ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Ticklish Apes? Young Apes Hoot Holler And Laugh In Way Similar To Human Infants
• Hitting Where It Hurts: Exploiting Cancer Cell 'Addiction' May Lead To New Therapies
• Needle Biopsies Safe In 'Eloquent' Areas Of Brain, Study Suggests
• Beating Bacteria to Prevent Post-LASIK Infections
• Soap-sniffing Technology Encourages Hand Washing To Reduce Hospital-acquired Infections, Save Money
• Immigrants Overcome Great Odds To Raise Children In Foreign Lands, Say Researchers
• Easily Grossed Out? You Might Be A Conservative!
• Sleuths Follow Lung Stem Cells For Generations To Shed Light On Healing
• Elevated Water Temperature And Acidity Boost Growth Of Key Sea Star Species
• Promising Antimicrobial Attacks Virus, Stimulates Immune System
• Illegal Fishing Harming Present And Future New England Groundfish Fisheries
• Be Your Best Friend If You'll Be Mine: Alliance Hypothesis For Human Friendship
• Researchers Solve 'Bloodcurdling' Mystery: Molecular Basis For Regulation Of Blood Clotting
• Mystery Solved: Tiny Protein-activator Responsible For Brain Cell Damage In Huntington Disease
• How Adrenal Cancer Forms: Dysfunctional Telomeres Can Trigger Cancer Mutations
• Genetic Markers Found To Predict Individuals At Risk For Serious Drug Induced Liver Injury
• Aluminum-oxide Nanopore Beats Other Materials For DNA Analysis
• Young Unwed Women Who Graduated From Private Religious Schools More Likely To Obtain Abortions
• How Humans Have Disrupted The Nitrogen Cycle
• Lower Levels Of Key Protein Influence Tumor Growth In Mice
• Biomimetic-engineering Design Can Replace Spaghetti Tangle Of Nanotubes In Novel Material
• Two-drug Combination Appears Safe And Active In Metastatic Kidney Cancer
• Climate Change Models Find Staple Crops Face Ruin On Up To One Million Square Kilometers Of African Farmland
• Over 60 Percent Of All US Bankruptcies Attributable To Medical Problems
• High Population Density Triggers Cultural Explosions
• Cost-effective Measures Could Stop Child Pneumonia Deaths
• Goal: Developing The Best Atomic Clock In The World
• New Treatment Combination Proves Safe For Head And Neck Cancer Patients, Study Suggests
• Safe, Efficient Routes For Dangerous Goods
• Early Childhood Conditions That Lead To Adult Health Disparities Identified
• Physicists Demonstrate Quantum Entanglement In Mechanical System
• First Heart Patients Implanted With Next-generation Mechanical Heart Pump
• Bacteria And Algae Act As Biocatalysts For Deep-sea Raw Material Deposition
• Ways To Predict Exercise-induced Asthma And Its Severity Without Requiring An Exercise Challenge
• Molecular Complex Essential For Vision Identified In Fungi
• People With Mental Health Problems Receive Inadequate Medical Care, Study Suggests
• Stellar Family In Crowded, Violent Neighborhood Proves To Be Surprisingly Normal
• Diet May Reduce Risk Of Prostate Cancer
• The Green, Green Technology Of Home
• Heart Failure Patients In France Still Encouraged To Enjoy Their Food, Even If It's Not As Salty As Before
• Electronic Pill Shows Its Smarts By Measuring pH Levels In Digestive Tract
• Discoveries Shed New Light On How The Brain Processes What The Eye Sees
• How 'Invading' Bacteria Can Integrate Captured DNA Into Own Genetic Makeup
• Snoring Associated With Sleep Apnea May Impair Brain Function More Than Previously Thought
• Motion Capture Technology Takes A Leap Forward
• Protein Linked To Mental Retardation Controls Synapse Maturation, Plasticity
• New Radar Improves Defense Of Earth's Technologies Against Threat Of Space Weather
• Women May Not Be So Picky After All About Choosing A Mate

Ticklish Apes? Young Apes Hoot Holler And Laugh In Way Similar To Human Infants Posted: 05 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT Like human infants, young apes are known to hoot and holler when you tickle them. But is it fair to say that those playful calls are really laughter? The answer to that question is yes, according to new research.

Hitting Where It Hurts: Exploiting Cancer Cell 'Addiction' May Lead To New Therapies Posted: 05 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT A new study uncovers a gene expression signature that reliably identifies cancer cells whose survival is dependent on a common signaling pathway, even when the cells contain multiple other genetic abnormalities. The research identifies critical molecular vulnerabilities, thereby revealing promising therapeutic targets for a common and notoriously treatment resistant cancer.

Needle Biopsies Safe In 'Eloquent' Areas Of Brain, Study Suggests Posted: 05 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT Scientists have concluded that performing a stereotactic needle biopsy in an area of the brain associated with language or other important functions carries no greater risk than a similar biopsy in a less critical area of the brain.

Beating Bacteria to Prevent Post-LASIK Infections Posted: 05 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT Since bacteria mutate frequently and become resistant to new antibiotics, ophthalmic researchers are on a continuous quest to identify the worst offenders and best treatments. Infections occur rarely in LASIK patients, but data show rates are slowly rising.

Soap-sniffing Technology Encourages Hand Washing To Reduce Hospital-acquired Infections, Save Money Posted: 05 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT Using sensors capable of detecting drugs in breath, new technology monitors health-care workers' hand hygiene by detecting sanitizer or soap fumes given off from their hands. By reminding workers to clean their hands to remove disease-causing organisms such as the bacteria MRSA, the system could help reduce hospital-acquired infections.

Immigrants Overcome Great Odds To Raise Children In Foreign Lands, Say Researchers Posted: 05 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT A recent surge in immigration rates has led psychologists to study how these families are coping and thriving in their adopted countries. Researchers report that close family ties are crucial for immigrants' successful transition to their new country.

Easily Grossed Out? You Might Be A Conservative! Posted: 05 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT Are you someone who squirms when confronted with slime, shudders at stickiness or gets grossed out by gore? If so, you might be politically conservative, according to two new studies.

Sleuths Follow Lung Stem Cells For Generations To Shed Light On Healing Posted: 05 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT More than one kind of stem cell is required to support the upkeep and repair of the lungs, according to a new study. Scientists painstakingly followed and counted genetically labeled cells in the mouse lung for over a year, under differing conditions, to learn more about natural renewal and healing processes. This information may shed light on what goes wrong in conditions like lung cancer, chronic bronchitis and asthma.

Elevated Water Temperature And Acidity Boost Growth Of Key Sea Star Species Posted: 05 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT Elevated water temperatures and heightened concentrations of carbon dioxide can dramatically increase the growth rate of a keystone species of sea star, according to new research.

Promising Antimicrobial Attacks Virus, Stimulates Immune System Posted: 05 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT A promising antimicrobial agent already known to kill bacteria can also kill viruses and stimulate the innate immune system, according to researchers.

Illegal Fishing Harming Present And Future New England Groundfish Fisheries Posted: 05 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT Weak enforcement combined with fishermen facing serious economic hardships are leading to widespread violations of fisheries regulations along the Northeastern United States coast. This pattern of noncompliance threatens the success of new fisheries management measures put in place to protect and restore fish stocks, according to a new study.

Be Your Best Friend If You'll Be Mine: Alliance Hypothesis For Human Friendship Posted: 05 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT Psychologists have determined that how you rank your best friends is closely related to how you think your friends rank you. The results are consistent with a new theory called the Alliance Hypothesis for Human Friendship, distinct from traditional explanations for human friendship that focused on wealth, popularity or similarity.

Researchers Solve 'Bloodcurdling' Mystery: Molecular Basis For Regulation Of Blood Clotting Posted: 05 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT By applying cutting-edge techniques in single-molecule manipulation, researchers have uncovered a fundamental feedback mechanism that the body uses to regulate the clotting of blood. The finding has implications for the treatment of bleeding disorders.

Mystery Solved: Tiny Protein-activator Responsible For Brain Cell Damage In Huntington Disease Posted: 05 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT Brain scientists have figured out why a faulty protein accumulates in cells everywhere in the bodies of people with Huntington's disease, but only kills cells in the part of the brain that controls movement, causing negligible damage to tissues elsewhere.

How Adrenal Cancer Forms: Dysfunctional Telomeres Can Trigger Cancer Mutations Posted: 05 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT When telomeres -- the bits of DNA at the end of chromosomes -- become dysfunctional, it can trigger cancer, researchers have found. The study was done in a mouse model that targeted the extremely rare adrenal cancer.

Genetic Markers Found To Predict Individuals At Risk For Serious Drug Induced Liver Injury Posted: 05 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT Initial results from research designed to discover genetic markers that may predict individuals at risk for serious drug induced liver injury (DILI) have been released. Analysis of a subset of DNA patients has led to the discovery that HLA-B*5701 is a major determinant of liver injury induced by flucloxacillin. Flucloxacillin is an antibiotic widely used in Europe and Australia, mainly in the treatment of staphylococcal infections.

Aluminum-oxide Nanopore Beats Other Materials For DNA Analysis Posted: 05 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT Fast and affordable genome sequencing has moved a step closer with a new solid-state nanopore sensor.

Young Unwed Women Who Graduated From Private Religious Schools More Likely To Obtain Abortions Posted: 05 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT Unwed pregnant teens and 20-somethings who attend or have graduated from private religious schools are more likely to obtain abortions than their peers from public schools, according to sociological research. Although rates of reported abortions were higher for young women educated at private religious schools, the type of religious school was not a factor: Catholic schools had similar rates as other religious schools.

How Humans Have Disrupted The Nitrogen Cycle Posted: 05 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have found a new proxy to measure the impact of fossil fuel emissions on the global nitrogen cycle. The scientists use nitrogen isotopes found in a Greenland ice core to link nitrates to the rise in nitric oxides since the industrial period. The research also shows the greatest change in the isotope ratios occurred between 1950 and 1980, following a rapid increase in fossil fuel burning. Results are published in Science.

Lower Levels Of Key Protein Influence Tumor Growth In Mice Posted: 05 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT Tumors need a healthy supply of blood to grow and spread. Researchers have identified a molecule that regulates blood vessel growth that is often found at less-than-normal levels in human tumors. Blocking the expression of the molecule, called PHD2, allows human cancer cells to grow more quickly when implanted into mice and increases the number of blood vessels feeding the tumor.

Biomimetic-engineering Design Can Replace Spaghetti Tangle Of Nanotubes In Novel Material Posted: 05 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT Nanoelectromechanical systems devices have the potential to revolutionize the world of sensors: motion, chemical, etc. But taking electromechanical devices from the micro scale down to the nano requires finding a means to dissipate heat output. Researchers say the solution is to build these devices using a thermal material that dissipates heat from the device's center through a hierarchical branched network of carbon nanotubes. The template for this thermal material's design: a living cell.

Two-drug Combination Appears Safe And Active In Metastatic Kidney Cancer Posted: 05 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT Investigators report that a two-drug blockade of mTOR signaling appears safe in metastatic kidney cancer in a phase I trial. Early data suggests that a combination of temsirolimus and bryostatin may be active in patients with rare forms of renal cell cancer, which are less likely to respond to other targeted therapies.

Climate Change Models Find Staple Crops Face Ruin On Up To One Million Square Kilometers Of African Farmland Posted: 05 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT A new study has found that by 2050, hotter conditions, coupled with shifting rainfall patterns, could make anywhere from 500,000 to one million square kilometers of marginal African farmland no longer able to support even a subsistence level of food crops. However, the land, on which some 20 to 35 million people currently live, may still support livestock.

Over 60 Percent Of All US Bankruptcies Attributable To Medical Problems Posted: 05 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT Over 60 percent of all bankruptcies in the United States in 2007 were driven by medical incidents. The results of the first-ever national random-sample survey of bankruptcy filers shows that illnesses and medical bills contribute to a large and increasing share of bankruptcies. The share of bankruptcies attributable to medical problems rose by 50 percent between 2001 and 2007. Most victims are middle class, well-educated and have health insurance.

High Population Density Triggers Cultural Explosions Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT Increasing population density, rather than boosts in human brain power, appears to have catalyzed the emergence of modern human behavior, according to a new study. High population density leads to greater exchange of ideas and skills and prevents the loss of new innovations. It is this skill maintenance, combined with a greater probability of useful innovations, that led to modern human behavior appearing at different times in different parts of the world.

Cost-effective Measures Could Stop Child Pneumonia Deaths Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT Implementing measures to improve nutrition, indoor air pollution, immunization coverage and the management of pneumonia cases could be cost-effective and significantly reduce child mortality from pneumonia, according to a new study. Researchers found that these strategies combined could reduce total child mortality by 17 percent and could reduce pneumonia deaths by more than 90 percent.

Goal: Developing The Best Atomic Clock In The World Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT They are masters at working with light: the scientists at the newly founded QUEST Institute in Germany. And they want to work on some of the most exciting questions relating to physics today: on unimaginably precise methods of measurement for observing the Earth, on the pressing question of the fundamentals of physics, of whether the fundamental constants are really constant, and on the development of the best atomic clock in the world made of a single aluminum atom.

New Treatment Combination Proves Safe For Head And Neck Cancer Patients, Study Suggests Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT Patients undergoing treatment for advanced head and neck cancers may respond well to the addition of gefinitib to chemotherapy, according to a new study.

Safe, Efficient Routes For Dangerous Goods Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT A new routing and monitoring system developed by European researchers for trucks carrying dangerous goods promises to make Europe's roads safer while saving haulers time and money.

Early Childhood Conditions That Lead To Adult Health Disparities Identified Posted: 04 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT The origins of many adult diseases can be traced to early negative experiences associated with social class and other markers of disadvantage. Confronting the causes of adversity before and shortly after birth may be a promising way to improve adult health and reduce premature deaths, researchers argue.

Physicists Demonstrate Quantum Entanglement In Mechanical System Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT Physicists have demonstrated entanglement -- a phenomenon peculiar to the atomic-scale quantum world -- in a mechanical system similar to those in the macroscopic everyday world. The work extends the boundaries of the arena where quantum behavior can be observed and shows how laboratory technology might be scaled up to build a functional quantum computer.

First Heart Patients Implanted With Next-generation Mechanical Heart Pump Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT Three patients have just been implanted with a next-generation artificial heart pump called the DuraHeart Left-Ventricular Assist System.

Bacteria And Algae Act As Biocatalysts For Deep-sea Raw Material Deposition Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT The sea floor is strewn with raw materials that could be very important in the future: Manganese and iron, but also rarer and more precious elements such as cobalt, copper, zinc and nickel, are present in great quantities in the form of deep-sea nodules and crusts.

Ways To Predict Exercise-induced Asthma And Its Severity Without Requiring An Exercise Challenge Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT Two new studies have explored the potential use of two simple tests for not only predicting whether someone has exercise-induced asthma (EIA) but also its severity, without subjecting the patient to an exercise challenge.

Molecular Complex Essential For Vision Identified In Fungi Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have identified one of the protein components of a molecular complex that allows light reception in a laboratory fungus.

People With Mental Health Problems Receive Inadequate Medical Care, Study Suggests Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT A UK psychiatrist warns that medical care delivered across most branches of medicine to those with a mental health or substance abuse diagnosis is of inferior quality to the usual standard of care.

Stellar Family In Crowded, Violent Neighborhood Proves To Be Surprisingly Normal Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT Astronomers have obtained one of the sharpest views ever of the Arches Cluster -- an extraordinary dense cluster of young stars near the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way. Despite the extreme conditions astronomers were surprised to find the same proportions of low- and high-mass young stars in the cluster as are found in more tranquil locations in our Milky Way.

Diet May Reduce Risk Of Prostate Cancer Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT Certain modifications in diet have a beneficial effect on the prevention of prostate cancer. Results suggest that a diet low in fat and red meat and high in fruits and vegetables is beneficial in preventing and treating prostate cancer.

The Green, Green Technology Of Home Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT A newly built "Cliffs Cottage" has all the latest technological innovations in sustainable living. Geothermal heating and cooling, two solar technologies, bamboo floors, furniture made from reclaimed wood, even cisterns that collect rainwater from the roof. The home has 3,400 square feet, but is so energy efficient that it can be heated and cooled for less than $75 a month.

Heart Failure Patients In France Still Encouraged To Enjoy Their Food, Even If It's Not As Salty As Before Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT The individualized management program of France's "Reseau Respecti-coeur" makes quality of life the first objective for heart failure patients.

Electronic Pill Shows Its Smarts By Measuring pH Levels In Digestive Tract Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT An electronic diagnostic tool called the SmartPill is swallowed by patients in order to take measurements as it travels through the gastrointestinal tract. A new study by physician-scientists used the device in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC), determining that they have significantly more acidic pH in their colons, compared with the average person -- a finding that may impact treatment strategy.

Discoveries Shed New Light On How The Brain Processes What The Eye Sees Posted: 04 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have identified the need to develop a new framework for understanding "perceptual stability" and how we see the world with their discovery that visual input obtained during eye movements is being processed by the brain but blocked from awareness.

How 'Invading' Bacteria Can Integrate Captured DNA Into Own Genetic Makeup Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT Call it advanced warfare on the most elemental of levels. Researchers have discovered how certain types of bacteria integrate the DNA that they have captured from invading enemies into their own genetic makeup to increase their chances of survival.

Snoring Associated With Sleep Apnea May Impair Brain Function More Than Previously Thought Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT It has been linked to learning impairment, stroke and premature death. Now research have found that snoring associated with sleep apnea may impair brain function more than previously thought. Sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea experience similar changes in brain biochemistry as people who have had a severe stroke or who are dying, the research shows.

Motion Capture Technology Takes A Leap Forward Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT A juggler and a conductor were among the artists who helped create a device which can retrieve dozens of different movement sequences in a matter of minutes. Motion capture tools are used by the performing arts for everything from live productions to creative screen-bound works, choreographic notation and archiving, but it is difficult to identify required sequences for a given project amid the mass of data these tools generate. A new prototype data retrieval tool makes selecting movement features or sequences much easier: the user 'sketches' the required movement with a mouse or pen and this triggers a search for a similar sequence.

Protein Linked To Mental Retardation Controls Synapse Maturation, Plasticity Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT Neuroscientists have demonstrated the mechanism by which a signaling protein found throughout the brain controls the maturation and strength of excitatory synapses, the tiny gaps across which the majority of neurons communicate. The discovery is important, in part, because deficits of the signaling protein in question, called oligophrenin-1, have been previously linked with X-linked mental retardation.

New Radar Improves Defense Of Earth's Technologies Against Threat Of Space Weather Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have implemented a new radar mode to create clearer picture of space weather.

Women May Not Be So Picky After All About Choosing A Mate Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT Men and women may not be from two different planets after all when it comes to choosiness in mate selection, according to new research. Women, it turned out, were not any pickier than men in choosing that special someone to date, according to the speed dating study.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Inbox too full?
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News, c/o Google, 20 W Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610