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ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Monday, July 21, 2008

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Massive Greenhouse Gases May Be Released As Destruction, Drying Of World Wetlands Worsen (July 21, 2008) — There is growing concern among environmental scientists that evaporation and ongoing destruction of world wetlands, which hold a volume of carbon similar to that in the atmosphere today, could cause them to exhale billows of greenhouse gases. Warming world temperatures are speeding both rates of decomposition of trapped organic material and evaporation, while threatening critical sources of wetlands recharge. … > full story

Archaeologists Trace Early Irrigation Farming In Ancient Yemen (July 21, 2008) — In the remote desert highlands of southern Yemen, a team of archaeologists have discovered new evidence of ancient transitions from hunting and herding to irrigation agriculture 5,200 years ago. … > full story

Childhood Diarrhea: Treat With Zinc Over 6 Months Of Age, Study Suggests (July 21, 2008) — Zinc supplementation benefits children suffering from diarrhea in developing countries, but only in infants over six months old, Cochrane researchers have found. Their study supports World Health Organization guidelines for the treatment of diarrhea with zinc, although not in the very young. … > full story

Controlled Growth Of Truly Nanoscale Single Crystal Fullerites For Device Applications (July 21, 2008) — Researchers have found a way to make ultra-small pure carbon crystals entirely formed from the spherical carbon ‘buckyball’ molecule known as C60. The method used involves mixing two liquids together, one of which contains C60, at low temperature. … > full story

Mind Over Matter In Chronic Disease Treatment (July 21, 2008) — A new study by sleep psychologists is shedding light on why some people with life-threatening conditions do not adhere to medical treatment, even when “it’s for their own good”. Psychological factors had a powerful effect on whether people would accept effective medical treatment. … > full story

Social Behavior In Ants Influenced By Small Number Of Genes (July 21, 2008) — In a new study, researchers have shed light on the numbers and types of genes that may control social organization in fire ant colonies. This work suggests that a relatively small number of genes, many of which are predicted to play a role in chemical communication, determine social organization. This research also increases our understanding of how the social environment can indirectly influence the expression of socially relevant traits. … > full story

How Cells Die Determines Whether Immune System Mounts Response (July 21, 2008) — Every moment we live, cells in our bodies are dying. One type of cell death activates an immune response while another type doesn’t. Now researchers have figured out how some dying cells signal the immune system. The finding eventually could have important implications in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer. … > full story

Greatest Value Of Forests Is Sustainable Water Supply (July 21, 2008) — The forests of the future may need to be managed as much for a sustainable supply of clean water as any other goal, researchers say in a new federal report — but even so, forest resources will offer no “quick fix” to the insatiable, often conflicting demands for this precious resource. … > full story

Statin Does Not Appear Helpful For Children With Learning Disabilities Caused By Genetic Disorder (July 21, 2008) — Use of simvastatin by children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a genetic disorder that can cause learning disabilities, did not result in improved cognitive function, according to a new study. … > full story

Digital Cameras, Remote Satellites Measure Crop Water Demand (July 21, 2008) — Determining growth stage, size, and water needs are especially important for horticultural crops because most crops are grown in limited water environments and require irrigation. Researchers have evaluated remotely sensed normalized difference vegetation index relative to canopy cover of several major horticultural crops in commercial fields. … > full story

Second Life Improves Real-life Social Skills (July 21, 2008) — Social interaction is enhanced rather than diminished by online interfaces, according to new research on the virtual program Second Life. A new study took an in-depth look at social order in emergent online environments. … > full story

Regular Walking Protects The Masai — Who Eat High Fat Diet — From Cardiovascular Disease (July 20, 2008) — There is strong evidence that the high consumption of animal fats increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Many scientists have therefore been surprised that the nomadic Masai of Kenya and Tanzania are seldom afflicted by the disease, despite having a diet that is rich in animal fats and deficient in carbohydrates. Now, a unique study suggests that the reason is more likely to be the Masai’s active lifestyle. … > full story

Stomach Bug Appears To Protect Kids From Asthma, Says New Study (July 20, 2008) — A long-time microbial inhabitant of the human stomach may protect children from developing asthma, according to a new study among more than 7,000 subjects. Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that has co-existed with humans for at least 50,000 years, may lead to peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. Yet, kids between the ages of 3 and 13 are nearly 59 percent less likely to have asthma if they carry the bug, the researchers report. … > full story

NASA’s Deep Impact Films Earth As An Alien World (July 20, 2008) — NASA’s Deep Impact spacecraft has created a video of the moon transiting (passing in front of) Earth as seen from the spacecraft’s point of view 31 million miles away. Scientists are using the video to develop techniques to study alien worlds. … > full story

Predicting Outcomes For Stomach Cancer Patients (July 20, 2008) — Researchers have identified two potential molecular markers that may predict outcomes for patients with stomach cancer, one of the most common and fatal cancers worldwide. … > full story

Solar Cooling Becomes A New Air-conditioning System (July 20, 2008) — Scientists have developed an environmentally friendly cooling technology that does not harm the ozone layer. This is achieved by using solar energy and therefore reducing the use of greenhouse gases. … > full story

Teen Smokers Struggle To Kick The Habit; Most Want To Quit And Can’t (July 20, 2008) — Most teenagers who smoke cigarettes make repeated attempts to quit but most are unsuccessful, according to new research. The study found that more than 70 percent of the teens expressed a desire to quit, but only 19 percent actually managed to stop smoking for 12 months or more by the end of the five-year study. Girls were more likely than boys to want to quit and to attempt quitting. … > full story

Even Toddlers Get It: Data ‘Chunks’ Are Easier To Remember (July 20, 2008) — Which is easier to remember: 4432879960 or 443-297-9960? The latter, of course. Adults seem to know automatically, in fact, that long strings of numbers are more easily recalled when divided into smaller “bite-sized chunks,” which is why we break up our telephone and Social Security numbers in this way. Children as young as 14 months can — and do — use a “chunking” strategy (akin to breaking up a phone number or Social Security number into small chunks) to assist their working memories. … > full story

A Potential Metastatic Disease Target? (July 20, 2008) — Researchers have identified a type of cancer stem cell that might initiate metastatic cancer, which spreads beyond the original, primary tumor site and to other locations within the body. For the first time, scientists have revealed that the molecular profiles of these cancer stem cells are much different than those located in primary tumors. … > full story

Leatherback Turtles’ Newly Discovered Migration Route May Be Roadmap To Salvation (July 20, 2008) — A major effort to tag and track leatherbacks that nest on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica has yielded unprecedented insight into their behavior. While most sea turtles have widely varied dispersal patterns, the leatherbacks from the beaches at Playa Grande consistently follow a relatively narrow corridor out into the sea, past the Galapagos Islands to an area in the South Pacific where they linger at length. … > full story

Removing Ovaries During Hysterectomy: Effects Remain Unknown (July 20, 2008) — During hysterectomy operations, surgeons often remove a woman’s ovaries as well as her uterus. Cochrane researchers now say there is no evidence that removing the ovaries provides any additional benefit and warn surgeons to consider the procedure carefully. … > full story

Semantics Gives The Web Meaning – For Machines (July 20, 2008) — Researchers hope that soon web technology will get to the point where, as you drive into town, an application spots a space in a nearby car park, calculates how long and what route to get there, and that no one else is closer. We are not there yet, but researchers believe the semantic web is about to make it big. Companies will find it easier to integrate datasets and access information — internal and external — while consumers should find their web searches are more fruitful and web services more functional. … > full story

Risks In Ordering Drugs By Internet On The Rise (July 20, 2008) — Consumers are facing a growing risk of getting counterfeit drugs because of rising Internet sales of medical drugs, projected to reach upwards of billion by 2010. A new report calls for stronger enforcement legislation than current proposals in Congress. … > full story

Nature-Nurture Gene Link Sheds New Light On Autism (July 20, 2008) — Neuroscientists have found that a previously unsuspected set of genes links nature and nurture during a crucial period of brain development. The findings could lead to treatments for autism and other disorders thought to be tied to brain changes that occur when the developing brain is very susceptible to inputs from the outside world. Nature — in the form of genes — and nurture — in the form of environmental influences — are fundamentally intertwined during this period. … > full story

Protein Found To Identify Malignant Melanoma (July 20, 2008) — Researchers found a new protein produced excessively in malignant melanoma, a discovery that is particularly relevant as skin cancer rates climb dramatically among young women. The protein, IMP-3, is not over-expressed in harmless moles but is increased in the most dangerous types of skin cancer, and in a subset of lesions that can be difficult to predict called thin melanomas. … > full story

Obesity Is Number One Health Concern For Kids In 2008 (July 20, 2008) — As children’s waistlines continue to grow, so have concerns about childhood obesity. According to a new report childhood obesity is now the No. 1 health concern for kids in 2008, topping smoking and drug abuse. In 2007, childhood obesity ranked third among parents’ top 10 overall health concerns for kids. … > full story

Amniotic Fluid Measurements: Single Deepest Pocket Is Best Test Of Fetus At Risk (July 20, 2008) — Women often undergo early Caesareans or induced labor following detection of decreased amniotic fluid volume, because this is seen as a sign of fetal distress. While no gold standard exists for measuring amniotic volumes, a new Cochrane Systematic Review suggests that the single deepest vertical pocket technique is better than the commonly used amniotic fluid index method. … > full story

Sharpest Measurement Of Ice Crystals In Clouds Ever Will Help In Climate Modeling (July 20, 2008) — Scientists have created an instrument designed to help determine the shapes and sizes of tiny ice crystals typical of those found in high-altitude clouds, down to the micron level (comparable to the tiniest cells in the human body), according to a new study. The data produced using this instrument likely will help improve computer models used to predict climate change. … > full story

Baseball: 2008 All-star Game Was Mathematical Marvel (July 20, 2008) — The 2008 All-Star Game was the game of a lifetime, and a math professor can prove it. “What happened Tuesday night was definitely a rare occurrence and one we should not expect to see again in our lifetimes,” said the mathematics professor. … > full story

Dust Storms In Sahara Desert Sustain Life In Atlantic Ocean (July 19, 2008) — Saharan dust storms help sustain life over extensive regions of the North Atlantic Ocean. Scientists mapped the distribution of nutrients including phosphorous and nitrogen and investigated how organisms such as phytoplankton are sustained in areas with low nutrient levels. They found that plants are able to grow in these regions because they are able to take advantage of iron minerals in Saharan dust storms. … > full story

Alzheimer’s Early Detection: Biomarkers Identify Early Onset Of Disease, Before Symptoms Appear (July 19, 2008) — Researchers have confirmed that in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s, levels of specific proteins in the blood and spinal fluid can be used to track the progression of AD, long before symptoms appear. The hope is that, one day, screening for such biomarkers could take their place beside such routine tests as colonoscopies and mammograms as another common tool of preventive medicine. … > full story

Bullying And Being Bullied Linked To Suicide In Children, Review Of Studies Suggests (July 19, 2008) — Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found signs of an apparent connection between bullying, being bullied and suicide in children, according to a new review of studies from 13 countries published in the International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health. … > full story

Caesarean Section: No Consensus On Best Technique (July 19, 2008) — Despite the routine delivery of babies by caesarean section, there is no consensus among medical practitioners on which is the best operating method to use. In a systematic review published in the Cochrane Library, researchers call for further studies to establish the safest method for both mother and infant. … > full story

Tips On How To Build A Better Home For Biological Parts (July 19, 2008) — Researchers have compiled a series of guidelines that should help researchers in their efforts to design, develop and manage next-generation databases of biological parts. … > full story

Cancer Researchers Call For Ethnicity To Be Taken Into Account (July 19, 2008) — Breast cancer research needs to investigate how a person’s ethnicity influences their response to treatment and its outcome, according to a new Comment piece in The Lancet. Emerging evidence suggests that particular drugs may benefit people from one ethnic group more than others, because of differences in their genetic makeup. … > full story

Distribution Of Creatures Great And Small Can Be Predicted Mathematically (July 19, 2008) — In studying how animals change size as they evolve, biologists have unearthed several interesting patterns. For instance, most species are small, but the largest members of a taxonomic group — such as the great white shark, the Komodo dragon, or the African elephant — are often thousands or millions of times bigger than the typical species. Now for the first time researchers explain these patterns within an elegant statistical framework. … > full story

HIV Conquers Immune System Faster Than Previously Realized (July 19, 2008) — New research into the earliest events occurring immediately upon infection with HIV-I shows that the virus deals a stunning blow to the immune system earlier than was previously understood. This suggests the window of opportunity for successful intervention may be only a matter of days — not weeks — after transmission, as researchers had previously believed. … > full story

Low-sodium Advice For Asthmatics Should Be Taken With A Grain Of Salt (July 19, 2008) — Following a low-sodium diet does not appear to have any appreciable impact on asthma control, according to new research. Contrary to past studies — which have suggested a link between low-sodium diets and improved asthma control — a new study found no evidence that cutting back on salt helps patients with their symptoms. … > full story

Improved Culture System For Hepatitis C Virus Infection (July 19, 2008) — Researchers have developed the first tissue culture of normal, human liver cells that can model infection with the hepatitis C virus and provide a realistic environment to evaluate possible treatments. The novel cell line will allow pharmaceutical companies to effectively test new drug candidates or possible vaccines for the HCV infection, which afflicts about 170 million people worldwide. … > full story

Goodbye To Faulty Software? (July 19, 2008) — Will it ever be possible to buy software guaranteed to be free from bugs? A team of European researchers think so. Their work on the mathematical foundations of programming could one day revolutionize the software industry. … > full story

Research Publications Online: Too Much Of A Good Thing? (July 19, 2008) — The Internet gives scientists and researchers instant access to an astonishing number of academic journals. So what is the impact of having such a wealth of information at their fingertips? The answer, according to new research, is surprising — scholars are actually citing fewer papers in their own work, and the papers they do cite tend to be more recent publications. This trend may be limiting the creation of new ideas and theories. … > full story

Bees Go ‘Off-color’ When They Are Sickly (July 19, 2008) — Bumble bees go “off color” and can’t remember which flowers have the most nectar when they are feeling under the weather. The behavior of the bumbling bees reveals that, like humans who are ill, bees are often not at their most astute and clever when they feel poorly. … > full story

Easing Pain And Numbness Associated With Diabetes (July 19, 2008) — To ease pain and numbness associated with diabetes, scientists are studying a drug previously used for depression to treat peripheral neuropathy. Diabetics often suffer from this condition because of high blood sugar levels that damage nerve cells. … > full story

Vaccine For Koala Chlamydia Close (July 19, 2008) — Eighteen female koalas treated with an anti-chlamydia vaccine are showing positive results, giving scientists hope they have an answer to the disease that is threatening the survival of koalas in the wild. … > full story

Paradoxical Relationship Discovered Between Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever And Its Carrier Mosquitoes (July 19, 2008) — Scientists have shown a negative correlation between dengue hemorrhagic fever and the density of the Aedes mosquitoes that transmit the virus. The study explains how current efforts to reduce the mosquitoes may actually increase the incidence of the potentially fatal viral disease. … > full story

Crop Residue May Be Too Valuable To Harvest For Biofuels (July 19, 2008) — In the rush to develop renewable fuels from plants, converting crop residues into cellulosic ethanol would seem to be a slam dunk. However, that might not be such a good idea for farmers growing crops without irrigation in regions receiving less than 25 inches of precipitation annually, says a soil scientist. … > full story

New Model Explains Why We Overestimate Our Future Choices (July 19, 2008) — When people make choices for future consumption, they select a wider variety than when they plan to immediately consume the products. A new study examines the reasons behind this diversification of choices. … > full story

Hydrogen Vehicles Coming Soon? Two Million Could Be On Roads By 2020 (July 18, 2008) — A transition to hydrogen vehicles could greatly reduce US oil dependence and carbon dioxide emissions, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Research Council, but making hydrogen vehicles competitive in the automotive market will not be easy. Vehicle costs are high, and the U.S. currently lacks the infrastructure to produce and widely distribute hydrogen to consumers. The maximum practicable number of hydrogen vehicles that could be on the road by 2020 is 2 million, says the report. The number of hydrogen vehicles on the road could then grow rapidly, to nearly 60 million in 2035 and 200 million by 2050. … > full story