ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Thursday, February 23, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Thursday, February 23, 2012

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Low levels of fallout from Fukushima, U.S. study finds (February 22, 2012) -- Fallout from the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power facility in Japan was measured in minimal amounts in precipitation in the United States in about 20 percent of 167 sites sampled in a nationwide U.S. study. ... > full story

Is there a general motivation center in the depths of the brain? (February 22, 2012) -- Researchers have identified the part of the brain driving motivation during actions that combine physical and mental effort: the ventral striatum. ... > full story

Faster way to catch cells: New microfluidic device could be used to diagnose and monitor cancer and other diseases (February 22, 2012) -- Separating complex mixtures of cells, such as those found in a blood sample, can offer valuable information for diagnosing and treating disease. However, it may be necessary to search through billions of other cells to collect rare cells such as tumor cells, stem cells or fetal cells. Researchers have now demonstrated a new microfluidic device that can isolate target cells much faster than existing devices. Such technology could be used in applications such as point-of-care diagnostics and personalized medicine. ... > full story

'Miracle material' graphene is thinnest known anti-corrosion coating (February 22, 2012) -- New research has established the "miracle material" called graphene as the world's thinnest known coating for protecting metals against corrosion. ... > full story

New way to tap largest remaining treasure trove of potential new antibiotics (February 22, 2012) -- Scientists are reporting use of a new technology for sifting through the world's largest remaining pool of potential antibiotics to discover two new antibiotics that work against deadly resistant microbes, including the "superbugs" known as MRSA. ... > full story

Birds sing louder amidst the noise and structures of the urban jungle (February 22, 2012) -- Sparrows, blackbirds and the great tit are all birds known to sing at a higher pitch in urban environments. It was previously believed that these birds sang at higher frequencies in order to escape the lower frequencies noises of the urban environment. Now, researchers have discovered that besides noise, the physical structure of cities also plays a role in altering the birds' songs. ... > full story

Researchers take a step forward in transplanting pig cells to regenerate human cartilage (February 22, 2012) -- Researchers have recently studied the response of human NK cells against porcine chondrocytes. The results of the research indicate that these cells, characteristic of the innate immune system, play an important role in the rejection of xenotransplantation of porcine chondrocytes. ... > full story

Exposure to micronutrients pre-pregnancy associated with gene modifications in offspring (February 22, 2012) -- The offspring of women who were given micronutrient supplements (minerals needed in small quantities, such as iron, iodine and vitamin A) before they became pregnant had gene modifications at birth as well as when they were tested at nine months. ... > full story

Heart beats to the rhythm of a circadian clock (February 22, 2012) -- Sudden cardiac death -- catastrophic and unexpected fatal heart stoppage -- is more likely to occur shortly after waking in the morning and in the late night. In a new study, an international consortium of researchers explains the molecular linkage between the circadian clock and the deadly heart rhythms that lead to sudden death. ... > full story

World of Warcraft boosts cognitive functioning in older adults (February 22, 2012) -- For some older adults, the online video game World of Warcraft (WoW) may provide more than an opportunity for escapist adventure. Researchers have found that playing WoW boosted cognitive functioning for older adults – particularly those who had scored poorly on cognitive ability tests before playing the game. ... > full story

How cancer cells change once they spread to distant organs (February 22, 2012) -- Oncologists have known that in order for cancer cells to spread, they must transform themselves so they can detach from a tumor and spread to a distant organ. Now, scientists have revealed critical steps in what happens next -- how these cells reverse the process, morphing back into classical cancer that can now grow into a new tumor. ... > full story

What can animals' survival instincts tell us about understanding human emotion? (February 22, 2012) -- Can animals’ survival instincts shed additional light on what we know about human emotion? Neuroscientists pose this question in outlining a pioneering theory, drawn from two decades of research, that could lead to a more comprehensive understanding of emotions in both humans and animals. ... > full story

NASA's Spitzer finds solid buckyballs in space (February 22, 2012) -- Astronomers using data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have, for the first time, discovered buckyballs in a solid form in space. Prior to this discovery, the microscopic carbon spheres had been found only in gas form in the cosmos. ... > full story

Earth's clouds are getting lower, NASA satellite finds (February 22, 2012) -- Earth's clouds got a little lower -- about one percent on average -- during the first decade of this century, finds a new NASA-funded university study based on NASA satellite data. The results have potential implications for future global climate. ... > full story

From Bass Strait to the Indian Ocean: Tracking a current (February 22, 2012) -- Deep-diving ocean "gliders" have revealed the journey of Bass Strait water from the Tasman Sea to the Indian Ocean. ... > full story

Tiny, implantable medical device can propel itself through bloodstream (February 22, 2012) -- For 50 years, scientists had searched for the secret to making tiny implantable devices that could travel through the bloodstream. Engineers have now demonstrated a wirelessly powered device that just may make the dream a reality. ... > full story

New twist on nanowires: Technology can control composition and structure of these tiny wires as they grow (February 22, 2012) -- Nanowires -- microscopic fibers that can be "grown" in the lab -- are a hot research topic today, with a variety of potential applications including light-emitting diodes and sensors. Now, researchers has found a way of precisely controlling the width and composition of these tiny strands as they grow, making it possible to grow complex structures that are optimally designed for particular applications. ... > full story

Newly identified oral bacterium linked to heart disease and meningitis (February 22, 2012) -- A novel bacterium, thought to be a common inhabitant of the oral cavity, has the potential to cause serious disease if it enters the bloodstream, according to a new study. ... > full story

Observing single atoms during relaxation toward equilibrium (February 22, 2012) -- Scientists have succeeded for the first time in simulating the dynamic behavior of strongly correlated individual atoms in solids. They were able to string atoms in so-called optical lattices and observe their dynamic behavior, which is determined by complex interactions with other atoms. ... > full story

Fried food risks: Toxic aldehydes detected in reheated oil (February 22, 2012) -- Researchers have been the first to discover the presence of certain aldehydes in food, which are believed to be related to some neurodegenerative diseases and some types of cancer. These toxic compounds can be found in some oils, such as sunflower oil, when heated at a suitable temperature for frying. ... > full story

Off switch for pain? Chemists build light-controlled neural inhibitor (February 22, 2012) -- Pain? Just turn it off! It may sound like science fiction, but researchers have now succeeded in inhibiting pain-sensitive neurons on demand, in the laboratory. The crucial element in their strategy is a chemical sensor that acts as a light-sensitive switch. ... > full story

Fake drug sales are increasing on the Internet and turning up in legitimate supply chains, review finds (February 22, 2012) -- Criminal gangs are increasingly using the internet to market life-threatening counterfeit medicines and some have even turned up in legitimate outlets such as pharmacies, according to a newly published review. ... > full story

Recharge your cell phone with a touch? New nanotechnology converts body heat into power (February 22, 2012) -- Never get stranded with a dead cell phone again. A promising new technology called Power Felt, a thermoelectric device that converts body heat into an electrical current, soon could create enough juice to make another call simply by touching it. ... > full story

Neuroscientists identify how the brain works to select what we (want to) see (February 21, 2012) -- If you are looking for a particular object -- say a yellow pencil -- on a cluttered desk, how does your brain work to visually locate it? For the first time, neuroscientists have identified how different neural regions communicate to determine what to visually pay attention to and what to ignore. This finding is a major discovery for visual cognition and will guide future research into visual and attention deficit disorders. ... > full story

Cocaine and the teen brain: New insights into addiction (February 21, 2012) -- When first exposed to cocaine, the adolescent brain launches a strong defensive reaction designed to minimize the drug's effects, scientists have found. Now two new studies identify key genes that regulate this response and show that interfering with this reaction dramatically increases a mouse's sensitivity to cocaine. ... > full story

Stratospheric superbugs offer new source of power (February 21, 2012) -- Bacteria normally found 30 kilometers above Earth have been identified as highly efficient generators of electricity. Bacillus stratosphericus -- a microbe commonly found in high concentrations in the stratosphere -- is a key component of a new 'super' biofilm that has been engineered by a team of scientists from Newcastle University. ... > full story

Caught in the act: Scientists discover microbes speciating (February 21, 2012) -- Not that long ago in a hot spring in Kamchatka, Russia, two groups of genetically indistinguishable microbes decided to part ways. They began evolving into different species – despite the fact that they still encountered one another in their acidic, boiling habitat and even exchanged some genes from time to time, researchers report. This is the first example of what the researchers call sympatric speciation in a microorganism. ... > full story

Stronger intestinal barrier may prevent cancer in the rest of the body, new study suggests (February 21, 2012) -- A leaky gut may be the root of some cancers forming in the rest of the body, a new study suggests. It appears that the hormone receptor guanylyl cyclase C (GC-C) -- a previously identified tumor suppressor that exists in the intestinal tract -- plays a key role in strengthening the body's intestinal barrier, which helps separate the gut world from the rest of the body, and possibly keeps cancer at bay. Without the receptor, that barrier weakens. ... > full story

How good cholesterol turns bad (February 21, 2012) -- Researchers have found new evidence to explain how cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mediates the transfer of cholesterol from "good" high density lipoproteins (HDLs) to "bad" low density lipoproteins (LDLs). These findings point the way to the design of safer, more effective next generation CETP inhibitors that could help prevent the development of heart disease. ... > full story

Anticipation of stressful situations accelerates cellular aging (February 21, 2012) -- The ability to anticipate future events allows us to plan and exert control over our lives, but it may also contribute to stress-related increased risk for the diseases of aging, according to a new study. ... > full story

Technique creates piezoelectric ferroelectric nanostructures (February 21, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a “soft template infiltration” technique for fabricating free-standing piezoelectrically active ferroelectric nanotubes and other nanostructures from PZT – a material that is attractive because of its large piezoelectric response. ... > full story

Injectable gel could repair tissue damaged by heart attack (February 21, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a new injectable hydrogel that could be an effective and safe treatment for tissue damage caused by heart attacks. ... > full story

Gold coaxed into nanowires to allow inexpensive detection of poisonous industrial gases (February 21, 2012) -- Researchers have coaxed gold into nanowires as a way of creating an inexpensive material for detecting poisonous gases found in natural gas. ... > full story

Rare fungus kills endangered rattlesnakes in southern Illinois (February 21, 2012) -- A small population of rattlesnakes that already is in decline in southern Illinois faces a new and unexpected threat in the form of a fungus rarely seen in the wild, researchers report. The finding matches reports of rattlesnake deaths in the northeast United States. ... > full story

Cell energy sensor mechanism discovered (February 21, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered more details about how an energy sensing “thermostat” protein determines whether cells will store or use their energy reserves. The researchers have shown that a chemical modification on the thermostat protein changes how it’s controlled. Without the modification, cells use stored energy, and with it, they default to stockpiling resources. When cells don’t properly allocate their energy supply, they can die off or become cancerous. ... > full story

Fastest wind from stellar-mass black hole (February 21, 2012) -- Astronomers have clocked the fastest wind yet discovered blowing off a disk around a stellar-mass black hole. This result has important implications for understanding how this type of black hole behaves. ... > full story

Seven adult-sized humanoid robots together for first time in the U.S. (February 21, 2012) -- Seven adult-sized humanoid robots took the stage during Drexel University's celebration of National Engineers Week in a first-of-its-kind assembly of robotic technology. Their presence -- together in one place -- is a unique event. ... > full story

Origin of photosynthesis revealed: Genome analysis of 'living fossil' sheds light on the evolution of plants (February 21, 2012) -- Evolutionary biologists have shed light on the early events leading to photosynthesis, the result of the sequencing of 70 million base pair nuclear genome of the one-celled alga Cyanophora. They consider this study the final piece of the puzzle to understand the origin of photosynthesis in eukaryotes. ... > full story

Tohoku grim reminder of potential for Pacific Northwest North American megaquake (February 21, 2012) -- The March 11, 2011 Tohoku earthquake is a grim reminder of the potential for another strong-motion mega-earthquake along the Pacific Northwest coast, geophysicists say. ... > full story

Can consuming caffeine while breastfeeding harm your baby? (February 21, 2012) -- Babies are not able to metabolize or excrete caffeine very well, so a breastfeeding mother's consumption of caffeine may lead to caffeine accumulation and symptoms such as wakefulness and irritability, according to an expert. ... > full story

Plant toughness: Key to cracking biofuels? (February 21, 2012) -- Along with photosynthesis, the plant cell wall is one of the features that most set plants apart from animals. A structural molecule called cellulose is necessary for the manufacture of these walls. Cellulose is synthesized in a semi-crystalline state that is essential for its function in the cell wall function, but the mechanisms controlling its crystallinity are poorly understood. New research reveals key information about this process. ... > full story

Many young people don't know what constitutes sensible alcohol consumption (February 21, 2012) -- A new study reveals that young people do not possess the knowledge or skills required to adhere to U.S. government guidelines for responsible alcohol consumption. ... > full story

Rare element, tellurium, detected for the first time in ancient stars (February 21, 2012) -- Researchers has detected the element tellurium for the first time in three ancient stars. Tellurium is rare on Earth. ... > full story

Noninvasive method accurately and efficiently detects risk of Down syndrome, researchers say (February 21, 2012) -- Using a noninvasive test on maternal blood that deploys a novel biochemical assay and a new algorithm for analysis, scientists can detect, with a high degree of accuracy, the risk that a fetus has the chromosomal abnormalities that cause Down syndrome and a genetic disorder known as Edwards syndrome. The new approach is more scalable than other recently developed genetic screening tests and has the potential to reduce unnecessary amniocentesis or CVS. ... > full story

Is fructose being blamed unfairly for obesity epidemic? (February 21, 2012) -- Is fructose being unfairly blamed for the obesity epidemic? Or do we just eat and drink too many calories? Researchers reviewed more than 40 published studies on whether the fructose molecule itself causes weight gain. In 31 "isocaloric" trials they reviewed, participants ate a similar number of calories, but one group ate pure fructose and the other ate non-fructose carbohydrates. The fructose group did not gain weight. ... > full story

Step forward in effort to regenerate damaged nerves (February 21, 2012) -- Scientists have taken a step forward toward the goal of repairing nerves in such patients more effectively. In a new study, researchers report that a surprising set of cells may hold potential for nerve transplants. ... > full story

Does depression contribute to the aging process? (February 21, 2012) -- Stress has numerous detrimental effects on the human body. Many of these effects are acutely felt by the sufferer, but many more go "unseen," one of which is shortening of telomere length. ... > full story

Molecular basis of touch sensation: Researchers identify new function of a well-known gene (February 21, 2012) -- A gene known to control lens development in mice and humans is also crucial for the development of neurons responsible for mechanosensory function, as neurobiologists have now discovered. They found that in mice in which they had removed the c-Maf gene in the nerve cells, touch sensation is impaired. This similarly applies to human carriers of a mutant c-Maf gene. ... > full story