ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Neural stem cell transplant may tackle diabetes
• Study first to link mitochondrial dysfunction and alpha-Synuclein multiplication in human fibroblasts
• Ability to ride a bike can aid differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in any setting
• People without cars, financial assets less likely to marry: study
• NASA's Aqua satellite sees birth of two tropical cyclones in Eastern Pacific
• 3-D look at Philippe provided clues of transition into a hurricane
• Race disparity found in post-hospital arrival homicide deaths at trauma centers
• Astronomers find elusive planets in decade-old Hubble data
• Why does conflict arise when social identity is threatened?
• Crab Pulsar emits light at highest energies ever detected in a pulsar system, scientists report
• Marijuana use may double the risk of accidents for drivers, study finds
• Study finds liver cancer increasing in low risk countries, decreasing in high risk countries
• Astrophysicists spot pulsed radiation from Crab Nebula that wasn't supposed to be there
• HIV: Ancient gene found to control potent antibody response to retroviruses
• Distinct AIDS viruses found in cerebrospinal fluid of people with HIV dementia
• Incompatible assumptions common in biomedical research
• Diabetes susceptibility gene identified: Tomosyn-2 regulates insulin secretion
• Genetic makeup affects testosterone concentrations in men
• Decade of effort yields diabetes susceptibility gene
• Ionic liquid catalyst helps turn emissions into fuel
• Archaeologist argues world's oldest temples were not temples at all
• New method to diagnose sinusitis could reduce use of antibiotics, Swedish research suggests
• Mine-hunting software helping doctors to identify rare cells in human cancer
• Preschool program improves standardized test scores through grade 5
• More insight into the secret life of the American teen
• Crab pulsar dazzles astronomers with its gamma-ray beams
• Southern California's tectonic plates revealed in detail
• Scientists identify cause of severe hypoglycemia
• Plants may have the genetic flexibility to respond to climate change
• Crab pulsar beams most energetic gamma rays ever detected from a pulsar
• Earlier male circumcision may help to slow rates of HIV, HPV transmission in South Africa
• Workplace sabotage fueled by envy, unleashed by disengagement
• New software models immune responses
• Changes in brain function in early HIV infection: A reliable indicator of disease prognosis?
• Marijuana component could ease pain from chemotherapy drugs, study suggests
• Expression of pluripotency-associated gene marks many types of adult stem cells
• Nuclear receptors battle it out during metamorphosis in new fruit fly model
• Length of flanking repeat region and timing affect genetic material
• Scientists find stem cell reprogramming technique is safer than previously thought
• Among insects, 'chivalry' isn't dead
• Is chivalry the norm for insects?
• Biochemists identify how tissue cells detect and perfect
• How cells sense nutrients and fuel cancer cell growth
• Green discovery uses waste glass to clean up water
• Hold the phone for vital signs: Researchers turn a smart phone into a medical monitor
• Multibeam sonar can map undersea gas seeps
• Children find human-made objects more likely to be owned than natural objects
• Place, not race, may be a larger determinant of health disparities
• Improve cattle in US and South Africa
• Supersaturated water vapor in Martian atmosphere
• New findings concerning function of the hippocampus
• 'Genetic biopsy' of human eggs might help pick the best for IVF
• Chagas disease may be a threat in South Texas, says researcher
• Young and thin instead of old and bulky: Researchers report on changes in Arctic sea ice after return of research vessel Polarstern
• Dioxin-like chemical messenger makes brain tumors more aggressive
• Hypothetically tweaking: Research shows questions can influence behavior, promote bias
• New oral drug found to reduce relapses in multiple sclerosis patients
• Labour or conservative? It's all in the eye of the beholder, UK facial research finds
• Living species of aquatic beetle found in 20-million-year-old sediments
• Detecting glaucoma before it blinds

Neural stem cell transplant may tackle diabetes Posted: 06 Oct 2011 04:38 PM PDT Researchers in Japan have discovered how a patient's neural stem cells could be used as an alternative source of the beta cells needed for a regenerative treatment for diabetes. The research reveals how harvesting stem cells could overcome a lack of beta cell transplants from donors.

Study first to link mitochondrial dysfunction and alpha-Synuclein multiplication in human fibroblasts Posted: 06 Oct 2011 03:42 PM PDT A new study shows for the first time the effects of alpha-Synuclein gene multiplication on mitochondrial function and susceptibility to oxidative stress in human tissue. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been frequently implicated in the neurodegenerative process that underlies Parkinson's disease, but the basis for this has not been fully understood.

Ability to ride a bike can aid differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in any setting Posted: 06 Oct 2011 03:42 PM PDT Researchers report that the ability to ride a bike can differentiate between atypical parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease, regardless of the environment or situations for bicycling.

People without cars, financial assets less likely to marry: study Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:36 PM PDT A new study finds that people who lack personal wealth in the form of a car or financial assets are significantly less likely to enter into a first marriage. The results, according to the study's author, shed light on recent changes in marriage patterns in the U.S.

NASA's Aqua satellite sees birth of two tropical cyclones in Eastern Pacific Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:36 PM PDT The tropics in the eastern Pacific were quiet for a couple of days after Hurricane Hilary dissipated, and today gave birth to Tropical Depression 10 and Tropical Storm Irwin. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of both storms and saw the powerful convection in the center of Irwin that enabled the storm to go from a depression to a tropical storm in a short time.

3-D look at Philippe provided clues of transition into a hurricane Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:36 PM PDT Tropical Storm Philippe took its time to strengthen into a hurricane because of wind shear problems. The wind shear lessened, and Philippe became a hurricane today, after 12 days of moving across the Atlantic Ocean. NASA's TRMM satellite saw towering thunderstorms and intense rainfall within Philippe yesterday, which provided forecasters with a clue that the storm was strengthening. Philippe reached hurricane status this morning, Oct. 6, 2011.

Race disparity found in post-hospital arrival homicide deaths at trauma centers Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:36 PM PDT New research based on post-hospital arrival data from U.S. trauma centers finds that even after adjusting for differences in injury severity, gun use, and other likely causes of race difference in death from assault, African-Americans have a significantly higher overall post-scene of injury mortality rate than whites.

Astronomers find elusive planets in decade-old Hubble data Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:36 PM PDT In a painstaking re-analysis of Hubble Space Telescope images from 1998, astronomers have found visual evidence for two extrasolar planets that went undetected back then. Finding these hidden gems in the Hubble archive gives astronomers an invaluable time machine for comparing much earlier planet orbital motion data to more recent observations. It also demonstrates a novel approach for planet hunting in archival Hubble data.

Why does conflict arise when social identity is threatened? Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:36 PM PDT Be it at school, office, the neighborhood or the community people live in, conflicting situations amongst various groups might arise on an almost day to day basis. Today, the prevalence of these intergroup conflicts is on the rise and has resulted in minor disagreements amongst friends to waging full scale wars between countries.

Crab Pulsar emits light at highest energies ever detected in a pulsar system, scientists report Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:36 PM PDT An international collaboration of scientists has detected the highest energy gamma rays ever observed from a pulsar, a highly magnetized and rapidly spinning neutron star. The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System experiment measured gamma rays coming from the Crab Pulsar at such large energies that they cannot be explained by the current scientific models of how pulsars behave.

Marijuana use may double the risk of accidents for drivers, study finds Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Researchers have found that drivers who test positive for marijuana or report driving within three hours of marijuana use are more than twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in motor vehicle crashes. The researchers also found evidence that crash risk increases with the concentration of marijuana-produced compounds in the urine and the frequency of self-reported marijuana use.

Study finds liver cancer increasing in low risk countries, decreasing in high risk countries Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT A new study finds liver cancer incidence rates continue to increase in some low-risk parts of the world such as North America, and are decreasing in some of the highest risk countries of Asia.

Astrophysicists spot pulsed radiation from Crab Nebula that wasn't supposed to be there Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT The VERITAS array of telescopes has detected pulsed gamma rays from the pulsar at the heart of the Crab Nebula that have energies far higher than the common theoretical models can explain. The finding is one of the most exciting in the telescope's history, according to astronomers.

HIV: Ancient gene found to control potent antibody response to retroviruses Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT A researcher has identified a gene that controls the process by which antibodies gain their ability to combat retroviruses. He has shown that the gene TLR7 allows the antibody generating B cells to detect the presence of a retrovirus and promotes a process by which antibodies gain strength and potency, called a germinal center reaction.

Distinct AIDS viruses found in cerebrospinal fluid of people with HIV dementia Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Scientists have discovered that some people diagnosed with HIV-associated dementia have two genetically distinct HIV types in their cerebrospinal fluid, the clear fluid found in the spaces around and inside the brain and spinal cord.

Incompatible assumptions common in biomedical research Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Strong, incompatible views are common in biomedicine but are largely invisible to biomedical experts themselves, creating artificial barriers to effective modeling of complex biological phenomena. Researchers have explored the diversity in views among scientists researching the process of cancer metastasis and found ubiquitous disagreement around assumptions in any model of the progression of cancer cells from their original location to other parts of the body.

Diabetes susceptibility gene identified: Tomosyn-2 regulates insulin secretion Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT A group of researchers has pinpointed a gene that confers diabetes susceptibility in obese mice. This study also shows that its protein tomosyn-2 acts as a brake on insulin secretion from the pancreas.

Genetic makeup affects testosterone concentrations in men Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Genetics play an important role in the variation in, and risk of, low testosterone concentrations in men. Scientists have just completed the first genome-wide association study to examine the effects of common genetic variants on serum testosterone concentrations in men.

Decade of effort yields diabetes susceptibility gene Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Ten years of meticulous mouse breeding, screening, and record-keeping have finally paid off for researchers who have identified a diabetes susceptibility gene.

Ionic liquid catalyst helps turn emissions into fuel Posted: 06 Oct 2011 01:25 PM PDT Scientists have overcome one major obstacle to artificial photosynthesis, a promising technology that simultaneously reduces atmospheric carbon dioxide and produces fuel. They have now used an ionic liquid to catalyze the conversion of CO2 to CO, the first step in making fuel, greatly reducing the energy required to drive the process.

Archaeologist argues world's oldest temples were not temples at all Posted: 06 Oct 2011 01:25 PM PDT Ancient structures uncovered in Turkey and thought to be the world's oldest temples may not have been strictly religious buildings after all, according to a new article. Archaeologists argue that the buildings found at Gobekli Tepe may have been houses for people, not the gods.

New method to diagnose sinusitis could reduce use of antibiotics, Swedish research suggests Posted: 06 Oct 2011 12:49 PM PDT Research from Sweden suggests a new method of diagnosing sinusitis. The results offer the potential to reduce the use of antibiotics and the costs of the disease to society.

Mine-hunting software helping doctors to identify rare cells in human cancer Posted: 06 Oct 2011 12:33 PM PDT Medical researchers are demonstrating new software developed for finding and recognizing undersea mines can help doctors identify cancer-related cells. The problem that physicians encounter in analyzing human cell images is similar to the Navy's challenge of finding undersea mines. Doctors must sift through hundreds of microscopic images containing millions of cells. To pinpoint specific cells, they use automated image analysis software called FARSIGHT, or Fluorescence Association Rules for Quantitative Insight.

Preschool program improves standardized test scores through grade 5 Posted: 06 Oct 2011 12:33 PM PDT Continued participation in the Harrisburg Preschool Program has led fifth-grade students to score higher on Pennsylvania System of School Assessment literacy and math tests than peers who have not participated in the HPP program, according to the final evaluation of the HPP initiative.

More insight into the secret life of the American teen Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:14 AM PDT Researchers have found that when adolescents argue, with friends, it can spillover and turn into arguments with family. (And vice versa.)

Crab pulsar dazzles astronomers with its gamma-ray beams Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:14 AM PDT A thousand years ago, a brilliant beacon of light blazed in the sky, shining brightly enough to be seen even in daytime for almost a month. Native-American and Chinese observers recorded the eye-catching event. We now know that they witnessed an exploding star, which left behind a gaseous remnant known as the Crab Nebula. The same object that dazzled skygazers in 1054 C.E. continues to dazzle astronomers today by pumping out radiation at higher energies than anyone expected.

Southern California's tectonic plates revealed in detail Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:14 AM PDT Geologists have produced the most detailed picture of southern California's lithosphere, which is crucial to understanding the geological forces that shaped the area. The team found the lithosphere's thickness differs markedly throughout, yielding new insights into how rifting shaped the southern California terrain.

Scientists identify cause of severe hypoglycemia Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:14 AM PDT Scientists have identified the cause of a rare, life-threatening form of hypoglycemia. Their findings have the potential to lead to pharmaceutical treatments for the disorder.

Plants may have the genetic flexibility to respond to climate change Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:14 AM PDT Plants may have the genetic flexibility to respond to climate change. In experiments with the common European plant Arabidopsis thaliana, scientists have learned that climate is the agent that determines the suite of genes that gives the plant the best chance of surviving and reproducing throughout its natural range. The finding may unlock the molecular basis for other plants' adaptability to climate change.

Crab pulsar beams most energetic gamma rays ever detected from a pulsar Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:13 AM PDT Astrophysicists have detected pulsed gamma-ray emission from the Crab pulsar at energies far beyond what current theoretical models of pulsars can explain. With energies exceeding 100 billion electron-volts (100 GeV), the surprising gamma-ray pulses were detected by the VERITAS telescope array.

Earlier male circumcision may help to slow rates of HIV, HPV transmission in South Africa Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:30 AM PDT Earlier circumcision of males in South Africa may be a positive step in slowing the spread of both HIV and the human papillomavirus.

Workplace sabotage fueled by envy, unleashed by disengagement Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:30 AM PDT Researchers shows that managers should keep team members connected and engaged to avoid workplace sabotage. A new study reveals that envious employees are more likely to undermine peers if they feel disconnected from others.

New software models immune responses Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:29 AM PDT New software lets researchers see how the immune system responds to pathogens that invade the bacteria-rich environment of the gut.

Changes in brain function in early HIV infection: A reliable indicator of disease prognosis? Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:29 AM PDT Measurable changes in brain function and communication between brain regions may be a consequence of virus-induced injury during the early stages of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. These abnormalities and their implications in disease prognosis are detailed in a new article.

Marijuana component could ease pain from chemotherapy drugs, study suggests Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT A chemical component of the marijuana plant could prevent the onset of pain associated with drugs used in chemotherapy, particularly in breast cancer patients.

Expression of pluripotency-associated gene marks many types of adult stem cells Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Investigators have found that Sox2 -- one of the transcription factors used in the conversion of adult stem cells into induced pluripotent stem cells -- is expressed in many adult tissues where it had not been previously observed and that Sox2-expressing cells in those tissues are true adult stem cells that can give rise to all mature cell types in those tissues.

Nuclear receptors battle it out during metamorphosis in new fruit fly model Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Growing up just got more complicated. Biochemistry researchers have shown for the first time that the receptor for a major insect molting hormone doesn't activate and repress genes as once thought. In fact, it only activates genes, and it is out-competed by a heme-binding receptor to repress the same genes during the larval to pupal transition in the fruit fly.

Length of flanking repeat region and timing affect genetic material Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Scientists studied the deletions of genetic material in 131 patients with a genomic disorder called Smith-Magenis syndrome and the duplication of genetic material in 79 patients with Potocki-Lupski syndrome.

Scientists find stem cell reprogramming technique is safer than previously thought Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Stem cells made by reprogramming patients' own cells might one day be used as therapies for a host of diseases, but scientists have feared that dangerous mutations within these cells might be caused by current reprogramming techniques. A sophisticated new analysis of stem cells' DNA finds that such fears may be unwarranted.

Among insects, 'chivalry' isn't dead Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Some male crickets will apparently put the lives of their mating partners ahead of their own. When a mated pair is out together, a male will allow a female priority access to the safety of a burrow, even though it means a dramatic increase in his own risk of being eaten. That's according to infrared video observations of a wild population of field crickets.

Is chivalry the norm for insects? Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT The long-standing consensus of why insects stick together after mating has been turned on its head. This study shows that, contrary to previous thinking, females benefit from this arrangement just as much as males. Instead of dominating their female partners through bullying and aggressive behavior, males were revealed to be protective, even laying their lives on the line when their mates faced danger.

Biochemists identify how tissue cells detect and perfect Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Scientists have discovered how cells detect tissue damage and modify their repair properties accordingly. The findings could open up new opportunities for improving tissue repair in patients following illness or surgery.

How cells sense nutrients and fuel cancer cell growth Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT mTORC1 is a master control center coordinates many cellular functions by sensing external signals such as nutrients and growth factors and telling cells how to respond. Scientists have now identified a new member of the mTORC1 team -- a protein called p62 -- that is crucial to the cell's response to dietary amino acids, providing a new therapeutic target for cancers in which mTORC1 malfunctions.

Green discovery uses waste glass to clean up water Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:22 AM PDT A simple method to convert waste glass into a material which can be used to remove pollutants from contaminated water has been developed.

Hold the phone for vital signs: Researchers turn a smart phone into a medical monitor Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:36 AM PDT Researchers are turning smartphones into sophisticated medical monitors able to capture and transmit vital physiological data. The team has already developed an app that measures heart rate, heart rhythm, respiration rate, and blood oxygen saturation using the phone's built-in video camera.

Multibeam sonar can map undersea gas seeps Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:36 AM PDT A technology commonly used to map the bottom of the deep ocean can also detect gas seeps in the water column with remarkably high fidelity, according to scientists. This finding, made onboard the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer in the Gulf of Mexico, will lead to more effective mapping of these gas seeps and, ultimately, enhanced understanding of our ocean environments.

Children find human-made objects more likely to be owned than natural objects Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:36 AM PDT Children as young as three are likely to say that things made by humans have owners, but that natural objects, such as pine cones and sea shells, are not owned, according to a new study.

Place, not race, may be a larger determinant of health disparities Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:36 AM PDT Where you live could play a larger role in health disparities than originally thought, according to a new study. Researchers examined a racially integrated, low-income neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland and found that, with the exception of smoking, nationally reported disparities in hypertension, diabetes, obesity among women and use of health services disappeared or narrowed.

Improve cattle in US and South Africa Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:36 AM PDT Scientists in the US and South Africa are working to improve prospects for cattle breeders in that African nation -- and they could improve them for breeders around the world.

Supersaturated water vapor in Martian atmosphere Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:34 AM PDT Analysis of data collected by the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft leaves no room for doubt: the Martian atmosphere of contains water vapor in a supersaturated state. This surprising finding will enable scientists to better understand the water cycle on Mars, as well as the evolution of its atmosphere.

New findings concerning function of the hippocampus Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:34 AM PDT Scientists have presented new findings concerning the function of the hippocampus, a region of the brain that is important for memory formation. The researchers investigated cellular mechanisms of high-frequency rhythms, which play a key role in memory processes, and possibly also in various brain disorders, albeit in a different manner.

'Genetic biopsy' of human eggs might help pick the best for IVF Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:26 AM PDT Researchers have developed a way to extract information about gene expression from fertile human egg cells without hurting them. Expendable "polar bodies" in the cells reflect much the same information as the eggs themselves, researchers have determined.

Chagas disease may be a threat in South Texas, says researcher Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:26 AM PDT Chagas disease, a tropical parasitic disease that can lead to life-threatening heart and digestive disorders, may be more widespread in Texas than previously thought, according to new research.

Young and thin instead of old and bulky: Researchers report on changes in Arctic sea ice after return of research vessel Polarstern Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:26 AM PDT In the central Arctic the proportion of old, thick sea ice has declined significantly. Instead, the ice cover now largely consists of thin, one-year-old floes. This is one of the results that scientists brought back from the 26th Arctic expedition of the research vessel Polarstern.

Dioxin-like chemical messenger makes brain tumors more aggressive Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:26 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new metabolic pathway which makes malignant brain tumors more aggressive and weakens patients' immune systems. Using drugs to inhibit this metabolic pathway is a new approach in cancer treatment.

Hypothetically tweaking: Research shows questions can influence behavior, promote bias Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:48 AM PDT Hypothetically speaking, if someone told you that a hypothetical question could influence your judgments or behavior, would you believe them?

New oral drug found to reduce relapses in multiple sclerosis patients Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:48 AM PDT A new oral drug has been shown in a large international clinical trial to significantly reduce the relapse rate of people with multiple sclerosis and to slow the progression of the disease.

Labour or conservative? It's all in the eye of the beholder, UK facial research finds Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:48 AM PDT Scientists in the UK have uncovered specific facial characteristics which make Members of Parliament look like they belong to one of the two major political parties in Britain.

Living species of aquatic beetle found in 20-million-year-old sediments Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:48 AM PDT A study of an Early Miocene fossil from southern Siberia performed by an international team of researchers led to the surprising find that the fossil belongs to a species of aquatic beetles which is still alive today and widely distributed in Eurasia.

Detecting glaucoma before it blinds Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:48 AM PDT Early detection and diagnosis of open angle glaucoma important so that treatment can be used in the early stages of the disease developing to prevent or avoid further vision loss. Researchers in the US have analyzed and ranked the various risk factors for open angle glaucoma so that patients can be screened at an earlier stage if they are more likely to develop the condition.

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