ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

'Hobbit' Fossils Represent A New Species, Concludes Anthropologist Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Fossilized skeletons resembling a mythical 'hobbit' creature represent an entirely new species in humanity's evolutionary chain, according to researchers. Cutting-edge 3D modeling technology was used to connect the fossilized hominid skeletons of the so-called "hobbit people," or Homo floresiensis to the human evolutionary chain.

Single Virus Used To Convert Adult Cells To Embryonic Stem Cell-like Cells Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Adult cells, from both humans and mice, can be converted into embryonic stem cell-like cells using a single virus to insert four reprogramming genes into the cells' genomes. Previous reprogramming approaches have relied on four separate viruses, one virus for each gene, to deliver the genes to cellular nuclei. Because this new method inserts the genes in only one place, it is less disruptive to a cell's genome.

Cry Me A River: The Psychology Of Crying Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST We've all experienced a 'good cry.' But why is crying beneficial? And is there such a thing as a 'bad cry'? A new report describes some recent findings about the psychology of crying. Analysis of the detailed accounts of more than 3,000 recent crying experiences found that the benefits of crying depend entirely on the what, where and when of a particular crying episode.

Preventing A Broken Heart: Research Aims To Reduce Scarring From Heart Attacks Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST A heart damaged by heart attack is usually broken, at least partially, for good. The injury causes excessive scar tissue to form, and this plays a role in permanently keeping heart muscle from working at full capacity.

Olympic Pollution Controls In Beijing China Had Big Impact On Air Pollution Levels Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST NASA researchers have since analyzed data from NASA's Aura and Terra satellites that show how key pollutants responded to the Olympic restrictions in China.

'Gross' Messaging Used To Increases Handwashing, Fight Norovirus Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 PM PST Research suggests that it takes "gross" messaging to get undergraduate students to wash their hands more frequently after going to the bathroom.

Polygamy, Paternal Care In Birds Linked To Dinosaur Ancestors Posted: 19 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Sure, they're polygamous, but male emus and several other ground-dwelling birds also are devoted dads, serving as the sole incubators and caregivers to over-sized broods from multiple mothers. It is rare behavior, but research described in Science found that it runs in this avian family, all the way back to its dinosaur ancestors.

Exercise Suppresses Appetite By Affecting Appetite Hormones Posted: 19 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST A vigorous 60-minute workout on a treadmill affects the release of two key appetite hormones, ghrelin and peptide YY, while 90 minutes of weight lifting affects the level of only ghrelin. The research shows that aerobic exercise is better at suppressing appetite than nonaerobic exercise and provides a possible explanation for how that happens. This line of research may eventually lead to more effective ways to use exercise to help control weight.

'Seeing' The Quantum World: How A Quantum Computer Would Work Posted: 19 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Barry Sanders, director of the University of Calgary's Institute for Quantum Information Science, is hoping computer animation can help the public better understand quantum physics. Videos are published for the first time in the New Journal of Physics. For the first time, a detailed description on the making of Sanders' animation -- Solid State Quantum Computer in Silicon -- was published this month in the New Journal of Physics.

Blocking Molecular Pathway With Whimsical Name Possible Therapeutic Target For Pancreatic Cancer Posted: 19 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST A possible new therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer, the most lethal form of human cancer, has been identified in the proteins whose DNA recipe comes from the gene, "Seven-In-Absentia."

World's First Deep Sea Lab-on-a-chip Sensors Proved To Work Posted: 19 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST Innovative marine sensor technologies have been tested on a research cruise (D333, RRS Discovery, Canary Islands) and are now ready to be developed further for commercialization.

Does A Younger Dad Mean A Healthier Child? Posted: 19 Dec 2008 11:00 AM PST A father's age is associated with decreased social abilities in boys, according to new research.

Life On Mars? Elusive Mineral Bolsters Chances, Researchers Say Posted: 19 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST A research team led by Brown University has found evidence of a long-sought mineral that shows Mars was home to a variety of watery environments, including regional pockets of neutral or alkaline water. The finding, detailed in the Dec. 19 edition of Science, bolsters the chances that primitive life sprang up in those benign spots.

New Way To More Rapidly Generate Bone Tissue Developed Posted: 19 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Using stem cell lines not typically combined, researchers have designed a new way to 'grow' bone and other tissues. The work takes a new approach: rarely have mesenchymal and hematopoietic cells been delivered in combination for the healing of defects and the treatment of diseases -- partially due to the separate research communities in which these two cell groups are studied.

Heat Waves And Crop Losses Predicted For California Posted: 19 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Global warming will likely put enormous strain on California's water supply and energy systems and have a devastating impact on certain crops. Stanford researchers predicted outcomes based on projections from two different emission scenarios. One assumes a continuing moderate increase in greenhouse gas emissions until 2100; the other assumes emissions would increase until mid-century and then start dropping off. Both of the scenarios indicate there will be more frequent heat waves and generally rising temperatures.

Cancer Treatment: Aromatase Inhibitors More Effective Than Tamoxifen In Preventing Cancer From Coming Back Posted: 19 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST Two separate meta-analyses of clinical trials from around the world that tested tamoxifen against aromatase inhibitor drugs in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer have each reached the same conclusion: aromatase inhibitors are more effective in preventing breast cancer from coming back. Patients using aromatase inhibitors had more than a 3 percent lower cancer recurrence 6-8 years after diagnosis, compared to women using tamoxifen alone.

Research In Magnetic Semiconductors Leading to Advances in Computing Posted: 19 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST The fast pace of growing computing power could be sustained for many years to come with new advances in magnetic semiconductors.

God Or Science? A Belief In One Weakens Positive Feelings For The Other Posted: 19 Dec 2008 08:00 AM PST A person's unconscious attitudes toward science and God may be fundamentally opposed, researchers report, depending on how religion and science are used to answer 'ultimate' questions such as how the universe began or the origin of life.

'Wet' Early Universe: Water Vapor Detected At Record Distance Posted: 19 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Scientists have used the 100 m Effelsberg radio telescope to detect water at the greatest distance from Earth so far. The water vapor was discovered in a quasar which corresponds to a light travel time of 11.1 billion years, a time when the Universe was only a fifth of the age it is today. The water vapor is thought to exist in clouds of dust and gas that feed the supermassive black hole at the center of the distant quasar. The detection was later confirmed by high-resolution interferometric observations with the Expanded Very Large Array.

Breakthrough In Generating Novel Types Of Stem Cells Posted: 19 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Scientists have for the first time developed a technique for generating novel types of rat and human stem cells with characteristics similar to mouse embryonic stem cells, currently the predominant type of stem cells used for creating animal models of human diseases in research. The technique potentially provides scientists with new sources of stem cells to develop drugs and treatments for human diseases.

Urbanization: 95% Of The World's Population Lives On 10% Of The Land Posted: 19 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST A new global map measures urbanization from the new perspective of Travel Time to 8,500 Major Cities. The map fills an important gap in our understanding of economic, physical and even social connectivity.

Higher Levels Of Obesity-related Hormone Found In Patients With Psoriasis Posted: 19 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Patients with the skin disease psoriasis appear more likely to have higher levels of leptin (a hormone produced by fat cells that may contribute to obesity and other metabolic abnormalities) than persons without psoriasis, according to a new report.

First Portable System Enabling In Situ Detection Of Cetacean Hearing Loss Developed Posted: 19 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Marine scientists have developed the world's first portable system for measuring cetacean hearing sensitivity.

New Psychotherapy Has Potential To Treat Majority Of Cases Of Eating Disorders Posted: 19 Dec 2008 05:00 AM PST Researchers have developed a new form of psychotherapy that has been shown to have the potential to treat more than eight out of ten cases of eating disorders in adults, a new study reports.

New World Post-pandemic Reforestation Helped Start Little Ice Age, Say Scientists Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST The power of viruses is well documented in human history. Swarms of little viral Davids have repeatedly laid low the great Goliaths of human civilization, most famously in the devastating pandemics that swept the New World during European conquest and settlement. In recent years, there has been growing evidence to suggest that the effect of the pandemics in the Americas wasn't confined to killing indigenous peoples. Global climate appears to have been altered as well.

New Therapy For Hepatitis C Treatment Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Combination therapies similar to those used for HIV patients may be the best way of treating hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Botany: Nature's Shut-off Switch For Cellulose Production Found Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Researchers found a mechanism that naturally shuts down cellulose production in plants, and learning how to keep that switch turned on may be key to enhancing biomass production for plant-based biofuels.

Nearly Three-quarters Of Youths With Diabetes Insufficient In Vitamin D Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Three-quarters of youths with type 1 diabetes were found to have insufficient levels of vitamin D, according to a new study -- findings that suggest children with the disease may need vitamin D supplementation to prevent bone fragility later in life.

Weather Forecasting: Mathematical Model Illuminates Polar Lows Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST Scientists have developed a mathematical method that enables a reconstruction of the occurrence of small-scale polar storms -- so-called polar lows -- in the North Atlantic.

Depression, Anxiety Spur Poor Health Habits, Damaging Heart And Blood Vessels Posted: 19 Dec 2008 02:00 AM PST New research shows that many people who experience psychological distress also slip into poor health habits, particularly smoking and physical inactivity. Over several years, these two factors alone may account for nearly two-thirds of the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular illnesses in people with depression and anxiety.

Where Did Venus's Water Go? Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Venus Express has made the first detection of an atmospheric loss process on Venus's day-side. Last year, the spacecraft revealed that most of the lost atmosphere escapes from the night-side. Together, these discoveries bring planetary scientists closer to understanding what happened to the water on Venus, which is suspected to have once been as abundant as on Earth.

Shedding Light On Cause Of Bowel Disease Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Scientists have uncovered vital clues about how to treat serious bowel disorders by studying the behavior of cells in the colon. Researchers believe a chemical messenger that is essential for developing a baby's gut in the womb could hold the key to new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease.

Breakthrough In Understanding Development Of Type 1 Diabetes Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Finnish scientists have reported a breakthrough in understanding the development of type 1 diabetes. They discovered disturbances in lipid and amino acid metabolism in children who later progressed to type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes. The alterations preceded the autoimmune response by months to years. The study may prompt new approaches for prediction and prevention of type 1 diabetes in pre-autoimmune phase of the disease.

Between Dormancy And Self-renewal: Mouse Model Shows Blood Stem Cells In Action Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Over a period of five years, scientists have created a genetically modified mouse in which the activity of the blood stem cells can be tracked. "This mouse was created from a single embryonic stem cell. We are able to observe its blood stem cells in detail and see when they divide, i.e., become active, and when they are dormant," said Dr Ernesto Bockamp of the Institute for Toxicology.

Data Mining Of Inpatient Records Reveals The Disease Pattern Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST A new study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine is the first to show the full clinical picture of comorbid conditions associated with obstructive sleep apnea, quantify their frequency of occurrence and reveal their possible interrelationships.

Racial Gap Growing In Colorectal Cancer, Says New Report Posted: 18 Dec 2008 11:00 PM PST Despite unprecedented progress in reducing incidence and death rates from colorectal cancer, the gap between blacks and whites continues to grow, says a new report from the American Cancer Society.

Cough Medicine Ingredient Could Effectively Treat Prostate Cancer, Study Shows Posted: 18 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST An ingredient used in a common cough suppressant may be useful in treating advanced prostate cancer. Researchers found that noscapine, which has been used in cough medication for nearly 50 years, reduced tumor growth in mice by 60 percent and limited the spread of tumors by 65 percent without causing harmful side effects.

Earth Not Center Of The Universe, Surrounded By 'Dark Energy' Posted: 18 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Earth's location in the Universe is utterly unremarkable, despite recent theories that propose toppling a foundation of modern cosmology, according to a team of University of British Columbia researchers.

Replicating Milgram: Most People Will Administer Shocks When Prodded By 'Authority Figure' Posted: 18 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Nearly 50 years after one of the most controversial behavioral experiments in history, a social psychologist has found that people are still just as willing to administer what they believe are painful electric shocks to others when urged on by an authority figure.

Lean Muscle Mass Helps Even Obese Patients Battle Cancer Posted: 18 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Lean muscle-mass may give even obese people an advantage in battling cancer, a new study shows.

Scientists Probe Limits Of 'Cancer Stem-cell Model' Posted: 18 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST One of the most promising new ideas about the causes of cancer, known as the cancer stem-cell model, must be reassessed because it is based largely on evidence from a laboratory test that is surprisingly flawed when applied to some cancers, researchers have concluded.

Novel Basis Identified For Tamoxifen Failure Posted: 18 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Tamoxifen may worsen breast cancer in a small subset of patients. New research suggests that in patients who show reduced or absent expression of the protein E-cadherin, commonly used anti-estrogen drugs such as tamoxifen may promote more harmful cancer cell behavior.

Cellular Senescence A Double-edged Sword Posted: 18 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST Scientists have shown that cellular senescence, the process by which biological cells stop dividing in response to stress or damage to their DNA, triggers the secretion of proteins that cause inflammation in neighboring cells and tissue. Inflammation is linked to almost every major disease associated with aging, including many cancers.

Online Register Created To Flag Scientific Papers That May Be Tainted By Fraud Or Misconduct Posted: 18 Dec 2008 08:00 PM PST A group of French research students is launching an online register to flag up scientific papers that have been tainted by fraud and other types of scientific misconduct. Once a fraudulent paper has been published it is very difficult to remove it. Journals can retract articles from their online databases but libraries all over the world are stocked with printed journals that cannot be recalled.

Tiny Magnetic Crystals In Bacteria Are A Compass, Say Scientists Posted: 18 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST Scientists have shown that tiny crystals found inside bacteria provide a magnetic compass to help them navigate through sediment to find the best food.

Autism And Schizophrenia Share Common Origin, Review Suggests Posted: 18 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST The first month of pregnancy forms the basis for disrupted development that can have life-long implications. Schizophrenia and autism probably share a common origin, hypothesizes researchers following an extensive literature study. A developmental psychologist has demonstrated that both mental diseases have similar physical abnormalities which are formed during the first month of pregnancy. For example, both autistics and schizophrenics sometimes have protruding ears and peculiar toes.

New Research Into Fair-weather Clouds Important In Climate Predictions Posted: 18 Dec 2008 05:00 PM PST New research has led to better understanding of clouds, the unknown quantity in current climate models. Scientists have tackled this issue with a combination of detailed computer simulations and airplane measurements. They have charted data including cloud speed, temperature and the "life span" of clouds.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of ScienceDaily: Latest Science News in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News, c/o Google, 20 W Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610