ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Andes Mountains Are Older Than Previously Believed Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Much is known about the rise of the central Andes mountains, but a new study of the eastern Andes in Colombia indicates that mountain building began much earlier there.

Heart Disorder Linked To Alzheimer's Disease Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers believe that they have made a breakthrough connection between atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder, and Alzheimer's disease, the leading form of dementia among Americans. Researchers unveiled findings from the study of more than 37,000 patients that showed a strong relationship between atrial fibrillation and the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Strange Bird Gets Private Beach In Indonesia Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT A private beach is a luxury for most, but for the maleo--an endangered bird found only on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi--an exclusive stretch of sand is now a protected nesting area for the species.

A Stronger Backbone: DHEA Hormone Replacement Increases Bone Density In Older Women Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new study has found that taking DHEA hormone supplements in conjunction with calcium and vitamin D could lower the risk of spine fractures in older women by 30 to 50 percent. The treatment, however, did not offer similar benefits for older men.

Environmentally-friendly Cooling With Magnetic Refrigerators Coming Soon Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists are a step closer to making environmentally-friendly 'magnetic' refrigerators and air conditioning systems a reality.

Painkiller Patch Can Lead To Addiction Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 PM PDT Morphine patches are supposed to reduce use of painkillers, and provide more control over their use in chronic pain conditions. But researchers have found otherwise.

Brain's Organization Switches As Children Become Adults Posted: 17 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT Any child confronting an outraged parent demanding to know "What were you thinking?" now has a new response: "Scientists have discovered that my brain is organized differently from yours."

Derivative Of Red Sea Coral May Fight Skin Cancer Posted: 17 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT Scientists are exploring the mechanisms by which a substance derived ultimately from Red Sea coral could help treat skin cancer.

Europium Found To Be A Superconductor Posted: 17 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT Of the 92 naturally occurring elements, add another to the list of those that are superconductors. Scientist have discovered that europium becomes superconducting at 1.8 K (-456 °F) and 80 GPa (790,000 atmospheres) of pressure, making it the 53rd known elemental superconductor and the 23rd at high pressure.

Women With Hard To Diagnose Chest Pain Symptoms At Higher Risk For Cardiovascular Events Posted: 17 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT Women with chest pain but without coronary artery disease are at an elevated risk for cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke, new research shows.

Viroids: Molecular Vestiges Of The RNA World Posted: 17 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT Viroids are unique systems for the study of RNA structure, function and evolution. They are the minimal RNA replicons characterized so far their genome is ten-fold smaller than that the smallest known vius RNA and they can therefore be considered in a certain sense at the frontier of life. Despite being only composed by a single-stranded circular RNA of 246-401 nt not encoding any protein, viroids contain sufficient information to infect some host plants, to manipulate their gene expression for producing a viroid progeny and, as a consequence, to incite in most cases specific diseases.

Cyber Millenials: High-tech And Highly Educated Young Adults Who Drink Way Too Much Posted: 17 May 2009 08:00 AM PDT Market or audience segmentation is widely used in social-marketing efforts to reach certain populations. New research has used this tool to identify 10 audience segments most likely to engage in high-risk drinking. "Cyber Millenials" -- tech-savvy singles and couples living in fashionable neighborhoods on the urban fringe -- are most likely to engage in high-risk drinking.

Inexpensive Plastic Used In CDs Could Improve Aircraft, Computer Electronics Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT The inexpensive plastic now used to manufacture CDs and DVDs may soon be put to use in improving the integrity of electronics in aircraft, computers and iPhones. Researchers have demonstrated ultra-high electrical conductive properties in these plastics.

Transplant Patients Have Worse Cancer Outcomes, Analysis Shows Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT After comparing two patient cancer registries -- one featuring transplant patients and the other the general population -- researchers have found that transplant patients experience worse outcomes from cancer.

Method Of Repairing Cadiz’s Walls Has Hardly Changed Since The 17th Century Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT In the year 1596, a sacking at the hands of the Count of Essex almost destroyed the city of Cadiz. Since then, authorities have focused their efforts on establishing a barrier between the city and the sea, a reconstruction task which has accompanied the inhabitants of Cadiz throughout the last 400 years. The problems that Philip II encountered in halting marine erosion are similar to those that exist today, as well as the solutions.

Control Of Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria In Out-patient Clinics And Offices Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT While infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium difficile and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, are usually associated with in-patient settings, the potential for infection in out-patient clinics and offices exists. A new review outlines infection control strategies for these settings to help minimize transmission of these potentially deadly pathogens.

Phosphate Balance In Higher Organisms Elucidated Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT Polyphosphate chains play an important physiological role in many organisms, for example to ensure cell growth even under deficiency conditions. Chemists and biochemists have now gained insight into the basic data on the formation mechanism of polyphosphate chains. The scientists have been able to identify the first x-ray structure of the enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of polyphosphates in highly developed organisms (eukaryotes) and to distinguish the basic biochemical processes.

Study Demonstrates Link Between Appetite And Elderly Mortality Posted: 17 May 2009 02:00 AM PDT A new study reveals a linkage between elderly people's appetite and mortality rates, with those who report impaired appetite more likely to die sooner. The study demonstrates a link between the Daily Activity Energy Expenditure (DAEE -- an accurate measurement of total physical activity), appetite and mortality among well functioning community-dwelling adults.

Car Seat Belts Do Not Increase Chance Of Fetal Complications Following Accidents Posted: 15 May 2009 09:00 PM PDT It is well established that seat belts save lives. However, many pregnant women do not wear seat belts, for fear that the belt itself could injure the baby in a car crash. But is this actually the case?

Study Tests The Effect Of Ending Ambulance Diversion For Overcrowding Posted: 15 May 2009 09:00 PM PDT When a hospital's emergency department is overcrowded with seriously sick and injured patients, it may "go on diversion," re-routing ambulances to other emergency departments. But the benefits of "diversion" are largely unproven. Often those emergency departments are just as crowded, and the greater distance to that other hospital can worsen the condition of some patients.

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