ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Study of 90 animals' thigh bones reveals how they can efficiently carry loads
• ADAM-12 gene could hold key to cancer, arthritis and cardiac treatments
• Oldest known wild bird in US returns to Midway to raise chick
• Ultrafast laser 'scribing' technique to cut cost, hike efficiency of solar cells
• It's all in a name: 'Global warming' vs. 'climate change'
• Real March Madness is relying on seedings to determine Final Four
• Receiving work-related communication at home takes greater toll on women, study finds
• Drug stops progression of Parkinson's disease in mice; Medication turns on critical gene, protects brain cells
• A more definitive test for a common sexually transmitted infection
• Internet catches updated butterfly and moth website
• 'Cross-talk' research may pave the way to understanding and controlling chronic pain
• Brain implant surgeries dramatically improve symptoms of debilitating condition
• The science behind the cape: How one physiology researcher is using batman to put some POW! Into physiology studies
• Perfect buns: Imaging system controls baking process on production line to improve sandwich bun quality
• Real-time endoscopic assessment of the histology of diminutive colorectal polyps
• Passive news reports may lead readers to feel they can't find the truth
• Colonoscopy linked to decrease in colorectal cancer deaths, but many more could have been prevented
• Epilepsy-linked memory losss worries more patients than doctors
• Sleep-deprived people make risky decisions based on too much optimism
• New wintering grounds for humpback whales discovered using sound
• Collaborative care program reduces depression, anxiety in heart disease patients
• Brief video training dramatically boosts hands-only CPR attempts
• Trauma patients have higher rate of death for several years following injury
• Conflicts-of-interest in drug studies sneaking back into medical journals, say investigators
• No link found between economic growth and child undernutrition rates in India
• Improving risk/benefit estimates in new drug trials
• New instrument for analyzing viruses: Sensitive 'PING' device
• Earliest cardiovascular progenitors that arise during the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells isolated
• Melting ice sheets now largest contributor to sea level rise
• Cassini finds Saturn's moon Enceladus is a powerhouse
• NASA's Jupiter-bound spacecraft taking shape in Denver
• Voyager seeks the answer blowin' in the wind
• Some of Mars' missing carbon dioxide may be buried
• The case for a neoproterozoic oxygenation event
• Oral tongue cancer increasing in young, white females
• Dengue fever virus' molecular secrets uncovered
• Making viruses pass for 'safe'
• Cleansing the soul by hurting the flesh: The guilt-reducing effect of pain
• Role of PARP enzyme in eukaryotes
• Boy toddlers need extra help dealing with negative emotions, experts urge
• How long does a tuning fork ring?
• Right-handers, but not left-handers, are biased to select their dominant hand
• Cerebellum provides clues to the nature of human intelligence
• Chemist discovers shortcut for processing drugs
• No-till's benefits for Pacific Northwest wheat growers
• Identifying 'anonymous' email authors
• Open-source software is actually more secure for health care IT, study suggests
• Blood-brain barrier damaged by Sanfilippo syndrome type B disease, mouse study suggests
• As we sleep, speedy brain waves boost our ability to learn
• 3-D tracking of single molecules inside cells using new multifocal plane microscopy method
• Secrets of plague revealed through super-resolution microscopy technique
• Text messaging helps smokers break the habit: Studies demonstrate brain activity link and use a new technology to monitor smoking
• UCLA performs first hand transplant in the western United States
• Intelligence analysts need not fear 'Watson,' study shows
• Hit multiple targets for maximum benefit in HER2-positive breast cancer, studies suggest
• Smoking abstinence found more effective with residential treatment
• How can robots get our attention?
• Homeless patients cost $2,500 more than the average patient for each hospital stay
• Scanning antiquity underfoot
• New bowel cancer evidence calls for routine DNA repair test

Study of 90 animals' thigh bones reveals how they can efficiently carry loads Posted: 08 Mar 2011 04:10 PM PST The structures inside animals' thigh bones that enable them to support huge loads whilst being relatively lightweight are revealed in a new study. The researchers say their work could lead to the development of new materials based on thigh bone geometry.

ADAM-12 gene could hold key to cancer, arthritis and cardiac treatments Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:34 PM PST ADAM-12 is not only the name of a 1970s television police drama -- it's also the gene that researchers believe could be an important element in the fight against cancer, arthritis, and cardiac hypertrophy, or thickening of the heart's walls.

Oldest known wild bird in US returns to Midway to raise chick Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST The oldest known US wild bird -- a coyly conservative 60 -- is a new mother. The bird, a Laysan albatross named Wisdom, was spotted a few weeks ago with a chick by a US Fish and Wildlife Service biologist with the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.

Ultrafast laser 'scribing' technique to cut cost, hike efficiency of solar cells Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Researchers are developing a technology that aims to help make solar cells more affordable and efficient by using a new manufacturing method that employs an ultrafast pulsing laser.

It's all in a name: 'Global warming' vs. 'climate change' Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Many Americans are skeptical about whether the world's weather is changing, but apparently the degree of skepticism varies systematically depending on what that change is called.

Real March Madness is relying on seedings to determine Final Four Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Think picking all the top-seeded teams as the Final Four in your March Madness bracket is your best bet for winning the office pool? Think again. You're better off picking a seed combination of 1, 1, 2 and 3. A professor has integrated his statistical model into a user-friendly website to help March Madness fans evaluate their NCAA men's basketball tournament brackets and compare relative likelihood of two sets of seed combinations.

Receiving work-related communication at home takes greater toll on women, study finds Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Communication technologies that help people stay connected to the workplace are often seen as solutions to balancing work and family life. However, a new study suggests there may be a "dark side" to the use of these technologies for workers' health -- and these effects seem to differ for women and men.

Drug stops progression of Parkinson's disease in mice; Medication turns on critical gene, protects brain cells Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST In a major breakthrough, scientists have discovered a drug that stops progression of Parkinson's disease.

A more definitive test for a common sexually transmitted infection Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST A new study has found that a new test may be more accurate in identifying a common sexually transmitted infection (STI), Trichamonos vaginalis (TV). Researchers also noted a high prevalence of TV in women in the 36- to 45- year-old age group -- a group not normally included in the recommended STI screening criteria.

Internet catches updated butterfly and moth website Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Why should we care about butterflies and moths? Thanks to butterflies, bees, birds, and other animal pollinators, the world's flowering plants are able to reproduce and bear fruit. That very basic capability is at the root of many of the foods we eat. And, not least, pollination adds to the beauty we see around us.

'Cross-talk' research may pave the way to understanding and controlling chronic pain Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Researchers have discovered a "cross-talk" between two major biological pathways that involve pain -- research that may pave the way to new approaches to understanding and controlling chronic pain.

Brain implant surgeries dramatically improve symptoms of debilitating condition Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:29 PM PST Implanting electrodes into a pea-sized part of the brain can dramatically improve life for people with severe cervical dystonia -- a rare but extremely debilitating condition that causes painful, twisting neck muscle spasms -- according to the results of a pilot study.

The science behind the cape: How one physiology researcher is using batman to put some POW! Into physiology studies Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:29 PM PST What do you have when you line up a martial artist, acrobatic gymnast, police officer, firefighter, NASCAR driver, and NFL running back? "Watson," the IBM super-computer that recently routed humanity's best on Jeopardy might have guessed the answer was "the Village People," to which host Alex Trebek could have replied, "Sorry. The answer we were looking for is 'Batman'."

Perfect buns: Imaging system controls baking process on production line to improve sandwich bun quality Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:29 PM PST Food companies requiring tight control over baking conditions should benefit from a new imaging system that automatically inspects sandwich buns on the production line and adjusts oven temperatures to provide product of consistent quality. A prototype has been in use in a baking facility for a year.

Real-time endoscopic assessment of the histology of diminutive colorectal polyps Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:29 PM PST A new document examines real-time endoscopic assessment of the histology of diminutive (d 5 mm in size) colorectal polyps and is one in a series of statements defining the diagnostic or therapeutic threshold that must be met for a technique or device to become considered appropriate for incorporation into clinical practice.

Passive news reports may lead readers to feel they can't find the truth Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:29 PM PST Passive news reporting that doesn't attempt to resolve factual disputes in politics may have detrimental effects on readers, new research suggests. The study found that people are more likely to doubt their own ability to determine the truth in politics after reading an article that simply lists competing claims without offering any idea of which side is right.

Colonoscopy linked to decrease in colorectal cancer deaths, but many more could have been prevented Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:29 PM PST A new study shows that colonoscopy has prevented a substantial number of colorectal cancer deaths and that many more could have been prevented with more widespread use. The analysis reports that approximately 13,800 to 22,000 colorectal cancer deaths could have been prevented in 2005, whereas 7,300 to 11,700 were actually prevented through colonoscopy use.

Epilepsy-linked memory losss worries more patients than doctors Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:29 PM PST Patients with epilepsy worry more than their physicians do about the patients' potential memory loss accompanying their seizure disorder, according to a recent study. In a survey, patients with epilepsy as a group ranked memory loss as their second-most important concern on a list of 20 potential medical or social concerns.

Sleep-deprived people make risky decisions based on too much optimism Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:29 PM PST The powers that be in Las Vegas figured out something long before neuroscientists confirmed their ideas in a recent study: Trying to make decisions while sleep-deprived can lead to a case of optimism.

New wintering grounds for humpback whales discovered using sound Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:28 PM PST Researchers have made a remarkable new discovery regarding humpback whale wintering grounds. The primary breeding ground for the North Pacific was always thought to be the main Hawaiian Islands. However, a new study has shown that these grounds extend all the way throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago and into the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Collaborative care program reduces depression, anxiety in heart disease patients Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:28 PM PST Twelve weeks in a low-intensity collaborative care program improved depression symptoms and reduced anxiety in heart disease patients. A collaborative care program for depression uses a non-physician care manager to coordinate treatment among the patient, primary doctor and a psychiatrist. The study is the first to begin the collaborative care program in the hospital and the first to target a wide range of cardiac conditions.

Brief video training dramatically boosts hands-only CPR attempts Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:28 PM PST Video training as brief as one minute led to participants being more likely to give hands-only CPR, at a rate and compression depth significantly closer to the ideal than those with no training.

Trauma patients have higher rate of death for several years following injury Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:28 PM PST In a study that included more than 120,000 adults who were treated for trauma, 16 percent of these patients died within 3 years of their injury, compared to an expected population mortality rate of about 6 percent, according to a new study. The researchers also found that trauma patients who were discharged to a skilled nursing facility had a significantly increased risk of death compared with patients discharged home without assistance.

Conflicts-of-interest in drug studies sneaking back into medical journals, say investigators Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:28 PM PST Hidden financial conflicts-of-interest are sneaking into published drug research through the back door, warns an international team of investigators.

No link found between economic growth and child undernutrition rates in India Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:28 PM PST Economic growth in India has no automatic connection to reducing undernutrition in Indian children and so further reductions in the prevalence of childhood undernutrition are likely to depend on direct investments in health and health-related programs.

Improving risk/benefit estimates in new drug trials Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:28 PM PST It's all too familiar: researchers announce the discovery of a new drug that eradicates disease in animals. Then, a few years later, the drug bombs in human trials. Now, two medical ethicists argue that this pattern of boom and bust may be related to the way researchers predict outcomes of their work in early stages of drug development.

New instrument for analyzing viruses: Sensitive 'PING' device Posted: 08 Mar 2011 02:28 PM PST Scientists in Israel and California have developed an instrument for rapidly analyzing molecular interactions that take place viruses and the cells they infect. By helping to identify interactions between proteins made by viruses like HIV and hepatitis and proteins made by the human cells these viruses infect, the device may help scientists develop new ways of disrupting these interactions and find new drugs for treating those infections.

Earliest cardiovascular progenitors that arise during the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells isolated Posted: 08 Mar 2011 12:58 PM PST Pluripotent stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) have the capacity to differentiate into any cell type in the body, including cardiac and vascular cells, which give hope that one day, we can use these cells to replace the death or damaged cells in various diseases. The discovery of novel methods allowing the purification of cardiovascular progenitors during embryonic stem cell differentiation is thus essential before these cells could be used in large scale to treat patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases or for drug discovery.

Melting ice sheets now largest contributor to sea level rise Posted: 08 Mar 2011 12:02 PM PST The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are losing mass at an accelerating pace, according to a new satellite study. The findings of the study -- the longest to date of changes in polar ice sheet mass -- suggest these ice sheets are overtaking ice loss from Earth's mountain glaciers and ice caps to become the dominant contributor to global sea level rise, much sooner than model forecasts have predicted.

Cassini finds Saturn's moon Enceladus is a powerhouse Posted: 08 Mar 2011 11:47 AM PST Heat output from the south polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus is much greater than was previously thought possible, according to a new analysis of data collected by NASA's Cassini spacecraft.

NASA's Jupiter-bound spacecraft taking shape in Denver Posted: 08 Mar 2011 11:45 AM PST NASA's Juno spacecraft is currently undergoing environmental testing at Lockheed Martin Space Systems near Denver. The solar-powered Juno spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. The launch window for Juno from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida opens Aug. 5, 2011.

Voyager seeks the answer blowin' in the wind Posted: 08 Mar 2011 11:44 AM PST In which direction is the sun's stream of charged particles banking when it nears the edge of the solar system? The answer, scientists know, is blowing in the wind. It's just a matter of getting NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft in the right orientation to detect it.

Some of Mars' missing carbon dioxide may be buried Posted: 08 Mar 2011 11:43 AM PST Rocks on Mars dug from far underground by crater-blasting impacts are providing glimpses of one possible way Mars' atmosphere has become much less dense than it used to be. At several places where cratering has exposed material from depths of about 5 kilometers (3 miles) or more beneath the surface, observations by a mineral-mapping instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter indicate carbonate minerals.

The case for a neoproterozoic oxygenation event Posted: 08 Mar 2011 11:11 AM PST The Cambrian "explosion" of multicellular animal life is one of the most significant evolutionary events in Earth's history. But what was it that jolted the Earth system enough to prompt the evolution of animals? While we take the presence of oxygen in our atmosphere for granted, it was not always this way.

Oral tongue cancer increasing in young, white females Posted: 08 Mar 2011 11:11 AM PST A new study finds an increasing incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue in young white females in the United States over the last three decades.

Dengue fever virus' molecular secrets uncovered Posted: 08 Mar 2011 11:10 AM PST Researchers are making major strides toward understanding the life cycle of flaviviruses, which include some of the most virulent human pathogens: yellow fever virus, Dengue virus and the West Nile Virus, among others.

Making viruses pass for 'safe' Posted: 08 Mar 2011 11:10 AM PST Viruses can penetrate every part of the body, making them potentially good tools for gene therapy or drug delivery. But with our immune system primed to seek and destroy these foreign invaders, delivering therapies with viruses is currently inefficient and can pose a significant danger to patients.

Cleansing the soul by hurting the flesh: The guilt-reducing effect of pain Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:49 AM PST Lent in the Christian tradition is a time of sacrifice and penance. It also is a period of purification and enlightenment. Pain purifies. It atones for sin and cleanses the soul. Or at least that's the idea. Theological questions aside, can self-inflicted pain really alleviate the guilt associated with immoral acts? A new study explores the psychological consequences of experiencing bodily pain.

Role of PARP enzyme in eukaryotes Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:49 AM PST A molecular biologist leveraged a supercomputer to help better define the family tree of a group of enzymes that have been implicated in a wide range of human diseases and are important targets for anti-cancer therapies.Researchers recently analyzed the evolutionary history of the poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase superfamily, proteins that are found in eukaryotes (animals, plants, molds, fungi, algae and protozoa).

Boy toddlers need extra help dealing with negative emotions, experts urge Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:49 AM PST The way you react to your two-year-old's temper tantrums or clinginess may lead to anxiety, withdrawal and behavior problems down the road, and the effect is more pronounced if the child is a boy who often displays such negative emotions as anger and social fearfulness, reports a new study.

How long does a tuning fork ring? Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:49 AM PST Researchers have solved a long-standing problem in the design of mechanical resonators: the numerical prediction of the design-limited damping. Their achievement has a broad impact on diverse fields. The new article describes both a numerical method to calculate the mechanical damping as well as a stringent test of its performance on a set of mechanical microstructures.

Right-handers, but not left-handers, are biased to select their dominant hand Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:49 AM PST The vast majority of humans -- over 90 percent -- prefer to use their right hand for most skilled tasks. For decades, researchers have been trying to understand why this asymmetry exists. Why, with our two cerebral hemispheres and motor cortices, are we not equally skilled with both hands?

Cerebellum provides clues to the nature of human intelligence Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:49 AM PST Research suggests that intelligence in humans is controlled by the part of the brain known as the "cortex," and most theories of age-related cognitive decline focus on cortical dysfunction. A new study suggests a link between cerebellar volume and cognitive ability in older adults.

Chemist discovers shortcut for processing drugs Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:49 AM PST Highly pressurized carbon dioxide at room temperature could replace the time consuming and expensive methods currently used to manufacture certain pharmaceutical drugs, new research suggests.

No-till's benefits for Pacific Northwest wheat growers Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:49 AM PST Wheat farmers in eastern Oregon and Washington who use no-till production systems can substantially stem soil erosion and enhance efforts to protect water quality, according to new research.

Identifying 'anonymous' email authors Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:47 AM PST Researchers have developed an effective new technique to determine the authorship of anonymous emails. Tests showed their method has a high level of accuracy -- and unlike many other methods of ascertaining authorship, it can provide presentable evidence in courts of law.

Open-source software is actually more secure for health care IT, study suggests Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:47 AM PST Globally the sale of health-care information systems is a multibillion dollar industry. The vast costs and frequent failed systems regularly attract media comment. However policy makers still shy away from a class of software, open source, that could address many of these problems, because of worries about the safety and security. Now new research finds that open-source software may actually be more secure than its often more expensive alternatives.

Blood-brain barrier damaged by Sanfilippo syndrome type B disease, mouse study suggests Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:47 AM PST When modeled in mice, Sanfilippo syndrome type B (MS III B), has been found to damage the blood-brain barrier, the structure responsible for protecting the brain from the entry of harmful blood-borne substances. Before this study, little was known about the integrity of the blood-brain barrier in this disease. The discovery of blood-brain barrier structural and functional impairment in MPS III B mice may have implications for disease pathogenesis and treatment.

As we sleep, speedy brain waves boost our ability to learn Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:47 AM PST Scientists have long puzzled over the many hours we spend in light, dreamless slumber. But a new study suggests we're busy recharging our brain's learning capacity during this traditionally undervalued phase of sleep, which can take up half the night.

3-D tracking of single molecules inside cells using new multifocal plane microscopy method Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:47 AM PST Researchers are using a novel 3-D cell imaging method for studying the complex spatial-temporal dynamics of protein transport, providing a solution to this fundamental problem in cell biology.

Secrets of plague revealed through super-resolution microscopy technique Posted: 08 Mar 2011 09:47 AM PST In work that is pushing the "diffraction barrier" associated with microscopic imaging of living cells, researchers have demonstrated the power of a new super-resolution microscopy technique called Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM), which can simultaneously image multiple molecules in living immune cells.

Text messaging helps smokers break the habit: Studies demonstrate brain activity link and use a new technology to monitor smoking Posted: 08 Mar 2011 07:15 AM PST New studies have isolated the brain regions most active in controlling urges to smoke and demonstrated the effectiveness of text-messaging to measure and intervene in those urges.

UCLA performs first hand transplant in the western United States Posted: 08 Mar 2011 07:15 AM PST UCLA surgeons performed the first western US hand transplant in an operation that began one minute before midnight on Friday, March 4, and was completed 14-and-a-half hours later, on Saturday, March 5.

Intelligence analysts need not fear 'Watson,' study shows Posted: 08 Mar 2011 07:15 AM PST A new study on the future of predictive analytics, which examined the outlook for intelligence analysis in the computerized age, shows machines not yet capable of detecting deliberately deceptive data.

Hit multiple targets for maximum benefit in HER2-positive breast cancer, studies suggest Posted: 08 Mar 2011 07:15 AM PST Combining targeted therapies might be required for maximum anti-tumor activity when treating HER2-positive breast cancers, according to two new studies.

Smoking abstinence found more effective with residential treatment Posted: 08 Mar 2011 07:14 AM PST Researchers report that residential treatment for tobacco dependence among heavy smokers greatly improves the odds of abstinence at six months compared with standard outpatient treatment. The study reports that 52 percent of the patients were still not smoking six months after residential treatment, compared with 26 percent in the outpatient treatment setting.

How can robots get our attention? Posted: 08 Mar 2011 07:14 AM PST Researchers have found that they can program a robot to understand when it gains a human's attention and when it falls short.

Homeless patients cost $2,500 more than the average patient for each hospital stay Posted: 08 Mar 2011 07:14 AM PST Homeless patients cost about $2,500 more per hospital stay than the average patient, according to a new Canadian study.

Scanning antiquity underfoot Posted: 08 Mar 2011 07:14 AM PST Scientists have invented a tool that combines advanced analyses from many geophysical methods to "see" below the earth's surface at depths of up to several dozen yards. With this information, archaeologists can decide which sites are significant enough to be "dug" and which sites can remain unexplored until a later date.

New bowel cancer evidence calls for routine DNA repair test Posted: 08 Mar 2011 07:14 AM PST Bowel cancer patients whose tumors contain defects in specific DNA repair systems are much less likely to experience tumor recurrence post surgery, results from a major clinical study have demonstrated.

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