ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

'Mind-reading' Experiment Highlights How Brain Records Memories Posted: 13 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT It may be possible to "read" a person's memories just by looking at brain activity, according to new research. Scientists show that our memories are recorded in regular patterns, a finding which challenges current scientific thinking.

Gene Therapy Shows Early Promise For Treating Obesity Posted: 13 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT With obesity reaching epidemic levels, researchers are studying a potentially long-term treatment that involves injecting a gene directly into one of the critical feeding and weight control centers of the brain.

New Method For Monitoring Volcanoes Posted: 13 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT Seventeen of the world's most active volcanoes have been supplied with monitoring equipment to measure their emission of sulfur dioxide.

Well-known Enzyme Is Unexpected Contributor To Brain Growth Posted: 13 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT An enzyme researchers have studied for years because of its potential connections to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and stroke, appears to have yet another major role to play: helping create and maintain the brain.

Air Pollution: Clear Sky Visibility Over Land Has Decreased Globally, Indicative Of Increased Particulate Matter Posted: 13 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT Scientists have compiled the first decades-long database of aerosol measurements over land, making possible new research into how air pollution changes affect climate change. Using this new database, the researchers show that visibility over land has decreased globally over the past 30 years, indicative of increasing aerosols, or airborne particulates.

Scientists Identify Neural Circuitry Of First Impressions Posted: 13 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT Neuroscientists have identified the neural systems involved in forming first impressions of others. The findings, which show how we encode social information and then evaluate it in making these initial judgments, are reported in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Human-generated Sounds May Be Killing Fish Posted: 13 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Anthropogenic, or human generated, sounds have the potential to significantly affect the lives of aquatic animals - from the individual animal's well-being, right through to its reproduction, migration and even survival of the species. Marine animals could suffer detrimental effects ranging from a loss of hearing to increased stressed levels as a result of environmental noise - in ways not dissimilar to humans and land animals.

Iron Induces Death In Tumor Cells Posted: 13 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Tumor cells and healthy cells differ considerably in metabolism intensity. Scientists have now taken advantage of this difference; by releasing cellular iron, they were able to induce death selectively in tumor cells.

New Aerosol Observing Technique Turns Gray Skies To Blue Posted: 13 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Tiny, ubiquitous particles in the atmosphere may play a profound role in regulating global climate. But the scientists who study these particles -- called aerosols -- have long struggled to accurately measure their composition, size, and global distribution. A new detection technique and a new satellite instrument called the Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor should help ease the struggle.

Maternal Exposure To Chemical Used In Manufacture Of Non-stick Surfaces Not Linked To Low Birth Weight Or Preterm Birth Posted: 13 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT A new study found that maternal exposure to C8, a chemical used in the manufacture of non-stick surfaces, was not associated with either lowered birth weight or increased risk of preterm birth in Little Hocking, Ohio area residents.

Hospital Mobile Phones 'Superbug' Scare Posted: 13 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Mobile phone handsets belonging to hospital workers are covered in bacteria including the "superbug," MRSA. New research describes how mobile phones used by health-care workers may be a source of hospital-acquired infections.

Feeling Tired? Study Finds Prevalence Of Anergia In People With Failing Hearts Posted: 13 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT A noninvasive method of monitoring human activity is helping doctors and researchers shed new light on a syndrome affecting nearly 40 percent of older adults with heart failure: anergia. Anergia, or lack of energy, is a newly delineated, criterion-based geriatric syndrome that is often overlooked or dismissed by doctors and patients alike as simply a natural tiredness associated with "old age."

Hubble Provides New Evidence For Dark Matter Around Small Galaxies Posted: 13 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered a strong new line of evidence that galaxies are embedded in halos of dark matter.

Aspirin Improves Survival In Women With Stable Heart Disease, According To Study Posted: 13 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT New results provide additional evidence that aspirin may reduce the risk of death in postmenopausal women who have heart disease or who have had a stroke. The study also provides new insight into aspirin dosing for women, suggesting that a lower dose of aspirin (81 milligrams, or mg) is as effective as a higher dose (325 mg).

First Look At Genetic Dynamics Of Inbreeding Depression Posted: 13 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT Declines in reproductive success due to inbreeding are probably due to a few key genes that influence other genes, said an animal biology professor.

Microbicide Promising As HIV Prevention Method For Women, Clinical Trial Suggests Posted: 13 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT A clinical trial involving more than 3,000 women in the US and southern Africa demonstrates for the first time the promise of a vaginal microbicide gel for preventing HIV infection in women. According to findings, one 0.5 percent dose of a microbicide designed to prevent HIV from attaching to cells in the genital tract, was 30 percent effective.

Danger Lurks Underground For Oak Seedlings Posted: 13 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT Scientists trying to understand why oaks are starting to disappear from North American forests may need to look just below the surface to find some answers. Researchers found that pine voles, small rodents that live underground, prefer oak roots to those of other commonly growing seedlings.

American Adults Flunk Basic Science Posted: 13 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT Are Americans flunking science? A new national survey commissioned by the California Academy of Sciences and conducted by Harris Interactive reveals that the US public is unable to pass even a basic scientific literacy test.

High IQ Linked To Reduced Risk Of Death Posted: 13 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT A study of one million Swedish men has revealed a strong link between cognitive ability and the risk of death, suggesting that government initiatives to increase education opportunities may also have health benefits.

Cleft Lip And Palate: Scientists Discover Gene Locus Associated With Deformity Posted: 13 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists discover the gene locus associated with cleft lip and palate. Comparing 500,000 snippets of human DNA put scientists on the right track. A genetic variant on chromosome 8 occurs with significantly higher frequency in people with cleft lip and palate than in the control group.

What Drives Brain Changes In Macular Degeneration? Posted: 13 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT In macular degeneration, the most common form of adult blindness, patients progressively lose vision in the center of their visual field, depriving the corresponding part of the visual cortex of input. Previously, researchers discovered that the deprived neurons begin responding to visual input from another spot on the retina -- evidence of plasticity. Just how such plasticity occurred was unknown, but a new study sheds light on the underlying neural mechanism.

High Blood Pressure Linked To Earlier Death Among African-American Breast Cancer Patients Posted: 13 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT A new study has shown that hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a predictor of mortality among breast cancer patients, especially those who are African-American, and that hypertension accounts for approximately 30 percent of the survival disparity between African-American and white breast cancer patients.

Major Step Toward Less Energy Loss In New Electromagnetic Materials Posted: 13 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have managed for the first time to measure magnetic properties in new materials quantitatively with the help of electron microscopy -- with unparalleled precision. The secret behind the breakthrough is a successful elaboration of electron microscope technology. The findings means that the energy loss entailed in all electromagnetic materials can ultimately be minimized.

Hatha Yoga Practice Lessens Fear Of Falling In Older Adults, Study Suggests Posted: 13 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers found promising results in an exploratory study involving yoga practice by older adults who expressed a fear of falling. After a 12-week, twice weekly hatha yoga class, taught by a professional yoga therapist, study participants reported a reduced fear of falling, increased lower body flexibility and a reduction in their leisure constraints.

AIDS Vaccine Gets Closer: Targeting Virus' Achilles Heel Posted: 12 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT AIDS researchers may have turned a corner in their search for a HIV vaccine, taking a piece of HIV that permits the virus to enter cells, putting it on the surface of a common cold virus, and then successfully immunizing animals with it.

Brain Tumors: New Therapy Surprisingly Successful Posted: 12 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT The combination of two drugs produces a critical improvement in the treatment of certain brain tumors.

Misplaced Metamorphosis Posted: 12 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have pinpointed the source of immature cells that spur misplaced bone growth. Unexpectedly, the major repository of bone-forming cells originates in blood vessels deep within skeletal muscle and other connective tissues, not from muscle stem cells themselves. The work also shows that cells important in the inflammatory response to injury trigger skeleton-stimulating proteins to transform muscle tissue into bone.

Biomarkers Detected For Chikungunya Fever Posted: 12 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT Three specific biomarkers provide accurate indication of severity of Chikungunya fever, emerging as threat in South-East Asia, Pacific and Europe, according to research conducted in Singapore. Since biomarkers can be easily detected and measured in blood, this finding could expedite patient identification and monitoring.

Summer Burning May Be Option For Pasture Maintenance Posted: 12 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT The greater duration of heat in a summer-prescribed burn provides more effective management of encroaching woody or cactus species on rangeland, scientists report. Controlling encroachments of prickly pear, mesquite, juniper and other rangeland plants that compete with grass can be pretty expensive without the use of fire in controlled burn situations.

What I Was Doing Vs. What I Did: How Verb Aspect Influences Memory And Behavior Posted: 12 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT If you want to perform at your peak, you should carefully consider how you discuss your past actions. A new study reveals that the way a statement is phrased (and specifically, how the verbs are used), affects our memory of an event being described and may also influence our behavior.

Wag The Robot? Robot Responds To Human Gestures Posted: 12 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have demonstrated how a robot can follow human gestures in a variety of environments -- indoors and outside -- without adjusting for lighting. The achievement is an important step forward in the quest to build fully autonomous robots as partners for human endeavors.

Why Anesthesia Is Associated With Cognitive Impairment And Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease Posted: 12 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists report that anesthesia induces phosphorylation of tau. Tau is a key neuronal protein involved in neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and several other neurodegenerative disorders. Anesthesia has previously been found to be associated with cognitive impairment and the risk for AD. This study helps elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying these associations.

Surviving Lung Cancer Posted: 12 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT A growing trend in the field of radiation oncology doubles a person's chances of surviving early-stage lung cancer, while making treatments easier for patients to bear by cutting the sessions from 35 by conventional radiation to only a handful using a new technique called stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Obesity Linked To Hormone Imbalance That Impacts Sexual Quality Of Life Posted: 12 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Hormonal changes and diminished sexual quality of life among obese men are related to the degree of obesity, and both are improved after gastric bypass surgery, according to a new study.

Simple Upgrades In Rural Sanitation Could Save 1.2 Million Lives Annually Posted: 12 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Improving rural sanitation by 65 percent could save as many as 1.2 million lives a year worldwide, scientists in Pennsylvania conclude in a new study on diarrheal disease. Their report found that developing countries in Africa and Asia would experience the greatest savings in life.

Doctor-patient Conversations At End Of Life Associated With Lower Medical Expenses Posted: 12 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Few physicians are eager to discuss end-of-life care with their patients. Yet such conversations may result in better quality of life for patients and could lower national health-care expenditures for cancer care alone by tens of millions dollars each year, according to a new study.

Artificial Photosynthesis: Turning Sunlight Into Liquid Fuels Moves A Step Closer Posted: 12 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Through photosynthesis, plants use sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars they use for fuel. Scientists want to create an artificial version of photosynthesis to produce liquid fuels for transportation. Chemists have taken an important step towards this goal with the discovery that cobalt oxide nanocrystals can effectively carry out the critical photosynthetic reaction of splitting water molecules.

Anesthesia Or Hypothermia: Warning For Alzheimer's Patients Posted: 12 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Scientists have shown that a protein associated with Alzheimer's (called "tau") builds up in brain cells at an increased rate when temperatures fall, such as when a patient is anesthetized or experiences hypothermia. This finding should be of immediate concern to surgeons, dentists and any other health care professionals who anesthetize patients with Alzheimer's or patients at an elevated risk for the disease.

How Cranberry Products Prevent Urinary Tract Infections Posted: 12 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Chemicals present in cranberries -- and not the acidity of cranberry juice, as previously thought -- prevent infection-causing bacteria from attaching to the cells that line the urinary tract.

One In Seven U.S. Teens Is Vitamin D Deficient Posted: 12 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT One in seven American adolescents is vitamin D deficient, according to a new study.

Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread: New Data Offer Important Clues Toward Improving Wheat Yields Posted: 12 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Breed a better crop of wheat? That's exactly what agricultural researchers hope their research will lead to. They analyzed the type of wheat commonly used to make bread in an effort to understand why it is versatile enough to be used around the world and across different climates.

Study Tests Reliability Of More Accurate Measure Of Patient Pain Posted: 12 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT A new study shows the reliability a newly developed device for assessing pain. This device is called the continuous pain score meter. It enables continuous real time pain score measurement, which is used to obtain exact measurements of pain intensity in humans during the course of a procedure. The findings provide more detailed information on patients' pain perception and may lead to better pain management for certain clinical procedures.

Spotless Mind? Fear Memories In Humans Weakened With Beta-blocker Propranolol Posted: 12 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Dutch scientists have successfully reduced the fear response. They weakened fear memories in human volunteers by administering the beta-blocker propranolol. Interestingly, the fear response did not return over the course of time. Until recently, it was assumed that a fearful memory could not be deleted. However, researchers have now demonstrated that changes can indeed be effected in the emotional memory of human beings.

'Personalized' Genome Sequencing Reveals Coding Error In Gene For Inherited Pancreatic Cancer Posted: 12 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have used "personalized genome" sequencing on an individual with a hereditary form of pancreatic cancer to locate a mutation in a gene called PALB2 that is responsible for initiating the disease. The discovery marks their first use of a genome scanning system to uncover suspect mutations in normal inherited genes.

New ‘Pollution Radar’ Developed To Provide Unprecedented Picture Of Urban Smog Posted: 12 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists and industrialists have invented a sophisticated new air quality measuring device that can act as a pollution radar over cities. The technology can be placed on satellites to provide unprecedented detail of gases in the atmosphere. Researchers are also developing ground-based instruments this year, which will be able to create 3D maps of atmospheric gases.

Migraine Mice Exhibit Enhanced Excitatory Transmission At Cortical Synapses Posted: 12 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT New research is unraveling the complex brain mechanisms associated with disabling migraine headaches. The study reveals that perturbation of the delicate balance between excitation and inhibition may make the brain more vulnerable to migraine attacks.

Synthetic Gene Circuit Allows Precise Dosing Of Gene Expression Posted: 12 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have crafted a gene circuit that permits precise tuning of a gene's expression in a cell, an advance that should allow for more accurate analysis of the gene's role in normal and abnormal cellular function.

Live Fast, Die Young? Maybe Not Posted: 12 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT The theory that a higher metabolism means a shorter lifespan may have reached the end of its own life. A new study found that mice with increased metabolism live just as long as those with slower metabolic rates.

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