Tuesday, September 29, 2009

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Electric Fish Plug In To Communicate

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Just as people plug in to computers, smart phones and electric outlets to communicate, electric fish communicate by quickly plugging special channels into their cells to generate electrical impulses, researchers have discovered.

Evolutionary Origins Of Prion Disease Gene Uncovered

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Scientists have uncovered the evolutionary ancestry of the prion gene, which may reveal new understandings of how the prion protein causes diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as "mad cow disease."

High-heels Linked To Heel And Ankle Pain

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Women should think twice before buying their next pair of high-heels or pumps, according to researchers in a new study of older adults and foot problems.

New Vaccine Delivery May Be More Effective Against Measles

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Researchers are developing new methods for delivering measles vaccines that could potentially reduce costs and improve safety. While vaccines exist to protect children against measles, the vaccines are often difficult to store, costly to transport and may be prone to contamination when shipped to developing countries.

New Nanostructure Technology Provides Advances In Eyeglass, Solar Energy Performance

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Chemical engineers have invented a new technology to deposit "nanostructure films" on various surfaces, which may first find use as coatings for eyeglasses that cost less and work better. Ultimately, the technique may provide a way to make solar cells more efficiently produce energy.

A Pet In Your Life Keeps The Doctor Away

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 08:00 AM PDT

Lowers blood pressure, encourages exercise, improves psychological health -- these may sound like the effects of a miracle drug, but they are actually among the benefits of owning a four-legged, furry pet.

Did The Great Depression Have A Silver Lining? Life Expectancy Increased By 6.2 Years

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

The Great Depression had a silver lining: during that hard time, US life expectancy actually increased by 6.2 years, according to a new study.

Impaired Kidney Function Linked To Cognitive Decline In Elderly

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

A new study suggests that impaired kidney function is a risk factor for cognitive decline in old age.

Global View Of Valleys On Saturn's Moon Titan Shows North-South Contrast

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Scientists are presenting the first results of a global analysis of spatial patterns, occurrence and origin of river channels on Saturn's moon Titan.

Few Side Effects Found From Radiation Treatment Given After Prostate Cancer Surgery

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

The largest single-institution study of its kind has found few complications in prostate cancer patients treated with radiotherapy after surgery to remove the prostate. Men in this study received radiotherapy after a prostate-specific antigen test following surgery indicated their cancer had recurred.

New Sequencing Technique Could Boost Pine Beetle Fight, Improve Cancer Research

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Researchers have helped developed a cheaper, faster way to compile draft genome sequences that could advance the fight against mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestation and improve cancer research.

Do Your Children Push The Boundaries? It May Be A Sign Of Future Leadership Abilities

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 05:00 AM PDT

Children whose parents use a firm parenting style that still allows them to test the rules and learn from it are more likely to assume leadership roles as adults according to a new study.

Hyenas Cooperate, Problem-solve Better Than Primates

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Spotted hyenas may not be smarter than chimpanzees, but a new study shows that they outperform the primates on cooperative problem-solving tests.

One In Eight Strokes Is Preceded By 'Warning Stroke'

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

One out of every eight strokes is preceded by a "warning stroke," which is a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or mild stroke, according to new research.

Perennial Energy Crops Could Be Good For Carbon Savings And For Wildlife

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Growing the energy crops short rotation coppice (SRC) willow and miscanthus grass could help the United Kingdom to reduce carbon emissions and benefit wildlife, according to researchers.

Strategies For Reducing Painful Breast Cancer Drug Side Effects

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

New research has identified patterns that may help breast cancer patients at risk of serious joint pain from aromatase inhibitors. In a recent study, researchers found that estrogen withdrawal may play a role in the onset of arthralgia during treatment: Women who stopped getting their menstrual periods less than five years before starting breast cancer treatment were three times more likely to experience these pains than those who reached menopause earlier.

Telltale Tells Story Of Winds At Phoenix Landing Site

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

Wind speeds and directions were measured for the first time in the Mars polar region using the Phoenix lander's Telltale instrument. Astronomers recorded Easterly winds of approximately 15-20 kilometres per hour during the martian mid-summer. When autumn approached, the winds increased and switched round to come predominantly from the West. While these winds appeared to be dominated by turbulence, the highest wind speeds recorded of up to nearly 60 kilometres per hour coincided with the passing of weather systems, when also the number of dust devils increased by an order of magnitude.

Elderly Suicide Risk After Previous Attempts Varies By Sex

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 02:00 AM PDT

In older age groups, repeated suicide attempts constitute an increased risk for completed suicide in depressed women, while severe attempts constitute an increased risk for depressed men. Researchers studied suicide attempts in 100 patients who committed suicide and in an age- and sex-matched control group, investigating the effects of age on suicidal behavior, as a risk factor for accomplished suicide.

Light, Photosynthesis Help Bacteria Invade Fresh Produce

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Exposure to light and possibly photosynthesis itself could be helping disease-causing bacteria to be internalized by lettuce leaves, making them impervious to washing, according to new research.

Diabetes Weakens Your Bones, Research Finds

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Current research suggests that the inflammatory molecule TNF-alpha may contribute to delayed bone fracture healing in diabetics.

Orgasms, Sexual Health And Attitudes About Female Genitals

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

A new study reports that women who feel more positively about women's genitals find it easier to orgasm and are more likely to engage in sexual health promoting behaviors. The study created a scale for measuring attitudes toward women's genitals. Such a scale could be useful in therapeutic, medical and health education settings. The study also found that men had more positive attitudes about women's genitals than women.

Hormone Therapy Should Not Be Stopped Prior To Mammograms, Researchers Recommend

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Researchers are recommending that menopausal women on hormone therapy continue their treatment prior to having their annual mammogram screenings.

Licence To Go Where No Chemist Has Gone Before

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Scientists in the UK have overcome one of the significant research challenges facing electrochemists. For the first time they have found a way of probing right into the heart of an electrochemical reaction.

At-home Care May Be An Alternative To Hospital Care For Elderly Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 11:00 PM PDT

Hospital-at-home care may be a practical alternative to traditional hospital inpatient care for patients with acutely decompensated (suddenly worsening) chronic heart failure, according to a new report.

What Proportion Of Psychotic Illness Is Due To Cannabis?

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 09:00 PM PDT

In a new paper, a team of researchers from Australia and the US makes the case for estimating the role that cannabis has worldwide as a risk factor for psychosis.

Obesity Alone Does Not Cause Arthritis In Animals, Scientists Find

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 09:00 PM PDT

The link between obesity and osteoarthritis may be more than just the wear and tear on the skeleton caused by added weight. A new study has found that the absence of the appetite hormone leptin can determine whether obese mice experience arthritis, no matter how heavy they are.

Perfect Image Without Metamaterials ... And A Reprieve For Silicon Chips

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 09:00 PM PDT

Inspired by James Clerk Maxwell's findings, first expounded in the 1850s, a physicist is reintroducing the idea of using a "fish-eye" lens -- a lens that can work in any direction -- to create the perfect image.

Pesky Fruit Flies Learn From Experienced Females

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

A common nuisance, the fruit fly, is capable of intricate social learning much like that used by humans, according to new research.

Study Finds Increased Risk Of Death For Patients With Celiac Disease-related Disorders

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

New research indicates that patients with lesser degrees of celiac disease-related symptoms, such as intestinal inflammation or latent celiac disease, have a modestly increased risk of death, according to a new study.

Focus On The Wild Could Avert Plant Pollination Threat

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

The global threat to the pollination of flowers and food production crops, highlighted by a dramatic decline in honeybee colonies, could be eased by a renewed focus on 'wild' pollinators. Agri-environment schemes that encourage farmers to create bee-friendly habitats could be the key to increasing numbers of valuable wild pollinators like bumblebees in the wider countryside.

Which Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Patients May Be Candidates For Less Invasive Therapy

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the most common non-invasive lesion of the breast, presents unique challenges for patients and providers largely because the natural course of the untreated disease is not well understood. Because most women diagnosed with DCIS are treated, it is difficult to determine the comparative benefits of different treatment strategies versus active surveillance. An independent panel convened by the NIH urged researchers to identify appropriate biomarkers and other prognostic factors to better predict the risk of developing breast cancer.

Draft Potato Genome Based On Unique Potato Variety

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

The Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium, an international team of scientists from industry and academia in 14 countries, has released a draft sequence of the potato genome. A unique phureja type of potato variety has accelerated the development of a blueprint for one of the world's most important food crops.

Group Therapy Benefits Homeless Veterans Prone To Violence, Researchers Find

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

A new study examines the rates of violence among homeless veterans and their partners and the significant results of group therapy.

Infant Pain, Adult Repercussions: How Infant Pain Changes Sensitivity In Adults

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Scientists have uncovered the mechanisms of how pain in infancy alters how the brain processes pain in adulthood. Research is now indicating that infants who spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit show altered pain sensitivity in adolescence. These results have profound implications and highlight the need for pre-emptive and post-operative pain medicine for newborn infants.

Mechanism For Potential Friedreich's Ataxia Drug Uncovered

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Using clever chemistry, researchers have pinpointed the enzyme target of a drug group that stops the progression of the devastating disease Friedreich's ataxia in mice and may do the same for humans. The findings help advance this treatment approach one step closer toward human clinical trials, which will be a welcome event for disease sufferers who currently have few treatment options.

How HIV Cripples Immune Cells

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

In order to be able to ward off disease pathogens, immune cells must be mobile and be able to establish contact with each other. Scientists have discovered a mechanism in an animal model revealing how HIV, the AIDS pathogen, cripples immune cells: Cell mobility is inhibited by the HIV Nef protein.

Body's Immune System Response To Dental Plaque Varies By Gender And Race

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

In a study of healthy men and women, dentistry researchers found that dental plaque accumulation did not result in a change in total white blood count, a known risk factor for adverse cardiac events. However, in black males the researchers noted a significant increase in the activity of neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cell and an essential part of the immune system.

Software Could Pave The Way To End Tune Plagiarism

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

Software developed by a UK researcher could spell the end for future melody plagiarism. The research focuses on how to predict court decisions on music plagiarism using cognitive similarity algorithms.

Fit For Fashion And Purpose: Women Call For Better And Safer Clothing To Meet Their Work Needs

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 05:00 PM PDT

As London Fashion Week comes to a close, women working in the engineering, science, technology and construction sectors are calling on clothing manufacturers to fashion better and safer clothing for women. The Women's Engineering Society is launching a survey on their website for women working in science, engineering, technological and construction industries to share their stories about work wear and safety clothing.

Researchers Go Underground To Reveal 850 New Species In Australian Outback

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Australian researchers have discovered a huge number of new species of invertebrate animals living in underground water, caves and "micro-caverns" amid the harsh conditions of the Australian outback.

Gut Worms May Protect Against House-dust Mite Allergy

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

A study conducted in Vietnam has added further weight to the view that parasitic gut worms, such as hookworm, could help in the prevention and treatment of asthma and other allergies.

New View Of Lagoon Nebula: GigaGalaxy Zoom Phase 3

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

The third image of ESO's GigaGalaxy Zoom project has just been released online. The latest image follows on from views, released over the last two weeks, of the sky as seen with the unaided eye and through an amateur telescope. This third installment provides another breathtaking vista of an astronomical object, this time a 370-million-pixel view of the Lagoon Nebula of the quality and depth needed by professional astronomers in their quest to understand our Universe.

Childhood Kidney Disorder Has Lasting Effects

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

A kidney condition that can arise in children and was until recently believed to disappear after puberty may persist into adulthood and cause significant long-term complications, according to a new study. The findings indicate that better treatment options are needed for children with the disorder, called minimal change nephrotic syndrome.

Scientists Find Successful Way To Reduce Bat Deaths At Wind Turbines

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Scientists in Canada have found a way to reduce bat deaths from wind turbines by up to 60 percent without significantly reducing the energy generated from the wind farm. TransAlta has already applied the low wind mitigation strategy to the 38 turbines identified in the study area.

New Links Among Alcohol Abuse, Depression, Obesity In Young Women Found

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 02:00 PM PDT

There is new evidence that depression, obesity and alcohol abuse or dependency are interrelated conditions among young adult women but not men.

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