ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Friday, August 19, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Friday, August 19, 2011

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Further, faster, higher: Wildlife responds increasingly rapidly to climate change (August 19, 2011) -- New research shows that species have responded to climate change up to three times faster than previously appreciated. ... > full story

Fat around heart may be early indicator of coronary disease (August 19, 2011) -- Researchers have found more evidence supporting the role of fat around the heart in promoting atherosclerosis, according to a new study. New results from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) show that pericardial fat is more strongly related to coronary artery plaque than either body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference. ... > full story

DNA construction software saves time, resources and money (August 19, 2011) -- Scientists have developed the first software package for automating DNA construction that not only makes the process faster and more efficient but -- with an eye on the economics of scientific discovery -- also identifies which construction strategy would be the most cost-effective. ... > full story

Kidney drugs hampered by high blood phosphate; Lowering phosphate levels could help prevent kidney failure, study suggests (August 19, 2011) -- High blood phosphate levels can set chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on a rapid path to kidney failure, according to a new study. To make matters worse, phosphate appears to interfere with the effectiveness of important kidney medications. ... > full story

Cashless parking: Windshield microchip to make it easier (August 19, 2011) -- Vacant parking spaces in town are thin on the ground. Finding one is just as tiresome as making sure you have the right change for the parking machine. An adhesive microchip on the windshield will make things much easier by unlocking the door to cashless parking. ... > full story

Sex differences in mental illness: Men more likely to develop substance abuse, antisocial problems; women more likely to develop anxiety, depression (August 19, 2011) -- When it comes to mental illness, the sexes are different: Women are more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety or depression, while men tend toward substance abuse or antisocial disorders, according to a new study. ... > full story

Researchers chart long-shrouded glacial reaches of Antarctica: Huge rivers of ice are found flowing seaward from continent's deep interior (August 19, 2011) -- A vast network of previously unmapped glaciers on the move from thousands of miles inland to the Antarctic coast has been charted for the first time by scientists. The findings will be critical to tracking future sea rise from climate change. ... > full story

Cancer stem cells made, not born: Experiments and modeling reveal how tumors maintain cellular balance (August 19, 2011) -- In cancer, tumors aren't uniform, but instead are like complex societies, each with a unique balance of cell types. A common theory is that these societies are hierarchical, with all cancer cells descending from special, self-renewing cancer stem cells. New findings, however, point to a more decentralized society, in which cancer cells interconvert between different types. These results suggest that attacking cancer stem cells alone may not be enough to fight cancer. ... > full story

Ions control shape of nanofibers grown on clear substrate (August 19, 2011) -- Researchers have found a new way to develop straight carbon nanofibers on a transparent substrate. Growing such nanofiber coatings is important for use in novel biomedical research tools, solar cells, water repellent coatings and others. The technique utilizes a charged chromium grid, and relies on ions to ensure the nanofibers are straight, rather than curling -- which limits their utility. ... > full story

A faster, cheaper way to diagnose tuberculosis (August 19, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a faster, cheaper method for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). A major barrier in TB prevention, especially in developing countries, is that diagnosis is slow and costly. Researchers have developed a method which could potentially decrease the time taken to make a diagnosis. Their method is also cheaper than the current fastest methods. ... > full story

Disordered networks synchronise faster than small world networks (August 19, 2011) -- Synchronization occurs when individual elements in a complex network behave in line with each other. This applies to real-life examples such as the way neurons fire during an epileptic seizure or the phenomenon of crickets falling into step with one another. ... > full story

Researchers outline ways to advance scientific thinking in children (August 19, 2011) -- Science educators aim to nurture, enrich and sustain children's natural and spontaneous interest in scientific knowledge using many different approaches. In a new paper, researchers use cognitive and developmental psychology research to outline ways to advance the science of science instruction. ... > full story

How sticky egg captures sperm: Discovery could help explain infertility causes and provide new contraceptive targets (August 18, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered exactly how a human egg captures an incoming sperm to begin the fertilization process. The research identifies the sugar molecule that makes the outer coat of the egg 'sticky', which is vital for enabling the sperm and egg to bind together. The scientists behind this study believe their work could help address some of the previously unexplained causes of human infertility and sub-fertility and be very useful for diagnosing this problem in couples who are unable to have children. It could also provide a new target for the development of natural contraceptive agents. ... > full story

Mutant gene identified that causes abnormal chromosome count, leading to cancer (August 18, 2011) -- Cells with too few or too many chromosomes have long been known to be a hallmark of cancer -- but the cause of this abnormal number of chromosomes has been little understood. Now, researchers have identified a gene that is commonly mutated in human cancers and have demonstrated its direct role in causing aneuploidy, an abnormal number of chromosomes. ... > full story

Bacteria from dog feces present in outdoor air in urban areas (August 18, 2011) -- Bacteria from fecal material -- in particular, dog fecal material -- may constitute the dominant source of airborne bacteria in Cleveland's and Detroit's wintertime air. ... > full story

Increased celiac disease prevalence in women with unexplained infertility (August 18, 2011) -- A recent study demonstrated increased rates of celiac disease in women who present with unexplained infertility. The study evaluated 191 female patients presenting with infertility. Each participant underwent serologic screening for celiac disease as well as routine infertility testing. The four patients who had positive serum test results were advised to seek evaluation with a gastroenterologist. All four patients were confirmed to have celiac disease. ... > full story

Physicists uncover new data on adenine, a crucial building block of life (August 18, 2011) -- Physicists have shown that one of the building blocks of DNA and RNA, adenine, has an unexpectedly variable range of ionization energies along its reaction pathways. ... > full story

Study exposes habit formation in smartphone users (August 18, 2011) -- Smartphone users develop the habit of frequently checking their phones for e-mail, social media, and news, shows a new study. The researchers were surprised to find users engaging in checking behaviors throughout the waking hours. Furthermore, a sizable proportion of smartphone use consists solely of checkings. ... > full story

Honeycomb carbon crystals possibly detected in space (August 18, 2011) -- NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted the signature of flat carbon flakes, called graphene, in space. If confirmed, this would be the first-ever cosmic detection of the material -- which is arranged like chicken wire in flat sheets that are one atom thick. ... > full story

Switch in cell's 'power plant' declines with age, rejuvenated by drug (August 18, 2011) -- Researchers have found a protein normally involved in blood pressure regulation in a surprising place: tucked within the little "power plants" of cells, the mitochondria. The quantity of this protein appears to decrease with age, but treating older mice with the blood pressure medication losartan can increase protein numbers to youthful levels, decreasing both blood pressure and cellular energy usage. ... > full story

Embryo development obeys the laws of hydrodynamics (August 18, 2011) -- The law of hydrodynamics can contribute to our understanding of how a cluster of embryonic cells can transform into an animal within the first 36 hours of development, according to new research. ... > full story

Remembering surgery: Device no better than cheaper alternatives for preventing intraoperative awareness (August 18, 2011) -- Anesthesiology researchers have shown that a device to reduce the risk that patients will recall their surgery does not lower the risk of intraoperative awareness any more than a less expensive method. Unintended intraoperative awareness occurs when a patient becomes aware during surgery and later remembers being in pain or feeling distress during the operation. ... > full story

Calcifying microalgae are witnesses of increasing ocean acidification (August 18, 2011) -- For the first time researchers have examined on a global scale how calcified algae in their natural habitat react to increasing acidification due to higher marine uptake of carbon dioxide. ... > full story

Majority of pharmaceutical ads do not adhere to FDA guidelines, new study finds (August 18, 2011) -- A new study of 192 pharmaceutical advertisements in biomedical journals found that only 18 percent were compliant with Food and Drug Administration guidelines, and over half failed to quantify serious risks including death. ... > full story

Biologists' discovery may force revision of biology textbooks: Novel chromatin particle halfway between DNA and a nucleosome (August 18, 2011) -- Basic biology textbooks may need a bit of revising now that biologists have discovered a never-before-noticed component of our basic genetic material. ... > full story

New research reveals brain's protection mechanism during stroke (August 18, 2011) -- Neuroscientists have identified a natural protection mechanism in some of the brain's nerve cells during the onset of stroke. The findings could be used to develop treatments to protect other nerve cell types responsible for speech and movement. ... > full story

Football analysis leads to advance in artificial intelligence (August 18, 2011) -- Computer scientists in the field of artificial intelligence have made an important advance that blends computer vision, machine learning and automated planning, and created a new system that may improve everything from factory efficiency to airport operation or nursing care. And it's based on watching the Oregon State University Beavers play football. ... > full story

Muscle-building effect of protein beverages for athletes investigated (August 18, 2011) -- In two new studies, researchers concluded that muscle metabolism after exercise can be manipulated via dietary means. In terms of the most beneficial timing of protein intake, immediate post-exercise consumption appears to be best. ... > full story

Ensuring reliable wireless alarm beacons for first responders (August 18, 2011) -- New tests are helping to ensure that wireless safety equipment such as alarm beacons for firefighters and other emergency responders will operate reliably in the presence of other wireless devices. ... > full story

Review highlights flawed logic of segregating boys and girls for education purposes, based on alleged brain differences (August 18, 2011) -- There is no scientific basis for teaching boys and girls separately, according to new research. A newly published review reveals fundamental flaws in the arguments put forward by proponents of single-sex schools to justify the need of teaching teach boys and girls separately. The author shows that neuroscience has identified few reliable differences between boys' and girls' brains relevant to learning or education. ... > full story

Greenland glacier melting faster than expected (August 18, 2011) -- A key glacier in Greenland is melting faster than previously expected, according to new findings. Researchers found that Greenland's longest-observed glacier, Mittivakkat Glacier, made two consecutive record losses in mass observations for 2010 and 2011. ... > full story

Treatment with vitamin C dissolves toxic protein aggregates in Alzheimer's disease (August 18, 2011) -- Researchers in Sweden have discovered a new function for vitamin C. Treatment with vitamin C can dissolve the toxic protein aggregates that build up in the brain in Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story

New method can speed development of organic semiconductors for flexible displays (August 18, 2011) -- Researchers have not only created a new material for high-speed organic semiconductors, they have also come up with a new approach that can take months, even years, off the development timeline. ... > full story

Headaches are common in year following traumatic brain injury, especially among females (August 18, 2011) -- Recurring headaches are common during the year following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), regardless of the severity of the TBI, and they tend to occur more often among females and those with a pre-TBI history of headache, according to a new article. ... > full story

No technical know-how needed: Endless forms web site helps users 'breed' 3-D printable objects (August 18, 2011) -- Forget draft tables and complicated computer-aided design programs: You dream it. Endless Forms helps you design it. Engineers are allowing anyone to point, click, collaborate and create online in the evolution of printable, three-dimensional objects. ... > full story

Impulsive alcoholics likely to die sooner (August 18, 2011) -- Alcohol and impulsivity are a dangerous mix: People with current drinking problems and poor impulse control are more likely to die in the next 15 years, a new study suggests. However, they could get by with a little help from their friends: The study also found that a strong social support network buffers the toxic effects of impulsivity. ... > full story

Moon younger than previously thought, analysis of lunar rock reveals (August 18, 2011) -- Analysis of a piece of lunar rock brought back to Earth by the Apollo 16 mission in 1972 has shown that the Moon may be much younger than previously believed. This is concluded in new research conducted by an international team of scientists that includes James Connelly from the Centre for Star and Planet Formation, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen. Their work has just been published in Nature. ... > full story

Blocking cancer cell’s energy ‘generator’ could lead to new targeted treatments (August 18, 2011) -- Scientists in the UK have found that blocking the pathway used by some kidney cancer cells to generate energy can kill the cancer cells, sparing the healthy ones. ... > full story

HIV havens: Researchers find new clues about how HIV reservoirs may form (August 18, 2011) -- Much like cities organize contingency plans for emergencies, chronic infectious diseases like HIV form reservoirs that ensure their survival in adverse conditions. But these reservoirs -- small populations of viruses or bacteria of a specific type that persist despite attack by the immune system or drug treatment--are not always well understood. Now, researchers believe they have begun to decode how a reservoir of infection can persist in HIV-positive populations. ... > full story

Virus uses 'Swiss Army knife' protein to cause infection (August 18, 2011) -- In an advance in understanding Mother Nature's copy machines, motors, assembly lines and other biological nano-machines, scientists are describing how a multipurpose protein on the tail of a virus bores into bacteria like a drill bit, clears the shavings out of the hole and enlarges the hole. They report on the "Swiss Army knife" protein, which enables the virus to pump its genetic material into and thus infect bacteria. ... > full story

Computers will be able to tell social traits from human faces, researchers predict (August 18, 2011) -- Researchers have developed new computational tools that help computers determine whether faces fall into categories like attractive or threatening, according to a recent paper. ... > full story

Everyday 'clairvoyance:' How your brain makes near-future predictions (August 18, 2011) -- Every day we make thousands of tiny predictions -- when the bus will arrive, who is knocking on the door, whether the dropped glass will break. Now, in one of the first studies of its kind, researchers are beginning to unravel the process by which the brain makes these everyday prognostications. ... > full story

Polar ice caps can recover from warmer climate-induced melting, study shows (August 18, 2011) -- New research indicates that even if Earth warmed enough to melt all polar sea ice, the ice could recover if the planet cooled again. ... > full story

Improved method for capturing proteins holds promise for biomedical research (August 18, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a new way of producing antibody-like binding agents and rapidly optimizing their affinity for their target proteins. Such capture reagents are vital for revealing the subtleties of protein function, and may pave the way for improved methods of detecting and treating a broad range of diseases. ... > full story

Computational method predicts new uses for existing medicines; Match-making program uses gene expression patterns (August 18, 2011) -- Scientists used computers and publicly available genomic information to predict new uses for existing medicines. The approach could save time and money compared to traditional drug discovery methods. Among the study's surprise findings: an anti-ulcer medicine that slowed the growth of lung cancer, and an anticonvulsant that might alleviate inflammatory bowel diseases. ... > full story

Cells derived from pluripotent stem cells are developmentally immature (August 18, 2011) -- Stem cell researchers have discovered that three types of cells derived from human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells are similar to each other, but are much more developmentally immature than previously thought when compared to those same cell types taken directly from human tissue. ... > full story

How microbes travel around Earth: Models show bacteria sized microbes carried between Mexico and Australia (August 18, 2011) -- Scientists from the UK and Switzerland have investigated the remarkable distance that microorganisms may be able to blow between continents, raising questions about their potential to colonize new lands and also potentially to spread diseases. ... > full story

Ambitious goals equals satisfaction (August 18, 2011) -- Consumers who set ambitious goals have a greater level of satisfaction compared to those who set conservative goals, according to a new article. ... > full story

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