ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Subliminal Learning Demonstrated In Human Brain Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Although the idea that instrumental learning can occur subconsciously has been around for nearly a century, it had not been unequivocally demonstrated. Now, new research uses sophisticated perceptual masking, computational modeling, and neuroimaging to show that instrumental learning can occur in the human brain without conscious processing of contextual cues.

High Cholesterol Levels Drop Naturally In Children On High-fat Anti-seizure Diet, Study Show Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Elevated cholesterol levels return to normal or near normal levels over time in four out of 10 children with uncontrollable epilepsy treated with the high-fat ketogenic diet, according to results reported in the Journal of Child Neurology.

Olive Leaf Extract Can Help Tackle High Blood Pressure And Cholesterol Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Taking 1000 mg of a specific olive leaf extract (EFLA 943) can lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure in patients with mild hypertension (high blood pressure). These findings came from a "Twins" trial, in which different treatments were given to identical twins. By doing this, researchers could increase the power of their data by eliminating some of the uncertainties caused by genetic variations between individual people.

Army Personnel Show Increased Risk For Migraine; Condition Underdiagnosed, Mistreated Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Two new studies show that migraine headaches are very common among US military personnel, yet the condition is frequently underdiagnosed. The studies, appearing in Headache, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Headache Society, examine the incidence among soldiers within 10 days of returning from a 1-year combat tour in Iraq , as well as US Army officer trainees.

Facades: A Source Of Water Pollution Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT For many years, fingers have been pointed at agriculture whenever pesticides are detected in rivers and streams. Studies now show that built-up areas also account for a considerable proportion of such inputs. For example, substances can be leached out of facade renders and paints by rainwater and enter the environment, where they may have toxic effects on organisms.

Teens Making Poor Choices When It Comes To Riding In Vehicles Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Car crashes are the No. 1 killer of US teens. While states are passing laws to help teen drivers, little thought is being given to their habits as passengers. A new study uncovers a public health crisis and offers a solution to the problem.

Jamaican Lizards' Shows Of Strength Mark Territory At Dawn, Dusk Posted: 28 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT What does Jack LaLanne have in common with a Jamaican lizard? Like the ageless fitness guru, the lizards greet each new day with vigorous push-ups. That's according to a new study showing that male Anolis lizards engage in impressive displays of reptilian strength -- push-ups, head bobs, and threatening extension of a colorful neck flap called a dewlap -- to defend their territory at dawn and dusk.

First Gene Associated With Dry Macular Degeneration Found Posted: 28 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT In a study that underscores the important role that individual genetic profiles will play in the development of new therapies for disease,scientists have made two important discoveries related to age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 60.

Wind-powered 'Ventomobile' Places First in Race Posted: 28 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT The solely wind-driven Ventomobile constructed by a team of students in aerospace engineering came in first at the Aeolus Race in the Dutch town of Den Helder last Friday. Racing the extremely stylish and lightweight three-wheeler, the vehicles of five European universities and research centres had difficulties to catch up.

New Concepts In Contraception Posted: 28 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Latest research into dual-purpose contraceptives and non-hormonal contraception will be presented at a major scientific conference in Melbourne.

New LIDAR System Sees The Sky In 3D Posted: 28 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT A new LIDAR measurement system -- unique in the world -- will provide continuous data on atmospheric humidity for Western Switzerland's weather forecasting headquarters.

Unusual Ultrasonic Vocalization Patterns In Mice May Be Useful For Modeling Autism Posted: 28 Aug 2008 10:00 AM CDT Scientists have found novel patterns of ultrasonic vocalizations in a genetic mouse model of autism, adding a unique element to the available mouse behaviors that capture components of the human disease, and representing a new step towards identifying causes and better treatments.

Minimum Mass For Galaxies Discovered: Breakthrough Sheds Light On Mysterious Dark Matter Posted: 28 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT By analyzing light from small, faint galaxies that orbit the Milky Way, UC Irvine scientists believe they have discovered the minimum mass for galaxies in the universe -- 10 million times the mass of the sun.

Heart Attack Prevention: Potential New Use For Viagra? Posted: 28 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT A breakthrough into regulating a single enzyme may lead to new drug therapies that will help prevent heart attacks and strokes. The research focuses on the effects of Viagra -- the popular erectile dysfunction drug, which is also used to treat pulmonary hypertension.

Genetic Underpinnings Of Sheep Traits May Yield Clues To Greater Productivity Posted: 28 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Keeping America's sheep healthy and productive while expanding the market for wool and lamb is the goal of scientists who are matching the animals' physical traits to the genes that underpin their expression.

More Aortic Chest Aneurysms Being Treated With Less-invasive Stents Posted: 28 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT An increasing number of patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms are being treated with a device called a stent graft, rather than open-chest surgery. The device is delivered with a cathether. Patients go home in a day or two. It's much less invasive than open-chest surgery.

Fingerprint Breakthrough Hope In US Double Murder Probe Posted: 28 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT A double murder investigation that has remained unsolved for almost a decade could be provided new impetus following a forensic breakthrough.

Over 10 Million Americans Are Taking Opioids Each Week, Study Finds Posted: 28 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers from Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center have found that in a given week, over 10 million Americans are taking opioids, and more than 4 million are taking them regularly (at least five days per week, for at least four weeks). These findings appear in the Aug. 31 issue of the journal Pain.

Why Is Greenland Covered In Ice? Changes In Carbon Dioxide Levels Explain Transition Posted: 28 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT A fall in levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, close to that of pre-industrial times, explains the transition from a mostly ice-free Greenland of three million years ago to the ice-covered region we see today.

Heart Attack Patients Who Stop Statin Risk Death, Say Researchers Posted: 28 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Patients discontinuing statin medication following an acute myocardial infarction increase their risk of dying over the next year, say researchers at McGill University and the McGill University Health Center. Their study was published in a recent issue of the European Heart Journal.

Sweet Potato Out-Yields Corn In Ethanol Production Study Posted: 28 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT In experiments, sweet potatoes grown in Maryland and Alabama yielded two to three times as much carbohydrate for fuel ethanol production as field corn grown in those states, scientists report. The same was true of tropical cassava in Alabama.

History Of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Is Associated With Increased Risk For Subsequent Malignancies Posted: 28 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Individuals with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer are at increased risk for other cancers, according to a study published in the Aug. 26 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Protein Misprediction Uncovered By New Technique Posted: 28 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT A new bioinformatics tool is capable of identifying and correcting abnormal, incomplete and mispredicted protein annotations in public databases. The MisPred tool currently uses five principles to identify suspect proteins that are likely to be abnormal or mispredicted.

Satisfaction And Regret After Radical Prostatectomy Procedures Studied Posted: 28 Aug 2008 04:00 AM CDT Studies have shown that approximately 16% of patients with localised prostate cancer regret their treatment choice. A new study compares differences in satisfaction and regret between patients who underwent open retropubic radical prostatectomy and robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

Yellowstone's Ancient Supervolcano: Molten Plume Of Material Cooler Than Expected Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT The geysers of Yellowstone National Park owe their existence to the "Yellowstone hotspot" -- a region of molten rock buried deep beneath Yellowstone, geologists have found.

New Role For Natural Killers Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Scientists at the University of York have discovered a new role for a population of white blood cells, which may lead to improved treatments for chronic infections and cancer.

Nonviable Seeds May Contain Research-Quality DNA Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Agricultural Research Service scientists have ways of making seeds talk. They have demonstrated that seeds can reveal genetic information even after they've lost viability, which is the ability to germinate. The research has significant implications for seed bank management.

Angiotensin Inhibitors And Receptor Blockers Linked To Lower Risk Of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers was associated with a reduced risk of basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers in US veterans, researchers report in the Aug. 26 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Heavy Metal Link To Mutations, Low Growth And Fertility Among Crustaceans In Sydney Harbor Tributary Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT Heavy metal pollutants are linked to genetic mutations, stunted growth and declining fertility among small crustaceans in the Parramatta River, the main tributary of Sydney Harbor, new research shows. The finding adds to mounting evidence that toxic sediments and seaweeds in Sydney Harbor are a deadly diet for many sea creatures.

Providing Surgical Services Worldwide Should Be A Global Public Health Priority, Experts Urge Posted: 28 Aug 2008 01:00 AM CDT In an editorial in this week's PLoS Medicine, the journal's editors outline five key reasons why providing basic surgical services universally should be considered a global public health priority.

Cocaine-induced Brain Plasticity May Protect The Addicted Brain: Findings May Lead To New Drug-abuse Treatments Posted: 27 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Increased connections among brain cells caused by excessive drug use may represent the body's defense mechanism to combat addiction and related behaviors, scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.

Chronic Stress Alters Our Genetic Immune Response Posted: 27 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT In the journal Biological Psychiatry, researchers shed new light on one link between stress and illness by describing a mechanism through which stress alters immune function.

Profiling Protective Proteins In Dairy Cows Posted: 27 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Agricultural Research Service molecular biologist John Lippolis is delving into the dynamics of the dairy cow immune system. His work is resulting in the first close-up look at how immune system proteins help protect the cows, and how bacterial proteins fight back.

Consumption Of Nuts, Corn Or Popcorn Not Associated With Increased Risk Of Diverticulosis In Men Posted: 27 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT Contrary to a common recommendation to avoid eating popcorn, nuts and corn to prevent diverticular complications, a large prospective study of men indicates that the consumption of these foods does not increase the risk of diverticulosis or diverticular complications.

Wireless Sensors Learn From Life Posted: 27 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT European and Indian researchers are applying principles learned from living organisms to design self-organising networks of wireless sensors suitable for a wide range of environmental monitoring purposes.

How The Brain Compensates For Vision Loss Shows Much More Versatility Than Previously Recognized Posted: 27 Aug 2008 10:00 PM CDT New insights into how the brain compensates for loss of sight suggests the brain is more adaptable than previously recognized.

Clash Of Clusters Provides New Dark Matter Clue Posted: 27 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT New Hubble and Chandra observations of the cluster known as MACSJ0025.4-1222 indicate that a titanic collision has separated dark from ordinary matter. This provides independent confirmation of a similar effect detected previously in a target dubbed the Bullet Cluster, showing that the Bullet Cluster is not an anomalous case.

Early Trigger For Type-1 Diabetes Found In Mice Posted: 27 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Scientists are shedding light on how type-1 diabetes begins. Doctors have known the disease is caused by an autoimmune attack on the pancreas, but the exact trigger of the attack has been unclear. Now, a new study in mice implicates the immune signal interferon-alpha as an early culprit in a chain of events that upend sugar metabolism and make patients dependent on lifelong insulin injections.

Researching Impact Of Global Warming On Corals Posted: 27 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Scientists are collecting the spawn of elkhorn corals as part of a research and education project to grow the newborn juvenile corals for distribution to aquaria and to the wild. The goals of the project are to learn how corals will respond to global warming and also to teach aquarium professionals how they can protect corals by using laboratory-raised specimens rather than removing corals from the ocean.

High Levels Of Uric Acid May Be Associated With High Blood Pressure Posted: 27 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Reducing levels of uric acid in blood lowered blood pressure to normal in most teens in a study designed to investigate a possible link between blood pressure and the chemical, a waste product of the body's normal metabolism.

Genetic Predisposition May Play A Role In Anxiety Disorders Posted: 27 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Finnish scientists have identified genes that may predispose to anxiety disorders. Some of the studied genes show a statistical association with specific anxiety disorders.

First Prehistoric Pregnant Turtle And Nest Of Eggs Discovered In Southern Alberta Posted: 27 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT A 75-million-year-old fossil of a pregnant turtle and a nest of fossilized eggs that were discovered in the badlands of southeastern Alberta are yielding new ideas on the evolution of egg-laying and reproduction in turtles and tortoises.

Medication Slows Progression Of Myopia In Children Posted: 27 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Daily treatment with a medication called pirenzepine can slow the rate of progressive myopia, or nearsightedness, in children, reports a new study.

Racing Cane Toads Reveals They Get Cold Feet On Southern Australia Invasion Posted: 27 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Cane toads weren't allowed to compete in the Olympics, but scientists have raced cane toads in the laboratory and calculated that they would not be able to invade Melbourne, Adelaide or Hobart and are unlikely to do well in Perth or Sydney, even with climate change.

High Levels Of Toxic Metals Found In Herbal Medicine Products Sold Online Posted: 27 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT One fifth of both US-manufactured and Indian-manufactured Ayurvedic medicines purchased via the Internet contain lead, mercury or arsenic.

Taking Earth's Temperature Via Satellite Posted: 27 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Imagine adding a thermometer to Google Earth. That's the vision of Agricultural Research Service scientists Martha Anderson and Bill Kustas, who see the need for high-resolution thermal infrared imaging tools -- such as those aboard the aging Landsat satellites -- as vital to monitoring earth's health.

Uninsured Patients Receive Unpredictable, Rationed Access To Health Care Posted: 27 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT A case study of three health care institutions with different ownership models found that self-pay patients must navigate a system that provides no guarantees medical centers will follow their own policies for providing uncompensated care.

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