ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Wednesday, May 11, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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Proton dripping tests a fundamental force in nature (May 11, 2011) -- A recent discovery of an extremely exotic, short-lived nucleus called fluorine-14 in laboratory experiments may indicate that scientists are gaining a better grasp of the rules of strong interaction. ... > full story

New marker offers hope for more reliable detection of prostate cancer (May 11, 2011) -- A new, promising marker for diagnosing prostate cancer has been discovered by researchers in Sweden with the aid of a unique method. The study may lead to more reliable diagnoses and fewer unnecessary operations. ... > full story

California's Chumash Indians: Roughly hewn beads are child's play, archaeologist finds (May 11, 2011) -- In a new study, an archaeologist says that she's identified beads made from seashells by apprentices in the Chumash Indian bead trade before the arrival of Europeans. ... > full story

Before you start bone-building meds, try dietary calcium and supplements, experts urge (May 11, 2011) -- Has a bone density scan placed you at risk for osteoporosis, leading your doctor to prescribe a widely advertised bone-building medication? Not so fast! A new study finds that an effective first course of action is increasing dietary calcium and vitamin D or taking calcium and vitamin D supplements. ... > full story

Football helmet ratings for reducing concussion risk (May 11, 2011) -- Researchers are releasing the results of a new rating system of adult football helmets that is designed to reduce the risk of concussions. One helmet received the top "5 star" rating, and five helmets received the very good "4-star" rating. ... > full story

Faking it: Can ads create false memories about products? (May 11, 2011) -- People who read vivid print advertisements for fictitious products actually come to believe they've tried those products, according to a new study. ... > full story

New evidence details spread of amphibian-killing disease from Mexico through Central America (May 11, 2011) -- There's a crisis among the world's amphibians -- about 40 percent of amphibian species have dwindled in numbers in just three decades. Now, museum jars stuffed full of amphibians may help scientists decide whether this wave of extinctions was caused by a fungal infection. ... > full story

Genes, not race, determine donor kidney survival; Implications for kidney transplant recipients and kidney donors (May 11, 2011) -- A new study sheds light on what causes certain kidneys to do better than others after being transplanted, providing doctors with an easy way to screen for donor kidneys that have the best chance of survival. ... > full story

Gaming, simulation tools merged to create models for border security (May 11, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a high-fidelity simulation and analysis program that aids policy and decision-makers tasked with making key procurements and funding choices. ... > full story

Alzheimer's-related protein disrupts motors of cell transport (May 11, 2011) -- A protein associated with Alzheimer's disease clogs several motors of the cell transport machinery critical for normal cell division, leading to defective neurons that may contribute to the memory-robbing disease, researchers report. ... > full story

New antibody for cell labeling: Stem cells can be distinguished on the basis of sugar residues (May 11, 2011) -- Researchers in Germany have produced an antibody that allows them to distinguish the numerous types of stem cells in the nervous system better than before. The antibody 5750 recognizes a specific sugar residue on the cell surface, which is called LewisX. The research group has now been able to use LewisX for the first time to separate different types of stem cells. ... > full story

Children held captive in smoky vehicles (May 11, 2011) -- It is absolutely unacceptable to subject children to any tobacco smoke exposure in cars, according to experts. ... > full story

Smallest turtle in North America becomes more scarce (May 10, 2011) -- Veterinarians, conservation biologists and wildlife managers have joined forces to answer a perplexing wildlife question: Why are bog turtles getting sick? ... > full story

RNA spurs melanoma development; Potential new diagnostic marker for skin cancer (May 10, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that long, non-coding RNA (lncRNA) levels are altered in human melanoma. Their study shows that one lncRNA called SPRY4-IT1 is elevated in melanoma cells, where it promotes cellular survival and invasion. ... > full story

Scientists achieve guiding of electrons by purely electric fields (May 10, 2011) -- The investigation of the properties of electrons plays a key role for the understanding of the fundamental laws of nature. However, being extremely small and quick, electrons are difficult to control. Physicists in Germany have now demonstrated efficient guiding of slow electrons by applying a microwave voltage to electrodes fabricated on a planar substrate. This new technique of electron guiding – which resembles the guiding of light waves in optical fibres – promises a variety of applications, from guided matter-wave experiments to non-invasive electron microscopy. ... > full story

Genetic information may help predict likelihood of survival following chemotherapy for breast cancer (May 10, 2011) -- Development of a predictive test that included genomic signatures that indicated chemoresistance, chemosensitivity and endocrine sensitivity for women with newly diagnosed breast cancer identified patients with a high probability of survival following chemotherapy, according to a new study. ... > full story

Razing Seattle's viaduct doesn’t guarantee nightmare commutes, model says (May 10, 2011) -- Statisticians used new methods to looks at how demolishing Seattle's waterfront thoroughfare would affect commuters. They found that relying on surface streets would likely have less impact on travel times than previously reported, and that effects on commute times are highly uncertain. ... > full story

Neuromarketing helps illuminate how we choose what we put in our shopping basket (May 10, 2011) -- 'Neuromarketing', is a relatively new field of consumer and market research, which uses brain imaging and measurement technology to study the neural processes underlying an individual's choice. ... > full story

Variety is the spice of life for animal movement: Foraging animals tend to wander randomly (May 10, 2011) -- Scientists in the UK have discovered animals searching for food do not stick to a complicated pattern of movement as previously thought but tend to wander about randomly. It was previously believed that when searching for food, animals move in very peculiar way called a Lévy flight where they move small distances most of the time, but occasionally move a very long distance. ... > full story

New method to diagnose heart arrhythmias: First non-invasive technique to directly map electrical activation of the heart (May 10, 2011) -- Abnormalities in cardiac conduction are a major cause of death and disability around the world. Researchers have been developing a new method, Electromechanical Wave Imaging (EWI), that is the first non-invasive technique to map the electrical activation of the heart. Based on ultrasound imaging, EWI will enable doctors to treat arrhythmias more efficiently and more precisely. ... > full story

How to tell when someone's lying: Psychologist helps law enforcement agencies tell truth from deception (May 10, 2011) -- When someone is acting suspiciously at an airport, subway station or other public space, how can law enforcement officers determine whether he's up to no good? A psychology professor has identified key indicators that a person is being deceptive. ... > full story

Vitamin D deficiency in pneumonia patients associated with increased mortality (May 10, 2011) -- A new study reveals that adult patients admitted to the hospital with pneumonia are more likely to die if they have vitamin D deficiency. ... > full story

High-tech approach uses lights, action and camera to scrutinize fresh produce (May 10, 2011) -- High-tech tactics to carefully examine apples and other fresh produce items as they travel along packinghouse conveyor belts will help ensure the quality and safety of these good-for-you foods. Scientists have now developed an experimental, cutting-edge optical scanning system that would use two different kinds of lighting, a sophisticated camera and other pieces of equipment to scrutinize produce-section favorites while they are still at the packinghouse. ... > full story

Virtual possessions have powerful hold on teenagers, researchers say (May 10, 2011) -- Digital imagery, Facebook updates, online music collections, email threads and other immaterial artifacts of today's online world may be as precious to teenagers as a favorite book that a parent once read to them or a t-shirt worn at a music festival. The fact that virtual possessions don't have a physical form may actually enhance their value, researchers discovered in a study of 21 teenagers. ... > full story

Ocean acidification: Carbon dioxide makes life difficult for algae (May 10, 2011) -- The acidification of the world's oceans could have major consequences for the marine environment. New research shows that coccoliths, which are an important part of the marine environment, dissolve when seawater acidifies. ... > full story

Scientists unmask mysterious cells as key 'border patrol agents' in the intestine (May 10, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered new clues about how the intestine maintains friendly relations with the 100 trillion symbiotic bacteria that normally live in the digestive tract. ... > full story

Bats lend an ear to sonar engineering (May 10, 2011) -- Researchers have mapped out the diversity of bat ears in a hope to inspire the design of new intuitive methods of manipulating waves with physical shapes, such as sonar and radar. ... > full story

Connectivity brain networks essential for voluntary action control (May 10, 2011) -- Which brain mechanisms can we use to consciously suppress behavior? Psychologists in the Netherlands have demonstrated that voluntary action control -- such as braking in time for a traffic light -- is achieved through connectivity (cooperation) between two prominent networks in the brain: the hyper-direct and indirect pathways. It also appears that communication between the higher (developed later) and the more basal brain areas predicts how efficiently people can suppress their behavior on time. ... > full story

Pairing quantum dots with fullerenes for nanoscale photovoltaics (May 10, 2011) -- In a step toward engineering ever-smaller electronic devices, scientists have assembled nanoscale pairings of particles that show promise as miniaturized power sources. Composed of light-absorbing, colloidal quantum dots linked to carbon-based fullerene nanoparticles, these tiny two-particle systems can convert light to electricity in a precisely controlled way. ... > full story

On 9/11, Americans may not have been as angry as you thought they were (May 10, 2011) -- On September 11, 2001, the air was sizzling with anger -- and the anger got hotter as the hours passed. That, anyway, was one finding of a 2010 analysis of 85,000 pager messages sent that day. The researchers employed a commonly used tool called Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, or LIWC, which teases out information from the frequency of word usages in texts. But were Americans really so angry? ... > full story

Fundamental question on how life started solved: Supercomputer calculates carbon nucleus (May 10, 2011) -- For carbon, the basis of life, to be able to form in the stars, a certain state of the carbon nucleus plays an essential role. In cooperation with US colleagues, physicists in Germany have been able to calculate this legendary carbon nucleus, solving a problem that has kept science guessing for more than 50 years. ... > full story

Scientists reveal nerve cells' navigation system (May 10, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered how two closely related proteins guide projections from nerve cells with exquisite accuracy, alternately attracting and repelling these axons as they navigate the most miniscule and frenetic niches of the nervous system to make remarkably precise connections. ... > full story

Wild animals age, too: Researchers study senescence in blue-footed booby shows (May 10, 2011) -- Many might assume that wild animals generally die before they get old. Now, a Spanish-Mexican research team has demonstrated aging in a population of wild birds (Sula nebouxii) in terms of their ability to live and reproduce. ... > full story

Open-access colonoscopy is safe, study finds (May 10, 2011) -- Nurse-driven, open-access colonoscopy programs are as effective and safe as colonoscopy following a consultation with a gastroenterologist, according to researchers. ... > full story

Original versus copy: Researchers develop forgery-proof prototypes for product authentication (May 10, 2011) -- Styrian pumpkin-seed oil or cheap copy? When you choose a product, you want the quality you’ve paid for. But how can you test that what’s inside is what it says on the label? The future of quality protection belongs to electronic components and so-called RFID tags. In the future, consumers will be able to test the authenticity of a product using their mobile phones. ... > full story

Self-embedding behavior and other forms of self-injury should be responded to quickly, experts urge (May 10, 2011) -- While the disturbing act of self-injury is nothing new to adolescents, researchers and physicians have identified a more severe type of behavior that is raising some concern among medical professionals. Often misdiagnosed, ignored and under-reported, self-embedding behavior (SEB) is a form of self-injurious behavior that involves inserting foreign objects into soft tissue -- either under the skin or into muscle. ... > full story

Immature skull led young tyrannosaurs to rely on speed, agility to catch prey (May 10, 2011) -- While adult tyrannosaurs wielded power and size to kill large prey, youngsters used agility to hunt smaller game. ... > full story

Obesity creates wimpy rats (May 10, 2011) -- Obesity appears to impair normal muscle function in rats, an observation that could have significant implications for humans, according to new research. ... > full story

Robotics: A tiltable head could improve the ability of undulating robots to navigate disaster debris (May 10, 2011) -- Researchers have built a robot that can penetrate and "swim" through granular material. In this study, they show that by varying the shape of the robot's head or by tilting it up or down, they can control the robot's vertical movement in complex environments. Machines able to navigate through complex dirt and rubble environments could help rescuers after natural disasters like earthquakes and landslides. ... > full story

Estrogen-lowering drugs reduce mastectomy rates for breast cancer patients, study suggests (May 10, 2011) -- In the first large trial of its kind in the United States, researchers have shown that estrogen-lowering drugs can shrink tumors and reduce mastectomy rates for patients with stage 2 or 3 breast cancer. ... > full story

New sensor can detect tiny traces of explosives (May 10, 2011) -- Researchers have created a new detector so sensitive it can pick up a single molecule of an explosive such as TNT. ... > full story

Teenage alcohol consumption associated with computer use (May 10, 2011) -- Teenagers who drink alcohol spend more time on their computers for recreational use, including social networking and downloading and listening to music, compared with their peers who don't drink. ... > full story

New insect repellant may be thousands of times stronger than DEET (May 10, 2011) -- Imagine an insect repellant that not only is thousands of times more effective than DEET -- the active ingredient in most commercial mosquito repellants -- but also works against all types of insects, including flies, moths and ants. That possibility has been created by the discovery of a new class of insect repellant made in the laboratory. ... > full story

Short term use of painkillers could be dangerous to heart patients (May 10, 2011) -- Short-term use of some painkillers could still be dangerous for people who've had a heart attack. The time-to-event observational research found "no safe window" for NSAID use among heart attack survivors. The non-selective NSAID diclofenac was associated with early onset risk similar to the selective COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib. ... > full story

A simple, mildly invasive solution for conserving historic buildings (May 10, 2011) -- Stone masonry arches form part of numerous historic buildings -- religious edifices, bridges, walkways and aqueducts. Although solid structures are involved, the environmental and historical conditions of the bearing load, use and accidental factors can cause their collapse. An industrial engineer in Spain studied an innovative system for the rehabilitation of these masonry arches. ... > full story

Dementia, mild cognitive impairment common in 'oldest old' women (May 10, 2011) -- Mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and their subtypes are common in the "oldest old" women, which includes those 85 years of age and older, according to a new study. ... > full story

Methane levels 17 times higher in water wells near hydrofracking sites, study finds (May 10, 2011) -- Researchers have found high levels of leaked methane in well water collected near shale-gas drilling and hydrofracking sites. The scientists collected and analyzed water samples from 68 private groundwater wells across five counties in northeastern Pennsylvania and New York. ... > full story

Findings suggest significant bias in TASER safety studies, according to team of heart doctors (May 10, 2011) -- The ongoing controversy surrounding the safety of using TASER electrical stun guns is taking a new turn with the announcement of findings by a team of cardiologists suggesting that much of the current TASER-related safety research may be biased due to ties to the devices' manufacturer, TASER International, Inc. ... > full story