الأربعاء، 16 مايو 2012

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News

Sulfur finding may hold key to Gaia theory of Earth as living organism

Posted: 15 May 2012 05:31 PM PDT

Is Earth really a sort of giant living organism as the Gaia hypothesis predicts? A new discovery may provide a key to answering this question. This key of sulfur could allow scientists to unlock heretofore hidden interactions between ocean organisms, atmosphere, and land -- interactions that might provide evidence supporting this famous theory.

Hidden lives of elephant seals: Record-setting dive more than a mile deep

Posted: 15 May 2012 05:30 PM PDT

The same researchers who pioneered the use of satellite tags to monitor the migrations of elephant seals have compiled one of the largest datasets available for any marine mammal species, revealing their movements and diving behavior at sea in unprecedented detail.

Ancient sea reptile with gammy jaw suggests dinosaurs got arthritis too

Posted: 15 May 2012 05:30 PM PDT

Imagine having arthritis in your jaw bones ... if they're over 2 meters long! A new study has found signs of a degenerative condition similar to human arthritis in the jaw of a pliosaur, an ancient sea reptile that lived 150 million years ago. Such a disease has never been described before in fossilized Jurassic reptiles.

Mixed bacterial communities evolve to share resources, not compete

Posted: 15 May 2012 05:30 PM PDT

New research shows how bacteria evolve to increase ecosystem functioning by recycling each other's waste. The study provides some of the first evidence for how interactions between species shape evolution when there is a diverse community.

New look at prolonged radiation exposure: At low dose-rate, radiation poses little risk to DNA, study suggests

Posted: 15 May 2012 03:12 PM PDT

A new study suggests that the guidelines governments use to determine when to evacuate people following a nuclear accident may be too conservative.

Air pollution level changes in Beijing linked with biomarkers of cardiovascular disease

Posted: 15 May 2012 01:54 PM PDT

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, changes in air pollution were associated with changes in biomarkers of systemic inflammation and thrombosis (formation of blood clot) as well as measures of cardiovascular physiology in healthy young persons, according to a new study.

Drugs from gila monster lizard saliva reduces cravings for chocolate and ordinary food

Posted: 15 May 2012 01:54 PM PDT

A drug made from the saliva of the Gila monster lizard is effective in reducing the craving for food. Researchers have tested the drug on rats, who after treatment ceased their cravings for both food and chocolate.

This is your brain on sugar: Study in rats shows high-fructose diet sabotages learning, memory

Posted: 15 May 2012 12:09 PM PDT

A new study is the first to show how a diet steadily high in fructose slows the brain, hampering memory and learning -- and how omega-3 fatty acids can minimize the damage.

A supernova cocoon breakthrough

Posted: 15 May 2012 10:17 AM PDT

Astronomers have the first X-ray evidence of a supernova shock wave breaking through a cocoon of gas surrounding the star that exploded. This discovery may help astronomers understand why some supernovas are much more powerful than others.

People see sexy pictures of women as objects, not people; sexy-looking men as people

Posted: 15 May 2012 10:17 AM PDT

Perfume ads, beer billboards, movie posters: everywhere you look, women's sexualized bodies are on display. A new study finds that both men and women see images of sexy women's bodies as objects, while they see sexy-looking men as people.

Mystery gene reveals new mechanism for anxiety disorders

Posted: 15 May 2012 10:17 AM PDT

A novel mechanism for anxiety behaviors, including a previously unrecognized inhibitory brain signal, may inspire new strategies for treating psychiatric disorders, researchers report. By testing the controversial role of a gene called Glo1 in anxiety, scientists uncovered a new inhibitory factor in the brain: The metabolic by-product methylglyoxal. The system offers a tantalizing new target for drugs designed to treat conditions such as anxiety disorder, epilepsy, and sleep disorders.

Statistical analysis projects future temperatures in North America

Posted: 15 May 2012 10:16 AM PDT

For the first time, researchers have been able to combine different climate models using spatial statistics -- to project future seasonal temperature changes in regions across North America.

Chronic child abuse strong indicator of negative adult experiences

Posted: 15 May 2012 10:13 AM PDT

Child abuse or neglect are strong predictors of major health and emotional problems, but little is known about how the chronicity of the maltreatment may increase future harm apart from other risk factors in a child's life. Scientist have now taken a closer look at how chronic maltreatment has impacted the future health and behavior of children and adults.

New 'metamaterial' practical for optical advances

Posted: 15 May 2012 07:47 AM PDT

Researchers have taken a step toward overcoming a key obstacle in commercializing "hyperbolic metamaterials," structures that could bring optical advances including ultrapowerful microscopes, computers and solar cells.

Ultrasensitive biosensor promising for medical diagnostics

Posted: 15 May 2012 07:47 AM PDT

Researchers have created an ultrasensitive biosensor that could open up new opportunities for early detection of cancer and "personalized medicine" tailored to the specific biochemistry of individual patients.

Tiny plants could cut costs, shrink environmental footprint

Posted: 15 May 2012 07:46 AM PDT

Tall, waving corn fields that line Midwestern roads may one day be replaced by dwarfed versions that require less water, fertilizer and other inputs, thanks to a fungicide commonly used on golf courses.

Surgeons restore some hand function to quadriplegic patient

Posted: 15 May 2012 07:45 AM PDT

Surgeons have restored some hand function in a quadriplegic patient with a spinal cord injury at the C7 vertebra, the lowest bone in the neck. Instead of operating on the spine itself, the surgeons rerouted working nerves in the upper arms. These nerves still "talk" to the brain because they attach to the spine above the injury.

Beyond the high-speed hard drive: Topological insulators open a path to room-temperature spintronics

Posted: 15 May 2012 06:41 AM PDT

Theorists and experimenters have explored the unique properties of topological insulators, where electrons may flow on the surface without resistance, with spin orientations and directions intimately related. Recent research opens exciting prospects for practical new room-temperature spintronic devices that can exploit control of electron spin as well as charge.

Looks matter more than reputation when it comes to trusting people with our money

Posted: 15 May 2012 06:41 AM PDT

Our decisions to trust people with our money are based more on how they look then how they behave, according to new research.

Mice with big brains provide insight into brain regeneration and developmental disorders

Posted: 15 May 2012 06:41 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered that mice that lack a gene called Snf2l have brains that are 35 percent larger than normal. The research could lead to new approaches to stimulate brain regeneration and may provide important insight into developmental disorders such as autism and Rett syndrome.

Arctic seabirds adapt to climate change

Posted: 15 May 2012 06:39 AM PDT

The planet is warming up, especially at the poles. How do organisms react to this rise in temperatures? Biologists have now shown that little auks, the most common seabirds in the Arctic, are adapting their fishing behavior to warming surface waters in the Greenland Sea. So far, their reproductive and survival rates have not been affected. However, further warming could threaten the species.

Black holes turn up the heat for the Universe

Posted: 15 May 2012 06:39 AM PDT

Astrophysicists have just discovered a new heating source in cosmological structure formation. Until now, astrophysicists thought that super-massive black holes could only influence their immediate surroundings. Scientists have now discovered that diffuse gas in the universe can absorb luminous gamma-ray emission from black holes, heating it up strongly. This surprising result has important implications for the formation of structures in the universe.

Female terrorists' bios belie stereotypes, study finds

Posted: 15 May 2012 06:39 AM PDT

Much like their male counterparts, female terrorists are likely to be educated, employed and native residents of the country where they commit a terrorist act, according to new research.

Delivery system for gene therapy may help treat arthritis

Posted: 15 May 2012 04:04 AM PDT

A DNA-covered submicroscopic bead used to deliver genes or drugs directly into cells to treat disease appears to have therapeutic value just by showing up, researchers report.

Key genes and prototype predictive test for schizophrenia identified

Posted: 15 May 2012 04:04 AM PDT

Medical researchers have identified and prioritized a comprehensive group of genes most associated with schizophrenia that together can generate a score indicating whether an individual is at higher or lower risk of developing the disease.

Scientists discover clues to muscle stem cell functions

Posted: 15 May 2012 04:03 AM PDT

Scientists have identified how skeletal muscle stem cells respond to muscle injury and may be stimulated to improve muscle repair in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a severe inherited disease of muscle that causes weakness, disability and, ultimately, heart and respiratory failure.

Early Biomarker for Pancreatic Cancer Identified

Posted: 15 May 2012 04:03 AM PDT

Researchers have identified a new biomarker and therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer, an often-fatal disease for which there is currently no reliable method for early detection or therapeutic intervention.

Cross-reactivity between peanuts and other legumes can lead to serious allergic reactions

Posted: 15 May 2012 02:25 AM PDT

Food allergies pose a serious and growing problem in the West. Many foods can lead to allergic reactions and this situation is further complicated by so-called cross-reactions, whereby an allergy to one particular food can trigger allergic reactions to another food. There are no treatments available for food allergies, but the establishment of two mouse models can be used to develop and test new forms of treatment, for example vaccines.

Watching the 'birth' of an electron: Ionization viewed with 10 attosecond resolution

Posted: 15 May 2012 02:25 AM PDT

A strong laser beam can remove an electron from an atom – a process which takes place almost instantly. This phenomenon could now be studied with a time resolution of less than ten attoseconds (ten billionths of a billionth of a second). Scientists succeeded in watching an atom being ionized and a free electron being "born".  These measurements yield valuable information about the electrons in the atom, which up until now  hasn't been experimentally accessible, such as the time evolution of the electron's quantum phase – the beat to which the quantum waves oscillate.

How to minimize damage from strokes, according to experts

Posted: 14 May 2012 05:39 PM PDT

Following a stroke, factors as varied as blood sugar, body temperature and position in bed can affect patient outcomes, researchers report.

Genetic test identifies eye cancer tumors likely to spread

Posted: 14 May 2012 05:39 PM PDT

Researchers have developed a genetic test that can accurately predict whether the most common form of eye cancer will spread to other parts of the body, particularly the liver. The test successfully classified tumors more than 97 percent of the time.

Breakthrough in bile duct cancer with discovery of new gene mutations

Posted: 14 May 2012 12:31 PM PDT

Scientists have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the cause of bile duct cancer, a deadly type of liver cancer. By identifying several new genes frequently mutated in bile duct cancers, researchers are paving the way for better understanding of how bile duct cancers develop.

First ever record of insect pollination from 100 million years ago

Posted: 14 May 2012 12:31 PM PDT

Amber from the Cretaceous period found in Spain has revealed the first ever fossil record of insect pollination. Scientists discovered and studied with X-rays at the ESRF a specimen of a tiny insect covered with pollen grains. This is the first record of pollen transport and social behavior in this group of animals.

Superbug spreads from big city hospitals to regional health centers, study suggests

Posted: 14 May 2012 12:31 PM PDT

Hospitals in large cities act as breeding grounds for the superbug MRSA prior to it spreading to smaller hospitals, a study suggests. Researchers found evidence that shows for the first time how the superbug spreads between different hospitals throughout the country.

New species of fish in Sweden

Posted: 14 May 2012 10:43 AM PDT

Reticulated dragonet have been found in Väderöarna -- "Weather Islands" -- off the west coast of Sweden. It is not often that a new species of fish is discovered in Sweden.

Locating lice as they hitch-hike with birds for life

Posted: 14 May 2012 10:42 AM PDT

Although chewing lice spend their entire lives as parasites on birds, it is difficult to predict patterns of lice distribution, new research reveals.

Acupuncture appears linked with improvement in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Posted: 14 May 2012 09:27 AM PDT

According to a small clinical trial reported by investigators from Japan, acupuncture appears to be associated with improvement of dyspnea (labored breathing) on exertion, in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Back pain improves in first six weeks of treatment but lingering effects at one year, study suggests

Posted: 14 May 2012 09:27 AM PDT

For people receiving health care for acute and persistent low-back pain, symptoms will improve significantly in the first six weeks, but pain and disability may linger even after one year, states a large study.

Chicago police cameras more effective when clustered

Posted: 14 May 2012 09:26 AM PDT

Chicago's network of police cameras is more effective at reducing crime in high-crime areas than in low-crime areas, according to a new study.
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