ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Plastic Made To Conduct Electricity Posted: 10 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Plastic that conducts electricity and metal that weighs no more than a feather? It sounds like an upside-down world. Yet researchers have succeeded in making plastics conductive and cutting production costs at the same time.

Production Line For Artificial Skin Posted: 10 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST A fully automated process is set to improve the production of artificial tissue: medical scientists can perform transplants with skin produced in the laboratory. This tissue is also suitable for testing chemicals at a low cost without requiring animal experiments.

New Classification Of Spinal Deformity Defines Range Of Normalcy Posted: 10 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST A neurosurgeon who has spent his career helping people with severe spine problems stand up straight has spearheaded the creation of a new spinal deformity classification system.

Dual-head Gamma Camera Increases Ability To Detect Breast Tumors Not Seen On Mammography Posted: 10 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST A dual-headed dedicated gamma camera used during molecular breast imaging can accurately detect small breast tumors less than 2 cm in size, according to a new study.

Keeping Track: Software Locates People And Objects, Immediately Detects Unauthorized Persons Posted: 10 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Aircrafts and fueling vehicles move around, cleaning brigades come and go. Security staff keep watch on everything to ensure nobody gets into danger. A software will soon help them with their task: It locates people and objects and immediately detects unauthorized persons.

Thinking Like A President: How Power Affects Complex Decision Making Posted: 10 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Presidential scholars have written volumes trying to understand the presidential mind. Do those seeking office have a unique approach to decision making? Studies have suggested that power changes not only a person's responsibilities, but also the way they think. Now, a new study in Psychological Science indicates that having power may lead people to automatically think in a way that makes complex decision-making easier.

Clothing With A Brain: 'Smart Fabrics' That Monitor Health Posted: 10 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Researchers are reporting progress toward a simple, low-cost method to make "smart fabrics," electronic textiles capable of detecting diseases, monitoring heart rates, and other vital signs. These straight-out-of-science-fiction-fibers are made of carbon nanotubes.

Drug Reduces Aggression, Wandering And Paranoia In Alzheimer's Patients Posted: 10 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Cholinesterase inhibitors, used to treat cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, are also a safe and effective alternative therapy for the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, according to a study in the journal Clinical Interventions in Aging.

New 3-D Views From Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Posted: 10 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST The team operating the highest-resolution camera orbiting Mars has posted 362 stereo images, providing three-dimensional views of mounds, canyons, gullies and other features.

Enzyme May Hold Key To Successfully Treating Pancreatic Cancer With Targeted Immunotherapy Posted: 10 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST An enzyme that is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer cells may hold the key to successfully treating the disease with targeted immunotherapy. The enzyme is IDO2.

Intelligent Vehicle Safety Systems Offer Considerable Potential For Improving Traffic Safety Posted: 10 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Intelligent vehicle safety systems will clearly improve traffic safety if they are extensively taken into use. Many of the systems effectively reduce the number of fatalities and injuries, although without special measures, the systems will only slowly become more common in vehicles.

New Year's Eve Is Extended : New Year's Eve Will Last One Second Longer Due To A Leap Second Posted: 10 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST For three years it was possible to do without it. But now it's become necessary again. This coming New Year's Eve, the radio controlled clocks will, after 0:59:59, instead of jumping to 1 o'clock at the next tick of the second, pause shortly in order to insert a small portion of extra time: a leap second.

'Border Patrol Agents' Identified In The Gut Posted: 10 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Researchers have shown in mice how and under what circumstances the gut activates its defensive mechanisms to prevent illness.

Statin Warning For Pregnant Women Posted: 10 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Pregnant women or those hoping to start or extend a family should talk to their physician about avoiding using the cholesterol-lowering drugs statins, say scientists.

100-meter Sprint World Record Could Go As Low As 9.48 Seconds Posted: 10 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST During the last century human athletic records have continued tumbling, but are there limits to how fast elite athletes can run? Marathon runner Mark Denny from Stanford University has calculated human athletes' speed limits over distances ranging from 100m to the marathon and predicts that male runners may eventually sprint 100m in 9.48s.

New Therapies Sought For Alcoholic Hepatitis Posted: 10 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST A new study finds the use of the drug therapy etanercept ineffective in treating alcoholic hepatitis, an acute inflammation of the liver caused by excessive consumption of alcohol.

Bringing Lab-on-a-chip To A Surgery Near You Posted: 10 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST If doctors were able to conduct efficient genetic analysis at the point of care, using inexpensive, portable equipment, it would revolutionize disease detection and treatment. Researchers are close to enabling this revolution.

When 2 + 2 = Major Anxiety: Math Performance In Stressful Situations Posted: 10 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST New research indicates that working memory is a key component of math anxiety. These findings suggest that worrying about a situation (such as solving an arithmetic problem in front of a group of people) takes up the working memory that is available for figuring out the math problem, resulting in poor performance in problem solving during stressful situations.

Secret Ingredient For The Health Of Tropical Rainforests Discovered Posted: 10 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Scientists have found for the first time that tropical rainforests, a vital part of the Earth's ecosystem, rely on the rare trace element molybdenum to capture the nitrogen fertilizer needed to support their wildly productive growth. Most of the nitrogen that supports the rapid, lush growth of rainforests comes from tiny bacteria that can turn nitrogen in the air into fertilizer in the soil.

Vitamin D Found To Fight Placental Infection Posted: 10 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Vitamin D induces immune responses in placental tissues, suggesting that the ability of the placenta to combat bacterial infection may be enhanced if pregnant women supplement their diets with vitamin D.

Apoptosis Inhibitors Prevent Not Only Cell Death, But Also Play A Role In Cell Migration Posted: 10 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Many of the cancer drugs currently undergoing clinical trials target apoptosis inhibitors (IAPs), since if the levels of IAPs are reduced, tumor cells will be destroyed by the body's own self-protecting mechanism or by the chemotherapeutic drugs. However, researchers have recently discovered that IAPs also have another life: they control cell migration.

Towards Improved Immunotherapy Posted: 10 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST A new study describes a new method that facilitates the induction of a specific type of immune suppressive cells, called 'regulatory T cells' for therapeutic use. These immune suppressive cells show great potential for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and improving transplantation outcomes.

Semantic Desktop Paves Way For Semantic Web Posted: 10 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Researchers have developed innovative software to make finding information on your computer and sharing it with others considerably easier. In the process, they may have solved the chicken and egg problem that has held back development of the semantic web.

Higher Rates Of Mental Illness Among The Homeless In Western Countries Posted: 10 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Homeless people in Western countries have substantially higher rates of mental health problems than the general population, according to results from a systematic review and meta-analysis published in PLoS Medicine.

Rivers Of Gas Flow Around Stars In New Space Image Posted: 09 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST A new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows a turbulent star-forming region, where rivers of gas and stellar winds are eroding thickets of dusty material.

New Global Blueprint To Treat Childhood Cancer Posted: 09 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Scientists have developed a global blueprint for the treatment of the most common childhood cancer - neuroblastoma, which affects an estimated 11,000 children each year worldwide.

Cell Receptor Identified As Target For Anti-inflammatory Immune Response Posted: 09 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Invading pathogens provoke a series of molecular heroics that, when successful, muster an army of antibodies to neutralize the threat. Like with any close-quarter combat, however, an aggressive immune response runs the risk of friendly fire accidents. For the last decade, immunologists have intensively studied mechanisms evolved by the immune system to avoid these accidents by shutting off the immune response once the invaders have been eliminated.

New Statistical Model Could Help Reduce Breast-lesion Biopsies Posted: 09 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST A new method of characterizing breast lesions found during an MRI exam could result in fewer biopsies of benign tumors with the benefits of reduced pain and expense for patients and providers, according to a new article.

Collective Solution To Accessing The Internet Via Satellite Posted: 09 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST In many rural areas of Europe, getting on the internet means putting up with sluggish dial-up connections or, at best, erratic mobile services. A new satellite-based solution developed by European researchers promises to change that.

A New Light On Work-related Fatigue Posted: 09 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST A research group from Taiwan examined the associations between the objective health indicators and the high need for recovery (NFR) after work. They found that for apparently healthy workers, high NFR after work is not simply a subjective experience. Objective health measures, such as elevated ALT and increased waist circumference, should be carefully evaluated for the apparently healthy workers.

Why Some Bird Species Lay Only One Egg Posted: 09 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST A global study of the wide variation among birds in this trait, known as the "clutch size," now provides biologists with some answers. The study combined data on the clutch sizes of 5,290 species of birds with information on the biology and environment of each of these species.

Progression Of Retinal Disease Linked To Cell Starvation Posted: 09 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST A new study illuminates an incurable eye disease that afflicts approximately 100,000 Americans. Your retina contains two types of cells that send signals when they detect light: rods and cones. In patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa, first the rods, then the cones die, leading to blindness. While most cases of the disease are due to mutations in rod-specific genes, cones don't escape death. New data suggest that the cones die because they are starving.

Soybean Genome Sequenced Posted: 09 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Scientists have released a complete draft assembly of the soybean genetic code, making it widely available to the research community to advance new breeding strategies for one of the world's most valuable plant commodities. Soybean not only accounts for 70 percent of the world's edible protein, but also is an emerging feedstock for biodiesel production and is the leading US agricultural export.

Up To 2 Drinks Per Day Not Linked With Higher Risk Of Irregular Heart Beat For Women Posted: 09 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Women who have up to two alcoholic drinks per day do not appear to be at increased risk of atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat), but drinking more than that amount is associated with a higher risk.

Heart Pumps: High Cost, High Mortality In An Emerging Technology Posted: 09 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Ventricular assist devices, or VADs -- surgically-placed mechanical pumps that can support failing hearts or buy time to transplant -- are associated with high hospital costs and high rates of early death among Medicare recipients, say researchers.

Nipping Violence In The Bud In Children Posted: 09 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Violent behavioral problems that persist in early childhood are good indicators of school drop-outs and future delinquency.

Hubble Telescope Finds Carbon Dioxide On An Extrasolar Planet Posted: 09 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has discovered carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting another star. This breakthrough is an important step toward finding chemical biotracers of extraterrestrial life.

Food Can Affect A Cell In The Same Way Hormones Do Posted: 09 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Researchers have discovered an important new mechanism with which cells can detect nutrients. This happens in the same way - and with the same effects – as when cells receive a message from a hormone. This finding can teach us more about how food affects our body; and, furthermore, it can form the basis for new candidate targets for medicines.

Neutron Researchers Discover Widely Sought Property In Magnetic Semiconductor Posted: 09 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Researchers have demonstrated for the first time the existence of a key magnetic property of specially built semiconductor devices that raises hopes for even smaller and faster gadgets that could result from magnetic data storage in a semiconductor material.

Analysis Supports Use Of Surgery To Treat Medication-resistant Epilepsy Posted: 09 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Persons with temporal lobe epilepsy who do not respond to medication could receive a substantial gain in life expectancy and quality of life by undergoing surgery of the temporal lobe part of the brain, according to a new analysis.

Lighted Fabric, Packaging, Easy With New Manufacturing Process Posted: 09 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Ultra-thin and energy efficient displays that use organic compounds to emit light have been stirring up excitement in the consumer electronics industry for several years. Researchers have now developed a cost-effective method for manufacturing flexible displays in much the same way that newspapers are printed. Their work promises to revolutionize packaging, advertising and even clothing.

Why Do People Make 'A Mountain Out of a Molehill?' Aggression, Status And Sex Posted: 09 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Have you ever wondered why it seems like the littlest things make people angry? Why a glance at the wrong person or a spilled glass of water can lead to a fist fight or worse? One researcher has three words to explain why people may be evolutionarily inclined to make a mountain out of molehill: aggression, status and sex.

Cancer Projected To Become Leading Cause Of Death Worldwide In 2010 Posted: 09 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Despite the recent good news that cancer incidence and death rates for men and women in the United States continue to decline, cancer is projected to become the leading cause of death worldwide in the year 2010 and low- and middle-income countries will feel the impact of higher cancer incidence and death rates more sharply than industrialized countries.

New Breast Imaging Technology Targets Hard-to-detect Cancers Posted: 09 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Breast-specific gamma imaging is effective in the detection of cancers not found on mammograms or by clinical exam.

Discovery Of Microbe In Roundworm Provides Animal Model For 'Emerging Pathogen' Posted: 09 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST An international team of biologists has discovered a new species of microsporidia, a single-celled parasite of animals, in a roundworm used in genetic laboratories around the world.

Dismissed Leukemia Drug Helps Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients, Studies Show Posted: 09 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST A drug once dismissed as ineffective in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia has shown promising results in two phase I and II clinical trials, according to new research.

Atomic Clock Could Be Miniturized Posted: 09 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST The world's most precise clock - on which all time-keeping and navigation systems are based - might be made as small as a wristwatch with a new design proposed by an international team of physicists.

Natural Hormone Reduces Stress Hormones In Arguing Couples Posted: 09 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST A dose of the hormone Oxytocin reduces the stress hormone Cortisol in arguing couples. In addition, Oxytocin strengthens positive behavior, as researchers have discovered. Various studies in recent years have repeatedly shown that the hormone Oxytocin in the brain of mammals -- and therefore human beings too -- is jointly responsible for regulating the social behavior.

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