ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Salt-seeking spacecraft arrives at launch site; NASA instrument will measure ocean surface salinity
• Mysteries of Jupiter and Saturn rings: Forensic sleuthing ties ring ripples to impacts
• Promising target for AIDS vaccine
• Professor uses math analytics to project 2011 Major League Baseball winners
• Sun and shade leaves play different roles in tree canopies
• Link found between DNA damage and immune response
• Screening does not reduce prostate cancer deaths, study suggests
• Long lost cousin of T. rex identified by scientists
• Brain scans reveal differences in brain structure in teenagers with severe antisocial behavior
• Brain research reveals possible causes of sudden infant death syndrome
• Climate change and evolution of Cross River gorillas
• Regular breakfast helps reduce lead poisoning in children
• New therapeutic target for lung cancer
• Biomedical engineers develop computational model to better understand genomes
• New nanomaterial can detect and neutralize explosives
• Older and stronger: Progressive resistance training can build muscle, increase strength as we age
• Cat allergy vaccine safe and effective, study suggests
• Neutral atoms made to act like electrically charged particles
• Pilot study examines stress, anxiety and needs of young women with a unique breast cancer
• Patients in their 50s with diabetes have nearly double the risk for developing 'geriatric' ailments, study finds
• US cancer death rates in decline: Annual report focuses on brain tumors
• Genetic defect suggests high blood pressure may come from mother
• Getting the point: Real-time monitoring of atomic-microscope probes adjusts for wear
• One-two punch to fight explosives terrorism
• Microreactors: Small scale chemistry could lead to big improvements for biodegradable polymers
• A measurement first: 'Noise thermometry' system measures Boltzmann Constant
• Closer look at cell membrane shows cholesterol 'keeping order'
• First non-trivial atom circuit: Progress toward an atom SQUID
• Aimless proteins may be crucial to disease
• Probiotic bacteria could help treat Crohn's disease
• Scat reveals an immigrant in Isle Royale wolves' gene pool
• Fossil is best look yet at an ancestor of buttercups
• More robust measures needed to identify and protect endangered species, experts say
• Economic importance of bats in the 'billions a year' range
• Novel technique reveals how glaciers sculpted their valleys
• Researchers electrify polymerization
• Some populations of Fraser River salmon more likely to survive climate change
• Advance toward making biodegradable plastics from waste chicken feathers
• How do neurons in the retina encode what we 'see'?
• Immune therapy can control fertility in mammals: Technique could prevent pregnancy in pets, human use is also envisioned
• First study in decade provides hope for patients suffering from primary biliary cirrhosis
• Novel nanowires boost fuel cell efficiency
• Fluvastatin enhances HCV response in combination with interferon and ribavirin, study suggests
• Fruit fly's response to starvation could help control human appetites
• Rare genetic variants most likely to influence disease
• Human embryonic stem cells provide new insight into muscular dystrophy
• Genetic alteration may represent early stage of smoking-induced cardiovascular damage
• Remove children's catheters as soon as possible to prevent bloodstream infections
• Engineer studies how to reduce impact of power tools vibrations
• Researchers need to engage lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transginder populations in health studies, experts urge
• Smooth single-molecule layers of materials: Expanding the degrees of surface freezing
• Mysterious 'ribbon' of energy and particles that wrap around solar system's heliosphere isolated
• Informaticists uncover online security flaws, receive free products
• Repulsive smell could combat bed bugs
• Superwoman: A hard act to follow
• Sequential treatment with entecavir and lamivudine results in rebound of hepatitis B virus, study suggests
• Getting closer to a better biocontrol for garden pests
• New strategic plan for NIH obesity research seeks to curb epidemic
• New tool makes programs more efficient without sacrificing safety functions
• Engineered protein fragment blocks the AIDS virus from entering cells

Salt-seeking spacecraft arrives at launch site; NASA instrument will measure ocean surface salinity Posted: 31 Mar 2011 05:45 PM PDT An international spacecraft that will take NASA's first space-based measurements of ocean surface salinity has arrived at its launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The Aquarius/SAC-D mission will provide scientists with a key missing variable in satellite observations of Earth that links ocean circulation, the global balance of freshwater and climate.

Mysteries of Jupiter and Saturn rings: Forensic sleuthing ties ring ripples to impacts Posted: 31 Mar 2011 05:43 PM PDT Like forensic scientists examining fingerprints at a cosmic crime scene, scientists working with data from NASA's Cassini, Galileo and New Horizons missions have traced telltale ripples in the rings of Saturn and Jupiter back to collisions with cometary fragments dating back more than 10 years ago.

Promising target for AIDS vaccine Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:16 PM PDT A section of the AIDS virus's protein envelope once considered an improbable target for a vaccine now appears to be one of the most promising, new research indicates. The section, a twisting strand of protein known as the V3 loop, is an attractive vaccine target because immune system antibodies aimed at the loop may offer protection against multiple genetic subtypes of HIV-1.

Professor uses math analytics to project 2011 Major League Baseball winners Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:16 PM PDT For over a decade, a math professor has applied mathematical analysis to compute winning games for each Major League Baseball Team.

Sun and shade leaves play different roles in tree canopies Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:16 PM PDT "Outer" tree canopy leaves influence the sunlight reaching inner canopy leaves by changing their shape, says a new study.

Link found between DNA damage and immune response Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:15 PM PDT Researchers offer the first evidence that DNA damage can lead to the regulation of inflammatory responses, the body's reaction to injury. The proteins involved in the regulation help protect the body from infection.

Screening does not reduce prostate cancer deaths, study suggests Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:15 PM PDT Screening does not significantly reduce prostate cancer deaths, but the risk of overdetection and overtreatment is considerable, concludes a 20-year study.

Long lost cousin of T. rex identified by scientists Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:15 PM PDT Scientists have identified a new species of gigantic theropod dinosaur, a close relative of T. rex, from fossil skull and jaw bones discovered in China.

Brain scans reveal differences in brain structure in teenagers with severe antisocial behavior Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:15 PM PDT Brain scans of aggressive and antisocial teenage boys with conduct disorder (CD) have revealed differences in the structure of the developing brain that could link to their behavior problems. The study reveals that the brain differences were present regardless of the age of onset of the disorder, challenging the view that adolescence-onset CD is merely a consequence of imitating badly behaved peers.

Brain research reveals possible causes of sudden infant death syndrome Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:15 PM PDT New research sheds light on areas of the brain thought to be the root cause of sudden infant death syndrome -- the poorly understood condition also known as "cot death."

Climate change and evolution of Cross River gorillas Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:15 PM PDT Two species of gorillas live in central equatorial Africa. Divergence between the Western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) and Eastern Gorillas (G. beringei) began between 0.9 and 1.6 million years ago. New research shows that the divergence of Western lowland gorillas and the Critically Endangered Cross River gorillas (G. g. diehli) occurred more recently, about 17,800 years ago, during the Pleistocene era.

Regular breakfast helps reduce lead poisoning in children Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:15 PM PDT It is known that fasting increases lead absorption in adults and consequently regular meals and snacks are recommended for children to prevent lead poisoning. New research demonstrates that having a regular breakfast is associated with lower blood lead levels in children.

New therapeutic target for lung cancer Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:15 PM PDT A new therapeutic target for lung cancer has been discovered. It was found that a variant of the protein AIMP2 is highly expressed in lung cancer cells and also that patients demonstrating high expression of this variant show lower survival.

Biomedical engineers develop computational model to better understand genomes Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:15 PM PDT Biomedical engineers have developed a computational model that will help biological researchers clearly identify the significance of variations between different genomes -- the complex sequences of DNA and RNA at the foundation of all living organisms.

New nanomaterial can detect and neutralize explosives Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:15 PM PDT Scientists have described the development and successful initial tests of a spray-on material that both detects and renders harmless the genre of terrorist explosives responsible for government restrictions on liquids that can be carried onboard airliners.It is an ink-like explosive detector/neutralizer.

Older and stronger: Progressive resistance training can build muscle, increase strength as we age Posted: 31 Mar 2011 01:35 PM PDT It's often thought that older adults must tolerate the strength and muscle loss that come with age. But analyses of current research reveal that not only can we fight the battle of strength and muscle loss as we age, we can even build muscle and strength well into our golden years.

Cat allergy vaccine safe and effective, study suggests Posted: 31 Mar 2011 01:35 PM PDT Mark Larché and his research team have developed a cat allergy vaccine which is effective and safe with almost no side effects.

Neutral atoms made to act like electrically charged particles Posted: 31 Mar 2011 01:35 PM PDT Completing the circuit they started by creating synthetic magnetic fields, scientists have made atoms act as if they were charged particles in electric fields.

Pilot study examines stress, anxiety and needs of young women with a unique breast cancer Posted: 31 Mar 2011 01:35 PM PDT Unlike older breast cancer survivors, young women 40 and under with breast cancer face different psychological and social burdens: Newer careers, newer couple relationships, younger families, and a peer group that's by-and-large healthy, says a psychologist. Her research looks at women fighting Triple Negative Breast Cancer -- an aggressive subtype striking 10 to 20 percent of women with breast cancer -- typically young, African-American/Hispanic, or testing positive for BRCA1 gene mutation.

Patients in their 50s with diabetes have nearly double the risk for developing 'geriatric' ailments, study finds Posted: 31 Mar 2011 01:35 PM PDT Middle-aged adults with diabetes are much more likely to develop age-related conditions than their counterparts who don't have diabetes, according to a new study.

US cancer death rates in decline: Annual report focuses on brain tumors Posted: 31 Mar 2011 01:35 PM PDT Lung cancer death rates in women have fallen for the first time in four decades, according to an annual report on the status of cancer. The drop comes about 10 years after lung cancer deaths in men began to fall, a delay that reflects the later uptake of smoking by women in the middle of the last century.

Genetic defect suggests high blood pressure may come from mother Posted: 31 Mar 2011 01:35 PM PDT A mitochondrial defect inherited from mothers is linked to high blood pressure in one Chinese family. The finding may provide new insights into maternally transmitted hypertension.

Getting the point: Real-time monitoring of atomic-microscope probes adjusts for wear Posted: 31 Mar 2011 12:13 PM PDT Scientists have developed a way to measure the wear and degradation of the microscopic probes used to study nanoscale structures in situ and as it's happening. Their technique can both dramatically speed up and improve the accuracy of the most precise and delicate nanoscale measurements done with atomic force microscopy.

One-two punch to fight explosives terrorism Posted: 31 Mar 2011 12:13 PM PDT Trace-explosives detectors (TEDs) are an increasingly common sight at airports and on loading docks. More and more emergency response personnel as well are carrying them to evaluate suspicious packages. A new test material enables users of these products to evaluate their performance and reliability.

Microreactors: Small scale chemistry could lead to big improvements for biodegradable polymers Posted: 31 Mar 2011 12:13 PM PDT Using a small block of aluminum with a tiny groove carved in it, scientists are developing an improved "green chemistry" method for making biodegradable polymers. A prime example of the value of microfluidics, a technology more commonly associated with inkjet printers and medical diagnostics, to process modeling and development for industrial chemistry.

A measurement first: 'Noise thermometry' system measures Boltzmann Constant Posted: 31 Mar 2011 12:13 PM PDT Researchers have for the first time used an apparatus that relies on the "noise" of jiggling electrons to make highly accurate measurements of the Boltzmann constant, an important value for many scientific calculations. The technique is simpler and more compact than other methods for measuring the constant and could advance international efforts to revamp the world's scientific measurement system.

Closer look at cell membrane shows cholesterol 'keeping order' Posted: 31 Mar 2011 12:13 PM PDT Scientists have developed a way to magnify cell membranes dramatically and watch them move, revealing a surprising dependence on cholesterol within this boundary between the cell and the outside world.

First non-trivial atom circuit: Progress toward an atom SQUID Posted: 31 Mar 2011 12:13 PM PDT Researchers have created the first non-trivial "atom circuit," a donut-shaped loop of ultracold gas atoms circulating in a current analogous to a ring of electrons in a superconducting wire.

Aimless proteins may be crucial to disease Posted: 31 Mar 2011 12:13 PM PDT A supposedly inactive protein actually plays a crucial role in the ability of one the world's most prolific pathogens to cause disease and could also be important to other such pathogen-based diseases as malaria.

Probiotic bacteria could help treat Crohn's disease Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:22 AM PDT New research suggests that infection with a probiotic strain of E. coli bacteria could help treat an reduce the negative effects of another E. coli infection that may be associated with Crohn's disease.

Scat reveals an immigrant in Isle Royale wolves' gene pool Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:22 AM PDT Until recently scientists studying the wolves of Isle Royale National Park thought they'd been totally isolated on the Lake Superior island for more than half a century. Now, by analyzing droppings, they've found the DNA of a fairly recent immigrant wolf from Canada.

Fossil is best look yet at an ancestor of buttercups Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:22 AM PDT Scientists from the United States and China have discovered the first intact fossil of a mature eudicot, a type of flowering plant whose membership includes buttercups, apple trees, maple trees, dandelions and proteas. The 125-million-year-old find reveals a remarkably developed species.

More robust measures needed to identify and protect endangered species, experts say Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:22 AM PDT Conservationists may need to change their approach to protecting animals and plants from extinction if they are to successfully shield key species and habitats from the effects of global climate change, according to a new review.

Economic importance of bats in the 'billions a year' range Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:22 AM PDT Researchers analyzed the economic impact of the loss of bats in North America in agriculture and found it to be in the $3.7 to $53 billion a year range. A single colony of 150 big brown bats eat nearly 1.3 million insects a year -- insects that could potentially be damaging to crops.

Novel technique reveals how glaciers sculpted their valleys Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:22 AM PDT How do you reconstruct the landscape that a glacier has obliterated? Geologists have developed a new technique to determine the life history of minerals now on the surface but that once were under a kilometer of rock, and thus to reconstruct the landform history of a mountain range. The work can help us understand how glaciers are changing the landscape today.

Researchers electrify polymerization Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:22 AM PDT Scientists are using electricity from a battery to drive atom transfer radical polymerization, a widely used method of creating industrial plastics. The environmentally friendly approach represents a breakthrough in the level of control scientists can achieve over the ATRP process, which will allow for the creation of even more complex and specialized materials.

Some populations of Fraser River salmon more likely to survive climate change Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:22 AM PDT Populations of Fraser River sockeye salmon are so fine-tuned to their environment that any further environmental changes caused by climate change could lead to the disappearance of some populations, while others may be less affected, says a new study.

Advance toward making biodegradable plastics from waste chicken feathers Posted: 31 Mar 2011 11:22 AM PDT In a scientific advance literally plucked from the waste heap, scientists have described a key step toward using the billions of pounds of waste chicken feathers produced each year to make one of the more important kinds of plastic.

How do neurons in the retina encode what we 'see'? Posted: 31 Mar 2011 10:12 AM PDT The moment we open our eyes, we perceive the world with apparent ease. But the question of how neurons in the retina encode what we "see" has been a tricky one. A key obstacle to understanding how our brain functions is that its components—neurons—respond in highly nonlinear ways to complex stimuli, making stimulus-response relationships extremely difficult to discern.

Immune therapy can control fertility in mammals: Technique could prevent pregnancy in pets, human use is also envisioned Posted: 31 Mar 2011 10:11 AM PDT Researchers have shown that it is possible to immunize mammals to control fertility. They say their technique could possibly be used on other mammals -- including humans -- because fertility hormones and their receptors are species-non-specific and are similar in both females and males. For pets, the technique could be an alternative to castration and adverse effects of hormone administration.

First study in decade provides hope for patients suffering from primary biliary cirrhosis Posted: 31 Mar 2011 10:11 AM PDT Results from a new study suggest that obeticholic acid is a safe and effective treatment for patients suffering from primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) as demonstrated by substantial decreases in the levels of alkaline phosphatase enzyme in the blood, a key marker for PBC.

Novel nanowires boost fuel cell efficiency Posted: 31 Mar 2011 09:23 AM PDT Engineers have created a new fuel cell catalyst system using nanowires made of a novel material that boosts long-term performance by 2.4 times compared to today's technology. The nanowires are made of a metal alloy known as a bulk metallic glass and have high surface areas, thereby exposing more of the catalyst. They also maintain their activity longer than traditional fuel cell catalyst systems.

Fluvastatin enhances HCV response in combination with interferon and ribavirin, study suggests Posted: 31 Mar 2011 09:23 AM PDT New data confirm the antiviral activity of fluvastatin -- commonly used as a cholesterol-lowering treatment -- in patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV).

Fruit fly's response to starvation could help control human appetites Posted: 31 Mar 2011 09:23 AM PDT Biologists have identified the molecular mechanisms triggered by starvation in fruit flies that enhance the nervous system's response to smell, allowing these insects and presumably vertebrates -- including humans -- to become more efficient and voracious foragers when hungry. Their discovery of the neural changes that control odor-driven food searches in flies could provide a new way to potentially regulate human appetite.

Rare genetic variants most likely to influence disease Posted: 31 Mar 2011 09:23 AM PDT New genomic analyses suggest that the most common genetic variants in the human genome aren't the ones most likely causing disease. Rare genetic variants, the type found most often in functional areas of human DNA, are more often linked to disease, genetic experts report.

Human embryonic stem cells provide new insight into muscular dystrophy Posted: 31 Mar 2011 09:23 AM PDT Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is the most common inherited muscular dystrophy in adults. New research uses human embryonic stem cells to make a clinically important contribution to the understanding of this disease, and highlights the incredible potential that embryonic stem cells hold for unraveling the complex molecular mechanisms involved in a variety of human conditions.

Genetic alteration may represent early stage of smoking-induced cardiovascular damage Posted: 31 Mar 2011 09:23 AM PDT A new study uncovers a previously unrecognized link between tobacco smoking and a gene known to influence the cardiovascular system, possibly identifying an early stage of smoking-associated cardiovascular pathology. The research may serve to guide future research strategies aimed at identifying and counteracting mechanisms of smoking-induced pathology.

Remove children's catheters as soon as possible to prevent bloodstream infections Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:49 AM PDT Hospitals can reduce the risk of life-threatening bloodstream infections in children with peripherally inserted central venous catheters by assessing daily the patient's progress and removing the device as early as possible, according to a new study.

Engineer studies how to reduce impact of power tools vibrations Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:49 AM PDT The study of work-vibrations exposure is a relatively new in North America, although it has been a subject of significance in Europe.

Researchers need to engage lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transginder populations in health studies, experts urge Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:49 AM PDT Researchers need to proactively engage lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in health studies and collect data on these populations to identify and better understand health conditions that affect them.

Smooth single-molecule layers of materials: Expanding the degrees of surface freezing Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:49 AM PDT As part of the quest to form perfectly smooth single-molecule layers of materials for advanced energy, electronic, and medical devices, researchers have discovered that the molecules in thin films remain frozen at a temperature where the bulk material is molten.

Mysterious 'ribbon' of energy and particles that wrap around solar system's heliosphere isolated Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:49 AM PDT Scientists have isolated and resolved the mysterious "ribbon" of energy and particles discovered in the heliosphere -- the huge bubble that surrounds our solar system and protects us from galactic cosmic rays.

Informaticists uncover online security flaws, receive free products Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:49 AM PDT Researchers have exploited software flaws in leading online stores that use third-party payment services PayPal, Amazon Payments and Google Checkout to receive products for free or at prices far below the advertised purchase price.

Repulsive smell could combat bed bugs Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:49 AM PDT Bed bugs are an increasingly common pest that necessitates extensive decontamination of homes. Researchers in Sweden have now discovered that young bed bugs produce a smell that repels other bed bugs. It is hoped that these findings could contribute to more effective control of the blood-sucking insects.

Superwoman: A hard act to follow Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:48 AM PDT Exposure to attractive, aggressive, female leads in films affects how men and women think about who women ought to be in real life. Women have high standards for other women, and expect them to be both stereotypically feminine and masculine i.e. beautiful and aggressive rather than beautiful and passive.

Sequential treatment with entecavir and lamivudine results in rebound of hepatitis B virus, study suggests Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:48 AM PDT A two-year trial of entecavir followed by lamivudine in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection resulted in a virologic rebound rate of 24 percent and 12 percent drug-resistance rate. Patients who continued on entecavir therapy throughout the study period had undetectable HBV DNA at the two-year endpoint.

Getting closer to a better biocontrol for garden pests Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:48 AM PDT Scientists have found strains of bacteria that could one day be used as environmentally friendly treatments to keep caterpillars and other pests out of gardens and cultivated fields.

New strategic plan for NIH obesity research seeks to curb epidemic Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:48 AM PDT To combat the obesity epidemic, scientists are encouraging diverse scientific investigations.

New tool makes programs more efficient without sacrificing safety functions Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:48 AM PDT Computer programs are incorporating more and more safety features to protect users, but those features can also slow the programs down by 1,000 percent or more. Researchers have developed a software tool that helps these programs run much more efficiently without sacrificing their safety features.

Engineered protein fragment blocks the AIDS virus from entering cells Posted: 31 Mar 2011 08:48 AM PDT In what could be a potential breakthrough in the battle against AIDS and a major development in the rational design of new drugs, scientists have engineered a new protein that prevents the virus from entering cells.

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