ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Tuesday, August 19, 2008
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Aboriginal Kids Can Count Without Numbers (August 19, 2008) -- Knowing the words for numbers is not necessary to be able to count, according to new research. The study of the aboriginal children -- from two communities which do not have words or gestures for numbers -- found that they were able to copy and perform number-related tasks. The findings suggest that we possess an innate mechanism for counting, which may develop differently in children with dyscalculia. ... > full story
New Method To Overcome Multiple Drug Resistant Diseases (August 19, 2008) -- Many drugs once considered Charles Atlases of the pharmaceutical realm have been reduced to the therapeutic equivalent of 97-pound weaklings as the diseases they once dispatched with ease have developed resistance to them. But researchers have developed a method to get around one of the most common forms of resistance, thereby opening up some if not many resistant diseases to the reinvigorated fury of the medications that once laid them low. ... > full story
Plastics Suspect In Lobster Illness (August 19, 2008) -- The search for what causes a debilitating shell disease affecting lobsters from Long Island Sound to Maine has led one Marine Biological Laboratory visiting scientist to suspect environmental alkyphenols, formed primarily by the breakdown of hard transparent plastics. ... > full story
Study Examines Association Of Smoking With Hemorrhage After Throat Surgery (August 19, 2008) -- Smoking appears to be associated with an increased rate of hemorrhage in patients who undergo uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP, a surgical procedure used to remove excess tissue from the throat) with tonsillectomy (a surgical procedure in which the tonsils are removed), but not in those who undergo tonsillectomy alone, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of OtolaryngologyHead & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. ... > full story
New 'Electrifying' Theory: Analysis To Improve Superconducting Fault-current Limiters (August 19, 2008) -- A new theory could help build future superconducting alternating-current fault-current limiters for electricity transmission and distribution systems. The work identifies design strategies that can reduce costs and improve efficiency in a bifilar fault-current limiter, a new and promising type of superconducting fault-current limiter. ... > full story
When The Patient Can't Decide: Study Looks At Physician Perspectives On Surrogate Decision-making (August 19, 2008) -- Researchers led by Alexia Torke, M.D., of the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute Inc., studied how physicians treating patients who are unable to make medical decisions interacted with surrogate decision-makers. ... > full story
Molecular Sleuths Track Evolution Through The Ribosome (August 19, 2008) -- A new study of the ribosome, the cell's protein-building machinery, sheds light on the oldest branches of the evolutionary tree of life and suggests that differences in ribosomal structure between the three main branches of that tree are "molecular fossils" of the early evolution of protein synthesis. ... > full story
Immune Response To Human Embryonic Stem Cells In Mice Suggests Human Therapy May Face Challenge (August 19, 2008) -- Human embryonic stem cells trigger an immune response in mice, researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine report. The finding suggests that the effectiveness of human therapies derived from the cells could be limited unless ways are found to dampen the rejection response. ... > full story
Invasion Of Comb Jellyfish (August 19, 2008) -- In the waters surrounding Woods Hole, Massachusetts, the warty comb jelly, Mnemiopsis ledyi, lives out its days, bumping against eel grass and collecting small crustaceans with its sticky tentacles. The delicate creature, which resembles a small jellyfish without the stinger, is just another member of the food web here on the Western Atlantic coast. ... > full story
Landmark Sickle Cell Disease Trial To Investigate Unrelated Donor Marrow And Umbilical Cord Blood Transplants (August 19, 2008) -- More than 20 institutions are taking part in a first-ever Phase II clinical trial of unrelated donor marrow and umbilical cord blood transplants for severe sickle cell disease. If successful, the Sickle Cell Unrelated Transplant trial has the potential to extend a promising and possibly curative treatment option to more severely affected patients. Sickle cell disease affects more than 70,000 people in the United States. ... > full story
Towards Understanding Bluetongue Outbreaks (August 19, 2008) -- Scientists report the identification of a bluetongue virus strain that caused the northern European Bluetongue outbreak in 2006. Comparison of the virus strain with the sequences of other previously isolated strains showed that it originated in sub-Saharan Africa, rather than from vaccine strains or strains circulating in southern Europe. ... > full story
Biracial Asian Americans And Mental Health (August 19, 2008) -- Biracial Asian Americans are twice as likely as monoracial Asian Americans to have been diagnosed with a psychological disorder, UC Davis researchers report. ... > full story
Synthetic Molecules Could Add Spice To Fight Against Cancer (August 18, 2008) -- Seeking to improve on nature, scientists used a spice-based compound as a starting point and developed synthetic molecules that, in lab settings, are able to kill cancer cells and stop the cells from spreading. The researchers are combining organic chemistry, computer-aided design and molecular biology techniques in developing and testing pharmaceutical compounds that can fight breast and prostate cancer cells. The synthetic molecules are derived from curcumin, a naturally occurring compound found in the spice turmeric. ... > full story
Leishmaniasis Parasites Evade Death By Exploiting Immune Response To Sand Fly Bites (August 18, 2008) -- Cutaneous leishmaniasis, a disease characterized by painful skin ulcers, occurs when the parasite Leishmania major, or a related species, is transmitted to a mammalian host by the bite of an infected sand fly. In a new study, scientists have discovered L. major does its damage by not only evading but also by exploiting the body's wound-healing response to sand fly bites. ... > full story
New Robot Scouts Best Locations For Components Of Undersea Lab (August 18, 2008) -- Like a deep-sea bloodhound, Sentry -- the newest in an elite group of unmanned submersibles able to operate on their own in demanding and rugged environments -- has helped scientists pinpoint locations for two observation sites of a pioneering seafloor laboratory being planned off Washington and Oregon. Successful selection of the two sites is a crucial step in developing an extensive sensor network above and below the seafloor on the Juan de Fuca Plate. ... > full story
Toxoplasmosis Found More Severe In Brazil Compared To Europe (August 18, 2008) -- Newborns in Brazil are more susceptible to toxoplasmosis than those in Europe, according to a recent study. Researchers based in Austria, Brazil, Denmark, France, Italy, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom studied the disease's ocular effects in children from birth to four years of age. ... > full story
Extinction Most Likely For Rare Trees In Amazon Rainforest (August 18, 2008) -- Common tree species in the Amazon will survive even grim scenarios of deforestation and road-building, but rare trees could suffer extinction rates of up to 50 percent, predict scientists in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. ... > full story
Call For Better Protection Of Older People From Climate Change Impact (August 18, 2008) -- A new report calls on government and public authorities to take action to better protect older people from the future effects of climate change. ... > full story
Key Photosynthesis Step Replicated: Scientists Learn From Nature To Split Water Into Hydrogen And Oxygen (August 18, 2008) -- Chemists have used chemicals found in plants to replicate a key process in photosynthesis paving the way to a new approach that uses sunlight to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. ... > full story
1918 Flu Antibodies Resurrected From Elderly Survivors (August 18, 2008) -- Ninety years after the sweeping destruction of the 1918 flu pandemic, researchers have recovered antibodies to the virus -- from elderly survivors of the original outbreak. In addition to revealing the surprisingly long-lasting immunity to such viruses, these antibodies could be effective treatments to have on hand if another virus similar to the 1918 flu breaks out in the future. ... > full story
Why An Exciting Book Is Just As Thrilling As A Hair-raising Movie (August 18, 2008) -- Sharing of emotions in movies has been shown to depend on the fact that the same brain regions are activated in the observers when they feel an emotion and when they see someone else experience a similar emotion. We all know, however, that reading a book describing the same scene can be similarly gripping. A new study shows us why. ... > full story
Targeted Drug Therapy Found Effective In Patients With Common Form Of Immune-mediated Kidney Disease (August 18, 2008) -- The drug rituximab causes considerable kidney injury healing in patients with membranous nephropathy, a common form of kidney disease, according to a new study. The results suggest that this condition, previously destined to progress to kidney failure in 30-40 percent of cases, can actually be healed in some patients. ... > full story
Light Metals Against Bombs And Grenades (August 18, 2008) -- A cheap and simple structure made of aluminum can mean the difference between life and death the day the bombs go off. ... > full story
Prediction Markets Strong At Forecasting US Presidential Elections, Says New Management Insights (August 18, 2008) -- A case study of the 2004 US Presidential election by researchers at Yale shows that prediction markets are proving to be a strong forecasting tool, one that may have an impact in calling the current presidential contest between Democrat Senator Barack Obama and Republican Senator John McCain, according to the Management Insights feature in the current issue of Management Science. ... > full story
Potential Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Cure Found In Century-old Drug (August 18, 2008) -- A century-old drug, methylene blue, may be able to slow or even cure Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Used at a very low concentration -- about the equivalent of a few raindrops in four Olympic-sized swimming pools of water -- the drug slows cellular aging and enhances mitochondrial function, potentially allowing those with the diseases to live longer, healthier lives. ... > full story
Antidepressants May Impair Driving Ability, New Research Finds (August 18, 2008) -- People taking prescription antidepressants appear to drive worse than people who aren't taking such drugs, and depressed people on antidepressants have even more trouble concentrating and reacting behind the wheel. ... > full story
Trees, Forests And The Eiffel Tower Reveal Theory Of Design In Nature (August 18, 2008) -- What do a tree and the Eiffel Tower have in common? According to a Duke University engineer, both are optimized for flow. In the case of trees, the flow is of water from the ground throughout the trunk, branches and leaves, and into the air. The Eiffel Tower's flow carries stresses throughout the structure without collapsing under its own weight or being downed by the wind. ... > full story
India Continues To Progress In AIDS Vaccine Development Efforts (August 18, 2008) -- A second Phase I AIDS vaccine clinical trial in India was successfully completed, the Indian Council of Medical Research, the National AIDS Control Organization and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative announced. The results of the trial of an MVA-based AIDS vaccine candidate (TBC-M4), which was conducted in Chennai, indicated that the vaccine candidate had acceptable levels of safety and was well-tolerated. ... > full story
Robot Vehicle Surveys Deep Sea Off Pacific Northwest (August 18, 2008) -- The first scientific mission with Sentry, a newly developed robot capable of diving as deep as 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) into the ocean, has been successfully completed. ... > full story
Playing Video Games Offers Learning Across Life Span, Say Studies (August 18, 2008) -- Certain types of video games can have beneficial effects, improving gamers' dexterity as well as their ability to problem-solve -- attributes that have proven useful not only to students but to surgeons, according to new research. Skills transfer to the classroom, surgical procedures, even scientific thinking. ... > full story
Newly Detected Air Pollutant Mimics Damaging Effects Of Cigarette Smoke (August 18, 2008) -- A previously unrecognized group of air pollutants could have effects remarkably similar to harmful substances found in tobacco smoke, according to a new report. Inhaling those pollutants exposes the average person up to 300 times more free radicals daily than from smoking one cigarette, the researchers added, noting that the study could help explain why nonsmokers develop tobacco-related diseases like lung cancer. ... > full story
Engineers Build Mini Drug-producing Biofactories In Yeast (August 18, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a novel way to churn out large quantities of drugs, including antiplaque toothpaste additives, antibiotics, nicotine, and even morphine, using mini biofactories -- in yeast. ... > full story
Energy Storage For Hybrid Vehicles (August 18, 2008) -- Hybrid technology combines the advantages of combustion engines and electric motors. Scientists are developing high-performance energy storage units, a prerequisite for effective hybrid motors. ... > full story
Fruit Flies Provide Insight Into Bacterial Infections In Humans (August 18, 2008) -- Researchers have used a fruit fly (Drosophila) model of infection to provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying the virulence of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is a major cause of infections in individuals who are hospitalized, have burn wounds, or have cystic fibrosis. ... > full story
Climate Change Threatens One In Five Plant Species In Germany (August 18, 2008) -- One in five of Germany's plant species could lose parts of its current range, a new study reveals. Species distributions will be rearranged as a result of climate change; this could have a dramatic impact particularly on the vegetation in southwestern and eastern Germany. ... > full story
Study Examines The Psychology Behind Students Who Don't Cheat (August 18, 2008) -- While many studies have examined cheating among college students, new research looks at the issue from a different perspective -- identifying students who are least likely to cheat. The study of students at one Ohio university found that students who scored high on measures of courage, empathy and honesty were less likely than others to report their cheating in the past -- or intending to cheat in the future. ... > full story
Light Receptors In Eye Play Key Role In Setting Biological Clock, Study Shows (August 18, 2008) -- Biologists have discovered a switching mechanism in the eye that plays a key role in regulating the sleep/wake cycles in mammals. ... > full story
Safer Alternative To Heparin Created (August 18, 2008) -- Robert Linhardt has spent years stitching together minuscule carbohydrates to build a more pure and safer alternative to the commonly used and controversial blood thinner heparin. Now he has announced that his research team may have accomplished this task by building the first fully synthetic heparin. Their creation is the largest dose of heparin ever created in the lab. ... > full story
Massaging Muscles Facilitates Recovery After Exercise (August 18, 2008) -- Researchers testing the long-held theory that therapeutic massage can speed recovery after a sports injury have found early scientific evidence of the healing effects of massage. The scientists have determined that immediate cyclic compression of muscles after intense exercise reduced swelling and muscle damage in a study using animals. ... > full story
A Therapy For Baby Boomers To Sleep On: New Drug For Insomniacs Over 55 (August 18, 2008) -- If you're over 55 and have spent more than a few sleepless nights, you're not alone -- insomnia affects about half of all people over 55 -- but you may also be at increased risk for physical and mental ailments. ... > full story
Water Is No Passive Spectator Of Biological Processes: It Is An Active Participant (August 18, 2008) -- Researchers have been able to detect changes in the protein -- water network during protein folding in real time using kinetic terahertz absorption. ... > full story
Adults Easily Fooled By Children's False Denials, Study Finds (August 18, 2008) -- Adults are easily fooled when a child denies that an actual event took place, but do somewhat better at detecting when a child makes up information about something that never happened. These findings have important implications for forensic child sexual abuse evaluations. ... > full story
Olympic Swimmers Shattering Records In NASA-Tested Suit (August 18, 2008) -- Swimmers from around the world are setting world and Olympic records in Beijing this month and most are doing it wearing a swimsuit made of fabric tested at NASA. Among the Olympic gold medalists wearing Speedo's LZR Racer are Americans Michael Phelps -- who has now won more Olympic gold medals than any athlete in the modern era -- and Natalie Coughlin. Both had a hand in developing the skintight body suit. ... > full story
Experiments Could Lead To New Treatments For Neuroblastoma (August 18, 2008) -- Based on cell-culture and animal experiments, researchers believe they've found a critical weakness in neuroblastoma -- one that could lead to the development of a lifesaving therapy for victims of the cancer. ... > full story
Maelstrom Quashes Jumping Genes (August 18, 2008) -- Scientists have known for decades that genes called transposons can jump around the genome in a cell. This jumping can be dangerous, especially when it arises in cells that produce eggs and sperm. Although nature developed a mechanism to quash this genetic scrambling, how it works has remained a mystery. Now scientists have identified a key protein that suppresses jumping genes in mouse sperm and found that the protein is vital to sperm formation. ... > full story
Prototype Test For Predicting Clinical Outcome For Melanoma Patients (August 18, 2008) -- Investigators have developed a test to predict whether a patient will progress rapidly from Stage III melanoma to metastatic Stage IV cancer and death. More than 70% of patients with Stage III melanoma — melanoma that has spread to the lymph nodes — will typically have a rapid time to progression (TTP) to Stage IV melanoma, and pass away within five years of their diagnosis. ... > full story
Virtual Reality Gets Real (August 18, 2008) -- Up to now virtual reality has proved cumbersome as a design tool, but European researchers are finalizing a system that brings ‘virtuality’ to the wider world. ... > full story
Few Pharmacologic Treatments Of Cancer-Related Fatigue Available To Patients (August 18, 2008) -- There is limited evidence to support the use of methylphenidate and erythropoietin for the treatment of cancer-related fatigue in some patients, according to a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. ... > full story
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