ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Yoga in menopause may help insomnia -- but not hot flashes
• Anti-cancer drug benefits women with breast cancer who have failed previous treatments
• Hyperfractionated radiotherapy improves survival in head and neck cancer patients
• Longest follow-up of melanoma patients treated with ipilimumab shows some survive up to ten years
• Treating chest lymph nodes in early breast cancer improves survival without increasing side effects
• Diabetes increases risk of developing and dying from breast and colon cancer
• Everolimus slows disease progression in advanced kidney cancer patients
• Young patients with metastatic colorectal cancer at high risk of disease progression, death
• Irrefutable evidence that fall in death rates from colorectal cancer due to screening programmes
• Survival after cancer diagnosis strongly associated with governments spending on health care
• Telecommuting Can Be Beneficial for a Work/Life Balance
• New medical device extremely effective at preventing HIV in women
• Philosopher examines the hypothesis vs. exploratory funding divide
• The building blocks of learning, literally
• Human robot getting closer: iCub robot must learn from its experiences
• Scientists find a Martian igneous rock that is surprisingly Earth-like
• Superfast switching of quantum light sources
• Human influence on climate clear, IPCC report says
• Several NASA spacecraft track energy through space
• Ballet dancers' brains adapt to stop them getting in a spin
• Treating sore throat should be part of strategy to prevent rheumatic heart disease
• Echocardiography stats suggest global prevalence of rheumatic heart disease higher than thought
• Estimate of a quarter of a million deaths annually vastly underestimates true burden of rheumatic heart disease
• Cell powerhouses shape one's risk of heart disease
• In prostate cancer prognosis, telomere length may matter
• Study examines health of kidney donors
• Professor develops 'brain' for robots
• Changing laws, attitudes of police response to drug overdose may lead to better outcomes
• New gut bacterium discovered in termite's digestion of wood
• Mucus useful in treating IBD, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease
• Wildlife face 'Armageddon' as forests shrink
• Scientists develop a more effective molecular modeling process
• Antibiotic resistance in agricultural environments: A call to action
• Setting blurred images in motion improves perception
• Methane Out, Carbon Dioxide In?
• First long temperature reconstruction for the eastern Mediterranean based on tree rings
• Colorectal surgeons develop a novel tool for measuring quality and outcomes
• Microbes facilitate the persistence, spread of invasive plant species by changing soil chemistry
• Scientists discover important wound-healing process
• Pan-cancer studies find common patterns shared by different tumor types
• Majority of children remain at home after maltreatment investigation
• Future sea level rises should not restrict new island formation in the Maldives

Yoga in menopause may help insomnia -- but not hot flashes Posted: 27 Sep 2013 03:32 PM PDT Taking a 12-week yoga class and practicing at home was linked to less insomnia -- but not to fewer or less bothersome hot flashes or night sweats. The link between yoga and better sleep was the only statistically significant finding in this randomized controlled trial.

Anti-cancer drug benefits women with breast cancer who have failed previous treatments Posted: 27 Sep 2013 03:31 PM PDT First results from a phase III clinical trial of the combination drug, T-DM1, show that it significantly improves the length of time before breast cancer worsens in women with advanced HER2 positive breast cancer whose cancer has recurred or progressed despite previous treatments, including trastuzumab and lapatinib.

Hyperfractionated radiotherapy improves survival in head and neck cancer patients Posted: 27 Sep 2013 03:31 PM PDT The use of an intensified form of radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancers can improve overall survival rates compared with standard radiation therapy, according to results from a large study.

Longest follow-up of melanoma patients treated with ipilimumab shows some survive up to ten years Posted: 27 Sep 2013 03:31 PM PDT Patients with advanced melanoma, who have been treated with the monoclonal antibody, ipilimumab, can survive for up to ten years, according to the largest analysis of overall survival for these patients.

Treating chest lymph nodes in early breast cancer improves survival without increasing side effects Posted: 27 Sep 2013 03:31 PM PDT Giving radiation therapy to the lymph nodes located behind the breast bone and above the collar bone to patients with early breast cancer improves overall survival without increasing side effects. This new finding ends the uncertainty about whether the beneficial effect of radiation therapy in such patients was simply the result of irradiation of the breast area, or whether it treated cancer cells in the local lymph nodes as well.

Diabetes increases risk of developing and dying from breast and colon cancer Posted: 27 Sep 2013 03:31 PM PDT Diabetes is linked to an increased risk of developing cancer, and now researchers have performed a unique meta-analysis that excludes all other causes of death and found that diabetic patients not only have an increased risk of developing breast and colon cancer, but an even higher risk of dying from them.

Everolimus slows disease progression in advanced kidney cancer patients Posted: 27 Sep 2013 03:31 PM PDT The first Phase II study to investigate the use of the anti-cancer drug, everolimus, for the initial treatment of advanced papillary kidney cancer has shown that it is successful in slowing or preventing the spread of the disease.

Young patients with metastatic colorectal cancer at high risk of disease progression, death Posted: 27 Sep 2013 03:31 PM PDT Younger patients with colorectal cancer that has spread (metastasised) to other parts of the body represent a high-risk group that is less likely to respond to anti-cancer treatments. Their disease is more likely to progress and they are at greater risk of death than other age groups.

Irrefutable evidence that fall in death rates from colorectal cancer due to screening programmes Posted: 27 Sep 2013 03:31 PM PDT Screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) in European countries is highly effective in reducing mortality from the disease. Some of the resources currently being devoted to breast and prostate screening programmes, where the evidence of effectiveness is much less clear-cut, should be reallocated to the early detection of CRC.

Survival after cancer diagnosis strongly associated with governments spending on health care Posted: 27 Sep 2013 03:31 PM PDT The more an EU (European Union) national government spends on health, the fewer the deaths after a cancer diagnosis in that country, according to new research.

Telecommuting Can Be Beneficial for a Work/Life Balance Posted: 27 Sep 2013 03:29 PM PDT If telecommuting – or working from home – is an available option, one expert says its perks go beyond working in pajamas.

New medical device extremely effective at preventing HIV in women Posted: 27 Sep 2013 09:35 AM PDT An intravaginal ring effectively delivers HIV-preventing drugs for one month.

Philosopher examines the hypothesis vs. exploratory funding divide Posted: 27 Sep 2013 07:51 AM PDT A professor wondered why some types of research were more apt to secure federal grants, while others -- especially exploratory science -- often didn't.

The building blocks of learning, literally Posted: 27 Sep 2013 07:50 AM PDT Simple toys like blocks feed into kids' spatial skill and offer a foundation for learning subjects like math and science, according to a new study.

Human robot getting closer: iCub robot must learn from its experiences Posted: 27 Sep 2013 06:45 AM PDT A robot that feels, sees and, in particular, thinks and learns like us. It still seems like science fiction, but new research hints that it could happen. Scientists are working to implement the cognitive process of the human brain in robots. A new humanoid will blur the boundaries between robot and human.

Scientists find a Martian igneous rock that is surprisingly Earth-like Posted: 27 Sep 2013 06:27 AM PDT Scientists report on the analysis of a surprisingly Earth-like Martian rock, discovered by the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity, that offers new insight into the history of Mars's interior and suggests parts of the Red Planet may be more like our own than we ever knew.

Superfast switching of quantum light sources Posted: 27 Sep 2013 06:23 AM PDT Usually, an elementary light source – such as an excited atom or molecule – emits light of a particular color at an unpredictable instance in time. Recently, however, scientists have shown that a light source can be coaxed to emit light at a desired moment in time, within an ultrashort burst. The superfast switching of a light source has applications in fast stroboscopes without laser speckle, in the precise control of quantum systems and for ultrasecure communication using quantum cryptography.

Human influence on climate clear, IPCC report says Posted: 27 Sep 2013 06:23 AM PDT Human influence on the climate system is clear. This is evident in most regions of the globe, a new assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes. It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. The evidence for this has grown, thanks to more and better observations, an improved understanding of the climate system response and improved climate models.

Several NASA spacecraft track energy through space Posted: 26 Sep 2013 05:50 PM PDT Scientists have provided the most comprehensive details yet of the journey energy from the sun takes as it hurtles around Earth's magnetosphere. Understanding the changes energy from the sun undergoes as it travels away and out into space is crucial for scientists to achieve their goal of some day predicting the onset of space weather that creates effects such as the shimmering lights of the aurora or interruptions in radio communications at Earth.

Ballet dancers' brains adapt to stop them getting in a spin Posted: 26 Sep 2013 05:47 PM PDT Scientists have discovered differences in the brain structure of ballet dancers that may help them avoid feeling dizzy when they perform pirouettes.

Treating sore throat should be part of strategy to prevent rheumatic heart disease Posted: 26 Sep 2013 05:47 PM PDT Diagnosing and treating sore (strep) throat (primary prevention) in children and adolescents to prevent such cases developing into acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) should be a cornerstone in any overall rheumatic heart disease strategy.

Echocardiography stats suggest global prevalence of rheumatic heart disease higher than thought Posted: 26 Sep 2013 05:47 PM PDT Echocardiography is increasing detection rates of rheumatic heart disease many-fold and suggests that RHD is more common than current estimates predicted.

Estimate of a quarter of a million deaths annually vastly underestimates true burden of rheumatic heart disease Posted: 26 Sep 2013 05:47 PM PDT A paper analyses the burden of disease and suggests that numbers published to date of global deaths from rheumatic heart disease (ranging from at least 233,000 deaths per year upwards) could be substantially underestimating reality, for a variety of reasons, most commonly lack of high quality (or in some cases any) data from high-prevalence countries and regions.

Cell powerhouses shape one's risk of heart disease Posted: 26 Sep 2013 05:44 PM PDT Genes in mitochondria, the "powerhouses" that turn sugar into energy in human cells, shape each person's risk for heart disease and diabetes.

In prostate cancer prognosis, telomere length may matter Posted: 26 Sep 2013 05:11 PM PDT Like the plastic caps at the end of shoelaces, telomeres protect — in their case — the interior-gene containing parts of chromosomes that carry a cell's instructional material. Cancer cells are known to have short telomeres, but just how short they are from cancer cell to cancer cell may be a determining factor in a prostate cancer patient's prognosis.

Study examines health of kidney donors Posted: 26 Sep 2013 05:11 PM PDT The short-term risks associated with kidney donation are relatively modest, but because many donors have additional medical conditions, it is important to evaluate their ongoing health. Complications and hospital length-of-stay following kidney donation have both declined since 1998. Rates of complications and length-of-stay for donors are comparable with other relatively low risk abdominal surgeries such as appendectomies. Depression, hypothyroidism, hypertension, and obesity have increased over time among donors.

Professor develops 'brain' for robots Posted: 26 Sep 2013 05:11 PM PDT Scientists have developed a new feedback system to remotely control mobile robots. This research will allow robots to operate with minimal supervision and could eventually lead to a robot that can learn or even become autonomous.

Changing laws, attitudes of police response to drug overdose may lead to better outcomes Posted: 26 Sep 2013 11:32 AM PDT A recent study has found that a change in the way police respond to drug-related overdose emergencies could contribute to improved outcomes of the victims and to the communities where overdoses occur. The study found that while law enforcement officers often serve as medical first responders, there is a lack of clarity as to what police can do, or should do, at the scene of an overdose.

New gut bacterium discovered in termite's digestion of wood Posted: 26 Sep 2013 11:32 AM PDT When termites munch on wood, the small bits feed a community of microbes living in their guts. In a process called acetogenesis, some of these microbes turn the hard, fibrous material into a nutritious meal for the termite host. Researchers have now discovered a previously unidentified bacterium -- living on the surface of a larger microorganism in the gut -- that may be responsible for most gut acetogenesis.

Mucus useful in treating IBD, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease Posted: 26 Sep 2013 11:31 AM PDT Researchers foresee a day when mucus could be manufactured and given to sick people to help them fight inflammation and increase immunity. For the first time ever, they report that mucus in the large intestine provides a valuable anti-inflammatory and self-regulating immune function.

Wildlife face 'Armageddon' as forests shrink Posted: 26 Sep 2013 11:31 AM PDT Species living in rainforest fragments could be far more likely to disappear than was previously thought, says an international team of scientists. In a study spanning two decades, the researchers witnessed the near-complete extinction of native small mammals on forest islands created by a large hydroelectric reservoir in Thailand.

Scientists develop a more effective molecular modeling process Posted: 26 Sep 2013 11:29 AM PDT A new method to produce accurate computer models of molecules combines existing formulas in a kind of algorithmic stew to gain a better picture of molecular structural diversity that is then used to eliminate errors and improve the final model.

Antibiotic resistance in agricultural environments: A call to action Posted: 26 Sep 2013 11:29 AM PDT Antibiotic resistant (ABR) pathogens are an emerging, critical human health issue. ABR has been found in soils dating back for millennia. Current research illustrates the need for considering natural, background resistance in soils in any scientific study examining the effects of antibiotics on the environment.

Setting blurred images in motion improves perception Posted: 26 Sep 2013 11:29 AM PDT Blurred images that are unidentifiable as still pictures become understandable once the images are set in motion. That's because of a phenomenon called "optic flow," which may be especially relevant as a source of visual information in people with low vision.

Methane Out, Carbon Dioxide In? Posted: 26 Sep 2013 11:28 AM PDT Researchers have found that the Marcellus Shale geological formation in Pennsylvania has the potential to store roughly 50 percent of the U.S. carbon dioxide emissions produced from stationary sources between 2018 and 2030.

First long temperature reconstruction for the eastern Mediterranean based on tree rings Posted: 26 Sep 2013 10:16 AM PDT For the eastern Mediterranean, an exactly dated time series of almost 900 year length was established, exhibiting the medieval warm period, the little ice age between the 16th and 19th century as well as the transition into the modern warm phase.

Colorectal surgeons develop a novel tool for measuring quality and outcomes Posted: 26 Sep 2013 10:16 AM PDT In a new paper, physician-researchers describe a new tool called the HARM score that reliably measures quality and clinical outcomes for colon and rectal surgery patients. The score is derived from Hospital stay, Readmission rate, and Mortality, and shows a strong correlation with quality of clinical outcomes for colon and rectal surgery patients.

Microbes facilitate the persistence, spread of invasive plant species by changing soil chemistry Posted: 26 Sep 2013 10:16 AM PDT Invasive species are among the world's greatest threats to native species and biodiversity. Once established, invasive plants can alter soil chemistry and shift nutrient cycling in an ecosystem, impacting not only plant composition, diversity, and succession within a community, but also in the cycling of critical elements like carbon and nitrogen on a much larger scale. Could changes in soil biogeochemistry be due to an advantage that invasive plants get from interacting with their microbiome?

Scientists discover important wound-healing process Posted: 26 Sep 2013 10:16 AM PDT Scientists have discovered an important process by which special immune cells in the skin help heal wounds. They found that these skin-resident immune cells function as "first responders" to skin injuries in part by producing the molecule known as interleukin-17A, which wards off infection and promotes wound healing.

Pan-cancer studies find common patterns shared by different tumor types Posted: 26 Sep 2013 10:16 AM PDT Molecular analysis now shows that cancers of different organs have many shared features, while cancers from the same organ or tissue are often quite distinct. The Pan-Cancer Initiative, a major effort to analyze the molecular aberrations in cancer cells across a range of tumor types, has yielded an abundance of new findings.

Majority of children remain at home after maltreatment investigation Posted: 26 Sep 2013 10:15 AM PDT Eighteen months after the close of a child maltreatment investigation, nearly 80 percent of children are still living in the home with their parents or primary caregivers, according to a new report.

Future sea level rises should not restrict new island formation in the Maldives Posted: 26 Sep 2013 09:34 AM PDT The continued accumulation of sand within the iconic ring-shaped reefs inside Maldivian atolls could provide a foundation for future island development new research suggests. Islands like the Maldives are considered likely to be the first to feel the effects of climate change induced sea level rise, with future island growth essential to counter the threat of rising sea levels.

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