ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Tuesday, February 16, 2010
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Biologists image birth of blood-forming stem cells in embryo (February 16, 2010) -- Biologists have identified the specific region in vertebrates where adult blood stem cells arise during embryonic development. The researchers say their time-lapse imaging of the process, by which primitive embryonic tissues first produce the parent stem cells that produce all adult blood cells over the life of an individual, should help guide future efforts to repair and replace this cell population for therapeutic purposes. ... > full story
New weapon to fight disease-causing bacteria, malaria developed (February 16, 2010) -- Researchers report that they have discovered -- and now know how to exploit -- an unusual chemical reaction mechanism that allows malaria parasites and many disease-causing bacteria to survive. The research team also has developed the first potent inhibitor of this chemical reaction. ... > full story
Plant buffers may limit spread of antibiotics in animal waste (February 16, 2010) -- Buffer strips of grasses and other plants can trap and break down veterinary antibiotics in manure fertilizers, according to new research. ... > full story
Certain pain medications do not appear to be associated with skin cancer risk (February 16, 2010) -- Contrary to previous hypotheses, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs does not appear associated with risk of squamous cell skin cancer, according to a new article. ... > full story
New supercomputer uses water-cooled technology to save energy (February 16, 2010) -- A new supercomputer uses a unique water-cooled technology achieves 30 percent savings in electrical consumption. ... > full story
Most patients gain weight after knee replacement surgery (February 16, 2010) -- You'd think folks who've had knee replacement surgery -- finally able to walk and exercise without pain -- would lose weight instead of put on pounds, but surprisingly that's not the case. ... > full story
Buddy, can you spare a banana? Study finds that bonobos share like humans (February 16, 2010) -- New research suggests that the act of voluntarily sharing something with another may not be entirely exclusive to the human experience. Bonobos -- a sister species of chimpanzees and, like chimps, our closest living relatives -- consistently chose to actively share their food with others. ... > full story
Pipe and Cigar Smoking Strongly Associated with Decreased Lung Function, COPD (February 16, 2010) -- Pipe and cigar smoke may be more harmful than once thought. While some believe pipes and cigars are healthier than cigarettes, a major known cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study directly links pipe and cigar smoking to decreased lung function. ... > full story
Nano for the senses (February 16, 2010) -- Pin-sharp projections, light that’s whiter than white, varnishes that make sounds if the temperature changes: at nano tech 2010 in Tokyo, researchers present nanotechnology that is a veritable feast for the senses. ... > full story
Outcomes after bariatric surgery revisions (February 16, 2010) -- Revisional bariatric surgery appears to be associated with a higher risk of complications than the initial procedure, according to a new article. ... > full story
Biofuels policy fails to achieve goals, warn experts (February 16, 2010) -- US biofuel policies will fail to achieve the intended environmental, energy and agricultural goals, warns a new article. ... > full story
Behavioral therapy improves sleep and lives of patients with pain (February 16, 2010) -- Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia significantly improved sleep for patients with chronic neck or back pain and also reduced the extent to which pain interfered with their daily functioning, according to a new study. ... > full story
Even single-celled organisms feed themselves in 'smart' manner (February 15, 2010) -- How does a single-celled organism, one of the simplest life forms on Earth, manage to satisfy its nutritional needs? It is by studying social amoebae, elementary organisms that are distantly related to fungi and plants, that researchers in France have, for the first time, demonstrated the nutritional preferences of such systems. Despite lacking a centralizing organ, such amoebae are capable of regulating their nutrient supply. When faced with diverse nutritional situations, they adapt so as always to select an optimal ratio of nutrients. ... > full story
Glaucoma medications may be associated with reduced risk of death over 4-year period (February 15, 2010) -- Glaucoma patients who take medication for the condition appear to have a reduced likelihood of death, according to a new study. ... > full story
Pharmacy students practice diagnostic skills on robotic patient (February 15, 2010) -- A robot that can be programmed to have a range of medical conditions, from heart disease to constipation, is being used by Pharmacy students to help practice diagnostic skills and treating patients The SimMan 3G, dubbed “Simon” by the students, i.s a life-sized model that talks, breathes and reacts to medicines in the same way as a real human. ... > full story
Factors linked to growth of fetus in first trimester and subsequent outcomes (February 15, 2010) -- Factors such as maternal high blood pressure and high hematocrit levels (the proportion of blood that consists of red blood cells) are associated with a greater likelihood of restricted fetal growth during the first trimester, with restricted growth linked to an increased risk of preterm birth and low birth weight, according to a new study. ... > full story
Hydrogen production via thermal gasification of biomass in near-to-medium term (February 15, 2010) -- Dedicated biomass gasification technologies are presently being developed in many countries for the production of second-generation liquid biofuels. Both fluidized-bed gasification and special entrained flow systems are under intensive development. These technologies can also be used for hydrogen production, which may become an interesting alternative in replacing part of fossil fuel input in oil refineries and chemical industries. In addition, fuel cell technology is being developed for hydrogen-rich gases. ... > full story
Neighborhood socioeconomic status and diabetes (February 15, 2010) -- Researchers have found a direct link between neighborhood socioeconomic status and risk for type 2 diabetes in African American women. The study is the first prospective study to examine the relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic status and incidence of type 2 diabetes in a large, geographically diverse cohort of African-American women. ... > full story
Diamond nanowire device could lead to new class of diamond nanomaterials suitable for quantum cryptography, quantum computing, and magnetic field imaging (February 15, 2010) -- By creating diamond-based nanowire devices, scientists have taken another step towards making applications based on quantum science and technology possible. The new device offers a bright, stable source of single photons at room temperature, an essential element in making fast and secure computing with light practical. ... > full story
How an old drug could have a new use for treating river blindness (February 15, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a potential new use for the drug closantel, currently the standard treatment for sheep and cattle infected with liver fluke. The new research suggests that the drug may be useful in combating river blindness, a tropical disease that is the world's second leading infectious cause of blindness for humans. ... > full story
White rye bread healthier than whole wheat? (February 15, 2010) -- Wholegrain bread is good and good for you, as most people know. But it is not only the fiber-rich bran, the outer shell of the grain, that is healthful. On the contrary, new research shows that bread baked with white rye flour, which is flour made from the inner, white part of the rye kernel, leads to better insulin and blood sugar levels compared with wheat bread with rye bran. White rye flour thus leads to much better values than both regular wheat flour and rye bran. At the same time, much of the bread that is sold in stores today in most countries is in fact baked with wheat flour and bran from various grains. ... > full story
New CATCH rule to determine need for CT scans in children with minor head injury (February 15, 2010) -- A new tool may help standardize the use of computed tomography (CT scans) in children with minor head injury and help reduce the number of scans, according to a new study. ... > full story
Rethinking renewable energy strategy (February 15, 2010) -- Researchers suggest that policy makers examine greenhouse gas emissions implications for energy infrastructure as fossil fuel sources must be rapidly replaced by windmills, solar panels and other sources of renewable energy. ... > full story
New study examines the impact on children of food product placements in the movies (February 15, 2010) -- New research sheds light on the significant potential negative impact that food product placements in the movies could be having on children. ... > full story
Energy-efficient lighting made without mercury (February 15, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a revolutionary lighting technology that is more energy efficient than the common incandescent light bulb and does not contain mercury, making it environmentally safer than the compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb. ... > full story
Common thread links multiple human cognitive disorders (February 15, 2010) -- A new study reveals that a common underlying mechanism is shared by a group of previously unrelated disorders which all cause complex defects in brain development and function. It helps to explain why these different chromatin abnormalities all interfere with proper gene expression patterns necessary for normal development and mature brain function. ... > full story
'Bubbles' of broken symmetry in quark soup (February 15, 2010) -- Scientists report the first hints of profound symmetry transformations in the hot soup of quarks, antiquarks and gluons produced in most energetic collisions. These new results thus suggest the opportunity to test some crucial features of symmetry-altering bubbles speculated to have played important roles in the evolution of the infant universe. ... > full story
Walking linked to eased osteoarthritis, study suggests (February 15, 2010) -- “Progressive walking” combined with glucosamine sulphate supplementation has been shown to improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Researchers found that patients who walked at least two bouts of 1500 steps each on three days of the week reported significantly less arthritis pain, and significantly improved physical function. ... > full story
Alternative futures of a warming world: Potential human responses to climate change will be integrated into future models (February 15, 2010) -- An international team of climate scientists will take a new approach to modeling Earth's climate future. The next set of models will include, for the first time, tightly linked analyses of greenhouse gas emissions, projections of Earth's climate, impacts of climate change, and human decision-making. This approach will influence the next international scientific assessment undertaken by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. ... > full story
Cognitive and motor delays may be linked to 'flat head syndrome' in young babies (February 15, 2010) -- In a new study, infants averaging six months of age who exhibited positional plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome) had lower scores than typical infants in observational tests used to evaluate cognitive and motor development. ... > full story
'Perfect' liquid hot enough to be quark soup (February 15, 2010) -- Collisions of gold ions traveling at nearly the speed of light have created matter at a temperature of about 4 trillion degrees Celsius -- higher than the temperature needed to melt protons and neutrons into a plasma of quarks and gluons. ... > full story
Universal eye problem leads to better vision (February 15, 2010) -- ‘Crowding’, the phenomenon when people are less able to differentiate letters if they are surrounded by other letters, actually leads to better vision. New research explains crowding with a mathematical model. ... > full story
New maize varieties to boost grain production in West and Central Africa (February 15, 2010) -- Maize production in West and Central Africa is set to get a significant boost. Newly released varieties address many of the major constraints to grain production in the sub-region such as drought, low soil fertility, pests, diseases and parasitic weeds. Researchers developed the varieties through conventional plant breeding by tapping naturally-available traits. ... > full story
Sleep problems and sleepiness increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents in adolescents (February 15, 2010) -- Sleepiness at the wheel and poor sleep quality significantly increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents in adolescents. ... > full story
Grid computing for the masses (February 15, 2010) -- Having helped scientists study the building blocks of the universe, peer inside the human body in miniscule detail and monitor climate change, grid computing could soon be put to more mundane uses by your home or office computer. ... > full story
Climate change will lead to fewer traffic accidents, research suggests (February 15, 2010) -- Climate change will lead to fewer traffic accidents in West Midlands, UK. New research estimates climate change to decrease the number of days with temperatures below zero degrees in West Midlands. It will also reduce the number of traffic accidents – and the need for winter road maintenance may decrease by almost 40 percent. ... > full story
First brain recordings from flying fruit flies (February 15, 2010) -- Researchers have obtained the first recordings of brain-cell activity in an actively flying fruit fly. The work suggests that at least part of the brain of the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) "is in a different and more sensitive state during flight than when the fly is quiescent," says a study author. ... > full story
Shifting cellular energy metabolism may help treat cardiovascular disease (February 15, 2010) -- Drugs that target the way cells convert nutrients into energy could offer new approaches to treating a range of conditions including heart attack and stroke. Using a new way to screen for potential drugs, researchers have identified several FDA-approved agents, including an over-the-counter anti-nausea drug, that can shift cellular energy metabolism processes in animals. ... > full story
Mother bats expert at saving energy: Study shows wild female bats’ temperature regulation strategy is flexible (February 15, 2010) -- In order to regulate their body temperature as efficiently as possible, wild female bats switch between two strategies depending on both the ambient temperature and their reproductive status. ... > full story
Defective signaling pathway sheds light on cystic fibrosis (February 15, 2010) -- In a study that could lead to new therapeutic targets for patients with the cystic fibrosis, scientists have identified a defective signaling pathway that contributes to disease severity. ... > full story
Quantum entanglement used to stack light particles (February 15, 2010) -- Physicists are now able to mount up to two photons on top of one another to construct a variety of quantum states of light. ... > full story
Drama or reality TV: Do medical shows depict proper first aid for seizures? (February 15, 2010) -- Watching TV medical shows might not be the best way to learn what to do when someone has a seizure. Researchers screened the most popular medical dramas and found that doctors and nurses on the shows responded inappropriately to seizures almost half the time, according to a new study. ... > full story
'Primitive' cancer gene discovered in ancestral metazoan (February 15, 2010) -- To find the causes for cancer, biochemists and developmental biologists retraced the function of an important human cancer gene 600 million years back in time. For the first time, they have identified the oncogene myc in a fresh water polyp and they have shown that this oncogene has similar biochemical functions in ancestral metazoan and in humans. ... > full story
Bacteria-killing proteins cover blood type blind spot (February 15, 2010) -- Galectin-4 and galectin-8, carbohydrate-binding proteins found in our intestines, can recognize and kill bacteria that have human blood type sugar molecules on their surfaces. This discovery explains why bacteria can't sneak past our immune systems by camouflaging themselves with blood type molecules. It may also explain why the human population has a diversity of blood types; galectin-4 and -8 create a "protected space" for the diversity. ... > full story
A new 3-D map of the interstellar gas within 300 parsecs from the sun (February 15, 2010) -- Astronomy & Astrophysics is publishing new 3-D maps of the interstellar gas in the local area around our sun. A French-American team of astronomers presents new absorption measurements towards more than 1800 stars. They were able to characterize the properties of the interstellar gas within each sight line. ... > full story
Master gene SRC-3 enables breast cancer growth, invasion (February 15, 2010) -- The master gene SRC-3 not only enhances estrogen-dependent growth of cancer cells, it also sends a signal to the cell membrane to promote cell movement -- a key element of cancer metastasis, said researchers. The finding not only uncovers a new activity for SRC-3, it also clears up a mystery about how the message that tells a cell to invade gets from the epidermal growth factor receptor to the activating enzyme. ... > full story
Enzyme with industrial applications characterized (February 15, 2010) -- Microbial enzymes are commonly used to reduce the levels of contamination created by industrial processes. Researchers have now characterized xylan-degrading enzyme from the the bacteria Paenibacillus barcinonensis, an isolated microorganism found in the Ebro delta. ... > full story
Are bees addicted to caffeine and nicotine? (February 15, 2010) -- Bees prefer nectar with small amounts of nicotine and caffeine over nectar that does not comprise these substances at all, a new study reveals. "This could be an evolutionary development intended, as in humans, to make the bee addicted," states one of the researchers who conducted the study. ... > full story
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