ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Thursday, November 18, 2010
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Sonar inspired by dolphins: New kind of underwater device can detect objects through bubble clouds (November 18, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a new kind of underwater sonar device that can detect objects through bubble clouds that would effectively blind standard sonar. ... > full story
Regenerative stem cell therapy offers new hope for treating cardiovascular disease (November 18, 2010) -- Physician researchers are revolutionizing treatment of cardiovascular disease by utilizing patients' own stem cells to regenerate heart and vascular tissue. ... > full story
As Arctic temperatures rise, tundra fires increase (November 18, 2010) -- The Anaktuvuk River Fire in 2007 burned over 1,000 square kilometers of tundra on Alaska's North Slope, doubling the area burned in that region since record keeping began in 1950. A new analysis reveals that this was the most destructive tundra fire at that site for at least 5,000 years. Models built on 60 years of climate and fire data found that even moderate increases in warm-season temperatures in the region dramatically increase the likelihood of such fires. ... > full story
New drug targets vitamin D receptors in hormone resistant prostate cancers (November 18, 2010) -- A new anti-cancer drug aimed at vitamin D receptors on cancer cells has prompted encouraging responses in the levels of PSA (prostate specific antigen) in men with prostate cancer that has become resistant to hormonal therapies. ... > full story
New technology gives on-site assessments in archaeology (November 18, 2010) -- The ability to tell the difference between crystals that formed naturally and those formed by human activity can be important to archaeologists in the field. This can be a crucial bit of information in determining the ancient activities that took place at a site, yet archaeologists often wait for months for the results of laboratory tests. ... > full story
Listeners' brains respond more to native accent speakers; Imaging study suggests accents are subtle 'insider' or 'outsider' signal to the brain (November 18, 2010) -- The brains of Scots responded differently when they listened to speakers with Scottish accents than to speakers with American or British accents, a new study has found. Understanding how our brains respond to other accents may explain one way in which people have an unconscious bias against outsiders. ... > full story
Scientists identify antivirus system (November 18, 2010) -- Viruses have led scientists to the discovery of a security system in host cells. Viruses that cause disease in animals beat the security system millennia ago. But now that researchers are aware of it, they can explore the possibility of bringing the system back into play in the fight against diseases such as sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), West Nile virus, dengue and yellow fever. ... > full story
Novel genetic mutation that causes the most common form of eye cancer discovered (November 18, 2010) -- A new study has revealed the discovery of a novel oncogene that is associated with uveal melanoma, the most common form of eye cancer. ... > full story
Fighting America’s 'other drug problem': Researchers find key to combating medication non-adherence (November 18, 2010) -- Non-adherence to medications costs thousands of lives and billions of dollars each year in the United States alone. Now, researchers have developed an intervention strategy that is three times more effective than previously studied techniques at improving adherence in patients. ... > full story
Scientists question widely adopted indicator of fisheries health and evidence for 'fishing down marine food webs' (November 18, 2010) -- The most widely adopted measure for assessing the state of the world's oceans and fisheries led to inaccurate conclusions in nearly half the ecosystems where it was applied according to a new analysis. ... > full story
Women who stutter have different brain connections than men who stutter; Findings may help explain why more men than women stutter (November 18, 2010) -- According to new research, women who stutter show brain patterns that are distinct from men who stutter. Finding diagnostic brain markers that are unique to people who stutter could help scientists develop treatments that target those areas in the future. ... > full story
Global warming could cool down northern temperatures in winter (November 17, 2010) -- The overall warming of Earth's northern half could result in cold winters, new research shows. The shrinking of sea-ice in the eastern Arctic causes some regional heating of the lower levels of air -- which may lead to strong anomalies in atmospheric airstreams, triggering an overall cooling of the northern continents, according to a new study. ... > full story
Broad new technique for screening proteins devised (November 17, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a powerful new method for detecting functional sites on proteins. The technique may have broad applications in basic research and drug development. ... > full story
Advance toward controlling fungus that caused Irish potato famine (November 17, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting a key advance toward development of a way to combat the terrible plant diseases that caused the Irish potato famine and still inflict billions of dollars of damage to crops each year around the world. ... > full story
Small clumps of tau protein disrupt memory; Animal study suggests possible target for Alzheimer’s disease therapies (November 17, 2010) -- Too many small aggregates of a protein called tau in the brain can directly interfere with memory, according to new animal research. ... > full story
A new twist for nanopillar light collectors (November 17, 2010) -- Researchers have created unique dual-diameter nanopillars -- narrow at the top, broad at the bottom -- that absorb light as well or even better than commercial thin-film solar cells, using far less semiconductor material and without the need for anti-reflective coating. ... > full story
Brain region responsible for speech illusion identified; Study explains how visual cues disrupt speech perception (November 17, 2010) -- Watching lips move is key to accurately hearing what someone says. The McGurk Effect, an auditory phenomenon in which viewing lips moving out of sync with words creates other words, has been known since the 1970s; now researchers have pinpointed the brain region responsible for it. ... > full story
Upending conventional wisdom, certain virus families are ancient (November 17, 2010) -- Certain families of single-stranded DNA virus are more than 40 to 50 million years old, according to new research. The investigators found remnants of circoviruses and parvoviruses in the genomes of diverse vertebrates from fishes to birds and mammals that had been integrated into their genomes at different times from the recent past to more than 50 million years ago. ... > full story
Development of a safer vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease; Mouse study suggests new vaccine approach that may avoid side effects (November 17, 2010) -- A new vaccine protects against memory problems associated with Alzheimer's disease, but without potentially dangerous side effects, a new animal study reports. ... > full story
Low-allergenic wines could stifle sniffles and sneezes in millions of wine drinkers (November 17, 2010) -- Scientists have identified a mysterious culprit that threatens headaches, stuffy noses, skin rash and other allergy symptoms when more than 500 million people worldwide drink wine. The discovery could help winemakers in developing the first low allergenic vintages -- reds and whites with less potential to trigger allergy symptoms, they say. ... > full story
How anthrax bacteria impair immune response (November 17, 2010) -- Researchers have determined a key mechanism by which Bacillus anthracis bacteria initiate anthrax infection despite being greatly outnumbered by immune system scavenger cells. The finding, made by studying genetically modified mice, adds new detail to the picture of early-stage anthrax infection and supports efforts to develop vaccines and drugs that would block this part of the cycle. ... > full story
Deepwater Horizon: Not managing danger, not learning from 'near misses' (November 17, 2010) -- The numerous technical and operational breakdowns that contributed to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and spill from the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico suggest the lack of a suitable approach for managing the inherent risks, uncertainties, and dangers associated with deepwater drilling operations and a failure to learn from previous "near misses," says an interim report. ... > full story
What you see changes where you hear: Exposure to light for only milliseconds alters perceived source of sound (November 17, 2010) -- New research shows that the perceived location of a noise depends in part on the sights noticed before the sound. The results have implications for the development of hearing aids and rehabilitation from brain injury. ... > full story
Antimatter atoms stored for the first time (November 17, 2010) -- Researchers have trapped and stored atoms of antihydrogen for the first time. While the number of trapped anti-atoms is far too small to fuel the Starship Enterprise's matter-antimatter reactor, this advance brings closer the day when scientists will be able to make precision tests of the fundamental symmetries of nature. ... > full story
Personalized treatment for ovarian cancer (November 17, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that point mutations -- misspellings in a single letter of genetic code -- that drive the onset and growth of cancer cells can be detected successfully in advanced ovarian cancer using a technique called OncoMap. The finding opens the way for personalized medicine. ... > full story
Smoke from fireworks is harmful to health, study suggests (November 17, 2010) -- The metallic particles in the smoke emitted by fireworks pose a health risk, particularly to people who suffer from asthma, new research shows. ... > full story
Common strain of bacteria found in patients with cystic fibrosis in Canada; associated with greater risk of death (November 17, 2010) -- A common transmissible strain of the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been identified among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients in Canada, suggesting that cross-infection has occurred widely between CF centers in the United Kingdom and Canada, according to a new study. Infection with this strain among Canadian CF patients has been associated with an increased risk of death or lung transplantation. ... > full story
Feed likely source of salmonella contamination on pig farms (November 17, 2010) -- Commercial feed appears to be a source of Salmonella contamination in commercial swine production units, according to a new article. Moreover, nearly half of isolates found in pigs were multidrug resistant. The findings suggest that pork could be a source of human infection. They also strongly question the conventional wisdom that processed feed is not a source of contamination. Heat treatment during processing has been thought to kill any bacterial contaminants. ... > full story
Impulsive behavior in males increases after periods of heavy drinking (November 17, 2010) -- Alcohol is known to cause an increase in impulsive behavior in individuals, which can not only be dangerous for themselves, but for others as well. A new study on adolescent males indicate that risky behavior may actually increases over time after periods of heavy drinking. ... > full story
Stunning details of brain connections revealed (November 17, 2010) -- Researchers applying a state-of-the-art imaging system to brain-tissue samples from mice, have been able to quickly and accurately locate and count the myriad connections between nerve cells in unprecedented detail, as well as to capture and catalog those connections' surprising variety. ... > full story
Immune system involved in depression, animal study suggests (November 17, 2010) -- A new animal study suggests the immune system plays a role in depression. Activation of the immune system caused mice to learn to run less on wheels in their cages -- an activity they normally like. The mice resumed their normal activity when the action of interleukin-6, an immune hormone that carries "sickness" signals to the brain, was blocked. ... > full story
Baking soda dramatically boosts oil production in algae (November 17, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that baking soda can dramatically increase algae's production of the key oil precursors for biodiesel. ... > full story
Heart surgeries can trigger strokes, seizures and other neurological complications (November 17, 2010) -- Strokes, seizures and other neurological complications related to heart surgery account for "considerable morbidity and mortality," researchers report. ... > full story
Imaging tool may aid nanoelectronics by screening tiny tubes (November 17, 2010) -- Researchers have demonstrated a new imaging tool for rapidly screening structures called single-wall carbon nanotubes, possibly hastening their use in creating a new class of computers and electronics that are faster and consume less power than today's. ... > full story
People who stutter show abnormal brain activity when reading and listening (November 17, 2010) -- A new imaging study finds that people who stutter show abnormal brain activity even when reading or listening. The results suggest that individuals who stutter have impaired speech due to irregular brain circuits that affect several language processing areas -- not just the ones for speech production. ... > full story
Language may help create, not just convey, thoughts and feelings (November 17, 2010) -- The language we speak may influence not only our thoughts, but our implicit preferences as well. Psychologists found that bilingual individuals' opinions of different ethnic groups were affected by the language in which they took a test examining their biases and predilections. ... > full story
Enzyme action could be target for diabetes, heart disease treatments (November 17, 2010) -- Cardiac researchers have found a new cellular pathway that could help in developing therapeutic treatments for obesity-related disorders, like diabetes and heart disease. ... > full story
Infant estrogen levels tracked through diaper research (November 17, 2010) -- With the help of babies and more than 5,000 of their diapers, researchers have developed an accurate, noninvasive method to determine estrogen levels in infants. ... > full story
New, much faster, more accurate diagnostic for influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (November 17, 2010) -- A new, fully automated system is much quicker, and more accurate in diagnosing influenza A and B, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B than conventional alternatives, according to new research. The new technology promises faster and more appropriate treatment of patients. ... > full story
Artificial black holes made with metamaterials: Design for human-made light trapping device could help harvest light for solar cells (November 17, 2010) -- While our direct knowledge of black holes in the universe is limited to what we can observe from thousands or millions of light years away, a team of Chinese physicists has proposed a simple way to design an artificial electromagnetic black hole in the laboratory. ... > full story
Why you can listen at cocktail parties: Songbirds' individual brain cells are tuned to particular sounds (November 17, 2010) -- Nerve cells in the brains of songbirds are sensitive to specific sounds, and only respond when those sounds occur during communication, a recent study shows. The finding helps explain people's ability to listen to a conversation while in a noisy environment -- the "cocktail party effect." ... > full story
Length of pregnancy influenced by placenta structure (November 17, 2010) -- The nine-month pregnancy in humans is influenced by the structure of the placenta, according to new research into the evolution of reproduction in mammals which ends a 100-year mystery. ... > full story
MRI scans show structural brain changes in people at risk for Alzheimer's disease (November 17, 2010) -- New results from a study by neuroscientists suggest that people at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease exhibit a specific structural change in the brain that can be visualized by brain imaging. The findings may help identify those who would most benefit from early intervention. ... > full story
New 3-D model of RNA 'core domain' of enzyme telomerase may offer clues to cancer, aging (November 17, 2010) -- Biochemists have produced a three-dimensional structural model of telomerase's RNA "core domain." Telomerase is an enzyme that helps maintain telomere DNA -- the DNA found at the very ends of chromosomes -- and plays an important role in aging and cancer. ... > full story
Antibiotic treatment for ear infections in kids provides only modest benefits, study finds (November 17, 2010) -- Using antibiotics to treat newly diagnosed acute ear infections among children is modestly more effective than no treatment, but comes with a risk of side effects, according to a new study designed to help advise efforts to rewrite treatment guidelines for the common illness. ... > full story
'Chaogates' hold promise for the semiconductor industry (November 17, 2010) -- In a move that holds great significance for the semiconductor industry, scientists have created an alternative to conventional logic gates, demonstrated them in silicon, and dubbed them "chaogates." ... > full story
Human study shows greater cognitive deficits in marijuana users who start young (November 17, 2010) -- New research shows that people who start using marijuana at a young age and those who use the greatest amount of marijuana may be the most cognitively impaired. ... > full story
Damaged organs linked to change in biochemical wave patterns (November 17, 2010) -- By examining the distinct wave patterns formed from complex biochemical reactions within the human body, diseased organs may be more effectively identified, says a researcher who has developed a model that simulates how these wave patterns are generated. ... > full story
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