ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Brainstem, spinal cord images hidden in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel fresco
• Sleep disorder may signal dementia, Parkinson's disease up to 50 years early
• Planets found in unusually intimate dance around dying star
• An HPV vaccine cheap enough for the developing world? Could be
• NASA simulates space exploration at remote Arctic crater site
• Can't place that face?
• Quantum phenomenon observed: Atoms form organized structure from unorganized one
• Dense bones linked to raised risk for prostate cancer
• Birth of a hurricane
• Women with gestational diabetes have increased risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies, study finds
• New tool for improving switchgrass
• Teachers can close gender gap in classroom leadership during medical school, study finds
• Marine biodiversity strongly linked to ocean temperature
• Diabetes care: Implanted glucose sensor works for more than a year in animal studies
• A future with or without trees: Greenhouse gas emissions from Brazilian Amazon state
• Weight issues move up need for walkers, canes, other devices
• Talking touchscreens aid patients
• Penalty points system driver's license reduces accidents on a temporary basis, Spanish study finds
• Hormonal birth control alters scent communication in primates
• Sirtuin1 may boost memory and learning ability; Discovery could lead to new drugs to fight Alzheimer's, other neurological diseases
• Genomes behave as social entities: Alien chromatin minorities evolve through specificities reduction
• Millions of Americans in early stages of kidney disease need stroke monitoring, research finds
• Three-year investigation of military munitions sea disposal site in Hawaii completed
• Narcissistic heterosexual men target their hostility primarily at heterosexual women, the objects of their desires, study finds
• Ancient DNA identifies donkey ancestors, people who domesticated them
• Mysterious workings of cholera bacteria uncovered
• Nanomaterials poised for big impact in construction
• Middle school students co-author research on enzyme for activating promising disease-fighters
• Nanotechnology for water purification
• Novel algorithm cuts the risks of choosing ineffectual team members
• Marine phytoplankton declining: Striking global changes at the base of the marine food web linked to rising ocean temperatures
• Huntington's disease discovery provides new hope for treatment
• Making eco-friendly diesel fuel from butter
• Multiple sclerosis: Antihypertensive drug ameliorates inflammation in the brain
• Clean technology in 'hot water'
• Why fad diets work well for some, but not others
• Artificially controlling water condensation leads to 'room-temperature ice'
• Morphine blocks tumor growth, study suggests
• Electronic cigarettes require more suction than conventional brands
• Early repolarization pattern is associated with cardiac risk among the middle aged
• First step toward electronic DNA sequencing: Translocation through graphene nanopores
• Background music can impair performance, cites new study
• Unexplained pattern of cosmic rays discovered
• Leap forward in efforts to develop treatments for Huntington's disease
• Fly eye paves the way for manufacturing biomimetic surfaces
• Where do the drugs go?
• Two catalysts made to work together: May lead to pharmaceuticals with less chemical waste
• People confront prejudice only when they believe others' personalities can change, study finds

Brainstem, spinal cord images hidden in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel fresco Posted: 29 Jul 2010 08:00 AM PDT Michelangelo, the 16th century master painter and accomplished anatomist, appears to have hidden an image of the brainstem and spinal cord in a depiction of God in the Sistine Chapel's ceiling, a new study reports. These findings by a neurosurgeon and a medical illustrator may explain long controversial and unusual features of one of the frescoes' figures.

Sleep disorder may signal dementia, Parkinson's disease up to 50 years early Posted: 29 Jul 2010 08:00 AM PDT A new study shows that a sleep disorder may be a sign of dementia or Parkinson's disease up to 50 years before the disorders are diagnosed.

Planets found in unusually intimate dance around dying star Posted: 29 Jul 2010 08:00 AM PDT Astronomers have found two extrasolar planetary systems with gas giant planets locked in an orbital embrace. In one system -- a planetary pair orbiting the massive, dying star HD 200964, located roughly 223 light-years from Earth -- the intimate dance is closer and tighter than any previously seen.

An HPV vaccine cheap enough for the developing world? Could be Posted: 29 Jul 2010 08:00 AM PDT Vaccine manufacturers in India and other developing countries may be able to produce a lower-cost HPV vaccine in spite of the complicated array of patent protections on the technology, say researchers.

NASA simulates space exploration at remote Arctic crater site Posted: 29 Jul 2010 08:00 AM PDT NASA personnel are among a group of international researchers who are in the Canadian Arctic assessing concepts for future planetary exploration as part of the Haughton-Mars Project, or HMP-2010. Scientists are using the arid, rocky environment of the Haughton Crater on Devon Island, Canada to simulate conditions that might be encountered by explorers on other planetary bodies. The latest edition of the HMP-2010 began July 19 and includes three weeks of crew and mission control activities and robotic testing.

Can't place that face? Posted: 29 Jul 2010 08:00 AM PDT Researchers are trying to understand the mechanisms at work in the face area of the brain called the "fusiform gyrus" by combining cognitive psychology with techniques like brain imaging and electrophysiology. This research may help business executives better match names with faces, and can lead to better facial recognition software to identify terrorists or criminals.

Quantum phenomenon observed: Atoms form organized structure from unorganized one Posted: 29 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT Physicists have experimentally observed a quantum phenomenon, where an arbitrarily weak perturbation causes atoms to build an organized structure from an initially unorganized one.

Dense bones linked to raised risk for prostate cancer Posted: 29 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT Men who develop prostate cancer, especially the more aggressive and dangerous forms that spread throughout the body, tend to retain denser bones as they age than men who stay free of the disease, suggests new research.

Birth of a hurricane Posted: 29 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT Summer storms are a regular feature in the North Atlantic, and while most pose little threat to our shores, a choice few become devastating hurricanes. To decipher which storms could bring danger, and which will not, atmospheric scientists are heading to the tropics to observe these systems as they form and dissipate--or develop into hurricanes.

Women with gestational diabetes have increased risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies, study finds Posted: 29 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT There is an increased risk of recurring gestational diabetes in pregnant women who developed gestational diabetes during their first and second pregnancies, according to new study.

New tool for improving switchgrass Posted: 29 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new tool for deciphering the genetics of a native prairie grass being widely studied for its potential as a biofuel. The genetic map of switchgrass is expected to speed up the search for genes that will make the perennial plant a more viable source of bioenergy.

Teachers can close gender gap in classroom leadership during medical school, study finds Posted: 29 Jul 2010 05:00 AM PDT A new study shows that female medical students volunteer for leadership roles in the classroom significantly less than their male peers. Subtle pep talks from teachers can even out the playing field.

Marine biodiversity strongly linked to ocean temperature Posted: 29 Jul 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists have mapped and analyzed global biodiversity patterns for over 11,000 marine species ranging from tiny zooplankton to sharks and whales.

Diabetes care: Implanted glucose sensor works for more than a year in animal studies Posted: 29 Jul 2010 02:00 AM PDT Bioengineers have developed an implantable glucose sensor and wireless telemetry system that continuously monitors tissue glucose and transmits the information to an external receiver. A new article describes the use of this glucose-sensing device as an implant in animals for over one year. After human clinical trials and FDA approval, the device may be useful to people with diabetes as an alternative to finger sticking and short-term, needle-like glucose sensors that have to be replaced every three to seven days.

A future with or without trees: Greenhouse gas emissions from Brazilian Amazon state Posted: 29 Jul 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have estimated future emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane in the Brazilian Amazon state of Mato Grosso. The estimates were made by combining 105 years of historical data on land-use changes with possible scenarios for future deforestation and land use in the region.

Weight issues move up need for walkers, canes, other devices Posted: 29 Jul 2010 02:00 AM PDT Obese older adults are more likely to use walkers, canes and other mobility devices at a younger age, and may run the risk of using them incorrectly, according to new research.

Talking touchscreens aid patients Posted: 29 Jul 2010 02:00 AM PDT Multimedia talking touchscreens, housed in computer kiosks at clinics and hospitals, are helping researchers and clinicians at local health care centers enhance patient-centered care for patients with diverse language, literacy and computer skills.

Penalty points system driver's license reduces accidents on a temporary basis, Spanish study finds Posted: 29 Jul 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have determined that after the implementation in 2006 of the penalty points system driver's license in Spain, there has been a reduction of 12.6 percent in the number of deaths in highway accidents. However, the effect on fatal accidents lasted only two years.

Hormonal birth control alters scent communication in primates Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 PM PDT Hormonal contraceptives change the ways captive ring-tailed lemurs relate to one another both socially and sexually, according to a study that combined analyses of hormones, genes, scent chemicals and behavior.

Sirtuin1 may boost memory and learning ability; Discovery could lead to new drugs to fight Alzheimer's, other neurological diseases Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 PM PDT The same molecular mechanism that increases life span through calorie restriction may help boost memory and brainpower, researchers report.

Genomes behave as social entities: Alien chromatin minorities evolve through specificities reduction Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 PM PDT Researchers in Portugal and the U.S. studied the introgression -- the movement of a gene from one species into the gene pool of another -- of rye alien chromatin in the wheat genome, and showed that genomes behave like social entities.

Millions of Americans in early stages of kidney disease need stroke monitoring, research finds Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 PM PDT Millions of Americans in the early stages of chronic kidney disease are at an increased risk of having atrial fibrillation -- a major risk factor for stroke -- according to new research.

Three-year investigation of military munitions sea disposal site in Hawaii completed Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 PM PDT The University of Hawaii at Manoa's School of Ocean Earth Science and Technology completed a three-year long investigation of Sea Disposal Site Hawaii Number 5, a deep-water military munitions disposal site in US coastal waters approximately 5 miles south of Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. This complex investigation required the use of high-resolution sidescan sonar and remotely operated underwater vehicles to locate sea disposed munitions in water as deep as 1,500 feet.

Narcissistic heterosexual men target their hostility primarily at heterosexual women, the objects of their desires, study finds Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 PM PDT Heterosexual women bear the brunt of narcissistic heterosexual men's hostility, while heterosexual men, gay men and lesbian women provoke a softer reaction, according to a new study.

Ancient DNA identifies donkey ancestors, people who domesticated them Posted: 28 Jul 2010 08:00 PM PDT In a finding that says much about the people who lived in northern Africa 5,000 years ago, scientists believe domestication of the donkey was achieved by nomadic people responding to the growing borders of the Sahara. Scientists also determined the endangered African wild ass is the living ancestor of the modern donkey and found hints that one strain of African wild ass thought to be extinct may still be alive.

Mysterious workings of cholera bacteria uncovered Posted: 28 Jul 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers have found that an enzyme in the bacteria that causes cholera uses a previously unknown mechanism in providing the bacteria with energy. Because the enzyme is not found in most other organisms, including humans, the finding offers insights into how drugs might be created to kill the bacteria without harming humans.

Nanomaterials poised for big impact in construction Posted: 28 Jul 2010 08:00 PM PDT Nanomaterials are poised for widespread use in the construction industry, where they can offer significant advantages for a variety of applications ranging from making more durable concrete to self-cleaning windows. But widespread use in building materials comes with potential environmental and health risks when those materials are thrown away. Those are the conclusions of a new study.

Middle school students co-author research on enzyme for activating promising disease-fighters Posted: 28 Jul 2010 08:00 PM PDT Two middle school students from Wisconsin joined a team of scientists who are reporting the first glimpse of the innermost structure of a key bacterial enzyme. It helps activate certain antibiotics and anti-cancer agents so that those substances do their job.

Nanotechnology for water purification Posted: 28 Jul 2010 08:00 PM PDT Researchers in India are investigating the use of several nanotechnology approaches to water purification. Water purification using nanotechnology exploits nanoscopic materials such as carbon nanotubes and alumina fibers for nanofiltration

Novel algorithm cuts the risks of choosing ineffectual team members Posted: 28 Jul 2010 08:00 PM PDT Choosing team members is a risky business whether the field is world-class soccer management or car manufacture. Researchers describe a novel algorithm that can cut the risks associated with choosing ineffectual members and so bolster success in any field involving teamwork.

Marine phytoplankton declining: Striking global changes at the base of the marine food web linked to rising ocean temperatures Posted: 28 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT A new article reveals for the first time that microscopic marine algae known as phytoplankton have been declining globally over the 20th century. Phytoplankton forms the basis of the marine food chain and sustains diverse assemblages of species ranging from tiny zooplankton to large marine mammals, seabirds, and fish.

Huntington's disease discovery provides new hope for treatment Posted: 28 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT Australian scientists have identified the behavior of the mutant protein "huntingtin" which leads to the fatal Huntington's disease providing potential targets to treat the disease, a new study reveals.

Making eco-friendly diesel fuel from butter Posted: 28 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT The search for new raw materials for making biodiesel fuel has led scientists to an unlikely farm product -- butter. In a new study, researchers report that butter could be used as an eco-friendly feedstock, or raw material, for making diesel fuel.

Multiple sclerosis: Antihypertensive drug ameliorates inflammation in the brain Posted: 28 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a new signaling pathway of brain cells that explains how widely used antihypertensive drugs could keep inflammation in multiple sclerosis in check.

Clean technology in 'hot water' Posted: 28 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT What if work performed in space could improve the treatment of household and nuclear waste on Earth? That's what investigators are hoping to do with the results of a fluid physics study in progress on the International Space Station. The experiment, called DECLIC-HTI, is studying supercritical water that could lead to spin-offs in the field of clean technologies for treating waste here on Earth.

Why fad diets work well for some, but not others Posted: 28 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT Using fruit flies, researchers have found that genes interacting with diet, rather than diet alone, are the main cause of variation in metabolic traits, such as body weight. This helps explain why some diets work better for some people than others, and suggests that future diets should be tailored to an individual's genes rather than to physical appearance.

Artificially controlling water condensation leads to 'room-temperature ice' Posted: 28 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Researchers in Spain have studied the underlying mechanisms of water condensation in the troposphere and found a way to make artificial materials to control water condensation and trigger ice formation at room temperature.

Morphine blocks tumor growth, study suggests Posted: 28 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Current research suggests that taking morphine can block new blood vessel and tumor growth.

Electronic cigarettes require more suction than conventional brands Posted: 28 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Stronger suction is required to smoke "electronic cigarettes" than conventional brands, with possible adverse effects on human health, researchers report. Using a smoking machine to compare the smoking properties of eight conventional cigarettes with five e-cigarette brands, the researchers also found that in the case of e-cigarettes, the aerosol density dropped after the first ten puffs, requiring still stronger suction thereafter to produce aerosol.

Early repolarization pattern is associated with cardiac risk among the middle aged Posted: 28 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT The prevalence of early repolarization pattern among 35- to 54-year-olds is higher than previously thought, and has a clear link to an increased risk of cardiac death, especially among men, according to a new study.

First step toward electronic DNA sequencing: Translocation through graphene nanopores Posted: 28 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new, carbon-based nanoscale platform to electrically detect single DNA molecules. Using electric fields, the tiny DNA strands are pushed through nanoscale-sized thin pores in a graphene nanopore platform that ultimately may be important for fast electronic sequencing of the four chemical bases of DNA based on their unique electrical signature.

Background music can impair performance, cites new study Posted: 28 Jul 2010 02:00 PM PDT For decades research has shown that listening to music alleviates anxiety and depression, enhances mood, and can increase cognitive functioning, such as spatial awareness. However, until now, research has not addressed how we listen to music. For instance, is the cognitive benefit still the same if we listen to music whilst performing a task, rather than before it? Further, how does our preference for a particular type of music affect performance? A new study shows that listening to music that one likes whilst performing a serial recall task does not help performance any more than listening to music one does not enjoy.

Unexplained pattern of cosmic rays discovered Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers saw an unusual pattern when they looked at a "skymap" of the relative intensity of cosmic rays directed toward the Earth's Southern Hemisphere, with an excess of cosmic rays detected in one part of the sky and a deficit in another. A similar lopsidedness, called "anisotropy," has been seen from the Northern Hemisphere by previous experiments, but its source is still a mystery.

Leap forward in efforts to develop treatments for Huntington's disease Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Research reveals that an enzyme linked with multiple disorders -- including stroke, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis -- is also involved in the generation of toxic protein fragments in Huntington's disease.

Fly eye paves the way for manufacturing biomimetic surfaces Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Rows of tiny raised blowfly corneas may be the key to easy manufacturing of biomimetic surfaces, surfaces that mimic the properties of biological tissues, according to researchers.

Where do the drugs go? Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Drug delivery inside the body is a complicated process. Compounds travel through a maze of aqueous solutions, lipid membranes, and barriers between the blood and tissues like the brain. New research presents a theoretical model that accurately predicts the hydration free energy (HFE) of a wide variety of organic compounds.

Two catalysts made to work together: May lead to pharmaceuticals with less chemical waste Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Much like two children in the back seat of a car, it can be challenging to get two catalysts to cooperate for the greater good. Now chemists have gotten two catalysts to work together -- something easily done by nature but a difficult thing to do in the laboratory. The findings will allow medicinal chemists to invent new reactions and produce valuable bioactive compounds faster with less impact on the environment.

People confront prejudice only when they believe others' personalities can change, study finds Posted: 28 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT Confronting someone who makes a prejudiced remark can be a good thing -- but not everyone does it. Researchers studied how and when targets of bias will speak up, and found that they're more likely to do so if they hold a particular belief: that people's personalities can change.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610