ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Faint star orbiting the Big Dipper's Alcor discovered
• 'Mini' transplant may reverse severe sickle cell disease
• Newly discovered mechanism allows cells to change state
• Hops compound may prevent prostate cancer
• Electromagnetic fields as cutting tools
• Are holiday and weekend eating patterns affecting obesity rates?
• Noninvasive technique to rewrite fear memories developed
• Coaxing injured nerve fibers to regenerate by disabling 'brakes' in the system
• Chopper drop tests new technology: Expandable honeycomb cushion could make helicopters safer
• Treating cluster headaches with high-flow oxygen appears effective
• Digital avalanche rescue dog: Geolocation system can locate victims to within centimeters
• Patients lack knowledge of medications they were given in hospital, study shows
• First evidence of brain rewiring in children: Reading remediation positively alters brain tissue
• New skin stem cells surprisingly similar to those found in embryos
• Nature's solution to age-old chemical paradox: Chemical basis for extra 'quality control' in protein production
• Children who survive cancer more likely to suffer from heart disease
• Dow Jones Index for Climate Change
• Bullying at school linked to bullying at home
• Saturn's mysterious hexagon emerges from winter darkness
• Potential cancer drug may offer new hope for asthma patients
• New approach to treat lower back pain unveiled
• Possible ovarian cancer treatment target identified
• Robotic Perception, On Purpose
• People affected by autism believe increase is 'real,' not diagnostic
• Entropy alone can create complex crystals from simple shapes; tetrahedra packing record broken
• Bone marrow cells may significantly reduce risk of second heart attack
• Tropical forests affected by habitat fragmentation store less biomass and carbon dioxide
• Sonic Hedgehog variations linked to recurrence, survival and response to therapy of bladder cancer
• Danish Eco City proves waste management can reverse greenhouse trend
• Gender gap persists in cardiac care, study finds
• Old hay and Alpine ibex horns reveal how grasslands respond to climate change
• Pitch of blue whale songs is declining around the world, scientists discover
• Worms unlock secrets to new epilepsy treatments
• World-Record Energy Collisions Achieved at Large Hadron Collider
• Stem cell derived neurons for research relevant to Alzheimer's and Niemann-Pick type C diseases
• Energy efficiency technologies offer major savings, report finds
• Money changes what we think is fair, research finds
• Why King Kong failed to impress: Humans, apes use odor-detecting receptors differently
• Delivering medicine directly into a tumor
• Fine-tuned laser: Step toward airport scanners that can identify explosives
• H1N1 influenza adopted novel strategy to move from birds to humans
• Hunt for Higgs boson: Mass of top quark narrows search
• Playing favorites: Parents still involved after children are grown
• Everyday germs in childhood may prevent diseases in adulthood
• Stem cells can be engineered to kill HIV, scientists show
• How to read brain activity with an EEG
• Women with breast cancer who consume soy food have lower risk of cancer recurrence
• Scientists reveal key structure from Ebola virus

Faint star orbiting the Big Dipper's Alcor discovered Posted: 10 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST New observations of Alcor, one of the stars that makes the constellation known as the Big Dipper's, have uncovered a smaller companion star named Alcor B. Project 1640 was able to show that the two stars moved together using "common parallactic motion."

'Mini' transplant may reverse severe sickle cell disease Posted: 10 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST Results of a preliminary study show that "mini" stem cell transplantation may safely reverse severe sickle cell disease in adults.

Newly discovered mechanism allows cells to change state Posted: 10 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST By looking at yeast cells, a biologist has figured out one way in which cells can transform themselves: a cellular "machine" removes a regulatory "lid."

Hops compound may prevent prostate cancer Posted: 10 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST The natural compound xanthohumol blocks the effects of the male hormone testosterone, therefore aiding in the prevention of prostate cancer.

Electromagnetic fields as cutting tools Posted: 10 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST The bodywork on motor vehicles must be sufficiently stable, but processing the high-strength steels involved -- for example punching holes in them -- can prove something of a challenge. A new steel-cutting process will save time, energy and money in the future.

Are holiday and weekend eating patterns affecting obesity rates? Posted: 10 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST The holidays can be challenging for even the most diligent dieters. But are weekends just as detrimental? Researchers found that weekend eating patterns change significantly.

Noninvasive technique to rewrite fear memories developed Posted: 10 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST Researchers have developed a noninvasive technique to block the return of fear memories in humans. The technique may change how we view the storage processes of memory and could lead to new ways to treat anxiety disorders.

Coaxing injured nerve fibers to regenerate by disabling 'brakes' in the system Posted: 10 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST Expanding on prior research, scientists provide further evidence that regeneration of nerve fibers after brain or spinal cord injury is limited by a lack of response to growth factors induced by the injury. They show in mice that axons can regenerate vigorously when responsiveness is restored genetically -- a finding that could lead to ways of helping people recover from brain or spinal cord injury.

Chopper drop tests new technology: Expandable honeycomb cushion could make helicopters safer Posted: 10 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST How do you make a helicopter safer to fly? You crash one. NASA aeronautics researchers recently dropped a small helicopter from a height of 35 feet (10.7 m) to see whether an expandable honeycomb cushion called a deployable energy absorber could lessen the destructive force of a crash.

Treating cluster headaches with high-flow oxygen appears effective Posted: 10 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST Patients with a cluster headache, which is characterized by bouts of excruciating pain usually near the eye or temple, were more likely to report being pain-free within 15 minutes of treatment with high-flow oxygen than patients who received a placebo treatment, according to a new study.

Digital avalanche rescue dog: Geolocation system can locate victims to within centimeters Posted: 10 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST A novel geolocation system makes use of signals from Galileo, the future European satellite navigation system, to locate avalanche victims carrying an avalanche transceiver or a cell phone, to the precision of a few centimeters.

Patients lack knowledge of medications they were given in hospital, study shows Posted: 10 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST In a new study to asses patient awareness of medications prescribed during a hospital visit, 44 percent of patients believed they were receiving a medication they were not, and 96 percent were unable to recall the name of at least one medication that they had been prescribed during hospitalization.

First evidence of brain rewiring in children: Reading remediation positively alters brain tissue Posted: 10 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Scientists have uncovered the first evidence that intensive instruction to improve reading skills in young children causes the brain to physically rewire itself, creating new white matter that improves communication within the brain.

New skin stem cells surprisingly similar to those found in embryos Posted: 10 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Scientists have discovered a new type of stem cell in the skin that acts surprisingly like certain stem cells found in embryos: both can generate fat, bone, cartilage and even nerve cells.

Nature's solution to age-old chemical paradox: Chemical basis for extra 'quality control' in protein production Posted: 10 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Even small errors made by cells during protein production can have profound disease effects, and nature has developed ways to uncover these mistakes and correct them. Though in the case of one essential protein building block -- the amino acid alanine -- nature has been extra careful, developing not one, but two checkpoints in her effort to make sure that this component is used correctly.

Children who survive cancer more likely to suffer from heart disease Posted: 10 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Children and adolescents who survive cancer have a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease as young adults, according to a new large study.

Dow Jones Index for Climate Change Posted: 10 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST The IGBP Climate Change Index exposes the rapid and profound changes the planet is undergoing as a result of human activity.

Bullying at school linked to bullying at home Posted: 10 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Children who bully at school are likely to also bully their siblings at home. This is the finding of a new study. Researchers investigated whether the age and gender of a child's siblings predicted whether children were likely to bully, or to become victims of bullying.

Saturn's mysterious hexagon emerges from winter darkness Posted: 10 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST After waiting years for the sun to illuminate Saturn's north pole again, cameras aboard NASA's Cassini spacecraft have captured the most detailed images yet of the intriguing hexagon shape crowning the planet.

Potential cancer drug may offer new hope for asthma patients Posted: 10 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST A drug being tested to treat cancer could also help patients suffering from asthma, research has suggested. Scientists found that the drug -- R-roscovitine -- helps to kill certain immune cells which can exacerbate symptoms associated with asthma.

New approach to treat lower back pain unveiled Posted: 10 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST Using a branch of science that crosses disciplines to study complex problems, a researcher is introducing a new way to understand and treat lower back pain, a condition affecting more than 40 million Americans and costing billions of dollars each year.

Possible ovarian cancer treatment target identified Posted: 10 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST A multi-institutional study has identified a potential personalized treatment target for the most common form of ovarian cancer. The research team discovered that a gene called MAGP2 -- not previously associated with any type of cancer -- was overexpressed in papillary serous ovarian tumors of patients who died more quickly. They also found evidence suggesting possible mechanisms by which MAGP2 may promote tumor growth.

Robotic Perception, On Purpose Posted: 10 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST Researchers have developed technology that enables a robot to combine data from both sound and vision to create combined, purposeful perception. In the process, they have taken the field to a new level.

People affected by autism believe increase is 'real,' not diagnostic Posted: 10 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST There has been a major increase in the number of children diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders over the last two decades -- the question is why? Researchers have found a sharp difference between the beliefs of ordinary people and medical experts about the reasons for the increased incidence of autism.

Entropy alone can create complex crystals from simple shapes; tetrahedra packing record broken Posted: 09 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST In a study that elevates the role of entropy in creating order, new research shows that certain pyramid shapes can spontaneously organize into complex quasicrystals.

Bone marrow cells may significantly reduce risk of second heart attack Posted: 09 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST After heart attack patients' arteries were cleared by reperfusion, progenitor cells, derived from the patients' own bone marrow, were infused into that artery. This reduced the risk of death or another heart attack. The finding also holds promise that bone marrow progenitor cells can reduce debilitating or fatal heart failure in heart attack survivors. Larger trials are needed to confirm the therapy before it becomes medical practice.

Tropical forests affected by habitat fragmentation store less biomass and carbon dioxide Posted: 09 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Deforestation in tropical rain forests could have an even greater impact on climate change than has previously been thought. The combined biomass of a large number of small forest fragments left over after habitat fragmentation can be up to 40 percent less than in a continuous natural forest of the same overall size. This is the conclusion reached by German and Brazilian researchers who used a simulation model.

Sonic Hedgehog variations linked to recurrence, survival and response to therapy of bladder cancer Posted: 09 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Genetic variations in the Sonic Hedgehog pathway increase the likelihood of recurrence, reduce survival time and limit response to therapy for people with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, scientists report.

Danish Eco City proves waste management can reverse greenhouse trend Posted: 09 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Cities can progress from consuming energy and emitting greenhouse gases to actually producing energy while saving on GHG emissions, due to substitution of fossil fuels elsewhere. These findings are based on research in the city of Aalborg in Northern Denmark.

Gender gap persists in cardiac care, study finds Posted: 09 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Gender differences persist in the quality of cardiac care across Ontario, according to new study. Ontario women who had heart attacks were less likely to receive care from a cardiologist, be referred for angiography, or be prescribed statins, cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Old hay and Alpine ibex horns reveal how grasslands respond to climate change Posted: 09 Dec 2009 09:00 PM PST To better understand how grassland ecosystems respond to a warming climate and rising levels of carbon dioxide -- particularly with respect to the plants' water use -- resourceful scientists have captured telling time series from the proverbially fleeting grass. Grassland researchers analyzed specimens of hay from the British lowlands dating back as far as 150 years, together with nearly 70 years of grazing as recorded in the horns of Alpine ibex, correlating these data with climate records.

Pitch of blue whale songs is declining around the world, scientists discover Posted: 09 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST The sound level of songs blue whales sing across the vast expanses of the ocean to attract potential mates has been steadily creeping downward for the past few decades, and scientists believe the trend may be good news for the population of the endangered marine mammal.

Worms unlock secrets to new epilepsy treatments Posted: 09 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST Scientists have used worms to reel in information they hope will lead to a greater understanding of cellular mechanisms that may be exploited to treat epilepsy. In a new study, the researchers explain how the transparent roundworm, C. elegans, helped them identify key "molecular switches" that control the transport of a molecule (gamma-aminobutyric acid or "GABA") that if manipulated within our cells, might prevent the onset of seizures.

World-Record Energy Collisions Achieved at Large Hadron Collider Posted: 09 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST On December 8th, thousands of physicists around the world cheered as CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) smashed together subatomic particles at the highest energies ever reached by a human-made accelerator and the giant ATLAS detector observed the products of the record-breaking reactions whizzing through its sophisticated tracking devices.

Stem cell derived neurons for research relevant to Alzheimer's and Niemann-Pick type C diseases Posted: 09 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST Stem cell derived neurons may allow scientists to determine whether breakdowns in the transport of proteins, lipids and other materials within cells trigger the neuronal death and neurodegeneration that characterize Alzheimer's disease and the rarer but always fatal neurological disorder, Niemann-Pick Type C, according to a recent presentation. Early defects in the intracellular physical transport system may be the driving force behind severe neuronal dysfunction.

Energy efficiency technologies offer major savings, report finds Posted: 09 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST Energy efficiency technologies that exist today or that are likely to be developed in the near future could save considerable money as well as energy, says a new report from the National Research Council. Fully adopting these technologies could lower projected US energy use 17 percent to 20 percent by 2020, and 25-31 percent by 2030.

Money changes what we think is fair, research finds Posted: 09 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST Thinking of rewarding your sales department for a job well done? You might not want to make cash part of the payoff.

Why King Kong failed to impress: Humans, apes use odor-detecting receptors differently Posted: 09 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Humans have the same receptors for detecting odors related to sex as do other primates. But each species uses them in different ways, stemming from the way the genes for these receptors have evolved over time, according to researchers.

Delivering medicine directly into a tumor Posted: 09 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have identified a peptide (a chain of amino acids) that specifically recognizes and penetrates cancerous tumors but not normal tissues. The peptide was also shown to deliver diagnostic particles and medicines into the tumor.

Fine-tuned laser: Step toward airport scanners that can identify explosives Posted: 09 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Engineers have developed the first practical method for tuning terahertz quantum cascade lasers. What's more, the method is a fundamentally new approach to laser tuning that could have implications for other emerging technologies.

H1N1 influenza adopted novel strategy to move from birds to humans Posted: 09 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST The 2009 H1N1 virus, which ignited a worldwide "swine flu" panic earlier this year, used a novel strategy to cross from birds into people, scientists have found. The finding could help those surveilling the world for new flu variants and those developing antiviral drugs.

Hunt for Higgs boson: Mass of top quark narrows search Posted: 09 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST New high-energy particle research by a team working with data from Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory heightens uncertainty about the exact nature of a key theoretical component of modern physics -- the massive fundamental particle, the Higgs boson. Particle collision data resulting in two leptons helped improve measurements of the mass of the heavy subatomic top quark, which bears on the Higgs, says a physicist who led the team.

Playing favorites: Parents still involved after children are grown Posted: 09 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Middle-aged parents are more involved in their grown children's lives than ever, according to new research.

Everyday germs in childhood may prevent diseases in adulthood Posted: 09 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST A new study suggests that American parents should ease up on the antibacterial soap. Exposure to infectious microbes early in life may actually protect children from cardiovascular diseases that can lead to death as an adult. The study is the first to look at how microbial exposures early in life affect inflammatory processes related to diseases associated with aging in adulthood. Ultra-clean environments may be depriving developing immune networks of important environmental input.

Stem cells can be engineered to kill HIV, scientists show Posted: 09 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST Researchers have for the first time demonstrated that human blood stem cells can be engineered into cells that can target and kill HIV-infected cells -- a process that potentially could be used against a range of chronic viral diseases. The study provides proof-of-principle -- that is, a demonstration of feasibility -- that human stem cells can be engineered into the equivalent of a genetic vaccine.

How to read brain activity with an EEG Posted: 09 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST The electroencephalogram is widely used by physicians and scientists to study brain function and to diagnose neurological disorders. However, it has remained largely unknown whether the electrodes on the head give an exact view of what is happening inside the brain. Scientists have now found a crucial link between the activity generated within the brain to that measured with EEG.

Women with breast cancer who consume soy food have lower risk of cancer recurrence Posted: 09 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST Although there is a concern regarding the safety of soy food consumption among breast cancer survivors, researchers have found that women in China who had breast cancer and a higher intake of soy food had an associated lower risk of death and breast cancer recurrence, according to a new study.

Scientists reveal key structure from Ebola virus Posted: 09 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST Scientists have determined the structure of a critical protein from the Ebola virus, which, though rare, is one of the deadliest viruses on the planet killing between 50 and 90 percent of those infected.

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