ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Declining Male Fertility Linked To Water Pollution Posted: 20 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST New research strengthens the link between water pollution and rising male fertility problems. The study shows for the first time how a group of testosterone-blocking chemicals is finding its way into UK rivers, affecting wildlife and potentially humans.

Advance Toward First Saliva Test For Type 2 Diabetes Posted: 20 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Scientists in Oregon and India are reporting an advance toward developing the first saliva test to diagnose and monitor effectiveness of treatment for Type 2 diabetes. The number of cases of that disease (18 million in the United States alone) has doubled during the last 30 years in parallel with the epidemic of obesity.

Pathogenic Microorganisms And Phenotypic Noise: Combat Zone Reconnaissance Posted: 20 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Phenotypic noise is a novel concept in biology that explains the division of labor among pathogens. Researchers have now developed a new method that simplifies the process by which the genes carrying the pathogenic properties are found.

How Aging Undermines Bone Healing Posted: 20 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Researchers have unraveled crucial details of how aging causes broken bones to heal slowly, or not at all, according to an article in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The research team also successfully conducted preclinical tests on a potential new class of treatments designed to "rescue" healing capability lost to aging.

Earthquakes, El Ninos Fatal To Earliest Civilization In Americas Posted: 20 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST First came the earthquakes, then the torrential rains. But the relentless march of sand across once fertile fields and bays, a process set in motion by the quakes and flooding, is probably what did in America's earliest civilization.

Blast Overpressure Is Generated From The Firing Of Weapons, And May Cause Brain Injury Posted: 20 Jan 2009 11:00 AM PST Blast overpressure is generated from the firing of weapons and may cause brain injury. The brain may be injured by the noise, which is produced when, for example, an anti-tank weapon (Bazooka, Karl Gustav) or a howitzer (Haubits) is fired. Scientists have demonstrated mild injury to brain tissue.

NASA Radar Provides First Look Inside Moon’s Shadowed Craters Posted: 20 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST Using a NASA radar flying aboard India's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, scientists are getting their first look inside the moon's coldest, darkest craters.

Gene Switch Sites Found Mainly On 'Shores,' Not Just 'Islands' Of The Human Genome Posted: 20 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST Scientists who study how human chemistry can permanently turn off genes have typically focused on small islands of DNA believed to contain most of the chemical alterations involved in those switches. But after an epic tour of so-called DNA methylation sites across the human genome in normal and cancer cells, scientists have found that the vast majority of the sites aren't grouped in those islands at all, but on nearby regions that they've named "shores."

The When, Where, Why Of Road Accidents Posted: 20 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST European researchers are re-examining the causes of road accidents and studying which technologies can make our roads safer for everyone.

Salt Reduction May Offer Cardioprotective Effects Beyond Blood Pressure Reduction Posted: 20 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST Decreasing one's sodium intake can improve blood vessel health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, along with many other health benefits.

European Evolutionary Biologists Rally Behind Richard Dawkins' Extended Phenotype Posted: 20 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST Richard Dawkins' Extended Phenotype (EP) concept is as relevant now as when it was first proposed 26 years ago and is not at odds with other evolutionary explanations, according to experts.

Socially Active And Not Easily Stressed? You May Not Develop Dementia Posted: 20 Jan 2009 08:00 AM PST A new study shows that people who are socially active and not easily stressed may be less likely to develop dementia. The study found that people who were not socially active but calm and relaxed had a 50 percent lower risk of developing dementia compared with people who were isolated and prone to distress. The dementia risk was also 50 percent lower for people who were outgoing and calm compared to those who were outgoing and prone to distress.

Frantic Activity Revealed In Dusty Stellar Factories Posted: 20 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Astronomers have studied the fine detail in NGC 253, one of the brightest and dustiest spiral galaxies in the sky. Adaptive Optics (AO) corrects for the blurring effect introduced by the Earth's atmosphere. This turbulence causes the stars to twinkle in a way that delights poets, but frustrates astronomers, since it smears out the images. With AO in action the telescope can produce images that are as sharp as is theoretically possible, as if the telescope were in space.

Key Protein That May Cause Cancer Cell Death Identified Posted: 20 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST A human protein called Bax-beta (Bax²), which can potentially cause the death of cancer cells and lead to new approaches in cancer treatment, has been identified and characterized.

Game Of Two Halves Leads To Brain Asymmetry Posted: 20 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST A tug-of-war between the two sides of the brain causes it to become asymmetrical, according to research published in the journal Neuron. Asymmetry in the brain is thought to be important to enable the two hemispheres to specialize and operate more efficiently.

Gene Therapy Studied For Preeclampsia: New Clues To Mysterious Pregnancy Condition Posted: 20 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST To better understand preeclampsia, a sudden rise in maternal blood pressure and onset of kidney disease during pregnancy, researchers are studying mice that have the same affliction. Preeclampsia is the leading cause of both maternal and fetal death — killing more than 500,000 women worldwide each year and causing 15 percent of all premature births — yet the condition is not well understood.

Aerosol Research Key To Improving Climate Predictions, Experts Say Posted: 20 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Scientists need a more detailed understanding of how human-produced atmospheric particles, called aerosols, affect climate in order to produce better predictions of Earth's future climate, according to a NASA-led report issued by the US Climate Change Science Program.

Space Mission For Worms Posted: 20 Jan 2009 05:00 AM PST Worms from The University of Nottingham should be checking in for a flight onboard the Space Shuttle later this year — to help researchers investigate the effect of zero gravity on the body's muscle development and physiology. Researchers are also hoping to get primary school children involved in the project.

Bleeding Hearts Revealed With New Scan Posted: 20 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Images that for the first time show bleeding inside the heart after people have suffered a heart attack have been captured by scientists. The research shows that the amount of bleeding can indicate how damaged a person's heart is after a heart attack.

Blood Pressure Varies By The Season Posted: 20 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Scientists have found a strong correlation between blood pressure and outdoor temperature in a large sample of the elderly. As a result, the investigators advise that, during periods of extreme temperatures, careful monitoring of blood pressure and antihypertensive treatment "could contribute to reducing the consequences of blood pressure variations in the elderly".

New Invasive Fish Spreads Through The Ebro Delta Posted: 20 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Biologists have researched and described for the first time in Europe the spread of the invasive dojo loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) fish species. The fish comes from East Asia and was first discovered in the Ebro delta in 2001. Since then, it has occupied various parts of the river during its lightning spread, and is now definitively established. The researchers do not rule out that it could occupy new areas within coming years and threaten the survival of native species.

Is There A Relationship Between Sleep-wake Rhythm And Diabetes? Posted: 20 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Scientists have succeeded in identifying a new gene variant which is associated with elevated fasting glucose levels and a high risk for type 2 diabetes.

Victims Of Intimate Partner Violence Display Distinct Patterns Of Facial Injury Posted: 20 Jan 2009 02:00 AM PST Women who are victims of intimate partner violence tend to have different patterns of facial injury than women who experience facial trauma from other causes, according to a new report. This information, and other key characteristics such as a delay before visiting a health-care facility, could help surgeons and other physicians recognize patients who are victims of this type of abuse.

Microbe Composition In Gut May Hold Key To One Cause Of Obesity Posted: 19 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST A new study suggests that the composition of microbes within the gut may hold a key to one cause of obesity and the prospect of future treatment. Researchers reveal a tantalizing link between differing microbial populations in the human gut and body weight among three distinct groups: normal weight individuals, those who have undergone gastric bypass surgery, and patients suffering the condition of morbid obesity.

Possible Alzheimer's Disease Marker Discovered In Rare Genotype Posted: 19 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Researchers have uncovered evidence that Alzheimer's disease (AD) may be clinically confirmed in patients with apolipoprotein E2 homozygote.

Five Invasive Plants Threatening Southern Forests In 2009 Identified Posted: 19 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Ecologists have identified the invasive plant species they believes pose the biggest threats to southern forest ecosystems in 2009.

Treadmill Exercise Improves Walking Endurance For Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease Posted: 19 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST Patients with peripheral arterial disease, which can include symptoms such as pain in the legs, who participated in supervised treadmill exercise improved their walking endurance and quality of life, according to new study. The treadmill exercise also improved walking performance for PAD patients without the classic symptoms of pain in the leg muscles.

Infrared Spotlights Crystal Growth Posted: 19 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST The creation of a reproducible crystallization process is a fundamental challenge to drug manufacturers, but a technique which provides real time detailed analysis of chemical processes could provide an answer.

Food Advertisements In Your Magazine: How Healthy Are They? Posted: 19 Jan 2009 11:00 PM PST At a time when many of us are thinking about how to get rid of a few extra pounds, new U.K. research has shown that even the magazine you read may affect how healthy your diet is.

Microbot Motors Fit To Swim Human Arteries Posted: 19 Jan 2009 09:00 PM PST A range of complex surgical operations necessary to treat stroke victims, confront hardened arteries or address blockages in the bloodstream are about to be made safer as researchers put the final touches to the design of micro-motors small enough to be injected into the human bloodstream.

New Criteria For Measuring Tumor Size And Progression Will Help Ease Workloads In Clinical Trials Posted: 19 Jan 2009 09:00 PM PST The first, formal revision of specific guidelines, known as RECIST, used by clinicians to measure tumor size and response to treatment, has just been published. The authors say that the revisions will ease the workload involved in running clinical trials, without compromising study outcomes.

Language Driven By Culture, Not Biology, Study Shows Posted: 19 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Language in humans has evolved culturally rather than genetically, according to a new study. By modeling the ways in which genes for language might have evolved alongside language itself, the study showed that genetic adaptation to language would be highly unlikely, as cultural conventions change much more rapidly than genes. Thus, the biological machinery upon which human language is built appears to predate the emergence of language.

Large DNA Stretches, Not Single Genes, Shut Off As Cells Mature Posted: 19 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST The gradual maturing of embryonic cells into cells as varied as brain, liver and immune system cells is apparently due to the shut off of several genes at once rather than in individual smatterings as previous studies have implied.

Nitrogen Fixation In The Western English Channel Posted: 19 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST An intriguing discovery could overturn present thinking about the role of shelf seas such as the English Channel and North Sea in global nitrogen budgets.

How Toxoplasma Gondii Gets Noticed Posted: 19 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers provide insight into how Toxoplasma gondii, a common parasite of people and other animals, triggers an immune response in its host.

Surprising New Health And Environmental Concerns About Tungsten Posted: 19 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Surprising new scientific research is raising concerns about the potential health and environmental hazards of tungsten — a metal used in products ranging from bullets to light bulbs to jewelry — that scientists once thought was environmentally-benign, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News.

Predicting Politics: Professors Model Prediction Markets Posted: 19 Jan 2009 05:00 PM PST Political prediction markets accurately predicted Barack Obama's 2008 victory. Now researchers have determined that these markets behave similar to financial markets, except when traders' partisan feelings get in the way (as they did in the 2000 presidential election). The researchers have created a model of how prices fluctuate in these prediction markets -- a model that could eventually be used to tell how certain events affect the outcomes of elections.

Parasites In The Genome? Molecular Parasite Could Play An Important Role In Human Evolution Posted: 19 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Researchers have determined the structure of a protein which is encoded by a parasitic genetic element and which is responsible for its mobility. The so-called LINE-1 retrotransposon is a mobile genetic element that can multiply and insert itself into chromosomal DNA at many different locations. Researchers say that there would be very few human genes that have not been affected in the past by the integration of a LINE-1 or Alu element.

Neurons Show Sex-dependent Changes During Starvation Posted: 19 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Researchers found that nutrient deprivation of neurons produced sex-dependent effects. Male neurons more readily withered up and died, while female neurons did their best to conserve energy and stay alive.

Sensor In Artery Measures Blood Pressure Posted: 19 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST High blood pressure can be a trial of patience for doctors and for sufferers, whose blood pressure often has to be monitored over a long time until it can be regulated. This will now be made easier by a pressure sensor that is inserted in the femoral artery.

New Structural Motif In Key Enzymes: Essential To Prevent Autoimmune Disease; Key To Cancer Drug Resistance? Posted: 19 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Scientists have found a specific mutation that leads to the development of severe autoimmune kidney disease in mice. The research sheds light on the basic biology of the immune system, as well as on the effectiveness of drugs such as the anti-leukemia medication Gleevec/Imatinib.

Lack Of Grey Matter In Brain Is Linked To Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder Posted: 19 Jan 2009 02:00 PM PST Lack of grey matter in the brain is linked to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A new study shows that adolescents experiencing a first outbreak of psychosis have lower levels of gray matter in their brains than healthy teenagers. Strangely, this change was seen in patients suffering from various psychoses, including bipolar illness and schizophrenia.

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