ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Novel Antibiotics That Don't Trigger Antibiotic Resistance Developed Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is one of medicine's most vexing challenges. Scientists are now developing a new generation of antibiotic compounds that do not provoke bacterial resistance.

Discovery May Lead To Development Of Safer Immunosuppressants Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Immunosuppressive treatment is necessary to prevent rejection of an organ after transplant and has great potential for treating chronic inflammatory diseases. However, currently available immunosuppressant drugs can pose serious health risks, restricting their long-term use. Now, new research findings may lead to the development of immunosuppressant drugs that have fewer adverse side effects.

Termite Killer Lingers As Potent Greenhouse Gas Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Fumigant pumped into tented houses to kill pests remains in atmosphere six to 10 times longer than previously thought, a new study shows.

Researchers Unravel Unexpected Role Of Neuronal Population In Drug Addiction And Parkinson's Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers in Belgium have made an important step toward the understanding of drug addiction and Parkinson's disease. Their work has unraveled the unexpected role of a neuronal population in drug addiction and motor control.

Instant Control For Laser Welding Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT A novel camera system has 25,000 processors integrated in its pixels which work together to analyze images the instant they are taken -- over ten times faster than a computer. This allows to automatically adjust the output of a laser as it performs welding operations.

Your Looks, Creditworthiness May Go Hand In Hand, At Least In The Eyes Of Some Lenders Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT New research suggests that a person's appearance may play a role in whether they are deemed trustworthy by financial lenders.

Tiny Brain Region Key To Fear Of Rivals And Predators Posted: 15 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT A piece of the brain's hypothalamus is key to animals' fear of territorial rivals and predators, according to a new study. Without it, animals lose all sense of caution.

Critical Switch In Eye Development Discovered Posted: 15 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have identified a key to eye development -- a protein that regulates how the light-sensing nerve cells in the retina form. While still far from the clinic, the latest results could help scientists better understand how nerve cells develop.

Nanotube Structures Could Improve Electric Motors Posted: 15 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have found that carbon nanotubes can significantly improve the performance of electrical contacts that are common in millions of motors used in a variety of electrical applications. New research concludes that "brush contacts" made of carbon nanotubes had 10 times less resistance than did the carbon-copper composite brushes commonly used today.

Freezing Kidney Cancer: Hot Treatment Should Be New Gold Standard For Destroying Small Tumors Posted: 15 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Freezing kidney tumors -- using a safe minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment that kills the cancer 100 percent effectively without surgery -- should be the gold standard or first treatment option for all individuals with tumors that are 4 cm in size or smaller. And, this treatment -- interventional cryoablation -- is a viable option for people with larger tumors, according to two studies.

First Measurement Of The Ability Of A Very Long Molecular Wire To Conduct Electric Current Posted: 15 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT For the first time, researchers have measured the ability of a single, very long molecular wire to carry electric current. Until now, there were only statistical measurements on a collection of wires a few nanometers long. Now, thanks to an ingenious experiment using a scanning tunneling microscope, the researchers have characterized individual polymer chains of known length, up to 20 nanometers long. They confirm what is predicted by theory: the ability to conduct electric current decreases exponentially with the length of the wire.

Children As Young As Preschoolers Tend To Follow Majority Opinion Posted: 15 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT When we are faced with a decision, and we're not sure what to do, usually we'll just go with the majority opinion. When do we begin adopting this strategy of "following the crowd"? A new report in Psychological Science suggests that this tendency starts very early on, around preschool age.

'The Unexpected Outcome' Is A Key To Human Learning Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT The human brain's sensitivity to unexpected outcomes plays a fundamental role in the ability to adapt and learn new behaviors, according to a new study by psychologists and neuroscientists.

Metabolic And Neurological Disorders May Share Common Risk Factors Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes appear to share risk factors with and may influence the development of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, according to several reports published in the Archives of Neurology.

Discovery Of Protection Against Cell Division Failures Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have described the causes for division errors of human tissue cells and how the cells protect themselves against these.

Turn Back, Wayward Axon: Coreceptors Work Together As 'Navigators' For A Growing Axon, Study Shows Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT To a growing axon, the protein RGMa is a "Wrong Way" sign, alerting it to head in another direction. As a new study shows, translating that signal into cellular action requires teamwork from two receptors.

What Drove The Cow Mad? Lessons From A Tiny Fish Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have known for some time that a normal protein in the brain, prion protein (PrP), can turn harmful and cause deadly illnesses like CJD in humans, and BSE in cattle. What they could not explain is why this normal protein is produced by our bodies.

Reducing Suicidal Behaviors Among Adolescents Posted: 15 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Adolescent girls who view themselves as too fat may display more suicidal behaviors than those who are actually overweight, according to a new study. Although studies have shown a link between obesity, depressive disorders and suicidal behaviors, scientists have now analyzed these indicators in conjunction with an individual's perception of their weight. The study will be published in Social Science and Medicine.

One Virus Particle Is Enough To Cause Infectious Disease Posted: 14 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Can exposure to a single virus particle lead to infection or disease? Until now, solid proof has been lacking. Experimental research with insect larvae has shown that one virus particle is theoretically enough to cause infection and subsequent disease.

Molecular 'Two-Step' Leading To Protein Clumps Of Huntington's Disease Posted: 14 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Researchers deconstruct the first steps in an intricate molecular dance that might lead to the formation of pathogenic protein clumps in Huntington's disease, and possibly other movement-related neurological disorders.

Chemists Find Secret To Increasing Luminescence Efficiency Of Carbon Nanotubes Posted: 14 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Chemists have found a way to greatly increase the luminescence efficiency of carbon nanotubes by wrapping them in a chemical "sleeve" to reduce exterior defects caused by chemically absorbed oxygen molecules. The breakthrough procedure has potential applications in medical imaging, homeland security and biological sensors.

Omega 3 And Other Nutraceuticals Come In Stable, Tasty Microgels Posted: 14 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Nutritionists are nearly unanimous in recommending that Americans should eat significantly more omega-3 fatty acids and consume them in foods, not in vitamin pills. The health-promoting fats are found in fish and some other food sources. But if we don't like fish, can't prepare it well, can't afford it more often, or all of the above, what are we to do?

Breakthrough For Post-4G Communications Posted: 14 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT With much of the mobile world yet to migrate to 3G mobile communications, let alone 4G, researchers are already working on a new technology able to deliver data wirelessly up to 12.5Gb/s.

Is That Your Final Answer? Study Suggests Method For Improving Individual Decisions Posted: 14 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT What if there is no one else around to consult with before making a judgment - how can we be confident that we are giving a good answer? A new study suggests that "dialectical bootstrapping" (that is, thinking about why your own answer might be incorrect and then averaging across estimates) may be an effective strategy in helping us come up with better answers to many types of problems.

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