ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Dogs likely originated in the Middle East, new genetic data indicate
• Genes linked to ulcerative colitis identified
• Chemists influence stem-cell development with geometry
• Obesity and passive smoking reduce oxygen supply to unborn baby
• High Arctic species on thin ice
• Smoking, but not past alcohol abuse, may impair mental function, study suggests
• Fast growing primitive black holes discovered
• Potent radiation treatment provides tumor control for patients with inoperable lung cancer
• Prescribed burns may help reduce US carbon footprint
• Anti-obesity drugs unlikely to provide lasting benefit, according to scientists
• Computer scientists create a multilingual search engine
• Media reports may paint overly optimistic view of cancer
• Fossil of rare armor-plated worm-like creature discovered in Canada's capital
• Selenium protects men against diabetes, study suggests
• How cells protect themselves from cancer
• Significant amount of inappropriate CT and MRI referrals from primary care physicians, study finds
• Switch mechanism for controlling traffic in cells discovered
• Mother is 'more essential' to orphans than breadwinner father, research suggests
• Brain naturally follows scientific method? Less effort to register 'predictable' images
• Low levels of vitamin D linked to higher rates of asthma in African-American kids
• Staying the course: Fruit flies employ stabilizer reflex to recover from midflight stumbles
• Drug dramatically reduces nausea and vomiting in bone marrow transplant patients
• Molecules in cell membranes move in a flowing motion rather than chaotically, new research finds
• Hypnotherapy eases irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, expert says
• Phylogenetic analysis of Mexican cave scorpions suggests adaptation to caves is reversible
• Newer cornea transplant surgery shows short- and long-term promise
• Cells of aggressive leukemia hijack normal protein to grow
• If you take simvastatin to control cholesterol, watch out for infection, says new report
• How can accidental captures of loggerhead turtles be reduced?
• Some clinical trials explicitly exclude gay and lesbian patients
• Water oxidation advance boosts potential for solar fuel
• Another serious eye disease, uveitis, linked to smoking
• 'Smart Hip' monitors real-time performance of bone implants, stimulates bone growth
• Ghrelin mitigates liver fibrosis in animal models; regulates human fibrosis
• Chitosan as alternative to growth-promoting antibiotics for cattle and other ruminants
• When mom has an eating problem
• Marine Mr. Mom: Male pipefish gives birth, but some are deadbeat dads, study shows
• Disabling Skp2 gene helps shut down cancer growth
• Modified home video game shows promise for improving hand function in teens with cerebral palsy
• Drug metabolism: How enzymes interact is important to toxicity and effectiveness
• Ivory enforcement failures identified in parts of Africa, Asia
• Difficulty trusting and reaching out to others may shorten diabetes patients' lives
• Could regulating intestinal inflammation prevent colon cancer?
• Surprise Shrimp Under Antarctic Ice
• Urban pollution affects cardiac function: Initial results in the healthy rat
• Some 40 percent of surface disinfectants ineffective in eliminating viruses that cause gastroenteritis
• Thrill-seeking holidaymakers may be putting dolphins at risk

Dogs likely originated in the Middle East, new genetic data indicate Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT Dogs likely originated in the Middle East, a new genetic analysis by an international team of scientists indicates. Previous genetic research suggested an East Asian origin for dogs.

Genes linked to ulcerative colitis identified Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT A study of the human genome has now identified genes linked to ulcerative colitis, offering clues as to what causes the condition and potential avenues for new therapies to treat the disease.

Chemists influence stem-cell development with geometry Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have successfully used geometrically patterned surfaces to influence the development of stem cells. The new approach is a departure from that of many stem-cell biologists, who focus instead on uncovering the role of proteins in controlling the fate of stem cells.

Obesity and passive smoking reduce oxygen supply to unborn baby Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT Babies born to mothers with obesity and exposed to passive smoking are more likely to have health problems than others. This conclusion is based on evidence of elevated levels of nucleated red blood cells in the umbilical cord.

High Arctic species on thin ice Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT A new assessment of the Arctic's biodiversity reports a 26 percent decline in species populations in the high Arctic.

Smoking, but not past alcohol abuse, may impair mental function, study suggests Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 PM PDT Men and women with a history of alcohol abuse may not see long-term negative effects on their memory and thinking, but female smokers do, a new study suggests.

Fast growing primitive black holes discovered Posted: 18 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT The most distant quasars found in the early universe, a mere 800 million years after the Big Bang, have been observed by astronomers.

Potent radiation treatment provides tumor control for patients with inoperable lung cancer Posted: 18 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Early findings suggest a radiation therapy that involves numerous highly-focused and potent radiation beams provides targeted tumor control in nearly all patients, reduces treatment-related illness, and may ultimately improve survival for patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer, according to a new study.

Prescribed burns may help reduce US carbon footprint Posted: 18 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT The use of prescribed burns to manage Western forests may help the United States reduce its carbon footprint. A new study finds that such burns, often used by forest managers to reduce underbrush and protect bigger trees, release substantially less carbon dioxide emissions than wildfires of the same size.

Anti-obesity drugs unlikely to provide lasting benefit, according to scientists Posted: 18 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Scientists argue that anti-obesity drugs fail to provide lasting benefits for health and well-being because they tackle the biological consequences of obesity, and not the important psychological causes of over-consumption and weight gain.

Computer scientists create a multilingual search engine Posted: 18 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have developed a multilingual search engine to query a contents repository written in Interlingua using questions formulated in any language. The search engine returns a precise answer in the language in which the question was formulated.

Media reports may paint overly optimistic view of cancer Posted: 18 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Newspaper and magazine reports about cancer appear more likely to discuss aggressive treatment and survival than death, treatment failure or adverse events, and almost none mention end-of-life palliative or hospice care, according to a report.

Fossil of rare armor-plated worm-like creature discovered in Canada's capital Posted: 18 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have unearthed the remains of one of the world's rarest fossils -- in downtown Ottawa, Canada. The 450-million-year-old fossil preserves the complete skeleton of a plumulitid machaeridian, one of only 8 such specimens known. Plumulitids were annelid worms -- the group including earthworms, bristleworms and leeches, today found everywhere from the deepest sea to the soil in your yard -- and although plumulitids were small they reveal important evidence of how this major group of organisms evolved.

Selenium protects men against diabetes, study suggests Posted: 18 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT The role of selenium in diabetes has been controversial, with some studies suggesting that it raises diabetes risk and others finding that it is protective. Now, research has shown that, for men, high plasma selenium concentrations are associated with a lower occurrence of dysglycemia.

How cells protect themselves from cancer Posted: 18 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Cells have two different protection programs to safeguard them from getting out of control under stress and from dividing without stopping and developing cancer. Now for the first time, using an animal model for lymphoma, cancer researchers have shown that these two protection programs work together through an interaction with normal immune cells to prevent tumors. Their findings may be of fundamental importance in the fight against cancer.

Significant amount of inappropriate CT and MRI referrals from primary care physicians, study finds Posted: 18 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT A large academic medical center has found that a significant percentage of outpatient referrals they receive from primary care physicians for computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging studies are inappropriate (based upon evidence-based appropriateness criteria developed by a radiology benefits management company), according to a new study.

Switch mechanism for controlling traffic in cells discovered Posted: 18 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have identified a mechanism that switches on an extremely important process for the proper functioning and survival of our body's cells. Specifically, the fast-track transportation pathway of "cargo" to and from the surface of the cell.

Mother is 'more essential' to orphans than breadwinner father, research suggests Posted: 18 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT The role of a mother in African families is even more essential to the well-being of a child than the role played by the breadwinner father, according to a new study.

Brain naturally follows scientific method? Less effort to register 'predictable' images Posted: 18 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT It turns out that there is a striking similarity between how the human brain determines what is going on in the outside world and the job of scientists. Good science involves formulating a hypothesis and testing whether this hypothesis is compatible with the scientist's observations. Researchers have now shown that this is what the brain does as well. A study shows that it takes less effort for the brain to register predictable as compared to unpredictable images.

Low levels of vitamin D linked to higher rates of asthma in African-American kids Posted: 18 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that African American children with asthma in metropolitan Washington, DC, are significantly more likely to have low levels of vitamin D than healthy African-American children. This study supports recent research that suggests vitamin D plays a greater role in the body than just keeping bones healthy. Vitamin D deficiency has been recently linked to a variety of non-bone related diseases including depression, autoimmune disorders, and now asthma.

Staying the course: Fruit flies employ stabilizer reflex to recover from midflight stumbles Posted: 18 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Observing the aerial maneuvers of fruit flies, researchers have uncovered how the insects -- when disturbed by sharp gusts of wind -- right themselves and stay on course. Fruit flies use an automatic stabilizer reflex that helps them recover with precision from midflight stumbles.

Drug dramatically reduces nausea and vomiting in bone marrow transplant patients Posted: 18 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Bone marrow transplant patients say two of the most debilitating side effects of the treatment are nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy and radiation. But a new study has found the drug aprepitant can dramatically reduce both nausea and vomiting when combined with other anti-nausea drugs.

Molecules in cell membranes move in a flowing motion rather than chaotically, new research finds Posted: 18 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers in Spain have discovered that the molecules in cell membranes move in a flowing motion rather than chaotically, as previously thought.

Hypnotherapy eases irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, expert says Posted: 18 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Hypnotherapy seems to be very effective for easing the distressing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and in a goodly proportion of cases, clears up symptoms altogether, reveal experts.

Phylogenetic analysis of Mexican cave scorpions suggests adaptation to caves is reversible Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT A new study of the scorpion family Typhlochactidae, a group of nine dark-adapted species endemic to Mexico, shows that specialized traits are not necessarily an evolutionary dead end. At least three reversals, or a return to generalized morphology, were found in a phylogenetic analysis.

Newer cornea transplant surgery shows short- and long-term promise Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT One year post-surgery, patients who underwent Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) experienced greater cell loss overall compared to those who underwent penetrating keratoplasty (PKP), according to a new analysis of data. However, the study showed that cell loss in DSAEK patients plateaued more quickly than in those who underwent PKP.

Cells of aggressive leukemia hijack normal protein to grow Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have found that one particularly aggressive type of blood cancer, mixed lineage leukemia, has an unusual way to keep the molecular motors running. The cancer cells rely on the normal version of an associated protein to stay alive.

If you take simvastatin to control cholesterol, watch out for infection, says new report Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Simvastatin might help us control our cholesterol, but when it comes to infection, it's an entirely different story says a new research study. Scientists have shown that simvastatin delivers a one-two punch to the immune system. First it impairs the ability of specialized immune cells, called macrophages, to kill pathogens. Then, it enhances production of molecules, called cytokines, which trigger and sustain inflammation.

How can accidental captures of loggerhead turtles be reduced? Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have studied interactions between the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and fishing gear such as longline hooks used at the water surface, mass beachings, and the effects of climate change on these animals. In order to reduce captures of this marine species without causing economic losses for fishermen, the scientists are proposing that fishing in the summer should only be carried out by night and in areas more than 35 nautical miles from land.

Some clinical trials explicitly exclude gay and lesbian patients Posted: 18 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT All clinical trials have guidelines that clearly state who can and cannot participate, but according to the National Institutes of Health these guidelines are typically based on age, gender, previous treatment history, the type and stage of a disease, and other medically relevant factors. However, researchers have now gathered evidence indicating that some trials explicitly exclude individuals based on their sexual orientation.

Water oxidation advance boosts potential for solar fuel Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT Chemists have developed the most potent homogeneous catalyst known for water oxidation, considered a crucial component for generating clean hydrogen fuel using only water and sunlight.

Another serious eye disease, uveitis, linked to smoking Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT Smoking is already a known risk factor for age-related macular degeneration, cataract and thyroid eye disease. Now, the first study to specifically examine the impact of smoking on uveitis-inflammation of the eye's middle layer of tissue-indicates that tobacco smoke likely plays a role in this serious eye disease, as well. In the United States about 10 percent of blindness is caused by uveitis.

'Smart Hip' monitors real-time performance of bone implants, stimulates bone growth Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT To monitor the real-time performance of bone implants is the challenge of "Smart Hip," an innovative medical device that aims to reduce the number of surgical interventions in the hip area and regenerate bone tissue by using non-evasive methods. The device -- developed by an engineering doctoral student in Portugal -- has already been successfully tested on animals.

Ghrelin mitigates liver fibrosis in animal models; regulates human fibrosis Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT Spanish researchers determined that rats treated with recombinant ghrelin displayed a reduction in liver fibrosis. Ghrelin, a stomach hormone, reduced the amount of fibrogenic cells by 25 percent in the treated rodents. Research further showed ghrelin prevented acute liver damage and reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in the animal models.

Chitosan as alternative to growth-promoting antibiotics for cattle and other ruminants Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT The natural-occurring biopolymer known as chitosan is being put forward as an effective alternative to growth-promoting antibiotics in the diet of ruminants, according to new research.

When mom has an eating problem Posted: 17 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT Norwegian research reveal the nature of emotional problems experienced by mothers with eating difficulties. Guilt and shame are key factors. Health workers need better training in order to be able to spot and alleviate such problems.

Marine Mr. Mom: Male pipefish gives birth, but some are deadbeat dads, study shows Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Male pipefishes and their seahorse cousins are the only males that actually become pregnant and give birth, but pipefishes likely will never win any "Father of The Year" awards -- their attitude towards their offspring can range from total love to total neglect, according to new findings.

Disabling Skp2 gene helps shut down cancer growth Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Increased understanding of the Skp2 gene and its relation to cellular senescence may lead to the development of novel agents that can suppress tumor development in common types of cancer, researchers report.

Modified home video game shows promise for improving hand function in teens with cerebral palsy Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Engineers have modified a popular home video game system to help teenagers with cerebral palsy improve their hand functions. In a pilot trial, the system improved the teens' abilities to perform a range of daily personal and household activities. The modified system with custom-developed software and games provided exercise routines aimed at improving hand speed and range of finger motion.

Drug metabolism: How enzymes interact is important to toxicity and effectiveness Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have found that drug metabolism depends not only upon which enzymes are present in an individual, but also how they interact, and that can be the difference in whether a drug is safely eliminated from the body or is converted into a toxic or carcinogenic byproduct.

Ivory enforcement failures identified in parts of Africa, Asia Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Urgent law enforcement action by governments in Central and West Africa and Southeast Asia is crucial to addressing the illicit ivory trade, according to a new analysis of elephant trade data. Detailed regional summaries of the data held in the Elephant Trade Information System, the world's largest database on ivory seizures, highlight the failure of law enforcement in key elephant range states.

Difficulty trusting and reaching out to others may shorten diabetes patients' lives Posted: 17 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Being overly cautious or dismissive in relating to others, including health-care providers, may shorten the lives of people with diabetes. In a five-year study, diabetes patients who had a lower propensity to reach out to others had a higher mortality rate than those who felt comfortable seeking support. There are approaches that health-care professionals might try to improve collaboration with patients who have an independent relationship style.

Could regulating intestinal inflammation prevent colon cancer? Posted: 17 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT Every day, our gut comes in contact with bacteria, inducing an inflammatory response that is tolerated and controlled. Sometimes the control of inflammation is lost and this can lead to inflammatory bowel disease that may predispose to colon cancer. Caspase-1, an important protein involved in the mechanism of inflammation, has long been believed to be one of the culprits behind excessive inflammation in the colon. Researchers suggest the opposite in a new study.

Surprise Shrimp Under Antarctic Ice Posted: 17 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT At a depth of 600 feet beneath the West Antarctic ice sheet, a small shrimp-like creature managed to brighten up an otherwise gray polar day.

Urban pollution affects cardiac function: Initial results in the healthy rat Posted: 17 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT In the healthy rat, prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) under conditions that mimic urban pollution leads to changes to cardiac morphology and function. Compensatory mechanisms develop in these animals to sustain normal cardiac activity, but they become more vulnerable to heart disease. The results provide cellular proof in the rat of a direct effect of urban pollution on cardiac function. Studies are ongoing to verify these findings in humans.

Some 40 percent of surface disinfectants ineffective in eliminating viruses that cause gastroenteritis Posted: 17 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT Some 40 percent of commercial disinfectants used to clean surfaces are believed to be ineffective in eliminating noroviruses, a group of viruses responsible for more than half of all food-borne gastroenteritis outbreaks. According to a recent study, only bleach-based disinfectants drastically reduce the concentration of these viruses.

Thrill-seeking holidaymakers may be putting dolphins at risk Posted: 17 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT Tourists wanting to watch and swim with dolphins are now being urged to keep their distance in a bid to protect both the animals and the local communities whose livelihoods depend on them.

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