ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Monday, October 25, 2010
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Discovery of taste receptors in the lungs could help people with asthma breathe easier (October 25, 2010) -- Taste receptors in the lungs? Researchers have discovered that bitter taste receptors are not just located in the mouth but also in human lungs. What they learned about the role of the receptors could revolutionize the treatment of asthma and other obstructive lung diseases. ... > full story
Gene mutation reveals new cause of rare neurological diseases (October 25, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a new cause of spastic ataxia, and believe this cause is also a trigger for other mitochondrial diseases – neurological disorders that can lead to serious coordination, growth, visual, speech, and muscle defects. ... > full story
Everglades show improvement in water quality (October 25, 2010) -- Researchers have published a report regarding the trends in water quality feeding into Everglades National Park showing that the overall levels of both nitrogen and phosphorus have declined since the 1970s. This indicates that the water quality is improving as a result of the restoration methods completed in the areas surrounding the park. ... > full story
Childhood cancer survivors face long-term risk of GI complications, study finds (October 25, 2010) -- People treated for cancer when they were children have a higher-than-average risk of gastrointestinal problems -- some mild, some quite severe -- in the years following treatment, according to a new study. ... > full story
Coccolithophore blooms in the southwest Atlantic (October 25, 2010) -- Researchers can now explain the formation of huge phytoplankton blooms off the southeast coast of South America during the austral summer (December-January). The region supports the highly productive Patagonian Shelf marine ecosystem, which includes a globally important fishery. ... > full story
Parent-only treatment may be equally effective for children who are obese (October 25, 2010) -- New research indicates that parent-only treatments for childhood obesity work equally as well as plans that include parents and child, while at the same time more cost effective and potentially easier for families. ... > full story
Bacteria gauge cold with molecular measuring stick (October 25, 2010) -- Scientists are offering a new answer for how bacteria respond to cold temperatures: They use a measuring stick. Their study finds the species Bacillus subtilis senses the cold with a specialized protein that measures the thickness of the bacteria's outer cell wall. The protein sends a signal when falling temperatures cause the cell wall to thicken. ... > full story
Peripheral induction of Alzheimer's-like brain pathology in mice (October 25, 2010) -- Pathological protein deposits linked to Alzheimer's disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy can be triggered not only by the administration of pathogenic misfolded protein fragments directly into the brain but also by peripheral administration outside the brain, according to a new study. ... > full story
Malaria research begins to bite: Molecular switches pinpointed in control of malaria parasite's life cycle (October 25, 2010) -- Scientists have pin-pointed the 72 molecular switches that control the three key stages in the life cycle of the malaria parasite and have discovered that over a third of these switches can be disrupted in some way. Their research is a significant breakthrough in the search for cheap and effective vaccines and drugs to stop the transmission of a disease which kills up to a million children a year. Until now little has been known about the cellular processes involved in the development of this deadly disease. The research involved the very first comprehensive functional analysis of protein kinases in any malaria parasite. It is also the largest gene knock-out study in Plasmodium berghei -- a malaria parasite infecting rodents. ... > full story
Virtual colonoscopy option could improve colorectal cancer screening rates, patient survey suggests (October 25, 2010) -- Providing computed tomography colonography -- otherwise known as virtual colonoscopy -- as an alternative to conventional colonoscopy could improve colorectal cancer screening rates, according to a new study. ... > full story
Falkland Islands radar study impacts climate research: New equipment will monitor activity which creates the ‘Southern Lights’ (October 25, 2010) -- Physicists and engineers have installed a radar system on the Falkland Islands to monitor the upper atmosphere activity which creates the 'Southern Lights'. The new radar joins a network of 22 such radars, the international Super Dual Auroral Radar Network or SuperDARN. Data from SuperDARN is made available across the internet in real time, monitoring the upper atmosphere to understand its link with the lower atmosphere, where our weather is, and the impact of the Sun's 'solar wind' on our environment. ... > full story
Parents experience difficulty with consent process in pediatric cancer trials, study suggests (October 25, 2010) -- Compared with adult cancer patients, parents of children with cancer were more likely to be dissatisfied with the informed consent process for participating in clinical trials, according to a new study. ... > full story
Even turtles need recess: Many animals -- not just dogs, cats, and monkeys -- need a little play time (October 24, 2010) -- Seeing a child or a dog play is not a foreign sight. But what about a turtle or even a wasp? Apparently, they play, too. New psychology research defines "play" in people and also in species not previously thought capable of play, such as fish, reptiles and invertebrates. ... > full story
Vitamin E in front line of prostate cancer fight (October 24, 2010) -- Survival rates of men with prostate cancer might soon be increased with a new vitamin E treatment which could significantly reduce tumor regrowth. ... > full story
Swine flu variant linked to fatal cases might disable clearing mechanism of lungs, study suggests (October 24, 2010) -- A variant of last year's pandemic influenza linked to fatal cases carried a mutation that enabled it to infect a different subset of cells lining the airway, according to new research. The study suggests that the mutant virus could have impaired the lungs' ability to clear out germs. The researchers said the findings highlight the potential for deadlier strains of flu to emerge and spread. ... > full story
New vision correction options for baby boomers (October 24, 2010) -- Researchers have reported results of clinical research on new presbyopia treatments now available in Europe, and possibly available soon in the United States. ... > full story
Atomic-level manufacturing: Manufacturing with every atom in its proper place may be coming soon (October 24, 2010) -- The long-held dream of creating atomically precise 3-D structures in a manufacturing environment is approaching reality, according to the top scientist at a Texas company making tools aimed at that ambitious goal. ... > full story
Candy culture: Cashing in on Halloween (October 24, 2010) -- The average American will spend .28 on Halloween this year. Second only to costumes, candy eats up the largest chunk of this budget with American families spending an average of each Halloween on confections. When trick-or-treating entered the American scene in the 1920s, neighbors gave children items like apples, pastries, breads and even money. So why, 40 years later, are there billion in candy sales each Halloween? How has food marketing taken over this tradition? ... > full story
Mathematical model helps marathoners pace themselves to a strong finish (October 24, 2010) -- Most marathon runners know they need to consume carbohydrates before and during a race, but many don't have a good fueling strategy. Now, one dedicated marathoner has taken a more rigorous approach to calculating just how much carbohydrate a runner needs to fuel him or herself through 26.2 miles, and what pace that runner can reasonably expect to sustain. ... > full story
Major component in turmeric enhance effect of chemotherapy drug in head and neck cancer (October 24, 2010) -- Curcumin, the major component in the spice turmeric, when combined with the drug cisplatin enhances the chemotherapy's suppression of head and neck cancer cell growth, researchers have found. ... > full story
Electron billiards in nanoscale circuits (October 24, 2010) -- In solar cells, solar radiation boosts electrons to higher energy states, thereby releasing them from their atomic bonds as electricity begins to flow. Scientists have now developed a novel method to analyze the way photogenerated electrons move in the smallest photodetectors. ... > full story
Change in how paramedics use oxygen could reduce deaths (October 24, 2010) -- A change to the way paramedics use oxygen when treating patients with chronic lung disease could cut the death rate in these cases by up to 78 percent, according to a new study. ... > full story
Largest parity violation and other adventures in table-top physics: Atomic experiments push boundary of known physical world (October 24, 2010) -- Exploring the fundamental laws of physics has often required huge accelerators and particles colliding at high energies. But table-top experiments, usually employing exquisitely tuned lasers and sensitive detectors, have also achieved the precision necessary for exploring the basic laws of physics at the heart of relativity and quantum mechanics. ... > full story
Generous paupers and stingy princes? Power and consumer spending (October 24, 2010) -- How do people decide how much to spend on purchases for themselves versus others? A new study says it all depends on how powerful we feel at the moment of choice. ... > full story
Dad's weight and diet linked to offspring's risk of diabetes (October 24, 2010) -- Medical researchers have for the first time shown a link between a father's weight and diet at the time of conception and an increased risk of diabetes in their offspring. The finding is the first in any species to show that paternal exposure to a high-fat diet initiates progression to metabolic disease in the next generation. ... > full story
Simple blood test helps predict chronic kidney disease (October 24, 2010) -- Measuring three biomarkers in a single blood sample may improve physicians' ability to identify patients at high risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a new study. ... > full story
Evidence is weak for tropical rainforest 65 million years ago in Africa's low latitudes, paleobotanist says (October 24, 2010) -- Central Africa 65 million years ago was a low-elevation tropical belt, but still undetermined is whether the region's mammals lived beneath a lush rainforest canopy. Evidence is weak and unconvincing, says a paleobotanist. A review of the literature shows Cenozoic paleobotanical data for Africa are generally meager and uneven, and fossil pollen from Central and West Africa provide no definitive evidence for communities of rainforest trees. ... > full story
Adiponectin shows potential in blocking obesity-related carcinogenesis (October 24, 2010) -- Researchers investigated the role between adiponectin and leptin in obesity-related carcinogenesis. Their findings suggest that the protein hormone adiponectin has potential for inhibiting the oncogenic actions of leptin, namely in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and could offer a promising therapy for the disease. ... > full story
New nano techniques integrate electron gas-producing oxides with silicon (October 24, 2010) -- In cold weather, many children can't resist breathing onto a window and writing in the condensation. Now imagine the window as an electronic device platform, the condensation as a special conductive gas, and the letters as lines of nanowires. Researchers have demonstrated methods to harness essentially this concept for broad applications in nanoelectronic devices, such as next-generation memory or tiny transistors. ... > full story
Cash is healthier? Credit and debit increase impulsive food purchases (October 24, 2010) -- People are more likely to buy unhealthy foods when they pay using credit or debit cards, according to a new study. ... > full story
A new way to weigh planets (October 23, 2010) -- Astronomers have developed a new way to weigh the planets in our solar system -- using radio signals from the small spinning stars called pulsars. ... > full story
'Lubricin' molecule discovered to reduce cartilage wear (October 23, 2010) -- A team of researchers in North Carolina has discovered that lubricin, a synovial fluid glycoprotein, reduces wear to bone cartilage, a result that has implications for the treatment of osteoarthritis. ... > full story
Efforts underway to rescue vulnerable bananas, giant swamp taro, other Pacific Island crops (October 23, 2010) -- Hoping to save the vulnerable varieties of bananas painted by the artist Paul Gauguin, rare coconuts, and 1,000 other unique varieties of staple fruit and vegetable crops across the Pacific, crop specialists from nine islands have launched a major effort to preserve the indigenous diversity of foods that are deemed critical to combating diet-related health problems. ... > full story
Factor boosting leukemia's aggressiveness identified (October 23, 2010) -- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells survive and thrive not just by their own innate wiles, but by also acquiring aid and support from host cells in their surrounding environment. In a new study, researchers identify a particular relationship that can promote notably aggressive leukemias and lymphomas. ... > full story
Nanotube thermopower: Efforts to store energy in carbon nanotubes (October 23, 2010) -- Researchers from Massachusetts have found a way to store energy in thin carbon nanotubes by adding fuel along the length of the tube, chemical energy, which can later be turned into electricity by heating one end of the nanotubes. ... > full story
Authoritarian behaviour leads to insecure people, Spanish study finds (October 23, 2010) -- Researchers have identified the effects of the way parents bring up their children on social structure in Spain. Their conclusions show that punishment, deprivation and strict rules impact on a family's self esteem. ... > full story
Scientists open electrical link to living cells (October 23, 2010) -- The Terminator. The Borg. The Six Million Dollar Man. Science fiction is ripe with biological beings armed with artificial capabilities. In reality, however, the clunky connections between living and non-living worlds often lack a clear channel for communication. Now scientists have designed an electrical link to living cells engineered to shuttle electrons across a cell's membrane. This direct channel could yield cells that can read and respond to electronic signals, or efficiently transfer sunlight into electricity. ... > full story
Risk gene for severe heart disease discovered (October 23, 2010) -- A common variant of the cardiovascular heat shock protein gene, HSPB7, was found to increase risk for dilated cardiomyopathy by almost 50 percent. ... > full story
First implanted device to treat balance disorder developed (October 23, 2010) -- A University of Washington Medical Center patient is the world's first recipient of a device that aims to quell the disabling vertigo associated with Meniere's disease. The clinicians who developed the implantable device hope that success in a 10-person surgical trial of Meniere's patients will lead to exploration of its usefulness against other common balance disorders that torment millions of people worldwide. ... > full story
Risk markers for Alzheimer’s disease (October 23, 2010) -- Many proposed drugs for Alzheimer’s disease have been tested, but have not proved good enough. The reason could be because they have been tested on patients who have already developed dementia. At this point it could be too late to start medication, because the disease is now believed to begin decades before a patient displays clear symptoms. So how can we identify the patients who do not yet have Alzheimer’s, but who are at high risk of developing the disease? ... > full story
Short-range scattering in quantum dots: Discovery advances novel devices (October 23, 2010) -- Chinese researchers have described a new breakthrough in understanding the way electrons travel around quantum dots. This might lead to promising new fabrication methods of novel quantum devices. ... > full story
Airbags reduce risk of kidney injury in car crashes, study finds (October 23, 2010) -- Occupants in motor vehicles with airbags are much less likely to suffer kidney or renal damage in a crash than are occupants in vehicles without airbags, according to a new study. ... > full story
Sound of the underground: New acoustic early warning system for landslide prediction (October 23, 2010) -- A new type of sound sensor system has been developed to predict the likelihood of a landslide. Thought to be the first system of its kind in the world, it works by measuring and analyzing the acoustic behavior of soil to establish when a landslide is imminent so preventative action can be taken. ... > full story
Origin of immune cells in the brain discovered: Could lead to new treatments for degenerative brain diseases, autoimmune disorders (October 23, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that microglia, the immune cells that reside in the brain, have a unique origin and are formed shortly after conception. It was previously thought that microglia originated at the same time as macrophages, which are other immune cells that are thought to develop at birth. This groundbreaking discovery has the potential to lead to future treatments of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. ... > full story
NOAA lists population of spotted seals as threatened (October 23, 2010) -- NOAA has listed the southern distinct population segment (DPS) of the spotted seal as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, strictly regulating importation of the animal or its parts into the U.S. ... > full story
Progress in the development of new Parkinson’s drugs (October 23, 2010) -- The side effects of the standard medication for Parkinson's disease have long been a preoccupation of brain researchers. Now a researcher in Sweden has presented new findings that provide hope of more effective medication for those who suffer from the nerve cell disease. ... > full story
Chemical engineers use gold to discover breakthrough for creating biorenewable chemicals (October 23, 2010) -- Chemical engineers have uncovered the key features that control the high reactivity of gold nanoparticles in a process that oxidizes alcohols in water. The research is an important first step in unlocking the potential of using metal catalysts for developing biorenewable chemicals. The scientific discovery could one day serve as the foundation for creating a wide range of consumer products from biorenewable carbon feedstocks, as opposed to the petroleum-based chemicals currently being used as common building blocks for commodities such as cosmetics, plastics, pharmaceuticals and fuels. ... > full story
Partners who had powerful faces in college lead profitable law firms, study finds (October 23, 2010) -- Law firms are more profitable when they are led by managing partners who have faces that look powerful, according to a new study. ... > full story
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