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Saturday, January 12, 2013

ScienceDaily: Most Popular News

ScienceDaily: Most Popular News


Treating eye diseases with anti-VEGF therapies may have side effects

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 12:37 PM PST

A new article reveals that increasingly aggressive therapies that block VEGF could cause damage in treating eye diseases. Scientists discovered inhibiting anti-VEGF might have a harmful effect on the tissue responsible for producing the fluid that bathes the eye, medically termed the ciliary body.

Astronomers find massive supply of gas around modern galaxies

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 11:39 AM PST

Galaxies have a voracious appetite for fuel -- in this case, fresh gas -- but astronomers have had difficulty finding the pristine gas that should be falling onto galaxies. Now, scientists have provided direct empirical evidence for these gas flows using new observations from the Hubble Space Telescope.

Experts aim to redefine healthcare and research ethics

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 11:39 AM PST

In what they acknowledge as a seismic shift in the ethical foundation of medical research, practice and policy, a prominent group of interdisciplinary healthcare experts rejects an ethical paradigm that has guided the American system since the 1970s and calls for morally obligatory participation in a "learning healthcare system" more in step with the digital age.

Nearby dwarf galaxy and possible protogalaxy discovered

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 11:38 AM PST

Peering deep into the dim edges of a distorted pinwheel galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear), astronomers have discovered a faint dwarf galaxy and another possible young dwarf caught before it had a chance to form any stars.

To prevent injuries, young athletes may need to play more just for fun

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 11:38 AM PST

One way to avoid injuries in young athletes may be for them to simply spend more time in unorganized free play such as pick-up games, a new has found. Researchers found that injured young athletes who play a single sport such as tennis spent much less time in free play and unorganized sports than uninjured athletes who play tennis and many other sports.

Physical therapy in the intensive care unit is better for patients and the hospital's bottom line

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 11:38 AM PST

In a study evaluating the financial impact of providing early physical therapy for intensive care patients, researchers found that the up-front costs are outweighed by the financial savings generated by earlier discharges from the intensive care unit and shorter hospital stays overall.

Clinical trial finds intensive treatment highly effective for children with high-functioning autism

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 11:38 AM PST

A new program has been found to be highly effective for children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASDs).

NASA rules out Earth impact in 2036 for asteroid Apophis

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 10:35 AM PST

NASA scientists at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., effectively have ruled out the possibility the asteroid Apophis will impact Earth during a close flyby in 2036. The scientists used updated information obtained by NASA-supported telescopes in 2011 and 2012, as well as new data from the time leading up to Apophis' distant Earth flyby Jan. 9, 2013.

Ladybugs diet influences effectiveness as biocontrol agent

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 08:09 AM PST

Ladybugs are deployed as biological controls of insect pests like aphids and Colorado potato beetles. By examining what lady beetles eat, scientists are learning more about the movement of these beneficial insects in farm fields -- and whether they'll actively feed on crop pests.

Clamorous city blackbirds: Birds can sing louder at higher frequencies to make themselves heard over traffic noise

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 08:09 AM PST

Birds can sing louder at higher frequencies and thereby make themselves heard over traffic noise.

New discovery promises to improve drugs used to fight cancer, other diseases

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 07:14 AM PST

Even when at rest, the human body is a flurry of activity. Like a microscopic metropolis locked in a state of perpetual rush hour traffic, the trillions of cells that make us who we are work feverishly policing the streets, making repairs, building new structures and delivering important cargo throughout the bustling organic society.

New treatment could combat deadly chemical agents

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 07:14 AM PST

An enzyme treatment which could neutralize the effects of lethal chemicals responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people across the world has been developed.

Children once in danger of flu shot can get vaccinated, experts say

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 07:12 AM PST

As many as two percent of children may not receive the flu vaccination due to an egg allergy. But according to a recent study, administration can be safe even in children with a history of a severe allergic reaction to eggs.

Why Down syndrome boosts susceptibility to other conditions

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:27 AM PST

A new study has revealed some of the underlying neural factors that explain why people with Down syndrome are more susceptible to Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and autistic spectrum disorders.

Cheating, and getting away with it: Works for amoeba

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:27 AM PST

We would all like to believe that there is a kind of karma in life that guarantees those who cheat eventually pay for their bad behavior, if not immediately, then somewhere down the line. But a study of a new gene in the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum suggests that, at least for amoebae, it is possible to cheat and get away with it. Scientists have found a gene that allows amoebae to pass on more than their fair share of their genes but doesn't make them less fit in other ways.

Multiple sclerosis study reveals how killer T cells learn to recognize nerve fiber insulators

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:27 AM PST

Misguided killer T cells may be the missing link in sustained tissue damage in the brains and spines of people with multiple sclerosis. Mouse studies showed that killer T cells were activated and turned into cells that recognize nerve-coating proteins by Tip-dendritic cells. With probing, tentacle-like membrane protrusions, these instigators arise from inflammatory white blood cells. Conversely, the activated T cells might at times protect against MS. The researchers are seeking specific immunotherapies for MS that avoid side effects of general immunosuppressants.

How belly fat differs from thigh fat, and why it matters

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:27 AM PST

Unlike men, women tend to store more fat on the hips and thighs than in the belly. A new study helps explain fat distribution differences by determining how belly and thigh fat differ genetically. This research might shift common thinking about fat -- rather than focusing on how to banish belly fat, perhaps we need to tip the balance in favor of heart-friendly fat in the lower body.

How to treat heat like light: New approach using nanoparticle alloys allows heat to be focused or reflected just like electromagnetic waves

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:27 AM PST

A new technique provides a new way of manipulating heat, allowing it to be controlled much as light waves can be manipulated by lenses and mirrors.

Biggest structure in universe: Large quasar group is 4 billion light years across

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:25 AM PST

Astronomers have found the largest known structure in the universe. The large quasar group (LQG) is so large that it would take a vehicle traveling at the speed of light some 4 billion years to cross it. Quasars are the nuclei of galaxies from the early days of the universe that undergo brief periods of extremely high brightness that make them visible across huge distances. These periods are 'brief' in astrophysics terms but actually last 10-100 million years.

Bugs reveal the richness of species on Earth

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:25 AM PST

Researchers have carried out a survey of the biological diversity in a tropical rainforest. Their efforts have helped them find the key to one of the existential questions to which people have long sought an answer: how many species exist on Earth?

New treatment for psoriasis?

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:25 AM PST

Three per cent of the world's population suffer from the skin condition known as psoriasis. A Norwegian research-based company is close to developing a treatment that could help millions. The research may also prove beneficial in the treatment of other illnesses.

Salinization of rivers: A global environmental problem

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:25 AM PST

The salinisation of rivers is a global problem that affects to countries all over the world and it causes a high environmental and economic cost, and poses a high risk to global health. Climate change and the increasing water consumption can worsen even more the future scene, according to a new article.

Saline hiding places for bacteria in Río Tinto could be like those on Mars

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:24 AM PST

Researchers have identified microorganisms that live inside salt deposits in the acidic and ferrous environment of the Tinto River in Huelva, Spain. The extreme conditions of these microniches appear to be similar to those of the salt deposits on Mars and Jupiter's moon, Europa. This possibility should be borne in mind on missions operating in these places.

Investigating the bystander effect using virtual reality

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:24 AM PST

The bystander effect is well-known in behavioural psychology and suggests that the more people who witnessing a violent emergency the less likely it is that someone will intervene. It was first identified in the 1960s, but conducting research on the phenomenon has been difficult. Most experiments rely upon staging fake emergencies or violent encounters using actors, but it is tricky to gauge how genuine a response is.

Beef industry, consumers to be affected by cattle production decreases in 2013

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:20 AM PST

Beef production in the United States is expected to decrease 4.8 percent in 2013, the second largest year-over-year decrease in 35 years. Many analysts expect the 2013 numbers to be followed by a 2014 decrease of 4.5 percent or more.

Game-based economics research explains why we roll the dice on flu shots

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:20 AM PST

Using an online computer game that simulates the spread of an infectious disease among its players, researchers learned more about what motivates people to protect themselves from infection – from the flu to whooping cough.

Bengali forests are fading away

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 06:23 PM PST

RAPID deterioration in mangrove health is occurring in the Sundarbans, resulting in as much as 200m of coast disappearing in a single year.

Herbal treatments for postmenopausal symptoms may be recommended as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 06:23 PM PST

Herbal and complementary treatments could be recommended as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for treating postmenopausal symptoms says a new review.

Women should wait at least 12 months before trying for a baby following weight loss surgery, experts say

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 06:23 PM PST

Women should wait at least 12 months before trying for a baby following weight loss surgery and need further advice and information on reproductive issues, suggests a new evidence-based literature review.

Women with pre-eclampsia are at higher risk of complications following childbirth

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 06:23 PM PST

Women with pre-eclampsia are at a higher risk of complications following delivery and should continue to be monitored for up to 72 hours, suggests a new review.

Kidneys sometimes removed unnecessarily due to misdiagnosis of genetic disorder

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 06:23 PM PST

Thousands of individuals have had kidneys removed unnecessarily because doctors misdiagnosed their disease. A new study indicates that approximately one of every five individuals with kidney tumors common in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex, a genetic disorder, has had a kidney removed.

Epigenomic abnormalities predict patient survival in non-Hodgkins lymphoma

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 06:23 PM PST

"Not only do we see more abnormal methylation in non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients than in healthy B-cell populations, but there are three distinct subtypes of the disease in the clinic, each more aggressive than the next. These three clinical trajectories of non-Hodgkins lymphoma were distinctly marked by their levels of abnormal methylation," says a CU Cancer Center investigator.

Breath test identifies bacteria's fingerprint

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 06:21 PM PST

Scientists have identified the chemical 'fingerprints' given off by specific bacteria when present in the lungs, potentially allowing for a quick and simple breath test to diagnose infections such as tuberculosis. Researchers have successfully distinguished between different types of bacteria, as well as different strains of the same bacteria, in the lungs of mice by analyzing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in exhaled breath.

Drug fails to help kidney transplant recipients, study suggests

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 06:21 PM PST

While safe and well-tolerated, angiotensin II blockade did not lessen tissue scarring or prevent kidney failure in kidney transplant recipients. Angiotensin II blockade is known to slow kidney disease progression in individuals without transplants.

Flu vaccine rates in children remain lower than expected, despite recommendations

Posted: 10 Jan 2013 06:21 PM PST

This year's flu season is in full swing with 41 states now reporting widespread illness. Unfortunately, not enough children are getting the flu shot even though health officials recommend that all children 6 months and older get the vaccine. According to a new study, less than 45 percent of children were vaccinated against the flu during a five-year study period.

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