ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Fossilized Dung Balls Reveal Secret Ecology Of Lost World
• Drug Prevents Epilepsy Following Traumatic Brain Injury In Rats
• Controlling Kudzu With Naturally Occurring Fungus
• Early-life Experience Linked To Chronic Diseases Later In Life
• Controlling The Electronic Surface Properties Of A Material
• Dad's Early Connection With Child 'Writes Script' For Later School Involvement
• Cooking With Sound: Bio-Mass Burning Stove Also Converts Heat Into Sound Then Electricity
• Secrets Of A Life-giving Amino Acid Revealed
• New Information About DNA Repair Mechanism Could Lead To Better Cancer Drugs
• New Mechanism Controlling Neuronal Migration Discovered
• Heart Pump With Air Propulsion
• Preemies Born In Poverty Four Times Less Likely Ready For School
• Laser Technology Creates New Forms Of Metal And Enhances Aircraft Performance
• New Brain Receptor Identified as Possible Target For Alzheimer's Treatment
• Estrogen Can Reduce Stroke Damage By Inactivating Protein
• Gliomas Exploit Immune Cells Of The Brain For Rapid Expansion
• Global Model For The Origin Of Species Independent Of Geographical Isolation
• Genes And The Environment Interact To Influence Adolescent Alcohol Use
• New Geothermal Heat Extraction Process To Deliver Clean Power Generation
• Molecules Discovered With A Higher Selective Ability To Exterminate Cancer Cells
• New Evidence That Popular Dietary Supplement May Help Prevent, Treat Cataracts
• Thalidomide Does Not Improve Survival In Small Cell Lung Cancer, Study Finds
• Software To Unlock The Power Of Grids
• Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Have More Severe Behavioral Problems Than Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Study Finds
• Scientists Look Beyond Earth To Understand Auroras
• Toward An Explanation For Crohn's Disease?
• Quebec's Blue Gold: Project Aims To Channel Northern Rivers To Generate Power
• Two Reproductive Factors Are Important Predictors Of Death From Ovarian Cancer
• Hurricane Ike's Effects On Waterways, Fish Contamination Analyzed
• Academic Disengagement More Common For US Teens Than Chinese

Fossilized Dung Balls Reveal Secret Ecology Of Lost World Posted: 20 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT A new study of 30-million-year-old fossil 'mega-dung' from extinct giant South American mammals reveals evidence of complex ecological interactions and theft of dung-beetles' food stores by other animals.

Drug Prevents Epilepsy Following Traumatic Brain Injury In Rats Posted: 20 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT According to one theory, severe head injury causes leaks in the blood-brain barrier that allow entry of serum albumen, which triggers epilepsy and seizures. Scientists now show that albumen interacts with the TGF-beta receptor on astrocytes, triggering a cascade of events that lead to epilepsy. In rats, TGF-beta blockers stop such changes in the brain, and may halt development of epilepsy in humans.

Controlling Kudzu With Naturally Occurring Fungus Posted: 20 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT Kudzu, "The Vine that Ate the South," could meet its match in a naturally occurring fungus that scientists have formulated as a biologically based herbicide.

Early-life Experience Linked To Chronic Diseases Later In Life Posted: 20 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT People's early-life experience sticks with them into adulthood and may render them more susceptible to many of the chronic diseases of aging, according to a new study.

Controlling The Electronic Surface Properties Of A Material Posted: 20 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT Researchers in Switzerland have for the first time created thin films with controllable electronic properties. This discovery could have a large impact on future applications in sensors and computing.

Dad's Early Connection With Child 'Writes Script' For Later School Involvement Posted: 20 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT When a dad changes diapers and makes pediatrician's appointments, he's more likely to stay interested and involved when his child makes the transition to school, said a new study that explores the role of parent involvement on student achievement.

Cooking With Sound: Bio-Mass Burning Stove Also Converts Heat Into Sound Then Electricity Posted: 20 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT A low-cost generator with the potential to transform lives in the world's poorest communities is now being tested across the UK and in Nepal. Researchers are developing a bio-mass burning cooking stove which also converts heat into acoustic energy and then into electricity, all in one unit.

Secrets Of A Life-giving Amino Acid Revealed Posted: 20 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT Selenium is a trace element crucial to life -- too little or too much of it is fatal. Scientists now detail the molecular mechanisms that govern its metabolism in the human body.

New Information About DNA Repair Mechanism Could Lead To Better Cancer Drugs Posted: 20 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have shed new light on a process that fixes breaks in the genetic material of the body's cells. Their findings could lead to ways of enhancing chemotherapy drugs that destroy cancer cells by damaging their DNA.

New Mechanism Controlling Neuronal Migration Discovered Posted: 20 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT The molecular machinery that helps brain cells migrate to their correct place in the developing brain has been identified. Understanding how neurons migrate to their proper place during brain development will offer insights into how malfunctions in the machinery cause epilepsy and mental retardation.

Heart Pump With Air Propulsion Posted: 20 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT A tiny heart catheter pump which supports the human heart in critical conditions while pumping has been developed.

Preemies Born In Poverty Four Times Less Likely Ready For School Posted: 20 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT Advances in neonatal care enable two-thirds of premature babies born with respiratory problems to be ready for school at an appropriate age, but those living in poverty are far less likely to be ready on time. Although several medical factors were associated with lower school readiness, the most powerful factor was low socioeconomic status.

Laser Technology Creates New Forms Of Metal And Enhances Aircraft Performance Posted: 20 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers are using laser light technology that will help the military create new forms of metal that may guide, attract and repel liquids and cool small electronic devices.

New Brain Receptor Identified as Possible Target For Alzheimer's Treatment Posted: 20 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have identified a novel receptor in the brain that is extremely sensitive to beta-amyloid peptide and may play a key role in early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Estrogen Can Reduce Stroke Damage By Inactivating Protein Posted: 20 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT Estrogen can halt stroke damage by inactivating a tumor-suppressing protein known to prevent many cancers researchers say.

Gliomas Exploit Immune Cells Of The Brain For Rapid Expansion Posted: 20 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT Gliomas are among the most common and most malignant brain tumors. These tumors infiltrate normal brain tissue and grow very rapidly. As a result, surgery can never completely remove the tumor. Now, neurosurgeons and brain researchers have been able to show that glioma cells exploit microglia, the immune cells of the brain, for their expansion.

Global Model For The Origin Of Species Independent Of Geographical Isolation Posted: 20 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT Using a computer to settle the debate over the origin of species independent of geographic isolation, researchers developed a global model without boundaries and ecosystem niches. The study's biodiversity results provide additional evidence that species diversity arises without specific physical barriers. It also lays the groundwork for more powerful tests of the role played by natural and sexual selection as well as habitat complexity.

Genes And The Environment Interact To Influence Adolescent Alcohol Use Posted: 20 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT Adolescent alcohol use and behavior problems are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. New findings show that behavioral problems may represent an earlier manifestation of a genetic predisposition to subsequent alcohol problems. Females may also be more susceptible to a variety of environmental influences than males.

New Geothermal Heat Extraction Process To Deliver Clean Power Generation Posted: 20 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT A new method for capturing significantly more heat from low-temperature geothermal resources holds promise for generating virtually pollution-free electrical energy. Scientists will determine if their innovative approach can safely and economically extract and convert heat from vast untapped geothermal resources.

Molecules Discovered With A Higher Selective Ability To Exterminate Cancer Cells Posted: 20 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have obtained a new type of molecules which have proven -in in vitro cultivations- a high level of efficiency against cancer cells, as well as very low toxicity against the body's normal cells.

New Evidence That Popular Dietary Supplement May Help Prevent, Treat Cataracts Posted: 20 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT Tissue culture experiments show that the popular dietary supplement carnosine may help to prevent and treat cataracts, a clouding of the lens of the eye that is a leading cause of vision loss worldwide.

Thalidomide Does Not Improve Survival In Small Cell Lung Cancer, Study Finds Posted: 20 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT Treating patients with thalidomide in combination with chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer did not improve their survival but did increase their risk of blood clots, according to a new study.

Software To Unlock The Power Of Grids Posted: 20 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT A huge amount of computing power sits idle most of the time, and new technologies enabling the sharing of resources aim to capitalise on that. Now European researchers have developed software to simultaneously run applications on very different IT infrastructures.

Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Have More Severe Behavioral Problems Than Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Study Finds Posted: 20 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have a high risk of psychiatric problems, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with FASD are often initially diagnosed with ADHD. A first-of-its-kind study shows that children with FASD have a distinct behavioural profile: significantly weaker social cognition and facial emotion-processing abilities than children with ADHD.

Scientists Look Beyond Earth To Understand Auroras Posted: 19 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT The eerie beauty of the northern and southern lights has evoked visions of the supernatural for centuries: foxes of fire whisking their tales, the fighting souls of dead warriors or ancestors dancing around a ceremonial fire.

Toward An Explanation For Crohn's Disease? Posted: 19 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT Twenty-five percent of Crohn's disease patients have a mutation in what is called the NOD2 gene, but it is not precisely known how this mutation influences the disease. Researchers have now provided new insight into how this might occur.

Quebec's Blue Gold: Project Aims To Channel Northern Rivers To Generate Power Posted: 19 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT Seasonal storage of floodwaters from three unexploited rivers that flow into James Bay and the channeling of this water to the Ottawa River would provide for the generation of 14 terawatt-hours of hydroelectric energy per year, producing annual revenues of nearly $2 billion, according to a new report.

Two Reproductive Factors Are Important Predictors Of Death From Ovarian Cancer Posted: 19 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers found that survival among women with ovarian cancer is influenced by age of menarche and total number of lifetime ovulatory cycles.

Hurricane Ike's Effects On Waterways, Fish Contamination Analyzed Posted: 19 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT A long-term environmental research project may offer important information about the effects of Hurricane Ike on pollution levels and help regulators determine whether existing fish-consumption advisories remain appropriate.

Academic Disengagement More Common For US Teens Than Chinese Posted: 19 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT A longitudinal study of more than 800 Chinese and American students over 7th and 8th grades has found that academic disengagement is greater for American teens than for Chinese teens. American youths reported being less motivated academically as they made their way through 7th and 8th grades. In contrast, Chinese youths' reports suggested that the value they placed on achievement, their use of constructive learning strategies and the time they spent studying stayed stable.

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