ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Is Unknown Force In Universe Acting On Dark Matter?
• Manipulating Brain Inflammation May Help Clear Brain Of Amyloid Plaques, Researchers Say
• High-Speed Test To Improve Pathogen Decontamination Developed
• Quick And Easy Diagnosis For Mitochondrial Disorders
• Key Step Made Towards Turning Methane Gas Into Liquid Fuel
• Two Brain Structures Key To Emotional Balance Especially In Threatening Situations
• Synthetic Cells Shed Biological Insights While Delivering Battery Power
• Reprogramming Patient's Eye Cells May Herald New Treatments Against Degenerative Disease
• Stacks Of Filter Paper Provide A Realistic, Easy-to-use Medium For Growing Cells
• Scientists Identify Specific Markers That Trigger Aggressiveness Of Liver Cancer
• How White Is A Paper?
• Flu Shots Not To Be Sneezed At: Study Highlights Need To Educate High-risk Patients
• Scientists Show How Tiny Cells Deliver Big Sound In Cochlea
• How Low Doses Of Radiation Can Cause Heart Disease And Stroke
• Ancient Bison Genetic Treasure Trove For Farmers
• CT Scans Better Than X-rays When Detecting Abnormalities In Patients With H1N1 Virus
• Hybrids Of Invasive Australian Plant Species Casuarina Found Growing Widely In Florida
• Even Low Alcohol Consumption Has A Negative Impact On Overall Health, Researchers Argue
• Scientists Reveals Secrets Of Drought Resistance
• Identifying Safe Stem Cells To Repair Spinal Cords
• Climate Scientists Uncover Major Accounting Flaw In Kyoto Protocol And Other Climate Legislation
• Widely Used Virus Assay Shown Unreliable When Compared To Other Methods
• Cyber Exploring The 'Ecosystems' Of Influenzas
• Increase In Long-term Antidepressant Drug Use, UK Study Reveals
• Hearing On The Wing: New Structure Discovered In Butterfly Ears
• Fetal Study Highlights Impact Of Stress On Male Fertility
• Single-stranded DNA-binding Protein Is Dynamic, Critical To DNA Repair
• Link Found Between Depression, Early Stages Of Chronic Kidney Disease
• Turfgrass Quality Measurement Improved With GreenSeeker Sensor
• Regulating Emotion After Experiencing A Sexual Assault
• Geologist Analyzes Earliest Shell-covered Fossil Animals
• Low-Carb Diet Speeds Recovery From Spinal Cord Injury
• Infants Able To Identify Humans As Source Of Speech, Monkeys As Source Of Monkey Calls
• New Genetic Material From Group B Streptococcus Identified
• Nanowire Biocompatibility In The Brain: So Far So Good
• Minimal Relationship Between Cannabis And Schizophrenia Or Psychosis, Suggested By New Study
• Nanomagnets Guide Stem Cells To Damaged Tissue
• Alzheimer's Lesions Found In The Retina
• Sensor Biochips Could Aid In Cancer Diagnosis And Treatment
• Delivery Of Cancer-fighting Molecules Improved
• World's Oldest Known Granaries Predate Agriculture
• Physicians Have Less Respect For Obese Patients, Study Suggests
• Scientists Bend Nanowires Into 2-D And 3-D Structures
• Growing Cartilage From Stem Cells
• Identifying Metabolism Of Healthy Embryo Could Improve Infertility Treatment
• New Mechanism Found For Circadian Rhythm
• Calling It In: New Emergency Medical Service System May Predict Caller's Fate
• Looking For The Origins Of Music In The Brain

Is Unknown Force In Universe Acting On Dark Matter? Posted: 23 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Astronomers have found an unexpected link between mysterious 'dark matter' and the visible stars and gas in galaxies that could revolutionize our current understanding of gravity. The finding suggests that an unknown force is acting on dark matter.

Manipulating Brain Inflammation May Help Clear Brain Of Amyloid Plaques, Researchers Say Posted: 23 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT In a surprising reversal of long-standing scientific belief, researchers have discovered that inflammation in the brain is not the trigger that leads to buildup of amyloid deposits and development of Alzheimer's disease.

High-Speed Test To Improve Pathogen Decontamination Developed Posted: 23 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT A NASA chemist has developed a technology intended to rapidly assess any presence of microbial life on spacecraft. This new method may also help the military test for disease-causing bacteria, such as a causative agent for anthrax, and may also be useful in the medical, pharmaceutical and other fields.

Quick And Easy Diagnosis For Mitochondrial Disorders Posted: 23 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Soon you could be genetically screened for mitochondrial disorders quickly and comprehensively. Researchers outline an innovative clinical diagnostic test for the early identification of a wide range of mitochondrial disorders. Mutations to one of the mitochondrial genes, or to a number of nuclear genes with roles in mitochondrial function, can cause diseases which have very similar symptoms, making them difficult to diagnose and treat.

Key Step Made Towards Turning Methane Gas Into Liquid Fuel Posted: 23 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Scientists take an important step in converting methane gas to a liquid, giving the potential of making it more useful as a fuel and as a source for making other chemicals.

Two Brain Structures Key To Emotional Balance Especially In Threatening Situations Posted: 23 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that a primitive region of the brain responsible for sensorimotor control also has an important role in regulating emotional responses to threatening situations. This region appears to work in concert with another structure called the amygdala to regulate social and emotional behavior.

Synthetic Cells Shed Biological Insights While Delivering Battery Power Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT A new article describes a highly simplified model cell that not only sheds light on the way certain real cells generate electric voltages, but also acts as a tiny battery that could offer a practical alternative to conventional solid-state energy-generating devices.

Reprogramming Patient's Eye Cells May Herald New Treatments Against Degenerative Disease Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have overcome a key barrier to the clinical use of stem cells with a technique which transforms regular body cells into artificial stem cells without the need for introducing foreign genetic materials, which could be potentially harmful. The research suggests that cells taken from a patient's eye can be "reprogrammed" to replace or restore cells lost to degenerative diseases.

Stacks Of Filter Paper Provide A Realistic, Easy-to-use Medium For Growing Cells Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Insight from a cell biologist is likely to make a fundamental shift in how biologists grow and study cells -- and it's as cheap and simple as reaching for a paper towel.

Scientists Identify Specific Markers That Trigger Aggressiveness Of Liver Cancer Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have provided a comprehensive profile of multiple epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and to demonstrate that Snail and Twist, but not Slug, are the major inducers of EMT in HCC.

How White Is A Paper? Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Whiter paper and better color reproduction are examples of important competitive advantages on an international market. But how white is a paper? And why do vacation photos turn out so dark if you don't buy expensive photo paper? Research from Sweden has resulted in a new generation of computational tools for simulation of light in paper and print.

Flu Shots Not To Be Sneezed At: Study Highlights Need To Educate High-risk Patients Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Two in five at-risk American adults who would benefit from vaccination against flu are missing out on the shots because they believe they do not need them, according researchers. Their work shows that asking simple questions about the intention to be protected against flu may be an effective way to increase its uptake.

Scientists Show How Tiny Cells Deliver Big Sound In Cochlea Posted: 23 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers say they have, for what is believed to be the first time, managed to measure and record the elusive electrical activity of the type II neurons in the snail-shell-like structure called the cochlea. And it turns out the cells do indeed carry signals from the ear to the brain, and the sounds they likely respond to would need to be loud, such as sirens or alarms that might be even be described as painful or traumatic.

How Low Doses Of Radiation Can Cause Heart Disease And Stroke Posted: 23 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT A mathematical model constructed by researchers predicts the risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attacks, stroke) associated with low background levels of radiation. The model shows that the risk would vary almost in proportion with dose. Results are consistent with risk levels reported in previous studies involving nuclear workers.

Ancient Bison Genetic Treasure Trove For Farmers Posted: 23 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Genetic information from an extinct species of bison preserved in permafrost for thousands of years could help improve modern agricultural livestock and breeding programs, according to researchers.

CT Scans Better Than X-rays When Detecting Abnormalities In Patients With H1N1 Virus Posted: 23 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Computed tomography scans are better than standard radiography (X-rays) in showing the extent of disease in patients with the H1N1 virus, according to new research.

Hybrids Of Invasive Australian Plant Species Casuarina Found Growing Widely In Florida Posted: 23 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Hybrids of the invasive Australian plant species Casuarina exist in Florida, scientists have found. These fast-growing, pine-like trees were historically planted widely as ornamentals and along boulevards in south Florida, and are currently being proposed as a windbreak in citrus groves. However, the trees are frequently the tallest in the canopy and can be very damaging during storms and hurricanes.

Even Low Alcohol Consumption Has A Negative Impact On Overall Health, Researchers Argue Posted: 23 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Low alcohol consumption is bad for your health in general, according to a new study. Researchers studied the relationship between alcohol consumption and health to test the current theory which suggests improved health is responsible for the link found between low alcohol consumption and increased wages.

Scientists Reveals Secrets Of Drought Resistance Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Biologists have solved the structure of a critical molecule that helps plants survive during droughts. Understanding the inner workings of this molecule may help scientists design new ways to protect crops against prolonged dry periods, potentially improving crop yields worldwide, aiding biofuels production on marginal lands and mitigating drought's human and economic costs.

Identifying Safe Stem Cells To Repair Spinal Cords Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Adult stem cells tested for defects before being implanted in the injured spinal cords of mice helped the animals recover with no cancerous side effects, according to new research. In recent years, scientists found that some experimental stem cell therapies can cause cancerous tumors. Pre-screened cells could result in potentially life- saving treatments without such side effects.

Climate Scientists Uncover Major Accounting Flaw In Kyoto Protocol And Other Climate Legislation Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Scientists have identified an important but fixable error in legal accounting rules for bioenergy that could, if uncorrected, undermine efforts to reduce greenhouse gases by encouraging deforestation. They propose a fix that accounts for the direct and indirect land use impacts of biofuels.

Widely Used Virus Assay Shown Unreliable When Compared To Other Methods Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT In the course of doing research on the mosquito-borne pathogens chikungunya virus and o' nyong-nyong virus, researchers have discovered an inconvenient truth about an assay, strand-specific quantitative real-time PCR (ssqPCR), increasingly being used to detect and measure replicating viral RNA in infected cells and tissues. The method most labs are using for ssqPCR is unreliable.

Cyber Exploring The 'Ecosystems' Of Influenzas Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Predicting the infection patterns of influenzas requires tracking both the ecology and the evolution of the fast-morphing viruses that cause them, said a researcher who enlists computers to model such changes.

Increase In Long-term Antidepressant Drug Use, UK Study Reveals Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT A dramatic rise in antidepressant prescriptions issued by GPs has been caused by a year on year increase in the number of people taking antidepressant drugs on a long-term basis, according to researchers in the UK.

Hearing On The Wing: New Structure Discovered In Butterfly Ears Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT A clever structure in the ear of a tropical butterfly that potentially makes it able to distinguish between high and low pitch sounds has been discovered.

Fetal Study Highlights Impact Of Stress On Male Fertility Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Exposure to a combination of excess stress hormones and chemicals while in the womb could affect a man's fertility in later life, a study suggests. Researchers looked at the effect of stress hormones -- glucocorticoids -- combined with a common chemical used in glues, paints and plastics. They found that the combination strikingly increased the likelihood of reproductive birth defects.

Single-stranded DNA-binding Protein Is Dynamic, Critical To DNA Repair Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Researchers report that a single-stranded DNA-binding protein, once thought to be a static player among the many molecules that interact with DNA, actually moves back and forth along single-stranded DNA, gradually allowing other proteins to repair, recombine or replicate the strands.

Link Found Between Depression, Early Stages Of Chronic Kidney Disease Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT One in five patients with chronic kidney disease is depressed, even before beginning long-term dialysis therapy or developing end-stage renal disease, researchers have found.

Turfgrass Quality Measurement Improved With GreenSeeker Sensor Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT To measure turfgrass performance, professionals have relied on trained human evaluators who provide visual assessments of turf quality. But human evaluators require training and may be distracted by many factors that can affect accuracy and consistency of the assessments. Researchers assessed a handheld optical sensor (GreenSeeker) for evaluating turfgrass quality, and compared the combined time required for visual evaluation and data entry with the time required using the handheld sensor.

Regulating Emotion After Experiencing A Sexual Assault Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT After exposure to extreme life stresses, what distinguishes the individuals who do and do not develop post-traumatic stress disorder? A new study suggests that it has something to do with the way that we control the activity of the prefrontal cortex, a brain region thought to orchestrate our thoughts and actions.

Geologist Analyzes Earliest Shell-covered Fossil Animals Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT The fossil remains of some of the first animals with shells, ocean-dwelling creatures that measure a few centimeters in length and date to about 520 million years ago, provide a window on evolution at this time, according to scientists. Their research indicates that these animals were larger than previously thought.

Low-Carb Diet Speeds Recovery From Spinal Cord Injury Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT A diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates, known as the "ketogenic" diet, quickens recovery in paralyzed rats after spinal cord injury, according to new research.

Infants Able To Identify Humans As Source Of Speech, Monkeys As Source Of Monkey Calls Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Infants as young as five months old are able to correctly identify humans as the source of speech and monkeys as the source of monkey calls, psychology researchers have found. Their finding provides the first evidence that human infants are able to correctly match different kinds of vocalizations to different species.

New Genetic Material From Group B Streptococcus Identified Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Group B Streptococcus is a versatile pathogen that affects a variety of animals. Now studies are revealing new information about this pathogen.

Nanowire Biocompatibility In The Brain: So Far So Good Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT The biological safety of nanotechnology, in other words, how the body reacts to nanoparticles, is a hot topic. Researchers have managed for the first time to carry out successful experiments involving the injection of so-called 'nanowires.' In the future it is expected that it will be possible to insert nanoscale electrodes to study learning and memory functions and to treat patients suffering from chronic pain, depression, and diseases such as Parkinson's. But it is not known what would happen if the nanoelectrodes would break away from their contact points.

Minimal Relationship Between Cannabis And Schizophrenia Or Psychosis, Suggested By New Study Posted: 22 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Last year the UK government reclassified cannabis from a class C to a class B drug, partly out of concerns that cannabis, especially the more potent varieties, may increase the risk of schizophrenia in young people. But the evidence for the relationship between cannabis and schizophrenia or psychosis remains controversial. A new study has determined that it may be necessary to stop thousands of cannabis users in order to prevent a single case of schizophrenia.

Nanomagnets Guide Stem Cells To Damaged Tissue Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Microscopic magnetic particles have been used to bring stem cells to sites of cardiovascular injury in a new method designed to increase the capacity of cells to repair damaged tissue, scientists have announced.

Alzheimer's Lesions Found In The Retina Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT The eyes may be the windows to the soul, but new research indicates they also may mirror a brain ravaged by Alzheimer's disease.

Sensor Biochips Could Aid In Cancer Diagnosis And Treatment Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers in Germany have developed a new test process -- using lab-on-a-chip technology -- for establishing whether or not a cancer patient's tumor cells will respond to a particular drug. Such sensor biochips could potentially be used in the future to aid in rapid identification of the most effective medication for individual patients.

Delivery Of Cancer-fighting Molecules Improved Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have modified siRNA, a type of genetic material that can block potentially harmful activity in cells, so that it can be injected into the bloodstream and impact targeted cells while producing fewer side effects. The findings could make it easier to create large amounts of targeted therapeutic siRNAs for treating cancer and other diseases.

World's Oldest Known Granaries Predate Agriculture Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT A new study describes recent excavations in Jordan that reveal evidence of the world's oldest known granaries. Scientists provide evidence that these granaries precede the emergence of fully domesticated plants and large-scale sedentary communities by at least 1,000 years.

Physicians Have Less Respect For Obese Patients, Study Suggests Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Doctors have less respect for their obese patients than they do for patients of normal weight, a new study suggests. The findings raise questions about whether negative physician attitudes about obesity could be affecting the long-term health of their heavier patients.

Scientists Bend Nanowires Into 2-D And 3-D Structures Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Taking nanomaterials to a new level of structural complexity, scientists have determined how to introduce kinks into arrow-straight nanowires, transforming them into zigzagging two- and three-dimensional structures with correspondingly advanced functions.

Growing Cartilage From Stem Cells Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Damaged knee joints might one day be repaired with cartilage grown from stem cells in a laboratory.

Identifying Metabolism Of Healthy Embryo Could Improve Infertility Treatment Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Embryos that are most likely to result in a pregnancy are crucial to the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) but are difficult to identify. Researchers are now developing a fast, noninvasive test to help assess embryo viability for IVF.

New Mechanism Found For Circadian Rhythm Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Molecules that may hold the key to new ways to fight cancer and other diseases have been found to play an important role in regulating circadian rhythm, according to new research.

Calling It In: New Emergency Medical Service System May Predict Caller's Fate Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Japanese researchers have developed a computer program which may be able tell from an emergency call if you are about to die. Research shows that a computer algorithm is able to predict the patient's risk of dying at the time of the emergency call.

Looking For The Origins Of Music In The Brain Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Music serves as a natural and non-invasive intervention for patients with severe neurological disorders to promote long-term memory, social interaction and communication. However, there is currently no plausible explanation of its neural basis for why and how music affects physical and psychosocial responses.

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