ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Tuesday, August 31, 2010
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Acidifying oceans spell bleak marine biological future 'by end of century', Mediterranean research finds (August 31, 2010) -- A unique 'natural laboratory' in the Mediterranean Sea is revealing the effects of rising carbon dioxide levels on life in the oceans. The results show a bleak future for marine life as ocean acidity rises, and suggest that similar lowering of ocean pH levels may have been responsible for massive extinctions in the past. ... > full story
New genomic marker for tuberculosis may help identify patients who will develop the disease (August 31, 2010) -- It may soon be possible to identify patients who will develop tuberculosis, as scientists have identified changes in the blood specific to the disease. ... > full story
Vulnerability in commercial quantum cryptography (August 31, 2010) -- Researchers have recently developed and tested a technique exploiting imperfections in quantum cryptography systems to implement an attack. ... > full story
African-Americans have higher risk for blood clots after receiving drug-coated stent, study finds (August 31, 2010) -- African-American race is a distinct risk factor for developing life-threatening blood clots after receiving a drug-coated stent, according to a new study. ... > full story
New Norwegian earplug solution to a deafening problem (August 31, 2010) -- Some 600 cases of noise-induced hearing impairment are reported by the Norwegian petroleum industry every year. A new, intelligent earplug is now set to alleviate the problem. The international energy company Statoil ASA has led efforts to further develop a combined hearing protection and communication product for use on offshore platforms. The QUIETPRO hearing protection and communication device was originally developed for military use by the Trondheim-based company Nacre AS. The company’s customers include the United States Army, which uses QUIETPRO devices in armoured vehicles. ... > full story
Social isolation worsens cardiac arrest effects on heart regulation (August 31, 2010) -- A new study in mice shows how social support can help minimize some of the worst physical damages to the brain caused by a heart attack. From cell death to depressive symptoms to regulation of the heart, mice that lived with a partner after a heart attack suffered less damage than did similar mice that were housed alone. ... > full story
Impact hypothesis loses its sparkle: Shock-synthesized diamonds said to prove catastrophic impact killed off N. American megafauna can't be found (August 31, 2010) -- The warming that following the last Ice Age was interrupted by a cold snap that killed off megafauna such as the giant ground sloth and the woolly mammoth. Could this crisis have been caused by an asteroid impact or a comet breaking up in the atmosphere? Unfortunately the geological evidence for such a dramatic event has not stood up to scrutiny. In a new study, a group of scientists challenges the catastrophists last, best hope: shock-synthesized nanodiamonds. ... > full story
Stopping colon cancer by activating anti-cancer genes (August 31, 2010) -- Researchers have succeeded in decoding the genetic key that gives particular intestinal cells their identity. With this knowledge of the complex network of genes the researchers now hope to stop colon cancer by activating special anti-cancer genes. ... > full story
Tray bleaching may improve oral health of elderly, special-needs patients (August 31, 2010) -- A tooth-bleaching agent may improve the oral health of elderly and special-needs patients, say dentists. ... > full story
Better treatment of atrial fibrillation and its risks (August 31, 2010) -- The earlier that patients who suffer from atrial fibrillation obtain the correct treatment, the lower is the risk of serious secondary effects such as stroke. New research from Sweden shows that a well-established measurement score can easily assess the risks for this patient group. ... > full story
Shallow water habitats important for young salmon and trout (August 31, 2010) -- Research from Sweden shows that competition from older fish causes young salmon and trout to seek refuge in shallow water. Preserving such habitats may, therefore, be important for the survival of the young fish. ... > full story
School-based intervention successfully lowers drinking rates in at risk children (August 31, 2010) -- In an effort to combat these startling findings, researchers in the UK describe a successful personality-based intervention for substance abuse delivered by teachers. ... > full story
First clear evidence of organized feasting by early humans (August 30, 2010) -- Community feasting is one of the most universal and important social behaviors found among humans. Now, scientists have found the earliest clear evidence of organized feasting, from a burial site dated about 12,000 years ago. These remains represent the first archaeological verification that human feasting began before the advent of agriculture. ... > full story
People at 'intermediate risk' of heart disease with elevated hsCRP benefit from statin therapy, study suggests (August 30, 2010) -- People at intermediate risk of cardiovascular disease who have high levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein, a blood marker for inflammation, could benefit from cholesterol-lowering therapy even if their cholesterol is already at desirable levels. Data indicates that people with only a 5 percent to 20 percent risk of having heart disease in the next 10 years, but who have high levels of hsCRP could reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by more than 40 percent. ... > full story
Tuning into cell signals that tell where sensory organs will form inside the ear (August 30, 2010) -- Researchers have tracked a cell-to-cell pathway that designates the future location of the ear's sensory organs in embryonic mice. The scientists succeeded in activating this signal more widely across the embronic tissue that forms the inner ear. Patches of sensory structures began growing in spots where they don't normally appear. The results suggest an avenue for further investigation in restoring hearing loss and correcting balance problems from nerve damage in the inner ear. ... > full story
Researchers develop new laboratory cell lines to study treatment for anaplastic thyroid cancer (August 30, 2010) -- To their deep dismay, researchers discovered several years ago that laboratory samples of anaplastic thyroid cancer they were using to help them find new treatments for this lethal disease were probably some other kind of cancer. It quickly became evident that the situation in their lab was common throughout the world. Up to half of the cell lines that were supposed to originate from patients with this rare thyroid cancer were either colon or melanoma cancer. So, with the cooperation of many researchers nationwide, the researchers set out to create a new set of laboratory ATC cells, derived from tumors donated by patients. ... > full story
Research produces tools to study stallions' subfertility (August 30, 2010) -- Subfertility of breeding stallions -- meaning the horses are less able to sire foals -- is a well-recognized problem that has caused multi-million-dollar losses in the equine industry, experts say. Researchers believe they are making progress in solving the problem by using an approach that might provide tools and resources necessary to study subfertility without causing stallions the angst of providing testicular samples for testing. ... > full story
Over 50? You probably prefer negative stories about young people (August 30, 2010) -- When given a choice, older people prefer to read negative news, rather than positive news, about young adults, a new study suggests. In fact, older readers who chose to read negative stories about young individuals actually get a small boost in their self-esteem, according to the results. ... > full story
'Stocky dragon' dinosaur, relative of Velociraptor, terrorized Late Cretaceous Europe (August 30, 2010) -- Paleontologists have discovered that a close relative of Velociraptor hunted the dwarfed inhabitants of Late Cretaceous Europe, an island landscape largely isolated from nearby continents. While island animals tend to be smaller and more primitive than their continental cousins, the theropod Balaur bondoc was as large as its relatives on other parts of the globe and demonstrated advanced adaptations including fused bones and two terrifyingly large claws on each hind foot. ... > full story
Hurts so good: Neural clues to the calming effects of self-harm (August 30, 2010) -- The notion that cutting or burning oneself could provide relief from emotional distress is difficult to understand for most people, but it is an experience reported commonly among people who compulsively hurt themselves. ... > full story
Decongestant use in pregnant women linked to lower risk of preterm birth (August 30, 2010) -- A new study by epidemiologists has found that women who took over-the-counter decongestants during their pregnancies are less likely to give birth prematurely. ... > full story
Body mass index and thrombogenic factors in newly menopausal women (August 30, 2010) -- A study of a subset of women in the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study suggests that as BMI increases, so do platelet reactivity and thrombogenic microvesicles and activated protein C in the blood -- all of which contribute to the formation of atherothrombosis and associated cardiovascular events. ... > full story
Mars's mysterious elongated crater (August 30, 2010) -- Orcus Patera is an enigmatic elliptical depression near Mars's equator, in the eastern hemisphere of the planet. Located between the volcanoes of Elysium Mons and Olympus Mons, its formation remains a mystery. ... > full story
Parenting style: Italians strict, French moderate, Canadians lenient (August 30, 2010) -- Canadian teenagers enjoy more freedom than French and Italian peers, according to a new study. The investigation examined how parents fashion emotional bonds and exert behavioral control with adolescents. ... > full story
Stretched polymer snaps back smaller than it started (August 30, 2010) -- Crazy bands are cool because no matter how long they've been stretched around a kid's wrist, they always return to their original shape, be it a lion or a kangaroo. Now chemists have found a polymer molecule that's so springy it snaps back from stretching much smaller than it was before. ... > full story
Scientists bring new species of turtle out of its shell (August 30, 2010) -- When scientists announce the discovery of a new animal species, we often imagine exotic, difficult to reach locations -- the untouched shore of a distant island, the forests of the rain-drenched Amazon or the darkest depths of the Arctic Ocean. But the recent announcement of a new species of turtle in the southeastern United States proves that even in a country considered to be well-explored, perhaps more awaits discovery. ... > full story
Diagnostic blood test can identify rare lung disease (August 30, 2010) -- Researchers have found that a certain blood test can successfully identify lymphangioleiomyomatosis in some patients, eliminating the need for surgical lung biopsy to make a diagnosis. ... > full story
Batteries for battery powered cars are more environmentally friendly than expected (August 30, 2010) -- Battery powered cars will play a major role in future of mobility. What was not known so far, was how environmentally friendly the manufacture, operation and disposal of the batteries are. Researchers have now calculated the ecological footprint of the most commonly used type, the lithium-ion battery. A car with a petrol engine must consume less than 4 liters of fuel per 100km or about 70 mpg (miles per gallon) in order to be as environmentally friendly as modern electric cars. ... > full story
Eye movements reveal readers' wandering minds (August 30, 2010) -- It's not just you -- everybody zones out when they're reading. Scientists recorded eye movements during reading and found that the eyes keep moving when the mind wanders -- but they don't move in the same way as they do when you're paying attention. ... > full story
Octopus mimics flatfish and flaunts it (August 30, 2010) -- The mimic octopus, which can imitate flatfish and sea snakes to dupe potential predators, may well be the king of impersonation. By creatively configuring its limbs, adopting characteristic undulating movements, and displaying conspicuous color patterns, the mimic octopus can successfully pass for a number of different creatures that share its habitat, several of which are toxic. Now, scientists have conducted DNA analysis to determine how this remarkable adaptation evolved. ... > full story
First genetic link to common migraine exposed (August 30, 2010) -- Researchers have found the first ever genetic risk factor associated with common types of migraine. The team found that patients with the DNA variant have a significantly greater risk for developing migraine and suggest that an accumulation of a chemical known as glutamate in nerve cell junctions in the brain may play a key role in the initiation of migraine attacks. The research opens the door for new studies into migraine in humans. ... > full story
System uses electrical trickery on the brain to induce realistic spaceflight effects (August 30, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a system that can safely induce the sensory and mobility disturbances astronauts often experience when returning to Earth, making it an excellent operational training tool. The Galvanic vestibular stimulation system delivers small amounts of current to a person's vestibular nerve, mimicking sensorimotor disturbances that can affect an astronaut's ability to walk and stand and impact their ability to land a spacecraft. ... > full story
Amphetamine use increases risk of aortic tears in young adults, study suggests (August 30, 2010) -- Young adults who abuse amphetamines may be at greater risk of suffering a tear in the main artery leading from the heart. ... > full story
Forest fire smoke in the stratosphere: New insights into pyrocumulonimbus clouds (August 30, 2010) -- Meteorologists are now discovering that changes in the frequency of occurrence and intensity of wildfires has substantial consequences for a variety of important problems including atmospheric changes. Superimposed on this important topic is a relatively new discovery: forest fire smoke in the stratosphere, an area of the atmosphere that begins nearly 38 thousand feet above the Earth's surface. As a result, a poorly understood aspect of wildfire behavior -- pyrocumulonimbus firestorm dynamics and atmospheric impact -- is becoming the focus of increasing attention. ... > full story
How information is coded in the brain: New theory about signal propagation (August 30, 2010) -- For more than fifty years, the neuroscience community has been engaged in an intensive debate on how information is coded in the brain and transmitted reliably from one brain region to the next. Mutually exclusive coding systems have been proposed and are being energetically supported. Scientists in Germany have now demonstrated that earlier studies were based on rather extreme propositions. ... > full story
New view of tectonic plates: Computer modeling of Earth's mantle flow, plate motions, and fault zones (August 30, 2010) -- Computational scientists and geophysicists have developed new computer algorithms that for the first time allow for the simultaneous modeling of Earth's mantle flow, large-scale tectonic plate motions, and the behavior of individual fault zones, to produce an unprecedented view of plate tectonics and the forces that drive it. ... > full story
New genetic risk factor for Lou Gehrig's disease identified (August 30, 2010) -- Biologists and neuroscientists have identified a new genetic risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. ... > full story
'Biosensors' on four feet detect animals infected with bird flu (August 30, 2010) -- Blood hounds, cadaver dogs, and other canines who serve humanity may soon have a new partner -- disease detector dogs -- thanks to an unusual experiment in which scientists trained mice to identify feces of ducks infected with bird influenza. The proof-of-concept study may pave the way for development of "biosensors on four feet" that warn of infection with influenza and other diseases. ... > full story
More than 20,000 sledding injuries each year, according to new study (August 30, 2010) -- Although sledding is a popular winter pastime, it can unfortunately lead to serious injury. A new study found that from 1997-2007, an estimated 229,023 children and adolescents younger than 19 years were treated in US hospital emergency departments for sledding-related injuries -- an average of more than 20,000 cases each year. ... > full story
Atmospheric pressure plasma jet from a grounded electrode (August 30, 2010) -- Because they are portable and easy to operate at ambient temperatures, cold atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) should find innovative applications in biomedicine, materials science and fabrication industries. New research investigates an APPJ that extends from the ground electrode of a circuit. ... > full story
Hair color, socioeconomic status among risk factors for recurring basal cell carcinoma (August 30, 2010) -- Patients who receive a diagnosis of the skin cancer basal cell carcinoma at a younger age -- along with those who have red hair, a higher socioeconomic status and a cancerous lesion on their upper extremities -- appear to be at higher risk of developing multiple cancers and require closer follow-up, according to a new study. ... > full story
Wonder of the natural world: Key to Christmas Island's red crab migration discovered (August 30, 2010) -- One of the most spectacular migrations on Earth is that of the Christmas Island red crab. Acknowledged as one of the wonders of the natural world, every year millions of the crabs simultaneously embark on a five-kilometer breeding migration. Now, scientists have discovered the key to their remarkable athletic feat. ... > full story
Cinnamon extracts may reduce risk of diabetes and heart disease, study suggests (August 30, 2010) -- A water soluble extract of cinnamon, which contains antioxidative compounds, could help reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Hyperspectral imaging speeds detection of Campylobacter (August 30, 2010) -- A type of high-tech imaging can be used to distinguish the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter from other microorganisms as quickly as 24 hours after a sample is placed on solid media in a Petri dish, according to a new study. ... > full story
Study contradicts reports of problems with blood-thinner (August 30, 2010) -- New findings contradict earlier reports that people with a certain genetic make-up don't benefit from the blood-thinner clopidogrel, also known as Plavix. ... > full story
Progress on vaccine for 'Ich,' bane of fish farms and home aquarium hobbyists (August 30, 2010) -- Tests of the potential vaccine against "Ich" -- the dreaded "white-spot" disease that plagues fish in commercial fish farms, public aquariums, pet fish retail outlets and home aquariums -- are raising hopes for finally controlling the disease, scientists report. ... > full story
Socioeconomic status predicts survival of Canadian cancer patients (August 30, 2010) -- A new analysis finds that cancer patients from poorer communities have a greater chance of dying prematurely than individuals from more affluent backgrounds even though cancer stage at time of diagnosis is similar across socioeconomic groups. ... > full story
Core knowledge of tree fruit expands with apple genome sequencing (August 30, 2010) -- An international team of scientists from Italy, France, New Zealand, Belgium and the US have published a draft sequence of the domestic apple genome. The sequence will allow scientists to more rapidly identify which genes provide desirable characteristics to the fruit and which genes and gene variants provide disease or drought resistance to the plant. This information can be used to rapidly improve the plants through more informed selective breeding. ... > full story
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