ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

What Came Before The Big Bang? Interpreting Asymmetry In Early Universe Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST The Big Bang is widely considered to have obliterated any trace of what came before. Now, astrophysicists think that their new theoretical interpretation of an imprint from the earliest stages of the universe may also shed light on what came before.

Genetic Change Extends Mouse Life, Points To Possible Treatment For Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST There are many ways to die, but amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease must be one of the worst. By the time a patient notices muscle weakness, the neurons that control the muscles have already begun dying, in an untreatable process that brings death within two to five years.

Wave Energy: New System Captures Significantly More Wave Energy Than Existing Systems Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Scientists have designed a pilot-scale device that will capture significantly more of the energy in ocean waves than existing systems, and have used it to power an electricity-generating turbine.

Interactive Gene 'Networks' May Predict If Leukemia Is Aggressive Or Slow-growing Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Rather than testing for individual marker genes or proteins, researchers have evidence that groups, or networks, of interactive genes may be more reliable in determining the likelihood that a form of leukemia is fast-moving or slow-growing.

Tracking Community-wide Drug Use By Testing Water At Sewage Treatment Plants Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Scientists in Oregon and Washington State are reporting the development and successful testing of a new method for determining the extent of illicit drug use in entire communities from water flushed down toilets that enters municipal wastewater treatment plants.

Slippery Slope: One Tiny Truffle Can Trigger Desire For More Treats Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Indulging in just one small chocolate truffle can induce cravings for more sugary and fatty foods -- and even awaken a desire for high-end status products, according to a new study.

Global Warming Impacts On U.S. Coming Sooner Than Expected, Report Predicts Posted: 18 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST A new report provides insights on the potential for abrupt climate change and the effects it could have on the United States, identifying key concerns that include faster-than-expected loss of sea ice, rising sea levels and a possibly permanent state of drought in the American West.

Long-term Memory Disrupted Genetically In Fruit Flies; Drug Found To Help Them Regain Memories Posted: 18 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST A pediatric neuroscientist has shown that genetically disrupting a specific gene in a fruit fly's brain will wipe out its long-term memory. The researcher has also found a class of drugs that helps fruit flies with this disrupted gene to regain their memories. The news is significant for humans, because the gene, Fragile X Mental Retardation, malfunctions in people with intellectual disabilities and there are currently no clinically available treatments.

Girls Have Superior Sense Of Taste To Boys Posted: 18 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST The findings of the world's largest study so far on the ability of children and young people to taste and what they like have now been published. Findings include: girls have a better sense of taste than boys; every third child of school age prefers soft drinks which are not sweet;

Clinical Trial Demonstrates Safety Of Pre-transplant Expansion Of Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells Posted: 18 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Taking blood stem cells collected from an umbilical cord into the lab and expanding their number before transplanting them to replace a patient's blood supply is as safe as a standard cord blood transplant, researchers have reported.

Evolutionary Roots Of Ancient Bacteria May Open New Line Of Attack On Cystic Fibrosis Posted: 18 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST The redox-active pigments responsible for the blue-green stain of the mucus that clogs the lungs of children and adults with cystic fibrosis are primarily signaling molecules that allow large clusters of the opportunistic infection agent, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, to organize themselves into structured communities.

Truth About Give And Take In Social Situations: The More You Take The More You Lose Posted: 18 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST In everyday social exchanges, being mean to people has a lot more impact than being nice, research has shown. Feeling slighted can have a bigger difference on how a person responds than being the recipient of perceived generosity, even if the net value of the social transaction is the same, the research on reciprocity -- giving and taking -- shows.

Did Early Global Warming Divert A New Glacial Age? Posted: 18 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST The common wisdom is that the invention of the steam engine and the advent of the coal-fueled industrial age marked the beginning of human influence on global climate.

New Genetic Cause Of Boy In The Bubble Syndrome Posted: 18 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is an inherited disease sometimes known as "boy in the bubble syndrome," because the patient lacks one or more type of immune cell, making them very susceptible to infections. Researchers have now identified a new genetic cause of SCID characterized by a lack of T cells and B cells. Specifically, they have identified a patient who has a mutation in the gene DNA-PKcs.

New Explanation For Migration Of Volcanic Activity On Mars Posted: 18 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST A new study indicates a moving, shell-like plate encapsulating Mars may explain explains the volcanic activity in the Tharsis Rise region of the 'red planet.'

Biologists Spy Close-up View Of Poliovirus Linked To Host Cell Receptor Posted: 18 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Researchers have determined the precise atomic-scale structure of the poliovirus attached to key receptor molecules in human host cells and also have taken a vital snapshot of processes leading to infection.

Hi-tech Vaccine Designed By Students Shows Promise Against Ulcer Causing Bacteria Posted: 18 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Almost half of the world population is infected with bacteria Helicobacter pylori which colonizes stomach, causing gastritis and ulcers and is recognized by WHO as a type I carcinogen. Current antibacterial treatment, implemented after the seminal discovery that H. pylori infection is the underlying cause of ulcers, which brought the discoverers the Nobel Prize in 2005, requires combination of at least three different drugs to eliminate bacteria.

Sedative And Analgesic Drugs Can Have Profound Negative Effects On Young Brains, Mouse Study Suggests Posted: 18 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST A large proteomics study on the brains of newborn mice provides more evidence that sedative and analgesic drugs often used in obstetric or pediatric medicine can have profound and long-term negative effects, even after minimal exposure.

Beaked Whales’ Tusks Evolved Through Sexual Selection Process Posted: 18 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST For years, scientists have wondered why only males of the rarely seen family of beaked whales have "tusks," since they are squid-eaters and in many of the species, these elaborately modified teeth seem to actually interfere with feeding.

Smoking Associated With Increased Risk For Colorectal Cancer And Death Posted: 18 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST An analysis of previous studies indicates that smoking is significantly associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer and death, according to a new article.

Why Did The London Millennium Bridge 'Wobble'? Posted: 18 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST A new study finally explains the Millennium Bridge 'wobble' by looking at how humans stay balanced while walking.

Occurrence Of Major Eye Disease Projected To Increase Among Patients With Diabetes Posted: 18 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Based on projected increases in the prevalence of diabetes, the number of people with diabetes-related retinal disease, with glaucoma and with cataracts is estimated to increase significantly by 2050.

Natural Product Useful In Developing New Drug To Treat Devastating Parasitic Disease Posted: 18 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Compounds derived from a natural product can be used in developing a new drug to treat leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease spread by the bite of infected sand flies.

Financial Incentives Appear Effective For Short-term Weight Loss Posted: 18 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST A preliminary study suggests that economic incentives appear to be effective for achieving short-term weight loss.

Ocean Acidification Could Have Broad Effects On Marine Ecosystems Posted: 17 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Concern about increasing ocean acidification has often focused on its potential effects on coral reefs, but broader disruptions of biological processes in the oceans may be more significant, according to a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and an expert in coral reef ecology and marine biodiversity.

Unpasteurized Milk Poses Health Risks Without Benefits, Study Shows Posted: 17 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST With disease outbreaks linked to unpasteurized milk rising in the United States, a review in Clinical Infectious Diseases examines the dangers of drinking raw milk.

Work With Fungus Uncovering Keys To DNA Methylation Posted: 17 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Researchers have made progress on understanding biochemical communications among proteins involved in gene silencing. They have shed more light on the mechanism that regulates DNA methylation, a fundamental biological process in which a methyl group is attached to DNA, the genetic material in cells of living organisms.

Anti-clotting Drug Thins Risk To Pregnancy And Surgery Patients With Blood Disorder Posted: 17 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Pregnancy and surgery patients with a serious blood disorder that causes excessive clotting have responded well to treatment with a man-made anti-clotting protein.

Computational Tool To Untangle Complex Data Developed Posted: 17 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Researchers have developed a mathematical tool that can be used to unscramble the underlying structure of time-dependent, interrelated data, like the votes of legislators over their careers, second-by-second activity of the stock market, or levels of oxygenated blood flow in the brain.

Epilepsy Drugs: Doctors Raise Questions, Concerns About FDA Suicide Warning Posted: 17 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Among the doctors' concerns is that news reports of the FDA's analyses have confused patients and, perhaps, some physicians on the risks associated with epilepsy drugs. They cite data showing that the risk of suicide possibly associated with anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) is extremely small compared to the potential danger of leaving patients untreated. Also of concern is that epilepsy patients prone to suicidal ideation or behavior will be excluded from clinical trials of new AEDs.

New Anti-cancer Components Of Extra-virgin Olive Oil Revealed Posted: 17 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Good quality extra-virgin olive oil contains health-relevant chemicals, 'phytochemicals', that can trigger cancer cell death. New research sheds more light on the suspected association between olive oil-rich Mediterranean diets and reductions in breast cancer risk.

Moon’s Polar Craters Could Be The Place To Find Lunar Ice, Scientists Report Posted: 17 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Scientists have discovered where they believe would be the best place to find ice on the moon.

Stem-cells Drug Testing Predicted To Boom Under Obama Posted: 17 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Embryonic stem cells could provide a new way of testing drugs for dangerous side effects. Since researchers are able to make unlimited human heart cells from embryonic stem cells, they may offer a viable and scientifically exciting alternative. Barack Obama is an ardent supporter of stem cell research.

European First As ALICE Achieves Energy Recovery At 11 Million Volts Posted: 17 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Scientists have successfully demonstrated energy recovery on the ALICE advanced particle accelerator design, potentially paving the way for new accelerators using a fraction of the energy required under conventional methods.

Cosmic Rays Do Not Explain Global Warming, Study Finds Posted: 17 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST A new study supports earlier findings by stating that changes in cosmic rays most likely do not contribute to climate change.

From Mother To Daughters: A Central Mystery In Cell Division Solved Posted: 17 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Researchers have identified a key step required for cell division in a study that could help improve therapies to treat cancer. Their work describing the mechanism of the contractile ring -- a structure that pinches the mother cell into two daughter cells -- has been published in the journal Science.

Answers To Huge Wind-farm Problems Are Blowin' In The Wind Posted: 17 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST While harnessing more energy from the wind could help satisfy growing demands for electricity and reduce emissions of global-warming gases, turbulence from proposed wind farms could adversely affect the growth of crops in the surrounding countryside.

Biomarkers In Blood Could Aid Diagnosis Of Crippling, Often Fatal Forms Of Malaria Posted: 17 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Researchers have identified protein biomarkers that may let doctors detect earlier two crippling malaria variations -- one that develops in the placenta of pregnant women affecting countless unborn children, the other, cerebral malaria, that develops in the brain's blood vessels -- malaria's most deadly form.

New System Can Improve Video-sharing Web Sites Like YouTube Posted: 17 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST As video sharing websites like YouTube continue to grow in popularity, so do challenges around proper labeling of videos and monitoring for copyright infractions. But one student from the University of Toronto has created a framework that can improve the efficiency of such websites and cut down on copyright infringement.

I'm A Believer: Some Product Claims Work Better Than Others Posted: 17 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Consumers face a barrage of product claims each day. What makes those claims believable? A new study says both marketers and consumers can benefit from information about the way people process product claims.

Astronomers Use Ultra-sensitive Camera To Measure Size Of Planet Orbiting Star Posted: 17 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST A team of astronomers has used a new technique to measure the precise size of a planet around a distant star. They used a camera so sensitive that it could detect the passage of a moth in front of a lit window from a distance of 1,000 miles.

Possible Clues To Root Of Epilepsy, Autism, Schizophrenia Posted: 17 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Researchers have found a potential clue to the roots of epilepsy, autism, schizophrenia and other neurological disorders.

Mars Orbiter Completes First Phase Of Science Mission Posted: 17 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has completed its primary, two-year science phase. The spacecraft has found signs of a complex Martian history of climate change that produced a diversity of past watery environments.

Genetic Signature Predicts Outcome Of Pediatric Liver Cancer Posted: 17 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Scientists have identified a genetic signature that is remarkably effective at predicting the prognosis of an aggressive liver cancer in children. The research, published by Cell Press in the December issue of the journal Cancer Cell, may lead to better treatments for pediatric liver cancers.

Implantable Monitor May Help In Managing Diastolic Heart Failure Posted: 17 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST An implantable hemodynamic monitor may help to guide medical treatment in a large subgroup of patients with heart failure: those with diastolic heart failure.

We've Got Your Number: Consumers Choose Products With More Technical Specs Posted: 17 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Many products have numbers attached: megapixels for cameras, wattage ratings for stereos, cotton counts for sheets. A new study shows that consumers are heavily influenced by quantitative specifications, even meaningless ones.

Seeing The Shape Of Material Around Black Holes For First Time Posted: 17 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST After culling the literature for observed black holes, astronomers looked at 245 active galactic nuclei to characterize the shape of material swirling around them. The result: active galactic nuclei look like donuts, funneling from a dark center. This observation should constrain theories about how the material around black holes is produced and eventually allow scientists to study black holes themselves.

New Medication Brings Hope Of Jet Lag Cure Posted: 17 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Researchers have found a new drug with the potential to alleviate jet lag and sleep disorders caused by shift work.

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