ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Regular Walking Protects The Masai -- Who Eat High Fat Diet -- From Cardiovascular Disease Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT There is strong evidence that the high consumption of animal fats increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Many scientists have therefore been surprised that the nomadic Masai of Kenya and Tanzania are seldom afflicted by the disease, despite having a diet that is rich in animal fats and deficient in carbohydrates. Now, a unique study suggests that the reason is more likely to be the Masai's active lifestyle.

Stomach Bug Appears To Protect Kids From Asthma, Says New Study Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT A long-time microbial inhabitant of the human stomach may protect children from developing asthma, according to a new study among more than 7,000 subjects. Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that has co-existed with humans for at least 50,000 years, may lead to peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. Yet, kids between the ages of 3 and 13 are nearly 59 percent less likely to have asthma if they carry the bug, the researchers report.

NASA's Deep Impact Films Earth As An Alien World Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft has created a video of the moon transiting (passing in front of) Earth as seen from the spacecraft's point of view 31 million miles away. Scientists are using the video to develop techniques to study alien worlds.

Predicting Outcomes For Stomach Cancer Patients Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Researchers have identified two potential molecular markers that may predict outcomes for patients with stomach cancer, one of the most common and fatal cancers worldwide.

Solar Cooling Becomes A New Air-conditioning System Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Scientists have developed an environmentally friendly cooling technology that does not harm the ozone layer. This is achieved by using solar energy and therefore reducing the use of greenhouse gases.

Teen Smokers Struggle To Kick The Habit; Most Want To Quit And Can't Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Most teenagers who smoke cigarettes make repeated attempts to quit but most are unsuccessful, according to new research. The study found that more than 70 percent of the teens expressed a desire to quit, but only 19 percent actually managed to stop smoking for 12 months or more by the end of the five-year study. Girls were more likely than boys to want to quit and to attempt quitting.

Even Toddlers Get It: Data 'Chunks' Are Easier To Remember Posted: 20 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Which is easier to remember: 4432879960 or 443-297-9960? The latter, of course. Adults seem to know automatically, in fact, that long strings of numbers are more easily recalled when divided into smaller "bite-sized chunks," which is why we break up our telephone and Social Security numbers in this way. Children as young as 14 months can -- and do -- use a "chunking" strategy (akin to breaking up a phone number or Social Security number into small chunks) to assist their working memories.

A Potential Metastatic Disease Target? Posted: 20 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Researchers have identified a type of cancer stem cell that might initiate metastatic cancer, which spreads beyond the original, primary tumor site and to other locations within the body. For the first time, scientists have revealed that the molecular profiles of these cancer stem cells are much different than those located in primary tumors.

Leatherback Turtles' Newly Discovered Migration Route May Be Roadmap To Salvation Posted: 20 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT A major effort to tag and track leatherbacks that nest on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica has yielded unprecedented insight into their behavior. While most sea turtles have widely varied dispersal patterns, the leatherbacks from the beaches at Playa Grande consistently follow a relatively narrow corridor out into the sea, past the Galapagos Islands to an area in the South Pacific where they linger at length.

Removing Ovaries During Hysterectomy: Effects Remain Unknown Posted: 20 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT During hysterectomy operations, surgeons often remove a woman's ovaries as well as her uterus. Cochrane researchers now say there is no evidence that removing the ovaries provides any additional benefit and warn surgeons to consider the procedure carefully.

Semantics Gives The Web Meaning – For Machines Posted: 20 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Researchers hope that soon web technology will get to the point where, as you drive into town, an application spots a space in a nearby car park, calculates how long and what route to get there, and that no one else is closer. We are not there yet, but researchers believe the semantic web is about to make it big. Companies will find it easier to integrate datasets and access information -- internal and external -- while consumers should find their web searches are more fruitful and web services more functional.

Risks In Ordering Drugs By Internet On The Rise Posted: 20 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Consumers are facing a growing risk of getting counterfeit drugs because of rising Internet sales of medical drugs, projected to reach upwards of $75 billion by 2010. A new report calls for stronger enforcement legislation than current proposals in Congress.

Nature-Nurture Gene Link Sheds New Light On Autism Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Neuroscientists have found that a previously unsuspected set of genes links nature and nurture during a crucial period of brain development. The findings could lead to treatments for autism and other disorders thought to be tied to brain changes that occur when the developing brain is very susceptible to inputs from the outside world. Nature -- in the form of genes -- and nurture -- in the form of environmental influences -- are fundamentally intertwined during this period.

Protein Found To Identify Malignant Melanoma Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers found a new protein produced excessively in malignant melanoma, a discovery that is particularly relevant as skin cancer rates climb dramatically among young women. The protein, IMP-3, is not over-expressed in harmless moles but is increased in the most dangerous types of skin cancer, and in a subset of lesions that can be difficult to predict called thin melanomas.

Obesity Is Number One Health Concern For Kids In 2008 Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT As children's waistlines continue to grow, so have concerns about childhood obesity. According to a new report childhood obesity is now the No. 1 health concern for kids in 2008, topping smoking and drug abuse. In 2007, childhood obesity ranked third among parents' top 10 overall health concerns for kids.

Amniotic Fluid Measurements: Single Deepest Pocket Is Best Test Of Fetus At Risk Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Women often undergo early Caesareans or induced labor following detection of decreased amniotic fluid volume, because this is seen as a sign of fetal distress. While no gold standard exists for measuring amniotic volumes, a new Cochrane Systematic Review suggests that the single deepest vertical pocket technique is better than the commonly used amniotic fluid index method.

Sharpest Measurement Of Ice Crystals In Clouds Ever Will Help In Climate Modeling Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Scientists have created an instrument designed to help determine the shapes and sizes of tiny ice crystals typical of those found in high-altitude clouds, down to the micron level (comparable to the tiniest cells in the human body), according to a new study. The data produced using this instrument likely will help improve computer models used to predict climate change.

Baseball: 2008 All-star Game Was Mathematical Marvel Posted: 20 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT The 2008 All-Star Game was the game of a lifetime, and a math professor can prove it. "What happened Tuesday night was definitely a rare occurrence and one we should not expect to see again in our lifetimes," said the mathematics professor.

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