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Wednesday, March 9, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Wednesday, March 9, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

Chemist discovers shortcut for processing drugs (March 9, 2011) -- Highly pressurized carbon dioxide at room temperature could replace the time consuming and expensive methods currently used to manufacture certain pharmaceutical drugs, new research suggests. ... > full story

'Cross-talk' research may pave the way to understanding and controlling chronic pain (March 9, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a "cross-talk" between two major biological pathways that involve pain -- research that may pave the way to new approaches to understanding and controlling chronic pain. ... > full story

A new stem cell enters the mix: Induced conditional self-renewing progenitor cells (March 9, 2011) -- Generated from progenitor cells, ICSP cells are easier to produce than iPS cells and show therapeutic benefit in a rodent stroke model. ... > full story

Neurologists predict more cases of stroke, dementia, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy (March 9, 2011) -- As the population ages, neurologists will be challenged by a growing population of patients with stroke, dementia, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. ... > full story

Text messaging helps smokers break the habit: Studies demonstrate brain activity link and use a new technology to monitor smoking (March 9, 2011) -- New studies have isolated the brain regions most active in controlling urges to smoke and demonstrated the effectiveness of text-messaging to measure and intervene in those urges. ... > full story

Right-handers, but not left-handers, are biased to select their dominant hand (March 8, 2011) -- The vast majority of humans -- over 90 percent -- prefer to use their right hand for most skilled tasks. For decades, researchers have been trying to understand why this asymmetry exists. Why, with our two cerebral hemispheres and motor cortices, are we not equally skilled with both hands? ... > full story

Function of 'junk DNA' in human genes (March 8, 2011) -- Part of the answer to how and why humans differ from other primates may lie in the repetitive stretches of the genome that were once considered "junk." A new study finds that when a particular type of repetitive DNA segment, known as an Alu element, inserts into existing genes, they can alter the rate of protein production -- a mechanism that could contribute to the evolution of different biological characteristics in different species. ... > full story

Stroke survivors with irregular heartbeat may have higher risk of dementia (March 8, 2011) -- Stroke survivors who have an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation may be at higher risk of developing dementia than stroke survivors who do not have the heart condition, according to new research. ... > full story

Cleansing the soul by hurting the flesh: The guilt-reducing effect of pain (March 8, 2011) -- Lent in the Christian tradition is a time of sacrifice and penance. It also is a period of purification and enlightenment. Pain purifies. It atones for sin and cleanses the soul. Or at least that's the idea. Theological questions aside, can self-inflicted pain really alleviate the guilt associated with immoral acts? A new study explores the psychological consequences of experiencing bodily pain. ... > full story

An Alzheimer's vaccine in a nasal spray? (March 8, 2011) -- Scientists are working on a nasal vaccine that repairs vascular damage in the brain caused by stroke, restoring cognitive impairment and preventing brain tissue damage. In early pre-clinical studies, results show that it also has a prophylactic effect against many strokes associated with Alzheimer's. ... > full story

Genetic makeup and duration of abuse reduce the brain's neurons in drug addiction (March 8, 2011) -- Drug addicted individuals who have a certain genetic makeup have lower gray matter density -- and therefore fewer neurons -- in areas of the brain that are essential for decision-making, self-control, and learning and memory, a new study shows. ... > full story

Malaria’s weakest link: Class of chemotherapy drugs also kills the parasite that causes malaria (March 8, 2011) -- Researchers in Europe have discovered that a class of chemotherapy drugs originally designed to inhibit key signaling pathways in cancer cells also kills the parasite that causes malaria. The discovery could quickly open up a whole new strategy for combating this deadly disease. ... > full story

Big games, close scores lead to more auto fatalities for winning fans (March 8, 2011) -- Closely contested major sporting events are followed by a significant increase in traffic fatalities for fans of the winning team, according to new research. It turns out there may be more on the line than many sports fans bargained for. ... > full story

New weight loss discovery moves us closer to 'the Pill' for obesity (March 8, 2011) -- A discovery in mice may make a big difference in people's waistlines thanks to scientists who found that reducing the function of a transmembrane protein, called Klotho, in obese mice with high blood sugar levels produced lean mice with reduced blood sugar. This protein exists in humans, suggesting that targeting Klotho could lead to new drugs that reduce obesity and possibly type 2 diabetes. ... > full story

Key mechanism of childhood respiratory disease identified (March 8, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a critical part of the process by which one of the world's most common and dangerous early childhood infections, respiratory syncytial virus, causes disease. ... > full story

Physician's empathy directly associated with positive clinical outcomes (March 8, 2011) -- It has been thought that the quality of the physician-patient relationship is integral to positive outcomes but until now, data to confirm such beliefs has been hard to find. Researchers have now been able to quantify a relationship between physicians' empathy and their patients' positive clinical outcomes, suggesting that a physician's empathy is an important factor associated with clinical competence. ... > full story

High levels of 'good' cholesterol may cut bowel cancer risk (March 8, 2011) -- High levels of "good" (high density lipoprotein) HDL cholesterol seem to cut the risk of bowel cancer, suggests new research. ... > full story

Experts develop tool to predict course of Haiti's cholera outbreak, offer disease control strategies for immediate implementation (March 8, 2011) -- A new study outlines the path of the cholera outbreak in Haiti and identifies immediate strategies for controlling the epidemic. Control strategies are needed, as Haiti is in the midst of a cholera epidemic that has killed 4,000 people, and sickened at least 217,000 more in all of Haiti's ten geographical "departments." ... > full story

People would rather let bad things happen than cause them, especially if someone is watching (March 8, 2011) -- People are more comfortable committing sins of omission than commission -- letting bad things happen rather than actively causing something bad. A new study suggests that this is because they know other people will think worse of them if they do something bad than if they let something bad happen. ... > full story

Laboratory-grown urethras implanted in patients, scientists report (March 8, 2011) -- For the first time, medical researchers have used a patients' own cells to build tailor-made urinary tubes and successfully replaced damaged tissue. ... > full story

Body's clock may lead to increased risk for fainting during the nighttime (March 8, 2011) -- The circadian system may contribute to the daily pattern of vasovagal syncope via its influences on physiological responses to changes in body posture. ... > full story

Acupuncture curbs severity of menopausal hot flushes, study suggests (March 8, 2011) -- Traditional Chinese acupuncture curbs the severity of hot flushes and other menopausal symptoms, suggests a small study. ... > full story

Microbial forensics used to solve the case of the 2001 anthrax attacks (March 8, 2011) -- Researchers working with the FBI have published the first scientific paper based on their investigation into the anthrax attacks of 2001. The case was groundbreaking in its use of genomics and microbiology in a criminal investigation, a new field called microbial forensics. More than 20 people contracted anthrax from spores mailed in letters in 2001, and five people died. ... > full story

Exercise can curb marijuana use and cravings, study finds (March 8, 2011) -- Researchers are studying heavy users of marijuana to help understand what exercise does for the brain, contributing to a field of research that uses exercise as a modality for prevention and treatment. Participants saw a significant decrease in their cravings and daily use after just a few sessions of running on the treadmill, according to a new study. ... > full story

Eating apples extends lifespan of test animals by 10 percent (March 8, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting the first evidence that consumption of a healthful antioxidant substance in apples extends the average lifespan of test animals, and does so by 10 percent. The new results, obtained with fruit flies -- stand-ins for humans in hundreds of research projects each year -- bolster similar findings on apple antioxidants in other animal tests. ... > full story

Spontaneous smoking cessation may be an early symptom of lung cancer, research suggests (March 8, 2011) -- Many longtime smokers quit spontaneously with little effort shortly before their lung cancer is diagnosed, leading some researchers to speculate that sudden cessation may be a symptom of lung cancer. ... > full story

Surprising behavior of cells during blood-vessel formation (March 8, 2011) -- Biologists look at cells in bulk, taking the average behavior as the norm and assuming that identical cells behave the same. Biomedical engineers now show a surprising variation in how cells behave during formation of a blood vessel. They have now characterized, for the first time, what happens when endothelial cells move from an initial dispersed state to capillary-like structures. ... > full story

New mathematical model of information processing in the brain accurately predicts some of the peculiarities of human vision (March 8, 2011) -- The human retina -- the part of the eye that converts incoming light into electrochemical signals -- has about 100 million light-sensitive cells. So retinal images contain a huge amount of data. High-level visual-processing tasks -- like object recognition, gauging size and distance, or calculating the trajectory of a moving object -- couldn't possibly preserve all that data: The brain just doesn't have enough neurons. So vision scientists have long assumed that the brain must somehow summarize the content of retinal images, reducing their informational load before passing them on to higher-order processes. ... > full story

Brain 'network maps' reveal clue to mental decline in old age (March 8, 2011) -- The human brain operates as a highly interconnected small-world network, not as a collection of discrete regions as previously believed, with important implications for why many of us experience cognitive declines in old age, a new study shows. Australian researchers have mapped the brain's neural networks and for the first time linked them with specific cognitive functions, such as information processing and language. ... > full story

Sea sponges: Tweak of nature in fight against cancer (March 8, 2011) -- Scientists in London are turning to sea sponges to help them learn more about anti-cancer drugs. ... > full story

New peptide could be effective treatment for triple negative breast cancer (March 8, 2011) -- A new leptin receptor antagonist peptide has demonstrated efficacy against triple negative breast cancer. ... > full story

Turning off stress (March 8, 2011) -- New research has revealed the actions of a family of proteins that "turn off" the stress response. The findings could be relevant to PTSD, anorexia, anxiety disorders and depression. ... > full story

HBV infection decreases risk of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer patients (March 8, 2011) -- A research team from China evaluated the effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on liver metastasis of colorectal cancer. The study showed that HBV infection decreases the risk of liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer and elevates the surgical resection rate of liver metastatic lesions. ... > full story

A novel prognostic marker for biliary atresia (March 8, 2011) -- A research team from China characterized the differentially expressed gene profiles in livers from biliary atresia (BA) patients. They found that RRAS gene and its related MAPK pathway are important regulatory modules in the pathogenesis of BA, which may serve as a novel prognostic marker for BA. ... > full story

The safety of daily magnesium oxide treatment for children with chronic constipation (March 8, 2011) -- A research team from Japan determined serum magnesium concentration in children with functional constipation treated with daily magnesium oxide. The results showed that serum magnesium concentration increased significantly, but not critically, after daily treatment with magnesium oxide in constipated children with normal renal function. ... > full story

Eating disorders and body dissatisfaction is double in Muslim teenagers than in Christian, Spanish study finds (March 8, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain are addressing the relationship between religion, eating disorders and body image perception among adolescents. To carry out this study, researchers took a sample of 494 students aged 12-20 years from three public schools in Ceuta, Spain. The incidence of eating disorders was found to be 2.3-fold higher among Muslim adolescents than among their Christian classmates. Similarly, body dissatisfaction was 1.8-fold higher in the former group. ... > full story

Rituximab combined with a TNF inhibitor and methotrexate shows no safety signal in rheumatoid arthritis treatment, study finds (March 8, 2011) -- A recent trial of rituximab in combination with a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor and methotrexate (MTX) in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) found the safety profile to be consistent with other RA trials with TNF inhibitors. While the trial reported no new safety risks, clear evidence of an efficacy advantage in RA patients receiving the combination therapy was not observed in this study sample. ... > full story

Tobacco smoking impacts teens' brains, study shows (March 7, 2011) -- In a study comparing teenage smokers and non-smokers, researchers found that the greater a teen's addiction to nicotine, the less active an area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex (PFC) became. The PFC guides "executive functions" like decision-making, and is an area that is still developing structurally and functionally in adolescents. ... > full story

Gene variants in autism linked to brain development (March 7, 2011) -- New research on the genomics of autism confirms that the genetic roots of the disorder are highly complicated, but that common biological themes underlie this complexity. While the gene alterations are individually very rare, they mostly appear to disrupt genes that play important functional roles in brain development and nerve signaling. ... > full story

NASA studies the body's ability to fight infection (March 7, 2011) -- Why do some people get sick while others stay healthy? Since space shuttle Discovery launched into orbit Feb. 24, 2011, it has brought NASA scientists one step closer to helping astronauts and the public discover ways to battle and prevent serious illness and infection. ... > full story

Health benefits of eating tomatoes emerge (March 7, 2011) -- Eating more tomatoes and tomato products can make people healthier and decrease the risk of conditions such as cancer, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, according to a review article. ... > full story

Class of potent anti-cancer compounds discovered (March 7, 2011) -- Working as part of a public program to screen compounds to find potential medicines and other biologically useful molecules, scientists have discovered an extremely potent class of potential anti-cancer and anti-neurodegenerative disorder compounds. The scientists hope their findings will one day lead to new therapies for cancer and Alzheimer's disease patients. ... > full story

'Nano-Velcro' technology used to improve capture of circulating cancer cells (March 7, 2011) -- Researchers have announced the successful demonstration of a 2nd-generation CTC enrichment technology, capable of effectively identifying and capturing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood samples collected from prostate cancer patients. This new approach could be even faster and cheaper than existing methods and captures a greater number of CTCs. ... > full story

Solving a traditional Chinese medicine mystery: Discovery of molecular mechanism reveals antitumor possibilities (March 7, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that a natural product isolated from a traditional Chinese medicinal plant commonly known as thunder god vine, or lei gong teng, and used for hundreds of years to treat many conditions including rheumatoid arthritis works by blocking gene control machinery in the cell. The report suggests that the natural product could be a starting point for developing new anticancer drugs. ... > full story

Removing arsenic from drinking water (March 7, 2011) -- Pioneering technology which is transforming the lives of millions of people in Asia is now being used to create safer drinking water in the United States. ... > full story

Web use doesn't encourage belief in political rumors, but e-mail does (March 7, 2011) -- Despite the fears of some, a new study suggests that use of the internet in general does not make people more likely to believe political rumors. However, one form of internet communication -- e-mail -- does seem to have troubling consequences for the spread and belief of rumors. ... > full story

Multiple sclerosis blocked in mouse model: Barring immune cells from brain prevents symptoms (March 7, 2011) -- Scientists have blocked harmful immune cells from entering the brain in mice with a condition similar to multiple sclerosis (MS). ... > full story

New compound rids cells of Alzheimer protein debris (March 7, 2011) -- If you can't stop the beta-amyloid protein plaques from forming in Alzheimer's disease patients, then maybe you can help the body rid itself of them instead. At least that's what scientists were hoping for when they found a drug candidate to do just that. ... > full story

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ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Wednesday, March 9, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

Some of Mars' missing carbon dioxide may be buried (March 9, 2011) -- Rocks on Mars dug from far underground by crater-blasting impacts are providing glimpses of one possible way Mars' atmosphere has become much less dense than it used to be. At several places where cratering has exposed material from depths of about 5 kilometers (3 miles) or more beneath the surface, observations by a mineral-mapping instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter indicate carbonate minerals. ... > full story

Enzymes from garden compost could favour bioethanol production (March 9, 2011) -- Today, bioethanol is primarily made from glucose. If xylose – which is found in straw, willow and other fast-growing plant species – could also be used efficiently, then ethanol production could increase significantly. A researcher in applied microbiology is well on the way to making this a reality. ... > full story

NASA develops light microscope for International Space Station (March 9, 2011) -- NASA has begun testing a new multi-capability microscope on the International Space Station. It will help scientists study the effects of the space environment on physics and biology aboard the orbiting laboratory. The microscope is isolated from vibrations on the station, allowing it to obtain clear, high-resolution images. Using high-resolution magnification, scientists can examine microorganisms and individual cells of plants and animals, including humans. ... > full story

Intelligence analysts need not fear 'Watson,' study shows (March 9, 2011) -- A new study on the future of predictive analytics, which examined the outlook for intelligence analysis in the computerized age, shows machines not yet capable of detecting deliberately deceptive data. ... > full story

New wintering grounds for humpback whales discovered using sound (March 9, 2011) -- Researchers have made a remarkable new discovery regarding humpback whale wintering grounds. The primary breeding ground for the North Pacific was always thought to be the main Hawaiian Islands. However, a new study has shown that these grounds extend all the way throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago and into the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. ... > full story

Extremely fast magnetic random access memory (MRAM) computer data storage within reach (March 9, 2011) -- Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is the most important new module on the market of computer storage devices. Like the well known USB sticks, they store information into static memory, but MRAM offers short access times and unlimited writing properties. Commercial MRAMs have been on the market since 2005. They are, however, still slower than the competitors they have among the volatile storage media. An invention made by researchers in Germany changes this situation: A special chip connection, in association with dynamic triggering of the component, reduces the response from - so far - 2 ns to below 500 ps. This corresponds to a data rate of up to 2 GBit (instead of the approx. 400 MBit so far). ... > full story

Graphene oxide’s solubility disappears in the wash (March 9, 2011) -- Graphene oxide has had a scrum of researchers fall upon it as it retains much of the properties of the highly valued super material pure graphene, but it is much easier, and cheaper, to make in bulk quantities; easier to process; and its significant oxygen content appears to make it soluble in water. However new research has found that that last assumption is incorrect and unfortunately graphene oxide's solubility literally comes out in the wash. ... > full story

For birds, the suburbs may not be an ideal place to raise a family (March 8, 2011) -- There comes a time in life for every bird to spread its wings and leave the nest, but for gray catbirds, that might be the beginning of the end. Scientists report fledgling catbirds in suburban habitats are at their most vulnerable stage of life, with almost 80 percent killed by predators before they reach adulthood. Almost half of the deaths were linked to domestic cats. ... > full story

How can robots get our attention? (March 8, 2011) -- Researchers have found that they can program a robot to understand when it gains a human's attention and when it falls short. ... > full story

Melting ice sheets now largest contributor to sea level rise (March 8, 2011) -- The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are losing mass at an accelerating pace, according to a new satellite study. The findings of the study -- the longest to date of changes in polar ice sheet mass -- suggest these ice sheets are overtaking ice loss from Earth's mountain glaciers and ice caps to become the dominant contributor to global sea level rise, much sooner than model forecasts have predicted. ... > full story

Identifying 'anonymous' email authors (March 8, 2011) -- Researchers have developed an effective new technique to determine the authorship of anonymous emails. Tests showed their method has a high level of accuracy -- and unlike many other methods of ascertaining authorship, it can provide presentable evidence in courts of law. ... > full story

Rare observation of cosmic explosion (March 8, 2011) -- Astronomers have discovered a new cosmic explosion: a gamma-ray burst and its associated supernova. Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most powerful blasts in the Universe, and are thought to be created in the deaths of the most massive stars. ... > full story

DNA better than eyes when counting endangered species (March 8, 2011) -- Using genetic methods to count endangered eagles, a group of scientists showed that traditional counting methods can lead to significantly incorrect totals that they believe could adversely affect conservation efforts. ... > full story

Student innovation transmits data and power wirelessly through submarine hulls (March 8, 2011) -- Steel walls are no match for one doctoral student. He has developed and demonstrated an innovative new system that uses ultrasound to simultaneously transmit large quantities of data and power wirelessly through thick metal walls, like the hulls of ships and submarines. ... > full story

Stone tools influenced hand evolution in human ancestors, anthropologists say (March 8, 2011) -- Anthropologists have confirmed Charles Darwin's speculation that the evolution of unique features in the human hand was influenced by increased tool use in our ancestors. ... > full story

Teaching robots to move like humans (March 8, 2011) -- Researchers find people can better understand robot movements when robots move in a more human way. ... > full story

Researchers hunt for green catalysts (March 8, 2011) -- Scientists are looking for cleaner, greener and cheaper catalysts. They are turning to biology for some ideas. And they're developing high-throughput approaches to quickly test a reaction using up to a hundred trillion different catalysts. ... > full story

California superstorm would be costliest US disaster (March 8, 2011) -- A hurricane-like superstorm expected to hit California once every 200 years would cause devastation to the state's businesses unheard of even in the Great Recession, an economist warns. ... > full story

Peanut worms are annelids (March 8, 2011) -- Recent molecular phylogenetic analysis has shown that the marine animals known as peanut worms are not a separate phylum, but are definitely part of the family of annelids, also known as segmented worms. This is a classification that seemed questionable in the past in view of the fact that peanut worms -- or the Sipunculidae, to give them their scientific name -- have neither segments nor bristles. The latter are considered typical characteristics of annelids, which include more than 16,500 identified species and to which our common earthworm belongs. ... > full story

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Tuesday, March 8, 2011

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Tuesday, March 8, 2011

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

New interpretation of Antarctic ice cores: Prevailing theory on climate history expanded (March 8, 2011) -- Climate researchers have expanded a prevalent theory regarding the development of ice ages. Physicists have completed new calculations on the connection between natural insulation and long-term changes in global climate activity. Up to now the presumption was that temperature fluctuations in Antarctica, which have been reconstructed for the last million years on the basis of ice cores, were triggered by the global effect of climate changes in the northern hemisphere. The new study shows, however, that major portions of the temperature fluctuations can be explained equally well by local climate changes in the southern hemisphere. ... > full story

Drug delivery with nanoparticles (March 8, 2011) -- Researchers are able to produce medicine encapsulated in nanoparticles the size of viruses, but new research has shown another great challenge in nanomedicine -- the immune system -- and the importance of the coating polymers on the nanoparticle surface. ... > full story

Preparing for the unexpected (March 8, 2011) -- How can you plan for an emergency the nature of which you don't know? Researchers in Germany are working on strategies and technologies that would help to predict and improve the response to crises. ... > full story

Relaxation leads to lower elasticity: Model system delivers vital clues on the aging processes of elastic polymers (March 7, 2011) -- As they age, many materials exhibit changes in their properties. Although such phenomena crop up in many domains, the underlying processes are oftentimes not fully understood. Particularly interesting in this context are polymer materials found in plastics and in biological systems. A group of physicists in Germany has developed a model system casting light on essential aspects of these processes. ... > full story

Is March Madness always the same? (March 7, 2011) -- Why is it that the same teams seem to dominate the annual men's collegiate basketball tournament? For that matter, why does the same small group of institutions seem to top annual best-college rankings? ... > full story

Stretchable balloon electronics get to the heart of cardiac medicine (March 7, 2011) -- Cardiologists may soon be able to place sensitive electronics inside their patients' hearts with minimal invasiveness, enabling more sophisticated and efficient diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias. Scientists have successfully integrated stretchable electronics technology with standard endocardial balloon catheters. The balloon device can both map and ablate over large areas of the heart simultaneously, using integrated arrays of multifunctional sensors and ablation electrodes. ... > full story

Japanese scientists use alcoholic drinks to induce superconductivity (March 7, 2011) -- Japanese researchers have been immersing iron-based compounds in hot alcoholic beverages such as red wine, sake and shochu to induce superconductivity. Scientists have found that immersing pellets of an iron-based compound in heated alcoholic beverages for 24 hours greatly increase their superconducting ability. ... > full story

New camera makes seeing the 'invisible' possible (March 7, 2011) -- The science similar to the type used in airport body scanners could soon be used to detect everything from defects in aerospace vehicles or concrete bridges to skin cancer, thanks to new research. ... > full story

Food science challenges for NASA missions to Mars (March 7, 2011) -- Space food for astronauts tastes better and is now healthier than ever before due to significant food science developments. However, a new study highlights the challenges that need to be addressed so that astronauts can travel to Mars and beyond. ... > full story

'Elephant trunks' in space: WISE captures image of star-forming cloud of dust and gas (March 7, 2011) -- NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, captured this image of a star-forming cloud of dust and gas, called Sh2-284, located in the constellation of Monoceros. Lining up along the edges of a cosmic hole are several "elephant trunks" -- or monstrous pillars of dense gas and dust. ... > full story

NASA light technology successfully reduces cancer patients painful side effects from radiation and chemotherapy (March 7, 2011) -- A NASA technology originally developed for plant growth experiments on space shuttle missions has successfully reduced the painful side effects resulting from chemotherapy and radiation treatment in bone marrow and stem cell transplant patients. ... > full story

Spitzer captures infrared rays from 'Sunflower' galaxy (March 7, 2011) -- The various spiral arm segments of the Sunflower galaxy, also known as Messier 63, show up vividly in a new image taken in infrared light by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Infrared light is sensitive to the dust lanes in spiral galaxies, which appear dark in visible-light images. Spitzer's view reveals complex structures that trace the galaxy's spiral arm pattern. ... > full story

Probing atomic chicken wire: Mounting graphene on boron nitride dramatically improves electronic properties (March 7, 2011) -- Graphene -- a sheet of carbon atoms linked in a hexagonal, chicken wire structure -- could someday make electronic devices smaller, faster and more energy-efficient. Researchers have demonstrated that mounting graphene on boron nitride instead of silicon oxide dramatically improves its electronic properties. ... > full story

A misunderstanding leads to method for making nanowells (March 7, 2011) -- A safe, simple, and cheap method of creating perfectly etched micron and smaller size wells in a variety of substrates has been developed. Similar patterned surfaces are currently made using complex and expensive photolithography methods and etch processes under clean room conditions and used in the fabrication of many optical, electrical, and mechanical devices. ... > full story

The scars of impacts on Mars (March 7, 2011) -- ESA's Mars Express has returned new images of an elongated impact crater in the southern hemisphere of Mars. Located just south of the Huygens basin, it could have been carved out by a train of projectiles striking the planet at a shallow angle. ... > full story

Speedy generic approval may not benefit consumers as much as expected, mathematical model shows (March 7, 2011) -- Faster approval times for generic drugs will get them into consumers' hands quicker, but may not make the price any better, a pricing and marketing researcher has found. A mathematical model shows that fewer firms enter the marketplace because the chances of getting there first and commanding the best profits are dramatically smaller when drug approval times are shorter. ... > full story

Human cues used to improve computer user-friendliness (March 6, 2011) -- Researchers want computers to understand inputs from humans that go beyond the traditional keyboard and mouse. They have now developed ways to provide information to a computer based on where a user is looking as well as through gestures or speech. ... > full story

Cadmium in children’s jewelry: 100 times recommended maximum exposure if mouthed or swallowed (March 6, 2011) -- Young children who mouth or swallow jewelry containing cadmium may be exposed to as much as 100 times the recommended maximum exposure limit for the toxic metal, according to new research. The study measured bioavailability, or how much cadmium leached out of the jewelry. The research also found that damaged pieces of jewelry in some cases leached up to 30 times more cadmium than undamaged pieces. ... > full story

Fast laser could revolutionize data communications (March 6, 2011) -- Researchers have shown that a surface emitting laser – a cheaper and more energy-efficient type of laser for fiber optics than conventional lasers – can deliver error-free data at a record speed of 40 Gbit/s. The breakthrough could lead to faster Internet traffic, computers and mobile phones. ... > full story

New microscope produces dazzling 3-D movies of live cells (March 6, 2011) -- Scientists have invented a new microscope that uses an exquisitely thin sheet of light -- similar to that used in supermarket bar-code scanners -- to peer inside single living cells. The images they obtained reveal the three-dimensional shapes of cellular landmarks in unprecedented detail. ... > full story

NASA makes use of historic test site for new robotic lander prototype tests (March 6, 2011) -- Engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center have begun the first phase of integrated system tests on a new robotic lander prototype at Redstone Test Center's propulsion test facility on the U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal, also in Huntsville. These tests will aid in the design and development of a new generation of small, smart, versatile robotic landers capable of performing science and exploration research on the surface of the moon or other airless bodies, including near-Earth asteroids. ... > full story

Clean fuel worsens climate impacts for some vehicle engines (March 5, 2011) -- A pioneering program by one of the world's largest cities to switch its vehicle fleet to clean fuel has not significantly improved harmful vehicle emissions in more than 5,000 vehicles -- and worsened some vehicles' climate impacts -- a new study finds. ... > full story

New non-surgical autopsy technique set to revolutionize post-mortem practice (March 4, 2011) -- A new non-surgical post-mortem technique that has the potential to revolutionize the way autopsies are conducted around the world has been pioneered by forensic pathologists and radiologists. ... > full story

Nanotechnology: New 'frozen smoke' may improve robotic surgery, energy storage (March 4, 2011) -- A spongy substance that could be mistaken for packing material has the nanotechnology world buzzing. Scientists have engineered the world's lightest carbon material in such a way that it could be used to detect pollutants and toxic substances, improve robotic surgery techniques and store energy more efficiently. ... > full story

The dusty disc of NGC 247 (March 4, 2011) -- A new image of NGC 247 reveals the fine details of this highly inclined spiral galaxy and its rich backdrop. Astronomers say this highly tilted orientation, when viewed from Earth, explains why the distance to this prominent galaxy was previously overestimated. ... > full story

Scientists create cell assembly line: New technology synthesizes cellular structures from simple starting materials (March 4, 2011) -- Borrowing a page from modern manufacturing, scientists have built a microscopic assembly line that mass produces synthetic cell-like compartments. ... > full story

NASA's Glory satellite fails to reach orbit (March 4, 2011) -- NASA's Glory spacecraft launched aboard a Taurus XL rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California March 4, 2011 at 5:09:45 a.m. EST failed to reach orbit. Telemetry indicated the fairing, the protective shell atop the Taurus XL rocket, did not separate as expected about three minutes after launch. ... > full story

Risks of chemical exposure: Scientists call for 'swifter and sounder' testing of chemicals (March 4, 2011) -- Scientific societies representing 40,000 researchers and clinicians are asking that federal regulators tap a broader range of expertise when evaluating the risks of chemicals to which Americans are being increasingly exposed. ... > full story

Method developed to match police sketch, mug shot: Algorithms and software will match sketches with mugshots in police databases (March 4, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a set of algorithms and created software that will automatically match hand-drawn facial sketches to mug shots that are stored in law enforcement databases. ... > full story

Two languages in peaceful coexistence in one society (March 4, 2011) -- Physicists and mathematicians have shown that two languages can remain stable in one society in the long-term. This research refutes earlier research which sought to show how one of two languages would inevitably die out. ... > full story

New kinds of superconductivity? Physicists demonstrate coveted 'spin-orbit coupling' in atomic gases (March 4, 2011) -- Physicists have for the first time caused a gas of atoms to exhibit an important quantum phenomenon known as spin-orbit coupling. Their technique opens new possibilities for studying and better understanding fundamental physics and has potential applications to quantum computing, next-generation "spintronics" devices and even "atomtronic" devices built from ultracold atoms. ... > full story

Nanofabrication tools may make silicon optical chips more accessible (March 4, 2011) -- In an effort to make it easier to build inexpensive, next-generation silicon-based electro-optical chips, which allow computers to move information with light and electricity, scientists are developing design tools and using commercial nanofabrication tools. ... > full story

Taking the heat: Silver-diamond composite offers unique capabilities for cooling powerful defense microelectronics (March 4, 2011) -- Researchers are developing a solid composite material to help cool small, powerful microelectronics used in defense systems. The material, composed of silver and diamond, promises an exceptional degree of thermal conductivity compared to materials currently used for this application. ... > full story

Ultrasound and algorithms could lead to better breast cancer screening (March 4, 2011) -- New research holds the promise of becoming a powerful new weapon in the fight against breast cancer. His complex computational research has led to a fast, inexpensive new method for using ultrasound and advanced algorithms to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors with a high degree of accuracy. ... > full story

Oldest objects in solar system indicate a turbulent beginning (March 3, 2011) -- Scientists have found that calcium, aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs), some of the oldest objects in the solar system, formed far away from our sun and then later fell back into the mid-plane of the solar system. The findings may lead to a greater understanding of how our solar system and possibly other solar systems formed and evolved. ... > full story

Easy, accurate way to predict food allergies developed, study suggests (March 3, 2011) -- An on-line calculator that predicts, within seconds, the presence of the three major food allergies in children has been developed. The new calculator gives 96% accuracy compared to current methods that are 61% -81% accurate. ... > full story

Scalable method for making graphene (March 3, 2011) -- New research demonstrates a more consistent and cost-effective method for making graphene, the atomic-scale material that has promising applications in a variety of fields, and was the subject of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. ... > full story

New developments in quantum computing (March 3, 2011) -- Quantum computers are computers that exploit the weird properties of matter at extremely small scales. Many experts believe that a full-blown quantum computer could perform calculations that would be hopelessly time consuming on classical computers, but so far, quantum computers have proven hard to build. Researchers have planned an experiment that, if it worked, would offer strong evidence that quantum computers can do things that classical computers can't. Although building the experimental apparatus would be difficult, it shouldn't be as difficult as building a fully functional quantum computer. ... > full story

Using artificial, cell-like 'honey pots' to entrap deadly viruses (March 3, 2011) -- Researchers have designed artificial "protocells" that can lure, entrap and inactivate a class of deadly human viruses -- think decoys with teeth. ... > full story

Who's the best tennis player of all time? Ranking of top male tennis players produces some surprises (March 3, 2011) -- Fans may think of Jimmy Connors as an "old school" tennis player, but according to a new ranking system developed using network analysis, Connors is best player in the history of the game. ... > full story

New observations of the giant planet orbiting beta Pictoris (March 3, 2011) -- New observations have been made of the giant planet around beta Pictoris. Discovered in 2009, this planet, called beta Pictoris b, has now been detected again with the NaCo instrument on the VLT. Astronomers find that the planet is moving around the star. They have also measured the mass and the effective temperature of beta Pic b. ... > full story

Turning bacteria into butanol biofuel factories: Transplanted enzyme pathway makes E. coli churn out n-butanol (March 3, 2011) -- While ethanol is today's major biofuel, researchers aim to produce fuels more like gasoline. Butanol is the primary candidate, now produced primarily by Clostridium bacteria. Chemists have now transplanted the enzyme pathway from Clostridium into E. coli, replaced two of five genes with enzymes from other microbes, and gotten the bacteria to churn out 10 times more n-butanol than competing microbes, close to the level needed for industrial scale production. ... > full story

Solving the riddle of nature’s perfect spring (March 3, 2011) -- Scientists have unravelled the shape of the protein that gives human tissues their elastic properties in what could lead to the development of new synthetic elastic polymers. ... > full story

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