ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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Why Wind Turbines Can Mean Death For Bats (August 26, 2008) -- Power-generating wind turbines have long been recognized as a potentially life-threatening hazard for birds. But at most wind facilities, bats actually die in much greater numbers. Now, researchers think they know why. ... > full story
Breastfeeding, Other Factors May Affect Risk Of Breast Cancer Type (August 26, 2008) -- Factors such as age at menopause as well as a woman's breastfeeding practices can influence her risk of developing certain types of breast cancer. ... > full story
Drought-tolerant Corn Developed (August 26, 2008) -- At the end of the day, drought tolerance in corn has to equate to good yields and good quality, not just good looks, said a Texas AgriLife Research scientist. Corn breeders are working with crosses between temperate and tropically adapted varieties of corn to find a drought-tolerant plant that performs well under reduced irrigation. ... > full story
Stem Cells Stand Up For Themselves (August 26, 2008) -- Adult stem cells are not pampered pushovers. O'Reilly et al. report in the Aug. 25 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology that certain stem cells take charge of their surroundings, molding their environment to control their division and differentiation. ... > full story
Building A Stronger Roof Over Your Head: 'Three Little Pigs' Project Begins First Tests (August 26, 2008) -- This week, inaugural tests at The University of Western Ontario's 'Three Little Pigs' project at the Insurance Research Lab for Better Homes will get underway. This facility is the first of its kind in the world to subject full-scale houses to pressures that simulate the effects of winds as strong as a category 5 hurricane -- or 200 mph -- all within a controlled environment. ... > full story
80 Percent Of Adolescents Who Play Sports Don't Smoke, Spanish Study Finds (August 26, 2008) -- A research work carried out in sample of adolescents aged between 13 and 18 from Granada, Madrid, Murcia, Santander and Zaragoza has analysed the relationship between sport activity and tobacco consumption. According to this work, 59.2 percent of the Spanish adolescents are physically active, although there are significant differences according to sex (71.1 percent of boys, as against 46.7 percent of girls). ... > full story
Cells In Eye Could Help Control Sleep (August 26, 2008) -- A set of nerve cells in the eye control our levels of sleepiness according to the brightness of our surroundings, Oxford University researchers have discovered. The cells directly regulate the activity of sleep centers in the brain, providing a new target for the development of drugs to control sleep and alertness. ... > full story
Drug-radiation Combo May Help Shrink Established Tumors (August 26, 2008) -- Researchers may be closer to understanding why anti-cancer drugs such as Ipilimumab, which boost the tumor-killing power of immune cells, haven't fared well in clinical trials. The new study, which describes a way to enhance the ability of these drugs to shrink well-established tumors, will be published online on Aug. 25 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. ... > full story
'Best Hope At Sustainable Fisheries' Short-changed By Conservation Efforts, Researchers Argue (August 26, 2008) -- Small scale fisheries produce as much annual catch for human consumption and use less than one-eighth the fuel as their industrial counterparts, but they are dealt a double-whammy by well-intentioned eco-labelling initiatives and ill-conceived fuel subsidies, according to a University of British Columbia study. ... > full story
Inhibitors Of The Molecule PI3K Throw One Form Of Leukemia A CurveB-ALL (August 26, 2008) -- Some cases of a form of leukemia known as pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B-ALL) are caused by a genetic event that leads to the generation of a rogue chromosome known as the Philadelphia (Ph) chomosome, and individuals with Ph+ pre-B-ALL tend to have a poor outlook. As current treatments for Ph+ pre-B-ALL are not very effective, researchers are looking for new drugs to combat this disease. ... > full story
Animals Adapt Their Vocal Signals To Social Situations (August 26, 2008) -- A special August issue of the Journal of Comparative Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association, presents a host of studies that investigate the way that animals adapt their calls, chirps, barks and whistles to their social situation. ... > full story
75 Percent Of Athletes' Parents Let Their Child Skip Exams For A Game (August 26, 2008) -- Three quarters of parents of young athletes let their child forgo an exam for an important game, a new study conducted at the University of Haifa has found. In comparison, only 47 percent of parents of young musicians will agree to their child choosing a performance over an exam. ... > full story
Monkeys Enjoy Giving To Others, Study Finds (August 25, 2008) -- Researchers have shown capuchin monkeys, just like humans, find giving to be a satisfying experience. This finding comes on the coattails of a recent imaging study in humans that documented activity in reward centers of the brain after humans gave to charity. Empathy in seeing the pleasure of another's fortune is thought to be the impetus for sharing, a trait this study shows transcends primate species. ... > full story
New Hope For Stroke Patients: Reversing Stroke Damage By Jumpstarting Growth Of Nerve Fibers (August 25, 2008) -- If a stroke patient doesn't get treatment within three hours, there's not much doctors can do to limit damage. But now researchers report a technique that potentially could restore functions to patients weeks or even months after a stroke. The technique involves jumpstarting the growth of nerve fibers to compensate for brain cells destroyed by the stoke. ... > full story
Biologists Find Diatom To Reduce Red Tide's Toxicity (August 25, 2008) -- Scientists have found that a diatom can reduce the levels of the red tide's toxicity to animals and that the same diatom can reduce its toxicity to other algae as well. ... > full story
Women May Stop Anticoagulants After Blood Clots, Research Suggests (August 25, 2008) -- Women may safely discontinue oral anticoagulants (blood thinners) after 6 months of treatment following a first unprovoked venous blood clot (thromboembolism) if they have no or one risk factor, concludes a study of 646 participants in a multicenter prospective cohort study. ... > full story
Century-old Rule Of Chemistry Overturned -- Major Implications For Drug Delivery (August 25, 2008) -- A new study has challenged a century old rule of pharmacology that defined how quickly key chemicals can pass across cell walls. The new observations of the chemists suggest that the real transport rates could be up to a hundred times slower than predicted by the century-old "Overton's Rule." This could have major implications for the development and testing of many future drugs. ... > full story
How To Get A College Roommate You Can Live With (August 25, 2008) -- Anxious college freshmen can relax. No matter who will be sharing their dorm room, they have the power to make the relationship better, new research suggests. ... > full story
Anti-cancer Flower Power: Researchers Combat Cancer With A Jasmine-based Drug (August 25, 2008) -- Could a substance from the jasmine flower hold the key to an effective new therapy to treat cancer? Researchers have developed an anti-cancer drug based on a decade of research into the commercial applications of the compound Jasmonate, a synthetic compound derived from the flower itself. ... > full story
Gene That Causes Childhood Cancer Neuroblastoma Is Found (August 25, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered gene mutations that are the main cause of the inherited (familial) version of the childhood cancer neuroblastoma. In addition, the researchers found that the same mutations play a significant role in high-risk forms of non-inherited neuroblastoma, the more common form of the disease. Because drugs are already in development that target the same gene in adult cancers, researchers are planning clinical trials in children with neuroblastoma. ... > full story
'Can You See Me Now?' Sign Language Over Cell Phones Comes To United States (August 25, 2008) -- A group has demonstrated software that for the first time enables deaf and hard of hearing Americans to use sign language over a mobile phone. ... > full story
Study Reveals How Blood Flow Force Prevents Clogged Arteries (August 25, 2008) -- Machines on cell surfaces, mechanical and lifeless as bed springs, protect blood vessels by responding to blood flow force, according to research published today in the Journal of Cell Biology. By sensing and reacting to force, such machines interfere with inflammatory pathways central to atherosclerosis, the leading cause of heart attack and stroke. The next set of studies will seek to "tweak" the process with the goal of designing a new class of therapies. ... > full story
Air-purifying Church Windows Were Early Nanotechnology (August 25, 2008) -- Stained glass windows that are painted with gold purify the air when they are lit up by sunlight, experts have discovered. ... > full story
Study Sheds Light On Impact Of Terrorism On Adolescent Depression (August 25, 2008) -- In a study on adolescent depression following terror attacks, Professor Golan Shahar of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer-Sheva, Israel, and Professor Christopher Henrich of Georgia State University, report that social support experienced by these adolescents seems to protect against depression. ... > full story
How 'Secondary' Sex Characters Can Drive The Origin Of Species (August 25, 2008) -- The ostentatious, sometimes bizarre qualities that improve a creature's chances of finding a mate may also drive the reproductive separation of populations and the evolution of new species, say two Indiana University Bloomington biologists. ... > full story
Brain Study Could Lead To New Understanding Of Depression (August 25, 2008) -- Brain scientists have moved a step closer to understanding why some people may be more prone to depression than others. ... > full story
Elephant Legs Are Much Bendier Than Shakespeare Thought (August 25, 2008) -- Through out history everyone though that elephants walk on inflexible column like legs. But when John Hutchinson from the Royal Veterinary College saw champion Thai racing elephants hurtling along at almost 7 m/s, he knew something else must be going on. Filming captive Asian elephants in UK zoos, and comparing his results with Delf Schwerda's data on African elephants, Hutchinson has found that elephant legs are very springy and almost as flexible as trotting horses' legs. ... > full story
Diseased Kidney Surgically Removed Using 3-D Robotics Through Single Incision (August 25, 2008) -- For the first time in Michigan, a diseased kidney has been surgically removed at Henry Ford Hospital using highly sophisticated 3-D robotics through a single incision. ... > full story
Life Isn't 2-D, So Why Should Our Encyclopedias Be? (August 25, 2008) -- Biologists and biochemists are now able to access 3-D images of biomacromolecules underlying biological functions and disease. Rather than relying on text to provide the understanding of biomacromolecule structures, a collaborative Web site called Proteopedia now provides a new resource by linking written information and three-dimensional structural information. The wiki web resource, first described in BioMed Central's open access journal Genome Biology, displays protein structures and other biomacromolecules in interactive format. ... > full story
New Approach Needed To Tackle Child Abuse And Neglect (August 25, 2008) -- Leading child advocates have called for a new approach to tackling child abuse and neglect amid rising rates of abuse notifications and children being brought into state care. ... > full story
Bacteria Power: Future For Clean Energy Lies In 'Big Bang' Of Evolution (August 25, 2008) -- Bacteria may hold the key for our future. Amid mounting agreement that future clean, "carbon neutral," energy will rely on efficient conversion of the sun's light energy into fuels and electric power, attention is focusing on one of the most ancient groups of organism, the cyanobacteria. ... > full story
Newly Uncovered Cells May Be Critical In Psoriasis (August 25, 2008) -- Psoriasis, one of humanity's oldest known diseases, has also been one of its most misunderstood. But in a new study that could change researchers' perspective of the skin disorder and potentially lead to powerful new drug targets, scientists have found that the source of psoriasis may be a single population of inflammatory cells that act as instigators by priming the body's immune system for self-attack. ... > full story
Tahitian Vanilla Originated In Maya Forests, Says Botanist (August 25, 2008) -- The origin of the Tahitian vanilla orchid has long eluded botanists. The orchid is found to exist only in cultivation; natural, wild populations have never been encountered. Now, a team of investigators claims to have traced Tahitian vanilla back to its true origins. The researchers argue that Tahitian vanilla began its evolutionary journey as a pre-Columbian Maya cultivar inside the tropical forests of Guatemala. ... > full story
Operations Research Promises Continued Gains For HIV Treatment In Resource-limited Countries (August 25, 2008) -- In the past 10 years, the global campaign to expand treatment for millions of people with AIDS living in resource-limited countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, has gained substantial commitments in public and private financing, and has made major strides in making treatment available to those who need it. ... > full story
GOCE Earth Explorer Satellite To Look At The Earth's Surface And Core (August 25, 2008) -- The European Space Agency is about to launch the most sophisticated mission ever to investigate the Earth's gravitational field and to map the reference shape of our planet -- the geoid -- with unprecedented resolution and accuracy. ... > full story
M&Ms As Diet Food? 100-calorie Pack Misconceptions (August 25, 2008) -- Beware of mini-packs and mini-foods, especially if you're a dieter. Chronic dieters tend to consume more calories when foods and packages are smaller, according to a new study. ... > full story
Converting Sunlight To Cheaper Energy (August 25, 2008) -- Scientists are working to convert sunlight to cheap electricity. They are working with new materials that can make devices used for converting sunlight to electricity cheaper and more efficient. ... > full story
Key Allergy Gene Discovered (August 25, 2008) -- Scientists have pinpointed a major gene for allergic diseases. In genetically susceptible individuals the immune system becomes biased and produces IgE antibodies against harmless agents such as pollen, dust mites or animal hair. These IgE antibodies then work in conjunction with certain cells to get rid of the allergens, a process that gives rise to the symptoms of allergy such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever), atopic dermatitis or asthma. ... > full story
A New Biopesticide For The Organic Food Boom (August 25, 2008) -- With the boom in consumption of organic foods creating a pressing need for natural insecticides and herbicides that can be used on crops certified as "organic," biopesticide pioneer Pam G. Marrone is reporting development of a new "green" pesticide obtained from an extract of the giant knotweed. The research will be reported in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia. ... > full story
Anti-tumor Effects Are Enhanced By Inhibiting Two Pathways Rather Than One (August 25, 2008) -- Two independent research groups have found that simultaneous inhibition of two signaling pathways -- mTOR and MAPK signaling pathways -- results in substantially enhanced antitumor effects when compared with inhibition of either pathway alone in mouse models of prostate and breast cancer. ... > full story
Fast Quantum Computer Building Block Created (August 25, 2008) -- The fastest quantum computer bit that exploits the main advantage of the qubit over the conventional bit has been demonstrated. The scientists used lasers to create an initialized quantum state of this solid-state qubit at rates of about a gigahertz, or a billion times per second. They can also use lasers to achieve fundamental steps toward programming it. ... > full story
Healthy People And Enhancement Drugs (August 25, 2008) -- Healthy people are more willing to take drugs to enhance traits that are not fundamental to their identity. People's willingness to take a pill or drug depends on whether the trait the drug promises to enhance is one they consider fundamental. ... > full story
Tiny Cellular Antennae Trigger Neural Stem Cells (August 25, 2008) -- Scientists report evidence suggesting that the tiny cilia found on brain cells of mammals, thought to be vestiges of a primeval past, actually play a critical role in relaying molecular signals that spur creation of neurons in an area of the brain involved in mood, learning and memory. ... > full story
Alternative Vaccine Strategy Shows Promise In Prostate Cancer Patients (August 25, 2008) -- New research indicates that giving patients a continuous low dose of an immune system booster, a method known as metronomic dosing, as part of a therapeutic prostate cancer vaccine strategy is safe and produces similar immune responses and fewer side effects than the more common dosing method, which is not well tolerated by many patients. ... > full story
Archaeologists Lift Lid On Rare Roman Find (August 25, 2008) -- Archaeologists in the UK have discovered two rare Roman stone sarcophagi. The 1800-year-old sandstone coffins were uncovered at a dig on the site of former chapel and office buildings in Newcastle upon Tyne They are the first such find -- and arguably the most impressive -- in the area for more than 100 years. ... > full story
Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis: New Guidelines Developed For Physicians (August 25, 2008) -- Updated rules add new anti-arthritic drugs and proven combinations to the arsenal for treating rheumatoid arthritis. The RA guidelines, issued by the American College of Rheumatology, are the first update since 2002. They focus on several classes of anti-arthritic drugs, including disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and genetically engineered biologics. ... > full story
Researching Most Promising Carbon Dioxide Capture Technologies (August 25, 2008) -- A scientific research and development programme is being launched in Norway with the aim of generating more cost effective technology for CO2-capture. The project is one of the biggest of its kind to date. ... > full story
Starting Kindergarten Later Gives Students Only A Fleeting Edge, Study Finds (August 25, 2008) -- New research challenges a growing trend toward holding kids out of kindergarten until they're older, arguing that academic advantages are short-lived and come at the expense of delaying entry into the workforce and other costs. ... > full story
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