ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Tuesday, May 3, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Tuesday, May 3, 2011

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Winners of mass extinction: With predators gone, prey thrive (May 3, 2011) -- In modern ecology, the removal or addition of a predator to an ecosystem can produce dramatic changes in the population of prey species. For the first time, scientists have observed the same dynamics in the fossil record, thanks to a mass extinction that decimated ocean life 360 million years ago. ... > full story

Insomnia linked to high insulin resistance in diabetics (May 3, 2011) -- In the largest study of it kind to establish a link between sleep and diabetes, researchers found that people with diabetes who sleep poorly have higher insulin resistance, and a harder time controlling the disease. ... > full story

Versatility of stem cells controlled by alliances, competitions of proteins (May 3, 2011) -- Because they can change into any other cell, stem cells are the subject of intense research, but how they "decide" to specialize, or differentiate, hasn't been understood. A new study using a unique technology shows that proteins must jostle and join behind the scenes to make it happen, as well as to restore flexibility to cells that already had made their choice. ... > full story

Research opens door to vaccines that can circumvent maternal antibodies (May 3, 2011) -- New research that reveals how maternal antibodies block an immune response to the measles virus is a first step toward improving current childhood vaccination practices, scientists say. Maternal antibodies are passed to fetuses during pregnancy and to newborns in their mothers' milk. The antibodies protect infants against disease in the first months of life, but that protection comes at a cost. ... > full story

Graphene's varying conductivity levels pinpointed (May 3, 2011) -- Graphene is often touted as the latest "wonder material," and may be the electronics industry's next great hope for the creation of extremely fast electronic devices. Researchers have found one of the first roadblocks to utilizing graphene by proving that its conductivity decreases significantly when more than one layer is present. ... > full story

Traveler's alert: Business travel linked to obesity and poor health (May 3, 2011) -- People who travel for business two weeks or more a month have higher body mass index, higher rates of obesity and poorer self-rated health than those who travel less often. Overall, the researchers found that business people who traveled the most (20 or more days a month) have poorer health on a number of measures. ... > full story

Scientists identify genetic risk for major depression (May 3, 2011) -- A new study reveals a novel gene associated with major depression. The research suggests a previously unrecognized mechanism for major depression and may guide future therapeutic strategies for this debilitating mood disorder. ... > full story

Antioxidant may prevent alcohol-induced liver disease, study suggests (May 3, 2011) -- An antioxidant may prevent damage to the liver caused by excessive alcohol, according to new research. The findings may point the way to treatments to reverse steatosis, or fatty deposits in the liver that can lead to cirrhosis and cancer. ... > full story

Caves and their dripstones reveal the uplift of mountains (May 3, 2011) -- Geologists from Austria and the UK report on ancient cave systems discovered near the summits of the Allgäu Mountains that preserved the oldest radiometrically dated dripstones currently known from the European Alps. ... > full story

New method to measure cortisol could lead to better understanding of development of common diseases (May 3, 2011) -- A new method to measure the amount of the stress hormone cortisol found in the body over the long term could lead to new research avenues to study the development of common conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and depression. Researchers have found that hair can be used to create a retrospective timeline of exposure to cortisol. Cortisol is implicated in the development of many common conditions and this new technique could allow us to study its role better. ... > full story

A billion tons of biomass a viable goal, but at high price, new research shows (May 3, 2011) -- Very high yield biomass would be needed in order to meet the ambitious goal of replacing 30 percent of petroleum consumption in the US with biofuels by 2030. But according to researchers, unless biomass prices are really high, high yield perennial grasses are going to have a hard time competing with crops like corn, soybean and wheat for the prime agricultural land they require. ... > full story

Work-related 'burnout' more likely to affect the best lecturers, study suggests (May 3, 2011) -- Conscientious academics who try hard to keep in regular contact with their students are the most likely to suffer from work-related 'burnout,' a new study has found. ... > full story

Itch receptors work through pain receptors on sensory neurons (May 2, 2011) -- Despite much research on pain receptors, investigators have only recently focused on itch and how the body distinguishes between itch and pain. This research show that the receptors responding to irritants actually work by triggering pain receptors, which in turn send signals to the brain that make us want to scratch. The connection suggests that new pain relievers under development may also help relieve intractable itch. ... > full story

A little belly fat can double the risk of death in coronary artery disease patients (May 2, 2011) -- One of the largest studies of its kind has found that people with coronary artery disease who have even a modest beer belly or muffin top are at higher risk for death than people whose fat collects elsewhere. The effect was observed even in patients with a normal body mass index. ... > full story

Model of island ecology sheds new light on the origins of island species (May 2, 2011) -- Animal and bird species found only on a single island should still be common within that island. ... > full story

Scientists have identifed an abnormal disease pathway in dystonia (May 2, 2011) -- Scientists have figured out why some people with a gene that causes dystonia never get symptoms and others with the same mutation are disabled by the abnormal movements. ... > full story

Lesser-known Escherichia coli types targeted in food safety research (May 2, 2011) -- Almost everyone knows about Escherichia coli O157:H7, the culprit behind many headline-making outbreaks of foodborne illness in the United States. But the lesser-known relatives of this pathogenic microbe are increasingly of concern to food safety scientists. ... > full story

Blueprint of a trend: How does a financial bubble burst? (May 2, 2011) -- A new study sheds new light on the formation of financial bubbles and crashes. The study reveals a general empirical law quantifying market behavior near bubbles and crashes. ... > full story

Sniffing out calories: Hormone linked to nose's ability to locate food (May 2, 2011) -- The hormone ghrelin, known to promote hunger and fat storage, has been found to enhance exploratory "sniffing" in both animals and humans. ... > full story

Packing on the pounds in middle age linked to dementia (May 2, 2011) -- According to a new study, being overweight or obese during middle age may increase the risk of certain dementias. ... > full story

Discovery of two new genes provides hope for stemming Staph infections (May 2, 2011) -- The discovery of two genes that encode copper- and sulfur-binding repressors in the hospital terror Staphylococcus aureus means two new potential avenues for controlling the increasingly drug-resistant bacterium, scientists say. ... > full story

Washing with contaminated soap increases bacteria on hands, research finds (May 2, 2011) -- People who wash their hands with contaminated soap from bulk-soap-refillable dispensers can increase the number of disease-causing microbes on their hands and may play a role in transmission of bacteria in public settings, according to new research. ... > full story

Plasmoids and sheaths mean success or failure for solar eruptions (May 2, 2011) -- Our Sun experiences regular eruptions of material into space, but solar physicists still have difficulty in explaining why these dramatic events take place. Now scientists think they have the answer: clouds of ionized gas (plasma) constrained by magnetic fields and known as ‘plasmoids’ that struggle to break free of the Sun’s magnetic field. ... > full story

Seeking happiness? Remember the good times, forget the regrets (May 2, 2011) -- People who look at the past through rose-tinted glasses are happier than those who focus on negative past experiences and regrets, according to a new study. The study helps explain why personality has such a strong influence on a person's happiness. The findings suggest that persons with certain personality traits are happier than others because of the way they think about their past, present and future. ... > full story

Endogenous proteins found in a 70-million-year-old giant marine lizard (May 2, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered primary biological matter in a fossil of an extinct varanoid lizard (a mosasaur) that inhabited marine environments during Late Cretaceous times. Using state-of-the-art technology, the scientists have been able to link proteinaceous molecules to bone matrix fibres isolated from a 70-million-year-old fossil -- that is, they have found genuine remains of an extinct animal entombed in stone. ... > full story

Aspirin reduces the risk of cancer recurrence in prostate cancer patients, study suggests (May 2, 2011) -- Some studies have shown that blood-thinning medications, such as aspirin, can reduce biochemical failure the risk of metastasis and even death in localized prostate cancer. These studies, although very telling, have all emphasized the need for more data. Now, with researchers having concluded the largest study on this topic, and there is substantial data suggesting that aspirin improves outcomes in prostate cancer patients who have received radiotherapy. ... > full story

Cells talk more in areas Alzheimer's hits first, boosting plaque component (May 2, 2011) -- Higher levels of cell chatter boost amyloid beta in the brain regions that Alzheimer's hits first, researchers report. Amyloid beta is the main ingredient of the plaque lesions that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's. ... > full story

Animal studies reveal new route to treating heart disease (May 2, 2011) -- Scientists have shown in laboratory experiments in mice that blocking the action of a signaling protein deep inside the heart's muscle cells blunts the most serious ill effects of high blood pressure on the heart. ... > full story

Advanced CT with 3-D scanning improve detection of drug trafficking and other contraband smuggling (May 2, 2011) -- With the high prevalence of drug abuse and trafficking in major cities throughout the world, one new study shows how advanced CT with 3-D scanning can help radiologists better identify ingested or hidden contraband items more effectively. ... > full story

Who needs motivation? The rewards of doing 'something' (May 2, 2011) -- When psychologists think about why people do what they do, they tend to look for specific goals, attitudes, and motivations. But they may be missing something more general -- people like to be doing something. These broader goals, to be active or inactive, may have a big impact on how they spend their time. ... > full story

Single atom stores quantum information (May 2, 2011) -- A powerful quantum computer could be designed with an incredibly tiny memory. Researchers wrote the quantum state of single photons, i.e. particles of light, into a rubidium atom and read it out again after a certain storage time. This technique can be used in principle to design powerful quantum computers and to network them with each other across large distances. ... > full story

CPR efforts successful on man with no pulse for 96 minutes (May 2, 2011) -- By all counts, the 54-year-old man who collapsed on a recent winter night in rural Minnesota would likely have died. He'd suffered a heart attack, and even though he was given continuous CPR and a series of shocks with a defibrillator, the man was without a pulse for 96 minutes. By all counts, the 54-year-old man who collapsed on a recent winter night in rural Minnesota would likely have died. He'd suffered a heart attack, and even though he was given continuous CPR and a series of shocks with a defibrillator, the man was without a pulse for 96 minutes. But this particular instance of cardiac arrest turned out to be highly unusual: The patient made a complete recovery. ... > full story

Rare deep-sea starfish stuck in juvenile body plan (May 2, 2011) -- Scientists have combined embryological observations, genetic sequencing, and supercomputing to determine that small disk-shaped animals that once were thought to represent a new class of animals are actually starfish that have lost the large star-shaped, adult body from their life cycle. A computational biologists used a supercomputer to help support his contention that class-level status of Xyloplax does not reflect their evolutionary history. ... > full story

Growth, hormonal profiles differ between breastfed, formula-fed infants: Early nutrition has a long-term metabolic impact (May 2, 2011) -- Nutrition during the first days or weeks of life may have long-term consequences on health, potentially via a phenomenon known as the metabolic programming effect. ... > full story

Solar-thermal flat-panels that generate electric power: Researchers see broad residential and industrial applications (May 2, 2011) -- By using a nanostructured material with improved thermoelectric properties inside a vacuum-sealed flat panel, researchers report adding the capacity to generate electricity to solar-thermal energy technology. ... > full story

Newborns exposed to methamphetamine before birth are hard to arouse, hard to calm down, study suggests (May 2, 2011) -- A scale used to assess the behavior of newborns exposed to methamphetamine before birth might be able to identify those children who will develop problems later on. ... > full story

Eddies found to be deep, powerful modes of ocean transport connecting atmospheric events and deep ocean (May 2, 2011) -- Massive, swirling ocean eddies -- known to be up to 500 kilometers across at the surface -- can reach all the way to the ocean bottom at mid-ocean ridges, some 2,500 meters deep, transporting tiny sea creatures, chemicals, and heat from hydrothermal vents over large distances. ... > full story

Drinking energy beverages mixed with alcohol may be riskier than drinking alcohol alone (May 2, 2011) -- A new laboratory study compares the effects of alcohol alone versus alcohol mixed with an energy drink on a cognitive task, as well as participants' reports of feelings of intoxication. Results show that energy drinks can enhance the feeling of stimulation that occurs when drinking alcohol. ... > full story

Teen sleep study adds to evidence of a 'neural fingerprint' (May 2, 2011) -- New research finds that consistent, "signature" brainwave patterns first noticed in short-term studies of adults are so robust that they're also detectable over a matter of years in the notoriously turbulent brains of teens. From there, the question is what such a "neural fingerprint" might mean. ... > full story

Genes involved in embryonic heart development identified (May 2, 2011) -- Scientists have identified networks of genes that play an important role in embryonic-heart development, advancing knowledge of how healthy hearts develop -- and offering clues about how to combat a common birth defect known as congenital heart disease. ... > full story

Cardiac arrest: Unique life-saving device give heart a second chance (May 2, 2011) -- A new invention by bioengineering students and collaborators is geared toward giving immediate second chances to arrhythmia victims headed toward cardiac arrest. ... > full story

Media multitasking is really multi-distracting (May 2, 2011) -- In the battle for the attention of the multitasker, the computer beats the television. But a new study reveals the physical nature of distraction people experience as they increasingly use both devices simultaneously. ... > full story

Measuring the distant universe in 3-D using light from 14,000 quasars (May 2, 2011) -- The biggest 3-D map of the distant universe ever made, using light from 14,000 quasars over 10 billion light years away to show the distribution of intergalactic clouds of gas, has been announced. The result proves that the technique, never attempted before, can be used to study dark energy in the early universe. ... > full story

Chemical in plastic, BPA, exposure may be associated with wheezing in children (May 2, 2011) -- Exposure to the chemical bisphenol A during early pregnancy may be associated with wheezing in children, according to new research. ... > full story

New material could improve safety for first responders to chemical hazards (May 2, 2011) -- Carbon nanofibers with the same chemical properties as the activated charcoal used in respirators have a similar ability to absorb chemical pollutants. Their photonic structure means that they will change color as pollutants accumulate, a warning that the filter canister has lost effectiveness. Researchers describe how they made the microsensors and demonstrate their ability to detect volatile organic compounds. ... > full story

Living with a smoker may raise blood pressure in boys (May 2, 2011) -- Exposure to secondhand smoke, even at extremely low levels, is associated with increased blood pressure in boys. ... > full story

Ancestors of land plants revealed (May 2, 2011) -- It was previously thought that land plants evolved from stonewort-like algae. However, new research shows that the closest relatives to land plants are actually conjugating green algae such as Spirogyra. ... > full story

Little fingers, big trouble: Study sheds light on child self-unbuckling (May 2, 2011) -- It can be quite jarring for a parent or caregiver to look in the rearview mirror while driving and see their child roaming around the backseat free of their safety restraints. A study on child self-unbuckling reveals that most children who first unbuckle were age three and under and that many children unbuckle while the vehicle is in motion -- putting them at a 3.5-fold increased risk for serious injuries. ... > full story