ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

New Way To Produce Hydrogen Discovered Posted: 23 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Scientists have discovered a way to produce hydrogen by exposing selected clusters of aluminum atoms to water. The findings are important because they demonstrate that it is the geometries of these aluminum clusters, rather than solely their electronic properties, that govern the proximity of the clusters' exposed active sites. The proximity of the clusters' exposed sites plays an important role in affecting the clusters' reactions with water.

Mediterranean Diet Reduces Long-term Risk Of Subsequent Weight Gain And Obesity Among Adults Posted: 23 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST A research group from Spain has studied the dietary patterns associated with a high intake of fruits and vegetables in Mediterranean populations. They have analyzed the associations between fruit and vegetable intake and weight gain over a 10-year period in an adult Mediterranean population. The researchers found that increased fruit and vegetable intake was associated with significantly lower risk of a medium weight gain (3,41 kg) over 10 years among adults.

New Stretchable Electrodes Created To Study Stresses On Cardiac Cells Posted: 23 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Engineers have created stretchable electrodes to study how cardiac muscle cells, neurons and other cells react to mechanical stresses from heart attacks, traumatic brain injuries and other diseases.

'Bliss' Blocks Sperm: Investigating Impact Of Marijuana Exposure On Male Infertility Posted: 23 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Evidence suggests that human male fertility is impacted by long-term exposure to marijuana. Indeed, endocannabinoids and their receptors are present in the male reproductive tract, further suggesting a functional role in fertility, but there has been no genetic test to clarify mechanisms. Now researchers have characterized the phenotype of mice genetically lacking FAAH, fatty acid amide hydrolase.

Evolutionary Process More Detailed Than Previously Believed, Study Shows Posted: 23 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST New evidence from a study of yeast cells has resulted in the most detailed picture of an organism's evolutionary process to date, says a chemical engineering professor whose findings provide the first direct evidence of aspects, which up until now have remained mostly theory.

Just Living With Females Extends The Reproductive Life Of The Male Mouse Posted: 23 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Living with a female mouse can extend the reproductive life of a male mouse by as much as 20 percent, according to a new study. The results have significant implications for the maintenance of male fertility in wildlife, livestock and even human populations.

Nicotine Activates More Than Just The Brain's Pleasure Pathways Posted: 23 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Researchers have discovered there are differing taste pathways for nicotine, which could provide a new approach for future smoking-cessation products.

Quantum Teleportation Between Distant Matter Qubits: First Between Atoms 1 Meter Apart Posted: 23 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST For the first time, scientists have successfully teleported information between two separate atoms in unconnected enclosures a meter apart – a significant milestone in the global quest for practical quantum information processing. Teleportation may be nature's most mysterious form of transport: Quantum information, such as the spin of a particle or the polarization of a photon, is transferred from one place to another, without traveling through any physical medium.

Measles Virus May Be Effective Prostate Cancer Treatment Posted: 23 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST A new study appearing in the Prostate has found that certain measles virus vaccine strain derivatives, including a strain known as MV-CEA, may prove to be an effective treatment for patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Bacterial Pathogens And Rising Temperatures Threaten Coral Health Posted: 23 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST Coral reefs around the world are in serious trouble from pollution, over-fishing, climate change and more. The last thing they need is an infection. But that's exactly what yellow band disease is -- a bacterial infection that sickens coral colonies. Researchers have found that YBD seems to be getting worse with global warming and announced that they've identified the bacteria responsible for the disease.

Researchers Examine Developing Hearts In Chickens To Find Solutions For Human Heart Abnormalities Posted: 23 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST By studying chickens' hearts, a researcher has identified certain proteins within the heart muscle that play an important regulatory role in embryonic heartbeat control. Understanding these components and how they interact will give researchers a better understanding of heart development and abnormalities in humans.

Image Recognition Software Breakthrough Posted: 23 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST Image recognition is a long-standing challenge in science. But researchers have achieved a breakthrough by developing a powerful image-recognition application with mass-market appeal. There is a bright future for the technology.

Link Between Social Rejection And Aggressive Behavior Explained Posted: 23 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST People who feel socially rejected are more likely to see others' actions as hostile and are more likely to behave in hurtful ways toward people they have never even met, according to a new study.

Microbot Motors Fit To Swim Human Arteries Posted: 23 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST A range of complex surgical operations necessary to treat stroke victims, confront hardened arteries or address blockages in the bloodstream are about to be made safer as researchers put the final touches to the design of micro-motors small enough to be injected into the human bloodstream.

Research Exposes Risk To Infants From Chemicals Used In Liquid Medicines Posted: 23 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST A new study reveals importance of researching medicines for children. The chemicals added to medicines to improve their taste, absorption and to prolong their shelf-life could be potentially harmful to very small babies.

Altered Brain Activity In Schizophrenia May Direct Focus On Self Posted: 23 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Schizophrenia may blur the boundary between internal and external realities by overactivating a brain system that is involved in self-reflection, and thus causing an exaggerated focus on self, a new brain imaging study has found.

Excessive Weight Loss Can Be A Bad Thing Posted: 23 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Beware of unexplained and sudden weight loss, warns a Saint Louis University physician. Cachexia can signal a serious underlying sickness.

Novel Explanation For A Floral Genetic Mystery Posted: 23 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Scientists have put forth a novel explanation of the evolutionary driving force behind a genetic switching circuit that regulates flower development and survival. The hypothesis is based around the obligatory pairing of certain molecules.

Binge Drinking Leads To A Greater Risk Of Preterm Birth Posted: 23 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST A new study has revealed the consequences of heavy and binge drinking on pregnancy even after these drinking patterns have stopped.

'Warrior Gene' Predicts Aggressive Behavior After Provocation Posted: 23 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST People with the so-called "warrior gene" exhibit higher levels of behavioral aggression in response to provocation, according to new research. In the experiment, subjects penalized opponents by administering varying amounts of hot sauce.

Inflammation Contributes To Colon Cancer Posted: 23 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Mice that lack the immune inhibitory molecule Smad3 are acutely sensitive to both bacterially-induced inflammation and cancer.

Nutrient Supports Bone Health Over Time Posted: 23 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Natural pigments found in plants may help protect against bone loss in older men and women. Biological antioxidants in fruits and vegetables, such as carotenoids, protect cells and tissues from damage caused by naturally occurring oxygen free radicals in the body.

Further Study Of Helicobacter Pylori Reducing Gastric Blood Flow Posted: 23 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST A research group from Sweden investigated the mechanisms underlying the reduction in gastric blood flow induced by a luminal water extract of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). They found that the H. pylori water extract reduces gastric mucosal blood flow acutely through iNOS- and nerve-mediated pathways.

Two Vital Cellular Components In Plants Are Specialized Forms Of Essential Enzyme Of All Eukaryotic Organisms Posted: 23 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST It's a little like finding out that Superman is actually Clark Kent. A team of biologists has discovered that two vital cellular components, nuclear RNA Polymerases IV and V, found only in plants, are actually specialized forms of RNA Polymerase II, an essential enzyme of all eukaryotic organisms, including humans.

Ex-Smokers Have Few Proven Weapons Against Relapse, Weight Gain Posted: 23 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to keep the White House a "smoke-free zone" when he takes office on January 20, despite his admitted struggles with tobacco relapse. For former smokers like Obama, kicking the habit can prove incredibly difficult, and here is a new blow for abstainers: a large review of studies concludes that programs designed to help former smokers often fail to improve long-term quit rates.

Baffling The Body Into Accepting Transplants Posted: 22 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST An unexpected discovery has potential to alter the body's response to anything it perceives as not 'self,' such as a tissue or organ transplant.

Lou Gehrig's Disease In Humans Genetically Linked To Dog Disease Posted: 22 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Researchers have found that the genetic mutation responsible for degenerative myelopathy (DM) in dogs is the same mutation that causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the human disease also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. As a result of the discovery, researchers can now use dogs with DM as animal models to help identify therapeutic interventions for curing the human disease, ALS.

MIRI Method Reduces Water Use In Rice Field Tests Posted: 22 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Scientists are studying a system that, in rice field tests, cuts water use by 24 percent. Rice, one of the world's most important foods, is a labor-intensive crop that also requires plenty of water. Often, water pumped to flood rice fields comes from shallow aquifers that are dwindling.

Genetic Testing Not Cost-effective In Guiding Initial Dosing Of Common Blood Thinner Posted: 22 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST New analyses show that genetic testing used to guide initial dosing of the blood-thinner warfarin may not be cost-effective for typical patients with atrial fibrillation but may be for patients at higher risk for major bleeding.

Silicon Chip Manufacture: Flat Fixtures For EUV Exposure Posted: 22 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Exposing silicon wafers to light during chip manufacture requires special fixtures called chucks. Novel electrostatic chucks made of glass ceramics are incredibly flat. This prevents structural distortions on the exposure mask and the silicon chip.

School-based Physical Activity Has Benefits Even If It Doesn't Help Lose Weight Posted: 22 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST School-based health and exercise programs have positive outcomes despite having little effect on children's weight or the amount of exercise they do outside of school, say Cochrane Researchers who carried out a systematic review of studies on physical activity programs in schools.

Much Of Antarctica Is Warming More Than Previously Thought Posted: 22 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST Scientists have long believed that while the world was getting warmer, most of Antarctica was getting colder. New research shows that for the last 50 years much of Antarctica has actually been warming at a rate comparable to the rest of the world.

New Antiviral Protein Discovered In Human Body Posted: 22 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST Scientists have discovered a new molecular sensor in human cells capable of recognizing infecting viruses and transmitting an alarm signal to the body. The newly discovered protein, termed AIM2, patrols the inside of human immune cells and when it encounters a DNA that is suspicious, possibly coming from an intruding virus or bacterium, triggers the secretion of the signaling protein Interleukin-1.

Scientific Submarine Makes Deep-sea Discoveries Posted: 22 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST A four-week expedition to explore the deep ocean south-west of Tasmania has revealed new species of animals and more evidence of impacts of increasing carbon dioxide on deep-sea corals.

Measurement Of Kidney Function In Children With Kidney Disease Improved Posted: 22 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST A formula used to measure kidney function in children with chronic kidney disease has been revised to make it more precise, according to a new study. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR), the flow rate of fluid through the tiny capillaries in the kidney (glomeruli) that filter waste materials out of the blood and into the urinary system, is the most useful indicator of kidney function.

Robot Inspects Wind Energy Converters Posted: 22 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST The material of wind energy converters must withstand intense forces. Are rotor blades damaged? A new robot inspects wind energy converters more precisely than a human ever could. It detects the minutest damage – even below the surface.

School Performance And Body Weight Affects Kids' Self-esteem, Study Shows Posted: 22 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST It's well-known that within the adult population body weight and self esteem are very much inter related. But until now, the same wasn't known about children's healthy body weight and its relationship with a positive self-image.

Smallest Possible Switch: Single Gold Atom Forms The Contact Posted: 22 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST The smallest mechanical switch plus an electronic switch of a type never seen before. That's how one young physicist sums up the results of his PhD research on electric current through atoms and molecules. "The ultimate aim of nanotechnology is to use molecules for electronics," he says. "That aim has now come a step closer."

New Portable Device Detects Salmonella In Under An Hour Posted: 22 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Scientists have designed a low-cost, rapid diagnostic device for detecting the presence of Salmonella spp. and other bacteria in less than one hour, a much shorter time than current systems. Unlike others, this project used clinical samples directly, without prior treatment in a laboratory.

A Pest That Knows No Borders: Balkan States Consider Sterile Insect Technique Against Mediterranean Fruit Fly Posted: 22 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Farmers in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina join forces to suppress one of the world's most destructive farm pests, the Mediterranean fruit fly, by using the Sterile Insect Technique.

Impaired Kidney Function Raises Risk Of Heart Problems In The Elderly Posted: 22 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Elderly people with damaged kidneys are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart failure and stroke, and other causes of mortality, according to a new study.

Speech Recognition: It’s Like Software Understands, Um, Language Posted: 22 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have taken speech recognition to a whole new level by creating software that can understand spontaneous language. It will, like, make human-machine interaction, um, work a lot more, er, smoothly.

Racial Bias Can Be Reduced By Teaching People To Differentiate Facial Features Better In Individuals Of A Different Race Posted: 22 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have determined that racial bias can be reduced by teaching people to differentiate facial features better in individuals of a different race.

Fish Out Of Water: New Species of Climbing Fish from Remote Venezuela Shakes the Catfish Family Tree Posted: 22 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST A new species of catfish from tropical South America combines traits typically found in two related but different catfish families. The new species, Lithogenes wahari, not only has the bony armor of the Loricariidae but has adaptations that allow it to climb like the Astroblepidae. Researchers think that the common ancestor to both families probably combined these traits as well.

Breastfeeding May Prevent Breast Cancer Posted: 22 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Scientists have found that extended lactation protects again mammary tumor development. Women who breastfeed for greater than two years have a significantly reduced risk of developing breast cancer later in life.

'Smart' Fridges Stay Cool By Talking To Each Other Posted: 22 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST 'Smart' fridges that run on renewable electricity and are capable of negotiating the most energy efficient way to keep food cold have been developed by researchers in Australia.

Abnormal Heart Function Associated With Reduced Capacity For Exercise Posted: 22 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Patients with abnormal diastolic function (when the heart is relaxed and expanded) in the left ventricle of the heart have a substantially lower maximum capacity for exercise, according to a new study.

Rock Climbing With Better Safety: Analysis Of Climbing Karabiners Posted: 22 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST How safe are the karabiners used in climbing? Every climber knows the dilemma: so as to tackle the wall carrying as little extra weight as necessary, he puts the lightest aluminum karabiners he can find into his backpack, knowing full well that heavier steel hooks would really be safer. The "ideal" climbing karabiner should be as light, strong and easy to operate as possible but must not open unintentionally.

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