ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Tuesday, July 19, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Tuesday, July 19, 2011

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2011 Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' could be biggest ever (July 19, 2011) -- Researchers have examined the scope and size of this year's "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico and have measured it currently to be about 3,300 square miles, or roughly the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined, but some researchers anticipate it becoming much larger. ... > full story

Scientists grow brain cells from skin: Cancer cells and stem cells share same origin, research shows (July 19, 2011) -- Oncogenes are generally thought to be genes that, when mutated, change healthy cells into cancerous tumor cells. Scientists have proven that those genes also can change normal cells into stem-like cells, paving the way to a safer and more practical approach to treating diseases like multiple sclerosis and cancer with stem cell therapy. Researchers successfully converted human skin cells into brain cells by suppressing the expression of p53, a protein encoded by a widely studied oncogene. This suggests that p53 mutation helps determine cell fate -- good or bad -- rather than only the outcome of cancer. ... > full story

Cadmium selenide quantum dots degrade in soil, releasing their toxic guts, study finds (July 19, 2011) -- Quantum dots made from cadmium and selenium degrade in soil, unleashing toxic cadmium and selenium ions into their surroundings, a new study has found. ... > full story

Key metabolic pathway implicated in intractable form of breast cancer (July 19, 2011) -- Using a new in vivo screening system, researchers have identified a protein in a key metabolic pathway that is essential in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer. When the expression of the gene that codes for this protein -- phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase or PHGDH -- is suppressed in tumors and cell lines with an overabundance of the protein, the rate of cellular growth declines markedly. PHGDH is overexpressed in approximately 70 percent of ER-negative breast cancer patients. ... > full story

Dry onion skin has a use (July 19, 2011) -- More than 500,000 tonnes of onion waste are thrown away in the European Union each year. However, scientists say this could have a use as food ingredients. The brown skin and external layers are rich in fiber and flavonoids, while the discarded bulbs contain sulphurous compounds and fructans. All of these substances are beneficial to health. ... > full story

Surgeons' civility in operating room benefits patients, reduces costs, expert finds (July 19, 2011) -- A surgeon's behavior in the operating room affects patient outcomes, health-care costs, medical errors and patient- and staff-satisfaction, an expert argues in a new commentary. ... > full story

NASA's Dawn spacecraft returns close-up image of giant asteroid Vesta (July 19, 2011) -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft has returned the first close-up image after beginning its orbit around the giant asteroid Vesta. On July 15, Dawn became the first probe to enter orbit around an object in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. ... > full story

HIV therapies provide near normal lifespan in Africa, study shows (July 19, 2011) -- The first large-scale analysis of life expectancy outcomes in Africa for HIV patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) shows that such patients can expect to live a near normal lifespan. The study also shows significant variance between patient subgroups. ... > full story

Six new species of Eucalantica micro-moths discovered from the New World (July 19, 2011) -- The Eucalantica genus belongs to the relatively primitive micro-moth group, Yponomeutidae. Six new species have now been described. ... > full story

Screening new colon cancer patients for Lynch syndrome would be cost-effective, study shows (July 19, 2011) -- Screening every new colon cancer patient for a particular familial disorder extends lives at a reasonable cost, say researchers. The team hopes the results will encourage more medical centers to adopt widespread screening policies. ... > full story

Machines to compare notes online? (July 19, 2011) -- The best way for autonomous machines, networks and robots to improve in future will be for them to publish their own upgrade suggestions on the Internet. This transparent dialogue should help humans to both guide and trust them, according to new research. ... > full story

Stress and alcohol 'feed' each other (July 19, 2011) -- Acute stress is thought to precipitate alcohol drinking. Yet the ways that acute stress can increase alcohol consumption are unclear. A new study investigated whether different phases of response to an acute stressor can alter the subjective effects of alcohol. Findings indicate bi-directional relationships between alcohol and stress. ... > full story

Monitoring cellular interactions at nano-scale in more detail than ever before (July 18, 2011) -- Using nanotechnology to engineer sensors onto the surface of cells, researchers have developed a platform technology for monitoring single-cell interactions in real-time. ... > full story

Mechanism behind virally-caused vomiting identified (July 18, 2011) -- Every year, more than 800,000 children in impoverished countries die from diarrhoea and vomiting caused by rotavirus and norovirus -- "winter vomiting disease". Researchers have now discovered how vomiting develops in viral infections and have found a way to quickly treat these children and others in the risk zone for dehydration. ... > full story

Origami in seed capsules: Lids on seed cases of the ice plant unfold when honeycomb structure swells inside them (July 18, 2011) -- A number of plants disperse their seeds in a rather artistic way: the seed capsules of the ice plant Delosperma nakurense, for instance, unfold lids over the seed compartments in the manner of a movable origami when they are moistened by rain. ... > full story

Gene migration helps predict movement of disease (July 18, 2011) -- Until recently, migration patterns, such as those adopted by birds all across the Amazonian rainforest, have not been thought to play an important role in the spreading of beneficial genes through a population. ... > full story

Down-under digestive microbes could help lower methane gas from livestock (July 18, 2011) -- The discovery that a bacterial species in the Australian Tammar wallaby gut is responsible for keeping the animal's methane emissions relatively low suggests a potential new strategy may exist to try to reduce methane emissions from livestock, according to a new study. ... > full story

Adolescent binge drinking can damage spatial working memory (July 18, 2011) -- Binge drinking is prevalent during adolescence. Adolescence is also a crucial developmental time for cognitive functioning, including spatial working memory. A new study has found the female may be particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of binge drinking. ... > full story

Parasitism: Wasp uses ladybug as 'zombie bodyguard' (July 18, 2011) -- The parasitic wasp Dinocampus coccinellae is no fool. It controls a ladybug, lays an egg in its abdomen and turns it into the bodyguard of its cocoon. This surprising host-parasite manipulation has been closely observed in new research. ... > full story

New therapy provides hope for millions of people suffering from bowel incontinence (July 18, 2011) -- A new procedure is now available for the treatment of chronic bowel incontinence, a disorder impacting the lives of more than 18 million Americans. ... > full story

Study of soil effects from March 11 Japan earthquake could improve building design (July 18, 2011) -- Japan's March 11 Tohoku Earthquake is among the strongest ever recorded, and because it struck one of the world's most heavily instrumented seismic zones, this natural disaster is providing scientists with a treasure trove of data on rare magnitude 9 earthquakes. Among the new information is what is believed to be the first study of how a shock this powerful affects the rock and soil beneath the surface. ... > full story

Tumor suppressor protein is a key regulator of immune response and balance (July 18, 2011) -- Scientists have identified a key immune system regulator, a protein that serves as a gatekeeper in the white blood cells that produce the "troops" to battle specific infections. ... > full story

New technology allows lenses to change color rapidly (July 18, 2011) -- A chemist has developed new technology that allows lenses to change color instantly using an electric current triggered by a stimulus, such as light. ... > full story

Personality plays role in body weight: Impulsivity strongest predictor of obesity (July 18, 2011) -- People with personality traits of high neuroticism and low conscientiousness are likely to go through cycles of gaining and losing weight throughout their lives, according to an examination of 50 years of data. Impulsivity was the strongest predictor of who would be overweight, the researchers found. ... > full story

Rising oceans: Too late to turn the tide? (July 18, 2011) -- Melting ice sheets contributed much more to rising sea levels than thermal expansion of warming ocean waters during the Last Interglacial Period, scientists have found. The results further suggest that ocean levels continue to rise long after warming of the atmosphere levels off. ... > full story

Genes vital to preventing childhood leukemia identified (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers have identified genes that may be important for preventing childhood leukemia. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the blood that occurs primarily in young children. Working with mice, researchers have identified two key genes called PU.1 and Spi-B that appear essential in the prevention of B cell ALL, the most common form of ALL in children. ... > full story

Grand Cayman blue iguana: Back from the brink of extinction (July 18, 2011) -- While thousands of species are threatened with extinction around the globe, efforts to save the Grand Cayman blue iguana represent a rarity in conservation: a chance for complete recovery, according to experts. ... > full story

Nanotechnology: injections or sampling? New 'molecular syringes' under testing (July 18, 2011) -- Which is better, a quick vertical jab on the buttock or the delicately soft entry of a blood sample? One group of researchers has no doubt. The easiest way of penetrating a cell membrane with a carbon nanotube, is at an angle which is almost flat against the membrane surface. Just as a nurse does to "find" a vein. ... > full story

Writing nanostructures: Heated AFM tip allows direct fabrication of ferroelectric nanostructures on plastic (July 18, 2011) -- Using a technique known as thermochemical nanolithography (TCNL), researchers have developed a new way to fabricate nanometer-scale ferroelectric structures directly on flexible plastic substrates that would be unable to withstand the processing temperatures normally required to create such nanostructures. ... > full story

Face value: Looks of political candidates are key factor influencing low-information voters (July 18, 2011) -- The looks of political candidates are a key factor influencing voters, a phenomenon identified by a number of scholars in recent years. Now, a new study adds to this body of research by detailing which types of citizens are most influenced by candidate appearances, and why: The tendency is most prevalent among low-information voters who watch a lot of television. ... > full story

Lab-grown meat would cut greenhouse gas emissions and save energy, research suggests (July 18, 2011) -- Meat grown using tissue engineering techniques, so-called 'cultured meat', would generate up to 96% lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventionally produced meat, according to a new study. ... > full story

'Swine flu' breath test could reduce future vaccination shortages, research suggests (July 18, 2011) -- A novel breath test, measuring the immune response to the H1N1 flu virus, could help to ease future vaccine shortages by identifying the people who have already been infected with the flu virus. ... > full story

Graphene gives up more of its secrets (July 18, 2011) -- Scientists have used the Advanced Light Source to investigate theories about the electronic structure of graphene never before tested by experiment. They find that near the neutral point of undoped graphene, graphene's semimetallic behavior includes very long-range interactions among electrons and other unusual properties, confirming that graphene is every bit as strange as expected -- perhaps even more so. ... > full story

Natural chemical found in grapes may protect against Alzheimer's disease (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers have found that grape seed polyphenols -- a natural antioxidant -- may help prevent the development or delay the progression of Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story

When minor planets Ceres and Vesta rock Earth into chaos (July 18, 2011) -- A new study examines the orbital evolution of minor planets Ceres and Vesta, a few days before the flyby of Vesta by the Dawn spacecraft. A team of astronomers found that close encounters among these bodies lead to strong chaotic behavior of their orbits, as well as of Earth's eccentricity. This means, in particular, that Earth's past orbit cannot be reconstructed beyond 60 million years. ... > full story

'Wave of death' is not a herald of brain death (July 18, 2011) -- The strong wave-shaped signal that can be measured in the brains of rats whose oxygen supply has been abruptly cut off is not a herald of brain death. The measurement of such a signal is also not a reliable new indication for medical personnel to use in establishing brain death in humans, for example when making a decision whether to carry out organ transplantation. Researchers have made this conclusion on the basis of a computational model. ... > full story

Non-Africans are part Neanderthal, genetic research shows (July 18, 2011) -- Some of the human X chromosome originates from Neanderthals and is found exclusively in people outside Africa, new research shows. ... > full story

Significantly more genetic mutations lead to colon cancer (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers say there are at least 70 genetic mutations involved in the formation of colon cancer, far more than scientists previously thought. ... > full story

Comet Hartley 2 leaves a bumpy trail (July 18, 2011) -- New findings from NEOWISE, the asteroid- and comet-hunting portion of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission, show that comet Hartley 2 leaves a pebbly trail as it laps the sun, dotted with grains as big as golf balls. ... > full story

Dentists can identify people with undiagnosed diabetes (July 18, 2011) -- Dental visits represent a chance to intervene in the diabetes epidemic by identifying individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes who are unaware of their condition, according to a new study. ... > full story

Massive enzyme footballs control sugar metabolism (July 18, 2011) -- Neutron scattering has revealed how massive enzyme complexes inside cells might determine whether sugar is burnt for energy or stored as fat. The findings promise to improve understanding of diabetes and a range of metabolic diseases. Scientists using neutron scattering have shown how pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes (PDCs) could control the rate of sugar metabolism by actively changing their own composition. ... > full story

Retired NFL players at higher risk for mild cognitive impairment: Condition can be precursor to Alzheimer's disease (July 18, 2011) -- Retired NFL football players are at higher risk for mild cognitive impairment, which can be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease, a new study has found. A screening survey of 513 retired players and their wives found that 35 percent of the players had scores suggesting possible mild cognitive impairment. ... > full story

NASA's Dawn spacecraft enters orbit around asteroid Vesta (July 18, 2011) -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft is now the first probe ever to enter orbit around an object in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Dawn will study the asteroid, named Vesta, for a year before departing for a second destination, a dwarf planet named Ceres, in July 2012. Observations will provide unprecedented data to help scientists understand the earliest chapter of our solar system. The data also will help pave the way for future human space missions. ... > full story

Genetic mutation linked to Parkinson's disease (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a new gene mutation they say causes Parkinson's disease. The mutation was identified in a large Swiss family with Parkinson's disease, using advanced DNA sequencing technology. ... > full story

New material could offer hope to those with no voice (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers are developing a synthetic material to revitalize damaged vocal cords. ... > full story

Newer techniques are making cardiac CT safer for children (July 18, 2011) -- Coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) has excellent image quality and diagnostic confidence for the entire spectrum of pediatric patients, with significant reduction of risk with recent technological advancements, according to a new study. ... > full story

What keeps Earth cooking? (July 18, 2011) -- From core to surface, a constant flow of trillions of watts of heat enables Earth's magnetic field, spreads the sea floors, and keeps continents on the move. Much of it comes from the radioactive decay of elements in the crust and mantle, but how much? By measuring neutrinos from deep in the Earth, scientists have made the most precise estimate yet of radiogenic heat. ... > full story

New hope for treatment of cocaine addiction (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that a common beta blocker, used to treat people with hypertension, has shown to be effective in preventing the brain from retrieving memories associated with cocaine use in animal-addiction models. Cocaine is one of the worst drug addictions to kick, with about 80 percent of those trying to quit experiencing a relapse within six months. ... > full story