ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Birds inherited strong sense of smell from dinosaurs
• Increased inequality revealed in stroke deaths across Europe and central Asia
• Pig stem cell transplants: The key to future research into retina treatment
• Eco-friendly treatment for blue jeans offers alternative to controversial 'sandblasting'
• New species of dinosaur bridges gap in dinosaur family tree
• Honey can reverse antibiotic resistance, study suggests
• Potential new strategy to reduce catheter blockage
• New compounds show promise against hepatitis C infection
• Report provides NASA with direction for next 10 years of space research
• Comprehensive study reveals patterns in firefighter fatalities
• Weight loss improves memory, according to researchers
• New clue found for Fragile X syndrome-epilepsy link
• Sniffing out calories: Hormone linked to nose's ability to locate food
• Corporate links of global health foundations may conflict with philanthropic interest
• Urgent need to improve quality of outpatient care in public and private sector in poorer countries
• Rainbow-trapping scientist now strives to slow light waves even further
• Low intensity treadmill exercise is best to improve walking in Parkinson's, study suggests
• Scientists have identifed an abnormal disease pathway in dystonia
• Omega-3 consumed during pregnancy curbs risk for postpartum depression symptoms
• How discrimination hurts: Lack of fair treatment leads to obesity issues
• Loss of cell adhesion protein drives esophageal and oral cancers in mice
• Hunting for deadly bacteria
• News writing styles not to blame for newspaper readership decline, researchers find
• Iraqi refugees at high risk of brain and nervous system disorders
• Low-cost wireless sensor networks open new horizons for the Internet of things
• When the pressure is on, product experts can get facts wrong
• Social context matters in medical teaching and health care
• 'Apple a day' advice rooted in science
• Moderate exercise dramatically improves brain blood flow in elderly women
• Maternal stress during pregnancy may affect child's obesity
• Parkinson's disease: Investigational drug may reduce involuntary movements
• Radiation at time of lumpectomy may offer faster, more precise treatment for breast cancer patients, experts say
• Circadian rhythms spark plants' ability to survive freezing weather
• Lesser-known Escherichia coli types targeted in food safety research
• Discovery of two new genes provides hope for stemming Staph infections
• 'Pacman strategy' to boost the immune system to fight cancer
• Louisiana, Florida residents differ on views of long-term effects of oil spill
• First comprehensive gene map of the human brain: More than 90 percent similarity among humans
• Heart disease risk factors linked to some cognitive decline
• Cause of irradiation-induced instability in materials' surfaces discovered
• Device proves solar cell potential of high bandgap inorganic nanowire arrays
• Can alcohol help the brain remember? Repeated ethanol exposure enhances synaptic plasticity in key brain area, study finds
• Closely monitoring low-risk prostate cancer, with biopsy, does not raise risk of death, study suggests
• Tool predicts disability timeline for progressive multiple sclerosis patients
• Real-time search market worth more than $30 million a day
• Wii key to helping kids balance
• Public relatively unconcerned about nanotechnology risks
• Scotland's carbon emissions could be halved in two decades, study suggests
• Model of island ecology sheds new light on the origins of island species
• Changing trends in hip fracture incidence around the world
• Prenatal exposure to certain pollutants linked to behavioral problems in young children
• First galaxies were born much earlier than expected
• Scientists explore new link between genetics, alcoholism and the brain
• Pediatric-specific research needed to reduce health care-associated infections among children
• Persons with herpes simplex virus type 2, but without symptoms, still shed virus
• Lengthening dosing schedule of HPV vaccine may provide effective option for expanding use of vaccine
• Use of combination drug regimen for treating TB may represent an effective treatment option
• Self-fulfilling prophecy: People's opinion of others determines how cooperative they are
• Extended schools in U.K. hold the key to tackling social problems
• Fired at fifty: Research shows the best way forward

Birds inherited strong sense of smell from dinosaurs Posted: 12 Apr 2011 05:17 PM PDT Birds are known more for their senses of vision and hearing than smell, but new research suggests that millions of years ago, the winged critters also boasted a better sense for scents.

Increased inequality revealed in stroke deaths across Europe and central Asia Posted: 12 Apr 2011 05:17 PM PDT There is growing inequality between different countries in Europe and central Asia in the proportion of people who die from stroke, according to a new study. In countries where the proportions of stroke deaths have been low at the end of the 20th century, the death rates are continuing to decrease sharply; but in countries where stroke deaths were moderate or high, there has been "a further unprecedented increase in this cause of death".

Pig stem cell transplants: The key to future research into retina treatment Posted: 12 Apr 2011 05:17 PM PDT Scientists studying the role of stem cells in repairing damaged retina tissue have found that pigs represent an effective proxy species to research treatments for humans. The study demonstrates how stem cells can be isolated and transplanted between pigs, overcoming a key barrier to the research.

Eco-friendly treatment for blue jeans offers alternative to controversial 'sandblasting' Posted: 12 Apr 2011 05:17 PM PDT Blue denim jeans are one of the most popular and iconic fashion items in the world; now a study reveals a cheaper, more efficient and eco-friendly method for treating dyed denim. The process of 'surface activation' used to wash-down the denim following dyeing could also offer an alternative to the dangerous, and internationally banned, sandblasting technique.

New species of dinosaur bridges gap in dinosaur family tree Posted: 12 Apr 2011 05:17 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a fossilized dinosaur skull and neck vertebrae that not only reveal a new species, but also an evolutionary link between two groups of dinosaurs. The new species, Daemonosaurus chauliodus, was discovered at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico.

Honey can reverse antibiotic resistance, study suggests Posted: 12 Apr 2011 05:17 PM PDT Manuka honey could be an efficient way to clear chronically infected wounds and could even help reverse bacterial resistance to antibiotics, according to new research.

Potential new strategy to reduce catheter blockage Posted: 12 Apr 2011 05:17 PM PDT Bacterial genes that make urine less acidic could be good targets to prevent catheter blockage, according to new research. The findings could lead to new strategies to prevent serious infections, particularly in long-term catheterization patients.

New compounds show promise against hepatitis C infection Posted: 12 Apr 2011 05:17 PM PDT Two bioflavonoids, catechin and naringenin, have displayed antiviral activity on tissue culture infected with Hepatitis C.

Report provides NASA with direction for next 10 years of space research Posted: 12 Apr 2011 02:12 PM PDT A group of prominent researchers from across the country published a report that is intended as a guide as NASA plans the next 10 years of research in space. The scientists developed a blueprint for fundamental physics research in space for the next 10 years.

Comprehensive study reveals patterns in firefighter fatalities Posted: 12 Apr 2011 02:12 PM PDT Researchers found that cultural factors in the work environment that promote getting the job done as quickly as possible with whatever resources available lead to an increase in line-of-duty firefighter fatalities.

Weight loss improves memory, according to researchers Posted: 12 Apr 2011 02:12 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a link between weight loss and improved memory and concentration. The study shows that bariatric surgery patients exhibited improved memory function 12 weeks after their operations.

New clue found for Fragile X syndrome-epilepsy link Posted: 12 Apr 2011 02:12 PM PDT Individuals with fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited form of intellectual disability, often develop epilepsy, but so far the underlying causes are unknown. Researchers have now discovered a potential mechanism that may contribute to the link between epilepsy and fragile X syndrome.

Sniffing out calories: Hormone linked to nose's ability to locate food Posted: 12 Apr 2011 02:12 PM PDT The hormone ghrelin, known to promote hunger and fat storage, has been found to enhance exploratory "sniffing" in both animals and humans.

Corporate links of global health foundations may conflict with philanthropic interest Posted: 12 Apr 2011 02:11 PM PDT Major philanthropic foundations in global health, which often influence and shape the international global health agenda, have links with food and pharmaceutical corporations that could constitute a conflict of interest to the foundations' philanthropic work, reveals a new analysis.

Urgent need to improve quality of outpatient care in public and private sector in poorer countries Posted: 12 Apr 2011 02:11 PM PDT The overall poor quality of outpatient health care in both the formal private and public sector in low and middle income countries is worrying -- especially given the increasing volume of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, which require relatively sophisticated, long-term outpatient medical care.

Rainbow-trapping scientist now strives to slow light waves even further Posted: 12 Apr 2011 01:24 PM PDT An electrical engineer who previously demonstrated experimentally the "rainbow trapping effect" -- a phenomenon that could boost optical data storage and communications -- is now working to capture all the colors of the rainbow.

Low intensity treadmill exercise is best to improve walking in Parkinson's, study suggests Posted: 12 Apr 2011 01:24 PM PDT Researchers found that Parkinson's patients who walked on a treadmill at a comfortable speed for a longer duration (low-intensity exercise) improved their walking more than patients who walked for less time but at an increased speed and incline (high-intensity exercise).

Scientists have identifed an abnormal disease pathway in dystonia Posted: 12 Apr 2011 12:38 PM PDT Scientists have figured out why some people with a gene that causes dystonia never get symptoms and others with the same mutation are disabled by the abnormal movements.

Omega-3 consumed during pregnancy curbs risk for postpartum depression symptoms Posted: 12 Apr 2011 12:38 PM PDT A new study explored whether fish oil consumption would result in a lower incidence of diagnosable postpartum depression. Researchers found that women in the treatment group had significantly lower total Postpartum Depression Screening Scale scores, with significantly fewer symptoms common to postpartum depression.

How discrimination hurts: Lack of fair treatment leads to obesity issues Posted: 12 Apr 2011 11:32 AM PDT People, especially men, who feel any kind of discrimination, are likely to see their waistlines expand, according to new research.

Loss of cell adhesion protein drives esophageal and oral cancers in mice Posted: 12 Apr 2011 11:32 AM PDT There are over 650,000 cases of oral cancer each year, and esophageal cancer represents the sixth most common cause of cancer death in men. Research has shown that a protein that helps cells stick together is frequently absent or out of place in these cancers, but it's unclear if its loss causes the tumors. The investigators report that mice engineered to lack this protein, called p120-catenin, in the oral-upper digestive tract develop squamous cell cancers.

Hunting for deadly bacteria Posted: 12 Apr 2011 11:32 AM PDT Biochemists have developed a simple test that can swiftly and accurately identify specific pathogens using a system that will "hunt" for bacteria, identifying their harmful presence before they have a chance to contaminate our food and water.

News writing styles not to blame for newspaper readership decline, researchers find Posted: 12 Apr 2011 11:32 AM PDT Journalism researchers have found that women are engaged by all news stories the same, regardless of the style in which stories are written.

Iraqi refugees at high risk of brain and nervous system disorders Posted: 12 Apr 2011 11:32 AM PDT New research suggests that a high number of Iraqi refugees are affected by brain and nervous system disorders, including those who are victims of torture and the disabled.

Low-cost wireless sensor networks open new horizons for the Internet of things Posted: 12 Apr 2011 11:31 AM PDT The ESNA project enables high effective networking based on cheap wireless sensors in a wide range of business applications – from more comfortable and energy-efficient environmental controls to precision monitoring of agricultural resources.

When the pressure is on, product experts can get facts wrong Posted: 12 Apr 2011 10:19 AM PDT Buying a new car, camera or computer? New research shows that seeking advice from expert acquaintances to choose between models of merchandise might not always be good idea.

Social context matters in medical teaching and health care Posted: 12 Apr 2011 10:19 AM PDT Medical educators need to be aware of the cultural context in which they teach because these outside forces can affect what is taught and how information is received by students. Drawing upon their experiences teaching medical students the same formal curriculum, researchers at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York and in Doha, Qatar, urge other educators to pay attention to cultural patterns outside their medical schools to be sure that their lesson plans don't go astray because of missed cross-cultural signals.

'Apple a day' advice rooted in science Posted: 12 Apr 2011 10:19 AM PDT Daily apple consumption shows long-term cardioprotective effects in postmenopausal women.

Moderate exercise dramatically improves brain blood flow in elderly women Posted: 12 Apr 2011 10:19 AM PDT It's never too late for women to reap the benefits of moderate aerobic exercise. In a three-month study of 16 women age 60 and older, brisk walking for 30-50 minutes three or four times per week improved blood flow through to the brain as much as 15 percent.

Maternal stress during pregnancy may affect child's obesity Posted: 12 Apr 2011 10:19 AM PDT A new study suggests a mother's nutritional or psychological stress during pregnancy and lactation may create a signature on her child's genes that put the child at increased risk for obesity later in life, especially if the child is female.

Parkinson's disease: Investigational drug may reduce involuntary movements Posted: 12 Apr 2011 10:19 AM PDT Results of the first randomized, placebo-controlled long-term clinical trial show the investigational drug safinamide may reduce dyskinesia or involuntary movements in mid-to-late stage Parkinson's disease.

Radiation at time of lumpectomy may offer faster, more precise treatment for breast cancer patients, experts say Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:13 AM PDT Physicians are currently utilizing a new treatment option for breast cancer that allows women to receive a full dose of radiation therapy during breast conserving surgery. Traditionally, women who opt to have a lumpectomy must first have surgery then undergo approximately six weeks of radiation. This schedule can be challenging for women who have busy schedules or do not have access to a center offering radiation therapy. In some cases, the demanding schedule causes women to not comply with the recommended course of treatment, increasing their risk for cancer recurrence.

Circadian rhythms spark plants' ability to survive freezing weather Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:13 AM PDT Just as monarch butterflies depend on circadian cues to begin their annual migration, so do plants to survive freezing temperatures. All living things -- humans, animals, plants, microbes -- are influenced by circadian rhythms, which are physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. Researchers have now discovered that the circadian clock provides key input required for plants to attain maximum freezing tolerance.

Lesser-known Escherichia coli types targeted in food safety research Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:12 AM PDT Almost everyone knows about Escherichia coli O157:H7, the culprit behind many headline-making outbreaks of foodborne illness in the United States. But the lesser-known relatives of this pathogenic microbe are increasingly of concern to food safety scientists.

Discovery of two new genes provides hope for stemming Staph infections Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:12 AM PDT The discovery of two genes that encode copper- and sulfur-binding repressors in the hospital terror Staphylococcus aureus means two new potential avenues for controlling the increasingly drug-resistant bacterium, scientists say.

'Pacman strategy' to boost the immune system to fight cancer Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:12 AM PDT A molecule that lies dormant until it encounters a cancer cell, then suddenly activates and rouses the body's immune system to fight cancer cells directly, marks the latest step in scientists' efforts to tap the body's own resources to fight the disease. The developers of the technology dub it the "Pacman strategy" because it hinges upon molecular machines produced in abundance by tumors to chew through and gobble up particular chains of molecules.

Louisiana, Florida residents differ on views of long-term effects of oil spill Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:12 AM PDT One year after the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion on the Gulf Coast, new research shows that despite the roughly equivalent economic compensation, Louisiana and Florida residents differ in perceptions about the current and long-term effects of the largest marine oil spill in US history.

First comprehensive gene map of the human brain: More than 90 percent similarity among humans Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:12 AM PDT Researchers have released the world's first anatomically and genomically comprehensive human brain map, a previously unthinkable feat made possible through leading-edge technology and more than four years of rigorous studies and documentation.

Heart disease risk factors linked to some cognitive decline Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:12 AM PDT Older adults at risk for stroke have significantly increased risk for some types of cognitive decline, according to a multicenter study.

Cause of irradiation-induced instability in materials' surfaces discovered Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:12 AM PDT A new discovery about the dynamic impact of individual energetic particles into a solid surface improves our ability to predict surface stability or instability of materials under irradiation over time. The finding may lead to the design of improved structural materials for nuclear fission and fusion power plants, which must withstand constant irradiation over decades. It may also accelerate the advent of fusion power, which does not produce radioactivity.

Device proves solar cell potential of high bandgap inorganic nanowire arrays Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:16 AM PDT Proving a theoretical concept for improving the light absorption capabilities of a class of semiconductor materials long-considered impractical for solar energy collection, a team of researchers has successfully fabricated and tested an array of "quantum coaxial cables" -- nanowires structured from inorganic materials that can be fabricated cost-effectively to produce a durable and efficient solar cell.

Can alcohol help the brain remember? Repeated ethanol exposure enhances synaptic plasticity in key brain area, study finds Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:16 AM PDT Drinking alcohol primes certain areas of our brain to learn and remember better, says a new study. The common view that drinking is bad for learning and memory isn't wrong, says a neurobiologist, but it highlights only one side of what ethanol consumption does to the brain.

Closely monitoring low-risk prostate cancer, with biopsy, does not raise risk of death, study suggests Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:16 AM PDT A new study of 769 men from across the United States recently diagnosed with low-grade prostate cancer shows that forgoing immediate surgery to remove the tumor or radiation poses no added risk of death. Delaying treatment is fine, the results show, so long as the cancer's progression and tumor growth are closely monitored through "active surveillance" and there is no dramatic worsening of the disease over time.

Tool predicts disability timeline for progressive multiple sclerosis patients Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:16 AM PDT Many patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) worry how quickly the disease will progress. Now, by noting the presence of certain markers in a commonly performed diagnostic test, researchers can predict whether patients will suffer a faster onset of disability and counsel them to help ease anxiety.

Real-time search market worth more than $30 million a day Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:16 AM PDT All of those Twitter tweets and Facebook friends may have value after all, according to researchers. Updates on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other real-time content sites could be worth more than $30 million a day, or nearly $10.9 billion a year, to advertisers, said a professor of information sciences and technology.

Wii key to helping kids balance Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:16 AM PDT By cleverly linking five Wii Balance Boards, a team of university undergraduates has combined the appeal of a video game with the utility of a computerized motion-tracking system that can enhance patient progress.

Public relatively unconcerned about nanotechnology risks Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:16 AM PDT A new study finds that the general public thinks getting a suntan poses a greater public health risk than nanotechnology or other nanoparticle applications. The study compared survey respondents' perceived risk of nanoparticles with 23 other public-health risks.

Scotland's carbon emissions could be halved in two decades, study suggests Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:16 AM PDT Cutting Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions by a half within 20 years is achievable, a study suggests.

Model of island ecology sheds new light on the origins of island species Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:13 AM PDT Animal and bird species found only on a single island should still be common within that island.

Changing trends in hip fracture incidence around the world Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:13 AM PDT New research shows that age-specific hip fracture rates have changed during recent decades -- decreasing in some countries or regions while increasing in others. A new review examines some possible reasons for these trends and calls for further research.

Prenatal exposure to certain pollutants linked to behavioral problems in young children Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:13 AM PDT Mothers' exposure during pregnancy to pollutants created by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and other organic material may lead to behavioral problems in their children, according to a new study. Researchers found that within a sample of 215 children monitored from birth, those children with high levels of a pollution exposure marker in their cord blood had more symptoms of attention problems and anxiety/depression at ages 5 and 7 than did children with lower exposure.

First galaxies were born much earlier than expected Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:13 AM PDT Using the amplifying power of a cosmic gravitational lens, astronomers have discovered a distant galaxy whose stars were born unexpectedly early in cosmic history. This result sheds new light on the formation of the first galaxies, as well as on the early evolution of the Universe.

Scientists explore new link between genetics, alcoholism and the brain Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:13 AM PDT Researchers have uncovered a new link between genetic variations associated with alcoholism, impulsive behavior and a region of the brain involved in craving and anxiety.

Pediatric-specific research needed to reduce health care-associated infections among children Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:13 AM PDT There are differences between adult and pediatric patients regarding the appropriate treatment and prevention efforts for health-care associated infections, highlighting a need for pediatric-specific quality measures to guide infection prevention and treatment practices, according to an expert.

Persons with herpes simplex virus type 2, but without symptoms, still shed virus Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:13 AM PDT Persons who have tested positive for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) but do not have symptoms or genital lesions still experience virus shedding during subclinical (without clinical manifestations) episodes, suggesting a high risk of transmission from persons with unrecognized HSV-2 infection, according to a new study.

Lengthening dosing schedule of HPV vaccine may provide effective option for expanding use of vaccine Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:13 AM PDT Administration of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine doses over a longer period of time to adolescent girls in Vietnam resulted in antibody concentration levels that were comparable to the standard vaccine schedule, according to a new study.

Use of combination drug regimen for treating TB may represent an effective treatment option Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:13 AM PDT In patients with newly diagnosed tuberculosis, use of a combined 4-drug fixed-dose regimen was found to have comparable outcomes to drugs administered separately, according to a new study.

Self-fulfilling prophecy: People's opinion of others determines how cooperative they are Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:07 AM PDT The expectations people have about how others will behave play a large role in determining whether people cooperate with each other or not. And moreover that very first expectation, or impression, is hard to change.

Extended schools in U.K. hold the key to tackling social problems Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:07 AM PDT Research has found that the economic benefit of extended schools far outweighs the cost of running them, but a lack of a coherent national approach now puts them in the firing line for government cuts. Academics warn that undoing the good work of these schools through cutting future funding would be a 'great mistake', as keeping children and their families 'on the right track' can literally save thousands of pounds by avoiding unemployment benefits, early pregnancies, mental health interventions, drug counseling etc.

Fired at fifty: Research shows the best way forward Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:07 AM PDT Research shows that the way older managers make sense of a sudden job loss dramatically affects how they cope with the experience.

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