ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Ancient And Bizarre Fish Discovered: New Species Of Ghostshark From California And Baja California
• Historic Gene Therapy Trial To Treat Alzheimer's Disease
• New Findings Could Help Hybrid, Electric Cars Keep Their Cool
• Computer Model Shows Changes In Brain Mechanisms For Cocaine Addicts
• Hurricane Frequency Is Up But Not Their Strength, Say Researchers
• Lies My Parents Told Me: Parents Use Deception To Influence Their Children
• Frog Fungus Hammering Biodiversity Of Communities
• Rethinking Alzheimer's Disease And Its Treatment Targets
• Diamonds May Be The Ultimate MRI Probe, Say Quantum Physicists
• Gene Variant Linked To Glaucoma Identified
• New NIST Nano-ruler Sets Some Very Small Marks
• RU Kidding? Research Finds That Chatspeak Has No Impact On Children's Spelling Ability
• Computer Code Gives Astrophysicists First Full Simulation Of Star's Final Hours
• Balance Organs Affect Brain Blood Flow
• Cleaner Coal Plants May Use Pressurized Combustion System To Capture Carbon Dioxide
• Women With Atrial Fibrillation Are At Significantly Higher Risk Of Stroke And Death Compared To Men
• Theorists Attempt To Determine Whether Particle Physics And String Theory Can Be Reconciled
• Private Umbilical Cord Banking Not Cost-effective, Analysis Finds
• Radar Map Of Buried Mars Layers Matches Climate Cycles
• Childbearing Increases Chance Of Developing The Metabolic Syndrome
• How Proteins Talk To Each Other
• Prostate Cancer Patients On Hormone Therapy At Increased Risk For Various Heart Diseases
• New Beryllium Reference Material For Occupational Safety Monitoring
• Small Increase In Hospital Mortality Rates In First Week Of August, Research Shows
• Explaining Why Pruning Encourages Plants To Thrive
• Alzheimer's Researcher Demonstrates Specific Immune Response To Vaccine
• Micro-satellites MicroGEM Offer Improved Earth Monitoring
• Targeted Heat Therapy Offers New Standard Treatment Option For Soft Tissue Sarcoma
• A Flash Of Light Turns Graphene Into A Biosensor
• Mindful Meditation, Shared Dialogues Reduce Physician Burnout
• Blood-brain Barrier As Therapy Delivery System: Enzyme Delivered Through Bloodstream Corrects Deficiencies In Brain
• Breathing Technique Can Reduce Frequency, Severity Of Asthma Attacks
• Researchers Work To Keep Terrapin Turtle Off Endangered Species List
• Immune Response To Spinal Cord Injury May Worsen Damage
• Promising Mechanically-stacked GaAs/Ge Multijunction Solar Cell Unveiled
• Current Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions Pledges Leave Climate Targets In The Red, Analysis Finds
• Mathematicians Solve 'Trillion Triangle' Problem
• Species-jumping Diseases: Better Global System Needed To Effectively Prevent, Detect, Respond To Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
• Nationwide Study Examines Youth Access To Indoor Tanning
• Can Over-the-counter Vitamin-like Substance -- Coenzyme Q10 -- Slow Progression Of Parkinson's Disease?
• Large Area Solar Cells With 18.4% Conversion Efficiency, Featuring Cu-plated Contacts
• Seasonality Of Mortality: Summer Vacation Link?
• New Vista Of Milky Way Center Unveiled
• Discovery Reveals Fate Of Nanoparticles In Human Cells
• Low-gravity Space Station Lab Used To Study Crystal Growth
• Cancer Predisposition From Particular Genetic Variation Shows Strong Gender Bias
• 'Intelligent Car' Able To Learn From Owner’s Driving And Warn In Case Of Accident Hazard
• Watching Your Weight? Beware Of Skinny Friends With Big Appetites

Ancient And Bizarre Fish Discovered: New Species Of Ghostshark From California And Baja California Posted: 23 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT Scientists recently named a new species of chimaera, an ancient and bizarre group of fishes distantly related to sharks, from the coast of Southern California and Baja California, Mexico. The new species is the Eastern Pacific black ghostshark.

Historic Gene Therapy Trial To Treat Alzheimer's Disease Posted: 23 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT Researchers are now recruiting volunteers for a national gene therapy trial -- the first study of its kind for the treatment of patients with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.

New Findings Could Help Hybrid, Electric Cars Keep Their Cool Posted: 23 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT Understanding precisely how fluid boils in tiny "microchannels" has led to formulas and models that will help engineers design systems to cool high-power electronics in electric and hybrid cars, aircraft, computers and other devices.

Computer Model Shows Changes In Brain Mechanisms For Cocaine Addicts Posted: 23 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT Researchers are utilizing computational models to study how the brain's chemicals and synaptic mechanisms, or connections between neurons, react to cocaine addiction and what this could mean for future therapies.

Hurricane Frequency Is Up But Not Their Strength, Say Researchers Posted: 23 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT In a new study, researchers have concluded that the number of hurricanes and tropical storms in the Atlantic Basin is increasing, but there is no evidence that their individual strengths are any greater than storms of the past or that the chances of a US strike are up.

Lies My Parents Told Me: Parents Use Deception To Influence Their Children Posted: 23 Sep 2009 11:00 AM PDT Parents say that honesty is the best policy, but they regularly lie to their children as a way of influencing their behavior and emotions, finds new research.

Frog Fungus Hammering Biodiversity Of Communities Posted: 23 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Everyone knows that frogs are in trouble. But a recent analysis of frog surveys done at eight Central American sites shows the situation is worse than thought. Under pressure from an invasive fungus, the frogs in this biodiversity hot spot are undergoing "a vast homogenization." "We're witnessing the McDonaldization of the frog communities," comments the lead author of the new study.

Rethinking Alzheimer's Disease And Its Treatment Targets Posted: 23 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT A new study suggests that the natural repair of myelin in the brain may be the root cause of various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Diamonds May Be The Ultimate MRI Probe, Say Quantum Physicists Posted: 23 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Diamonds, it has long been said, are a girl's best friend. But a research team has recently found that the gems might turn out to be a patient's best friend as well.

Gene Variant Linked To Glaucoma Identified Posted: 23 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have discovered gene variants for glaucoma in a black population. The finding could lead to future treatments or a cure for this disease, which leads to blindness in two million Americans each year.

New NIST Nano-ruler Sets Some Very Small Marks Posted: 23 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT NIST has issued a new ruler, and even for an organization that routinely deals in superlatives, it sets some records. Designed to be the most accurate commercially available 'meter stick' for the nano world, the new measuring tool boasts uncertainties below a femtometer. That's 0.000 000 000 000 001 meter, or roughly the size of a neutron.

RU Kidding? Research Finds That Chatspeak Has No Impact On Children's Spelling Ability Posted: 23 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT This will prolly comes as a bit of a shock to UR system, but findings from a group of researchers show that language commonly used in instant messaging has no effect on your child's spelling abilities. If anything, says a study author, using language variations commonly used in instant messaging and texting is actually a good sign.

Computer Code Gives Astrophysicists First Full Simulation Of Star's Final Hours Posted: 23 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT The precise conditions inside a white dwarf star in the hours leading up to its explosive end as a Type Ia supernova are one of the mysteries confronting astrophysicists studying these massive stellar explosions. Now astrophysicists and mathematicians have created the first full-star simulation of the hours preceding the largest thermonuclear explosions in the universe.

Balance Organs Affect Brain Blood Flow Posted: 23 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT The organs of the inner ear have a direct effect on brain blood flow, independent of blood pressure and carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Researchers used a series of human centrifuge experiments to investigate the effects of stimulation of the otoliths and semi-circular canals on cerebrovascular response.

Cleaner Coal Plants May Use Pressurized Combustion System To Capture Carbon Dioxide Posted: 23 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have developed designs for a new kind of coal-burning power plant, called a pressurized oxy-fuel combustion system, whose carbon-dioxide emissions are concentrated and pressurized so that they can be injected into deep geological formations. This system is a way to reduce the energy penalty that all carbon-capture systems for power plants have compared to regular fossil-fuel plants, and could thus be an enabling technology to help make carbon capture and sequestration systems practical and affordable.

Women With Atrial Fibrillation Are At Significantly Higher Risk Of Stroke And Death Compared To Men Posted: 23 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT Even though the incidence of atrial fibrillation is higher in men than women, a review of past studies and medical literature shows that women are more likely than men to experience symptomatic attacks, a higher frequency of recurrences, and significantly higher heart rates during atrial fibrillation, which increases the risk of stroke.

Theorists Attempt To Determine Whether Particle Physics And String Theory Can Be Reconciled Posted: 23 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT A new toolkit of equations will help theorists determine whether a promising agreement between particle physics and string theory is fact or fancy.

Private Umbilical Cord Banking Not Cost-effective, Analysis Finds Posted: 23 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT Private cord blood banking is not cost-effective because it costs an additional $1,374,246 per life-year gained, according to a new analysis. The research team also concluded that private cord blood banking is cost-effective only for families with a child with a very high likelihood of needing a stem cell transplant.

Radar Map Of Buried Mars Layers Matches Climate Cycles Posted: 23 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT New, three-dimensional imaging of Martian north-polar ice layers by a radar instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is consistent with theoretical models of Martian climate swings during the past few million years.

Childbearing Increases Chance Of Developing The Metabolic Syndrome Posted: 23 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Childbearing is associated directly with future development of the metabolic syndrome -- abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, insulin resistance and other cardiovascular disease risk factors -- and for women who have had gestational diabetes, the risk is more than twice greater, according to a new study.

How Proteins Talk To Each Other Posted: 23 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Investigators have identified novel cleavage sites for the enzyme caspase-3 (an enzyme that proteolytically cleaves target proteins). Using an advanced proteomic technique called N-terminomics, scientists determined the cleavage sites on target proteins and found, contrary to previous understanding, that caspase-3 targets a-helices as well as unstructured loops.

Prostate Cancer Patients On Hormone Therapy At Increased Risk For Various Heart Diseases Posted: 23 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT New research has found that hormone therapy used to treat men with advanced prostate cancer is associated with an increased chance of developing various heart problems. Some choices of therapy appear, however, to be less risky than others.

New Beryllium Reference Material For Occupational Safety Monitoring Posted: 23 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have produced a new standard reference material for beryllium, an exotic rare-earth metal used as a hardener in high-performance alloys and ceramics. The metal can cause berylliosis, a chronic, incurable and sometimes fatal illness, and the new reference material is expected to dramatically improve methods used to monitor workers' exposure.

Small Increase In Hospital Mortality Rates In First Week Of August, Research Shows Posted: 23 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT People admitted to English hospitals in an emergency on the first Wednesday in August have, on average, a 6 percent higher mortality rate than people admitted on the previous Wednesday, according to new research.

Explaining Why Pruning Encourages Plants To Thrive Posted: 22 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT Scientists have shown that the main shoot dominates a plant's growth principally because it was there first, rather than due to its position at the top of the plant. The discovery helps explain why pruning encourages plants to thrive.

Alzheimer's Researcher Demonstrates Specific Immune Response To Vaccine Posted: 22 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT A researcher who is working on a vaccine for Alzheimer's disease has demonstrated that it is possible to test and measure specific immune responses in mice carrying human genes and to anticipate the immune response in Alzheimer's patients. The work could one day lead to specific Alzheimer's vaccines that reduce plaque, neuronal damage and inflammation associated with the disease.

Micro-satellites MicroGEM Offer Improved Earth Monitoring Posted: 22 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT A combination of small satellites can, with innovative methods, use the signals of the navigation satellite systems GPS and Galileo to significantly improve remote sensing of Earth.

Targeted Heat Therapy Offers New Standard Treatment Option For Soft Tissue Sarcoma Posted: 22 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT Patients with soft-tissue sarcomas at high risk of spreading were 30 percent more likely to be alive and cancer free almost three years after starting treatment if their tumors were heated at the time they received chemotherapy, a new study shows.

A Flash Of Light Turns Graphene Into A Biosensor Posted: 22 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT After learning how DNA interacts with the novel nanomaterial graphene, researchers propose a DNA-graphene nanoscaffold be used as a biosensor to diagnose diseases, detect toxins in tainted food and detect pathogens in biological weapons, among other applications.

Mindful Meditation, Shared Dialogues Reduce Physician Burnout Posted: 22 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT Training in mindfulness meditation and communication can alleviate the psychological distress and burnout experienced by many physicians and can improve their well-being, researchers report.

Blood-brain Barrier As Therapy Delivery System: Enzyme Delivered Through Bloodstream Corrects Deficiencies In Brain Posted: 22 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT The blood brain barrier is generally considered an obstacle to delivering therapies from the bloodstream to the brain. However, researchers have discovered a way to turn the blood vessels surrounding brain cells into a production and delivery system for getting therapeutic molecules directly into brain cells. The findings, published Sept. 13 in Nature Medicine's advance online publication, could lead to a new non-invasive approach for treating certain fatal neurological diseases.

Breathing Technique Can Reduce Frequency, Severity Of Asthma Attacks Posted: 22 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT Researchers are expanding a study that shows promise for reducing both the expense and suffering associated with chronic asthma. A four-week program teaches asthmatics how to better control their condition by changing the way they breathe.

Researchers Work To Keep Terrapin Turtle Off Endangered Species List Posted: 22 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT Researchers exploring strategies for conserving the Diamondback Terrapin along Alabama's Dauphin Island coastline are working to keep the once-celebrated turtle off the endangered species list. The Diamondback Terrapin has been a national delicacy, a source of state taxes and a casualty of commercial development and victim of new predators.

Immune Response To Spinal Cord Injury May Worsen Damage Posted: 22 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT After spinal cord injury, B lymphocytes collect in the spinal fluid and release high levels of antibodies. A new study shows that those antibodies can worsen and extend spinal cord damage. The findings suggest that inhibiting B lymphocytes may improve healing and reduce long-term effects of spinal cord injury. They may also help explain why the central nervous system does not repair itself efficiently and why other impairments often follow spinal cord injury.

Promising Mechanically-stacked GaAs/Ge Multijunction Solar Cell Unveiled Posted: 22 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT Researchers in Europe have presented a mechanically-stacked GaAs/Ge multijunction solar cell. This is the first promising demonstrator of a novel technology to produce mechanically stacked, high-efficiency multijunction solar cells, aiming at efficiencies above 40%.

Current Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions Pledges Leave Climate Targets In The Red, Analysis Finds Posted: 22 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT Total greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions currently proposed by industrialized countries fall short of the pathway to reaching a 2 degree target as referred to by the UNFCCC Kyoto Protocol negotiating group, despite the fact that the cost of meeting these pledges is much lower than anticipated, according to a study released today.

Mathematicians Solve 'Trillion Triangle' Problem Posted: 22 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT Mathematicians have resolved the first one trillion cases of an ancient mathematics problem. The advance was made possible by a clever new computational technique for multiplying large numbers. The numbers involved are so enormous that if their digits were written out by hand they would stretch to the moon and back.

Species-jumping Diseases: Better Global System Needed To Effectively Prevent, Detect, Respond To Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Posted: 22 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT Significant weaknesses undermine the global community's abilities to prevent, detect early, and respond efficiently to potentially deadly species-crossing microbes, such as the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus sweeping the globe, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council.

Nationwide Study Examines Youth Access To Indoor Tanning Posted: 22 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT Many indoor tanning businesses require parental consent for teenagers to use their facilities, but most would allow young tanners more than the government-recommended amount of exposure during the first week, according to a new report. Facilities with specific state laws regarding parental consent or accompaniment were more likely to require these steps.

Can Over-the-counter Vitamin-like Substance -- Coenzyme Q10 -- Slow Progression Of Parkinson's Disease? Posted: 22 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT A large-scale, multi-center clinical trial is under way in the US and Canada to determine whether a vitamin-like substance called coenzyme Q10, in high doses, can slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.

Large Area Solar Cells With 18.4% Conversion Efficiency, Featuring Cu-plated Contacts Posted: 22 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers in Europe are presenting a large-area solar with a conversion efficiency of 18.4%. Compared to the standard i-PERC cell process, the new solar cell features a shallow emitter and advanced front metallization using copper plating. The results were obtained on large-area cells, proving the industrial viability of the process.

Seasonality Of Mortality: Summer Vacation Link? Posted: 22 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT Mortality rates in several Mediterranean countries decline in September, due in part to environmental factors but possibly linked to summer vacations, suggests a new study.

New Vista Of Milky Way Center Unveiled Posted: 22 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT A dramatic new vista of the center of the Milky Way galaxy from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory exposes new levels of the complexity and intrigue in the Galactic center. The mosaic of 88 Chandra pointings represents a freeze-frame of the spectacle of stellar evolution, from bright young stars to black holes, in a crowded, hostile environment dominated by a central, supermassive black hole.

Discovery Reveals Fate Of Nanoparticles In Human Cells Posted: 22 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have uncovered what happens to biomimetic nanoparticles when they enter human cells. They found that the important proteins that make up the outer layer of these nanoparticles are degraded by an enzyme called cathepsin L. Scientists now have to take this phenomenon into account and overcome this process to ensure the exciting field of nanomedicine can progress.

Low-gravity Space Station Lab Used To Study Crystal Growth Posted: 22 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT A metallurgist will soon be studying how crystals grow in the low-gravity on board the International Space Station. He will use a mini lab known as DECLIC -- DEvice for the study of Critical LIquids and Crystallization -- to gain insight into how crystals form as the material goes from liquid to solid.

Cancer Predisposition From Particular Genetic Variation Shows Strong Gender Bias Posted: 22 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Cancer predisposition resulting from the presence of a specific gene variant shows a strong gender bias, researchers have demonstrated.

'Intelligent Car' Able To Learn From Owner’s Driving And Warn In Case Of Accident Hazard Posted: 22 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Scientists from six European countries have developed a new computer system, called DRIVSCO, that allows vehicles to learn from the behaviour of their drivers at the wheel, in such a way that they can detect if a driver presents an "unusual behavior" in a curve or an obstacle on the road and generates signals of alarm which warn the driver on time to react.

Watching Your Weight? Beware Of Skinny Friends With Big Appetites Posted: 22 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT Thin friends who eat a lot could put your waistline at risk, according to a new study which examines how other peoples' weight and food choices influence how much we eat.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610