ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Monday, August 22, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Monday, August 22, 2011

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

Common cause of all forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) discovered (August 22, 2011) -- The cause of ALS, a fatal disease that paralyzes its victims, has long eluded scientists. But a new study for the first time has identified a common cause of all forms of ALS, opening a new field to find a treatment. The cause is a broken recycling system in the neurons in the spinal cord and brain that results in severely damaged cells. The finding also may have a wider role in other dementias such as Alzheimer's. ... > full story

Imaging probe allows noninvasive detection of dangerous heart-valve infection (August 22, 2011) -- A novel imaging probe may make it possible to diagnose accurately a dangerous infection of the heart valves. Scientists have now shown how the presence of Staphylococcus aureus-associated endocarditis in a mouse model was revealed by PET imaging with a radiolabeled version of a protein involved in a process that usually conceals infecting bacteria from the immune system. ... > full story

Plants and fungi play the 'underground market' (August 22, 2011) -- Plants and fungi co-operate and trade with each other on a biological 'underground market', changing their trading partners if they don't get a fair deal. ... > full story

Single flexible sigmoidoscopy screening associated with reduced colorectal cancer (August 22, 2011) -- A single flexible sigmoidoscopy screening between the ages of 55-64 years is associated with a lower level of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality, according to a new study. ... > full story

Student turns paper mill waste into ‘green’ material for industrial applications (August 22, 2011) -- A student in Israel has developed a method to use paper mill waste to produce ecologically friendly, industrial foams from renewable resources. ... > full story

Mothers' poor health impairs children's well-being, not only due to genetics (August 22, 2011) -- Disadvantaged, unhealthy mothers are much more likely to have sickly children than are disadvantaged moms who are relatively healthy -- and this is not only due to genetics, suggests new research. ... > full story

Nitrogen in the soil cleans the air: Nitrogen-containing soil is a source of hydroxyl radicals that remove pollutants from the atmosphere (August 22, 2011) -- Eutrophication harms the environment in many ways. Unexpectedly, nitrogen fertilizer may also be positive for the environment. And even acidic soils, promoting the destruction of forests, can have a positive effect. Researchers in Germany have discovered that nitrogen fertilizer indirectly strengthens the self-cleaning capacity of the atmosphere. Their study shows that nitrous acid is formed in fertilized soil and released to the atmosphere, whereby the amount increases with increasing soil acidity. In the air, nitrous acid leads to the formation of hydroxyl radicals oxidizing pollutants that then can be washed out. ... > full story

Any prime-boost mix of injected or spray flu vaccine shields toddlers: Broadest immune response from nasal spray vaccine, study finds (August 22, 2011) -- Children younger than 3 years old receive the same protective antibody response from the recommended two doses of licensed seasonal influenza vaccines regardless of whether the two doses are injected by needle, inhaled through a nasal spray or provided through one dose of each in any order, according to researchers. Doctors usually give young children two matching vaccines, and one goal of the study was to determine whether giving two different types of vaccines works just as well. ... > full story

Researchers on the trail of a treatment for cancer of the immune system (August 22, 2011) -- Danish researchers have become the first in the world to regulate a special receptor or bio-antenna that plays a vital part when the Epstein Barr herpes virus infects us and when this infection appears to be mutating into cancer of the immune system. Using a biochemical blueprint and a tiny bio-molecule researchers have succeeded in blocking the receptor concerned. This will make it possible to adjust and regulate the memory cells of the immune system. ... > full story

Metformin and exercise combination less effective for glucose control (August 22, 2011) -- Researchers looking at the effects of metformin and exercise in Type 2 diabetes patients found that a combination of these modalities didn't lower glucose control as much as hoped. Surprisingly, study participants showed better glucose control when sedentary. Researchers think that because metformin and exercise both act to lower glucose levels, the combination may have triggered a counter regulatory response by the body to prevent glucose levels dipping too much. ... > full story

B chromosomes affect sex determination in cichlid fishes (August 22, 2011) -- B chromosomes have a functional effect on sex determination in a species of cichlid fishes from Lake Victoria, according to a study by Japanese researchers. The researchers found sex-ratio distortions caused by B chromosomes in the breeding line of the cichlids, as well as several protein-coding genes in the B chromosomes. The resultant ratio was female biased, suggesting a role for B chromosomes in female sex determination. ... > full story

New job trends reproducing old forms of gender inequality (August 22, 2011) -- Jobs that come with large paychecks but long work hours are slowing the gains women have made since the late 70s in narrowing the gender wage gap. A study by sociologists finds that the growing trend of overworking -- working 50 hours a week or more -- is partly responsible for the slowdown Americans have experienced since the mid-1990s in the convergence of the gender gap in pay. ... > full story

New 'bionic' leg gives amputees a natural gait (August 21, 2011) -- A new lower-limb prosthetic uses the latest advances in computer, sensor, electric motor and battery technology to give it bionic capabilities. ... > full story

Gene that exacerbates risk factors for heart disease and diabetes identified (August 21, 2011) -- A scientist has discovered how a gene known as SIRT3 contributes to a suite of health problems sweeping across America, offering new insight into how to combat these potentially fatal conditions. ... > full story

Making a bee-line for the best rewards (August 21, 2011) -- Bumble bees use complex problem-solving skills to minimize the energy they use when flying to collect food, according to new research. ... > full story

New drug changes beat in treating heart failure (August 21, 2011) -- A new drug which offers a radically different approach to treating certain types of heart failure has been shown to improve cardiac function in heart failure patients in its first clinical trials. ... > full story

Data traveling by light (August 21, 2011) -- Regular LEDs can be turned into optical WLAN with only a few additional components, thanks to visible light communication. The lights are then not just lighting up, they also transfer data. They send films in HD quality to your iPhone or laptop, with no loss in quality, quickly and safely. ... > full story

Children with cerebral palsy: Change the environment, not the child, researchers say (August 21, 2011) -- A successful new rehabilitation approach to treating children with cerebral palsy puts its focus on where a child lives and plays, not just improving the child's balance, posture and movement skills. Called a "context-focused intervention," this approach is just as beneficial as traditional child-focused therapy, offering parents an additional treatment option for their child, researchers in Canada report in a new study. ... > full story

Three waves of evolutionary innovation shaped diversity of vertebrates, genome analysis reveals (August 21, 2011) -- Over the past 530 million years, the vertebrate lineage branched out from a primitive jawless fish wriggling through Cambrian seas to encompass all the diverse forms of fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Now researchers combing through the DNA sequences of vertebrate genomes have identified three distinct periods of evolutionary innovation that accompanied this remarkable diversification. ... > full story

Metabolic syndrome may cause kidney disease (August 21, 2011) -- Metabolic syndrome comprises a group of medical disorders that increase people's risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and premature death when they occur together. Now a new study says that people with metabolic abnormalities are at increased risk of developing kidney disease. ... > full story

Neuroscientists show activity patterns in fly brain are optimized for memory storage (August 21, 2011) -- A research team has shown large populations of neurons in the brains of living fruit flies responding simultaneously to a variety of odors. Results reveal a portion of the fly brain important in learning and memory responds in a characteristic fashion that helps explain how an association is made between an odor and an experience -- the basis of a memory. ... > full story

New mechanism of genomic instability revealed (August 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered the cellular mechanisms that normally generate chromosomal breaks in bacteria such as E. coli. ... > full story

Miniature power plants for aircraft bodies (August 21, 2011) -- Sensor networks are supposed to pervade the body shell of airplanes in the future – much like a nervous system. And, newly developed sensors do not require any external power supply. ... > full story

The neurobiology of trust (August 21, 2011) -- Could disorders such as autism be treatable through a combination of neurohormones and psychotherapy in the future? ... > full story

New defense discovered against common hospital-acquired infection (August 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a key mechanism used by intestinal cells to defend themselves against one of the world's most common hospital-acquired bacterial infections -- a mechanism they think they can exploit to produce a therapy to protect against the effects of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria. ... > full story

Parasite uses the power of attraction to trick rats into becoming cat food (August 20, 2011) -- Rats infected with the parasite Toxoplasma seem to lose their fear of cats -- or at least cat urine. Now researchers have discovered the brains of those infected, fearless male rats show activity in the region that normally triggers a mating response when encountering a female rat. But that does not mean it's love, as Toxoplasma just wants the rat to be eaten by a cat, so the parasite can reproduce in the cat's intestines. ... > full story

New piece to the puzzle of brain function (August 20, 2011) -- Researchers are discovering more about an important part of the brain's complex communication system. The discovery could form the basis for future development of better medicines for patients with psychiatric disorders. ... > full story

Under-reported greenhouse gas statistics? Sketchy emission reports revealed by Swiss measurements (August 20, 2011) -- Fluorinated hydrocarbons are potent greenhouse gases, emission of which must be reduced under the Kyoto Protocol. If you rely on the official reports of the participating countries, the output of trifluoromethane (HFC-23) in Western Europe is indeed significantly decreasing. However, pollutant measurements carried out by researchers in Switzerland now reveal that several countries under-report their emissions. For instance, Italy emits 10 to 20 times more HFC-23 than it officially reports. ... > full story

Coronary calcium beats C-reactive protein for predicting heart attack and stroke risk, study finds (August 20, 2011) -- The presence of calcium in coronary arteries is a much better predictor of heart attack and stroke than C-reactive protein among people with normal levels of LDL cholesterol, according to a study of more than 2,000 people. ... > full story

Kinder, gentler cell capture method could aid medical research (August 20, 2011) -- A research team has come up with a potential solution to a two-pronged problem in medical research: How to capture cells on a particular spot on a surface using electric fields and keep them alive long enough to run experiments on them. ... > full story

Most U.S. physicians will face malpractice claims, but risk of making payment is low, analysis finds (August 20, 2011) -- While most U.S. physicians will face a malpractice lawsuit at some time in their careers, the vast majority of those suits will not result in payment to a plaintiff. The most comprehensive analysis of the risk of malpractice claims by physician specialty in more than two decades finds that the annual chance of facing a claim varies from 5 percent in low-risk specialties to 20 percent in specialties at the highest risk. ... > full story

Growth of cities endangers global environment, according to new analysis (August 20, 2011) -- The explosive growth of cities worldwide over the next two decades poses significant risks to people and the global environment, according to a new meta-analysis. ... > full story

Enzyme's structure reveals basis for head, reproductive organ deformities (August 20, 2011) -- Scientists have reported the structure of two enzyme mutations that result in congenital defects. ... > full story

Fishing games gone wrong: Trial-and-error behind important cause of female infertility (August 20, 2011) -- When an egg cell is being formed, the cellular machinery which separates chromosomes is extremely imprecise at fishing them out of the cell's interior, scientists have discovered. The findings could explain why errors in the number of chromosomes in the egg cell are the leading cause of miscarriages and severe congenital diseases like Down's syndrome, as well as causing female infertility. ... > full story

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs can reduce the risk of stroke, but sometimes should be avoided, study suggests (August 20, 2011) -- For many patients, cholesterol-lowering statin drugs can reduce the risk of strokes as well as heart attacks. However, neurologists caution that statins may not be appropriate for certain categories of patients who are at-risk for stroke. ... > full story

Spoilt food soon a thing of the past? (August 20, 2011) -- Unwanted bacteria, yeasts and molds can cause major problems for the food industry as well as consumers. Researchers have now developed new methods to identify potential sources of contamination. Using a spectrometer, the researchers are able to detect undesirable microorganisms in finished products and trace them back to the various steps in the production process. ... > full story

Four-year-olds know that being right is not enough (August 20, 2011) -- As they grow, children learn a lot about the world from what other people tell them. Along the way, they have to figure out who is a reliable source of information. A new study finds that when children reach around 4 years, they start noticing whether someone is actually knowledgeable or if they're just getting the answers from someone else. ... > full story

Active participation in voluntary organizations declining faster than checkbooks can keep up (August 20, 2011) -- The decline in active memberships in civic groups, fraternal organizations, and other local associations is greater than the increase in checkbook memberships, according to new research. ... > full story

Race and poverty often unjustifiably tied to school security measures (August 20, 2011) -- Elementary, middle, and high schools with large minority populations -- but not necessarily higher crime rates -- are far more likely than others to require students and visitors to pass through metal detectors, according to new research. ... > full story

Giant space blob glows from within: Primordial cloud of hydrogen is centrally powered (August 19, 2011) -- Observations from the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope have shed light on the power source of a rare vast cloud of glowing gas in the early universe. The observations show for the first time that this giant "Lyman-alpha blob" -- one of the largest single objects known -- must be powered by galaxies embedded within it. ... > full story

Mother's BMI linked to fatter babies (August 19, 2011) -- Babies of mothers with a higher pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) are fatter and have more fat in their liver, a study has found. ... > full story

Lessons learned from the two worst oils spills in US history: Microbes matter (August 19, 2011) -- One year after the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and two decades after the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska's Prince William Sound, the scientific lesson is clear -- microbes matter! Despite vast differences in the ecosystems and circumstances of these two worst oil spills in US history, oil-degrading microorganisms played a significant role in reducing the overall environmental impact of both spills, scientists report. ... > full story

New treatment approach for Alzheimer's disease: Researchers plan to use specialized cells of the immune system (August 19, 2011) -- A research team has documented how the immune system can counteract the advancement of Alzheimer's disease. In a newly published paper, they showed that certain scavenger cells in the immune system, called macrophages, play a key role in this context. Furthermore, they were able to demonstrate how special cell-signaling proteins, called chemokines, mediate the defense process. ... > full story

Powerful X-rays enable development of successful treatment for melanoma and other life-threatening diseases (August 19, 2011) -- Powerful X-ray technology is revealing new insights into diseases ranging from Alzheimer's to the swine flu, and, most recently, enabled the discovery of a groundbreaking new drug treatment for malignant melanoma. The drug, Zelboraf (vemurafenib), has just received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. In showing the structures of diseased and disease-causing molecules, these light sources enable scientists to suggest potential new treatments. ... > full story

Education leaders call for radical transformation in graduate biomedical curriculum (August 19, 2011) -- Leaders in biomedical education are calling for a radical new approach to post-graduate training in the life sciences to address significant challenges, including an avalanche of new discoveries in the last decade and the need to transcend traditional departmental boundaries to understand biological processes at multiple levels. ... > full story

Boys reach sexual maturity younger and younger: Phase between being physically but not socially adult is getting longer (August 19, 2011) -- Boys are maturing physically earlier than ever before. The age of sexual maturity has been decreasing by about 2.5 months each decade at least since the middle of the 18th century. A researcher in Germany has used mortality data to demonstrate this trend, which until now was difficult to decipher. What had already been established for girls now seems to also be true for boys: the time period during which young people are sexually mature but socially not yet considered adults is expanding. ... > full story

Triple therapy regime puts patients with leukemic form of cutaneous lymphoma in remission (August 19, 2011) -- A three-pronged immunotherapy approach nearly doubles five-year survival among patients with rare leukemic form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, reports a new study. ... > full story

Molecular scientists develop color-changing stress sensor (August 19, 2011) -- It is helpful -- even life-saving -- to have a warning sign before a structural system fails, but, when the system is only a few nanometers in size, having a sign that's easy to read is a challenge. Now, thanks to a clever bit of molecular design by bioengineers and chemists, such warning can come in the form of a simple color change. ... > full story