ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Friday, December 10, 2010
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Cloud 'feedback' affects global climate and warming (December 10, 2010) -- Changes in clouds will amplify the warming of the planet due to human activities, according to a breakthrough study that shows that warming due to increases in greenhouse gases will cause clouds to trap more heat, which will lead to additional warming. ... > full story
Gene that causes some cases of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis discovered (December 10, 2010) -- Using a new gene sequencing method, researchers have discovered a gene that appears to cause some instances of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The finding could lead to novel ways to treat the more common form of this fatal neurodegenerative disease, which kills the vast majority of the nearly 6,000 Americans diagnosed with ALS every year. ... > full story
Genome of barley disease reveals surprises (December 10, 2010) -- Scientists have sequenced the genome of a major fungal disease that affects barley and other cereal crops, a breakthrough that could lead to significant advances in our understanding of how plant diseases evolve. The research suggests that parasites within the genome of the fungus help the disease to adapt and overcome the plant's defenses. ... > full story
Aortic aneurysm treatable with asthma drugs, Swedish study finds (December 10, 2010) -- A new study from Sweden shows that asthma drugs are a potential treatment for aortic aneurysm. These drugs, which block cysteinyl-leukotrienes, could reduce the break down of vessel wall tissue and the dilation of the aortic wall, and thus the risk of its rupturing. This could both save lives and reduce the need for complicated and risky surgery. ... > full story
Seeing the invisible: New 'CSI tool' visualizes bloodstains and other substances (December 10, 2010) -- Snap an image of friends in front of a window curtain and the camera captures the people -- and invisible blood stains splattered on the curtain during a murder. Sound unlikely? Chemists are reporting development of a camera with that ability to see the invisible, and more. Called multimode imaging in the thermal infrared, the new technology could find uses in crime scene investigations and elsewhere, they say. ... > full story
Nighttime sleep found beneficial to infants' skills (December 10, 2010) -- Young children who get most of their sleep at night perform better in executive functioning than children who don't sleep as much at night, a new study finds. The study of 60 Canadian children aged 1, 1-1/2 and 2, examined the children's sleep habits and executive functioning skills, including impulse control and mental flexibility. The researchers found that children who sleep mostly at night did better on executive function tasks, especially those involving impulse control. ... > full story
New insights into formation of Earth, the Moon, and Mars (December 10, 2010) -- New research reveals that the abundance of so-called highly siderophile, or metal-loving, elements like gold and platinum found in the mantles of Earth, the moon and Mars were delivered by massive impactors during the final phase of planet formation over 4.5 billion years ago. The predicted sizes of the projectiles, which hit within tens of millions of years of the giant impact that produced our moon, are consistent with current planet formation models. They predict that the largest of the late impactors on Earth -- at 1,500 to 2,000 miles in diameter -- potentially modified Earth's obliquity by approximately 10 degrees, while those for the Moon, at approximately 150-200 miles, may have delivered water to its mantle. ... > full story
Gene knockout shows potential for diabetes-related heart failure (December 10, 2010) -- Silencing the TLR4 gene can stop the process which may lead to cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients. Researchers carried out a series of in vitro tests which demonstrated that TLR4 plays a critical role in hyperglycaemic cardiac apoptosis, and that silencing the gene using specific small interfering RNA can prevent it. ... > full story
Gene hunters tackle crop diseases (December 10, 2010) -- Scientists are on the trail of some of the most economically damaging organisms that infect crops worldwide. Their latest targets are the parasitic water fungus that causes powdery mildew and the water molds that cause late blight in potatoes and tomatoes and downy mildew in cruciferous vegetables and other crops. ... > full story
Cutting dietary phosphate doesn't save dialysis patients' lives, study suggests (December 10, 2010) -- Doctors often ask kidney disease patients on dialysis to limit the amount of phosphate they consume in their diets, but this does not help prolong their lives, according to a new study. The results even suggest that prescribing low phosphate diets may increase dialysis patients' risk of premature death. ... > full story
Perfectly needled nonwoven (December 10, 2010) -- Hardly any other textile is as versatile as nonwoven: it keeps babies' bottoms dry and protects plants from the sun. In the Gulf of Mexico, special nonwovens soaked up the oil washed up on beaches like blotting paper. A new piece of simulation software now makes it possible to produce high-quality, stripe-free nonwoven fabrics. ... > full story
Teleworkers more satisfied than office-based employees (December 10, 2010) -- Employees who telecommute the majority of the work week are more satisfied with their jobs compared to those working mostly in the office because working remotely alleviates more stress than it creates, according to a new study. ... > full story
Our brains are wired so we can better hear ourselves speak (December 9, 2010) -- Like the mute button on the TV remote control, our brains filter out unwanted noise so we can focus on what we're listening to. But when it comes to following our own speech, a new brain study shows that instead of one homogeneous mute button, we have a network of volume settings that can selectively silence and amplify the sounds we make and hear. ... > full story
Impaired clearance, not overproduction of toxic proteins, may underlie Alzheimer’s disease (December 9, 2010) -- In Alzheimer's disease, a protein fragment called beta-amyloid accumulates at abnormally high levels in the brain. Now researchers have found that in the most common, late-onset form of Alzheimer's disease, beta-amyloid is produced in the brain at a normal rate but is not cleared, or removed from the brain, efficiently. ... > full story
Stem cells: A 'stitch in time' could help damaged hearts (December 9, 2010) -- Scientists have demonstrated the feasibility of a novel technology that a surgeon could use to deliver stem cells to targeted areas of the body to repair diseased or damaged tissue. The technique involves bundling biopolymer microthreads into biological sutures and seeding the sutures with stem cells. The team has shown that the adult bone-marrow-derived stem cells will multiply while attached to the threads and retain their ability to differentiate and grow into other cell types. ... > full story
For some, laparoscopic technique not always better (December 9, 2010) -- If skin is the body's fortress against germ invaders, shouldn't minimally invasive surgeries -- operations guided by camera probes, conducted entirely within the abdomen -- carry less risk for serious infection than procedures that slice the same cavity wide open? New research is challenging that assumption -- at least for a subset of patients. ... > full story
Stricter testing for federal ground beef program may not lead to safer meat (December 9, 2010) -- A new National Research Council report finds no scientific basis that more stringent testing of meat purchased through the government's ground beef purchase program and distributed to various federal food and nutrition programs -- including the National School Lunch Program -- would lead to safer meat. ... > full story
Babies born to depressed moms have higher levels of stress hormones, decreased muscle tone (December 9, 2010) -- The cocktail of hormones cascading through depressed mothers' bodies may play an important role in the development of their unborn children's brains. A higher level of depression in mothers during pregnancy was associated with higher levels of stress hormones in their children at birth, as well as with other neurological and behavioral differences, a new study found. ... > full story
Politics and eye movement: Liberals focus their attention on 'gaze cues' much differently than conservatives do (December 9, 2010) -- It goes without saying that conservatives and liberals don't see the world in the same way. Now, research suggests that is exactly -- and quite literally -- the case. In a new study, researchers measured both liberals' and conservatives' reaction to "gaze cues" -- a person's tendency to shift attention in a direction consistent with another person's eye movements. Liberals responded strongly to the prompts, consistently moving their attention in the direction suggested to them by a face on a computer screen. Conservatives, on the other hand, did not. ... > full story
Estrogen alone is effective for reducing breast cancer risk, study finds (December 9, 2010) -- While endogenous estrogen (i.e., estrogen produced by ovaries and by other tissues) does have a well-known carcinogenic impact, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) utilizing estrogen alone (the exogenous estrogen) provides a protective effect in reducing breast cancer risk, according to a new study. ... > full story
Elusive spintronics success could lead to single chip for processing and memory (December 9, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that a magnetically polarized current can be manipulated by electric fields. This important discovery opens up the prospect of simultaneously processing and storing data on electrons held in the molecular structure of computer chips -- combining computer memory and processing power on the same chip. ... > full story
Common genetic influences for ADHD and reading disability (December 9, 2010) -- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and developmental reading disability are complex childhood disorders that frequently occur together; if a child is experiencing trouble with reading, symptoms of ADHD are often also present. However, the reason for this correlation remains unknown. ... > full story
Double-edged sword of dominance: Top chimps tend to suffer from more parasites (December 9, 2010) -- A study of chimpanzees has revealed that dominant animals with higher testosterone levels tend to suffer from an increased burden of parasites. Researchers observed the primates' behavior and studied their droppings to draw the link between dominance and infection status. ... > full story
Online photos may reveal your friendships (December 9, 2010) -- Comparing the locations of photos posted on the Internet with social network contacts, computer scientists have found that as few as three "co-locations" for images at different times and places could predict with high probability that two people posting photos were socially connected. ... > full story
Viable female and male mice from two fathers produced using stem cell technology (December 9, 2010) -- Researchers report that they have used stem cell technology to produce mice from two fathers, an achievement that may open new opportunities in reproductive science, including the intriguing possibility of same-sex couples having their own genetic offspring. ... > full story
Drug prevents post-traumatic stress syndrome, study suggests (December 9, 2010) -- Post-traumatic stress syndrome affects nearly 8 million people in the United States and is hard to treat. Scientists have for the first time identified the molecular cause of the debilitating condition and prevented it from occurring by injecting calming drugs into the brain within five hours of a traumatic event. ... > full story
Greenland ice sheet flow driven by short-term weather extremes, not gradual warming, research reveals (December 9, 2010) -- Sudden changes in the volume of meltwater contribute more to the acceleration -- and eventual loss -- of the Greenland ice sheet than the gradual increase of temperature, according to a new study. ... > full story
Weightlifting slashes lymphedema risk after breast cancer treatment, study suggests (December 9, 2010) -- Weightlifting may play a key role in the prevention of the painful limb-swelling condition lymphedema following breast cancer treatment, according to new research. The new data cements long-running advice that breast cancer survivors should avoid lifting anything heavier than five pounds following treatment. ... > full story
Physicists discover ultrasensitive microwave detector (December 9, 2010) -- Physicists have discovered a way to use one of the information technology industry's mainstay materials -- gallium arsenide semiconductors -- as an ultrasensitive microwave detector that could be suitable for quantum computing. The discovery comes at a time when computer chip engineers are racing both to add nanophotonic devices directly to microchips and to boost processor speeds beyond 10 gigahertz. ... > full story
Toddlers with autism show improved social skills following targeted intervention (December 9, 2010) -- Targeting the core social deficits of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in early intervention programs yielded sustained improvements in social and communication skills even in very young children who have ASD, according to new research. ... > full story
Astronomers discover, image new planet in planetary system very similar to our own (December 9, 2010) -- An international team of astronomers has discovered and imaged a fourth giant planet outside our solar system, whose discovery strengthens some remarkable resemblances between this planetary system and our own. The astronomers say the planetary system resembles a super-sized version of our solar system. ... > full story
Influenza virus strains show increasing drug resistance and ability to spread (December 9, 2010) -- Two new studies raise public health concerns about increasing antiviral resistance among certain influenza viruses, their ability to spread, and a lack of alternative antiviral treatment options. ... > full story
Fleshing out the life histories of dead whales (December 9, 2010) -- Dead whales that sink down to the seafloor provide a feast for deep-sea animals that can last for years. Previous research suggested that such "whale falls" hosted unique animals that lived nowhere else. However, after sinking five whale carcasses in Monterey Canyon, researchers found that most of the animals at these sites were not unique to whale falls, but were common in other deep-sea environments as well. ... > full story
Children who attend group child care centers get more infections then, but fewer during school years (December 9, 2010) -- Children who attend large group child care facilities before age 2 and a half appear to develop more respiratory and ear infections at that age, but fewer such illnesses during elementary school years, according to a new study. ... > full story
Redrawing the map of Great Britain based on human interaction (December 9, 2010) -- A group of researchers have used one of the world's largest databases of telecommunications records to redraw the map of Great Britain. The research is based on the analysis of 12 billion anonymized records representing more than 95% of Great Britain's residential and business landlines. ... > full story
'Secret ingredient' in religion makes people happier (December 9, 2010) -- While the positive correlation between religiosity and life satisfaction has long been known, a new study reveals religion's "secret ingredient" that makes people happier. ... > full story
Fewer synapses, more efficient learning: Molecular glue wires the brain (December 9, 2010) -- Researchers have found that a single molecule not only connects brain cells but also changes how we learn. The findings may help researchers discover ways to improve memory and could lead to new therapies to correct neurological disorders. ... > full story
Parkinson's drug could treat restless leg syndrome, study suggests (December 9, 2010) -- A drug prescribed for Parkinson's disease may also treat restless leg syndrome without the adverse side effects of current therapies, researchers say. ... > full story
Bacteria to test water lines: Contained bacteria change color when they contact toxins (December 9, 2010) -- Although drinking water is monitored more strictly than almost anything, our water supply network is still not immune to accidents, wear and tear or targeted attacks. A one-minute warning system for toxins and other substances in water hazardous to health could set off alarms in future if there is a danger. ... > full story
Sports participation does not guarantee that children get enough physical activity (December 9, 2010) -- Only about one-fourth of children participating in organized sports -- such as baseball, softball or soccer -- receive the government-recommended amount of physical activity during team practices, according to a new study. ... > full story
Mastermind steroid found in plants (December 9, 2010) -- Scientists have known how important plant steroids called brassinosteroids are for regulating plant growth and development. But until now, they did not know how extensive their reach is. Now researchers have identified about a thousand brassinosteroid target genes showing links between the steroid and numerous cellular functions and other hormonal chain reactions. The study is the first comprehensive action map for a plant hormone and will help accelerate basic plant science and crop research. ... > full story
Teens who perpetrate dating violence also likely to perpetrate violence involving siblings or peers (December 9, 2010) -- Dating violence among adolescents is common and those who physically assault dating partners are also likely to have perpetrated violence involving siblings and peers, according to a new study. ... > full story
Black holes and warped space revealed by powerful new array of radio telescopes (December 9, 2010) -- A new image shows how the light from a quasar billions of light years away is bent around a foreground galaxy by the curvature of space. This light has been traveling for 9 billion years before it reached the Earth. The quasar is a galaxy powered by a super-massive black hole, leading to the ejection of jets of matter moving at almost the speed of light. ... > full story
Dynamics of chaperone protein critical in rescuing brains of Alzheimer's mice from neuron damage (December 9, 2010) -- Dynamic regulation of the chaperone protein Hsp27 was required to get rid of abnormally accumulating tau in the brains of mice genetically modified to develop the memory-choking tau tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease, a new study found. ... > full story
Eutrophication makes toxic cyanobacteria more toxic (December 9, 2010) -- Continued eutrophication of the Baltic Sea, combined with an ever thinner ozone layer, is favouing the toxic cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena, reveals new research. ... > full story
Personalized vaccine for lymphoma patients extends disease-free survival by nearly 2 years (December 9, 2010) -- A personalized vaccine is a powerful therapy to prevent recurrence among certain follicular lymphoma patients, according to the latest results. When these patients -- whose tumors are marked by a specific protein that may be present in up to half of people with this type of cancer -- receive a vaccine made from their own tumor cells, disease-free survival is improved by nearly two years, compared with patients who receive a placebo. ... > full story
Study assesses nuclear power assumptions (December 9, 2010) -- A broad review of current research on nuclear power economics has been published. The report concludes that nuclear power will continue to be a viable power source but that the current fuel cycle is not sustainable. ... > full story
Mindfulness-based therapy helps prevent depression relapse (December 9, 2010) -- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy appears to be similar to maintenance antidepressant medication for preventing relapse or recurrence among patients successfully treated for depression, according to a new study. ... > full story
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