ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Jurassic space: Ancient galaxies come together after billions of years
• Tiny molecular 'trash' may tell big story about cardiovascular disease risk
• New evidence that green tea may help fight glaucoma and other eye diseases
• Doubling of childhood leukemia rates confirmed in southern Iraq
• Protein tether linked to touch perception
• Review highlights health benefits of flexible working arrangements: Blood pressure, sleep and mental health improve
• Arctic glacial dust may affect climate and health in North America and Europe
• Exercise helps protect brain of multiple sclerosis patients, study suggests
• Behold the violent history of Saturn's white whale moon
• HIV: Increased HAART coverage associated with 50 percent drop in new infections
• Cryogenic Dark Matter Search: Experiment hints at interaction with dark matter particles
• University students normally unscathed by parental divorce
• Scientists unlock mystery in important photosynthesis step
• How genes interact with their environment to cause disease
• How nerve cells grow: Researcher decodes molecular process that controls growth of nerve cells
• Untreated poor vision in elderly linked to dementia study shows
• When molecules leave tire tracks: New approach to optimizing molecular self-organization
• Low-income urban mothers have high rate of postpartum depression
• Learning from the brain: Computer scientists develop new generation of neuro-computer
• New risk factor for second-most-common form of early-onset dementia
• Listening to other stars
• Ultrasound measurement of fetal adrenal gland a better predictor of preterm birth
• Biologists discover how biological clock controls cell division in bacteria
• Deadly driving habits: Study on the effect of routine in driving

Jurassic space: Ancient galaxies come together after billions of years Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Astronomers have found the astronomical equivalent of prehistoric life in our intergalactic backyard: a group of small, ancient galaxies that has waited 10 billion years to come together. These "late bloomers" are on their way to building a large elliptical galaxy.

Tiny molecular 'trash' may tell big story about cardiovascular disease risk Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Tiny bits of molecular "trash" found in circulating blood appear to be good predictors of cardiovascular disease and untimely death, say researchers.

New evidence that green tea may help fight glaucoma and other eye diseases Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Scientists have confirmed that the healthful substances found in green tea -- renowned for their powerful antioxidant and disease-fighting properties -- do penetrate into tissues of the eye. Their new report, the first documenting how the lens, retina, and other eye tissues absorb these substances, raises the possibility that green tea may protect against glaucoma and other common eye diseases.

Doubling of childhood leukemia rates confirmed in southern Iraq Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Childhood leukemia rates have more than doubled over the last 15 years in the southern Iraq province of Basrah, according to a new study.

Protein tether linked to touch perception Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST Humans and animals are able to perceive even the slightest vibration and touch of the skin. Mechanosensitive ion channels play a crucial role in the mediation of these sensations. Researchers have now discovered that the presence of a protein filament causes the ion channels to open and shut like a tethered gate.

Review highlights health benefits of flexible working arrangements: Blood pressure, sleep and mental health improve Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 PM PST There is evidence to suggest that flexible working might be beneficial for employees' health if they are allowed to have input into their own working patterns, a review suggests. The study may throw some light on potential health benefits associated with current trends towards more flexible working in the UK and Europe.

Arctic glacial dust may affect climate and health in North America and Europe Posted: 20 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST New evidence shows that dust storms may exist in the arctic, possibly caused by receding glaciers, which may be making deposits similar to those transported from the deserts of Africa to the southern US and Caribbean.

Exercise helps protect brain of multiple sclerosis patients, study suggests Posted: 20 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST Highly fit multiple sclerosis patients perform significantly better on tests of cognitive function than similar less-fit patients, a new study shows. In addition, MRI scans of the patients showed that the fitter MS patients showed less damage in parts of the brain that show deterioration as a result of MS, as well as a greater volume of vital gray matter.

Behold the violent history of Saturn's white whale moon Posted: 20 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST Like the battered white whale Moby Dick taunting Captain Ahab, Saturn's moon Prometheus surges toward the viewer in a new 3-D image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The image exposes the irregular shape and circular surface scars on Prometheus, pointing to a violent history. These craters are probably the remnants from impacts long ago.

HIV: Increased HAART coverage associated with 50 percent drop in new infections Posted: 20 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST A comprehensive population-based study shows that expanded highly active antiretroviral therapy coverage was associated with a 50 percent decrease in new yearly HIV infections among injection drug users.

Cryogenic Dark Matter Search: Experiment hints at interaction with dark matter particles Posted: 20 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST Scientists involved in the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search experiment report their latest findings. Two events recorded during the CDMS experiment had the characteristics of an interaction involving dark matter particles.

University students normally unscathed by parental divorce Posted: 20 Feb 2010 08:00 AM PST A new study of university students has found that they normally emerge unaffected from the recent divorce of their parents, UK researchers report.

Scientists unlock mystery in important photosynthesis step Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST An international team of scientists has taken a significant step closer to unlocking the secrets of photosynthesis, and possibly to cleaner fuels.

How genes interact with their environment to cause disease Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST A new study reveals how human genes interact with their environment to boost disease risk. The findings shed light on why the search for specific gene variants linked to human diseases can only partly explain common disorders.

How nerve cells grow: Researcher decodes molecular process that controls growth of nerve cells Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST A brain researcher has discovered the workings of a process that had been completely overlooked until now, and that allows nerve cells in the brain to grow and form complex networks. The study shows that an enzyme which usually controls the destruction of protein components has an unexpected function in nerve cells: it controls the structure of the cytoskeleton and thus ensures that nerve cells can form the tree-like extensions that are necessary for signal transmission in the brain.

Untreated poor vision in elderly linked to dementia study shows Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST Elderly people with visual disorders that are left untreated are significantly more likely to develop dementia, according to new research. Early treatment of visual problems may delay the development of dementia, but because many elderly lack adequate vision coverage, they are not seeking care. This study may draw a picture of poor vision as a possible contributor to the onset of dementia, rather than as a symptom.

When molecules leave tire tracks: New approach to optimizing molecular self-organization Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST Certain types of molecules form patterns when deposited onto substrates. Photovoltaic and sensor devices from organic compounds depend on this phenomenon of self-organization. Physicists have now developed a model that predicts these patterns and thus allows optimization of the molecular synthesis in the future.

Low-income urban mothers have high rate of postpartum depression Posted: 20 Feb 2010 02:00 AM PST More than half of low-income urban mothers met the criteria for a diagnosis of depression at some point between two weeks and 14 months after giving birth, according to a new study.

Learning from the brain: Computer scientists develop new generation of neuro-computer Posted: 19 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST Intelligent machines that not only think for themselves but also actively learn are the vision of researchers who have been co-ordinating the European Union research project "Brain-i-Nets" (Novel Brain Inspired Learning Paradigms for Large-Scale Neuronal Networks). The scientists want to design a new generation of neuro-computers based on the principles of calculation and learning mechanisms found in the brain, and at the same time gain new knowledge about the brain's learning mechanisms.

New risk factor for second-most-common form of early-onset dementia Posted: 19 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST Examining brain tissue from over 500 individuals in 11 countries, researchers found a new risk factor for the second-most-common cause of early-onset dementia after Alzheimer's disease.

Listening to other stars Posted: 19 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST When scientists realized that observing and analyzing oscillations in the Sun could provide information about its interior, it was only a matter of time before Helioseismology was put to work on other stars.

Ultrasound measurement of fetal adrenal gland a better predictor of preterm birth Posted: 19 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST Researchers have shown that measuring the fetal zone of the adrenal gland is a better predictor of pre-term birth than measuring cervical length.

Biologists discover how biological clock controls cell division in bacteria Posted: 19 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST Biologists have unraveled the biochemistry of how bacteria so precisely time cell division, a key element in understanding how all organisms from bacteria to humans use their biological clocks to control basic cellular functions.

Deadly driving habits: Study on the effect of routine in driving Posted: 19 Feb 2010 05:00 PM PST In a new study, researchers in Germany examined why drivers make fatal errors on familiar routes. When the test persons became familiar with the routes, the activity of their brains became less; this was the case for both the experienced and inexperienced drivers.

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