ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Wednesday, September 3, 2008
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Black-footed Ferrets Sired By Dead Males Via Frozen Sperm (September 3, 2008) -- Two black-footed ferrets at the Smithsonian's National Zoo have each given birth to a kit that was sired by males who died in 1999 and 2000. These endangered ferrets were artificially inseminated in May with frozen semen from the two deceased males, each giving birth on June 20 and 21 respectively. Successful inseminations with frozen semen are extremely rare -- until now only three black-footed ferret kits have been born from this method. ... > full story
Babies' Rapid Weight Gain Linked To Higher Blood Pressure As Adults (September 3, 2008) -- Babies who gain weight rapidly within five months of birth and from about ages 2 to 5 years have higher systolic blood pressure in young adulthood. Babies that are lighter at birth have higher systolic blood pressure as adults. Immediate weight gain after birth is associated with higher diastolic blood pressure as adults. ... > full story
Researchers Develop New Technique For Fabricating Nanowire Circuits (September 3, 2008) -- Applied scientists have developed a new technique for fabricating nanowire photonic and electronic integrated circuits that may one day be suitable for high-volume commercial production. ... > full story
Brain Imaging Links Chronic Insomnia To Reversible Cognitive Deficits Without Changes In Behavior (September 3, 2008) -- A neuroimaging study has found that cognitive processes related to verbal fluency are compromised in people with insomnia despite the absence of a behavioral deficit. These specific brain function alterations can be reversed, however, through non-pharmacological treatment with sleep therapy. ... > full story
New Methods To Protect Wind Generators During Voltage Dips Developed (September 3, 2008) -- A young researcher has put forward two protection techniques so that wind generators continue to be operative despite breaks in electricity supply. ... > full story
Risks And Benefits Of Antipsychotics In Children And Adolescents (September 3, 2008) -- New research illuminates the benefits and risks of antipsychotic medication in children and its impact on individual well-being, social, educational and/or vocational functioning, and disease burden. Scientists have pointed out the challenges that clinicians encounter in treating children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders, and discuss the requirements for starting antipsychotic treatment in clinical practice. ... > full story
Thousand-ruby Galaxy: Pinwheel Shines In The Darkness (September 3, 2008) -- ESO's Wide Field Imager has captured the intricate swirls of the spiral galaxy Messier 83, a smaller look-alike of our own Milky Way. Shining with the light of billions of stars and the ruby red glow of hydrogen gas, it is a beautiful example of a barred spiral galaxy, whose shape has led to it being nicknamed the Southern Pinwheel. ... > full story
Gene 'Network' Linked To Schizophrenia Pieced Together; Patients Confirmed To Carry Mutations (September 3, 2008) -- Researchers have uncovered for the first time molecular circuitry associated with schizophrenia that links three previously known, yet unrelated proteins. ... > full story
Baltic States Failing To Protect Most Damaged Sea (September 3, 2008) -- Nine Baltic sea states all scored failing grades in an annual WWF evaluation of their performance in protecting and restoring the world's most damaged sea. ... > full story
Periodic Limb Movement During Sleep Is Less Common In African-Americans; Associated With Insomnia (September 3, 2008) -- A study in the Sept. 1 issue of the journal Sleep is the first to objectively determine the prevalence of periodic limb movements during sleep in a population-based sample, finding a lower prevalence of PLMS in African-Americans and a higher rate of insomnia complaints in people with PLMS. ... > full story
Nuclear Shortcuts Exposed In U.S. Nuclear Fuel Facility (September 3, 2008) -- US regulators have ignored expert safety advice in an attempt to cut corners and fast track the completion of a billion nuclear fuel facility currently under construction near Aiken, South Carolina. The accusation is reported in The Chemical Engineer magazine, published by the Institution of Chemical Engineers. ... > full story
Bowling Alone Because The Team Got Downsized (September 3, 2008) -- The pain of downsizing extends far beyond laid off workers and the people who depend on their paychecks, according to a new study. ... > full story
Scientists Develop New Computational Method To Investigate Origin Of Life (September 2, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a new computational method that they say will help them to understand how life began on Earth. The method has the potential to trace the evolutionary histories of proteins all the way back to either cells or viruses, thus settling the debate once and for all over which of these life forms came first. ... > full story
Vaginal Proteins In HIV-resistant Prostitutes Suggest New Prevention Measures (September 2, 2008) -- Researchers in Canada report discovery of unusual proteins in a small group of Kenyan sex workers that appear to be associated with resistance to infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. ... > full story
Slowing Ships To Protect North Atlantic Right Whales (September 2, 2008) -- NOAA's Fisheries Service is seeking comment on the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Ship Strike Reduction Rule, which aims to reduce the number of endangered North Atlantic right whales injured or killed by collisions with large ships. ... > full story
Heavy Snoring Is An Independent Risk Factor For Carotid Atherosclerosis (September 2, 2008) -- Objectively measured heavy snoring is an independent risk factor for early carotid atherosclerosis, which may progress to be associated with stroke. The prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis, a leading cause of stroke, increases significantly with the severity of snoring. ... > full story
Why Did The Squirrel Cross The Road? (September 2, 2008) -- A study has shown that red squirrels can and do make use of special crossings set up over busy roads. This kind of bridge is usually installed at sites where there have been fatalities recorded but up until now no-one has collected any data to show whether or not they are actually used by the animals. ... > full story
Neurogenesis In Adult Brain: Association With Stress And Depression (September 2, 2008) -- Scientist have presented the latest findings on how brain cells can be adversely affected by stress and depression. They have explained how the adult brain is generating new cells. These findings will impact the development of novel antidepressant drugs. ... > full story
Person's Geographic Origins Located From DNA (September 2, 2008) -- One day soon, you may be able to pinpoint the geographic origins of your ancestors based on analysis of your DNA. New research uses DNA to predict the geographic origins of individuals from a sample of Europeans, often within a few hundred kilometers of where they were born. ... > full story
New Sensory Devices To Aid Parkinson’s And Stroke Patients Under Development (September 2, 2008) -- People who have suffered a stroke or who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, could benefit from new research. ... > full story
More Than 150,000 Species Of Flies, Gnats, Maggots, Midges, Mosquitoes Documented In Database (September 2, 2008) -- Distinguishing between insect pests and partners starts with an ironclad identification. Entomologists have now prepared a database with information to accurately identify and name almost 157,000 flies, gnats, maggots, midges, mosquitoes and related species in the order Diptera. ... > full story
All Types Of Antipsychotic Drugs Increase The Risk Of Stroke, Study Finds (September 2, 2008) -- All drugs used to treat psychosis are linked to an increased risk of stroke, and dementia sufferers are at double the risk, according to a study published on bmj.com today. ... > full story
Dashing Computer Interface To Control Your Car (September 2, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a special dashboard computer to act as a single conduit for all devices emerging in modern cars – GPS, mobile, PDAs, intelligent car technologies. It should mean a better, more relaxed and even safer driving experience. ... > full story
More Daytime Sleeping Predicts Less Recovery During Rehabilitation For Older Adults (September 2, 2008) -- Daytime sleeping during a rehabilitation stay predicts less functional recovery for older adults, with effects lasting as long as three months. ... > full story
Infidelity Gene? Genetic Link To Relationship Difficulties Found (September 2, 2008) -- Scientists have found a link between a specific gene and the way men bond to their partners. The results offer a better understanding of such problems as autism and social phobia. ... > full story
B-vitamin Deficiency May Cause Vascular Cognitive Impairment (September 2, 2008) -- A B-vitamin-deficient diet caused cognitive impairment and cerebral vascular changes without evidence of neurodegeneration in mice. These findings provide new insight into the mechanisms that may underlie human age-related cognitive decline. ... > full story
'Fingerprinting' Helps Make Great Grapes (September 2, 2008) -- At about this time next year, nearly all of the 2,800 wild, rare and domesticated grapes in a unique northern California genebank will have had their "genetic profile" or "fingerprint" taken. ... > full story
Hospitals Provide Formula Sample Packs While Medical Organizations Encourage Breastfeeding (September 2, 2008) -- A majority of US hospitals on the East coast distribute formula sample packs to new mothers, contrary to recommendations from most major medical organizations concerned about the potential for distributing these packs to reduce breastfeeding rates, according to a new report. ... > full story
Earth Has Had Sharp Climatic Shifts In Past: Is Earth Nearing Another Tipping Point? (September 2, 2008) -- In the Earth’s history, periods of relatively stable climate have often been interrupted by sharp transitions to a contrasting state. For instance, glaciation periods typically ended suddenly. About 34 million years ago the Earth’s long lasting tropical state in which most recent life forms evolved, shifted abruptly and irreversibly to a cooler state with ice caps. This shift is known as the "Greenhouse-Icehouse-Transition". ... > full story
Children's Calorie Expenditure, Heart Rate Increase During Active Video Games (September 2, 2008) -- Children burn more than four times as many calories per minute playing an active video game than playing a seated game, and their heart rate is also significantly higher with the active game, according to a new report. ... > full story
Origin Of Cosmic Dust That Lands On Earth Discovered (September 2, 2008) -- The origin of the microscopic meteorites that make up cosmic dust has been revealed for the first time in new research. ... > full story
New Master Switch Found In Brain Regulates Appetite And Reproduction (September 2, 2008) -- Body weight and fertility have long known to be related to each other -- women who are too thin, for example, can have trouble becoming pregnant. Now, a master switch has been found in the brain of mice that controls both, and researchers say it may work the same way in humans. ... > full story
Key Discovered To Cold Tolerance In Corn (September 2, 2008) -- Demand for corn -- the world's number one feed grain and a staple food for many -- is outstripping supply, resulting in large price increases that are forecast to continue over the next several years. If corn's intolerance of low temperatures could be overcome, then the length of the growing season, and yield, could be increased at present sites of cultivation and its range extended into colder regions. ... > full story
Higher Anaphylaxis Rates After HPV Vaccination (September 2, 2008) -- The estimated rate of anaphylaxis in young women after human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination was significantly higher -- 5 to 20 fold -- than that identified in comparable school-based vaccination programs, according to a new study. However, the overall rates of anaphylaxis were low with no associated serious lasting effects. ... > full story
Global Warming Greatest In Past Decade (September 2, 2008) -- Researchers confirm that surface temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere were warmer over the last 10 years than any time during the last 1300 years, and, if the climate scientists include the somewhat controversial data derived from tree-ring records, the warming is anomalous for at least 1700 years. ... > full story
Happiness And Satisfaction Might Lead To Better Health (September 2, 2008) -- It's the opposite of a vicious cycle: Healthy people might be happier, and a new study shows that people who are happy and satisfied with their lives might be healthier. ... > full story
Thawing Permafrost Likely To Boost Global Warming, New Assessment Concludes (September 2, 2008) -- A new assessment more than doubles previous estimates of the amount of carbon stored in permafrost, and indicates that carbon dioxide emissions from microbial decomposition of organic carbon in thawing permafrost could amount to roughly half those resulting from global land-use change during this century. ... > full story
Sex Hormones Link To Heart Risk (September 2, 2008) -- Men are more prone to, and likely to die of, heart disease compared with women of a similar age -- and sex hormones are to blame, according to a new study. The findings suggest that this "male disadvantage" may be related to the sex-specific effects of naturally occurring sex hormones. ... > full story
Teflon: Chemists Break Harmful Bonds (September 2, 2008) -- Everybody loves the way eggs slide off of Teflon pans. Indeed, the carbon-fluorine bond at the heart of Teflon cookware is so helpful we also use it in products from clothing to blood substitutes. But the very strength of the C-F bond also gives it greenhouse gas effects. In the journal Science, researchers report a catalyst that breaks the C-F bond and converts it to a carbon-hydrogen bond, rendering it harmless to the environment. ... > full story
New Approach, Old Drug Show Promise Against Hepatitis C, Research Shows (September 2, 2008) -- Using a novel technique, medical and engineering researchers have discovered a vulnerable step in the virus' reproduction process that in lab testing could be effectively targeted with an obsolete antihistamine. ... > full story
New Giant Clam Species Offers Window Into Human Past (September 2, 2008) -- Researchers report the discovery of the first new living species of giant clam in two decades. ... > full story
Kids Still Drinking Too Much Soda, Even When Not Available At School (September 2, 2008) -- In May 2006, an agreement was reached by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the American Beverage Association on voluntary sales restrictions on "competitive foods" such as soft drinks at schools. However, researchers now say limiting the availability of soft drinks at school may not be enough to affect overall consumption among elementary school children. They found that limiting availability of soft drinks at school is associated with a 4% decrease in the rate of any consumption overall. ... > full story
Sleight Of Hand And Sense Of Self: Illusion Isn't Always Just In The Mind (September 2, 2008) -- An illusion that tricks people into believing a rubber hand belongs to them isn't all in the mind, researchers have found. They have observed a physical response as well, a finding that offers insight into conditions which affect a patient's sense of self and body ownership, such as stroke, schizophrenia, autism, or eating disorders. ... > full story
Researchers Devise Means To Create Blood By Identifying Earliest Stem Cells (September 2, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered the earliest form of human blood stem cells and deciphered the mechanism by which these embryonic stem cells replicate and grow. They also found a surprising biological marker that pinpoints these stem cells, which serve as the progenitors for red blood cells and lymphocytes. ... > full story
Analysis Begins On Phoenix Mars Lander's Deepest Soil Sample (September 2, 2008) -- Scientists have begun to analyze a sample of soil delivered to NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's wet chemistry experiment from the deepest trench dug so far in the Martian arctic plains. ... > full story
'Superbug' Breast Infections Controllable In Nursing Mothers, Researchers Find (September 2, 2008) -- Many nursing mothers who have been hospitalized for breast abscesses are afflicted with the "superbug" methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, but according to new research, conservative treatment can deal with the problem. ... > full story
DNA Tubes Created With Programmable Sizes For Nanoscale Manufacturing (September 2, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a simple process for mass producing molecular tubes of identical -- and precisely programmable -- circumferences. The technological feat may allow the use of the molecular tubes in a number of nanotechnology applications. ... > full story
Campus Diversity Important Predictor Of Interracial Friendships (September 2, 2008) -- Campus racial diversity predicts diversity in future friendships, and it's generally higher for minorities than whites. ... > full story
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