ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Monday, January 30, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Monday, January 30, 2012

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Quantum physics enables perfectly secure cloud computing (January 29, 2012) -- Researchers have succeeded in combining the power of quantum computing with the security of quantum cryptography and have shown that perfectly secure cloud computing can be achieved using the principles of quantum mechanics. They have performed an experimental demonstration of quantum computation in which the input, the data processing, and the output remain unknown to the quantum computer. ... > full story

Cancer sequencing initiative discovers mutations tied to aggressive childhood brain tumors (January 29, 2012) -- A cancer sequencing initiative has discovered mutations tied to aggressive childhood brain tumors. Early evidence suggests the alterations play a unique role in other aggressive pediatric brain tumors as well. ... > full story

More than 7,500-year-old fish traps found in Russia (January 29, 2012) -- Archeologists have documented a series of more than 7,500-year-old fish seines (nets) and traps near Moscow. The equipment found, among the oldest in Europe, displays a great technical complexity. The survey will allow us to understand the role of fishing among the European settlements by early Holocene (10,000 years ago), especially in those areas where inhabitants did not practice agriculture until nearly the Iron Age. ... > full story

'Dabbling' in hard drugs in middle age linked to increased risk of death (January 29, 2012) -- Data could lead to better advice for primary-care doctors struggling with a rising tide of older adult patients still in throes of youthful bad habits. ... > full story

New biodiversity map of Andes shows species in dire need of protection (January 29, 2012) -- The Andes-Amazon basin of Peru and Bolivia is one of the most biologically rich and rapidly changing areas of the world. A new study has used information collected over the last 100 years by explorers and from satellite images which reveals detailed patterns of species and ecosystems that occur only in this region. Worryingly, the study also finds that many of these unique species and ecosystems are lacking vital national level protection. Endemic species are restricted to a specific area and occur nowhere else. These species are especially vulnerable to climate and environmental changes because they require unique climates and soil conditions. ... > full story

Are we bad at forecasting our emotions? It depends on how you measure accuracy (January 29, 2012) -- How will you feel if you fail that test? Awful, really awful, you say. Then you fail the test and, yes, you feel bad -- but not as bad as you thought you would. This pattern holds for most people, research shows. The takeaway message: People are lousy at predicting their emotions. ... > full story

What really happened prior to 'Snowball Earth'? (January 29, 2012) -- The large changes in the carbon isotopic composition of carbonates which occurred prior to the major climatic event more than 500 million years ago, known as "Snowball Earth," are unrelated to worldwide glacial events, a new study suggests. ... > full story

A leukemia drug kills cancerous T-cells while sparing normal immunity, study suggests (January 29, 2012) -- Researchers report that low-dose Campath (alemtuzumab) not only treats patients with L-CTCL but does so without increasing their risk of infections. ... > full story

Scientists probe form, function of mysterious protein (January 29, 2012) -- Using computer models and laboratory experiments, scientists have probed the structure of the protein mitoNEET to better understand its role in aging, cancer and diabetes. They found the protein could untangle its arms at one end to loosen its grip on a potentially toxic molecule of iron and sulfur. ... > full story

Multiple births lead to weight gain, other problems for mouse moms and offspring (January 29, 2012) -- Study in model that mimics human effects of multiparity (giving birth more than once) finds mouse moms who gave birth 4 times accrued significantly more fat vs. primiparous females (those giving birth once) of similar age. Multiparous moms also had more liver inflammation. ... > full story

Visual nudge improves accuracy of mammogram readings (January 29, 2012) -- False negatives and positives plague the reading of mammograms, limiting their usefulness. Computer scientists have now shown that the accuracy of novice readers can be improved by nudging them visually to follow the scanpath of an expert radiologist. The "nudge" is a brief change in the brightness or warmth in the image in the peripheral field of view. ... > full story

The advantage of ambiguity in language (January 29, 2012) -- Cognitive scientists develop a new take on an old problem: Why human language has so many words with multiple meanings. ... > full story

Life discovered on dead hydrothermal vents (January 28, 2012) -- Microbiologists have found that the microbes that thrive on hot fluid methane and sulfur spewed by active hydrothermal vents are supplanted, once the vents go cold, by microbes that feed on the solid iron and sulfur that make up the vents themselves. ... > full story

Discovery of new vaccine approach for treatment of cancer (January 28, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a new vaccine to treat cancer at the pre-clinical level. They developed a new approach for treating the disease based on manipulating the immune response to malignant tumors. ... > full story

Kitchen gadget inspires scientist to make more effective plastic electronics (January 28, 2012) -- A kitchen gadget that vacuum seals food in plastic inspired a physicist to improve the performance of organic transistors for potential use in video displays. ... > full story

Genetic variation that raises risk of serious complication linked to osteoporosis drugs identified (January 28, 2012) -- Researchers have identified a genetic variation that raises the risk of developing serious necrotic jaw bone lesions in patients who take bisphosphonates, a common class of osteoclastic inhibitors. ... > full story

Space weather center to add world's first 'ensemble forecasting' capability (January 28, 2012) -- Leaner, greener flying machines for the year 2025 are on the drawing boards of three industry teams under contract to the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate's Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project. ... > full story

The amygdala and fear are not the same thing (January 28, 2012) -- In a 2007 episode of the television show Boston Legal, a character claimed to have figured out that a cop was racist because his amygdala activated – displaying fear, when they showed him pictures of black people. ... > full story

Heart of silk: Scientists use silk from the tasar silkworm as a scaffold for heart tissue (January 28, 2012) -- Damaged human heart muscle cannot be regenerated. Scar tissue grows in place of the damaged muscle cells. Scientists are seeking to restore complete cardiac function with the help of artificial cardiac tissue. They have succeeded in loading cardiac muscle cells onto a three-dimensional scaffold, created using the silk produced by a tropical silkworm. ... > full story

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor: Finding may have implications for Rett Syndrome, other neurological disorders (January 28, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered that a molecule critical to the development and plasticity of nerve cells -- brain-derived neurotrophic factor -- is severely lacking in brainstem neurons in mutations leading to Rett syndrome, a neurological developmental disorder. The finding has implications for the treatment of neurological disorders, including Rett syndrome that affects one in 10,000 baby girls. ... > full story

Where there's a worm there's a whale: First distribution model of marine parasites provides revealing insights (January 28, 2012) -- Each year around 20,000 people are infected by nematodes of the genus Anisakis and suffer from illnesses ranging from gastrointestinal diseases to serious allergic reactions as a result. For the first time, parasitologists have gathered data on the occurrence of the parasitic worm and have modeled the worldwide distribution of individual species in the ocean. The resulting maps not only enable statements to be made on the occurrence and migration behavior of certain hosts of the parasites, such as Baleen or toothed whales,  but also provide conclusions on the risk of human infection. ... > full story

New information for flu fight: Researchers study RNA interference to determine host genes used by influenza for virus replication (January 28, 2012) -- Influenza virus can rapidly evolve from one form to another, complicating the effectiveness of vaccines and anti-viral drugs used to treat it. By first understanding the complex host cell pathways that the flu uses for replication, researchers are finding new strategies for therapies and vaccines, according to a new study. ... > full story

Noise-free spectroscopy: Reversing the problem clarifies molecular structure (January 28, 2012) -- Optical techniques enable us to examine single molecules, but do we really understand what we are seeing? After all, the fuzziness caused by effects such as light interference makes these images very difficult to interpret. Researchers have now adopted a "reverse" approach to spectroscopy which cleaned up images by eliminating background noise. ... > full story

The pupils are the windows to the mind (January 28, 2012) -- The eyes are the window into the soul -- or at least the mind, according to a new article. ... > full story

Making memories last: Prion-like protein plays key role in storing long-term memories (January 27, 2012) -- Memories in our brains are maintained by connections between neurons called "synapses." But how do these synapses stay strong and keep memories alive for decades? Neuroscientists have discovered a major clue from a study in fruit flies: Hardy, self-copying clusters or oligomers of a synapse protein are an essential ingredient for the formation of long-term memory. ... > full story

How cholera bacterium gains a foothold in the gut (January 27, 2012) -- Biologists have made an important advance in our understanding of the way cholera attacks the body. The discovery could help scientists target treatments for the globally significant intestinal disease which kills more than 100,000 people every year. ... > full story

Mars-bound instrument detects solar burst's effects: RAD measures radiation from solar storm (January 27, 2012) -- The largest solar particle event since 2005 hit Earth, Mars and the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft traveling in-between, allowing the onboard Radiation Assessment Detector to measure the radiation a human astronaut could be exposed to en route to the Red Planet. ... > full story

Grape seed extract kills head and neck cancer cells, leaves healthy cells unharmed (January 27, 2012) -- In both cell lines and mouse models, grape seed extract kills head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed, new research shows. ... > full story

New ideas sharpen focus for greener aircraft (January 27, 2012) -- Leaner, greener flying machines for the year 2025 are on the drawing boards of three industry teams under contract to the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate's Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project. ... > full story

Mind over matter: Patients' perceptions of illness make a difference (January 27, 2012) -- Whenever we fall ill, there are many different factors that come together to influence the course of our illness. Additional medical conditions, stress levels, and social support all have an impact on our health and well-being, especially when we are ill. But a new report suggests that what you think about your illness matters just as much, if not more, in determining your health outcomes. ... > full story

Engineered bacteria effectively target tumors, enabling tumor imaging potential in mice (January 27, 2012) -- Tumor-targeted bioluminescent bacteria have been shown for the first time to provide accurate 3-D images of tumors in mice, further advancing the potential for targeted cancer drug delivery. ... > full story

New drug release mechanism utilizes 3-D superhydrophobic materials (January 27, 2012) -- There is a new mechanism of drug release using 3-D superhydrophobic materials that utilizes air as a removable barrier to control the rate at which drug is released. ... > full story

Can the economy bear what oil prices have in store? (January 27, 2012) -- The economic pain of a flattening oil supply will trump the environment as a reason to curb the use of fossil fuels, say scientists. ... > full story

Research on vitamins could lead to the design of novel drugs to combat malaria (January 27, 2012) -- New research could lead to the design of more effective drugs to combat malaria. The research will enable scientists to learn more about the nature of the enzymes required for vitamin biosynthesis by the malaria causing pathogen Plasmodium. Vitamins are essential nutrients required in small amounts, the lack of which leads to deficiencies. Many pathogenic microorganisms produce vitamins, and these biosynthetic pathways may provide suitable targets for development of new drugs. ... > full story

Making better electronic memory (January 27, 2012) -- A rare combination of electric and magnetic properties in a now readily producible material could improve electronic memory devices. ... > full story

Body location plays part in scratching pleasure (January 27, 2012) -- New research from a world-renowned itch expert shows that how good scratching an itch feels is related to the itch’s location. ... > full story

How viruses evolve, and in some cases, become deadly (January 27, 2012) -- Researchers have demonstrated how a new virus evolves, shedding light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous mutations. ... > full story

Scientists illuminate cancer cells' survival strategy during dangerous dissemination (January 27, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered key elements of a strategy commonly used by tumor cells to survive when they spread to distant organs. The finding could lead to drugs that could inhibit this metastasis in patients with tumors. ... > full story

Detecting detrimental change in coral reefs (January 27, 2012) -- Over dinner on R.V. Calypso while anchored on the lee side of Glover's Reef in Belize, Jacques Cousteau told Phil Dustan that he suspected humans were having a negative impact on coral reefs. Dustan -- a young ocean ecologist who had worked in the lush coral reefs of the Caribbean and Sinai Peninsula -- found this difficult to believe. It was December 1974. But Cousteau was right. During the following three-plus decades, Dustan, an ocean ecologist and biology professor at the University of Charleston in South Carolina, has witnessed widespread coral reef degradation and bleaching from up close. ... > full story

Generation X: How young adults deal with influenza (January 27, 2012) -- Only about one in five young adults in their late 30s received a flu shot during the 2009-2010 swine flu epidemic, according to a report that details the behavior and attitudes of Generation X. ... > full story

Improved ergonomics for wheelchair users: Anatomically designed seat developed for wheelchairs encourages user movement (January 27, 2012) -- Engineers have succeeded in developing an ergonomic seat for electric wheelchairs which encourages the user to move around frequently. The aim is to enhance the freedom of movement of wheelchair users with a range of disabilities. ... > full story

Family history of psychiatric disorders shapes intellectual interests, study suggests (January 27, 2012) -- A family history of psychiatric conditions such as autism and depression could influence the subjects a person finds engaging, new research suggests. Although preliminary, the findings provide a new look at the oft-studied link between psychiatric conditions and aptitude in the arts or sciences. ... > full story

Life beyond Earth? Underwater caves in Bahamas could give clues (January 27, 2012) -- Discoveries made in some underwater caves by researchers in the Bahamas could provide clues about how ocean life formed on Earth millions of years ago, and perhaps give hints of what types of marine life could be found on distant planets and moons. ... > full story

Scientists link evolved, mutated gene module to syndromic autism (January 27, 2012) -- Medical researchers reports that newly discovered mutations in an evolved assembly of genes cause Joubert syndrome, a form of syndromic autism. ... > full story

Leukemia cells are 'bad to the bone', research finds (January 27, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered new links between leukemia cells and cells involved in bone formation, offering a fresh perspective on how the blood cancer progresses and raising the possibility that therapies for bone disorders could help in the treatment of leukemia. ... > full story

Newer radiation therapy technology improves patients' quality of life, research finds (January 27, 2012) -- Patients with head and neck cancers who have been treated with newer, more sophisticated radiation therapy technology enjoy a better quality of life than those treated with older radiation therapy equipment, a study has found. ... > full story

How seawater could corrode nuclear fuel (January 27, 2012) -- Japan used seawater to cool nuclear fuel at the stricken Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant after the tsunami in March 2011 -- and that was probably the best action to take at the time, say experts. But researchers have since discovered a new way in which seawater can corrode nuclear fuel, forming uranium compounds that could potentially travel long distances, either in solution or as very small particles. ... > full story

How to break Murphy's Law (January 27, 2012) -- Murphy's Law is a useful scapegoat for human error: "If something can go wrong, it will." But, a new study hopes to put paid to this unscientific excuse for errors by showing that the introduction of verification and checking procedures can improve structural safety and performance and so prevent the application of the "law". ... > full story