ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• New Radio Chip Mimics Human Ear
• Common Diabetes Drug May 'Revolutionize' Cancer Therapies: Unexpected T-cell Breakthrough
• Scientists Demonstrate All-fiber Quantum Logic
• Simple Drug Treatment May Prevent Nicotine-induced SIDS
• Estrogen Linked To Lowered Immunity In Fish
• Musical Diaper Alarm Can Help With Toilet Training Children
• Computer Graphics Researchers Simulate The Sounds Of Water And Other Liquids
• Alcohol And Smoking Are Key Causes For Bowel Cancer
• Theorists Reveal Path To True Muonium -- Never-seen Atom
• Small Molecules Mimic Natural Gene Regulators
• Bioenergy Makes Heavy Demands On Scarce Water Supplies
• Sedatives May Increase Suicide Risk In Older Patients
• Changing Climate Likely To Make 'Super Weed' Even More Powerful
• Skin Cells Provide New Knowledge About Brain Functions
• Lasers Are Making Solar Cells Competitive
• Obesity And Diabetes Double Risk Of Heart Failure: Patients With Both Conditions 'Very Difficult' To Treat
• When Hosts Go Extinct, What Happens To Their Parasites?
• Despite Increased Danger, Youth Gang Members Still Feel Safer
• Saturn's Moon Titan: Cassini Finds Titan's Clouds Hang On To Summer
• Obesity Does Not Worsen Asthma, But May Reduce Response To Medications
• All The Carbon Counts: Including Land-based Carbon In Greenhouse Gas Control Strategies Lowers Costs And Preserves Forests
• Novel Biomarkers In Heart Failure
• Olive Industry Waste, Such As Olive Pits, Pomace And Pruning Remains Used To Decontaminate Sewage
• Mobile Health Care: Preventative Medicine Returns $36 For Every Dollar Invested, Study Suggests
• Hydrogen Peroxide Marshals Immune System
• Efforts To Quickly Develop Swine Flu Vaccine
• Postwar Food Vecht Is An Important Source Of Antioxidant Activity
• Recognizing Signs And Symptoms Of Acute Heart Failure
• Materials Science: Metals With Diamonds
• Hispanic Children In U.S. At Greater Risk For Obesity Than Other Ethnic/Racial Groups
• Trading Energy For Safety, Bees Extend Legs To Stay Stable In Wind
• Bird Flu Virus Remains Infectious Up To 600 Days In Municipal Landfills
• Predicting Droughts With Greater Certainty
• Back To Normal: Surgery Improves Outcomes For Spine Patients, Study Finds
• Atlantic And East Pacific Ocean Hurricane Seasons Begin For 2009
• Taiwan Rolls Out Plans To Boost Fertility Rates
• Secret Of Sandcastle Construction Could Help Revive Ancient Building Technique, Researchers Say
• Likelihood Of Survival May Be Improving For Extremely Preterm Infants
• Sexual Partner Status Affects A Woman's, But Not A Man's, Interest In The Opposite Sex
• Commonly Used Medications May Produce Cognitive Impairment In Older Adults
• Indirect Transmission Can Trigger Influenza Outbreaks In Birds
• Easier Access To Media By Children Increases Risk For Influence On Numerous Health Issues
• Electronic Memory Chips That Can Bend And Twist
• Diet-induced Obesity Prevented In Mice With Engineered Metabolic Pathway
• Feeling Close To A Friend Increases Progesterone, Boosts Well-being And Reduces Anxiety And Stress
• Leptin's Role In Brain Neurocircuitry Clarified
• Revolutionary Ultrasonic Nanotechnology May Allow Scientists To See Inside Patient’s Individual Cells
• Vision Impairment Costs Billions Lost In Productivity

New Radio Chip Mimics Human Ear Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT Engineers have built a fast, ultra-broadband, low-power radio chip, modeled on the human inner ear, that could enable wireless devices capable of receiving cell phone, Internet, radio and television signals.

Common Diabetes Drug May 'Revolutionize' Cancer Therapies: Unexpected T-cell Breakthrough Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that a widely used anti-diabetic drug can boost the immune system and increase the potency of vaccines and cancer treatments.

Scientists Demonstrate All-fiber Quantum Logic Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT A team of physicists and engineers have demonstrated all-fiber quantum logic, where single photons are generated and used to perform the controlled-NOT quantum logic gate in optical fibers with high fidelity.

Simple Drug Treatment May Prevent Nicotine-induced SIDS Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT A new study has identified a specific class of pharmaceutical drugs that could be effective in treating babies vulnerable to Sudden Infant Death syndrome (SIDS), because their mothers smoked during pregnancy.

Estrogen Linked To Lowered Immunity In Fish Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT Exposure to estrogen reduces production of immune-related proteins in fish. This suggests that certain compounds, known as endocrine disruptors, may make fish more susceptible to disease. The research may provide new clues for why intersex fish, fish kills and fish lesions often occur together in the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers.

Musical Diaper Alarm Can Help With Toilet Training Children Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT A new study evaluates the use of a daytime diaper that uses a musical "wetting alarm" for children in day-care centers. The findings show that wetting alarm diaper training is an effective option for toilet training in a child-friendly way.

Computer Graphics Researchers Simulate The Sounds Of Water And Other Liquids Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT Splash, splatter, babble, sploosh, drip, drop, bloop and ploop! Those are some of the sounds that have been missing from computer graphic simulations of water and other fluids, according to researchers in Cornell's Department of Computer Science, who have come up with new algorithms to simulate such sounds to go with the images.

Alcohol And Smoking Are Key Causes For Bowel Cancer Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT A new global study has found that lifestyle risk factors such as alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking are important risk factors for bowel cancer. Researchers have shown that people who consume the largest quantities of alcohol (equivalent to more than seven drinks per week) have 60 percent greater risk of developing the cancer, compared with non-drinkers. Smoking, obesity and diabetes were also associated with a 20 percent greater risk of developing bowel cancer -- the same risk linked with consuming high intakes of red and processed meat.

Theorists Reveal Path To True Muonium -- Never-seen Atom Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT True muonium, a long-theorized but never-seen atom, might be observed in future experiments, thanks to recent theoretical work by researchers. True muonium was first theorized more than 50 years ago, but until now no one had uncovered an unambiguous method by which it could be created and observed.

Small Molecules Mimic Natural Gene Regulators Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT In the quest for new approaches to treating and preventing disease, one appealing route involves turning genes on or off at will, directly intervening in ailments such as cancer and diabetes, which result when genes fail to turn on and off as they should.

Bioenergy Makes Heavy Demands On Scarce Water Supplies Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT The 'water footprint' of bioenergy, i.e. the amount of water required to cultivate crops for biomass, is much greater than for other forms of energy. The generation of bioelectricity is significantly more water-efficient in the end, however – by a factor of two – than the production of biofuel. By establishing the water footprint for thirteen crops, researchers were able to make an informed choice of a specific crop and production region.

Sedatives May Increase Suicide Risk In Older Patients Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT Sleeping tablets have been associated with a four-fold increase in suicide risk in the elderly. Researchers have shown that, even after adjusting for the presence of psychiatric conditions, sedatives and hypnotics were both associated with an increased risk of suicide.

Changing Climate Likely To Make 'Super Weed' Even More Powerful Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new reason why the tall, tasseled reed Phragmites australis is one of the most invasive plants in the United States. The research team found that Phragmites delivers a one-two chemical knock-out punch to snuff out its victims, and the poison becomes even more toxic in the presence of the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Skin Cells Provide New Knowledge About Brain Functions Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT Until now diseases like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have been difficult to study biologically, since this would entail taking samples from the patient's brain. But new research findings show that it is just as good to study a certain type of skin cells, since they function in a way that is similar to a type of brain cells that are suspected of playing a major role in both disorders.

Lasers Are Making Solar Cells Competitive Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT Solar electricity has a bright future: It is renewable and available in unlimited quantities, and it does not produce any gases detrimental to the climate. Its only drawback right now is the price: the electric power currently being produced by solar cells in northern Europe must be subsidized if it is to compete against the household electricity generated by traditional power plants. Researchers are demonstrating how laser technology can contribute to optimizing the manufacturing costs and efficiency of solar cells.

Obesity And Diabetes Double Risk Of Heart Failure: Patients With Both Conditions 'Very Difficult' To Treat Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT The twin epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes will continue to fuel an explosion in heart failure, already the world's most prevalent chronic cardiovascular disease, according to a professor of cardiology.

When Hosts Go Extinct, What Happens To Their Parasites? Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT Hands wring and teeth gnash over the loss of endangered species like the panda or the polar bear. But what happens to the parasites hosted by endangered species? And although most people would side with the panda over the parasite, which group should we worry about more?

Despite Increased Danger, Youth Gang Members Still Feel Safer Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT Children who join gangs feel safer despite a greater risk of being assaulted or killed, according to federally funded research.

Saturn's Moon Titan: Cassini Finds Titan's Clouds Hang On To Summer Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT Cloud chasers studying Saturn's moon Titan say its clouds form and move much like those on Earth, but in a much slower, more lingering fashion.

Obesity Does Not Worsen Asthma, But May Reduce Response To Medications Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT Obesity has been linked to whole host of conditions, ranging from heart disease to diabetes and cancer. Previous research has suggested that being overweight or obese also raises your risk of developing asthma. New research however, indicates that being overweight or obese does not make your asthma worse. This suggests that losing weight will not improve a patient's asthma.

All The Carbon Counts: Including Land-based Carbon In Greenhouse Gas Control Strategies Lowers Costs And Preserves Forests Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT Cutting down forests for agriculture vents carbon dioxide into the air just as industries and fossil fuel burning does. But policymakers debate whether to include terrestrial carbon in plans to stabilize atmospheric greenhouse gases. A new study suggests that failing to include land use changes could lead to massive deforestation and higher costs for limiting carbon emissions. Also, improvements to agricultural technology could be as important as for energy in a carbon-limited future.

Novel Biomarkers In Heart Failure Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT Several new biomarkers have been recently described in heart failure syndrome either in stable chronic patients as in the settings of acute decompensation. Biomarkers are used to diagnose disease risk, to predict outcome and to tailor treatment to individuals.

Olive Industry Waste, Such As Olive Pits, Pomace And Pruning Remains Used To Decontaminate Sewage Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT Olive waste obtained during the oil extraction process may be used to eliminate heavy metals from sewage or waste waters of productive activities. The olive industry produces great amounts of such sub-products in and their cost is very low or nothing; sometimes, their management can even be a problem.

Mobile Health Care: Preventative Medicine Returns $36 For Every Dollar Invested, Study Suggests Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have developed a prototype "return on investment calculator" that can calculate the value of prevention services delivered by mobile health clinics. Using a Boston-based mobile health clinic called the "Family Van" to test the tool, the team found that for the services provided in 2008, this program will return $36 for every dollar invested.

Hydrogen Peroxide Marshals Immune System Posted: 03 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT Using the zebrafish as an animal model, researchers have discovered that the body uses hydrogen peroxide to sound the alarm when a tissue has been injured. As a direct result of this hydrogen-peroxide red alert, white blood cells come to the aid of the wounded site.

Efforts To Quickly Develop Swine Flu Vaccine Posted: 03 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT Scientists around the world are accelerating their efforts to develop a vaccine against the H1N1 influenza virusas rapidly as possible.

Postwar Food Vecht Is An Important Source Of Antioxidant Activity Posted: 03 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have found out that vetch is an important source of phenolic compounds with a high antioxidant activity. It is a leguminous plant of the Fabeae family, very popular during the Spanish post-war as a basic foodstuff. Currently, vetch is frequently grown in the Indian subcontinent, in Ethiopia and surrounding countries, in the Mediterranean area and in South America.

Recognizing Signs And Symptoms Of Acute Heart Failure Posted: 03 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT Although heart failure is a chronic condition, acute exacerbations are frequent and occur with serious complications; patients with heart failure and their families can help improve prognosis in acute events if they are taught to recognize the tell-tale signs of worsening condition and seek immediate medical help.

Materials Science: Metals With Diamonds Posted: 03 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT Material scientists are developing composites which are made of dissimilar materials in order to be able to offer new customized application profiles. Researchers have examined promising metal-matrix composites, which are very good conductors of heat and are able to withstand mechanical loads at elevated temperatures. These material combinations may be used in the ITER nuclear reactor, which is currently being constructed at Cadarache, France.

Hispanic Children In U.S. At Greater Risk For Obesity Than Other Ethnic/Racial Groups Posted: 03 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT The prevalence of overweight in the US population is among the highest in Mexican-American children and adolescents. In a study of 1,030 Hispanic children between the ages of 4 and 19, researchers found less than optimal diets in both overweight and non-overweight participants.

Trading Energy For Safety, Bees Extend Legs To Stay Stable In Wind Posted: 03 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT New research shows some bees brace themselves against wind and turbulence by extending their sturdy hind legs while flying. But this approach comes at a steep cost, increasing aerodynamic drag and the power required for flight by roughly 30 percent, and cutting into the bees' flight performance.

Bird Flu Virus Remains Infectious Up To 600 Days In Municipal Landfills Posted: 03 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT Amid concerns about a pandemic of swine flu, researchers report for the first time that poultry carcasses infected with another threat -- the "bird flu" virus -- can remain infectious in municipal landfills for almost 2 years.

Predicting Droughts With Greater Certainty Posted: 03 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT Using new data and reconstructions of the "Dust Bowl" drought in America during the 1930s, climatologists have shown for the first time a three-dimensional picture of the atmospheric circulation that led to the drought. This will enable climate models to be evaluated and further improved. The scientists hope this work will make it possible to predict future periods of drought more accurately.

Back To Normal: Surgery Improves Outcomes For Spine Patients, Study Finds Posted: 03 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT People with the spine disease called degenerative spondylolisthesis -- who choose surgical treatment -- experience substantially greater relief from pain over time compared to those who do not have surgery, according to a new study.

Atlantic And East Pacific Ocean Hurricane Seasons Begin For 2009 Posted: 03 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT Summer soon begins in the Northern Hemisphere and, on June 1st, the Atlantic hurricane season kicks off. What do Atlantic and Pacific Ocean surface temperatures and heights tell forecasters about what they can expect this season? Although peak hurricane time doesn't arrive until late-summer and early fall, there are some oceanic signals that give a hint of coming activity and NASA satellites are helping to provide that data.

Taiwan Rolls Out Plans To Boost Fertility Rates Posted: 03 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT Targeting the issue of low birth rates, the Taiwanese government implemented the Mega Warmth Social Welfare Program (MWSWP) in 2006 after its fertility rates dipped lower than most industrial nations. A new study evaluates the reasons contributing to the low birth rates and discusses the impact of social policy on fertility rates.

Secret Of Sandcastle Construction Could Help Revive Ancient Building Technique, Researchers Say Posted: 03 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT The secret of a successful sandcastle could aid the revival of an ancient eco-friendly building technique, according to new research.

Likelihood Of Survival May Be Improving For Extremely Preterm Infants Posted: 03 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT Infants born extremely preterm are surviving at a high rate, with about 70 percent of infants born alive between 22 and 26 weeks of gestation in Sweden surviving at least one year, with high rates of interventions being used to improve survival, according to a new study.

Sexual Partner Status Affects A Woman's, But Not A Man's, Interest In The Opposite Sex Posted: 03 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT Neuroscientists have found that a woman's partner status influenced her interest in men. In the study, women with and without sexual partners showed little difference in their ratings of photos of men when considering such measures as masculinity and attractiveness. The women without partners spent more time evaluating photos, demonstrating more interest in the photos. No such difference was found between men who had sexual partners and those who did not.

Commonly Used Medications May Produce Cognitive Impairment In Older Adults Posted: 03 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers conducted a systematic evidence-based analysis of 27 peer reviewed studies of the relationship of anticholinergic effect and brain function as well as investigating anecdotal information. They found a strong link between anticholinergic effect and cognitive impairment in older adults.

Indirect Transmission Can Trigger Influenza Outbreaks In Birds Posted: 03 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT New data on the persistence of avian influenza viruses in the environment has allowed researchers to create the first model that takes into account both direct and indirect transmission of the viruses among birds. The model has the potential to shed new light on how outbreaks begin in wild bird populations.

Easier Access To Media By Children Increases Risk For Influence On Numerous Health Issues Posted: 03 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT With children having easier access to media and a wider variety of content, the possible negative influence on health issues such as sex, drugs, obesity and eating disorders is increased, and warrants monitoring usage and limiting access if necessary, according to experts.

Electronic Memory Chips That Can Bend And Twist Posted: 03 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT Electronic memory chips may soon gain the ability to bend and twist as a result of work by engineers who have found a way to build a flexible memory component out of inexpensive, readily available materials.

Diet-induced Obesity Prevented In Mice With Engineered Metabolic Pathway Posted: 03 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT Though obesity has defied much of the research and treatments developed thus far, researchers may have discovered a completely new way to approach the problem. Scientists successfully constructed a non-native pathway in mice to increase fatty acid metabolism that results in a resistance to diet-induced obesity.

Feeling Close To A Friend Increases Progesterone, Boosts Well-being And Reduces Anxiety And Stress Posted: 03 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT Why does 'dishing' with a girlfriend do wonders for a woman's mood? A new study has identified a likely reason: feeling emotionally close to a friend increases levels of the hormone progesterone, helping to boost well-being and reduce anxiety and stress.

Leptin's Role In Brain Neurocircuitry Clarified Posted: 03 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT New findings demonstrate that leptin's influence on tiny group of POMC neurons restores blood sugar control -- and spontaneously increases physical activity levels -- in an animal model of severe, insulin-resistant diabetes.

Revolutionary Ultrasonic Nanotechnology May Allow Scientists To See Inside Patient’s Individual Cells Posted: 03 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT Revolutionary ultrasonic nanotechnology that could allow scientists to see inside a patient's individual cells to help diagnose serious illnesses is under development.

Vision Impairment Costs Billions Lost In Productivity Posted: 03 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT Corrected vision impairment could prevent billions of dollars in lost productivity annually, according to a study.

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