ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Thursday, January 5, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Thursday, January 5, 2012

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New computer model explains lakes and storms on Saturn's moon Titan (January 4, 2012) -- Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is an alien world covered in a thick atmosphere with abundant methane. Titan boasts methane clouds and fog, as well as rainstorms and plentiful lakes of liquid methane. The origins of many of these features, however, remain puzzling to scientists. Now, researchers have developed a computer model of Titan's atmosphere and methane cycle that, for the first time, explains many of these phenomena in a relatively simple and coherent way. ... > full story

Antiestrogen therapy may decrease risk for melanoma (January 4, 2012) -- Women with breast cancer who take antiestrogen supplements may be decreasing their risk for melanoma, according to a new study. ... > full story

How dengue infection hits harder the second time around (January 4, 2012) -- One of the most vexing challenges in the battle against dengue virus, a potentially fatal mosquito-borne virus, is that getting infected once can put people at greater risk for a more severe infection down the road. A new study details how the interaction between a person's immune response and a subsequent dengue infection could mean the difference between getting a mild fever and going into fatal circulatory failure. ... > full story

Maternal liver grafts more tolerable for children with rare disease (January 4, 2012) -- Children with a rare, life-threatening disease that is the most common cause of neonatal liver failure -- biliary atresia -- better tolerate liver transplants from their mothers than from their fathers, according to a new study. ... > full story

New technology removes air pollutants, may reduce energy use in animal agricultural facilities (January 4, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a new technology that can reduce air pollutant emissions from some chicken and swine barns, and also reduce their energy use by recovering and possibly generating heat. ... > full story

Many NIH-funded clinical trials go unpublished over two years after completion, U.S. study shows (January 4, 2012) -- In a study that investigates the challenges of disseminating clinical research findings in peer-reviewed biomedical journals, researchers have found that fewer than half of a sample of trials primarily or partially funded by the National Institutes of Health were published within 30 months of completing the clinical trial. ... > full story

Magnetically levitated flies offer clues to future of life in space (January 4, 2012) -- Using powerful magnets to levitate fruit flies can provide vital clues to how biological organisms are affected by weightless conditions in space, researchers say. ... > full story

Cancer-killing compound spares healthy cells (January 4, 2012) -- Lithocholic acid (LCA), naturally produced in the liver during digestion, has been seriously underestimated. A new study shows that LCA can kill several types of cancer cells, such as those found in some brain tumors and breast cancer. ... > full story

'Nanowiggles:' Scientists discover graphene nanomaterials with tunable functionality in electronics (January 4, 2012) -- Scientists have used supercomputers to uncover the properties of a promising form of graphene, known as graphene nanowiggles. What they found was that graphitic nanoribbons can be segmented into several different surface structures called nanowiggles. Each of these structures produces highly different magnetic and conductive properties. The findings provide a blueprint that scientists can use to literally pick and choose a graphene nanostructure that is tuned and customized for a different task or device. ... > full story

Risk factors in rising trend of liver cancer identified (January 4, 2012) -- Doctors have known for years that the incidence of deadly liver cancer is on the rise, but what is causing that trend has remained a mystery. Two recent studies offer a clearer picture of the rise of hepatocellular carcinoma, or liver cancer, which has tripled in the IS in the last three decades and has a 10 to 12 percent five-year survival rate when detected in later stages. ... > full story

What if if Virginia lifts ban on uranium mining? Report identifies health and environmental issues (January 4, 2012) -- A number of health and environmental issues and related risks need to be addressed when considering whether to lift the almost 30-year moratorium on uranium mining in Virginia, a new report says. ... > full story

Exercise is good for your waistline -- but it's a writing exercise (January 4, 2012) -- Is losing weight as simple as doing a 15-minute writing exercise? In a new study, women who wrote about their most important values, like close relationships, music, or religion, lost more weight over the next few months than women who did not have that experience. ... > full story

Leaping lizards and dinosaurs inspire robot design (January 4, 2012) -- A new study of how lizards use their tails when leaping through the trees shows that they swing the tail upward to avoid pitching forward after a stumble. Theropod dinosaurs -- the ancestors of birds -- may have done the same. A robot model confirms the value of an actively controlled tail, demonstrating that adding a tail can stabilize robots on uneven terrain and after unexpected falls -- critical to successful search and rescue operations. ... > full story

Experimental vaccine partially protects monkeys from HIV-like infection (January 4, 2012) -- New vaccine research in monkeys suggests that scientists are homing in on the critical ingredients of a protective HIV vaccine and identifies new HIV vaccine candidates to test in human clinical trials. ... > full story

Russian runoff freshening Canadian Arctic, NASA finds (January 4, 2012) -- A new study allays concerns that melting Arctic sea ice could be increasing the amount of freshwater in the Arctic enough to have an impact on the global "ocean conveyor belt" that redistributes heat around our planet. Researchers detected a previously unknown redistribution of freshwater during the past decade from the Eurasian half of the Arctic Ocean to the Canadian half. Yet despite the redistribution, they found no change in the net amount of freshwater in the Arctic that might signal a change in the conveyor belt. ... > full story

Hydrogen sulfide reduces glucose-induced injury in kidney cells (January 4, 2012) -- Hydrogen sulfide, a noxious gas that smells like rotten eggs, may have beneficial effects in the kidney. Researchers found that this gas diminishes high glucose-induced production of scarring proteins in kidney cells. Considerable work remains to be done before studies can move to animal models. ... > full story

Nanotechnology: Nanomechanical measurements of unprecedented resolution made on protein molecules (January 4, 2012) -- Physicists have made nanomechanical measurements of unprecedented resolution on protein molecules. The new measurements are approximately 100 times higher in resolution than previous mechanical measurements, a nanotechnology feat which reveals an isolated protein molecule, surprisingly, is neither a solid nor a liquid. ... > full story

Blogging may help teens dealing with social distress (January 4, 2012) -- Blogging may have psychological benefits for teens suffering from social anxiety, improving their self-esteem and helping them relate better to their friends, according to new research. ... > full story

Smoky pink core of Omega Nebula (January 4, 2012) -- A new image of the Omega Nebula, captured by ESO's Very Large Telescope, is one of the sharpest of this object ever taken from the ground. It shows the dusty, rose-colored central parts of this famous stellar nursery and reveals extraordinary detail in the cosmic landscape of gas clouds, dust and newborn stars. ... > full story

Boy or girl? Simple blood test in the first trimester predicts fetal gender (January 4, 2012) -- New findings could lead to a non-invasive test allowing expecting mothers to learn the sex of their baby as early as the first trimester. Specifically, researchers discovered that various ratios of two enzymes (DYS14/GAPDH), which can be extracted from a pregnant mother's blood, indicate if the baby will be a boy or a girl. Such a test would be the first of its kind. ... > full story

New clues to human deafness found in mice (January 4, 2012) -- Researchers have identified a gene that is required for proper development of the mouse inner ear. In humans, this gene, known as FGF20, is located in a portion of the genome that has been associated with inherited deafness in otherwise healthy families. ... > full story

Hepatitis C virus hijacks liver microRNA (January 4, 2012) -- Scientists have now shown for the first time how a small RNA molecule that regulates gene expression in human liver cells has been hijacked by the hepatitis C virus to ensure its own survival -- helping medical scientists understand why a new antiviral drug appears to be effective against the virus. ... > full story

Millipede border control better than ours (January 4, 2012) -- An Australian zoologist has documented a remarkably sharp boundary between two species of millipede in northwest Tasmania. The boundary is more than 200 km long and apparently less than 100 m wide. ... > full story

Maternal gestational diabetes and low socioeconomic status associated with increased risk of ADHD in offspring (January 4, 2012) -- Children exposed to maternal gestational diabetes mellitus and low socioeconomic status, particularly in combination, appear to be at an increased risk of developing childhood ADHD, according to a new report. ... > full story

Shot of young stem cells makes rapidly aging mice live much longer and healthier, researchers report (January 4, 2012) -- Mice bred to age too quickly seemed to have sipped from the fountain of youth after scientists injected them with stem cell-like progenitor cells derived from the muscle of young, healthy animals. Instead of becoming infirm and dying early as untreated mice did, animals that got the stem/progenitor cells improved their health and lived two to three times longer than expected. ... > full story

Autism may be linked to abnormal immune system characteristics and novel protein fragment (January 4, 2012) -- Immune system abnormalities that mimic those seen with autism spectrum disorders have been linked to the amyloid precursor protein (APP), according to new research. The study, conducted with mouse models of autism, suggests that elevated levels of an APP fragment circulating in the blood could explain the aberrations in immune cell populations and function -- both observed in some autism patients. ... > full story

A radar for ADAR: Altered gene tracks RNA editing in neurons (January 4, 2012) -- RNA editing is a key step in gene expression. Scientists now report that they have engineered a gene capable of visually displaying the activity of the key enzyme ADAR in living fruit flies. ... > full story

Alzheimer's damage occurs early (January 4, 2012) -- The first changes in the brain of a person with Alzheimer's disease can be observed as much as ten years in advance – ten years before the person in question has become so ill that he or she can be diagnosed with the disease. ... > full story

Prototype device measures absolute optical power in fiber at nanowatt levels (January 4, 2012) -- Researchers have demonstrated the first prototype device that measures optical power delivered through optical fiber at nanowatt levels. ... > full story

Physical activity, school performance may be linked (January 4, 2012) -- A systematic review of previous studies suggests that there may be a positive relationship between physical activity and the academic performance of children. ... > full story

'Lost world' discovered around Antarctic vents (January 4, 2012) -- Communities of species previously unknown to science have been discovered on the seafloor near Antarctica, clustered in the hot, dark environment surrounding hydrothermal vents. The discoveries include new species of yeti crab, starfish, barnacles, sea anemones, and potentially an octopus. ... > full story

When overeating, calories -- not protein -- contribute to increase in body fat, study finds (January 4, 2012) -- In a study conducted among 25 healthy individuals living in a controlled setting who were randomized to overconsumption of different levels of protein diets, those consuming the low-protein diet had less weight gain compared to those consuming normal and high protein diets, and calories alone, and not protein appeared to contribute to an increase in body fat, according to a new study. ... > full story

Frogs use calls to find mates with matching chromosomes; Tree frogs that look similar hear chromosome difference in calls (January 4, 2012) -- When it comes to love songs, female tree frogs are pretty picky. According to a new study, certain female tree frogs may be remarkably attuned to the songs of mates who share the same number of chromosomes as they do. The discovery offers insight into how new frog species may have evolved. ... > full story

Females may be more susceptible to infection during ovulation (January 4, 2012) -- A woman's ovarian cycle plays a role in susceptibility to infection, according to new research. Specifically, researchers found women are most susceptible to infection, such as Candida albicans or other sexually transmitted diseases, during ovulation than at any other time during the reproductive cycle. This natural "dip" in immunity may be to allow spermatozoa to survive the threat of an immune response so it may fertilize an egg successfully. ... > full story

Nanotechnology: The art of molecular carpet-weaving (January 4, 2012) -- Stable two-dimensional networks of organic molecules are important components in various nanotechnology processes. However, producing these networks, which are only one atom thick, in high quality and with the greatest possible stability currently still poses a great challenge. Scientists have now successfully created just such networks made of boron acid molecules. ... > full story

'BINGO!' game helps researchers study perception deficits (January 4, 2012) -- Bingo, a popular activity in nursing homes, senior centers and assisted-living facilities, has benefits that extend well beyond socializing. Researchers found high-contrast, large bingo cards boost thinking and playing skills for people with cognitive difficulties and visual perception problems produced by Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. ... > full story

The cost of disabilities could reach 77.2% of household income (January 4, 2012) -- Researchers have for the first time estimated the cost and impact of disabilities on the finances of disabled people. According to data, 90% of the population with a serious disability in Spain is in a state of moderate poverty and 56% lives in a state of extreme poverty. ... > full story

Through hardship to the stars (January 4, 2012) -- "Humanity's adventurous, stubborn, mad and glorious aspiration to reach the stars," is the subject of a new article. ... > full story

Great apes make sophisticated decisions: Research suggests that great apes are capable of calculating the odds before taking risks (January 3, 2012) -- Chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas and bonobos make more sophisticated decisions than was previously thought. Great apes weigh their chances of success, based on what they know and the likelihood to succeed when guessing, according to a new study. The findings may provide insight into human decision-making as well. ... > full story

Novel compound to halt virus replication identified (January 3, 2012) -- Researchers have identified a novel compound to halt virus replication. The findings could lead to the development of highly targeted compounds to block the replication of poxviruses, such as the emerging infectious disease monkeypox. ... > full story

Quadrantids meteor shower will create brief, beautiful show on Jan. 4 (January 3, 2012) -- The 2012 Quadrantids, a little-known meteor shower named after an extinct constellation, will present an excellent chance for hardy souls to start the year off with some late-night meteor watching. ... > full story

Smaller sibling protein calls the shots in cell division (January 3, 2012) -- Scientists have found at least one instance when the smaller sibling gets to call the shots and cancer patients may one day benefit. ... > full story

Amplifier helps diamond spy on atoms (January 3, 2012) -- An 'amplifier' molecule placed on the tip of a diamond could help scientists locate and identify individual atoms, scientists believe. ... > full story

What are emotion expressions for? (January 3, 2012) -- That cartoon scary face -- wide eyes, ready to run -- may have helped our primate ancestors survive in a dangerous wild, according to a new article. The authors present a way that fear and other facial expressions might have evolved and then come to signal a person's feelings to the people around him. ... > full story

Beast with four tails: Milky Way devouring neighboring dwarf galaxies (January 3, 2012) -- The Milky Way galaxy continues to devour its small neighboring dwarf galaxies and the evidence is spread out across the sky. ... > full story

New way to ensure effectiveness of TB treatment? (January 3, 2012) -- A new study using a sophisticated "glass mouse" research model has found that multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is more likely caused in patients by speedy drug metabolism rather than inconsistent doses, as is widely believed. ... > full story

Sunlight and bunker oil a fatal combination for Pacific herring (January 3, 2012) -- The 2007 Cosco Busan disaster, which spilled 54,000 gallons of oil into the San Francisco Bay, had an unexpectedly lethal impact on embryonic fish, devastating a commercially and ecologically important species for nearly two years, reports a new study. ... > full story

Another potential risk factor for developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease in women (January 3, 2012) -- A hormone derived from visceral fat called adiponectin may play a role as a risk factor for development of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer's disease in women, according to a new study. ... > full story