ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• New 'fix' for cosmic clocks could help uncover ripples in space-time
• Consumer-grade camera detects cancer cells in real time
• Compound found in red wine neutralizes toxicity of proteins related to Alzheimer's
• Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have higher BPA blood levels, study finds
• Freshwater fish eyes: Great home for parasites
• Teens and alcohol study: After a few drinks, parenting style kicks in
• Researchers develop living, breathing human lung-on-a-chip
• Sight restored to mice afflicted with retinitis pigmentosa
• Earth-like planets may be ready for their close-up
• Progesterone is effective for hot flash treatment and provides an alternative to estrogen, study finds
• Adios El Niño, hello La Niña?
• Brain stimulation technique boosts language ability in Alzheimer's patients
• Behavior breakthrough: Like animals, plants demonstrate complex ability to integrate information
• Addiction: a loss of plasticity of the brain?
• Seventh graders find a cave on Mars
• Popular heart drug may be unsafe for some kidney patients
• Life of plastic solar cell jumps from hours to 8 months
• Migraine sufferers who experienced childhood abuse have greater risk of cardiovascular disease, study finds
• Higher wetland methane emissions caused by climate warming 40,000 years ago
• Novel approach developed to study neurological disorders
• Researcher develops green, bio-based process for producing fuel additive
• Possible role for Smurf1 in pulmonary arterial hypertension
• Crack in the case for supersolids: Reports of supersolid helium may have been premature
• How likely is misdiagnosis?
• Was Venus once a habitable planet?
• Antihypertensive drugs may protect against Alzheimer's disease
• Breast milk transmits drugs and medicines to the baby
• How embryos fight retroviral infection
• Moldy homes a serious risk for severe asthma attacks in some
• Winning a soccer penalty shootout: cheering convincingly increases changes of success
• Widespread glacial meltwater valleys found on Mars
• Hallmark Alzheimer's disease changes found in retinas of humans and imaged in live animals
• Left or right? Early clues to soccer penalty kicks revealed
• Babies' first bacteria depend on birthing method, says new study
• Blast resistance standards keep the boom from the room
• Ignoring stress leads recovering addicts to more cravings

New 'fix' for cosmic clocks could help uncover ripples in space-time Posted: 25 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT An international team of scientists have developed a promising new technique which could turn pulsars -- superb natural cosmic clocks -- into even more accurate time-keepers. This important advance could improve the search for gravitational waves and help studies into the origins of the universe.

Consumer-grade camera detects cancer cells in real time Posted: 25 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Using an off-the-shelf digital camera, biomedical engineers have created an inexpensive device that is powerful enough to let doctors easily distinguish cancerous cells from healthy cells simply by viewing the LCD monitor on the back of the camera.

Compound found in red wine neutralizes toxicity of proteins related to Alzheimer's Posted: 25 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT An organic compound found in red wine -- resveratrol -- has the ability to neutralize the toxic effects of proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease. The findings are a step toward understanding the large-scale death of brain cells seen in certain neurodegenerative diseases.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have higher BPA blood levels, study finds Posted: 25 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Women with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common hormone imbalance in women of reproductive age, may be more vulnerable to exposure to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), found in many plastic household items, according to a new study.

Freshwater fish eyes: Great home for parasites Posted: 25 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT The limited immune response in the eyes of freshwater fishes has created a great home for parasites, according to new research. The study provides a lens into the evolutionary world of the larval flukes that parasitize Canadian fish.

Teens and alcohol study: After a few drinks, parenting style kicks in Posted: 25 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT The teens least prone to heavy drinking had parents who scored high on both accountability and warmth. So-called "indulgent" parents, those low on accountability and high on warmth, nearly tripled the risk of their teen participating in heavy drinking. "Strict" parents -- high on accountability and low on warmth -- more than doubled their teen's risk of heavy drinking.

Researchers develop living, breathing human lung-on-a-chip Posted: 25 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have combined microfabrication techniques from the computer industry with modern tissue engineering techniques, human cells and a plain old vacuum pump to create a living, breathing human lung-on-a-chip. The device mimics the most active part of the lung, the boundary between the air sac and the bloodstream.

Sight restored to mice afflicted with retinitis pigmentosa Posted: 25 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Swiss researchers have just restored sight to mice afflicted with retinitis pigmentosa. The results have been confirmed ex-vivo, on human tissue cultures. Thanks to a complementary clinical approach, the team has now determined the types of patient who could benefit from this therapy.

Earth-like planets may be ready for their close-up Posted: 25 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Many scientists speculate that our galaxy could be full of places like Pandora from the movie "Avatar" -- Earth-like worlds in solar systems besides our own.

Progesterone is effective for hot flash treatment and provides an alternative to estrogen, study finds Posted: 25 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Postmenopausal women who experience bothersome hot flashes or night sweats may have an alternative treatment to estrogen. According to a new study, oral micronized progesterone relieves those symptoms.

Adios El Niño, hello La Niña? Posted: 25 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT The latest image of Pacific Ocean sea surface heights from the NASA/European Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason-2 oceanography satellite, dated June 11, 2010, shows that the tropical Pacific has switched from warm (red) to cold (blue) during the last few months.

Brain stimulation technique boosts language ability in Alzheimer's patients Posted: 25 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT A brain stimulation technique, known as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, boosts the language ability of patients with Alzheimer's disease, suggests preliminary research.

Behavior breakthrough: Like animals, plants demonstrate complex ability to integrate information Posted: 25 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that a plant's strategy to capture nutrients in the soil is the result of integration of different types of information. They found plants also have the ability to integrate information about the location of both food and competitors. As a result, plants demonstrate unique behavioral strategies to capture soil resources.

Addiction: a loss of plasticity of the brain? Posted: 25 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Why is it that only some drug users become addicts?Researchers have just discovered that the transition to addiction could result from a persistent impairment of synaptic plasticity in a key structure of the brain.

Seventh graders find a cave on Mars Posted: 25 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Using the camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, 16 seventh-graders at Evergreen Middle School in Cottonwood, Calif., found lava tubes with one pit that appears to be a skylight to a cave. Mars Odyssey has been orbiting the Red Planet since 2001, returning data and images of the Martian surface and providing relay communications service for Mars Rovers Spirit and Opportunity.

Popular heart drug may be unsafe for some kidney patients Posted: 25 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT For patients with kidney disease on dialysis, the widely used heart medication digoxin may lead to an increased risk of premature death, according to a new study.

Life of plastic solar cell jumps from hours to 8 months Posted: 25 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT A team of researchers has extended the operating life of an unsealed plastic solar cell, from mere hours to eight months. The team developed a longer lasting, polymer coating for the electrode. Prior to the new coating the team's plastic solar cell could only operate at high capacity for about 10 hours.

Migraine sufferers who experienced childhood abuse have greater risk of cardiovascular disease, study finds Posted: 25 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Migraine sufferers who experienced abuse and neglect as children have a greater risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease including stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) among others, say scientists.

Higher wetland methane emissions caused by climate warming 40,000 years ago Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT 40,000 years ago rapid warming led to an increase in methane concentration. The culprit for this increase has now been identified. Mainly wetlands in high northern latitudes caused the methane increase. This result refutes an alternative theory dis-cussed amongst experts, the so-called "clathrate gun hypothesis."

Novel approach developed to study neurological disorders Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Researchers have developed a novel approach to efficiently identify disease relevant genes in human complex neurological disorders and demonstrated the effectiveness of this method by applying it to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

Researcher develops green, bio-based process for producing fuel additive Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT A new green, bio-based method for producing a much-used fuel additive and industrial chemical that is currently made from petroleum products has been developed.

Possible role for Smurf1 in pulmonary arterial hypertension Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a progressive disease, marked by shortness of breath and fatigue which can be fatal if untreated. Increased pressure in the pulmonary artery and its branches is associated with dysfunctional growth control of endothelial and smooth muscle cells leading to excessive thickening of the blood vessel wall, obliteration of the lumen and right heart failure.

Crack in the case for supersolids: Reports of supersolid helium may have been premature Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT New experiments are casting doubt on previously reported observations of supersolid helium. New research suggests that prior experiments that seemed to show signs of supersolidity were in fact the result of the plastic deformation of normal helium.

How likely is misdiagnosis? Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Medical researchers have been evaluating the accuracy of patient diagnoses. Evaluating diagnostic strategy is crucial to clinical practice as it helps maximize the efficacy of the treatments which are offered to patients. Many lives are affected every day by the diagnoses made by hospitals and medical doctors, and it is vital that diagnoses are accurate.

Was Venus once a habitable planet? Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT The European Space Agency's Venus Express is helping planetary scientists investigate whether Venus once had oceans. If it did, it may even have begun its existence as a habitable planet similar to Earth.

Antihypertensive drugs may protect against Alzheimer's disease Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have found that the drug carvedilol, currently prescribed for the treatment of hypertension, may lessen the degenerative impact of Alzheimer's disease and promote healthy memory functions.

Breast milk transmits drugs and medicines to the baby Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Give up smoking, do not drink more than three cups of coffee per day, do not take any kind of drug, or if you do, take it as long as possible before feeding your baby. These are some of the recommendations contained in a study produced by researchers on methods for detecting medicines and drugs in breast milk. The study shows that the risk from substances such as alcohol is still not well understood.

How embryos fight retroviral infection Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Some viruses insert themselves into the host's DNA during infection in a process called retroviral integration, causing several diseases, including AIDS and cancer, notes a researcher who specializes in fetal diseases. However, stem cells that give rise to the early embryo and yolk sac fight back, inhibiting further infection by aggressively silencing the invading viral DNA, he says.

Moldy homes a serious risk for severe asthma attacks in some Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Exposure to high levels of fungus may increase the risk of severe asthma attacks among people with certain chitinase gene variants, according to a new study.

Winning a soccer penalty shootout: cheering convincingly increases changes of success Posted: 24 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Behaviour is contagious. If you see someone yawn or smile, it's often a matter of seconds before you do the same yourself. This copying behaviour also turns out to work on the soccer pitch. "The more convincingly someone celebrates their success with their teammates, the greater the chances that team will win," according to one sport scientist.

Widespread glacial meltwater valleys found on Mars Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Scientists have documented dozens of channels carved by melted water from glaciers located in the midlatitude region of Mars. The glaciofluvial valleys were carved in Mars' most recent epoch, the team reports, supporting the idea that the Red Planet was home to diverse watery environments in its recent past.

Hallmark Alzheimer's disease changes found in retinas of humans and imaged in live animals Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT The nerve cell-damaging plaque that builds up in the brain with Alzheimer's disease also builds up in the retinas of the eyes -- and it shows up there earlier, leading to the prospect that noninvasive optical imaging of the eyes could lead to earlier diagnosis, intervention and monitoring of the disease, according to new research.

Left or right? Early clues to soccer penalty kicks revealed Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT In the split second before foot meets ball, a soccer player's body betrays whether a penalty kick will go left or right, according to recent research in cognitive science. The findings could explain how some top goalkeepers are able to head off a penalty kick, diving in the correct direction in advance of the kick. It could also point the way to changes in how players kick, and goalies react.

Babies' first bacteria depend on birthing method, says new study Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT A new study indicates different delivery methods of newborn babies has a big effect on the types of microbial communities they harbor as they emerge into the world, findings with potential implications for the heath of infants as they grow and develop.

Blast resistance standards keep the boom from the room Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Standards for blast resistance among trash receptacles have now been published by the standards development organization ASTM International.

Ignoring stress leads recovering addicts to more cravings Posted: 24 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Recovering addicts who avoid coping with stress succumb easily to substance use cravings, making them more likely to relapse during recovery, according to behavioral researchers.

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