ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Thursday, October 23, 2008
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter.
Cross-protective Vaccine May Treat Broad Spectrum Of Bacterial Diseases (October 23, 2008) -- Doctors have always hoped that scientists might one day create a vaccination that would treat a broad spectrum of maladies. They could only imagine that there might be one vaccine that would protect against, say, 2,500 strains of Salmonella. And what if that same vaccine could help protect the elderly? ... > full story
Chronic Inflammation Can Help Nurture Skin Cancer, Study Shows (October 23, 2008) -- Inflammation, a frontline defense against infection or disease, can help nurture skin cancer, researchers have found. IDO, an enzyme that works like a firefighter to keep inflammation under control, can be commandeered to protect early malignant cells, say researchers studying an animal model of chronic inflammation and skin cancer. ... > full story
Ecosystem-level Consequences Of Frog Extinctions (October 23, 2008) -- Streams that once sang with the croaks, chirps and ribbits of dozens of frog species have gone silent. They're victims of a fungus that's decimating amphibian populations worldwide. Such catastrophic declines have been documented for more than a decade, but until recently scientists knew little about how the loss of frogs alters the larger ecosystem. A new study has found that tadpoles play a key role keeping the algae at the base of the food chain productive. ... > full story
New TB Test Reveals Patients At Risk, Says Study (October 23, 2008) -- A recently introduced blood test can reveal which patients may develop active tuberculosis much more precisely than the 100-year old TB skin test, according to a new study published today in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. Around a third of the world's population is infected with the TB bacteria and approximately 9 million new cases of active TB are diagnosed around the world each year, according to World Health Organization estimates. The majority of those infected live in the developing world. ... > full story
Scientists Go Cloud-hopping In The Pacific To Improve Climate Predictions (October 23, 2008) -- A 20-strong -team of cloud and climate experts from the UK’s National Centre for Atmospheric Science are setting off for Chile to investigate how massive swathes of clouds that hang over the Pacific are affecting climate and weather all round the world. This new project aims to reduce some of the largest errors currently in our climate models and thus greatly improve predictions of future climate change. ... > full story
Different Psychosocial Factors Predict Adoption, Maintenance Of Physical Activity Program (October 23, 2008) -- A new study offers some new insight into the role of social and environmental influences on physical activity behaviors. ... > full story
Archaeologists Find Unique, Early US Relic Of African Worship (October 23, 2008) -- Archaeologists have dug up what they believe to be one of the earliest US examples of African spirit practices. The researchers say it's the only object of its kind ever found by archaeologists in North America -- a clay "bundle" filled with small pieces of common metal, placed in what had been an Annapolis street gutter three centuries ago. ... > full story
Safety Problems For Biological Products Documented (October 23, 2008) -- Approximately one in four biological medicinal products (such as antibodies, enzymes and insulin) approved since 1995 in the US and Europe have had at least one safety-related regulatory action issued for them 10 years after their approval, including about 11 percent receiving a "black box" warning, according to a new study. ... > full story
Biomarkers For Identifying Infant Infections (October 23, 2008) -- Current diagnostic tests for infection in premature infants can be slow and nonspecific, but researchers have now identified potential biomarkers in the blood that can rapidly identify both the onset of infection and type of microbe. ... > full story
Chest Scans May Help Monitor Spread Of Head And Neck Cancer In High-risk Patients (October 23, 2008) -- Among high-risk patients with head and neck cancer, chest computed tomography may help detect disease progression involving the lungs, according to a new report. ... > full story
Cracking The Case Of Recycled Gadgets (October 23, 2008) -- Recycling devices built with plastic cases and other components, such as mobile phones, mp3 players, and personal digital assistants, is difficult and requires repetitive manual labor. However, a new approach to creating the fastenings and tabs for such devices based on the shape-memory effect in plastics could mean that disassembling such devices at end of life could be automated. ... > full story
Hospital Rankings: More Than Meets The Eye (October 23, 2008) -- Medicare's pay-for-performance program ranks and rewards hospitals according to how well they meet certain guidelines for clinical care. But researchers say the program penalizes hospitals that care for the greatest numbers of the poor and needy by not taking into account their greater clinical burden. ... > full story
Crossing Blood-Brain Barrier: Scientists Develop Drug Delivery System For Brain Cancers, Other Diseases (October 22, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a new drug delivery system that is capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier to reach and kill cancer cells in the brain. Following successful preclinical studies, the technology is being evaluated in two phase I clinical trials in patients with malignant glioma and brain metastases. ... > full story
Common Respiratory Syncytial Virus May Hide In The Lungs, Lead To Asthma, Researchers Report (October 22, 2008) -- Conventional wisdom has been that respiratory syncytial virus -- a common virus that causes infection in the lungs -- comes and goes in children without any long lasting impact. A study conducted in mice, however, suggests that RSV may hide in the lungs even after other symptoms abate, ultimately resurfacing to cause recurrent wheezing and chronic airway disease. ... > full story
Throwing Light On The Dark Side Of The Universe (October 22, 2008) -- Although we may believe humans know a lot about the Universe, there are still a lot of phenomena to be explained. A team of cosmologists are searching for the model that best explains the evolution of the Universe. ... > full story
Estimate Of Lives Lost Due To Delay In Antiretroviral Drug Use For HIV/AIDS In South Africa (October 22, 2008) -- More than 330,000 lives were lost to HIV/AIDS in South Africa from 2000 and 2005 because a feasible and timely antiretroviral (ARV) treatment program was not implemented, assert researchers in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. ... > full story
Plant-eating Predator To Fight Superweed Is Not Magic Bullet, According To Japanese Knotweed Expert (October 22, 2008) -- Plans to introduce plant-eating predators to fight a superweed spreading throughout Britain should not be seen as a 'magic bullet', says a world expert on Japanese knotweed. ... > full story
U.S. Suicide Rate Increasing; Largest Increase Seen In Middle-aged White Women (October 22, 2008) -- The rate of suicide in the United States is increasing for the first time in a decade, according to a new report. The increase in the overall suicide rate between 1999 and 2005 was due primarily to an increase in suicides among whites aged 40-64, with white middle-aged women experiencing the largest annual increase. ... > full story
Ancient Bone Tool Sheds Light On Prehistoric Midwest (October 22, 2008) -- A prehistoric bone tool just discovered by archeologists is the oldest such artifact ever documented in Indiana, researchers say. ... > full story
Erectile Dysfunction Gives Early Warning Of A Heart Attack, Warns Expert (October 22, 2008) -- Erectile dysfunction gives a two to three year early warning of a heart attack, warns an expert. ... > full story
Turtle Doves Commit Adultery (October 22, 2008) -- A biologist has shown that bastard doves can fend for themselves. Despite having a strange coo, hybrid offspring are still able to defend their territory. This is necessary for further reproduction. ... > full story
New MRI Technique May Identify Cervical Cancer Early (October 22, 2008) -- Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging with a special vaginal coil, a technique to measure the movement of water within tissue, researchers may be able to identify cervical cancer in its early stages, according to a new study. ... > full story
Computer Model Against Unnecessary Use Of Antibiotics (October 22, 2008) -- Patients in intensive care units are often administered antibiotics against ventilator-associated pneumonia, "to be on the safe side." Researchers have now developed a model that can quickly establish whether or not a patient has pneumonia. This can prevent unnecessary treatment with antibiotics. ... > full story
Couples With Children With ADHD At Risk Of Higher Divorce Rates, Shorter Marriages (October 22, 2008) -- Parents of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are nearly twice as likely to divorce by the time the child is 8 years old than parents of children without ADHD, the first study to look at this issue in depth has shown. ... > full story
Study Of Polar Dinosaur Migration Questions Whether Dinosaurs Were Truly The First Great Migrators (October 22, 2008) -- A recently released study of northern and southern polar dinosaur migration indicates that some species may have migrated nearly 3,000 km in a six month period- far short of the distance needed to reach warmer climes. What's more, the study also revealed that other species would have been forced to endure polar winters and exhibited characteristics similar to today's nonmigratory animals when dealing with hibernating, foraging and even burrowing. ... > full story
Scientists Enhance Immune System Attacks On Cancer (October 22, 2008) -- Researchers have tweaked, prodded, and pushed immune system cells into successfully attacking tumors in laboratory and animal studies. They say their new strategy could prove to be safer than some treatments now being used to stimulate cancer immunity in humans. ... > full story
X Marks The Spot: Sharpies Get Thumbs-up For Marking Surgery Sites (October 22, 2008) -- Researchers have found that Sharpies used to mark surgical sites do not pose a risk of bacterial infection since the ink has an alcohol base. It's standard practice to throw away marking pens used to mark operative sites after one use to prevent the spread of germs, costing thousands of dollars a year. ... > full story
Evolution Of Genes That Trigger The Body's Immune Response To Viral Infection (October 22, 2008) -- Researchers have traced the evolutionary origin of two genes that serve as primary cellular sensors of infection with RNA viruses, such as influenza, polio virus, West Nile virus, and HIV, which may ultimately provide researchers with insight into a possible new pathway for the development of innate immunity. ... > full story
Fertilizers: A Growing Threat To Sea Life (October 22, 2008) -- A rise in carbon emissions is not the only threat to the planet. Changes to the nitrogen cycle, caused in large part by the widespread use of fertilizers, are also damaging both water quality and aquatic life. These concerns are highlighted in a historical review of landscape changes around Chesapeake Bay. ... > full story
Eating Quickly And Until Full Triples Risk Of Being Overweight (October 22, 2008) -- The combination of eating quickly and eating until full triples the risk of being overweight, according to a new study. ... > full story
Physicists Find New State Of Matter In 'Transistor': Huge Implications For New Electronic Devices (October 22, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered a new state of matter, a quasi-three- dimensional electron crystal, in a material very much alike those used in the fabrication of modern transistors. This discovery could have momentous implications for the development of new electronic devices. ... > full story
Contact Lenses Are Home To Pathogenic Amoebae (October 22, 2008) -- Contact lenses increase the risk of infection with pathogenic protozoa that can cause blindness. New research shows that a high percentage of contact lens cases in Tenerife are contaminated with Acanthamoeba that cannot be killed by normal contact lens solution. ... > full story
A Large Spiral Galaxy, NGC 7331, In All Its Splendor (October 22, 2008) -- The spiral galaxy NGC 7331, in Pegasus, can be seen with small telescopes under dark skies as a faint fuzzy spot. It is an island universe similar to our own Galaxy (or maybe somewhat larger) and placed at a distance of 50 million light-years. NGC 7331 was discovered by Wilhelm Herschel in 1784, and it shows all its magnificence in long-exposure photographs taken through large telescopes. ... > full story
Allergy Patch Test: Children Tend To React To Different Allergens Than Adults (October 22, 2008) -- Adults and children who are referred for patch testing of allergens appear equally likely to have allergic contact dermatitis, although they tend to react to different allergens, according to a new report. ... > full story
Egg Whites Solve The 3-D Problem (October 22, 2008) -- The real world is three-dimensional. That's true even in the laboratory, where scientists have to grow cells to study how they develop and what happens when their growth is abnormal. More and more laboratories are seeking to develop three-dimensional cell culture systems that allow them to test their new techniques and drugs in a system that more closely mimics the way in which cells grow. However, a big sticking point is the cost of commercial media for growing such cultures. ... > full story
Scientific Hunch Poised To Save Thousands From Toxic Fish Poisoning (October 22, 2008) -- A neuroscientist has found a way to combat a debilitating illness that affects an estimated 50,000 people a year in tropical regions. ... > full story
India Launches Its First Mission To Moon: Chandrayaan-1 (October 22, 2008) -- Chandrayaan-1, India’s first mission to the Moon, was successfully launched earlier this morning from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) in Sriharikota, India. ... > full story
Education Protects Against Pre-Alzheimer's Memory Loss (October 22, 2008) -- People with more education and more mentally demanding occupations may have protection against the memory loss that precedes Alzheimer's disease, according to a study in Neurology. ... > full story
‘Waterless’ Concrete Seen As Building Block On Moon (October 22, 2008) -- A new article demonstrates a concept of creating concrete structures on the lunar surface without the use of water. ... > full story
Tick-borne Encephalitis Virus Reveals Its Access Code (October 22, 2008) -- Biologists have identified an amino acid switch that flaviviruses flip to gain access to cells. Flaviviruses such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), yellow fever, and dengue are dangerous human pathogens. ... > full story
Egg-beater Could Save Lives In Developing Countries (October 22, 2008) -- Plastic tubing taped to a handheld egg-beater could save lives in developing countries. The low-cost centrifuge replacement can separate plasma from blood in minutes, which is used in tests to detect lethal infectious diseases responsible for half of all deaths in developing countries. ... > full story
'Western' Diet Increases Heart Attack Risk Globally (October 22, 2008) -- A study that examined various dietary patterns suggests that the typical Western diet -- fried foods, salty snacks and meat -- accounts for about 30 percent of heart attack risk across the globe. A diet high in fruits and vegetables was associated with a lower risk of heart attack. A diet high in tofu and soy did not affect heart attack risk. ... > full story
Serendipitous Observations Reveal Rare Event In Life Of Distant Quasar (October 22, 2008) -- A bit of serendipity has given astronomers a surprise view of a never-before-observed event in the birth of a galaxy. ... > full story
Self-assembling Nano-fiber Gel Delivers High Concentrations Of Clinically Approved Drugs (October 22, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a new self-assembling hydrogel drug delivery system that is biocompatible, efficient at drug release, and easy to tailor. Importantly, these structures can deliver clinically approved drugs in high concentrations without requiring carriers for the drug or generating toxic components, a problem with hydrogel systems until now. ... > full story
Mechanical Pressure Accelerates Early Stages Of Colon Cancer (October 22, 2008) -- Genes are not the be all and end all of carcinogenesis. Scientists have shown that mechanical pressure can alter gene expression, and in particular activate the oncogenes(1) Myc and Twist, which are implicated in the early stages of colon cancer. ... > full story
T Cell Response To New Melanoma Antigen Linked To Relapse-free Survival (October 22, 2008) -- Melanoma patients infused with a special type of tumor-fighting T cell are more likely to survive without relapse, suggests a new study by researchers in France. ... > full story
Smart Materials: Textile That Change Phase, Intelligent Molecules That Absorb Shocks, And More (October 22, 2008) -- Norway's most elaborate travel-wear keeps the body cool in hot helicopter cabins, but transforms into a heat-retaining suit if the helicopter should fall into the sea. ... > full story
Grades In College Directly Linked To Health-related Behaviors (October 22, 2008) -- Lack of sleep, excessive television/computer screen time, stress, gambling, alcohol and tobacco use and other health-related issues are taking a toll on college students' academic performance. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2008 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your account click here  |
No comments:
Post a Comment