Science Headlines for August 30, 2008

Heavy Breathing: An Obscure Link In Asthma And Obesity

There is a strong link between obesity and asthma and as the prevalence of both conditions has been increasing steadily, epidemiologists have speculated that there is an underlying condition that connects the two. But one long-suspected link, the systemic inflammation associated with obesity, has been essentially ruled out by a recent study that found no evidence of its involvement.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 31 Aug 2008 | 12:00 pm

No More Big Stink: Scent Lures Mosquitoes, But Humans Can't Smell It

Mosquito traps that reek like latrines may be no more. Chemical ecologists have discovered a low-cost, easy-to-prepare attractant that lures blood-fed mosquitoes without making humans hold their noses.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 31 Aug 2008 | 12:00 pm

Public Involvement Usually Leads To Better Environmental Decision Making

When done correctly, public participation improves the quality of federal agencies' decisions about the environment, says a new report from the National Research Council.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 31 Aug 2008 | 12:00 pm

Hearing Specialist Craft First Professional Guidelines For Earwax

The age-old advice to routinely clean out earwax is discouraged under the first published guidelines from health care professionals about removing wax from the ear.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 31 Aug 2008 | 12:00 pm

Incidence Of Intestinal Parasite Coccidia Is Increasing In Broilers

Coccidia are single-celled intestinal parasites that currently represent one of the greatest challenges to the broiler industry. To keep the level of infection low, farmers commonly add coccidia-inhibiting chemicals (coccidiostats) to broiler feed. While this does not kill the parasites, it greatly reduces the incidence of overt sickness and death from infection. While clinical coccidiosis is therefore not a problem, veterinary authorities have never been able to gauge the extent of subclinical coccidiosis and the consequences this may have for animal welfare issues and production costs.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 31 Aug 2008 | 12:00 pm

Memory Trick Shows Brain Organization

A simple memory trick has helped show researchers how an area of the brain called the perirhinal cortex can contribute to forming memories.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 31 Aug 2008 | 12:00 pm

Magmatically Triggered Slow Earthquake Discovered At Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

From June 17-19, 2007, Kilauea experienced a new dike intrusion, where magma rapidly moved from a storage reservoir beneath the summit into the east rift zone and extended the rift zone by as much as 1 meter.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 30 Aug 2008 | 6:00 pm

Young Type-2 Diabetic Men Suffer Low Testosterone Levels, Study Shows

Young men with type 2 diabetes have significantly low levels of testosterone, endocrinologists at the University at Buffalo have found -- a condition that could have a critical effect on their quality of life and on their ability to father children.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 30 Aug 2008 | 6:00 pm

Treatment For Hearing Loss? Scientists Grow Hair Cells Involved in Hearing

Scientists have successfully produced functional auditory hair cells in the cochlea of the mouse inner ear. The breakthrough suggests that a new therapy may be developed in the future to successfully treat hearing loss.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 30 Aug 2008 | 6:00 pm

One Cause Of Higher Rates Of Transplanted Kidney Rejection In Blacks

Scientists may have an explanation for at least some of the higher organ rejection rates seen among black -- as compared to white -- kidney transplant recipients.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 30 Aug 2008 | 6:00 pm

Gustav become Category 2 hurricane off Cuba

MIAMI (Reuters) - Hurricane Gustav strengthened into a Category 2 storm on Saturday, as it churned across warm Caribbean waters toward western Cuba, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Source: Reuters: Science News | 30 Aug 2008 | 9:25 am

Analysis: McCain choice impacts energy debate (AP)

AP - If Democrats hoped to paint Republican John McCain a pawn of Big Oil, their task has become a bit more complicated with the selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 30 Aug 2008 | 8:54 am

The Nation's Weather (AP)

AP - Hurricane Gustav was projected to strengthen throughout the weekend as it remains on a crash course with the Gulf Coast. Landfall was expected on Monday night.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 30 Aug 2008 | 8:53 am

Report: NASA studies extending shuttle to 2015 (AP)

AP - NASA's staff will study whether the space shuttle program could continue operating past its scheduled retirement in 2010, according to an internal e-mail sent this week.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 30 Aug 2008 | 1:53 am

Pharmaceutical industry suffering

Blockbusters are expiring, pipelines are emptying and watchdogs are growling
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 29 Aug 2008 | 11:08 pm

Sniffer dog Toby takes lead role in bumblebee conservation

Spaniel trained to find nests in £112,000 study as university team seeks answers to species decline
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 29 Aug 2008 | 11:06 pm

The scientist who started the MMR hoax faces the GMC - but who will hold the media to account, asks Ben Goldacre

MMR was the biggest science story in years - and a hoax. The scientist who started it faces the GMC, but who will hold the media to account? By Ben Goldacre
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 29 Aug 2008 | 11:03 pm

Mars Rover Leaves Crater for Martian Plains (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - After nearly a year rolling around inside an expansive crater on Mars, NASA's trusty rover Opportunity is headed back out to explore the Martian plains.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 29 Aug 2008 | 11:01 pm

Amazon rainforest: Explorer maps out complex lost civilisations of the Amazon

Settlements thought to date back at least 1,500 years and described by authors as 'garden cities'
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 29 Aug 2008 | 11:00 pm

Hundreds of mink set loose from Utah farm (AP)

AP - Animal rights activists broke into a mink farm and released hundreds of the animals from their pens, police said.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 29 Aug 2008 | 10:48 pm

NASA Studies Shuttle Program Extension, Fall Launch Delay

NASA is studying how it might keep shuttles flying beyond 2010.
Source: Livescience.com | 29 Aug 2008 | 9:35 pm

New giant clam species discovered

Scientists have discovered a new species of giant clam in the Red Sea.
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 29 Aug 2008 | 9:13 pm

Gustav headed for current that fuels big storms (AP)

AP - The difference between a monster and a wimp for Gulf of Mexico hurricanes often comes down to a small patch of warm deep water that's easy to miss. It's called the Loop Current, and hurricane trackers say Gustav is headed right for it, reminiscent of Katrina.

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 29 Aug 2008 | 7:57 pm

Researcher Walks Among Dying Baby Chimps

I study chimpanzee health. I want to determine how and why they are getting sick and dying.
Source: Livescience.com | 29 Aug 2008 | 6:44 pm

How Strong Can a Hurricane Get?

The Saffir-Simpson hurricane only goes up to Category 5. But in theory, winds from a powerful hurricane could blow the scale out of the water, scientists say.
Source: Livescience.com | 29 Aug 2008 | 6:29 pm

Boy has shoulder made from elbow

A teenage cancer patient has undergone successful surgery to rebuild his shoulder using his elbow.
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 29 Aug 2008 | 4:55 pm

Is New Orleans Ready for Another Storm?

New Orleans observes Katrina anniversary as city faces potential threat from Tropical Storm Gustav.
Source: Livescience.com | 29 Aug 2008 | 4:53 pm

Why it's so hard to swat a fly

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The brains of flies are wired to avoid the swatter, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

Source: Reuters: Science News | 29 Aug 2008 | 4:50 pm

Nemo Sniffs His Way Home

Young orange clownfish find their anemone homes with a keen sense of smell.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 29 Aug 2008 | 3:46 pm

Hurricanes: Our 5 Worst Fears (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - On the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's devastating landfall in New Orleans, residents all along the U.S. coastline today cast a wary eye out to Tropical Storms Gustav and Hanna, both predicted to ramp up to hurricane strength and possibly strike the United States early next week. The 2005 season - the busiest season on record - was an obvious wake-up call for emergency officials and coastal residents. Yet three years later, fears linger that history will repeat. ...

Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 29 Aug 2008 | 3:41 pm

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