ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Wednesday, November 30, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Wednesday, November 30, 2011

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Transplanted cells repair the brain in obese mice (November 30, 2011) -- Small numbers of properly selected neurons, transplanted into damaged brain areas in mice, are capable of restoring lost functions. Experiments on mice with a defect resulting in obesity and a series of measurements documenting efficiency of the neuron transplant method have now been carried out. ... > full story

Injection lowers cholesterol in preliminary human trial (November 30, 2011) -- Patients unable to control their cholesterol levels with medications may someday be able to lower their "bad" cholesterol with a shot, according to new research. ... > full story

FLEX-ible insight into flame behavior (November 30, 2011) -- Whether free-burning or smoldering, uncontrolled fire can threaten life and destroy property. On Earth, a little water, maybe some chemicals, and the fire is smothered. In space, where there is no up or down, flames behave in unconventional ways. And when your entire world is the size of a five-bedroom home like the International Space Station, putting out even a small fire quickly is a life-and-death matter. Since March 2009, NASA's Flame Extinguishment Experiment, or FLEX, has conducted more than 200 tests to better understand the fundamentals of flames and how best to suppress fire in space. The investigation is currently ongoing aboard the space station. ... > full story

Pneumonia most common infection after heart surgery (November 30, 2011) -- Pneumonia -- not a deep incision surgical site infection -- is the most common serious infection after heart surgery, according to new research. ... > full story

Caribbean fisheries highly vulnerable to climate change, need to adapt (November 30, 2011) -- A new study predicts severe negative impacts, including loss and alteration of habitats, smaller and less-diverse fish stocks, and coral bleaching, and urges prompt action to help fisheries prepare. ... > full story

Mood, cognition and sleep patterns improve in Alzheimer's patients after cataract surgery, study finds (November 30, 2011) -- Researchers in France have found that patients with mild Alzheimer's disease whose vision improved after cataract surgery also showed improvement in cognitive ability, mood, sleep patterns and other behaviors. ... > full story

Walnut trees may not be able to withstand climate change (November 30, 2011) -- Warmer, drier summers and extreme weather events considered possible as the climate changes would be especially troublesome -- possibly fatal -- for walnut trees, according to researchers. ... > full story

Researchers develop more effective way to discover and test potential cancer drugs (November 30, 2011) -- Researchers have created a new phenotypic screening platform that better predicts success of drugs developed to prevent blood vessel tumor growth when moving out of the lab and onto actual tumors. ... > full story

Growing knowledge in space: Studying what effects microgravity has on plant cell walls, root growth patterns and gene regulation (November 30, 2011) -- Plants are critical in supporting life on Earth, and with help from an experiment that flew onboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 mission, they also could transform living in space. NASA's Kennedy Space Center partnered with the University of Florida, Miami University in Ohio and Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation to perform three different experiments in microgravity. The studies concentrated on the effects microgravity has on plant cell walls, root growth patterns and gene regulation within the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Each of the studies has future applications on Earth and in space exploration. ... > full story

Antifolates show promise against NSCLC subtype (November 30, 2011) -- Patients with non-small cell lung cancer who have mutations in the KRAS gene should respond well to the antifolate class of drugs, according to results of a recent study comparing human lung cancer cell lines and patients. ... > full story

First U.S. large demonstration-scale injection of CO₂ from a biofuel production facility begins (November 30, 2011) -- The Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium has begun injecting carbon dioxide for the first million-tonne demonstration of carbon sequestration in the United States. The CO2 will be stored permanently in the Mt. Simon Sandstone more than a mile beneath the Illinois surface at Decatur. ... > full story

Babies embrace punishment earlier than previously thought, study suggests (November 29, 2011) -- Babies as young as eight months want people who commit or condone antisocial acts to be punished, according to a new study. While previous research shows that babies uniformly prefer kind acts, the new study suggests that eight-month-old infants support negative behavior if it is directed at those with antisocial behavior -- and dislike those who are nice to bad guys. ... > full story

High blood sugar levels in older women linked to colorectal cancer (November 29, 2011) -- Elevated blood sugar levels are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to a new study. The findings were observed in nearly 5,000 postmenopausal women. ... > full story

Graphene lights up with new possibilities: Two-step technique makes graphene suitable for organic chemistry (November 29, 2011) -- The future brightened for organic chemistry when researchers found a highly controllable way to attach organic molecules to pristine graphene, making the miracle material suitable for a range of new applications. ... > full story

Drug-eluting balloons are a promising tool in treatment of narrowed metal stents and in patients at high risk for bleeding complications (November 29, 2011) -- A drug-coated balloon inserted in a narrowed bare metal stent is a promising therapy for restoring blood flow, according to new research. ... > full story

New thinking required on wildlife disease, experts say (November 29, 2011) -- Scientist say much more could be done to predict the likelihood and spread of serious disease -- such as tuberculosis or foot-and-mouth disease -- in Australian wildlife and commercial stock. ... > full story

'Look at that!' Ravens gesture with their beaks to point out objects to each other (November 29, 2011) -- Pointing and holding up objects in order to attract attention has so far only been observed in humans and our closest living relatives, the great apes. Researchers now provide the first evidence that ravens (Corvus corax) also use so called deictic gestures in order to test the interest of a potential partner or to strengthen an already existing bond. ... > full story

Immune system has protective memory cells, researchers discover (November 29, 2011) -- The immune system possesses a type of cell that can be activated by tissues within the body to remind the immune system not to attack our own molecules, cells and organs, researchers have discovered. ... > full story

NASA's Nanosail-D 'sails' home -- mission complete (November 29, 2011) -- After spending more than 240 days "sailing" around Earth, NASA's NanoSail-D -- a nanosatellite that deployed NASA's first-ever solar sail in low-Earth orbit -- has successfully completed its Earth orbiting mission. Launched to space Nov. 19, 2010 as a payload on NASA's FASTSAT, a small satellite, NanoSail-D's sail deployed on Jan. 20. The flight phase of the mission successfully demonstrated a deorbit capability that could potentially be used to bring down decommissioned satellites and space debris by re-entering and totally burning up in Earth's atmosphere. The team continues to analyze the orbital data to determine how future satellites can use this new technology. ... > full story

Scientists identify treatable weakness in lethal form of prostate cancer (November 29, 2011) -- A recent report suggests that a new treatment may be on the horizon for neuroendocrine prostate cancers, the most lethal subtype of this disease. ... > full story

Crash experts find car seats protect overweight kids, too (November 29, 2011) -- Researchers have found no evidence of increased injury risk among crash-involved children across a broad weight range, when they were properly restrained in the correct child safety seat or booster seat for their height and weight. ... > full story

Is there a central brain area for hearing melodies and speech cues? Still an open question (November 29, 2011) -- Previous studies have suggested a particular hotspot in the brain might be responsible for perceiving pitch, but auditory neuroscientists are still debating whether this "pitch center" actually exists. A review article discusses a recent study claiming that this pitch center may not exist after all, or may not be located where previous research has suggested. ... > full story

E. coli bacteria engineered to eat switchgrass and make transportation fuels (November 29, 2011) -- Strains of E. coli bacteria were engineered to digest switchgrass biomass and synthesize its sugars into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. The switchgrass, which is among the most highly touted of the potential feedstocks for advanced biofuels, was pre-treated with ionic liquid, a key to the success of this study. ... > full story

Environment and diet leave their prints on the heart (November 29, 2011) -- A new study, which set out to investigate DNA methylation in the human heart and the "missing link" between our lifestyle and our health, has now mapped the link in detail across the entire human genome. ... > full story

Frequent 'heading' in soccer can lead to brain injury and cognitive impairment (November 29, 2011) -- Using advanced imaging techniques and cognitive tests, researchers have shown that repeatedly heading a soccer ball increases the risk for brain injury. ... > full story

Gene acts as a brake on breast cancer progression (November 29, 2011) -- New research provides compelling new evidence that a gene known as 14-3-3sigma plays a critical role in halting breast cancer initiation and progression. ... > full story

Earth's past gives clues to future changes (November 29, 2011) -- Scientists are a step closer to predicting when and where earthquakes will occur after taking a fresh look at the formation of the Andes, which began 45 million years ago. ... > full story

Seeking to be the 'perfect parent' not always good for new moms and dads (November 29, 2011) -- Parents of newborns show poorer adjustment to their new role if they believe society expects them to be "perfect" moms and dads, a new study shows. Moms showed less confidence in their parenting abilities and dads felt more stress when they were more worried about what other people thought about their parenting skills. ... > full story

Madagascar dinosaur bone is most massive osteoderm ever found (November 29, 2011) -- What more can we learn about long-necked dinosaurs that we don't already know? Researchers have found that Madagascar dinosaurs carried giant, hollow bones in their skin that may have helped them survive the harsh environments they inhabited. This discovery has shed new light on the anatomy and function of these bones in the biggest animals to ever walk on land. ... > full story

A first: Lab creates cells used by brain to control muscle cells (November 29, 2011) -- Researchers, for the first time, have used stem cells to grow neuromuscular junctions between human muscle cells and human spinal cord cells, the key connectors used by the brain to communicate and control muscles in the body. ... > full story

Tiny levers, big moves in piezoelectric sensors (November 29, 2011) -- Scientists have succeeded in integrating a new, highly efficient piezoelectric material into a silicon microelectromechanical system. This development could lead to significant advances in sensing, imaging, and energy harvesting. ... > full story

Coffee may protect against endometrial cancer, study suggests (November 29, 2011) -- Long-term coffee consumption may be associated with a reduced risk for endometrial cancer, according to a recent study. ... > full story

How bacteria can break down hazardous environmental pollutants (November 29, 2011) -- Researchers now understand how bacteria can break down phosphonic acids, persistent and potentially hazardous environmental pollutants found in many common medicinal products, detergents and herbicides. ... > full story

Mid-afternoon slump? Why a sugar rush may not be the answer (November 29, 2011) -- A new study has found that protein and not sugar activates the cells responsible for keeping us awake and burning calories. The research has implications for understanding obesity and sleep disorders. ... > full story

How bats 'hear' objects in their path (November 29, 2011) -- By placing real and virtual objects in the flight paths of bats, scientists have shed new light on how echolocation works. The researchers found that it is not the intensity of the echoes that tells the bats the size of an object but the 'sonar aperture', that is the spread of angles from which echoes impinge on their ears. ... > full story

Boys with regressive autism, but not early onset autism, have larger brains than age-matched healthy counterparts, study finds (November 29, 2011) -- In the largest study of brain development in preschoolers with autism to date, researchers have found that three-year-old boys with regressive autism, but not early onset autism, have larger brains than their healthy counterparts. ... > full story

'Fool's gold' aids discovery of new options for cheap, benign solar energy (November 29, 2011) -- Pyrite, better known as "fool's gold," was familiar to the ancient Romans and has fooled prospectors for centuries -- but has now helped researchers discover related compounds that offer new, cheap and promising options for solar energy. These new compounds, unlike some solar cell materials made from rare, expensive or toxic elements, would be benign and could be processed from some of the most abundant elements on Earth. ... > full story

Scientists determine how antibody recognizes key sugars on HIV surface (November 29, 2011) -- HIV is coated in sugars that usually hide the virus from the immune system. Newly published research reveals how one broadly neutralizing HIV antibody actually uses part of the sugary cloak to help bind to the virus. The antibody binding site, called the V1/V2 region, represents a suitable HIV vaccine target, according to the scientists who conducted the study. ... > full story

First system developed for assessing the odds of life on other worlds (November 29, 2011) -- A modeling expert has proposed a new system for classifying exoplanets using two different indices -- an Earth Similarity Index for categorizing a planet's more earth-like features and a Planetary Habitability Index for describing a variety of chemical and physical parameters that are theoretically conducive to life in more extreme, less Earth-like conditions. ... > full story

Low-income older adults more likely to develop heart failure (November 29, 2011) -- The odds of having heart failure appear to be higher in seniors with a low income -- even among those with a college or higher education -- according to new research. ... > full story

New technique puts chemistry breakthroughs on the fast track (November 29, 2011) -- Scientists can now take that "a-ha" moment to go with a new method developed -- and successfully tested -- to accomplish "accelerated serendipity" and speed up the chances of an unexpected yet groundbreaking chemical discovery. ... > full story

Drug may slow spread of deadly eye cancer (November 29, 2011) -- A drug commonly used to treat seizures appears to make eye tumors less likely to grow if they spread to other parts of the body, according to researchers. ... > full story

Fungi: Another tool in bacteria's belt? Fungi and bacteria help one another stay mobile, say researchers (November 29, 2011) -- Fungal spores can attach themselves to bacteria and "hitch a ride" to wherever the bacteria can travel, say researchers. This discovery will help scientists fight disease-causing bacteria or promote the spread of "good kinds" of bacteria and fungi, such as those that contribute to the health of plants. ... > full story

Study evaluates association between urinary salt excretion and risk of cardiovascular events or death (November 29, 2011) -- For persons with cardiovascular disease or diabetes, urinary sodium excretion (a surrogate for salt intake) at higher levels or at lower levels compared to mid-range values was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events (for higher levels) or cardiovascular death and hospitalization for congestive heart failure (for lower levels), according to a new study. Also, higher estimated urinary potassium excretion was associated with a reduced risk of stroke. ... > full story

Stabilizing entangled spaghetti-like materials: Controling forces between oppositely charged polymers opens new route for gene therapy vectors (November 29, 2011) -- Gene therapy can only be effective if delivered by a stable complex molecule. Now, scientists have determined the conditions that would stabilize complex molecular structures that are subject to inherent attractions and repulsions triggered by electric charges at the surfaces of the molecules. ... > full story

How the brain strings words into sentences (November 29, 2011) -- Distinct neural pathways are important for different aspects of language processing, researchers have discovered, studying patients with language impairments caused by neurodegenerative diseases. ... > full story

Most hospitals miss critical window for heart attack transfer patients, study finds (November 29, 2011) -- Most heart attack patients transferred between hospitals for the emergency artery-opening procedure called angioplasty are not transported as quickly as they should be, researchers report in the first national study of "door-in door-out" time for transfer patients. ... > full story

Scientific sleuths pinpoint the guilty coral killers (November 29, 2011) -- The elusive culprits that are killing countless coral reefs around the world can now be nabbed with technology normally used to diagnose human diseases, marine researchers say. Coral researchers and reef managers will be able to identify coral infections using a new method that allows them to classify specific diseases based on the presence of microbes. This could lead to more effective action to reduce the impact of disease on the world's imperiled coral reefs. ... > full story