ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Wednesday, June 8, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Wednesday, June 8, 2011

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NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory catches 'surfer' waves on the sun (June 8, 2011) -- Scientists have spotted the iconic surfer's wave rolling through the atmosphere of the sun. The waves hold clues as to how energy moves through that atmosphere, known as the corona. Since scientists know how these kinds of waves -- initiated by a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability if you're being technical -- disperse energy in the water, they can use this information to better understand the corona. This in turn, may help solve an enduring mystery of why the corona is thousands of times hotter than originally expected. ... > full story

People with Parkinson's disease may have double the risk for melanoma (June 8, 2011) -- An analysis of several studies shows that people with Parkinson's disease have a significantly higher risk of melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer and the leading cause of death from skin diseases. ... > full story

Black, white and stinky: Explaining bold coloration in skunks (June 8, 2011) -- Biologists can now explain why some species such as skunks use bold coloration to warn predators either that they risk being sprayed with stinky gas or getting into a vicious fight, while other species don't. ... > full story

Link between phosphate intake and heart disease demonstrated in new study (June 8, 2011) -- Lowering phosphate intake in humans can reduce heart disease, according to research by experts in the UK. The study demonstrates the connection between a high phosphate diet and atherosclerosis -- a leading cause of heart disease, the researchers say. ... > full story

Greater cancer detection is possible with 4-D PET image reconstruction (June 8, 2011) -- A new study is advancing a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging method that uses new 4-D image reconstruction to achieve the highest diagnostic capability for the detection of cancer. Mounting evidence shows that PET imaging, which provides visual representations of bodily functions, is significantly more sensitive when used with cutting-edge 4D image reconstruction technology that accounts for patient respiration and produces clearer, more easily interpreted images. ... > full story

Construction industry has highest number of traumatic brain injuries in US workplace, study finds (June 8, 2011) -- Although traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, work-related TBI has not been well documented. In a new study, researchers describe the epidemiology of fatal TBI in the US workplace between 2003 and 2008. This study provides the first national profile of fatal TBIs occurring in the US workplace. The construction industry had the highest number of TBIs and the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry had the highest rates. ... > full story

New data still have scientists in dark over dark matter (June 8, 2011) -- A dark-matter experiment deep in the Soudan mine of Minnesota now has detected a seasonal signal variation similar to one an Italian experiment has been reporting for more than a decade. The new seasonal variation, is exactly what theoreticians had predicted if dark matter turned out to be what physicists call weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). WIMPS might have caused the signal variation, but it also might be a random fluctuation, a false reading sparked by the experimental apparatus itself or even some exotic new phenomenon in atomic physics. ... > full story

Drug shows promise in prostate cancer spread to bone (June 8, 2011) -- A new drug to treat prostate cancer shows early promise, particularly against tumors that have spread to the bone, a multi-site study shows. ... > full story

Protein folding made easy (June 8, 2011) -- Computational methods of modeling protein folding have existed for a couple of decades. But they required hundreds of thousands of CPU hours to compute the folding dynamics of 40 amino acids proteins. Now, researchers have developed algorithms able to predict correctly in 10 minutes on a single laptop, a coarse-grained representation of the folding pathways of a protein with 60 amino acids. ... > full story

Bursitis a common cause of painful hips, knees, heels and elbows: Most conditions can be managed with simple, nonsurgical techniques (June 8, 2011) -- A new literature review examines a common condition called bursitis, often causing pain on movement. Orthopedic surgeons offer treatment options. ... > full story

Desktop genome analyzer and browser lets biologists easily analyze and process high-throughput data (June 8, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a desktop genome analyzer and browser that allows biologists to rapidly and easily analyze and process their high-throughput data. ... > full story

Prolonging life carries more weight in doctors recommendations, study finds (June 8, 2011) -- Doctors are more apt to recommend a more costly therapy to patients if it were determined to prolong the patient's life rather than just improve quality, according to a recent study. ... > full story

Air quality worsened by paved surfaces: Widespread urban development alters weather patterns (June 7, 2011) -- New research focusing on the Houston area suggests that widespread urban development alters wind patterns in a way that can make it easier for pollutants to build up during warm summer weather instead of being blown out to sea. The international study could have implications for the air quality of fast-growing coastal cities in the United States and other midlatitude regions overseas. The reason: the proliferation of strip malls, subdivisions, and other paved areas may interfere with breezes needed to clear away smog and other pollution. ... > full story

Inhibiting microRNAs may help prevent degenerative eye disorders (June 7, 2011) -- Blocking two tiny molecules of RNA -- a chemical cousin of DNA -- appears to suppress the abnormal growth of blood vessels that occurs in degenerative eye disorders, researchers have found. Their findings suggest a potential strategy to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a vascular eye disorder that affects nearly 2 million Americans and is a leading cause of blindness among older people. ... > full story

NASA sees the sun having a solar blast (June 7, 2011) -- The Sun unleashed an M-2 (medium-sized) solar flare, an S1-class (minor) radiation storm and a spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME) on June 7, 2011 from sunspot complex 1226-1227. The large cloud of particles mushroomed up and fell back down looking as if it covered an area of almost half the solar surface. ... > full story

Older age does not cause testosterone levels to decline in healthy men (June 7, 2011) -- A decline in testosterone levels as men grow older is likely the result -- not the cause -- of deteriorating general health, say Australian scientists, whose new study finds that age, in itself, has no effect on testosterone level in healthy older men. ... > full story

Radio waves making a comeback? (June 7, 2011) -- In the communications technology of the future, radio waves could once again feature prominently. The challenge will be to provide reliable, high-capacity connections over long distances. ... > full story

What mom thinks matters when it comes to mental illness, study finds (June 7, 2011) -- A new study shows that while family members often provide critical support, they also can sometimes be the source of stigmatizing attitudes that impede the recovery of mentally ill relatives. ... > full story

Native ants use chemical weapons to turn back invading Argentine ants (June 7, 2011) -- University sophomores studying ants in a summer course discovered that the local ants were using poison to kill invading Argentine ants. The discovery provides new insight into the war between the local "winter ants" and the South American invaders who have shown up everywhere from California to South Africa. ... > full story

Excessive pregnancy weight gain raises the risk of having a fat baby (June 7, 2011) -- Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy tend to have newborns with a high amount of body fat, regardless of the mother's weight before pregnancy, a new study finds. ... > full story

Your attention please: 'Rewarding' objects can't be ignored (June 7, 2011) -- You can be distracted by something totally worthless if that something was once associated with a reward, scientists have found. The results of their research have implications for understanding how the brain responds to rewards, which may contribute to more effective treatments for drug addiction, obesity and ADHD. ... > full story

Glaciations may have larger influence on biodiversity than current climate, dung beetle study finds (June 7, 2011) -- An investigation by Spanish researchers reveals that the large impacts occurred during the last ice age maintain their effects on the current distribution of dung beetles of the scarab family (Scarabaeidae). The presence of these beetles in Europe seems to be more influenced by the climate of that glaciation than by the present one. ... > full story

Women warriors show resilience similar to men, psychological study shows (June 7, 2011) -- Women service members who experience combat are apparently as resilient as the men they serve alongside, according to a new psychological study. Men and women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008 experienced very similar levels of combat-related stress and post-deployment mental health impacts during the first year following return from deployment, researchers report. ... > full story

Apple ingredient keeps muscles strong: Component of apple peels found to help prevent muscle weakening in mice (June 7, 2011) -- In search of a way to prevent the muscle wasting that comes with illness and aging, researchers have landed a natural compound that might just do the trick. The findings identify a component of apple peels as a promising new drug candidate for the widespread and debilitating condition that affects nearly everyone at one time or another. ... > full story

Breakthrough method of stem cell expansion (June 7, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a laboratory method to expand adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) using the SALL4 gene. They have used this method to produce a more than 10,000-fold increase in HSCs derived from normal human bone marrow. Their findings define a new mechanism of stem cell self-renewal, providing a means to produce large numbers of HSCs that could be used to treat hematological malignancies and other blood disorders. ... > full story

Engineers look to the birds for the future of unmanned aerial vehicles (June 7, 2011) -- Engineers are mimicking the movement of bird wings to help improve the maneuverability of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). UAVs are often used for surveillance of a fixed target in military and civilian applications. A fixed wing aircraft capable of spot landing on a perch (top of a pole, building, fence, etc.) would be an ideal solution capable of efficient cruising and versatile landing for longer surveillance missions. ... > full story

Fetal exposure to BPA changes development of uterus in primates, study suggests (June 7, 2011) -- Exposure in the womb to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical widely used in the food and medical industries, causes changes in female primates' uterus development, new research suggests. ... > full story

Quantum simulator prototype: Toward new class of semiconductor nanostructures that probe quantum world (June 7, 2011) -- An international team of researchers has developed an artificial semiconductor structure that has superimposed a pattern created by advanced fabrication methods that are precise at the nanometer scale. The pattern is similar to the honeycomb lattice that occurs in graphene. The device, called "artificial graphene" (AG), simulates quantum behavior of strongly interacting electrons. The research team sees the AG-device as a first step towards the realization of an innovative class of solid-state quantum simulators to explore fundamental quantum physics. ... > full story

People judge therapists by their offices, study shows (June 7, 2011) -- People may judge the quality and qualifications of psychotherapists simply by what their offices look like, a new study suggests. After only viewing photos of offices, study participants gave higher marks to psychotherapists whose offices were neat and orderly, decorated with soft touches like pillows and throw rugs, and which featured personal touches like diplomas and framed photos. ... > full story

Novel geothermal technology packs a one-two punch against climate change (June 7, 2011) -- Researchers have developed an innovative approach to tapping heat beneath Earth's surface. The method is expected to not only produce renewable electricity far more efficiently than conventional geothermal systems, but also help reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide -- dealing a one-two punch against climate change. ... > full story

Therapies to improve biochemical functions hold promise as treatments for people with autism (June 7, 2011) -- Studies indicate two commonly available supplements can be effective in treating abnormalities in the body's biochemical functions often experienced by people with autism. ... > full story

Jellyfish blooms shunt food energy from fish to bacteria (June 7, 2011) -- A new study shows that jellyfish are more than a nuisance to bathers and boaters, drastically altering marine food webs by shunting food energy from fish toward bacteria. An apparent increase in the size and frequency of jellyfish blooms in coastal and estuarine waters around the world during the last few decades means that jellies' impact on marine food webs is likely to increase into the future. ... > full story

Stronger hips improved running mechanics, lessened knee pain, research finds (June 7, 2011) -- Hip strengthening exercises performed by female runners not only significantly reduced patellofemoral pain -- a common knee pain experienced by runners -- but they also improved the runners' gaits, according to a motion analysis expert. ... > full story

Neutron analysis explains dynamics behind best thermoelectric materials (June 7, 2011) -- Neutron analysis of thermoelectric materials could spur the development of a broader range of products with the capability to transform heat to electricity. ... > full story

Brain scans appear to show changes associated with violent behavior (June 7, 2011) -- A brain imaging study suggests that men with a history of violent behavior may have greater gray matter volume in certain brain areas, whereas men with a history of substance use disorders may have reduced gray matter volume in other brain areas, according to a new report. ... > full story

Astrophysicists use X-ray fingerprints to study eating habits of giant black holes (June 7, 2011) -- By studying the X-rays emitted when superheated gases plunge into distant and massive black holes, astrophysicists have provided an important test of a long-standing theory that describes the extreme physics occurring when matter spirals into these massive objects. ... > full story

Bisphenol A (BPA) accumulates more rapidly within the body than previously thought (June 7, 2011) -- A new study shows that the exposure to the controversial chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) through diet has been underestimated by previous lab tests. In the study, researchers compared BPA concentrations in mice that were given a steady diet supplemented with BPA throughout the day, compared to the more common lab method of single exposure, and found an increased absorption and accumulation of BPA in the blood of mice. ... > full story

Methane gas from cows: The proof is in the feces (June 7, 2011) -- Scientists could have a revolutionary new way of measuring how much of the potent greenhouse gas methane is produced by cows and other ruminants, thanks to a surprising discovery in their feces. ... > full story

Oatmeal-labeling ideal for molecular imaging of stomach emptying (June 7, 2011) -- Patients undergoing molecular imaging to evaluate their stomach's ability to clear food are going to have an altogether new kind of breakfast. A new study has confirmed that nuclear medicine technologists can effectively use oatmeal products radiolabeled with a medical isotope to target and image the emptying of the stomach. ... > full story

Scanning the skies for debris hazards (June 7, 2011) -- Today, orbiting satellites are threatened by over 700 000 pieces of debris. Avoiding them requires knowing where they are, and that means surveillance with radar and telescopes. The European Space Agency is designing a system to catalog debris and warn satellite operators when to take evasive action. ... > full story

Study suggests link between childhood bullying and adult intimate partner violence perpetration (June 7, 2011) -- Men who report having bullied peers in childhood appear to have an increased risk of perpetrating violence against an intimate partner in adulthood, according to a new report. ... > full story

Yo-yo dieting vs. obesity? Dieters may be healthier, live longer, mouse study suggests (June 7, 2011) -- Yo-yo dieters may be healthier and live longer than those who stay obese, a new study suggests. Mice that switched between a high-fat and low-fat diet every four weeks during their approximate two-year lifespan lived about 25 percent longer and had better blood glucose levels than obese animals that ate a high-fat diet. The yo-yo dieters also lived about as long as a control group of mice steadily fed a low-fat diet. ... > full story

New neurons take six months or more to mature in non-human primate brain, study finds (June 7, 2011) -- New neurons take more than six months to mature in adult monkeys and likely even longer in humans, say researchers. Their findings challenge the notion that the time it takes for neurogenesis is why anti-depressant medications aren't fully effective until three to five weeks after treatment begins. ... > full story

Scientists identify how major biological sensor in the body works (June 7, 2011) -- A type of biological sensor known as the "gating ring" can open a channel that allows a flow of potassium ions through the cell's wall. This flow of ions is involved in the regulation of crucial bodily activities. But the biophysical functioning of the gating ring sensor has not been clearly understood. Now, researchers have uncovered for the first time the sensor's molecular mechanism, shedding new light on the complexity of cells' control systems. ... > full story

High amounts of the hormone leptin are linked to decreased depression (June 7, 2011) -- Women who have higher levels of the appetite-controlling hormone leptin have fewer symptoms of depression, and this apparent inverse relationship is not related to body mass index (BMI), a new study finds. ... > full story

Satellites see eruption of Chile's Puyehue-Cordón volcano from space (June 7, 2011) -- NASA's Terra Satellite, the GOES-13 and GOES-11 satellites all captured images of the ash plume from southern Chile's Puyehue-Cordón Volcano. The volcano is located in Puyehue National Park in the Andes of Ranco Province of Chile. ... > full story

Emergency department physicians growing weary of frequent users (June 7, 2011) -- Emergency department physicians are frustrated and burned out from treating patients who frequent the ED for their care, according to a new survey of physicians from across the United States. The survey found that 59 percent of physicians acknowledged having less empathy for so-called frequent users than other patients, and 77 percent held bias for frequent users. Physicians defined frequent users in the survey as patients who visit the ED at least 10 times a year. ... > full story

First-of-its-kind fluorescence map offers a new view of the world's land plants (June 7, 2011) -- Scientists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center have produced groundbreaking global maps of land plant fluorescence, a difficult-to-detect reddish glow that leaves emit as a byproduct of photosynthesis. While researchers have previously mapped how ocean-dwelling phytoplankton fluoresce, the new maps are the first to focus on land vegetation and to cover the entire globe. ... > full story