ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Palaeontologists solve mystery of 500 million-year-old squid-like carnivore
• Male sex hormones in ovaries essential for female fertility
• New role of molecule in the health of body's back-up blood circulation
• Using fish to illuminate the architecture of inherited disease
• Electron ‘spin’ in silicon will lead to revolutionary quantum chips
• Macho men a liability on roads, study finds
• Astronomers discover new star-forming regions in Milky Way
• First common gene found for congenital heart disease; Acting very early in development, tied to most common birth defect
• Household detergents, shampoos may form harmful substance in wastewater
• Rheumatoid arthritis incidence on the rise in women
• Graphane yields new potential: Physicists dig theoretical wells to mine quantum dots
• Hey Jude: Get that song out my head!
• 'Law-like' mathematical patterns in human preference behavior discovered
• Ancient jaw bones discovered in Sahara help scientists identify new pterodactyl
• Blocking tumor's 'death switch' paradoxically stops tumor growth
• WISE telescope has Heart and Soul
• Some statins have unintended effects and warrant closer monitoring, study finds
• Outstanding in their field effect: Researchers print field-effect transistors with nano-infused ink
• Learning strategies are associated with distinct neural signatures
• NASA's Swift Survey finds 'smoking gun' of black hole activation
• Vaccine hope for skin cancer sufferers
• Computer model for locating and forecasting sunken oil following spills
• New treatment approach to rare cancer results in prolonged survival
• Physicists pin down proton-halo state in Flourine-17
• Elderly drivers' ability to detect hazards doesn't degrade with age, study suggests
• Undersea forces from hurricanes may threaten Gulf pipelines
• Promising treatment for aggressive lymphoma identified in new study
• Discovery may lead to safer drinking water, cheaper medicine
• Low caveolin-1 expression contributes to lung disease?
• New model for chronic wasting disease
• Love it or hate it, PowerPoint shapes strategy-making, says new paper
• Electric ash found in Eyjafjallajokull's plume, say UK researchers
• Copycat behavior in children is universal and may help promote human culture
• Gene pattern may identify kidney transplant recipients who don't need life-long anti-rejection drugs
• Virtual Romanesque monuments being created
• Link between nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and liver cancer confirmed in new study
• Improved gluten-free bread
• Changing 'channels' to eliminate chronic pain: Researcher maps drug target to wipe pain away
• Swarming locusts need larger brains
• Gene change raises odds of mother-to-child HIV transmission
• Canine aggression and genetic control
• Novel RNA interference screening technique identifies possible path for malignant glioma treatment
• Quantum communication in random networks: Theorists find surprising behaviours in quantum random networks
• Domestic violence victims have higher health costs for years after abuse ends
• Gene causes blue light to have a banana odor in fruit flies
• Bisphenol A and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals pose cancer risk, study suggests
• Parasitic threat to animals and the environment revealed
• Control of high blood pressure improving in US, but prevalence not decreasing

Palaeontologists solve mystery of 500 million-year-old squid-like carnivore Posted: 27 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers sheds new light on a previously unclassifiable 500 million-year-old squid-like carnivore known as Nectocaris pteryx.

Male sex hormones in ovaries essential for female fertility Posted: 27 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Male sex hormones, such as testosterone, have well defined roles in male reproduction and prostate cancer. What may surprise many is that they also play an important role in female fertility. A new study finds that the presence and activity of male sex hormones in the ovaries helps regulate female fertility, likely by controlling follicle growth and development and preventing deterioration of follicles that contain growing eggs.

New role of molecule in the health of body's back-up blood circulation Posted: 27 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that the abundance of collateral blood vessels in a healthy individual and their growth or remodeling into "natural bypass vessels" depends on how much of a key signaling molecule, nitric oxide, is present.

Using fish to illuminate the architecture of inherited disease Posted: 27 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT A research team has developed a way to simultaneously look at the effects of 125 mutations occurring on 14 different genes. They used zebrafish as a model to analyze the function of every known mutation in an inherited syndrome called BBS, Bardet-Biedl syndrome.

Electron ‘spin’ in silicon will lead to revolutionary quantum chips Posted: 27 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT A silicon-based nanoscale system which aims to harness the 'spin' of electrons to boost the processing power of future computer systems is being developed.

Macho men a liability on roads, study finds Posted: 27 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT "Catch that car!" was the instruction given to 22 men sitting in a driving simulator. The more "macho" the man, the more risks he took on the road, according to a new study.

Astronomers discover new star-forming regions in Milky Way Posted: 27 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Newly-discovered star-forming regions are revealing new view of Milky Way's structure and promise new clues about the Galaxy's chemical composition

First common gene found for congenital heart disease; Acting very early in development, tied to most common birth defect Posted: 27 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Although congenital heart disease represents the most common major birth defect, scientists have not previously identified the genes that give rise to it. Now genetics and cardiology researchers, two of them brothers, have discovered a genetic variant on chromosome 5 that strongly raises the risk of congenital heart disease.

Household detergents, shampoos may form harmful substance in wastewater Posted: 27 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Scientists are reporting evidence that certain ingredients in shampoo, detergents and other household cleaning agents may be a source of precursor materials for formation of a suspected cancer-causing contaminant in water supplies that receive water from sewage treatment plants. The study sheds new light on possible environmental sources of this poorly understood water contaminant, called NDMA, which is of ongoing concern to health officials.

Rheumatoid arthritis incidence on the rise in women Posted: 27 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in women has risen during the period of 1995 to 2007, according to a newly published study. The study suggests that environmental factors may be the cause of the increase.

Graphane yields new potential: Physicists dig theoretical wells to mine quantum dots Posted: 27 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered the strategic extraction of hydrogen atoms from a 2-D sheet of graphane naturally opens up spaces of pure graphene that look -- and act -- like quantum dots.

Hey Jude: Get that song out my head! Posted: 27 May 2010 08:00 AM PDT Some 98-99 percent of the population has, at some point, been "infected" with a song they just can't seem to shake off. This common phenomenon has rarely been researched, until now.

'Law-like' mathematical patterns in human preference behavior discovered Posted: 27 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have found mathematical patterns underlying the way individuals unconsciously distribute their preferences regarding approaching or avoiding objects in their environment. These patterns appear to meet the strict criteria used to determine whether something is a scientific law and, if confirmed in future studies, could potentially be used to guide diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Ancient jaw bones discovered in Sahara help scientists identify new pterodactyl Posted: 27 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT With the help of ancient fossils unearthed in the Sahara desert, scientists have identified a new type of pterosaur (giant flying reptile or pterodactyl) that existed about 95 million years ago.

Blocking tumor's 'death switch' paradoxically stops tumor growth Posted: 27 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Every cell contains machinery for self-destruction, used to induce death when damaged or sick. But according to a new research study, a receptor thought to mediate cell suicide in normal cells may actually be responsible for the unrestrained growth of cancerous tumors. Blocking the activity of this "death receptor" can stop and even reverse the growth of tumors in human tissue culture and mice, scientists report.

WISE telescope has Heart and Soul Posted: 27 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, has captured a huge mosaic of two bubbling clouds in space, known as the Heart and Soul nebulae. The space telescope, which has completed about three-fourths of its infrared survey of the entire sky, has already captured nearly one million frames like the ones making up this newly released mosaic.

Some statins have unintended effects and warrant closer monitoring, study finds Posted: 27 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT The type and dosage of statin drugs given to patients to treat heart disease should be proactively monitored as they can have unintended adverse effects, concludes a new study.

Outstanding in their field effect: Researchers print field-effect transistors with nano-infused ink Posted: 27 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered thin films of nanotubes created with ink-jet printers offer a new way to make field-effect transistors, the basic element in integrated circuits.

Learning strategies are associated with distinct neural signatures Posted: 27 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT The process of learning requires the sophisticated ability to constantly update our expectations of future rewards so we may make accurate predictions about those rewards in the face of a changing environment. Although exactly how the brain orchestrates this process remains unclear, a new study suggests that a combination of two distinct learning strategies guides our behavior.

NASA's Swift Survey finds 'smoking gun' of black hole activation Posted: 27 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Data from an ongoing survey by NASA's Swift satellite have helped astronomers solve a decades-long mystery about why a small percentage of black holes emit vast amounts of energy.

Vaccine hope for skin cancer sufferers Posted: 27 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have been given the green light to test a vaccine which they hope could reverse, and even cure malignant melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer.

Computer model for locating and forecasting sunken oil following spills Posted: 27 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT A team of researchers has developed a computer model for finding and projecting in time sunken oil masses on the bottom of bays, after an oil spill. The unique model can be used in oil spill planning, response, and recovery applications.

New treatment approach to rare cancer results in prolonged survival Posted: 27 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Aggressive treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma has dramatically increased survival in the small group of patients who chose to undergo it, say physicians in a new study.

Physicists pin down proton-halo state in Flourine-17 Posted: 27 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT A halo may be difficult to acquire in terms of virtue, but it can also be tough to calculate in terms of physics. Physicists have managed to do just that, however. A halo nucleus differs from the more traditional nuclei because it has one or more nucleons (protons or neutrons) that are only weakly bound to the nuclear core. Consequently, they drift far away from it, forming, in effect, a halo. These nuclei are difficult to study because their lives are both short (often lasting only milliseconds) and fragile.

Elderly drivers' ability to detect hazards doesn't degrade with age, study suggests Posted: 27 May 2010 02:00 AM PDT Advanced age does not affect older drivers' ability to perceive hazards according to a new study. The study also found that older drivers are more sensitive to potential hazards than young-inexperienced drivers.

Undersea forces from hurricanes may threaten Gulf pipelines Posted: 26 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Hurricanes could snap offshore oil pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico and other hurricane-prone areas, since the storms whip up strong underwater currents, a new study suggests.

Promising treatment for aggressive lymphoma identified in new study Posted: 26 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT New research illustrates that some patients with transformed lymphoma showed "remarkable" response to lenalidomide, an oral drug with few side effects.

Discovery may lead to safer drinking water, cheaper medicine Posted: 26 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT A discovery that may pave the way to helping reduce health hazards such as E. coli in water could also make chemicals and drugs such as insulin cheaper to produce and their production more environmentally friendly. By creating a three-dimensional model, biochemists discovered exactly how the AceK protein acts as a switch in some bacteria to bypass the energy-producing cycle that allows bacteria like E. coli and salmonella to go into a survival mode and adapt to low-nutrient environments, such as water.

Low caveolin-1 expression contributes to lung disease? Posted: 26 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Researchers propose that low levels of caveolin-1 contribute to the over-proliferation of fibroblasts in lung disease.

New model for chronic wasting disease Posted: 26 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT Scientists have generated a mouse model of cervid chronic wasting disease. Chronic wasting disease is a fatal prion-induced disease, similar to mad cow disease, that affects cervids such as deer, elk, and moose. It is a neurodegenerative disease typified by chronic weight-loss leading to death.

Love it or hate it, PowerPoint shapes strategy-making, says new paper Posted: 26 May 2010 11:00 PM PDT It's a staple presentation tool in most businesses. Its been banned as a productivity killer. Say what you like about PowerPoint, the computer software that presents business cases like a slide show, but one researcher at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management says that such critiques ignore the ways the technology is used to shape idea generation and build corporate strategies.

Electric ash found in Eyjafjallajokull's plume, say UK researchers Posted: 26 May 2010 09:00 PM PDT In the first peer-reviewed scientific paper to be published about the Icelandic volcano since its eruption in April 2010, UK researchers write that the ash plume which hovered over Scotland carried a significant and self-renewing electric charge.

Copycat behavior in children is universal and may help promote human culture Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT A new study of Australian preschoolers and Kalahari Bushman children finds that a particular kind of imitation -- overimitation, in which a child copies everything an adult shows them, not just the steps that lead to some outcome -- appears to be a universal human activity, rather than something the children of middle-class parents pick up. The work helps shed light on how humans develop and transmit culture.

Gene pattern may identify kidney transplant recipients who don't need life-long anti-rejection drugs Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have identified a distinct pattern of gene expression in the largest reported group of kidney transplant recipients who have not rejected the transplant kidneys even though they stopped taking anti-rejection drugs. This finding may help identify other transplant recipients who could safely reduce or end use of immunosuppressive therapy. In 2008, more than 80,000 people in the United States were living with a kidney transplant.

Virtual Romanesque monuments being created Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers in Spain have created full color plans in 3-D of places of cultural interest, using laser scanners and photographic cameras. The technique has been used to virtually recreate five churches in the Merindad de Aguilar de Campoo, a region between Cantabria, Palencia and Burgos which boasts the highest number of Romanesque monuments in the world.

Link between nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and liver cancer confirmed in new study Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT A new study finds that patients suffering from cirrhosis preceded by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are at an equal risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma than those who develop cirrhosis resulting from hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Improved gluten-free bread Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers in Ireland are producing tasty, nutritious gluten-free breads for coeliac disease sufferers. The research focused on using the so-called 'pseudocereals' amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat to replace wheat in bread formulations. These cereals are gluten-free, and are also rich in nutrients; therefore, their incorporation in the gluten-free diet could not only add variety but also improve nutritional quality.

Changing 'channels' to eliminate chronic pain: Researcher maps drug target to wipe pain away Posted: 26 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers are developing new computer-derived models of drugs that might affect chronic pain -- such as pain from backaches, sore limbs and arthritis -- which are targeted for calcium channels.

Swarming locusts need larger brains Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT One of the most devastating events in the insect world -- the locust swarm -- has extraordinary effects on the insect's brains, scientists have discovered.

Gene change raises odds of mother-to-child HIV transmission Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT A correlation has been discovered between specific variants of the gene that codes for a key immune system protein, TLR9, and the risk of mother-to-child, or vertical, transmission of HIV. Researchers studied three hundred children born to HIV-positive mothers, finding that those who had either of two TLR9 gene variants were significantly more likely to acquire the virus.

Canine aggression and genetic control Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT The control of different behaviors is a complex process that is influenced by both genetics and environmental factors. A new study throws light on interesting connections between canine aggression and genes that are involved in neurotransmission in the brain.

Novel RNA interference screening technique identifies possible path for malignant glioma treatment Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers report on a cellular pathway in the deadly brain cancer malignant glioma, a pathway essential to the cancer's ability to grow -- and a potential target for therapy that would stop the cancer's ability to thrive.

Quantum communication in random networks: Theorists find surprising behaviours in quantum random networks Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT The Internet, networks of connections between Hollywood actors, etc., are examples of complex networks, whose properties have been intensively studied in recent times. The 'small-world' property (that everyone has a few-step connection to celebrities), for instance, is a famous example. Scientists have now introduced complex networks in the quantum realm.

Domestic violence victims have higher health costs for years after abuse ends Posted: 26 May 2010 05:00 PM PDT Victims of domestic violence endure significantly higher health costs than other women for three years after the abuse ends, a new study finds. Abuse victims had health care costs that averaged more than $1,200 above non-abused women for the first two years after the abuse ended and about $400 above others in the third year.

Gene causes blue light to have a banana odor in fruit flies Posted: 26 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT Scientists in Germany have succeeded to genetically modify fruit fly larvae allowing them to smell blue light. The research team can activate single receptor neurons out of 28 olfactory neurons in the larvae for this sensory perception. Normally animals avoid light. However, blue light simulates in genetically modified larvae the smell of an odorant, e.g., banana, marzipan or glue -- odors which are all present in rotting fruit and attractive to fruit fly larvae.

Bisphenol A and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals pose cancer risk, study suggests Posted: 26 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT A review article describes the carcinogenic effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including bisphenol A. Researchers express the need for more complex strategies for studying how these chemicals affect health but report that ample evidence supports changing public health and environmental policies to protect the public, particularly the developing fetus and women of reproductive age.

Parasitic threat to animals and the environment revealed Posted: 26 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have discovered animal populations may often be under a much larger threat from parasites than previously recognized.

Control of high blood pressure improving in US, but prevalence not decreasing Posted: 26 May 2010 02:00 PM PDT About 50 percent of patients with hypertension have adequate control of their blood pressure, meeting a goal of Healthy People 2010, but the rate of hypertension in the US has not decreased in recent years, according to a new study.

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