ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Memories Selectively, Safely Erased In Mice Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT Targeted memory erasure is no longer limited to the realm of science fiction. A new study describes a method through which a selected set of memories can be rapidly and specifically erased from the mouse brain in a controlled and inducible manner. New and old memories have been selectively and safely removed from mice by scientists.

Silencing A Protein Could Kill T-Cells, Reverse Leukemia Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT Blocking the signals from a protein that activates cells in the immune system could help kill cells that cause a rare form of blood cancer, according to physicists and oncologists who combined computer modeling and molecular biology in their discovery.

Florida's 'Worm Grunters' Collect Bait Worms By Inadvertently Imitating Mole Sounds Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT Vanderbilt biologist Ken Catania has discovered the secret of "worm grunting" -- the Florida practice of driving a wooden stake into the ground and rubbing it with a long piece of steel to produce a grunting sounds that drives nearby earthworms to the surface where they can be collected for bait. The worm grunters are unknowingly mimicking the sounds that the worm's arch-enemy the mole causes while burrowing.

Sugar Plays Key Role In How Cells Work Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT Scientists were dubious in the early 1980s when they stumbled on small sugar molecules lurking in the centers of cells; not only were they not supposed to be there, but they certainly weren't supposed to be repeatedly attaching to and detaching from proteins, effectively switching them on and off.

Impacts Of Climate Change On Lakes Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT Climate change will have different effects on lakes in warmer and colder regions of the globe. This is the conclusion reached by Japanese and German researchers following studies of very deep caldera lakes in Japan.

Been There, Done That: Brain Mechanism Predicts Ability To Generalize Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 PM CDT A new study reveals how the brain can connect discrete but overlapping experiences to provide a rich integrated history that extends far beyond individually experienced events and may help to direct future choices.

'Magnetic Death Star' Fossils: Earlier Global Warming Produced A Whole New Form Of Life Posted: 23 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT An international team of scientists has discovered microscopic, magnetic fossils resembling spears and spindles, unlike anything previously seen, among sediment layers deposited during an ancient global-warming event along the Atlantic coastal plain of the United States.

New Genes Linked To Lung Cancer In Large-scale Genetic Study Posted: 23 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT A multi-institution team reports results of the largest effort to date to chart the genetic changes involved in the most common form of lung cancer, lung adenocarcinoma. The findings should help pave the way for more individualized approaches for detecting and treating the nation's leading cause of cancer deaths.

Neural Probe Developed That Will Limit Damage To Cells And Biological Tissue Posted: 23 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT Engineering researchers have just developed a neural probe that demonstrates significantly greater electrical charge storage capacity than all other neural prosthetic devices to date. More charge storage capacity means the device can stimulate nerves and tissues with less damage and sense neural signals with better sensitivity.

Seemingly Suicidal Stunt Is Normal Rite Of Passage For Immune Cells Posted: 23 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT Researchers have shown that self-induced breaks in the DNA of immune cells known as lymphocytes activate genes that cause the cells to travel from where they're made to where they help the body fight invaders. The new finding is the first to link such serious DNA damage to activation of genes not directly involved in the cells' attempts to either fix the harm or self-destruct to stop themselves from becoming cancerous.

Memoirs Of A Qubit: Hybrid Memory Solves Key Problem For Quantum Computing Posted: 23 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT Scientists have performed the ultimate miniaturization of computer memory: storing information inside the nucleus of an atom. This breakthrough is a key step in bringing to life a quantum computer -- a device based on the fundamental theory of quantum mechanics which could crack problems unsolvable by current technology.

Effective Anti-tobacco Ads Should Either Scare Or Disgust Viewers, Study Reveals Posted: 23 Oct 2008 10:00 AM CDT Researchers examined the effects of two types of content commonly used in anti-tobacco ads -- tobacco health threats that evoke fear and disturbing or disgusting images. The researchers found that ads focused on either fear or disgust increased attention and memory in viewers; however, ads that included both fear and disgust decreased viewers' attention and memory.

Denser, More Powerful Computer Chips Possible With Plasmonic Lenses That 'Fly' Posted: 23 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT Engineers are reporting a new way of creating computer chips that could revitalize optical lithography, a patterning technique that dominates modern integrated circuits manufacturing. The researchers say this development could lead to ultra-high density disks that can hold 10 to 100 times more data than disks today.

ADHD Appears To Increase Level Of Nicotine Dependence In Smokers Posted: 23 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT Young people with ADHD are not only at increased risk of starting to smoke cigarettes, they also tend to become more seriously addicted to tobacco and more vulnerable to environmental factors such as having friends or parents who smoke. The report also found that individuals with more ADHD-related symptoms, even those without the full syndrome, are at greater risk of becoming dependent on nicotine than those with fewer symptoms.

Which Grass Is Greener? Study To Select Northeast Grasses That Can Power The Bioenergy Era Posted: 23 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT Talk about a field of dreams. Cornell bioenergy plant experts are learning which field grasses are the best candidates for "dedicated energy" crops in the Northeast, considering the region's climate and soil conditions.

Why Past Oral Contraceptive Use Dramatically Lowers Risk Of Ovarian And Uterine Cancers Posted: 23 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers may be one step closer to understanding why past oral contraceptive use dramatically lowers the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers later in life. Birth control has a long-term effect on hormone exposure.

LCDs Improved With 3-D Nanoimaging Process Posted: 23 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT Professors of physics and macromolecular science have developed a method of 3-D optical imaging of anisotropic fluids such liquid crystals, with volumetric resolution one thousand times smaller than existing techniques.

Early-onset Depressive Disorders Predict The Use Of Addictive Substances In Adolescence Posted: 23 Oct 2008 07:00 AM CDT In a prospective study of over 1,800 interviewed young Finnish twins, early-onset depressive disorders at age 14 significantly predicted daily smoking, smokeless tobacco use, frequent illicit drug use, frequent alcohol use and recurrent intoxication three years later.

Cross-protective Vaccine May Treat Broad Spectrum Of Bacterial Diseases Posted: 23 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT Doctors have always hoped that scientists might one day create a vaccination that would treat a broad spectrum of maladies. They could only imagine that there might be one vaccine that would protect against, say, 2,500 strains of Salmonella. And what if that same vaccine could help protect the elderly?

Chronic Inflammation Can Help Nurture Skin Cancer, Study Shows Posted: 23 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT Inflammation, a frontline defense against infection or disease, can help nurture skin cancer, researchers have found. IDO, an enzyme that works like a firefighter to keep inflammation under control, can be commandeered to protect early malignant cells, say researchers studying an animal model of chronic inflammation and skin cancer.

Ecosystem-level Consequences Of Frog Extinctions Posted: 23 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT Streams that once sang with the croaks, chirps and ribbits of dozens of frog species have gone silent. They're victims of a fungus that's decimating amphibian populations worldwide. Such catastrophic declines have been documented for more than a decade, but until recently scientists knew little about how the loss of frogs alters the larger ecosystem. A new study has found that tadpoles play a key role keeping the algae at the base of the food chain productive.

New TB Test Reveals Patients At Risk, Says Study Posted: 23 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT A recently introduced blood test can reveal which patients may develop active tuberculosis much more precisely than the 100-year old TB skin test, according to a new study published today in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. Around a third of the world's population is infected with the TB bacteria and approximately 9 million new cases of active TB are diagnosed around the world each year, according to World Health Organization estimates. The majority of those infected live in the developing world.

Scientists Go Cloud-hopping In The Pacific To Improve Climate Predictions Posted: 23 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT A 20-strong -team of cloud and climate experts from the UK's National Centre for Atmospheric Science are setting off for Chile to investigate how massive swathes of clouds that hang over the Pacific are affecting climate and weather all round the world. This new project aims to reduce some of the largest errors currently in our climate models and thus greatly improve predictions of future climate change.

Different Psychosocial Factors Predict Adoption, Maintenance Of Physical Activity Program Posted: 23 Oct 2008 04:00 AM CDT A new study offers some new insight into the role of social and environmental influences on physical activity behaviors.

Archaeologists Find Unique, Early US Relic Of African Worship Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT Archaeologists have dug up what they believe to be one of the earliest US examples of African spirit practices. The researchers say it's the only object of its kind ever found by archaeologists in North America -- a clay "bundle" filled with small pieces of common metal, placed in what had been an Annapolis street gutter three centuries ago.

Safety Problems For Biological Products Documented Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT Approximately one in four biological medicinal products (such as antibodies, enzymes and insulin) approved since 1995 in the US and Europe have had at least one safety-related regulatory action issued for them 10 years after their approval, including about 11 percent receiving a "black box" warning, according to a new study.

Biomarkers For Identifying Infant Infections Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT Current diagnostic tests for infection in premature infants can be slow and nonspecific, but researchers have now identified potential biomarkers in the blood that can rapidly identify both the onset of infection and type of microbe.

Chest Scans May Help Monitor Spread Of Head And Neck Cancer In High-risk Patients Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT Among high-risk patients with head and neck cancer, chest computed tomography may help detect disease progression involving the lungs, according to a new report.

Cracking The Case Of Recycled Gadgets Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT Recycling devices built with plastic cases and other components, such as mobile phones, mp3 players, and personal digital assistants, is difficult and requires repetitive manual labor. However, a new approach to creating the fastenings and tabs for such devices based on the shape-memory effect in plastics could mean that disassembling such devices at end of life could be automated.

Hospital Rankings: More Than Meets The Eye Posted: 23 Oct 2008 01:00 AM CDT Medicare's pay-for-performance program ranks and rewards hospitals according to how well they meet certain guidelines for clinical care. But researchers say the program penalizes hospitals that care for the greatest numbers of the poor and needy by not taking into account their greater clinical burden.

Voters Swayed By Candidates Who Share Their Looks, Researchers Say Posted: 22 Oct 2008 11:00 PM CDT Made up your mind who to vote for? Maybe it's because you like the looks of the candidate. Or maybe it's because the candidate looks a little like you, even if you don't realize it. In a new study, researchers say that people are subconsciously swayed by candidates who share their facial features.

New Promising Obesity Drug May Have Huge Potential Posted: 22 Oct 2008 11:00 PM CDT According to trials, a new obesity drug, Tesofensine, which may be launched on the world market in a few years, can produce weight loss twice that of currently approved obesity drugs.

Crossing Blood-Brain Barrier: Scientists Develop Drug Delivery System For Brain Cancers, Other Diseases Posted: 22 Oct 2008 10:00 PM CDT Scientists have developed a new drug delivery system that is capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier to reach and kill cancer cells in the brain. Following successful preclinical studies, the technology is being evaluated in two phase I clinical trials in patients with malignant glioma and brain metastases.

Common Respiratory Syncytial Virus May Hide In The Lungs, Lead To Asthma, Researchers Report Posted: 22 Oct 2008 10:00 PM CDT Conventional wisdom has been that respiratory syncytial virus -- a common virus that causes infection in the lungs -- comes and goes in children without any long lasting impact. A study conducted in mice, however, suggests that RSV may hide in the lungs even after other symptoms abate, ultimately resurfacing to cause recurrent wheezing and chronic airway disease.

Throwing Light On The Dark Side Of The Universe Posted: 22 Oct 2008 10:00 PM CDT Although we may believe humans know a lot about the Universe, there are still a lot of phenomena to be explained. A team of cosmologists are searching for the model that best explains the evolution of the Universe.

Estimate Of Lives Lost Due To Delay In Antiretroviral Drug Use For HIV/AIDS In South Africa Posted: 22 Oct 2008 10:00 PM CDT More than 330,000 lives were lost to HIV/AIDS in South Africa from 2000 and 2005 because a feasible and timely antiretroviral (ARV) treatment program was not implemented, assert researchers in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

Plant-eating Predator To Fight Superweed Is Not Magic Bullet, According To Japanese Knotweed Expert Posted: 22 Oct 2008 10:00 PM CDT Plans to introduce plant-eating predators to fight a superweed spreading throughout Britain should not be seen as a 'magic bullet', says a world expert on Japanese knotweed.

U.S. Suicide Rate Increasing; Largest Increase Seen In Middle-aged White Women Posted: 22 Oct 2008 10:00 PM CDT The rate of suicide in the United States is increasing for the first time in a decade, according to a new report. The increase in the overall suicide rate between 1999 and 2005 was due primarily to an increase in suicides among whites aged 40-64, with white middle-aged women experiencing the largest annual increase.

Ancient Bone Tool Sheds Light On Prehistoric Midwest Posted: 22 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT A prehistoric bone tool just discovered by archeologists is the oldest such artifact ever documented in Indiana, researchers say.

Erectile Dysfunction Gives Early Warning Of A Heart Attack, Warns Expert Posted: 22 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT Erectile dysfunction gives a two to three year early warning of a heart attack, warns an expert.

Turtle Doves Commit Adultery Posted: 22 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT A biologist has shown that bastard doves can fend for themselves. Despite having a strange coo, hybrid offspring are still able to defend their territory. This is necessary for further reproduction.

New MRI Technique May Identify Cervical Cancer Early Posted: 22 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging with a special vaginal coil, a technique to measure the movement of water within tissue, researchers may be able to identify cervical cancer in its early stages, according to a new study.

Computer Model Against Unnecessary Use Of Antibiotics Posted: 22 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT Patients in intensive care units are often administered antibiotics against ventilator-associated pneumonia, "to be on the safe side." Researchers have now developed a model that can quickly establish whether or not a patient has pneumonia. This can prevent unnecessary treatment with antibiotics.

Couples With Children With ADHD At Risk Of Higher Divorce Rates, Shorter Marriages Posted: 22 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT Parents of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are nearly twice as likely to divorce by the time the child is 8 years old than parents of children without ADHD, the first study to look at this issue in depth has shown.

Scientists Enhance Immune System Attacks On Cancer Posted: 22 Oct 2008 04:00 PM CDT Researchers have tweaked, prodded, and pushed immune system cells into successfully attacking tumors in laboratory and animal studies. They say their new strategy could prove to be safer than some treatments now being used to stimulate cancer immunity in humans.

X Marks The Spot: Sharpies Get Thumbs-up For Marking Surgery Sites Posted: 22 Oct 2008 04:00 PM CDT Researchers have found that Sharpies used to mark surgical sites do not pose a risk of bacterial infection since the ink has an alcohol base. It's standard practice to throw away marking pens used to mark operative sites after one use to prevent the spread of germs, costing thousands of dollars a year.

Evolution Of Genes That Trigger The Body's Immune Response To Viral Infection Posted: 22 Oct 2008 04:00 PM CDT Researchers have traced the evolutionary origin of two genes that serve as primary cellular sensors of infection with RNA viruses, such as influenza, polio virus, West Nile virus, and HIV, which may ultimately provide researchers with insight into a possible new pathway for the development of innate immunity.

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