Thursday, September 30, 2010

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Most complete beer 'proteome' finding could lead to engineered brews

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 11:00 AM PDT

In an advance that may give brewers powerful new ability to engineer the flavor and aroma of beer -- the world's favorite alcoholic beverage -- scientists are publishing the most comprehensive deciphering of the beer's "proteome" ever reported.

Technique to reattach teeth using stem cells developed

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 11:00 AM PDT

A new approach to anchor teeth back in the jaw using stem cells has been developed and successfully tested in the laboratory for the first time.

Growing nanowires horizontally yields new benefit: 'nano-LEDs'

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 11:00 AM PDT

While refining their novel method for making nanoscale wires, chemists discovered an unexpected bonus -- a new way to create nanowires that produce light similar to that from light-emitting diodes.

Maternal diet high in trans fats doubles risk of excess body fat in breastfed babies, study finds

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 11:00 AM PDT

A new study suggests that mothers who consume a diet high in trans fats double the likelihood that their infants will have high levels of body fat.

Research lays foundation for building on the Moon -- or anywhere else

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 11:00 AM PDT

The key to the stability of any building is its foundation, but it is difficult to test some building sites in advance -- such as those on the moon. New research is helping resolve the problem by using computer models that can utilize a small sample of soil to answer fundamental questions about how soil at a building site will interact with foundations.

Early life experience modifies gene vital to normal brain function

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 11:00 AM PDT

Early life stress, such as an extreme lack of parental affection, has lasting effects on a gene important to normal brain processes and also tied to mental disorders, according to a new animal study.

For the first time, monkeys recognize themselves in the mirror, indicating self-awareness

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

A study shows that under specific conditions, a rhesus macaque monkey that normally would fail the mark test can still recognize itself in the mirror and perform actions that scientists would expect from animals that are self-aware.

Chemotherapy alters brain tissue in breast cancer patients, researchers find

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

Researchers have published the first report using imaging to show that changes in brain tissue can occur in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

New views of Saturn's aurora, captured by Cassini

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

A new movie and images showing Saturn's shimmering aurora over a two-day period are helping scientists understand what drives some of the solar system's most impressive light shows.

IV treatment may lower risk of dying from bacterial meningitis

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

New research shows that an intravenous treatment -- called dexamethasone -- may cut a person's risk of dying from bacterial meningitis.

Nanotechnology brings personalized therapy one step closer to reality

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

A novel technology can make nanoscale protein measurements, which scientists can use in clinical trials to learn how drugs work.

Less than half of essential workers willing to report to work during a serious pandemic, study finds

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

Although first responders willingly put themselves in harm's way during disasters, new research indicates that they may not be as willing -- if the disaster is a potentially lethal pandemic. In a recent study, researchers found that more than 50 percent of the first responders and other essential workers they surveyed might be absent from work during a serious pandemic, even if they were healthy.

'Giant' step toward explaining differences in height among people

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

An international collaboration of more than 200 institutions has identified hundreds of genetic variants that together account for about 10 percent of the inherited variation of height among people.

Addition of immunotherapy boosts pediatric cancer survival in children with neuroblastoma

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

Administering a new form of immunotherapy to children with neuroblastoma, a nervous system cancer, increased the percentage of those who were alive and free of disease progression after two years, according to researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and fellow institutions.

Blueberries help fight artery hardening, lab animal study indicates

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

Blueberries may help fight atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries, according to results of a preliminary study with laboratory mice. The research provides the first direct evidence that blueberries can help prevent harmful plaques or lesions, symptomatic of atherosclerosis, from increasing in size in arteries.

Women treated for breast cancer while pregnant have improved survival, study finds

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered that women treated for breast cancer while pregnant -- long associated with a worse outcome -- in fact have improved disease-free survival and a trend for improved overall survival compared to non-pregnant women treated for the disease.

Atmosphere checked, one Mars year before a landing

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

What will the Martian atmosphere be like when the next Mars rover descends through it for landing in August of 2012? An instrument studying the Martian atmosphere from orbit has begun a four-week campaign to characterize daily atmosphere changes, one Mars year before the arrival of the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity. A Mars year equals 687 Earth days.

Father's incarceration associated with elevated risks of marijuana and other illegal drug use, study finds

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

In a new study, researchers report evidence of an association between father's incarceration and substantially elevated risks for illegal drug use in adolescence and early adulthood.

First direct evidence that ADHD is a genetic disorder: Children with ADHD more likely to have missing or duplicated segments of DNA

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

New research provides the first direct evidence that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a genetic condition. Scientists in the UK found that children with ADHD were more likely to have small segments of their DNA duplicated or missing than other children.

Strong link between diabetes and air pollution found in national U.S. study

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

A national U.S. epidemiologic study finds a strong, consistent correlation between adult diabetes and particulate air pollution that persists after adjustment for other risk factors like obesity and ethnicity, researchers report. The relationship was seen even at exposure levels below the current EPA safety limit.

One-dimensional window on superconductivity, magnetism: Atoms are proxies for electrons in ultracold optical emulator

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

A team of physicists is reporting the first success from a three-year effort to emulate superconductors with ultracold atoms trapped in grids of laser beams. A new study describes how the group trapped atoms in a one-dimensional tube of light, which allowed them to simultaneously examine superconductivity and magnetism -- phenomena that do not generally coexist.

Women with triple negative breast cancer and BRCA mutations have lower risk of recurrence, study finds

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

Patients with triple negative breast cancer that also have mutations in the BRCA gene appear to have a lower risk of recurrence, compared to those with the same disease without the deleterious genetic mutation, according to researchers.

Laser tool for studying Mars rocks

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

The NASA Mars Science Laboratory Project's rover, Curiosity, will carry a newly delivered laser instrument named ChemCam to reveal what elements are present in rocks and soils on Mars up to 7 meters (23 feet) away from the rover.

Diet when young affects future food responses

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

A high protein diet during development primes the body to react unhealthily to future food binges. A study on juvenile rats suggests that lasting changes result from altering the composition of the first solid food that is consumed throughout growth into early adulthood.

Dancing honeybees use democratic process when selecting a new home

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

When honeybees seek a new home, they choose the best site through a democratic process that humans would do well to emulate, according to a biologist.

Less chemotherapy works well for some childhood cancer, study finds

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

A particularly aggressive childhood cancer can be fought successfully with far less chemotherapy than previously believed, avoiding harmful side effects caused by cancer drugs.

Hello, Saturn summer solstice: Cassini's new chapter

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Turning a midsummer night's dream into reality, NASA's Cassini spacecraft begins its new mission extension -- the Cassini Solstice Mission. The mission extension will take Cassini a few months past Saturn's northern summer solstice (or midsummer) through September 2017. It will enable scientists to study seasonal changes and other long-term weather changes on Saturn and its moons.

Swine flu patients benefited from taking Tamiflu, says study

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Healthy people who caught swine flu during the 2009 pandemic may have been protected against developing radiographically (X-ray) confirmed pneumonia by taking the antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu), concludes a study of cases in China.

Wide-Field Imager selected for Solar Probe Plus mission

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

NASA has chosen the Naval Research Laboratory's Wide-field Imager to be part of the Solar Probe Plus mission slated for launch no later than 2018. The Solar Probe Plus, a small car-sized spacecraft will plunge directly into the sun's atmosphere approximately four million miles from our star's surface. It will explore a region no other spacecraft ever has encountered in an effort to unlock the sun's biggest mysteries.

Decrease in suicide not linked to newer antidepressants, Norwegian study finds

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Many researchers have studied the relationship between the increase in sales of new antidepressants in recent decades and a simultaneous decline in the suicide rate. In a study based on figures from the Nordic countries, researchers in Norway found no evidence that increased sales of the new medicines could be linked to a lower suicide rate. The researchers also did not find any relationship between reduced sales of the older and more toxic antidepressants and a reduction in suicide rates.

New key to tissue regeneration: Drug treatment triggers sodium ions to regrow nerves and muscle

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

Tufts biologists have regenerated spinal cord and muscle by triggering an influx of sodium ions into injured cells. The approach breaks new ground in biomedicine because it requires no gene therapy; can be administered after an injury has occurred; and is bioelectric, rather than chemically based. The treatment is most directly applicable to spinal cord repair and limb loss. Proof-of-principle may apply to many complex tissues.

Research on killer HIV antibodies provides promising new ideas for vaccine design

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

New discoveries about the immune defenses of rare HIV patients who produce antibodies that prevent infection suggest a novel direction for designing new vaccines.

Purifying proteins: Researchers use NMR to improve drug development

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

The purification of drug components is a large hurdle facing modern drug development. This is particularly true of drugs that utilize proteins, which are notoriously difficult to separate from other potentially deadly impurities. Scientists are using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to understand and improve an important protein purification process.

Mammography reduces mortality from breast cancer in ages 40–49 years, Swedish study finds

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

Mammography examinations of women aged 40–49 reduce breast cancer mortality by 29%, a statistically significant reduction, according to a national study in Sweden.

Model aims to reduce disaster toll on city's social, economic fabric

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

Researchers have created a computer model that predicts how a disaster's impact on critical infrastructure would affect a city's social and economic fabric, a potential tool to help reduce the severity of impacts, manage the aftermath of catastrophe and fortify infrastructure against future disasters.

Dirty hands, dirty mouths: Study finds a need to clean the body part that lies

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

Apparently your mom had it right when she threatened to wash your mouth out with soap if you talked dirty. Lying really does create a desire to clean the "dirty" body part, according to a University of Michigan study.

Scientists genetically engineer silkworms to produce artificial spider silk

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

A research and development effort by the University of Notre Dame, the University of Wyoming, and Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc. has succeeded in producing transgenic silkworms capable of spinning artificial spider silks.

Evidence of post-stroke brain recovery discovered

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

The world's largest study using neuroimaging of stroke patients struggling to regain ability to communicate finds that brain cells outside the damaged area can take on new roles.

Coral bleaching likely in Caribbean this year

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

Coral bleaching is likely in the Caribbean in 2010, according to new research. With temperatures above-average all year, NOAA's models show a strong potential for bleaching in the southern and southeastern Caribbean through October that could be as severe as in 2005 when over 80 percent of corals bleached and over 40 percent died at many sites across the Caribbean.

Circulating tumor cells can provide 'real-time' information on patient's current disease state

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

Circulating tumor cells may be a promising alternative, noninvasive source of tumor materials for biomarker assessment, according to new data.

New oil detection technique

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

Australian scientists have developed a revolutionary technique for the rapid on-site detection and quantification of petroleum hydrocarbons (commonly derived from crude oil) in soil, silt, sediment or rock.

Heartbreak puts the brakes on your heart

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

Social rejection isn't just emotionally upsetting; it also upsets your heart. A new study finds that being rejected by another person makes your heart rate drop for a moment.

Newly discovered planet may be first truly habitable exoplanet

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

A team of planet hunters has announced the discovery of an Earth-sized planet (three times the mass of Earth) orbiting a nearby star at a distance that places it squarely in the middle of the star's "habitable zone," where liquid water could exist on the planet's surface. If confirmed, this would be the most Earth-like exoplanet yet discovered and the first strong case for a potentially habitable one.

Key action of a gene linked to both Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes identified

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

A research team has identified the mechanism behind a single gene linked to the causes of both Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes. The data show that a gene for a protein called SorCS1, which can cause type 2 diabetes, impacts the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Abeta) in the brain. Abeta plays a key role in the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Genome inversion gives plant a new lifestyle

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

The yellow monkeyflower, an unassuming little plant that lives as both a perennial on the foggy coasts of the Pacific Northwest and a dry-land annual hundreds of miles inland, harbors a significant clue about evolution.

Intrauterine devices can be used to treat endometrial cancer

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Intrauterine devices, originally developed as contraceptives, can also be used to treat and even cure cancer of the endometrium according to new research. The finding opens the way for young women with the disease, which affects the lining of the womb, to be treated without the need for a hysterectomy, thus preserving their fertility until they have had all the children they want.

Carbon nanoobjects to facilitate the construction of futuristic power sources

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Scientists from Poland are working on electrodes that have surfaces covered with layers of carbon nanoparticles and enzymes. These electrodes can be used to produce modern sensors and power sources, including such futuristic ones as biological fuel cells installed inside the human body and fueled by substances contained in blood.

Playing white noise in class can help inattentive children learn, but hinder others

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Playing white noise in class can help inattentive children learn. Researchers tested the effect of the meaningless random noise on a group of 51 schoolchildren, finding that although it hindered the ability of those who normally pay attention, it improved the memory of those that had difficulties in paying attention.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Making music on a microscopic scale

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

Strings a fraction of the thickness of a human hair, with microscopic weights to pluck them: Researchers and students have succeeded in constructing the first musical instrument with dimensions measured in mere micrometers -- a 'micronium' -- that produces audible tones. A composition has been specially written for the instrument.

Revolutionary new way of reversing certain cancers

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

Australian and American scientists have found a way of shrinking tumors in certain cancers -- a finding that provides hope for new treatments. The cancers in question are those caused by a new class of genes known as "microRNAs," produced by parts of the genome that, until recently, were dismissed as "junk DNA." While much is still unknown about microRNAs, it is clear that they can interfere with how our genes are "read."

Ultrafine air particles may increase firefighters' risk for heart disease

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

Firefighters are exposed to potentially dangerous levels of ultrafine particulates at the time they are least likely to wear protective breathing equipment. Because of this, researchers believe firefighters may face an increased risk for heart disease from exposures during the fire suppression process.

Mining the 'wisdom of crowds' to attack disease

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

A large, multidisciplinary panel has recently selected 12 pioneering ideas for attacking type 1 diabetes, ideas selected through a "crowd-sourcing" experiment called the Challenge in which all members of the Harvard community, as well as members of the general public, were invited to answer the question: What do we not know to cure type 1 diabetes?

Tiny generators turn waste heat into power

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

Researchers have uncovered a novel way to power tiny devices using waste heat. Arrays of tiny ferroelectric nanowires have been shown to rapidly generate a current in response to any change in the ambient temperature.

First study of its kind finds children with food allergies are often victims of bullying

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

In the first-ever study to assess the social impact of food allergies in children, researchers have found that approximately 35 percent of children with food allergies, who are over the age of 5, were reported to have experienced bullying, teasing or harassment as a result of their allergies.

More than one-fifth of world's plants face threat of extinction, new analysis finds

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

A global analysis of extinction risk for the world's plants, conducted by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew together with the Natural History Museum, London and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has revealed that the world's plants are as threatened as mammals, with one in five of the world's plant species threatened with extinction.

Combination of Viagra and anti-cancer drug shrinks tumors in vivo, researchers discover

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

Researchers have shown that the impotence drug Viagra (sildenafil), in combination with doxorubicin, a powerful anti-cancer drug, enhances its anti-tumor efficacy in prostate cancer while alleviating the damage to the heart at the same time.

Brilliant Northeast fall colors hang in the balance, and heat is the deciding factor

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

The abundant sunshine we have had much of this summer and fall has likely produced leaves high in sugars, and sugars are important for production of anthocyanins pigments which produce rich red colors.

Unique case offers cautionary cotton swab tale

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

The saying, "never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear," couldn't be truer for a patient who experienced vertigo and hearing loss after a cotton swab perforated her eardrum. But what makes this case unique is that Henry Ford Hospital was not only able to alleviate her vertigo with surgery, but restore her hearing. And the report offers a cautionary tale to those who use cotton swabs to clean their ears.

NASA's Webb Telescope unique structural 'heart' passes extreme tests

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

NASA engineers have created a unique engineering marvel called the ISIM structure that recently survived exposure to extreme cryogenic temperatures, showing that the structure will remain stable when exposed to the harsh environment of space. The material that comprises the structure, as well as the bonding techniques used to join its roughly 900 structural components, were all created from scratch.

Predicting divorce: Study shows how fight styles affect marriage

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT

It's common knowledge that newlyweds who yell or call each other names have a higher chance of getting divorced. But a new study shows that other conflict patterns also predict divorce.

Acidification of oceans may contribute to global declines of shellfish

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

The acidification of the Earth's oceans due to rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) may be contributing to a global decline of clams, scallops and other shellfish by interfering with the development of shellfish larvae, according to scientists.

Single electron reader opens path for quantum computing

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

A team led by engineers and physicists in Australia has developed one of the key building blocks needed to make a quantum computer using silicon: a "single electron reader."

Mechanism behind cleft palate development identified

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

Researchers have found a new mechanism that explains why a certain gene mutation causes craniofrontonasal syndrome, a disorder that causes cleft palate and other malformations in the face, brain and skeleton. Cleft palate affects one of every 1,000 newborns.

Researchers find differences between Galapagos and mainland frigatebirds

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

The Galapagos population of the magnificent frigatebird may be its own genetically distinct species warranting a new conservation status, according to a new study.

How to control massive bleeding from the hepatic artery

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

A research team from China investigated the minimal invasive techniques to stop the life-threatening hemorrhage from ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after pancreaticoduodenectomy. They found that placement of stent-grafts is an effective and safe procedure for acute life-threatening hemorrhage from ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm.

The precious commodity of water

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

Water is a valuable resource, which is why researchers are demonstrating how we can extract precious drinking water from air, discover a leak in pipeline systems and even effectively clean sewage water.

Family, culture affect whether intelligence leads to education, study finds

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 02:00 AM PDT

Intelligence isn't the only thing that predicts how much education people get; family, culture, and other factors are important, too. A new study compares identical and fraternal twins in Minnesota and Sweden to explore how genetic and environmental factors involved in educational differ in countries with different educational systems. Family background can get an education even for people of low intelligence, the authors conclude -- but helps much more in Minnesota than in Sweden.

19-million-year-old genomic fossils of hepatitis B-like viruses in songbirds

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Biologists have uncovered virus fragments from the same family of the modern hepatitis B virus locked inside the genomes of songbirds such as the modern-day zebra finch.

Scarless brain surgery is new option for patients

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Surgeons now suggest that transorbital neuroendoscopic surgery (TONES) is a safe and effective option for treating a variety of advanced brain diseases and traumatic injuries. This groundbreaking minimally invasive surgery is performed through the eye socket, thus eliminating the removal of the top of the skull to access the brain.

Scientists obtain 'Unobtainium' for NASA's next space observatory

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Imagine building a car chassis without a blueprint or even a list of recommended construction materials. In a sense, that's precisely what a team of engineers did when they designed a one-of-a-kind structure that is one of nine key new technology systems of the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM).

JAK inhibitor provides rapid, durable relief for patients of myelofibrosis -- life-threatening bone marrow malignancy

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

An oral medication produces significant and lasting relief for patients with myelofibrosis, a debilitating and lethal bone marrow disorder, researchers report.

Sustainable material for wine bottle stoppers being developed

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Researchers are developing a new sustainable material to make stoppers for wine bottles. The aim of the project is to substitute the plastic stoppers used for wine bottles with stoppers that are made up of a composite material.

Buyer backlash: Why do slogans about saving money increase spending?

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

A new study reveals a strange facet of consumer behavior: people behave differently when they encounter companies' brands than they do when they encounter their slogans.

Sneaking spies into a cell's nucleus

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

Bioengineers have not only figured out a way to sneak molecular spies through the walls of individual cells, they can now slip them into the command center -- or nucleus -- of those cells, where they can report back important information or drop off payloads.

Biomarker panel identifies prostate cancer with 90 percent accuracy

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

Researchers in England say they have discovered a set of biomarkers that can distinguish prostate cancer from benign prostate disease and healthy tissue with 90 percent accuracy. This preliminary data, if validated in larger ongoing studies, could be developed into a serum protein test that reduces the number of unnecessary biopsies and identifies men who need treatment before symptoms begin.

Potential climate change side effect: More parasites on South American birds

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

A new study on nesting birds in Argentina finds that increasing temperatures and rainfall -- both side effects of climate change in some parts of the world -- could be bad for birds of South America, but great for some of their parasites which thrive in warmer and wetter conditions.

Scientists consider fate of pandemic H1N1 flu virus

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

In a new commentary, scientists review the fates of previous pandemic influenza viruses in the years following a pandemic and speculate on possible future courses for the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus during the upcoming flu season and beyond.

Structural Genomics Consortium releases 1,000th protein structure

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

The Structural Genomics Consortium, an international public-private partnership that aims to determine 3-D structures of medically important proteins, has announced the release into the public domain of its 1,000th high-resolution protein structure.

Why we fight: Men check out in stressful situations, while women show increased brain coordination when looking at angry faces

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 08:00 PM PDT

Turns out the silent and stoic response to stress might be a guy thing after all. A new study reveals that stressed men looking at angry faces had diminished activity in the brain regions responsible for understanding others' feelings.

Solar cells thinner than wavelengths of light hold huge power potential

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

Ultra-thin solar cells can absorb sunlight more efficiently than the thicker, more expensive-to-make silicon cells used today, because light behaves differently at scales around a nanometer (a billionth of a meter), say engineers. They calculate that an organic polymer thin film could absorb as much as 10 times more energy from sunlight than was thought possible.

Triple-negative breast cancers may have unique therapeutic target

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

Patients with triple-negative breast cancer, one of the hardest subtypes to treat, may have a unique biomarker that would enable them to receive more targeted therapy, according to new data.

Genetic differences in sense of smell identified through asparagus urine odor

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

Scientists have identified one of only a few known genetic contributions to the sense of smell. Most, but not all, people detect a distinct sulfurous odor in their urine shortly after eating asparagus. Sensory testing demonstrated that some do not produce the odor while others do not smell it. DNA analyses revealed that the inability to smell the odor was linked to genetic variation within a family of olfactory receptors.

Researchers use CT to predict heart disease

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

Using incidental findings from routine diagnostic CT, radiologists may be better able to identify people at high risk for cardiovascular disease, according to a new study.

'Truthy' web site to search, identify smear tactics, Twitter-bombs through election runup

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

Astroturfers, Twitter-bombers and smear campaigners need beware this election season as a group of leading Indiana University information and computer scientists today unleashed Truthy.indiana.edu, a sophisticated new Twitter-based research tool that combines data mining, social network analysis and crowdsourcing to uncover deceptive tactics and misinformation leading up to the Nov. 2 elections.

How reasonable it is to deceive yourself?

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT

Anyone who simply denies the facts is most certainly behaving unreasonably -- aren't they? Philosophers explain that in some cases it may be useful to deceive yourself. The self-deception can be an important motivating factor and not entirely lacking reason. The reason may be locally restricted, however basic strategies of rational evaluation processes remain intact.

'Firefly' stem cells may help repair damaged hearts

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Stem cells that glow like fireflies could someday help doctors heal damaged hearts without cutting into patients' chests. Researchers engineered stem cells with the same enzyme that makes fireflies glow. The "firefly" stem cells glow brighter and brighter as they develop into healthy heart muscle, allowing doctors to track whether and where the stem cells are working.

Scientists find more health benefits from starting HIV treatment early

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

HIV-infected individuals who begin antiretroviral therapy (ART) soon after acquiring the virus may have stronger immune responses to other pathogens than HIV-infected individuals who begin ART later, a new study has found. This finding suggests that early initiation of ART may prevent irreversible immune system damage and adds to the body of evidence showing significant health benefits from early ART.

Pet allergies worsen hay fever symptoms, study finds

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Being allergic to dogs or cats may worsen your ragweed allergies, according to a new study. Researchers found that people with pet allergies often develop ragweed allergy symptoms more quickly than others. But the study also suggests that once allergy season is in full swing, those symptom differences subside.

New biomarkers discovered for pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Using a novel aptamer-based proteomics array technology, researchers and collaborators have identified biomarkers and protein signatures that are hallmarks of cancer at an early stage for two of the most aggressive and deadly forms of cancer -- pancreatic and mesothelioma.

Geologists find parts of Northwest Houston, Texas sinking rapidly

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

A large section of northwestern Harris County in the area of Houston, Texas is sinking rapidly, according to a geologist who has analyzed GPS data measuring ground elevation in the area. The researchers studied a decade's worth of detailed GPS data measuring the elevation of various points throughout the Houston area.

The price of popularity: Drug and alcohol consumption

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT

The consumption of drugs and alcohol by teenagers is not just about rebellion or emotional troubles. It's about being one of the cool kids, according to a new study.