ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Got An Itch? New Study Shows How Scratching May Relieve It Posted: 29 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT Every dog and cat knows that scratching relieves an itch. But for ages, not even neuroscientists knew why. Now, a new study shows that scratching turns off activity in spinal cord nerves that transmit the itching sensation to the brain. The researchers hope eventually to learn just how the inhibition works.

Major Statin Study Reveals Several Important Findings For Reducing Prostate Cancer And Disease Posted: 29 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT Statins, drugs widely prescribed to lower cholesterol, may have protective effects on prostate health.

More Than One Nanostring To Their Bow: Scientists Moving Closer To 'Artificial Noses' Posted: 29 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT These days, chemical analysts are expected to track down even single molecules. To do this highly sensitive detective work, nano researchers have developed minute strings that resonate in characteristic fashion. If a molecule docks onto one of the strings, then it becomes heavier, and its oscillations become measurably slower. However, such "nano-electromechanical systems", or NEMS, have been short of practical applications -- until now.

Lower Dementia Drug Dose Boosts Brain Function, Cuts Side Effects Posted: 29 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT Sometimes less is more: Lower doses of an Alzheimer's drug delivered via skin patches improve cognition with fewer serious side effects than higher doses, researchers have found in an updated review.

Singing Screws Reveal Sick Structures Posted: 29 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT In 2006, a concrete panel weighing several thousand pounds fell onto traffic in Boston's Big Dig tunnel, crushing a car and killing a motorist. The alleged cause -- and subject of a multi-million dollar settlement -- was faulty epoxy that allowed bolts in the ceiling to wiggle loose.

Depression Linked With Accumulation Of Visceral Fat Posted: 29 Apr 2009 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have shown that depression is linked with the accumulation of visceral fat, the kind of fat packed between internal organs at the waistline, which has long been known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Did Comets Contain Key Ingredients For Life On Earth? Posted: 29 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Comets have always fascinated us. A mysterious appearance could symbolize God's displeasure or mean a sure failure in battle, at least for one side. Now new research justifies our fascination -- comets might have provided the elements for the emergence of life on our planet.

Universal Flu Vaccine Holds Promise Posted: 29 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT An influenza vaccine that protects against death and serious complications from different strains of flu is a little closer to reality, vaccine researchers have found. This is a significant first step in developing a universal vaccine to help protect against pandemic influenza, according to researchers.

Satellite Imagery Shows Fragile Wilkins Ice Shelf Destabilized Posted: 29 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Satellite images show that icebergs have begun to calve from the northern front of the Wilkins Ice Shelf – indicating that the huge shelf has become unstable. This follows the collapse three weeks ago of the ice bridge that had previously linked the Antarctic mainland to Charcot Island.

'Nature Vs. Nurture' Study Of Deceased Donor Pairs In Kidney Transplantation Posted: 29 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT The implications of a new study could improve the outcomes, and potentially survival rates, for some of the thousands of individuals who undergo kidney transplants each year. The study concluded that donor-related risk factors, yet to be identified, make a measurable contribution to the ultimate success or failure of a kidney transplant.

Gene-laden Bubbles Grow New Blood Vessels Posted: 29 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Progress in human gene therapy -- the insertion of therapeutic DNA into tissues and cells in the human body -- has been slower than expected since the first clinical trials in 1990. One of the biggest challenges for this technology is finding ways to safely and effectively deliver genes only to the specific parts of the body that they are meant to treat.

Left-side Bias In Visual Expertise Posted: 29 Apr 2009 08:00 AM PDT Facial recognition is not as automatic as it may seem. Researchers have identified specific areas in the brain devoted solely to picking out faces among other objects we encounter. Two specific effects have been established as being critical for facial recognition – holistic processing (in which we view the face as a whole, instead of in various parts) and left-side bias (in which we have a preference for the left side of the face).

New Details About Mysterious Giant Virus Uncovered Posted: 29 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have determined key structural features of the largest known virus, findings that could help scientists studying how the simplest life evolved and whether the unusual virus causes any human diseases. The mimivirus has been called a possible "missing link" between viruses and living cells. It was discovered accidentally by French scientists in 1992 but wasn't confirmed to be a virus until 2003.

Dairy Better For Bones Than Calcium Carbonate, Study Finds Posted: 29 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT A new study shows dairy has an advantage over calcium carbonate in promoting bone growth and strength. Scientists found that the bones of rats fed nonfat dry milk were longer, wider, more dense and stronger than those of rats fed a diet with calcium carbonate.

New Design Strategy For Brain Implants Paves The Way To Multi-electrode Deep-brain Stimulation Posted: 29 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Scientists present a new design strategy for brain implants, which it used to create a prototype multi-electrode stimulation & recording probe for deep-brain stimulation.

Ultrasound Changes Care Of Some Patients With Rheumatic Conditions Posted: 29 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Ultrasound can be used to make an appropriate decision regarding care for patients with rheumatic conditions involving the hands and feet, according to a study performed at St. Joseph's Healthcare/McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.

Supple Waves In Cheese And Skin Predicts Tenderness And Ripeness Posted: 29 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT When acoustic waves propagate through a given material, the ocean for instance, the sound waves respond to the properties of the fluid. Scientists can measure the elastic properties of soft solids by using surface or bulk acoustic waves. This allows them to characterize the tenderness of beef and monitor the ripening process of soft cheese.

Are Researchers Cherry Picking Participants For Studies Of Antidepressants? Posted: 29 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT Findings from clinical studies of common antidepressants are not applicable to most patients with depression, according to a new study. The study suggests only a small percentage of people with depression qualify for these studies, and those who do not qualify are often treated with the same medications but may suffer poorer clinical outcomes.

Autism Genes Discovered; Help Shape Connections Among Brain Cells Posted: 29 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have connected more of the intricate pieces of the autism puzzle, with two studies that identify genes with important contributions to the disorder. One study pinpoints a gene region that may account for as many as 15 percent of autism cases, while another study identifies missing or duplicated stretches of DNA along two crucial gene pathways. Significantly, both studies detected genes implicated in the development of brain circuitry in early childhood.

Experimental Drug Shows Promise Against Head And Neck Cancer Posted: 29 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT A laboratory study suggests that an anti-cancer compound studied for treating blood cancers may also help in treating cancers of the head and neck.

Arctic Communities Challenged When Temperature Rises Posted: 29 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT People in Arctic regions see their livelihoods changing. A research project covering all eight Arctic countries adds new methods to Arctic climate research by asking local communities to define the research.

Test For Hormones In Blood Not Reflective Of Hormones In Breast Tissue; Breast Cancer Risk Posted: 29 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Many studies determine hormone levels in the blood as a marker of breast cancer risk. But it hasn't been known whether these blood tests reflect what is happening in the breast tissue, where certain hormones fuel cancer. Researchers have now found that measuring the levels of four hormones in blood known to be linked to breast cancer doesn't necessarily reflect the levels of these hormones in the breast tissue itself.

Protein That Makes Phosphate Chains In Yeast Revealed; Implications On Crops, Human Diseases Posted: 29 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT Polyphosphate, a long chain of phosphate molecules, is found in all life forms, and serves a multitude of purposes, from energy storage to stress response to bone calcification. Researchers in Germany are now the first to uncover how this chain is assembled in eukaryotes. The study has a wide range of potential implications ranging from improving crops to fighting diseases.

Physical Activity Improves Life Expectancy And Decreases Need Of Care Among Older People Posted: 29 Apr 2009 02:00 AM PDT A longitudinal research study shows that people who have been regularly physically active since middle age and have lived long, needed less hospital and institutional care during their last year of life than those people who have been only occasionally or not at all physically active.

Fire Influences Global Warming More Than Previously Thought Posted: 28 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Fire's potent and pervasive effects on ecosystems and on many Earth processes, including climate change, have been underestimated. Fire is a response to a warming climate -- and is also a driver of future warming, according to an article in the journal Science.

Seven Countries Have Officially Reported Cases Of Swine Influenza, WHO Reports Posted: 28 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT The World Health Organization reports that as of 19:15 GMT, 28 April 2009, seven countries have officially reported cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 infection. The United States Government has reported 64 laboratory confirmed human cases, with no deaths. Mexico has reported 26 confirmed human cases of infection including seven deaths.

Widespread And Substantial Declines Found In Wildlife In Kenya's Masai Mara Posted: 28 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Populations of major wild grazing animals that are the heart and soul of Kenya's cherished and heavily visited Masai Mara National Reserve -- including giraffes, hartebeest, impala and warthogs -- have "decreased substantially" in only 15 years as they compete for survival with a growing concentration of human settlements in the region, according to a new study.

Predicting Patient Response To Gleevec In Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors Posted: 28 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have uncovered a genetic pattern that may help predict how gastrointestinal stromal tumor patients respond to the targeted therapy imatinib mesylate. Moreover, their findings point to genes that could be suppressed in order to make these tumors respond more readily to imatinib.

Toward A Systems Biology Map Of Iron Metabolism Posted: 28 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Scientists have taken the first steps toward constructing a systems biology map of iron metabolism. They have put together a general network of chemicals and reactions important for the many steps and reactions that constitute iron metabolism.

Maternal Height Associated With Child Mortality, Growth Failure In India Posted: 28 Apr 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have found a link between a mother's height and the health of her children in a study using national data from India. Children with mothers shorter than 4 foot 9 inches were 70 percent more likely to die than those whose mothers were at least 5 foot 3 inches tall. The study suggests Indian women are effectively passing along their own poor early health to the next generation.

Brain Music: Putting The Brain's Soundtracks To Work Posted: 28 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT Every brain has a soundtrack -- probably many. Can those soundtracks be made useful? When that soundtrack is recorded and played back -- to an emergency responder, or a firefighter -- it may sharpen their reflexes during a crisis, and calm their nerves afterward.

Swine Flu Outbreak Continues To Grow, As Worldwide Pandemic Alert Level Raised To Phase 4 Posted: 28 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT The human swine flu outbreak continues to grow in the United States and internationally. As of April 28, CDC reports additional cases of confirmed swine influenza and a number of hospitalizations of swine flu patients. Internationally, the situation is more serious too, with additional countries reporting confirmed cases of swine flu.

Radiation Device In The Breast Reduces Complications For Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients Posted: 28 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT A new study shows that the SAVI applicator, a small, expandable device inserted inside the breast to deliver partial breast irradiation, carries a low infection risk, a potential complication of such devices.

Gene Brings Together Animal And Human Research In Alcoholism Among Those With European Ancestry Posted: 28 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT An important genetic study has identified vital new information concerning alcoholism in subjects with European ancestry. Research findings indicate that alcohol dependence is highly inheritable, although specific genes and their variations associated with this illness remain unknown.

Cattle Genome Sequencing Milestone Promises Health Benefits, Researcher Says Posted: 28 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT The landmark sequencing of the domestic cattle genome could lead to important new findings about health and nutrition, researchers say.

New Topical Spray May Treat Premature Ejaculation Posted: 28 Apr 2009 08:00 PM PDT PSD502, a new topical spray, is a safe and effective treatment for premature ejaculation, according to new research.

Identifying Hyenas By Their Giggle Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT To human ears, the laughs of individual hyenas in a pack all sound the same: high-pitched and staccato, eerie and maniacal. But every hyena makes a different call that encodes information about its age and status in the pack, according to behavioral neurologists. They have developed a way to identify a hyena by picking out specific features of its giggle.

Re-awakening Old Genes To Help In The Fight Against HIV Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT A new vaginal cream containing a reawakened protein could someday prevent the transmission of HIV. Scientists have revived a dormant gene found in humans and coaxed it to produce retrocyclin, a protein that resists HIV.

Zero Emissions Motorcycle Gears Up For The Big Race Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Students have unveiled their lean, green racing machine which will battle it out in the world's first zero-emissions Grand Prix this summer.

Mouse Model Provides A New Tool For Investigators Of Human Developmental Disorder Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Scientists target a key human disease gene to create a mouse model of Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome. WHS is a human disease caused by spontaneous genetic deletions. Children born with WHS have a characteristic set of facial features, including a wide flat nose bridge, downturned mouth, high forehead, and highly arched eyebrows. Other symptoms associated with this disease include heart defects, seizures, mental retardation, and skeletal abnormalities, and the severity of these symptoms varies between individual WHS patients.

Large Sponges May Be Reattached To Coral Reefs Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Marine biologists have developed a novel technique for reattaching large sponges that have been dislodged from coral reefs. The findings could be generally applied to the restoration of other large sponge species removed by human activities or storms.

Early Brain Activity Sheds New Light On The Neural Basis Of Reading Posted: 28 Apr 2009 05:00 PM PDT Most people are expert readers, but it is something of an enigma that our brain can achieve expertise this recent cultural invention, which lies at the interface between vision and language. Now, a better understanding of the brain basis of reading has been reported.

Pizza Tossing Art Unlocks Secrets Of Tiny Motors Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have unlocked the physics of the perfect pizza toss and will use it to design the next generation of micro motors thinner that a human hair.

New Target For Maintaining Healthy Blood Pressure Discovered Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT In trying to understand the role of prostaglandins -- a family of fatty compounds key to the cardiovascular system -- in blood pressure maintenance, researchers discovered that mice that lack the receptor for one type of prostaglandin have lower blood pressure and less atherosclerosis than their non-mutant brethren.

Drinking Diet Soda May Reduce Risk Of Forming Kidney Stones Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Patients with stone disease could benefit from drinking diet soda. New research suggests that the citrate and malate content in commonly consumed sodas may be sufficient to inhibit the development of calcium stones.

ASA Plus Clopidogrel Reduces Heart Attack Risk In Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome, Study Suggests Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Patients who suffer from acute ischemia of the heart muscle benefit if they use clopidogrel in addition to acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) as early as possible. Their risk of suffering a heart attack is reduced measurably, according to new research.

Bright Future With Solar Lanterns For India's Poor Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Solar energy has the potential to improve the living conditions of poor rural households in India as well as contribute to the country's future energy security, according to an expert. A new study, looking at the benefits of solar lanterns on livelihoods of village communities, as well as sustainable use of the environment, has just been published.

Majority Of New Cases Of Diabetes In Older U.S. Adults Could Be Prevented By Following Modestly Healthier Lifestyles Posted: 28 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT Even as science searches for more clues about the causes of diabetes and medications to prevent it, the vast majority of new cases of the disease in older adults could be prevented by following a modestly healthier lifestyle, according to new research.

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