ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Women have stronger immune systems than men -- and it's all down to X-chromosome related microRNA
• Romance scams online hit hundreds of thousands of victims, UK study finds
• Removal of fibroids that distort the womb cavity may prevent recurrent miscarriages, study suggests
• Central Asia's hidden burden of neglected tropical diseases: High rates of parasitic infection nearly 20 years after Soviet collapse
• Alzheimer's protein kills nerve cells in nose; Animal study may suggest way to rescue cells from disease
• New analysis of the cardiovascular risks of common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Venus weather not boring after all, scientists discover
• Saw palmetto no more effective than placebo for urinary symptoms; Study finds dietary supplement does not alleviate BPH
• Doctor experience is critical in carotid artery procedures, study suggests
• Popular supplement has no effect on prostate health, clinical study shows
• Saw palmetto no benefit as prostate remedy
• Atypical antipsychotics appear to be effective for only few off-label uses, study suggests
• Study examines whether age for initial screening colonoscopy should be different for men, women
• Increasing dosage of saw palmetto does not appear to reduce urinary symptoms from enlarged prostate
• Atypical antipsychotics may aid symptons for some off-label uses, but not others
• Saw palmetto no better than placebo in relieving prostate symptoms, even at high doses
• New 'FeTRAM' is promising computer memory technology
• Window of opportunity to treat some stroke patients may be longer than originally suspected
• Do long-lived crops differ from annual crops in their genetic response to human domestication?
• What do infants remember when they forget?
• Researchers identify enzyme that regulates degradation of damaged proteins
• Modern shift work pattern potentially less harmful to health
• Tracing an elusive killer parasite in Peru
• Eating balanced meals, farm-fresh produce benefits families, communities, nutrition researchers say
• U.S. Naval Research Laboratory launches TacSat-4 to augment communications needs
• Aggressive glycemic control in diabetic CABG patients does not improve survival, study suggests
• New advanced biofuel identified as an alternative to diesel fuel
• Cancer screening rates lower among those with fatalistic attitudes
• Asians fighting alcoholism may benefit from new study
• New technique maps twin faces of smallest Janus nanoparticles
• New online learning module gives children of domestic violence a voice
• Researchers use carbon nanotubes to make solar cells affordable, flexible
• Common cholesterol drug safe, may improve learning disabilities in patients with neurofibromatosis, study finds
• New germplasm, irrigation management make a difference in corn production
• People learn while they sleep, study suggests
• New modeling of brain's circuitry may bring better understanding of Parkinson's disease
• Biochemists identify new genetic code repair tool
• As minds get quicker, teenagers get smarter
• New nanostructure-based process will streamline production of magnetic materials
• Dead Sea researchers discover freshwater springs and numerous micro-organisms
• Lack of testing for Legionella: Current recommendations for testing missed 41 percent of cases
• Enzymes possible targets for new anti-malaria drugs
• Living donor liver transplantation improves survival over deceased donor transplants
• How global warming could cause animals to shrink
• Gene controlling flowering boosts energy production from sorghum
• Therapy via Internet yields good results
• Liver cancer incidence lower in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients than in those with hepatitis C
• Quantum teleportation analysed by mathematical separation tool
• Organic tomato juice contains more beneficial phenolic components than juice from conventionally grown crops
• Frankenstein’s moon: Astronomers vindicate account of masterwork
• Early use of non-parental childcare is not harmful for most children, Norwegian study finds
• Device 'sees' beneath the skin to spot circulation problems
• Rethinking animal and plant disease for the 21st century and beyond
• HRT therapy appears to increase risk of hospitalization from severe asthma attacks, research suggests
• Climate change set to increase ozone-related deaths over next 60 years, scientists warn
• Environmental health risks of livestock farming: More exacerbations in lung patients
• Lung function of moderately premature babies is reduced at 8-9 years but may improve with age
• Exercise eases arthritis in obese mice even without weight loss
• Giant star expels multiple dust shells, astronomers find
• Quicker testing for viral infections saves money and lives, study suggests

Women have stronger immune systems than men -- and it's all down to X-chromosome related microRNA Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:23 PM PDT As anyone familiar with the phrase "man-flu" will know women consider themselves to be the more robust side of the species when it comes to health and illness. Now new research seems to support the idea. The research focuses on the role of MicroRNAs encoded on the X chromosome to explain why women have stronger immune systems to men and are less likely to develop cancer.

Romance scams online hit hundreds of thousands of victims, UK study finds Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:23 PM PDT New online research reveals that over 200,000 people living in Britain may have fallen victim to online romance scams -- far more than had been previously estimated. The study is believed to be the first formal academic analysis to measure the scale of this growing problem.

Removal of fibroids that distort the womb cavity may prevent recurrent miscarriages, study suggests Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:23 PM PDT Researchers have found the first, firm evidence that fibroids are associated with recurrent miscarriages. They have also discovered that if they removed the fibroids that distorted the inside of the womb, the risk of miscarriage in the second trimester of pregnancy was reduced dramatically -- to zero.

Central Asia's hidden burden of neglected tropical diseases: High rates of parasitic infection nearly 20 years after Soviet collapse Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:35 PM PDT Central Asia continues to suffer from a post-Soviet economic breakdown that may have contributed to a re-emergence of several neglected tropical diseases in the area, especially among its most economically disadvantaged groups, according to a new article.

Alzheimer's protein kills nerve cells in nose; Animal study may suggest way to rescue cells from disease Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:35 PM PDT A protein linked to Alzheimer's disease kills nerve cells that detect odors, according to an animal study. The findings shed light on why people with Alzheimer's disease often lose their sense of smell early on in the course of the disease.

New analysis of the cardiovascular risks of common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:35 PM PDT An updated study gives some new information on the cardiovascular risks of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and suggests that among these commonly used drugs, naproxen and low dose ibuprofen are least likely to increase cardiovascular risk whereas diclofenac, even in doses available without prescription, elevates risk.

Venus weather not boring after all, scientists discover Posted: 27 Sep 2011 02:10 PM PDT At first glance, a weather forecaster for Venus would have either a really easy or a really boring job, depending on your point of view. The climate on Venus is widely known to be unpleasant -- at the surface, the planet roasts at more than 800 degrees Fahrenheit under a suffocating blanket of sulfuric acid clouds and a crushing atmosphere more than 90 times the pressure of Earth's. However, higher up, the weather gets more interesting, according to a new study of old data by NASA and international scientists.

Saw palmetto no more effective than placebo for urinary symptoms; Study finds dietary supplement does not alleviate BPH Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:18 PM PDT Saw palmetto, a widely used herbal dietary supplement, does not reduce urinary problems associated with prostate enlargement any better than a placebo, according to new research.

Doctor experience is critical in carotid artery procedures, study suggests Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:17 PM PDT Preventing a stroke by placing a stent in the carotid artery, a major artery of the head and neck, is a procedure that's skyrocketing in the United States, but the outcomes can be deadly if older patients are not in the right hands.

Popular supplement has no effect on prostate health, clinical study shows Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:16 PM PDT The most widely used over-the-counter supplement for prostate health is no more effective than a placebo in treating men's lower urinary tract symptoms, according to new findings.

Saw palmetto no benefit as prostate remedy Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:16 PM PDT The fruit of the saw palmetto tree does not relieve symptoms of an enlarged prostate, even when men take the herbal supplement in very high doses, a new study shows.

Atypical antipsychotics appear to be effective for only few off-label uses, study suggests Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:16 PM PDT A review of previous studies suggests that even though atypical antipsychotic medications are commonly used for off-label conditions such as behavioral symptoms of dementia, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, these medications are effective for only a few off-label conditions, and that the benefits and harms of these medications for these uses vary, according to a new article.

Study examines whether age for initial screening colonoscopy should be different for men, women Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:16 PM PDT An analysis of results of more than 40,000 screening colonoscopies finds that men have a higher rate of advanced tumors compared to women in all age groups examined, suggesting that the age that individuals should undergo an initial screening colonoscopy should be sex-specific, according to a new study.

Increasing dosage of saw palmetto does not appear to reduce urinary symptoms from enlarged prostate Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:16 PM PDT Men with urinary problems related to an enlarged prostate who received increasing doses of the fruit extract saw palmetto did not experience a reduction in these symptoms compared to men who received placebo, according to a new study.

Atypical antipsychotics may aid symptons for some off-label uses, but not others Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:16 PM PDT Atypical antipsychotic medications, developed to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are frequently prescribed for many off-label uses. A new study finds that medical evidence suggests the drugs are effective in reducing symptoms for some off-label conditions, but not others.

Saw palmetto no better than placebo in relieving prostate symptoms, even at high doses Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:16 PM PDT Long-term adminstration of the dietary supplement saw palmetto, even at three times the usual dose, did not reduce symptoms of prostate enlargement significantly better than placebo in a large group of middle-aged men.

New 'FeTRAM' is promising computer memory technology Posted: 27 Sep 2011 12:52 PM PDT Researchers are developing a new type of computer memory that could be faster than the existing commercial memory and use far less power than flash memory devices. The technology combines silicon nanowires with a "ferroelectric" polymer.

Window of opportunity to treat some stroke patients may be longer than originally suspected Posted: 27 Sep 2011 12:52 PM PDT Stroke victims may have a longer window of opportunity to receive treatment to save their brain cells, demonstrates a new literature review.

Do long-lived crops differ from annual crops in their genetic response to human domestication? Posted: 27 Sep 2011 12:52 PM PDT Most of what we have come to think of as our daily fruits, vegetables, and grains were domesticated from wild ancestors. Over hundreds and thousands of years, humans have selected and bred plants for traits that benefit us -- traits such as bigger, juicier, and easier-to-harvest fruits, stems, tubers, or flowers. But how do long-lived species respond to short-term selection processes, and will this information be helpful in predicting responses to rapid climate changes?

What do infants remember when they forget? Posted: 27 Sep 2011 12:52 PM PDT Six-month-old babies are severely limited in what they can remember about the objects they see in the world; if you hide several objects from an infant, they will only remember one of those objects with any detail. But a new study finds that when babies "forget" about an object, not all is lost.

Researchers identify enzyme that regulates degradation of damaged proteins Posted: 27 Sep 2011 12:52 PM PDT Scientists have identified an enzyme called a proteasome phosphatase that appears to regulate removal of damaged proteins from a cell. The understanding of how this process works could have important implications for numerous diseases, including cancer and Parkinson's disease.

Modern shift work pattern potentially less harmful to health Posted: 27 Sep 2011 12:52 PM PDT Recent research suggests that the modern day-day-night-night shift pattern for shift workers may not be as disruptive or as potentially carcinogenic as older, more extreme shift patterns.

Tracing an elusive killer parasite in Peru Posted: 27 Sep 2011 10:43 AM PDT Despite what Hollywood would have you believe, not all epidemics involve people suffering from zombie-like symptoms -- some can only be uncovered through door-to-door epidemiology and advanced mathematics. Researchers are now in the trenches combining tried-and-true epidemiological approaches with new statistical methods to learn more about the course of a dangerous, contagious disease epidemic.

Eating balanced meals, farm-fresh produce benefits families, communities, nutrition researchers say Posted: 27 Sep 2011 10:43 AM PDT Leaders at the recent United Nations meeting emphasized nutrition as critical to producing thriving children, families, and communities. Nutrition experts say getting back to basics by eating balanced meals and farm-fresh produce benefits families and communities in many ways.

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory launches TacSat-4 to augment communications needs Posted: 27 Sep 2011 10:42 AM PDT A less expensive, small-sat class system satellite with newer and more flexible technologies, TacSat-4's highly elliptical orbit augments existing geosynchronous satellites by providing near continuous communications to forward deployed forces in the high latitudes.

Aggressive glycemic control in diabetic CABG patients does not improve survival, study suggests Posted: 27 Sep 2011 10:42 AM PDT A new study finds that aggressive glycemic control in diabetic CABG patients does not improve survival.

New advanced biofuel identified as an alternative to diesel fuel Posted: 27 Sep 2011 10:42 AM PDT Researchers have identified a terpene called bisabolane as a potential biofuel for replacing diesel fuel. The researchers have also engineered two strains of microbes -- a bacteria and a yeast -- that can be used in the biosynthetic production of this clean, green, renewable and domestic alternative to diesel fuel.

Cancer screening rates lower among those with fatalistic attitudes Posted: 27 Sep 2011 10:42 AM PDT Even if health care is free, colorectal cancer screening rates among those without financial means are still low, and results of a new study suggest that may be due to an idea psychologists call cancer fatalism.

Asians fighting alcoholism may benefit from new study Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:49 AM PDT New psychology research indicates that Asians who are struggling with alcoholism may especially benefit from naltrexone, one of three medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of alcoholism.

New technique maps twin faces of smallest Janus nanoparticles Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:49 AM PDT Chemists have developed the first method that can rapidly and accurately map the surfaces of Janus nanoparticles, tiny particles that possess two chemically distinct faces. The findings have broad potential applications ranging from drug delivery to video displays.

New online learning module gives children of domestic violence a voice Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:49 AM PDT Over half of the residents of battered women's shelters in the United States are children, according to statistics. Now, a new, innovative online training program aims to elevate children's voices, so that service providers may better hear, understand, and respond to the children and families they serve.

Researchers use carbon nanotubes to make solar cells affordable, flexible Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:49 AM PDT Researchers have found that metallic carbon nanotubes are 50 times more effective than semiconducting ones when used as transparent conductors in organic solar cells.

Common cholesterol drug safe, may improve learning disabilities in patients with neurofibromatosis, study finds Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:47 AM PDT Researchers have found that a cholesterol-lowering statin drug appears to be safe in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and may improve learning disabilities, including verbal and nonverbal memory.

New germplasm, irrigation management make a difference in corn production Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT Germplasm and staygreen technology utilized by corn breeders in Texas could make growing corn on limited water a greater possibility in the near future, according to new studies.

People learn while they sleep, study suggests Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT People may be learning while they're sleeping -- an unconscious form of memory that is still not well understood, according to a new study.

New modeling of brain's circuitry may bring better understanding of Parkinson's disease Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT Researchers have developed a mathematical model of the brain's neural circuitry that may provide a better understanding of how and why information is not transmitted correctly in the brains of Parkinson's disease patients. This knowledge may eventually help scientists and clinicians correct these misfires.

Biochemists identify new genetic code repair tool Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT Researchers recently reported finding a new class of DNA repair-makers. To ensure the integrity of the genetic material, cells are equipped with a "molecular toolkit" for repairing DNA damage. The toolkit is composed of a variety of different molecules -- called enzymes -- that have evolved to repair different types of DNA damage. Researchers have now discovered a new class of enzymes in that superfamily that lack the ability to repair uracil.

As minds get quicker, teenagers get smarter Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT Adolescents become smarter because they become mentally quicker according to a new study.

New nanostructure-based process will streamline production of magnetic materials Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT Scientists report for the first time designing a simpler method of preparing ordered magnetic materials than ever by coupling magnetic properties to nanostructure formation at low temperatures. The process allows them to create room-temperature ferromagnetic materials that are stable for long periods more effectively and with fewer steps than more complicated existing methods.

Dead Sea researchers discover freshwater springs and numerous micro-organisms Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:25 AM PDT Using highly skilled divers and high-tech equipment, BGU sent the team to study the springs they had previously detected. The study reveals complex springs hundreds of feet long and as deep as 90 feet (30 meters). The springs appear from the sea floor through craters as large as 45 feet (15 meters) in diameter and 60 feet (20 meters) deep -- with steep, finely laminated walls and alternating layers of sediment and minerals.

Lack of testing for Legionella: Current recommendations for testing missed 41 percent of cases Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:25 AM PDT A new study shows that guidelines concerning testing patients for possible community-acquired pneumonia due to Legionella may underestimate the number of cases being seen by clinicians. The study found that if testing was only done in patients felt to be at increased risk of Legionnaires' disease based on such guidelines, more than 40 percent of Legionella cases could be missed based on this single-center study.

Enzymes possible targets for new anti-malaria drugs Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:24 AM PDT Researchers have validated that two enzymes used by malaria parasites to chew up human hemoglobin are potential anti-malarial drug targets.

Living donor liver transplantation improves survival over deceased donor transplants Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:24 AM PDT New research shows liver transplantation candidates without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) derive a greater survival benefit from a living donor liver transplant (LDLT) than waiting for a deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT).

How global warming could cause animals to shrink Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:24 AM PDT The way in which global warming causes many of the world's organisms to shrink has been revealed by new research.

Gene controlling flowering boosts energy production from sorghum Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:24 AM PDT A sorghum hybrid that does not flower and accumulates as much as three times the amount of stem and leaf matter may help the bioenergy industry, according to a new study. Scientists have now discovered a gene that regulates sorghum flowering.

Therapy via Internet yields good results Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:20 AM PDT Treatment via the Internet enables many more patients to get help with their depression, new research suggests. A psychologist has studied the effects of Internet-based CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) both on ongoing depression and for preventing relapses.

Liver cancer incidence lower in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients than in those with hepatitis C Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:20 AM PDT Patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis have a lower incidence of liver-related complications and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), according to a new prospective study. Patients with both NAFLD and HCV had similar mortality rates.

Quantum teleportation analysed by mathematical separation tool Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:20 AM PDT Scientists recently gave a theoretical description of teleportation phenomena in sub-atomic scale physical systems.

Organic tomato juice contains more beneficial phenolic components than juice from conventionally grown crops Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:20 AM PDT Organic tomato juice contains more phenolic components than juice from conventionally grown crops, according to a new study.

Frankenstein’s moon: Astronomers vindicate account of masterwork Posted: 27 Sep 2011 06:56 AM PDT Victor Frankenstein's infamous monster led a brief, tragic existence, blazing a trail of death and destruction that prompted mobs of angry villagers to take up torches and pitchforks against him on the silver screen. Now, a team of astronomers has applied its unique brand of celestial sleuthing to a long-simmering controversy surrounding the events that inspired author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley to write her legendary novel Frankenstein. Their results shed new light on the question of whether or not Shelley's account of the episode is merely a romantic fiction.

Early use of non-parental childcare is not harmful for most children, Norwegian study finds Posted: 27 Sep 2011 06:21 AM PDT What type of childcare arrangements do parents choose before their children are 18 months old? Does the choice of childcare affect children's language skills and mental health at the age of five? These are some of the questions that are explored in a new report. The report indicates that there is no evidence that early centre-based childcare is harmful for most children.

Device 'sees' beneath the skin to spot circulation problems Posted: 27 Sep 2011 06:21 AM PDT A ground-breaking device which "sees" beneath the skin to spot circulation problems has passed an important milestone on its journey to commercialization.

Rethinking animal and plant disease for the 21st century and beyond Posted: 27 Sep 2011 06:21 AM PDT The UK Research Councils' Rural Economy and Land Use Programme calls for a radical rethink of our approach to animal and plant disease, in the light of groundbreaking interdisciplinary research.

HRT therapy appears to increase risk of hospitalization from severe asthma attacks, research suggests Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:32 AM PDT Women taking postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may have an increased risk of severe asthma attacks requiring hospitalization, scientists warn.

Climate change set to increase ozone-related deaths over next 60 years, scientists warn Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:31 AM PDT Scientists are warning that death rates linked to climate change will increase in several European countries over the next 60 years.

Environmental health risks of livestock farming: More exacerbations in lung patients Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:31 AM PDT Emissions from livestock farms cause asthma and COPD patients living nearby to experience more exacerbations, according to new research. Also, chances of contracting Q fever from nearby sheep and goat farms increased with the number of animals rather than with the number of farms, the research found, hinting at higher health risks from "mega farms."

Lung function of moderately premature babies is reduced at 8-9 years but may improve with age Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:31 AM PDT The negative effects that premature birth can have on the lungs of babies could be as severe in moderately premature babies as those born extremely prematurely but may be reversed in their teenage years, according to a new study.

Exercise eases arthritis in obese mice even without weight loss Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:31 AM PDT Adding another incentive to exercise, scientists have found that physical activity improves arthritis symptoms even among obese mice that continue to chow down on a high-fat diet.

Giant star expels multiple dust shells, astronomers find Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:26 AM PDT An international team of astronomers has discovered not less than a dozen cold dust arcs around the giant star CW Leo. The team used the sensitive PACS instrument on board the Herschel Space Observatory to detect for the first time arcs of dust far away from the star. CW Leo has expelled these shells of dust in different epochs in its life. The faintest shell we can see now was, according to the team, expelled about 16,000 years ago. In the mean time it has drifted away from the star over more than 7,000 billion kilometers.

Quicker testing for viral infections saves money and lives, study suggests Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:26 AM PDT A new method for quickly identifying individual viruses and recognizing how they bind to host cells may become a vital tool in the early control of winter vomiting disease and other virus-based diseases. In the west, this means saving money and reducing stress on health-care systems. In developing countries, this means saving lives.

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