The EDGE: ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Monday, September 3, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Monday, September 3, 2012

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Study sheds light on lung cancers that are undetected by radiograph (September 2, 2012) -- New research has revealed why some lung cancers are undetected by radiograph and helped to identify the type of people who may be at risk of this form of the disease. ... > full story

Respiratory burden ‘high in aging population’ (September 2, 2012) -- People aged 85 years and over have a high burden of respiratory disease, according to new findings. The research has shed light on the health problems likely to be encountered by the aging population. ... > full story

Overactive bladder linked to sleep apnea in women (September 2, 2012) -- Sleep apnoea in women has been linked to overactive bladder syndrome in a new study. ... > full story

Design help for drug cocktails for HIV patients: Mathematical model helps design efficient multi-drug therapies (September 2, 2012) -- For years, doctors treating those with HIV have recognized a relationship between how faithfully patients take the drugs they prescribe, and how likely the virus is to develop drug resistance. New research is helping to explain why those differences exist, and may help doctors quickly and cheaply design new combinations of drugs that are less likely to result in resistance. ... > full story

Ancient enzymes function like nanopistons to unwind RNA (September 2, 2012) -- DEAD-box proteins, which are ancient enzymes found in all forms of life, function as recycling "nanopistons." They use chemical energy to clamp down and pry open RNA strands, thereby enabling the formation of new structures. ... > full story

A new light shed on genetic regulation's role in the predisposition to common diseases (September 2, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered several thousands new genetic variants impacting gene expression some of which are responsible for predisposition to common diseases, bringing closer to the biological interpretation of personal genomes. ... > full story

Can’t smell anything? Discovery may give you hope (September 2, 2012) -- Scientists have restored the sense of smell in mice through gene therapy for the first time -- a hopeful sign for people who can’t smell anything from birth or lose it due to disease. The achievement in curing congenital anosmia may also aid research on other conditions that also stem from problems with the cilia. ... > full story

Heavy drinking rewires brain, increasing susceptibility to anxiety problems (September 2, 2012) -- After chronic alcohol exposure, mice are unable to control a learned fear response, shedding light on the link between alcoholism and anxiety problems like post-traumatic stress disorder. ... > full story

Why children with asthma are more likely to be bullied (September 2, 2012) -- New research has uncovered several factors which could explain why children with asthma are at an increased risk of being bullied. ... > full story

New technique helps determine degree of muscle wasting in critically ill patients (September 2, 2012) -- Researchers have identified a new technique that can help determine the severity of muscle loss in critically ill patients. The breakthrough could lead to new research to help prevent muscle-wasting and new therapeutic interventions to help treat critically ill patients. ... > full story

E-cigarettes can damage the lungs, experts warn (September 2, 2012) -- New research has shown that despite electronic cigarettes being marketed as a potentially safer alternative to normal cigarettes, they are still causing harm to the lungs. ... > full story

Anti-clotting therapy may be used too often following orthopaedic surgery or trauma (September 1, 2012) -- Men and women who undergo joint replacement procedures, as well as those who have significant fractures, tend to be at an increased risk of developing pulmonary emboli (PE), blood clots that travel to the lungs where they may cause serious complications and even death. Patients are often aggressively treated with anticoagulants, or blood thinners, to help prevent the clots from forming, but a new study indicates that some blood clots being identified by today's sensitive testing methods may not require aggressive treatments. ... > full story

Flying high: Researchers decipher manic gene (September 1, 2012) -- Flying high, or down in the dumps -- individuals suffering from bipolar disorder alternate between depressive and manic episodes. Researchers have now discovered, based on patient data and animal models, how the NCAN gene results in the manic symptoms of bipolar disorder. ... > full story

Small male fish use high aggression strategy (September 1, 2012) -- In the deserts of central Australia lives a tough little fish known as the desert goby, and a new study is shedding light on the aggressive mating behaviour of smaller nest-holding males. ... > full story

Chilling methods could change meat tenderness (August 31, 2012) -- Contrary to previous studies, new research shows that a method called blast chilling can affect pork tenderness. This discovery could change pork production and consumer choices at the grocery store. ... > full story

Exposure to common toxic substances could increase asthma symptoms (August 31, 2012) -- Children who are exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were commonly used in a range of industrial products, could be at risk of an increase in asthma symptoms, according to new research. ... > full story

'Missing link' between stem cells and the immune system (August 31, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered a type of cell that is the “missing link” between bone marrow stem cells and all the cells of the human immune system, a finding that will lead to a greater understanding of how a healthy immune system is produced and how disease can lead to poor immune function. ... > full story

Earthquake hazards map study finds deadly flaws (August 31, 2012) -- Three of the largest and deadliest earthquakes in recent history occurred where earthquake hazard maps didn't predict massive quakes. Scientists have recently studied the reasons for the maps' failure to forecast these quakes. They also explored ways to improve the maps. Developing better hazard maps and alerting people to their limitations could potentially save lives and money in areas such as the New Madrid, Missouri fault zone. ... > full story

Genetic link to prostate cancer risk in African Americans found (August 31, 2012) -- Prostate cancer in African-American men is associated with specific changes in the IL-16 gene, and by establishing the link in men of African as well as European descent, researchers may have found a useful new biomarker for prostate cancer. ... > full story

Legislated to health? If people don't take their health into their own hands, governments may use policies to do it for them (August 31, 2012) -- Obesity rates in North America are a growing concern for legislators. Expanded waistlines mean rising health-care costs for maladies such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. One researcher says that if people do not take measures to get healthy, they may find that governments will throw their weight into administrative measures designed to help us trim the fat. ... > full story

A millimeter-scale, wirelessly powered cardiac device (August 31, 2012) -- Electrical engineers overturn existing models to demonstrate the feasibility of a millimeter-sized, wirelessly powered cardiac device. The findings, say the researchers, could dramatically alter the scale of medical devices implanted in the human body. ... > full story

Hubble spots a supernova in NGC 5806 (August 31, 2012) -- A new image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows NGC 5806, a spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo (the Virgin). It lies around 80 million light years from Earth. Also visible in this image is a supernova explosion called SN 2004dg. ... > full story

NASA's GRAIL moon twins begin extended mission science (August 31, 2012) -- NASA's twin, lunar-orbiting Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft began data collection for the start of the mission's extended operations. ... > full story

International collaboration key to science and engineering globalization (August 31, 2012) -- International collaboration is a key aspect of the globalization of science and engineering. A recent report and data evaluation released by the U.S. National Science Foundation showed that one in six scientists and engineers in the United States reported working with individuals in other countries in a given week. ... > full story

No pain provides big gains (August 31, 2012) -- Five recent Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing DNP graduates have taken different and unique approaches in working to improve the implementation of pain management in hospitals and clinical practices. ... > full story

Potential drug for treatement of Alzheimer's disease investigated (August 31, 2012) -- A compound developed to treat neuropathic pain has shown potential as an innovative treatment for Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

Customer service is an emotional experience (August 31, 2012) -- You can probably recall a customer service experience that left you feeling good. A recent study has shown not only that positive emotion from sales staff is contagious to a customer, but that a satisfied customer also improves the salesperson's mood. ... > full story

Intervention helps children with sickle cell disease complete MRI tests without sedation (August 31, 2012) -- Researchers report success using a targeted educational approach to teach young sickle cell disease patients to remain motionless during MRI scans, making the process safer. ... > full story

Fear and driving opportunity motivated changes in driving behavior after 9/11 (August 31, 2012) -- A catastrophic event -- such as a terrorist attack or a natural disaster -- often strikes twice. There is the damage caused by the event itself, as lives are lost or left in ruin. But there is also the second act, catalyzed by our response to the catastrophic event, which can cause as much damage as the first. New research examines the impact that fear and driving opportunity had on driving behavior following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. ... > full story

Affluent people less likely to reach out to others in times of trouble? (August 31, 2012) -- Crises are said to bring people closer together. But a new study suggests that while the have-nots reach out to one another in times of trouble, the wealthy are more apt to find comfort in material possessions. ... > full story

New, less expensive nanolithography technique developed (August 31, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a new nanolithography technique that is less expensive than other approaches and can be used to create technologies with biomedical applications. ... > full story

Glass shape influences how quickly we drink alcohol (August 31, 2012) -- The speed at which we drink alcohol may be influenced by the shape of the glass we drink from, according to new research. This could be a target to help control the problematic levels of drunkenness that are becoming increasingly common in our society. ... > full story

Danish scientists solve old blood mystery: New intriguing knowledge on blood hemoglobin (August 31, 2012) -- Scientists in Denmark have solved an old puzzle, which since the 1960s from many sides has been regarded as impossible to complete. The challenge was to solve the structure of the protecting protein complex that forms when hemoglobin is released from red cells and becomes toxic. This toxic release of hemoglobin occurs in many diseases affecting red cell stability, e.g. malaria. ... > full story

Breathable treatment to help prevent asthma attacks (August 31, 2012) -- Researchers in the UK are presenting details of a treatment that could help asthmatics fight infections that trigger 80 percent of asthma attacks. ... > full story

Asthma symptoms could be aggravated by imbalance problems (August 31, 2012) -- Asthma patients could be at a higher risk of worsening symptoms due to problems with their balance, according to new research. ... > full story

First simultaneous robotic kidney transplant, sleeve gastrectomy performed (August 31, 2012) -- A 35-year-old Chicago woman is the first patient in the world to have a combined procedure that offers new hope for obese kidney patients. ... > full story

The beat goes on: Research yields two 'firsts' regarding protein crucial to human cardiac function (August 31, 2012) -- Researchers have achieved significant benchmarks in a study of the human cardiac protein alpha-tropomyosin, which is an essential, molecular-level component that controls the heart's contraction on every beat. Using an imaging method called atomic force microscopy, scientists have achieved two 'firsts': the first direct imaging of individual alpha-tropomyosin molecules and the first demonstrated examples of a measure of the human cardiac protein's flexibility. ... > full story

New 'Rust-Tracker' to monitor deadly wheat fungus in 27 nations (August 31, 2012) -- The world's top wheat experts have reported a breakthrough in their ability to track Ug99 and related strains of a deadly and rapidly mutating wheat pathogen called stem rust that threatens wheat fields from East Africa to South Asia. The creators of the "Rust-Tracker" say they now can monitor an unprecedented 42 million hectares of wheat in 27 developing countries. ... > full story

Traumatic childhood may increase the risk of drug addiction (August 31, 2012) -- Previous research has shown that personality traits such as impulsivity or compulsiveness are indicators of an increased risk of addiction. Now, new research suggests that these impulsive and compulsive personality traits are also associated with a traumatic upbringing during childhood. ... > full story

How gene profiling in emphysema is helping to find a cure (August 31, 2012) -- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the United States and is thought to affect almost three million people in the UK. New research has identified genes whose activity is altered with increasing lung damage and, using a database of drug effects on gene activity (the Connectivity Map), finds that the compound Gly-His-Lys (GHK) affects the activity of these genes. ... > full story

No more sneezing: Allergen-free house plants (August 31, 2012) -- New research shows how targeting two bacterial genes into an ornamental plant Pelargonium, can produce long-lived and pollen-free plants. Pelargoniums (‘Geraniums’ and ‘Storkbills’) have been cultivated in Europe since the17th century and are now one of the most popular garden and house plants around the world. ... > full story

Too much protein HUWE1 causes intellectual disability (August 31, 2012) -- Two to three percent of children are born with an intellectual disability. Possibly by a genetic defect, but in 80 percent of these cases, we do not know -- yet -- which genes are responsible. Increased production of the HUWE1 protein is the cause in some patients, new research shows. ... > full story

An open platform improves biomedical-image processing (August 31, 2012) -- A new open source platform allows for application sharing as a way of improving biomedical-image processing. Fiji has become a de facto standard that assists laboratories and microscope companies in their development of more precise products, researchers involved in the work say. ... > full story

Immune system protein could explain pancreatitis (August 31, 2012) -- There is now a clear target for the treatment of acute pancreatitis, according to researchers in Sweden, who have discovered that a well-known protein plays a central role in the development of the disease. It is likely that the protein is also highly significant for other inflammatory diseases. ... > full story

First implantation of prototype bionic eye with 24 electrodes: 'All of a sudden I could see a little flash of light' (August 31, 2012) -- In a major development, researchers in Australia have successfully performed the first implantation of an early prototype bionic eye with 24 electrodes. A patient with profound vision loss due to retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited condition, has now received the implant that enables her to experience some vision. ... > full story

NASA's Jupiter-bound Juno changes its orbit (August 30, 2012) -- Earlier today, navigators and mission controllers for NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter watched their computer screens as their spacecraft successfully performed its first deep-space maneuver. This first firing of Juno's main engine is one of two planned to refine the spacecraft's trajectory, setting the stage for a gravity assist from a flyby of Earth on Oct 9, 2013. Juno will arrive at Jupiter on July 4, 2016. ... > full story

Healthy living into old age can add up to six years to your life: Keeping physically active shows strongest association with survival (August 30, 2012) -- Living a healthy lifestyle into old age can add five years to women's lives and six years to men's, finds a new study. ... > full story

Kidney stones linked with small increased risk of later kidney problems (August 30, 2012) -- Kidney stones are associated with a small but significant increased risk of developing more serious kidney problems later in life, suggests a new study. ... > full story

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