ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Monday, July 14, 2008
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Southeast Asia At High Risk For Arsenic Contamination In Water (July 14, 2008) -- The contamination of groundwater with arsenic poses a risk to the health of millions of people, especially in the densely populated river deltas of Southeast Asia. To date, no method has been available for identifying high-risk areas without conducting costly sampling campaigns. Now, scientists have developed a model that allows vulnerable areas to be pinpointed using existing data on geology and soil properties. ... > full story
Mobilizing White Blood Cells To The Lung: New Discovery Could Lead To An Improved Influenza Vaccine (July 14, 2008) -- New findings shed new light on how a previously-unknown messaging mechanism within the human immune system prompts specific influenza-fighting cells to the lung airways during an infection. Although researchers have known for some time that white blood cells congregating in the lung and directly attacking the virus play an important role in defending against influenza, it has never been clear how exactly these white blood cells know when they are required in the lung. ... > full story
Orbiting Gamma-ray Observatory Begins Search For Odd Space Objects (July 14, 2008) -- The researchers have stopped holding their breath. The 0 million observatory they sent into orbit June 11 has awoken to begin its observation of the gamma-ray light from celestial mystery object such as black holes, spinning neutron stars and dark matter. ... > full story
Identifying And Disrupting Key Elements Of Malaria's 'Sticky Sack' Adhesion Strategy (July 14, 2008) -- Malaria is one of the most devastating diseases afflicting humanity. It infects and debilitates about 600 million people, and kills up to three million people every year, mainly in the wet tropical regions of the world. Children and pregnant women are at particularly high risk. ... > full story
Bio-X Researchers Use Needle-thin Probe To Get First Look At Working Muscle Fiber (July 14, 2008) -- Sarcomeres are key microscopic elements of muscle fiber. Examining them typically requires a painful muscle biopsy that does not offer the opportunity to see the sarcomeres at work within the body. The Stanford microendoscopy technique provides a real-time view of contracting sarcomeres. This should prove useful in understanding how muscles are altered by spinal cord injuries or strokes, as well as muscular dystrophy and other diseases of diminished muscular control. ... > full story
Binge Drinking Tied To Conditions In The College Environment (July 14, 2008) -- Heavy alcohol use, or binge drinking, among college students in the United States is tied to conditions in the college environment. The review of a landmark 14-year study cites factors such as easy access to alcohol, low prices and special promotions, weak control policies and lax enforcement. ... > full story
Keeping Hands Where You Can See Them Alters Perception, Study Finds (July 14, 2008) -- Psychologists have shown that to see objects better, you should take the matter into your own hands. The new study demonstrates that humans more thoroughly inspect objects when their hands are near the object rather than farther away from it. ... > full story
Why Men Are More At Risk Of Diseases Caused By Blood Clots Than Women (July 14, 2008) -- Being male increases your risk of diseases caused by the inappropriate formation of a blood clot (a process known as thrombosis), such as heart attack and stroke, but the reasons for this are not completely understood. However, researchers have used a mouse model of thrombosis to shed light on this matter in the hope of facilitating the development of sex-specific treatments for thrombosis. ... > full story
Multitasking Nanotechnology: Tiny Electronically Active Chemicals Can Form Ordered Layers (July 14, 2008) -- Tiny electronically active chemicals can be made to form ordered layers on a surface. These nanostructured layers may one day be used to build the components of electronics devices, such as transistors and switches, for a future generation of powerful computers based on molecules rather than silicon chips. ... > full story
Herpesvirus Proteins That Target Key Cellular Processes Identified (July 14, 2008) -- Herpesviruses use multiple strategies to manipulate important components of the host cell nuclear environment during infection, according to new research. The study provides novel insights into the potential functions of over 120 previously uncharacterized viral proteins. ... > full story
Report Calls For Expansion Of Professional Science Master's Degree Programs (July 14, 2008) -- Policymakers, universities, and employers should work together to speed the development of professionally oriented master's degree programs in the natural sciences, says a new report from the National Research Council. ... > full story
Reading, Math Scores Up For U.S. 4th And 8th Graders (July 14, 2008) -- The United States' fourth and eighth graders scored higher in reading and mathematics than they did during their last national assessment, according to the federal government's latest annual statistical report on the well-being of the nation's children. Not all the report's findings were positive; there also were increases in the adolescent birth rate and the proportion of infants born at low birthweight. ... > full story
Will Our Future Brains Be Smaller? (July 13, 2008) -- New research has shown that the evolutionary pressures arising from the older, faster, but less accurate, part of the brain may have shaped the more recent development of the slower-acting but more precise cortex, found in humans and higher animals. ... > full story
Purified Stem Cells Restore Muscle In Mice With Muscular Dystrophy (July 13, 2008) -- Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that transplanted muscle stem cells can both improve muscle function in animals with a form of muscular dystrophy and replenish the stem cell population for use in the repair of future muscle injuries. ... > full story
Skyscraper Run-Ups: What It Takes To Be An Extreme Athlete (July 13, 2008) -- Scientists have recently become interested in the biomechanics of a very unusual activity: skyscraper run-ups. Competitors in this extreme sport ascend the steps inside the world's tallest buildings, the winners often scaling thousands of steps in just a few minutes. New research has shed light on the metabolic profile of athletes, as well as having a potential impact on studies of aging. ... > full story
Mechanism That Explains How Cancer Enzyme Winds Up On Ends Of Chromosomes Found (July 13, 2008) -- Researchers have shown a mechanism that explains how two essential components of human telomerase -- normally active only in early prenatal development but turned back on during cancer growth -- are "recruited" from distinct sites in the cell to the telomere, an area at the end of a chromosome that normally protects it from destruction. ... > full story
Architect Professor Advocates Best-building Practices For High Wind Regions (July 13, 2008) -- More than ever before, building design and construction can be significantly improved to reduce wind pressures on building surfaces and to help better resist high winds and hurricanes in residential or commercial construction, said one architecture professor. ... > full story
Non-parental Care Of Infants Tied To Unfavorable Feeding Practices (July 13, 2008) -- With more new mothers in the workplace than ever before, there has been a corresponding increase in the number of child care facilities in the United States. At the same time, data from a variety of sources point to a growing prevalence of overweight infants and toddlers. Is there a connection? According to a new study, child care factors and feeding practices may indeed play a role. ... > full story
New Mode Of Gene Regulation Discovered In Mammals (July 13, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered a type of gene regulation never before observed in mammals -- a "ribozyme" that controls the activity of an important family of genes in several different species. ... > full story
Prostate Cancer Vaccines More Effective With Hormone Therapy (July 13, 2008) -- Among patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, the addition of hormone therapy following vaccine treatment improved overall survival compared with either treatment alone or when the vaccine followed hormone treatment, according to recent data published in Clinical Cancer Research. ... > full story
Controlling The Size Of Nanoclusters: First Step In Making New Catalysts To Control Polllution (July 13, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a new instrument that allows them to control the size of nanoclusters -- groups of 10 to 100 atoms -- with atomic precision. They created a model nanocatalyst of molybdenum sulfide, the first step in developing the next generation of materials to be used in hydrodesulfurization, a process that removes sulfur from natural gas and petroleum products to reduce pollution. ... > full story
Herceptin Targets Breast Cancer Stem Cells (July 13, 2008) -- A gene that is overexpressed in 20 percent of breast cancers increases the number of cancer stem cells, the cells that fuel a tumor's growth and spread, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. ... > full story
Zooming In On Genetic Shuffling (July 13, 2008) -- Researchers have presented the most precise map of genetic recombination yet. A new study sheds light on fundamental questions about genetic shuffling and has implications for the tracking of disease genes and their inheritance. ... > full story
Alcohol's Impact On Heart And Stroke Risk May Differ For Men, Women (July 13, 2008) -- Heart and stroke risks associated with alcohol use differ among Japanese men and women. Women with light alcohol consumption had a small decrease in heart disease death risk; heavy alcohol users had a much greater increase in risk. Men with heavy alcohol use had a 19 percent lower risk of dying from coronary heart disease than non-drinking men. Heavy alcohol use increased the risk of stroke in men and women. ... > full story
Understanding Hearing, Molecule By Molecule (July 13, 2008) -- Scientists have for the first time pieced together the three-dimensional structure of one of nature's most exquisite pieces of machinery, a gossamer-like filament of proteins in the inner ear that enables the sense of hearing and balance. ... > full story
Genes That Control Embryonic Stem Cell Fate Identified (July 13, 2008) -- Scientists have identified about two dozen genes that control embryonic stem cell fate. The genes may either prod or restrain stem cells from drifting into a kind of limbo, they suspect. The limbo lies between the embryonic stage and fully differentiated, or specialized, cells, such as bone, muscle or fat. ... > full story
Myostatin Inhibitors May Improve Recovery Of Wartime Limb Injuries (July 13, 2008) -- Inhibiting a growth factor that keeps muscles from getting too big may optimize recovery of injured soldiers, researchers say. Bone biologists are studying two myostatin inhibitors in mice with limb injuries, first to see which works best and then to identify the best delivery mechanism. ... > full story
Not The Protein, But Its Location In The Cell, Determines The Onset Of Leukemia (July 13, 2008) -- Scientists are still searching for the cause of many forms of Leukemia, including T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Researchers have now discovered that the carcinogenic property of the fusion protein NUP214-ABL1 largely depends on its location in the cell. Casting new light on the biological processes behind T-ALL, this finding is important in the search for new targeted therapies that are less toxic than chemotherapy. ... > full story
RNA Emerges From DNA's Shadow (July 13, 2008) -- RNA, the transporter of genetic information within the cell, has emerged from the shadow of DNA to become one of the hottest research areas of molecular biology, with implications for many diseases as well as understanding of evolution. But the field is complex, requiring access to the latest equipment and techniques of imaging, gene expression analysis and bioinformatics, as well as cross-pollination between multiple scientific disciplines. ... > full story
Scientists Generally Happy With Their Media Interaction (July 13, 2008) -- Scientists and journalists get along much better than the anecdotal 'horror stories' would lead us to believe, according to new research published in the journal Science, which has found that 57 percent of researchers were 'mostly pleased' with their media interaction, while only 6 percent were 'mostly dissatisfied.' ... > full story
Superfast Vocal Muscles In Songbirds: Hundred Times Faster Than Blink Of An Eye (July 12, 2008) -- Certain songbirds can contract their vocal muscles 100 times faster than humans can blink an eye -- placing the birds with a handful of animals that have evolved superfast muscles, researchers found. ... > full story
Detecting Early Forms Of Cancer By Analyzing Structure of Specific Sugar Molecules (July 12, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a system which can pinpoint potential "biomarkers" of early forms of cancer, by looking at structures of specific sugar molecules which are attached either to proteins of cancerous cells or to proteins involved in the host response. The availability of such cancer biomarkers could also allow disease progression and response to therapy to be monitored more easily and accurately than is currently possible. ... > full story
Decadent, Convenient Banana Dessert Débuted At Food Expo (July 12, 2008) -- Who doesn't like a banana split? Fresh fruit, three flavors of ice cream and chocolate syrup. Yum. That vision was the subjective basis for a new product developed by a team of Virginia Tech students -- frozen bite-sized slices of banana filled with creamy chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry non-fat frozen yogurt and enrobed in dark chocolate. Called "Banana Splitters," the new confection is packaged as nine individual pieces -- three of each flavor -- in a sleeve, six sleeves in a package to be available next to the ice cream and other frozen goodies. ... > full story
Cool, Air Blown Under Football Shoulder Pads Reduces Body Temperature And Heart Rate, Research Finds (July 12, 2008) -- Cool, dry air flowing between the athlete and their football pads reduces core body temperature and heart rate dramatically, thereby reducing the likelihood of heat-related illness, a new study shows. The study found that air forced under the uniform, rather than misted, cool air blown on to the uniform, could be a helpful measure to avoid heat-related illness in football players. ... > full story
Coal-generated Carbon Dioxide Captured In Australia -- A First (July 12, 2008) -- In a first for Australia, carbon dioxide has been captured from power station flue gases in a post-combustion-capture pilot plant at Loy Yang Power Station in Victoria's Latrobe Valley. ... > full story
Learning Suffers If Brain Transcript Isn't Transported Far Out To End Of Neurons (July 12, 2008) -- Neuroscientists have solved a mystery that lies at the heart of human learning, and they say the solution may help explain some forms of mental retardation as well as provide clues to overall brain functioning. ... > full story
Model For Automated, Wearable Artificial Kidney Designed (July 12, 2008) -- Two researchers have developed a design for an automated, wearable artificial kidney, or AWAK, that avoids the complications patients often suffer with traditional dialysis. The peritoneal-based artificial kidney is "bloodless" and reduces or even eliminates protein loss and other dialysis-related problems. ... > full story
Unsuspected Gene Mutation Found For Atrial Fibrillation (July 12, 2008) -- Researchers have found a gene mutation linked to one family's hereditary form of atrial fibrillation. The study was based on a large family with an inherited form of atrial fibrillation in 11 relatives. Investigators discovered the defective gene by scanning the entire human genome, comprised of more than 30,000 genes. ... > full story
Insect Warning Colors Aid Cancer And Tropical Disease Drug Discovery (July 12, 2008) -- Brightly colored beetles or butterfly larvae nibbling on a plant may signal the presence of chemical compounds active against cancer cell lines and tropical parasitic diseases, according to researchers. Such clues could speed drug discovery and provide insight into the ecological relationships between tropical-forest plants and insects that feed on them. ... > full story
Cadaver Tissue Fails Nearly 25 Percent Of The Time In Young ACL Reconstructions (July 12, 2008) -- Choosing the best replacement ligament for surgery is one key to ACL reconstruction success. A new study found that with a failure rate of almost 24 percent, the use of cadaver replacement ligaments may not be the best choice for young, athletic patients. ... > full story
Molecular Motor Works By Detecting Minute Changes In Force (July 12, 2008) -- Researchers discovered that the activity of a specific family of nanometer-sized molecular motors called myosin-I is regulated by force. The motor puts tension on cellular springs that allow vibrations to be detected within the body. This finely tuned regulation has important implications for understanding a wide variety of basic cellular processes. ... > full story
Researchers Detect Fake Art From Originals (July 12, 2008) -- As museums continue to digitize their art collections, it becomes increasingly easier for paintings to be forged. Scientists are now working on a digital system to help detect original works from counterfeit ones. ... > full story
Children Are Naturally Prone To Be Empathic And Moral (July 12, 2008) -- Children between the ages of seven and 12 appear to be naturally inclined to feel empathy for others in pain, according to researchers who used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scans to study responses in children. Researchers found that children, like adults, show responses to pain in the same areas of their brains. The research also found additional aspects of the brain activated in children, when youngsters saw another person intentionally hurt by another individual. ... > full story
Biological Marker For Alzheimer's Holds Promise For Earlier Diagnosis And Treatment (July 12, 2008) -- Researchers have found clear evidence that increases in the size of the brain ventricles are directly associated with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Ventricles are fluid-filled cavities in the brain. The research shows the volume of the brain ventricles expands as surrounding tissue dies. ... > full story
Coming Epidemic Of Type 2 Diabetes In Young Adults (July 12, 2008) -- How will the epidemic of childhood obesity today affect the future health of Americans? As concern about children's health grows along with their waistlines, medical experts fear that the childhood obesity epidemic could lead to large numbers of younger adults developing type 2 diabetes, causing serious and lasting health complications for future generations of Americans. ... > full story
Problems Of Predicting Birthweights In Obese Mothers (July 12, 2008) -- Obesity is a risk to mother and baby, but American researchers have found a method that tackles the problem of predicting birth weights when mothers have a BMI of more than 30, making ultrasound measurements difficult at full term. They looked at 357 women with BMIs of up to 58 and compared them with 1,025 women who were not overweight. The results showed accurate and comparable results in all but the most obese mothers-to-be. ... > full story
Pressured Proteins: A Little Pressure In Proteomics Squeezes 4-hour Step Into A Minute (July 12, 2008) -- Many coaches inspire better performance by pressuring their teams. Now, proteomics researchers are using pressure to improve the performance of their analyses. In a simple solution to a time-consuming problem, the researchers have found that adding pressure early in their protocol squeezes four hours of waiting -- often allowed to last overnight for convenence -- into a minute. The result brings researchers closer to "proteomics on the fly." ... > full story
Age-old Money Matters: Positivity In Older Adults Leads To Balanced Investments (July 12, 2008) -- The economic and psychological term known as "sunk-cost fallacy" is a bias that leads someone to make a decision based solely on a previous financial investment. For example, a baseball fan might attend every game of the season only because he already purchased the tickets. So who is more likely to commit or avoid the sunk-cost fallacy and why? ... > full story
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