ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Wednesday, February 15, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Wednesday, February 15, 2012

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Left-handed? Different bodies, different minds (February 14, 2012) -- We like to think of ourselves as rational creatures, absorbing information, weighing it carefully, and making thoughtful decisions. But, as it turns out, we're kidding ourselves. Over the past few decades, scientists have shown there are many different internal and external factors influencing how we think, feel, communicate, and make decisions at any given moment. One particularly powerful influence may be our own bodies, according to new research. ... > full story

Short-term exposure to most major air pollutants associated with increased risk of heart attack (February 14, 2012) -- Short-term exposure (for up to 7 days) to all major air pollutants, with the exception of ozone, is significantly associated with an increased risk of heart attack, according to a new review article. ... > full story

Noncoding RNAs alter yeast phenotypes in a site-specific manner (February 14, 2012) -- Scientists have shown for the first time how two long intergenic noncoding RNAs in brewer's yeast contribute to a location-dependent switch for the yeast FLO11 gene to toggle between active and inactive states. ... > full story

New nano-material combinations produce leap in infrared technology (February 14, 2012) -- Researchers are using new combinations of nano-materials to produce advances in infrared photodetection technology. ... > full story

SIV infection may lead to increase in immune-suppressive Treg cells (February 14, 2012) -- Tissue in monkeys infected with a close relative of HIV can ramp up production of a type of T cell that actually weakens the body's attack against the invading virus. ... > full story

Tangled up in DNA: New molecule has potential to help treat genetic diseases and HIV (February 14, 2012) -- Chemists have created a molecule that's so good at tangling itself inside the double helix of a DNA sequence that it can stay there for up to 16 days before the DNA liberates itself, much longer than any other molecule reported. ... > full story

Chemists mimic nature to design better medical tests (February 14, 2012) -- Over their 3.8 billion years of evolution, living organisms have developed countless strategies for monitoring their surroundings. Chemists have adapted some of these strategies to improve the performance of DNA detectors. Their findings may aid efforts to build better medical diagnostics, such as improved HIV or cancer tests. ... > full story

Possible link to hyper-excitability factors in epilepsy, autism and more (February 14, 2012) -- A new study is revealing new information about a key protein's role in the development of epilepsy, autism and other neurological disorders. This work could one day lead to new treatments for the conditions. ... > full story

Sobering future of wildfire dangers in U.S. west, researchers predict (February 14, 2012) -- The American West has seen a recent increase in large wildfires due to droughts, the build-up of combustible fuel, or biomass, in forests, a spread of fire-prone species and increased tree mortality from insects and heat. A research team warns that these conditions may be "a perfect storm" for more fires. ... > full story

People forage for memories in the same way birds forage for berries (February 14, 2012) -- Humans move between ‘patches’ in their memory using the same strategy as bees flitting between flowers for pollen or birds searching among bushes for berries. ... > full story

Motherhood 'detrimental' to women's scientific careers, study concludes (February 14, 2012) -- Women with advanced degrees in math-intensive academic fields drop out of fast-track research careers primarily because they want children – not because their performance is devalued or they are shortchanged during interviewing and hiring, according to a new study. ... > full story

Weight loss can be contagious, study suggests (February 14, 2012) -- Researchers have found that teammates in a team-based weight loss competition significantly influenced each other's weight loss, suggesting that weight loss can be contagious. ... > full story

Cellphone use linked to selfish behavior (February 14, 2012) -- Though cellphones are usually considered devices that connect people, they may make users less socially minded, finds a recent study. The researchers found that after a short period of cellphone use subjects were less inclined to volunteer for community service when asked, compared to control-group counterparts. Talking on a cell phone reduces the desire to connect with others, they explain. ... > full story

Fragmented sleep, fragmented mind: A new theory of sleep disruption and dissociation (February 14, 2012) -- Scientific research has shed new light on dissociative symptoms and dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder. This condition seems to arise most often when a vulnerable person meets a therapist with a suggestive line of questioning or encounters sensationalized media portrayals of dissociation. Research shows that people with rich fantasy lives may be especially susceptible to such influences. ... > full story

New class of potential drugs inhibits inflammation in brain (February 14, 2012) -- Scientists have identified a new group of compounds that may protect brain cells from inflammation linked to seizures and neurodegenerative diseases. The compounds block signals from EP2, one of the four receptors for prostaglandin E2, which is a hormone involved in processes such as fever, childbirth, digestion and blood pressure regulation. ... > full story

Best time for a coffee break? There's an app for that (February 14, 2012) -- Caffeinated drinks such as coffee and soda are the pick-me-ups of choice for many people, but too much caffeine can cause nervousness and sleep problems. Caffeine Zone, a new software app developed by researchers, can help people determine when caffeine may give them a mental boost and when it could hurt their sleep patterns. The software takes information on caffeine use and integrates it with information on the effects of caffeine to produce a graph of how the caffeine will affect the users over time. ... > full story

Bumblebees get by with a little help from their honeybee rivals (February 14, 2012) -- Bumblebees can use cues from their rivals the honeybees to learn where the best food resources are, according to new research. In a new study, researchers trained a colony of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) to use cues provided by a different species, the honeybee (Apis mellifera), as well as cues provided by fellow bumblebees to locate food resources on artificial flowers. ... > full story

Shear stiffness and friction mechanics of single-layer graphene measured for the first time (February 14, 2012) -- Researchers have measured and identified for the first time the stress and strain shear modulus and internal friction of graphene sheets. ... > full story

Critical stage of embryonic development now observable (February 14, 2012) -- A novel approach in the study of the development of mammalian embryos has just been developed. The research enables scientists to view critical aspects of embryonic development which was previously unobservable. ... > full story

How Do Children Learn to Read Silently? (February 14, 2012) -- Researchers uses eye-tracking technology to chart oral-to-silent reading transition. ... > full story

The indiscretions of a champagne bubble paparazzi (February 14, 2012) -- The innermost secrets of champagne bubbles are about to be unveiled by a scientist tackling champagne bubbles from both a physics and a chemistry perspective. To understand what appears to be a harmless phenomenon such as the fizz in champagne, the author studied the role of the carbon dioxide throughout its journey from the bottle to the glass. ... > full story

Fukushima at increased earthquake risk, scientists report (February 14, 2012) -- Seismic risk at the Fukushima nuclear plant increased after the magnitude 9 earthquake that hit Japan last March, scientists report. The new study, which uses data from over 6,000 earthquakes, shows the 11 March tremor caused a seismic fault close to the nuclear plant to reactivate. The research suggests authorities should strengthen the security of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to withstand large earthquakes that are likely to directly disturb the region. ... > full story

'Invisibility' cloak could protect buildings from earthquakes (February 14, 2012) -- Mathematicians have developed the theory for a Harry Potter style 'cloaking' device which could protect buildings from earthquakes. Scientists have been working on the theory of invisibility cloaks which, until recently, have been merely the subject of science fiction. In recent times, however, scientists have been getting close to achieving 'cloaking' in a variety of contexts. The new work focuses on the theory of cloaking devices which could eventually help to protect buildings and structures from vibrations and natural disasters such as earthquakes. ... > full story

Globular clusters: Survivors of a 13-billion-year-old massacre (February 14, 2012) -- Our Milky Way galaxy is surrounded by some 200 compact groups of stars, containing up to a million stars each. At 13 billion years of age, these globular clusters are almost as old as the universe itself and were born when the first generations of stars and galaxies formed. Now astronomers have conducted a novel type of computer simulation that looked at how they were born -- and they find that these giant clusters of stars are the only survivors of a 13-billion-year-old massacre that destroyed many of their smaller siblings. ... > full story

Turmeric-based drug effective on Alzheimer flies (February 14, 2012) -- Curcumin, a substance extracted from turmeric, prolongs life and enhances activity of fruit flies with a nervous disorder similar to Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. The study indicates that it is the initial stages of fibril formation and fragments of the amyloid fibrils that are most toxic to neurons. ... > full story

Cut your Valentine some slack: Partner's efforts at improving your relationship should not be ignored (February 13, 2012) -- If the one you love usually forgets Valentine's Day, but this year makes a romantic effort, you should give him credit for trying. A new study shows that the more you believe your partner is capable of change and perceive that he or she is trying to improve, the more secure and happy you will feel in your relationship. ... > full story

Plants use circadian rhythms to prepare for battle with insects (February 13, 2012) -- In a study of the molecular underpinnings of plants' pest resistance, biologists have shown that plants use circadian rhythms to both anticipate raids by hungry insects and to time the production of defensive hormones that protect against insect attack. The researchers demonstrated that when the plants' timing was shifted, the plants were defenseless against daytime-feeding caterpillars. ... > full story

Prolonged fructose intake not linked to rise in blood pressure, study suggests (February 13, 2012) -- Eating fructose over an extended period of time does not lead to an increase in blood pressure, according to new research. ... > full story

Link between sodium, calcium and heartbeat illuminated (February 13, 2012) -- Researchers have revealed, for the first time, one of the molecular mechanisms that regulates the beating of heart cells by controlling the movement of sodium in out of the cells -- and what calcium has to do with it. ... > full story

Sensing self and non-self: New research into immune tolerance (February 13, 2012) -- Cancer cells can undergo unchecked proliferation, producing self-antigens that are tolerated by the immune system, rather than being targeted for destruction. At the opposite extreme, autoimmune disorders can result when healthy cells in the body are misidentified as hazards. Researchers now examine how CD8 T cells -- critical weapons in the body's defensive arsenal -- are regulated when they transition from this tolerant state to an activated state and back. ... > full story

First-of-its-kind stem cell study re-grows healthy heart muscle in heart attack patients (February 13, 2012) -- Results from a new clinical trial show that treating heart attack patients with an infusion of their own heart-derived cells helps damaged hearts re-grow healthy muscle. Patients who underwent the stem cell procedure demonstrated a significant reduction in the size of the scar left on the heart muscle by a heart attack. Patients also experienced a sizable increase in healthy heart muscle following the experimental stem cell treatments. ... > full story

New imaging methods show challenges of identifying cognitive abilities in severely brain-injured patients (February 13, 2012) -- Only by employing complex machine-learning techniques to decipher repeated advanced brain scans were researchers able to provide evidence that a patient with a severe brain injury could, in her way, communicate accurately. Their study demonstrates how difficult it is to determine whether a patient can communicate using only measured brain activity, even if it is possible for them to generate reliable patterns of brain activation in response to instructed commands. ... > full story

First prospective analysis links breast and pancreatic cancer risk with Lynch syndrome (February 13, 2012) -- Summary of the first prospective study to provide strong evidence of increased breast and pancreatic cancer risk in individuals with Lynch syndrome, who carry certain inherited genetic mutations in DNA repair genes. The study is also the first to show that relatives of people with Lynch syndrome who do not carry these mutations have no increased risk of cancer. ... > full story

Hearing aid gap: Millions who could benefit remain untreated (February 13, 2012) -- Though an estimated 26.7 million Americans age 50 and older have hearing loss, only about one in seven uses a hearing aid, according to a new study. ... > full story

Brain-imaging technique predicts who will suffer cognitive decline over time (February 13, 2012) -- Scientists have used a brain imaging tool that effectively tracked and predicted cognitive decline over a two-year period. The team had previously developed this tool that can assess the neurological changes associated with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. ... > full story

Air pollution linked to cognitive decline in women (February 13, 2012) -- A large, prospective study indicates that chronic exposure to particulate air pollution may accelerate cognitive decline in older adults. ... > full story

Even moderate air pollution can raise stroke risks (February 13, 2012) -- Air pollution, even at levels generally considered safe by federal regulations, increases the risk of stroke by 34 percent, researchers have found. ... > full story

Radiation treatment generates cancer stem cells from less aggressive breast cancer cells, study suggests (February 13, 2012) -- Breast cancer stem cells are thought to be the sole source of tumor recurrence and are known to be resistant to radiation therapy and don’t respond well to chemotherapy. Researchers report for the first time that radiation treatment -- despite killing half of all tumor cells during every treatment -- transforms other cancer cells into treatment-resistant breast cancer stem cells. Researchers stressed that breast cancer patients should not be alarmed by the study findings and should continue to undergo radiation if recommended by their oncologists. ... > full story

Fetal exposure to radiation increases risk of testicular cancer (February 13, 2012) -- Male fetuses of mothers that are exposed to radiation during early pregnancy may have an increased chance of developing testicular cancer, according to a new study in mice. ... > full story

Large Hadron Collider to run at 4 TeV per beam in 2012 (February 13, 2012) -- CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, has announced that the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will run with a beam energy of 4 TeV this year, 0.5 TeV higher than in 2010 and 2011. ... > full story

Neuron memory key to taming chronic pain, new research suggests (February 13, 2012) -- Researchers have found the key to understanding how memories of pain are stored in the brain. More importantly, the researchers are also able to suggest how these memories can be erased, making it possible to ease chronic pain. ... > full story

Antibodies to intracellular cancer antigens combined with chemotherapy enhance anti-cancer immunity (February 13, 2012) -- Scientists have confirmed that combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy in cancer treatment enhances the immune system's ability to find and eliminate cancer cells, even when the cancer-associated proteins targeted by the immune system are hidden behind the cancer cell membrane. ... > full story

Compound may help in fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs (February 13, 2012) -- Chemists have created a compound that makes existing antibiotics 16 times more effective against recently discovered antibiotic-resistant "superbugs." ... > full story

Six to nine-month-olds understand the meaning of many spoken words (February 13, 2012) -- At an age when "ba-ba" and "da-da" may be their only utterances, infants nevertheless comprehend words for many common objects, according to a new study. ... > full story

Explosive evolution need not follow mass extinctions, study of ancient zooplankton finds (February 13, 2012) -- Fossil record of graptoloids challenges the theory that immediately after a mass extinction, species develop new physical traits at a rapid pace. ... > full story

Fish of Antarctica threatened by climate change (February 13, 2012) -- A study of the evolutionary history of Antarctic fish and their "anti-freeze" proteins illustrates how tens of millions of years ago a lineage of fish adapted to newly formed polar conditions -- and how today they are endangered by a rapid rise in ocean temperatures. ... > full story

Love, chocolate good for the heart, says cardiologist (February 13, 2012) -- Being involved in a healthy, loving relationship is good for the heart, says a cardiologist. People who are married or who are in close, healthy relationships tend to be less likely to smoke, are more physically active and are more likely to have a well-developed social structure, she said. They are also more likely to have lower levels of stress and anxiety in their day-to-day lives. ... > full story

Newly identified fusion genes in lung and colorectal cancer may guide treatment with 'targeted' drugs (February 13, 2012) -- Novel gene abnormalities discovered in a subpopulation of lung and colorectal tumors could potentially identify patients with a good chance of responding to highly specific “targeted” drugs already in use for treating other cancers, scientists report. The genetic alterations – pieces of two genes fused together - showed up in a massive search of the DNA in stored tumor samples of non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer, said researchers. These specific genetic abnormalities had not been previously linked to the two cancer types. ... > full story