ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Wednesday, August 4, 2010
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Emotions help animals to make choices (August 4, 2010) -- A new review of animal emotion suggests that, as in humans, emotions may tell animals about how dangerous or opportunity-laden their world is, and guide the choices that they make. ... > full story
New drug target for immune diseases discovered (August 4, 2010) -- Researchers have found a new mechanism that explains how certain immune cells are activated to create protective antibodies against infections or pathological antibodies such as those present in autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. ... > full story
NASA's hibernating Mars rover may not call home (August 4, 2010) -- NASA mission controllers have not heard from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit since March 22, and the rover is facing its toughest challenge yet -- trying to survive the harsh Martian winter. ... > full story
New estimates of the global population at risk of Plasmodium vivax malaria (August 4, 2010) -- A new evidence-based global distribution map of Plasmodium vivax malaria is used to estimate that 2.85 billion people lived at risk of infection with this parasite in 2009. ... > full story
Molecules delivering drugs as they walk (August 4, 2010) -- A new paper provides a theoretical model that compares the transport characteristics of straight- and branched-chain polymers in various channels -- work that could aid in the development of carrier molecules for delivering drugs at a controlled rate in the body. ... > full story
Human toll of violence in Central African Republic documented (August 4, 2010) -- Human rights researchers have systematically canvassed nearly 2,000 households in the Central African Republic to document the devastating human impact of violence in the country. They present a stark picture of a population traumatized by decades of political strife, military coups and poverty. ... > full story
'Virtual mates' reveal role of romance in parrot calls (August 4, 2010) -- Parrots are famed for their ability to mimic sounds and now researchers have used "virtual mates" to discover if female parrots judge male contact calls when deciding on a mate. The research challenges traditional understandings of the difference between birds "songs" and "calls." ... > full story
Fighting infections with blood clots (August 4, 2010) -- Clot formation within small blood vessels helps in the fight against pathogenic microbes, researchers in Germany have shown. At the molecular level, clot formation turns out to be intimately connected with the innate immune system, a finding that may open up new therapeutic possibilities. ... > full story
High resolution stereo color imager selected for Mars mission (August 4, 2010) -- University of Arizona's High Resolution Stereo Color Imager was selected as one of five instruments for the first joint mission to Mars by NASA and the European Space Agency. HiSCI is designed to uncover interactions between the Red Planet's surface and atmosphere. ... > full story
Keeping patients 'in good hands' (August 4, 2010) -- Hand therapy is one of the most vital treatment steps in recovery from hand injury surgery, according to a new review. ... > full story
New tagging technique enhances view of living cells (August 4, 2010) -- A research team has developed a new technique to tag and image proteins within living mammalian cells, providing the clearest, most dynamic microscopic protein-protein interaction in cells ever viewed. ... > full story
Pep talk to teens in the ER helped reduce violence, alcohol misuse, study finds (August 4, 2010) -- A brief, motivational talk in the emergency room reduced by half the chances that teenagers would experience peer violence or problems due to drinking, according to a new study. ... > full story
Carnivorous mice spread deadly plague in prairie dog towns, study finds (August 3, 2010) -- Prairie dogs, once abundant in North America, have been decimated in recent decades by plague. Researchers may have solved the mystery of how the deadly disease is spread. ... > full story
Purified blood stem cells improve success of bone marrow transplants in mice, study shows (August 3, 2010) -- Researchers have challenged decades of accepted wisdom about bone marrow transplantation with a new study showing that mice receiving purified blood stem cells are less prone to complications than mice receiving stem cells plus purified T cells. ... > full story
World’s most endangered otter 'rediscovered' in Malaysia (August 3, 2010) -- The world’s most endangered otter species, known as the hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana), has been “rediscovered” in Deramakot Forest Reserve in Sabah, Malaysia, by a collaboration of German and Malaysian researchers. ... > full story
Colitis patients diagnosed later in life tend to have better disease outcomes (August 3, 2010) -- Adults diagnosed with ulcerative colitis after age 50 are more likely to achieve remission from their symptoms than patients diagnosed at younger ages, even when those patients receive similar treatments, according to new research. The study is the first to look at patients whose colitis was treated with modern medications. Nearly 1 million US adults have ulcerative colitis. ... > full story
Top predators and biodiversity historically pressured in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (August 3, 2010) -- The numbers of top-level predators in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, such as halibut and swordfish, have decreased significantly over what existed 100 years ago, according to a new NOAA report. The National Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series report describes fish populations in the sanctuary that are resilient, but have suffered declines in numbers and species diversity over time. ... > full story
Culture wires the brain: A cognitive neuroscience perspective (August 3, 2010) -- Where you grow up can have a big impact on the food you eat, the clothes you wear, and even how your brain works. Researchers discuss ways in which brain structure and function may be influenced by culture. ... > full story
No such thing as a free lunch for Venus flytraps (August 3, 2010) -- Charles Darwin described the Venus flytrap as "one of the most wonderful plants in the world." It's also one of the fastest as many an unfortunate insect taking a stroll across a leaf has discovered. But what powers this speed? A researcher in Slovakia has been studying the plants with the help of some specialized equipment and a few unlucky insects. ... > full story
Exercise and caloric restriction rejuvenate synapses in lab mice (August 3, 2010) -- Researchers have uncovered a mechanism through which caloric restriction and exercise delay some of the debilitating effects of aging by rejuvenating connections between nerves and the muscles that they control. The research begins to explain prior findings that exercise and restricted-calorie diets help to stave off the mental and physical degeneration of aging. ... > full story
Deep, open ocean is vastly under-explored, study finds (August 3, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that the deep open ocean, by far the largest habitat for life on Earth, is currently the most under-explored area of the sea, and the one we know least about. ... > full story
Discovering life-bearing planets: Scientists take a step closer (August 3, 2010) -- The discovery of new life-bearing planets is a step closer as the result of a new space mission. Known as PLATO (Planetary Transits and Oscillations of Stars), the mission is designed to seek out planets far beyond earth’s solar system, orbiting stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. ... > full story
People reject popular opinions if they already hold opposing views, study finds (August 3, 2010) -- What would happen if you developed a strong opinion on an issue, and later found that the majority of people disagreed with you? You might think that such a revelation would encourage you to rethink your beliefs. But a new study suggests people often react just the opposite: people grow more confident in some beliefs when they find out later that a majority of people disagree with them. ... > full story
Why are male spiders small while females are giant? (August 3, 2010) -- 'Bridging', an unusual mode of getting around frequently used by vegetation-inhabiting spiders to cross large gaps, may partly explain the tendency for male spiders to be much smaller than females. Researchers studied bridging, in which spiders use the wind to carry a strand of web to their destination and then clamber upside down along the resulting bridge, finding that small size was associated with a greater ability to carry out the maneuver. ... > full story
Ketamine may relieve depression quickly for those with treatment-resistant bipolar disorder (August 3, 2010) -- A single intravenous dose of the anesthetic agent ketamine appears to reduce symptoms of depression within 40 minutes among those with bipolar disorder who have not responded to other treatments. ... > full story
Miami at high risk of hurricane winds; Tampa low risk, new hurricane risk tool shows (August 3, 2010) -- Bad news, Miami. Of all Florida's major population centers, the city is the most vulnerable to strong hurricane winds, according to researchers who developed a new tool to estimate the frequency of extreme hurricane winds at a particular location. ... > full story
Pilot safety protocol could help dentists reduce errors (August 3, 2010) -- Pilots and dentists have more in common than one might think: Both jobs are highly technical and require teamwork. Both are subject to human error where small, individual mistakes may lead to catastrophe if not addressed early. ... > full story
Iron oxide nanoparticles becoming tools for brain tumor imaging and treatment (August 3, 2010) -- Tiny particles of iron oxide could become tools for simultaneous tumor imaging and treatment, because of their magnetic properties and toxic effects against brain cancer cells. In mice, researchers have demonstrated how these particles can deliver antibodies to implanted brain tumors, while enhancing tumor visibility via magnetic resonance imaging. ... > full story
Our brain can be taught to control cravings, new researcher finds (August 3, 2010) -- Standard therapeutic techniques decrease cravings of cigarette smokers by regulating activity in two separate but related areas of the brain, a new study shows. ... > full story
Couch potatoes of the animal kingdom: Orangutans have extremely low rate of energy use (August 3, 2010) -- Pass the chips and hand over the remote. In a study involving the first-ever daily energy expenditure measurements in apes, researchers have determined that orangutans living in a large indoor/outdoor habitat used less energy, relative to body mass, than nearly any eutherian mammal ever measured, including sedentary humans. ... > full story
Brain may age faster in people whose hearts pump less blood (August 3, 2010) -- Keep your heart healthy and you may slow down the aging of your brain, according to a new study. ... > full story
Behind the secrets of silk lie high-tech opportunities (August 3, 2010) -- Tougher than a bullet-proof vest yet synonymous with beauty and luxury, silks spun by worms and spiders are a masterpiece of nature whose properties have yet to be fully replicated in the laboratory. But scientists have begun to unravel the secrets of silk. Biomedical engineers report that silk-based materials have been transformed from commodity textile to a growing web of high tech applications. ... > full story
Viral infection predicts heart transplant loss in children (August 3, 2010) -- Scientists report that viral infection of the heart is a predictor of heart transplant failure in young children and adolescents, although it can be detected by screening for viral genes and treated to improve organ survival. The study suggests a therapeutic strategy for overcoming one of the major challenges facing young heart transplant recipients -- that of organ failure caused by viral infection. ... > full story
Ice core drilling effort will help assess abrupt climate change risks (August 3, 2010) -- An international science team that is working on the North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling project hit bedrock July 27 after two summers of work, drilling down more than 1.5 miles in an effort to help assess the risks of abrupt future climate change on Earth. ... > full story
All-over tan is a myth, study finds (August 3, 2010) -- An even all-over tan may be unattainable as some body areas are more resistant to tanning than others, a study has found. ... > full story
Silicon can be made to melt in reverse (August 3, 2010) -- Like an ice cube on a warm day, most materials melt -- that is, change from a solid to a liquid state -- as they get warmer. But a few oddball materials do the reverse: They melt as they get cooler. Now a team of researchers has found that silicon, the most widely used material for computer chips and solar cells, can exhibit this strange property of "retrograde melting" when it contains high concentrations of certain metals dissolved in it. ... > full story
When memory-related region of brain is damaged, other areas compensate, study finds (August 3, 2010) -- Many neuroscientists believe the loss of the brain region known as the amygdala would result in the brain's inability to form new memories with emotional content. New research indicates this is not so, and suggests that when one brain region is damaged, other brain regions can compensate. ... > full story
Women attracted to men in red, research shows (August 3, 2010) -- Wearing the color red or being bordered by the rosy hue makes a man more attractive and sexually desirable to women, a multicultural study finds. And women are apparently unaware of this arousing effect. ... > full story
Relatives of individuals with autism tend to display abnormal eye movements (August 3, 2010) -- Abnormal eye movements and other sensorimotor and neurobehavioral impairments appear common in unaffected family members of individuals with autism, according to a new report. ... > full story
New carbon dioxide emissions model (August 3, 2010) -- Meteorologists have determined exactly how much carbon dioxide humans can emit into the atmosphere while ensuring that the Earth does not heat up by more than two degrees, experts say. ... > full story
Pathological Internet use among teens may lead to depression (August 3, 2010) -- Teens who use the Internet pathologically appear more likely to develop depression than those who do not, according to a new report. ... > full story
What lives in the sea? Census of Marine Life publishes historic roll call of species in 25 key world areas (August 3, 2010) -- The global Census of Marine Life has published a landmark series of papers that detail biodiversity in 25 key world ocean areas on all seven continents. ... > full story
Cholesterol levels in young adults predict risk of future heart disease (August 3, 2010) -- Young people with even modestly elevated cholesterol levels are more likely to develop coronary artery calcium and atherosclerosis later in life, according to a 20-year study. ... > full story
Aurora alert: The Sun is waking up (August 3, 2010) -- Sky viewers might get to enjoy some spectacular Northern Lights, or aurorae. After a long slumber, the Sun is waking up. Early Sunday morning, the Sun's surface erupted and blasted tons of plasma (ionized atoms) into interplanetary space. That plasma is headed our way, and when it arrives, it could create a spectacular light show. ... > full story
Alphavirus-based vaccine may slow some cancers (August 3, 2010) -- An experimental vaccine based on a virus that causes encephalitis in the wild appears to block tumor growth in some cases of advanced cancer, according to new research. Scientists say the vaccine is able to stimulate an immune response, even in the face of profound immune system suppression, a condition most patients with advanced cancer experience. ... > full story
New catalyst of platinum nanoparticles could lead to conk-out free, stable fuel cells (August 3, 2010) -- In the quest for efficient, cost-effective and commercially viable fuel cells, scientists have discovered a catalyst and catalyst-support combination that could make fuel cells more stable, conk-out free, inexpensive and more resistant to carbon monoxide poisoning. ... > full story
Drug trials funded by industry are more likely to publish favorable results, researchers find (August 3, 2010) -- When published results are systematically tracked for drug trials registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, those from industry-funded trials are the likeliest to be favorable to the drug in question, researchers report. ... > full story
Ice-free Arctic Ocean may not be of much use in soaking up carbon dioxide (August 3, 2010) -- The summer of 2010 has been agonizingly hot in much of the continental US, and the record-setting temperatures have refocused attention on global warming. Scientists have been looking at ways the Earth might benefit from natural processes to balance the rising heat, and one process had intrigued them, a premise that melting ice at the poles might allow more open water that could absorb carbon dioxide, one of the major compounds implicating in warming. ... > full story
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