ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Thursday, June 14, 2012
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'No-sleep energy bugs' drain smartphone batteries (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have proposed a method to automatically detect a new class of software glitches in smartphones called "no-sleep energy bugs," which can entirely drain batteries while the phones are not in use. ... > full story
Pathway for origin of most common form of brain and spinal cord tumor identified (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers say they have discovered one of the most important cellular mechanisms driving the growth and progression of meningioma, the most common form of brain and spinal cord tumor. A report on the discovery could lead the way to the discovery of better drugs to attack these crippling tumors, the scientists say. ... > full story
Chinese meditation prompts double positive punch in brain white matter (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists studying the Chinese mindfulness meditation known as integrative body-mind training have confirmed and expanded on changes in structural efficiency of white matter in the brain that can be related to positive behavioral changes in subjects practicing the technique for a month and a minimum of 11 hours total. ... > full story
African cichlid's noisy courtship ritual (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have found that male African cichlids vocalize during courtship, and that females' sensitivity to these sounds increases when they are ready to mate. ... > full story
Proposed testosterone testing of some female Olympians challenged (June 13, 2012) -- Proposed Olympic policies for testing the testosterone levels of select female athletes could discriminate against women who may not meet traditional notions of femininity and distort the scientific evidence on the relationship between testosterone, sex and athletic performance, says a bioethicist. ... > full story
New drug-screening method yields long-sought anti-HIV compounds: Drug candidates act on target unlikely to mutate (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have used a powerful new chemical-screening method to find compounds that inhibit the activity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. ... > full story
'Magical state' of embryonic stem cells may help overcome hurdles to therapeutics (June 13, 2012) -- With their potential to treat a wide range of diseases and uncover fundamental processes that lead to those diseases, embryonic stem (ES) cells hold great promise for biomedical science. A number of hurdles, both scientific and non-scientific, however, have precluded scientists from reaching the holy grail of using these special cells to treat heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's and other diseases. New research shows that ES cells cycle in and out of a "magical state" in the early stages of embryo development. ... > full story
Increased use of hand held devices may call for new photo guidelines (June 13, 2012) -- Viewing Facebook and Flickr photos on a smart phone are becoming common practice. But according to a recently published study, pictures on the small screen often appear distorted. Vision scientists found that perceptual distortions occur because picture takers do not take their viewing distance into account. ... > full story
Got mass? Scientists observe electrons become both heavy and speedy (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have shown how electrons moving in certain solids can behave as though they are a thousand times more massive than free electrons, yet at the same time act as speedy superconductors. ... > full story
Novel mechanism involved in key immune response (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have identified a novel way that a common virus, called adenovirus, causes disease. In doing so, they have discovered important information on one of the body's key immune responses. Their findings may have implications for infectious diseases and cancer. ... > full story
Self-assembling nanocubes for next generation antennas and lenses (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a technique that enables metallic nanocrystals to self-assemble into larger, complex materials for next-generation antennas and lenses. The metal nanocrystals are cube-shaped and, like bricks or Tetris blocks, spontaneously organize themselves into larger-scale structures with precise orientations relative to one another. ... > full story
Anxious mice make lousy dads (June 13, 2012) -- Normally, male California mice are surprisingly doting fathers, but new research suggests that high anxiety can turn these good dads bad. ... > full story
'Extremely little' telescope discovers pair of odd planets (June 13, 2012) -- Though the KELT North telescope in southern Arizona carries a lens no more powerful than a high-end digital camera, it's just revealed the existence of two very unusual faraway planets. ... > full story
'Hitchhiking' viral therapy deals a double blow to cancer (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have shown how a promising viral therapy that delivers a double blow to cancer can sneak up on tumours undetected by hitching a ride on blood cells. ... > full story
Confused about prostate cancer screening? Mayo clinic expert helps explain the latest (June 13, 2012) -- Urologists recommend a personalized approach to determining whether or not a patient should consider PSA screening for prostate cancer. ... > full story
Clarity begins at exome: Sequencing protein-making part of genome can change diagnosis and patient care (June 13, 2012) -- The new technology of exome sequencing is not only a promising method for identifying disease-causing genes, but may also improve diagnoses and guide individual patient care. ... > full story
Small planets don't need 'heavy metal' stars to form (June 13, 2012) -- The formation of small worlds like Earth previously was thought to occur mostly around stars rich in heavy elements such as iron and silicon. However, new ground-based observations, combined with data collected by NASA's Kepler space telescope, show small planets form around stars with a wide range of heavy element content and suggest they may be widespread in our galaxy. ... > full story
Lack of single protein results in persistent viral infection (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have shown a single protein can make the difference between an infection clearing out of the body or persisting for life. ... > full story
Timing, duration of biochemical bugle call critical for fighting viruses (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have identified the primary player of the biochemical bugle call that musters the body's defenders against viral infection. ... > full story
Bacterium signals plant to open up and let friends in: Bug's chemical feint makes plant respond the opposite of how it should (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have identified the set of tools an infectious microbe uses to persuade a plant to open the windows and let the bug and all of its friends inside. ... > full story
Scientists see new hope for restoring vision with stem cell help (June 13, 2012) -- Human-derived stem cells can spontaneously form the tissue that develops into the part of the eye that allows us to see, according to a new study. Transplantation of this 3-D tissue in the future could help patients with visual impairments see clearly. ... > full story
Scientists synthesize first genetically evolved semiconductor material (June 13, 2012) -- In the not-too-distant future, scientists may be able to use DNA to grow their own specialized materials, thanks to the concept of directed evolution. Scientists have, for the first time, used genetic engineering and molecular evolution to develop the enzymatic synthesis of a semiconductor. ... > full story
Success with new immune approach to fighting some cancers (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have found that 20 to 25 percent of "heavily pre-treated" patients with a variety of cancers who enrolled in a clinical trial had "objective and durable" responses to a treatment with BMS-936558, an antibody that specifically blocks programmed cell death 1 (PD-1). PD-1 is a key immune "checkpoint" receptor expressed by activated immune cells and is involved in the suppression of immunity. ... > full story
Alien Earths could form earlier than expected (June 13, 2012) -- Previous studies have shown that Jupiter-sized gas giants tend to form around stars containing more heavy elements than the sun. However, new research found that planets smaller than Neptune are located around a wide variety of stars, including those with fewer heavy elements than the sun. As a result, rocky worlds like Earth could have formed earlier than expected in the universe's history. ... > full story
Ancient effect harnessed to produce electricity from waste heat (June 13, 2012) -- A phenomenon first observed by an ancient Greek philosopher 2,300 years ago has become the basis for a new device designed to harvest the enormous amounts of energy wasted as heat each year to produce electricity. It is the first-of-its-kind "pyroelectric nanogenerator." ... > full story
1960s-era anti-cancer drug points to treatments for Lou Gehrig's disease (June 13, 2012) -- A long-used anti-cancer drug could be a starting point to develop new treatments for the incurable nerve disease known as Lou Gehrig's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), scientists are reporting. Their research shows how the drug prevents clumping of an enzyme linked to ALS. ... > full story
Good news on using recycled sewage treatment plant water for irrigating crops (June 13, 2012) -- A new study eases concerns that irrigating crops with water released from sewage treatment plants -- an increasingly common practice in arid areas of the world -- fosters emergence of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that cause thousands of serious infections each year. ... > full story
NASA's NuSTAR mission lifts off (June 13, 2012) -- NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) launched into the morning skies over the central Pacific Ocean at 9 a.m. PDT (noon EDT) Wednesday, beginning its mission to unveil secrets of buried black holes and other exotic objects. ... > full story
Northeast Passage soon free from ice again? (June 13, 2012) -- The Northeast Passage, the sea route along the North coast of Russia, is expected to be free of ice early again this summer. The forecast was made by sea ice physicists based on a series of measurement flights over the Laptev Sea, a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. ... > full story
New energy source for future medical implants: Sugar (June 13, 2012) -- An implantable fuel cell could power neural prosthetics that help patients regain control of limbs. Engineers have developed a fuel cell that runs on the same sugar that powers human cells: glucose. This glucose fuel cell could be used to drive highly efficient brain implants of the future, which could help paralyzed patients move their arms and legs again. ... > full story
Science of training and development in organizations: What really matters, what really works (June 13, 2012) -- Each year in the United States about 5 billion is spent in training employees -- but those billions do not always improve the workplace because the skills often do not transfer to the actual job. A new report examines what matters and what works in training programs, highlighting the important factors that help promote long-term learning and skill acquisition on the job. ... > full story
Bonobo genome completed: The final great ape to be sequenced (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have completed the genome of the bonobo -- the final great ape to be sequenced. Bonobos, which together with chimpanzees are the closest living relatives of humans, are known for their peaceful, playful and sexual behavior that contrasts with the more aggressive behavior of chimpanzees. ... > full story
Mapping the healthy human microbiome (June 13, 2012) -- Human beings are ecosystems on two legs, each of us carrying enough microbes to outnumber our human cells by 10 to 1 and our genes by even more. The Human Microbiome Project Consortium has for the first time answered two fundamental questions about the microbiota that healthy humans carry: Who's there and what are they doing? ... > full story
Where humans split from sharks: Common ancestor comes into focus (June 13, 2012) -- The common ancestor of all jawed vertebrates on Earth resembled a shark, according to a new analysis of the braincase of a 290-million-year-old fossil fish that has long puzzled paleontologists. Research on Acanthodes bronni, a Paleozoic fish, sheds light on the evolution of the earliest jawed vertebrates and offers a glimpse of the last common ancestor before the split between the earliest sharks and the first bony fishes -- the lineage that would eventually include human beings. ... > full story
Green fuel from carbon dioxide (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists agree that carbon dioxide has an effect on global warming as a greenhouse gas, but we still pump tons and tons of it into the atmosphere every day. Scientists have now developed a new system for producing methanol that uses CO2 and hydrogen. Methanol can, for example, be used as an environmentally friendly alternative for gasoline. The goal of the scientists is to harness the power of CO2 on a large scale and integrate it into the utilization cycle as a sustainable form of energy production. ... > full story
Nanoparticles found in moon glass bubbles explain weird lunar soil behavior (June 13, 2012) -- Using synchrotron-based nano tomography, scientists have found a highly porous network of alien-looking glassy particles inside unbroken bubbles of glass in a sample of lunar soil. ... > full story
Robotic assistants may adapt to humans in the factory (June 13, 2012) -- In today's manufacturing plants, the division of labor between humans and robots is quite clear, but according experts, the factory floor of the future may host humans and robots working side by side, each helping the other in common tasks. ... > full story
Research punctures 'modern' fathers myth -- except for diapers, that is (June 13, 2012) -- "Modern" fathers have been around for far longer than we think, but they have only recently started to change diapers according to new research. ... > full story
Inner ear may hold key to ancient primate behavior (June 13, 2012) -- CT scans of fossilized primate skulls or skull fragments from both the Old and New Worlds may shed light on how these extinct animals moved, especially for those species without any known remains. ... > full story
Big uncertainties in the global water budget (June 13, 2012) -- No life without water. Catastrophes like droughts or strong rains reflect our dependence on the water cycle and climate system. Hence, it is important to understand details of the water cycle among the atmosphere, oceans, and land. A new study outlines significant differences of global models and measurement data sets. As the network of measurement stations worldwide is shrinking dramatically, uncertainties are increased. ... > full story
No evidence for 'knots' in space: Theories of primordial universe predict existence of knots in space (June 13, 2012) -- Theories of the primordial universe predict the existence of knots in the fabric of space -- known as cosmic textures -- which could be identified by looking at light from the cosmic microwave background, the relic radiation left over from the Big Bang. Astronomers have performed the first search for textures on the full sky, finding no evidence for such knots in space. ... > full story
Global climate change: Underestimated impact of sea-level rise on habitat loss? (June 13, 2012) -- Global climate change is expected to cause sea-level rise of approximately 1-2 meters within this century. Researchers have found that in more populated regions secondary effects can lead to an equal or even higher loss of habitat than primary displacement effects. ... > full story
New species of crab has been found hiding in the seabed of Galicia (Spain) (June 13, 2012) -- Despite Europe's marine fauna being the best documented on Earth, there are still some new species to be discovered. This is the case of Uroptychus cartesi, a crab between 5 cm and 7 cm in size found at more than 1400 deep in the underwater mountains facing the Galician coast (Spain). Its closest relative can be found in the Caribbean Sea. ... > full story
If your dog is aggressive, maybe it is in pain (June 13, 2012) -- Dogs can sometimes suffer sudden episodes of aggression without their owners understanding why. But, in many cases, the cause of these attacks can be pain that has never been diagnosed or treated. For the first time the study describes the characteristics of this irritability, which can make dogs violent and increase aggression in already conflictive individuals. There are many factors that explain aggression in dogs: the conditions of the mother during gestation, the handling of the puppy in the neonatal phase, the age at weaning, the experiences of the animal during the socializing phase, diet, exercise, genetics and learning techniques based on active punishment during adulthood. However, aggressive behavior also arises from the presence of pathologies and pain in the dog. ... > full story
Little mighty creature of the ocean inspires strong new material for medical implants and armour (June 13, 2012) -- A scientist may be onto an ocean of discovery because of his research into a little sea creature called the mantis shrimp. The research is likely to lead to making ceramics -- today's preferred material for medical implants and military body armour -- many times stronger. The mantis shrimp's can shatter aquarium glass and crab shells alike. ... > full story
Nonlinear optics: Now in the terahertz range (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have recently reported on the direct observation of a nonlinear-optical effect, occurring in the regime of single-cycle pulse of light at terahertz (THz) frequencies. They used a doped semiconductor as an efficient nonlinear medium, where the THz-range optical nonlinearity arises from the response of free-electron plasma to THz electric fields. ... > full story
Toddler spatial knowledge boosts understanding of numbers (June 13, 2012) -- Children who are skilled in understanding how shapes fit together to make recognizable objects also have an advantage when it comes to learning the number line and solving math problems. The work is further evidence of the value of providing young children with early opportunities in spatial learning, which helps them mentally manipulate objects. ... > full story
Juveniles build up physical -- but not mental -- tolerance for alcohol (June 13, 2012) -- Research into alcohol’s effect on juvenile rats shows they have an ability to build up a physical, but not cognitive, tolerance over the short term — a finding that could have implications for adolescent humans, according to psychologists. ... > full story
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