ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Did Burst Of Gene Duplication Set Stage For Human Evolution? Posted: 12 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Roughly 10 million years ago, a major genetic change occurred in a common ancestor of gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans. Segments of DNA in its genome began to form duplicate copies at a greater rate than in the past, creating an instability that persists in the genome of modern humans and contributes to diseases like autism and schizophrenia. But that gene duplication also may be responsible for a genetic flexibility that has resulted in some uniquely human characteristics.

Could Carbon Dioxide Replace Antibiotics In Surgery? Posted: 12 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Filling a surgical wound with carbon dioxide gas could reduce infection and improve healing. A wound could continuously be flooded with carbon dioxide gas during surgery. Carbon dioxide could prevent airborne bacteria from reaching the wound and would also suffocate germs. CO2 is already used for this purpose in the food packaging business. Humidified CO2 would also keep the wound warm and moist, which should reduce tissue damage and speed-up healing.

Dangerous Printer Particles Identified Posted: 12 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST The identity and origin of tiny, potentially hazardous particles emitted from common laser printers have been revealed by a new study.

Leukemia Stem Cells Have More In Common With Embryonic Stem Cells Than Adult Stem Cells Posted: 12 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Research using a mouse model of human leukemia has provided critical insight into the genetic factors related to the generation and maintenance of myeloid leukemia stem cells. The study is likely to have a profound impact on the future design of therapeutic approaches targeted against cancer stem cells.

Pubic Hair Provides Evolutionary Home For Gorilla Lice Posted: 12 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST There are two species of lice that infest humans: pubic lice, Pthirus pubis, and human head and body lice, Pediculus humanus. A new article suggests one explanation for the separation of the two species.

Born To Be Wild? Thrill-seeking Behavior May Be Based In The Brain Posted: 12 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST What draws some people to daredevil behavior while others shy away from it? The results of a new study in Psychological Science show that high sensation seekers respond very strongly to arousing cues, but have less activity in brain areas associated with emotional regulation. These findings may indicate the way by which sensation seeking results in negative behaviors, including substance abuse and antisocial behavior.

Why Sleep Is Needed To Form Memories Posted: 12 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST If you ever argued with your mother when she told you to get some sleep after studying for an exam instead of pulling an all-nighter, you owe her an apology, because it turns out she's right. And now, scientists are beginning to understand why. Scientists describe for the first time how cellular changes in the sleeping brain promote the formation of memories.

High Level Of Adverse Drug Reactions In Hospitals Found Posted: 12 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST In a study of more than 3,000 patients, researchers have found that one in seven admitted to hospital experience adverse drug reactions to medical treatment.

Decoding Funny Faces To Detect Mental Illness Posted: 12 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers have discovered that brain imaging can identify mental illness before it starts. Until now, detecting mental illness before symptoms appear has been nearly impossible.

New Clues To Pancreatic Cells' Destruction In Diabetes Posted: 12 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers have found what appears to be a major culprit behind the loss of insulin-producing b cells from the pancreases of people with diabetes, a critical event in the progression of the disease.

New Tool Gets Handle On Cropland Carbon Dioxide Emissions Posted: 12 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST For the first time, farmers have data that tracks at the county level on-site and off-site energy use and carbon dioxide emissions associated with growing crops in the United States.

Happy Hospitals Make Happy Patients Posted: 12 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Imagine a hospital where morale is high, employee turnover is low and patient call buttons rarely go unanswered -- and if they do, you can call the hospital's CEO.

Engineers Revolutionize Nano-device Fabrication Using Amorphous Metals Posted: 12 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Engineers have created a process that may revolutionize the manufacture of nano-devices from computer chips to biomedical sensors by exploiting a novel type of metal. The material can be molded like plastics to create features at the nanoscale and yet is more durable and stronger than silicon or steel.

Drug Discovery Short-circuits Cancer Growth Posted: 12 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST A new drug that blocks cancer's main source of growth has been created in the lab and proven effective in mice, scientists are reporting. It is now being readied for clinical trials in patients.

New High Frequency Amplifier Harnesses Millimeter Waves In Silicon For Fast Wireless Posted: 12 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST A record breaking amplifier for high capacity wireless communications systems has been developed. New imaging and high capacity wireless communications systems are one step closer to reality, thanks to a new millimeter wave amplifier.

Genetics May Predict Risk For Relapse Among Alcohol-dependent Patients Posted: 12 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST A number of biological markers have been linked to a predisposition for developing alcohol dependence (AD). New findings have linked relapse among AD patients to the Val66Met polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene.

Researchers Shake Up Scientific Theory On Motor Protein Posted: 12 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Scientists have shed new light on the little-understood motor protein called dynein, thought to be involved in progressive neurological disorders such as motor neuron disease.

Girls Growing Up With Heroin-addicted Parent More Resilient Than Boys Posted: 12 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Growing up with a heroin-addicted parent exposes children to a variety of detrimental experiences before the age of 18 and new research indicates that girls are four times more resilient than boys in overcoming such adverse events.

New Prostate Cancer Marker In Urine Indicates Whether Cancer Is Spreading Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Researchers have identified a new biological marker present in the urine of patients with prostate cancer that indicates whether the cancer is progressing and spreading. Scientists identified 10 metabolites that become more abundant in prostate cells as cancer progresses. Their studies showed that one of these chemicals, sarcosine, helps prostate cancer cells invade surrounding tissue.

Arginine Discovery Could Help Fight Human Obesity Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Arginine, an amino acid, reduces fat mass in diet-induced obese rats and could help fight human obesity.

Automatic Measuring Stations For Pollen Will Improve Forecasts Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST The snow is thawing, the first crocuses are fighting their way through the cold earth into the daylight and hay fever sufferers are already pulling out their handkerchiefs. A new type of measuring station will automatically determine the pollen count and thus improve the forecast.

Surgical Technique Enables Extirpation Of Benign Tumors Of The Pancreas Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST A laparoscopic surgical technique enables extirpation of pancreatic tumors that are benign or of scant, highly localized malignant potential and that preserves the function of the organ to the maximum, at the same time significantly reducing the number of possible complications and the period of hospitalization.

Test Tube Chemistry Inside A Carbon Nanotube Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Test tube chemistry just took a leap down in size to the nano-scale, with new test-tubes measuring only about one billionth of a meter across. The scaling factor is like scaling up from a normal test tube to one a hundred kilometers across. When chemistry is performed in a conventional manner in laboratory test tubes, the reactions that occur are a result of billions and billions of molecules reacting with each other and with anything else we put into the tube. Being able to watch or control chemical reactions between individual molecules at this scale is like understanding and then controlling the interaction between two people on a tube train while you are sitting in the International Space Station!

New Direction In Search For Genetic Causes Of Schizophrenia Proposed Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST A new study shows that schizophrenia is caused, at least in part, by large, rare structural changes in DNA referred to as copy number variants -- not the tiny, single letter alterations (single nucleotide polymorphisms that scientists have pursued for years.

Why Fruits Ripen And Flowers Die: Scientists Discover How Key Plant Hormone Is Triggered Posted: 11 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Best known for its effects on fruit ripening and flower fading, the gaseous plant hormone ethylene shortens the shelf life of many fruits and plants by putting their physiology on fast-forward. In recent years, scientists learned a lot about the different components that transmit ethylene signals inside cells. But a central regulator of ethylene responses, a protein known as EIN2, resisted all their efforts.

Compounds Could Be New Class Of Cancer Drugs Posted: 11 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Investigators have developed a group of chemical compounds -- the first selective inhibitors of the protein phospholipase D -- that could represent a new class of drugs for treating cancer. The new inhibitors block the invasive migration of breast cancer cells, supporting their further development as antimetastatic agents.

Novel Benefits Of Fatty Acids In Arteries Shown Posted: 11 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Scientists have found that a diet rich in fish oils can prevent the accumulation of fat in the aorta, the main artery leaving the heart. The beneficial actions of fish oil that block cholesterol buildup in arteries are even found at high fat intakes.

Stroma Genomic Signature Predicts Resistance To Anthracyclin-based Chemotherapy In Breast Cancer Posted: 11 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Researchers have developed a new test to predict how breast cancer patients respond to chemotherapy, which could help change how treatment is delivered in the future.

Reducing Nitrate Discharge To Downstream Ecosystems Posted: 11 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Scientists are finding ways to stem the flow of nitrates that are washed out of crop fields into regional surface and groundwater sources.

Improving Brain Processing Speed Helps Memory Posted: 11 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Researchers found that healthy, older adults who participated in a computer-based training program to improve the speed and accuracy of brain processing showed twice the improvement in certain aspects of memory, compared to a control group.

Y Chromosome And Surname Study Challenges Infidelity 'Myth' Posted: 11 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Our surnames and genetic information are often strongly connected, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, may help genealogists create more accurate family trees even when records are missing. It also suggests that the often quoted "one in ten" figure for children born through infidelity is unlikely to be true.

New Cause Of Ozone Wheezing And Potential Treatments Found Posted: 11 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have discovered a cause of airway irritation and wheezing after exposure to ozone, a common urban air pollutant. Using an animal model, the researchers were also able to identify several ways to stop the airways from narrowing. These findings help identify potential new targets for drugs which may eventually help physicians better treat emergency room patients suffering from wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.

Jaguar Spotted In Central Mexico For First Time In 100 Years Posted: 11 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST The jaguar (Panthera onca) has become an animal in danger of extinction over recent decades, due to the fragmentation and deterioration of its habitat, as well as hunting and illegal animal smuggling. As a result of this vulnerability, no individuals have been seen in the centre of Mexico since the start of the 20th Century. However, Mexican and Spanish scientists have now managed to photograph a male jaguar in this region.

Chronic Drinking Causes More Liver Injury Than Acute Or Binge Drinking Posted: 11 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Alcohol consumption can cause liver damage. Recent rodent findings have shown that the pattern of drinking can determine the degree of liver damage. Chronic drinking causes more injury to the liver than acute or binge drinking.

Long-term Recovery Of Reefs From Bleaching Requires Local Action To Increase Resilience Posted: 11 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Scientists have assessed more than 25 years of data on reef ecosystems recovery from climate change-related episodes of coral bleaching. The new study represents the first comprehensive review of long-term global patterns in reef recovery following bleaching events.

Slow Down: Those Lines On The Road Are Longer Than You Think Posted: 11 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST How long are the dashed lines that are painted down the middle of a road? Most people answer, "two feet." The real answer is 10 feet. That's the federal guideline for every street, highway, and rural road in the United States, where dashed lines separate traffic lanes or indicate where passing is allowed. A new study found that people grossly underestimate the length of these lines -- that implies we're all misjudging distances as we drive, and are driving too fast as a result.

Cosmologists 'See' The Cosmic Dawn Posted: 11 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Scientists have used a computer simulation to predict what the very early universe would have appeared like 500 million years after the "Big Bang."

Higher Blood Sugar Levels Linked To Lower Brain Function In Diabetics, Study Shows Posted: 11 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Cognitive functioning abilities drop as average blood sugar levels rise in people with type 2 diabetes, according to new research.

Discovery Fleshes Out Metabolism Of Key Environmental And Energy Bacteria Posted: 11 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Researchers have discovered a new enzyme in a species of bacteria with potential environmental cleanup and energy roles. This is the first multi-protein enzyme of its kind, a lactate dehydrogenase. Although many microbes use a single-protein version, the results suggest that dozens of bacteria use only the multi-protein one instead to consume L-lactate. This advance in understanding the microbe's metabolism will help researchers use the bugs to clean up toxic or radioactive pollutants.

Rare Skin Tumor Responds Better To Treatment Than Melanoma Posted: 11 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Researchers have learned that a type of skin tumor with many similarities to melanoma actually behaves quite differently. The finding could have implications on diagnosis and treatment of these skin tumors.

Unexpected Discovery Could Impact On Future Climate Models Posted: 11 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Astronomers have made an unexpected find using a polarimeter (an instrument used to measure the wave properties of light) that has the potential to affect future climate models.

Big-time Financial Risk Taking: Blame It On Their Genes? Posted: 11 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST A new study provides provocative insights that relate to the question of the day: "How in the world did so many financial titans take such huge risks with out nation's well being?" The new research pinpoints the roles specific variants of the serotonin transporter gene and the dopamine receptor gene play in predicting whether people are more or less likely to take financial risks.

Deducing Diet Of Prehistoric Hominid With Mathematical Models Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST In an unusual intersection of materials science and anthropology, researchers have applied materials-science-based mathematical models to help shed light on the dietary habits of some of mankind's prehistoric relatives.

MRI Shows Brain Atrophy Pattern That Predicts Alzheimer's Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Using special MRI methods, researchers have identified a pattern of regional brain atrophy in patients with mild cognitive impairment that indicates a greater likelihood of progression to Alzheimer's disease.

Even Natural Perfumes May Cause Allergies Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Hypersensitivity to perfumes is the most common contact allergy in adults. Research has demonstrated that even natural aromatic oils, which many deem harmless compared to synthetic perfumes, may cause allergic reactions.

Drugs May Be 'Magic Bullet' For Infants Born With Rare Form Of Diabetes Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Infants born with a rare form of inherited diabetes might avoid irreversible damage to their pancreases if they are treated immediately with sulfonylurea drugs rather than insulin, according to a new report.

Electricity From Straw And Other Waste Materials Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Researchers have developed the first-ever biogas plant to run purely on waste instead of edible raw materials -- transforming waste into valuable material. The plant generates 30 percent more biogas than its predecessors. A fuel cell efficiently converts the gas into electricity.

Adolescents Involved With Music Do Better In School Posted: 11 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Music participation, defined as music lessons taken in or out of school and parents attending concerts with their children, has a positive effect on reading and mathematics achievement in early childhood and adolescence.

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