ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Wednesday, June 9, 2010
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Molecular link between diabetes and schizophrenia connects food and mood (June 9, 2010) -- Defects in insulin function -- which occur in diabetes and obesity -- could directly contribute to psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia. Researchers have discovered a molecular link between impaired insulin signaling in the brain and schizophrenia-like behaviors in mice. The findings offer a new perspective on the psychiatric and cognitive disorders that affect patients with diabetes and suggest new strategies for treating these conditions. ... > full story
Side effects explained: Why common drugs can lead to broken bones (June 9, 2010) -- New research helps to explain why some commonly used drugs come with a serious downside: They up your odds of breaking a bone. The drugs in question, glucocorticoids (e.g. cortisone and prednisone) and the insulin sensitizer rosiglitazone work through entirely different mechanisms as therapies for inflammatory diseases and diabetes respectively, and two new studies now show that they lead to bone loss in different ways too. ... > full story
Follow the money: Wealth, population are key drivers of invasive species (June 9, 2010) -- A new study of biological invasions in Europe found they were linked not so much to changes in climate or land cover, but to two dominant factors -- more money and more people. ... > full story
Blood-sugar lowering medications may increase risk for false positive results in cancer screenings (June 9, 2010) -- A study suggests that medication ingested to control blood-sugar levels can skew the results of cancer screenings using positron emission tomography (PET), a molecular imaging technique, by increasing absorption in the gut of the PET imaging agent called fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG), which mimics sugar inside the body. ... > full story
'Baby Bubbler': Student invention helps infants with respiratory ailments (June 9, 2010) -- Undergraduates have developed a device that could save babies' lives. The Baby Bubbler -- or in its more technical guise, the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device -- helps children with acute respiratory infections breathe naturally as they recover. ... > full story
More adults report excessive sleepiness in the US than in Europe (June 9, 2010) -- Results indicate that 19.5 percent of US adults reported having moderate to excessive sleepiness, which was comparable between men and women. Furthermore, 11 percent of participants reported severe sleepiness, which was more prevalent in women (13 percent) than in men (8.6 percent). The cross-sectional study involved a representative sample of 8,937 adults. In a previous study the author reported that the prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness in five European countries was 15 percent. ... > full story
Climate change linked to major vegetation shifts worldwide (June 9, 2010) -- Vegetation around the world is on the move, and climate change is the culprit, according to a new analysis of global vegetation shifts. ... > full story
New use for old drugs in treating hepatitis C (June 9, 2010) -- Common drugs used to treat conditions such as diabetes and obesity could be used to successfully treat hepatitis C virus infection. ... > full story
Working toward the next battery breakthrough: Scientist brings fresh perspective to the nation's electrical grid (June 9, 2010) -- If battery-making is an art, then University at Buffalo scientist Esther Takeuchi is among its most prolific masters, with more than 140 US patents, all in energy storage. Takeuchi developed the battery that made possible the first implantable cardiac defibrillators, a feat that was recognized last fall with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Obama. Millions of heart patients worldwide have benefited from the implantable cardiac defibrillators powered by Takeuchi's silver vanadium oxide battery. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she is developing new cathode materials for improved implantable cardiac defibrillator batteries. ... > full story
Experimental targeted therapy shows early promise against medulloblastomas, type of childhood brain cancer (June 9, 2010) -- Researchers have presented findings of a pediatric brain tumor study using an experimental drug that targets the underlying genetic makeup of the tumor. The research focused on a new way to attack the tumors by blocking the Hedgehog pathway that is linked to approximately 20 percent of medulloblastomas. ... > full story
Applying tomographics to the quantum world (June 9, 2010) -- Scientists in Spain have demonstrated the validity of tomographic representation of quantum states, which can help quantum technologies transmit information more safely and efficiently. ... > full story
Regular bedtimes linked to better language, reading and math skills in preschool children (June 9, 2010) -- Children in households with bedtime rules and children who get adequate sleep scored higher on a range of developmental assessments, according to new research. ... > full story
Some like it hot: Site of human evolution was scorching (June 8, 2010) -- If you think summer in your hometown is hot, consider the Turkana Basin of Kenya, where the average daily temperature has reached the mid-90s or higher, year-round, for the past 4 million years. Could the climate have influenced the way humans evolved in that region? ... > full story
Vacuum cleaner sucks up strokes (June 8, 2010) -- A clot vacuum cleaner that sucks out stroke-producing blockages from blood vessels in the brain may sound like science fiction. But this potentially paradigm-shifting procedure may successfully salvage brain cells for more than just the first three hours following a major stroke, with fewer risks. ... > full story
Will the new World Cup soccer ball bend? (June 8, 2010) -- Physics experts believe the new ball created for the 2010 World Cup, called the Jabulani, will play "harder and faster," bending more unpredictably than its predecessor. ... > full story
Harnessing the immune system's diagnostic power (June 8, 2010) -- A new method has been pioneered to track an individual's state of health by profiling the immune system. The technique, known as immunosignaturing, could provide rapid, pre-symptomatic diagnosis for a broad range of ailments, from infectious diseases to chronic afflictions to varied forms of cancer, offering the best hope for successful treatment. ... > full story
Radioactive optical imaging and 'quantum dot' nano-imaging at the forefront of molecular medicine (June 8, 2010) -- Researchers have presented the results of a multidisciplinary study involving the capture of radiation luminescence and radioactive-excited nanoparticles to help detect subtle signs of disease. Currently, nuclear medicine agents and imaging technology image the behavior of particles at the cellular, molecular and atomic levels, but radioactive materials also emit barely visible light that can be detected with highly sensitive optical imaging technology. This discovery could lead to new, state-of-the-art imaging techniques. ... > full story
Personality can predict fertility (June 8, 2010) -- The reproductive success of both men and women is influenced by our personality traits, according to new research. ... > full story
Violent video games may increase aggression in some but not others, says new research (June 8, 2010) -- Playing violent video games can make some adolescents more hostile, particularly those who are less agreeable, less conscientious and easily angered. But for others, it may offer opportunities to learn new skills and improve social networking. ... > full story
New way found to attack cancerous cells (June 8, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a new way to target and destroy a type of cancerous cell. The findings may lead to the development of new therapies to treat lymphomas, leukemias and related cancers. ... > full story
Polymer-based filter successfully cleans water, recovers oil in Gulf of Mexico test (June 8, 2010) -- In response to the massive oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, an engineering professor has developed a technique for separating oil from water via a cotton filter coated in a chemical polymer that blocks oil while allowing water to pass through. The researcher reports that the filter was successfully tested off the coast of Louisiana and shown to simultaneously clean water and preserve the oil. ... > full story
Molecular imaging reveals origin of acid reflux disease (June 8, 2010) -- Molecular imaging has uncovered what may be to blame for acid reflux disease, a painful and potentially dangerous illness that affects a sizeable percentage of the population. A new study provides further evidence that the disease of the digestive system is brought on by a lack of tone, or motility, in the esophageal muscles that clear and keep stomach acids and other gastric contents from backing up into the esophagus. ... > full story
No place to hide: New 360-degree video surveillance system uses image stitching technology that is perfectly detailed edge to edge (June 8, 2010) -- The US Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate new Imaging System for Immersive Surveillance is as detailed as 50 full-HDTV movies playing at once, with optical detail to spare. ... > full story
About one-tenth of soldiers returning from Iraq may be impaired by mental health problems, study finds (June 8, 2010) -- Between 8.5 percent and 14 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq report serious functional impairment due to either post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, according to a new study. ... > full story
Crocodiles ride ocean currents for ocean travel (June 8, 2010) -- The mystery of how the world's largest living reptile -- the estuarine crocodile -- has come to occupy so many South Pacific islands separated by huge stretches of ocean despite being a poor swimmer has at last been solved by a group of Australian ecologists. They say that like a surfer catching a wave, the crocodiles ride ocean currents to cross large areas of open sea. ... > full story
Protein lets brain repair damage from multiple sclerosis, other disorders (June 8, 2010) -- A protein that helps build the brain in infants and children may aid efforts to restore damage from multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases, researchers have found. ... > full story
Chemists report promising advance in fuel-cell technology (June 8, 2010) -- Chemists have come up with a promising advance in fuel-cell technology. The team has demonstrated that a nanoparticle with a palladium core and an iron-platinum shell outperforms commercially available pure-platinum catalysts and lasts longer. The finding could move fuel cells a step closer to reality. ... > full story
Epigenetic gene silencing may hold key to fatal lung vascular disease (June 8, 2010) -- A rare but fatal disease of blood vessels in the lung may be caused in part by aberrant silencing of genes rather than genetic mutation. Pulmonary arterial hypertension has been linked to genetic causes in a small percentage of patients. But researchers have now found that a form of epigenetics -- the modification of gene expression -- causes the disease in an animal model and could contribute to the disease in humans. ... > full story
New yeast can ferment more sugar, make more cellulosic ethanol (June 8, 2010) -- Scientists have improved a strain of yeast that can produce more biofuel from cellulosic plant material by fermenting all five types of the plant's sugars. ... > full story
Genetic factors may be linked with development of disordered gambling among women and men (June 8, 2010) -- Genetic influences appear important in the development of gambling disorders in both women and men, according to a new study. ... > full story
Gulf oil spill could widen, worsen 'dead zone' (June 8, 2010) -- While an out-of-control gusher deep in the Gulf of Mexico fouls beaches and chokes marshland habitat, another threat could be growing below the oil-slicked surface. The nation's worst oil spill could worsen and expand the oxygen-starved region of the Gulf labeled "the dead zone" for its inhospitality to marine life, suggest scientists. ... > full story
New molecular imaging agent may help visualize early stages of Alzheimer's disease (June 8, 2010) -- A multinational clinical trial presents a novel imaging agent that could be the next major breakthrough for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease -- a slow but fatal neurodegenerative disease. ... > full story
First radio tracking of tropical orchid bees (June 8, 2010) -- For the first time, researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute track unique signals from tiny transmitters glued to individual orchid bees, yielding new insight into the role of bees in tropical forest ecosystems. ... > full story
Higher oxygen levels improve preterm survival, increase risk for eye condition, studies find (June 8, 2010) -- Two findings provide new information on how much oxygen very preterm infants should receive starting at birth and the most effective means to deliver it to them. One finding is that higher oxygen levels improve survival but increase the risk for a serious eye condition. The other is that a treatment typically used for adults with sleep apnea is as effective for preemies as a ventilator, but with fewer complications. ... > full story
'Psychedelic' maize may help increase crop and biofuel yields (June 8, 2010) -- Scientists have identified new genes in maize which promote carbohydrate export from leaves. These genes are called psychedelic because of the yellow and green streaks they cause in the plant's leaves. Manipulating these genes may increase crop yields and the amount of biofuel that can be derived from each plant. ... > full story
Childhood hardships associated with pregnancy troubles in adulthood (June 8, 2010) -- Childhood hardships may be related to future pregnancy outcomes, in part through their association with smoking during pregnancy and adult socioeconomic position, according to a new report. ... > full story
Secondhand smoke associated with psychiatric distress, illness (June 8, 2010) -- Exposure to secondhand smoke appears to be associated with psychological distress and the risk of future psychiatric hospitalization among healthy adults, according to a new report. ... > full story
Simple eye test measures damage from multiple sclerosis, researchers find (June 8, 2010) -- A quick, painless eye measurement shows promise as a way to diagnose multiple sclerosis in its very early stages, and to track the effectiveness of treatments, researchers have found in a multicenter study. ... > full story
Florida ridges' mystery marine fossils tied to rising land, not seas, geologist says (June 8, 2010) -- Sea level has not been as high as the distinctive ridges that run down the length of Florida for millions of years. Yet recently deposited marine fossils abound in the ridges' sands. Now, a geologist may have helped crack that mystery. ... > full story
Gene loss can cause leukemia, researchers find (June 8, 2010) -- Researchers in Belgium have discovered a new factor in the development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a disease that mainly affects children. In the cells of the patients, the specific gene PTPN2 ceases to function, causing the cancer cells to survive longer and grow faster. The study provides genetic and functional evidence for a tumor suppressor role of PTPN2. ... > full story
Even small patches of urban woods are valuable for migrating birds (June 8, 2010) -- Even tiny patches of woods in urban areas seem to provide adequate food and protection for some species of migrating birds as they fly between wintering and breeding grounds, new research has found. The results are important because, with the expansion of cities worldwide, migrating land birds increasingly must pass through vast urban areas which offer very little of the forest habitats on which many species rely. ... > full story
Intimate partner violence against mothers associated with children's obesity (June 8, 2010) -- Children whose mothers report being abused by their partners appear more likely to be obese at age 5, according to a new report. ... > full story
Bats are keeping an ear out for kin (June 8, 2010) -- Bats can distinguish between the calls of their own and different species with their echolocation calls, report scientists. ... > full story
Genetic markers could predict prostate cancer in younger men, study finds (June 8, 2010) -- Prostate cancer has become more common in younger men, and it's often more aggressive in these men. A new study has found that a series of genetic mutations could help detect this early onset prostate cancer. ... > full story
Ironing out inflammation: Substance in iron metabolism displays life-saving potential for inflammatory diseases (June 8, 2010) -- In a surprising discovery that someday may lead to new treatments for many inflammatory diseases, scientists found that a hormone involved in iron metabolism can save mice from deadly acute inflammation. ... > full story
Cyclotrons could alleviate medical isotope shortage (June 8, 2010) -- The most widely used medical radioisotope, Technetium-99m (Tc-99m), is essential for an estimated 70,000 medical imaging procedures that take place daily around the world. Aging reactors, production intermittencies and threats of permanent reactor closures have researchers striving to develop alternative methods of supply. In a comparative study, researchers show that medical cyclotrons could be capable of producing this medical isotope. ... > full story
Racial disparities in asthma exist even among children with equal access to health care (June 8, 2010) -- Within a comprehensive health insurance system, black and Hispanic children appear more likely than white children to have asthma and their outcomes are often worse, according to a new study. ... > full story
Earth and Moon formed later than previously thought, new research suggests (June 7, 2010) -- Astronomers have theorized that the planet Earth and the Moon were created as the result of a giant collision between two planets the size of Mars and Venus. Until now, the collision was thought to have happened when the solar system was 30 million years old, or approximately 4,537 million years ago. But new research shows that Earth and the Moon must have formed much later -- perhaps up to 150 million years after the formation of the solar system. ... > full story
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