ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Insulin plus growth factor inhibitor limits vision damage in diabetic mice
• Holiday spices often abused for cheap highs, says toxicologist
• NASA's GRAIL lunar impact site named for astronaut Sally Ride
• NASA GRAIL lunar twins begin their last burn
• Hypertension traced to source in brain, triggering new paradigm for hypertension treatment
• Density of invasive reed, Phragmites australis, mapped in Great Lakes
• People with HIV hospitalized less often since combination antiretroviral drug therapy introduced
• Emerging ethical dilemmas in science and technology
• Scientists decode three bacterial strains common to grapevines and sugarcane
• Study estimates prevalence of pediatric caustic ingestion injuries
• Two cups of milk a day ideal for children's health, new research shows
• Plumes across the Pacific deliver thousands of microbial species to North American West Coast
• Chances seen rising for chikungunya outbreaks in NYC, Atlanta, Miami
• Scientists developing quick way to ID people exposed to ionizing radiation
• Should physicians prescribe cognitive enhancers to healthy individuals?
• Farm soil determines environmental fate of phosphorus
• Synthetic biology research: Could fuel for cars or household power supplies be created from naturally-occurring fatty acids?
• Autoimmune disease: Retraining white blood cells
• Genetic manipulation of urate alters neurodegeneration in mouse model of Parkinson's disease
• New immune therapy successfully treats brain tumors in mice
• Radio waves to kidneys lower persistent high blood pressure
• 'Gusty winds' in space turbulence: First direct measurement of its kind in the lab
• Rise in New Jersey autism prevalence documented in new study
• Environmental threat map highlights Great Lakes restoration challenges
• Plant sniffs out danger to prepare defenses against pesky insect
• Hybrid tunnel may help guide severed nerves back to health
• Chronic worriers at higher risk for PTSD, research finds
• Nanofibers clean sulfur from fuel
• New technology may enable earlier cancer diagnosis: Nanoparticles amplify tumor signals, making them much easier to detect in urine
• Speaking skills crucial for hearing impaired children in the classroom
• Combo-snacks of cheese and vegetables cut kids calories, study suggests
• PRT versus IMRT toxicity in Medicare beneficiaries with prostate cancer
• New window on Parkinson's disease: Metallic probe proves able to detect fibrils from misfolded proteins in real time
• GOOOAAALLL! What soccer can teach health researchers
• Major breakthrough in indoor positioning research
• To revert breast cancer cells, give them the squeeze
• Re-engineered optogenetic switches allow direct measurement of complex cellular systems
• Immune cells use tethered slings to avoid being swept away
• Breast cancer cells growing in 3-D matrix revert to normal
• Fitting 'smart' mobile phone with magnifying optics creates 'real' cell phone
• Rare, lethal childhood disease tracked to failure to degrade nerve cells' filaments
• Changes in progenitor cell population in breast may be overlooked factor in breast cancer
• New cell-based system can screen drug candidates for cardiac toxicity long before they leave lab
• Neurons die in Alzheimer's because of faulty cell cycle control before plaques and tangles appear
• New guidelines can improve treatment for severe heart attack patients
• Novel role for protein linked to obesity and development of type 2 diabetes identified
• New form of cell division found: Natural back-up mechanism during faulty cell division
• Extreme climate predicted in Eastern U.S.: Storms, heat waves with global warming
• Improving the development of new cancer models using an advanced biomedical imaging method
• Investigating ocean currents using uranium-236 from the 1960s
• Rationing soft drink sizes: A good public health move for Canada, experts argue
• Physicians in Canada should not prescribe ADD drugs to healthy people, experts argue
• Regulator of healthy life span uncovered
• Perceived stress may predict future coronary heart disease risk
• New molecule linked to late-stage breast cancer
• Muscle weakness in Down syndrome: New study offers insights
• Who likes bling? The answer relates to social status
• More than 400 rockets soar from Sandia’s kauai test facility in 50-year history
• A layer of cool, healthy air: Stratum ventilation systems may reduce spread of airborne diseases
• Boreal bird species of conservation concern affected by climate change

Insulin plus growth factor inhibitor limits vision damage in diabetic mice Posted: 17 Dec 2012 04:06 PM PST A new therapeutic approach to diabetes that combines insulin and an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) betacellulin could limit the progression of diabetic macular edema (DME), researchers report.

Holiday spices often abused for cheap highs, says toxicologist Posted: 17 Dec 2012 04:05 PM PST Cinnamon, nutmeg and even marshmallows are being intentionally abused in risky behavior, says a toxicologist. Once folly for teenagers, pre-teens are now copying what they see from Internet videos with dangerous results.

NASA's GRAIL lunar impact site named for astronaut Sally Ride Posted: 17 Dec 2012 03:14 PM PST NASA has named the site where twin agency spacecraft impacted the moon Monday in honor of the late astronaut Sally K. Ride, who was America's first woman in space and a member of the probes' mission team.

NASA GRAIL lunar twins begin their last burn Posted: 17 Dec 2012 02:11 PM PST Ebb and Flow -- the two twin spacecraft of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission -- have begun their final rocket burns. They are scheduled to impact the moon at around 2:28 p.m. PST (5:28 EST).

Hypertension traced to source in brain, triggering new paradigm for hypertension treatment Posted: 17 Dec 2012 02:09 PM PST A new study traces hypertension to a newfound cellular source in the brain and shows that treatments targeting this area can reverse the disease.

Density of invasive reed, Phragmites australis, mapped in Great Lakes Posted: 17 Dec 2012 01:25 PM PST Scientists have used satellite technologies to map the location and density of Phragmites australis, an invasive species of reed, in the coastal wetlands of all five Great Lakes.

People with HIV hospitalized less often since combination antiretroviral drug therapy introduced Posted: 17 Dec 2012 01:24 PM PST People with HIV are being hospitalized in Ontario significantly less often than they were 15 years ago when combination antiretroviral drug therapy was introduced, new research has found.

Emerging ethical dilemmas in science and technology Posted: 17 Dec 2012 01:24 PM PST As a new year approaches, a group of scientists have created a list of emerging ethical dilemmas and policy issues in science and technology for 2013.

Scientists decode three bacterial strains common to grapevines and sugarcane Posted: 17 Dec 2012 01:24 PM PST Scientists have sequenced one of the first bacterial genomes associated with Jamaican sugarcane. The team also decoded two bacteria linked to Riesling grapevines. Studying the effects of organisms on crops is gaining attention as the world populations increases and concerns about food production and protection grow.

Study estimates prevalence of pediatric caustic ingestion injuries Posted: 17 Dec 2012 01:24 PM PST The annual economic burden of pediatric caustic ingestion injuries was estimated at nearly $23 million with an estimated prevalence of injuries requiring hospitalization for 807 children in 2009.

Two cups of milk a day ideal for children's health, new research shows Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:27 PM PST New research has answered one of the most common questions parents ask their doctors: How much milk should I be giving my children? The answer is two cups per day.

Plumes across the Pacific deliver thousands of microbial species to North American West Coast Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:27 PM PST Microorganisms -- 99 percent more kinds than had been reported in findings published just four months ago -- are leaping the biggest gap on the planet. Hitching rides in the upper troposphere, they're making their way from Asia across the Pacific Ocean and landing in North America.

Chances seen rising for chikungunya outbreaks in NYC, Atlanta, Miami Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:27 PM PST Global travel and climate warming could be creating the right conditions for outbreaks of a new virus in this country, according to a new computer model that predicts outbreaks of chikungunya, a painful virus transported by travelers and spread by the invasive Asian tiger mosquito, could occur in 2013 in New York City during August and September, in Atlanta from June through September, and year-round in Miami.

Scientists developing quick way to ID people exposed to ionizing radiation Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:27 PM PST A new study could lead to a blood test that detects if a person has been exposed to radiation, measures their dose, and separates people suffering from inflammation injuries -- all in a matter of hours. They identified eight DNA-repair genes in human blood whose expression responses change more than twofold soon after blood is exposed to radiation.

Should physicians prescribe cognitive enhancers to healthy individuals? Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST Physicians should not prescribe cognitive enhancers to healthy individuals, states a new report. The authors provide their recommendation based on the professional integrity of physicians, the drugs' uncertain benefits and harms, and limited health care resources.

Farm soil determines environmental fate of phosphorus Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST Brazil's soybean yields have become competitive with those of the United States and Argentina, but the soil demands a lot of phosphorus, which is not renewable. In the United States, meanwhile, historical applications of the fertilizer have polluted waterways. What accounts for these problems? It's the soils, according to a new study comparing agriculture in the three countries.

Synthetic biology research: Could fuel for cars or household power supplies be created from naturally-occurring fatty acids? Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST Scientists have identified a biocatalyst which could produce chemicals found in ice-cream and household items such as soap and shampoo – possibly leading to the long-term replacement of chemicals derived from fossil fuels. This development could mean fuel for cars or household power supplies could be created from naturally-occurring fatty acids.

Autoimmune disease: Retraining white blood cells Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST Symptoms of an autoimmune disease disappeared after a team of scientists retrained the white blood cells involved using a specially engineered protein. This method is extremely promising for treating diseases such as type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Genetic manipulation of urate alters neurodegeneration in mouse model of Parkinson's disease Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST Investigators report that mice with a genetic mutation increasing urate levels were protected against the kind of neurodegeneration that underlies Parkinson's disease, while the damage was worse in animals with abnormally low urate. Their findings add further support to the possibility that increasing levels of urate may protect against Parkinson's disease.

New immune therapy successfully treats brain tumors in mice Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST Using an artificial protein that stimulates the body's natural immune system to fight cancer, a research team has engineered a lethal weapon that kills brain tumors in mice while sparing other tissue. If it can be shown to work in humans, it would overcome a major obstacle that has hampered the effectiveness of immune-based therapies.

Radio waves to kidneys lower persistent high blood pressure Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:25 PM PST A minimally invasive procedure lowered blood pressure in patients whose condition failed to respond to medication. Catheter-based renal denervation was found to be safe and effective in lowering blood pressure up to one year after starting treatment, and did not show any lasting harm to the kidneys or heart. The procedure ultimately may offer a new treatment alternative for reducing high blood pressure, a global public health epidemic.

'Gusty winds' in space turbulence: First direct measurement of its kind in the lab Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:25 PM PST Imagine riding in an airplane as the plane is jolted back and forth by gusts of wind that you can't prove exist but are there nonetheless. Similar turbulence exists in space, and a research team has directly measured it for the first time in the laboratory.

Rise in New Jersey autism prevalence documented in new study Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:25 PM PST In a study of 58 communities in four New Jersey counties, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence is found to have risen from 10.6 per thousand in 2002, to 17.4 per thousand in 2006.

Environmental threat map highlights Great Lakes restoration challenges Posted: 17 Dec 2012 12:25 PM PST A comprehensive map three years in the making is telling the story of humans' impact on the Great Lakes, identifying how "environmental stressors" stretching from Minnesota to Ontario are shaping the future of an ecosystem that contains 20 percent of the world's fresh water.

Plant sniffs out danger to prepare defenses against pesky insect Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:07 AM PST A plant may start to prime its defenses as soon as it gets a whiff of a male fly searching for a mate, according to entomologists.

Hybrid tunnel may help guide severed nerves back to health Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:07 AM PST Building a tunnel made up of both hard and soft materials to guide the reconnection of severed nerve endings may be the first step toward helping patients who have suffered extensive nerve trauma regain feeling and movement, according to a biomedical engineers.

Chronic worriers at higher risk for PTSD, research finds Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:07 AM PST People who worry constantly are at greater risk for post-traumatic stress disorder, according to new research.

Nanofibers clean sulfur from fuel Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:07 AM PST Sulfur compounds in petroleum fuels have met their nano-structured match. Researchers developed mats of metal oxide nanofibers that scrub sulfur from petroleum-based fuels much more effectively than traditional materials. Sulfur has to be removed because it emits toxic gasses and corrodes catalysts. Such efficiency could lower costs and improve performance for fuel-based catalysis, advanced energy applications and toxic gas removal.

New technology may enable earlier cancer diagnosis: Nanoparticles amplify tumor signals, making them much easier to detect in urine Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:07 AM PST Finding ways to diagnose cancer earlier could greatly improve the chances of survival for many patients. One way to do this is to look for specific proteins secreted by cancer cells, which circulate in the bloodstream. However, the quantity of these biomarkers is so low that detecting them has proven difficult. A new technology may help to make biomarker detection much easier. Researchers have developed nanoparticles that can home to a tumor and interact with cancer proteins to produce thousands of biomarkers, which can then be easily detected in the patient's urine.

Speaking skills crucial for hearing impaired children in the classroom Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:07 AM PST New research shows that the successful integration of hearing-impaired children into hearing classrooms is dependent upon how well the child can speak. Children with hearing loss, their parents, and their teachers can aid successful integration by focusing on speech development.

Combo-snacks of cheese and vegetables cut kids calories, study suggests Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:06 AM PST A new study finds that serving children combined snacks of vegetables and cheese led them to eat 72 percent fewer calories -- and be just as satisfied as those who were served only potato chips.

PRT versus IMRT toxicity in Medicare beneficiaries with prostate cancer Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:06 AM PST There is no difference between proton radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy when comparing the toxicity among Medicare beneficiary patients with prostate cancer at 12 months post-treatment, according to a new study.

New window on Parkinson's disease: Metallic probe proves able to detect fibrils from misfolded proteins in real time Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:06 AM PST Scientists discover a new molecular probe to track aggregated fibroids inside living cells that cause Parkinson's disease.

GOOOAAALLL! What soccer can teach health researchers Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:06 AM PST Health researchers can learn from soccer to create high-quality studies that recognize complexities in health interventions.

Major breakthrough in indoor positioning research Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:06 AM PST Researchers have recently developed a new method to build a WiFi radio map that does not require GPS signals.

To revert breast cancer cells, give them the squeeze Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:05 AM PST Researchers have found that compression can guide malignant breast cells back to a normal growth pattern. The findings demonstrate the influence of mechanical forces on a cell's destiny.

Re-engineered optogenetic switches allow direct measurement of complex cellular systems Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:05 AM PST A chemical biology lab has re-engineered optogenetic switches so that switches run backward, firing bursts of fluorescent light that reveal newly detailed patterns of electrical activity in neural networks, beating cardiac cells and developing embryos.

Immune cells use tethered slings to avoid being swept away Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:05 AM PST Neutrophils, critical components of the immune system's response to bacteria and other pathogens, throw out tube-like tethers that act as anchor points, controlling their speed as they roll along the walls of blood vessels during extremely fast blood flow en route to an infection site.

Breast cancer cells growing in 3-D matrix revert to normal Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:05 AM PST Cancer cells in lab cultures have not "forgotten" how to be healthy since they can be guided back into their "normal" growth program by giving them the right cues. Applying compressive force to malignant breast epithelial cells growing within a laminin-rich 3-D extracellular matrix caused them to turn into highly organized, growth-arrested acini, the milk-secreting spherical structures that are central to breast tissue.

Fitting 'smart' mobile phone with magnifying optics creates 'real' cell phone Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:05 AM PST By fitting a "smart" mobile phone with magnifying optics, researchers created a real "cell" phone. a diagnostic-quality microscope for clinics in developing countries as well as American biology classrooms.

Rare, lethal childhood disease tracked to failure to degrade nerve cells' filaments Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:05 AM PST A defective protein explains why a failure in protein degradation would lead to the massive aggregations of a class of filaments that disrupt the functioning of neurons of children with the rare, untreatable genetic disease giant axonal neuropathy. Discovery may have implications for more common types of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Changes in progenitor cell population in breast may be overlooked factor in breast cancer Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:05 AM PST DNA mutations that accumulate as women age are not the sole contributor to higher frequency of breast cancer in women over 50. In breast cancer and aging, changes in the populations of progenitor cells in breast tissue may be a powerful and until now overlooked factor.

New cell-based system can screen drug candidates for cardiac toxicity long before they leave lab Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:05 AM PST A new stem cell-derived system for screening experimental drugs for cardiotoxicity could identify dangerous side effects early in the development process, thereby potentially saving time, lives and money. Cardiotoxicity is one of the primary reasons new drugs wash out in preclinical or even full clinical trials. Currently used assays are ineffective at assessing potential adverse interactions with other biochemical or contractile processes.

Neurons die in Alzheimer's because of faulty cell cycle control before plaques and tangles appear Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:05 AM PST The two infamous proteins, amyloid-beta and tau, that characterize advanced Alzheimer's disease, start healthy neurons on road to cell death long before appearance of deadly plaques and tangles by working together to reactivate supposedly blocked cell cycle in brain cells, according to new research.

New guidelines can improve treatment for severe heart attack patients Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:04 AM PST New streamlined guidelines will help healthcare providers better treat patients with the most severe type of heart attacks, according to an American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology statement.

Novel role for protein linked to obesity and development of type 2 diabetes identified Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:04 AM PST Researchers have taken another step toward better understanding the metabolic functions of obesity and its connection to type 2 diabetes.

New form of cell division found: Natural back-up mechanism during faulty cell division Posted: 17 Dec 2012 11:03 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new form of cell division in human cells. They believe it serves as a natural back-up mechanism during faulty cell division, preventing some cells from going down a path that can lead to cancer.

Extreme climate predicted in Eastern U.S.: Storms, heat waves with global warming Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:17 AM PST From extreme drought to super storms, many wonder what the future holds for the climate of the eastern United States. A new study does away with the guessing.

Improving the development of new cancer models using an advanced biomedical imaging method Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:16 AM PST Scientists have demonstrated that an advanced magnetic resonance imaging method can non-invasively evaluate the cellular proliferation of tumor models of breast cancer. This quantitative imaging method evaluates the diffusion of water in tumor tissue, which correlates with the growth rates of the tumor models. The results can contribute to the development of new tumor models for cancer research.

Investigating ocean currents using uranium-236 from the 1960s Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:16 AM PST New research has identified the bomb-pulse of uranium-236 in corals from the Caribbean Sea for the first time. 236U was distributed world-wide in the period of atmospheric nuclear testing in the 1960s. Readily dissolved in seawater it is an ideal tool for investigating ocean currents.

Rationing soft drink sizes: A good public health move for Canada, experts argue Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:16 AM PST New York City's limit of a maximum 16-ounce size of sugar-sweetened drinks for sale in eating establishments is a positive public health move and should be replicated in Canada, argues a new editorial.

Physicians in Canada should not prescribe ADD drugs to healthy people, experts argue Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:16 AM PST Physicians in Canada should consider refusing to prescribe cognitive enhancement medications -- also used to treat attention deficit disorder -- to healthy patients, states a new analysis article. Lack of evidence for benefits and possibility of harm, limited health care resources and professional integrity of physicians are reasons why this use is not acceptable.

Regulator of healthy life span uncovered Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:14 AM PST A new series of studies in mouse models uncovered that the aging process is characterized by high rates of whole-chromosome losses and gains in various organs, including heart, muscle, kidney and eye, and demonstrate that reducing these rates slows age-related tissue deterioration and promotes a healthier life span.

Perceived stress may predict future coronary heart disease risk Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:14 AM PST Are you stressed? Results of a new meta-analysis of six studies involving nearly 120,000 people indicate that the answer to that question may help predict one's risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD) or death from CHD.

New molecule linked to late-stage breast cancer Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:14 AM PST Researchers have identified a molecule linked to more aggressive forms of breast cancer -- a discovery that could point the way to potential cures.

Muscle weakness in Down syndrome: New study offers insights Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:14 AM PST Study led by researchers at Syracuse University offers insights into role of muscle weakness in Down syndrome.

Who likes bling? The answer relates to social status Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:13 AM PST A desire for expensive, high-status goods is related to feelings of social status -- which helps explain why minorities are often attracted to bling, a new study suggests. Previous research had shown that racial minorities spend a larger portion of their incomes than do whites on conspicuous consumption -- buying products that suggest high status. But a new study showed that whites could be induced to crave expensive, high-status products if they imagined themselves in a low-status position. These findings cast doubt on the notion that urban minorities have developed a corrosive "bling culture" that is unique to them.

More than 400 rockets soar from Sandia’s kauai test facility in 50-year history Posted: 17 Dec 2012 09:13 AM PST A white-orange oval, the rocket moves slowly, silently across the night sky, followed by a metallic roar that fades away the farther it flies from its launch pad at Sandia National Laboratories' Kauai Test Facility. When the rocket is an orange ember against the black backdrop, it sparks momentarily as a Navy ship in the Pacific Ocean destroys it. The rocket was a target for the Navy's newest interceptor missile, the Standard Missile-3 Block IB. It was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility's (PMRF) tenant, the Kauai Test Facility (KTF).

A layer of cool, healthy air: Stratum ventilation systems may reduce spread of airborne diseases Posted: 17 Dec 2012 08:07 AM PST Stratum ventilation systems have been touted as a much more energy efficient system for cooling buildings such as school rooms and offices in hotter climes based on the provisions of the recent ANSI/ASHRAE 55-2010. They may also reduce the risk of the spread of airborne diseases according to a new study.

Boreal bird species of conservation concern affected by climate change Posted: 17 Dec 2012 08:07 AM PST A new study shows that species of conservation concern show contrasting population trends in boreal protected areas in Finland. In general, population densities of southern species have increased while densities of northern species have decreased.

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