ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Duck-billed Dinosaurs Outgrew Predators To Survive Posted: 06 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT With long limbs and a soft body, the duck-billed hadrosaur had few defenses against predators such as tyrannosaurs. But new research on the bones of this plant-eating dinosaur suggests that it had at least one advantage: It grew to adulthood much faster than its predators, giving it superiority in size.

New Gene Therapy Kills Pancreatic Cancer Cells Posted: 06 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Researchers report promising results for a new chemoprevention gene therapy for preventing and treating pancreatic cancer, one of the most lethal and treatment-resistant forms of cancer.

Wind Powered Vehicle, Ventomobile, Ready To Race In The Netherlands Posted: 06 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Students have constructed a vehicle that is solely powered by wind energy, the Ventomobile. It took them many months of intense construction work to reach this goal. First wind tunnel testing produced very promising results. The extremely stylish three-wheeler features a two-bladed rotor on top, with a diameter of two meters. The efficiency of this setup proved to be extremely good.

Growth Hormone Treatment For HIV Patients Improves Abdominal Fat, But Worsens Glucose Level Posted: 06 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT For human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with treatment-related abdominal obesity and growth hormone deficiency, receiving low-dose growth hormone resulted in improvement in fat and blood pressure measurements but worsened glucose levels, according to a study in the Aug. 6 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on HIV/AIDS.

Gold Nanoshells Help Visibly Heat And Destroy Cancer Posted: 06 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Most cancer tumors that have clear borders and are well defined have traditionally been treated successfully by surgical removal. But not all cancers respond to conventional surgery. More importantly, conventional surgery brings risks of complications and long recovery periods that can negatively impact a person's quality of life.

Depression Found To Hasten Decline In Cancer Patients Posted: 06 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Depression causes patients with advanced cancer to die sooner than they should, say scientists at the University of Liverpool.

Antarctic Fossils Paint Picture Of Much Warmer Continent Posted: 06 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Scientists working in an ice-free region of Antarctica have discovered the last traces of tundra -- in the form of fossilized plants and insects -- on the interior of the southernmost continent before temperatures began a relentless drop millions of years ago.

Possible Cause Of Endometriosis Identified Posted: 06 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Scientists have identified an enzyme that could be responsible for a condition called endometriosis – the most common cause of pelvic pain in women.

First National Study Of Diving-related Injuries Posted: 06 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Diving into cool, refreshing water is a favorite summer pastime for millions, and a fan favorite sport at the Olympics. Now, the first comprehensive study of diving board injuries is out, and it shows, on average, someone is injured on a diving board every hour of every day in the US.

Certain HIV Treatment Less Effective When Used With Anti-TB Therapy Posted: 06 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Patients receiving rifampicin-based anti-tuberculosis therapy are more likely to experience virological failure when starting nevirapine-based antiretroviral therapy, an HIV treatment that is widely used in developing countries because of lower cost, than when starting efavirenz-based antiretroviral therapy, according to a study in the Aug. 6 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on HIV/AIDS.

Sesame Seed Extract And Konjac Gum May Help Ward Off Salmonella And E. Coli Posted: 06 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT A new study in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture shows that konjac gum and sesame seed extract may offer protection against different strains of E. coli and Salmonella bacteria.

One In Ten Children Using Cough, Cold Medications Posted: 06 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers have found that approximately one in ten US children uses one or more cough and cold medications during a given week. Pediatric cough and cold medications are widely marketed in the U.S. but surprisingly little is known about just how often they are used in children. This information is especially important in light of recent revelations that cough and cold medications are responsible for serious adverse events and even deaths among children.

Thousands Of Globular Clusters Identified In Virgo Cluster Of Galaxies Posted: 06 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has identified thousands of globular clusters -- more than 5 billion years old -- in the Virgo cluster of galaxies. One of the results of these discoveries led astronomers to understand more about the life and evolution of cannibal galaxies.

Revolutionary Technique Could Reduce Lifelong Drugs For Transplant Patients Posted: 06 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Researchers have developed a ground-breaking procedure that could avoid the need for transplant patients to spend the rest of their lives taking a cocktail of drugs to stop their system from rejecting their new organ.

Next Generation Tool For Visualizing Genomic Data Introduced Posted: 06 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Researchers are collecting vast amounts of genomic data, but ways to visualize these data in an integrated manner have lagged behind the ability to generate them. Researchers have now developed a novel and freely available visualization tool that helps users integrate and analyze different types of genomic data, and gives them the flexibility to zoom in on a specific region of interest or to pan out for a broad, whole genome view.

Growth Hormone Reduces Abdominal Fat, Cardiovascular Risk In HIV Patients On Antiviral Therapy Posted: 06 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Low-dose growth hormone treatment reduced abdominal fat deposits and improved blood pressure and triglyceride levels in a group of patients with HIV lipodystrophy -- a condition involving the redistribution of fat and other metabolic changes in patients receiving combination drug therapy for HIV infection -- but growth hormone treatment also appeared to increase blood glucose levels, particularly in those already exhibiting glucose intolerance.

Key To Virulence Protein Entry Into Host Cells Discovered Posted: 06 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Researchers from the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech have identified the region of a large family of virulence proteins in oomycete plant pathogens that enables the proteins to enter the cells of their hosts. The protein region has the ability to carry the virulence proteins across the membrane surrounding plant cells without any additional machinery from the pathogen. Once inside the plant cell, the proteins suppress the immune system of the plant allowing the infection to progress.

Breast Cancer Confessions: Emotional Work Of Disclosing A Diagnosis Posted: 06 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Women diagnosed with breast cancer shoulder the emotional burden of disclosing their diagnosis to loved ones, managing the feelings of others at precisely the time when they need support themselves, according to new research.

Martian Life Or Not? NASA's Phoenix Team Analyzes Results Posted: 06 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Describing the latest findings from the Red Planet as "neither good nor bad for life," Phoenix Mars mission scientists spoke on research in progress concerning an ongoing investigation of perchlorate salts detected in soil analyzed by the wet chemistry laboratory aboard NASA's Phoenix Lander.

Testosterone And Body Fat Are Controlled By The Same Genes Posted: 06 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Genes that control percentage of body fat are also responsible for circulating levels of testosterone in men, new research shows. The research shows a 23% overlap between the genes that control testosterone and those that regulate body fat composition, suggesting that these two variables are partly controlled by the same set of genes.

Viterbi Algorithm Goes Quantum Posted: 06 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT The Viterbi Algorithm, the elegant 41-year-old logical tool for rapidly eliminating dead end possibilities in reception of digital data, has a new application to go alongside its ubiquitous daily use in cell phone communications, bioinformatics, speech recognition and many other areas of information technology.

A Mechanism For The Development Of Obesity-associated Conditions Posted: 06 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Substances known as endocannabinoids have been implicated in the development of many effects of a high-fat diet, including risk factors for type 2 diabetes. New data have now indicated that these effects of endocannabinoids occur via activation of the protein CB1 in the liver and not the brain. Therefore, targeting liver CB1 might provide an effective way to treat obesity-related medical conditions without the side effects of targeting CB1 in the brain, anxiety and depression.

Protein Folding: One Picture Per Millisecond Illuminates The Process Posted: 06 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Newly developed KITA-spectroscopy (Kinetic Terahertz Absorption Spectroscopy) was applied to protein folding with a resolution of one picture per millisecond and combined with other biophysical methods, such as X-ray diffraction (SAXS), fluorescence and CD spectroscopy. Researchers observed that folding proceeds in two phases. In a very rapid first phase, the protein collapses in less than a millisecond, while at the same time, a rearrangement of the protein-water network takes place.

Bulging Prison System Called Massive Intervention In American Family Life Posted: 06 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT The mammoth increase in the United States' prison population since the 1970s is having profound demographic consequences that disproportionately affect black males.

Breakthrough In Quantum Mechanics: Superconducting Electronic Circuit Pumps Microwave Photons Posted: 05 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Researchers have recently reached what they are calling a milestone in experimental quantum mechanics. They have used a superconducting electronic circuit known as a Josephson phase qubit to controllably pump microwave photons, one at a time, into a superconducting microwave resonator.

Eating Fish May Prevent Memory Loss And Stroke In Old Age Posted: 05 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Eating tuna and other types of fish may help lower the risk of cognitive decline and stroke in healthy older adults, according to a study in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Fuel Cell Efficiency May Be Improved With Material With 'Colossal Ionic Conductivity' Posted: 05 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT A new material characterized at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory could open a pathway toward more efficient fuel cells. The material, a super-lattice, improves ionic conductivity near room temperature by a factor of almost 100 million, representing "a colossal increase in ionic conduction properties," according to researchers.

Process By Which All Blood Cells Originate Is Essentially The Same Throughout Mammal World Posted: 05 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT The architecture of haematopoiesis -- which is the process by which all blood cells originate -- is essentially the same throughout the mammal world, report scientists in the Proceedings of the Royal Society. This is an unexpected result considering the thousands of mammals' species with a myriad of habitats and lifestyles, as so well demonstrated when comparing the 30 mm flying bumblebee bat and the 30 meter-long aquatic blue whale both mammals.

Overcoming Inhibitors Of Cell Death Improves Cancer Therapy Efficacy Posted: 05 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Individuals with one of the most aggressive types of brain tumor have an extremely poor prognosis. Although some patients with GBM respond to treatment with drugs known as RTK inhibitors, most subsequently relapse after only a short time. New data, have now provided insight into the mechanism by which GBM cells become resistant to RTK inhibitors and suggest a way to improve the efficacy of RTK inhibitors as a treatment for GBM.

The School Bully: Does It Run In The Family? Posted: 05 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT New research links family relationships to childhood bullying. A shove, a taunt or name-calling on the playground or in the hall, away from the eyesight, earshot and authority of the teacher -- childhood bullying can involve physical contact, spreading rumors and other negative behaviors committed over and over again to intimidate, humiliate and isolate the receiver of the behavior.

'Cosmic Ghost' Discovered By Volunteer Astronomer In Archived Images Of Night Sky Posted: 05 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT When astronomers enlisted public support in cataloging galaxies, they never envisioned the strange object Hanny van Arkel found in archived images of the night sky. The Dutch school teacher discovered a mysterious and unique object some observers are calling a "cosmic ghost" -- a gaseous object with a hole in the center.

Lowering Cholesterol Early In Life Could Save Lives Posted: 05 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT With heart disease maintaining top billing as the leading cause of death in the United States, physician-researchers are proposing that aggressive intervention to lower cholesterol levels as early as childhood is the best approach available today to reducing the incidence of coronary heart disease.

A First In Integrated Nanowire Sensor Circuitry Posted: 05 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Scientists have created the world's first all-integrated sensor circuit based on nanowire arrays, combining light sensors and electronics made of different crystalline materials. Their method can be used to reproduce numerous such devices with high uniformity.

Long-term HIV Treatment May Reduce Risk For Atherosclerosis Posted: 05 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Antiretroviral drugs for HIV do not increase risk of coronary atherosclerosis says a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health study. The results, based on nearly 950 HIV-positive and HIV-negative men, suggest that antiretroviral therapy may, in fact, offer men with HIV some protection against atherosclerosis. Coronary artery calcification scores were almost 60 percent lower in HIV-positive men who received highly active antiretroviral therapy for more than eight years compared to HIV-negative men.

Turning Those Old Electronic Circuit Boards Into New Park Benches Posted: 05 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Scientists in China have developed a new recycling method that could transform yesterday's computer into tomorrow's park bench.

Estrogen Relieves Psychotic Symptoms In Women With Schizophrenia Posted: 05 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT When combined with antipsychotic medications, the estrogen estradiol appears to be a useful treatment in women with schizophrenia, according to a new report.

Genetic Evidence Used To Trace Ancient African Migration Posted: 05 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Researchers peering at history's footprints on human DNA have found new evidence for how prehistoric people shared knowledge that advanced civilization.

Vitamin C Injections Slow Tumor Growth In Mice Posted: 05 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT High-dose injections of vitamin C, also known as ascorbate or ascorbic acid, reduced tumor weight and growth rate by about 50 percent in mouse models of brain, ovarian and pancreatic cancers, researchers report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers traced ascorbate's anti-cancer effect to the formation of hydrogen peroxide in the extracellular fluid surrounding the tumors. Normal cells were unaffected.

Research Exposes New Target For Malaria Drugs Posted: 05 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT The malaria parasite has waged a successful guerrilla war against the human immune system for eons, but a study in this week's Journal of Biological Chemistry has exposed one of the tricks malaria uses to hide from the immune proteins, which may aid in future drug development.

High Use Of Complementary Methods Found Among Cancer Survivors Posted: 05 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Many cancer patients use complementary and alternative methods, most often prayer, relaxation, supplements, meditation, and massage. Meanwhile, the use of other methods, such as biofeedback, homeopathy and acupressure, are relatively uncommon.

Climate Change And Species Distributions Posted: 05 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Scientists have long pointed to physical changes in the Earth and its atmosphere as indicators of global climate change. But changes in climate can wreak havoc in more subtle ways, such as the loss of habitat for plant and animal species.

Study: Verbal Aggression May Affect Children's Behavior Posted: 05 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT The methods mothers use to control their children during playtime and other daily activities could have a negative impact on their child's self-esteem and behavior, according to a new Purdue University study.

Schizophrenia: Costly By-product Of Human Brain Evolution? Posted: 05 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Metabolic changes responsible for the evolution of our unique cognitive abilities indicate that the brain may have been pushed to the limit of its capabilities. Research published today in BioMed Central's open access journal Genome Biology adds weight to the theory that schizophrenia is a costly by-product of human brain evolution.

Exposure To Agent Orange Linked To Prostate Cancer In Vietnam Veterans Posted: 05 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Vietnam War veterans exposed to Agent Orange have greatly increased risks of prostate cancer and even greater risks of getting the most aggressive form of the disease as compared to those who were not exposed.

Microbe Diet Key To Carbon Dioxide Release Posted: 05 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT As microbes in the soil break down fallen plant matter, a diet "balanced" in nutrients appears to help control soil fertility and the normal release of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Epilepsy Drug May Help Alcoholics Recover From Dependence, Small Study Suggests Posted: 05 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT A new study hints that people who have both alcohol problems and sleep problems -- which often occur together -- might be helped by an epilepsy drug. The study, which is small but was placebo-controlled, opens the door for further research on how to help alcohol-dependent people escape the Catch-22 of insomnia and drinking that often stands in the way of their recovery.

Saving Our Bees: Implications of Habitat Loss Posted: 05 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT The undisputed queen of animal pollinators is the bee, whose daily flights aid in the reproduction of more than half of the world's flowering plants. In recent years, however, an unprecedented decline in bee populations has placed the health of ecosystems an crops in peril. A group of scientists are exploring the problem of bee habitat loss to determine what can be done to preserve bees in their native habitats.

Happiness Lengthens Life Posted: 05 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Happiness does not heal, but happiness protects against falling ill. As a result, happy people live longer. The size of the effect on longevity is comparable to that of smoking or not. This is concluded from an analysis of 30 follow-up studies published in the latest issue of the Journal of Happiness Studies.

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