ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Improving diagnosis of thyroid nodules
• Lifestyle of a killer: In wild European brown shrimp, parasitic dinoflagellates have bacteria-like endosymbionts
• Hadley Crater provides deep insight into Martian geology
• NASA Mars rover Curiosity begins arm-work phase
• Biologists tag 'zombees' to track their flight
• Even the very elderly and frail can benefit from exercise
• Modeling sepsis in newborns: Technical achievement will speed the search for better diagnostics, treatments
• Even small weight gains raise blood pressure in college students
• Non-alcoholic red wine may help reduce high blood pressure
• Genome of malaria-causing parasite sequenced: Even when on different continents, organism features same mutations
• Genetic test will help dose blood thinner
• Biopsies may overlook esophagus disease; Study reveals limitations in detecting allergic disorder
• Alcoholics anonymous participation promotes long-term recovery, study finds
• Well-known protein reveals new tricks
• Why claws come out over feral cat management: Finding common ground among 'cat people' and 'bird people'
• New blood test detects potentially deadly calcium deposits
• Some patients with common kidney disease can skip standard treatments
• Simple Blood Tests Detect Autoimmune Kidney Disease, Help Predict Prognosis
• Neutron detector will advance human disease research
• Crews complete first block of North America's most advanced neutrino experiment
• Doctor and pharmacy shopping linked to prescription drug overdose deaths, study finds
• Crizotinib reduces tumor size in patients with ALK positive lung cancer
• Hispanic lung cancer patients have higher survival than non-Hispanic white patients
• Weapon-wielding marine microbes may protect populations from foes
• Guantanamo Bay Lepidoptera study sets baseline for future research
• Parents' skin cancer concern doesn't keep kids inside
• Social psychologists espouse tolerance and diversity: Do they walk the walk?
• Childhood virus RSV shows promise against adult cancer
• Standard chemotherapy provides higher survival rate than experimental in lung cancer patients
• Favorite TV reruns may have restorative powers
• Stage I NSCLC patients who receive radiation therapy are surviving longer
• Brain radiation after lung cancer treatment reduces risk of cancer spreading
• Adding bavituximab to second-line chemotherapy doubles response rate
• Changes in water chemistry leave lake critters defenseless
• Genetic discovery in Montreal for a rare disease in Newfoundland
• Quantum world only partially melts: Ultracold atoms reveal surprising new quantum effects
• Public health messages encourage fathers to speak with their children about sex, study finds
• Protein critical to gut lining repair identified
• Nutritional supplement offers promise in treatment of unique form of autism
• What light through yonder tiny window breaks? Researchers optimize photoluminescent probes to study dna and more
• People who get kidney stones more likely to develop kidney failure
• Mining the blogosphere: Researchers develop tools that make sense of social media
• In Rochester, a tale of tainted tattoos: Outbreak highlights new source of infection -- tattoo ink
• 'I knew it all along ... didn't I?' -- Understanding hindsight bias
• Predicting how patients respond to therapy: Brain scans could help doctors choose treatments for people with social anxiety disorder
• Transformation of health system needed to improve care and reduce costs
• Childhood sexual abuse linked to later heart attacks in men
• Storm of 'awakened' transposons may cause brain-cell pathologies in ALS, other illnesses
• Destroyed coastal habitats produce significant greenhouse gas
• Master gene affects neurons that govern breathing at birth and in adulthood
• Immune cell death safeguards against autoimmune disease
• Stem-cell-protecting drug could prevent the harmful side effects of radiation therapy
• Rare autoimmune disease attacks people of Asian descent
• Germ cell-supporting embryonic Sertoli-like cells created from skin cells
• Atypical skin mole may provide means to test for new cancer syndrome
• Pint-size molecules show promise against obesity
• Brain filter for clear information transmission: Neuronal inhibition is key for memory formation
• Mars's dramatic climate variations are driven by the Sun
• Earlier treatment for young patients with chronic hepatitis B more effective in clearing virus
• Chikyu sets a new world drilling-depth record of scientific ocean drilling

Improving diagnosis of thyroid nodules Posted: 06 Sep 2012 05:33 PM PDT Thyroid nodules are thought to be present in about half of all people, but very few of these are cancerous. New research presents a set of diagnostic biomarkers which are able to distinguish between malignant and benign thyroid nodules.

Lifestyle of a killer: In wild European brown shrimp, parasitic dinoflagellates have bacteria-like endosymbionts Posted: 06 Sep 2012 05:33 PM PDT Parasitic dinoflagellates of the genus Hematodinium are a big problem for crab, prawn and shrimp fisheries across the world. New research has found that, in wild European brown shrimp (Crangon crangon), these parasites have bacteria-like endosymbionts. The presence of these endosymbionts indicates a previously unknown side to the lifecycle of Hematodinium.

Hadley Crater provides deep insight into Martian geology Posted: 06 Sep 2012 04:14 PM PDT Recently engaged in providing support to the successful landing of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover, ESA's Mars Express has now returned to its primary mission of studying the diverse geology and atmosphere of the 'Red Planet' from orbit. Earlier this year, the spacecraft observed the 120 km wide Hadley Crater, providing a tantalizing insight into the martian crust. The images show multiple subsequent impacts within the main crater wall, reaching depths of up to 2600 m below the surrounding surface.

NASA Mars rover Curiosity begins arm-work phase Posted: 06 Sep 2012 04:05 PM PDT After driving more than a football field's length since landing, NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is spending several days preparing for full use of the tools on its arm.

Biologists tag 'zombees' to track their flight Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:20 PM PDT After last year's accidental discovery of "zombie"-like bees infected with a fly parasite, researchers are conducting an elaborate experiment to learn more about the plight of the honey bees.

Even the very elderly and frail can benefit from exercise Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:20 PM PDT A new study has shown that all seniors, even those considered frail, can enjoy the benefits of exercise in terms of their physical and cognitive faculties and quality of life and that these benefits appear after only three months.

Modeling sepsis in newborns: Technical achievement will speed the search for better diagnostics, treatments Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:20 PM PDT Sepsis, or bacterial infection of the bloodstream, is a grave, hard-to-diagnose threat in premature newborns in the NICU. Even when it's detected and treated with antibiotics, its inflammatory effects can harm fragile babies' development. Now, researchers have modeled the effects of sepsis on the unique newborn immune system, using mice. They and others have begun using the model to identify diagnostic markers and better treatments.

Even small weight gains raise blood pressure in college students Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:19 PM PDT As a college student, you may be happy simply not to have gained the "Freshman 15." But a new study shows that as little as 1.5 pounds per year is enough to raise blood pressure in that age group, and the effect was worse for young women.

Non-alcoholic red wine may help reduce high blood pressure Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:19 PM PDT Non-alcoholic red wine was more effective at lowering blood pressure than traditional red wine or gin. Red wine's polyphenols uninhibited by alcohol seem to be the blood pressure reducing element.

Genome of malaria-causing parasite sequenced: Even when on different continents, organism features same mutations Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:19 PM PDT Scientists have discovered that the parasite that causes the most common form of malaria share the same genetic variations -- even when the organisms are separated across continents. The discovery raises concerns that mutations to resist existing medications could spread worldwide, making global eradication efforts even more difficult.

Genetic test will help dose blood thinner Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:16 PM PDT Patients suffering from dangerous blood clots will receive genetic testing to help health professionals at the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System prescribe the proper dose of the blood-thinner warfarin.

Biopsies may overlook esophagus disease; Study reveals limitations in detecting allergic disorder Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:16 PM PDT University of Utah engineers mapped white blood cells called eonsinophils and showed an existing diagnostic method may overlook an elusive digestive disorder that causes swelling in the esophagus and painful swallowing.

Alcoholics anonymous participation promotes long-term recovery, study finds Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:16 PM PDT A new study finds that recovering alcoholics who help others in 12-step programs furthers their time sober, consideration for others, step-work, and long-term meeting attendance.

Well-known protein reveals new tricks Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:16 PM PDT A protein called clathrin, which is found in every human cell and plays a critical role in transporting materials within them, also plays a key role in cell division, according to new research.

Why claws come out over feral cat management: Finding common ground among 'cat people' and 'bird people' Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:16 PM PDT A national survey shows that "cat people" and "bird people" have heated differences of opinion, complicating the challenge of managing more than 50 million free-roaming feral cats while protecting threatened wildlife. A new study identifies why the claws come out over feral cat management and which approaches might be useful in finding common ground among those with polarized opinions.

New blood test detects potentially deadly calcium deposits Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:16 PM PDT For the first time, a new test can measure the propensity for calcification to occur in an individual's blood. The test could identify people at risk for vascular calcification, a major cause of heart disease.

Some patients with common kidney disease can skip standard treatments Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:16 PM PDT Many patients with a common kidney disease who had normal kidney function and only minor urinary abnormalities at diagnosis experienced remission without special treatments. None developed kidney failure over a 20-year follow-up.

Simple Blood Tests Detect Autoimmune Kidney Disease, Help Predict Prognosis Posted: 06 Sep 2012 03:16 PM PDT • Blood tests of particular autoantibodies can accurately diagnose the autoimmune kidney disease called idiopathic membranous nephropathy. • Patients with high levels of these autoantibodies tend to have more severe disease, while those with low levels often experience remission. Each year, an estimated 50,000 people globally are diagnosed with idiopathic membranous nephropathy.

Neutron detector will advance human disease research Posted: 06 Sep 2012 12:42 PM PDT A neutron detector developed for studies focused on life science, drug discovery and materials technology has been licensed by PartTec Ltd. The Indiana-based manufacturer of radiation detection technologies is moving the technology developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory toward the commercial marketplace.

Crews complete first block of North America's most advanced neutrino experiment Posted: 06 Sep 2012 12:11 PM PDT Technicians in Minnesota are positioning the first block of the NOvA far detector, which will be part of the largest, most advanced neutrino experiment in North America.

Doctor and pharmacy shopping linked to prescription drug overdose deaths, study finds Posted: 06 Sep 2012 12:05 PM PDT A new study has found that doctor and pharmacy shoppers are at a greater risk for drug-related death.

Crizotinib reduces tumor size in patients with ALK positive lung cancer Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:48 AM PDT Crizotinib is effective in shrinking tumors in patients with anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase positive non-small cell lung cancer, a cancer commonly found in people who never smoked, and should be the standard of care for advanced stages of this disease, according to research presented at the 2012 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology.

Hispanic lung cancer patients have higher survival than non-Hispanic white patients Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:48 AM PDT Analysis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient records in the California Cancer Registry database during the 20-year period of 1988-2008 indicates that Hispanics/Latinos with NSCLC have a higher overall survival compared to non-Hispanic white patients, according to research presented at the 2012 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology.

Weapon-wielding marine microbes may protect populations from foes Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:48 AM PDT Researchers have recently found evidence that some ocean microbes wield chemical weapons that are harmless to close relatives within their own population, but deadly to outsiders.

Guantanamo Bay Lepidoptera study sets baseline for future research Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:48 AM PDT Scientists publishing the first study on butterflies and moths of Guantanamo Bay Naval Station have discovered vast biodiversity in an area previously unknown to researchers.

Parents' skin cancer concern doesn't keep kids inside Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:48 AM PDT Does parents' increasing skin cancer awareness make indoor, obese kids? Nope. A new study shows that skin cancer concern doesn't affect kids' time outside.

Social psychologists espouse tolerance and diversity: Do they walk the walk? Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:48 AM PDT Periodically, someone will make the observation that there is a lack of political diversity among psychological scientists; a discussion about what should be done inevitably ensues. The notion of a liberal bias is certainly worthy of concern, but we have few of the facts necessary to understand and address the issue. In a new article, researchers ask several questions in order to gain a clearer picture of the ideological diversity between and within social psychologists.

Childhood virus RSV shows promise against adult cancer Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:48 AM PDT RSV, a common respiratory virus in infants and young children, is being studied as a safe, effective way to treat cancer. RSV already shows promise in anti-cancer trials overseas. US clinical trials could be on the horizon.

Standard chemotherapy provides higher survival rate than experimental in lung cancer patients Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:48 AM PDT Treatment with pemetrexed, carboplatin and bevacizumab followed by maintenance pemetrexed and bevacizumab (Pem+Cb+B) is no better than standard therapy with paclitaxel, carboplatin and bevacizumab followed by bevacizumab (Pac+Cb+B) in patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer, according to research presented at the 2012 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology.

Favorite TV reruns may have restorative powers Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:46 AM PDT Scientist have found that watching a rerun of a favorite TV show may help restore the drive to get things done in people who have used up their reserves of willpower or self-control.

Stage I NSCLC patients who receive radiation therapy are surviving longer Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:18 AM PDT Stage I, non-small cell lung cancer patients who received radiation therapy have an increased median survival of 21 months compared to 16 months, and the percentage of patients who receive no treatment declined from 20 percent to 16 percent, respectively, when comparing the two eras evaluated, 1999-2003 and 2004-2008, according to detailed analysis of the SEER-17 national database presented at the 2012 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology.

Brain radiation after lung cancer treatment reduces risk of cancer spreading Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:18 AM PDT Stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with surgery and/or radiation therapy have a significantly reduced risk of developing brain metastases if they also receive prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI); however, this study did not show an improvement in overall survival with PCI, according to research presented at the 2012 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology.

Adding bavituximab to second-line chemotherapy doubles response rate Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:18 AM PDT Adding the monoclonal antibody bavituximab to docetaxel chemotherapy doubles overall response rate and improves progression-free survival and overall survival in late-stage non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer patients who have already received one prior chemotherapy regimen, according to research presented at the 2012 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology.

Changes in water chemistry leave lake critters defenseless Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:18 AM PDT Changes in Canadian lake water chemistry have left small water organisms vulnerable to ambush by predators, according to a new study. Low calcium levels affect the exoskeleton development of water fleas, which are food for fish and keep lakes clean. Plankton in the world's oceans may also be affected.

Genetic discovery in Montreal for a rare disease in Newfoundland Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:18 AM PDT Researchers have discovered the genetic cause of a rare disease reported only in patients originating from Newfoundland: Hereditary spastic ataxia. This condition is characterized by lower-limb spasticity (or stiffness) and ataxia (lack of coordination), the latter leading to speech and swallowing problems, and eye movement abnormalities.

Quantum world only partially melts: Ultracold atoms reveal surprising new quantum effects Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:18 AM PDT Scientists are investigating the transition of quantum systems as they approach thermal equilibrium. Scientists have now detected an astonishingly stable intermediate state between order and disorder.

Public health messages encourage fathers to speak with their children about sex, study finds Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:11 AM PDT Public health messages may help encourage fathers to have more conversations with their children about waiting to become sexually active, according to researchers.

Protein critical to gut lining repair identified Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:11 AM PDT Scientists have identified a protein essential to repairing the intestine's inner lining.

Nutritional supplement offers promise in treatment of unique form of autism Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:11 AM PDT An international team of researchers has identified a form of autism with epilepsy that may potentially be treatable with a common nutritional supplement.

What light through yonder tiny window breaks? Researchers optimize photoluminescent probes to study dna and more Posted: 06 Sep 2012 10:14 AM PDT Sorting good data from bad is critical when analyzing microscopic structures like cells and their contents, according to researchers. The trick is to find the right window of time through which to look. A new paper offers a methodology to optimize the sensitivity of photoluminescent probes using time-resolved spectroscopy. Researchers found their technique gave results nearly twice as good as standard fluorescence spectroscopy does when they probed for specific DNA sequences.

People who get kidney stones more likely to develop kidney failure Posted: 06 Sep 2012 10:13 AM PDT People who have had kidney stones are twice as likely to need dialysis or a kidney transplant later in life, demonstrates recent findings.

Mining the blogosphere: Researchers develop tools that make sense of social media Posted: 06 Sep 2012 10:13 AM PDT Can a computer "read" an online blog and understand it? Several computer scientists are helping to get closer to that goal.

In Rochester, a tale of tainted tattoos: Outbreak highlights new source of infection -- tattoo ink Posted: 06 Sep 2012 10:13 AM PDT A recent study documents 19 cases of tattoos infected with a type of bacteria often found in tap water. Evidence points to a premixed gray ink, the type used in portrait tattoos, as the culprit. Physicians who treated the patients believe that tattoo-associated infections are probably more common than we think and that doctors should think about infectious causes if patients aren't responding to topical treatments that would typically dispel any allergic reactions to tattoos.

'I knew it all along ... didn't I?' -- Understanding hindsight bias Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:33 AM PDT The situation may be different each time, but we hear ourselves say it over and over again: "I knew it all along." The problem is that too often we actually didn't know it all along, we only feel as though we did. In a new article, psychological scientists explore existing research on "hindsight bias," identifying the factors that make us susceptible to the phenomenon and identifying some ways we might be able to combat it.

Predicting how patients respond to therapy: Brain scans could help doctors choose treatments for people with social anxiety disorder Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:33 AM PDT A new study has found that brain scans of patients with social anxiety disorder can help predict whether they will benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy.

Transformation of health system needed to improve care and reduce costs Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:33 AM PDT America's health care system has become too complex and costly to continue business as usual, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

Childhood sexual abuse linked to later heart attacks in men Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT Men who experienced childhood sexual abuse are three times more likely to have a heart attack than men who were not sexually abused as children, according to a new study. The researchers found no association between childhood sexual abuse and heart attacks among women.

Storm of 'awakened' transposons may cause brain-cell pathologies in ALS, other illnesses Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT A team of neuroscientists and informatics experts reports important progress in an effort to understand the relationship between transposons -- sequences of DNA that can jump around within the genome, potentially causing great damage -- and mechanisms involved in serious neurodegenerative disorders including ALS, FTLD (frontotemporal lobar degeneration) and Alzheimer's disease.

Destroyed coastal habitats produce significant greenhouse gas Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT Destruction of coastal habitats may release as much as one billion tons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere each year, 10 times higher than previously reported, according to a new study.

Master gene affects neurons that govern breathing at birth and in adulthood Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT When mice are born lacking the master gene Atoh1, none breathe well and all die in the newborn period. Why and how this occurs could provide new answers about sudden infant death syndrome, but the solution has remained elusive until now.

Immune cell death safeguards against autoimmune disease Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that a pair of molecules work together to kill so-called 'self-reactive' immune cells that are programmed to attack the body's own organs. The finding is helping to explain how autoimmune diseases develop.

Stem-cell-protecting drug could prevent the harmful side effects of radiation therapy Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT Radiation therapy is one of the most widely used cancer treatments, but it often damages normal tissue and can lead to debilitating conditions. A class of drugs known as mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors can prevent radiation-induced tissue damage in mice by protecting normal stem cells that are crucial for tissue repair, according to a preclinical study.

Rare autoimmune disease attacks people of Asian descent Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:29 AM PDT There has been an outbreak of an adult-onset immunodeficiency syndrome in Southeast Asia. The autoimmune disease causes AIDS-like symptoms but is not associated with HIV and is not contagious.

Germ cell-supporting embryonic Sertoli-like cells created from skin cells Posted: 06 Sep 2012 09:29 AM PDT Using a stepwise trans-differentiation process, researchers have turned skin cells into embryonic Sertoli-like cells.

Atypical skin mole may provide means to test for new cancer syndrome Posted: 06 Sep 2012 08:26 AM PDT Researchers have discovered germline BAP1 mutations are associated with a novel cancer syndrome characterized by malignant mesothelioma, uveal melanoma, cutaneous melanoma and atypical melanocytic tumors. Germline mutations are hereditary gene defects that are present in every cell.

Pint-size molecules show promise against obesity Posted: 06 Sep 2012 08:26 AM PDT Tiny strands of RNA affect how our cells burn fat and sugar -- a finding that gives biologists a place to start in the quest for therapies to treat obesity and related health problems, say scientists.

Brain filter for clear information transmission: Neuronal inhibition is key for memory formation Posted: 06 Sep 2012 08:26 AM PDT Every activity in the brain involves the transfer of signals between neurons. Frequently, as many as one thousand signals rain down on a single neuron simultaneously. To ensure that precise signals are delivered, the brain possesses a sophisticated inhibitory system. Researchers have illuminated how this system works.

Mars's dramatic climate variations are driven by the Sun Posted: 06 Sep 2012 08:26 AM PDT On Mars's poles there are ice caps of ice and dust with layers that reflect to past climate variations on Mars. Researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute have related the layers in the ice cap on Mars's north pole to variations in solar insolation, thus established the first dated climate history for Mars, where ice and dust accumulation has been driven by variations in insolation.

Earlier treatment for young patients with chronic hepatitis B more effective in clearing virus Posted: 06 Sep 2012 08:22 AM PDT Scientists have discovered for the first time that children and young patients with chronic hepatitis B Virus infection (HBV carriers) do have a protective immune response, contrary to current belief, and hence can be more suitable treatment candidates than previously considered.

Chikyu sets a new world drilling-depth record of scientific ocean drilling Posted: 06 Sep 2012 08:22 AM PDT Scientific deep sea drilling vessel Chikyu sets a world new record by drilling down and obtains rock samples from deeper than 2,111 meters below the seafloor off Shimokita Peninsula of Japan in the northwest Pacific Ocean.

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