ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Parental Warning: Second-hand Smoke May Trigger Nicotine Dependence Symptoms In Kids (September 30, 2008) -- Parents who smoke cigarettes around their kids in cars and homes beware -- second-hand smoke may trigger symptoms of nicotine dependence in children. The findings are published in the September edition of the journal Addictive Behaviors in a joint study from nine Canadian institutions. ... > full story
New Way To Control Protein Activity Could Lead To Cancer Therapies (September 30, 2008) -- Investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found a way to quickly and reversibly fine-tune the activity of individual proteins in cells and living mammals, providing a powerful new laboratory tool for identifying — more precisely than ever before — the functions of different proteins. ... > full story
Wetlands Restoration Not A Panacea For Louisiana Coast (September 30, 2008) -- Counting on wetlands restoration projects to protect storm buffeted infrastructure along the Louisiana Coast is likely to be a "losing battle" that provides "false hope" and prevents endangered communities from clearly planning for their future, says a researcher from Western Carolina University (WCU). ... > full story
Robotic Surgery Lowers Risk Of A Rare But Serious Complication Of Gastric Bypass, Study Suggests (September 30, 2008) -- The use of a robot to assist with the most commonly performed weight-loss surgery appears to significantly lower a patient's risk of developing a rare but serious complication, according to a study published in the Journal of Robotic Surgery. ... > full story
Zeroing In On Wi-Fi 'Dead Zones' To Inexpensively Fill Gaps In Wireless Networks (September 30, 2008) -- Rooting out Wi-Fi "dead zones" in citywide wireless networks is an expensive proposition. The paucity of techniques for mapping areas that lack coverage is an impediment, both for pre-deployment and post-deployment testing. New research could change that. A new test method lets engineers refine their networks using readily available information about basic topography, street locations and general land use. ... > full story
Community-based Behavior Change Management Cuts Neonatal Mortality In Half (September 30, 2008) -- A community-based program that reinforces basic childbirth and newborn care practices can reduce a baby's risk of death within the first month of life by as much as 54 percent, according to a new study. ... > full story
Solar Cell Sets World Efficiency Record At 40.8 Percent (September 30, 2008) -- Scientists at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory have set a world record in solar cell efficiency with a photovoltaic device that converts 40.8 percent of the light that hits it into electricity. This is the highest confirmed efficiency of any photovoltaic device to date. ... > full story
How A 'Stuck Accelerator' Causes Cancer Cell Expansion (September 30, 2008) -- What allows cancer cells to divide uncontrolled? The cellular oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes are analogous to the accelerator and brake pedals in a car. If an oncogene is permanently active, similar to a stuck accelerator in a car, cells divide without restraints and a tumor develops. ... > full story
A Robot In Every Home? (September 30, 2008) -- Observers like Bill Gates believe that by 2025 we could have robots in every home. In labs across Europe, researchers are creating designs that could become the robo-butler of the future. ... > full story
Age Alone Should Not Be Used To Determine Whether To Treat Prostate Cancer With Hormones, Research Suggests (September 30, 2008) -- Concerns regarding the association of hormone therapy used to treat prostate cancer with cardiovascular disease in some older men may lead doctors to forgo hormone treatment solely on the basis of age. But a new study shows that men over age 70 with high-risk prostate cancer lived longer and experienced increases in PSA less frequently when treated with long-term androgen deprivation therapy. ... > full story
Carbonate-hosted Avalon-type Fossils In Arctic Siberia (September 30, 2008) -- Our present understanding of the origin of animals and Phanerozoic ecosystems depends critically on the ability to interpret impressions left behind by soft-bodied Ediacaran organisms, and to document their spatial and temporal distribution, which conceivably relate to strong environmental gradients in terminal Proterozoic seawater. ... > full story
Drinking Alcohol Before 15 Years Of Age Is Risky For Later Alcohol Problems (September 30, 2008) -- Researchers have known that age of first drink (AFD) is associated with the later development of alcohol-use disorders (AUDs). New findings show that an early AFD, before the age of 15, is especially risky for later AUDs. Experts recommend delaying the onset of drinking behavior as late as possible, until 18 or older. ... > full story
Out Of Iraq Emerges Hope For Those With Severest Of Head Injuries (September 29, 2008) -- There may be more hope than has been recognized for some people with severe brain injuries, according to a US neurosurgeon who earlier this year spent four months in Iraq treating soldiers and civilians. ... > full story
Popular COPD Treatment Increases Risk For Cardiac Events, Cardiac Death (September 29, 2008) -- The use of the most commonly prescribed once-a-day treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for longer than one month increases the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack or stroke by more than 50 percent, according to new research. ... > full story
Helping Dogs With Cancer May Benefit People (September 29, 2008) -- A new study may one day help not only our canine friends with cancer, but also people with the human form of the disease. ... > full story
New Predictive Tool Can Help Determine Treatment Of Breast Cancer Patients (September 29, 2008) -- A new predictive measurement, called a PEPI score, could bring good news to many women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer -- a low PEPI (preoperative endocrine prognostic index) score could show that they have little risk of relapse, and can safely avoid chemotherapy after surgery. ... > full story
Tweezers Trap Nanotubes By Color (September 29, 2008) -- Singled-walled carbon nanotubes are graphene sheets wrapped into tubes, and are typically made up of various sizes and with different amounts of twist (also known as chiralities). Each type of nanotube has its own electronic and optical properties. Physicists in Japan used colored light to selectively manipulate different types of carbon nanotubes. ... > full story
Helping Students With Mental Illnesses: Support Services Prepare For 'What If' Scenarios (September 29, 2008) -- Nationally, an estimated 15 percent of students experience some form of mental illness such as major depression while in college. Many often struggle with where to get support. ... > full story
Getting Lost: A Newly Discovered Developmental Brain Disorder (September 29, 2008) -- Researchers have recently documented the first case of a patient who, without apparent brain damage or cognitive impairment, is unable to orient within any environment. Researchers also believe that there are many others in the general population who may be affected by this developmental topographical disorder. ... > full story
Deadly Rugby Virus Spreads In Sumo Wrestlers (September 29, 2008) -- Rugby players may get more than just the ball out of a scrum -- herpes virus can cause a skin disease called "scrumpox" and it spreads through physical contact. Researchers have studied the spread of the disease among sumo wrestlers in Japan and have discovered that a new strain of the virus could be even more pathogenic, according to an article in the Journal of General Virology. ... > full story
NASA's Mars Rover To Head Toward Bigger Crater (September 29, 2008) -- NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity is setting its sights on a crater more than 20 times larger than its home for the past two years. ... > full story
Black Patients At Higher Risk For Colon Polyps (September 29, 2008) -- Compared with white patients, black patients undergoing screening colonoscopy have a higher prevalence of colon polyps. ... > full story
Warming Of 4 Degrees Celsius Depressed Plant Growth And Reduced Land Carbon Absorption (September 29, 2008) -- Scientists are reporting findings on the long-term effects of warming anomaly on grassland productivity and ecosystem carbon cycling. They found that warming by 4 degrees Celsius in the Reno greenhouse not only depressed plant growth and suppressed land carbon absorption in the treatment year but also resulted in prolonged suppression of plant growth and carbon absorption in the following year. ... > full story
Independent Brain Pathways Generate Positive Or Negative Reappraisals Of Emotional Events (September 29, 2008) -- Scientists now have a better understanding of how the human brain orchestrates the sophisticated pathways involved in the regulation of emotions. New research identifies brain pathways that underlie reinterpretation of aversive images in ways that reduce or enhance their negative emotional intensity. ... > full story
Ancient Arctic Ice Could Tell Us About Future Of Permafrost (September 29, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered the oldest known ice in North America, and that permafrost may be a significant touchstone when looking at global warming. ... > full story
Do 'Light' Cigarettes Deliver Less Nicotine To The Brain Than Regular Cigarettes? (September 29, 2008) -- So-called light (low) nicotine cigarettes act in a similar way to regular cigarettes by occupying most of the common nicotine receptors in the brain. ... > full story
Cool Summer, Warm Future: Extreme Heat Days Increase For Southern California (September 29, 2008) -- Despite a moderate summer, the heat is rising in Southern California. Scientists now forecast that in coming decades, 10- to 14-day heat waves will become the norm. And because these will be hotter heat waves, they will be more threatening to public health. ... > full story
Childhood Cancer Survivors Continue To Have Higher Mortality Rates than the General Population (September 29, 2008) -- Survivors of childhood or adolescent cancer have a greater than 8-fold increased risk of death than the general U.S. population 16 to 32 years after hitting the five-year survival mark. ... > full story
Carbon Dioxide Emissions Booming, Shifting East, Researchers Report (September 29, 2008) -- Despite widespread concern about climate change, annual carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels and manufacturing cement have grown 38 percent since 1992, from 6.1 billion tons of carbon to 8.5 billion tons in 2007. ... > full story
Sexual Practice Of Polygyny Skews Genetic Variability (September 29, 2008) -- Researchers have found DNA evidence that polygyny, the practice among males of siring children with multiple female partners at the same time or successively, has led to an excess of genetic diversity on the X chromosome relative to the autosomes. ... > full story
Microscopic Version Of CT Scan Reveals Secrets Of Bone Formation (September 29, 2008) -- A new version of the computerized tomography (CT) scan, which revolutionized medical imaging during the last 25 years, is giving scientists precious new information about how Mother Nature forms shells, bones, and other hard structures in animals ranging from guppies to mice. ... > full story
Discovery May Help Diabetic Gastric Problem (September 29, 2008) -- Researchers have found what may provide a solution to one of the more troubling complications of diabetes -- delayed gastric emptying or gastroparesis. The researchers showed in animal models that a red blood cell derivative increases production of a key molecule, normalizing the digestive process. ... > full story
No Oxygen In Eastern Mediterranean Bottom-water (September 29, 2008) -- New research shows that there is an organic-rich bed of sediment in the floor of the Eastern Mediterranean. This bed formed over a period of about 4,000 years under oxygen-free bottom-water conditions. A wet climatic period was responsible for the phenomenon. According to climate scenarios, the climate may become wetter in this area, potentially giving rise again to a period of oxygen-free bottom-water. ... > full story
Why Does Gecko, A Chinese Traditional Medicine, Have Anti-tumor Effects? (September 29, 2008) -- Gecko is a Chinese traditional medicine. It has definite effect on malignant tumor, especially on digestive system tumor. A research group in China found that Gecko powder could inhibit EC9706 and EC1 growth and proliferation. Gecko can also decrease vascular endothelin growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor expression in tumor tissue and induce tumor cell apoptosis. ... > full story
Protecting Patient Privacy The New Fashioned Way (September 29, 2008) -- The Medical De-identification System (MeDS) is a highly accurate and speedy computer software program designed to de-identify patient information while retaining the essential data key to medical research, according to a new study. ... > full story
Risky Behaviors On TV May Be Modeled By Inexperienced Viewers (September 29, 2008) -- Inexperienced viewers are more likely to mimic unsafe behavior on TV, regardless of the consequences displayed, a new study finds. ... > full story
Dark Energy: Is It Merely An Illusion? (September 29, 2008) -- Dark energy is at the heart of one of the greatest mysteries of modern physics, but it may be nothing more than an illusion, according physicists at Oxford University. ... > full story
Existing Anti-obesity Drugs May Be Effective Against Flu, Hepatitis And HIV (September 29, 2008) -- Viruses dramatically increase cellular metabolism, and existing anti-obesity drugs may represent a new way to block these metabolic changes and inhibit viral infection, according to a new study in the journal Nature Biotechnology. ... > full story
Is The Salad Bar Safe? Produce Concerns Linger After Summer Scares (September 29, 2008) -- Widespread reports had most people afraid to eat tomatoes this summer and when tomatoes were vindicated, eating peppers became a fear. A food safety expert says there is only so much that can be done to assure produce is safe to eat. ... > full story
Vascular Marker Of Ovarian Cancer Identified (September 29, 2008) -- Researchers have identified TEM1 as a specific genetic marker for the vascular cells associated with tumor growth, a finding that could aid in diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer. ... > full story
Voice-Commanded Robot Wheelchair Finds Its Own Way (September 29, 2008) -- A new kind of autonomous wheelchair under development can learn all about the locations in a given building, and then take its occupant to a given place in response to a verbal command. ... > full story
Ethical Argument: Include Pregnant Women In Research (September 29, 2008) -- Why aren't pregnant women included in most clinical trials? That's the question posed by leading bioethicists, who say it's time to confront the challenges that have led to the exclusion of pregnant women from important research that could positively impact maternal and fetal health. ... > full story
Tsunami Invisibility Cloak Could Make Structures 'Disappear' (September 29, 2008) -- Rather than building stronger ocean-based structures to withstand tsunamis, it might be easier to simply make the structures disappear. ... > full story
New Understanding Of Diabetes Drug Target (September 29, 2008) -- Scientists have made a new advance in the study of major diabetes drug target. The advance -- described by the researchers as 'very significant' -- could lead to new drugs being developed to target a protein that plays a critical role in controlling the way the body breaks down sugar. ... > full story
Pistachio Nuts May Improve Heart Health (September 29, 2008) -- Going green may be heart healthy if the green you choose is pistachio nuts, according to researchers who conducted the first study to investigate the way pistachios lower cholesterol. ... > full story
Hormone Therapy May Be Safe For Postmenopausal BRCA Mutation Carriers (September 29, 2008) -- The use of hormone therapy was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women who carry BRCA mutations, according to a case-control study. ... > full story
Mercury's 'Spider' Pantheon Fossae Formation Linked To Asteroid Impact (September 29, 2008) -- A new model suggests that the origin of the Pantheon Fossae on the planet Mercury, a radiating web of troughs located in the giant Caloris Basin, is directly linked to an impact crater at the centre of the web. The Caloris Basin is the youngest-known large impact basin on Mercury. ... > full story
Optimism Experts Handicap The Presidential Election With About 6 Weeks Remaining Until Nov. 4 (September 29, 2008) -- Researchers have determined that the most optimistic candidates win more than 80 percent of presidential elections dating back to 1900. A new study measures the optimism of this year's candidates. ... > full story
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