ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Hazards Of Severe Space Weather Revealed Posted: 12 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST A new study describes how extreme solar eruptions could have severe consequences for communications, power grids and other technology on Earth. The report provides some of the first clear economic data that effectively quantifies today's risk of extreme conditions in space driven by magnetic activity on the sun and disturbances in the near-Earth environment. Instances of extreme space weather are rare and are categorized with other natural hazards that have a low frequency but high consequences.

Researchers First To 'See' Reactive Oxygen Species In Vital Enzyme Posted: 12 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Using two simultaneous light-based probing techniques, scientists have illuminated important details about a class of enzymes involved in everything from photosynthesis to the regulation of biological clocks.

Possible New Target For Treating Breast Cancer Posted: 12 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Scientists have uncovered that cyclophilin B may contribute to progression in breast cancer.

You Can Look -- But Don't Touch Posted: 12 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Consumers are often told that if they break an item, they buy it. But a new study suggests that if they just touch an item for more than a few seconds, they may also end up buying it. Researchers tested how touching an item before buying affects how much they are willing to pay for an item.

How Martian Winds Make Rocks Walk Posted: 12 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST At first, figuring out how pebble-sized rocks organize themselves in evenly-spaced patterns in sand seemed simple and even intuitive. But once one researcher started observing, he discovered that the most commonly held notions did not apply. And even more surprising, was that his findings revealed answers to NASA's questions about sediment transport and surface processes on Mars.

High Insulin Levels Raise Risk Of Breast Cancer In Postmenopausal Women Posted: 12 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST Higher-than-normal levels of insulin place postmenopausal women at increased risk of breast cancer, researchers report.

Researchers Control The Assembly Of Nanobristles Into Helical Clusters Posted: 12 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST From the structure of DNA to nautical rope to distant spiral galaxies, helical forms are as abundant as they are useful in nature and manufacturing alike. Researchers at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have discovered a way to synthesize and control the formation of nanobristles, akin to tiny hairs, into helical clusters and have further demonstrated the fabrication of such highly ordered clusters, built from similar coiled building blocks, over multiple scales and areas. The finding has potential use in energy and information storage, photonics, adhesion, capture and release systems, and chemical mixing.

Protein Has Pivotal Role In Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome Posted: 12 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST COUP-TFII, a protein known to play a role in development and the formation of organs is also an important factor in the control of obesity and diabetes, said researchers in the journal Cell Metabolism.

Where Am I? How Our Brain Works As A GPS Device Posted: 12 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST The results of a new study in Psychological Science reveal that the brain does not have a distinct preference for certain cues during reorientation. These findings indicate that the brain takes into account a number of factors, including the environment and our past experiences, while determining the best way to reorient us to our surroundings.

Dead Stars Tell Story Of Planet Birth Posted: 12 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Astronomers have turned to an unexpected place to study the evolution of planets -- dead stars. Observations made with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveal six dead "white dwarf" stars littered with the remains of shredded asteroids. This might sound pretty bleak, but it turns out the chewed-up asteroids are teaching astronomers about the building materials of planets around other stars.

Heart Valves Implanted Without Open-heart Surgery Posted: 12 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST An innovative approach for implanting a new aortic heart valve without open-heart surgery is being offered in a Phase 3 multicenter study. It is focused on the treatment of patients who are at high risk or not suitable for open-heart valve replacement surgery.

New NASA Balloon Successfully Flight-Tested Over Antarctica Posted: 12 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST NASA and the National Science Foundation have successfully launched and demonstrated a newly designed super pressure balloon prototype that may enable a new era of high-altitude scientific research. The super-pressure balloon ultimately will carry large scientific experiments to the brink of space for 100 days or more.

Hormone Therapy Associated With Reduced Colorectal Cancer Risk Posted: 12 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST The combination of estrogen plus progestin, which women stopped taking in droves following the news that it may increase their risk of breast cancer, may decrease their risk of colorectal cancer, according to a new report published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

Digital Communication Technology Helps Clear Path To Personalized Therapies Posted: 12 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers have shown that search algorithms used in digital communications can help scientists identify effective multi-drug combinations.

Spirituality Is Key To Kids' Happiness, Study Suggests Posted: 12 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST A new study suggests that spirituality, not religious practices, determine how happy children are.

Hind Wings Help Butterflies Make Swift Turns To Evade Predators, Study Finds Posted: 12 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST New tires allow race cars to take tight turns at high speeds. Hind wings give moths and butterflies similar advantages: They are not necessary for basic flight but help these creatures take tight turns to evade predators.

Stem Cell Troops Called To Repair The Body Using New Drug Combinations Posted: 12 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Scientists have tricked bone marrow into releasing extra adult stem cells into the bloodstream, a technique that they hope could one day be used to repair heart damage or mend a broken bone, in a new study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

New Tool Fertilizes Fields And Reduces Runoff Nutrients Posted: 12 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST A new field tool developed by Agricultural Research Service scientists applies poultry litter to fields in shallow bands, reducing runoff of excess nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen.

Repeat C-section Before 39 Weeks Raises Risk Of Neonatal Illness Posted: 12 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Women choosing repeat cesarean deliveries and having them at term but before completing 39 weeks gestation are up to two times more likely to have a baby with serious complications including respiratory distress resulting in mechanical ventilation and NICU admission.

Studies Offer Guide As Protein Interaction Mapping Comes Of Age Posted: 12 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST During the past 20 years, researchers have identified thousands of cell protein interactions with the goal of developing a comprehensive catalogue known as the interactome. Unfortunately, the data collected by different research teams have been somewhat inconsistent. Dana-Farber investigators have examined the accuracy of current interactome maps and how they were compiled for the purpose of improving future research and demonstrating the power of such research when backed by well-proven experimental techniques.

Chances Of Surviving Cardiac Arrest Depend On Where Patients Are Treated Posted: 12 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Patients in large, urban, and teaching hospitals are more likely to survive compared to those in small, often rural, non-academic hospitals, according to a new study published in the journal Intensive Care Medicine. A second study, published in Resuscitation, suggests that patients who are cared for in the highest volume intensive care units after cardiac arrest are also most apt to survive.

Decline Of Plankton That Gobble Carbon Dioxide Coincided With Ancient Global Cooling Posted: 11 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST The evolutionary history of diatoms -- abundant oceanic plankton that remove billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the air each year -- needs to be rewritten, according to a new study. The findings suggest that after a sudden rise in species numbers, diatoms abruptly declined about 33 million years ago -- trends that coincided with severe global cooling.

Molecule Linked To Muscle Maturation, Muscle Cancer Posted: 11 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Cancer researchers have discovered that a molecule implicated in leukemia is also important in muscle repair and rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer caused proliferating immature muscle cells. The study shows that immature muscle cells require the molecule miR-29 to mature, and that the molecule is nearly missing in rhabdomyosarcoma cells. The findings should give a better understanding of muscle repair and development, and of rhabdomyosarcoma, and could lead to new treatments for muscle diseases.

Peer Discussion Improves Student Performance With 'Clickers' Posted: 11 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Across the University of Colorado at Boulder campus students are sharing answers, checking their responses to questions against those of their neighbors and making adjustments to those answers in hopes of earning a better grade.

What Is The Connection Between Sleep Apnea, Stroke And Death? Posted: 11 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Obstructive sleep apnea decreases blood flow to the brain, elevates blood pressure within the brain and eventually harms the brain's ability to modulate these changes and prevent damage to itself. The findings may help explain why people with sleep apnea are more likely to suffer strokes and to die in their sleep.

Using Math To Understand Hep. C: Patterns Paint Picture Of Who Will Respond To Treatment Posted: 11 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST New research findings show doctors how to predict whether or not a patient with hepatitis C will respond to traditional therapy.

Behavioral Difficulties At School May Lead To Lifelong Health And Social Problems Posted: 11 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Adolescents who misbehave at school are more likely to have difficulties throughout their adult lives, finds a 40-year study of British citizens. These difficulties cover all areas of life, from mental health to domestic and personal relationships to economic deprivation.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of ScienceDaily: Latest Science News in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News, c/o Google, 20 W Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610