ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• 'Hidden Portal' Concept Described: First Tunable Electromagnetic Gateway
• Brain Damage Seen On Brain Scans May Predict Memory Loss In Old Age
• Mango Seeds May Protect Against Deadly Food Bacteria
• Possible Genetic Links Between Environmental Toxins And Multiple Myeloma
• One Nano-step Closer To Weighing A Single Atom
• Sleep Patterns In Children And Teenagers Could Indicate Risk For Depression
• Early Modern Humans Used Fire To Engineer Tools From Stone; Complex Cognition Older Than 72,000 Years?
• Mighty Mice: Treatment Targeted To Muscle Improves Motor Neuron Disease
• White Tea Could Keep You Healthy And Looking Young
• Camera Flash Turns An Insulating Material Into A Conductor
• Muscular Protein Bond -- Strongest Yet Found In Nature
• Binge Drinking Affects Attention And Working Memory In Young University Students
• First Human Gene Implicated In Regulating Length Of Human Sleep
• Vision Researchers See Unexpected Gain One Year Into Blindness Trial
• Discovery Brings Hope To Treatment Of Lymphatic Diseases
• Potential Risk Identified In Transfusions Of Platelets Before Bone Marrow Transplant
• Climate Change Could Have Negative Effects On Stream And Forest Ecosystems
• Link Between Over-indebtedness And Obesity Identified
• Increased Ocean Acidification In Alaska Waters, New Findings Show
• Technique Enables Efficient Gene Splicing In Human Embryonic Stem Cells
• New Life Histories Emerge For Invasive Wasps, Magnify Ecological Harm
• How Mice And Humans Differ Immunologically
• Middle Miocene Oxygen Minimum Zone Expansion Offshore West Africa: Evidence For Global Cooling Precursor Events
• Certain Behavioral Traits And Feeding Practices May Increase Risk For Weight Gain In Children
• Unexpected Relationship Between Climate Warming And Advancing Treelines
• Novel, Orally Inhaled Migraine Therapy Is Effective, Study Shows
• To Manage A Fishery, You Must Know How The Fish Die
• Guided Care Reduces Cost Of Health Care For Older Persons With Chronic Conditions
• Novel Mechanism Revealed For Increasing Recombinant Protein Yield In Tobacco
• Scientists Warn Restoration-based Environmental Markets May Not Improve Ecosystem Health
• Experiments Push Quantum Mechanics To Higher Levels
• Toxic Levels Of Alzheimer's Clusters In Brain Determined
• Black Tea May Fight Diabetes
• Still Searching For Predictors Of Asthma Attacks
• Carbon Nanotubes Sprout Without Metal Catalyst: Oxides Work, Too
• Parental Influences Differ In Determing Child's Later Academic Success
• Parasite Causes Zombie Ants To Die In An Ideal Spot
• Mediterranean Diet, Physical Activity Linked With Lower Risk Of Alzheimer Disease
• Conserving Big Cats Works: South African Leopard Field Study Yields Encouraging Results
• Scientists Open Doors To Diagnosis Of Emphysema
• Nanocrystal Growth Spurts: First Real-Time Direct Observations Of Nanocrystal Growth In Solution
• Substance Abuse, Schizophrenia And Risk Of Violence
• Harbingers Of Increased Atlantic Hurricane Activity Identified
• Antibodies To Strep Throat Bacteria Linked To Obsessive Compulsive Disorder In Mice
• Synthetic Derivative Of Kudzu Vine Can Reduce Drinking And Prevent Relapse
• Dysport Deemed Safe, Effective Anti-wrinkle Treatment, Plastic Surgeons Say
• Improving Air Force Situational Awareness With Smart Satellite Imagery
• Wide Range Of Mental Disorders Increase The Chance Of Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors

'Hidden Portal' Concept Described: First Tunable Electromagnetic Gateway Posted: 14 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT While the researchers can't promise delivery to a parallel universe or a school for wizards, books like Pullman's Dark Materials and JK Rowling's Harry Potter are steps closer to reality now that researchers in China have created the first tunable electromagnetic gateway.

Brain Damage Seen On Brain Scans May Predict Memory Loss In Old Age Posted: 14 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT Areas of brain damage seen on brain scans and originally thought to be related to stroke may help doctors predict a person's risk of memory problems in old age, according to new research.

Mango Seeds May Protect Against Deadly Food Bacteria Posted: 14 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT Life in the fruit bowl is no longer the pits, thanks to a Canadian researcher who has found a way to turn the throwaway kernels in mangos into a natural food preservative that could help prevent Listeriosis outbreaks.

Possible Genetic Links Between Environmental Toxins And Multiple Myeloma Posted: 14 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT Several SNPs associated with bone disease in myeloma have been identified. Several of these SNPs are believed to be associated with toxin metabolism and/or DNA repair. Although these findings are still preliminary, they could explain an increasing incidence of myeloma, including the unexpected findings of myeloma among younger (under 45 years of age) responders to the 9/11 World Trade Center site.

One Nano-step Closer To Weighing A Single Atom Posted: 14 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT By studying gold nanoparticles with highly uniform sizes and shapes, scientists now understand how they lose energy, a key step towards producing nanoscale detectors for weighing any single atom.

Sleep Patterns In Children And Teenagers Could Indicate Risk For Depression Posted: 14 Aug 2009 11:00 AM PDT Sleep patterns can help predict which adolescents might be at greatest risk for developing depression, a researcher has found in a five-year study.

Early Modern Humans Used Fire To Engineer Tools From Stone; Complex Cognition Older Than 72,000 Years? Posted: 14 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT New evidence has been found showing that early modern humans living on the southern coast of Africa 72,000 years ago employed pyrotechnology -- the controlled use of fire -- to increase the quality and efficiency of their stone tool manufacturing process. This technology required a novel association between fire, its heat, and a structural change in stone with consequent flaking benefits; findings ignite notion of complex cognition in these early engineers.

Mighty Mice: Treatment Targeted To Muscle Improves Motor Neuron Disease Posted: 14 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT New research with transgenic mice reveals that a therapy directed at the muscle significantly improves disease symptoms of a genetic disorder characterized by destruction of the neurons that control movement. The study highlights a promising new treatment for this currently incurable and non-treatable neurodegenerative disorder.

White Tea Could Keep You Healthy And Looking Young Posted: 14 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT Next time you're making a cup of tea, new research shows it might be wise to opt for a white tea if you want to reduce your risk of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or even just age-associated wrinkles. Researchers tested the health properties of 21 plant and herb extracts. They discovered all of the plants tested had some potential benefits, but were intrigued to find white tea considerably outperformed all of them.

Camera Flash Turns An Insulating Material Into A Conductor Posted: 14 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT An insulator can now be transformed to conduct electricity by an ordinary camera flash. Researchers have found a new way of turning graphite oxide -- a low-cost insulator made by oxidizing graphite powder -- into graphene, a hotly studied material that conducts electricity. Scientists believe graphene could be used to produce low-cost carbon-based transparent and flexible electronics.

Muscular Protein Bond -- Strongest Yet Found In Nature Posted: 14 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have shed new light on the roots of mechanical strength in muscle tissue by probing -- through single-molecule experiments -- a super-stable protein bond, the titin-telethonin complex.

Binge Drinking Affects Attention And Working Memory In Young University Students Posted: 14 Aug 2009 08:00 AM PDT A new study looks at binge drinking's impact on attention and visual working memory processes in young Spanish university students. Results indicate that binge drinkers expend more attentional effort to complete a given task, and also have problems differentiating between relevant and irrelevant information

First Human Gene Implicated In Regulating Length Of Human Sleep Posted: 14 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have discovered the first gene involved in regulating the optimal length of human sleep, offering a window into a key aspect of slumber, an enigmatic phenomenon that is critical to human physical and mental health.

Vision Researchers See Unexpected Gain One Year Into Blindness Trial Posted: 14 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT Three young adults who received gene therapy for a blinding eye condition remained healthy and maintained previous visual gains one year later, according to a new report. One patient also noticed a visual improvement that helped her perform daily tasks.

Discovery Brings Hope To Treatment Of Lymphatic Diseases Posted: 14 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered the first naturally occurring molecule that selectively blocks lymphatic vessel growth.

Potential Risk Identified In Transfusions Of Platelets Before Bone Marrow Transplant Posted: 14 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT A larger number of platelet transfusions given before a bone marrow transplant to treat bone marrow failure syndromes correlates with a greater risk of transplant rejection. A model system in mice shows that platelet transfusions can increase the risk of later bone marrow transplant rejection, even when donor and recipient are MHC "matched." More research is necessary to determine if the same mechanisms occur in humans. Modification of transfused platelets or matching for "minor antigens" on donated platelets may be potential remedies.

Climate Change Could Have Negative Effects On Stream And Forest Ecosystems Posted: 14 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT A rare April freeze in 2007 provided researchers with further evidence that climate change could have negative effects on stream and forest ecosystems.

Link Between Over-indebtedness And Obesity Identified Posted: 14 Aug 2009 05:00 AM PDT Scientists in Germany have discovered a close correlation between over-indebtedness and obesity. According to a new study, over-indebted Germans are more likely to be overweight or obese than the population in general. The authors attribute this to the high cost of a healthy diet, lack of awareness of the availability of cheaper but nonetheless wholesome foods, but most particularly to the psychological and social stress experienced by over-indebted individuals.

Increased Ocean Acidification In Alaska Waters, New Findings Show Posted: 14 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT The same things that make Alaska's marine waters among the most productive in the world may also make them the most vulnerable to ocean acidification. According to new findings, Alaska's oceans are becoming increasingly acidic, which could damage Alaska's king crab and salmon fisheries.

Technique Enables Efficient Gene Splicing In Human Embryonic Stem Cells Posted: 14 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT A novel technique allows for precise, efficient gene editing into the genomes of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. For years, scientists have easily swapped genes in and out of mouse ESC or iPS cell genomes, but have had a notoriously difficult time disrupting or inserting genes into their human equivalents. This hurdle has hampered efforts to create specific cell types for modeling genetic diseases, like Parkinson's.

New Life Histories Emerge For Invasive Wasps, Magnify Ecological Harm Posted: 14 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT A switch from annual to multiyear colonies and a willingness to feed just about any prey to their young have allowed invasive yellowjacket wasps to disrupt native populations of insects and spiders on two Hawaiian islands, a new study has found.

How Mice And Humans Differ Immunologically Posted: 14 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT New research indicates the reason that humans and rodents respond differently to a molecule that is being developed to treat allergic diseases. Specifically, the molecule, which triggers the protein TLR9, induces production of the soluble factor TNF-alpha only in rodents.

Middle Miocene Oxygen Minimum Zone Expansion Offshore West Africa: Evidence For Global Cooling Precursor Events Posted: 14 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT The Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum (16 to 14 million years ago), considered generally to be the warmest period in Earth's history within the past 25 million years, saw a major shift in climate from global warming to cooling. This reversal of climatic warming has proven difficult to understand because of the limited range of available records.

Certain Behavioral Traits And Feeding Practices May Increase Risk For Weight Gain In Children Posted: 14 Aug 2009 02:00 AM PDT It's important for parents to use the right approach when trying to combat childhood obesity. Restrictive feeding practices, or forbidding certain foods, may not always be the best solution. A child's inhibitory control, a behavior similar to self-control, may be more important than parental restrictions. An article and related editorial explore the relationship between a child's low inhibitory control, parental restrictive feeding practices and childhood weight gain.

Unexpected Relationship Between Climate Warming And Advancing Treelines Posted: 13 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT A new study reveals that treelines are not responding to climate warming as expected. The research, the first global quantitative assessment of the relationship between climate warming and treeline advance, is published in Ecology Letters and tests the premise that treelines are globally advancing in response to climate warming since 1900.

Novel, Orally Inhaled Migraine Therapy Is Effective, Study Shows Posted: 13 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT A new study shows an investigational, orally-inhaled therapy is effective in treating migraines. The multi-center, phase three FREEDOM-301 trial for the orally-inhaled migraine therapy, LEVADEX, shows study participants had significant relief from symptoms such as pain, nausea and light and sound sensitivity when compared to placebo treatment.

To Manage A Fishery, You Must Know How The Fish Die Posted: 13 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT Fishermen know you need good fishery management to ensure healthy fish populations for future generations. And good decisions rely on understanding fish mortality -- how many fish die each year as a result of natural causes and recreational and commercial fishing. Scientists have utilized new research to give fishery managers better data on how fish are dying, so they can make informed decisions on how to ensure a healthy fish population.

Guided Care Reduces Cost Of Health Care For Older Persons With Chronic Conditions Posted: 13 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT The nation's sickest and most expensive patients need fewer health care resources and cost insurers less when they are closely supported by a nurse-physician primary care team that tracks their health and offers regular support, according to new research. A randomized controlled trial found patients in a primary care enhancement program called "Guided Care" cost health insurers 11 percent less than patients in the control groups.

Novel Mechanism Revealed For Increasing Recombinant Protein Yield In Tobacco Posted: 13 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT Elastin-like polypeptides cause plants to store GM proteins in special "protein bodies," insulating them from normal cellular degradation processes and increasing the overall protein yield. Researchers have visualized the mechanism by which the synthetic biopolymer increases the accumulation of recombinant proteins.

Scientists Warn Restoration-based Environmental Markets May Not Improve Ecosystem Health Posted: 13 Aug 2009 11:00 PM PDT While policymakers across of the globe are relying on environmental restoration projects to fuel emerging market-based environmental programs, a new article in Science by two noted ecologists warns that these programs still lack the scientific certainty needed to ensure that restoration projects deliver the environmental improvements being marketed.

Experiments Push Quantum Mechanics To Higher Levels Posted: 13 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have devised a new type of superconducting circuit that behaves quantum mechanically -- but has up to five levels of energy instead of the usual two. These circuits act like artificial atoms in that they can only gain or lose energy in packets, or quanta, by jumping between discrete energy levels.

Toxic Levels Of Alzheimer's Clusters In Brain Determined Posted: 13 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists know that small, grape-like clusters of a protein called the amyloid beta-protein are toxic, causing Alzheimer's (AD). By creating various sizes of clusters in the lab that exactly match what forms in AD brains, neurologists have determined the toxicity of these clusters, and suggest a target for future drugs.

Black Tea May Fight Diabetes Posted: 13 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT Long known for its antioxidants, immune boosting and, most recently, antihypertensive properties, black tea could have another health benefit. Black tea may be used to control diabetes, according to a new study.

Still Searching For Predictors Of Asthma Attacks Posted: 13 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT A new study of persistent asthma in inner-city adolescents and young adults finds that an extensive set of clinical tests cannot successfully predict the future risk of asthma attacks in participants who both receive care based on current guidelines and adhere to treatment recommendations.

Carbon Nanotubes Sprout Without Metal Catalyst: Oxides Work, Too Posted: 13 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have for the first time shown that nanotubes can grow without a metal catalyst. The researchers demonstrate that zirconium oxide, the same compound found in cubic zirconia "fake diamonds," can also grow nanotubes, but without the unwanted side effects of metal.

Parental Influences Differ In Determing Child's Later Academic Success Posted: 13 Aug 2009 08:00 PM PDT Mothers and fathers play different roles and make different contributions to a child's upbringing, but a father's influence upon a child's academic success later in life is felt the most when he's involved from the very beginning, according to a new study.

Parasite Causes Zombie Ants To Die In An Ideal Spot Posted: 13 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT Scientists describe new details about a fungal parasite that coerces ants into dying in just the right spot -- one that is ideal for the fungus to grow and reproduce. Their study shows just how precisely the fungus manipulates the behavior of its hapless hosts.

Mediterranean Diet, Physical Activity Linked With Lower Risk Of Alzheimer Disease Posted: 13 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT Elderly individuals who had a diet that included higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereal and fish, and was low in red meat and poultry and who were physically active had an associated lower risk of Alzheimer disease, according to a new study. In a separate study, higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with slower cognitive decline, but was not associated with a decreased risk of dementia.

Conserving Big Cats Works: South African Leopard Field Study Yields Encouraging Results Posted: 13 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT In 2002, leopards in were legally -- but unsustainably -- hunted by trophy hunters, and illegally hunted by farmers because of the threat they pose to livestock. In order to reduce leopard killings, scientists have worked with local policy makers to create sustainable conservation solutions. In 2006, recommendations were successfully implemented and by 2008 data showed that the plans were working.

Scientists Open Doors To Diagnosis Of Emphysema Posted: 13 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT A new development may provide powerful new test for inflammatory lung diseases. Chronic inflammatory lung diseases like chronic bronchitis and emphysema are a major global health problem, and the fourth leading cause of death and disability in developed countries, with smoking accounting for 90% of the risk for developing them. New work has shed light on the underlying disease process of emphysema using a technique which could in future be adapted for use in diagnosis.

Nanocrystal Growth Spurts: First Real-Time Direct Observations Of Nanocrystal Growth In Solution Posted: 13 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT Experts in nanocrystal growth and electron microscopy combined their skills to record the first ever direct observations in real-time of the growth of single nanocrystals in solution. Their findings revealed that there are two distinct trajectories by which nanocrystals can grow but in the end the crystals come out roughly the same size and shape.

Substance Abuse, Schizophrenia And Risk Of Violence Posted: 13 Aug 2009 05:00 PM PDT A new study demonstrates that there is an association between schizophrenia and violence, but shows that this association is greatly increased by drug and alcohol abuse. Importantly, the study also finds that the risk of violence from patients with psychoses who also have substance use disorder is no greater than those who have a substance use disorder but who do not have a psychotic illness.

Harbingers Of Increased Atlantic Hurricane Activity Identified Posted: 13 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT Reconstructions of past hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean indicate that the most active hurricane period in the past was during the "Medieval Climate Anomaly" about a thousand years ago when climate conditions created a "perfect storm" of La Nina-like conditions combined with warm tropical Atlantic waters.

Antibodies To Strep Throat Bacteria Linked To Obsessive Compulsive Disorder In Mice Posted: 13 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new study indicates that pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette syndrome and/or tic disorder may develop from an inappropriate immune response to the bacteria causing common throat infections. The mouse model findings support the view that this condition is a distinct disorder, and represent a key advance in tracing the path leading from an ordinary infection in childhood to the surfacing of a psychiatric syndrome.

Synthetic Derivative Of Kudzu Vine Can Reduce Drinking And Prevent Relapse Posted: 13 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT Kudzu extracts have been used in Chinese folk medicine to treat alcoholism for about 1,000 years. Daidzin is an anti-drinking substance in kudzu. A synthetic form of daidzin, called CVT-10216, can successfully reduce drinking and prevent relapse in preclinical rodent models.

Dysport Deemed Safe, Effective Anti-wrinkle Treatment, Plastic Surgeons Say Posted: 13 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT The new anti-wrinkle facial filler Dysport, which could be used as an alternative to Botox, noticeably reduced frown lines between the eyes, according to users and independent reviewers in a study involving plastic surgeons.

Improving Air Force Situational Awareness With Smart Satellite Imagery Posted: 13 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers are improving US Air Force situational awareness with software that presents vast amounts of map data in a more manageable format for its commanders in theater.

Wide Range Of Mental Disorders Increase The Chance Of Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors Posted: 13 Aug 2009 02:00 PM PDT Although depression is the mental disorder that most people associate with suicidal behavior, a new study reveals that a wide range of mental disorders increase the odds of thinking about suicide and making suicide attempts.

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