ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Friday, February 12, 2010
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Saturn's aurora offer stunning double show (February 12, 2010) -- Researchers recently took advantage of a rare opportunity to record Saturn when its rings are edge on, resulting in a unique movie featuring both of the giant planet's poles. Saturn is only in this position every 15 years and this favorable orientation has allowed a sustained study of Saturn's almost symmetric northern and southern lights. ... > full story
Low levels of antibiotics cause multidrug resistance in 'superbugs' (February 12, 2010) -- A new study by biomedical engineers indicates that treating bacteria with levels of antibiotics insufficient to kill them produces germs that are cross-resistant to a wide range of antibiotics. ... > full story
Nanomaterials may help fight cancer (February 12, 2010) -- Brain cancer is notoriously difficult to treat with standard cancer-fighting methods, so scientists have been looking outside standard medicine and into nanomaterials as a treatment alternative. ... > full story
Swine Flu vaccination: voluntary system works (February 12, 2010) -- Social interaction between neighbors, work colleagues and other communities and social groups makes voluntary vaccination programs for epidemics such as swine flu, SARS or bird flu a surprisingly effective method of disease control. ... > full story
Environmental disaster in southern Spain compared with Cretaceous mass extinction (February 12, 2010) -- Researchers in Spain have compared the disaster caused by the Aznalcóllar spillage in the Doñana National Park in Andalusia 11 years ago with the biggest species extinction known to date. What do these two disasters have in common? The scientists say that carrying out comparisons of this kind will make it possible to find out how ecosystems recover following mass extinctions. ... > full story
Young patients with chronic illnesses find relief in acupuncture (February 12, 2010) -- Some doctors are now offering pediatric patients diagnosed with chronic illnesses acupuncture therapy to help ease the pain and negative side effects like nausea, fatigue and vomiting caused by chronic health conditions and intensive treatments. ... > full story
Can chocolate lower your risk of stroke? (February 12, 2010) -- Eating chocolate may lower your risk of having a stroke, according to an analysis of available research. Another study found that eating chocolate may lower the risk of death after suffering a stroke. ... > full story
Single gene mutation induces endometrial cancer (February 12, 2010) -- A mutation in a single gene can cause endometrial cancer that is responsive to a specific drug therapy, researchers have found. ... > full story
Moderate fertilizer use could double African banana yields, study shows (February 12, 2010) -- A fertilizer-use study by researchers on East African highland bananas showed that moderate application of mineral fertilizers could double the production of the crop. However, the study also found that majority of the banana growers in the region do not use fertilizers, missing out on the opportunity to maximize their crop's food security and economic potentials. Over 70 million people in the East African highlands depend on banana as their primary source of food and income. ... > full story
Predicting prognosis and treatment response in a subset of pancreatic cancer patients (February 12, 2010) -- Specific chemical modifications to proteins called histones, which are found in the nucleus of cells and act as spools around which DNA is wound, can be used to predict prognosis and response to treatment in subsets patients with pancreatic cancer, a new study has found. ... > full story
Better weather forecasts with a map showing atmospheric vapor (February 12, 2010) -- Weather forecasts, satellite navigation in cars and the inspection of dikes or natural gas fields: these applications using satellite data would all be even more accurate if we knew more about the distribution of water vapor in the atmosphere, according to researchers. ... > full story
Many veterans not getting enough treatment for PTSD (February 12, 2010) -- There are still significant barriers to veterans getting a full course of PTSD treatment, according to new research. ... > full story
How brain hears the sound of silence: Separate brain pathways process the start and end of what we hear (February 11, 2010) -- Researchers have isolated an independent processing channel of synapses inside the brain's auditory cortex that deals specifically with shutting off sound processing at appropriate times. Such regulation is vital for hearing and for understanding speech. ... > full story
Blood clotting finding may lead to new treatments (February 11, 2010) -- A key protein that causes the blood to clot is produced by blood vessels in the lungs and not just the liver, according to new research. The findings may ultimately help scientists to develop better treatments for conditions where the blood's ability to clot is impaired, including deep vein thrombosis, where dangerous blood clots form inside the body, and haemophilia A, where the blood cannot clot sufficiently well. ... > full story
NASA successfully launches a new eye on the sun (February 11, 2010) -- NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, has lifted off on a first-of-a-kind mission to reveal the sun's inner workings in unprecedented detail. The most technologically advanced of NASA's heliophysics spacecraft, SDO will take images of the sun every 0.75 seconds and daily send back about 1.5 terabytes of data to Earth -- the equivalent of streaming 380 full-length movies. ... > full story
Prepregnancy, obesity and gestational weight gain influence risk of preterm birth (February 11, 2010) -- Researchers have found that prepregnancy obesity and gestational weight gain are associated with an increased risk of preterm birth in African-American participants from the Black Women's Health Study. ... > full story
Resistant wheat goes for the gut to protect against Hessian flies (February 11, 2010) -- Resistant wheat plants stave off attacks by Hessian fly larvae by essentially destroying the fly's midgut and its ability to absorb nutrients, according to a new study. ... > full story
Psychosocial problems are common in children with dental fear (February 11, 2010) -- Children and adolescents with severe dental fear often come from families with a turbulent background. It is also more common that they have had counseling contact with a psychologist. ... > full story
Archaeological 'time machine' greatly improves accuracy of early radiocarbon dating (February 11, 2010) -- Researchers have produced a new archaeological tool which could answer key questions in human evolution. The new calibration curve, which extends back 50,000 years, is a major landmark in radiocarbon dating -- the method used by archaeologists and geoscientists to establish the age of carbon-based materials. ... > full story
First FDA-approved stem cell trial in pediatric cerebral palsy (February 11, 2010) -- Researchers are conducting the first FDA-approved clinical trial to determine whether an infusion of stem cells from umbilical cord blood can improve the quality of life for children with cerebral palsy. ... > full story
Biologist discovers 'stop' signal in honey bee communication (February 11, 2010) -- Honey bees warn their nest mates about dangers they encounter while feeding with a special signal that's akin to a "stop" sign for bees. When foragers were attacked by competitors from nearby colonies fighting for food at an experimental feeder, they produced a specific signal to stop nest mates from recruiting others to the dangerous location. ... > full story
Common cholesterol drugs, statins, fight cataracts, too (February 11, 2010) -- A broad new study confirms that statins, often prescribed to lower cholesterol levels, also cut the risks of cataracts in men by almost 40 percent. ... > full story
Electric cars are going places (February 11, 2010) -- Electric cars have many merits: They are quieter and require less maintenance than cars with internal combustion engines. A network of smartly located charging stations covering the entire Harz region in Germany is bound to make electric cars a regional feature. ... > full story
Chocoholic mice fear no pain (February 11, 2010) -- Ever get a buzz from eating chocolate? Scientists have shown that chocolate-craving mice are ready to tolerate electric shocks to get their fix. ... > full story
3-D structure of bullet-shaped virus with potential to fight cancer, HIV revealed (February 11, 2010) -- A recent study demonstrates that with advanced imaging technique, the vesicular stomatitis virus can be modified to serve as an anti-cancer agent because it displays high selectivity in killing cancer cells while sparing normal cells. It can also be engineered as a potent vaccine against HIV/AIDS. ... > full story
New gene discovery could help to prevent blindness (February 11, 2010) -- Scientists have uncovered a new gene that could help save the sight of patients with a type of inherited blindness. ... > full story
New magnetic tuning method enhances data storage (February 11, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a method for controlling the properties of magnets that could be used to improve the storage capacity of next-generation computer hard drives. ... > full story
Short-term radiation therapy successful on breast cancer (February 11, 2010) -- An intense three-week course of radiation therapy is just as effective as the standard five-week regimen for women with early stage breast cancer. ... > full story
Geographers help map devastation in Haiti (February 11, 2010) -- In the wake of the earthquake in Haiti, geography students are participating in a global effort to enhance the international response and recovery effort by helping to assess damage, using images hosted by Google Earth and the Virtual Disaster Viewer, which shares imagery of disasters from various sources. ... > full story
New clue why autistic people don't want hugs (February 11, 2010) -- Why do people with fragile X syndrome, a genetic defect that is the best-known cause of autism and inherited mental retardation, recoil from hugs and physical touch? New research has found in fragile X syndrome there is delayed development of the sensory cortex, the part of the brain that responds to touch, according to a study from Northwestern University. This delay may trigger a domino effect and cause further problems with wiring of the brain. ... > full story
Millimeter-scale, energy-harvesting sensor system can operate nearly perpetually (February 11, 2010) -- A newly developed 9 cubic millimeter solar-powered sensor system is the smallest that can harvest energy from its surroundings to operate nearly perpetually. ... > full story
Hot pepper relief: New category of painkillers on the way? (February 11, 2010) -- Research has opened the door for the advancement of a new category of painkillers, called TRPV1 antagonists. These drugs block the transient receptor potential vannilloid-1 (TRPV1) channel, which is the same receptor responsible for the sensation of hotness from hot peppers. ... > full story
Headache may linger years later in people exposed to World Trade Center dust, fumes (February 11, 2010) -- Workers and residents exposed to dust and fumes caused by the collapse of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, frequently reported headache years later, according to new research. ... > full story
Gene with likely role in premenstrual disorder identified (February 11, 2010) -- Some women are especially sensitive to the natural flux of hormones in the menstrual cycle. New research points to a gene that likely influences how women respond to swings in estrogen levels and could help diagnose and treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder and inform treatments during menopause, such as hormone replacement therapy, researchers say. ... > full story
Extra large carbon: Heaviest halo nucleus discovered (February 11, 2010) -- The nucleus of one form of carbon is much larger and more stable than expected. ... > full story
Underdogs have more motivation? Not so fast, study says (February 11, 2010) -- Members of a group or team will work harder when they're competing against a group with lower status than when pitted against a more highly ranked group, according to a new study. The results run contrary to the common belief that underdogs have more motivation because they have the chance to 'knock the higher-status group down a peg.' ... > full story
Selective brain damage modulates human spirituality, research reveals (February 11, 2010) -- New research provides fascinating insight into brain changes that might underlie alterations in spiritual and religious attitudes. The study explores the neural basis of spirituality by studying patients before and after surgery to remove a brain tumor. ... > full story
First genes for stuttering: Common speech problem, in some cases, may actually be an inherited metabolic disorder (February 11, 2010) -- Researchers have identified three genes as a source of stuttering in some people. Mutations in two of the genes have already been implicated in rare metabolic disorders involved in cell recycling, while mutations in a third, closely related, gene have now been shown to be associated for the first time with a disorder in humans. ... > full story
Tigers in serious trouble around the world, including the US (February 11, 2010) -- As many Asian countries prepare to celebrate Year of the Tiger beginning Feb. 14, World Wildlife Fund reports that tigers are in crisis around the world, including here in the United States, where more tigers are kept in captivity than are alive in the wild throughout Asia. As few as 3,200 tigers exist in the wild where they are threatened by poaching, habitat loss, illegal trafficking and the conversion of forests for infrastructure and plantations. ... > full story
Using nitroglycerin to treat prostate cancer shows potential to halt disease (February 11, 2010) -- Treatment of prostate cancer using a very low dose of nitroglycerin may slow and even halt the progression of the disease without the severe side effects of current treatments, researchers have discovered. ... > full story
Perfectly shaped solid components (February 11, 2010) -- When metals are shaped, the materials they are made of are often damaged in the process. One cause of this is excessive press force, which cracks and perforates the material. By running simulations on a PC, research scientists can now calculate how to avoid component defects. ... > full story
Brain waves show patterns for deciding which faces we prefer (February 11, 2010) -- Faces play a very important role in our social life. We make complex social decisions based on facial appearance. But we know little how we make a preference decision when the two faces are closely matched (e.g., age, race, gender, gaze, facial attributes, facial emotion). Is there any specific brain activity pattern associated with our preference (or non-preference)? Can these patterns be identified before our conscious decision? ... > full story
Home computers around the world unite to map the Milky Way (February 11, 2010) -- At this very moment, tens of thousands of home computers around the world are quietly working together to solve the largest and most basic mysteries of our galaxy. Volunteers from Africa to Australia are donating their computing power to help researchers map the shape of our Milky Way galaxy. Now, just this month, the collected computing power of these humble home computers has surpassed one petaflop, a computing speed that surpasses the world's second fastest supercomputer. ... > full story
Scientists discover origin of HIV transmission among male partners (February 11, 2010) -- A team of scientists has discovered the origin of strains of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among men who have sex with men. The study may be important in developing prevention strategies for HIV. ... > full story
Infection-fighting antibodies made in plants as effective as costlier conventional version (February 11, 2010) -- The first head-to-head comparison of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies produced from plants versus the same antibodies produced from mammalian cells has shown that plant-produced antibodies can fight infection equally well. Scientists conducted the comparison as a test of the potential for treating disease in developing nations with the significantly less expensive plant-based production technique. ... > full story
Women with gout at greater risk of heart attack than men (February 11, 2010) -- Women with gout are at greater risk of a heart attack than men with the disease, indicates research published ahead of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. ... > full story
Researchers map all fragile sites of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae's genome (February 11, 2010) -- Researchers have accomplished a technical breakthrough: they mapped all the fragile sites of a living organism, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The method used by the researchers can be applied to humans. ... > full story
Intense sweets taste especially good to some kids (February 11, 2010) -- Children's response to intense sweet taste is related to both a family history of alcoholism and the child's own self-reports of depression. The findings illustrate how liking for sweets differs among children based on underlying familial and biological factors. ... > full story
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