ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Engineer studies damage caused by new zealand earthquake
• Pregnancy anemia linked to childhood wheezing and asthma
• Human studies used to help animals
• Patient's own bone marrow stem cells may provide treatment for brain injuries
• Message to postmenopausal women: 'Increase yearly dental checkups,' researcher urges
• Earth's biodiversity: What do we know and where are we headed?
• New gene sites affecting nonalcoholic fatty liver disease discovered
• Coffee drinking linked to reduced stroke risk in women
• Depression may increase the risk of kidney failure
• New treatment strategy effective for certain lung cancers
• Basketball: Optimal aim points for bank shots
• New details about medically important protein family
• Grab the leash: Dog walkers more likely to reach exercise benchmarks
• New method for studying molecule reactions a breakthrough in organic chemistry
• Surgery without external scars is gaining traction: Organ removal through body’s orifices is minimally invasive approach to surgery
• How inherited genes contribute to a common, incurable neurodegenerative disease
• New robot system to test 10,000 chemicals for toxicity
• Pitchers bean more batters in the heat of the summer
• New technology would dramatically extend battery life for mobile devices
• Engineered protein has potential for new anti-inflamatory treatment
• Aging rates, gender gap in mortality similar across all primates
• Scientists reveal role of light sensor in temperature sensation
• Anthropologists link human uniqueness to hunter-gatherer group structure
• Molecules work the day shift to protect the liver from accumulating fat
• Aerosol plumes downwind of Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Insights from air pollution study have applications beyond Gulf
• Non-native snakes are taking a toll on native birds, scientists find
• New switching device could help build an ultrafast 'quantum Internet'
• Erectile dysfunction drug improves exercise tolerance in young people with congenital heart disease
• Computer model shows importance of feet, toes in body balance
• A glove on your hand can change your mind
• Alcohol has stronger impact on gastric bypass patients, study finds
• 'Lover's lane' for birds found in Arctic
• Shape memory polymers shed light on how cells respond to physical environment
• Referral to high-volume hospitals for operations fails to improve outcomes statewide, study finds
• Electronic healthcare at the click of a mouse
• Early male friendship as a precursor to substance abuse in girls
• Scientists develop high-tech crop map
• Molecule that can increase blood flow in vascular disease identified
• Nanotech-enabled consumer products continue to rise
• Acquisition of robotic technology leads to increased rates of prostate cancer surgery
• Scientists discover cause of rare skin cancer that heals itself
• Complementary technology could provide solution to our GPS vulnerability
• Work climate the main reason women leave engineering, survey suggests
• Important structure in the transmission of light signals deciphered
• Weed-eating fish 'key to reef survival'
• Pollution forms an invisible barrier for marine life
• New drug approved for treating most common type of lupus
• Can bees color maps better than ants?
• Shallow-water shrimp tolerates deep-sea conditions
• New clues to help patients with immune deficiency disease
• Playability: What a video game needs to be successful
• Half-time for Mars500: Simulated mission to the Red Planet
• American birds of prey at higher risk of poisoning from pest control chemicals
• Irrigation telecontrol system created that saves up to 20 percent of water per harvest
• Ultra high speed film
• Sea ice holds deep secrets
• Potential Alzheimer's treatment? Newly discovered role for enzyme in neurodegenerative diseases
• Why low birth weight is linked to obesity later in life: Study provides explanation
• Researchers use lasers, custom microscope to show gene splicing process in real time
• Some patients with cerebral palsy have asymmetric pelvic bones, study finds

Engineer studies damage caused by new zealand earthquake Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:08 PM PST Researchers are just back from studying the damage caused by the Feb. 22 earthquake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand, and killed more than 160 people. In Christchurch, researchers said unreinforced brick masonry buildings built in the 1930s and '40s suffered significant damage.

Pregnancy anemia linked to childhood wheezing and asthma Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:04 PM PST Need a reason to take your iron supplements? Iron deficiency during pregnancy may directly impact infant and childhood breathing health according to a new study.

Human studies used to help animals Posted: 10 Mar 2011 05:59 PM PST A doctoral student reaches across a Cleveland Metroparks Zoo exhibit with a long pole tipped with a synthetic swab soaked in honey water. A pygmy slow loris, a big-eyed nocturnal primate, climbs down a branch and begins licking and chewing the swab. Something as seemingly innocuous as incorrect lighting may negatively impact the health and reproduction of lorises, pottos and their kin, researchers say.

Patient's own bone marrow stem cells may provide treatment for brain injuries Posted: 10 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Stem cells derived from a patient's own bone marrow were safely used in pediatric patients with traumatic brain injury, according to results of a Phase I clinical trial.

Message to postmenopausal women: 'Increase yearly dental checkups,' researcher urges Posted: 10 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Postmenopausal women have a new health message to hear. Two annual dental checkups aren't enough. Older women need more, according to new research findings. That message comes from a comparison study of women on and off bone-strengthening bisphosphonate therapies for osteoporosis.

Earth's biodiversity: What do we know and where are we headed? Posted: 10 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Earth's biodiversity -- the number of microorganisms, plants, and animals, their genes, and their ecosystems -- is declining at an alarming rate, even faster than the last mass extinction 65 million years ago. In fact, two thirds of the terrestrial species that exist today are estimated to be extinct by the end of this century. The American Journal of Botany's Biodiversity Special Issue has collected a broad range of state-of-the-art biodiversity studies.

New gene sites affecting nonalcoholic fatty liver disease discovered Posted: 10 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Five genetic variants in humans -- four new -- associate with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, according to a study.

Coffee drinking linked to reduced stroke risk in women Posted: 10 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Drinking more than a cup of coffee per day was associated with a significantly lower risk of stroke in a study of Swedish women. Low or no coffee consumption was associated with an increased risk of stroke in women. Researchers caution that it's too soon to change your coffee-drinking habits.

Depression may increase the risk of kidney failure Posted: 10 Mar 2011 02:32 PM PST Depression is associated with an increased risk of developing kidney failure in the future, according to a new study. Approximately 10 percent of the US population will suffer from depression at some point during their lifetime.

New treatment strategy effective for certain lung cancers Posted: 10 Mar 2011 12:12 PM PST Two chemotherapy drugs now indicated for second and third-line therapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer are remarkably effective in treating a certain subset of these patients, new study suggests. Researchers say these drugs should be considered as a first-line treatment in people who are known to carry an epidermal growth factor receptor mutation.

Basketball: Optimal aim points for bank shots Posted: 10 Mar 2011 12:12 PM PST New research show that, from many areas of the basketball court within 12 feet of the basket, you have a better chance of scoring with a bank shot than with a direct shot. The study also shows the optimal aim points to convert a bank shot from most areas of the court.

New details about medically important protein family Posted: 10 Mar 2011 12:12 PM PST Scientists have determined a new structure from a medically important superfamily of proteins. The structure should help instruct the design of a new kind of therapeutics for conditions ranging from Parkinson's disease to inflammation.

Grab the leash: Dog walkers more likely to reach exercise benchmarks Posted: 10 Mar 2011 12:12 PM PST Man's best friend may provide more than just faithful companionship: A new study shows people who owned and walked their dogs were 34 percent more likely to meet federal benchmarks on physical activity. The results show that promoting dog ownership and dog walking could help many Americans -- of which fewer than half meet recommended levels of leisure-time physical activity -- become healthier.

New method for studying molecule reactions a breakthrough in organic chemistry Posted: 10 Mar 2011 12:12 PM PST In a feat of manipulating substances at the nanoscale, new research demonstrates a method to isolate two molecules together on a substrate and to control specifically how those two molecules react when excited with ultraviolet light, further making detailed observations before and after reaction. The method mimics the strategy used by enzymes in many biochemical reactions.

Surgery without external scars is gaining traction: Organ removal through body’s orifices is minimally invasive approach to surgery Posted: 10 Mar 2011 12:12 PM PST Innovative minimally invasive procedure called Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) is allowing surgeons to perform organ removal surgery without any visible incisions. Northwestern Medicine physicians were among the first in the US to perform several types of the procedure and are leading the charge in organ removal through the mouth or vagina.

How inherited genes contribute to a common, incurable neurodegenerative disease Posted: 10 Mar 2011 12:12 PM PST A team of scientists has developed a new model for how inherited genes contribute to a common but untreatable and incurable neurodegenerative disease. The disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, is the second most common cause of dementia before age 65, after Alzheimer's disease.

New robot system to test 10,000 chemicals for toxicity Posted: 10 Mar 2011 11:38 AM PST Several federal agencies have unveiled a new high-speed robot screening system that will test 10,000 different chemicals for potential toxicity. The system marks the beginning of a new phase of an ongoing collaboration, referred to as Tox21, that is working to protect people's health by improving how chemicals are tested in this country.

Pitchers bean more batters in the heat of the summer Posted: 10 Mar 2011 11:14 AM PST During spring training, you will find Major League pitchers practicing their pitches, perfecting their technique and strengthening their muscles to endure the grueling 162 game season. A new study suggests that hurlers might also consider the effect these sweltering months could have on their brains.

New technology would dramatically extend battery life for mobile devices Posted: 10 Mar 2011 11:14 AM PST Technophiles who have been dreaming of mobile devices that run longer on lighter, slimmer batteries may soon find their wish has been granted. Engineers have developed a form of ultra-low-power digital memory that is faster and uses 100 times less energy than similar available memory. The technology could give future portable devices much longer battery life between charges. The researchers use carbon nanotubes as electrodes and tiny amounts of phase-change material as the bit.

Engineered protein has potential for new anti-inflamatory treatment Posted: 10 Mar 2011 11:14 AM PST Researchers have created a new protein molecule derived from the growth factor progranulin may provide the basis for new therapies in inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, according to a new study.

Aging rates, gender gap in mortality similar across all primates Posted: 10 Mar 2011 11:14 AM PST Humans aren't the only ones who grow old gracefully, says a new study of primate aging patterns. For a long time it was thought that humans, with our relatively long life spans and access to modern medicine, aged more slowly than other animals. Early comparisons with rats, mice, and other short-lived creatures confirmed the hunch. But now, the first-ever multi-species comparison of human aging patterns with those in chimps, gorillas, and other primates suggests the pace of human aging may not be so unique after all.

Scientists reveal role of light sensor in temperature sensation Posted: 10 Mar 2011 11:14 AM PST A light-sensing receptor that's packed inside the eye's photoreceptor cells has an altogether surprising role in cells elsewhere in the body, scientists have discovered. Using fruit flies, they showed that this protein, called rhodopsin, also is critical for sensing temperature.

Anthropologists link human uniqueness to hunter-gatherer group structure Posted: 10 Mar 2011 11:14 AM PST New findings by an international team of anthropologists suggest that human ancestral social structure may be the root of cumulative culture and cooperation and, ultimately, human uniqueness.

Molecules work the day shift to protect the liver from accumulating fat Posted: 10 Mar 2011 11:14 AM PST Scientists have discovered molecules that act as "shift workers" to maintain the daily rhythm of fat metabolism. When those molecules do not do their jobs, the liver dramatically fills with fat.

Aerosol plumes downwind of Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Insights from air pollution study have applications beyond Gulf Posted: 10 Mar 2011 11:14 AM PST During a special airborne mission to study the air-quality impacts of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill last June, researchers discovered an important new mechanism by which air pollution particles form. Although predicted four years ago, this discovery now confirms the importance of this pollution mechanism and could change the way urban air quality is understood and predicted.

Non-native snakes are taking a toll on native birds, scientists find Posted: 10 Mar 2011 10:11 AM PST The Everglades National Park in Florida is home to hundreds of species of native wildlife. It has also become the well-established home of the non-native Burmese python -- known to be a predator of native species. Now scientists, for the first time, have conducted a detailed analysis of the avian component of the python's diet and the negative impact the snakes may have on Florida's native birds, including some endangered species.

New switching device could help build an ultrafast 'quantum Internet' Posted: 10 Mar 2011 10:10 AM PST Researchers have developed a new switching device that takes quantum communication to a new level. They can route quantum bits, or entangled particles of light, at very high speeds along a shared network of fiber-optic cable without losing the entanglement information embedded in the quantum bits. The switch could be used toward achieving two goals of the information technology world: a quantum Internet, where encrypted information would be completely secure, and networking superfast quantum computers.

Erectile dysfunction drug improves exercise tolerance in young people with congenital heart disease Posted: 10 Mar 2011 10:10 AM PST Sildenafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, has another possible use -- helping children and young adults with congenital heart disease to better tolerate exercise. Sildenafil significantly improved measures of exercise performance during stress testing in patients with single-ventricle heart disease, according to researchers.

Computer model shows importance of feet, toes in body balance Posted: 10 Mar 2011 10:10 AM PST Researchers are using a new model to learn more about how toe strength can determine how far people can lean while keeping their balance. The results could help in building robotic body parts that will closely imitate human movement, and might lead to a new generation of advanced prosthetics.

A glove on your hand can change your mind Posted: 10 Mar 2011 10:10 AM PST Unconsciously, right-handers associate good with the right side of space and bad with the left. But this association can be rapidly changed, according to a new study. Even a few minutes of using the left hand more fluently than the right can reverse right-handers' judgments of good and bad, making them think that the left is the 'right side' of space. Conceptions of good and bad are rooted in people's bodily experiences, and can change when patterns of bodily experience change.

Alcohol has stronger impact on gastric bypass patients, study finds Posted: 10 Mar 2011 09:10 AM PST Patients who have had a gastric bypass operation take longer to process alcohol, potentially leading some of them to overindulge when drinking, according to the results of a new study.

'Lover's lane' for birds found in Arctic Posted: 10 Mar 2011 09:10 AM PST A new study reveals the critical importance of western Arctic Alaska's Teshekpuk Lake region to tens of thousands of birds that breed in the area during the brief, but productive arctic summers, and makes clearer the case for permanent protection of the area.

Shape memory polymers shed light on how cells respond to physical environment Posted: 10 Mar 2011 09:10 AM PST Researchers have used shape memory polymers to provide greater insight into how cells sense and respond to their physical environment.

Referral to high-volume hospitals for operations fails to improve outcomes statewide, study finds Posted: 10 Mar 2011 09:10 AM PST Referring patients to hospitals that have the largest volume of surgical procedures does not necessarily lead to improved outcomes for the overall population, according to the results of a new study.

Electronic healthcare at the click of a mouse Posted: 10 Mar 2011 08:23 AM PST Health literacy is a prerequisite for well being in the developed world with five out of five ailments being treatable by patients themselves given access to appropriate information. However, when symptoms appear, it is often difficult for a patient to make the right decision even given access to suitable health information and deciding whether their ailment is the one out of five that requires a health professional becomes a difficult task.

Early male friendship as a precursor to substance abuse in girls Posted: 10 Mar 2011 08:23 AM PST A new study shows that girls tend to pursue mixed-gender friendships earlier than boys, and may be more likely to develop substance abuse problems during late adolescence as a result.

Scientists develop high-tech crop map Posted: 10 Mar 2011 08:23 AM PST AgroAtlas is a new interactive website that shows the geographic distributions of 100 crops; 640 species of crop diseases, pests, and weeds; and 560 wild crop relatives growing in Russia and neighboring countries. Downloadable maps and geographic information system software are also available, allowing layering of data, such as that relating major wheat production areas to concentrations of Russian wheat aphids.

Molecule that can increase blood flow in vascular disease identified Posted: 10 Mar 2011 08:23 AM PST Researchers have discovered that a molecule called Wnt1 can improve the function of endothelial progenitor cells, increasing the blood flow to organs that previously had been cut off from the circulation.

Nanotech-enabled consumer products continue to rise Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:13 AM PST Over 1,300 manufacturer-identified, nanotechnology-enabled products have entered the commercial marketplace around the world. The most recent update to the group's five-year-old inventory reflects the continuing use of the tiny particles in everything from conventional products like non-stick cookware to more unique items such as self-cleaning window treatments.

Acquisition of robotic technology leads to increased rates of prostate cancer surgery Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:13 AM PST When hospitals acquire surgical robotic technology, men in that region are more likely to have prostate cancer surgery, a new study shows.

Scientists discover cause of rare skin cancer that heals itself Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:13 AM PST Scientists have discovered the gene behind a rare skin cancer which grows rapidly for a few weeks before healing spontaneously.

Complementary technology could provide solution to our GPS vulnerability Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:13 AM PST Experts have called on government to invest in technologies including a complementary terrestrial system to protect the GPS signal that underpins transport, telecommunications, finance and power.

Work climate the main reason women leave engineering, survey suggests Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:13 AM PST After years of investing in strategies to encourage more women to pursue a rigorous engineering degree -- and succeeding -- US engineering firms are now facing a problem in retaining qualified women engineers. Why are so many women leaving the field -- or getting their degrees but never entering the field? The top reason isn't family, according to a new study, but an unfavorable work climate.

Important structure in the transmission of light signals deciphered Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:38 AM PST Scientists have made a new discovery in the basics of signal transduction research. They were able to clarify for the first time, in an important information carrier in the human body, the receptor protein rhodopsin, how such a protein must be designed to accommodate a light signal.

Weed-eating fish 'key to reef survival' Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:38 AM PST Preserving an intact population of weed-eating fish may be vital to saving the world's coral reefs from being engulfed by weed as human and climate impacts grow. A study by researchers in Australia has found weed-eaters like parrotfish and surgeonfish can only keep coral reefs clear of weed up to a point. After the weeds reach a certain density, they take over and the coral is lost.

Pollution forms an invisible barrier for marine life Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:38 AM PST Researchers in Hawaii have examined the genetic structure of a common, non-harvested sea star using a spatially explicit model to test whether the largest sewage discharge and urban runoff sources were affecting the genetic structure of this species. They found that these large pollution sources are not only increasing genetic differentiation between populations (presumably by limiting the dispersal of larvae between them) but also decreasing the genetic diversity of populations closest to them.

New drug approved for treating most common type of lupus Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:37 AM PST A new drug -- Benlysta (belimumab) -- has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Benlysta, which treats the most common type of lupus, is the first in a new class of pharmaceuticals that prevents the body from attacking its own critical tissues.

Can bees color maps better than ants? Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:37 AM PST In mathematics, you need at most only four different colors to produce a map in which no two adjacent regions have the same color. Utah and Arizona are considered adjacent, but Utah and New Mexico, which only share a point, are not. The four-color theorem proves this conjecture for generic maps of countries, but actually of more use in solving scheduling problems, scheduling, register allocation in computing and frequency assignment in mobile communications and broadcasting.

Shallow-water shrimp tolerates deep-sea conditions Posted: 10 Mar 2011 06:37 AM PST By studying the tolerance of marine invertebrates to a wide range of temperature and pressure, scientists are beginning to understand how shallow-water species could have colonized the ocean depths.

New clues to help patients with immune deficiency disease Posted: 10 Mar 2011 05:21 AM PST Infection researchers have uncovered a new disease mechanism in patients with chronic granulomatous disease. Scientists have now found new treatment for CGD patients.

Playability: What a video game needs to be successful Posted: 10 Mar 2011 05:21 AM PST Researchers have created a video game that will serve as a model to assess all aspects related to video games; it has also established a conceptual framework that will allow experts to assess players' experiences. The researchers based their study on their own experiences in previous projects where they developed educational resources and video games aimed at educational environments.

Half-time for Mars500: Simulated mission to the Red Planet Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:05 AM PST The Mars500 mission -- a simulated mission to the Red Planet -- has reached its half-way mark: After a 250-day virtual flight, the crew members recently landed on a virtual Mars and left the isolation container at the Moscow Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) in their space suits.

American birds of prey at higher risk of poisoning from pest control chemicals Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:04 AM PST A new study using American kestrels, a surrogate test species for raptorial birds, suggests that they are at greater risk from poisoning from the rodenticide diphacinone than previous believed. The research considers the threat posed by diphacinone as its usage increases following restrictions on the use of similar pesticides.

Irrigation telecontrol system created that saves up to 20 percent of water per harvest Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:04 AM PST Researchers in Spain have developed an irrigation telecontrol system which will enable saving up to 20 percent of water for each harvest, compared to traditional irrigation methods.

Ultra high speed film Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:04 AM PST How fast an intense laser pulse can change the electrical properties of solids is revealed by new research. Scientists are following the course of electronic switching processes which occur within fractions of a second (femtoseconds). The results of their research may trigger future developments of custom-made and ultra fast opto-electronic components in order to increase data transmission rates or to accelerate optical switches, to name just one example of potential areas of application.

Sea ice holds deep secrets Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:04 AM PST Future safety in traversing the enormous Arctic Ocean will require greater knowledge about the molecular structure of sea ice. But studying sea ice without disturbing it or having it melt is no simple matter.

Potential Alzheimer's treatment? Newly discovered role for enzyme in neurodegenerative diseases Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:04 AM PST Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's are partly attributable to brain inflammation. Researchers now demonstrate that a well-known family of enzymes can prevent the inflammation and thus constitute a potential target for drugs.

Why low birth weight is linked to obesity later in life: Study provides explanation Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:03 AM PST Researchers found nutritionally deprived newborns are "programmed" to eat more because they develop less neurons in the region of the brain that controls food intake.

Researchers use lasers, custom microscope to show gene splicing process in real time Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:03 AM PST Researchers have developed a way to use lasers to study the splicing of pre-messenger RNA molecules, an essential process in creating proteins to sustain advanced organisms, including human life. Now this process of splicing, carried out by a cellular micro-machine called the spliceosome, can be viewed in real time. The research paper culminates a five-year-long collaboration of three research laboratories.

Some patients with cerebral palsy have asymmetric pelvic bones, study finds Posted: 10 Mar 2011 04:03 AM PST Researchers have discovered that most children with severe cerebral palsy have starkly asymmetric pelvic bones. The newly identified misalignment can affect how surgeries of the pelvis, spine and surrounding structures are performed, the researchers say.

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