ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Genetic-based Human Diseases Are An Ancient Evolutionary Legacy, Research Suggests

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Evolutionary geneticists reveal that disease genes emerged very early in evolutionary history. They have systematically analyzed the time of emergence for a large number of genes -- genes which can also initiate diseases.

Nicotine Linked To Breast Cancer Growth And Spread, Study Suggests

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT

A new study suggests a possible role for nicotine in breast tumor development and metastases.

Chicken Soup May Help Fight High Blood Pressure

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Chicken soup, that popular home remedy for the common cold sometimes known as "Grandma's Penicillin," may have a new role alongside medication and other medical measures in fighting high blood pressure, scientists in Japan are reporting.

Fructose -- Found In High-fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar -- Sets Table For Weight Gain Without Warning

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are about 50% fructose and these ingredients have become increasingly common in many foods and beverages. Eating too much fructose can induce leptin resistance, a condition that can easily lead to becoming overweight when combined with a high-fat, high-calorie diet, according to a new study with rats. This is the first study to show that leptin resistance can develop as a result of high fructose consumption and that leptin resistance can develop silently, that is, with little indication that it is happening.

Human Protein Atlas Will Help Pinpoint Disease

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Researchers in Sweden are compiling a remarkable "atlas" that pinpoints the location of thousands of individual proteins in the body's tissues and cells which will give scientists important insights into the function of different proteins and how changes in the distribution of proteins could be reflected in diseases such as cancer.

Risk And Reward Compete In Brain: Imaging Study Reveals Battle Between Lure Of Reward And Fear Of Failure

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT

Imaging study follows on previous lesion studies to pinpoint regions of brain involved in risk management: finds that individuals' response to risk and reward can be gauged from activity in two distinct brain regions.

Waste From Gut Bacteria Helps Host Control Weight, Researchers Report

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT

A single molecule in the intestinal wall, activated by the waste products from gut bacteria, plays a large role in controlling whether the host animals are lean or fatty, a research team has found in a mouse study.

Antioxidants Could Help Huntington’s Disease Sufferers, Study Suggests

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Therapeutic strategies to strengthen antioxidant defenses could help to prevent the progression of Huntington's Disease. New research shows that oxidative stress and damage to certain macromolecules are involved in the progression of Huntington's Disease (HD), which is characterised by psychiatric and cognitive disturbance, involuntary movements (chorea) and dementia.

Warming In Yosemite National Park Sends Small Mammals Packing To Higher, Cooler Elevations

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT

UC Berkeley's resurvey of animal populations in California's eastern mountains kicked off in 2003 with a resurvey of Yosemite National Park, following the route of Joseph Grinnell in 1914-20. The first results show that small mammals have moved to higher elevations as a result of warming, some expanding their range upward, others moving upward and abandoning lower elevations entirely. Though biodiversity remains unchanged, the rapid rate of change sounds a cautionary note about global warming.

Polio Could Be Wiped Out In Nigeria With Improved Vaccine, Says Study

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT

A recently introduced polio vaccine is four times more effective at protecting children than previous vaccines and has the potential to eradicate type 1 polio in Nigeria if it reaches enough children, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Sensitive Nanowire Disease Detectors Created

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Scientists have created nanowire sensors coupled with simple microprocessor electronics that are both sensitive and specific enough to be used for point-of-care disease detection, according to a new report.

Intelligent Programs Protect Your Computer Environment

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT

Scientists have developed a system capable of detecting computer intrusions and automatically deciding the best response.

Genes Hold Secret Of Survival Of Antarctic 'Antifreeze Fish'

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT

A genetic study of a fish that lives in the icy waters off Antarctica sheds light on the adaptations that enable it to survive in one of the harshest environments on the planet.

Gene Hunt In Dyslexia

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Letters are warped, syllables left out. Scientists seek to spot responsible genes and try to develop a genetic screening test to support affected children at an earlier age.

Opening A Can Of Worms: Serendipitous Discovery Reveals Earthworms More Diverse Than First Thought

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Scientists have found that the UK's common or garden earthworms are far more diverse than previously thought, a discovery with important consequences for agriculture. Biologists have found that many of the common earthworm species found in gardens and on agricultural land are actually made up of a number of distinct species that may have different roles in food chains and soil structure and ecology.

Sunlight Exposure Plus Low Antioxidant Levels May Place Older Adults At Risk For Eye Disease

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT

People who lack essential antioxidants, and who have high levels of sunlight exposure, have a higher risk of developing advanced macular degeneration (AMD), according to a new study. AMD is a leading cause of poor vision.

Feel The Light: OLED With Touch Function

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) are one of the most promising lighting technology for future lighting solutions. The OLED technology is the first real area light source technology in history. It overcomes traditional restrictions by point source lighting technologies (e.g. light bulbs or LED). Now, scientists have demonstrated an important innovation in OLED lighting: the worldwide first interactive touch controlled flat light source.

Migratory Moths May Hitch Their Rides, But They're Anything But Drifters

Posted: 19 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Night-traveling migratory moths may hitch a ride on the wind, but a new study in Current Biology confirms that they are anything but drifters.