ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Nano Breech: When Particles Are So Small That They Seep Right Through Skin Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT Scientists are finding that particles that are barely there -- tiny objects known as nanoparticles that have found a home in electronics, food containers, sunscreens, and a variety of applications -- can breech our most personal protective barrier: the skin.

Why A Mother's High-fat Diet Contributes To Obesity In Her Children Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT Pregnant women should think twice about high-fat foods. Scientists found that female mice fed high-fat diets were more likely to have oversized offspring (a risk factor for overweight and obesity) because fat causes the placenta to go into "overdrive" by providing too many nutrients to the fetus. This also suggests the reverse may be true -- high fat diets may help prevent undersized babies.

Hot Laptops: Engineers Aim To Solve 'Burning' Computer Problem Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT "Laptops are very hot now, so hot that they are not 'lap' tops anymore," says Avik Ghosh, an assistant professor of computer and electrical engineering at the University of Virginia. "If we continue at our current pace of miniaturization, these devices will be as hot as the sun in 10 to 20 years." Ghosh is seeking ways to reduce the heat of smaller and faster computers.

First Model For Retina Receptors Created Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT Discovery moves scientists a significant step closer to preventing blindness. Scientists have created the first genetic research model for a microscopic part of the eye that when missing causes blindness. The research appears in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Global Warming Will Have Significant Economic Impacts On Florida Coasts, Reports State Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT Scientists have released two new studies, including a report finding that climate change will cause significant impacts on Florida's coastlines and economy due to increased sea level rise and hurricane storm surge. Property damage is expected to increase. A second study recommends that the state of Florida adopt a series of policy programs aimed at adapting to these large coastal and other impacts as a result of climate change.

Young Children Can Develop Full-blown Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT Children as young as four can develop full-blown obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and often exhibit many of the same OCD characteristics typically seen in older kids, according to new research.

'Artificial Nose' Progress: Engineers Mass-produce Smell Receptors Posted: 01 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT Biological engineers have found a way to mass-produce smell receptors in the laboratory, an advance that paves the way for "artificial noses" to be created and used in a variety of settings.

Blood Thinning Drug Linked To Increased Bleeding In Brain Posted: 01 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT A new study shows that people who take the commonly used blood thinning drug warfarin may have larger amounts of bleeding in the brain and increased risk of death if they suffer a hemorrhagic stroke.

Common Insecticide Can Decimate Tadpole Populations Posted: 01 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT New research suggests that routine use of the pesticide malathion -- the most popular insecticide in the United States -- can decimate tadpole populations by altering their food chain.

Mechanism Used By Gene To Promote Metastasis In Human Cancer Cells Identified Posted: 01 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT Researchers have discovered how a gene, melanoma differentiation associated gene-9/syntenin (mda-9/syntenin), interacts with an important signaling protein to promote metastasis in human melanoma cells, a discovery that could one day lead to the development of the next generation of anti-metastatic drugs for melanoma and other cancers.

Cloud Radar: Predicting The Weather More Accurately Posted: 01 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT The weather. It's the one topic of conversation that unites Britain -- umbrella or sun cream? Now scientists at the Science and Technology Facilities Council have developed a system that measures the individual layers of cloud above us which will make answering the all-important weather questions much easier in future. The Cloud Radar will not only allow forecasters to predict the weather more precisely, the information gathered will also enable aircraft pilots to judge more accurately whether it is safe to take off and land in diverse weather conditions, offering a powerful safety capability for civil airports and military air bases.

New Formula Predicts How People Will Migrate In Coming Decades Posted: 01 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT Scientists at Rockefeller University, with assistance from the United Nations, have developed a predictive model of worldwide population shifts that they say will provide better estimates of migration across international boundaries.

Tiny Organisms Feast On Oil Thousands Of Feet Below Bottom Of Sea Posted: 01 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT Thousands of feet below the bottom of the sea, off the shores of Santa Barbara, single-celled organisms are busy feasting on oil.

Hepatitis B Exposure May Increase Risk For Pancreatic Cancer Posted: 01 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers have discovered that exposure to the hepatitis B virus may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. The study also suggests that patients with this lethal form of cancer treated with chemotherapy may face danger of reactivation of their HBV.

Water Table Depth Tied To Droughts Posted: 01 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT Recent modeling results show that the depth of the water table, which results from lateral water flow at the surface and subsurface, determines the relative susceptibility of regions to changes in temperature and precipitation.

Novel Mechanism For Regulation Of Gene Expression Identified Posted: 01 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT Scientists have demonstrated that an enzyme called Uch37 is kept in check when it is part of a human chromatin remodeling complex, INO80. The results were published in Molecular Cell.

Your Robotic Friend, The Humanoid Robot Posted: 01 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT Robots can take any shape or form and with the explosion in European research and development for every imaginable robot application, there are dozens of completely different designs. Why, then, do we remain fascinated by humanoid robots?

Immigrant Children From Poor Countries Academically Outperform Those From Developed Countries Posted: 01 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT Children from small immigrant communities and children of politically motivated immigrants are at educational disadvantage. Immigrants who seek a better life in Western countries may not be able to escape the influence of their home country when it comes to their children's academic performance.

Discovering How Human-caused Sounds Affect Marine Mammals Posted: 01 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT Marine mammal specialists consider the research needed to assess the effects of anthropogenic sound upon marine mammals. Marine mammals are an important component in the food-chain of the marine biotope. They rely largely on sound for their communication and organization, but these mechanisms are not completely understood.

Supplements No Better Than Placebo In Slowing Cartilage Loss In Knees Of Osteoarthritis Patients Posted: 01 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT In a two-year multicenter study the dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate performed no better than placebo in slowing the rate of cartilage loss in the knees of osteoarthritis patients.

Mars: Ancient And Ongoing Processes That Shape Planet Surface Posted: 01 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT Scientists are making leaps forward in understanding both the ongoing and ancient processes that shaped the surface of Mars.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring In Diabetic Pregnant Women Lowers Risk Of Complications Posted: 01 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT Continuous glucose monitoring as part of antenatal care for women with diabetes improves maternal blood glucose control and lowers birth weight and risk of macrosomia (excessive birth weight in babies), according to a new study.

Experiment Demonstrates 110 Years Of Sustainable Agriculture Posted: 01 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT Researchers have shown that a plot of land on the campus of Auburn University that has been maintained by a century old practice of sustainable farming can produce similar cotton crops to those using other methods. This 110 year old continuous field experiment, called "the Old Rotation," utilizes traditional crop rotation methods and includes winter legumes to protect the soil from winter erosion.

Nanotechnology And Synthetic Biology: Americans Don't Know What's Coming Posted: 01 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT Almost half of US adults have heard nothing about nanotechnology, and nearly nine in 10 Americans say they have heard just a little or nothing at all about the emerging field of synthetic biology, according to a new report. Both technologies involve manipulating matter at an incredibly small scale to achieve something new. The poll found that about two-thirds of adults say they have heard nothing at all about synthetic biology, and only 2 percent say they have heard "a lot" about the new technology. Even with this very low level of awareness, a solid two-thirds of adults are willing to express an initial opinion on the potential benefits versus risks tradeoff of synthetic biology.

Urban Black Bears 'Live Fast, Die Young' Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT Black bears that live around urban areas weigh more, get pregnant at a younger age, and are more likely to die violent deaths, according to a study by the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Stroke Treatment Window Of Opportunity May Be Longer Than Previously Believed Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT Patients can still benefit up to 4.5 hours after a stroke if a drug that dissolves blood clots in the brain is administered, according to new research. Thus far, three hours had been considered the useful limit for administering thrombolytic drugs.

Alternative To Burning: Environmentally Sound Disposal For Wood Chips Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT Pecan and other hickory woods are the third most popular hardwood group in the United States, behind only black walnut and black cherry. he pruned wood of pecan, a byproduct of forested trees, is usually burned as an economical means of disposal. Increasingly though, pruned pecan is being chipped and incorporated into the soil as an environmentally viable method of handling the waste. Although more expensive than burning, chipping and soil incorporation avoid burning controls recently imposed by many states and the Environmental Protection Agency.

English Health Care System Failing To Encourage Breastfeeding, Say Experts Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT The English health care system is failing to encourage breastfeeding and a national strategy to promote breast feeding is urgently needed, say experts.

Dominican Republic's Early Warning System For Hurricanes And Flooding Strengthened Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT Scientists have begun a project to strengthen the Early Warning System for Inundations in the Dominican Republic.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell Doesn't Work In Prenatal Care Posted: 01 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT While obstetrical care providers are doing a good job working with their patients on smoking cessation, they are not doing as well on abuse of other substances that can harm a woman's unborn baby a new study found.

Potentially Toxic Substance Found In Chicago Air Posted: 30 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT Although the industrial compounds known as polychlorinated biphenols or PCBs have been found in previous air samples collected in the city of Chicago, a new study of Chicago air sampled between November 2006 and November 2007 found PCB11, a byproduct of the manufacture of paint pigments and a potentially toxic substance, present throughout the city.

The 'Magnificent Seven' Of European Astroparticle Physics Unveiled To The World Posted: 30 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT Today Europeans presented to the world their strategy for the future of astroparticle physics. What is dark matter? What is the origin of cosmic rays? What is the role of violent cosmic processes? Can we detect gravitational waves? With seven types of major large-scale projects physicists want to find the answers to some of the most exciting questions about the Universe.

Endoscopy May Not Be Necessary In Asymptomatic Children After Caustic Ingestion Posted: 30 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT A new study from researchers in Italy reports that endoscopy may not be necessary in children who show no symptoms after a caustic ingestion. The results demonstrated that the incidence of severe abnormalities of the esophagus in children without any early symptoms is very low and an endoscopy could be avoided.

Special Probe Aids In Looking For Water On Mars Posted: 30 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT A Decagon designed thermal and electrical conductivity probe is mounted on the robotic arm of NASA's Phoenix Scout Lander, helping in the search for water on Mars.

Campus Green Spaces Enhance Quality Of Life Posted: 30 Sep 2008 10:00 PM CDT The next time you see students playing an energized game of touch football or studying in the sunshine on a college quadrangle, consider this: campus green spaces can help students feel better about life and improve learning.

Pain Is Not A Symptom Of Arthritis, Pain Causes Arthritis, Study Shows Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT Pain is more than a symptom of osteoarthritis, it is an inherent and damaging part of the disease itself, according to a study in journal Arthritis and Rheumatism. More specifically, the study revealed that pain signals originating in arthritic joints, and the biochemical processing of those signals as they reach the spinal cord, worsen and expand arthritis itself.

Like An Arrow: Jumping Insects Use Archery Techniques Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT Froghoppers, also known as spittlebugs, are the champion insect jumpers, capable of reaching heights of 700mm -- more than 100 times their own body length. New research reveals that they achieve their prowess by flexing bow-like structures between their hind legs and wings and releasing the energy in one giant leap in a catapult-like action.

Run Out Of Pain Killers Again? New System To Provide Detailed Tracking For Pharmaceuticals Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT Research scientists have developed a control dashboard for the pharmaceuticals industry. This enables all pharmacies, wholesalers and manufacturers to check where products are in the supply chain, availability, what stocks the neighboring pharmacy has and the future prognoses.

Novel Process Promises To Kick-start Quantum Technology Sector Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT The brave new world of quantum technology may be a big step closer to reality thanks to researchers that have come up with a unique new way of testing quantum devices to determine their function and accuracy.

Ethnic Conflict Stoked By Government Economic Intervention, Not Globalization, Study Finds Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:00 PM CDT Economic globalization and liberalization have been blamed for numerous social ills over the last two decades, including a sharp rise in interethnic violence in countries all over the world. Not so, say the results of a study conducted by researchers from McGill University and published in the current issue of the journal International Studies Quarterly.

Mass Extinctions And The Evolution Of Dinosaurs Posted: 30 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Dinosaurs did not proliferate immediately after they originated, but that their rise was a slow and complicated event, and driven by two mass extinctions, according to new research.

Birth Size Is A Marker Of Susceptibility To Breast Cancer Later In Life Posted: 30 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Birth size, and in particular birth length, correlates with subsequent risk of breast cancer in adulthood, according to a new study in PLoS Medicine.

Micro Honeycomb Materials Enable New Physics In Aicraft Sound Reduction Posted: 30 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Researchers are developing innovative honeycomb structures that could make possible a new approach to noise reduction in aircraft. Composed of many tiny tubes, the structures can reduce sound more effectively than conventional methods.

Is There More To Prion Protein Than Mad Cow Disease? Posted: 30 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Prion protein, a form of protein that triggers BSE, is associated with other brain diseases in cattle, raising the possibility of a significant increase in the range of prion disease. Scientists have detected changes in the production and accumulation of the prion protein in the brains of cattle with a rare neurodegenerative disorder.

Just In Time For School: Free Adeona Service Tracks Stolen Laptops Posted: 30 Sep 2008 04:00 PM CDT Researchers have created the first free laptop theft-protection tool. The open-source software not only provides a virtual watchdog on your precious machine -- reporting the laptop's location when it connects to the Internet -- but does so without letting anybody but you monitor your whereabouts.

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