ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Astronomers Help Solve Mystery Of Starlight's Origins Using A Telescope And Huge Balloon Posted: 09 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have helped unveil the birthplaces of ancient stars using a two-ton telescope carried by a balloon the size of a 33-story building.

Too Much Protein, Eaten Along With Fat, May Lead To Insulin Resistance Posted: 09 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT A clue about the blood chemistry of obese people who develop insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes, has been confirmed in animal studies and human confirmation studies are coming.

Cheap And Efficient White Light LEDs With New Design Posted: 09 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Roughly 20 percent of the electricity consumed worldwide is used to light homes, businesses, and other private and public spaces. Though this consumption represents a large drain on resources, it also presents a tremendous opportunity for savings. Improving the efficiency of commercially available light bulbs -- even a little -- could translate into dramatically lower energy usage if implemented widely.

Waist Size Found To Be Predictor Of Heart Failure In Both Men And Women Posted: 09 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Adding to the growing evidence that a person's waist size is an important indicator of heart health, a new study has found that larger waist circumference is associated with increased risk of heart failure in middle-aged and older populations of men and women.

Rhythmic Genomics: The Yeast Metronome And The Walk Of Life Posted: 09 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT New genome sequence information from the humble baker's yeast has revealed surprising variation in a set of genes that can be thought of as nature's oldest clock. Scientists have shown how ribosomal RNA genes that are essential to all Earth's organisms provide insight into how genomes maintain their integrity on their evolutionary journey.

Adult Brain Processes Fractions 'Effortlessly' Posted: 09 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Although fractions are thought to be a difficult mathematical concept to learn, the adult brain encodes them automatically without conscious thought, according to new research. The study shows that cells in the intraparietal sulcus and the prefrontal cortex -- brain regions important for processing whole numbers -- are tuned to respond to particular fractions.

New Link Between The Evolution Of Complex Life Forms On Earth And Nickel And Methane Gas Posted: 09 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT The Earth's original atmosphere held very little oxygen. This began to change around 2.4 billion years ago when oxygen levels increased dramatically during what scientists call the "Great Oxidation Event." The cause of this event has puzzled scientists, but researchers writing in Nature have found indications in ancient sedimentary rocks that it may have been linked to a drop in the level of dissolved nickel in seawater.

New Molecular Mechanism Linking Viral Infection To Cancer Susceptibility Discovered Posted: 09 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Portuguese scientists discovered a new molecular mechanism that allows gamma herpes viruses to chronically infect patients and helps to explain why these patients present an abnormally high incidence of the lymphocyte (or white blood cell) cancer lymphoma, particularly when their immune system is compromised.

Red In The Face? People Use The Color Of Your Skin To Judge How Healthy You Are Posted: 09 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT People use the color of your skin to judge how healthy you are. Scientists in the School of Psychology have shown that there is truth to the received wisdom that a "rosy" complexion denotes healthiness, whilst a "green" or "pale" color indicates illness.

How Do Microglia Examine Damaged Synapses? Posted: 09 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Microglia, immune cells in the brain, are suggested to be involved in the repair of damaged brain. However, it is unknown how microglia diagnose damaged circuits in an in vivo brain. Now a Japanese group has successfully taken a live image how microglia survey synapses in the brains of mice by using two-photon microscopic technology.

Perfluorinated Chemicals Not Associated With Cancer In General Population, Study Suggests Posted: 09 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Perfluorooctanoate and perfluorooctanesulfonate plasma concentrations are not associated with the risk of prostate, bladder, pancreatic, or liver cancer. according to new research.

Power Structure Of Bronze Age Societies Was Based On Social Networks Posted: 09 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Archaeologists have demonstrated that societies during the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age had a significantly more varied and complex structure than was previously thought. This power structure was based on social networks rather than on permanently established institutions. Society was organized into small and medium-sized chiefdoms that were typically involved in ongoing struggles for dominance between various powerful families.

Sound From Exploding Volcanoes Compared With Jet Engines Posted: 09 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT A new study of low-frequency sound from Mount St. Helens and Tungurahua volcanoes provides explanation for how the large-amplitude signals from eruptions are produced.

Protein That May Help Breast Cancer Spread, Beat Cancer Drugs, Identified Posted: 09 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT New research shows that a protein called Muc4 may be the essential ingredient that allows breast cancer to spread to other organs and resist therapeutic treatment.

Eye Exercises Help Patients Work Out Vision Problems, Optometrist Says Posted: 09 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT You've probably been there. In a doctor's office, being advised to do what you dread -- exercise. You get that feeling in your gut, acknowledging that, indeed, you should exercise but probably won't. Now imagine that the doctor is your optometrist.

Coronary Angiography May Improve Outcomes For Cardiac Arrest Patients Posted: 09 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Cardiac arrest victims who receive coronary angiography are twice as likely to survive without significant brain damage compared with those who don't have the imaging procedure, according to a new study. The study showed that patient outcomes improved with coronary angiography regardless of clinical and demographic factors that influenced who received the procedure.

Electrosmog On The Circuit Board Posted: 09 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT The smaller the components in electronic circuits, the more interference-prone they are. If the components are too densely packed, they can interfere with one another. A near-field scanner can accurately detect weak fields and help to protect bank cards against fraud.

Blood Tests Reveal Tobacco Smoke Residues In Non-smoking New Yorkers Posted: 09 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT More than half of non-smoking New Yorkers have elevated levels of cotinine in their blood -- meaning that they were recently exposed to toxic secondhand smoke in concentrations high enough to leave residues in the body.

Aerosols May Drive A Significant Portion Of Arctic Warming Posted: 08 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Though greenhouse gases are invariably at the center of discussions about global climate change, new NASA research suggests that much of the atmospheric warming observed in the Arctic since 1976 may be due to changes in tiny airborne particles called aerosols.

Targeting Specific Disease-causing Bacteria In The Mouth Posted: 08 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have developed a narrow-spectrum antibiotic that can target a particular species of bacteria without harming the other "good" bacteria present.

Rigorous Visual Training Teaches The Brain To See Again After Stroke Posted: 08 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT By doing a set of vigorous visual exercises on a computer every day for several months, patients who had gone partially blind as a result of suffering a stroke were able to regain some vision. The work shows a remarkable capacity for "plasticity" in damaged, adult brains.

Community Spread Of Trachoma Could Be Stopped By Treating All Household Members Posted: 08 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT All members of the household need to be treated for trachoma in order to prevent rapid re-infection, according to a new study.

Nuclear Hormone Receptors, MicroRNAs Form Developmental Switch Posted: 08 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT A particular nuclear hormone receptor called DAF-12 and molecules called microRNAs in the let-7 family form a molecular switch that encourages cells in the larvae of a model worm to shift to a more developed state.

'Pain In The ICU' Report Suggests Comprehensive Approach Posted: 08 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Managing pain in the ICU is an ongoing and significant challenge for the critical care team. However, new reports suggest that taking a comprehensive approach to pain management may be the key to managing pain in the ICU and even decreasing the incidence of preventable pain.

Studies Of Hyena Skull Development Put Teeth Into New Female Dominance Theory Posted: 08 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Getting between a female hyena and her cubs at chow time is no laughing matter -- especially for males. Females rule among spotted hyenas, making them rare among mammals and unique among carnivores. Researchers now believe they know why.

Weight Gain Early In Life Can Lead To Physical Disabilities In Older Adults Posted: 08 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Carrying extra weight earlier in life increases the risk of developing problems with mobility in old age, even if the weight is eventually lost, according to new research.

Antarctic Marine Biodiversity Data Now Online Posted: 08 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT The International Polar Year concluded in March 2009 with a tangible legacy in the form of a network of databases on marine biodiversity that will serve as clearinghouse for all biodiversity-related data gathered since the very first Antarctic research expeditions. The network gathers data describing the species themselves as well as information about their collection history, allowing scientists and conservationists to access the first rigorous census of Antarctic marine life.

Doctors Identify Patients At High Risk Of C. Difficile Posted: 08 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Doctors have developed and validated a clinical prediction rule for recurrent Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection that was simple, reliable and accurate, and can be used to identify high-risk patients most likely to benefit from measures to prevent recurrence.

How Brain Cells Work Together To React: New Analytical Tool Tackles Question Posted: 08 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have developed a new analytical tool to answer the question of how our brain cells record outside stimuli and react to them. Researchers in Israel and colleagues have formulated the novel principle of Minimum Mutual Information (MinMI) to tackle the issue.

Maternal Personality Affects Child's Eating Habits Posted: 08 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Mothers with many negative thoughts and feelings are more likely to give their children unhealthy food, according to a study by researchers in Norway.

The Secret To Chimp Strength Posted: 08 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT An evolutionary biologist argues that humans may lack the strength of chimps because our nervous systems exert more control over our muscles. Our fine motor control prevents great feats of strength, but allows us to perform delicate and uniquely human tasks.

Immune Cells In Skin Fight Off Infection Better Than The Rest Posted: 08 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Scientists have discovered the local action of immune cells in the skin, which could improve treatment of viral skin infections. This work identifies previously unrecognized first-line defense mechanisms that are particularly important in barrier locations such as the skin and the gut, often used as portals of entry by viruses and bacteria.

Hidden Face In Nefertiti Bust Examined With CT Scan Posted: 08 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Using CT imaging to study a priceless bust of Nefertiti, researchers have uncovered a delicately carved face in the limestone inner core and gained new insights into methods used to create the ancient masterpiece and information pertinent to its conservation, according to a new study.

Last Step Leading To Blood Cell Formation Elucidated Posted: 08 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Scientists have proved the existence of hemogenic endothelial cells. The findings answer the question – unsolved until now – of how blood cells are generated during embryonic development and will enable scientists in the future to produce blood cells in the laboratory in a more target-specific manner. These new insights represent an important contribution to future clinical therapeutic approaches.

Measuring Earth's Gravity Field: GOCE’s 'Heart' Starts Beating Posted: 08 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT GOCE's highly sensitive gradiometer instrument has been switched on and is producing data. Forming the heart of GOCE, the gradiometer is specifically designed to measure Earth's gravity field with unprecedented accuracy.

Teaching Autistic Teens To Make Friends Posted: 08 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT A special class designed at UCLA for teens with autism spectrum disorders a range of developmental disorders that consist of problems with communication and socialization helped the teens' overall social skills and interactions with their peers.

Earthshine Reflects Earth's Oceans And Continents From The Dark Side Of The Moon Posted: 08 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have shown for the first time that the difference in reflection of light from the Earth's land masses and oceans can be seen on the dark side of the moon, a phenomenon known as earthshine.

Gene Therapy Appears Safe To Regenerate Gum Tissue Posted: 08 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have developed a method of gene delivery that appears safe for regenerating tooth-supporting gum tissue -- a discovery that assuages one of the biggest safety concerns surrounding gene therapy research and tissue engineering.

To Swim Or To Crawl: For The Worm It's A No Brainer Posted: 08 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT A study at the University of Leeds has shown, for the first time, that C. elegans worms crawl and swim using the same gait, overturning the widely accepted belief that these two behaviors are completely different.

New Tests Provide New Insight Into Why Patients Are In Heart Failure Posted: 08 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT A failing heart makes a lot of a hormone needed to eliminate the excess salt and water bloating the body but not enough of the enzyme needed to activate it, researchers say.

Physicists Squeeze Light Out Of Quantum Dots Posted: 08 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have successfully amplified light with so-called "colloidal quantum dots," a technology that had been written off by many as a dead-end. The researchers determined that colloidal quantum dots do indeed amplify light as promised.

First Study Ever To Show US AIDS Relief Program Saved A Million Lives Posted: 08 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the ambitious US government program begun in 2003, has cut the death toll from HIV/AIDS through 2007 by more than 10 percent in targeted countries in Africa, though it has had no appreciable effect on prevalence of the disease in those nations, according to a new study.

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