ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Diesel fumes pose risk to heart as well as lungs, study shows
• Gene migration helps predict movement of disease
• Cancer data not readily available for future research
• Damaging influence of media on public perceptions of chimpanzees
• Existence of 'trial effect' in HIV clinical trials confirmed
• A closer look at the placebo effect
• Short-term hormone therapy plus radiation therapy increases survival for men with early-stage prostate cancer, study finds
• New approaches for aircraft operations aboard carriers examined
• Insight into new drug resistance in hospital microbes
• Why stored transfusion blood may become less safe with age
• Biologists discover an 'evening' protein complex that regulates plant growth
• Narrowest bridges of gold are also the strongest, study finds
• Improving surgical outcomes for children, cancer patients
• Heart failure: Doing what your doctor says works, new research suggests
• Brain network connections revealed
• Twin ARTEMIS probes to study moon in 3-D
• Keeping up your overall health may keep dementia away, study suggests
• Stereotypes about leadership still pose barriers to women's advancement
• Climate adaptation of rice
• Atomic structure discovered for a sodium channel that generates electrical signals in living cells
• Stem cells restore cognitive abilities impaired by brain cancer treatment
• Number of Mexican immigrants returning home dropped during latest recession, study finds
• When well-known flu strains 'hook up' dangerous progeny can result
• 25 Tesla, world-record 'split magnet' makes its debut
• Bold new approach to wind 'farm' design may provide efficiency gains
• New understandings of circadian rhythms
• Neuroscientists uncover neural mechanisms of object recognition
• Immune system suppression linked to blood vessel formation in tumors
• Efficient process using microRNA converts human skin cells into neurons
• Soil microbes accelerate global warming
• Novel compound selectively kills cancer cells by blocking their response to oxidative stress
• African and non-African populations intermixed well after migration out of Africa 60,000 years ago, genome studies show
• Modulation of inhibitory output is key function of antiobesity hormone
• Neural mechanisms of object recognition discovered
• Researchers demystify a fountain of youth in the adult brain
• Breathing restored after spinal cord injury in rodent model
• Why men are at higher risk for stomach cancer
• Snow leopard population discovered in Afghanistan
• Molecules 'light up' Alzheimer's roots
• Stem cell 'memory' can boost insulin levels
• Message in a bottle: Teaching business skills in developing countries
• Structural factors integral to understanding girls' vulnerability to HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
• Talking about faith increases hospital patients' overall satisfaction, study finds
• Progesterone inhibits growth of neuroblastoma cancer cells
• Evolved stars locked in fatalistic dance
• New driving simulator created for rehabilitation
• Rise in risk inequality helps explain polarized US voters
• Single drug and soft environment can increase platelet production, researchers show
• New way to store sun's heat: Modified carbon nanotubes can store solar energy indefinitely, then be recharged by exposure to the sun
• Higher cigarette taxes don't deter all smokers, study finds; Smokers aged 25 to 44 most unresponsive to price increases
• Respiratory disorders prevalent in the Middle East: Desert climate, chemical warfare, water-pipe smoking contribute to lung diseases
• Genetically modified Atlantic salmon mating study reveals danger of escape to wild gene pool
• Health-care model improves diabetes outcomes and health, study finds
• Unsolved mystery of kava toxicity
• New method for making human-based gelatin
• PSA test for men could get a second life for breast cancer in women
• Spread of fungus-farming beetles is bad news for trees
• New electric concept car has excellent driving dynamics
• Fewer aphids in organic crop fields
• Stem cell treatment may restore cognitive function in patients with brain cancer

Diesel fumes pose risk to heart as well as lungs, study shows Posted: 13 Jul 2011 06:19 PM PDT Tiny chemical particles emitted by diesel exhaust fumes could raise the risk of heart attacks, research has shown.

Gene migration helps predict movement of disease Posted: 13 Jul 2011 06:19 PM PDT Until recently, migration patterns, such as those adopted by birds all across the Amazonian rainforest, have not been thought to play an important role in the spreading of beneficial genes through a population.

Cancer data not readily available for future research Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:22 PM PDT A new study finds that -- even in a field with clear standards and online databases -- the rate of public data archiving in cancer research is increasing only slowly. Furthermore, research studies in cancer and human subjects are less likely than other research studies to make their datasets available for reuse. The results come from a study of patterns of research data availability.

Damaging influence of media on public perceptions of chimpanzees Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:22 PM PDT How influential are mass media portrayals of chimpanzees in television, movies, advertisements and greeting cards on public perceptions of this endangered species? That is what researchers sought to uncover in a new U.S. nationwide study. Their findings reveal the significant role that media plays in creating widespread misunderstandings about the conservation status and nature of this great ape.

Existence of 'trial effect' in HIV clinical trials confirmed Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:22 PM PDT A new study has confirmed the existence of a "trial effect" in clinical trials for treatment of HIV.

A closer look at the placebo effect Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:22 PM PDT A study provides new insights into the placebo effect and suggests that in addition to active therapies, the idea of being cared for is important to patients' health.

Short-term hormone therapy plus radiation therapy increases survival for men with early-stage prostate cancer, study finds Posted: 13 Jul 2011 03:22 PM PDT Short-term hormone therapy (androgen deprivation therapy: ADT) given in combination with radiation therapy for men with early-stage prostate cancer increases their chance of living longer and not dying from the disease, compared with that of those who receive the same radiation therapy alone, according to new research.

New approaches for aircraft operations aboard carriers examined Posted: 13 Jul 2011 01:18 PM PDT New research has examined how aircraft carrier flight deck crews will manage manned and unmanned air vehicles.

Insight into new drug resistance in hospital microbes Posted: 13 Jul 2011 01:18 PM PDT Hospitals struggle to prevent the infections that complicate treatment for cancer, joint replacement, heart surgery and other conditions. Hospital-acquired infections are often resistant to multiple antibiotics, leading to approximately 100,000 deaths and more than $30 billion in additional health care costs yearly. New drugs are being developed to combat these infections, but resistance invariably emerges to these last-line drugs. Daptomycin, a new antibiotic approved by the FDA in 2003, is used to treat infections caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria, including staph and microbes known as enterococci.

Why stored transfusion blood may become less safe with age Posted: 13 Jul 2011 01:18 PM PDT Transfused blood may need to be stored differently to prevent the breakdown of red blood cells that can lead to complications including infection, organ failure and death, say researchers. They reveal new biological interactions between breakdown products and nitric oxide that can reduce blood flow and possibly damage vital tissues after administration of blood stored for longer than 39 days.

Biologists discover an 'evening' protein complex that regulates plant growth Posted: 13 Jul 2011 01:18 PM PDT Farmers and other astute observers of nature have long known that crops like corn and sorghum grow taller at night. But the biochemical mechanisms that control this nightly stem elongation, common to most plants, have been something of a mystery to biologists -- until now.

Narrowest bridges of gold are also the strongest, study finds Posted: 13 Jul 2011 01:18 PM PDT At an atomic scale, the tiniest bridge of gold -- that made of a single atom -- is actually the strongest, according to new research.

Improving surgical outcomes for children, cancer patients Posted: 13 Jul 2011 01:18 PM PDT Faculty and students across engineering disciplines are using novel 3-D surface imaging technology and complex algorithms to address one of the most difficult questions for cancer patients and children facing reconstructive surgery: Which surgical procedure is right for me?

Heart failure: Doing what your doctor says works, new research suggests Posted: 13 Jul 2011 01:18 PM PDT Doctors have been dispensing advice to heart failure patients and for the first time researchers have found that it works. While self-care is believed to improve heart failure outcomes, a highlight of the recent American Heart Association scientific statement on promoting heart failure self-care was the need to establish the mechanisms by which self-care may influence neurohormonal, inflammatory, and hemodynamic function.

Brain network connections revealed Posted: 13 Jul 2011 01:18 PM PDT New research has revealed that the brain is characterized by a highly consistent, weighted network among the functional areas of the cortex, which are responsible for such functions as vision, hearing, touch, movement control and complex associations. The study in primates has revealed that such cortical networks and their properties are reproducible from individual to individual.

Twin ARTEMIS probes to study moon in 3-D Posted: 13 Jul 2011 01:18 PM PDT Almost 2 years ago, two of five THEMIS satellites were boosted from their orbits around Earth toward the moon. The first transitioned into a lunar orbit on June 27, while the second is destined to arrive on Sunday, July 17, to begin mapping the moon's surface magnetic fields and magnetic environment in 3-D. The probes, renamed the ARTEMIS mission, will also look for evidence of plasmoids produced by magnetic reconnection in Earth's magnetotail.

Keeping up your overall health may keep dementia away, study suggests Posted: 13 Jul 2011 01:18 PM PDT Improving and maintaining health factors not traditionally associated with dementia, such as denture fit, vision and hearing, may lower a person's risk for developing dementia, according to a new study.

Stereotypes about leadership still pose barriers to women's advancement Posted: 13 Jul 2011 11:20 AM PDT A new meta-analysis shows that even today leadership continues to be viewed as culturally masculine. Thus, women suffer from two primary forms of prejudice. Women are viewed as less qualified or natural in most leadership roles, the research shows, and secondly, when women adopt culturally masculine behaviors often required by these roles, they may be viewed as inappropriate or presumptuous.

Climate adaptation of rice Posted: 13 Jul 2011 11:20 AM PDT Rice -- which provides nearly half the daily calories for the world's population -- could become adapted to climate change and some catastrophic events by colonizing its seeds or plants with the spores of tiny naturally occurring fungi, new research shows.

Atomic structure discovered for a sodium channel that generates electrical signals in living cells Posted: 13 Jul 2011 11:20 AM PDT Scientists have determined the atomic structure of a sodium channel, a pore in membranes of excitable cells, such as brain or heart cells, that emit electrical signals. They gate charged particles crossing the cell membrane to generate electrical currents. These encode information in the brain and make heart muscle contract. Many medications and neurotoxins act on sodium channels. Never before have researchers obtained a high resolution crystal structure of all atoms of this complex protein molecule and their three dimensional relationships.

Stem cells restore cognitive abilities impaired by brain cancer treatment Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:16 AM PDT Human neural stem cells are capable of helping people regain learning and memory abilities lost due to radiation treatment for brain tumors, a new study suggests.

Number of Mexican immigrants returning home dropped during latest recession, study finds Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:16 AM PDT Fewer Mexican immigrants returned home from the United States during 2008 and 2009 than in the two years prior to the start of the recession, a finding that contradicts the notion that the economic downturn has hastened return migration to Mexico, according to a new study.

When well-known flu strains 'hook up' dangerous progeny can result Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:16 AM PDT A new study finds that "sex" between the virus responsible for the 2009 flu pandemic (H1N1) and a common type of avian flu virus (H9N2) can produce offspring -- new combined flu viruses -- with the potential for creating a new influenza pandemic.

25 Tesla, world-record 'split magnet' makes its debut Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:16 AM PDT A custom-built, $2.5 million "split magnet" system with the potential to revolutionize scientific research in a variety of fields has made its debut at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University.

Bold new approach to wind 'farm' design may provide efficiency gains Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:16 AM PDT Conventional wisdom suggests that because we're approaching the theoretical limit on individual wind turbine efficiency, wind energy is now a mature technology. But researchers have recently revisited some of the fundamental assumptions that guided the wind industry for the past 30 years, and now believe that a new approach to wind farm design -- one that places wind turbines close together instead of far apart -- may provide significant efficiency gains.

New understandings of circadian rhythms Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:16 AM PDT A tiny plant called Arabidopsis thaliana just helped scientists unearth new clues about the daily cycles of many organisms, including humans.

Neuroscientists uncover neural mechanisms of object recognition Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:14 AM PDT Neuroscientists have examined the brain of a person with object agnosia, a deficit in the ability to recognize objects, and have uncovered the neural mechanisms of object recognition. The results describe the functional neuroanatomy of object agnosia and suggest that damage to the part of the brain critical for object recognition can have a widespread impact on remote parts of the cortex.

Immune system suppression linked to blood vessel formation in tumors Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:14 AM PDT Targeted therapies that are designed to suppress the formation of new blood vessels in tumors, such as Avastin, have slowed cancer growth in some patients. However, they have not produced the dramatic responses researchers initially thought they might. Now, new research might help to explain the modest responses. The discovery suggests novel treatment combinations that could boost the power of therapies based on slowing blood vessel growth.

Efficient process using microRNA converts human skin cells into neurons Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:14 AM PDT The addition of two particular gene snippets to a skin cell's usual genetic material is enough to turn that cell into a fully functional neuron, according to new research. The finding is one of just a few recent reports of ways to create human neurons in a lab dish.

Soil microbes accelerate global warming Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:14 AM PDT More carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes soil to release the potent greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide, new research shows.

Novel compound selectively kills cancer cells by blocking their response to oxidative stress Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:14 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a novel compound that selectively kills cancer cells by blocking their response to oxidative stress, with an effectiveness that surpassed a chemotherapy drug currently used to treat breast cancer. Their findings are based on experiments in cell culture and in mice.

African and non-African populations intermixed well after migration out of Africa 60,000 years ago, genome studies show Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:14 AM PDT Researchers have probed deeper into human evolution by developing an elegant new technique to analyze whole genomes from different populations. One key finding is that African and non-African populations continued to exchange genetic material well after migration out of Africa 60,000 years ago. This infers that interbreeding between these groups continued long after the original exodus.

Modulation of inhibitory output is key function of antiobesity hormone Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:14 AM PDT Scientists have known for some time that the hormone leptin acts in the brain to prevent obesity, but the specific underlying neurocircuitry has remained a mystery. Now, new research reveals neurobiological mechanisms that may underlie the antiobesity effects of leptin.

Neural mechanisms of object recognition discovered Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:14 AM PDT A study examining the brain of a person with object agnosia, a defect in the inability to recognize objects, is providing a unique window into the sophisticated brain mechanisms critical for object recognition. The research describes the functional neuroanatomy of object agnosia and suggests that damage to the part of the brain critical for object recognition can have a widespread impact on remote parts of the cortex.

Researchers demystify a fountain of youth in the adult brain Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:14 AM PDT Researchers have found that a "fountain of youth" that sustains the production of new neurons in the brains of rodents is also believed to be present in the human brain. The existence of a vital support system of cells around stem cells in the brain explains why stem cells by themselves can't generate neurons in a lab dish, a major roadblock in using these stem cells for injury repair.

Breathing restored after spinal cord injury in rodent model Posted: 13 Jul 2011 10:14 AM PDT Researchers bridged a spinal cord injury and biologically regenerated lost nerve connections to the diaphragm, restoring breathing in an adult rodent model of spinal cord injury. The work restored 80 to more than 100 percent of breathing function.

Why men are at higher risk for stomach cancer Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:14 AM PDT Researchers have shown how estrogen protects women from the gastric inflammation that can lead to cancer. Several types of cancer, including stomach, liver and colon, are far more common in men than in women. Some scientists have theorized that differences in lifestyle, such as diet and smoking, may account for the discrepancy, but growing evidence suggests that the differences are rooted in basic biological differences between men and women.

Snow leopard population discovered in Afghanistan Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:14 AM PDT Biologists have discovered a surprisingly healthy population of rare snow leopards living in the mountainous reaches of northeastern Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor, according to a new study.

Molecules 'light up' Alzheimer's roots Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:14 AM PDT A breakthrough in sensing could make finding signs of Alzheimer's disease nearly as simple as switching on a light. The new technique should help researchers design better medications to treat the devastating disease.

Stem cell 'memory' can boost insulin levels Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:14 AM PDT Scientist have now derived embryonic-like stem cells from adult stem cells that appear to retain their effectiveness in producing insulin in the human body. This research may promise a new avenue of treatment that avoids costly and dangerous pancreas transplants.

Message in a bottle: Teaching business skills in developing countries Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:14 AM PDT Two professors use a bottle of Coca-Cola to teach basic business principles to minimally educated entrepreneurs in developing countries. Sold in more than 200 countries and territories, it is a readily available resource for teaching business lessons.

Structural factors integral to understanding girls' vulnerability to HIV in sub-Saharan Africa Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:14 AM PDT A new study shows that community members correlate an increase in HIV vulnerability among adolescent girls with weak structural support systems. While adolescent girls are three to four times more likely than adolescent boys to be living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, few studies have examined the reasons community members believe girls are so vulnerable to HIV.

Talking about faith increases hospital patients' overall satisfaction, study finds Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:14 AM PDT Hospitalized patients who had conversations about religion and spirituality with the health-care team were the most satisfied with their overall care. However, 20 percent of patients who would have valued these discussions say their desires went unmet, according to a new study.

Progesterone inhibits growth of neuroblastoma cancer cells Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:13 AM PDT High doses of the hormone progesterone can kill neuroblastoma cells while leaving healthy cells unscathed, scientists have found in laboratory research. The results suggest that progesterone could be used to fight neuroblastoma, the most common form of cancer affecting small children.

Evolved stars locked in fatalistic dance Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:13 AM PDT White dwarfs are the burned-out cores of stars like our sun. Astronomers have discovered a pair of white dwarfs spiraling into one another at breakneck speeds. Today, these white dwarfs are so near they make a complete orbit in just 13 minutes, but they are gradually slipping closer together. About 900,000 years from now -- a blink of an eye in astronomical time -- they will merge and possibly explode as a supernova.

New driving simulator created for rehabilitation Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:13 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new driving simulator designed for patient rehabilitation.

Rise in risk inequality helps explain polarized US voters Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:13 AM PDT A new study of political polarization in the United States suggests that changes in the labor market since the 1970s has helped create more Republican and Democratic partisans and fewer independents. The growth in partisanship has to do with people's current income and -- importantly -- their expectations of job security, according to new research.

Single drug and soft environment can increase platelet production, researchers show Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:13 AM PDT Humans produce billions of clot-forming platelets every day, but there are times when there aren't enough of them, such as with certain diseases or during invasive surgery. Now, researchers have demonstrated that a single drug can induce bone marrow cells called megakaryocytes to quadruple the number of platelets they produce.

New way to store sun's heat: Modified carbon nanotubes can store solar energy indefinitely, then be recharged by exposure to the sun Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:13 AM PDT A novel application of carbon nanotubes shows promise as an innovative approach to storing solar energy for use whenever it's needed. Storing the sun's heat in chemical form -- rather than converting it to electricity or storing the heat itself in a heavily insulated container -- has significant advantages, since in principle the chemical material can be stored for long periods of time without losing any of its stored energy. The problem with that approach has been that until now the chemicals needed to perform this conversion and storage either degraded within a few cycles, or included the element ruthenium, which is rare and expensive.

Higher cigarette taxes don't deter all smokers, study finds; Smokers aged 25 to 44 most unresponsive to price increases Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:12 AM PDT Raising taxes on cigarettes, a public health measure used by governments to encourage people to quit, doesn't motivate all smokers to stop the deadly habit. Research on the long-term impact of taxing cigarettes found higher taxes do prompt low-and middle-income earners to quit. Yet price increases don't persuade wealthier smokers or those aged 25 to 44 to butt out.

Respiratory disorders prevalent in the Middle East: Desert climate, chemical warfare, water-pipe smoking contribute to lung diseases Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:20 AM PDT Lung diseases in the Middle East range from the centuries-old pulmonary tuberculosis to modern manifestations caused by chemical warfare. A new article provides pulmonologists and patients with the first comprehensive review of respiratory illnesses specific to the Persian Gulf region, and the challenges in treating them. This unique review is the first of its kind in this topic and will serve as an important landmark reference article.

Genetically modified Atlantic salmon mating study reveals danger of escape to wild gene pool Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:20 AM PDT If genetically modified Atlantic salmon were to escape from captivity they could succeed in breeding and passing their genes into the wild, researchers have found. Their research explores the potential reproductive implications of GM salmon as they are considered for commercial farming.

Health-care model improves diabetes outcomes and health, study finds Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:20 AM PDT A health-care delivery model called patient-centered medical home increased the percentage of diabetes patients who achieved goals that reduced their sickness and death rates, according to health researchers.

Unsolved mystery of kava toxicity Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:20 AM PDT A major new review of scientific knowledge on kava -- a plant used to make dietary supplements and a trendy drink with calming effects -- has left unsolved the mystery of why Pacific Island people can consume it safely, while people in the United States, Europe and other Western cultures sometimes experience toxic effects.

New method for making human-based gelatin Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:19 AM PDT Scientists are reporting development of a new approach for producing large quantities of human-derived gelatin that could become a substitute for some of the 300,000 tons of animal-based gelatin produced annually for gelatin-type desserts, marshmallows, candy and innumerable other products.

PSA test for men could get a second life for breast cancer in women Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:19 AM PDT The widely known PSA blood test for prostate cancer in men may get a second life as a much-needed new test for breast cancer, the most common form of cancer in women worldwide, scientists are reporting in a new study.

Spread of fungus-farming beetles is bad news for trees Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:19 AM PDT Researchers have found that a subset of fungus-farming ambrosia beetles may be in the early stages of a global epidemic threatening a number of economically important trees, including avocados, poplars and oaks.

New electric concept car has excellent driving dynamics Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:19 AM PDT Following months of preliminary work on computer simulations, the first completed prototype of the new electric concept car showed in its first driving tests that it possesses excellent driving properties -- not only in theory, but also in practice.

Fewer aphids in organic crop fields Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:19 AM PDT Farmers who spray insecticides against aphids as a preventative measure only achieve a short-term effect with this method. In the long term, their fields will end up with even more aphids than untreated fields.

Stem cell treatment may restore cognitive function in patients with brain cancer Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:19 AM PDT Stem cell therapy may restore cognition in patients with brain cancer who experience functional learning and memory loss often associated with radiation treatment, according to a laboratory study.

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