ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Thursday, June 2, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Thursday, June 2, 2011

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What odors throw off mosquitoes? New findings hold big promise for fight against mosquito-borne diseases (June 2, 2011) -- To find human hosts to bite and spread disease, mosquitoes use exhaled carbon dioxide as a vital cue. Entomologists have identified three classes of volatile odor molecules that can severely impair, if not completely disrupt, the mosquitoes' carbon dioxide detection machinery. The breakthrough research covers three of the deadliest species of mosquitoes: those that spread malaria; dengue and yellow fever; and filariasis and West Nile virus. ... > full story

New advances in lipid genetics lead to better detection and prevention of major diseases (June 2, 2011) -- Researchers have found ways to earlier and better prediction of diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, and heart disease through studying the genetic make-up of different varieties of lipids in blood plasma. ... > full story

Blast-related injuries detected in the brains of US military personnel (June 2, 2011) -- An advanced imaging technique has revealed that some US military personnel with mild blast-related traumatic brain injuries have abnormalities in the brain that have not been seen with other types of imaging. ... > full story

MRSA transmission may be occurring in fire stations, study suggests (June 2, 2011) -- MRSA transmission may be occurring in fire stations, according to a new study. The purpose of the study was to determine potential areas within the fire stations that were contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and characterize the isolates to determine if they were related to hospital (HA-MRSA) and/or community (CA-MRSA) strains. ... > full story

Honeysuckle extract: Natural sunblock for UV-protective clothing (June 2, 2011) -- With those months of blazing summer sunshine head, scientists are reporting that an extract of the honeysuckle plant could make a highly effective natural coating for clothing designed to protect people from exposure to potentially harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. ... > full story

What can we do about death? Reinventing the American medical system (June 2, 2011) -- In a new article, two scientists propose a radical reinvention of the American medical system requiring new ways of thinking about living, aging, and dying. They argue that a sustainable -- and more humane -- medical system in the US will have to reprioritize to emphasize public health and prevention for the young, and care not cure for the elderly. ... > full story

With global warming, Arctic access will diminish by land but improve by sea (June 2, 2011) -- Global warming over the next 40 years will cut through the Arctic transportation networks like a double-edged sword, limiting access by land and vastly increasing it by sea, predicts a new study by geographers. ... > full story

Saliva is effective in screening for CMV infection in newborns, researchers find (June 2, 2011) -- Swabbing a newborn's mouth for saliva can be used to quickly and effectively screen for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, a leading cause of hearing loss in children. ... > full story

A night with the stars ... in a conference room (June 2, 2011) -- Ancient astronomers looked up at the dark skies in wonder, as the stars marched by overhead like precision dancers. In the early 17th century, Galileo Galilei brought the world one step closer to the heavens with his telescope, discovering, among other celestial marvels, moons around Jupiter, and our own moon's pockmarked surface. Nowadays, the stars are closer to us than ever, thanks to powerful telescopes in space and on the ground. Modern astronomers don't have to step outside, because they get precise data delivered straight to their own laptops. If Galileo could see us now, he'd probably be thrilled by the advances -- and also a little puzzled that astronomy no longer means gazing through telescopes at the twinkling, dark skies. ... > full story

Asian lung cancer patient survival exceeds Caucasians' on multiple regimens (June 2, 2011) -- Asian non-small cell lung cancer patients survive longer than Caucasians no matter how many drugs are given in a first-line setting, and the effect was apparent both before and after the introduction of targeted therapies in the early 2000s. ... > full story

Simulator will improve hydrogen safety (June 2, 2011) -- What happens when hydrogen begins dispersing from a leak? A Norwegian firm has the answers about how explosive the situation may become. ... > full story

Researchers develop strategy to improve patient adherence (June 2, 2011) -- Physicians can help their patients follow prescribed treatments and achieve healthier results -- particularly in chronic disease management -- by using a three-pronged strategy: the Information-Motivation-Strategy (IMS) Model -- developed after synthesizing findings from more than 100 large-scale studies and meta-analyses conducted between 1948 and 2009. ... > full story

Melting glaciers may affect ocean currents (June 1, 2011) -- Scientists have used a computer climate model to study how freshwater entering the oceans at the end of the penultimate Ice Age 140,000 years ago affected the parts of the ocean currents that control climate. They say a future ice sheet collapse, which might happen in Antarctica or Greenland, would be likely to have climatic consequences. ... > full story

Scientists identify overactive genes in aggressive breast cancers: Potential new drug target for hard-to-treat 'triple-negative' tumors (June 1, 2011) -- Scientists have identified an overactive network of growth-spurring genes that drive stem-like breast cancer cells enriched in triple-negative breast tumors, a typically aggressive cancer that is highly resistant to current therapies. ... > full story

Key to making cancer-killing peptides (June 1, 2011) -- Researchers have found the mechanism of action for cancer-cell-killing peptides. This research is expected to lead to better medication, in particular better treatments for leukemia, skin cancer, and infections caused by multi-resistant bacteria. Thanks to this new knowledge, it is hoped that future medical therapies will be more effective and have far fewer side effects. The first trials on patients are expected to take place over the next two years and the first finished products should be entering the market ten years from now. ... > full story

Two-thirds of newly diagnosed U.S. cancer patients unable to obtain oncology appointments, study suggests (June 1, 2011) -- Newly diagnosed cancer patients often face hurdles in getting an appointment for care with an oncologist, according to new research. Just 22% of callers with private insurance were able to obtain a slot, compared to 29 percent of uninsured patients and 17 percent of patients on Medicaid, according to results of a study in which research assistants posed as patients seeking an initial evaluation. ... > full story

Diversity and value of Alaska's coastal forests (June 1, 2011) -- A new report presents summaries of current southeast and south-central Alaska forest topics, ranging from carbon and forest products to lichens and invasive species. ... > full story

U.S. physicians call for new approach to address national 'epidemic of mass incarceration' (June 1, 2011) -- With 2.3 million people behind bars and an estimated 10 million Americans cycling in and out of correctional facilities each year, the United States is in the midst of an "epidemic of mass incarceration," says a group of researchers. ... > full story

Quantum knowledge cools computers: New understanding of entropy (June 1, 2011) -- From a laptop warming a knee to a supercomputer heating a room, the fact that computers generate heat is familiar to everyone. But theoretical physicists have discovered something astonishing: not only do computational processes sometimes generate no heat, under certain conditions they can even have a cooling effect. Behind this finding are fundamental considerations relating to knowledge and a lack of knowledge. ... > full story

New substance may allow successful transplantation of 'marginal' livers (June 1, 2011) -- New research raises the possibility that the critically short supply of livers for organ donation could be expanded by treating so-called "marginal" livers with a substance that protects them from damage after being connected to recipients' blood supplies. ... > full story

Bacterial protein secreting sticky appendages: Atomic-level images suggest new targets for antibacterial drugs (June 1, 2011) -- New atomic-level "snapshots" reveal details of how bacteria such as E. coli produce and secrete sticky appendages called pili, which help the microbes attach to and infect human cells. These crystal structures unravel a complex choreography of protein-protein interactions that will aid in the design of new antibacterial drugs. ... > full story

Association between biomarkers and disease often overstated, researcher finds (June 1, 2011) -- More than two dozen widely cited studies linking genes or other "biomarkers" to specific diseases vastly overstate the association, according to new research from an expert in scientific study design. As a result, clinicians may be making decisions for their patients based on inaccurate conclusions not supported by other, larger studies. ... > full story

Safety of nanoparticles in food crops is still unclear (June 1, 2011) -- With the curtain about to rise on a much-anticipated new era of "nanoagriculture" -- using nanotechnology to boost the productivity of plants for food, fuel, and other uses -- scientists are reporting a huge gap in knowledge about the effects of nanoparticles on corn, tomatoes, rice and other food crops. ... > full story

Kids who bully, have aggressive behaviors are twice as likely to have sleep problems (June 1, 2011) -- Children who are bullies or have conduct problems at school, are more likely to be sleepy during the day according to researchers. ... > full story

New map reveals giant fjords beneath East Antarctic ice sheet (June 1, 2011) -- Scientists have used ice-penetrating radar to create the first high-resolution topographic map of one of the last uncharted regions of Earth, the Aurora Subglacial Basin, an immense ice-buried lowland in East Antarctica. The map will help improve computer simulations of the past and future Antarctic ice sheet and its potential impact on global sea level. ... > full story

Sleep loss dramatically lowers testosterone in healthy young men (June 1, 2011) -- Cutting back on sleep drastically reduces a healthy young man's testosterone levels, according to a new study. ... > full story

Thomas Edison also invented the concrete house, researcher says (June 1, 2011) -- Afficionados of modern poured-concrete design were in for a rude awakening last month when they heard Matt Burgermaster's presentation at the 64th annual meeting of the Society of Architectural Historians. He illustrated how Thomas Edison invented and patented in 1917 an innovative construction system to mass produce prefabricated and seamless concrete houses. Typically most people associate this style of architectural design and type of building technology with the European avant-garde of the early 20th century. ... > full story

Women with BRCA mutations can take hormone-replacement therapy safely after ovary removal, study suggests (June 1, 2011) -- Women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, which are linked to a very high risk of breast and ovarian cancer, can safely take hormone-replacement therapy to mitigate menopausal symptoms after surgical removal of their ovaries, according to new research. ... > full story

Randomness rules in turbulent flows (June 1, 2011) -- Computer experiments reveal that, in principle, two identical small beads dropped into the same turbulent flow at precisely the same starting location will end up at different -- and entirely random -- destinations. ... > full story

College students respond better to positive anti-binge drinking messages (June 1, 2011) -- Researchers have found that "gain-framed", or positive messages are much more effective in convincing college students to abandon binge drinking. ... > full story

Ancient hominid males stayed home while females roamed, study finds (June 1, 2011) -- The males of two bipedal hominid species that roamed the South African savanna more than a million years ago were stay-at-home kind of guys when compared to the gadabout gals, according to a new study. ... > full story

Cancer drug holds promise as first treatment for common, inherited dementia (June 1, 2011) -- A drug already approved for people with cancer shows early potential as a therapy for a common form of dementia, researchers report. ... > full story

A postcard from extragalactic space? A spiral galaxy that resembles our Milky Way (June 1, 2011) -- Astronomers have used the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-meter telescope to capture an image of NGC 6744. This impressive spiral galaxy lies about 30 million light-years away in the southern constellation of Pavo (the Peacock). But this view could almost be a picture postcard of our own Milky Way, taken and sent by an extragalactic friend, as this galaxy closely resembles our own. ... > full story

Surgical removal of the tonsils and appendix associated with risk of early heart attack, study suggests (June 1, 2011) -- Surgical removal of the appendix and tonsils in young people associated with an increased risk of premature heart attack in a large population study performed in Sweden. ... > full story

Making complex fluids look simple (June 1, 2011) -- Scientists have successfully developed a widely applicable method for discovering the physical foundations of complex fluids for the first time. Researchers have developed a microscopic theory that describes the interactions between the various components of a complex polymer mixture. ... > full story

Noisy operations associated with increased infections after surgery (June 1, 2011) -- Patients who undergo surgery are more likely to suffer surgical site infections (SSIs) if the operating theatre is noisy. Swiss researchers studied 35 patients who underwent planned, major abdominal surgery, exploring demographic parameters, the duration of the operation and sound levels in the theatre. Six of the patients (17 per cent) developed SSIs and the only variable was the noise level in the operating theatre, which was considerably higher in the infected patients. ... > full story

'Dead' galaxies aren't so dead after all (June 1, 2011) -- Astronomers examined old galaxies and were surprised to discover that they are still making new stars. The results provide insights into how galaxies evolve with time. ... > full story

How vitamins and minerals may prevent age-related diseases (June 1, 2011) -- Severe deficiency of the vitamins and minerals required for life is relatively uncommon in developed nations, but modest deficiency is very common and often not taken seriously. New research, however, may change this thinking as it examines moderate selenium and vitamin K deficiency to show how damage accumulates over time as a result of vitamin and mineral loss, leading to age-related diseases. ... > full story

Link between environment and genetics in triggering multiple sclerosis: Discovery points to personalized treatments (June 1, 2011) -- Environmental and inherited risk factors associated with multiple sclerosis -- previously poorly understood and not known to be connected -- converge to alter a critical cellular function linked to the chronic neurologic disease, researchers have discovered. ... > full story

Noninvasive wireless near-infrared device provides reliable diagnosis of bladder dysfunction (June 1, 2011) -- A cell phone-sized, wireless near-infrared device is as reliable as the current "gold standard" invasive tests in determining bladder disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

Biodegradable products may be bad for the environment (June 1, 2011) -- New research shows that so-called biodegradable products are likely doing more harm than good in landfills, because they are releasing a powerful greenhouse gas as they break down. ... > full story

Alcohol industry needs more scrutiny, experts argue (June 1, 2011) -- The influence of "Big Alcohol" in the health arena deserves as much scrutiny as Big Pharma and Big Tobacco, especially in light of evidence of bias in funded research, unsupported claims of benefit, and inappropriate promotion and marketing by the alcohol industry, says a new editorial. ... > full story

How the brain processes faces: Neural system responsible for face recognition discovered (June 1, 2011) -- Until now, scientists believed that only a couple of brain areas mediate facial recognition. However scientists have discovered that an entire network of cortical areas work together to identify faces. These findings will change the future of neural visual perception research and allow scientists to use this discovery to develop targeted remedies for disorders such as face blindness. ... > full story

New drugs target delay of Huntington’s symptoms (June 1, 2011) -- The drug restores a critical chemical change that should occur in the huntingtin protein, but does not occur in people with Huntington's disease. ... > full story

Blueberry's effects on cholesterol examined in lab animal study (June 1, 2011) -- Laboratory hamsters that were fed rations spiked with blueberry peels and other blueberry-juice-processing leftovers had better cholesterol health than hamsters whose rations weren't enhanced with blueberries, according to a new study. ... > full story

Early cellular cause of dry eye disease 'seen' for the first time (June 1, 2011) -- If you are one of the millions who struggle with dry eye disease, good news is here. New research offers hope for new drugs that treat the cellular cause, rather than its symptoms. This novel research identifies natural killer cells, a type of cell that provides innate immunity to the eyes, as promoting inflammation that is a critical role in the development of the disease. ... > full story

New way to help nanoscale engineers choose self-assembling proteins (June 1, 2011) -- Engineering structures on the smallest possible scales -- using molecules and individual atoms as building blocks -- is both physically and conceptually challenging. An interdisciplinary team of researchers has now developed a method of computationally selecting the best of these blocks, drawing inspiration from the similar behavior of proteins in making biological structures. ... > full story

Medical experts make a case for broader use of compassionate release in the nation's prison system (June 1, 2011) -- In a new article, medical experts suggest broader use of compassionate release in the nation's prison system. Under current guidelines, many prisoners who may be eligible for compassionate release die in prison while waiting for review. The authors propose changes that could fix compassionate release medical and procedural flaws, thus reducing in-prison deaths and inmate health care costs. ... > full story