ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Heavy Marijuana Use May Damage Developing Brain In Teens, Young Adults Posted: 03 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Adolescents and young adults who are heavy users of marijuana are more likely than non-users to have disrupted brain development, according to a new study. Pediatric researchers found abnormalities in areas of the brain that interconnect brain regions involved in memory, attention, decision-making, language and executive functioning skills. The findings are of particular concern because adolescence is a crucial period for brain development and maturation.

Scientists Develop 'Crystal Ball' For Personalized Cancer Treatment Posted: 03 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Scientists have tested a non-invasive approach that may one day allow doctors to evaluate a tumor's response to a drug before prescribing therapy, enabling physicians to quickly pinpoint the most effective treatment and personalize it to the patient's unique biochemistry.

New Evidence From Excavations In Arcadia, Greece, Supports Theory Of 'Birth Of Zeus' Posted: 03 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST New excavation evidence indicates that Zeus' worship was established on Mt. Lykaion as early as the Late Helladic period, if not before, more than 3,200 years ago.

Automated Screening Process May Eventually Reduce Additional Breast Cancer Surgeries Posted: 03 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Scientists have developed a rapid, automated image screening process to distinguish breast cancer cells from normal cells. The technique may eventually lead to better ways for surgeons to determine if they have removed all of the cancer during breast-conserving cancer surgery and cut down on the number of needed second operations.

Novel Approach To Create High-density Magnetic Data Storage Posted: 03 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST In order to achieve higher storage densities on computer disks, the last decades were dominated by optimization of magnetic materials, i.e. the magnetic particles (grains) were gradually shrunk while, at the same time, the magnetic stability (magnetic anisotropy) was increased. Usually, about 100 to 600 grains form one bit, i.e. currently the smallest storage unit.

Of Mice And Men: Cognitive Scientists Find Both Species Equally Adept At Assessing Risk Posted: 03 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Mice and humans are about equally good at assessing risk in everyday tasks. Perhaps this activity is very primitive -- a basic, cognitive mechanism.

Vitamin Use Is Highest In Kids Who Don't Need Them, Study Finds Posted: 03 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST A study has found that most of the healthy children and teenagers in the United States who are taking daily vitamin and mineral supplements probably don't need them.

New Discovery May Lead To New Class Of Allergy Drugs Posted: 03 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST If you've ever wondered why some allergic reactions progress quickly and may even become fatal, a new report provides an important part of the answer. In the report, scientists show for the first time that eotaxin, a chemical that helps immune cells locate the site of infection, blocks basic "fighter" cells from transforming into "seeker" dendritic cells, resulting in a heightened allergic response.

Fracture Putty Being Developed For Traumatic Leg Injuries Posted: 03 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Biomedical engineers are developing a bio-compatible compound designed to mend serious leg fractures. The "fracture putty" could be used to regenerate bones shattered by roadside bombs or other explosive devices.

Two Immune-system Proteins Linked To Colitis-associated Cancer Posted: 03 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Recent research from the first researcher to demonstrate a molecular link between inflammation and cancer has identified two potential targets for the prevention and treatment of colitis-associated cancer, the most serious complication of inflammatory bowel disease.

Airport Security: Researcher Proposes Statistical Method To Enhance Secondary Security Screenings Posted: 03 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST A researcher has found that secondary security screening at airports is mathematically flawed, and has identified a way to select people for screenings more efficiently and fairly.

Teens Who Frequently Go Out With Friends More Likely To Use Marijuana Posted: 03 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Marijuana use appears to have decreased among most European and North American adolescents between 2002 and 2006, and those who went out with friends on fewer evenings of the week were less likely to report using the drug, according to a new report.

Astronomers Discover Link Between Supermassive Black Holes And Galaxy Formation Posted: 03 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Astronomers have used many telescopes around the world to uncover new evidence that the largest, most massive galaxies in the universe and the supermassive black holes at their hearts grew together over time.

Newly Discovered Drug Reduces Heart Enlargement, Study Shows Posted: 03 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers have discovered that a prototype drug reduces heart enlargement, one of the most common causes of heart failure. Heart failure, which occurs when the heart can't pump enough blood throughout the body, affects 5 million people in the United States. The condition contributes to 300,000 deaths each year.

Dozen New Tree Frogs Discovered In Rapidly Vanishing Habitat In India Posted: 03 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST A dozen frogs new to science were discovered in the forests of Western Ghats, India. This study has also rediscovered a 'lost species'. Travancore bushfrog was considered extinct since it was last reported more than a 100 years back.

Shortened DATE Gene Region Linked To Breast Cancer Posted: 03 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST New research indicates that genetic variation in a piece of DNA (which has been named DATE) that regulates activity of the HGF gene might be a useful marker to identify individuals with an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Cellulosic Ethanol May Benefit Human Health And Help Slow Climate Change Posted: 03 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Filling our fuel tanks with cellulosic ethanol instead of gasoline or corn-based ethanol may be even better for our health and the environment than previously recognized, according to new research.

Teen Media Exposure Associated With Depression Symptoms In Young Adulthood Posted: 03 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Exposure to more television and other electronic media during the teenage years appears to be associated with developing depression symptoms in young adulthood, especially among men, according to a new report.

Cell-building Discovery Could Reduce Need For Some Animal Research Posted: 03 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Biomedical engineers, using a 3-D Petri dish they invented, have successfully built complex-shaped microtissues by assembling small building blocks of living cell clusters. The finding helps advance the field of tissue engineering and could reduce the need for some animal research.

Key Component In Cell Replication Identified Posted: 03 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Scientists have now identified a protein that does much the same for the telomerase enzyme -- ferrying the critically important clump of proteins around to repair the ends of chromosomes that are lost during normal replication. Without such ongoing maintenance, stem cells would soon cease dividing and embryos would fail to develop.

Mountain Caribou's Ancient Ancestry Revealed Posted: 03 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST The declining mountain caribou populations of Canada's southern Rockies are a more distinct breed than scientists previously believed, according to a new study that discovered the mountain herbivores are a unique blend of woodland and tundra subspecies.

Resistin Arrest: New Approach Shows Human Resistin Contributes To Insulin Resistance Posted: 03 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Individuals who are obese have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, in part because they often become resistant to the effects of the hormone insulin. Resistin is a soluble factor produced by fat cells (adipocytes) that is linked to the development of insulin resistance in mice. However, studies have thus far failed to determine such a clear association in humans. But now, researchers have determined that human resistin contributes to the development of insulin resistance in mice.

Electronics Industry: Supercharged Metal-ion Generator Posted: 03 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Scientists have developed a powerful new kind of sputter process for the electronics industry -- and for other, more exotic applications, including use in outer space -- which deposits high-quality metal films in complex, three-dimensional nanoscale patterns at a rate that by one important measure is orders of magnitude greater than most existing systems.

African-American Parents More Likely To Report Distrust Of Medical Research Posted: 03 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Distrust of medical research appears more common among African American parents than white parents and may present a barrier to enrollment of minority children in research studies, according to a new report.

Small Male Chimps Use Politics, Rather Than Aggression, To Lead The Pack Posted: 02 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST With most mammals, the biggest and most aggressive male claims the alpha male role and gets his choice of food and females. But a new study suggests that at least among chimpanzees, smaller, more mild-mannered males can also use political behavior to secure the top position.

Premature Babies: 'Rescue Course' Of Antenatal Steroids Improves Outcome, Study Suggests Posted: 02 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST A new study shows that premature babies born before 34 weeks have a 31 percent reduction in serious complications when given a "rescue course" of antenatal corticosteroids steroids with no adverse side effects noted.

Farmer's Market Launched To Combat Obesity Posted: 02 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST To fight an epidemic of obesity and its life-threatening complications in the Brownsville area, faculty and students at The University of Texas School of Public Health Brownsville Regional Campus have come up with a strong weapon: a farmer's market loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Women With High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy Face Future Of Complications Posted: 02 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Chronic hypertension, diabetes and blood clots are more likely in otherwise healthy women who experienced complications due to hypertension such as pre-eclampsia in their first pregnancies, according to new research.

New Speed Record For Reliable Reading Of Optical Data With Compact Ultra-fast Component May Help Improve Circuit Design Posted: 02 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Sliced light is how we communicate now. This slicing and dicing is generally done with an electro-optic modulator. Reading that fast data stream with a compact and reliable receiver is another matter. A new error-free speed-reading record using a compact ultra-fast component -- 640 Gbits/second (Gbps, or billion bits per second) -- has now been established.

Peru Study Shows Restrictive Law Fails To Limit Number Of Abortions Posted: 02 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Despite abortion being severely legally restricted -- and potentially unsafe -- in Peru, the incidence of abortion is as high as or higher than the incidence in many countries where it is legal and safe, a new study finds.

Ten New Amphibian Species Discovered In Colombia; Secluded Safe Haven For Frogs As Global Extinctions Rise Posted: 02 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Scientists have announced the discovery of 10 amphibians believed to be new to science, including a spiky-skinned, orange-legged rain frog, three poison dart frogs and three glass frogs, so called because their transparent skin can reveal internal organs.

Missing Genes Link To Psoriasis Posted: 02 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST A new genetics finding is helping to explain why some people may be more likely to suffer from the chronic skin condition, psoriasis.

Why Women Have An Edge On Salt-sensitive Hypertension Posted: 02 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Researchers may have found why women have an edge in keeping a healthier balance between the amount of salt they eat and excrete -- at least before reaching menopause.

Scientists Make Malaria Parasite Work To Reveal Its Own Vulnerabilities Posted: 02 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Researchers seeking ways to defeat malaria have found a way to get help from the parasite that causes the disease. Scientists stepped aside and let Plasmodium falciparum, one of the deadliest strains of malaria, do a significant portion of the genetic engineering work in their new study.

Mathematical Distribution Links Open Source Software And Literature Posted: 02 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST The frequency of words in texts, the size of companies and the linking together of components in Linux software distributions show approximately the same mathematical distribution: they obey Zipf's law. Researchers have tested how this happens in Linux programs.

Paradox Of Temptation: Should Dieters Watch The Dessert Cart Go By? Posted: 02 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Does the mere availability of something tempting weaken the will to resist? The answer is of more than theoretical interest to public health experts, and the problem goes far beyond serious addictive disorders. As our national obesity crisis shows, difficulties with discipline and self-control are widespread and harmful. A new study in Psychological Science suggests that self-control does in fact operate paradoxically, by actually diminishing desire for what's tempting and accessible.

Orphan Chimpanzees Cleverer Than Humans, Study Finds Posted: 02 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Orphaned chimpanzee infants given special 'mothering' by humans are more advanced than the average child at nine months of age. In the first study to examine the effect of different types of care for infant chimpanzees on cognition, researchers found chimpanzees who were given extra emotionally-based care were more cognitively advanced than human infants. Humans overtake chimpanzees in development terms as they grow older but the study sends stark warnings that looking after just an infant's physical needs is likely to result in a child who is maladjusted, unhappy and under-achieving.

Molecular Mechanism Of Anaphylactic Shock Decoded Posted: 02 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have found a molecular mechanism for anaphylactic shock. The activation of specific proteins in the cell walls of small blood vessels plays an important role. Suppressing the respective genes protects mice from the potentially fatal reactions of the immune and circulatory systems (anaphylactic shock) without disrupting circulatory regulation.

What Happens When A Stone Impacts Water? Amazing Close-up View Posted: 02 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have explained the formation and behavior of the very fast water jet that is formed when an object impacts on a water surface. They have observed precisely what happens using a super-fast camera and have made a computer simulation of the process. This shows how the jet is forced upwards, layer by layer, by the surrounding water pressure. These results are not only of academic significance as jets on the impact of an object on a liquid are frequent occurrences in nature and industry.

Motor Control Exercises Reduce Persistent Low-back Pain, Study Shows Posted: 02 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Motor control exercises, when performed in conjunction with other forms of therapy, can significantly reduce pain and disability in patients with persistent low back pain, according to a new systematic review published in Physical Therapy.

Mammals That Hibernate Or Burrow Less Likely To Go Extinct Posted: 02 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Mammals that hibernate or that hide in burrows are less likely to turn up on an endangered species list, according to new research. The study's authors believe that the ability of such "sleep-or-hide" animals to buffer themselves from changing environments may help them avoid extinction.

Biodiversity Hotspot Enabled Neanderthals To Survive Longer In South East Of Spain Posted: 02 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Over 14,000 years ago during the last Pleistocene Ice Age, when a large part of the European continent was covered in ice and snow, Neanderthals in the region of Gibraltar in the south of the Iberian peninsula were able to survive because of the refugium of plant and animal biodiversity. Today, plant fossil remains discovered in Gorham's Cave confirm this unique diversity and wealth of resources available in this area of the planet.

New Drug To Fight Pneumonia And Meningitis? Scientists Cripple Critical Pneumococcal Proteins Posted: 02 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Researchers have introduced a highly promising new approach for the development of drugs to treat pneumococci, which cause pneumonia and meningitis. They copied the choline architecture of the pneumococcal cell wall. They were then able to trap the choline-binding proteins that have a critical effect on the infectiousness of pneumococcal bacteria.

Researchers 'Unzip' Molecules To Measure Interactions Keeping DNA Packed In Cells Posted: 02 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Anyone who has ever battled a stuck zipper knows it's a good idea to see what's stuck, where and how badly -- and then to pull hard. New experiments involve the "unzipping" of single DNA molecules. By mapping the hiccups, stoppages and forces along the way, scientists have gained new insight into how genes are packed and expressed within cells.

Weight Loss Reduces Incontinence In Obese Women, Study Shows Posted: 02 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Behavioral weight-loss programs can be an effective way to reduce urinary incontinence in women who are overweight or obese, according to a new study.

Mega-earthquake Risk For West Coast, US And Canada? Seismic Slip Linked To Tremor, With Implications For Subduction Zone Posted: 02 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST New evidence suggests that tectonic plate slippage and nonvolcanic tremor near the Cascadia subduction zone both are signs of processes taking place 25 miles deep at the interface of the Juan de Fuca and North American plates. "We are quite confident that each episodic tremor and slip event will increase the stress on the megathrust fault," one of the researchers said. "If a megathrust earthquake were to begin off the Washington coast, one might expect it to occur during one of these slow slip events."

Research Will Help To Revive 'Dead' Manx Language Posted: 02 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST A researcher at the University of Liverpool has produced the first modern, comprehensive handbook on Manx Gaelic – a language thought to have died out in the mid 19th Century.

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