ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Thursday, August 26, 2010
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Why fish don't freeze in the Arctic Ocean: Chemists unmask natural antifreeze (August 26, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered how natural antifreeze works to protect fish in the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean from freezing to death. They were able to observe that an antifreeze protein in the fish's blood affects the water molecules in its vicinity such that they cannot freeze, and everything remains fluid. Here, there is no chemical bond between protein and water -- the mere presence of the protein is sufficient. ... > full story
BPA and testosterone levels: First evidence for small changes in men (August 26, 2010) -- Researchers have for the first time identified changes in sex hormones associated with bisphenol A exposure in men, in a large population study. BPA is a chemical commonly used in food and drink containers. ... > full story
Waiting for the right moment: Bacterial pathogens delay their entry into cells (August 26, 2010) -- Pathogens make themselves feel at home in the human body, invading cells and living off the plentiful amenities on offer. However, researchers reveal an opposite strategy used to ensure infection success. Pathogens can actually delay their entry into cells to ensure their survival. Upon cell contact, bacteria trigger a local strengthening of the cellular skeleton with the aid of signalling molecules, allowing them to remain outside the cell. The researchers also show that this strategy, unknown until now, is used by certain intestinal pathogens as well. ... > full story
Gene involved in Fuchs corneal dystrophy is found (August 26, 2010) -- A research team has found a gene likely responsible for Fuchs corneal dystrophy, an inheritable genetic disorder and leading cause of corneal transplant operations. ... > full story
Deadly bat fungus found in several European countries (August 26, 2010) -- Within five years the death toll of North American bats succumbing to “white-nose syndrome” has reached the one million threshold. Now, the causative fungus Geomyces destructans has been identified in a number of European countries -- so far without detrimental effects for the native bat populations. ... > full story
Doctors' religious beliefs strongly influence end-of-life decisions, study finds (August 26, 2010) -- Atheist or agnostic doctors are almost twice as willing to take decisions that they think will hasten the end of a very sick patient's life as doctors who are deeply religious, new research suggests. ... > full story
A 'great fizz' of carbon dioxide was produced at the end of the last ice age (August 26, 2010) -- Imagine loosening the screw-top of a soda bottle and hearing the carbon dioxide begin to escape. Then imagine taking the cap off quickly, and seeing the beverage foam and fizz out of the bottle. Then, imagine the pressure equalizing and the beverage being ready to drink. Marine scientists say that something similar happened over a 1,000 year period after the end of the last ice age. ... > full story
Structural basis for autism disorders (August 26, 2010) -- There is still much that is unknown about autism, but a psychologist has completed a six-year study of brain tissue that, for the first time, provided physical evidence of short-range over-connectivity in the outer layer of the brain's cortex in those with autism. ... > full story
Wild Southeast Asian porcupines under threat due to illegal hunting, researchers find (August 26, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that the consumption of the Southeast Asian porcupine as a specialty food is having a devastating effect on wild populations. ... > full story
Copy number variation found to cause rare kidney disease (August 26, 2010) -- Researchers have identified a rare form of kidney disease linked to a genetic mutation in the innate immune system. So far, the disease, which the researchers have named CFHR5 nephropathy, has been identified in over one hundred people, all of whom are of Cypriot descent, including some living in the UK. Symptoms include blood in the urine – both microscopic and, occasionally, visible – and progressive kidney malfunction. ... > full story
Supercomputers help track species affected by Gulf oil spill (August 26, 2010) -- To establish a baseline for measuring and predicting the biological impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, an ichthyologist and a biomedical informatics researcher are using supercomputer systems to help map data on the extent of the spill and chemicals and the distribution of various fish species. ... > full story
Mothers abused by partners see decline in mental health even after relationship ends (August 26, 2010) -- Even after leaving a violent or controlling relationship, the mental health of mothers may actually get worse before it gets better, a new study suggests. Researchers found that in the two years after the end of an abusive relationship, mothers showed poorer mental health, became more depressed and maintained high levels of anxiety. In those areas, they were no better off than women who stayed in abusive relationships. ... > full story
Freeze or run? Not that simple: Scientists discover neural switch that controls fear (August 25, 2010) -- Scientists have identified the specific type of neurons that determine how mice react to a frightening stimulus, showing that deciding whether or not to freeze in fear is a more complex task for our brains than we realized. ... > full story
Cold salt water reduces damage in heart attack patients (August 25, 2010) -- Treating heart attack patients with hypothermia reduces the amount of heart damage by more than one third after balloon angioplasty. Researchers in Sweden have released the results of a study showing that the amount of heart damage in heart attack patients whose body temperature was lower than 35 degrees C (95 degrees F) was reduced by more than one third after they were treated with balloon angioplasty to open their clogged heart vessel. ... > full story
Serengeti highway would disrupt world's greatest migration, conservationists warn (August 25, 2010) -- The Wildlife Conservation Society and the Zoological Society of London are requesting that the Government of Tanzania reconsider the proposed construction of a commercial road through the world's best known wildlife sanctuary -- Serengeti National Park -- and recommend that alternative routes be used that can meet the transportation needs of the region without disrupting the greatest remaining migration of large land animals in the world. ... > full story
A dog's life: Physiotherapy for arthritic pets (August 25, 2010) -- Animals with osteoarthritis are generally offered the same types of physiotherapy as humans, although most of the methods have not been directly tested on animals. Recent work addresses this deficit and shows that relatively simple measures such as walking uphill or over low obstacles can significantly help the bending of dogs' joints and thus mitigate the suffering caused by arthritis. ... > full story
Growing drought-tolerant crops inching forward (August 25, 2010) -- A team of scientists has used the tools of structural biology to understand how a synthetic chemical mimics abscisic acid (ABA), a key stress hormone that helps plants cope with adverse environmental conditions such as drought. ... > full story
Solar System may be 2 million years older than we thought, meteorite analysis suggests (August 25, 2010) -- Timescales of early Solar System processes rely on precise, accurate and consistent ages obtained with radiometric dating. However, recent advances in instrumentation now allow scientists to make more precise measurements, some of which are revealing inconsistencies in the ages of samples. Seeking better constraints on the age of the Solar System, researchers analyzed meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 2364 and found that the age of the Solar System predates previous estimates by up to 1.9 million years. ... > full story
Antiviral gene helps suppress jumping of AIDS viruses between host species (August 25, 2010) -- The human AIDS viruses originated as viruses of apes and monkeys, respectively, yet little is known about whether or how these invaders adapted to the new genetic "environment" encountered in humans. One group of host genes, collectively known as restriction factors, is thought to influence the ability of such viruses to move between different primate species. ... > full story
Strange case of solar flares and radioactive elements (August 25, 2010) -- When researchers found an unusual linkage between solar flares and the inner life of radioactive elements on Earth, it touched off a scientific detective investigation that could end up protecting the lives of space-walking astronauts and maybe even rewriting some of the assumptions of physics. ... > full story
New test allows individualized profiles of cigarette smoking (August 25, 2010) -- A test for one of the thousands of chemicals in cigarette smoke has the potential for more accurately estimating smokers' mouth level exposure and may have applications for developing custom-tailored quitting approaches for the more than 43 million people in the United States who still smoke, and hundreds of millions elsewhere, scientists report. ... > full story
Evolution writ small: Physical effects of evolution measured at molecular scale (August 25, 2010) -- A unique experiment that forces bacteria into a head-to-head competition for evolutionary dominance has yielded new insights about the way Darwinian selection plays out at the molecular level. An exacting new analysis reveals precisely how specific genetic mutations impart a physical edge in the competition for survival. ... > full story
Spouses do not grow more alike, study finds (August 25, 2010) -- Contrary to popular belief, married couples do not become more similar over time, according to new research. ... > full story
Seeing the world with new eyes: Biosynthetic corneas restore vision in humans (August 25, 2010) -- A new study from researchers in Canada and Sweden has shown that biosynthetic corneas can help regenerate and repair damaged eye tissue and improve vision in humans. The results are from an early phase clinical trial with 10 patients. ... > full story
New mechanism of memory formation discovered (August 25, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a mechanism that plays a critical role in the formation of long-term memory. The findings shed substantial new light on aspects of how memory is formed, and could lead to novel treatments for memory disorders. ... > full story
Microneedle, quantum dot study opens door to new clinical cancer tools (August 25, 2010) -- Researchers have developed extremely small microneedles that can be used to deliver medically-relevant nanoscale dyes called quantum dots into skin -- an advance that opens the door to new techniques for diagnosing and treating a variety of medical conditions, including skin cancer. ... > full story
Up to one in four patients reports more physical problems a year after surgery than before (August 25, 2010) -- Fifteen percent of patients experience more pain, physical and emotional problems a year after surgery than before their operation and 24 percent have less vitality, according to a study of over 400 patients. Twelve months after their operation, 17 percent also reported greater pain, 14 percent said their functional abilities had reduced and 16 percent had poorer mental health. ... > full story
Juicing up laptops and cell phones with soda pop or vegetable oil? (August 25, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting the development of a new battery-like device that opens the possibility that people one day could "recharge" cell phones, laptops, and other portable electronics in an unlikely way -- with a sugar fix from a shared sip of soda pop or even a dose of vegetable oil. ... > full story
Major moral decisions use general-purpose brain circuits to manage uncertainty (August 25, 2010) -- Scientists have found that humans can make difficult moral decisions using the same brain circuits as those used in more mundane choices related to money and food. The results suggest that complex moral decisions need not rely on a specific "moral sense." ... > full story
Tiny, new, pea-sized frog is old world's smallest (August 25, 2010) -- The smallest frog in the Old World (Asia, Africa and Europe) and one of the world's tiniest was discovered inside and around pitcher plants in the heath forests of the Southeast Asian island of Borneo. The pea-sized amphibian is a species of microhylid, which, as the name suggests, is composed of miniature frogs under 15 millimeters. ... > full story
Migraine sufferers have higher risk of dying from heart disease and stroke, research finds (August 25, 2010) -- Individuals who suffer from migraines with aura (temporary visual or sensory disturbances before or during a migraine headache) are at a higher risk of dying from heart disease or stroke, according to new research. ... > full story
Putting the squeeze on Alzheimer's (August 25, 2010) -- Brain cells exposed to a form of the amyloid beta protein, the molecule linked to Alzheimer's disease, become stiffer and bend less under pressure, researchers have found. ... > full story
Cognitive behavior therapy improves symptom control in adult ADHD (August 25, 2010) -- Adding cognitive behavioral therapy -- an approach that teaches skills for handling life challenges and revising negative thought patterns -- to pharmaceutical treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder significantly improved symptom control in a study of adult patients. ... > full story
Glorious gadolinium gives flash memory a future (August 25, 2010) -- Future flash memory could be faster and store more data without changing its basic design by using a clever nanocrystal material. Scientists propose a new logical element made with the rare earth material gadolinium. ... > full story
Alcohol dependence damages both episodic memory and awareness of memory (August 25, 2010) -- Metamemory refers to the subjective knowledge that people have of their own cognitive processing abilities. A first-of-its-kind study has found that not only were alcohol-dependent patients relatively unaware of their memory deficits, but that they also overestimated their memory capacities. ... > full story
Deepwater oil plume in Gulf degraded by microbes, study shows (August 25, 2010) -- A new study of a deepwater dispersed oil plume formed in the aftermath of the damaged BP wellhead in the Gulf of Mexico shows that microbial activity, spearheaded by a new and unclassified species, degrades oil much faster than anticipated. ... > full story
Painkilling system in brain: Too much of a good thing? (August 25, 2010) -- Repeatedly boosting brain levels of one natural painkiller soon shuts down the brain cell receptors that respond to it, so that the painkilling effect is lost, according to a surprising new study that has important implications for drug development. ... > full story
Nanobiotechnology-manipulated light particles used to accelerate algae growth (August 25, 2010) -- Scientists and engineers seek to meet three goals in the production of biofuels from nonedible sources such as microalgae: efficiency, economical production and ecological sustainability. Researchers have now discovered a method to make algae, which can be used in the production of biofuels, grow faster by manipulating light particles through the use of nanobiotechnology. ... > full story
Waiting for the right moment: Bacterial pathogens delay their entry into cells (August 25, 2010) -- Certain pathogens make themselves at home in the human body by invading cells and living off the plentiful amenities on offer there. However, researchers have discovered a contrary strategy to ensure infection success: some pathogens can actually delay their entry into cells to ensure their survival. ... > full story
Half-a-loaf method can improve magnetic memories (August 25, 2010) -- Scientists have shown that magnetic memory, logic and sensor cells can be made faster and more energy efficient by using an electric, not magnetic, field to flip the magnetization of the sensing layer only about halfway, rather than completely to the opposite direction. ... > full story
Did ancient coffee houses lay the groundwork for modern consumerism? (August 25, 2010) -- If you think that your favorite coffee shop is a great gathering place for discussion, you should have been around in the Ottoman Empire starting in the 1550s. A new study examines the role of coffee houses in the evolution of the consumer. ... > full story
How giant tortoises, alligators thrived in High Arctic 50 million years ago (August 25, 2010) -- A new study of the High Arctic climate roughly 50 million years ago helps to explain how ancient alligators and giant tortoises were able to thrive on Ellesmere Island well above the Arctic Circle, even as they endured six months of darkness each year. ... > full story
Researchers zero in on protein that destroys HIV (August 25, 2010) -- Using a 5,000 microscope and the wisdom of Yogi Berra, researchers have identified the key components of a protein called TRIM5a that destroys HIV in rhesus monkeys. The finding could lead to new TRIM5a-based treatments that would knock out HIV in humans. ... > full story
Secrets of scents: Designing the smells that sell household products (August 25, 2010) -- Crafting a fragrance for detergents that leaves laundry smelling clean and fresh. Developing a room freshener, scented oil or scented candle that whispers "cool spring air." Giving toothpaste or mouthwash a refreshing aftertaste that lingers and lingers. The process for putting the smell that sells into thousands consumer products is much like composing a symphony, according to a leading fragrance designer. ... > full story
Chronic drinking can disrupt circadian rhythms (August 25, 2010) -- Circadian clock genes are key to regulating physiological and behavioral activities. Animal studies have shown that chronic drinking can disrupt expression in these genes. A human study has found an association between deregulation of circadian clock genes and chronic drinking. ... > full story
Can the world be powered mainly by solar and wind energy? (August 25, 2010) -- Continuous research and development of alternative energy could soon lead to a new era in human history in which two renewable sources -- solar and wind -- will become Earth's dominant contributor of energy, a Nobel laureate said at a conference. ... > full story
Oxytocin makes people trusting, but not gullible, study suggests (August 25, 2010) -- Oxytocin (OT) is a hormone that plays an important role in social behavior -- it has even been nicknamed "the love hormone" and "liquid trust." Increased levels of OT have been associated with greater caring, generosity, and trust. But does OT increase people's trust in anybody or does it act more selectively? Recent findings suggest that OT fosters trust, but not gullibility: OT may make individuals more trusting, but only in certain situations. ... > full story
True causes for extinction of cave bear revealed: More human expansion than climate change (August 25, 2010) -- The cave bear started to become extinct in Europe 24,000 years ago, but until now the cause was unknown. An international team of scientists has analyzed mitochondrial DNA sequences from 17 new fossil samples, and compared these with the modern brown bear. The results show that the decline of the cave bear started 50,000 years ago, and was caused more by human expansion than by climate change. ... > full story
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