ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• The Dance Of Water: New Insight Into Water's Strange Bulk Properties
• Urine Samples Could Be Used To Predict Responses To Drugs, Say Researchers
• Tumor Suppressor Pulls Double Shift As Reprogramming Watchdog
• MRSA May Accompany Hospital Patients Into Home Health Settings
• Scandinavian Fuel Cell Can Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Goods Transport
• Mothers, But Not Fathers, Follow Their Own Moms' Parenting Practices
• Scientists Launch The First Standard Graphical Notation For Biology
• STAT3 Gene Regulates Cancer Stem Cells In Brain Cancer
• Unlikely Genetic Suspect Implicated In Common Brain Defect
• Healthy Lifestyle Habits May Be Associated With Reduced Risk Of Chronic Disease
• Discovering Soybean Plants Resistant To Aphids And A New Aphid
• Epidemic Of Student Cheating Can Be Cured With Changes In Classroom Goals
• Archaeologists Find Cache Of Tablets In 2,700-year Old Turkish Temple
• Gene Therapy Trial Succeeds In Boosting Protective Protein In Patients With Hereditary Lung Disease
• Car Horns Warn Against Natural Disasters
• Limb-sparing Surgery May Not Provide Better Quality Of Life Than Amputation For Bone Cancer Patients
• New Study Sheds Light On The Growing U.S. Wind Power Market
• Growth In Number Of Americans Citing No Religion May Be Slower Than Previously Reported
• First Black Holes Born Starving
• Taking The Needle's Sting Out Of Diabetes: First Tablet-based Treatment?
• Engineers Provide Insights To Decades-old DNA Squabble
• Genetic Circuit That Regulates Behavior Of Stem Cells Discovered
• Software Development: Speeding From Sketchpad To Smooth Code
• What Makes An Accent In A Foreign Language Lighter? More Empathy And Political Identification With Native Speakers
• Chinese Acupuncture Affects Brain's Ability To Regulate Pain, UM Study Shows
• Avian Influenza Strain Primes Brain For Parkinson's Disease
• Tweeting Shooting Stars: World's First Mass Participation Meteor Star Party
• The Right Messenger For A Healthy Immune Response
• Role Of Solar Radiation In Climate Change
• Temp Work Strains Employee Mental Health, Study Finds
• Bipedal Humans Came Down From The Trees, Not Up From The Ground
• Insufficient Sleep May Be Linked To Increased Diabetes Risk
• Professor Sequences His Entire Genome At Low Cost, With Small Team
• Amazonian Tribe Sheds Light On Causes Of Heart Disease In Developed Countries
• New Fireproof Coatings Can Really Take The Heat
• Middle-aged 'Macho Men' Are Less Likely To Obtain Preventative Care, Sociologists Find
• Traffic Jam In Brain Causes Schizophrenia Symptoms; First Mouse To Develop Disease As Teenager, Just Like Humans
• Potential Alzheimer's Disease Drug: New Class Of Compounds Discovered
• Revelations In Saturn's Rings Continue As Equinox Approaches
• Radiation Therapy May Increase Diabetes Risk In Childhood Cancer Survivors
• Computer Scientists Take Over Electronic Voting Machine With New Programming Technique
• Optimism Appears To Lower Women's Risk Of Death, Heart Disease

The Dance Of Water: New Insight Into Water's Strange Bulk Properties Posted: 12 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT Water is familiar to everyone -- it shapes our bodies and our planet. But despite this abundance, the molecular structure of water has remained a mystery, with the substance exhibiting many strange properties that are still poorly understood. Recent work, however, is shedding new light on water's molecular idiosyncrasies, offering insight into its strange bulk properties.

Urine Samples Could Be Used To Predict Responses To Drugs, Say Researchers Posted: 12 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers may be able to predict how people will respond to particular drugs by analyzing their urine samples, suggest scientists. Researchers showed that it was possible to predict how different individuals would deal with one drug by looking at the levels of different products of metabolism, known as metabolites, in their urine before they took a dose of the drug.

Tumor Suppressor Pulls Double Shift As Reprogramming Watchdog Posted: 12 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT New research has uncovered that the tumor suppressor p53, which made its name as "guardian of the genome," not only stops cells that could become cancerous in their tracks but also controls somatic cell reprogramming.

MRSA May Accompany Hospital Patients Into Home Health Settings Posted: 12 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT Infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) appears relatively common among patients discharged from the hospital into home health care, according to a new report. In addition, about one-fifth of infected patients may transmit the organism to other people in their households.

Scandinavian Fuel Cell Can Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Goods Transport Posted: 12 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT The fuels cell that four Scandinavian industrial companies are developing could supply power to trailers and fork-lift trucks.

Mothers, But Not Fathers, Follow Their Own Moms' Parenting Practices Posted: 12 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT When it comes to how they raise their children, mothers today tend to follow the same practices their own mothers did, according to a new study that looked at parenting practices across two generations. Fathers, on the other hand, don't seem to use their moms as parenting role models, at least for some practices.

Scientists Launch The First Standard Graphical Notation For Biology Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers in 30 laboratories worldwide have released a new set of standards for graphically representing biological information -- the biology equivalent of the circuit diagram in electronics. This visual language should make it easier to exchange complex information, so that biological models are depicted more accurately, consistently and in a more readily understandable way.

STAT3 Gene Regulates Cancer Stem Cells In Brain Cancer Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT Researchers find that the STAT3 gene regulates the growth of cancer stem cells in the brain cancer Glioblastoma multiforme. This evidence is consistent with the controversial theory that a minority of cells within a tumor -- cancer stem cells -- are essential for tumor growth.

Unlikely Genetic Suspect Implicated In Common Brain Defect Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT A genetic search using patients and mouse models has uncovered an unlikely gene critically involved in Dandy-Walker malformation, a common birth defect which causes mental retardation, motor delays and sometimes autism. This newly discovered function of the gene, which is never expressed in the brain, reveals a previously unknown role of the skull in directing brain development.

Healthy Lifestyle Habits May Be Associated With Reduced Risk Of Chronic Disease Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT Four healthy lifestyle factors -- never smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and following a healthy diet -- together appear to be associated with as much as an 80 percent reduction in the risk of developing the most common and deadly chronic diseases, according to a new report.

Discovering Soybean Plants Resistant To Aphids And A New Aphid Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT This year farmers in the Midwest are growing a new variety of soybeans that has resistance to soybean aphids. However, in addition to the resistant plants, researchers also discovered a new soybean aphid which is not controlled by this resistance.

Epidemic Of Student Cheating Can Be Cured With Changes In Classroom Goals Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT Schools have the ability to drastically reduce cheating among their students -- all they need to do is follow the relatively simple and inexpensive solutions suggested by research, an expert says.

Archaeologists Find Cache Of Tablets In 2,700-year Old Turkish Temple Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT Archaeological excavations at the site of a recently discovered temple in southeastern Turkey have uncovered a cache of cuneiform tablets dating back to the Iron Age period between 1200 and 600 BCE. Found in the temple's cella, or "holy of holies," the tablets are part of a possible archive that may provide insights into Assyrian imperial aspirations.

Gene Therapy Trial Succeeds In Boosting Protective Protein In Patients With Hereditary Lung Disease Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT Gene therapy researchers have safely given new, functional genes to patients with a hereditary defect that can lead to fatal lung and liver diseases, according to clinical trial findings. Three patients, apparently for the first time in their lives, produced trace amounts of the protective form of a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin for up to one year, a potential step toward a gene therapy for about 100,000 Americans with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Car Horns Warn Against Natural Disasters Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT In the past, sirens howled to warn the population against floods, large fires or chemical accidents. Today, however, there is no extensive warning system in Germany, as most sirens were dismantled after the Cold War.

Limb-sparing Surgery May Not Provide Better Quality Of Life Than Amputation For Bone Cancer Patients Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT Limb-sparing surgery, which has been taking the place of amputation for bone and soft tissue sarcomas of the lower limb in recent years, may not provide much or even any additional benefit to patients according to a new review.

New Study Sheds Light On The Growing U.S. Wind Power Market Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT For the fourth consecutive year, the United States was home to the fastest-growing wind power market in the world in 2008, according to a new report. Specifically, US wind power capacity additions increased by 60 percent in 2008, representing a $16 billion investment in new wind projects.

Growth In Number Of Americans Citing No Religion May Be Slower Than Previously Reported Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT Americans continue to pull away from organized religion, but the rate of departure previously reported may not have been as abrupt as originally thought, according to new research.

First Black Holes Born Starving Posted: 11 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT The first black holes in the universe had dramatic effects on their surroundings, according to new supercomputer simulations carried out by physicists. Several popular theories posit that the first black holes gorged themselves on gas clouds and dust, growing into the supersized black holes that lurk in the centers of galaxies today. However, the new results point to a much more complex role for the first black holes.

Taking The Needle's Sting Out Of Diabetes: First Tablet-based Treatment? Posted: 11 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT A new anti-Ras compound may lead to the first tablet-based treatment for children and adults with Type 1 diabetes.

Engineers Provide Insights To Decades-old DNA Squabble Posted: 11 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT A group of nanoengineers, biologists and physicists have used innovative approaches to deduce the internal structure of chromatin, a key player in DNA regulation, to reconcile a longstanding controversy in this field. This new finding could unlock the mystery behind the origin of many diseases such as cancer.

Genetic Circuit That Regulates Behavior Of Stem Cells Discovered Posted: 11 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT This circuit explains the fact that stem cells are always prepared to change into any type of cell. The discovery will greatly increase the ability of researchers to maintain embryonic stem cells in a pluripotent state in vitro and induce their transformation into cellular tissues of all types.

Software Development: Speeding From Sketchpad To Smooth Code Posted: 11 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT Creating error-free software remains time consuming and labor intensive. A major research effort has developed a system that speeds software development from the drawing board to high-quality, platform-independent code.

What Makes An Accent In A Foreign Language Lighter? More Empathy And Political Identification With Native Speakers Posted: 11 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT The more empathy one has for another, the lighter the accent will be when speaking in a second language, according to new research. "In addition to personal-affective factors, it has been found that the 'language ego' is also influenced by the sociopolitical position of the speaker towards the majority group," the researchers stated.

Chinese Acupuncture Affects Brain's Ability To Regulate Pain, UM Study Shows Posted: 11 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT Acupuncture has been used for over two millennia in East-Asian medicine to treat pain. Using brain imaging, researchers have provided novel evidence that traditional Chinese acupuncture affects the brain's long-term ability to regulate pain. Their findings show acupuncture acts as more than a placebo, and can activate receptors in the brain that process and dampen pain signals.

Avian Influenza Strain Primes Brain For Parkinson's Disease Posted: 11 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT At least one strain of the H5N1 avian influenza virus leaves survivors at significantly increased risk for Parkinson's disease and possibly other neurological problems later in life, according to new research.

Tweeting Shooting Stars: World's First Mass Participation Meteor Star Party Posted: 11 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT Amateur astronomers across the UK are preparing to tweet the world's first mass participation meteor star party, as part of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009). Led by Newbury Astronomical Society, the Twitter Meteorwatch will take place from the evening of Tuesday August 11th until the morning of August 13th, 2009, covering the peak of the Perseids meteor shower.

The Right Messenger For A Healthy Immune Response Posted: 11 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT Cells of the immune system communicate using molecular messengers. One group of these substances are interferons. During a virus infection, the immune system increases the production of interferons such as Beta-Interferon, thus alerting immune cells to combat the infection. Furthermore, Beta-interferon also has tumor-fighting qualities and -- used as a therapeutic against multiple sclerosis -- is of major importance for medicine.

Role Of Solar Radiation In Climate Change Posted: 11 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT A growing research field is "global dimming" and "global brightening" of solar radiation. These phenomena, supposedly human-induced, control solar radiation incident at the Earth's surface and thus influence climate.

Temp Work Strains Employee Mental Health, Study Finds Posted: 11 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT Workers hired for temporary, contract, casual or fixed-term positions are at risk for increased mental health problems, according to new research.

Bipedal Humans Came Down From The Trees, Not Up From The Ground Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT An analysis of wrist anatomy in humans, chimps, bonobos and gorillas indicates our own bipedalism probably did not evolve from a knuckle-walking ancestor. "Our data support the opposite notion, that features of the hand and wrist found in the human fossil record that have traditionally been treated as indicators of knuckle-walking behavior in general are in fact evidence of arboreality," researchers report.

Insufficient Sleep May Be Linked To Increased Diabetes Risk Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT Short sleep times, experienced by many individuals in Westernized societies, may contribute to the development of insulin resistance and reduced glucose tolerance, which in turn may increase the long-term risk of diabetes, according to a new study.

Professor Sequences His Entire Genome At Low Cost, With Small Team Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT The first few times that scientists mapped out all the DNA in a human being in 2001, each effort cost hundreds of millions of dollars and involved more than 250 people. Even last year, when the lowest reported cost was $250,000, genome sequencing still required almost 200 people. In a new paper, a professor reports sequencing his entire genome for less than $50,000 and with a team of just two other people.

Amazonian Tribe Sheds Light On Causes Of Heart Disease In Developed Countries Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT Heart attacks and strokes -- the leading causes of death in the United States and other developed countries -- may have been rare for the vast majority of human history, suggests a new study.

New Fireproof Coatings Can Really Take The Heat Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT Tough new fire-resistant coating materials called HIPS ("hybrid inorganic polymer system") are showing they can take the heat. HIPS coatings can withstand temperatures of over 1000°C compared to current commercial coatings used on building materials and structures which break down at between 150-250°C.

Middle-aged 'Macho Men' Are Less Likely To Obtain Preventative Care, Sociologists Find Posted: 11 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT Middle-aged men who strongly idealize masculinity are almost 50 percent less likely than other men to seek preventative health care services, according to a study -- the first population-based analysis of men's masculinity beliefs and preventative health care compliance.

Traffic Jam In Brain Causes Schizophrenia Symptoms; First Mouse To Develop Disease As Teenager, Just Like Humans Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT Northwestern researchers have discovered that schizophrenia symptoms -- which begin to develop in adolescents -- are caused by a low level of a brain protein necessary to build pathways between neurons. Without enough of the protein, there are too few roads for information to flow between neurons -- causing a traffic jam in the brain. This discovery provides a fresh target for treatment.

Potential Alzheimer's Disease Drug: New Class Of Compounds Discovered Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT A new class of molecules capable of blocking the formation of specific protein clumps that are believed to contribute to Alzheimer's disease pathology has been discovered. By assaying close to 300,000 compounds, they have identified drug-like inhibitors of AD tau protein clumping.

Revelations In Saturn's Rings Continue As Equinox Approaches Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT Thanks to a special play of sunlight and shadow as Saturn continues its march towards its August 11 equinox, recent images captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft are revealing new three-dimensional objects and structures in the planet's otherwise flat rings.

Radiation Therapy May Increase Diabetes Risk In Childhood Cancer Survivors Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT Childhood cancer survivors treated with total body or abdominal radiation may have an increased risk of diabetes, according to a new report. This correlation does not appear to be related to patients' body mass index or physical inactivity.

Computer Scientists Take Over Electronic Voting Machine With New Programming Technique Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT Computer scientists hacked an electronic voting machine and stole votes using a malicious programming approach that had not been invented when the voting machine was designed. The scientists employed "return-oriented programming" to force a Sequoia AVC Advantage electronic voting machine to turn against itself and steal votes.

Optimism Appears To Lower Women's Risk Of Death, Heart Disease Posted: 11 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT Optimistic women have a lower risk of developing heart disease and dying than pessimistic women. Pessimistic African-American women, in particular, had a higher risk of dying in the study. Researchers say it is unclear if interventions to change attitudes can alter risk.

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