ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Friday, May 20, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Friday, May 20, 2011

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Peculiar feeding mechanism of the first vertebrates (May 20, 2011) -- A fang-like tooth on double upper lips, spiny teeth on the tongue and a pulley-like mechanism to move the tongue backwards and forwards -- this bizarre bite belongs to a conodont and, thanks to a fresh fossil find, has now been analyzed and reconstructed by paleontologists. Their analysis sheds some light on the evolutionary origin of jaws. Using a 3D animated model, the reconstruction shows for the first time how the first vertebrates fed. ... > full story

Routine periodic fasting is good for your health, and your heart, study suggests (May 20, 2011) -- New evidence from cardiac researchers demonstrates that routine periodic fasting is good for your health, and your heart. The study found that fasting not only lowers one's risk of coronary artery disease and diabetes, but also causes significant changes in a person's blood cholesterol levels. ... > full story

Ocean warming detrimental to inshore fish species, Australian scientists report (May 20, 2011) -- Australian scientists have reported the first known detrimental impact of southern hemisphere ocean warming on a fish species. ... > full story

Obese patients at much greater risk for costly surgical-site infections (May 20, 2011) -- Obese patients undergoing colon surgery are 60 percent more likely to develop dangerous and costly surgical-site infections than their normal-weight counterparts, new research suggests. These infections cost an average of ,000 more per patient, extend hospital stays and leave patients at a three-times greater risk of hospital readmission. ... > full story

Wireless sensor network monitors microclimate in the forest (May 20, 2011) -- During a forest monitoring operation, forestry scientists measure various environmental values. This is how they obtain indications about how the forests are changing and what can be done to preserve them. However, installing and maintaining the wired measuring stations is complex: Researchers developed a wireless alternative. ... > full story

Environment's role in post-natal depression revealed (May 20, 2011) -- New research explores the interplay between genes and environment when determining whether a mother is at high or low risk for post-natal depression. ... > full story

Japan's 9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake: Surprising findings about energy distribution over fault slip and stress accumulation (May 20, 2011) -- When the magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake and resulting tsunami struck off the northeast coast of Japan on March 11, they caused widespread destruction and death. Using observations from a dense regional geodetic network (allowing measurements of earth movement to be gathered from GPS satellite data), globally distributed broadband seismographic networks, and open-ocean tsunami data, researchers have begun to construct numerous models that describe how the earth moved that day. ... > full story

Elevated levels of sodium blunt response to stress, study shows (May 20, 2011) -- All those salty snacks available at the local tavern might be doing more than increasing your thirst: They could also play a role in suppressing social anxiety. New research shows that elevated levels of sodium blunt the body's natural responses to stress by inhibiting stress hormones that would otherwise be activated in stressful situations. ... > full story

Researchers home in on genetic signature of esophageal cancer (May 20, 2011) -- Researchers have pinpointed two genes that are amplified in the worst cases of esophageal cancer, providing data to support a new investigational treatment that targets those same genes. ... > full story

New understanding of chronic otitis media may inform future treatment (May 20, 2011) -- In most children with chronic otitis media, biofilms laden with Haemophilus influenzae cling to the adenoids, while among a similar population suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, that pathogen is usually absent, according to new research. ... > full story

Studies focus on feed ingredient's effects on levels of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle (May 20, 2011) -- After corn is processed to make ethanol, what's left of the corn looks something like slightly dampened cornmeal, though a somewhat darker yellow, and not as finely ground. Known as "wet distiller's grains with solubles," this byproduct is sometimes used as a cattle feed ingredient. Researchers are studying the pros and cons of that practice. ... > full story

440-year-old document sheds new light on native population decline under Spanish colonial rule (May 20, 2011) -- Analysis of a 440-year-old document reveals new details about native population decline in the heartland of the Inca Empire following Spanish conquest in the 16th century. ... > full story

New level of genetic diversity discovered in human RNA sequences (May 19, 2011) -- A detailed comparison of DNA and RNA in human cells has uncovered a surprising number of cases where the corresponding sequences are not, as has long been assumed, identical. The RNA-DNA differences generate proteins that do not precisely match the genes that encode them. ... > full story

It's not easy being green: Scientists grow understanding of how photosynthesis is regulated (May 19, 2011) -- The seeds sprouting in your spring garden may still be struggling to reach the sun. If so, they are consuming a finite energy pack contained within each seed. Once those resources are depleted, the plant cell nucleus must be ready to switch on a "green" photosynthetic program. Researchers recently showed a new way that those signals are relayed. ... > full story

Animal results may pave way to treating rare mitochondrial diseases in children (May 19, 2011) -- A human drug that both prevents and cures kidney failure in mice sheds light on disabling human mitochondrial disorders, and may represent a potential treatment in people with such illnesses. As there are no effective cures for mitochondrial diseases, even in animals, these findings may suggest a novel therapy directly relevant to humans. ... > full story

Curcumin compound improves effectiveness of head and neck cancer treatment, study finds (May 19, 2011) -- A primary reason that head and neck cancer treatments fail is the tumor cells become resistant to chemotherapy drugs. Now, researchers have found that a compound derived from the Indian spice curcumin can help cells overcome that resistance. ... > full story

Gambling problem exposed as access grows (May 19, 2011) -- A new paper finds that the proliferation of gambling opportunities around the world, particularly online, is increasing the visibility of gambling disorders and giving access to people who previously had no exposure to gambling opportunities. ... > full story

Looking deep into a huge storm on Saturn (May 19, 2011) -- The atmosphere of the planet Saturn normally appears placid and calm. But about once per Saturn year (about thirty Earth years), as spring comes to the northern hemisphere of the giant planet, something stirs deep below the clouds that leads to a dramatic planet-wide disturbance. This is only the sixth of these huge storms to be spotted since 1876. It is the first ever to be studied in the thermal infrared -- to see the variations of temperature within a Saturnian storm -- and the first ever to be observed by an orbiting spacecraft. ... > full story

Electrical brain disturbances linked to worse outcomes following neurotrauma (May 19, 2011) -- Electrical disturbances that spread through an injured brain like tsunamis have a direct link to poor recovery and can last far longer than previously realized, researchers have found. ... > full story

Neutrons provide first sub-nanoscale snapshots of Huntington's disease protein (May 19, 2011) -- Scientists have for the first time successfully characterized the earliest structural formation of the disease type of the protein that causes Huntington's disease. The researchers have used a small-angle neutron scattering instrument, called Bio-SANS, to explore the earliest aggregate species of the protein that are believed to be the most toxic. ... > full story

Combating the C. diff 'terrorists' on the loose in hospitals (May 19, 2011) -- Just like intelligence agents watching for the real terrorists threatening to attack, monitoring health-care worker adherence to mandatory hand-washing protocols via hand-washing squads in hospitals can go a long way to stop outbreaks of the opportunistic C. diff bacteria, says an infection prevention and control expert. ... > full story

Microscope: Handy, quick and flat (May 19, 2011) -- In the future, doctors can pull out a new type of microscope to get to the bottom of suspicious changes in the skin that may indicate melanoma. The new device provides a high-resolution image of skin areas of any size -- and so quickly that you can hold it in your hand without blurring the resulting picture. ... > full story

Antibody production gets confused during long-term spaceflight (May 19, 2011) -- The trip to Mars just got more difficult since researchers discovered that antibodies that fight off disease might become compromised during long-term space flights. A new report shows that antibodies produced in space are less effective than those produced on Earth. This reduced effectiveness of antibodies makes astronauts more susceptible to illness, increasing the danger posed by bacteria and viruses likely to coexist with wayfaring astronauts. ... > full story

Packaging process for genes discovered (May 19, 2011) -- A major milestone has been achieved in the attempt to assemble, in a test tube, entire chromosomes from their component parts. The research achievement reveals the process a cell uses to package the basic building blocks of an organism's entire genetic code. ... > full story

Editing scrambled genes in human stem cells may help realize the promise of stem cell-gene therapy (May 19, 2011) -- In principle, genetic engineering is simple, but in practice, replacing a faulty gene with a healthy copy is anything but. Using mutated versions of the lamin A gene as an example to demonstrate the versatility of their virus-based approach, researchers successfully edited a diseased gene in patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells as well as adult stem cells. ... > full story

Cell phone use may reduce male fertility, Austrian-Canadian study suggests (May 19, 2011) -- Men who have been diagnosed with poor sperm quality and who are trying to have children should limit their cell phone use, a new study suggests. Researchers in Austria and Canada have found that while cell phone use appears to increase the level of testosterone circulating in the body, it may also lead to low sperm quality and a decrease in fertility. ... > full story

Ensuring the safety of radiation therapy (May 19, 2011) -- Radiation oncologists took a blow in a series of front-page newspaper stories published last year on injuries that occurred nationwide in the delivery of radiation treatment. Radiation oncologists have now responded to the public charge with a series of steps that will ensure that patients are protected at all points in the treatment process. Researchers have designed a new program that seeks to improve the quality of complex processes by identifying and removing the causes of errors, and reducing variables that increase the risk of mistakes. ... > full story

Liquid crystal droplets discovered to be exquisitely sensitive to an important bacterial lipid (May 19, 2011) -- In the computer displays of medical equipment in hospitals and clinics, liquid crystal technologies have already found a major role. New research suggests that micrometer-sized droplets of liquid crystal, which have been found to change their ordering and optical appearance in response to the presence of very low concentrations of a particular bacterial lipid, might find new uses in a range of biological contexts. ... > full story

Of frogs, chickens and people: Highly conserved dual mechanism regulates both brain development and function (May 19, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered new details of an unusual biological mechanism in the brains of diverse species that not only helps regulate how their brains develop, but also how they function later in life. The discovery could lead to new biomarkers for specific neurological diseases in humans and, possibly, the development of drugs to cure them. ... > full story

Dark energy is driving universe apart: NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer finds dark energy repulsive (May 19, 2011) -- A five-year survey of 200,000 galaxies, stretching back seven billion years in cosmic time, has led to one of the best independent confirmations that dark energy is driving our universe apart at accelerating speeds. ... > full story

Implant jab could solve the misery of back pain (May 19, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a biomaterial implant which could finally bring treatment, in the form of a jab, for chronic back pain. ... > full story

Eat a protein-rich breakfast to reduce food cravings, prevent overeating later, researcher finds (May 19, 2011) -- Eating a healthy breakfast, especially one high in protein, increases satiety and reduces hunger throughout the day, according to new research. In addition, using functional magnetic resonance imaging the study found that eating a protein-rich breakfast reduces the brain signals controlling food motivation and reward-driven eating behavior. ... > full story

Identification of 'fingerprint' of rare tumor leads to development of cheap and reliable new test (May 19, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a cheap and reliable diagnostic test for a rare form of cancer. The test involves screening tumor samples for a particular molecular fingerprint unique to this type of cancer. ... > full story

'Critical baby step' taken for spying life on a molecular scale (May 19, 2011) -- The ability to image single biological molecules in a living cell is something that has long eluded researchers. However, a novel technique -- using the structure of diamond -- may well be able to do this and potentially provide a tool for diagnosing, and eventually developing a treatment for, hard-to-cure diseases such as cancer. ... > full story

Virtual workout partners spur better results, study finds (May 19, 2011) -- Can't find anyone to exercise with? Don't despair: New research reveals working out with a virtual partner improves motivation during exercise. The study is the first to investigate the Kohler effect on motivation in health video games; that phenomenon explains why inferior team members perform better in a group than they would by themselves. ... > full story

China fossil shows bird, crocodile family trees split earlier than thought (May 19, 2011) -- A fossil of a creature that died about 247 million years ago, originally thought to be a distant relative of both birds and crocodiles, actually came from the crocodile family tree after it had split from the bird family. ... > full story

Half of prostate cancers could potentially benefit from new type of cancer drugs (May 19, 2011) -- About half of prostate cancers have a genetic anomaly that appears to make tumor cells responsive to a new class of cancer-fighting drugs, a new study. ... > full story

New technique sheds light on the mysterious process of cell division (May 19, 2011) -- A new technique that constructs models of primitive cells has demonstrated that the structure of a cell's membrane and cytoplasm may be as important to cell division as a cell's enzymes, DNA, or RNA. The study may provide important clues to how life originated from non-life and how modern cells came to exhibit complex behaviors. ... > full story

Carbon black nanoparticles can cause cell death, inflammation in lungs, researchers find (May 19, 2011) -- Inhaled carbon black nanoparticles create a double source of inflammation in the lungs, according to new research. ... > full story

Autonomous robot for underwater intervention tasks successfully tested (May 19, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain have successfully tested the autonomy of the robot for developing underwater intervention tasks. The robot has managed to recover an object similar to an aircraft black box without the direction of any operator. ... > full story

Brain region necessary for making decisions about economic value identified (May 19, 2011) -- Neuroeconomic research has conclusively identified a part of the brain that is necessary for making everyday decisions about value. Previous functional magnetic imaging studies, during which researchers use a powerful magnet to determine which parts of a subjects brain are most active while doing a task, have suggested that the ventromedial frontal cortex, or VMF, plays an evaluative role during decision making. ... > full story

Standing up to fight: Does it explain why we walk upright and why women like tall men? (May 19, 2011) -- A new study shows that men hit harder when they stand on two legs than when they are on all fours, and when hitting downward rather than upward, giving tall, upright males a fighting advantage. This may help explain why our ape-like human ancestors began walking upright and why women tend to prefer tall men. ... > full story

Maternal smoking causes changes in fetal DNA, study finds (May 19, 2011) -- Children whose mothers or grandmothers smoked during pregnancy are at increased risk of asthma in childhood, but the underlying causes of this are not well understood. Now a new study indicates changes in a process called DNA methylation that occurs before birth may be a root cause. ... > full story

Rainbows without pigments offer new defense against fraud (May 19, 2011) -- Scientists have developed pigment-free, intensely colored polymer materials, which could provide new, anti-counterfeit devices on passports or banknotes due to their difficulty to copy. ... > full story

Metastatic breast cancer: Blood test confirmed to be 'powerful predictor' following largest analysis to date (May 19, 2011) -- Researchers say the number of circulating tumor cells in the blood is a "powerful predictor" to help physicians more reliably assess treatment benefit for patients with metastatic breast cancer. ... > full story

What electric car convenience is worth (May 19, 2011) -- A U.S. nationwide survey asked consumers what changes to the common complaints of charging time and limited range are worth. For longer range, they'd pay -/mile. For faster charging, they'd pay up to ,250/hour. A second study showed longer range isn't absolutely necessary for many. The current 100-mile range could work for 32 percent of people. ... > full story

Reading Arabic 'different' for the brain, new study suggests (May 19, 2011) -- New research by a UK psychologist sheds light on reading differences. Arabic readers recognize words in a different way from readers of other languages, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Lizard fossil provides missing link to show body shapes of snakes and limbless lizards evolved independently (May 19, 2011) -- The recent discovery of a tiny, 47 million-year-old fossil of a lizard called Cryptolacerta hassiaca provides the first anatomical evidence that the body shapes of snakes and limbless lizards evolved independently. ... > full story