Thursday, June 25, 2009

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Space Shuttle Science Shows How 1908 Tunguska Explosion Was Caused By A Comet

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

The mysterious 1908 Tunguska explosion that leveled 830 square miles of Siberian forest was almost certainly caused by a comet entering the Earth's atmosphere, according to new research. The conclusion is supported by an unlikely source: the exhaust plume from the NASA space shuttle launched a century later.

Imaging The Hypnotized Brain: Neural Mechanisms Of Suggested Paralysis

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Although there is no doubt that hypnosis can impact the mind and behavior, the underlying brain mechanisms are not well understood. Now, new research provides fascinating insight into the specific neural effect of the power of suggestion. A new study uncovers the influence of hypnotic paralysis on brain networks involved in internal representations and self imagery.

Gene Predicts How Brain Responds To Fatigue, Human Study Shows

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

New imaging research helps explain why sleep deprivation affects some people more than others. After staying awake all night, those who are genetically vulnerable to sleep loss showed reduced brain activity, while those who are genetically resilient showed expanded brain activity, the study found. The findings help explain individual differences in the ability to compensate for lack of sleep.

Being Overweight, Obese During Early Adulthood Associated With Greater Risk Of Pancreatic Cancer

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

In reviewing the weight history of pancreatic cancer patients across their life spans, researchers have determined that a high body mass index in early adulthood may play a significant role in an individual developing the disease at an earlier age.

DNA Sudoku: Logic Of 'Sudoku' Math Puzzle Used To Vastly Enhance Genome-sequencing Capability

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Combining a 2,000-year-old Chinese math theorem with concepts from cryptology, scientists have devised "DNA Sudoku" -- a pooling strategy that allows tens of thousands of DNA samples to be combined and sequenced all at once. The new strategy promises to reduce costs dramatically, with sequencing projects that cost $10 million in the past now estimated to cost less than $80,000.

U.S. Seniors 'Smarter' Than English Seniors

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 11:00 AM PDT

The first international comparison of cognitive function in nationally representative samples of older adults in the US and England has revealed that US seniors performed significantly better that their English counterparts.

Paleolithic Bone Flute Discovered: Earliest Musical Tradition Documented In Southwestern Germany

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

New evidence for Paleolithic music in the form of the remains of one nearly complete bone flute and isolated small fragments of three ivory flutes has been discovered.

New Approach To Treating Heart Attacks Reduces Risk Of Life-threatening Complications

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Transferring heart attack patients to specialized hospitals to undergo angioplasty within six hours after receiving clot-busting drugs reduces the risk of life-threatening complications including repeat heart attacks, according to a new study.

A Breath Mint Made From ... Coffee?

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

We all know why Starbucks puts boxes of breath mints close to the cash register. Your morning latte can create a startling aroma in your mouth, strong enough to startle your co-workers too. But, surprisingly breath specialist have found that a coffee extract can inhibit the bacteria that lead to bad breath. New laboratory tests have shown that the extract prevents malodorous bacteria from making their presence felt -- or smelt.

New Approach For Treating Recurrent Prostate Cancer On The Horizon

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

A new study shows that an alpha-particle emitting radiopeptide -- radioactive material bound to a synthetic peptide, a component of protein -- is effective for treating prostate cancer in mice, according to researchers.

New Instrument Has Potential To Detect Water Deep Underground On Mars

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

With the whoosh of compressed gas and the whir of unspooling wire, a team of scientists and engineers tested a new instrument prototype that might be used to detect groundwater deep inside Mars.

Contracts Without Lawyers?

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Computer systems that dynamically create, monitor, manage or suspend online contractual agreements are being developed to deliver greater reliability and security to service-oriented e-business applications.

Galaxies Coming Of Age In Cosmic Blobs

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

The "coming of age" of galaxies and black holes has been pinpointed, thanks to new data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes. This discovery helps resolve the true nature of gigantic blobs of gas observed around very young galaxies.

Anti-inflammatory Drugs May Defeat Treatment-resistant Type Of Cancer

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Effective drugs for treating a chemotherapy-resistant form of lymphoma might already be on the market according to a study that has pieced together a chemical pathway involved in the disease. By following the trail of several molecular flags that mark this type of cancer, researchers have discovered that anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat arthritis will shrink lymphoma tumors in mice.

Latest In Technology Looks Into Some Old Bones

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Many of us have broken bones in our bodies at one time or another, and when this happens a healing process begins. The same was true of animals in the past, and has been well documented in all groups of dinosaurs. But how can we study and understand the healing process?

Paving Way For Treatments To Delay Early Multiple Births

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

A treatment that prevents premature births in single pregnancies may be ineffective in women expecting more than one child, a study has shown. The study suggests an underlying difference between the way in which premature births occur in women with single and multiple pregnancies.

Hurricanes: Increased Technology Offers Better Ways For Officials And Public To See The Storm Ahead

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

The Wave-Current-Surge Information System for Coastal Louisiana now offers graphic, easy-to-understand model outputs projecting wave height, current depths and tracks, salinity ratios and water temperature measurements that not only provide state-of-the-art guidance to emergency management officials, but also give federal and state agencies new and improved ways to test their own modeling accuracy.

Measuring Intellectual Disability

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a specific and quantitative means of measuring levels of the fragile X mental retardation 1 protein, which is mutated in fragile X syndrome.

First Acoustic Metamaterial 'Superlens' Created

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Scientists have created the world's first acoustic "superlens," an innovation that could have practical implications for high-resolution ultrasound imaging, non-destructive structural testing of buildings and bridges, and novel underwater stealth technology.

Cupping Therapy Alleviates Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Pain

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT

An external suction technique mainly used outside the U.S., called cupping, is effective for providing temporary relief of pain from carpal tunnel syndrome, according to a new study.

Boosting Newborns’ Immune Responses

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Newborn babies have immature immune systems, making them highly vulnerable to severe infections and unable to mount an effective immune response to most vaccines, thereby frustrating efforts to protect them. Researchers believe they have found a way to enhance the immune system at birth and boost newborns' vaccine responses, making infections like respiratory syncytial virus, pneumococcus and rotavirus much less of a threat.

Association Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea And Weight Gain Found

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT

A link exists between the severity of obstructive sleep apnea and weight gain, according to new research.

Spintronic – The New Electronic?

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Spintronic devices have created enormous advances in microelectronics, leading to faster, instant-on start times and orders-of-magnitude increases in data storage capacity. Spintronics is short for spin transport electronics – electronic devices that use the spin of an electron to carry information.

Irritability Should Be Considered When Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder In Children

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Diagnosing children with bipolar disorder is challenging and controversial. Some children with bipolar disorder are diagnosed based on irritable mood alone. Findings support current diagnostic criteria.

Streaming Sand Grains Help Define Essence Of A Liquid

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Researchers recently showed that dry granular materials such as sands, seeds and grains have properties similar to liquid, forming water-like droplets when poured from a given source. The finding could be important to a wide range of industries that use "fluidized" dry particles for oil refining, plastics manufacturing and pharmaceutical production.

Carbon Monoxide, Although Toxic, Prevents Clotting In Mice

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Researchers have found that carbon monoxide (CO) can protect against arterial clotting in mice.

Tracking Down The Causes Of Multiple Sclerosis

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Despite intensive research, the factors that trigger multiple sclerosis and influence its progress remain unclear. Scientists have succeeded in attaining three important new insights into the disease. It would appear that B cells play an unexpected role in the spontaneous development of multiple sclerosis and that particularly aggressive T cells are activated by different proteins.

Identifying The Potential For Tamoxifen Resistance In Patients

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Tamoxifen is a widely used and highly successful drug in the treatment of breast cancer, though resistance to tamoxifen is still a concern in recurrent disease, since therapy resistant metastatic tumor cells are a major cause of death. Now, researchers have uncovered a protein profile that may accurately predict whether a cancer will be tamoxifen resistant.

Basis For Potato Blight Control Becomes Visible

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Potato blight, false mildew, sudden oak death and a disease in salmon are all caused by a group of miniscule, yet destructive, organisms called Oomycetes. Because of their changeability and huge numbers, they are able to overwhelm the defence mechanisms of both plants and animals. The use of chemicals is usually the only remedy but this is also undesirable. Will future research offer a sustainable means of combating these blights and preventing failed harvests?

How Adolescent Girls Manage Stress

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Greater influence over everyday life, emotional support, and cultural and recreational activities help to enable teenage girls to withstand stress.

Wildlife Faces Cancer Threat

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT

While cancer touches the lives of many humans, it is also a major threat to wild animal populations as well, according to a recent study. A new article compiles information on cancer in wildlife and suggests that cancer poses a conservation threat to certain species.

Simple Measures May Prevent Transmission Of Stomach Ulcer Bacteria

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT

The stomach ulcer bacterium Helicobacter pylori is not transmitted through drinking water as previously thought, but rather through vomit and possibly feces. It is therefore possible to prevent the spread of the bacterium in developing countries through some fairly simple measures.

Salt Block Unexpectedly Stretches

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT

To stretch a supply of salt generally means using it sparingly. But researchers were startled when they found they had made the solid actually physically stretch.

More Patients Across The World Lowering 'Bad' Cholesterol

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT

More people in the past decade have lowered their level of "bad" LDL cholesterol to acceptable ranges. In the United States, the overall compliance rate of LDL at target levels has nearly doubled since 1996. About one third of high-risk patients still need to attain LDL goals through adequate treatment.

Nickel Isotope May Be Methane Producing Microbe Biomarker

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT

Nickel, an important trace nutrient for the single cell organisms that produce methane, may be a useful isotopic marker to pinpoint the past origins of these methanogenic microbes, according to researchers.

Emotional Cost Of Nursing

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 08:00 PM PDT

What are the costs of caring? A new project explores nurses' experience of distress and aims to determine if empathy with patients is associated with traumatic experience in nurses.

Salt Finding From NASA's Cassini Hints At Ocean Within Saturn Moon

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

For the first time, scientists working on NASA's Cassini mission have detected sodium salts in ice grains of Saturn's outermost ring. Detecting salty ice indicates that Saturn's moon Enceladus, which primarily replenishes the ring with material from discharging jets, could harbor a reservoir of liquid water -- perhaps an ocean -- beneath its surface.

Novel Cancer Gene And Biomarker Pinpointed

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Scientists' discovery of a cancer-causing gene -- the first in its family to be linked to cancer -- demonstrates how the panoramic view of genomics and the close-up perspective of molecular biology are needed to determine which genes are involved in cancer and which are mere bystanders.

Jets On Saturn's Moon Enceladus Not Geysers From Underground Ocean, One Group Of Researchers Say

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Water vapor jets that spew from the surface of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus are not really geysers from an underground ocean as initially envisioned by planetary scientists, according to a new study.

Trapping Immune Cells In The Uterus Prevents Anti-fetal Immunity

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Why the immune system of a pregnant woman does not attack her developing fetus is one of most remarkable features of pregnancy, and several underlying mechanisms have been described. Scientists have now identified a new mechanism to explain why the mouse maternal immune system does not attack the fetuses.

Algorithm Charts Evolution Of Genetic Networks During Fruit Fly Life Cycle

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

A new algorithm developed by computer scientists has revealed for the first time how genetic networks in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, evolve during the insect's life cycle. The new algorithm, called Tesla, incorporates machine learning techniques that enable researchers to figure out how the rewiring of those networks takes place as the insect develops.

Smoking More Than Five Cigarettes A Day May Provoke Migraine Attacks

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Tobacco acts as a precipitating factor for headaches, specifically migraines. This is indicated in a study which shows that smokers have more migraine attacks and that smoking more than five cigarettes a day triggers this headache.

Longer Life Linked To Specific Foods In Mediterranean Diet

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Some food groups in the Mediterranean diet are more important than others in promoting health and longer life according to new research.

Ebola Infection Blocked In Cell-culture Experiments

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Researchers have discovered two biochemical pathways that the Ebola virus relies on to infect cells. Using substances that block the activation of those pathways, they've prevented Ebola infection in cell culture experiments -- potentially providing a critical early step in developing the first successful therapy for the deadly virus.

New 'Electronic Glue' Promises Less Expensive Semiconductors

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Researchers have developed an "electronic glue" that could accelerate advances in semiconductor-based technologies, including solar cells and thermoelectric devices that convert sun light and waste heat, respectively, into useful electrical energy.

Sleep Apnea Occurring During REM Sleep Is Significantly Associated With Type 2 Diabetes

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Scientists found a statistically significant relationship between obstructive sleep apnea episodes occurring during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and type 2 diabetes.

Ozone Hole Reduces Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Uptake In Southern Ocean

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Does ozone have an impact on the ocean's role as a "carbon sink"? Yes, according to researchers. Using original simulations, they have demonstrated that the hole in the ozone layer reduces atmospheric carbon uptake in the Southern Ocean and contributes to the increase in ocean acidity. These results should have a considerable impact on future models of the IPCC, which do not currently take ozone variations into account.

Schizophrenic's 'Automatic Pilot' Still Works, But Processing New Information Causes Problems

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Answering a phone call while cooking dinner ... walking to work while texting ... driving while listening to the radio -- all without having to think about it. After plenty of practice, people can do a lot of things on automatic pilot and simultaneously. However, for people with schizophrenia that is a different story. Researchers investigated whether a disruption to the automation process, learning by repetition to do something on automatic pilot, explains why people with schizophrenia can process less information.

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