ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• NASA rover finds clue to Mars' past and environment for life
• Blocking DNA repair protein could lead to targeted, safer cancer therapy
• NASA images show oil's invasion along Louisiana coast
• Inspiratory muscle training and endurance sport performance
• Genome of bacteria responsible for tuberculosis of olive tree sequenced
• Binge drinkers report sub-optimal health status more often than non-binge drinkers
• Life on Titan? New clues to what's consuming hydrogen, acetylene on Saturn's moon
• 'Remote control' for cholesterol regulation discovered in brain
• Seal bulls in the service of science
• Hip exercises found effective at reducing, eliminating common knee pain in runners, study suggests
• Untangling the mystery of knotted flex: Mass experiment to investigate one of the banes of everyday life
• Burger diet boosts kids' asthma and wheeze risk, study finds
• New technique turns proteins into glass: Could lead to new ways to deliver medication
• Artificial sweeteners, without the aftertaste: Scientists find bitter-blocking ingredient
• Next generation CT scanner views whole organs in a heartbeat
• Study of microRNA helps scientists unlock secrets of immune cells
• Sowing seeds with new agricultural carbon accounting tool
• New intervention to reduce self-stigma among persons with serious mental illness
• Hold the salt: Engineers develop revolutionary new desalination membrane
• Do we clamp the umbilical cord too soon? Early clamping may interrupt humankind's first 'natural stem cell transplant'
• Silver nanoparticles mitigate the cell damage caused by ethanol, study suggests
• Growth hormone safe for infants with chronic kidney failure, study finds
• New approach to finding and removing defects in graphene
• Strategy may help translate research findings about blood-pressure treatment into clinical practice
• Cockroaches share 'recommendations' of best food sources, research finds
• New treatment regimen shown effective against advanced ovarian cancer, study suggests
• An organic approach to pest control: Releasing super-sexed (but sterile) male insects
• New standards for reliable fisheries: Preserving population diversity stabilizes fisheries, ecosystems, and economies
• Hormonal contraceptives associated with higher risk of female sexual dysfunction, study finds

NASA rover finds clue to Mars' past and environment for life Posted: 07 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Rocks examined by NASA's Spirit Mars Rover hold evidence of a wet, non-acidic ancient environment that may have been favorable for life. Confirming this mineral clue took four years of analysis by several scientists.

Blocking DNA repair protein could lead to targeted, safer cancer therapy Posted: 07 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Inhibiting a key molecule in a DNA repair pathway could provide the means to make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy while protecting healthy cells, according to new research. The findings provide new insights into mechanisms of how the body fixes environmentally induced DNA damage and into the deadly neurological disease ataxia-telangiectasia.

NASA images show oil's invasion along Louisiana coast Posted: 07 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT New images, acquired on May 24, 2010 by the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument aboard NASA's Terra spacecraft, show the encroachment of oil from the former Deepwater Horizon rig into Louisiana's wildlife habitats.

Inspiratory muscle training and endurance sport performance Posted: 07 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Strengthening inspiratory muscles by performing daily breathing exercises for six weeks significantly reduced the amount of oxygen these same breathing muscles required during exercise, possibly making more oxygen available for other muscles, new research suggests.

Genome of bacteria responsible for tuberculosis of olive tree sequenced Posted: 07 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have managed to sequence the genome of the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis in the olive tree. The study represents the first sequencing of the genome of a pathogenic bacteria undertaken in Spain, being the first genome known worldwide of a pathogenic Pseudomonas in woody plants.

Binge drinkers report sub-optimal health status more often than non-binge drinkers Posted: 07 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Binge drinking accounts for more than half of 79,000 excessive-drinking deaths annually in the United States. A new study has looked at heavy and binge drinking in relation to drinkers' own perceptions of their overall health status. Results show binge drinkers have a 13 to 23 percent greater likelihood of self-reporting fair to poor health status.

Life on Titan? New clues to what's consuming hydrogen, acetylene on Saturn's moon Posted: 07 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Two new papers based on data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft scrutinize the complex chemical activity on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. While non-biological chemistry offers one possible explanation, some scientists believe these chemical signatures bolster the argument for a primitive, exotic form of life or precursor to life on Titan's surface. According to one theory put forth by astrobiologists, the signatures fulfill two important conditions necessary for a hypothesized "methane-based life."

'Remote control' for cholesterol regulation discovered in brain Posted: 07 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Circulation of cholesterol is regulated in the brain by the hunger-signaling hormone ghrelin, researchers say. The finding points to a new potential target for the pharmacologic control of cholesterol levels.

Seal bulls in the service of science Posted: 07 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT "Gustavo" is an imposing bull always in search of the best feeding grounds. At the beginning of the Antarctic winter the mighty elephant seal bull and others were tagged with state-of-the-art satellite transmitters. Researchers will learn where the animals migrate, where they find prey at what depth and under what oceanographic conditions the food supply is good in the Southern Ocean.

Hip exercises found effective at reducing, eliminating common knee pain in runners, study suggests Posted: 07 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT A twice weekly hip strengthening regimen performed for six weeks proved surprisingly effective at reducing -- and in some cases eliminating -- knee pain referred to as patellofemoral pain (PFP) in female runners.

Untangling the mystery of knotted flex: Mass experiment to investigate one of the banes of everyday life Posted: 07 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT A UK scientist believes his "Loop Conjecture" theory can prevent knots in everything from simple flex through to mountain and sailing ropes and potentially DNA structure.

Burger diet boosts kids' asthma and wheeze risk, study finds Posted: 07 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Eating three or more burgers a week may boost a child's risk of asthma and wheeze -- at least in developed nations -- reveals a large international study.

New technique turns proteins into glass: Could lead to new ways to deliver medication Posted: 07 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have devised a method to dry and preserve proteins in a glassified form that seems to retain the molecules' properties as workhorses of biology.

Artificial sweeteners, without the aftertaste: Scientists find bitter-blocking ingredient Posted: 07 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a chemical that specifically blocks people's ability to detect the bitter aftertaste that comes with artificial sweeteners such as saccharin. The key is a molecule known only as GIV3727 that specifically targets and inhibits a handful of human bitter taste receptors, according to a new report.

Next generation CT scanner views whole organs in a heartbeat Posted: 07 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT A next generation CT scanner allows doctors to image an entire organ in less than a second or track blood flow through the brain or to a tumor -- all with less radiation exposure to patients.

Study of microRNA helps scientists unlock secrets of immune cells Posted: 07 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT With the rapid and continuous advances in biotechnology, scientists are better able to see inside the nucleus of a cell to unlock the secrets of its genetic material. However, what happens outside of the nucleus has, in many ways, remained a mystery. Now, researchers are closer to understanding how activity outside of the nucleus determines a cell's behavior.

Sowing seeds with new agricultural carbon accounting tool Posted: 07 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Carbon dioxide emissions from agricultural activity in the United States can now be tracked with unprecedented resolution, thanks to a recently developed carbon accounting tool.

New intervention to reduce self-stigma among persons with serious mental illness Posted: 07 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT A new intervention was found to reduce the self-stigma and improve the quality of life and self-esteem among persons with serious mental illness.

Hold the salt: Engineers develop revolutionary new desalination membrane Posted: 07 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have unveiled a new class of reverse-osmosis membranes for desalination that resist the clogging which typically occurs when seawater, brackish water and waste water are purified. The highly permeable, surface-structured membrane can easily be incorporated into today's commercial production system, the researchers say, and could help to significantly reduce desalination operating costs.

Do we clamp the umbilical cord too soon? Early clamping may interrupt humankind's first 'natural stem cell transplant' Posted: 07 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT The timing of umbilical cord clamping at birth remains controversial. The cord has been clamped early to facilitate resuscitation and stabilization of infants. Now, a new review paper suggests clamping should be delayed in normal births to tap the physiological benefits of "nature's first stem cell transplant."

Silver nanoparticles mitigate the cell damage caused by ethanol, study suggests Posted: 07 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT In a new study, researchers in Spain describe how nanoparticles formed by very small numbers of silver atoms can protect against the cell damage caused by ethanol.

Growth hormone safe for infants with chronic kidney failure, study finds Posted: 07 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Infants with chronic renal failure (CRF) grow slowly, a problem that usually improves with aggressive nutritional therapy. When it doesn't, growth hormone is a safe and effective treatment to promote growth, according to a new study.

New approach to finding and removing defects in graphene Posted: 07 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have pinpointed the noncarbon atoms that create defects when graphene is produced through a technique called graphene-oxide reduction. The researchers have also proposed how to make that technique more efficient by precisely applying hydrogen -- rather than heat -- to remove the impurities.

Strategy may help translate research findings about blood-pressure treatment into clinical practice Posted: 07 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Academic detailing -- a method involving face-to-face education of clinicians by investigators trained to present trial findings and guidelines -- may have been associated with a small change in prescribing patterns for patients with high blood pressure, according to a new report.

Cockroaches share 'recommendations' of best food sources, research finds Posted: 06 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Ever wondered how cockroaches seem to know the best place to grab a meal? New research suggests that, just like humans, they share their local knowledge of the best food sources and follow 'recommendations' from others.

New treatment regimen shown effective against advanced ovarian cancer, study suggests Posted: 06 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Newly reported results from a major clinical trial show that adding bevacizumab (Avastin) to standard frontline chemotherapy for women with advanced ovarian cancer and then continuing a maintenance dose of the drug afterwards significantly extends progression-free survival. Women receiving the new treatment regimen saw no worsening of their disease for 14.1 months, compared to 10.3 months for women receiving standard therapy.

An organic approach to pest control: Releasing super-sexed (but sterile) male insects Posted: 06 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT An improved method for sustainable pest control using "super-sexed" but sterile male insects to copulate with female ones is being developed by agricultural researchers in Israel. The scientists thus hope to offer yet another efficient and promising avenue for supplying produce to the market by eliminating pests without damage to the environment.

New standards for reliable fisheries: Preserving population diversity stabilizes fisheries, ecosystems, and economies Posted: 06 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT The many populations of sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay, Alaska, act like a diversified portfolio of investments, buffering fisheries from the ups and downs of particular stocks. A new study quantifies, for the first time, how much depends on this "portfolio effect." Without its current population diversity, the Bristol Bay sockeye fishery would close ten times more frequently -- once every two to three years rather than once every 25 years.

Hormonal contraceptives associated with higher risk of female sexual dysfunction, study finds Posted: 06 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Women taking non-oral and oral hormonal contraceptives were at highest risk of female sexual dysfunction (FSD), according to a study of female German medical student. Interestingly, women taking non-hormonal contraceptives were at lowest risk for FSD, more than women not using any contraceptive.

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