ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Friday, August 27, 2010
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
El Niños are growing stronger, NASA/NOAA study finds (August 27, 2010) -- A relatively new type of El Niño, which has its warmest waters in the central-equatorial Pacific Ocean, rather than in the eastern-equatorial Pacific, is becoming more common and progressively stronger, according to a new study by NASA and NOAA. The research may improve our understanding of the relationship between El Niños and climate change, and has potentially significant implications for long-term weather forecasting. ... > full story
Analysis of Ashkenazi Jewish genomes reveals diversity, history (August 27, 2010) -- Through genomic analysis, researchers have shown that the Ashkenazi Jewish population is genetically more diverse than people of European descent, despite previous assumptions that Ashkenazi Jews have been an isolated population. In addition, analyses of disease-related genes of higher prevalence in the Ashkenazi Jewish population indicate that only a minority of traits show signs of positive selection, suggesting that most have arisen through random genetic drift. ... > full story
Novel mechanism protects plants against freezing; Insights could add to understanding of drought tolerance also (August 27, 2010) -- New nesearch helps explain how plants protect themselves from freezing temperatures and could lead to discoveries related to plant tolerance for drought and other extreme conditions. ... > full story
Macrophages: The 'defense' cells that help throughout the body (August 27, 2010) -- The term "macrophage" conjures images of a hungry white blood cell gobbling invading bacteria. However, macrophages do much more than that: Not only do they act as antimicrobial warriors, they also play critical roles in immune regulation and wound-healing. They can respond to a variety of cellular signals and change their physiology in response to local cues. ... > full story
Genetic rarity found: A mutation that restores health (August 27, 2010) -- Errors in the copying of genes during cell division can cause numerous diseases, including cancer. Scientists, however, have unraveled the secrets of a much more rare phenomenon with potential therapeutic implications -- disease-causing genes that show a high frequency of self-repair. ... > full story
Two heads are better than one -- with the right partner (August 27, 2010) -- In the new age of coalition governments, the question of whether two heads are better than one is more relevant than ever. Neuroscientists now show that two heads can be better than one -- but only if you have the right partner. ... > full story
First 3-D atomic view of key genetic processes (August 27, 2010) -- Scientists have created the first 3-D picture of genetic processes that happen inside every cell of our bodies. The picture is the first-ever image of a protein interacting with DNA in its tightly packed "nucleosome" form. The research, which reveals new information about genetic processes, is expected to aid future investigations into diseases such as cancer. ... > full story
Fat serves as cells' built-in pH sensor (August 27, 2010) -- A specific type of fat present in cell membranes also serves as a cellular pH sensor, researchers have discovered. ... > full story
'Greening' your flat screen TV: Engineers develop an organic LED light source for home electronics, medicine and clean energy (August 27, 2010) -- An estimated 70 percent of heavy metals in US landfills come from discarded electronics, and as big screen TVs get less expensive, environmental costs continue to mount. To remedy this, researchers are applying organic nano-technology to "green" the optics and electronics industry. Their technology could make flat screen TV production more environmentally friendly and can even make medical devices more sensitive. ... > full story
Researchers urge reclassification of traumatic brain injury as chronic disease (August 27, 2010) -- Traumatic brain injury, currently considered a singular event by the insurance industry and many health care providers, is instead the beginning of an ongoing process that impacts multiple organ systems and may cause or accelerate other diseases and disorders that can reduce life expectancy, according to new research. ... > full story
Adulteration of milk products and pet food with melamine underscores weaknesses of traditional methods, experts say (August 27, 2010) -- Recent incidents of adulteration involving infant formula, other milk products and pet food with the industrial chemical melamine revealed the weaknesses of current methods widely used across the domestic and global food industry for determining protein content in foods. The possible utility of alternative existing and emerging methods is the subject of a new paper. ... > full story
Students need help to save money, but don't always know it, study finds (August 27, 2010) -- Students could use help saving more money, but they don't always know it. If they were offered a simple way to do so, would they take it? A new study suggests the answer is no. And the reason is that their very good intentions can give rise to a sense of optimism that leads them to undervalue opportunities that could make it easier to actually achieve a long-term savings goal. ... > full story
North American continent is a layer cake, scientists discover (August 26, 2010) -- The North American continent is not one thick, rigid slab, but a layer cake of ancient, 3-billion-year-old rock on top of much newer material probably less than 1 billion years old, according to a new study by seismologists. The new findings also indicate that the continent grew by addition of rock from subducting ocean floor, not by mantle plume upwelling from below. ... > full story
Nerve cell production linked to memory in humans (August 26, 2010) -- Production of new nerve cells in the human brain is linked to learning and memory, according to a new study. The research is the first to show such a link in humans. The findings provide clues about processes involved in age- and health-related memory loss and reveal potential cellular targets for drug therapy. ... > full story
Healthy ears hear the first sound, ignoring the echoes, barn owl study finds (August 26, 2010) -- Voices carry, reflect off objects and create echoes. Most people rarely hear the echoes; instead they only process the first sound received. For the hard of hearing, though, being in an acoustically challenging room can be a problem. For them, echoes carry. ... > full story
More research needed on cardiovascular disease in Asian-Americans, experts say (August 26, 2010) -- There are marked differences in heart disease risk and occurrence among Asian-American subgroups, but data on these subgroups is limited, prompting the American Heart Association to call for more research on this fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the U.S., according to experts in a new statement. ... > full story
Coral off Puerto Rico's coast 'ideal case study' for Gulf oil spill's impact (August 26, 2010) -- Coral living off the coast of Puerto Rico may provide researchers valuable information about the potential impact of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. ... > full story
Child abuse declines nationally in U.S. in spite of economic deterioration, study finds (August 26, 2010) -- Child abuse declined nationally in the United States in 2008 compared to 2007, according to a new report. Sexual abuse declined 6 percent, physical abuse 3 percent and neglect 2 percent. ... > full story
Some asteroids live in own little worlds (August 26, 2010) -- While the common perception of asteroids is that they are giant rocks lumbering about in orbit, a new study shows they actually are constantly changing "little worlds" that can give birth to smaller asteroids that split off to start their own lives as they circle around the sun. ... > full story
Toward safer foods for human consumption with anthrax protection (August 26, 2010) -- An antibacterial enzyme found in human tears and other body fluids could be applied to certain foods for protection against intentional contamination with anthrax, scientists say. ... > full story
Ants use multiple antibiotics as weed killers (August 26, 2010) -- Fungus-farming ants are using multiple antibiotics as weed killers to maintain their fungus gardens, according to new research. This is reminiscent of the use of multi-drug therapy to treat infections in humans. The work has also identified a new antibiotic that could be used to treat fungal infections. ... > full story
Fat distribution plays a role in weight loss success in patients at risk of diabetes (August 26, 2010) -- Why is it that some people lose weight and body fat when they exercise and eat less and others don't? Researchers say MRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopy can provide the answer -- and help predict who will benefit from lifestyle changes. ... > full story
'Soyscreen': Sunscreen for fungus to expand biological control of crop pests (August 26, 2010) -- Scientists report the development and successful initial tests on a substance that acts as a sunscreen for the microscopic spores of a fungus, brightening prospects for wider use of the fungus as a means of wiping out insect pests that attack food crops. ... > full story
'Legacy of Katrina' report details impact of stalled recovery on mental health status of children (August 26, 2010) -- Five years after Hurricane Katrina and the flooding of New Orleans caused the evacuation of 1.5 million Gulf Coast residents, substantial consequences from this prolonged displacement have resulted in widespread mental health issues in children living in the region, and 60 percent of children -- as many as 20,000 -- displaced by Katrina either have serious emotional disorders behavioral issues and/or are experiencing significant housing instability. ... > full story
Use the common cold virus to target and disrupt cancer cells? (August 26, 2010) -- A novel mechanism used by adenovirus to sidestep the cell's suicide program could go a long way to explain how tumor suppressor genes are silenced in tumor cells and pave the way for a new type of targeted cancer therapy, researchers report. ... > full story
A moment on the lips, a year on the hips (August 26, 2010) -- A short period of excess food consumption can have long term effects on your body weight and fat storage even after the initial weight is lost. A new study has found that a four-week episode of increased energy intake and decreased exercise can cause increased weight and fat mass more than two years later when compared to control individuals. ... > full story
Supplement produces a 'striking' endurance boost (August 26, 2010) -- Taking a dietary supplement to boost nitric oxide in the body can significantly boost stamina during high-intensity exercise. The study has important implications for athletes, as results suggest that taking the supplement can allow people to exercise up to 20 percent longer and could produce a 1-2 percent improvement in race times. ... > full story
Early diagnosis of degenerative brain disorders: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy can distinguish between neurological diseases in patients without clear symptoms (August 26, 2010) -- A team of American scientists claims that a new method of testing for neurological diseases could provide doctors with a rapid and noninvasive method of diagnosing degenerative disorders. The research reveals that magnetic resonance spectroscopy can distinguish between different disorders in patients, allowing earlier diagnosis. ... > full story
Tofu ingredient yields formaldehyde-free glue for plywood and other wood products (August 26, 2010) -- In a real-life "back to the future" story, scientists have reported that the sustainable, environmentally-friendly process that gave birth to plywood a century ago is re-emerging as a "green" alternative to wood adhesives made from petroleum. Researchers have described development of new soy-based glues that use a substance in soy milk and tofu and could mean a new generation of more eco-friendly furniture, cabinets, flooring and other wood products. ... > full story
Federal school lunches -- but not breakfasts -- linked to childhood obesity, research finds (August 26, 2010) -- Children who eat school lunches that are part of the U.S. federal government's National School Lunch Program are more likely to become overweight, according to new research. Yet children who eat both the breakfast and lunch sponsored by the federal government are less heavy than children who don't participate in either, and than children who eat only the lunch, says an economist. ... > full story
'Dry water' could make a big splash commercially, help fight global warming (August 26, 2010) -- An unusual substance known as "dry water," which resembles powdered sugar, could provide a new way to absorb and store carbon dioxide, the major greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, scientists report. ... > full story
Insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes linked to plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease (August 26, 2010) -- People with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes appear to be at an increased risk of developing plaques in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. ... > full story
Cement, the glue that holds oyster families together (August 26, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that oysters produce a unique adhesive material for affixing themselves to each other, a cement that differs from the glues used by other marine organisms. ... > full story
How the brain shifts between sleep/awake states under anesthesia (August 26, 2010) -- An estimated 25 million patients per year in the U.S. undergo surgeries using general anesthesia, but scientists have only been able to hypothesize how anesthetics interact with the CNS. Now, researchers have established in animal models that the brain comes in and out of a state of induced unconsciousness through different processes. ... > full story
WISE space telescope captures the Unicorn's Rose (August 26, 2010) -- Unicorns and roses are usually the stuff of fairy tales, but a new cosmic image taken by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Explorer (WISE) shows the Rosette nebula located within the constellation Monoceros, or the Unicorn. This flower-shaped nebula, also known by the less romantic name NGC 2237, is a huge star-forming cloud of dust and gas in our Milky Way galaxy. Estimates of the nebula's distance vary from 4,500 to 5,000 light-years away. ... > full story
Why do consumers disclose sensitive information to shady-looking websites? (August 26, 2010) -- Many consumers need help recognizing when their privacy is compromised, according to a new study. ... > full story
Electricity collected from the air could become the newest alternative energy source (August 26, 2010) -- Imagine devices that capture electricity from the air -- much like solar cells capture sunlight -- and using them to light a house or recharge an electric car. Imagine using similar panels on the rooftops of buildings to prevent lightning before it forms. Strange as it may sound, scientists already are in the early stages of developing such devices, according to a new report. ... > full story
Advanced melanoma: New targeted therapy successful in more than 80 percent of patients (August 26, 2010) -- Use of an experimental targeted drug to treat metastatic melanoma tumors with a specific genetic signature was successful in more than 80 percent of patients in a phase 1 clinical trial. Results of the trial of PLX4032, an inhibitor of a protein called BRAF that is overactive in more than half of all melanomas, appear in a new study. ... > full story
Thar she blows! Novel method for collecting dolphin DNA (August 26, 2010) -- A team of scientists has announced it is the first to extract DNA from dolphin blow (breath exhalations). The researchers found that blow-sampling, which involves collecting exhalations from the blowholes of whales, dolphins and porpoises, could be developed as a less invasive method for DNA collection. ... > full story
Banana plantain fibers could treat Crohn's disease, research suggests (August 26, 2010) -- Scientists have found that soluble fibers found in plantain, a type of large banana, could be used to treat patients with Crohn's disease. ... > full story
Students help harness fog to quench Moroccans' thirst (August 26, 2010) -- Some rural Moroccans have to trek for miles every day because their arid environment doesn't provide enough drinking water. Or does it? ... > full story
Natural selection alone can explain eusociality, scientists say (August 26, 2010) -- Scientists have sketched a new map of the "evolutionary labyrinth" species must traverse to reach eusociality, the rare but spectacularly successful social structure where individuals cooperate to raise offspring. Their modeling shows that natural selection alone can explain the evolution of eusocial behavior, without the need for kin selection theory. ... > full story
When galaxies collide: How the first super-massive black holes were born (August 26, 2010) -- Astronomers believe they have discovered the origin of our universe's first super-massive black holes, which formed some 13 billion years ago. The discovery fills in a missing chapter of our universe's early history, and could help write the next chapter -- in which scientists better understand how gravity and dark matter formed the universe as we know it. ... > full story
Gene therapy to treat epilepsy a step closer (August 26, 2010) -- Current antiepileptic drugs have many side-effects, among others slowing down brain activity, which in turn reduces patients’ ability to react. These side-effects could be eliminated if genes that counteract seizures could be introduced into the brain. New research from Sweden shows promising results in animal experiments. ... > full story
Buzz off: Popular insect repellents pack a powerful 'one-two' punch (August 26, 2010) -- Fire up the citronella-scented tiki torches, and slather on the DEET: Everybody knows these simple precautions repel insects, notably mosquitoes, whose bites not only itch and irritate, but also transmit diseases such as West Nile virus, malaria and dengue. Now, scientists have discovered what it is in the bugs' molecular makeup that enables citronellal (the aromatic liquid used in lotions, sprays and candles) and DEET, to deter insects from landing and feeding on you. ... > full story
Applying stem cell technology to liver diseases (August 26, 2010) -- Great excitement greeted the discovery a few years ago that certain cells from mice and humans could be reprogrammed to become inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) as they hold promise for cell replacement therapy and modeling human disease. Two independent research groups have now shown that both possibilities are true for iPS cell-derived liver cells known as hepatocytes. ... > full story
Trouble with sputter? Blame giant nanoparticles (August 26, 2010) -- Sputter deposition is used to make many products from the lining of potato chip bags to the coatings on advanced X-ray lenses. But, for decades, scientists and manufacturers have been unable to explain why these thin films sometimes peel, bend or get too rough. Now researchers have an answer: unexpected nanoparticles that form in the flux. ... > full story
Sad mothers have small babies, rural Bangladesh study finds (August 26, 2010) -- Clinical depression and anxiety during pregnancy results in smaller babies that are more likely to die in infancy, according to new research. The study, which focused on women living in rural Bangladesh, provides the first finding of its kind in a non-Western population. The research indicates that mental health issues are likely to be a primary contributor to infant mortality and poor child health, above poverty, malnutrition or low socio-economic status. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2010 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your profile click here  |
