ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• New monitor lizard discovered in Indonesia
• New technique reinforces immune cells that seek and destroy cancer
• Fuel cells get up to speed with a new kind of platinum
• Erectile dysfunction and increased dangers of cardiovascular disease
• Small mobile devices can serve as own computer mice with optical sensing method
• Ozone and traffic pollution increase asthma-related hospitalizations in children
• Personality may influence brain shrinkage in aging
• Four unhealthy behaviors combine to increase death risk
• Shoe power generator, embedded in the sole of a shoe, harvest energy
• Visualizing brain invasion by a fungus
• Physicists locate long lost Soviet reflector on moon
• Race and empathy matter on neural level
• Scientists learn to block pain at its source: New non-addictive painkillers from substance similar to ingredient in hot chili peppers
• Long telomeres can be linked to poorer memory
• Soil microbes produce less atmospheric CO₂ than expected with climate warming
• Botulinum injection provides relief of tennis elbow
• Human brain recognizes and reacts to race
• Novel nanoparticles prevent radiation damage
• Researchers identify early ovarian cancers: Discovery may facilitate development of screening test
• World’s biggest telescope to be located on Armazones, Chile
• Researchers develop technique to visualize 'your brain on drugs'
• New computational method to uncover gene regulation
• Interruptions associated with medication errors by nurses
• Reward-driven people win more, even when no reward at stake
• Protein partners may provide insight into inherited mental retardation
• Brown rice and cardiovascular protection
• MDS, a blood cancer, strikes nearly 5 times more Americans than previously thought
• 'Good vibrations' help in research into new bioactive metal complexes
• Getting college students to eat better using a stealthy strategy
• Planck space observatory highlights the complexity of star formation
• New requirements for male fertility
• Periwinkle plants provide ammunition in the war on citrus greening
• Selecting high-risk patients for heart screening
• Botany: Final piece in phytate jigsaw discovered
• Pain free treatment of children and adolescents
• Body's response to repetitive laughter is similar to the effect of repetitive exercise, study finds
• Immune cells predict success of head and neck cancer treatment
• Scientists get bird's-eye view of how cuckoos fool their hosts
• Breast cancer risk factors differ among races
• How grass buffers keep agricultural herbicides at bay
• Magnitude of overdiagnosis in cancer indicates need for strategies to address the problem
• New hope exists in treating inherited disease by suppressing DNA mutations
• Females shut down male-male sperm competition in leafcutter ants
• Location of stem cells near cartilage-rich regions in bones confirmed
• New device helps monitor low-level physical activity with a cell phone
• Do the blind have a more acute sense of smell?

New monitor lizard discovered in Indonesia Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT A newly discovered species of monitor lizard, a close relative of the Komodo dragon, has been discovered on Moluccan islands of east Indonesia.

New technique reinforces immune cells that seek and destroy cancer Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT In what could be a shot in the arm for adoptive immunotherapy, new research shows promise in enhancing and controlling the growth of T cells in living mice and in human cell cultures, potentially overcoming one of the therapy's drawbacks.

Fuel cells get up to speed with a new kind of platinum Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT A new form of platinum that could be used to make cheaper, more efficient fuel cells has been created. The process could help enable broader use of the devices, which produce emissions-free energy using hydrogen.

Erectile dysfunction and increased dangers of cardiovascular disease Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT New research shows that men with erectile dysfunction and low testosterone have a higher than normal risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Further work from the same research group shows that obesity is also associated with an impairment of blood flow to the penis, which in turn is also associated with cardiovascular disease in men with erectile dysfunction.

Small mobile devices can serve as own computer mice with optical sensing method Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT The same inexpensive, but high-quality optical sensors employed in the common computer mouse can enable small mobile phones and digital music players to be used as their own pointing and gestural input devices, say researchers.

Ozone and traffic pollution increase asthma-related hospitalizations in children Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT Both ozone and primary pollutants from traffic substantially increase asthma-related emergency department visits in children, especially during the warm season, according to researchers.

Personality may influence brain shrinkage in aging Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT A team of psychologists has found an intriguing possibility that personality and brain aging during the golden years may be linked. Researchers found lower volumes of gray matter in the frontal and medial temporal brain regions of volunteers who ranked high in neuroticism traits, compared with higher volumes of gray matter in those who ranked high in conscientious traits.

Four unhealthy behaviors combine to increase death risk Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT Four unhealthy behaviors -- smoking, lack of physical activity, poor diet and alcohol consumption -- appear to be associated with a substantially increased risk of death when combined, according to a new report.

Shoe power generator, embedded in the sole of a shoe, harvest energy Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT New technology harvests power from a small generator embedded in the sole of a shoe. It is based on new voltage regulation circuits that efficiently convert a piezoelectric charge into usable voltage for charging batteries or for directly powering electronics.

Visualizing brain invasion by a fungus Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT Infection with the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans can cause meningitis (inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain) and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain itself), conditions that are often lethal. To elicit these effects, the fungus must somehow leave the blood stream and enter the brain, but little is known about how it does this. A team of researchers has now used a form of microscopy known as intravital microscopy, which enables researchers to observe events in real-time in live animals, to visualize in mice the process of brain invasion by Cryptococcus neoformans.

Physicists locate long lost Soviet reflector on moon Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT A team of physicists has pinpointed the location of a long lost light reflector left on the lunar surface by the Soviet Union nearly 40 years ago that many scientists had unsuccessfully searched for and never expected would be found.

Race and empathy matter on neural level Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT Race matters on a neurological level when it comes to empathy for African-Americans in distress, according to a new study. In a rare neuroscience look at racial minorities, the study shows that African-Americans showed greater empathy for African-Americans facing adversity -- in this case for victims of Hurricane Katrina -- than Caucasians demonstrated for Caucasian-Americans in pain.

Scientists learn to block pain at its source: New non-addictive painkillers from substance similar to ingredient in hot chili peppers Posted: 27 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new family of fatty acids, produced by the body itself, that play an important role in the biology of pain. The findings have even led to the development of a new class of non-addictive pain relievers.

Long telomeres can be linked to poorer memory Posted: 27 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT New research from Sweden shows that long telomeres in non-demented adults and seniors can be associated with poorer memory.

Soil microbes produce less atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> than expected with climate warming Posted: 27 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT The physiology of microbes living underground could determine the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from soil on a warmer Earth, according to a new study.

Botulinum injection provides relief of tennis elbow Posted: 27 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT An injection of botulinum toxin can provide relief for "tennis elbow" but needs to be injected properly to avoid potential paralysis, states a research article.

Human brain recognizes and reacts to race Posted: 27 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT The human brain fires differently when dealing with people outside of one's own race, according to new research.

Novel nanoparticles prevent radiation damage Posted: 27 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Tiny, melanin-covered nanoparticles may protect bone marrow from the harmful effects of radiation therapy, according to scientists who successfully tested the strategy in mouse models. Infusing these particles into human patients may hold promise in the future.

Researchers identify early ovarian cancers: Discovery may facilitate development of screening test Posted: 27 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Ovarian cancer kills nearly 15,000 women in the United States each year, and fewer than half of the women diagnosed with the disease survive five years. A screening test that detects ovarian cancer early, when it is still treatable, would likely reduce the high mortality, yet scientists have not known where the tumors originate or what they look like. Now, researchers think they have answered both questions.

World’s biggest telescope to be located on Armazones, Chile Posted: 27 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Cerro Armazones has been selected as the baseline site for the planned 42-metre European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). Cerro Armazones is a mountain at an altitude of 3060 metres in the central part of Chile's Atacama Desert, some 130 kilometres south of the town of Antofagasta and about 20 kilometres from Cerro Paranal, home of the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope.

Researchers develop technique to visualize 'your brain on drugs' Posted: 27 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers at the US Department of Energy have developed an imaging protocol that allows them to visualize the activity of the brain's reward circuitry in both normal individuals and those addicted to drugs.

New computational method to uncover gene regulation Posted: 27 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new computational model to uncover gene regulation, the key to how our body develops -- and how it can go wrong. The researchers say the new method identifies targets of regulator genes.

Interruptions associated with medication errors by nurses Posted: 27 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Nurses who are interrupted while administering medication appear to have an increased risk of making medication errors, according to a new report.

Reward-driven people win more, even when no reward at stake Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Whether it's for money, marbles or chalk, the brains of reward-driven people keep their game faces on, helping them win at every step of the way, even when there is no reward at stake, suggests a surprising brain scan study.

Protein partners may provide insight into inherited mental retardation Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT A new study that uncovers a pathway critical for proper embryological development in zebra fish may also reveal a parallel mechanism that drives wiring of the vertebrate brain. The research provides intriguing insight into the complex signaling mechanisms of fragile-X proteins.

Brown rice and cardiovascular protection Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT New research suggests a component in a layer of tissue surrounding grains of brown rice may work against angiotensin II. Angiotensin II is a protein and known culprit in the development of high blood pressure and atherosclerosis.

MDS, a blood cancer, strikes nearly 5 times more Americans than previously thought Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) -- a group of serious blood cancers -- are nearly five times more common in seniors than previously thought, according to a new study. The study also showed for the first time that MDS patients are at much higher risk for heart attack, diabetes and other serious complications than other seniors, and that their health care costs are far higher.

'Good vibrations' help in research into new bioactive metal complexes Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have managed to accurately determine the location of metal complexes within living cancer cells using Raman microscopy. The researchers have thus gained new insights into the mechanism of action of metal-containing drugs, to which they ascribe great potential capacities, e.g. in the treatment of cancer.

Getting college students to eat better using a stealthy strategy Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT How do you get college students to eat better? A new study suggests that a "stealth" strategy of raising the students' awareness of environmental and social issues related to food can persuade them to eat more veggies and less ice cream.

Planck space observatory highlights the complexity of star formation Posted: 26 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT New images from the European Space Agency's Planck space observatory reveal the forces driving star formation and give astronomers a way to understand the complex physics that shape the dust and gas in our Galaxy.

New requirements for male fertility Posted: 26 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Two independent groups of researchers have identified distinct roles for two proteins in a family of proteins known as PLA2s as crucial for sperm function and fertility in mice. These data identify proteins that could underlie causes of human infertility and provide potential targets for the development of new contraceptive agents and new approaches to treating infertility.

Periwinkle plants provide ammunition in the war on citrus greening Posted: 26 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Scientists have turned an ornamental plant into a tool for combating a bacterial disease that threatens the world's citrus crop.

Selecting high-risk patients for heart screening Posted: 26 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Using routine data from electronic patient records to select individuals at high risk of developing heart disease, rather than screening all adults aged 40-74 years of age, is just as effective at saving lives but will be cheaper to run, according to new research.

Botany: Final piece in phytate jigsaw discovered Posted: 26 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Scientists have identified the final piece in the jigsaw of how phytate is produced in plants. The discovery has implications for agribusiness, the environment and human health.

Pain free treatment of children and adolescents Posted: 26 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Properly performed analgesia protects children from pain and traumatization. In a new study, researchers show how analgesia for children and adolescents should be carried out.

Body's response to repetitive laughter is similar to the effect of repetitive exercise, study finds Posted: 26 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT A new study looks at the effect that mirthful laughter and distress have on modulating the key hormones that control appetite.

Immune cells predict success of head and neck cancer treatment Posted: 26 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Levels of a key type of immune cell are higher in head and neck cancer patients whose tumors are linked to the human papillomavirus, or HPV, according to researchers.

Scientists get bird's-eye view of how cuckoos fool their hosts Posted: 26 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Using field experiments in Africa and a new computer model that gives them a bird's-eye view of the world, scientists have discovered how a bird decides whether or not a cuckoo has laid an egg in its nest. The finding offers unique insights into a 20-million-year-old evolutionary arms race.

Breast cancer risk factors differ among races Posted: 26 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT A new study finds that factors known to increase the risk of breast cancer among white women have less influence in Hispanic women.

How grass buffers keep agricultural herbicides at bay Posted: 26 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers studied the impact of grass and grass/tree buffer strips on three herbicides commonly used in agriculture. The scientists studied the transport of the herbicides in both surface runoff and subsurface infiltration during two growing seasons.

Magnitude of overdiagnosis in cancer indicates need for strategies to address the problem Posted: 26 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Many cancers detected by screening tests are not destined to cause symptoms or death and therefore represent a phenomenon known as overdiagnosis. And because overdiagnosis leads to unnecessary treatment and other harms, it is important to develop clinical and research strategies to quantify, recognize, and manage it, according to a new review.

New hope exists in treating inherited disease by suppressing DNA mutations Posted: 26 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT Genetic mutation can disrupt the way human cells make proteins, which in turn leads to inherited disease. According to one researcher, scientists are closer than ever to producing drugs that fix this disrupted-protein pathway and drastically improving treatment of genetic disease.

Females shut down male-male sperm competition in leafcutter ants Posted: 26 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT Danish researchers who have studied ants in Panama since 1992 discovered that in both ant and bee species in which queens have multiple mates, a male's seminal fluid favors the survival of its own sperm over the other males' sperm. However, once sperm has been stored, leafcutter ant queens neutralize male-male sperm competition with glandular secretions in their sperm-storage organ.

Location of stem cells near cartilage-rich regions in bones confirmed Posted: 26 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT Working with mice, researchers have pinpointed the location of bone generating stem cells in the spine, at the ends of shins, and in other bones. The team also has identified factors that control the stem cells' growth.

New device helps monitor low-level physical activity with a cell phone Posted: 26 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have developed a program that helps people monitor their normal day-to-day physical activity using an everyday device like a cell phone or MP3 player.

Do the blind have a more acute sense of smell? Posted: 26 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT An ongoing study has debunked the myth that the blind have a more acute sense of smell than the sighted. Vision loss simply makes blind people pay more attention to how they perceive smells.

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