ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Thursday, August 21, 2008
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Most Black Holes Might Come In Only Small And Large (August 21, 2008) -- Black holes are sometimes huge cosmic beasts, billions of times the mass of our sun, and sometimes petite with just a few times the sun's mass. But do black holes also come in size medium? A new study suggests that, for the most part, the answer is no. ... > full story
Removing Tumors Through The Nose: Neurosurgeon Uses Smaller Openings To Reach The Brain (August 21, 2008) -- Dr. Edward Duckworth is part of a new generation of neurosurgeons who are making brain surgery a lot easier on patients. Rather than cutting out large sections of the skull or face, Duckworth is reaching the brain through much smaller openings. And in certain cases, he goes through the nose to get to the brain. ... > full story
Tailor-made Functional Garments For Olympic Horses (August 21, 2008) -- When the horses and competitors go through their paces at the Summer Olympics in Hong Kong in 2008, it will be very hot and very humid -- just as it is every summer there. Three special blankets will offer the Swiss teams' tournament horses some respite from the elements. When the animals move from their air-conditioned stables to the tournament venue, they will be protected from the brilliant sunshine by cooling covers. ... > full story
Surgery May Be Considered For Extreme Face Pain, New Guideline Says (August 21, 2008) -- A new guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology finds surgery may be considered for people who suffer from extreme, electric shock-like pain in their face and do not respond well to drugs. The guideline on treating trigeminal neuralgia is published in the August 20, 2008, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. ... > full story
Structure Of Gold Nanoparticles Solved (August 21, 2008) -- Researchers have solved the structure of gold nanoparticles. Results of the study may yield important advances in medicine, biomolecule research and nanoelectronics. ... > full story
Sports Stadiums Serve Alcohol To Minors And Intoxicated Fans, Study Suggests (August 21, 2008) -- In a novel study looking at the propensity of illegal alcohol sales at sports stadiums, researchers reported that nearly one in five people posing as underage drinkers, and three out of four seemingly intoxicated "fans" were able to buy alcohol at professional sporting events. They also found that location mattered: sales were more likely if the attempt took place in the stadium stands rather than at a concession booth. ... > full story
Study Identifies Protein That Produces 'Good' Fat: Finding May Lead To Ways To Treat, Prevent Obesity (August 21, 2008) -- A study by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center has shown that a protein known for its role in inducing bone growth can also help promote the development of brown fat, a "good" fat that helps in the expenditure of energy and plays a role in fighting obesity. ... > full story
Codeine Not Safe For All Breastfeeding Moms And Their Babies (August 21, 2008) -- Using pain treatments which contain codeine may be risky for some breastfeeding mothers, according to new research. The research suggests that the codeine used in some pain relief drugs can actually have harmful and even fatal results for infants when ingested by some breastfeeding mothers. ... > full story
Southampton Wind Tunnel Blows Gold In Beijing (August 21, 2008) -- Engineers using the University of Southampton's R J Mitchell wind tunnel have helped the British Cycling team win Gold in Beijing. ... > full story
Primary Care Health Consultations Can Be Cost-effective And May Help Reduce Cardiovascular Risk, Say Doctors (August 21, 2008) -- Primary care health consultations can be cost-effective and may help reduce cardiovascular risk, say doctorsNew research published today in Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, published by SAGE ... > full story
New Way To Build Data Centers: Use Commodity Network Elements (August 21, 2008) -- Computer scientists have proposed a new way to build data centers that could save companies money and deliver more computing capability to end-users. ... > full story
Education Needed To Decrease Teens' Misconception About Emergency Contraception (August 21, 2008) -- Targeted health education may help urban, minority adolescent women better understand how the emergency contraception pill works and eliminate some misconceptions about side effects, confidentiality and accessibility, according to a study by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. ... > full story
Strawberry-flavored Banana? Biochemists Manipulate Fruit Flavor Enzymes (August 20, 2008) -- Would you like a lemony watermelon? How about a strawberry-flavored banana? Biochemists say the day may be coming when scientists will be able to fine tune enzymes responsible for flavors in fruits and vegetables. In addition, it could lead to environmentally-friendly pest control. ... > full story
Low Level Cadmium Exposure Linked To Lung Disease (August 20, 2008) -- New research suggests that cadmium is one of the critical ingredients causing emphysema, and even low-level exposure attained through second-hand smoke and other means may also increase the chance of developing lung disease. ... > full story
Decline And Slow Recovery of Atlantic Salmon Illuminated With Tagging (August 20, 2008) -- For years scientists have struggled to understand the decline and slow recovery of Atlantic salmon, a once abundant and highly prized game and food fish native to New England rivers. Biologists agree that poor marine survival is affecting salmon in the US and Canada, but specific causes are difficult to determine in the ocean. Small acoustic tags and associated technology may provide some answers. ... > full story
Lack Of Tuberculosis Trials In Children Unacceptable, Experts Argue (August 20, 2008) -- Ensuring the involvement of children in the evaluation of tuberculosis treatment is critical as we move forward in developing effective responses to active and drug-susceptible tuberculosis, argues a new essay in PLoS Medicine. ... > full story
Simple And Secure Networked Home (August 20, 2008) -- Most people will only start to control equipment remotely in their homes when they believe it is simple and safe to do so. A newly developed control system provides personalized answers. ... > full story
Study Outlines Teens' Preferences And Trade-offs For Freedom From Acne (August 20, 2008) -- Teens report that they would pay about 5 to have never had acne, and are willing to pay considerably more to be acne-free than to have 50 percent clearance of their acne or to have clear skin with acne scars, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. ... > full story
Hubble Sees Magnetic Monster In Erupting Galaxy (August 20, 2008) -- The Hubble Space Telescope has found the answer to a long-standing puzzle by resolving giant but delicate filaments shaped by a strong magnetic field around the active galaxy NGC 1275. It is the most striking example of the influence of these immense tentacles of extragalactic magnetic fields, say researchers. ... > full story
Stem Cell Indicator For Bowel Cancer Should Lead To Better Survival Rates (August 20, 2008) -- Stem cell scientists have developed a more accurate way of identifying aggressive forms of bowel cancer, which should eventually lead to better treatment and survival rates. ... > full story
Dirty Smoke From Ships Found To Degrade Air Quality In Coastal Cities (August 20, 2008) -- Chemists have measured for the first time the impact that dirty smoke from ships cruising at sea and generating electricity in port can have on the air quality of coastal cities. The scientists report that the impact of dirty smoke from ships burning high-sulfur fuel can be substantial, on some days accounting for nearly one-half of the fine, sulfur-rich particulate matter in the air known to be hazardous to human health. ... > full story
Tracking A Crop Disease Could Save Millions Of Lives (August 20, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered why one of the world's most important agricultural diseases emerged, according to research published in the Journal of General Virology. Maize streak virus (MSV) causes the main virus disease of Africa's most important food crop. By comparing the genome of the virus to those of its less harmful relatives, scientists have discovered how and why MSV became a serious pest and spread so rapidly across Africa. ... > full story
New 'Catch-and-tell' Molecules Send Out Light Signals When They Catch Chemicals In Blood (August 20, 2008) -- Scientist have created 'intelligent' molecules. The new 'catch and tell' sensor molecules send out light signals when they catch chemicals in blood. ... > full story
False Memories Affect Behavior (August 20, 2008) -- Do you know someone who claims to remember their first day of kindergarten? Or a trip they took as a toddler? While some people may be able to recall trivial details from the past, laboratory research shows that the human memory can be remarkably fragile and even inventive. New research shows that it is possible to change long-term behaviors using a simple suggestive technique. ... > full story
Microorganisms That Convert Hydrocarbons To Natural Gas Isolated (August 20, 2008) -- When a group of University of Oklahoma researchers began studying the environmental fate of spilt petroleum, a problem that has plagued the energy industry for decades, they did not expect to eventually isolate a community of microorganisms capable of converting hydrocarbons into natural gas. ... > full story
Arsenic Exposure Could Increase Diabetes Risk (August 20, 2008) -- Inorganic arsenic, commonly found in ground water in certain areas, may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. ... > full story
Pesticide Build-up Could Lead To Poor Honey Bee Health (August 20, 2008) -- Honey bees industriously bring pollen and nectar to the hive, but along with the bounty comes a wide variety of pesticides, according to Penn State researchers. Add the outside assault to the pesticides already in the waxy structure of the hive, and bee researchers see a problem difficult to evaluate and correct. However, an innovative approach may mitigate at least some beeswax contamination. ... > full story
Infection Blocks Lung's Protective Response Against Tobacco Smoke (August 20, 2008) -- An infection that often goes undetected can block the lung's natural protective response against tobacco smoke, according to researchers at National Jewish Health. Mice exposed to tobacco smoke infected with the common lung pathogen Myclplasma pneumoniae fail to mount the protective antioxidant response in the lungs that mice do when exposed to tobacco smoke alone. The findings suggest one mechanism that may cause a minority of smokers to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. ... > full story
Chemist Travels World To Study Mysterious Properties Of Neutrinos (August 20, 2008) -- In the quest to better understand one of nature's most "ghostly" elementary particles -- the neutrino -- scientists at the US Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory are spreading their expertise from the mines of Canada to the mountains of China. ... > full story
Switching It Up: How Memory Deals With A Change In Plans (August 20, 2008) -- How do our brains switch so elegantly and quickly from one well-entrenched plan to a newer one in reaction to a sudden change in circumstances? ... > full story
Key Advance Toward 'Micro-spacecraft' (August 20, 2008) -- Fleets of inexpensive, pint-sized spacecraft are one giant leap closer to lift off. Researchers describe a new, razor thin temperature-regulating film that brings this sci-fi vision of "micro-spacecraft" weighing barely 50 pounds and 10-pound "nano-spacecraft" closer to reality. ... > full story
Critical Protein Complex In Formation Of Cell Cilia Identified (August 20, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a protein complex that regulates the formation of cilia, which are found on virtually all mature human cells and are essential to normal cell function. ... > full story
Researchers Uncover Attack Mechanism Of Illness-inducing Bacterium (August 20, 2008) -- An infectious ocean-dwelling bacterium found in oysters and other shellfish kills its host's cells by causing them to burst, providing the invader with a nutrient-rich meal, researchers have found. ... > full story
Silver Is Key To Reducing Pneumonia Associated With Breathing Tubes (August 20, 2008) -- People have long prized silver as a precious metal. Now, silver-coated endotracheal tubes are giving critically ill patients another reason to value the lustrous metal. Researchers now report that the silver-coated tubes led to a 36 percent reduction of ventilator-associated pneumonia. ... > full story
Can Biofuels Be Sustainable? (August 20, 2008) -- With oil prices skyrocketing, the search is on for efficient and sustainable biofuels. Research published this month in Agronomy Journal examines one biofuel crop contender: corn stover. Corn stover is made up of the leaves and stalks of corn plants that are left in the field after harvesting the edible corn grain. Corn stover could supply as much as 25 percent of the biofuel crop needed by 2030. ... > full story
Calculators Okay In Math Class, If Students Know The Facts First, Study Finds (August 20, 2008) -- Calculators are useful tools in elementary mathematics classes, if students already have some basic skills, new research has found. The findings shed light on the debate about whether and when calculators should be used in the classroom. ... > full story
Greenland Ice Core Reveals History Of Pollution In The Arctic (August 20, 2008) -- New research, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that coal burning, primarily in North America and Europe, contaminated the Arctic and potentially affected human health and ecosystems in and around Earth's polar regions. ... > full story
Bacterial Pneumonia Caused Most Deaths In 1918 Influenza Pandemic (August 20, 2008) -- The majority of deaths during the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 were not caused by the influenza virus acting alone, report researchers. Instead, most victims succumbed to bacterial pneumonia following influenza virus infection. The pneumonia was caused when bacteria that normally inhabit the nose and throat invaded the lungs along a pathway created when the virus destroyed the cells that line the bronchial tubes and lungs. ... > full story
Heads-up Study Of Hair Dynamics May Lead To Better Hair-care Products (August 20, 2008) -- From frizzy perms to over-bleached waves, "bad hair days" could soon become a less frequent occurrence. Chemists report the first detailed microscopic analysis of what happens to individual hair fibers when they interact with each other, an advance in knowledge key to the development of improved shampoos, conditioners and other products for repairing damaged hair, the researchers say. Their research will be presented in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia. ... > full story
'Point Of Care Diagnostics' In The Starting Blocks (August 20, 2008) -- Tracking down cancer at a very early stage, studying cell growth, developing new medicines: future lab-on-a-chip systems will use nanoscale electrical fields to enable the detection and manipulation of cells and biomolecules. ... > full story
New Speed Record For Magnetic Memories (August 20, 2008) -- An experiment carried out at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) has realized spin torque switching of a nanomagnet as fast as the fundamental speed limit allows. Using this so-called ballistic switching future non-volatile magnetic memories could operate as fast as the fastest non-volatile memories. The experiments are described in the next issue of Physical Review Letters (22 August, 2008). ... > full story
Magician's Hand: How Humor And Misdirection Can Manipulate Levels Of Attention (August 20, 2008) -- Two neuroscientists have studied how magicians mix humor into their performances because a laughing audience is unable to pay attention to the magician's hand. The study also determined that there are various levels of misdirection that magicians use to trick an audience. These insights, which were previously unknown to scientists, suggest that humor and misdirection can help manipulate levels of attention. ... > full story
Novel Method To Grow Human Embryonic Stem Cells Developed (August 20, 2008) -- The majority of researchers working with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) use animal-based materials for culturing the cells. But these materials could transmit viruses and other pathogens to the hESCs, making the cells unsuitable for medical use. Now a biochemist has devised a method of growing hESCs in the lab that uses no animal-derived materials -- an important advance in the use of hESCs for future medical purposes. ... > full story
Are Your Eyes A Window To Diabetes-related Health Issues? (August 20, 2008) -- Scientists are carrying out a unique study using the eyes to detect early signs of health problems which could lead to diabetes, and they’re looking for volunteers to help. ... > full story
Cataloguing Invisible Life: Microbe Genome Emerges From Lake Sediment (August 20, 2008) -- Scientists have taken a sample of Lake Washington mud and successfully sequenced a complete genome for an unknown microorganism. Their method provides a way to discover new microscopic life in complex communities. ... > full story
Alexander Technique Offers Long-term Relief For Back Pain (August 20, 2008) -- Alexander technique lessons in combination with an exercise program offer long-term effective treatment for chronic back pain, according to a new study. ... > full story
Green Catalysts Provide Promise For Cleaning Toxins And Pollutants (August 20, 2008) -- Tetra-Amido Macrocyclic Ligands are environmentally friendly catalysts with a host of applications for reducing and cleaning up pollutants, and a prime example of "green chemistry." Carnegie Mellon University's Terry Collins, the catalyst's inventor, believes that the small-molecule catalysts have the potential to be even more effective than previously proven. ... > full story
More Than 10 Percent Of Older Americans Suffer Mistreatment, Study Finds (August 20, 2008) -- About 13 percent of elderly Americans are mistreated, most commonly by someone who verbally mistreats or financially takes advantage of them, according to a University of Chicago study that is the first comprehensive look at elder mistreatment in the country. ... > full story
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