080211094943.htm
Physical attractiveness is important in choosing whom to date. Good looking people are not only popular targets for romantic pursuits, they themselves also tend to flock together with more attractive others. Does this mean then that more attractive versus less attractive people wear a different pair of lens when evaluating others' attractiveness?
Thu, 14 Feb 08
New Meat-eating Dinosaur Duo From Sahara Ate Like Hyenas, Sharks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678166/080213193749.htm
Two new 110 million-year-old dinosaurs unearthed in the Sahara Desert highlight the unusual meat-eaters that prowled southern continents during the Cretaceous Period. Named Kryptops and Eocarcharia the new fossils provide a glimpse of an earlier stage in the evolution of the bizarre meat-eaters of Gondwana, the southern landmass.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
'Love Hormone' Promotes Bonding: Could It Treat Anxiety?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678167/080208172104.htm
Gazing into your lover's eyes isn't only romantic; it may also mimic early attachments that forever alter your brain and body. Researchers are studying whether the brain hormone released with touches, hugs, or when a mother and her newborn baby bond might help patients with schizophrenia, social anxiety and a variety of other disorders. Oxytocin is a brain chemical associated with pair bonding, including mother-infant and male-female bonds, increased paternal involvement with children, and monogamy in certain rodents, according to a psychiatry professor involved with the study.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Cigarette Smoking Linked Heart Attacks In Early 50's For People With Common Gene Variant
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234401364/080213090507.htm
The proverbial cigarette after a Valentine's Day snuggle can prematurely end a love affair, as new evidence emerges that a common defect in a gene significantly increases a smoker's risk of an early heart attack. Researchers say that as much as 60 to 70 percent of the population has a gene defect that delivers a one-two punch to smokers; heavy smokers with this common gene variant experienced a heart attack around the age of 52.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Shear Ingenuity: Tweaking The Conductivity Of Nanotube Composites
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678168/080208182237.htm
One of the immediate applications of carbon nanotubes (CNT) is as an additive to polymers to create electrically conducting plastics--a relatively low CNT concentration can dramatically change the polymer's electrical conductivity by orders of magnitude, from an insulator to a conductor. New measurements have uncovered an intriguing wrinkle. For a given CNT concentration, the electrical properties of the composite can be tuned from being a conductor to a non-conductor simply by changing processing conditions -- basically how fast the polymer flows.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Science, Not Romance, Controls Mating At Smithsonian's National Zoo
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678169/080208131150.htm
This Valentine's Day, Cupid won't be making a stop at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Unlike the spontaneous attraction that most humans equate with love and romance, mating and dating at the National Zoo is planned, strategic and science-based -- quite an unromantic encounter.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Power Shirt: Nanotechnology In Clothing Could Harvest Energy From Body Movement
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678170/080213133347.htm
Nanotechnology researchers are developing the perfect complement to the power tie: a "power shirt" able to generate electricity to power small electronic devices for soldiers in the field, hikers and others whose physical motion could be harnessed and converted to electrical energy.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Genetic Breakthrough Supercharges Immunity To Flu And Other Viruses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678171/080213133330.htm
A way to boost an organism's natural anti-virus defenses has been discovered, effectively making its cells immune to influenza and other viruses. The process -- which could lead to the development of new anti-viral therapies in humans -- involved knocking out two genes in mice that repress production of the protein interferon, the cell's first line of defense against viruses.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
'Hot' Oxygen Atoms On Titanium Dioxide Motivated By More Than Just Temperature
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678172/080208172134.htm
Catalysts typically break down an oxygen molecule into two identical atoms that behave the same. But on a titanium oxide catalyst, the two atoms of a split oxygen molecule act differently: one fills a vacant spot on the catalytic surface and the other acquires extra energy and can move away. If the finding turns out to be important to reactivity, it might also be useful in hydrogen production or to break down pollutants.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Benefit Of Cancer Prevention Surgery Differs Between Women With BRCA1 And BRCA2 Mutations
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678173/080211195234.htm
The surgical removal of the ovaries has been widely adopted as a cancer-risk-reducing strategy for women with either BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. The findings of the new study may have important implications for women comparing the risks and benefits of specific cancer-risk-reduction options.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Structure Of Gene Regulator That Plays Key Role In Cancer Solved
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678174/080213140920.htm
Scientists have made a major advance in understanding a gene regulator that contributes to some of the deadliest cancers in humans. Their research paves the way for the development of new cancer therapies. The scientists have elucidated the 3-D structure of a key segment of p300/CBP, one of the most studied enzymes in the HAT family. Aberrant p300/CBP activity contributes to pancreatic, colon, and lung cancer and also can suppress tumors.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Women More Perceptive Than Men In Describing Relationships
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678175/080213111055.htm
Women are better than men in describing their own feelings and the feelings of their romantic partners than are men, while the latter tend to project their own feelings upon their partners more than women. Women also rated the men as more independent than the men felt about themselves, while the men rated the women as more fearful and less interested in sex than the women rated themselves.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Carbon Capture Strategy Could Lead To Emission-free Cars
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678176/080211134444.htm
Researchers have developed a strategy to capture, store and eventually recycle carbon from vehicles. They envision a zero emission car, and a transportation system completely free of fossil fuels. Little research has been done to explore carbon capture from vehicles, but now a team of scientists outline an economically feasible strategy for processing fossil or synthetic, carbon-containing liquid fuels that allows for the capture and recycling of carbon at the point of emission.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Patient With Rare Disorder Responds To Cancer Drug
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678177/080213181415.htm
A rare disorder caused by an excess of two types of immune cells -- the mast cell found in various tissues and its blood-based twin, the basophil -- has successfully been treated with a cancer drug.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Urban Ecology: Taking Measure Of The Coming Megacity's Impact
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678178/080207140801.htm
If you are reading this, chances are that you live in a city -- one, perhaps, on its way to becoming a megacity with a population that exceeds 10 million or more. What shape could these future cities take and how will their populations meet environmental and resource challenges? Urban challenges face communities worldwide, with solutions lagging behind.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Older Whites More Likely To Have Signs Of Future Eye Disease Than Blacks, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678179/080211172612.htm
White individuals older than 65 are more likely than black individuals to have characteristics that indicate they will develop more advanced forms of the eye disease age-related macular degeneration, according to a new report.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Nanomagnets Add New Dimension To Nanotechnology
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678180/080212102348.htm
It is well known that current technology tends to design tools that are ever smaller and that nanotechnology, although it its infancy, is a theme that is very much in fashion in our society. Who has not heard of nanotubes, nanoparticles and nanomagnets, etc? Nanomagnets and other magnetic devices have now been developed that will work with a wide range of nano-scale industrial applications.
Thu, 14 Feb 08
Worst US Nursing Homes Listed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234678181/080213184512.htm
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has published a list of under-performing nursing homes across the US. Serious deficiencies include such things as failing to give residents their medications in the correct dose at the correct time, taking steps to prevent abuse or neglect, inappropriate use of restraints and failure to prevent or properly treat bed sores.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Dramatic Declines In Wild Salmon Populations Linked To Exposure To Farmed Salmon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233792375/080212085841.htm
Comparing the survival of wild salmonid populations in areas near salmon farms with unexposed populations reveals a large reduction in survival in the populations reared near salmon farms. This study shows evidence on a global scale illustrating systematic declines in wild salmon populations that come into contact with farmed salmon.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
'Lab On A Chip' Mimics Brain Chemistry
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234067923/080212131257.htm
Researchers have devised a micro-scale tool -- a lab on a chip -- designed to mimic the chemical complexities of the brain. The system should help scientists better understand how nerve cells in the brain work together to form the nervous system. Nerve cells decide which direction to grow by sensing both the chemical cues flowing through their environment as well as those attached to the surfaces that surround them. The chip, which is made of a plastic-like substance and covered with a glass lid, features a system of channels and wells that allow researchers to control the flow of specific chemical cocktails around single nerve cells.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Fake Malaria Drugs Made In China: Tracking Down The Threat To Global Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234067924/080212085828.htm
A unique collaboration between scientists, public health workers and police has led to the arrest by the Chinese authorities of alleged traders of fake antimalarial drugs in southern China and the seizure of a large quantity of drugs. The work, involving teams from across the globe, has highlighted both the growing threat posed by fake pharmaceuticals and the complexities of tracking down those responsible for the trade.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Dramatic Improvement In Aortic Valve Surgery Using Least Invasive Valve Replacement Procedure, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234067925/080211212153.htm
A new study shows a 45% reduction in operative mortality in high risk patients requiring aortic valve replacement when Least Invasive Valve techniques are used compared to the conventional approach. The Least Invasive Valve "LiV" minimally invasive procedure allows surgeons to safely and easily perform heart valve repair or replacement without the need for conventional open chest surgery.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Project Budburst: Looking To Spring Flowers For Climate Change Clues
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234067927/080208163620.htm
A US nationwide initiative starting this month will enable volunteers to track climate change by observing the timing of flowers and foliage. Project BudBurst allows students, gardeners, and other citizen scientists in every state to enter their observations into an online database that will give researchers a detailed picture of our warming climate.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Body Image Is Stronger Predictor Of Health Than Obesity, Says Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234067929/080212155730.htm
In a study to examine the impact of desired body weight on the number of unhealthy days subjects report over one month, researchers found that the desire to weigh less was a more accurate predictor of physically and mentally unhealthy days, than body mass index. Approximately 66% of the more than 150,000 U.S. adults studied wanted to lose weight, and about 26% were satisfied with their current weight.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
One Of Youngest And Brightest Galaxies Ever Seen
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233819995/080212095443.htm
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, with a boost from a natural "zoom lens," has found the strongest evidence so far for a galaxy with a redshift significantly above 7. It is likely to be one of the youngest and brightest galaxies ever seen right after the cosmic "dark ages," just 700 million years after the beginning of our universe (redshift ~7.6).
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Functional Immune System Can Be Derived From Embryonic Stem Cells, Preliminary Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234067931/080212122105.htm
A new study demonstrates for the first time that embryonic stem cells can be used to create functional immune system blood cells, a finding which is an important step in the utilization of embryonic stem cells as an alternative source of cells for bone marrow transplantation.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Slow-motion Video Study Shows Shrews Are Highly Sophisticated Predators
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234067933/080207163757.htm
The traditional view that shrews are primitive mammals is challenged by a new study of the hunting methods of an aquatic member of the species, the water shrew, that finds it uses remarkably sophisticated hunting that allow it to catch its prey as readily in the dark as in daylight. One interesting technique is to use their sense of smell underwater by blowing air bubbles out of their nose and then re-inhaling them.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
How Noroviruses Cause Repeated Outbreaks Of 'Stomach Flu'
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234067934/080212085836.htm
Noroviruses, which are highly contagious, cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. While most people recover within a few days, the very young and old may experience severe disease. Although maintaining hydration is essential, there is no specific treatment for infection. Norovirus, a common cause of gastroenteritis ("stomach flu"), could potentially be controlled by a vaccine.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Nanosieves Save Energy In Biofuel Production
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234067936/080208094024.htm
A new type of membrane can stand high temperatures for a long period of time. This 'molecular sieve' is capable of removing water out of e.g. solvents and biofuels. It is a very energy efficient alternative to existing techniques like distillation. Even after testing during 18 months, the new membranes prove to be highly effective, while having continuously been exposed to a temperature of 150 ºC.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Sept. 11 Terrorism Continues To Impact Mental Health Of Americans
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234067937/080212155727.htm
Long after Sept. 11, 2001, Americans' terrorism-related thoughts and fears are associated with increased depression, anxiety, hostility, post-traumatic stress and drinking, researchers have found.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
New Duck-billed Dinosaur From Mexico Offers Insights Into Ancient Life On West America
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233881107/080212122110.htm
A new species of dinosaur unearthed in Mexico is giving scientists fresh insights into the ancient history of western North America. The new creature -- aptly dubbed Velafrons coahuilensis -- was a massive plant-eater belonging to a group of duck-billed dinosaurs, or hadrosaurs. In addition to isolated skeletons, the researchers found large bonebeds of jumbled duck-bill and horned dinosaur skeletons.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
New Test Detects Early Stage Ovarian Cancer With 99 Percent Accuracy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963808/080212144500.htm
A new blood test has enough sensitivity and specificity to detect early stage ovarian cancer with 99 percent accuracy. The Early Detection Research Network of the National Cancer Institute independently evaluated the results of the test.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
A Ray Of Sunshine In The Fight Against Cancer: Vitamin D May Help
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963817/080206210402.htm
It sounds too good to be true ... a little inexpensive pill that could block the development of some cancers, strengthen bones, prevent multiple sclerosis and alleviate winter depression. But it's not science fiction. The "new aspirin" could be Vitamin D. Just as we discovered that aspirin can guard against heart disease, Vitamin D could become a useful weapon in the fight against MS, osteoporosis, mild depression and one of the most devastating diseases of our time -- cancer.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Moss Protein Plays Role In Alzheimer's Disease, Researchers Believe
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233483377/080208153632.htm
Researchers working to prevent Alzheimer's disease have looked for ideas in some unusual places, and found a gene in moss that is also structurally conserved in Alzheimer's disease. "We were amazed to realize that genes from moss and humans were not only structurally conserved but also shared similar functions," the professor of molecular biology and pharmacology said.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Bone Complications Due To Cystic Fibrosis Have A Genetic Cause, According To Study
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963809/080207115358.htm
A recent study sheds some new light on the bone problems that generally accompany cystic fibrosis. The new study is pointing at genetics as contributing to this bone frailty, a finding which may have some implications in changing therapeutic practices.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Surgical Robot Triples Accuracy Of Medical Students Training For Hip Surgery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963810/080207101325.htm
A new surgical robot is making medical undergraduates three times more accurate during practice hip operations, according to pilot study. Inexperienced surgeons often face a steep learning curve to gain the experience necessary to carry out hip resurfacing operations. Until now, this has only been gained through repeatedly performing the operations. This can cause problems because if hip bones are repaired incorrectly wear and tear occurs, requiring patients to undergo further painful and expensive corrective operations.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
How To Live To 100: Remain Independent, Avoid Disability, Research Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963811/080211172628.htm
Researchers report that for a substantial proportion of their centenarian subjects, avoiding age-related diseases (i.e., stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes) may not be the key to their longevity; rather, the avoidance of disability may be a key feature in their exceptional survival.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
'Junk DNA' Can Explain Origin And Complexity Of Vertebrates, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233505066/080211172609.htm
'Junk DNA' could hold the secret of the evolutionary origin of complex animals, according to new research. Vertebrates - animals such as humans that possess a backbone - are the most anatomically and genetically complex of all organisms, but explaining how they achieved this complexity has vexed scientists since the conception of evolutionary theory. Now researchers have traced the beginnings of complex life, i.e. vertebrates, to microRNA.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Learning Disabilities Associated With Language Problems Later In Life
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963812/080211172618.htm
Individuals with a neurodegenerative condition affecting language appear more likely to have had a history of learning disabilities than those with other types of dementia or with no cognitive problems, according to a new article.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Climate Change Impacting Marine Environment Surrounding UK
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963813/080206191952.htm
Climate change is having a significant impact on the United Kingdom's marine environment according to a new report. 2006 was the second warmest year for UK coastal waters since records began in 1870; seven of the 10 warmest years have been in the last decade. Warmer winters have been strongly linked to reduced breeding success and survival in some seabird populations.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Protein Found That Helps Nerve Cells Cheat Death Without Unwanted Side Effects
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963814/080207172343.htm
The prototypical member of the VEGF family of proteins, VEGF, protects cells in the nervous system from death and degeneration. However, its clinical utility in this regard is limited, because it also induces blood vessel growth, a process known as angiogenesis. However, a new study has revealed that another VEGF family member, VEGF-B, does not have such limitations as it acts as a potent inhibitor of murine retinal cell death while exerting minimal angiogenic effects.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Cheap, Environmentally Friendly Extraction Method For Titanium Dioxide Developed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963815/080211090311.htm
From medicine to make-up, plastics to paper -- hardly a day goes by when we don't use titanium dioxide. Now researchers have developed a simpler, cheaper and greener method of extracting higher yields of one of this most useful and versatile of minerals.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Why Patients Resist Colorectal Cancer Screening And How Health Care Providers Can Help
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963816/080211083622.htm
A new study shows that health care providers play a key role in the likelihood their patients are screened for colorectal cancer. The findings suggest that interventions targeting both the provider and the patient are needed to boost colorectal cancer screening rates, and in particular must take into account patient barriers such as concerns about payment and worries that cancer will be discovered.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Unique Mating Photos Of Wild Gorillas Face To Face
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/234067939/080212134818.htm
Scientists have released the first known photographs of gorillas performing face-to-face copulation in the wild. This is the first time that western gorillas have been observed and photographed mating in such a manner. The western lowland gorilla is listed as Critically Endangered as a result of hunting by humans, habitat destruction, and health threats such as the Ebola virus.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
High Blood Pressure Worsening In All States For Women; Begins To Stagnate For Men
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963818/080211172532.htm
Uncontrolled hypertension rates in men and women vary across the country, but all states -- especially in the south and including the nation's capital -- should boost blood pressure control efforts, researchers report. The states with lower hypertension prevalence rates are Vermont, Minnesota, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Iowa and Colorado. They have rates between 15 percent and 16 percent for men and about 21 percent for women.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Satellite Data To Deliver 'State-of-the-art' Air Quality Information In Europe
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963819/080205115810.htm
The European Environment Agency has finalized an agreement with an ESA-led consortium to provide unparalleled information on air pollution, which contributes to the premature deaths of hundreds of thousands of Europeans annually. The service includes data on ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (the sum of all particles suspended in air, including dust, smoke, pollen, etc.). Exposure to these pollutants can cause adverse health effects such as decreased lung function, increased respiratory symptoms and allergic responses, according to the World Health Organization.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Straight To The Tumor: Fusion Protein Targets INKT Immune Cells To Tumors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963820/080207172337.htm
A subset of immune cells known as iNKT cells have been shown to have antitumor activity. However, if mice are injected with a soluble form of a molecule that activates them the cells are only activated for a short time and then become dormant.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Structure Of Important Psychiatric Enzyme Solved
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227401127/080201123219.htm
Kynurenic acid is the only known naturally occurring blocker of neuronal NMDA receptors, and abnormal amounts of this chemical in the brain are associated with several psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. Researchers have now discovered the 3D structure of the enzyme that synthesizes KYNA, which may potentially lead to new drug targets.
Wed, 13 Feb 08
Predictors Of Inaccurate Online Breast Cancer Information
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963821/080211083614.htm
In an extended analysis of Web pages dedicated to disseminating breast cancer information, researchers have determined that while most breast cancer data found online was accurate, one in 20 breast cancer Web pages featured inaccuracies, and sites displaying complementary and alternative medicine were 15 times more likely to contain false or misleading health information.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Viking Blood Courses Through Veins Of Many A Northwest Englander
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233436783/080208105851.htm
The blood of the Vikings is still coursing through the veins of men living in the Northwest of England -- according to a new study which has been just published. The population in parts of northwest England carries up to 50 per cent male Norse origins.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Dangerous Duo: Hostility Plus Depression Elevates Risk For Heart Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963822/080211121805.htm
Hostility and depression appear to act together in a complex way to elevate inflammatory proteins in the human body, possibly putting hostility plus depression on the list of risk factors for heart disease along with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and smoking.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
California Spiny Lobsters To Be Monitored By Fishermen And Scientists
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963823/080208092532.htm
Unique, collaborative ways to manage fisheries are emerging in Southern California. Currently the California spiny lobster is being scrutinized as Californians evaluate the first five years of marine reserves in the Channel Islands area. Intensive monitoring of the lobster population began two years ago.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Worldwide-distributed Clone Of Bacteria Responsible For Legionnaire's Disease Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963824/080205171758.htm
New insights have been made into Legionella pneumophila, the bacteria responsible for most cases of Legionnaires' disease. A new report investigates the genetic background of L. pneumophila, provides clues to the evolution and emergence of this pathogen, and describes the identification of a worldwide-distributed epidemic clone.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
How Red Blood Cells Nuke Their Nuclei
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232786040/080210145839.htm
Unlike the rest of the cells in your body, your red blood cells lack nuclei. That quirk dates back to the time when mammals began to evolve. Other vertebrates such as fish, reptiles, and birds, have red cells that contain nuclei that are inactive. Losing the nucleus enables the red blood cell to contain more oxygen-carrying hemoglobin, thus enabling more oxygen to be transported in the blood and boosting our metabolism. This is the first study to reveal the proteins involved as a red blood cell loses its nucleus. The researchers plan to further investigate the entire process of red blood cell formation, which may lead to insights about genetic alterations that underlie certain red blood cell disorders.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Why Youth Hostel Showers Are Like The Stock Market: Variety Provides Stabililty
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963825/080211100947.htm
Diversity keeps you warm. At least that is true while you're having a shower in youth hostels. This is one way to sums up a new research project. The result is not as trivial as it sounds. Ultimately it shows that heterogeneity provides stability, whether this is in a shower, in power grids or even on the stock market.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Lake Mead, Key Water Source For Southwestern US, Could Be Dry By 2021
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233936344/080212141424.htm
There is a 50 percent chance Lake Mead, a key source of water for millions of people in the southwestern United States, will be dry by 2021 if climate changes as expected and future water usage is not curtailed, according to new research. Without Lake Mead and neighboring Lake Powell, the Colorado River system has no buffer to sustain the population of the Southwest through an unusually dry year, or worse, a sustained drought. In such an event, water deliveries would become highly unstable and variable, said research marine physicists and climate scientists.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Prions Link Cholesterol To Neurodegeneration
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233505063/080211195230.htm
Prion infection of neurons increases the free cholesterol content in cell membranes. A new study suggests that disturbances in membrane cholesterol may be the mechanism by which prions cause neurodegeneration and could point to a role for cholesterol in other neurodegenerative diseases.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Accelerometer Backpacks Aid Study Of Gliding Behavior In The 'Flying' Lemur
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233483375/080207163745.htm
Among the gliding animals, the colugo or "flying" lemur of Southeast Asia is the champ. It's able to glide the length of two football fields with its doormat-sized skin flaps. Researchers are strapping small backpacks to these animals to find out how they do it without injuring themselves. The devices in the backpacks, which measure acceleration, have motion-detecting technology similar to that in Wii remote controllers, which allow electronic game players to simulate the swing of a golf club or baseball bat.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Immunosuppressant Further Linked To Birth Defects, Case Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233483376/080206151234.htm
A new study documents malformations seen in an infant born to a kidney transplant recipient who had taken mycophenolate mofetil, a widely used immunosuppressant available commercially as Cellcept. The use of immunosuppressant drugs is a required, life-long treatment for solid organ transplant recipients.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
'Recordable' Proteins As Next-generation Memory Storage Materials
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233505064/080211093841.htm
Move over, compact discs, DVDs, and hard drives. Researchers in Japan report progress toward developing a new protein-based memory device that could provide an alternative to conventional magnetic and optical storage systems, which are quickly approaching their memory storage capacities. Just as nature chose proteins as the memory storage medium of the brain, scientists have spent years exploring the possibility of similarly using proteins and other biological materials to build memory-based devices with the potential for processing information faster and providing greater storage capacity than existing materials.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Heart Attacks Decreased After Public Smoking Ban In Italy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233505065/080211172539.htm
The number of acute coronary events such as heart attack in adults dropped significantly after a smoking ban in public places in Italy. Researchers in Rome compared acute coronary events in the city for five years preceding a public smoking ban with those occurring one year after the ban. They found an 11.2 percent reduction of acute coronary events in persons 35 to 64 years and a 7.9 percent reduction in those ages 65 to 74.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Continental Slope Off Alaska 100 Nautical Miles Further Off Coast Than Assumed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233963826/080211134449.htm
New Arctic sea floor data suggests that the foot of the continental slope off Alaska is more than 100 nautical miles farther from the US coast than previously assumed. The data, gathered during a recent mapping expedition north of Alaska, could support US rights to natural resources of the sea floor beyond 200 nautical miles from the coast.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Gene Therapy Protocol Activates Immune System In Patients With Leukemia, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233505067/080211172550.htm
Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who were treated with a gene therapy protocol began making antibodies that reacted against their own leukemia cells. Researchers inserted a gene with the potential to activate an immune response into six patients with CLL, the most common form of adult leukemia. Several of the patients started making antibodies that reacted against their own leukemia cells. When tested in the lab, the antibodies also reacted with the leukemia cells of other patients with the disease.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Prenatal Exposure To Maternal Antibodies Linked To Autistic Behaviors In Offspring
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233505068/080211172526.htm
New research shows that an interaction between fetal brain cells and maternal antibodies could be linked with the repetitive behavior -- also called stereotypes -- that is characteristic of autism. While additional studies are needed to confirm the outcome, this result leads investigators to suspect that brain-directed antibodies during the prenatal period could be a causal factor for the disorder.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
International Space Station Crews Enter Columbus Laboratory
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233881108/080212121207.htm
The 24th shuttle flight to the International Space Station, STS-122, delivers Columbus, the European Space Agency's new laboratory. Columbus is being installed on Harmony Node 2. European astronaut and station flight engineer Leopold Eyharts got a look inside the new Columbus laboratory around 9 a.m. EST February 12.
Tue, 12 Feb 08
Wind Patterns Could Mask Effects Of Global Warming In Ocean
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/233483378/080207101333.htm
Natural variability in the Earth's atmosphere could be masking the overall effect of global warming in the North Atlantic Ocean. Scientists have previously found that surface temperatures around the globe have risen over the last 30 years in accord with global warming. New data, however, shows that heat stored in the North Atlantic Ocean has a more complex pattern than initially expected, suggesting that natural changes in the atmosphere also play a role.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Antarctic Ice Shelf Collapse Blamed On More Than Climate Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232671570/080210100441.htm
When the Larsen B Ice Shelf in Antarctica collapsed in 2002, the event appeared to be a sudden response to climate change, and this long, fringing ice shelf in the north west part of the Weddell Sea was assumed to be the latest in a long line of victims of Antarctic summer heat waves linked to Global Warming. However scientists now say that the shelf was already teetering on collapse before the final summer. Global warming had a major part to play in the collapse, but it is only one in a number of contributory factors.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Changing Our Clocks: New Research Explores How Our Bodies Keep Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911008/080208162238.htm
Our alarm clocks may spring forward on March 9, but our biological clocks may take longer to adjust. That's because our internal clocks are so tightly wound to many physiological and behavioral processes. Researchers have learned that circadian rhythms--the 24-hour cycles that keep our bodies on time--are involved in sleep, weight gain, mood disorders, and a variety of diseases. Now, they've made remarkable strides in identifying genes and neural pathways involved in regulating our internal clocks. Building on this bed of research could lead to new treatments for insomnia, jet lag, depression, obesity, and other disorders.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Sex, Drugs And Alcohol: Parents Still Influence College Kids' Risky Behavior, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232649595/080210094643.htm
New research shows that parents influence their child's likelihood of involvement with drugs, alcohol and risky sexual activity even after their child leaves for college. Specifically, students who said their fathers were in the loop had a lower likelihood of doing drugs or engaging in risky sexual behaviors. When mothers were in the know, students were less likely to drink alcohol. The protective effect of mothers' awareness was more pronounced when the students also felt close to their mom. Under those circumstances, the researchers found that students were less likely to be involved in any of the three risk behavior categories studied: drugs, alcohol and risky sexual activity.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
HIV Drugs, Abacavir And Didanosine Increase The Risk Of Heart Attack, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911009/080207155728.htm
A study to assess the adverse effects of anti-retroviral drugs shows that two widely-used HIV drugs are associated with an increased risk of heart attack/the formation of blood clots in the heart. With the use of Didanosine, the risk of developing a heart attack increases by 49 percent; with Abacavir, the increased risk is 90 percent. The effect is most pronounced in patients with a high underlying cardiovascular risk.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Madagascar's Tortoises Are Crawling Toward Extinction, Groups Say
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911010/080207124624.htm
Madagascar's turtles and tortoises, which rank among the most endangered reptiles on earth, will continue to crawl steadily toward extinction unless major conservation measure are enacted, according to a recent assessment. The researchers said there is still hope to save these ancient animals, but time is running out as their habitat continues to shrink and illegal hunting worsens. Five of the nine assessed species have been downgraded to critically endangered, with one variety -- the ploughshare tortoise -- now numbering only a few hundred individuals. The other critically endangered species include the radiated tortoise, flat-tailed tortoise, spider tortoise and Madagascar big-headed turtle, all of which are found nowhere else on earth.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
New York, New York: Study Determines Difference Between Abstract And Concrete Jungle
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911011/080208105857.htm
The Big Apple, a densely populated metropolis of more than 8.2 million people in the 332 square miles of blocks, boroughs and buildings, could have been named metaphorically by outsiders as a fertile land of opportunity. New York City, in other words, can be considered concretely as a geographical location with a large population, but it also can be viewed symbolically as the gateway to America. While both of these descriptions are accurate, they are based on an individual’s perception of, and even physical distance from, the city. People tend to perceive objects as being more abstract when those stimuli are difficult to process mentally, known as cognitive disfluency, or are physically further away. Using this research-based theory, it is safe to assume, therefore, that people residing in Tokyo have a more symbolic notion of New York than New Yorkers have of themselves.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Living On 'The Red Edge': Rare Form Of Chlorophyll Discovered In Newly Sequenced Bacterium
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911012/080204172212.htm
Researchers have sequenced the genome of a rare bacterium that harvests light energy by making an even rarer form of chlorophyll, chlorophyll d. Chlorophyll d absorbs "red edge," near infrared, long wave length light, invisible to the naked eye. In so doing, the cyanobacterium Acaryochloris marina, competes with virtually no other plant or bacterium in the world for sunlight.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
New Therapy Possibilities For Lung Disease Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911013/080207163748.htm
A new study may change current thinking about how best to treat patients in respiratory distress in hospital intensive care units. It has been commonly believed that high levels of carbon dioxide or hypercapnia in the blood and lungs of patients with acute lung disease may be beneficial to them. Now, for the first time, scientists have shown how elevated levels of carbon dioxide actually have the opposite effect and impair lung functioning.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Deforestation May Make Humans More Vulnerable To Infection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911014/080206090510.htm
A new study suggests that socioeconomic factors best explain patterns of the infectious disease American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Costa Rica. Contrary to the established belief that deforestation reduces the risk of infection, the research shows that deforestation may actually make socially marginalized human populations more vulnerable to infection.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
How One Protein Binds To Genes And Regulates Human Genome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911015/080207140851.htm
Out of chaos, control: Molecular biologists have discovered how a protein called PARP-1 binds to genes and regulates their expression across the human genome. Knowing where PARP-1 is located and how it works may allow scientists to target this protein while battling common human diseases.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
The Way A Protein Is Folded Affects The Molecular Dance Of Water
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911016/080206150538.htm
Scientists have shown, with terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, that proteins do significantly modify water molecules in their environment: The water molecules, which generally move around like disco dancers in their collective network motions behave more like in a neat minuet under protein influence. Protein folding also changes the dancing steps of water.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Eat Up All Of Your Brussels Sprouts -- Unless You're An Aphid
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911017/080207140755.htm
Aphids that eat Brussels sprouts are smaller than normal and live in undersized populations, which has a negative knock-on effect up the food chain according to new research in Science. The study shows for the first time that the nutritional quality of plant food sources for herbivores has a far-reaching impact on an ecosystem as a whole, potentially impeding important functions that the ecosystem performs, such as the natural predation and control of agricultural pests.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Whole Grain Diets Lower Risk Of Chronic Disease, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911018/080205161231.htm
Diets with high amounts of whole grains may help achieve significant weight loss, and also reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to a nutritional researchers. In the study, the whole grain group experienced a 38 percent decrease in C-reactive protein levels in their blood. A high level of this inflammatory marker is thought to place patients at a higher risk for diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Discovery Of Good -- And Bad -- Liver Stem Cells Raises Possibility Of New Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911019/080208113917.htm
Many scientists believe up to 40 percent of liver cancer is caused by stem cells gone wild. Despite years spent looking, no one has ever found these liver "cancer stem cells." Now, researchers report discovering both types of stem cells, and by comparing their genetic "signatures," they found evidence to suggest that a new type of experimental drug might offer benefit in treating liver cancer.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Wind May Be The Driving Force Behind Fish Booms And Busts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911020/080205161236.htm
Scientists have now shed light on the puzzle by proposing a plausible mechanism behind the mystery of fish booms and busts: wind. They propose that atmospheric wind forces can determine the availability of microscopic organisms that sardine and anchovy feed upon. When wind causes nutrient-rich waters to rise to the surface, plankton levels increase and sardine populations flourish. Conversely, sardine numbers crash when plankton become scarce as wind conditions change.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Why Certain Ovarian Cancers Develop Resistance To Platinum-based Chemotherapy
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232786038/080210145843.htm
Scientists have identified a new mechanism that explains why some recurrent ovarian tumors become resistant to treatment with commonly used platinum-based chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and carboplatin. The mechanism of cisplatin resistance 'unlike any previously identified.'
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Single-molecule Sensing Breakthrough: Optical and Electronic Measurements Made Simultanously
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911021/080206111247.htm
In a study that could lay the foundation for mass-produced single-molecule sensors, physicists and engineers have demonstrated a means of simultaneously making optical and electronic measurements of the same molecule. While scientists have used electronic and optical instruments to measure single molecules before, the new system is the first that allows both simultaneously -- a process known as "multimodal" sensing -- on a single small molecule.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Mild Alzheimer's Patients Show Rapid Decline In Financial Skills And Increased Vulnerability To Fraud, Over One Year
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911022/080208171630.htm
Patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) have a dramatic decline in their ability to make financial decisions over a one year period. The AD group showed substantial declines in overall financial capacity, on eight of the nine financial domains and on 12 of the 18 financial tasks. Of particular concern was decline in the ability to recognize telephone or mail fraud.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Comatose Locusts May Help Relieve Migraines
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911023/080207101321.htm
The way locusts react to stress may provide an important clue to understanding what causes human migraines -- and how to reduce their painful effects, says biologists. They are using insect models to examine how the nervous system controls breathing when stress is induced through high temperatures and oxygen deprivation. They have discovered that the locust's reaction to extreme heat is very similar to a disturbance in mammals that has been associated with human migraines and stroke.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Some 'Junk' DNA Is Important Guide For Nerve-cell Channel Production
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911024/080205115800.htm
Researchers have discovered that introns, or junk DNA to some, associated with RNA are an important molecular guide to making nerve-cell electrical channels. They hope to relate this knowledge to understanding the molecular underpinnings of memory and learning, as well as components of cognitive dysfunction resulting from neurological disease.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Drug-resistant E. Coli And Klebsiella Bacteria Found In Hospital Samples And Elsewhere In US
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911025/080208161610.htm
A research team examining bacterial isolates obtained in hospital and non-hospital clinical settings between 2000 and 2006, has identified drug-resistant strains of E. coli and Klebsiella bacteria in more than 50 blood, urine and respiratory samples. These resistant strains, which resemble bacteria reported in Latin America, Asia and Europe, were thought to be rare in the U.S. This is the first report of this phenomenon in the United States, the researchers said.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Core Samples From Subsea Fault System Off Japan Will Help Explain How Earthquakes Are Generated
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911026/080205125248.htm
Scientists aboard IODP scientific drilling vessel Chikyu collected 5,000 samples from the seismogenic zone known as the Nankai Trough. The samples will provide scientists with new sources of data and the potential for increased understanding of how earthquakes are generated.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
How Safe Are Your Personal Records In The Hands Of Government Officials?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911027/080208133900.htm
Safeguarding sensitive information -- no matter how sophisticated the IT system -- can never be foolproof, according to new research. The loss of a CD by HM Revenue & Customs in the UK in November 2007 containing personal and financial details of over 7 million families claiming child benefit was swiftly followed by assurances that such a mistake would never happen again. Then in February, an agency of the Department for Health admitted that over 4,000 NHS smartcards, giving potential computer access to patient records, had been lost or stolen - and nearly a third of these in the last year alone.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Rubik's Cube In Center Of Earth? Computer Simulations Support New Model Of Earth's Core
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911028/080208091314.htm
Swedish researchers have presented evidence in Science to support their new theory about the structure of the earth's core. The findings may be of significance for our understanding of the cooling down of the earth, and of the stability of the earth's magnetic field. It has long been known that the inner core of the earth, a sphere consisting of a solid mass with a radius of about 1,200 km, is mainly made up of iron. However, seismic observations have shown that elastic waves pass more rapidly through this core in directions that are parallel to the earth's axis of rotation than in directions parallel to the equator-a phenomenon that has not been previously explained.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Artificial Sweeteners Linked To Weight Gain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232852121/080210183902.htm
Want to lose weight? It might help to pour that diet soda down the drain. Researchers have laboratory evidence that the widespread use of no-calorie sweeteners may actually make it harder for people to control their intake and body weight. Cutting the connection between sweets and calories may confuse the body, making it harder to regulate intake.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
'T-ray' Breakthrough Signals Next Generation Of Security Sensors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911029/080205100955.htm
A new generation of sensors for detecting explosives and poisons could be developed following new research into a type of radiation known as T-rays. The research shows that these T-rays, electromagnetic waves in the far infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum that have a wavelength 500 times longer than visible light, can be guided along the surface of a specially designed material, known as a metamaterial. Being able to control T-rays in this way is essential if this type of radiation is to be used in many real world applications.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
New Virus Responsible For Deaths Of Transplant Recipients In Australia, Scientists Confirm
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911030/080206175541.htm
In the first application of high throughput DNA sequencing technology to investigate an infectious disease outbreak, scientists link the discovery of a new arenavirus to the deaths of three transplant recipients who received organs from a single donor in Victoria, Australia in April 2007.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Archaeologists Discover Roman Fort In Cornwall, England
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911031/080205202327.htm
Archaeologists have discovered a Roman fort in South East Cornwall. Dating back to the first century AD, this is only the third Roman fort ever to have been found in the county. The team believes its location, close to a silver mine, may be significant in shedding light on the history of the Romans in Cornwall. Situated next to St Andrew's Church, Calstock, the site is on top of a hill in an area known to have been involved with silver mining in medieval times.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Tattooing Improves Response To DNA Vaccine
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911032/080206203106.htm
A tattoo can be more than just a fashion statement -- it has potential medical value, according to a new article. Tattooing is a more effective way of delivering DNA vaccines than intramuscular injection.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Acupuncture Shows Promise In Improving Rates Of Pregnancy Following IVF
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232649598/080210085601.htm
A review of seven clinical trials of acupuncture given with embryo transfer in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) suggests that acupuncture may improve rates of pregnancy. IVF, which involves retrieving a woman's egg, fertilizing it in the laboratory, and then transferring the embryo back into the woman's womb is an expensive, lengthy, and stressful process. Identifying a complementary approach that can improve success would be welcome to patients and providers.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Gene Plays 'Jekyll And Hyde' In Brain Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911033/080206203112.htm
Perhaps the only positive spin one can put on the brain cancer glioblastoma is that it's relatively uncommon. Other than that, the news is bad. It is nearly always fatal, it tends to strike people in the prime of their lives, and the limited treatment options have changed little over decades. It's no wonder then that many researchers are determined to find new ways treat this poorly understood type of cancer. Researchers have now found that a particular gene is central to the brain cancer glioblastoma and will either fight the tumor or, conversely, help the tumor advance, depending on the tumor's genetic makeup.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Biofuel Crops That Require Destroying Native Ecosystems Worsens Global Warming
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911034/080207140809.htm
Turning native ecosystems into "farms" for biofuel crops causes major carbon emissions that worsen the global warming that biofuels are meant to mitigate, according to a new study. The carbon lost by converting rainforests, peatlands, savannas, or grasslands outweighs the carbon savings from biofuels. Such conversions for corn or sugarcane (ethanol), or palms or soybeans (biodiesel) release 17 to 420 times more carbon than the annual savings from replacing fossil fuels, the researchers said. The carbon, which is stored in the original plants and soil, is released as carbon dioxide, a process that may take decades. This "carbon debt" must be paid before the biofuels produced on the land can begin to lower greenhouse gas levels and ameliorate global warming.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Antarctic Expedition Provides New Insights Into The Role Of The Southern Ocean For Global Climate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911035/080205111736.htm
In the Southern Ocean, large quantities of surface-drifting plankton algae are able to significantly reduce the carbon dioxide content of surface waters. Scientists will discuss pressing questions of Researchers in the Antarctica will be measuring ocean currents in the Southern Ocean, distribution of trace substances, transport of water bodies, and interactions between sea and ice as well as ocean and atmosphere.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Death Of Waitress Linked To Environmental Tobacco Smoke, Case Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911036/080208101802.htm
A young asthmatic woman who collapsed and died shortly after arriving for her shift as a waitress at a bar may be the first reported death to be reported nationally from acute asthma associated with environmental tobacco smoke. The report states the woman arrived at the bar in Michigan and, according to co-workers, seemed happy and healthy. About 15 or 20 minutes later she collapsed and within a few minutes died.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Plant Reflections May Be Key To Early Detection Of Plant Diseases And Treatment Needs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911037/080204111819.htm
When disease and insect problems in crops are visible to the naked eye, it may be too late to treat. That's why it is worth taking a closer look. A hyperspectral look, that is. Scientists are now using a hyperspectral camera to determine how light is being reflected off plant leaf surfaces as a diagnostic tool.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Advice From A Germ Expert: Don't Overdo Spring Cleaning
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911038/080208163244.htm
Advice from a germ expert is music to the ears of those who dread the annual tradition of spring cleaning. Don't go overboard, cautions one health sciences expert. Considering "green" cleaners that are environmentally friendly. With its high acetic content, white distilled vinegar is a gentle and effective fighter against many types of bacteria, she says.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Tobacco Could Kill One Billion By 2100, WHO Report Warns
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232649597/080210092031.htm
WHO has released new data showing that while progress has been made, not a single country fully implements all key tobacco control measures, and outlined an approach that governments can adopt to prevent tens of millions of premature deaths by the middle of this century.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
New Finding May Help Explain Development Of Preeclampsia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911039/080208101806.htm
In a study of pregnant women, those with pregnancy-induced high blood pressure were found to have higher levels of a peptide that raises blood pressure in the pieces of tissue linking mother and fetus, according to researchers. The finding may help explain how the disorder develops.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Smart Pillbox Beeps And Flashed At Pill Time, And Won't Let You Take Them Twice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232742990/080210130407.htm
Tuberculosis has long been eradicated from the world's industrialized nations but continues to take a terrible toll in a few poor, rural regions of Asia and Africa. It's not that new treatments are needed -- medical science long ago figured out how to cure tuberculosis using a cocktail of antibiotics. A big part of the problem is making sure patients follow the six-month regimen of daily doses. Scientists have addressed this problem in a simple yet highly effective way. The first part of the two-component system is a kind of "smart" pillbox, called the uBox. It has 14 chambers that can each be loaded with several pills, which it dispenses from one chamber per day. To alert the patient that it's time to take the medicine, the box flashes its lights and sounds a buzzer. When the compartment is opened, the uBox records the exact time and prevents double-dosing by refusing to open again until the next treatment is due.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Changing Patterns Of Stroke And Heart Disease-related Deaths In Europe Revealed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911040/080206090500.htm
There are still large variations between and within European countries in the numbers of stroke and heart disease-related deaths. Several countries, particularly in northern and eastern Europe, have rates of death that are as much as 7-14 times higher than other countries, while countries such as Poland, Spain, Portugal, Germany and the UK have large regional variations.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Liver Transplants: Donor Organ Allocation System Analyzed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911042/080206105431.htm
Liver transplant is a life saving treatment option for people with end-stage liver disease. Unfortunately, the need for donor livers far exceeds the supply. Each year only about one-third of people who need a donor liver will receive one, and some patients die while waiting. Physicians explore how the current system for allocating donor organs in the United States affects outcomes for patients with end-stage liver disease.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Gene Essential For Prenatal Development Of Nervous System Characterized
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230348345/080201155700.htm
Scientists have demonstrated the role of a gene important to the embryonic development of the nervous system, a process that requires coordination of differentiation of immature neural cells with the cycle of cell division that increases their numbers. Until now, the mechanisms regulating these distinct cellular activities have been poorly understood.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
History Of Quaternary Volcanism And Lava Dams In Western Grand Canyon
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911043/080205100014.htm
John Wesley Powell wrote in 1895: "...what a conflict of water and fire there must have been [in western Grand Canyon]! Just imagine a river of molten rock running down over a river of melted snow." Over 110 years later, a synthesis of new and existing dates on these lava flows shows that many are significantly younger than initially thought and all are less than 725 thousand years old. The geochronology data indicates four major episodes when lava flows either erupted into the canyon or flowed over the rim into it. These flows formed lava dams in western Grand Canyon that had dramatic impact on the Colorado River.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Patients At Increased Risk Of Heart Attack Within 3 Months After Stopping Clopidogrel Therapy, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911044/080205161253.htm
Patients who receive the anti-platelet medication clopidogrel following an acute coronary syndrome (such as heart attack) appear to be at greater risk of a heart attack or death in the first 90 days after stopping clopidogrel treatment, according to a new study.
Mon, 11 Feb 08
Mock CPR 'Codes' Expose Weaknesses In Hospital Emergency Response For Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232911045/080208110153.htm
Staging mock cardiac and respiratory arrests -- "code" situations in hospital parlance -- easily expose common failures in rapid response with CPR and other life-saving care for children and also set up powerful incentives to sharpen emergency skills and move fast to use them, suggests a new study. Past research estimates that only 14 percent to 36 percent of children who suffer an arrest in the hospital survive.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Listening For The Cosmic Symphony: Supercomputer Will Help Scientists Listen For Black Holes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455647/080208131143.htm
Scientists hope that a new supercomputer may help them identify the sound of a celestial black hole. Gravitational waves are produced by violent events in the distant universe, such as the collision of black holes or explosions of supernovas. The waves radiate across the universe at the speed of light. While Albert Einstein predicted the existence of these waves in 1916 in his general theory of relativity, it has taken decades to develop the technology to detect them.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Botox Linked To Respiratory Failure And Death, FDA Advises
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232210017/080209090530.htm
Botox and Botox Cosmetic (Botulinum toxin Type A) and Myobloc (Botulinum toxin Type B) have been linked in some cases to adverse reactions, including respiratory failure and death, following treatment of a variety of conditions using a wide range of doses, according to the FDA. The most severe adverse effects were found in children treated for spasticity in their limbs associated with cerebral palsy.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Microneedles Enhance Drug Administration Through Skin
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455648/080204172210.htm
Microneedle technology will increase the availability of medications applicable for transdermal drug delivery, a pain free and patient friendly route of drug administration. The study could help advance the use of microneedles as a painless method for delivering drugs, proteins, DNA and vaccines into the body.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Want Healthy Gums? Hit The Dairy Aisle
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455649/080206150659.htm
Consumers have long known that including dairy in their diets can help maintain healthy bones and even help promote weight loss. However, a recent study demonstrated that routine intake of dairy products may also help promote periodontal health.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
New Method For Taxi, Delivery Dispatch Reduces Wait Times
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455650/080208095559.htm
Human-computer interaction has not improved enormously since Mark Twain's time, when the typewriter was invented. A European research task force hopes to change that by making human-computer interaction, well, 'similar' to the way humans do it. Mark Twain famously invested, and then lost, a fortune on the first typewriter, in 1874. Since then, human-computer interaction has moved beyond basic key-entry (here, the mouse is the most pervasive development), but the keyboard's legacy lives on. We are still using Qwerty, a layout designed to slow down the typist's speed, because the mechanical keys would jam together if pressed in rapid succession.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Poor Recognition Of 'Self' Found In High Functioning People With Autism
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455651/080206121518.htm
Contrary to popular notions, people at the high end of the autism spectrum disorder continuum suffer most from an inability to model "self" rather than impaired ability to respond to others, according to a novel research study. This inability to model "self" can disrupt an individual's ability to understand the world as a whole, according to researchers.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Intersex Fish Linked To Population And Agriculture In Potomac River Watershed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455652/080208115302.htm
For several years, scientists have been working to determine why so many male smallmouth bass in the Potomac River basin have immature female egg cells in their testes - a form of intersex. They are closer to finding an answer. New research shows that a high incidence of intersex occurs in the Potomac watershed at sites where farming is most intense and where human population density is highest. The study also shows the greatest prevalence of this form of intersex, known as testicular oocytes, occurs in the spring, just before and during the spawning season. A prevalence of intersex is not unique to the Potomac basin, nor is it unique to smallmouth bass. It has been documented in other wild fish populations including spot-tail shiners in the St. Lawrence River, white suckers in Colorado, shovelnose sturgeon in the Mississippi, white perch from the Great Lakes, roach fish in the U.K and Denmark, sharp-tooth catfish in South Africa, three-spine stickleback in Germany, and barbel in Italy. It has also been noted in marine and estuarine fishes in Japan, the UK and the Mediterranean.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Dust Storms In Sahara Desert Trigger Huge Plankton Blooms In Eastern Atlantic
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455653/080206192436.htm
Scientists are at sea studying the Saharan dust that blows off the coast of Africa - triggering huge plankton blooms in the eastern Atlantic. Saharan dust is rich in nitrogen, iron and phosphorus and acts as a fertilizer on the production of plankton.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Experimental Anti-cancer Drug Reduces Tumor Growth And Tumor Volume In Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455654/080206152424.htm
Significant pre-clinical results on the anti-tumor activity of Titanocene Y on human breast tumors and in a mouse model have just been published. In the mouse model, a decrease not only in tumor growth but also a reduction in tumor volume to around one-third was observed for the first time. In the human breast cancer, Titanocene Y showed cell death induction comparable to the widely-used chemotherapy drug Cisplatin.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Quick Feather Test Determines Sex Of Chicks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228996818/080204111005.htm
Scientists in Germany are reporting development of test that can answer one of the most frustrating questions in the animal kingdom: Is that bird a boy or a girl? Their study is a potential boon to poultry farmers and bird breeders.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
When And How Often You Consume Acidic Foods Or Beverages Affects Dental Health
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455655/080205204535.htm
Sugar isn't the only enemy of teeth. Acids found in diet and regular soda, energy drinks, juice and wine can erode tooth enamel, leading to tooth decay. There are a few ways to minimize the risk of damage from acidic foods and drinks such as timing consumption: Eating acidic foods as part of a meal helps neutralize and eliminate acids. Before bedtime is the worst time to consume acidic foods, because saliva production decreases during sleep. Saliva helps neutralize and dilute acids. Brushing teeth with fluoride toothpaste 30 minutes before consuming acidic foods or drink is most beneficial. Brushing immediately afterward should be avoided.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Carbon Nanotubes Produced In Bulk Using Commercially Available Polymeric Resins
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455656/080207153618.htm
Scientists have successfully produced carbon nanotubes in high yields in bulk solid compositions using commercially available aromatic containing resins. The concentration of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and metal nanoparticles can be easily varied within the shaped carbonaceous solid. Carbon nanotube containing fibers and films have also been formulated from the precursor compositions. The potential range of applications is huge, including structure, energy, sensors, separation/filtration, battery, electronic displays and nanoelectronic devices.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Drinking And Abuse: Dangerous Transition From High School To College For Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455657/080208153624.htm
Increases in young women's drinking during the transition from high school through the first year of college can have dangerous physical, sexual and psychological implications, according to a new report. Researchers found that the changes in drinking patterns during the high-school-to-college transition influenced risk for physical and sexual victimization in different ways.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Neural Basis Of 'Number Sense' In Young Infants
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455658/080204212909.htm
Cerebral imaging reveals that human infants are sensitive to numerical quantity at a very early age and that the basic dorsal/ventral functional organization is already in place in the infant brain.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Chemical Signature Of Manic Depression Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455659/080205123833.htm
People with manic depression have a distinct chemical signature in their brains, according to a new study. The research may also indicate how the mood stabilizers used to treat the disorder counteract the changes in the brain that it appears to cause. Manic depression, which is also known as bipolar disorder, is a debilitating psychiatric condition characterised by alternating mania and depression, affecting about one in every hundred people worldwide.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Lion Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Has Undergone Substantial Genetic Recombination
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455660/080204212855.htm
Parts of feline immunodeficiency virus isolated from wild lions have undergone substantial genetic recombination. The sequencing of the two full FIV genomes of different lion subtypes shows the importance of whole-genome analysis in understanding complex genetic events. These findings will be relevant to big cat conservation and developing more effective animal models for HIV.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Sickle Cell Anemia: Novel Small Molecule Therapy Shows Benefit Via Hydration Of Red Blood Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455661/080205121736.htm
Researchers are identifying innovative therapeutics for sickle cell anemia that focus on specific factors in the disease's progression, such as the important role of hydration of the red blood cells. A novel small molecule therapy called senicapoc showed efficacy in maintaining hydration of red blood cells and increasing hemoglobin levels in patients with sickle cell anemia.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
International Effort To Create 'Proteinpedia' For Scientists Underway
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455662/080207140848.htm
A researcher at the Johns Hopkins Institute of Genetic Medicine has led the effort to compile to date the largest free resource of experimental information about human proteins. The research team describes how all researchers around the world can access this data and speed their own research.
Sun, 10 Feb 08
Lower-income Neighborhoods Associated With Higher Obesity Rates
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232455663/080207163807.htm
Obesity prevalence has increased significantly among adults and children in the U.S. over the last two decades. A new study reveals that characteristics of neighborhoods, including the area’s income level, the built environment, and access to healthy food, contribute to the continuing obesity epidemic.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Birds, Bats And Insects Hold Secrets For Aerospace Engineers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630974/080204172203.htm
Natural flyers like birds, bats and insects outperform man-made aircraft in aerobatics and efficiency. Engineers are studying these animals as a step toward designing flapping-wing planes with wingspans smaller than a deck of playing cards.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
High Blood Pressure Pill Cuts Risk Of Parkinson's Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630975/080206163924.htm
People taking a widely used group of drugs known as calcium channel blockers to treat high blood pressure also appear to be cutting their risk of Parkinson's disease, according to a new study. The study found people who were currently long-term users of calcium channel blockers to treat high blood pressure lowered their risk of Parkinson's disease by 23 percent compared to people who didn't take the drugs. There was no such effect among people taking ACE inhibitors, AT II antagonists and beta blockers.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Dragons Of Hope: Boat Racing Improves Lives Of Breast Cancer Survivors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630976/080201123212.htm
Breast cancer survivors who participated in dragon boat racing reported significantly improved physical and mental health and coped better with post-recovery trauma, according to a new study.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Herpes Medication Does Not Reduce Risk Of HIV Infection In Individuals With HSV-2, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630977/080207093007.htm
An international clinical trial has found that acyclovir, a common medication for treating herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), the most common cause of genital herpes, does not reduce the risk of HIV infection when taken by people infected with HSV-2. Multiple studies have shown that people with HSV-2 have a higher risk of acquiring HIV. Researchers had hoped that acyclovir's ability to suppress the herpes virus, and its associated genital sores and breaks in the skin, could cut down on the likelihood of HIV being transmitted to a person with HSV-2 during sexual intercourse.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Tropical Soils Impede Landmine Detection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630978/080206101409.htm
Use of a metal detector is the most common technique when searching for landmines, which litter the soil in approximately 90 countries around the world. Many of these countries are located in the tropics where intensively weathered soils are prevalent. These tropical soils have certain properties that can limit the performance of metal detectors due to soil magnetic susceptibility. This problem is enhanced by the spread of minimum-metal mines.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Teenage Fathers Are More Likely To Have Babies Affected By Birth Problems Than Fathers Over 40
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630979/080206203103.htm
Teenage fathers are at increased risk of having babies born with birth problems ranging from pre-term delivery or low birth weight, through to death in or near to the time of delivery, according to new research in Human Reproduction journal. In contrast, the study also found that fathers aged 40 and over were not at increased risk of having babies affected by these problems. Previous studies have shown that younger men can have lower sperm counts, semen volume, total numbers of spermatozoa and percentage of motile sperm. Immature sperm may be associated with adverse birth outcomes, possibly as a result of the abnormal formation of the placenta in the uterus.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Smoking Increases Breast Cancer Risk Based On Genes, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630980/080206210814.htm
Women who smoke and have a specific genetic makeup are at significant risk for the development of breast cancer, according to a recent study. Researchers analyzed data from 10 of the 13 studies published in the last 10 years in which they evaluated genetic information, smoking habits and breast cancer risk in 4,889 premenopausal and 7,033 postmenopausal women.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Chemical Chaperone Could Open Door To Treatment Of Neurological Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630981/080205111739.htm
An unexpected finding turned out to be a clue leading researchers to propose a new treatment approach for Niemann-Pick disease, a rare, deadly neurodegenerative disorder. They believe the approach also could be useful for more common diseases -- such as cystic fibrosis -- that stem from a similar type of defect.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Calcium Channel Blockers Help Normalize Lysosomal Storage Disease Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630982/080204212814.htm
Scientists have discovered that two widely available prescription drugs restore partial cellular folding, trafficking, and function to a variety of mutant enzymes responsible for three distinct lysosomal storage diseases, maladies involving multiple organ system failure. This discovery may increase treatment options for inherited metabolic disease patients.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
New Devices To Boost Nematode Research On Neurons And Drugs
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630983/080206093216.htm
Two new nanotech-driven tools for biologists and neuroscientists have been developed. A pair of new thin, transparent devices, constructed with soft lithography, should boost research in which nematodes are studied to explore brain-behavior connections and to screen new pharmaceuticals for potential treatment of parasitic infections in humans, report scientists.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Hearing The Sound Of Quantum Drums
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630984/080208080532.htm
Forty years ago, mathematician Mark Kac asked the theoretical question, "Can one hear the shape of a drum?" If drums of different shapes always produce their own unique sound spectrum, then it should be possible to identify the shape of a specific drum merely by studying its spectrum, thus "hearing" the drum's shape (a procedure analogous to spectroscopy, the way scientists detect the composition of a faraway star by studying its light spectrum). But what if two drums of different shapes could emit exactly the same sound? If so, it would be impossible to work backward from the spectrum and uniquely surmise the physical structure of the drum, because there would be more than one correct answer to the question. The drum research is important to the world of quantum mechanics.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Thin Bones Seen In Boys With Autism And Autism Spectrum Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630985/080206204948.htm
Results of an early study suggest that dairy-free diets and unconventional food preferences could put boys with autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at higher than normal risk for thinner, less dense bones when compared to a group of boys the same age who do not have autism. The researchers believe that boys with autism and ASD are at risk for poor bone development for a number of reasons. These factors are lack of exercise, a reluctance to eat a varied diet, lack of vitamin D, digestive problems, and diets that exclude casein, a protein found in milk and milk products.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Freshwater Fish Invasions The Result Of Human Activity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630986/080204212915.htm
Mapping worldwide freshwater fish invasions allowed the identification of major invasion hot spots and demonstrated that economic activity is the main determinant of freshwater fish invasions at the global scale.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Lower Transmission Increases Dengue Deaths
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630988/080204172218.htm
A pair of researchers has answered a puzzle about why efforts to lower the transmission of dengue virus in Thailand have actually increased the severe, life-threatening, form of the infection. Lower transmission rates lead to increased risk of severe infection because of an immune system response.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Biological Pathway Models Simplified With Engineering Approach
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630989/080206102408.htm
An engineering approach has been developed to show that complex biological systems can be studied with simple models developed by measuring what goes into and out of the system. Such an approach can give researchers an alternative way to look at the inner workings of a complicated biological system -- such as a pathway in a cell -- and allow them to study systems in their natural state.
Sat, 9 Feb 08
Nurses As 'Soft Targets' Of Drug Company Promotion
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231630991/080204223759.htm
Nursing education fails to prepare graduates to deal with the pharmaceutical industry's promotional tactics, and many nurses appear to accept promotional materials uncritically, according to an analysis of the nursing literature recently published.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Oldest Horseshoe Crab Fossil Found, 100 Million Years Old
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327404/080207135801.htm
Few modern animals are as deserving of the title "living fossil" as the lowly horseshoe crab. Seemingly unchanged since before the Age of Dinosaurs, these venerable sea creatures can now claim a history that reaches back almost half-a billion years. Scientists have revealed rare new horseshoe crab fossils from 445 million year-old Ordovician age rocks in central and northern Manitoba, which are about 100 million years older than any previously known forms.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Reduced Sleep Can Increase Childhood Obesity Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327405/080207104303.htm
Less sleep can increase a child's risk of being overweight or obese.. A new analysis of epidemiological studies found that with each additional hour of sleep, the risk of a child being overweight or obese dropped by 9 percent.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Coral Reefs May Be Protected By Natural Ocean Thermostat
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327406/080207124628.htm
Natural processes may prevent oceans from warming beyond a certain point, helping protect some biologically diverse coral reefs from the impacts of climate change. A new study finds evidence that an ocean "thermostat" is helping regulate sea-surface temperatures. This research lends support to a much-debated theory that a natural ocean thermostat prevents sea-surface temperatures from exceeding about 88 degrees Fahrenheit (31 degrees Celsius) in open oceans. If so, this thermostat would protect reefs that have evolved in naturally warm waters that will not warm much further, as opposed to reefs that live in slightly cooler waters that face more significant warming.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Less Invasive Method Provides Highly Accurate Means To Determine Lung Cancer Stage, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327408/080205161247.htm
Using two different endoscopes together is better than using one to stage lung cancer, and is also much more precise and less invasive than the surgical method now most commonly used. This new technique, which uses two small flexible tubes, one of which is inserted into a patient's esophagus to access lymph nodes in the back of the lungs while the other is placed into the trachea, or airway, to reach nodes at the front and sides, was 93 percent accurate in finding malignant lymph nodes in a group of 138 patients.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Optical Atomic Clock: A Long Look At The Captured Atoms
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327409/080205100948.htm
Optical clocks might become the atomic clocks of the future. Their "pendulum", i.e. the regular oscillation process which each clock needs, is an oscillation in the range of the visible light. As its frequency is higher than that of the microwave oscillations of the cesium atomic clocks, physicists expect another increase in the accuracy, stability and reliability.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Genes And Environment Interact In First Graders To Predict Physical But Not Social Aggression
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327412/080207085626.htm
Research with 400 pairs of 7-year-old twins assessed the genetic and environmental effects on children's physical and social aggression (behaviors such as spreading rumors). Specifically, the researchers found that physical aggression in a friend is likely to interact with genetic tendency towards physical aggression; however, a child's social aggression was not affected by one's genetic disposition. Further, effects of friends' aggression on other children's aggression were only observed within the same type of aggression.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Knee Brace Generates Electricity From Walking
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327413/080207140751.htm
A new energy-capturing knee brace can generate enough electricity from walking to operate a portable GPS locator, a cell phone, a motorized prosthetic joint or an implanted neurotransmitter. The researcher, who called the device "a cocktail-napkin idea," says knee joints are uniquely suited for this endeavor.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Impaired Fat-burning Gene Worsens Diabetes, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327414/080207163753.htm
Researchers have discovered new cellular mechanisms that lead to in insulin resistance in people with diabetes. The research team identified a 'fat-burning' gene, the products of which are required to maintain the cells insulin sensitivity. They also discovered that this gene is reduced in muscle tissue from people with high blood sugar and type 2-diabetes.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Cells Identified That Cause Nervous System Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327415/080207171125.htm
Scientists have tracked down the cells responsible for neurofibromatosis type 1, a disfiguring, incurable condition and one of the most common hereditary disorders. Neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1, is a peripheral nervous system condition that afflicts one in 3,500 Americans. Symptoms normally begin to appear by age 10. Though most cases are mild, the disease can lead to disfigurement, learning disabilities, blindness, skeletal abnormalities, loss of limbs and, occasionally, lethal malignancies.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Fatal Copper Disorder Can Now Be Detected At Birth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327416/080206203108.htm
A new test could greatly extend the survival of infants with Menkes disease, a rare, otherwise fatal disorder of copper metabolism. The test allows for early diagnosis of the condition, when the chance for successful treatment is greatest.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Fluorescent Proteins Developed For Live Cell Imaging, Biosensor Design
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327417/080206101405.htm
Scientists have developed new "fluorogen activating proteins" that will become a key component of novel molecular biosensor technology. The FAPs can be used to monitor biological activities of individual proteins and other biomolecules within living cells in real time. Researchers designed the FAPs to emit fluorescent light only when bound to a fluorogen, an otherwise non-fluorescent dye added by the scientists. This feature will allow biologists to track proteins on the cell surface and within living cells in very simple and direct ways, eliminating cumbersome experimental steps.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Discrimination Against Blacks Linked To Dehumanization, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327419/080207163811.htm
Crude historical depictions of African Americans as ape-like may have disappeared from mainstream US culture, but research presented in a new paper by psychologists at Stanford, Pennsylvania State University and the University of California-Berkeley reveals that many Americans subconsciously associate blacks with apes. In addition, the findings show that society is more likely to condone violence against black criminal suspects as a result of its broader inability to accept African Americans as fully human, according to the researchers.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Third Cousins Have Greatest Number Of Offspring, Data From Iceland Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327420/080207140855.htm
Scientists have established a substantial and consistent positive correlation between the kinship of couples and the number of children and grandchildren they have. The study, which analyzes more than 200 years of deCODE's comprehensive genalogical data on the population of Iceland, shows that couples related at the level of third cousins have the greatest number of offspring. These new findings suggest that the recent and dramatic demographic shift experienced in Iceland -- from a rural society to a highly urbanized one -- may serve to slow population growth, as individuals are exposed to a much broader range of distantly related potential mates.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Novel Compound May Lessen Heart Attack Damage, Initial Tests Show
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327422/080207085547.htm
A novel drug designed to lessen muscle damage from a heart attack has passed initial safety tests in humans. Researchers said that many people may not realize that the heart suffers damage at two major points in a heart attack: first, when a blockage in a coronary artery prevents blood and oxygen from getting to the heart, and then again when the patient undergoes PCI and normal blood flow is restored through reperfusion.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
New Hybrid Vehicle Given Its First Test Drive In The Ocean
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305420/080207140106.htm
Taking a page out of a science fiction story, researchers have successfully flown the first environmentally powered robotic vehicle through the ocean. The new robotic "glider" harvests heat energy from the ocean to propel itself across thousands of kilometers of water. Unlike motorized, propeller-driven vehicles, gliders propel themselves through the ocean by changing their buoyancy to dive and surface. Wings generate lift, while a vertical tail fin and rudder allow the vehicles to be steered horizontally. Gliding underwater vehicles trace a saw-tooth profile through the ocean's layers, surfacing periodically to fix their positions via the Global Positioning System and to communicate via Iridium satellite to a shore lab.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Babies Recently Treated With Lotion, Shampoo, And Powder More Likely To Have Phthalates Chemicals In Urine
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327424/080207092824.htm
Babies recently treated with infant personal care products such as lotion, shampoo, and powder, were more likely to have manmade chemicals called phthalates in their urine than other babies. Phthalates (pronounced "thah-lates") are added to many personal care and cosmetic products, as well many common household plastic and vinyl products, and some studies suggest they may affect reproductive development in humans. Phthalate exposure in early childhood has been associated with altered hormone concentrations as well as increased allergies, runny nose, and eczema.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Bug Guts Map Brings Scientists Closer To Understanding Different Bugs' Role In The Body
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327426/080205111731.htm
Scientists have made a major step towards understanding precisely which bugs in the gut are involved in which processes in the body, by mapping the different species of bugs living in seven members of the same Chinese family.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Treadle-powered Water Pumps Help Desert Agriculture
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327428/080204134602.htm
The parched landscape of Sudan, on the southern edge of the Sahara desert, is among the world's driest regions, with a nine-month dry season and a highly unreliable rainy season. Large-scale farmers there manage to grow about half of the impoverished nation's food production with the help of motorized irrigation pumps, but for individual subsistence farmers and their families -- about two-thirds of the nation's 40 million people -- growing crops mostly means hauling water by hand in buckets.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Moderate Prenatal Exposure To Alcohol And Stress In Monkeys Can Cause Touch Sensitivity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327431/080207085600.htm
A new study that exposed monkeys to moderate levels of alcohol and stress in pregnancy found increased sensitivity to touch in the monkeys' babies. Using a brain neuro-imaging technique, the researchers found that sensitivities to touch were related to changes in the brain chemical dopamine one area of the brain. Since sensitivity to touch in human children can lead to behavioral and emotional problems, this research has important implications for preventing childhood disorders.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Did Birds Originate When Dinosaurs Went Extinct, Or Have They Been Around Far Longer?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327434/080205171749.htm
Did modern birds originate around the time of the dinosaurs' demise, or have they been around far longer? The question is at the center of a sometimes contentious "rocks versus clocks" debate between paleontologists, whose estimates are based on the fossil record, and scientists who use "molecular clock" methods to study evolutionary history.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Natural Secretion Marks Difference Between Mole And Melanoma
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305421/080207124631.htm
One might call it a tale of two melanocytes. Given the same genetic mutation, why does one melanocyte shut down growth and become a relatively benign mole, while another rages out of control and develops into deadly melanoma? In trying to tease out the answer to this simple question, researchers have uncovered a protein that stops the growth of melanoma, a cancer that develops from pigment-producing cells in the skin called melanocytes. If this natural anti-cancer agent can be produced and delivered to tumors, it might serve as a targeted chemotherapy for metastatic melanoma, a condition which is "basically untreatable" today.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Beaked Whales Actually Hear Through Their Throats
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228932284/080204085259.htm
Researchers have been using computer models to mimic the effects of underwater noise on an unusual whale species and have discovered a new pathway for sound entering the head and ears. Since 1968, it has been believed that noise vibrations travel through the thin bony walls of toothed whales' lower jaw and onto the fat body attached to the ear complex. This research shows however that the thin bony walls do not transmit the vibrations. In fact they enter through the throat and then pass to the bony ear complex via a unique fatty channel.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Carbohydrate Regulates Stem Cell Potency
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227401126/080201131223.htm
A carbohydrate molecule that coats certain proteins on the cell surface, is critical for the proper proliferation and potency of embryonic stem cells, researchers report. Stem cells' tremendous therapeutic potential arises from their ability to continually self-renew and turn into any adult cell type. Researchers have long been trying to uncover the basis of these abilities, but while several proteins and growth factors are known to play a role both inside and outside the cell, the molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Mummy Lice Found In Peru May Give New Clues About Human Migration
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305422/080207120006.htm
Lice from 1,000-year-old mummies in Peru may unravel important clues about a different sort of passage: the migration patterns of America's earliest humans, a new study suggests. DNA sequencing found the strain of lice to be genetically the same as the form of body lice that spawns several deadly diseases, including typhus, which was blamed for the loss of Napoleon's grand army and millions of other soldiers, one of the researchers said.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Pygmy Dinosaur Inhabited Tropical Islands In Britain's Prehistoric Past
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327438/080206193723.htm
The celebrated Bristol Dinosaur, Thecodontosaurus, has now been shown to live on subtropical islands around Bristol, instead of in a desert on the mainland as previously thought. This new research could explain the dinosaur's small size (2 m) in relation to its giant (10 m) mainland equivalent, Plateosaurus. Like many species trapped on small islands, such as the 'hobbit' Homo floresiensis of Flores and pygmy elephants on Malta, the Bristol Dinosaur may have been subjected to island dwarfing.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Alzheimer's-associated Plaques Can Form In A Day, And Alzheimer's Symptoms Soon Follow
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327440/080206131646.htm
The amyloid plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients may form much more rapidly than previously expected. Using an advanced microscopic imaging technique to examine brain tissue in mouse models of the devastating neurological disorder, researchers find that plaques can develop in as little as a day and that Alzheimer's-associated neuronal changes appear soon afterwards.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Iodized Table Salt May Be Low In Iodine, Raising Health Concerns
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228996822/080204090923.htm
Amid concern that people in the United States are consuming inadequate amounts of iodine, scientists in Texas have found that 53 percent of iodized salt samples contained less than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended level of this key nutrient. Iodized table salt is the main source of iodine for most individuals, they note in a new study.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
'Good Bacteria' In Women Give Clues For Slowing HIV Transmission
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305425/080207085551.htm
Beneficial bacteria found in healthy women help to reduce the amount of vaginal HIV among HIV-infected women and make it more difficult for the virus to spread, boosting the possibility that "good bacteria" might someday be tapped in the fight against HIV.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Using Musical Chords To Analyze And Illustrate Hydrogen Molecule's Response To Laser Pulses
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305426/080131161804.htm
For one university physics professor, confirmation of a theory about the behavior of small molecules became music to his ears -- literally. He and colleagues have shown how a hydrogen molecule responds to laser pulses by using the changing musical chord created by the molecule's vibrational motion.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Hybrid Electric Vehicles Not As Green As They Are Painted, Analysts Contend
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305427/080207094314.htm
Hybrid electric vehicles are no more than a stop-gap until more sustainable technology is developed according to researchers. Analysts suggest that the adoption of hybrids might even slow development of more sustainable fuel-cell powered electric vehicles. Most manufacturers are rapidly integrating hybrid electric vehicles into their technology portfolio, despite the absence of significant profitability.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
First Documented Case Of Pest Resistance To Biotech Cotton
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305423/080207140803.htm
A pest insect known as bollworm, or Helicoverpa zea, is the first to evolve resistance in the field to plants modified to produce an insecticide called Bt, according to a new research report. Entomologists discovered the existence of Bt-resistant populations of bollworm in Mississippi and Arkansas by analyzing published data from monitoring studies of six major caterpillar pests of Bt crops in Australia, China, Spain and the US.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Depressed Mice Reveal Critical Chemical Pathway For Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305424/080207131854.htm
Blocking production of a single enzyme alleviates symptoms of depression and anxiety in mice that have low serotonin levels, researchers have found. Serotonin, a chemical that helps brain cells communicate with one another, is the target of the most successful anti-depressant medications. Low levels of serotonin are implicated in depression and many other psychiatric disorders, including increased anxiety, aggression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Europe's Columbus Laboratory Leaves Earth
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305429/080207163801.htm
Columbus, ESA's advanced science laboratory in space, has just been launched into orbit, and is now on its way to dock with the International Space Station. One astronaut will return to Earth after the 12-day Shuttle mission is over, but another will stay on the ISS for over two more months to supervise the in-orbit commissioning of ESA’s Columbus laboratory and its experimental facilities and to perform a program of experiments.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
What Does And Doesn't Affect Immune System
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305430/080204172208.htm
Scientists know that a number of factors can affect the body's immune system: poor diet, certain steroids, chronic stress. Now researchers have discovered that an appetite-controlling hormone also affects the immune system, while natural versions of certain steroids do not.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Engineers Create Record-setting High-frequency Circuit That Could Slash Costs For Detectors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305431/080207123348.htm
Engineers have crafted the world's highest-frequency circuit made with a common type of semiconductor transistor, a step that could slash the price of detectors useful in earlier cancer detection and quicker pollution spotting. Ultra-high-frequency circuits have been created in the past, but only with exotic materials that are costly to manufacture. CMOS, by contrast, is the standard process used to make the majority of the circuits in the integrated circuit industry. That opens the door to widespread manufacture and distribution of the high-frequency circuits. At a recent conference, the scientists demonstrated a 410-gigahertz circuit using complementary metal oxide silicon, or CMOS, technology -- the technology used to make many of the components in personal computers, cell phones and handheld electronic devices.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Poor Neighborhoods' Influence On Parents May Raise Preschool Children's Risk Of Problems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305432/080207085613.htm
New research that examined the influence of poor neighborhoods on parents has linked parental factors to increased risk of verbal and behavioral problems in children. Living in poor neighborhoods was associated with poorer mental health in parents, poorer family relations, and less consistent and more punitive parenting. The study also found less neighborhood cohesion or mutual trust in poor neighborhoods, which were often associated in turn with parenting styles related to behavior problems in children.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Video Games Activate Reward Regions Of Brain In Men More Than Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305428/080204140115.htm
In a first-of-its-kind imaging study, the Stanford University School of Medicine researchers have shown that the part of the brain that generates rewarding feelings is more activated in men than women during video-game play.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Irregular Exercise Pattern May Add Pounds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228932277/080204094505.htm
The consequences of quitting exercise may be greater than previously thought, according to a new study that determined that the weight gained during an exercise hiatus can be tough to shed when exercise is resumed at a later date.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Common Genetic Disease Found To Be Liver Disorder
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327443/080206094516.htm
The exact origin of the genetic iron overload disorder hereditary hemochromatosis has remained elusive. Researchers have now discovered that HH is a liver disease. Iron is essential for our body, because it is a central component of red blood cells. Too little iron can lead to dangerous anemias, but also too much iron can be detrimental as it promotes the formation of toxic radicals that lead to tissue damage.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Breaking Down Huntington's Disease One Protein At A Time
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305433/080204111749.htm
Hoping to piece together the intricate series of interactions that lead to Huntington's disease, scientists have determined the shape and structure of a binding site that may prove useful in combating the neurodegenerative disease. Huntington's disease is a hereditary disorder that causes large numbers of nerve cells to die. About 30,000 people in the U.S. are estimated to have the disease -- approximately one person in ten thousand.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Risk Factors For Severe RSV Infection In Immunocompromised Children Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305434/080204132525.htm
Researchers have shown how to predict if a child who is infected with respiratory syncytial virus while being treated for cancer or another catastrophic disease is at high risk for developing severe infection. The finding will help clinicians improve guidelines for managing these infected children.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Hand-held Computers Prod Older Adults To Exercise More, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231327445/080205121733.htm
Specially programmed PDAs, or personal digital assistants, can prod middle-aged and older Americans - the most sedentary segment of the U.S. population - into increasing their physical activity levels. One surprise was the participants' positive response to the program's persistence. The PDA users liked the three additional "reminder" beeps that went off if they failed to respond to the first one. In fact, almost half of them wound up responding to the PDA only after being beeped for the fourth time. Researchers note that developing approaches to help people increase their exercise frequency, while taking into account an individual's schedule and environment, is particularly important.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Worried About Family Or Friends Falling? New Guideline Identifies Those Most At Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231305435/080204161437.htm
A new guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology finds certain neurology patients are at a high risk of accidental falls and should be regularly screened to help prevent the high number of fall-related injuries and deaths in the United States each year.
Fri, 8 Feb 08
Iron Banded Worms Drying Out Of Blood Could Be Linked To Parkinson's And Alzheimer's
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/232187906/080209080452.htm
Researchers have discovered that the mechanism that we rely on to transport iron safely through our blood can collapse into a state which grows long worm-like "fibrils" banded by lines of iron rust. This process could provide the first insight into how iron gets deposited in the brain to cause some forms of Parkinson's & Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Baboon Dads Have Surprising Influence On Daughters' Fitness
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615578/080204172226.htm
Polygamous baboon fathers get more grandchildren if they spend a little time with their children during their juvenile years, according to new research. The findings, in well-studied social groupings of yellow baboons living at the foot of Africa's Mt. Kilimanjaro, were unexpected in "multi-male" animal societies where both genders have multiple partners and mature males were thought to focus their energies almost solely on mating.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
'Weight Training' Reduces Fat And Improve Metabolism In Mice
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615579/080205121740.htm
Researchers have demonstrated that in mice, the use of barbells may be as important to losing weight and improving health as the use of running shoes. The discovery builds upon the fact that skeletal muscle consists of two types of fibers. Endurance training such as running increases the amount of type I muscle fibers, while resistance training such as weightlifting increases type II muscle fibers. Using a mouse genetic model, researchers demonstrated that an increase in type II muscle mass can reduce body fat which in turn reduces overall body mass and improves metabolic parameters such as insulin resistance. These studies indicate that weight bearing exercise, in addition to endurance training, may benefit overweight people.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Lifetime Medical Costs Of Obese People Actually Lower Than Costs For Healthy And Fit, Mathematical Model Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615580/080204212858.htm
What are the lifetime medical costs associated with obesity? Researchers found that the group of healthy, never-smoking individuals had the highest lifetime healthcare costs, because they lived the longest and developed diseases associated with aging; healthcare costs were lowest for the smokers, and intermediate for the group of obese never-smokers.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Gotta Have Heart: Crocodilians Bypass Their Lungs To Improve Digestion
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230348339/080204133135.htm
Crocodiles are among nature's most fearsome predators. When the opportunity arises, crocodilians will gorge, voluntarily consuming meals weighing 23% of their own body weight. This is analogous to a 130-pound woman eating, at one sitting, a hamburger weighing 30 pounds. New research on American alligators' circulation systems finds that crocodilians bypass their lungs to improve digestion.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Vitamin A And Zinc Supplement May Help Protect Children From Malaria, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615581/080205123828.htm
Could a simple vitamin A and zinc supplement help protect young children from malaria? A randomized double blind trial would suggest the answer is yes. Vitamin A and zinc play a critical role in the normal function of the immune system, and may even play a synergistic role for reducing the risk of infection including malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Environmentally Friendly Technology Can Produce Commonly Used Compound, Ethylene
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615582/080205111714.htm
A new environmentally friendly technology may revolutionize the production of the world's most commonly produced organic compound, ethylene. Ethylene has a vast number of uses in all aspects of industry. Farmers and horticulturalists use it as a plant hormone to promote flowering and ripening, especially in bananas. Doctors and surgeons have also long used ethylene as an anesthetic, while ethylene-based polymers can be found in everything from freezer bags to fiberglass.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Seeing Our Spouses More Negatively Might Be A Positive, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615583/080205100945.htm
While our relationships with children and best friends tend to become less negative as we age, we're more likely to see our spouses as irritating and demanding. Viewing our spouses more negatively over time may not be all bad, according to the researchers. In fact, it might even be, well, positive. “As we age, and become closer and more comfortable with one another, it could be that we’re more able to express ourselves to each other. In other words, it’s possible that negativity is a normal aspect of close relationships that include a great deal of daily contact.”
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Barnacles Go To Great Lengths To Mate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615584/080206150703.htm
Compelled to mate, yet firmly attached to the rock, barnacles have evolved the longest penis of any animal for their size -- up to 8 times their body length -- so they can find and fertilize distant neighbors. Biologists have shown that barnacles appear to have acquired the capacity to change the size and shape of their penises to closely match local wave conditions.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
A Cosmic Fossil? Brilliant But Fuzzy Galaxy May Be Aftermath Of Multi-Galaxy Collision
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615585/080205115813.htm
The galaxy NGC 1132 is most likely a cosmic fossil -- the aftermath of an enormous multi-galactic pile-up, where the carnage of collision after collision has built up a brilliant but fuzzy giant elliptical galaxy far outshining typical galaxies. In visible light NGC 1132 appears as a single, isolated, giant elliptical galaxy, but this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Brain Circuitry That Drives Drug-seeking Compulsion Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615586/080206121515.htm
In experiments with rats, researchers have identified the change in brain circuitry that drives development of a compulsion to seek drugs, even when that compulsion is self-destructive. The researchers demonstrated the function of the circuitry by selectively switching off drug-seeking in the animals. They said their findings show the key role of the brain region, known as the striatum, which is a region activated by reward.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Broiler Chickens Bred For Fast Growth Are Having Difficulty Walking
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615589/080206090505.htm
The huge increase in growth rates of broiler chickens means more than a quarter of these intensively-reared birds have difficulty walking, according to a comprehensive survey. The study identifies a range of management changes that could reduce leg health problems but warns that implementation of these changes would be likely to reduce growth rate and production. The study found that at an average age of 40 days, over 27.6 per cent of birds showed poor locomotion and 3.3 per cent were almost unable to walk. The high prevalence of poor locomotion occurred despite culling policies designed to remove severely lame birds from flocks.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Model Found To Determine Cause, Possible Treatment Of Nerve Tumors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615590/080204143153.htm
A new model may help unravel the cause of fibrous, noncancerous nerve tumors called neurofibromas, which can lead to disfigurement and in rare cases death by compressing vital organs. Researchers said their findings also provide a way to test therapies that could eventually help patients with limited options for treating the disease -- Neurofibromatosis type 1.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Rheumatoid Arthritis Sends Many Into Early Retirement
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615591/080204102758.htm
The highest cost in rheumatoid arthritis results from patients having to leave the workforce early due to the disease. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common autoimmune diseases and a leading cause of chronic pain affecting over three million people in Europe alone.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Giving Mice A Cold Virus Offers Hope Of New Asthma Treatments
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615592/080205195818.htm
Scientists have been able to recreate rhinovirus infection, which is behind most common colds, in a small animal for the first time. For fifty years since they were discovered, it had been thought that rhinoviruses could only infect humans and chimpanzees. Rhinoviruses are an unwelcome inconvenience for the majority of the population as they cause around three quarters of common colds.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Environmental Toxins Linked To Early Onset Puberty In Girls, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615593/080206121505.htm
Certain environmental toxins, such as the mycoestrogen zearalenone produced by the Fusarium fungus species, can be found naturally in the environment, have properties similar to the female reproductive hormone estrogen, and are also structurally similar to anabolic growth agents used in animal breeding. A new study suggests that certain mycoestrogens may be directly linked to the early onset of sexual development in young girls.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Air Pollution May Be Causing More Rainy Summer Days In The Southeast US
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615594/080201215416.htm
Rainfall data from a NASA satellite show that summertime storms in the southeastern United States shed more rainfall midweek than on weekends. Scientists say air pollution from humans is likely driving that trend.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Gene Found To Play A Suppressor Role In Skin Cancer Development
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615595/080206170321.htm
Genetic evidence has been provided that Activating Transcription Factor 2 plays a suppressor role in skin cancer development. ATF2 is a protein that regulates gene transcription, the first step in the translation of genetic code, in response to extracellular stresses such as ultraviolet light and ionizing radiation. This function of ATF2 in stress and DNA damage response suggests it may also play a role in tumor formation.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Particle Accelerator: Signals Sent Racing Ahead At Light Speed To Keep Particles Colliding
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615596/080206101401.htm
Imagine trying to catch up to something moving close to the speed of light - the fastest anything can move -- and sending ahead information in time to make mid-path flight corrections. Impossible? Not quite. Physicists at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, a particle accelerator, have achieved this tricky task -- and the results may aid in the quest to understand the inner workings of the early universe. Already, RHIC scientists have learned that mere microseconds after the Big Bang, the universe was more interesting than imagined - a nearly "perfect" liquid with virtually no viscosity and strong interactions among its constituents.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Smoking Linked To Sleep Disturbances
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615597/080204172250.htm
Cigarette smokers are four times as likely as nonsmokers to report feeling unrested after a night's sleep. Smokers also spend less time in deep sleep and more time in light sleep than nonsmokers. Researchers speculate that the stimulating effects of nicotine could cause smokers to experience nicotine withdrawal each night, which may contribute to disturbances in sleep.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Antiretroviral Drugs May Protect Against Sexual Transmission Of HIV
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615603/080204212902.htm
A new study in macaques suggests that antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV could also protect people from getting the AIDS virus, especially if two drugs are taken in combination before exposure to the virus occurs. The study found that macaques which were repeatedly exposed to SHIV (a virus closely related to HIV) but received antiretroviral drugs were less likely to become infected than exposed macaques that received no anti-HIV medication. The best protection was seen in macaques that had received a combination of two drugs.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Diabetes And Cardiovascular Disease Trial Involving Intensively Lower Blood Glucose Stopped For Risk Of Death
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615605/080206105440.htm
NIH has stopped one treatment within the ACCORD study, a large, ongoing North American clinical trial of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, 18 months early due to safety concerns after review of available data, although the study will continue. In this trial of adults with type 2 diabetes at especially high risk for heart attack and stroke, the medical strategy to intensively lower blood glucose (sugar) below current recommendations increased the risk of death compared with a less-intensive standard treatment strategy.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Fully Robotic Observatory Set Up In Antarctica
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615611/080201215412.htm
Scientists have succeeded in reaching the summit of Antarctica -- also a monumental achievement for ground-based astronomy -- to establish a new astronomical observatory at Dome Argus on the highest point of the Antarctic Plateau.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Chemists Track How Drug Changes, Blocks Flu Virus
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227401124/080201134859.htm
Chemists have discovered an antivirus drug attacks influenza A by changing the motion and structure of a proton channel necessary for the virus to infect healthy cells. Researchers said the findings are particularly important because mutations of the type A virus are resistant to the antivirus drug.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Promising In 90-Year-Olds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227936717/080202124039.htm
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is becoming increasingly common, and appears to be a viable treatment, among individuals in their 90s, according to a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology. CABG surgery creates new pathways around narrowed and blocked arteries, allowing sufficient delivery of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart. Researchers studied the outcomes of the surgery on 4,224 nonagenarian Medicare patients who underwent the procedure from 1993 through 1999.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Dry Season Brings On Measles In Sub-Saharan Africa
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615614/080206131643.htm
Measles epidemics in Niger fluctuate wildly from one season to another but the timing of the outbreaks always coincides with the end of the annual rainy season, according to researchers. Although vaccination has largely brought measles under control in many parts of the world, the disease remains a major killer in much of sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Languages Evolve In Rapid Bursts, Rather Than Following A Steady Pattern
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615615/080206154123.htm
Languages change and evolve in rapid bursts rather than in a steady pattern. New research investigates thousands of years of language evolution, and looks at the way in which languages split and evolve. It has long been accepted that the desire for a distinct social identity may cause languages to change quickly, but it has not previously been known whether such rapid bursts of change are a regular feature of the evolution of human language.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Organic Solar Cells: Electricity From A Thin Film
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615617/080206154631.htm
Teams of researchers all over the world are working on the development of organic solar cells. Organic solar cells have good prospects for the future: They can be laid onto thin films, which makes them cheap to produce.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Tipping Elements In Earth's Climate System
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615618/080204172224.htm
A number of key components of the Earth's climate system could pass their 'tipping point'. Earth's climate system is at risk of being pushed past critical thresholds, so that important components may "tip". In other words, the Earth is approaching the point where even small changes can have large long-term consequences on human and ecological systems.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Brain Region That Can Be Stimulated To Reduce The Cognitive Deficits Of Sleep Deprivation Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227481992/080201155646.htm
Scientists have uncovered how stimulation of a particular brain region can help st Working memory is a specific form of short-term memory that relates to the ability to store task-specific information for a limited timeframe, e.g., where your car is parked in a huge mall lot or remembering a phone number for few seconds before writing it down. It has long been established that cognitive performance, such as working memory, declines with sleep deprivation.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Growing Hypoallergenic Rubber Plants In Texas
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615619/080201134903.htm
Changing and growing markets have renewed interest and research on guayule and lesquerella, two native Big Bend plants that might be grown in Texas. The reason guayule is back on the forefront now is medical products. Many people are allergic to natural rubber products, but guayule rubber does not seem to cause the allergic reactions.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
'Molecular Glue' Cohesin Acts As Regulator Of Gene Expression
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615620/080131101756.htm
Ten years ago, researchers discovered the fundamental role of cohesin, a ring-shaped molecule, in cell division. Now scientists from the same institute find proof that cohesion also plays a role in the regulation of gene expression. Certain developmental disorders like Cornelia de Lange Syndrome can be linked to defects in this function of cohesin.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Bone Mineral Content Continues To Increase In Obese Adolescents During Weight Loss
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227378057/080201114148.htm
Obese teenagers who succeeded in losing weight in a year-long medically supervised weight control program also saw their bone mineral content increase over that period. The finding was reassuring, because adolescence is a critical period for bone health in later life.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Lending A Robotic Hand To Your Carpentry Education
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615621/080206161559.htm
Up to now, most learning focused on abstract symbolic knowledge like writing, or passive receptive iconic knowledge through images. But there is a third kind, 'enactive' knowledge, or learning by doing. It is the information we acquire using our whole bodies, and it is a new paradigm in IT-assisted education. Learning by doing, or by 'enaction', started at the dawn of humanity itself, from the time the first proto-human discovered that a bone could become a tool. But it is a practice that has become marginalized in developed societies, as convenience and, increasingly, technology lure people away from craftwork and physical labor.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
DNA 'Barcode' Identified For Plants
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615622/080205111733.htm
A 'barcode' gene that can be used to distinguish between the majority of plant species on Earth has been identified. This gene, which can be used to identify plants using a small sample, could lead to new ways of easily cataloguing different types of plants in species-rich areas like rainforests. It could also lead to accurate methods for identifying plant ingredients in powdered substances, such as in traditional Chinese medicines, and could help to monitor and prevent the illegal transportation of endangered plant species.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
New Battleground For Viruses And Immune Cells Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615623/080206105437.htm
Vaccines have led to many of the world's greatest public health triumphs, but many deadly viruses, such as HIV, still elude the best efforts of scientists to develop effective vaccines against them. An improved understanding of how the immune system operates during a viral infection is critical to designing successful anti-virus vaccines. Scientists have now added an important dimension to this knowledge.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Conservation Strategies Must Shift With Global Environmental Change, Ecologists Urge
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615624/080131101747.htm
Traditional ecosystems in which communities of plants and animals have co-evolved and are interdependent are increasingly rare, due to human-induced ecosystem changes. As a result, historical assessments of ecosystem health are often inaccurate. Scientists are now suggesting that efforts should focus less on restoring ecosystems to their original state and more on sustaining new, healthy ecosystems that are resilient to further environmental change. Accepting some permanent changes may increase health of ecosystems.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
PET Outperforms CT In Characterization Of Lung Nodules, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615626/080206105434.htm
Researchers involved in a large, multi-institutional study comparing the accuracy of positron emission tomography and computed tomography in the characterization of lung nodules found that PET was far more reliable in detecting whether or not a nodule was malignant.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Croatian Children Have Higher Weapons-related Death Rate During And After Homeland War
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615627/080204161422.htm
The Homeland War in Croatia, which occurred from 1991 to 1995, led to an increase in weapon-related deaths of children during and five years after the end of the war, according to a new report.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Bone Marrow Stem Cell Release Regulated By Brain's Biological Clock
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231040436/080206212051.htm
Researchers have discovered that the release of blood stem cells from bone marrow is regulated by the brain through the cyclical human biological clock, via adrenergic signals transmitted by the sympathetic nervous system. These new findings point out that the harvest of stem cells for transplantation may be improved by timing it at the peak of their release.
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Treating Acne: Two Different Acid Peels Are Both Effective, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/231040438/080206121508.htm
Chemical peels using either alpha-hydroxy acid or beta-hydroxy acid are both highly effective in treating mild to moderately severe facial acne, researchers have found -- the first study to compare the two different types of acid peels as therapies for the skin disorder. Peels using beta-hydroxy acid (or BHA) had slightly fewer side effects and results that lasted a bit longer than did peels using alpha-hydroxy acid (or AHA), the study found.
Wed, 6 Feb 08
Protecting Researchers And Research From Anti-Animal Research Extremists
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230615628/080206162309.htm
A new document aims to help improve the protection of academic researchers, including, but not limited to, those who face intimidation, harassment and physical attack by fringe anti-animal research extremists. The responsible and humane use of animals in research has been an indispensable part of the health and medical revolution that is treating and curing crippling conditions that affect millions in North America and more around the globe.
Wed, 6 Feb 08
Feed The Birds: Winter Feeding Makes For Better Breeding
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230348343/080205191210.htm
Keep feeding the birds over winter. A new study shows for the first time that the extra food we provide garden birds in winter makes for a more successful breeding season. This research shows, for the first time, that birds will continue to benefit from winter feeding well into the breeding season in the spring.
Wed, 6 Feb 08
Synthetic Estrogens Could Lessen Risks Associated With Hormone Replacement Therapy, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230348340/080204221922.htm
A new class of synthetic estrogens could offer women most of the benefit and less of the risk of standard hormone replacement therapy, a study in animals suggests. Mice with induced Alzheimer's-like symptoms got better when given the synthetic hormone propylpyrazole triol (PPT). "It improved behavior much the way that estrogen does," said one of the researchers. But unlike estrogen, which enlarges the uterus and is a known risk factor for endometrial and breast cancer, PPT caused no obvious changes to the animals' reproductive tract.
Wed, 6 Feb 08
Helium-8 Study Gives Insight Into Nuclear Theory, Neutron Stars
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230348341/080205201555.htm
The most neutron-rich matter that can be made on Earth--the nucleus of the helium-8 atom--has been created, trapped and characterized by researchers. This new measurement gives rise to several significant consequences in nuclear theory and the study of neutron stars.
Wed, 6 Feb 08
Respiratory Disturbances During Sleep Increase Significantly With Age
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/230348342/080201085718.htm
The frequency of respiratory disturbances increases dramatically with age, even in healthy individuals without symptoms or signs of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. An increase in the prevalence of sleep apnea syndrome with age has been well documented. This study focused on breathing irregularities during sleep in 163 people who are currently completely healthy, as assessed by passing numerous physical and clinical health tests.
Wed, 6 Feb 08
Structure Of Important Neurotransmitter Regulator Determined
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227401128/080201123215.htm
Researchers have solved the structure of an enzyme that is critical in the regulation of the neurotransmitter system in the human brain. The enzyme is human kynurenine aminotransferase II (KAT II), which regulates the activity of the neurotransmitter system that is activated by glutamate, the most common neurotransmitter in the brain.
Wed, 6 Feb 08
New Strategy Helps Reduce Errors In Obstetrical Care
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227963517/080202113522.htm
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have implemented patient safety enhancements to dramatically reduce errors and improve the staff's own perception of the safety climate in obstetrical care. These included communication training, standardizing interpretation of fetal monitoring, and creating a novel staff role -- the patient safety nurse.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
No Link Between Measles, Mumps, Rubella Shot And Autism Spectrum Disorders
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650014/080204212852.htm
There is no evidence for a link between the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) jab and autism, finds new research. MMR has been linked to the development of autism, following the publication in 1998 of research on 12 children, which has since been discredited.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Small Bit Of A CMOS Chip Holds 2-D Through-the-walls Radar Imager
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650015/080204212816.htm
Two researchers have created a send/receive chip that functions as an active array, sending out a matrix of 49 simultaneous ultrawideband radar probe beams and picking up the returned beam reflections. It is fabricated by economical CMOS technology. Applications for 49-pixel probe-and-camera system range from medical imaging to emergency rescue.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Communing With Nature Less And Less
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650016/080204172316.htm
From backyard gardening to mountain climbing, outdoor activities are on the wane as people around the world spend more leisure time online or in front of the tube, according to findings. "The replacement of vigorous outdoor activities by sedentary, indoor videophilia has far-reaching consequences for physical and mental health, especially in children," one of the researchers said. "Videophilia has been shown to be a cause of obesity, lack of socialization, attention disorders and poor academic performance."
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Folate Deficiency Associated With Tripling Of Dementia Risk, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650017/080204212850.htm
Folate deficiency is associated with a tripling in the risk of developing dementia among elderly people, suggests new research. The onset of dementia was significantly more likely in those whose folate levels then fell further over the two years, while their homocysteine levels rose. People who were folate deficient to begin with, were almost 3.5 times more likely to develop dementia.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Global Positioning Tracker May Better Gauge Severity Of Peripheral Artery Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650018/080204161417.htm
A space-based technology may provide an inexpensive and more reliable way to gauge the walking capacity in many patients with peripheral artery disease, whose clogged leg arteries cause them severe pain when they walk, according to a new report.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Women Take Almost 50 Percent More Short-term Sick Leave Than Men
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650019/080204212846.htm
Women take almost 50 percent more short term sick leave than men, finds research in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. But they don't take more long term sick leave, the findings show. Physical health problems, physical work demands, and work fatigue were more commonly reported by women. And they were 46% more likely than men to call in sick for short periods of a few days. Women may be better at recognizing problems and going to the doctor for treatment, suggest the researchers.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Breastfeeding Now Safer For Infants Of HIV-infected Mothers
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650020/080204164025.htm
An antiretroviral drug already in widespread use in the developing world to prevent the transmission of HIV from infected mothers to their newborns during childbirth has also been found to substantially cut the risk of subsequent HIV transmission during breast-feeding. This is the first solid evidence that viral transmission through breast milk can be prevented by a drug.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
It's All About Geometry: Protein Contact Surfaces Hold Key To Cures
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227455278/080201155704.htm
Your mother always told you to do your geometry homework, and for scientists seeking new treatments for diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, this advice turns out to be right on the mark.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
New Method Probes Recollections In Memory-impaired Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650021/080204172239.htm
Neuroscientists continue to debate whether or not long-term memory always depends on a region of the brain called the medial temporal lobe, which contains the brain's memory-processing center, the hippocampus. A new study of brain-damaged patients readdresses the issue using a new method to elicit more detailed long-term memories.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Severe Stressful Events Early In Pregnancy May Be Associated With Schizophrenia Among Offspring
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650022/080204161433.htm
Children of women who undergo an extremely stressful event -- such as the death of a close relative -- during the first trimester of pregnancy appear more likely to develop schizophrenia, according to a new report.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Two Genes Found To Play Crucial Role In Cell Survival
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650023/080204172205.htm
New research suggests that two recently discovered genes are critically important for controlling cell survival during embryonic development. The genes, called E2F7 and E2F8, are members of a family of genes that play a fundamental role in development. Members of this family are also involved in cancers of the breast, bladder, stomach and colon. This animal study showed that complete loss of the two genes causes massive cell death and is lethal in developing embryos.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
New Method Detects Fraud in Organically Grown Produce
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227378058/080201114140.htm
As organic farming becomes more common, methods to identify fraud in the industry are increasingly important. Scientists have now successfully used nitrogen isotopic discrimination to determine if non-organic fertilizers were used on sweet peppers.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Preschoolers' Exposure To Terrorist Attacks, Other Trauma Linked To More Severe Behavioral Problems
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650024/080204161428.htm
Preschool children exposed to both the World Trade Center attacks and another traumatic event were more likely to experience behavioral problems than children exposed only to one event or to none, according to a new report.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Hidden Art Could Be Revealed By New Terahertz Device
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166750/080204111732.htm
Like X-rays let doctors see the bones beneath our skin, "T-rays" could let art historians see murals hidden beneath coats of plaster or paint in centuries-old buildings, engineering researchers say.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Vet Medicine Researcher Examines Link Between Cancer, Down Syndrome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166751/080204143158.htm
There's new hope for breast cancer research, and it's coming from a very unlikely place. Researchers at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences recently published articles in the journals Molecular and Cellular Biology and Carcinogenesis indicating that a protein long suspected to play a role in Down Syndrome may also contribute to treating this devastating disease.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Why Don't Chimpanzees Like To Barter Food?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166752/080130092136.htm
Scientists examines the circumstances under which chimpanzees, our closest relatives, will exchange one inherently valuable commodity (an apple slice) for another (a grape), which is what early humans must have somehow learned to do. The researchers found that chimpanzees often did not spontaneously barter food items, but needed to be trained to engage in commodity barter.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Unsuspected Protein Determines Resistance To Breast Cancer Treatment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166753/080204121516.htm
An innovative research approach has identified a previously unsuspected protein as a key player in the resistance to particular forms of breast cancer therapy. The study significantly advances the understanding of the molecular response to breast cancer therapies that target estrogen signaling.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Crossing The Species Line: Immune Surveillance Similarities In Animals And Plants
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166754/080131094100.htm
The plant immune system is not restricted to a fixed set of broad spectrum responses -- rather, it is flexible, resilient, and possesses elements of specificity and responsiveness to disease causing agents. Properties quite reminiscent of those of immunity in animals. All multicellular organisms are in an arms-race against the vast armies of rapidly mutating microbial pathogens that are seeking access to their rich stores of nutrients.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Former Substance Abusers Rarely Relapse After Organ Transplantation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166755/080204111816.htm
Only about 6 percent of former alcoholics and 4 percent of former illicit drug users will relapse into their addictions in any given year following an organ transplant. Substance abuse can lead to serious organ diseases for which transplantation is increasingly considered an acceptable treatment.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Energy-efficient Microchip Could Result In Cell Phones Staying Charged 10 Times As Long, Self-charging Electronics
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228964432/080204102750.htm
A new chip design for portable electronics can be up to 10 times more energy-efficient than present technology. The design could lead to cell phones, implantable medical devices and sensors that last far longer when running from a battery. In some applications, such as implantable medical devices, the goal is to make the power requirements so low that they could be powered exclusively by the body's own heat or movement.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Is The Obesity Epidemic Exaggerated?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166756/080131214527.htm
The categories of normal, overweight, and obese are entirely arbitrary and at odds with the underlying evidence about the association between body mass index and mortality. Regardless, the average population weight gain in the United States in the past 42 years is 10.9kg or 0.26kg a year. Yet, between 1999-2000 and 2001-2002, there were no significant changes in the prevalence of overweight or obesity among US adults or in the prevalence of overweight among children. However, it must be noted that the risks of obesity on many serious health conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer, are serious and well established.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Mechanism Of SARS Lung Damage Identified
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227401125/080201131541.htm
Researchers have uncovered the mechanism that contributes to the buildup of fibrous lung tissue in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), finding that a SARS viral protein important for replication can enhance pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the activity of the enzyme that breaks down connective tissue. The results offer up a new pathway to treat the pulmonary damage of SARS.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Training On The Correct Way To Lift Heavy Objects Does Not Prevent Back Pain
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166757/080131214541.htm
Training showing the correct way to lift heavy objects does not prevent back injuries, according to a systematic review. Back pain is a highly prevalent complaint and a cause of much suffering. In the UK employers have to ensure workers get proper training on how to handle loads correctly and this generally includes advising workers on specific lifting techniques. However this study, which reviewed all the evidence currently available, found no evidence that the advice has any effect.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Porous Structures Help Boost Integration Of Host Tissue With Implants, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166758/080130150521.htm
Scientists demonstrate a novel way of using porous structures as a drug-delivery vehicle that can help boost the integration of host tissue with surgically implanted titanium. Instead of being acted upon by the body as an impenetrable foreign object, the synthetic bone replacement -- currently being tested in rabbits -- features a porous material that allows for the delivery of "microencapsulated bioactive cues" that speed up the growth of host tissue at the site and allow for the growth of new bone.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Generation Gap? 'Online Gap' Widens Divide Between Parents and Children
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166759/080204143203.htm
Instant messaging, blogs, Facebook, MySpace -- there are limitless ways your child communicates online with the offline world. And the risks and opportunities are only increasing. The digital divide between parents and children is widening. Despite what parents might believe, there is an enormous gap between what they think their children are doing online and what is really happening.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Nanotechnology: Entirely New Way Of Storing Gas Created
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227378059/080201111012.htm
A new process for catching gas from the environment and holding it indefinitely in molecular-sized containers has been developed by a team researchers, who say it represents a novel method of gas storage that could yield benefits for capturing, storing and transporting gases more safely and efficiently.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Prostate Cancer Vaccine Effective In Mice, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166760/080201085635.htm
Researchers have developed a prostate cancer vaccine that prevented the development of cancer in 90 percent of young mice genetically predestined to develop the disease. They suggest the same strategy might work for men with rising levels of PSA, a potential diagnostic indicator of prostate cancer.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Anna's Hummingbird Chirps With Its Tail During Display Dives
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166761/080129191358.htm
Many of the world's smallest hummingbirds, including the West Coast's Anna's and the East Coast's ruby-throated, execute display dives to seduce females and drive away intruders. A characteristic chirp at the bottom of the Anna's dive, thought by many to be vocal, has now been shown to result from a split-second flaring of the tail feathers. Tests prove that tail feather vanes act like a reed in a clarinet to produce the beep.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Blacks Twice As Susceptible And More Likely To Die Of Severe Sepsis Than Whites, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166762/080201085744.htm
Blacks have almost double the rate of severe sepsis -- an overwhelming infection of the bloodstream accompanied by acute organ dysfunction -- as whites, according to recent research.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Revolution In Understanding Of Ion Channel Regulation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166763/080130161806.htm
A new study proposes that bubbles may control the opening and closing of ion channels. This new understanding of the channels that control much of life in health and disease provides a vital piece of the molecular puzzle.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Ringing Endorsement: Women Prefer Contraceptive Ring Over Patch
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166764/080204125229.htm
In the first study to directly compare a contraceptive vaginal ring and skin patch, more women indicated overall satisfaction with the vaginal ring, a significant majority saying they preferred it even to the pill. Using the same combination of hormones included in prescription birth control pills, these products became available in 2002 as an alternative to taking a pill every day. Ring and patch are left in place for three weeks at a time.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
New Urine Test Detects Prostate Cancer Better Than Other Methods, Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166765/080201085639.htm
A simple urine test leads to more accurate diagnoses, fewer false-positive results for prostate cancer. The experimental biomarker test more accurately detects prostate cancer than any other screening method currently in use.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Sediment Prediction Tools Off The Mark
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166766/080129160722.htm
A recent study led by a Smithsonian ecologist suggests it is time for a change in at least one area of watershed management. She has been examining the tools scientists and managers use to predict how much sediment runs into the Chesapeake Bay, and by her account, they are way off the mark. The new study compared actual measurement of sediments in more than 100 streams in the Chesapeake watershed with predictions from several of the most up-to-date models. All the models failed completely to identify streams with high sediment levels.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Gene Variant Linked To Moderated Symptoms Of Beta-thalassemia
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166767/080130161823.htm
Beta-thalassemia is a potentially life-threatening disease that affects red blood cells. Scientists have found a genetic variant that can explain why some people with beta thalassemia seem to be protected from most dangerous symptoms.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Ecological Genetics Of Freshwater Bacteria Surveyed
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166768/080201085652.htm
New molecular techniques have started to characterize the nature and variation of bacterial populations in fresh water. The newest techniques can analyze specific functional capabilities of bacteria, such as their ability to metabolize particular molecules.
Tue, 5 Feb 08
Efforts To Eliminate Tuberculosis In US By 2010 Fall Far Short Of Benchmarks
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229166769/080201085740.htm
The US is likely to fall far short of its benchmark goals toward eliminating tuberculosis as a public health problem, according to data from a nationwide survey.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Roost Of Millions Of Migratory Swallows Threatened
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765822/080130190501.htm
The Wildlife Conservation Society has called for protection of a recently discovered site in Nigeria where millions of migratory swallows (Hirundo rustica) gather to roost each night. Scientists say the site is only one of two known roosts in Cross River State, a coastal region in southeastern Nigeria. Preliminary surveys indicate that the site may attract millions of swallows and be of international significance. The roost appears to be under threat of destruction from advancing farms and may require conservation measures to survive.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Gene Predicts Heart Attack Response And Cardiac Damage
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765824/080130141616.htm
A protein influences the response of the heart to a lack of oxygen and blood flow, such as occurs during a heart attack. This finding may present a new therapeutic approach to treating loss of blood flow and oxygen to the heart.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
The Growing-up Of A Star
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/225414840/080129125426.htm
Using ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer, astronomers have probed the inner parts of the disc of material surrounding a young stellar object, witnessing how it gains its mass before becoming an adult.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Babies Excrete Vaccine-mercury Quicker Than Originally Thought, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765826/080130140135.htm
New research in Pediatrics offers another reason to rethink blaming the spike in autism diagnoses on thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative routinely used in several childhood vaccines until the late '90s. Infants' bodies expel the thimerosal mercury much faster than originally thought -- thereby leaving little chance for a progressive building up of the toxic metal.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Some Solids Mimic Liquids On Nanoscale
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765827/080201085631.htm
Physicists and astronomers have shown how some solids behave like liquids on the nanoscale. This is a major step forward in discovering how to measure polymer substances using nanoscale technology. The researchers explore the properties of the large class of natural and synthetic materials on the nanoscale.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Top Hospitals Have 27 Percent Lower Mortality, Study Finds
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765828/080131082231.htm
Patients treated at top-rated hospitals nationwide are nearly one-third less likely to die, on average, than those admitted to all other hospitals, according to a study released today by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. Patients who undergo surgery at these high-performing hospitals also have an average five percent lower risk of complications during their stay, researchers found.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
DNA Is Blueprint, Contractor And Construction Worker For New Structures
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765829/080130130652.htm
DNA is the blueprint of all life, giving instruction and function to organisms ranging from simple one-celled bacteria to complex human beings. Now researchers have used DNA as the blueprint, contractor and construction worker to build a 3-D structure out of gold, a lifeless material. Using just one kind of nanoparticle the researchers built two very different crystalline structures by changing one thing -- the strands of synthesized DNA attached to the tiny gold spheres.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Molecules May Help Predict Survival In Liver Cancer
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765830/080130161820.htm
Tiny molecules that help cells regulate which proteins they make might one day help doctors predict which liver-cancer patients are likely to live longer than others. Researchers compared levels of microRNA in tumor cells and adjacent nontumor cells from liver-cancer patients, most of whom also had hepatitis and cirrhosis. Patients with poor disease-free survival had low overall levels of 19 particular microRNAs compared with those showing better survival after 16 years of follow-up.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Link Between Smoking In Pregnancy And Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Explained
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/225414841/080129125422.htm
A new study sheds light on the relationship between women who smoke while pregnant -- or are exposed to secondhand smoke -- and an increased risk of SIDS to their babies. Researchers found that an infant's ability to respond to oxygen deprivation is dramatically compromised by exposure to nicotine in the womb, even light to moderate amounts.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Neurosurgeons Using New Liquid Treatment For Wide-neck Brain Aneurysm
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765831/080130130620.htm
Neurological surgeons at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience are among the first surgeons in the United States using an FDA-approved liquid system for treating wide-necked brain aneurysms, which could eventually replace current treatments. A brain aneurysm is a weakness in a major blood vessel that causes a portion of the vessel wall to balloon out. This abnormality puts an individual at risk should the aneurysm break open and bleed.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Using DNA, Scientists Hunt For The Roots Of The Modern Potato
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765832/080129160727.htm
More than 99 percent of all modern potato varieties planted today are the direct descendants of varieties that once grew in the lowlands of south-central Chile. How Chilean germplasm came to dominate the modern potato -- which spread worldwide from Europe -- has been the subject of a long, contentious debate among scientists.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Gene Variants May Help To Distribute The Work Of Evolution Between Men And Women
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765833/080131152013.htm
Scientists have reported the discovery of two common, single-letter variants in the sequence of the human genome that regulate one of the principle motors of evolution. Yet remarkably, the versions of the SNPs that increase recombination in men decrease it in women, and vice versa.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
New Decontamination System Kills Anthrax Rapidly Without Lingering Effects
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765834/080129125415.htm
Researchers have developed prototypes of a rapid, non-disruptive and less expensive method to decontaminate bioterrorism hazards. Using flat panels that produce X-rays and ultraviolet-C light, the researchers can kill anthrax spores, even hidden ones, in two to three hours without any lingering effects.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked To Early Death From Cardiovascular Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765835/080131082227.htm
People with rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory autoimmune disease, tend to die younger and, largely from cardiovascular disease. One explanation for this increasingly recognized fact is that inflammation promotes atherosclerosis.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
New Nanotube Findings Give Boost To Potential Biomedical Applications
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/225414833/080129125511.htm
Now it can be said with certainty: what goes in, does come out, at least with regard to carbon nanotubes and mice. But, the ramifications fall more in the realm of biomedicine than Newtonian physics. The newfound knowledge alleviates concerns that nanotubes used to deliver medicine might linger in the organs after their job was done and eventually prove toxic. The findings pave the way for further research into biomedical applications of carbon nanotubes.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Common Drug-releasing Coronary Stents Appear To Have Similar Clinical Outcomes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765836/080129160811.htm
A comparison of use of the first two commercially available drug-releasing coronary stents (for the medications sirolimus and paclitaxel) among patients in "everyday clinical practice" indicates no significant differences for outcomes such as heart attack or cardiac death.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Squeezed Crystals Deliver More Volts Per Jolt
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765837/080130130644.htm
A new discovery has opened the door to a new generation of piezoelectric materials that can convert mechanical strain into electricity and vice versa, potentially cutting costs and boosting performance in myriad applications ranging from medical diagnostics to green energy technologies.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Breast Cancer Diagnosis Comes Late For Women In Gentrifying Neighborhoods
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228765838/080131091325.htm
Women who live in Chicago's gentrifying neighborhoods are more apt to receive a late diagnosis of breast cancer than women who live in poverty-stricken neighborhoods, University of Illinois at Chicago researchers have found.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Big Mac: The Whole World On Your Plate
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650026/080205094852.htm
A burger and fries may be the quintessential North American meal but it can also be viewed as the perfect example of humanity's increasingly varied diet, according to researchers who conducted the first ever study of the phylogenetic distribution of the plants used around the world for food.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Mapping Active Faults In The Gibraltar Arc To Better Predict Earthquake-prone Regions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229650027/080205092746.htm
Researchers have characterized the physical and mechanical properties of the Earth's crust in the Gibraltar Arc, an area of intense seismic activity. The African and Eurasian plates get about 4 mm closer every year. The study related the temperature of the Earth's crust to its seismic activity, determining that the probability of earthquakes is significantly lower in areas of higher temperature.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Scientists Map Signaling Networks That Control Neuron Function
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/225414831/080129125529.htm
In the first large-scale proteomics study of its kind, researchers have mapped thousands of neuronal proteins to discover how they connect into complex signaling networks that guide neuron function. Their research -- using quantitative mass spectrometry, computational software and bioinformatics to match the proteins to their cellular functions -- may lead to a better understanding of brain development, neurodegenerative diseases, and spinal cord regeneration. The relationship between thousands of proteins at work in the brain could impact diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injury.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
New Thoughts On Language Acquisition: Toddlers As Data Miners
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229033392/080129215316.htm
Researchers are studying a ground-breaking theory that young children are able to learn large groups of words rapidly by data-mining. Their theory, which they have explored with 12- and 14-month-olds, takes a radically different approach to the accepted view that young children learn words one at a time -- something they do remarkably well by the age of 2 but not so well before that.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Good Outcomes For Older Lung Transplant Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228932279/080204094502.htm
A new study shows that select patients age 65 and older can safely undergo lung transplantation and have acceptable outcomes. Findings suggest that age should not preclude patients from the procedure.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Towards A Better Understanding Of Hot Spot Volcanism
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229033393/080131094102.htm
Researchers investigated the phenomena that led to the recent activity of seven hot spots located in the central Pacific. Numerical mechanical models showed that variations in movement of the Pacific plate, generating shearing stresses within it, could facilitate the rise of magma towards the surface. This discovery, if corroborated, would indicate that the formation of certain hot spots depended on the movement of the tectonic plates.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Why Serotonin Can Cause Depression And Anxiety
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228932275/080204094507.htm
Mood disorders could be caused by a loss of our inherent, reflexive avoidance of aversive events, according to a new study. Researchers have used computational modeling techniques to integrate what appeared to be blatant contradictions between serotonin's roles in different states of health.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Cracking The Code Of Bird Flu Time Bomb
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140181/080202211638.htm
Researchers have developed a technique to 'crack-the-code' of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus. It will enable influenza virus specialists and drug researchers to interrogate one of the virus' key surface proteins without risk of infection.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Grapefruit Compound May Help Combat Hepatitis C Infection
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/229033415/080204124110.htm
A compound that naturally occurs in grapefruit and other citrus fruits may be able to block the secretion of hepatitis C virus from infected cells, a process required to maintain chronic infection. Scientists report that the viral secretion required to pass on infection may be blocked by the common flavonoid naringenin.
Mon, 4 Feb 08
Bio-crude Turns Cheap Waste Into Valuable Fuel
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228932280/080204094459.htm
Scientists have developed a chemical process that turns green waste into a stable bio-crude oil. The bio-crude oil can be used to produce high value chemicals and biofuels, including both petrol and diesel replacement fuels.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Migrating Birds Detect Latitude And Longitude, But How Remains A Mystery
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140166/080131121810.htm
Eurasian reed warblers captured during their spring migrations and released after being flown 1,000 kilometers to the east can correct their travel routes and head for their original destinations.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Severe Hypertension: 'Silent Killer' Still On The Loose
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140167/080131111820.htm
High blood pressure may be one of the top killers in the country, but you'd never know it by the way we're behaving, according to scientists. Researchers across the US created a special registry to find out what happens to patients with acute, severe hypertension -- those with blood pressure readings above 160/110 -- when they come to an emergency department or critical care setting for treatment. They found that although 90 percent of them already had a diagnosis of high blood pressure, about a quarter of them were not taking the medicines they were supposed to.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Archaeologist 'Strikes Gold' With Finds Of Ancient Nasca Iron Ore Mine In Peru
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140168/080129125405.htm
An archaeologist discovered an intact ancient iron ore mine in South America that shows how civilizations before the Inca Empire were mining this valuable ore. The Nasca people may have used the red-pigmented mineral primarily for ceramic paints, but they also could have used it as body paint, to paint textiles and even to paint adobe walls.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Explaining Chemotherapy-associated Nausea
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140169/080130092111.htm
A new study increases the understanding of the biological mechanisms responsible for the nausea and vomiting that often afflict patients undergoing chemotherapy. The findings could lead to the development of new approaches to combat these debilitating side effects.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Daytime Nap Can Benefit A Person's Memory Performance
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140170/080201085728.htm
A brief bout of non-REM sleep obtained during a daytime nap clearly benefits a person's declarative memory performance. It was discovered that, across three very different declarative memory tasks, a nap benefited performance compared to comparable periods of wakefulness, but only for certain subjects.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
You Are What You Eat: Some Differences Between Humans And Chimpanzees Traced To Diet
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140171/080130092139.htm
Using mice as models, researchers traced some of the differences between humans and chimpanzees to differences in our diet. By feeding laboratory mice different human and chimp diets over a mere two week period, researchers were able to reconstruct some of the physiological and genetic differences observed between humans and chimpanzees.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Novel Vaccine Concept Developed: Could Lead To AIDS Or Cervical Cancer Vaccines
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140172/080131105759.htm
A new vaccine design strategy could help to develop vaccines against diseases like AIDS and cervical cancer. The secret is using a herpes simplex protein called glycoprotein D to block a receptor molecule on antigen-presenting cells. Scientists showed that vaccine vectors made by fusing glycoprotein D with genes from HIV and HPV antigens increase the immune system's response to those antigens in cell cultures and mice.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Breakdown Of Kidney's Ability To Clean Its Own Filters Likely Causes Disease
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140173/080129125401.htm
The kidney actively cleans its most selective filter to keep it from clogging with blood proteins, scientists reveal in a new study. Researchers showed that breakdown of this self-cleaning feature can make kidneys more vulnerable to dysfunction and disease.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Treatment Capitalizes On Unique Qualities Of Radioisotope To Prolong Lives Of Brain Tumor Patients
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140174/080130161750.htm
In a study to determine safe dosages of the isotope astatine-211 for patients with recurring brain tumors, researchers were pleasantly surprised to find that not only was the isotope's potency sufficient to kill residual cancer cells without damaging sensitive healthy brain cells, but the patients experienced longer survival rates.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Swarm Approach To Photography Improves Contrast And Detail In Digital Photos
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140175/080201093341.htm
A new approach to cleaning up digital photos and other images has been developed by researchers in the UK and Jordan. The method uses a computer algorithm known as a PSO to intelligently boost contrast and detail in an image without distorting the underlying features.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Abuse History Affects Pain Regulation In Women With Irritable Bowel Syndrome
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227292104/080201085752.htm
Researchers have found that women with irritable bowel syndrome who have experienced sexual and/or physical abuse may have a heightened brain response to pain that makes them more sensitive to abdominal discomfort.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Conspicuous Social Signaling Drives Evolution Of Chameleon Color Change
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/225441021/080129125524.htm
In dwarf chameleons, evolutionary shifts in the capacity for color change are associated with increasingly conspicuous signals used in contests and courtship rather than by the need to match different backgrounds.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Congenital Heart Defects Increasing Among IVF Twins
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140176/080131101811.htm
The prevalence of congenital heart disease among in vitro fertilization pregnancies was similar to that of the general population, but there is an increasing risk of CHD among twins resulting from IVF, according to new research.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Do Hydroelectric Dams Pose A New Threat To Lake Victoria?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140177/080129125342.htm
Two hydroelectricity dams appear to be threatening the health of Lake Victoria -- and of the people living along its shores who depend on the lake for food. A new study suggests that the dams' systematic overuse of water has decreased the lake level by at least two meters between 2000 and 2006 -- and that this drop was not influenced by weather. The study suggests hydroelectricity dams have decreased the water level in the lake.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Genetic Variant Impairs Glycogen Synthesis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140178/080129195452.htm
Glycogen is stored in skeletal muscles and liver and is of central importance as a first source of energy for muscle contractions, especially during high intensity exercise. Human genetic disorders primarily affecting skeletal muscle glycogen turnover are well-recognized, but rare.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Finding New Oil In Long-exhausted Oil Wells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140179/080131111653.htm
Oil reappears from time to time in old deposits and long ago exhausted oil wells. Oil sometimes rushes in or sometimes floods back.In the researchers' opinion, to overhaul old oil deposits is currently much more profitable and efficient than expensive geological exploration works at new locations.
Sun, 3 Feb 08
Parenting Program Does Not Prevent Toddler Behavior Problems, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228140180/080131214534.htm
A study of the first universal parenting program, designed to prevent early child behavior problems, shows that it has little impact on toddler behavior. Behavior problems affect up to 20 per cent of children and have major personal, societal and economic ramifications. Left untreated, up to half of behavior problems in preschool children develop into later mental health problems.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Lusty Voles, Mindless Of Danger, Mate Like Rabbits
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508615/080128165720.htm
Forgetful Casanovas are lucky in love. At least that's how University of Florida researchers interpret the results of new research on the mating habits and nervous systems of prairie voles.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Taking More Than One Anti-inflammatory Drug May Lead To Complications
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227378056/080201114151.htm
A new study found that taking two NSAIDs was associated with lower scores on a health-related quality of life assessment. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to treat arthritis, which affects one-third of all adults. These drugs are available in both prescription and over-the-counter forms and are one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the world. Because of their widespread availability, patients may take both forms at the same time, either because of inadequate pain relief or because they are unaware that they are taking two drugs in the same therapeutic class.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Baffin Island Ice Caps Shrink By 50 Percent Since 1950s, Expected To Disappear by Middle of Century
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508616/080128113831.htm
Ice caps on the northern plateau of Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic have shrunk by more than 50 percent in the last half century as a result of warming, and are expected to disappear by the middle of the century. Researchers also find tantalizing evidence that ancient tropical eruptions of volcanoes triggered Little Ice Age.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Study Paves Way For Development Of Macular Degeneration Cures
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508617/080130111633.htm
A new study of age-related macular degeneration, the disease that affects more than nine million Americans, will pave the way for the biopharmaceutical industry to develop better treatments and cures.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Virtual Human In HIV Drug Simulation
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/225414839/080129125429.htm
The combined supercomputing power of the UK and US 'national grids' has enabled scientists to simulate the efficacy of an HIV drug in blocking a key protein used by the lethal virus. The method -- an early example of the Virtual Physiological Human in action -- could one day be used to tailor personal drug treatments, for example for HIV patients developing resistance to their drugs.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
People Had More Intense Dreams After Sept. 11, 2001, Sleep Research Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227292105/080201085736.htm
The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, changed our lives in a number of different ways, not only socially and politically, but also in the way in which we dream. According to the results, dreams after 9/11 showed more intense images, but were not longer, more dreamlike or more bizarre. In addition, they did not contain more images of airplanes or tall buildings. In fact, not a single dream involved planes flying into towers, or anything close to that, even though all participants had seen those images many times on TV.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Secret Of The Carnivorous Pitcher Plant's Slurp -- Solved At Last
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508618/080128120453.htm
Splash! Ooch! Yum! And so another unsuspecting insect victim of Nepenthes alata (N. alata), commonly known as the carnivorous pitcher plant, falls victim to the digestive fluids at the bottom of the plant's famous cup-shaped leaf.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Smoking Can Double Risk Of Colorectal Polyps
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508619/080201111015.htm
Smokers have a two-fold increased risk of developing colorectal polyps, the suspected underlying cause of most colorectal cancers, according to a new study.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Building Safety Into Robots, Cars, Planes And Medical Equipment
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508620/080129080659.htm
Revolutionary technology aims to 'make safety a sure thing.' Aircraft, cars, medical equipment and industrial robots are all examples of modern systems which contain safety-related processors. New technology makes it easier to develop systems with predictable behavior - a key requirement for safe systems.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Anemia Treatment May Improve or Worsen Disease, Based on Timing
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508621/080130111629.htm
A treatment commonly given for anemia, promotes blood-vessel growth in the eye, an effect that could either improve/worsen disease for patients with cancer, diabetic retinopathy, or retinopathy of prematurity. The effects on retinopathy depend on the timing of when the erythropoietin treatment is given.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
New Method For Creating Self-Assembling, Nanoscale Materials
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508622/080130113137.htm
While biomedical, electronics, and other branches of research are marching steadily into the realm of the smaller-than-small nanometer scale, building needed materials at this scale has been problematic. Recently, however, a team from The Scripps Research Institute unveiled a novel approach to the problem that yields a material with novel properties, which some might find reminiscent of Flubber. The material is produced using naturally occurring proteins as templates for uniform, self-assembled, nano-scale construction.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Chronic Insomnia Can Predict Future Functioning Of Adolescents
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227292106/080201085731.htm
Youths with insomnia, particularly chronic insomnia, are at greater risk of future somatic and especially psychological problems, according to one of the largest epidemiologic studies of insomnia among adolescents ever conducted in the United States.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Nova Finding Challenges Thinking On Powerful Stellar Explosions
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508623/080128152322.htm
First results from a new scientific instrument at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii are helping scientists overturn long-standing assumptions about powerful explosions called novae and have produced the first unified model for a nearby nova called RS Ophiuchi.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Protein Associated With Poor Breast Cancer Prognosis
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/225958731/080129200107.htm
High levels of the Ki-67 protein are associated with poor prognosis in early breast cancer patients, but it may not able to predict which patients will benefit from additional chemotherapy. The percentage of proliferating cells in a tumor is a predictor of breast cancer prognosis. The level of Ki-67 expression is sometimes used as a measure of cell proliferation. Some studies have suggested that breast tumors with a high percentage of cells expressing Ki-67 are more responsive to chemotherapy.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
'The Spider' On Mercury: MESSENGER Spacecraft Streams Back Surprises
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227292099/080201093149.htm
The recent flyby of Mercury by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft has given scientists an entirely new look at a planet once thought to have characteristics similar to those of Earth's moon. Researchers are amazed by the wealth of images and data that show a unique world with a diversity of geological processes and a very different magnetosphere from the one discovered and sampled more than 30 years ago.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Lab-on-Chip Technology: Scientists Bring MRI/NMR To Microreactors
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508624/080128125937.htm
In a significant step towards improving the design of future catalysts and catalytic reactors, especially for microfluidic "lab-on-a-chip" devices, researchers have successfully applied magnetic resonance imaging to the study of gas-phase reactions on the microscale.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Expression Patterns Of MicroRNAs Appear Altered In Colon Cancer, And Associated With Poor Outcomes
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508625/080129160742.htm
Preliminary research has found an association between certain microRNA expression patterns and poor survival and treatment outcomes for colon cancer. Colon cancer is a major cause of cancer death worldwide. Colorectal cancer is the third most common and second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Bad News For Coastal Ocean: Less Fish Out, Means More Nitrogen In
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508626/080128171537.htm
Commercial fisheries play an unexpected role in the decline of water quality in coastal waters. The study, the first to examine the world's 58 coatal regions, shows how failing to maintain ecosystems in a sustainable manner has wide-ranging consequences. Using data provided by the United Nations, the researchers found that commercial fishing has played an important, yet declining, role in removing man-made nitrogen from coastal waters.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Markets Of Biodiversity And Equity In Trade: An Illusion?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/227508627/080130101739.htm
There are difficulties in establishing public policies that protect the biodiversity found in nature. Over recent years, strong media coverage of "pillaging" of local resources, food plants or products of traditional pharmacopoeias, on which patents had been taken out, appeared as signs of an active biopiracy.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Parental Drinking And Parenting Practices Influence Adolescent Drinking
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228583617/080203174447.htm
Adolescence is a critical time for the potential initiation and escalation of alcohol use. New findings underscore the impact of parental drinking and parenting practices on adolescent drinking.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Chronic Drinking Can Lead To Severe Pneumonia After Surgery, Rodent Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228583618/080203174443.htm
Consistent alcohol consumption can impair immunity functions following surgery. A new rodent study has found that chronic drinking can result in a severe form of pneumonia following surgery. Study authors recommend that patients considering surgery control their drinking habits, and also be very honest with their doctors about their drinking habits, prior to surgery.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Acculturation In The Texas-Mexico Border Region: Effects On Drinking Differ By Gender
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228583619/080203174439.htm
Immigrant groups that acculturate to mainstream America tend to have more alcohol-related problems. A new study on drinking by Hispanics along the Texas-Mexico border shows that acculturation can have very different effects on men and women.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Eye Blinks May Help To Identify Children Prenatally Exposed To Alcohol
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228583620/080203174436.htm
Not all children prenatally exposed to alcohol show distinctive facial anomalies usually associated with fetal alcohol syndrome. New findings indicate that deficits in eye-blink conditioning can identify children with probable FAS. Eye blink conditioning may also serve to identify alcohol-exposed children who lack distinctive FAS features.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Targeting Astrocytes Slows Disease Progression In Lou Gehrig's Disease, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228536689/080203152136.htm
In what the researchers say could be promising news in the quest to find a therapy to slow the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, scientists have shown that targeting neuronal support cells called astrocytes sharply slows disease progression in mice.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Trans Fats Down In Many Snack Products, However Some Cheaper Snacks Still Have Significant Amounts
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228446877/080203110008.htm
The food industry has made progress in reducing the trans fat content in its products since a 2003 labeling mandate by the Food and Drug Administration, but consumers should still read labels to be certain the products are trans fat-free. Most margarines and butters, cookies and snack cakes and savory snacks were labeled as containing zero grams of trans fat. However, some of the products contained significant amounts of trans fat.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Timing Is Everything When Using IL-7 To Boost Antiviral Immunity
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228420673/080203101434.htm
CD8+ T cells are an important component of the antiviral immune response. Much research effort is being invested in identifying new ways to boost antiviral immune responses in individuals with chronic viral infections. Although the use of the soluble factor IL-7 has proven attractive, new data indicate that the timing of IL-7 treatment is important in determining how effective it is at enhancing antiviral immunity.
Sat, 2 Feb 08
Managing Chronic Pain: When Does Morphine Become Less Effective?
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/228420674/080203101431.htm
Opioids, such as morphine, are effective and widely used drugs for the control of pain. However, tolerance to opioids can develop with repeated administration (that is, higher and higher doses of the drug are required to achieve the same level of pain relief).
Fri, 1 Feb 08
Medicine From Milk: Gene Therapy Transforms Goats Into Pharmaceutical Factories
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/226846904/080131082224.htm
Gene therapy has been used successfully to breed large animals capable of producing therapeutic proteins in their milk, such as insulin or those that fight cancer. This represents a significant milestone, as previous methods involved cloning, which takes more time and generally costs more. This new research should reduce the cost and increase the availability of several drugs.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
Why Scratching Relieves An Itch
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/226846905/080131121804.htm
In the first study to use imaging technology to see what goes on in the brain when we scratch, researchers have uncovered new clues about why scratching may be so relieving -- and why it can be hard to stop. The researcher said patients occasionally report that intense scratching -- to the point of drawing blood -- is the only thing that relieves chronic itch. Of course, this is not recommended.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
BRCA1 Mutation Linked To Breast Cancer Stem Cells
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/226846906/080131101753.htm
A new study may explain why women with a mutation in the BRCA1 gene face up to an 85 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer. Researchers from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that BRCA1 plays a role in regulating breast stem cells, the small number of cells that might develop into cancers.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
Heart Transplants: Do More Or Do None, New Study Suggests
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/225441022/080129125452.htm
Heart surgeons at Johns Hopkins have evidence to support further tightening rather than easing of standards used to designate hospitals that are best at performing heart transplants. New findings contradict the recently lowered government standard.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
Scientists Propose Test Of String Theory Based On Neutral Hydrogen Absorption
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/226846907/080128113207.htm
Ancient light absorbed by neutral hydrogen atoms could be used to test certain predictions of string theory, say cosmologists. Making the measurements, however, would require a gigantic array of radio telescopes to be built on Earth, in space or on the moon.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
Destined To Cheat? New Research Finds Free Will Can Keep Us Honest
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/226846908/080129125354.htm
It is well established that changing people's sense of responsibility can change their behavior. Surprisingly, the link between fatalistic beliefs and unethical behavior has never been examined scientifically -- until now. In two recent experiments, psychologists decided to see if otherwise honest people would cheat and lie if their beliefs in free will were manipulated.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
Dark Fluid: Dark Matter And Dark Energy May Be Two Faces Of Same Coin
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/226846909/080131094056.htm
Astronomers believe they can "simplify the dark side of the universe" by shedding new light on two of its mysterious constituents. Only 4% of the universe is made of known material - the other 96% is traditionally labeled into two sectors, dark matter and dark energy. "Both dark matter and dark energy could be two faces of the same coin," according to an astrophysicist.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
Anti-parasite Drug May Provide New Way To Attack HIV
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/226846910/080131164715.htm
A drug already used to treat parasitic infections, and once looked at for cancer, also attacks the human immunodeficiency virus in a new and powerful way, according to new research in Retrovirology. Researchers seek to deny HIV its safe havens in the human body.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
Trigger Gene For Muscle Development Discovered
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/226846911/080131121756.htm
Scientists say they have identified a gene that is the key switch that allows embryonic cells to form into muscles in zebrafish. Much like students in a kindergarten class lining up to go to lunch, the trigger gene, which is identified as Smarcd3, must align correctly with two other genes for muscle formation to begin, a process known as myogenesis.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
Specific Genetic Mutations May Contribute To Preterm Birth Risk
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/226846912/080131151903.htm
Genetic mutations in an enzyme related to amino acid metabolism called MTHFR and coagulation protein Factor V appear to have significant association with blood clots and tissue injury to the placenta and developing baby, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh's department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences report. "This indicates a possible genetic predisposition to a condition of real clinical consequence in terms of intrauterine growth restriction, preeclampsia and spontaneous preterm birth," the researchers said.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
Patients Diagnosed With Coronary Heart Disease Continue Poor Diets, Study Shows
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/226846913/080130130617.htm
More than 13 million Americans have survived a heart attack or have been diagnosed with coronary heart disease, the number one cause of death in the United States. In addition to medications, lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and exercise, are known to reduce the risk for subsequent cardiac events. Despite this evidence, a high proportion of heart attack survivors do not follow their doctor's advice to adhere to a healthy diet.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
A Difficult Youth Is A Good Thing For A Fish
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/225414834/080129125507.htm
A tough early life turns out to be a good thing for a fish, according to scientists. They discovered that fish larvae that survive a long, rough, offshore journey eventually arrive at a near shore reef in good condition, and that they thrive afterwards. The research is useful for the planning of marine protected areas.
Fri, 1 Feb 08
Cosmetics or Lotions May Cause Fatal Infections In Critica