ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Wednesday, October 13, 2010
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Wild 'teenage' galaxies booming with star births (October 13, 2010) -- Scientists in Denmark have been studying distant galaxies, which are among the most active star-forming galaxies in the Universe. They form around 1,000 new stars a year -- a 1,000 times more than our own galaxy, the Milky Way. The galaxies are located in the far distant Universe -- when the Universe was 3 billion years old. It is a period when the galaxies were very active, almost teenager-like and out of control. ... > full story
Long-term benefits of transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression supported by new study (October 13, 2010) -- In a study to determine the durability and long-term effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation, psychiatric researchers have found the non-invasive, non-drug therapy to be an effective, long-term treatment for major depression. ... > full story
Ocean acidification poses little threat to whales’ hearing, study suggests (October 13, 2010) -- Contrary to some previous, highly publicized, reports, ocean acidification is not likely to worsen the hearing of whales and other animals, according to a scientist who studies sound propagation in the ocean. ... > full story
Metabolic status before pregnancy predicts subsequent gestational diabetes, study finds (October 13, 2010) -- Cardio-metabolic risk factors such as high blood sugar and insulin, and low high density lipoprotein cholesterol that are present before pregnancy, predict whether a woman will develop diabetes during a future pregnancy, according to a new study. ... > full story
Second-generation device more effective in capturing circulating tumor cells (October 13, 2010) -- A redesigned version of the CTC-Chip -- a microchip-based device for capturing rare circulating tumor cells -- appears to be more effective and should be easier to manufacture than the original. Called the HB-(herringbone) Chip, the new device also may provide more comprehensive and easily accessible data from captured tumor cells. ... > full story
Clinical trials demonstrate effective weight loss strategies for obese and overweight adults (October 13, 2010) -- Lifestyle interventions, including physical activity and structured weight loss programs, can result in significant weight loss for overweight, obese and severely obese adults, according to two new reports. ... > full story
Regional sea temperature rise and coral bleaching event in Western Caribbean (October 13, 2010) -- Researchers are reporting an anomalous sea temperature rise and a major coral bleaching event in the Western Caribbean. ... > full story
Selective strategy could lead to new approaches against schizophrenia (October 13, 2010) -- A new class of compounds identified by researchers could be developed into drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia. The compounds enhance signaling by molecules in the brain called NMDA receptors, which scientists believe are functioning at low levels in people with schizophrenia. ... > full story
Better way to study proteins in the body: Could streamline development of drugs (October 13, 2010) -- Using a combination of high-powered computers and advanced experimental magnetic resonance data, a biophysical chemist has developed techniques that improve the way scientists can study and predict the structure and dynamics of proteins found in the human body. His innovations could ultimately shorten the time it takes researchers to develop new, more effective drugs and better understand biomedical processes that underlie a variety of health conditions. ... > full story
Prenatal treatment of congenital toxoplasmosis could reduce risk of brain damage (October 13, 2010) -- Prenatal treatment of congenital toxoplasmosis with antibiotics might substantially reduce the proportion of infected fetuses that develop serious neurological sequelae (brain damage, epilepsy, deafness, blindness or developmental problems) or die, according to new research. ... > full story
Struggling for breath: Videogame technology documents abnormal breathing patterns in patients with sunken chest (October 13, 2010) -- Patients with a common chest deformity known as sunken chest exhibit abnormal breathing patterns. The findings were the result of a side-by-side comparison of patients with normal chests and patients who suffer from the chest wall deformity known as pectus excavatum. ... > full story
End-of-life care patterns shift for patients with heart failure in both US and Canada (October 13, 2010) -- Health care in the last six months of life has become progressively more expensive for patients with heart failure both among Medicare beneficiaries in the United States and older adults in Canada, with a high rate of hospitalizations in the final six months of life in both countries. Also, more men are dying of prostate cancer are receiving hospice care, but that the timing of hospice referral remains poor. ... > full story
Monarch butterflies use medicinal plants to treat offspring for disease (October 12, 2010) -- Monarch butterflies appear to use medicinal plants to treat their offspring for disease, and that some species of milkweed, the larva's food plants, can reduce parasite infection in the monarchs. The research also found that infected female butterflies prefer to lay their eggs on plants that will make their offspring less sick, suggesting that monarchs have evolved the ability to medicate their offspring. ... > full story
Gene linked to drug resistance in malaria pinpointed (October 12, 2010) -- Scientists have shed light on how malaria is able to resist treatment with a leading drug. Researchers have identified a gene that enables the parasite that causes the infection to resist treatment with the plant-based remedy artemisinin. ... > full story
Nanoscopic particles resist full encapsulation, simulations show (October 12, 2010) -- It may seem obvious that dunking relatively spherical objects in a sauce -- blueberries in melted chocolate, say -- will result in an array of completely encapsulated berries. Relying on that concept, fabricators of spherical nanoparticles have similarly dunked their wares in protective coatings in the belief such encapsulations would prevent clumping and unwanted chemical interactions with solvents. Unfortunately, reactions in the nanoworld are not logical extensions of the macroworld, researchers have found. ... > full story
Breast-healthy lifestyle worthwhile, study confirms (October 12, 2010) -- Having a family history of breast cancer can lead some people to wonder if their risk is out of their control. However, a study of more than 85,000 postmenopausal women observed that regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking less alcohol lowers breast cancer risk for women with, and without a family history of the disease. ... > full story
Pediatric hospitalizations for ATV-related injuries more than double (October 12, 2010) -- All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are associated with a significant and increasing number of hospitalizations for children in the US, according to a new report. Over a nine-year period (1997-2006) hospitalizations for ATV injuries increased 150 percent among youth younger than 18 years, with important demographic variations. ... > full story
Personal genetic profiling services lack evidence for claims (October 12, 2010) -- Direct-to-consumer personal genetic profiling services that claim to predict people's health risks by analyzing their DNA are often inconclusive and companies that sell them should provide better information about the evidence on which the results are based, say researchers. ... > full story
Giant star goes supernova and is smothered by its own dust (October 12, 2010) -- A giant star in a faraway galaxy recently ended its life with a dust-shrouded whimper instead of the more typical bang. Researchers suspect that this odd event -- the first one of its kind ever viewed by astronomers -- was more common early in the universe. ... > full story
How immune response in pregnancy may lead to brain dysfunction in offspring (October 12, 2010) -- A pregnant woman's immune response to viral infections may induce subtle neurological changes in the unborn child that can lead to an increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders including schizophrenia and autism. Research provides new insights into how this may happen and suggests potential strategies for reducing this risk. ... > full story
New clues to origin of diabetes: Mutant gene protein can derail normal insulin production in animal pancreatic beta cells (October 12, 2010) -- Scientists have identified events inside insulin-producing pancreatic cells that set the stage for a neonatal form of non-autoimmune type 1 diabetes, and may play a role in type 2 diabetes as well. The results point to a potential target for drugs. ... > full story
Hope for a new treatment for bone cancer: Can 'friendly' bacteria kill cancer cells? (October 12, 2010) -- Children and young people who are diagnosed with bone cancer could benefit from better treatment in the future, thanks to new research that is testing a theory that 'friendly bacteria' can be used to kill bone cancer cells. ... > full story
Large Hadron Collider used to recreate miniature version of beginning of Universe (October 12, 2010) -- Researchers used Einstein's famous E=mc2 equation and the Large Hadron Collider to recreate a miniature version of the event at the origins of our Universe, and the first findings from their work have just been published. ... > full story
Traditional health practices popular among older people who choose not to have flu vaccine (October 12, 2010) -- Eating steamed pears and being rubbed with a coin are just some of more unusual indigenous health practices used by older people worldwide to ward off, or treat, influenza. Nurse researchers studied nine countries with different health care systems: the UK, Canada, Indonesia, China, Greece, Turkey, South Korea, Brazil and Nigeria. They wanted to find out why so many were failing to meet the 75 percent annual influenza vaccination rate recommended by the World Health Organization. ... > full story
Whale poop pumps up ocean health (October 12, 2010) -- Whales carry nutrients, especially nitrogen, from the depths where they feed back to the surface via their feces. This waste strongly enhances productivity of fisheries, scientists have found. They've called their discovery a "whale pump," reversing the assumption that whales accelerate loss of nutrients to the bottom. This nitrogen input in the Gulf of Maine is more than the input of all rivers combined, 23,000 metric tons annually. ... > full story
Achilles' heel in aggressive breast tumors uncovered (October 12, 2010) -- In an unexpected twist, researchers find that the loss of a single protein, Nedd9, initially slows cancer formation but then makes the tumors that do arise more aggressive. The good news, though, is that the lack of Nedd9 also makes the aggressive tumors more sensitive to a class of drugs that are already used in the clinic. ... > full story
NASA mission to asteroid gets help from Hubble Space Telescope (October 12, 2010) -- NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of the large asteroid Vesta that will help scientists refine plans for the Dawn spacecraft's rendezvous with Vesta in July 2011. ... > full story
Step closer to drug treatment for cystic fibrosis? (October 12, 2010) -- New research may move scientists closer to a cure for cystic fibrosis, one of the most common fatal genetic diseases. ... > full story
Why it's hard to crash the electric grid (October 12, 2010) -- A new study shows why it would be hard for terrorists to bring down the US electric grid. ... > full story
New way to classify personality disorders proposed (October 12, 2010) -- New research is playing a key role in the effort to change the way mental health clinicians classify personality disorders. ... > full story
Bacteria grow electrical hair: Specialized bacterial filaments shown to conduct electricity (October 12, 2010) -- Some bacteria grow electrical hair that lets them link up in big biological circuits, according to a study in PNAS. The finding suggests that microbial colonies may survive, communicate and share energy in part through electrically conducting hairs known as bacterial nanowires. ... > full story
Too much light at night at night may lead to obesity, study finds (October 12, 2010) -- Persistent exposure to light at night may lead to weight gain, even without changing physical activity or eating more food, according to new research in mice. Researchers found that mice exposed to a relatively dim light at night over eight weeks had a body mass gain that was about 50 percent more than other mice that lived in a standard light-dark cycle. ... > full story
Neural pathways governing switching of fear responses in zebrafish identified (October 12, 2010) -- A new study on the behavior of the zebrafish has uncovered a key role for a region of the brain on the development of fear responses. The discovery provides valuable insights applicable to the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental illnesses. ... > full story
Better way developed to see molecules at work in living brain cells (October 12, 2010) -- By creating a better way to see molecules at work in living brain cells, researchers are helping elucidate molecular mechanisms of synapse formation. These studies could also help further understanding of how synapses go awry in developmental diseases such as autism and Fragile X syndrome. ... > full story
Natural nano particles en route to 'sick cells' (October 12, 2010) -- A new and rapidly growing discipline called physical virology studies viruses, which can be viewed as 'natural nanoparticles', from a physics perspective. A new article reviews fundamental insights and sketches a picture of possible medicinal applications, such as viral transport of specific substances to cells. ... > full story
Dogs showing separation-related behavior exhibit a 'pessimistic mood' (October 12, 2010) -- Many dogs become distressed when left home alone, and they show it by barking, destroying things, or toileting indoors. Now, a new study suggests that this kind of separation anxiety occurs most often in dogs that also show "pessimistic"-like behavior. ... > full story
Scientists turn snails into slug-like creatures (October 12, 2010) -- Biologists have re-shaped the body design of snails. Exposure to platinum results in the formation of an internal shell instead of the normal external shell. During embryogenesis of the freshwater snail a time slot of just one or two days determines whether the animals form an outer shell or not. Reprogramming of the direction of growth of the molluscs´ shell-generating tissue during this sensitive phase prevents the development of the usual convoluted shell. In lieu thereof a small hollow cone grows inside the body -- similar to whats happens in squids. ... > full story
How serotonin works: Findings point to new treatments for schizophrenia and depression (October 12, 2010) -- Scientists have shown for the first time that the neurotransmitter serotonin uses a specialized signaling pathway to mediate biological functions that are distinct from the signaling pathways used by hallucinogenic substances. The new findings could have a profound effect on the development of new therapies for a number of disorders, including schizophrenia and depression. ... > full story
Population change: Another big influence on climate change (October 12, 2010) -- Changes in population, including aging and urbanization, could significantly affect global emissions of carbon dioxide over the next 40 years, according to a new study. ... > full story
Physical symptoms prevalent no matter what stage of cancer including remission (October 12, 2010) -- Twenty-two physical symptoms associated with cancer -- symptoms often unrecognized and under-treated -- are prevalent in all types of cancers regardless of whether the patient is newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment or is a cancer survivor, according to researchers. ... > full story
Birds could signal mass extinction (October 12, 2010) -- The first detailed measurements of current extinction rates for a specific region have shown that birds are the best group to use to track the losses. The study also reveals Britain may be losing species over ten times faster than records suggest, and the speed of loss is probably increasing: the losses from England alone may exceed one species every two weeks. ... > full story
Screen time linked to psychological problems in children (October 12, 2010) -- Children who spend longer than two hours in front of a computer or television screen are more likely to suffer psychological difficulties, regardless of how physically active they are. ... > full story
Universe likes to form galaxies similar to the Milky Way (October 12, 2010) -- Galaxies like our own Milky Way formed easily and have also been the largest spiral galaxies in the universe for almost 4 billion years. ... > full story
Ibuprofen offers relief for many with migraine headaches (October 12, 2010) -- For many people suffering from migraine headaches, over-the-counter ibuprofen -- Advil and Motrin are well-known brands -- might be enough to relieve the pain. ... > full story
Invasive honeysuckle increase risk of tick-borne disease in suburbs (October 12, 2010) -- We often read about dreadful new zoonoses -- animal diseases that are now infecting people -- that have jumped species in distant parts of the world such as Asia or Africa and are now headed our way. But Missouri has its own new zoonoses, tick-borne diseases whose spread is encouraged by pest species such as white-tailed deer and invasive plants such as bush honeysuckle. In Missouri as in Africa or Asia, the loss of a biodiversity takes a toll in human health. ... > full story
Estrogen therapy may be associated with kidney stones in postmenopausal women (October 12, 2010) -- Use of estrogen therapy is associated with an increased risk of developing kidney stones in postmenopausal women, according to a new study. ... > full story
Future of electric cars? Running fuel cells on biodiesel (October 12, 2010) -- A smart diesel reformer and a tolerant fuel cell are the core components of a new type of electric power supply unit. Environmentally friendly and flexible, the unit could be a serious contender in the market for generators in electric vehicles and other applications. The power supply unit can run on biodiesel as well as regular diesel. ... > full story
Global carbon cycle: Tiny creatures may play a crucial role in mixing ocean nutrients (October 12, 2010) -- Studies of microscopic swimming creatures show that the fluid flow they produce is much more complex than previously believed, and leads to large scale stirring of oceans and lakes that could affect the global carbon cycle. ... > full story
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