ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Mini generators make energy from random ambient vibrations
• Probing the secrets of sharp memory in old age
• Social bees have bigger brain area for learning, memory
• Another perk of painkillers? Decreased hormone levels may reduce cancer risk
• New spintronics material could help usher in next generation of microelectronics
• Poker face busted? Our eye position betrays the numbers we have in mind, new study
• New dinosaur from Utah's red rocks
• New theory of Down syndrome cause may lead to new therapies
• Greenland ice sheet losing mass on northwest coast
• Height loss in postmenopausal women may indicate spinal fracture
• Diesel exhaust associated with lethargy in offspring
• It's the thought that counts: Helping behavior in infants may be determined by previous interactions
• New form of insulin can be inhaled rather than injected
• Infection with tickborne parasite may suppress malaria
• Tsunami generator will help protect against future catastrophe
• Stopping clinical trials early often exaggerates treatment effects
• Lab-on-a-chip with moveable channels
• Therapy via teleconference? Professor studies remote psychotherapy
• Are hand sanitizers better than handwashing against the common cold?
• New drug for menstrual cramps shows promise in early clinical trial
• Indian spice may delay liver damage and cirrhosis, study suggests
• Community acquired MRSA infection rates are six times greater in HIV patients
• Laser security for the Internet: Scientist invents a digital security tool good enough for the CIA -- and for you
• Health behaviors may account for substantial portion of social inequality in risk of death
• Could smell play a role in the origin of new bird species?
• Four preventable risk factors reduce life expectancy in US and lead to health disparities, study finds
• Cup plant is potential new biomass/carbon storage crop
• Patients at risk for complications after coronary artery fistula closure
• Marine conditions of Aralar mountain range of 120 million years ago
• Study examines impact of education, income on support for suicide bombings
• New method could revolutionize dating of ancient treasures
• HIV vaccine strategy expands immune responses
• Mouse work: New insights on a fundamental DNA repair mechanism
• Long waits for radiotherapy linked to increased recurrence of breast cancer
• Destructive citrus disease affecting Florida could be combated with bacteria-resistant trees, early detection
• Men and women respond differently to stress
• New approach to water desalination could lead to small, portable units for disaster sites or remote locations
• High dietary phosphate intake may promote skin cancer formation
• Ingredient in tequila plant may fight osteoporosis and other diseases
• Scientists share secret of how our cells make us tick
• Precise model of tectonic-plate movements developed from 20-year study
• Binge drinking doesn't affect next-day student test-taking

Mini generators make energy from random ambient vibrations Posted: 24 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Tiny generators could produce enough electricity from random, ambient vibrations to power a wristwatch, pacemaker or wireless sensor.

Probing the secrets of sharp memory in old age Posted: 24 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Scientists are reporting new findings that may help explain why some individuals maintain sharp memory during aging, while others have normal or diminished mental capacity. The scientists found that "super-aged" brains tend to have fewer or no brain 'tangles' when compared to other individuals.

Social bees have bigger brain area for learning, memory Posted: 24 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Who's in charge? Who's got food? The brain region responsible for learning and memory is bigger in social bee queens who may have to address these questions than in solitary queens, report scientists who study the tropical sweat bee species, Megalopta genalis, in Panama. Their study is the first comparison of the brain sizes of social and non-social individuals of the same species.

Another perk of painkillers? Decreased hormone levels may reduce cancer risk Posted: 24 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Postmenopausal women who regularly use aspirin and other analgesics (known as painkillers) have lower estrogen levels, which could contribute to a decreased risk of breast or ovarian cancer.

New spintronics material could help usher in next generation of microelectronics Posted: 24 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT Complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology is used today in all forms of electronic devices. However power dissipation and variability, saturation of device performance, are two major issues the market will need to overcome as it continues to scale down its devices. Electrical engineers have just created a new material incorporating spintronics that could lead to a new generation of devices.

Poker face busted? Our eye position betrays the numbers we have in mind, new study Posted: 24 Mar 2010 11:00 AM PDT It will be harder to lie about your age or your poker hand after new research from Australia has revealed that our eye position betrays the numbers we are thinking about. In the study, participants were asked to state a series of random numbers. By measuring their vertical and horizontal eye position, researchers were able to predict with reliable confidence the next chosen number -- before it was spoken.

New dinosaur from Utah's red rocks Posted: 24 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Utah's red rocks -- world-famous attractions at numerous national parks, monuments and state parks -- have yielded a rare skeleton of a new species of plant-eating dinosaur that lived 185 million years ago and may have been buried alive by a collapsing sand dune.

New theory of Down syndrome cause may lead to new therapies Posted: 24 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Conventional wisdom among scientists for years has suggested that because individuals with Down syndrome have an extra chromosome, the disorder most likely results from the presence of too many genes or proteins contained in that additional structure. But a recent study reveals that just the opposite could be true -- that a deficiency of a protein in the brain of Down syndrome patients could contribute to the cognitive impairment and congenital heart defects that characterize the syndrome.

Greenland ice sheet losing mass on northwest coast Posted: 24 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Ice loss from the Greenland ice sheet, which has been increasing during the past decade over its southern region, is now moving up its northwest coast, according to a new international study.

Height loss in postmenopausal women may indicate spinal fracture Posted: 24 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Loss of height in postmenopausal women may indicate a vertebral fracture, according to a new article.

Diesel exhaust associated with lethargy in offspring Posted: 24 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT Breathing diesel exhaust during pregnancy is associated with sluggishness in offspring. Researchers studied the effects of pollution exposure in mice, finding that the offspring of mothers who breathed diesel fumes while pregnant were less likely to show spontaneous movement.

It's the thought that counts: Helping behavior in infants may be determined by previous interactions Posted: 24 Mar 2010 08:00 AM PDT We are usually eager to assist people who have helped us in the past. These reciprocal relationships are an important part of adult interactions and foster cooperation in society. New findings suggest that this reciprocal behavior may have early beginnings and can be demonstrated in children as young as 21 months.

New form of insulin can be inhaled rather than injected Posted: 24 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT A new inhalable powder carrying insulin not only eliminates the pain of injections, but actually delivers the medication faster than a needle, researchers.

Infection with tickborne parasite may suppress malaria Posted: 24 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT A new study suggests that monkeys chronically infected with babesiosis, a tick-borne parasite, are able to suppress malaria infection when exposed to a simian malaria parasite.

Tsunami generator will help protect against future catastrophe Posted: 24 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT A unique wave-generating machine that mimics the activity of real-life tsunamis with unprecedented realism has been used successfully in a laboratory in the UK. The simulator has copied the behavior of the first massive wave of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

Stopping clinical trials early often exaggerates treatment effects Posted: 24 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT An international study of nearly 100 clinical trials that were stopped early due to positive treatment effects has found that many of those effects were exaggerated.

Lab-on-a-chip with moveable channels Posted: 24 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Microfluidic devices typically depend upon electrokinetic or traditional pressure methods to move microscopic amounts of fluid around a fixed microchip. Engineering researchers have created a paradigm shift -- and moved some tiny channels in the process.

Therapy via teleconference? Professor studies remote psychotherapy Posted: 24 Mar 2010 05:00 AM PDT Obtaining therapy via teleconference is just as effective as face-to-face meetings, according to new research.

Are hand sanitizers better than handwashing against the common cold? Posted: 24 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT A new study suggests that hand sanitizers containing ethanol are much more effective at removing rhinovirus from hands than washing with soap and water. Sanitizers containing both ethanol and organic acids significantly reduced recovery of the virus from hands and rhinovirus infection up to 4 hours following application.

New drug for menstrual cramps shows promise in early clinical trial Posted: 24 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have discovered of a new drug, which is currently in Phase II clinical trials, designed to specifically target the root cause of painful menstrual cramps, not just the symptoms. The condition, called dysmenorrhea, is the leading cause of absenteeism from school and work among women in their teens and 20s.

Indian spice may delay liver damage and cirrhosis, study suggests Posted: 24 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT Curcumin, one of the principal components of the Indian spice turmeric, seems to delay the liver damage that eventually causes cirrhosis, suggests preliminary experimental research.

Community acquired MRSA infection rates are six times greater in HIV patients Posted: 24 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT A new study found the incidence of CA-MRSA in the Chicago area was six-fold higher among HIV-infected patients than it was among HIV-negative patients.

Laser security for the Internet: Scientist invents a digital security tool good enough for the CIA -- and for you Posted: 24 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT A new invention promises an information security system that can beat today's hackers -- and the hackers of the future -- with existing fiber optic and computer technology.

Health behaviors may account for substantial portion of social inequality in risk of death Posted: 24 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT An analysis of nearly 25 years of data for about 10,000 civil servants in London finds an association between socioeconomic position and risk of death, with much of this relation accounted for by health behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, diet and physical activity, according to a new study.

Could smell play a role in the origin of new bird species? Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT Two recently diverged populations of a southern California songbird produce unique odors, suggesting smell could contribute to the reproductive isolation that accompanies the origin of new bird species.

Four preventable risk factors reduce life expectancy in US and lead to health disparities, study finds Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT A new study estimates that smoking, high blood pressure, elevated blood glucose and overweight and obesity currently reduce life expectancy in the US by 4.9 years in men and 4.1 years in women.

Cup plant is potential new biomass/carbon storage crop Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT American researchers are exploring a native perennial called the cup plant as a potential new biomass crop that could also store carbon in its extensive root system and add biodiversity to biomass plantings.

Patients at risk for complications after coronary artery fistula closure Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT After surgery to repair abnormally connected heart arteries called coronary artery fistula (CAF) some patients fare worse than others. This study suggests that CAF that drain into the coronary sinus (at the back of the heart) are more likely to have complications after corrective surgery.

Marine conditions of Aralar mountain range of 120 million years ago Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT The Early Aptian (120 million years ago) was an age of intense volcanic activity on Earth, eruptions that emitted large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, thus causing a revolution in the carbon cycle. As a consequence, great changes happened in the whole of the terrestrial system. A researcher in Spain has studied how these changes happened in the marine environment of the Aralar mountain range (at that time it was under the sea) in the Basque Country, and found more than one surprise.

Study examines impact of education, income on support for suicide bombings Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:00 PM PDT A study shows that the relationship between education and support for suicide bombings varies by country and by the target of the attacks.

New method could revolutionize dating of ancient treasures Posted: 23 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have developed a first-of-its-kind method for determining the age of ancient artifacts without causing damage to the objects. The method could help shed new light on the history of mummified bodies, old maps, cave paintings, and other treasures, they say.

HIV vaccine strategy expands immune responses Posted: 23 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have announced an HIV vaccination strategy that has been shown to expand the breadth and depth of immune responses in rhesus monkeys. Rhesus monkeys provide the best animal model currently available for testing HIV vaccines.

Mouse work: New insights on a fundamental DNA repair mechanism Posted: 23 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT A team of researchers has demonstrated for the first time the specific activity of the protein NEIL3, one of a group responsible for maintaining the integrity of DNA in humans and other mammals. Their work sheds new light on a potentially important source of harmful DNA mutations.

Long waits for radiotherapy linked to increased recurrence of breast cancer Posted: 23 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT The longer women wait for radiotherapy after breast cancer surgery, the more chance there is of local recurrence, concludes a new study. The authors suggest that starting radiotherapy as soon as possible will minimize this risk.

Destructive citrus disease affecting Florida could be combated with bacteria-resistant trees, early detection Posted: 23 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Urgency, cooperation, and persistent management are needed among producers, processors, government officials, and scientists while solutions are developed and implemented to combat the citrus greening disease threatening Florida citrus production, says a new report from the National Research Council.

Men and women respond differently to stress Posted: 23 Mar 2010 08:00 PM PDT Age and gender play a major role in how people respond to stress, according to a new study on 20- to 64-year-olds.

New approach to water desalination could lead to small, portable units for disaster sites or remote locations Posted: 23 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT A new approach to desalination could lead to small, portable desalination units that could be powered by solar cells or batteries and could deliver enough fresh water to supply the needs of a family or small village. As an added bonus, the system would also remove many contaminants, viruses and bacteria at the same time.

High dietary phosphate intake may promote skin cancer formation Posted: 23 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT A high dietary intake of phosphate promotes tumor formation in an animal model of skin cancer. The results suggest a high intake of phosphates may promote tumor development and contribute to tumor growth in skin cancer, while restricting phosphate intake may help prevent cancer.

Ingredient in tequila plant may fight osteoporosis and other diseases Posted: 23 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT The plant that gave the world tequila contains a substance that seems ideal for use in a new genre of processed foods -- so-called "functional foods" -- with health benefits over and above serving as a source of nutrients, scientists report.

Scientists share secret of how our cells make us tick Posted: 23 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT Scientists have shed light on a key control process within cells that helps ensure our bodies function efficiently.

Precise model of tectonic-plate movements developed from 20-year study Posted: 23 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT When it comes to 3-D puzzles, Rubik's Cube pales in comparison with the latest creation from a team of geophysicists. They have just put the finishing touches on a 20-year effort to precisely describe the relative movements of the interlocking tectonic plates that make up about 97 percent of Earth's surface.

Binge drinking doesn't affect next-day student test-taking Posted: 23 Mar 2010 05:00 PM PDT In a first-of-its kind controlled experiment, researchers have found that surprisingly, binge drinking the night before a test does not impact college students' test performance -- although it can affect their moods, attention and reaction times.

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