ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
Study Suggests 86 Percent Of Americans Could Be Overweight Or Obese By 2030 (July 29, 2008) -- Most adults in the US will be overweight or obese by 2030, with related health care spending projected to be as much as 6.9 billion, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. ... > full story
Sharp Rise In Skin Infections In U.S., MRSA Suspected (July 29, 2008) -- A national analysis of U.S. physician office and emergency department records shows that the types of skin infections caused by community-acquired MRSA doubled in the eight-year study period, with the highest rates seen among children and in urban emergency rooms. ... > full story
Slippery Customer: A Greener Antiwear Additive For Engine Oils (July 29, 2008) -- Titanium, a protean element with applications from pigments to aerospace alloys, could get a new role as an environmentally friendly additive for automotive oil. ... > full story
Dietary Factors Appear To Be Associated With Diabetes Risk (July 29, 2008) -- Drinking more sugar-sweetened beverages or eating fewer fruits and vegetables both may be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas eating a low-fat diet does not appear to be associated with any change in diabetes risk, according to three reports in the July 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. ... > full story
No-tillage Plus: Cover Crops Offer A Model For Sustainability In Tropical Soils (July 29, 2008) -- Tropical soils often behave differently than temperate soils when being farmed. In tropical regions, soils lose nutrients quickly when cultivated. With food shortages looming and soil quality declining rapidly, new farming techniques are needed to make tropical and sub-tropical farming more productive and sustainable. New research from Agronomy Journal shows that no-till management combined with a winter cover crop is most effective in retaining nutrients in tropical soils. ... > full story
Eating Disorder Symptoms More Common Among Female Athletes And Exercisers (July 29, 2008) -- A recent study reveals that university undergraduate women who actively participate in sports and exercise-related activities tend to have higher rates of attitudes and behaviors related to eating disorders compared to those who do not regularly exercise. ... > full story
Japanese Diet Rich In Fish May Hold Secret To Healthy Heart: Omega-3 Fatty Acids From Fish Appear To Prevent Clogged Arteries (July 29, 2008) -- If you're fishing for ways to reduce the risk of heart disease, you might start with the seafood-rich diet typically served up in Japan. The research, published in the Aug. 5, 2008, issue of Journal of the American College of Cardiology, suggests that protection comes from omega-3 fatty acids found in abundance in oily fish. ... > full story
Structure Of Heart Can Be Changed Through Exercise (July 29, 2008) -- Just like any other muscle, the structure of the heart can be changed through exercise. However, this adaptation process takes longer than it takes the muscle to revert to its original conditions. Researchers have studied this process in well trained hearts during their investigations to identify pathologies. ... > full story
Cold Temperature Is Key To Quality Of Bagged Salads (July 29, 2008) -- Scientists have found that proper storage temperatures are essential to minimize bacterial growth and adaptability inside sealed, bagged salads. They have been studying the safety of new technologies that extend the shelf life of bagged salad greens. ... > full story
New Human Tissue Bank 'A Tremendous Research Resource' (July 29, 2008) -- The University of Bradford has unveiled a new facility to provide UK biomedical researchers access to a wide range of human tissue and tissue products. ... > full story
Europe’s Next-generation Broadband (July 29, 2008) -- An enormous research effort by Europe's leading broadband players has helped accelerate dramatically the rollout of next-generation broadband services reaching speeds in the 10s of Mbit/s in many European countries. That is just the start. ... > full story
Women's Access To Credit Affects Efficiency In Rural Households (July 29, 2008) -- Rural households in which women are not able to meet their needs for capital do not produce as much as they could, according to new research. ... > full story
Birdsong Not Just For The Birds: Bio-acoustic Method Also Hears Nature’s Cry For Help (July 28, 2008) -- Computer scientists have developed a kind of 'Big Brother' for birds. This has nothing to do with entertainment, but a lot to do with the protection of nature. The new type of voice detector involved can reliably recognize the characteristic birdsong of different species of birds, thereby facilitating surveys of the bird population. ... > full story
Foods High In Conjugated Linoleic Acids Can Enrich Breast Milk (July 28, 2008) -- Have a cookie before breast-feeding, mom? Eating special cookies enriched with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) can increase the level of these potentially healthful fatty acids in breast milk, reports a recent study in the journal Nutrition Research. ... > full story
Breast Cancer Detection: A Simpler Alternative To Mammograms? (July 28, 2008) -- Whether a painless, portable device that uses electrical current rather than X-ray to look for breast cancer could be an alternative to traditional mammograms is under study. New research will compare traditional mammograms to impedence scanning, a technique based on evidence that electrical current passes through cancerous tissue differently than through normal tissue. ... > full story
No Justification For Denying Obese Patients Knee Replacements, Experts Argue (July 28, 2008) -- There is no justification for denying obese patients knee replacement surgery: they benefit almost as much as anyone else from the procedure, concludes a small study. ... > full story
Phonon Floodgate In Monolayer Carbon: Unexpected Gap-like Feature Found In Energy Spectrum Of Electrons Tunneling Into Graphene's Single Layer Of Atoms (July 28, 2008) -- The first scanning tunneling spectroscopy of graphene flakes equipped with a "gate" electrode has found an unexpected gap-like feature in the energy spectrum of electrons tunneling into graphene's single layer of atoms. Scientists who performed the research believe the peculiar feature arises from the interaction of the tunneling electrons with phonons, the quantized vibrations of the 2-D graphene crystal. ... > full story
International Monetary Fund Loans Linked To Higher Death Rates From Tuberculosis (July 28, 2008) -- International Monetary Fund loans were associated with a 16.6 percent rise in death rates from tuberculosis in the former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern European countries between 1992 and 2002. The study also found that IMF loans were linked with a 13.9 percent increase in the number of new cases of TB per year and a 13.2 percent increase per year in the total number of people with the disease. ... > full story
Fungus Foot Baths Could Save Bees (July 28, 2008) -- One of the biggest world wide threats to honey bees, the varroa mite, could soon be about to meet its nemesis. Researchers at the University of Warwick are examining naturally occurring fungi that kill the varroa mite. They are also exploring a range of ways to deliver the killer fungus throughout the hives from bee fungal foot baths to powder sprays. ... > full story
A Hormone That Enhances One’s Memory Of Happy Faces (July 28, 2008) -- Oxytocin was originally studied as the “milk let-down factor,” i.e., a hormone that was necessary for breast-feeding. However, there is increasing evidence that this hormone also plays an important role in social bonding and maternal behaviors. A new study scheduled for publication in the August 1st issue of Biological Psychiatry now shows that one way oxytocin promotes social affiliation in humans is by enhancing the encoding of positive social memories. ... > full story
Nanoparticle Research Points To Energy Savings (July 28, 2008) -- NIST experiments with varying concentrations of nanoparticle additives indicate a major opportunity to improve the energy efficiency of large industrial, commercial, and institutional cooling systems known as chillers. ... > full story
Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Hormone Therapy May Experience Cognitive Effects (July 28, 2008) -- Hormone deprivation therapy, a used for prostate cancer, may have subtle adverse effects on cognition in patients. ... > full story
Bovine Tuberculosis In Wildlife Threatens Endangered Lynx And Cattle Health (July 28, 2008) -- In an epidemiological survey of Spain's Doñana National Park researchers studied the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis infection among populations of wild boar, red deer and fallow deer. The infection was confirmed in 52% of wild boar, 27% of red deer and 18% of fallow deer. ... > full story
Glazed America: Anthropologist Examines Doughnut As Symbol Of Consumer Culture (July 28, 2008) -- Few things say as much about our culture as the food we eat. An anthropologist explores the development of America's consumer culture through our relationship with the doughnut, beloved by many, and a symbol of temptation and unhealthiness to others. ... > full story
New Semiconductor Lasers Herald Wide Range Of Applications In Photonics And Communications (July 28, 2008) -- Scientists have demonstrated, for the first time, highly directional semiconductor lasers with a much smaller beam divergence than conventional ones. The innovation opens the door to a wide range of applications in photonics and communications. ... > full story
Hip Bone Density Helps Predict Breast Cancer Risk (July 28, 2008) -- Bone density provides information that may help more accurately determine the risk of developing breast cancer. ... > full story
Researchers Map Out America's Deadliest Roads (July 28, 2008) -- If you want to avoid the most dangerous routes on the road the next time you start your daily commute or the family vacation, the information you need is now available. University of Minnesota researchers have developed an interactive map online that outlines every road fatality in the nation. ... > full story
‘Green’ Potato Health Risk Can Be Eliminated By Cutting Away Affected Area (July 28, 2008) -- Potatoes that have turned ‘green’ can potentially contain a naturally occurring toxin called Glycoalkaloids (GA) and pose a risk to public health. However, the good news is that cutting away the ‘green’ affected area is enough to eliminate most of the GAs to reduce the risk. ... > full story
Scientists Test System To Forecast Flash Floods Along Colorado's Front Range (July 28, 2008) -- People living near vulnerable creeks and rivers along Colorado's Front Range may soon get advance notice of potentially deadly floods, thanks to a new forecasting system being tested this summer by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. ... > full story
The Kids Most Likely To Go Armed (July 28, 2008) -- A recent report from Ofted stated that up to one in ten of the most vulnerable youths said carrying a weapon made them feel safer. Now, a new analysis has identified the key factors that help determine whether kids are likely to carry weapons. ... > full story
'Nanonet' Circuits Closer To Making Flexible Electronics Reality (July 28, 2008) -- Researchers have overcome a major obstacle in producing transistors from networks of carbon nanotubes, a technology that could make it possible to print circuits on plastic sheets for applications including flexible displays and an electronic skin to cover an entire aircraft to monitor crack formation. ... > full story
Lung Inflammation From Influenza And Other Infections Could Be Turned Off Following New Discovery (July 28, 2008) -- A new discovery could lead to treatments which turn off the inflammation in the lungs caused by influenza and other infections, according to a study published today in the journal Nature Immunology. ... > full story
Nanoparticles In Sewage Could Escape Into Bodies Of Water (July 28, 2008) -- In a conventional sewage works, nanoparticles should really be bound in the sludge and should not represent a major problem in the aqueous effluent. This is not true, however, as shown by a new study. An astonishing amount was able to leave an experimental sewage works and thus could possibly enter bodies of water. ... > full story
Antimicrobial Sutures Reduce Infections In Brain Shunt Surgery, Study Finds (July 28, 2008) -- Using antimicrobial sutures to secure the shunt and close the wound significantly reduces the number of shunt infections arising during the first six months after surgery. ... > full story
Hurricane Preparedness Survey: Worries About Drinking Water And Medical Care (July 28, 2008) -- A new survey finds the top worries of respondents threatened or hit by Hurricane Katrina are that they would not have enough fresh water to drink (42 percent very worried) and that they would not be able to get needed medical care (41 percent very worried). ... > full story
Drug Abuse Accounts For Third Of Deaths Behind Scotland's Higher Mortality Rate, Study Finds (July 28, 2008) -- Drug abuse accounts for a third of the deaths behind Scotland's higher mortality rate, according to a new study. Death rates in Scotland are higher than in England and Wales and the difference between the nations is increasing. ... > full story
Explosion In Marine Biodiversity Explained By Climate Change (July 28, 2008) -- A global change in climate could explain the explosion in marine biodiversity that took place 460 million years ago. Researchers have now found evidence of a progressive ocean cooling of about 15°C over a period of 40 million years during the Ordovician. Until now, this geologic period had been associated with a "super greenhouse effect" on our planet. ... > full story
Gummy Bears That Fight Plaque (July 28, 2008) -- The tooth-protecting sugar substitute xylitol has been incorporated into gummy bears to produce a sweet snack that may prevent dental problems. Giving children four of the xylitol bears three times a day during school hours results in a decrease in the plaque bacteria that cause tooth decay. ... > full story
New Membrane Model May Unlock Secrets Of Early-stage Alzheimer's (July 28, 2008) -- Researchers are using a new laboratory model of the membrane surrounding neurons in the brain to study how a protein long suspected of a role in early-stage Alzheimer's disease actually impairs a neuron's structure and function. ... > full story
Francisella Tularensis: Stopping A Biological Weapon (July 28, 2008) -- Scientists hope a vaccine is on the horizon for tularemia, a fatal disease caused by the pathogen Francisella tularensis, an organism of concern as a potential biological warfare agent. Until recently we knew very little about this bacterium. However, according to the August issue of the Journal of Medical Microbiology, research on the bacterium has been reinvigorated and rapid progress has been made in understanding how it causes disease. ... > full story
Paying To Save Tropical Forests Could Be A Way To Reduce Global Carbon Emissions (July 28, 2008) -- Wealthy nations willing to collectively spend about billion annually could prevent the emission of roughly half a billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year for the next 25 years, new research suggests. It would take about that much money to put an end to a tenth of the tropical deforestation in the world, one of the top contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, researchers estimate. ... > full story
Anthropologist Helps Unravel Mummy Mystery (July 28, 2008) -- Anthropologists are in the process of unraveling a mummy bundle found in Peru's historic Huaura Valley. The mummy is believed to have been an elite member of the Chancay culture, a civilization that thrived in the central coast of Peru from about 1000 to 1400 AD. The territory of the Chancay was later home to the Incas. ... > full story
Emotional Robots: Software Empowers Robots To Learn When A Person Is Sad, Happy Or Angry (July 28, 2008) -- A robot with empathy sounds like the stuff of sci-fi movies, but with the aid of neural networks researchers are developing robots in tune with our emotions. Feelix Growing is developing software empowering robots that can learn when a person is sad, happy or angry. ... > full story
Anti-HIV Therapy Boosts Life Expectancy More Than 13 Years (July 28, 2008) -- HIV patients taking a cocktail of drugs called combination antiretroviral therapy have seen a 13-year boost in life expectancy, according to a new study. Improved survival has led to a nearly 40 percent drop in AIDS deaths among 43,355 HIV-positive study participants in Europe and North America, bolstering the call for improved anti-HIV efforts worldwide, the study authors said. ... > full story
Scientists Suspect Omega-3 Fatty Acids Could Slow Acute Wound Healing (July 28, 2008) -- A recent study shows that popular fish oil supplements have an effect on the healing process of small, acute wounds in human skin. But whether that effect is detrimental, as researchers initially suspected, remains a mystery. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils are widely considered to benefit cardiovascular health and other diseases related to chronic inflammation because of their anti-inflammatory properties. But insufficient inflammation during the initial stage of wound healing may delay the advancement of later stages. ... > full story
Emergency Physicians Have Good First Instincts In Diagnosing Heart Attacks (July 28, 2008) -- Emergency room doctors are correctly identifying patients who are having a heart attack, even when laboratory tests haven't yet confirmed it. ... > full story
New Piece Of Climate Change Puzzle Found In Ancient Sedimentary Rocks (July 28, 2008) -- Researchers have added a new source of carbon dioxide to the complex climate change puzzle by showing that ancient rocks can release substantial amounts of organic matter into Earth's rivers and oceans, and that this organic matter is easily converted by bacteria to carbon dioxide, which enters the atmosphere and contributes to climate change. ... > full story
Prevalence Of Dementia In The Developing World Underestimated (July 28, 2008) -- Previous estimates of levels of dementia in the developing world may have substantially underestimated the problem, according to research published today. The findings suggest that policymakers in low-income and middle-income countries may need to re-examine the burden and impact that dementia places on their health services. ... > 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