ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Six North American Sites Hold 12,900-year-old Nanodiamond-rich Soil Posted: 02 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Abundant tiny particles of diamond dust exist in sediments dating to 12,900 years ago at six North American sites, adding strong evidence for Earth's impact with a rare swarm of carbon-and-water-rich comets or carbonaceous chondrites, scientists report. The discoveries are consistent with theory of Clovis-age disruption by a cosmic event, according to researchers.

Common Oral Osteoporosis Drugs Linked To Serious Jaw Necrosis Posted: 02 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Clinical data links oral bisphosphonates to increased jaw necrosis. The study is among the first to acknowledge that even short-term use of common oral osteoporosis drugs may leave the jaw vulnerable to devastating necrosis. Fosomax is the most widely prescribed oral bisphosphonate.

Nothing To Sneeze At: Real-time Pollen Forecasts Posted: 02 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Researchers in Germany are reporting an advance toward development of technology that could make life easier for millions of people allergic to plant pollen. It could underpin the first automated, real-time systems for identifying specific kinds of allergy-inducing plant pollen circulating in the air.

Obesity Increases Lymphedema Risk For Breast Cancer Survivors Posted: 02 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Throughout the world, 10 million breast cancer survivors have a lifetime risk for developing lymphedema, a chronic condition that involves swelling of the limbs and impacts physical and psychosocial health. In a new study, researchers found that the risk of developing lymphedema is 40 percent to 60 percent higher in women with body mass index classified as overweight or obese compared to normal weight women. The researchers recommend increased health education for breast cancer survivors.

Structure Of New Botulism Nerve Toxin Subtype Revealed Posted: 02 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Scientists have determined the structure of a third subtype of botulinum neurotoxin -- a deadly toxin that causes the disease botulism, and is also used in cosmetic and therapeutic applications. The structure reveals a unique arrangement of the active components that may help explain why subtype E is faster-acting than others -- and may have implications for improving vaccines and/or therapeutic agents.

Ancient African Exodus Mostly Involved Men, Geneticists Find Posted: 02 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Modern humans left Africa over 60,000 years ago in a migration that many believe was responsible for nearly all of the human population that exist outside Africa today.

The Gold Standard: Nanoparticles Used To Make 3-D DNA Nanotubes Posted: 02 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Scientists reveal for the first time the 3-D character of DNA nanotubules, rings and spirals, each a few hundred thousandths the diameter of a human hair. These DNA nanotubes and other synthetic nanostructures may soon find their way into a new generation of ultra-tiny electronic and biomedical innovations.

Toxicity Mechanism Identified For Parkinson's Disease Posted: 02 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Alpha-synuclein is the main component of Lewy bodies, the clumps of aggregated proteins that form in the brains of Parkinson's disease patients. The alpha-synuclein gene is mutated or triplicated in some cases of inherited Parkinson's. A process called chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) plays an important role in recycling of specific proteins in brain cells. Alpha-synuclein disrupts a key survival circuit in brain cells by interfering with CMA and the recycling of the protein MEF2D.

Spanish Droughts Over Past 500 Years Reconstructed Posted: 02 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Scientists have reconstructed the pattern of droughts in Spain between 1506 and 1900 on the basis of ceremonial records held at the Cathedral of Toledo, in order to observe how droughts have varied over the past 500 years. Short-term meteorological data and tree growth rings have also been used to supplement the records of ceremonies.

Weakened RNA Interference Reduces Survival In Ovarian Cancer Posted: 02 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Levels of two proteins in a woman's ovarian cancer are strongly associated with her likelihood of survival, a research team reports

European First As ALICE Achieves Energy Recovery At 11 Million Volts Posted: 02 Jan 2009 05:00 AM 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.

Doctors Not Properly Diagnosing Overweight And Obesity In Children Posted: 02 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Despite recent widespread media attention given to studies that have indicated one-third of American children have a weight problem, a new study shows just one-third of children who are overweight or obese actually receive that diagnosis by a pediatrician. The study also stresses that this failure to diagnose appears to mostly impact children who may most greatly benefit from early intervention.

New Park Protects Penguins And Other Marine Life In Argentina Posted: 31 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST A new coastal marine park has recently been signed into law by the Government of Argentina. The park protects half a million penguins along with several species of rare seabirds and the region's only population of South American fur seals. It is the first protected area in Argentina specifically designed to safeguard not only onshore breeding colonies but also areas of ocean where wildlife feed at sea.

New Winter Wheat Ready For Prime Time Posted: 31 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Anton, a hard white winter wheat cultivar, is now available for production in the Northern Plains region as a source of high-quality flour for bread, noodles and other baked goods.

Across The Americas, Squash And Gourd Bees Are Superb Pollinators Posted: 31 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Acorn squash and other winter squashes at your local supermarket likely got their start months ago, when their colorful blossoms were pollinated by hardworking bees.

New Sugarcane Cultivars Developed For Sand Soils Of South Florida Posted: 31 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Two new sugarcane cultivars specifically developed for Florida's sand soils have been developed.

Antioxidants Offer Pain Relief In Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis Posted: 31 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Antioxidant supplementation was found to be effective in relieving pain and reducing levels of oxidative stress in patients with chronic pancreatitis.

MRSA Pre-screening Effective In Reducing Otolaryngic Surgical Infection Rates Posted: 31 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Pre-operative screening of patients for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus may be an effective way to reduce infection rates following otolaryngic surgeries, according to new research.

Arousal Frequency In Heart Failure Found To Be Unique Sleep Problem Posted: 31 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST Frequent arousals from sleep that occur in heart failure patients with central sleep apnea (CSA) may reflect the presence of another underlying arousal disorder rather than being a defensive mechanism to terminate apneas. Findings show that factors other than central sleep apnea may contribute to poor sleep quality in heart-failure patients.

Societal, Economic Burden Of Insomnia Is High Posted: 31 Dec 2008 09:00 PM PST The indirect costs of untreated insomnia are significantly greater than the direct costs associated with its treatment. The study estimates that the total annual cost of insomnia in the province of Quebec is 6.5 billion Canadian dollars, representing about one percent of the province's $228.5 billion in gross domestic product for 2002. The largest proportions of all insomnia-related expenses are attributed to lost job productivity, absences from work and alcohol used as a sleep aid.

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