ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Thursday, June 30, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Thursday, June 30, 2011

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Nanoparticles disguised as red blood cells to deliver cancer-fighting drugs (June 30, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a novel method of disguising nanoparticles as red blood cells, which will enable them to evade the body's immune system and deliver cancer-fighting drugs straight to a tumor. ... > full story

New therapy for childhood neuroblastoma proves feasible and safe, study finds (June 30, 2011) -- A new treatment option may soon be available for children with neuroblastoma, according to new research. ... > full story

Average U.S. temperature increases by 0.5 degrees F (June 30, 2011) -- According to the 1981-2010 normals to be released by the U.S. National Climatic Data Center, temperatures across the United States were on average, approximately 0.5 degree F warmer than the 1971-2000 time period. Normals serve as a 30 year baseline average of important climate variables that are used to understand average climate conditions at any location and serve as a consistent point of reference. The new normals update the 30-year averages of climatological variables, including average temperature and precipitation for more than 7,500 locations across the United States. ... > full story

Internet program reduces infant and toddler sleep problems, helps moms sleep better too (June 30, 2011) -- A new study demonstrates that an Internet-based intervention was effective at reducing infant and toddler sleep disturbances, as well as providing positive, indirect benefits for maternal sleep, mood and confidence. The study suggests that the Internet can give parents widespread access to individualized, behaviorally based advice for sleep problems in young children. ... > full story

Scientists developing robotic hand of the future (June 30, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain are working to create a robotic hand that can reproduce the abilities and movements of a human hand in order to achieve the optimal manipulation of objects. ... > full story

Text message support for smokers doubles quit rates (June 30, 2011) -- Cell phones could hold the key to people giving up smoking after a program involving sending motivational and supportive text messages to smokers doubled quit rates at six months. ... > full story

2010 one of two warmest years on record; El Niño-Southern Oscillation and other climate patterns play major role (June 30, 2011) -- Worldwide, 2010 was one of the two warmest years on record, according to a new report by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The peer-reviewed report, compiled by 368 scientists from 45 countries, provides a detailed, yearly update on global climate indicators, notable climate events and other climate information from every continent. ... > full story

Possible way to make bladder cancer cells more susceptible to chemotherapy (June 30, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a way of sensitizing muscle-invasive bladder cancer cells so that they succumb to the toxic effects of chemotherapy. ... > full story

'Sensing skin' could monitor the health of concrete infrastructure continually and inexpensively (June 30, 2011) -- Civil engineers and physicists have designed a new method for the electronic, continual monitoring of concrete infrastructure. The researchers say a flexible skin-like fabric with electrical properties could be adhered to areas of structures where cracks are likely to appear, such as the underside of a bridge, and detect cracks when they occur. Installing this "sensing skin" would be as simple as gluing it to a structure's surface. ... > full story

Blocking molecular target could make more cancers treatable with PARP inhibitors (June 30, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated a molecular strategy they say could make a much larger variety of tumors treatable with PARP inhibitors, a promising new class of cancer drugs. They report that the BRCA1 repair protein is dependent on the protein CDK1. When the scientists blocked CDK1 in cancer cell lines and in a mouse model of lung cancer, BRCA1 function was disrupted, making them susceptible to being killed by a PARP inhibitor. ... > full story

Outpatient electronic prescribing systems don't cut out common mistakes, study suggests (June 30, 2011) -- Outpatient electronic prescribing systems don't cut out the common mistakes made in manual systems, new research suggests. ... > full story

Flexible schedule is key to keeping working moms on the job (June 30, 2011) -- Women who return to work after giving birth are more likely to stay on the job if they have greater control over their work schedules. Researchers also found that job security and the ability to make use of a variety of their job skills leads to greater retention of working moms, while the impact of work-related stress on their physical and mental health causes greater turnover. ... > full story

Rockin' tortoises: A 150-year-old new species (June 29, 2011) -- Researchers investigated a desert tortoise from the United States Southwest and northwestern Mexico. What was thought to be a simple problem in species identification turned out to be a very complex matter. Their investigations required forensic genetics and several other methods. In the end, they found it necessary to describe a new species. More than that, the discovery has very important implications for conservation and the development of the deserts of southern California. ... > full story

Components of speech recognition pathway in humans identified (June 29, 2011) -- Neuroscientists have defined, for the first time, three different processing stages that a human brain needs to identify sounds such as speech -- and discovered that they are the same as ones identified in non-human primates. ... > full story

New malaria protein structure upends theory of how cells grow and move (June 29, 2011) -- Researchers have now overturned conventional wisdom on how cell movement across all species is controlled, solving the structure of a protein that cuts power to the cell "motor". The protein could be a potential drug target for future malaria and anti-cancer treatments. ... > full story

Model of a migraine indicates increased neuronal excitability as a possible cause (June 29, 2011) -- Familial hemiplegic migraine is a rare and severe subtype of migraine with aura, an unusual sensory experience preceding the migraine attack. Researchers in Italy have developed a mouse model of familial hemiplegic migraine type 2 and used it to investigate the migraine's cause. ... > full story

Ultra-sensitive graphene device for spintronics (June 29, 2011) -- A team of European scientist has developed a device capable of detecting an individual magnetic molecule. Such an unprecedented sensitivity opens new paths for spintronics. ... > full story

Can soda tax curb obesity? Surprising reason why soda tax to reduce obesity won't work (June 29, 2011) -- To many, a tax on soda is a no-brainer in advancing the nation's war on obesity. Advocates point to a number of recent studies in that conclude that sugary drinks have a lot to do with why Americans are getting fatter. But obese people tend to drink diet sodas, and therefore taxing soft drinks with added sugar or other sweeteners is not a good weapon in combating obesity, according to a new study. ... > full story

Who's happy? How long we look at happy faces is in our genes (June 29, 2011) -- Though we all depend on reading people's faces, each of us sees others' faces a bit differently. At one end of this spectrum people with autism spectrum conditions look less at other people's faces, and have trouble understanding others people's feelings. New research has found variations of the cannabinoid receptor gene that alter the amount of time people spend looking at happy faces. ... > full story

Multiple sclerosis-like disease discovered in monkeys (June 29, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a naturally occurring disease in monkeys that is very much like multiple sclerosis in humans -- a discovery that could have a major impact on efforts to understand the cause of multiple sclerosis. ... > full story

Ghrelin likely involved in why we choose 'comfort foods' when stressed (June 29, 2011) -- A new study suggests that ghrelin -- the so-called "hunger hormone" -- is involved in why some people turn to "comfort foods" when stressed. ... > full story

SIV-resistant monkeys close the gates to viral infection (June 29, 2011) -- Sooty mangabeys, a type of African monkey, can survive infection by SIV, a relative of HIV, and not succumb to AIDS. Researchers have now identified a way some of sooty mangabeys' immune cells resist infection: they close the gates that SIV and HIV use to get into the cell. The findings may lead to strategies to help HIV-infected individuals cope better with infection. ... > full story

Growing plants on oil contaminated land (June 29, 2011) -- What happens when there is an oil spill on land? Who cleans it up and how do they do it? By optimizing the use of naturally occurring bacteria, a group of scientists was able to clean contaminated soil without using either chemicals or GMOs. ... > full story

Many Americans approve of stem cell research for curing serious diseases (June 29, 2011) -- While research using human embryonic stem cells has roused political controversy for almost two decades, little has been done to scientifically assess American attitudes on the subject. New research provides decision-makers with a much clearer picture of how their constituents truly feel about the subject. ... > full story

Silver pen has the write stuff for flexible electronics (June 29, 2011) -- The pen may have bested the sword long ago, but now it's challenging wires and soldering irons. Engineers have developed a silver-inked rollerball pen capable of writing electrical circuits and interconnects on paper, wood and other surfaces. The pen is writing whole new chapters in low-cost, flexible and disposable electronics. ... > full story

Low body fat may not lower risk for heart disease and diabetes, genetic study shows (June 29, 2011) -- Having a lower percentage of body fat may not always lower your risk for heart disease and diabetes, according to a new study. ... > full story

New method for imaging molecules inside cells (June 29, 2011) -- Using a new sample holder, researchers have further developed a new method for imaging individual cells. This makes it possible to produce snapshots that not only show the outline of the cell's contours but also the various molecules inside or on the surface of the cell, and exactly where they are located, something which is impossible with a normal microscope. ... > full story

Mechanism by which chronic stress causes brain disease identified (June 29, 2011) -- Chronic stress has long been linked with neurodegeneration. Scientists at now think they may know why. ... > full story

Prodigal plankton species makes first known migration from Pacific to Atlantic via Pole (June 29, 2011) -- Scientists say the melting Arctic has opened a Northwest Passage for Pacific species to enter the Atlantic, including a tiny plankton, unseen in the Atlantic for 800,000 years -- a return unwelcome due to its impact on the marine food web. ... > full story

Lack of empathy following traumatic brain injury associated with reduced responsiveness to anger (June 29, 2011) -- Egocentric, self-centred, and insensitive to the needs of others: these social problems often arise in people with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and have been attributed in part to a loss of emotional empathy, the capacity to recognise and understand the emotions of other people. A new study has recently revealed evidence of a relationship between physiological responses to anger and a reduction of emotional empathy post-injury. ... > full story

Universe's most distant quasar found, powered by massive black hole (June 29, 2011) -- A team of European astronomers has used European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope and a host of other telescopes to discover and study the most distant quasar found to date. This brilliant beacon, powered by a black hole with a mass two billion times that of the Sun, is by far the brightest object yet discovered in the early Universe. ... > full story

Natural gases as a therapy for heart disease? (June 29, 2011) -- An understanding of the interaction between hydrogen sulphide (the 'rotten eggs' gas) and nitric oxide, both naturally occurring in the body, could lead to the development of new therapies and interventions to treat heart failure. Researchers have analyzed the complex "cross talk" between hydrogen sulfide and nitric oxide, both gasses that occur naturally in the body, and found that the interaction may offer potential strategies in the management of heart failure. ... > full story

A happy life is a long one for orangutans (June 29, 2011) -- New research has shown that happier orangutans live longer which may provide insight into the evolution of happiness in humans. Researchers asked keepers who work with orangutans to answer questions about happiness on the animals' behalf. Orangutans which were scored as happier by their keepers were more likely to live longer. ... > full story

Evolution of skin and ovarian cancer cells (June 29, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a way to uncover the evolution of human cancer cells, determining the order in which mutations emerge in them as they wend their way from a normal, healthy state into invasive, malignant masses. ... > full story

Farm animal disease to increase with climate change, scientists say (June 29, 2011) -- Scientists have shown that recent climate change could have caused a serious infectious disease in farm animals to spread through Europe. ... > full story

Dyslexia linked to difficulties in perceiving rhythmic patterns in music (June 29, 2011) -- Children with dyslexia often find it difficult to count the number of syllables in spoken words or to determine whether words rhyme. These subtle difficulties are seen across languages with different writing systems and they indicate that the dyslexic brain has trouble processing the way that sounds in spoken language are structured. Researchers have now shown, using a music task, that this is linked to a broader difficulty in perceiving rhythmic patterns, or metrical structure. ... > full story

Domed dinosaur was king of the head butt (June 29, 2011) -- Researchers surveyed the heads of a large number of modern animals as well as one of the world's best dinosaur fossils and they found that the bony anatomy of some pachycephalosaur domes are better at protecting the brain than in any modern head butter. ... > full story

Children’s hay fever relieved by cellulose powder without adverse effects, study suggests (June 29, 2011) -- A cellulose powder has been used increasingly for many years against allergic rhinitis. Still, there has been a shortage of scientific evidence for its efficacy in seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever), particularly in children. Now, however, scientists have shown that the cellulose powder reduces symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis in children. Researchers did not find any adverse effects. ... > full story

How bumblebees tackle the traveling salesman problem (June 29, 2011) -- New research reveals how bumblebees effectively plan their route between the most rewarding flowers while traveling the shortest distances. ... > full story

New molecular pathway involved in wound-healing and temperature sensation (June 29, 2011) -- Scientists have identified a surprising new molecular pathway in skin cells that is involved in wound-healing and sensory communication. ... > full story

Gene flow may help plants adapt to climate change (June 29, 2011) -- The traffic of genes among populations may help living things better adapt to climate change, especially when genes flow among groups most affected by warming, according to a new study. ... > full story

Jackson Pollock, artist and physicist? (June 29, 2011) -- A quantitative analysis of Pollock's streams, drips, and coils, by a mathematician reveals that the artist Jackson Pollock had to be slow -- he had to be deliberate -- to exploit fluid dynamics in the way that he did. ... > full story

Bacterium engineered with DNA in which thymine is replaced by synthetic building block (June 29, 2011) -- The genetic information of all living cells is stored in the DNA composed of the four canonical bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). An international team of researchers has now succeeded in generating a bacterium possessing a DNA in which thymine is replaced by the synthetic building block 5-Chlorouracil (c), a substance toxic for other organisms. ... > full story

Chemical produced in pancreas prevented and reversed diabetes in mice (June 29, 2011) -- A chemical produced by the same cells that make insulin in the pancreas prevented and even reversed Type 1 diabetes in mice. ... > full story

Genes influence memory and sense of orientation (June 29, 2011) -- How do our brains process memory and sense of orientation? Scientists are gaining insight by studying rats with implanted genes that prompt neurons to fire on command. ... > full story

New procedure treats atrial fibrillation (June 29, 2011) -- Doctors are now performing a new procedure to treat atrial fibrillation, a common irregular heartbeat. The "hybrid" procedure combines minimally invasive surgical techniques with the latest advances in catheter ablation. The two-pronged approach gives doctors access to both the inside and outside of the heart at the same time, helping to more completely block the erratic electrical signals that cause atrial fibrillation. ... > full story

Climate change makes some chemicals more toxic to aquatic life, study finds (June 29, 2011) -- Some areas of the southern United States are suffering from the longest dry spell since 1887, and a new study shows that could prove problematic for aquatic organisms. ... > full story

Mood and experience: Life comes at you (June 29, 2011) -- Living through weddings or divorces, job losses and children's triumphs, we sometimes feel better and sometimes feel worse. But, psychologists observe, we tend to drift back to a "set point" -- a stable resting point, or baseline, in the mind's level of contentment or unease. Research has shown that the set points for depression and anxiety are particularly stable over time. Why? ... > full story

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