ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Wednesday, July 16, 2008
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Pathologists Believe They Have Pinpointed Achilles Heel Of HIV (July 16, 2008) -- Human immunodeficiency virus researchers believe they have uncovered the Achilles heel in the armor of the virus that continues to kill millions. The weak spot is hidden in the HIV envelope protein gp120. ... > full story
Huntington's Disease Linked To Overactive Immune Response In The Brain (July 16, 2008) -- The damage to brain tissue seen in Huntington's disease may be caused by an overactive immune response in the bloodstream and the brain. Working separately, two teams found evidence in both brain cells and the bloodstream suggesting an important link between the immune system's response and Huntington's disease. ... > full story
Mystery Insect Found In London's Natural History Museum's Wildlife Garden (July 16, 2008) -- An insect, not seen in the UK before, has been discovered living in the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Garden in London. The tiny bug is baffling insect experts at the Museum who are still trying to identify the mystery newcomer. Experts checked the new bug with those in the Museum's national insect collection of more than 28 million specimens. Amazingly, there is no exact match. ... > full story
Administering Heparin Soon After Stroke Can Increase Risk Of Serious Bleeding (July 16, 2008) -- The common practice of administering heparin soon after cardioembolic stroke is associated with an increased risk for serious bleeding, according to an article in the Archives of Neurology. However, it appears that anticoagulation with warfarin therapy may safely begin shortly after stroke. ... > full story
Principles Behind Stability And Electronic Properties Of Gold Nanoclusters Identified (July 16, 2008) -- Scientists have described the principles behind the stability and electronic properties of tiny nanoclusters of metallic gold. The study found that the clusters are stable because they behave like "superatoms" and exhibit a "divide and protect" bonding structure -- a core of gold atoms and a protective layer of gold-thiolate complexes. ... > full story
Rx For Time-crunched Physicians (July 16, 2008) -- Certain communication skills can help physicians increase the efficiency of their time with patients during office visits. ... > full story
Newly Described 'Dragon' Protein Could Be Key To Bird Flu Cure (July 16, 2008) -- Scientists have taken a big step closer to a cure for the most common strain of avian influenza, or "bird flu," the potential pandemic that has claimed more than 200 lives and infected nearly 400 people in 14 countries since it was identified in 2003. ... > full story
Gaining Ground On Sickle Cell Disease (July 16, 2008) -- Although sickle cell disease is a single-gene disorder, its symptoms are highly variable. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists report five gene variants that could potentially be helpful in predicting sickle cell disease severity, perhaps even leading to better treatment approaches in the future. ... > full story
Lead Shot And Sinkers: Weighty Implications For Fish And Wildlife Health (July 16, 2008) -- Millions of pounds of lead used in hunting, fishing and shooting sports wind up in the environment each year and can threaten or kill wildlife, according to a new scientific report. Lead is a metal with no known beneficial role in biological systems, and its use in gasoline, paint, pesticides, and solder in food cans has nearly been eliminated. Although lead shot was banned for waterfowl hunting in 1991, its use in ammunition for upland hunting, shooting sports, and in fishing tackle remains common. ... > full story
High-dose HBO2 Therapy Extends Survival Window After Cardiopulmonary Arrest, Study Suggests (July 16, 2008) -- A new study has major implications for the No. 1 cause of death of Americans -- sudden cardiac arrest. To resuscitate any living organism after 25 minutes of heart stoppage at room temperature has never been reported and suggests that the time to successful resuscitation in humans may be extended beyond the stubborn figure of 16 minutes that has stood for 50 years. ... > full story
California Wildfires As Seen From Remotely Piloted Aircraft (July 16, 2008) -- A remotely piloted aircraft carrying a NASA sensor flew over much of California earlier this week, gathering information that will be used to help fight more than 300 wildfires burning within the state. ... > full story
New System Detects Dementia Risk Among Highly Educated Older Adults (July 16, 2008) -- A different cutoff point on an existing mental function assessment may more effectively assess the risk of dementia in highly educated older adults, according to a new article. ... > full story
Two Extinct Flying Reptiles Compared: One Was A Glider, The Other A Parachutist (July 15, 2008) -- A new study of extinct flying reptiles called kuehneosaurs, has shown that of the of the two genera found in Britain, Kuehneosuchus was a glider while Kuehneosaurus, with much shorter "wings," was a parachutist. ... > full story
'Smothered' Genes Combine With Mutations To Yield Poor Outcome In Cancer Patients (July 15, 2008) -- Researchers have identified a set of genes in breast and colon cancers with a deadly combination of traditional mutations and "smothered" gene activity that may result in poor outcomes for patients. ... > full story
The Emerging Story Of Plant Roots (July 15, 2008) -- Biologists have uncovered a fascinating new insight into the unseen side of plant biology - the root. Although less visible than shoots, leaves and flowers, plant roots are critical to our lives. They provide the crops we eat with water, nutrients, a firm anchor and a place to store food. ... > full story
Diabetes Could Be A Hidden Condition For Heart Disease Patients (July 15, 2008) -- Diabetes could be a hidden condition for some patients with coronary heart disease. Researchers found high levels of oxidative stress in people with coronary heart disease, previously thought to be a marker of the heart condition, could instead indicate a condition of glucose abnormality, such as overt type 2 diabetes. ... > full story
Cruise-liner Sewage Adds To Baltic Decline (July 15, 2008) -- Most international cruise ship companies operating in the Baltic Sea have refused to co-operate with a plea from WWF to stop dumping their sewage straight into the water. The Baltic, an inland sea, is one of the most polluted seas in the world, so much so that the countries on its northern European shores have recently joined together to form the Baltic Sea Action Plan in an attempt to reverse its decline. ... > full story
Weeding Out The Highs Of Medical Marijuana (July 15, 2008) -- Research exploring new ways of exploiting the full medicinal uses of cannabis while avoiding unwanted side-effects. Cannabis is a source of compounds known as cannabinoids, one of which, THC -- the main chemical responsible for the 'high' -- has long been licensed as a medicine for suppressing nausea produced by chemotherapy and for stimulating appetite, for instance, in AIDS patients. ... > full story
Physicists Tweak Quantum Force, Reducing Barrier To Tiny Devices (July 15, 2008) -- Cymbals don't clash of their own accord -- in our world, anyway. But the quantum world is bizarrely different. Two metal plates, placed almost infinitesimally close together, spontaneously attract each other. ... > full story
Possible Link Found Between X-rays And Prostate Cancer (July 15, 2008) -- Researchers have shown an association between certain past diagnostic radiation procedures and an increased risk of young-onset prostate cancer -- a rare form of prostate cancer which affects about 10 percent of all men diagnosed with the disease. ... > full story
Men And Women Are Programmed Differently When It Comes To Temptation (July 15, 2008) -- Men may not see their flirtations with an attractive woman as threatening to the relationship while women do, according to research in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. ... > full story
Kidney Transplants Less Successful At Night (July 15, 2008) -- Kidney transplants should be carried out during the day if possible. At least this is the conclusion suggested by a survey just published by urologists and internists at the University of Bonn. Operations carried out at night require a further operation more than twice as often as other operations. ... > full story
Freeing Light Shines Promise On Energy-efficient Lighting (July 15, 2008) -- The latest bright idea in energy-efficient lighting for homes and offices uses big science in nano-small packages to dim the future Edison's light bulb. A new discovery pushes more appealing white light from organic light-emitting devices. More white light is the holy grail of the next generation of lighting. The innovation describes a way to deliver significantly more bright light from a watt than incandescent bulbs. ... > full story
Myths About Postmenopausal Pain During Sex Shattered (July 15, 2008) -- Using hormone replacement therapy to alleviate painful sexual intercourse in post-menopausal women is not effective for a significant proportion of sufferers, according to a review study. "This often-prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has mainly been studied in women who suffer from vaginal atrophy, a condition caused by declining estrogen levels, and changes in the genitals," one of the researchers said. ... > full story
Marsupials And Humans Share Same Genetic Imprinting That Evolved 150 Million Years Ago (July 15, 2008) -- Research published in Nature Genetics has established an identical mechanism of genetic imprinting, a process involved in marsupial and human fetal development, which evolved 150 million years ago. ... > full story
Consumption Of Nut Products During Pregnancy Linked To Increased Asthma In Children (July 15, 2008) -- Expectant mothers who eat nuts or nut products like peanut butter daily during pregnancy increase their children's risk of developing asthma by more than 50 percent over women who rarely or never consume nut products during pregnancy, according to new research from the Netherlands. ... > full story
Snake Venom Tells Tales About Geography (July 15, 2008) -- Just as people give away their origins by that southern drawl or New England twang, poisonous snakes produce venom that differs distinctly from one geographic area to another, the first study of the "snake venomics" of one of the most common pit vipers in Latin America has found. ... > full story
Tumor-inhibiting Protein Could Be Effective In Treating Leukemia (July 15, 2008) -- Angiocidin, a tumor-inhibiting novel protein, may also have a role as a new therapeutic application in treating leukemia by inducing a differentiation of monocytic leukemia cells into a normal, macrophage-like phenotype. ... > full story
150-meter Ice Core Drawn From McCall Glacier In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (July 15, 2008) -- A 150-meter ice core pulled from the McCall Glacier in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this summer may offer researchers their first quantitative look at up to two centuries of climate change in the region. ... > full story
Parents Should Limit Young Children's Exposure To Background TV (July 15, 2008) -- Research conducted among 50 children ages 1, 2, and 3 found that background TV disrupted children's play and may be an environmental risk factor for most American children. A television in the room played an episode of Jeopardy for half of the hour of observation, while the television was turned off for the other half hour. Children played for significantly less time and focused for shorter intervals on their play when the television was on. ... > full story
Brightest Star In The Galaxy Has New Competition (July 15, 2008) -- A contender for the title of brightest star in our Milky Way galaxy has been unearthed in the dusty metropolis of the galaxy's center. Nicknamed the "Peony nebula star," the bright stellar bulb was revealed by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and other ground-based telescopes. It blazes with the light of an estimated 3.2 million suns. ... > full story
More Kidney Stone Disease Projected Due To Global Warming (July 15, 2008) -- Global warming is likely to increase the proportion of the population affected by kidney stones by expanding the higher-risk region known as the "kidney-stone belt" into neighboring states, researchers have found. ... > full story
Toothpick: New Molecular Tag IDs Bone And Tooth Minerals (July 15, 2008) -- Enlisting an army of plant viruses to their cause, NIST materials researchers have identified a small biomolecule that binds specifically to one of the key crystal structures of the body, the calcium compound that is the basic building block of teeth and bone. With refinements, the researchers say, the new molecule can be a highly discriminating probe for a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic applications related to bones and teeth. ... > full story
Exercise May Prevent Brain Shrinkage In Early Alzheimer's Disease (July 15, 2008) -- Mild Alzheimer's disease patients with higher physical fitness had larger brains compared to mild Alzheimer's patients with lower physical fitness, according to a study published in the journal Neurology. ... > full story
Nano-sized Electronic Circuit Promises Bright View Of Early Universe (July 15, 2008) -- A newly developed nano-sized electronic device is an important step toward helping astronomers see invisible light dating from the creation of the universe. This invisible light makes up 98 percent of the light emitted since the "big bang," and may provide insights into the earliest stages of star and galaxy formation almost 14 billion years ago. ... > full story
Long Commutes, Cell Phones While Driving Can Cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (July 15, 2008) -- Is your long, daily commute causing you pain? According to experts, hours in the car can create more than stress--it can actually cause carpal tunnel syndrome. "Repeated, prolonged gripping of anything--whether it's a steering wheel or a tool--can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome," says Jennifer Valle, occupational therapist and certified hand therapist, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. "There are activities you can do and modifications you can make to help alleviate the risk of developing carpal tunnel." ... > full story
The 700-year-old Mexican Mummy With A Tummy Ache (July 15, 2008) -- Remnants of the bacterium that causes stomach ulcers, Helicobacter pylori, have been discovered in gastric tissue from North American mummies. A study of human remains believed to predate Columbus' discovery of the New World has shown for the first time that H. pylori infection occurred in native populations. ... > full story
New 'Scrubber' Speeds Removal Of Powerful Anthrax Clean-up Agent (July 15, 2008) -- Researchers are reporting the discovery of a fast, efficient method for removing a powerful pesticide used to sterilize buildings and equipment following anthrax attacks. Their chemical "scrubber" removes 99 percent of the pesticide following fumigation and could pave the way for its broader use in anthrax clean-up efforts, the scientists say. ... > full story
Researchers Map Cells' Inner Landscapes (July 15, 2008) -- Much of the field of stem cell biology and development remains uncharted territory. Just as famous explorers and astronomers mapped out landmasses and constellations, researchers are working fervently to chart the molecular landscapes within stem cells -- especially embryonic stem cells. ... > full story
Researchers Hone Technique To KO Pediatric Brain Tumors (July 15, 2008) -- Scientists are a step closer to delivering cancer-killing drugs to pediatric brain tumors, similar to the tumor that Senator Ted Kennedy is suffering from. They developed polymeric nanoparticles that can entrap doxorubicin, a drug commonly used in chemotherapy, and slowly release the drug over an extended time. Such tumors are often difficult to completely remove surgically; frequently, cancerous cells remain following surgery and the tumor returns. Chemotherapy, while effective at treating tumors, often harms healthy cells as well, leading to severe side effects especially in young children that are still developing their brain functions. ... > full story
Seismic Waves From Mine Collapses Can Now Be Distinguished From Other Seismic Activities (July 15, 2008) -- Researchers have devised a technology that can distinguish mine collapses from other seismic activity. Using the large seismic disturbance associated with the Crandall Canyon mine collapse last August, scientists applied a method developed to detect underground nuclear weapons tests to quickly examine the seismic recordings of the event and determine whether that source was most likely from a collapse. ... > full story
Visual Impairment May Be Associated With Higher Suicide Risk (July 15, 2008) -- Visual impairment may be associated with an increased risk of suicide through its indirect negative effect on health, according to a new article. Eye conditions that lead to visual impairment often have psychosocial and health consequences including impaired activities of daily living, social isolation, mental impairment, increased dependency on others, increased motor vehicle crashes, falls and fractures, depression and poor self-rated health, according to background information in the article. ... > full story
Language Without Numbers: Amazonian Tribe Has No Word To Express 'One,' Other Numbers (July 15, 2008) -- An Amazonian language with only 300 speakers has no word to express the concept of "one" or any other specific number, according to a new study from an MIT-led team. ... > full story
Excavated Jericho Bones May Help Israeli-Palestinian-German Team Combat Tuberculosis (July 15, 2008) -- Six-thousand year old bones excavated in Jericho may help a joint Israeli-Palestinian-German research group combat tuberculosis. The bones, which were all excavated between 50 and 70 years ago, will be tested for tuberculosis, leprosy, leishmania and malaria. However, the primary focus will be tuberculosis. ... > full story
Perfect Teeth: Polished To Perfection (July 15, 2008) -- Dentists use special polish to make teeth shiny white again. A new measuring technique determines the effect of dental care products and helps to optimize them so they polish the rough tooth surfaces until they are perfectly smooth, but preserve the tooth enamel. ... > full story
Apert's Syndrome: Why Kids Of Older Dads Are More Likely To Have Some Genetic Disorders (July 15, 2008) -- In a cruel irony, testis cells carrying the mutation that causes Apert's syndrome are fitter than normal cells, even though children born from sperm derived from those cells are weakened by fused fingers, toes and skulls, a new study has found. The research can explain why the syndrome is unexpectedly common, and why sperm from older men carry the mutation more frequently than expected. ... > full story
Closing Coal-fired Power Plants Improves Cognitive Development Of Children, New Study Suggests (July 15, 2008) -- Closing coal-fired power plants can have a direct, positive impact on children's cognitive development and health according to a new study. The study allowed researchers to compare the development of two groups of children born in Tongliang, China -- one in utero while a coal-fired power plant was operating in the city and one in utero after the Chinese government had closed the plant. ... > full story
89 Percent Of Children's Food Products Provide Poor Nutritional Quality, Study Finds (July 15, 2008) -- Most kids' foods provide poor nutritional quality, but packaging claims and healthy images could be misleading parents, according to a new study. Researchers used US guidelines to review 367 products. 70 percent of the products had higher than recommended sugar levels, 23 percent had high fat levels and 17 percent had high salt levels. But 62 percent of them still make health claims on the packaging. ... > full story
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