ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Thursday, July 31, 2008
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Vaccine To Protect Against Black Plague Bioterror Attack Being Developed (July 31, 2008) -- New research may have found a defense against the black plague, a disease that wiped out a third of Europe's population in the Middle Ages and which government agencies perceive as a terrorist threat today. ... > full story
Frankincense Provides Relief To Arthritis Sufferers (July 31, 2008) -- An enriched extract of the 'Indian frankincense' herb Boswellia serrata has been proven to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Research published today in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy has shown that patients taking the herbal remedy showed significant improvement in as little as seven days. ... > full story
Endangered European Wild Cat May Protected By Proposed Network Of Corridors (July 31, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a model which identifies potential habitats and corridors for the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris). Using Rheinland-Pfalz as an example, it was demonstrated that almost half of this German federal state could be suitable for wildcats, enabling a maximum population of 1600 females. The model can also be adapted for other regions and could therefore prove to be of significant value in protecting this highly endangered species. ... > full story
Proton Channels Inhibit Release Of Histamine During Allergic Reactions, Novel Study Finds (July 31, 2008) -- Inhibiting the proton currents in basophils, a rare type of white blood cell, can stop the release of histamine and could provide a new target for allergy and asthma drugs according to a new study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and the Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center in Baltimore. ... > full story
Say Goodbye To Virtual Bureaucracy (July 31, 2008) -- When consumers make purchases on the Internet, they must systematically fill in forms asking for their name and address. Now researchers are developing a system that would memorize all that information and make it mobile so it could be accessed at any computer. ... > full story
Right Place + Right Time Can Trigger Drinking (July 31, 2008) -- Strong cravings for alcohol can be sparked by the mere sight, smell and taste of a person's favorite drink. Responses to such cues that are associated with the positive effects of drinking are a lead cause of relapse in abstinent alcoholics. Using a behavioral animal model, researchers of a new study have found that the physical surroundings where alcohol cues are experienced can greatly influence the ability of those cues to trigger relapse. ... > full story
What Do Squid Hear? Scientists Learn How Sensitive The Translucent Animals Are To Noise (July 31, 2008) -- The ocean is a noisy place. Although we don't hear much when we stick our heads underwater, the right instruments can reveal a symphony of sound. The noisemakers range from the low-frequency bass tones of a fish mating ritual to the roar of a motorboat. The study of how underwater animals hear is a growing topic in marine science, especially with regards to naval sonar and whales. ... > full story
Findings On Bladder-brain Link May Point To Better Treatments For Problems In Sleep, Attention (July 31, 2008) -- Bladder problems may leave a mark on the brain, by changing patterns of brain activity, possibly contributing to disrupted sleep and problems with attention. For one in six Americans who have overactive bladder, the involuntary bladder contractions that often trigger more frequent urges to urinate, such mind-body connections may be of more than academic interest. ... > full story
Ecological Status Of Spain's Mar Menor Lagoon Will Deteriorate As Waters Warm, Researchers Predict (July 31, 2008) -- Researchers from the University of Murcia have demonstrated the vulnerability of the Mar Menor coastal lagoon to climate change. As a result of an up to 5°C increase in water temperatures over the next few years, this pioneering study shows an increase in the regression rate of benthic primary producers, a deterioration in ecological status and the appearance of eutrophication processes in many coastal lagoons. Notable effects include the proliferation of jellyfish. ... > full story
Long-lasting Effects Of The Seveso Disaster On Thyroid Function In Babies (July 31, 2008) -- Three decades after an accident at a chemical factory in Seveso, Italy in 1976, which resulted in exposure of a residential population to the most dangerous type of dioxin, newborn babies born to mothers living in the contaminated area at the time of the accident are over six times more likely to have altered thyroid function than those born to mothers in a non-contaminated area. ... > full story
Fish With Temperature-dependent Sex Determination: How Common Are They? (July 31, 2008) -- In vertebrates with separate sexes, sex determination can be genotypic or temperature-dependent (TSD). TSD is very common in reptiles, where the ambient temperature during sensitive periods of early development irreversibly determines whether an individual will be male or female. But just how common is this phenomenon in fish? ... > full story
Minorities Less Likely To Know About Breast Cancer Treatment Options (July 31, 2008) -- Nearly half of women treated for breast cancer did not know that their odds of being alive after five years are roughly the same whether they undergo mastectomy or breast conserving surgery. Minority women were even less likely to be aware of this important factor of their treatment decision, according to a study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. ... > full story
European Birds Flock To Warming Britain, While Some Northern Species Not Faring As Well (July 30, 2008) -- Rare southern species of birds are on the increase in the British Isles as a result of climatic change, researchers report. ... > full story
Cell's 'Quality Control' Mechanism Discovered (July 30, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered a key component of the quality control mechanism that operates inside human cells -- sometimes too well. The breakthrough has significant implications for the development of new treatments for cystic fibrosis and some other hereditary diseases, the researchers say. ... > full story
New Materials For Microwave Cookware That Heats Faster With Less Energy (July 30, 2008) -- You may soon be enjoying microwave popcorn and other 'nuked' foods and beverages faster than ever before, while saving on electricity. Researchers in Pennsylvania and Japan report development of new ceramic materials that heat up faster and retain heat longer than conventional microwave cookware while using less energy. ... > full story
Testosterone Predominance Increases Prevalence Of Metabolic Syndrome During Menopause (July 30, 2008) -- As testosterone progressively dominates the hormonal milieu during the menopausal transition, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome increases according to a new study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center. The study suggests this may be a pathway by which cardiovascular disease increases during menopause. ... > full story
Putting A Virtual Doctor In The Ambulance (July 30, 2008) -- A new ambulance communications system will enable doctors to diagnose and begin treating critically ill patients before they reach hospital. ... > full story
Mapping Out Future Of Intelligent Robots (July 30, 2008) -- The field of robotics could be poised for a breakthrough, leading to a new generation of intelligent machines capable of taking on multiple tasks and moving out of the factory into the home and general workplace. The great success of robots so far has been in automating repetitive tasks in process control and assembly, yielding dramatic cuts in production, but the next step towards cognition and more human-like behaviour has proved elusive. It has been difficult to make robots that can truly learn and adapt to unexpected situations in the way humans can, while it has been equally challenging trying to develop a machine capable of moving smoothly like any animal. There is still no robot capable of walking properly without jerky slightly unbalanced movements. ... > full story
New Class Of Glassy Material Discovered (July 30, 2008) -- Scientists are dealing with an entirely new type of frustration, but it's not stressing them out. Dynamic frustration has been found to be the cause of glassy behavior in materials that previously had none of the features of a normal glass. ... > full story
Healthy Children Of Alzheimer Patients Show Early Brain Changes (July 30, 2008) -- Children of Alzheimer's patients who are carriers of a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease have neurological changes that are detectable long before clinical symptoms may appear. ... > full story
Lightweight Urban Transit Bus Has Double The Fuel Efficiency Of Conventional Hybrid Buses (July 30, 2008) -- Insight from ORNL, commitment from two Michigan companies and funding from DOE have led to the commercialization of a lightweight urban transit bus with double the fuel efficiency of conventional hybrid buses. This new green technology 40-foot bus features a high-strength stainless steel body and chassis and a hybrid power system that drives the bus primarily with stored electrical energy. ... > full story
Fertility: Newly Discovered Proteins In Seminal Fluid Transferred During Mating May Affect Odds Of Producing Offspring (July 30, 2008) -- More than 80 new proteins, thought to play a role in reproductive success, have been discovered in the seminal fluid of fruit flies. ... > full story
Intelligent Vehicles Systems To Be Tested Across Europe (July 30, 2008) -- Road safety, energy efficiency, and traffic congestion are the main challenges currently faced by the European transport system. The use of new in-vehicle technologies has the potential to contribute to safer, cleaner and more efficient transport solutions throughout Europe. ... > full story
Scientists Race To Stay One Step Ahead Of The Drug-taking And Genetic Manipulation That Threatens Sport (July 30, 2008) -- The race to ensure that scientists stop drug-taking athletes from damaging sport by using performance enhancing drugs or undergoing genetic manipulation is a constant challenge, according to a major four-decade review by three of the World’s leading experts on doping in sport. ... > full story
Diamonds May Have Been Life's Best Friend On Primordial Earth (July 30, 2008) -- Diamonds may have been life's best friend. Billions of years ago, the surface of these gems may have provided just the right conditions to foster the chemical reactions believed to have given rise to life on Earth, researchers in Germany report. ... > full story
Hey Fever! The Surprise Benefit Of Allergies (July 30, 2008) -- Long-suffering victims of allergies such as asthma and hay fever might enjoy a surprise benefit, according to research led by the University of New South Wales. ... > full story
Alleviating The Fear Of Falling (July 30, 2008) -- Ritalin could prevent fatal falls, a Tel Aviv University study finds. ... > full story
Sensitive Testing Reveals Drug-resistant HIV With Possible Consequences For Treatment (July 30, 2008) -- Drug-resistant HIV at levels too low to be detected by standard tests is not unusual and may contribute to treatment failure, according to new research. ... > full story
Water-stingy Agriculture Reduces Arsenic In Rice Markedly (July 30, 2008) -- A new farming method first developed to conserve precious irrigation water may have the added benefit of producing rice containing much less arsenic than rice grown using traditional rice-farming methods, researchers in the United Kingdom report. ... > full story
Smoking Predicts Increased Stroke Risk For Your Spouse (July 30, 2008) -- Although secondhand smoke is widely accepted as a risk factor for coronary heart disease, there have been few studies investigating the association of SHS and stroke risk. Researchers now report on evidence of increased risk of stroke for spouses of smokers. ... > full story
Saturn's Moon Titan Has Liquid Surface Lake (July 30, 2008) -- Scientists have confirmed that at least one body in our solar system, other than Earth, has a surface liquid lake. Using an instrument on NASA's Cassini orbiter, they discovered that a lake-like feature in the south polar region of Saturn's moon, Titan, is truly wet. The lake is about 235 kilometers, or 150 miles, long. ... > full story
New Therapy For HIV Treatment (July 30, 2008) -- Millions of people world-wide who have contracted a highly resistant strain of the HIV virus could benefit from a new drug to treat the infection. ... > full story
The Buzz Of The Chase: Scientists Test Technique Used To Catch Serial Killers ... On Bumblebees (July 30, 2008) -- Geographic profiling is a technique used by police forces around the world to help them prioritize lists of suspects in investigations of serial crimes. Now researchers, along with the former detective who invented the technique, have used this criminology technique to look at patterns of foraging in bees. ... > full story
Cerebral Malaria May Be A Major Cause Of Brain Injury In African Children (July 30, 2008) -- Researchers have found that cerebral malaria is related to long-term cognitive impairment in one of four child survivors. The research is published in the journal Pediatrics. ... > full story
Symbiotic Microbes Induce Profound Genetic Changes In Their Hosts (July 30, 2008) -- Though bacteria are everywhere -- from the air we breathe and the food we eat to our guts and skin -- the vast majority are innocuous or even beneficial, and only a handful pose any threat to us. What distinguishes a welcome microbial guest from an unwanted intruder? ... > full story
Women End Up Less Happy Than Men (July 30, 2008) -- Less able to achieve their life goals, women end up unhappier than men later in life -- even though they start out happier, reveals new research. ... > full story
Did Dinosaur Soft Tissues Still Survive? New Research Challenges Notion (July 30, 2008) -- Paleontologists in 2005 hailed research apparently showing that soft tissues had been recovered from dissolved dinosaur bones, but new research suggests the supposed recovered tissue is really just biofilm -- or slime. ... > full story
Protein Plays Jekyll And Hyde Role In Lou Gehrig's Disease (July 30, 2008) -- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by the death of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord that control muscle movements from walking and swallowing to breathing. Scientists now report key findings about the cause and occurrence of the familial form of ALS. ... > full story
Could Metals Help Treat Cancer? (July 30, 2008) -- A collaboration between chemists and biologists has made it possible to identify the effects of a new class of molecules, polyoxometalates, primarily composed of metals and oxygen. These molecules are very powerful inhibitors of a specific protein kinase, CK2, an enzyme that is overactive in a number of cancers. The enzyme's instrumental role in controlling cell proliferation and survival makes it an important target in the search for new medications. ... > full story
Thyrotropin Levels Associated With Alzheimer's Disease Risk In Women (July 30, 2008) -- Women with low or high levels of the hormone thyrotropin, which affects thyroid gland function and thyroid hormone levels, appear to have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in the July 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. ... > full story
Being A Control Freak Aids Dividing Cells (July 30, 2008) -- A dividing cell tags more than 14,000 different sites on its proteins with phosphate, a molecule that typically serves as a signal for a variety of biological processes. This preponderance of signals -- more than twice the number identified by past studies -- suggests that the cell may become a control freak during the division process, regulating each of its parts, no matter how obscure. Understanding how cell division works is essential for understanding a host of diseases and conditions, from cancer to pediatric heart defects. ... > full story
'Chicken And Chips' Theory Of Pacific Migration (July 30, 2008) -- A new study of DNA from ancient and modern chickens has shed light on the controversy about the extent of prehistoric Polynesian contact with the Americas. ... > full story
New Disease-fighting Nanoparticles Look Like Miniature Pastries (July 30, 2008) -- Ultra-miniature bialy-shaped particles -- called nanobialys because they resemble tiny versions of the flat, onion-topped rolls popular in New York City -- could soon be carrying medicinal compounds through patients' bloodstreams to tumors or atherosclerotic plaques. The nanobialys answered a need for an alternative to the research group's gadolinium-containing nanoparticles. Recent studies have shown that gadolinium can be harmful to some patients with severe kidney disease. ... > full story
Statins May Protect Against Memory Loss (July 30, 2008) -- People at high risk for dementia who took cholesterol-lowering statins are half as likely to develop dementia as those who do not take statins, a new study shows. ... > full story
Compound That Helps Rice Grow Reduces Nerve, Vascular Damage From Diabetes (July 30, 2008) -- Researchers have found that a compound that helps rice seed grow, springs back into action when brown rice is placed in water overnight before cooking, significantly reducing the nerve and vascular damage that often result from diabetes. ... > full story
Scientists Announce Mouse Sperm Cryopreservation Breakthrough (July 30, 2008) -- Scientists have figured out a simple, cost-effective process to freeze mouse sperm and get it to achieve high fertilization rates with mouse eggs. The breakthrough will greatly reduce the cost of developing and distributing new mouse models of human disease. ... > full story
Bacteria Reveal Secret Of Adaptation At Evolution Canyon (July 30, 2008) -- Bacteria living on opposite sides of a canyon have evolved to cope with different temperatures by altering the make-up of their 'skin,' or cell membranes. Scientists have found that bacteria change these complex and important structures to adapt to different temperatures by looking at the appearance of the bacteria as well as their genes. The researchers hope their study, published in the August issue of Microbiology, will start a new trend in research. ... > full story
Preterm Birth Contributes To Growing Number Of Infant Deaths: More Than 28,000 Infants Died In 2005 (July 30, 2008) -- Babies born too soon and too small accounted for a growing proportion of infant deaths, 36.5 percent of infant deaths in 2005, up from 34.6 percent in 2000. The nation's infant mortality rate inched up slightly in 2005 to 6.9, from 6.8 percent in 2004, although the change is not statistically significant. ... > full story
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