ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• New Type Of Flying Reptile: Darwin's Pterodactyl Preyed On Flying Dinosaurs
• Suppressing A Gene In Mice Prevents Heart From Aging, Preserves Its Function
• Microchips Result In Higher Rate Of Return Of Shelter Animals To Owners
• Bioluminescence Imaging Used For Eye Cancer Detection
• World's Smallest Computers Made of DNA and Other Biological Molecules Made to 'Think' Logically
• Recent 'Momentum' Influences Choices Of Baby Names, Professors Find
• Bizarre Galaxy Is Result Of Pair Of Spiral Galaxies Smashing Together
• Triggers Found In Cells' Transition From Colitis To Cancer
• Magnetic Nanotags Spot Cancer In Mice Earlier Than Methods Now In Clinical Use
• Elderly Immune System Needs A Boost: Older Cancer Sufferers Need Treatments Tailored To Their Aging Immune Systems
• New Nanotech Sensor Developed With Medical, Chemistry Applications
• Candy Bar Or Healthful Snack? Free Choice Not As Free As We Think
• Comfort Food: Chocolate, Water Reduce Pain Response To Heat
• Widely Sought Molecular Key To Understanding P53 Tumor Suppressor Gene Discovered
• Harvest And Save Water To Increase Crop Yields, Say Researchers
• Critical Illness From 2009 H1N1 In Mexico Associated With High Fatality Rate
• World Will Miss 2010 Target To Stem Biodiversity Loss, Experts Say
• Partner Abuse Leads To Wide Range Of Health Problems, Study Finds
• Whale-sized Genetic Study Largest Ever For Southern Hemisphere Humpbacks
• New Old Drug Fights Colon Cancer
• Genetic Map For Cowpea Accelerates Development Of New Varieties
• New Guidelines Identify Best Treatments To Help ALS Patients Live Longer, Easier
• People Are Still The Weakest Link In Computer And Internet Security, Study Finds
• Teenage Boys Take Less Responsibility For Preventing The Spread Of Chlamydia
• Long Feared Extinct, Rare Bird Rediscovered
• Impaired Fetal Growth Increases Risk Of Asthma
• Investigating Nanopillars: Silicon Brittle? Not This Kind!
• Surgery Is An Option For Some Patients Hoping To Get A Good Night's Rest, Study Finds
• Nano Measurement In The Third Dimension
• Teen Smoking-cessation Trial First To Achieve Significant Quit Rates
• Like Humans, Monkeys Fall Into The 'Uncanny Valley'
• SCID Kids Leading Healthy, Normal Lives 25 Years After 'Bubble Boy'
• Hollow Spheres Made Of Metal
• Obese Children At Significantly Greater Risk For Post-adenotonsillectomy Complications
• Intelligent Structural Elements: Support Frames, Adaptive Engine Hoods And More To Come
• Healthy Neighborhoods May Be Associated With Lower Diabetes Risk
• Report Documents Risks Of Giant Invasive Snakes In The United States
• Loss Of Tumor Supressor Gene Essential To Transforming Benign Nerve Tumors Into Cancers
• Improved Redox Flow Batteries For Electric Cars
• Investigation Of Contaminated Heparin Syringes Highlights Medication Safety Issues
• Opals Set To Shine With New Grading Technology
• Declines In Other Thinking And Learning Skills May Precede Memory Loss In Alzheimer's Disease
• Asteroid Is Actually A Protoplanet, Study Of First High-resolution Images Of Pallas Confirms
• Investment In Parkinson's Disease Data Bank Yields Potential Therapy
• Color Sensors For Better Vision
• Protective Role For Copper In Alzheimer’s Disease
• Climate Change Boosts Scallop Stocks In UK Waters
• People Who Work After Retiring Enjoy Better Health, According To National Study

New Type Of Flying Reptile: Darwin's Pterodactyl Preyed On Flying Dinosaurs Posted: 14 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have identified a new type of flying reptile, providing the first clear evidence of an unusual and controversial type of evolution.

Suppressing A Gene In Mice Prevents Heart From Aging, Preserves Its Function Posted: 14 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT In a mouse study, suppressing the activity of a key gene prevented age-related cardiac changes and preserved much of the heart's function. The study provides more evidence that physicians may one day prevent age-related heart failure in humans.

Microchips Result In Higher Rate Of Return Of Shelter Animals To Owners Posted: 14 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Animals shelter officials housing lost pets that had been implanted with a microchip were able to find the owners in almost three out of four cases in a recently published national study. According to the research, the return-to-owner rate for cats was 20 times higher and for dogs 2.5 times higher for microchipped pets than were the rates of return for all stray cats and dogs that had entered the shelters.

Bioluminescence Imaging Used For Eye Cancer Detection Posted: 14 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT At the moment, doctors rely on biopsy analysis to determine the progression of eye cancer. However, researchers now believe that a new technology, bioluminescence imaging, will allow doctors to detect tumors earlier and quickly choose a method of treatment that doesn't necessarily involve eye surgery.

World's Smallest Computers Made of DNA and Other Biological Molecules Made to 'Think' Logically Posted: 14 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT The world's smallest computers, made of DNA and other biological molecules, just got more "user friendly."

Recent 'Momentum' Influences Choices Of Baby Names, Professors Find Posted: 14 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT New research suggests that the change in popularity of babies' names over time increasingly influences naming decisions in the United States. Like momentum traders in the stock market, parents today appear to favor names that have recently risen in popularity relative to names that are on the decline.

Bizarre Galaxy Is Result Of Pair Of Spiral Galaxies Smashing Together Posted: 14 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT A recent NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image captures what appears to be one very bright and bizarre galaxy, but is actually the result of a pair of spiral galaxies that resemble our own Milky Way smashing together at breakneck speeds. The product of this dramatic collision, called NGC 2623, or Arp 243, is about 250 million light-years away in the constellation of Cancer.

Triggers Found In Cells' Transition From Colitis To Cancer Posted: 14 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT In findings that may help explain why patients with colitis have up to a 30-fold risk of developing colon cancer compared with people without the disease, researchers reveal that inflamed but noncancerous colon tissue taken from human patients transformed into tumors in mice.

Magnetic Nanotags Spot Cancer In Mice Earlier Than Methods Now In Clinical Use Posted: 14 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Searching for biomarkers that can warn of diseases such as cancer while they are still in their earliest stage is likely to become far easier thanks to an innovative biosensor chip. The sensor is up to 1,000 times more sensitive than technology now in clinical use, accurate regardless of which bodily fluid is being analyzed and can detect biomarker proteins over a concentration range three times broader than existing methods.

Elderly Immune System Needs A Boost: Older Cancer Sufferers Need Treatments Tailored To Their Aging Immune Systems Posted: 14 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Elderly cancer patients need a combination of treatments tailor-made to their specific needs to successfully combat the disease. A new review examines the effects of aging on the immune system and strategies used to activate a stronger antitumor immune response in the elderly, including genetic modifications in animal models.

New Nanotech Sensor Developed With Medical, Chemistry Applications Posted: 14 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new "plasmonic nanorod metamaterial" using extraordinarily tiny rods of gold that will have important applications in medical, biological and chemical sensors.

Candy Bar Or Healthful Snack? Free Choice Not As Free As We Think Posted: 14 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT If you think choosing between a candy bar and healthful snack is totally a matter of free will, think again. A new study shows that the choices we make to indulge ourselves or exercise self-control depend on how the choices are presented.

Comfort Food: Chocolate, Water Reduce Pain Response To Heat Posted: 14 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT People often eat food to feel better, but researchers have found that eating chocolate or drinking water can blunt pain, reducing a rat's response to a hot stimulus. This natural form of pain relief may help animals in the wild avoid distraction while eating scarce food, but in modern humans with readily available food, the effect may contribute to overeating and obesity.

Widely Sought Molecular Key To Understanding P53 Tumor Suppressor Gene Discovered Posted: 14 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Singapore scientists have determined how master gene regulator p53 could switch a gene in a cell "on" or "off" by recognizing specific sequences of nucleotides in gene's DNA.

Harvest And Save Water To Increase Crop Yields, Say Researchers Posted: 14 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT On-farm water management could increase global crop production by about one fifth, a modeling study by German and Swedish researchers indicates. However, even intensive water management on present cropland will not be sufficient to accommodate the food demands of a growing population in a warming world, the scientists report.

Critical Illness From 2009 H1N1 In Mexico Associated With High Fatality Rate Posted: 14 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Critical illness from 2009 influenza A(H1N1) in Mexico occurred among young patients, was associated with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome and shock, and had a fatality rate of about 40 percent, according to a new study.

World Will Miss 2010 Target To Stem Biodiversity Loss, Experts Say Posted: 14 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT The world will miss its agreed target to stem biodiversity loss by next year, according to experts convening in Cape Town for a landmark conference devoted to biodiversity science. Growing water needs and mismanagement are leading to 'catastrophic decline' in freshwater biodiversity, according to experts.

Partner Abuse Leads To Wide Range Of Health Problems, Study Finds Posted: 14 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Women abused by intimate partners suffer higher rates of a wide variety of doctor-diagnosed medical maladies compared to women who were never abused, according to a new study of more than 3,000 women. Many of these health problems are not commonly understood as being associated with violence, such as abdominal pain, chest pain, headaches, acid reflux, urinary tract infections and menstrual disorders.

Whale-sized Genetic Study Largest Ever For Southern Hemisphere Humpbacks Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT After 15 years of research in the waters of the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans, scientists have unveiled the largest genetic study of humpback whale populations ever conducted in the Southern Hemisphere.

New Old Drug Fights Colon Cancer Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Scientists have shown that a common antibiotic can suppress the growth of colon cancer polyps in mice.

Genetic Map For Cowpea Accelerates Development Of New Varieties Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Scientists have developed a high-density "consensus genetic map" of cowpea, a protein-rich legume crop, that accelerates conventional breeding severalfold and facilitates the production of new varieties of not only cowpea but also other legumes. Cowpea is immensely important in many parts of the world, particularly drought-prone regions of Africa and Asia, and plays a key role in sustaining food security for both people and their livestock.

New Guidelines Identify Best Treatments To Help ALS Patients Live Longer, Easier Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT New guidelines identify the most effective treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often called Lou Gehrig's disease.

People Are Still The Weakest Link In Computer And Internet Security, Study Finds Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Two decades ago, studies showed that computer users were violating best practices for setting up hack-proof passwords, and not much has changed since then. What's clear, say researchers , is that until human factors/ergonomics methods are applied to the problem, it isn't likely to go away.

Teenage Boys Take Less Responsibility For Preventing The Spread Of Chlamydia Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Teenage boys in Sweden take less responsibility than girls for preventing the spread of chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections, according to a new study.

Long Feared Extinct, Rare Bird Rediscovered Posted: 13 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Known to science only by two century-old specimens, a critically endangered crow has re-emerged on a remote, mountainous Indonesian island, thanks in part to a American ornithologist. The Banggai Crow will be listed now in the latest edition of an influential ornithology handbook.

Impaired Fetal Growth Increases Risk Of Asthma Posted: 13 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Children born with low birth weight are at a higher risk of developing asthma later in life. The study is based on data on the incidence of asthma in 10,918 twins from the Swedish Twin Registry.

Investigating Nanopillars: Silicon Brittle? Not This Kind! Posted: 13 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Silicon, the most important semiconductor material of all, is usually considered to be as brittle and breakable as window glass. On the nanometer scale, however, the substance exhibits very different properties, as Swiss researchers have shown by creating minute silicon pillars. If the diameters of the columns are made small enough, then under load they do not simply break off, as large pieces of silicon would, but they yield to the pressure and undergo plastic deformation, as a metal would. This discovery opens the way for completely new design techniques from a materials point of view for mechanical microsystems and in the watch industry.

Surgery Is An Option For Some Patients Hoping To Get A Good Night's Rest, Study Finds Posted: 13 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT According to new research, a form of surgery called uvopalatopharyngoplasty is effective for treating certain patients who suffer from sleep apnea, one of the most common sleep disorders.

Nano Measurement In The Third Dimension Posted: 13 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT From the motion sensor to the computer chip, in many products of daily life components are used whose functioning is based on smallest structures of the size of thousandths -- or even millionths -- of millimeters. These micro and nano structures must be manufactured and assembled with the highest precision so that in the end, the overall system will function smoothly. Scientists have now developed a metrological scanning probe microscope into a micro and nano coordinate measuring instrument. This now allows dimensional quantities with nanometer resolution also to be measured on three-dimensional objects in an extraordinarily large measurement range of 25 mm x 25 mm x 5 mm.

Teen Smoking-cessation Trial First To Achieve Significant Quit Rates Posted: 13 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that it is possible to successfully recruit and retain a large number of adolescent smokers from the general population into a smoking intervention study and, through personalized, proactive telephone counseling, significantly impact rates of six-month continuous quitting.

Like Humans, Monkeys Fall Into The 'Uncanny Valley' Posted: 13 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have come up with a new twist on the mysterious visual phenomenon experienced by humans known as the "uncanny valley." The scientists have found that monkeys sense it too.

SCID Kids Leading Healthy, Normal Lives 25 Years After 'Bubble Boy' Posted: 13 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Mention the words "bubble boy" and many will recall David Vetter, the kid with big eyes and a thick thatch of dark hair who died 25 years ago after spending almost the entire 12 years of his life in a germ-free, plastic bubble. David was born with severe combined immune deficiency, or SCID, a condition that robbed him of an immune system. Since David's death however, researchers have refined treatment options for children with SCID.

Hollow Spheres Made Of Metal Posted: 13 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Producing metallic hollow spheres is complicated: It has not yet been possible to make the small sizes required for new high-tech applications. Now for the first time researchers have manufactured ground hollow spheres measuring just two to ten millimeters.

Obese Children At Significantly Greater Risk For Post-adenotonsillectomy Complications Posted: 13 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Obesity in children significantly increases the risk of major and minor respiratory complications following surgery to correct sleep disordered breathing, according to new research.

Intelligent Structural Elements: Support Frames, Adaptive Engine Hoods And More To Come Posted: 13 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Weather conditions such as wind and snow loads can cause failure and collapse of supporting structures in roofs and similar constructions. Based on new hybrid intelligent construction elements (HICE), researchers in Germany have developed a shell structure which is able to adapt to changing environmental conditions. In a further step, the scientists will now use their knowledge to develop machines from these new structural elements which will also be able to react to their environments and adapt to given conditions.

Healthy Neighborhoods May Be Associated With Lower Diabetes Risk Posted: 13 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Individuals living in neighborhoods conducive to physical activity and providing access to healthy foods may have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes in a five-year period, according to a new report.

Report Documents Risks Of Giant Invasive Snakes In The United States Posted: 13 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Five giant non-native snake species would pose high risks to the health of ecosystems in the United States should they become established here, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report.

Loss Of Tumor Supressor Gene Essential To Transforming Benign Nerve Tumors Into Cancers Posted: 13 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have shown for the first time that the loss or decreased expression of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN plays a central role in the malignant transformation of benign nerve tumors called neurofibromas into a malignant and extremely deadly form of sarcoma.

Improved Redox Flow Batteries For Electric Cars Posted: 13 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new type of redox flow battery presents a huge advantage for electric cars. If the rechargeable batteries are low, the discharged electrolyte fluid can simply be exchanged at the gas station for recharged fluid – as easy as refilling the gas tank.

Investigation Of Contaminated Heparin Syringes Highlights Medication Safety Issues Posted: 13 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT An outbreak of bloodstream infections appears to have been caused by the contamination of pre-filled heparin and saline syringes made by a single company, according to a new report. The subsequent investigation revealed that the company was not in compliance with safety regulations and identified challenges and areas for improvement in medication monitoring systems.

Opals Set To Shine With New Grading Technology Posted: 13 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Australian miners have unveiled the world's first automated device to grade opals using image analysis.

Declines In Other Thinking And Learning Skills May Precede Memory Loss In Alzheimer's Disease Posted: 13 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Cognitive abilities other than memory, including visuospatial skills needed to perceive relationships between objects, may decline years prior to a clinical diagnosis in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new report.

Asteroid Is Actually A Protoplanet, Study Of First High-resolution Images Of Pallas Confirms Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Pallas is in the gray area between a small asteroid and a planet, researchers report. Pallas lies in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars and is about the size of Arizona.

Investment In Parkinson's Disease Data Bank Yields Potential Therapy Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Individuals with Parkinson's disease who have higher levels of a metabolite called urate in their blood and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have a slower rate of disease progression, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. A clinical trial is under way to examine the safety and potential benefits of supplemental urate elevation for recently diagnosed Parkinson's patients who have low urate levels.

Color Sensors For Better Vision Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT CMOS image sensors in special cameras – as used for driver assistance systems – mostly only provide monochrome images and have a limited sensitivity to light. Thanks to a new production process these sensors can now distinguish color and are much more sensitive to light.

Protective Role For Copper In Alzheimer’s Disease Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT New research has shown that there could be a protective role for copper in Alzheimer's disease.

Climate Change Boosts Scallop Stocks In UK Waters Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT A positive effect of climate change that is helping to support a £30m industry has been uncovered by new research. Ocean warming in UK waters is increasing stocks of the great scallop Pecten maximus, according to a study published in the journal Marine Biology. However the researchers have warned that further rises in water temperatures could have the opposite effect on scallops and better management of these fisheries is needed to protect sensitive seabed habitats.

People Who Work After Retiring Enjoy Better Health, According To National Study Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Retirees who transition from full-time work into a temporary or part-time job experience fewer major diseases and are able to function better day-to-day than people who stop working altogether, according to a national study. And the findings were significant even after controlling for people's physical and mental health before retirement.

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