Saturday, April 10, 2010

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Hiding out behind the Milky Way

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

A leggy cosmic creature comes out of hiding in a new infrared view from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE. The spiral beauty, called IC 342 and sometimes the "hidden galaxy," is shrouded behind our own galaxy, the Milky Way.

Sleep apnea tied to increased risk of stroke; Even mild sleep apnea puts men in danger, study finds

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of stroke in middle-aged and older adults, especially men, according to new results from a landmark study.

Researchers shed light on ancient Assyrian tablets

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

A cache of cuneiform tablets unearthed by a team of archaeologists has been found to contain a largely intact Assyrian treaty from the early 7th century BCE.

Women with preeclampsia have fewer blood vessel precursor cells

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Compared to women with uncomplicated pregnancies, women with preeclampsia have reduced numbers of special cells that are thought to help grow and maintain blood vessels, according to a new study.

Closing in on a carbon-based solar cell

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

To make large sheets of carbon available for light collection, chemists have devised an unusual solution -- attach what amounts to a 3-D bramble patch to each side of the carbon sheet. Using that method, the scientists say they were able to dissolve sheets containing as many as 168 carbon atoms, a first.

Harm caused by nicotine withdrawal during intensive care

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Nicotine withdrawal can cause dangerous agitation in intensive care patients. Researchers found that, compared to non-smokers, agitated smokers were more likely to accidentally remove tubes and catheters, require supplemental sedative, analgesic or anti-psychotic medications, or need physical restraints.

Scientists explore origins of 'supervolcanoes' on the sea floor: Ancient goliaths blamed for multiple mass extinctions

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT

"Supervolcanoes" have been blamed for multiple mass extinctions in Earth's history, but the cause of their massive eruptions is unknown.

Magnetic attraction of stem cells creates more potent treatment for heart attack

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT

Researchers have found in animals that infusing cardiac-derived stem cells with micro-size particles of iron and then using a magnet to guide those stem cells to the area of the heart damaged in a heart attack boosts the heart's retention of those cells and could increase the therapeutic benefit of stem cell therapy for heart disease.

Rarest of the rare: List of critically endangered species

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT

The Wildlife Conservation Society released a list of critically endangered species dubbed the "Rarest of the Rare" -- a group of animals most in danger of extinction, ranging from Cuban crocodiles to white-headed langurs in Vietnam.

Rheumatoid arthritis linked to vitamin D deficiency, study suggests

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT

Women living in the northeastern United States are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting a link between the autoimmune disease and vitamin D deficiency.

'Start/stop switch' for retroviruses found

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT

A researcher has discovered a previously unknown mechanism for silencing retroviruses, segments of genetic material that can lead to fatal mutations in a cell's DNA.

New treatment for social problems in autism? Oxytocin improves emotion recognition

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT

In a new study, Australian researchers recruited adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and administered a single dose each of oxytocin and placebo via a nasal spray, received one week apart. Compared to administration of the placebo spray, the subjects' performance on a facial expression task that measures emotion recognition was improved when they received the oxytocin spray.

Something's wrong with right whales

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT

A few years ago, right whales began washing up on the shores of Argentina's Patagonian coast. So far, researchers have counted a total of 308 dead whales since 2005. These right whales in the waters around Peninsula Valdés are amidst the largest die-off of great whales ever recorded. Whatever is killing them remains unknown.

New model tracks the immune response to a T

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT

Researchers have created novel mouse models of the immune system starting with T cells primed for the infectious disease toxoplasmosis by generating cloned mice from these T cells. This type of model more accurately represents how immune cells respond to infectious diseases, and could be used to more reliably study immune cell biology and the role of immune cells in infectious disease. Earlier immune system models are inherently limited by the laboratory procedure involved.

New agent chokes off energy supply, kills cancer cells

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT

Researchers have designed an experimental drug that chokes off the energy supply of cancer cells. OSU-CG12 is one of a new class of anticancer drugs called energy-restriction mimetic agents. Energy restriction offers a powerful new treatment strategy because it targets a survival mechanism used by many types of cancer. The findings show that it is possible to design energy-restricting drugs, which may also be useful for treating metabolic syndromes, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Retreating patients with hepatitis C: Telaprevir boosts cure rate

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT

Adding the investigational drug telaprevir to standard treatment for hepatitis C infection cures about half the patients willing to give therapy a second try. That compares to a cure rate of just 14 percent among those who were retreated with the standard regimen, according to new research.

Privacy risks from geographic information

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT

In today's world more geographic information is being collected about us, such as where we live, where the clinic we visited is located, and where we work. Web sites are also collecting more geographic information about their users. This location information makes it easier to identify individuals, which can raise privacy concerns when location is coupled with basic demographics and sensitive health information. Individuals living in small areas tend to be more easily identifiable because they are unique on their local demographics. A new research study measures how easy it is to determine the identity of individuals using their geographical information. A new research study measures how easy it is to determine the identity of individuals using their geographical information.

Music therapy fails dyslexics: No link between dyslexia and a lack of musical ability, study finds

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT

There is no link between a lack of musical ability and dyslexia. Moreover, attempts to treat dyslexia with music therapy are unwarranted, according to scientists in Belgium.

Planet-like object found circling a brown dwarf

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

As our telescopes grow more powerful, astronomers are uncovering objects that defy conventional wisdom. The latest example is the discovery of a planet-like object circling a brown dwarf. It's the right size for a planet, estimated to be 5-10 times the mass of Jupiter. But the object formed in less than 1 million years -- the approximate age of the brown dwarf -- and much faster than the predicted time it takes to build planets according to some theories.

Migraine sufferers: More difficulty tuning out visual stimuli?

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

When people feel the onset of a migraine headache, they may head to a dark, quiet room to rest. This instinct may be sound: A new study suggests that even without the headache, migraine sufferers may process visual cues better in an environment with few visual distractions.

Traffic-related pollution near schools linked to development of asthma in pupils, study suggests

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Living near major highways has been linked to childhood asthma, but a new study suggests that traffic-related pollution near schools is also contributing to the development of asthma in kids.

Annual chlamydia screening may not protect women from pelvic inflammatory disease

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

It is unlikely that single screening for chlamydia will prevent women developing pelvic inflammatory disease in the following year, according to new research.

Significant findings about protein architecture may aid in drug design, generation of nanomaterials

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Researchers have gleaned key insights into the architecture of a protein that controls iron levels in almost all organisms. Their study culminated in one of the first successful attempts to take apart a complex biological nanostructure and isolate the rules that govern its natural formation.

Children of combat-deployed parents show increased worries, even after parent returns

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Researchers have found that it is the number and lengths of repeated military deployments that cause higher levels of anxiety in children -- and that the anxiety persists even after the deployed parent returns home. Second, they found that the level of anxiety children experience can be predicted by the amount of psychological distress shown by both the active duty and at-home parent.

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