ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Unique eclipsing binary star system discovered
• Blood-thinning copycat enters malaria fight
• 520 days on a simulated flight to Mars
• New blood thinners can cause dangerous drug interactions, study finds
• Unique computer model used to predict active 2010 hurricane season
• TV food advertisements promote imbalanced diets, study finds
• 'Little brown balls' tie malaria and algae to common ancestor, researchers find
• Patients who refuse prostate cancer surgery have worse long-term survival, study finds
• UK research leads to blood test for early detection of cancer
• PET scanning probes reveal different cell function within the immune system
• PET and SPECT biomedical imaging techniques combined, increasing resolution
• Forget take-out: Families still big on home cooking
• Jumping genes provide extensive 'raw material' for evolution, study finds
• Sluggish cell division may help explain genital defects
• No relaxing for cancer cells
• ICU infection rates not a good measure of mortality risk, researchers find
• Software developers tackle child grooming on the net
• Cancer information on Wikipedia is accurate, but not very readable, study finds
• Microbe power as a green means to hydrogen production
• Calcium consumption may cause prostate cancer in Chinese, research suggests
• New 'doubly magic' research reveals role of nuclear shell
• A prognostic and predictive biomarker for nonsmall cell lung cancer
• Researchers offer solutions to poisonous well-water crisis in southern Asia
• What are the most effective strategies for secondary suicide prevention?
• Backwards black holes might make bigger jets
• Targeted immunotherapy shows promise for metastatic breast, pancreatic cancers
• Supplement may prevent alcohol-related brain, skull defects
• Young children respond well to recommended swine flu vaccine, study suggests
• Liquid method: pure graphene production
• ADHD linked to low maternal education, lone parents and welfare benefits, Swedish study finds
• Neanderthals walked into frozen Britain 40,000 years earlier than first thought, evidence shows
• Mannitol boosts effectiveness of potential cord blood treatment for cerebral palsy in lab animals, study finds
• Scientists gain new 'core' understanding of nanoparticles
• Cerebral malaria: Scientists advance understanding of deadly form of malaria in children
• After the oil spill: New research sheds light on coral susceptibility to environmental stress
• Education helps against dementia, Swedish study finds

Unique eclipsing binary star system discovered Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Astrophysicists have identified two white dwarf stars in an eclipsing binary system, allowing for the first direct radius measurement of a rare white dwarf composed of pure helium.

Blood-thinning copycat enters malaria fight Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT New treatments for malaria are possible after scientists found that molecules similar to the blood-thinning drug heparin can stop malaria from infecting red blood cells.

520 days on a simulated flight to Mars Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT On June 3, 2010, six 'astronauts' will commence a virtual trip to Mars. Sealed into a cramped container at the Moscow Institute of Biomedical Problems for 520 days, they will experience the rigors and isolation of long-duration spaceflight.

New blood thinners can cause dangerous drug interactions, study finds Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Three new oral blood-thinning drugs nearing approval by the Food and Drug Administration are more convenient than the standard drug Coumadin because they do not require monthly visits to adjust doses. But the promising drugs also could be subject to dangerous interactions when taken alongside widely used prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin and even herbal supplements such as St. John's Wort, according to a new study.

Unique computer model used to predict active 2010 hurricane season Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Scientists who have developed a unique computer model with a knack for predicting hurricanes with unprecedented accuracy are forecasting an unusually active season this year.

TV food advertisements promote imbalanced diets, study finds Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Making food choices based on television advertising results in a very imbalanced diet, according to a new study comparing the nutritional content of food choices influenced by television to nutritional guidelines.

'Little brown balls' tie malaria and algae to common ancestor, researchers find Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Inconspicuous "little brown balls" in the ocean have helped settle a long-standing debate about the origin of malaria and the algae responsible for toxic red tides, according to a new study.

Patients who refuse prostate cancer surgery have worse long-term survival, study finds Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Men who refuse surgery for prostate cancer and instead opt for "watchful waiting" have a significantly worse long-term survival rate than those patients that choose radiotherapy, according to researchers. The study found that patients who refused any treatment for their prostate cancer had a 10-year overall survival rate of 51 percent, compared to 68 percent for those who chose radiation treatment.

UK research leads to blood test for early detection of cancer Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT A ground-breaking blood test promises to aid the detection of cancer as much as five years earlier than current testing methods such as mammography and CT scans. Physicians will know the result of their patient's test within one week of sending in a blood sample, according to researchers.

PET scanning probes reveal different cell function within the immune system Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT A commonly used probe for positron emission tomography (PET) scanning and a new probe reveal different functions in diverse cells of the immune system, providing a noninvasive and much clearer picture of an immune response in action.

PET and SPECT biomedical imaging techniques combined, increasing resolution Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers in the Netherlands have succeeded in combining two forms of medical imaging techniques (microPET and microSPECT) into one piece of equipment. These techniques can be performed simultaneously and give a higher resolution than traditional microSPECT and microPET. The new device is designed for use in fundamental research into the functioning of cells and organs. It can show functional details smaller than half a millimeter.

Forget take-out: Families still big on home cooking Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT The home-cooked meal is alive and well, according to new research. It just doesn't look, taste or feel like a "Leave-it-to-Beaver" meal from the 1950s.

Jumping genes provide extensive 'raw material' for evolution, study finds Posted: 01 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Using high-throughput sequencing to map the locations of a common type of jumping gene within a person's entire genome, researchers found extensive variation in these locations among the individuals they studied, further underscoring the role of these errant genes in maintaining genetic diversity. The investigators determined that any two peoples' genomes differ at roughly 285 sites out of the 1139 sites studied.

Sluggish cell division may help explain genital defects Posted: 01 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Researchers say a gene memorably named Sonic hedgehog controls genital development by regulating a process known as the cell cycle -- a biological event that regulates when, and how fast, cells divide to form hearts, brains, limbs and all the other complex structures needed to build an individual. The findings in mice provide insight into the molecular mechanisms that underlie growth of urinary and reproductive organs in both sexes.

No relaxing for cancer cells Posted: 01 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Many tumor cells would not be viable due to aberrant chromosome distribution if they had not developed a special trick. Scientists in Germany have investigated which genes are responsible for this survival strategy of cancer cells. The revealed that cancer cells rely on the tension of specific protein fibers to be able to multiply. Thus, proteins which maintain this tension are promising targets for new, target-specific anticancer drugs: if they are switched off, cancer cells die.

ICU infection rates not a good measure of mortality risk, researchers find Posted: 01 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT ICU-acquired infection rates are not an indication of patients' mortality risk, according to researchers, undermining a central tenet of many pay-for-performance initiatives.

Software developers tackle child grooming on the net Posted: 01 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Four out of five children can't tell when they are talking to an adult posing as a child on the internet, according to researchers working on software to track pedophiles online. Computer scientists in the UK have been working on a tool which can work out a person's age and gender using language analysis techniques. They hope it will eventually be used to help police and law enforcement agencies spot when an adult in a chatroom is masquerading as a child as part of the victim "grooming" process.

Cancer information on Wikipedia is accurate, but not very readable, study finds Posted: 01 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT It is a commonly held that information on Wikipedia should not be trusted, since it is written and edited by non-experts without professional oversight. But researchers have found differently, according to new data.

Microbe power as a green means to hydrogen production Posted: 01 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have been hard at work harnessing the power of microbes as an attractive source of clean energy. Now, researchers have investigated a means for enhancing the efficiency of clean energy production by using specialized bacteria.

Calcium consumption may cause prostate cancer in Chinese, research suggests Posted: 01 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Among Chinese men, calcium consumption -- even at relatively low levels and from non-dairy food sources such as soy, grains and green vegetables -- may increase prostate cancer risk, according to new research.

New 'doubly magic' research reveals role of nuclear shell Posted: 01 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have performed an unprecedented nuclear reaction experiment that explores the unique properties of the "doubly magic" radioactive isotope of 132Sn, or tin-132. The research is part of a broad scientific effort to understand nucleosynthesis, or the process by which the higher elements (those in the periodic table above iron) are created in the supernova explosions of stars. This research focused on the so-called r-process, responsible for the creation of about half of those heavy elements. This process involves interactions at very high energies of highly unstable and rare isotopes that do not naturally occur on Earth, but that can be created in the laboratory.

A prognostic and predictive biomarker for nonsmall cell lung cancer Posted: 01 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers in Brazil found a protein that can be used to indicate which patients in the early stages of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have a good prognosis and which do not. High levels of this protein correlate with resistance to certain anticancer drugs, especially cisplatin and carboplatin. This new finding may help doctors decide on the best course of action for each NSCLC patient, which may greatly impact survival rates.

Researchers offer solutions to poisonous well-water crisis in southern Asia Posted: 01 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers offer solutions to poisonous well-water crisis in southern Asia. They have reviewed what scientists understand about this groundwater contamination crisis and offer solutions for the region.

What are the most effective strategies for secondary suicide prevention? Posted: 01 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Attempts to reduce suicide in a population do not always focus enough on high-risk patients, argues an expert who discusses different interventions for "secondary suicide prevention."

Backwards black holes might make bigger jets Posted: 01 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Going against the grain may turn out to be a powerful move for black holes. New research suggests supermassive black holes that spin backwards might produce more ferocious jets of gas. The results have broad implications for how galaxies change over time.

Targeted immunotherapy shows promise for metastatic breast, pancreatic cancers Posted: 01 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Early trials using targeted monoclonal antibodies in combination with existing therapies show promise in treating pancreatic cancer and metastatic breast cancer, according to new research.

Supplement may prevent alcohol-related brain, skull defects Posted: 01 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT The dietary supplement CDP-choline, sold as a brain-boosting agent and under study for stroke and traumatic brain injury, may block skull and brain damage that can result from alcohol consumption early in pregnancy, researchers report. Alcohol consumption in early pregnancy increases levels of a little-known lipid called ceramide, significantly increasing suicide among cells critical to skull and brain formation.

Young children respond well to recommended swine flu vaccine, study suggests Posted: 01 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT The first head to head study of the two H1N1 vaccines used in the UK during the recent pandemic finds that the adjuvanted split virus vaccine induced higher immune response rates in young children, but was associated with more reactions than the whole virus vaccine.

Liquid method: pure graphene production Posted: 01 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have unveiled a new method for producing bulk quantities of pure, one-atom-thick sheets of carbon called graphene. The research could lead to novel, flexible electronics, carbon composites and touch-screen displays.

ADHD linked to low maternal education, lone parents and welfare benefits, Swedish study finds Posted: 01 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT A major study of 1.16 million six to 19 year-olds has found strong links between receiving medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and limited maternal education, single parent families and welfare benefits. It is believed to be the first study of risk factors for ADHD in a national cohort of school children. Women who had only received the most basic education were 130% more likely to have a child on ADHD medication. Children were 54% more likely to be on ADHD medication if they came from a single parent family. Coming from a family on welfare benefits increased the risk of ADHD medication by 135%.

Neanderthals walked into frozen Britain 40,000 years earlier than first thought, evidence shows Posted: 01 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Archaeologists have found evidence that Neanderthals were living in Britain at the start of the last ice age, 40,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Mannitol boosts effectiveness of potential cord blood treatment for cerebral palsy in lab animals, study finds Posted: 01 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT The sugar-alcohol compound mannitol improved the therapeutic effectiveness of human umbilical cord blood cells injected into neontal rat models of cerebral palsy, reports a new international study. The mannitol opened the blood-brain barrier, improving access of therapeutic substances from the periphery to the brain.

Scientists gain new 'core' understanding of nanoparticles Posted: 01 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT A research team has uncovered a mystery in the magnetic response of iron-oxide nanoparticles, one that may be a key to controlling nanoparticle magnetism for future applications.

Cerebral malaria: Scientists advance understanding of deadly form of malaria in children Posted: 01 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Scientists are making strides against cerebral malaria, a fatal form of malaria in children that can ravage the brain and is extremely difficult to treat. New research points to platelets -- known for their role in blood clotting -- as playing an important role in the disease, stimulating the immune system and turning on molecules that increase inflammation. The inflammation leads to the obstruction of blood vessels in the brain, causing brain damage similar to that seen with a stroke.

After the oil spill: New research sheds light on coral susceptibility to environmental stress Posted: 01 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Much attention has been paid to the fate of wildlife living on and above the Gulf of Mexico's surface. Now, new research looks toward the seafloor to explain coral susceptibility to disease outbreaks when they encounter environmental stress and to set the stage for understanding what type of undersea environment is necessary to promote coral health and growth after the oil spill cleanup.

Education helps against dementia, Swedish study finds Posted: 01 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have discovered that education not only delays the early symptoms of dementia, but can also slow down the development of the disease – a finding that could result in faster diagnosis and treatment of dementia, reveals new research from Sweden.

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