ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Melting icebergs in polar oceans causing sea level rise globally, new assessment finds
• Breakthrough method predicts risk of invasive breast cancer
• New tool for controlling ultracold gases: Electric fields
• HIV patients hold clues to Salmonella vaccine development
• Nanodots breakthrough may lead to 'a library on one chip'
• Canadians lead longer, healthier lives than Americans
• Surprising behavior of tiny 'artificial muscles' explained
• Researchers attack stem cells that cause colon cancer: Tumor cell 'factories' may be difficult to defeat
• Procedure for knocking out genes in nematode worms developed
• Causes of death in AIDS patients
• Synthetic enzymes could help ID proteins
• Doctors reconsider health and death of 'El Libertador,' general who freed South America
• Researchers reveal process of making ribs
• Panel finds insufficient evidence for Alzheimer's disease preventive measures
• Secrets of unique enzyme may illuminate ancient ecosystems
• Test for swallowing disorder treatments being developed
• New lentil being readied for market
• Critical care outcomes tied to insurance status, systematic review finds
• Where comets emit dust: Scientists identify the active regions on the surface of comets
• Gene silencing may be responsible for induced pluripotent stem cells' limitations
• Skeleton key for cancer metastasis
• Experts find SBRT to be good alternative to surgery in some lung cancer patients
• Swedish scientists stop acorn barnacles
• Communities with active participants demonstrate lower levels of crime and lower death rates
• Part of Alaska inundated by ancient megafloods
• Muscle and bone diseases affect each other, according to new theory
• New microscopy technique reveals mechanics of blood cell membranes
• More evidence low-moderate alcohol consumption does not impair vitamin D status in women
• Making digital personal: Bringing jewellery into the technological age
• At-risk children who can self-regulate behavior have higher test scores than their peers
• Melting sea ice major cause of warming in Arctic, new study reveals
• Better way to predict heart attacks: Measure of calcium in coronary arteries may help predict heart disease risk
• Asteroid ice may be 'living fossil' with clues to oceans' origins
• Drugs used for treatment of influenza in pregnancy appear to be safe, study finds
• Mexico City air pollution adversely affects the hearts of young people
• Lower wages, lack of job opportunities means more Americans delaying 'adulthood'
• Evidence of water ice and organic materials on asteroid's surface
• Alzheimer's memory problems originate with protein clumps floating in the brain, not amyloid plaques
• Winds from Siberia reduce Arctic sea ice cover, Norwegian researchers find
• Blessing in disguise: Factors that cause a high blood pressure condition in pregnant women protect against breast cancer
• Versatile new system for oil spill contingency
• Performers of classical music can suffer from hearing problems, too

Melting icebergs in polar oceans causing sea level rise globally, new assessment finds Posted: 29 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that changes in the amount of ice floating in the polar oceans are causing sea levels to rise -- by a mere hair's breadth today, but possibly much more if melting trends continue.

Breakthrough method predicts risk of invasive breast cancer Posted: 29 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT For the first time, scientists have discovered a way to predict whether women with ductal carcinoma in situ -- the most common form of non-invasive breast cancer -- are at risk of developing more invasive tumors in later years.

New tool for controlling ultracold gases: Electric fields Posted: 29 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT Physicists have demonstrated a new tool for controlling ultracold gases and ultracold chemistry: electric fields.

HIV patients hold clues to Salmonella vaccine development Posted: 29 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT A new study offers a long-awaited explanation for the link between HIV infection and susceptibility to life-threatening nontyphoidal strains of Salmonella. The research goes on to identify targets that could be pursued for Salmonella vaccine development.

Nanodots breakthrough may lead to 'a library on one chip' Posted: 29 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT A researcher has developed a computer chip that can store an unprecedented amount of data -- enough to hold an entire library's worth of information on a single chip. The new chip stems from a breakthrough in the use of nanodots, or nanoscale magnets, and represents a significant advance in computer-memory technology.

Canadians lead longer, healthier lives than Americans Posted: 29 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT Compared to their neighbors south of the border, Canadians live longer, healthier lives. Research has found this disparity between the two countries, suggesting that America's lack of universal health care and lower levels of social and economic equality are to blame.

Surprising behavior of tiny 'artificial muscles' explained Posted: 29 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Using neutron beams and atomic-force microscopes, a team of researchers may have resolved a 10-year-old question about an exotic class of "artificial muscles" -- how do they work? Their results could influence the design of future specialized robotic tools.

Researchers attack stem cells that cause colon cancer: Tumor cell 'factories' may be difficult to defeat Posted: 29 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Many of the colon cancer cells that form tumors can be killed by genetically short-circuiting the cells' ability to absorb a key nutrient, a new study has found. While the findings are encouraging, the test tube study using human colon cancer cells also illustrates the difficulty of defeating these cells, known as cancer stem cells.

Procedure for knocking out genes in nematode worms developed Posted: 29 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Knocking genes out of action allows researchers to learn what genes do by seeing what goes wrong without them. Scientists have now devised a procedure for knocking out genes in nematode worms.

Causes of death in AIDS patients Posted: 29 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT New research shows that antiretroviral therapy (ART) continues to dramatically reduce rates of mortality from HIV infection in high-income countries, such that non-AIDS-related deaths exceed AIDS deaths after approximately four years of taking ART.

Synthetic enzymes could help ID proteins Posted: 29 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Using a rare metal that's not utilized by nature, chemists have created a synthetic enzyme that could help unlock the identities of thousands of difficult-to-study proteins, including many that play key roles in cancer and other diseases.

Doctors reconsider health and death of 'El Libertador,' general who freed South America Posted: 29 Apr 2010 05:00 AM PDT Could one of South America's greatest generals have died from a deadly poison? The death of Simon Bolivar is the medical mystery at this year's Historical Clinicopathological Conference. This conference is devoted to the modern medical diagnosis of historical figures. Venezuelan President Chavez has taken a personal interest in Bolivar's death, and the Venezuelan embassy will attend Friday's conference.

Researchers reveal process of making ribs Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Like all vertebrates, snakes, mice and humans have in common a skeleton made of segments, the vertebrae. But a snake has between 200-400 ribs extending from all vertebrae, from the neck to the tail-end, whereas mice have only 13 pairs of ribs, and humans have 12 pairs, in both cases making up the ribcage. In a new study, researchers in Portugal reveal that, contrary to what was thought, making ribs is not the default state for vertebrates, but is actually an active process of balancing the activities of a remarkable class of genes -- the Hox genes.

Panel finds insufficient evidence for Alzheimer's disease preventive measures Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Many preventive measures for cognitive decline and for preventing Alzheimer's disease -- mental stimulation, exercise, and a variety of dietary supplements -- have been studied over the years. However, an independent panel convened by the National Institutes of Health determined that the value of these strategies for delaying the onset and/or reducing the severity of decline or disease hasn't been demonstrated in rigorous studies.

Secrets of unique enzyme may illuminate ancient ecosystems Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Chemists have determined the structure of an intermediate form of a unique enzyme that participates in some of the most fundamental reactions in biology.

Test for swallowing disorder treatments being developed Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT One of the silent, and most serious, symptoms of Lou Gehrig's disease is losing the ability to swallow. Swallowing impairment, or dysphagia, affects about 500,000 people annually in the US, but little is known about the disorder. Now, a researcher is developing a test that might help pinpoint the neurological or physiological origins of swallowing disorders, leading to possible life-saving treatments.

New lentil being readied for market Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT "Essex," a new lentil variety has a lot to offer: high seed yields for growers, nitrogen-fixing bacteria for wheat crops, and a tasty source of protein for consumers to add to soups, salads and other fare.

Critical care outcomes tied to insurance status, systematic review finds Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Among the general US population, people who are uninsured are about half as likely to receive critical care services as those with insurance, according to systematic review of the literature by the American Thoracic Society's Health Disparities Group. They also found that once admitted to the hospital intensive care unit, uninsured patients are less likely to have invasive procedures or pulmonary artery catheterizations and more likely to have life support withdrawn.

Where comets emit dust: Scientists identify the active regions on the surface of comets Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Studying comets can be quite dangerous -- especially from close up. Because the tiny particles of dust emitted into space from the so-called active regions on a comet's surface can damage space probes. Scientists have now developed a computer model that can locate these regions using only the information available from Earth. The new method could help calculate a safe flight route for ESA's space probe Rosetta, which is scheduled to arrive at the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014.

Gene silencing may be responsible for induced pluripotent stem cells' limitations Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Scientists may be one step closer to being able to generate any type of cells and tissues from a patient's own cells. Investigators have found that an important cluster of genes is inactivated in those induced pluripotent stem cells lacking the full development potential of embryonic stem cells.

Skeleton key for cancer metastasis Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Cancer cells need all three of their cytoskeletons -- actin, microtubules and intermediate filaments -- to metastasize, according to a study.

Experts find SBRT to be good alternative to surgery in some lung cancer patients Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT The American Society for Radiation Oncology has released its Emerging Technology Committee's report evaluating the use of stereotactic body radiotherapy in lung cancer treatment.

Swedish scientists stop acorn barnacles Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Marine organisms that fasten to the bottoms of ships have always been a scourge to seafaring. By monitoring how the larvae of acorn barnacles go about finding suitable spots to attach themselves, researchers in Sweden have managed to design surfaces that prevent growths -- without using poisonous chemicals.

Communities with active participants demonstrate lower levels of crime and lower death rates Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT Both violent crime and all-cause mortality rates are on average substantially lower in communities with a vibrant civic climate, according to new research.

Part of Alaska inundated by ancient megafloods Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT New research indicates that one of the largest fresh-water floods in Earth's history happened about 17,000 years ago and inundated a large area of Alaska that is now occupied in part by the city of Wasilla.

Muscle and bone diseases affect each other, according to new theory Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT A new theory that muscle and bone diseases affect each other could have a major impact on medical science and the cost of getting sick.

New microscopy technique reveals mechanics of blood cell membranes Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Thanks to an interdisciplinary team of researchers, scientists now have a more complete understanding of one of the human body's most vital structures: the red blood cell. The team used diffraction phase microscopy to measure fluctuation in the cell membrane and developed a model that could lead to breakthroughs in screening and treatment of blood-cell-morphology diseases, such as malaria and sickle-cell disease.

More evidence low-moderate alcohol consumption does not impair vitamin D status in women Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Whether alcoholic drinks provide health benefits is an area of active and on-going research and debate among health and nutrition experts. A new study finds that low to moderate alcohol consumption, at least over the short term, appears not to harm bone health.

Making digital personal: Bringing jewellery into the technological age Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT Dr Jayne Wallace is a jewellery designer with a difference - she works with individuals (her latest projects include working with Shetland fishermen and a couple with dementia) to create personal digital objects that are emotionally significant and beautiful rather than simply something to throwaway when the latest version comes along.

At-risk children who can self-regulate behavior have higher test scores than their peers Posted: 28 Apr 2010 08:00 PM PDT A new study adds to the mounting evidence that self-regulation -- or children's ability to control their behavior and impulses -- is directly related to academic performance.

Melting sea ice major cause of warming in Arctic, new study reveals Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT Melting sea ice has been shown to be a major cause of warming in the Arctic, according to an Australian study.

Better way to predict heart attacks: Measure of calcium in coronary arteries may help predict heart disease risk Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT Use of a score based on the amount of calcium in coronary arteries in addition to traditional risk factors improved the classification of risk for prediction of coronary heart disease events, and placed more individuals in the most extreme risk categories, according to a new study.

Asteroid ice may be 'living fossil' with clues to oceans' origins Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT The first-ever discovery of ice and organic molecules on an asteroid may hold clues to the origins of Earth's oceans and life 4 billion years ago. Researchers suggest that an asteroid like this one may have hit Earth and brought our planet its water. The discovery is unexpected because asteroids this close to the sun are expected to be too warm for ice to survive for long.

Drugs used for treatment of influenza in pregnancy appear to be safe, study finds Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT Tamiflu and two other drugs used to treat influenza appear safe for pregnant women and their babies, researchers have found in a retrospective study of 239 cases of women who received the medications during pregnancy.

Mexico City air pollution adversely affects the hearts of young people Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT A post-mortem study of the hearts of 21 young people in Mexico City has found that the heart begins to show the adverse effects of air pollution at a young age and that tiny bits of inactivated bacteria that hitch a ride on pollutants may make the problem worse.

Lower wages, lack of job opportunities means more Americans delaying 'adulthood' Posted: 28 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT Despite living in an age of iPads and hybrid cars, young Americans are more like the young adults of the early 1900s than the baby boom generation: They are living at home longer, are financially insecure and are making lower wages.

Evidence of water ice and organic materials on asteroid's surface Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have found evidence of water ice and organic material on the asteroid 24 Themis. This evidence supports the idea that asteroids could be responsible for bringing water and organic material to Earth.

Alzheimer's memory problems originate with protein clumps floating in the brain, not amyloid plaques Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT Using a new mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, researchers have found that Alzheimer's pathology originates in amyloid-beta (Abeta) oligomers in the brain, rather than the amyloid plaques previously thought by many researchers to cause the disease.

Winds from Siberia reduce Arctic sea ice cover, Norwegian researchers find Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT The ice cover in the Arctic has decreased dramatically in recent years. Norwegian researchers have discovered that changes in air circulation patterns create winds that push away the ice. The changed wind direction pushes large ice masses away from the Arctic and down along the eastern coast of Greenland. At the same time, less ice forms when the winds over the Arctic are determined by the pressure systems in northern Russia rather than those over the North Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean, as is normally the case.

Blessing in disguise: Factors that cause a high blood pressure condition in pregnant women protect against breast cancer Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT One researcher is investigating how specific factors released from the placenta of women with preeclampsia inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells.

Versatile new system for oil spill contingency Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT New oil recovery locations are spawning a need for new technology. To prepare the petroleum industry for oil spills, a small company in Northern Norway has made innovative strides in oil boom technology. The objective of NorLense AS has been to develop a versatile new system for oil spill contingency that can perform in coastal areas and farther out to sea – as well as in rough weather and difficult currents.

Performers of classical music can suffer from hearing problems, too Posted: 28 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT Musicians have hearing problems caused by prolonged exposure to sound. This also applies to performers of classical music, who are exposed to high sound levels. Hearing problems also affect the musicians' experience of their working environment. Stress and experiencing the working environment as noisy are associated with hearing problems. Although musicians are worried about their hearing, the use of hearing protectors is rare.

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