ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Wednesday, January 18, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

Fruit flies watch the sky to stay on course (January 18, 2012) -- New research demonstrates that fruit flies keep their bearings by using the polarization pattern of natural skylight, bolstering the belief that many, if not all, insects have that capability. ... > full story

Intestinal worms may help promote healing (January 18, 2012) -- Intestinal worm infections may not be all bad, according to a new study. In research on mice immune reaction to the presence of intestinal worms was found to promote wound healing in the lungs. ... > full story

The perfect liquid -- now even more perfect (January 18, 2012) -- How liquid can a fluid be? This is a question particle physicists have been working on. The “most perfect liquid” is nothing like water, but the extremely hot quark-gluon-plasma which is produced in heavy-ion collisions at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. New theoretical results show that this quark-gluon plasma could be even less viscous than was deemed possible by previous theories. ... > full story

Precancer markers identified in airway epithelium cells of healthy smokers (January 18, 2012) -- Smokers are more likely to have molecular features of cancerization in the large airway epithelium. Smokers with COPD had significant changes in the small airway epithelium, new research has shown. New findings could lead to development of a diagnostic test. ... > full story

New nanotech technique for lower-cost materials repair (January 18, 2012) -- Polymer scientists and engineers have discovered how to make nano-scale repairs to a damaged surface equivalent to spot-filling a scratched car fender rather than re-surfacing the entire part. ... > full story

When co-workers are treated poorly: 'I feel your pain ...' (January 18, 2012) -- According to a new study, workers who witness incivility towards colleagues feel negative emotions -- especially when the incivility is aimed at workers of the same sex. The work is the first to look at the relationship between employees' observations of incivility towards same gender coworkers and negative emotions. ... > full story

Simpler times: Did an earlier genetic molecule predate DNA and RNA? (January 18, 2012) -- Scientists have described the Darwinian evolution of functional TNA molecules from a large pool of random sequences. This is the first case where such methods have been applied to molecules other than DNA and RNA, or very close structural analogues thereof. One of the researchers said "the most important finding to come from this work is that TNA can fold into complex shapes that can bind to a desired target with high affinity and specificity." ... > full story

Dietary DHA linked to male fertility (January 18, 2012) -- A certain omega-3 fatty acid is necessary to construct the arch that turns a round, immature sperm cell into a pointy-headed super swimmer with an extra long tail, according to new research. The study shows that docosahexaenoic acid is essential in fusing the building blocks of the acrosome together. The acrosome is critical in fertilization because it houses, organizes, and concentrates a variety of enzymes that sperm use to penetrate an egg. ... > full story

New way to learn about -- and potentially block -- traits in harmful pathogens (January 18, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a new way to identify the genes of harmful microbes, particularly those that have been difficult to study in the laboratory. ... > full story

Inflammation may link obesity and adverse pregnancy outcomes (January 18, 2012) -- A number of different immunological mechanisms ensure the successful establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Imbalance in these mechanisms is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Researchers have now examined the impact of maternal obesity on the inflammatory responses in tissues of both the mother and the child. ... > full story

Algae for your fuel tank (January 18, 2012) -- The available amount of fossil fuels is limited and their combustion in vehicle motors increases atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. The generation of fuels from biomass as an alternative is on the rise. Scientists have now introduced a new catalytic process that allows the effective conversion of biopetroleum from microalgae into diesel fuels. ... > full story

Treatment for diabetes and depression improves both, researchers say (January 18, 2012) -- Patients simultaneously treated for both Type 2 diabetes and depression improve medication compliance and significantly improve blood sugar and depression levels compared to patients receiving usual care, according to a new study. ... > full story

Master controller of memory identified (January 17, 2012) -- One gene appears to regulate the brain's ability to form new memories. ... > full story

Study reveals origins of esophageal cancer (January 17, 2012) -- Researchers have identified the critical early cellular and molecular events that give rise to a type of esophageal cancer called esophageal adenocarcinoma, the fastest-rising solid tumor in the United States. The findings challenge conventional wisdom regarding the origin and development of this deadly cancer and its precursor lesion, Barrett's esophagus, and highlight possible targets for new clinical therapies. ... > full story

Diverse ecosystems are crucial climate change buffer (January 17, 2012) -- Preserving diverse plant life will be crucial to buffer the negative effects of climate change and desertification in in the world's drylands, according to a new landmark study. ... > full story

Marijuana use associated with cyclic vomiting syndrome in young males (January 17, 2012) -- Researchers have found clear associations between marijuana use in young males and cyclic vomiting syndrome, where patients experience episodes of vomiting separated by symptom-free intervals. ... > full story

Graphene's piezoelectric promise (January 17, 2012) -- Engineers predict that graphene can be coaxed into acting piezoelectric, merely by punching triangular holes into the material. ... > full story

Combination therapy shows positive response for children with ADHD (January 17, 2012) -- The first randomized placebo-controlled trial designed to assess efficacy and safety of guanfacine extended release as an adjunct to psychostimulants in children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD who had a suboptimal response to a psychostimulant alone has just been published. ... > full story

Boost for health? Researchers isolate protein linking exercise to health benefits (January 17, 2012) -- Scientists have isolated a natural hormone from muscle cells that triggers some of the key health benefits of exercise. The hormone, named irisin, switches on genes that convert white fat into "good" brown fat. The researchers call irisin a highly promising candidate for development as a novel treatment for diabetes, obesity and perhaps other disorders, including cancer. ... > full story

Natural enzyme provides potential new approach for treating graft-vs.-host disease (January 17, 2012) -- A natural enzyme derived from human blood plasma showed potential in significantly reducing the effects of graft-vs.-host disease, a common and deadly side effect of lifesaving bone marrow transplants. ... > full story

Neutron scattering provides window into surface interactions (January 17, 2012) -- To better understand the fundamental behavior of molecules at surfaces, researchers are combining the powers of neutron scattering with chemical analysis. ... > full story

Chemotherapy may influence leukemia relapse (January 17, 2012) -- The chemotherapy drugs required to push a common form of adult leukemia into remission may contribute to DNA damage that can lead to a relapse of the disease in some patients, findings of a new study suggest. ... > full story

Solutions for a nitrogen-soaked world (January 17, 2012) -- Nitrogen is both an essential nutrient and a pollutant, a byproduct of fossil fuel combustion and a fertilizer that feeds billions, a benefit and a hazard, depending on form, location, and quantity. Agriculture, industry and transportation have spread nitrogen liberally around the planet, say scientists with complex and interrelated consequences for human and ecological health. ... > full story

The illusion of courage: Why people mispredict their behavior in embarrassing situations (January 17, 2012) -- Whether it's investing in stocks, bungee jumping or public speaking, why do we often plan to take risks but then "chicken out" when the moment of truth arrives? Scientists argue that this "illusion of courage" is one example of an "empathy gap" -- that is, our inability to imagine how we will behave in future emotional situations. ... > full story

Moon-walk mineral discovered in Western Australia (January 17, 2012) -- The last mineral thought to have been unique to the Moon has been discovered in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. ... > full story

How the brain computes 3-dimensional structure (January 17, 2012) -- The ability of our brain to create a 3D representation from an object's 2D projection on the retina is not well understood and is likely to be highly complex. Now, new research provides the first direct evidence that specific brain areas underlie perception of different 3D structures and sheds light the way that the primate brain reconstructs real-world objects. ... > full story

Gene crucial to normal development of lungs and brain: Discovery may lead to new ways to replace damaged lung tissues with stem cells (January 17, 2012) -- Scientists have identified a gene that tells cells to develop multiple cilia, tiny hair-like structures that move fluids through the lungs and brain. The finding may help scientists generate new therapies that use stem cells to replace damaged tissues in the lung and other organs. ... > full story

Inflammation in depression: Chicken or egg? (January 17, 2012) -- An important ongoing debate in the field of psychiatry is whether inflammation in the body is a consequence of or contributor to major depression. A new study has attempted to resolve the issue. ... > full story

HokieSpeed is a new powerful supercomputer for the masses (January 17, 2012) -- Virginia Tech crashed the supercomputing arena in 2003 with System X, a machine that placed the university among the world's top computational research facilities. Now comes HokieSpeed, a new supercomputer that is up to 22 times faster and yet a quarter of the size of X. As researchers from around the world have used System X to crack riddles of the blood system and further DNA research, HokieSpeed will be a next-generation research tool for engineers, scientists, and others. ... > full story

Planned actions improve the way we process information (January 17, 2012) -- Preparing to act in a particular way can improve the way we process information, and this has potential implications for those with learning disabilities. Researchers have shown that using a grabbing action with our hands can help our processing of visual information. ... > full story

Most recent European great ape discovered (January 17, 2012) -- Based on a hominid molar, scientists from Germany, Bulgaria and France have documented that great apes survived in Europe in savannah-like landscapes until seven million years ago. ... > full story

Short, sharp shock treatment for E. coli (January 17, 2012) -- A short burst of low voltage alternating current can effectively eradicate E. coli bacteria growing on the surface of even heavily contaminated beef, according to a new study. The technique offers an inexpensive and easy to implement approach to reducing the risk of food poisoning, which can occur despite handlers complying with hygiene standards. ... > full story

Tiny transmitter sets frequency record: Revolutionary terahertz transmitter developed (January 17, 2012) -- A terahertz transmitter has generated the highest frequency ever attained by a microelectronic device. The innovative device is also minuscule and operates at room temperature, which could lead to it paving the way for new applications in, e.g., nondestructive testing or medical diagnostics. ... > full story

Breast cancer spread triggered by a cleaver-wielding protein on cancer cell's surface (January 17, 2012) -- Scientists have exposed a cell pathway that breast tumor cells use to destruct local tissue neighborhood. Cancer cells may use this pathway to free themselves from mammary epithelial tissue architecture, to spread to surrounding tissues. The cell pathway, the researchers found, is a biochemical chain of events leading to activation of a protein-cleaving enzyme on the surface of the tumor cells. ... > full story

Traditional physical autopsies – not high-tech 'virtopsies' – still the gold standard for determining cause of death, experts claim (January 17, 2012) -- TV crime shows like Bones and CSI are quick to explain each death by showing highly detailed scans and video images of victims’ insides. Traditional autopsies, if shown at all, are at best in supporting roles to the high-tech equipment, and usually gloss over the sometimes physically grueling tasks of sawing through skin and bone. ... > full story

Large and in charge: Powerful people overestimate their own height (January 17, 2012) -- The psychological experience of power makes people feel taller than they are, according to new research. It seems there is actually a physical experience that goes along with feeling powerful. ... > full story

Hubble zooms in on double nucleus in Andromeda galaxy (January 17, 2012) -- A new Hubble Space Telescope image centers on the 100-million-solar-mass black hole at the hub of the neighboring spiral galaxy M31, or the Andromeda galaxy, the only galaxy outside the Milky Way visible to the naked eye and the only other giant galaxy in the local group. ... > full story

Major genetic mutation associated with hereditary prostate cancer risk discovered (January 17, 2012) -- After a 20-year quest to find a genetic driver for prostate cancer that strikes men at younger ages and runs in families, researchers have identified a rare, inherited mutation linked to a significantly higher risk of the disease. ... > full story

Walk this way: Scientists and physiology students describe how a motor protein 'steps out' (January 17, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered the unique "drunken sailor" gait of dynein, a protein that is critical for the function of every cell in the body and whose malfunction has been associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Lou Gehrig's disease and Parkinson's disease. ... > full story

Monitored heart bracelets may prevent sudden death in sport (January 17, 2012) -- The use of heart bracelets connected via ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) to a system of tracking and monitoring could prevent cases of sudden death in sports activities. It could also enable an early detection of cardiac abnormalities, the prevention of certain muscle injuries and the improvement in health care times to the athlete. ... > full story

Climate adaptation difficult for Europe's birds (January 17, 2012) -- For the past 20 years, the climate in Europe has been getting warmer. Species of bird and butterfly which thrive in cool temperatures therefore need to move further north. However, they have difficulty adapting to the warmer climate quickly enough, as shown by new research. ... > full story

Headphones linked to pedestrian deaths, injuries (January 17, 2012) -- Serious injuries to pedestrians listening to headphones have more than tripled in six years, according to new research. In many cases, the cars or trains are sounding horns that the pedestrians cannot hear, leading to fatalities in nearly three-quarters of cases. ... > full story

Early primate had transitional lemur-like grooming claw (January 16, 2012) -- A new study examines the first extinct North American primate with a toe bone showing features associated with the presence of both nails and a grooming claw, indicating our primate ancestors may have traded their flat nails for raised claws for functional purposes, much like pop icons Adele and Lady Gaga are doing today in the name of fashion. ... > full story

Brain circuits for visual categorization revealed by new experiments (January 16, 2012) -- Hundreds of times during a baseball game, the home plate umpire must instantaneously categorize a fast-moving pitch as a ball or a strike. Scientists have now pinpointed an area in the brain where these kinds of visual categories are encoded. ... > full story

Scientists shed new light on link between 'killer cells' and diabetes (January 16, 2012) -- Killer T-cells in the human body which help protect us from disease can inadvertently destroy cells that produce insulin, new research has uncovered. ... > full story

New indicator may help identify patients with increased risk from throat cancer (January 16, 2012) -- Researchers have found a new indicator that may predict which patients with a common type of throat cancer are most likely have the cancer spread to other parts of their bodies. ... > full story

High-speed CMOS sensors provide better images (January 16, 2012) -- Conventional CMOS image sensors are not suitable for low-light applications such as fluorescence, since large pixels arranged in a matrix do not support high readout speeds. A new optoelectronic component speeds up this process. ... > full story

People mimic each other, but only when they have the same goal, study suggests (January 16, 2012) -- It's easy to pick up on the movements that other people make -- scratching your head, crossing your legs. But a new study finds that people only feel the urge to mimic each other when they have the same goal. ... > full story