ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Upper Mass Limit For Black Holes? Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT There appears to be an upper limit to how big the Universe's most massive black holes can get, according to new research led by a Yale University astrophysicist and published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Eating Fish While Pregnant, Longer Breastfeeding, Lead To Better Infant Development, Research Finds Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT Higher prenatal fish consumption leads to better physical and cognitive development in infants, according to a study of mothers and infants from Denmark. Longer breastfeeding was also independently beneficial.

Nanoscale Droplets With Cancer-fighting Implications Created Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT Scientists have succeeded in making unique nanoscale droplets that are much smaller than a human cell and can potentially be used to deliver pharmaceuticals.

Protein Essential In Long Term Memory Consolidation Identified Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT New research has identified a specific protein essential for the process of long term memory consolidation. The process of memory creation and consolidation is the first to be affected in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's; understanding the biological mechanisms of this process brings us one step closer to finding a treatment for these incurable diseases.

Climate: New Spin On Ocean's Role Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT New studies of the Southern Ocean are revealing previously unknown features of giant spinning eddies that are profoundly influencing marine life and the world's climate. These massive swirling structures -- the largest are known as gyres -- can be thousands of kilometers across and can extend down as deep as 500 meters or more, new research shows.

Diversity At Medical Schools Makes Stronger Doctors, Study Shows Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 PM CDT A new UCLA study disputes controversial legislation like Prop. 209 that claimed campus policies to promote student-body diversity were unnecessary and discriminatory. UCLA researchers found that medical students who undergo training in racially diverse schools feel better equipped to care for patients in a diverse society.

Manure 'Smells Like Money' As Energy Costs Rise Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT With energy prices driving the cost of agricultural inputs up, nutrient-rich manure is getting another look.

Why Do Some Lifelong Nonsmokers Get Lung Cancer? Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT A new study finds that lung cancer death rates among never-smokers are highest among men, African-Americans and Asians residing in Asia.

New Nano Device Detects Immune System Cell Signaling Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT Scientists have detected previously unnoticed chemical signals that individual cells in the immune system use to communicate with each other over short distances. The signals the researchers detected originated in dendritic cells -- the sentinels of the immune system that do the initial detection of microscopic invaders -- and was received by nearby T-cells, which play a number of crucial roles in the immune system, including coordination of attacks on agents that cause disease or infection.

New Drug Hope For Cystic Fibrosis Patients Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT A new drug therapy may represent a tremendous step forward in the treatment of some 70,000 cystic fibrosis patients worldwide. One of the researchers said, "The early results with VX-770 suggest that drug therapies which target defects at the root of the disease have the potential to improve greatly the quality of life of CF patients."

Oxygen Theory Of Mass Extinction Questioned By New Research Findings Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT Several theories have been proposed by scientists to explain the two mass extinction events which took place on the earth 250 and 200 million years ago. The Permian-Triassic catastrophe (250 million years ago) was the worst of all five of the mass extinction events to ever have befallen the earth. It eradicated almost 95% of all species, 53% of marine families, 84% of marine genera and an approximated 70% of all land species including plants, insects and vertebrate animals.

Boss’ Gender Impacts Employee Stress Levels Posted: 10 Sep 2008 10:00 AM CDT Worker mental and physical well-being are influenced by gender in the workplace, according to a study that analyzed the impact of supervisor and subordinate gender on health.

Simple Blood Test For Alzheimer's? Researchers Seeking To Identify Alzheimer's Risk Focus On Specific Blood Biomarker Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT A simple blood test to detect whether a person might develop Alzheimer's disease is within sight and could eventually help scientists in their quest toward reversing the disease's onset in those likely to develop the debilitating neurological condition, Columbia University Medical Center researchers announced today.

High Levels Of Physical Activity Can Blunt Effect Of Obesity-related Gene, Study Suggests Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT High levels of physical activity can help to counteract a gene that normally causes people to gain weight, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed gene variants and activity levels of the Old Order Amish in Lancaster County, Pa., and found that the obesity-related FTO gene had no effect on individuals who were the most physically active.

New 'Pyrex' Nanoparticle More Stable In Harsh Environments Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers in Switzerland have developed a new method to fabricate borosilicate glass nanoparticles. Used in microfluidic systems, these "Pyrex"-like nanoparticles are more stable when subjected to temperature fluctuations and harsh chemical environments than currently used nanoparticles made of polymers or silica glass. Their introduction could extend the range of potential nanoparticle applications in biomedical, optical and electronic fields.

Advanced Blood Analysis May Speed Diagnosis Of Heart Attacks Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT Someday doctors may be able to use a blood test to confirm within minutes, instead of hours, if a patient is having a heart attack, allowing more rapid treatment that could limit damage to heart muscle. A new study reports that a novel technique to measure hundreds of molecular markers in the blood can identify those released when cardiac tissue is injured by a lack of oxygen.

How Plants Fine Tune Their Natural Chemical Defenses Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT Even closely related plants produce their own natural chemical cocktails, each set uniquely adapted to the individual plant's specific habitat. Comparing antifungals produced by tobacco and henbane, researchers have discovered that only a few mutations in a key enzyme are enough to shift the whole output to an entirely new product mixture.

White Men Attach Greater Stigma To Mental Health Care Posted: 10 Sep 2008 07:00 AM CDT Beyond financial and access barriers to mental health care, factors such as mistrust, perceptions of stigma and negative attitudes toward care can prevent people from seeking the help they need. A new study investigates the effect of gender, race and socioeconomic status on these psychosocial barriers to mental health care.

Anthropologists Develop New Approach To Explain Religious Behavior Posted: 10 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT Without a way to measure religious beliefs, anthropologists have had difficulty studying religion. Now, two anthropologists from the University of Missouri and Arizona State University have developed a new approach to study religion by focusing on verbal communication, an identifiable behavior, instead of speculating about alleged beliefs in the supernatural that cannot actually be identified.

Protein 'Switch' Suppresses Skin Cancer Development Posted: 10 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT The protein IKKalpha (IKK±) regulates the cell cycle of keratinocytes and plays a key role in keeping these specialized skin cells from becoming malignant, researchers report in Cancer Cell.

Bottoms Up: Better Organic Semiconductors For Printable Electronics Posted: 10 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT Researchers have learned how to tweak a new class of polymer-based semiconductors to better control the location and alignment of the components of the blend. Their recent results could enable the design of practical, large-scale manufacturing techniques for a wide range of printable, flexible electronic displays and other devices.

Antiangiogenic Drugs Impede Chemotherapy-stimulated Tumor Recovery Posted: 10 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT Scientists have gained new insight into a mechanism whereby chemotherapy may actually assist the rapid regrowth of tumors after treatment.

Compost Heap Bacteria Could Provide 10% Of UK Transport Fuel Needs Posted: 10 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT Bacteria found in compost heaps able to convert waste plant fiber into ethanol could eventually provide up 10% of the UK's transport fuel needs, according to new research.

Parenting Children With Disabilities Becomes Less Taxing With Time Posted: 10 Sep 2008 04:00 AM CDT Having a child with a disability takes a toll on parents' mental and physical health, yet new research suggests that, over time, parents learn to adapt to the challenges of caring for a disabled child. As these parents age, their health more closely mirrors the health of parents with children who don't have disabilities.

Silent Streams? Escalating Endangerment For North American Freshwater Fish Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT Nearly 40 percent of freshwater fish species in North America are now in jeopardy, according to the most detailed evaluation of the conservation status of these fishes in the last 20 years. The 700 fishes now listed represent a staggering 92 percent increase over the 364 listed as "imperiled" in the previous 1989 study published by the American Fisheries Society. Researchers classified each of the 700 fishes listed as either vulnerable (230), threatened (190) or endangered (280). In addition, 61 fishes are presumed extinct.

Diet May Eliminate Spasms For Infants With Epilepsy Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT Infantile spasms are a severe and potentially devastating epilepsy condition affecting children aged typically 4-8 months. In a new study appearing in Epilepsia, researchers have found that the ketogenic diet, a high fat, low carbohydrate diet more traditionally used for intractable childhood epilepsy, is an effective treatment for this condition before using drugs. The study is the first description of the ketogenic diet as a first-line therapy for infantile spasms.

No-till Practices Show Extended Benefits On Wheat And Forage Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT With more than 3 million acres of wheat in north Texas, 50 percent or more of which is grazed by 1 to 2 million head of cattle, it is important to look at tillage practices and their effect on forage production. Research agronomists have been studying nitrogen response and forage production in relation to tillage practices.

High Blood Pressure After Stroke Should Not Necessarily Rule Out Use Of Clot-busting Treatment Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT Patients who require therapy to lower their blood pressure following a stroke do not appear to be at a higher risk for bleeding or other adverse outcomes after receiving anti-clotting therapy, according to a report in the Archives of Neurology.

Rail, Road Or Waterway? Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT Is road transport the best way to send oranges from Spain to northern Germany? Or would it be better to ship them by rail or waterway for part of the route? A new software package determines the cheapest, fastest or most environmentally compatible mode of transportation.

Women In Crowded Homes Are More Likely To Be Depressed Than Men Posted: 10 Sep 2008 01:00 AM CDT Seeking to determine whether gender-specific responses to the stress of crowded living situations exist, sociologists have examined data from a survey of Toronto residents and analyzed levels of depression, aggression and withdrawal among men and women.

Dogs And Cats Can Live In Perfect Harmony In The Home, If Introduced The Right Way Posted: 09 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT Thinking about adopting a perky little puppy as a friend for your fluffy cat, but worried that they'll fight -- well, like cats and dogs? Think again. New research has found a new recipe for success.

Rattlesnake-type Poisons Used By Superbug Bacteria To Beat Our Defenses Posted: 09 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT Colonies of hospital superbugs can make poisons similar to those found in rattlesnake venom to attack our bodies' natural defenses, according to new research.

Acupuncture May Hold Promise For Women With Hormone Disorder Who Experience Fertility Challenges Posted: 09 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT Researchers believe that acupuncture could be an important alternative, non-drug therapy for women with polycystic ovary syndrome, which causes a hormonal imbalance, interfering with ovulation and ultimately, fertility.

Type 2 Diabetes Under Stress Posted: 09 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT Type 2 diabetes is caused by an inability of the beta-cells in the pancreas to produce enough of the hormone insulin to meet the body's needs. Central to this is a loss of beta-cell function and mass as a result of insulin resistance (the inability of cells in the body to respond appropriately to insulin).

Hotline To The Cowshed Posted: 09 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT A wireless measuring system, consisting of sensors and transmission units, helps to keep livestock healthier with a minimum use of resources.

How You Spend Affects How Much You Spend: Non-cash Purchases Found To Be Higher Than Cash Buys Posted: 09 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT There is fresh evidence that people spend less when paying cash than using credit, cash-equivalent scrip or gift certificates. They also spend less when they have to estimate expenses in detail.

Astronomers Discover Missing Link For Origin Of Comets Posted: 09 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT Astronomers have found an unusual object whose backward and tilted orbit around the Sun may clarify the origins of certain comets. In the first discovery of its kind, researchers from Canada, France and the United States have discovered an object that orbits around the Sun backwards, and tilted at an angle of 104 degrees -- almost perpendicular to the orbits of the planets.

'Healthy' Individuals May Be At Risk For Heart Disease Posted: 09 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT In the face of a growing obesity epidemic in the United States, researchers have new study results that indicate that how much fat a person has is not as important as where that fat is located when assessing risk for cardiovascular events and metabolic disease.

Potential New Threat For Coral Reefs And Health Of Communities In The Tropics Posted: 09 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT Human activities bear a large part of the responsibility for coral reef degradation. Several threats hang over this complex ecosystem with its extraordinary biodiversity, whether in the form of anthropogenic effluents emitted at certain times or global warming which causes coral bleaching.

Apples And Oranges: Tumor Blood Vessel Cells Are Remarkably Atypical Posted: 09 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT Contrary to a long-standing assumption that blood vessel cells in healthy tissues and those associated with tumors are similar, a new study unequivocally demonstrates that tumor blood vessel cells are far from normal.

South America Holds Treasure Of Copper, Molybdenum, Gold And Silver Posted: 09 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT Deposits of undiscovered copper, molybdenum, gold and silver may be present in the Andes Mountains of South America, according to a new scientific assessment.

Walk This Way? Masculine Motion Seems To Come At You, While Females Walk Away Posted: 09 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT You can tell a lot about people from the way they move alone: their gender, age and even their mood, earlier studies have shown. Now, researchers have found that observers perceive masculine motion as coming toward them, while a characteristically feminine walk looks like it's headed the other way.

'Smart Water' May Help Boost Production From Oil Wells By 60 Percent Posted: 09 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Researchers in Norway report that injecting a special type of seawater called "smart water" into certain low-yield oil wells may help boost oil extraction by as much as 60 percent. The study could help meet rising energy demands and provide consumers with some financial relief at the gas pump in the future, the scientists suggest.

Living Sensor Can Warn Of Arsenic Pollution Posted: 09 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Scientists studying arsenic pollution have discovered a living sensor that can spot contamination. They have also discovered new bacteria that can clean up arsenic spills even in previously untreatable cold areas.

2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season Kicking Into High Gear Posted: 09 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT For the first time in the 2008 hurricane season, there were four tropical cyclones active in the Atlantic Ocean basin on one day (Sept. 2). September is considered the peak of the Atlantic Ocean hurricane season, and in the first week of September there were four tropical cyclones that forecasters were watching.

Tracking Down The Menace In Mexico City Smog Posted: 09 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Chemical scientists have shown that, bad as the traffic is, the most harmful air pollution in Mexico City may not come from burning fossil fuels. Instead the culprit may be garbage incineration.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring Improves Blood Sugar Control, Clinical Trial Demonstrates Posted: 09 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Patients with type 1 diabetes who used a CGM devices to help manage their disease experienced significant improvements in blood sugar control, according to initial results of a major multicenter clinical trial funded by JDRF. Results from the study were presented today during the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in Rome.

How Bacteria Recycle Their Cell Wall: New Insights Posted: 09 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT A new paper provides important new insights into the process by which bacteria recycle their cell wall.

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