ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Wednesday, October 6, 2010
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Rare oasis of life discovered near geothermal vents on floor of Yellowstone Lake (October 6, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered a rare oasis of life in the midst of hundreds of geothermal vents at the bottom of Yellowstone Lake. ... > full story
For cardiac arrest CPR performed by laypersons, chest compression-only may lead to better outcomes (October 6, 2010) -- In a comparison of outcomes in Arizona for out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for cardiac arrest performed by bystanders, patients who received compression-only CPR were more likely to survive to hospital discharge than patients who received conventional CPR or no CPR, according to a new study. ... > full story
NASA mission 'E-Minus' one month to comet flyby (October 6, 2010) -- Fans of space exploration are familiar with the term T-minus, which NASA uses as a countdown to a rocket launch. But what of those noteworthy mission events where you already have a spacecraft in space, as with the upcoming flyby of a comet? ... > full story
Children with idiopathic new-onset epilepsy: Study confirms favorable long-term prognosis (October 6, 2010) -- A study conducted by researchers in the Netherlands confirmed that children with idiopathic new-onset epilepsy have a significantly higher rate of remission than those with remote symptomatic epilepsy. ... > full story
Nano design, just like in nature (October 6, 2010) -- Researchers in Austria are using biological principles as the inspiration to develop a new bionic fuel cell. ... > full story
Teen drunkenness levels converge across cultures, by gender (October 6, 2010) -- In the past decade, cultural and gender-based differences in the frequency of drunkenness among adolescents have declined, as drunkenness has become more common in Eastern Europe and among girls and less common in Western countries and among boys, according to a new report. ... > full story
Key reproductive hormone in oldest living vertebrate identified (October 6, 2010) -- Researchers have identified the first reproductive hormone of the hagfish -- a gonadatropin -- representing a significant step toward unraveling the mystery of hagfish reproduction. At 500 million years old, hagfish are the oldest living vertebrate, predating the dinosaurs. ... > full story
'Paradign shift' in how physicians treat peripheral artery disease (October 6, 2010) -- A balloon angioplasty device that sucks up dangerous plaque debris could trigger a "paradign shift" in how physicians treat peripheral artery disease. ... > full story
NASA's WISE mission warms up but keeps chugging along (October 6, 2010) -- After completing its primary mission to map the infrared sky, NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, has reached the expected end of its onboard supply of frozen coolant. Although WISE has 'warmed up,' NASA has decided the mission will still continue. WISE will now focus on our nearest neighbors -- the asteroids and comets traveling together with our solar system's planets around the sun. ... > full story
Study examines ICU outbreak of staph aureus with resistance to methicillin and linezolid (October 6, 2010) -- An outbreak of infection due to linezolid and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LRSA) in 12 intensive care unit patients in Spain was associated with transmission within the hospital and extensive usage of the antibiotic linezolid, often used for the treatment of serious infections, with reductions in linezolid use and infection-control measures associated with resolution of the outbreak, according to a new study. ... > full story
Invasive tallowtree spreading rapidly across Gulf coast (October 6, 2010) -- The numbers of nonnative Chinese tallowtree in Louisiana, Mississippi and east Texas have grown by about 370 percent over a 16-year period. The spread of the invasive plant may create problems for plants and wildlife along the Gulf coast. ... > full story
Web-based creativity: Can working in virtual communities be more effective than face-to-face cooperation? (October 6, 2010) -- Common sense and experience would suggest that people are more creative when they work together in a face-to-face environment. But, as remote working and online interactions become more and more commonplace, there is growing evidence that working in virtual communities and using online tools together can be even more effective in some areas than face-to-face cooperation. ... > full story
Novelty and complexity are result of small evolutionary changes (October 5, 2010) -- By reconstructing an ancient protein and tracing how it subtly changed over vast periods of time to produce scores of modern-day descendants, scientists have shown how evolution tinkers with early forms and leaves the impression that complexity evolved many times. ... > full story
Growth factor essential to epicardial cell function: Platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) plays role in heart regeneration (October 5, 2010) -- In research that one day may lead to the discovery of how to regenerate tissue damaged by heart disease, researchers have identified PDGF as a key factor in the proliferation and transformation of epicardial cells, one type of cell that surrounds heart muscle and contributes to vessels. ... > full story
WISE captures key images of comet mission's destination (October 5, 2010) -- NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, caught a glimpse of the comet that the agency's EPOXI mission will visit in November. The WISE observation will help the EPOXI team put together a large-scale picture of the comet, known as Hartley 2. ... > full story
Limited number of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes cause most invasive pneumococcal disease (October 5, 2010) -- Contrary to current thinking, the group of serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae responsible for most invasive pneumococcal disease worldwide is conserved across regions, according to new research. ... > full story
Earth's rotation affects flows in submarine channels (October 5, 2010) -- Coriolis forces due to Earth's rotation deflect winds and ocean flows to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. In sinuous submarine channels, Coriolis forces can drive secondary circulation of turbidity currents and determine where erosion and sediment deposition occur. Researchers conducted laboratory experiments with a channel in a rotating tank to study the conditions under which Coriolis forces dominate the channel flow and to investigate how these forces affect sediment deposition in large-scale submarine channels. ... > full story
Is your job making you fat? Study links office work with obesity (October 5, 2010) -- Working nine-to-five may be the way to make a living, but it may be padding more than the wallet. According to a new study, office-workers have become less active over the last three decades and this decreased activity may partly explain the rise in obesity. Their findings may have health implications for the millions of people toiling behind their desks. ... > full story
Thirst for excitement is hidden in your genes (October 5, 2010) -- Sensation seeking -- the urge to do exciting things -- has been linked to dopamine, a chemical that carries messages in your brain. For a new study, scientists analyzed genes in the dopamine system and found a group of mutations that help predict whether someone is inclined toward sensation seeking. ... > full story
Low testosterone linked to Alzheimer's disease (October 5, 2010) -- Having low testosterone may put older men at risk for Alzheimer's disease, a new study finds. The researchers say the next step is to conduct a large study on testosterone to treat Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story
MAVEN mission to investigate how Sun steals Martian atmosphere (October 5, 2010) -- NASA's mission to investigate the mystery of how Mars lost much of its atmosphere passed a critical milestone on October 4, 2010. NASA has given approval for the development and 2013 launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission. ... > full story
Researchers pool data to search for genetic risks in heart disease (October 5, 2010) -- Scientists analyzing pooled data from all published whole-genome studies of heart attack and coronary artery disease (CAD) has found multiple genetic mutations, including one that increases heart attack risk by 29 percent. The collective gene data could provide 10 times more subjects and controls than the largest CAD study to date. ... > full story
Geoengineering solutions could prevent irreversible climate crisis, study finds (October 5, 2010) -- Geoengineering could prevent the potentially catastrophic climate-change tipping points that loom just ahead, according to a new study. ... > full story
Top reasons for Facebook unfriending (October 5, 2010) -- Researchers have found the top reasons for unfriending on Facebook. Just like an office party, talking about religion and politics is risky. ... > full story
Newly discovered DNA repair mechanism (October 5, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered a fundamentally new way that DNA-repair enzymes detect and fix damage to the chemical bases that form the letters in the genetic code. ... > full story
Mice with human body's defenses (October 5, 2010) -- Therapeutic antibodies can be an efficient alternative when common drugs do not work anymore. However, antibodies obtained from blood of animals such as mice could not be used: The human immune system recognizes them as foreign and rejects them. Scientists have now succeeded in developing a promising approach to solve this problem. ... > full story
Wind farms extend growing season in certain regions (October 5, 2010) -- Wind power is likely to play a large role in the future of sustainable, clean energy, but wide-scale adoption has remained elusive. Now, researchers have found wind farms' effects on local temperatures and proposed strategies for mediating those effects, increasing the potential to expand wind farms to a utility-scale energy resource. ... > full story
MicroRNA that may allow for better control cholesterol levels in blood identified (October 5, 2010) -- Scientists have identified an important microRNA that may allow us to better control cholesterol levels in blood. Their study found that the microRNA miR-33, may be key to controlling HDL, or "good" cholesterol levels. ... > full story
Invaders could devastate Florida avocado industry (October 5, 2010) -- Florida's lucrative avocado industry could face a serious blow from a duo of deadly new invaders. Together, the invasive fungus called "laurel wilt disease" and the redbay ambrosia beetle, which carries laurel wilt, represent a significant economic threat to the industry. Direct losses from the invasion could range from 3 million to a remarkable high of 6 million. ... > full story
Neanderthals had feelings too, say researchers (October 5, 2010) -- New research by archaeologists in the UK suggests that Neanderthals belied their primitive reputation and had a deep seated sense of compassion. ... > full story
New language identified in remote corner of India; One of thousands of endangered tongues around world (October 5, 2010) -- Linguists reporting from a National Geographic expedition to India's remote northeast corner have identified a language completely new to science. ... > full story
Amino acid supplement makes mice live longer (October 5, 2010) -- When mice are given drinking water laced with a special concoction of amino acids, they live longer than your average mouse, according to a new report. The key ingredients in the supplemental mixture are so-called branched-chain amino acids, which account for 3 of the 20 amino acids (specifically leucine, isoleucine, and valine) that are the building blocks of proteins. ... > full story
The world is full of darkness, reflected in the physiology of the human retina (October 5, 2010) -- Physicists and neuroscientists have linked the cell structure of the retina to the light and dark contrasts of the natural world, demonstrating the likelihood that the neural pathways humans use for seeing are adapted to best capture the world around us. ... > full story
Ancient Colorado river flowed backwards (October 5, 2010) -- Geologists have found evidence that some 55 million years ago a river as big as the modern Colorado flowed through Arizona into Utah in the opposite direction from the present-day river. They have named this ancient northeastward-flowing river the California River, after its inferred source in the Mojave region of southern California. ... > full story
How rainfall variation can trigger earthquakes (October 5, 2010) -- A new review article explores natural crustal earthquakes associated with the elements of the hydrologic cycle, which describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth, including hurricanes and typhoons. The theory of hydroseismicity, first articulated in 1987, attributes most intraplate and near-intraplate earthquakes, to the dynamics of the hydrological cycle. ... > full story
Unemployment linked with child maltreatment (October 5, 2010) -- The stresses of poverty have long been associated with child abuse and neglect. In a new study, researchers directly linked an increased unemployment rate to child maltreatment one year later. ... > full story
Nobel Prize in Physics 2010 for graphene -- 'two-dimensional' material (October 5, 2010) -- A thin flake of ordinary carbon, just one atom thick, lies behind this year's Nobel Prize in Physics. Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov have shown that carbon in such a flat form has exceptional properties that originate from the remarkable world of quantum physics. ... > full story
Identifying enzymes to explode superbugs (October 5, 2010) -- With the worrying rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs like MRSA, scientists from a wide range of disciplines are teaming up to identify alternative therapies to keep them at bay. Now, researchers have developed a pioneering method that can identify lytic enzymes for optimum bacteria killing characteristics. ... > full story
Cluster helps disentangle turbulence in the solar wind (October 5, 2010) -- Surrounding the Sun is a roiling wind of electrons and protons that shows constant turbulence at every size scale: long streaming jets, smaller whirling eddies, and even microscopic movements as charged particles circle in miniature orbits. ... > full story
ADHD more common in offspring of mothers with genetic serotonin deficiencies (October 5, 2010) -- Children whose mothers are genetically predisposed to have impaired production of serotonin appear more likely to develop attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder later in life, according to a new report. ... > full story
Scientist compares classical singing to traditional Indian singing to find speech disorder treatment (October 5, 2010) -- Hindustani singing, a North Indian traditional style of singing, and classical singing, such as the music of Puccini, Mozart and Wagner, vary greatly in technique and sound. Now, speech-language pathology researchers are comparing the two styles in hopes of finding a treatment for laryngeal tremors, a vocal disorder associated with many neurological disorders that can result in severe communication difficulties. ... > full story
Interactive video games can cause a broad range of injuries (October 5, 2010) -- Interactive gaming devices can cause a broad range of injuries, from abrasions and sprains to shoulder, ankle and foot injuries, according to new research. ... > full story
Europa's hidden ice chemistry: Jupiter's moon may have more than possible ocean (October 5, 2010) -- The frigid ice of Jupiter's moon Europa may be hiding more than a presumed ocean: It is likely the scene of some unexpectedly fast chemistry between water and sulfur dioxide at extremely cold temperatures. Although these molecules react easily as liquids -- they are well-known ingredients of acid rain -- researchers now report that they react as ices with surprising speed and high yield at temperatures hundreds of degrees below freezing. ... > full story
Surprise: Scientists discover that inflammation helps to heal wounds (October 5, 2010) -- New research study may change how sports injuries involving muscle tissue are treated as well as how much patient monitoring is necessary when potent anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed for a long time. ... > full story
Climate change hits southeast Australia fish species (October 5, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting significant changes in the distribution of coastal fish species in southeast Australia which they say are partly due to climate change. ... > full story
Sleep loss limits fat loss (October 5, 2010) -- Cutting back on sleep reduces the benefits of dieting, according to a new study. When dieters got a full night's sleep, more than half of the weight they lost was fat. When they cut back on their sleep, only one-fourth of their weight loss came from fat. Sleep-deprived dieters also felt hungrier, producing higher levels of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger and reduces energy expenditure. ... > full story
Audio zooming to enhance TV viewing (October 5, 2010) -- New technology developed in Norway makes it possible to zoom in on sound in much the same way that photographers can zoom in on an image. Television is just one area of application. Physicists adapted a well-known marine sonar technology for use above the water. Combining it with sophisticated software, the pair have developed an intelligent, sharply focused directional microphone system that enables TV producers and others to zoom their audio reception, much like they can zoom their camera lenses for close-ups. ... > full story
How gender is created during everyday life at preschool (October 5, 2010) -- Whether you're a boy or a girl doesn't really matter when it comes to being allowed to join in -- what really counts is your haircut, clothes and gender markers, reveal researchers that examined how gender is created during everyday life at preschool. The study also shows that stereotypical perceptions about gender are allowed to steer the planning of preschool activities. ... > full story
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