ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Beijing Pollution May Trigger Heart Attacks, Strokes Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT The heavily polluted air in Beijing may trigger serious cardiovascular problems for some spectators. Researchers warn that for people in certain risk groups, breathing high levels of pollution can cause heart attacks and strokes within 24 hours of exposure and increase the possibility of having blood clots in their legs on the plane home. Research shows that high pollution levels can cause hyperclotting of the blood, spurring stokes and heart attacks.

Female Monkeys More Dominant In Groups With Relatively More Males Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Female monkeys are more dominant when they live in groups with a higher percentage of males. This is caused by self-organization. What makes the study particularly interesting is that the researchers used a computer model which can simulate interaction between monkeys.

Increased Risk For Disabilities After Preterm Birth Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Premature birth is associated with various life-long problems. Still, many premature children seem to function very well as adults according to a new large and comprehensive study from Norway.

For Your Eyes Only: Custom Interfaces Make Computer Clicking Faster, Easier Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Personalized computer interfaces that adapt to each user's vision and motor abilities significantly speeds up computer tasks, especially in disabled users. A mathematical approach to design offers the first instantly customizable computer interface.

Pregnant Mice Block Odor Of Strange Male's Urine To Protect Their Pups Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:00 PM CDT Mouse mothers-to-be have a remarkable way to protect their unborn pups. Because the smell of a strange male's urine can cause miscarriage and reactivate the ovulatory cycle, pregnant mice prevent the action of such olfactory stimuli by blocking their smell. Researchers have now revealed the nature of this ability.

90 Billion Tons Of Microbial Organisms Live In Deep Marine Subsurface: More Archaea Than Bacteria Posted: 22 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT Biogeoscientists show evidence of 90 billion tons of microbial organisms -- expressed in terms of carbon mass -- living in the deep biosphere. This tonnage corresponds to about one-tenth of the amount of carbon stored globally in tropical rainforests. Archaea were found to make up at least 87 percent of organisms that colonize the deep biosphere. This finding is in stark contrast to previous reports, which suggest that Bacteria dominate the subseafloor ecosystem.

Plants Make Vaccine For Treating Type Of Cancer In Phase-1 Study Posted: 22 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT Plants could act as safe, speedy factories for growing antibodies for personalized treatments against a common form of cancer, according to new findings from the Stanford University School of Medicine. The findings came in the first human tests of an injectable vaccine grown in genetically engineered plants. The treatments, which would vaccinate cancer patients against their malignant cells, could lead to earlier personalized therapy to tackle follicular B-cell lymphoma, an immune-system malignancy diagnosed in about 16,000 people each year.

Spitzer Reveals 'No Organics' Zone Around Pinwheel Galaxy Posted: 22 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT The Pinwheel galaxy is gussied up in infrared light in a new picture from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The fluffy-looking galaxy, officially named Messier 101, is dominated by a mishmash of spiral arms. In Spitzer's new view, in which infrared light is color coded, the galaxy sports a swirling blue center and a unique, coral-red outer ring.

Class Of Antibiotics Can Enhance Gene-silencing Tool Posted: 22 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT The selective gene-silencing technique called RNA interference holds promise for medicine if it can be adapted to work in humans. Certain antibiotic compounds called fluoroquinolones enhance the effectiveness of RNA interference in cells and could reduce potential side effects.

Microbes Beneath Sea Floor Genetically Distinct Posted: 22 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT Tiny microbes beneath the sea floor, distinct from life on the Earth's surface, may account for one-tenth of the Earth's living biomass, according to an interdisciplinary team of researchers, but many of these minute creatures are living on a geologic timescale.

Nanotechnology: Learning From Past Mistakes Posted: 22 Jul 2008 10:00 AM CDT A new expert analysis in Nature Nanotechnology questions whether industry, government and scientists are successfully applying lessons learned from past technologies to ensure the safe and responsible development of emerging nanotechnologies.

Amazon River Powers Tropical Ocean's Carbon Sink Posted: 22 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Nutrients from the Amazon River spread well beyond the continental shelf and drive carbon capture in the deep ocean. This new finding does not change estimates of the oceans' total carbon uptake, but it reveals the surprisingly large role of tropical oceans and major rivers.

Regular Walking Nearly Halves Elderly Disability Risk Posted: 22 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Older adults can decrease their risk of disability and increase their likelihood of maintaining independence by 41 percent by participating in a walking exercise program, according to a new study.

Suckling Infants Trigger Surges Of Trust Hormone In Mothers' Brains Posted: 22 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers have for the first time been able to show exactly how, when a baby suckles at a mother's breast, it starts a chain of events that leads to surges of the "trust" hormone oxytocin being released in their mothers brains.

Primary Sensor That Detects Stomach Viruses Discovered Posted: 22 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Scientists have identified the primary immune sensor that detects the presence of stomach viruses in the body. They show that the sensor -- a protein called MDA-5 -- triggers an immune response that revs up the body's defenses to fight off the infection. This knowledge may help develop a treatment that prevents or reduces infection.

Exotic Materials Using Neptunium, Plutonium Provide Insight Into Superconductivity Posted: 22 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT Physicists have gained new insight into the origins of superconductivity -- a property of metals where electrical resistance vanishes -- by studying exotic chemical compounds that contain neptunium and plutonium. While superconductivity holds promise for massive energy savings in power transmission, and for novel uses such as levitating trains, today it occurs only at extremely cold temperatures. Still, physicists believe room temperature superconductivity may be possible. This work sheds light on the connection between magnetism and superconductivity.

Common Wisdom About Troubled Youth Falls Apart When Race Considered Posted: 22 Jul 2008 07:00 AM CDT One of the most widely accepted beliefs about the differences between troubled boys and girls may need to be revised, according to new research. Experts have long believed that girls tend to internalize their problems, becoming depressed or anxious, while boys externalize, turning to violence against people or property.

New Project To Develop GPS-like System For Moon Posted: 22 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT The same researcher who is helping rovers navigate on Mars is leading a new effort to help humans navigate on the moon. When NASA returns to the moon -- the space agency has set a target date of 2020 to do so -- astronauts won't be able to use a global positioning system to find their way around, explained the professor of civil and environmental engineering and geodetic science.

Insulin-producing Cells Can Give Rise To Stem-like Cells In-vitro Posted: 22 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT The question of whether insulin-producing cells of the pancreas can regenerate is key to our understanding of diabetes. Now scientists have concluded that they can. Researchers have shown in vitro that insulin-producing β-cells (beta cells) can return to a more primitive developmental state called stem-like cells.

3-D Views Posted From NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Posted: 22 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT NASA's Phoenix Mars Mission has released stereo images of the Martian surface near the Phoenix lander. The images in the new 3-D Gallery combine views from the left and right "eyes" of the lander's Surface Stereo Imager (SSI) so that they appear three-dimensional when viewed through red-blue glasses.

Cancer Drug Resistance: Enzyme Expression Levels Correlated With Chemotherapy Drug Response Posted: 22 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT Why do cancer patients develop resistance to chemotherapy drugs, sometimes abruptly, after a period in which the drugs seem to be working well to reduce tumors or hold them in check? Although largely a mystery to scientists, the result when this occurs is all too familiar: patients relapse and in many cases die when their cancers become resistant.

Geosequestration: Turning Carbon Dioxide Into Rock To Offset Global Warming Posted: 22 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT The same technology used to analyse minerals and atmosphere on Mars and other planets is being used by scientists to explore methods for geosequestration of carbon emissions. The idea of geosequestration is to trap carbon dioxide and to lock it into minerals deep underground. Geosequestration of carbon dioxide is one of the methods under debate to reduce greenhouse gases and their effects on climate change.

Intelligent Computational Model Of The Descriptive Grammar Of The Spanish Language Posted: 22 Jul 2008 04:00 AM CDT Researchers have developed an intelligent computational model of the descriptive grammar of the Spanish language. This opens up new possibilities for the computational representation of languages and natural language processing applications.

Using Magenetic Nanoparticles To Combat Cancer Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Scientists have developed a potential new treatment against cancer that attaches magnetic nanoparticles to cancer cells, allowing them to be captured and carried out of the body. The treatment has been tested in the laboratory and will now be looked at in survival studies.

Averting Postsurgical Infections In Kids: Give Antibiotics Within Hour Before First Incision, Study Suggests Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Giving children preventive antibiotics within one hour before they undergo spinal surgery greatly reduces the risk for serious infections after the surgery, suggests a study to be published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

D-cycloserine May Improve Behavioral Therapy Treatment For Anxiety Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Anxiety is a normal human response to stress, but in some, it can develop into a disabling disorder of excessive and irrational fears, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Effective treatments are available and can involve either behavioral therapy or medications.

New Technology Will Enhance Coal Mine Safety Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT Working in coal mines can be backbreaking labor, not to mention dangerous. But a new technology will make it easier for miners to ensure their safety as they brace the roofs of mine shafts. The new method involves simple, but specially designed stackable wood braces that are lighter and stronger than conventional wooden blocks used by miners for centuries.

Coffee And Cigarette Consumption Are High Among AA Attendees Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:00 AM CDT More than one million Americans currently participate in the Alcoholics Anonymous program. Recent findings confirm that coffee and cigarette use among AA members is greater than among the general US population. Most AA members drink coffee for its stimulatory effects; more than half smoke to reduce feelings of depression, anxiety and irritability.

Scientists Create Touch-based Illusion: Mind Trick Yields New Insights On Perception Posted: 21 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Anyone who has seen an optical illusion can recall the quirky moment when you realize that the image being perceived is different from objective reality. Now, scientists have designed a new illusion involving the sense of touch, which is helping to glean new insights into perception and how different senses -- such as touch and sight -- work together.

Understanding How Neurons Communicate May Help Treat Brain Disorders Posted: 21 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Scientists have learned important details illustrating how neuronal cells in the brain communicate at a microcellular level. Such knowledge may help in the development of drug compounds used to treat disorders caused by malfunctions in communication between brain cells, such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Lionfish Decimating Tropical Fish Populations, Threatening Coral Reefs Posted: 21 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT The invasion of predatory lionfish in the Caribbean region poses yet another major threat there to coral reef ecosystems -- a new study has found that within a short period after the entry of lionfish into an area, the survival of other reef fishes is slashed by about 80 percent.

Guidelines Highlight Key Differences Between Child And Adult Stroke Posted: 21 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT This is the first guidance on stroke in children from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke risk, symptoms and treatment in children are different from those in adults. The clot-busting drug t-PA is not generally recommended for treating children, especially newborns.

If Northern Trees Suffer Because Of Global Warming, Southern Trees May Still Be Slow To Replace Them Posted: 21 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT If a warmer Wisconsin climate causes some northern tree species to disappear in the future, it's easy to imagine that southern species will just expand their range northward as soon as the conditions suit them. The reality, though, may not be nearly so simple. A new model suggests that while certain northern species, such as balsam fir, spruce and jack pine, are likely to decline as the state's climate warms, oaks, hickories and other southern Wisconsin trees will be slow to replace them.

Elderly Falls Cut By 11 Percent With Education And Intervention Posted: 21 Jul 2008 10:00 PM CDT Commonly viewed as an inevitable consequence of aging and often ignored in clinical practice, falls among the elderly were cut by 11 percent when researchers at Yale School of Medicine used a combination of fall prevention educational campaigns and interventions aimed at encouraging clinicians to incorporate fall-risk assessment and management into their practices.

Breakthrough In Fight Against Deadly Superbug: Early Detection Method Greatly Increases Chances Of Survival Posted: 21 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Scientists have made a major breakthrough in the fight against a deadly hospital infection which kills tens of thousands of people every year, and it will be available within the next year. Researchers have discovered a technique that can identify the superbug within 24-48 hours of infection, greatly increasing a patient's chances of survival.

Calcium May Be The Key To Understanding Alzheimer's Disease Posted: 21 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Researchers have shown that mutations in two proteins associated with familial Alzheimer's disease disrupt the flow of calcium ions within neurons. The two proteins, called PS1 and PS2 (presenilin 1 and 2), interact with a calcium release channel in an intracellular cell compartment.

How Birds Spot The Cuckoo In The Nest Posted: 21 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT It's not always easy spotting the cuckoo in the nest. But if you don't, you pay a high price raising someone else's chick. How hosts distinguish impostor eggs from their own has long puzzled scientists. The problem remained largely unsolved while looking at it through our own eyes. It was only when people started thinking from the birds' perspective that they began to understand how hosts recognise a cuckoo egg in the nest.

Too Much, Too Little Sleep Increases Ischemic Risk In Postmenopausal Women Posted: 21 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Sleeping nine hours or more a night significantly increases the risk for ischemic stroke among post menopausal women. Sleeping less than 6 hours showed a modest increase risk of stroke, but was reported by twice as many women. The findings cannot be applied to other groups.

Reclaimed Wastewater Benefits Florida's Citrus Orchards Posted: 21 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT The Sunshine State has seen rapid growth in population during the last 50 years. Naturally, along with population increases, environmental concerns about pollution of surface waters by treated wastewater have caused many communities to consider alternate ways to use secondary-treated, or reclaimed, wastewater. In a study supported by the city of Orlando and Orange County (Fla.), researchers set out to determine whether long-term irrigation with treated municipal wastewater reduced citrus tree health or created increases in soil contaminants.

Heart Attack Not A Death Sentence Posted: 21 Jul 2008 07:00 PM CDT Survivors of cardiac arrest who received intensive care can expect long-term quality of life at reasonable expense to the health care system. The allocation of resources to the treatment of heart attack patients is equally as justified as the treatment of other intensive care patient groups.

Killer Kevlar: Clothing That Shields From Germs Posted: 21 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT Protective clothing worn by firemen and other emergency workers may soon get a germ-fighting upgrade. Researchers in South Dakota report progress toward the first Kevlar fabrics that can kill a wide range of infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, and the spores that cause anthrax.

New Approach To Cancer: Find Most Tightly Controlled Genes Posted: 21 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT Scientists have found a new way to study cancer that could be very useful for developing targeted therapies against tumors and possibly many other diseases. A data analysis revealed which genes are most tightly controlled in the cancerous tissues studied, yielding a new class of genes, in which only slight changes could affect gene function to elicit a sizable effect on a tumor.

Spotted Hyenas Can Increase Survival Rates By Hunting Alone Posted: 21 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT While spotted hyenas know the value of living together in large, cooperative societies, they also realize that venturing on their own now and then to hunt for food is often the key to their survival. The problem is that spotted hyenas live in a social group, they all know each other and there is a well-established hierarchy. So when a kill is made, it is the spotted hyenas that are higher up on the totem pole that get to eat.

Novel Computational Model Describes The Speed At Which HIV Escapes The Immune Response Posted: 21 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT A new model illustrates how HIV evades the immune system. The study, in PLoS Computational Biology, incorporates detailed interactions between a mutating virus and the immune system.

For Toy-like NASA Robots In Arctic, Ice Research Is Child's Play Posted: 21 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT Several snowmobiles navigated speedily over arctic ice and snow in Alaska's outback in late June. This scene might seem ordinary except that the recently unveiled snowmobiles are unmanned, autonomous, toy-size robots called SnoMotes -- the first prototype network of their kind envisioned to rove treacherous areas of the Arctic and Antarctic capturing more accurate measurements that will help scientists better understand what is causing the well-documented melting of ice in those regions.

How A Simple Mathematic Formula Is Starting To Explain The Bizarre Prevalence Of Altruism In Society Posted: 21 Jul 2008 04:00 PM CDT Why do humans cooperate in things as diverse as environment conservation or the creation of fairer societies, even when they don't receive anything in exchange or, worst, they might even be penalized? This is a question that has puzzled academics for centuries, especially since in evolution the basis for the "survival of the fittest" is, after all, selfishness.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of ScienceDaily: Latest Science News in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News, c/o FeedBurner, 20 W Kinzie, 9th Floor, Chicago IL USA 60610