Tuesday, September 30, 2008

UN SOLO CAMINO - ONLY ONE WAY


ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Global Warming Fix? Carbon Dioxide Captured Directly From Air With Simple Machine

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

An energy and environmental system expert has shown it is possible to reduce carbon dioxide -- the main greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming -- using a relatively simple machine that can capture the trace amount of carbon dioxide present in the air at any place on the planet. The technology could dramatically reduce emissions from transportation.

MS Patients Have Higher Spinal Fluid Levels Of Suspicious Immune Molecule

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

A protein that helps keep immune cells quiet is more abundant in the spinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), further boosting suspicion that the protein, TREM-2, may be an important contributor to the disease.

Stalagmites May Predict Next Big One Along The New Madrid Seismic Zone

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Small white stalagmites lining caves in the Midwest may help scientists chronicle the history of the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) -- and even predict when the next big earthquake may strike, say researchers.

Free-Living Protozoa Found In Meat-Cutting Plants

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

A first time survey of free-living protozoa in meat-cutting plants showed high diversity rates of various species including those that could harbor food-borne pathogens say researchers from Belgium.

Air Quality Regulations Miss Key Pollutants

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Air quality regulations may not effectively target a large source of fine, organic particle pollutants that contribute to hazy skies and poor air quality over the Los Angeles region.

Natural Viagra? 'Horny Goat Weed' Shows Promise

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Move over, Viagra! Researchers in report that an ancient Chinese herbal remedy known as "horny goat weed" shows potential in lab studies as source for new future drugs to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). The study, which provides scientific evidence supporting the herb's well-known use as a natural aphrodisiac.

Meat-eating Dinosaur From Argentina Had Bird-like Breathing System

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

The remains of a 30-foot-long predatory dinosaur discovered along the banks of Argentina's Rio Colorado is helping to unravel how birds evolved their unusual breathing system.

TB Bacterium Uses Its Sugar Coat To Sweeten Its Chances Of Living In Lungs

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

Common strains of tuberculosis-causing bacteria have hijacked the human body's immune response to play tricks on cells in the lungs, scientists say. The results of this takeover are mixed. The cells essentially welcome the bacteria into the lungs and invite them to stay a while, meaning the human host becomes infected with the TB bacterium. But in about 90 percent of these cases, the infection remains latent and the infected person never has any symptoms of illness.

Radiation Device May Customize Therapy, Enable Some To Avoid More Lengthy Treatment

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

A study of the first approximately 100 patients who have received partial breast irradiation with a small, whisk-like, expandable device inserted inside the breast has shown that after one year, the device is effective at sparing nearby healthy tissue from the effects of radiation. The device, called SAVI, is aimed at providing customized radiation therapy while minimizing exposure to healthy tissue around the breast after a woman has received a lumpectomy for early stage cancer.

New Astroviruses Identified In Bats

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

New research suggests that bats are reservoirs of a newly identified group of astroviruses, a significant agent of diarrhea in many species including humans.

Smart And Gentle Alarm Clock For Mobile Phones

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

New technology for screening and even diagnosing sleep disorders has been developed. The first application of the new technology, a smart alarm clock for mobile phones, HappyWakeUp, is now available. It monitors depth of sleep and provides a gentle wake-up whenever possible.

Virtual World Offers New Locale For Problem Solving

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

Second Life, a virtual world created in 2003, currently boasts more than 12 million users worldwide who go there for everything from college recruiting to shopping. Now, Penn State researchers are investigating how virtual teams can better solve real world problems by collaborating in Second Life.

Mars Lander Sees Falling Snow On Red Planet, Soil Data Suggest Liquid Past

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has detected snow falling from Martian clouds. Spacecraft soil experiments also have provided evidence of past interaction between minerals and liquid water, processes that occur on Earth.

Sounds Travel Farther Underwater As World's Oceans Become More Acidic

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

It is common knowledge that the world's oceans and atmosphere are warming as humans release more and more carbon dioxide into the Earth's atmosphere. However, fewer people realize that the chemistry of the oceans is also changing -- seawater is becoming more acidic as carbon dioxide from the atmosphere dissolves in the oceans. These changes in ocean temperature and chemistry will have an unexpected side effect -- sounds will travel farther underwater.

Naturally Occurring 'Protective RNA' Used To Develop New Antiviral Against Influenza

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Researchers have developed a new antiviral using naturally occurring influenza virus "protecting virus" that may defend against any influenza A virus in any animal host.

Evidence For Rain On Mars?

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

There is evidence that lake deposits once formed inside impact craters on Mars. About four billion years ago, there were lakes on Mars which may have been fed by short-lived rivers that were, in turn, fed by precipitation. These lakes filled craters that were formed by the impact of meteorites.

Unraveling Breast Milk

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Researchers are reporting that new insights into the composition of human breast milk may lead to new ways to prevent and treat stomach illnesses and other diseases in babies and adults. 

Degradation Of Wood In Royal Warship Vasa Is Caused By Iron

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

During its time in the sea bottom of Stockholm harbor, huge amounts of iron and sulfurous compounds accumulated in the wood of the royal warship Vasa. Since 2000 it has been noticed that changes are taking place in the wood, changes that threaten the stability of the ship.

Financial Risk-taking Behavior Is Associated With Higher Testosterone Levels

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Two researchers from Harvard jointly led a recent study in which they showed that men with higher testosterone levels invest more money during a risky investment game. The study associates higher testosterone levels with financial risk-taking behavior.

Parental Warning: Second-hand Smoke May Trigger Nicotine Dependence Symptoms In Kids

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

Parents who smoke cigarettes around their kids in cars and homes beware -- second-hand smoke may trigger symptoms of nicotine dependence in children. The findings are published in the September edition of the journal Addictive Behaviors in a joint study from nine Canadian institutions.

Wetlands Restoration Not A Panacea For Louisiana Coast

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

Counting on wetlands restoration projects to protect storm buffeted infrastructure along the Louisiana Coast is likely to be a "losing battle" that provides "false hope" and prevents endangered communities from clearly planning for their future, says a researcher from Western Carolina University (WCU).

Robotic Surgery Lowers Risk Of A Rare But Serious Complication Of Gastric Bypass, Study Suggests

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

The use of a robot to assist with the most commonly performed weight-loss surgery appears to significantly lower a patient's risk of developing a rare but serious complication, according to a study published in the Journal of Robotic Surgery.

Zeroing In On Wi-Fi 'Dead Zones' To Inexpensively Fill Gaps In Wireless Networks

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

Rooting out Wi-Fi "dead zones" in citywide wireless networks is an expensive proposition. The paucity of techniques for mapping areas that lack coverage is an impediment, both for pre-deployment and post-deployment testing. New research could change that. A new test method lets engineers refine their networks using readily available information about basic topography, street locations and general land use.

Community-based Behavior Change Management Cuts Neonatal Mortality In Half

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

A community-based program that reinforces basic childbirth and newborn care practices can reduce a baby's risk of death within the first month of life by as much as 54 percent, according to a new study.

Solar Cell Sets World Efficiency Record At 40.8 Percent

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Scientists at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory have set a world record in solar cell efficiency with a photovoltaic device that converts 40.8 percent of the light that hits it into electricity. This is the highest confirmed efficiency of any photovoltaic device to date.

Microbes 'Run The World': Metagenomics Increasingly Used To Characterize Them

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Mostly hidden from the scrutiny of the naked eye, microbes have been said to run the world. The challenge is how best to characterize them given that less than one percent of the estimated hundreds of millions of microbial species can be cultured in the laboratory. The answer is metagenomics -- an increasingly popular approach for extracting the genomes of uncultured microorganisms and discerning their specific metabolic capabilities directly from environmental samples. Ten years after the term was coined, metagenomics is going mainstream and already paying provocative dividends in the areas of energy and environment.

How A 'Stuck Accelerator' Causes Cancer Cell Expansion

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

What allows cancer cells to divide uncontrolled? The cellular oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes are analogous to the accelerator and brake pedals in a car. If an oncogene is permanently active, similar to a stuck accelerator in a car, cells divide without restraints and a tumor develops.

A Robot In Every Home?

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Observers like Bill Gates believe that by 2025 we could have robots in every home. In labs across Europe, researchers are creating designs that could become the robo-butler of the future.

Age Alone Should Not Be Used To Determine Whether To Treat Prostate Cancer With Hormones, Research Suggests

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Concerns regarding the association of hormone therapy used to treat prostate cancer with cardiovascular disease in some older men may lead doctors to forgo hormone treatment solely on the basis of age. But a new study shows that men over age 70 with high-risk prostate cancer lived longer and experienced increases in PSA less frequently when treated with long-term androgen deprivation therapy.

Carbonate-hosted Avalon-type Fossils In Arctic Siberia

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Our present understanding of the origin of animals and Phanerozoic ecosystems depends critically on the ability to interpret impressions left behind by soft-bodied Ediacaran organisms, and to document their spatial and temporal distribution, which conceivably relate to strong environmental gradients in terminal Proterozoic seawater.

Drinking Alcohol Before 15 Years Of Age Is Risky For Later Alcohol Problems

Posted: 30 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Researchers have known that age of first drink (AFD) is associated with the later development of alcohol-use disorders (AUDs). New findings show that an early AFD, before the age of 15, is especially risky for later AUDs. Experts recommend delaying the onset of drinking behavior as late as possible, until 18 or older.

Out Of Iraq Emerges Hope For Those With Severest Of Head Injuries

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

There may be more hope than has been recognized for some people with severe brain injuries, according to a US neurosurgeon who earlier this year spent four months in Iraq treating soldiers and civilians.

Popular COPD Treatment Increases Risk For Cardiac Events, Cardiac Death

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

The use of the most commonly prescribed once-a-day treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for longer than one month increases the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack or stroke by more than 50 percent, according to new research.

Helping Dogs With Cancer May Benefit People

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

A new study may one day help not only our canine friends with cancer, but also people with the human form of the disease.

New Predictive Tool Can Help Determine Treatment Of Breast Cancer Patients

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

A new predictive measurement, called a PEPI score, could bring good news to many women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer -- a low PEPI (preoperative endocrine prognostic index) score could show that they have little risk of relapse, and can safely avoid chemotherapy after surgery.

Tweezers Trap Nanotubes By Color

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

Singled-walled carbon nanotubes are graphene sheets wrapped into tubes, and are typically made up of various sizes and with different amounts of twist (also known as chiralities). Each type of nanotube has its own electronic and optical properties. Physicists in Japan used colored light to selectively manipulate different types of carbon nanotubes.

Helping Students With Mental Illnesses: Support Services Prepare For 'What If' Scenarios

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

Nationally, an estimated 15 percent of students experience some form of mental illness such as major depression while in college. Many often struggle with where to get support.

Getting Lost: A Newly Discovered Developmental Brain Disorder

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Researchers have recently documented the first case of a patient who, without apparent brain damage or cognitive impairment, is unable to orient within any environment. Researchers also believe that there are many others in the general population who may be affected by this developmental topographical disorder.

NASA's Mars Rover To Head Toward Bigger Crater

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT

NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity is setting its sights on a crater more than 20 times larger than its home for the past two years.

Black Patients At Higher Risk For Colon Polyps

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Compared with white patients, black patients undergoing screening colonoscopy have a higher prevalence of colon polyps.

Warming Of 4 Degrees Celsius Depressed Plant Growth And Reduced Land Carbon Absorption

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Scientists are reporting findings on the long-term effects of warming anomaly on grassland productivity and ecosystem carbon cycling. They found that warming by 4 degrees Celsius in the Reno greenhouse not only depressed plant growth and suppressed land carbon absorption in the treatment year but also resulted in prolonged suppression of plant growth and carbon absorption in the following year.

Independent Brain Pathways Generate Positive Or Negative Reappraisals Of Emotional Events

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Scientists now have a better understanding of how the human brain orchestrates the sophisticated pathways involved in the regulation of emotions. New research identifies brain pathways that underlie reinterpretation of aversive images in ways that reduce or enhance their negative emotional intensity.

Ancient Arctic Ice Could Tell Us About Future Of Permafrost

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT

Researchers have discovered the oldest known ice in North America, and that permafrost may be a significant touchstone when looking at global warming.

Do 'Light' Cigarettes Deliver Less Nicotine To The Brain Than Regular Cigarettes?

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT

So-called light (low) nicotine cigarettes act in a similar way to regular cigarettes by occupying most of the common nicotine receptors in the brain.

Cool Summer, Warm Future: Extreme Heat Days Increase For Southern California

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT

Despite a moderate summer, the heat is rising in Southern California. Scientists now forecast that in coming decades, 10- to 14-day heat waves will become the norm. And because these will be hotter heat waves, they will be more threatening to public health.

Childhood Cancer Survivors Continue To Have Higher Mortality Rates than the General Population

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT

Survivors of childhood or adolescent cancer have a greater than 8-fold increased risk of death than the general U.S. population 16 to 32 years after hitting the five-year survival mark.

Monday, September 29, 2008

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Dark Energy: Is It Merely An Illusion?

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

Dark energy is at the heart of one of the greatest mysteries of modern physics, but it may be nothing more than an illusion, according physicists at Oxford University.

Existing Anti-obesity Drugs May Be Effective Against Flu, Hepatitis And HIV

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

Viruses dramatically increase cellular metabolism, and existing anti-obesity drugs may represent a new way to block these metabolic changes and inhibit viral infection, according to a new study in the journal Nature Biotechnology.

Is The Salad Bar Safe? Produce Concerns Linger After Summer Scares

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

Widespread reports had most people afraid to eat tomatoes this summer and when tomatoes were vindicated, eating peppers became a fear. A food safety expert says there is only so much that can be done to assure produce is safe to eat.

Vascular Marker Of Ovarian Cancer Identified

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

Researchers have identified TEM1 as a specific genetic marker for the vascular cells associated with tumor growth, a finding that could aid in diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.

Voice-Commanded Robot Wheelchair Finds Its Own Way

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

A new kind of autonomous wheelchair under development can learn all about the locations in a given building, and then take its occupant to a given place in response to a verbal command.

Ethical Argument: Include Pregnant Women In Research

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

Why aren't pregnant women included in most clinical trials? That's the question posed by leading bioethicists, who say it's time to confront the challenges that have led to the exclusion of pregnant women from important research that could positively impact maternal and fetal health.

Tsunami Invisibility Cloak Could Make Structures 'Disappear'

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Rather than building stronger ocean-based structures to withstand tsunamis, it might be easier to simply make the structures disappear.

New Understanding Of Diabetes Drug Target

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Scientists have made a new advance in the study of major diabetes drug target. The advance -- described by the researchers as 'very significant' -- could lead to new drugs being developed to target a protein that plays a critical role in controlling the way the body breaks down sugar.

Pistachio Nuts May Improve Heart Health

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Going green may be heart healthy if the green you choose is pistachio nuts, according to researchers who conducted the first study to investigate the way pistachios lower cholesterol.

Hormone Therapy May Be Safe For Postmenopausal BRCA Mutation Carriers

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

The use of hormone therapy was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women who carry BRCA mutations, according to a case-control study.

Mercury's 'Spider' Pantheon Fossae Formation Linked To Asteroid Impact

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

A new model suggests that the origin of the Pantheon Fossae on the planet Mercury, a radiating web of troughs located in the giant Caloris Basin, is directly linked to an impact crater at the centre of the web. The Caloris Basin is the youngest-known large impact basin on Mercury.

Optimism Experts Handicap The Presidential Election With About 6 Weeks Remaining Until Nov. 4

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Researchers have determined that the most optimistic candidates win more than 80 percent of presidential elections dating back to 1900. A new study measures the optimism of this year's candidates.

NASA’s Dirty Secret: Moon Dust

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

The Apollo Moon missions of 1969-1972 all share a dirty secret. "The major issue the Apollo astronauts pointed out was dust, dust, dust," says one researcher. Fine as flour and rough as sandpaper, Moon dust caused 'lunar hay fever,' problems with space suits, and dust storms in the crew cabin upon returning to space.

Novel Attempt Of Gene Therapy For Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

There are considerable endocrine cells in gastrointestinal tracts. These cells may be the potential and ideal target cells in gene therapy of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Chitosan nanoparticle is a kind of non-viral vector. A research group in China investigated the gene therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus in rats by gastrointestinal administration of chitosan nanoparticles containing human insulin gene.

Tourism on Antarctica Threatening South Pole Environment; Solution Offered

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

Tourism on Antarctica is increasing and that can form a threat for the vulnerable South Pole area. New research provides a possible solution: market the visitor rights to the highest bidder.

New Tool To Assess Speech Development In Infants, Toddlers With Hearing Impairments

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

The number of hearing impaired infants and toddlers who are successfully aided by technological devices, such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, continues to grow, but there are still unknowns about these children's speaking abilities.

Foam Reactor Is 10 Times More Energy Efficient

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

There is considerable worldwide demand for new types of reactors for the rapid and well- controlled production of high value chemicals. Now a new porous foam reactor has been developed, which has an energy efficiency ten times higher than traditional reactors at comparable production rates.

Side Effects Severely Under-reported In ENT Medical Journals

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

Harms and adverse events (untoward side effects of surgery or medicine) have been under-reported or poorly described at an alarming low rate by the publishing authors in the four leading otolaryngology medical journals, according to new research.

Promising Approach In Prevention And Treatment Of Pancreatic Cancer

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal human cancers and continues to be a major unsolved health problem. The overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor and its ligands correlates with rapidly progressive disease and resistance to chemotherapy.

When Leaves Fall, More Is Occurring Than A Change Of Weather

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Researchers have uncovered the genetic pathway that controls abscission in the plant species Arabidopsis thaliana. The ability to control abscission in plants is of special interest to those in the commercial fruit tree and cut flower industries, which rely heavily on abscission-promoting or inhibiting agents to regulate fruit quality and pre-harvest fruit drop.

Neuropeptide Y System Linked To More Severe Form Of Alcohol Dependence

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Prior animal research showed an association between the neuropeptide Y (NPY) pathway and its three receptor genes and alcohol dependence, alcohol withdrawal and cocaine use. New human findings link two NPY receptor genes, NPY2R and NPY5R, with a more severe form of AD, and cocaine dependence.

Don't Blame Cities For Climate Change, See Them As Solutions, New Study Says

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Cities are being unfairly blamed for most of humanity's greenhouse gas emissions and this threatens efforts to tackle climate change, warns a new study.

Impact Of Stress On Police Officers' Physical And Mental Health

Posted: 29 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Policing is dangerous work, and the danger lurks not on the streets alone. The pressures of law enforcement put officers at risk for high blood pressure, insomnia, increased levels of destructive stress hormones, heart problems, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide, researchers have found through a decade of studies of police officers.

Deadly Rugby Virus Spreads In Sumo Wrestlers

Posted: 27 Sep 2008 11:00 PM CDT

Rugby players may get more than just the ball out of a scrum -- herpes virus can cause a skin disease called "scrumpox" and it spreads through physical contact. Researchers have studied the spread of the disease among sumo wrestlers in Japan and have discovered that a new strain of the virus could be even more pathogenic, according to an article in the Journal of General Virology.

Reversible 3D Cell Culture Gel Invented

Posted: 27 Sep 2008 11:00 PM CDT

A unique user-friendly gel that can liquefy on demand, with the potential to revolutionize three-dimensional cell culture for medical research, has been invented.

Gene That May Contribute To Improved Rice Yield Identified

Posted: 27 Sep 2008 11:00 PM CDT

Biologists have identified a gene in rice that controls the size and weight of rice grains. The gene may prove to be useful for breeding high-yield rice and, thus, may benefit the vast number of people who rely on this staple food for survival.

'Hub' Of Fear Memory Formation Identified In Brain Cells

Posted: 27 Sep 2008 11:00 PM CDT

A protein required for the earliest steps in embryonic development also plays a key role in solidifying fear memories in the brains of adult animals, scientists have revealed. An apparent "hub" for changes in the connections between brain cells, beta-catenin could be a potential target for drugs to enhance or interfere with memory formation.

New Way To Control Protein Activity Could Lead To Cancer Therapies

Posted: 27 Sep 2008 11:00 PM CDT

Investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found a way to quickly and reversibly fine-tune the activity of individual proteins in cells and living mammals, providing a powerful new laboratory tool for identifying — more precisely than ever before — the functions of different proteins.