ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Thursday, November 24, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Thursday, November 24, 2011

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Blocked holes can enhance rather than stop light going through (November 23, 2011) -- Conventional wisdom would say that blocking a hole would prevent light from going through it, but engineers have discovered the opposite to be true. A research team has found that placing a metal cap over a small hole in a metal film does not stop the light at all, but rather enhances its transmission. ... > full story

Surprising pathway implicated in stuttering (November 23, 2011) -- Researchers have obtained new evidence that at least some persistent stuttering is caused by mutations in a gene governing not speech, but a metabolic pathway involved in recycling old cell parts. Beyond a simple association, the study provides the first evidence that mutations affecting cellular recycling centers called lysosomes actually play a role in causing some people to stutter. ... > full story

Jaw size linked to diet: Could too soft a diet cause lower jaw to stay too short and cause orthodontic problems? (November 23, 2011) -- New research suggests that many of the common orthodontic problems experienced by people in industrialized nations is due to their soft modern diet causing the jaw to grow too short and small relative to the size of their teeth. ... > full story

Dendritic cells protect against acute pancreatitis (November 23, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered the novel protective role dendritic cells play in the pancreas. The new study shows dendritic cells can safeguard the pancreas against acute pancreatitis, a sudden dangerous swelling and inflammation of the pancreas gland. ... > full story

NASA flies robotic lander prototype to new heights (November 23, 2011) -- NASA successfully completed the final flight in a series of tests of a new robotic lander prototype at the Redstone Test Center's propulsion test facility on the U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala. Data from this test series will aid in the design and development of a new generation of small, smart, versatile robotic landers capable of performing science and exploration research on the surface of the moon or other airless bodies in the solar system, such as asteroids or the planet Mercury. ... > full story

Physical activity impacts overall quality of sleep (November 23, 2011) -- People sleep significantly better and feel more alert during the day if they get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, a new study concludes. ... > full story

Targeting bacterial gas defenses allow for increased efficacy of numerous antibiotics (November 23, 2011) -- Although scientists have known for centuries that many bacteria produce hydrogen sulfide (H2S) it was thought to be simply a toxic by-product of cellular activity. Now, researchers have discovered H2S in fact plays a major role in protecting bacteria from the effects of numerous different antibiotics. ... > full story

New strategy could lead to dose reduction in X-ray imaging (November 23, 2011) -- For more than a century, the use of X-rays has been a prime diagnostic tool when it comes to human health. As it turns out, X-rays also are a crucial component for studying and understanding molecules, and a new approach may dramatically improve what researchers can learn using the technique. ... > full story

Tiny flame shines light on supernovae explosions (November 23, 2011) -- Starting from the behavior of small flames in the laboratory, a team of researchers has gained new insights into the titanic forces that drive Type Ia supernova explosions. These stellar explosions are important tools for studying the evolution of the universe, so a better understanding of how they behave would help answer some of the fundamental questions in astronomy. ... > full story

Tumor-specific pathway identified (November 23, 2011) -- Scientists have identified an atypical metabolic pathway unique to some tumors, possibly providing a future target for drugs that could reduce or halt the spread of cancer. ... > full story

New design for mechanical heart valves (November 23, 2011) -- The heart's valves are asymmetrical. Mechanical heart valves, are symmetrical. Could an asymmetric design improve blood flow? ... > full story

People with a 'sweet tooth' have sweeter dispositions (November 23, 2011) -- If you're dealing with a crabby co-worker or sour-faced friend, perhaps some new research can help. It sheds light on the question: Can eating sweets make you--well--sweet? A new study suggests people with a "sweet tooth" have sweeter dispositions. ... > full story

Form and function: New MRI technique to diagnose or rule out Alzheimer's disease (November 22, 2011) -- On the quest for safe, reliable and accessible tools to accurately diagnose Alzheimer's disease, researchers have found a new way of diagnosing and tracking Alzheimer's disease, using an innovative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique called arterial spin labeling (ASL) to measure changes in brain function. ... > full story

Hope for muscle wasting disease (November 22, 2011) -- A health supplement used by bodybuilders could be the key to treating a life-threatening muscular dystrophy affecting tens of thousands of children world-wide, new research shows. The amino acid L-tyrosine had a "rapid and dramatic impact" on Nemaline Myopathy in laboratory tests on mice, significantly improving symptoms of the muscle-wasting disease, medical researchers found. ... > full story

Highly efficient method for creating flexible, transparent electrodes developed (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers demonstrate a new method for making transparent electrodes from nanomaterials. By fusing AgNWs with metal oxide nanoparticles and organic polymers, highly transparent conductors were produced that could provide an alternative to the ITO. The research team has also built solar cells using the new electrodes and found that the performance of the cell is comparable to that of solar cells made with indium tin oxide. ... > full story

P-Rex1 protein key to melanoma metastasis (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a protein, called P-Rex1, that is key to the movement of cells called melanoblasts. When these cells experience uncontrolled growth, melanoma develops. ... > full story

Robojelly gets an upgrade: Underwater robot learns to swim more like the real thing (November 22, 2011) -- Engineers have developed a robot that mimics the graceful motions of jellyfish so precisely that it has been named Robojelly. Developed for the U.S. Office of Naval Research in 2009, this vehicle was designed to conduct ocean underwater surveillance, enabling it potentially to detect chemical spills, monitor the presence of ships and submarines, and observe the migration of schools of fish. ... > full story

Adolescents who sleep better score higher in math and physical education (November 22, 2011) -- A new study has shown that teenagers having an average sleep pattern -- six to nine hours of sleep per night -- score higher in school, especially in physical education. ... > full story

New material can enhance energy, computer, lighting technologies (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers have created a new compound crystal material that promises to help produce advances in a range of scientific and technological pursuits. The material, called erbium chloride silicate, can be used to develop the next generations of computers, improve the capabilities of the Internet, increase the efficiency of silicon-based photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electrical energy, and enhance the quality of solid-state lighting and sensor technology. ... > full story

Laser removal may be advantageous for treating precancerous skin lesions (November 22, 2011) -- Carbon dioxide laser ablation may have a role as an alternative treatment for a common precancerous skin lesion known as lentigo maligna when surgery or radiation therapy is not feasible, according to a new study. ... > full story

Health check while driving the car (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a sensor system integrated into the steering wheel that can monitor the driver's state of health while driving. The driver can use his time behind the wheel for a minor health check. The device might also be used to recognize the onset fainting spells or heart attacks. ... > full story

Babies who eat fish before nine months are less likely to suffer pre-school wheeze, study suggests (November 22, 2011) -- Children who started eating fish before nine months of age are less likely to suffer from pre-school wheeze, but face a higher risk if they were treated with broad spectrum antibiotics in the first week of life or their mother took paracetamol during pregnancy. Recurrent wheeze is a very common clinical problem in preschool children and there is a need for better medical treatment and improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms. ... > full story

Carbon nanotube forest camouflages 3-D objects (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers demonstrate that a carbon nanotube coating can absorb light nearly perfectly, making structural details disappear into a black background. ... > full story

Girls feel more anger, sadness than boys when friends offend (November 22, 2011) -- Girls may be sugar and spice, but "everything nice" takes a back seat when friends let them down. Researchers found that pre-teen girls may not be any better at friendships than boys, despite previous research suggesting otherwise. The findings suggest that when more serious violations of a friendship occur, girls struggle just as much and, in some ways, even more than boys. ... > full story

Smart swarms of bacteria inspire robotics: Adaptable decision-making found in bacteria communities (November 22, 2011) -- Scientists have now discovered how bacteria collectively gather information to learn about their environment and find an optimal path to growth. This research will allow scientists to design a new generation of "smart robots" that can form intelligent swarms and aid in the development of medical micro-robots used to treat diseases in the human body. ... > full story

New culprit found in Lou Gehrig's disease (November 22, 2011) -- Following a breakthrough identifying a common converging point for all forms of Lou Gehrig's disease, a new finding from the same scientists shines more light on the broken recycling pathway of the brain and spinal cord cells, which leads to the paralysis of ALS. The new study reveals a second faulty gene in the same pathway, offering a clear target for drug therapy. ... > full story

Chew gum, lose weight? Hormone that helps people feel 'full' after eating can be delivered into bloodstream orally (November 22, 2011) -- Scientists have demonstrated, for the first time, that a critical hormone that helps people feel "full" after eating can be delivered into the bloodstream orally. ... > full story

Molecule serves as a key in some protein interactions (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers have identified an unexpected mechanism facilitating some protein interactions that are the workhorses of cells and, in the process, identified a potential new cancer drug development target. ... > full story

Unearthing a new quantum state of matter: Quantum physics discoveries could change face of technology (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers have made advances in better understanding correlated quantum matter that could change technology as we know it, according to a new study. ... > full story

Do you really know what you want in a partner? (November 22, 2011) -- Once you meet a potential dating partner, one's ideals are likely to fall by the wayside, according to new research. People liked potential partners that matched their ideals more than those that mismatched their ideals when examining written descriptions of potential partners, but those same ideals didn't matter once they met in person, according to new research. ... > full story

Predators drive the evolution of poison dart frogs' skin patterns (November 22, 2011) -- Natural selection has played a role in the development of the many skins patterns of the tiny Ranitomeya imitator poison dart frog. ... > full story

Synthetic RNA lessens severity of fatal disease (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers have found that targeting a synthetic molecule to a specific gene could help the severity of the disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) -- the leading genetic cause of infantile death in the world. ... > full story

New research on body parts' sensitivity to environmental changes (November 22, 2011) -- Scientists have shed new light on why some body parts are more sensitive to environmental change than others, work that could someday lead to better ways of treating a variety of diseases, including type 2 diabetes. ... > full story

Response time to open arteries for most critical patients still too slow (November 22, 2011) -- Cardiologists are quick to point to statistics showing that the "door-to-balloon" treatment time for heart attack patients has dropped significantly in the past few years. But a retrospective study reveals that those who call 911 are most likely to have suffered a severe heart attack and despite receiving treatment quickly, they are still dying at unacceptable rates, say researchers. ... > full story

Evidence supports ban on growth promotion use of antibiotics in farming (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers have zeroed in on the controversial, non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in food animals and fish farming as a cause of antibiotic resistance in people. There is overwhelming evidence that this overuse of antibiotics affects the environment and humans and they advocate for stricter regulation of the practice. ... > full story

Financial incentives to reduce risky health behaviors? (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers looked at why financial incentives for patients could be a good thing to change risky health behaviors. They suggest that incentives are likely to be particularly effective at altering "simple" behaviors, e.g., take-up of immunizations, primarily among socially disadvantaged groups. ... > full story

Cassini chronicles life of Saturn's giant storm (November 22, 2011) -- New images and animated movies from NASA's Cassini spacecraft chronicle the birth and evolution of the colossal storm that ravaged the northern face of Saturn for nearly a year. ... > full story

Improved method of electrical stimulation could help treat damaged nerves (November 22, 2011) -- A plastic surgery research team and an engineering team have described a new method of nerve stimulation that reduces electrical threshold by 40 percent, compared with traditional functional electrical stimulation therapy. ... > full story

Regeneration after a stroke requires intact communication channels between brain hemispheres (November 22, 2011) -- Recovery after a stroke depends on the exchange of information between the brain hemispheres. ... > full story

Key gene function against cell death discovered (November 22, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that two genes (TSC/Tuberin and PRAS40) are extremely important regulators in the development of stem cells: if these genes are switched off, the stem cells do not develop but instead die a programmed cell death. ... > full story

Wood biofuel could be a competitive industry by 2020 (November 22, 2011) -- Fuel made from wood could become a competitive commercial alternative to fuel made from corn by 2020 if the wood biofuel industry is supported, according to a new study. ... > full story

Research examines college students' knowledge about eating disorders (November 22, 2011) -- They're the prime demographic for developing eating disorders, yet new research suggests that it could be difficult for college students to notice the warning signs of disordered eating. ... > full story

Human, artificial intelligence join forces to pinpoint fossil locations (November 22, 2011) -- Traditionally, fossil-hunters often could only make educated guesses as to where fossils lie. The rest lay with chance. But thanks to a new software model, fossil-hunters' reliance on luck when finding fossils may be diminishing. Using artificial neural networks, researchers developed a computer model that can pinpoint productive fossil sites. ... > full story

People with early Alzheimer's disease may be more likely to have lower BMI (November 22, 2011) -- Studies have shown that people who are overweight in middle age are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease decades later than people at normal weight, yet researchers have also found that people in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease are more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI). A current study examines this relationship between Alzheimer's disease and BMI. ... > full story

Taking bushmeat off the menu could increase child anemia, study finds (November 22, 2011) -- When the dinner menu includes endangered species, human nutritional needs must contend with efforts to manage wildlife resources, according to a new study. Researchers estimate that a loss of access to bushmeat as a source of food would lead to a 29 percent jump in the number of children suffering from anemia. ... > full story

Erectile dysfunction study shows high prevalence of peripheral neuropathy (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered clear links between erectile dysfunction (ED) and peripheral neuropathy. This study of 90 patients shows that men with more severe symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, which can be caused by disease, trauma or illness, had greater self-reported ED and required more aggressive treatment. The findings underline the importance of clinicians carrying out neurophysiological tests on patients with ED, particularly in the pelvic area. ... > full story

Public asked to help in fight against malaria (November 22, 2011) -- IBM's Watson computing system broke new ground earlier this year when it defeated two celebrated human competitors on the Jeopardy! game show. Now, The Scripps Research Institute is hoping to do something equally novel but more critical to human health with part of the prize money from that tournament: Find a cure for drug-resistant malaria. And it's asking for the public's help. ... > full story

Measuring outcome in the treatment of depression via the Web (November 22, 2011) -- A newly published article reports that Web-based assessments for outcome measurements of patients in treatment for depression are valid and reliable. The findings indicate that the Internet version of the depression scale was equivalent to the paper version, and that patients preferred the Internet version. ... > full story