ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Dogs' physical traits controlled by small number of genetic regions, researcher finds
• Scientists identify new drug strategy against fragile X syndrome
• Scientists show there's nothing boring about watching paint dry
• Better understanding of mapmaking in the brain
• Bacteria from hot springs reveal clues to evolution of early life and to unlock biofuels' potential
• Students' understanding of the equal sign not equal, professor says
• Indonesian ice field may be gone in a few years, core may contain secrets of Pacific El Nino events
• Adult autism diagnosis by brain scan
• Better displays ahead
• Walking to school could reduce stress reactivity in children, may curb risk of heart disease
• Deep ocean floor research yields promising results for microbiologists
• Drugs to treat cocaine abuse? Effectiveness may depend on how one uses cocaine
• Gondwana supercontinent underwent massive shift during Cambrian explosion
• Dying of cold: More heart attacks in cooler weather
• Electron transport: Study of electron orbits in multilayer graphene finds unexpected energy gaps
• Molecular imaging identifies high-risk patients with heart disease
• Deployment of buoys to measure air and sea interactions in typhoons launched from Taiwan
• Stereotyping has a lasting negative impact, new research finds
• Evolutionary surprise: Freedom of neck played major role in human brain evolution, research suggests
• Heart's sounds can help diagnose heart failure, study finds
• Optical imaging technique for angioplasty
• Motion-tracking technology reduces injuries for older adults
• New sensor technology to make it easier and safer for spacecraft to rendezvous and dock to International Space Station
• Liability issues limiting recreational use of public school facilities
• Common orchid gives scientists hope in face of climate change
• New insights into how antibodies are made suggests new approach for anti-cancer drug targets
• Vitamin B3 as a novel approach to treat fungal infections
• One in four stroke patients stop taking medication within three months
• Buried silver nanoparticles improve organic transistors
• Fasting 'feelgood' factor: Holy month of Ramadan reduces volatility in markets, research finds
• Mosasaur fossil: Life of 85-million-year-old 'sea monster' illuminated
• Neurochip technology developed: Advances to further brain research of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
• Polar bears, glaucous gulls most at risk from contaminants
• Improved drug coverage under Medicare associated with increases in antibiotic use
• Human cells can copy not only DNA, but also RNA
• Distinguishing 'senior moments' from Alzheimer's
• Stone Age remains are Britain's earliest house
• New approaches could help defeat HIV
• Imaging study sheds light on neural origins of baby talk
• Brain fitness programs may help frail elderly walk faster, study suggests
• World's tiniest mirror
• College undergrads study ineffectively on computers, study finds: Students transfer bad study habits from paper to screen

Dogs' physical traits controlled by small number of genetic regions, researcher finds Posted: 11 Aug 2010 08:00 AM PDT Next time you gaze soulfully into a dog's eyes or scratch behind its ears, take note of the length of his nose or the size of his body. Although such attributes can vary wildly among different breeds, a team of researchers has found that they are determined by only a few genetic regions.

Scientists identify new drug strategy against fragile X syndrome Posted: 11 Aug 2010 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have identified a potential new strategy for treating fragile X syndrome -- the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability. They have found that a class of drugs called phosphoinositide-3 kinase inhibitors can correct defects in the anatomy of neurons seen in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome. In experiments with cultured neurons from the hippocampus, a brain region involved in learning and memory, the drugs could restore normal appearance and levels of protein production at synapses.

Scientists show there's nothing boring about watching paint dry Posted: 11 Aug 2010 08:00 AM PDT It turns out that watching paint dry might not be as boring as the old adage claims. Researchers have come up with a new technique to study the mechanics of coatings as they dry and peel, and has discovered that the process is far from mundane.

Better understanding of mapmaking in the brain Posted: 11 Aug 2010 08:00 AM PDT "Grid cells," which help the brain map locations, have been found for the first time outside of the hippocampus in the rat brain, according to new research.

Bacteria from hot springs reveal clues to evolution of early life and to unlock biofuels' potential Posted: 11 Aug 2010 08:00 AM PDT Bacteria that lives in hot springs in Japan may help solve one of the mysteries of the early evolution of complex organisms, according to a new study. It may also be the key to 21st century biofuel production.

Students' understanding of the equal sign not equal, professor says Posted: 11 Aug 2010 08:00 AM PDT Taken very literally, not all students are created equal -- especially in their math learning skills, say researchers who have found that not fully understanding the "equal sign" in a math problem could be a key to why US students underperform their peers from other countries in math.

Indonesian ice field may be gone in a few years, core may contain secrets of Pacific El Nino events Posted: 11 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT Glaciologists who drilled through an ice cap perched precariously on the edge of a 16,000-foot-high Indonesian mountain ridge say that the ice field could vanish within in the next few years, another victim of global climate change.

Adult autism diagnosis by brain scan Posted: 11 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT Scientists in the UK have developed a pioneering new method of diagnosing autism in adults. For the first time, a quick brain scan that takes just 15 minutes can identify adults with autism with over 90 per cent accuracy. The method could lead to the screening for autism spectrum disorders in children in the future.

Better displays ahead Posted: 11 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers are actively pursuing an alternative approach for low-power displays and hope to provide details about what's ahead for display technology.

Walking to school could reduce stress reactivity in children, may curb risk of heart disease Posted: 11 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT A simple morning walk to school could reduce stress reactivity in children during the school day, curbing increases in heart rate and blood pressure that can lead to cardiovascular disease later in life, according to a new study.

Deep ocean floor research yields promising results for microbiologists Posted: 11 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT Research by microbiologists is revealing how marine microbes live in a mysterious area of the Earth: the realm just beneath the deep ocean floor. The ocean crust may be the largest biological reservoir on our planet.

Drugs to treat cocaine abuse? Effectiveness may depend on how one uses cocaine Posted: 11 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT A new study explores pharmacological strategies for reducing cocaine self-administration in animals that may have implications for treating cocaine dependence in humans.

Gondwana supercontinent underwent massive shift during Cambrian explosion Posted: 11 Aug 2010 02:00 AM PDT The Gondwana supercontinent underwent a 60-degree rotation across Earth's surface during the Early Cambrian period, according to new evidence uncovered by a team of geologists. The study has implications for the environmental conditions that existed at a crucial period in Earth's evolutionary history called the Cambrian explosion, when most of the major groups of complex animals rapidly appeared.

Dying of cold: More heart attacks in cooler weather Posted: 11 Aug 2010 02:00 AM PDT Lower outdoor temperatures are linked to an increase in the risk of heart attacks, according to a new study by scientists in the UK.

Electron transport: Study of electron orbits in multilayer graphene finds unexpected energy gaps Posted: 11 Aug 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have taken one more step toward understanding the unique and often unexpected properties of graphene, a two-dimensional carbon material that has attracted interest because of its potential applications in future generations of electronic devices.

Molecular imaging identifies high-risk patients with heart disease Posted: 11 Aug 2010 02:00 AM PDT A new study finds that molecular imaging -- a noninvasive imaging procedure -- can identify high-risk patients with potentially life-threatening cardiovascular conditions and help physicians determine which patients are best suited for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy.

Deployment of buoys to measure air and sea interactions in typhoons launched from Taiwan Posted: 11 Aug 2010 02:00 AM PDT Scientists and technicians are deploying two buoys that will help us better understand interactions between the ocean and atmosphere during typhoons.

Stereotyping has a lasting negative impact, new research finds Posted: 11 Aug 2010 02:00 AM PDT Aggression. Over-eating. Inability to focus. Difficulty making rational decisions. New research shows prejudice has a lasting negative impact on those who experience it.

Evolutionary surprise: Freedom of neck played major role in human brain evolution, research suggests Posted: 10 Aug 2010 11:00 PM PDT By deciphering the genetics in humans and fish, scientists now believe that the neck -- that little body part between your head and shoulders -- gave humans so much freedom of movement that it played a surprising and major role in the evolution of the human brain, according to neuroscientists.

Heart's sounds can help diagnose heart failure, study finds Posted: 10 Aug 2010 11:00 PM PDT A new study concludes that acoustic cardiography, a new technology combining a 12-leed ECG with cardiac acoustic data, can aid physicians in detecting the abnormal third heart sound S3 in the emergency department -- ultimately increasing the accurate diagnosis of acute heart failure in certain subsets of patients.

Optical imaging technique for angioplasty Posted: 10 Aug 2010 11:00 PM PDT A new optical imaging technique holds the potential to greatly improve angioplasty, a surgery commonly performed to treat patients with a partially or completely blocked coronary artery that restricts blood flow to the heart.

Motion-tracking technology reduces injuries for older adults Posted: 10 Aug 2010 11:00 PM PDT Motion-tracking technology provides images and detailed data that helps patients, physicians and therapists better visualize movements as patients exercise. The visual feedback allows physicians and therapists to monitor recovery and adapt treatment plans, as well as give the patient a better picture of movements that can be dangerous, reducing the chance of future injuries and re-hospitalization.

New sensor technology to make it easier and safer for spacecraft to rendezvous and dock to International Space Station Posted: 10 Aug 2010 11:00 PM PDT It was a perfect STORRM. On Tuesday, July 20, NASA and its industry partners, Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., successfully demonstrated a new sensor technology that will make it easier and safer for spacecraft to rendezvous and dock to the International Space Station.

Liability issues limiting recreational use of public school facilities Posted: 10 Aug 2010 11:00 PM PDT Although most public schools have some recreational facilities that could be used outside of regular school hours, concerns over liability have limited their use. In a new study, researchers reviewed the recreational use statues in all 50 states and found that liability protections could be improved, in some cases, with minor legislative changes, consequently opening up school facilities for increased recreational use benefiting the entire community.

Common orchid gives scientists hope in face of climate change Posted: 10 Aug 2010 08:00 PM PDT A study that focuses on epigenetics in European common marsh orchids has revealed that some plants may be able to adapt more quickly to environmental change than previously thought. The research brings new hope to plant conservation.

New insights into how antibodies are made suggests new approach for anti-cancer drug targets Posted: 10 Aug 2010 08:00 PM PDT While investigating how white blood cells known as B cells develop, researchers have discovered that genes from the Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3Ks) family of enzymes are critical in enabling the B cells to produce antibodies in the spleen and lymph nodes. PI3Ks are involved in a diverse range of activities inside cells, generating signalling molecules to control cell growth, proliferation, motility, survival and intracellular trafficking. Faults in these processes can lead to the development of cancer; consequently the PI3Ks are currently among the most hotly pursued drug targets in the pharmaceutical industry.

Vitamin B3 as a novel approach to treat fungal infections Posted: 10 Aug 2010 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have identified vitamin B3 as a potential antifungal treatment. Infections by the yeast Candida albicans represent a significant public health problem and a common complication in immunodeficient individuals such as AIDS patients, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and recipients of organ transplants.

One in four stroke patients stop taking medication within three months Posted: 10 Aug 2010 08:00 PM PDT A quarter of stroke patients discontinue one or more of their prescribed secondary stroke prevention medications within three months of hospitalization for an acute stroke, according to a new report.

Buried silver nanoparticles improve organic transistors Posted: 10 Aug 2010 08:00 PM PDT Out of sight is not out of mind for a group of Hong Kong researchers who have demonstrated that burying a layer of silver nanoparticles improves the performance of their organic electronic devices without requiring complex processing.

Fasting 'feelgood' factor: Holy month of Ramadan reduces volatility in markets, research finds Posted: 10 Aug 2010 08:00 PM PDT A new international study investigating the correlation between the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and stock markets has discovered that the average stock market returns in predominantly Muslim countries were historically almost nine times higher during Ramadan compared to other months of the lunar calendar.

Mosasaur fossil: Life of 85-million-year-old 'sea monster' illuminated Posted: 10 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT One of the ocean's most formidable marine predators, the mosasaur Platecarpus, lived in the Cretaceous Period some 85 million years ago and was thought to have swum like an eel. That theory is debunked in a new article. Scientists have reconceived the animal's morphology, or body plan, based on a spectacular specimen housed at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

Neurochip technology developed: Advances to further brain research of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Posted: 10 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT Scientists who proved it is possible to cultivate a network of brain cells that reconnect on a silicon chip -- or the brain on a microchip -- have been involved in the development of new technology that monitors brain cell activity at a resolution never achieved before.

Polar bears, glaucous gulls most at risk from contaminants Posted: 10 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT Although animals throughout the Arctic are exposed to an alphabet soup of pollutants and contaminants that are carried north from industrialized countries, only polar bears in East Greenland and Svalbard and glaucous gulls in Svalbard appear to be showing any deleterious effects, according to a new report.

Improved drug coverage under Medicare associated with increases in antibiotic use Posted: 10 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT Antibiotic use appears to have increased among older adults whose prescription drug coverage improved as a result of enrolling in Medicare Part D, with the largest increases for broad-spectrum, newer and more expensive drugs, according to a new report.

Human cells can copy not only DNA, but also RNA Posted: 10 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT Single-molecule sequencing technology has detected and quantified novel small RNAs in human cells that represent entirely new classes of the gene-translating molecules, confirming a long-held but unproven hypothesis that mammalian cells are capable of synthesizing RNA by copying RNA molecules directly.

Distinguishing 'senior moments' from Alzheimer's Posted: 10 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT With the help of volunteers aged 18 to 89, researchers have identified for the first time in humans a long-hidden part of the brain called the perforant path. Scientists have struggled for decades to locate the tiny passage, which is believed to deteriorate gradually as part of normal aging and far more quickly due to Alzheimer's disease.

Stone Age remains are Britain's earliest house Posted: 10 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT Archaeologists working on Stone Age remains at a site in North Yorkshire say it contains Britain's earliest surviving house. Archaeologists have revealed that the home dates to at least 8,500 BC -- when Britain was part of continental Europe.

New approaches could help defeat HIV Posted: 10 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT Drug resistance remains a major problem in combating HIV infection, but a different approach to drug development could be the answer. Current viral inhibitors target the HIV-1 protease function with a competitive mechanism. New research suggests that pharmaceutical companies look at compounds that use an allosteric non-competitive mechanism of inhibition.

Imaging study sheds light on neural origins of baby talk Posted: 10 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT Neural processing in the brains of parents talking to their babies may reveal secrets about early stages of language acquisition in infants, according to new research that shows for the first time that experience, gender and personality affect how parents process the speech they use when addressing infants.

Brain fitness programs may help frail elderly walk faster, study suggests Posted: 10 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT Computerized brain fitness programs are known to help seniors improve their memory and focus. Now a new study has found preliminary evidence that such programs may help frail seniors walk faster, potentially preventing disability and improving quality of life.

World's tiniest mirror Posted: 10 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT Just as the path of photons of light can be directed by a mirror, atoms possessing a magnetic moment can be controlled using a magnetic mirror. New research investigates the feasibility of using magnetic domain walls to direct and ultimately trap individual atoms in a cloud of ultracold atoms.

College undergrads study ineffectively on computers, study finds: Students transfer bad study habits from paper to screen Posted: 10 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT Despite the prevalence of technology on college campuses, a new study indicates that computers alone can't keep students from falling into the same old weak study habits.

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