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Tuesday, April 17, 2012

ScienceDaily: Most Popular News

ScienceDaily: Most Popular News


Genetically engineered compound for back pain falls short

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 03:58 PM PDT

Despite the great promise that injecting a new type of anti-inflammatory pain medicine into the spine could relieve the severe leg and lower back pain of sciatica, a new study has found that the current standard of care with steroid injections still does better.

Giving preventive drug to men at high risk for HIV would be cost-effective, study shows

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 03:57 PM PDT

A once-a-day pill to help prevent HIV infection could significantly reduce the spread of AIDS, but only makes economic sense if used in select, high-risk groups, researchers conclude in a new study.

Nano-syringe delivers combination, targeted brain cancer therapy

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 01:58 PM PDT

Nanomedicine researchers have developed a way to selectively kill brain cancer cells by using a tiny syringe to deliver a combination of chemotherapy drugs directly into the cells.

Mechanical tissue resuscitation technology shows promise preventing cell death

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 01:58 PM PDT

Researchers seeking a successful treatment for traumatic brain injury have found that the size and extent of damaged tissue can be reduced by using a new device to prevent cell death.

Ammonites found mini oases at ancient methane seeps

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 01:57 PM PDT

Scientists have shown that ammonites -- an extinct type of shelled mollusk that's closely related to modern-day nautiluses and squids -- made homes in the unique environments surrounding methane seeps in the seaway that once covered America's Great Plains. The findings provide new insights into the mode of life and habitat of these ancient animals.

Off-label prescribing of medications is common, Canadian study suggests

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 01:56 PM PDT

A study evaluating off-label prescribing of medications in a primary care network in Canada suggests the practice is common, although it varies by medication, patient and physician characteristics, according to a new report.

Pill reduced number of multiple sclerosis lesions in Phase II trial

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 01:56 PM PDT

An investigational oral drug called ONO-4641 reduced the number of lesions in people with multiple sclerosis, according to the results of a phase two clinical trial.

Evolutionary history of what mammals eat: Some groups of mammals have changed their feeding strategies over time

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:44 PM PDT

The feeding habits of mammals haven't always been what they are today, particularly for omnivores, finds a new study. Some groups of mammals almost exclusively eat meat -- take lions and tigers and other big cats. Other mammals such as deer, cows and antelope are predominantly plant-eaters, living on a diet of leaves, shoots and bark. But particularly for omnivores, the situation wasn't always that way, finds a new study.

Study dusts sugar coating off little-known regulation in cells

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:40 PM PDT

O-GlcNAc regulatory system adds complexity in cell regulation, could eventually provide new drug targets.

Promiscuous queen bees maintain genetic diversity

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:04 PM PDT

By mating with nearly 100 males, queen bees on isolated islands avoid inbreeding and keep colonies healthy. New research has focused on giant honey bee colonies on Hainan Island, off the coast of China. Since these bees have long been separated from their continental cousins, it was thought that the island bees would be prime candidates for inbreeding as well as having very different genes.

Nearly one in four grandparents store prescription medicines where children can easily find them

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:04 PM PDT

Unintentional poisonings from medicines cause more emergency room visits for young children each year than do car accidents. But nearly 1 of every 4 grandparents says that they store prescription medicines in easy-access ways, according to a new poll.

Diet fad of 'eating through the nose' could be a nightmare, nutrition expert says

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:01 PM PDT

What should be a fairy-tale day — a woman's wedding — could turn into a nightmare for a bride-to-be who goes on a new feeding-tube diet to lose 20 pounds fast, says an expert.

Greenland may be slip-sliding away due to surface lake melting

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:50 AM PDT

Like snow sliding off a roof on a sunny day, the Greenland Ice Sheet may be sliding faster into the ocean due to massive releases of meltwater from surface lakes, according to a new study by the University of Colorado Boulder-based Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences.

Neural stem cell regulator identified: Lack of regulator can cause neural tube defects

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:04 AM PDT

Researchers have found that lack of a specific gene can interrupt neural tube closure.

Graphene-based electronics: Entirely new carbon-based material synthesized from graphene

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:04 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered an entirely new carbon-based material that is synthesized from the "wonder kid" of the carbon family, graphene. The discovery, which the researchers are calling "graphene monoxide (GMO)," pushes carbon materials closer to ushering in next-generation electronics.

X-rays create a window on glass formation

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:04 AM PDT

Scientists have for the first time visualized the transformation of powder mixtures into molten glass. A better understanding of this process will make it possible to produce high quality glass at lower temperatures, leading to significant energy savings in industrial glass manufacturing.

Sponging up oil spills: Nanosponges soak up oil again and again

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:04 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered that adding a dash of boron to carbon while creating nanotubes turns them into solid, spongy, reusable blocks that have an astounding ability to absorb oil spilled in water.

MP3 song-searching can increase risk for drivers

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:03 AM PDT

Human factors/ergonomics researchers find that MP3 players might increase driver distraction risk, depending on which devices drivers use and how long they look away from the road while searching for their favorite song.

Football-related catastrophic brain injuries on the rise

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:03 AM PDT

Catastrophic brain injuries associated with full-contact football appear to be rising, especially among high school students, according to a new report.

Researcher explores the 'word of mouth' paradox: What makes a vacation memorable?

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:03 AM PDT

One expert says that if you want your memorable family resort vacation to stay memorable, move away from the keyboard. Seriously.

Low quality genes may cause mutational meltdown: Deficiencies compound over time

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:03 AM PDT

Evolutionary biologists have found that individuals with low-quality genes may produce offspring with even more inferior chromosomes, possibly leading to the extinction of certain species over generations. A study predicts that organisms with such genetic deficiencies could experience an increased number of mutations in their DNA, relative to individuals with high-quality genes.

Rose-colored glasses: Are optimistic consumers more likely to trust salespeople?

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:03 AM PDT

People who believe the world is a just place trust salespeople more than consumers who don't -- but only after they've made a purchase, according to a new study.

Potential treatment for lethal childhood leukemia: Inhibiting two related enzymes significantly improves survival in mouse model

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 09:53 AM PDT

Researchers have demonstrated that two related enzymes -- phosphoinositide-3 kinase gamma and delta -- play a key role in the development of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a highly aggressive childhood leukemia that is difficult to treat. The study also showed that a dual PI3K gamma/delta inhibitor can significantly prolong survival in a mouse model of the disease.

Baboons display 'reading' skills, study suggests; Monkeys identify specific combinations of letters in words

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 09:52 AM PDT

Learning to read is not just to do with speech, but also with the ability to recognize and memorize regular patterns among the letters that make up words, according to a new study on baboons. New results show that monkeys identify specific combinations of letters in words and detect anomalies -- a capacity that certainly existed before speech.

Further evidence found of disturbed immune system in autism

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 09:52 AM PDT

One of the largest studies of its kind to date found disturbed levels of cytokines in the plasma of children with autism disorder: in particular, five related to the T-helper cell immune system and three involved in hematopoiesis.

More baby boomers facing old age alone

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 09:51 AM PDT

Startling new statistics paint a bleak future for the largest generation in history, the baby boomers, as they cross into old age.

New method may help detect marker for Alzheimer's disease earlier

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:50 AM PDT

Use of a new drug to detect the beta-amyloid plaques in the brain that are hallmark signs of Alzheimer's disease may help doctors diagnose the disease earlier.

When do consumers react to social exclusion with charitable behavior?

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:31 AM PDT

People who feel ignored tend to engage in conspicuous consumption, whereas consumers who are rejected are more likely to volunteer or donate to a worthy cause, according to a new study.

1,000 days of infrared wonders

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:31 AM PDT

For the last 1,000 days the Infrared Array Camera, aboard NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, has been operating continuously to probe the universe from its most distant regions to our local solar neighborhood. The IRAC "warm" program began once Spitzer used up its liquid helium coolant, thus completing its "cold" mission.

What is contemporary global nomadism and how does it affect materialism?

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:31 AM PDT

Is John Lennon's line "imagine no possessions" not as idealistic as it once seemed? According to a new study, globalization has led to a new class of "global nomads" who are less attached to material objects.

Diesel technologies drastically cut emissions under real-world conditions

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:31 AM PDT

New research shows that federal requirements governing diesel engines of new tractor trailer trucks have resulted in major cuts in emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides -- pollutants that have significant human health and environmental impacts.

Chimpanzee ground nests offer new insight into our ancestors' descent from the trees

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:30 AM PDT

The first study into rarely documented ground-nest building by wild chimpanzees offers new clues about the ancient transition of early hominins from sleeping in trees to sleeping on the ground. While most apes build nests in trees, this study focused on a group of wild West African chimpanzees that often shows ground-nesting behavior.

One of earliest farming sites in Europe discovered

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:30 AM PDT

New findings show that Vashtëmi, located in southeastern Albania, was occupied around 6,500 cal BC, making it one of the earliest farming sites in Europe. The location of early sites such as Vashtëmi near wetland edges suggests that the earliest farmers in Europe preferentially selected such resource-rich settings to establish pioneer farming villages.

Metformin can substantially reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease in diabetes, study suggests

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:30 AM PDT

A major 12-year study based on a Taiwanese population cohort has demonstrated that not only does diabetes increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease more than twofold, the use of sulfonylureas, commonly used as treatment for diabetes, increases the risk further by about 57 percent. This study also found that by including metformin in the therapy, no increased risk in developing Parkinson's disease was recorded.

How plants grow to escape shade: Findings could lead to high-yield crops

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 07:10 AM PDT

Mild mannered though they seem, plants are extremely competitive, especially when it comes to getting their fair share of sunlight. Whether a forest or a farm, where plants grow a battle wages for the sun's rays.

Why plants grow towards the light

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 07:10 AM PDT

Have you ever wondered why stems grow upwards and roots downwards? Why plants always seem to turn towards the light and climbing plants run up the trellis rather than down?

Synthesis gas for fuel: Directly from forest residues

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 07:06 AM PDT

Forest residues such as stumps, bark and twigs are now proving of great benefit in a new test facility for the production of high-quality synthesis gas intended for transport fuels.

Gene with a key role in neuronal survival identified

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 07:04 AM PDT

Researchers have identified the fundamental role played by the Nurr1 gene in neuron survival associated with synaptic activity. The discovery allows scientists to study a new target that could help to understand the relationship between alterations in neural connections, which are known to cause early cognitive deficit, and the neurodegeneration characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.

Aesthetic appeal may have neurological link to contemplation and self-assessment

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 06:51 AM PDT

A network of brain regions which is activated during intense aesthetic experience overlaps with the brain network associated with inward contemplation and self-assessment, researchers have found. Their study sheds new light on the nature of the aesthetic experience, which appears to integrate sensory and emotional reactions in a manner linked with their personal relevance.

How Parkinson's disease starts and spreads

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 06:50 AM PDT

Injection of a small amount of clumped protein triggers a cascade of events leading to a Parkinson's-like disease in mice, according to a new article.

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