ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Tiny hydrophobic water ferns could help ships economize on fuel
• Melanoma not caused by early ultraviolet (UVA) light exposure, new fish experiments show
• Densest dice packing: Tetrahedral dice pack tighter than any other shape
• High-altitude research advances low-altitude medicine
• Purple bacteria best for harvesting solar energy
• Less sleep may add up to more pounds in adolescents
• Global warming: Future temperatures could exceed livable limits, researchers find
• Male obesity linked to low testosterone levels, study shows
• Salad spinner useful to separate blood without electricity in developing countries
• Valve-in-valve implants via catheter effective in high-risk patients
• Aboriginal hunting and burning increase Australia's desert biodiversity, researchers find
• Short sleep increases risk of death and over-long sleep can indicate serious illness
• Maya plumbing: First pressurized water feature found in New World
• Trauma-induced changes to genes may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder
• Broccoli component limits breast cancer stem cells, study finds
• Novel genes influencing kidney disease risk discovered
• Fishing fleet working 17 times harder than in 1880s to make same catch
• Kids with hearing loss in one ear fall behind in language skills, study finds
• Male or female? In flies, some cells can't tell
• Cholesterol drugs may help improve hip replacement outcomes
• Production fish need a tranquil start to avoid malformation
• Implantation of a ventricular assist device may aid in weight loss for obese patients awaiting a heart transplant
• Tags on, tags off: Scientists identify new regulatory protein complex with unexpected behaviour
• Gene linked to schizophrenia: New clues to disorder
• Fast transistors could save energy
• Popular diabetes drug works differently than thought
• Low blood oxygen may lead to heart defects in children with sickle cell disease
• Manufacturing antibodies
• Prior herbicide use -- not irrigation -- is critical to herbicide efficacy
• Declining social security benefits keep older men in workforce
• Omni-focus video camera to revolutionize industry: Automatic real-time focus of both near and far field images
• Key mechanism identified in metastatic breast cancer
• DNA barcoding exposes fake ferns in international plant trade
• Use of antibiotic by children with cystic fibrosis does not result in improved lung function, study finds
• Recovery efforts after Gulf Coast oil spill could be as damaging as its cause, wetlands expert says
• By 2030, cardiovascular disease and death rates will surge in China, researchers predict
• High doses of antioxidant supplements induce stem cell genetic abnormalities, study finds
• Caution required for Gulf oil spill clean-up, bioremediation expert says
• Stool DNA testing could play expanded role in colon cancer prevention
• Researcher details next-era advances in use of scopes for cancer detection
• Genetic differences that make you sleepy when you drink can also protect against alcohol dependence
• Heart drug effective for treating symptom of muscular dystrophy
• Fragmented forests result in more snakes, fewer birds
• Important control mechanism behind autoimmune diseases discovered
• Cell phones could double as night vision devices
• Snoring incidence triples in obese children, study finds

Tiny hydrophobic water ferns could help ships economize on fuel Posted: 05 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT The hairs on the surface of water ferns could allow ships to have a 10 percent decrease in fuel consumption. The plant has the rare ability to put on a gauzy skirt of air under water. Researchers now show how the fern does this. Their results can possibly be used for the construction of new kinds of hulls with reduced friction.

Melanoma not caused by early ultraviolet (UVA) light exposure, new fish experiments show Posted: 05 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Early life exposure to ultraviolet A light does not cause melanoma in a fish model that previously made that connection, scientists report. UVA exposure is unlikely to have contributed to the rise in the incidence of melanoma, the researchers conclude, because the fish model had been the only animal model to link UVA exposure and melanoma.

Densest dice packing: Tetrahedral dice pack tighter than any other shape Posted: 05 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Tetrahedral dice, which have four triangular sides, pack more densely than any other shape yet tested, according to new research.

High-altitude research advances low-altitude medicine Posted: 05 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT High altitude medicine is a "natural research laboratory" for the study of cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology. It can shed light on conditions and diseases that mimic the low oxygen content of the atmosphere at the top of mountains.

Purple bacteria best for harvesting solar energy Posted: 05 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Purple bacteria seem to have the best structural solution for harvesting solar energy. A physicist thinks its cellular arrangement could be adapted for use in solar panels and other energy conversion devices to offer a more efficient way to garner energy from the sun.

Less sleep may add up to more pounds in adolescents Posted: 05 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Adolescents who don't get enough sleep may gain more than some extra time to play video games or text their friends. They also may gain weight.

Global warming: Future temperatures could exceed livable limits, researchers find Posted: 05 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Worst-case scenarios for global warming could lead to deadly temperatures for humans in coming centuries. Researchers for the first time have calculated the highest tolerable "wet-bulb" temperature and found it could be exceeded for the first time in human history in future climate scenarios. A warming of 21 degrees Fahrenheit would put half of the world's population in an uninhabitable environment.

Male obesity linked to low testosterone levels, study shows Posted: 05 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Obesity, a condition linked to heart disease and diabetes, now appears to be associated with another health problem, but one that affects men only -- low testosterone levels.

Salad spinner useful to separate blood without electricity in developing countries Posted: 05 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT A simple salad spinner will save lives this summer, if everything goes as planned by two undergraduates. The spinner has been turned, so to speak, into a rudimentary centrifuge that medical clinics in developing countries can use to separate blood without electricity.

Valve-in-valve implants via catheter effective in high-risk patients Posted: 05 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Mechanical heart valves can be successfully implanted via catheter inside failing animal-based tissue valves. The catheter-based technique provides an option for valve replacement to select patients who would not be candidates for another open-heart surgery.

Aboriginal hunting and burning increase Australia's desert biodiversity, researchers find Posted: 05 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT In Australia, Martu hunter-gatherers light fires to expose the hiding places of their prey: monitor lizards called goanna that can grow up to 6 feet long. These generations-old hunting practices, part of the Martu day-to-day routine, have reshaped Australia's Western Desert habitats, say researchers.

Short sleep increases risk of death and over-long sleep can indicate serious illness Posted: 05 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT New reserach has found that people who sleep for less than six hours each night were 12 percent more likely to die prematurely than those who get the recommended 6-8 hours.

Maya plumbing: First pressurized water feature found in New World Posted: 05 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT A water feature found in the Maya city of Palenque, Mexico, is the earliest known example of engineered water pressure in the New World, according to a collaboration between an archaeologist and a hydrologist. However, how the Maya used the pressurized water is still unknown.

Trauma-induced changes to genes may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder Posted: 05 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Traumatic experiences "biologically embed" themselves in select genes, altering their functions and leading to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, new research suggests.

Broccoli component limits breast cancer stem cells, study finds Posted: 05 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT A compound derived from broccoli could help prevent or treat breast cancer by targeting cancer stem cells -- the small number of cells that fuel a tumor's growth -- according to a new study.

Novel genes influencing kidney disease risk discovered Posted: 05 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have identified more than a dozen genes that may play a role in the etiology of common forms of kidney disease. They examined common variations in DNA sequences in more than 65,000 individuals of European descent. Common variations in several genes were found to be more frequent among people with poor kidney function or chronic kidney disease than in those with normal kidney function.

Fishing fleet working 17 times harder than in 1880s to make same catch Posted: 05 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT The UK trawl fishing fleet has to work 17 times harder to catch the same amount of fish today as it did when most of its boats were powered by sail, according to new research. Researchers used UK Government data on the amount of fish caught and the size and number of boats involved -- the fleet's fishing power -- to analyse the change in fish stocks since 1889.

Kids with hearing loss in one ear fall behind in language skills, study finds Posted: 05 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT By the time they reach school age, one in 20 children have hearing loss in one ear. That can raise significant hurdles for these children, say the results of a new study, because loss of hearing in one ear hurts their ability to comprehend and use language.

Male or female? In flies, some cells can't tell Posted: 05 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT An experienced fruit fly researcher can tell at a glance whether the fly she is observing is male or female; a distinct pigmentation pattern on a fly's body (a type of bristle found only on the legs of males) and differences in the genitalia are dead giveaways. But most of the fly's body parts look identical in males and females, and until now, scientists had no idea whether "maleness" or "femaleness" extended to all of the insect's cells and tissues.

Cholesterol drugs may help improve hip replacement outcomes Posted: 05 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT The use of statins -- drugs commonly prescribed to help lower cholesterol levels -- may play an important role in decreasing complications among patients undergoing total hip replacement, according to a new study.

Production fish need a tranquil start to avoid malformation Posted: 05 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT For production fish, a serene start to life raises their chances for normal development. This is the main conclusion of a major research project on malformations in cod and salmon. Scientist area working to expand the overall understanding of an issue of great concern within the aquaculture industry: malformation.

Implantation of a ventricular assist device may aid in weight loss for obese patients awaiting a heart transplant Posted: 05 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT For patients who are awaiting a heart transplant, Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD) can literally mean the difference between life and death -- helping the patient's own weakened heart to continue pumping until a suitable donor organ becomes available. In a new study, doctors note that in addition to assisting the patient's own heart, LVADs can aid obese heart transplant patients in weight reduction. Weight loss in such patients is important because just as obesity is a risk factor for heart failure, it also is associated with poor outcomes after a heart transplant. It is therefore considered a relative contra-indication for transplant.

Tags on, tags off: Scientists identify new regulatory protein complex with unexpected behaviour Posted: 05 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT The group of proteins called Polycomb complexes -- which ensure correct embryonic development and play an important role in stem cell differentiation and cancer -- has a new member, whose form of action surprised who identified it.

Gene linked to schizophrenia: New clues to disorder Posted: 05 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT An international study suggests that gene mutations may predispose some individuals to schizophrenia and provides new clues about the causes of this ambiguous disorder. The findings demonstrate that new mutations in the SHANK3 gene are found in schizophrenic patients.

Fast transistors could save energy Posted: 04 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Transistors, the cornerstone of electronics, are lossy and therefore consume energy. Researchers have now developed transistors targeting high switching speeds and higher output powers. The devices can be used more efficiently as conventional transistors, so as to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

Popular diabetes drug works differently than thought Posted: 04 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT The popular diabetes medication metformin works in different fashion than the current widely accepted view, according to a recent study. This new finding could lead to wider use of the drug -- particularly in people with cancer and diseases linked to TSC deficiency like tuberous sclerosis and lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

Low blood oxygen may lead to heart defects in children with sickle cell disease Posted: 04 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Children with sickle cell disease who also have lower blood oxygen levels while both asleep and awake are likely to have heart abnormalities, researchers have found.

Manufacturing antibodies Posted: 04 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT New antibodies and recombinant proteins with a key signaling role in immune response to disease have been produced. The proteins have their own direct uses in immunization and are also the starting point for production of novel, highly specific antibodies with a wide range of biomedical applications.

Prior herbicide use -- not irrigation -- is critical to herbicide efficacy Posted: 04 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Crop and herbicide use history are more critical to herbicide efficacy and environmental safety than the timing and amount of irrigation water used, according to agricultural scientists.

Declining social security benefits keep older men in workforce Posted: 04 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT The decline in the generosity of Social Security benefits for workers who recently reached their 60s has been the leading cause of the trend toward delayed retirement of older men, a new national study suggests. Between the periods of 1988-1992 and 2001-2005, there was a 4.7 percentage point increase in the number of men aged 55 to 69 in the workforce.

Omni-focus video camera to revolutionize industry: Automatic real-time focus of both near and far field images Posted: 04 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers in Canada have announced a breakthrough development in video camera design. The omni-focus video camera, based on an entirely new distance-mapping principle, delivers automatic real-time focus of both near and far field images, simultaneously, in high resolution. This unprecedented capability can be broadly applied in industry, including manufacturing, medicine, defense, security -- and for the consumer market.

Key mechanism identified in metastatic breast cancer Posted: 04 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have identified a key molecular mechanism in breast cancer that enables tumor cells to spread to adjacent or distant parts of the body in a process called metastasis. This finding opens the way to new lines of research aimed at developing treatments for metastatic breast cancer.

DNA barcoding exposes fake ferns in international plant trade Posted: 04 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT DNA testing of garden ferns sold at plant nurseries in North Carolina, Texas, and California has found that plants marketed as American natives may actually be exotic species from other parts of the globe.

Use of antibiotic by children with cystic fibrosis does not result in improved lung function, study finds Posted: 04 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis who received the antibiotic azithromycin did not experience improved lung function, compared to patients who received placebo, according to a new study.

Recovery efforts after Gulf Coast oil spill could be as damaging as its cause, wetlands expert says Posted: 04 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT While the initial effects of the massive Gulf Coast oil leak could be devastating to coastal wetlands and beaches, the subsequent cleanup could be even more damaging to the sensitive ecosystems, says a wetlands expert.

By 2030, cardiovascular disease and death rates will surge in China, researchers predict Posted: 04 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT By 2030, researchers project that aging and increases in risk factors will raise annual heart disease and stroke rates in China by up to 73 percent. This could translate into 21.3 million more cardiovascular disease events and 7.7 million related deaths between 2010 and 2030. If the population in China dramatically eliminates smoking in men, or lowers high blood pressure in men and women, it could reverse future cardiovascular disease.

High doses of antioxidant supplements induce stem cell genetic abnormalities, study finds Posted: 04 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT High doses of antioxidant nutritional supplements, such as vitamins C and E, can increase genetic abnormalities in cells, which may predispose supplement-takers to developing cancer, according to a new study.

Caution required for Gulf oil spill clean-up, bioremediation expert says Posted: 04 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT A bioremediation expert says extreme caution must be used in cleaning up the fragile Gulf Coast ecosystem in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Oil is a biological product that can be degraded by microbes, whereas detergents used to clean up oil contaminated sites can make a bad situation even worse.

Stool DNA testing could play expanded role in colon cancer prevention Posted: 04 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that two types of colorectal pre-cancers can be detected through noninvasive stool DNA testing.

Researcher details next-era advances in use of scopes for cancer detection Posted: 04 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Just as cameras and televisions have been reinvented in the last decade with improved optics, sharpness and brightness, so have the tiny imaging scopes that physicians use to peer into the body's nooks and crannies -- its organs and digestive system.

Genetic differences that make you sleepy when you drink can also protect against alcohol dependence Posted: 04 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Genetic differences in alcohol-metabolizing enzymes can affect a person's risk for alcohol dependence (AD). A variant of the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme, ADH1B*3, is found predominantly in populations with African ancestry and is associated with reduced rates of AD. New findings indicate lower rates of AD may be associated with greater sedation in those with ADH1B*3.

Heart drug effective for treating symptom of muscular dystrophy Posted: 04 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT A medication most often used to treat heart arrhythmias also reduces a central symptom of myotonic dystrophy, the most common type of muscular dystrophy in adults.

Fragmented forests result in more snakes, fewer birds Posted: 04 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT Monitoring both prey and predator, researchers learned that rat snakes accounted for a high percentage of cases of nest predation. Because snakes spend so much more time on the edges of the forest, that's where bird nests should be most vulnerable, but the opposite was true. They go into the forest to feed, then return to the edges. This knowledge of habitat preferences of rat snakes is starting to explain why forest fragmentation usually results in increased nest predation for forest birds.

Important control mechanism behind autoimmune diseases discovered Posted: 04 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT Researchers in Sweden have discovered a new control mechanism in our immune system. The discovery is of potential significance to the treatment of serious diseases such as MS (multiple sclerosis), rheumatoid arthritis, and SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus).

Cell phones could double as night vision devices Posted: 04 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT Call it Nitelite: The newest app for cell phones might be night vision. An engineering researcher has crafted a nickel-sized imaging device that uses organic light-emitting diode technology similar to that found in cell phone or laptop screens for night vision. But unlike night vision goggles, which are heavy and expensive, the device is paper-thin, light and inexpensive, making it a possible add-on to cell phone cameras, even eyeglasses, once it is enlarged.

Snoring incidence triples in obese children, study finds Posted: 04 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT Obesity is commonly associated with sleep-disordered breathing and snoring in adults, but a new study confirms the same association in children.

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