ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Giant plankton-eating fishes roamed prehistoric seas, fossil evidence shows
• Multiple sclerosis onset: Could mycobacteria play a role?
• Brown recluse spider is sometimes to blame when anemia strikes
• Novel way to study human inflammatory disease
• Lab on a chip: Ordinary cotton thread used to stitch together low-cost microfluidic analytical device
• Regular exercise reduces patient anxiety by 20 percent, study finds
• Babies, even when premature, 'see' with their hands
• Novel compound found effective against avian influenza virus
• Oil droplets can navigate complex maze
• Stents as good as surgery for clogged carotid arteries, study suggests
• New graphene 'nanomesh' could change the future of electronics
• Does the devil really wear Prada? The psychology of anthropomorphism and dehumanization
• Tropics: Global warming likely to significantly affect rainfall patterns
• Gene-based stem cell therapy specifically removes cell receptor that attracts HIV
• Choking is a leading cause of injury and death among children
• HIV drug that protects a fetus should be avoided for one year after childbirth, researchers say
• New process yields high-energy-density, plant-based transportation fuel
• Video games may help combat depression in older adults
• Large Earthquake Hits Chile, Generates Tsunami Across Pacific
• Detailed insight into failing heart cells gained using new nano technique
• Dolphin cognitive abilities raise ethical questions, says Emory neuroscientist
• Rapid image analysis method helps diagnose Alzheimer's disease
• Fueling the future with fish tank residue: Scientist discusses use of algae as biofuel
• Warning: Immigrating to North America may foster smoking in children
• Newly engineered enzyme is a powerful staph antibiotic
• By tracking water molecules, physicists hope to unlock secrets of life
• Leaf veins inspire a new model for distribution networks
• Scientists crash test DNA’s replication machinery
• Mouse model reveals a cause of ADHD
• Imaging studies reveal order in programmed cell death

Giant plankton-eating fishes roamed prehistoric seas, fossil evidence shows Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Giant plankton-eating fishes roamed the prehistoric seas for over 100 million years before they were wiped out in the same event that killed off the dinosaurs, new fossil evidence has shown.

Multiple sclerosis onset: Could mycobacteria play a role? Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST A non-pathogenic bacterium is capable to trigger an autoimmune disease similar to the multiple sclerosis in the mouse, the model animal which helps to explain how human diseases work. This is an unprecedented mechanism which could explain how this terrible central nervous system disease starts up in humans.

Brown recluse spider is sometimes to blame when anemia strikes Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST As spring approaches and people return to outdoor activities, caution should be taken in areas of the country that are home to Loxosceles reclusa, also called the brown recluse spider. A new study found that when patients present with sudden anemia, but the cause is elusive, the brown recluse spider should be part of the differential diagnosis, at least in parts of the nation where the spider is regularly found.

Novel way to study human inflammatory disease Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST A new study shows mice infected with the bacteria salmonella develop clinical signs consistent with a deadly and poorly understood human inflammatory disease, a finding that may lead to new therapies.

Lab on a chip: Ordinary cotton thread used to stitch together low-cost microfluidic analytical device Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST In a world first, the researchers have used ordinary cotton thread and sewing needles to literally stitch together the uniquely low-cost microfluidic analytical device, which is the size of a postage stamp and allows scientists to carry out chemical analyses of minute fluid samples, such as blood and urine.

Regular exercise reduces patient anxiety by 20 percent, study finds Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST The anxiety that often accompanies a chronic illness can chip away at quality of life and make patients less likely to follow their treatment plan. But regular exercise can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety, a new study shows.

Babies, even when premature, 'see' with their hands Posted: 28 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST Even premature babies at 33 weeks post-conceptional age, about 2 months before term (40 gestational weeks), are capable of recognizing and distinguishing two objects of different shapes (a prism and a cylinder) with their right or left hands.

Novel compound found effective against avian influenza virus Posted: 28 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST A novel compound is highly effective against the pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus, including some drug-resistant strains, according to new research.

Oil droplets can navigate complex maze Posted: 28 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST Call them oil droplets with a brain or even "chemo-rats." Scientists have developed a way to make simple oil droplets "smart" enough to navigate through a complex maze almost like a trained lab rat. The finding could have a wide range of practical implications, including helping cancer drugs to reach their target and controlling the movement of futuristic nano-machines, the scientists say.

Stents as good as surgery for clogged carotid arteries, study suggests Posted: 28 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST The CREST trial that compared traditional surgery with less-invasive stenting to clear dangerously clogged carotid arteries in the neck is being called "seminal and robust."

New graphene 'nanomesh' could change the future of electronics Posted: 28 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST Scientists have created a new graphene nanostructure called the graphene nanomesh (GNM). The new structure is able to open up a band gap in a large sheet of graphene to create a highly uniform continuous semiconducting thin film. The concept of the GNM therefore points to a clear pathway towards practical application of graphene as a semiconductor material for future electronics.

Does the devil really wear Prada? The psychology of anthropomorphism and dehumanization Posted: 28 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST People talk to their plants, pray to human-like gods, name their cars, and even dress their pets up in clothing. We have a strong tendency to give nonhuman entities human characteristics (known as anthropomorphism), but why? A new report examines the psychology behind anthropomorphism.

Tropics: Global warming likely to significantly affect rainfall patterns Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST Ocean temperature patterns in the tropics and subtropics will change in ways that will lead to significant changes in rainfall patterns, according to new research.

Gene-based stem cell therapy specifically removes cell receptor that attracts HIV Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST Researchers have successfully removed CCR5 -- a cell receptor to which HIV-1 binds for infection but which the human body does not need -- from human cells. Individuals who naturally lack the CCR5 receptor have been found to be essentially resistant to HIV.

Choking is a leading cause of injury and death among children Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST Choking is a leading cause of injury and death among children, especially those younger than 4 years of age. The majority of choking-related incidents among children are associated with food, coins and toys.

HIV drug that protects a fetus should be avoided for one year after childbirth, researchers say Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST A new study found that while nevirapine works well to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, a single dose of nevirapine in infected pregnant women can trigger resistance to some forms of the AIDS-drug cocktail (antiretrovirals). This nevirapine-induced resistance fades after about 12 months and no longer hinders the cocktail, UAB researchers say.

New process yields high-energy-density, plant-based transportation fuel Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST A team of engineers has developed a highly efficient, environmentally friendly process that selectively converts gamma-valerolactone, a biomass derivative, into the chemical equivalent of jet fuel.

Video games may help combat depression in older adults Posted: 28 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST New research suggests a novel route to improving the symptoms of subsyndromal depression (SSD) in seniors through the regular use of "exergames" -- entertaining video games that combine game play with exercise. In a pilot study, the researchers found that use of exergames significantly improved mood and mental health-related quality of life in older adults with SSD.

Large Earthquake Hits Chile, Generates Tsunami Across Pacific Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 PM PST An 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of central Chile early morning on Saturday, February 27, 2010, about 200 miles southwest of the Chilean capital of Santiago, killing several hundred people and exposing millions of people to strong shaking that toppled many buildings. In addition, a tsunami triggered by the earthquake reverberated through the entire Pacific Ocean.

Detailed insight into failing heart cells gained using new nano technique Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 PM PST Researchers have been able to see how heart failure affects the surface of an individual heart muscle cell in minute detail, using a new nanoscale scanning technique. The findings may lead to better design of beta-blockers, the drugs that can slow the development of heart failure, and to improvements in current therapeutic approaches to treating heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms.

Dolphin cognitive abilities raise ethical questions, says Emory neuroscientist Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 PM PST Many modern dolphin brains are significantly larger than those of humans and second in mass to the human brain when corrected for body size, says a scientist. Some dolphin brains exhibit features correlated with complex intelligence, including a large expanse of neocortical volume that is more convoluted than that of humans, extensive insular and cingulated regions, and highly differentiated cellular regions. This has ethical and policy considerations.

Rapid image analysis method helps diagnose Alzheimer's disease Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 PM PST Scientists have developed a method for analysing MR images (MRI) in just a few minutes when diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. The accuracy of the analysis is comparable to manual measurements made by skilled professionals, which are currently considered the most reliable method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. The accurate and rapid analysis method is well suited for clinical use.

Fueling the future with fish tank residue: Scientist discusses use of algae as biofuel Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 PM PST As Americans demand new and cleaner ways to meet the country's energy needs, researchers are turning to algae as a promising new fuel source. The approach has the potential to significantly reduce the nation's reliance on imported oil while contributing to rural economic development and lowering greenhouse emissions.

Warning: Immigrating to North America may foster smoking in children Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 PM PST Moving to Canada could be hazardous for the health of young immigrants. A new study has found that over time, immigrant children from multiethnic, disadvantaged, inner-city neighborhoods are up to 3.5 times more likely to smoke. The findings are important since an estimated 45,000 school-aged children immigrate to Canada with their parents each year.

Newly engineered enzyme is a powerful staph antibiotic Posted: 26 Feb 2010 09:00 PM PST With their best chemical antibiotics slowly failing, scientists are increasingly looking to nature for a way to control deadly staph bacteria -- the culprit behind most hospital infections. Naturally toxic for bacteria, enzymes called lysins have the promising ability to obliterate staph, but the problem is producing large enough quantities of them to study how they work. Scientists have now overcome this barrier by engineering a lysin that not only kills multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in mice, but also works synergistically with traditional antibiotics that have long been shelved due to resistance.

By tracking water molecules, physicists hope to unlock secrets of life Posted: 26 Feb 2010 09:00 PM PST The key to life as we know it is water, a tiny molecule with some highly unusual properties, such as the ability to retain large amounts of heat and to lose, instead of gain, density as it solidifies. It behaves so differently from other liquids, in fact, that by some measures it shouldn't even exist. Now scientists have made a batch of new discoveries about the ubiquitous liquid, suggesting that an individual water molecule's interactions with its neighbors could someday be manipulated to solve some of the world's thorniest problems -- from agriculture to cancer.

Leaf veins inspire a new model for distribution networks Posted: 26 Feb 2010 09:00 PM PST A straight line may be the shortest path from A to B, but it's not always the most reliable or efficient way to go. In fact, depending on what's traveling where, the best route may run in circles, according to a new model that bucks decades of theorizing on the subject. A team of biophysicists have developed a mathematical model showing that complex sets of interconnecting loops -- like the netted veins that transport water in a leaf -- provide the best distribution network for supplying fluctuating loads to varying parts of the system. It also shows that such a network can best handle damage.

Scientists crash test DNA’s replication machinery Posted: 26 Feb 2010 09:00 PM PST Enzymes that travel along DNA to copy or transcribe it -- the crucial processes underlying cell replication and protein production -- aren't coordinated by a central dispatcher. In fact, they often collide. Now, researchers have discovered that when DNA-copying machines run head-on into proteins performing less critical tasks, they kick the obstacles aside and continue on their way.

Mouse model reveals a cause of ADHD Posted: 26 Feb 2010 09:00 PM PST Although it's typically considered an adolescent curse, ADHD actually affects about five percent of adults as well. New research in a mouse model of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder suggests that the root of the psychiatric disorder might be the over-activity of a protein that regulates dopaminergic pathways. The work suggests a path toward new treatments for symptoms including inattentiveness, over-activity and impulsivity.

Imaging studies reveal order in programmed cell death Posted: 26 Feb 2010 09:00 PM PST Every day, about 10 billion cells in a human body commit suicide. Cells infected by virus, that are transformed or otherwise dysfunctional altruistically sacrifice themselves for the greater good. Now, new imaging experiments have revealed a previously unseen order to this process, showing closely related cells dying in synchrony as a wave of destruction sweeps across their mitochondria, snuffing out the main source of energy that keeps cells alive.

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ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Climate change and coral reefs: Coral species has developed the 'skills' to cope with rising temperatures
• Increasing neurogenesis might prevent drug addiction and relapse
• Flower power may reduce resistance to breast cancer drug tamoxifen
• Computer simulation of protein malfunction related to Alzheimer's disease
• Malicious software: Hiding the honeypots
• Others may know us better than we know ourselves, study finds
• Threat to monkey numbers from forest decline
• Gene signature may improve colon cancer treatment
• Lack of morning light keeping teenagers up at night
• A primer on migraine headaches
• Intelligent energy management for the home
• Many adult diseases sprout in poverty, molecular sociologist says
• Can math and science help solve crimes? Scientists work with Los Angeles police to identify and analyze crime 'hotspots'
• Gestational diabetes: Blood sugar levels once considered normal are not safe for baby, mother
• Presence of snails points to forest recovery
• Mechanism for Frank-Ter Haar syndrome discovered
• Hastening progress of 3D cinema and TV
• Stress raises risk of mental decline in older diabetics, study shows
• New 'alien invader' star clusters found in Milky Way
• New cancer treatment gives hope to lymphoma and leukemia patients
• Good parenting triumphs over prenatal stress
• The pig and its pancreas: A unique model for a common disease
• Scientists unlock key enzyme using newly created 'cool' method
• Hypnosis can help control pain among women with metastatic breast cancer
• Smoking significantly increases risk of aneurysm in people with certain genes
• Scanning for skin cancer: Infrared system looks for deadly melanoma
• New study casts doubt on link between chronic fatigue syndrome and human retrovirus XMRV
• How to make French fries with less acrylamide
• Why symptoms of schizophrenia emerge in young adulthood
• Large Iceberg breaks off Antarctica's Mertz Glacier

Climate change and coral reefs: Coral species has developed the 'skills' to cope with rising temperatures Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Marine reserves are increasingly important for species that are being forced by climate change to move to a new home, adapt to new conditions or die. Biologists have now compared the relative benefits of large and small protected areas in perpetuating populations. Interestingly they have also found a coral species that has developed the "skills" to cope with rising temperatures.

Increasing neurogenesis might prevent drug addiction and relapse Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Researchers hope they have begun paving a new pathway in the fight against drug dependence. Their hypothesis -- that increasing the normally occurring process of making nerve cells might prevent addiction -- is based on a rodent study demonstrating that blocking new growth of specific brain nerve cells increases vulnerability for cocaine addiction and relapse.

Flower power may reduce resistance to breast cancer drug tamoxifen Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Combining tamoxifen, the world's most prescribed breast cancer agent, with a compound found in the flowering plant feverfew may prevent initial or future resistance to the drug, say researchers. The finding provides new insight into the biological roots of that resistance, and also tests a novel way to get around it.

Computer simulation of protein malfunction related to Alzheimer's disease Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Researchers created a computer modeling of the structural malfunctioning of the ApoE4 protein when it enters into contact with the amyloid beta molecule, the main cause of Alzheimer's disease. The research supports experimental evidence that links ApoE4 with this pathology and opens up new exploration possibilities in understanding and fighting against the disease.

Malicious software: Hiding the honeypots Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Armies of networked computers that have been compromised by malicious software are commonly known as Botnets. Such Botnets are usually used to carry out fraudulent and criminal activity on the Internet. Now US computer scientists reveal that the honeypot trap designed to protect computers from Botnets are now vulnerable to attack because of advances in Botnet malware.

Others may know us better than we know ourselves, study finds Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Humans have long been advised to "know thyself," but new research suggests we may not know ourselves as well as we think we do. While individuals may be more accurate at assessing their own neurotic traits, such as anxiety, it seems friends, and even strangers, are often better barometers of traits such as intelligence, creativity and extroversion.

Threat to monkey numbers from forest decline Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST Monkey populations in threatened forests are far more sensitive to damage to their habitat than previously thought. Numbers closely related to the type of habitat found between forest fragments, rather than the distance that separates them.

Gene signature may improve colon cancer treatment Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST A gene signature, first identified in mouse colon cancer cells, may help identify patients at risk of colon cancer recurrence, according to a recent study. The findings could help personalize treatments for colon cancer -- the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States -- by identifying patients most likely to benefit from chemotherapy.

Lack of morning light keeping teenagers up at night Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST The first field study on the impact of light on teenagers' sleeping habits finds that insufficient daily morning light exposure contributes to teenagers not getting enough sleep.

A primer on migraine headaches Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST Migraine headache affects many people and a number of different preventative strategies should be considered, according to a new article.

Intelligent energy management for the home Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST In order to save energy, consumers need to be able to obtain up-to-date information at any time about the energy consumption of their appliances, and be able to control them while away from home. Scientists have developed two new applications that help consumers manage their power use.

Many adult diseases sprout in poverty, molecular sociologist says Posted: 27 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST The roots of many adult diseases sprout in poverty and other burdens on the socially disadvantaged. A self-described molecular sociologist recently talked about the effects such environmental stressors have on the brain and in turn other organ systems.

Can math and science help solve crimes? Scientists work with Los Angeles police to identify and analyze crime 'hotspots' Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST Scientists working with the Los Angeles Police Department to analyze crime patterns report that criminal "hotspots" come in at least two different types -- one of which can be suppressed by police. They believe their findings apply to cities worldwide.

Gestational diabetes: Blood sugar levels once considered normal are not safe for baby, mother Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST Two to three times more pregnant women may soon be diagnosed and treated for gestational diabetes, based on new measurements for determining risky blood sugar levels for the mother and her unborn baby, according to a new study. Blood sugar levels that were once considered in the normal range are now seen as causing a sharp increase in the occurrence of overweight babies, early deliveries, cesarean section deliveries and potentially life-threatening preeclampsia.

Presence of snails points to forest recovery Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST Researchers have studied the changes in the make-up of animal populations following forest fires, and have concluded that malacological fauna are a good indicator of forest recovery. The conclusions of this study will help to ensure that post-fire forestry operations that do not harm these species of mollusks, which are sensitive to microclimatic conditions of the soil and vegetation structure.

Mechanism for Frank-Ter Haar syndrome discovered Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST Scientists have discovered that TKS4, a protein implicated in cancer metastasis, also plays a significant role in Frank-Ter Haar syndrome, a rare fatal disorder.

Hastening progress of 3D cinema and TV Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST This is the year in which 3D cinema and 3D TV will make the breakthrough. At CeBIT in Hannover, German researchers are presenting technologies and standards that are hastening the progress.

Stress raises risk of mental decline in older diabetics, study shows Posted: 27 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST Stress raises the risk of memory loss and cognitive decline among older people with diabetes, research suggests. Researchers have studied more than 900 men and women aged between 60 and 75 with type-2 diabetes, which tends to be common after the age of 40. They found that brain function slowed in participants with higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

New 'alien invader' star clusters found in Milky Way Posted: 26 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST As many as one quarter of the star clusters in our Milky Way -- many more than previously thought -- are "invaders" from other galaxies, according to a new study.

New cancer treatment gives hope to lymphoma and leukemia patients Posted: 26 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST Cancer researchers have high hopes for a new therapy for patients with certain types of lymphoma and leukemia.

Good parenting triumphs over prenatal stress Posted: 26 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST A mother's nurture may provide powerful protection against risks her baby faces in the womb, according to a new article. The research shows that fetuses exposed to high levels of stress hormone -- shown to be a harbinger for babies' poor cognitive development -- can escape this fate if their mothers provide them sensitive care during infancy and toddler-hood.

The pig and its pancreas: A unique model for a common disease Posted: 26 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST The incidence of diabetes is rising worldwide. Using genetic engineering techniques in pigs, scientists at in Germany have created a new model of this metabolic disorder, which recapitulates many features of the disease, and promises to contribute significantly to improvements in diagnosis and therapy.

Scientists unlock key enzyme using newly created 'cool' method Posted: 26 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST Scientists -- using a new cooling method they created -- have uncovered the inner workings of a key iron-containing enzyme, a discovery that could help researchers develop new medicines or understand how enzymes repair DNA. Taurine/alpha-ketoglutarate dioxygenase, known as TauD, is a bacterial enzyme that is important in metabolism. Enzymes in this family repair DNA, sense oxygen and help produce antibiotics.

Hypnosis can help control pain among women with metastatic breast cancer Posted: 26 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST Hypnosis can help alleviate the pain and suffering experienced by women being treated for breast cancer, according to a new study.

Smoking significantly increases risk of aneurysm in people with certain genes Posted: 26 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Researchers have confirmed three gene changes that raise the risk that a blood vessel in the brain will weaken and balloon out (aneurysm), creating a life-threatening chance of rupture. Smoking, the biggest risk factor for brain aneurysm, is five times more dangerous in people with these gene variations. However, a second study on the same population notes that most people with aneurysm die of cancer or heart problems.

Scanning for skin cancer: Infrared system looks for deadly melanoma Posted: 26 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Researchers have developed a noninvasive infrared scanning system to help doctors determine whether pigmented skin growths are benign moles or melanoma, a lethal form of cancer.

New study casts doubt on link between chronic fatigue syndrome and human retrovirus XMRV Posted: 26 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST A new study casts doubt on recent claims that a human retrovirus known as XMRV is linked to chronic fatigue syndrome or ME (myalgic encephalitis).

How to make French fries with less acrylamide Posted: 26 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Researchers have developed a technique to to reduce acrylamide in French fries on an industrial scale. Acrylamide is a product that may cause cancer and was discovered in various foods.

Why symptoms of schizophrenia emerge in young adulthood Posted: 26 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST In reports of two new studies, researchers say they have identified the mechanisms rooted in two anatomical brain abnormalities that may explain the onset of schizophrenia and the reason symptoms don't develop until young adulthood. Both types of anatomical glitches are influenced by a gene known as DISC1, whose mutant form was first identified in a Scottish family with a strong history of schizophrenia and related mental disorders.

Large Iceberg breaks off Antarctica's Mertz Glacier Posted: 26 Feb 2010 11:00 AM PST Scientists have discovered the calving of a large iceberg from Antarctica's Mertz Glacier. The iceberg -- 78 kilometres long with a surface area of roughly 2,500 square kilometres, about the size of Luxembourg -- broke off after being rammed by another iceberg, 97 kilometres long. The future position of the two giant icebergs will likely affect local ocean circulation, experts predict.

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