ScienceDaily: Latest Science News |
| Blast From The Past: Astronomers Resurrect 16th-Century Supernova Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Astronomers have used light echoes as a time machine to unearth secrets of one of the most influential events in the history of astronomy -- a stellar explosion witnessed on Earth more than 400 years ago. By using a Galactic cloud as interstellar "mirror," astronomers have now re-analyzed the same light seen on Earth in the 16th century and have, for the first time, determined the exact type of the explosion that happened.  |
| Genes Determine Whether Sugar Pills Work Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST It is a well-known fact in drug trials that individuals can respond just as well to placebos, sugar pills, as to the active drug. On the other hand, it is difficult to explain why only certain people get better from placebos. Researchers have now found gene variants that can impact the placebo effect and a mechanism in the brain that characterizes those who respond to placebos.  |
| New Holographic Method Could Be Used For Lab-on-a-chip Technologies Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Researchers have developed a technique that uses a laser and holograms to precisely position numerous tiny particles within seconds, representing a potential new tool to analyze biological samples or create devices using nanoassembly.  |
| Gene Required For Radiation-induced Protective Pigmentation Also Promotes Survival Of Melanoma Cells Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Scientists have new insight into the response of human skin to radiation and what drives the most aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer. The research may be useful in the design of new strategies for prevention of malignant melanoma.  |
| Boosting The Power Of Solar Cells Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST New ways of squeezing out greater efficiency from solar photovoltaic cells are emerging from computer simulations and lab tests conducted by a team of physicists and engineers.  |
| New Image Processing System Detects Moods Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Researchers are developing a computer image processing system that detects and classifies human facial expressions. The aim of this system is to take and analyze photos of individuals, potentially in areas of high traffic where security is a primary concern, such as an airport.  |
| How To Destroy An Asteroid: Blowing Up Killer Space Rocks Without Dangerous Debris Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Astrophysicists agree that the best method for avoiding a catastrophic collision would be to change the path of the asteroid heading toward our planet. But to do that, scientists need to be able to predict what would happen if they attempted an explosion.  |
| Treating Sleep Apnea In Alzheimer's Patients Helps Cognition Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Continuous positive airway pressure treatment seems to improve cognitive functioning in patients with Alzheimer's disease who also suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, according to the results of a randomized clinical trial.  |
| Polymers 'Battered' With Nanoparticles Could Create Self Healing Paints And Clever Packaging Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Research chemists have devised an elegant process which simply and cheaply covers small particles of polymer with a layer of silica-based nanoparticles. The final result provides a highly versatile material that can be used to create a range of high performance materials such as: self healing paints, and clever packaging that can be tailored to let precise levels of water, air or both pass in a particular direction.  |
| Genetic Screening No Better Than Traditional Risk Factors For Predicting Type 2 Diabetes Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Screening for a panel of gene variants associated with the risk for type 2 diabetes can identify adults at risk for the disorder but is not significantly better than assessment based on traditional risk factors such as weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.  |
| Another Large Earthquake Off Coast Of Sumatra Likely Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST The subduction zone that brought us the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and tsunami is ripe for yet another large event, despite a sequence of quakes that occurred in the Mentawai Islands area in 2007, according to a group of earthquake researchers. The recent seismic activity was not enough to release strain in the area's subduction zone, the researchers report in the journal Nature.  |
| Spoonful Of Sugar? Barriers That Prevent Children From Taking Medicines Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST The widespread problem of children failing to take their medication for a range of life-threatening illnesses is to be tackled as part of a new university research project.  |
| Gene Therapy Corrects Sickle Cell Disease In Laboratory Study Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Using a harmless virus to insert a corrective gene into mouse blood cells, scientists have alleviated sickle cell disease pathology. In their studies, the researchers found that the treated mice showed essentially no difference from normal mice. Although the scientists caution that applying the gene therapy to humans presents significant technical obstacles, they believe that the new therapy will become an important treatment for the disease.  |
| Researchers On Quest To Cure Disfiguring Parasitic Disease Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Researchers are hot on the trail of a totally new approach to treating Leishmania and related diseases like African sleeping sickness and Chagas' disease.  |
| Nutrients In Water May Be A Bonus For Agriculture Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Agriculture producers may find they don't have to bottle their water from the Seymour Aquifer in the Rolling Plains to make it more valuable, according to Texas scientists.  |
| More Data On Key Genes In Diabetes Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST One of the most reliable indicators to predict that a person will develop type 2 diabetes is the presence of insulin resistance. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and is the hormone responsible for ensuring that glucose reaches several tissues and organs in the body, such as muscles.  |
| Why Is The Earth’s Mantle Conductive? Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Researchers in France have found that the high conductivity of the Earth's upper mantle is due to molten carbonates. They have demonstrated the very high conductivity of this form of carbon. Their work has revealed the high carbon content of the interior of the upper mantle. This composition can be directly linked to the quantity of carbon dioxide produced by 80% of volcanoes.  |
| Shortage Of General Surgeons By 2010, New Research Projects Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST In less than two years, there may not be enough surgeons in US hospitals to treat the critically injured or chronically ill. A new study suggests that the number of available general surgeons, who often perform life-saving operations on patients in emergency rooms, will not keep up with public demand. As the population continues to grow, there will be a shortage of 1,300 general surgeons in 2010. That shortage will worsen each decade, reaching a deficit of 6,000 by 2050.  |
| Dogs Chase Efficiently, But Cats Skulk Counterintuitively Posted: 03 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST A new study suggests that evolution can behave as differently as dogs and cats. While the dogs depend on an energy-efficient style of four-footed running over long distances to catch their prey, cats seem to have evolved a profoundly inefficient gait, tailor-made to creep up on a mouse or bird in slow motion.  |
| Scientists Developing Safer Food Allergy Treatment Posted: 03 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST A European team of scientists are embarking on new research to develop food allergy treatments. Classical treatment with allergen-specific immunotherapy, where a patient received monthly injections with an allergen extract for three to five years, is effective but dangerous due to anaphylactic side-effects. In the FAST project, scientists will use modified variants of allergic proteins that are hypoallergenic and therefore safer. The proteins will be purified to increase effectiveness and dosage control easier.  |
| How Wildlife Corridors Work Over Time Posted: 03 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST At the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, there are five strange looking "patches" cleared out of the surrounding forest. No, they're not crop circles carved by aliens. They're actually budding longleaf pine forest ecosystems. Biologists have created these ecological patches with the help of the United States Forest Service-Savannah River to understand whether "corridors" help plants and animals survive habitat fragmentation.  |
| Benefits Of Early HIV Testing And Treatment For Infected Infants Defined Posted: 03 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Testing very young babies for HIV and giving antiretroviral therapy immediately to those found infected with the virus dramatically prevents illness and death, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine.  |
| Posted: 03 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Researchers have announced the world's first use of an acoustic underwater camera to survey juveniles of goliath grouper in mangrove habitats.  |
| More Evidence Needed To Show ‘What Works’ In Prevention Of Child Abuse Posted: 03 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST More evidence is needed to discover 'what works' to prevent child maltreatment, new research shows. Researchers examined all five major subtypes of child maltreatment – physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, neglect and exposure to intimate-partner violence.  |
| Omega Centauri: Glittering Giant Of Southern Skies Posted: 03 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Omega Centauri is one of the finest jewels of the southern hemisphere night sky, as ESO's latest stunning image beautifully illustrates. Containing millions of stars, this globular cluster is located roughly 17,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Centaurus.  |
| Gene Associated With Age-related Hearing Loss Identified Posted: 03 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Researchers discovered a common variant in the GRM7 gene, which they believe may be associated with susceptibility to glutamate excitotoxicity and hearing loss.  |
| Agriculture: Gray Mold's Killer Gene Discovered Posted: 03 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Gray mold is a gardener's nightmare. The fungus, also known by its scientific name Botrytis cinerea, is a scourge to more than 200 agricultural and ornamental plant species, including staples such as tomatoes, strawberries, snap and lima beans, cabbage, lettuce and endive, peas, peppers, and potatoes. Chemists have now identified the genetic sequence behind gray mold's killer arsenal. The scientists report that deletion of a single, mastermind gene from gray mold's DNA shuts down its ability to produce toxins that kill cells in more than 200 species of garden and ornamental plants.  |
| Crohn's Disease Surgeries Make Steady Advances Posted: 03 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Thousands of Americans suffering from the chronic inflammatory bowel condition known as Crohn's disease are leading longer, healthier lives due to innovative new surgeries, according to experts.  |
| Most U.S. Organizations Not Adapting To Climate Change, Report Finds Posted: 03 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Organizations in the United States that are at the highest risk of sustaining damage from climate change are not adapting enough to the dangers posed by rising temperatures, according to a Yale report.  |
| Psychiatric Disorders Common Among College-age Individuals; Few Seek Treatment Posted: 03 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Psychiatric disorders appear to be common among 18- to 24-year-olds, with overall rates similar among those attending or not attending college, according to a new report. Almost half of college-aged individuals meet criteria for substance abuse, personality disorders or another mental health condition during a one-year period, but only one-fourth of those seek treatment.  |
| Diet May Regulate Obesity Health Risks, But Genes Decide, Says New Research Posted: 03 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST The risk of obese people developing the metabolic syndrome that leads to diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, can not be solved by a one-size-fits-all diet program, according to new scientific findings.  |
| Curbing Hormones' Effects In Obese Patients Could Aid Against Breast Cancer Posted: 03 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Results from cell culture studies suggest a class of anticancer compounds called EGFR inhibitors, largely written off for breast cancers, could be effective in obese patients. The hormones leptin and IGF-1 synergistically stimulate migration and invasion in breast cancer cells. EGFR inhibitors block this stimulation.  |
| How Mosquitoes Avoid Succumbing To Viruses They Transmit Posted: 03 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Mosquitoes can spread viruses which cause disease without themselves getting sick. Scientists long thought that the mosquito didn't care whether it had a virus hitchhiker, but have now discovered, "there is a war going on" at the cellular level, between the host and invading RNA -- the strands of code that produce different kinds of viral proteins.  |
| Nearly 5 Percent Of U.S. Population Suffers From Persistent Depression Or Anxiety Posted: 03 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers have developed estimates for both the prevalence of chronic psychiatric illness in the general population and how often individuals suffering from such illnesses receive appropriate treatment. They found that approximately 4.7 percent of the nation's population suffers from persistent depression or anxiety disorders, with a minority of those afflicted receiving adequate medication or counseling.  |
| Mammals Can Be Stimulated To Regrow Damaged Inner Retina Nerve Cells Posted: 03 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST For the first time the mammalian retina has now shown the capacity to regenerate new neurons after damage. This research in mice shows that at least some types of retinal damage can be repaired. The loss of neurons in the retina in people in conditions like glaucoma or macular degeneration leads to visual loss and blindness. This new research shows there might someday be a way to restore vision in people with these conditions.  |
| How Brain Cells Can Survive A Stroke: Workings Of Emergency Brake In Brain Posted: 03 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Brain researchers have penetrated deeply into the innermost secrets of the brain to find out how brain cells can survive a stroke. Strokes are usually caused by occlusion of one of the blood vessels in the brain. When blood is prevented from supplying vital oxygen and energy to the brain cells, their electrochemical balance is upset, and they cause damage to themselves and to the surrounding brain cells before they collapse and die. Often this affects the memory center, the hippocampus, where the cells are particularly vulnerable.  |
| Rescue Robot Exercise Brings Together Robots, Developers, First Responders Posted: 03 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST NIST held a rescue robot exercise recently in Texas in which about three dozen robots were tested by developers and first responders in order to develop a standard suite of performance tests to help evaluate candidate mechanical rescuers.  |
| Screening For Colorectal Cancer Detects Unrecognized Disease Posted: 03 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Screening for colorectal cancer detects four out of ten cancers and should be carefully designed to be more effective, according to a new study.  |
| Carbon-neutral Way To Power Your Home Posted: 03 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Scientists are working toward a biofuel-driven, zero-carbon home energy system. It works by burning vegetable oil to power a generator and provide electricity for the home.  |
| Exercise Helps Overweight Children Reduce Anger Expression Posted: 03 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Regular exercise seems to reduce anger expression in overweight but otherwise healthy children, researchers say. Aerobic exercise may be an effective strategy to help overweight kids reduce anger expression and aggressive behavior.  |
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