ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Monday, October 10, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Monday, October 10, 2011

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Supersaturated water vapor in Martian atmosphere (October 10, 2011) -- Analysis of data collected by the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft leaves no room for doubt: the Martian atmosphere of contains water vapor in a supersaturated state. This surprising finding will enable scientists to better understand the water cycle on Mars, as well as the evolution of its atmosphere. ... > full story

Scientists determine alternative insecticide dramatically reduces malaria transmission (October 10, 2011) -- Indoor spraying with the insecticide bendiocarb has dramatically decreased malaria transmission in many parts of Benin, new evidence that insecticides remain a potent weapon for fighting malaria in Africa despite the rapid rise of resistance to an entire class of mosquito-killing compounds, according to a new study. ... > full story

Gray jays' winter survival depends on food storage, study shows (October 10, 2011) -- A new study shows that gray jays hoping to survive and reproduce through Canada's harsh winters need to be able to store food in the right kinds of trees. ... > full story

New method to diagnose sinusitis could reduce use of antibiotics, Swedish research suggests (October 10, 2011) -- Research from Sweden suggests a new method of diagnosing sinusitis. The results offer the potential to reduce the use of antibiotics and the costs of the disease to society. ... > full story

Smart phones: Keeping business data secure while allowing installation of personal apps (October 10, 2011) -- More and more companies are providing their employees with smartphones. While companies seek the best security available for their data, employees would also like to install apps of their own. Security experts have now developed equipment software with two separate areas: the business area and the personal area. ... > full story

Place, not race, may be a larger determinant of health disparities (October 10, 2011) -- Where you live could play a larger role in health disparities than originally thought, according to a new study. Researchers examined a racially integrated, low-income neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland and found that, with the exception of smoking, nationally reported disparities in hypertension, diabetes, obesity among women and use of health services disappeared or narrowed. ... > full story

Babies show sense of fairness, altruism as early as 15 months (October 10, 2011) -- A new study presents the first evidence that a basic sense of fairness and altruism appears in infancy. Babies as young as 15 months perceived the difference between equal and unequal distribution of food, and their awareness of equal rations was linked to their willingness to share a toy. ... > full story

New potential therapeutic target for breast cancer (October 10, 2011) -- A possible new target for breast cancer therapy comes from the discovery that the Tyk2 protein helps suppress the growth and metastasis of breast tumors. ... > full story

Nanopores on a chip: Applications for analytical tasks in chemistry and biology (October 10, 2011) -- Biological nanopores are proteins of only a few nanometers in diameter that form tiny water-filled canals. They have proven to be promising tools in the field of nanobiotechnology. Researchers in Germany have succeeded in arranging nanopores on a tiny microchip and using it to determine the mass of chain-like molecules called polymers with a high degree of precision. ... > full story

Length of flanking repeat region and timing affect genetic material (October 10, 2011) -- Scientists studied the deletions of genetic material in 131 patients with a genomic disorder called Smith-Magenis syndrome and the duplication of genetic material in 79 patients with Potocki-Lupski syndrome. ... > full story

Secure updates for navigation systems (October 10, 2011) -- At the push of a button by the driver, control units download the car manufacturer's new software -- such as enhanced map material for the navigation system. To ensure that this data channel is protected from hacker attack, the system needs the right cryptographic key. To date, these keys have been stored in each one of a vehicle's electronic control units. Thanks to a new form of trust anchor, this will be simpler and more economical in the future. ... > full story

Children's food choices are affected by direct advertising and parental influence, study suggests (October 10, 2011) -- Directly advertising food items to children worries many parents and health care providers, and the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association have expressed concern about the negative impact of advertising on children's healthy food choices. A new study explores the relationship between fast food advertisements, parental influence, and the food choices made by children. ... > full story

Venus has an ozone layer too, space probe discovers (October 9, 2011) -- The European Space Agency’s Venus Express spacecraft has discovered an ozone layer high in the atmosphere of Venus. Comparing its properties with those of the equivalent layers on Earth and Mars will help astronomers refine their searches for life on other planets. ... > full story

HIV: Ancient gene found to control potent antibody response to retroviruses (October 9, 2011) -- A researcher has identified a gene that controls the process by which antibodies gain their ability to combat retroviruses. He has shown that the gene TLR7 allows the antibody generating B cells to detect the presence of a retrovirus and promotes a process by which antibodies gain strength and potency, called a germinal center reaction. ... > full story

Aquatic fish jump into picture of evolutionary land invasion (October 9, 2011) -- Research sometimes means looking for one thing and finding another. Such was the case when biology professor Alice Gibb and her research team witnessed a small amphibious fish, the mangrove rivulus, jump with apparent skill and purpose out of a small net and back into the water. This was no random flop, like you might see from a trout that's just been landed. The rivulus seemed to know what it was doing. ... > full story

In reversing motor nerve damage, time is of the essence: 'Wait and see' in injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome may miss a window for recovery (October 9, 2011) -- When a motor nerve is severely damaged, people rarely recover full muscle strength and function. Combining patient data with observations in a mouse model, neuroscientists now show why. It's not that motor nerve fibers don't regrow -- they can -- but they don't grow fast enough. By the time they get to the muscle fibers, they can no longer communicate with them. ... > full story

Tougher, lighter wind turbine blade developed: Polyurethane reinforced with carbon nanotubes (October 9, 2011) -- Efforts to build larger wind turbines able to capture more energy from the air are stymied by the weight of blades. Researchers have now built a prototype blade that is substantially lighter and eight times tougher and more durable than currently used blade materials. ... > full story

Children find human-made objects more likely to be owned than natural objects (October 9, 2011) -- Children as young as three are likely to say that things made by humans have owners, but that natural objects, such as pine cones and sea shells, are not owned, according to a new study. ... > full story

Laser light used to cool object to quantum ground state (October 9, 2011) -- For the first time, researchers have managed to cool a miniature mechanical object to its lowest possible energy state using laser light. The achievement paves the way for the development of exquisitely sensitive detectors as well as for quantum experiments that scientists have long dreamed of conducting. ... > full story

Brain study reveals stress code (October 9, 2011) -- Neuroscientists investigating the 'brain code' claim to have made a significant step forwards in understanding how the brain deals with stress- and mitigates its impact. ... > full story

Across the Atlantic on flotsam: New fossil findings shed light on the origins of the mysterious bird Hoatzin (October 9, 2011) -- Scientists have examined fossil relatives of the South American Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin), which point to African origins for the enigmatic bird. ... > full story

Study tracks mutations causing congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (CDA) II back to the Roman Empire (October 9, 2011) -- A new study analyzed two mutations (E109K and R14W) of the SEC23B gene and discovered one of them is responsible for the higher frequency of CDA II in Italian population. The first mutation, E109K, may have originated in the Middle East about 2.400 years ago and may have spread in the heyday of the Roman Empire. The other one may have originated in Southern Italy about 3.000 years ago. ... > full story

New software models immune responses (October 9, 2011) -- New software lets researchers see how the immune system responds to pathogens that invade the bacteria-rich environment of the gut. ... > full story

Labour or conservative? It's all in the eye of the beholder, UK facial research finds (October 9, 2011) -- Scientists in the UK have uncovered specific facial characteristics which make Members of Parliament look like they belong to one of the two major political parties in Britain. ... > full story

Electricity from the nose: Engineers make power from human respiration (October 8, 2011) -- The same piezoelectric effect that ignites your gas grill with the push of a button could one day power sensors in your body via the respiration in your nose. ... > full story

Imaging agents offer new view of inflammation, cancer (October 8, 2011) -- A series of novel imaging agents could make it possible to "see" tumors in their earliest stages, before they turn deadly. The compounds, derived from inhibitors of the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 and detectable by positron emission tomography imaging, may have broad applications for cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment. ... > full story

A new species of 'gigantic' mollusc has been discovered in the Antarctic waters (October 8, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a rare mollusc in Antarctic waters that looks the same as limpets but is bigger in size than the species known to date. The specimen appeared in waters much further away from where this type of species is normally found. ... > full story

Raising 'good' cholesterol levels reduces heart attack and stroke risk in diabetes patients (October 8, 2011) -- Increasing levels of high-density lipoproteins, better known as HDL or "good" cholesterol, reduced the risk for heart attack and stroke among patients with diabetes. ... > full story

Early detection of plant disease (October 8, 2011) -- Each year, plant viruses and fungal attacks lead to crop losses of up to 30 percent. That is why it is important to detect plant disease early on. Yet laboratory tests are expensive and often time-consuming. Researchers are now developing a low-cost quick test for use on site. ... > full story

More insight into the secret life of the American teen (October 8, 2011) -- Researchers have found that when adolescents argue with friends, it can spillover and turn into arguments with family. (And vice versa.) ... > full story

Reefs recovered faster after mass extinction than first thought (October 8, 2011) -- Metazoan-dominated reefs only took 1.5 million years to recover after the largest species extinction 252 million years ago, paleontologists have found, based on fossils from the southwestern United States. ... > full story

Alzheimer's research: Researchers watch amyloid plaques form (October 8, 2011) -- Researchers use optical trapping to take a detailed look at the early minutes of amyloid aggregate formation, a process important in Alzheimer's disease. The technique could be used for new drug design. ... > full story

Culling can't save the Tasmanian devil, researchers warn (October 8, 2011) -- Culling will not control the spread of facial tumor disease among Tasmanian devils, according to a new study. Unless a way of managing the disease is found, the iconic marsupial could become extinct in the wild within the next 25 years. ... > full story

New targets for treating inflammatory, autoimmune diseases discovered (October 8, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a cellular pathway that promotes inflammation in diseases like asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis. Understanding the details of this pathway may provide opportunities for tailored treatments of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. ... > full story

Wireless window contacts: No maintenance, no batteries (October 8, 2011) -- Window contacts tell us which of a house's windows are open or closed. Researchers have now developed a fail-safe system that is particularly easy to use and needs no wiring or batteries. The sensors harvest the energy they need to run from ambient radio signals. ... > full story

Timing is crucial for family consent in brain dead organ donors (October 8, 2011) -- Hearts used in transplants can only be sourced from donors that are brain dead before circulation to their heart has ceased. Data from a new study indicate that the time at which organ donation in brain dead donors is first discussed with family members could affect whether or not they consent to donation. ... > full story

Astrophysics and extinctions: News about planet-threatening events (October 7, 2011) -- Space is a violent place. If a star explodes or black holes collide anywhere in our part of the Milky Way, they'd give off colossal blasts of lethal gamma-rays, X-rays and cosmic rays and it's perfectly reasonable to expect Earth to be bathed in them. A new study of such events has yielded some new information about the potential effects of what are called "short-hard" interstellar radiation events. ... > full story

Worm 'cell death' discovery could lead to new drugs for deadly parasite (October 7, 2011) -- Researchers have for the first time identified a "programmed cell death" pathway in parasitic worms that could one day lead to new treatments for one of the world's most serious and prevalent diseases. ... > full story

A new species of fossil silky lacewing insects that lived more than 120 million years ago (October 7, 2011) -- A team of researchers has discovered a remarkable silky lacewing insect from the Mesozoic of China. ... > full story

Biological fingerprints improve diagnosis of dementia (October 7, 2011) -- Differentiating between the various forms of dementia is crucial for initiating appropriate treatment. Researchers have discovered that the underlying diseases leave different "fingerprints" in the cerebrospinal fluid, paving the way for more reliable diagnoses. ... > full story

New insight into plant immune defenses (October 7, 2011) -- Researchers have identified an important cog in the molecular machinery of plant immunity -- a discovery that could help crop breeders produce disease-resistant varieties to help ensure future food security. There may also be implications for treating human immune-related disorders. ... > full story

Jonesing for java: Could caffeine use predict risk for cocaine abuse? (October 7, 2011) -- A new study that examined responses to stimulants is the first to demonstrate that caffeine reinforcement prospectively predicts the positive effects of another drug. ... > full story

Natural compound helps reverse diabetes in mice (October 7, 2011) -- Researchers have restored normal blood sugar metabolism in diabetic mice using a compound the body makes naturally. The finding suggests that it may one day be possible for people to take the compound much like a daily vitamin as a way to treat or even prevent Type 2 diabetes. ... > full story

Novel mechanism for preventing infection via body's mucosal borders (October 7, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a previously unknown mechanism that generates protective immune memory cells to fight recurring infections at the body's mucosal linings -- which include the mouth, the intestines, the lungs and other areas. These are the main entry points for many viruses and other infectious organisms. ... > full story

Physicists localize 3-D matter waves for first time (October 7, 2011) -- Physicists have experimentally demonstrated for the first time how three-dimensional conduction is affected by the defects that plague materials. The researchers achieved complete Anderson localization of quantum matter waves in three dimensions. The team also measured the energy a particle needs to escape localization, known as the mobility edge. They found that as disorder increased, so did the mobility edge, meaning that materials with high concentrations of defects induce more localization. ... > full story

Why anti-rejection drugs for organ transplant patients cause hypertension (October 7, 2011) -- A group of researchers has discovered the process that may be causing side effects caused by the anti-rejection drugs given to organ transplant patients. The discovery means those side effects likely can be dealt with much more cheaply and easily. ... > full story

Pregnant mothers at risk from air pollution, California study suggests (October 7, 2011) -- A California-based study has looked in detail at air quality and the impact of traffic-related air pollution on premature birth. Results from the study show that traffic-related air pollution, especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, is associated with up to a 30 percent increase in premature births, and that seasonal changes and vicinity to the coast affected concentration of toxic pollutants in the air. ... > full story

Genetic link to suicidal behavior confirmed (October 7, 2011) -- A new study has found evidence that a specific gene is linked to suicidal behavior, adding to our knowledge of the many complex causes of suicide. This research may help doctors one day target the gene in prevention efforts. ... > full story