ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Analyzing food and beverages with magnetic levitation
• Drug mitigates toxic effects of radiation in mice
• Gut bacteria could be key indicator of colon cancer risk
• Language of RNA decoded: Study reveals new function for pseudogenes and noncoding RNAs
• Liquid crystals light way to better data storage
• Gay men's bilateral brains better at remembering faces, study finds
• 'Ghost particle' sized up by cosmologists
• How lead exposure damages the brain: New research fills in the picture
• New method of peptide synthesis makes it easier to create drugs based on natural compounds
• Obesity, weight gain in middle age associated with increased risk of diabetes among older adults
• 'BC5' material shows superhard, superconducting potential
• Pre-stored phrases make it easier to be part of a conversation
• Evolution of bird bills: Birds reduce their 'heating bills' in cold climates
• Jetting off without the jet lag
• Skins prone to sunburn may be capable of a normal tan
• Mechanism explains complications associated with diabetes
• Studies confirm presence, severity of pollution in US national parks
• Young children are skilled negotiators, Swedish research finds
• Discovery of how coral reefs adapt to global warming could aid reef restoration
• Polio research gives new insight into tackling vaccine-derived poliovirus
• New areas prone to moderate earthquakes identified in Iberian Peninsula
• Can START stop cholesterol build-up?
• Asymetric nanostructures for early and more accurate prediction of cancer
• Abusive mothering aggravates the impact of stress hormones
• Brave brains: Neural mechanisms of courage uncovered in study of fear of snakes
• Structural basis for incidence of skin cancers in a genetic disorder discovered
• Loneliness, poor health appear to be linked
• Lowering homocysteine levels with folic acid and vitamin B12 does not appear to reduce risk of heart attack, stroke, study finds
• Early results from the world's brightest X-ray source
• US ranks last among 7 countries on health system performance, new report says
• 'Quantum computer' a stage closer with silicon breakthrough
• Genetically modified cell procedure may prove useful in treating kidney failure
• Underwater gliders may change how scientists track fish
• Exercise trumps creatine in cardiac rehabilitation
• New medical weapons to protect against anthrax attacks
• Computer program detects depression in bloggers' texts
• First superstorm on exoplanet detected
• Imaging reveals how brain fails to tune out phantom sounds of tinnitus
• Separation between Neanderthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred 500,000 years earlier, DNA from teeth suggests
• New vaccine strategies could safely control Rift Valley fever
• Chicken litter has advantages over conventional fertilizers
• REM sleep deprivation plays a role in chronic migraine
• Neuroscientists can predict your behavior better than you can
• Getting estrogen's benefits without cancer risk
• Amniotic membrane used to repair human articular cartilage
• Going barefoot in home may contribute to elderly falls
• Supercomputer provides new insights into the vibrations of water
• Adverse childhood experiences linked to frequent headache in adults

Analyzing food and beverages with magnetic levitation Posted: 24 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Scientists are reporting development of a new use for magnetic levitation, or "maglev," the futuristic technology best known for enabling high-speed passenger trains to float above the tracks. They describe putting maglev to use in an inexpensive sensor for analyzing food, water, and other beverages.

Drug mitigates toxic effects of radiation in mice Posted: 24 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Medical researchers have provided one of the first examples of successful radiomitigation in mammals. The investigators found that oral treatment of mice with a drug that inhibits enzymes involved in cell division caused certain groups of bone marrow cells to temporarily stop dividing (which they termed "pharmacological quiescence" or PQ).

Gut bacteria could be key indicator of colon cancer risk Posted: 24 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT A new study suggests that a shift in the balance between the "good" bacteria and the "bad" bacteria that populate our gut could be a harbinger of colon cancer.

Language of RNA decoded: Study reveals new function for pseudogenes and noncoding RNAs Posted: 24 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT The central dogma of molecular biology holds that genetic information is transferred from DNA to functional proteins by way of messenger RNA (mRNA). This suggests that mRNA has but a single role, that being to encode for proteins. Now, a cancer genetics team suggests there is much more to RNA than meets the eye.

Liquid crystals light way to better data storage Posted: 24 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Currently, most liquid crystal technologies rely on physical or chemical manipulation, such as rubbing in one direction, to align molecules in a preferred direction. In an important advance, scientists in Japan have created a stable, rewritable memory device that exploits a liquid crystal property called the "anchoring transition."

Gay men's bilateral brains better at remembering faces, study finds Posted: 24 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT A Canadian study finds that gay men can recall familiar faces faster and more accurately than their heterosexual counterparts.

'Ghost particle' sized up by cosmologists Posted: 24 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Cosmologists are a step closer to determining the mass of the elusive neutrino particle, not by using a giant particle detector, but by gazing up into space.

How lead exposure damages the brain: New research fills in the picture Posted: 24 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Exposure to lead during early childhood and even later in life has long been known to affect the release of critical neurotransmitters. However, the precise mechanism by which lead ions (Pb2+) impair this process has remained unknown. The study demonstrates that during the formation of synapses -- synaptogenesis -- exposure to lead alters the levels of several key proteins involved in neurotransmitter release.

New method of peptide synthesis makes it easier to create drugs based on natural compounds Posted: 24 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT A team of chemists has developed a novel method for chemically synthesizing peptides that promises to lower the cost and increase the availability of drugs based on natural compounds.

Obesity, weight gain in middle age associated with increased risk of diabetes among older adults Posted: 24 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT For individuals 65 years of age and older, obesity, excess body fat around the waist and gaining weight after the age of 50 are associated with an increased risk of diabetes, according to a new study.

'BC5' material shows superhard, superconducting potential Posted: 24 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT What could be better than diamond when it comes to a superhard material for electronics under extreme thermal and pressure conditions? Quite possibly BC5, a diamond-like material with an extremely high boron content that offers exceptional hardness and resistance to fracture, but unlike diamond, it is a superconductor rather than an insulator.

Pre-stored phrases make it easier to be part of a conversation Posted: 24 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers in Sweden have now developed a system where pre-stored phrases are used in addition to writing, with a view to making communication faster and more easy-going for people with serious speech disorders.

Evolution of bird bills: Birds reduce their 'heating bills' in cold climates Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT The evolution of bird bills is related to climate, according to latest research.

Jetting off without the jet lag Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Everyone hates the jet lag that accompanies travel to locations in different time zones. The symptoms of jet lag are caused by misalignment of a person's internal body clock and external time. New research provides insight into the molecular mechanisms responsible for resetting the internal body clock in the mouse, data that point to potential therapies to overcome jet lag.

Skins prone to sunburn may be capable of a normal tan Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT As the beaches of Southern Europe prepare for this summer's influx of pale skinned British sun worshippers, new research from the UK has found that redheads are just as capable of making the melanin needed for a tan as the olive-skinned locals.

Mechanism explains complications associated with diabetes Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT New research uncovers a molecular mechanism that links diabetes with an increased risk of cardiovascular problems and sudden cardiac death. The study finds that high blood sugar prevents vital communication between the brain and the autonomic nervous system, which controls many involuntary activities in the body.

Studies confirm presence, severity of pollution in US national parks Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Toxic contamination from pesticides, the burning of fossil fuels, agriculture, industrial operations and other sources are a continuing concern in US national parks of the West, two new studies confirm.

Young children are skilled negotiators, Swedish research finds Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Young children are skilled negotiators when it comes to relationships and the content of play, reveals new research from Sweden.

Discovery of how coral reefs adapt to global warming could aid reef restoration Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Discoveries about tropical coral reefs are expected to be invaluable in efforts to restore the corals, which are succumbing to bleaching and other diseases at an unprecedented rate as ocean temperatures rise worldwide.

Polio research gives new insight into tackling vaccine-derived poliovirus Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT A vaccine-derived strain of poliovirus that has spread in recent years is serious but it can be tackled with an existing vaccine, according to a new study.

New areas prone to moderate earthquakes identified in Iberian Peninsula Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Some areas of the Iberian Peninsula, where earthquakes of moderate magnitude have never yet been recorded, such as certain parts of the Cordillera Cantábrica mountain range, the far west of the Cordilleras Béticas mountains and the north of Valencia, could have the potential to generate such quakes, according to a new study.

Can START stop cholesterol build-up? Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT A newly discovered group of proteins could help treat cholesterol build-up in arteries.

Asymetric nanostructures for early and more accurate prediction of cancer Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Nanotechnology Researchers in Belgium have demonstrated biosensors based on novel nanostructure geometries that increase the sensitivity and allow to detect extremely low concentrations of specific disease markers. This paves the way to early diagnostics of for example cancer by detecting low densities of cancer markers in human blood samples.

Abusive mothering aggravates the impact of stress hormones Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT In a new study, researchers have dissected the behavior of mother rats and their infant pups, modeling nurturing by stroking and abuse with electric shock. In this animal model of infant abuse, they took into consideration the unique infant neurobehavioral learning attachment system that ensures infant rats' attachment to their caregiver regardless of the quality of care received.

Brave brains: Neural mechanisms of courage uncovered in study of fear of snakes Posted: 23 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT A fascinating new study combines snakes with brain imaging in order to uncover neural mechanisms associated with "courage." The research provides new insight into what happens in the brain when an individual voluntarily performs an action opposite to that promoted by ongoing fear and may even lead to new treatment strategies for those who exhibit a failure to overcome their fear.

Structural basis for incidence of skin cancers in a genetic disorder discovered Posted: 23 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have found why patients with a variant form of xeroderma pigmentosum (XPV), an inherited genetic disorder characterized by extreme sensitivity to the sun, are more susceptible to skin cancers than the general population. Their finding sets the stage for research into therapies that would help protect people with XPV from developing skin cancers.

Loneliness, poor health appear to be linked Posted: 23 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Two studies have found that hoarding friends doesn't necessarily diminish forlorn feelings and that loneliness is a matter of perception. Superficial relationships, researchers say, can not only result in feelings of detachment, but also contribute to certain health-related problems.

Lowering homocysteine levels with folic acid and vitamin B12 does not appear to reduce risk of heart attack, stroke, study finds Posted: 23 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Patients who had experienced a heart attack and lowered their blood homocysteine levels with folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation did not have an associated lower risk of heart attack, coronary death or stroke, according to a new study. However, the researchers did find that folic acid supplementation did not increase the risk of cancer, which has been speculated.

Early results from the world's brightest X-ray source Posted: 23 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT The first published research to emerge from the SLAC linear collider since it was reconfigured as an ultra-bright, high-energy free electron laser offers a high speed closeup of ionizing nitrogen gas.

US ranks last among 7 countries on health system performance, new report says Posted: 23 Jun 2010 08:00 PM PDT Despite having the most expensive health care system, the United States ranks last overall compared to six other industrialized countries -- Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom -- on measures of health system performance in five areas: quality, efficiency, access to care, equity and the ability to lead long, healthy, productive lives, according to a new report.

'Quantum computer' a stage closer with silicon breakthrough Posted: 23 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT The remarkable ability of an electron to exist in two places at once has been controlled in the most common electronic material -- silicon -- for the first time. The research findings marks a significant step towards the making of an affordable "quantum computer."

Genetically modified cell procedure may prove useful in treating kidney failure Posted: 23 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT A protein whose primary role is in the embryonic development of kidneys may play a future role in treating kidney failure. Researchers have successfully treated acute kidney injury in laboratory experiments using cells that were genetically reprogrammed to produce the protein. The research suggests there could be a potential future treatment using such cells delivered intravenously instead of surgically.

Underwater gliders may change how scientists track fish Posted: 23 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Tracking fish across Alaska's vast continental shelves can present a challenge to any scientist studying Alaska's seas. Researchers have successfully tested a possible solution in the form of underwater gliders.

Exercise trumps creatine in cardiac rehabilitation Posted: 23 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Athletes have been enjoying the benefits of creatine supplements to gain stronger muscles since the 1990s, and the supplement has also proven beneficial among other groups. Could it help cardiac patients regain strength to help with their heart-training workouts as part of rehabilitation? The evidence at this stage suggests not -- exercise alone proved a far more powerful tonic for patients in a study out today.

New medical weapons to protect against anthrax attacks Posted: 23 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT The 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States are fostering development of a new generation of vaccines, antibiotics, and other medications to protect people against the potentially deadly bacteria in any future bioterrorist incident.

Computer program detects depression in bloggers' texts Posted: 23 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have developed a computer program capable of identifying language that can indicate a writer's psychological state, which could serve as a screening tool. The software was used to scan more than 300,000 English language blogs that were posted to mental health Web sites. The program identified what it perceived to be the 100 "most depressed" and 100 "least depressed" bloggers.

First superstorm on exoplanet detected Posted: 23 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Astronomers have measured a superstorm for the first time in the atmosphere of an exoplanet, the well-studied "hot Jupiter" HD209458b. The very high-precision observations of carbon monoxide gas show that it is streaming at enormous speed from the extremely hot day side to the cooler night side of the planet. The observations also allow another exciting "first" -- measuring the orbital speed of the exoplanet itself, providing a direct determination of its mass.

Imaging reveals how brain fails to tune out phantom sounds of tinnitus Posted: 23 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT About 40 million people in the US today suffer from tinnitus, an irritating and sometimes debilitating auditory disorder in which a person "hears" sounds, such as ringing, that don't actually exist. There isn't a cure for what has long been a mysterious ailment, but new research suggests there may, someday, be a way to alleviate the sensation of this sound.

Separation between Neanderthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred 500,000 years earlier, DNA from teeth suggests Posted: 23 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT The separation of Neanderthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred at least one million years ago, more than 500,000 years earlier than previously believed, according to recent research in Spain using DNA-based analyses of teeth and computer modeling.

New vaccine strategies could safely control Rift Valley fever Posted: 23 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Two new approaches could form the basis for the first-ever human vaccine for Rift Valley fever, an infectious disease that threatens both farm animals and people, say researchers. Experimental vaccines developed with these approaches produced strong immune responses in mice and may be safer than the only available RVF vaccine, which is limited to animal use.

Chicken litter has advantages over conventional fertilizers Posted: 23 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Chicken litter is much more valuable as a fertilizer than previously thought, according to an agricultural study showing its newfound advantages over conventional fertilizers.

REM sleep deprivation plays a role in chronic migraine Posted: 23 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT New research shows that sleep deprivation leads to changes in the levels of key proteins that facilitate events involved in the underlying pathology of migraine.

Neuroscientists can predict your behavior better than you can Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT In a study with implications for the advertising industry and public health organizations, neuroscientists have shown they can use brain scanning to predict whether people will use sunscreen in the next week better than the people themselves can predict whether they will do so. This is the first persuasion study in neuroscience to predict behavior change.

Getting estrogen's benefits without cancer risk Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have pinpointed a set of biological mechanisms through which estrogen confers its beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, independent of the hormone's actions on cancer.

Amniotic membrane used to repair human articular cartilage Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Spanish scientists have proposed using human amniotic membrane as a new tool for repairing damaged human articular cartilage, which heals very poorly because of its low capacity for self-repair. Their research shows that the cellular density of the cartilage synthesized could be greater than that of the body's own natural cartilage.

Going barefoot in home may contribute to elderly falls Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Going barefoot in the home, wearing slippers, or socks with no shoes may contribute falls among the elderly.

Supercomputer provides new insights into the vibrations of water Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Using Terahertz spectroscopy, chemists recently detected the surprisingly long-ranged influence of solvated biomolecules on the "dance" of surrounding water molecules. With extensive simulations on a supercomputer, they have now succeeded in describing this choreography in detail.

Adverse childhood experiences linked to frequent headache in adults Posted: 23 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Children who experience maltreatment such as emotional, physical and sexual abuse are more likely to experience frequent headaches, including chronic migraine, as adults, say scientists.

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