ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Research rides dragon to the International Space Station
• NASA on course to launch Orion flight test
• What lies beneath: NASA Antarctic sub goes subglacial
• Cancer doesn't change young girls' desire to have children, study shows
• BPA raises risk for childhood asthma, study finds
• Fish migrate to escape predators
• Problems with identifying meat? The answer is to check the barcode
• Pixels guide the way for the visually impaired
• Space race underway to create quantum satellite
• British children more exposed to alcohol promotion than adults, experts warn
• NOAA and NASA's next generation weather satellite may provide earlier warnings
• Pour, shake and stir: How gold particles, DNA and water have the potential to shape the future of medicine
• Sea lamprey genome mapped
• New dinosaur species: First fossil evidence shows small crocs fed on baby dinosaurs
• New model could lead to improved treatment for early stage Alzheimer's
• Clogged heart arteries can foreshadow stroke
• Researchers link left-sided brain injury with greater risk for hospital-acquired infections
• Deworming important for children's health, has limited impact on infection in wider communities
• Ultrasound to detect lung congestion in dialysis patients may help save lives
• Antibody response linked with rejection in pediatric kidney transplant recipients
• Zeroing in on heart disease: Innovative strategy pinpoints genes underlying cardiovascular disease risk
• 'Rain Man'-like brains mapped at using MRIs and network analysis
• Machine similar to dialysis removes cholesterol from blood
• Adult sleepwalking is serious condition that impacts health-related quality of life
• Mineral diversity clue to early Earth chemistry
• British Columbia traffic deaths could be cut in half, study suggests
• Thyroid hormones reduce damage and improve heart function after myocardial infarction in rats
• Where the wild things go … when there's nowhere else
• Biologists compare new bees to 100-year-old records
• Researchers find new information about 'Snowball Earth' period
• Historic datasets reveal effects of climate change and habitat loss on plant-pollinator networks
• Loss of wild insects hurts crops around the world
• The safer sex? For a little-known primate, a new understanding of why females outlive males
• Sexually transmitted infections: Researchers find a protein link to STI susceptibility
• Key enzyme missing from aggressive form of breast cancer, groundbreaking study shows
• Physicist develops new silicone rubber
• New method for researching understudied malaria-spreading mosquitoes
• Wolf in sheep's clothing: Uncovering how deadly bacteria trick the immune system
• Democratic Republic of Congo's best run reserve is hemorrhaging elephants
• New marine species discovered in Pacific Ocean
• NASA's Van Allen Probes reveal a new radiation belt around Earth
• Brain pathway triggering impulsive eating identified
• Grape seed and skin extract: A weapon in the fight against kidney disease caused by high-fat diets
• Improving climate protection in the agricultural sector
• Reducing numbers of one carnivore species indirectly leads to extinction of others
• Brain can't cope with making a left-hand turn and talking on hands-free cell phone
• How did early primordial cells evolve?
• Study identifies growth factor essential to the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor
• Fighting GM crop vandalism with a government-protected research site
• Action video games boost reading skills, study of children with dyslexia suggests
• Mutation location is the key to prognosis
• DNA's twisted communication
• Cell movement explained by molecular recycling
• Nearly 1 in 4 women with breast cancer report PTSD symptoms, study finds
• Crews rehearse Launch Abort System stacking with Orion
• NASA researchers work to turn blue skies green
• Closer personal relationships could help teens overcome learning disabilities
• Toxic oceans may have delayed spread of complex life
• Trackable drug-filled nanoparticles: Potential weapon against cancer
• Mutation altering stability of surface molecule in acid enables H5N1 infection of mammals

Research rides dragon to the International Space Station Posted: 01 Mar 2013 01:18 AM PST A second contracted flight for the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station will be twice as nice for researchers working with investigations on the orbiting laboratory. While other cargo ships can bring research payloads to the station, only the Dragon and the Russian Soyuz can safely get the cargo home. Scientists in the United States, Canada, France and Japan -- and several high school students -- are awaiting the return of their research studying a wide range of subjects, from plants to liquid crystals.

NASA on course to launch Orion flight test Posted: 01 Mar 2013 01:16 AM PST The first spacecraft NASA has designed to fly astronauts beyond Earth orbit since the Apollo era is well on its way to making a flight test next year, agency officials said Wednesday. The mission is planned for launch in September 2014, and will see an Orion capsule orbit Earth without a crew and return through the atmosphere at speeds unseen since astronauts last returned from the moon in 1972.

What lies beneath: NASA Antarctic sub goes subglacial Posted: 01 Mar 2013 01:10 AM PST When researcher Alberto Behar from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., joined an international Antarctic expedition last month on a trek to investigate a subglacial lake, he brought with him a unique instrument designed and funded by NASA to help the researchers study one of the last unexplored aquatic environments on Earth.

Cancer doesn't change young girls' desire to have children, study shows Posted: 01 Mar 2013 12:48 AM PST Researchers have found that healthy adolescent females have predetermined expectations for becoming parents in the future, but have concerns about fertility and childbearing should they develop a life-threatening illness, such as cancer.

BPA raises risk for childhood asthma, study finds Posted: 01 Mar 2013 12:48 AM PST Researchers are the first to report an association between early childhood exposure to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) and an elevated risk for asthma in young children. BPA is a component of some plastics and is found in food can liners and store receipts.

Fish migrate to escape predators Posted: 01 Mar 2013 12:46 AM PST By individually tagging fish in a lake and following their movements, a research team has shown that migration is a very effective defense against being eaten.

Problems with identifying meat? The answer is to check the barcode Posted: 28 Feb 2013 04:46 PM PST Want to know what you are eating? DNA barcodes can be used to identify even very closely related species, finds a new article. Results from the study show that the labelling of game meat in South Africa is very poor with different species being substituted almost 80 percent of the time.

Pixels guide the way for the visually impaired Posted: 28 Feb 2013 04:46 PM PST Images have been transformed into pixels and projected onto a headset to help the visually impaired in everyday tasks such as navigation, route-planning and object finding. Developed using a video camera and mathematical algorithm, the researchers hope the pixels can provide more information and enhance the vision of patients already fitted with retinal implants.

Space race underway to create quantum satellite Posted: 28 Feb 2013 04:46 PM PST A new article describes how a quantum space race is under way to create the world's first global quantum-communication network.

British children more exposed to alcohol promotion than adults, experts warn Posted: 28 Feb 2013 04:46 PM PST Children in Britain are more exposed to alcohol promotion than adults and need much stronger protection, warn experts.

NOAA and NASA's next generation weather satellite may provide earlier warnings Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:15 PM PST A new satellite that will detect the lightning inside storm clouds may lead to valuable improvements in tornado detection. The GOES-R satellite is currently being built with new technology that may help provide earlier warnings for severe weather.

Pour, shake and stir: How gold particles, DNA and water have the potential to shape the future of medicine Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:15 PM PST A diagnostic "cocktail" containing a single drop of blood, a dribble of water, and a dose of DNA powder with gold particles could mean rapid diagnosis and treatment of the world's leading diseases in the near future.

Sea lamprey genome mapped Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:15 PM PST Beginning in 2004, a group of scientists from around the globe set out to map the genome of the sea lamprey. The secrets of how this jawless vertebrate separated from the jawed vertebrates early in the evolutionary process will give insight to the ancestry of vertebrate characters and may help investigators more fully understand neurodegenerative diseases in humans.

New dinosaur species: First fossil evidence shows small crocs fed on baby dinosaurs Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:15 PM PST A paleontologist and his team have discovered a new species of herbivorous dinosaur and published the first fossil evidence of prehistoric crocodyliforms feeding on small dinosaurs.

New model could lead to improved treatment for early stage Alzheimer's Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:15 PM PST Researchers have developed a line of genetically altered mice that model the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease. This model may help scientists identify new therapies to provide relief to patients who are beginning to experience symptoms.

Clogged heart arteries can foreshadow stroke Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:15 PM PST Blockages in your heart arteries could mean you're more likely to have a stroke, even if you're considered low risk, according to new research.

Researchers link left-sided brain injury with greater risk for hospital-acquired infections Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:14 PM PST New findings have implications for translational research into brain-mediated immune defenses, infection control practices and cognitive rehabilitation strategies after stroke and brain injury.

Deworming important for children's health, has limited impact on infection in wider communities Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:14 PM PST Although they have an important impact on children's health and education, school-based deworming programs have a limited impact on the level of infection in the wider community, according to a mathematical modeling study.

Ultrasound to detect lung congestion in dialysis patients may help save lives Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:14 PM PST Lung ultrasound can detect asymptomatic lung congestion in dialysis patients and can predict their risk of dying prematurely or experiencing heart attacks or other cardiac events. Treating asymptomatic lung congestion may help improve cardiovascular health and prevent cardiovascular deaths in dialysis patients. Lung congestion is highly prevalent and often asymptomatic among patients with kidney failure.

Antibody response linked with rejection in pediatric kidney transplant recipients Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:14 PM PST A transplanted kidney has a finite life expectancy because it often becomes the target of the recipient's immune system, which may mount antibodies that attack the organ. Because there is a critical need to extend the life of transplanted organs -- especially in children, who can face two to three kidney transplants in their lifetime -- researchers recently examined the role of this antibody-mediated injury in rejection and the effectiveness of medications to prevent it.

Zeroing in on heart disease: Innovative strategy pinpoints genes underlying cardiovascular disease risk Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:14 PM PST Studies screening the genome of hundreds of thousands of individuals (known as Genome-wide association studies or GWAS) have linked more than 100 regions in the genome to the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Researchers are taking these results one step further by pinpointing the exact genes that could have a role in the onset of the disease.

'Rain Man'-like brains mapped at using MRIs and network analysis Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:13 PM PST Combining hospital MRIs with the mathematical tool known as network analysis, a group of researchers has mapped the three-dimensional global connections within the brains of seven adults who have genetic malformations that leave them without the corpus callosum, which connects the left and right sides of the brain.

Machine similar to dialysis removes cholesterol from blood Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:13 PM PST A treatment that's similar to kidney dialysis is removing cholesterol from the blood of patients who cannot control cholesterol through diet, exercise and medications.

Adult sleepwalking is serious condition that impacts health-related quality of life Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:58 PM PST A new study found that adult sleepwalking is a potentially serious condition that may induce violent behaviors and affect health-related quality of life.

Mineral diversity clue to early Earth chemistry Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:58 PM PST Mineral evolution is a new way to look at our planet's history. It's the study of the increasing diversity and characteristics of Earth's near-surface minerals, from the dozen that arrived on interstellar dust particles when the Solar System was formed to the more than 4,700 types existing today. New research on a mineral called molybdenite provides important new insights about the changing chemistry of our planet as a result of geological and biological processes.

British Columbia traffic deaths could be cut in half, study suggests Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:58 PM PST A new study shows British Columbia has much higher traffic death rates than most northern European countries. Comparisons to the safest country, the Netherlands, suggest B.C. could reduce the number of traffic deaths by more than 200 per year. It also found that fatality and injury risks varied by travel mode.

Thyroid hormones reduce damage and improve heart function after myocardial infarction in rats Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:58 PM PST A new study shows that thyroid hormones administered to rats at the time of a heart attack improved their heart function and significantly reduced their loss of heart muscle cells. Researchers believe the study prepares them to pursue studies on human patients, which could lead to breakthroughs in cardiac failure treatment.

Where the wild things go … when there's nowhere else Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:57 PM PST The presence of endangered cats and primates in swamp forests might be seriously overlooked. Recent research concludes that swamp forests beg further exploration as places where endangered species have preserved their numbers -- and where humans could potentially preserve them into the future.

Biologists compare new bees to 100-year-old records Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:56 PM PST Researchers have found that bees and plants have been surprisingly resilient in the face of warmer temperatures and changing land use. The forests that once grew 10 miles outside of Carlinville are fragments of what they were when Robertson, who collected specimens in the late 1800s, drove his horse and buggy. Fields of corn have replaced acres of trees and prairie. Natural areas have been converted to agricultural, commercial or residential uses. Winter and spring temperatures have risen an average of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. But the researchers say that the good news is that these systems and the way they are structured make them really resilient to change.

Researchers find new information about 'Snowball Earth' period Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:56 PM PST Researchers report new clues on the duration of what was a significant change in atmospheric conditions following the Marinoan glaciation.

Historic datasets reveal effects of climate change and habitat loss on plant-pollinator networks Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:56 PM PST Two biologists at Washington University in St. Louis were delighted to discover a meticulous dataset on a plant-pollinator network recorded by Illinois naturalist Charles Robertson between 1884 and 1916. Re-collecting part of Robertson's network, they learned that although the network has compensated for some losses, battered by climate change and habitat loss it is now weaker and less resilient than in Robertson's time.

Loss of wild insects hurts crops around the world Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:56 PM PST Researchers studying data from 600 fields in 20 countries have found that managed honey bees are not as successful at pollinating crops as wild insects, primarily wild bees, suggesting the continuing loss of wild insects in many agricultural landscapes has negative consequences for crop harvests.

The safer sex? For a little-known primate, a new understanding of why females outlive males Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:56 PM PST Researchers studying aging in an endangered lemur known as the Milne-Edwards' sifaka report that in old age, females are the safer sex.

Sexually transmitted infections: Researchers find a protein link to STI susceptibility Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:56 PM PST Scientists have found a protein in the female reproductive tract that protects against sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and herpes simplex virus.

Key enzyme missing from aggressive form of breast cancer, groundbreaking study shows Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:55 PM PST A groundbreaking new study has found that triple-negative breast cancer cells are missing a key enzyme that other cancer cells contain — providing insight into potential therapeutic targets to treat the aggressive cancer. The study is unique in that his lab is the only one in the country to specifically study the metabolic process of triple-negative breast cancer cells.

Physicist develops new silicone rubber Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:55 PM PST A physicist has developed a new type of silicone rubber that may have widespread applications, including shoes, prosthetics, sporting goods and toys.

New method for researching understudied malaria-spreading mosquitoes Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:54 PM PST Researchers have developed a new method for studying the complex molecular workings of Anopheles albimanus, an important but less studied spreader of human malaria.

Wolf in sheep's clothing: Uncovering how deadly bacteria trick the immune system Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:54 PM PST A new study demonstrates how bacteria can pretend to be a virus and trick the immune system into sending out the wrong type of defense. Such manipulation sheds light on how the flu may make us more susceptible to pneumonia or as in the recent outbreak of TB in Los Angeles, possibly how the flu and other environmental factors could be used to the TB bacteria's advantage.

Democratic Republic of Congo's best run reserve is hemorrhaging elephants Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:54 PM PST The Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) largest remaining forest elephant population has declined by 37 percent in the last five years according to wildlife surveys by the Wildlife Conservation Society and DRC officials.

New marine species discovered in Pacific Ocean Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:54 PM PST An international expedition in Papua New Guinea has found a new species of sea slugs, feather stars and amphipods, a shrimp-like animal.

NASA's Van Allen Probes reveal a new radiation belt around Earth Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:54 PM PST NASA's Van Allen Probes mission has discovered a previously unknown third radiation belt around Earth, revealing the existence of unexpected structures and processes within these hazardous regions of space.

Brain pathway triggering impulsive eating identified Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:46 AM PST New research has identified the neural pathways in an insect brain tied to eating for pleasure, a discovery that sheds light on mirror impulsive eating pathways in the human brain.

Grape seed and skin extract: A weapon in the fight against kidney disease caused by high-fat diets Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:46 AM PST New insight into grape seed extract as a therapeutic and preventative measure to fight obesity-induced kidney damage is presented in a new study. Grape seed and skin extract (GSSE) is known to contain powerful antioxidants. This study is the first to make a link between GSSEs and high-fat-diet-induced renal disease.

Improving climate protection in the agricultural sector Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:41 AM PST Agriculture is responsible for around 10 to 12 percent of all greenhouse gases attributable to human activities. This raises the question of how these emissions could be reduced. A recent study has investigated -- for the first time -- the full range of factors that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, namely soil and climate conditions, the agricultural model and the farming intensity on both organic and conventional holdings.

Reducing numbers of one carnivore species indirectly leads to extinction of others Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:41 AM PST Previous studies have shown that carnivores can have indirect positive effects on each other, which means that when one species is lost, others could soon follow. Biologists have now found that reducing the numbers of one species of carnivore can lead to the extinction of others.

Brain can't cope with making a left-hand turn and talking on hands-free cell phone Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:41 AM PST Most serious traffic accidents occur when drivers are making a left-hand turn at a busy intersection. When those drivers are also talking on a hands-free cell phone, "that could be the most dangerous thing they ever do on the road," said an expert.

How did early primordial cells evolve? Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:41 AM PST New research on bacteria examines how primordial cells could have evolved without protein machinery or cell walls. While the vast majority of bacteria have cell walls, many bacteria can switch to a wall-free existence called the L-form state, which could mirror the structure of primordial cells. A new study reveals how bacteria in this L-form state divide and proliferate, shedding light on how the earliest forms of cellular life may have replicated.

Study identifies growth factor essential to the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:41 AM PST A multi-institutional team has identified a molecular pathway that appears to be essential for the growth and spread of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children. In their report they show that blocking this pathway leads to regression of all four molecular subtypes of medulloblastoma in several mouse models.

Fighting GM crop vandalism with a government-protected research site Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:41 AM PST Genetically modified (GM) crops have been a source of great controversy -- particularly in Europe -- but acts of vandalism and associated security costs have made scientific evidence about the health and ecological impacts of those crops hard to come by. A Swiss government-protected field site dedicated for use in GM crop studies could serve as an example to other European countries interested in pursuing crop biotechnology, according to a new article.

Action video games boost reading skills, study of children with dyslexia suggests Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:41 AM PST Much to the chagrin of parents who think their kids should spend less time playing video games and more time studying, time spent playing action video games can actually make dyslexic children read better, new research suggests. In fact, 12 hours of video game play did more for reading skills than is normally achieved with a year of spontaneous reading development or demanding traditional reading treatments.

Mutation location is the key to prognosis Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:41 AM PST The three most important factors in real estate are location, location, location, and the same might be said for mutations in the gene MECP2, researchers report in a new study.

DNA's twisted communication Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:40 AM PST Gene expression needs to be finely controlled during embryo development. Fgf8 is one of these regulation factors that control how the limbs, the head and the brain grow. Researchers have elucidated how Fgf8 in mammal embryos is, itself, controlled by a series of interdependent regulatory elements. Their findings shed new light on the importance of the genome's architecture for gene regulation.

Cell movement explained by molecular recycling Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:40 AM PST Scientists have identified the method by which cells control the recycling of molecules, a process that is essential for them to move. The discovery provides researchers with a better understanding of how our bodies heal wounds.

Nearly 1 in 4 women with breast cancer report PTSD symptoms, study finds Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:40 AM PST Nearly one in four women (23 percent) newly diagnosed with breast cancer reported symptoms consistent with PTSD shortly after diagnosis, with increased risk among black and Asian women, according to a new study.

Crews rehearse Launch Abort System stacking with Orion Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:32 AM PST Crane operators, technicians and engineers practiced lifting and stacking techniques this week as they moved a 6-ton replica escape rocket called the LAS, for Launch Abort System, from a trailer to the top of a mockup Orion capsule.

NASA researchers work to turn blue skies green Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:30 AM PST Air travelers of the future could have quieter, greener and more fuel-efficient airliners because of NASA research efforts that are moving into further development and testing.

Closer personal relationships could help teens overcome learning disabilities Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:34 AM PST A new study from Israel says that children with learning disabilities develop less secure attachments with mothers and teachers, and that closer and more secure relationships with parents and adults may help them overcome these disabilities.

Toxic oceans may have delayed spread of complex life Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:34 AM PST A new model suggests that inhospitable hydrodgen-sulfide rich waters could have delayed the spread of complex life forms in ancient oceans. The research considers the composition of the oceans 550-700 million years ago and shows that oxygen-poor toxic conditions, which may have delayed the establishment of complex life, were controlled by the biological availability of nitrogen.

Trackable drug-filled nanoparticles: Potential weapon against cancer Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:34 AM PST Tiny particles filled with a drug could be a new tool for treating cancer in the future. Scientists show how such nanoparticles can be combined to secure the effective delivery of cancer drugs to tumor cells -- and how they can be given properties to make them visible in MR scanners and thus be rendered trackable.

Mutation altering stability of surface molecule in acid enables H5N1 infection of mammals Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:34 AM PST A single mutation in the H5N1 avian influenza virus that affects the pH at which the hemagglutinin surface protein is activated simultaneously reduces its capacity to infect ducks and enhances its capacity to grow in mice, according to researchers.

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