ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Thursday, April 21, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Thursday, April 21, 2011

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Protein-patterned fibers: Researchers combine active proteins with material derived from fruit fly (April 20, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a way to pattern active proteins into bio-friendly fibers. The "eureka" moment came about because somebody forgot to clean up the lab one night. The new work simplifies the process of making materials with fully functional proteins. Such materials could find extensive use as chemical catalysts and biosensors and in tissue engineering, for starters. ... > full story

Air pollution exposure affects chances of developing premenopausal breast cancer, study finds (April 20, 2011) -- Exposure to air pollution early in life and when a woman gives birth to her first child may alter her DNA and may be associated with pre-menopausal breast cancer later in life, researchers have shown. ... > full story

How TRIM5 fights HIV: Scientists discover mechanism of protein that makes certain monkeys resistant (April 20, 2011) -- Thanks to a certain protein, rhesus monkeys are resistant to HIV. Known as TRIM5, the protein prevents the HI virus from multiplying once it has entered the cell. Researchers in Switzerland have now discovered the protein's mechanism. This also opens up new prospects for fighting HIV in humans. ... > full story

Breakthrough in malaria treatment in the run up to World Malaria Day (April 20, 2011) -- Ahead of World Malaria Day (25 April), researchers have discovered that drugs originally designed to inhibit the growth of cancer cells can also kill the parasite that causes malaria. They believe this discovery could open up a new strategy for combating this deadly disease, which infected around 225 million and killed nearly 800,000 people worldwide in 2009. ... > full story

Mining data from electronic records: Faster way to get genetic clues to disease (April 20, 2011) -- Recruiting thousands of patients to collect health data for genetic clues to disease is expensive and time consuming. But a study shows that process could be faster and cheaper by mining patient data that already exists in electronic medical records. Researchers were able to cull patient information in electronic medical records from routine doctors' visits at five national sites. This allowed researchers to accurately identify patients with five different diseases and reproduce previous genetic findings. ... > full story

Half of all children with autism wander and bolt from safe places, study shows (April 20, 2011) -- The Interactive Autism Network has revealed preliminary results of the first major survey on wandering and elopement among individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The wandering and elopement survey found that approximately half of parents of children with autism report that their child elopes, with the behavior peaking at age four. ... > full story

Primordial weirdness: Did the early universe have one dimension? Scientists outline test for theory (April 20, 2011) -- Did the early universe have just one spatial dimension? That's the mind-boggling concept at the heart of a new theory. Researchers now describe a test that could prove or disprove the "vanishing dimensions" hypothesis. ... > full story

New 'chemical pathway' in the brain for stress: Breakthrough offers hope for targeted treatment of stress-related disorders (April 20, 2011) -- A team of neuroscientists has announced a breakthrough in the understanding of the 'brain chemistry' that triggers our response to highly stressful and traumatic events. The team has discovered a critical and previously unknown pathway in the brain that is linked to our response to stress. The advance offers new hope for targeted treatment, or even prevention, of stress-related psychiatric disorders. ... > full story

Childhood music lessons may provide lifelong boost in brain functioning (April 20, 2011) -- Those childhood music lessons could pay off decades later -- even for those who no longer play an instrument -- by keeping the mind sharper as people age, according to a preliminary study. ... > full story

Scientists prove new technology to control malaria-carrying mosquitoes (April 20, 2011) -- Scientists have taken an important step towards developing control measures for mosquitoes that transmit malaria. In a new study, researchers have demonstrated how some genetic changes can be introduced into large laboratory mosquito populations over the span of a few generations by just a small number of modified mosquitoes. ... > full story

Using the energy in oil shale without releasing carbon dioxide in a greenhouse world (April 20, 2011) -- New technology that combines production of electricity with capture of carbon dioxide could make billions of barrels of oil shale -- now regarded as off-limits because of the huge amounts of carbon dioxide released in its production -- available as an energy source in a greenhouse world of the future, according to a new report. ... > full story

Biological links found between childhood abuse and adolescent depression (April 20, 2011) -- New research reveals that a history of physical, sexual or emotional abuse in childhood substantially increases the risk of depression in adolescence by altering a person's neuroendocrine response to stress. ... > full story

Evolution of human 'super-brain' tied to development of bipedalism, tool-making (April 20, 2011) -- Scientists seeking to understand the origin of the human mind may want to look to honeybees -- not ancestral apes -- for at least some of the answers, according to a University of Colorado Boulder archaeologist. ... > full story

Nanomedicine one step closer to reality (April 20, 2011) -- A class of engineered nanoparticles -- gold-centered spheres smaller than viruses -- has been shown safe when administered by two alternative routes in a new mouse study. ... > full story

Ends of chromosomes protected by stacked, coiled DNA caps (April 20, 2011) -- Researchers are delving into the details of the complex structure at the ends of chromosomes. Recent work describes how these structures, called telomeres, can be protected by caps made up of specialized proteins and stacks of DNA called G-quadruplexes, or "G4 DNA." ... > full story

Adaptive trial designs could accelerate HIV vaccine development (April 20, 2011) -- In the past 12 years, four large-scale efficacy trials of HIV vaccines have been conducted in various populations. Results from the most recent trial have given scientists reason for cautious optimism. Yet building on these findings could take years, given that traditional HIV vaccine clinical trials are lengthy, and that it is still not known which immune system responses a vaccine needs to trigger to protect an individual from HIV infection. ... > full story

Another universe tugging on ours? Maybe not: Data from exploding stars contradicts earlier study (April 20, 2011) -- In 2008, researchers announced a startling discovery: Clusters of galaxies far apart from one another appeared to be traveling in the same direction. Maybe another universe existed beyond the bounds of ours, dragging our stars ever closer through the pull of gravity. Then again, maybe not. A new study contradicts the dark flow theory, showing that exploding stars in different parts of the universe do not appear to be moving in sync. ... > full story

Repeated stress in pregnancy linked to children's behavior (April 20, 2011) -- New research has found a link between the number of stressful events experienced during pregnancy and increased risk of behavioral problems in children. ... > full story

Hundreds of barrier islands newly identified in global survey (April 20, 2011) -- Earth has 657 more barrier islands than previously thought, according to a new global survey by researchers. ... > full story

Decoding cancer patients' genomes is powerful diagnostic tool (April 20, 2011) -- Two new studies highlight the power of sequencing cancer patients' genomes as a diagnostic tool, helping doctors decide the best course of treatment and researchers identify new cancer susceptibility mutations that can be passed from parent to child. ... > full story

'3-D towers' of information double data storage areal density (April 20, 2011) -- Using well-known patterned media, a team of researchers in France has figured out a way to double the areal density of information by essentially cutting the magnetic media into small pieces and building a "3-D tower" out of it. ... > full story

Minimizing side effects from chemoradiation could help brain cancer patients live longer (April 20, 2011) -- Minimizing neurological side effects in patients with high-grade glioma from chemoradiation may result in improved patient survival, a new study suggests. ... > full story

'Impossible' feat: Certain materials can exhibit ferromagnetism and superconductivity at same time (April 20, 2011) -- It actually seems impossible: Scientists in Germany were able to verify with an intermetallic compound of bismuth and nickel that certain materials actually exhibit the two contrary properties of superconductivity and ferromagnetism at the same time. A phenomenon that had only been demonstrated around the globe on a small number of materials and which might provide highly interesting technological opportunities in future. ... > full story

Satisfied people are more likely to vote (April 20, 2011) -- Contented people are more likely to vote than unhappy ones, according to a new study. ... > full story

Miniature invisibility 'carpet cloak' hides more than its small size implies (April 20, 2011) -- Invisibility cloaking techniques have come with a significant limitation -- they need to be orders of magnitude larger than the object being cloaked. A team of physicists may have overcome this size limitation by using a technology known as a "carpet cloaks," which can conceal a much larger area than other cloaking techniques of comparable size. ... > full story

Antibiotics cure anthrax in animal models (April 20, 2011) -- In the absence of early antibiotic treatment, respiratory anthrax is fatal. The 2001 bioterrorism attacks in the US killed four people, out of 22 infected (10 of them with respiratory anthrax), despite massive antibiotic administration, probably because therapy did not begin until the disease had reached the fulminant stage. But a multi-agent prophylaxis initiated within 24 hours post-infection prevented development of fatal anthrax respiratory disease, and treatment combining antibiotics with immunization with a protective antigen-based vaccine conferred long-term protective immunity against reestablishment of the disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

How peppermint helps to relieve irritable bowel syndrome (April 20, 2011) -- Researchers in Australia have shown for the first time how peppermint helps to relieve irritable bowel syndrome, which affects up to 20 percent of the population. In a new paper, they explain how peppermint activates an "anti-pain" channel in the colon, soothing inflammatory pain in the gastrointestinal tract. ... > full story

Antibiotics disrupt gut ecology, metabolism (April 20, 2011) -- Humans carry several pounds of microbes in our gastro-intestinal tracts. Recent research suggests that this microbial ecosystem plays a variety of critical roles in our health. Now, working in a mouse model, researchers from Canada describe many of the interactions between the intestinal microbiota and host, and show that antibiotics profoundly disrupt intestinal homeostasis. ... > full story

Professor notices Abe Lincoln's signature on a picture hanging in his office (April 20, 2011) -- When a professor looked a bit closer at a picture that had been hanging in his office for a few years, he noticed what looked like a signature belonging to the nation's 16th president. Curiosity got the better of him, so he contacted a Lincoln authority. The signature turned out to be authentic. ... > full story

Does seeing overweight people make us eat more? (April 20, 2011) -- Consumers will choose and eat more indulgent food after they see someone who is overweight -- unless they consciously think about their health goals, according to a new study. ... > full story

Right-handedness prevailed 500,000 years ago (April 20, 2011) -- Markings on fossilized front teeth show that right-handedness goes back a half-million years in the human family. ... > full story

New link between mother's pregnancy diet and offspring's chances of obesity found (April 20, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that a mother's nutrition during pregnancy can strongly influence her child's risk of obesity many years later, by altering their DNA. ... > full story

Propeller turbulence may affect marine food webs, study finds (April 20, 2011) -- A new study shows that turbulence from boat propellers can and does kill large numbers of copepods -- tiny crustaceans that are an important part of marine food webs. ... > full story

Canola oil protects against colon cancer, study suggests (April 20, 2011) -- A study of canola oil finds that it reduces the size and incidence of colon tumors in laboratory animals, a scientist says. ... > full story

Biologically inspired catalysts being developed (April 20, 2011) -- A research team is developing biologically-inspired catalysts. The work is based on organic catalytic framework made sturdy by the replacement of carbon-hydrogen bonds with a combination of aromatic and aliphatic carbon-fluorine bonds. ... > full story

Why do hopeful consumers make healthier choices than happy ones? (April 20, 2011) -- Happy people are more likely to eat candy bars, whereas hopeful people choose fruit, according to a new study. That's because when people feel hope, they're thinking about the future. ... > full story

Nanoparticles with honeycomb cavities containing drugs blast cancer cells (April 20, 2011) -- Melding nanotechnology and medical research, researchers have produced an effective strategy that uses nanoparticles to blast cancerous cells with a melange of killer drugs. The researchers made silica nanoparticles honeycombed with cavities that can store large amounts and varieties of drugs. ... > full story

Improved recovery of motor function after stroke (April 20, 2011) -- After the acute treatment window closes, the only effective treatment for stroke is physical/occupational therapy. Now scientists report a two-pronged molecular therapy that leads to significant recovery of skilled motor function in a rat model of stroke. ... > full story

Collecting the sun's energy: Novel electrode for flexible thin-film solar cells (April 20, 2011) -- Conventional silicon-based rigid solar cells generally found on the market are not suitable for manufacturing moldable thin-film solar cells, in which a transparent, flexible and electrically conductive electrode collects the light and carries away the current. A new woven polymer electrode has now produced first results which are very promising, indicating that the new material may be a substitute for indium tin oxide coatings. ... > full story

Cell of origin for squamous cell carcinoma discovered (April 20, 2011) -- Squamous cell cancers, which can occur in multiple organs in the body, can originate from hair follicle stem cells, a finding that could result in new strategies to treat and potentially prevent the disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

Mercury on the rise in endangered Pacific seabirds (April 20, 2011) -- Using 120 years of feathers from natural history museums in the United States, researchers have been able to track increases in the neurotoxin methylmercury in the black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), an endangered seabird that forages extensively throughout the Pacific. ... > full story

Patients appear to adjust and learn to cope with loss or reduced sense of smell (April 20, 2011) -- Most patients who have a reduced ability to smell or detect odors seem to attach less importance to the sense of smell in their daily lives than people with a normal olfactory function, according to a new study. ... > full story

New biosensor microchip could speed up drug development, researchers say (April 20, 2011) -- A new biosensor microchip that could hold more than 100,000 magnetically sensitive nanosensors could speed up drug development markedly, researchers say. The nanosensors analyze how proteins bond -- a critical step in drug development. The ultrasensitive sensors can simultaneously monitor thousands of times more proteins than existing technology, deliver results faster and assess the strength of the bonds. ... > full story

C. difficile increases risk of death six-fold in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (April 20, 2011) -- Patients admitted to hospital with inflammatory bowel disease face a sixfold greater risk of death if they become infected with Clostridium difficile, a new study has found. ... > full story

New MRI methodology revolutionizes imaging of the beating heart (April 20, 2011) -- Scientists in Germany have developed a highly efficient approach for imaging the beating human heart. The images produced in one of the world's most powerful MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) systems whose power is equivalent to 150,000 times Earth's magnetic field are of a much higher detail than cardiac images commonly generated in current clinical practice. The ultra-high field approach permits a superb delineation between blood and heart muscle. Even subtle anatomical structures are made clearly visible. The new procedure holds the promise to advance the capabilities of cardiac research and care as cardiac malfunctions can be diagnosed, treated and monitored at a much earlier point in disease progression. ... > full story

More accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s (April 20, 2011) -- A new study from Sweden shows how analysing spinal fluid can help to detect Alzheimer's disease at an early stage. The researchers behind the study hope that their findings will contribute to a greater international breakthrough for this type of diagnostic method. ... > full story

New kid on the plasmonic block: Researchers find plasmonic resonances in semiconductor nanocrystals (April 20, 2011) -- Researchers have achieved plasmonic properties in the semiconductor nanocrystals known as quantum dots. Until now, plasmonic properties, which hold promise for superfast computers and ultrapowerful optical microscopes among many other possibilities, have been limited to nanostructures featuring interfaces between noble metals and dielectrics. This new discovery should make the already hot field of plasmonic technology even hotter. ... > full story

How do consumers judge quality? It depends on who's making the purchase (April 20, 2011) -- Someone is more likely to predict the quality of a product by its price if someone else is buying it, according to a new study. But when consumers buy products themselves, they are more likely to judge quality by a product's attributes. ... > full story

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