ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• What makes music sound so sweet (or not)
• Better ways to inhibit blood clots revealed by new study
• Personality of geese determines their foraging behaviour
• New breakthrough in fight against lethal CCHF virus
• Arsenic in playgrounds nothing to worry about, study suggests
• Tai Chi gets cautious thumbs up for psychological health
• Probing the dark side of the universe: In search of primordial gravitational waves
• Study finds Alzheimer's disease link in eyes of children with Down syndrome
• Experimental vaccine protects monkeys from new Ebola virus
• Reducing niacin intake can prevent obesity, study suggests
• To improve lung cancer diagnosis, good medicine is a polymer pill
• Books in home as important as parents' education in determining children's education level
• Scientists discover the molecular heart of collective behavior
• New associations between diabetes, environmental factors found by novel analytic technique
• More physical activity leads to less obesity -- often, but not always
• Non-invasive technique could distinguish fertile and infertile human sperm cells
• 'Scrubbing' chemical-contaminated buildings clean with lasers
• First drug to demonstrate therapeutic effect in a type of autism
• Human microbiome project: Diversity of human microbes greater than previously predicted
• Estrogen-lowering drugs minimize surgery in breast cancer patients, study finds
• Seeing moire in graphene
• Yogurt-like drink DanActive reduced rate of common infections in daycare children
• How laptops can enhance learning in college classrooms
• In the green of health: Just 5 minutes of 'green exercise' optimal for good mental health
• Clue to antimatter conundrum: Physicists find evidence for significant matter-antimatter asymmetry
• New blood test shows promise as screening tool for early detection of ovarian cancer
• Research promises more healthful vegetable oil -- and tractor fuel to harvest it
• Antibiotic resistance lasts up to a year, primary care patient study finds
• Researchers develop computer-based system to automatically track radiation dose exposure from CT scans
• Pandemic flu containment measures bought valuable time, Vietnam study suggests
• Big bang in the protein universe?
• Gene found that may be key to kidney cancer
• Large caps this spring's must-have for water fleas
• Finding the soft spot: Researcher develops tool to measure tissue damage in the bedridden and paralyzed
• Solar power manufacturing makes good business sense for governments, study finds
• New vision needed for combating and preventing TB among migrants, experts urge
• Abdominal fat at middle age associated with greater risk of dementia: Obesity linked to lower total brain volume
• Mercury levels are increasing in popular species of game fish in Lake Erie
• One-a-day heart polypill to be tested in new international trial
• Unexpectedly high rate of multiple strains in fungal infection
• Depressed chronic kidney disease patients more likely to face complications
• First results study on impact of large celestial body on Jupiter
• Nanotech breath sensor detects diabetes and potentially serious complication
• 'Prehistoric' frogs may face extinction if conservation area is opened to mining
• Young infants are not sufficiently protected against measles, research finds
• Biodiesel from sewage sludge within pennies a gallon of being competitive
• Depression care program eliminates suicide

What makes music sound so sweet (or not) Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT Ever since ancient times, scholars have puzzled over the reasons that some musical note combinations sound so sweet while others are just downright dreadful. The Greeks believed that simple ratios in the string lengths of musical instruments were the key, maintaining that the precise mathematical relationships endowed certain chords with a special, even divine, quality. Now, researchers think they may have gotten closer to the truth by studying the preferences of more than 250 college students from Minnesota to a variety of musical and nonmusical sounds.

Better ways to inhibit blood clots revealed by new study Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT A new study reveals factors that improve the performance of synthetic fibrin "knobs", which bind to "holes" on fibrinogen molecules to prevent blood clot formation. The study also identifies a novel synthetic knob that displays a 10-fold higher affinity for holes than current synthetic knobs.

Personality of geese determines their foraging behaviour Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT When searching for food, slow, shy barnacle geese follow information given by their flock mates. On the other hand, fast, bold geese ignore this type of information and go off in search for food on their own. Whether barnacle geese make use of social information (from other individuals) depends on their personality.

New breakthrough in fight against lethal CCHF virus Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus is a rare but serious human infection that causes internal bleeding, organ failure and ultimately death. Scientists have developed a new model to study CCHF which should enhance the development of vaccines and antivirals against this deadly disease.

Arsenic in playgrounds nothing to worry about, study suggests Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT Pressure-treated wooden playground structures do not live up to the bad reputation they have earned as being harmful to children, according to the findings of a new study.

Tai Chi gets cautious thumbs up for psychological health Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT Tai Chi, a low impact martial art, has been associated with reduced stress, anxiety and depression, and enhanced mood, in both healthy people and those with chronic conditions. A systematic review of the subject found that although Tai Chi does appear to have positive psychological effects, more high quality, randomized trials are needed.

Probing the dark side of the universe: In search of primordial gravitational waves Posted: 21 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Much like ripples moving across a pond, gravitational waves waves stretch the fabric of space itself as they pass by. If detected, these elusive waves could provide an unprecedented view of the earliest moments of our universe. Researchers are exploring the most likely detection method of these waves.

Study finds Alzheimer's disease link in eyes of children with Down syndrome Posted: 21 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT A team of researchers has discovered that the protein that forms plaques in the brain in Alzheimer's disease also accumulates in the eyes of people with Down syndrome. The new findings in Down syndrome show that the toxic protein, known as amyloid-beta, that causes Alzheimer's pathology in the brain also leads to distinctive cataracts in the eyes. The discovery is leading the researchers to develop an innovative eye test for early detection of Alzheimer's pathology in both disorders.

Experimental vaccine protects monkeys from new Ebola virus Posted: 21 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT New research has found that an experimental Ebola vaccine developed by researchers at the National Institutes of Health protects monkeys against not only the two most lethal Ebola virus species for which it was originally designed, both recognized in 1976, but also against a newer Ebola virus species that was identified in 2007.

Reducing niacin intake can prevent obesity, study suggests Posted: 21 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT A research team from China explored the mechanism underlying niacin's action on glucose metabolism, and the association between the US per capita niacin consumption and the obesity prevalence in the US. They found there is a close correlation between the niacin consumption and the obesity prevalence in the US population. The increased obesity prevalence in the US children in the past three decades may be to a large extent of a niacin fortification-related event.

To improve lung cancer diagnosis, good medicine is a polymer pill Posted: 21 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Doctors may soon be able to diagnose lung cancer more effectively, thanks to scientists who have found ways both to increase the accuracy of computed tomography scans and to lessen the amount of time necessary to perceive telltale changes in lung tissue.

Books in home as important as parents' education in determining children's education level Posted: 21 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Whether rich or poor, residents of the United States or China, illiterate or college graduates, parents who have books in the home increase the level of education their children will attain, according to a 20-year study.

Scientists discover the molecular heart of collective behavior Posted: 21 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT A group of scientists seeking the answer to the mystery of collective motion has found strong evidence pointing to the idea that collective behavior can arise in cells that initially may not be moving at all, but are prodded into action by an external agent such as a chemical.

New associations between diabetes, environmental factors found by novel analytic technique Posted: 21 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Got diabetes? If so, you probably know that the adult-onset form of the disease can be triggered by, among other things, obesity and a fatty diet. You're also more likely to develop diabetes if other family members have it. But a new study suggests that you should also begin looking suspiciously at other aspects of your life -- like your past exposure to certain pesticides or chemicals and even one form of vitamin E.

More physical activity leads to less obesity -- often, but not always Posted: 21 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT It may seem intuitive that greater amounts of exercise lead to less obesity, but a new study has found that this conventional wisdom applies primarily to white women. The findings draw attention not only to racial, ethnic and gender differences regarding exercise but also to the role work can play.

Non-invasive technique could distinguish fertile and infertile human sperm cells Posted: 21 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Scientists in Germany have developed a non-invasive technique that within seconds can distinguish healthy fertile and infertile sperm cells by collecting the spectral chemical fingerprint. The method has the potential for a novel fertility technology and a test scheme which does not only rely on morphological characteristics, but also utilizes chemical signatures.

'Scrubbing' chemical-contaminated buildings clean with lasers Posted: 21 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT While no terrorist has managed to deploy a dirty bomb, the same cannot be said of chemical agents. In a series of tests still underway researchers are using lasers to scrub surfaces clean of sulfur mustard gas and VX, a nerve agent. The tests have proved successful so far, even on complex, porous surfaces like concrete.

First drug to demonstrate therapeutic effect in a type of autism Posted: 21 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have identified a drug that improves communication between nerve cells in a mouse model of Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS). Behavioral symptoms of PMS fall under the autism spectrum disorder category.

Human microbiome project: Diversity of human microbes greater than previously predicted Posted: 21 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT The Human Microbiome Project has published an analysis of 178 genomes from microbes that live in or on the human body. The researchers discovered novel genes and proteins that serve functions in human health and disease, adding a new level of understanding to what is known about the complexity and diversity of these organisms.

Estrogen-lowering drugs minimize surgery in breast cancer patients, study finds Posted: 21 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT A nationwide study has confirmed the benefit of giving estrogen-lowering drugs before surgery to breast cancer patients. The treatment increased the likelihood that women could undergo breast-conservation surgery, also called lumpectomy, instead of mastectomy.

Seeing moire in graphene Posted: 21 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated that atomic scale moire patterns, an interference pattern that appears when two or more grids are overlaid slightly askew, can be used to measure how sheets of graphene are stacked and reveal areas of strain.

Yogurt-like drink DanActive reduced rate of common infections in daycare children Posted: 21 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT The probiotic yogurt-like drink DanActive reduced the rate of common sicknesses such as ear infections, sinusitis, the flu and diarrhea in daycare children, say researchers who studied the drink in the largest known probiotic clinical trial to be conducted in the United States. An additional finding, however, showed no reduction in the number school days missed.

How laptops can enhance learning in college classrooms Posted: 21 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Despite the distraction potential of laptops in college classrooms, new research shows that they can actually increase students' engagement, attentiveness, participation and learning.

In the green of health: Just 5 minutes of 'green exercise' optimal for good mental health Posted: 21 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT How much "green exercise" produces the greatest improvement in mood and sense of personal well-being? A new study has a surprising answer likely to please people in a society with much to do but a little time to do it: Just five minutes of exercise in a park, on a nature trail, or other green space will benefit mental health.

Clue to antimatter conundrum: Physicists find evidence for significant matter-antimatter asymmetry Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory have announced that they have found evidence for significant violation of matter-antimatter symmetry in the behavior of particles containing bottom quarks beyond what is expected in the current theory, the Standard Model of particle physics. The new result indicates a one percent difference between the production of pairs of muons and pairs of antimuons in the decay of B mesons produced in high-energy collisions at Fermilab's Tevatron particle collider.

New blood test shows promise as screening tool for early detection of ovarian cancer Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Evaluating its change over time, CA-125, the protein long-recognized for predicting ovarian cancer recurrence, now shows promise as a screening tool for early-stage disease, according to researchers.

Research promises more healthful vegetable oil -- and tractor fuel to harvest it Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Genetic discoveries from a shrub called the burning bush, known for its brilliant red fall foliage, could fire new advances in biofuels and low-calorie food oils, according to scientists. New low-cost DNA sequencing technology applied to seeds of the species Euonymus alatus -- a common ornamental planting -- was crucial to identifying the gene responsible for its manufacture of a novel, high-quality oil.

Antibiotic resistance lasts up to a year, primary care patient study finds Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Patients prescribed antibiotics in primary care may develop a resistance that lasts up to 12 months, according to research published on bmj.com today.

Researchers develop computer-based system to automatically track radiation dose exposure from CT scans Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have developed a computer-based system that can automatically track patient-specific radiation dose exposure (based on a patient's size and weight) on every patient that receives a computed tomography scan, providing patients with a way to start tracking their cumulative health care-related radiation exposure, according to a new study.

Pandemic flu containment measures bought valuable time, Vietnam study suggests Posted: 21 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Containment measures introduced in Vietnam to prevent the spread of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza did not succeed in halting the virus, but may have bought health services and clinical researchers valuable time, according to research. The study also showed that patients with mild disease responded favorably in terms of viral clearance -- and hence reduced transmission of the virus -- to oseltamivir, the most commonly-used antiviral drug, when given in the first 3-4 days of illness.

Big bang in the protein universe? Posted: 20 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT New research is providing evidence supporting the common ancestry of life, thanks to a new computational approach to study protein evolution. The work takes its inspiration from the astronomer Edwin Hubble and uses his approach to study protein evolution. The extrapolation of Hubble's approach to proteins shows that proteins that share a common ancestor billions of years ago continue to diverge in their molecular composition.

Gene found that may be key to kidney cancer Posted: 20 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a key gene that, when turned off, promotes the development of common kidney cancer. Their findings suggest that a combination of agents now being tested in other cancers may turn the gene back on, providing a much-needed therapy for the difficult-to-treat cancer.

Large caps this spring's must-have for water fleas Posted: 20 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT It remains one of the unresolved mysteries of the animal world: why do females change the way they look each season while males look the same all year round? Researchers who have been studying fashion trends for water fleas have found some of the answers.

Finding the soft spot: Researcher develops tool to measure tissue damage in the bedridden and paralyzed Posted: 20 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT An engineer has developed the prototype for a new device he calls a Soft Tissue Stress Monitor, designed to alleviate some of the deep-tissue damage and problems suffered by the amputated and infirm.

Solar power manufacturing makes good business sense for governments, study finds Posted: 20 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Canadian and provincial governments could spend $2.4 billion to build a large scale solar photovoltaic manufacturing plant and then give it away for free and still earn a profit in the long run, according to a financial analysis.

New vision needed for combating and preventing TB among migrants, experts urge Posted: 20 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Tuberculosis is an enormous global public health problem. Migration and failure by governments and the public health community to adequately treat and prevent TB among migrants is an important barrier to TB control. To reduce the incidence, spread and severity of tuberculosis, government policies must ensure that all patients have easy access to diagnosis and treatment, according to a new commentary.

Abdominal fat at middle age associated with greater risk of dementia: Obesity linked to lower total brain volume Posted: 20 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have determined that excess abdominal fat places otherwise healthy, middle-aged people at risk for dementia later in life. Preliminary findings suggest a relationship between obesity and dementia that could lead to promising prevention strategies in the future.

Mercury levels are increasing in popular species of game fish in Lake Erie Posted: 20 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Scientists are reporting that mercury levels in a popular species of game fish in Lake Erie are increasing after two decades of steady decline. The study is the most comprehensive to date on mercury levels in Great Lakes fish.

One-a-day heart polypill to be tested in new international trial Posted: 20 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers will be exploring whether a new, very low cost, one-a-day combined 'polypill' could reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems across the world, in a major new international trial. The new 'Red Heart Pill' contains low-dose aspirin, a statin and two blood pressure-lowering medicines in a single polypill.

Unexpectedly high rate of multiple strains in fungal infection Posted: 20 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT New research shows that nearly 1 in 5 cases of infection with the potentially deadly fungus Cryptococcus neoformans are caused by not one but multiple strains of the pathogen.

Depressed chronic kidney disease patients more likely to face complications Posted: 20 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Patients with chronic kidney disease who have been diagnosed with depression are twice as likely to be hospitalized, progress to long-term dialysis treatments or die within a year as those who are not depressed, researchers have found.

First results study on impact of large celestial body on Jupiter Posted: 20 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Astronomers have researched the impact of a large-sized celestial body on the planet Jupiter last July. According to the studies, the main spot, a very black cloud comprising the waste materials produced by the impact, reached a size of about 5,000 km in the atmosphere of Jupiter, even though it was surrounded by a halo caused by the falling of the material expelled from the atmosphere of up to 8,000 km, slightly smaller than the size of the Earth.

Nanotech breath sensor detects diabetes and potentially serious complication Posted: 20 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Scientists are reporting development and successful testing of a sensor that can instantly tell whether someone has type I diabetes. It could also be used by emergency room doctors to determine whether a patient has developed diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially serious complication that happens when diabetics do not take enough insulin. Someday the technology may also be used by diabetics, in their own homes, to determine whether they need more insulin.

'Prehistoric' frogs may face extinction if conservation area is opened to mining Posted: 20 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT The world's most ancient frogs may soon be mined to extinction, if the New Zealand government's plans to open up a conservation area for mining go ahead, conservation biologists warn.

Young infants are not sufficiently protected against measles, research finds Posted: 20 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Young infants appear to have a gap in their protection against measles, from around two to three months old until they are vaccinated at 12 months of age, finds new research.

Biodiesel from sewage sludge within pennies a gallon of being competitive Posted: 20 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Existing technology can produce biodiesel fuel from municipal sewage sludge that is within a few cents a gallon of being competitive with conventional diesel refined from petroleum, according to a new article. Sludge is the solid material left behind from the treatment of sewage at waste-water treatment plants.

Depression care program eliminates suicide Posted: 20 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT A unique program for patients with depression has resulted in two and a half years without a single suicide from Henry Ford's patient population. The program was created by the Behavioral Health Services division of Henry Ford Health System in 2001.

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