ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Mayan king's tomb discovered in Guatemala
• Redundant genetic instructions in 'junk DNA' support healthy development
• Chemists grow crystals with a twist -- and untwist
• Model predicts individual's vitamin D needs
• Quantum simulations uncover hydrogen's phase transitions
• The image in the mirror and the number on the scale both count
• Breakthrough achieved in explaining why tectonic plates move the way they do
• New toxin may be key to MRSA severity
• Nature's insect repellents discovered
• Investigators perfect new version of blood-regulator thrombin
• Sound creates light: Researchers transfer ultra-stable frequency across 480-km optical fiber link
• Abnormal brain activity in migraineurs is not restricted to attacks
• Astronomers discover an unusual cosmic lens
• Improving clinical use of stem cells to repair heart damage
• Cancer drugs may help stop major parasite
• New method of tissue banking makes gene analysis more practical for lung cancer
• Fungi's genetic sabotage in wheat discovered
• Studies explore effects of war on former child soldiers
• Mice cages can alter rodents’ brains and skew research results, study finds
• New discovery brings hope to treatment of incurable blood cancer
• Old theory of phytoplankton growth overturned, raise concerns for ocean productivity
• Less salt for everybody
• Small wires make big connections for microelectronics
• Apathy and depression predict progression from mild cognitive impairment
• Record-breaking carbon dioxide storage capacity enhances ability to capture CO₂
• Genetic ancestry data improve diagnosis in asthma and lung disease
• Why walking flat-footed hurts habitual high-heels wearers: The effects of wearing high heals on women's legs
• Arthroscopic treatment of common hip problem allows athletes to return to play, study finds
• New radiation mechanism may ward off cancer, oil spills and terrorism
• Young children especially vulnerable to effects of 9/11

Mayan king's tomb discovered in Guatemala Posted: 17 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT A well-preserved tomb of an ancient Mayan king has been discovered in Guatemala. The tomb is packed with carvings, ceramics, textiles, and the bones of six children, who may have been sacrificed at the time of the king's death.

Redundant genetic instructions in 'junk DNA' support healthy development Posted: 17 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Seemingly redundant portions of the fruit fly genome may not be so redundant after all. Repeated instructional regions in the flies' DNA may contribute to normal development under less-than-ideal growth conditions by making sure that genes are turned on and off at the appropriate times, according to new research. If similar regions are found in humans, they may hold important clues to understanding developmental disorders.

Chemists grow crystals with a twist -- and untwist Posted: 17 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Chemists have created crystals that can twist and untwist, pointing to a much more varied process of crystal growth than previously thought. Their work may explain some of the properties of high-polymers, which are used in clothing and liquid crystal displays, among other consumer products.

Model predicts individual's vitamin D needs Posted: 17 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Your skin tone and the amount of sunshine you receive -- in addition to what foods you eat -- all can influence the amount of vitamin D that your body has on hand for optimum health. Scientists have now developed a preliminary model that predicts an individual's vitamin D requirements.

Quantum simulations uncover hydrogen's phase transitions Posted: 17 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and is a major component of giant planets such as Jupiter and Saturn. But not much is known about what happens to this abundant element under high-pressure conditions when it transforms from one state to another.

The image in the mirror and the number on the scale both count Posted: 17 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Adolescent girls who think they are overweight, but are not, are at more risk for depression than girls who are overweight and know it, according to sociologists.

Breakthrough achieved in explaining why tectonic plates move the way they do Posted: 17 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT Geophysicists have developed a new theory to explain the global motions of tectonic plates on the earth's surface. The new theory extends the theory of plate tectonics -- a kinematic description of plate motion without reference to the forces behind it -- with a dynamical theory that provides a physical explanation for both the motions of tectonic plates as well as motion of plate boundaries.

New toxin may be key to MRSA severity Posted: 17 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT A research project to identify all the surface proteins of USA300 -- the most common community-associated strain of the methicillin-resistant form of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus -- has resulted in the identification and isolation of a plentiful new toxin that laboratory studies indicate is a potent killer of human immune cells. Scientists say the toxin could be a key factor in the severity of MRSA infections in otherwise healthy people.

Nature's insect repellents discovered Posted: 17 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT Two compounds emitted by mosquito predators that make the mosquitoes less inclined to lay eggs in pools of water may provide new environmentally friendly tactics for repelling and controlling disease-carrying insects.

Investigators perfect new version of blood-regulator thrombin Posted: 17 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT Molecular biologists have discovered a way to harness the enzyme thrombin's anti-blood clotting properties.

Sound creates light: Researchers transfer ultra-stable frequency across 480-km optical fiber link Posted: 17 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers in Germany have found an elegant solution to transmit an optical frequency with extreme precision: they employ fiber Brillouin amplification. The new method simplifies the comparison of newly developed optical clocks and it is likely to have applications in other areas where precise synchronization is needed, for example in radio astronomy. Experts in geodesy have already approached the researchers with suggestions for joint projects.

Abnormal brain activity in migraineurs is not restricted to attacks Posted: 17 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT Typically, migraine is considered to be an episodic disorder with discrete attacks of headache. But new research has found increased network activity -- stronger functional connectivity -- bilaterally in the visual, auditory and sensorimotor network in migraineurs.

Astronomers discover an unusual cosmic lens Posted: 16 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT Astronomers have discovered the first known case of a distant galaxy being magnified by a quasar acting as a gravitational lens.

Improving clinical use of stem cells to repair heart damage Posted: 16 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have presented a new approach to treating heart attack and cardiomyopathy using stem cells. The team has discovered a way to identify heart stem cells so as to purify them for transplant.

Cancer drugs may help stop major parasite Posted: 16 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT A parasite estimated to afflict as many as 12 million people worldwide relies on a family of genes that should make it vulnerable to compounds developed to treat cancer and other disorders, researchers have found.

New method of tissue banking makes gene analysis more practical for lung cancer Posted: 16 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT Analyzing the genes expressed by cancer cells allows for a better understanding of that patient's specific disease and in turn, a more personalized approach to treatment. But obtaining the RNA from a tumor in the lungs in order to conduct the genetic analysis is a challenging prospect. Currently, lung cancer researchers are limited to using RNA extracted from early-stage tumors removed during surgery.

Fungi's genetic sabotage in wheat discovered Posted: 16 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT Using molecular techniques, scientists have shown how the subversion of a single gene in wheat by two fungal foes triggers a kind of cellular suicide in the grain crop's leaves.

Studies explore effects of war on former child soldiers Posted: 16 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT Two studies found that how child soldiers adapt upon returning home depends on the communities they return to. The first study, of 150 former child soldiers in Sierra Leone, found that children who lived in communities where they felt accepted were less depressed and more confident. The second study, of 330 former Ugandan child soldiers, found that the most resilient children were those who returned to less violent communities and better family socioeconomic situations.

Mice cages can alter rodents’ brains and skew research results, study finds Posted: 16 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have found that the type of cage lab mice are kept in can physically change their brains and dramatically alter test data.

New discovery brings hope to treatment of incurable blood cancer Posted: 16 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Multiple myeloma is one of the most common blood cancers, and at present considered to be incurable. Researchers now present a conceptually new model for the development and progression of multiple myeloma.

Old theory of phytoplankton growth overturned, raise concerns for ocean productivity Posted: 16 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT A new study concludes that an old, fundamental and widely accepted theory of how and why phytoplankton bloom in the oceans is incorrect. The findings challenge more than 50 years of conventional wisdom about the growth of phytoplankton, which are the ultimate basis for almost all ocean life and major fisheries. And they also raise concerns that global warming, rather than stimulating ocean productivity, may actually curtail it in some places.

Less salt for everybody Posted: 16 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Restricting the amount of sodium chloride in food can lower the risk of cardiovascular morbidities, according to a new study.

Small wires make big connections for microelectronics Posted: 16 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Engineers have developed a novel direct-writing method for manufacturing metal interconnects that could shrink integrated circuits and expand microelectronics. The technique produces tiny pure metal wires much smaller in diameter than traditional wires and requiring two orders of magnitude less bonding area. This could enable more complex integrated functions in microelectronics.

Apathy and depression predict progression from mild cognitive impairment Posted: 16 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT A new study found that apathy and depression significantly predict an individual's progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a disorder of the brain that affects nerve cells involved in thinking abilities, to dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.

Record-breaking carbon dioxide storage capacity enhances ability to capture CO<sub>2</sub> Posted: 16 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Chemists report the "ultimate porosity of a nano material" and records for carbon dioxide storage capacity and porosity in an important class of materials known as MOFs. Porosity in materials is essential for capturing carbon dioxide. This research could lead to cleaner energy and the ability to capture heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions before they reach the atmosphere, which contribute to global warming, rising sea levels and the increased acidity of oceans.

Genetic ancestry data improve diagnosis in asthma and lung disease Posted: 16 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have found that patients' precise genetic background told far more about their potential lung function -- and therefore any damage that has occurred -- than the self-identified racial profile commonly used in such tests. The results point to a more precise method of assessing patients' lung function, as well as the potential impact of using precise genetic benchmarks for assessing health overall.

Why walking flat-footed hurts habitual high-heels wearers: The effects of wearing high heals on women's legs Posted: 16 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Why does it hurt walking flat-footed after wearing high heels? Researchers looked at the calf muscles of habitual high heel wearers and found that the women's muscle fibers were shorter and their Achilles' tendons much thicker, so their tendons are stiffer and harder to stretch, which makes walking flat-footed uncomfortable after wearing high heels.

Arthroscopic treatment of common hip problem allows athletes to return to play, study finds Posted: 16 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Patients who undergo arthroscopic surgery for a mechanical disorder of the hip have a good chance of being able to return to their sport at a high level of competition, according to a new study.

New radiation mechanism may ward off cancer, oil spills and terrorism Posted: 16 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Radiation similar to that used to treat cancer may someday help clean up environmental disasters such as the Gulf oil spill and detect explosive powder hidden underneath clothing.

Young children especially vulnerable to effects of 9/11 Posted: 16 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Two longitudinal studies examine the relationship of maternal PTSD and depression to the mental health and behavior of children who were affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The first study found that preschoolers of mothers who experienced PTSD and depression symptoms exhibited more clinically significant behavior problems. The second study found that direct exposure to 9/11 played a small but significant role in explaining the prevalence of the mothers' and adolescents' PTSD and depression rates.

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