ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Thursday, April 28, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Thursday, April 28, 2011

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Microsleep: Brain regions can take short naps during wakefulness, leading to errors (April 28, 2011) -- If you've ever lost your keys or stuck the milk in the cupboard and the cereal in the refrigerator, you may have been the victim of a tired brain region that was taking a quick nap. ... > full story

New technique extends cancer-fighting cells' potency in melanoma patients (April 28, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a technique -- a form of "adoptive immunotherapy" -- that can enable anti-tumor T cells to survive in melanoma patients' bloodstreams for well over a year, in some cases. The results represent the longest that injected anti-tumor T cells have ever endured in cancer patients without the use of supplemental treatments. ... > full story

Indigenous cases of leprosy found in the Southern United States: Human contamination through contact with armadillos (April 28, 2011) -- Using advanced DNA analysis and extensive field work, an international research team has confirmed the link between leprosy infection in Americans and direct contact with armadillos. Clear evidence was found that a never-before-seen strain of Mycobacterium leprae has emerged in the Southern United States and that it is transmitted through contact with armadillos carrying the disease. ... > full story

Americans still may not be getting enough calcium (April 28, 2011) -- Americans may not be getting enough calcium in their diets, according to a new study. This study is unique among those focusing on calcium intake in the US population because both dietary and supplemental sources were evaluated across adult age groups and compared to accompanying patterns in energy intake. ... > full story

Carbohydrate adhesion gives stainless steel implants beneficial new functions (April 28, 2011) -- A new chemical bonding process can add new functions to stainless steel and make it a more useful material for implanted biomedical devices. This new process was developed to address some of the problems associated with the introduction of stainless steel into the human body. ... > full story

Power and choice are interchangeable: It's all about controlling your life (April 28, 2011) -- Having power over others and having choices in your own life share a critical foundation: control, according to a new study. New research finds that people are willing to trade one source of control for the other. For example, if people lack power, they clamor for choice, and if they have an abundance of choice they don't strive as much for power. ... > full story

Geologists solve mystery of the Colorado Plateau (April 28, 2011) -- Scientists have figured out why the Colorado Plateau -- a 130,000-square-mile region that straddles Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico -- is rising even while parts of its lower crust appear to be falling. The massive, tectonically stable region of the western United States has long puzzled geologists. ... > full story

Vitamin E helps diminish a type of fatty liver disease in children, study suggests (April 28, 2011) -- A specific form of vitamin E improved the most severe form of fatty liver disease in some children, according to a new study. A previous study found vitamin E effective in some adults with the disease. ... > full story

Novel microorganism 'Nitrososphaera viennensis' isolated (April 28, 2011) -- Microorganisms play an important role in global nutrient cycles. A research team has isolated the first ammonium oxidizing Archaeon from a soil in Vienna and thus proved its activity. ... > full story

Severity of hepatitis C and HIV co-infection in mothers contribute to HCV transmission to child (April 28, 2011) -- New research shows that high maternal viral load and co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are the only risk factors associated with vertical transmission of the hepatitis C virus (HCV-VT). A variation in the infant's IL28B gene is associated independently with the spontaneous clearance of HCV genotype-1 among infected children. ... > full story

A surprise: China’s energy consumption will stabilize (April 28, 2011) -- Well before 2050, China's energy use will level off, even as its population edges past 1.4 billion, according to a new study. There will come a time -- within the next two decades -- when the number of people in China acquiring cars, larger homes, and other accouterments of industrialized societies will peak. Between 2030 and 2035, the steeply rising curve of energy demand in China will begin to moderate and flatten thereafter. ... > full story

Leader beliefs about followers impact company success (April 28, 2011) -- How leaders view their employees tends to become a self-fulfilling prophecy, which affects company success. Managers’ conceptions of employees affect job satisfaction, relationships and trust. ... > full story

Neurorobotics reveals brain mechanisms of self-consciousness (April 27, 2011) -- A new study uses creative engineering to unravel brain mechanisms associated with one of the most fundamental subjective human feelings: self-consciousness. The research identifies a brain region called the temporo-parietal junction as being critical for the feeling of being an entity localized at a particular position in space and for perceiving the world from this position and perspective. ... > full story

Comprehensive collection of approved drugs created to identify new therapies (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have begun screening the first definitive collection of thousands of approved drugs for clinical use against rare and neglected diseases. They are hunting for additional uses of the drugs hoping to find off-label therapies, for some of the 6,000 rare diseases that afflict 25 million Americans. ... > full story

Agulhas ocean current 'leakage', fueled by global warming, could stabilize Atlantic overturning circulation (April 27, 2011) -- The Agulhas Current which runs along the east coast of Africa may not be as well known as its counterpart in the Atlantic, the Gulf Stream, but researchers are now taking a much closer look at this current and its "leakage" from the Indian Ocean into the Atlantic Ocean. Agulhas Leakage could be a significant player in global climate variability, according to new research. ... > full story

Medical sleuthing linked muscle, kidney problems to kava tea (April 27, 2011) -- When a 34-year-old bicyclist was found collapsed on a roadside and rushed to the emergency room on the verge of kidney failure and muscle breakdown, doctors were surprised to discover that a trendy tea derived from the kava plant was the cause of his ills. ... > full story

Green UV sterilization: Switching on LEDs to save energy and the environment (April 27, 2011) -- Ultraviolet light can safely sterilize food, water and medical equipment by disrupting the DNA and other reproductive molecules in harmful bacteria. Traditionally, mercury lamps have supplied this UV light, however mercury release from power generation and lamp disposal have generated discussion of harmful environmental impact. A potentially energy efficient and non-toxic alternative is the light-emitting diode, or LED, which can be made to emit at almost any desired wavelength. ... > full story

1918 influenza pandemic (Spanish flu): Large differences in mortality between urban and isolated rural areas (April 27, 2011) -- In urban communities, less than 1 in 100 inhabitants died from Spanish flu in 1918, but in isolated communities up to 9 out of 10 died. An important explanation for the differences is due to different exposure to influenza in the decades before the Spanish flu came. Those living in urban communities probably had a higher degree of pre-existing immunity that protected against illness and death in 1918 than those living in very isolated rural areas. ... > full story

Origami not just for paper anymore: DNA, folded into complex shapes, could have a big impact on nanotechnology (April 27, 2011) -- Scientists have developed software that makes it easier to predict the three-dimensional shape that will result from a given DNA template. While the software doesn't fully automate the design process, it makes it considerably easier for designers to create complex 3-D structures, controlling their flexibility and potentially their folding stability. ... > full story

Cholesterol drugs may improve blood flow after stroke (April 27, 2011) -- Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins may help clot-busting drugs treat strokes, according to researchers. ... > full story

How mosquitoes handle the heat of a hot blood meal (April 27, 2011) -- Mosquitoes make proteins to help them handle the stressful spike in body temperature that's prompted by their hot blood meals, a new study has found. The mosquito's eating pattern is inherently risky: Taking a blood meal involves finding warm-blooded hosts, avoiding detection, penetrating tough skin and evading any host immune response, not to mention the slap of a human hand. ... > full story

Promising pancreatic cancer screening marker identified (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a protein that shows distinct changes in structure between pancreatic cancer, non-cancerous diseases and normal blood serum. The finding suggests a blood test could serve as a potential screening tool to detect pancreatic cancer. ... > full story

Researchers advance toward hybrid spintronic computer chips (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have created the first electronic circuit to merge traditional inorganic semiconductors with organic "spintronics" -- devices that utilize the spin of electrons to read, write and manipulate data. Scientists combined an inorganic semiconductor with a unique plastic material currently under development. ... > full story

Motivation plays a critical role in determining IQ test scores (April 27, 2011) -- New psychology research demonstrates a correlation between a test-taker's motivation and performance on an IQ test and, more important, between that performance and a person's future success. ... > full story

Caterpillars inspire new movements in soft robots (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have been examining the diverse behaviors of caterpillars to find solutions for the new generation of search and rescue soft robots. Despite their extreme flexibility and adaptability, current soft-bodied robots are often limited by their slow speed, leading the researchers to turn to terrestrial soft-bodied animals for inspiration. Some caterpillars have the extraordinary ability to rapidly curl themselves into a wheel and propel themselves away from predators. Researchers saw this as an opportunity to design a robot that mimics this behavior of caterpillars and to develop a better understanding of the mechanics behind ballistic rolling. ... > full story

Increased metabolic rate may lead to accelerated aging (April 27, 2011) -- A recent study found that higher metabolic rates predict early natural mortality, indicating that higher energy turnover may accelerate aging in humans. ... > full story

3-D terahertz cloaking (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have created a new kind of cloaking material that can render objects invisible in the terahertz range. Though this design can't translate into an invisibility cloak for the visible spectrum, it could have implications in diagnostics, security, and communication. ... > full story

Studies of mutated protein in Lou Gehrig’s disease reveal new paths for drug discovery (April 27, 2011) -- Several genes have been linked to ALS, with one of the most recent called FUS. Two new studies examined FUS biology in yeast and found that defects in RNA biology may be central to how FUS contributes to ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. These findings point to new targets for developing drugs. ... > full story

Mercury converted to its most toxic form in ocean waters (April 27, 2011) -- New research has confirmed that a relatively harmless inorganic form of mercury found worldwide in ocean water is transformed into a potent neurotoxin in the seawater itself. ... > full story

Music changes perception, research shows (April 27, 2011) -- Music is not only able to affect your mood -- listening to particularly happy or sad music can even change the way we perceive the world, according to new research. ... > full story

Full 3-D invisibility cloak in visible light (April 27, 2011) -- Watching things disappear is an amazing experience. But making items vanish is not the reason scientists work to create invisibility cloaks. Rather, the magic-like tricks are attractive demonstrations of the fantastic capabilities that new optical theories and nanotechnology construction methods now enable. ... > full story

Men's and women's immune systems respond differently to PTSD (April 27, 2011) -- Men and women had starkly different immune system responses to chronic post-traumatic stress disorder, with men showing no response and women showing a strong response, in two new studies. ... > full story

Novel ash analysis validates volcano no-fly zones (April 27, 2011) -- Air safety authorities essentially had to fly blind when the ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull caused them to close the airspace over Europe last year. Now nanoscientists have developed a way to provide the necessary information within hours. ... > full story

Strides made in understanding amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have made a significant advance in the effort to understand amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by successfully reversing the toxicity of the mutated protein in the familial type of the disease. Currently there is no cure or prevention for the disease, which affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Medical researchers now report success in blocking the lethal effects of the gene by placing several human genes into a yeast cell that shows many similar features to the disease-causing proteins. ... > full story

Nuclear photonics: Gamma rays search for concealed nuclear threats (April 27, 2011) -- Gamma rays are the most energetic type of light wave and can penetrate through lead and other thick containers. A powerful new source of gamma rays will allow officials to search for hidden reactor fuel/nuclear bomb material. ... > full story

What can twins tell us about mate choice? (April 27, 2011) -- What factors influence our choice of a mate? Is it our genes? Does a man look for someone like his mother and a woman someone her father? None of the above, according to a study of Australian twins. ... > full story

New evidence on origin of supernovas (April 27, 2011) -- Astronomers may now know the cause of an historic supernova explosion that is an important type of object for investigating dark energy in the universe. The discovery also provides strong evidence that a star can survive the explosive impact generated when a companion star goes supernova. ... > full story

Topical treatment may prevent melanoma (April 27, 2011) -- While incidents of melanoma continue to increase despite the use of sunscreen and skin screenings, a topical compound called ISC-4 may prevent melanoma lesion formation, according to researchers. ... > full story

New heat pump could last 10,000 years, experts say (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers in Norway are testing an entirely new kind of heat pump. While heat pumps used today typically last 10 to 20 years, the new one will last practically indefinitely, the scientists believe. ... > full story

Motor protein may offer promise in ovarian cancer treatment (April 27, 2011) -- A motor regulatory protein can block human ovarian tumor growth, leading to eventual cancer cell death and possible new therapies to treat the disease, according to researchers. ... > full story

RAD-tagging technology is demystifying genome sequencing (April 27, 2011) -- Take millions of puzzle pieces containing partial words and create full words, sentences, paragraphs and chapters until a book is rebuilt. That process is like sequencing a genome, says a biologist who has published a proof-of-principle article on a patent-pending technology. ... > full story

Brain imaging demonstrates that former smokers have greater willpower than smokers (April 27, 2011) -- A new study compares former smokers to current smokers, and obtains insight into how to quit smoking might be discovered by studying the brains of those who have successfully managed to do so. ... > full story

New 'nanobead' approach could revolutionize sensor technology (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have found a way to use magnetic "nanobeads" to help detect chemical and biological agents, with possible applications in everything from bioterrorism to medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring or even water and food safety. When fully developed as a hand-held, portable sensor, like something you might see in a science fiction movie, it will provide a whole diagnostic laboratory on a single chip. The research could revolutionize the size, speed and accuracy of chemical detection systems around the world. ... > full story

Vitamin D may help explain racial differences in blood pressure (April 27, 2011) -- High blood pressure, or hypertension, is more common and often more deadly in blacks than in whites, and a new study shows that low vitamin D levels among black people might be a powerful factor that contributes to the racial differences in hypertension. ... > full story

Wind turbines: In the wake of the wind (April 27, 2011) -- Wind turbines not only produce power, they produce wakes -- similar to what forms in bodies of water -- that are invisible ripples and waves and other disturbances in the atmosphere downstream that can damage turbines and decrease efficiency. Researchers are launching a study of those wakes, with an eye toward improving the efficiency of wind farms. ... > full story

A potential novel drug-target for colorectal cancer treatment comes from the brain (April 27, 2011) -- Scientists have found that a brain-derived protein known to be involved in tumor growth, metastasis and drug resistance in a number of cancers, including some non-neurological cancers, is also found in colorectal cancer. The study provides the first evidence of BDNF presence in colon cancer and offers new insights into its potential contribution to tumor progression and resistance to some types of antitumor drugs. ... > full story

Choosing the right electric vehicles batteries for the future (April 27, 2011) -- One of the most important decisions facing designers of plug-in electric or hybrid vehicles is related to battery choice. Now, researchers have used a life cycle analysis to examine three vehicle battery types to determine which does the best job of powering the vehicle while causing the least amount of environmental impact during its production. ... > full story

Looks do matter, particularly when it comes to neighborhoods (April 27, 2011) -- It's an unfamiliar neighborhood and you find yourself in the middle of a bunch of streets and buildings you've never seen before. Giving the environment a quick once-over, you make a snap decision about whether you're safe or not. And chances are, that first 'gut' call is the right one, say experts. ... > full story

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