The EDGE: ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Tuesday, August 28, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Tuesday, August 28, 2012

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NASA rover returns voice and telephoto views from Mars (August 27, 2012) -- NASA's Mars Curiosity has debuted the first recorded human voice that traveled from Earth to another planet and back. The voice playback was released along with new telephoto camera views of the varied Martian landscape. ... > full story

New maps may reduce tourism impacts on Hawaiian dolphins (August 27, 2012) -- Over-eager eco-tourists intent on seeing spinner dolphins up close may inadvertently be disturbing the charismatic animals' daytime rest periods and driving them out of safe habitats in bays along Hawaii's coast. Scientists have developed a promising new tool that may help to limit repeated human disturbances and help reduce their negative impacts on the dolphins. ... > full story

Oldest occurrence of arthropods preserved in amber: Fly, mite specimens are 100 million years older than previous amber inclusions (August 27, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered the oldest record of arthropods -- invertebrate animals that include insects, arachnids, and crustaceans -- preserved in amber. The specimens, one fly and two mites found in millimeter-scale droplets of amber from northeastern Italy, are about 100 million years older than any other amber arthropod ever collected. ... > full story

Study questions technique to repair ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (August 27, 2012) -- A new study raises a cautionary note about the increasing use of a minimally invasive procedure to repair ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms. ... > full story

Link between protein and aggressive, recurring prostate cancer discovered (August 27, 2012) -- In a study to decipher clues about how prostate cancer cells grow and become more aggressive, urologists have found that reduction of a specific protein is correlated with the aggressiveness of prostate cancer, acting as a red flag to indicate an increased risk of cancer recurrence. ... > full story

Frankenstein programmers test a cybersecurity monster (August 27, 2012) -- To catch a thief, you have to think like one. Computer scientists are trying to stay one step ahead of cyberattackers by creating their own monster. Their monster can cloak itself as it steals and reconfigures information in a computer program. ... > full story

Speaking two languages also benefits low-income children (August 27, 2012) -- Living in poverty is often accompanied by conditions that can negatively influence cognitive development. Can being bilingual counteract these effects? Although previous research has shown that being bilingual enhances executive functioning in middle-class children, less is known about how it affects lower income populations. ... > full story

Divorced parents in hostile relationships use technology to sabotage communication (August 27, 2012) -- Separated and divorced couples are increasingly using emails, texting and social media to communicate with their ex-partners about their children. However, when ex-spouses use that technology to withhold or manipulate information, the children are the ones who suffer most, according to a family studies expert. A new study suggests divorce counselors should teach separated parents effective ways to use communication technology in order to maintain healthy environments for their children. ... > full story

Working moms spend less time daily on kids' diet, exercise (August 27, 2012) -- When it comes to cooking, grocery shopping and playing with children, American moms with full-time jobs spend roughly three-and-half fewer hours per day on these and other chores related to their children’s diet and exercise compared to stay-at-home and unemployed mothers. ... > full story

Midlife fitness staves off chronic disease at end of life (August 27, 2012) -- Being physically fit during your 30s, 40s, and 50s not only helps extend lifespan, but it also increases the chances of aging healthily, free from chronic illness, investigators have found. ... > full story

Neandertal's right-handedness verified, hints at language capacity (August 27, 2012) -- There are precious few Neandertal skeletons available to science. One of the more complete was discovered in 1957 in France, roughly 900 yards away from the famous Lascaux Cave. That skeleton was dubbed "Regourdou." Then, about two decades ago, researchers examined Regourdou's arm bones and theorized that he had been right-handed. ... > full story

Parents and readers: Beware of stereotypes in young adult literature, researcher says (August 27, 2012) -- A newly defined genre of literature, "teen sick-lit," features tear-jerking stories of ill adolescents developing romantic relationships. Although "teen sick-lit" tends to adhere to negative stereotypes of the ill and traditional gender roles, it also explores the taboo realm of sexuality, sickness and youth, says a researcher who named the genre in a recent study. ... > full story

Oceanic mystery solved: Connection between 'monster larva' and unique species of shrimp (August 27, 2012) -- The origin of Cerataspis monstrosa has been a mystery as deep as the ocean waters it hails from. For nearly two centuries, researchers have tried to track down the larva that has shown up in the guts of other fish over time but found no adult counterpart. Until now. ... > full story

Links between nutrients, genes and cancer spread documented (August 27, 2012) -- More than 40 plant-based compounds can turn on genes that slow the spread of cancer, according to a first-of-its-kind study. A professor of pharmaceutical sciences says he is encouraged by his findings because the spread of cancer is most often what makes the disease fatal. Moreover, he says, diet, nutrients and plant-based chemicals appear to be opening many avenues of attack. ... > full story

Panda preferences influence trees used for scent marking (August 27, 2012) -- As solitary animals, giant pandas have developed a number of ways to communicate those times when they are ready to come into close contact. One means of this communication occurs through scent marking. A recent study indicates that pandas make clear and specific choices about what trees are used for scent marking. ... > full story

Plants unpack winter coats when days get shorter (August 27, 2012) -- Mechanisms that protect plants from freezing are placed in storage during the summer and wisely unpacked when days get shorter. An expert in molecular genetics has demonstrated how the CBF cold response pathway is inactive during warmer months when days are long, and how it's triggered by waning sunlight to prepare plants for freezing temperatures. ... > full story

Adolescent pot use leaves lasting mental deficits; Developing brain susceptible to lasting damage from exposure to marijuana (August 27, 2012) -- The persistent, dependent use of marijuana before age 18 has been shown to cause lasting harm to a person's intelligence, attention and memory, according to an international research team. ... > full story

Long-held theory on human gestation refuted: Mother’s metabolism, not birth canal size, limits gestation (August 27, 2012) -- An anthropologist suggests that the length of human pregnancy is limited primarily by a mother's metabolism, not the size of the birth canal. The research challenges the long-held notion of an evolutionary trade-off between childbirth and a pelvis adapted for walking upright. ... > full story

One third less life on planet Earth? Scientists offer better estimate of living biomass (August 27, 2012) -- Previous estimates about the total mass of all life on our planet have to be reduced by about one third, according to the results of a study by a German-U.S. science team. ... > full story

Planning ahead: Consumers prefer fewer options when thinking about the future (August 27, 2012) -- Consumers generally prefer having more options when choosing among products but not when making choices involving the distant future, according to a new study. ... > full story

Study questions recommendation to discontinue LABA therapy in asthma patients (August 27, 2012) -- An extensive literature review and analysis of five clinical trials suggests that discontinuing long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) therapy in adults and older children who have asthma that is controlled with a combination of inhaled corticosteroids and LABAs may be associated with increased asthma-related impairment, according to a new report. ... > full story

Short- and mid-term cardiovascular effects of Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami: Incidence rises with the seismic peak (August 27, 2012) -- The Japanese earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, which hit the north-east coast of Japan with a magnitude of 9.0 on the Richter scale, was one of the largest ocean-trench earthquakes ever recorded in Japan. The tsunami caused huge damage, including 15,861 dead and 3018 missing persons, and, as of June 6, 2012, 388,783 destroyed homes. ... > full story

Darwin discovered to be right: Eastern Pacific barrier is virtually impassable by coral species (August 27, 2012) -- Coral from the eastern Pacific rarely crosses a deep-ocean barrier to reach the west coast of the Americas, according to new research. The finding has important implications for climate-change research, species-preservation efforts, and the economic stability of the eastern Pacific region, including the Galapagos, Costa Rica, Panama, and Ecuador. ... > full story

Why some fats are worse than others (August 27, 2012) -- All dietary fats are not created equal. Some types of fats have been linked to ailments like heart disease and diabetes, while others, like those often found in plants and fish, have well documented health benefits. So why do our bodies respond so destructively to some fats but not others? ... > full story

Diagnostic 'fatal flaws' in the ICU may account for as many annual deaths as breast cancer, patient safety team finds (August 27, 2012) -- Each year as many as 40,500 critically ill U.S. hospital patients die with an unknown medical condition that may have caused or contributed to their death, patient safety experts report in a recent study. The researchers say that although diagnostic errors in the intensive care unit (ICU) may claim as many lives each year as breast cancer, they remain an underappreciated cause of preventable patient harm. ... > full story

Cooled coal emissions would clean air and lower health and climate-change costs (August 27, 2012) -- Refrigerating coal-plant emissions would reduce levels of dangerous chemicals that pour into the air -- including carbon dioxide by more than 90 percent -- at a cost of 25 percent efficiency, according to a simple math-driven formula. ... > full story

Study explores injury risk in military Humvee crashes (August 27, 2012) -- A new report examines the risk factors for injuries to U.S. military personnel from crashes involving highly mobile multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs), more commonly known as Humvees. According to the study, involvement in combat and serving as the vehicle’s operator or gunner posed the greatest risk for injury. It is the first published analysis of factors associated with Humvee injury risk in a deployed setting. ... > full story

Media violence consumption increases the relative risk of aggression, analysis shows (August 27, 2012) -- A comprehensive analysis of existing research clearly shows that media violence consumption increases the relative risk of aggression. ... > full story

Arctic sea ice reaches lowest extent ever recorded (August 27, 2012) -- The blanket of sea ice floating on the Arctic Ocean melted to its lowest extent ever recorded since satellites began measuring it in 1979, according to new research. ... > full story

Fossil skeleton of strange, ancient digging mammal clears up 30-year-old evolutionary debate (August 27, 2012) -- Shortly after dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops went extinct, the Earth became filled with mammals only distantly related to those alive today. Until recently, one of these creatures, Ernanodon antelios, was only known from a single, highly distorted specimen that raised many questions about its habits and evolutionary relationships. Scientists have now described a second specimen of Ernanodon that sheds new light on this curious beast. ... > full story

The effects of discrimination could last a lifetime (August 27, 2012) -- Increased levels of depression as a result of discrimination could contribute to low birth weight babies. ... > full story

Probiotics supercharge plants' immunity to disease (August 27, 2012) -- Pathogens can slip through leaf pores and begin infecting a plant. However, new research shows that this invasion is halted when a beneficial bacterium is present in the soil where the plant is rooted. ... > full story

Advanced tornado/hurricane shelter panels from recycled materials (August 27, 2012) -- Recycled materials may become armor against flying debris: Panels for a new high-tech shelter have passed the National Storm Shelter Association’s tornado threat test. ... > full story

Compounds activate key cancer enzyme to interfere with tumor formation (August 27, 2012) -- Scientists have known for decades that cancer cells use more glucose than healthy cells, feeding the growth of some types of tumors. Now, scientists have identified compounds that delay the formation of tumors in mice, by targeting a key enzyme that governs how cancer cells use glucose and its metabolites. ... > full story

Controlling superconductors with light (August 27, 2012) -- By shining a light on a thin layer of molecules coating a material, scientists have been able to control the critical temperature at which the material can act as a superconductor. This method might be used to develop more powerful computing devices able to save data and run continuously without generating heat and wasting energy. ... > full story

Fitting Kv potassium channels in the PIP2 puzzle (August 27, 2012) -- A recent study brings new insights to an area of ion channel regulation: whether voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels can be regulated by physiological changes to PIP2. ... > full story

The role of genes in political behavior (August 27, 2012) -- Politics and genetics have traditionally been considered non-overlapping fields, but over the past decade it has become clear that genes can influence political behavior, according to a review. This paradigm shift has led to novel insights into why people vary in their political preferences and could have important implications for public policy. ... > full story

New model of muscular dystrophy provides insight into disease development (August 27, 2012) -- Researchers report the development of a mouse model of Fukuyama's muscular dystrophy that copies the pathology seen in the human form of the disease. ... > full story

Studying how diseases spread in primates may help predict what diseases will emerge in humans (August 27, 2012) -- A new study has investigated how diseases are shared among species of primates with a view to predicting what diseases may emerge in humans in the future. The findings aim to help in the fight against these diseases by enabling scientists to develop treatments before outbreaks occur. ... > full story

Limiting TV time: An effective strategy for preventing weight gain in children (August 27, 2012) -- A new study highlights how parents can help their children achieve a healthier lifestyle. Limit TV time. ... > full story

Vitamin B3 may offer new tool in fight against staph infections, 'superbugs' (August 27, 2012) -- A new study suggests that nicotinamide, more commonly known as vitamin B3, may be able to combat some of the antibiotic-resistance staph infections and "superbugs" that are increasingly common around the world, have killed thousands and can pose a significant threat to public health. ... > full story

Lack of sleep found to be a new risk factor for aggressive breast cancers (August 27, 2012) -- Lack of sleep is linked to more aggressive breast cancers, according to new findings by physician-scientists. ... > full story

pH-sensitive liposomal cisplatin improves peritoneal carcinomatosis treatment without side-effects (August 27, 2012) -- Scientists have developed and characterized a circulating and pH-sensitive liposome containing cisplatin (SpHL-CDDP) aiming to promote the release of cisplatin near the tumor as well as decreasing toxicity. The development of analog drugs and new formulations are current strategies for increasing the effectiveness and safety of cisplatin as an anti-peritoneal carcinomatosis drug. ... > full story

Scientists discover nerves control iridescence in squid's remarkable 'electric skin' (August 27, 2012) -- Nerves in squid skin control the animal's spectrum of shimmering hues -- from red to blue -- as well as their speed of change, biologists have found. The work marks the first time neural control of iridescence in an invertebrate species has been demonstrated. ... > full story

Little evidence supports autism treatment options in adolescents (August 27, 2012) -- Researchers studying interventions for adolescents and young adults with autism have reported that there is insufficient evidence to support findings, good or bad, for the therapies currently used. ... > full story

Super glue: Tests show that adhesive could improve safety of LASIK eye surgery (August 27, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a glue mixture that may reduce risks after laser vision correction surgery. Recent studies describe a new protocol involving brinogen, riboavin and ultraviolet light that could improve the safety of the corrective surgery. ... > full story

To cap or not to cap: Scientists find new RNA phenomenon that challenges dogma (August 27, 2012) -- Some RNA molecules spend time in a restful state akin to hibernation rather than automatically carrying out their established job of delivering protein-building instructions in cells. This restful period appears to be a programmed step for RNA produced by certain types of genes. Protein production in cells is not as clear-cut as biology textbooks suggest, scientists say. ... > full story

Unexpected findings at multi-detector CT scans: Less reason to worry (August 27, 2012) -- A new study reports that nearly seven percent of urologic multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) scans for hematuria result in incidental findings that may be clinically important for the patient. ... > full story

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