ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Undergrads' Amazon Trip Yields A Treasure Trove Of Diversity Posted: 26 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Yale undergraduates have discovered dozens of potentially beneficial bioactive microorganisms within plants they collected in the Amazon rain forest, including several so genetically distinct that they may be the first members of new taxonomical genera.

Infections Linked To Premature Births More Common Than Thought, Study Finds Posted: 26 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Previously unrecognized and unidentified infections of amniotic fluid may be a significant cause of premature birth, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Hydrogen-Producing Bacteria Provide Clean Energy Posted: 26 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT A new "green" technology developed cooperatively by scientists with the Agricultural Research Service and North Carolina State University could lead to production of hydrogen from nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

New Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer May Minimize Viral Transmission, Including Norovirus Posted: 26 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT A newly developed ethanol-based hand sanitizer may significantly impact public health by minimizing the transmission of multiple viruses, including norovirus, from food handlers and care providers.

'Slick' Gene Helps Cattle Beat The Heat Posted: 26 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Pinpointing the chromosomal location of the "slick" gene identified by scientists could help breeders develop cattle with shorter, slick hair that helps keep them cool in the subtropical heat.

Consumers Can Predict Inflation As Well As Professional Economists Posted: 26 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Household surveys predict the inflation rate fairly accurately and as well as professional economists. The pros employ statistics like the unemployment rate, money supply growth and exchange rate changes. Consumers participating in surveys are more likely to think about how much they spent at the grocery store that week.

New Evidence Debunks 'Stupid' Neanderthal Myth Posted: 26 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT New research has struck another blow to the theory that Neanderthals became extinct because they were less intelligent than our ancestors. The research team has shown that early stone tool technologies developed by our species, Homo sapiens, were no more efficient than those used by Neanderthals. Their discovery debunks a textbook belief held by archaeologists for more than 60 years.

Burning Incense Increases Risk Of Respiratory Tract Cancers Posted: 26 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Long-term use of incense increases the risk of developing cancers of the respiratory tract, according to a new study.

Even Seaweeds Get Sunburned Posted: 26 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT It is red, it burns and itches: a sunburn on our skin. However, too much sun is not only bad for humans. Many plants react sensitively to an increased dose of ultraviolet radiation, too. Yet they are dependent on sunlight. However, this has its limits: too much sun means an over-abundance of energy and thus the destruction of the sensitive pigments. The result are black spots, pale leaves and rotten parts.

Broccoli Could Reverse The Heart Damaging Effects Of Diabetes Posted: 26 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers have discovered eating broccoli could undo the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels.

Low-cost System System Thwarts Internet Eavesdropping Posted: 26 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT The growth of shared Wi-Fi and other wireless computer networks has increased the risk of eavesdropping on Internet communications, but researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science and College of Engineering have devised a low-cost system that can thwart these "Man-in-the-Middle" attacks.

California Tobacco Control Program Saved Billions In Medical Costs Posted: 26 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT California's state tobacco control program saved $86 billion -- in 2004 dollars -- in personal healthcare costs in its first 15 years, according to a study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.

Why Wind Turbines Can Mean Death For Bats Posted: 26 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Power-generating wind turbines have long been recognized as a potentially life-threatening hazard for birds. But at most wind facilities, bats actually die in much greater numbers. Now, researchers think they know why.

Breastfeeding, Other Factors May Affect Risk Of Breast Cancer Type Posted: 26 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Factors such as age at menopause as well as a woman's breastfeeding practices can influence her risk of developing certain types of breast cancer.

Drought-tolerant Corn Developed Posted: 26 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT At the end of the day, drought tolerance in corn has to equate to good yields and good quality, not just good looks, said a Texas AgriLife Research scientist. Corn breeders are working with crosses between temperate and tropically adapted varieties of corn to find a drought-tolerant plant that performs well under reduced irrigation.

Stem Cells Stand Up For Themselves Posted: 26 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Adult stem cells are not pampered pushovers. O'Reilly et al. report in the Aug. 25 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology that certain stem cells take charge of their surroundings, molding their environment to control their division and differentiation.

Building A Stronger Roof Over Your Head: 'Three Little Pigs' Project Begins First Tests Posted: 26 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT This week, inaugural tests at The University of Western Ontario's 'Three Little Pigs' project at the Insurance Research Lab for Better Homes will get underway. This facility is the first of its kind in the world to subject full-scale houses to pressures that simulate the effects of winds as strong as a category 5 hurricane -- or 200 mph -- all within a controlled environment.

80 Percent Of Adolescents Who Play Sports Don't Smoke, Spanish Study Finds Posted: 26 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT A research work carried out in sample of adolescents aged between 13 and 18 from Granada, Madrid, Murcia, Santander and Zaragoza has analysed the relationship between sport activity and tobacco consumption. According to this work, 59.2 percent of the Spanish adolescents are physically active, although there are significant differences according to sex (71.1 percent of boys, as against 46.7 percent of girls).

Cells In Eye Could Help Control Sleep Posted: 26 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT A set of nerve cells in the eye control our levels of sleepiness according to the brightness of our surroundings, Oxford University researchers have discovered. The cells directly regulate the activity of sleep centers in the brain, providing a new target for the development of drugs to control sleep and alertness.

Drug-radiation Combo May Help Shrink Established Tumors Posted: 26 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Researchers may be closer to understanding why anti-cancer drugs such as Ipilimumab, which boost the tumor-killing power of immune cells, haven't fared well in clinical trials. The new study, which describes a way to enhance the ability of these drugs to shrink well-established tumors, will be published online on Aug. 25 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

'Best Hope At Sustainable Fisheries' Short-changed By Conservation Efforts, Researchers Argue Posted: 26 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Small scale fisheries produce as much annual catch for human consumption and use less than one-eighth the fuel as their industrial counterparts, but they are dealt a double-whammy by well-intentioned eco-labelling initiatives and ill-conceived fuel subsidies, according to a University of British Columbia study.

Inhibitors Of The Molecule PI3K Throw One Form Of Leukemia A CurveB-ALL Posted: 26 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Some cases of a form of leukemia known as pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B-ALL) are caused by a genetic event that leads to the generation of a rogue chromosome known as the Philadelphia (Ph) chomosome, and individuals with Ph+ pre-B-ALL tend to have a poor outlook. As current treatments for Ph+ pre-B-ALL are not very effective, researchers are looking for new drugs to combat this disease.

Animals Adapt Their Vocal Signals To Social Situations Posted: 26 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT A special August issue of the Journal of Comparative Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association, presents a host of studies that investigate the way that animals adapt their calls, chirps, barks and whistles to their social situation.

75 Percent Of Athletes' Parents Let Their Child Skip Exams For A Game Posted: 26 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Three quarters of parents of young athletes let their child forgo an exam for an important game, a new study conducted at the University of Haifa has found. In comparison, only 47 percent of parents of young musicians will agree to their child choosing a performance over an exam.

Monkeys Enjoy Giving To Others, Study Finds Posted: 25 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Researchers have shown capuchin monkeys, just like humans, find giving to be a satisfying experience. This finding comes on the coattails of a recent imaging study in humans that documented activity in reward centers of the brain after humans gave to charity. Empathy in seeing the pleasure of another's fortune is thought to be the impetus for sharing, a trait this study shows transcends primate species.

New Hope For Stroke Patients: Reversing Stroke Damage By Jumpstarting Growth Of Nerve Fibers Posted: 25 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT If a stroke patient doesn't get treatment within three hours, there's not much doctors can do to limit damage. But now researchers report a technique that potentially could restore functions to patients weeks or even months after a stroke. The technique involves jumpstarting the growth of nerve fibers to compensate for brain cells destroyed by the stoke.

Biologists Find Diatom To Reduce Red Tide's Toxicity Posted: 25 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Scientists have found that a diatom can reduce the levels of the red tide's toxicity to animals and that the same diatom can reduce its toxicity to other algae as well.

Women May Stop Anticoagulants After Blood Clots, Research Suggests Posted: 25 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Women may safely discontinue oral anticoagulants (blood thinners) after 6 months of treatment following a first unprovoked venous blood clot (thromboembolism) if they have no or one risk factor, concludes a study of 646 participants in a multicenter prospective cohort study.

Century-old Rule Of Chemistry Overturned -- Major Implications For Drug Delivery Posted: 25 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT A new study has challenged a century old rule of pharmacology that defined how quickly key chemicals can pass across cell walls. The new observations of the chemists suggest that the real transport rates could be up to a hundred times slower than predicted by the century-old "Overton's Rule." This could have major implications for the development and testing of many future drugs.

How To Get A College Roommate You Can Live With Posted: 25 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Anxious college freshmen can relax. No matter who will be sharing their dorm room, they have the power to make the relationship better, new research suggests.

Anti-cancer Flower Power: Researchers Combat Cancer With A Jasmine-based Drug Posted: 25 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Could a substance from the jasmine flower hold the key to an effective new therapy to treat cancer? Researchers have developed an anti-cancer drug based on a decade of research into the commercial applications of the compound Jasmonate, a synthetic compound derived from the flower itself.

Gene That Causes Childhood Cancer Neuroblastoma Is Found Posted: 25 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Scientists have discovered gene mutations that are the main cause of the inherited (familial) version of the childhood cancer neuroblastoma. In addition, the researchers found that the same mutations play a significant role in high-risk forms of non-inherited neuroblastoma, the more common form of the disease. Because drugs are already in development that target the same gene in adult cancers, researchers are planning clinical trials in children with neuroblastoma.

'Can You See Me Now?' Sign Language Over Cell Phones Comes To United States Posted: 25 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT A group has demonstrated software that for the first time enables deaf and hard of hearing Americans to use sign language over a mobile phone.

Study Reveals How Blood Flow Force Prevents Clogged Arteries Posted: 25 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Machines on cell surfaces, mechanical and lifeless as bed springs, protect blood vessels by responding to blood flow force, according to research published today in the Journal of Cell Biology. By sensing and reacting to force, such machines interfere with inflammatory pathways central to atherosclerosis, the leading cause of heart attack and stroke. The next set of studies will seek to "tweak" the process with the goal of designing a new class of therapies.

Air-purifying Church Windows Were Early Nanotechnology Posted: 25 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Stained glass windows that are painted with gold purify the air when they are lit up by sunlight, experts have discovered.

Study Sheds Light On Impact Of Terrorism On Adolescent Depression Posted: 25 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT In a study on adolescent depression following terror attacks, Professor Golan Shahar of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer-Sheva, Israel, and Professor Christopher Henrich of Georgia State University, report that social support experienced by these adolescents seems to protect against depression.

How 'Secondary' Sex Characters Can Drive The Origin Of Species Posted: 25 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT The ostentatious, sometimes bizarre qualities that improve a creature's chances of finding a mate may also drive the reproductive separation of populations and the evolution of new species, say two Indiana University Bloomington biologists.

Brain Study Could Lead To New Understanding Of Depression Posted: 25 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Brain scientists have moved a step closer to understanding why some people may be more prone to depression than others.

Elephant Legs Are Much Bendier Than Shakespeare Thought Posted: 25 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Through out history everyone though that elephants walk on inflexible column like legs. But when John Hutchinson from the Royal Veterinary College saw champion Thai racing elephants hurtling along at almost 7 m/s, he knew something else must be going on. Filming captive Asian elephants in UK zoos, and comparing his results with Delf Schwerda's data on African elephants, Hutchinson has found that elephant legs are very springy and almost as flexible as trotting horses' legs.

Diseased Kidney Surgically Removed Using 3-D Robotics Through Single Incision Posted: 25 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT For the first time in Michigan, a diseased kidney has been surgically removed at Henry Ford Hospital using highly sophisticated 3-D robotics through a single incision.

Life Isn't 2-D, So Why Should Our Encyclopedias Be? Posted: 25 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Biologists and biochemists are now able to access 3-D images of biomacromolecules underlying biological functions and disease. Rather than relying on text to provide the understanding of biomacromolecule structures, a collaborative Web site called Proteopedia now provides a new resource by linking written information and three-dimensional structural information. The wiki web resource, first described in BioMed Central's open access journal Genome Biology, displays protein structures and other biomacromolecules in interactive format.

New Approach Needed To Tackle Child Abuse And Neglect Posted: 25 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Leading child advocates have called for a new approach to tackling child abuse and neglect amid rising rates of abuse notifications and children being brought into state care.

Bacteria Power: Future For Clean Energy Lies In 'Big Bang' Of Evolution Posted: 25 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Bacteria may hold the key for our future. Amid mounting agreement that future clean, "carbon neutral," energy will rely on efficient conversion of the sun's light energy into fuels and electric power, attention is focusing on one of the most ancient groups of organism, the cyanobacteria.

Newly Uncovered Cells May Be Critical In Psoriasis Posted: 25 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Psoriasis, one of humanity's oldest known diseases, has also been one of its most misunderstood. But in a new study that could change researchers' perspective of the skin disorder and potentially lead to powerful new drug targets, scientists have found that the source of psoriasis may be a single population of inflammatory cells that act as instigators by priming the body's immune system for self-attack.

Tahitian Vanilla Originated In Maya Forests, Says Botanist Posted: 25 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT The origin of the Tahitian vanilla orchid has long eluded botanists. The orchid is found to exist only in cultivation; natural, wild populations have never been encountered. Now, a team of investigators claims to have traced Tahitian vanilla back to its true origins. The researchers argue that Tahitian vanilla began its evolutionary journey as a pre-Columbian Maya cultivar inside the tropical forests of Guatemala.

Operations Research Promises Continued Gains For HIV Treatment In Resource-limited Countries Posted: 25 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT In the past 10 years, the global campaign to expand treatment for millions of people with AIDS living in resource-limited countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, has gained substantial commitments in public and private financing, and has made major strides in making treatment available to those who need it.

GOCE Earth Explorer Satellite To Look At The Earth's Surface And Core Posted: 25 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT The European Space Agency is about to launch the most sophisticated mission ever to investigate the Earth's gravitational field and to map the reference shape of our planet -- the geoid -- with unprecedented resolution and accuracy.

M&Ms As Diet Food? 100-calorie Pack Misconceptions Posted: 25 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Beware of mini-packs and mini-foods, especially if you're a dieter. Chronic dieters tend to consume more calories when foods and packages are smaller, according to a new study.

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