ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Thursday, September 18, 2008
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Improving Our Ability To Peek Inside Molecules (September 18, 2008) -- It's not easy to see a single molecule inside a living cell. Nevertheless, researchers are developing a new technique that will enable them to create detailed high-resolution images, giving scientists an unprecedented look at the atomic structure of cellular molecules. ... > full story
How Often To Screen For Colon Cancer? Study Finds 5-year Risk Extremely Low (September 18, 2008) -- How frequently should symptom-free individuals at average risk for colon cancer undergo screening with colonoscopy? Researchers report that while there still is no definitive answer to the question, they now know the procedure need not be performed any sooner than every five years. ... > full story
Coating Improves Electrical Stimulation Therapy Used For Parkinson's, Depression, Chronic Pain (September 18, 2008) -- Researchers have designed a way to improve electrical stimulation of nerves by outfitting electrodes with the latest in chemically engineered fashion: a coating of basic black, formed from carbon nanotubes. ... > full story
Blood Pressure Drug Combination Reduces Heart Attack Deaths (September 18, 2008) -- Thousands of patients with high blood pressure could benefit from changing their drug treatment regimen to reduce their risk of cardiac death. Researchers analyzed data from existing clinical trials of diuretic drugs and found that combining a thiazide diuretic with a "potassium-sparing" drug to treat hypertension reduced both sudden cardiac death and total coronary mortality by 40 percent. The findings call into question the current treatment guidelines. ... > full story
The Greening Of Sub-Saharan Africa (September 18, 2008) -- The green revolution that has led to food being far more abundant now than forty years ago in South America and Asia has all-but bypasses Sub-Saharan Africa as that region's population trebled over that time period. Now, researchers in The Netherlands point to possible causes for this disparity and offer hope of reversing the trend based on a technological approach. ... > full story
Move Over Mean Girls -- Boys Can Be Socially Aggressive, Too (September 18, 2008) -- A new analysis contradicts the notion that "social" aggression, such as spreading rumors, is a female and not male form of aggression. The researchers analyzed 148 studies of social and physical aggression, encompassing 74,000 children and adolescents. Children who carry out one form of aggression (social or physical) were inclined to carry out the other form. Social aggression is related to delinquency and ADHD-type symptoms, while physical aggression is related to depression and low self-esteem. ... > full story
Significant Increase In Alien Plants In Europe Observed (September 18, 2008) -- The number of alien plant species has more than tripled over the last 25 years. This is the finding of a study by European scientists who evaluated the data from 48 European countries and regions. A total of 5789 plant species were classified as alien. Of these, 2843 originating outside of Europe, according to the researchers. By contrast, in 1980 only 1568 alien species were registered. ... > full story
New Oral Drug Shrinks Lung Cancers Before Surgery, Researchers Report (September 18, 2008) -- Pazopanib, a new oral angiogenesis inhibitor, has demonstrated interesting activity in difficult to treat non-small-cell lung cancer, researchers report. ... > full story
Pregnant Women With Bulimia Have More Anxiety And Depression, Study Finds (September 18, 2008) -- Women who have bulimia in pregnancy have more symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to pregnant women without eating disorders. A new Norwegian study shows that they also have lower self-esteem and are more dissatisfied with life and their relationship with their partner. ... > full story
New Results Help Predict Treatment Response In Colorectal Cancer (September 18, 2008) -- Gene marker indicates doubling of survival time in advanced colorectal cancer treated with cetuximab. A study shows value of circulating tumor cells in patients on targeted therapy. ... > full story
Bovine Mastitis: Could A Vaccine Be On The Way? (September 18, 2008) -- It is the most common infectious disease in farmed animals. Around one million cases occur each year in the UK. It is painful, occasionally life threatening, and costs the dairy industry £200m every year in lost production and treatments. Within the UK alone it has been estimated that around 12m doses of antibiotic are used annually to control and treat mastitis in cattle. ... > full story
Troubled Girls From Poor Neighborhoods More Likely To Have Sex In Early Adolescence (September 18, 2008) -- A new study has found that girls living in poor neighborhoods were more likely to engage in sexual intercourse in early adolescence and to be doing so with older boys. ... > full story
Even If Greenhouse Gas Emissions Hold Steady, Warmer World Faces Loss Of Biodiversity, Glaciers (September 17, 2008) -- Even if greenhouse gas emissions are fixed at 2005 levels, a new analysis shows that irreversible warming will lead to biodiversity loss and substantial glacial melt. ... > full story
Migraine Linked To Blood Clots In Veins (September 17, 2008) -- People with migraines may also be more likely to develop blood clots in their veins, according to a new study. ... > full story
Drinking Water: The Need For Constant Innovation (September 17, 2008) -- Most western countries' drinking water is of excellent quality, but there is no room for complacency. The challenges are growing: undesirable contaminants are found in rivers, lakes and groundwater. Climate change is also warming waterbodies, with implications for water quality, and in developing countries more and more people are reliant on groundwater containing natural contaminants. In industrialized countries water utilities are aging and need to be renewed. ... > full story
Factors Associated With Poor Weight Loss After Gastric Bypass Surgery Identified (September 17, 2008) -- Individuals with diabetes and those whose stomach pouches are larger appear less likely to successfully lose weight after gastric bypass surgery, according to new report. ... > full story
High Grain Prices Are Likely Here To Stay (September 17, 2008) -- An ethanol-fueled spike in grain prices will likely hold, yielding the first sustained increase for corn, wheat and soybean prices in more than three decades, according to new research. ... > full story
Parents Of Dying Newborns Need Clearer Explanation Of Options (September 17, 2008) -- Parent-doctor discussions about whether to maintain or withdraw life support from terminally ill or severely premature newborns are so plagued by miscommunication and misunderstanding that they might as well be in different languages, according to a small but potentially instructive new study. ... > full story
Fastest Flights In Nature: High-speed Spore Discharge Mechanisms Among Fungi (September 17, 2008) -- Microscopic coprophilous (dung-loving fungi) make our planet habitable by degrading the billions of tons of feces produced by herbivores. But the fungi have a problem: survival depends upon the consumption of their spores by herbivores and few animals will graze on grass next to their own dung. Evolution has overcome this obstacle by producing mechanisms of spore discharge whose elegance transforms a cow pie into a circus of microscopic catapults, trampolines and squirt guns. ... > full story
Nanomedical Approach Targets Multiple Cancer Genes, Shrinks Tumors More Effectively (September 17, 2008) -- Nanoparticles filled with a drug that targets two genes that trigger melanoma could offer a potential cure for this deadly disease, according to cancer researchers. The treatment, administered through an ultrasound device, demonstrates a safer and more effective way of targeting cancer-causing genes in cancer cells without harming normal tissue. ... > full story
Giant Grass Offers Clues To Growing Corn In Cooler Climes, Researchers Report (September 17, 2008) -- A giant perennial grass used as a biofuels source has a much longer growing season than corn, and researchers think they've found the secret of its success. Their findings should help develop cold-tolerant corn, significantly boosting per-acre yields. ... > full story
Old And New Therapies Combine To Tackle Atherosclerosis (September 17, 2008) -- Futuristic nanotechnology has been teamed with a decades-old drug to beat atherosclerotic plaques. The scientists found that drug-laced nanoparticles plus a statin could stop the growth of tiny blood vessels that feed arterial plaques. Their results suggest that the dual treatment also prevents the vessels from restarting their growth, which could shrink or stabilize plaques. ... > full story
3-D MRI Technique Helps Radiologists Detect High-risk Carotid Disease (September 17, 2008) -- Canadian researchers have used 3-D magnetic resonance imaging to accurately detect bleeding within the walls of diseased carotid arteries, a condition that may lead to a stroke. The results of the study suggest the technique may prove to be a useful screening tool for patients at high risk for stroke. ... > full story
Older Problem Gamblers May Face Greater Suicide Risk Than Younger Counterparts, Study Finds (September 17, 2008) -- Compared to their younger counterparts, older problem gamblers who ask casinos to bar them from returning are three to four times more likely to do so because they fear they will kill themselves if they don't stop betting, according to a new study. ... > full story
Scientists Find Black Hole 'Missing Link' (September 17, 2008) -- Scientists have found the "missing link" between small and super-massive black holes. For the first time the researchers have discovered that a strong X-ray pulse is emitting from a giant black hole in a galaxy 500 million light years from Earth. The pulse has been created by gas being sucked by gravity on to the black hole at the center of the galaxy. ... > full story
An 'HIV-test' Equivalent For Early Detection Of Lung Cancer (September 17, 2008) -- A team of researchers led by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center reports online today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology the validation of a potential "HIV-test" equivalent for the early detection of lung cancer. The test, which relies on immune-system signals, much like an HIV test, can detect the presence of lung cancer a year prior to diagnosis, long before symptoms appear. ... > full story
Roman York Skeleton Could Be Early TB Victim (September 17, 2008) -- The skeleton of a man discovered by archaeologists in a shallow grave on the site of the University of York's campus expansion could be that of one of Britain's earliest victims of tuberculosis. ... > full story
New Drug Substantially Extends Survival In Pancreatic Cancer (September 17, 2008) -- A new form of chemotherapy that destroys new blood vessels that grow around tumors has produced excellent results in a phase II trial of patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer, researchers report at the 33rd Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology in Stockholm. ... > full story
Houses Made Of Hemp Could Help Combat Climate Change (September 17, 2008) -- Houses made of hemp, timber or straw could help combat climate change by reducing the carbon footprint of building construction, according to researchers at the University of Bath. ... > full story
Math Model Shows McCain Ahead By As Many As 27 Electoral College Votes (September 17, 2008) -- A new approach to determining who will win the most electoral votes in the US Presidential race factors in lessons learned from the 2004 election and uses sophisticated math modeling. The research will be presented at the annual meeting of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). As of Sept. 16, the margin in electoral votes could be as high as 282.8 votes for McCain against 255.2 for Obama. ... > full story
Breakthrough In Energy Storage: New Carbon Material Shows Promise Of Storing Large Quantities Of Renewable Electrical Energy (September 17, 2008) -- Engineers and scientists have achieved a breakthrough in the use of a one-atom thick structure called "graphene" as a new carbon-based material for storing electrical charge in ultracapacitor devices, perhaps paving the way for the massive installation of renewable energies such as wind and solar power. ... > full story
Gene Therapy For Chronic Pain Gets First Test In People (September 17, 2008) -- Scientists have launched a phase 1 clinical trial to test whether a pain-relieving gene can be sent to a key point in the nervous system and block pain sensation. The technique promises a more effective, targeted way to treat persistent pain than present painkillers. ... > full story
Fantastic Photographs Of Fluorescent Fish (September 17, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered that certain fish are capable of glowing red. Research in BMC Ecology includes striking images of fish fluorescing vivid red light. ... > full story
Is Re-emerging Superbug The Next MRSA? (September 17, 2008) -- Physicians are issuing a warning that Clostridium difficile, a virulent strain of an intestinal bacteria, is currently plaguing hospitals and now rivals the superbug Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus as a top disease threat to humans. The little-known bacteria appears to be the next emerging disease threat, killing 1,000s in the United States. ... > full story
Oil Palm Plantations Are No Substitute For Tropical Rainforests, New Study Shows (September 17, 2008) -- The continued expansion of oil palm plantations will worsen the dual environmental crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, unless rainforests are better protected, warn scientists in the most comprehensive review of the subject to date. ... > full story
New Music Software Can Create Accompaniment To Any Melody, In Style Of Any Artist (September 17, 2008) -- A new software system can not only create an accompaniment to any given melody, but do so in the style of any chosen artist, or even the particular style used in select pieces by the artist. The system can potentially run on an ordinary PC. ... > full story
Why Some Primates, But Not Humans, Can Live With Immunodeficiency Viruses And Not Progress To AIDS (September 17, 2008) -- Some primate species, including sooty mangabeys, harbor simian immunodeficiency viruses but remain healthy, unlike rhesus macaques. The immune systems of sooty mangabeys become significantly less activated during SIV infection than the immune systems of macaques. The less vigorous immune response to SIV in mangabeys may be an effective evolutionary response to a virus that resists clearance by antiviral immune responses. New treatment strategies that would steer the immune system away from over-activation could protect against the unintended damage caused by host immune responses. ... > full story
Embryonic Stem Cells Might Help Reduce Transplantation Rejection (September 17, 2008) -- Researchers have shown that immune-defense cells influenced by embryonic stem cell-derived cells can help prevent the rejection of hearts transplanted into mice, all without the use of immunosuppressive drugs. The finding has implications for possible improvements in organ and bone marrow transplantation for humans. ... > full story
Earth Structure: Lowermost Mantle Has Materials With Unexpected Properties (September 17, 2008) -- Materials deep inside Earth have unexpected atomic properties that might force earth scientists to revise their models of Earth's internal processes. Recreating in the lab materials they believe exist in the lowermost mantle 2,900 kilometers below Earth's surface, researchers say the materials exhibit unexpected atomic properties that might influence how heat is transferred within Earth's mantle, how superplumes form, and how the magnetic field and heat generated in Earth's core travel to the planet's surface. ... > full story
3-D Computer Processor: 'Rochester Cube' Points Way To More Powerful Chip Designs (September 17, 2008) -- The next major advance in computer processors will likely be the move from today's two-dimensional chips to three-dimensional circuits, and the first three-dimensional synchronization circuitry is now running at 1.4 gigahertz at the University of Rochester. ... > full story
Mice Missing 'Fear' Gene Slow To Protect Offspring (September 17, 2008) -- First, he discovered a gene that controls innate fear in animals. Now Rutgers geneticist Gleb Shumyatsky has shown that the same gene promotes "helicopter mom" behavior in mice. The gene, known as stathmin or oncoprotein 18, motivates female animals to protect newborn pups and interact cautiously with unknown peers. Shumyatsky's newest finding could enhance our understanding of human anxiety, including part-partum depression and borderline personality disorders. ... > full story
Whale Songs Are Heard For First Time Around New York City Waters (September 17, 2008) -- For the first time in waters surrounding New York City, the beckoning calls of endangered fin, humpback and North Atlantic right whales have been recorded. ... > full story
Genetic Variant Increases Risk Of Developing Malignant Melanoma (September 17, 2008) -- People who carry a particular genetic variant are at significantly increased risk of developing malignant melanoma, new research shows. ... > full story
Innovative Hydrogen-powered Car Created (September 17, 2008) -- As the price of gasoline fuel soars, and concerns grow about the impact of car culture on the environment, a team of scientists have come up with a hydrogen-powered car, which they believe is a significant step forward in creating a mass-produced green machine. ... > full story
Later Treatment Of Acute Stroke Suggested By New Study (September 17, 2008) -- The time span in which treatment should be given for acute ischaemic stroke -- i.e. stroke caused by a clot or other obstruction to the blood supply -- can be lengthened. This according to a new study, the results of which can bring about more effective and safer treatments for stroke sufferers. ... > full story
Extremely Detailed Images From Inside The Body Possible With New Technology (September 17, 2008) -- New technology will enable extremely detailed images to be made of the smallest structures of the human body. The aim is to detect the risk or commencement of an illness at a very early stage in heart, brain and cancer research. This will be the only magnetic resonance tomograph of the modern 7 tesla generation in the world, in which a metrology institute is also involved. ... > full story
Seize The Day! New Research Helps Tightwads 'Live A Little' (September 17, 2008) -- Some people have trouble indulging, and they regret it later. There's hope for those people, according to a new study. ... > full story
Watch And Learn: Time Teaches Us How To Recognize Visual Objects (September 17, 2008) -- In work that could aid efforts to develop more brain-like computer vision systems, MIT neuroscientists have tricked the visual brain into confusing one object with another, thereby demonstrating that time teaches us how to recognize objects. ... > full story
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