ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• NASA Mars rover Opportunity approaches long-term goal
• Putting it all together on Saturn's moon Titan
• DNA building blocks can be made in space, NASA evidence suggests
• Buyer beware: Herbal products missing key safety information
• Light speed hurdle to invisibility cloak overcome by undergraduate
• 'Good' prion-like proteins boost immune response, scientists report
• World survey links religion and happiness -- for some
• Peak oil and public health: Political common ground?
• Demand for medical care at 'safety-net facilities' appears to have increased since Massachusetts enacted its health care reform law
• Soy tablets not associated with reduction in bone loss or menopausal symptoms in women, study finds
• Blood loss from lab testing associated with hospital-acquired anemia for patients with heart attacks, study finds
• More frequent visual field testing may lead to earlier detection of glaucoma progression
• Researchers develop risk assessment model for advanced age-related macular degeneration
• Age and severity of heart failure associated with impairment in verbal memory
• Deep brain stimulation effects may last for 10 years in patients with Parkinson's disease
• Study urges caution with lenalidomide dosage; Drug found to interact with P-glycoprotein
• Siblings of those with blood clots in leg have higher risk of same disorder
• Technique to stimulate heart cells may lead to light-controlled pacemakers
• Scientist develops virus that targets HIV: Using a virus to kill a virus
• Like superman's X-Ray vision, new microscope reveals nanoscale details
• You can count on this: Math ability is inborn, new research suggests
• Number of laparoscopic bariatric procedures continued to rise between 2003-2008, U.S. study finds
• Tactile technology for video games guaranteed to send shivers down your spine
• Urgent assessment in emergency departments can reduce surgical decision time and overcrowding
• GPS monitoring of sex offenders should be used as tool, not control mechanism, researchers find
• Social class as culture
• Molecular pathway that leads to inflammation in asthma identified
• Fine-tuning the flu vaccine for broader protection
• Protein unmasks pathogenic fungi to activate immune response
• Biology, materials science get a boost from robust imaging tool: Collaborators give a new view of macromolecular systems
• Meteorites: Tool kits for creating life on Earth
• Newly discovered antibody recognizes many strains of flu virus
• Connecting the dots: Dental medicine team describes how enamel forms
• Chimpanzees are spontaneously generous after all, study shows
• Scientist discovers genetic factor implicated in heartbeat defect
• Distance caregivers for advanced cancer patients have special needs, study finds
• Billion-year-old piece of North America traced back to Antarctica
• Severe low temperatures devastate coral reefs in Florida Keys
• Body-mounted cameras turn motion capture inside out
• Tohoku tsunami created icebergs in Antarctica
• Prenatal pet exposure, delivery mode, race are key factors in early allergy risk, study finds
• Increase in tornado, hurricane damage brings call for more stringent building standards
• Education affects Americans' religiosity -- but not how you might think
• Researchers use neutrons to spy on the elusive hydronium ion: Unprecedented proof of ion's role in enzymatic process
• NASA's NPP satellite completes comprehensive testing
• When and how to toilet train children
• Drug development in the blink of an eye
• Tracking crime in real time
• Key molecule that keeps immune cell development on track described
• Engineered human T cells can eradicate deadly human ovarian cancer in immune-deficient mice
• New study helps clarify symptoms and characteristics of acid reflux in neonates
• When a man's partner is too close to his friends, his sex life may suffer
• Men have overly optimistic expectations about recovery from prostate cancer surgery, study finds
• CERN supports European Year of Volunteering through Citizen Cyberscience Centre
• New brain tumor gene identified for meningiomas
• North Sea wind farm has positive net impact on fauna, researchers say
• Is hunting wolves key to their conservation?
• Common irregular heartbeat raises risk of dementia, study finds
• Cancer biomarker -- detectable by blood test -- could improve prostate cancer detection
• Most Canadians can be uniquely identified from their date of birth and postal code; New research unveils privacy risks

NASA Mars rover Opportunity approaches long-term goal Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:13 PM PDT The NASA Mars rover Opportunity has gained a view of Endeavour crater from barely more than a football-field's distance away from the rim. The rim of Endeavour has been the mission's long-term goal since mid-2008.

Putting it all together on Saturn's moon Titan Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:12 PM PDT Three of the major surface features on Saturn's moon Titan -- dunes, craters and the enigmatic Xanadu -- appear in a new radar image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft.

DNA building blocks can be made in space, NASA evidence suggests Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:06 PM PDT NASA-funded researchers have evidence that some building blocks of DNA, the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for life, found in meteorites were likely created in space. The research gives support to the theory that a "kit" of ready-made parts created in space and delivered to Earth by meteorite and comet impacts assisted the origin of life.

Buyer beware: Herbal products missing key safety information Posted: 08 Aug 2011 05:25 PM PDT Many herbal remedies available over-the-counter in pharmacies and health food shops are still lacking important information needed for safe use, according to researchers.

Light speed hurdle to invisibility cloak overcome by undergraduate Posted: 08 Aug 2011 05:25 PM PDT An undergraduate student has overcome a major hurdle in the development of invisibility cloaks by adding an optical device into their design that not only remains invisible itself, but also has the ability to slow down light.

'Good' prion-like proteins boost immune response, scientists report Posted: 08 Aug 2011 02:00 PM PDT A person's ability to battle viruses at the cellular level remarkably resembles the way deadly infectious agents called prions misfold and cluster native proteins to cause disease, researchers report.

World survey links religion and happiness -- for some Posted: 08 Aug 2011 02:00 PM PDT There may be a few atheists in foxholes, but a new study suggests that in societies under stress, those who are religious outnumber -- and are happier than -- their nonreligious counterparts. Where peace and plenty are the norm, however, religious participation is lower and people are happier whether or not they are religious, the researchers found.

Peak oil and public health: Political common ground? Posted: 08 Aug 2011 02:00 PM PDT In a new article, a communication professor demonstrates that the impact of peak petroleum on public health may be a way to unite conservatives and liberals in an effort to move away from fossil fuels and towards alternative forms of energy.

Demand for medical care at 'safety-net facilities' appears to have increased since Massachusetts enacted its health care reform law Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:11 PM PDT Patient demand for care from safety-net providers (such as community health centers and public hospitals) in Massachusetts has increased, even though the number of patients with health insurance also increased following the state's passage of health care reform, according to a new study.

Soy tablets not associated with reduction in bone loss or menopausal symptoms in women, study finds Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:11 PM PDT Soy isoflavone tablets do not appear to be associated with a reduction in bone loss or menopausal symptoms in women within the first five years of menopause, according to a new study.

Blood loss from lab testing associated with hospital-acquired anemia for patients with heart attacks, study finds Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:11 PM PDT In patients with acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), blood loss from greater use of phlebotomy (blood drawn for diagnostic testing) appears to be independently associated with the development of hospital-acquired anemia (HAA), according to a new study.

More frequent visual field testing may lead to earlier detection of glaucoma progression Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:11 PM PDT In patients with glaucoma, frequent visual field testing may be associated with earlier detection of the condition's progression, according to a new study.

Researchers develop risk assessment model for advanced age-related macular degeneration Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:11 PM PDT A new risk assessment model may help predict development of advanced age-related macular degeneration, according to a new study.

Age and severity of heart failure associated with impairment in verbal memory Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:11 PM PDT Older patients with lower rates of left ventricular ejection fraction (a measure of how well the left ventricle of the heart pumps with each contraction) appear more likely than younger patients to have significantly reduced verbal memory function, according to a new study.

Deep brain stimulation effects may last for 10 years in patients with Parkinson's disease Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:11 PM PDT One decade after receiving implants that stimulate areas of their brains, patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) appear to sustain improvement in motor function, although part of the initial benefit wore off mainly because of progressive loss of benefit in other functions, according to a new study.

Study urges caution with lenalidomide dosage; Drug found to interact with P-glycoprotein Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:11 PM PDT An early phase myeloma trial has unexpectedly revealed that the drug lenalidomide interacts with another protein in cells that affect its dose level in the body. The drug is under study in more than 390 clinical trials for cancer and other diseases, and sometimes causes severe and life-threatening side effects. The findings could lead to safer dosing of lenalidomide in a variety of diseases.

Siblings of those with blood clots in leg have higher risk of same disorder Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:11 PM PDT People with multiple siblings who had potentially life-threatening leg blood clots are 50 times more likely to get the same condition compared to people with healthy siblings. Hereditary factors -- as determined by sibling history -- are significant in determining the risk of venous thromboembolism in men and women between the ages of 10 and 69. VTE is the third most common cardiovascular illness after stroke and heart.

Technique to stimulate heart cells may lead to light-controlled pacemakers Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:11 PM PDT Researchers used light to control the electrical activity of heart muscle cells. The research raises the possibility of light-controlled pacemakers to treat heart rhythm problems.

Scientist develops virus that targets HIV: Using a virus to kill a virus Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:41 PM PDT In what represents an important step toward curing HIV, a scientist has created a virus that hunts down HIV-infected cells.

Like superman's X-Ray vision, new microscope reveals nanoscale details Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:41 PM PDT Physicists have developed a new kind of X-ray microscope that can penetrate deep within materials like Superman's fabled X-ray vision and see minute details at the scale of a single nanometer, or one billionth of a meter.

You can count on this: Math ability is inborn, new research suggests Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:24 PM PDT We accept that some people are born with a talent for music or art or athletics. But what about mathematics? Do some of us just arrive in the world with better math skills than others? It seems we do, at least according to the results of a new study. The research indicates that math ability in preschool children is strongly linked to their inborn and primitive "number sense," called an "Approximate Number System" or ANS.

Number of laparoscopic bariatric procedures continued to rise between 2003-2008, U.S. study finds Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:24 PM PDT According to a new U.S. study, there was an increase in the number of laparoscopic bariatric procedures, an increase in the number of bariatric surgeons and a decrease of inhospital mortality rates between 2003 and 2008.

Tactile technology for video games guaranteed to send shivers down your spine Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:24 PM PDT A new tactile technology called Surround Haptics makes it possible for video game players and film viewers to feel a wide variety of sensations, from the smoothness of a finger being drawn against skin to the jolt of a collision. The technology is based on rigorous psychophysical experiments and new models of tactile perception.

Urgent assessment in emergency departments can reduce surgical decision time and overcrowding Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:24 PM PDT The use of acute care emergency surgical service (ACCESS) in emergency departments (EDs) can lead to significant reductions in key patient measures, such as length of stay, surgical decision-making time and "time-to-stretcher" (one measure of overall ED overcrowding), according to a new study.

GPS monitoring of sex offenders should be used as tool, not control mechanism, researchers find Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:24 PM PDT The use of GPS technology to monitor sex offenders should be viewed as a tool rather than a control mechanism, a team of researchers found in a recent study.

Social class as culture Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:24 PM PDT Social class is more than just how much money you have. It's also the clothes you wear, the music you like, the school you go to -- and has a strong influence on how you interact with others, according to new research.

Molecular pathway that leads to inflammation in asthma identified Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:22 PM PDT Researchers have identified a molecular pathway that helps explain how an enzyme elevated in asthma patients can lead to increased mucus production and inflammation that is characteristic of the lung condition. Their findings reveal unique interactions between biological molecules that could be targeted to develop new asthma treatments.

Fine-tuning the flu vaccine for broader protection Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:22 PM PDT An antibody that mimics features of the influenza virus's entry point into human cells could help researchers understand how to fine-tune the flu vaccine to protect against a broad range of virus strains. Such protection could potentially reduce the need to develop, produce, and distribute a new vaccine for each flu season.

Protein unmasks pathogenic fungi to activate immune response Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:22 PM PDT Researchers have uncovered a novel association between two fungal recognition receptors on the surface of certain immune cells, called macrophages. The interaction of these receptors (dectin-1 and galectin-3) sheds new light on how the innate immune system discriminates between non-pathogenic and pathogenic fungi. Invasive fungal infections are a rising source of morbidity and mortality in healthy individuals, as well as in patients suffering from chronic diseases, such as cancer or AIDS.

Biology, materials science get a boost from robust imaging tool: Collaborators give a new view of macromolecular systems Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:22 PM PDT Shape and alignment are everything. How nanometer-sized pieces fit together into a whole structure determines how well a living cell or an artificially fabricated device performs. A new method to help understand and predict such structure has arrived with the successful use a new imaging tool.

Meteorites: Tool kits for creating life on Earth Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:22 PM PDT Meteorites hold a record of the chemicals that existed in the early solar system and that may have been a crucial source of the organic compounds that gave rise to life on Earth. Since the 1960s, scientists have been trying to find proof that nucleobases, the building blocks of our genetic material, came to Earth on meteorites. New research indicates that certain nucleobases do reach the Earth from extraterrestrial sources, by way of certain meteorites, and in greater diversity and quantity than previously thought.

Newly discovered antibody recognizes many strains of flu virus Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:22 PM PDT Scientists have now discovered a human antibody that recognizes many different flu strains. Understanding more about this antibody may help scientists design a longer-lasting vaccine against the influenza virus.

Connecting the dots: Dental medicine team describes how enamel forms Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:22 PM PDT Dental medicine researchers are piecing together the process of tooth enamel biomineralization, which could lead to novel nanoscale approaches to developing biomaterials.

Chimpanzees are spontaneously generous after all, study shows Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:22 PM PDT Researchers have shown chimpanzees have a significant bias for prosocial behavior. This, the study authors report, is in contrast to previous studies that positioned chimpanzees as reluctant altruists and led to the widely held belief that human altruism evolved in the last six million years only after humans split from apes.

Scientist discovers genetic factor implicated in heartbeat defect Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:22 PM PDT Researchers have discovered how gene regulation can make hearts beat out of sync, offering new hope for the millions who suffer from a potentially fatal heart condition. In a new paper, the scientists announce the identity of the molecular regulator that uses electrical impulses to synchronize each heartbeat.

Distance caregivers for advanced cancer patients have special needs, study finds Posted: 08 Aug 2011 11:30 AM PDT Distance presents a challenge as family members work to gain information about their loved ones and participate in their cancer care. But it's also challenging to the local caregivers -- nurses, doctors and local family members -- who must adapt short-term to these remote caregivers' special needs. In hospitals across the country, such challenges have prompted distance caregivers to be labeled "seagulls" and "pigeons" -- references to family members who fly in, make a mess and fly out.

Billion-year-old piece of North America traced back to Antarctica Posted: 08 Aug 2011 11:30 AM PDT An international team of researchers has found the strongest evidence yet that parts of North America and Antarctica were connected 1.1 billion years ago, long before the supercontinent Pangaea formed.

Severe low temperatures devastate coral reefs in Florida Keys Posted: 08 Aug 2011 11:30 AM PDT Increased seawater temperatures are known to be a leading cause of the decline of coral reefs all over the world. Now, researchers have found that extreme low temperatures affect certain corals in much the same way that high temperatures do, with potentially catastrophic consequences for coral ecosystems.

Body-mounted cameras turn motion capture inside out Posted: 08 Aug 2011 11:30 AM PDT Traditional motion capture techniques use cameras to meticulously record the movements of actors inside studios, enabling those movements to be translated into digital models. But by turning the cameras around -- mounting almost two dozen, outward-facing cameras on the actors themselves -- scientists have shown that motion capture can occur almost anywhere -- in natural environments, over large areas and outdoors.

Tohoku tsunami created icebergs in Antarctica Posted: 08 Aug 2011 10:25 AM PDT A NASA scientist and her colleagues were able to observe for the first time the power of an earthquake and tsunami to break off large icebergs a hemisphere away.

Prenatal pet exposure, delivery mode, race are key factors in early allergy risk, study finds Posted: 08 Aug 2011 10:25 AM PDT Prenatal pet exposure, a mother's delivery mode and race are influential factors in a child's risk of developing allergies by age 2, according to a new study. Researchers found that babies who have indoor prenatal pet exposure have a pattern of lower levels of the antibody Immunoglobulin E, or IgE, between birth and age 2. IgE is linked to the development of allergies and asthma.

Increase in tornado, hurricane damage brings call for more stringent building standards Posted: 08 Aug 2011 09:42 AM PDT Researchers have examined some of last spring's massive tornado damage and conclude in a new report that more intensive engineering design and more rigorous, localized construction and inspection standards are needed to reduce property damage and loss of life.

Education affects Americans' religiosity -- but not how you might think Posted: 08 Aug 2011 09:42 AM PDT A new study finds that education has a positive effect on Americans' churchgoing habits, devotional practices, emphasis on religion in daily life and support for religious leaders to weigh in on the issues of the day.

Researchers use neutrons to spy on the elusive hydronium ion: Unprecedented proof of ion's role in enzymatic process Posted: 08 Aug 2011 09:42 AM PDT A research team has harnessed neutrons to view for the first time the critical role that an elusive molecule plays in certain biological reactions. The effort could aid in treatment of peptic ulcers or acid reflux disease, or allow for more efficient conversion of woody waste into transportation fuels.

NASA's NPP satellite completes comprehensive testing Posted: 08 Aug 2011 09:42 AM PDT The NASA National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project has successfully completed its most comprehensive end-to-end compatibility test of the actual satellite and all five scientific instruments. NPP contains a suite of five sensors that will make measurements to continue producing key data products about Earth including, for example, measurements of cloud, vegetation, and ice cover, ocean color, and sea and land surface temperatures.

When and how to toilet train children Posted: 08 Aug 2011 09:42 AM PDT Parents often ask their doctors for advice on toilet training young children, and a new article summarizes current approaches and evidence to help physicians respond to these queries.

Drug development in the blink of an eye Posted: 08 Aug 2011 09:42 AM PDT The development of drugs for brain-related conditions is not an efficient process. A key reason for this is a lack of preclinical tests that accurately predict drug efficacy and detect unwanted side effects. But now, researchers have developed a new preclinical approach that they hope can be used alongside current strategies to guide more efficient drug development for brain-related conditions.

Tracking crime in real time Posted: 08 Aug 2011 08:54 AM PDT Professors have developed a high-powered context-based search algorithm to analyze digital data on-the-fly to support ongoing criminal investigations. The research not only gives crime-fighters a new tool, but also may be used for more legitimate location-based marketing.

Key molecule that keeps immune cell development on track described Posted: 08 Aug 2011 08:54 AM PDT Researchers have clarified the role of two proteins key to T-cell development. They found that one well-known protein called Notch passes off much of its role during T-cell maturation to another protein called TCF-1.

Engineered human T cells can eradicate deadly human ovarian cancer in immune-deficient mice Posted: 08 Aug 2011 08:54 AM PDT Medical researchers have shown for the first time that engineered human T cells can eradicate deadly human ovarian cancer in immune-deficient mice.

New study helps clarify symptoms and characteristics of acid reflux in neonates Posted: 08 Aug 2011 08:54 AM PDT Modifying stomach acid levels may not be enough to treat symptoms in neonates suspected of having gastroesophageal reflux disease. This is the first study to classify reflux and its associated symptoms in neonates based on how and what is refluxed.

When a man's partner is too close to his friends, his sex life may suffer Posted: 08 Aug 2011 08:54 AM PDT Researchers have found a potential new source for sexual problems among middle-aged and older men: the relationships between their female partners and the men's closest friends. The scholars have found a connection between erectile dysfunction and the social networks shared by heterosexual men and their partners. They describe the situation as "partner betweenness." In such cases, a man's female partner has stronger relationships with his confidants than the man does.

Men have overly optimistic expectations about recovery from prostate cancer surgery, study finds Posted: 08 Aug 2011 08:54 AM PDT Nearly half of men undergoing surgery for prostate cancer expect better recovery from the side effects of the surgery than they actually attain one year after the operation, a new study finds.

CERN supports European Year of Volunteering through Citizen Cyberscience Centre Posted: 08 Aug 2011 08:53 AM PDT Researchers at CERN have begun public testing of a new version of the popular volunteer computing project LHC@home. This version allows volunteers to participate for the first time in simulating high-energy collisions of protons in CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

New brain tumor gene identified for meningiomas Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:59 AM PDT The causes of brain tumors have been hard to discern in most cases. But researchers have previously identified an inherited predisposition for brain tumors. Now, in an international collaboration, they have also discovered a genetic variation that increases the risk of a certain type of brain tumor, called meningiomas.

North Sea wind farm has positive net impact on fauna, researchers say Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:59 AM PDT A North-Sea wind farm has few negative effects on fauna, except rotating blades can have a significant disruptive effect on some species of birds. Researchers found that a wind farm also provides a new habitat for organisms living on the sea bed such as mussels, anemones, and crabs.

Is hunting wolves key to their conservation? Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:46 AM PDT Researchers surveyed 2,320 residents of Wisconsin, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming -- including both hunters and non-hunters -- between 2001 and 2007. Their findings reveal hunter attitudes toward wolves that are largely inconsistent with stewardship.

Common irregular heartbeat raises risk of dementia, study finds Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:46 AM PDT The most common kind of chronically irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation, is associated with a greater risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.

Cancer biomarker -- detectable by blood test -- could improve prostate cancer detection Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:46 AM PDT A new study supports the use of a DNA-based "biomarker" blood test as a complement to the prostate-specific antigen test currently offered to screen men for prostate cancer.

Most Canadians can be uniquely identified from their date of birth and postal code; New research unveils privacy risks Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:46 AM PDT There are increasing pressures for health care providers to make individual-level data readily available for research and policy making. But Canadians are more likely to allow the sharing of their personal data if they believe that their privacy is protected. A new report suggests that Canadians can be uniquely identified from their date of birth, postal code, and gender. This means if this triad of data exists in any database, even if it has no names or other identifying information, it would be possible to determine the identity of those individuals.

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