ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Thursday, August 4, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Thursday, August 4, 2011

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Ninety-six star clusters discovered hidden behind dust of Milky Way (August 4, 2011) -- Astronomers have discovered 96 new open star clusters hidden by the dust in the Milky Way. These tiny and faint objects were invisible to previous surveys, but they could not escape the sensitive infrared detectors of the world's largest survey telescope, which can peer through the dust. This is the first time so many faint and small clusters have been found at once. ... > full story

Newly developed molecule tested as a delivery vehicle to image and kill brain tumors (August 4, 2011) -- A single compound with dual function -- the ability to deliver a diagnostic and therapeutic agent -- may one day be used to enhance the diagnosis, imaging and treatment of brain tumors, according to new research. ... > full story

New urine test shows prostate cancer risk; Test for gene fusion can assist in the early detection of prostate cancer (August 4, 2011) -- A new urine test can help aid early detection of and treatment decisions about prostate cancer, a new study finds. ... > full story

Combo therapies tested to overcome drug resistance in melanoma patients (August 4, 2011) -- Scientists tested a combination of small molecules that may, when used with the BRAF inhibitors, help overcome this drug resistance and extend the lives of those with advanced melanoma. ... > full story

Rising carbon dioxide could reverse drying effects of higher temperatures on rangelands (August 4, 2011) -- Rising carbon dioxide levels can reverse the drying effects of predicted higher temperatures on semi-arid rangelands, according to a new study by a team of US Department of Agriculture and university scientists. ... > full story

Widespread mistaken beliefs about memory, U.S. national survey reveals (August 4, 2011) -- A new survey reveals that many people in the US -- in some cases a substantial majority -- think that memory is more powerful, objective and reliable than it actually is. Their ideas are at odds with decades of scientific research. ... > full story

Slowing climate change by targeting gases other than carbon dioxide (August 4, 2011) -- Carbon dioxide remains the undisputed king of recent climate change, but other greenhouse gases measurably contribute to the problem. A new study shows that cutting emissions of those other gases could slow changes in climate that are expected in the future. ... > full story

New discovery brings customized tuberculosis therapies based on genotype closer to reality (August 4, 2011) -- Are you genetically predisposed to tuberculosis? Scientists may now be able to answer this question and doctors may be able to adjust their therapeutic approach based on what they learn. That's because new research suggests that two frequent mutations in an immune system gene called TLR1 are responsible cellular changes that ultimately make us less likely to resist the disease. ... > full story

Evolutionary computation offers flexibility, insight (August 4, 2011) -- A professor recently developed an evolutionary computation approach that offers researchers the flexibility to search for models that can best explain experimental data derived from many types of applications, including economics. ... > full story

How nerve cells are kept up to speed (August 4, 2011) -- Scientists have unraveled a mechanism involved in the reformation of neurotransmitter containing membrane vesicles in the brain. Perturbations of this reformation process, because of mutations in key proteins such as CALM and AP180, are a possible cause for the development of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story

New high-speed 3-D imaging system holds potential for improved cancer screening (August 4, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new imaging system that enables high-speed, three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of microscopic pre-cancerous changes in the esophagus or colon. The new system is based on an emerging technology called optical coherence tomography, which offers a way to see below the surface with 3-D, microscopic detail in ways that traditional screening methods can't. ... > full story

Italian academia: A family business? Statistical analysis points to high frequency of last names in disciplines, institutions (August 4, 2011) -- Unusually high clustering of last names within Italian academic institutions and disciplines indicates widespread nepotism in the country's schools, according to a new computational analysis. ... > full story

Six million years of savanna: Grasslands, wooded grasslands accompanied human evolution (August 3, 2011) -- Scientists have used chemical isotopes in ancient soil to measure prehistoric tree cover -- in effect, shade -- and found that grassy, tree-dotted savannas prevailed at most East African sites where human ancestors and their ape relatives evolved during the past 6 million years. ... > full story

Success in treatment for kidney transplant patients (August 3, 2011) -- There is now a new alternative to immunosuppressive treatment after kidney transplants which comes without the usual severe side effects. ... > full story

Scientists find way to identify synthetic biofuels in atmosphere (August 3, 2011) -- Chemists have discovered a technique to track urban atmospheric plumes, thanks to a unique isotopic signature found in vehicle emissions. ... > full story

One species of pathogen can produce two distinct biofilms (August 3, 2011) -- Many medical devices, ranging from artificial hip joints to dentures and catheters, can come with unwelcome guests -- complex communities of microbial pathogens called biofilms that are resistant to the human immune system and antibiotics, thus proving a serious threat to human health. However, researchers may have a new way of looking at biofilms, thanks to a new study. ... > full story

Novel coatings show great promise as flame retardants in polyurethane foam (August 3, 2011) -- Gram for gram, novel carbon nanofiber-filled coatings outperformed conventional flame retardants used in the polyurethane foam of upholstered furniture chairs, and mattresses by at least 160 percent and perhaps by as much as 1,130 percent. ... > full story

Getting to the heart of the appeal of video games (August 3, 2011) -- People spend 3 billion hours a week playing video games but little is known scientifically about why they are actually fun in the first place. ... > full story

'Big splat' may explain the moon's mountainous far side (August 3, 2011) -- The mountainous region on the far side of the moon, known as the lunar farside highlands, may be the solid remains of a collision with a smaller companion moon, according to a new study. ... > full story

Natural killer cells participate in immune response against HIV (August 3, 2011) -- A new study shows for the first time that natural killer cells, which are part of the body's first-line defense against infection, can contribute to the immune response against HIV. ... > full story

Finding could reduce antibiotic use in critically ill patients (August 3, 2011) -- Measuring the levels of a natural body chemical may allow doctors to reduce the duration of antibiotic use and improve the health outcomes of critically ill patients. ... > full story

Why knee osteoarthritis afflicts more women than men (August 3, 2011) -- An orthopedic surgeon suspects that the nagging pain and inflammation that women can experience in their knees may be different from what men encounter, and she has been chosen to lead a novel US-Canadian study to explore the question. ... > full story

Carbon hitches a ride from field to market: Agriculture's mobile nature makes predicting regional greenhouse gas impacts more complex (August 3, 2011) -- New research that tracked carbon's movement in US crop production found that regional carbon sinks and sources are created because agricultural crops are consumed far away from where they're grown. ... > full story

Virginia Tech shootings: Professors publish research on post-traumatic stress (August 3, 2011) -- Prevalence of post-traumatic stress was significantly higher among women after the 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech, according to researchers. ... > full story

Lifestyles of the old and healthy defy expectations (August 3, 2011) -- People who live to 95 or older are no more virtuous than the rest of us in terms of their diet, exercise routine or smoking and drinking habits, according to researchers. ... > full story

Revolutionary biodegradable pellet targets glue ear infection (August 3, 2011) -- A revolutionary biodegradable pellet which slowly releases antibiotics into the middle ear could transform the lives of thousands of children who suffer from glue ear. ... > full story

Cape Cod Bay holds hidden risk for dining North Atlantic right whales (August 3, 2011) -- Tracking their dinner may be the best way to help North Atlantic right whales in Cape Cod Bay avoid being hit by recreational and commercial boats, according to a team of researchers who studied the whales for two years. ... > full story

Cooked green vegetables, dried fruit, legumes, and brown rice associated with fewer colon polyps (August 3, 2011) -- Eating legumes at least three times a week and brown rice at least once a week was linked to a reduced risk of colon polyps by 33 percent and 40 percent respectively, according to new research. High consumption of cooked green vegetables and dried fruit was also associated with greater protection, the study shows. ... > full story

Simulated atmosphere research to help NASA interpret data from Juno mission to Jupiter (August 3, 2011) -- In August of 2016, when NASA's Juno Mission begins sending back information about the atmosphere of the planet Jupiter, research done by engineers using a 2,400-pound pressure vessel will help scientists understand what the data means. ... > full story

Stray-bullet shootings most often harm women and individuals at low-risk for violence, study finds (August 3, 2011) -- In the first U.S. nationwide study of stray-bullet shootings, researchers have quantified mortality and injury among victims of these unexpected events. ... > full story

Is our universe inside a bubble? First observational test of the 'multiverse' (August 3, 2011) -- The theory that our universe is contained inside a bubble, and that multiple alternative universes exist inside their own bubbles -- making up the "multiverse" -- is, for the first time, being tested by physicists. ... > full story

Basis for battery-powered skin patch for wider range of protein-based medicines (August 3, 2011) -- Scientists have confirmed the feasibility of using a new drug delivery system -- the basis for a battery-powered skin patch -- to administer medication that shows promise for treating peripheral artery disease and healing stubborn skin ulcers and burns. The needle-free delivery of the medication, which cannot be given by mouth, can have side effects when injected. ... > full story

Plant biologists dissect genetic mechanism enabling plants to overcome environmental challenge (August 3, 2011) -- Plant biologists have discovered at the genetic level how a vitally important species of grass plant -- maize, or corn -- responds to the challenge to growth posed by shade. Central to this work is the team's identification of the role played by a gene called grassy tillers1, or gt1, whose expression, they confirmed, is controlled by light signaling. ... > full story

Quick, low-cost tests can accurately identify childhood developmental delays, study shows (August 3, 2011) -- Researchers have found that two existing screening tests are accurate in diagnosing development delays in children and could be incorporated in a busy family practice setting with relative ease. Parents can complete the questionnaire at home or in the family physician's office, with the physician scoring the tests and providing results in a matter of minutes. ... > full story

Ethanol-loving bacteria accelerate cracking of pipeline steels (August 3, 2011) -- US production of ethanol for fuel has been rising quickly. Researchers now caution that ethanol, and especially the bacteria sometimes found in it, can dramatically degrade pipelines. ... > full story

Scientists identify what makes us feel 'bad' when we're sick, how to treat it (August 3, 2011) -- A new class of drugs developed to treat sleep disorders can reverse the inactivity and exhaustion brought on by acute illness. Researchers have found that the neurotransmitter system thought to be primarily involved in the induction of sleep is actually extremely important in maintaining motivation and movement during acute and chronic illness. ... > full story

Breeding crops with deeper roots could 'slash CO<sub>2</sub> levels' (August 3, 2011) -- Breeding crops with roots a meter deeper in the ground could lower atmospheric carbon dioxide levels dramatically, with significant environmental benefits, according to new research. ... > full story

New link found between obesity and insulin resistance (August 3, 2011) -- Scientists have uncovered a new way in which obesity wreaks its havoc, by altering the production of proteins that affect how other proteins are spliced together. Their finding may point toward novel targets for diabetes drugs. ... > full story

Lattice of magnetic vortices: Researchers find magnetic skyrmions in atomically thin metal film (August 3, 2011) -- Physicists in Germany have found for the first time a regular lattice of magnetic skyrmions -- cycloidal vortex spin structures of exceptional stability -- on a surface. The researchers discovered the magnetic skyrmions, which consist of 15 atoms, in an atomic layer of iron on the surface of an iridium crystal. This discovery could give new impetus to the area of spintronics. ... > full story

New antidepressants can increase risks for elderly, study suggests (August 3, 2011) -- Older people taking new generation antidepressants are at more risk of dying or suffering from a range of serious health conditions including stroke, falls, fractures and epilepsy, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Researchers develop webcam tool to improve office worker posture (August 3, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a new training method using a desktop webcam to improve ergonomic posture and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among office workers using computers. The results showed that both training methods provided effective short-term posture improvement; however, sustained improvement was only attained with the photo-training method. ... > full story

Researchers propose Internet consumer 'nutrition label' (August 3, 2011) -- When it comes to broadband speeds, US Internet service providers largely deliver on their promises, says a new report, but "throughput" is only one of several metrics listed in the report that affect network performance. ISPs should provide a broadband "nutrition label" -- easy-to-understand information about service-limiting factors -- and users need better ways of measuring the performance their ISPs are delivering, concludes a new study. ... > full story

African rodent uses 'poison arrow' toxin to deter predators: First known mammal to use plant poison in defense (August 3, 2011) -- Woe to the clueless predator trying to make a meal of the African crested rat, a rodent that applies poisonous plant toxin to sponge-like hairs on its flanks, researchers have discovered. ... > full story

Study explains why muscles weaken with age and points to possible therapy (August 3, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered the biological mechanism behind age-related loss of muscle strength and identified a drug that may help reverse this process. ... > full story

Juno to show Jupiter's magnetic field in high-def (August 3, 2011) -- When it comes to magnetic fields, Jupiter is the ultimate muscle car. It's endowed with the biggest, brawniest field of any planet in the solar system, powered by a monster engine under the hood. ... > full story

Adverse childhood could raise adult heart disease risk (August 3, 2011) -- The risk of coronary heart disease in middle age is moderately higher for men and women who grew up in adverse family settings, according to a new analysis of medical records and surveys of more than 3,500 people. ... > full story

Scientists probe the energy transfer process in photosynthetic proteins (August 3, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new method to probe the fundamental workings of photosynthesis. The new experimental technique could help scientists better understand the nitty-gritty details of nature's amazingly efficient sunlight-to-fuel conversion system. ... > full story

Research into eating disorders and fertility reveals mixed picture (August 3, 2011) -- Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are associated with fertility problems and negative attitudes to pregnancy, according to a new study. The research also revealed high rates of unplanned pregnancies in women with a history of anorexia, suggesting they may be underestimating their chances of conceiving. ... > full story

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