ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Friday, August 13, 2010
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Single neurons can detect sequences (August 13, 2010) -- Single neurons in the brain are surprisingly good at distinguishing different sequences of incoming information according to new research. The study shows that single neurons, and indeed even single dendrites, the tiny receiving elements of neurons, can very effectively distinguish between different temporal sequences of incoming information. ... > full story
Mutant mouse reveals potential genetic pathway for alcoholism (August 13, 2010) -- A mutation found in a mouse gene that also appears in humans might provide new insights into the genetic roots of alcoholism, according to a new study. ... > full story
Antibiotics for the prevention of malaria (August 13, 2010) -- If mice are administered an antibiotic for three days and are simultaneously infected with malaria, no parasites appear in the blood and life-threatening disease is averted. In addition, the animals treated in this manner also develop robust, long-term immunity against subsequent infections, according to new research. ... > full story
Vascular multiple sclerosis hypothesis and treatment questioned (August 13, 2010) -- Two important new studies challenge the controversial hypothesis that venous congestion--chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI)--contributes to the development of multiple sclerosis (MS). This theory has resulted in many MS patients receiving experimental endovascular angioplasty, a treatment for MS unproven by clinical trials. ... > full story
Shared phosphoproteome links remote plant species (August 13, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that even the most widely-varying species of plants share remarkable similarities in the composition of proteins in them that undergo phosphorylation, a regulatory mechanism involved in various cellular phenomena. A database released by the group, with information on over three thousand phosphorylated proteins and phosphorylation sites in rice, opens new doors in the study and engineering of plants. ... > full story
Federal nuclear waste panel overlooks public mistrust, experts say (August 13, 2010) -- According to 16 social science researchers from across the country, a renewed federal effort to fix the nation's stalled nuclear waste program is focusing so much on technological issues that it fails to address the public mistrust hampering storage and disposal efforts. ... > full story
Asteroid found in gravitational 'dead zone' near Neptune (August 13, 2010) -- There are places in space where the gravitational tug between a planet and the Sun balance out, allowing other smaller bodies to remain stable, called Lagrangian points. Trojan asteroids have been found in some of these stable spots near Jupiter and Neptune. Now astronomers have discovered the first Trojan asteroid in a difficult-to-detect stability region at Neptune -- the Lagrangian L5 point. ... > full story
New drug reduces tumor size in women with advanced hereditary ovarian or breast cancer (August 13, 2010) -- Understanding the underlying genetic weakness of certain types of cancer may lead to targeted therapy and provide the key to effective treatment, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Scientists test Australia's Moreton Bay as coral 'lifeboat' (August 13, 2010) -- An international team of scientists has been exploring Australia's Moreton Bay, close to Brisbane, as a possible 'lifeboat' to save corals from the Great Barrier Reef at risk of extermination under climate change. In a new research paper, they say that corals have been able to survive and flourish in the Bay, which lies well to the south of the main GBR coral zones, during about half of the past 7000 years. ... > full story
Poor kidney function common among HIV-infected injection drug users (August 13, 2010) -- Poor kidney function is common among injection drug users, particularly those with HIV, according to a new study. The results suggest that clinicians should monitor the kidney function of HIV-infected injection drug users and consider them candidates for medical treatments to protect their kidneys when appropriate. ... > full story
Hexagonal boron nitride sheets may help graphene supplant silicon (August 13, 2010) -- What researchers might call "white graphene" may be the perfect sidekick for the real thing as a new era unfolds in nanoscale electronics. Researchers have figured out how to make sheets of h-BN, which could turn out to be the complementary apple to graphene's orange. ... > full story
Culture matters in suicidal behavior patterns and prevention, psychologist says (August 13, 2010) -- Women and girls in the United States consider and engage in suicidal behavior more often than men and boys, but die of suicide at a lower rate -- a gender paradox enabled by US cultural norms of gender and suicidal behavior, according to a psychologist. ... > full story
An ancient Earth like ours: Geologists reconstruct Earth's climate belts between 460 and 445 million years ago (August 12, 2010) -- An international team of scientists has reconstructed the Earth's climate belts of the late Ordovician Period, between 460 and 445 million years ago. The findings show that these ancient climate belts were surprisingly like those of the present. ... > full story
Merlin protein found to control liver stem cells, prevent tumor development (August 12, 2010) -- A protein known to be involved in a rare hereditary cancer syndrome may have a role in the regulation of liver stem cells and the development of liver cancer. In a new study, a research team describes finding that the protein called merlin, encoded by the NF2 gene, controls the activity of adult stem cells that give rise to the two major types of liver cells. ... > full story
Neurological process for the recognition of letters and numbers explained (August 12, 2010) -- How does the brain link the visual basic traits of letters and numbers to abstract representations and to words? Scientists have analyzed the influence of context on the visual recognition of a written word regardless of the format in which these letters may be displayed. ... > full story
Certain vena cava filters may fracture, causing potentially life-threatening complications (August 12, 2010) -- Two specific types of vena cava filters, devices used to prevent blood clots from reaching the lungs, appear to have evidence of fracturing inside the body, with some fractured fragments traveling to the heart and causing potentially life-threatening complications, according to a new report. ... > full story
Greenhouse gas calculator connects farming practices with carbon credits (August 12, 2010) -- Using a web-based greenhouse gas calculator, researchers demonstrate how farming practices can influence greenhouse gas emissions. ... > full story
Youth exposure to alcohol ads in magazines declining (August 12, 2010) -- Youth exposure to alcohol advertising in magazines declined by 48 percent between 2001 and 2008, according to a new study by public health researchers. ... > full story
Citizen scientists discover rotating pulsar (August 12, 2010) -- Idle computers are the astronomers' playground: three citizen scientists -- an American couple and a German -- have discovered a new radio pulsar hidden in data gathered by the Arecibo Observatory. This is the first deep-space discovery by Einstein@Home, which uses donated time from the home and office computers of 250,000 volunteers from 192 different countries. This is the first genuine astronomical discovery by a public volunteer distributed computing project. ... > full story
Immune responses during pregnancy linked to schizophrenia among offspring (August 12, 2010) -- Psychologists have found that exposure during pregnancy to certain immune proteins, such as those produced in response to the flu, leads to increased risk for brain abnormalities associated with schizophrenia in offspring. ... > full story
Scientists outline a 20-year master plan for the global renaissance of nuclear energy (August 12, 2010) -- Scientists outline a 20-year master plan for the global renaissance of nuclear energy that could see nuclear reactors with replaceable parts, portable mini-reactors, and ship-borne reactors supplying countries with clean energy, in new research. ... > full story
One type of stem cell creates a niche for another type in bone marrow (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered the precise source of hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and regulation within the bone marrow. In a new study, they report that the HSCs retain their unique features of multipotency and self-renewal in response to signals from another stem cell population, the mesenchymal stem cells, which create a supportive niche for the HSCs. ... > full story
How algae 'enslavement' threatens freshwater bodies (August 12, 2010) -- How toxic, blue-green algae out-compete other organisms through a form of selfish "enslavement" -- and by so doing proliferate dangerously in freshwater bodies -- has been described by a researcher. ... > full story
Video quality less important when you're enjoying what you're watching (August 12, 2010) -- If you like what you're watching, you're less likely to notice the difference in video quality of the TV show, Internet video or mobile movie clip, new research shows. ... > full story
Charcoal takes some heat off global warming: Biochar can offset 1.8 billion metric tons of carbon emissions annually (August 12, 2010) -- As much as 12 percent of the world's human-caused greenhouse gas emissions could be sustainably offset by producing biochar, a charcoal-like substance made from plants and other organic materials. That's more than what could be offset if the same plants and materials were burned to generate energy, concludes a new study. ... > full story
Key step in body's ability to make red blood cells discovered (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers have uncovered a key step in the creation of new red blood cells in an animal study. They found that a tiny fragment of ribonucleic acid (RNA), a chemical cousin of DNA, prompts stem cells to mature into red blood cells. The researchers also created an artificial RNA inhibitor to block this process. ... > full story
Clues to gut immunity evolution: Research reveals similarities between fish and humans (August 12, 2010) -- New research has identified the function of one of the earliest antibodies in the animal kingdom, an ancient immunoglobulin that helps explain the evolution of human intestinal immune responses. It was discovered to play a predominant role in the guts of fish and paves the way for a better understanding of human gut immunity as well as for safer, healthier approaches to keeping fish from pathogen infections. ... > full story
New findings further clarify breast cancer risk with hormone therapy (August 12, 2010) -- A new analysis of the California Teachers Study, which analyzed hormone replacement therapy use among 2,857 women for almost 10 years, underscores the need for personalized risk-benefit discussions before women begin hormone therapy. ... > full story
Switchgrass lessens soil nitrate loss into waterways, researchers find (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers have found that by planting switchgrass and using certain agronomic practices, farmers can significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen and nitrates that leach into the soil. ... > full story
Athletes undergoing tissue transplant surgery for knee damage have bright future (August 12, 2010) -- Athletes with bone and cartilage knee damage who are treated with transplanted tissue can return to sports after surgery, according to a new study that overturns the widely held belief that patients who undergo this surgery do not return to athletics. ... > full story
Free statins with fast food could neutralize heart risk, scientists say (August 12, 2010) -- Fast food outlets could provide statin drugs free of charge so that customers can neutralize the heart disease dangers of fatty food, researchers suggest in a new study. ... > full story
Heat shock protein can restore nerve damage in diabetic mice (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers have been able to use a common chaperone protein, Hsp70, to reverse the loss of function in the nerves of mice with diabetes. ... > full story
Ambitious survey spots stellar nurseries (August 12, 2010) -- Astronomers scanning the skies as part of ESO's VISTA Magellanic Cloud survey have now obtained a spectacular picture of the Tarantula Nebula in our neighbouring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. This panoramic near-infrared view captures the nebula itself in great detail as well as the rich surrounding area of sky. The image was obtained at the start of a very ambitious survey of our neighbouring galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds, and their environment. ... > full story
Breast cancer risk varies among different progestins used in hormone replacement therapy, study finds (August 12, 2010) -- New research has found that progestins used in hormone replacement therapies to counteract the negative effects of estrogen on the uterus and reduce the risk of uterine cancer may increase the risk of breast cancer. ... > full story
Popping cells surprise living circuits creators (August 12, 2010) -- Under the microscope, researchers found that bacteria start dividing normally, two cells become four and then eight and so on. But then individual cells begin "popping," like circus balloons being struck by darts. Researchers believe the accidental finding of a circuit they call "ePop" can help increase the efficiency and power of future synthetic biology circuits. ... > full story
For infant sleep, receptiveness more important than routine (August 12, 2010) -- Parents understand the challenge of getting infants to sleep through the night, and now researchers show that being emotionally receptive can reduce sleep disruptions and help infants and toddlers sleep better. ... > full story
Arctic rocks offer new glimpse of primitive Earth (August 12, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a new window into the Earth's violent past. Geochemical evidence from volcanic rocks collected on Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic suggests that beneath it lies a region of the Earth's mantle that has largely escaped the billions of years of melting and geological churning that has affected the rest of the planet. Researchers believe the discovery offers clues to the early chemical evolution of the Earth. ... > full story
Inherited brain activity predicts childhood risk for anxiety, research finds (August 12, 2010) -- A new study focused on anxiety and brain activity pinpoints the brain regions that are relevant to developing childhood anxiety. The findings may lead to new strategies for early detection and treatment of at-risk children. ... > full story
Stem cells used to treat children with life-threatening, blistering skin disease (August 12, 2010) -- Physician-researchers have demonstrated that a lethal skin disease can be successfully treated with stem cell therapy. ... > full story
Delay in surgery not likely to worsen tumors in men with low-risk prostate cancer, study finds (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers have found that men enrolled in an active surveillance program for prostate cancer that eventually needed surgery to remove their prostates fared just as well as men who opted to remove the gland immediately, except if a follow-up biopsy during surveillance showed high-grade cancer. ... > full story
'Linc-ing' a noncoding RNA to a central cellular pathway (August 12, 2010) -- The recent discovery of more than a thousand genes known as large intergenic noncoding RNAs (or "lincRNAs") opened up a new approach to understanding the function and organization of the genome. That surprising breakthrough is now made even more compelling with the finding that dozens of these lincRNAs are induced by p53, the most commonly mutated gene in cancer. ... > full story
Learn more in kindergarten, earn more as an adult (August 12, 2010) -- There isn't a lot of research that links early childhood test scores to earnings as an adult. But new research reveals a surprising finding: Students who learn more in kindergarten earn more as adults. They are also more successful overall. ... > full story
Giant ultraviolet rings found in resurrected galaxies (August 12, 2010) -- Astronomers have found mysterious, giant loops of ultraviolet light in aged, massive galaxies, which seem to have a second lease on life. Somehow these "over-the-hill galaxies" have been infused with fresh gas to form new stars that power these truly gargantuan rings, some of which could encircle several Milky Way galaxies. ... > full story
Using bone marrow stem cells to treat critically ill patients on verge of respiratory failure (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers are reporting new study results they say provide further evidence of the therapeutic potential of stem cells derived from bone marrow for patients suffering from acute lung injury, one of the most common causes of respiratory failure in intensive care units. ... > full story
Faster DNA analysis at room temperature (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers in Canada have combined DNA microarrays with microfluidic devices, which are used for the precise control of liquids at the nanoscale. ... > full story
Lithium shows no benefit for people with ALS (August 12, 2010) -- A new study has found that the drug lithium is not effective in treating people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. ... > full story
Biodiversity hot spots more vulnerable to global warming than thought (August 12, 2010) -- Global warming may present a threat to animal and plant life even in biodiversity hot spots once thought less likely to suffer from climate change, according to a new study. ... > full story
Video study finds risky food-safety behavior more common than thought (August 12, 2010) -- How safe is the food we get from restaurants, cafeterias and other food-service providers? A new study involved placing video cameras in commercial kitchens to see how precisely food handlers followed food-safety guidelines -- discovered that risky practices happen more often than previously thought. ... > full story
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