ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Thursday, March 1, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Thursday, March 1, 2012

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New infant formula ingredients boost babies' immunity by feeding their gut bacteria (February 29, 2012) -- Adding prebiotic ingredients to infant formula helps colonize the newborn's gut with a stable population of beneficial bacteria, and probiotics enhance immunity in formula-fed infants, two studies report. ... > full story

Who's in the know? To a preschooler, the person doing the pointing (February 29, 2012) -- If you want a preschooler to get the point, point. That's a lesson that can be drawn from a new study. As part of their investigation of how small children know what other people know, the authors found they were able to mislead preschoolers with the simple introduction of a pointing gesture. ... > full story

Effects of a concussion may last longer than symptoms (February 29, 2012) -- A new study shows that physiological problems stemming from a concussion may continue to present in the patient even after standard symptoms subside. ... > full story

Earthworms to blame for decline of ovenbirds in northern Midwest forests (February 29, 2012) -- A recent decline in ovenbirds, a ground-nesting migratory songbird, in forests in the northern Midwest United States is being linked by scientists to a seemingly unlikely culprit: earthworms. ... > full story

How insects 'remodel' their bodies between life stages (February 29, 2012) -- How is it that an insect can remake itself so completely that it appears to be a different creature altogether, not just once, but several times in its lifetime? Working with fruit flies scientists found that genes whose expression is induced by pulses of steroid hormone are key to these transformations. A similar mechanism may underlie puberty -- the human analog of metamorphosis. ... > full story

Blockade of learning and memory genes may occur early in Alzheimer's disease: Treatable in mice (February 29, 2012) -- A repression of gene activity in the brain appears to be an early event affecting people with Alzheimer's disease, researchers have found. In mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, this epigenetic blockade and its effects on memory were treatable. ... > full story

Finding a potent new energy source by listening for Earth's gas bubbles? (February 29, 2012) -- What if we could cheaply and efficiently detect a potent new energy source, while also monitoring for environmental safety? Physicists are using the symphony of sound produced in the ocean to do just that. ... > full story

Astronomers rediscover life on Earth -- by looking at the moon (February 29, 2012) -- By observing the Moon using ESO's Very Large Telescope, astronomers have found evidence of life in the universe -- on Earth. Finding life on our home planet may sound like a trivial observation, but the novel approach may lead to future discoveries of life elsewhere in the universe. ... > full story

Oldest fossilized forest: Entire fossil forest dating back 385 million years unearthed (February 29, 2012) -- Researcher who previously found evidence of the Earth's earliest tree, has gone one step further. The research team has now unearthed and investigated an entire fossil forest dating back 385 million years. ... > full story

When continents collide: New twist to 50-million-year-old tale (February 29, 2012) -- Fifty million years ago, India slammed into Eurasia, a collision that gave rise to the tallest landforms on the planet, the Himalaya Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau. ... > full story

Old drug reveals new tricks: How interferon works to suppress virus in patients with HIV, hepatitis (February 29, 2012) -- A drug once taken by people with HIV/AIDS but long ago shelved after newer, modern antiretroviral therapies became available has now shed light on how the human body uses its natural immunity to fight the virus—work that could help uncover new targets for drugs. ... > full story

The ever-expanding definition of 'diversity' (February 29, 2012) -- Diversity has become a goal for all sorts of institutions -- but what it means may depend on who you ask. A new study finds that people's ideologies help determine what they count as "diverse." ... > full story

Two genes do not make a voter (February 29, 2012) -- Voting behavior cannot be predicted by one or two genes as previous researchers have claimed, according to a professor of public policy and political science. ... > full story

Genetics of endangered African monkey suggest troubles from warming climate (February 29, 2012) -- A rare and endangered monkey in an African equatorial rainforest is providing a look into our climatic future through its DNA. Its genes show that wild drills, already an overhunted species, may see a dramatic population decline if the forest dries out and vegetation becomes sparser amid warming temperatures, researchers report. ... > full story

No workout? No worries: Scientists prevent muscle loss in mice, despite disease and inactivity (February 29, 2012) -- If you want big muscles without working out, there's hope. Scientists report a family of protein transcription factors, called "Forkhead (Fox0)," that plays a significant role in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass. Interfering with Fox0 prevented muscle wasting associated with cancer and sepsis, and even promoted muscle growth. This is likely relevant to any disease, condition or lifestyle that leads to muscle wasting. ... > full story

Gluten-free, casein-free diet may help some children with autism, research suggests (February 29, 2012) -- A gluten-free, casein-free diet may lead to improvements in behavior and physiological symptoms in some children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to researchers. The research is the first to use survey data from parents to document the effectiveness of a gluten-free, casein-free diet on children with ASD. ... > full story

Foot bones allow researchers to determine sex of skeletal remains (February 29, 2012) -- Law enforcement officials who are tasked with identifying a body based on partial skeletal remains have a new tool at their disposal. A new paper from North Carolina State University researchers details how to determine the biological sex of skeletal remains based solely on measurements of the seven tarsal bones in the feet. ... > full story

Winning makes people more aggressive toward the defeated (February 29, 2012) -- In this world, there are winners and losers – and, for your own safety, it is best to fear the winners. ... > full story

Unlocking the secrets of sea turtle migration (February 29, 2012) -- Sea turtles have long and complex lives; they can live into their 70s or 80s and they famously return to their birthplace to nest. But new research suggests this isn’t the only big migration in a sea turtle’s life. ... > full story

New model provides different take on planetary accretion: Collapse may take place in 3-D cold dust cloud (February 29, 2012) -- The prevailing model for planetary accretion assumes that the solar system's planets formed in an extremely hot, two-dimensional disk of gas and dust, post-dating the sun. Scientists now propose a radically different model, in which collapse takes place in a cold, three-dimensional dust cloud. ... > full story

Inherited epigenetics produced record fast evolution (February 29, 2012) -- The domestication of chickens has given rise to rapid and extensive changes in genome function. Scientists have established that the changes are heritable, although they do not affect the DNA structure. ... > full story

T. rex has most powerful bite of any terrestrial animal ever (February 28, 2012) -- Research, using computer models to reconstruct the jaw muscle of Tyrannosaurus rex, has suggested that the dinosaur had the most powerful bite of any living or extinct terrestrial animal. ... > full story

Researchers test sugary solution to Alzheimer's disease (February 28, 2012) -- Slowing or preventing the development of Alzheimer's disease, a fatal brain condition expected to hit one in 85 people globally by 2050, may be as simple as ensuring a brain protein's sugar levels are maintained, according to researchers. ... > full story

Stopping hormone therapy might help breast cancer to regress (February 28, 2012) -- As soon as women quit hormone therapy, their rates of new breast cancer decline, supporting the hypothesis that stopping hormones can lead to tumor regression, according to a new report. ... > full story

Elephant behavior and conservation issues (February 28, 2012) -- Researchers are using fieldwork and genetics research to uncover insights into elephant population genetics and social behavior as well as how human activities alter elephants' social and genetic structures. ... > full story

New 'magnetic yeast' marks step toward harnessing Nature's magnetic capabilities (February 28, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a method for inducing magnetic sensitivity in an organism that is not naturally magnetic -- yeast. Their technology could potentially be used to magnetize a variety of different cell types in medical, industrial and research applications. ... > full story

Molecular duo dictate human weight and energy levels (February 28, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered a key cellular mechanism that may help the brain control how much we eat, what we weigh, and how much energy we have. ... > full story

Searching for the first stars (February 28, 2012) -- How did the first stars and galaxies bring the young universe out of its dark ages and into the light? Three prominent researchers discuss how new instruments and observational techniques may find the answer. ... > full story

Potential solution to melanoma's resistance to vemurafenib (February 28, 2012) -- Researchers have found that the XL888 inhibitor can prevent resistance to the chemotherapy drug vemurafenib, commonly used for treating patients with melanoma. ... > full story

Toppling Raman shift in supercritical carbon dioxide: Vibrational mix shines new light on carbon sequestration measurements (February 28, 2012) -- Just as a wine glass vibrates and sometimes breaks when a diva sings the right note, carbon dioxide vibrates when light or heat serenades it. When it does, carbon dioxide exhibits a vibrational puzzle known as Fermi resonance. Now, researchers studying geologic carbon storage have learned a bit more about the nature of carbon dioxide. ... > full story

Open your eyes and smell the roses: Activating the visual cortex improves our sense of smell (February 28, 2012) -- A new study reveals for the first time that activating the brain’s visual cortex with a small amount of electrical stimulation actually improves our sense of smell. ... > full story

Mysterious electron acceleration explained: Computer simulation identifies source of aurora-causing high-speed electrons in space (February 28, 2012) -- A mysterious phenomenon detected by space probes has finally been explained, thanks to a massive computer simulation that was able to precisely align with details of spacecraft observations. The simulation shows that an active region in Earth's magnetotail, where "reconnection" events take place in the magnetic field, is roughly 1,000 times larger than had been thought. ... > full story

Mutated plants may be better for biofuels (February 28, 2012) -- A new study says genetic mutations in plants could make it easier to break down plant cellulose to the sugars that are fermented into biofuels. ... > full story

Eat your broccoli: Another mechanism discovered by which sulforaphane prevents cancer (February 28, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered yet another reason why the "sulforaphane" compound in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables is so good for you -- it provides not just one, but two ways to prevent cancer through the complex mechanism of epigenetics. ... > full story

Lake Chad: Inhabitants adapt to lower water levels (February 28, 2012) -- Lake Chad used to be one of the biggest lakes in the world, but its volume has been reduced to a tenth of what it was in the 1960s. The way this lake has dried up has become a symbol of climate change in action. It’s true that the lake’s water level has always changed, but this hasn’t diminished the major changes to the lifestyle of the inhabitants of the lake’s shoreline. ... > full story

Nowhere to hide: Tigers threatened by human destruction of groundcover (February 28, 2012) -- A new study is the first of its kind to systematically investigate the use of different land cover types for tiger habitat. ... > full story

Developing sustainable power (February 28, 2012) -- Scientists suggest that renewable energy is a viable option for electrical power in developing and emerging nations. Researchers point out that in most of these nations, the demand for energy far exceeds the generating capacity. ... > full story

Predicting children's language development (February 28, 2012) -- We depend on a barrage of standardized tests to assess everything from aptitude to intelligence. But do they provide an accurate forecast when it comes to something as complex as language? A new Language Use Inventory does, researchers say. ... > full story

Cold air chills heart's oxygen supply, making snow shoveling dangerous for some people (February 28, 2012) -- People with heart disease may not be able to compensate for their bodies' higher demand for oxygen when inhaling cold air, according to researchers, making snow shoveling and other activities dangerous for some. ... > full story

Overfishing threatens the survival of seabirds (February 28, 2012) -- From gannets to seagulls, puffins to penguins, all seabirds suffer the same drop in birth rates when the supply of fish drops to less than a third of maximum capacity. Below the critical level of one third of the fish biomass, the birds — and the stability of the entire ecosystem —- come under threat. ... > full story

The Brazilian rainforest : Caught between biodiversity and business (February 28, 2012) -- Brazil is exporting more and more agricultural produce: soya beans and beef in particular, but also corn, rice and sugar. Taken together, these exports represent half of Brazil’s total today. The increase in the export of commodities brings both a higher degree of economic dependency and a threat to the Amazon rainforest. ... > full story

Initial genetic analysis reveals Iceman Ötzi predisposed to cardiovascular disease (February 28, 2012) -- The famous Iceman mummy known as Ötzi was genetically predisposed to cardiovascular diseases, according to recent studies. Not only was this genetic predisposition demonstrable in the 5,000-year-old ice mummy, there was also already a symptom in the form of arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. ... > full story

Newly emerging staph strain transits more easily among humans (February 28, 2012) -- Using genome sequencing and household surveillance, scientists have pieced together how a newly emerging type of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria has adapted to transmit more easily among humans. Their new study underscores the need for vigilance in surveillance of S. aureus. ... > full story

Study compares traits of autism, schizophrenia (February 28, 2012) -- A professor is studying the differences between the social impairments found in autism and schizophrenia to help develop better treatments for people with both disorders. Autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia are distinct disorders with unique characteristics, but they share similarities in social dysfunction. ... > full story

Stress changes how people make decisions (February 28, 2012) -- Trying to make a big decision while you're also preparing for a scary presentation? You might want to hold off on that. Feeling stressed changes how people weigh risk and reward. A new article published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, reviews how, under stress, people pay more attention to the upside of a possible outcome. ... > full story

Enhanced brain-computer interface promises unparalleled autonomy for disabled (February 28, 2012) -- In the 2009 film Surrogates, humans live vicariously through robots while safely remaining in their own homes. That sci-fi future is still a long way off, but recent advances in technology are bringing this technology a step closer to reality in order to give disabled people more autonomy and independence than ever before. ... > full story

Cannabis: The good, the evil, the ugly (February 28, 2012) -- Cannabis-like substances that are produced by the body have both therapeutic and harmful properties, besides their well-known intoxicating effects, and the body’s cannabinoid system may be a target for new strategies in cancer treatment, new research suggests. ... > full story

Better health another reason for getting a degree (February 28, 2012) -- Attaining at least a bachelor's degree after 25 years of age is associated with better midlife health, new research shows. ... > full story