ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Tuesday, November 16, 2010
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Novel ocean-crust mechanism could affect world's carbon budget and climate (November 16, 2010) -- Earth is constantly manufacturing new crust, spewing molten magma up along undersea ridges at the boundaries of tectonic plates. Now, scientists have observed ocean crust forming in an entirely unexpected way -- one that may influence those cycles of life and carbon and, in turn, affect the much-discussed future of the world's climate. ... > full story
Regular exercise reduces large number of health risks including dementia and some cancers, study finds (November 16, 2010) -- Regular exercise can reduce around two dozen physical and mental health conditions and slow down how quickly the body ages, according to a research review summarizing the key findings of 40 papers published between 2006 and 2010. ... > full story
Robo-op marks new world first for heart procedure (November 16, 2010) -- The world's first remote heart procedure, using a robotic arm alongside 3-D mapping, is due to take place. It comes six months after the first ever remote catheter ablation procedure using the Amigo Robotic Catheter System was performed. ... > full story
Smoking among some adults dropped dramatically in past three decades (November 16, 2010) -- Smoking among some adults dropped during the past three decades, with greater decreases among those with higher incomes and more education. Even those who continued to smoke dramatically reduced the number of cigarettes smoked per day. However, young women have started picking up the habit at an earlier age. Four unrelated studies found more results related to smoking's negative effects and the benefit of quitting. ... > full story
Robotic-assisted surgery appears safe for complicated pancreatic procedures (November 16, 2010) -- A study involving 30 patients suggests that robotic-assisted surgery involving complex pancreatic procedures can be performed safely in a high-volume facility, according to a new report. ... > full story
Functional MRI predicts outcome to talk therapy in children with an anxiety disorder (November 16, 2010) -- A brain scan with functional MRI is enough to predict which patients with pediatric anxiety disorder will respond to "talk therapy," and so may not need to use psychiatric medication, say neuroscientists. ... > full story
Light technology to combat hospital infections (November 16, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a pioneering lighting system that can decontaminate air and exposed surfaces in hospitals and other clinical environments. The technology decontaminates the air and exposed surfaces by bathing them in a narrow spectrum of visible-light wavelengths, known as HINS-light. ... > full story
New blood test may help predict heart failure in apparently healthy older adults (November 16, 2010) -- Researchers report that a new, highly sensitive investigative blood test may help predict the risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death much earlier than previously possible in older people who do not have symptoms of heart failure. The test for troponin T, a marker for heart failure, detected levels 10 times lower than previous tests in two-thirds of people without symptoms age 65 or older. ... > full story
Adapted MRI scan improves picture of changes to the brain (November 16, 2010) -- Standard MRI scans have so far been unable to produce satisfactory images of nerve bundles. However, this is now possible using an MRI technique called Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). A researcher in the Netherlands has succeeded in improving the DTI method, enabling him to produce more accurate images of the damage that radiotherapy and chemotherapy cause in young leukemia patients. ... > full story
Small assist device used in emergency case as twin, heart booster pumps for first time in US (November 16, 2010) -- Medical researchers recently implanted a patient with two of the smallest experimental ventricular assist devices currently available for study in humans. ... > full story
Tests show bright future for gadonanotubes in stem cell tracking (November 16, 2010) -- Gadonanotubes are beginning to show positive results. A new study has determined GNTs are effective in helping doctors track stems cells through the body by making them 40 times better than standard contrast agents used in magnetic resonance imaging. Contrast agents help doctors spot signs of disease or damage in MR images. ... > full story
Video game-based therapy helps stroke patients recover study (November 16, 2010) -- Repeated exercise, even in a virtual environment, helped stroke patients improve arm and hand function, according to a new human study of an interactive video game-based therapy. ... > full story
'Racetrack' magnetic memory could make computer memory 100,000 times faster (November 15, 2010) -- Imagine a computer equipped with shock-proof memory that's 100,000 times faster and consumes less power than current hard disks. EPFL Professor Mathias Kläui is working on a new kind of "Racetrack" memory -- a high-volume, ultra-rapid non-volatile read-write magnetic memory that may soon make such a device possible. ... > full story
More evidence that melanoma does not conform to the cancer stem cell model (November 15, 2010) -- Researchers have determined that most types of melanoma cells can form malignant tumors, providing new evidence that the deadliest form of skin cancer does not conform to the increasingly popular cancer stem cell model. ... > full story
Microsensors offer first look at whether cell mass affects growth rate (November 15, 2010) -- Researchers are using a new kind of microsensor to answer one of the weightiest questions in biology -- the relationship between cell mass and growth rate. Each microsensor is a small, suspended platform with a resonance frequency that changes as the cells on it grow heavier. Researchers tacked individual cells' masses and divisions over time and found that the cells they studied did grow faster as they grew heavier, rather than growing at the same rate throughout the cell cycle. ... > full story
Most heart attack patients are not taking preventive medications, study finds (November 15, 2010) -- Despite a high frequency of cardiac risk factors, patients without known coronary artery disease presenting with acute heart attacks, or ST-elevated myocardial infarction, are rarely on primary prevention medications, according to new study. ... > full story
New tech to help protect bridges, other infrastructure from scour (November 15, 2010) -- New technology allows engineers to assess the scour potential of soils at various depths and on-site for the first time -- which will help evaluate the safety of civil infrastructure before and after storm events. Scour, or erosion of soil around structures due to water flow, is responsible for a wide range of critical infrastructure failures -- from unstable bridges to the levees that gave way in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. ... > full story
Modern humans mature more slowly than Neanderthals did, analysis of teeth suggests (November 15, 2010) -- A sophisticated new examination of teeth from 11 Neanderthal and early human fossils shows that modern humans are slower than our ancestors to reach full maturity. The finding suggests that our characteristically slow development and long childhood are recent and unique to our own species, and may have given early humans an evolutionary advantage over Neanderthals. ... > full story
Umbilical cord cells may treat arthritis, studies suggest (November 15, 2010) -- Umbilical cord stem cells may be useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Animal and in vitro experiments have shown that mesenchymal stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood can suppress inflammation and attenuate collagen-induced arthritis. ... > full story
Healthy lifestyle has bigger impact on cardiovascular health than genetics, studies show (November 15, 2010) -- Is cardiovascular health in middle age and beyond a gift from your genes or is it earned by a healthy lifestyle and within your control? Two large studies confirm that a healthy lifestyle has the biggest impact on cardiovascular health. ... > full story
Danger of combining warfarin with herbal and dietary supplements revealed (November 15, 2010) -- Herbal and dietary supplements are popular. People claim they make their joints feel better, their bones stronger and their hearts healthier. But a recent study shows that many of these people may not realize their favorite supplement, mixed with prescription medications, may be putting their lives in danger, especially if they are taking warfarin -- a blood-thinning medication commonly prescribed to patients living with atrial fibrillation to lower their risk of stroke. ... > full story
Performing blood counts automatically (November 15, 2010) -- If a blood count is abnormal, a medical laboratory scientist has to manually perform a differential blood count analysis. This costs time and money. A computer-assisted blood cell analysis system has recently been launched on the market and does just this. ... > full story
Stomach hormone can fuel or suppress rats’ sugar cravings: Chemical associated with appetite also activates the brain’s pleasure center (November 15, 2010) -- Researchers have found that rats either seek out sweets or lose interest, depending on the action of a stomach hormone called ghrelin. Ghrelin is one of many chemicals in the body that tell the brain when to trigger hunger or fullness. ... > full story
NASA's Chandra finds youngest nearby black hole (November 15, 2010) -- Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have found evidence of the youngest black hole known to exist in our cosmic neighborhood. The 30-year-old black hole provides a unique opportunity to watch this type of object develop from infancy. ... > full story
Iron in coronary artery plaque is a marker of heart attack risk, say researchers (November 15, 2010) -- Plaque in a heart artery looks threatening, but cardiologists know that many of these buildups will not erupt, dislodge and block a vessel, causing a heart attack that can be fatal. Some will, however, and the challenge is to figure out atherosclerotic plaque that is dangerous and treat or remove it. ... > full story
New large squid found in southern Indian Ocean (November 15, 2010) -- A new species of squid has been discovered by scientists analyzing 7,000 samples gathered during a seamounts cruise in the southern Indian Ocean last year. ... > full story
Homeopathic consultations -- but not homeopathic remedies -- linked to benefits for patients, study finds (November 15, 2010) -- In a new study, researchers in the UK have found that homeopathic consultations -- but not homeopathic remedies -- are associated with clinically relevant benefits for patients with active but relatively stable rheumatoid arthritis. ... > full story
New standard proposed for supercomputing (November 15, 2010) -- A new supercomputer rating system has been developed. The rating system, Graph500, tests supercomputer ability to analyze large, graph-based structures that link the huge number of data points present in biological, social and security problems. The intent is to influence computer makers to build computers with the architecture to deal with these increasingly complex problems. ... > full story
Oxytocin and social contact reduce anxiety: Hormone may be less effective at relieving stress for isolated animals (November 15, 2010) -- Oxytocin reduces anxiety in stressed animals, according to new research, but only if they recover in the presence of a friend. ... > full story
Prehistoric winged reptiles 'pole-vaulted' into flight (November 15, 2010) -- Controversial claims that enormous prehistoric winged beasts could not fly have been refuted by the most comprehensive study to date which asserts that giant pterosaurs were skilled in flight. The study contradicts recent assertions that the creatures were flightless and explains how they took to the air. ... > full story
Alzheimer's disease inherited through maternal line, study finds (November 15, 2010) -- A family history of Alzheimer's disease significantly increases the risk for developing this disorder, but a new study suggests that which of your parents has the disease is very important. ... > full story
New DNA sequencing reveals hidden communities (November 15, 2010) -- A mug full of sand from an unassuming beach in Scotland has revealed a far richer and more complex web of microscopic creatures living within the tiny 'ecosystem' than have previously been identified. A new study shows how this was achieved using a new method that allows DNA sequencing for large samples of meiofaunal (small animals living in marine sediments). ... > full story
New treatment to overpower drug resistance in ovarian cancer (November 15, 2010) -- A new treatment kills ovarian cancer cells in a way that can break the resistance mechanism -- even in those resistant to cisplatin. Researchers found the drug (FTY720) had a potent effect in human ovarian cancer cells, even in those resistant to cisplatin, the most commonly used chemotherapeutic drug currently available for the treatment of ovarian cancer. ... > full story
Google queries and stock market volumes: Financial markets and Internet's 'swarm intelligence' linked, researchers find (November 15, 2010) -- Financial markets and the 'swarm intelligence' of the internet are linked, according to a new study that analyzed search engine query data. ... > full story
Bat brains offer clues as to how we focus on some sounds and not others (November 15, 2010) -- How do you know what to listen to? In the middle of a noisy party, how does a mother suddenly focus on a child's cry, even if it isn't her own? One researcher is turning to mustached bats to help her solve this puzzle. ... > full story
Quantum memory for communication networks of the future (November 15, 2010) -- Researchers have succeeded in storing quantum information using two 'entangled' light beams. Quantum memory or information storage is a necessary element of future quantum communication networks. ... > full story
Cystic fibrosis gene typo is a double whammy (November 15, 2010) -- Researchers have demonstrated that the gene mutated in cystic fibrosis not only controls traffic on the chloride highway, but also keeps the sodium highway from being overused. ... > full story
A new read on DNA sequencing (November 15, 2010) -- A new technique for reading the DNA code relies on a fundamental property of matter known as quantum tunneling, which operates at the subatomic scale. Single bases inside a DNA chain can indeed be read with tunneling, without interference from neighboring bases, pointing the way to low cost, rapid DNA sequencing, according to new research. ... > full story
DNA sequence variations linked to electrical signal conduction in the heart (November 15, 2010) -- Scientists studying genetic data from nearly 50,000 people have uncovered several DNA sequence variations associated with the electrical impulses that make the heart beat. The findings may pave the way for a greater understanding of the mechanisms for abnormal heart rhythms and sudden cardiac death. ... > full story
Nanoscale light sensor compatible with 'Etch-a-Sketch' nanoelectronic platform (November 15, 2010) -- Researchers have overcome one of nanotechnology's most daunting challenges by creating a nanoscale light sensor that can be combined with near-atomic-size electronic circuitry to produce hybrid optic and electronic devices. ... > full story
Less salt in teenagers' diet may improve heart health in adulthood (November 15, 2010) -- Small decreases in salt consumption among teens could reduce high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke in adulthood. Processed foods and fast foods, pose high salt hazards to families and teens. Researchers say food manufacturers should continue to reduce salt levels in their products. ... > full story
Embryonic stem cell culturing grows from art to science (November 15, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a fully defined culture system that promises a more uniform and, for cells destined for therapy, safer product. ... > full story
Use of mild painkillers in pregnancy linked to increased risk of male reproductive problems, new evidence shows (November 15, 2010) -- New evidence has emerged that the use of mild painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen, may be part of the reason for the increase in male reproductive disorders in recent decades. Research shows that women who took a combination of more than one mild analgesic during pregnancy, or who took the painkillers during the second trimester of pregnancy, had an increased risk of giving birth to sons with undescended testicles (cryptorchidism) -- a condition that is known to be a risk factor for poor semen quality and testicular germ cell cancer in later life. ... > full story
How diving leatherback turtles regulate buoyancy (November 15, 2010) -- Virtually nothing has been known about leatherback turtle diving strategies, but now scientists have discovered that leatherbacks regulate their buoyancy by varying the amount of air they inhale before they dive. Fitting nesting leatherbacks with triaxial accelerometers, temperature and pressure gauges, the team was able to make the first detailed recordings of leatherback turtle diving behavior. ... > full story
Synchronizing a failing heart: New hope and proven help for heart failure patients (November 15, 2010) -- One of the largest, most extensive worldwide investigations into heart failure conclusively proves that a new therapeutic implant synchronizes and strengthens a fading heart beat while reducing risk of death by 24 percent compared to the current treatment. ... > full story
Satellites provide up-to-date information on snow cover (November 15, 2010) -- The European Space Agency's GlobSnow project, led by the Finnish Meteorological Institute, uses satellites to produce up-to-date information on global snow cover. The new database gives fresh information on the snow situation right after a snowfall. Gathering this kind of information was not previously possible when only land-based observations were available. ... > full story
Light to moderate drinking linked to fewer heart problems in male bypass patients, study finds (November 15, 2010) -- Male heart bypass patients who drank light to moderate amounts of alcohol daily were less likely to require additional heart procedures or suffer a heart attack or stroke, compared to non-drinking patients. However, bypass patients whose hearts didn't pump blood effectively and women were more likely to require additional procedures or have a heart attack or stroke after their surgery. ... > full story
Extensive natural recovery after spinal cord injury uncovered in primate study (November 15, 2010) -- A new study shows unexpected and extensive natural recovery after spinal cord injury in primates. The findings may one day lead to the development of new treatments for patients with spinal cord injuries. ... > full story
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