ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Can Microorganisms Be A Solution To The World's Energy Problems? Posted: 11 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT Microorganisms once reigned supreme on the Earth, thriving by filling every nook and cranny of the environment billions of years before humans first arrived on the scene. Now, this ability of microorganisms to grow from an almost infinite variety of food sources may play a significant role in bailing out society from its current energy crisis.

New Method Identifies Genes Affecting Health In Fraction Of A Second Posted: 11 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT A new tool which makes it possible to extract information about an individual's health from genotypes in a fraction of a second, has just been developed.

Vest To Measure Stress Posted: 11 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT How stressed are we? A sensor vest will soon be able to tell us. From sports training to computer games, the garment registers the electrical excitation of the muscles at any given time and determines the level of physical stress.

Hepatitis C Virus May Need Enzyme's Help To Cause Liver Disease Posted: 11 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT A key enzyme may explain how hepatitis C infection leads to serious liver diseases. A new shows that fatty acid synthase is highly elevated in human liver cells exposed to the hepatitis C virus, suggesting that testing enzyme levels could help predict more serious, long-lasting health consequences from hepatitis C.

Nanoscale Lithographic Technology: Finer Lines For Microchips Posted: 11 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT Researchers have achieved a significant advance in nanoscale lithographic technology, used in the manufacture of computer chips and other electronic devices, to make finer patterns of lines over larger areas than have been possible with other methods. Their new technique could pave the way for next-generation computer memory and integrated-circuit chips, as well as advanced solar cells and other devices.

Brain Activity Encodes Reward Magnitude And Delay During Choice Posted: 11 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT Good things may come to those who wait, but research has proven that humans and animals actually prefer an immediate rather than a delayed reward. Now, a study in the journal Neuron reveals how a decision-making region of the brain encodes information associated with the magnitude and delay of rewards.

New 'Window' Opens On Solar Energy: Cost Effective Devices Available Soon Posted: 11 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Imagine windows that not only provide a clear view and illuminate rooms, but also use sunlight to efficiently help power the building they are part of. Engineers report a new approach to harnessing the sun's energy that could allow just that. The work, reported in Science, involves the creation of a novel solar concentrator.

Common Mechanisms May Underlie Autism's Seemingly Diverse Mutations Posted: 11 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Many of the seemingly disparate mutations recently discovered in autism may share common underlying mechanisms. The mutations may disrupt specific genes that are vital to the developing brain, and which are turned on and off by experience-triggered neuronal activity. The new study implicates the disruption of genes regulated by early experience.

'Smart' Materials Get Smarter With Ability To Better Control Shape And Size Posted: 11 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT A dynamic way to alter the shape and size of microscopic three-dimensional structures built out of proteins has been developed by biological chemists.

Viral Complementation Allows HIV-1 Replication Without Integration, Research Shows Posted: 11 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Weak HIV viruses piggyback onto stronger ones, raising the possibility that the human body may harbor many more HIV viruses capable of replicating and contributing to the development of AIDS than previously thought, a AIDS research team has found.

Intensified Ice Sheet Movements Do Not Affect Rising Sea Levels Posted: 11 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Meltwater is rapidly increasing the tempo of glacial movements on the rim of the Greenland ice sheet. Over the long term, however, this process is interrupted as meltwater drains away via broad channels, as a result of which ice movement decreases once again. Ultimately, this is not a cause of accelerated sea level rise.

Male Kidneys For Men Only? Posted: 11 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT The gender of donor and recipient plays a larger role in kidney transplants than previously assumed. Female donor kidneys do not function as well in men -- due to their smaller size. Women have a higher risk of rejecting a male donor kidney. Therefore, in the future, gender should be considered more in the allocation of donor kidneys, say researchers.

One-third Of Reef-building Corals Face Extinction Posted: 11 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT A third of reef-building corals around the world are threatened with extinction, according to the first-ever comprehensive global assessment to determine their conservation status, published in Science. Climate change and human-induced destruction have been cited as causes.

Scientists Predict New Uses For Existing Drugs From Their Side Effects Posted: 11 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT Researchers have discovered a new way to make use of drugs' unwanted side effects. They developed a computational method that compares how similar the side effects of different drugs are and predicts how likely the drugs act on the same target molecule. The study, published in Science, hints at new uses of marketed drugs.

Ultraviolet Light Therapy Is As Beneficial For Darker Skin As Lighter Skin, Study Shows Posted: 11 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT An analysis of more than 100 patients has confirmed for the first time that darker-skinned patients benefit as those with lighter skin when given light therapy for morphea and related diseases, researchers show.

Understanding Bluetongue Virus: The Way To A Virus' 'Heart' Is Through Its Enzymes Posted: 11 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT The arrival of bluetongue virus in the UK last year posed a major threat to the economy and the increasing temperatures of our changing climate mean it is here to stay. If we are to fight this disease, which has had a major impact on farming already, we must discover how it works.

Satellite View Of Cloud Tops Might Warn Of Storms Posted: 11 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT For three years, a new way to use data collected by NOAA weather satellites has been giving North Alabama short-term warnings of "pop-up" thunderstorms. This new computer program is now spreading to other parts of the U.S. and the world. Later this summer a version of the new weather program will begin forecasting storms throughout Central America, Southern Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Art Therapy Useful To Treat Mental Disease Posted: 11 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT Art therapy or therapy through art, a current started in the middle of the 20th century, uses visual arts with therapeutic purposes. It is based on the idea that visual representations, objectified through plastic material, contribute to the construction of a meaning of the psychic conflicts, and favour its resolution.

Solar Stake-out To Improve Space Weather Forecasts Posted: 11 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT About six times each minute for at least five years, a soon-to-be launched NASA satellite will measure the sun's quirky, occasionally violent, output of extreme ultraviolet light. To ensure that this solar stake-out yields data useful for understanding the weather in space and its earthly consequences, researchers are helping a NASA team prepare for annual rocket-borne check-ups of key instruments aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory.

Retina Transplants Show Promise In Patients With Retinal Degeneration Posted: 11 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Preliminary research shows encouraging results with transplantation of retinal cells in patients with blindness caused by retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, according to a new report. The new experimental technique yields improved vision in 7 of 10 patients.

Light-emitting Diodes: Understanding Factors That Influence Efficiency Of Organic-based Devices Posted: 11 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Organic-based devices, such as organic light-emitting diodes, require a transparent conductive layer with a high work function, meaning it promotes injection of electron holes into an organic layer to produce more light. New research provides insight into factors that influence the injection efficiency.

New Insight Into Development Of Congenital Circulatory Defects Posted: 11 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Researchers could provide new insight into how two common congenital circulatory problems -- aortic arch deformity and arteriovenous malformations -- develop in humans, as reported in the journal Developmental Biology.

Control Switches Found For Immune Cells That Fight Cancer, Viral Infection Posted: 11 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Medical science may be a significant step closer to climbing into the driver's seat of an important class of immune cells, researchers report in Nature Immunology. The researchers showed that a single protein, HS1, enables key functions of natural killer (NK) cells, which kill early cancers and fight off viral infections.

Weight Gain In Adolescent Girls: Role Of Internet, Alcohol And Sleep Posted: 11 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Girls moving through adolescence may experience unhealthy levels of weight gain, but the reasons for this are not always clear. In fact, many potential causes of weight gain are easily overlooked. A new study in the Journal of Pediatrics analyzes the effect of Internet usage, sleep, and alcohol and coffee consumption on weight gain in adolescent girls. The researchers found that more Internet time, more alcohol consumption, and less sleep resulted in extra weight gain during the study year.

Universe Is More Transparent To High-energy Radiation Than Previously Assumed Posted: 10 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT New measurements have shown that the universe is more transparent to high-energy radiation than previously assumed. These measurements of high-energy gamma radiation from 5.3 billion light years away are yielding new knowledge about the nature of the universe.

Benefits Of Aspirin For Treating Osteoporosis Uncovered Posted: 10 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Researchers have uncovered the health benefits of aspirin in the fight against osteoporosis. The drug appears to prevent both improper bone resorption and the death of bone-forming stem cells.

Self-moisturizing Contact Lenses, Naturally Posted: 10 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Chemical engineering researchers have shown that a common fluid found in our bodies can be used as a natural moisturizing agent in contact lenses.

Single-nucleotide Polymorphisms Do Not Substantially Improve Risk Prediction For Breast Cancer Posted: 10 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Recently identified genetic markers, called single nucleotide polymorphisms, that are associated with a small but statistically significant increase in the risk of breast cancer do not appear to substantially improve the accuracy of existing models that use clinical factors to predict an individual's risk, according to a new study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Shells Form Unique Climate Archive On The Ocean Floor Posted: 10 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Most people who find a seashell during their summer holiday on the coast will probably not be aware that they have found a unique record of the climate. For climate researchers, however, these hard calcium shells provide a profound insight into the history of our earth and especially into the climate of the past. Researchers are currently able to reconstruct the climatic history of the past 500 years from shells on a year-by-year basis.

Money Makes The Heart Grow Less Fond... But More Hardworking Posted: 10 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Money is a necessity: it provides us with material objects that are important for survival and for entertainment, and it is often used as a reward. But recent studies have shown that money is not only a device for gaining wealth, but a factor in personal performance, interpersonal relations and helping behavior, as well.

Rare 'Star-Making Machine' Found In Distant Universe Posted: 10 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Astronomers have uncovered an extreme stellar machine -- a galaxy in the very remote universe pumping out stars at a surprising rate of up to 4,000 per year. In comparison, our own Milky Way galaxy turns out an average of just 10 stars per year.

Novel Approach May Protect Against Heart Attack Injury Posted: 10 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Researchers have manipulated cell activity that occurs during the interruption of blood flow to strongly protect heart tissue in animal studies. The finding has the potential to become an emergency treatment for heart attack patients, particularly since already existing drugs might be pressed into service to produce the protective effects.

Wilkins Ice Shelf, Near Antarctica, Hanging By Its Last Thread Posted: 10 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT The Wilkins Ice Shelf is experiencing further disintegration that is threatening the collapse of the ice bridge connecting the shelf to Charcot Island. Since the connection to the island in the image center helps to stabilize the ice shelf, it is likely the break-up of the bridge will put the remainder of the ice shelf at risk.

New Surgical Option For Treating Diabetic And Other Neuropathies Being Tested Posted: 10 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Plastic surgeons and specialists in diabetes, neurology, pain management and rehabilitation are launching a cutting-edge study of peripheral nerve surgery to alleviate long-standing pain and numbness in patients with diabetic neuropathy.

Researchers Hack Final Part Of The Immune System Code Posted: 10 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Researchers have managed to decipher the final part of the immune system's key codes. The human body has its own natural inbuilt defense mechanism which uses access or "pincodes" to stop microorganisms that invade the body from discovering how the entire human immune system works. Every human being on the planet has their own unique version of this defense mechanism.

Men And Women With History Of Concussion Mend Differently, Study Finds Posted: 10 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Female soccer players and soccer players who have had a previous concussion recuperate differently from males or players without a history of concussion, new research shows. The study found that prior history of concussion and gender account for significant differences in test results following the injury. Because of these differences, the authors urge physicians and coaches to take an individualized approach to treating concussion patients.

Diabetes Linked To Male Infertility; Excess Sugars In The Body Have Direct Effect On Sperm Quality Posted: 10 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT Diabetes in men has a direct effect on fertility, a scientist told the 24th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. Despite the prevailing view that it had little effect on male reproductive function, researchers have now shown that diabetes caused DNA damage in sperm.

DNA Sewing Machine Manipulates Delicate DNA Chains Without Breaking Them Posted: 10 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT Japanese scientists have made a micro-sized sewing machine to sew long threads of DNA into shape. The work published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Lab on a Chip demonstrates a unique way to manipulate delicate DNA chains without breaking them.

How The Malaria Parasite Hijacks Human Red Blood Cells Posted: 10 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT A new study -- done on a scale an order of magnitude greater than anything previously attempted in the field of malaria -- has uncovered an arsenal of proteins produced by the malaria parasite that allows it to hijack and remodel human red blood cells, leaving the oxygen-carrying cells stiff and sticky.

Pocket-sized Magnetic Resonance Imaging Posted: 10 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT The term MRI scan brings to mind the gigantic, expensive machines that are installed in hospitals. But research scientists have now developed small portable MRI scanners that perform their services in the field: for instance to examine ice cores.

Good News About $4 Gas? Fewer Traffic Deaths Posted: 10 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT An analysis of yearly vehicle deaths compared to gas prices found death rates drop significantly as people slow down and drive less. If gas remains at $4 a gallon or higher for a year or more, traffic fatalities could drop by more than 1,000 per month nationwide, according new findings.

Room Temperature Superconductivity: One Step Closer To Holy Grail Of Physics Posted: 10 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Scientists have for the first time identified a key component to unraveling the mystery of room temperature superconductivity. Materials that could potentially transport electricity with zero resistance at room temperature hold vast potential -- magnetically levitated superfast train, lossless power generators and transmission lines, powerful supercomputers, etc.

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