ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Wednesday, November 24, 2010
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Making stars: How cosmic dust and gas shape galaxy evolution (November 24, 2010) -- Galaxy formation is one of the biggest remaining questions in astrophysics, one that's closer to being answered thanks to a combination of new observations and supercomputer simulations. ... > full story
Cancer: Thermotherapy as a chemotherapy alternative? (November 24, 2010) -- Using hyperthermia, engineering researchers unveiled a new method to target and destroy cancerous cells. The treatment uses hyperthermia to elevate the temperature of tumor cells, while keeping the surrounding healthy tissue at a lower degree of body heat. The investigators used both in vitro and in vivo experiments to confirm their findings. ... > full story
World first to provide building blocks for new nano devices (November 24, 2010) -- Scientists have made a major breakthrough that could help shape the future of nanotechnology, by demonstrating for the first time that 3-D molecular structures can be built on a surface. ... > full story
Too much of a good thing: Important mechanism in hormone-sensitive breast cancer uncovered (November 24, 2010) -- In two out of three breast tumors, extraordinarily high levels of the estrogen receptor ERalpha are found. Scientists have now uncovered a mechanism which causes this overproduction. This result might contribute to developing new strategies for fighting the most frequent type of cancer affecting women. ... > full story
Novel fuel cell catalyst lowers need for precious metal (November 24, 2010) -- A test performed in Copenhagen proves that a new catalyst might show the way to cheap and easy fuel cells. ... > full story
Dealt a bad hand: Pathological gamblers are also at risk for mental health disorders (November 24, 2010) -- Pathological gamblers are risking more than their money, they are also three times more likely to commit suicide than non-betters. A new study has shown these gamblers are also plagued by personality disorders. ... > full story
Bacteria help infants digest milk more effectively than adults (November 24, 2010) -- Infants are more efficient at digesting and utilizing nutritional components of milk than adults due to a difference in the strains of bacteria that dominate their digestive tracts. Researchers now report on genomic analysis of these strains identifying the genes that are most likely responsible for this difference. ... > full story
For HIV-positive patients, delayed treatment a costly decision (November 24, 2010) -- HIV-infected patients whose treatment is delayed not only become sicker than those treated earlier, but also require tens of thousands of dollars more in care over the first several years of their treatment. ... > full story
Developing countries often outsource deforestation, study finds (November 24, 2010) -- In many developing countries, forest restoration at home has led to deforestation abroad, according to researchers. The authors say their findings could have significant implications for ongoing efforts to protect the world's remaining forests. ... > full story
Hormone's crucial role in two anemic blood disorders (November 24, 2010) -- A hormone made by the body may be a potential therapeutic tool for the treatment of two anemic blood disorders -- beta-thalassemia and hemochromatosis. ... > full story
Monitoring wear-and-tear in helicopters, and also in hips, knees and ankles, too (November 24, 2010) -- A new technique, "bio-ferrography," can better diagnose diseases, determine drug efficacy, and ascertain the condition of orthopedic implants in our own fragile bodies, according to an expert. ... > full story
Depression may be both consequence of and risk factor for diabetes (November 24, 2010) -- Diabetes appears to be associated with the risk of depression and vice versa, suggesting the relationship between the two works in both directions, according to a new report. ... > full story
Human creativity may have evolved as a way for parents to bond with their children (November 23, 2010) -- Evidence from Disneyland suggests that human creativity may have evolved not in response to sexual selection as some scientists believe but as a way to help parents bond with their children and to pass on traditions and cultural knowledge, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Excess fructose may play role in diabetes, obesity and other health conditions (November 23, 2010) -- More and more people have become aware of the dangers of excessive fructose in diet. A new review on fructose indicates just how dangerous this simple sugar may be. ... > full story
Stability is first step toward treating ALS (November 23, 2010) -- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that eventually destroys most motor neurons, causing muscle weakness and atrophy throughout the body. There is no cure and the current treatment has only a moderate effect on the march of the disease, which typically kills within three to five years. Scientists now report an innovative approach to treating the most common form of familial ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. ... > full story
Saving our data from digital decay (November 23, 2010) -- An old-school alternative to digital storage has a modern spin that could save us from future information loss as technology changes and today's state of the art devices become tomorrow's museum pieces. ... > full story
Aerobic exercise may reduce excessive cocaine use (November 23, 2010) -- Aerobic exercise may protect against binge-like patterns of cocaine use, suggests a new study. Rats allowed access to running wheels self-administered less cocaine than did rats that were not. ... > full story
Early universe was a liquid, nuclei collisions at the Large Hadron Collider show (November 23, 2010) -- In an experiment to collide lead nuclei together at CERN's Large Hadron Collider physicists have discovered that the very early Universe was not only very hot and dense but behaved like a hot liquid. ... > full story
Discovery halts breast cancer stem cells (November 23, 2010) -- Breast cancer stem cells, the aggressive cells thought to be resistant to current anti-cancer therapies and which promote metastasis, are stimulated by estrogen via a pathway that mirrors normal stem cell development. Disrupting the pathway, researchers were able to halt the expansion of breast CSCs, a finding that suggests a new drug therapy target. The study was done in mice. ... > full story
DNA uncovers one of the world's rarest birds (November 23, 2010) -- Researchers have identified a new, critically endangered species of ground parrot in Western Australia. ... > full story
Hybrid tugboat cuts emissions (November 23, 2010) -- A new study of what is believed to be the world's only hybrid electric tugboat found that the vessel is effective in reducing emissions at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. ... > full story
Upper-class people have trouble recognizing others' emotions (November 23, 2010) -- Upper-class people have more educational opportunities, greater financial security, and better job prospects than people from lower social classes, but that doesn't mean they're more skilled at everything. A new study finds surprisingly, that lower-class people are better at reading the emotions of others. ... > full story
Flying snakes, caught on camera (November 23, 2010) -- New video analysis and mathematical modeling by engineers reveals how certain types of snakes can "fly" by flinging themselves off their perches, flattening their bodies, and sailing from tree to tree. ... > full story
High alpha-carotene levels associated with longer life (November 23, 2010) -- High blood levels of the antioxidant alpha-carotene appear to be associated with a reduced risk of dying over a 14-year period, according to a new report. ... > full story
Ultrathin alternative to silicon for future electronics (November 23, 2010) -- There's good news in the search for the next generation of semiconductors. Researchers have successfully used ultra-thin layers of the semiconductor indium arsenide to create a nanoscale transistor with excellent electronic properties. The technique could be applied to other III-V semiconductors for future high-speed, low-power electronic devices. ... > full story
Heart health: Implanted devices as effective in 'real world' as in clinical trial settings (November 23, 2010) -- Survival rates for patients with implanted defibrillators and resynchronization devices in the general population are similarly high as rates in clinical trial settings. Remote monitoring of the devices over a network is linked to improved survival odds. ... > full story
Fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria by treating municipal wastewater at higher temperatures (November 23, 2010) -- New findings by civil engineering researchers show that treating municipal wastewater solids at higher temperatures may be an effective tool in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. ... > full story
Eyeblink conditioning may help in assessing children with fetal alcohol exposure (November 23, 2010) -- Children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) are extremely difficult to diagnose, as well as treat. But new research indicates that eyeblink conditioning may provide a better model for assessing and diagnosing FAS in children. ... > full story
Astronomers find 'Rosetta Stone' for T-dwarf stars (November 23, 2010) -- Astronomers have discovered a unique and exotic star system with a very cool methane-rich (or T-) dwarf star and a 'dying' white dwarf stellar remnant in orbit around each other. The system is a 'Rosetta Stone' for T-dwarf stars, giving scientists the first good handle on their mass and age. ... > full story
New sleep cycle discovery explains why fatty diets during pregnancy make kids obese (November 23, 2010) -- The link between sleeping and obesity is drawn tighter as a new research shows that what your mother ate when she was pregnant may make you obese or overweight by altering the function of genes (epigenetic changes) that regulate circadian rhythm. ... > full story
The puzzle of biological diversity (November 23, 2010) -- Biologists have long thought that interactions between plants and pollinating insects hasten evolutionary changes and promote biological diversity. However, new findings show that some interactions between plants and pollinators are less likely to increase diversity than previously thought, and in some instances, reduce it. ... > full story
Risk of bleeding among patients taking two anti-platelet drugs (November 23, 2010) -- Dual antiplatelet therapy -- treatment with the medications clopidogrel and aspirin together to prevent blood clots -- poses a clinically significant risk of hemorrhage that should be considered before prescribing, according to a new report. ... > full story
Gene find could lead to healthier food, better biofuel production (November 23, 2010) -- Scientists have found the last undiscovered gene responsible for the production of the amino acid phenylalanine, a discovery that could lead to processes to control the amino acid to boost plants' nutritional values and produce better biofuel feedstocks. ... > full story
Nearly 25 percent of overweight women misperceive body weight (November 23, 2010) -- A startling number of overweight and normal weight women of reproductive age inaccurately perceive their body weight, affecting their weight-related behaviors and making many vulnerable to cardiovascular and other obesity-related diseases, according to new research. ... > full story
Cloud study predicts more global warming (November 23, 2010) -- Global climate models disagree widely in the magnitude of the warming we can expect with increasing carbon dioxide. This is mainly because the models represent clouds differently. A new modeling approach successfully simulates the observed cloud fields in a key region for climate. The study finds a greater tendency for clouds to thin with global warming than in any of the current climate models. This means the expected warming may be greater than currently anticipated. ... > full story
HIV drugs interfere with blood sugar, lead to insulin resistance (November 23, 2010) -- The same powerful drugs that have extended the lives of countless people with HIV come with a price -- insulin resistance that can lead to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Now, researchers have determined why that happens. ... > full story
Flexible wings driven by simple oscillation may be viable for efficient micro air vehicles (November 23, 2010) -- To avoid some of the design challenges involved in creating micro-scale air vehicles that mimic the flapping of winged insects or birds, researchers propose using flexible wings that are driven by a simple sinusoidal flapping motion. ... > full story
Divide and conquer strategy for childhood brain cancer (November 23, 2010) -- Medulloblastomas are the most common malignant brain tumors of childhood, with 40 to 50 percent overall mortality. One of the greatest challenges in treating them is that they vary substantially from patient to patient. In the largest genomic study of human medulloblastomas to date, researchers have identified six subtypes with distinct molecular "fingerprints" that will improve doctors' ability to direct and individualize treatment. ... > full story
'M8' earthquake simulation breaks computational records, promises better quake models (November 23, 2010) -- Researchers have developed the world's most advanced earthquake shaking simulation. The "M8" simulation represents how a magnitude 8.0 earthquake on the southern San Andreas Fault will shake a larger area, in greater detail, than previously possible, and advances the state-of-the-art in terms of the speed and efficiency at which such calculations can be performed. ... > full story
Exercising to piano music appears to help reduce falls among older adults (November 23, 2010) -- Introducing a music-based multitask exercise program for community-dwelling elderly people may lead to improved gait (manner or style of walking), balance and a reduction in the rate of falling, according new research. ... > full story
Lifeblood of leaves: Vein networks control plant patterns (November 23, 2010) -- New research may have solved the mystery of how leaf vein patterns correlate with use of sunlight, carbon and other nutrients. This knowledge could help scientists better understand the complex carbon cycle that is at the heart of global climate warming. ... > full story
How sunlight shapes daily rhythms (November 23, 2010) -- Fresh insight into how biological clocks adjust to having less sunlight in the winter could help us better understand the impact of jet lag and shift work. ... > full story
Uptake protein acts as zinc's doorway to the cell (November 23, 2010) -- A new study details how zinc, an element fundamental to cell growth, enters the cell via zinc-specific uptake proteins. ... > full story
New function of gene in promoting cancer found (November 23, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that a gene well known for its involvement in tumor cell development, growth and metastasis also protects cancer cells from being destroyed by chemotherapy. ... > full story
Cost effectiveness of ecological restoration demonstrated (November 23, 2010) -- New research provides evidence that ecological restoration can provide a cost effective response to environmental degradation. The research focused on the dryland forests of Latin America, and examined the cost effectiveness of ecological restoration techniques such as tree planting and forest regeneration. This was achieved using a novel research approach, which involved mapping the value of different benefits provided by these forests. ... > full story
Overweight primarily a problem among wealthier women in low- to middle-income countries (November 23, 2010) -- A new study finds that high body mass index (BMI) in developing countries remains primarily a problem of the rich. ... > full story
Researchers kick-start ancient DNA (November 22, 2010) -- Researchers recently revived ancient bacteria trapped for thousands of years in water droplets embedded in salt crystals. ... > full story
Normal cells transformed into 3-D cancers in tissue culture dishes (November 22, 2010) -- Researchers have successfully transformed normal human tissue into three-dimensional cancers in a tissue culture dish for the first time. Watching how the cells behave as they divide and invade surrounding tissue will help physicians better understand how human cancers act in the body. The new technique also provides a way to quickly and cheaply test anti-cancer drugs without requiring laboratory animals. ... > full story
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