ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• First black holes may have incubated in giant, starlike cocoons
• How coughing is triggered by environmental irritants
• Meiosis: Chromosomes Dance And Pair Up On The Nuclear Membrane
• Sticky solution for identifying effective probiotics
• Origin of life: Generating RNA molecules in water
• Yoga boosts heart health, new research finds
• Hydrogen-economy on the way? New hydrogen-storage method discovered
• Fat around the middle increases the risk of dementia
• Butterfly proboscis to sip cells
• Flu and children: RSV causes far more hospitalizations than seasonal flu
• 'No muss, no fuss' miniaturized analysis for complex samples developed
• Organizational psychologists use Rock Band to study how people achieve flow while at work
• Violent world of raptors explored
• Protein from pregnancy hormone may prevent breast cancer
• Cross-country runabouts: immune cells on the move
• Researchers track down protein responsible for chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps
• Robotic clam digs in mudflats
• Children still exposed to secondhand smoke in spite of smoking ban, Welsh study finds
• Alzheimer's: Destructive amyloid-beta protein may also be essential for normal brain function
• Ultrasound enhances noninvasive Down syndrome tests
• First Bose-Einstein Condensation Of Strontium
• Insights Into The Molecular Basis Of Tumor Cell Behavior
• Saving the single cysteine: New antioxidant system found
• National Anti-gun Violence Program Largely Successful
• Warmer means windier on Lake Superior, world's biggest freshwater lake
• Flaxseed oil may reduce osteoporosis risk
• Researchers begin to decipher metabolism of sexual assault drug
• Antifibrotic effects of green tea
• Systems biology approach provides insulin resistance insights
• Using Science To Save Lives Of Mothers And Children In Africa
• Ants use bacteria to make their gardens grow
• Link between influenza virus and fever: Scientists solve riddle of new mechanism in immune system
• Navy Researchers Apply Science To Fire Fighting
• Racial disparity in colon cancer survival not easily explained, researchers say
• Smartphone app illuminates power consumption
• Medical 'pay for performance' programs help improve care, but not always, study finds
• To the bat cave: Researchers reconstruct evolution of bat migration with aid of mathematical model
• Gene implicated in stress-induced high blood pressure
• Cassini's big sky: View from the center of our solar system
• Diabetics show alarming increase in morbid obesity
• Using new technique, scientists find eleven times more aftershocks for 2004 quake
• Genome-wide association studies in developing countries raise important new ethical issues
• Dramatic decline found in Siberian tigers
• Toward explaining why hepatitis B hits men harder than women
• Computational microscope peers into the working ribosome
• Multiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive
• How might navy sonar affect hearing of whales and other marine animals?
• High unexpressed anger in multiple sclerosis patients linked to nervous system damage, not disease severity

First black holes may have incubated in giant, starlike cocoons Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST The first large black holes in the universe likely formed and grew deep inside gigantic, starlike cocoons that smothered their powerful X-ray radiation and prevented surrounding gases from being blown away, says a new study.

How coughing is triggered by environmental irritants Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Scientists have revealed how environmental irritants such as air pollution and cigarette smoke cause people to cough. The authors of a new study have identified the reaction inside the lungs that can trigger coughing when a person is exposed to particular irritants in the air. They suggest that their findings may ultimately lead to the development of new treatments for chronic coughing.

Meiosis: Chromosomes Dance And Pair Up On The Nuclear Membrane Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Meiosis -- the pairing and recombination of chromosomes, followed by segregation of half to each egg or sperm cell -- is a major crossroads in all organisms reproducing sexually. Yet, how the cell precisely choreographs these chromosomal interactions is a long-standing question. New findings show that the cell's cytoskeleton, which moves things around in the cell, plays a critical role, essentially reaching into the nucleus to bring chromosome pairs together in preparation for recombination and segregation.

Sticky solution for identifying effective probiotics Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Scientists have crystallized a protein that may help gut bacteria bind to the gastrointestinal tract. The protein could be used by probiotic producers to identify strains that are likely to be of real benefit to people.

Origin of life: Generating RNA molecules in water Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST A key question in the origin of biological molecules like RNA and DNA is how they first came together billions of years ago from simple precursors. Now, researchers have reconstructed one of the earliest evolutionary steps yet: generating long chains of RNA from individual subunits using nothing but warm water.

Yoga boosts heart health, new research finds Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Heart rate variability, a sign of a healthy heart, has been shown to be higher in yoga practitioners than in non-practitioners, according to new research.

Hydrogen-economy on the way? New hydrogen-storage method discovered Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Scientists have found for the first time that high pressure can be used to make a unique hydrogen-storage material. The discovery paves the way for a new approach to the hydrogen-storage problem. The researchers found that the normally nonreactive, noble gas xenon combines with molecular hydrogen under pressure to form a previously unknown solid with unusual bonding chemistry. The discovery debuts a new family of materials, which could boost hydrogen technologies.

Fat around the middle increases the risk of dementia Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Women who store fat on their waist in middle age are more than twice as likely to develop dementia when they get older, reveals a new study.

Butterfly proboscis to sip cells Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST A butterfly's proboscis looks like a straw -- long, slender and used for sipping -- but it works more like a paper towel, according to researchers. They hope to borrow the tricks of this piece of insect anatomy to make small probes that can sample the fluid inside of cells.

Flu and children: RSV causes far more hospitalizations than seasonal flu Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Influenza, particularly H1N1, has understandably captured the public spotlight. However, a new analysis shows that another virus -- respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) -- takes a substantially greater disease toll among young children than does seasonal flu. Children infected with RSV had more than twice as many emergency department visits and six times more hospitalizations than those with seasonal flu.

'No muss, no fuss' miniaturized analysis for complex samples developed Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Researchers have created a novel and simple way to analyze samples that are complex mixtures -- such as whole milk, blood serum and dirt in solution -- by adapting a new separation technique called gradient elution moving boundary electrophoresis.

Organizational psychologists use Rock Band to study how people achieve flow while at work Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Using the video game Rock Band, organizational psychologists have found that -- like Goldilocks -- most people achieve flow with work that is neither too easy nor too hard but just right.

Violent world of raptors explored Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST A journey that started with a box of bird feet carried three graduate students into the gruesome world of raptors. Normally focused on dinosaurs, the students compared the claws and killing methods of four types of raptors and published a new paper on their research. The birds of prey that were studied live in North America and Europe and include eagles and hawks, owls, osprey and falcons.

Protein from pregnancy hormone may prevent breast cancer Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers have found that hormones produced during pregnancy induce a protein that directly inhibits the growth of breast cancer. This protein, alpha-fetoprotein, may serve as a viable, well-tolerated agent for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer, according to new findings.

Cross-country runabouts: immune cells on the move Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST In order to effectively fight pathogens, even at remote areas of the human body, immune cells have to move quickly and in a flexible manner. Scientists have now deciphered the mechanism that illustrates how these mobile cells move on diverse surfaces.

Researchers track down protein responsible for chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST A protein known to stimulate blood vessel growth has now been found to be responsible for the cell overgrowth in the development of polyps that characterize one of the most severe forms of sinusitis, researchers suggests. The finding gives scientists a new target for developing novel therapies to treat this form of the disease, which typically resists all current treatments.

Robotic clam digs in mudflats Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST To design a lightweight anchor that can dig itself in to hold small underwater submersibles, Anette Hosoi of MIT borrowed techniques from one of nature's best diggers -- the razor clam.

Children still exposed to secondhand smoke in spite of smoking ban, Welsh study finds Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST The smoking ban in Wales has not displaced secondhand smoke from public places into the home. A study of 3,500 children from 75 primary schools in Wales found that they were exposed to similar amounts of secondhand smoke before and after legislation, which should reassure those worried that exposure to smoking at home could increase following the ban.

Alzheimer's: Destructive amyloid-beta protein may also be essential for normal brain function Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST Scientists have found that the amyloid-beta protein, currently the target of Alzheimer's drug research, is essential for normal information transfer through nerve cell networks in the brain. "If this protein is removed from the brain," says one of the researchers, "it may cause an impairment of neuronal function, as well as a further and faster accumulation of amyloid-beta in Alzheimer's."

Ultrasound enhances noninvasive Down syndrome tests Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST The addition of a "genetic sonogram" maximizes the accuracy of noninvasive testing for Down syndrome, according to new research.

First Bose-Einstein Condensation Of Strontium Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST In an international first, scientists have produced a Bose-Einstein condensate of the alkaline-earth element strontium. Choosing the isotope 84Sr, which has received little attention so far, proved to be the right choice for the breakthrough. It can now be regarded as an ideal candidate for future experiments with atomic two-electron systems.

Insights Into The Molecular Basis Of Tumor Cell Behavior Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST A new study sheds light on the molecular basis by which tumor cells modulate their surroundings to favor cancer progression.

Saving the single cysteine: New antioxidant system found Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST We've all read studies about the health benefits of having a life partner. The same thing is true at the molecular level, where amino acids known as cysteines are much more vulnerable to damage when single than when paired up with other cysteines.

National Anti-gun Violence Program Largely Successful Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST Project Safe Neighborhoods -- a community-based policing effort launched in 2001 -- has been largely successful in its goal of reducing violent crime, according to a new analysis.

Warmer means windier on Lake Superior, world's biggest freshwater lake Posted: 24 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Rising water temperatures are kicking up more powerful winds on Lake Superior, with consequences for currents, biological cycles, pollution and more on the world's largest lake and its smaller brethren.

Flaxseed oil may reduce osteoporosis risk Posted: 24 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Animal studies suggest that adding flaxseed oil to the diet could reduce the risk of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and women with diabetes.

Researchers begin to decipher metabolism of sexual assault drug Posted: 24 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST It's a naturally occurring brain chemical with an unwieldy name: 4-hydroxybutyrate (4-HB). Taken by mouth, it can be abused or used as a date-rape drug. Now, scientists have determined new routes by which 4-HB is metabolized by the body.

Antifibrotic effects of green tea Posted: 24 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Scientists examined the protective effect of green tea extract on hepatic fibrosis in vitro and in vivo in dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced rats. Their study demonstrates that green tea administration can effectively improve liver fibrosis caused by DMN, and may be used as a therapeutic option and preventive measure against hepatic fibrosis.

Systems biology approach provides insulin resistance insights Posted: 24 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Researchers recently offered the sharpest-yet picture of how core biochemical pathways in skeletal muscle cells and fat cells are altered in people who suffer from insulin resistance -- a primary defect in type 2 diabetes and obesity. Taking a systems biology approach, the bioengineers and medical researchers also determined how a common class of drugs for treating insulin resistance -- TZDs -- alter these same core pathways.

Using Science To Save Lives Of Mothers And Children In Africa Posted: 24 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST The lives of almost 4 million women, newborns, and children in sub-Saharan Africa could be saved every year if well-established, affordable health care interventions reached 90 percent of families.

Ants use bacteria to make their gardens grow Posted: 24 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Leaf-cutter ants, which cultivate fungus for food, have many remarkable qualities. Here's a new one to add to the list: the ant farmers, like their human counterparts, depend on nitrogen-fixing bacteria to make their gardens grow.

Link between influenza virus and fever: Scientists solve riddle of new mechanism in immune system Posted: 24 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST One feature of the "new influenza" is a sudden rise in temperature. Up to now it was not exactly understood how this reaction occurs. Scientists in Germany have been able to shed light into the dark. They have identified a new signaling pathway via which certain viruses can trigger inflammatory reactions and fever.

Navy Researchers Apply Science To Fire Fighting Posted: 24 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Navy scientists are conducting research to insure that sailors and their ships can be protected from the deadly effects of fire.

Racial disparity in colon cancer survival not easily explained, researchers say Posted: 24 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST For colon and other cancers, African-Americans have lower survival rates than whites. There has been a belief that racial disparity in survival following surgery for colon cancer was related to a high BMI and co-morbidity. A new study shows there must be some other explanation.

Smartphone app illuminates power consumption Posted: 24 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST A new application for the Android smartphone shows users and software developers how much power their applications are consuming.

Medical 'pay for performance' programs help improve care, but not always, study finds Posted: 24 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Everybody likes a raise in pay. Even health care professionals, it appears. Now a new study reports that the performance ratings of patient care from 25 medical groups throughout California significantly improved after the start of a statewide pay-for-performance program in 2004. But not if incentives focus on your doctor's productivity.

To the bat cave: Researchers reconstruct evolution of bat migration with aid of mathematical model Posted: 24 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Not just birds, but also a few species of bats face a long journey every year. Researchers have studied the migratory behavior of the largest extant family of bats, the so-called "Vespertilionidae" with the help of mathematical models. They discovered that the migration over short as well as long distances of various kinds of bats evolved independently within the family.

Gene implicated in stress-induced high blood pressure Posted: 24 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Do stressful situations make your blood pressure rise? If so, your phosducin gene could be to blame according to new research that indicates a role for the protein generated by the phosducin gene in modulating blood pressure in response to stress in both mice and humans.

Cassini's big sky: View from the center of our solar system Posted: 24 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST NASA's Cassini spacecraft is helping to rewrite our understanding of the shape of our solar system as it moves through the local Milky Way galaxy. Previous models pictured our solar system as having a comet-like appearance. The new results suggest a picture more like a bubble.

Diabetics show alarming increase in morbid obesity Posted: 24 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST One out of five type 2 diabetics is morbidly obese -- approximately 100 pounds or more overweight -- a new study has found.

Using new technique, scientists find eleven times more aftershocks for 2004 quake Posted: 24 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Using a technique normally used for detecting weak tremor, scientists have discovered that the 2004 magnitude 6 earthquake along the Parkfield section of the San Andreas fault exhibited almost 11 times more aftershocks than previously thought.

Genome-wide association studies in developing countries raise important new ethical issues Posted: 24 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Typically conducted in richer, developed countries but now increasingly done in the developing world, genome wide association studies raise a host of ethical issues that must be addressed, experts argue.

Dramatic decline found in Siberian tigers Posted: 24 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST The last remaining population of Siberian tigers has likely declined significantly due to the rising tide of poaching and habitat loss, according to a new report

Toward explaining why hepatitis B hits men harder than women Posted: 24 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST Scientists have discovered unusual liver proteins, found only in males, that may help explain the long-standing mystery of why the hepatitis B virus sexually discriminates -- hitting men harder than women.

Computational microscope peers into the working ribosome Posted: 24 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST Two new studies reveal in unprecedented detail how the ribosome interacts with other molecules to assemble new proteins and guide them toward their destination in biological cells. The studies used molecular dynamics flexible fitting to examine the interaction of the ribosome with two prominent molecular partners.

Multiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive Posted: 24 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are deficient in it, spurred research and even led to an appreciation of it as "nature's antibiotic."

How might navy sonar affect hearing of whales and other marine animals? Posted: 24 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST Rocket science is opening new doors to understanding how sounds associated with Navy sonar might affect the hearing of a marine mammal -- or if they hear it at all.

High unexpressed anger in multiple sclerosis patients linked to nervous system damage, not disease severity Posted: 24 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST People with multiple sclerosis (MS) feel more than twice as much withheld anger as the general population, but expressed anger levels are similar. Researchers were surprised by the results from the 195 MS patients. They also found that elevated withheld anger levels were not related to the severity of the patients' MS. This suggests that these inconsistent changes were caused by nervous system damage, rather than an emotional reaction to the stress of the disease.

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