ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Monday, July 11, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Monday, July 11, 2011

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Light propagation controlled in photonic chips: Major breakthrough in telecommunications field (July 11, 2011) -- Researchers have built optical nanostructures that enable them to slow photons down and fully control light dispersion. They have shown that it is possible for light to propagate from point A to point B without accumulating any phase, spreading through the artificial medium as if the medium is completely missing in space. This is the first time simultaneous phase and zero-index observations have been made on the chip-scale and at the infrared wavelength. ... > full story

Unlocking the genetics and biology of joint disorder ankylosing spondylitis (July 11, 2011) -- A study involving over 5,000 people living with the joint disorder ankylosing spondylitis has identified a series of genetic variants associated with increased susceptibility to the condition as well as providing new clues to how the condition may be treated in the future. ... > full story

Olympia hypothesis: Tsunamis buried the cult site on the Peloponnese (July 11, 2011) -- Olympia, site of the famous Temple of Zeus and original venue of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece, was presumably destroyed by repeated tsunamis that traveled considerable distances inland, and not by earthquake and river floods as has been assumed to date. Evidence in support of this new theory on the virtual disappearance of the ancient cult site on the Peloponnesian peninsula comes from a researcher in Germany. ... > full story

Researchers characterize biomechanics of ovarian cells according to phenotype at stages of cancer (July 11, 2011) -- Using ovarian surface epithelial cells from mice, researchers have released findings from a study that they believe will help in cancer risk assessment, cancer diagnosis, and treatment efficiency. ... > full story

Salamanders spell out evolution in action (July 11, 2011) -- Lungless salamanders (Ensatina eschscholtzii) live in a horseshoe-shape region in California (a 'ring') which circles around the central valley. New research showed that reproductive isolation of E. eschscholtzii was driven by genetic divergence rather than adaption to different ecological habitats. ... > full story

Best U.S. hospitals are run by physicians, study finds (July 11, 2011) -- Top-performing hospitals are typically ones headed by an M.D. instead of a manager. That is the finding from a new study based on a detailed database on 300 of the most prominent hospitals in the United States. The conclusions run counter to a modern trend across the western world to put generally trained managers -- not those with a medical degree -- at the helm of hospitals. ... > full story

Chromosomes' big picture: Similarities found in genomes across multiple species; Platypus still out of place (July 11, 2011) -- By mapping various genomes onto an X-Y axis, a team of researchers has found that Charles Darwin and a fruit fly -- among other organisms -- have a lot in common genetically. The researchers found that the chromosome sizes within each eukaryotic species are actually similar rather than drastically different as previously believed. They also found that the chromosomes of these different organisms share a similar distribution pattern. ... > full story

Common painkillers linked to irregular heart rhythm (July 11, 2011) -- Commonly used painkillers to treat inflammation are linked to an increased risk of irregular heart rhythm (known as atrial fibrillation or flutter), concludes a new study. ... > full story

Fewer rain storms across southern Australia with global warming (July 11, 2011) -- Decreasing autumn and winter rainfall over southern Australia has been attributed to a 50-year decrease in the average intensity of storms in the region -- a trend which is forecast to continue for another 50 years. ... > full story

Drug designer: New tool reveals mutations that cause HIV drug resistance (July 11, 2011) -- Protease inhibitor drugs are one of the major weapons in the fight against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, but their effectiveness is limited as the virus mutates and develops resistance to the drugs over time. Now a new tool has been developed to help predict the location of the mutations that lead to drug resistance. ... > full story

Extremely rapid water: Scientists decipher a protein-bound water chain (July 11, 2011) -- Researchers have succeeded in providing evidence that a protein is capable of creating a water molecule chain for a few milliseconds for the directed proton transfer. The combination of vibrational spectroscopy and biomolecular simulations enabled the elucidation of the proton pump mechanism of a cell-membrane protein in atomic detail. The researchers demonstrated that protein-bound water molecules play a decisive role in the function. ... > full story

Jewel beetles, obtained from local people, turn out to be four species unknown to science (July 10, 2011) -- Biologists have discovered four new species of jewel beetles (Buprestidae) from South-eastern Asia. This family of beetles is named for their particularly beautiful body and fascinating, shiny colors. ... > full story

'Pure' human blood stem-cell discovery opens door to expanding cells for more clinical use (July 10, 2011) -- For the first time since stem cells were discovered 50 years ago, scientists have isolated a human blood stem cell in its purest form -- as a single stem cell capable of regenerating the entire blood system. This breakthrough opens the door to harnessing the power of these life-producing cells to treat cancer and other debilitating diseases more effectively. ... > full story

Nanocrystal transformers: Researchers observe structural transformations in single nanocrystals (July 10, 2011) -- Researchers have recorded the first direct observation of structural transformations within a single nanocrystal of copper sulfide. The results break new ground for the design of novel materials that will serve next-generation energy storage batteries and solar energy harvesting devices. ... > full story

Stroke risk in pregnant women 2.4 times higher, review finds (July 10, 2011) -- Pregnant women face a risk of stroke that is 2.4 times higher than the risk in non-pregnant women, according to a new review. ... > full story

Geothermal industry to get boost from new research (July 10, 2011) -- An ambitious project to understand and characterize geothermal potential at nearly 500 sites throughout the Great Basin in the western U.S. is yielding a bounty of information for the geothermal industry to use in developing resources in Nevada, according to a report to the US Department of Energy. ... > full story

Teaching the neurons to meditate (July 10, 2011) -- In the late 1990s, Jane Anderson was working as a landscape architect. That meant she didn't work much in the winter, and she struggled with seasonal affective disorder in the dreary Minnesota winter months. She decided to try meditation and noticed a change within a month. Her experience inspired a new study, which found changes in brain activity after only five weeks of meditation training. ... > full story

Vertebrate jaw design locked early: Study on initial diversification of jaws sheds light on early vertebrate feeding ecology (July 10, 2011) -- With the evolution of jaws some 420 million years ago, jawed animals diversified rapidly into a range of niches that remained stable for the following 80 million years, despite extinctions, habitat loss and competition, say researchers. ... > full story

Gene implicated in speech regulates connectivity of the developing brain (July 10, 2011) -- Foxp2, a gene involved in speech and language, helps regulate the wiring of neurons in the brain, according to a new study. The researchers identified this functional link by first identifying the major targets of Foxp2 in developing brain tissue and then analyzing the function of relevant neurons. ... > full story

Ruminant headgear: Antlers, horns, ossicones and pronghorns may offer medical clues (July 10, 2011) -- Emerging from the heads of most cud-chewing mammals, headgear inspire an almost mystical and certainly majestic aura. But, scientists say, we know shockingly little about them. In a new paper, scientists out what is known -- and not known -- about antlers, horns, pronghorns and ossicones. ... > full story

Sitting for long periods doubles risk of blood clots in the lungs (July 10, 2011) -- Women who sit for long periods of time everyday are two to three times more likely to develop a life-threatening blood clot in their lungs than more active women, finds a new study. ... > full story

Salt-loving microbe provides new enzymes for the production of next-generation biofuels (July 10, 2011) -- To realize the full potential of advanced biofuels that are derived from lignocellulosic biomass, new technologies that can efficiently and cost-effectively break down this biomass into simple sugars are required. A new class of solvents, ionic liquids, are more efficient in treating the biomass and enhancing the yield of sugars liberated from it. To identify new enzymes that are tolerant of ionic liquids, researchers are turning to salt-tolerant organisms isolated from the Great Salt Lake. ... > full story

The biology behind alcohol-induced blackouts (July 10, 2011) -- Neuroscientists have identified the brain cells involved in alcohol-related blackouts and the molecular mechanism that appears to underlie them. Alcohol interferes with key receptors in the brain, which in turn manufacture steroids that inhibit long-term potentiation, a process that strengthens the connections between neurons and is crucial to learning and memory. ... > full story

Scientists sequence potato genome (July 10, 2011) -- An international consortium has successfully sequenced and analyzed the potato genome. The consortium's work turned up more than 39,000 genes and is expected to speed potato research and breeding projects around the globe. ... > full story

Genetic study sheds new light on auto-immune arthritis (July 10, 2011) -- Researchers are one step closer to understanding how an individual's genetic make-up predisposes them to Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), a common auto-immune arthritis which causes pain and stiffness of the spine, and in serious cases, progressive fusion of the vertebrae and other affected joints. ... > full story

Sex -- as we know it -- works thanks to ever-evolving host-parasite relationships, biologists find (July 9, 2011) -- Biologists have found that, although sexual reproduction between two individuals is costly from an evolutionary perspective, it is favored over self-fertilization in the presence of coevolving parasites. Sex allows parents to produce offspring that are more resistant to the parasites, while self-fertilization dooms populations to extinction at the hands of their biological enemies. ... > full story

Scientists discover how best to excite brain cells (July 9, 2011) -- Oh, the challenges of being a neuron, responsible for essential things like muscle contraction, gland secretion and sensitivity to touch, sound and light, yet constantly bombarded with signals from here, there and everywhere. How on Earth are busy nerve cells supposed to pick out and respond to relevant signals amidst all that information overload? Somehow neurons do manage to accomplish the daunting task, and they do it with more finesse than anyone ever realized. ... > full story

Prototype 'optics table on a chip' places microwave photon in two colors at once (July 9, 2011) -- Researchers have created a tunable superconducting circuit on a chip that can place a single microwave photon in two frequencies, or colors, at the same time. ... > full story

First whole-genome lung cancer study: Review of lung tumor from a patient who never smoked (July 9, 2011) -- A first-of-its-kind study of a patient with lung cancer who never smoked is shedding new light on the deadly disease. Researchers for the first time sequenced the entire DNA and RNA of a patient with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung. ... > full story

Chesapeake Bay pesticides: Some diminish, some persist (July 9, 2011) -- Scientists are identifying factors that influence pesticide levels in the Chesapeake Bay airshed, including traces of "legacy" pesticides that still linger even though they are no longer being used. ... > full story

How visual cues help us understand bodily motion (July 9, 2011) -- The human visual system is tuned towards perceiving other people -- who they are, what they are doing, and what they intend to do. This process is called biological motion perception, and humans are so good at it that even a few dots on a screen representing the major joints of a body are enough to retrieve all the information we need—as long as they move. But what role does motion play in that process? Does the visual system use it only to connect the dots to create a coherent, or "global," structure? Researchers investigated this question in a new study. ... > full story

A change of heart: Researchers reprogram brain cells to become heart cells (July 9, 2011) -- Researchers are the first to demonstrate the direct conversion of a non-heart cell type into a heart cell by RNA transfer. ... > full story

Gene study offers clues on memory puzzle (July 9, 2011) -- Scientists have shed light on why it is easier to learn about things related to what we already know than it is to learn about unfamiliar things, according to a new study. ... > full story

Increased protection urgently needed for tunas, experts urge (July 9, 2011) -- For the first time, all species of scombrids (tunas, bonitos, mackerels and Spanish mackerels) and billfishes (swordfish and marlins) have been assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Of the 61 known species, seven are classified in a threatened category, being at serious risk of extinction. Four species are listed as Near Threatened and nearly two-thirds have been placed in the Least Concern category. ... > full story

Targeted agent addition to herceptin has positive effect on metastatic HER-2 breast cancer, study finds (July 9, 2011) -- Adding Afinitor to Herceptin, the main treatment for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, helps some women with disease that has been resistant to previous Herceptin-based therapies, according to a new study. ... > full story

Viruses bathe in rivers and at the beach, too, European study finds (July 9, 2011) -- European researchers have found viruses in nearly 40% of more than 1,400 bathing water samples gathered from coastal and inland areas in nine countries, including Spain. The concentrations found are low, but the scientists are calling for these microorganisms to be monitored in recreational waters, above all at times when their populations skyrocket, as is the case after heavy rains. ... > full story

Sexual orientation and gender conforming traits in women are genetic, study finds (July 9, 2011) -- Sexual orientation and 'gender conformity' in women are both genetic traits, according to a new study. Researchers report that a shared set of genes and shared set of random environmental factors are partially responsible both for gender nonconformity and female sexual orientation. ... > full story

Loss of motion after knee surgery may increase osteoarthritis risk, research suggests (July 9, 2011) -- The onset of osteoarthritis may be related to a loss of knee motion after reconstructive ACL surgery. Patients who showed motion limitations after surgery were more likely to develop arthritic changes in the knee. ... > full story

Holes in fossil bones reveal dinosaur activity (July 8, 2011) -- New research has added to the debate about whether dinosaurs were cold-blooded and sluggish or warm-blooded and active. ... > full story

Brain stimulation preserves a memory when other memories interfere (July 8, 2011) -- A new study suggests that specific brain areas actively orchestrate competition between memories, and that by disrupting targeted brain areas through transcranial magnetic stimulation, you can preserve memory -- and prevent forgetting. ... > full story

World War II bombing raids offer new insight into the effects of aviation on climate (July 8, 2011) -- Climate researchers have turned to the Allied bombing raids of the Second World War for a unique opportunity to study the effect thousands of aircraft had on the English climate at a time when civilian aviation remained rare. The study reveals how civilian and military records can help assess the impact of modern aviation on the climate today. ... > full story

Why patients with epidermolysis bullosa suffer extreme pain (July 8, 2011) -- For patients suffering from epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a hereditary skin disease, even a gentle touch is extremely painful. Now researchers have discovered the causes underlying this disease. Due to a genetic defect, individuals with EB cannot form laminin-332, a structural molecule of the skin that in healthy individuals inhibits the transduction of tactile stimuli and neuronal branching. ... > full story

Recycling: A new source of indispensible 'rare earth' materials mined mainly in China (July 8, 2011) -- That axiom of sustainability -- "recycle and reuse" -- could help ease concerns about a reliable supply of substances, indispensable for a modern technological society, that are produced almost exclusively in the Peoples' Republic of China. That's the conclusion of a study on these so-called "rare earth" elements. ... > full story

Heart disease and stroke worldwide tied to national income (July 8, 2011) -- An analysis of heart disease and stroke statistics collected in 192 countries by the World Health Organization shows that the relative burden of the two diseases varies widely from country to country and is closely linked to national income, according to researchers. ... > full story

How memory is read out in the fly brain: MB-V2 nerve cells enable the read-out of associative memories (July 8, 2011) -- What happens if you cannot recall your memory correctly? You are able to associate and store the name and face of a person, yet you might be unable to remember them when you meet that person. In this example, the recall of the information is temporarily impaired. How such associative memories are "read out" in the brain remains one of the great mysteries of modern neurobiology. Now, scientists have taken the first step to unravel this mechanism. ... > full story

Stem cell injections may offer hope to angina patients with no other options (July 8, 2011) -- Injecting the hearts of untreatable angina patients with their own stem cells reduced chest pain frequency and improved exercise capability, according to new research. The treatment could offer hope to many of the 850,000 Americans whose chest pain doesn't subside even with medicine, angioplasty or surgery. Future trials are needed to confirm the findings and investigate an enzyme change that is normally viewed as a heart attack signal, but caused no pain or heart test changes in most patients in whom it occurred. ... > full story

NASA's final space shuttle mission begins with Atlantis' launch (July 8, 2011) -- Space shuttle Commander Chris Ferguson and his three crewmates are on their way to the International Space Station after launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 11:29 a.m. EDT Friday. STS-135 is the final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. ... > full story

Indoor air pollution linked to cardiovascular risk (July 8, 2011) -- An estimated two billion people in the developing world heat and cook with a biomass fuel such as wood, but the practice exposes people -- especially women -- to large doses of small-particle air pollution, which can cause premature death and lung disease. ... > full story