Thursday, September 11, 2008

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Cryopreservation Techniques Bring Hopes For Women Cancer Victims And Endangered Species

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Emerging cryopreservation techniques are increasing hope of restoring fertility for women after diseases such as ovarian cancer that lead to destruction of reproductive tissue. The same techniques can also be used to maintain stocks of farm animals, and protect against extinction of endangered animal species by maintaining banks of ovarian tissue or even nascent embryos that can be used to produce offspring at some point in the future.

Popular Surgery Provides No Relief For Osteoarthritis Of The Knee, Study Finds

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

A landmark study shows that a routinely practiced knee surgery is ineffective at reducing joint pain or improving joint function for sufferers of osteoarthritis.

Evidence Of Survivors Of 9/11 Will Help Save Lives In Future High Rise Evacuations

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

New research involving face-to-face interviews with survivors of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre (WTC) will help save lives in the future.

Cortisol And Fatty Liver: Researchers Find Cause Of Severe Metabolic Disorders

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

A healthy body stores fat in the form of so-called triglycerides in specialized fatty tissue as an energy reserve. Under certain conditions the delicate balance of the lipid metabolism gets out of control and fat is accumulated in the liver, leading to the dreaded fatty liver. This increases the risk of many metabolic diseases, such as the metabolic syndrome known as "deadly quartet". This combination of fatty liver, obesity, diabetes and hypertension is regarded as the primary cause of life-threatening vascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke.

May 2008 Earthquake In China Could Be Followed By Another Significant Rupture

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Researchers analyzing the May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China's Sichuan province have found that geological stress has significantly increased on three major fault systems in the region. The magnitude 7.9 quake on May 12 has brought several nearby faults closer to failure and could trigger another major earthquake in the region.

Why Delaying Gratification Is Smart

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT

If you had a choice between receiving $1,000 right now or $4,000 ten years from now, which would you pick? Previous research suggests that higher intelligence is related to better self-control, but the reasons for this link are unknown.

1843 Stellar Eruption May Be New Type Of Star Explosion

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

Eta Carinae, a bright, variable star in the southern sky that is the most luminous known star in the Milky Way Galaxy, underwent a major eruption 145 years ago that may be the first example of a new type of stellar explosion that is much fainter than a supernova and doesn't destroy the star. UC Berkeley astronomer Nathan Smith reached this conclusion after discovering a fast-moving blast wave from the 1843 eruption.

Help From Herpes? Coinfection Induces Acyclovir To Inhibit HIV

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

A surprising interaction may enable development of new HIV treatment strategies by exploiting infection with multiple pathogens. The research demonstrates that a drug commonly used to treat herpes directly suppresses HIV in coinfected tissues and thus may be beneficial for patients infected with both viruses.

Geologists Dig Up One Of The Largest Lakes In The World, Dammed By Ice During Last Ice Age

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

Geologists are digging in the bed on the western bank of what was once a 700-800 kilometre-long lake along the 62nd parallel in Russia. Large lakes, dammed up by a huge ice sheet one or more times during the last Ice Age, used to dominate this enormous plain.

Variety In The Splice Of Life: Chromosome Breaks Are Surprisingly Complex

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

When chromosomes break, trouble usually ensues; chromosome abnormalities are the single biggest cause of birth defects in humans. But a new study of translocations, in which two chromosomes swap segments of DNA, shows that the chromosomes can splice the pieces together in a variety of ways with no ill effects.

Enzyme Detectives Uncover New Reactions: Implications For Engineering Biofuels

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

Scientists have discovered a fundamental shift in an enzyme's function that could help expand the toolbox for engineering biofuels and other plant-based oil products.

Abuse Of Painkillers Can Predispose Adolescents To Lifelong Addiction

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT

Researchers reveal that adolescent mice exposed to the painkiller Oxycontin can sustain lifelong and permanent changes in their reward system -- changes that increase the drug's euphoric properties and make such adolescents more vulnerable to the drug's effects later in adulthood.

Immaturity Of The Brain May Cause Schizophrenia

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

The underdevelopment of a specific region in the brain may lead to schizophrenia in individuals. According to research published today in BioMed Central's open access journal Molecular Brain, dentate gyrus, which is located in the hippocampus in the brain and thought to be responsible for working memory and mood regulation, remained immature in an animal model of schizophrenia.

Brush Your Teeth To Reduce The Risk Of Heart Disease

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. However, many people with cardiovascular disease have none of the common risk factors such as smoking, obesity and high cholesterol. Now, researchers have discovered a new link between gum disease and heart disease that may help find ways to save lives.

Oldest Sheep Contribute Most To Population Growth When Climate Changes Making Conditions Harsh

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Researchers show how sheep on a remote island off the west coast of Scotland respond to two consequences of climate change: altered food availability and the unpredictability of winter storms. When times are good, lambs contribute almost twice as much to population size. The oldest sheep contribute most to population growth when conditions are harsh. New mathematical breakthroughs have made it possible to learn how individuals affect population dynamics in rapidly changing environments.

Pain Appears Common Among Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Pain appears to be more common in individuals with Parkinson's disease than in those without, suggesting that pain is associated with the condition, according to a new report.

Switchable Bio-adhesion

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Researchers have developed a new type of property-changing polymer: it is water-repellent at 37 C, which makes it an ideal culture substrate for biological cells. At room temperature it attracts water, allowing the cells to be detached easily from the substrate.

Researcher Begins Study Of Osama Bin Laden Audio Tapes

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT

More than 1,500 audio cassette tapes taken in 2001 from Osama bin Laden's former residential compound in Qandahar, Afghanistan, are yielding new insights into the radical Islamic militant leader's intellectual development in the years leading up to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Brightest Gamma-ray Burst Provides Wealth Of Information On How Stars Explode

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

Astronomers from around the world combined data from ground- and space-based telescopes to paint a detailed portrait of the brightest explosion ever seen. The observations reveal that the jets of the gamma-ray burst called GRB 080319B were aimed almost directly at the Earth.

How Parkinson's Develops: Protein Found That Regulates Gene Critical To Dopamine-releasing Brain Cells

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

Researchers have identified a protein they say appears to be a primary player in maintaining normal functioning of an important class of neurons -- those brain cells that produce, excrete and then reabsorb dopamine neurotransmitters. These molecules command numerous body functions, ranging from management of behavior and mood to control of movement, and one day may hold the key to why and how some people develop Parkinson's and other brain diseases.

Dirty Air Brings Rain – Then Again, Maybe Not: Scientists Reconcile Contradictory Effects

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

Scientists have come up with a surprising finding to the disputed issue of whether air pollution increases or decreases rainfall. The conclusion: both can be true, depending on local environmental conditions.

Older Women Who Get Little Sleep May Have A Higher Risk Of Falling

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

Women age 70 and older who sleep five hours or less per night may be more likely to experience falls than those who sleep more than seven to eight hours per night, according to a new report. Additionally, the use of sleep medications does not appear to influence the association between sleep and risk of falling.

Bacteria Stop Sheep Dip From Poisoning Fish And Bees

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

Bacteria can be used to break down used sheep dip, preventing bees and fish from dying because of soil and river contamination, scientists report.

Sexual Harassment 10 Times More Likely In Casual And Contract Jobs

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT

Women employed in casual and contract jobs are up to 10 times more likely to experience unwanted sexual advances than those in permanent full time positions, a University of Melbourne study has found.

World's First Synthetic Tree: May Lead To Technologies For Heat Transfer, Soil Remediation

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

In Abraham Stroock's lab at Cornell, the world's first synthetic tree sits in a palm-sized piece of clear, flexible hydrogel -- the type found in soft contact lenses. Stroock and graduate student Tobias Wheeler have created a "tree" that simulates the process of transpiration, the cohesive capillary action that allows trees to wick moisture upward to their highest branches.

Potential Approach To Treatment Of Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Researchers have found that hepatitis B virus infection can be treated with therapeutic approaches targeting host cell proteins by inhibiting a cellular gene required for HBV replication or by restoring a response abrogated by HBV. This provided a potential approach to the prevention and treatment of HBV infection.

Calculating How Breast Cancers Will Respond To Tamoxifen

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

A discovery by Australian scientists could help clinicians decide which women with breast cancer will make good candidates for anti-estrogen therapies, such as tamoxifen, and which will not.

UK Children's Physical Activity Levels Hugely Overestimated

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

UK children's physical activity levels have been greatly overestimated, with true levels likely to be around six times lower than national data suggest, finds new research.

Hydrogen Bonds: Scientists Find New Mechanism

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

Water's unrivaled omnipresence and the crucial role it plays in life drive scientists to understand every detail of its unusual underlying properties on the microscopic scale. Researchers now report how water solvates its intrinsic hydroxide (OH-) anion. Unraveling this behavior is important to advance the understanding of aqueous chemistry and biology.

Over 1 In 4 South African Men Report Using Physical Violence Against Their Female Partners

Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT

A first-ever, national study conducted in South Africa found that 27.5 percent of men who have ever been married or lived with a partner report perpetrating physical violence against their current or most recent female partner.

Engineers Create New Gecko-like Adhesive That Shakes Off Dirt

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

Researchers have created the first gecko-like adhesive that cleans itself after each use without the need for water or chemicals. It's the latest milestone in the effort to create a synthetic version of the remarkable toe hairs that enable the acrobatic feats of the gecko lizard.

Bacteria's Sticky Glue Is Clue To Vaccine, Says Scientist

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

Sticky glue secreted by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus could be the clue scientists have been searching for to make an effective vaccine against MRSA, medical researchers report.

Recovery Efforts Not Enough For Critically Endangered Asian Vulture

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

Captive breeding colonies of a critically endangered vulture, whose numbers in the wild have dwindled from tens of millions to a few thousand, are too small to protect the species from extinction, a new analysis shows.

Golf-related Eye Injuries In Children Are Rare, But Can Be Devastating

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

Pediatric golf injuries are rare but can be devastating to the eye and vision system, according to a report in the Archives of Ophthalmology.

Oil Seed Rape Grown For Biofuel Can Help Clean Up Toxic Soils

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

Oil seed rape grown for biofuel in Ireland could help clean up contaminated soils, scientists report.

A New Addiction: Internet Junkies

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT

While compulsive gambling is only beginning to be addressed by mental health professionals, they must now face a new affliction: Internet addiction.

Sleek Probe To Map Earth’s Gravity

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT

The European Space Agency is launching a new satellite to map variations in the Earth's gravity field with unprecedented accuracy. The satellite will give UK scientists vital information about ocean circulation and sea level change needed to improve climate forecast models.

Human Embryonic Stem Cell Secretions Minimize Tissue Injury After Heart Attack

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT

A novel way to improve survival and recovery rate after a heart attack was reported in the journal Stem Cell Research. This method, developed in laboratory research with pigs, is the first noncell based therapeutic application of human embryonic stem cells. It entails using secretions from stem cells.

World's Largest-ever Study Of Near-Death Experiences

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT

The University of Southampton is launching the world's largest-ever study of near-death experiences this week. The University of Southampton is launching the world's largest-ever study of near-death experiences this week. The AWARE (AWAreness during REsuscitation) study is to be launched by the Human Consciousness Project -- an international collaboration of scientists and physicians who have joined forces to study the human brain, consciousness and clinical death.

Researchers Identify Natural Tumor Suppressor

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Researchers have identified a key step in the formation -- and suppression -- of esophageal cancers and perhaps carcinomas of the breast, head and neck. By studying human tissue samples, they found that Fbx4, a naturally occurring enzyme, plays a key role in stopping production of another protein called Cyclin D1, which is thought to contribute to the early stages of cancer development.

Magnetic Resonance And Radar Technology United In One Prototype: New Process To Improve Diagnostic Images

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Don't move a muscle! Patients certainly have to take this request to heart if they have to lie in a magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) device – otherwise movement artifacts result on the images produced by the MRT. With the aid of an ultra-broadband radar device, these vital movements during measurement can be taken into consideration and the MRI measurements can be corrected.

Bilingual Children More Likely To Stutter

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Children who are bilingual before the age of 5 are significantly more likely to stutter and to find it harder to lose their impediment, than children who speak only one language before this age, suggests research in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Genetic Region Linked To Five Times Higher Lung Cancer Risk

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT

A narrow region on chromosome 15 contains genetic variations strongly associated with familial lung cancer, a new study says. The researchers found a more than five times higher risk of lung cancer for people who have both a family history of the disease and these genetic variations.

Spiky Probe On NASA Mars Lander Raises Vapor Quandary

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT

A fork-like conductivity probe has sensed humidity rising and falling beside NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander, but when stuck into the ground, its measurements so far indicate soil that is thoroughly and perplexingly dry.

Many Cancer Patients Receive Insufficient Pain Management Therapy

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT

Pain is one of the most common symptoms of cancer patients, yet many of them do not receive adequate therapy for the pain caused by their disease or treatments, according to new study.

Carbon Molecule With A Charge Could Be Tomorrow's Semiconductor

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT

As part of the research to place gadolinium atoms inside the carbon cage of a fullerene molecule for MRI applications, researchers created an 80-atom carbon molecule with two yttrium ions inside. They then replaced one of the carbon atoms with an atom of nitrogen and discovered that the extra electron ducks inside between the yttrium ions, forming a one-electron bond with unique spin properties that can be altered.

Previously Deported Immigrants More Likely To Be Rearrested After Leaving Jail, Study Finds

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT

Deportable immigrants who previously have been expelled from the United States are more likely to be rearrested on suspicion of committing a crime after they are released from jail than other deportable immigrants without the prior history of expulsion, according to a new RAND Corporation study. The findings provide support for law enforcement programs that target deportable immigrants who have a record of being previously deported from the United States.

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