ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• 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.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610