ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• NASA's Fermi probes 'dragons' of the gamma-ray sky
• Ritalin boosts learning by increasing brain plasticity
• Archaeologists amend written history of China's first emperor
• Most early-stage breast cancer patients may not need radiation after mastectomy
• Predicting the fate of stem cells: New method decodes cell movements, accurately predicts how cells will divide
• To remember the good times, reach for the sky
• New energy source from the common pea: Scientists create a solar energy device from a plant protein structure
• Food allergy-related disorder linked to master allergy gene
• Stickleback genomes shining bright light on evolution
• An improved method for calculating tumor growth
• Into a volcano to test suitcase-sized science lab
• Online daters behave similarly to those who meet face-to-face, researcher says
• Intestinal bacteria drive obesity and metabolic disease in immune-altered mice
• Electromagnetic pulses provide pain relief for osteoarthritis, study suggests
• 3-D hand movement reconstructed using brain signals: Future portable prosthetic devices for movement-impaired
• Why do physicians order costly CTs? Ultrasound yields better diagnosis, safer, less costly, expert argues
• Webb Telescope's first primary mirror meets cold temperature specifications, sets program landmark
• Major depression more than doubles risk of dementia among adults with diabetes
• How ocean bacterium turns carbon into fuel
• Genome-wide study of alcohol dependence points to chromosome 11
• New basis for drug development: Structure determination of biomolecules in their natural environment
• Trial launched to test new treatment for pre-invasive breast cancer
• Preserving our digital knowledge base must be a public priority, says blue ribbon task force
• Diagnostic approach to alternatives can lead to better decision-making
• Vitamin D crucial to activating immune defenses
• Scientists transform polyethylene into a heat-conducting material
• Pioneering treatment reduces disability in premature babies with serious brain hemorrhage, study suggests
• New way of producing electricity with nanotubes discovered
• Women's support groups make dramatic improvements on neonatal survival rates
• Mathematical innovation turns blood draw into information gold mine

NASA's Fermi probes 'dragons' of the gamma-ray sky Posted: 08 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PST One of the pleasures of perusing ancient maps is locating regions so poorly explored that mapmakers warned of dragons and sea monsters. Now, astronomers using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope find themselves in the same situation as cartographers of old. A new study of the ever-present fog of gamma rays from sources outside our galaxy shows that less than a third of the emission arises from what astronomers once considered the most likely suspects -- black-hole-powered jets from active galaxies.

Ritalin boosts learning by increasing brain plasticity Posted: 08 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PST Doctors treat millions of children with Ritalin every year to improve their ability to focus on tasks, but scientists now report that Ritalin also directly enhances the speed of learning.

Archaeologists amend written history of China's first emperor Posted: 08 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PST Researchers have integrated textual information with archaeological research in order to further understand the impact of the reign of China's first emperor.

Most early-stage breast cancer patients may not need radiation after mastectomy Posted: 08 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PST Breast cancer patients with early stage disease that has spread to only one lymph node may not benefit from radiation after mastectomy, because of the low present-day risk of recurrence following modern surgery and systemic therapy, a finding that could one day change the course of treatment for thousands of women diagnosed each year, according to researchers.

Predicting the fate of stem cells: New method decodes cell movements, accurately predicts how cells will divide Posted: 08 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new method for predicting -- with up to 99 percent accuracy -- the fate of stem cells. Using advanced computer vision technology to detect subtle cell movements that are impossible to discern with the human eye, scientists can successfully forecast how a stem cell will split and what key characteristics the daughter cells will exhibit.

To remember the good times, reach for the sky Posted: 08 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PST Simple motor actions, like moving marbles upward or downward between two cardboard boxes, may not seem meaningful. But a new study shows that motor actions can partly determine people's emotional memories. Moving marbles upward caused participants to remember more positive life experiences, and moving them downward to remember more negative experiences. 'Meaningless' motor actions can make people remember the good times or the bad.

New energy source from the common pea: Scientists create a solar energy device from a plant protein structure Posted: 08 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PST Isolating the minute crystals of the PSI super complex from the pea plant, a biochemistry researcher suggests these crystals can be illuminated and used as small battery chargers or form the core of more efficient man-made solar cells.

Food allergy-related disorder linked to master allergy gene Posted: 08 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PST Scientists have identified a region of a human chromosome that is associated with eosinophilic esophagitis, a recently recognized allergic disease. People with EoE frequently have difficulty eating or may be allergic to one or more foods. This study further suggests that a suspected so-called master allergy gene may play a role in the development of this rare but debilitating disorder.

Stickleback genomes shining bright light on evolution Posted: 08 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PST Twenty billion pieces of DNA in 100 small fish have opened the eyes of biologists studying evolution. After combining new technologies, researchers now know many of the genomic regions that allowed an ocean-dwelling fish to adapt to fresh water in several independently evolved populations.

An improved method for calculating tumor growth Posted: 08 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PST When treating cancer, it is an advantage to know the rate of growth of the cancer tumor. The standard method currently used to determine tumor growth, however, is erroneous, according to researchers who have developed a new model.

Into a volcano to test suitcase-sized science lab Posted: 08 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PST Some scientists will go anywhere for a proper test, including the mouth of a (sleeping) Hawaiian volcano. Dr. Inge Ten Kate, a University of Maryland Baltimore County research assistant, led an expedition into a cinder cone atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii, to test the prototype for an instrument that will be a miniature laboratory to discover the composition of rocks and atmospheres on moons, asteroids, and planets across the solar system.

Online daters behave similarly to those who meet face-to-face, researcher says Posted: 08 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PST Researchers surveyed more than 5,000 participants in a national Internet matchmaking service to determine what kinds of people are most likely to lie during the online dating process.

Intestinal bacteria drive obesity and metabolic disease in immune-altered mice Posted: 08 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PST Mice lacking a gene called TLR5 have an altered ability to recognize and control bacteria in their intestines, leading them to develop obesity and insulin resistance, which is often referred to as "pre-diabetes." The bacteria appear to influence appetite and metabolism rather than how well calories are absorbed. Obesity and insulin resistance can be transferred from TLR5-deficient mice via intestinal bacteria.

Electromagnetic pulses provide pain relief for osteoarthritis, study suggests Posted: 08 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PST Electromagnetic pulses significantly decrease pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis of the knee, according to new research. In the double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study, 34 patients used a portable battery-operated device that emits a low-intensity pulsating electromagnetic frequency and experienced more than 40 percent pain relief on their first day.

3-D hand movement reconstructed using brain signals: Future portable prosthetic devices for movement-impaired Posted: 08 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PST Researchers have successfully reconstructed 3-D hand motions from brain signals recorded in a non-invasive way. This finding uses a technique that may open new doors for portable brain-computer interface systems. Such a non-invasive system could potentially operate a robotic arm or motorized wheelchair -- a huge advance for people with disabilities or paralysis.

Why do physicians order costly CTs? Ultrasound yields better diagnosis, safer, less costly, expert argues Posted: 08 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PST In an eye-opening editorial, a leading expert urges the medical community to use ultrasound instead of computed tomography as the first-line imaging test for better diagnosis capability in the evaluation of acute female pelvic and lower abdominal conditions.

Webb Telescope's first primary mirror meets cold temperature specifications, sets program landmark Posted: 08 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PST The James Webb Space Telescope reached a mission-readiness landmark March 2, 2010 when its first primary mirror segment was cryo-polished to its required prescription as measured at operational cryogenic temperatures. This achievement sets the stage for a successful polishing process for the remaining 18 flight mirror segments.

Major depression more than doubles risk of dementia among adults with diabetes Posted: 08 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PST Adults with both depression and diabetes are more than twice as likely to develop dementia compared to those with diabetes alone. Earlier studies have shown that depression alone is a risk factor for dementia, and that diabetes itself is a dementia risk factor. Researchers found even greater risk of dementia in people with both conditions. The mechanisms behind this increased risk are not yet clear. The researchers suggest that physicians screen and treat their diabetes patients for depression, which is common in people with diabetes.

How ocean bacterium turns carbon into fuel Posted: 07 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PST Researchers have uncovered details about how cyanobacteria, one of the most abundant organisms on Earth, digest carbon. These bacteria build miniature factories inside themselves that turn carbon into fuel. A new study shows the bacteria organize these factories spatially, lining them up in a neat row, revealing a structural sophistication not often seen in single-celled organisms.

Genome-wide study of alcohol dependence points to chromosome 11 Posted: 07 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PST Both genetic and environmental factors affect susceptibility to alcohol dependence (AD). To date, researchers have identified several genes associated with AD. Findings from a new genome-wide association study support an association between AD and a cluster of genes on chromosome 11.

New basis for drug development: Structure determination of biomolecules in their natural environment Posted: 07 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PST Scientists in Germany have developed a new strategy allowing them to determine the spatial structure of biomolecules in solution. The method is flexible and generally applicable to obtaining structural information for signal forwarding pathways in the cell or in the regulation of gene expression.

Trial launched to test new treatment for pre-invasive breast cancer Posted: 07 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PST Can a drug that has been used to treat malaria for years possibly be used to treat breast cancer before it becomes invasive? That's what researchers are now trying to prove.

Preserving our digital knowledge base must be a public priority, says blue ribbon task force Posted: 07 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PST Addressing one of the most urgent societal challenges of the Information Age -- ensuring that valued digital information will be accessible not just today, but in the future -- requires solutions that are at least as much economic and social as technical, according to a new report by a Blue Ribbon Task Force.

Diagnostic approach to alternatives can lead to better decision-making Posted: 07 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PST Researchers have found that individuals are more likely to consider alternative causes when they make diagnoses than when they make decisions about the future. The findings suggest that framing problems as diagnostic-likelihood judgments can reduce bias.

Vitamin D crucial to activating immune defenses Posted: 06 Mar 2010 09:00 PM PST Scientists have found that vitamin D is crucial to activating our immune defenses and that without sufficient intake of the vitamin - the killer cells of the immune system -- T cells -- will not be able to react to and fight off serious infections in the body. The research team found that T cells first search for vitamin D in order to activate and if they cannot find enough of it will not complete the activation process.

Scientists transform polyethylene into a heat-conducting material Posted: 06 Mar 2010 09:00 PM PST Most polymers -- materials made of long, chain-like molecules -- are very good insulators for both heat and electricity. But scientists have now found a way to transform the most widely used polymer, polyethylene, into a material that conducts heat just as well as most metals, yet remains an electrical insulator.

Pioneering treatment reduces disability in premature babies with serious brain hemorrhage, study suggests Posted: 06 Mar 2010 09:00 PM PST A pioneering technique has been shown to reduce disability in premature babies with serious brain hemorrhage by washing the brain to remove toxic fluid.

New way of producing electricity with nanotubes discovered Posted: 06 Mar 2010 09:00 PM PST Scientists have discovered a previously unknown phenomenon that can cause powerful waves of energy to shoot through minuscule wires known as carbon nanotubes. The discovery could lead to a new way of producing electricity, the researchers say.

Women's support groups make dramatic improvements on neonatal survival rates Posted: 06 Mar 2010 09:00 PM PST Women's community groups have had a dramatic effect on reducing neonatal mortality rates in some of the poorest areas on India, according to a new study. The groups provide a cost-effective intervention with added benefits such as reducing significantly maternal depression and improving decision-making amongst the women.

Mathematical innovation turns blood draw into information gold mine Posted: 06 Mar 2010 09:00 PM PST Scientists have devised a software algorithm that could enable a common laboratory device to virtually separate a whole-blood sample into its different cell types and detect medically important gene-activity changes specific to any one of those cell types.

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