June 24, 2009 Science Current Events

Longer life linked to specific foods in Mediterranean diet
Some food groups in the Mediterranean diet are more important than others in promoting health and longer life.

Mouse Model Provides Clues to Human Language Development
Scientists of the German Mouse Clinic at Helmholtz Zentrum München have made a major contribution to understanding human language development.

Waste water treatment plant mud used as 'green' fuel
Catalan scientists have shown that using mud from waste water treatment plants as a partial alternative fuel can enable cement factories to reduce their CO2 emissions and comply with the Kyoto Protocol, as well as posing no risk to human health and being profitable.

Biomarkers predict brain tumor's response to therapy
A report in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, highlights a new biomarker that may be useful in identifying patients with recurrent glioblastoma, or brain tumors, who would respond better to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, specifically cediranib.

Feather fibers fluff up hydrogen storage capacity
Scientists in Delaware say they have developed a new hydrogen storage method - carbonized chicken feather fibers - that can hold vast amounts of hydrogen, a promising but difficult to corral fuel source, and do it at a far lower cost than other hydrogen storage systems under consideration.

Dry autumns and winters may lead to fewer tornadoes in the spring, says UGA researcher
Global warming will likely mean more unpredictable weather, scientists say, and a new study by researchers at the University of Georgia pins down, possibly for the first time, how drought conditions in an area's fall and winter may effect tornado activity the following spring.

Ability to literally imagine oneself in another's shoes may be tied to empathy
New research from Vanderbilt University indicates the way our brain handles how we move through space-including being able to imagine literally stepping into someone else's shoes-may be related to how and why we experience empathy toward others.

M. D. Anderson study finds strong relationship between high body mass index, pancreatic cancer
In reviewing the weight history of pancreatic cancer patients across their life spans, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have determined that a high body mass index in early adulthood may play a significant role in an individual developing the disease at an earlier age.

In Pursuit of a Happiness Gene
The pursuit of happiness characterizes the human condition. But for those suffering from stress, money trouble or chronic illness, a positive outlook on life can be difficult to find. Now, a Tel Aviv University researcher says we should look to our genes.

Underweight and extremely obese die earlier than people of normal weight, study finds
Underweight people and those who are extremely obese die earlier than people of normal weight-but those who are overweight actually live longer than people of normal weight.

Notre Dame study provides insights into how climate change might impact species' geographic ranges
A new study by a team of researchers led by Jessica Hellmann, assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Notre Dame, offers interesting insights into how species may, or may not, change their geographic range - the place where they live on earth - under climate change.

Prairie dogs: influencing the accumulation of metals in plants?
Prairie dogs may seem like harmless little creatures, but they can inflict serious injury on plants simply by snacking on them. Plants cannot flee from their furry predators, so how do they avoid becoming a prairie dog's lunch?

Researchers To Reveal Aging's Origins on Global Stage
Four of the biologists who described the underlying causes of aging will soon share their findings with an international audience during a symposium at the upcoming World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics.

ADHD genes found, known to play roles in neurodevelopment
Pediatric researchers have identified hundreds of gene variations that occur more frequently in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than in children without ADHD.

Tummy troubles -- gastrin key in bacterial-induced stomach cancer
Current research suggests that levels of gastrin play a key role in the development of Helicobacter-induced stomach cancer.

Being overweight, obese during early adulthood associated with greater risk of pancreatic cancer
Young adults who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, and being obese at an older age is associated with a lower overall survival rate for patients with pancreatic cancer.

New publication shows index insurance has potential to help manage climate risks and reduce poverty
Climate has always presented a challenge to farmers, herders, fishermen and others whose livelihoods are closely linked to their environment, particularly those in poor areas of the world.

Lack of happiness hormone serotonin in the brain causes impaired maternal behavior in mice
A lack of serotonin, commonly known as the "happiness hormone", in the brain slows the growth of mice after birth and is responsible for impaired maternal behavior later in life.

European climate change reports launched in Brussels
Two new reports examining climate change adaptation and policy making across Europe will be launched today in Brussels in the presence of Peter Gammeltoft, Head of Unit 'Protection of Water & Marine Environment' at the European Commission.

Salt block unexpectedly stretches in Sandia experiments
To stretch a supply of salt generally means using it sparingly.

U of M study finds new insight on therapy for a devastating parasitic disease
University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have discovered an important new insight into how a commonly prescribed drug may work to treat those infected by a parasitic flatworm.

A new take on growth factor signaling in tamoxifen resistance
Differences in growth factor (GF) signaling may cause the poor prognosis in some breast cancer cases. A new study, published in the open access journal BMC Medical Genomics, suggests that some estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers respond poorly to tamoxifen because of increased GF signaling.

Adenoviral vector specifically targeted to EphA2 receptor in pancreatic cancer cells
Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with poor prognosis. This warrants the development of novel therapies including gene therapy.

How adolescent girls manage stress
Stress and worry amongst teenagers have increased markedly in recent years, especially amongst girls. According to recent statistics from the WHO, as many as seven out of ten teenage girls suffer from stress.

Migraines with aura in midlife associated with increased prevalence of brain lesions in older age
Middle-aged women who had migraine headaches with aura (sensory disturbances, such as with vision, balance or speech) had a higher prevalence of brain lesions when they were older, compared to individuals without similar types of headaches.

Scientists block Ebola infection in cell-culture experiments
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have discovered two biochemical pathways that the Ebola virus relies on to infect cells.

Measuring intellectual disability
Researchers from the University of California, Davis have developed a specific and quantitative means of measuring levels of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) protein (FMRP), which is mutated in fragile X syndrome.

New way to fix leaking mitral heart valves safe in initial testing
A new nonsurgical technique to repair leaking mitral valves in heart failure patients was safe in a study reported in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.

Is 31P MRS a useful tool for evaluating early acute hepatic radiation injury?
Acute hepatic radiation injury could lead to necrosis of hepatocytes, fatty degeneration and hepatic fibrosis. At the present, the gold standard test is liver biopsy.

Energy-saving method checks refrigerant level in air conditioners
Engineers have developed a technique that saves energy and servicing costs by indicating when air conditioners are low on refrigerant, preventing the units from working overtime.

Monitoring bone density in older women is unnecessary and potentially misleading
Monitoring bone mineral density in postmenopausal women taking osteoporosis drugs (bisphosphonates) is unnecessary and potentially misleading.

Antibiotic prescribing should be standardized across Europe to help tackle resistance
Antibiotic prescribing for respiratory illnesses should be standardised across Europe to help reduce inappropriate prescribing and resistance.

'Bycatch' whaling a growing threat to coastal whales
Scientists are warning that a new form of unregulated whaling has emerged along the coastlines of Japan and South Korea, where the commercial sale of whales killed as fisheries "bycatch" is threatening coastal stocks of minke whales and other protected species.

Marking anorexia with a brain protein
Eating disorders are frequently seen as psychological or societal diseases, but do they have an underlying biological cause? A new study shows that the levels of a brain protein differ between healthy and anorexic women.

New therapy found to prevent heart failure
A landmark study has successfully demonstrated a 29 percent reduction in heart failure or death in patients with heart disease who received an implanted cardiac resynchronization therapy device with defibrillator (CRT-D) versus patients who received only an implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD-only).

Morning people and night owls show different brain function: University of Alberta study
Are you a "morning person" or a "night owl?" Scientists at the University of Alberta have found that there are significant differences in the way our brains function depending on whether we're early risers or night owls.

Care Management Reduces Depression and Suicidal Thoughts in Older Primary Care Patients
Depression in older adults too often goes unrecognized and untreated, resulting in untold misery, worsening of medical illness, and early death. A new study has identified one important remedy: Adding a trained depression care manager to primary care practices can increase the number of patients receiving treatment, lead to a higher remission rate of depression, and reduce suicidal thoughts.

Notre Dame study describes evidence of world's oldest known granaries
A new study coauthored by Ian Kuijt, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Notre Dame, describes recent excavations in Jordan that reveal evidence of the world's oldest know granaries.

Heart electrical conduction abnormality believed not to be serious may pose cardiovascular risks
New research indicates that a finding on a routine electrocardiogram that signals a disorder of the electrical conducting system in one part of the heart and previously believed to be benign is associated with an increased risk for atrial fibrillation, the implantation of a pacemaker or death.

How to confirm the causes of iron deficiency anemia in young women
Iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) is commonly seen in women aged <50 years. The diagnostic workflow in young women affected by IDA is not clearly established.

Radiation Dose Drastically Reduced During Whole Chest MDCT
Emergency physicians who evaluate patients with non-specific chest pain using whole chest multi-detector CT (MDCT) combined with retrospective electrocardiogram (ECG) gating can reduce the patient radiation dose by 71% using MDCT combined with prospective ECG triggering instead.

Researchers Develop New and Efficient Breast Biopsy Technique
Researchers have developed a new breast biopsy technique that could lead to decreased procedure times and reduced patient discomfort and morbidity.

UT School of Public Health researchers develop game for HIV+ youth
Researchers at The University of Texas School of Public Health have developed a game for HIV-positive youth, +CLICK, designed to reduce secondary transmission of the virus.

Meckel's diverticulum masked by intermittent recurrent subocclusive episodes
Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is the most frequent congenital abnormality of the small bowel and it is often difficult to diagnose.