ScienceDaily: Latest Science News |
| New Tree Of Life Divides All Lower Metazoans From Higher Animals, Molecular Research Confirms Posted: 27 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST New and comprehensive molecular research confirms a deep evolutionary division among animals. This new tree of life divides all so-called "lower" metazoans (Placozoa, corals, sponges, and jellyfish) from "higher" animals (all other metazoans, from flatworms to chordates). Placozoans have also passed over comb jellies and other organisms as an animal that most closely mirrors the root of this tree of life. |
| Aspirin May Prevent Liver Damage That Afflicts Millions, Study Finds Posted: 27 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST Simple aspirin may prevent liver damage in millions of people suffering from side effects of common drugs, alcohol abuse, and obesity-related liver disease, a new Yale University study suggests. |
| Risk Factors That Affected World Trade Center Evacuation Identified Posted: 27 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST Researchers have identified factors that affected evacuation from the World Trade Center Towers on Sep. 11, 2001. A research methodology known as participatory action research (PAR) was used to identify individual, organizational, and structural (environmental) barriers to safe and rapid evacuation. |
| Huge Burden Of Diabetes Shown By New Survey Posted: 27 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST In the United States, nearly 13 percent of adults age 20 and older have diabetes, but 40 percent of them have not been diagnosed, according to epidemiologists. Diabetes is especially common in the elderly: nearly one-third of those age 65 and older have the disease. |
| Rewrite The Textbooks: Transcription Is Bidirectional Posted: 27 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST Researchers have now unraveled how yeast generates its transcripts and have come a step closer to understanding their function. The study redefines the concept of promoters (the start sites of transcription) contradicting the established notion that they support transcription in one direction only. |
| Mind Out Of Balance, Body Out Of Balance Posted: 27 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST Many of the 40 million American adults who suffer from anxiety disorders also have problems with balance. As increasing numbers of children are diagnosed with anxiety, researchers have discovered that the link between balance and anxiety can be assessed at an early age and that something can be done about it before it becomes a problem. |
| 12,900 Years Ago: North American Comet Impact Theory Disproved Posted: 27 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST New data disproves the recent theory that a large comet exploded over North America 12,900 years ago, causing a shock wave that traveled across North America at hundreds of kilometers per hour and triggering continent-wide wildfires. Scientists tested the theory by examining charcoal and pollen records to assess how fire regimes in North America changed between 15 and 10,000 years ago, a time of large and rapid climate changes. |
| New Asthma Research Opposes Current Drug Treatment, Study Suggests Posted: 27 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Just as the FDA is reconsidering the use of stimulants to treat asthma, a new study offers evidence to support a theory that an opposite approach to asthma treatment may be in order. Scientists are investigating whether beta-2 adrenoreceptor antagonists (beta blockers) might be a safer, more effective strategy for long-term asthma management. A new study shows the absence of asthma-like symptoms in mice lacking the key gene that produces the receptor. |
| Scientists Use Lasers To Measure Changes To Tropical Forests Posted: 27 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST New technology deployed on airplanes is helping scientists quantify landscape-scale changes occurring to Big Island tropical forests from non-native plants and other environmental factors that affect carbon sequestration. |
| Risk Factors For Contralateral Breast Cancer Identified Posted: 27 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST A preventive procedure to remove the unaffected breast in breast cancer patients with disease in one breast may only be necessary in patients who have high-risk features as assessed by examining the patient's medical history and pathology of the breast cancer. |
| Polish And Italian Get Advanced Language Recognition System Posted: 27 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST European researchers have developed the most advanced spontaneous language understanding (SLU) system for both Polish and Italian. In fact, it is the first one. |
| Air Bags, Seat Belts Important In Preventing Spine Fractures Posted: 27 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST In 2007, there were over 6 million motor vehicle accidents in the United States, and of those, 2.5 million were injured and more than 41,000 lost their lives. Spine fractures are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. New research provides evidence that the combination of air bags and seat belts affords the best protection against spinal fractures sustained in motor vehicle crashes. |
| Genetics Of Popularity: Genetic Influence In Social Networks Identified Posted: 27 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Our genes partly influence our place within our social network, according to new research. The researchers found that both popularity and the likelihood of friends to know one another were strongly heritable. |
| Scientists Unmask Genetic Markers Associated With Psoriasis Posted: 27 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Scientists have found DNA "hotspots" that may reveal how genetic differences among individuals result in psoriasis, an autoimmune disease of the skin. The findings could lead to new drug targets and tailored treatments for the disease. |
| Orbiting Carbon Observatory Investigates Mystery Of The Missing Sinks Posted: 27 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Trees "inhale" carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, transforming that greenhouse gas into the building materials and energy it needs to grow its branches and leaves. Though scientists agree the remaining carbon dioxide is also "inhaled" by Earth, they have been unable to precisely determine where it is going, what processes are involved, and whether Earth will continue to absorb it in the future. A new NASA satellite scheduled to launch in February 2009 is poised to shed a very bright light on these "missing" sinks: the Orbiting Carbon Observatory. |
| Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Mortality Is Unchanged Since 1994 Posted: 27 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has not fallen since 1994, according to a comprehensive review of major studies that assessed ARDS deaths. This disappointing finding contradicts the common wisdom that ARDS mortality has been in steady decline. |
| Fluorescent Proteins Illuminating Biomedical Research Posted: 27 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Remarkable new tools that spotlight individual cellular molecules are transforming biomedical research. These new tools are photoactivatable fluorescent proteins (PAFPs) and other advanced fluorescent proteins (FPs). PAFPs and FPs allow scientists to noninvasively visualize the structures and processes in living cells at the molecular level. It is now possible, for example, to follow cancer cells as they seek out blood vessels and spread throughout the body or to watch how cells manage intracellular debris, preventing premature aging. |
| Bacteria That Increase Plant Growth Identified Posted: 26 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Through work originally designed to remove contaminants from soil, scientists have identified plant-associated microbes that can improve plant growth on marginal soil. The findings may help scientists design strategies for sustainable biofuel production that do not use food crops or agricultural land. |
| Posted: 26 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Men who are very sexually active in their twenties and thirties are more likely to develop prostate cancer, especially if they masturbate frequently, according to a new study. |
| Posted: 26 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Artificial hip joints are firmly anchored to the patient's damaged bone by screws. But which parts of the bone will safely hold the screws in place? A simulation model is to calculate the strength of the bone from computer tomography images. |
| Survey Could Help Pediatricians Better Treat Patients Posted: 26 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Researchers are developing a tool that will enable pediatric physicians to use quality-of-life information to pinpoint children's health problems. |
| Posted: 26 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST More frequent freeze-thaw cycles in winter can increase biomass production according to the results of a recent study. Researchers installed underground heating on their plots, thereby enabling five additional thawing periods to take place in the winter of 2005/2006. They found that on the manipulated plots ten percent more biomass grew compared to on the control plots. Such increased plant productivity can be explained by several factors; such as an increase in nitrogen supply in the spring, according to the researchers. |
| 'Abusive Behavior' Towards People With Dementia By Family Carers Is Common Posted: 26 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Half of family carers of people with dementia report some abusive behavior towards the person they are caring for and one third report 'significant' levels of abuse, according to new research. |
| Baby Beetles Inspire Scientists To Build 'Mini Boat' Powered By Surface Tension Posted: 26 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST Inspired by the aquatic wriggling of beetle larvae, a research team has designed a propulsion system that strips away paddles, sails, and motors and harnesses the energy within the water's surface. The technique destabilizes the surface tension surrounding the object with an electric pulse and causes the craft to move via the surface's natural pull. |
| Compromised Skin Barrier Function Plays A Role In Psoriasis Development Posted: 26 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST New research on genetic basis of psoriasis may prove important for early diagnosis and prediction of an individual's risk for this common chronic skin disease. |
| Football Has Not Changed At All In Past Three World Cups Posted: 26 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST Researchers in Spain have found that football has changed so little during recent World Cups that, if shown action from matches, we would be incapable today of differentiating between a France '98 game and another from Germany '06. |
| Treatments After Prostate Surgery Posted: 26 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST Although primary prostate surgery or radiotherapy is successful in many cases of prostate cancer, some patients suffer a recurrence of the disease, which is most often first detected by a measurable PSA blood test -- affecting 30 percent to 40 percent of patients after surgery. The presence of cancer potentially outside the prostate after surgery, will affect about a third of men. |
| MRSA Found In Midwestern Swine, Workers Posted: 26 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST The first study documenting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in swine and swine workers in the United States has just been published. The investigators found a strain of MRSA known as ST398 in a swine production system in the Midwest. |
| Decline In Health Among Older Adults Affected By Hurricane Katrina Posted: 26 Jan 2009 08:00 PM PST In the year following Hurricane Katrina, the health of survivors 65 and over declined nearly four times that of a national sample of older adults not affected by the disaster, according to a new study. |
| Dramatic Expansion Of Dead Zones In Oceans Likely With Unchecked Global Warming Posted: 26 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Unchecked global warming would leave ocean dwellers gasping for breath. Dead zones are low-oxygen areas in the ocean where higher life forms such as fish, crabs and clams are not able to live. Scientists have now shown that unchecked global warming would lead to a dramatic expansion of low-oxygen areas zones in the global ocean by a factor of 10 or more. |
| Hidden Amphetamines In Some Diet Pills Pose Health and Employment Risks Posted: 26 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Americans who use illegal diet pills from South America may be taking amphetamines without knowing it and seriously risking both their health and their jobs. Physicians need to be made aware of the range of serious side effects of these drugs to allow them to identify and treat those patients presenting with unexplained symptoms. |
| First Study To Test Real-world Effects Of Stun Gun Use Raises Questions About Safety Posted: 26 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST The rate of sudden deaths increased six-fold in the first year that California law enforcement agencies deployed the use of stun guns, according to a new study. Findings also showed a two-fold increase in the rate of firearm-related deaths during the same time period. |
| Sexually-Transmitted Diseases Disrupt Genetic Bottleneck That Usually Constrains HIV Infection Posted: 26 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Scientists have shown that HIV faces a genetic "bottleneck" when the virus is transmitted heterosexually from one person to another, by way of the genital mucosa. The results explain why prior infection by other sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) makes individuals more susceptible to HIV infection. |
| Genetic Interactions Are Key To Understanding Complex Traits Posted: 26 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have shown they can tease apart a complex genetic trait to reveal the precise genetic variations that combined to produce it. The research suggests scientists need better statistical models to understand how genetic interactions influence the risk of common diseases. |
| Consumers Desire More Genetic Testing, But Not Designer Babies Posted: 26 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have found a high desire for additional genetic testing among consumers for life altering and threatening medical conditions including mental retardation, blindness, deafness, cancer, heart disease, dwarfism and shortened lifespan from death by 5 years of age. Consumers, however, are less interested in prenatal genetic testing for traits including tall stature, superior athletic ability and superior intelligence. |
| Brain's Memory 'Buffer' Discovered In Single Cells Posted: 26 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Individual nerve cells in the front part of the brain can hold traces of memories on their own for as long as a minute and possibly longer, researchers have found. |
| Mask-wearing Significantly Boosts Flu Protection Posted: 26 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Donning a face mask is an easy way to boost protection from severe respiratory illnesses such as influenza and SARS, new research has found, but convincing a reluctant public and health workers is proving a struggle. |
| New Wireless Standard Promises Ultra-Fast Media Applications Posted: 26 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Rapid transfer of a high-definition movie from a PC to a cell phone -- plus a host of other media and data possibilities -- is approaching reality. |
| In-flight Emergencies Identified Posted: 26 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Fainting is the most common in-flight medical emergency. Researchers analyzed over 10,000 emergencies. The number, type and frequency of medical emergencies on board two airlines were then compiled. |
| Gold Can Get Harder, Not Softer, When Heated To High Temperatures Posted: 26 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Common sense tells us that when you heat something up it gets softer, but scientists have now demonstrated the exact opposite. The gold was heated at rates too fast for the electrons absorbing the light energy to collide with surrounding atoms and lose energy, researchers explain. |
| Schizophrenic Patients' Frozen Faces Harm Social Interactions Posted: 26 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Non-verbal communication, in the form of facial expressions, may be impaired in people with schizophrenia. Researchers writing in Behavioral and Brain Functions have shown that deficits in non-verbal expressivity in schizophrenia are linked to poor social skills and an unawareness of the thoughts and intentions of others. |
| 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 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment