ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• NASA to upgrade vital communications link
• NASA's HS3 mission thoroughly investigates long-lived Hurricane Nadine
• Adaptable button mushroom serves up genes critical to managing the planet's carbon stores
• Low-level mercury exposure in pregnant women connected to ADHD risk in children
• Decline in HIV deaths for most men, women by race/ethnicity, education, U.S. study finds
• Prenatal mercury exposure may be linked to risk of ADHD-related behaviors; Fish consumption may be linked to lower risk
• Health Canada's fast-tracked drug approvals can put public at risk, experts say
• Genetic mutation linked to psychiatric disease and obesity
• Scientists discover gene 'bursting' plays key role in protein production
• Maternal depression affects language development in babies
• New field of developmental neuroscience changes our understanding of early years of human life
• Wireless data at top speed
• Deep cleaning with carbon dioxide
• Unexamined costs of rape revealed
• Can eating tomatoes lower the risk of stroke?
• Poorer lung health leads to age-related changes in brain function
• Unique ancient spider attack preserved in amber
• Biological mechanism that plays key role in early-onset dementia identified
• Why wine and tea pair so well with a meal: It's all in the mouthfeel
• Alpha waves close your mind for distraction, but not continuously, research suggests
• New scanning technology aims to achieve quicker diagnosis of Alzheimer's, other diseases
• Halloween spending hikes reveal our fascination with the macabre
• When it comes to treating breast cancer, 'doing less does more' for patients, research suggests
• Study tests potential new drug to reduce pain and symptoms of endometriosis
• Recovering 'bodyguard' cells in pancreas may restore insulin production in diabetics
• New rehabilitation research demonstrates functional improvements in patients with spinal cord injuries
• Bitter taste receptors regulate upper respiratory defense system
• Demographic miracle in the deserts: Some plants in arid regions benefit from climate change
• Negative effects of computerized surveillance at home: Cause of annoyance, concern, anxiety, and even anger
• Fresh blood not better for transfusions for premature infants, clinical trial shows
• How pulsars slow down with age
• Liquorice offers clue to cleaner medical implants
• Every third child incorrectly restrained in cars, study suggests
• New website on implementing criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management in Europe
• Paving the way for commercial fusion power plants
• New surveys peer through dust to reveal giant supermassive black holes
• First successful clinical trial to protect the brain from damage caused by stroke
• Nurses' assessment of hospital quality often on the button
• Gene variant linked with reduced lung cancer risk
• Whether mitochondrial diseases will be inherited is largely decided when the future mother herself is still an embryo
• Vitamin variants could combat cancer as scientists unravel B12 secrets
• Battling harmful water toxins
• Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2012 awarded for discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent
• Language learning makes the brain grow, Swedish study suggests
• Catalytic converters like it hot
• Novel one-step system for restoring voice in throat cancer patients
• Nearly half of children with autism wander or 'bolt' from safe places
• Patient navigation leads to faster diagnosis for breast cancer
• A novel oncogenic network specific to liver cancer initiation

NASA to upgrade vital communications link Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:13 PM PDT Technicians and engineers are completing final system checks and spacecraft inspections on the first of NASA's third-generation Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS). Boeing Space Systems will ship TDRS-K from its satellite assembly facility in El Segundo, Calif., to Cape Canaveral, Fla., in November. The December launch of TDRS-K will be aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.

NASA's HS3 mission thoroughly investigates long-lived Hurricane Nadine Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:12 PM PDT NASA's Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel or HS3 scientists had a fascinating tropical cyclone to study in long-lived Hurricane Nadine. NASA's Global Hawk aircraft has investigated Nadine five times during the storm's lifetime.

Adaptable button mushroom serves up genes critical to managing the planet's carbon stores Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:19 PM PDT The button mushroom occupies a prominent place in our diet; in nature, Agaricus bisporus decays leaf matter on the forest floor. An international collaboration has determined the full repertoire of A. bisporus genes. Their report shows the metabolic strategies of Agaricus might not be present in white-rot and brown-rot fungi and suggests implications for forest carbon management.

Low-level mercury exposure in pregnant women connected to ADHD risk in children Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:19 PM PDT A new study links low-level prenatal mercury exposure with a greater risk of ADHD-related behaviors. The study also finds that maternal fish consumption during pregnancy can help reduce the risk of ADHD-related behaviors in children. This duality is possible because many types of fish have low levels of mercury, so it is possible for a pregnant woman to eat nutritionally beneficial fish without being exposed to much mercury.

Decline in HIV deaths for most men, women by race/ethnicity, education, U.S. study finds Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:18 PM PDT Overall death rates due to human immunodeficiency virus infection declined over time between 1993 and 2007 for most men and women by race/ethnicity and educational levels, with the largest absolute decreases for nonwhites, but rates remain high among blacks, according to a new U.S. study.

Prenatal mercury exposure may be linked to risk of ADHD-related behaviors; Fish consumption may be linked to lower risk Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:18 PM PDT A study of children in the New Bedford, Mass., area suggests that low-level prenatal mercury exposure may be associated with a greater risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related behaviors and that fish consumption during pregnancy may be associated with a lower risk of these behaviors.

Health Canada's fast-tracked drug approvals can put public at risk, experts say Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:18 PM PDT Drugs streamed into Health Canada's 180-day priority review process are more likely to be withdrawn from the market or earn a serious safety warning than those that undergo the 300-day standard review, new research shows. After accounting for other variables which may have caused this variation, the study concludes that the difference is likely due to the faster review time missing serious safety issues.

Genetic mutation linked to psychiatric disease and obesity Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:18 PM PDT Researchers have identified a small region in the genome that conclusively plays a role in the development of psychiatric disease and obesity. The key lies in the genomic deletion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, a nervous system growth factor that plays a critical role in brain development.

Scientists discover gene 'bursting' plays key role in protein production Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:18 PM PDT Scientists have mapped the precise frequency by which genes get turned on across the human genome, providing new insight into the most fundamental of cellular processes -- and revealing new clues as to what happens when this process goes awry.

Maternal depression affects language development in babies Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:18 PM PDT Maternal depression and a common class of antidepressants can alter a crucial period of language development in babies, according to a new study.

New field of developmental neuroscience changes our understanding of early years of human life Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:18 PM PDT By the time our children reach kindergarten their learning and developmental patterns are already taking shape, as is a trajectory for their future health. Now, for the first time, scientists have amassed a large collection of research that looks "under the skin", to examine how and why experiences interact with biology starting before birth to affect a life course. The implications of the research are far reaching, from new approaches to learning and language acquisition, to new considerations for the health effects of social environments affecting large populations, and policies for early childhood care and education.

Wireless data at top speed Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:18 PM PDT Whether it's a wedding, birthday party or other celebration, these days the chances are you'll have your camcorder with you to record the great occasion. But we often forget to bring the data cable along with us, so despite promising the hosts to transfer the images to their computer the morning after, we hardly ever do.

Deep cleaning with carbon dioxide Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:18 PM PDT In server components, hard disks, or clock mechanisms, the smallest impurities lead to malfunctions and short circuits; in optical components such as lenses, they impair quality because they scatter light; in threaded holes, they cause mechanical failure. The phenomena of progressive miniaturization and ever more complex components are presenting the manufacturers of cleaning technologies and tools with big challenges. However, cleaning with carbon dioxide (CO2) has proven itself an effective means of removing extremely fine dirt particles.

Unexamined costs of rape revealed Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT Evolutionary psychology researchers found significant negative consequences of rape and attempted sexual assault in 13 domains of psychological and social functioning, including self-esteem, social reputation, sexual desire and self-perceived mate value.

Can eating tomatoes lower the risk of stroke? Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT Eating tomatoes and tomato-based foods is associated with a lower risk of stroke, according to new research. Tomatoes are high in the antioxidant lycopene.

Poorer lung health leads to age-related changes in brain function Posted: 08 Oct 2012 11:42 AM PDT Keeping the lungs healthy could be an important way to retain thinking functions that relate to problem-solving and processing speed in one's later years, new research suggests.

Unique ancient spider attack preserved in amber Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:45 AM PDT Researchers have found what they say is the only fossil ever discovered of a spider attack on prey caught in its web -- a 100 million-year-old snapshot of an engagement frozen in time.

Biological mechanism that plays key role in early-onset dementia identified Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:42 AM PDT Using animal models, scientists have discovered how a protein deficiency may be linked to both brain injury and to frontotemporal dementia -- which is a form of early-onset dementia that is similar to Alzheimer's disease. These results lay the foundation for therapies that may one day benefit those who suffer from these debilitating and potentially deadly conditions.

Why wine and tea pair so well with a meal: It's all in the mouthfeel Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:42 AM PDT Of course a nice glass of wine goes well with a hearty steak, and now researchers who study the way food feels in our mouths think they may understand why that is: The astringent wine and fatty meat are like the yin and yang of the food world, sitting on opposite ends of a sensory spectrum. The findings offer a whole new definition of the balanced meal. They also offer a new way of thinking about our eating habits, both good and bad.

Alpha waves close your mind for distraction, but not continuously, research suggests Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:40 AM PDT Alpha waves were long ignored, but gained interest of brain researchers recently. Electrical activity of groups of brain cells results in brain waves with different amplitudes. The so-called alpha wave, a slow brain wave with a cycle of 100 milliseconds, seems to play a key role in suppressing irrelevant brain activity. Researchers recently discovered that when distracting information can be anticipated in time there is an increase of the power of this alpha wave just before the distracter. Furthermore, the brain is able to precisely control the alpha wave so that the pulse of inhibition is maximal when the distracter appears.

New scanning technology aims to achieve quicker diagnosis of Alzheimer's, other diseases Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:40 AM PDT Groundbreaking research could lead to Alzheimer's disease being diagnosed in minutes using a simple brain scan. Scientists are working on new technology that could revolutionize the way in which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are used to view the molecular events behind diseases like Alzheimer's, without invasive procedure, by increasing the sensitivity of an average hospital scanner by 200,000 times.

Halloween spending hikes reveal our fascination with the macabre Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:40 AM PDT Wake Forest University professor and author, Eric Wilson, explores the reasons adults have made Halloween an $8 billion dollar holiday.

When it comes to treating breast cancer, 'doing less does more' for patients, research suggests Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:40 AM PDT Oncologists and researchers are discovering that when it comes to treating breast cancer, "doing less does more" for patients. This approach kills the cancer while improving cure rates and decreasing the chance of the cancer returning. It also spares patients the damaging side effects of treatment caused by toxic chemotherapy, less-precise radiation therapy, unnecessary diagnostic radiology and surgery.

Study tests potential new drug to reduce pain and symptoms of endometriosis Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:40 AM PDT According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), endometriosis, a gynecological disorder in which cells from the uterus lining grow in other areas of the body, is the number one reason for a hysterectomy in women ages 18-35. Current treatment options for endometriosis are severely limited by side effects of existing medications and surgical options have more risks. A nationwide clinical trial is testing an investigational drug as a potential new option for patients with moderate to severe pain from this disease.

Recovering 'bodyguard' cells in pancreas may restore insulin production in diabetics Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:40 AM PDT T regulatory cells in the pancreatic lymph nodes play important role in diabetes onset and recovery of the insulin production in diabetic patients, say researchers.

New rehabilitation research demonstrates functional improvements in patients with spinal cord injuries Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:40 AM PDT A series of rehabilitation studies demonstrate that innovative treatments for individuals with spinal cord injuries can lead to functional improvements.

Bitter taste receptors regulate upper respiratory defense system Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:40 AM PDT A person's ability to taste certain bitter flavors is directly related to their ability to fight off upper respiratory tract infections, specifically chronic sinus infections.

Demographic miracle in the deserts: Some plants in arid regions benefit from climate change Posted: 08 Oct 2012 07:16 AM PDT Dryland ecosystems cover 41% of the Earth's land surface. These ecosystems are highly vulnerable to global environmental change and desertification. But climate change seems to have a positive impact on some plants.

Negative effects of computerized surveillance at home: Cause of annoyance, concern, anxiety, and even anger Posted: 08 Oct 2012 07:16 AM PDT To understand the effects of continuous computerized surveillance on individuals, a Finnish research group instrumented ten Finnish households with video cameras, microphones, and logging software for personal computers, wireless networks, smartphones, TVs, and DVDs. The results expose a range of negative changes in experience and behavior. To all except one participant, the surveillance system proved to be a cause of annoyance, concern, anxiety, and even anger.

Fresh blood not better for transfusions for premature infants, clinical trial shows Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:16 AM PDT In a finding that runs counter to commonly held beliefs about fresh being better, a clinical trial shows that acutely ill premature babies who received fresher blood did not fare better than those who received the current standard of care. There was no difference between the two approaches with respect to major organ injury, mortality and infection.

How pulsars slow down with age Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:15 AM PDT Researchers have developed a model which explains how the spin of a pulsar slows down as the star gets older. A pulsar is a highly magnetized rotating neutron star which was formed from the remains of a supernova - an explosion which happens after a massive star runs out of nuclear fuel. A pulsar emits a rotating beam of electromagnetic radiation, rather like that of a lighthouse. This beam can be detected by powerful telescopes when it points towards and sweeps past the Earth.

Liquorice offers clue to cleaner medical implants Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:15 AM PDT A new coating utilizing nanotechnology will allow surgeons to sterilize medical devices that contain biological components. A nanotech material containing an extract from liquorice can be used to sterilize and protect medical devices and implants which include biological components, and protects these functional bio-components during the sterilization process.

Every third child incorrectly restrained in cars, study suggests Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:15 AM PDT Car accidents are the main cause of serious injury and death among children in Norway. A new study shows that 37 per cent of all children under 16 years are incorrectly restrained in the car. 23 per cent of children are so poorly restrained that a collision would have very serious consequences.

New website on implementing criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management in Europe Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:15 AM PDT Criteria and indicators have emerged as a powerful tool in promoting sustainable forest management. Since Rio 1992, several international processes and initiatives have developed criteria and indicators as a policy instrument to evaluate and report progress towards sustainable forest management.

Paving the way for commercial fusion power plants Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:15 AM PDT Latest results from the Joint European Torus (JET) fusion device are giving researchers increasing confidence in prospects for the next-generation ITER project, the international experiment that is expected to pave the way for commercial fusion power plants. Operation with a new lining inside JET has demonstrated the suitability of materials for the much larger and more powerful ITER device.

New surveys peer through dust to reveal giant supermassive black holes Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:15 AM PDT Scientists have used cutting-edge infrared surveys of the sky to discover a new population of enormous, rapidly growing supermassive black holes in the early Universe. The black holes were previously undetected because they sit cocooned within thick layers of dust. The new study has shown however that they are emitting vast amounts of radiation through violent interactions with their host galaxies.

First successful clinical trial to protect the brain from damage caused by stroke Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:14 AM PDT Scientists and clinicians have demonstrated that a neuroprotectant drug protects the human brain against the damaging effects of stroke. In patients who had ruptured brain aneurysm, which comprise a population of patients at very high risk of neurological damage, those treated with Tat-NR2B9c all had good neurological outcomes, whereas only 68% of those treated with placebo had good outcomes.

Nurses' assessment of hospital quality often on the button Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:14 AM PDT If you want to know about hospital quality, ask a nurse.

Gene variant linked with reduced lung cancer risk Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:31 AM PDT A variant in a gene involved with inflammation and the immune response is linked with a decreased risk of lung cancer. The results add to the growing body of literature implicating these processes in the development of lung cancer.

Whether mitochondrial diseases will be inherited is largely decided when the future mother herself is still an embryo Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:30 AM PDT Malfunctioning of the mitochondria can lead to metabolic disorders in the person affected. Furthermore, mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are causing muscle weakness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiac disorders as well as diabetes, and are linked to the aging process. But how and when is the proportion of pathogenic mtDNA mutations that will be inherited determined? Researchers now shed light on the hereditary processes with a new model.

Vitamin variants could combat cancer as scientists unravel B12 secrets Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:29 AM PDT In a development that may lead to new drugs to treat cancer, scientists have discovered the process by which a key vitamin (B12) is made in cells.

Battling harmful water toxins Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:29 AM PDT Scientists are developing a new 'clean' technology to destroy water toxins caused by harmful algal blooms.

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2012 awarded for discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:29 AM PDT The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2012 has been awarded jointly to John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent. The two scientists discovered that mature, specialized cells can be reprogrammed to become immature cells capable of developing into all tissues of the body. Their findings have revolutionized our understanding of how cells and organisms develop.

Language learning makes the brain grow, Swedish study suggests Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:29 AM PDT At the Swedish Armed Forces Interpreter Academy, young recruits learn a new language at a very fast pace. By measuring their brains before and after the language training, a group of researchers has had an almost unique opportunity to observe what happens to the brain when we learn a new language in a short period of time.

Catalytic converters like it hot Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:29 AM PDT Researchers have clarified what it is the required operating temperatures of catalytic converters in cars depend on.

Novel one-step system for restoring voice in throat cancer patients Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:29 AM PDT Patients who have lost their voice box through disease such as throat cancer may be able to speak immediately after a procedure to create a small opening at the throat. A novel system cuts down a two-week duration before patients can speak, to about 10 minutes after the initial procedure.

Nearly half of children with autism wander or 'bolt' from safe places Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:26 AM PDT Children with autism are four times more likely to wander than their unaffected siblings.

Patient navigation leads to faster diagnosis for breast cancer Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:26 AM PDT A new study shows that breast cancer patients can reduce potentially dangerous delays in the identification of breast cancer with the assistance of patient navigation services. Patient navigation —- a service that helps patients overcome barriers to getting health care, including setting up appointments, dealing with health insurance, and helping with fears about cancer —- led to a nearly four-fold reduction in the time it took to diagnose a suspicious breast lump, the new study found.

A novel oncogenic network specific to liver cancer initiation Posted: 07 Oct 2012 10:48 AM PDT Researchers have identified a connection between an oncogene, an epigenetic modulator and an anti-apoptotic regulator relevant to liver cancer initiation.

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