Monday, July 13, 2009

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


'Rosetta Stone' Of Bacterial Communication Discovered

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT

The Rosetta Stone of bacterial communication may have been found. Although they have no sensory organs, bacteria can get a good idea about what's going on in their neighborhood and communicate with each other, mainly by secreting and taking in chemicals from their surrounding environment. Even though there are millions of different kinds of bacteria with their own ways of sensing the world around them, bioengineers believe they have found a principle common to all of them.

New Pill May Prevent Injury After Radiation Exposure

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered and analyzed several new compounds, collectively called the ''EUK-400 series,'' which could someday be used to prevent radiation-induced injuries to kidneys, lungs, skin, intestinal tract and brains of radiological terrorism victims.

Artificial Leaf Development: Structure Of Artificial Light Harvesting Antenna Determined

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Scientists have modified chlorophyll from an alga so that it resembles the extremely efficient light antennae of bacteria. The team was then able to determine the structure of these light antennae. This is the first step to converting sunlight into energy using an artificial leaf.

Molecule That Regulates Heart Size Developed By Using Zebrafish Screening Model

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Using zebrafish, researchers have identified and described an enzyme inhibitor that increases the number of cardiac progenitor cells and influences the size of the developing heart. The task was accomplished primarily because of the powerful advantages of studying embryonic development in zebrafish, vertebrates whose transparent embryos develop rapidly, are small and easy to handle and, most importantly, grow outside of the mother.

Quantum Computers And Tossing A Coin In The Microcosm

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT

An atomic "coin" can display a superposition of heads and tails when it has been thrown. If you leave the decision where a quantum particle should go to a coin like this, you get unusual effects. For the first time, physicists have demonstrated these effects in an experiment with caesium.

Losing Sight Of People In A Crowd Can Spell Disaster, Warns New Report

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Focusing on technology instead of people is a key factor in events going wrong, according to a major series of reports into crowd behavior and management.

First Direct Evidence Of Substantial Fish Consumption By Early Modern Humans In China 40,000 Years Ago

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Freshwater fish are an important part of the diet of many peoples around the world, but it has been unclear when fish became an important part of the year-round diet for early humans. A new study shows it may have happened in China as far back as 40,000 years ago.

Enzyme Important In Aging Identified

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT

The secret to longevity may lie in an enzyme with the ability to promote a robust immune system into old age by maintaining the function of the thymus throughout life, according to researchers studying an "anti-aging" mouse model that lives longer than a typical mouse.

New Insights Into Formation Of The Centromere, A Key Cellular Structure In Powering And Controlling Chromosome Segregation

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Scientists have described the formation of the centromere, a key cellular structure in powering and controlling chromosome segregation and accurate cell division.

Cesarean Section: Local Anesthetic Reduces Need For Painkillers Post-op

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Giving a local anesthetic during a Cesarean section helps manage pain after the operation and can reduce consumption of painkillers, according to researchers. The researchers recommend local anesthetics as part of integrated pain management strategies for Cesarean section operations, provided that consideration is given to the cost.

College Students Might Drink Less If They Knew Peers' True Habits

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Blame it on peer pressure. When college students think that other undergrads drink a lot of alcohol, they drink more themselves. However, a new systematic review suggests that when college students learn they are mistaken about the actual normal drinking habits of their peers, they sometimes imbibe less often.

Herschel Images Promise Bright Future For Astronomy

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Herschel has carried out the first test observations with all its instruments, with spectacular results. Galaxies, star-forming regions and dying stars comprised the telescope's first targets. The instruments provided spectacular data at their first attempt, finding water, carbon and revealing dozens of distant galaxies.

New Alzheimer's Disease Treatment Promising

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Researchers have found that a compound called NIC5-15, might be a safe and effective treatment to stabilize cognitive performance in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

DNA Patterns Of Microbes

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT

The genomes or DNA of microbes contain defined DNA patterns called genome signatures. Such signatures may be used to establish relationships and to search for DNA from viruses or other organisms in the microbes' genomes. Foreign DNA in bacteria has often been associated with disease-causing abilities. Researchers have now compared methods for examining the genome signatures of microbes.

Environmental Manganese Good In Trace Amounts But Can Correlate To Cancer Rates

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT

In the first ecological study of its kind in the world, a researcher has uncovered the unique finding that groundwater and airborne manganese in North Carolina correlates with cancer mortality at the county level.

Researchers Find A Quicker, Cheaper Way To Sort Isotopes

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Chemists have taken a novel approach to building a new device to determine the isotope ratios within a certain substance. It's a new twist on a old procedure used to solve crimes, identify chemicals and date ancient artifacts (think carbon-14 dating). In a newly developed device, magnets are replaced with mirrors, and a laser is pointed into the gas produced by burning a sample of the substance.

Does Size Matter? Study Shows Taller People Earn More Money

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Taller men are able to earn more money than their shorter counterparts simply because taller people are perceived to be more intelligent and powerful, according to a new study.

Tremors On Southern San Andreas Fault May Mean Increased Earthquake Risk

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Tremors under the Parkfield segment of the San Andreas Fault have increased with increasing stress on a nearby locked segment of the fault, perhaps signaling a greater chance of an earthquake. The tremors, like a constant, low-level rumble, increased after quakes in 2003 and 2004, and are at the end of a segment that last ruptured in 1857 in a 7.8 magnitude quake.

Discovery Highlights New Direction For Drug Discovery

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT

In a discovery that rebuffs conventional scientific thinking, researchers have discovered a novel way to block the activity of the fusion protein responsible for Ewing's sarcoma, a rare cancer found in children and young adults.

Key To Maintaining Embryonic Stem Cells In Lab

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT

In a new study that could transform embryonic stem cell (ES cell) research, scientists have discovered why mouse ES cells can be easily grown in a laboratory while other mammalian ES cells are difficult, if not impossible, to maintain.

One Secret To How TB Sticks With You

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is arguably the world's most successful infectious agent because it knows how to avoid elimination by slowing its own growth to a crawl. Now, scientists offer new insights into the bugs' talent for meager living.

Earth Hotspot Poorly Imaged

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT

The Earth's mantle, situated under the Earth's crust, is very much the spot for studying interesting geological processes. Although we do not realize it, right under our feet there is a sultry world of circulating Earth layers. We only come into contact with these hot Earth layers in the event of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Athletes And Weekend Warriors Can Keep Playing After Shoulder Joint Replacement, Study Suggests

Posted: 13 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Replacing a joint in any part of the body often leads to a long recovery process and the possibility of not being able to return to a sport or activity. However, a new study shows that even an older individual who receives a total shoulder joint replacement can return to full participation within approximately six months of surgery.

Male Seahorses Like Big Mates

Posted: 12 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Male seahorses select partners based on their body size, according to a new study. Male seahorses have a clear agenda when it comes to selecting a mating partner: to increase their reproductive success. By being choosy and preferring large females, they are likely to have more and bigger eggs, as well as bigger offspring.

Link Between Oral Infections And Cardiovascular Disease Morbidity Explained

Posted: 12 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT

A strong connection between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been suggested in recent clinical studies. As many as 75 percent of adults in the United States have been affected by periodontal disease, and an estimated 80.7 million adults (one out of every three) have been a victim of CVD in 2006, according to the American Heart Association.

What Can Be Done About Micropollutants In Water Resources?

Posted: 12 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Sooner or later, chemicals – and increasingly also nanoparticles – from textiles, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or construction materials end up in natural waters. Here, they may pose risks for animals and plants, or even for drinking water safety and human health. Changes in the production and use of bitumen sheets mean that the leaching of biocides can be dramatically reduced.

Heart Transplant Recipients Can Improve Fitness And Perform High Intensity Workouts

Posted: 12 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Heart transplant recipients' cardio-respiratory fitness is around 30 to 50 percent lower than age-matched healthy sedentary individuals. As a result, exercise rehabilitation should be very important to these patients, and a new study shows they can improve their overall physical fitness.

Digitization Of Films: From Grain To Pixel

Posted: 12 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Not only are video shops struggling with the digitization of films. Digitization is also giving rise to problems in a completely different area. Film archives and laboratories have built up their work around the analogue film and due to the possibilities of digitization are now confronted with a wide range of opportunities and problems.

Partner Violence Continues After Break-up

Posted: 12 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Violence inflicted by an intimate partner lasts longer if the couple has children together, and the violence continues after the relationship ends. In addition, children are harmed more by witnessing violence between their parents than previously thought.

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