ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

New Nanogenerator May Charge IPods And Cell Phones With A Wave Of The Hand Posted: 27 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT A new nanogenerator may charge iPods and cell phones with a wave of the hand. Scientists have described technology that converts mechanical energy from body movements or even the flow of blood in the body into electric energy that can be used to power a broad range of electronic devices without using batteries.

Brain Activity Associated With Phantom Limbs, Study Shows Posted: 27 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT Phantom limbs, often described after amputation, are also experienced as an extra limb in patients who are paralyzed on one side following a stroke. Referred to as supernumerary phantom limb, patients can usually perceive these limbs as a vivid somatosensory presence of an extra limb, but generally cannot see or intentionally move them.

New Surface Material That Resists Biofilm Growth Created Posted: 27 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT This is the tale of two biological substances -- cells from mammals and bacteria. It's a story about the havoc these microscopic entities can wreak on all manner of surfaces, from mighty ships to teeth and medical devices, and how two researchers are discovering new ways prevent the damage.

World’s First Successful ViKY Robot-assisted Surgery For Pancreatic Tumors Posted: 27 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT Doctors performed the world's first successful minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy using the ViKY system's revolutionary robotic, compact laparoscope holder. The technology, developed in France and tested on thousands of patients in Europe, made its debut in a cancer setting in the United States at Fox Chase.

Why Is There More Matter Than Antimatter In The Natural World? Posted: 27 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT Mathematicians have for the first time estimated, from mathematical symmetry arguments, the size of a fundamental imbalance pervading the subatomic world. This imbalance, called the CP violation, distinguishes matter from antimatter and is essential to understanding why matter predominates over antimatter in the natural world.

TV Shows Convey Mixed Messages About Alcohol Consumption In Youth Posted: 27 Mar 2009 11:00 AM PDT Efforts to dissuade youth consumption through negative alcohol consumption depictions can be thwarted by portrayals of positive consumption in prime-time television programming. A new study reveals that television series often portray mixed messages about alcohol, but the positive and negative messages were shown differently.

Why Certain Fishes Went Extinct 65 Million Years Ago Posted: 27 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Large size and a fast bite spelled doom for bony fishes during the last mass extinction 65 million years ago (the same one that led to the extinction of thousands of species of flora and fauna, including dinosaurs). Today, those same features characterize large predatory bony fishes, such as tuna and billfishes, that are currently in decline and at risk of extinction themselves. The hardest hit species are consistently big predators.

Bioengineered Proteins: Trial Confirms New Way To Tackle Cancer Posted: 27 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Re-engineering a protein that helps prevent tumors spreading and growing has created a potentially powerful therapy for people with many different types of cancer. In a new study, Canadian researchers modified the tumor inhibiting protein, von Hippel-Lindau, and demonstrated that it could suppress tumour growth in mice.

New Listening Device Should Help Find Trapped Miners Posted: 27 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Scientists devised a new way to find miners trapped by cave-ins. The method involves installing iron plates and sledgehammers at regular intervals inside mines, and sensitive listening devices on the ground overhead.

Anti-microbial Catheter To Cut Infection Risk For Dialysis Patients Posted: 27 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Medical experts have shown that an innovative anti-microbial catheter could vastly improve treatment and the quality of life for many community-based dialysis patients.

Dewdrop-sized Motes Serve As Invisible Security Guards Posted: 27 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT Dewdrop-sized motes serve as invisible security guards. Scattered outdoors on rocks, fence posts and doorways, or indoors on the floor of a bank, the dewdrops are a completely new and cost-effective system for safeguarding and securing wide swathes of property.

Financial Advice Causes 'Off-loading' In The Brain Posted: 27 Mar 2009 08:00 AM PDT A study using functional magnetic resonance imaging shows that expert advice may shut down areas of the brain responsible for decision-making processes, particularly when individuals are trying to evaluate a situation where risk is involved.

Why Animals Migrate: New Understandings Posted: 27 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT For the first time, engineers have observed the initiation of a mass gathering and subsequent migration of hundreds of millions of animals -- in this case, fish.

Imaging Technique May Trace Development Of Parkinson's Disease Posted: 27 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT While finding a biomarker for Parkinson's disease that would let physicians screen for or track progression of the disease remains an elusive goal, neuroscientists have shown that a noninvasive brain scanning technique offers promise.

Gorilla Gets MRI At Bronx Zoo Posted: 27 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT A brain scan was performed on a gorilla at the Bronx Zoo. The on-site procedure—performed by dozens of wildlife veterinarians, zookeepers, and medical personnel from several institutions—was made possible by the Bobby Murcer Mobile MRI Unit, a 48-foot-long MRI facility on wheels that conducted a comprehensive neurological scan on the brain of Fubo, a 42-year-old western lowland gorilla.

Eating Soy Early In Life May Reduce Breast Cancer Among Asian Women Posted: 27 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT Asian-American women who ate higher amounts of soy during childhood had a 58 percent reduced risk of breast cancer, according to a new study.

High-speed Signal Mixer Demonstrates Capabilities Of Transistor Laser Posted: 27 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have successfully demonstrated a microwave signal mixer made from a tunnel-junction transistor laser. Development of the device brings researchers a big step closer to higher speed electronics and higher performance electrical and optical integrated circuits.

Neuronal Cause Of 'Money Illusion': Inflation Felt To Be Not So Bad As A Wage Cut Posted: 27 Mar 2009 05:00 AM PDT Many people view a rise in their income as a good thing, even when the increase is completely negated again by inflation. Researchers have discovered the cerebro-physiological cause underlying this so-called "money illusion." This effect is of great practical relevance in that it explains, for instance, why financial policy and inflation can have a beneficial effect on employment and economic growth.

A Venomous Tale: How Lizards Can Shed Their Tail When Predators Attack Posted: 27 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Ecologists have answered a question that has puzzled biologists for more than a century: What is the main factor that determines a lizard's ability to shed its tail when predators attack?

New Measurement Standard For Vitamin D May Lead To Better Bone Health Posted: 27 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT In a development that could help improve the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, rickets, and other bone-related diseases, government chemists are reporting major progress toward developing an accurate, reliable set of standards for measuring vitamin D levels in the blood.

New Wheat Disease Could Spread Faster Than Expected Posted: 27 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Both plant and human diseases that can travel with the wind have the potential to spread far more rapidly than has been understood, according to a new study, in findings that pose serious concerns not only for some human diseases but also a new fungus that threatens global wheat production.

Ovarian Cancers Detected Early May Be Less Aggressive, Questioning Effectiveness Of Screening Posted: 27 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT The biology of ovarian cancers discovered at an early stage may render them slower growing and less likely to spread than more aggressive cancers, which typically are discovered in an advanced stage, according to a new study. This finding has implications for the question of whether screening for ovarian cancer could save lives.

Zinc Oxide Gives Green Shine To New Photoconductors Posted: 27 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Northwestern University researchers have designed a high-performing photoconducting material that uses zinc oxide -- an environmentally friendly inorganic compound found in baby powder and suntan lotion -- instead of lead sulfide. The best performing photoconductor is based on lead sulfide nanoparticles. The new material converts light into electricity but, unlike conventional materials, also features a novel combination of attractive attributes: environmentally benign chemistry, low-cost production, a high level of detectivity, mechanical flexibility and wavelength tunability.

Inconsistent Performance Speed Among Children With ADHD May Underlie How Well They Use Memory Posted: 27 Mar 2009 02:00 AM PDT Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder show more variable or inconsistent responses during on "working" or short-term, memory tasks when compared with typically developing peers, a new study has found.

Hair Structures Of Blind Cavefish Inspire New Generation Of Sensors Posted: 26 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT The fish species Astyanax fasciatus cannot see, but their unique technique for sensing their environment and the movement of water around them with gel-covered hairs that extend from their bodies may inspire a new generation of sensors that perform better than current active sonar.

Surgery Safe For Babies And Toddlers Suffering From Seizures, Study Suggests Posted: 26 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT Surgery for babies and toddlers suffering from epilepsy is relatively safe and is effective in controlling seizures, according to a new study. The findings also show that early surgery may have a positive impact on babies' brain development.

North West Tidal Barrages Could Provide 5% Of UK's Electricity Posted: 26 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT Engineers claim that building estuary barrages in the North West could provide more than 5% of the UK's electricity. Researchers examined ways to generate electricity from tidal sources of renewable energy in the Eastern Irish Sea. The study showed that four estuary barrages, across the Solway Firth, Morecambe Bay and the Mersey and Dee estuaries, could be capable of meeting approximately half of the North West region's electricity needs.

South Asians With Diabetes More Likely To Lose Their Eyesight Earlier Than White Europeans Posted: 26 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT South Asians with type 2 diabetes are significantly more at risk of losing their eyesight and losing it at an earlier age, compared to white Europeans with the same condition.

Drug Used To Treat Skin Conditions Is A Marine Pollutant Posted: 26 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT Clotrimazole is a common ingredient in over-the-counter skin creams. Recent results from research in Sweden now show that it is associated with major environmental risks. "The pharmaceuticals and chemicals in everyday use form a mixture in the ocean that has a direct impact on the growth and reproduction of organisms," says scientist Tobias Porsbring.

Inadequate Vitamin D Levels Linked To High Use Of Narcotic Medication By Patients In Chronic Pain Posted: 26 Mar 2009 11:00 PM PDT New research shows a correlation between inadequate vitamin D levels and the amount of narcotic medication taken by patients who have chronic pain.

What Separates Humans From Mice? Bigger, Faster Astrocytes In Brain Posted: 26 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT A type of brain cell that was long overlooked by researchers embodies one of very few ways in which the human brain differs fundamentally from that of a mouse or rat. Human astrocytes are bigger, faster, and much more complex than those in mice and rats.

New, Highly Effective Treatment For Blood Disorder Posted: 26 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Patients suffering from a blood disorder that prevents proper clotting have the option of a new medication that may dramatically improve their health.

Pilgrims' Progress: Genetic Data From 1630s Backs Health Benefits Of Cancer Screening Posted: 26 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists who traced a genetic mutation for colon cancer back almost 370 years are now confirming that routine screening and education can prevent people with the mutated gene from developing cancer.

Genetic Irregularities Linked To Higher Risk Of COPD Among Smokers Posted: 26 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have discovered two genetic markers that appear to put some smokers at significantly higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The findings come from the first-ever genome-wide association study of COPD and suggest that those who carry the markers may be able to reduce their risk if they quit smoking before the first symptoms of COPD occur.

Negligible Proportion Of Artificial Carbon-based Nanoparticles Found In Aquatic Sediments Posted: 26 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT The quantity of artificial carbon-based nanoparticles in lake and river-beds, originating from new products, is negligible compared to the concentration of natural carbon-based nanoparticles that are present in such beds. The accumulated particles in the sediments contain at least 10,000 times more natural nanoparticles than artificial ones.

Social Skills, Extracurricular Activities In High School Pay Off Later In Life Posted: 26 Mar 2009 08:00 PM PDT It turns out that being voted "Most likely to succeed" in high school might actually be a good predictor of one's financial and educational success later in life. A professor of human and community development says that "soft skills" are better predictors of earnings and higher educational achievement later in life than having good grades and high standardized test scores.

Erratic Black Hole Regulates Itself Posted: 26 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT New results from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have made a major advance in explaining how a special class of black holes may shut off the high-speed jets they produce.  These results suggest that these black holes have a mechanism for regulating the rate at which they grow.

Bad News For Insomniacs: 'Hunger Hormones' Affected By Poor Sleep Posted: 26 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have found that chronic insomnia disrupts one of two hormones that are primarily responsible for regulating the body's energy balance telling you when you are hungry, and when you are full.

Spiders, Frogs And Gecko Among Exciting Discoveries Found In Papua New Guinea Posted: 26 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Jumping spiders, a tiny chirping frog and an elegant striped gecko are among 56 species believed new to science discovered during a Conservation International Rapid Assessment Program expedition to Papua New Guinea's highlands wilderness.

Genetic Sleuth Solves Glaucoma Mystery Posted: 26 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT A medical geneticist has cracked the case of WDR36, a gene linked to glaucoma.

New Enzymes Created For Biofuel Production Posted: 26 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have taken an important step toward the development of a cost-efficient process to extract sugars from cellulose -- the world's most abundant organic material and cheapest form of solar-energy storage. Plant sugars are easily converted into a variety of renewable fuels such as ethanol or butanol.

Therapists Still Offering Treatments For Homosexuality Despite Lack Of Evidence Posted: 26 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT A significant minority of psychiatrists and therapists are still attempting to help lesbian, gay and bisexual clients become heterosexual despite lack of evidence that such treatment is beneficial or even safe, according to research funded by the Wellcome Trust.

When It Comes To Intelligence, Size Matters Posted: 26 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new study has demonstrated a positive link between cognitive ability and cortical thickness in the brains of healthy six- to 18-year-olds. The correlation is evident in regions that integrate information from different parts of the brain. The imaging study is the most comprehensive of its kind with a representative sample of healthy children and adolescents.

Energy Drinks May Be Harmful To People With Hypertension, Heart Disease Posted: 26 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT People who have high blood pressure or heart disease should avoid consuming energy drinks, according to a new study. Researchers found that healthy adults who drank two cans a day of a popular energy drink experienced an increase in their blood pressure and heart rate. No significant changes in EKG measurements were reported.

New Family Of Molecules For Self-assembly: The Carboranes Posted: 26 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have found a way to control the geometry and stability of a new family of self-assembled-monolayer materials, the carboranes. The resulting exceptionally high quality and simplicity of the improved carboranes opens up new capabilities in selective patterning and control, and new possibilities for applications. A tailored carborane film just one-nanometer or two-nanometers in height completely changes the chemical, physical, and biological properties of the surface on which it is applied.

Prostate Cancer: Update On Watchful Waiting Versus Radical Prostatectomy Posted: 26 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT In 2005, the Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group Study 4 reported that radical prostatectomy improved prostate cancer survival compared with watchful waiting after a median of 8.2 years of follow-up. New results after 3 more years of follow-up have now been reported.

Australia's Most Endangered Snake Might Need More Bush Burning Posted: 26 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT The last remaining populations of broad-headed snakes are being threatened by encroaching woodland that is destroying their habitat, a study by scientists.

Personality Influences Reproductive Success Posted: 26 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new study reveals that personality at adolescence predicts reproductive success later in life. The study findings showed that male and female teens with socially dominant personalities were more likely to have children as adults.

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