ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Thursday, September 30, 2010
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First direct evidence that ADHD is a genetic disorder: Children with ADHD more likely to have missing or duplicated segments of DNA (September 30, 2010) -- New research provides the first direct evidence that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a genetic condition. Scientists in the UK found that children with ADHD were more likely to have small segments of their DNA duplicated or missing than other children. ... > full story
Strong link between diabetes and air pollution found in national U.S. study (September 30, 2010) -- A national U.S. epidemiologic study finds a strong, consistent correlation between adult diabetes and particulate air pollution that persists after adjustment for other risk factors like obesity and ethnicity, researchers report. The relationship was seen even at exposure levels below the current EPA safety limit. ... > full story
One-dimensional window on superconductivity, magnetism: Atoms are proxies for electrons in ultracold optical emulator (September 30, 2010) -- A team of physicists is reporting the first success from a three-year effort to emulate superconductors with ultracold atoms trapped in grids of laser beams. A new study describes how the group trapped atoms in a one-dimensional tube of light, which allowed them to simultaneously examine superconductivity and magnetism -- phenomena that do not generally coexist. ... > full story
Women with triple negative breast cancer and BRCA mutations have lower risk of recurrence, study finds (September 30, 2010) -- Patients with triple negative breast cancer that also have mutations in the BRCA gene appear to have a lower risk of recurrence, compared to those with the same disease without the deleterious genetic mutation, according to researchers. ... > full story
Laser tool for studying Mars rocks (September 30, 2010) -- The NASA Mars Science Laboratory Project's rover, Curiosity, will carry a newly delivered laser instrument named ChemCam to reveal what elements are present in rocks and soils on Mars up to 7 meters (23 feet) away from the rover. ... > full story
Diet when young affects future food responses (September 30, 2010) -- A high protein diet during development primes the body to react unhealthily to future food binges. A study on juvenile rats suggests that lasting changes result from altering the composition of the first solid food that is consumed throughout growth into early adulthood. ... > full story
Dancing honeybees use democratic process when selecting a new home (September 30, 2010) -- When honeybees seek a new home, they choose the best site through a democratic process that humans would do well to emulate, according to a biologist. ... > full story
Less chemotherapy works well for some childhood cancer, study finds (September 30, 2010) -- A particularly aggressive childhood cancer can be fought successfully with far less chemotherapy than previously believed, avoiding harmful side effects caused by cancer drugs. ... > full story
Hello, Saturn summer solstice: Cassini's new chapter (September 30, 2010) -- Turning a midsummer night's dream into reality, NASA's Cassini spacecraft begins its new mission extension -- the Cassini Solstice Mission. The mission extension will take Cassini a few months past Saturn's northern summer solstice (or midsummer) through September 2017. It will enable scientists to study seasonal changes and other long-term weather changes on Saturn and its moons. ... > full story
Swine flu patients benefited from taking Tamiflu, says study (September 30, 2010) -- Healthy people who caught swine flu during the 2009 pandemic may have been protected against developing radiographically (X-ray) confirmed pneumonia by taking the antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu), concludes a study of cases in China. ... > full story
Wide-Field Imager selected for Solar Probe Plus mission (September 30, 2010) -- NASA has chosen the Naval Research Laboratory's Wide-field Imager to be part of the Solar Probe Plus mission slated for launch no later than 2018. The Solar Probe Plus, a small car-sized spacecraft will plunge directly into the sun's atmosphere approximately four million miles from our star's surface. It will explore a region no other spacecraft ever has encountered in an effort to unlock the sun's biggest mysteries. ... > full story
Decrease in suicide not linked to newer antidepressants, Norwegian study finds (September 30, 2010) -- Many researchers have studied the relationship between the increase in sales of new antidepressants in recent decades and a simultaneous decline in the suicide rate. In a study based on figures from the Nordic countries, researchers in Norway found no evidence that increased sales of the new medicines could be linked to a lower suicide rate. The researchers also did not find any relationship between reduced sales of the older and more toxic antidepressants and a reduction in suicide rates. ... > full story
New key to tissue regeneration: Drug treatment triggers sodium ions to regrow nerves and muscle (September 29, 2010) -- Tufts biologists have regenerated spinal cord and muscle by triggering an influx of sodium ions into injured cells. The approach breaks new ground in biomedicine because it requires no gene therapy; can be administered after an injury has occurred; and is bioelectric, rather than chemically based. The treatment is most directly applicable to spinal cord repair and limb loss. Proof-of-principle may apply to many complex tissues. ... > full story
Research on killer HIV antibodies provides promising new ideas for vaccine design (September 29, 2010) -- New discoveries about the immune defenses of rare HIV patients who produce antibodies that prevent infection suggest a novel direction for designing new vaccines. ... > full story
Purifying proteins: Researchers use NMR to improve drug development (September 29, 2010) -- The purification of drug components is a large hurdle facing modern drug development. This is particularly true of drugs that utilize proteins, which are notoriously difficult to separate from other potentially deadly impurities. Scientists are using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to understand and improve an important protein purification process. ... > full story
Mammography reduces mortality from breast cancer in ages 40–49 years, Swedish study finds (September 29, 2010) -- Mammography examinations of women aged 40–49 reduce breast cancer mortality by 29%, a statistically significant reduction, according to a national study in Sweden. ... > full story
Model aims to reduce disaster toll on city's social, economic fabric (September 29, 2010) -- Researchers have created a computer model that predicts how a disaster's impact on critical infrastructure would affect a city's social and economic fabric, a potential tool to help reduce the severity of impacts, manage the aftermath of catastrophe and fortify infrastructure against future disasters. ... > full story
Dirty hands, dirty mouths: Study finds a need to clean the body part that lies (September 29, 2010) -- Apparently your mom had it right when she threatened to wash your mouth out with soap if you talked dirty. Lying really does create a desire to clean the "dirty" body part, according to a University of Michigan study. ... > full story
Scientists genetically engineer silkworms to produce artificial spider silk (September 29, 2010) -- A research and development effort by the University of Notre Dame, the University of Wyoming, and Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc. has succeeded in producing transgenic silkworms capable of spinning artificial spider silks. ... > full story
Evidence of post-stroke brain recovery discovered (September 29, 2010) -- The world's largest study using neuroimaging of stroke patients struggling to regain ability to communicate finds that brain cells outside the damaged area can take on new roles. ... > full story
Coral bleaching likely in Caribbean this year (September 29, 2010) -- Coral bleaching is likely in the Caribbean in 2010, according to new research. With temperatures above-average all year, NOAA's models show a strong potential for bleaching in the southern and southeastern Caribbean through October that could be as severe as in 2005 when over 80 percent of corals bleached and over 40 percent died at many sites across the Caribbean. ... > full story
Circulating tumor cells can provide 'real-time' information on patient's current disease state (September 29, 2010) -- Circulating tumor cells may be a promising alternative, noninvasive source of tumor materials for biomarker assessment, according to new data. ... > full story
New oil detection technique (September 29, 2010) -- Australian scientists have developed a revolutionary technique for the rapid on-site detection and quantification of petroleum hydrocarbons (commonly derived from crude oil) in soil, silt, sediment or rock. ... > full story
Heartbreak puts the brakes on your heart (September 29, 2010) -- Social rejection isn't just emotionally upsetting; it also upsets your heart. A new study finds that being rejected by another person makes your heart rate drop for a moment. ... > full story
Newly discovered planet may be first truly habitable exoplanet (September 29, 2010) -- A team of planet hunters has announced the discovery of an Earth-sized planet (three times the mass of Earth) orbiting a nearby star at a distance that places it squarely in the middle of the star's "habitable zone," where liquid water could exist on the planet's surface. If confirmed, this would be the most Earth-like exoplanet yet discovered and the first strong case for a potentially habitable one. ... > full story
Key action of a gene linked to both Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes identified (September 29, 2010) -- A research team has identified the mechanism behind a single gene linked to the causes of both Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes. The data show that a gene for a protein called SorCS1, which can cause type 2 diabetes, impacts the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Abeta) in the brain. Abeta plays a key role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story
Genome inversion gives plant a new lifestyle (September 29, 2010) -- The yellow monkeyflower, an unassuming little plant that lives as both a perennial on the foggy coasts of the Pacific Northwest and a dry-land annual hundreds of miles inland, harbors a significant clue about evolution. ... > full story
Intrauterine devices can be used to treat endometrial cancer (September 29, 2010) -- Intrauterine devices, originally developed as contraceptives, can also be used to treat and even cure cancer of the endometrium according to new research. The finding opens the way for young women with the disease, which affects the lining of the womb, to be treated without the need for a hysterectomy, thus preserving their fertility until they have had all the children they want. ... > full story
Carbon nanoobjects to facilitate the construction of futuristic power sources (September 29, 2010) -- Scientists from Poland are working on electrodes that have surfaces covered with layers of carbon nanoparticles and enzymes. These electrodes can be used to produce modern sensors and power sources, including such futuristic ones as biological fuel cells installed inside the human body and fueled by substances contained in blood. ... > full story
Playing white noise in class can help inattentive children learn, but hinder others (September 29, 2010) -- Playing white noise in class can help inattentive children learn. Researchers tested the effect of the meaningless random noise on a group of 51 schoolchildren, finding that although it hindered the ability of those who normally pay attention, it improved the memory of those that had difficulties in paying attention. ... > full story
Sparkling drinks spark pain circuits: Fizzy beverages light up same pain sensors as mustard and horseradish (September 29, 2010) -- The carbon dioxide in carbonated drinks sets off the same pain sensors as mustard and horseradish, according to new study, as well as previously discovered sour-tasting cells on tongue. ... > full story
New device for identifying aggressive breast cancers (September 29, 2010) -- A disposable device has been designed to efficiently capture cancer cells overexpressing the protein HER2 in circulating blood. It may help identify advanced breast cancer patients who are candidates for therapy with the drug trastuzumab (Herceptin). ... > full story
Better surgery with new surgical robot with force feedback (September 29, 2010) -- A compact surgical robot, which uses 'force feedback' to allow surgeons to feel what they are doing, has just been developed. ... > full story
Twitter used to predict flu outbreaks (September 29, 2010) -- Keeping track of disease trends such as influenza outbreaks has the potential to be far quicker and less costly by monitoring a social network program such as Twitter than following the traditional methods of disease surveillance, according to a computer science expert. ... > full story
Climate accord loopholes could spell 4.2-degree rise in temperature and end of coral reefs by 2100 (September 29, 2010) -- A global temperature increase of up to 4.2 degrees Celsius and the end of coral reefs could become reality by 2100 if national targets are not revised in the Copenhagen Accord, the international pledge which was agreed at last year's Copenhagen's COP15 climate change conference, according to a new report. ... > full story
Absent mothers can cause hyperactivity and anxiety in offspring later in life, mouse study finds (September 29, 2010) -- In mice, early weaning and separation from their mothers promotes long-lasting hyperactivity and anxiety. Researchers describe the development of this new behavioral model, which they hope to use to investigate the long-term effects of early childhood neglect in people. ... > full story
Making music on a microscopic scale (September 29, 2010) -- Strings a fraction of the thickness of a human hair, with microscopic weights to pluck them: Researchers and students have succeeded in constructing the first musical instrument with dimensions measured in mere micrometers -- a 'micronium' -- that produces audible tones. A composition has been specially written for the instrument. ... > full story
Revolutionary new way of reversing certain cancers (September 29, 2010) -- Australian and American scientists have found a way of shrinking tumors in certain cancers -- a finding that provides hope for new treatments. The cancers in question are those caused by a new class of genes known as "microRNAs," produced by parts of the genome that, until recently, were dismissed as "junk DNA." While much is still unknown about microRNAs, it is clear that they can interfere with how our genes are "read." ... > full story
Ultrafine air particles may increase firefighters' risk for heart disease (September 29, 2010) -- Firefighters are exposed to potentially dangerous levels of ultrafine particulates at the time they are least likely to wear protective breathing equipment. Because of this, researchers believe firefighters may face an increased risk for heart disease from exposures during the fire suppression process. ... > full story
Mining the 'wisdom of crowds' to attack disease (September 29, 2010) -- A large, multidisciplinary panel has recently selected 12 pioneering ideas for attacking type 1 diabetes, ideas selected through a "crowd-sourcing" experiment called the Challenge in which all members of the Harvard community, as well as members of the general public, were invited to answer the question: What do we not know to cure type 1 diabetes? ... > full story
Tiny generators turn waste heat into power (September 29, 2010) -- Researchers have uncovered a novel way to power tiny devices using waste heat. Arrays of tiny ferroelectric nanowires have been shown to rapidly generate a current in response to any change in the ambient temperature. ... > full story
First study of its kind finds children with food allergies are often victims of bullying (September 29, 2010) -- In the first-ever study to assess the social impact of food allergies in children, researchers have found that approximately 35 percent of children with food allergies, who are over the age of 5, were reported to have experienced bullying, teasing or harassment as a result of their allergies. ... > full story
More than one-fifth of world's plants face threat of extinction, new analysis finds (September 29, 2010) -- A global analysis of extinction risk for the world's plants, conducted by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew together with the Natural History Museum, London and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has revealed that the world's plants are as threatened as mammals, with one in five of the world's plant species threatened with extinction. ... > full story
Combination of Viagra and anti-cancer drug shrinks tumors in vivo, researchers discover (September 29, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that the impotence drug Viagra (sildenafil), in combination with doxorubicin, a powerful anti-cancer drug, enhances its anti-tumor efficacy in prostate cancer while alleviating the damage to the heart at the same time. ... > full story
Brilliant Northeast fall colors hang in the balance, and heat is the deciding factor (September 29, 2010) -- The abundant sunshine we have had much of this summer and fall has likely produced leaves high in sugars, and sugars are important for production of anthocyanins pigments which produce rich red colors. ... > full story
Unique case offers cautionary cotton swab tale (September 29, 2010) -- The saying, "never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear," couldn't be truer for a patient who experienced vertigo and hearing loss after a cotton swab perforated her eardrum. But what makes this case unique is that Henry Ford Hospital was not only able to alleviate her vertigo with surgery, but restore her hearing. And the report offers a cautionary tale to those who use cotton swabs to clean their ears. ... > full story
NASA's Webb Telescope unique structural 'heart' passes extreme tests (September 29, 2010) -- NASA engineers have created a unique engineering marvel called the ISIM structure that recently survived exposure to extreme cryogenic temperatures, showing that the structure will remain stable when exposed to the harsh environment of space. The material that comprises the structure, as well as the bonding techniques used to join its roughly 900 structural components, were all created from scratch. ... > full story
Predicting divorce: Study shows how fight styles affect marriage (September 29, 2010) -- It's common knowledge that newlyweds who yell or call each other names have a higher chance of getting divorced. But a new study shows that other conflict patterns also predict divorce. ... > full story
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