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Language Of Music Really Is Universal, Study Finds Posted: 20 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT Native African people who have never even listened to the radio before can nonetheless pick up on happy, sad, and fearful emotions in Western music, according to a new article. The result shows that the expression of those three basic emotions in music can be universally recognized, the researchers said.

Acetaldehyde In Alcohol: 'Hangover Chemical' May Be Overlooked Risk Factor For Cancer Posted: 20 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT New evidence shows that drinking alcohol is the greatest risk factor for acetaldehyde-related cancer. Heavy drinkers may be at increased risk due to exposure from multiple sources. The research team also noted, that this risk is compounded by the addition of acetaldehyde exposure from different sources.

Liking Sweets Makes Sense For Kids Posted: 20 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT New research indicates that this heightened liking for sweetness has a biological basis and is related to children's high growth rate. The findings suggest that sweet preferences decline during adolescence as physical growth slows and eventually stops.

Scientists Closer To Understanding How To Control High Blood Sugar Posted: 20 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT Scientists are closer to understanding which proteins help control blood sugar, or glucose, during and after exercise. This understanding could lead to new drug therapies or more effective exercise to prevent type 2 diabetes and other health problems associated with having high blood sugar.

New Method For Detecting Explosives Posted: 20 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a way to sensitively detect explosives based on the physical properties of their vapors. Their technology is currently being developed into prototype devices for field testing.

Female Mammals Follow Their Noses To The Right Mates Posted: 20 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT Historically, most examples of female mate choice and its evolutionary consequences are found in birds. But that doesn't mean mammals aren't just as choosy, researchers say. It just means that mammal mate preferences may be harder to spot.

Teeth Of Columbus' Crew Flesh Out Tale Of New World Discovery Posted: 20 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT The adage that dead men tell no tales has long been disproved by archaeology. Now, however, science is taking interrogation of the dead to new heights. In a study that promises fresh and perhaps personal insight into the earliest European visitors to the New World, researchers are extracting the chemical details of life history from the teeth of crew members Christopher Columbus left on the island of Hispaniola after his second voyage to America in 1493-94.

Blocked Enzyme Reverses Schizophrenia-like Symptoms Posted: 20 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory have found that inhibiting a key brain enzyme in mice reversed schizophrenia-like symptoms.

Nanoscopic Probes Can Track Down And Attack Cancer Cells Posted: 20 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT A researcher has developed probes that can help pinpoint the location of tumors and might one day be able to directly attack cancer cells. The professor of agricultural and biological engineering developed the nanoscale, multi-functional probes, which have antibodies on board, to search out and attach to cancer cells.

Cellular Discovery May Lead To Targeted Treatment For Rare Form Of Anemia Posted: 20 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT University of Cincinnati researchers have identified the specific biological mechanisms believed to lead to a rare and incurable blood disease known as Diamond Blackfan anemia. Scientists say with further investigation, their discoveries could result in drastic changes to current thinking about treatment for this disease and may lead to promising new drug therapies.

New Madrid Fault System, U.S., May Be Shutting Down Posted: 20 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT The New Madrid fault system does not behave as earthquake hazard models assume and may be in the process of shutting down, a new study shows.

Stranger Knows Best: Other People Know More About What Will Make Us Happy Than We Do Posted: 20 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Want to know what will make you happy? Then ask a total stranger -- or so says a new study from Harvard University, which shows that another person's experience is often more informative than your own best guess.

Lab-grown Nerves Promote Nerve Regeneration After Injury Posted: 20 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have engineered transplantable living nerve tissue that encourages and guides regeneration in an animal model. They have successfully grown, transplanted, and integrated axon bundles that act as "jumper cables" to the host tissue in order to bridge a damaged section of nerve.

Exposure To Insecticide May Play Role In Obesity Epidemic Among Some Women Posted: 20 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT Prenatal exposure to an insecticide commonly used up until the 1970s may play a role in the obesity epidemic in women, according to a new study.

New Super-bouyant Material: Life Preserver Might Float A Horse Posted: 20 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers in China are reporting the development of miniature super-bouyant boats that float so well that an ordinary life preserver made from the same material might support a horse without sinking. The advance, they say, might be difficult to apply to full-size craft. However, it could lead to a new generation of aquatic robots for spy missions and other futuristic devices, the scientists add.

Serious Infection In Pregnancy: Experimental Vaccine Shows Promise In Preventing Cytomegalovirus Infection In Infants Posted: 20 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT Each year, approximately 8,000 infants in the United States develop severe hearing, mental or movement impairments after becoming infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus passed onto them while still in the womb. Now, published results of a trial involving 441 CMV-negative women give rise to optimism that a vaccine to prevent congenital CMV may be closer. Women who received the trial vaccine were 50 percent less likely to later become infected with CMV than were women who received a saline injection.

Change Of Lighting Could Drastically Reduce Bird Death By Collision With Communication Towers Posted: 20 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT Each year, it is estimated that millions of birds collide with communication towers. Researchers have discovered that a simple alteration of the lighting scheme on these towers may reduce bird mortality by as much as 71 percent.

Report Warns Of Jury Service 'Trauma' Posted: 20 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT A new report by psychologists warns of the dangers of jurors facing trauma because of their exposure to harrowing and gruesome evidence. In the first study of its kind, the research highlights how women jurors are more vulnerable, particularly if the trial covers material that resonates with their personal histories.

Two Dying Red Supergiant Stars Produced Supernovae Posted: 20 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Where do supernovae come from? Astronomers have long believed they were exploding stars, but by analyzing a series of images, researchers have now shown that two dying red supergiant stars produced supernovae.

Progress Toward An Alzheimer’s Drug That Saves Brain Cells Posted: 20 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have identified a molecule that can form the basis for a new therapy for Alzheimer's disease. This is the first step toward a medicine that could actually stop the progress of Alzheimer's. Existing medicines can at best limit the loss of memory during the first phases of the disease.

Fast Camera Shows Even Small Variations In Blood Circulation Posted: 20 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT A new camera developed by scientists in The Netherlands is capable of imaging even small variations in blood circulation. It is a powerful tool for evaluating burns or other disorders that disrupt the blood flow.

Iron Is Involved In Prion Disease-associated Neuronal Demise Posted: 20 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Imbalance of iron homeostasis is a common feature of prion disease-affected human, mouse, and hamster brains, according to a new study. These findings provide new insight into the mechanism of neurotoxicity in prion disorders, and novel avenues for the development of therapeutic strategies.

Influenza And Bacterial Pneumonia Make For Harmful Super-infection Posted: 20 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Influenza, or flu, is an unpleasant affair with fever, cough, as well as head and body ache. When this illness is further complicated by a bacterial pneumonia, a harmful super-infection develops. Until now, researchers thought that the flu facilitates an infection with pneumonia bacteria because it leads to a decrease of immune cells in the blood and thus impairs the body's defenses.

Majority Of Fire And Ambulance Recruits Overweight Posted: 20 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have found that more than 75 percent of emergency responder candidates for fire and ambulance services in Massachusetts are either overweight or obese. The findings, which appear online in the journal Obesity on March 19, have significant consequences for public health and safety.

Major Losses For Caribbean Reef Fish In Last 15 Years Posted: 19 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT By combining data from 48 studies of coral reefs from around the Caribbean, researchers have found that fish densities that have been stable for decades have given way to significant declines since 1995.

Daily Drinking Rather Than Binge Drinking Is Biggest Risk Factor In Serious Liver Disease, New Study Finds Posted: 19 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT Long-term daily drinking, rather than weekly binge drinking, is by far the biggest risk factor in serious liver disease, according to a new report. The study concludes that increases in UK liver deaths are a result of daily or near daily heavy drinking, not episodic or binge drinking, and this regular drinking pattern is often discernable at an early age. It also recommends that several alcohol-free days a week is a healthier drinking pattern.

One Mars Rover Sees A Distant Goal; The Other Takes A New Route Posted: 19 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT On a plain that stretches for miles in every direction, the panoramic camera on NASA's Mars rover Opportunity has caught a first glimpse on the horizon of the uplifted rim of the big crater that has been Opportunity's long-term destination for six months.

Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Announces Completion Of Genome-wide Analysis Posted: 19 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT A high-density genome wide analysis of participants in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative is more than 95 percent complete. The ADNI data will be used by researchers to search for genes that contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Historical Increase In Corn Yield: It's In The Roots Posted: 19 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT The extraordinary yield advance within the US Corn Belt over the past century has been a significant agricultural development associated with the breeding of hybrids and increased planting density. A new study examines how the root structure of corn has been one of the key factors in the efficiency of these crops.

As Planet Warms, Poor Nations Face Economic Chill Posted: 19 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT A rising tide is said to lift all boats. Rising global temperatures, however, may lead to increased disparities between rich and poor countries, according to a recent economic analysis of the impact of climate change on growth.

Ozone: New Simulation Shows Consequences Of A World Without Earth's Natural Sunscreen Posted: 19 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT The year is 2065. Nearly two-thirds of Earth's ozone is gone -- not just over the poles, but everywhere. The infamous ozone hole over Antarctica is a year-round fixture, with a twin over the North Pole. The ultraviolet (UV) radiation falling on mid-latitude cities is strong enough to cause sunburn in just five minutes. Such is the world we would have inherited if 193 nations had not agreed to ban ozone-depleting substances, according to atmospheric chemists

Blocking Protein May Help Ease Painful Nerve Condition Posted: 19 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have identified the first gene that pulls the plug on ailing nerve cell branches from within the nerve cell, possibly helping to trigger the painful condition known as neuropathy, which is a side effect of some forms of chemotherapy and can also afflict patients with cancer, diabetes and other ailments.

New Therapeutic Approach To Combat Lymphoma Posted: 19 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Using the human antibody, L19, which they developed themselves and specifically recognizes the blood vessels in tumor tissue, researchers have succeeded in eliminating lymphatic tumors in both mice and humans. For their study, they combined L19 with known anticancer substances.

Older Patients With One Type Of Heart Failure May Receive Little Or No Benefit From Drugs Posted: 19 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT People over 80 years of age suffering from a certain type of heart failure do not appear to benefit from most commonly prescribed heart medications, according to a study.

Cells Get Two Chances, Not Just One, To Fix Their Mistakes Posted: 19 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Cells have two chances to fix the same mistake in their protein-making process instead of just one -- a so-called proofreading step -- that had previously been identified, according to new research. Proteins are essential to life and do most of the work in cells, so avoiding mistakes during their production is a critical way to prevent a variety of harmful conditions that result when mutations cause damage or when cells die.

Changing The Price Of Foods May Significantly Affect Americans' Weight Posted: 19 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT A new article explores how food prices can affect weight outcomes, revealing that pricing interventions can have a significant effect on obesity rates.

Surprising Changes In Black Hole-powered 'Blazar' Galaxy Posted: 19 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Astrophysicists have uncovered surprising changes in radiation emitted by an active galaxy. Like many active galaxies, a blazar emits oppositely directed jets of particles traveling near the speed of light as matter falls into a central supermassive black hole; this process is not well understood. In the case of blazars, the galaxy is oriented such that we're looking right down the jet.

Hormone Offers Promise As Fertility Treatment Posted: 19 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT New research suggests the hormone kisspeptin shows promise as a potential new treatment for infertility. Scientists have shown that giving kisspeptin to women with infertility can activate the release of sex hormones which control the menstrual cycle. This research could lead to a new fertility therapy for women with low sex hormone levels.

Nanocups Brim With Potential Posted: 19 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have created a metamaterial that could light the way toward high-powered optics, ultra-efficient solar cells and even cloaking devices.

Diet Rich In Calcium Aids Weight Loss In People With Calcium Deficient Diets Posted: 19 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Boosting calcium consumption spurs weight loss, according to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, but only in people whose diets are calcium deficient.

Facemasks Help Prevent Adverse Cardiovascular Effects Caused By Pollution Posted: 19 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Diesel exhaust causes arteries to lose their flexibility. Researchers found that exposure to engine pollution resulted in arterial stiffness in a group of healthy volunteers.

London Murders: Statistics Theory Shows Numbers Are Predictable Posted: 19 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT A leading statistician claims that the number of murders in London last year was not out of the ordinary and followed a predictable pattern. His report argues that shocking headline numbers are not as surprising as one might think.

Is The Hippopotamus The Closest Living Relative To The Whale? Posted: 19 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Hippos spend lots of time in the water and now it turns out (or researchers argue), they are the closest living relative to whales. It also turns out, the two are swimming in a bit of controversy.

First Sister Study Results Reinforce The Importance Of Healthy Living Posted: 19 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Women who maintain a healthy weight and who have lower perceived stress may be less likely to have chromosome changes associated with aging than obese and stressed women, according to a pilot study that was part of the Sister Study. The long-term sister study is looking at the environmental and genetic characteristics of women whose sister had breast cancer to identify factors associated with developing breast cancer.

Doctors Test Targets For Deep Brain Stimulation In Parkinson Surgery Posted: 19 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Doctors have compared the two current target areas of deep brain stimulation surgery, or DBS. Investigators found that DBS in either brain target effectively treated motor symptoms such as tremors, stiffness and slowness. However, DBS also produced unique effects depending on the target location, especially in patients' moods and mental sharpness.

Parkinson's-linked Mutation Makes Neurons Vulnerable To Calcium-induced Death Posted: 19 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new study reveals the mechanism by which a genetic mutation linked with Parkinson's disease renders dopamine neurons particularly vulnerable to cell injury and death.

Odds Of Tipping: Better Than Even Chance Of Major Changes In Global Climate System, Experts Predict Posted: 19 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT According to the estimates of climate scientists in a newly published expert survey, there is more than a 50% chance of major changes in the global climate system if global warming proceeds at the current rate. Should average global temperature increase by more than 4 degrees Celsius, one or several parts of the climate system could tip to a new state.

How Brain Remembers Single Events Posted: 19 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Single events account for many of our most vivid memories -- a marriage proposal, a wedding toast, a baby's birth. Until a recent discovery, however, scientists knew little about what happens inside the brain that allows you to remember such events.

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