ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Biologists Discover Motor Protein That Rewinds DNA Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 PM CST Biologists have discovered the first of a new class of cellular motor proteins that "rewind" sections of the double-stranded DNA molecule that become unwound, like the tangled ribbons from a cassette tape, in "bubbles" that prevent critical genes from being expressed.

Transplantation: 'Molecular Miscegenation' Blurs The Boundary Between Self And Non-self Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 PM CST A new discovery by London biologists may yield new ways of handling transplant rejection. Scientists confirm the two-way transfer of a molecule that instructs the immune system to tell "self" from "non-self." By disrupting the transfer of this molecule, newly transplanted organs should become "invisible" to the host's immune system. Such an advance would be considered a major medical breakthrough.

Researcher Grows Roots On Upper Part Of Plant Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 PM CST Researchers have succeeded in growing roots on plants at places where normally leaves would grow. This important step in plant modification can be highly beneficial for improving crop yields and efficiency in agriculture.

Severe Gestational Hypertension May Protect Sons Against Testicular Cancer Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 PM CST Women who experience severe gestational hypertension may give birth to boys at lower risk for testicular cancer, although the exact reasons why are still unclear.

Ultrasound Shown To Exert Remote Control Of Brain Circuits Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 PM CST In a twist on nontraditional uses of ultrasound, neuroscientists have developed pulsed ultrasound techniques that can remotely stimulate brain circuit activity. The findings provide insights into how low-power ultrasound can be harnessed for the noninvasive neurostimulation of brain circuits and offers the potential for new treatments of brain disorders and disease.

Does Your Personality Influence Who You Vote For? Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 PM CST Does your personality influence who you vote for? The short answer is yes, according to one professor of psychology. As Americans go to the polls in record numbers to vote for the next U.S. president, some voters will crave social stability and others will crave social change. Liberals and conservatives divide according to these personality preferences.

Magnetic Portals Connect Sun And Earth Posted: 02 Nov 2008 01:00 PM CST During the time it takes you to read this article, something will happen high overhead that until recently many scientists didn't believe in. A magnetic portal will open, linking Earth to the sun 93 million miles away. Tons of high-energy particles may flow through the opening before it closes again, around the time you reach the end of the page.

Bumblebee Colonies Which Are Fast Learners Are Also Better Able To Fight Off Infection Posted: 02 Nov 2008 01:00 PM CST Like humans, bees' ability to learn appears reduced when they are ill. The prediction was that good learners would be worse at fighting infections -- but surprisingly, this was not the case.

Friend Or Foe? How The Body's Clot-busting System Speeds Up Atherosclerosis Posted: 02 Nov 2008 01:00 PM CST Scientists have been puzzled by the fact that high levels of plasmin in blood and high levels of urokinase in artery walls are linked to high risk for rapid progression of atherosclerosis and heart attacks. Are these naturally occurring clot busters contributors to disease or evidence of the body's attempt to fight it? Molecular biology research shows interactions between urokinase and plasminogen accelerate atherosclerosis. Genetic loss of plasminogen production (the precursor to plasmin) protects mice against atherosclerosis, even when urokinase levels are elevated.

Recent Hurricane History Provides Diverging Interpretations On Future Of Hurricane Activity Posted: 02 Nov 2008 01:00 PM CST Scientists have analyzed hurricane data observed over the past 50 years. A new study in Science explores the relationship between sea surface temperatures and seasonal hurricane activity, and show how differing interpretations of the record can imply vastly different futures for Atlantic hurricane activity due to global warming.

Children Of Smokers Tend To Be More Impulsive Posted: 02 Nov 2008 01:00 PM CST Adolescents may have more in common with their smoking parents than previously thought. These adolescents may also share a tendency to act impulsively, a trait that could be linked to a decision to become a smoker.

Beyond Recognizing Odors, Single Neuron Controls Reactions In Worm Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 AM CST Babies will smile when they catch the scent of vanilla, but a whiff of rotting meat will send them into fits. From people to mice and flies to worms, animals of all kinds are born with likes and dislikes thanks to the evolutionary wisdom collected in their genes. But new research shows that some preferences are still surprisingly flexible at even the most basic level -- that of the sensory neuron itself -- and that our nervous system may be even more adaptable than we thought.

Aggressive, Personalized Treatment Increases Kidney Cancer Patient Survival, Study Shows Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 AM CST A study of nearly 1,500 patients treated for kidney cancer in the last 15 years shows that an aggressive, tailored treatment approach results in better survival rates and also uncovers subsets of kidney cancer that behave differently and need to be treated accordingly.

Cleaning Heavily Polluted Water At A Fraction Of The Cost Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 AM CST A European research project has succeeded in developing a water treatment system for industrial oil polluted water at a tenth of the cost of other commercially available tertiary treatments, leaving water so clean it can be pumped safely back out to sea without endangering flora or fauna.

New Tumor Inhibitor For Treatment Of Hereditary Breast Cancer Shows Promising Results In Mouse Model Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 AM CST Researchers used the novel inhibitor AZD2281 to target breast cancer, in which the BRCA1-gene plays a role, in a genetically engineered mouse model. Treatment resulted in tumor regression and a strong increase in survival without signs of toxicity. The inhibitor, which recently entered trials in human cancer patients, thus seems to have therapeutic potential for BRCA-defective tumors.

Minimizing Downtime By Decentralizing Control In Complex, Computerized Systems Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 AM CST When complex, computerized control systems encounter a malfunction in any part of the process they control, the whole operation often grinds to a halt while the problem is diagnosed and fixed. New software overcomes that problem by decentralization.

Ageism More Prevalent Than Racism Among Presidential Voters, Study Finds Posted: 02 Nov 2008 07:00 AM CST An ongoing study of 20,000 registered voters has found that far more of them would vote against Sen. John McCain because of his age than would vote against Sen. Barack Obama because of his race.

Critically Endangered Fruit Bat Make Dramatic Return From Brink Of Extinction Posted: 31 Oct 2008 11:00 PM CDT A once critically endangered bat species, the 'Pemba flying fox', has made a dramatic return from the brink of extinction, according to new research. As recently as 1989, only a scant few individual fruit bats could be observed on the tropical island of Pemba, off Tanzania. Its numbers have since soared to an astounding 22,000 bats in less than 20 years, the new research finds.

Pakistan Introduces Vaccine To Prevent Top Child Killer Posted: 31 Oct 2008 11:00 PM CDT Pakistan is introducing a new 5-in-1 vaccine that will protect its children against the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and four other common childhood diseases. Hib, a bacterium that can cause deadly meningitis and pneumonia, is one of the top killers of young children in the developing world.

Diabetes Risk Higher Among Children In Low-Income Families Posted: 31 Oct 2008 11:00 PM CDT Children living in poverty have high levels of diabetes risk factors and need early detection and intervention programs, according to researchers.

Dizziness, Vertigo Treatment Options: National Guideline On Treatment For Common Cause Of Dizziness Posted: 31 Oct 2008 11:00 PM CDT The American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery Foundation will issue a comprehensive clinical guideline to help healthcare practitioners identify and treat patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, one of the most common underlying conditions that cause dizziness. The guideline emphasizes evidence-based recommendations on managing BPPV, the most common vestibular (inner ear) disorder in adults.

Primary Insomnia Linked To Neurochemical Abnormality In Young And Middle-aged Adults Posted: 31 Oct 2008 11:00 PM CDT A new study in the journal Sleep is the first demonstration of a specific neurochemical abnormality in adults with primary insomnia, providing greater insight to the limited understanding of the condition's pathology.

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