ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Functional, transplantable rat liver grafts: Discarded livers have potential to be reengineered into usable replacement organs
• Helping the brain's messengers get from A to B
• More cold and snowy winters to come in Europe, eastern Asia and eastern North America
• Taking aim at metastatic lung tumors
• New look into Whirlpool Galaxy
• Bright light therapy improves sleep disturbances in soldiers with combat PTSD, research finds
• Warm-blooded marine reptiles at the time of the dinosaurs
• Antibodies involved in nerve repair in injuries, researchers find
• First detailed national map of land-cover vegetation in U.S. released
• Importance of insulin delivery devices for diabetes management
• Brilliant counterfeit protection
• Training eye movement may reduce driver distraction
• Neurobiological cause of intergroup conflict: 'Bonding hormone' drives aggression towards competing out-groups
• Control of cancer cell pathways key to halting disease spread, study shows
• Yellow fever vaccine modified to fight malaria
• Telomeres: Size matters when it comes to DNA
• Success with 'cisgenics' in forestry offers new tools for biotechnology
• Long-term study links chronic insomnia to increased risk of death
• No sex please, we’re rotifers: Tiny aquatic animals can clone themselves using progesterone
• Turning a painkiller into a cancer killer: Pain reliever redirected to trigger death pathways in cancer cells
• Molecular switch prevents cell damage caused by UVB rays from sunlight
• Are senile plaques, the characteristic pathological markers of Alzheimer’s disease, really spherulites?
• FDA should adopt risk-based approach to food safety, report recommends
• Nocturnal alertness improves after exposure to milliseconds of bright light flashes
• Healthy diet associated with lower risk of cataracts in women
• Replacing white rice with brown rice or other whole grains may reduce diabetes risk
• Biomarker finding could help treat patients with aggressive type of lung cancer
• Getting to the root of nutrient sensing
• Free clinics provide care for an estimated 2 million Americans annually
• High-yield agriculture slows pace of global warming, say researchers
• Diabetic potential to create own insulin: Type 1 diabetes patients attempt to replenish beta cells
• How bacteria make syringes: Scientists reconstruct a bacterial transport channel in a test tube
• Early stages of age-related macular degeneration associated with smoking, cholesterol levels
• Flower power: Marking winners and losers
• Children living in areas where homicides committed have lower reading, verbal test scores, study finds
• Moon's interior has much higher water content than previously believed
• Genes and pesticide exposure interact to increase men's risk for Parkinson's disease
• NASA demonstrates tsunami prediction system
• Sun-sensitizing medications, sun exposure associated with common type of cataract
• Does pasture irrigation increase groundwater contamination? Research finds little to no transport of microbes from cow pastures into groundwater
• Online ads can get too close for comfort, says new study
• Scientists locate 23-mile long oil plume off Florida's Gulf Coast

Functional, transplantable rat liver grafts: Discarded livers have potential to be reengineered into usable replacement organs Posted: 15 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have developed a technique that someday may allow growth of transplantable replacement livers. In a new study, the investigators describe using the structural tissue of rat livers as scaffolding for the growth of tissue regenerated from liver cells introduced through a novel reseeding process.

Helping the brain's messengers get from A to B Posted: 15 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT In what has been hailed as a breakthrough, scientists have outlined the molecular mechanism of membrane transport. The research shows how a protein transforms its shape to transport substances across the cell membrane in order to regulate transmission of the brain's messages across the synaptic gap from one neuron to another.

More cold and snowy winters to come in Europe, eastern Asia and eastern North America Posted: 15 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT A warmer Arctic climate is influencing the air pressure at the North Pole and shifting wind patterns on our planet. We can expect more cold and snowy winters in Europe, eastern Asia and eastern North America, climate scientists say.

Taking aim at metastatic lung tumors Posted: 15 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT A new study uses a sophisticated genomic analysis to unravel some of the complex cellular signals that drive the deadly invasive spread of lung cancer. The research identifies specific molecules involved in the often fatal metastasis of a common type of non-small cell lung cancer and uses this information to design effective therapeutic strategies.

New look into Whirlpool Galaxy Posted: 15 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) is a classic, a real must that now gets into Calar Alto Documentary Photo Gallery with an impressive new photo obtained with the Zeiss 1.23 m reflector. The image displays all the features that make this galaxy an exceptional object to illustrate the nature of spiral galaxies, the processes of star formation and the dynamics of interacting stellar systems.

Bright light therapy improves sleep disturbances in soldiers with combat PTSD, research finds Posted: 15 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Bright light therapy has significant effects on sleep disturbances associated with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder, according to new research.

Warm-blooded marine reptiles at the time of the dinosaurs Posted: 15 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Between 200 and 65 million years ago, fearsome marine reptiles reigned over the oceans. Were they warm-blooded like today's mammals and birds or cold-blooded like nowadays fish and reptiles? For the first time, a study has settled the debate: some large marine reptiles were warm-blooded (in other words, they were endothermic), giving them a considerable advantage to swim fast over long distances and to conquer cold regions.

Antibodies involved in nerve repair in injuries, researchers find Posted: 15 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Antibodies -- proteins the immune system makes to defend the body against invading pathogens -- have a gentler side nobody knew about until now: They function not only as soldiers but also as nurses. Researchers now think antibodies' absence in the central nervous system may be a key part of the reason why nerve damage there doesn't get naturally repaired in humans. That insight could lead to new treatments for stroke and spinal-cord trauma.

First detailed national map of land-cover vegetation in U.S. released Posted: 15 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT The most detailed national vegetation US land-cover map to date has been released by the US Geological Survey. The map will enable conservation professionals to identify places in the country with sufficient habitat to support wildlife.

Importance of insulin delivery devices for diabetes management Posted: 15 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT The growing use of insulin delivery devices such as pens and pumps may help individuals with diabetes optimize blood glucose control and minimize their risk for chronic health problems associated with diabetes.

Brilliant counterfeit protection Posted: 15 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Counterfeit products create losses in the billions each year. Beside the economic damages, all too often additional risks arise from the poor materials and shoddy workmanship of 'knock-off' artists. Yet with the aid of fluorescing dyes, materials can be individually tagged and identified with certainty.

Training eye movement may reduce driver distraction Posted: 15 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT More than 16 people are killed and more than 1,300 people are injured each day in crashes involving a distracted driver, a phenomenon that could be reduced with the right application of motion information and appropriate eye movements. Two new studies found that these factors can be beneficial to teaching people how to track objects without getting distracted or confused.

Neurobiological cause of intergroup conflict: 'Bonding hormone' drives aggression towards competing out-groups Posted: 15 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers in the Netherlands provide first-time evidence for a neurobiological cause of intergroup conflict. They show that oxytocin, a neuropeptide produced in the brain that functions as hormone and neurotransmitter, leads humans to self-sacrifice to benefit their own group and to show aggression against threatening out-groups. This finding qualifies the wide-spread belief that oxytocin promotes general trust and benevolence.

Control of cancer cell pathways key to halting disease spread, study shows Posted: 15 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have deciphered a part of the pathway used by a well-known oncogene called Myc to exert its malignant effect. Their findings confirm that at least some cancerous cells have within them the seeds to stop their own growth, if Myc can first be disabled.

Yellow fever vaccine modified to fight malaria Posted: 15 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT There is no vaccine for malaria, which sickens almost a quarter of a billion people each year and kills a child every 30 seconds. That could be changing: researchers have genetically transformed the yellow fever vaccine to prime the immune system to fend off the mosquito borne parasites that cause the disease. The researchers found that the modified vaccine, along with a booster, provided mice with immunity to the deadly disease.

Telomeres: Size matters when it comes to DNA Posted: 15 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT A new study is examining a sequence of DNA -- known as telomeres -- that varies in length between individual.

Success with 'cisgenics' in forestry offers new tools for biotechnology Posted: 15 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Forestry scientists have demonstrated for the first time that the growth rate and other characteristics of trees can be changed through "cisgenics" -- a type of genetic engineering that is conceptually similar to traditional plant breeding.

Long-term study links chronic insomnia to increased risk of death Posted: 15 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT The adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was three times higher in people with chronic insomnia (HR = 3.0) than in people without insomnia. When examining individual subtypes of insomnia, the risk of death was elevated, regardless of which subtype people reported. The risk of death was two to three times higher in individuals with one of the four insomnia subtypes. The study involved 2,242 participants.

No sex please, we’re rotifers: Tiny aquatic animals can clone themselves using progesterone Posted: 14 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT A new study shows that humans and tiny aquatic animals known as rotifers have something important in common when it comes to sex. Barely visible without a microscope, rotifers eat algae and serve primarily as food for baby fish. But the females of certain rotifer species can do something quite unusual: they can reproduce asexually by creating clones of themselves, or they can initiate a process that allows sexual reproduction by producing male rotifers. The chemical mediator for this change from asexual to sexual reproduction turns out to be progesterone.

Turning a painkiller into a cancer killer: Pain reliever redirected to trigger death pathways in cancer cells Posted: 14 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Without knowing exactly why, scientists have long observed that people who regularly take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin have lower incidences of certain types of cancer. Now, in a new study, researchers have figured out how one NSAID, called Sulindac, inhibits tumor growth.

Molecular switch prevents cell damage caused by UVB rays from sunlight Posted: 14 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT The protein Nrf2 plays a crucial role in tissue repair and in the protection against carcinogenesis. Cell biologists have now discovered a previously unknown role for this molecular switch, which activates numerous genes that protect cells from stress: it prevents cell damage in the skin caused by UVB rays from the sunlight. In addition, they unraveled the underlying mechanisms of action.

Are senile plaques, the characteristic pathological markers of Alzheimer’s disease, really spherulites? Posted: 14 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Scientists believe they may have identified the true in vivo structure of the senile plaques that are characteristically found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

FDA should adopt risk-based approach to food safety, report recommends Posted: 14 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT The US Food and Drug Administration's abilities to discover potential threats to food safety and prevent outbreaks of food-borne illness are hampered by impediments to efficient use of its limited resources and a piecemeal approach to gathering and using information on risks, according to a new report.

Nocturnal alertness improves after exposure to milliseconds of bright light flashes Posted: 14 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Subjective sleepiness decreased and objective nighttime alertness improved after participants received a two-millisecond pulse of bright light once per minute for 60 minutes. Flash exposure, as compared with darkness, elicited significant improvement in self-rated alertness and a significant 57-millisecond improvement in median reaction time on the auditory Psychomotor Vigilance Test, compared with no significant improvement after 60 minutes of darkness.

Healthy diet associated with lower risk of cataracts in women Posted: 14 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Women who eat foods rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals may have a lower risk of developing the most common type of cataract that occurs in the United States, according to a new study.

Replacing white rice with brown rice or other whole grains may reduce diabetes risk Posted: 14 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT In a new study, researchers have found that eating five or more servings of white rice per week was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, eating two or more servings of brown rice per week was associated with a lower risk of the disease.

Biomarker finding could help treat patients with aggressive type of lung cancer Posted: 14 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a biomarker that could help in the treatment of patients with an aggressive type of lung cancer. Using a particular biomarker, researchers might better predict which patients with small cell lung cancer are resistant to existing drug therapies, and which ones could benefit from new therapies tailored to their specific needs.

Getting to the root of nutrient sensing Posted: 14 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT New research reveals how plants modify their root architecture based on nutrient availability in the soil.

Free clinics provide care for an estimated 2 million Americans annually Posted: 14 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Findings from a survey of free clinics suggest that an estimated 1.8 million individuals make approximately 3.5 million medical and dental visits to free clinics annually, according to a new study.

High-yield agriculture slows pace of global warming, say researchers Posted: 14 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Advances in high-yield agriculture achieved during the so-called Green Revolution have not only helped feed the planet, but also have helped slow the pace of global warming by cutting the amount of biomass burned -- and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions -- when forests or grasslands are cleared for farming. Stanford researchers estimate those emissions have been trimmed by over half a trillion tons of carbon dioxide.

Diabetic potential to create own insulin: Type 1 diabetes patients attempt to replenish beta cells Posted: 14 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Results of new research reveal that the insulin-producing beta cells can proliferate in patients recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and suggest that, in the future, an intervention might be devised which could allow such patients to renew their own capacity to produce insulin.

How bacteria make syringes: Scientists reconstruct a bacterial transport channel in a test tube Posted: 14 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT For a successful infection, bacteria must outwit the immune system of the host. To this aim, they deliver so-called virulence factors through a transport channel located in the bacterial membrane. In some bacteria this transport channel is formed like a syringe, enabling them to inject virulence factors directly into the host cell.

Early stages of age-related macular degeneration associated with smoking, cholesterol levels Posted: 14 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Early-stage age-related macular degeneration appears to be related to modifiable risk factors, including smoking and low levels of high-density lipoprotein, according to a new study. The condition appears uncommon before age 55 but the risk increases with age thereafter.

Flower power: Marking winners and losers Posted: 14 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT A new study reveals how conflict resolution works on the microscopic scale -- a protein called Flower marks the weaker cells for elimination in favor of their fitter neighbors. The research furthers our understanding of a developmental process of "cell competition" and may provide some insight into pathological conditions that involve imbalances in cell fitness, such as cancer.

Children living in areas where homicides committed have lower reading, verbal test scores, study finds Posted: 14 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Children living in areas where homicides are committed have lower reading and verbal test scores, a new study shows.

Moon's interior has much higher water content than previously believed Posted: 14 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a much higher water content in the moon's interior than previous studies. Their research suggests that the water was preserved from the hot magma that was present when the Moon began to form some 4.5 billion years ago, and that it is likely widespread in the moon's interior.

Genes and pesticide exposure interact to increase men's risk for Parkinson's disease Posted: 14 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Genetic mutations and workplace exposure to some insecticides together appear to be associated with an increased risk for Parkinson's disease among men, according to a new study.

NASA demonstrates tsunami prediction system Posted: 14 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT A NASA-led research team has successfully demonstrated for the first time elements of a prototype tsunami prediction system that quickly and accurately assesses large earthquakes and estimates the size of resulting tsunamis.

Sun-sensitizing medications, sun exposure associated with common type of cataract Posted: 14 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT The use of medications that increase sensitivity to the sun, combined with exposure to sunlight, appears to be associated with the risk of age-related cataract, according to a new study.

Does pasture irrigation increase groundwater contamination? Research finds little to no transport of microbes from cow pastures into groundwater Posted: 14 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Concern about microbial contamination of groundwater from foraging dairy cows has increased as spray irrigation practices in New Zealand have increased over the years. Bacteria capable of living in both animals and humans are commonly found in cow manure. Addressing the lack of research on the topic, a team of New Zealand researchers studied the transport of microbes from two spray irrigated dairy pastures into groundwater supplies.

Online ads can get too close for comfort, says new study Posted: 14 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Trying to have an impact in the brave new world of web advertising? You could match an ad to a web page's content -- such as putting a car ad on an auto consumer website. Or, you could make it stand out with eye-catching pop-up graphics and video. But don't waste your marketing budget putting the two strategies together. The first large-scale study looking at thousands of online ad campaigns says that in combination, these approaches make viewers feel like their privacy is being invaded – and turns them off. But don't waste your marketing budget putting the two strategies together.

Scientists locate 23-mile long oil plume off Florida's Gulf Coast Posted: 14 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Using a combination of ocean models and satellite images, along with shipboard observations, scientists heading back from the Gulf of Mexico were able to find a previously unidentified oil plume located off Florida's southwest coast headed toward the Florida Keys.

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