ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Termites create sustainable monoculture fungus farming

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Food production of modern human societies is mostly based on large-scale monoculture crops, but it now appears that advanced insect societies have the same practice. Our societies took just ten thousand years of (mainly cultural) evolution to adopt this habit and we are far from convinced that it is sustainable. Farming ants and termites had tens of millions of years to evolve their fungus farming systems and here monocultures are apparently evolutionary stable.

Sugar-coated polymer is new weapon against allergies and asthma

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Scientists have developed sugar-coated polymer strands that selectively kill off cells involved in triggering aggressive allergy and asthma attacks. Their advance is a significant step toward crafting pharmaceuticals to fight these often life-endangering conditions in a new way.

Toward home-brewed electricity with 'personalized solar energy'

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

New scientific discoveries are moving society toward the era of "personalized solar energy," in which the focus of electricity production shifts from huge central generating stations to individuals in their own homes and communities.

Researchers find new piece of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) puzzle

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

A new treatment route for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and its human form Creutzfeldt Jakob disease could be a step closer based on new results from scientists in the UK. The team has found that a protein called Glypican-1 plays a key role in the development of BSE.

Sweet as can be: How E. coli gets ahead

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Scientists have discovered how certain bacteria such as Escherichia coli have evolved to capture rare sugars from their environment giving them an evolutionary advantage in naturally competitive environments like the human gut.

Shifting blame is socially contagious

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Merely observing someone publicly blame an individual in an organization for a problem -- even when the target is innocent -- greatly increases the odds that the practice of blaming others will spread with the tenacity of the H1N1 flu.

Solar winds triggered by magnetic fields

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Solar wind generated by the sun is probably driven by a process involving powerful magnetic fields, according to a new study led by researchers based on the latest observations from the Hinode satellite.

'Slimming gene' discovered that regulates body fat

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown fruit fly gene that controls the metabolism of fat. Larvae in which this gene is defective lose their entire fat reserves. Mammals carry a group of genes that are structurally very similar. The scientists therefore hope this research could lead to new medicines to fight obesity.

DNA molecules in moss open door to new biotechnology

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Plasmids, which are DNA molecules capable of independent replication in cells, have played an important role in gene technology. Researchers have now demonstrated that plasmid-based methods, which had been limited to single-cell organisms such as bacteria and yeasts, can be extended to mosses, opening the door to applications of a number of powerful techniques in plant research.

Tooth-binding micelles containing antimicrobials may provide long-term cavity protection

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

A new study suggests that tooth-binding micelles (or particles) may provide long-term cavity protection by adhering to tooth surfaces and gradually releasing encapsulated antimicrobials. Formulation of a mouthwash-based delivery system is anticipated, ultimately simplifying application and increasing at-home patient compliance.

Energy-saving powder may allow exploitation of unused reserves of natural gas

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Chemists are using a simple method to convert methane to methanol -- something that has the potential to exploit previously unused reserves of natural gas.

Health-care debate linked to risk of dying in US and Europe

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

A new Web site allows users to explore differences in the probability of dying across European countries and the US states for men and women of different ages and races.

Mysteriously warm times in Antarctica

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

A new study of Antarctica's past climate reveals that temperatures during the warm periods between ice ages (interglacials) may have been higher than previously thought. The latest analysis of ice core records suggests that Antarctic temperatures may have been up to 6°C warmer than the present day.

Bone implant offers hope for skull deformities

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

A synthetic bone matrix offers hope for babies born with craniosynostosis, a condition that causes the plates in the skull to fuse too soon.

Clearer view of how eye lens proteins are sorted

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

New research reveals how proteins that are critical for the transparency of the eye lens are properly sorted and localized in membrane bilayers. The study analyzes how interactions between lipid and protein molecules can selectively concentrate proteins in certain regions of the cell membrane.

Three IVF attempts double chances of live birth

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

Just one in three women gives birth after a single IVF attempt, but the cumulative chance of a live birth increases with each cycle -- where women are offered three cycles nearly two thirds go on to have babies, reveals new research.

Emissions increase despite financial crisis

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

Fossil carbon dioxide emissions increased by 40 percent from 1990 to 2008, according to new findings. Coal has bypassed oil as the largest source of CO₂ emissions.

Bypassing the blues: Telephone treatment for depression post-bypass surgery improves quality of life

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

Coronary artery bypass graft patients who were screened for depression after surgery and then cared for by a nurse-led team of health care specialists via telephone reported improved quality of life and physical function compared to those who received their doctors' usual care, according to a new study.

Brain disease 'resistance gene' evolves in Papua New Guinea community; could offer insights into CJD

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

A community in Papua New Guinea that suffered a major epidemic of a CJD-like fatal brain disease called kuru has developed strong genetic resistance to the disease, according to new research by scientists in the UK.

Saliva proteins change as women age

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

In a step toward using human saliva to tell whether those stiff joints, memory lapses, and other telltale signs of aging are normal or red flags for disease, scientists are describing how the protein content of women's saliva change with advancing age. The discovery could lead to a simple, noninvasive test for better diagnosing and treating certain age-related diseases in women, they suggest.

Hidden threat: Elevated pollution levels near regional airports

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Scientists are reporting evidence that air pollution -- a well-recognized problem at major airports -- may pose an important but largely overlooked health concern for people living near smaller regional airports. Those airports are becoming an increasingly important component of global air transport systems. The study, one of only a handful to examine airborne pollutants near regional airports, suggests that officials should pay closer attention to these overlooked emissions, which could cause health problems for local residents.

Barn personnel experience higher-than-average rates of respiratory symptoms

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

The estimated 4.6 million Americans involved in the equine industry may be at risk of developing respiratory symptoms due to poor air quality in horse barns, according to a questionnaire study.

Software knowledge unnecessarily lost

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

All too often the knowledge acquired by software architects is unnecessarily lost. Moreover, it is difficult to simply and quickly assess the quality of software. According to researchers these problems can, however, be easily resolved. They investigated how architectural knowledge can be better disseminated and retrieved.

Why can't some people give up cocaine?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Drug dependency is a recurrent but treatable kind of addiction. However, not all people who are drug dependent progress in the same way once they stop taking drugs. A new study shows that, in the case of cocaine, a high score on the so-called ‘scale of craving’, an antisocial personality type and previous heroin abuse are the factors most commonly involved in people falling back into the habit.

Watching a cannibal galaxy dine

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

A new technique using near-infrared images, obtained with ESO's 3.58-metre New Technology Telescope (NTT), allows astronomers to see through the opaque dust lanes of the giant cannibal galaxy Centaurus A, unveiling its "last meal" in unprecedented detail -- a smaller spiral galaxy, currently twisted and warped. This amazing image also shows thousands of star clusters, strewn like glittering gems, churning inside Centaurus A.

Why bird flu has not caused a pandemic

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Bird flu viruses would have to make at least two simultaneous genetic mutations before they could be transmitted readily from human to human, according to new research.

Small nanoparticles bring big improvement to medical imaging

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Scientists have discovered a method of using nanoparticles to illuminate the cellular interior to reveal the slow, complex processes taking place in a living cell.

An atomic-level look at an HIV accomplice

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Since the discovery in 2007 that a component of human semen called SEVI boosts infectivity of the virus that causes AIDS, researchers have been trying to learn more about SEVI and how it works, in hopes of thwarting its infection-promoting activity.

Engineer designs micro-endoscope to seek out early signs of cancer

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Traditional endoscopes provide a peek inside patients' bodies. Now, an engineering researcher is designing ones capable of a full inspection.

Older problem drinkers use more alcohol than do their younger counterparts

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Older adults who have alcohol dependence problems drink significantly more than do younger adults who have similar problems, a new study has found. The findings suggest that older problem drinkers may have developed a tolerance for alcohol and need to drink even more than younger abusers to achieve the effects they seek.

Active hearing process in mosquitoes

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

A mathematical model has explained some of the remarkable features of mosquito hearing. In particular, the male can hear the faintest beats of the female's wings and yet is not deafened by loud noises.

Schizophrenia gene's role may be broader, more potent, than thought

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

Scientists studying nerve cells in fruit flies have uncovered a new function for a gene whose human equivalent may play a critical role in schizophrenia.

Amaizing: Corn genome decoded

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

In recent years, scientists have decoded the DNA of humans and a menagerie of creatures but none with genes as complex as a stalk of corn, the latest genome to be unraveled. A team of scientists has published the completed corn genome -- an accomplishment that will speed efforts to develop better crop varieties to meet the world's growing demands for food, livestock feed and fuel.

Sleep apnea may cause heart disease in kidney transplant patients

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

Sleep apnea is common in individuals who receive a kidney transplant and is associated with increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke, according to a new study.

First map of chromosome terminals of higher fungi

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

Scientists have described for the first time how the telomeres and adjacent sequences of the oyster fungus are organized.

Psychological therapy 32 times more cost effective at increasing happiness than money

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST

Psychological therapy could be 32 times more cost effective at making you happy than simply obtaining more money, according to a new study. The research has obvious implications for large compensation awards in law courts but also has wider implications for general public health.

Large Hadron Collider: Beams are back on at world's most powerful particle accelerator

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST

Particle beams are once again zooming around the world's most powerful particle accelerator -- the Large Hadron Collider -- located at the CERN laboratory near Geneva, Switzerland. After more than one year of repairs, the LHC is now back on track to create high-energy particle collisions that may yield extraordinary insights into the nature of the physical universe.

Antioxidant found in vegetables has implications for treating cystic fibrosis

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST

Scientists have discovered that a dietary antioxidant found in such vegetables as broccoli and cauliflower protects cells from damage caused by chemicals generated during the body's inflammatory response to infection and injury. The finding has implications for such inflammation-based disorders as cystic fibrosis, diabetes, heart disease and neurodegeneration.

How fish is cooked affects heart-health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST

Baked or boiled fish is associated with more benefit from heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than fried, salted or dried fish. Caucasian, Japanese-American and Latino men may be more likely to get the health benefits of fish than African-American or Hawaiian men, perhaps because of how their fish is prepared or genetic predisposition. Omega-3s from plant sources such as soy may do more to improve women's heart health than fish sources.

Inflammation critical in aortic dissection, researchers find

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST

Researchers have found biochemical processes that chip away at the aorta causing aortic dissection.

Optical properties of the Antarctic system and new radiation information

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST

In a new study, measurements were made during three Austral summers to study the optical properties of the Antarctic system and to produce radiation information for additional modeling studies. The system has an important part in the global climate due to its size, its high latitude location and the negative radiation balance of its large ice sheets.

Drug Use: Effects of ketamine (K) on users

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST

The first ever large-scale, longitudinal study of ketamine users has been published. With ketamine use increasing faster than any other drug in the UK, this research showing the consequences of repeated ketamine use provides valuable information for users and addiction professionals alike. Heavy ketamine users were impaired on several measures, including verbal memory.

Frog legs trade may facilitate spread of pathogens

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

Most countries throughout the world participate in the $40-million-per-year culinary trade of frog legs in some way, with 75 percent of frog legs consumed in France, Belgium and the United States. Scientists have found that this trade is a potential carrier of pathogens deadly to amphibians.

On your last nerve: Researchers advance understanding of stem cells

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

Researchers have identified a gene that tells embryonic stem cells in the brain when to stop producing nerve cells called neurons. The research is a significant advance in understanding the development of the nervous system, which is essential to addressing conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.

Why Israeli rodents are more cautious than Jordanian ones

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

Rodent, reptile and ant lion species behave differently on either side of the Israel-Jordan border. Researchers found that Israeli gerbils are more cautious than their Jordanian friends, and the funnel-digging ant lion population in Israel is unmistakably larger than in Jordan.

New cause of osteoporosis: Mutation in a miroRNA

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

Many biological processes are controlled by small molecules known as microRNAs. Researchers have now identified a previously unknown microRNA (miR-2861) as crucial to bone maintenance in mice and humans; significantly, expression of functional miR-2861 was absent in two related adolescents with primary osteoporosis.

Bacterially produced antifungal on skin of amphibians may protect against lethal fungus

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

A new study suggests that naturally occurring bacteria on the skin of salamanders could help protect other amphibians, including some species of endangered frogs, from a lethal skin disease.

Ancestry attracts, but love is blind

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

People preferentially marry those with similar ancestry, but their decisions are not necessarily based on hair, eye or skin color. Research shows that Mexicans mate according to proportions of Native-American to European ancestry, while Puerto Ricans are more likely to settle down with someone carrying a similar mix of African and European genes.