ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• In chronic kidney disease, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring seems more accurate in predicting subsequent health events
• Active self-defense strategy best deterrent against cyber-attacks
• Different subtypes of triple-negative breast cancer respond to different therapies
• A quiet phase: Optical tools produce ultra-low-noise microwave signals
• Black members of Adventist church defy health disparities, study shows
• Waistlines in people, glucose levels in mice hint at sweeteners' effects: Related studies point to the illusion of the artificial
• Peat wildfire smoke linked to heart failure risk
• Landsat satellite images reveal extent of historic North Dakota flooding
• Surprising drop in physicians' willingness to accept patients with insurance, U.S. study finds
• Childhood cancer survivors are at high risk for multiple tumors as they age
• Stem cell scientists discover new airway stem cell
• It's not an apple a day after all -- it's strawberries: Flavonoids could represent two-fisted assault on diabetes and nervous system disorders
• Student publishes case for faster, less expensive DNA analysis
• Fossilized pollen reveals climate history of northern Antarctica: Tundra persisted until 12 million years ago
• Studies examine impact of media use among youth, recommend preventative measures
• Female mate choice enhances offspring fitness in an annual herb
• False negative tests in breast cancer may lead to wrong drug choice, study finds
• Calcium plus vitamin D may reduce melanoma risks in some women, study finds
• Quality of hospital care in US territories appears lower than in US states, report finds
• Clinical study of epilepsy drug may have served primarily to promote drug and increase prescribing, review suggests
• Diastolic dysfunction of the heart associated with increased risk of death, study finds
• Subatomic quantum memory in diamond demonstrated
• Ancient symbiosis between animals and bacteria discovered
• Tiny cell patterns reveal the progression of development and disease
• Microbe vs. microbe: Meta-analysis reveals patterns of bacteria-virus infection networks
• Study helps explain 'sundowning,' an anxiety syndrome in elderly dementia patients
• New information about the circadian rhythms of the malaria mosquito
• BPA-exposed male deer mice are demasculinized and undesirable to females, new study finds
• Scientists sequence endangered Tasmanian devil's genome
• Scientists discover dielectron charging of water nano-droplet
• Conservation dollars and sense: A case for shark conservation through ecotourism
• Advances in delivery of therapeutic genes to treat brain tumors
• Genius of a disorderly enzyme: How the inefficiency of activation-induced deoxycytidine deaminase is good for your immune system
• Greener disaster alerts: Low-energy wireless sensor networks warn of hurricanes, earthquakes
• Possible brain damage in young adult binge-drinkers revealed in new study
• First patients receive lab-grown blood vessels from donor cells
• Potent antiplatelet drug effective with low-dose aspirin, study suggests
• Alzheimer's prevention in your pantry
• Master switch for adult epilepsy discovered
• Tongue makes the difference in how fish and mammals chew
• Wildlife surviving conflict in Afghanistan
• Most parents unaware of teen workplace risks, study finds
• Researchers share useful lessons learned in evaluating emerging technologies
• New clues to how cancer spreads
• Branch offices: New family of gold-based nanoparticles could serve as biomedical 'testbed'
• Nanowire-based sensors offer improved detection of volatile organic compounds
• Soluble fiber strikes a blow to belly fat
• U.S. Navy, Marine Corps tests autonomous zero-power bathythermograph sensors
• Disease-resistant oysters call for shift in Chesapeake Bay restoration strategies, experts say
• Law professor eyes prize-based incentives to generate climate innovation
• Battle against plague and bacterial pneumonias: Researchers identify new component that can be used as a vaccine
• A little practice can change the brain in a lasting way, study finds
• Demonstrating the importance of dynamical systems theory
• Multidisciplinary integrated care for seniors gives better quality care
• Water can flow below -130°C
• Small asteroid to whip past Earth on June 27, 2011
• Botswana population survey shows surprising drop in species numbers; Elephant population appears stable
• Brain rhythm associated with learning also linked to running speed, study shows
• New non-destructive method to estimate leaf area index in vegetables
• Twin-head cucumber system reduces start-up costs

In chronic kidney disease, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring seems more accurate in predicting subsequent health events Posted: 27 Jun 2011 06:48 PM PDT Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring with collection of BP readings over 24 hours may better predict, in cases of nondialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD), whether patients will experience end-stage renal disease, mortality or cardiovascular events that require hospitalization, according to a new report.

Active self-defense strategy best deterrent against cyber-attacks Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:40 PM PDT With the threats of cybercrime, cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare looming over our hyper-connected world, the best defense for the U.S. might be a good offense, says new research by an expert in technology and legal issues.

Different subtypes of triple-negative breast cancer respond to different therapies Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:40 PM PDT Researchers have identified six subtypes of an aggressive and difficult-to-treat form of breast cancer, called "triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)." The findings could help physicians determine which therapies would work best in patients with TNBC and also inform the discovery and development of new drugs to treat this aggressive form of breast cancer.

A quiet phase: Optical tools produce ultra-low-noise microwave signals Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT By combining advanced laser technologies in a new way, physicists have generated microwave signals that are more pure and stable than those from conventional electronic sources.

Black members of Adventist church defy health disparities, study shows Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT Health disparities between black Americans and the rest of the nation have been well-documented in medical journals. But one study shows that blacks who identify as members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church actually report a better quality of life than the average American. Researchers point to certain lifestyle behaviors as a possible explanation for the difference.

Waistlines in people, glucose levels in mice hint at sweeteners' effects: Related studies point to the illusion of the artificial Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT In the constant battle to lose inches or at least stay the same, we reach for the diet soda. Two studies suggest this might be self-defeating behavior. Epidemiologists report data showing that diet soft drink consumption is associated with increased waist circumference in humans, and a second study that found aspartame raised fasting glucose (blood sugar) in diabetes-prone mice.

Peat wildfire smoke linked to heart failure risk Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT The 2008 peat bog wildfires in North Carolina led to an increase in emergency room visits for respiratory and cardiovascular effects, records show.

Landsat satellite images reveal extent of historic North Dakota flooding Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT Heavy rains in Canada caused historic flooding in Minot, N.D. Landsat satellite images taken before and during the flooding reveal the water's extent.

Surprising drop in physicians' willingness to accept patients with insurance, U.S. study finds Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT As required under the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, millions of people will soon be added to the ranks of the insured. However, this rapid expansion of coverage is colliding with a different, potentially problematic trend that could end up hampering access to health care.

Childhood cancer survivors are at high risk for multiple tumors as they age Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT The largest study yet of adult childhood cancer survivors found that the first cancer is just the beginning of a lifelong battle against different forms of the disease for about 10 percent of these survivors.

Stem cell scientists discover new airway stem cell Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT Researchers have identified a new stem cell that participates in the repair of the large airways of the lungs, which play a vital role in protecting the body from infectious agents and toxins in the environment.

It's not an apple a day after all -- it's strawberries: Flavonoids could represent two-fisted assault on diabetes and nervous system disorders Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT A recent study suggests that a strawberry a day (or more accurately, 37 of them) could keep not just one doctor away, but an entire fleet of them, including the neurologist, the endocrinologist, and maybe even the oncologist. The report explains that fisetin, a naturally-occurring flavonoid found most abundantly in strawberries and to a lesser extent in other fruits and vegetables, lessens complications of diabetes.

Student publishes case for faster, less expensive DNA analysis Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT A student's undergraduate research is challenging a widely held assumption on the best way to analyze old DNA in anthropological and forensic investigations. At issue is the best way to sequence "ancient" DNA, bits of genetic code pulled from remains up to 800,000 years old.

Fossilized pollen reveals climate history of northern Antarctica: Tundra persisted until 12 million years ago Posted: 27 Jun 2011 01:35 PM PDT A painstaking examination of the first direct and detailed climate record from the continental shelves surrounding Antarctica reveals that the last remnant of Antarctic vegetation existed 12 million years ago.

Studies examine impact of media use among youth, recommend preventative measures Posted: 27 Jun 2011 01:28 PM PDT Two new studies focus on different uses of media and assess how media usage can lead to depression in college students and disrupt sleep patterns in preschool-aged children.

Female mate choice enhances offspring fitness in an annual herb Posted: 27 Jun 2011 01:28 PM PDT Mate choice and sexual selection in plants is more complex in some ways than in animals because plants are sessile organisms and often must rely on external vectors, e.g. animals, for pollen transport. Plants can only do so much to affect the timing of pollen arrival, or the size and diversity of deposited pollen. But can a plant control which pollen grains, of the hundreds that land on their stigmas, make it to the ovules?

False negative tests in breast cancer may lead to wrong drug choice, study finds Posted: 27 Jun 2011 01:28 PM PDT A team of researchers has confirmed that between 10 and 20 percent of breast cancers classified as estrogen receptor negative are really positive. Understanding when and why breast cancers may be misclassified has important implications for treatment and outcomes for women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Calcium plus vitamin D may reduce melanoma risks in some women, study finds Posted: 27 Jun 2011 01:28 PM PDT A combination of calcium and vitamin D may cut the chance of melanoma in half for some women at high risk of developing this life-threatening skin cancer, according to a new study.

Quality of hospital care in US territories appears lower than in US states, report finds Posted: 27 Jun 2011 01:28 PM PDT Hospitals in US territories appear to have poorer outcomes and higher mortality rates for patients with acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart failure or pneumonia, compared to hospitals in US states, according to a new report.

Clinical study of epilepsy drug may have served primarily to promote drug and increase prescribing, review suggests Posted: 27 Jun 2011 01:28 PM PDT A review of documentation relating to a clinical trial of the epilepsy drug gabapentin suggests that the study may have been a "seeding trial" used to promote the drug and increase prescribing, according to a new report.

Diastolic dysfunction of the heart associated with increased risk of death, study finds Posted: 27 Jun 2011 01:28 PM PDT Individuals with diastolic dysfunction (an abnormality involving impaired relaxation of the heart's ventricle [pumping chamber] after a contraction) appear to have an increased risk of death, regardless of whether their systolic function (contraction of the heart) is normal or they have other cardiovascular impairments, according to a new report.

Subatomic quantum memory in diamond demonstrated Posted: 27 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT Physicists have developed a breakthrough in the use of diamond in quantum physics, marking an important step toward quantum computing.

Ancient symbiosis between animals and bacteria discovered Posted: 27 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT Marine shallow water sandy bottoms on the surface appear desert-like and empty, but in the interstitial space between the sand grains a diverse fauna flourishes. One of the strangest members of this interstitial fauna is Paracatenula, a several millimeters long, mouth and gut-less flatworm, which is found from tropical oceans to the Mediterranean.

Tiny cell patterns reveal the progression of development and disease Posted: 27 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new technique to evaluate human stem cells using cell micropatterning -- a simple but powerful in vitro tool that will enable scientists to study the initiation of left-right asymmetry during tissue formation, to diagnose disease, and to study factors that could lead to certain birth defects.

Microbe vs. microbe: Meta-analysis reveals patterns of bacteria-virus infection networks Posted: 27 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT A meta-analysis of bacteria-virus infections reveals a nested structure, with hard-to-infect bacteria infected by generalist viruses and easy-to-infect bacteria attacked by generalist and specialist viruses. These findings could provide insights into strategies for viral-based antimicrobial therapies.

Study helps explain 'sundowning,' an anxiety syndrome in elderly dementia patients Posted: 27 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT New research provides the best evidence to date that the late-day anxiety and agitation sometimes seen in older institutionalized adults, especially those with dementia, has a biological basis in the brain. The findings could help explain "sundowning," a syndrome in which older adults show high levels of anxiety, agitation, general activity and delirium in late afternoon and evening, before they would normally go to bed.

New information about the circadian rhythms of the malaria mosquito Posted: 27 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT A new study offers a wealth of information about the rhythmic nature of gene expression in Anopheles gambiae, the mosquito species that transmits the malaria parasite from person to person. Each year, roughly 250 million people suffer from malaria and that results in one million deaths, mostly pregnant women and children under five years of age.

BPA-exposed male deer mice are demasculinized and undesirable to females, new study finds Posted: 27 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT The latest research shows that BPA causes male deer mice to become demasculinized and behave more like females in their spatial navigational abilities, leading scientists to conclude that exposure to BPA during human development could be damaging to behavioral and cognitive traits that are unique to each sex and important in reproduction.

Scientists sequence endangered Tasmanian devil's genome Posted: 27 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT To prevent extinction of the Tasmanian devil, a revolutionary project has sequenced and analyzed the entire genome of one healthy individual and one that died of a contagious cancer known as devil facial tumor disease. The research helps to formulate a plan to prevent the extinction of the animal -- a marsupial found in the wild exclusively in the Australian island-state of Tasmania. The new research model also may be extended to other endangered species.

Scientists discover dielectron charging of water nano-droplet Posted: 27 Jun 2011 11:38 AM PDT Scientists have discovered fundamental steps of charging of nano-sized water droplets and unveiled the long-sought-after mechanism of hydrogen emission from irradiated water.

Conservation dollars and sense: A case for shark conservation through ecotourism Posted: 27 Jun 2011 11:38 AM PDT New article examines the impact of sharks on coastal economies and the importance of including conservation efforts in long term management plans.

Advances in delivery of therapeutic genes to treat brain tumors Posted: 27 Jun 2011 10:45 AM PDT Novel tools and methods for delivering therapeutic genes to cells in the central nervous system hold great promise for the development of new treatments to combat incurable neurologic diseases.

Genius of a disorderly enzyme: How the inefficiency of activation-induced deoxycytidine deaminase is good for your immune system Posted: 27 Jun 2011 10:45 AM PDT Random patterns of deamination by the enzyme activation-induced deoxycytidine deaminase (AID) are the key to generating antibody diversity, a crucial component to a healthy immune system, according to a new study.

Greener disaster alerts: Low-energy wireless sensor networks warn of hurricanes, earthquakes Posted: 27 Jun 2011 10:45 AM PDT New software allows wireless sensor networks to run at much lower energy, according to researchers. The technology could improve efficiency for hurricane and other natural disaster warning systems.

Possible brain damage in young adult binge-drinkers revealed in new study Posted: 27 Jun 2011 10:45 AM PDT It's considered a rite of passage among young people -- acting out their independence through heavy, episodic drinking. But a new study is showing how binge drinking among adolescents and young adults could be causing serious damage to a brain that's still under development at this age.

First patients receive lab-grown blood vessels from donor cells Posted: 27 Jun 2011 10:45 AM PDT For the first time, blood vessels created in the lab from donor skin cells were successfully implanted in patients. Functioning blood vessels that aren't rejected by the immune system could be used to make durable shunts for kidney dialysis, and potentially to improve treatment for children with heart defects and adults needing coronary or other bypass graft surgery.

Potent antiplatelet drug effective with low-dose aspirin, study suggests Posted: 27 Jun 2011 10:45 AM PDT When taken with higher doses of aspirin (more than 300 milligrams), the experimental antiplatelet drug ticagrelor was associated with worse outcomes than the standard drug, clopidogrel, but the opposite was true with lower doses of aspirin, a new study suggests.

Alzheimer's prevention in your pantry Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:31 AM PDT An extract found in cinnamon bark, called CEppt, contains properties that can inhibit the development of Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers.

Master switch for adult epilepsy discovered Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:31 AM PDT Researchers have identified a central switch responsible for the transformation of healthy brain cells into epileptic ones, opening the way to both treat and prevent temporal lobe epilepsy.

Tongue makes the difference in how fish and mammals chew Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:31 AM PDT New research shows that fish and mammals chew differently. Fish use tongue muscles to thrust food backward, while mammals use tongue muscles to position food for grinding. The evolutionary divergence is believed to have occurred with amphibians, though further research is needed to identify which species and when.

Wildlife surviving conflict in Afghanistan Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:31 AM PDT A new survey reveals that large mammals, including Asiatic black bears, gray wolves, markhor goats and leopard cats are surviving in parts of Afghanistan after years of conflict.

Most parents unaware of teen workplace risks, study finds Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:31 AM PDT Most parents are unaware of the risks their teenagers face in the workplace and could do more to help them understand and prepare for those hazards, according to a new study.

Researchers share useful lessons learned in evaluating emerging technologies Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT A team from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology shares critical "lessons learned" that can help businesses and others negotiate the promises and pitfalls encountered when pushing the technology envelope to enable new capabilities.

New clues to how cancer spreads Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT Cancer cells circulating in the blood carry newly identified proteins that could be screened to improve prognostic tests and suggest targets for therapies, scientists report. Building on current technologies that detect tumor cells circulating in blood, the team was able to characterize these cells in a new way, illuminating how they may escape from the originating tumors and move to other locations in the body.

Branch offices: New family of gold-based nanoparticles could serve as biomedical 'testbed' Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated a sort of gold nanoparticle "testbed" to explore how the tiny particles behave in biological systems.

Nanowire-based sensors offer improved detection of volatile organic compounds Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT A team of researchers has made nano-sized sensors that detect volatile organic compounds -- harmful pollutants released from paints, cleaners, pesticides and other products -- that offer several advantages over today's commercial gas sensors, including low-power, room-temperature operation and the ability to detect one or several compounds over a wide range of concentrations.

Soluble fiber strikes a blow to belly fat Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT All fat is not created equal. Unsightly as it is, subcutaneous fat, the fat right under the skin, is not as dangerous to overall health as visceral fat, the fat deep in the belly surrounding vital organs.

U.S. Navy, Marine Corps tests autonomous zero-power bathythermograph sensors Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT The Zero Power Ballast Control, developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Bioenergy and Biofabrication Section in the Chemistry Division and the Physical Acoustics Branch of the Acoustic Division, is a technology that relies on microbial energy, enabling unsupervised underwater sensing and subsequent surfacing and reporting capabilities.

Disease-resistant oysters call for shift in Chesapeake Bay restoration strategies, experts say Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT The development of disease resistance among Chesapeake Bay oysters calls for a shift in oyster-restoration strategies within the Bay and its tributaries, say experts.

Law professor eyes prize-based incentives to generate climate innovation Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:29 AM PDT Could a multi-million dollar prize spur the next big innovation in sustainable climate technology? A law professor suggests that prize-based incentives could do just that.

Battle against plague and bacterial pneumonias: Researchers identify new component that can be used as a vaccine Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:29 AM PDT Researchers have now identified a single component of the plague causing bacterium that can be used as a vaccine. This single "subunit" could potentially be used to create a safer form of a T cell-stimulating plague vaccine.

A little practice can change the brain in a lasting way, study finds Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:29 AM PDT A little practice goes a long way, according to researchers who have found the effects of practice on the brain have remarkable staying power. The study found that when participants were shown visual patterns--faces, which are highly familiar objects, and abstract patterns, which are much less frequently encountered -- they were able to retain very specific information about those patterns one to two years later.

Demonstrating the importance of dynamical systems theory Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:29 AM PDT Two new papers demonstrate the successes of using bifurcation theory and dynamical systems approaches to solve biological puzzles.

Multidisciplinary integrated care for seniors gives better quality care Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:29 AM PDT Multidisciplinary integrated care of seniors in residential care facilities resulted in better quality of care.

Water can flow below -130°C Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:26 AM PDT When water is cooled below zero degrees, it usually crystallizes directly into ice. A physicist has now managed to produce sluggishly flowing water at 130 degree below zero under high pressure -- 10,000 times higher than normal pressure. It is possible that this sluggishly fluid and cold water exists on other heavenly bodies.

Small asteroid to whip past Earth on June 27, 2011 Posted: 27 Jun 2011 07:08 AM PDT Near-Earth asteroid 2011 MD will pass only 12,000 kilometers (7,500 miles) above Earth's surface on Monday, June 27 at about 9:30 EDT. The asteroid was discovered by the LINEAR near-Earth object discovery team observing from Socorro, New Mexico. This small asteroid, only 5-20 meters in diameter, is in a very Earth-like orbit about the Sun, but an orbital analysis indicates there is no chance it will actually strike Earth on Monday.

Botswana population survey shows surprising drop in species numbers; Elephant population appears stable Posted: 27 Jun 2011 06:58 AM PDT A recently completed aerial survey of northern Botswana indicates that wildebeest, giraffes, kudu, lechwe, ostriches, roan and tsessebe antelope and warthog species are significantly challenged. Populations of these species appear to have dropped significantly over the past 15 years, specifically in Ngamiland, which encompasses the Okavango delta.

Brain rhythm associated with learning also linked to running speed, study shows Posted: 27 Jun 2011 06:58 AM PDT Rhythms in the brain that are associated with learning become stronger as the body moves faster, neurophysicists report in a new study. The research team used specialized microelectrodes to monitor an electrical signal known as the gamma rhythm in the brains of mice. This signal is typically produced in a brain region called the hippocampus, which is critical for learning and memory, during periods of concentration and learning.

New non-destructive method to estimate leaf area index in vegetables Posted: 27 Jun 2011 06:58 AM PDT Scientists designed a new, non-destructive method for estimated leaf area index (LAI) in vegetable crops. The experiments analyzed digital images obtained with a commercial camera with open-source software to measure percentage of ground cover in tomato and cauliflower plants. The economical, non-invasive method produced accurate estimations of LAI comparable to more expensive destructive methods.

Twin-head cucumber system reduces start-up costs Posted: 27 Jun 2011 06:58 AM PDT A technique for raising twin-head transplants and a twin-head ''V'' high-wire cucumber system was developed to address the issue of high start-up costs for greenhouse operations. The twin-head system achieved plant growth and fruit yield similar to a conventional single-head system on two long English seedless cucumber cultivars and two breeding lines. Use of the twin-head system resulted in significant decreases in start-up costs compared to the conventional high-wire system.

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