ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Friday, September 10, 2010
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Quantum dice: Simple device measures quantum noise of vacuum fluctuations and generates true random numbers (September 10, 2010) -- Behind every coincidence lies a plan -- in the world of classical physics, at least. In principle, every event, including the fall of dice or the outcome of a game of roulette, can be explained in mathematical terms. Researchers in Germany have constructed a device that works on the principle of true randomness. With the help of quantum physics, their machine generates random numbers that cannot be predicted in advance. ... > full story
New hot spot for genesis of signaling neurons in adult brain (September 10, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that, during early adulthood, the brain produces new excitatory neurons, and that these neurons arise from non-neuronal support cells in an area of the brain that processes smell. ... > full story
Oldest Roman baths in Asia Minor discovered in Sagalassos (September 10, 2010) -- An archaeological team has discovered the oldest Roman baths in Asia Minor known to date in Sagalassos, Turkey. Sagalassos was inhabited as a city until the 7th century AD, when it was destroyed by earthquakes. ... > full story
New dual recognition mechanism discovered in tuberculosis (September 10, 2010) -- One third of the world's population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which leads to tuberculosis (TB), a leading cause of death worldwide. A new discovery offers hope for new approaches to the prevention and treatment of TB. ... > full story
Main climate threat from carbon dioxide sources yet to be built (September 10, 2010) -- New energy-efficient or carbon-free technologies can help cut carbon dioxide emissions, but what about the power plants, cars, trucks, and other fossil-fuel-burning devices already in operation? Unless forced into early retirement, they will emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere for decades to come. Scientists have calculated the amount of carbon dioxide expected to be released from existing energy infrastructure worldwide, and then used a global climate model to project its effect on the Earth's atmosphere and climate. ... > full story
Basic physical capability can predict mortality in later life (September 10, 2010) -- People who are better at simple physical acts such as gripping, walking, rising from a chair and balancing on one leg are more likely to live longer, according to a new study. ... > full story
High stress hormone levels linked to increased cardiovascular mortality (September 10, 2010) -- High levels of the stress hormone cortisol strongly predict cardiovascular death among both persons with and without pre-existing cardiovascular disease, according to a new study. ... > full story
Chopping and changing in the microbial world: How mycoplasmas – the simplest bacterial pathogens – stay alive (September 10, 2010) -- Pathogenic bacteria have evolved a variety of mechanisms to avoid being killed by the immune systems of the humans and animals they invade. Among the most sophisticated is that practiced by mycoplasmas, which regularly change their surface proteins to confuse the immune system. Recent work has revealed surprising new details of the way they do so and at the same time raised important evolutionary questions. ... > full story
Promising treatment for metastatic melanoma 'fast tracked' by FDA (September 10, 2010) -- A recent study offers new hope for a promising treatment for metastatic melanoma. Ipilimumab is the first drug shown in randomized, placebo-controlled trials to improve survival in stage IV melanoma. ... > full story
Opportunity Rover reaches halfway point of long trek to Mars crater (September 10, 2010) -- When NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity left Victoria Crater two years ago this month, the rover science team chose Endeavour Crater as the rover's next long-term destination. With a drive of 111 meters (364 feet) on Monday, Sept. 8, Opportunity reached the estimated halfway point of the approximately 19-kilometer (11.8-mile) journey from Victoria to the western rim of Endeavour. ... > full story
Diagnostic errors 'greatest threat to patient safety in hospitals,' claims senior UK doctor (September 10, 2010) -- Diagnostic errors are the most important causes of avoidable harm to patients in hospitals, warns a senior doctor in the UK. ... > full story
Scientists observe single ions moving through tiny carbon-nanotube channel (September 9, 2010) -- For the first time, a team of chemical engineers has observed single ions marching through a tiny carbon-nanotube channel. Such channels could be used as extremely sensitive detectors or as part of a new water-desalination system. They could also allow scientists to study chemical reactions at the single-molecule level. ... > full story
Simplified heart-risk guideline may miscalculate risk for millions (September 9, 2010) -- A method that is widely used to predict the risk of a major coronary event may over- or underestimate risk for millions of Americans, according to a new study. ... > full story
In order to save biodiversity, society's behavior must change, leading conservationists warn (September 9, 2010) -- Conservation scientists and practitioners have come together to advocate a fundamental shift in the way we view biodiversity. They argue that unless people recognize the link between their consumption choices and biodiversity loss, the diversity of life on Earth will continue to decline. ... > full story
Pediatric vaccine stockpile policies need to be revisited, researcher says (September 9, 2010) -- Vaccine manufacturers and public health decision-makers need to collaborate in a more efficient and effective manner not only to reduce the likelihood of supply shortages for pediatric vaccines but also to maximize community immunity, a researcher argues. ... > full story
How mycobacteria avoid destruction inside human cells (September 9, 2010) -- Researchers have identified ten factors that help Mycobacterium tuberculosis avoid destruction inside host cell phagosomes. Two of the genes identified by high-throughput visual screening of 11,000 mutant mycobacteria are involved in the synthesis of acyltrehalose-containing glycolipids. These glycolipids prevent maturation of the host cell phagosome and may be a target for novel antimycobacterial drugs. ... > full story
Scope-severity paradox: Inflicting greater harm judged to be less harmful, study finds (September 9, 2010) -- Joseph Stalin once claimed that a single death was a tragedy, but a million deaths was a statistic. New research validates this sentiment, confirming large-scale tragedies don't connect with people emotionally in the same way smaller tragedies do. ... > full story
Phoenix Mars Lander finds surprises about red planet's watery past (September 9, 2010) -- Liquid water has interacted with the Martian surface throughout Mars' history, measurements by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander suggest. The findings also suggest that liquid water has primarily existed at temperatures near freezing, implying hydrothermal systems similar to Yellowstone's hot springs on Earth have been rare on Mars throughout its history. ... > full story
Strategy discovered to prevent Alzheimer's-associated traffic jams in the brain (September 9, 2010) -- Amyloid beta proteins, widely thought to cause Alzheimer's disease, block the transport of vital cargoes inside brain cells. Scientists have discovered that reducing the level of another protein, tau, can prevent amyloid beta from causing such traffic jams. ... > full story
Chemical engineer's work could lead to improved DNA analysis (September 9, 2010) -- DNA analysis is poised to experience a significant advancement thanks to the work of a chemical engineer who has discovered a way to achieve more effective separation of DNA fragments. ... > full story
Improvement in prediction of blood clots in cancer patients (September 9, 2010) -- For cancer patients, who have an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism due to a hyperactive blood coagulation system, there is now an enhanced risk model to predict their chance of developing blood clots, according to a recent study. ... > full story
Energy technologies not enough to sufficiently reduce carbon emissions, expert concludes (September 9, 2010) -- Current energy technologies are not enough to reduce carbon emissions to a level needed to lower the risks associated with climate change, a physicist concludes in a new evaluation. ... > full story
Most influential tweeters of all? Depends on the topic (September 9, 2010) -- Tweet this, Ashton Kutcher, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears. Just because you have a ton of followers on Twitter doesn't necessarily mean you're among the most influential people in the Twitterverse, according to researchers. ... > full story
When species are about to become extinct: New research may help predict tipping point (September 9, 2010) -- What if there were a way to predict when a species was about to become extinct -- in time to do something about it? Findings from a new study may eventually lead to such an outcome -- and that is only the start. Their study also has implications for understanding drastic, even catastrophic, changes in many other kinds of complex systems, from the human brain to entire ecosystems. ... > full story
Liver defect likely cause of DHA deficiency in Alzheimer's patients, UCI study finds (September 9, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that markedly depleted amounts of an omega-3 fatty acid in brain tissue samples from Alzheimer's patients may be due to the liver's inability to produce the complex fat, also contained in fish-oil supplements. ... > full story
NASA satellites reveal surprising connection between beetle attacks, wildfire (September 9, 2010) -- If your summer travels have taken you across the Rocky Mountains, you've probably seen large swaths of reddish trees dotting otherwise green forests. While it may look like autumn has come early to the mountains, evergreen trees don't change color with the seasons. The red trees are dying, the result of attacks by mountain pine beetles. ... > full story
Corn bred to contain beta-carotene is a good source of vitamin A, study finds (September 9, 2010) -- A new study has found that corn bred to contain increased levels of beta-carotene is a good source of vitamin A. The discovery gives added support to the promise of biofortified corn being developed through conventional plant breeding as an effective tool to combat vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. ... > full story
Tectonic zip: Predictable events of the February 2010 earthquake in Chile (September 9, 2010) -- The complex fracture pattern created by the earthquake in Concepción (Chile) on February 27, 2010 was to a certain extent predictable. GPS observations from the years before the earthquake showed the pattern of stresses that had accumulated through the plate movements during the past 175 years in this area. ... > full story
Chronic drinking increases levels of stress hormones, leading to neurotoxicity (September 9, 2010) -- Alcohol consumption, withdrawal, and abstinence can all raise stress hormones in humans and animals. A review has described how stress hormones called glucocorticoids are associated with neurotoxicity during abstinence after withdrawal from alcohol dependence. Glucocorticoid receptor antagonism may therefore represent a pharmacological option for recovery. ... > full story
Extreme X-ray source suggests new class of black hole (September 9, 2010) -- Astronomers have found proof to confirm the distance and brightness of the most extreme ultra-luminous X-ray source, which may herald a new type of black hole. ... > full story
Self-administered vaccine patch may protect against potentially pandemic flu viruses (September 9, 2010) -- A self-administered patch containing tiny microneedles may effectively deliver influenza virus-like particles through the skin and protect against potentially pandemic flu viruses such as H5N1. ... > full story
Why the biological clock? Aging reduces centromere cohesion, disrupts reproduction, biologists discover (September 9, 2010) -- Biologists studying human reproduction have identified what is likely the major contributing factor to the maternal age-associated increase in aneuploidy, the term for an abnormal number of chromosomes during reproductive cell division. ... > full story
These dendritic cells are fishy, but that's a good thing (September 9, 2010) -- Scientists have identified dendritic antigen-presenting cells in zebrafish, opening the possibility that the tiny fish could become a new model for studying the complexities of the human immune system. ... > full story
Portable laser backpack revolutionizes 3-D mapping (September 9, 2010) -- A portable, laser backpack for 3-D mapping is being hailed as a breakthrough technology capable of producing fast, automatic and realistic 3-D mapping of difficult interior environments. ... > full story
Adults demonstrate modified immune response after receiving massage, researchers show (September 9, 2010) -- Researchers have reported people who undergo massage experience measurable changes in their body's immune and endocrine response. Although there have been previous, smaller studies about the health benefits of massage, the new study is believed to be the first systematic study of a larger group of healthy adults. ... > full story
Laws of physics vary throughout the universe, new study suggests (September 9, 2010) -- A team of astrophysicists based in Australia and England has uncovered evidence that the laws of physics are different in different parts of the universe. The report describes how one of the supposed fundamental constants of Nature appears not to be constant after all. Instead, this 'magic number' known as the fine-structure constant -- 'alpha' for short -- appears to vary throughout the universe. ... > full story
New compound safely reduces plaques in mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (September 9, 2010) -- A team of scientists has synthesized hundreds of new compounds with the potential of reducing the production of the A-beta 42 peptide, a primary component of Alzheimer's disease. In mouse models, one tested compound specifically reduced levels of A-beta 42, which is believed to be responsible for the destruction of neurons, but left other essential enzymatic activities in the brain unaffected. ... > full story
It takes less than you think to create a starling spectacular (September 9, 2010) -- Hundreds of starlings flocking at dusk have become a familiar sight in towns and cities across the UK. But new research suggests that the birds react to minimal information from those nearest them to create these spectacular twilight roosting displays. ... > full story
Muscle wasting in cancer does not spare the heart (September 9, 2010) -- The wasting disease associated with some cancers that is typically seen affecting skeletal muscles can also cause significant damage to the heart, new research in mice suggests. Before now, cachexia, characterized by muscle wasting and dramatic weight loss, was believed to spare the heart. But a new study shows that the condition reduces heart function and changes the heart muscle structure in mice with colon cancer. ... > full story
Deepwater Horizon oil remains below surface, will come ashore in pulses, expert says (September 9, 2010) -- A coastal studies expert disagrees with published estimates that more than 75 percent of the oil from the Deepwater Horizon incident has disappeared. ... > full story
Decision-making deficits related to driving under the influence are often undetected (September 9, 2010) -- Driving under the influence of alcohol is a major public health problem. New findings show that people who had relapsed to DUI have subtle deficits in their decision-making abilities. These deficits tend to go undetected through conventional neuropsychological testing. ... > full story
Most penguin populations continue to decline, biologists warn (September 9, 2010) -- Penguin biologists from around the world warn that ten of the planet's eighteen penguin species have experienced further serious population declines. The effects of climate change, overfishing, chronic oil pollution and predation by introduced mammals are among the major factors cited repeatedly by penguin scientists as contributing to these population drops. ... > full story
Parents report a widely prescribed antibiotic is effective for fragile X treatment (September 9, 2010) -- One of the antibiotics most commonly prescribed to treat adolescent acne can increase attention spans and communication and decrease anxiety in patients with fragile X syndrome, according to a new study. ... > full story
Is organic farming good for wildlife? It depends on the alternative (September 9, 2010) -- Even though organic methods may increase farm biodiversity, a combination of conventional farming and protected areas could sometimes be a better way to maintain food production and protect wildlife. ... > full story
Molecular gatekeeper of arthritis identified: Removal of key protein leads to initiation of disease (September 9, 2010) -- Elimination of a molecular gatekeeper leads to the development of arthritis in mice, scientists report. The newly discovered gatekeeper is a protein that determines the fate -- survival or death -- of damaging cells that mistakenly attack the body's own tissues and lead to autoimmune disorders. Better understanding how arthritis develops will offer scientists an opportunity to explore new treatments for patients who have not had success with current therapies. ... > full story
Microbial breakthrough impacts health, agriculture, biofuels (September 9, 2010) -- For the first time ever, researchers have discovered how microbes break down hemicellulose plant matter into simple sugars using a cow rumen bacterium as a model. ... > full story
Consumers will pay more for goods they can touch (September 9, 2010) -- We've all heard the predictions: e-commerce is going to be the death of traditional commerce; online shopping spells the end of the neighborhood brick-and-mortar store. While it's true that online commerce has had an impact on all types of retail stores, it's not time to bring out the wrecking ball quite yet, says a team of researchers. ... > full story
Researchers hear puzzling new physics from graphene quartet's quantum harmonies (September 9, 2010) -- Using a one-of-a-kind instrument, researchers have discovered an unexpected and tantalizing set of energy levels in graphene, a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon with potentially revolutionary electronic properties, when the material is exposed to extremely low temperatures and extremely high magnetic fields. ... > full story
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