ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Supermassive black holes may frequently roam
• Mutant gum disease bacteria provide clue to treatment for Alzheimer's
• More 'good' cholesterol is not always good for your health
• High-strain tendons repair less frequently
• High level of bacteria found in bottled water in Canada
• Close, but not too close: Donors to charities aren't always comfortable with a victim-in-need, study finds
• Extinct giant shark nursery discovered in Panama
• Bacteria as a predicter of colorectal cancer
• Stem-cell disruption induces skull deformity, study shows
• Early antibiotic treatment for severe COPD symptoms linked with improved outcomes
• Major step ahead for cryptography
• What's more important in the obesity battle –- physical activity or medical treatment?
• Star of Africa's savanna ecosystems may be the lowly termite: Regularly spaced termite mounds are key to maintaining ecological function
• Gene variants lead to autism and mental retardation: Inner structure of nerve synapses defective in patients
• Dangerous lung worms found in people who eat raw crayfish
• Study sheds light into the nature of embryonic stem cells
• NASA develops enhanced search and rescue technologies
• Criminals have their own distictive 'local haunts' when committing crimes
• 20th century one of driest in nine centuries for northwest Africa
• Moving closer to a universal influenza vaccine
• New study of psoriatic cells could fire up the study of inflammation
• Vaccination key to preventing childhood pneumonia in sub-Saharan Africa
• Grin and bear it: Texas dentists to test students' portable suction device
• Banning all gay men from donating blood is unscientific and wrong, say AIDS researchers
• Nearby black hole is feeble and unpredictable
• New cancer vaccine starves tumours of blood
• Scientists track plume of polluted groundwater to the sea
• Pregnancy doubles HIV risk in men; first trial of a microbicide in pregnant women
• Rising levels of dioxins from common soap ingredient in Mississippi River, study finds
• Male antelopes trick females into extra sex opportunities
• 'Nature's batteries' may have helped power early lifeforms
• Discovery of stem cell illuminates human brain evolution, points to therapies
• What genes help blossoms last longer?
• New role for zebrafish in human studies: Animal model uses mysterious enzyme also found in human brains
• Perennial grass Miscanthus shows promise as energy crop while lowering atmospheric CO₂
• Saving rainforests may help reduce poverty
• Weird orbits of neighbors can make 'habitable' planets not so habitable
• Folate prevents alcohol-induced congenital heart defects in mice, study finds
• Preventing cells from getting the kinks out of DNA
• Antibiotic alternative for battling meningitis-causing bacteria
• Scientists to study impact of gulf oil spill on marine food webs
• Switching medications and continuing treatment could help teens with severe depression, study suggests
• Inspired by a cotton candy machine, engineers put a new spin on creating tiny nanofibers
• Viral infection linked to juvenile diabetes
• Chott el Jerid, Tunisia: Closest thing to Mars on Earth?
• Using antiretroviral to prevent HIV could result in drug resistance if routine screening is not done, study finds
• Self-healing concrete: Research yields cost-effective system to extend life of structures
• Discarded data may be gateway to new brain insights

Supermassive black holes may frequently roam Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT The supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center of the most massive local galaxy (M87) is not where it was expected. Research, conducted using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), concludes that the SMBH in M87 is displaced from the galaxy center.

Mutant gum disease bacteria provide clue to treatment for Alzheimer's Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT A defective, mutant strain of the bacterium that causes gum disease could provide a clue to potential treatments for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and a number of other diseases.

More 'good' cholesterol is not always good for your health Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT A new study finds that a high level of HDL, or the so-called "good" cholesterol, is not always beneficial and puts certain patients at high risk for recurrent coronary events, such as chest pain, heart attack, and death. Increasing good cholesterol can lead to negative consequences in some people, and should be taken into account when testing drugs designed to increase HDL cholesterol.

High-strain tendons repair less frequently Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Tendons in high-stress and strain areas, like the Achilles tendon, actually repair themselves less frequently than low-stress tendons. This study sheds some light on the increased susceptibility of certain tendons to injury during aging.

High level of bacteria found in bottled water in Canada Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT A Montreal study finds heterotrophic bacteria counts, in more than 70 percent of bottled water samples, exceed the recommended limits specified by the United States Pharmacopeia.

Close, but not too close: Donors to charities aren't always comfortable with a victim-in-need, study finds Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Victim-centered charitable campaigns, like those that feature hungry children in distant lands, may be less effective with some potential donors than those that highlight the broader aims of the charity, according to new research.

Extinct giant shark nursery discovered in Panama Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Young giant sharks, now extinct, may have grown up in shallow water nurseries, according to new findings from Panama's Gatun Formation.

Bacteria as a predicter of colorectal cancer Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Recent findings suggest that bacteria residing in the the human intestinal tract may be associated with an individual's risk of developing colon cancer.

Stem-cell disruption induces skull deformity, study shows Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a defect in cellular pathways that provides a new explanation for the earliest stages of abnormal skull development in newborns, known as craniosynostosis.

Early antibiotic treatment for severe COPD symptoms linked with improved outcomes Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Among patients hospitalized for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), those who received antibiotics in the first 2 hospital days had improved outcomes, such as a lower likelihood of mechanical ventilation and fewer re-admissions, compared to patients who received antibiotics later or not at all, according to a new study.

Major step ahead for cryptography Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have taken a step towards a fully practical system to compute on encrypted data. This work could have wide ranging impact on areas as diverse as database access, electronic auctions and electronic voting.

What's more important in the obesity battle –- physical activity or medical treatment? Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Experts disagree about the best way to tackle the obesity crisis. While some acknowledge that "physical inactivity is a major contributor to the global burden of disease," they say that it would be wrong to only focus on this and ignore the problem of obesity.

Star of Africa's savanna ecosystems may be the lowly termite: Regularly spaced termite mounds are key to maintaining ecological function Posted: 26 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT The majestic animals most closely associated with the African savanna -- fierce lions, massive elephants, towering giraffes -- may be relatively minor players when it comes to shaping the ecosystem. The real king of the savanna appears to be the termite, say ecologists who've found that these humble creatures contribute mightily to grassland productivity in central Kenya via a network of uniformly distributed colonies.

Gene variants lead to autism and mental retardation: Inner structure of nerve synapses defective in patients Posted: 26 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers in Germany have discovered previously unknown mutations in autistic and mentally impaired patients in what is known as the SHANK2 gene, a gene that is partially responsible for linking nerve cells.

Dangerous lung worms found in people who eat raw crayfish Posted: 26 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT If you're headed to a freshwater stream this summer and a friend dares you to eat a raw crayfish -- don't do it. You could end up in the hospital with a severe parasitic infection.

Study sheds light into the nature of embryonic stem cells Posted: 26 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT New insight into what stem cells are and how they behave could help scientists to grow cells that form different tissues. A new study has shown that embryonic stem cells consist of cells that switch back and forth between precursors of different cell types. This may be linked to their potential to become any cell type in the body.

NASA develops enhanced search and rescue technologies Posted: 26 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT NASA, which pioneered the technology used for the satellite-aided search and rescue capability that has saved more than 27,000 lives worldwide since its inception nearly three decades ago, has developed new technology that will more quickly identify the locations of people in distress and reduce the risk of rescuers.

Criminals have their own distictive 'local haunts' when committing crimes Posted: 26 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Research conducted by psychologists and the police has found that criminals have their own distinctive "local haunts" when committing crime.

20th century one of driest in nine centuries for northwest Africa Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Droughts in the late 20th century rival some of North Africa's major droughts of centuries past, reveals new research that peers back in time to the year 1179. The first multi-century drought reconstruction that includes Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia shows frequent and severe droughts during the 13th and 16th centuries and the latter part of the 20th century. An international team developed the tree-ring-based drought history.

Moving closer to a universal influenza vaccine Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new influenza vaccine that brings science one step closer to a universal influenza vaccine that would eliminate the need for seasonal flu shots.

New study of psoriatic cells could fire up the study of inflammation Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT New research promises to pry some long held secrets from one of humanity's oldest known diseases. Scientists have discovered how to parse the most troublesome cells behind the debilitating skin lesions in psoriasis and have identified several distinctive markers that suggest how they might be contributing to the disease -- a painful inflammation of the skin that afflicts up to 2 percent of the U.S. population.

Vaccination key to preventing childhood pneumonia in sub-Saharan Africa Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have found that respiratory syncytial virus appears to be the predominant virus detected among infants and children hospitalized in Kenya.

Grin and bear it: Texas dentists to test students' portable suction device Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT A group of university students has created a portable dental suction device, an inexpensive, battery-powered version of the vacuum system commonly used in dentists' offices to remove blood and saliva from a patient's mouth.

Banning all gay men from donating blood is unscientific and wrong, say AIDS researchers Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Since 1983, blood agencies in Canada, the United States and many other industrialized nations have disallowed all blood donations from men who have sex with men. While a total ban was justified scientifically and ethically in 1983, in 2010 it no longer makes sense, say AIDS researchers in a new article.

Nearby black hole is feeble and unpredictable Posted: 25 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT A decade-long study by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory reveals that the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Andromeda galaxy was in a very dim, or quiet, state before 2006. However, on January 6, 2006, the black hole became more than a hundred times brighter, suggesting an outburst of X-rays. This was the first time such an event had been seen from a supermassive black hole in the nearby, local universe.

New cancer vaccine starves tumours of blood Posted: 25 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT A DNA-vaccine that restricts the supply of blood to tumors has been developed by scientists in Sweden. The vaccine slows the growth of breast cancer tumors in mice.

Scientists track plume of polluted groundwater to the sea Posted: 25 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT In the first study of its kind, researchers have tracked a plume of polluted groundwater from a septic system to one of Northern California's top recreational beaches. The researchers say their findings could be an important step toward improving waste water management in coastal communities throughout the United States.

Pregnancy doubles HIV risk in men; first trial of a microbicide in pregnant women Posted: 25 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Young women of reproductive-age are among those at greatest risk of acquiring HIV, and several studies have suggested that during pregnancy women are even more susceptible to infection. Now, a new study finds that pregnancy is a time when men also are at greater risk -- double the risk, in fact. Another pivotal study is the first to ask whether using a microbicide during pregnancy is safe for women and their babies.

Rising levels of dioxins from common soap ingredient in Mississippi River, study finds Posted: 25 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Specific dioxins derived from the antibacterial agent triclosan, used in many hand soaps, deodorants, dishwashing liquids and other consumer products, account for an increasing proportion of total dioxins in Mississippi River sediments, according to new research.

Male antelopes trick females into extra sex opportunities Posted: 25 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have caught male topi antelopes in the act of faking fear in front of females in heat as a way to improve their chances of having sex. The male antelopes, observed in southwest Kenya, send a false signal that a predator is nearby only when females in heat are in their territories. When the females react to the signal, they remain in the territory long enough for some males to fit in a quick mating opportunity.

'Nature's batteries' may have helped power early lifeforms Posted: 25 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers in the UK have uncovered new clues to the origins of life on Earth. The team found that a compound known as pyrophosphite may have been an important energy source for primitive lifeforms.

Discovery of stem cell illuminates human brain evolution, points to therapies Posted: 25 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a new stem cell in the developing human brain. The cell produces nerve cells that help form the neocortex -- the site of higher cognitive function -- and likely accounts for the dramatic expansion of the region in the lineages that lead to humans, the researchers say.

What genes help blossoms last longer? Posted: 25 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT To help cut flowers and potted plants stay fresh longer, a plant physiologist is investigating the gene-controlled mechanisms of plants' aging.

New role for zebrafish in human studies: Animal model uses mysterious enzyme also found in human brains Posted: 25 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT A researcher has discovered that zebrafish -- an important animal model in disease and environmental studies -- could provide the means to help scientists eventually reveal the function of a mysterious enzyme linked to the steroid cortisol, and found in the human brain.

Perennial grass Miscanthus shows promise as energy crop while lowering atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> Posted: 25 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT A new article reveals that Miscanthus x giganteus, a perennial grass, could effectively reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, while lowering atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Saving rainforests may help reduce poverty Posted: 25 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Saving rainforests and protecting land in national parks and reserves reduced poverty in two developing countries, according to new research.

Weird orbits of neighbors can make 'habitable' planets not so habitable Posted: 25 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT New findings from computer modeling indicate some exoplanets might fluctuate between being habitable and being inhospitable to life because of forces exerted by giant neighbors with eccentric orbits.

Folate prevents alcohol-induced congenital heart defects in mice, study finds Posted: 25 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT A new animal study found that high levels of the B-vitamin folate prevents heart birth defects induced by alcohol exposure very early in pregnancy, a condition known as fetal alcohol syndrome. The dose that best protected against heart defects in mice was considerably higher than the current dietary recommendation of 400 micrograms of folate daily for women of child-bearing age, researchers report.

Preventing cells from getting the kinks out of DNA Posted: 25 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT Some of the most common antibiotics and anticancer drugs block topoisomerases that snip the tangles out of DNA. If a cell cannot remove the tangles, it dies. Researchers investigating the structure of these enzymes have found that Type II topoisomerases, which snip double-stranded DNA, use their metal catalysts in a novel way that could help drug designers improve antimicrobials and cancer poisons and make them less toxic to the host.

Antibiotic alternative for battling meningitis-causing bacteria Posted: 25 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT A new study suggests that boosting the abundance of one of the body's own proteins might be more effective than antibiotic treatment at fighting off a common meningitis-causing bacterium.

Scientists to study impact of gulf oil spill on marine food webs Posted: 25 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT New reports are surfacing every day about the immediate impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on Gulf Coast wildlife, especially as the oil reaches the sensitive marshlands along the coast. But how will these communities be affected over time? Shells from oysters, clams, and periwinkles hold clues about the ways and rates at which harmful compounds from the spill are being incorporated into the Gulf's marine food web.

Switching medications and continuing treatment could help teens with severe depression, study suggests Posted: 25 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT More than one-third of teenagers with treatment-resistant depression -- many of whom had been depressed for more than two years -- became symptom-free six months after switching their medication or combining a medicine switch with cognitive behavioral therapy during a multicenter study.

Inspired by a cotton candy machine, engineers put a new spin on creating tiny nanofibers Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Hailed as a "cross between a high-speed centrifuge and a cotton candy machine," a new, practical technology for fabricating tiny nanofibers has been developed by bioengineers. The reference to the fairground treat of spun sugar is deliberate, as the device literally -- and just as easily -- spins, stretches and pushes out 100 nanometer-diameter polymer-based threads using a rotating drum and nozzle.

Viral infection linked to juvenile diabetes Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers from Italy have found a statistically significant association between enteroviral infection and diagnosis of type-1 diabetes in children.

Chott el Jerid, Tunisia: Closest thing to Mars on Earth? Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Scientists are analyzing one of the most Mars-like places on Earth -- Chott el Jerid in South West Tunisia -- in preparation for future missions to the Red Planet.

Using antiretroviral to prevent HIV could result in drug resistance if routine screening is not done, study finds Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Their scientific methods may have been quite different, but their conclusions were not. In asking whether drug resistance could be a problem if antiretroviral (ARV) drugs become a mainstay for HIV prevention, two studies -- one involving a mathematical model and the other assays of cells and tissue -- arrived at the same answer. Resistance could happen if people who are unknowingly already infected use the approach.

Self-healing concrete: Research yields cost-effective system to extend life of structures Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Efforts to extend the life of structures and reduce repair costs have led engineers to develop "smart materials" that have self-healing properties, but many of these new materials are difficult to commercialize. A new self-healing concrete, however, may prove to be cost-effective.

Discarded data may be gateway to new brain insights Posted: 25 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Scientists regularly discard up to 90 percent of the signals from monitoring of brain waves, one of the oldest techniques for observing changes in brain activity. Now, though, researchers have found evidence that these data may contain significant information about how the brain works.

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