ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Prehistoric Turtle Goes To Hospital For CT Scan In Search For Skull, Eggs, Embryos Posted: 16 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT Researchers recently took a 75-million-year-old turtle for a CT scan to look for its skull, additional eggs and possible embryos.

Stroke Patient's Own Stem Cells Used In Trial For First Time Posted: 16 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT Stroke patient Roland Henrich, 61, is the first patient in the United States to receive his own bone marrow stem cells intravenously as part of a Phase I study on the safety of the procedure.

Specific Lung Cancer Susceptibility Gene Identified Posted: 16 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT Cancer cell biologists have identified a distinct gene linked to increased lung cancer susceptibility and development. They say this gene -- known as RGS17 -- could result in a genetic predisposition to develop lung cancer for people with a strong family history of the disease.

Giving Birth: Upright Positions Shorten First Stage Labor Posted: 16 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT Lying down during the early stages of childbirth may slow progress, according to a new systematic review. Researchers found that the first stage of labor was significantly shorter for women who kneel, stand up, walk around, or sit upright as opposed to lying down.

One-story Masonry Building Survives Strong Jolts During Seismic Tests Posted: 16 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT A one-story masonry structure survived two days of intense earthquake jolts after engineering researchers put it to the test.

Veterinary Oncologists Advance Cancer Drugs For Humans And Pets Posted: 16 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT As more pet owners are choosing to treat their pets' cancers through advanced medicine, veterinarians gain valuable knowledge about the progression and treatment of cancers in humans through pet trials of new drugs. To help organize nationwide trials in tumor-bearing dogs using cancer drugs.

Archaeologists Discover Temple That Sheds Light On So-called Dark Age Posted: 16 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT The discovery of a remarkably well-preserved monumental temple in Turkey -- thought to be constructed during the time of King Solomon in the 10th/9th-centuries BCE -- sheds light on the so-called Dark Age.

Alzheimer's Disease: Dispute About How The Disease Might Kill Brain Cells Resolved Posted: 16 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT For a decade, Alzheimer's disease researchers have been entrenched in debate about one of the mechanisms believed to be responsible for brain cell death and memory loss in the illness.

New Species Of Lichen Named After President Barack Obama Posted: 16 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT A lichen expert has discovered a new species of lichen, and named it after President Obama. He discovered the new species while doing a survey for lichen diversity on Santa Rosa Island, Calif. He made the final collections of Caloplaca obamae during the suspenseful final weeks of President Obama's campaign for the United States presidency. He completed the final draft of his research paper on the day of President Obama's inauguration.

Gene Fusion Discovery May Lead To Improved Prostate Cancer Test Posted: 16 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT A newly discovered gene fusion is highly expressed in a subset of prostate cancers, according to a new study. The findings may lead to more accurate tests for prostate cancer. The gene fusion biomarker may also represent an entirely new mechanism that cancer cells use to outgrow their healthy neighbors.

Farmers Relying On Herbicide Roundup Lose Some Of Its Benefit Posted: 16 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Roundup Ready crops have made weed control much easier for farmers, but a new study shows their reliance on the technology may be weakening the herbicide's ability to control weeds.

Music Reduces Stress In Heart Disease Patients Posted: 16 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Listening to music may benefit patients who suffer severe stress and anxiety associated with having and undergoing treatment for coronary heart disease. A new review found that listening to music could decrease blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of anxiety in heart patients.

Novel Technique To Sequence Human Genome Created Posted: 16 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Physicists have developed a novel procedure to map a person's genome. They report the first experiment to move a DNA chain through a nanopore using magnets. The approach is promising because it allows multiple segments of a DNA strand to be read simultaneously and accurately.

Electrical Implant Might Help With Bladder Control Posted: 16 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT For people with urinary incontinence who have run out of options, an electrical device might help, according to a new review.

Climate Change May Wake Up 'Sleeper' Weeds Posted: 16 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Climate change will cause some of Australia's potential weeds to move south by up to 1000 km, according to a new article.

Researchers Unravel Neuronal Circuitry Keeping Metabolism And Fat Storage In Check Posted: 16 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have unravelled novel aspects of the biochemical signalling pathways that enable the tiny roundworm, C. elegans, to modify its metabolism in response to food using a neurochemical signaling system that has parallels in mammals.

Nanoribbons From Sliced Open Nanotubes: New, Faster, More Accurate Method Posted: 16 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new method that will allow relatively precise production of mass quantities of the tiny ribbons by slicing open carbon nanotubes. Until now, researchers had no reliable way of creating the large quantities of uniform nanoribbons needed to conduct extensive studies.

Wrist Acupuncture Or Acupressure Prevents Nausea From Anesthesia, Review Finds Posted: 16 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Up to 80 percent of patients who have surgery complain of nausea and vomiting afterwards, but stimulating an acupoint in their wrists can help reduce these symptoms, finds a new evidence review.

Red Pandas Reveal An Unexpected (Artificial) Sweet Tooth Posted: 16 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT The red panda is the first non-primate mammal to display a liking for the artificial sweetener aspartame. This unexpected affinity for an artificial sweetener may reflect structural variation in the red panda's sweet taste receptor. The findings may shed light on how individual taste preferences and diet choice are shaped by molecular differences in taste receptors.

Device Protects Transplanted Pancreatic Cells From The Immune System Posted: 16 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have demonstrated in mice that transplanted pancreatic precursor cells are protected from the immune system when encapsulated in polytetrafluorethylene. The study suggests a new approach to treating type 1 diabetes.

Climate Change Makes Migrations Longer For Birds Posted: 16 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Bird migrations are likely to get longer according to the first ever study of the potential impacts of climate change on the breeding and winter ranges of migrant birds.

Growth Factor TGF-B Helps Maintain Health Of Retinal Blood Vessels Posted: 16 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have found that the growth factor known as TGF-B is essential to the health of blood vessels in the retina and that blocking it can cause retinal dysfunction. These findings may have an important impact on the prevention and treatment of diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

New Method Could Lead To Narrower Chip Patterns Posted: 16 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have found a novel method for etching extremely narrow lines on a microchip, using a material that can be switched from transparent to opaque, and vice versa, just by exposing it to certain wavelengths of light.

Homeopathic Medicines: Can They Help Relieve Side-Effects Of Cancer Therapy? Posted: 16 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Drugs and radiotherapy given for cancer can cause unpleasant side effects such as nausea and vomiting, mouth sores, dermatitis, and menopausal symptoms. Around a third of patients with cancer use complementary therapies, including homeopathic medicines, to try to reduce these side effects. In a systematic review of randomized controlled trials, researchers examined recent evidence for the safety and effectiveness of homeopathic medicines used in this way.

Long-lasting Nerve Block Could Revolutionize Pain Management Posted: 15 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Medical researchers have developed a slow-release local anesthetic that could potentially revolutionize treatment of pain during and after surgery. By encapsulating anesthetics in fatty particles and injecting them into rats, they created a long-lasting nerve block that blocked pain without being toxic to nerves or muscles. The research could also have a large impact on chronic pain management, avoiding the need for systemic narcotics.

Low Levels Of Vitamin D In Patients With Autoimmune Disease May Be Result, Not Cause, Of The Disease Posted: 15 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Deficiency in vitamin D has been widely regarded as contributing to disease, but a review appearing in Autoimmunity Reviews explains that low levels of vitamin D in patients with autoimmune disease may be a result rather than a cause of disease. The article uses molecular and epidemiological evidence to explain how supplemental vitamin D -- a substance which is a secosteroid rather than a vitamin -- may actually exacerbate autoimmune disease.

Home Tooth Bleaching Slightly Reduces Enamel Strength Posted: 15 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT New research shows that human teeth lost some enamel hardness after the application of several different products used in the home to whiten teeth. The study suggests that future generations of such products might be reformulated in an effort to reduce these side effects. But this is the first study to show at a nanometer scale -- measuring in billionths of a meter -- how human teeth are affected by the popular home whiteners.

New Drug Shows Promising Results For Psoriatic Arthritis Posted: 15 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Psoriatic arthritis affects about 11 percent of patients with psoriasis. Anti-tumor necrosis factor ± (anti-TNF±) agents, which block signaling molecules that induce inflammation, improve the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. Golimumab is a new human monoclonal antibody that works against TNF± and has been shown to be beneficial within two weeks of the first subcutaneous injection in a phase II rheumatoid arthritis trial.

Impact Of Floods On Soils Posted: 15 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have examined the effects of flooding on soil, and have discovered new ways in which short-term ponding conditions can affect soil aggregation and the chemistry of the soil-water system. These conditions can have a great impact on soil quality and agriculture in the region.

Former Inmates Have Increased Risk Of High Blood Pressure Posted: 15 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Young adults who have been incarcerated appear more likely to have high blood pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy, an enlarging of the heart muscle that is a common consequence of hypertension, according to a new report. They also appear less likely to have access to regular medical care than those who have not been incarcerated.

Satellites Show How Earth Moved During Italy Quake Posted: 15 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have begun analyzing the movement of Earth during and after the 6.3 earthquake that shook the medieval town of L'Aquila in central Italy on 6 April 2009.

Male Circumcision Reduces HIV Risk: No Further Evidence Needed, According To Review Posted: 15 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Three recent African trials support male circumcision for reducing the risk of contracting HIV in heterosexual men. After including new data from these trials in their review, researchers have changed their previous conclusions that there was insufficient evidence to recommend circumcision as an intervention to prevent HIV infection in heterosexual men.

Another Anti-cancer Effect Of The 'Longevity' Protein SIRT1 Identified Posted: 15 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have identified another anti-cancer effect of the "longevity" protein SIRT1. By speeding the destruction of the tumor promoter c-Myc, SIRT1 curbs cell division.

Rare Window On Spinal Muscular Atrophy Genetics Posted: 15 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Caused by a mutation of the SMN gene, spinal muscular atrophy is an infantile and juvenile neurodegenerative disorder where motor neuron loss causes progressive paralysis. A new study details the first research focused on human muscle tissue atrophied due to a genetic condition, and sheds light on two distinct mechanisms at work in different forms of SMA.

Scientists Develop Method For Comprehensive Proteome Analysis Posted: 15 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Investigators have deciphered a large percentage of the total protein complement (proteome) in Schizosaccharomyces pombe (S. pombe) fission yeast.

New Glaucoma Research Solves Anthropological And Medical Puzzle Posted: 15 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists studying a rare form of glaucoma have discovered why people in the disparate Roma communities are at greater risk of inheriting a condition leading to permanent blindness than other groups in the population.

Birds: Feather Color Is More Than Skin Deep Posted: 15 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Where do birds get their red feathers from? According to a new article, the red carotenoids that give the common crossbill its red coloration are produced in the liver, not the skin, as previously thought. Their findings have implications for understanding the evolution of color signaling in bird species.

Mild Dementia Detected In Humans Through Eye Tracking Posted: 15 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers developed a test in nonhuman primates that is now using infrared eye tracking to detect mild cognitive impairment in humans. The researchers hope the advanced technology will be helpful in predicting the onset of Alzheimer's disease. The test is helping researchers further understand the role of the brain structures critical to human memory.

Diet Secrets Of Elephant Family Named 'The Royals' Posted: 15 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Two weeks after rains begin, an elephant family named "the Royals" usually switches to a grass diet to bulk up for pregnancy. But when they wandered off their African reserve, cattle grazed the grass so short that elephants couldn't eat it. The new study -- which suggests how climate change and human encroachment may affect endangered elephants -- used tracking collars and analyzed isotopes in tail hair to monitor the elephants' movements and diet.

Atrial Fibrillation: MRI-based Method Holds Promise For Predicting Treatment Outcomes Posted: 15 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have found that delayed-enhancement magnetic resonance imaging holds promise for predicting treatment outcomes and measuring disease progression for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), a little known heart rhythm disorder that affects more than 3.5 million Americans and causes more than 66,000 deaths a year.

X Marks The Spot: Ions Coldly Go Through NIST Trap Junction Posted: 15 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Physicists have demonstrated a new ion trap that enables ions to go through an intersection at temperatures ten million times cooler than prior similar trips. The demonstration is a step toward scaling up trap technology to build a large-scale quantum computer using ions.

SAT, Classroom Grades And College Readiness: Reflections On 100 Years Of Testing Posted: 15 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Although more than three million high school seniors take standardized college admissions tests like the SAT, "it is well known by educational researchers that high-school grades are the best indicator of student readiness for college, and standardized admissions tests are useful primarily as a supplement to the high-school record," according to an expert.

Three Neanderthal Sub-groups Confirmed Posted: 15 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT The Neanderthals inhabited a vast geographical area extending from Europe to western Asia and the Middle East 30,000 to 100,000 years ago. Now, a group of researchers are questioning whether or not the Neanderthals constituted a homogenous group or separate sub-groups (between which slight differences could be observed). A new study may provide some answers.

Energy Drinks Work -- In Mysterious Ways Posted: 15 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers not only show that sugary drinks can significantly boost performance in an endurance event without being ingested, but so can a tasteless carbohydrate -- and they do so in unexpected ways.

Solving The Mystery Of What Puts Sperm 'In The Mood' Posted: 15 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT In a potential advance toward a male contraceptive pill and new treatments for infertility, researchers are reporting the identification of key biochemical changes that put sperm "in the mood" for fertilization.

Mechanism Of Cell Type-specific Signaling In Tumor Development Discovered Posted: 15 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have discovered the mechanisms behind two key checkpoints in cell growth and development -- factors that may ultimately allow investigators to benchmark progression of tumor cells or stop them from further development.

From Three To Four: A Quantum Leap In Few-body Physics Posted: 15 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists are offering new insights into the extremely complex few-body problem. For the first time, quantum physicists provide evidence of universal four-body states that are closely connected to Efimov states, in an ultracold sample of cesium atoms.

Imaging Reveals Abnormalities In Pathways Connecting Brain Areas In Those With Writer's Cramp Posted: 15 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Abnormalities in the fibers connecting different brain areas may contribute to muscle disorders such as writer's cramp, according to a new report.

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