ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Friday, March 9, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Friday, March 9, 2012

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A test of the senses in the search for a 'shoal mate' (March 8, 2012) -- Young coral reef fish use sounds, smells and visual cues to find their nursery grounds, according to new research. By testing how young French grunts (a common fish in Curaçao and throughout the Caribbean) responded to local sounds, smells and visual cues, the researchers have unlocked, for the first time, the mystery of how centimeter-long juvenile fish can navigate from the high seas to find their shoal mates in amongst the roots of mangrove trees or blades of seagrass. ... > full story

Promising new drug could help patients battling deadly and difficult to treat form of melanoma (March 8, 2012) -- Researchers say they may have discovered a new drug for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, one that uses the patient’s own tumor cells to customize the therapy. ... > full story

Deeper view of HIV reveals impact of early mutations (March 8, 2012) -- Mutations in HIV that develop during the first few weeks of infection may play a critical role in undermining a successful early immune response, a finding that reveals the importance of vaccines targeting regions of the virus that are less likely to mutate. ... > full story

Drug helps purge hidden HIV (March 8, 2012) -- Researchers have successfully flushed latent HIV infection from hiding, with a drug used to treat certain types of lymphoma. ... > full story

Discovery of hair-cell roots suggests the brain modulates sound sensitivity (March 8, 2012) -- The hair cells of the inner ear have a previously unknown "root" extension that may allow them to communicate with nerve cells and the brain to regulate sensitivity to sound vibrations and head position, researchers have discovered. ... > full story

Genetic manipulation boosts growth of brain cells linked to learning, enhances effects of antidepressants (March 8, 2012) -- Investigators have identified a genetic manipulation that increases the development of neurons in the brain during aging and enhances the effect of antidepressant drugs. ... > full story

Nanoparticles affect nutrient absorption, study suggests (March 8, 2012) -- Nanoparticles are everywhere. From cosmetics and clothes, to soda and snacks. But as versatile as they are, nanoparticles also have a downside, say researchers. These tiny particles, even in low doses, could have a big impact on our long-term health. ... > full story

Counting reef sharks with cameras: 'Chum cam' underwater video survey shows that reef sharks thrive in marine reserves (March 8, 2012) -- Scientists have used video cameras to count Caribbean reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezi) inside and outside marine reserves on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef in the Caribbean Sea. Using survey data collected from 200 baited remote underwater video cameras, nicknamed "chum cams," the scientists compared the relative abundance of these reef sharks in two marine reserves with those in two areas where fishing is allowed, and demonstrated that the sharks were more abundant in the reserves. ... > full story

Eating wild: Foraging safely in a modern world (March 8, 2012) -- In an expanding “foodie” culture, people go to great lengths to get the best ingredients, seek out the most aesthetic desserts, and buy natural and organic. Less noted, though, is the movement of "foragers": people who “eat wild” on a regular basis, supplemented by naturally growing, edible plants for which they search in their local communities, whether urban or rural. ... > full story

Study pinpoints effects of different doses of an ADHD drug; Finds higher doses may harm learning (March 8, 2012) -- New research with monkeys sheds light on how the drug methylphenidate may affect learning and memory in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ... > full story

Teach your robot well (March 8, 2012) -- A new study identifies the types of questions a robot can ask during a learning interaction that are most likely to characterize a smooth and productive human-robot relationship. ... > full story

Multiple species of seacows once coexisted (March 8, 2012) -- Sirenians, or seacows, are a group of marine mammals that include manatees and dugongs; Today, only one species of seacow is found in each world region. Scientists have discovered that this was not always the case. According to the fossil record of these marine mammals, which dates back 50 million years ago, it was more common to find three, or possibly more, different species of seacows living together at one time. ... > full story

Insects have 'personalities' too, research on novelty-seeking honey bees indicates (March 8, 2012) -- Thrill-seeking is not limited to humans and other vertebrates, new research suggests. Some honey bees, too, are more likely than others to seek adventure. The brains of these novelty-seeking bees exhibit distinct patterns of gene activity in molecular pathways known to be associated with thrill-seeking in humans, researchers report. ... > full story

Iridescent, feathered dinosaur offers fresh evidence that feathers evolved to attract mates (March 8, 2012) -- Researchers have revealed that the small, feathered dinosaur Microraptor had a glossy iridescent sheen like a modern crow and that its tail was narrow and adorned with a pair of streamer feathers, suggesting feathers originally evolved for display, rather than flight. The new fossil is the earliest record of iridescent color in feathers. ... > full story

Polymer scientists and physicists, inspired by curly leaves, develop new technique for shaping thin gel sheets (March 8, 2012) -- Inspired by nature's ability to shape a petal, and building on simple techniques used in photolithography and printing, researchers have developed a new tool for manufacturing three-dimensional shapes easily and cheaply, to aid advances in biomedicine, robotics and tunable micro-optics. Researchers have just described their new method of halftone gel lithography for photo-patterning polymer gel sheets. ... > full story

Powerful tool to measure metabolites in living cells (March 8, 2012) -- By engineering cells to express a modified RNA called "Spinach," researchers have imaged small-molecule metabolites in living cells and observed how their levels change over time. Metabolites are the products of individual cell metabolism. The ability to measure their rate of production could be used to recognize a cell gone metabolically awry, as in cancer, or identify the drug that can restore the cell's metabolites to normal. ... > full story

Biologists locate brain's processing point for acoustic signals essential to human communication (March 8, 2012) -- In both animals and humans, vocal signals used for communication contain a wide array of different sounds that are determined by the vibrational frequencies of vocal cords. Knowing how the brain sorts out these different frequencies -- which are called frequency-modulated sweeps—is believed to be essential to understanding many hearing-related behaviors, like speech. Now, a pair of biologists has identified how and where the brain processes this type of sound signal. ... > full story

Could a NOSH-aspirin-a-day keep cancer away? (March 8, 2012) -- The humble aspirin may soon have a new role. Scientists have developed a new aspirin compound that has great promise to be, not only an extremely potent cancer-fighter, but even safer than the classic medicine cabinet staple, researchers say. ... > full story

Ultrafast sonograms shed new light on rapid phase transitions (March 8, 2012) -- A method for taking ultrafast "sonograms" of materials undergoing phase transitions sheds new light on the dynamics of this important phenomenon in the world's fastest phase-change material. ... > full story

Researchers crack degeneration process that leads to Alzheimer's (March 8, 2012) -- Scientists have uncovered a critical process in understanding the degeneration of brain cells sensitive to Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study suggests that this discovery could help develop alternative AD therapies. ... > full story

Share and share alike: How marketers can exploit infectious sharing behavior (March 8, 2012) -- In the world of marketing, people who are thinking about sharing product information they find in online advertising are likely to first consider whether the information is relevant to friends and family in their social networks. ... > full story

New throat cancer gene uncovered (March 8, 2012) -- A new study has uncovered a mutation in the ATR gene, demonstrating the first evidence of a link between abnormality in this gene and an inherited form of cancer. The researchers say this finding raises new ideas about genetic factors linked to throat cancer and provides a platform for exploring the role of ATR more generally in cancer biology. ... > full story

Scientists discover 'Achilles' heel' of clot-buster (March 8, 2012) -- A new study provides remarkable new insight into how plasmin is produced. This work may lead to more effective clot-busting drugs. ... > full story

Protein folding: Understanding the dance of the chaperones (March 8, 2012) -- Proteins are the molecular building blocks and machinery of cells and involved in practically all biological processes. To fulfill their tasks, they need to be folded into a complicated three-dimensional structure. Scientists have now analyzed one of the key players of this folding process: the molecular chaperone DnaK. ... > full story

Nintendo Wii™ game controllers help diagnose eye disorder (March 8, 2012) -- Wii remotes are not all about fun and games. Scientists can use them to assess and diagnose children with an abnormal head position caused by eye diseases. Researchers have now developed a low-cost digital head posture measuring device with Nintendo Wiimotes to help diagnose this condition, medically called ocular torticollis. ... > full story

Vaccination strategy may hold key to ridding HIV infection from immune system (March 8, 2012) -- Using human immune system cells in the lab, AIDS experts have figured out a way to kill off latent forms of HIV that hide in infected T cells long after antiretroviral therapy has successfully stalled viral replication to undetectable levels in blood tests. ... > full story

Oldest organism with skeleton discovered in Australia (March 8, 2012) -- Paleontologists have discovered the oldest animal with a skeleton. Called Coronacollina acula, the organism is between 560 million and 550 million years old. The finding provides insight into the evolution of life on the planet, why animals go extinct, and how organisms respond to environmental changes. The discovery also can help scientists recognize life elsewhere in the universe. Coronacollina acula has a number of hard parts -- structural supports -- essentially holding it up. ... > full story

Want to limit aggression? Practice self-control (March 8, 2012) -- Feeling angry and annoyed with others is a daily part of life, but most people don't act on these impulses. What keeps us from punching line-cutters or murdering conniving coworkers? Self control. A new review article examines the psychological research and finds that it's possible to deplete self-control -- or to strengthen it by practice. ... > full story

Optimizing routes for underwater vehicles: Sometimes the quickest path is not a straight line (March 8, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a mathematical procedure that can optimize path planning for automated underwater vehicles, even in regions with complex shorelines and strong shifting currents. The system can provide paths optimized either for the shortest travel time or for the minimum use of energy, or to maximize the collection of data that is considered most important. ... > full story

Origami-inspired paper sensor could test for malaria and HIV for less than 10 cents, report chemists (March 8, 2012) -- Inspired by the paper-folding art of origami, chemists have developed a 3-D paper sensor that may be able to test for diseases such as malaria and HIV for less than 10 cents a pop. The sensors can be printed out on an office printer, and take less than a minute to assemble. ... > full story

Mom's voice may improve the health of premature babies (March 8, 2012) -- When babies are born prematurely, they are thrust into a hospital environment that while highly successful at saving their lives, is not exactly the same as the mother's womb where ideal development occurs. Now, new research links exposure to an audio recording of mom's heartbeat and her voice to lower incidence of cardiorespiratory events in preterm infants. ... > full story

When prejudices become a disadvantage (March 8, 2012) -- Researchers have been exploring the question of whether prejudices might be rational under certain conditions. Using game theory, they created various scenarios and played them fifteen million times. The researchers have now reached a conclusion: those who are prejudiced are soon at a disadvantage, as they learn nothing new and miss many opportunities. ... > full story

Computer processors: Saving power, saving money (March 8, 2012) -- Engineers have proposed a method of cutting power use and costs in computer processors. Called fine-grained power gating, the method would shut off energy to unused portions of datapath and memory blocks. Current processors fully power all components but rarely are all fully engaged. ... > full story

Maternal obesity may influence brain development of premature infants (March 8, 2012) -- Maternal obesity may contribute to cognitive impairment in extremely premature babies, according to a new study. ... > full story

BP oil spill hurt marshes, but recovery possible, experts say (March 8, 2012) -- A new study shows that arthropods living in coastal salt marshes affected by BP oil spill were damaged but they were able to recover if their host plants remained healthy. ... > full story

Discovery of brain's natural resistance to drugs may offer clues to treating addiction (March 8, 2012) -- A single injection of cocaine or methamphetamine in mice caused their brains to put the brakes on neurons that generate sensations of pleasure, and these cellular changes lasted for at least a week, according to new research. ... > full story

How a bacterial pathogen breaks down barriers to enter and infect cells (March 8, 2012) -- Scientists have found for the first time that a bacterial pathogen can literally mow down protective molecules, known as mucins, on mucus membranes to enter and infect a part of the body. ... > full story

Archaeologists unearth slave burial ground on the island of St. Helena (March 8, 2012) -- Archaeologists have unearthed a unique slave burial ground on the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena. The excavation, which took place in advance of construction of a new airport on the island, has revealed dramatic insights into the victims of the Atlantic slave trade during the notorious Middle Passage. ... > full story

Proposed nuclear clock may keep time with the universe (March 8, 2012) -- A proposed new time-keeping system tied to the orbiting of a neutron around an atomic nucleus could have such unprecedented accuracy that it neither gains nor loses 1/20th of a second in 14 billion years -- the age of the universe. ... > full story

Aging, overweight people stay happy says new study (March 8, 2012) -- Growing older and being overweight are not necessarily associated with a decrease in mental well-being, according to a cross-cultural study looking at quality of life and health status in the US and the UK. ... > full story

Large solar flares generate geomagnetic storm (March 8, 2012) -- A pair of unusually large solar flares early March 7, 2012 generated a Coronal Mass Ejection that was expected to reach Earth around mid-day March 8. It will likely cause at least a strong geomagnetic storm that could affect satellites in space and trigger auroral displays. The effects at ground level are expected to be limited, but there is a good chance for some excellent auroral displays in the north. ... > full story

Wallflower or daredevil: Personality of male primates changes throughout life (March 8, 2012) -- One individual is wild and audacious, the other one shy and cautious. It is widely unknown why there are major differences in personality even within a species. Scientists have now studied how male mouse lemurs are shy when young and grow more audacious as they age. Females remain about the same throughout their lifecycle. ... > full story

Men respond more aggressively than women to stress and it's all down to a single gene (March 8, 2012) -- The pulse quickens, the heart pounds and adrenalin courses through the veins, but in stressful situations is our reaction controlled by our genes, and does it differ between the sexes? Scientists believe the SRY gene, which directs male development, may promote aggression and other traditionally male behavioral traits resulting in the fight-or-flight reaction to stress. ... > full story

Daya Bay: Discovery of new kind of neutrino transformation (March 8, 2012) -- The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment collaboration has announced a precise measurement of the last of the unsolved neutrino "mixing angles," which determine how neutrinos oscillate among different types. The ground-breaking collaboration is the most sensitive reactor neutrino experiment in the world. The results promise new insight into why enough ordinary matter survived after the big bang to form everything visible in the universe. ... > full story

Wash your mouth out with silver, to treat hard-to-treat mouth infections? (March 8, 2012) -- Yeasts which cause hard-to-treat mouth infections are killed using silver nanoparticles in the laboratory, scientists have found. These yeast infections, caused by Candida albicans and Candida glabrata target the young, old and immuno-compromised. Scientists hope to test silver nanoparticles in mouthwash and dentures as a potential preventative measure against these infections. ... > full story

Petunia points the way to better harvests: Understanding plants' relationships with helpful soil fungi (March 8, 2012) -- Most plants live in symbiosis with soil fungi and are supplied with water and nutrients as a result. Based on the petunia, plant biologists have now discovered that a special transport protein is required to establish this symbiotic relationship. The targeted control of this protein could lead to greater harvests. ... > full story

The Darwin-Wallace mystery solved: Darwin vindicated from accusations of deceit (March 8, 2012) -- A new study traced historical shipping records and vindicated Darwin from accusations of deceit. For the past four decades, Charles Darwin had been accused of keeping the essay of fellow naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace for a fortnight, thereby enabling him to revise elements of his theory of evolution, before jointly announcing the theory of evolution by natural selection in July 1858. ... > full story

Cannabinoid 2 receptors regulate impulsive behaviour (March 8, 2012) -- A new study reveals how manipulating the endocannabinoid system can modulate high levels of impulsivity. This is the main problem in psychiatric illnesses such a schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and substance abuse. ... > full story