ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• New study aims to predict risk of cancer
• Clinical trials: Around half of new treatments perform better than existing treatments, review finds
• Cranberry juice now unlikely to prevent cystitis, review finds
• No benefit from routine health checks, review finds
• Space Launch System umbilical arm ready for testing
• What's baking on Saturn's moon Titan?
• Space station investigation to test fresh food experience
• Planet found in nearest star system to Earth: HARPS instrument finds Earth-mass exoplanet orbiting Alpha Centauri B
• One by land and one by sea: NASA's Operation IceBridge Antarctic campaign off to a productive start
• Viral alliances overcoming plant defenses
• New findings illuminate basis in brain for social decisions, reactions
• Ice sheet retreat controlled by the landscape
• Fruit fly's 'sweet tooth' short-lived, research finds
• Shape of urine can indicate prostate issues: Characteristic shape of a man's urine can help diagnose urinary problems
• Mother's touch could change effects of prenatal stress
• New blood-vessel-generating cell with therapeutic potential discovered
• Tree of life branches out online
• Long-term observations in the tropics linked to global climate change
• Jelly-like atmospheric particles resist chemical aging
• Immune response may link social rejection to later health outcomes
• New paper reveals fundamental chemistry of plasma/liquid interactions
• Common birth control device may be cost-effective treatment for early endometrial cancer
• Many options available to help smokers kick the habit
• Pluto's moons and possible rings may be hazards: New Horizons and the gauntlet it may encounter in 2015
• No benefit from high-dose multivitamins seen for HIV patients receiving antiretroviral therapy
• Family history of alcoholism may add to damaging effects of prenatal alcohol exposure
• Alcohol dependence seems to shorten life more than smoking, especially among women
• Recovery of brain volumes with abstinence may vary for different brain regions
• Abnormal involuntary eye movements in 'lazy eye' disease amblyopia linked to changes in subcortical regions of the brain
• Cognitive training helps adults with HIV
• When leaving your wealth to your sister's sons makes sense
• Common medical screen predicts liver cancer risk in general population
• Cholesterol levels improving among U.S. adults
• Study identifies strategy for improved screening for type of hereditary colorectal cancer
• Lower use of chloride in intravenous fluids for critically ill patients associated with decreased risk of kidney injury
• Cold viruses point the way to new cancer therapies
• Scientists to EPA: Include women in reproductive health research
• Novel intravaginal ring shows promise in HIV prevention
• Targeting cancers' 'addiction' to cell-cycle proteins shuts down tumors in mice
• NASA must reinvest in nanotechnology research, according to new paper
• Attack! Silent watchmen charge to defend the nervous system
• New diabetes screening guidelines released; Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care issues updated guidelines
• Scientists identify likely origins of vertebrate air breathing
• Non-disclosure of geographic earnings can be a marker of tax avoidance
• Patient-reported outcomes essential to comparative effectiveness research
• Reprogramming cell identity in the pituitary gland: Discovery could lead to new treatments for Cushing's disease
• Findings reveal brain mechanisms at work during sleep
• Studies report early childhood trauma takes visible toll on brain
• Engineers to design affordable CO2 thickener to augment oil extraction
• Exercise may lead to better school performance for kids with ADHD
• New type of cosmic ray discovered after 100 years
• Sickle cell disease: Physics explains how sickling cells make people sick
• New noninvasive test for colorectal cancer shows promise
• Study finds rise in maternal sepsis-related mortality
• Is immediate and long-term pain after a motor vehicle collision hereditary?
• Presidential debates say as much about U.S. culture as candidates
• Pollenizer research should help seedless watermelon farmers
• Novel discovery links anti-cancer drugs to muscle repair
• Scale of volcanic eruptions appears to hinge on first 10 seconds of bubble growth in magma
• Boreal forest bends to development, but there is a breaking point

New study aims to predict risk of cancer Posted: 16 Oct 2012 05:41 PM PDT New research in the United Kingdom aims to develop a way of predicting who is more at risk of getting cancer.

Clinical trials: Around half of new treatments perform better than existing treatments, review finds Posted: 16 Oct 2012 05:41 PM PDT On average, new treatments perform better in clinical trials only slightly more often than existing treatments, according to a new systematic review published in the Cochrane Library. The fact that experimental treatments are not more effective may seem disappointing, but the authors of the review say their findings satisfy an important ethical requirement for clinical trials.

Cranberry juice now unlikely to prevent cystitis, review finds Posted: 16 Oct 2012 05:41 PM PDT Cranberry juice is unlikely to prevent bladder and kidney infections, according to an updated systematic review published in the Cochrane Library. The authors analysed the most up-to-date evidence and concluded that any benefit, if present at all, is likely to be small and only for women with recurrent UTI.

No benefit from routine health checks, review finds Posted: 16 Oct 2012 05:41 PM PDT Carrying out general health checks does not reduce deaths overall or from serious diseases like cancer and heart disease, according to Cochrane researchers. The researchers, who carried out a systematic review on the subject for the Cochrane Library, warn against offering general health checks as part of a public health program.

Space Launch System umbilical arm ready for testing Posted: 16 Oct 2012 04:06 PM PDT System installation and integration of a test umbilical arm recently was completed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Components of this arm eventually will be mounted on the new mobile launcher tower to support vital functions on the space agency's Space Launch System, or SLS, an advanced heavy-lift rocket that will provide the capability for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.

What's baking on Saturn's moon Titan? Posted: 16 Oct 2012 04:04 PM PDT Radar images from NASA's Cassini spacecraft reveal some new curiosities on the surface of Saturn's mysterious moon Titan, including a nearly circular feature that resembles a giant hot cross bun and shorelines of ancient seas.

Space station investigation to test fresh food experience Posted: 16 Oct 2012 04:02 PM PDT With all the prepackaged gardening kits on the market, an exceptionally green thumb isn't necessary to grow your own tasty fresh vegetables here on Earth. The same may hold true for U.S. astronauts living and working aboard the International Space Station when they receive a newly developed Vegetable Production System, called VEGGIE for short, set to launch aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule on NASA's third Commercial Resupply Services mission next year.

Planet found in nearest star system to Earth: HARPS instrument finds Earth-mass exoplanet orbiting Alpha Centauri B Posted: 16 Oct 2012 03:44 PM PDT European astronomers have discovered a planet with about the mass of Earth orbiting a star in the Alpha Centauri system -- the nearest to Earth. It is also the lightest exoplanet ever discovered around a star like the Sun. The planet was detected using the HARPS instrument on the 3.6-metre telescope at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Observatory in Chile.

One by land and one by sea: NASA's Operation IceBridge Antarctic campaign off to a productive start Posted: 16 Oct 2012 02:32 PM PDT NASA's Operation IceBridge got the 2012 Antarctic campaign off to a productive start with a land ice survey of Thwaites Glacier and a sea ice flight over parts of the Bellingshausen Sea.

Viral alliances overcoming plant defenses Posted: 16 Oct 2012 02:31 PM PDT Researchers have found that viruses will join forces to overcome a plant's defenses and cause more severe infections.

New findings illuminate basis in brain for social decisions, reactions Posted: 16 Oct 2012 02:31 PM PDT New insights into the wiring and firing of the "social brain" in humans and primates reveals the brain areas important in altruistic motives and behavior, and the brain regions that respond to the pain of discrimination.

Ice sheet retreat controlled by the landscape Posted: 16 Oct 2012 02:31 PM PDT Ice-sheet retreat can halt temporarily during long phases of climate warming, according to scientists.

Fruit fly's 'sweet tooth' short-lived, research finds Posted: 16 Oct 2012 02:31 PM PDT While flies initially prefer food with a sweet flavor, they quickly learn to opt for less sweet food sources that offer more calories and nutritional value, according to new research by zoologists. The findings are the first to measure the shift in food preference over time, and the first to find that flies opt for nutritious food more quickly when they're hungry.

Shape of urine can indicate prostate issues: Characteristic shape of a man's urine can help diagnose urinary problems Posted: 16 Oct 2012 02:31 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a simple test which uses the biomechanics of the shape of urine to help diagnose urinary problems.

Mother's touch could change effects of prenatal stress Posted: 16 Oct 2012 02:31 PM PDT Scientists have found that mothers who stroke their baby's body in the first few weeks after birth may change the effects that stress during pregnancy can have on an infant's early-life development.

New blood-vessel-generating cell with therapeutic potential discovered Posted: 16 Oct 2012 02:31 PM PDT Researchers in Finland believe they have discovered stem cells that play a decisive role in new blood vessel growth. These stem cells found in blood vessel walls may offer new opportunities in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and many other diseases.

Tree of life branches out online Posted: 16 Oct 2012 02:31 PM PDT Exploring the evolutionary tree of life is now as easy as navigating an online map, thanks to a new interactive website called OneZoom.

Long-term observations in the tropics linked to global climate change Posted: 16 Oct 2012 02:30 PM PDT Reports of declining ice coverage and drowning polar bears in the Arctic illustrate dramatic ecosystem responses to global climate change in Earth's polar regions. But in a first-ever account of a long-term project in the southern Caribbean, researchers report that tropical ecosystems are also affected by global climatic trends -- and with accompanying economic impacts.

Jelly-like atmospheric particles resist chemical aging Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:32 PM PDT Atmospheric chemists have found that when it comes to secondary organic material in the atmosphere, there are two distinct breeds: liquids and jellies.

Immune response may link social rejection to later health outcomes Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:32 PM PDT No matter how you look at it, rejection hurts. Experiencing rejection from a boss, a friend, or a partner is difficult for many adults to handle. But adolescents, who are dealing with the one-two punch of biological and social change, may be most vulnerable to its negative effects. A new study examines the immune response as a potential link between social stressors like rejection and later mental and physical health outcomes.

New paper reveals fundamental chemistry of plasma/liquid interactions Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:32 PM PDT New research has revealed a critical interaction that is occurring at this plasma-liquid interface in that the electrons in plasma actually serve to separate water, producing hydrogen gas.

Common birth control device may be cost-effective treatment for early endometrial cancer Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:32 PM PDT An intrauterine device is effective in treating early-stage endometrial cancer in morbidly obese and high-risk surgery patients, according to researchers, and could lead to a cost-effective treatment for all women with this cancer type.

Many options available to help smokers kick the habit Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:31 PM PDT Smokers who have tried to quit and failed may be tempted to just give up, particularly if they hear statistics like the fact that most quit attempts will be unsuccessful. But smokers today have many options to help them quit, and those who think they have "tried it all" usually have not, according to a new article.

Pluto's moons and possible rings may be hazards: New Horizons and the gauntlet it may encounter in 2015 Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:31 PM PDT NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is now almost seven years into its 9.5-year journey across the solar system to explore Pluto and its system of moons. Just over two years from now, in January 2015, New Horizons will begin encounter operations, which will culminate in a close approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015, and the first-ever exploration of a planet in the Kuiper Belt.

No benefit from high-dose multivitamins seen for HIV patients receiving antiretroviral therapy Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:31 PM PDT A new study suggests that for HIV patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to treat HIV, there is no benefit from high- vs. standard-dose micronutrient supplementation -- and that, in fact, high-dose supplements may cause harm. The study is the first large randomized trial to look at how high-dose multivitamin supplementation affects clinical outcomes among people on HAART.

Family history of alcoholism may add to damaging effects of prenatal alcohol exposure Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:31 PM PDT Prenatal exposure to alcohol (PAE) can lead to serious deficiencies, including deficits in spatial working memory. This is the first study to examine the role of family history of alcoholism (FHP) in the neurocognitive effects of PAE. Results suggest that some of the PAE neural effects are related to factors such as FHP.

Alcohol dependence seems to shorten life more than smoking, especially among women Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:31 PM PDT While researchers and clinicians know that the mortality rates among alcohol dependent (AD) individuals are high, most of that knowledge is based on clinical populations. A new study examines excess mortality and its predictors among AD individuals in the general population throughout a 14-year span, finding that annualized death rates were 4.6-fold higher for AD females and 1.9-fold higher for AD males when compared to the general population, indicating that females with AD merit particular attention.

Recovery of brain volumes with abstinence may vary for different brain regions Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:31 PM PDT A new study examined what brain volume recovery may take place during the first 14 days of abstinence from alcohol. Findings indicate that recovery of cerebral gray matter volume can begin for alcoholic patients after only a few days of detoxification. Recovery may vary among brain regions.

Abnormal involuntary eye movements in 'lazy eye' disease amblyopia linked to changes in subcortical regions of the brain Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:28 PM PDT The neural mechanism underlying amblyopia, also called "lazy eye" is still not completely clear. A new study now reports abnormal eye movements of the lazy eye, which suggests that disturbed functioning of eye movement coordination between both eyes and not primarily the dysfunction of the visual cortex may be a cause of amblyopia.

Cognitive training helps adults with HIV Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:28 PM PDT Cognitive training exercises can help improve mental processing speed and ability to complete daily tasks in middle-age and older adults with HIV, a population that is experiencing cognitive impairments at a higher rate than those without the disease.

When leaving your wealth to your sister's sons makes sense Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:28 PM PDT In some human societies, men transfer their wealth to their sister's sons, a practice that puzzles evolutionary biologists. A new study has produced insights into "matrilineal inheritance."

Common medical screen predicts liver cancer risk in general population Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:28 PM PDT Enzyme levels in the blood routinely monitored by physicians as liver function indicators are also the best predictor of liver cancer risk for the general population, a team of scientists report.

Cholesterol levels improving among U.S. adults Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:28 PM PDT An analysis of nationally-representative data indicates that between 1988 and 2010 there has been a trend of declining average levels of total cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol for U.S. adults overall.

Study identifies strategy for improved screening for type of hereditary colorectal cancer Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:28 PM PDT In a comparison of strategies to identify individuals with Lynch syndrome, the most common form of hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC), caused by mutations in certain genes (DNA mismatch repair [MMR] genes), universal tumor MMR testing among certain CRC patients had a greater sensitivity for the identification of Lynch syndrome compared with multiple alternative strategies, although the diagnostic improvement was modest.

Lower use of chloride in intravenous fluids for critically ill patients associated with decreased risk of kidney injury Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:28 PM PDT In a pilot study assessing the effect of different levels of chloride in intravenous fluids administered to critically ill patients in an intensive care unit, restricting the amount of chloride administration was associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of acute kidney injury and the use of renal replacement therapy.

Cold viruses point the way to new cancer therapies Posted: 16 Oct 2012 01:28 PM PDT Cold viruses generally get a bad rap -- which they've certainly earned -- but new findings by a team of scientists suggest that these viruses might also be a valuable ally in the fight against cancer.

Scientists to EPA: Include women in reproductive health research Posted: 16 Oct 2012 12:07 PM PDT EPA research on reproductive health is not being uniformly investigated in both sexes and across the lifespan due to out-of-date guidelines. Many toxicity studies are only conducted in males, but the effects may be different in women. Scientists will meet with EPA administrators in Washington to press for important changes in the guidelines for reproductive health research.

Novel intravaginal ring shows promise in HIV prevention Posted: 16 Oct 2012 12:07 PM PDT A new 90-day intravaginal ring has been developed that, for the first time, enables the long-lasting vaginal delivery of tenofovir (TFV), the only topical prophylactic shown to be effective at reducing the sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) when formulated in a short-lasting gel.

Targeting cancers' 'addiction' to cell-cycle proteins shuts down tumors in mice Posted: 16 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT Scientists have safely shut down breast cancer and a form of leukemia in mice by targeting abnormal proteins that control cells' growth cycles, and to which the cancers are "addicted."

NASA must reinvest in nanotechnology research, according to new paper Posted: 16 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT The United States may lose its leadership role in space to other countries unless it makes research and development funding and processes a renewed and urgent priority, according to a new paper.

Attack! Silent watchmen charge to defend the nervous system Posted: 16 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT In many pathologies of the nervous system, there is a common event -- cells called microglia are activated from surveillant watchmen into fighters. Now new research provides the first evidence that mechanisms regulated by the Runx1 gene control the balance between the surveillant versus activated microglia states.

New diabetes screening guidelines released; Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care issues updated guidelines Posted: 16 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT Routine screening for Type 2 diabetes in adults at low and moderate risk is not recommended, although it is recommended for people at high and very high risk of the disease, state new diabetes screening guidelines. The guidelines suggest using a risk calculator and then screening based on the predicted risk of diabetes.

Scientists identify likely origins of vertebrate air breathing Posted: 16 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT Scientists have identified what they think is the ancestral trait that allowed for the evolution of air breathing in vertebrates.

Non-disclosure of geographic earnings can be a marker of tax avoidance Posted: 16 Oct 2012 11:16 AM PDT Policy makers, lobby groups and citizens should take note -- those who understand corporate tax avoidance behavior will be in a better position to deter it. A recent study indicates that non-disclosure of geographic earnings can be a marker of tax avoidance.

Patient-reported outcomes essential to comparative effectiveness research Posted: 16 Oct 2012 11:16 AM PDT Patient-reported outcomes should be a standard part of evaluating the comparative effectiveness of cancer treatments, according to recommendations put forward by a multi-institution research group.

Reprogramming cell identity in the pituitary gland: Discovery could lead to new treatments for Cushing's disease Posted: 16 Oct 2012 11:16 AM PDT A team of researchers reprogrammed the identity of cells in the pituitary gland and identified critical mechanisms of epigenetic cell programming. The discovery could eventually lead to new pharmacological targets for the treatment of Cushing's disease.

Findings reveal brain mechanisms at work during sleep Posted: 16 Oct 2012 10:21 AM PDT New findings report the important role sleep plays, and the brain mechanisms at work as sleep shapes memory, learning, and behavior.

Studies report early childhood trauma takes visible toll on brain Posted: 16 Oct 2012 10:21 AM PDT Trauma in infancy and childhood shapes the brain, learning, and behavior, and fuels changes that can last a lifetime, according to new human and animal research. The studies delve into the effects of early physical abuse, socioeconomic status, and maternal treatment.

Engineers to design affordable CO2 thickener to augment oil extraction Posted: 16 Oct 2012 10:21 AM PDT Crude oil extraction could be improved significantly and accessible domestic oil reserves could be expanded with an economical CO2 thickener being developed by engineers.

Exercise may lead to better school performance for kids with ADHD Posted: 16 Oct 2012 10:21 AM PDT A few minutes of exercise can help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder perform better academically, according to a new study.

New type of cosmic ray discovered after 100 years Posted: 16 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Using the European X-ray astronomy satellite XMM-Newton, researchers have discovered a new source of cosmic rays. In the vicinity of the remarkable Arches cluster, near the center of the Milky Way, these particles are accelerated in the shock wave generated by tens of thousands of young stars moving at a speed of around 700,000 km/h. These cosmic rays produce a characteristic X-ray emission by interacting with the atoms in the surrounding gas. Their origin differs from that of the cosmic rays discovered exactly a hundred years ago by Victor Hess, which originate in the explosions of supernovae.

Sickle cell disease: Physics explains how sickling cells make people sick Posted: 16 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Researchers have identified the physical forces in red blood cells and blood vessels underlying the painful symptoms of sickle cell disease. Their experiment, the first to answer a scientific question about sickle cell disease using microfluidics engineering methods, may help future researchers better determine who is at greatest risk of harm from the disease.

New noninvasive test for colorectal cancer shows promise Posted: 16 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT A new noninvasive test for colorectal cancer screening demonstrated high sensitivity for detecting colorectal cancer, in particular precancers that are most likely to develop into cancer, according to new data.

Study finds rise in maternal sepsis-related mortality Posted: 16 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT A new study reports that severity and death rates are increasing in pregnant and postpartum women with sepsis. More than 30 percent of mothers who develop sepsis will experience some type of organ dysfunction.

Is immediate and long-term pain after a motor vehicle collision hereditary? Posted: 16 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Two studies have found that hereditary genes were responsible for the amount and type of pain experienced after a motor vehicle collision (MVC). Many drivers experience symptoms after an MVC, including musculoskeletal pain in the back, neck and other areas. It has been unknown why some drivers feel pain immediately after a collision or develop persistent pain after a collision, while others do not.

Presidential debates say as much about U.S. culture as candidates Posted: 16 Oct 2012 09:59 AM PDT American presidential campaigns provide a unique window into our society, according to an anthropologist.

Pollenizer research should help seedless watermelon farmers Posted: 16 Oct 2012 09:59 AM PDT Research on flower production and disease resistance in watermelon varieties should help bolster seedless watermelon harvests for farmers.

Novel discovery links anti-cancer drugs to muscle repair Posted: 16 Oct 2012 09:59 AM PDT Research shows that the IAP-targeting drugs that promote the death of cancer cells also induce the growth and repair of muscle.

Scale of volcanic eruptions appears to hinge on first 10 seconds of bubble growth in magma Posted: 16 Oct 2012 09:56 AM PDT New research suggests the difference between a small or large volcanic eruption depends on the first 10 seconds of bubble growth in molten rocks. The findings point to a need to develop volcanic monitoring systems that can measure rapid changes in gas flux and composition during those brief, crucial moments.

Boreal forest bends to development, but there is a breaking point Posted: 16 Oct 2012 09:56 AM PDT Northern Alberta's boreal forest shows a surprising resiliency to human intrusion, but University of Alberta researchers warn the landscape has a definite breaking point.

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