ScienceDaily: Latest Science News |
| Spun-sugar Fibers Spawn Sweet Technique For Nerve Repair Posted: 27 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Researchers have developed a technique using spun-sugar filaments to create a scaffold of tiny synthetic tubes that might serve as conduits to regenerate nerves severed in accidents or blood vessels damaged by disease. |
| Muscular Dystrophy Mystery Solved; Scientist Moves Closer To MD Solution Posted: 27 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST While scientists have identified one protein, dystrophin, as an important piece to curing muscular dystrophy, another part of the mystery has eluded scientists for the past 14 years. Now, scientists have identified the location of the genetic material responsible for a molecular compound that is vital to curing the disease. |
| Stalagmites Confirm 9,000-Year Lower Brazil Rainfall Posted: 27 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Climate researchers expected to see wet/dry periods in Brazil's Nordeste region similar to the rest of South America in the past 9,000 years. But the area experienced the opposite, drought when rain was expected. Using stalagmite data, researchers identify unexpected air circulation as the cause. |
| Indoor Air Pollution Increases Asthma Symptoms, Study Suggests Posted: 27 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST A link between increasing levels of indoor particulate matter pollution and the severity of asthma symptoms among children has been found. The study, which followed a group of asthmatic children in Baltimore, Md., is among the first to examine the effects of indoor particulate matter pollution. |
| New Oil Deposits Can Be Identified Through Satellite Images Posted: 27 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST A new map of the Earth's gravitational force based on satellite measurements makes it much less resource intensive to find new oil deposits. The map will be particularly useful as the ice melts in the oil-rich Arctic regions. |
| Study Links Internet Addiction To Aggression In Teens Posted: 27 Feb 2009 11:00 AM PST Internet-addicted teens seem more prone to aggression than other adolescents, according to new findings from Taiwanese researchers. However, Americans who study violence are not ready to make any conclusions about a possible link. |
| Immune Molecule That Attacks Wide Range Of Flu Viruses Discovered Posted: 27 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Researchers report the characterization of an immune system molecule that targets what appears to be an "Achilles heel" of a wide range of influenza viruses -- including the viruses responsible for past global pandemics, those causing current common infections, and strains of bird flu believed to pose future world threats. |
| 'Dark Cells' Of Living Retina Imaged For The First Time Posted: 27 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST A layer of "dark cells" in the retina that is responsible for maintaining the health of the light-sensing cells in our eyes has been imaged in a living retina for the first time. The ability to see this nearly invisible layer could help doctors identify the onset of many diseases of the eye long before a patient notices symptoms. |
| DNA Identification Of Czar's Children Available Posted: 27 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analysis of recently unearthed remains identify the missing members of the family of Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia, murdered in 1918. |
| 'Neurological Work-arounds' Offer Hope For Conditions Ranging From Addiction To Schizophrenia Posted: 27 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Researchers have known that the brain has a remarkable ability to "reprogram" itself to compensate for problems such as traumatic injury. Now, a research article published in the journal Genetics suggests that the brain might also compensate for problems with key neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. This may open the doors to entirely new lines of research and treatments for disorders like addiction, depression, Parkinson's disease, and schizophrenia. |
| General-purpose Method For Detecting Trace Chemicals Developed Posted: 27 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Scientists have developed a method of sensitively detecting specific chemicals in the laboratory -- a discovery that may lead to a host of new ways to monitor a variety of chemicals in nature. |
| Study Predicts When Invasive Species Can Travel More Readily On Airplanes Posted: 27 Feb 2009 08:00 AM PST Global airlines be forewarned: June 2010 could be a busy month for invasive plants, insects and animals seeking free rides to distant lands. |
| Humans Walked On Modern Feet 1.5 Million Years Ago, Fossil Footprints Show Posted: 27 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Ancient footprints show that some of the earliest humans walked like us and did so on anatomically modern feet 1.5 million years ago. Footprints found at Ileret and Kenya, display anatomically modern features. |
| Posted: 27 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Heart-healthy diets that reduce calorie intake -- regardless of differing proportions of fat, protein, or carbohydrate -- can help overweight and obese adults achieve and maintain weight loss. Researchers from the Preventing Overweight Using Novel Dietary Strategies study found similar weight loss after six months and two years among participants assigned to four diets that differed in their proportions of these three major nutrients. |
| SCAN: Delivering Bone Disorder Diagnosis, Fracture Healing Posted: 27 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST In addition to affecting millions people on Earth, bone loss is health risk for astronauts in space. National Space Biomedical Research Institute scientists are developing an ultrasound system, called SCAN, that will allow for early prediction of bone disorders and accelerated fracture healing. SCAN could have many benefits on Earth -- especially in rural areas where access to health care is limited -- due to its reduced costs, mobility and advanced imaging capabilities. |
| Unhealthy Lifestyle More Than Doubles Stroke Risk Posted: 27 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST People who lead unhealthy lifestyles are more than twice as likely to suffer a stroke than those who eat and drink sensibly, don't smoke, and take regular exercise, finds a new study. |
| Protecting Wine Grapes From Heat And Drought With Particle Film Posted: 27 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST Under sunny, arid conditions, wine grapes can become sunburned, which can adversely affect productivity and fruit maturity. Researchers investigated a particle film, which increases light reflection and reduces leaf temperature, on several crops. The film acts as a sunscreen by reflecting the harmful ultraviolet rays off of the leaves and fruit, but still allows the right radiation for photosynthesis through to nourish the plant. |
| Brain Mechanism Recruited To Reduce Noise During Challenging Tasks Posted: 27 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST New research reveals a sophisticated brain mechanism that is critical for filtering out irrelevant signals during demanding cognitive tasks. The study also provides some insight into how disruption of key inhibitory pathways may contribute to schizophrenia. |
| Carbon Dioxide Drop And Global Cooling Caused Antarctic Glacier To Form Posted: 27 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Global climate rapidly shifted from a relatively ice-free world to one with massive ice sheets on Antarctica about 34 million years ago. What happened? What changed? Scientists offer a new perspective on the nature of changing climatic conditions across this greenhouse-to-icehouse transition -- one that refutes earlier theories and has important implications for predicting future climate changes. |
| New Piece In Alzheimer's Puzzle Posted: 27 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Researchers have filled in a missing gap on the molecular road map of Alzheimer's disease. They report that cellular prion proteins trigger the process by which amyloid-beta peptides block brain function in Alzheimer's patients. |
| Locations Of Strain, Slip Identified In Major Earthquake Fault Posted: 27 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Deep-sea drilling into one of the most active earthquake zones on the planet is providing the first direct look at the geophysical fault properties underlying some of the world's largest earthquakes and tsunamis. |
| Diabetes: Increasing Understanding Of How To Control Islet Cell Growth Posted: 27 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST The molecular mechanism of how a protein determines the fate of the cells that make and release insulin have been identified in new research. |
| Ad Click-through Rate Lower Than Previously Thought Posted: 27 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST The rate of ad clicks from sponsored and non-sponsored links was reported in a recent study. "The result seems to show that Web searchers are smart," one of the researchers said. "They have a good idea what Web ads are and how to distinguish them from other links." |
| Widespread Stress Found Among Veterinarians Posted: 27 Feb 2009 02:00 AM PST Veterinarians frequently suffer psychosocial stress and demoralization associated with heavy workloads. New research analyzes the extent of the problem and reveals a complex relationship with binge drinking, tobacco consumption and drug use. |
| Oldest Isolated Pulsar Ever Detected In X-rays Turns Out To Be Surprisingly Active Posted: 26 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST The oldest isolated pulsar ever detected in X-rays has been found with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. This very old and exotic object turns out to be surprisingly active. |
| Sophisticated Molecule Plays Role In Fertility, Blood Pressure, Digestion, Mental Health Posted: 26 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Scientists have discovered the secrets of a sophisticated molecule that plays a role in many aspects of human health from fertility to blood pressure; digestion to mental health. This has opened up the potential for discovery of new drugs to treat an enormous variety of conditions. The team shows how the IP3 receptor arranges itself into clusters to help broadcast vital chemical messages around cells in the form of calcium. |
| Exploring New Pathways To Language Posted: 26 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST The standard of care for patients with aphasia has been intense behavioral therapy - reading and repeating words and sounds. But a new area is opening up that looks at medication to augment the success of therapy. One researcher has found that a common ADHD drug can help his patients regain language skills. |
| Asthma Drugs Need To Be Maintained For Continued Benefit, Study Shows Posted: 26 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Children whose asthma improved while taking steroid drugs for several years did not see those improvements continue after stopping the drugs, new results from a comprehensive childhood asthma study show. |
| Sweet Potato Takes A Ride On Space Shuttle Columbia Posted: 26 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST Researchers are studying microgravity's effects on a sweet potato. Seeds of several crops have been grown in microgravity, but this was the first test for plants grown from cuttings. Half of this study took place on a 5-day space mission on the shuttle Columbia. |
| Patients Are Untapped Resource For Improving Care, Study Finds Posted: 26 Feb 2009 11:00 PM PST A study looking at over 21,000 patients from 11 health centers finds that patients who receive mailed reminders for scheduling colorectal cancer screenings are more likely to comply than those who don't. Forty-four percent of patients who received a reminder in the mail were screened, versus 38 percent who did not -- an effect that increased with age. However, electronic reminders targeting physicians yielded no significant increase. |
| Birds' Movements Reveal Climate Change In Action Posted: 26 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST The northward and inland movement of North American birds, confirmed by thousands of citizen-observations, has provided new and powerful evidence that climate change is having a serious impact on natural systems, according to a new report. |
| Scientists Mine Drugs Database For New Diabetes Treatment Posted: 26 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Scientists have harnessed a new drug discovery tool to identify a new player in the body's insulin secretion process. This finding could spark a completely new class of drugs to treat type 2 diabetes. |
| Information Superhighway's Trash Yields A Super Highway Asphalt Posted: 26 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Discarded electronic hardware, including bits and pieces that built the information superhighway, can be recycled into an additive that makes super-strong asphalt paving material for real highways, researchers in China are reporting in a new study. They describe development of a new recycling process that can convert discarded electronic circuit boards into an asphalt "modifier." |
| Hormone Linked To High Blood Pressure And Blood Vessel Disease In African-Americans Posted: 26 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Researchers have linked higher levels of the hormone aldosterone to high blood pressure and blood vessel disease in African-Americans. Aldosterone is secreted by the adrenal glands and causes salt retention by the kidneys. |
| 'Switch Off, Light On': Molecular Biologist Discovers New Control Mechanism In Cell Signaling Posted: 26 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST Scientists have investigated a group of proteins which are important for cell division and therefore also for uncontrolled cell growth as occurring during cancerogenesis. Some experiments now lead them to an unexpected trace: they discovered an unknown regulation mechanism of the MEK enzymes, the key elements of the MAP signal transduction pathway. |
| Does Sex Sell? New Study Shows How To Make Women Respond To Sexy Ads Posted: 26 Feb 2009 08:00 PM PST A new study suggests that women's attitudes toward sexually oriented advertising would improve if ads depicted sex in a manner consistent with women's intrinsic values -- for example if the sexual behavior appeared to reflect devotion and commitment. |
| Mystery Of Deep-sea Fish With Tubular Eyes And Transparent Head Solved Posted: 26 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Marine biologists recently solved the half-century-old mystery of a fish with tubular eyes and a transparent head. This fish's unusual eyes can rotate within a transparent shield that covers the fish's head. This allows the barreleye to peer up at potential prey or focus forward to see what it is eating. |
| Million Women Study Shows Even Moderate Alcohol Consumption Associated With Increased Cancer Risk Posted: 26 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Low to moderate alcohol consumption among women is associated with a statistically significant increase in cancer risk and may account for nearly 13 percent of the cancers of the breast, liver, rectum, and upper aero-digestive tract combined, according to a new report. |
| What Is A Virus? Research Suggests A Broader Definition May Be Needed Posted: 26 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST The strange interaction of a parasitic wasp, the caterpillar in which it lays its eggs and a virus that helps it overcome the caterpillar's immune defenses has some scientists rethinking the definition of a virus. |
| Tumor Suppressor May Attenuate Fibrotic Disease Posted: 26 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST New research reveals a critical cellular signaling pathway that is responsible for generating excess connective tissue in multiple organs, similar to what is seen in human patients with scleroderma. The study also reveals an intriguing but unexpected regulatory role for a tumor suppressor gene in fibrotic disease. |
| Threats To Biodiversity Rise In World’s Mediterranean-Climate Regions Posted: 26 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST In the first systematic analysis of threats to the biodiversity of the world's Mediterranean-climate regions, scientists report that these conservation hotspots are facing significant and increasing pressure. The study is part of a global conservation assessment of the rare Mediterranean biome. |
| If Something Is Difficult, Most People Believe It Must Be Important To Achieving Goals Posted: 26 Feb 2009 05:00 PM PST Try the following experiment with two young children. To one child, hold a toy out just beyond their grasp and watch them bounce all over the place trying to reach it. With the second child, just hand the toy over to them. Is the first child likely to find the toy more interesting than the other child? If we come across something very difficult, how will that affect our ability to meet our goal? |
| Colors Of Quasars Reveal Dusty Universe Posted: 26 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST The vast expanses of intergalactic space appear to be filled with a haze of tiny, smoke-like "dust" particles that dim the light from distant objects and subtly change their colors, according to a team of astronomers. Knowledge of this dust will help astronomers understand galaxies, but could complicate future measurements of supernovae. |
| Gene Therapy Shows Promise As Weapon Against HIV Posted: 26 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST A new study has found that gene therapy can be developed as a safe and active technique to combat HIV. Researchers involved in this first-of-its-kind study found that cell-delivered gene transfer has the potential to be a once-only treatment that reduces viral load, preserves the immune system and avoids lifelong antiretroviral therapy. |
| Florida Biologists Use Magnets To Keep Nuisance Crocodiles Away Posted: 26 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Magnets usually attract, but the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission want magnets to do just the opposite. The biologists are studying if magnets can keep state-endangered American crocodiles from returning to situations where they are not welcome, primarily in neighborhoods in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. |
| Posted: 26 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST An enzyme makes the mouse heart prone to chronic cardiac insufficiency -- if it is suppressed, the heart remains strong despite increased stress. Cardiologists have now explained this key mechanism in a mouse model and thus discovered a promising approach for the systematic prevention of chronic cardiac insufficiency. |
| Could Online Social Networks Help Process Enormous Backlog Of U.S. Patent Applications? Posted: 26 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST Experts in intellectual property and patents explain how tools such as online social networking could be used to eradicate the enormous backlog of patent applications in the US. |
| Trust Your Heart: Emotions May Be More Reliable When Making Choices Posted: 26 Feb 2009 02:00 PM PST When choosing a flavor of ice cream, an item of clothing, or even a home, you might be better off letting your emotions guide you, according to a new study. |
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