ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Wednesday, August 31, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Wednesday, August 31, 2011

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How the brain stores information for short periods of time (August 31, 2011) -- Researchers show how the brain stores information for short periods of time. The cells of several neural circuits store information by maintaining a persistent level of activity: A short-lived stimulus triggers the activity of neurons, and this activity is then maintained for several seconds. ... > full story

Vitamin C may be beneficial for asthmatic children, study suggests (August 31, 2011) -- Depending on the age of asthmatic children, on their exposure to molds or dampness in their bedroom, and on the severity of their asthma, vitamin C has greater or smaller beneficial effect against asthma, according to a recent study. ... > full story

Are New England's iconic maples at risk? (August 31, 2011) -- Results from the first study of the Asian longhorned beetle in forests show that the invasive insect can easily spread from tree-lined city streets to neighboring forests. ... > full story

Simple blood test at optician's office could help to diagnose diabetes (August 31, 2011) -- A simple finger prick test during routine eye examinations at high street opticians could help to identify millions of people with previously undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, according to new research. ... > full story

Taking a fresh look at the weather: Traditional model for how low pressure systems evolve is deeply flawed, researcher argues (August 31, 2011) -- Given the UK's obsession with the weather, it would seem obvious that the basic understanding of how low pressure systems evolve has been known for a long time. Instead, some of the biggest storms in the UK's history, such as the Great Storm of October 1987, did not fit this basic understanding. One researcher believes the way we learn about the weather is wrong and has been wrong for 90 years. ... > full story

Ability to remember memories' origin not fully developed in youths (August 31, 2011) -- During childhood and adolescence, children develop the ability to remember not only past events but the origin of those memories. New research finds that the ability to remember the origin of memories is a relatively long process that matures during adolescence but isn't fully developed until adulthood. This study included 18 children, 20 adolescents, and 20 young adults, all of whom completed a two-part computer-based memory task developed by the researchers. ... > full story

Tropical coral could be used to create novel sunscreens for human use, say scientists (August 31, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered how coral produces natural sunscreen compounds to protect itself from damaging UV rays, leading scientists to believe these compounds could form the basis of a new type of sunscreen for humans. ... > full story

Memory fitness program improves memory abilities of oldest adults (August 31, 2011) -- A new study has found that a memory fitness program offered to older adults in their senior living communities helped improve their ability to recognize and recall words, benefiting their verbal learning and retention. ... > full story

What's really in that luscious chocolate aroma? (August 31, 2011) -- The mouth-watering aroma of roasted cocoa beans -- key ingredient for chocolate -- emerges from substances that individually smell like potato chips, cooked meat, peaches, raw beef fat, human sweat, earth and an improbable palate of other distinctly un-cocoa-like aromas. That's among the discoveries emerging from an effort to identify the essential aroma and taste ingredients in the world's favorite treat. ... > full story

Balloon pump use prior to angioplasty does not reduce heart muscle damage, study shows (August 31, 2011) -- Inserting intra-aortic balloon pumps prior to angioplasty in patients with acute myocardial infarction does not reduce the scope of heart muscle damage, a condition referred to as infarct size, according to a new study. ... > full story

Mobile phone data help track populations during disasters (August 31, 2011) -- Mobile phone positioning data can be used to monitor population movements during disasters and outbreaks, according to a new study. The study finds that reports on the location of populations affected and in need of assistance can be generated within hours of receiving data. ... > full story

Death rates in newborns remain shockingly high in Africa and India (August 31, 2011) -- Neonatal mortality -- deaths in newborns, aged 3 weeks and under -- has declined in all regions of the world over the past two decades but in 2009, more than half of all neonatal deaths occurred in five countries -- India, Nigeria, Pakistan, China and the Democratic Republic of Congo. ... > full story

Decade-long study reveals recurring patterns of viruses in the open ocean (August 30, 2011) -- Viruses fill the ocean and have a significant effect on ocean biology, specifically marine microbiology, according to new research. ... > full story

Six new genetic variants linked to type 2 diabetes discovered in South Asians (August 30, 2011) -- Scientists have identified six new genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes in South Asians. ... > full story

Monitoring ground-level ozone from space (August 30, 2011) -- Satellite views of the Midwestern United States show that ozone levels above 50 parts per billion along the ground could reduce soybean yields by at least 10 percent, costing more than billion in lost crop production, according to scientists. ... > full story

More questions than answers remain concerning effects of airplane travel on insulin pump delivery (August 30, 2011) -- Despite recent concerns that changes in atmospheric pressure during airplane travel may affect the amount of insulin delivered via pump devices, the current evidence is limited and it would be unwise to overreact until more data are available, according to an editorial. ... > full story

Hurricane Irene: Scientists collect water quality and climate change data from huge storm (August 30, 2011) -- While Hurricane Irene had officials along the U.S. East Coast preparing for mass evacuations, scientists were grabbing their best data collection tools and heading straight for the storm's path. ... > full story

Happiness depends on who you know and your goals, study of college students suggests (August 30, 2011) -- A new study involving extroverted college students and their less socially inclined peers found that less-outgoing happy people relied less on partying and drinking to be happy and more on connections with family and friends. In a companion study, the more goal-oriented students also were happier. ... > full story

Discovery sheds light on the ecosystem of young galaxies (August 30, 2011) -- A team of scientists has discovered a distant galaxy that may help elucidate two fundamental questions of galaxy formation: How galaxies take in matter and how they give off energetic radiation. ... > full story

From mild-mannered to killer: Study explains plague's rapid evolution and sheds light on fighting deadly diseases (August 30, 2011) -- How did a bacterium that causes mild stomach irritation rapidly evolve into a deadly assassin responsible for the most devastating pandemics in human history? New DNA sequencing techniques reveal how Yersinia pseudotuberculosis became Yersinia pestis, otherwise know as the plague. The new study offers a glimpse into how the new technology might aid in the development of drugs to fight deadly diseases, including the plague. ... > full story

Community ecology: For marine microbes, it's not who you are, but what you do (August 30, 2011) -- When you're a tiny creature in a vast ocean it pays to hang out with the right crowd, regardless of whether they are related to you or not, a new study into the amazingly diverse world of marine microbes has found. For bacteria at least, it seems that what matters more than your species identity is whether you have specific genes that let you work with other species to form a functioning community. ... > full story

Green tea is effective in treating genetic disorder and types of tumors, study suggests (August 30, 2011) -- A compound found in green tea shows great promise for the development of drugs to treat two types of tumors and a deadly congenital disease. ... > full story

Breakthrough in hydrogen fuel cells: Chemists develop way to safely store, extract hydrogen (August 30, 2011) -- A team of scientists has developed a robust, efficient method of using hydrogen as a fuel source. ... > full story

Location, location, location: Study shows the middle is the place to be (August 30, 2011) -- Choice is a central tenet of a free society. From the brand of cereal we eat for breakfast, to the answers we give on a survey, or the people we select to be our leaders, we frequently define ourselves by the choices we make. Yet a recent study suggests that there are factors that can significantly influence our free will without us even knowing it. ... > full story

Novel alloy could produce hydrogen fuel from sunlight (August 30, 2011) -- Using state-of-the-art theoretical computations, a team of scientists has determined that an alloy formed by a 2 percent substitution of antimony in gallium nitride has the right electrical properties to enable solar light energy to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The alloy functions as a catalyst in the photoelectrochemical electrolysis of water. ... > full story

Natural anti-oxidant deserts aging body: Cell’s reserve fighting force shrinks with age, new study finds (August 30, 2011) -- A new study of human cells finds that mitochondria, energy plants of cells, are more vulnerable in senescent cells due to impaired function of an anti-oxidant enzyme. ... > full story

Atlas of the Milky Way leads to discovery of two supernova remnants (August 30, 2011) -- It may not be much use to hitchhikers through the galaxy, but it is extremely valuable to astronomers: the new radio atlas of the Milky Way. After almost ten years of work, researchers have completed their investigation into the polarized radio emission in the galactic plane. ... > full story

Mistaken fear of measles shot has 'devastating' effect, physician says (August 30, 2011) -- More than 150 cases of measles have been reported in the United States already this year and there have been similar outbreaks in Europe, a sign the disease is making an alarming comeback. The reappearance of the potentially deadly virus is the result of unfounded fears about a link between the measles shot and autism that have turned some parents against childhood vaccination, a physician says in a new article. ... > full story

Wolves may aid recovery of Canada lynx, a threatened species (August 30, 2011) -- As wolf populations grow in parts of the West, most of the focus has been on their value in aiding broader ecosystem recovery -- but a new study also points out that they could play an important role in helping to save other threatened species, including the Canada lynx. ... > full story

The Great Recession could reduce school achievement for children of unemployed (August 30, 2011) -- The Great Recession could have lingering impacts on the children of the unemployed, according to researchers. "There is growing evidence that parental job loss has adverse consequences on children's behavior, academic achievement and later employment outcomes, particularly in economically disadvantaged families," said one expert. ... > full story

Localizing language in the brain: Study pinpoints areas of the brain used exclusively for language (August 30, 2011) -- New research suggests that there are parts of our brain dedicated to language and only language, a finding that marks a major advance in the search for brain regions specialized for sophisticated mental functions. ... > full story

Future climate change may increase asthma attacks in children (August 30, 2011) -- Researchers have found that climate change may lead to more asthma-related health problems in children, and more emergency room visits in the next decade. ... > full story

Microscope on the go: Cheap, portable, dual-mode microscope uses holograms, not lenses (August 30, 2011) -- To serve remote areas of the world, doctors, nurses and field workers need equipment that is portable, versatile, and relatively inexpensive. Now researchers have built a compact, light-weight, dual-mode microscope that uses holograms instead of lenses. It weighs about as much as a banana and fits in the palm of a hand. ... > full story

Patients' underlying health linked to worse outcomes for melanoma (August 30, 2011) -- It's not how old but how frail patients are that can predict how well they will fare after a melanoma diagnosis. In fact, young patients in poor health may have worse outcomes than older patients in good shape. ... > full story

Epic search for evidence of life on Mars heats up with focus on high-tech instruments (August 30, 2011) -- Scientists are expressing confidence that questions about life on Mars, which have captured human imagination for centuries, finally may be answered, thanks in part to new life-detection tools up to 1,000 times more sensitive than previous instruments. ... > full story

Fear of 'gray tsunami' overblown? Demographics aren't entirely to blame for rising medical costs, studies show (August 30, 2011) -- Fears that Canada's aging population could lead to skyrocketing health care costs and doctor shortages may be greatly exaggerated. The research by health economists points to other factors that are driving up costs: greater use of specialists, more diagnostic tests for the elderly, and increased consumption of increasingly expensive drugs. ... > full story

New method reveals parts of bacterial genome essential to life (August 30, 2011) -- A research team has cataloged, down to the letter, exactly what parts of the genetic code are essential for survival in one bacterial species, Caulobacter crescentus. They found that 12 percent of the bacteria's genetic material is essential for survival under laboratory conditions. The essential elements included not only protein-coding genes, but also regulatory DNA and, intriguingly, other small DNA segments of unknown function. The other 88 percent of the genome could be disrupted without harming the bacteria's ability to grow and reproduce. ... > full story

Heavy chocolate consumption may be linked to heart health, study suggests (August 30, 2011) -- High levels of chocolate consumption might be associated with a one third reduction in the risk of developing heart disease, a new study suggests. ... > full story

The pancreas as we’ve never seen it before (August 30, 2011) -- Medical researchers are developing optic projection tomography. With the aid of this imaging technology, they have now described aspects of how the pancreas develops during embryonic development and how the so-called islets of Langerhans are distributed in the adult organ. The findings are important for the interpretation of modeling systems for diabetes. ... > full story

Rotavirus vaccination of infants also protects unvaccinated older children and adults, study finds (August 30, 2011) -- Vaccinating infants against rotavirus also prevents serious disease in unvaccinated older children and adults, according to a new study. This helps reduce rotavirus-related hospital costs in these older groups. ... > full story

Watching viruses 'friend' a network: Researchers develop Facebook application to track the path of infection (August 30, 2011) -- PiggyDemic, an application developed by researchers in Israel, allows Facebook users to "infect" their friends with a simulated virus or become infected themselves. This will allow researchers to gather information on how a virus mutates, spreads through human interaction, and the number of people it infects. ... > full story

Secure attachment to moms helps irritable babies interact with others (August 30, 2011) -- New research suggests that highly irritable children who have secure attachments to their mothers are more likely to get along well with others than those who aren't securely attached. For this study, researchers followed 84 infants from birth to age 2, along with their mostly low-income mothers. ... > full story

Preserving 4 percent of the ocean could protect most marine mammal species, study finds (August 30, 2011) -- Preserving just 4 percent of the ocean could protect crucial habitat for the vast majority of marine mammal species, from sea otters to blue whales, according to researchers in a new study. ... > full story

Common irregular heartbeat raises risk of dementia, study finds (August 30, 2011) -- The most common kind of chronically irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation, is associated with a greater risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

Wearable device that vibrates fingertip could improve one's sense of touch (August 30, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a glove with a special fingertip designed to improve the wearer's sense of touch. Applying a small vibration to the side of the fingertip improves tactile sensitivity and motor performance, according to their research results. ... > full story

Weight loss without the hunger: Eat a lighter lunch, scientists say (August 30, 2011) -- Losing weight without a grumbling stomach or expensive liquid diet can be as simple as eating a lighter lunch, a new study finds. Participants who ate portion-controlled lunches did not compensate by eating more calories later in the day, leading researchers to believe the human body does not possess the mechanisms necessary to notice a small drop in energy intake. ... > full story

Discovery turns seaweed into biofuel in half the time (August 30, 2011) -- Scientists have engineered a new strain of yeast that converts seaweed into biofuel in half the time it took just months ago. ... > full story

First nuclear power plants for settlements on the moon and Mars (August 30, 2011) -- The first nuclear power plant being considered for production of electricity for manned or unmanned bases on the Moon, Mars and other planets may really look like it came from outer space, according to a leader of the project in a recent presentation. ... > full story

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