ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• First paper 'dipstick' test for determining blood type
• New culture dish could advance human embryonic stem cell research
• Bone drug suppresses wandering tumor cells in breast cancer patients; May reduce metastatic disease
• Sun-induced skin cancer: Discovery permits doctors to assess genetic risk
• Pride, prejudice and the 'Darcin effect': Pheromone that attracts female mice to odor of particular male identified
• A quick fix for queues
• Structure of immune molecule that counteracts HIV strains determined
• Nanoparticle PSA test predicts if prostate cancer will return: Ultrasensitive test gives first accurate answer after prostate cancer surgery
• Probiotic found in breast milk helps alleviate symptoms of digestive disorders
• Deep brain stimulation at two different targets gives similar motor benefits in Parkinson's
• Physicists reveal how to cope with 'frustration': Quantum simulation can be scaled to large systems
• Surprising disparity in where chronically ill kids hospitalized, study finds
• Coffee consumption unrelated to alertness: Stimulating effects may be illusion, study finds
• Why certain diseases affect specific organs: Neural tissue contains imbalanced levels of proteins, study finds
• Using nature's design principles to create specialized nanofabrics
• Prostate cancer patients' weight linked to tumor size, study finds
• Revised seismotectonic model for California Central Coast: More complex than previously thought
• Tidy house, fitter body?
• First images of heavy electrons in action: Characteristics of 'hidden order' in unusual uranium compound
• Ablation proved as effective as traditional surgery in treating kidney cancer
• Bacterioplankton responses to desert dust in the (sub)tropical northeast Atlantic
• Testing methylphenidate for cancer-related fatigue
• Large earthquake triggering, clustering and the synchronization of faults
• Apologies may fuel settlement of legal disputes, study says
• Hubble catches stars on the move: Surprising signs of unrest in massive star cluster
• Stem cell researchers uncover previously unknown patterns in DNA methylation
• Enzyme detector: New technique reliably detects and quantifies enzyme implicated in cancer, atherosclerosis and other diseases
• Aspirin recommendations changed for many younger diabetic patients
• Visual system interprets sign languages
• Meditation reduces the emotional impact of pain, study finds
• Squirrels show softer side by adopting orphans, study finds
• Immune system helps transplanted stem cells navigate in central nervous system
• Count your chickens (and robins and pigeons ...), urge researchers working to protect birds
• Immune cell's role in lupus nephritis: Discovery paves way for safety testing of potential new use for asthma drug
• Plants spice up their sex life with defensins
• Study finds poker players using drugs to enhance performance
• Who are we sharing the planet with? Millions less species than previously thought, new calculations suggest
• Visually guided laser may be viable treatment for abnormal heartbeat
• Cosmic Zoo in the Large Magellanic Cloud
• Genetic differences may influence joint pain among women taking lifesaving breast cancer drugs
• Uncovering the mystery of a major threat to wheat
• New medics in death spike? Study suggests inexperienced medical staff make fatal medication errors
• Copper nanowires enable bendable displays and solar cells; Pin-like copper structures self-assemble in solution
• Synthetic peptide may regenerate brain tissue in stroke victims
• Peaches, plums induce deliciously promising death of breast cancer cells
• Genetic causes of canine mammary tumors investigated
• New automated tool 'debugs' nuclear weapon simulations
• How does the human brain memorize a sound?

First paper 'dipstick' test for determining blood type Posted: 03 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Scientists are reporting development of the first "dipstick" test for instantly determining a person's blood type at a cost of just a few pennies. The test involves placing a drop of blood on a specially treated paper strip.

New culture dish could advance human embryonic stem cell research Posted: 03 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT A new synthetic Petri dish coating could overcome a major challenge to the advancement of human embryonic stem cell research.

Bone drug suppresses wandering tumor cells in breast cancer patients; May reduce metastatic disease Posted: 03 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT The bone-strengthening drug zoledronic acid (Zometa) can help fight metastatic breast cancer when given before surgery, new research suggests. When the drug was given along with chemotherapy for three months before breast cancer surgery, it reduced the number of women who had tumor cells in their bone marrow at the time of surgery.

Sun-induced skin cancer: Discovery permits doctors to assess genetic risk Posted: 03 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT As people head to the beach this summer, very few if any, really know how likely they are to develop skin cancer from their outdoor fun. That's about to change, thanks to a new discovery that makes it possible for doctors to access people's personal risk for skin cancer.

Pride, prejudice and the 'Darcin effect': Pheromone that attracts female mice to odor of particular male identified Posted: 03 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT The pheromone that attracts female mice to the odor of a particular male has been identified. Named "darcin" by researchers (after Darcy, the attractive hero in Jane Austen's novel "Pride and Prejudice"), this unusual protein in a male's urine attracts females and is responsible for learned preference for specific males.

A quick fix for queues Posted: 03 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Queuing, standing in line ... it's what we do well, but complain about the most. Thankfully, science is coming to the rescue as researchers in Taiwan have devised a formula that could revolutionize restaurants, post offices, customer service desks, and theater ticket sales everywhere.

Structure of immune molecule that counteracts HIV strains determined Posted: 03 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT In findings that contribute to efforts to design an AIDS vaccine, a team of scientists has determined the structure of an immune system antibody molecule that effectively acts against most strains of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS.

Nanoparticle PSA test predicts if prostate cancer will return: Ultrasensitive test gives first accurate answer after prostate cancer surgery Posted: 03 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Conventional PSA tests aren't sensitive enough to show if men are cured after having a cancerous prostate gland removed. New research shows an ultrasensitive PSA test using nanoparticle-based technology may be able to definitively predict after surgery if the cancer is cured or if it will recur. The new test is 300 times more sensitive than currently available and may pick up cancer recurrence at a much earlier stage.

Probiotic found in breast milk helps alleviate symptoms of digestive disorders Posted: 03 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Here's another reason to breast feed your baby: Researchers have discovered how a probiotic found in breast milk reduces or eliminates painful cramping in the gut. Scientists used mice to show that a specific strain of Lactobacillus reuteri decreases the force of muscle contractions in the gut within minutes of exposure.

Deep brain stimulation at two different targets gives similar motor benefits in Parkinson's Posted: 03 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT In a major study, investigators have compared how individuals with Parkinson's disease respond to deep brain stimulation (DBS) at two different sites in the brain. Contrary to current belief, patients who received DBS at either site in the brain experienced comparable benefits for the motor symptoms of Parkinson's.

Physicists reveal how to cope with 'frustration': Quantum simulation can be scaled to large systems Posted: 03 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT "Frustrated" systems -- those in which the interactions among the components have no single minimum-energy state -- are of great interest for problems from neural networks and protein folding to social structures and magnetism. But they have been difficult to model. Now a team of physicists has created a scalable quantum-mechanical model.

Surprising disparity in where chronically ill kids hospitalized, study finds Posted: 03 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Chronically ill children with private insurance are much less likely than those with public insurance, such as Medi-Cal, to be admitted to a California hospital offering specialized pediatric care, according to a new study.

Coffee consumption unrelated to alertness: Stimulating effects may be illusion, study finds Posted: 03 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT The stimulatory effects of caffeine may be nothing more than an illusion, according to new research that shows there is no real benefit to be gained from the habitual morning cup of coffee.

Why certain diseases affect specific organs: Neural tissue contains imbalanced levels of proteins, study finds Posted: 03 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Why do some diseases affect only specific organs, leaving others invulnerable? Researchers have found neural tissue contains imbalanced levels of proteins, which may explain the brain's susceptibility to a debilitating childhood movement disorder. Compared to nonneuronal cells, neurons have dramatically lower levels of torsinB, a sister protein that can work similarly to torsinA. When the DYT1 gene mutation causes a defect in torsinA, torsinB can take over its role in all other cells except for neuronal cells.

Using nature's design principles to create specialized nanofabrics Posted: 03 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Bioengineers have developed a new technology based on nature's design principles for self assembly and self organization. The technology can be used to regenerate heart and other tissues and to make nanometer-thick fabrics that are strong and elastic. The key breakthrough came in the development of a matrix that can assemble itself through interaction with a thermosensitive surface. The protein composition of that matrix can be customized to generate specific properties.

Prostate cancer patients' weight linked to tumor size, study finds Posted: 03 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT The size of tumors in prostate cancer patients is directly linked to their weight, according to a new six-year study. They found heavier patients, or those with the highest body mass index, also had the largest tumors. They discovered the connection after studying 3,327 patients who had undergone robotic removal of their cancerous prostate glands and surrounding tissue.

Revised seismotectonic model for California Central Coast: More complex than previously thought Posted: 03 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT A new catalog of earthquake locations and focal mechanisms for the California Central Coast underscores the fault complexity of the region and identifies newly observed features offshore near San Luis Obispo.

Tidy house, fitter body? Posted: 03 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT A study that examined the relationship between physical activity and a range of variables involving urban residents' homes and neighborhoods found that the inside of their homes had more to do with higher physical activity levels than sidewalks, lighting and other elements.

First images of heavy electrons in action: Characteristics of 'hidden order' in unusual uranium compound Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Using a microscope designed to image the arrangement and interactions of electrons in crystals, scientists have captured the first images of electrons that appear to take on extraordinary mass under certain extreme conditions. The technique reveals the origin of an unusual electronic phase transition in one particular material, and opens the door to further explorations of the properties and functions of so-called heavy fermions.

Ablation proved as effective as traditional surgery in treating kidney cancer Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT A minimally invasive technique used to destroy kidney tumors with an electrically controlled heating probe showed similar effectiveness as surgical removal of tumors in curbing cancer recurrence rates for up to five years after treatment.

Bacterioplankton responses to desert dust in the (sub)tropical northeast Atlantic Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Inputs of dust from the Sahara desert could change the composition of microbial communities in the (sub)tropical eastern North Atlantic, say researchers.

Testing methylphenidate for cancer-related fatigue Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Cancer-related fatigue is often a major problem for cancer patients, beginning at diagnosis, during treatment and after completing therapy.

Large earthquake triggering, clustering and the synchronization of faults Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT The "signature of synchronicity" of large earthquakes -- clusters of ruptures of several faults followed by periods of quiescence -- found in the paleoseismic record also reflects the common observation that large earthquakes can trigger other large earthquakes on nearby faults. Researchers are examining the mechanism by which the seismic cycles of nearby faults become synchronized.

Apologies may fuel settlement of legal disputes, study says Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Apologies can potentially help resolve legal disputes ranging from injury cases to wrongful firings, giving wounded parties a sense of justice and satisfaction that promotes settlements and trims demands for damages, a new study finds.

Hubble catches stars on the move: Surprising signs of unrest in massive star cluster Posted: 02 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT By exploiting the exquisite image quality of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and comparing two observations made 10 years apart astronomers have, for the first time, managed to measure the tiny motions of several hundred young stars within the central cluster of the star-forming region NGC 3603. The team was surprised to find that the stars are moving in ways that are at odds with the current understanding of how such clusters evolve.

Stem cell researchers uncover previously unknown patterns in DNA methylation Posted: 02 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT A previously unknown pattern in DNA methylation -- an event that affects cell function by altering gene expression -- has been uncovered for the first time by stem cell researchers, a finding that could have implications in preventing some cancers and correcting defects in human stem cell lines.

Enzyme detector: New technique reliably detects and quantifies enzyme implicated in cancer, atherosclerosis and other diseases Posted: 02 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new technique that reliably detects and quantifies an enzyme implicated in osteoporosis, arthritis, atherosclerosis, cancer metastasis and other disease processes.

Aspirin recommendations changed for many younger diabetic patients Posted: 02 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Experts are now recommending that low-dose aspirin therapy to prevent heart attacks be used somewhat more conservatively -- that men younger than 50 and women younger than 60, who have diabetes but no other major risk factors, probably not use aspirin.

Visual system interprets sign languages Posted: 02 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Spanish sign language is used by over 100,000 people with hearing impairments and is made up of hundreds of signs. Researchers selected over 20 of these signs to develop a new visual interpretation system which allows deaf people to carry out consultations in the language they commonly use.

Meditation reduces the emotional impact of pain, study finds Posted: 02 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT People who meditate regularly find pain less unpleasant because their brains anticipate the pain less, a new study has found.

Squirrels show softer side by adopting orphans, study finds Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Squirrels will take in orphaned pups if the babies are closely related to the adoptive mother, according to new research. Although adoptions occur among species that live in extended family groups, it's much less common among asocial animals, such as squirrels, who are territorial, live alone and rarely interact with one another. The study also shows squirrels are able to asses which pups they are related to before determining whether to adopt.

Immune system helps transplanted stem cells navigate in central nervous system Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT By discovering how adult neural stem cells navigate to injury sites in the central nervous system, researchers have helped solve a puzzle in the creation of stem cell-based treatments: How do these cells know where to go?

Count your chickens (and robins and pigeons ...), urge researchers working to protect birds Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT People could help to prevent species of birds from becoming extinct by recording sightings of all kinds of birds online, including common species, according to a new study.

Immune cell's role in lupus nephritis: Discovery paves way for safety testing of potential new use for asthma drug Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Scientists have discovered that the activation of immune cells called basophils causes kidney damage in a mouse model of lupus nephritis. These findings and the team's associated research in humans may lead to new treatments for this serious disease, a severe form of systemic lupus erythematosus that affects the kidneys and is difficult to treat.

Plants spice up their sex life with defensins Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Since the beginning, plants and animals have deployed various mechanisms to fight pathogens. Proteins have always played an important part in this armoury, and a broad variety of defensin proteins have become part of the immune system of plants, insects and other animals except mammals. Now scientists from Regensburg discovered that those proteins also play a role in the "sex life" during the fertilization process of plants.

Study finds poker players using drugs to enhance performance Posted: 02 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT A new study found that 80 percent of poker players around the world reported using drugs and other substances to enhance their performance in poker.

Who are we sharing the planet with? Millions less species than previously thought, new calculations suggest Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT New calculations reveal that the number of species on Earth is likely to be in the order of several million rather than tens of millions. The findings, from an Australian-led study, are based on a new method of estimating tropical insect species -- the largest and one of the most difficult groups on the planet to study -- having significant implications for conservation efforts.

Visually guided laser may be viable treatment for abnormal heartbeat Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT A new treatment known as a visually guided balloon-laser catheter stopped abnormal electrical pulses in people and pigs with irregular heartbeats. The intervention prevented abnormal impulses for three months. Additional long-term studies are needed to assess ongoing safety and effectiveness.

Cosmic Zoo in the Large Magellanic Cloud Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Astronomers often turn their telescopes to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), one of the closest galaxies to our own Milky Way, in their quest to understand the Universe. In a spectacular new image from the Wide Field Imager (WFI) at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Observatory in Chile, a celestial menagerie of different objects and phenomena in part of the LMC is on display, ranging from vast globular clusters to the remains left by brilliant supernovae explosions. This fascinating observation provides data for a wide variety of research projects unraveling the life and death of stars and the evolution of galaxies.

Genetic differences may influence joint pain among women taking lifesaving breast cancer drugs Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Aromatase inhibitor-associated arthralgia is a major side effect in breast cancer survivors, producing joint pain so severe that as many as ten percent of women discontinue their therapy prematurely while undergoing treatment with these lifesaving drugs. New research reveals a possible genetic basis for why these side effects occur.

Uncovering the mystery of a major threat to wheat Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Agricultural scientists have solved a longstanding mystery as to why a pathogen that threatens the world's wheat supply can be so adaptable, diverse and virulent.

New medics in death spike? Study suggests inexperienced medical staff make fatal medication errors Posted: 02 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Are new medical residents a threat to patients? According to a new study, fatal medication errors peak in July in teaching hospitals in particular, which coincides with the yearly influx of new medical residents who are given increased responsibility for patient care.

Copper nanowires enable bendable displays and solar cells; Pin-like copper structures self-assemble in solution Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT A team of chemists has perfected a simple way to make tiny copper nanowires in quantity. The cheap conductors are small enough to be transparent, making them ideal for thin-film solar cells, flat-screen TVs and computers, and flexible displays.

Synthetic peptide may regenerate brain tissue in stroke victims Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT A synthetic version of a naturally occurring peptide promoted the creation of new blood vessels and repaired damaged nerve cells in lab animals, according to researchers.

Peaches, plums induce deliciously promising death of breast cancer cells Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Breast cancer cells -- even the most aggressive type -- died after treatments with peach and plum extracts in lab tests in Texas recently, and scientists say the results are deliciously promising. Not only did the cancerous cells keel over, but the normal cells were not harmed in the process.

Genetic causes of canine mammary tumors investigated Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Various forms of cancer are one of the most common causes of death in dogs today. But both diagnosis and methods of treatment for cancer in dogs and cats have developed dramatically in recent years.

New automated tool 'debugs' nuclear weapon simulations Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have created an automated program to "debug" simulations used to more efficiently certify the nation's nuclear weapons.

How does the human brain memorize a sound? Posted: 02 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Sound repetition allows us to memorize complex sounds in a very quick, effective and durable way. According to new research, this form of auditory learning is believed to occur in daily life to help us identify and memorize sound patterns; it allows, for example, immediate recognition of sounds which become familiar through experience, such as the voice of relatives. The same mechanism is involved in the relearning of certain sounds, in particular when using hearing aids.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610