Monday, August 31, 2009

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Tumors Feel The Deadly Sting Of Nanobees

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT

When bees sting, they pump poison into their victims. Now the toxin in bee venom has been harnessed to kill tumor cells. Researchers attached the major component of bee venom to nano-sized spheres that they call nanobees.

Think Zinc: Molecular Sensor Could Reveal Zinc's Role In Diseases

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Scientists have developed a new molecular sensor that can reveal the amount of zinc in cells, which could tell us more about a number of diseases, including type 2 diabetes. The research opens the door to the hidden world of zinc biology by giving scientists an accurate way of measuring the concentration of zinc and its location in cells for the first time.

Sandfish Tucks Legs And 'Swims' Like A Snake Under Desert Sand

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT

A new study details how sandfish -- small lizards with smooth scales -- move rapidly underground through desert sand. In this first thorough examination of subsurface sandfish locomotion, researchers found that the animals place their limbs against their sides and create a wave motion like snakes to propel themselves through granular media.

New Reagents Available For Genomic Engineering Of Mouse Models To Understand Human Disease

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT

New tools are now available for generating specifically targeted genetic mutations in bacteria, mammalian cells and mice. The new recombinase, Dre, is similar to its predecessor, Cre, but targets unique sites within DNA for recombination. It may be used in combination with currently available methods to produce more complex mouse models to understand disease.

Millionths Of A Second Can Cost Millions Of Dollars: A New Way To Track Network Delays

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Computer scientists have developed an inexpensive solution for diagnosing networking delays in data center networks as short as tens of millionths of seconds -- delays that can lead to multi-million dollar losses for investment banks running automatic stock trading systems.

The Science Of Longer Lasting Lager

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT

One of the long standing problems in the drinks industry is how to prevent chemical processes in the drinks compromising their taste, quality and shelf life. In particular, riboflavin (vitamin B2) is responsible for driving photooxidation reactions that affect the flavour of many drinks and so they often have to be packaged in light-shielded containers. Now scientists have developed a way of removing riboflavin.

World's Smallest Semiconductor Laser Heralds New Era In Optical Science

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Researchers have reached a new milestone in laser physics by creating the world's smallest semiconductor laser, capable of generating visible light in a space smaller than a single protein molecule.

Light Shed On Cause Of Down Syndrome And Other Genetic Disorders

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Scientists have a better understanding of what causes an abnormal number of chromosomes in offspring, a condition called aneuploidy that encompasses the most common genetic disorders in humans, such as Down syndrome, and is a leading cause of pregnancy loss.

New Analysis Details Devastating Toll Of Neglected Tropical Diseases In Sub-Saharan Africa

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT

New light has been shed on the toll that neglected tropical diseases take on sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated 500 million people suffering from these debilitating and sometimes deadly diseases. Helminth infections account for approximately 85 percent of the NTD burden. Overall, the NTD burden may be equivalent to more than double that caused by tuberculosis and up to one-half of SSA's malaria disease burden.

International Greenland Ice Coring Effort Sets New Drilling Record In 2009

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT

A new international research effort on the Greenland ice sheet has set a record for single-season deep ice-core drilling this summer, recovering more than a mile of ice core that is expected to help scientists better assess the risks of abrupt climate change in the future.

Disease Threat May Change How Frogs Mate

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT

A disease may be causing a behavioral change in frogs. The research has unearthed a surprising fact about our long-tongued friends: wild frogs in the UK may be changing their mating behavior.

Neuroscientists Find Brain Region Responsible For Our Sense Of Personal Space

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT

In a finding that sheds new light on the neural mechanisms involved in social behavior, neuroscientists have pinpointed the brain structure responsible for our sense of personal space. The discovery could offer insight into autism and other disorders where social distance is an issue.

Protein Involved In Causing Gum Disease, Osteoporosis, Arthritis Identified

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Investigators have discovered that a gene called interferon regulator factor-8 is involved in the development of diseases such as periodontitis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. The study could lead to new treatments in the future.

Tiny 'MEMS' Devices To Filter, Amplify Electronic Signals

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Researchers are developing a new class of tiny mechanical devices containing vibrating, hair-thin structures that could be used to filter electronic signals in cell phones and for other more exotic applications.

Human Breast Cancer Hit For Six: Key Role For Six1 In Tumor Development And Metastasis

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Researchers have provided new insight into breast cancer development using mouse models and analysis of human cells, implicating the protein Six1 as central to this process.

Safer, Denser Acetylene Storage In An Organic Framework

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT

The century-old challenge of storing and transporting acetylene safely may have been solved in principle by a team of scientists.

Dentists Urged To Take A Role In Identifying Children Suffering From Neglect

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT

A new policy urging dentists to check for tell-tale signs of neglect when treating children with severe oral disease has been published.

New Prognostic Marker For Human Breast Cancer

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Elevated levels of GLI1 (glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1) protein in human breast cancer are associated with unfavorable prognosis and progressive stages of disease. Researchers found increased expression of GLI1 in samples taken from more advanced and less survivable tumors.

Analysis Of Copernicus Putative Remains Support Identity

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Researchers have published results from the analysis of the putative remains of Copernicus. A DNA-analysis of shed hairs found in a book from Museum Gustavianum, Uppsala University, was one interesting piece in the project.

Collagen-deficient Mice Show Signs Of Osteoarthritis

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Researchers conducted a study of mice to determine the effect of Type IX collagen (Col9a1) deficiency on functional ability. The authors found that mice with the Col9a1 gene inactivated prematurely develop OA and DDD.

Mysterious Charge Transport In Self-assembled Monolayer Transistors Unraveled

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered that monolayer coverage and channel length set the mobility in self-assembled monolayer field-effect transistors (SAMFETs). This opens the door to extremely sensitive chemical sensors that can be produced in a cost-effective way.

Palliative Care Intervention For Patients With Advanced Cancer Provides Quality Of Life Benefits

Posted: 31 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Patients with advanced cancer who received a palliative care intervention focused on addressing physical and psychosocial issues and care coordination that was provided at the same time as cancer treatment reported improved quality of life and mood but did not experience a significant change in the number of days in the hospital or the severity of their symptoms compared to patients who received usual care, according to a new study.

Virus Enzymes Could Promote Human, Animal Health

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Could viruses be good for you? Scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have shown that enzymes from bacteria-infecting viruses known as phages could have beneficial applications for human and animal health.

Project Zero Delay Accelerates Drug's Path To Clinical Trial

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT

A phase I clinical trial enrolled its first patient only two days after US Food and Drug Administration clearance of the experimental drug for a first-in-human cancer trial, a milestone that normally takes three to six months.

Unique Study Isolates DNA From Linnaeus' Botanical Collections

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Researchers have succeeded in extracting long DNA fragments from dried, pressed plant material collected in the 1700s by Linnaeus' apprentice Adam Afzelius. It is hoped that the study will shed light on whether plants growing today at Linnaeus' Hammarby estate outside Uppsala reflect the species cultivated by Linnaeus himself.

New Study Suggests An Unidentified Source As Cause Of Residual Viremia In HIV-1 Patients On HAART

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT

A new study suggests that an unidentified cellular source may be responsible for residual viremia in HIV-1 patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This discovery disputes previous theories that attributed residual viremia to latent proviruses in resting CD4+ T cells and could significantly impact eradication efforts.

Coralline Algae In The Mediterranean Lost Their Tropical Element Between 5 And 7 Million Years Ago

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Scientists have studied the coralline algae fossils that lived on the last coral reefs of the Mediterranean Sea between 7.24 and 5.3 million years ago. Mediterranean algae and coral reefs began to resemble present day reefs following the isolation of the Mediterranean from the Indian Ocean and global cooling 15 and 20 million years ago respectively.

Psychosocial Therapy With Antidepressants More Effective In Helping Depressed Stroke Patients

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Depressed stroke patients who received medication and psychosocial therapy improved significantly in the short term and a year later, compared to those receiving medication alone. The psychosocial therapy focused on depression education, problem-solving and increasing pleasant experiences. Depression is common after stroke and can impede recovery.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Fishy Sixth Sense: Mathematical Keys To Fascinating Sense Organ

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Biophysicists in Germany are leading an effort to develop and apply models of the so-called lateral-line system found in fish and some amphibians. This sensory organ enables an animal, even in murky water, to map its surroundings and recognize other animals. In a new study, the researchers report mathematical models that capture essential elements of the system, agree with experimental data, and could be easy to implement technically, as in robots.

'Fatostatin' Is A Turnoff For Fat Genes

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT

A small molecule earlier found to have both anti-fat and anti-cancer abilities works as a literal turnoff for fat-making genes, according to a new report.

First Close Look At Stimulated Brain

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT

With the aid of optical imaging technology, researchers have for the first time been able to see how neurons react to electrical stimulation. The neural response to electrical currents isn't localized, as some had previously thought. Rather, electrical stimulation activates a scattered and widely distributed set of neurons.

Baby's MP3 Heart Monitor: New Safe Approach To Fetal Heart Monitoring Could Save Lives

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT

A new type of fetal heart monitor could save the lives of unborn infants in complicated pregnancies, according to researchers.

How Cities Mimic Life: Megacities Breathe, Consume Energy, Excrete Wastes And Pollute

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT

A scientific trend to view the world's biggest cities as analogous to living, breathing organisms is fostering a deep new understanding of how poor air quality in megacities can harm residents, people living far downwind and also play a major role in global climate change.

Depression And Anxiety Affect Up To 15 Percent Of Preschoolers, Canadian Study Finds

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Almost 15 percent of preschoolers have atypically high levels of depression and anxiety, according to a new Canadian study. The five-year investigation also found that children with atypically high depression and anxiety levels are more likely to have mothers with a history of depression.

Star-birth Myth 'Busted'

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Astronomers have debunked one of astronomy's long held beliefs about how stars are formed, using a set of galaxies found with CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope. When a cloud of interstellar gas collapses to form stars, the stars range from massive to minute. Since the 1950s astronomers have thought that in a family of new-born stars the ratio of massive stars to lighter ones was always pretty much the same — for instance, that for every star 20 times more massive than the Sun or larger, you'd get 500 stars the mass of the Sun or less.

Simple Test May Identify Stroke Survivors At Risk Of Another Cardiovascular Event

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Measuring blood flow in the ankle may identify stroke survivors at risk of subsequent events. This test, the ankle brachial index, compares blood flow in the ankle to blood flow in the arm to detect poor circulation caused by fatty plaque buildup in the lower body, a condition known as peripheral artery disease.

Who Are You? Mobile ID Devices Find Out Using NIST Guidelines

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT

A new publication that recommends best practices for the next generation of portable biometric acquisition devices -- Mobile ID -- has been published by NIST.

More Accurate Interpretation Of Brain Imaging Data

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a technique widely used in studying the human brain. However, it has long been unclear exactly how fMRI signals are generated at brain cell level. This information is crucially important to interpreting these imaging signals. Scientists in Finland have discovered that astrocytes, support cells in brain tissue, play a key role in the generation of fMRI signals.

High Numbers Of Seed Scallops On Georges Bank, Low Numbers In Mid-Atlantic

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT

A NOAA Fisheries scallop survey off the northeastern coast between North Carolina and Massachusetts shows high numbers of juvenile "recruit" sea scallops and ocean quahogs on Georges Bank tempered with weak numbers for seed scallops in the Mid-Atlantic for 2009. This survey also shows the overall biomass for the Mid-Atlantic remains high.

An Intelligent System Helps Elderly Or Memory-impaired To Remember Everyday Tasks

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Researchers have created a system with artificial intelligence techniques which notifies elderly people or people with special needs who might otherwise forget certain everyday tasks. This system uses sensors distributed in the environment in order to detect their actions and mobile devices which remind them, for example, to take their keys before they leave home.

Tunnels Concentrate Air Pollution By Up To 1,000 Times

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT

A toxic cocktail of ultrafine particles is lurking inside road tunnels in concentration levels so high they have the potential to harm drivers and passengers, a new study has found.

Finnish Scientists Discover Nerve Growth Factor With Therapeutic Potential In Parkinson's Disease

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Scientists Finland have reported promising new results with potential implications for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. They have been studying the impacts of nerve growth factors in the treatment of PD, and their latest results show that a certain growth factor can be used to halt the progress of damage brought on by a nerve poison and possibly even restore the function of damaged cells.

'Curtain Twitching' Skylarks Keep Track Of Strangers Through Their Songs

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Skylarks can hear the difference between friendly neighbors and dangerous strangers, and deal with any threatening intruders, says new research.

Novel Genetic Region Identified For Childhood Asthma In Mexicans

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Genetic variants in a region on chromosome 9q may influence asthma development in Mexican children, according to new research. Researchers conducted a genome-wide association study in which they looked at over 500,000 variants across the genome in 492 Mexican children with asthma and their parents to identify novel genes that may influence asthma development. The work points to the chromosome 9q21.31 region as a novel candidate region for childhood asthma.

Scientists Hone Technique To Safeguard Water Supplies

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT

A method to detect contaminants in municipal water supplies has undergone further refinements. The new work demonstrates that the technology that uses algae as sentinels has broader applications than previously reported.

Familiar And Newly Learned Words Are Processed By The Same Neural Networks In The Brain

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Our vocabulary continues to grow and expand even in adulthood. Just 10 years ago, the word "blog" did not yet exist -- and now we no longer remember when we heard this word for the first time or when we learned its meaning. At some stage new words become just as familiar to us as words we have learned earlier.

Scientists Identify Stomach’s Timekeepers Of Hunger

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 09:00 PM PDT

Scientists have identified cells in the stomach that time the release of a hormone that makes animals anticipate food and eat even when they are not hungry. The finding, which has implications for the treatment of obesity, marks a landmark in the decades-long search for the timekeepers of hunger. The work reveals what the stomach "tells" the brain.

New Research Supports Model For Nuclear Pore Complex

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 09:00 PM PDT

To protect their DNA, cells in higher organisms are very choosy about what they allow in and out of their nuclei, where the genes reside. Guarding access is the job of transport machines called nuclear pore complexes, which stud the nuclear membrane. Despite these gatekeepers' conspicuously large size (they are made of 30 different proteins), they have proved largely inscrutable to researchers over the years. But bit by bit, scientists are learning how these machines work.

Model Suggests How Life’s Code Emerged From Primordial Soup

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 09:00 PM PDT

In 1952, Stanley Miller filled two flasks with chemicals assumed to be present on the primitive Earth, connected the flasks with rubber tubes and introduced some electrical sparks as a stand-in for lightning. The now famous experiment showed what amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, could easily be generated from this primordial stew. But despite that seminal experiment, neither he nor others were able to take the next step: that of showing how life's code could come from such humble beginnings.