ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Census Of Modern Organisms Reveals Echo Of Ancient Mass Extinction Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Paleontologists can still hear the echo of the death knell that drove the dinosaurs and many other organisms to extinction following an asteroid collision at the end of the Cretaceous Period 65 million years ago. "The evolutionary legacy of the end-Cretaceous extinction is very much with us. In fact, it can be seen in virtually every marine community, every lagoon, every continental shelf in the world," said University of Chicago paleontologist David Jablonski.

Zinc Supplements During Pregnancy May Counteract Damage From Early Alcohol Exposure Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Animal research has shown that binge drinking -- even just once -- during early pregnancy can cause numerous problems for the fetus, including early postnatal death. Fetal zinc deficiency may explain some of the birth defects and neurodevelopmental abnormalities associated with alcohol exposure. New rodent findings are the first to show that dietary zinc supplements throughout pregnancy can reduce some alcohol-related birth defects.

New Bird Species: New Species Of Babbler Discovered In China Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST A new species of babbler has been described from Guangxi province in south-west China close to the border with Vietnam. Named Nonggang Babbler Stachyris nonggangensis, after the reserve at which it was discovered, this new species is closely related to Sooty Babbler S. herberti but is larger and has white crescent patches behind the ear coverts and dark spots on the upper breast and throat.

Microcoils Help Locate Small Lung Nodules Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST A new technique combining computed tomography with fiber-coated surgical microcoils allows physicians to successfully locate and remove small lung nodules without the need for a more invasive procedure, according to a new study.

Beach Vacations May Increase Future Skin Cancer Risk In Children Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Vacationing at the shore led to a 5 percent increase in nevi (more commonly called "moles") among 7-year-old children, according to an article in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

Gender Bias Found In Student Ratings Of High School Science Teachers Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST A study of 18,000 biology, chemistry and physics students has uncovered notable gender bias in student ratings of high school science teachers.

Breakthrough To Treat Malaria: Scientists Deactivate Malaria Parasite's Digestive Machinery Posted: 08 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Researchers have made a major breakthrough in the international fight against malaria, which claims the life of a child across the world every 30 seconds. Scientists have been able to deactivate the final stage of the malaria parasite's digestive machinery, effectively starving the parasite of nutrients and disabling its survival mechanism. This process of starvation leads to the death of the parasite.

Targeted Nanospheres Find, Penetrate, Then Fuel Burning Of Melanoma Posted: 08 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Hollow gold nanospheres equipped with a targeting peptide find melanoma cells, penetrate them deeply, and then cook the tumor when bathed with near-infrared light, scientists have reported in Clinical Cancer Research.

Mesh-like Network Of Arteries Adjusts To Restore Blood Flow To Stroke-injured Brain Posted: 08 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST A grid of small arteries at the surface of the brain redirects flow and widens at critical points to restore blood supply to tissue starved of nutrients and oxygen following a stroke, a study published this week has found.

Potential 'Safe Period' For Hormone Replacement Use Identified Posted: 08 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST A new study confirms that the use of estrogen plus progesterone increases the risk of both ductal and lobular breast cancer far more than estrogen only; suggests a two-year "safe" period for the use of estrogen and progesterone; and finds that the increased risk for ductal cancers observed in long-term past users of hormone replacement therapy drops off substantially two years after hormone use is stopped.

Advancement In Tissue Engineering Promotes Oral Wound Healing Posted: 08 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST A Netherlands-based research team has successfully engineered a full-thickness gum tissue substitute from patient-donated biopsied tissue for use in reconstructing the oral cavity following surgery or trauma. Patient self-donated tissue was cultured and expanded in vitro for three weeks before transplantation. The advancement is a significant improvement over other skin substitutes as results demonstrate the importance of matching the donor site with the area to be transplanted.

Hormone Level During Pregnancy May Identify Women At Risk For Postpartum Depression Posted: 08 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Women who have higher levels of a hormone produced by the placenta midway through their pregnancy appear more likely to develop postpartum depression, according to a new report.

Super-resolution Microscopy Takes On Third Dimension Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST The shapes of some of the tiniest cellular structures are coming into focus as scientists have developed an imaging technology that produces the best three-dimensional resolution ever seen with an optical microscope. The new tool allows scientists to pinpoint fluorescent labels in their images to within 10-20 nanometers -- about ten times the size of an average protein -- in all three dimensions.

Younger Men With Erectile Dysfunction At Double Risk Of Heart Disease Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Men who experience erectile dysfunction between the ages of 40 and 49 are twice as likely to develop heart disease than men without dysfunction, according to a new Mayo Clinic study.

Link Between Stink Bug And Cotton Disease Explained Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST A mystery about a disease that can destroy up to 15 percent of a cotton crop in the southeastern United States has been solved. The work could save cotton crops and prevent unnecessary insecticide spraying.

Turning Down Gene Expression Promotes Nerve Cell Maintenance Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST A new study of myelin, a protein key to efficient neuronal transmission, reveals that a microRNA signal fine-tunes myelination.

Landscape-scale Treatment Promising For Slowing Beetle Spread Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Mountain pine beetles devastating lodgepole pine stands across the West might best be kept in check with aerial application of flakes containing a natural substance used in herbal teas that the insects release to avoid overcrowding host trees, according to a team of scientists.

Combined Measures Of Maternal Drinking Can Predict Resulting Problems In Children Posted: 08 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Drinking during pregnancy can lead to a range of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Researchers have designed a "metric" or combination of maternal-drinking measures that can predict prenatal neurobehavioral dysfunction and deficits in children.

Buying Experiences, Not Possessions, Leads To Greater Happiness Posted: 06 Feb 2009 09:00 PM PST Can money make us happy if we spend it on the right purchases? A new psychology study suggests that buying life experiences rather than material possessions leads to greater happiness for both the consumer and those around them. The study demonstrates that experiential purchases, such as a meal out or theater tickets, result in increased satisfaction and well-being.

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