ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Friday, April 22, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Friday, April 22, 2011

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Learning to tolerate our microbial self: Bacteria co-opt human immune cells for mutual benefit (April 22, 2011) -- The human gut is filled with 100 trillion symbiotic bacteria which we blissfully live with, although they have many features similar to infectious bacteria we react against. What decides whether we ignore -- or fight? In the case of a common "friendly" gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis, researchers have discovered the surprising answer: The decision is not made by us, but by the bacteria, which co-opt cells of the immune system for our benefit ... and theirs. ... > full story

Study in roundworm chromosomes may offer new clues to tumor genome development (April 22, 2011) -- A "promiscuous DNA replication process" may be responsible for large-scale genome duplications in developing tumors, according to new research. These findings challenge the long-standing, currently accepted model. ... > full story

New technique improves sensitivity of PCR pathogen detection (April 22, 2011) -- A new procedure can improve polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods of detecting plant disease organisms. ... > full story

Bacteria interrupted: Disabling coordinated behavior and virulence gene expression (April 22, 2011) -- New research reveals a strategy for disrupting the ability of bacteria to communicate and coordinate the expression of virulence factors. The study may lead to the development of new antibacterial therapeutics. ... > full story

Scotland's first marine reserve already producing benefits (April 22, 2011) -- Scotland’s first fully protected marine reserve, and only the second in the UK, is already providing commercial and conservation benefits, according to new research. ... > full story

Acupuncture relieves hot flashes from prostate cancer treatment, study suggests (April 22, 2011) -- Acupuncture provides long-lasting relief to hot flashes, heart palpitations and anxiety due to side effects of the hormone given to counteract testosterone, the hormone that induces prostate cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story

Prenatal pesticide exposure tied to lower IQ in children, study finds (April 22, 2011) -- A new study has found that prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides -- widely used on food crops -- is related to lower intelligence scores in children. Every tenfold increase in measures of organophosphates detected during a mother's pregnancy corresponded to a 5.5 point drop in overall IQ scores in children at age 7, the researchers found. ... > full story

Salmonella utilize multiple modes of infection: New mechanism that helps with invading host cells discovered (April 22, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a new, hitherto unknown mechanism of Salmonella invasion into gut cells: In this entry mode, the bacteria exploit the muscle power of cells to be pulled into the host cell cytoplasm. Thus, the strategies Salmonella use to infect cells are more complex than previously thought. ... > full story

Use of topical corticosteroids in children with eczema does not have negative side effects, study finds (April 22, 2011) -- A new study reveals that routine, long-term use of topical corticosteroids for treating children with eczema does not cause any significant, negative side effects. ... > full story

Limit to nanotechnology mass-production? (April 22, 2011) -- A leading nanotechnology scientist has raised questions over a billion dollar industry by boldly claiming that there is a limit to how small nanotechnology materials can be mass produced. ... > full story

Severe obesity not seen to increase risk of depression in teens (April 22, 2011) -- According to a new study, severely obese adolescents are no more likely to be depressed than normal weight peers. The study did find that white adolescents may be somewhat more vulnerable to psychological effects of obesity. ... > full story

Why biggest stellar explosions often happen in tiniest galaxies: Ultraviolet probe sheds light on mystery (April 21, 2011) -- Astronomers using NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer may be closer to knowing why some of the most massive stellar explosions ever observed occur in the tiniest of galaxies. ... > full story

Genes causing antimalarial drug resistance identified (April 21, 2011) -- Using a pair of powerful genome-search techniques, researchers have identified several genes that may be implicated in the malaria parasite's notorious ability to rapidly evade drug treatments. ... > full story

Biologist illuminates how seedlings regulate growth (April 21, 2011) -- All kinds of organisms, from plants to people, regulate growth via networks of proteins that add on and lop off phosphate molecules. Scientists can now explain key steps that allow seedlings to make it past the surface of the soil. ... > full story

Kidney disease coupled with heart disease common problem in elderly (April 21, 2011) -- Chronic kidney disease is common and linked with heart disease in the very elderly, according to a new study. ... > full story

Organic and conventional farming methods compete to eliminate weed seeds in soil (April 21, 2011) -- Weeds are hard to kill; they seem to come back no matter what steps people take to eradicate them. One reason is because of the persistence of weed seeds in the soil. Organic farming and conventional farming systems both have their methods of taking on weed seeds, but does one show better results than the other? ... > full story

Historic church's subterranean secrets revealed (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers have carried out a full scientific survey of an historic churchyard widely believed to be the site of the crowning of at least two Anglo-Saxon kings. The team used an earth resistance meter to survey a graveyard at the site where possibly as many as seven kings were crowned, during the 10th Century, including Athelstan, the first king of a unified England in 925, and Ethelred the Unready in 978-9. ... > full story

Earth recovered from prehistoric global warming faster than previously thought (April 21, 2011) -- Earth may be able to recover from rising carbon dioxide emissions faster than previously thought, according to evidence from a prehistoric event. When faced with high levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and rising temperatures 56 million years ago, Earth increased its ability to pull carbon from the air. This led to a recovery that was quicker than anticipated by many models of the carbon cycle. ... > full story

Early warning system for Alzheimer's disease (April 21, 2011) -- Scientists are developing a technique based on a new discovery which could pave the way towards detecting Alzheimer's disease in its earliest stages -- and could help to develop urgently-needed treatments. The technique uses the ratio of detected fluorescence signals to indicate that clusters of peptide associated with the disease are beginning to gather and to have an impact on the brain. ... > full story

Meditation may help the brain 'turn down the volume' on distractions (April 21, 2011) -- The positive effects of mindfulness meditation on pain and working memory may result from an improved ability to regulate a crucial brain wave called the alpha rhythm. This rhythm is thought to "turn down the volume" on distracting information, which suggests that a key value of meditation may be helping the brain deal with an often overstimulating world. ... > full story

Simple fungus reveals clue to immune system protection (April 21, 2011) -- A discovery about how a single-celled fungus survives in low-oxygen settings may someday help humans whose immune systems are compromised by organ transplants or AIDS. ... > full story

American pikas: Contemporary climate change alters the pace and drivers of extinction (April 21, 2011) -- Local extinction rates of American pikas have increased nearly five-fold in the last 10 years, and the rate at which the climate-sensitive species is moving up mountain slopes has increased 11-fold since the 20th century, according to a new study. ... > full story

Are dietary supplements working against you? (April 21, 2011) -- Do you belong to the one-half of the population that frequently uses dietary supplements with the hope that it might be good for you? ... > full story

Melting ice on Arctic islands a major player in sea level rise (April 21, 2011) -- Melting glaciers and ice caps on Canadian Arctic islands play a much greater role in sea level rise than scientists previously thought, according to a new study, ... > full story

RNA nanoparticles constructed to safely deliver long-lasting therapy to cells (April 21, 2011) -- Though RNA is viewed as a promising tool in nanotherapy, the difficulties of producing stable and long-lasting therapeutic RNA have posed challenges to research. A biomedical engineering professor has detailed the successful production of large RNA nanoparticles from smaller RNA segments. The nanoparticles had a half life of between five and 10 hours in animal models and targeted cancer cells in vivo to release therapeutics. ... > full story

Breastfeeding tied to stronger maternal response to baby's cry (April 21, 2011) -- A new study finds that mothers who feed their babies breast milk exclusively, as opposed to formula, are more likely to bond emotionally with their child during the first few months after delivery. The breastfeeding mothers surveyed for the study showed greater responses to their infant's cry in brain regions related to caregiving behavior and empathy than mothers who relied upon formula as the baby's main food source. This is the first paper to examine the underlying neurobiological mechanisms as a function of breastfeeding, and to connect brain activity with maternal behaviors among human mothers. ... > full story

Nature's elegant solution to repairing DNA in cancer, other conditions (April 21, 2011) -- A major discovery about an enzyme's structure has opened a window on understanding DNA repair. Scientists have determined the structure of a nuclease that will help scientists to understand several DNA repair pathways, a welcome development for cancer research. ... > full story

Antimalarial trees in East Africa threatened with extinction (April 21, 2011) -- Research released in anticipation of World Malaria Day finds that plants in East Africa with promising antimalarial qualities -- ones that have treated malaria symptoms in the region's communities for hundreds of years -- are at risk of extinction. Scientists fear that these natural remedial qualities, and thus their potential to become a widespread treatment for malaria, could be lost forever. ... > full story

Does video game violence harm teens? New study weighs the evidence (April 21, 2011) -- How much scientific evidence is there for and against the assertion that exposure to video game violence can harm teens? Three researchers have developed a novel method to consider that question: they analyzed the research output of experts who filed a brief in a US Supreme Court case involving violent video games and teens. ... > full story

Material that if scratched, you can quickly and easily fix yourself, with light not heat (April 21, 2011) -- A team of researchers in the United States and Switzerland has developed a polymer-based material that can heal itself with the help of a widely used type of lighting. Called "metallo-supramolecular polymers," the material is capable of becoming a supple liquid that fills crevasses and gaps left by scrapes and scuffs when placed under ultraviolet light for less than a minute and then resolidifying. The paper will publish this week in journal Nature. ... > full story

Kids' 'screen time' linked to early markers for cardiovascular disease (April 21, 2011) -- Children who had the most hours of screen time, particularly in front of the television, had narrower arteries in the eyes -- a possible indicator for future heart disease risk, according to a new study. Children with the highest levels of physical activity had wider retinal arterioles. The magnitude of vessel narrowing for each hour of screen time was similar to a 10 millimeter of mercury rise in systolic blood pressure. ... > full story

Fat turns into soap in sewers, contributes to overflows (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered how fat, oil and grease can create hardened deposits in sewer lines: it turns into soap! The hardened deposits, which can look like stalactites, contribute to sewer overflows. ... > full story

MicroRNA mediates gene-diet interaction related to obesity, researchers find (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers observed that a genetic variant on the perilipin 4 (PLIN4) locus was associated with an increased risk of obesity yet, carriers with higher omega-3 fatty acid intakes tended to weigh less than carriers who consumed little or no omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, the researchers identified a microRNA which may help elucidate the mechanism behind the gene-diet interaction. ... > full story

CAPTCHAs with chaos: Strong protection for weak passwords (April 21, 2011) -- The passwords of the future could become more secure and, at the same time, simpler to use. Researchers have been inspired by the physics of critical phenomena in their attempts to significantly improve password protection. The researchers split a password into two sections. With the first, easy-to-memorize section they encrypt a CAPTCHA -- an image that computer programs have difficulty in deciphering. The researchers also make it more difficult for computers, whose task it is to automatically crack passwords, to read the passwords without authorization. They use images of a simulated physical system, which they additionally make unrecognizable with a chaotic process. ... > full story

Happiest places have highest suicide rates, new research finds (April 21, 2011) -- The happiest countries and happiest U.S. states tend to have the highest suicide rates, according to new research. The research confirmed a little known and seemingly puzzling fact: many happy countries have unusually high rates of suicide. ... > full story

Laser sparks revolution in internal combustion engines (April 21, 2011) -- For more than 150 years, spark plugs have powered internal combustion engines. Automakers are now one step closer to being able to replace this long-standing technology with laser igniters, which will enable cleaner, more efficient, and more economical vehicles. Researchers from Japan have developed the first multibeam laser system small enough to screw into an engine's cylinder head. ... > full story

New discovery may block amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease process (April 21, 2011) -- In the first animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), scientists have found in fruit flies that blocking the abnormal movement of a protein made by a mutated gene called FUS also blocks the disease process. ... > full story

Gold prices spur six-fold spike in Amazon deforestation (April 21, 2011) -- Deforestation in parts of the Peruvian Amazon has increased six-fold in recent years as small-scale miners, driven by record gold prices, blast and clear more of the lowland rainforest, according to a study. ... > full story

Cardiac muscle really knows how to relax: Potential cardio-protective mechanism in heart (April 21, 2011) -- New insight into the physiology of cardiac muscle may lead to the development of therapeutic strategies that exploit an inherent protective state of the heart. The research discovers a state of cardiac muscle that exhibits a low metabolic rate and may help to regulate energy use and promote efficiency in this hard-working and vital organ. ... > full story

Mega wind turbines of 20 MW (April 21, 2011) -- The present largest wind turbines have a capacity of 5-6 MW. Scientists have now presented the first design basis for developing mega wind turbines of 20 MW. One single wind turbine of this type in the North Sea would provide electricity for 15,000 to 20,000 dwellings. ... > full story

Different views of God may influence academic cheating (April 21, 2011) -- Belief in God doesn't deter a person from cheating on a test, unless that God is seen as a mean, punishing one, researchers say. ... > full story

Beams of electrons link Saturn with its moon Enceladus (April 21, 2011) -- Data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have revealed that Enceladus, one of Saturn's diminutive moons, is linked to Saturn by powerful electrical currents -- beams of electrons that flow back and forth between the planet and moon. ... > full story

Protein and calories can help lessen effects of severe traumatic brain injury, report says (April 21, 2011) -- To help alleviate the effects of severe traumatic brain injury, the US Department of Defense should ensure that all military personnel with this type of injury receive adequate protein and calories immediately after the trauma and through the first two weeks of treatment, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. ... > full story

Functional MRI shows how mindfulness meditation changes decision-making process (April 21, 2011) -- Neuroimaging research shows that Buddhist meditators use different areas of the brain than other people when confronted with unfair choices, enabling them to make decisions rationally rather than emotionally. ... > full story

Low carbohydrate diet may reverse kidney failure in people with diabetes (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers have for the first time determined that the ketogenic diet, a specialized high-fat, low carbohydrate diet, may reverse impaired kidney function in people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. ... > full story

Researchers now one step closer to controlled engineering of nanocatalysts (April 21, 2011) -- Experts in material science and engineering have demonstrated a rational approach to producing nanocrystals with predictable shapes. The work could one day lead to the ability to rationally produce nanocatalysts with desired crystal surfaces and hence catalytic properties. ... > full story

Spring-cleaning the mind? Study shows a cluttered brain doesn't remember (April 21, 2011) -- Lapses in memory occur more frequently with age, yet the reasons for this increasing forgetfulness have not always been clear. According to new research, older individuals have reduced learning and memory because their minds tend to be cluttered with irrelevant information when performing tasks. The findings offer new insights into why aging is associated with a decline in memory and may lead to practical solutions. ... > full story

Ring around the hurricanes: Satellites can predict storm intensity (April 21, 2011) -- Coastal residents may soon have longer warning when a storm headed in their direction is becoming a hurricane, thanks to a study demonstrating how to use existing satellites to monitor tropical storm dynamics and predict sudden surges in strength. Using passive microwave satellites, the researchers found that low-shear storm systems form a symmetrical ring of thunderstorms around the center of the system about six hours before rapidly intensifying into a hurricane. ... > full story