ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Ancient Climate Cycles Recorded In Mars Rocks Posted: 05 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST The ancient climate change on Mars was caused by regular variation in the planet's tilt, or obliquity, according to new research. On Earth, similar "astronomical forcing" of climate drives ice-age cycles.

Flesh-eating Bacteria: Blood Tests Can Help Detect Presence Of Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections Posted: 05 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST A quick surgical reaction to 'flesh-eating bacteria' reduces mortality. With less than half of patients with necrotizing soft tissue infections displaying the physical signs of these very serious infections, researchers have found two simple blood tests can help physicians diagnose what is commonly known as "flesh-eating bacteria."

A Little Wine Boosts Omega-3 In The Body: Novel Mechanism For A Healthier Heart Found Posted: 05 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Moderate alcohol intake is associated with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in plasma and red blood cells. The study suggests that wine does better than other alcoholic drinks. This effect could be ascribed to compounds other than alcohol itself, representing a key to understand the mechanism lying behind the heart protection observed in moderate wine drinkers.

Cutting The Cord To Determine Babies' Health Risk From Toxic Exposure Posted: 05 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Despite the well-known dangers of first- and secondhand smoke, an estimated ten percent of pregnant women in the US are smokers. Now, in the first study of its kind, a team of researchers has completed a global assessment of newborns' umbilical cord blood to provide the first assessment of proteins detectable in infant blood and to identify possible molecular predictors, or biomarkers, of fetal health risks from smoking mothers.

Opening Up The Last Part Of Electromagnetic Spectrum Posted: 05 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST New research on the last, hidden part of the electromagnetic spectrum is producing new, safe and non-destructive tests for medicine, security and industrial quality control.

Why The 'Perfect' Body Isn't Always Perfect: How Hormones Interact With Waist-to-hip Ratios In Women Posted: 05 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST The hormones that make women physically stronger, more competitive and better able to deal with stress also tend to redistribute fat from the hips to the waist, according to one anthropologist. So in societies and situations where women are under pressure to procure resources, they may be less likely to have the classic hourglass figure.

Quantum Trick Makes Metals Become Insulators Posted: 05 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Future technologies ranging from information technology to high-temperature superconductivity require new materials with tailored electronic properties. A novel quantum simulator consisting of ultracold atoms in an optical lattice functions as a construction kit with which scientists can create and investigate new materials. Physicists have succeeded in simulating one of the most dramatic electronic phenomena with the aid of this quantum simulator: when the interactions between the electrons become too strong, a metal can suddenly become insulating.

New Genetic Target For Sickle Cell Disease Therapy Found Posted: 05 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Researchers have identified a gene that directly affects the production of a form of hemoglobin that is instrumental in modifying the severity of the inherited blood disorders sickle cell disease and thalassemia. The discovery could lead to breakthrough therapies for sickle cell disease and thalassemia, which could potentially eliminate the devastating and life-threatening complications of these diseases, such as severe pain, damage to the eyes and other organs, infections, and stroke.

Old As You Want To Be: Study Finds Most Seniors Feel Younger Posted: 05 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Older people tend to feel about 13 years younger than their chronological age. Researchers analyzed the responses of 516 men and women age 70 and older who participated in the Berlin Aging Study, tracking how their perceptions about age and their satisfaction with aging changed over a six-year period.

Genetic Breakdown In Fanconi Anemia May Have Link To HPV-associated Cancer Posted: 05 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST A genetic malfunction that causes DNA instability in people with the blood disorder Fanconi anemia may put them at high risk for squamous cell carcinomas linked to human papillomavirus, according to a new study. Researchers report breakdown of a cell signaling pathway for the FA gene complex triggers cellular abnormalities, when then are made worse by HPV cancer genes in skin cells.

Crystallography Reveals The 3D Structure Of Mammalian Sperm Receptor Posted: 05 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Scientists have determined the first 3D structure of ZP3, a protein essential for the interaction between the mammalian egg coat and sperm. The findings, presented in Nature, gives a first glimpse into the molecular architecture of animal egg coats, with important implications for the future of human reproductive medicine and the possibility of developing novel contraceptives.

Fertility Patients Concerned About Embryo Disposition, But Resist Giving Embryos To Anyone Else Posted: 05 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Fertility patients who are done having children feel responsible for the stored, frozen embryos left over from their treatment, yet more than half are against implanting the embryos in anyone else, according to a new study.

New Insight On Wonder Of Cell Division Posted: 05 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Biologists have discovered a mechanism that is critical to cytokinesis -- nature's completion of mitosis, where a cell divides into two identical daughter cells. Researchers opened a new window on the assembly and activity of a ring of actin and myosin filaments that contract to pinch a cell at just the right time.

Study Offers Insights About Development Of Human Immune System Posted: 05 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST A new study has found that a surprisingly high number of maternal cells enters the fetus during pregnancy, prompting the generation of special immune cells in the fetus that suppress a response against the mother.

Wireless Crib Monitor Keeps Tabs On Baby's Breathing Posted: 05 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Radar -- the technology that tracks enemy bombers and hurricanes -- is now being employed to detect another danger: when babies stop breathing.

New 'Control Knobs' For Stem Cells: Changes In Membrane Voltage Control Timing Of Differentiation Posted: 05 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Natural changes in voltage that occur across the membrane of adult human stem cells act as a signal to delay or accelerate the decision of a stem cell to differentiate into a specific cell type. This discovery gives scientists in regenerative medicine a new set of "control knobs" to use in ongoing efforts to shape the behavior of adult stem cells.

Climate Change Set Back For Acidified Rivers Posted: 05 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Climate change is hampering the long-term recovery of rivers from the effects of acid rain, with wet weather offsetting improvements, according to a new study.

Young People Choose Cars Above Greener Transport Options Posted: 05 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Young people find the prospect of driving cars more attractive than other modes of travel that are kinder to the environment, according to new research.

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Still Increasing Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions were 7,282 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO 2e) in 2007, an increase of 1.4 percent from the 2006 level according to Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2007. Since 1990, U.S. GHG emissions have grown at an average annual rate of 0.9 percent.

Fruit Fly Research May Lead To Better Understanding Of Human Heart Disease Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Researchers have shown in both fruit flies and humans that genes involved in embryonic heart development are also integral to adult heart function.

Replacing Corn With Perennial Grasses Improves Carbon Footprint Of Biofuels Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Converting forests or fields to biofuel crops can increase or decrease greenhouse gas emissions, depending on where -- and which -- biofuel crops are used, researchers report.

Adult Survivors Of Childhood Leukemia Have Lower Bone Mineral Density, Study Finds Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Men who survived childhood leukemia treatment into adulthood were more likely to have low bone mineral density than other adults their age, putting them at risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures, according to a new study.

Operations Engineering For More Efficient Operating Rooms Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Work by specialists from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering has led to significant improvements in turnover times for operating rooms at three California safety net hospitals, allowing "many more hours of daytime surgery per year."

Coerced Medication Used In Psychiatric Care Despite Lack Of Clinical Evidence Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Researchers are calling for more studies into the practice of forcing psychiatric patients to take medication, after a research review showed that there have been very few rigorous investigations of the procedure.

Brown Dwarfs Really Do Form Like Stars Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Astronomers have uncovered strong evidence that brown dwarfs form like stars. Using the Smithsonian's Submillimeter Array, they detected molecules of carbon monoxide shooting outward from the object known as ISO-Oph 102. Such molecular outflows typically are seen coming from young stars or protostars. However, this object has an estimated mass of 60 Jupiters, meaning it is too small to be a star. Astronomers have classified it as a brown dwarf.

Major Breakthrough For Dialysis Patients, According To Preliminary Results Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Suffering from end-stage renal disease, a growing number of patients, have become the beneficiaries of a North American breakthrough: high efficacy hemodiafiltration. Preliminary results show a clear advantage of high efficacy HDF over conventional hemodialysis in several areas.

Novel Human Stem Cell-based Model Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Opens Doors For Rapid Drug Screening Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Long thought of as mere bystanders, astrocytes are crucial for the survival and well-being of motor neurons, which control voluntary muscle movements. In fact, defective astrocytes can lay waste to motor neurons and are the main suspects in the muscle-wasting disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Preoperative Radiation May Improve Survival Rates In Advanced Rectal Cancer Patients Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST A new study shows that preoperative treatment for rectal cancer shouldn't be a "one sized fits all approach." After reviewing nine recent studies, investigators concluded that physicians need to consider a variety of factors such as tumor size, cancer stage and patient preference before deciding on the course of preoperative treatment.

Uncovering The Real Dirt On Granular Flow Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST A handful of sand contains countless grains, which interact with each other via friction and impact forces as they slip through your fingers. When a handful becomes a load in an excavator bucket, those interactions multiply exponentially.

Up To 10% Of Children Start School Suffering From Sleep Disturbances Posted: 04 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Up to 10% of children starting school suffer from sleep disturbances and these may lead to poor performance or behavioral difficulties.

Rolling 'Sea Grape' Rocks The Fossil Record Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST A submarine expedition that went looking for visually flashy sea creatures instead found a drab, mud-covered blob that may turn out to be truly spectacular indeed.

New Hope For Treatment Of Brain-damaging Disorder In Children Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Researchers have used fruit flies to gain new insights into a brain-damaging disorder afflicting children. Their work suggests a possible therapy for the disease, for which there is currently no treatment.

Towards Domestication Of Largest Fish In Amazon Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST The Amazon and its tributaries are home to almost one tenth of the world's freshwater fish biodiversity, 2500 species being recorded. The giant fish Arapaima gigas is one of the most emblematic of these. Better known by the name of paiche in Peru or pirarucu in Brazil, it is one of the word's largest freshwater fish.

Calcium And Vitamin D May Not Be The Only Protection Against Bone Loss Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Diets that are high in protein and cereal grains produce an excess of acid in the body which may increase calcium excretion and weaken bones, according to a new study. The study found that increasing the alkali content of the diet, with a pill or through a diet rich in fruits and vegetables has the opposite effect and strengthens skeletal health.

Traffic Violations Detected In A Flash Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Researchers in Finland are developing movable traffic surveillance equipment capable of automatically measuring the speed and height of passing vehicles and the distances between them as well as assessing the condition of brakes in heavy vehicles. In the future, the equipment will also be able to measure the weight of a moving vehicle and the friction of the road surface.

Infants Participate In Complex Interactions With Their Parents Posted: 04 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST A new study shows that infants appear to be active participants in complex interactional sequences with their parents far earlier than previously thought.

Unique Extrasolar Planet Orbits Fast-rotating Hot Star Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Three undergraduate students, from Leiden University in the Netherlands, have discovered an extrasolar planet. The extraordinary find, which turned up during their research project, is about five times as massive as Jupiter. This is also the first planet discovered orbiting a fast-rotating hot star.

Protein That Determines Cell Polarity Prevents Breast Cancer, Study Suggests Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST A team of scientists has found that a protein called Scribble, originally discovered as a cell-shape regulator in fruit flies and worms, is an important regulator of breast cancer. They report that Scribble normally directs breast epithelial cells to form the structures that give breast tissue its shape and thereby resist cancer formation. When Scribble stops functioning, the tissue loses its shape and cancers ensue.

How Tiny Cell Proteins Generate Force To 'Walk' Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Researchers have shown how a cell motor protein exerts the force to move, enabling functions such as cell division.

Pediatric Obesity May Alter Thyroid Function And Structure Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST In addition to its strong associations with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, pediatric obesity may induce alterations in thyroid function and structure, according to a new study.

'Stress Tests' Probe Nanoscale Strains In Materials Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Researchers have demonstrated their ability to measure relatively low levels of stress or strain in regions of a semiconductor device as small as 10nm across. Their recent results not only will impact the design of future generations of integrated circuits but also lay to rest a long-standing disagreement in results between two different methods for measuring stress in semiconductors.

Myth About 'Dirty Old Men' Supported By Science Posted: 04 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Middle-aged men want younger women, often touting their intelligence and their high income. This is shown in research that studied 400 lonely hearts ads to see how men and women choose partners.

Robot That Jumps Like A Grasshopper And Rolls Like A Ball Created For Space Exploration Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST The first robot that can jump like a grasshopper and roll like a ball could play a key role in future space exploration. The 'Jollbot' is shaped like a spherical cage which can roll in any direction, giving it the maneuverability of wheels without the problem of overturning or getting stuck in potholes.

What’s Good For The Mouse Is Good For The Monkey: Skin Cells Reprogrammed Into Stem Cells Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Scientists have successfully created the first induced pluripotent stem cell lines from adult monkey skin cells. The research, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, demonstrates that the method of direct reprogramming is conserved among species and may be useful for creation of clinically valuable primate models for human diseases.

Sea Eagles May Be Re-Introduced To England Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST The magnificent sea eagle, missing from England for more than 200 years, could be soaring along the Norfolk coast next summer if a proposed reintroduction scheme gets the go ahead.

Potential New Drug Target For Chronic Leukemia Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Researchers have discovered what could be a novel drug target for an often difficult-to-treat form of leukemia. The investigators have identified a unique "signature" or pattern of a specific family of enzymes in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the most common form of adult leukemia.

Recycling Manure Safely To Avoid Polluting Rivers and Streams Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Researchers have come up with an advice system to help farmers recycle manure safely and avoid polluting watercourses.

Drug Marketing Techniques May Be Risking Patient Safety Posted: 04 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST With new drugs being reviewed by regulatory agencies and then released onto the market faster than ever before, patients' safety is being compromised, warns a new study.

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