ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Dinosaur-chewing mammals leave behind oldest known tooth marks
• Symptoms of 'male menopause' unzipped
• Towards nanowire solar cells with a 65-percent efficiency
• New world Helicobacter pylori genome sequenced, dynamics of inflammation-related genes revealed
• Questioning the effectiveness of oil dispersants in Gulf oil spill
• Little is understood about alcohol's effect on fetal development, researchers say
• Volcanic emissions used to study Earth’s atmospheric past
• Insulin peptide may point to a solution for type 1 diabetes
• Incidence of malaria jumps when Amazon forests are cut, study finds
• Blood relations: New study explores early detection of ovarian cancer
• Physicists build inexpensive land mine detection system using off-the-shelf components
• Can Alzheimer's disease be prevented?
• Computer intelligence predicts human visual attention for first time
• AIDS drugs given to pregnant women block 99 percent of HIV transmission to breastfed babies
• May 2010 global temperature is warmest on record; Spring and January-May also post record breaking temps
• Gene mutation increases thromboembolism risk in women taking tamoxifen
• Afghanistan’s Kabul Basin faces major water challenges
• Relying too much on e-mail bad for business, study says
• Nanoparticles: Peering into the never-before-seen
• Maternal or infant antiretrovirals both effective in preventing HIV transmission through breast milk
• Understanding critical nucleus in haze formation
• Mechanism behind three cancer-causing genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• USGS science helps disaster-struck communities understand flash flooding
• Sexual trauma may spark mental health problems
• Inbred sperm fertilize fewer eggs, beetle study finds
• New combination effective against pancreatic cancer: Substance in broccoli supports cancer therapy, study finds
• In deserts, which dunes are the most stable?
• Association of genetic factors and brain imaging findings in Alzheimer's disease
• Tequila and cheese offer lessons for rural economies in developing world
• Use of testosterone for 'male menopause' questionable, experts argue
• Hand study reveals brain's distorted body model
• Women who choose boiled coffee run lower risk of breast cancer, Swedish study finds
• Scientists create nano-patterned superconducting thin films
• Possible link between sleep-disordered breathing and cardiovascular disease revealed
• Rosewood trees face extinction amid Madagascar's chaos
• Mutations on three genes could predispose people to suicidal behaviour
• Some people do not taste salt like others
• Mediterranean-style diet improves heart function, twin study shows
• Two new frog species discovered in Panama's fungal war zone
• Adding nucleic acid testing to HIV screening may help identify more people with HIV
• New system using bacterial communities to solve complex problems
• Damage to the frontal cortex of the brain affects ability to react quickly to a stimulus
• World's oldest fig wasp fossil proves that if it works, don't change it
• Higher levels of vitamin B6, common amino acid associated with lower risk of lung cancer
• Putting teeth into forensic science
• Many clinicians may be screening for cervical cancer too frequently
• Gene discovery potential key to cost-competitive cellulosic ethanol
• Can mental activity protect against memory problems in multiple sclerosis?

Dinosaur-chewing mammals leave behind oldest known tooth marks Posted: 17 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Paleontologists have discovered the oldest mammalian tooth marks yet on the bones of ancient animals, including several large dinosaurs.

Symptoms of 'male menopause' unzipped Posted: 17 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have for the first time identified the symptoms associated with what has been termed late-onset hypogonadism or "male menopause" caused by a reduction in testosterone production in aging men.

Towards nanowire solar cells with a 65-percent efficiency Posted: 17 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Researchers want to develop solar cells with an efficiency of over 65 percent by means of nanotechnology. In Southern Europe and North Africa these new solar cells can generate a substantial portion of the European demand for electricity.

New world Helicobacter pylori genome sequenced, dynamics of inflammation-related genes revealed Posted: 17 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT An international team of researchers has sequenced the genome of an Amerindian strain of the gastric bug Helicobacter pylori, confirming the out-of-Africa migration of this bacterial stowaway to the New World. Experiments in animals have highlighted how specific genes in the bacterial strain may be crucial to the onset of inflammation and disease.

Questioning the effectiveness of oil dispersants in Gulf oil spill Posted: 17 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT The widespread belief that chemical dispersants will enhance the breakdown of oil from the Gulf of Mexico disaster is based on weak scientific data, according to a new article.

Little is understood about alcohol's effect on fetal development, researchers say Posted: 17 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT It's long been known that alcohol use in pregnancy can lead to children with mental retardation and birth defects, but researchers who study fetal alcohol syndrome have not made definitive progress on preventing the disorder, detecting it early, or effectively treating it, say researchers.

Volcanic emissions used to study Earth’s atmospheric past Posted: 17 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT On March 20, Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano woke from its nearly 200-year slumber to change the way the world viewed volcanoes forever. Bringing almost all transatlantic air travel to a halt for the first time in modern history, this volcano reminded humanity of the powers these forces of nature contain -- and of our relative inability to understand them. Researchers have studied this event and other massive volcanic eruptions and their atmospheric consequences in the past in North America.

Insulin peptide may point to a solution for type 1 diabetes Posted: 17 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have identified the precise peptide that can trigger diabetes in mice. The finding supports an emerging theory about the origins of autoimmunity, and may lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in humans.

Incidence of malaria jumps when Amazon forests are cut, study finds Posted: 17 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Establishing a firm link between environmental change and human disease has always been an iffy proposition. Now, however, a team of scientists presents the most enumerated case to date linking increased incidence of malaria to land-use practices in the Amazon.

Blood relations: New study explores early detection of ovarian cancer Posted: 17 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have used a novel method for identifying biomarkers -- proteins in blood that can identify ovarian cancer before symptoms appear.

Physicists build inexpensive land mine detection system using off-the-shelf components Posted: 17 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Anyone who is an online shopper and humanitarian might find this research project appealing. Physics professor John Scales is working on a low-cost, human-focused, high technology effort to stop the devastation of unexploded buried land mines with a novel acoustical/microwave detection system.

Can Alzheimer's disease be prevented? Posted: 17 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Although effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease has been slow to emerge, there has been substantial progress in identifying AD risk factors and developing treatments that might delay or prevent onset of the disease. In a special issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, researchers report on key findings that point towards possible significant interventions.

Computer intelligence predicts human visual attention for first time Posted: 17 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have just come several steps closer to understanding change blindness -- the well studied failure of humans to detect seemingly obvious changes to scenes around them -- with new research that used a computer-based model to predict what types of changes people are more likely to notice.

AIDS drugs given to pregnant women block 99 percent of HIV transmission to breastfed babies Posted: 17 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT An international clinical trial has found that AIDS-fighting antiretroviral drug combinations given to pregnant and breastfeeding women in Botswana, Africa, prevented 99 percent of the mothers from transmitting the human immunodeficiency virus to their infants.

May 2010 global temperature is warmest on record; Spring and January-May also post record breaking temps Posted: 17 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the warmest on record for May, March-May (Northern Hemisphere spring-Southern Hemisphere autumn), and the period January-May, 2010, according to NOAA. Worldwide average land surface temperature for May and March-May was the warmest on record while the global ocean surface temperatures for both May and March-May were second warmest on record, behind 1998.

Gene mutation increases thromboembolism risk in women taking tamoxifen Posted: 17 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Women taking tamoxifen for early-stage breast cancer who developed blood clots were more likely to carry a gene mutation for clotting than women taking tamoxifen who did not develop a clot, according to a new study.

Afghanistan’s Kabul Basin faces major water challenges Posted: 17 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT In the next 50 years, it is estimated that drinking water needs in the Kabul Basin of Afghanistan may increase sixfold due to population increases resulting from returning refugees. It is also likely that future water resources in the Kabul Basin will be reduced as a result of increasing air temperatures associated with global climate change. These are the findings of a new study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Relying too much on e-mail bad for business, study says Posted: 17 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT A new study says high-tech communication strips away the personal interaction needed to breed trust, a key ingredient in getting workers to pull together and carry their share of the load.

Nanoparticles: Peering into the never-before-seen Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Scientists can now peer into the inner workings of catalyst nanoparticles 3,000 times smaller than a human hair within nanoseconds.

Maternal or infant antiretrovirals both effective in preventing HIV transmission through breast milk Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT The largest study to date to examine methods to prevent HIV infection among breastfeeding infants concludes that giving antiretroviral drugs to HIV-infected breastfeeding mothers in sub-Saharan Africa or giving an HIV-fighting syrup to their babies are both effective.

Understanding critical nucleus in haze formation Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Haze -- scientifically known as atmospheric aerosols, microscopic particles suspended in the Earth's atmosphere -- represents a major environmental problem because it degrades visibility, affects human health and influences the climate. Despite its profound impacts, how the haze is formed is not fully understood.

Mechanism behind three cancer-causing genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have defined for the first time the mechanism behind three cancer-causing genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The findings offer insight on the complex interaction between the genes and their contributions to leukemia, thereby providing the foundation for the design of targeted therapies.

USGS science helps disaster-struck communities understand flash flooding Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT The Little Missouri River in Southwest Arkansas experienced a flash flood June 11, with waters that rose over 20 feet in just 5 hours, killing 20 people. In response to this severe and unusual flooding, the USGS deployed a team of scientists to document and study the flow and height of the floodwater as it coursed down the Little Missouri River and its tributaries.

Sexual trauma may spark mental health problems Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Traumatic sexual incidents may cause serious mental health problems in the years after the events, new research has shown. Using a unique investigative method, researchers examined the mental health of women who had visited rape crisis centers -- and it showed that sexual trauma plays a role in the development of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.

Inbred sperm fertilize fewer eggs, beetle study finds Posted: 16 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Inbred male sperm have been found to fertilize fewer eggs when in competition with non-inbred males, according to a new study of beetles.

New combination effective against pancreatic cancer: Substance in broccoli supports cancer therapy, study finds Posted: 16 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT The new cancer medication sorafenib looks promising. Sorafenib is used for advanced liver and kidney cancer and also appears to be effective against cancer stem cells in pancreatic cancer. Researchers in Germany recently tested the new substance in mice and pancreatic cancer cells.

In deserts, which dunes are the most stable? Posted: 16 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT By modeling a desert where the wind blows in two directions, researchers have succeeded in observing and highlighting, for the very first time, the formation process and long-term evolution of two types of very large sand dunes: transverse dunes and longitudinal dunes. They have demonstrated that longitudinal dunes and barchans - croissant-shaped dunes formed in a unidirectional wind regime - are the most stable over time. Their results should provide a better understanding of how dunes and deserts evolve on Earth and also help to deduce important information concerning wind regimes on Titan or Mars, for example.

Association of genetic factors and brain imaging findings in Alzheimer's disease Posted: 16 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT By investigating the association between genetic loci related to Alzheimer's disease and neuroimaging measures related to disease risk, researchers may have uncovered additional evidence that several previously studied genetic variants are associated with the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease and also may have identified new genetic risk factors for further study, according to a new study.

Tequila and cheese offer lessons for rural economies in developing world Posted: 16 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Tequila and cheese may sound like the makings of an awkward cocktail party, but new research shows that they can tell us what works, and what doesn't, when it comes to geographic indications and efforts to boost rural economies around the world.

Use of testosterone for 'male menopause' questionable, experts argue Posted: 16 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT The use of synthetic testosterone to combat symptoms of the so-called "male menopause" is questionable, given that it's not clear whether such a syndrome exists, and that the evidence of the hormone's effectiveness in these circumstances is inconclusive, says a new article.

Hand study reveals brain's distorted body model Posted: 16 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Our brains contain a highly distorted model of our own bodies, according to researchers. A new study on the brain's representation of the hand found that our model of our bodies is out of sync with reality -- with a strong tendency to think that the hands are shorter and fatter than their true shape.

Women who choose boiled coffee run lower risk of breast cancer, Swedish study finds Posted: 16 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Women who drink Scandinavian boiled coffee, which chemically resembles French press and Turkish/Greek coffee, more than four times a day run a lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who drink coffee less than once a day, according to research from Sweden.

Scientists create nano-patterned superconducting thin films Posted: 16 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Scientists have fabricated thin films patterned with large arrays of superconducting nanowires and loops with variable electrical resistance in an external magnetic field. Such superconducting nanowires and nano-loops might eventually be useful for new electronic devices.

Possible link between sleep-disordered breathing and cardiovascular disease revealed Posted: 16 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Doctors have long known that snoring is hazardous to health for a number of reasons. In addition to restless nights and increased daytime sleepiness, sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) has a series of associated health problems, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Rosewood trees face extinction amid Madagascar's chaos Posted: 16 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Political and social chaos and a lack of international protections have put several species of rosewood trees in Madagascar in danger of becoming extinct from illegal logging, according to new research.

Mutations on three genes could predispose people to suicidal behaviour Posted: 16 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Three genes that have barely been studied to date have now provided fresh knowledge about patients with suicidal backgrounds. Scientists found that several mutations are involved. This finding could help to develop future genetic tests to identify predisposition to suicide, without ignoring the importance of social and cultural factors.

Some people do not taste salt like others Posted: 16 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Low-salt foods may be harder for some people to like than others, according to a new study. The research indicates that genetics influence some of the difference in the levels of salt we like to eat.

Mediterranean-style diet improves heart function, twin study shows Posted: 16 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Following a Mediterranean-style diet may reduce the risk of heart disease by maintaining heart rate variability, suggests results of a study of twins. The more a participant's eating pattern matched a Mediterranean-style diet, the greater his heart rate variability. Genes do not entirely control heart rate variability, indicating that a Mediterranean-style diet could help people with a family history of heart disease.

Two new frog species discovered in Panama's fungal war zone Posted: 16 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT While trying to understand a disease that is wiping out frogs worldwide, researchers discovered a new frog species.

Adding nucleic acid testing to HIV screening may help identify more people with HIV Posted: 16 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Community-based HIV testing programs generally use only HIV antibody testing, but nucleic acid testing can detect the presence of HIV earlier. Researchers studied more than 3,000 patients who sought HIV testing in community-based clinics in or near San Diego to examine the yield of testing with a rapid test plus NAT and to see whether patients would be willing to access their results by phone or computer.

New system using bacterial communities to solve complex problems Posted: 16 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT A new system using bacterial communities to autonomously solve complex problems has been developed by researchers in Spain. The designed algorithms help to synchronize different bacteria according to the bacteria's natural capabilities and mechanisms of communication, such as bacterial conjugation and quorum sensing.

Damage to the frontal cortex of the brain affects ability to react quickly to a stimulus Posted: 16 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have demonstrated that patients who have damage to the right prefrontal cortex of the brain present a deficit in intentional anticipation (for example, when we put the vehicle in gear before the traffic light turns green).

World's oldest fig wasp fossil proves that if it works, don't change it Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT The world's oldest known example of a fig wasp has been found on the Isle of Wight. The fossil wasp is almost identical to the modern species, proving that this tiny but specialized insect has remained virtually unchanged for more than 34 million years.

Higher levels of vitamin B6, common amino acid associated with lower risk of lung cancer Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT An analysis that included nearly 400,000 participants finds that those with higher blood levels of vitamin B6 and the essential amino acid methionine (found in most protein) had an associated lower risk of lung cancer, including participants who were current or former smokers, according to a new study.

Putting teeth into forensic science Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT In a large natural disaster, such as the Haitian earthquake earlier this year, or in an unsolved homicide case, knowing the birth date of an individual can guide forensic investigators to the correct identity among a large number of possible victims. Researchers are also looking at victim's teeth to determine how old they are at the time of death.

Many clinicians may be screening for cervical cancer too frequently Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Clinical guidelines recommend screening low-risk women for cervical cancer every three years after age 30, but most primary care clinicians report that they would advise testing for the disease more frequently, according to a new study. Adding a test for human papillomavirus to screening protocols does not increase clinicians' reported adherence to guidelines, but may make them less likely to extend screening intervals.

Gene discovery potential key to cost-competitive cellulosic ethanol Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Scientists are improving strains of microorganisms used to convert cellulosic biomass into ethanol, including a recent modification that could improve the efficiency of the conversion process.

Can mental activity protect against memory problems in multiple sclerosis? Posted: 16 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT A new study shows that a mentally active lifestyle may protect against the memory and learning problems that often occur in multiple sclerosis.

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