ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Tuesday, February 21, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Tuesday, February 21, 2012

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

Babies' colic linked to mothers' migraines (February 20, 2012) -- A study of mothers and their young babies by neurologists has shown that mothers who suffer migraine headaches are more than twice as likely to have babies with colic than mothers without a history of migraines. ... > full story

Sheep in Wolf-Rayet's clothing: New image of planetary nebula Hen 3-1333 (February 20, 2012) -- It's well known that the universe is changeable: even the stars that appear static and predictable every night are subject to change. A new image from the NASA Hubble Space Telescope shows planetary nebula Hen 3-1333. Planetary nebulae have nothing to do with planets -- they actually represent the death throes of mid-sized stars like the sun. As they puff out their outer layers, large, irregular globes of glowing gas expand around them, which appeared planet-like through the small telescopes that were used by their first discoverers. ... > full story

Preparations continue for launching engine icing research (February 20, 2012) -- NASA scientists are making progress in their preparations to mount a detailed research campaign aimed at solving a modern-day aviation mystery involving the unlikely combination of fire and ice inside a running jet engine. ... > full story

High definition polarization vision discovered in cuttlefish (February 20, 2012) -- Cuttlefish have the most acute polarization vision yet found in any animal, researchers have discovered by showing them movies on a modified LCD computer screen to test their eyesight. ... > full story

Conservation risk highest off coasts of Canada, Mexico, Peru and New Zealand (February 20, 2012) -- Researchers have identified conservation "hot spots" around the world where the temptation to profit from overfishing outweighs the appetite for conservation. ... > full story

Water management and climate change in ancient Maya city (February 20, 2012) -- There are new findings from inside a cave and a key cultural and religious center for the ancient Maya. ... > full story

New species of bat, Hipposideros griffini, discovered in Vietnam (February 20, 2012) -- A distinctive echolocation frequency led to the discovery of a new species of bat within the genus Hipposideros. Although this bat is similar to the species Hipposideros armiger, differences in acoustics, size, and DNA between these bats led to the identification of the new species. This new member of the bat community, which has been found in two locations in Vietnam, has been given the scientific name Hipposideros griffini. ... > full story

NASA spacecraft reveals recent geological activity on the moon (February 20, 2012) -- New images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft show the moon's crust is being stretched, forming minute valleys in a few small areas on the lunar surface. Scientists propose this geologic activity occurred less than 50 million years ago, which is considered recent compared to the moon's age of more than 4.5 billion years. ... > full story

Traitorous immune cells promote sudden ovarian cancer progression (February 20, 2012) -- In a new mouse model that mimics the tumor microenvironment of ovarian cancer, scientists have demonstrated that ovarian tumors don't necessarily break "free" of the immune system, rather dendritic cells of the immune system seem to actively support the tumor's escape. The researchers show that it might be possible to restore the immune system by targeting a patient's own dendritic cells. ... > full story

World's longest kidney transplant chain completed (February 20, 2012) -- The world's longest living-donor kidney transplant chain has just been completed. The chain involved 30 donors, 30 recipients and 17 hospitals throughout the U.S. ... > full story

Bird stewards increase the effectiveness of protected beaches (February 20, 2012) -- Bird stewards – individuals who police protected beaches and educate the public about the birds who inhabit it – greatly increase the effectiveness of protected beaches, a new survey finds. ... > full story

Pulsars: The universe's gift to physics (February 20, 2012) -- Pulsars, which already have produced two Nobel Prizes, are providing scientists with unique insights on topics from particle physics to General Relativity. ... > full story

Studying the evolution of life's building blocks (February 20, 2012) -- Studying the origin of life at its building blocks offers a unique perspective on evolution, says a researcher. ... > full story

New treatment for traumatic brain injury shows promise in animals (February 20, 2012) -- A new drug is showing promise in shielding against the harmful effects of traumatic brain injury in rats, according to a new study. ... > full story

Rainforest plant combats multi-resistant bacterial strains (February 20, 2012) -- Aggressive infections in hospitals are an increasing health problem worldwide. The development of bacterial resistance is alarming. Now a young Danish scientist has found a natural substance in a Chilean rainforest plant that effectively supports the effect of traditional treatment with antibiotics. ... > full story

Home visits for asthma: A win for both patients and payers (February 20, 2012) -- Nearly one in 10 children have asthma, according to government statistics, and in low-income parts of Boston, nearly 16 percent of children are affected. A new program demonstrates the potential to dramatically reduce hospitalization and emergency department visits for asthma -- improving patient outcomes and saving .46 per dollar spent through reduced hospital utilization. ... > full story

Never forget your keys, phone or lipstick ever again (February 20, 2012) -- RFID tags are becoming ubiquitous, shops, warehouses, libraries and others use them for stock and inventory control and to reduce the risk of theft. Now, a team in Dubai has developed the concept of an IPURSE, a mobile platform that keeps track of tiny RFID tags you stick to or insert into your personal possessions, mobile phone, camera, laptop, keys other gadgets and even mundane objects such as notebooks and cosmetics. ... > full story

Neurodegenerative diseases: Ring-like structure found in 'elongator' protein complex (February 20, 2012) -- A ring-like structure found in a protein complex called ‘Elongator’ provides new clues to its tasks inside the cell and to its role in neurodegenerative diseases. It is the first three-dimensional structure of part of this complex. ... > full story

Global permafrost zones in high-resolution images on Google Earth (February 20, 2012) -- Thawing permafrost will have far-reaching ramifications for populated areas, infrastructure and ecosystems. A geographer in Switzerland reveals where it is important to confront the issue based on new permafrost maps – the most precise global maps around. They depict the global distribution of permafrost in high-resolution images and are available on Google Earth. ... > full story

Single-atom transistor is end of Moore's Law; may be beginning of quantum computing (February 19, 2012) -- The smallest transistor ever built -- in fact, the smallest transistor that can be built -- has been created using a single phosphorus atom by an international team of researchers. ... > full story

NuSTAR Mated to its Rocket (February 19, 2012) -- NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) was mated, or attached, to its Pegasus XL rocket Feb. 17, 2012 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in central California. The mission's launch is now scheduled for no earlier than March 21 to allow the launch vehicle team an additional week to complete necessary engineering reviews. NuSTAR will probe the hottest, densest and most energetic objects in space, including black holes and the remnants of exploded stars. It will be the first space telescope to capture sharp images in high-energy X-rays, giving astronomers a new tool for understanding the extreme side of our universe. ... > full story

X-rays illuminate the interior of the Moon (February 19, 2012) -- Unlike Earth, the moon has no active volcanoes. This is surprising as liquid magma is believed to exist deep inside the Moon. Scientists have now found that this hot, molten rock could actually be so dense that it is too heavy to rise to the surface. For this experiment, microscopic reproductions of moon rock were put at the extremely high pressures and temperatures found inside the moon and their densities measured with powerful X-rays. ... > full story

Yosemite's alpine chipmunks take genetic hit from climate change (February 19, 2012) -- Global warming has driven Yosemite's alpine chipmunks to higher ground, prompting a startling decline in the species' genetic diversity, according to a new study. The genetic erosion occurred in the relatively short span of 90 years, highlighting the rapid threat changing climate can pose to a species. ... > full story

Faulty fat sensor implicated in obesity and liver disease (February 19, 2012) -- Defects in a protein that functions as a dietary fat sensor may be a cause of obesity and liver disease, according to a new study. The findings highlight a promising target for new drugs to treat obesity and metabolic disorders. ... > full story

Surprising molecular switch: Lipids help control the development of cell polarity (February 19, 2012) -- In a standard biology textbook, cells tend to look more or less the same from all sides. But in real life cells have fronts and backs, tops and bottoms, and they orient many of their structures according to this polarity explaining, for example, why yeast cells bud at one end and not the other. ... > full story

New brain connections form in clusters during learning (February 19, 2012) -- New connections between brain cells emerge in clusters in the brain as animals learn to perform a new task, according to a new study. The findings reveal details of how brain circuits are rewired during the formation of new motor memories. ... > full story

Protein that sends 'painful touch' signals identified (February 19, 2012) -- Researchers report that they have identified a class of proteins that detect "painful touch." Scientists have known that sensory nerves in our skin detect pressure, pain, heat, cold, and other stimuli using specialized "ion channel" proteins in their outer membranes. They have only just begun, however, to identify and characterize the specific proteins involved in each of these sensory pathways. The new work provides evidence that a family of sensory nerve proteins known as piezo proteins are ion channel proteins essential to the sensation of painful touch. ... > full story

Which anti-HIV drug combinations work best and why? (February 19, 2012) -- Using a mathematical formula that carefully measures the degree to which HIV infection of immune system cells is stalled by antiretroviral therapy, AIDS experts have calculated precisely how well dozens of such anti-HIV drugs work, alone or in any of 857 likely combinations, in suppressing the virus. Results of the team’s latest research reveal how some combinations work better than others at impeding viral replication, and keeping the disease in check. ... > full story

Substituting with smokeless tobacco saves lives, research suggests (February 19, 2012) -- Substituting smokeless tobacco products can save smokers' lives, and there is a scientific foundation that proves it, according to one researcher whose work shows that smokers can greatly reduce their risk of disease and death by replacing smoking products with e-cigarettes or modern, spit-free smokeless tobacco. ... > full story

'Duet of one' possible with hand-controlled voice synthesizer (February 19, 2012) -- New technology makes it possible for a person to speak or sing just by using their hands to control a speech synthesizer. The new gesture-to-voice-synthesizer technology mirrors processes that human use when they control their own vocal apparatus. ... > full story

Babies know what's fair (February 18, 2012) -- "That's not fair!" It's a common playground complaint. But how early do children acquire this sense of fairness? Before they're 2, says a new study. "We found that 19- and 21-month-old infants have a general expectation of fairness, and they can apply it appropriately to different situations," says a psychology graduate student. ... > full story

Pregnancy-related complications predict CVD in middle age (February 18, 2012) -- Women who developed pregnancy-related hypertension (preeclampsia) or diabetes were at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. Preeclampsia was associated with a wider range of CVD risk factors and may be a better predictor of CVD in middle age than other pregnancy-related complications. Pregnancy may provide an opportunity to identify women at increased risk of CVD when they're relatively young -- allowing them to make lifestyle changes and get medical intervention earlier in life. ... > full story

Building blocks of early Earth survived collision that created moon (February 18, 2012) -- Unexpected new findings by geochemists show that some portions of the Earth's mantle (the rocky layer between Earth's metallic core and crust) formed when the planet was much smaller than it is now, and that some of this early-formed mantle survived Earth's turbulent formation, including a collision with another planet-sized body that many scientists believe led to the creation of the moon. ... > full story

Nasty 'superbug' emerging? Strikes otherwise healthy, young patients (February 17, 2012) -- Researchers are expressing concern about a new, under-recognized, much more potent variant of a common bacterium that has surfaced in the U.S. It's virulent, potentially drug-resistant, and strikes otherwise healthy, young patients. ... > full story

Staghorn coral transplanted to threatened reef (February 17, 2012) -- In a delicate operation at sea, healthy staghorn coral were transplanted to a threatened reef off Florida's Broward County coast. ... > full story

Preemies: Novel feeding device may decrease risk of failure to thrive (February 17, 2012) -- A novel feeding device developed may decrease the risk of failure to thrive (FTT), which currently affects half of all newborns with congenital heart defects even after their surgical lesions are corrected. ... > full story

Discovery that migrating cells 'turn right' has implications for engineering tissues, organs (February 17, 2012) -- What if we could engineer a liver or kidney from a patient's own stem cells? How about helping regenerate tissue damaged by diseases such as osteoporosis and arthritis? A new study bring scientists a little closer to these possibilities by providing a better understanding how tissue is formed and organized in the body. ... > full story

NASA map sees Earth's trees in a new light (February 17, 2012) -- A NASA-led science team has created an accurate, high-resolution map of the height of Earth's forests. The map will help scientists better understand the role forests play in climate change and how their heights influence wildlife habitats within them, while also helping them quantify the carbon stored in Earth's vegetation. ... > full story

Linking human evolution and climate change (February 17, 2012) -- It's not a take on climate change we often hear about. But a professor of archaeology, will talk about how climate change impacts human evolution at the world’s largest science fair. ... > full story

Human-made photosynthesis to revolutionize food and energy production (February 17, 2012) -- Improving natural photosynthesis to make new fuels and boost crop production is the focus of new research. It could see us one step closer to bottling the sun's energy or turbocharging plants to produce bumper crops. ... > full story

Who goes there? Verifying identity online (February 17, 2012) -- We are all used to logging into networks where we have a unique identity, verified by the network server and associated with our account for other members of the network to see. Such an identity-based network system is useful because it is relatively simple. However, there are three major drawbacks including loss of anonymity of communicating users, misplaced trust and identity theft. ... > full story

Researchers develop better control for DNA-based computations (February 17, 2012) -- A chemist has found a way to give DNA-based computing better control over logic operations. His work could lead to interfacing DNA-based computing with traditional silicon-based computing. ... > full story

No kids in public school? You still benefit (February 17, 2012) -- Quality public schools benefit everyone – including those without school-aged children – and therefore everyone should play a role in maintaining them, according to a new study. ... > full story

A single protein helps the body keep watch over the Epstein-Barr virus (February 17, 2012) -- Some 90 percent of people are exposed to the Epstein Barr virus at some point in their life. Even though it is quickly cleared from the body, the virus can linger silently for years in small numbers of infected B cells. According to researchers, the immune system subdues the virus by watching for a single viral protein called LMP1. ... > full story

Live from the thymus: T-cells on the move (February 17, 2012) -- For the first time, scientists follow the development of individual immune cells in a living zebrafish embryo. T-cells are the immune system's security force. They seek out pathogens and rogue cells in the body and put them out of action. Their precursors are formed in the bone marrow and migrate from there into the thymus. Here, they mature and differentiate to perform a variety of tasks. Scientists have now succeeded for the first time in observing the maturation of immune cells in live zebrafish embryos. ... > full story

New braille-like texting app lets you text without looking (February 17, 2012) -- Researchers have designed a texting solution that could become a modern substitute for passing notes under the table. BrailleTouch is a prototype texting app that requires only finger gestures to key in letters on touch screen devices – no sight required. ... > full story

Models underestimate future temperature variability: Food security at risk (February 17, 2012) -- Climate warming caused by greenhouse gases is very likely to increase summer temperature variability around the world by the end of this century, new research shows. The findings have major implications for food production. ... > full story

How mitochondrial DNA defects cause inherited deafness (February 17, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered the molecular pathway by which maternally inherited deafness appears to occur: Mitochondrial DNA mutations trigger a signaling cascade, resulting in programmed cell death. ... > full story