ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Friday, February 3, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Friday, February 3, 2012

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New RNA-based therapeutic strategies for controlling gene expression (February 2, 2012) -- Small RNA-based nucleic acid drugs represent a promising new class of therapeutic agents for silencing abnormal or overactive disease-causing genes, and researchers have discovered new mechanisms by which RNA drugs can control gene activity. ... > full story

Football findings suggest concussions caused by series of hits (February 2, 2012) -- A two-year study of high school football players suggests that concussions are likely caused by many hits over time and not from a single blow to the head, as commonly believed. ... > full story

Untangling the mysteries of Alzheimer's (February 2, 2012) -- Researchers have found new evidence that confirms the significance of a protein that neuroscientists call tau to the development of Alzheimer's disease. While earlier studies have focused on tau's aggregation into twisted structures known as "neurofibrillary tangles," the new work emphasizes intermediary steps between single protein units and the much larger tangles – small assemblages of two, three, four or more proteins, which the investigators believe are the most toxic entities in Alzheimer's. ... > full story

DNA test that identifies Down syndrome in pregnancy can also detect trisomy 18 and trisomy 13 (February 2, 2012) -- A recent study shows that a new DNA test that identifies Down syndrome in pregnancy can also detect trisomies 18 and 13. ... > full story

Unraveling a butterfly's aerial antics could help builders of bug-size flying robots (February 2, 2012) -- By figuring out how butterflies flutter among flowers with amazing grace and agility, researchers hope to help build small airborne robots that can mimic those maneuvers. ... > full story

New super-Earth detected within the habitable zone of a nearby cool star (February 2, 2012) -- Sientists have discovered a potentially habitable super-Earth orbiting a nearby star. The star is a member of a triple star system and has a different makeup than our Sun, being relatively lacking in metallic elements. This discovery demonstrates that habitable planets could form in a greater variety of environments than previously believed. ... > full story

Castaway lizards provide insight into elusive evolutionary process, founder effects (February 2, 2012) -- A biologist who released lizards on tiny uninhabited islands in the Bahamas has shed light on the interaction between evolutionary processes that are seldom observed. He found that the lizards' genetic and morphological traits were determined by both natural selection and a phenomenon called founder effects, which occur when species colonize new territory. ... > full story

Coffee consumption reduces fibrosis risk in those with fatty liver disease, study suggests (February 2, 2012) -- Caffeine consumption has long been associated with decreased risk of liver disease and reduced fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Now, new research confirms that coffee caffeine consumption reduces the risk of advanced fibrosis in those with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. New findings show that increased coffee intake, specifically among patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, decreases risk of hepatic fibrosis. ... > full story

Hubble zooms in on a magnified galaxy (February 2, 2012) -- Astronomers aimed Hubble at one of the most striking examples of gravitational lensing, a nearly 90-degree arc of light in the galaxy cluster RCS2 032727-132623. Hubble's view of the distant background galaxy, which lies nearly 10 billion light-years away, is significantly more detailed than could ever be achieved without the help of the gravitational lens. ... > full story

Sickle cell anemia stroke prevention efforts may have decreased racial disparities (February 2, 2012) -- The disparity in stroke-related deaths among black and white children dramatically narrowed after prevention strategies changed to include ultrasound screening and chronic blood transfusions for children with sickle cell anemia, according to new research. ... > full story

Erratic heart rhythm may account for some unexplained strokes (February 2, 2012) -- Occasional erratic heart rhythms appear to cause about one-fifth of strokes for which a cause is not readily established. ... > full story

Anemia may more than triple your risk of dying after a stroke (February 2, 2012) -- Being anemic could more than triple your risk of dying within a year after having a stroke, according to new research. ... > full story

Do black holes help stars form? (February 2, 2012) -- The center of just about every galaxy is thought to host a black hole, some with masses of thousands of millions of Suns and consequently strong gravitational pulls that disrupt material around them. They had been thought to hinder the birth of stars, but now astronomers studying the nearby galaxy Centaurus A have found quite the opposite: a black hole that seems to be helping stars to form. ... > full story

Men behaving nicely: Selfless acts by men increase when attractive women are nearby (February 2, 2012) -- Men put on their best behavior when attractive ladies are close by. When the scenario is reversed however, the behavior of women remains the same. ... > full story

Human immune cells react sensitively to 'stress' (February 2, 2012) -- Scientists have demonstrated for the first time that certain cells circulating in human blood -- so-called monocytes -- are extremely sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS). They were also able to clarify the reason for this: ROS are aggressive forms of oxygen that are generated during states of "oxidative stress" and play a significant role in various diseases. ... > full story

Eating together? Simply a matter of adapting (February 2, 2012) -- Women dining together finely tune their eating behavior to that of their dining partner. Rather than eating at their own pace, they tend to take bites at the same time as the person sitting across the table. ... > full story

Rearranging the cell's skeleton: Small molecules at the cell’s membrane enable cell movement (February 2, 2012) -- Cell biologists have identified key steps in how certain molecules alter a cell’s skeletal shape and drive the cell’s movement. ... > full story

NASA mission returns first video from moon's far side (February 1, 2012) -- A camera aboard one of NASA's twin Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) lunar spacecraft has returned its first unique view of the far side of the moon. MoonKAM, or Moon Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students, will be used by students nationwide to select lunar images for study. ... > full story

Facebook is not such a good thing for those with low self-esteem, study finds (February 1, 2012) -- In theory, the social networking website Facebook could be great for people with low self-esteem. Sharing is important for improving friendships. But in practice, people with low self-esteem seem to behave counterproductively, bombarding their friends with negative tidbits about their lives and making themselves less likeable, according to a new study. ... > full story

NASA's GCPEx mission: What we don't know about snow (February 1, 2012) -- NASA's GCPEx science team is collecting as much data as they can to improve understanding of snow dynamics inside clouds, because they relate to how snow moves through Earth's water and climate cycles. ... > full story

Building a better light bulb: Energy efficient organic LEDs (February 1, 2012) -- Incandescent light bulbs are energy hogs, but many people prefer them for the cozy quality of light they emit. Scientists in Germany have set out to build energy efficient organic LED (OLED) lights that could rival incandescent bulbs in white-light color quality. ... > full story

Here is what real commitment to your marriage means (February 1, 2012) -- What does being committed to your marriage really mean? A psychology professors answer this question in a new study based on their analysis of 172 married couples over the first 11 years of marriage. ... > full story

Precision time: A matter of atoms, clocks, and statistics (February 1, 2012) -- The ability to accurately measure a second in time is at the heart of many essential technologies; the most recognizable may be the Global Positioning System (GPS). A new paper addresses how achieving a stable and coordinated global measure of time requires more than just the world's most accurate timepieces; it also requires approximately 400 atomic clocks working as an ensemble. ... > full story

Powering pacemakers with heartbeat vibrations (February 1, 2012) -- Aerospace engineers have developed a prototype device that could power a pacemaker using a source that is surprisingly close to the heart of the matter: vibrations in the chest cavity that are due mainly to heartbeats. ... > full story

Global experts question claims about jellyfish populations (February 1, 2012) -- Blooms, or proliferation, of jellyfish have shown a substantial, visible impact on coastal populations -- clogged nets for fishermen, stinging waters for tourists, even choked intake lines for power plants -- and recent media reports have created a perception that the world's oceans are experiencing increases in jellyfish due to human activities such as global warming and overharvesting of fish. Now, a new study questions claims that jellyfish are increasing worldwide and suggests claims are not supported with any hard evidence or scientific analyses to date. ... > full story

Yellow-cedar are dying in Alaska: Scientists now know why (February 1, 2012) -- Yellow-cedar, a culturally and economically valuable tree in southeastern Alaska and adjacent parts of British Columbia, has been dying off across large expanses of these areas for the past 100 years. But no one could say why -- until now. ... > full story

Same genes linked to early- and late-onset Alzheimer's (February 1, 2012) -- The same gene mutations linked to inherited, early-onset Alzheimer’s disease have been found in people with the more common late-onset form of the illness. The discovery may lead doctors and researchers to change the way Alzheimer’s disease is classified. ... > full story

Self-assembling nanorods: Researchers obtain 1-, 2- and 3-D nanorod arrays and networks (February 1, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a relatively fast, easy and inexpensive technique for inducing nanorods to self-assemble into aligned and ordered macroscopic structures. This technique should enable more effective use of nanorods in solar cells, magnetic storage devices and sensors, and boost the electrical and mechanical properties of nanorod-polymer composites. ... > full story

Sun delivered curveball of powerful radiation at Earth (February 1, 2012) -- A potent follow-up solar flare, which occurred Jan. 17, 2012, just days after the Sun launched the biggest coronal mass ejection seen in nearly a decade, delivered a powerful radiation punch to Earth's magnetic field despite the fact that it was aimed away from our planet. ... > full story

Nano-oils keep the electronic devices really cool (February 1, 2012) -- Scientists have created a nano-infused oil that could greatly enhance the ability of devices as large as electrical transformers and as small as microelectronic components to shed excess heat. ... > full story

Scientists help define structure of exoplanets (February 1, 2012) -- Using models similar to those used in weapons research, scientists may soon know more about exoplanets, those objects beyond the realm of our solar system. Astronomers have come up with new methods for deriving and testing the equation of state of matter in exoplanets and figured out the mass-radius and mass-pressure relations for materials relevant to planetary interiors. ... > full story

'Life and activity monitor' provides portable, constant recording of vital signs (February 1, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a type of wearable, non-invasive electronic device that can monitor vital signs such as heart rate and respiration at the same time it records a person's activity level, opening new opportunities for biomedical research, diagnostics and patient care. ... > full story

Scientists confirm first 'frequency comb' to probe ultraviolet wavelengths (February 1, 2012) -- Physicists have created the first "frequency comb" in the extreme ultraviolet band of the spectrum, high-energy light less than 100 nanometers in wavelength. Laser-generated frequency combs are the most accurate method available for precisely measuring frequencies, or colors, of light. The new tool can aid in the development of "nuclear clocks" based on ticks in the nuclei of atoms, and measurements of previously unexplored behavior in atoms and molecules. ... > full story

Spider web's strength lies in more than its silk (February 1, 2012) -- A study that combines experimental observations of spider webs with complex computer simulations has shown that web durability depends not only on silk strength, but on how overall web design compensates for damage and the response of individual strands to continuously varying stresses. ... > full story

Bacterial plasmids -- the freeloading and the heavy-lifters -- balance the high price of disease (February 1, 2012) -- Studying self-replicating genetic units, called plasmids, found in one of the world's widest-ranging pathogenic soil bacteria -- the crown-gall-disease-causing microorganism Agrobacterium tumefaciens -- biologists are showing how freeloading, mutant derivatives of these plasmids benefit while the virulent, disease-causing plasmids do the heavy-lifting of initiating infection in plant hosts. The research confirms that the ability of bacteria to cause disease comes at a significant cost that is only counterbalanced by the benefits they experience from infected host organisms. ... > full story

New technology shows molecules and cells in action (February 1, 2012) -- A new affinity capture device provides a platform for viewing cancer cells and other macromolecules in dynamic, life-sustaining liquid environments. ... > full story

Sleep deprivation tied to increased nighttime urination in preadolescence (February 1, 2012) -- A new study sheds light on why some children may need to urinate more often during the rest cycle. Researchers found sleep deprivation caused healthy children, ages 8-12, to urinate significantly more frequently, excrete more sodium in urine, have altered regulation of the hormones important for excretion. ... > full story

Societal control of sugar essential to ease public health burden, experts urge (February 1, 2012) -- Sugar should be controlled like alcohol and tobacco to protect public health, according to a team of researchers, who maintain in a new report that sugar is fueling a global obesity pandemic, contributing to 35 million deaths annually worldwide from non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. ... > full story

Chaos in the cell's command center (February 1, 2012) -- Researchers have determined the critical role one enzyme, lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), plays as mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) differentiate. This research may provide targets for developing drugs to push cells with dysfunctional gene expression programs back to a more normal, healthier state. ... > full story

Potatoes lower blood pressure in people with obesity and hypertension without increasing weight (February 1, 2012) -- The first study to check the effects of eating potatoes on blood pressure in humans has concluded that two small helpings of purple potatoes a day decreases blood pressure by about four percent without causing weight gain. The researchers say that decrease, although seemingly small, is sufficient to potentially reduce the risk of several forms of heart disease. ... > full story

Road runoff spurring spotted salamander evolution (February 1, 2012) -- Spotted salamanders exposed to contaminated roadside ponds are adapting to their toxic environments, according to new research. The study provides the first documented evidence that a vertebrate has adapted to the negative effects of roads apparently by evolving rapidly. ... > full story

Tropical cyclones to cause greater damage, researchers predict (February 1, 2012) -- Tropical cyclones will cause 9 billion in damages by 2100, according to researchers in a new paper. That figure represents an increased vulnerability from population and especially economic growth, as well as the effects of climate change. Greater vulnerability to cyclones is expected to increase global tropical damage to billion by 2100 -- double the current damage -- from the current rate of billion per year if the present climate remains stable. ... > full story

Less summer Arctic sea ice cover means colder, snowier winters in Central Europe (February 1, 2012) -- Even if the current weather situation may seem to go against it, the probability of cold winters with a lot of snow in Central Europe rises when the Arctic is covered by less sea ice in summer. ... > full story

Why the brain is more reluctant to function as we age (February 1, 2012) -- New findings reveal a novel mechanism through which the brain may become more reluctant to function as we grow older. ... > full story

Available information on the free release of genetically modified insects into the wild is highly restricted (February 1, 2012) -- Scientists analyzing the release of genetically modified insects into the environment have found that access to accurate scientific information can be misleading. ... > full story

Encouraging results with stem cell transplant for brain injury (February 1, 2012) -- Experiments in brain-injured rats show that stem cells injected via the carotid artery travel directly to the brain, where they greatly enhance functional recovery. ... > full story

Artificial intelligence: Getting better at the age guessing game (February 1, 2012) -- The active learning algorithm is faster and more accurate in guessing the age of an individual than conventional algorithms. ... > full story

Data storage: Magnetic memories (February 1, 2012) -- Magnetic random-access memory based on new spin transfer technology achieves higher storage density by packing multiple bits of data into each memory cell. ... > full story