ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Wednesday, December 21, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Wednesday, December 21, 2011

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Discovery may lead to safer treatments for asthma, allergies and arthritis (December 20, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a missing link between the body's biological clock and sugar metabolism system, a finding that may help avoid the serious side effects of drugs used for treating asthma, allergies and arthritis. ... > full story

New candidate vaccine neutralizes all tested strains of malaria parasite (December 20, 2011) -- A new candidate malaria vaccine has the potential to neutralize all strains of the most deadly species of malaria parasite. ... > full story

Ion channel makes African naked mole-rat insensitive to acid-induced pain (December 20, 2011) -- Researchers have found out why the African naked mole-rat, one of the world's most unusual mammals, feels no pain when exposed to acid. The animals have an altered ion channel in their pain receptors that is inactivated by acid and makes the animals insensitive to this type of pain. ... > full story

Blood pressure medicines reduce stroke risk in people with prehypertension, study suggests (December 20, 2011) -- Blood pressure medicines reduced the risk of stroke by 22 percent in people with prehypertension. More than 50 million Americans have an increased risk of stroke due to prehypertension. ... > full story

Almost noiseless nanomechanical microwave amplifier (December 20, 2011) -- Physicists have shown how a nanomechanical oscillator can be used for detection and amplification of feeble radio waves or microwaves. A measurement using such a tiny device, resembling a miniaturized guitar string, can be performed with the least possible disturbance. ... > full story

Are the anxious oblivious? (December 20, 2011) -- Anxious study participants aren't as physiologically sensitive to subtle changes in their environment as less fearful individuals, new research shows. Researchers reason that anxious people could have a deficit in their threat evaluation capacities, which are necessary for effective decision-making and fear regulation. ... > full story

Human skull is highly integrated: Study sheds new light on evolutionary changes (December 20, 2011) -- Scientists studying a unique collection of human skulls have shown that changes to the skull shape thought to have occurred independently through separate evolutionary events may have actually precipitated each other. ... > full story

Scientists identify an innate function of vitamin E (December 20, 2011) -- It's rubbed on the skin to reduce signs of aging and consumed by athletes to improve endurance but scientists now have the first evidence of one of vitamin E's normal body functions. The powerful antioxidant found in most foods helps repair tears in the plasma membranes that protect cells from outside forces and screen what enters and exits, new research shows. ... > full story

Towards artificial photosynthesis for solar hydrogen generation: Algal protein gives boost to electrochemical water splitting (December 20, 2011) -- Water splitting in photo-electrochemical cells to yield hydrogen is a promising way to sustainable fuels. Scientists have now made major progress in developing highly efficient electrodes – made of an algal protein, thus mimicking a central step in natural photosynthesis. ... > full story

Mediterranean diet gives longer life, Swedish study suggests (December 20, 2011) -- A Mediterranean diet with large amounts of vegetables and fish gives a longer life, according to Swedish research. A number of studies since the 1950s have shown that a Mediterranean diet, based on a high consumption of fish and vegetables and a low consumption of animal-based products such as meat and milk, leads to better health. ... > full story

The role of Internet pharmacies in prescription drug abuse (December 20, 2011) -- Efforts to halt the growing abuse of prescription drugs must include addressing the availability of these drugs on the Internet and increasing physician awareness of the dangers posed by Internet pharmacies, according to experts. ... > full story

Caterpillars mimic one another for survival (December 20, 2011) -- In the world of insects, high risk of attack has led to the development of camouflage as a means for survival. Researchers have uncovered some of the most extensive evidence of caterpillars using another strategy previously best-known in adult butterflies: mimicry. ... > full story

First Earth-size planets beyond our solar system: Smallest exoplanets ever confirmed around a star like our sun (December 20, 2011) -- NASA's Kepler mission has discovered the first Earth-size planets orbiting a sun-like star outside our solar system. The planets, called Kepler-20e and Kepler-20f, are too close to their star to be in the so-called habitable zone where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface, but they are the smallest exoplanets ever confirmed around a star like our sun. The discovery marks the next important milestone in the ultimate search for planets like Earth. The new planets are thought to be rocky. Kepler-20e is slightly smaller than Venus, measuring 0.87 times the radius of Earth. Kepler-20f is slightly larger than Earth, measuring 1.03 times its radius. Both planets reside in a five-planet system called Kepler-20, approximately 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Lyra. ... > full story

Middle-age blood pressure changes affect lifetime heart disease, stroke risk (December 20, 2011) -- Changes in blood pressure during middle age can affect lifetime risk for heart disease and stroke. People who maintain or reduce their blood pressure to normal levels during middle age have the lowest lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease, while those with an increase in blood pressure have the highest risk. Age and duration of blood pressure changes can help determine individualized lifetime risk for -- and prevention of -- cardiovascular disease. ... > full story

Infectious fungus, thought to be asexual, isn't (December 20, 2011) -- Candida tropicalis turns out to have sex, making it the second medically important member of the genus to be capable of mating. Sex may improve the survival of the species, particularly when it's under pressure. It may also mean the species can achieve greater virulence or drug resistance more quickly than previously thought. ... > full story

Pet kidney injuries are similar to human kidney injuries (December 20, 2011) -- For pets suffering critical illness or injury, researchers have found that even tiny increases of creatinine in blood also could indicate acute kidney damage. Using human blood measurement guidelines for acute kidney injuries, the researchers believe they can now help pet owners better know the severity of their animals' illness. ... > full story

Quantum computing has applications in magnetic imaging (December 20, 2011) -- Quantum computing -- considered the powerhouse of computational tasks -- may have applications in areas outside of pure electronics, according to experts. ... > full story

Babies track word patterns long before word-learning starts (December 20, 2011) -- During the first year of life, when babies spend so much time listening to language, they're actually tracking word patterns that will support their process of word- learning that occurs between the ages of about 18 months and two years. ... > full story

Living 'neon signs' composed of millions of glowing bacteria (December 20, 2011) -- In an example of life imitating art, biologists and bioengineers have created a living neon sign composed of millions of bacterial cells that periodically fluoresce in unison like blinking light bulbs. ... > full story

Novel use of drug saves children from deadly E. coli bacteria disease (December 20, 2011) -- A physician saved the life of a child and, by doing so, became the first to find a new use for a drug in the fight against deadly E. coli bacteria. In fact, after a little girl was admitted to hospital to treat severe complications, her physician, running out of options, thought about using the drug eculizumab, which is usually prescribed for another disorder with similar symptoms. Her intuition paid off and the little girl survived. The dramatic improvement experienced by the young patient and two others is explained in a new article. ... > full story

New light on medicinal benefits of plants (December 20, 2011) -- Scientists are about to make publicly available all the data they have so far on the genetic blueprint of medicinal plants and what beneficial properties are encoded. ... > full story

New test to indicate likely spread or recurrence of breast cancer (December 20, 2011) -- A student has developed a potential breakthrough test for predicting the likelihood of the spread or return of breast cancer. ... > full story

Research could improve laser-manufacturing technique (December 20, 2011) -- Engineers have discovered details about the behavior of ultrafast laser pulses that may lead to new applications in manufacturing, diagnostics and other research. ... > full story

Gender bias of prospective parents revealed (December 20, 2011) -- A new study has found that when people think about having children, men want boys and women want girls. ... > full story

Major step forward towards drought tolerance in crops (December 20, 2011) -- When a plant encounters drought, it does its best to cope with this stress by activating a set of protein molecules called receptors. Plant cell biologists have discovered how to rewire this cellular machinery to heighten the plants' stress response -- a finding that can be used to engineer crops to give them a better shot at surviving and displaying increased yield under drought conditions. ... > full story

Snipping key nerves may help life threatening heart rhythms, study suggests (December 20, 2011) -- According to a new study, cutting key nerves to the heart that control the adrenaline-driven "flight or fight" stress response may help alleviate life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. This is one of the first studies to assess the impact of performing this type of surgery on both sides of the heart to control arrhythmias, called a bilateral cardiac sympathetic denervation. ... > full story

Hellbender salamander study seeks answers for global amphibian decline (December 20, 2011) -- A new study on the endangered Ozark Hellbender giant salamander is the first to detail its skin microbes, the bacteria and fungi that defend against pathogens. ... > full story

Dodging the cognitive hit of early-life seizures (December 20, 2011) -- About half of newborns who have seizures go on to have long-term intellectual and memory deficits and cognitive disorders such as autism, but why this occurs has been unknown.Researchers now detail how early-life seizures disrupt normal brain development, and show in a rat model that it might be possible to reverse this pathology by giving certain drugs soon after the seizure. ... > full story

Researchers measure nanometer scale temperature (December 20, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new kind of electro-thermal nanoprobe that can independently control voltage and temperature at a nanometer-scale point contact. It can also measure the temperature-dependent voltage at a nanometer-scale point contact. ... > full story

Teens choose water when calorie count of sugary beverages is easier to understand (December 20, 2011) -- Providing easily understandable caloric information, specifically in the form of a physical activity equivalent, may reduce the likelihood of sugar-sweetened beverage purchases among adolescents by as much as half. ... > full story

Attic vases from Athens inspired Cypriote pottery (December 20, 2011) -- Athenian pottery was exported to both east and west. In Cyprus the pottery was exported for about 300 years and it became a part of the Cypriots’ life. It also inspired the local potters and painters to create their own versions of the imagery and enrich them with local elements. ... > full story

Ultra-compact dwarf galaxies are bright star clusters (December 19, 2011) -- A new statistical study sheds light on the so-called 'ultra-compact dwarf galaxies' (UCDs). A team of astronomers has investigated how many of these UCDs exist in nearby galaxy clusters and groups. They show that the properties of UCDs match those of bright star clusters. ... > full story

Cornea gene discovery reveals why humans see clearly (December 19, 2011) -- A new study has identified a gene that plays a major role in maintaining clarity of the cornea in humans and mice -- and could possibly be used as gene therapy to treat diseases that cause blindness. ... > full story

Data-driven tools cast geographical patterns of rainfall extremes in new light (December 19, 2011) -- Using statistical analysis methods to examine rainfall extremes in India, a team of researchers has made a discovery that resolves an ongoing debate and offers new insights. ... > full story

Molecular markers can predict spread of cancer, guide treatment (December 19, 2011) -- Molecular markers found in cancer cells that have spread from a primary tumor to a limited number of distant sites can help physicians predict which patients with metastatic cancer will benefit from targeted radiation therapy. If cells from metastatic tumors have high levels of one type of microRNA then aggressive local treatment will not help. But if the cells have lower levels of that marker, then focused treatment could be effective, even curative. ... > full story

Researchers closer to understanding the evolution of sound production in fish (December 19, 2011) -- Researchers studying sound production in perch-like fishes have discovered a link between two unrelated lineages of fishes, taking researchers a step closer to understanding the evolution of one of the fastest muscles in vertebrates. ... > full story

One trait has huge impact on whether alcohol makes you aggressive (December 19, 2011) -- Drinking enough alcohol to become intoxicated increases aggression significantly in people who have one particular personality trait, according to new research. But people without that trait don't get any more aggressive when drunk than they would when they're sober. That trait is the ability to consider the future consequences of current actions. ... > full story

Plant-eating dinosaur discovered in Antarctica (December 19, 2011) -- For the first time, the presence of large bodied herbivorous dinosaurs in Antarctica has been recorded. Until now, remains of sauropoda had been recovered from all continental landmasses, except Antarctica. The identification of the remains of the sauropod dinosaur suggests that advanced titanosaurs achieved a global distribution at least by the Late Cretaceous. ... > full story

Tissue structure delays cancer development (December 19, 2011) -- Cancer growth normally follows a lengthy period of development. Over the course of time, genetic mutations often accumulate in cells, leading first to pre-cancerous conditions and ultimately to tumor growth. Using a mathematical model, scientists have now shown that spatial tissue structure, such as that found in the colon, slows down the accumulation of genetic mutations, thereby delaying the onset of cancer. ... > full story

New target found for aggressive cancer gene (December 19, 2011) -- Researchers have found a way to kill human cells hijacked by a potent cancer oncogene known as Myc. ... > full story

Walking skills program improves physical function following hip replacement surgery (December 19, 2011) -- Researchers in Norway report that patients who receive walking skills training following total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis show improved physical function. The physical therapy program displayed a positive effect on walking distance and stair climbing which continued 12 months following hip replacement surgery. ... > full story

Chemicals and biofuel from wood biomass (December 19, 2011) -- A new method makes it possible to use microbes to produce butanol suitable for biofuel and other industrial chemicals from wood biomass. Butanol is particularly suited as a transport fuel because it is not water soluble and has higher energy content than ethanol. ... > full story

Babies remember even as they seem to forget (December 19, 2011) -- Fifteen years ago, textbooks on human development stated that babies of six months of age or younger had no sense of "object permanence" -- the psychological term that describes an infant's belief that an object still exists even when it is out of sight. That meant that if mom or dad wasn't in the same room with junior, junior didn't have the sense that his parents were still in the world. These days, psychologists know that isn't true: for young babies, out of sight doesn't automatically mean out of mind. But how much do babies remember about the world around them, and what details do their brains need to absorb in order to help them keep track of those things? Babies may not remember what they saw, but they remember that they saw something. ... > full story

New kind of metal in the deep Earth: Iron oxide undergoes transition under intense pressures and temperatures (December 19, 2011) -- The intense pressures and temperatures in Earth's deep interior squeeze atoms and electrons so close they interact differently. New experiments and supercomputer computations have revealed that iron oxide undergoes a new kind of transition under deep Earth conditions. It is a component of the second most abundant mineral at Earth's lower mantle, ferropericlase. The finding could alter our understanding of deep Earth dynamics and the behavior of the protective magnetic field, which shields our planet. ... > full story

First aid after tick bites (December 19, 2011) -- They come out in the spring, and each year they spread further – the ticks. Thirty percent of them transmit borrelia pathogens, the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis that can damage joints and organs. The disease often goes undetected. In the future, a new type of gel is intended to prevent an infection – if applied after a tick bite. ... > full story

Scientists uncover evidence on how drug-resistant tuberculosis cells form (December 19, 2011) -- A new study provides a novel explanation as to why some tuberculosis cells are inherently more difficult to treat with antibiotics. ... > full story

First comprehensive DNA study of mast cell leukemia uncovers clues that could improve therapy (December 19, 2011) -- Cancer researchers have carried out the first comprehensive study of the changes seen in the DNA of a patient with mast cell leukemia, an extremely aggressive subtype of acute myeloid leukemia with a very poor prognosis. Their genomic survey has helped identify two previously unknown mutations that could directly influence patient response to currently available therapeutic drugs. ... > full story

Researchers demonstrate new DNA detection technique (December 19, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated a novel DNA detection method that could prove suitable for many real-world applications. ... > full story