Sunday 15 January 2012

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Couples' friendships make for happier marriages, relationships

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:10 PM PST

A new book, "Two Plus Two: Couples and Their Couple Friendships," presents findings based on more than 400 interviews in which couples share experiences over the lifespan that readers can emulate to improve their own marriages.

Brain glia cells increase their DNA content to preserve vital blood-brain barrier

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:10 PM PST

Scientists report that as the developing larval fruit fly brain grows by cell division, it instructs subperineurial glia (SPG) cells that form the blood-brain barrier to enlarge by creating multiple copies of their genomes in a process known as polyploidization.

Obese nurses more stressed, less active

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:08 PM PST

Job stress and shift work have a lot more to do with obesity among nurses than previously thought, according to a new study.

Wearing contact lenses can affect glaucoma measurements

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:06 PM PST

Wearing contact lenses can affect measurements to detect glaucoma, a new study has found.

Energy within the cell: Energy-saving chaperon Hsp90

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:06 PM PST

A special group of proteins, the so-called chaperons, helps other proteins to obtain their correct conformation. Until now scientists supposed that hydrolyzing ATP provides the energy for the large conformational changes of chaperon Hsp90. Now a research team has demonstrated that Hsp90 utilizes thermal fluctuations as the driving force for its conformational changes.

Dark side of the moon revealed: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's LAMP reveals lunar surface features

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:06 PM PST

New maps produced by the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal features at the moon's northern and southern poles in regions that lie in perpetual darkness. LAMP uses a novel method to peer into these so-called permanently shadowed regions, making visible the invisible.

Protection of the heart at a distance

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:03 PM PST

Novel avenues to treat a heart attack have been developed: in patients, who have a blood pressure cuff several times briefly inflated before they undergo coronary artery surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, the heart is protected from damage.

New portrait to mark Hooke's place in history

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:03 PM PST

Chroniclers of his time called him 'despicable', 'mistrustful' and 'jealous', and a rivalrous Isaac Newton might have had the only surviving portrait of him burnt, but, three centuries on, Robert Hooke is now regarded as one of the great Enlightenment scientists.  

Most recent European great ape discovered

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:03 PM PST

Based on a hominid molar, scientists from Germany, Bulgaria and France have documented that great apes survived in Europe in savannah-like landscapes until seven million years ago.

'Good' HDL cholesterol can also be 'bad'

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:02 PM PST

Generally speaking, a distinction has been made so far between "good" HDL cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol. LDL contributes to cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke, while the "good" HDL protects against them. Now, however, experts have discovered that the anti-inflammatory effect of HDL was not detected in patients on renal dialysis.

Tiny transmitter sets frequency record: Revolutionary terahertz transmitter developed

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:02 PM PST

A terahertz transmitter has generated the highest frequency ever attained by a microelectronic device. The innovative device is also minuscule and operates at room temperature, which could lead to it paving the way for new applications in, e.g., nondestructive testing or medical diagnostics.

Office workers spend too much time at their desks

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:02 PM PST

In a typical working week, people spend on average 5 hours and 41 minutes per day sitting at their desk and 7 hours sleeping at night. Prolonged sitting at your desk is not only bad for your physical health, but potentially your mental well-being, experts say.

Charges going astray: New transfer paths for electrons discovered

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:59 PM PST

In the development of materials for energy production and distribution, knowledge of molecular processes in electrical charge transfer is fundamental. Scientists have once more discovered that nature provides interesting templates for long-range electron transfer.

Resource management in ant colonies may have lessons for politicians and economists

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:56 PM PST

Political and economic theorists could learn lessons from studying how an ant colony allocates food resources, according to a new article.

Monitored heart bracelets may prevent sudden death in sport

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:56 PM PST

The use of heart bracelets connected via ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) to a system of tracking and monitoring could prevent cases of sudden death in sports activities. It could also enable an early detection of cardiac abnormalities, the prevention of certain muscle injuries and the improvement in health care times to the athlete.

Cancer sequencing project identifies potential approaches to combat aggressive leukemia

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:56 PM PST

Researchers have discovered that a subtype of leukemia characterized by a poor prognosis is fueled by mutations in pathways distinctly different from a seemingly similar leukemia associated with a much better outcome. The findings highlight a possible new strategy for treating patients with this more aggressive cancer.

Gene identified as a new target for treatment of aggressive childhood eye tumor

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:54 PM PST

New findings help solve mystery of retinoblastoma's rapid growth in work that also yields a new treatment target and possible therapy.

Give support to repulsion, and you'll see attraction. We know why

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:54 PM PST

When two objects repel each other under the action of one force, we usually expect that addition of another force, also repulsive one, will accelerate separation. This intuitive view is, however, not always true. Researchers have now managed to explain surprising results of experiments with mixtures, where two repulsive interactions have lead to a strong attraction.

Concept of 'overactive bladder' serves commercial interests rather than patient interests, experts say

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:54 PM PST

Experts question the concept of the 'overactive bladder syndrome'. According to researchers, the definition of this syndrome is mostly beneficial to those with commercial interests, while from the patient perspective and for the development of treatments, it may be detrimental.

Opioids erase memory traces of pain

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:49 PM PST

Medical researchers have discovered a previously unknown effect of opioids. The study shows that opioids not only temporarily relieve pain, but at the right dose can also erase memory traces of pain in the spinal cord and therefore eliminate a key cause of chronic pain.

Major environmental study finds traces of many drugs in Swedish waters

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:49 PM PST

High levels of the anti-inflammatory substance diclofenac are released from wastewater plants, according to a new study.

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