Friday, November 06, 2009

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Male Sabertoothed Cats Were Pussycats Compared To Macho Lions

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST

Despite their fearsome fangs, male sabertoothed cats may have been less aggressive than many of their feline cousins, says a new study of male-female size differences in extinct big cats.

How Saturated Fatty Acids 'Anger' The Immune System (And How To Stop Them)

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST

Researchers have new evidence to explain how saturated fatty acids, which soar in those who are obese, can lead the immune system to respond in ways that add up to chronic, low-grade inflammation. The new results could lead to treatments designed to curb that inflammatory state, and the insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes that come with it.

Bacteria Expect The Unexpected

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST

Organisms ensure the survival of their species by genetically adapting to the environment. If environmental conditions change too rapidly, the extinction of a species may be the consequence. A strategy to successfully cope with such a challenge is the generation of variable offspring that can survive in different environments. For the first time scientists have now observed the evolution of such a strategy under lab conditions in an experiment with the bacterial species Pseudomonas fluorescens.

Pandemic Flu Vaccine Campaigns May Be Undermined By Coincidental Medical Events

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST

The effectiveness of pandemic flu vaccination campaigns -- like that now underway for H1N1 -- could be undermined by the public incorrectly associating coincidental and unrelated health events with the vaccines.

Genomes Of Biofuel Yeasts Reveal Clues That Could Boost Fuel Ethanol Production Worldwide

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST

As global temperatures and energy costs continue to soar, renewable sources of energy will be key to a sustainable future. An attractive replacement for gasoline is biofuel, and in two new studies, scientists have analyzed the genome structures of bioethanol-producing microorganisms, uncovering genetic clues that will be critical in developing new technologies needed to implement production on a global scale.

For Improving Early Literacy, Reading Comics Is No Child's Play

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST

A professor of library and information science says that comic books are just as sophisticated as other forms of literature, and children benefit from reading them at least as much as they do from reading other types of books.

Early Scents Really Do Get 'Etched' In The Brain

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST

Common experience tells us that particular scents of childhood can leave quite an impression, for better or for worse. Now, researchers reporting the results of a brain imaging study show that first scents really do enjoy a "privileged" status in the brain.

First Use Of Antibody And Stem Cell Transplantation To Successfully Treat Advanced Leukemia

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST

For the first time, researchers have reported the use of a radiolabeled antibody to deliver targeted doses of radiation, followed by a stem cell transplant, to successfully treat a group of leukemia and pre-leukemia patients for whom there previously had been no other curative treatment options.

Materials Scientists Find Better Model For Glass Creation

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST

Materials scientists have come up with what they believe is a new way to model the formation of glasses, a type of amorphous solid that includes common window glass.

Travel May Be Hazardous To Dialysis Patients

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST

If you're sick, traveling to a foreign land may boost your spirits, but jeopardize your health, according to new research. The findings indicate that dialysis patients who travel on vacation risk infections, anemia, and other complications that can compromise their dialysis treatments.

Iconic Photo Of JFK Assassin Oswald Was Not Faked, Professor Finds

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST

A computer scientist has new evidence regarding a photograph of accused JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. He digitally analyzed the iconic image of Oswald pictured in a backyard setting holding a rifle in one hand and Marxist newspapers in the other, and he says the photo almost certainly was not altered.

All Dressed-up And Nowhere To Go: Inappropriate Clothing Prevents Children Playing Outside

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST

Parents who dress their children in inappropriate clothing could be inadvertently hampering their child's physical activity in childcare settings. The study suggests that inadequate or inappropriate clothing could restrict children's outdoor play.

Rapid Supernova Could Be New Class Of Exploding Star

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST

Astronomers were looking through seven-year-old data when they chanced upon a very strange supernova that flashed and was gone in less than a month, when 3-4 months is typical. The unusually rapid supernova appears to match the predicted behavior of a thermonuclear explosion on a white dwarf that is drawing helium from its binary companion. This mechanism is quite different from the two standard types of supernovae.

Low Cholesterol May Shrink Risk For High-grade Prostate Cancer

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST

Men with lower cholesterol are less likely than those with higher levels to develop high-grade prostate cancer -- an aggressive form of the disease with a poorer prognosis, according to results of a new study.

'Duck-billed' Dinosaurs: Last European Hadrosaurs Lived In Iberian Peninsula

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST

Spanish researchers have studied the fossil record of hadrosaurs, the so-called "duck-billed" dinosaurs, in the Iberian Peninsula for the purpose of determining that they were the last of their kind to inhabit the European continent before disappearing during the K/T extinction event that occurred 65.5 million years ago. Most notable among these fossils is the discovery of a new hadrosaur, the Arenysaurus ardevoli, found in Huesca, Spain.

Lap Band Surgery Effective For Morbidly Obese Children, Study Finds

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST

Researchers have found laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding improves the health of morbidly obese adolescents.

Chemists Describe Solar Energy Progress And Challenges, Including The 'Artificial Leaf'

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST

Scientists are making progress toward development of an "artificial leaf" that mimics a real leaf's chemical magic with photosynthesis -- but instead converts sunlight and water into a liquid fuel such as methanol for cars and trucks.

Perceived Parent-pressure Causes Excessive Antibiotic Prescription

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST

Antibiotic over-prescription is promoted by pediatricians' perception of parents' expectations. Research shows that pediatricians are more likely to inappropriately prescribe antibiotics for respiratory tract infections if they perceived parents were expecting a prescription.

Map Of Human Bacterial Diversity Shows Wide Interpersonal Differences

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST

Scientists have developed the first atlas of bacterial diversity across the human body, charting wide variations in microbe populations that live in different regions of the human body and which aid us in physiological functions that contribute to our health.

Hybrid Molecules Show Promise For Exploring, Treating Alzheimer's

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST

One of the many mysteries of Alzheimer's disease is how protein-like snippets called amyloid-beta peptides, which clump together to form plaques in the brain, may cause cell death, leading to the disease's devastating symptoms of memory loss and other mental difficulties. In order to answer that key question and develop new approaches to preventing the damage, scientists must first understand how amyloid-beta forms the telltale clumps. Researchers have now developed new molecular tools that can be used to investigate the process.

Lightning's 'NOx-ious' Impact On Pollution, Climate

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST

More than 1.2 billion lightning flashes occur around the world every year. Each of those billion lightning flashes produces a puff of nitrogen oxide gas (NOx) that reacts with sunlight and other gases in the atmosphere to produce ozone. Using data gleaned from aircraft observations and satellites, NASA scientists recently took steps toward a better global estimate of lightning-produced NOx and found that lightning may have a considerably stronger impact on the climate in the mid-latitudes and subtropics.

New Treatment Option Emerging For Some With Early Stage Lung Cancer

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST

Patients with early stage, non-small cell lung cancer who are not able to undergo surgery, now have a highly effective treatment option. Physicians say that option, radical stereotactic radiosurgery performed with CyberKnife, leads to a 100 percent overall survival after three years in patients with good lung function before treatment.

Keeping Hearts Pumping With 'LifeFlow': Smart IV Device To Save Lives At Disaster Sites

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST

LifeFlow is a new device that applies a sophisticated algorithm to a computer-controlled IV drip to improve the efficiency of disaster response in the field.

The First Casualty Of War: News Reports Match Misperception Of Civilian Deaths, Study Finds

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST

Researchers have found that the discrepancy in media reporting of casualty numbers in the Iraq conflict can potentially misinform the public and contribute to distorted perceptions and gross underestimates of the number of civilians killed in the armed conflict.

Caught In The Act: Butterfly Mate Preference Shows How One Species Can Become Two

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST

Breaking up may not be hard to do, say scientists who've found a population of tropical butterflies that may be splitting into two distinct species. The cause of this particular break-up? A shift in wing color and mate preference. In a new study, the researchers describe the relationship between diverging color patterns in Heliconius butterflies and the long-term divergence of populations into new and distinct species.

Lactose Intolerance Rates May Be Significantly Lower Than Previously Believed

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST

Prevalence of lactose intolerance may be far lower than previously estimated, according to a new study. These new findings indicate that previous estimates of lactose intolerance incidence -- based on the incidence of lactose maldigestion -- may be overestimated by wide margins.

How Aggressive Cells Invade The Brain: Real-time Observation Sheds New Light On Multiple Sclerosis

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST

Real-time observation sheds new light on multiple sclerosis.

Rainwater Is Safe To Drink, Australian Study Suggests

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST

A new study into the health of families who drink rainwater has found that it is safe to drink.

New System Preserves Right To Privacy In Internet Searches

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST

A team of researchers in Spain has developed a protocol to distort the user profile generated by Internet search engines, in such a way that they cannot save the searches undertaken by Internet users and thus preserve their privacy.

When Should Flu Trigger A School Shutdown?

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST

As flu season approaches, parents around the country are starting to face school closures. But how bad should an influenza outbreak be for a school to shut down? A study by epidemiologists tapped a set of Japanese data to help guide decision making by schools and government agencies.

Are The Alps Growing Or Shrinking?

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST

The Alps are growing just as quickly in height as they are shrinking. This paradoxical result comes from a new study by a group of German and Swiss geoscientists. Due to glaciers and rivers, about exactly the same amount of material is eroded from the slopes of the Alps as is regenerated from the deep Earth's crust. The climatic cycles of the glacial period in Europe over the past 2.5 million years have accelerated this erosion process.

Cause Of Common Chronic Diarrhea Revealed In New Research

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST

A common type of chronic diarrhea may be caused by a hormone deficiency, according to new research. Scientists say their results could help more doctors recognize this type of diarrheal illness, and may lead to the development of more effective tests and treatments to help improve the lives of many people suffering with chronic diarrhea.

Inconspicuous Leaf Beetles Reveal Environment's Role In Formation Of New Species

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST

Unnoticed by the nearby residents of St. Johnsbury, Vt., tiny leaf beetles that flit among the maple and willow trees in the area have just provided some of the clearest evidence yet that environmental factors play a major role in the formation of new species.

Less Brain Swelling Occurs With Multiple Sessions Of Stereotactic Radiosurgery For Common Brain Tumor

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST

Treating a common brain tumor with multiple sessions of radiation appears to result in less brain swelling than treating the tumor once with a high dose of radiation, say researchers.

New Technique For Specifying Location Of Sugars On Proteins Paves Way For Medical Discoveries

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST

Researchers have previously been able to analyse which sugar structures are to be found on certain proteins, but not exactly where on the protein they are positioned.

Physical Education Key To Improving Health In Low-income Adolescents

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST

School-based physical education plays a key role in curbing obesity and improving fitness among adolescents from low-income communities, according to a new study.

Abiotic Synthesis Of Methane: New Evidence Supports 19th-Century Idea On Formation Of Oil And Gas

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST

Scientists in Washington, D.C. are reporting laboratory evidence supporting the possibility that some of Earth's oil and natural gas may have formed in a way much different than the traditional process described in science textbooks.

Survival Of The Healthiest: Selective Eradication Of Malignant Cells

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST

The ultimate goal in cancer research, a treatment that kills cancer cells whilst leaving healthy cells untouched, is brought nearer by the success of a new therapeutic approach. The potential therapy targets proliferation of cancer, but not normal, cells.

Heavy Metals Accumulate More In Some Mushrooms Than In Others

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST

Researchers in Spain have analyzed the presence of heavy metals in 12 species of mushroom collected from non-contaminated natural areas, and has found that the levels vary depending on the type of mushroom. The results of the study show that the largest quantities of lead and neodymium are found in chanterelles.

Finding May Help Some Tonsil Cancer Patients Avoid Chemotherapy

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST

Clinical researchers have confirmed that patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer ("tonsil cancer") harbor a common type of human papilloma virus (HPV16), but also that such cancers are very sensitive to radiation. For some patients, this may mean successful treatment with radiation alone and avoiding the side effects of chemotherapy.

Powerful Laser Sheds Light On Fast Ignition And High Energy Density Physics

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST

A new generation of high-energy (>kJ) petawatt (HEPW) lasers is being constructed worldwide to study high intensity laser matter interactions, including fast ignition.

Parents Just Don't Understand: Role Of Parental Control In Western And East Asian Countries

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST

Recent studies investigating the question of parental control in the west and in east Asian countries suggest that extreme meddling by parents can have negative effects on their children's psychological development in both of those regions, although the effects may not be uniform.

Gene Therapy Technique Slows Brain Disease ALD Featured In Movie 'Lorenzo's Oil'

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST

A strategy that combines gene therapy with blood stem cell therapy may be a useful tool for treating a fatal brain disease, French researchers have found.

Oral Contraceptives May Benefit Women With Asthma

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST

New research shows that women with asthma who are on oral contraceptives may have better outcomes than women who are not on the medication.

Mimicking Nature, Scientists Can Now Extend Redox Potentials

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST

New insight into how nature handles some fundamental processes is guiding researchers in the design of tailor-made proteins for applications such as artificial photosynthetic centers, long-range electron transfers, and fuel-cell catalysts for energy conversion.

New Class Of Molecules May Help Prevent Fatal Complication In Patients With Kidney Disease

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST

Researchers have made an important discovery about why potassium builds up to dangerous levels in the bloodstream, a relatively common medical problem that affects about eight percent of hospitalized patients. They have identified a new molecular pathway and a new class of molecules responsible for preventing potassium from being excreted normally through the kidney.

Water-conserving Irrigation Strategies Minimize Overwatering, Runoff

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST

Conserving water and reducing the environmental impact of runoff are two important issues confronting container nursery operations. Current regulations in five states limit water consumption and/or nutrient concentrations in runoff. Researchers investigated whether irrigation scheduling based on daily water use (DWU) -- the combined loss of water from plant transpiration and substrate evaporation -- could conserve water. According to the study, "scheduling irrigation according to plant DWU substantially reduced the amount of irrigation applied.

'Health-at-every-size' Approach Is Effective: Health-centered Weight Control Method Shows Promise

Posted: 05 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST

Most weight-control strategies emphasize energy-restricted diets and increased physical activity -- and most are not effective over the long term. In a study of a "weight-acceptance" intervention, researchers found that there could be long-term beneficial effects on certain eating behaviors using a weight-acceptance intervention approach.

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