ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Thursday, January 12, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Thursday, January 12, 2012

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Disruption of biological clocks can lead to neurodegeneration, early death, study suggests (January 12, 2012) -- New research provides evidence for the first time that disruption of circadian rhythms -- the biological "clocks" found in many animals -- can clearly cause accelerated neurodegeneration, loss of motor function and premature death. ... > full story

Less blood needed post-surgery, new study suggests (January 12, 2012) -- Patients need less blood after surgery than is widely thought. A new study comparing two plans for giving blood transfusions following surgery showed no ill effects from postponing transfusion until patients develop signs of anemia or their hemoglobin concentration falls below 8 g/dL. ... > full story

New hope to save hemlock trees from attack (January 12, 2012) -- Thousands of broken trees line the banks of the Chattooga River. The dead gray stabs were once evergreen monsters offering shade to trout and picturesque views to visitors. These Eastern hemlocks are dying rapidly, and researchers are working to save them. ... > full story

Biochemical signature predicts progression to Alzheimer's disease (January 12, 2012) -- New research from Finland suggests that Alzheimer's disease is preceded by a molecular signature indicative of hypoxia and up-regulated pentose phosphate pathway. This indicator can be analyzed as a simple biochemical assay from a serum sample months or even years before the first symptoms of the disease occur. In a healthcare setting, the application of such an assay could therefore complement the neurocognitive assessment by the medical doctor and could be applied to identify the at-risk patients in need of further comprehensive follow-up. ... > full story

Renewable fuel: Clearing a potential road block to bisabolane (January 12, 2012) -- Researchers have determined the three-dimensional crystal structure of a protein that is key to boosting the microbial-based production of bisabolane as a clean, green and renewable biosynthetic alternative to D2 diesel fuel. ... > full story

Asthma rates double for World Trade Center first responders (January 12, 2012) -- A recent study has revealed that World Trade Center responders suffer from asthma at more than twice the rate of the general U.S. population, presumably as a result of their exposure to the toxic dust from the collapse of the WTC towers in 2001. ... > full story

Saturn-like ring system eclipses Sun-like star (January 12, 2012) -- A team of astrophysicists has discovered a ring system in the constellation Centaurus that invites comparisons to Saturn. This is the first system of discrete, thin, dust rings detected around a very low-mass object outside of our solar system. ... > full story

Link between autoimmune diseases and wounds that don't heal examined (January 12, 2012) -- Millions of Americans suffer from wounds that don't heal, and while most are typically associated with diabetes, new research has identified another possible underlying cause – autoimmune diseases. The finding represents an unappreciated link that could lead to important new insights in wound healing, say researchers. ... > full story

Tracking genes' remote controls: New method for observing enhancer activity during development (January 12, 2012) -- Inside each cell's nucleus, genetic sequences known as enhancers act like remote controls, switching genes on and off. Scientists can now see -- and predict -- exactly when each remote control is itself activated, in a real embryo. ... > full story

Insulin signaling is distorted in pancreases of Type 2 diabetics (January 12, 2012) -- Altered insulin signaling, observed for the first time in the pancreases of human Type 2 diabetics, impairs the cells that produce insulin. ... > full story

Experiments demonstrate nanoscale metallic conductivity in ferroelectrics (January 12, 2012) -- The prospect of electronics at the nanoscale may be even more promising with the first observation of metallic conductance in ferroelectric nanodomains. ... > full story

Lower risk of death linked with access to key attributes of primary care (January 12, 2012) -- Greater access to features of high-quality primary care -- comprehensiveness, patient-centeredness and extended office hours -- is associated with lower mortality, according to a new national U.S. study. ... > full story

Rare ultra-blue stars found in neighboring galaxy's hub (January 11, 2012) -- Peering deep inside the hub of the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered a large, rare population of hot, bright stars. ... > full story

New hope for better treatment of psoriasis (January 11, 2012) -- Researchers are developing a promising new treatment for psoriasis. The study focuses on the psoriasin protein. ... > full story

Predators hunt for a balanced diet (January 11, 2012) -- Predators select their prey in order to eat a nutritionally balanced diet and give themselves the best chance of producing healthy offspring. A new study shows for the first time that predatory animals choose their food on the basis of its nutritional value, rather than just overall calorie content. ... > full story

Increased risk of developing asthma by age of three after Cesarean (January 11, 2012) -- A new study supports previous findings that children delivered by Cesarean section have an increased risk of developing asthma. ... > full story

Fish offspring grow best at same temperature as parents (January 11, 2012) -- Fish parents can pre-condition their offspring to grow fastest at the temperature they experienced, according to new research. ... > full story

Sports: Restricting improving technology does not always have expected outcome (January 11, 2012) -- New research by a sports economist shows restricting improving technology does not always have the expected outcome. His study suggests that understanding how people react to regulations can aid in policy-making. ... > full story

Touching a nerve: How every hair in skin feels touch and how it all gets to the brain (January 11, 2012) -- Neuroscientists have discovered how the sense of touch is wired in the skin and nervous system. The new findings open new doors for understanding how the brain collects and processes information from hairy skin. ... > full story

Bacteria in the gut of autistic children different from non-autistic children (January 11, 2012) -- The underlying reason autism is often associated with gastrointestinal problems is an unknown, but new results reveal that the guts of autistic children differ from other children in at least one important way: many children with autism harbor a type of bacteria in their guts that non-autistic children do not. ... > full story

Scientists look to microbes to unlock Earth's deep secrets (January 11, 2012) -- Of all the habitable parts of our planet, one ecosystem still remains largely unexplored and unknown to science: The igneous ocean crust. This rocky realm of hard volcanic lava exists beneath ocean sediments that lie at the bottom of much of the world's oceans. While scientists have estimated that microbes living in deep ocean sediments may represent as much as one-third of Earth's total biomass, the habitable portion of the rocky ocean crust may be 10 times as great. ... > full story

Protein complex plays role in suppressing pancreatic tumors (January 11, 2012) -- A well-known protein complex responsible for controlling how DNA is expressed plays a previously unsuspected role in preventing pancreatic cancer, according to researchers. ... > full story

Greenhouses and solar power: Crop testing with a special photovoltaic panel for greenhouses (January 11, 2012) -- A new photovoltaic module allows electricity to be generated without greenhouse crops being affected by over-shading. ... > full story

Is there a dark side to moving in sync? (January 11, 2012) -- Moving in harmony can make people feel more connected to one another and, as a result, lead to positive collective action. Think of those feel-good vibes created in a yoga class as students move in unison through their downward-facing dogs. Yet given that synchronized physical activities are also a cornerstone of military training and are the highlights of military propaganda reels, could the interconnectedness created by coordinated action be mined to make people behave destructively instead? Two new studies find aligned action does not always lead to the common good. ... > full story

Planet population is plentiful: Planets around stars are the rule rather than the exception (January 11, 2012) -- Astronomers have used the technique of gravitational microlensing to measure how common planets are in the Milky Way. After a six-year search that surveyed millions of stars, the team concludes that planets around stars are the rule rather than the exception. ... > full story

Omega-3 fatty acids could prevent and treat nerve damage, research suggests (January 11, 2012) -- Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, have the potential to protect nerves from injury and help them to regenerate, new research suggests. ... > full story

Gut microbe networks differ from norm in obese people, systems biology approach reveals (January 11, 2012) -- People harbor more than 100 trillion microbes. These microbes live in various habitats on and within the human anatomy; the gut houses the densest population of all, containing hundreds of bacterial species. Scientists detected organizational shifts away from the normal lean state in the gut flora of people who were obese. The differences relate to how the microbial community interacts with the human gut environment, rather than variations in its core energy-use processes. ... > full story

Lab-made tissue picks up the slack of Petri dishes in cancer research (January 11, 2012) -- New research, using oral cancer cells in a three-dimensional model of lab-made tissue, demonstrates that previous models used to examine cancer may not be complex enough to accurately mimic the true cancer environment. ... > full story

Engineers make 'building blocks of chemical industry' from wood while boosting production 40 percent (January 11, 2012) -- Chemical engineers using a catalytic fast pyrolysis process that transforms renewable non-food biomass into petrochemicals, have developed a new catalyst that boosts the yield for five key “building blocks of the chemical industry” by 40 percent compared to previous methods. ... > full story

'Tiger mothers' should tame parenting approach, expert says (January 11, 2012) -- A new study is refuting the "tiger mother" approach to parenting that pushes children to excel at all costs. ... > full story

Solar energy: New sunflower-inspired pattern increases concentrated solar efficiency (January 11, 2012) -- A new sunflower-inspired pattern increases concentrated solar efficiency. ... > full story

Parkinson's treatment shows positive results in clinical testing (January 11, 2012) -- Deep brain stimulation -- also known as DBS -- is effective at improving motor symptoms and quality of life in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease, according to new research. ... > full story

Mosquito immune system engineered to block malaria (January 11, 2012) -- Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that the Anopheles mosquito’s innate immune system could be genetically engineered to block the transmission of the malaria-causing parasite to humans. In addition, they showed that the genetic modification had little impact on the mosquito’s fitness under laboratory conditions. ... > full story

New model for epidemic contagion (January 11, 2012) -- Humans are considered the hosts for spreading epidemics. The speed at which an epidemic spreads is now better understood thanks to a new model accounting for the provincial nature of human mobility, according to a new study. ... > full story

Keeping electronics cool: Findings on modified form of graphene could have impacts in managing heat dissipation (January 11, 2012) -- An engineering professor has made a breakthrough discovery with graphene, a material that could play a major role in keeping laptops and other electronic devices from overheating. ... > full story

Global study sheds light on role of exercise, cars and televisions on the risk of heart attacks (January 11, 2012) -- A worldwide study has shown that physical activity during work and leisure time significantly lowers the risk of heart attacks in both developed and developing countries. Ownership of a car and a television was linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. ... > full story

Molecular 'culprit' in rise of planetary oxygen (January 11, 2012) -- A turning point in the history of life occurred two to three billion years ago with the unprecedented appearance and dramatic rise of molecular oxygen. Now researchers report they have identified an enzyme that was the first – or among the first – to generate molecular oxygen on Earth. ... > full story

Pill some day may prevent serious foodborne illness, scientist says (January 11, 2012) -- Modified probiotics, the beneficial bacteria touted for their role in digestive health, could one day decrease the risk of Listeria infection in people with susceptible immune systems, according to new research. ... > full story

Climate change driving tropical birds to higher elevations (January 11, 2012) -- Tropical birds are moving to higher elevations because of climate change, but they may not be moving fast enough, according to a new study. ... > full story

HIV drug reduces graft-versus-host disease in stem cell transplant patients (January 11, 2012) -- An HIV drug that redirects immune cell traffic appears to significantly reduce the dangerous complication graft-versus-host disease in blood cancer patients following allogeneic stem cell transplantation, according to new research. ... > full story

Student team's glucose sensor uses DNA instead of chemicals (January 11, 2012) -- People with diabetes may one day have a less expensive resource for monitoring their blood glucose levels, if research by a group of students becomes reality. ... > full story

New light shed on how children learn to speak (January 11, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered that children under the age of two control speech using a different strategy than previously thought. ... > full story

Astronomers pinpoint launch of 'bullets' in a black hole's jet (January 11, 2012) -- Astronomers have identified the moment when a black hole in our galaxy launched super-fast knots of gas into space. Racing outward at about one-quarter the speed of light, these "bullets" of ionized gas are thought to arise from a region located just outside the black hole's event horizon, the point beyond which nothing can escape. ... > full story

Marijuana smoke not as damaging to lungs as cigarette smoke, study suggests (January 11, 2012) -- Using marijuana carries legal risks, but the consequences of occasionally lighting up do not include long-term loss of lung function, according to a new study. In the study in which participants had repeated measurements of lung function over 20 years, occasional and low cumulative marijuana use was not associated with adverse effects on pulmonary function. ... > full story

Patterns of connections reveal brain functions (January 11, 2012) -- Neuroscientists have identified face-recognition areas based on what parts of the brain they link to. ... > full story

Cholesterol-lowering medication accelerates depletion of plaque in arteries (January 11, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered how cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins promote the breakdown of plaque in the arteries. ... > full story

Scientists characterize protein essential to survival of malaria parasite (January 11, 2012) -- A biology lab has successfully cracked the structure of an enzyme made by Plasmodium falciparum, the parasitical protozoan that causes the most lethal form of malaria. Plasmodium cannot live without the enzyme, which is uses to make cell membrane. Because people don't make this enzyme, it is an ideal target for an anti-malarial drug. Such a drug might kill Plasmodium but have minimal side effects for people. ... > full story

Language may be dominant social marker for young children (January 11, 2012) -- Children's reasoning about language and race can take unexpected turns, according to researchers, who found that for younger white children in particular, language can loom larger than race in defining a person's identity. ... > full story