ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

World's Thinnest Balloon Developed: Just One Atom Thick Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Researchers are reporting development of the world's thinnest balloon, made of a single layer of graphite just one atom thick. This so-called graphene sealed microchamber is impermeable to even the tiniest airborne molecules, including helium. It has a range of applications in sensors, filters, and imaging of materials at the atomic level.

Proton Pump Inhibitors Increase Risk Of Bone Fractures, Study Finds Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Patients who use proton pump inhibitors for seven or more years to treat reflux, peptic ulcers and other conditions are at greater risk of osteoporosis-related fractures, according to this large observational study published in CMAJ.

Keeping The Crunch In The Crust Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Scientists in the Netherlands report an advance toward unraveling one of the culinary world's long-standing puzzles: How to maintain the crispy quality of bread crust. The findings could help prolong the coveted crunchiness of bagels, French bread, and other bakery products, the researchers say.

Molecular Switch Helps Decide Cell Type In Early Embryo Development Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Researchers have discovered a central molecular switch in fruit fly embryos that opens new avenues for studying the causes of birth defects and cancer in humans. Scientists have determined the switch to be a main tuning mechanism for instructing cells whether to form sensory nerves or blood cells in different parts of the body.

Aphids Are Sentinels Of Climate Change Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Aphids are sentinels of climate change, researchers have shown. One of the UK's most damaging aphids -- the peach-potato aphid (Myzus persicae) -- has been found to be flying two weeks earlier for every 1°C rise in mean temperature for January and February combined. This year, the first aphid was caught on April 25, almost four weeks ahead of the 42-year average.

Risks of Cheerleading: Two-thirds Of Severe Sports Injuries To Female Students Due To Cheerleading Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT A new report on severe sporting injuries among high school and college athletes shows cheerleading appears to account for a larger proportion of all such injuries than previously thought.

Bugs Put The Heat In Chili Peppers Posted: 12 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT New research shows that bugs -- both the crawling kind and ones you can only see with a microscope -- are responsible for the heat in chili peppers.

Low Vitamin D Levels Pose Large Threat To Health; Overall 26 Percent Increased Risk Of Death Posted: 12 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the most conclusive evidence to date that inadequate levels of vitamin D, obtained from milk, fortified cereals and exposure to sunlight, lead to substantially increased risk of death.

Olympic Athlete Study Shows That Pride And Shame Are Universal And Innate Expressions Posted: 12 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT The victory stance of a gold medalist and the slumped shoulders of a nonfinalist are innate and biological rather than learned responses to success and failure, according to a University of British Columbia study using cross-cultural data gathered at the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Some Obese Individuals Appear 'Metabolically Healthy,' Without Increased Cardiovascular Risk Posted: 12 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Some obese individuals do not appear to have an increased risk for heart disease, while some normal-weight individuals experience a cluster of heart risks, according to two reports in the August 11/25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Neuroscientists Glimpse How The Brain Decides What To Believe Posted: 12 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Research by neuroscientists suggests that the estimation of confidence that underlies decisions may be the product of a very basic kind of information processing in the brain, shared widely across species and not strictly confined to those, like humans, that are self-aware.

Humans Implicated In Prehistoric Animal Extinctions With New Evidence Posted: 12 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Scientists sheds new light on the role that our ancestors played in the extinction of Australia's prehistoric animals. Their study suggests that the mass extinction of Tasmania's large prehistoric animals was the result of human hunting, and not climate change as previously believed.

Test To Protect Food Chain From Human Form Of Mad Cow Disease Posted: 12 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Scientists are reporting development of the first test for instantly detecting beef that has been contaminated with tissue from a cow's brain or spinal cord during slaughter -- an advance in protecting against possible spread of the human form of Mad Cow Disease.

Students Build And Launch A Sensor Into Space Posted: 12 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Students built and successfully launched a cosmic radiation detector this summer that, carried by a helium-filled balloon, reached 104,000 feet in altitude. The detector recorded radiation levels at the varying altitudes -- information that will be used by NASA to develop instrumentation for space flight.

Cancer Survival Secrets Uncovered Posted: 12 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers have uncovered the role of a family of enzymes in the mutation of benign or less aggressive tumors into more aggressive, potentially fatal, cancers in the human body.

Clean Three-way Split Of Molecule Observed Posted: 12 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT A study in Science shows for the first time that a molecule can break into three identical parts in one step. Aside from being a theoretical and experimental tour-de-force, study has implications for certain reactions in organic chemistry, in atmospheric science (i.e. ozone formation) and in combustion.

Birth During A Recession Raises Risk Of Fatal Cardiovascular Disease At Advanced Age Posted: 12 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT People who suffer from cardiovascular diseases at advanced ages may have reason to suspect that the cause of their illness lies far away ... around the date of their birth. A team of European researchers reports that if economic conditions at the time of birth were bad, then this leads to a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality much later in life.

New Report Details Historic Mass Extinction Of Amphibians; Humans Worsen Spread Of Deadly Emerging Infectious Disease Posted: 12 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Amphibians, reigning survivors of past mass extinctions, are sending a clear, unequivocal signal that something is wrong, as their extinction rates rise to unprecedented levels, according to a new paper. Humans are exacerbating two key natural threats: climate change and a deadly disease that is jumping from one species to another.

Physical Frailty May Be Linked To Alzheimer's Disease Posted: 12 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Physical frailty, which is common in older persons, may be related to Alzheimer's disease pathology, according to a study published in the Aug. 12, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Red Flour Beetle's 'Selfish' Gene Sequenced Posted: 12 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Tracking the red flour beetle in grain storage facilities could become easier, thanks to research to identify a key gene in this grain-feeding pest.

Refractive Errors Affect Vision For Half Of American Adults Posted: 12 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT About half of US adults age 20 and older have refractive errors, or eye problems that result in less than 20/20 vision, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Maximum Of Perseid Meteor Shower, August 12 -13, 2008 Posted: 12 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT The evening of the 12th August and morning of the 13th August is the annual maximum of the Perseid meteor shower. At its peak and in a clear, dark sky up to 80 'shooting stars' or meteors may be visible each hour.

If A Street Tree Falls ... What Does It Take To Make Sound Policy? Posted: 12 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Researchers argue that thinking of street trees as a "common-pool resource" can help lead to better management of an under-appreciated community asset.

Elephant Memories May Hold Key To Survival Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Old female elephants and perhaps their memories of distant, life-sustaining sources of food and water may be the key to survival during the worst of times.

New Insight Into Most Common Forebrain Malformation Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Scientists have identified one of the molecular mechanisms underlying the genetic brain malformation called holoprosencephaly. The findings not only yield insights into the most common developmental malformation of the anterior brain and face in newborns, but also help in understanding the intricate process by which the brain forms in the developing fetus.

Improved Reaction Data Heat Up The Biofuels Harvest Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Scientists have detailed some of the most fundamental processes involved in extracting sugars from biomass. Their findings should help engineers to improve their process designs in order to extract the maximum amount of fuel from a given measure of biomass.

Cognitive Problems Associated With Diabetes Duration And Severity Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Individuals with mild cognitive impairment appear more likely to have earlier onset, longer duration and greater severity of diabetes, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Scientists Found Fatty Acids After Hydrolysis Of Purified Crude Oil Fractions Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT The nature, activity and metabolism of microbes that inhabit the deep subsurface environment are a matter of ongoing debate. Primarily limited by temperature , little is known about secondary factors that restrict or enhance microbial activity or about the extent of a habitable environment deep below the surface. In particular, the degraders of chemically inert organic substrates remain elusive.

Actions Of Individuals Key To Saving Biodiversity -- And Ourselves, Biologists Say Posted: 12 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT A multi-pronged approach is the only way humanity can preserve biodiversity, say Stanford biologists Paul Ehrlich and Robert Pringle. While many people have gotten the impression that only government-level action can have a significant impact, many small effective efforts are already under way. What is needed, they say, is for these small-scale efforts to be implemented more broadly and scaled up dramatically and for academics to leave their Ivory Towers and do outreach work.

Running Slows The Aging Clock, Researchers Find Posted: 11 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Regular running slows the effects of aging, according to a new study from Stanford University School of Medicine that has tracked 500 older runners for more than 20 years. Elderly runners have fewer disabilities, a longer span of active life and are half as likely as aging nonrunners to die early deaths, the research found.

Designer RNA Fights High Cholesterol, Researchers Find Posted: 11 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Small, specially designed bits of ribonucleic acid (RNA) can interfere with cholesterol metabolism, reducing harmful cholesterol by two-thirds in pre-clinical tests, according to a new study by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in collaboration with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Growing Wheat In Acidic Soil Posted: 11 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Many wheat farmers in the southern Great Plains states face a significant challenge: High levels of aluminum released in the acidic soils can stunt crop growth. So Agricultural Research Service (ARS) plant geneticist Guihua Bai leads a team that is improving the odds for cultivating wheat in these acidic soils.

Investigation Of Prion Folding On Cell Membranes Posted: 11 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Abnormally folded proteins cause a number of illnesses such as the Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease, BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) and Alzheimer's. It is still unknown why this misfolding occurs. The first stages of folding and the onset of the aggregation of the proteins, the so-called oligomerisation, appear to be decisive for pathogenesis.

Large Area Transistors Get Helping Hand From Quantum Effects Posted: 11 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Researchers report that nano-designed transistors for the large area display and sensor application field benefit hugely from quantum size effects. The unexpected superior switching performance (low leakage current, and steep sub-threshold slope) shown experimentally and analysed theoretically, demonstrate hitherto unexplored routes for improvements for transistors based on disordered silicon films. By making the conduction channel in these disordered transistors very thin, the team has shown this technology will enable the design of low power memory for large area electronics based on a low-cost industry standard material processing route.

'Lost Tribe' Of Clinician-scientists: Medical Doctors Who Do Research Could Be A Dying Breed Posted: 11 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT The road from disease research to disease cure isn't usually a smooth one. One role which bridges the laboratory and the clinic is that of the "clinician-scientist" -- a doctor who understands disease both in the patient and in the Petri dish. Yet an editorial published in Disease Models & Mechanisms, contends that clinician-scientists in the UK and elsewhere are not prospering, but rather are "under threat in a hostile environment".

Colorful Star Birth Region Near Tarantula Nebula Unveiled On Hubble's 100,000th Orbit Milestone Posted: 11 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT During Hubble's 100,000th orbit around the Earth, it peered into a small portion of the nebula near the star cluster NGC 2074. The region is a firestorm of raw stellar creation, perhaps triggered by a nearby supernova explosion. It lies about 170,000 light-years away near the Tarantula nebula, one of the most active star-forming regions in our Local Group of galaxies.

Better Bandage: Microscopic Scaffolding Offers 'Simple' Solution To Treating Skin Injuries Posted: 11 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT A revolutionary dissolvable scaffold for growing new areas of skin could provide a safer, more effective way of treating burns, diabetic ulcers and similar injuries. This ultra-fine, 3-dimensional scaffold, which is made from specially developed polymers, looks similar to tissue paper but has fibres 100 times finer. Before it is placed over a wound, the patient's skin cells (obtained via a biopsy) are introduced and attach themselves to the scaffold, multiplying until they eventually grow over it.

Are Pronghorns Smarter Than Classical European Royalty? Posted: 11 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Over the past two decades, one research has proven that female pronghorns are smarter than many humans when it comes to mate selection. Rather than going for the male with the biggest body or most impressive horns, female pronghorns expend a ton of energy searching for the most vigor and best stamina; traits that will give their offspring the greatest chance of success.

Pre-cancerous Condition Linked To Chronic Acid Reflux Faces Several Hurdles Posted: 11 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT UK researchers address challenges in treating Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition found in some sufferers of chronic acid reflux disease, and call for better disease models and diagnostic markers.

Nanowires From DNA: Project Opens Up New Possibilities For Modified Chain Molecules Posted: 11 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT For millions of years nature has been optimizing DNA -- in all living creatures this biomolecule is responsible for storing genetic information. New research is putting the long chain molecule into a new context. Detached from its biological origin, artificial DNA double helices were modified in such a way that the evolutionarily optimized biomolecule can also be used as a key structural element for the arrangement of metal ions. There are numerous potential applications of this basic research. With this method, for example, molecular wires or the smallest magnets could be developed to be used in nanotechnology. Moreover, the scientists think about using it as catalysts, in medicine or as sensors.

Health And Marriage: The Times They Are A Changin' Posted: 11 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT The health of people who never marry is improving, narrowing the gap with their wedded counterparts, according to new research that suggests the practice of encouraging marriage to promote health may be misguided.

Roman Temple Uncovered In Ancient Jewish Capital Of Galilee Posted: 11 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Ruins of a Roman temple from the second century CE have recently been unearthed in the Zippori National Park. Above the temple are foundations of a church from the Byzantine period. The excavations shed light on the multi-cultural society of ancient Zippori (Sepphoris).

'Edible Optics' Could Make Food Safer Posted: 11 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Scientists have demonstrated that it is possible to design biologically active, biodegradable optical devices -- made from silk and requiring no refrigeration -- with many applications in medicine, health, the environment and communications. For example, edible optical sensors could detect harmful bacteria in a bag of produce, and be consumed right along with the food if it were safe.

Positive-feedback System Ensures That Cells Divide Posted: 11 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT In the life of every cell, there's a point of no return. Once it enters the cell cycle and passes a checkpoint known as "Start," a cell will follow the steps it needs to divide -- no matter what changes might occur in its environment. Now  scientists have shown that a positive-feedback system ensures that a cell that has made the decision to divide finishes what it has started.

More PSA Screening Awareness Needed Among High-risk Groups, Study Suggests Posted: 11 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT In one of the first examinations of PSA screening in younger men, a new study finds that one-fifth of men under age 50 reported undergoing a prostate specific antigen test to detect prostate cancer in the previous year, yet only one in three young black men reported ever having a PSA test in the previous year.

Pacific Shellfish Ready To Invade Atlantic Posted: 11 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT As the Arctic Ocean warms this century, shellfish, snails and other animals from the Pacific Ocean will resume an invasion of the northern Atlantic that was interrupted by cooling conditions three million years ago.

Complex Decision? Don't Sleep On It Posted: 11 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Neither snap judgements nor sleeping on a problem are any better than conscious thinking for making complex decisions, according to new research. The finding debunks a controversial 2006 research result asserting that unconscious thought is superior for complex decisions, such as buying a house or car. If anything, the new study suggests that conscious thought leads to better choices.

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