Science News

Orphan Chimpanzees Cleverer Than Humans, Study Finds
February 2, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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Orphaned chimpanzee infants given special 'mothering' by humans are
more advanced than the average child at nine months of age. In the
first study to examine the effect of different types of care for
infant chimpanzees on cognition, researchers found chimpanzees who
were given extra emotionally-based care were more cognitively advanced
than human infants. Humans overtake chimpanzees in development terms
as they grow older but the study sends stark warnings that looking
after just an infant's physical needs is likely to result in a child
who is maladjusted, unhappy and under-achieving.
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Molecular Mechanism Of Anaphylactic Shock Decoded
February 2, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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Researchers have found a molecular mechanism for anaphylactic shock.
The activation of specific proteins in the cell walls of small blood
vessels plays an important role. Suppressing the respective genes
protects mice from the potentially fatal reactions of the immune and
circulatory systems (anaphylactic shock) without disrupting
circulatory regulation.
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What Happens When A Stone Impacts Water? Amazing Close-up View
February 2, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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Researchers have explained the formation and behavior of the very fast
water jet that is formed when an object impacts on a water surface.
They have observed precisely what happens using a super-fast camera
and have made a computer simulation of the process. This shows how the
jet is forced upwards, layer by layer, by the surrounding water
pressure. These results are not only of academic significance as jets
on the impact of an object on a liquid are frequent occurrences in
nature and industry.
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Motor Control Exercises Reduce Persistent Low-back Pain, Study Shows
February 2, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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Motor control exercises, when performed in conjunction with other
forms of therapy, can significantly reduce pain and disability in
patients with persistent low back pain, according to a new systematic
review published in Physical Therapy.
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Mammals That Hibernate Or Burrow Less Likely To Go Extinct
February 2, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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Mammals that hibernate or that hide in burrows are less likely to turn
up on an endangered species list, according to new research. The
study's authors believe that the ability of such "sleep-or-hide"
animals to buffer themselves from changing environments may help them
avoid extinction.
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Biodiversity Hotspot Enabled Neanderthals To Survive Longer In South
East Of Spain
February 2, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Over 14,000 years ago during the last Pleistocene Ice Age, when a
large part of the European continent was covered in ice and snow,
Neanderthals in the region of Gibraltar in the south of the Iberian
peninsula were able to survive because of the refugium of plant and
animal biodiversity. Today, plant fossil remains discovered in
Gorham's Cave confirm this unique diversity and wealth of resources
available in this area of the planet.
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New Drug To Fight Pneumonia And Meningitis? Scientists Cripple
Critical Pneumococcal Proteins
February 2, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Researchers have introduced a highly promising new approach for the
development of drugs to treat pneumococci, which cause pneumonia and
meningitis. They copied the choline architecture of the pneumococcal
cell wall. They were then able to trap the choline-binding proteins
that have a critical effect on the infectiousness of pneumococcal
bacteria.
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Researchers 'Unzip' Molecules To Measure Interactions Keeping DNA
Packed In Cells
February 2, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Anyone who has ever battled a stuck zipper knows it's a good idea to
see what's stuck, where and how badly -- and then to pull hard. New
experiments involve the "unzipping" of single DNA molecules. By
mapping the hiccups, stoppages and forces along the way, scientists
have gained new insight into how genes are packed and expressed within
cells.
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Weight Loss Reduces Incontinence In Obese Women, Study Shows
February 2, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Behavioral weight-loss programs can be an effective way to reduce
urinary incontinence in women who are overweight or obese, according
to a new study.
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Mega-earthquake Risk For West Coast, US And Canada? Seismic Slip
Linked To Tremor, With Implications For Subduction Zone
February 2, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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New evidence suggests that tectonic plate slippage and nonvolcanic
tremor near the Cascadia subduction zone both are signs of processes
taking place 25 miles deep at the interface of the Juan de Fuca and
North American plates. "We are quite confident that each episodic
tremor and slip event will increase the stress on the megathrust
fault," one of the researchers said. "If a megathrust earthquake were
to begin off the Washington coast, one might expect it to occur during
one of these slow slip events."
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Research Will Help To Revive 'Dead' Manx Language
February 2, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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A researcher at the University of Liverpool has produced the first
modern, comprehensive handbook on Manx Gaelic – a language thought to
have died out in the mid 19th Century.
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Vision Explained: Scientists Finally Capture Elusive Signaling Device
Our Retinas Use To Tell Us What We See
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Scientists have known for more than 200 years that vision begins with
a series of chemical reactions when light strikes the retina, but the
specific processes have been a mystery. Scientists have shed new light
on this process by "capturing" this chemical communication for future
study.
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Blood And Urine Protein Predicts Chronic Kidney Disease Progression
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Measuring a small protein in the blood and urine can predict which
patients with non-advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) will progress
to a more serious form of the disease, according to a new study. The
findings could be used to devise a new screening method for
identifying which patients should receive aggressive therapies to
prevent the progression of their disease.
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Predicting Future Spread Of Infectious-disease Vectors
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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As global warming raises concerns about potential spread of infectious
diseases, a team of researchers has demonstrated a way to predict the
expanding range of human disease vectors in a changing world.
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Breast Cancer Drug Shows Promise For Treating, Preventing
Progestin-dependent Tumors
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Recent studies suggest that human breast cancer risk is increased by
outside exposure to the hormone progestin, such as during hormone
replacement therapy. Now, a new study suggests that PRIMA-1, a small
molecule drug that targets the most common mutated gene, p53, in human
cancer cells, has potential as a novel chemotherapeutic treatment for
progestin-accelerated human breast cancer.
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Jaguars Caught On Camera-traps From Ecuador's First Large-scale Jaguar Census
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Photos from the first large-scale census of jaguars in the Amazon
region of Ecuador -- one of the most biologically rich regions on the
planet -- have just been released.
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Surprising Discoveries Contribute To Memory Research
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Neuroscientists around the world knew Henry Gustav Molaison, or H. M.,
well -- his story of undergoing experimental brain surgery that
controlled his epilepsy but left him unable to form new and lasting
memories. Molaison's experience pointed scientists interested in
understanding learning and memory to the temporal lobe, particularly
the hippocampus. In a new study researchers report discovering a
cellular mechanism that could be critical to the formation of memories
in the hippocampus.
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DNA Component Can Stimulate And Suppress Immune Response
February 2, 2009 at 11:00 am
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A component of DNA that can both stimulate and suppress the immune
system, depending on the dosage, may hold hope for treating cancer and
infection.
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Support Cells, Not Neurons, Lull The Brain To Sleep
February 2, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Brain cells called astrocytes help to cause the urge to sleep that
comes with prolonged wakefulness, according to a new study in mice.
The cells release adenosine, a chemical known to have sleep-inducing
effects that are inhibited by caffeine.
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Robot Mine Sweeper Gets Help From Clue Game Strategies
February 2, 2009 at 11:00 am
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A newly developed mathematical model that figures out the best
strategy to win the popular board game CLUE could some day help robot
mine sweepers navigate strange surroundings to find hidden explosives.
At the simplest level, both activities are governed by the same
principles. A player, or robot, must move through an unknown space
searching for clues.
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Sometimes 100 Cents Feels Like It's Worth More Than A Dollar
February 2, 2009 at 11:00 am
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We all know that $1 is equal to 100 cents. But a new study suggests
that, in some situations, people may behave as if 100 cents actually
has more value. That's because people may pay more attention to the
size of the numbers involved than the actual economic value, according
to the research.
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Tigers 'Took The Silk Road' To Russia
February 2, 2009 at 8:00 am
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DNA from an extinct sub-species of tiger has revealed that the
ancestors of modern tigers migrated through the heart of China --
along what would later become known as 'the Silk Road' -- scientists
report.
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Secretive Immune System Of Salmon
February 2, 2009 at 8:00 am
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Researchers have discovered new aspects of the salmon immune system.
His research looked at the immune cells in the gills of salmon and at
immune responses to vaccination. A special type of tissue, rich in
immune cells, was found in the gills, and new properties of immune
cells that produce brown pigment were discovered.
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Younger Women With Endometrial Cancer Can Safely Keep Ovaries, Avoid
Early Menopause, Study Suggests
February 2, 2009 at 8:00 am
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A new study shows no survival difference between premenopausal women
with early-stage endometrial cancer whose ovaries were left intact
during cancer surgery compared with those whose ovaries were
surgically removed.
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Computer Network Structure Alone Can Affect Outcomes, Relationships And Behavior
February 2, 2009 at 8:00 am
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Scientists have demonstrated in 81 separate experiments that computer
network structure alone can affect outcomes, relationships and
behavior.
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Marching To The Beat Of The Same Drummer Improves Teamwork
February 2, 2009 at 8:00 am
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Armies train by marching in step. Citizens sing the National Anthem
before sporting events. Why do we participate in these various
synchronized activities? A new study suggests that when people engage
in synchronous activity together, they become more likely to cooperate
with other group members.
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Many Women Who Survived Childhood Cancer Do Not Undergo Recommended
Breast Cancer Screening
February 2, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Despite recommendations and being at an increased risk of breast
cancer, most young women who were treated with chest radiation for a
childhood cancer do not undergo appropriate mammography screening,
according to a new study.
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Structure Of Enzyme Against Chemical Warfare Agents Determined
February 2, 2009 at 5:00 am
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The enzyme DFPase is able to rapidly and efficiently detoxify chemical
warfare agents such as Sarin, which was used in the Tokyo subway
attacks in 1995. A detailed understanding of the mechanism by which
the enzyme catalyzes chemical reactions is necessary for efforts
aiming to improve its properties as a decontaminant. Its structure,
which is closely related to its function, has now been determined by
neutron diffraction.
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Government Services For Young People At Risk Of Drugs Misuse May Be
Doing More Harm Than Good
February 2, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Current government programs aimed at reducing drug and alcohol use
among young people may be ineffective and may even be doing more harm
than good, according to a new article.
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Genetic Blueprint Of Sorghum -- Key Food And Biofuels Crop -- Completed
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 am
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Scientists have completed the sequence and analysis of the complete
genome of sorghum, a major food and fodder plant with high potential
as a bioenergy crop. The genome data will aid scientists in optimizing
sorghum and other crops not only for food and fodder use, but also for
biofuels production.
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Key To Pre-eclampsia May Be Found In Misfolded Proteins In Urine
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 am
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Clues to the cause of pre-eclampsia, a common, but serious
hypertension complication of pregnancy that has puzzled doctors and
researchers for decades, point to proteins that misfold and aggregate,
according to researchers.
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Omega-6 Fatty Acids: Make Them Part Of Heart-healthy Eating, New
Recommendations Say
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 am
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The American Heart Association recommends that people consume at least
5 percent to 10 percent of calories from omega-6 fatty acids. It's
recommended that the omega-6 comes from foods, not supplements.
Replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fatty acids may lower
the risk for heart disease. Higher intakes of omega-6 may improve
insulin resistance, reduce diabetes risk and lower blood pressure.
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Biomarkers As A Guide To Therapy In Heart Failure Patients
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 am
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A randomized trial suggests that, while using BNP as a marker to guide
therapy is not associated with any improvement in all-cause outcome
over conventional symptom-guided therapy, there is indeed a benefit in
hospital-free survival in heart failure patients under the age of 75.
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Novel Technology Could Produce Biofuel For Around $2.49US A Gallon
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 am
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A novel technology for synthesizing chemicals from plant material
could produce liquid fuel for just over €0.50 a liter, $2.49US a
gallon, say German scientists. But only if the infrastructure is set
up in the right way.
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What's A Little Mold? Why Consumers Have Different Freshness Standards At Home
February 2, 2009 at 2:00 am
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Why is it acceptable for someone who would never purchase "expired"
milk at the store to pour "expired" milk into a cup of coffee at
breakfast? A new study explores the reasons consumers are more likely
to consume products that are past their expiration dates if they are
in their refrigerators than if they are in a store.
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Targeted Nanospheres Find, Penetrate, Then Fuel Burning Of Melanoma
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Hollow gold nanospheres equipped with a targeting peptide find
melanoma cells, penetrate them deeply, and then cook the tumor when
bathed with near-infrared light, scientists have reported in Clinical
Cancer Research.
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New Technique Developed For Quick Detection Of Salmonella
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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A food science and human nutrition expert has developed a quick
technique for testing for the presence of Salmonella.
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New Speed Record For Reliable Reading Of Optical Data With Compact
Ultra-fast Component May Help Improve Circuit Design
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Sliced light is how we communicate now. This slicing and dicing is
generally done with an electro-optic modulator. Reading that fast data
stream with a compact and reliable receiver is another matter. A new
error-free speed-reading record using a compact ultra-fast component
-- 640 Gbits/second (Gbps, or billion bits per second) -- has now been
established.
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High-tech Texas Hospitals See Fewer Complications, Lower Costs, Researcher Finds
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Texas hospitals using health information technologies had fewer
complications, lower mortality rates and lower costs, a researcher has
found.
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Cementless Cup Device Developed For Hip Replacements Shows Durability
After More Than 20 Years
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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When a first hip replacement fails, patients may be concerned that
their options for a durable hip replacement are limited and that the
prognosis is poor. However, a research study in the Journal of Bone
and Joint Surgery suggests that this may not be the case.
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Rare Skin Tumor Responds Better To Treatment Than Melanoma
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Researchers have learned that a type of skin tumor with many
similarities to melanoma actually behaves quite differently. The
finding could have implications on diagnosis and treatment of these
skin tumors.
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Phytoplankton Cell Membranes Challenge Fundamentals Of Biochemistry
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Microscopic plants growing in the Sargasso Sea have come up with a
completely unexpected way of building their cells.
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Microcoils Help Locate Small Lung Nodules
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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A new technique combining computed tomography with fiber-coated
surgical microcoils allows physicians to successfully locate and
remove small lung nodules without the need for a more invasive
procedure, according to a new study.
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Younger Men With Erectile Dysfunction At Double Risk Of Heart Disease
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Men who experience erectile dysfunction between the ages of 40 and 49
are twice as likely to develop heart disease than men without
dysfunction, according to a new Mayo Clinic study.
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Plant Soybeans Early To Increase Yield
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Planting date is probably one of the most important yet least
expensive management decisions that significantly affects soybean
yield, yet few scientists have studies the effect of early planting.
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Nanotechnology Makes Supertelescopes Much More Sensitive
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Nanotechnologists have succeeded in significantly increasing the
sensitivity of the new supertelescopes in Chile.
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Potential 'Safe Period' For Hormone Replacement Use Identified
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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A new study confirms that the use of estrogen plus progesterone
increases the risk of both ductal and lobular breast cancer far more
than estrogen only; suggests a two-year "safe" period for the use of
estrogen and progesterone; and finds that the increased risk for
ductal cancers observed in long-term past users of hormone replacement
therapy drops off substantially two years after hormone use is
stopped.
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Drug Found That Could Reduce Risk Of Alzheimer's
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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A drug used to improve blood flow to the brain also could help improve
learning and memory and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease,
according to a new study.
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Ecologists Report Quantifiable Measures Of Nature's Services To Humans
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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The idea of ecosystem services is a promising conservation concept but
has been rarely put into practice. Researchers have now used novel
tools to report some of the first quantifiable results that place
values on nature's services to humans.
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Snail1 May Spur Cancer Cells By Stimulating Tissue Invasion And Angiogenesis
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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A transcription factor known to drive the formation of fibroblasts
during development also promotes their ability to invade and remodel
surrounding tissues, report researchers.
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Connectivity Illuminates Risk Of Spread Of Crop Pests, Diseases
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Graphical analysis of the distribution of crops in the United States
identifies crops and regions that might be particularly vulnerable to
pathogens. The work could help formulate preventive measures and
emergency response strategies for dealing with pest outbreaks.
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New Technique Images Tumor Vessel Leakiness To Predict Breast Cancer
Chemotherapy Outcome
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Researchers have developed a technique for determining the "leakiness"
of tumor blood vessels using a simple digital mammography unit. The
quantification of "leakiness" is closely correlated to the ability of
a chemotherapy agent to enter the tumor, allowing the researchers to
predict the agent's therapeutic efficacy.
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Vascular Drug Found To Improve Learning And Memory In Middle-aged Rats
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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A team of psychologists, geneticists and neuroscientists has reported
that a safe and effective drug used to treat vascular problems in the
brain has improved spatial learning and working memory in middle-aged
rats. Although far from proving anything about human use of the drug,
the finding supports the scientific quest for a substance that could
treat progressive cognitive impairment, cushion the cognitive impact
of normal aging, or even enhance learning and memory throughout the
life span. The drug has been well tolerated in humans for years.
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Scattered Light Rapidly Detects Tumor Response To Chemotherapy
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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New technology developed by bioengineers can help clinicians more
precisely detect whether specific cancer drugs are working, and should
give basic researchers a powerful new tool to better understand the
underlying mechanisms of cancer development.
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Turning Down Gene Expression Promotes Nerve Cell Maintenance
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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A new study of myelin, a protein key to efficient neuronal
transmission, reveals that a microRNA signal fine-tunes myelination.
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Dozen New Treefrogs Discovered In Rapidly Vanishing Habitat In India
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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A dozen frogs new to science were discovered in the forests of Western
Ghats, India. This study has also rediscovered a 'lost species'.
Travancore bushfrog was considered extinct since it was last reported
more than a 100 years back.
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Visual Decline As We Age: Genetics Or Environment?
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Which has a larger impact on the "normal" decline of visual function
as we age, genetic or environmental factors? This question is explored
in the February issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American
Academy of Ophthalmology.
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Old Or Tired? How People Read And Rate Faces
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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How do people read faces to judge age or fatigue? This question is
explored in the February issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the
American Academy of Ophthalmology.
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Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) Examines Macular Degeneration
Risk Related To Cataract Surgery
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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Does cataract surgery increase the risk of vision loss in people with
age-related macular degeneration (AMD)? Researchers address this
question in a new study.
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Arctic Region Underprepared For Maritime Accidents, Report Finds
February 2, 2009 at 12:00 am
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The existing infrastructure for responding to maritime accidents in
the Arctic is limited and more needs to be done to enhance emergency
response capacity as Arctic sea ice declines and ship traffic in the
region increases, according to new report.