ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Friday, October 28, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Friday, October 28, 2011

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

Building better HIV antibodies: Biologists create neutralizing antibody that shows increased potency (October 28, 2011) -- Using highly potent antibodies isolated from HIV-positive people, researchers have recently begun to identify ways to broadly neutralize the many possible subtypes of HIV. Now, a team of biologists has built upon one of these naturally occurring antibodies to create a stronger version they believe is a better candidate for clinical applications. ... > full story

Study hints at possible therapeutic strategy to combat premature birth (October 28, 2011) -- Scientists who developed a novel mouse model mimicking human preterm labor have described a molecular signaling pathway underlying preterm birth and targeted it to stop the problem. In a new study, the researchers report their findings may lead to new strategies for combating this major global health issue in humans. ... > full story

Quantum computer components 'coalesce' to 'converse' (October 28, 2011) -- A team of physicists has shown for the first time how very different types of photons can be made to share "quantum state" information. Such unlike photon links are likely to be an important feature of future quantum computers, where different types of components will need to share information with one another, just like the memory and logic circuits in today's computers. ... > full story

New oncolytic virus shows improved effectiveness in preclinical testing (October 28, 2011) -- A new fourth-generation oncolytic virus designed to both kill cancer cells and inhibit blood-vessel growth has shown greater effectiveness than earlier versions when tested in animal models. The virus is being developed as a treatment for glioblastoma, the most common and deadly form of brain cancer. The new virus improved survival of mice with transplanted human glioblastoma tumors by 50 percent in a majority of cases compared with the previous-generation oncolytic virus. ... > full story

Glaciers in southwest China feel the brunt of climate change (October 28, 2011) -- Significant increases in annual temperatures are having a devastating effect on glaciers in the mountainous regions of southwestern China, potentially affecting natural habitats, tourism and wider economic development. ... > full story

Additional investments in youth needed as world population tops 7 billion, states United Nations report (October 28, 2011) -- In five days, world population is projected to reach 7 billion. How we respond now will determine whether we have a healthy, sustainable and prosperous future or one that is marked by inequalities, environmental decline and economic setbacks, according to The State of World Population 2011 report, published Oct. 26, 2011 by the United Nations Population Fund. ... > full story

Brain scans reveal drugs' effects on attention (October 28, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a way to evaluate new treatments for some forms of attention deficit disorder. Working in mice, researchers showed that they can use brain scans to quickly test whether drugs increase levels of a brain chemical known as dopamine. ... > full story

Progeria: Promising results from new gene therapy on animals (October 28, 2011) -- Huge progress has been made over the last few years in scientific research into progeria, a disease that leads to premature aging in children. In 2003, a team directed by Nicolas Lévy discovered the gene, and, in 2008, 12 children were able to begin clinical trials in which two molecules were combined to slow down the characteristic effects of the disease: premature aging. Researchers are continuing their efforts in an attempt to counter the consequences of the genetic defect that causes progeria. ... > full story

Starburst captured: Students photograph exploding star in pinwheel galaxy (October 28, 2011) -- In the Pinwheel Galaxy some 21 million light years from Earth, a supernova beams brightly, out-shining its cosmic neighbors and causing a stir among starwatchers. ... > full story

Cheaper and easier isn't necessarily better in new colon cancer screening procedures (October 28, 2011) -- The growing use of fecal immunochemical testing for colorectal cancer, "misses opportunities for cancer prevention," experts say. ... > full story

Restraint improves dielectric performance, lifespan (October 28, 2011) -- Just as a corset improves the appearance of its wearer by keeping everything tightly together, rigidly constraining insulating materials in electrical components can increase their energy density and decrease their rates of failure. Engineers have demonstrated that rigidly constraining dielectric materials can greatly improve their performance and potentially lengthen their lifespans. This insight follows their discovery earlier this year of the exact mechanism that causes soft dielectric materials to break down in the presence of electricity. ... > full story

Issues faced by friends and family of the suicidal (October 28, 2011) -- A study focusing on the family and friends of people who were suicidal has highlighted the main challenges they face when trying to judge whether a person is in danger and decide what they should do about it. ... > full story

Researchers complete mollusk evolutionary tree (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers have compiled the most comprehensive evolutionary tree for mollusks to date. Their analysis surprisingly places two enigmatic groups, cephalopods and monoplacophorans, as sister clades. The team has also shown that there was a single origin for shelled mollusks. ... > full story

Exercise eases arthritis in obese mice even without weight loss (October 27, 2011) -- Adding another incentive to exercise, scientists have found that physical activity improves arthritis symptoms even among obese mice that continue to chow down on a high-fat diet. ... > full story

Strides made toward drug therapy for inherited kidney disease (October 27, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that patients with an inherited kidney disease may be helped by a drug that is currently available for other uses. ... > full story

Clinical trial shows first evidence that anal cancer is preventable (October 27, 2011) -- A large, international clinical trial indicates that a vaccine to prevent anal cancer is safe and effective, according to a new study. ... > full story

Quantum dots cast light on biomedical processes (October 27, 2011) -- The light emitted by quantum dots is both more intense and longer lasting than that produced by the fluorescent markers commonly used in medical and biological applications. Yet these nano-scale light sources still suffer from one major drawback: they do not dissolve in water. Researchers in the Netherlands and Singapore have found a way to remedy this. They have developed a coating which allows quantum dots to be used inside the human body, even inside living cells. ... > full story

Independent life after a death: Spousal death can lead to loss of independent living for seniors (October 27, 2011) -- The death of a spouse is always a tragedy, but for seniors, that tragedy can spur some significant life changes. And one researcher says, the choices they make are something policymakers need to pay attention to. ... > full story

Three new planets and a mystery object discovered outside our solar system (October 27, 2011) -- Three planets -- each orbiting its own giant, dying star -- have now been discovered by a team led by Alexander Wolszczan, the discoverer of the first planets ever found outside our solar system. One of these stars has another mystery object orbiting it. The research is expected to shed light on the evolution of planetary systems around dying stars and the influence of metal content on the behavior of dying stars. ... > full story

More evidence that allergies may help in fighting brain tumors (October 27, 2011) -- Subjects with somewhat elevated levels of antibodies produced to fight allergens were less likely to go on to develop brain tumors, according to a new study. The study adds to evidence from prior studies, but some questions still remain. ... > full story

Antarctic killer whales may seek spa-like relief in the tropics (October 27, 2011) -- In a new study, researchers offer a novel explanation for why a type of Antarctic killer whale performs a rapid migration to warmer tropical waters. One tagged Antarctic killer whale monitored by satellite traveled over 5,000 miles to visit the warm waters off southern Brazil before returning immediately to Antarctica just 42 days later. This was the first long distance migration ever reported for killer whales. ... > full story

Cancer: Molecule found to inhibit metastasis in colon and melanoma cancers (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers have shown that a protein can inhibit metastasis of colon and melanoma cancers. CXCL12 proteins effectively blocked metastasis of the colon cancer and dramatically improved survival time, with the dimer showing effectiveness in blocking melanoma metastasis as well, a new study shows. ... > full story

Testing geoengineering: Models help determine type of testing that might be effective (October 27, 2011) -- Solar radiation management is a class of theoretical concepts for manipulating the climate in order to reduce the risks of global warming. But its potential effectiveness and risks are uncertain, and it is unclear whether tests could help narrow these uncertainties. Researchers used modeling to determine the type of testing that might be effective in the future. ... > full story

Vivid descriptions of faces 'don't have to go into detail' (October 27, 2011) -- Celebrated writers such as Charles Dickens and George Eliot described characters' faces vividly without going into detail about their features, according to researchers. ... > full story

Natural intestinal flora involved in the emergence of multiple sclerosis, study finds (October 27, 2011) -- Multiple sclerosis is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. For a long time, pathogens were believed to be such external influences. According to scientists from Germany, however, it is apparently not harmful bacteria that trigger multiple sclerosis, but beneficial ones -- specifically, the natural intestinal flora, which every human being needs for digestion. The researchers discovered that genetically modified mice develop an inflammation in the brain similar to the human disease if they have normal bacterial intestinal flora. The microorganisms begin by activating the immune system's T cells and, in a further step, the B immune cells. ... > full story

Laser's precision and simplicity could revolutionize cataract surgery (October 27, 2011) -- Two new studies add to the growing body of evidence that a new approach to cataract surgery may be safer and more efficient than today's standard procedure. The new approach, using a special femtosecond laser, is FDA-approved, but not yet widely available in the United States. ... > full story

High-quality white light produced by four-color laser source; Diode lasers could challenge LEDs for home and industrial lighting supremacy (October 27, 2011) -- The human eye is as comfortable with white light generated by diode lasers as with that produced by increasingly popular light-emitting diodes, according to new tests. Both technologies pass electrical current through material to generate light, but the simpler LED emits lights only through spontaneous emission. Diode lasers bounce light back and forth internally before releasing it. ... > full story

High blood pressure in early pregnancy raises risk of birth defects, irrespective of medication, study finds (October 27, 2011) -- Women with high blood pressure (hypertension) in the early stages of pregnancy are more likely to have babies with birth defects, irrespective of commonly prescribed medicines for their condition, finds new research. ... > full story

New approach to overcome key hurdle for next-generation superconductors (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new computational approach to improve the utility of superconductive materials for specific design applications -- and have used the approach to solve a key research obstacle for the next-generation superconductor material yttrium barium copper oxide. ... > full story

Hard times during adolescence point to health problems later in life (October 27, 2011) -- Being hard up socially and financially during adolescence and early adulthood takes its toll on the body, and leads to physiological wear and tear in middle aged men and women, irrespective of how tough things have been in the interim. According to researchers, experience of social and material stressors around the time of transition into adulthood is linked to a rise in disease risk factors in middle age, including higher blood pressure, body weight and cholesterol. ... > full story

Astronomers discover complex organic matter exists throughout the universe (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers from Hong Kong report that organic compounds of unexpected complexity exist throughout the Universe. They indicate that an organic substance commonly found throughout the Universe contains a mixture of aromatic and aliphatic components. The results suggest that complex organic compounds are not the sole domain of life but can be made naturally by stars. ... > full story

Bio-engineered protein shows promise as new hemophilia therapy (October 27, 2011) -- A genetically engineered clotting factor that controlled hemophilia in an animal study offers a novel potential treatment for human hemophilia and a broad range of other bleeding problems. A research team took the naturally occurring coagulation factor Xa and engineered it into a variant that safely controlled bleeding in mouse models of hemophilia. ... > full story

Bridging the gap: Neuroscientists find normal brain communication in people who lack connections between right and left hemispheres (October 27, 2011) -- Like a bridge that spans a river to connect two major metropolises, the corpus callosum is the main conduit for information flowing between the left and right hemispheres of our brains. Now, neuroscientists have found that people who are born without that link -- a condition called agenesis of the corpus callosum, or AgCC -- still show remarkably normal communication across the gap between the two halves of their brains. ... > full story

Same gene has opposite effects in prostate, breast cancers, researchers discover (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that a gene -- known as an androgen receptor (AR) -- is found in both prostate and breast cancers yet has opposite effects on these diseases. In prostate cancer, the AR gene promotes cancer growth when the gene is "turned on." In breast cancer, the AR gene promotes cancer growth when the gene is "turned off," as is often the case after menopause, when AR production ceases in women. ... > full story

'Magnetic tongue' ready to help produce tastier processed foods (October 27, 2011) -- The "electronic nose," which detects odors, has a companion among emerging futuristic "e-sensing" devices intended to replace abilities that once were strictly human-and-animal-only. It is a "magnetic tongue" -- a method used to "taste" food and identify ingredients that people describe as sweet, bitter, sour, etc. Scientists report on use of the method to taste canned tomatoes. ... > full story

Strawberries protect the stomach from alcohol, rat experiments suggest (October 27, 2011) -- In an experiment on rats, European researchers have proved that eating strawberries reduces the harm that alcohol can cause to the stomach mucous membrane. The study may contribute to improving the treatment of stomach ulcers. ... > full story

Human brains are made of the same stuff, despite DNA differences (October 27, 2011) -- Despite vast differences in the genetic code across individuals and ethnicities, the human brain shows a "consistent molecular architecture," say researchers. The finding is from a pair of studies that have created databases revealing when and where genes turn on and off in multiple brain regions through development. They reveal that rapid gene expression during fetal development switches to much slower rates after birth, levels off in middle age, and surges in the final decades. ... > full story

Sleeping sickness drug may provide long-term protection against nonmelanoma skin cancers (October 27, 2011) -- An antiparasitic agent used to treat African sleeping sickness might someday be used to prevent nonmelanoma skin cancers. Researchers found that DFMO, or alpha-difluoromethylornithine, still appeared to protect against nonmelanoma skin cancers years after people stopped taking the drug, according to new research. ... > full story

Genetic variant and autoantibodies linked to having a child with autism (October 27, 2011) -- A new study has found that pregnant women with a particular gene variation are more likely to produce autoantibodies to the brains of their developing fetuses and that the children of these mothers are at greater risk of later being diagnosed with autism. ... > full story

Physicians use therapeutic cooling to treat cardiac arrest patients (October 27, 2011) -- Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States, and just 7 percent of victims survive that initial collapse. In addition, fewer than half of the small percentage of people whose hearts are restarted survive to leave the hospital, because they often suffer irreversible brain damage. New research provides guidance to physicians using therapeutic cooling to treat sudden cardiac arrest patients. ... > full story

Future 'comb on a chip': Compact frequency comb could go places (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a compact laser frequency comb -- a class of extraordinarily precise tools for measuring frequencies of light. The new tiny comb is a step toward user-friendly and ultimately chip-based combs that could enable new applications in astronomical searches for Earth-like planets, high-capacity telecommunications, and possibly portable versions of the most advanced atomic clocks. ... > full story

Want to resist temptation? Thinking might not always help you, study suggests (October 27, 2011) -- Uh oh. Here comes temptation -- for a dieter, it's a sweet treat; an alcoholic, a beer; a married man, an attractive, available woman. How to defeat the impulse to gratify desire and stick to your long-term goals of slimness, sobriety, or fidelity? ... > full story

Land animals, ecosystems walloped after Permian dieoff (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers have concluded the mass extinction that ended the Permian Period was disastrous for land-based animals. In a specimen-by-specimen analysis, the scientists say species were reduced to a handful of forms, called disaster taxa. The low diversity of vertebrates meant that terrestrial ecosystems endured boom-and-bust cycles for up to eight million years before finally stabilizing. ... > full story

Compound found in common wart treatment shows promise as leukemia therapy (October 27, 2011) -- A new potential leukemia therapy targets only cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells alone. Many current chemotherapy treatments affect cancer cells and healthy cells, causing significant side effects, such as fatigue, hair loss, nausea, anxiety and depression. ... > full story

Heart disease linked to evolutionary changes that may have protected early mammals from trauma (October 27, 2011) -- Can a bird have a heart attack? A new study suggests that cardiovascular disease may be an unfortunate consequence of mammalian evolution. The study demonstrates that the same features of blood platelets that may have provided an evolutionary advantage to early mammals now predispose humans to cardiovascular disease. ... > full story

Annual screening with chest X-ray does not reduce rate of lung cancer deaths, study finds (October 27, 2011) -- In a trial that included more than 150,000 participants, those who underwent annual chest radiographic screening for up to 4 years did not have a significantly lower rate of death from lung cancer compared to participants who were not screened, according to a new study. ... > full story

Improved characterization of nanoparticle clusters for environmental and biosensors research (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated a method to measure accurately both the distribution of clusters of nanoparticles in solution and how their light absorption spectrum changes with size. The measurements are important to both medical and environmental research on nanoparticles. ... > full story

Good relationship with teacher can protect first graders from aggression (October 27, 2011) -- A new study of 217 Canadian seven-year-old twins finds that children who were genetically vulnerable to being aggressive were more likely to be victimized by their classmates than others. However, these children were protected from acting aggressively and being the target of other children's aggression if they had a very good relationship with their teacher. The study included both identical and fraternal twin pairs who were not in the same classroom. ... > full story