ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Wednesday, September 22, 2010
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Learning to live on land: How some early plants overcame an evolutionary hurdle (September 22, 2010) -- Diversity of life would be impossible if the ancestors of modern plants had stayed in the water with their green algal cousins. Moving onto dry land required major changes to adapt to this new "hostile" environment, and helped change global climate and atmospheric conditions. By absorbing carbon while making food, and releasing oxygen, early plants shaped ecosystems into a more hospitable environment. New research suggests reasons for incorporating evolutionary/paleontological information into global carbon cycling models. ... > full story
Vitamin D protects against obesity-induced endometrial cancer, study suggests (September 22, 2010) -- Findings from an animal study suggest that obese women can reduce their increased risk of endometrial disease if they take vitamin D supplements. ... > full story
Dancing robot swan triggers emotions (September 22, 2010) -- 'The Dying Swan' is sometimes moving smoothly and gently, sometimes in a dramatic and fiery manner, as Tchaikovsky's majestic music from the ballet Swan Lake is playing; yet this is no ordinary ballet dancer, but a robot in the form of a swan. ... > full story
New therapy found for lung and skin cancer, based on suicide gene E (September 22, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a new therapy for the treatment of skin and lung cancer. This therapy involves the use of a suicide coliphage-gene (gene E) that can induce death to cells transfected with it. Their studies have demonstrated that this technique is not only effective in vitro (using tumour cell cultures), but also in vivo through the use of experimental animals in which tumours were induced. ... > full story
First observation of the folding of a nucleic acid (September 22, 2010) -- Scientists have been able to describe for the first time the folding process of a small DNA hairpin in water and with atomic resolution. ... > full story
Doctor's health habits affect patient counseling (September 22, 2010) -- How well are doctors doing in advising patients to eat better and exercise? It can depend on the physician's own personal habits, according to a new study. Factors that predicted confidence in counseling included the doctor's own exercise time, being overweight, and if the doctor had adequate training in counseling. ... > full story
Quantum computing closer than ever: Scientists using lasers to cool and control molecules (September 22, 2010) -- Physicists have used lasers to cool molecules down to temperatures near what's known as absolute zero, about -460 degrees Fahrenheit. Their new method for laser cooling is a significant step toward the ultimate goal of using individual molecules as information bits in quantum computing. ... > full story
The Achilles' heel of tendons (September 22, 2010) -- Scientists have found the weak link in tendons -- potential targets for drugs, imaging and therapy. They built a micro-scale civil engineering lab to get the results. ... > full story
Lifelong exercising yields sensational results (September 22, 2010) -- Senior active skiers have twice the oxygen-uptake capacity of seniors who do not exercise. "The findings show that humans have a great potential to maintain a high level of physical work capacity and thereby better quality of life even at advanced ages," says a professor of sports science. ... > full story
First in-human study of robotically assisted percutaneous coronary intervention system demonstrates safety, feasibility (September 22, 2010) -- The first in-human study of a robotically assisted percutaneous coronary intervention system demonstrated that the technique was safe and feasible. ... > full story
Certain doped-oxide ceramics resist Ohm's Law (September 22, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered that certain barium titanate ceramics do not follow Ohm's Law. Applying a voltage to them gradually changes their electrical resistance. The work may help explain how ceramics used in electrical circuits degrade. ... > full story
Spare the rod, spoil the child? Excessive punishment can have lasting psychological impact on children, researchers say (September 22, 2010) -- Grabbing a child firmly by the arm, yelling and repeatedly punishing him or her may not be without long-terms risks, according to researchers. They are studying how this harsh parenting can impair the emotional development of a child, possibly leading to anxiety disorders such as social phobia, separation anxiety and panic attacks. ... > full story
Your body recycling itself -- captured on film (September 21, 2010) -- Proteins are made up of a chain of amino acids, and scientists have known since the 1980s that first one in the chain determines the lifetime of a protein. Researchers have finally discovered how the cell identifies this first amino acid -- and caught it on camera. ... > full story
More accurate method of determining premature infants' risk of illness (September 21, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a revolutionary, noninvasive way of quickly predicting the future health of premature infants, an innovation that could better target specialized medical intervention and reduce health-care costs. ... > full story
Art of dividing: Researchers decode function and protein content of the centrosome (September 21, 2010) -- A basic requirement for growth and life of a multicellular organism is the ability of its cells to divide. Chromosomes in the cells duplicate and are then distributed among the daughter cells. This distribution is organized by a protein complex made up of several hundred different proteins, called the centrosome. In cancer cells, the centrosome often assumes an unnatural shape or is present in uncontrolled numbers. The reasons for this were previously largely unknown. Scientists in Germany have now investigated the functions of the different centrosomal components and report their findings. ... > full story
New sickle cell screening program for college athletes comes with serious pitfalls, experts say (September 21, 2010) -- A leading pediatrician is urging a "rethink" of a new sickle cell screening program, calling it an enlightened but somewhat rushed step toward improving the health of young people who carry the sickle cell mutation. ... > full story
Risk of beetle outbreaks rise, along with temperature, in the warming West (September 21, 2010) -- The potential for outbreaks of spruce and mountain pine beetles in western North America's forests is likely to increase significantly in the coming decades, according to a study conducted by USDA Forest Service researchers and their colleagues. Their findings represent the first comprehensive synthesis of the effects of climate change on bark beetles. ... > full story
Mixed-use neighborhoods reduce some violent crimes, study says (September 21, 2010) -- Mixed-use neighborhoods that combine residential and business development may help lead to lower levels of some types of violent crime, a new study suggests. The results were just as true in impoverished neighborhoods as they were in more affluent areas, offering one possible way of improving blighted areas, according to the researchers. ... > full story
Parting the waters: Computer modeling applies physics to Red Sea escape route (September 21, 2010) -- New research shows the extent to which such sustained winds can dramatically lower water levels. The research suggests that such a "wind setdown" event could have led to a parting of waters similar to the description in the biblical account of the Red Sea. ... > full story
Higher than predicted human exposure to the toxic chemical bisphenol A or BPA, new study indicates (September 21, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that women, female monkeys and female mice have major similarities when it comes to how bisphenol A is metabolized, and they have renewed their call for governmental regulation when it comes to the estrogen-like chemical found in many everyday products. ... > full story
Earth to have closest encounter with Jupiter until 2022 (September 21, 2010) -- Been outside at midnight lately? There's something you really need to see. Jupiter is approaching Earth for the closest encounter between the two planets in more than a decade -- and it is dazzling. ... > full story
Targeted therapy triggers complex mechanism of resistance (September 21, 2010) -- In order for targeted therapies against cancer to be effective, scientists need to understand upfront what related proteins in a signaling "network" makes a cancer cell resistant to a drug and selectively target them as well, say researchers. ... > full story
Silent electric vehicles made safer (September 21, 2010) -- A little green van called ELVIN is whizzing around the University of Warwick as part of a major research project aimed at tackling the safety issues linked to the lack of sound from electric vehicles. ... > full story
Hormone oxytocin improves social cognition but only in less socially proficient individuals (September 21, 2010) -- Researchers have found that the naturally-occurring hormone oxytocin selectively improves social cognitive abilities for less socially proficient individuals, but has little effect on those who are more socially proficient. ... > full story
Martian moon Phobos may have formed by catastrophic blast (September 21, 2010) -- Scientists now have firm indications that the Martian satellite Phobos formed relatively near its current location via re-accretion of material blasted into Mars' orbit by some catastrophic event. Two independent approaches of compositional analyses of thermal infrared spectra, from ESA's Mars Express and NASA's Mars Global Surveyor missions, yield very similar conclusions. The re-accretion scenario is further strengthened by the measurements of Phobos' high porosity from the Mars Radio Science Experiment (MaRS) on board Mars Express. ... > full story
Muscle gene may provide new treatments for obesity and diabetes (September 21, 2010) -- Skeletal muscle enables us to walk, run or play a musical instrument, but it also plays a crucial role in controlling disease. Scientists have now shown how a specific molecule in skeletal muscle regulates energy expenditure, a finding that may lead to new treatments for certain muscle diseases as well as diabetes, obesity and heart disease. ... > full story
Nanoparticle shaped like Star of David discovered (September 21, 2010) -- A new type of nanoparticle resembling the six-pointed Star of David has been discovered by researchers in Israel. The discovery may lead to new ways for sensing of glucose in diagnosing diabetes or provide a catalyst to capture the sun's energy and turn it into clean fuel. ... > full story
New pathway regulates immune balance and offers promising drug development target (September 21, 2010) -- Scientists have identified a new pathway that helps control the immune balance through reciprocal regulation of specialized T lymphocytes, which play very different inflammatory roles. ... > full story
Swallowing disc batteries can cause severe injury in children (September 21, 2010) -- Severe injury to the esophagus can occur after a child swallows a disc battery, according to a new study. ... > full story
Too much TV, video and computer can make teens fatter (September 21, 2010) -- Too much television, video games and Internet can increase body fat in teens. A five-year study has found teenagers have four different patterns of screen use: increasers, decreasers, consistently high and consistently low users. ... > full story
Nano antenna concentrates light (September 21, 2010) -- Researchers have made a nanoscale optical antenna that amplifies light a thousand-fold. Getting an accurate measurement of the plasmonic effect is a first. ... > full story
Seasonal flu vaccine lowers risk of first heart attack, study finds (September 21, 2010) -- The seasonal flu vaccine is associated with a 19 percent reduction in the rate of first heart attack and early vaccination in the fall further increases the benefits, found a study published in CMAJ. ... > full story
Marine scientists unveil mysteries of life on undersea mountains (September 21, 2010) -- They challenge the mountain ranges of the Alps, the Andes and the Himalayas in size yet surprisingly little is known about seamounts, the vast mountains hidden under the world's oceans. Now in a special issue of Marine Ecology, scientists uncover the mystery of life on these submerged mountain ranges and reveal why these under studied ecosystems are under threat. ... > full story
Study models H1N1 flu spread (September 21, 2010) -- As the United States prepares for the upcoming flu season, a group of researchers continues to model how H1N1 may spread. ... > full story
Ability to detect malware in cloud-computing systems improved (September 21, 2010) -- Researchers have developed new software that offers significantly enhanced security for cloud-computing systems. The software is much better at detecting viruses or other malware in the "hypervisors" that are critical to cloud computing, and does so without alerting the malware that it is being examined. ... > full story
Overheard cell-phone conversations are not only annoying but reduce our attention (September 21, 2010) -- "Yeah, I'm on my way home." "That's funny." "Uh-huh." "What? No! I thought you were -- " "Oh, OK." Listening to someone talk on a cell phone is very annoying. A new study finds out why: hearing just one side of a conversation is much more distracting than hearing both sides and reduces our attention in other tasks. ... > full story
Geckos inspire new method to print electronics on complex surfaces (September 21, 2010) -- Geckos are masters at sticking to surfaces of all kinds and easily unsticking themselves. Inspired by these lizards, a team of engineers has developed a reversible adhesion method for printing electronics on a variety of tricky surfaces such as clothes, plastic and leather. The stamp can easily pick up electronic devices from a silicon surface and print them on a curved surface. ... > full story
Pollution takes its toll on the heart (September 21, 2010) -- The fine particles of pollution that hang in the air can increase the risk for sudden cardiac arrest, according to a new study. ... > full story
Female fish abandoned by males to raise offspring on their own (September 21, 2010) -- Caring for children can be a tough job, particularly if you are a female cichlid fish, with research showing that male cichlid fish have a propensity to desert their mates, leaving them to then look after the young as single parents. ... > full story
Yeast holds clues to Parkinson's disease (September 21, 2010) -- Yeast could be a powerful ally in the discovery of new therapeutic drugs to treat Parkinson's disease. Researchers in Portugal are slowly uncovering the molecular basis of Parkinson's disease by studying the associated human protein in yeast cells. ... > full story
Vigilant camera eye: System analyzes data in real time, flags unusual scenes (September 21, 2010) -- An innovative camera system could in future enhance security in public areas and buildings. Smart Eyes works just like the human eye. The system analyzes the recorded data in real time and then immediately flags up salient features and unusual scenes. ... > full story
Hard-wired for chocolate and hybrid cars? How genetics affect consumer choice (September 21, 2010) -- Clues to consumer behavior may be lurking our genes, according to a new study. The authors discovered that people seem to inherit the following tendencies: to choose a compromise option and avoid extremes; select sure gains over gambles; prefer an easy but non-rewarding task over an enjoyable challenging one; look for the best option available; and prefer utilitarian, clearly needed options (like batteries) over more indulgent ones (gourmet chocolate). ... > full story
Hot atmosphere of Venus might cool interior of Earth’s sister planet (September 21, 2010) -- The heat in the atmosphere of Venus, induced from a strong greenhouse warming, might actually have a cooling effect on the planet's interior. This counter-intuitive theory is based on calculations from a new model presented by astronomers. ... > full story
Stress accelerates breast cancer progression in mice, researchers find (September 21, 2010) -- Chronic stress acts as a sort of fertilizer that feeds breast cancer progression, significantly accelerating the spread of disease in animal models, researchers have found. ... > full story
US teen hearing loss is much lower than has been widely reported, study shows (September 21, 2010) -- New research from hearing scientists shows that fewer than 20 percent of teenagers in the United States have a hearing loss as a result of exposure to loud sounds, thus offering a different analysis of previously reported data. ... > full story
Abnormal body weight related to increased mortality in colon cancer patients (September 21, 2010) -- Postmenopausal women diagnosed with colon cancer may be at increased risk of death if they fail to maintain a healthy body weight before cancer diagnosis, according to a new study. ... > full story
Image sensors for extreme temperatures (September 21, 2010) -- Image sensors which are used as electronic parking aids in cars or for quality control in production systems have to be able to withstand the often very high temperatures that prevail in these environments. Research scientists have produced a CMOS chip which functions even at a temperature of 115 degrees Celsius. ... > full story
Low-calorie cheesecake? Why we have trouble estimating calories (September 21, 2010) -- When it comes to estimating calorie counts, Americans aren't really on the ball. According to a new study, this may be because of the order in which we encounter the food. ... > full story
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