Wednesday, September 02, 2009

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Monkeys Get A Groove On, But Only To Monkey Music

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT

New research shows that a monkey called the cotton-top tamarin responds to music. The catch? These South American monkeys are essentially immune to human music, but they respond appropriately to "monkey music."

Dynamic Changes In DNA Linked To Human Diabetes

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT

New research may give new meaning to the adage "You are what you eat." The DNA isolated from the muscles of people with diabetes bears chemical marks not found in those who respond normally to rising blood sugar levels, according to the study. The epigenetic marks in question are specifically found on a gene that controls the amount of fuel, in the form of glucose or lipids, that cells burn.

Mice Living In Sandy Hills Quickly Evolved Lighter Coloration

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT

In a vivid illustration of natural selection at work, scientists have found that deer mice living in Nebraska's Sand Hills quickly evolved lighter coloration after glaciers deposited sand dunes atop what had been much darker soil.

Biotransformed Blueberry Juice Fights Fat And Diabetes

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT

Juice extracted from North American lowbush blueberries, biotransformed with bacteria from the skin of the fruit, holds great promise as an anti-obesity and anti-diabetic agent. The study was conducted by researchers who tested the effects of biotransformed juices compared to regular blueberry drinks on mice.

New iPhone App 'Outbreaks Near Me' Locates H1N1 (Swine Flu), Infectious Diseases

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT

A new iPhone application, created by researchers at Children's Hospital Boston in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab, enables users to track and report outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as H1N1, on the ground in real time.

High School Put-downs Make It Hard For Students To Learn, Study Says

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT

High-school put-downs are such a staple of teen culture that many educators don't take them seriously. However, a study suggests that classroom disruptions and psychologically hostile school environments can contribute to a climate in which good students have difficulty learning and students who are behind have trouble catching up.

Giant Galaxy Hosts Most Distant Supermassive Black Hole

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Astronomers have discovered a giant galaxy surrounding the most distant supermassive black hole ever found. The galaxy, so distant that it is seen as it was 12.8 billion years ago, is as large as the Milky Way galaxy and harbors a supermassive black hole that contains at least a billion times as much matter as our Sun.

Gene Contributes To Two Different, Common Neurological Movement Disorders

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered that a single gene promotes development of essential tremor in some patients and Parkinson's disease in others. These are two common but distinct neurological disorders. Notably, patients with essential tremor shake when they move, and Parkinson's disease patients shake when they are at rest.

A Lost Picasso? Alloy Composition Profiles Could Help Identify, Date And Authenticate Bronzes

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

How do you tell when, where and how a Picasso or a Matisse sculpture was cast? Could bronze sculptures have their very own DNA? Researchers have completed the first comprehensive survey of the alloy composition of a large number of cast bronze sculptures by major European artists from the first half of the 20th century.

Weight Gain In Adulthood Associated With Prostate Cancer Risk; Patterns Differ By Ethnicity

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Body mass in younger and older adulthood, and weight gain between these periods of life, may influence a man's risk for prostate cancer. This risk varies among different ethnic populations, according to results of a new study.

Child's Play May Revolutionize Video Gaming, Police Work

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

What do hide-and-seek, police searches and video games such as Half-Life 2 have in common? More than you would think, say researchers.

Cheap Drinks At College Bars Can Escalate Drinking Among College Students

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Cheap drinks can lead to higher intoxication levels and a host of related health and safety problems. A new study has examined the relationship between alcohol prices at college bars and intoxication upon exit. Findings show that, contrary to bar claims, students will purchase more expensive alcoholic drinks and when they do, become less intoxicated than those who purchase more drinks at cheaper prices.

Discovery Of Novel Genes Could Unlock Mystery Of What Makes Us Uniquely Human

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Humans and chimpanzees are genetically very similar, yet it is not difficult to identify the many ways in which we are clearly distinct from chimps. In a new study, scientists have made a crucial discovery of genes that have evolved in humans after branching off from other primates, opening new possibilities for understanding what makes us uniquely human.

Why Don't Brain Tumors Respond To Medication?

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Malignant brain tumors often fail to respond to promising new medication. Researchers in Germany have discovered a mechanism and a tumor marker for the development of this resistance. A "death receptor" can possibly provide information as to how great the chances of success are for chemotherapy. At the same time, it offers a new approach for promising brain tumor therapy.

Old Moon Discovery Helps Unlock Earth Ocean Secrets

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

A discovery about the moon made in the 1960s is helping researchers unlock secrets about Earth's oceans today. By applying a method of calculating gravity that was first developed for the moon to data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, known as Grace, researchers have found a way to measure the pressure at the bottom of the ocean.

From Fat To Chronic Inflammation

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Researchers may have found a key ingredient in the recipe that leads from obesity to chronic low-grade inflammation, according to new research.

NASA's Orion Spacecraft Passes Significant Design Milestone

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

NASA has taken a major step toward building the next crew exploration vehicle by completing the Orion Project's preliminary design review, or PDR. Orion is being designed to carry astronauts to the International Space Station and other destinations.

People Who Don't Own A Car And Live Near Fast Food At Greater Risk For Obesity

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Living without a car in close proximity to fast food restaurants is associated with excess body mass index and weight gain, according to a new study. Adults in areas with high fast food concentration who didn't have a car were as much as 12 pounds heavier than those who lived in neighborhoods that lacked such restaurants.

Cradle And Birthday Of The Dog Identified: East Asia 16,000 years ago

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Previous studies have indicated that East Asia is where the wolf was tamed and became the dog. It was not possible to be more precise than that. But now researchers in Sweden have managed to zero in on man's best friend.

Protein–telomere Interactions Could Be Key In Treating Cancer

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Researchers have shown that a large noncoding RNA in mammals and yeast plays a central role in helping maintain telomeres, the tips of chromosomes that contain important genetic information and help regulate cell division.

Fine-tuning An Anti-cancer Drug

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Biochemists have illuminated a reaction pathway that blocks the action of proteasomes, vital intracellular waste-processing plants. They report insights that could potentially lead to development of custom-tailored anti-cancer drugs with improved efficacy and safety.

Men Experience Sexual Dysfunction During Hepatitis C Therapy

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Sexual impairment is common among men with chronic hepatitis C undergoing antiviral therapy, according to a new study.

Towards Healthier Communication: Social Networking Tools To Enhance Personal And Social Wellbeing

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Computer scientists are using social networking tools to explore if individuals can enhance their personal and social wellbeing over time if they quickly share how they feel about issues such as their busyness, enjoyment, health and stress via these networks.

Parents Play Key Role In Whether Teen Tobacco Use Becomes A Daily Habit

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Researchers have found new evidence showing that parents play a key role in whether or not their adolescent children who experiment with tobacco progress to become daily smokers before they graduate from high school.

Precise Radio-Telescope Measurements Advance Frontier Of Gravitational Physics

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Scientists using a continent-wide array of radio telescopes have made an extremely precise measurement of the curvature of space caused by the Sun's gravity, and their technique promises a major contribution to a frontier area of basic physics.

Finding The ZIP-code For Gene Therapy: Scientists Imitate Viruses To Deliver Therapeutic Genes

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Australian scientists have developed a new gene therapy vector that uses the same machinery that viruses use to transport their cargo into our cells. As a result, therapeutic DNA can be transferred to a cell's nucleus more efficiently than in the past, raising hopes for more effective treatment of genetic disorders and some types of cancers.

Cardiac Surgeons Implant World's First New DeBakey Heart Assist Device

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

At the end of July 2009, a team of cardiac surgeons in Germany was the first in the world to implant the HeartAssist 5 ventricular assist device, the modern version of the DeBakey VAD. The device augments the pumping function of the left ventricle in an especially effective, gentle and quiet manner. It pumps blood from the weakened or failed left ventricle into the aorta.

National Guideline Released For The Treatment Of Hoarseness

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

The American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery Foundation will issue the first -- and only -- national clinical practice guideline to help health care practitioners identify and manage patients with hoarseness, also known as dysphonia. The guideline emphasizes evidence-based management of hoarseness by clinicians, and educates patients on the prevalence of this common vocal health issue.

New Clean Room To Push Boundaries Of Computer Memory Technology

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

The new Southampton Nanofabrication Centre in the UK will make it possible to manufacture high-speed and non-volatile 'universal memory' devices for industry within 5 years, researchers say.

Time To Lift The Geoengineering Taboo, Experts Urge

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Hot on the heels of the Royal Society's Geoengineering the Climate report, September's Physics World contains feature comment from UK experts stressing the need to start taking geoengineering -- deliberate interventions in the climate system to counteract man-made global warming -- more seriously.

Stop Emitting Carbon Dioxide, Or Geoengineering Could Be Only Hope For Earth's Climate, Experts Warn

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

The future of the Earth could rest on potentially dangerous and unproven geoengineering technologies unless emissions of carbon dioxide can be greatly reduced, the latest Royal Society report has found.

How Much Omega-3 Fatty Acid Do We Need To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease?

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

Scientists found the dose of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) that is "just right" for preventing cardiovascular disease in healthy men. In a new study, they show that 200 mg of DHA per day is enough to affect biochemical markers that reliably predict cardiovascular problems. This study is the first to identify how much DHA is necessary to promote optimal heart health.

Children With Autism Use Alternative Keyboard To Communicate With Their Families And Their World

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

Autism can build a wall of poor communication between those struggling with the condition and their families. While a personal computer can help bridge the divide, the distraction and complexity of a keyboard can be an insurmountable obstacle.

Study Reveals How A Common Virus Eludes The Immune System

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

Viruses have numerous tricks for dodging the immune system. New research reveals a key detail in one of these stratagems, identifying a protein that enables cytomegalovirus to shut down an antiviral defense.

Underwater Expedition Delivers Key Findings In Search For Evidence Of Early Americans

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

In an expedition for submerged evidence of early Americans off Florida's Gulf Coast, archaeologists traced two ancient river systems in what they believe is the most extensive delineation of submerged prehistoric river systems ever done. They also identified chert, a stone used by prehistoric peoples in toolmaking, at three sites. Scientists believe they are on the threshold of delivering evidence of human habitation along those inundated rivers.

Planned Home Birth With Registered Midwife As Safe As Hospital Birth, Canadian Study Finds

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

The risk of infant death following planned home birth attended by a registered midwife does not differ from that of a planned hospital birth, a Canadian study finds.

Milk Drinking Started Around 7,500 Years Ago In Central Europe

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

The ability to digest the milk sugar lactose first evolved in dairy farming communities in central Europe, not in more northern groups as was previously thought, finds a new study. The genetic change that enabled early Europeans to drink milk without getting sick has been mapped to dairying farmers who lived 7,500 years ago between the central Balkans and central Europe.

Anti-wrinkling Treatments? Gene Mutation Responsible For Premature Skin Aging Disease Identified

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Scientists in Singapore and Germany report that mutations in the PYCR1 gene cause the rare genetic condition that results in premature skin aging and that is known as "wrinkly skin syndrome."

H1N1 Pandemic Virus Does Not Mutate Into 'Superbug' In Lab Study

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

In the first study to examine how the H1N1 pandemic virus interacts with other flu strains, laboratory research found no evidence of "reassortment" to form a more virulent "superbug," but did demonstrate the heightened communicability of the pandemic form responsible for the so-called swine flu. The pandemic virus prevailed over and out-competed the other strains in ferrets, reproducing, on average, twice as much.

New Hope For Deadly Childhood Bone Cancer: Surprising Discovery Made By Studying 'Junk DNA'

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Researchers have shed new light on Ewing's sarcoma, an often deadly bone cancer that typically afflicts children and young adults. Their research shows that patients with poor outcomes have tumors with high levels of a protein known as GSTM4, which may suppress the effects of chemotherapy.

Grasshoppers Can Transmit Virus To Livestock

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Rangeland plants may be harboring a virus that grasshoppers are transmitting to cattle, horses and other hoofed mammals, according to a new study.

Daylight-saving Time Leads To Less Sleep, More Injuries On The Job, Study Finds

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Every March, most Americans welcome the switch to daylight saving time because of the longer days, but also dread losing an hour of sleep after they move their clocks forward. Now a new study shows that losing just an hour of sleep could pose some dangerous consequences for those in hazardous work environments.

We Are All Mutants: Measurement Of Mutation Rate In Humans By Direct Sequencing

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Researchers have calculated a general rate of one mutation in each 15 to 30 million DNA letters in humans. Using next-generation sequencing, researchers sequenced part of the Y chromosome from two distant male-line relatives. Despite 13 generations of separation -- with a common male ancestor 200 years ago -- they found only four letters that differed. Mutation is the ultimate source of human genetic variation and has implications for both evolutionary and disease genetics.

Carbon Monoxide Linked To Heart Problems In Elderly

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Exposure to carbon monoxide, even at levels well below national limits, is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for the elderly with heart problems, according to a new study.

Risks Involved With Transgenic Fish

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Fast growing transgenic fish can revolutionize commercial fish farming and relieve the pressure on overexploited fish stocks. But what happens in the natural environment if transgenic fish escape? Researchers in Sweden have studied transgenic fish on behalf of the European Union and are urging caution.

Regular Electrocardiograms May Help Physicians Identify Patients At Risk Of Sudden Cardiac Death

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

QRS duration (QRSd) is one of several measures of heart function recorded during a routine electrocardiogram (ECG). It is a composite of waves showing the length of time it takes for an electrical signal to get all the way through the pumping chambers of the heart. Prolonged QRSd is a sign of an abnormal electrical system of the heart, and is often found when the heart isn't pumping efficiently.

Platinum Nanocatalyst Could Aid Drugmakers

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Nanoparticles combining platinum and gold act as superefficient catalysts, but chemists have struggled to create them in an industrially useful form. Chemists report making a plastic-coated gold-platinum nanorod that can be used in the organic solvents favored by chemical and drug manufacturers. Tests reveal that the polymer-functionalized particles have nearly 100 percent catalytic selectivity for the hydrogenation of terminal olefins.

Workplace Bullying Is Associated With Sleep Disturbances

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

A new study shows that current or past exposure to workplace bullying is associated with increased sleep disturbances. Associations also were found between observed bullying and sleep disruption, indicating that bullying has detrimental effects even when it is experienced indirectly.

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