ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Mathematically detecting stock market bubbles before they burst
• Modern genetics answers age-old question on Garrod's fourth inborn error of metabolism
• Technical aptitude: Do women score lower because they just aren't interested?
• Fighting fire with fire: 'Vampire' bacteria has potential as living antibiotic
• Savannas and forests in a battle of the biomes
• Obesity and depression independently increase health costs
• U.S. Navy researchers fire 1,000th shot on laboratory electromagnetic railgun
• Putting the body back into the mind of schizophrenia
• Enzymes act like a switch, turning antibiotic resistance on and off in enterococci
• Doctors can learn empathy through a computer-based tutorial
• Live longer with fewer calories? Key enzyme involved in aging process found
• Don't worry, be happy: Understanding mindfulness meditation
• Bigger birds in central California, courtesy of global climate change
• New findings may help explain high blood pressure in pregnancy
• High levels of master heat shock protein linked to poor prognosis in breast cancer patients
• Shared genes with Neanderthal relatives: Modern East Asians share genetic material with prehistoric Denisovans
• Nerve protein linked to learning and memory
• New way to rate severity of colitis, a common cause of diarrhea
• Convenient election day voting centers can improve voter turnout
• Doctors' own alcohol consumption colors advice to patients
• Grouse's top-flight nest sites are high, wide, and lonesome
• Fighting violent gang crime with math
• Boosting LED efficiency: Zinc oxide microwires improve performance of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) through the piezo-phototronic effect
• World's most efficient flexible organic light-emitting diodes created on plastic
• Researchers find regulatory T-cell clue to help prevent GVHD
• UV light controls antibodies, improves biosensors
• A SHARP new microscope for the next generation of biochips
• Relief from 'parking wars': Computer software to revamp city parking
• Using math and light to detect misshapen red blood cells
• Fast new method for mapping blood vessels may aid cancer research
• Rethinking equilibrium: In nature, large energy fluctuations may rile even 'relaxed' systems
• Link discovered among spectrum of childhood diseases
• Internet privacy tools are confusing, ineffective for most people
• Research examines college students' knowledge about eating disorders
• Targeting leg fatigue in heart failure
• Surgeons perform novel procedures prior to lung transplant
• Weight gain in college? The freshman 15 is just a myth, U.S. study reveals
• New rice varieties offer benefits to growers
• Noninvasive current stimulation improves sight in patients with optic nerve damage, study suggests
• Influencing craving for cigarettes by stimulating the brain
• Do deficits in brain cannabinoids contribute to eating disorders?
• Physicians show bias when diagnosing stomach problems, study finds
• Research highlights training to improve colorectal cancer detection and assesses impact of pre-cancerous changes in the far reaches of the colon
• Latitude variation in incidence of chronic digestive diseases
• Social media has role in delivery of healthcare but patients should proceed with caution, experts say
• Psychological traumas experienced over lifetime linked to adult irritable bowel syndrome
• Physicians who play Mozart while performing colonoscopy may improve adenoma detection rate
• New research on improved treatment options and screening strategies for hepatitis C
• Probiotics effective in combating antibiotic-associated diarrhea, studies find; 'Good bugs' look promising as anti-inflammatory agents
• Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, study finds
• Hepatitis transmission risk needs to be studied in nail salons, barbershops, analysis suggests
• Fecal microbiota transplants effective treatment for C. difficile, inflammatory bowel disease, research finds
• Cigarette smoking's impact lingers after quitting: Current, former smokers may face impaired pancreatic duct cell function, elevated colorectal cancer risk
• Celiac patients face potential hazard as information on cosmetic ingredients difficult to find
• Antibiotics may not be only cause of community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection
• Teeth crowded in seniors, as jaws shrink
• Computer-based tool to improve diagnosis and prognosis for cancer patients
• Short training course significantly improves detection of precancerous polyps, study finds
• Fast, affordable ways for countries to better identify causes of death in populations
• Key driver of metastasis identified

Mathematically detecting stock market bubbles before they burst Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:06 PM PDT From the dotcom bust in the late nineties to the housing crash in the run-up to the 2008 crisis, financial bubbles have been a topic of major concern. Identifying bubbles is important in order to prevent collapses that can severely impact nations and economies. A mathematical model has now been proposed for the detection of financial bubbles in order to prevent their collapse.

Modern genetics answers age-old question on Garrod's fourth inborn error of metabolism Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:06 PM PDT Fifty years after participating in studies of pentosuria, an inherited disorder once mistaken for diabetes, 15 families again welcomed medical geneticists into their lives. Their willingness to have their DNA analyzed with genomics technologies has solved a 100-year mystery. The findings may help elucidate when and how human mutations appear and are carried over generations and with migration of humans. Pentosuria occurs almost exclusively in Ashkenazi Jews. The findings suggest it occurs in about 1 in 3,330 people of this ancestry.

Technical aptitude: Do women score lower because they just aren't interested? Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:06 PM PDT Boys do better on tests of technical aptitude (for example, mechanical aptitude tests) than girls. The same is true for adults. A new study describes a theory explaining how the difference comes about: the root cause is that boys are just more interested in technical things, like taking apart a bike, than girls are.

Fighting fire with fire: 'Vampire' bacteria has potential as living antibiotic Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:06 PM PDT A vampire-like bacteria that leeches onto specific other bacteria -- including certain human pathogens -- has the potential to serve as a living antibiotic for a range of infectious diseases, a new study indicates.

Savannas and forests in a battle of the biomes Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:06 PM PDT Climate change, land use and other human-driven factors could pit savannas and forests against each other by altering the elements found by researchers to stabilize the two. Without this harmony, the habitats, or biomes, could increasingly encroach on one other to the detriment of the people and animals that rely on them.

Obesity and depression independently increase health costs Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:05 PM PDT Obesity and depression both dramatically increase health care costs, but they mainly act separately, according to a new study.

U.S. Navy researchers fire 1,000th shot on laboratory electromagnetic railgun Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:05 PM PDT Scientists at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory hit a materials research milestone in the Office of Naval Research's Electromagnetic Railgun program when they fired a laboratory-scale system for the 1,000th time Oct. 31.

Putting the body back into the mind of schizophrenia Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:02 PM PDT A new study of body ownership using the rubber hand illusion found that people with schizophrenia have a weakened sense of self awareness and produced one of the rare documented cases of a spontaneous out-of-body experience in the laboratory.

Enzymes act like a switch, turning antibiotic resistance on and off in enterococci Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:02 PM PDT Antibiotic-resistant enterococci are a serious problem for patients in the hospital, but little is known about how these bacteria are able to escape antibiotics. New discoveries about the ways in which enterococci turn their resistance to cephalosporin antibiotics on and off are described in a new study.

Doctors can learn empathy through a computer-based tutorial Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:02 PM PDT Cancer doctors want to offer a sympathetic ear, but sometimes miss the cues from patients. To help physicians better address their patients' fears and worries, a researcher has developed a new interactive training tool.

Live longer with fewer calories? Key enzyme involved in aging process found Posted: 31 Oct 2011 06:59 PM PDT By consuming fewer calories, aging can be slowed down and the development of age-related diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes can be delayed. The earlier calorie intake is reduced, the greater the effect. Researchers have now identified one of the enzymes that hold the key to the aging process.

Don't worry, be happy: Understanding mindfulness meditation Posted: 31 Oct 2011 12:41 PM PDT In times of stress, we're often encouraged to pause for a moment and simply be in the 'now.' This kind of mindfulness, an essential part of Buddhist and Indian Yoga traditions, has entered the mainstream as people try to find ways to combat stress and improve their quality of life.

Bigger birds in central California, courtesy of global climate change Posted: 31 Oct 2011 12:41 PM PDT Birds are getting bigger in central California, and that was a big surprise for researchers. They uncovered the trend while working analyzing data from thousands of birds caught and released each year at two sites near San Francisco Bay and Point Reyes National Seashore. The study found that birds' wings have grown longer and birds are increasing in mass.

New findings may help explain high blood pressure in pregnancy Posted: 31 Oct 2011 12:41 PM PDT Researchers have discovered that the infiltration of white blood cells into an expectant mother's blood vessels may explain high blood pressure in pregnancy.

High levels of master heat shock protein linked to poor prognosis in breast cancer patients Posted: 31 Oct 2011 12:41 PM PDT Scientists report that patients whose estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers have high levels of an ancient cellular survival factor experience poor outcomes -- including increased mortality. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately two-thirds of breast cancer patients have ER-positive tumors. HSF1 status may shed light not only on prognosis but also on how such patients might respond to specific therapies.

Shared genes with Neanderthal relatives: Modern East Asians share genetic material with prehistoric Denisovans Posted: 31 Oct 2011 12:41 PM PDT During human evolution our ancestors mated with Neanderthals, but also with other related hominids. Researchers have now shown that people in East Asia share genetic material with Denisovans, who got the name from the cave in Siberia where they were first found.

Nerve protein linked to learning and memory Posted: 31 Oct 2011 12:41 PM PDT Biology professors have found the protein tomosyn plays an important role in regulating neurotransmitter between synapses, and consequently plays a role in longer-term memory and learning. The results may prove helpful in developing new drugs to treat human memory loss.

New way to rate severity of colitis, a common cause of diarrhea Posted: 31 Oct 2011 10:22 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new way to assess a common cause of chronic diarrhea, microscopic colitis, using the Microscopic Colitis Disease Activity Index. The index provides a consistent way to assess the condition's severity.

Convenient election day voting centers can improve voter turnout Posted: 31 Oct 2011 10:22 AM PDT The convenience of election day voting centers can increase voter turnout, according to a new article.

Doctors' own alcohol consumption colors advice to patients Posted: 31 Oct 2011 10:20 AM PDT Doctors who drink more themselves are more liberal in their advice to patients on alcohol consumption. They set higher thresholds for what is harmful, and while men who are heavy drinkers get to continue drinking, women are often advised to stop altogether, reveals new research.

Grouse's top-flight nest sites are high, wide, and lonesome Posted: 31 Oct 2011 10:20 AM PDT When it comes to nesting, birds are no different than people - they want the best for their young, places with abundant food and shelter and a safe place to successfully raise their young. For the imperiled Gunnison sage-grouse, the more lonesome the nest site the better, according to a new study.

Fighting violent gang crime with math Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:12 AM PDT Mathematicians working with the Los Angeles Police Department to analyze crime patterns have designed a mathematical algorithm to identify street gangs involved in unsolved violent crimes -- the first scholarly study of gang violence of its kind.

Boosting LED efficiency: Zinc oxide microwires improve performance of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) through the piezo-phototronic effect Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:12 AM PDT Researchers have used zinc oxide microwires to significantly improve the efficiency at which gallium nitride light-emitting diodes (LED) convert electricity to ultraviolet light. The devices are believed to be the first LEDs whose performance has been enhanced by the piezo-phototronic effect.

World's most efficient flexible organic light-emitting diodes created on plastic Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:12 AM PDT Researchers have developed the world's most efficient organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) on plastic. This result enables a flexible form factor, not to mention a less costly, alternative to traditional OLED manufacturing, which currently relies on rigid glass.

Researchers find regulatory T-cell clue to help prevent GVHD Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:12 AM PDT Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a serious risk in many kinds of cell transplants, including for stem cell transplants carried out when stem cells are partially depleted of conventional T cells, which play an important role in the immune system. Now, researchers have tested a process by which T regulatory cells can be "expanded" to help prevent GVHD.

UV light controls antibodies, improves biosensors Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:12 AM PDT From detecting pathogens in blood samples to the study of protein synthesis, Quartz Crystal Microbalance sensors have many uses in modern biology. Now researchers have found a way to increase the number of right-side-up antibodies in this well-established molecule detection process -- using light.

A SHARP new microscope for the next generation of biochips Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:12 AM PDT Scientists are building the world's most advanced extreme-ultraviolet microscope to study and design the photolithography masks, materials, patterns, and architectures essential to the next generation of integrated circuits.

Relief from 'parking wars': Computer software to revamp city parking Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:12 AM PDT Researchers have developed a traffic simulator that takes into account real parking policies, the habits of urban drivers, and the movements of traffic inspectors to identify strategies for improvement and test the impact of parking policy changes before they're implemented.

Using math and light to detect misshapen red blood cells Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:12 AM PDT Researchers have pioneered a technique that will allow doctors to ascertain the healthy shape of red blood cells in just a few seconds, by analyzing the light scattered off hundreds of cells at a time.

Fast new method for mapping blood vessels may aid cancer research Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:02 AM PDT Computational neuroscientists have developed a new system, tested in mouse brain samples, that substantially reduces blood vessel mapping time.

Rethinking equilibrium: In nature, large energy fluctuations may rile even 'relaxed' systems Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:02 AM PDT Scientists have shown that large energy fluctuations can rile even a "relaxed" system, raising questions about how energy might travel through structures ranging from the ocean to DNA.

Link discovered among spectrum of childhood diseases Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:02 AM PDT Scientists have identified a genetic mutation that causes a rare childhood disease characterized predominantly by inflammation and fat loss.

Internet privacy tools are confusing, ineffective for most people Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:02 AM PDT Internet users who want to protect their privacy by stopping advertisers and other companies from tracking their online behavior will have great difficulty doing so with commonly available "opt-out" tools, researchers report. User testing found that privacy options in popular browsers, as well as online tools or plug-ins for blocking access by certain websites or otherwise opting out of tracking, were hard for the typical user to understand or to configure successfully.

Research examines college students' knowledge about eating disorders Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:02 AM PDT They're the prime demographic for developing eating disorders, yet new research suggests that it could be difficult for college students to notice the warning signs of disordered eating.

Targeting leg fatigue in heart failure Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:02 AM PDT Doctors should not only treat the heart muscle in chronic heart failure patients, but also their leg muscles through exercise, say researchers.

Surgeons perform novel procedures prior to lung transplant Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:02 AM PDT Surgeons have performed two specific procedures together as a bridge to lung transplantation. Wanda Craig, of Lexington, Ky., is the first patient in history to receive these procedures, and at the age of 68, she is also the oldest living human to be bridged to transplant using an artificial lung device, also known as an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Weight gain in college? The freshman 15 is just a myth, U.S. study reveals Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:52 AM PDT Contrary to popular belief, most college students don't gain anywhere near 15 pounds during their freshman year, according to a new nationwide study. Rather than adding "the freshman 15," as it is commonly called, the average student gains between about 2.5 and 3.5 pounds during the first year of college.

New rice varieties offer benefits to growers Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:52 AM PDT New rice varieties that offer new options for US growers and expanded market opportunities for the US rice industry have just been developed.

Noninvasive current stimulation improves sight in patients with optic nerve damage, study suggests Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:52 AM PDT It has long been thought that blindness after brain lesions is irreversible and that damage to the optic nerves leads to permanent impairments in everyday activities such as reading, driving, and spatial orientation. A new study suggests that treating such patients with low levels of non-invasive, repetitive, transorbital alternating current stimulation for 10 days (30-40 minutes per day) significantly reduces visual impairment and markedly improves vision-related quality of life.

Influencing craving for cigarettes by stimulating the brain Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:52 AM PDT Targeted brain stimulation increases cigarette cravings, a new study has found, which may lead to new treatments. Cues such as watching someone else smoke, elicit craving and may provoke relapse. There are many methods that smokers use in an attempt to reduce their craving for cigarettes, including efficacious pharmacologic treatments such as nicotine patches, hypnosis and acupuncture. Scientists have long suspected that these diverse approaches might work through the reduction of activity in a brain circuit that is responsible for cigarette craving.

Do deficits in brain cannabinoids contribute to eating disorders? Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:52 AM PDT A new report suggests that deficits in endocannabinoid function may contribute to anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Endocannabinoids are substances made by the brain that affect brain function and chemistry in ways that resemble the effects of cannabis derivatives, including marijuana and hashish. These commonly abused drugs are well known to increase appetite, i.e., to cause the "munchies." Thus, it makes sense that deficits in this brain system would be associated with reduced appetite.

Physicians show bias when diagnosing stomach problems, study finds Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:51 AM PDT Patients who complain of upper gastrointestinal symptoms often face a diagnosis of either gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or functional dyspepsia. Because the two conditions often overlap, it can be difficult to distinguish between them and diagnose them properly. Yet ambulatory care facilities and hospitals have reported a dramatic increase in the number of GERD-related visits/discharges in recent years.

Research highlights training to improve colorectal cancer detection and assesses impact of pre-cancerous changes in the far reaches of the colon Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:51 AM PDT The first study to assess improvements in detection of pre-cancerous growths in the colon through intensive physician training was presented today at ACG 2011, where CRC detection was an important focus of the scientific presentations.

Latitude variation in incidence of chronic digestive diseases Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:51 AM PDT New research points to a potential role for UV light exposure and vitamin D levels in chronic digestive conditions; Crohn's disease, a serious inflammatory condition in the small intestine; and ulcerative colitis, which similarly affects the colon.

Social media has role in delivery of healthcare but patients should proceed with caution, experts say Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:51 AM PDT Social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube can be powerful platforms to deliver and receive healthcare information, especially for patients and caregivers who are increasingly going online to connect and share experiences with others with similar medical issues or concerns. However, experts say these sites may lack patient-centered information and can also be sources of misleading information that could potentially do more harm than good, according to the results of two separate social media-related studies unveiled today.

Psychological traumas experienced over lifetime linked to adult irritable bowel syndrome Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:51 AM PDT The psychological and emotional traumas experienced over a lifetime -- such as the death of a loved one, divorce, natural disaster, house fire or car accident, physical or mental abuse -- may contribute to adult irritable bowel syndrome, according to the results of a new study.

Physicians who play Mozart while performing colonoscopy may improve adenoma detection rate Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:49 AM PDT Physicians who listen to Mozart while performing colonoscopy may increase their detection rates of precancerous polyps, according to the results of a new study.

New research on improved treatment options and screening strategies for hepatitis C Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:49 AM PDT Researchers are presenting studies reporting on the effectiveness of new therapies for chronic hepatitis C virus, as well as findings from an age-based risk assessment and screening intervention for hepatitis C among Baby Boomers, patients aged 50-65, who saw a gastroenterologist for routine colon cancer screening.

Probiotics effective in combating antibiotic-associated diarrhea, studies find; 'Good bugs' look promising as anti-inflammatory agents Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:49 AM PDT In four different studies, researchers explored the effectiveness of probiotics for antibiotic-associated diarrhea; as an anti-inflammatory agent for patients with ulcerative colitis, psoriasis and chronic fatigue syndrome; and for people with abdominal discomfort and bloating who have not been diagnosed with a functional bowel disorder, such as irritable bowel syndrome.

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, study finds Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:49 AM PDT Just one drink per day for women -- two for men -- could lead to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and subsequently cause gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea, according to the results of a new study.

Hepatitis transmission risk needs to be studied in nail salons, barbershops, analysis suggests Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:49 AM PDT The risk of hepatitis transmission through non-single use instruments -- such as nail files, nail brushes, finger bowls, foot basins, buffers, razors, clippers, and scissors -- during nail salon and barbershop visits cannot be excluded, according to the results of a new report.

Fecal microbiota transplants effective treatment for C. difficile, inflammatory bowel disease, research finds Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:49 AM PDT Growing evidence for the effectiveness of fecal microbiota transplants as a treatment for patients with recurrent bouts of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea is presented in three studies -- including a long-term follow-up of colonoscopic fecal microbiota transplant for recurrent C. difficile Infection that included 77 patients from five different states.

Cigarette smoking's impact lingers after quitting: Current, former smokers may face impaired pancreatic duct cell function, elevated colorectal cancer risk Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:49 AM PDT Cigarette smoking appears to impair pancreatic duct cell function -- even for those who quit -- putting all smokers at risk of compromised digestive function regardless of age, gender and alcohol intake, according to the results of a new study.

Celiac patients face potential hazard as information on cosmetic ingredients difficult to find Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:49 AM PDT The lack of readily available information about cosmetic ingredients may cause patients with celiac disease who use lip, facial or body products to unknowingly expose themselves to gluten -- an ingredient they need to avoid, according to the results of a new study.

Antibiotics may not be only cause of community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:49 AM PDT Antibiotics may not be the only risk factor associated with community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection, indicating that other undefined causes of the potentially life-threatening infection may exist and could also predict whether or not a patient will require hospitalization, according to the results of a new study.

Teeth crowded in seniors, as jaws shrink Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:48 AM PDT The size of our jaws decreases with age. This is shown in a unique study from Sweden that followed a cohort of dentists throughout their adult lives.

Computer-based tool to improve diagnosis and prognosis for cancer patients Posted: 31 Oct 2011 08:48 AM PDT A computer-based tool could help GPs to speed up the diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from two of the most common forms of cancer, potentially saving thousands of lives every year.

Short training course significantly improves detection of precancerous polyps, study finds Posted: 31 Oct 2011 05:20 AM PDT Just two extra hours of focused training significantly increased the ability of physicians to find potentially precancerous polyps, known as adenomas, in the colon, according to researchers.

Fast, affordable ways for countries to better identify causes of death in populations Posted: 31 Oct 2011 05:20 AM PDT New research shows that innovative and improved methods for analyzing verbal autopsies -- a method of determining individuals' causes of death in countries without a complete vital registration system -- are fast, effective, and inexpensive, and could be invaluable for countries struggling to understand disease trends.

Key driver of metastasis identified Posted: 31 Oct 2011 05:20 AM PDT Protein S100A10 is essential for metastatic growth. Macrophages rely upon S100A10 to power movement of tumor cells to new sites.

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