ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Friday, October 14, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Friday, October 14, 2011

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

Schizophrenia genetics linked to disruption in how brain processes sound (October 14, 2011) -- What links genetic differences to changes in altered brain activity in schizophrenia is not clear. Now, three labs have come together using electrophysiological, anatomical, and immunohistochemical approaches -- along with a unique high-speed imaging technique -- to understand how schizophrenia works at the cellular level, especially in identifying how changes in the interaction between different types of nerve cells leads to symptoms of the disease. ... > full story

Reversing smoke-induced damage and disease in the lung (October 14, 2011) -- By studying mice exposed to tobacco smoke for a period of months, researchers have new insight into how emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease develops. They also report a promising new way to reverse the lung damage underlying these conditions. ... > full story

Climatic tipping points for tropical forest and savanna: Satellite data reveal where they are most vulnerable (October 14, 2011) -- Tropical tree cover will jump sharply between a forested state and savanna or treeless conditions rather than respond smoothly to climate change, according to a new study. ... > full story

Study could help battle against superbugs (October 14, 2011) -- Targeting a toxin released by virtually all strains of MRSA could help scientists develop new drugs that can fight the superbug, research suggests. A new study has discovered the toxin -- SElX -- which leads the body's immune system to go into overdrive and damage healthy cells. ... > full story

Reaching 99.999999999997 percent safety: Computer scientists present their concept for a wireless bicycle brake (October 14, 2011) -- Computer scientists in Germany have developed a wireless bicycle brake and demonstrated its efficiency on a so-called cruiser bike. Furthermore, they confirmed the brake system’s reliability through mathematical calculations that are also used in control systems for aircraft or chemical factories. ... > full story

Tests to catch the makers of dangerous 'legal high' designer drugs (October 14, 2011) -- Urgently needed tests which could help identify the manufacturers of designer 'legal high' drugs are now being developed. ... > full story

From blue whales to earthworms, a common mechanism gives shape to living beings (October 14, 2011) -- Mice don't have tails on their backs, and their ribs don't grow from lumbar vertebrae. And for good reason. Scientists have discovered the mechanism that determines the shape that many animals take -- including humans, blue whales, and insects. ... > full story

Hospital superbug debugged (October 14, 2011) -- Scientists have uncovered how a common hospital bacterium becomes a deadly superbug that kills increasing numbers of hospital patients worldwide and accounts for an estimated .2 billion each year in health-care costs in the US alone. ... > full story

Rainwear that repairs itself? (October 14, 2011) -- The first steps have been taken towards rainwear which repairs itself. Not long ago "self-repairing materials" would have been considered science fiction. However, scientists are now working on a textile coating which automatically seals small holes and tears in the surface layer of waterproof work-wear. ... > full story

Doctors may be sending too many patients by helicopter, an expensive choice that may not impact patient outcome (October 14, 2011) -- When a patient needs to travel between hospitals and time is of the essence, helicopter transport is generally assumed to be faster and more desirable than taking a ground ambulance, but a new study refutes this common assumption, revealing that the actual times to treatment for patients transported by helicopter may not justify the expense relative to ground ambulances. ... > full story

Warning signs can prevent deer-vehicle collisions, Canadian study shows (October 14, 2011) -- Collisions between wild deer and vehicles not only hinder conservation efforts but pose a serious danger to drivers. In new research, Canadian scientists examined locations and time periods of high rates of deer vehicle collision to assess the effectiveness of warning signs to prevent fatalities. ... > full story

Clearing the 'cosmic fog' of the early universe: Massive stars may be responsible (October 13, 2011) -- The space between the galaxies wasn't always transparent. In the earliest times, it was an opaque, dense fog. How it cleared is an important question in astronomy. New observational evidence shows how high energy light from massive stars could have been responsible. ... > full story

Controlling cell death prevents skin inflammation (October 13, 2011) -- A new study provides evidence that stopping of a type of regulated cell death called "necroptosis" in keratinocytes is critical for the prevention of skin inflammation. ... > full story

New breeds of broccoli remain packed with health benefits (October 13, 2011) -- Scientists have demonstrated that mineral levels in new varieties of broccoli have not declined since 1975, and that the broccoli contains the same levels of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium and other minerals that have made the vegetable a healthy staple of American diets for decades. ... > full story

Understanding the beginnings of embryonic stem cells helps predict the future (October 13, 2011) -- Scientists have shown that laboratory-grown cells express a protein called Blimp1, which represses differentiation to somatic or regular tissue cells during germ cell development. Studies of these cells show that they also express other genes associated with early germ cell specification. ... > full story

Does converting cow manure to electricity pay off? Successful renewable energy project in Vermont (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers in Vermont confirm that it is technically feasible to convert cow manure to electricity on farms, but the economic returns depend highly on the base electricity price; the premium paid for converted energy; financial supports from government and other agencies; and the ability to sell byproducts of the methane generation. ... > full story

Regaining trust after a transgression (October 13, 2011) -- The scene has become all too familiar -- the disgraced politician, chastened business leader or shamed celebrity standing before a podium offering up their apologies as the news cameras flash. "Sorry" may be the hardest word to say, but does simply owning up to misdeeds do anything toward regaining trust after a transgression or are words, as some say, cheap? ... > full story

Oldest fossil rodents in South America discovered; Find is 10 million years older and confirms animals from Africa (October 13, 2011) -- An international team of researchers have found the oldest rodent fossils in South America. The find confirms the animals origin in Africa and contradicts the conclusion that they spread from south to north, which was deduced from the fossil record just 20 years ago. ... > full story

Stem cells from cord blood could help repair damaged heart muscle (October 13, 2011) -- New research has found that stem cells derived from human cord blood could be an effective alternative in repairing heart attacks. ... > full story

Distant galaxies reveal the clearing of the cosmic fog; New VLT observations chart timeline of reionization (October 13, 2011) -- Scientists have used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope to probe the early Universe at several different times as it was becoming transparent to ultraviolet light. This brief but dramatic phase in cosmic history occurred around 13 billion years ago. By studying some of the most distant galaxies, the team has been able to establish a timeline for reionization for the first time. They have also demonstrated that this phase must have happened quicker than previously thought. ... > full story

Next stage of heart function testing: New highly sensitive technique gives better clues to future cardiac events in heart patients (October 13, 2011) -- A new non-invasive technique for measuring how well the heart and blood vessels function in patients already suffering from coronary artery disease could, in a single test, identify which abnormally narrowed blood vessels are the most likely to lead to further cardiovascular complications. ... > full story

Cheaper yet efficient thin film solar cells created (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers in Singapore have exploited advanced nanostructure technology to make a highly efficient and yet cheaper silicon solar cell. ... > full story

First physical evidence bilingualism delays onset of Alzheimer's symptoms (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers have found that people who speak more than one language have twice as much brain damage as unilingual people before they exhibit symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. It's the first physical evidence that bilingualism delays the onset of the disease. ... > full story

Researchers correct sickle cell disease in adult mice: Protein could be a target for treating people who have the blood disorder (October 13, 2011) -- Scientists have corrected sickle cell disease in adult laboratory mice by activating production of a special blood component normally produced before, but not after, birth. ... > full story

Differences in jet lag severity could be rooted in how circadian clock sets itself (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers have found hints that differing molecular processes in one area of the brain might play a significant role in the differences of jet lag severity between long-distance west-to-east travel and east-to-west travel. ... > full story

Hubble survey carries out a dark matter census (October 13, 2011) -- The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has been used to make an image of galaxy cluster MACS J1206.2-0847. The apparently distorted shapes of distant galaxies in the background is caused by an invisible substance called dark matter, whose gravity bends and distorts their light rays. MACS 1206 has been observed as part of a new survey of galaxy clusters using Hubble. ... > full story

Inefficient developing world stoves contribute to 2 million deaths a year (October 13, 2011) -- An international effort to replace smoky, inefficient household stoves that people commonly use in lower and middle income countries with clean, affordable, fuel efficient stoves could save nearly 2 million lives each year, according to experts. ... > full story

New scheme for photonic quantum computing (October 13, 2011) -- The concepts of quantum technology promise to achieve more powerful information processing than is possible with even the best possible classical computers. To actually build efficient quantum computers remains a significant challenge in practice. A new scheme, called "coherent photon conversion," could potentially overcome all of the currently unresolved problems for optical implementations of quantum computing. ... > full story

Does a bigger brain make for a smarter child in babies born prematurely? (October 13, 2011) -- New research suggests the growth rate of the brain's cerebral cortex in babies born prematurely may predict how well they are able to think, speak, plan and pay attention later in childhood. The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the brain covering the cerebrum, and is responsible for cognitive functions, such as language, memory, attention and thought. ... > full story

Bacterial communication could affect Earth's climate, researchers discover (October 13, 2011) -- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) scientists have discovered that bacterial communication could have a significant impact on the planet's climate. ... > full story

Certain mouth bacteria signal pancreatic cancer, study finds (October 13, 2011) -- Particular types of mouth bacteria, some of which are found in gum disease, are associated with the development of pancreatic cancer, indicates a small study. ... > full story

Borrowing from brightly-colored birds: Physicists develop lasers inspired by nature (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers are studying how two types of nanoscale structures on the feathers of birds produce brilliant and distinctive colors. The researchers are hoping that by borrowing these nanoscale tricks from nature they will be able to produce new types of lasers--ones that can assemble themselves by natural processes. ... > full story

Melatonin delays onset, reduces deaths in mouse model of Huntington’s disease (October 13, 2011) -- Melatonin, best known for its role in sleep regulation, delayed the onset of symptoms and reduced mortality in a mouse model of Huntington's disease, say researchers. Their findings show for the first time that certain receptors for the hormone reside in the mitochondria, and that there are fewer of them both in affected mice and human brains. ... > full story

Talk to the virtual hands: Body language of both speaker and listener affects success in virtual reality communication game (October 13, 2011) -- New research finds that the lack of gestural information from both speaker and listener limits successful communication in virtual environments. ... > full story

Hypothetically tweaking: Research shows questions can influence behavior, promote bias (October 13, 2011) -- Hypothetically speaking, if someone told you that a hypothetical question could influence your judgments or behavior, would you believe them? ... > full story

T. rex was bigger and grew faster than previously thought, computational analysis reveals (October 13, 2011) -- A new study reveals that T. rex grew more quickly and reached significantly greater masses than previously estimated. In a departure from earlier methods, the new study uses mounted skeletons to generate body mass estimates. ... > full story

Smoking cigarettes simulates cystic fibrosis (October 13, 2011) -- If you smoke cigarettes, you have more in common with someone who has cystic fibrosis than you think. A new research report shows that smoking cigarettes affects the lungs in a way that is very similar to cystic fibrosis, a life threatening disease affecting the lungs and other organs. ... > full story

Amateur skywatchers help space hazards team (October 13, 2011) -- For the first time, observations coordinated by the European Space Agency's space hazards team have found an asteroid that comes close enough to Earth to pose an impact threat. The space rock was found by amateur astronomers, highlighting the value of 'crowd-sourcing' to science and planetary defense. ... > full story

New way to screen for brain cancer stem cell killers (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers have developed and used a high-throughput molecular screening approach that identifies and characterizes chemical compounds that can target the stem cells that are responsible for creating deadly brain tumors. ... > full story

New Saudi Arabias of solar energy: Himalaya Mountains, Andes, Antarctica (October 13, 2011) -- Mention prime geography for generation of solar energy, and people tend to think of hot deserts. But a new study concludes that some of the world's coldest landscapes -- including the Himalaya Mountains, the Andes, and even Antarctica -- could become Saudi Arabias of solar. ... > full story

Violent games emotionally desensitizing, research suggests (October 13, 2011) -- After excessively violent events, shoot 'em up games regularly come under scrutiny. In Norway, several first-person shooter games disappeared from the market for a while after the killings. Does intense fighting on a flat screen display also result in aggressive behavior in real life? Researchers have found brain activity patterns in heavy gamers that differed from those of non-gamers. ... > full story

Erasing history? Temporal cloaks adjust light's throttle to hide an event in time (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that it's possible to cloak a singular event in time, by sending a beam of light down an optical fiber and through a pair of "time lenses", creating a burst of light. They were able to create a small gap in the flow of light concealing that a burst of light ever occurred. ... > full story

Potential new drugs plug brain's biological 'vacuum cleaner' and target HIV (October 13, 2011) -- In an advance toward eliminating pockets of infection in the brain that help make HIV disease incurable, scientists report the development of new substances that first plug the biological vacuum cleaner that prevents anti-HIV drugs from reaching the brain and then revert to an active drug to treat HIV. The advance promises to allow medications to cross the so-called "blood-brain barrier" and treat brain diseases. ... > full story

Clean correction of a patient's genetic mutation: New gene therapy methods accurately correct mutation in patient's stem cells (October 13, 2011) -- For the first time, scientists have cleanly corrected a gene mutation in a patient's stem cells, bringing the possibility of patient-specific therapies closer to reality. The team targeted a mutation responsible for cirrhotic liver disease and lung emphysema. Using cutting-edge methods, they corrected the sequence of a patient's genome, removed all exogenous DNA and showed that the gene worked normally. ... > full story

Kids with blocked tear ducts at higher risk for 'lazy eye' (October 13, 2011) -- A recent study has found that children under the age of 3 with a nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO), or blocked tear duct, were at an increased risk for developing amblyopia. About 6% of children are born with blocked tear ducts. ... > full story

Point defects in super-chilled diamonds may offer stable candidates for quantum computing bits (October 13, 2011) -- Scientists test how the energy levels of electrons trapped in a defect in the diamond matrix shift with changing temperatures. ... > full story

'Cute' chimps in ads may harm the species' survival (October 13, 2011) -- Television ads featuring cute chimpanzees wearing human clothes are likely to distort the public's perception of the endangered animals and hinder conservation efforts, according to researchers. ... > full story

Wet and mild: Researchers take the temperature of Mars' past (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers have directly determined the surface temperature of early Mars for the first time, providing evidence that's consistent with a warmer and wetter Martian past. ... > full story