ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Elephants have word for 'bee-ware'
• Obese children metabolize drugs differently than healthy weight children
• Scientists study 'glaciovolcanoes,' mountains of fire and ice, in Iceland, British Columbia, US
• Extremely preterm babies face long-term lung deficits
• Is there a micro-supercapacitor in your future?
• Project fruit fly: What accounts for insect taste?
• Rare 95 million-year-old flying reptile Aetodactylus halli is new pterosaur genus, species
• Lower levels of 'rotten egg' gas (hydrogen sulfide) in blood linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes and poorer circulation
• Peppers may increase energy expenditure in people trying to lose weight
• Brain tumor growth linked to lowered expression of hundreds of immune function genes
• Hydrocooling shows promise for reducing strawberry weight loss, bruising
• Merely seeing disease symptoms may promote aggressive immune response
• Earth microbes may contaminate the search for life on Mars
• Long-term anabolic steroid use may weaken heart more than previously thought
• Blood protein triggers scars in the brain after injury; New target might help aid recovery for patients with traumatic injuries
• Are periodontal disease and prostatitis linked?
• Putting bacterial antibiotic resistance into reverse
• New Braille technology helps visually impaired 'see' emotions
• Social networking helps hermit crabs find homes
• HPV test detects more pre-cancerous cells than conventional smear test
• 3-D 'occupational therapy' for children: Virtual muscle machine for kids with disabilities
• Vitamin D deficiency associated with chronic fatigue in brain injured patients
• European Space Agency's Envisat monitors oil spill
• Uncovering the truth about Viking Men
• Early death by junk food? High levels of phosphate in sodas and processed foods accelerate the aging process in mice
• Major breakthrough in the diagnosis of parasitic diseases: Novel screening tool in the fight against Chagas disease
• Cell division orchestrated by multiple oscillating proteins
• Mechanisms underlying two genetically distinct forms of cleft palate linked
• What is a grass? Chloroplast DNA reveals that a grass may not be a grass
• One billion euros to unleash the power of information
• How chimps deal with death: Studies offer rare glimpses
• Cigarette smoking, fructose consumption exacerbates liver disease, study finds
• Young salamanders' movement over land helps stabilize populations
• What causes seizure in focal epilepsy?
• Species distribution models can exaggerate differences in environmental requirements
• The joy is in the social hunt: Facebook users more engaged emotionally when conducting specific searches
• A single gene is responsible for OCD-like behaviors in mice
• Fossil of newly discovered species found in Spain
• Gene expression test reduces need for invasive heart muscle biopsy
• Assembly of protein strands into fibrils
• Gene variant may protect memory and thinking skills in older people

Elephants have word for 'bee-ware' Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT For the first time elephants have been found to produce an alarm call associated with the threat of bees, and have been shown to retreat when a recording of the call is played even when there are no bees around.

Obese children metabolize drugs differently than healthy weight children Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have provided the first evidence-based data on changes in drug metabolism in obese children as compared to healthy weight children.

Scientists study 'glaciovolcanoes,' mountains of fire and ice, in Iceland, British Columbia, US Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT Glaciovolcanoes, they're called, these rumbling mountains where the orange-red fire of magma meets the frozen blue of glaciers.

Extremely preterm babies face long-term lung deficits Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT More than half of children who were born very early -- at 25 weeks or less (normal gestation is around 40 weeks) -- have abnormal lung function and are twice as likely as their full-term peers to have a diagnosis of asthma, according to UK researchers, who followed a national cohort of extremely preterm infants to age 11.

Is there a micro-supercapacitor in your future? Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have developed a unique new technique for integrating high performance micro-sized supercapacitors into a variety of portable electronic devices through common microfabrication techniques. Featuring high power densities and rapid-fire cycle times, these new supercapacitors have the potential to substantially boost the performance and longevity of portable electric energy storage devices.

Project fruit fly: What accounts for insect taste? Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT Scientists have identified a protein in sensory cells on the "tongues" of fruit flies that allows them to detect a noxious chemical and, ultimately, influences their decision about what to eat and what to avoid.

Rare 95 million-year-old flying reptile Aetodactylus halli is new pterosaur genus, species Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT A 95 million-year-old fossilized jaw discovered in Texas has been identified as a new genus and species of flying reptile, Aetodactylus halli. The rare pterosaur -- literally winged lizard -- is also one of the youngest members of the pterosaur family Ornithocheiridae in the world. It's only the second ornithocheirid ever documented in North America.

Lower levels of 'rotten egg' gas (hydrogen sulfide) in blood linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes and poorer circulation Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have for the first time identified a link between blood levels of the gas hydrogen sulfide (a gas more commonly associated with the smell of rotten eggs), obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Peppers may increase energy expenditure in people trying to lose weight Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT In a study designed to test the weight-loss potential of dihydrocapsiate (DCT), the non-spicy cousin of hot peppers, researchers found energy expenditure was significantly increased in those consuming the highest amounts of DCT.

Brain tumor growth linked to lowered expression of hundreds of immune function genes Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT A new study links progression of a lethal type of brain tumor with reduced expression of more than 600 immune system genes, suggesting how complex the immune response is to the cancer and the resulting difficulty in targeting specific immune system proteins for treatment.

Hydrocooling shows promise for reducing strawberry weight loss, bruising Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT Strawberries are very fragile and highly susceptible to mechanical injury during commercial production and must be harvested when they are ripe to minimize bruising. Scientists have shown that strawberries have different responses to compression and impact forces based on pulp temperature. Fruit at low temperature were more resistant to compression, while fruit at higher temperatures were more resistant to impact.

Merely seeing disease symptoms may promote aggressive immune response Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT Just seeing someone who looks sick is enough to make your immune system work harder, according to a new study in which volunteers looked at pictures of sick people.

Earth microbes may contaminate the search for life on Mars Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Bacteria common to spacecraft may be able to survive the harsh environs of Mars long enough to inadvertently contaminate Mars with terrestrial life, according to new research.

Long-term anabolic steroid use may weaken heart more than previously thought Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Long-term anabolic steroid use may weaken the heart more than previously thought, a new study finds. Steroid-related heart impairment is severe enough to potentially increase the risk of heart failure. The left ventricle, the heart muscle primarily responsible for pumping blood throughout the body, was significantly weaker among steroid users.

Blood protein triggers scars in the brain after injury; New target might help aid recovery for patients with traumatic injuries Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT A protein called fibrinogen that is known to help form blood clots also triggers scar formation in the brain and spinal cord, according to new research. Researchers found that fibrinogen carries a dormant factor that activates when it enters the brain after an injury, prompting brain cells to form a scar. Scars in the brain or spinal cord can block connections between nerve cells and often keep injury patients from reaching full recovery.

Are periodontal disease and prostatitis linked? Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Are prostate problems, which impact 8 percent of the population, associated with poor oral health? Researchers report initial results from a small sample that inflammation from gum disease and prostate problems just might be linked.

Putting bacterial antibiotic resistance into reverse Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT The use of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections causes a continual and vicious cycle that leads to the emergence and spread of resistant strains. What if it didn't have to be this way? One researcher explains how it could work.

New Braille technology helps visually impaired 'see' emotions Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Without vision it's impossible to interpret facial expressions, or so it's believed. Not any more. A researcher in Sweden is presenting a new technology in his doctoral thesis – a Braille code of emotions.

Social networking helps hermit crabs find homes Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Biologists have discovered that, contrary to their name, hermit crabs may locate new and improved housing using previously unknown social networking skills. These behaviors may shed light on any animal that relies on discrete and reusable resources, from hole-nesting woodpeckers to urban apartment dwellers.

HPV test detects more pre-cancerous cells than conventional smear test Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Human papillomavirus screening detects more cervical severe pre-cancerous lesions than conventional cervical screening, a new study finds.

3-D 'occupational therapy' for children: Virtual muscle machine for kids with disabilities Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT A researcher is using a "virtual tabletop" to "move" kids with disabilities and provide home-based treatments using virtual reality tools. Combining new three-dimensional exercises with two-dimensional graphical movement games already programmed into the tabletop (which resembles an early video game), she reports not only success but also enthusiasm among her young patients.

Vitamin D deficiency associated with chronic fatigue in brain injured patients Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT New evidence has shown that vitamin D deficiency is closely associated with the chronic fatigue that often follows post traumatic brain injury (TBI).

European Space Agency's Envisat monitors oil spill Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT New ESA Envisat images capture the oil that is spilling into the Gulf of Mexico after a drilling rig exploded and sank off the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi, US, on April 22.

Uncovering the truth about Viking Men Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Vikings are associated with weapons and warfare, machismo and mayhem. But many of them had the same concerns about choosing their children's names as we do, says a UK researcher.

Early death by junk food? High levels of phosphate in sodas and processed foods accelerate the aging process in mice Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT High levels of phosphates may add more "pop" to sodas and processed foods than once thought. That's because researchers have found that the high levels of phosphates accelerate signs of aging. High phosphate levels may also increase the prevalence and severity of age-related complications, such as chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular calcification, and can also induce severe muscle and skin atrophy.

Major breakthrough in the diagnosis of parasitic diseases: Novel screening tool in the fight against Chagas disease Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Chagas disease is one of the most deadly parasitic diseases in the world. It affects more than 10 million people, primarily in the Americas. A reliable and rapid diagnosis is the key in the battle against infection but until now, this has been next to impossible. Researchers have now developed a new diagnostic approach that will help in the fight against Chagas disease.

Cell division orchestrated by multiple oscillating proteins Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Cell division is a crucial but dangerous business. It unfolds in a cycle of many steps, including DNA replication, spindle formation, mitosis and others, and they must happen in the right order to prevent abnormal cell death and cancer formation. New research examines the activity of two proteins at the heart of the cell-cycle control system and finds that the cycle has not just one, but several independent processes that help to maintain order. The work suggests that autonomous oscillating proteins may coordinate the events of the cell cycle through a phenomena called "phase-locking," similar to how our circadian rhythm syncs to the light-dark cycle of our environment.

Mechanisms underlying two genetically distinct forms of cleft palate linked Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Cleft lip and cleft palate are frequent and debilitating congenital malformations. Mutations in the genes p63 and IRF6 have each been shown to cause cleft lip and cleft palate, but the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying this have not been clearly determined -- until now.

What is a grass? Chloroplast DNA reveals that a grass may not be a grass Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Researchers recently investigated the evolution of grasses, one of the most economic and ecologically important plant families, by sequencing the chloroplast DNA of an early diverging grass genus, Anomochloa, and comparing it to the chloroplasts of other grasses. Their examination of the chloroplast sequence uncovered features the Anomochloa chloroplast shares with other grasses, features unique to Anomochloa, and features that call into question our definition of grasses or the classification of Anomochloa as a grass.

One billion euros to unleash the power of information Posted: 27 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Humanity faces enormous challenges ranging from financial and economic instability to environmental destruction and climate change, all linked directly to our inability to manage our collective activities and their consequences. Now a diverse group of leading scientists has unveiled an extraordinary plan to meet these challenges. Their ambitious proposal aims to build a more powerful and accurate science of human systems and their interaction with the global environment. Their efforts will exploit the revolutionary scientific potential of modern computational, communication, and information technologies, backed up by theoretical analysis.

How chimps deal with death: Studies offer rare glimpses Posted: 27 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Two studies offer rare glimpses into the ways that chimpanzees deal with the deaths of those closest to them. In one case, researchers describe the final hours and moment of death of an older female chimp living in a small group at a UK safari park as captured on video. In the other, researchers observed as two chimpanzee mothers in the wild carried their infants' mummified remains for a period of weeks after they were lost to a respiratory epidemic.

Cigarette smoking, fructose consumption exacerbates liver disease, study finds Posted: 27 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Recent studies suggest that modifiable risk factors such as cigarette smoking and fructose consumption can worsen nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). With NAFLD, fat accumulates in the liver of overweight individuals despite drinking little alcohol, causing in some cases liver scarring that can lead to liver failure. Identifying modifiable factors that contribute to disease severity and progression is essential in improving patient outcomes.

Young salamanders' movement over land helps stabilize populations Posted: 27 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers can now describe how species of stream salamanders find new homes by moving both within streams and over land to adjacent streams during multiple life stages, and how this movement may help to stabilize their populations.

What causes seizure in focal epilepsy? Posted: 27 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT In focal epilepsy, seizures are generated by a localized, synchronous neuronal electrical discharge that may spread to large portions of the brain. In spite of intense research in the field of epilepsy, a key question remains unanswered: what are the earliest cellular events leading to the initiation of a focal seizure? Elucidating this issue is of paramount importance both for understanding the pathophysiology of focal epilepsies and for the development of new pharmacological strategies for drug-resistant forms of these disorders.

Species distribution models can exaggerate differences in environmental requirements Posted: 27 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Separate species that live in radically different environments don't necessarily also have different ecological niches. This is the finding of a study investigating the accuracy of current statistical tests that use models of geographic distributions to infer changes in environmental requirements.

The joy is in the social hunt: Facebook users more engaged emotionally when conducting specific searches Posted: 27 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers recently studied users of the social networking website, Facebook.com. Screen capturing software was used, matched with skin sensors on participants, to determine that Facebook users are more engaged emotionally when they are conducting specific searches on Facebook, rather than broad cursory site exploration.

A single gene is responsible for OCD-like behaviors in mice Posted: 27 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have discovered that mice missing a single gene developed repetitive obsessive-compulsive-like behaviors. The genetically altered mice, which behaved much like people with a certain type of obsessive-compulsive disorder, could help scientists design new therapies for this debilitating condition.

Fossil of newly discovered species found in Spain Posted: 27 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT In the '80s, researchers found the first fossils of Cloudina in Spain, a small fossil of tubular appearance and one of the first animals that developed an external skeleton between 550 and 543 million years ago. Now palaeontologists have discovered a new species, Cloudina carinata, the fossil of which has preserved its 3-D shape.

Gene expression test reduces need for invasive heart muscle biopsy Posted: 27 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT Monitoring rejection in heart transplantation patients with a simple blood test can safely reduce their need for invasive heart-muscle biopsies, a new study has found.

Assembly of protein strands into fibrils Posted: 27 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have now described how filamentous proteins assemble into ribbon like structures, the so-called amyloid fibrils. They can now explain how denatured milk proteins assemble into ribbon like structures composed of up to five filaments.

Gene variant may protect memory and thinking skills in older people Posted: 27 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT New research shows a gene variant may help protect the memory and thinking skills of older people.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610