ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Common Food Dye May Hold Promise In Treating Spinal Cord Injury
• Smokeless Tobacco Safer Than Smoking, Study Suggests
• Extinction Crisis Looms In Oceania
• Scientists Track Impact Of DNA Damage In The Developing Brain
• Gulf Of Mexico Dead Zone Smaller Than Expected, But Severe
• Yawn Alert For Weary Drivers
• After Dinosaurs, Mammals Rise But Their Genomes Get Smaller
• Cancer Vaccines Led To Long-term Survival For Patients With Metastatic Melanoma
• Nanotubes Spin As They Grow
• Discovery To Aid In Future Treatments Of Third-world Parasites
• New Supercomputer To Reel In Answers To Some Of Earth's Problems
• Under A Cloud: Darkness Linked To 'Brain Drain' In Depressed People
• First Vertebrate To Live In Trees Described
• How The Pathology Of Parkinson's Disease Spreads
• How Immune Cells May Help Predict Alzheimer's Risk
• Proper Placement Of Defibrillators Key To Effective Use
• New Method Uses Electrolyzed Water For More Efficient Fuel Production
• New Links Between Lucid Dreaming And Psychosis Could Revive Dream Therapy In Psychiatry
• Scientists Expect Wildfires To Increase As Climate Warms In Coming Decades
• Scientists Closer To Making Implantable Bone Material
• Bird Population Declines In Northern Europe Explained By Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Deficiency
• Endoscopic Surgery As Effective Open Surgery For Nasal Cancer
• New Predictions For Sea Level Rise
• Weight Loss Improves Mood In Depressed People, New Research Shows
• More To Bats' Vision Than Meets The Eye
• Few Patients Die From Prostate Cancer Within 15 Years Of Radical Prostatectomy, Study Finds
• HIV Uses Autophagy For Its Own Means
• In Vitro Antibody Production Enables HIV Infection Detection In Window Period -- Key To Safer Blood
• Can Pen And Paper Help Make Electronic Medical Records Better?
• Homicide By Mentally Ill Has Risen In England And Wales
• Do You Believe In 'Tooth Worms?' Micro-images Of Strange, Worm-like Structures Uncovered Inside Dissected Molar
• Tumor 'Stem-like Cells' Exist In Benign Tumors
• The Virus That Binds: A Novel Idea Marries Biology And Mining
• Disturbed Calcium Signaling May Play Critical Role In Brain Cell Degeneration
• Elevated Mercury Levels In Prairie Lakes Examined
• Teen Pregnancy May Be Symptom, Not Cause, Of Emotional Distress
• Researcher Sheds Light On 'Man-eating' Squid; Finds Them Timid, Non-threatening
• Researchers Rapidly Turn Bacteria Into Biotech Factories
• New Silver Nanoparticle Skin Gel For Healing Burns
• Vi Typhoid Vaccine Proves Highly Effective In Young Children, Study Suggests
• Why North America Black Cherry Tree Is Invasive In Europe
• How The Carrot Approach Facilitates Learning
• How Saturn's Moon Got Its Stripes
• Common Allergy Drug Reduces Obesity And Diabetes In Mice
• Population Of Nearly Extinct Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog Discovered
• Eliminating Cell Receptor Prevents Infection In Animal Study
• Understanding Quantum Turbulence: Controllable Formation Of Quantum Turbulence In Ultra-cold Atom Gas
• Cigarette Packaging Still Misleading Consumers Over Health Hazards

Common Food Dye May Hold Promise In Treating Spinal Cord Injury Posted: 29 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT A common food additive that gives M&Ms and Gatorade their blue tint may offer promise for preventing the additional -- and serious -- secondary damage that immediately follows a traumatic injury to the spinal cord. In the study, researchers report that the compound Brilliant Blue G stops the cascade of molecular events that cause damage to the spinal cord in the hours following an injury.

Smokeless Tobacco Safer Than Smoking, Study Suggests Posted: 29 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT Smokeless tobacco products, as used in Europe and North America, do not appear to increase cancer risk. A large meta-analysis has shown that snuff as used in Scandinavia has no discernible effect on the risk of various cancers. Products used in the past in the US may have increased the risk, but any effect that exists now seems likely to be quite small.

Extinction Crisis Looms In Oceania Posted: 29 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT Governments must act urgently to halt loss of habitats and invading species that are posing major threats to biodiversity and causing species extinctions across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, according to a new study.

Scientists Track Impact Of DNA Damage In The Developing Brain Posted: 29 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT Switching off a key DNA repair system in the developing nervous system is linked to smaller brain size as well as problems in brain structures vital to movement, memory and emotion, according to new research.

Gulf Of Mexico Dead Zone Smaller Than Expected, But Severe Posted: 29 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT Scientists have found the size of this year's Gulf of Mexico dead zone to be smaller than forecasted, measuring 3,000 square miles. However the dead zone, which is usually limited to water just above the sea floor, was severe where it did occur, extending closer to the water surface then in most years.

Yawn Alert For Weary Drivers Posted: 29 Jul 2009 11:00 AM PDT A new system that can tell when you are yawning and could prevent road traffic accidents.

After Dinosaurs, Mammals Rise But Their Genomes Get Smaller Posted: 29 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT Evidence buried in the chromosomes of animals and plants strongly suggests only one group -- mammals -- have seen their genomes shrink after the dinosaurs' extinction. What's more, that trend continues today.

Cancer Vaccines Led To Long-term Survival For Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Posted: 29 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT Medical researchers have released promising data from a clinical study showing patient-specific cancer vaccines derived from patients' own cancer cells and immune cells were well tolerated and resulted in impressive long-term survival rates in patients with metastatic melanoma whose disease had been minimized by other therapies.

Nanotubes Spin As They Grow Posted: 29 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT New research showing the atom-by-atom growth of carbon nanotubes reveals they spin stepwise as they grow, much like a ticking clock. The research provides the first experimental evidence of how individual atoms are added to growing nanotubes.

Discovery To Aid In Future Treatments Of Third-world Parasites Posted: 29 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT Schistosomiasis, one of the most important of the neglected tropical diseases, is caused by infection with parasitic helminths of the genus Schistosoma. These parasites are long lived and dwell within blood vessels, where they produce eggs that become the focus of intense, chronic inflammatory responses. In severe cases, this inflammation is associated with life-threatening liver disease.

New Supercomputer To Reel In Answers To Some Of Earth's Problems Posted: 29 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT The newest supercomputer in town is almost 15 times faster than its predecessor and ready to take on problems in areas such as climate science, hydrogen storage and molecular chemistry. The $21.4 million Chinook supercomputer was built by HP, tested by a variety of researchers, and has now been commissioned for use.

Under A Cloud: Darkness Linked To 'Brain Drain' In Depressed People Posted: 29 Jul 2009 08:00 AM PDT A lack of sunlight is associated with reduced cognitive function among depressed people. Researchers used weather data from NASA satellites to measure sunlight exposure across the United States and linked this information to the prevalence of cognitive impairment in depressed people.

First Vertebrate To Live In Trees Described Posted: 29 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT In the Late Paleozoic (260 million years ago), long before dinosaurs dominated the Earth, ancient precursors to mammals took to the trees to feed on leaves and live high above predators that prowled the land, a paleontologist has concluded. Elongated fingers, an opposable "thumb," and a grasping tail of Suminia getmanovi demonstrate that this small plant-eating synapsid is the earliest known tree-climbing vertebrate.

How The Pathology Of Parkinson's Disease Spreads Posted: 29 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT Accumulation of the synaptic protein alpha-synuclein, resulting in the formation of aggregates called Lewy bodies in the brain, is a hallmark of Parkinson's and other related neurodegenerative diseases. This pathology appears to spread throughout the brain as the disease progresses. Now, researchers have described how this mechanism works.

How Immune Cells May Help Predict Alzheimer's Risk Posted: 29 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT UCLA scientists have discovered a way to measure the amount of amyloid beta that is being absorbed by immune cells in the blood. Amyloid beta forms the plaques considered the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, and if the immune system isn't adequately clearing amyloid beta, it may indicate Alzheimer's risk, according to the researchers.

Proper Placement Of Defibrillators Key To Effective Use Posted: 29 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT Placing automated external defibrillators in schools can save the lives of student-athletes and non-students who suffer sudden cardiac arrest on school grounds, according to a new study. However, schools need a response plan along with the lifesaving equipment. In a separate Danish study, researchers found that almost 70 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in public places could be covered by strategic placement of AEDs within a limited area of a city center and with acceptable costs.

New Method Uses Electrolyzed Water For More Efficient Fuel Production Posted: 29 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT Using electrolyzed water rather than harsh chemicals could be a more effective and environmentally friendly method in the pretreatment of ethanol waste products to produce an acetone-butanol-ethanol fuel mix, according to new research.

New Links Between Lucid Dreaming And Psychosis Could Revive Dream Therapy In Psychiatry Posted: 29 Jul 2009 05:00 AM PDT Similarities in brain activity during lucid dreaming and psychosis suggest that the previously discredited technique of dream therapy may be useful in psychiatric treatment, according to a European Science Foundation workgroup. People suffering from nightmares can sometimes be treated by training them to dream lucidly so they can consciously wake up.

Scientists Expect Wildfires To Increase As Climate Warms In Coming Decades Posted: 29 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT As the climate warms in the coming decades, atmospheric scientists expect that the frequency of wildfires will increase in many regions. The spike in the number of fires could also adversely affect air quality due to the greater presence of smoke.

Scientists Closer To Making Implantable Bone Material Posted: 29 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists are closer to understanding how to grow replacement bones with stem cell technology.

Bird Population Declines In Northern Europe Explained By Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Deficiency Posted: 29 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT Wild birds of several species are dying in large numbers from a paralytic disease with hitherto unknown cause in the Baltic Sea area. A research team has demonstrated strong relationships between this disease, breeding failure, and advanced thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency in eggs, young, and adults.

Endoscopic Surgery As Effective Open Surgery For Nasal Cancer Posted: 29 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have shown that endoscopic surgery is a valid treatment option for treating esthesioneuroblastoma (cancer of the nasal cavity), in addition to traditional open surgery and nonsurgical treatments.

New Predictions For Sea Level Rise Posted: 29 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT Fossil coral data and temperature records derived from ice-core measurements have been used to place better constraints on future sea level rise, and to test sea level projections.

Weight Loss Improves Mood In Depressed People, New Research Shows Posted: 29 Jul 2009 02:00 AM PDT After a six-month behavioral weight loss program, depressed patients not only lost 8 percent of their initial weight but also reported significant improvements in their symptoms of depression, as well as reductions in triglycerides, which are a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, new research shows. The results of this study highlight the need for further research into the effects of weight loss in individuals suffering from psychiatric disorders.

More To Bats' Vision Than Meets The Eye Posted: 28 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT The eyes of nocturnal bats possess two spectral cone photoreceptor types for daylight and color vision. Scientists have detected cones and their visual pigments in two flower-visiting species of bat.

Few Patients Die From Prostate Cancer Within 15 Years Of Radical Prostatectomy, Study Finds Posted: 28 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have completed the first large-scale, multi-institutional study of prostate cancer death after standard treatment to remove the prostate since PSA screening has become widely used as a method to screen for the disease. In the study, researchers found that in a group of 12,677 men who had radical prostatectomies between 1987 and 2005, the fifteen-year mortality rate that could be directly linked to prostate cancer was only 12 percent, even though many of the patients' cancers had aggressive features.

HIV Uses Autophagy For Its Own Means Posted: 28 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT Not satisfied with simply thwarting its host's defensive maneuvers, HIV actually twists one to its advantage, based on new findings. Researchers suggest that autophagy -- a stress response process -- helps HIV to proliferate and that conversely, blocking autophagy lessens HIV production.

In Vitro Antibody Production Enables HIV Infection Detection In Window Period -- Key To Safer Blood Posted: 28 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have shown that the contribution of variable degrees of immune suppression, either due to existing chronic infections such as parasitemias and/or nutrition, in different populations may influence and prolong the serological-diagnostic window period of HIV. However, the immunosuppression can be overcome, by in-vitro enhancement of antibody production.

Can Pen And Paper Help Make Electronic Medical Records Better? Posted: 28 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT A new study reports that pen and paper workarounds employed by health-care providers who use an electronic medical record system may help make electronic medical records even more useful to health-care providers and the patients they serve.

Homicide By Mentally Ill Has Risen In England And Wales Posted: 28 Jul 2009 11:00 PM PDT The number of people killed by individuals suffering from mental illness in England and Wales increased between 1997 and 2005, new figures show. The rise occurred in people who were not under mental health care and was not found in mental health patients.

Do You Believe In 'Tooth Worms?' Micro-images Of Strange, Worm-like Structures Uncovered Inside Dissected Molar Posted: 28 Jul 2009 08:00 PM PDT New, micro-images of strange, worm-like structures uncovered inside a dissected molar might have been held in ancient times as proof that gnawing tooth worms were the cause of tooth decay, a theory widely believed in many cultures before modern times. The structures are not worms, but what they are is still in question.

Tumor 'Stem-like Cells' Exist In Benign Tumors Posted: 28 Jul 2009 08:00 PM PDT Cancer stem-like cells have been implicated in the genesis of a variety of malignant cancers. Research scientists have now isolated stem-like cells in benign (pituitary) tumors and used these "mother" cells to generate new tumors in laboratory mice. Targeting the cells of origin is seen as a possible strategy in the fight against malignant and benign tumors.

The Virus That Binds: A Novel Idea Marries Biology And Mining Posted: 28 Jul 2009 08:00 PM PDT Researchers often make progress by applying a proven scientific method from one realm to another, connecting seemingly disparate disciplines. Such interdisciplinary approaches are powerful tools in the drive for scientific innovation. But who would ever dream of applying viruses to mining?

Disturbed Calcium Signaling May Play Critical Role In Brain Cell Degeneration Posted: 28 Jul 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have found strong evidence that abnormal calcium signaling in neurons may play an important role in the development of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2), a disorder causing progressive loss of coordination, speech difficulty and abnormal eye movements.

Elevated Mercury Levels In Prairie Lakes Examined Posted: 28 Jul 2009 08:00 PM PDT Prairie lakes that expand greatly in area during wet cycles are more likely to have elevated mercury levels soon after, research suggests.

Teen Pregnancy May Be Symptom, Not Cause, Of Emotional Distress Posted: 28 Jul 2009 08:00 PM PDT It would make sense that teenage mothers have a lot of psychological stress in their lives, but a new study shows that the distress comes before the pregnancy, not because of it.

Researcher Sheds Light On 'Man-eating' Squid; Finds Them Timid, Non-threatening Posted: 28 Jul 2009 05:00 PM PDT Recent news reports about scuba divers off San Diego being menaced by large numbers of Humboldt's or jumbo squid have raised the ire of a University of Rhode Island biologist. As a leading expert on the species who has dived with them several times, he calls the reports "alarmist" and says the squid's man-eating reputation is seriously overblown.

Researchers Rapidly Turn Bacteria Into Biotech Factories Posted: 28 Jul 2009 05:00 PM PDT Using a novel cell programming method that retools evolution to generate genetic diversity at an unprecedented rate, a research team turned self-serving bacteria into efficient factories for making a variety of compounds, accomplishing in just three days a feat that would take biotech companies many months -- or years. The transformed bacteria produced five times more lycopene (an anticancer antioxidant) than the original bacteria.

New Silver Nanoparticle Skin Gel For Healing Burns Posted: 28 Jul 2009 05:00 PM PDT Scientists are reporting successful laboratory tests of a new and potentially safer alternative to silver-based gels applied to the skin of burn patients to treat infections. The researchers describe gel composed of silver nanoparticles -- each 1/50,000th the width of a human hair -- that appears more effective than these traditional gels.

Vi Typhoid Vaccine Proves Highly Effective In Young Children, Study Suggests Posted: 28 Jul 2009 05:00 PM PDT A currently available yet underused vaccine against typhoid fever is highly effective in young children and protects unvaccinated neighbors of vaccinees, according to new research.

Why North America Black Cherry Tree Is Invasive In Europe Posted: 28 Jul 2009 05:00 PM PDT Black cherry trees, native to the United States, are an invasive species in Europe and thrive in that part of the world. Experiments show why: A soil-borne pathogen keeps these trees in check in the United States, but is too weak to stop them from spreading in Europe.

How The Carrot Approach Facilitates Learning Posted: 28 Jul 2009 05:00 PM PDT People who are rewarded for making correct decisions learn quickly. While the "carrot" approach may produce favorable results, little is understood about how rewards facilitate the learning process.

How Saturn's Moon Got Its Stripes Posted: 28 Jul 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new study has revealed the origins of tiger stripes and a subsurface ocean on Enceladus -- one of Saturn's many moons. These geological features are believed to be the result of the moon's unusual chemical composition and not a hot core, shedding light on the evolution of planets and guiding future space exploration.

Common Allergy Drug Reduces Obesity And Diabetes In Mice Posted: 28 Jul 2009 02:00 PM PDT Two new studies connect the immune system with obesity and type 2 diabetes. In the first study, researchers used two common over-the-counter allergy medications known to stabilize a group of inflammatory immune cells to reduce obesity and symptoms of type 2 diabetes in mice. In the second study, researchers found that a kind of regulatory white blood cell once thought to manage only immune cells also controls inflammation in non-obese fat tissue.

Population Of Nearly Extinct Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog Discovered Posted: 28 Jul 2009 02:00 PM PDT For the first time in nearly 50 years, a population of a nearly extinct frog has been rediscovered in the San Bernardino National Forest's San Jacinto Wilderness. Biologists retracing a 1908 natural history expedition rediscovered the rare mountain yellow-legged frog.

Eliminating Cell Receptor Prevents Infection In Animal Study Posted: 28 Jul 2009 02:00 PM PDT New research from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia sheds light on the role of cell receptors in acting as gatekeepers for infectious viruses. By using mice genetically engineered to lack a particular receptor in heart and pancreas cells, the study team prevented infection by a common virus (Group B coxsackievirus) that causes potentially serious diseases in humans.

Understanding Quantum Turbulence: Controllable Formation Of Quantum Turbulence In Ultra-cold Atom Gas Posted: 28 Jul 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists in Brazil report the controllable formation of quantum turbulence in an ultra-cold atom gas. The research makes it easier to characterize quantum turbulence -- and potentially even classical turbulence -- because it is possible to tune many characteristics of the cold-atom gas.

Cigarette Packaging Still Misleading Consumers Over Health Hazards Posted: 28 Jul 2009 02:00 PM PDT New research suggests that current regulations have failed to remove misleading information from cigarette packaging, revealing that a substantial majority of consumers believe cigarettes are less hazardous when the packs display words such as "silver" or "smooth," lower numbers incorporated into the brand name, lighter colors or pictures of filters.

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