ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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New Project To Develop GPS-like System For Moon (July 22, 2008) -- The same researcher who is helping rovers navigate on Mars is leading a new effort to help humans navigate on the moon. When NASA returns to the moon -- the space agency has set a target date of 2020 to do so -- astronauts won't be able to use a global positioning system to find their way around, explained the professor of civil and environmental engineering and geodetic science. ... > full story
Insulin-producing Cells Can Give Rise To Stem-like Cells In-vitro (July 22, 2008) -- The question of whether insulin-producing cells of the pancreas can regenerate is key to our understanding of diabetes. Now scientists have concluded that they can. Researchers have shown in vitro that insulin-producing β-cells (beta cells) can return to a more primitive developmental state called stem-like cells. ... > full story
3-D Views Posted From NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander (July 22, 2008) -- NASA's Phoenix Mars Mission has released stereo images of the Martian surface near the Phoenix lander. The images in the new 3-D Gallery combine views from the left and right "eyes" of the lander's Surface Stereo Imager (SSI) so that they appear three-dimensional when viewed through red-blue glasses. ... > full story
Cancer Drug Resistance: Enzyme Expression Levels Correlated With Chemotherapy Drug Response (July 22, 2008) -- Why do cancer patients develop resistance to chemotherapy drugs, sometimes abruptly, after a period in which the drugs seem to be working well to reduce tumors or hold them in check? Although largely a mystery to scientists, the result when this occurs is all too familiar: patients relapse and in many cases die when their cancers become resistant. ... > full story
Geosequestration: Turning Carbon Dioxide Into Rock To Offset Global Warming (July 22, 2008) -- The same technology used to analyse minerals and atmosphere on Mars and other planets is being used by scientists to explore methods for geosequestration of carbon emissions. The idea of geosequestration is to trap carbon dioxide and to lock it into minerals deep underground. Geosequestration of carbon dioxide is one of the methods under debate to reduce greenhouse gases and their effects on climate change. ... > full story
Intelligent Computational Model Of The Descriptive Grammar Of The Spanish Language (July 22, 2008) -- Researchers have developed an intelligent computational model of the descriptive grammar of the Spanish language. This opens up new possibilities for the computational representation of languages and natural language processing applications. ... > full story
Using Magenetic Nanoparticles To Combat Cancer (July 22, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a potential new treatment against cancer that attaches magnetic nanoparticles to cancer cells, allowing them to be captured and carried out of the body. The treatment has been tested in the laboratory and will now be looked at in survival studies. ... > full story
Averting Postsurgical Infections In Kids: Give Antibiotics Within Hour Before First Incision, Study Suggests (July 22, 2008) -- Giving children preventive antibiotics within one hour before they undergo spinal surgery greatly reduces the risk for serious infections after the surgery, suggests a study to be published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. ... > full story
Why Cannabis Stems Inflammation (July 22, 2008) -- Cannabis has long been accredited with anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers, however, have now discovered that it is not only the familiar psychoactive substances that are responsible for this; a compound we take in every day in vegetable nutriment also plays a significant role. ... > full story
D-cycloserine May Improve Behavioral Therapy Treatment For Anxiety (July 22, 2008) -- Anxiety is a normal human response to stress, but in some, it can develop into a disabling disorder of excessive and irrational fears, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Effective treatments are available and can involve either behavioral therapy or medications. ... > full story
New Technology Will Enhance Coal Mine Safety (July 22, 2008) -- Working in coal mines can be backbreaking labor, not to mention dangerous. But a new technology will make it easier for miners to ensure their safety as they brace the roofs of mine shafts. The new method involves simple, but specially designed stackable wood braces that are lighter and stronger than conventional wooden blocks used by miners for centuries. ... > full story
Coffee And Cigarette Consumption Are High Among AA Attendees (July 22, 2008) -- More than one million Americans currently participate in the Alcoholics Anonymous program. Recent findings confirm that coffee and cigarette use among AA members is greater than among the general US population. Most AA members drink coffee for its stimulatory effects; more than half smoke to reduce feelings of depression, anxiety and irritability. ... > full story
Scientists Create Touch-based Illusion: Mind Trick Yields New Insights On Perception (July 21, 2008) -- Anyone who has seen an optical illusion can recall the quirky moment when you realize that the image being perceived is different from objective reality. Now, scientists have designed a new illusion involving the sense of touch, which is helping to glean new insights into perception and how different senses -- such as touch and sight -- work together. ... > full story
Understanding How Neurons Communicate May Help Treat Brain Disorders (July 21, 2008) -- Scientists have learned important details illustrating how neuronal cells in the brain communicate at a microcellular level. Such knowledge may help in the development of drug compounds used to treat disorders caused by malfunctions in communication between brain cells, such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story
Lionfish Decimating Tropical Fish Populations, Threatening Coral Reefs (July 21, 2008) -- The invasion of predatory lionfish in the Caribbean region poses yet another major threat there to coral reef ecosystems -- a new study has found that within a short period after the entry of lionfish into an area, the survival of other reef fishes is slashed by about 80 percent. ... > full story
Guidelines Highlight Key Differences Between Child And Adult Stroke (July 21, 2008) -- This is the first guidance on stroke in children from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke risk, symptoms and treatment in children are different from those in adults. The clot-busting drug t-PA is not generally recommended for treating children, especially newborns. ... > full story
If Northern Trees Suffer Because Of Global Warming, Southern Trees May Still Be Slow To Replace Them (July 21, 2008) -- If a warmer Wisconsin climate causes some northern tree species to disappear in the future, it's easy to imagine that southern species will just expand their range northward as soon as the conditions suit them. The reality, though, may not be nearly so simple. A new model suggests that while certain northern species, such as balsam fir, spruce and jack pine, are likely to decline as the state's climate warms, oaks, hickories and other southern Wisconsin trees will be slow to replace them. ... > full story
Elderly Falls Cut By 11 Percent With Education And Intervention (July 21, 2008) -- Commonly viewed as an inevitable consequence of aging and often ignored in clinical practice, falls among the elderly were cut by 11 percent when researchers at Yale School of Medicine used a combination of fall prevention educational campaigns and interventions aimed at encouraging clinicians to incorporate fall-risk assessment and management into their practices. ... > full story
Breakthrough In Fight Against Deadly Superbug: Early Detection Method Greatly Increases Chances Of Survival (July 21, 2008) -- Scientists have made a major breakthrough in the fight against a deadly hospital infection which kills tens of thousands of people every year, and it will be available within the next year. Researchers have discovered a technique that can identify the superbug within 24-48 hours of infection, greatly increasing a patient's chances of survival. ... > full story
Calcium May Be The Key To Understanding Alzheimer's Disease (July 21, 2008) -- Researchers have shown that mutations in two proteins associated with familial Alzheimer's disease disrupt the flow of calcium ions within neurons. The two proteins, called PS1 and PS2 (presenilin 1 and 2), interact with a calcium release channel in an intracellular cell compartment. ... > full story
How Birds Spot The Cuckoo In The Nest (July 21, 2008) -- It's not always easy spotting the cuckoo in the nest. But if you don't, you pay a high price raising someone else's chick. How hosts distinguish impostor eggs from their own has long puzzled scientists. The problem remained largely unsolved while looking at it through our own eyes. It was only when people started thinking from the birds' perspective that they began to understand how hosts recognise a cuckoo egg in the nest. ... > full story
Too Much, Too Little Sleep Increases Ischemic Risk In Postmenopausal Women (July 21, 2008) -- Sleeping nine hours or more a night significantly increases the risk for ischemic stroke among post menopausal women. Sleeping less than 6 hours showed a modest increase risk of stroke, but was reported by twice as many women. The findings cannot be applied to other groups. ... > full story
Reclaimed Wastewater Benefits Florida's Citrus Orchards (July 21, 2008) -- The Sunshine State has seen rapid growth in population during the last 50 years. Naturally, along with population increases, environmental concerns about pollution of surface waters by treated wastewater have caused many communities to consider alternate ways to use secondary-treated, or reclaimed, wastewater. In a study supported by the city of Orlando and Orange County (Fla.), researchers set out to determine whether long-term irrigation with treated municipal wastewater reduced citrus tree health or created increases in soil contaminants. ... > full story
Heart Attack Not A Death Sentence (July 21, 2008) -- Survivors of cardiac arrest who received intensive care can expect long-term quality of life at reasonable expense to the health care system. The allocation of resources to the treatment of heart attack patients is equally as justified as the treatment of other intensive care patient groups. ... > full story
Killer Kevlar: Clothing That Shields From Germs (July 21, 2008) -- Protective clothing worn by firemen and other emergency workers may soon get a germ-fighting upgrade. Researchers in South Dakota report progress toward the first Kevlar fabrics that can kill a wide range of infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, and the spores that cause anthrax. ... > full story
New Approach To Cancer: Find Most Tightly Controlled Genes (July 21, 2008) -- Scientists have found a new way to study cancer that could be very useful for developing targeted therapies against tumors and possibly many other diseases. A data analysis revealed which genes are most tightly controlled in the cancerous tissues studied, yielding a new class of genes, in which only slight changes could affect gene function to elicit a sizable effect on a tumor. ... > full story
Spotted Hyenas Can Increase Survival Rates By Hunting Alone (July 21, 2008) -- While spotted hyenas know the value of living together in large, cooperative societies, they also realize that venturing on their own now and then to hunt for food is often the key to their survival. The problem is that spotted hyenas live in a social group, they all know each other and there is a well-established hierarchy. So when a kill is made, it is the spotted hyenas that are higher up on the totem pole that get to eat. ... > full story
Novel Computational Model Describes The Speed At Which HIV Escapes The Immune Response (July 21, 2008) -- A new model illustrates how HIV evades the immune system. The study, in PLoS Computational Biology, incorporates detailed interactions between a mutating virus and the immune system. ... > full story
For Toy-like NASA Robots In Arctic, Ice Research Is Child's Play (July 21, 2008) -- Several snowmobiles navigated speedily over arctic ice and snow in Alaska's outback in late June. This scene might seem ordinary except that the recently unveiled snowmobiles are unmanned, autonomous, toy-size robots called SnoMotes -- the first prototype network of their kind envisioned to rove treacherous areas of the Arctic and Antarctic capturing more accurate measurements that will help scientists better understand what is causing the well-documented melting of ice in those regions. ... > full story
How A Simple Mathematic Formula Is Starting To Explain The Bizarre Prevalence Of Altruism In Society (July 21, 2008) -- Why do humans cooperate in things as diverse as environment conservation or the creation of fairer societies, even when they don't receive anything in exchange or, worst, they might even be penalized? This is a question that has puzzled academics for centuries, especially since in evolution the basis for the "survival of the fittest" is, after all, selfishness. ... > full story
Advance Brings Low-cost, Bright LED Lighting Closer To Reality (July 21, 2008) -- Researchers have overcome a major obstacle in reducing the cost of "solid state lighting," a technology that could cut electricity consumption by 10 percent if widely adopted. The technology, called light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, is about four times more efficient than conventional incandescent lights and more environmentally friendly than compact fluorescent bulbs. The LEDs also are expected to be far longer lasting than conventional lighting, lasting perhaps as long as 15 years before burning out. ... > full story
Protein Linked To Bone Marrow Failure In Humans Found Through Study Of Dark-skinned Mice (July 21, 2008) -- The study of dark-skinned mice has led to a surprising finding about a common protein involved in tumor suppression. The results may lead to new treatments for bone marrow failure in humans. ... > full story
Horse Racecourse In Ancient Olympia Discovered After 1600 Years (July 21, 2008) -- The site of the ancient hippodrome course in Olympia, where the emperor Nero competed for Olympian laurels, has been discovered. Pausanias, a travel writer of the ancient world, described this course for horse races, its starting mechanisms, turning points and altars in much detail in the 2nd century AD. ... > full story
Virulence Factor That Induces Fatal Candida Infection Identified (July 21, 2008) -- Singapore scientists found that certain substances from bacteria living in the human intestine cause the normally harmless Candida albicans fungus to become highly infectious. Once in the infectious form, the fungus is able to invade surrounding tissues and escape destruction by the body's own immune cells. ... > full story
NOAA: Eighth Warmest June On Record For Globe (July 21, 2008) -- The combined average global land and ocean surface temperatures for June 2008 ranked eighth warmest for June since worldwide records began in 1880, according to an analysis by NOAA. Also, globally it was the ninth warmest January to June period on record. ... > full story
Wii-habilitation: Using Video Games To Heal Burns (July 21, 2008) -- Video games — often regarded as nothing more than mindless entertainment for lethargic kids and teens — are proving to be an effective, new tool to motivate patients to perform rehabilitation exercises. The Burn Center is also employing a special add-on to the Nintendo Wii system, Guitar Hero III. ... > full story
Changes In Winds Could Have Been Cause Of Abrupt Glacial Climatic Change (July 21, 2008) -- During the last glacial period, small variations in the surface winds could have induced significant changes in the oceanic currents of the North Atlantic, and could even have played a role in the abrupt climate change that occurred at the time. ... > full story
Researchers Grow Human Blood Vessels In Mice From Adult Progenitor Cells (July 21, 2008) -- For the first time, researchers have grown in mice functioning human blood vessels from cells obtained from adult blood and bone marrow. This research could eventually lead to treatments for heart attack, acute injuries, wound healing and may facilitate growing new organs. ... > full story
Brain Morphology Of Homo Liujiang Cranium Fossil Detailed With 3-D CT Scan (July 21, 2008) -- High-resolution industrial computed tomography was used to scan the Homo Liujiang cranium fossil, and the three-dimensional virtual brain image was reconstructed. The brain morphology of Liujiang is assigned to Late Homo sapiens. ... > full story
New Protocol Streamlines Therapy That Makes More Kidney Transplants Possible (July 21, 2008) -- A new therapy improves transplant rates and outcomes for patients awaiting living- and deceased-donor kidney transplantation. The therapy may provide an option for many patients "sensitized" to transplant antigens (human leukocyte antigens, or HLA) who previously would not have been candidates for transplantation because of their intense immune response to these HLA targets. ... > full story
NASA Mission To Be Crystal Ball Into Oceans' Future, Mirror To The Past (July 21, 2008) -- Imagine the lives that could be saved from flash floods and drought, the millions of dollars in fuel costs that could be avoided for fishing vessels, and the homes that could be spared from the effects of coastline erosion if only scientists could more accurately predict the dynamics of Earth's often unpredictable oceans. Armed with increasingly more accurate forecasts, weather services in countries across the globe are improving time-sensitive warnings of cyclones, flooding and high sea winds, as well as information about when it's safe to scuba dive, sail, or fish 48 kilometers (30 miles) or more beyond coastlines. ... > full story
Loud Music Can Make You Drink More, In Less Time, In A Bar (July 21, 2008) -- Commercial venues are very aware of the effects that the environment -- in this case, music -- can have on in-store traffic flow, sales volumes, product choices and consumer time spent in the immediate vicinity. A study of the effects of music levels on drinking in a bar setting has found that loud music leads to more drinking in less time. ... > full story
Rapid Alzheimer's Improvement After New Immune-based Treatment (July 21, 2008) -- Alzheimer's patients showed rapid improvement in language within minutes of a novel immune-based treatment. A new article provides preliminary evidence that the disrupted neural communication seen in Alzheimer's disease may be reversible. ... > full story
Natural Selection May Not Produce The Best Organisms (July 21, 2008) -- "Survival of the fittest" is the catch phrase of evolution by natural selection. While natural selection favors the most fit organisms around, evolutionary biologists have long wondered whether this leads to the best possible organisms in the long run. A team of researchers has developed a new theory, which suggests that life may not always be optimal. ... > full story
Explosive Eruption Of Okmok Volcano In Alaska (July 21, 2008) -- Okmok Volcano in Alaska continues to produce explosions and ash plumes through a newly created vent and poses hazards to air travel in the area. Scientists are using a combination of seismic and GPS instruments on the ground and weather and radar satellites in space to track the progress of the eruption. Human visual observations are limited because airborne ash obscures a view of what is happening inside the volcano's 6-mile-diameter caldera and the area is too hazardous to enter. ... > full story
First Human Use Of New Device To Make Arrhythmia Treatment Safer (July 21, 2008) -- The first person in the world has been successfully treated with a new device designed to make it safer and easier for heart specialists to create a hole in the cardiac atrial septum. The hole, created by the NRGTM Transseptal Needle, allows cardiac catheters to cross from the right side of the heart to the left side. ... > full story
Athapaskan Migration To Southwest U.S. Illuminated With Y Chromosome Study (July 21, 2008) -- A large-scale genetic study of native North Americans offers new insights into the migration of a small group of Athapaskan natives from their subarctic home in northwest North America to the southwestern United States. The migration, which left no known archaeological trace, is believed to have occurred about 500 years ago. ... > full story
Eyewitnesses May Misidentify Perpetrator Of A Crime Due To Stress Or Fear (July 21, 2008) -- A new study highlights the fragility of eyewitness identification used within the criminal justice system. The study shows that stress and fear reduce the likelihood of successful identification, bringing into question a victim's ability to identify the perpetrator of a crime. ... > full story
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