ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Thursday, May 27, 2010
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NASA's Swift Survey finds 'smoking gun' of black hole activation (May 27, 2010) -- Data from an ongoing survey by NASA's Swift satellite have helped astronomers solve a decades-long mystery about why a small percentage of black holes emit vast amounts of energy. ... > full story
Vaccine hope for skin cancer sufferers (May 27, 2010) -- Scientists have been given the green light to test a vaccine which they hope could reverse, and even cure malignant melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer. ... > full story
Computer model for locating and forecasting sunken oil following spills (May 27, 2010) -- A team of researchers has developed a computer model for finding and projecting in time sunken oil masses on the bottom of bays, after an oil spill. The unique model can be used in oil spill planning, response, and recovery applications. ... > full story
New treatment approach to rare cancer results in prolonged survival (May 27, 2010) -- Aggressive treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma has dramatically increased survival in the small group of patients who chose to undergo it, say physicians in a new study. ... > full story
Physicists pin down proton-halo state in Flourine-17 (May 27, 2010) -- A halo may be difficult to acquire in terms of virtue, but it can also be tough to calculate in terms of physics. Physicists have managed to do just that, however. A halo nucleus differs from the more traditional nuclei because it has one or more nucleons (protons or neutrons) that are only weakly bound to the nuclear core. Consequently, they drift far away from it, forming, in effect, a halo. These nuclei are difficult to study because their lives are both short (often lasting only milliseconds) and fragile. ... > full story
Elderly drivers' ability to detect hazards doesn't degrade with age, study suggests (May 27, 2010) -- Advanced age does not affect older drivers' ability to perceive hazards according to a new study. The study also found that older drivers are more sensitive to potential hazards than young-inexperienced drivers. ... > full story
Undersea forces from hurricanes may threaten Gulf pipelines (May 27, 2010) -- Hurricanes could snap offshore oil pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico and other hurricane-prone areas, since the storms whip up strong underwater currents, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Promising treatment for aggressive lymphoma identified in new study (May 27, 2010) -- New research illustrates that some patients with transformed lymphoma showed "remarkable" response to lenalidomide, an oral drug with few side effects. ... > full story
Discovery may lead to safer drinking water, cheaper medicine (May 27, 2010) -- A discovery that may pave the way to helping reduce health hazards such as E. coli in water could also make chemicals and drugs such as insulin cheaper to produce and their production more environmentally friendly. By creating a three-dimensional model, biochemists discovered exactly how the AceK protein acts as a switch in some bacteria to bypass the energy-producing cycle that allows bacteria like E. coli and salmonella to go into a survival mode and adapt to low-nutrient environments, such as water. ... > full story
Low caveolin-1 expression contributes to lung disease? (May 27, 2010) -- Researchers propose that low levels of caveolin-1 contribute to the over-proliferation of fibroblasts in lung disease. ... > full story
New model for chronic wasting disease (May 27, 2010) -- Scientists have generated a mouse model of cervid chronic wasting disease. Chronic wasting disease is a fatal prion-induced disease, similar to mad cow disease, that affects cervids such as deer, elk, and moose. It is a neurodegenerative disease typified by chronic weight-loss leading to death. ... > full story
Love it or hate it, PowerPoint shapes strategy-making, says new paper (May 27, 2010) -- It's a staple presentation tool in most businesses. Its been banned as a productivity killer. Say what you like about PowerPoint, the computer software that presents business cases like a slide show, but one researcher at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management says that such critiques ignore the ways the technology is used to shape idea generation and build corporate strategies. ... > full story
Copycat behavior in children is universal and may help promote human culture (May 26, 2010) -- A new study of Australian preschoolers and Kalahari Bushman children finds that a particular kind of imitation -- overimitation, in which a child copies everything an adult shows them, not just the steps that lead to some outcome -- appears to be a universal human activity, rather than something the children of middle-class parents pick up. The work helps shed light on how humans develop and transmit culture. ... > full story
Gene pattern may identify kidney transplant recipients who don't need life-long anti-rejection drugs (May 26, 2010) -- Researchers have identified a distinct pattern of gene expression in the largest reported group of kidney transplant recipients who have not rejected the transplant kidneys even though they stopped taking anti-rejection drugs. This finding may help identify other transplant recipients who could safely reduce or end use of immunosuppressive therapy. In 2008, more than 80,000 people in the United States were living with a kidney transplant. ... > full story
Virtual Romanesque monuments being created (May 26, 2010) -- Researchers in Spain have created full color plans in 3-D of places of cultural interest, using laser scanners and photographic cameras. The technique has been used to virtually recreate five churches in the Merindad de Aguilar de Campoo, a region between Cantabria, Palencia and Burgos which boasts the highest number of Romanesque monuments in the world. ... > full story
Link between nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and liver cancer confirmed in new study (May 26, 2010) -- A new study finds that patients suffering from cirrhosis preceded by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are at an equal risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma than those who develop cirrhosis resulting from hepatitis C virus (HCV). ... > full story
Improved gluten-free bread (May 26, 2010) -- Researchers in Ireland are producing tasty, nutritious gluten-free breads for coeliac disease sufferers. The research focused on using the so-called ‘pseudocereals’ amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat to replace wheat in bread formulations. These cereals are gluten-free, and are also rich in nutrients; therefore, their incorporation in the gluten-free diet could not only add variety but also improve nutritional quality. ... > full story
Changing 'channels' to eliminate chronic pain: Researcher maps drug target to wipe pain away (May 26, 2010) -- Researchers are developing new computer-derived models of drugs that might affect chronic pain -- such as pain from backaches, sore limbs and arthritis -- which are targeted for calcium channels. ... > full story
Swarming locusts need larger brains (May 26, 2010) -- One of the most devastating events in the insect world -- the locust swarm -- has extraordinary effects on the insect's brains, scientists have discovered. ... > full story
Gene change raises odds of mother-to-child HIV transmission (May 26, 2010) -- A correlation has been discovered between specific variants of the gene that codes for a key immune system protein, TLR9, and the risk of mother-to-child, or vertical, transmission of HIV. Researchers studied three hundred children born to HIV-positive mothers, finding that those who had either of two TLR9 gene variants were significantly more likely to acquire the virus. ... > full story
Canine aggression and genetic control (May 26, 2010) -- The control of different behaviors is a complex process that is influenced by both genetics and environmental factors. A new study throws light on interesting connections between canine aggression and genes that are involved in neurotransmission in the brain. ... > full story
Novel RNA interference screening technique identifies possible path for malignant glioma treatment (May 26, 2010) -- Researchers report on a cellular pathway in the deadly brain cancer malignant glioma, a pathway essential to the cancer's ability to grow -- and a potential target for therapy that would stop the cancer's ability to thrive. ... > full story
Quantum communication in random networks: Theorists find surprising behaviours in quantum random networks (May 26, 2010) -- The Internet, networks of connections between Hollywood actors, etc., are examples of complex networks, whose properties have been intensively studied in recent times. The 'small-world' property (that everyone has a few-step connection to celebrities), for instance, is a famous example. Scientists have now introduced complex networks in the quantum realm. ... > full story
Domestic violence victims have higher health costs for years after abuse ends (May 26, 2010) -- Victims of domestic violence endure significantly higher health costs than other women for three years after the abuse ends, a new study finds. Abuse victims had health care costs that averaged more than ,200 above non-abused women for the first two years after the abuse ended and about 0 above others in the third year. ... > full story
Gene causes blue light to have a banana odor in fruit flies (May 26, 2010) -- Scientists in Germany have succeeded to genetically modify fruit fly larvae allowing them to smell blue light. The research team can activate single receptor neurons out of 28 olfactory neurons in the larvae for this sensory perception. Normally animals avoid light. However, blue light simulates in genetically modified larvae the smell of an odorant, e.g., banana, marzipan or glue -- odors which are all present in rotting fruit and attractive to fruit fly larvae. ... > full story
Bisphenol A and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals pose cancer risk, study suggests (May 26, 2010) -- A review article describes the carcinogenic effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including bisphenol A. Researchers express the need for more complex strategies for studying how these chemicals affect health but report that ample evidence supports changing public health and environmental policies to protect the public, particularly the developing fetus and women of reproductive age. ... > full story
Parasitic threat to animals and the environment revealed (May 26, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered animal populations may often be under a much larger threat from parasites than previously recognized. ... > full story
Control of high blood pressure improving in US, but prevalence not decreasing (May 26, 2010) -- About 50 percent of patients with hypertension have adequate control of their blood pressure, meeting a goal of Healthy People 2010, but the rate of hypertension in the US has not decreased in recent years, according to a new study. ... > full story
E. coli 0157:H7 present but not common in wildlife of nation's salad bowl (May 26, 2010) -- The disease-causing bacterium E. coli O157:H7 is present but rare in some wildlife species of California's agriculturally rich Central Coast region, an area often referred to as the nation's "salad bowl," report researchers. The researchers are nearing completion of a massive field study to help identify potential sources of E. coli O157:H7. ... > full story
Brain volume found to change following weight gain in adults with anorexia (May 26, 2010) -- Psychologists and neuroscientists have found that adult brain volume, which can be reduced by Anorexia Nervosa, can be regained. The research revealed that through specialist treatment patients with this eating disorder can reverse this symptom and regain gray matter volume. ... > full story
Prehistoric birds were poor flyers, research shows (May 26, 2010) -- The evolution of flight took longer than previously thought with the ancestors of modern birds "rubbish" at flying, if they flew at all, according to scientists. ... > full story
Could humans be infected by 'computer viruses?' (May 26, 2010) -- A scientist at the University of Reading has become the first person in the world to be infected by a computer virus. He contaminated a computer chip which had been inserted into his hand as part of research into human enhancement and the potential risks of implantable devices. ... > full story
Major hurricane could devastate Houston (May 26, 2010) -- With the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season less than a week away, a new report is warning that a major hurricane could devastate the Houston/Galveston region.The report indicates that even a moderately powerful hurricane could cripple Houston's petrochemical industry and endanger tens of thousands of lives. ... > full story
Protein regulates enzyme linked to Alzheimer's disease (May 26, 2010) -- Researchers have zeroed in on a protein that may play a role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The team found that increasing levels of the protein prevented the accumulation of an enzyme linked to Alzheimer's. The strategy may lead to new treatments for the neurodegenerative disease. ... > full story
Microbial team may be culprit in colony collapse disorder (May 26, 2010) -- A new potential cause for "Colony Collapse Disorder" in honeybees has been identified. A group of pathogens including a fungus and family of viruses may be working together to cause the decline. ... > full story
Parents' physical inactivity influences children (May 26, 2010) -- Children are more likely to watch high levels of television if their parents do, but parents do not need to be physically active to help their children to be active. ... > full story
Supermassive black holes may frequently roam (May 26, 2010) -- The supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center of the most massive local galaxy (M87) is not where it was expected. Research, conducted using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), concludes that the SMBH in M87 is displaced from the galaxy center. ... > full story
Mutant gum disease bacteria provide clue to treatment for Alzheimer's (May 26, 2010) -- A defective, mutant strain of the bacterium that causes gum disease could provide a clue to potential treatments for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and a number of other diseases. ... > full story
More 'good' cholesterol is not always good for your health (May 26, 2010) -- A new study finds that a high level of HDL, or the so-called "good" cholesterol, is not always beneficial and puts certain patients at high risk for recurrent coronary events, such as chest pain, heart attack, and death. Increasing good cholesterol can lead to negative consequences in some people, and should be taken into account when testing drugs designed to increase HDL cholesterol. ... > full story
High-strain tendons repair less frequently (May 26, 2010) -- Tendons in high-stress and strain areas, like the Achilles tendon, actually repair themselves less frequently than low-stress tendons. This study sheds some light on the increased susceptibility of certain tendons to injury during aging. ... > full story
High level of bacteria found in bottled water in Canada (May 26, 2010) -- A Montreal study finds heterotrophic bacteria counts, in more than 70 percent of bottled water samples, exceed the recommended limits specified by the United States Pharmacopeia. ... > full story
Close, but not too close: Donors to charities aren't always comfortable with a victim-in-need, study finds (May 26, 2010) -- Victim-centered charitable campaigns, like those that feature hungry children in distant lands, may be less effective with some potential donors than those that highlight the broader aims of the charity, according to new research. ... > full story
Extinct giant shark nursery discovered in Panama (May 26, 2010) -- Young giant sharks, now extinct, may have grown up in shallow water nurseries, according to new findings from Panama's Gatun Formation. ... > full story
Bacteria as a predicter of colorectal cancer (May 26, 2010) -- Recent findings suggest that bacteria residing in the the human intestinal tract may be associated with an individual's risk of developing colon cancer. ... > full story
Stem-cell disruption induces skull deformity, study shows (May 26, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a defect in cellular pathways that provides a new explanation for the earliest stages of abnormal skull development in newborns, known as craniosynostosis. ... > full story
Early antibiotic treatment for severe COPD symptoms linked with improved outcomes (May 26, 2010) -- Among patients hospitalized for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), those who received antibiotics in the first 2 hospital days had improved outcomes, such as a lower likelihood of mechanical ventilation and fewer re-admissions, compared to patients who received antibiotics later or not at all, according to a new study. ... > full story
Major step ahead for cryptography (May 26, 2010) -- Scientists have taken a step towards a fully practical system to compute on encrypted data. This work could have wide ranging impact on areas as diverse as database access, electronic auctions and electronic voting. ... > full story
What's more important in the obesity battle –- physical activity or medical treatment? (May 26, 2010) -- Experts disagree about the best way to tackle the obesity crisis. While some acknowledge that "physical inactivity is a major contributor to the global burden of disease," they say that it would be wrong to only focus on this and ignore the problem of obesity. ... > full story
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