ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Friday, June 25, 2010
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's
Behavior breakthrough: Like animals, plants demonstrate complex ability to integrate information (June 25, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered that a plant's strategy to capture nutrients in the soil is the result of integration of different types of information. They found plants also have the ability to integrate information about the location of both food and competitors. As a result, plants demonstrate unique behavioral strategies to capture soil resources. ... > full storyAddiction: a loss of plasticity of the brain? (June 25, 2010) -- Why is it that only some drug users become addicts?Researchers have just discovered that the transition to addiction could result from a persistent impairment of synaptic plasticity in a key structure of the brain. ... > full story
Seventh graders find a cave on Mars (June 25, 2010) -- Using the camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, 16 seventh-graders at Evergreen Middle School in Cottonwood, Calif., found lava tubes with one pit that appears to be a skylight to a cave. Mars Odyssey has been orbiting the Red Planet since 2001, returning data and images of the Martian surface and providing relay communications service for Mars Rovers Spirit and Opportunity. ... > full storyPopular heart drug may be unsafe for some kidney patients (June 25, 2010) -- For patients with kidney disease on dialysis, the widely used heart medication digoxin may lead to an increased risk of premature death, according to a new study. ... > full story
Life of plastic solar cell jumps from hours to 8 months (June 25, 2010) -- A team of researchers has extended the operating life of an unsealed plastic solar cell, from mere hours to eight months. The team developed a longer lasting, polymer coating for the electrode. Prior to the new coating the team's plastic solar cell could only operate at high capacity for about 10 hours. ... > full story
Migraine sufferers who experienced childhood abuse have greater risk of cardiovascular disease, study finds (June 25, 2010) -- Migraine sufferers who experienced abuse and neglect as children have a greater risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease including stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) among others, say scientists. ... > full story
Higher wetland methane emissions caused by climate warming 40,000 years ago (June 25, 2010) -- 40,000 years ago rapid warming led to an increase in methane concentration. The culprit for this increase has now been identified. Mainly wetlands in high northern latitudes caused the methane increase. This result refutes an alternative theory dis-cussed amongst experts, the so-called "clathrate gun hypothesis." ... > full story
Novel approach developed to study neurological disorders (June 25, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a novel approach to efficiently identify disease relevant genes in human complex neurological disorders and demonstrated the effectiveness of this method by applying it to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease. ... > full story
Researcher develops green, bio-based process for producing fuel additive (June 25, 2010) -- A new green, bio-based method for producing a much-used fuel additive and industrial chemical that is currently made from petroleum products has been developed. ... > full storyPossible role for Smurf1 in pulmonary arterial hypertension (June 25, 2010) -- Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a progressive disease, marked by shortness of breath and fatigue which can be fatal if untreated. Increased pressure in the pulmonary artery and its branches is associated with dysfunctional growth control of endothelial and smooth muscle cells leading to excessive thickening of the blood vessel wall, obliteration of the lumen and right heart failure. ... > full story
Crack in the case for supersolids: Reports of supersolid helium may have been premature (June 25, 2010) -- New experiments are casting doubt on previously reported observations of supersolid helium. New research suggests that prior experiments that seemed to show signs of supersolidity were in fact the result of the plastic deformation of normal helium. ... > full story
How likely is misdiagnosis? (June 25, 2010) -- Medical researchers have been evaluating the accuracy of patient diagnoses. Evaluating diagnostic strategy is crucial to clinical practice as it helps maximize the efficacy of the treatments which are offered to patients. Many lives are affected every day by the diagnoses made by hospitals and medical doctors, and it is vital that diagnoses are accurate. ... > full story
Was Venus once a habitable planet? (June 24, 2010) -- The European Space Agency's Venus Express is helping planetary scientists investigate whether Venus once had oceans. If it did, it may even have begun its existence as a habitable planet similar to Earth. ... > full storyAntihypertensive drugs may protect against Alzheimer's disease (June 24, 2010) -- Researchers have found that the drug carvedilol, currently prescribed for the treatment of hypertension, may lessen the degenerative impact of Alzheimer's disease and promote healthy memory functions. ... > full story
Breast milk transmits drugs and medicines to the baby (June 24, 2010) -- Give up smoking, do not drink more than three cups of coffee per day, do not take any kind of drug, or if you do, take it as long as possible before feeding your baby. These are some of the recommendations contained in a study produced by researchers on methods for detecting medicines and drugs in breast milk. The study shows that the risk from substances such as alcohol is still not well understood. ... > full storyHow embryos fight retroviral infection (June 24, 2010) -- Some viruses insert themselves into the host's DNA during infection in a process called retroviral integration, causing several diseases, including AIDS and cancer, notes a researcher who specializes in fetal diseases. However, stem cells that give rise to the early embryo and yolk sac fight back, inhibiting further infection by aggressively silencing the invading viral DNA, he says. ... > full story
Moldy homes a serious risk for severe asthma attacks in some (June 24, 2010) -- Exposure to high levels of fungus may increase the risk of severe asthma attacks among people with certain chitinase gene variants, according to a new study. ... > full story
Winning a soccer penalty shootout: cheering convincingly increases changes of success (June 24, 2010) -- Behaviour is contagious. If you see someone yawn or smile, it’s often a matter of seconds before you do the same yourself. This copying behaviour also turns out to work on the soccer pitch. "The more convincingly someone celebrates their success with their teammates, the greater the chances that team will win," according to one sport scientist. ... > full story
Widespread glacial meltwater valleys found on Mars (June 24, 2010) -- Scientists have documented dozens of channels carved by melted water from glaciers located in the midlatitude region of Mars. The glaciofluvial valleys were carved in Mars' most recent epoch, the team reports, supporting the idea that the Red Planet was home to diverse watery environments in its recent past. ... > full storyHallmark Alzheimer's disease changes found in retinas of humans and imaged in live animals (June 24, 2010) -- The nerve cell-damaging plaque that builds up in the brain with Alzheimer's disease also builds up in the retinas of the eyes -- and it shows up there earlier, leading to the prospect that noninvasive optical imaging of the eyes could lead to earlier diagnosis, intervention and monitoring of the disease, according to new research. ... > full story
Left or right? Early clues to soccer penalty kicks revealed (June 24, 2010) -- In the split second before foot meets ball, a soccer player's body betrays whether a penalty kick will go left or right, according to recent research in cognitive science. The findings could explain how some top goalkeepers are able to head off a penalty kick, diving in the correct direction in advance of the kick. It could also point the way to changes in how players kick, and goalies react. ... > full storyBabies' first bacteria depend on birthing method, says new study (June 24, 2010) -- A new study indicates different delivery methods of newborn babies has a big effect on the types of microbial communities they harbor as they emerge into the world, findings with potential implications for the heath of infants as they grow and develop. ... > full story
Blast resistance standards keep the boom from the room (June 24, 2010) -- Standards for blast resistance among trash receptacles have now been published by the standards development organization ASTM International. ... > full storyIgnoring stress leads recovering addicts to more cravings (June 24, 2010) -- Recovering addicts who avoid coping with stress succumb easily to substance use cravings, making them more likely to relapse during recovery, according to behavioral researchers. ... > full story
Analyzing food and beverages with magnetic levitation (June 24, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting development of a new use for magnetic levitation, or "maglev," the futuristic technology best known for enabling high-speed passenger trains to float above the tracks. They describe putting maglev to use in an inexpensive sensor for analyzing food, water, and other beverages. ... > full storyDrug mitigates toxic effects of radiation in mice (June 24, 2010) -- Medical researchers have provided one of the first examples of successful radiomitigation in mammals. The investigators found that oral treatment of mice with a drug that inhibits enzymes involved in cell division caused certain groups of bone marrow cells to temporarily stop dividing (which they termed "pharmacological quiescence" or PQ). ... > full story
Gut bacteria could be key indicator of colon cancer risk (June 24, 2010) -- A new study suggests that a shift in the balance between the "good" bacteria and the "bad" bacteria that populate our gut could be a harbinger of colon cancer. ... > full storyLanguage of RNA decoded: Study reveals new function for pseudogenes and noncoding RNAs (June 24, 2010) -- The central dogma of molecular biology holds that genetic information is transferred from DNA to functional proteins by way of messenger RNA (mRNA). This suggests that mRNA has but a single role, that being to encode for proteins. Now, a cancer genetics team suggests there is much more to RNA than meets the eye. ... > full story
Liquid crystals light way to better data storage (June 24, 2010) -- Currently, most liquid crystal technologies rely on physical or chemical manipulation, such as rubbing in one direction, to align molecules in a preferred direction. In an important advance, scientists in Japan have created a stable, rewritable memory device that exploits a liquid crystal property called the "anchoring transition." ... > full story
Gay men's bilateral brains better at remembering faces, study finds (June 24, 2010) -- A Canadian study finds that gay men can recall familiar faces faster and more accurately than their heterosexual counterparts. ... > full story
'Ghost particle' sized up by cosmologists (June 24, 2010) -- Cosmologists are a step closer to determining the mass of the elusive neutrino particle, not by using a giant particle detector, but by gazing up into space. ... > full storyHow lead exposure damages the brain: New research fills in the picture (June 24, 2010) -- Exposure to lead during early childhood and even later in life has long been known to affect the release of critical neurotransmitters. However, the precise mechanism by which lead ions (Pb2+) impair this process has remained unknown. The study demonstrates that during the formation of synapses -- synaptogenesis -- exposure to lead alters the levels of several key proteins involved in neurotransmitter release. ... > full story
New method of peptide synthesis makes it easier to create drugs based on natural compounds (June 24, 2010) -- A team of chemists has developed a novel method for chemically synthesizing peptides that promises to lower the cost and increase the availability of drugs based on natural compounds. ... > full storyObesity, weight gain in middle age associated with increased risk of diabetes among older adults (June 24, 2010) -- For individuals 65 years of age and older, obesity, excess body fat around the waist and gaining weight after the age of 50 are associated with an increased risk of diabetes, according to a new study. ... > full story
'BC5' material shows superhard, superconducting potential (June 24, 2010) -- What could be better than diamond when it comes to a superhard material for electronics under extreme thermal and pressure conditions? Quite possibly BC5, a diamond-like material with an extremely high boron content that offers exceptional hardness and resistance to fracture, but unlike diamond, it is a superconductor rather than an insulator. ... > full story
Pre-stored phrases make it easier to be part of a conversation (June 24, 2010) -- Researchers in Sweden have now developed a system where pre-stored phrases are used in addition to writing, with a view to making communication faster and more easy-going for people with serious speech disorders. ... > full story
Evolution of bird bills: Birds reduce their 'heating bills' in cold climates (June 24, 2010) -- The evolution of bird bills is related to climate, according to latest research. ... > full storyJetting off without the jet lag (June 24, 2010) -- Everyone hates the jet lag that accompanies travel to locations in different time zones. The symptoms of jet lag are caused by misalignment of a person's internal body clock and external time. New research provides insight into the molecular mechanisms responsible for resetting the internal body clock in the mouse, data that point to potential therapies to overcome jet lag. ... > full story
Skins prone to sunburn may be capable of a normal tan (June 24, 2010) -- As the beaches of Southern Europe prepare for this summer’s influx of pale skinned British sun worshippers, new research from the UK has found that redheads are just as capable of making the melanin needed for a tan as the olive-skinned locals. ... > full storyMechanism explains complications associated with diabetes (June 24, 2010) -- New research uncovers a molecular mechanism that links diabetes with an increased risk of cardiovascular problems and sudden cardiac death. The study finds that high blood sugar prevents vital communication between the brain and the autonomic nervous system, which controls many involuntary activities in the body. ... > full story
Studies confirm presence, severity of pollution in US national parks (June 24, 2010) -- Toxic contamination from pesticides, the burning of fossil fuels, agriculture, industrial operations and other sources are a continuing concern in US national parks of the West, two new studies confirm. ... > full story
Young children are skilled negotiators, Swedish research finds (June 24, 2010) -- Young children are skilled negotiators when it comes to relationships and the content of play, reveals new research from Sweden. ... > full story
Discovery of how coral reefs adapt to global warming could aid reef restoration (June 24, 2010) -- Discoveries about tropical coral reefs are expected to be invaluable in efforts to restore the corals, which are succumbing to bleaching and other diseases at an unprecedented rate as ocean temperatures rise worldwide. ... > full storyPolio research gives new insight into tackling vaccine-derived poliovirus (June 24, 2010) -- A vaccine-derived strain of poliovirus that has spread in recent years is serious but it can be tackled with an existing vaccine, according to a new study. ... > full story
New areas prone to moderate earthquakes identified in Iberian Peninsula (June 24, 2010) -- Some areas of the Iberian Peninsula, where earthquakes of moderate magnitude have never yet been recorded, such as certain parts of the Cordillera Cantábrica mountain range, the far west of the Cordilleras Béticas mountains and the north of Valencia, could have the potential to generate such quakes, according to a new study. ... > full storyCan START stop cholesterol build-up? (June 24, 2010) -- A newly discovered group of proteins could help treat cholesterol build-up in arteries. ... > full story
Asymetric nanostructures for early and more accurate prediction of cancer (June 24, 2010) -- Nanotechnology Researchers in Belgium have demonstrated biosensors based on novel nanostructure geometries that increase the sensitivity and allow to detect extremely low concentrations of specific disease markers. This paves the way to early diagnostics of for example cancer by detecting low densities of cancer markers in human blood samples. ... > full story
Abusive mothering aggravates the impact of stress hormones (June 24, 2010) -- In a new study, researchers have dissected the behavior of mother rats and their infant pups, modeling nurturing by stroking and abuse with electric shock. In this animal model of infant abuse, they took into consideration the unique infant neurobehavioral learning attachment system that ensures infant rats’ attachment to their caregiver regardless of the quality of care received. ... > full story
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