ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Female genital mutilation significantly reduces sexual quality of life, study finds
• Men's views of abortion depend more on social class and circumstances than on fixed beliefs, interviews reveal
• Prototype of lunar water-prospecting robot to search for water ice at moon's northern pole
• Looking out for Number One can make you happy, if you have no choice
• New interactive system detects touch and gestures on any surface
• Screening method aids RNA drug development research
• Most pregnancy-related infections are caused by four treatable conditions, study finds
• Pioneer anomaly solved? Interstellar travelers of the future may be helped by physicist's calculations
• Hospitals that cooperate on infection control fare better than hospitals acting alone
• Medicare beneficiaries overspend by hundreds, experts say
• Heart attack patients in states with public reporting less likely to receive angioplasty
• Hormone level linked with increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, death
• Vigorous physical activity may increase risk of bleeding for children with hemophilia
• Synthetic liver enzyme could result in more effective drugs with fewer side effects
• Vitamin C prevents bone loss in animal models
• Potential debt problems more common among the educated, study suggests
• For most patients, surgery is best treatment for spinal stenosis, study finds
• Your child shows up for middle school, but what about his classmates?
• New link between high-fat 'Western' diet and atherosclerosis identified
• Animal models can revolutionize the study of cancer
• Online attitudes predict individuals' compulsive and excessive Internet use and poor well-being
• Most complex synthetic biology circuit yet: New sensor could be used to program cells to precisely monitor their environments
• How cancer cells break free from tumors: Study identifies adhesion molecules key to cancer’s spread through the body
• Rearing technique may bolster biocontrol wasp's commercial prospects
• Child-free women feel intense pressure to have kids, but rarely stress over it
• Caffeine may block inflammation linked to mild cognitive impairment
• 2010 Korea bomb 'tests' probably false alarms, says study
• Academic achievement improved among students active in structured after-school programs
• Chronic kidney disease alters intestinal microbial flora
• Drawing a line, with carbon nanotubes: New low-cost, durable carbon nanotube sensors can be etched with mechanical pencils
• Topological superconductors: Seeking a robust home for qubits
• RMND1 mutation: Scientists discover gene behind rare disorders
• Glowing DNA invention points towards high speed disease detection
• IspH -- a protein free to choose its partners
• Dead stars could be the future of spacecraft navigation
• Secondary osteoporosis: More than what meets the eye!
• Intervention reduces sexual risk behavior and unintended preganancies in teen girls, study finds
• Chaperone protein subverts removal of glaucoma-causing protein
• Greenhouse gas emissions mapped to building, street level for U.S. cities
• Bioenergy: The broken promise
• Antioxidant may prevent, even cure, cataracts and other degenerative eye disorders
• Doubling up on advanced prostate cancer with PARP inhibitors
• MRSA researchers identify new class of drug effective against superbug
• Graphene membranes may lead to enhanced natural gas production, less CO2 pollution
• Computational model identifies potential pathways to improve plant oil production
• App protects Facebook users from hackers
• New tool for making genetic engineering of microbial circuits reliably predictable
• Fast walking and jogging halve development of heart disease and stroke risk factors, research indicates
• Cannabis extract eases muscle stiffness typical of multiple sclerosis, study suggests
• Curb kids' screen time to stave off major health and developmental problems
• Putting a block on neuropathic pain before it starts: Tiny spheres filled with anesthetic from a shellfish toxin
• What might have caused recent increase of coral diseases in the Caribbean?
• Building a better drug to treat type 2 diabetes
• Biochemists open path to molecular 'chaperone' therapy for metabolic disease
• Wearing a knee brace following anterior cruciate ligament surgery has no effect on recovery
• Moving forward with controversial H5N1 research
• An operating system in the cloud: TransOS could displace conventional desktop operating systems
• Flirting can pay off for women, study finds
• Large water reservoirs at the dawn of stellar birth
• New evaluation method for assessing toothpastes

Female genital mutilation significantly reduces sexual quality of life, study finds Posted: 09 Oct 2012 04:26 PM PDT Women who have undergone female genital mutilation have a significantly lower sexual quality of life, a new study finds.

Men's views of abortion depend more on social class and circumstances than on fixed beliefs, interviews reveal Posted: 09 Oct 2012 03:23 PM PDT Interviews of unmarried men living with female partners revealed that their opinions on whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy were more dependent on financial and personal circumstances than on moral views about abortion.

Prototype of lunar water-prospecting robot to search for water ice at moon's northern pole Posted: 09 Oct 2012 02:37 PM PDT A robotics technology company has completed assembly of a full-size prototype of Polaris, a solar-powered robot that will search for potentially rich deposits of water ice at the moon's poles. The first of its kind, Polaris can accommodate a drill to bore one meter into the lunar surface and can operate in lunar regions characterized by dark, long shadows and a sun that hugs the horizon.

Looking out for Number One can make you happy, if you have no choice Posted: 09 Oct 2012 02:15 PM PDT As young children, we're taught that "sharing means caring" and, as we mature, we learn to take others' point of view. If we make a decision that favors self-interest, we often feel guilt for prioritizing ourselves over others. In prioritizing others, however, we sometimes forego the things that we know will make us happy. This raises an intriguing question: Is there any way to pursue self-interest without feeling bad about it? Can we have the proverbial cake and it eat it, too? New research suggests that having our self-interest imposed upon us may help us to avoid feelings of guilt.

New interactive system detects touch and gestures on any surface Posted: 09 Oct 2012 02:15 PM PDT People can let their fingers -- and hands -- do the talking with a new touch-activated system that projects onto walls and other surfaces and allows users to interact with their environment and each other. The system identifies the fingers of a person's hand while touching any plain surface. It also recognizes hand posture and gestures, revealing individual users by their unique traits.

Screening method aids RNA drug development research Posted: 09 Oct 2012 02:14 PM PDT Scientists have developed a new method of screening more than three million combinations of interactions between RNA and small molecules to identify the best targets on RNA as well as the most promising potential drug compounds. This novel technology may lead to more efficient drug development.

Most pregnancy-related infections are caused by four treatable conditions, study finds Posted: 09 Oct 2012 02:14 PM PDT In low-and-middle income countries, pregnancy-related infections are a major cause of maternal death, can also be fatal to unborn and newborn babies, and are mostly caused by four types of conditions that are treatable and preventable, according to a review by U.S. researchers.

Pioneer anomaly solved? Interstellar travelers of the future may be helped by physicist's calculations Posted: 09 Oct 2012 01:11 PM PDT Interstellar travel will depend upon extremely precise measurements of every factor involved in the mission. The knowledge of those factors may be improved by a researcher's solution, found to a puzzle that has stumped astrophysicists for decades.

Hospitals that cooperate on infection control fare better than hospitals acting alone Posted: 09 Oct 2012 01:10 PM PDT An individual hospital's infection control efforts have a ripple effect on the prevalence of a deadly and highly infectious bacterium in hospitals throughout its surrounding region, a multi-center research group demonstrated in a computer simulation-based study.

Medicare beneficiaries overspend by hundreds, experts say Posted: 09 Oct 2012 01:10 PM PDT Medicare beneficiaries are overpaying by hundreds of dollars annually because of difficulties selecting the ideal prescription drug plan for their medical needs, an investigation reveals.

Heart attack patients in states with public reporting less likely to receive angioplasty Posted: 09 Oct 2012 01:10 PM PDT Patients entering hospitals with heart attacks in states with mandatory public reporting are less likely to receive angioplasties to fix heart blockages than patients in states without public reporting, according to a new study.

Hormone level linked with increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, death Posted: 09 Oct 2012 01:07 PM PDT Plasma levels of proneurotensin are associated with the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular and total mortality, and breast cancer in women during long-term follow-up.

Vigorous physical activity may increase risk of bleeding for children with hemophilia Posted: 09 Oct 2012 01:07 PM PDT In children and adolescents with hemophilia, vigorous physical activity was associated with an elevated risk of bleeding, although it appears the absolute increase in risk may be small.

Synthetic liver enzyme could result in more effective drugs with fewer side effects Posted: 09 Oct 2012 12:21 PM PDT Medicines could be made to have fewer side effects and work in smaller doses with the help of a synthetic enzyme developed at Princeton University that makes drug molecules more resistant to breakdown by the human liver.

Vitamin C prevents bone loss in animal models Posted: 09 Oct 2012 12:12 PM PDT Researchers have shown for the first time in an animal model that vitamin C actively protects against osteoporosis, a disease affecting large numbers of elderly women and men in which bones become brittle and can fracture.

Potential debt problems more common among the educated, study suggests Posted: 09 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT Before the financial crash of 2008, it was highly educated Americans who were most likely to pile on unmanageable levels of debt, a new study suggests. Overall, the percentage of Americans who were paying more than 40 percent of their income for debts like mortgages and credit card bills increased from about 17 percent in 1992 to 27 percent in 2008.

For most patients, surgery is best treatment for spinal stenosis, study finds Posted: 09 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT Nearly all groups of patients with spinal stenosis -- but not smokers -- do better with surgery than with nonsurgical treatment, reports a new study.

Your child shows up for middle school, but what about his classmates? Posted: 09 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT How often do your child's classmates go to school? Whether fellow students show up for class matters more than you think, especially if your son or daughter is in middle school, according to experts.

New link between high-fat 'Western' diet and atherosclerosis identified Posted: 09 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Researchers have found that a diet high in saturated fat raises levels of endothelial lipase, an enzyme associated with the development of atherosclerosis, and, conversely, that a diet high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fat lowers levels of this enzyme. The findings establish a "new" link between diet and athersoclerosis and suggest a novel way to prevent cardiovascular heart disease. In addition, the research may help to explain why the type 2 diabetes drug rosiglitazone has been linked to heart problems.

Animal models can revolutionize the study of cancer Posted: 09 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Animal models have served to validate the effectiveness of a new drug against ovarian cancer resistant to cisplatin.

Online attitudes predict individuals' compulsive and excessive Internet use and poor well-being Posted: 09 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Researchers are exploring how specific online communication attitudes -- such as individuals' tendency for online self-disclosure, online social connection, and online anxiety -- predicted their compulsive and excessive Internet use and, in turn, low sense of well-being.

Most complex synthetic biology circuit yet: New sensor could be used to program cells to precisely monitor their environments Posted: 09 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Using genes as interchangeable parts, synthetic biologists design cellular circuits that can perform new functions, such as sensing environmental conditions. However, the complexity that can be achieved in such circuits has been limited by a critical bottleneck: the difficulty in assembling genetic components that don't interfere with each other. Unlike electronic circuits on a silicon chip, biological circuits inside a cell cannot be physically isolated from one another.

How cancer cells break free from tumors: Study identifies adhesion molecules key to cancer’s spread through the body Posted: 09 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Although tumor metastasis causes about 90 percent of cancer deaths, the exact mechanism that allows cancer cells to spread from one part of the body to another is not well understood. One key question is how tumor cells detach from the structural elements that normally hold tissues in place, then reattach themselves in a new site. A new study reveals some of the cellular adhesion molecules that are critical to this process.

Rearing technique may bolster biocontrol wasp's commercial prospects Posted: 09 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Two to three millimeters long, the parasitoid wasp Habrobracon hebetor is a top candidate for use in programs to biologically control Indianmeal moths and other stored-product pests. But despite the prospects for reduced insecticide use and product losses, the approach has yet to gain traction commercially, in part because of the lack of an efficient method of stockpiling the wasp. But a team of scientists is working on the problem.

Child-free women feel intense pressure to have kids, but rarely stress over it Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:18 AM PDT A national survey of nearly 1,200 American women of reproductive age with no children sought to determine if the reason a woman had no children contributed to different types and levels of stress.

Caffeine may block inflammation linked to mild cognitive impairment Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:18 AM PDT A new study has discovered a novel signal that activates the brain-based inflammation associated with neurodegenerative diseases, and caffeine appears to block its activity. This discovery may eventually lead to drugs that could reverse or inhibit mild cognitive impairment.

2010 Korea bomb 'tests' probably false alarms, says study Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT This spring, a Swedish scientist sparked international concern with a journal article saying that radioactive particles detected in 2010 showed North Korea had set off at least two small nuclear blasts -- possibly in experiments designed to boost yields of much larger bombs. Separate claims surfaced that intelligence agencies suspected the detonations were done in cooperation with Iran. Now, a new paper says the tests likely never took place -- or that if they did, they were too tiny to have any military significance.

Academic achievement improved among students active in structured after-school programs Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT Participating in structured after-school care programs such as Boys and Girls Clubs positively affects academic achievement, says a new study. The study looked at data on 719 students in second through eighth grades who participated in after-school activities at local Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas during the 2009-2010 academic year. Students' participation in club activities was correlated with improved grades and fewer school absences.

Chronic kidney disease alters intestinal microbial flora Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT Chronic kidney disease changes the composition of intestinal bacterial microbes that normally play a crucial role in staving off disease-causing pathogens and maintaining micronutrient balance, according to new research.

Drawing a line, with carbon nanotubes: New low-cost, durable carbon nanotube sensors can be etched with mechanical pencils Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT Researchers have designed a new type of pencil lead in which graphite is replaced with a compressed powder of carbon nanotubes. The lead, which can be used with a regular mechanical pencil, can inscribe sensors on any paper surface.

Topological superconductors: Seeking a robust home for qubits Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT A new study, taking into account realistic conditions for the first time, shows that Majorana qubits are possible.

RMND1 mutation: Scientists discover gene behind rare disorders Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT Scientists have uncovered the genetic defect underlying a group of rare genetic disorders. Using a new technique that has revolutionized genetic studies, the teams determined that mutations in the RMND1 gene were responsible for severe neurodegenerative disorders, in two infants, ultimately leading to their early death. Although the teams' investigations dealt with an infant, their discovery also has implications for understanding the causes of later-onset neurological diseases.

Glowing DNA invention points towards high speed disease detection Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT Many diseases, including cancers, leave genetic clues in the body just as criminals leave DNA at a crime scene. But tools to detect the DNA-like sickness clues known as miRNAs, tend to be slow and expensive. Now researchers have invented a DNA sensor, coupling genetic material to a luminous molecule which goes dark only in the presence of a specific target.

IspH -- a protein free to choose its partners Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:16 AM PDT The iron-sulfur protein IspH plays a central role in the terpene metabolism of several pathogens. The mechanism of the reaction provides an approach for developing new antibiotics, particularly against malaria and tuberculosis. While researching this enzyme, biochemists discovered a previously unknown reaction: IspH accepts two completely different classes of molecules as partners. This surprising insight opens up new perspectives in combating infectious diseases.

Dead stars could be the future of spacecraft navigation Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:16 AM PDT Scientists are investigating the feasibility of using dead stars to navigate spacecraft in deep space. If feasible, this technique may in future revolutionize the way spacecraft navigate in the outer Solar System and beyond.

Secondary osteoporosis: More than what meets the eye! Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:16 AM PDT A new study has revealed that considering all osteoporotic patients as having simple osteoporosis and treating all of them alike by putting them on potent long term medication without finding out the cause of their osteoporosis may be ineffective and in most cases downright harmful.

Intervention reduces sexual risk behavior and unintended preganancies in teen girls, study finds Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:16 AM PDT Adolescent girls participating in a sexual risk reduction intervention were more likely to practice abstinence and, if sexually active, showed substantial decreases in unprotected sex, number of partners and unintended pregnancies, a new study reports.

Chaperone protein subverts removal of glaucoma-causing protein Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:16 AM PDT The chaperone protein Grp94 can interfere with the clearance of another protein known to cause the glaucoma when mutated, a new study has found. The researchers also demonstrated that a new specific inhibitor of Grp94 facilitates clearance of the genetically-defective protein, called myocilin, from cells.

Greenhouse gas emissions mapped to building, street level for U.S. cities Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:16 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new software system capable of estimating greenhouse gas emissions across entire urban landscapes, all the way down to roads and individual buildings. Until now, scientists quantified carbon dioxide emissions at a much broader level. "Hestia" combines extensive public database "data-mining" with traffic simulation and building-by-building energy-consumption modeling.

Bioenergy: The broken promise Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:14 AM PDT Biofuels are going to save us from climate threats and the oil crisis, while at the same time providing an opportunity to the smallholder farmers of the world. Hopes are high, but completely unrealistic. It is like trying to push a square peg into a round hole, according to new research.

Antioxidant may prevent, even cure, cataracts and other degenerative eye disorders Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:12 AM PDT A research group is working with an antioxidant that could prevent or cure cataracts, macular degeneration and other degenerative eye disorders. The researchers are studying eye drops prepared with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA) as a treatment for these eye conditions.

Doubling up on advanced prostate cancer with PARP inhibitors Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:12 AM PDT A newly discovered function of PARP-1 could be the key to more effective therapeutics to treat advanced prostate cancer patients, a recent preclinical study suggests.

MRSA researchers identify new class of drug effective against superbug Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT In two separate published studies, researchers have discovered a new class of treatment against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as well as evidence of a growing need to quickly genotype individual strains of the organism most commonly referred to as the "superbug."

Graphene membranes may lead to enhanced natural gas production, less CO2 pollution Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT Engineering researchers have produced the first experimental results showing that atomically thin graphene membranes with tiny pores can effectively and efficiently separate gas molecules through size-selective sieving.

Computational model identifies potential pathways to improve plant oil production Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT Using a computational model they designed to incorporate detailed information about plants' interconnected metabolic processes, scientists have identified key pathways that appear to "favor" the production of either oils or proteins. The research may point the way to new strategies to tip the balance and increase plant oil production.

App protects Facebook users from hackers Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT A new app to detect spam and malware posts on Facebook users' walls was found to be highly accurate, fast and efficient, new study suggests.

New tool for making genetic engineering of microbial circuits reliably predictable Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT Researchers have developed an adapator that makes the genetic engineering of microbial components substantially easier and more predictable.

Fast walking and jogging halve development of heart disease and stroke risk factors, research indicates Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT Daily activities, such as fast walking and jogging, can curb the development of risk factors for heart disease and stroke by as much as 50 percent, whereas an hour's daily walk makes little difference, indicates new research.

Cannabis extract eases muscle stiffness typical of multiple sclerosis, study suggests Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT Cannabis seems to ease the painful muscle stiffness typical of multiple sclerosis, indicate phase III trial results.

Curb kids' screen time to stave off major health and developmental problems Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:21 AM PDT Curbs on children's daily screen time and delaying the age at which they start "the world's favorite pastime" are urgently needed to stave off the risk of serious health and developmental problems, argues a leading psychologist and child health expert.

Putting a block on neuropathic pain before it starts: Tiny spheres filled with anesthetic from a shellfish toxin Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:21 AM PDT Using tiny spheres filled with anesthetic from a shellfish toxin, researchers have developed a way to delay the rise of neuropathic pain, chronic pain from flawed signals transmitted by damaged nerves. The method may allow doctors to stop the cascade of events by which tissue or nerve injuries evolve into neuropathic pain, which affects 3.75 million children and adults in the US alone.

What might have caused recent increase of coral diseases in the Caribbean? Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:21 AM PDT Marine diseases are killing coral populations all over the world, threatening the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on reefs for food and protection from storms. Are these diseases new and unprecedented infections, or do they erupt from the stresses of environmental change?

Building a better drug to treat type 2 diabetes Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:21 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a new biological pathway in blood vessel cells, which may contribute to the blood pressure-lowering effects of TZD drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes. This finding may help to develop new therapies that retain the beneficial effect of TZDs but eliminate the adverse side effects.

Biochemists open path to molecular 'chaperone' therapy for metabolic disease Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:19 AM PDT Experts in revealing molecular structure by X-ray crystallography have identified two new small "chaperone" molecules that may be useful in treating the inherited metabolic disorder known as Schindler/Kanzaki disease. This offers hope for developing the first ever drug treatment for this very rare disease.

Wearing a knee brace following anterior cruciate ligament surgery has no effect on recovery Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:19 AM PDT Wearing a knee brace following anterior cruciate ligament surgery has no effect on a person's recovery.

Moving forward with controversial H5N1 research Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:19 AM PDT With biosafety concerns raised over the possible release of new strains of H5N1 influenza that could easily pass between mammals viruses, researchers agreed on a six-month moratorium on H5N1 research -- classified as "dual-use research of concern." To advance the discussion, global experts in virology and public health assess the probability of an accidental release and discuss concerns over laboratory biocontainment and the pros and cons of DURC.

An operating system in the cloud: TransOS could displace conventional desktop operating systems Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:19 AM PDT A new cloud-based operating system for all kinds of computer is being developed.

Flirting can pay off for women, study finds Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:19 AM PDT When Madeleine Albright became the first female U.S. Secretary of State, she led high-level negotiations between mostly male foreign government leaders. In 2009, comedian Bill Maher asked Albright if she ever flirted on the job and she replied, "I did, I did." Flirtatiousness, female friendliness, or the more diplomatic description "feminine charm" is an effective way for women to gain negotiating mileage, according to a new study.

Large water reservoirs at the dawn of stellar birth Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:12 AM PDT The European Space Agency's Herschel space observatory has discovered enough water vapor to fill Earth's oceans more than 2000 times over, in a gas and dust cloud that is on the verge of collapsing into a new Sun-like star. Stars form within cold, dark clouds of gas and dust -- 'pre-stellar cores' -- that contain all the ingredients to make solar systems like our own.

New evaluation method for assessing toothpastes Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:12 AM PDT There are various types of toothpaste available on the market. They come as pastes and gels, there are some that guard against tooth decay or protect teeth from acid attack, others that are designed for sensitive teeth. But which toothpastes clean well? Which preserve the tooth enamel? A new evaluation method sheds light on the subject.

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