ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Unlocking the opium poppy's biggest secret: Genes that make codeine, morphine
• Body's anticipation of a meal can be a diabetes risk factor
• Decoding the long calls of the orangutan
• Minimally invasive sports hernia repair may get athletes 'back in the game' faster, study says
• Turning up the heat: Finding out how well the Webb telescope's sunshield will perform
• New insight on how fast nicotine peaks in the brain
• New microscopy technique offers close-up, real-time view of cellular phenomena
• Pancreatic cancer study reveals mechanism initiating disease, in mice
• 'Microtentacles' on tumor cells appear to play role in how breast cancer spreads
• Inner workings of the inflammatory response to Leishmaniasis
• New 'hearing' maps are real conversation starters
• Free hormonal contraception halved termination rate, Norwegian study finds
• Psychopaths' brains wired to seek rewards, no matter the consequences
• New cancer drug screening technique more closely mirrors reality
• Scientists glimpse nanobubbles on super non-stick surfaces
• Vitamin D and calcium interplay explored
• Purple loosestrife: Climate may keep beautiful invasive plant in check
• Hospices rarely deactivate defibrillators in patients, survey finds
• Silk structure analysis explains paradox of super-strength; could lead to even stronger synthetic materials
• Caution urged in reducing blood pressure in patients with diabetes, coronary disease
• Forest tree species diversity depends on individual variation
• New risk score tool more accurately predicts patients' risk for cardiac disease and death, study finds
• Analytical eye: Viewing through the data jungle
• Hutterite study: Vaccinating children for flu may help prevent transmission, protect those who are not vaccinated
• To Arctic animals, time of day really doesn't matter
• Intensive blood pressure, combined lipid therapies do not help adults with diabetes, study finds
• Can a single layer of cells control a leaf's size?
• Donating kidney does not appear to significantly increase long-term risk of death
• Fishery management practices for beluga sturgeon must change, experts urge
• One-page questionnaire is effective screening tool for common psychiatric disorders

Unlocking the opium poppy's biggest secret: Genes that make codeine, morphine Posted: 15 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered the unique genes that allow the opium poppy to make codeine and morphine, opening the door to alternate methods of producing these effective painkillers either by manufacturing them in a lab or controlling the production of these compounds in the plant.

Body's anticipation of a meal can be a diabetes risk factor Posted: 15 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Alterations in our response to the taste or smell of food may be another culprit responsible for Type 2 diabetes, according to scientists who have identified the specific mechanism in human specimens and in mice.

Decoding the long calls of the orangutan Posted: 15 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Research into the long calls of male orangutans in Borneo has given scientists new insight into how these solitary apes communicate through dense jungle. An acoustic analysis of the calls reveals that the calls not only serve to attract females, but also contain information on the identity and the context of the caller.

Minimally invasive sports hernia repair may get athletes 'back in the game' faster, study says Posted: 15 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT A new minimally invasive sports hernia repair gets athletes back in the game 3 times faster than the traditional repair, according to a new study. Sports hernias were often difficult to diagnose and prior to this new repair had a lengthy rehabilitation time.

Turning up the heat: Finding out how well the Webb telescope's sunshield will perform Posted: 15 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Keeping an infrared telescope at very cold operating temperatures isn't an option, it's an absolute necessity. Serving as a radiation blocker, the Webb telescope sunshield is subjected to nearly 100,000 thermal watts of solar heat, and reduces that to one tenth of a watt on the cold side, a million to one reduction.

New insight on how fast nicotine peaks in the brain Posted: 15 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Nicotine takes much longer than previously thought to reach peak levels in the brains of cigarette smokers, according to new research.

New microscopy technique offers close-up, real-time view of cellular phenomena Posted: 15 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT For two decades, scientists have been pursuing a potential new way to treat bacterial infections, using naturally occurring proteins known as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Now, scientists have recorded the first microscopic images showing the deadly effects of AMPs, most of which kill by poking holes in bacterial cell membranes.

Pancreatic cancer study reveals mechanism initiating disease, in mice Posted: 15 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have discovered how a mutated gene known as Kras is able to hijack mouse cells damaged by acute pancreatitis, putting them on the path to becoming pancreatic cancer cells.

'Microtentacles' on tumor cells appear to play role in how breast cancer spreads Posted: 15 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that "microtentacles," or extensions of the plasma membrane of breast cancer cells, appear to play a key role in how cancers spread to distant locations in the body. Targeting these microtentacles, which are linked to a protein called "tau," might prove to be a new way to prevent or slow the growth of these secondary cancers, the scientists say.

Inner workings of the inflammatory response to Leishmaniasis Posted: 15 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT The secret world of inflammation is slowly being revealed by the application of advanced techniques in microscopy, as shown in a new study. Researchers used 2-photon microscopy to identify how killer T lymphocytes behaved when they enter sites of inflammation caused by the parasite Leishmania donovani, and which infected cells they were able to recognize.

New 'hearing' maps are real conversation starters Posted: 15 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Innovative sound-mapping software based on human hearing has been developed to help architects design out unwanted noise. The new software generates audibility maps of proposed room designs.

Free hormonal contraception halved termination rate, Norwegian study finds Posted: 15 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Free hormonal contraception was offered for a year to young women in two Norwegian cities. The result was that the abortion rate in the trial cities was halved.

Psychopaths' brains wired to seek rewards, no matter the consequences Posted: 15 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT The brains of psychopaths appear to be wired to keep seeking a reward at any cost, new research finds. The research uncovers the role of the brain's reward system in psychopathy and opens a new area of study for understanding what drives these individuals.

New cancer drug screening technique more closely mirrors reality Posted: 15 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Improving on traditional screening tests for potential anti-cancer drugs, scientists have developed a laboratory technique that more closely simulates the real-world conditions in which tumor cells mingle with the body's normal cells.

Scientists glimpse nanobubbles on super non-stick surfaces Posted: 15 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have obtained the first glimpse of minuscule air bubbles that keep water from wetting a super non-stick surface. The research could lead to a new class of non-stick materials for a range of applications, including improved-efficiency power plants, speedier boats and surfaces that are resistant to contamination by germs.

Vitamin D and calcium interplay explored Posted: 15 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Increasing calcium intake is a common -- yet not always successful -- strategy for reducing bone fractures. But a new study underscores the importance of vitamin D and its ability to help the body utilize calcium. The study also may explain why increasing calcium alone isn't always successful in dealing with this problem.

Purple loosestrife: Climate may keep beautiful invasive plant in check Posted: 15 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT The flowering plant -- purple loosestrife -- has been heading north since it was first introduced from Europe to the eastern seaboard 150 years ago. This exotic invader chokes out native species and has dramatically altered wetland habitats in North America. But it turns out it may have a vulnerability after all: the northern climate. Canadian scientists have found that adapting to the Great White North carries a severe reproductive penalty that may limit its spread.

Hospices rarely deactivate defibrillators in patients, survey finds Posted: 15 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have found that patients admitted to hospice care who have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) are rarely having their ICDs deactivated and are receiving electrical shocks from these devices near the end of life.

Silk structure analysis explains paradox of super-strength; could lead to even stronger synthetic materials Posted: 15 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Spiders and silkworms are masters of materials science, but scientists are finally catching up. Silks are among the toughest materials known, stronger and less brittle, pound for pound, than steel. Now scientists have unraveled some of their deepest secrets in research that could lead the way to the creation of synthetic materials that duplicate, or even exceed, the extraordinary properties of natural silk.

Caution urged in reducing blood pressure in patients with diabetes, coronary disease Posted: 15 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Systolic blood pressure levels between 130 and 140 appear to be the most healthful for patients with both diabetes and coronary artery disease, according to new findings.

Forest tree species diversity depends on individual variation Posted: 15 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT It's a paradox that's puzzled scientists for a half-century. Models clearly show that the coexistence of competing species depends on those species responding differently to the availability of resources. Then why do studies comparing competing tree species draw a blank?

New risk score tool more accurately predicts patients' risk for cardiac disease and death, study finds Posted: 15 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT By combining patients' Framingham Risk Score with new Intermountain Risk Score, researchers found that they were 30 percent more likely to correctly determine a woman's risk, and 57 percent more likely to determine a man's risk for a cardiovascular problem or death within 30 days of an angiography.

Analytical eye: Viewing through the data jungle Posted: 15 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Unmanageable volumes of data accumulate in our digitized working world. Scientists are developing analytical techniques that make use of our ability to identify complex data relationships by means of pictorial images.

Hutterite study: Vaccinating children for flu may help prevent transmission, protect those who are not vaccinated Posted: 15 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Immunizing children and adolescents with inactivated influenza vaccine resulted in reduced rates of influenza in their community compared to a similar community in which children did not receive the vaccine, suggesting that vaccinating children may help prevent transmission of the virus and offer protection for unimmunized community residents, according to a new study of Hutterite communities.

To Arctic animals, time of day really doesn't matter Posted: 14 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT In the far northern reaches of the Arctic, day versus night often doesn't mean a whole lot. During parts of the year, the sun does not set; at other times, it's just the opposite. A new study shows that Arctic reindeer have come up with a solution to living under those extreme conditions: They've abandoned use of the internal clock that drives the daily biological rhythms in other organisms.

Intensive blood pressure, combined lipid therapies do not help adults with diabetes, study finds Posted: 14 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT Lowering blood pressure to normal levels -- below currently recommended levels -- did not significantly reduce the combined risk of fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular disease events in adults with type 2 diabetes who were at especially high risk for cardiovascular disease events, according to new results.

Can a single layer of cells control a leaf's size? Posted: 14 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT Little is known about the developmental control of leaf size and shape, and understanding the mechanisms behind this is a major issue in plant biology. New research concludes that communication between adjacent cell layers plays an important role in determining leaf size. Cells in one tissue layer can control the rate of division of cells in another tissue layer, which in turn influences overall leaf size.

Donating kidney does not appear to significantly increase long-term risk of death Posted: 14 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT An analysis of outcomes for live kidney donors in the US over a 15 year period finds they have similar long-term survival rates compared to healthy individuals who were not kidney donors, according to a new study.

Fishery management practices for beluga sturgeon must change, experts urge Posted: 14 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT A first-of-its-kind study of a Caspian Sea beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) fishery demonstrates current harvest rates are four to five times higher than those that would sustain population abundance. The study's results suggest that conservation strategies for beluga sturgeon should focus on reducing the overfishing of adults rather than heavily relying upon hatchery supplementation.

One-page questionnaire is effective screening tool for common psychiatric disorders Posted: 14 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT A one-page, 27-item questionnaire that is available free online is a valid and effective tool to help primary care doctors screen patients for four common psychiatric illnesses, a new study concludes.

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