ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Jaws -- 4 million BC: How an extinct shark attacked its prey
• Blocking cancer in its path: New cellular defect discovered
• Russian lunar rover found: 37-year-old space mystery solved
• Severe acid reflux: Stomach wraps effective in short to medium term
• NASA's chopper crash test a smash hit
• Depression: Antidepressants beneficial in physically ill patients
• Frogs, foam and fuel: Solar energy converted to sugars
• Potential new drug for type 2 diabetes
• Brain abnormalities identified that result from prenatal methamphetamine exposure
• New study finds 70 percent of able-bodied hockey players have abnormal hip and pelvis MRIs
• Environmental and social impact of the 'livestock revolution'
• Was the recent US stock market drop accompanied by more heart attacks?
• Metallic glass yields secrets under pressure
• Level of gene alters risk of Alzheimer's disease, researchers find
• Brain plaques may explain higher risk of Alzheimer's based on mom's history
• Antiseptic cloths associated with reduced rate of treatment-resistant bacteria in the trauma center
• Scarcity of phosphorus threat to global food production
• African-Americans have highest cancer rates of all racial ethnicities, yet feel less at risk, study finds
• Scientists establish leech as model for study of reproductive behavior
• Treating vitamin D deficiency significantly reduces heart disease risk, studies find
• The mode of action of certain toxins that accumulate in seafood
• Some older ER patients are getting the wrong medicines
• Southern Ocean winds open window to the deep sea
• Parents may not understand or recall risks associated with children's surgery
• Flowering plants may be considerably older than previously thought
• Obesity and alcohol act together to increase the risk of liver disease
• Seeking dark matter on a desktop
• Study assesses complications associated with nasal ventilation in newborns
• Safer, greener cars: Cork may be better than polymer foam, study suggests
• Underpriveleged patients not as likely to be referred to specialty hospitals for brain tumors
• How plants put down roots: Geneticists research organ development in the plant embryo
• Amniotic fluid cells more efficiently reprogrammed to pluripotency than adult cells
• Chemicals that eased one environmental problem may worsen another
• Cardiac rehabilitation helps survival time in heart patients receiving stent therapy
• Earthquake observatory in Northern Chile to monitor the last seismic gap
• People will forgo luxury for green products when status is on mind, researcher finds
• Jupiter's spot seen glowing: Scientists get first look at weather inside the solar system's biggest storm
• As girth grows, risk of sudden cardiac death shrinks
• Catastrophic flooding may be more predictable with new models
• Therapeutics for trauma patients may not be effective if infection is present
• Ultra-powerful laser makes silicon pump liquid uphill with no added energy
• Heart abnormalities diagnosed in World Trade Center workers
• UV exposure has increased over the last 30 years, but stabilized since the mid-1990s
• New hormone treatment shows potential to reverse infertility
• Robot teaches stroke survivors
• Keeping up with the neighbors speeds vaccine use
• An express-lane for the Internet
• Family mealtimes help children with asthma breathe easier, study says

Jaws -- 4 million BC: How an extinct shark attacked its prey Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Palaeontologists have discovered evidence of how an extinct shark attacked its prey, reconstructing a killing that took place 4 million years ago.

Blocking cancer in its path: New cellular defect discovered Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that a key cellular defect that disturbs the production of proteins in human cells can lead to cancer susceptibility. The scientists also found that a new generation of inhibitory drugs offers promise in correcting this defect.

Russian lunar rover found: 37-year-old space mystery solved Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT A Canadian researcher has helped solve a 37-year-old space mystery using lunar images released by NASA and maps from an atlas of the moon.

Severe acid reflux: Stomach wraps effective in short to medium term Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Stomach wrap operations may be more effective than acid suppression tablets in the treatment of severe acid reflux, according to a new review. The study shows a more pronounced improvement in symptoms shortly after surgery than with drug treatment.

NASA's chopper crash test a smash hit Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT The second crash test of a small lightweight helicopter at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., was a smashing success, literally -- just as engineers had predicted.

Depression: Antidepressants beneficial in physically ill patients Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Antidepressants are effective against depression in patients suffering from physical illnesses, according to a new systematic review in the UK. The researchers found the drugs were more effective than placebos at treating depression in these patients.

Frogs, foam and fuel: Solar energy converted to sugars Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT In natural photosynthesis, plants take in solar energy and carbon dioxide and then convert it to oxygen and sugars. The oxygen is released to the air and the sugars are dispersed throughout the plant -- like that sweet corn we look for in the summer. Unfortunately, the allocation of light energy into products we use is not as efficient as we would like. Now engineering researchers are doing something about that.

Potential new drug for type 2 diabetes Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT An experimental oral drug has lowered blood sugar levels and inflammation in mice with Type 2 diabetes, suggesting that the medication could someday be added to the arsenal of drugs used by millions of Americans with this disease, according to new research.

Brain abnormalities identified that result from prenatal methamphetamine exposure Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Children whose mothers abused methamphetamine (meth) during pregnancy show brain abnormalities that may be more severe than that of children exposed to alcohol prenatally, according to a new study. While researchers have long known that drug abuse during pregnancy can alter fetal brain development, this finding shows the potential impact of meth. Identifying vulnerable brain structures may help predict particular learning and behavioral problems in meth-exposed children.

New study finds 70 percent of able-bodied hockey players have abnormal hip and pelvis MRIs Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Seventy percent of healthy professional and collegiate hockey players had abnormal hip and pelvis MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging), even though they had no symptoms of injury, according to a new study. The study's surprising findings could serve as a warning for surgeons to not depend excessively on imaging when diagnosing patients.

Environmental and social impact of the 'livestock revolution' Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Global meat production has tripled in the past three decades and could double its present level by 2050, according to a major report on the livestock industry. The impact of this "livestock revolution" is likely to have significant consequences for human health, the environment and the global economy, the authors conclude.

Was the recent US stock market drop accompanied by more heart attacks? Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT A novel report explores the possible relationship between fluctuations in the stock market and the incidence of local heart attacks.

Metallic glass yields secrets under pressure Posted: 17 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Metallic glasses are potentially useful materials at the frontier of materials science research. They combine the advantages and avoid many of the problems of normal metals and glasses, two classes of materials with a wide range of applications. Scientists used high pressure to probe the connection between the density and electronic structure of a cerium-aluminum metallic glass, opening up new possibilities for developing metallic glasses for specific purposes.

Level of gene alters risk of Alzheimer's disease, researchers find Posted: 17 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Using sophisticated techniques that scan the genomes of patients, researchers have found that a gene appears to either help protect against development of Alzheimer's disease, or promote the disorder depending on the level of gene in the brain.

Brain plaques may explain higher risk of Alzheimer's based on mom's history Posted: 17 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT A family history of Alzheimer's is one of the biggest risk factors for developing the memory-robbing disease, which affects more than 5 million Americans and is the most common form of senile dementia. Researchers have found the likely basis for this heightened familial risk -- especially from the maternal side.

Antiseptic cloths associated with reduced rate of treatment-resistant bacteria in the trauma center Posted: 17 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Bathing trauma patients daily using cloths containing the antiseptic chlorhexidine may be associated with a decreased rate of colonization and infection by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other difficult-to-treat bacteria, according to a new report.

Scarcity of phosphorus threat to global food production Posted: 17 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Phosphorus is just as important to agriculture as water. But a lack of availability and accessibility of phosphorus is an emerging problem that threatens our capacity to feed the global population. Like nitrogen and potassium, it is a nutrient that plants take up from the soil and it is crucial to soil fertility and crop growth.

African-Americans have highest cancer rates of all racial ethnicities, yet feel less at risk, study finds Posted: 17 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Mammograms, pap smears and early detection tests for prostate cancer, colorectal cancer and other malignancies are critical for catching cancer before it becomes deadly. However, a new study shows that persons of different ethnic groups have different ideas and opinions about whether they are at risk for developing cancer -- perceptions that can influence whether they undergo screening.

Scientists establish leech as model for study of reproductive behavior Posted: 17 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that injecting a simple hormone into leeches creates a novel way to study how hormones and the nervous system work together to produce species-specific reproductive behavior.

Treating vitamin D deficiency significantly reduces heart disease risk, studies find Posted: 17 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers in Utah last fall demonstrated the link between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk for coronary artery disease. These new studies show that treating vitamin D deficiency with supplements may help to prevent or reduce a person's risk for cardiovascular disease and a host of other chronic conditions. Researchers also establish what level of vitamin D further enhances that risk reduction.

The mode of action of certain toxins that accumulate in seafood Posted: 17 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Toxins released by certain microalgae can contaminate fish and shellfish which then become toxic to humans. Researchers have, for the first time, identified the mechanisms of action of two of these toxins. They have shown how and why they cause neurological symptoms. These findings could provide a basis for the development of new tests to screen for these toxins.

Some older ER patients are getting the wrong medicines Posted: 17 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT It is common for patients 65 and older to receive potentially inappropriate medications when treated in an emergency room. Nearly 19.5 million older patients, or 16.8 percent of eligible emergency visits from 2000-2006, received one or more of these medications.

Southern Ocean winds open window to the deep sea Posted: 17 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have discovered how changes in winds blowing on the Southern Ocean drive variations in the depth of the surface layer of sea water responsible for regulating exchanges of heat and carbon dioxide between the ocean and the atmosphere.

Parents may not understand or recall risks associated with children's surgery Posted: 17 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Parents of children undergoing ear, nose and throat surgery do not appear to remember all of the risks of the procedures explained to them by clinicians, even when detailed surgical risk counseling and data sheets are used, according to a new report.

Flowering plants may be considerably older than previously thought Posted: 16 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT Flowering plants may be considerably older than previously thought, says a new analysis of the plant family tree. Previous studies suggest that flowering plants, or angiosperms, first arose 140 to 190 million years ago. Now, a new article pushes back the age of angiosperms to 215 million years ago, some 25 to 75 million years earlier than either the fossil record or previous molecular studies suggest.

Obesity and alcohol act together to increase the risk of liver disease Posted: 16 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT Two studies show that obesity and alcohol act together to increase the risk of liver disease in both men and women.

Seeking dark matter on a desktop Posted: 16 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT Desktop experiments could point the way to dark matter discovery, complementing grand astronomical searches and deep underground observations. According to recent theoretical results, small blocks of matter on a tabletop could reveal elusive properties of the as-yet-unidentified dark matter particles that make up a quarter of the universe.

Study assesses complications associated with nasal ventilation in newborns Posted: 16 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT More than 10 percent of newborns who receive oxygenation and ventilation using nasal continuous airway pressure in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may experience complications inside or outside the nose, according to a new report.

Safer, greener cars: Cork may be better than polymer foam, study suggests Posted: 16 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT Crash-test dummies could soon be facing vehicle collision tests in cars padded with cork rather than traditional materials such as polymer foams or porous aluminium metal, according to Portuguese engineers.

Underpriveleged patients not as likely to be referred to specialty hospitals for brain tumors Posted: 16 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT African-American, Hispanic and economically disadvantaged patients with brain tumors are significantly less likely to be referred to high-volume hospitals that specialize in neurosurgery than other patients of similar age, the same gender, and with similar comorbidities, according to new research.

How plants put down roots: Geneticists research organ development in the plant embryo Posted: 16 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have investigated how the thale cress, Arabidopsis thaliana, forms its first roots: the root founder cell in the tiny group of cells contained in the seed is activated by a combination of a plant hormone and a transcription factor. These insights could contribute to the breeding of plants with a particularly effective root system in the future.

Amniotic fluid cells more efficiently reprogrammed to pluripotency than adult cells Posted: 16 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT In a breakthrough that may help fill a critical need in stem cell research and patient care, researchers have demonstrated that skin cells found in human amniotic fluid can be efficiently "reprogrammed" to pluripotency, where they have characteristics similar to human embryonic stem cells that can develop into almost any type of cell in the human body.

Chemicals that eased one environmental problem may worsen another Posted: 16 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Chemicals that helped solve a global environmental crisis in the 1990s -- the hole in Earth's protective ozone layer -- may be making another problem -- acid rain -- worse, scientists are reporting. A new study analyzes the effect of chemicals that replaced the ozone-destroying chlorofluorocarbons once used in aerosol spray cans, air conditioners, refrigerators, and other products.

Cardiac rehabilitation helps survival time in heart patients receiving stent therapy Posted: 16 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have found that cardiac rehabilitation is associated with significantly reduced mortality rates for patients who have had stents placed to treat blockages in their coronary arteries.

Earthquake observatory in Northern Chile to monitor the last seismic gap Posted: 16 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT The high-magnitude earthquake of Feb. 27, 2010 in southern Central Chile closed one of the two remaining seismic gaps at the South American plate boundary. After the quake of Concepción, the remaining gap in the north of Chile now holds potential for a comparable strong quake and is, thus, moving more and more into the focus of attention.

People will forgo luxury for green products when status is on mind, researcher finds Posted: 16 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT A new study finds that people will forgo luxury and comfort for a green item.

Jupiter's spot seen glowing: Scientists get first look at weather inside the solar system's biggest storm Posted: 16 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT New ground-breaking thermal images obtained with ESO's Very Large Telescope and other powerful ground-based telescopes show swirls of warmer air and cooler regions never seen before within Jupiter's Great Red Spot, enabling scientists to make the first detailed interior weather map of the giant storm system linking its temperature, winds, pressure and composition with its color.

As girth grows, risk of sudden cardiac death shrinks Posted: 16 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT Being skinny confers no advantage when it comes to the risk of dying suddenly from cardiac causes, new research suggests. Scientists found that non-obese heart failure patients -- including overweight, normal and underweight patients -- had a 76 percent increase in risk of sudden cardiac death compared to obese heart failure patients. Normal and underweight patients showed a startling 99 percent increase in risk for sudden cardiac death compared to obese patients.

Catastrophic flooding may be more predictable with new models Posted: 16 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have created a miniature river delta that replicates flooding patterns seen in natural rivers, resulting in a mathematical model capable of aiding in the prediction of the next catastrophic flood.

Therapeutics for trauma patients may not be effective if infection is present Posted: 16 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT A new study is analyzing how the immune system is involved in damage to the intestines following hemorrhagic shock. While studying the effects of a complement inhibitor given following hemorrhage, it found that Helicobacter infection changes the body's mechanistic response and would therefore affect the therapeutics given to trauma patients.

Ultra-powerful laser makes silicon pump liquid uphill with no added energy Posted: 16 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a way to make liquid flow vertically upward along a silicon surface, overcoming the pull of gravity, without pumps or other mechanical devices. The research could lead to the design of better computer cooling systems.

Heart abnormalities diagnosed in World Trade Center workers Posted: 16 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT The World Trade Center collapse has caused potentially dangerous heart problems in responders on-site, according to new research.

UV exposure has increased over the last 30 years, but stabilized since the mid-1990s Posted: 16 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT NASA scientists analyzing 30 years of satellite data have found that the amount of ultraviolet radiation reaching Earth's surface has increased markedly over the last three decades. Most of the increase has occurred in the mid-and-high latitudes, and there's been little or no increase in tropical regions.

New hormone treatment shows potential to reverse infertility Posted: 16 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT Twice weekly injections of the hormone kisspeptin may provide a new treatment to restore fertility in some women. The findings show that twice-weekly injections of kisspeptin can lead to increases in the levels of sex hormones, which control the menstrual cycle. This is the first study to show this effect can be maintained over the long term and it may lead to new therapies for women whose infertility is due to low sex hormone levels.

Robot teaches stroke survivors Posted: 16 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT Shaking hands with a robotic arm could be a new way to help stroke patients learn to use their arms again. Researchers report a pilot trial of the "Braccio di Ferro" (iron arm) robot in 10 patients.

Keeping up with the neighbors speeds vaccine use Posted: 16 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have conducted an analysis of worldwide use of Haemophilus influenza Type b vaccine (Hib) to determine what factors influenced a nation's adoption of the vaccine. The study found that a nation's eligibility for support from the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization and whether a country's neighbors used the vaccine were major influencing factors in addition to price of the vaccine.

An express-lane for the Internet Posted: 16 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT The Internet is expected to be inundated in the future with billions of gigabytes (or exabytes) of data as high-definition video and other bandwidth-busting downloads become the norm. The cost of upgrading the Internet for this so-called "exaflood" could make Web connections too expensive for most consumers. Internet service providers may be able to keep prices down by opening up an express-lane for large data hauls.

Family mealtimes help children with asthma breathe easier, study says Posted: 16 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT Children who have asthma are at high risk for separation anxiety, but a new study has found a home remedy that parents can use -- regular family mealtimes.

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