ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Advance In 'Nano-Agriculture:' Tiny Stuff Has Huge Effect On Plant Growth
• Possible Link Between Autism And Oxytocin Gene Via Non-DNA Sequence Mutation
• Designer Molecule Detects Tiny Amounts Of Cyanide, Then Glows
• Damaging Inflammatory Response Could Hinder Spinal Cord Repair
• High Tech For Bicycles
• Amphetamine Use In Adolescence May Impair Adult Working Memory
• Trigger Of Deadly Food Toxin Discovered; Finding Could Help Prevent Liver Cancer
• Alcohol Tolerance 'Switch' Found
• It Takes Two To Tutor A Sparrow
• Experts Issue Call To Reconsider Screening For Breast Cancer And Prostate Cancer
• Researchers Discover RNA Repair System In Bacteria
• Women Veterans Less Likely To Report Pain Than Male Counterparts
• Reproduction: Why Having A Mate Provides An Evolutionary Advantage Over Self-fertilization
• Blood Test Shows Promise For Early Diagnosis Of Alzheimer's Disease
• Eating Right -- Not Supplements -- Is Best At Keeping Your Good Bacteria Healthy, Dietitian Says
• Tailoring Physical Therapy Can Restore More Functions After Neurological Injury
• Urban Growth Versus Global Warming
• Feelings Of Stigmatization May Discourage HIV Patients From Proper Care
• Phytochemicals In Plant-based Foods Could Help Battle Obesity, Disease
• Genetic 'Co-dependence' Exploited To Kill Treatment-resistant Tumor Cells
• Internet Fuels Virtual Subculture For Sex Trade, Study Finds
• Lifestyle Changes Remain Important In Fighting Peripheral Arterial Disease
• Nitrogen Mysteries In Urban Grasslands
• Childhood Risk Factors For Developing Substance Dependence
• Glacial Melting May Release Pollutants Into The Environment
• Loss Of Tumor-suppressor And DNA-maintenance Proteins Causes Tissue Demise
• Obese Women Gain Too Much Weight In Pregnancy, Then Retain Weight A Year Later
• Final Look At ESA's SMOS And Proba-2 Satellites
• Can We 'Learn To See?': Study Shows Perception Of Invisible Stimuli Improves With Training
• Light At Night Linked To Symptoms Of Depression In Mice
• Study Conclusively Ties Rare Disease Gene To Parkinson's
• Scientific Basis The 'Golden Rule' Of Pairing Wines And Foods
• Bionic Technology Aims To Give Sight To Woman Blinded Beginning At Age 13
• How Mobile DNA Survives -- And Thrives -- In Plants, Animals
• Irrational Exuberence Behind Recent Stock Gains, Says Finance Expert
• Astronomers Find Organic Molecules Around Gas Planet
• 'Holy Grail' Of Cancer Therapy: Researchers Find Way To Protect Healthy Cells From Radiation Damage
• Women Outperform Men When Identifying Emotions
• Study Shows How Normal Cells Influence Tumor Growth
• Installed Cost Of Solar Photovoltaic Systems In United States Fell In 2008
• Extremists More Willing To Share Their Opinions, Study Finds
• Alzheimer's Researchers Find High Protein Diet Shrinks Brain
• Why Cosmetics Work: More Depth To Facial Differences Between Men And Women Than Presumed
• Exercise Reduces Fatigue In Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy
• 0.2 Second Test For Explosive Liquids
• Maternal Smoking May Increase Newborns' Discomfort

Advance In 'Nano-Agriculture:' Tiny Stuff Has Huge Effect On Plant Growth Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT With potential adverse health and environmental effects often in the news about nanotechnology, scientists are reporting that carbon nanotubes could have beneficial effects in agriculture. Their study found that tomato seeds exposed to CNTs germinated faster and grew into larger, heavier seedlings than other seeds. That growth-enhancing effect could be a boon for biomass production for plant-based biofuels and other agricultural products, they suggest.

Possible Link Between Autism And Oxytocin Gene Via Non-DNA Sequence Mutation Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have uncovered a new genetic signature that correlates strongly with autism and which doesn't involve changes to DNA sequence. The changes are to the way the genes are turned on and off. The finding may suggest new approaches to diagnosis and treatment of autism. The researchers found higher-than-usual numbers of gene-regulating molecules called methyl groups in a region of the genome that regulates oxytocin receptor expression in people with autism.

Designer Molecule Detects Tiny Amounts Of Cyanide, Then Glows Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT A small molecule designed to detect cyanide in water samples works quickly, is easy to use, and glows under ultraviolet or "black" light. Although the fluorescent molecule is not yet ready for market, its creators report that the tool is already able to sense cyanide below the toxicity threshold established by the World Health Organization.

Damaging Inflammatory Response Could Hinder Spinal Cord Repair Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT The inflammatory response following a spinal cord injury appears to be set up to cause extra tissue damage instead of promoting healing, new research suggests. Scientists analyzing this inflammatory response in mice discovered that the types of cells recruited to the site of the injury are dominated within a week by those that promote inflammation. When chronic, inflammation can prevent healing, and these inflammatory cells are believed to remain at the injury site indefinitely.

High Tech For Bicycles Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Carbon fiber composite materials (CFRPs) not only make cars and airplanes lightweight but also benefit the light weight constructions for valuable bicycle concepts. German researchers have developed a spring-loaded seat post made of CFRPs.

Amphetamine Use In Adolescence May Impair Adult Working Memory Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Rats exposed to high doses of amphetamines at an age that corresponds to the later years of human adolescence display significant memory deficits as adults -- long after the exposure ends, researchers report.

Trigger Of Deadly Food Toxin Discovered; Finding Could Help Prevent Liver Cancer Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT A toxin produced by mold on nuts and grains can cause liver cancer if consumed in large quantities. Researchers for the first time have discovered what triggers the toxin to form, which could lead to methods of limiting its production.

Alcohol Tolerance 'Switch' Found Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have found a genetic "switch" in fruit flies that plays an important role in making flies more tolerant to alcohol. This metabolic switch also has implications for the deadly liver disease cirrhosis in humans. A counterpart human gene contributes to a shift from metabolizing alcohol to the formation of fat in heavy drinkers. This shift can lead to fatty liver syndrome -- a precursor to cirrhosis.

It Takes Two To Tutor A Sparrow Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT It may take a village to raise a child, and apparently it takes at least two adult birds to teach a young song sparrow how and what to sing.

Experts Issue Call To Reconsider Screening For Breast Cancer And Prostate Cancer Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Twenty years of screening for breast and prostate cancer -- the most diagnosed cancer for women and men -- have not brought the anticipated decline in deaths from these diseases, argue experts in an opinion piece.

Researchers Discover RNA Repair System In Bacteria Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered the first RNA repair system to be discovered in bacteria. The novelty of the newly discovered bacterial RNA repair system is that, before the damaged RNA is sealed, a methyl group is added to the two-prime hydroxyl group at the cleavage site of the damaged RNA, making it impossible to cleave the site again. Thus, the repaired RNA is "better than new."

Women Veterans Less Likely To Report Pain Than Male Counterparts Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT In the first study to look at sex-specific pain prevalence in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans, researchers found women veterans had a lower prevalence of pain than male counterparts returning from the conflicts.

Reproduction: Why Having A Mate Provides An Evolutionary Advantage Over Self-fertilization Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT OK, it takes two for human reproduction, and now it seems that plants and animals that can rely on either a partner or go alone by self-fertilization give their offspring a better chance for longer lives when they opt for a mate.

Blood Test Shows Promise For Early Diagnosis Of Alzheimer's Disease Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Elderly people exhibiting memory disturbances that do not affect their normal, daily life suffer from a condition called "mild cognitive impairment" (MCI). Some MCI patients go on to develop Alzheimer's disease within a few years, whereas other cases remain stable, exhibiting only benign senile forgetfulness. It is crucial to develop simple, blood-based tests enabling early identification of these patients that will progress in order to begin therapy as soon as possible, potentially delaying the onset of dementia.

Eating Right -- Not Supplements -- Is Best At Keeping Your Good Bacteria Healthy, Dietitian Says Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Healthy eating, not supplements, is the best way to keep the good bacteria in your gut healthy, says a dietitian and researcher.

Tailoring Physical Therapy Can Restore More Functions After Neurological Injury Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT New research suggests a tailored approach to physical therapy after a neurological injury such as a stroke, traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury could help restore a wider variety of functions.

Urban Growth Versus Global Warming Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Houses on stilts, small scale energy generation and recycling our dishwater are just some of the measures that are being proposed to prepare our cities for the effects of global warming. A new study outlines how major cities must respond if they are to continue to grow in the face of climate change.

Feelings Of Stigmatization May Discourage HIV Patients From Proper Care Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT New research suggests that a large number of HIV-positive individuals who reported feeling stigmatized also reported poor access to care or suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Individuals who experienced high levels of internalized stigma were four times as likely as those who didn't to report poor access to medical care; they were three times as likely to report suboptimal adherence to HIV medications.

Phytochemicals In Plant-based Foods Could Help Battle Obesity, Disease Posted: 21 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT The cheeseburger and French fries might look tempting, but eating a serving of broccoli or leafy greens first could help people battle metabolic processes that lead to obesity and heart disease, a new study shows. Eating more plant-based foods, which are rich in substances called phytochemicals, seems to prevent oxidative stress in the body, a process associated with obesity and the onset of disease, according to findings.

Genetic 'Co-dependence' Exploited To Kill Treatment-resistant Tumor Cells Posted: 21 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Cancer cells fueled by the mutant KRAS oncogene, which makes them notoriously difficult to treat, can be killed by blocking a more vulnerable genetic partner of KRAS, scientists report. By targeting the second, more easily inhibited "co-dependent" gene, TBK, the strategy bypasses the so far unfruitful head-on assault against the highly resistant KRAS gene.

Internet Fuels Virtual Subculture For Sex Trade, Study Finds Posted: 21 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT The Internet has spawned a virtual subculture of "johns" who share information electronically about prostitution, potentially making them harder to catch, according to a new study.

Lifestyle Changes Remain Important In Fighting Peripheral Arterial Disease Posted: 21 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Modifying the risk of peripheral arterial disease (or PAD) -- with healthy lifestyle changes -- remains vital to one's health, say researchers. And while PAD can progress and worsen over time, there is not enough evidence yet to advocate minimally invasive treatment in patients who have had a narrowing or blockage of a leg artery but showing no signs or symptoms of the disease.

Nitrogen Mysteries In Urban Grasslands Posted: 21 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Urban grasslands are an extremely common, but poorly studied ecosystem type. Many receive high rates of fertilizer, creating concerns about nutrient runoff and greenhouse gas emissions. Recent research has been focused on long-term study plots to evaluate multiple ecological variables in different components of the urban landscape.

Childhood Risk Factors For Developing Substance Dependence Posted: 21 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT There is ample evidence for the genetic influence of alcohol dependence, and ongoing studies are actively looking for specific genes that may confer this increased susceptibility.

Glacial Melting May Release Pollutants Into The Environment Posted: 21 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Those pristine-looking Alpine glaciers now melting as global warming sets in may explain the mysterious increase in persistent organic pollutants in sediment from certain lakes since the 1990s, despite decreased use of those compounds in pesticides, electric equipment, paints and other products.

Loss Of Tumor-suppressor And DNA-maintenance Proteins Causes Tissue Demise Posted: 21 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT A new study demonstrates that loss of the tumor-suppressor protein p53, coupled with elimination of the DNA-maintenance protein ATR, severely disrupts tissue maintenance in mice. As a result, tissues deteriorate rapidly, which is generally fatal in these animals. In addition, the study provides supportive evidence for the use of inhibitors of ATR in cancer therapy.

Obese Women Gain Too Much Weight In Pregnancy, Then Retain Weight A Year Later Posted: 21 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Obese women gain more than the recommended amount during pregnancy then retain added weight one year postpartum. This is the largest US study to examine the relationship between excessive weight gain during pregnancy and weight retention specifically in pregnant women who are obese.

Final Look At ESA's SMOS And Proba-2 Satellites Posted: 21 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT As preparations for the launch of SMOS and Proba-2 continue on schedule, the engineers and technicians at the Russian launch site say goodbye as both satellites are encapsulated within the half-shells of the Rockot fairing.

Can We 'Learn To See?': Study Shows Perception Of Invisible Stimuli Improves With Training Posted: 21 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Although we assume we can see everything in our field of vision, the brain actually picks and chooses the stimuli that come into our consciousness. A new study reveals that our brains can be trained to consciously see stimuli that would normally be invisible.

Light At Night Linked To Symptoms Of Depression In Mice Posted: 21 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Too much light at night can lead to symptoms of depression, according to a new study in mice. Researchers found that mice housed in a lighted room 24 hours a day exhibited more depressive symptoms than did similar mice that had a normal light-dark cycle.

Study Conclusively Ties Rare Disease Gene To Parkinson's Posted: 21 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT An international team has found that carriers of a rare, genetic condition called Gaucher disease face a risk of developing Parkinson's disease more than five times greater than the general public.

Scientific Basis The 'Golden Rule' Of Pairing Wines And Foods Posted: 21 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Scientists are reporting the first scientific explanation for one of the most widely known rules of thumb for pairing wine with food: "Red wine with red meat, white wine with fish." The scientists are reporting that the unpleasant, fishy aftertaste noticeable when consuming red wine with fish results from naturally occurring iron in red wine.

Bionic Technology Aims To Give Sight To Woman Blinded Beginning At Age 13 Posted: 21 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT A 50-year-old New York woman who was diagnosed with a progressive blinding disease at age 13 was implanted with an experimental electronic eye implant that has partially restored her vision.

How Mobile DNA Survives -- And Thrives -- In Plants, Animals Posted: 21 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Bits of movable DNA called transposable elements or TEs fill up the genomes of plants and animals, but it has remained unclear how a genome can survive a rapid burst of hundreds, even thousands of new TE insertions. Now, for the first time, research by plant biologists have documented the impact of such a burst in a rice strain that is accumulating more than 40 new TE insertions per plant per generation of an element called mPing.

Irrational Exuberence Behind Recent Stock Gains, Says Finance Expert Posted: 21 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT A second straight week of stronger-than-expected third quarter earnings from a broad cross section of US industries has held the nation's Dow Jones Industrial Average above the psychological benchmark of 10,000 points for the week of Oct. 19, but the climb isn't likely to last, says a finance expert.

Astronomers Find Organic Molecules Around Gas Planet Posted: 21 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Peering far beyond our solar system, NASA researchers have detected the basic chemistry for life in a second hot gas planet, advancing astronomers toward the goal of being able to characterize planets where life could exist. The planet is not habitable but it has the same chemistry that, if found around a rocky planet in the future, could indicate the presence of life.

'Holy Grail' Of Cancer Therapy: Researchers Find Way To Protect Healthy Cells From Radiation Damage Posted: 21 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers may be hot on the heels of a Holy Grail of cancer therapy: They have found a way to not only protect healthy tissue from the toxic effects of radiation treatment, but also increase tumor death.

Women Outperform Men When Identifying Emotions Posted: 21 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Women are better than men at distinguishing between emotions, especially fear and disgust, according to a new study. Scientists demonstrated that women are better than men at processing auditory, visual and audiovisual emotions.

Study Shows How Normal Cells Influence Tumor Growth Posted: 21 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new study by cancer researchers shows for the first time that the loss of a gene called PTEN from a type of normal cell in breast tumors can dramatically change the environment within the tumor in ways that foster the tumor's growth.

Installed Cost Of Solar Photovoltaic Systems In United States Fell In 2008 Posted: 21 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers released a new study on the installed costs of solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems in the US, showing that the average cost of these systems declined by more than 30 percent from 1998 to 2008. Within the last year of this period, costs fell by more than 4 percent.

Extremists More Willing To Share Their Opinions, Study Finds Posted: 21 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT People with relatively extreme opinions may be more willing to publicly share their views than those with more moderate views, according to a new study. The key is that the extremists have to believe that more people share their views than actually do, the research found.

Alzheimer's Researchers Find High Protein Diet Shrinks Brain Posted: 21 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT One of the many reasons to pick a low-calorie and low-fat diet is that host of epidemiological studies have suggested that such a diet may delay the onset or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Now a study tests the effects of several diets for their effects on Alzheimer's disease pathology. Unexpectedly, the researchers found that a high protein diet apparently led to a smaller brain.

Why Cosmetics Work: More Depth To Facial Differences Between Men And Women Than Presumed Posted: 21 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Beauty might seem to be only skin deep, but researchers have found that there is more depth to facial differences between men and women than presumed. researchers have demonstrated the existence of a facial contrast difference between the two genders.

Exercise Reduces Fatigue In Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy Posted: 21 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Supervised exercise programs that include high and low intense cardiovascular and resistance training can help reduce fatigue in patients with cancer who are undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy or treatment for advanced disease. The exercise training also improves patients' vitality, muscular strength, aerobic capacity and emotional well-being, according to new research.

0.2 Second Test For Explosive Liquids Posted: 21 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT A new form of spectroscopy, a scientific method that uses electromagnetic radiation to identify materials, and a novel nanoelectronic device to detect signals, can identify explosive liquids, or liquid components for the fabrication of explosives, in usual plastic bottles almost instantly.

Maternal Smoking May Increase Newborns' Discomfort Posted: 21 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT A new study suggests that maternal smoking may increase the level of distress of newborns.

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