for Thursday, November 13, 2008

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

Simulation Shows What Would Happen If Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Hit California (November 13, 2008) -- What would happen in California was hit by the Big One? New 3-D animations of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake scenario are now available to the public. ... > full story

New Technique To Study The Genetics Of Breast Cancer (November 13, 2008) -- A new technique to study genetic changes that can lead to breast cancer could be one step closer. ... > full story

Dust Storm Cuts Energy Supply Of NASA Mars Rover Spirit (November 13, 2008) -- A dust storm on Mars has cut into the amount of sunlight reaching the solar array on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, leaving the rover in a vulnerable state. ... > full story

Steps To Block Key Enzyme Action In Heart Failure Mapped (November 13, 2008) -- Taking a cue from the way drugs like Viagra put the biological brakes on a key enzyme involved in heart failure, scientists have mapped out a key chemical step involved in blocking the enzyme. ... > full story

Molecular Clipping Mechanism Confirmed Behind Stem Cell Development (November 13, 2008) -- Stem cells don't just become a part of the liver or the brain in a flash; it takes a complex molecular choreography and requires that specific genes be switched on and off at specific times. Some of these genes are regulated through a process by which proteins in the cell nucleus, called histones, are chemically modified by small "chemical marks" such as acetyl or methyl groups. ... > full story

U.S. Gets A 'D' As March Of Dimes Releases Premature Birth Report Card (November 13, 2008) -- In the first Premature Birth Report Card, the United States received a "D" and no U.S. state earned an "A," when the March of Dimes compared preterm birth rates to Healthy People 2010 objectives. Premature birth affects more than 530,000 babies annually in the United States. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death and lifelong disability. ... > full story

Global Warming Link To Amphibian Declines In Doubt (November 13, 2008) -- Evidence that global warming is causing the worldwide declines of amphibians may not be as conclusive as previously thought, according to biologists. The findings, which contradict two widely held views, could help reveal what is killing the frogs and toads and aid in their conservation. ... > full story

Overnight Hemodialysis Dramatically Improves Survival, Study Shows (November 13, 2008) -- For hemodialysis patients, undergoing dialysis for eight hours overnight, three times weekly, reduces the risk of death by nearly 80 percent, compared to conventional, four-hour dialysis, according to new research. ... > full story

How A Well-known Protein Repairs Broken DNA Ends (November 13, 2008) -- During the life cycle of our cells, a minefield of environmental and biological assaults can lead to double-stranded DNA breaks, the most lethal and dangerous form of DNA damage. Now scientists reveal that when these breaks occur, a protein called 53BP1 helps repair them by mobilizing their dangly DNA ends -- findings that uncover a previously unknown aspect of how double-stranded breaks can get fixed. ... > full story

Wide Variability In Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Suggests Alternative Dosing Should Be Considered (November 13, 2008) -- Methotrexate is commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and is suggested as the "anchor" drug in treating the disease. Despite its widespread use, the understanding of its mechanism of action and pharmacokinetics is limited. ... > full story

Finnish IT Center For Science Upgrades Cray Supercomputer To One Of Europe’s Most Powerful (November 13, 2008) -- CSC's Cray supercomputer has been upgraded to over 85 teraflops (trillions of floating point operations per second). This makes the new Cray XT5 system at CSC the most powerful academic supercomputer in the Nordic countries and one of the fastest supercomputers in Europe. ... > full story

No Drop In IQ Seen After Bypass For Child Heart Surgery (November 13, 2008) -- The use of cardiopulmonary bypass does not cause short-term neurological problems in children and teenagers after surgery for less complex heart defects, according to pediatric researchers. The new finding contrasts favorably with previous studies that showed adverse neurological effects after newborn surgery for more complex heart conditions. ... > full story

Sun Shows Signs Of Life: Long-Awaited Solar Cycle 24 Starting To Take Off (November 12, 2008) -- After two-plus years of few sunspots, even fewer solar flares, and a generally eerie calm, the sun is finally showing signs of life. ... > full story

Low Potassium Linked To High Blood Pressure (November 12, 2008) -- As a risk factor for high blood pressure, low levels of potassium in the diet may be as important as high levels of sodium -- especially among African-Americans, according to new research. ... > full story

Sedimentary Records Link Himalayan Erosion Rates And Monsoon Intensity Through Time (November 12, 2008) -- Throughout history, the changing fortunes of human societies in Asia have been linked to variations in the precipitation resulting from seasonal monsoons. Research suggests that variations in monsoon climate over longer time scales also influenced the evolution of the world's highest mountain chain, the Himalaya. ... > full story

Primary Insomnia Linked To Neurochemical Abnormality In Young And Middle-aged Adults (November 12, 2008) -- A new study in the journal Sleep is the first demonstration of a specific neurochemical abnormality in adults with primary insomnia, providing greater insight to the limited understanding of the condition's pathology. ... > full story

Computerized Carer Lessens Dementia Load (November 12, 2008) -- An artificial intelligence coaching system has been developed that will help carers of older adults with moderate dementia. The COACH system uses a camera and computer to deliver interactive advice -- lessening the workload on often-overburdened carers. ... > full story

Mandatory HPV Vaccination Is Unwarranted And Unwise, According to Experts (November 12, 2008) -- A new article in the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics suggests that it is premature for states to currently mandate the HPV vaccine as a condition for school attendance. Gardasil is relatively new and long-term safety and effectiveness in the general population is unknown, experts point out. ... > full story

Electronic Heat Trap Grips Deep Earth: Current Models Of Mantle Dynamics Challenged (November 12, 2008) -- The key to understanding Earth's evolution, including our atmosphere and how volcanoes and earthquakes form, is to look into the lower mantle, a region some 400 to 1,800 miles below the surface. Researchers simulated conditions at these depths and discovered that the concentration of highly oxidized iron in the two major mantle minerals is key to moving heat in that region and affects material movement throughout the planet. ... > full story

Molecule That Stops SARS Invented (November 12, 2008) -- A newly created compound prevents the replication of the virus that causes SARS and could lead to a treatment for the disease. In addition to its ability to block the SARS virus, the molecular compound that inhibits the virus provides new insights into a group of proteins found in a range of diseases including childhood croup, herpes and cancer. ... > full story

Tumors Grow Faster Without Blood-supply Promoting Molecule (November 12, 2008) -- Dense networks of blood vessels thought to spur cancer's growth could actually hinder rather than promote tumor progression. The findings partly explain why drugs designed to treat cancer by strangling its blood supply have been disappointing when used alone and why those treatments are more effective when combined with traditional chemotherapy. Despite their rapid progression, tumors fed by more normal vascular were also more vulnerable to the effects of standard chemotherapy drugs. ... > full story

Hip Resurfacing Is Not For Everyone, Study Suggests (November 12, 2008) -- Hip resurfacing is often seen as a modern alternative to the more conventional total hip replacement, but new data suggest that a patient's age and gender are key to the operation's success. ... > full story

Miniaturizing Memory: Taking Data Storage To The Molecular Level (November 12, 2008) -- Researchers are now exploring ways of exploiting the unique properties of carbon nanotubes to create a cheap and compact memory cell that uses little power and writes information at high speeds. ... > full story

Certain Types Of Thinking Are Best Suited To Certain Types Of Problem-solving (November 12, 2008) -- Geometry problems are best solved by a combination of verbal and spatial strategies, but not shape-based imagery strategies. ... > full story

Dusty Shock Waves Generate Planet Ingredients (November 12, 2008) -- Shock waves around dusty, young stars might be creating the raw materials for planets, according to new observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. ... > full story

Blood-brain Barrier Disarmed In Rodents: Hormone Shows Promise In Reversing Alzheimer’s Disease And Stroke (November 12, 2008) -- Researchers have disarmed the blood-brain barrier sentry that keeps a potential treatment for stroke and Alzheimer's disease from getting into the brain. The brain is protected by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a gate-keeping system of cells that lets in nutrients and keeps out foreign substances. The blood-brain barrier passes no judgment on which foreign substances are trying to get into the brain to treat diseases and which are trying to do harm, so it blocks them without discrimination. ... > full story

Rheumatoid Arthritis Breakthrough (November 12, 2008) -- Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful, inflammatory type of arthritis that occurs when the body's immune system attacks itself. A new article in PLoS Biology, reports a breakthrough in the understanding of how autoimmune responses can be controlled, offering a promising new strategy for therapy development for rheumatoid arthritis. ... > full story

Over 50% Of People With High Blood Pressure Unaware They Have Condition (November 12, 2008) -- Results from a European project show that too many hypertensive people are not aware of their condition, while drugs fail to achieve optimal blood pressure in more than half of those under treatment. The European map of cardiovascular risk is changing, with England doing better than Italy. ... > full story

Nano-scale Electromechanical Sensors In Handheld Devices (November 12, 2008) -- Physicists are researching nano-scale cantilevers that have the potential to read and alert us to toxic chemicals or gases in the air. Put them into a small handheld device and the potential is there for real-time chemical alerts in battle, in industry, in health care and even at home. ... > full story

Text Messaging May Help Children Fight Off Obesity (November 12, 2008) -- Cell phone text messaging could be used to reduce children's chances of becoming overweight or obese later in life, by helping them monitor and modify their own behaviors now. ... > full story

New Path Found To Antibiotics In Dirt (November 12, 2008) -- A teaspoon of dirt contains an estimated 10,000 species of bacteria, but it's only one percent of these microbial bugs -- the ones that can be grown easily in a lab -- that have brought us antibiotics, anticancer agents and other useful drugs. ... > full story

Stem Cells From Monkey Teeth Can Stimulate Growth And Generation Of Brain Cells (November 12, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered dental pulp stem cells can stimulate growth and generation of several types of neural cells. Findings suggest dental pulp stem cells show promise for use in cell therapy and regenerative medicine, particularly therapies associated with the central nervous system. ... > full story

Commercial Poultry Lack Genetic Diversity, Are Vulnerable To Avian Flu And Other Threats (November 12, 2008) -- As concerns such as avian flu, animal welfare and consumer preferences impact the poultry industry, the reduced genetic diversity of commercial bird breeds increases their vulnerability and the industry's ability to adapt, according to a genetics expert. Native birds however, might be able to restock poultry industry's genetic stock. ... > full story

New Method Provides Panoramic View Of Protein-RNA Interactions In Living Cells (November 12, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a genome-wide platform to study how specialized proteins regulate RNA in living, intact cells. The platform allows researchers to identify, in a single experiment, every sequence within every strand of RNA to which proteins bind. The result is an unbiased and unprecedented look at how differences in RNA can explain how a worm and a human can each have 25,000 genes yet be so different. ... > full story

Nature’s Own Chemical Plant (November 12, 2008) -- Crude oil is getting more and more expensive, a fact clearly felt by the chemical industry. An alternative source of carbon is biomass, for instance colza and whey, which can likewise be used to produce chemical products. ... > full story

Airport Malaria: Cause For Concern In U.S. (November 12, 2008) -- "Airport malaria" is a term coined by researchers to explain the more recent spread of malaria to areas such as the United States and Europe, which some scientists credit to warmer climate changes. ... > full story

New Technology Could Revolutionize Breast Cancer Screening (November 12, 2008) -- The world's first radar breast imaging system that could revolutionize the way women are scanned for breast cancer is currently under clinical trial. Scientists have been working for a number of years to develop a breast-imaging device which uses radio waves and therefore has no radiation risk unlike conventional mammograms. ... > full story

Fatty Diet During Pregnancy Makes New Cells In Fetal Brain That Cause Early Onset Obesity (November 12, 2008) -- A study in rats shows that exposure to a high-fat diet during pregnancy produces permanent changes in the offspring's brain that lead to overeating and obesity early in life. This surprising finding provides a key step toward understanding mechanisms of fetal programming involving the production of new brain cells that may help explain the increased prevalence of childhood obesity during the last 30 years. ... > full story

New Method Can Capture Catalysis, One Molecule At A Time (November 12, 2008) -- Researchers have developed an ingenious microscopic method to observe the behavior of single nanoparticles of a catalyst, down to the resolution of single catalytic events. ... > full story

Antibiotic Use Increases At Academic Medical Centers (November 12, 2008) -- Antibacterial drug use appears to have increased at academic medical centers between 2002 and 2006, driven primarily by greater use of broad-spectrum agents and the antibiotic vancomycin, according to a new article. ... > full story

New Nanomaterial Could Be Breakthrough For Implantable Medical Devices (November 12, 2008) -- Researchers have made a breakthrough that could lead to new dialysis devices and a host of other revolutionary medical implants. The researchers have found that the unique properties of a new material can be used to create new devices that can be implanted into the human body, including blood glucose sensors for diabetics and artificial hemo-dialysis membranes that can scrub impurities from the blood. ... > full story

Football Players: Staying Active May Lower Health Risks For Large, Retired Athletes (November 12, 2008) -- Retired NFL players have fewer heart disease risk factors overall, but higher cholesterol and glucose levels. Physical activity may have prevented the development of higher rates of diabetes or greater amounts of atherosclerosis. Since today's players are 50 percent larger than 25 years ago, further study is needed on whether current players are at greater risk for cardiovascular events or death, researchers said. ... > full story

Ice Age Beasts In Europe: Migration Of The Woolly Rhinoceros Earlier Than Assumed (November 12, 2008) -- The newly described skull of the oldest woolly rhinoceros in Europe shows that these giant creatures -- with two impressively large horns on the bridge of their noses -- once roamed across central Germany. The large shaggy mammals grazed at the foot of the Kyffhäuser range, whose unforested, rocky slopes loomed out of the broad, bleak plains of northern Thuringia 460,000 years ago. The climate at this time was icy cold and far drier than today. ... > full story

Genetic Blueprint Revealed For Kidney Design And Formation (November 12, 2008) -- Researchers have generated the first comprehensive genetic blueprint of a forming mammalian organ, shedding light on the genetic and molecular dynamics of kidney development. ... > full story

'Liquid Mirror' Advance May Lead To Better Eye Exams, Improved Telescopes (November 12, 2008) -- Scientists in Canada are reporting progress toward a new type of "liquid mirror" -- mirrors made with highly reflective liquids -- whose shape can be changed to provide superior optical properties over conventional solid mirrors. ... > full story

Positive Results In Phase 2 Trial Of Treatment Of C-difficile-associated Diarrhea (November 12, 2008) -- A Phase 2 trial of an anti-C. difficile antibody combination treatment in patients with C. difficile associated diarrhea successfully met its primary objective. The top-line results from the recently completed multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial indicated a statistically significant reduction in recurrences of CDAD when compared with placebo. ... > full story

Round Gobies: Alien Fish In Swedish Waters (November 12, 2008) -- A round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) was caught in late July off the Swedish coast near Karlskrona. This is the first find of its kind in Sweden. The species, which originates from the Black Sea and probably spread to the Baltic via ballast water, has been found in the Gulf of Gdansk since 1990, in the southern Baltic. ... > full story

Previous Abortions And Exercise: Do They Affect Pregnancy? (November 12, 2008) -- Women who have had two or more induced abortions have a reduced risk of pre-eclampsia by 60 percent. It is not currently understood to what degree physical activity during pregnancy protects against pre-eclampsia, compared to previous studies. ... > full story

for Wednesday, November 12, 2008

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

Rocket Launching To Investigate The Northern Lights (November 12, 2008) -- Airplanes that fly over the northern polar region can risk losing radio contact for several hours when the northern lights are at their most active in the skies. In the near future a professor from the University of Oslo will launch a Norwegian rocket to find the explanation for this. The aim is to set up reliable warning routines. ... > full story

Intelligent Airlines Meet Passenger Needs (November 12, 2008) -- As airports become stretched to capacity and calls mount for new runways and terminals, a computer scientist in Greece has designed a system that could ensure as many seats as possible are filled on each flight and no one is left stranded at check-in. ... > full story

Femtosecond, Chirped Laser Pulse Trains Could Reduce Decoherence (November 12, 2008) -- A physics professor is proposing to use femtosecond, chirped laser pulse trains to reduce decoherence. Controlling coherence can overcome current barriers in a variety of fields, from quantum computing to molecular selective bio-imaging. ... > full story

Telescope Views Glowing Stellar Nurseries (November 11, 2008) -- An APEX telescope image reveals how an expanding bubble of ionized gas about ten light-years across is causing the surrounding material to collapse into dense clumps that are the birthplaces of new stars. Sub-millimeter light is the key to revealing some of the coldest material in the universe, such as these cold, dense clouds. ... > full story

Cancer Risk From Cardiac CT Overstated, Researchers Say (November 11, 2008) -- Radiology and cardiovascular researchers have presented new data that shows the risk of cancer from exposure to radiation during computed tomography for cardiovascular disease has been overstated and that new estimates are several times lower than previously published conclusions. ... > full story

Forced Evolution: Can We Mutate Viruses To Death? (November 11, 2008) -- Can scientists create a designer drug that forces viruses to mutate themselves out of existence? A new study by bioengineers could help make it happen. The study offers the most comprehensive mathematical analysis to date of the mechanisms that drive evolution in viruses and bacteria, and it could help scientists who are looking to add "lethal mutagenesis" to medicine's disease-fighting arsenal. ... > full story

New Approach In Tsunami-early Warning System (November 11, 2008) -- The newly implemented Tsunami Early Warning System for the Indian Ocean, German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System, goes into operation November 10 and with this, the system enters its final phase of optimization. ... > full story

Mass Production Method For Nanomaterial Graphene Devised (November 11, 2008) -- Graphene sheets have an array of attractive benefits in electronics but research on them has been restricted due to the difficulty of creating single layer samples. An article in the journal Nature Nanotechnology proposes a solution to this problem. The solution involves placing graphite-oxide paper in a solution of pure hydrazine which reduces the graphite-oxide paper into single-layer graphene. ... > full story

Web-spinning Spiders And 'Wannabe Butterflies' Head To Space Shuttle (November 11, 2008) -- A NASA space shuttle mission carrying a payload of web-spinning spiders and wannabe butterflies will be closely monitored by hundreds of K-12 students from Colorado's Front Range after Endeavour launches from Florida for the International Space Station Nov. 14. ... > full story

Protein 'Tubules' Free Avian Flu Virus From Immune Recognition (November 11, 2008) -- A protein found in the virulent avian influenza virus strain called H5N1 forms tiny tubules in which it "hides" the pieces of double-stranded RNA formed during viral infection, which otherwise would prompt an antiviral immune response from infected cells, researchers report. ... > full story

New Laser Technique Seals And Heals Wounds (November 11, 2008) -- Not much has changed in the last 2,000 years when it comes to suturing together cuts and wounds. Even with microsurgery techniques, infection and permanent scarring remain major concerns. Now a new laser technique has been developed that seals and heals wounds. ... > full story

Almost Frictionless Gears With Liquid Crystal Lubricants (November 11, 2008) -- Lubricants in bearings and gear units ensure that not too much energy is lost through friction. Yet it still takes a certain percentage of the energy to compensate for friction losses. Lubricants made of liquid crystals could reduce friction to almost zero. ... > full story

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Mars Phoenix Lander Finishes Successful Work On Red Planet (November 11, 2008) -- NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has ceased communications after operating for more than five months. As anticipated, seasonal decline in sunshine at the robot's arctic landing site is not providing enough sunlight for the solar arrays to collect the power necessary to charge batteries that operate the lander's instruments. ... > full story

Chandrayaan-1 Now In Lunar Orbit (November 11, 2008) -- Chandrayaan-1, the Indian Space Research Organisation's lunar orbiter, was captured into orbit around the Moon on Nov. 8. One day later, the spacecraft performed a maneuver that lowered the closest point of its orbit down to 200 km from the Moon. ... > full story

Economic Incentives For Analysts Play Role In Determining Street Earnings (November 11, 2008) -- Researchers have found that analysts' self-interests often influence the value of street earnings, which makes street earnings less useful for predicting future earnings of high-growth stocks. ... > full story

Modeling Ice Cream Production In The Search For Innovation (November 10, 2008) -- The production of ice cream, a seemingly simple product, brings into play a variety of complex hydrodynamic and thermic processes, with as yet poorly known interactions. To assist industry in making new products, Cemagref scientists have developed a simulator, the size of a yogurt cup, capable of miming the entire production chain. ... > full story

How 'Molecular Machines' Kick Start Gene Activation Revealed (November 10, 2008) -- How "molecular machines" inside cells swing into action to activate genes at different times in a cell's life is revealed in new research published in Molecular Cell. ... > full story

for Tuesday, November 11, 2008-ScienceDaily Health Headlines

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

Bacteria In Mouth Help Make Certain Foods Tasty (November 11, 2008) -- Scientists in Switzerland are reporting that bacteria in the human mouth play a role in creating the distinctive flavors of certain foods. They found that these bacteria actually produce food odors from odorless components of food, allowing people to fully savor fruits and vegetables. ... > full story

Cancer Drugs May Build And Not Tear Down Blood Vessels (November 11, 2008) -- Scientists have thought that one way to foil a tumor from generating blood vessels to feed its growth -- a process called angiogenesis -- was by creating drugs aimed at stopping a key vessel growth-promoting protein. But now the opposite seems to be true. ... > full story

Deep Sea Expedition Sets Sail (November 11, 2008) -- Researchers are embarking upon an extreme adventure, plunging deep into the sea to study hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. They'll share the experience with 20,000-plus school children through interactive sessions. ... > full story

Vitamins E And C Supplements Not Effective For Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease In Men (November 11, 2008) -- Neither vitamin E nor vitamin C supplements reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events in a large, long-term study of male physicians, according to a new study. ... > full story

1918 Spanish Flu Records Could Hold The Key To Solving Future Pandemics (November 11, 2008) -- Ninety years after Australian scientists began their race to stop the spread of Spanish flu in Australia, University of Melbourne researchers are hoping records from the 1918 epidemic may hold the key to preventing future deadly pandemic outbreaks. ... > full story

Scientists Map Molecular Regulation Of Fat-cell Genetics (November 11, 2008) -- A research team has used state-of-the-art genetic technology to map thousands of positions where a molecular "master regulator" of fat-cell biology is nestled in DNA to control genes in these cells. ... > full story

Important Steps Towards Development Of Human Vaccine Against Malaria (November 11, 2008) -- Every day 2000 children die from malaria in Africa alone. The infection is transmitted from human to human by biting mosquitoes and remains one of the world's most devastating diseases. Despite many years of effort a vaccine is still not available but is urgently needed. ... > full story

Eliminating Soda From School Diets Does Not Affect Overall Consumption (November 11, 2008) -- With childhood obesity increasing, school administrators and public health officials are reducing availability of sugar-sweetened beverages in schools. In a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, researchers found that reduction or elimination of sugar-sweetened beverages from school menus has little effect on total consumption by adolescents. ... > full story

Quintet Of Proteins Forms New, Early-warning Blood Test Before Heart Attack Strikes (November 10, 2008) -- Biochemists have identified a mixed bag of five key proteins out of thousands secreted into blood draining from the heart's blood vessels that may together or in certain quantities form the basis of a far more accurate early warning test than currently in use of impending heart attack in people with severely reduced blood flow, or ischemia. ... > full story

Impact Of Insulin Pump Under Study (November 10, 2008) -- Using an insulin pump to manage diabetes is more convenient than managing the disease with daily insulin injections. That much, physicians already know. But the pump's impact on the lives of diabetics and their primary caregivers is an important question that hasn't been answered yet, researchers say. ... > full story

Can Vitamins And Minerals Prevent Hearing Loss? (November 10, 2008) -- Researchers and physicians at the University of Michigan Kresge Hearing Research Institute are hoping to reverse a rising trend of noise-induced hearing loss with a cocktail of vitamins and the mineral magnesium that has shown promise as a possible way to prevent hearing loss caused by loud noises. ... > full story

Bone Marrow Transplant Can Cure Sickle Cell Disease, Children's Hospital Study Suggests (November 10, 2008) -- A unique approach to bone marrow transplantation has proven to be the only safe and effective cure for sickle cell disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

Engineered Killer T Cell Recognizes HIV-1's Lethal Molecular Disguises (November 10, 2008) -- Researchers have engineered T cells able to recognize HIV-1 strains that have evaded the immune system. The findings have important implications for developing new treatments for HIV, especially for patients with chronic infection who fail to respond to antiretroviral regimens. ... > full story

Seven Years Without A Nose (November 10, 2008) -- Patients whose nose has been destroyed by a tumor or injury carry a severe psychological and social burden. Esthetic reconstruction ranges among the most challenging tasks in plastic surgery. Researchers have presented the different options for nasal reconstruction surgery. ... > full story

Untangling DNA Regulation: Biologists Theorize Role For DNA Packaging In Stem Cell Development (November 10, 2008) -- Biologists have discovered that the organization of DNA's packing material plays a critical role in directing stem cells to become different types of adult cells. ... > full story

Neuroimaging Of Brain Shows Who Spoke To A Person And What Was Said (November 10, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a method to look into the brain of a person and read out who has spoken to him or her and what was said. With the help of neuroimaging and data mining techniques the researchers mapped the brain activity associated with the recognition of speech sounds and voices. In their Science article "Who" is Saying "What"? Brain-Based Decoding of Human Voice and Speech the four authors demonstrate that speech sounds and voices can be identified by means of a unique 'neural fingerprint' in the listener's brain. ... > full story

Multiple Sclerosis Research Charges Ahead With New Mouse Model Of Disease (November 10, 2008) -- A new study highlights the role of a charge-switching enzyme in nervous system deficits characteristic of multiple sclerosis and other related neurological illness. Too much of a charge-switching enzyme causes symptoms of multiple sclerosis and related disorders in mouse models. ... > full story

New Imaging Technology Accurately Identifies A Broad Spectrum Of Liver Disease (November 10, 2008) -- New imaging technology can identify liver fibrosis with high accuracy and help eliminate the need for liver biopsies. Liver fibrosis is a common condition that can lead to incurable cirrhosis if not treated in time. ... > full story

Research On Breathing Disorders And Congenital Heart Defects (November 10, 2008) -- New optical techniques have been developed for visualizing the invisible processes at work in several human diseases. ... > full story

Age Is Not A Key Factor In Cancer Survival, But Clinical Trials Exclude Older Patients (November 10, 2008) -- Age is not an independent factor in cancer survival rates and should not influence decisions about how to treat older patients, according to a new study. ... > full story

Researchers Discover New Risk Factor For Cardiovascular Disease, And A Way To Control It (November 10, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered that having high levels of particular protein puts patients at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The results of the study were so conclusive that the clinical trial had to be stopped before its scheduled completion date. ... > full story

Half-broken Gene Is Enough To Cause Cancer (November 10, 2008) -- Tumor suppressor genes do not necessarily require both alleles to be knocked out before disease phenotypes are expressed. Only one allele of SMAD4 has to be damaged to put a person at risk of pancreatic and colorectal cancer. ... > full story

MP3 Headphones Interfere With Implantable Defibrillators, Pacemakers, Study Suggests (November 10, 2008) -- MP3 player headphones can cause potentially dangerous interactions with pacemakers and implantable defibrillators. For safe use, the headphones must be at least 1.2 inches (3 cm) from the implanted devices. Unrelated research did not find adverse reactions to pacemakers and defibrillators from iPods, Bluetooth headsets, iPhones, electric blankets, hand-held airport metal detectors or pills swallowed to perform video endoscopy. ... > full story

for Monday, November 10, 2008-Technology Headlines

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

Stretching Silicon: A New Method To Measure How Strain Affects Semiconductors (November 9, 2008) -- Engineers and physicists have developed a method of measuring how strain affects thin films of silicon that could lay the foundation for faster flexible electronics. ... > full story

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: Tracking Hair Loss And Growth Mathematically (November 8, 2008) -- Scientists have developed maths-based imaging technology to measure hair on different parts of the human body. ... > full story

Many Motorists Don't See Need To Heed Speed Limits (November 8, 2008) -- Research suggests US motorists are growing increasingly cynical about the relevance of speed limits, and a new study indicates many motorists are more likely to think they can drive safely while speeding as long as they won't get caught. ... > full story

Pool Of Distant Galaxies: Deepest Ultraviolet Image Of The Universe Yet (November 8, 2008) -- This uniquely beautiful patchwork image, with its myriad of brightly colored galaxies, shows the Chandra Deep Field South (CDF-S), arguably the most observed and best studied region in the entire sky. The CDF-S is one of the two regions selected as part of the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS), an effort of the worldwide astronomical community that unites the deepest observations from ground- and space-based facilities at all wavelengths from X-ray to radio. ... > full story

Accident Ahead? New Software Will Enable Cars To Make Coordinated Avoidance Maneuvers (November 8, 2008) -- A road construction barrier falls over: The car driver can't avoid it, since there are cars on the lane next to him. In future, a new software program will enable cars to coordinate maneuvers together in dangerous situations. ... > full story

Tuning In To The Virtues Of Virtual Labs (November 8, 2008) -- The grid’s huge communication and computation capacities could let scientists gather data and run remote experiments anywhere in the world. Researchers have now mapped out how that can be done. ... > full story

Robots Show That Brain Activity Is Linked To Time As Well As Space (November 7, 2008) -- Humanoid robots have been used to show that that functional hierarchy in the brain is linked to time as well as space. Researchers in Japan have created a new type of neural network model which adds to the previous literature that suggests neural activity is linked solely to spatial hierarchy within the animal brain. ... > full story

'Beauty Machine' Makes Average Face A Knockout With A Single Click (November 7, 2008) -- Our mothers told us that true beauty is more than skin deep — but researchers are now challenging Mom. They’ve built a beauty machine that, with the press of a button, turns a picture of your own ordinary face into that of a cover model. ... > full story

Harnessing Network Anarchy For The Common Good (November 7, 2008) -- Anarchy may be the bane of political conservatives, but on the Internet it is the essence of the information superhighway. ... > full story

Hybrid Materials For Future Solar Cells Under Development (November 7, 2008) -- Scientists are developing composite materials based on semiconductor nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes for use in efficient light emitting diodes and photovoltaic devices. ... > full story

Detecting Tiny Twists With A Nanomachine (November 7, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a nanoscale spin-torsion oscillator that can measure miniscule amounts of twisting or torque in a metallic nanowire. The device can be used to uncover spin-dependent fundamental forces in particle physics and have applications in spintronics, chemistry, biology and fundamental physics. ... > full story

Gold Nanostars Hold Promise In Medical Diagnoses And Tests For Environmental Contaminants (November 7, 2008) -- Tiny gold stars, smaller than a billionth of a meter, may hold the promise for new approaches to medical diagnoses or testing for environmental contaminants. ... > full story

Computers Effective In Verifying Mathematical Proofs (November 7, 2008) -- New computer tools have the potential to revolutionize the practice of mathematics by providing more-reliable proofs of mathematical results than have ever been possible in the history of humankind. These tools, based on the notion of "formal proof," have in recent years been used to provide nearly infallible proofs of many important results. ... > full story

Tiny Solar Cells Built To Power Microscopic Machines (November 7, 2008) -- Some of the tiniest solar cells ever built have been successfully tested as a power source for even tinier microscopic machines -- for example, an inch-long array of 20 of these cells, each one about a quarter the size of a lowercase "o" in a standard 12-point font. ... > full story

Tiny Backpacks For Cells: Polymer Patches Could Ferry Drugs, Assist In Cancer Diagnosis (November 7, 2008) -- MIT engineers have outfitted cells with tiny "backpacks" that could allow them to deliver chemotherapy agents, diagnose tumors or become building blocks for tissue engineering. ... > full story

Just Scratching The Surface: New Technique Maps Nanomaterials As They Grow (November 7, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a measurement technique that will help scientists and companies map nanomaterials as they grow. The discovery could help create superior nanotechnologies and lead to the development of more efficient solar panels and increased magnetic data storage. ... > full story

Reducing Pollution: Green Future For Scrap Iron (November 7, 2008) -- Engineers have shown that the biological treatment of industrial wastewater can be dramatically enhanced by pretreating the waste with non-oxidized iron. Researchers use zero valent iron to detoxify pollutants in industrial wastewater. ... > full story

Bacteria Manage Perfume Oil Production From Grass (November 7, 2008) -- Scientists in Italy have found bacteria in the root of a tropical grass whose oils have been used in the cosmetic and perfumery industries. ... > full story

High-temperature Superconductors: New Method Exploring 'Energy Gap' Shows Electron Pairs Exist Before Superconductivity Sets In (November 7, 2008) -- Like astronomers tweaking images to gain a more detailed glimpse of distant stars, physicists have found ways to sharpen images of the energy spectra in high-temperature superconductors -- materials that carry electrical current effortlessly when cooled below a certain temperature. These new imaging methods confirm that the electron pairs needed to carry current emerge above the transition temperature, before superconductivity sets in. ... > full story

Universal Declaration Of Human Rights Flies Into Space (November 7, 2008) -- “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a sprit of brotherhood”, states Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). ... > full story

Protecting Soils And Producing Biofuel With Corn Stover (November 7, 2008) -- Those lonely cornstalks--called corn stover--left behind in the fields after the grain harvest is complete could someday become valuable raw material for the production of cellulosic ethanol. In the meantime, ) soil scientists are determining which portion of the plant would work best for cellulosic ethanol production. ... > full story

Tennis: Referees More Likely To Make Mistakes When Calling Balls 'Out' (November 6, 2008) -- A universal bias in the way people perceive moving objects means that tennis referees are more likely to make mistakes when they call balls "out" than when they call them "in," according to a new report. Because recent rule changes allow professional tennis players to challenge the refs' calls, athletes could exploit the new findings to their advantage. ... > full story

Computer Model Improves Ultrasound Image (November 6, 2008) -- Doctors use diagnostic sonography or ultrasound to visualize organs and other internal structures of the human body. Scientist have now developed a computer model that can predict the sound transmission of improved designs for ultrasound instruments. The computer model is capable of processing large quantities of data and can be run on both a PC and a parallel supercomputer. ... > full story

Computer That Reacts To Thought A Lifeline For Brain Injured (November 6, 2008) -- People who have suffered traumatic brain injuries and who are unable to speak or move are being given the first chance to communicate using just the power of thought -- and a laptop loaded with sophisticated algorithms. ... > full story

Chandrayaan-1 Now In Lunar Transfer Trajectory (November 6, 2008) -- Following a fifth orbit-raising maneuver, the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft successfully settled into a trajectory that will take it to the Moon. ... > full story

Reducing Epidemic Proportions: High-tech System Cuts Hospital-related Infections By Half (November 6, 2008) -- Hospitals are supposed to be havens for healing, but the numbers tell a different story. Too many people are infected by illnesses they acquire after they’ve been admitted, and hospital-related infections continue to be the number-two killer of hospitalized Americans after heart disease. Now, a radical new high-tech software program developed to fight these infections is now catching on faster than the flu. ... > full story

Rocks Could Be Harnessed To Sponge Vast Amounts Of Carbon Dioxide From Air (November 6, 2008) -- Scientists say that a type of rock found in the Mideast nation of Oman and other areas around the world could be harnessed to soak up huge quantities of globe-warming carbon dioxide. Their studies show that the rock, known as peridotite, reacts naturally at surprisingly high rates with CO2 and that the process could be speeded a million times with simple drilling and injection methods. ... > full story

Giant Simulation Could Solve Mystery Of 'Dark Matter' (November 6, 2008) -- The search for a mysterious substance which makes up most of the universe could soon be at an end, according to new research. ... > full story

Nanoscale Dimensioning Is Fast, Cheap With New Optical Technique (November 6, 2008) -- A novel technique under development uses a relatively inexpensive optical microscope to quickly and cheaply analyze nanoscale dimensions with nanoscale measurement sensitivity. ... > full story

Rock Reinforcement: New Technology Makes Excavations Safer (November 6, 2008) -- One of the biggest challenges facing the mining industry is rock wall failure. A new invention could change all that, by making excavations safer. ... > full story

Fingers, Loops And Bays In The Crab Nebula's Pulsar Wind Viewed By Chandra X-ray Observatory (November 6, 2008) -- NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has provided the first clear view of the faint boundary of the Crab Nebula's X-ray-emitting pulsar wind nebula. ... > full story

Gene Against Bacterial Attack Unraveled (November 6, 2008) -- Researchers have unraveled a genetic defense mechanism against the lethal bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei. The research is the next step towards a vaccine against this bacterium suitable for bioweapons. ... > full story

Bare Bones Of Crystal Growth: Biomolecules Enhance Metal Contents In Calcite (November 6, 2008) -- A finding that a hydrophilic peptide significantly enhances the magnesium-content of calcite is especially meaningful for geologists because Mg-content in carbonates is used as a 'paleo thermometer'. The findings also offer new insights for materials synthesis. ... > full story

Identity Theft Risk: Huge Amount Of Sensitive Data Still On Redundant Computer Hard Disks (November 5, 2008) -- A new report suggests that there is a huge amount of sensitive data still on redundant computer hard disks. These devices are often disposed of or sold into the second-hand market by corporations, organizations, and individuals with the data intact. The report's authors say that this data represents a significant level of risk for commercial sabotage, identity theft, and even political compromise, and suggest that better education is essential to reduce the risk of harm. ... > full story

Measuring 'Inaudible' Sounds To Detect Illegal Nuclear Tests, And Analyze Atmosphere (November 5, 2008) -- By measuring 'inaudible' sounds, events like illegal nuclear tests can be detected. This 'infrasound' can also help us understand more about the upper atmosphere, according to new research. ... > full story