ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Thursday, February 11, 2010
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Mass extinctions: 'Giant' fossils are revolutionizing current thinking (February 11, 2010) -- Large-sized gastropods dating from only 1 million years after the greatest mass extinction of all time, the Permian-Triassic extinction, have been discovered by an international team of researchers. These specimens call into question the existence of a "Lilliput effect", the reduction in the size of organisms inhabiting postcrisis biota, normally spanning several million years. ... > full story
Incidence of cerebral palsy on rise in US, new data reveals (February 11, 2010) -- Cerebral palsy (CP) has increased in infants born prematurely in the United States, according to new data. ... > full story
Nuclear pore complexes harbor new class of gene regulators (February 11, 2010) -- Nuclear pore complexes are best known as the communication channels that regulate the passage of all molecules to and from a cell's nucleus. Researchers, however, have shown that some of the pores' constituent proteins, called nucleoporins, pull double duty as transcription factors regulating the activity of genes active during early development. ... > full story
Benefits outweigh risks associated with newborn screening for disorder (February 11, 2010) -- Newborn screening for a metabolic disorder could lead to false positives -- adding stress to parents, costing money and possibly subjecting a baby to unnecessary follow-up treatment and dietary restrictions. But the benefits of diagnosing these children early and preventing the risk of mental retardation, disability or death outweigh the costs of a false positive, according to new research. ... > full story
Study reveals need to evaluate and regulate 'electronic cigarettes' (February 11, 2010) -- Electronic cigarettes should be evaluated, regulated, labeled and packaged in a manner consistent with cartridge content and product effect -- even if that effect is a total failure to deliver nicotine as demonstrated in a new study. ... > full story
TV drama can be more persuasive than news program, study finds (February 11, 2010) -- A fictional television drama may be more effective in persuading young women to use birth control than a news-format program on the same issue, according to a new study. Researchers found that college-age women who viewed a televised drama about a teen pregnancy felt more vulnerable two weeks after watching the show, and this led to more support for using birth control. ... > full story
Animals cope with climate change at the dinner table: Birds, foxes and small mammals adapt their diets to global warming (February 11, 2010) -- New research measures the evolving body sizes of birds and animals in areas where climate change is most extreme. In higher latitudes, a pattern of birds getting smaller and mammals getting bigger has been identified. The change, researchers hypothesizes, is likely a strategy for survival. ... > full story
Certain genetic profiles associated with recurrence-free survival for non-small cell lung cancer (February 11, 2010) -- An analysis of genetic and clinical data for nearly 800 patients with non-small cell lung cancer has identified differences in genetic characteristics that are associated with age and sex specific patterns of increased or decreased recurrence-free survival, according to a new study. ... > full story
Adapting to clogged airways makes common pathogen resist powerful drugs (February 11, 2010) -- Mutations of a common environmental pathogen that causes chronic lung disease in patients with cystic fibrosis are able to survive in oxygen-poor, nitrate-rich airway secretions. This same survival mechanism also enables the mutate bacteria to resist the effects of certain antibiotics -- even without any previous exposure to antibiotics. ... > full story
Of swine, birds and humans: Pandemic H1N1 flu (February 11, 2010) -- Current research suggests that pandemic H1N1 influenza of swine origin has distinct means of transmission from the seasonal flu, yet does not result in the pathogenic severity of avian flu viruses. ... > full story
High-performance microring resonator developed (February 11, 2010) -- A new, more efficient low-cost microring resonator for high speed telecommunications systems has been developed. This technological advance capitalizes on the benefits of optical fibers to transmit large quantities of data at ultra-fast speeds. ... > full story
Bioethics memory aid can help assess patient decision-making capacity in medical emergencies (February 11, 2010) -- Physicians in training and bioethicists have created an easy-to-remember checklist to help medical students and clinicians quickly assess a patient's decision-making capacity in an emergency. ... > full story
Agricultural scientists sequence genome of grass that can be a biofuel model crop (February 10, 2010) -- Scientists have completed sequencing the genome of a kind of wild grass that will enable researchers to shed light on the genetics behind hardier varieties of wheat and improved varieties of biofuel crops. ... > full story
Bowel disease link to blood clots: New findings (February 10, 2010) -- People living with inflammatory bowel disease are known to be at high risk of blood clots when admitted to hospital during a flare-up of their disease. But now new research has shown that those who are not admitted to hospital during flare-ups are also at risk. ... > full story
Eczema in early childhood may influence mental health later (February 10, 2010) -- Eczema in early childhood may influence behavior and mental health later in life. ... > full story
One-third of antimalarial medicines sampled in three African nations found to be substandard (February 10, 2010) -- The first results from a large-scale study of key antimalarial medicines in ten Sub-Saharan African countries reveal that a high percentage of medicines circulating on national markets are of substandard quality and thus may contribute to the growth of drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent form of malaria. ... > full story
Social networking sites could solve many communication problems when disaster strikes (February 10, 2010) -- Online social networking sites could solve many problems plaguing information dissemination and communications when disaster strikes, according to a new report. ... > full story
Older investors prone to mental misfires while playing the market, study shows (February 10, 2010) -- Old age traditionally brings with it respect, experience and wisdom. But when it comes to making risky financial investments, an older mind is likely to make more mistakes than a younger one, psychologists say. ... > full story
Surprising new branches on arthropod family tree (February 10, 2010) -- Any way you look at it -- by sheer weight, species diversity or population -- the hard-shelled, joint-legged creepy crawlies called arthropods dominate planet Earth. Because of their success and importance, scientists have been trying for decades to figure out the family relationships that link lobsters to millipedes and cockroaches to tarantulas and find which might have come first. ... > full story
Developmental delay in brain provides clue to sensory hypersensitivity in autism (February 10, 2010) -- New research provides insight into why fragile X syndrome, the most common known cause of autism and mental retardation, is associated with an extreme hypersensitivity to sounds, touch, smells, and visual stimuli that causes sensory overload and results in social withdrawal, hyperarousal, and anxiety. The study uncovers a previously unknown developmental delay in a critical brain circuit that processes sensory information in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome. ... > full story
Orion in a new light (February 10, 2010) -- The Orion Nebula reveals many of its hidden secrets in a dramatic image taken by ESO's new VISTA survey telescope. The telescope's huge field of view can show the full splendor of the whole nebula and VISTA's infrared vision also allows it to peer deeply into dusty regions that are normally hidden and expose the curious behavior of the very active young stars buried there. ... > full story
Popular antidepressant blocks the beneficial effects of tamoxifen in breast cancer (February 10, 2010) -- Women with breast cancer who take the antidepressant paroxetine at the same time as tamoxifen are at an increased risk of death, concludes a new study. ... > full story
Comprehensive study using bioinformatics predicts the molecular causes of many genetic diseases (February 10, 2010) -- It is widely known that genetic mutations cause disease. What are largely unknown are the mechanisms by which these mutations wreak havoc at the molecular level, giving rise to clinically observable symptoms in patients. Now a new study using bioinformatics reports the ability to predict the molecular cause of many inherited genetic diseases. These predictions have led to the creation of a web-based tool available to academic researchers who study disease. ... > full story
Brain scans track hoop fans' happy memories (February 10, 2010) -- In a novel study that used historical tape of a thrilling overtime basketball game between Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, brain researchers at Duke have found that fans remember the good things their team did much better than the bad. ... > full story
Waking the dead: Scientists reconstruct nuclear genome of extinct human being (February 10, 2010) -- For the first time, scientists have reconstructed the nuclear genome of an extinct human being. The innovative technique can help reconstruct human phenotypic traits of extinct cultures. It also allows for finding those contemporary populations most closely related to extinct cultures revealing ancient human expansions and migrations. Finally, the discovery improves our understanding of heredity and the disease risk passed down from our ancestors. The spectacular findings are being published in Nature. ... > full story
People with anxiety disorder less able to regulate response to negative emotions, study shows (February 10, 2010) -- People with generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, have abnormalities in the way their brain unconsciously controls emotions. That's the conclusion of a new study, and the authors say the findings could open up new avenues for treatments and change our understanding of how emotion is regulated in everyday life. ... > full story
Silver nanoparticles may one day be key to devices that keep hearts beating strong and steady (February 10, 2010) -- Diamonds and gold may make some hearts flutter on Valentine's Day, but in one laboratory, silver nanoparticles are being designed to do just the opposite. ... > full story
Cervical cancer: Regiment with new drug triapine provides both significant reduction in cancer disease and cancer control (February 10, 2010) -- Researchers have published new findings that may lead to a new standard of care for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. The phase one study found that a new chemotherapy medicine, Triapine, was well tolerated in combination with standard-of-care cisplatin chemotherapy and radiation treatment in women with cervical cancer. This regimen provided both significant reduction in cancer disease and cancer control. ... > full story
Future earthquake risk in Haiti: Startling images of ground motion help scientists understand risk of aftershocks (February 10, 2010) -- Analyzing images captured using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) by Japan's ALOS satellite before and just after Haiti's earthquake on Jan. 12, scientists are making new discoveries. The images show that the earthquake rupture did not reach the surface -- unusual for an earthquake this size. More importantly, the images confirm that only the western half of the fault actually ruptured this time. Scientists are interpreting the data to establish the probability of another large quake in the next 20-30 years. ... > full story
Childhood obesity: It's not the amount of TV, it's the number of junk food commercials (February 10, 2010) -- The association between television viewing and childhood obesity is directly related to children's exposure to commercials that advertise unhealthy foods, according to a new study. ... > full story
Bird-from-dinosaur theory of evolution challenged: Was it the other way around? (February 10, 2010) -- A new study provides yet more evidence that birds did not descend from ground-dwelling theropod dinosaurs, experts say, and continues to challenge decades of accepted theories about the evolution of flight. ... > full story
Anorexics found to have excess fat -- in their bone marrow (February 10, 2010) -- Researchers have found that girls with anorexia, despite being emaciated, have strikingly high levels of fat in their bone marrow. This can be visualized in MRIs of the knee. The researchers believe that malnutrition causes hormonal alterations that push mesenchymal stem cells in the bone marrow to form fat cells rather than bone-forming cells. This may explain why patients with anorexia have bone loss. ... > full story
Biological risks of eating reptiles (February 10, 2010) -- Reptiles are bred in captivity primarily for their skins, but some restaurants and population groups also want them for their meat. A study shows that eating these animals can have side effects that call into question the wisdom of eating this 'delicacy.' ... > full story
Butter leads to lower blood fats than olive oil, study finds (February 10, 2010) -- High blood fat levels normally raise the cholesterol values in the blood, which in turn elevates the risk of atherosclerosis and heart attack. Now a new study shows that butter leads to considerably less elevation of blood fats after a meal compared with olive oil and a new type of canola and flaxseed oil. The difference was stronger in men than in women. ... > full story
Battery-less radios developed (February 10, 2010) -- Scientists report a 2.4GHz/915MHz wake-up receiver which consumes only 51µW power. This record low power achievement opens the door to battery-less or energy-harvesting based radios for a wide range of applications including long-range RFID and wireless sensor nodes for logistics, smart buildings, healthcare etc. ... > full story
Sporting Prowess Through Brain Power (February 10, 2010) -- Expert sportsmen are quicker to observe and react to their opponents’ moves than novice players, exhibiting enhanced activation of the cortical regions of the brain. More experienced sports players are better able to detect early anticipatory clues from opposing players’ body movements, giving them a split second advantage in preparing an appropriate response. ... > full story
Climate 'tipping points' may arrive without warning, says top forecaster (February 10, 2010) -- A new study by a top ecological forecaster says it is harder than experts thought to predict when sudden shifts in Earth's natural systems will occur -- a worrisome finding for scientists trying to identify the tipping points that could push climate change into an irreparable global disaster. ... > full story
Low IQ among strongest predictors of cardiovascular disease -- second only to cigarette smoking in large population study (February 10, 2010) -- While lower intelligence scores have been associated with a raised risk of cardiovascular disease, no study has so far compared the relative strength of this association with other established risk factors. Now, a large study has found that lower intelligence scores were associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease and total mortality at a greater level of magnitude than found with any other risk factor except smoking. ... > full story
Thirty-eight percent of world's surface in danger of desertification (February 10, 2010) -- Researchers have measured the degradation of the planet's soil using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a scientific methodology that analyses the environmental impact of human activities, and which now for the first time includes indicators on desertification. The results show that 38 percent of the world is made up of arid regions at risk of desertification. ... > full story
Research could lead to way to halt deadly immune response (February 10, 2010) -- Scientists have published new details of their research into the complement reaction, an immune system response that kills thousands annually. Researchers have teased out the molecular process that can shut down a marauding, often deadly immune response that kills thousands each year who suffer battlefield casualties, heart attacks, strokes, automobile accidents and oxygen deprivation, according to a new article. ... > full story
Cells can read damaged DNA without missing a beat (February 10, 2010) -- Under certain growth-limiting conditions, enzymes that read DNA can skim through damaged DNA without skipping any letters in the genetic "text." This suggests a mechanism that can allow bacteria to develop resistance to antibiotics. ... > full story
Feeling blue? You'll shun the new (February 10, 2010) -- A negative mood imparts a warm glow to the familiar. Happiness, on the other hand, makes novelty attractive (and can instead give the familiar a "blah" cast). This is the first time the effect has been experimentally demonstrated in humans. ... > full story
Seeing the brain hear reveals surprises about how sound is processed (February 10, 2010) -- Neurobiologists have discovered information about how the brain processes sound that challenges previous understandings of the auditory cortex. Their research shows our brains are a lot more chaotic than previously thought, and that this might be a good thing. ... > full story
New way to kill pediatric brain tumors (February 10, 2010) -- Researchers have identified a previously unrecognized target, a protein called STAT3, at which they can aim new drugs for the treatment of cancer in neurofibromatosis-1 (NF1), a genetic condition that causes increased risk of benign and malignant brain tumors. ... > full story
Early life stress may predict cardiovascular disease (February 10, 2010) -- Early life stress could be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in adulthood, researchers report. ... > full story
Little effect of soy isoflavones found on bone loss in postmenopausal women (February 10, 2010) -- Results from a new multicenter clinical trial of 224 postmenopausal women questions the value of consuming soy isoflavone tablets to help lessen bone loss and minimize the effect of osteoporosis. ... > full story
High, not flat: nanowires for a new chip architecture (February 10, 2010) -- Silicon is the most prevalent material in electronics, whether for mobile phones, solar cells or computers. Nanometer-sized wires made of silicon have a large potential for a completely new chip architecture. But this requires a detailed investigation and understanding of their electronic properties which is technologically challenging due to the ultra-small size of the nanowires. Researchers were able to describe the electrical resistance and current flow inside individual silicon nanowires. ... > full story
Depression and lack of concentration do not necessarily go together (February 10, 2010) -- A recent review has found that depression does not always lead to memory problems or difficulties concentrating. ... > full story
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