ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Wednesday, May 25, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Wednesday, May 25, 2011

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Birch mouse ancestor discovered in Inner Mongolia is new species of rare 'living fossil' (May 25, 2011) -- Fossils from Inner Mongolia are a new species of birch mice, Sicista primus. This significantly extends the geologic history of the rodent family that includes jumping mice. The teeth from sediments 17 million years old distinguish the birch mice genus Sicista as a rare "living fossil" and indicate Sicista migrated from Asia to North America, contrary to what scientists previously hypothesized. ... > full story

Heart failure risk lower in women who often eat baked/broiled fish (May 25, 2011) -- Risk of developing heart failure may be lower for postmenopausal women who frequently eat baked or broiled fish, but higher for those who eat more fried fish, according to researchers. In a recent study, dark fish such as salmon was healthier for the heart than tuna or white fish such as sole. Eating fried fish one or more times per week was associated with a 48 percent higher risk of heart failure in postmenopausal women compared to those who ate it infrequently. ... > full story

Seeing an atomic thickness (May 25, 2011) -- Scientists in the UK and Sweden have shown that regions of graphene of different thickness can be easily identified in ambient conditions using electrostatic force microscopy. ... > full story

Low-risk patients screened for heart disease tend to receive more preventive care and testing, but outcomes may not be different (May 25, 2011) -- Screening for coronary heart disease (CHD) among individuals at low risk of the condition is associated with increased use of medications (such as aspirin and statins) and increased additional testing, but no difference in cardiac events at 18 months, according to a new report. ... > full story

Once thought a rival phase, antiferromagnetism coexists with superconductivity (May 25, 2011) -- Using neutron scattering and scanning tunneling microscopy, an international team of researchers found that antiantiferromagnetism co-exists -- rather than exclusively competing -- with superconductivity, according to a new study. The findings add further evidence to the team's earlier discovery that spin excitations play a crucial role in superconductivity. ... > full story

Migration an overlooked health policy issue, experts say (May 25, 2011) -- If internal and international migrants comprised a nation, it would be the third most populous country in the world, just after China and India. Thus, there can be little doubt that population mobility is among the leading policy issues of the 21st century. However, policies to protect migrants and global health have so far been hampered by inadequate policy attention and poor international coordination. ... > full story

Unusual earthquake gave Japan tsunami extra punch, say scientists (May 25, 2011) -- The March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan were generated on a fault that didn't rupture the usual way, according to researchers. The rupture initially shot westward, then slowed and began rupturing rapidly eastward. The "flip-flop" fault motion first shook Honshu violently, then deformed seafloor sediments on the fault plane with such force that they triggered the huge tsunami. What researchers don't know is whether comparable faults could behave in a similar fashion. ... > full story

Injection therapy for sudden hearing loss disorder may be suitable alternative to oral steroids (May 25, 2011) -- Treating idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss with injections of steroids directly into the ear appears to result in recovery of hearing that is not less than recovery obtained with the standard therapy of oral corticosteroids and may be a preferable treatment for some patients to avoid the potential adverse effects of oral steroids, according to a new study. ... > full story

Expanded Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope flexing new scientific muscle (May 25, 2011) -- The famous Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope has become the Expanded VLA -- a completely new scientific instrument with dramatically improved capabilities. Results from early users show these new capabilities can impact nearly the entire breadth of astronomical research. ... > full story

Healing power of hydrogen peroxide: How injured cells regenerate during wound healing (May 25, 2011) -- New information has come to light explaining how injured skin cells and touch-sensing nerve fibers regenerate during wound healing. It was found that a chemical signal released by wounded skin cells promotes the regeneration of sensory fibers, thus helping to ensure that touch sensation is restored to healing skin. The reactive oxygen species hydrogen peroxide, which is found at high concentrations at wounds, was found to be a key component of this signal. ... > full story

A new system increases network communication security and anonymity (May 25, 2011) -- Researchers have developed an anonymous system with automatic routing management. The system sets up a data transmission communication environment whose users are unidentifiable. This safeguards user privacy, as well as improving information exchange security, making both data sending and receiving more effective. To do this, it uses multipoint software based on client-server applications. ... > full story

Medical students have substantial exposure to pharmaceutical industry marketing (May 25, 2011) -- Medical students in the United States are frequently exposed to pharmaceutical marketing, even in their preclinical years, and the extent of their contact with industry is associated with positive attitudes about marketing and skepticism towards any negative implications. ... > full story

How to learn a star's true age (May 24, 2011) -- For many movie stars, their age is a well-kept secret. In space, the same is true of the actual stars. Like our sun, most stars look almost the same for most of their lives. So how can we tell if a star is one billion or 10 billion years old? Astronomers may have found a solution -- measuring the star's spin. ... > full story

Certain biomarkers appear to increase risk of death for elderly patients with heart failure symptoms (May 24, 2011) -- Elderly patients with symptoms of heart failure and increased concentrations in the blood of the biomarker copeptin, or a combination of elevated concentrations of copeptin and the biomarker NT-proBNP, had an associated increased risk of all-cause death, according to a new study. ... > full story

Beyond the barn: Keeping dairy cows outside is good for the outdoors (May 24, 2011) -- Computer simulation studies suggest that a dairy cow living year-round in the great outdoors may leave a markedly smaller ecological hoofprint than its more sheltered sisters. ... > full story

Biomedical engineering students fight hypothermia on the battlefield (May 24, 2011) -- A team of biomedical engineering students is developing a new device to combat hypothermia among wounded soldiers. ... > full story

Too easy to steal cargo from transport networks: Research points to solutions (May 24, 2011) -- Each year, billions of euros worth of goods are being stolen from European transport networks. A discouraged transport and logistics sector has more or less chosen to tolerate the problem. But there are solutions, according to one researcher. ... > full story

Study finds widening gap between distracted driving and legislation (May 24, 2011) -- Laws to prevent distracted driving, particularly in relation to cell phone use, have multiplied; a new study finds that there is a widening gap between the data on distracted driving and the laws used to curb it. ... > full story

Population genetics reveals shared ancestries: DNA links modern Europeans, Middle Easterners to Sub-Saharan Africans (May 24, 2011) -- More than just a tool for predicting health, modern genetics is upending long-held assumptions about who we are. A recent study casts new light on the intermingling and migration of European, Middle Eastern and African and populations since ancient times. ... > full story

Brisk walking may help men with prostate cancer, study finds (May 24, 2011) -- A study of 1,455 US men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer has found a link between brisk walking and lowered risk of prostate cancer progression, according to scientists. ... > full story

What makes an image memorable? (May 24, 2011) -- Neuroscientists shows that the most memorable photos are those that contain people, followed by static indoor scenes and human-scale objects. Landscapes? They may be beautiful, but they are, in most cases, utterly forgettable. ... > full story

Kids dependent on long-term ventilation require longer, more expensive hospital care, study finds (May 24, 2011) -- A new study found that children with complex chronic conditions who require long-term mechanical ventilation have significantly higher mortality, longer length of hospitalizations, higher mean charges, and more emergency department admissions. ... > full story

Rethinking extinction risk? Criteria for assessing risk of extinction in plants should be reconsidered, experts argue (May 24, 2011) -- For over 40 years, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has published the Red List of Threatened Species describing the conservation status of various species of animals. They're now also including plants in their lists and the picture they present is dramatic: according to recent estimates, around 20 percent of flowering plants are at risk of extinction. Now, however, new research suggests that the criteria for assessing extinction risk in plants should be reconsidered. ... > full story

Mexico social distancing reduced flu transmission: H1N1 study shows closing schools, other measures effective (May 24, 2011) -- Social distancing measures proved effective according to a new study that examined the H1N1 pandemic in Mexico. The study shows three distinct pandemic waves. Results will aid health officials plan for future pandemics. ... > full story

Two Greenland glaciers lose enough ice to fill Lake Erie (May 24, 2011) -- A new study aimed at refining the way scientists measure ice loss in Greenland is providing a "high-definition picture" of climate-caused changes on the island. And the picture isn't pretty. In the last decade, two of the largest three glaciers draining that frozen landscape have lost enough ice that, if melted, could have filled Lake Erie. ... > full story

Bipolar disorder and postural control: Mind-body connection suggests new directions for treatment, research (May 24, 2011) -- A new study suggests that postural control problems may be a core feature of bipolar disorder, not just a random symptom, and can provide insights both into areas of the brain affected by the psychiatric disorder and new potential targets for treatment. The findings raises the question of whether therapies that improve motor symptoms may also help mood disorders. ... > full story

Universe's not-so-missing mass (May 24, 2011) -- An Australian student has made a breakthrough in the field of astrophysics, discovering what has until now been described as the universe's "missing mass." Amelia Fraser-McKelvie, working within a team of physicists, conducted a targeted X-ray search for the matter and within just three months found it – or at least some of it. ... > full story

Cockroach allergens in homes associated with prevalence of childhood asthma in some neighborhoods (May 24, 2011) -- Researchers compared the household presence of cockroach, mouse, cat, dust mite and other allergens in neighborhoods with a high prevalence of asthma to that in low-prevalence neighborhoods. They found that cockroach, mouse and cat allergens were significantly higher in homes located in neighborhoods where asthma is more common and that children in these higher-exposure homes were more likely to be sensitized to cockroach antigens. ... > full story

Mathematically ranking ranking methods (May 24, 2011) -- In a world where everything from placement in a Google search result to World Cup eligibility depends on ranking and numerical ratings of some kind, it is becoming increasingly important to analyze the algorithms and techniques that underlie such ranking methods in order to ensure fairness, eliminate bias and tailor them to specific applications. A new paper three commonly used ranking methods. ... > full story

Theater-goers, volunteers take heart: Cultural activities are good for your health, Norwegian study finds (May 24, 2011) -- Does going to the theater make you feel good? Or perhaps you love to volunteer in creating exhibits and displays for the local library? A new study from researchers in Norway shows that participating in different cultural activities -- whether in schools, at church, or in the community at large -- is more than just good for your friends and neighbors. It is also good for your health. ... > full story

Nearby supernova factory ramps up (May 24, 2011) -- A local supernova factory has recently started production, according to a wealth of new data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory on the Carina Nebula. This discovery may help astronomers better understand how some of the Galaxy's heaviest and youngest stars race through their lives and release newly-forged elements into their surroundings. ... > full story

Acetaminophen linked to lower prostate cancer risk in new study (May 24, 2011) -- A new study finds use of 30 tablets a month or more of acetaminophen for five or more years was associated with an estimated 38 percent lower risk of prostate cancer. ... > full story

New way to analyze a bloody crime scene: Chicken wing sauce and trigonometry brought to bear on CSI enigma (May 24, 2011) -- Physicists have worked out a system that can often determine exactly where blood spatters originate, a critical piece of evidence in not only solving a crime but securing a conviction. ... > full story

Antibody-guided drug works against acute lymphoblastic leukemia (May 24, 2011) -- An antibody packaged with a potent chemotherapy drug to selectively destroy acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells eradicated or greatly reduced the disease for 61 percent of 46 patients in a phase II study. ... > full story

Common fire retardant harmful to aquatic life (May 24, 2011) -- Environmental health researchers found that zebra fish exposed to several different technical mixtures of polybrominated diphenyl ethers -- a common fire retardant -- during early development can have developmental malformations, changes in behavior and death. ... > full story

Violence doesn't add to children's enjoyment of TV shows, movies (May 24, 2011) -- Despite growing concern about the effects of media violence on children, violent television shows and movies continue to be produced and marketed to them. A new research study concludes that violence doesn't add anything to their enjoyment of such programs and their characters. ... > full story

Novel artificial material could facilitate wireless power (May 24, 2011) -- Electrical engineers have determined that unique artificial materials should theoretically make it possible to improve the power transfer to small devices, such as laptops or cell phones, or ultimately to larger ones, such as cars or elevators, without wires. ... > full story

Natural product shows pain-killing properties (May 24, 2011) -- Scientists have for the first time accomplished a laboratory synthesis of a rare natural product isolated from the bark of a plant widely employed in traditional medicine. This advance may provide the scientific foundation to develop an effective alternative to commonly prescribed narcotic pain treatments. ... > full story

Hubble views the star that changed the universe (May 24, 2011) -- Though the universe is filled with billions upon billions of stars, the discovery of a single variable star in 1923 altered the course of modern astronomy. And, at least one famous astronomer of the time lamented that the discovery had shattered his world view. The star goes by the inauspicious name of Hubble variable number one, or V1, and resides in the outer regions of the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, or M31. ... > full story

New genetic testing technology for IVF embryos (May 24, 2011) -- Researchers have devised a new technique, which helps couples that are affected by or are carriers of genetic diseases have in vitro fertilized babies free of both the disease in question and other chromosomal abnormalities. ... > full story

Scientists find odd twist in slow 'earthquakes': Tremor running backwards (May 24, 2011) -- Scientists find that in an unfelt, weeks-long seismic phenomenon called episodic tremor and slip, the tremor can suddenly reverse direction and travel back through areas of the fault that it had ruptured in preceding days. ... > full story

Eggs, butter, milk: Memory is not just a shopping list (May 24, 2011) -- Often, the goal of science is to show that things are not what they seem to be. But now, in a new article, a veteran cognitive psychologist exhorts his colleagues in memory research to consult the truth of their own experience. ... > full story

Particle trap paves way for personalized medicine (May 24, 2011) -- Researchers have trapped individual charged particles in an aqueous solution using a method called "Paul trapping," which uses oscillating electric fields to confine the particles to a space only nanometers in size. The technique paves the way for DNA trapping and sequencing, which would allow for diagnostic testing, therapies and treatments based on each patient's individual genetic makeup. ... > full story

Study of stem cell diseases advanced by new technique (May 24, 2011) -- A rare genetic disease called dyskeratosis congenita, caused by the rapid shortening of telomeres (protective caps on the ends of chromosomes), can be mimicked through the study of undifferentiated induced pluripotent stem cells, according to new findings. ... > full story

Mushroom compound suppresses prostate tumors (May 24, 2011) -- A mushroom used in Asia for its medicinal benefits has been found to be 100 percent effective in suppressing prostate tumor development in mice during early trials, new research shows. ... > full story

Weight gain between first and second pregnancies increases woman's gestational diabetes risk, study finds (May 24, 2011) -- Compared with women whose weight remained stable, body mass index gains between the first and second pregnancy were associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in the second pregnancy. But losing weight between the first and second pregnancies appeared to reduce GDM risk in a second pregnancy, particularly for women who were overweight or obese to begin with, according to a new study. ... > full story

Supercapacitors: Cheaper, greener, alternative energy storage (May 24, 2011) -- Students are working on a supercapacitor that will allow us to harness more solar energy through biochar electrodes for supercapacitors, resulting in a cleaner, greener planet. ... > full story

Information overload in drug side effect labeling (May 24, 2011) -- Lists of potential side effects that accompany prescription drugs have ballooned in size, averaging 70 reactions per drug. In a new study, researchers analyzed more than 5,600 labels and have quantified just how complex drug labels have become. ... > full story

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