ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Wednesday, November 5, 2008
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An Anti-frailty Pill For Seniors? New Drug Increases Muscle Mass In Arms And Legs Of Older Adults (November 5, 2008) -- Researchers report that a daily single oral dose of an investigational drug, MK-677, increased muscle mass in the arms and legs of healthy older adults without serious side effects, suggesting that it may prove safe and effective in reducing age-related frailty. ... > full story
Risk Of Sudden Cardiac Death Appears Increased Within 30 Days Of Heart Attack (November 5, 2008) -- The risk of sudden cardiac death following a heart attack has declined significantly in the past 30 years, although patients appear to be at elevated risk for sudden cardiac death for the first month after having a heart attack, after which time their risk decreases unless they develop heart failure, according to new study. ... > full story
Hurricane Ike Caused Underwater Damage To Galveston (November 5, 2008) -- A rapid response research mission after Hurricane Ike found the hurricane significantly reshaped the seafloor and likely carried an enormous amount of sand and sediment out into the Gulf, changes that could help coastal communities gauge the effectiveness of their sometimes controversial efforts to replenish eroding sand along shorelines. ... > full story
Elderly Women Can Increase Strength But Still Risk Falls (November 5, 2008) -- Elderly women can increase muscle strength as much as young women can, a new study from the University of New Hampshire finds, indicating that decline in muscle function is less a natural part of the aging process than due to a decline in physical activity. Yet while the two groups increased similar percentages of strength, the older group was far less effective in increasing power, which is more closely related to preventing falls. ... > full story
Cattle Fed Distiller's Grains Maintain Flavor And Tenderness Of Beef (November 5, 2008) -- The availability and use of wet distiller's grains in beef finishing diets continues to increase as the ethanol industry expands, and some Texas AgriLife Research scientists are trying to determine if that will affect consumers' meat purchases. While much of the research focus has been on the energy value of the distiller's grains relative to the corn it replaces, recent questions have been posed on how they may affect beef quality, said Dr. Jim MacDonald, AgriLife Research ruminant nutritionist. ... > full story
Response Rates To Antidepressants Differ Among English- And Spanish-speaking Hispanics (November 5, 2008) -- In the first-ever study of its kind, Spanish-speaking Hispanics took longer to respond to medication for depression and were less likely to go into remission than English-speaking Hispanics. ... > full story
Coral Reefs Found Growing In Cold, Deep Ocean (November 5, 2008) -- Imagine descending in a submarine to the ice-cold, ink-black depths of the ocean, 800 meters under the surface of the Atlantic. Here the tops of the hills are covered in large coral reefs. Researchers have been studying the formation of these unknown cold-water relatives of the better-known tropical corals. ... > full story
Previously Unknown Immune Cell May Help Those With Crohn's And Colitis (November 5, 2008) -- The tonsils and lymphoid tissues in the intestinal tract that help protect the body from external pathogens are the home base of a rare newly identified immune cell. Researchers indicate that the immune cells could have a therapeutic role in inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. ... > full story
Fungus Pitted Against Apple Pest (November 5, 2008) -- A cocktail of gaseous compounds emitted by a beneficial fungus may offer a way to biologically fumigate stored apples, ridding them of codling moth larvae. ... > full story
High Blood Pressure Is Related To Depression In Elderly Subjects (November 5, 2008) -- An epidemiological study performed in Spain discloses a relationship between high blood pressure and depression in the elderly. ... > full story
Model Predicts Equipment's Remaining Life And Links Info To Inventory Decisions (November 5, 2008) -- New research could soon make predicting the degradation and remaining useful life of mechanical and electronic equipment easier and more accurate, while significantly improving maintenance operations and spare parts logistics. ... > full story
World's Most Innovative Nations: Where New Technologies And Products Take Off (November 5, 2008) -- Researchers have completed a study revealing the world's most innovative nations, based on the time it takes for new products to "take off." The report is among the largest of its kind and is based on 50 years worth of data. Sixteen product categories were analyzed, ranging from consumer electronics to household appliances. ... > full story
Consuming Even Small Amounts Of Caffeine When Pregnant May Affect Growth Of Unborn Child (November 4, 2008) -- Consuming caffeine at any time during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of fetal growth restriction (low birth weight), according to new research. ... > full story
Liver Transplant Recipients Have Higher Cancer Risk, Study Suggests (November 4, 2008) -- A new Canadian study comparing cancer rates of liver transplant patients to those of the general population has found that transplant recipients face increased risks of developing cancer, especially non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and colorectal cancer. ... > full story
Pairs Of Cleaner Fish Co-operate And Give Better Service On The Coral Reef (November 4, 2008) -- Co-operation in nature often works as an exchange of goods or services between two different parties. Scientists have studied how certain fish on coral reef keep other species of fish clean. The Bluestreak cleaner wrasse helps other fish species by eating parasites from their skin. The cleaner's favorite food is, however, the nutrient-rich mucus layer that covers the client fish. ... > full story
Novel Therapeutic Compounds For Neurodegenerative Conditions (November 4, 2008) -- Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and ALS affect millions of individuals every year. Current medications are modestly effective, at best, and only target the symptoms associated with these debilitating and fatal disorders. ... > full story
Biosolids Microbes Pose Manageable Risk To Workers (November 4, 2008) -- Biosolids, a nutrient rich byproduct of sewage produced at wastewater treatment plants that can be applied to land as a fertilizer, has been scrutinized of late for its potential to transport disease-causing microorganisms. A new published study suggests that the pathogen risks associated with biosolids are generally low, as determined by measuring bioaerosol levels at sites where biosolids were applied. ... > full story
Parents' Wartime Deployment Associated With Children's Behavior Problems (November 4, 2008) -- Children ages 3 to 5 with a parent deployed to a war zone appear to exhibit more behavior problems than their peers whose parents are not deployed, according to a new report. ... > full story
New Type Of Diesel Fuel Found In Patagonia Fungus (November 4, 2008) -- Scientists have found a fungus that produces a new type of diesel fuel. One of the researchers calls it "myco-diesel." The discovery may offer an alternative to fossil fuels, according to a professor of plant sciences and plant pathology involved in the research. The find is even bigger, he said, than his 1993 discovery of fungus that contained the anticancer drug taxol. ... > full story
Persistent Bacterial Infection Exploits Killing Machinery Of Immune Cells (November 4, 2008) -- A new study reveals an important and newly discovered pathway used by disease-causing bacteria to evade the host immune system and survive and grow within the very cells meant to destroy them. This discovery may lead to new treatments and vaccines for tuberculosis and certain other chronic bacterial and parasitic infections. ... > full story
Violent Video Game Feed Aggression In Kids In Japan And U.S. (November 4, 2008) -- It's not just American kids who become more aggressive by playing violent video games. A new study showed effects of violent video games on aggression over a 3-6 month period in children from Japan as well as the United States. ... > full story
Heart Rate-lowering Drug Improves Exercise Capacity In Patients With Stable Angina (November 4, 2008) -- An analysis of the data from treadmill exercise tests shows that patients who were treated with ivabradine in addition to a beta blocker demonstrated a threefold improvement in total exercise duration at four months compared to those being treated with standard doses of beta blocker alone. ... > full story
Personalized Learning Puts Students In A Class Of Their Own (November 4, 2008) -- A new learning platform is giving the traditional classroom a radical makeover. Using innovative technology, iClass is putting pupils at the center of the learning experience and providing them with more control over what they learn. ... > full story
While Prevalent, Sexual Problems In Women Not Always Associated With Distress (November 4, 2008) -- The largest such study ever published finds that, while about 40 percent of women surveyed report having sexual problems, only 12 percent indicate that those issues are a source of significant personal distress. ... > full story
Women Have More Diverse Hand Bacteria Than Men (November 4, 2008) -- A new study indicates that not only do human hands harbor far higher numbers of bacteria species than previously believed, women have a significantly greater diversity of microbes on their palms than men. ... > full story
Fibromyalgia Can No Longer Be Called The 'Invisible' Syndrome (November 4, 2008) -- Using single photon emission computed tomography, researchers in France were able to detect functional abnormalities in certain regions in the brains of patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia, reinforcing the idea that symptoms of the disorder are related to a dysfunction in those parts of the brain where pain is processed. ... > full story
DNA Fingerprinting Method May Thwart False Labeling Of Shark Meat (November 4, 2008) -- Researchers in Spain are reporting that a new DNA identification method could thwart false labeling of shark species used in various seafood products, including the expensive Chinese delicacy known as shark fin soup. ... > full story
Optimal Dose Of Vitamin E Maximizes Benefits, Minimizes Risk (November 4, 2008) -- Excess vitamin E can promote bleeding by interfering with vitamin K. Nutrition researchers review some possible explanations. ... > full story
Antioxidant Effects From Eating Almonds (November 4, 2008) -- Eating almonds significantly decreased levels of two biomarkers for oxidative stress in a group of 27 male and female volunteers with elevated cholesterol. ... > full story
Grandmothers As Caregivers Can Cut Risk Of Childhood Injury In Half (November 4, 2008) -- For working parents, having grandparents as caregivers can cut the risk of childhood injury roughly in half, according to a new study. Compared to organized daycare or care by the mother or other relatives, having a grandmother watch a child was associated with a decreased risk of injury for the child. ... > full story
Snakebites: At Least 421,000 Venom Bites And 20,000 Deaths Occur Each Year, Study Finds (November 4, 2008) -- Snakebites cause considerable death and injury worldwide and pose an important yet neglected threat to public health, says new research in PLoS Medicine. ... > full story
Bacteria Shown To Cause Blood Clots: Bacterial Clotting Depends On Clustering (November 4, 2008) -- Bacteria can directly cause human blood and plasma to clot -- a process previously thought to have been lost during vertebrate evolution. The discovery may lead to new clinical methods for treating serious medical conditions such as sepsis and anthrax. The key to clot formation is the location of the bacteria, rather than the total number of bacteria or their concentration. Coagulation occurs only when a cluster of bacteria forms. ... > full story
Gene That Helps Control Production Of Stomach Acid Discovered (November 4, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered a gene that helps control the secretion of acid in the stomach -- information that could one day aid scientists in creating more efficient treatment options for conditions such as acid reflux or peptic ulcers. ... > full story
Aerobic Exercise Combined With Resistance Training Improves Glucose Control In Diabetics, Study Shows (November 4, 2008) -- Patients with diabetes who participate in a program combining aerobic and high-force eccentric resistance exercise demonstrate improvements in glucose control, physical performance, and body fat composition, according to a new study in Physical Therapy. ... > full story
Tiny DNA Tweezers Can Catch And Release Objects On-demand (November 4, 2008) -- Researchers in China are reporting development of a new DNA "tweezers" that are the first of their kind capable of grasping and releasing objects on-demand. The microscopic tweezers could have several potential uses, the researchers note. Those include microsurgery, drug and gene delivery for gene therapy, and in the manufacturing of nano-sized circuits for futuristic electronics. ... > full story
Different Roles For Mothers And Fathers Influenced By Genetics (November 4, 2008) -- New research reveals for the first time that the different roles of mothers and fathers are influenced by genetics. The study shows how variation in where males and females put their parenting effort reflects different genetic influences for each sex. ... > full story
Solar Power Game-changer: 'Near Perfect' Absorption Of Sunlight, From All Angles (November 4, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered and demonstrated a new method for overcoming two major hurdles facing solar energy. By developing a new antireflective coating that boosts the amount of sunlight captured by solar panels and allows those panels to absorb the entire solar spectrum from nearly any angle, the research team has moved academia and industry closer to realizing high-efficiency, cost-effective solar power. ... > full story
Precipitation Levels May Be Associated With Autism (November 4, 2008) -- Children living in counties with higher levels of annual precipitation appear more likely to have higher prevalence rates of autism, according to a new report. The results raise the possibility that an environmental trigger for autism may be associated with precipitation and may affect genetically vulnerable children. ... > full story
Roads Bring Death And Fear To Forest Elephants (November 4, 2008) -- Why did the elephant cross the road? It didn't according to a new study by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Save the Elephants that says endangered forest elephants are avoiding roadways at all costs. ... > full story
Dramatic Fall In Malaria In Gambia Raises Possibility Of Elimination In Parts Of Africa (November 4, 2008) -- The incidence of malaria has fallen significantly in Gambia in the last 5 years, according to a study carried out by experts there with support from scientists based in London. ... > full story
Biologists Spy On The Secret Inner Life Of A Cell (November 4, 2008) -- The transportation of antibodies from a mother to her newborn child is vital for the development of that child's nascent immune system. Antibodies help shape a baby's response to foreign pathogens and may influence the later occurrence of autoimmune diseases. Images from Caltech biologists reveal for the first time the complicated process by which antibodies are shuttled from mother's milk, through her baby's gut and into the bloodstream -- offering new insight into the mammalian immune system. ... > full story
Protect Your Vote: Avoid Election Machine Errors (November 4, 2008) -- Of all the problems that could lead to a miscount Election Day, there's one possibility that voters can do something about -- avoid election machine-related errors, says a researcher who led a comprehensive study of voter problems using touch screen and paper-based machines. "Under the best of circumstances, simple voter mistakes can make the difference in a close election, so it's up to individuals to go into the booth prepared and aware of the pitfalls." ... > full story
Saving The Endangered Tasmanian Devil In Australia (November 4, 2008) -- Zoologists are working on a national project in Australia to help save the endangered Tasmanian devil from extinction. ... > full story
Seasonal Affective Disorder May Be Linked To Genetic Mutation, Study Suggests (November 4, 2008) -- A new study indicates that seasonal affective disorder may be linked to a genetic mutation in the eye that makes a SAD patient less sensitive to light. ... > full story
Genetic Evidence For Avian Influenza Movement From Asia To North America Via Wild Birds (November 4, 2008) -- Wild migratory birds may be more important carriers of avian influenza viruses from continent to continent than previously thought, according to new scientific research that has important implications for highly pathogenic avian influenza virus surveillance in North America. ... > full story
Oral Rinses Used For Tracking HPV-positive Head And Neck Cancers Holds Promise For Cancer Screening (November 4, 2008) -- A new study validates a non-invasive screening method with future potential for detection of human papillomavirus-positive head and neck cancers. ... > full story
Using Living Cells As Nanotechnology Factories (November 4, 2008) -- In the tiny realm of nanotechnology, scientists have used a wide variety of materials to build atomic scale structures. But just as in the construction business, nanotechnology researchers can often be limited by the amount of raw materials. Now, scientists have avoided these pitfalls by using cells as factories to make DNA based nanostructures inside a living cell. ... > full story
Tweens And Teens Double Use Of Diabetes Drugs (November 4, 2008) -- A study of chronic medication use in children ages 5 to 19 found that America's tweens and teens more than doubled their use of type 2 diabetes medications between 2002 and 2005. Utilization patterns for blood pressure, cholesterol, attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, asthma and depression medications also increased at varying levels. ... > full story
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