ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Fast pace of glacier melt in the 1940s: lower aerosol pollution
• New research could advance research field critical to personalized medicine
• New molecule identified in DNA damage response
• The cancer 'TRAP': protein may prevent cancer cell death
• Window opens into Moon's past volcanism
• Student sleuths using DNA reveal zoo of 95 species in NYC homes -- and new evidence of food fraud
• Quelling Casimir: Scientists to control quantum mechanical force
• Mutation leads to new and severe form of bacterial disease
• Protein link may be key to new treatment for aggressive brain tumor
• New suppressor of common liver cancer
• Northern South America rainier during Little Ice Age
• Obesity epidemic taking root in Africa
• Keeping hepatitis C virus at bay after a liver transplant
• Biofilms: Researchers discover new ways to treat chronic infections
• Genetic link to heart failure
• 'Land Grabs' For Rice Production Due To Supply Threats
• Influenza in Africa should not be ignored, researchers urge
• Restless leg syndrome linked to erectile dysfunction in older men
• Earlier bedtimes may help protect adolescents against depression and suicidal thoughts
• A facial expression is worth a thousand words
• NEDD9 Protein Supports Growth Of Aggressive Breast Cancer
• Drunk walking makes New Year's the deadliest day of the year for pedestrians
• New Function For The Protein Bcl-xL: It Prevents Bone Breakdown
• Springtime sheep grazing helps control leafy spurge
• Partners sculpt each other to achieve their ideal selves: If successful, relationship goes well
• Ophthalmologist calls for caution when popping bottles of bubbly this holiday season

Fast pace of glacier melt in the 1940s: lower aerosol pollution Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST In the 1940s Swiss glaciers were melting at an even-faster pace than at present, according to new research. This is despite the fact that the temperatures in the 20th century were lower than in this century. Researchers see the main reason for this as the lower level of aerosol pollution in the atmosphere.

New research could advance research field critical to personalized medicine Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST It's the ultimate goal in the treatment of cancer: tailoring a person's therapy based on his or her genetic makeup. While a lofty goal, scientists are steadily moving forward, rapidly exploiting new technologies. Researchers report a significant advance in this field of research using a new chip that looks for hundreds of mutations in dozen of genes.

New molecule identified in DNA damage response Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST In the harsh judgment of natural selection, the ultimate measure of success is reproduction. So it's no surprise that life spends lavish resources on this feat, whether in the courtship behavior of birds and bees or replicating the cells that keep them alive. Now research has identified a new piece in an elaborate system to help guarantee fidelity in the reproduction of cells, preventing potentially lethal mutations in the process.

The cancer 'TRAP': protein may prevent cancer cell death Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST New research suggests that TNF-receptor associated protein-1 (TRAP-1) may prevent cancer cell death.

Window opens into Moon's past volcanism Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST Lava tubes, underground cave-like channels through which lava once flowed, are commonly found on Earth. Scientists have debated whether these tubes could form on the Moon as well, but no studies have yet conclusively identified features that indicate the presence of lunar lava tubes.

Student sleuths using DNA reveal zoo of 95 species in NYC homes -- and new evidence of food fraud Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST Two New York City high school students exploring their homes using the latest high-tech DNA analysis techniques discover a veritable zoo of 95 animal species surrounding them, in everything from fridges to furniture, from sidewalks to shipping boxes, and from feather dusters to floor corners.

Quelling Casimir: Scientists to control quantum mechanical force Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST Scientists are developing a way to control the Casimir force, a quantum mechanical force that attracts objects when they are only hundred nanometers apart.

Mutation leads to new and severe form of bacterial disease Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST Fighting an illness is not just about fighting the bacteria or viruses that cause it, it also has to do with your genes. Scientists have now identified a gene mutation that makes children susceptible to a severe form of mycobacterial disease, any disease caused by species of Mycobacterium such as tuberculosis and leprosy. The mutation represents a new layer of disease severity in children who lack a vital disease-fighting component from their immune system.

Protein link may be key to new treatment for aggressive brain tumor Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST Biomedical researchers have found a protein that could hold the key to treating one of the most common and aggressive brain tumors in adults. Glioblastoma multiforme, the type of malignant brain tumor that killed the late US Sen. Edward Kennedy, is difficult to treat because it spreads cancerous cells to other parts of the brain very quickly. About 10,000 cases are diagnosed in the United States each year.

New suppressor of common liver cancer Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST Tumor suppressor genes make proteins that help control cell growth. Mutations in these genes that generate nonfunctional proteins can contribute to tumor development and progression. One of the most well-known tumor suppressor genes is BRACA1, mutations in which are linked to breast cancer. Researchers have now identified SCARA5 as a candidate tumor suppressor gene in human hepatocellular carcinoma, a form of liver cancer that is the fifth most common cancer worldwide

Northern South America rainier during Little Ice Age Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST During the Little Ice Age (LIA; covering approximately the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries), northern South America experienced about 10 percent more rainfall than during the twentieth century, according to researchers.

Obesity epidemic taking root in Africa Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST The urban poor in sub-Saharan Africa are the latest victims of the obesity epidemic. Researchers claim that overweight and obesity are on the increase among this group.

Keeping hepatitis C virus at bay after a liver transplant Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:00 AM PST Individuals infected with hepatitis C virus who receive a liver transplant find that their new liver becomes infected with HCV almost immediately. However, researcher in Japan have developed an approach that transiently keeps HCV levels down in most treated HCV-infected patients receiving a new liver.

Biofilms: Researchers discover new ways to treat chronic infections Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:00 AM PST Researchers have identified three key regulators required for the formation and development of biofilms. The discovery could lead to new ways of treating chronic infections.

Genetic link to heart failure Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:00 AM PST New research has identified a group of 12 genetic variants in the HSPB7 gene that is associated with heart failure in humans.

'Land Grabs' For Rice Production Due To Supply Threats Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:00 AM PST Recent interest in "land grabs" or the international acquisition of land to produce rice is sparked by a looming threat of inadequate rice supplies.

Influenza in Africa should not be ignored, researchers urge Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:00 AM PST Influenza is circulating in Africa, but virtually no information or attention is evident, according to a new article.

Restless leg syndrome linked to erectile dysfunction in older men Posted: 31 Dec 2009 09:00 PM PST A new study shows that erectile dysfunction was more common in older men with restless leg syndrome (RLS) than in those without RLS, and the magnitude of this association increased with a higher frequency of RLS symptoms.

Earlier bedtimes may help protect adolescents against depression and suicidal thoughts Posted: 31 Dec 2009 09:00 PM PST New research finds that adolescents with bedtimes that were set earlier by parents were significantly less likely to suffer from depression and to think about committing suicide, suggesting that earlier bedtimes could have a protective effect by lengthening sleep duration and increasing the likelihood of getting enough sleep.

A facial expression is worth a thousand words Posted: 31 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Moving pictures are more suitable to interpret the mood of a person than a static photograph. Communication is a central aspect of everyday life, a fact that is reflected in the wide variety of ways that people exchange information, not only with words, but also using their face and body. Scientists have now found out that we are able to recognize facial expressions in motion far better than in a static photograph. The video sequence needs to be at least as long as one tenth of a second to gain this dynamic advantage.

NEDD9 Protein Supports Growth Of Aggressive Breast Cancer Posted: 31 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have demonstrated that a protein called NEDD9 may be required for some of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer to grow. According to the researchers, the protein could serve as a clinical biomarker to indicate the presence of aggressive forms of breast cancer. NEDD9 may also provide a target for some future therapeutic against metastatic cancer.

Drunk walking makes New Year's the deadliest day of the year for pedestrians Posted: 31 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST This is the time of the holiday season when New Year's partiers are inundated with warnings about the risks of drinking and driving. Little is ever heard, though, about the risks of drinking and walking, which can be just as dangerous.

New Function For The Protein Bcl-xL: It Prevents Bone Breakdown Posted: 31 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST In blood cells, the protein Bcl-xL has a well-characterized role in preventing cell death by a process known as apoptosis. New research has now identified its functions in osteoclasts, cells that slowly breakdown bone (a process known as resorption). Surprisingly, not only does Bcl-xL prevent osteoclast apoptosis in mice, it also negatively regulates the bone-resorbing activity of osteoclasts.

Springtime sheep grazing helps control leafy spurge Posted: 31 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Using sheep to control leafy spurge works best if it's done in the spring every year, according to a new study.

Partners sculpt each other to achieve their ideal selves: If successful, relationship goes well Posted: 31 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Is that really Bob? You've seen him hundreds of mornings for the last 10 years at local coffee shops. Since he started dating Sara, he looks you in the eye -- and smiles. Sara takes every opportunity to let coffee shop cronies know that Bob is her guy and to gush about how funny he is. And he is. Who knew? Think of Sara like Michelangelo chipping away at a block of marble to release the ideal figure slumbering within. To the degree that the sculpting process has gone well, that she has helped mold Bob toward his ideal self, the relationship functions better and both partners are happier, according to new research. Conversely, a relationship can run into trouble when an individual emphasizes attributes that are peripheral to the core elements of what a partner ideally wishes to become.

Ophthalmologist calls for caution when popping bottles of bubbly this holiday season Posted: 31 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST For many, celebrating the holidays calls for a champagne toast. But for some people popping a bottle of bubbly can be dangerous to your health.

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