ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Monday, August 30, 2010
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Liver cells created from patients' skin cells (August 28, 2010) -- By creating diseased liver cells from a small sample of human skin, scientists have now shown that stem cells can be used to model a diverse range of inherited disorders. The researchers' findings will hopefully lead to new treatments for those suffering from liver diseases. ... > full story
Mumps vaccine coverage should be improved, study finds (August 28, 2010) -- Although immunity to mumps is high in the United States, mumps vaccine coverage must be maintained and improved to prevent future outbreaks, according to a new study. ... > full story
Tiny gulf sea creature could shed light on oil spill’s impact (August 28, 2010) -- A molecular biologist will soon bring dozens of tiny, transparent animals that live in Gulf Coast waters back to his campus laboratory as part of an effort to better understand the oil spill's long-term impact on the coastal environment and creatures living there. ... > full story
Exposure to low doses of BPA alters gene expression in the fetal mouse ovary (August 28, 2010) -- A new study finds that exposure of pregnant female mice to the endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A may produce adverse reproductive consequences on gene expression in fetal ovaries as early as 12 hours after the mother has first been exposed to the chemical. ... > full story
Tiny logo demonstrates advanced display technology using nano-thin metal sheets (August 28, 2010) -- In a step toward more efficient, smaller and higher-definition display screens, a researcher has developed a new type of color filter made of nano-thin sheets of metal with precisely spaced gratings. ... > full story
Anguish of romantic rejection may be linked to stimulation of areas of brain related to motivation, reward and addiction (August 28, 2010) -- Breaking up really is hard to do, and a recent study found evidence that it may be partly due to the areas of the brain that are active during this difficult time. ... > full story
Secrets of the gecko foot help robot climb (August 28, 2010) -- The science behind gecko toes holds the answer to a dry adhesive that provides an ideal grip for robot feet. A mechanical engineer is using the new material, based on the structure of a gecko foot, to keep his robots climbing. ... > full story
Medicine reaches the target with the help of magnets (August 28, 2010) -- If a drug can be guided to the right place in the body, the treatment is more effective and there are fewer side-effects. Researchers in Sweden have now developed magnetic nanoparticles that can be directed to metallic implants such as artificial knee joints, hip joints and stents in the coronary arteries. ... > full story
Bacteria make thrift a habit, researchers find (August 28, 2010) -- In these lean times, smart consumers refuse to pay a lot for throwaway items, but will shell out a little more for products that can be used again and again. The same is true of bacteria and other microbes, researchers have learned. ... > full story
Fertilizer chemicals linked to animal developmental woes (August 28, 2010) -- Fertilizer chemicals may pose a bigger hazard to the environment -- specifically to creatures that live in water -- than originally foreseen, according to new research. Toxicologists show that water fleas take up nitrates and nitrites -- common chemicals used primarily in agriculture as fertilizers -- and convert those chemicals into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide can be toxic to many organisms. ... > full story
Surgical robot could be used for long-distance regional anesthesia (August 28, 2010) -- An existing surgical robot could be used to perform complex regional anesthesia procedures -- in theory, allowing expert anesthesiologists to perform robot-assisted procedures from remote locations, according to a new study. ... > full story
Ugly Betty forced to aim for Average Joe, house sparrow study finds (August 28, 2010) -- Less-pretty female house sparrows tend to lower their aim when selecting a mate. Addressing the lack of studies on condition-dependency of female mate choice, evolutionary biologists found that female sparrows of a low quality prefer males of an equally low quality. ... > full story
Scientists unveil structure of adenovirus, the largest high-resolution complex ever found (August 28, 2010) -- After more than a decade of research, scientists have pieced together the structure of a human adenovirus -- the largest complex ever determined at atomic resolution. ... > full story
Fluoride in water prevents adult tooth loss, study suggests (August 28, 2010) -- Children drinking water with added fluoride helps dental health in adulthood decades later, a new study finds. ... > full story
Ant colonies shed light on metabolism (August 28, 2010) -- Ants are usually regarded as the unwanted guests at a picnic. But a recent study of California seed harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex californicus) examining their metabolic rate in relation to colony size may lead to a better appreciation for the social, six-legged insects, whose colonies researchers say provide a theoretical framework for understanding cellular networks. ... > full story
Sodium MRI gives new insights into detecting osteoarthritis (August 28, 2010) -- Researchers have developed an innovative way to look at the development of osteoarthritis in the knee joint -- one that relies on the examination of sodium ions in cartilage. ... > full story
Genetic test finds healthiest fish for breeding (August 28, 2010) -- A Norwegian company has developed a new genetic test that quickly determines which salmon have the highest resistance to the IPN virus. The recently launched commercial product could mean a breakthrough in the battle against this costly disease. ... > full story
How badly does it hurt? Research examines the biomedical diagnosis of pain (August 28, 2010) -- Sociology research investigates the challenges of patients experiencing pain symptoms that don't visibly turn up on any test. ... > full story
Distant star's sound waves reveal cycle similar to the sun's (August 27, 2010) -- In a bid to unlock longstanding mysteries of the sun, including the impacts on Earth of its 11-year cycle, an international team of scientists has successfully probed a distant star. By monitoring the star's sound waves, the team has observed a magnetic cycle analogous to the sun's solar cycle. ... > full story
Baby's first full diaper can reveal mother's smoking (August 27, 2010) -- Meconium, the dark and tarry stools passed by a baby during the first few days after birth, can be used to determine how much the mother smoked, or if she was exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy. Researchers measured tobacco smoke metabolites in meconium samples from 337 babies, finding that they correlated well with reported smoke exposure and other markers of tobacco smoke exposure. ... > full story
Black rice rivals pricey blueberries as source of healthful antioxidants (August 27, 2010) -- Health conscious consumers who hesitate at the price of fresh blueberries and blackberries, fruits renowned for high levels of healthful antioxidants, now have an economical alternative. It is black rice, one variety of which got the moniker "forbidden rice" in ancient China because nobles commandeered every grain for themselves and forbade the common people from eating it. ... > full story
Rectal cancer rates are rising in young individuals, analysis finds (August 27, 2010) -- A new analysis has found that while colon cancer rates have remained steady over the past several decades among people under the age of 40, rectal cancer rates are increasing in this population across races and in both sexes. ... > full story
New model to help organize, keep private 'vast ocean' of social network data (August 27, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a new model to manage the "vast ocean" of user-generated content being generated by the ever-growing social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter. ... > full story
Autism and schizophrenia: Family history may not always be a good indicator (August 27, 2010) -- Family history may not be a good predictor of the presence of mutations predisposing to autism or schizophrenia, a new study suggests. The findings show how new or de novo gene mutations -- alterations of the cell's DNA -- play a role in these devastating conditions. ... > full story
Shrinking atmospheric layer linked to low levels of solar radiation (August 27, 2010) -- Scientists link a recent, temporary shrinking of a high atmospheric layer with a sharp drop in the sun's ultraviolet radiation levels. ... > full story
Moms who don't breastfeed more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, study finds (August 27, 2010) -- Mothers who did not breastfeed their children have significantly higher rates of type 2 diabetes later in life than moms who breastfed, a new study finds. Twenty-seven percent of mothers who did not breastfeed developed type 2 diabetes and were almost twice as likely to develop the disease as women who had breastfed or never given birth. ... > full story
Grapefruit's bitter taste holds a sweet promise for diabetes therapy (August 27, 2010) -- A new study demonstrates the mechanism by which a single grapefruit compound controls fat and glucose metabolism, replacing multiple drugs. ... > full story
Vaccine has cut child cases of bacterial pneumonia, says study (August 27, 2010) -- The number of children admitted to English hospitals with bacterial pneumonia decreased by a fifth in the two years following the introduction of a vaccine to combat the disease, according to a new study. ... > full story
Lethal backfire: Green odor with fatal consequences for voracious caterpillars (August 27, 2010) -- During field studies, scientists discovered that the oral secretions of tobacco hornworm larvae contain a particular substance that promptly alters a green leaf volatile in tobacco leaves into an odor attractant signal. With this signal, called (E)-2-hexenal, they unintentionally lure their own enemies: carnivorous bugs. These bugs start their piercing attacks not only against freshly hatched caterpillar babies; they also devour eggs laid by the female moths. ... > full story
Experimental treatments for cocaine addiction may prevent relapse (August 27, 2010) -- The drug disulfiram, used for years to deter recovering alcoholics from drinking, also can treat cocaine addiction. Disulfiram prevents rats from seeking cocaine after a break, a model for addicts tempted to relapse. Disulfiram appears to work by inhibiting the enzyme dopamine beta-hydroxylase, which is required for the production of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. A selective inhibitor of that enzyme, nepicastat, is also effective in the same model of cocaine relapse. ... > full story
Wheat's genetic code cracked: Draft sequence coverage of genome to aid global food shortage (August 27, 2010) -- A team of UK researchers has publicly released the first sequence coverage of the wheat genome. The release is a step towards a fully annotated genome and makes a significant contribution to efforts to support global food security. ... > full story
Frog skin may provide 'kiss of death' for antibiotic-resistant germs (August 27, 2010) -- Kissing a frog won't turn it into a prince -- except in fairy-tales -- but frogs may be hopping toward a real-world transformation into princely allies in humanity's battle with antibiotic-resistant infections that threaten millions of people. Scientists reported that frog skin contains substances that could be the basis for a new genre of antibiotics. ... > full story
Mayan water reservoir in Mexican rainforest: Archaeologists find huge artificial lake with ceramic-lined floor (August 27, 2010) -- Archaeologists have found an almost seven-foot-deep water reservoir the size of a soccer field, whose floor is lined with ceramic shards, in the Mexican rainforest. It seems that in combination with the limestone on top, the shards were supposed to seal the artificial lake. The system was built about 1,500 years ago. It is the first example of this design found for the Maya. It is not yet known whether the reservoir's entire floor is tiled. ... > full story
Neuron-damaging mechanism discovered in mouse model of inherited ALS (August 27, 2010) -- New research uncovers what may be a primary neuron-damaging insult that occurs in an inherited form of a devastating neurodegenerative disorder. The study describes a critical mechanistic link between a mutant protein and disease pathogenesis in an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ... > full story
On organic coffee farm, complex interactions keep pests under control (August 27, 2010) -- Proponents of organic farming often speak of nature's balance in ways that sound almost spiritual, prompting criticism that their views are unscientific and naive. At the other end of the spectrum are those who see farms as battlefields where insect pests and plant diseases must be vanquished with the magic bullets of modern agriculture: pesticides, fungicides and the like. ... > full story
Smoking can increase depressive symptoms in teens, study finds (August 27, 2010) -- While some teenagers may puff on cigarettes to "self-medicate" against the blues, scientists have found that smoking may actually increase depressive symptoms in some adolescents. ... > full story
NASA's Kepler mission discovers two planets transiting same star (August 27, 2010) -- NASA's Kepler spacecraft has discovered the first confirmed planetary system with more than one planet crossing in front of, or transiting, the same star. ... > full story
Secondhand smoke may provoke inflammatory response in lungs (August 27, 2010) -- Secondhand smoke is associated with a number of diseases and conditions, including cancer, heart disease and emphysema. It is an irritant to lung tissue and blood vessels, but the processes through which the body reacts to second-hand smoke is a mystery scientists are beginning to unravel. Researchers are now studying how second-hand smoke affects the lungs of rats. So far it appears that second-hand smoke triggers a complex inflammatory response. ... > full story
Artificial enzyme removes natural poison (August 27, 2010) -- For the first time ever, a completely artificial chemical enzyme has been successfully used to neutralize a toxin found naturally in fruits and vegetables. This is the first evidence that it's possible to design artificial enzymes for this class of task, and might result in a completely new way of designing drug-targets. ... > full story
Researchers closer to development of drug to prevent deadly immune response (August 27, 2010) -- Researchers have isolated a molecule, small enough to be used as a drug, that can shut down a dysfunctional -- and at times, deadly -- immune response known as the complement system. ... > full story
Prediction of intrinsic magnetism at silicon surfaces could lead to single-spin magnetoelectronics (August 27, 2010) -- The integration of single-spin magnetoelectronics into standard silicon technology may soon be possible, if experiments confirm a new theoretical prediction made by physicists. ... > full story
Our best and worst moments occur within social relationships, research shows (August 27, 2010) -- In the first study of its kind, researchers have found compelling evidence that our best and worst experiences in life are likely to involve not individual accomplishments, but interaction with other people and the fulfillment of an urge for social connection. ... > full story
Genomes of two ant species sequenced: Clues to their extraordinary social behavior (August 27, 2010) -- Scientists have finally sequenced the entire genome of an ant, actually two very different species of ant, and the insights gleaned from their genetic blueprints are already yielding tantalizing clues to the extraordinary social behavior of ants. ... > full story
Light, circadian rhythms affect vast range of physiological, behavioral functions (August 27, 2010) -- A new study of the genetic basis of circadian rhythms -- the biological responses related to daily light exposure -- has found that a few minutes of light exposure in a fungus directly affects a huge range of its biological functions, everything from reproduction to coloring and DNA repair. ... > full story
NASA's SOFIA will likely help solve mysteries about our galaxy (August 27, 2010) -- How were millions of young stars able to form at the center of our Milky Way galaxy in the presence of an enormous black hole with a mass 4 million times that of the sun? This and other important questions may be answered by the NASA mission SOFIA, which is scheduled to make its first scientific measurements in the next few months. ... > full story
Vitamin A increases the presence of HIV in breast milk, studies suggest (August 27, 2010) -- Vitamin A and beta-carotene supplements are unsafe for HIV-positive women who breastfeed because they may boost the excretion of HIV in breast milk -- thereby increasing the chances of transmitting the infection to the child, a pair of new studies suggest. ... > full story
Scientists concerned about environmental impact of recycling of e-waste (August 27, 2010) -- Much of the world's electronic waste is being shipped to China for recycling and the cottage industry that has sprung up there to recover usable materials from computers, cell phones, televisions and other goods may be creating significant health and environmental hazards. ... > full story
Attention, couch potatoes! Walking boosts brain connectivity, function (August 27, 2010) -- A group of "professional couch potatoes," as one researcher described them, has proven that even moderate exercise -- in this case walking at one's own pace for 40 minutes three times a week -- can enhance the connectivity of important brain circuits, combat declines in brain function associated with aging and increase performance on cognitive tasks. ... > full story
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