Monday, June 22, 2009

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Dinosaurs May Have Been Smaller Than Previously Thought

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

The largest animals ever to have walked the face of the earth may not have been as big as previously thought, according to a new article.

Green Tea May Slow Prostate Cancer Progression

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Men with prostate cancer who consumed the active compounds in green tea demonstrated a significant reduction in serum markers predictive of prostate cancer progression.

Human Eye Inspires Advance In Computer Vision

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Researchers have developed novel algorithms that allow computer visualization software to see moving objects faster and with greater accuracy.

Survivors Of Childhood Central Nervous System Cancer Face Persistent Risks As Adults

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Long-term survivors of childhood central nervous system malignancies remain at risk for death and are at increasing risk for developing subsequent cancers and chronic medical conditions over time, according to a new study.

Light Sensor Breakthrough Could Enhance Digital Cameras

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

New research could lead to substantial advancements in the performance of a variety of electronic devices including digital cameras.

Cancer Screening Fear Is Fueled By Lack Of Information, Major Study Of Women's Attitudes Finds

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Fear plays a major role in whether women decide to go for cancer screening or not. But healthcare providers underestimate how much women need to know and wrongly assume that they will ask for information if they want it. Researchers reviewed 19 studies (1994-2008) that explored the attitudes of 5,991 women from 14 to their 80s to breast and cervical cancer screening. Figures from the UK and USA show that there is a big gap between the number of women invited for screening and the number who actually attend.

Scientists Bring 'Light' To Moon's Permanently Dark Craters

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

A new lunar topography map with the highest resolution of the moon's rugged south polar region provides new information on some of our natural satellite's darkest inhabitants - permanently shadowed craters.

PET Scans May Improve Accuracy Of Dementia Diagnosis

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

A new study shows that the use of positron emission tomography (PET) scans may improve the accuracy of dementia diagnoses early in disease onset for more than one out of four patients.

Chemists Form World's Smallest Droplet Of Acid

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Exactly four water molecules and one hydrogen chloride molecule are necessary to form the smallest droplet of acid. Chemists have carried out experiments at ultracold temperatures close to absolute zero temperature using infrared laser spectroscopy to monitor the molecules. According to their calculations, the reaction at these extremely cold temperatures is only possible if the molecules are aggregating one after the other.

Lap Band Weight Loss Surgery Reduces Teens' Risk Factors For Heart Disease, Diabetes

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

In teenagers, laparoscopic gastric banding surgery for treatment of extreme obesity can significantly improve and even reverse the metabolic syndrome, a new study found.

Unlike Rubber Bands, Molecular Bonds May Not Break Faster When Pulled

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

From balloons to rubber bands, things always break faster when stretched. Or do they? Scientists studying chemical bonds now have shown this isn't always the case, and their results may have profound implications for the stability of proteins to mechanical stress and the design of new high-tech polymers.

Male Flies: Not The World's Most Sensitive Lovers

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

In order to increase their chances of reproductive success, male flies of the species Drosophila montana try to copulate for much longer than the females would like. Researchers have shown that females engaged in extended intercourse wait longer before they mate again, increasing the first fly's chances of fathering offspring.

Ice Sheets Can Retreat 'In A Geologic Instant,' Study Of Prehistoric Glacier Shows

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Modern glaciers, such as those making up the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, are capable of undergoing periods of rapid shrinkage or retreat, according to new findings by paleoclimatologists.

Scientists Out A Gene For Gout

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Scientists, having surveyed the genomes of 12,000 individuals to find a genetic cause for gout, have now have shown that the malfunctioning gene they uncovered can lead to high concentrations of blood urate that forms crystals in joint tissue, causing inflammation and pain -- the hallmark of this disease.

Biofuel Could Lighten Jet Fuel's Carbon Footprint Over 80 Percent

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

The seeds of a lowly weed could cut jet fuel's cradle-to-grave carbon emissions by 84 percent.

Topical Application Of Chemotherapy Drug May Improve Appearance Of Aging Skin

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Topical application of the chemotherapy medication fluorouracil appears to reduce potentially precancerous skin patches and improve the appearance of sun-damaged skin, according to a new article.

Scientists Break Light Modulation Speed Record -- Twice

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Researchers have constructed a light-emitting transistor that has set a new record with a signal-processing modulation speed of 4.3 gigahertz, breaking the previous record of 1.7 gigahertz held by a light-emitting diode. But, the researchers didn't stop there. By internally connecting the base and collector of a light-emitting transistor, they created a new form of light-emitting diode, which modulates at up to 7 gigahertz, breaking the speed record once again.

New 'Molecular Clock' Aids Dating Of Human Migration History

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Researchers have devised a more accurate method of dating ancient human migration -- even when no corroborating archaeological evidence exists.

World's First Controllable Molecular Gear At Nanoscale Created

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Scientists have scored a breakthrough in nanotechnology by creating the world's first molecular gear of the size of 1.2 nanometers whose rotation can be deliberately controlled.

New Weapon In The War Against HIV-AIDS: Combined Antiviral And Targeted Chemotherapy

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

A new discovery could provide new ways to fight HIV-AIDS. HIV-AIDS could be treated through a combination of targeted chemotherapy and current Highly Active Retroviral treatments. This radical new therapy would make it possible to destroy both the viruses circulating in the body as well as those playing hide-and-seek in immune system cells.

How Cancers Spread To The Brain

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Research has shown for the first time how cancers that spread to the brain establish themselves and begin to grow.

Single 'Spelling Mistake' In Genetic Code Can Lead To Rare And Untreatable Form Of Ovarian Cancer

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered that there appears to be a single spelling mistake in the genetic code of granulosa cell tumors, a rare and often untreatable form of ovarian cancer. The discovery marks the beginning of a new era of cancer genomics.

DNA Template Could Explain Evolutionary Shifts

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Rearrangements of all sizes in genomes, genes and exons can result from a glitch in DNA copying that occurs when the process stalls at a critical point and then shifts to a different genetic template, duplicating and even triplicating genes or just shuffling or deleting part of the code within them, said researchers.

Widely Used Body Fat Measurements Overestimate Fatness In African-Americans, Study Finds

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

The body mass index and waistline measurement overestimate obesity in blacks, according to a new study. The results suggest that conventional methods for estimating body fat may need to become race-specific.

Cancer In Humans: Cost Of Being Smarter Than Chimps?

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Are the cognitively superior brains of humans, in part, responsible for our higher rates of cancer? A new study comparing the way programmed cell death, or apoptosis, works in humans and chimpanzees suggests there may be something to this puzzling observation.

Engineered Pig Stem Cells Bridge The Mouse-human Gap

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Researchers have created a line of embryonic-like stem cells from adult pigs. As pigs are large animals with a physiology very similar to humans, this work provides a valuable model to study the clinical potential of this new "induced pluripotent stem cell" technology.

Exploring New Therapy Strategies For Tuberculosis

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Certain protein degradation complexes, molecular "shredders" dispose of protein garbage. Molecular machines of this kind have now been successfully decoded and show how proteins in tuberculosis bacteria are prepared for disposal.

Potential Electrical Stimulation Treatment For Gastric Motility Disorders

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Gastric dysrhythmia and delayed gastric emptying has been observed in many gastric motility disorders. Treatment options for these disorders are very limited in the US, such as medical therapy, surgical therapy and nutritional support. The results of a new study show that two-channel gastric electrical stimulation with trains of pulses accelerates gastric emptying in healthy dogs and may have a therapeutic potential for the treatment of gastric motility disorders.

Perforated Surgical Gloves Associated With Surgical Site Infection Risk

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Surgical gloves that develop holes or leaks during a procedure appear to increase the risk of infection at the surgical site among patients who are not given antibiotics beforehand, according to a new article.

Researchers Shed Light On Trading Behavior In Animals -- And Humans

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Scientists conducted a study to see if chimpanzees spontaneously bartered foods among each other, using tokens which represented those foods. While results indicated that the animals were cognitively able to understand trade, without enforcement from human experimenters, trade disappeared.

How Obesity Increases The Risk For Diabetes

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Obesity is probably the most important factor in the development of insulin resistance, but science's understanding of the chain of events is still spotty. Now, researchers have filled in the gap and identified the missing link between the two. Their findings explain how obesity sets the stage for diabetes and why thin people can become insulin resistant.

Fate In Fly Sensory Organ Precursor Cells Could Explain Human Immune Disorder

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Notch signaling helps determine the fate of a number of different cell types in a variety of organisms, including humans. A new finding about the Notch signaling pathway in sensory organ precursor cells in the fruit fly could explain the mystery behind an immunological disorder called Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

Mars Mission Could Ease Earth’s Energy Supply Crisis

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Techniques and instrumentation initially developed for ExoMars -- Europe's next robotic mission to Mars in 2016, but now due to fly on a NASA mission in 2018 -- could also provide the answers to the globally pressing issue of energy supply.

Off-label Morning Sickness Drug Deemed Safe For Fetuses, According To New Study

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Metoclopramide, a drug approved in the U.S. for nausea, vomiting and heartburn, poses no significant risks for the fetus, according to a new study. "Metoclopramide is the drug of choice in Europe and Israel for "morning sickness-like" symptoms of nausea and vomiting, which are common in pregnant women," according to researchers. "In the U.S. however, it is only used in the most severe cases, as it is an "off-label" use for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy."

Preventing Spread Of Infectious Diseases Is Everyone's Responsibility, Report Stresses

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT

According to a new report, we must all share responsibility for preventing the spread of diseases such as swine flu, SARS, avian influenza, diarrheal and skin diseases, and even the common cold.

Boy Or Girl? In Lizards, Egg Size Matters

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Whether baby lizards will turn out to be male or female is a more complicated question than scientists would have ever guessed, according to a new report. The study shows that for at least one lizard species, egg size matters.

Severe Obesity Increases Risks Of Health Problems During Surgery

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Severe obesity can pose special challenges, including cardiac risks, in patients undergoing surgery; healthcare providers must carefully evaluate those risks and not underestimate them. The risk of a cardiac event before, during or after surgery in obese patients is related to the type and severity of their heart's condition, as well as other health conditions and the type of surgery they are having.

Radio Frequency Identification: The Internet Of Things

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

A tiny radio chip is arousing fear – but also great enthusiasm. Is it a threat to everything that we know as personal data protection, or the optimal way of keeping track in a chaos of products?

Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Associated With Poor Sleep In Women

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) negatively affect women's sleep, according to new research. Sleep is further impaired by pain, depression and poor adherence to RA medications.

Glutamate Receptor Believed Dead Comes To Life

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

To all intents and purposes, the delta2 receptor is an unequivocal member of the family of glutamate receptors, the most important receptors for excitatory neurotransmitters in our brain. To date, however, this receptor has been considered the "black sheep" of the family because it does not react to glutamate, which, by definition, a glutamate receptor ought to do. This riddle fascinated neuroscientists. To unlock the secret of this receptor, they "crossed" it with another glutamate receptor that functions normally.

Fewer Injuries To Mothers And Newborns During Childbirth But More Could Be Prevented

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Injuries to mothers during childbirth decreased significantly between 2000 and 2006, according to the latest figures. The number of mothers who experienced injuries while giving birth vaginally without the use of forceps or other instruments dropped by 30 percent.

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