ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Among apes, teeth are made for the toughest times
• Microcephaly genes associated with human brain size
• Pomegranates: Latest weapon in the fight against MRSA
• Twin study identifies factors associated with skin aging
• Scientists shed light on a mysterious particle, the neutrino
• Discrimination in the citations that scientists use
• Next-generation lens promises wider view, greater detail
• Compound found to safely counter deadly bird flu
• Fisheries and aquaculture face multiple risks from climate change
• Genomes of identical twins reveal epigenetic changes that may play role in lupus
• Electronic nose can select produce with appealing aromas
• Depression saps endurance of the brain's reward circuitry
• Poisonous prehistoric 'raptor' discovered in China
• Gene therapy makes mice breath easier: Preventing progression of emphysema
• Sensor can detect single nanoparticle and take its measurement
• Proline repeats help protein grow tooth enamel
• What are the amounts of greenhouse gases released in your area and what are the sources?
• New research sheds light on our reactions to humanitarian crises
• Modern behavior of early humans found half-million years earlier than thought
• Women at high risk of significant bone loss on injectable birth control identified
• Added sugar in raisin cereals increases acidity of dental plaque
• Study casts doubt on provocative tuberculosis theory
• Physicists propose quantum entanglement for motion of microscopic objects
• Elderly most at risk for major depression identified
• Little stars from the early galaxy: Understanding the Milky Way's oldest stellar population
• Most plentiful cell type in the heart -- the fibroblast -- contributes to heart failure
• NASA Flight Tests Unique Jumbo Jet; Plane's Airborne Telescope Will Be Used to Unlock Secrets of the Cosmos
• Are patients losing sleep over blood pressure monitors?
• France was once home to the Atlantic sturgeon, previously unknown on its territory
• Orphanages are viable options for some children, study finds
• Faster, cheaper DNA sequencing method devised
• Naturally occurring lipid blocks respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in lungs
• Forty years of farmed salmon ... and one genetic mystery
• Urinary tract cancer associated with Chinese herbal products containing aristolochic acid
• Fertilizer use not always helpful in revegetation efforts
• Cancer survival disparities for most minority populations increase as cancers become more treatable
• Mystery of golden ratio explained
• New Aging Studies Improving Vaccine Efficacy For The Elderly
• When it comes to fish families, the bigger and bossier the better
• Combination therapy with midostaurin improves survival of acute myeloid leukemia patients with FLT3 mutations, phase 1
• Quantum information: Disentangling a billion-dollar opportunity
• Alcohol outlets lead to specific problems among youth and young adults
• African leaf-eating primates 'likely to be wiped out' by climate change
• Inhibiting The Cellular Process Autophagy Makes Mice Leaner
• Your Christmas tree has seven times more DNA than you do!
• Physicians knowledge of childhood food allergies needs room for improvement, study shows
• Headwater stream nutrient enrichment disrupts food web, study finds
• Postural sway among abstinent alcoholics can be improved up to a point

Among apes, teeth are made for the toughest times Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST The teeth of some apes are formed primarily to handle the most stressful times when food is scarce, according to new research. The findings imply that if humanity is serious about protecting its close evolutionary cousins, the food apes eat during these tough periods -- and where they find it -- must be included in conservation efforts.

Microcephaly genes associated with human brain size Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST Scientists have shown that common variations in genes associated with microcephaly -- a neuro-developmental disorder in which brain size is dramatically reduced -- may explain differences in brain size in healthy individuals as well as in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Pomegranates: Latest weapon in the fight against MRSA Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST Pomegranates have already been hailed as a super-food but a team of scientists has found a new use for the deep red fruit. The team has discovered that the rind can be turned into an ointment for treating MRSA and other common hospital infections.

Twin study identifies factors associated with skin aging Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST Smoking, being heavier, not using sunscreen and having had skin cancer appear to be associated with sun damage and aging of skin on the face, according to a report based on a study of twins.

Scientists shed light on a mysterious particle, the neutrino Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST Physicists have begun looking deep into the Earth to study some of nature's weirdest particles -- neutrinos.

Discrimination in the citations that scientists use Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST Science does not have to be altruistic. In fact, most of the time it is egotistic, according to a study by researchers in Spain that analyzes the discrimination that exists in citations of scientific articles in articles where researchers publish their results.

Next-generation lens promises wider view, greater detail Posted: 22 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST Engineers have created a new generation of lens that could greatly improve the capabilities of telecommunications or radar systems to provide a wide field of view and greater detail.

Compound found to safely counter deadly bird flu Posted: 22 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST A study suggests that a new compound, one on the threshold of final testing in humans, may be more potent and safer for treating "bird flu" than the antiviral drug best known by the trade name Tamiflu.

Fisheries and aquaculture face multiple risks from climate change Posted: 22 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST Marine capture fisheries already facing multiple challenges due to overfishing, habitat loss and weak management are poorly positioned to cope with new problems stemming from climate change, a new study suggests.

Genomes of identical twins reveal epigenetic changes that may play role in lupus Posted: 22 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST Identical twins look the same and are nearly genetically identical, but environmental factors and the resulting cellular changes could cause disease in one sibling and not the other. Scientists have studied twins discordant for the autoimmune disease lupus, mapping DNA modifications across the genome and shedding light on epigenetic changes that may play a role in the disease.

Electronic nose can select produce with appealing aromas Posted: 22 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST The use of an electronic smelling system capable of discriminating which tomatoes, melons or other products have a more attractive aroma is a particularly valuable aid for agro-food firms. However, existing electronic noses do not "smell" in the same way depending on the laboratory conditions, and these conditions change throughout the day and from one day to another.

Depression saps endurance of the brain's reward circuitry Posted: 22 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST Depressed patients are unable to sustain activity in brain areas related to positive emotion, a new study suggests.

Poisonous prehistoric 'raptor' discovered in China Posted: 22 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST Researchers have discovered a venomous, birdlike raptor that thrived some 128 million years ago in China. This is the first report of venom in the lineage that leads to modern birds.

Gene therapy makes mice breath easier: Preventing progression of emphysema Posted: 22 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new gene therapy that may prevent the progression of emphysema. The study describes a method to express therapeutic genes in lung tissue for a lifetime after only a single treatment.

Sensor can detect single nanoparticle and take its measurement Posted: 22 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST A tiny sensor that exploits the same physics as the whispering gallery will help make nanotechnology safer.

Proline repeats help protein grow tooth enamel Posted: 22 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST A simple amino acid that is repeated in the center of proteins found in tooth enamel makes teeth stronger and more resilient, according to new research.

What are the amounts of greenhouse gases released in your area and what are the sources? Posted: 22 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) has developed a high resolution digital view of artificial greenhouse gas emissions for any 10-by-10-kilometer area in the world. Using JRC's work on emissions and Google Earth, this new tool allows the visualization of the levels of emissions locally from 1970 to 2005 and the identification of the main sources.

New research sheds light on our reactions to humanitarian crises Posted: 22 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST Millions of lives are lost around the world each year to accidents, terrorist attacks, wars, epidemics and natural disasters. What's more, the prediction is that climate change will increase the number and intensity of some of these events. Newly published research suggests that the way people -- whether members of the public or policy makers -- react when faced with human fatalities is highly dependent on the distribution of death tolls they are typically exposed to.

Modern behavior of early humans found half-million years earlier than thought Posted: 22 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Evidence of sophisticated, human behavior has been discovered by researchers as early as 750,000 years ago -- some half a million years earlier than has previously been estimated by archaeologists.

Women at high risk of significant bone loss on injectable birth control identified Posted: 22 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Nearly half of women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, commonly known as the birth control shot, will experience high bone mineral density loss in the hip or lower spine within two years of beginning the contraceptive, according to new research.

Added sugar in raisin cereals increases acidity of dental plaque Posted: 22 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Elevated dental plaque acid is a risk factor that contributes to cavities in children. But eating bran flakes with raisins containing no added sugar does not promote more acid in dental plaque than bran flakes alone, according to new research.

Study casts doubt on provocative tuberculosis theory Posted: 22 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST A new study is casting doubt on a provocative theory that explains why tuberculosis can lie dormant in some patients for many years.

Physicists propose quantum entanglement for motion of microscopic objects Posted: 22 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers have proposed a new paradigm that should allow scientists to observe quantum behavior in small mechanical systems. Their ideas offer a new means of addressing one of the most fascinating issues in quantum mechanics: the nature of quantum superposition and entanglement in progressively larger and more complex systems.

Elderly most at risk for major depression identified Posted: 22 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers have pinpointed the prime factors identifying which elderly persons are at the highest risk for developing major depression.

Little stars from the early galaxy: Understanding the Milky Way's oldest stellar population Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST A new object with an age of thousands of millions of years and a mass of one tenth of the Sun, placing it at the frontier between low-mass stars and brown dwarfs, has been discovered as the furthest of its class in Milky Way. Nicknamed ULAS1350, this subdwarf could become on of the key element to improve our knowledge on the first steps of the formation of our Galaxy.

Most plentiful cell type in the heart -- the fibroblast -- contributes to heart failure Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST Fibroblasts are the most numerous cell type in the heart, but they are considered to have a less important role in heart failure than heart muscle cells. However, a team of researchers has now determined that fibroblasts are essential for the response of the mouse heart to conditions that mimic high blood pressure, a response that if sustained ultimately leads to heart failure.

NASA Flight Tests Unique Jumbo Jet; Plane's Airborne Telescope Will Be Used to Unlock Secrets of the Cosmos Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST A NASA jumbo jet that will help scientists unlock the origins of the universe with infrared observations reached a milestone Dec. 18 when doors covering the plane's telescope were fully opened in flight.

Are patients losing sleep over blood pressure monitors? Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST A widely used test for measuring nighttime blood pressure may interfere with patients' sleep, thus affecting the results of the test, a new study reports.

France was once home to the Atlantic sturgeon, previously unknown on its territory Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST Until now, only one species of sturgeon was known in France: the European sturgeon. Biologists have just shown, for the first time, that another species previously unknown in France used to be present in French waters: the Atlantic sturgeon. This species already existed in the French Atlantic region at the end of the Neolithic 5 000 years ago, and was still thriving 3 000 years later. Moreover, at that time European and Atlantic sturgeons co-existed at some sites. This discovery is of major importance for programs for the reintroduction of sturgeons into European rivers.

Orphanages are viable options for some children, study finds Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST A study of more than 3,000 orphaned and abandoned children in five Asian and African countries has found that children in institutional orphanages fare as well or better than those who live in the community.

Faster, cheaper DNA sequencing method devised Posted: 21 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Biomedical engineers have devised a method for making future genome sequencing faster and cheaper by dramatically reducing the amount of DNA required, thus eliminating the expensive, time-consuming and error-prone step of DNA amplification.

Naturally occurring lipid blocks respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in lungs Posted: 21 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Researchers have discovered that a naturally occurring lipid in the lung can prevent RSV infection and inhibit spread of the virus after an infection is established. RSV is the major cause of hospitalization for children in the first two years of life. These are early studies, but several characteristics of POPG suggest that it has real potential as both an antiviral and anti-inflammatory treatment.

Forty years of farmed salmon ... and one genetic mystery Posted: 21 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST It's known that escaped fish from Norwegian salmon farms can interbreed with wild salmon, and thus must have changed the genetic and physical makeup of the country's famed wild salmon stocks. But how much? Biologists are trying to answer this question by breeding special fish families to determine the exact genetic differences between farmed and wild salmon stocks.

Urinary tract cancer associated with Chinese herbal products containing aristolochic acid Posted: 21 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST The carcinogen aristolochic acid, which was found in many prescribed Chinese herbal products including Guan Mu Tong, is associated with an increased risk of urinary tract cancer, according to a new study.

Fertilizer use not always helpful in revegetation efforts Posted: 21 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Revegetation efforts in a subarctic Quebec community show that not all plants respond favorably to the use of fertilizers. Agricultural researchers used organic and mineral fertilizers on three different species of plants with mixed results. Vegetation in the community is damaged because of land development and the use of all terrain vehicles.

Cancer survival disparities for most minority populations increase as cancers become more treatable Posted: 21 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Racial and ethnic disparities in cancer survival are greatest for cancers that can be detected early and treated successfully, including breast and prostate cancer. Disparities are small or nonexistent for cancers that have more limited early detection and treatment options, such as pancreatic and lung cancer.

Mystery of golden ratio explained Posted: 21 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST The golden ratio is a geometric proportion that has been theorized to be the most aesthetically pleasing to the eye and has been the root of countless mysteries over the centuries. Now, an engineer has found it to be a compelling springboard to unify vision, thought and movement under a single law of nature's design.

New Aging Studies Improving Vaccine Efficacy For The Elderly Posted: 21 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST A new study demonstrates that immune system cells important for both pathogen resistance and vaccine efficacy live longer in older animals but because of this longevity acquire functional defects. The work may provide new targets for boosting immune system function in older individuals.

When it comes to fish families, the bigger and bossier the better Posted: 21 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST When given the choice between unfamiliar social groups, cichlid fish chose groups where the members are large and dominant.

Combination therapy with midostaurin improves survival of acute myeloid leukemia patients with FLT3 mutations, phase 1 Posted: 21 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST A targeted drug that is active against acute myeloid leukemia is particularly effective when teamed with chemotherapy in patients whose cancer cells harbor a key genetic mutation, according to new research.

Quantum information: Disentangling a billion-dollar opportunity Posted: 21 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST The field of quantum information processing has come a long way in the past five years, partly thanks to new funding which has helped focus activity in this potentially lucrative field. Experts recently gathered to highlight the most recent advances and discuss what is now needed to make the most of the opportunities of quantum information processing.

Alcohol outlets lead to specific problems among youth and young adults Posted: 21 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST Alcohol research has clearly demonstrated a connection between alcohol outlets and alcohol-related problems. A new study focuses on the effects of alcohol outlets on underage youth and young adults. Findings show that alcohol-related injuries among underage youth and young adults are shaped by the density and types of alcohol outlets in neighborhoods.

African leaf-eating primates 'likely to be wiped out' by climate change Posted: 21 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Monkey species will become 'increasingly at risk of extinction' because of global warming, according to new research. The study reveals that populations of monkeys and apes in Africa that depend largely on a diet of leaves may be wiped out by a rise in annual temperatures of two degrees Celsius.

Inhibiting The Cellular Process Autophagy Makes Mice Leaner Posted: 21 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST The more brown fat cells a person has, the lower their body mass. Therefore, manipulating the development of fat cells so that they become brown fat cells rather than white fat cells might be an approach to treat obesity. Researchers have now identified a cellular process that regulates the formation of the distinct fat cell types in mice. This process is known as autophagy.

Your Christmas tree has seven times more DNA than you do! Posted: 21 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Take a close look at your Christmas tree -- it has seven times more genetic material (DNA) than you do! Why this is so is still largely unknown, but now the DNA of the spruce is going to be mapped by Swedish researchers.

Physicians knowledge of childhood food allergies needs room for improvement, study shows Posted: 21 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST A new study shows that pediatricians and family physicians are not confident in diagnosing or treating food allergies.

Headwater stream nutrient enrichment disrupts food web, study finds Posted: 21 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Human activity is increasing the supply of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, to stream systems all over the world. The conventional wisdom -- bolstered by earlier research -- has held that these additional nutrients cause an increase in production all along the food chain, from the tiniest organisms up to the largest predators. A long-term, ecosystem-scale study, however, has thrown this assumption into question.

Postural sway among abstinent alcoholics can be improved up to a point Posted: 21 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Excessive sway during quiet standing is a common and significant consequence of chronic alcoholism, even after prolonged sobriety, and can lead to fall-related injury and even death. A new study of residual postural instability in alcohol-abstinent men and women shows that alcoholics improve with prolonged sobriety, but the improvement may not fully erase the problem of instability.

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