ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Monday, September 27, 2010
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Mystery of disappearing Martian carbon dioxide ice solved? (September 27, 2010) -- Scientists may have solved the mystery of the carbon dioxide ice disappearance early in the Northern Martian springs followed later by its sudden reappearance, revealing a very active water cycle on the planet. ... > full story
Malaria's newest pathway into human cells identified (September 27, 2010) -- Development of an effective vaccine for malaria is a step closer following identification of a key pathway used by the malaria parasite to infect human cells. The discovery provides a new vaccine target through which infection with the deadly disease could be prevented. ... > full story
Genetic switch underlies noisy cell division: 'Bimodal' signal determines a cell's get-up and go (September 27, 2010) -- While scientists have spent the past 40 years describing the intricate series of events that occur when one mammalian cell divides into two, they still haven't agreed on how the process begins. Two seemingly contradictory theories may now be reconciled by a third theory. ... > full story
Studies identify complications in women undergoing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction (September 27, 2010) -- About half of women who require radiation therapy after they have had a mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction develop complications that necessitate a return to the operating room, but pre- or post-mastectomy chemotherapy does not appear to be associated with the need for additional procedures, according to two new studies. ... > full story
More predators doesn't equal more danger for urban bird nest, study finds (September 27, 2010) -- While birds living in urban areas face more predators than do those in rural areas, that doesn't mean urban birds face more danger from nest robbers. A six-year study conducted in 19 central Ohio forests from 2004 to 2009 found that, as expected, rural areas that had higher numbers of nest predators such as raccoons, domestic cats and crows, also showed lower rates of nest survival. ... > full story
Privacy key obstacle to adopting electronic health records, study finds (September 27, 2010) -- The United States could achieve significant health care savings if it achieved widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), but insufficient privacy protections are hindering public acceptance of the EHR concept, according to a new paper that outlines steps that could be taken to boost privacy and promote the use of EHRs. ... > full story
How molecules escape from cell's nucleus: Key advance in using microscopy to reveal secrets of living cells (September 27, 2010) -- By constructing a microscope apparatus that achieves resolution never before possible in living cells, researchers have illuminated the molecular interactions that occur during one of the most important "trips" in all of biology: the journey of individual messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules from the nucleus into the cytoplasm (the area between the nucleus and cell membrane) so that proteins can be made. ... > full story
Elderly might not benefit from TB vaccines in development (September 27, 2010) -- Elderly people might not benefit from some of the tuberculosis vaccines currently in development, recent research suggests. Some vaccines under study are designed to activate a specific molecule that is an early participant in the immune response against TB in young people. But a recent study suggests that in older people, this molecule remains relatively inactive, even in the face of TB infection. ... > full story
Mechanical transmission without contact between parts (September 27, 2010) -- Researchers in Spain are coordinating an international project to develop a new concept of mechanical transmission without contact between parts, based on magnetic forces, which prevents friction and wear as well as making lubrication of the parts unnecessary. ... > full story
Cancer-associated long non-coding RNA regulates pre-mRNA splicing (September 27, 2010) -- Researchers report this month that MALAT1, a long non-coding RNA that is implicated in certain cancers, regulates pre-mRNA splicing -- a critical step in the earliest stage of protein production. ... > full story
Savvy consumers put a high price on food safety (September 27, 2010) -- New research demonstrates how food safety announcements cause consumers as well as food industry professionals to make purchasing decisions. ... > full story
Disparities in heart attack treatment may begin in the emergency room (September 27, 2010) -- The well-documented disparities in cardiac care may begin almost as soon as patients arrive at hospital emergency rooms. In a new study, researchers report that African-American and Hispanic patients assessed for chest pain were less likely than white patients to be categorized as requiring immediate care, despite a lack of significant differences in symptoms. ... > full story
Magnetic anomalies: New type of solar wind interaction with airless bodies in our solar system (September 26, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a new type of solar wind interaction with airless bodies in our solar system. Magnetized regions called magnetic anomalies, mostly on the far side of the Moon, were found to strongly deflect the solar wind, shielding the Moon’s surface. This will help scientists understand the solar wind behavior near the lunar surface and how water may be generated in its upper layer. ... > full story
Structure that allows bacteria to resist drugs identified (September 26, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered the crystal structures of pumps that allow bacteria to resist heavy metal toxins and antibiotics. ... > full story
Men look for good bodies in short-term mates, pretty faces in long-term mates (September 26, 2010) -- Men who are looking for short-term companionship are more interested in a woman's body than those looking for a long-term relationship, who focused on a woman's face, according to new research. ... > full story
Tight blood pressure control for patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease not associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes, study finds (September 26, 2010) -- Patients with hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease who maintained their systolic blood pressure at less than 130 mm Hg did not have improved cardiovascular outcomes compared to patients with usual blood pressure control, according to a new study. ... > full story
Tool to improve Wikipedia accuracy developed (September 26, 2010) -- Check the Microsoft entry on Wikipedia at some point in the past and you might have learned that the company's name is Microshaft, its products are evil and its logo is a kitten. Similarly, you may have learned from Abraham Lincoln's Wikipedia entry that he was married to Brayson Kondracki, his birth date is March 14 and Pete likes PANCAKES. ... > full story
Nearly one in three adolescents participated in a violent behavior over past year, U.S. study finds (September 26, 2010) -- A new national U.S. study reveals that nearly 7.8 million adolescents aged 12 to 17, almost one third (30.9 percent), participated in any of three violent behaviors over the past year. The study showed that 22.6 percent of adolescents reported having participated in a serious fight at school or work; 16.1 percent reported involvement in group-against-group fighting; and 7.5 percent reported attacking others with intent to seriously hurt them. ... > full story
The joy of sets: For ants and trees, multiple partners are a boon (September 26, 2010) -- In the complex world of ant-plant partnerships, serial monogamy can help trees maximize their evolutionary fitness, a new study shows. ... > full story
Protein found to control the early migration of neurons (September 26, 2010) -- Long before a baby can flash her first smile, sprout a first tooth or speak a first word, the neurons that will form her central nervous system must take their first, crucial steps. And these steps must be careful to take the right neurons to the right places and avert developmental disasters that could thwart those other baby firsts from ever coming to pass. Now new research promises a deeper understanding of how this essential form of cell migration occurs, finding a gene that works behind the scenes to control a closely related adhesion gene that helps keep young neurons on the right track. ... > full story
Robots could improve everyday life at home or work (September 26, 2010) -- They're mundane, yet daunting tasks: Tidying a messy room. Assembling a bookshelf from a kit of parts. Fetching a hairbrush for someone who can't do it herself. ... > full story
Six3 gene essential for retinal development, scientists show (September 26, 2010) -- New research adds to evidence that the Six3 gene functions like a doorman in the developing brain and visual system, safeguarding the future retina by keeping the region where the eye is forming free of a signaling protein capable of disrupting the process. ... > full story
UK's shipping emissions six times higher than expected, says new report (September 26, 2010) -- Carbon dioxide emissions produced by UK shipping could be up to six times higher than currently calculated, according to new research. ... > full story
In cyber bullying, depression hits victims hardest (September 26, 2010) -- Young victims of electronic or cyber bullying — which occurs online or by cell phone — are more likely to suffer from depression than their tormentors are, a new study finds. “Kids may be reluctant to tell their parents in case they lose their computer or cell phone privileges,” one of the researchers said. ... > full story
Dust models paint alien's view of the solar system (September 26, 2010) -- New supercomputer simulations tracking the interactions of thousands of dust grains show what the solar system might look like to alien astronomers searching for planets. The models also provide a glimpse of how this view might have changed as our planetary system matured. ... > full story
Key molecule for keeping other oral microorganisms in check uncovered (September 26, 2010) -- A research team has uncovered a key to arresting the growth of thrush -- a type of oral yeast infection that sickens patients with compromised immune systems, diabetes and newborns as well as healthy individuals, who may contract the disease following antibiotic treatment of an illness. ... > full story
Withering well can improve fertility (September 26, 2010) -- Contrary to a thousand face cream ads, the secret of fertility might not be eternal youth. Research from Spain has shown that the withering action of flowers may have evolved to protect their seeds. ... > full story
Sensor and insulin pump results in better blood-sugar control in all age groups with diabetes, study finds (September 26, 2010) -- Adding a continuous blood sugar level sensor to an insulin pump helps patients with type 1 diabetes achieve better blood sugar control compared to the common standard of care, multiple daily insulin injections, a new study concludes. ... > full story
Training the trainers: how to minimize stress when horses are first ridden (September 26, 2010) -- Man has profited enormously from his ability to domesticate animals. Animals need training to perform particular tasks but until recently the effects of training on the animals concerned had hardly been considered. Researchers now presents a study of the stress caused to horses by being ridden for the first time. ... > full story
Increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages reduces disease, injury, crime and death rates, study finds (September 26, 2010) -- Increasing the costs to consumers of beer, wine and hard liquor significantly reduces the rates of a wide range of alcohol-related deaths, diseases, injuries and other problems, according to a new study. ... > full story
Newly created material resembles cilia (September 25, 2010) -- Scientists recently imitated Mother Nature by developing, for the first time, a new, skinny-molecule-based material that resembles cilia, the tiny, hair-like structures through which organisms derive smell, vision, hearing and fluid flow. ... > full story
Kids and diabetes risk: Do chromosomes hold new clues? (September 25, 2010) -- Children who have a high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes might be identified earlier by way of telltale biomarkers now being sought in new studies. ... > full story
Making bees less busy: Social environment changes internal clocks (September 25, 2010) -- Honey bees removed from their usual roles in the hive quickly and drastically changed their biological rhythms, according to a new study. The changes were evident in both the bees' behavior and in their internal clocks. These findings indicate that social environment has a significant effect on the physiology and behavior of animals. ... > full story
Use of sunless tanning products -- common in teens -- may encourage sun safety in women (September 25, 2010) -- About one in ten US adolescents uses sunless tanning products, and an intervention promoting these products as an alternative to regular tanning may reduce sunbathing and sunburns among adult women, according to two new reports. ... > full story
Irish lizards threatened by agriculture (September 25, 2010) -- A new ecological network is urgently needed in Northern Ireland to ensure the continued survival of its precious lizard population, according to researchers. Lizards are found in coastal areas, heath and boglands around Northern Ireland, but a new study has found their natural habitats may have been replaced through agricultural intensification. ... > full story
People are cautious in asking help from their community, online gift exchange study finds (September 25, 2010) -- People are cautious in exchanging favors and items with other people in their community. Researchers, who studied an online gift exchange service, say that many people buy services because it does not occur to them that someone in their community could help them or they are too shy to ask for a favor. ... > full story
Taking a new look at old digs: Trampling animals may alter Stone Age sites (September 25, 2010) -- Stone Age tools discovered embedded in the ground could mislead archaeologists about a Prehistoric site's age. A new study on animal trampling found that water buffalo and goats significantly disturbed stone tools scattered on watery ground, says archaeologists. The animals pushed the tools as much as 21 centimeters deeper than originally positioned -- potentially altering a site's interpretation thousands of years, and suggesting archaeologists should reanalyze some previous discoveries. ... > full story
Cell division typically associated with cancer may also protect the liver from injury (September 25, 2010) -- Researchers have found that the liver, which is known to have a tremendous capacity for regeneration, also has an amazing degree of diversity. A better understanding of this process may reveal why some individuals are more susceptible to different forms of liver injury than others, which could lead to new therapies for the treatment of liver disease. ... > full story
How do you make the perfect sled dog? (September 25, 2010) -- Over the last few hundred years, Alaskan sled dogs have been bred to haul cargo over Arctic terrain and, more recently, for racing. Now, researchers have identified the contributions different breeds have made to the speed, endurance and work ethic of Alaskan sled dogs. ... > full story
Postoperative high blood sugar appears to be associated with surgical site infection (September 25, 2010) -- High blood glucose levels after surgery may be an important risk factor for infection at the surgical site in patients having general surgery, according to a new study. ... > full story
New 'light switch' chloride binder developed (September 25, 2010) -- Chemists have designed a molecule that binds chloride ions -- but can be conveniently compelled to release the ions in the presence of ultraviolet light. ... > full story
Moving closer to outdoor recreation not a recipe for being more physically active (September 25, 2010) -- A new study looking at the relationship between body mass index, or BMI, and neighborhood walkability, socioeconomic status, reasons for choosing their neighborhood and how physically active they were, fruit and vegetable intake and demographic information such as age, gender, job status and education, found those who chose to move to be closer to outdoor recreation weren't necessarily more active. ... > full story
Cassini makes first dive inside Saturn’s radio aurora (September 25, 2010) -- The Cassini spacecraft has made the first observations from within the radio aurora of another planet than Earth. The measurements, which were taken when the spacecraft flew through an active auroral region in 2008, show some similarities and some contrasts between the radio auroral emissions generated at Saturn and those at Earth. ... > full story
Preserving nerve cells in motor neuron disease (September 25, 2010) -- A team of researchers has identified a way to prevent symptom onset, weight loss and paralysis, and extend survival in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), providing a new avenue of research for the development of therapeutics for ALS and other motor neuron diseases. ... > full story
Taking the pulse of coral reefs (September 25, 2010) -- Healthy reefs with more corals and fish generate predictably greater levels of noise, according to researchers working in Panama. This has important implications for understanding the behavior of young fish, and provides an exciting new approach for monitoring environmental health by listening to reefs. ... > full story
Physical limitations can take a significant toll in breast cancer survivors (September 25, 2010) -- Basic physical limitations following breast cancer treatment can have far-reaching consequences that substantially affect how long a patient lives, according to researchers. ... > full story
Sensor important to understanding root, seedling development (September 25, 2010) -- A biosensor utilizing black platinum and carbon nanotubes will help give scientists a better understanding of how the plant hormone auxin regulates root growth and seedling establishment. ... > full story
Abortion does not cause depression or low self-esteem in adolescents, national U.S. study finds (September 25, 2010) -- A new study has determined that teenagers who have abortions are no more likely to become depressed or have low self-esteem than their peers whose pregnancies do not end in abortion. ... > full story
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