Friday, 14 September 2012

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Foraging baboons are picky punters: Baboon foraging choices depend on their habitat and social status

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:39 PM PDT

Baboons choose which tree to find food in and who to take foraging, just like humans decide where to shop and who to go shopping with.

Scientists use prosthetic device to restore and improve impaired decision-making ability in animals

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:39 PM PDT

Imagine a prosthetic device capable of restoring decision-making in people who have reduced capacity due to brain disease or injury. While this may sound like science fiction, researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have proven for the first time that it is possible in non-human primates, and believe that one day it will be possible in people.

Neural implant recovers ability to make decisions, monkey study shows

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:36 PM PDT

Researchers have taken a key step towards recovering specific brain functions in sufferers of brain disease and injuries by successfully restoring the decision-making processes in monkeys. By placing a neural device onto the front part of the monkeys' brains, the researchers were able to recover, and even improve, the monkeys' ability to make decisions when their normal cognitive functioning was disrupted.

Should I marry him? If you're having doubts, don't ignore them, psychology study suggests

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:33 PM PDT

In the first scientific study to test whether doubts about getting married are more likely to lead to an unhappy marriage and divorce, UCLA psychologists report that when women have doubts before their wedding, those doubts are often a warning sign of trouble if they go ahead with the marriage. The study demonstrates that pre-wedding uncertainty, especially among women, predicts higher divorce rates and less marital satisfaction years later.

How deadly Marburg virus silences immune system: Breakthrough findings point to targets for drugs and vaccines

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:33 PM PDT

Scientists have determined the structure of a critical protein from the Marburg virus, a close cousin of Ebola virus. These viruses cause similar diseases and are some of the deadliest pathogens on the planet, each killing up to 90 percent of those infected.

Looking at you: Face genes identified; Five genes have been found to determine human facial shapes

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:33 PM PDT

Five genes have been found to determine human facial shapes, researchers report.

No evidence that black cohosh relieves menopause symptoms

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:30 PM PDT

Although many women coping with hot flashes and other distressing symptoms of menopause have turned to black cohosh supplements as a treatment alternative, a new review finds no evidence that the herb is effective.

Surviving without ice: Arctic crustaceans use currents, deep-water migration to survive sea ice melts

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:30 PM PDT

With sea ice in the Arctic melting to record lows in summer months, marine animals living there face dramatic changes to their environment. Yet some crustaceans, previously thought to spend their entire lives on the underside of sea ice, were recently discovered to migrate deep underwater and follow ocean currents back to colder areas when ice disappears.

Keeping mom and baby together after delivery beneficial

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:30 PM PDT

"Rooming in," keeping mother and her newborn in the same room 24/7 to encourage breastfeeding, does support the practice, at least in the short term, finds a new review in The Cochrane Library.

Stress breaks loops that hold short-term memory together

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:30 PM PDT

Stress has long been pegged as the enemy of attention, disrupting focus and doing substantial damage to working memory -- the short-term juggling of information that allows us to do all the little things that make us productive. By watching individual neurons at work, a group of psychologists has revealed just how stress can addle the mind, as well as how neurons in the brain's prefrontal cortex help "remember" information in the first place.

Kidney Society describes ways to eliminate wasteful tests and procedures

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:30 PM PDT

Earlier this year, the American Society of Nephrology joined other groups in a campaign to help health care professionals and patients avoid wasteful and sometimes harmful medical interventions. A new article outlines the ASN's top five recommendations for the campaign and the rationale behind them. Following these recommendations would lower costs and lead to better care for patients with kidney disease.

Up and running: Just hours after launch, Radiation Belt Storm Probes takes first science steps

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:12 PM PDT

While the RBSP teams at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station celebrated a job well done following the 4:05 a.m. EDT launch of the Radiation Belt Storm Probes on Thursday, Aug. 30, another group of RBSP engineers and scientists celebrated at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md. But for many of those at APL's Mission Operations Center (MOC) that morning, their job on the RBSP mission was about to get very busy.

Sounds of space: New 'chorus' recording by Radiation Belt Storm Probes' EMFISIS instrument

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:07 PM PDT

Researchers from the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) team at the University of Iowa have released a new recording of an intriguing and well-known phenomenon known as "chorus," made on Sept. 5, 2012.

Nanoengineers can print 3-D microstructures in mere seconds

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 01:27 PM PDT

A novel technology can fabricate, in mere seconds, microscale three dimensional (3-D) structures out of soft, biocompatible hydrogels. The technology could lead to the ability to print biological tissues for regenerative medicine. Chen is able to print tissues that mimic nature's fine-grained details, including blood vessels, which are essential for distributing nutrients and oxygen throughout the body.

Home sweet lab: Computerized house to generate as much energy as it uses

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 01:27 PM PDT

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has unveiled a new laboratory designed to demonstrate that a typical-looking suburban home for a family of four can generate as much energy as it uses in a year.

'Mini' stroke can cause major disability, may warrant clot-busters

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 01:24 PM PDT

A transient ischemic attack, TIA or a "mini stroke," can lead to serious disability, but is frequently deemed by doctors too mild to treat, according to a new study.

Children of immigrants are coming out ahead of their peers, U.S. study finds

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 01:24 PM PDT

Children of immigrants are outperforming children whose family trees have deeper roots in the United States, learning more in school and then making smoother transitions into adulthood, according to sociologists.

Doctors who perform abortions are compelled by conscience, just like those who refuse

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 01:24 PM PDT

Exercising conscience in healthcare is usually defined as refusing to provide contested services, like abortion. But in an article to be published Sept. 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine, a University of Michigan faculty member says doctors can be "conscientious" providers of abortion.

Researchers develop rapid method to measure carbon footprints

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 12:11 PM PDT

Researchers have developed new software that can rapidly calculate the carbon footprints of thousands of products simultaneously, a process that up to now has been time consuming and expensive. The methodology should help companies to accurately label products, and to design ways to reduce their environmental impacts.

Warmer temperatures make new USDA plant zone map obsolete

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 12:11 PM PDT

Gardeners and landscapers may want to rethink their fall tree plantings. Warming temperatures have already made the US Department of Agriculture's new cold-weather planting guidelines obsolete, according to Dr. Nir Krakauer, assistant professor of civil engineering in The City College of New York. He developed a new method to map cold-weather zones and overhauled the USDA's latest plant zone map.

'Smart growth' strategies curb car use, greenhouse gas emissions, study suggests

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 12:11 PM PDT

Smart growth approaches to urban planning could substantially reduce the number of miles that residents drive in a year, according to new research. The study found that a 10 percent increase in a city's smart growth features -- including housing density, jobs per capita and public transit infrastructure -- leads to a 20 percent decrease in the number of vehicle miles traveled per household, per year.

Honestly? Just sign here -- first; Signature placement curbs cheating, study shows

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:14 AM PDT

Tax collectors and insurance agencies trying to boost honest reporting could improve compliance simply by asking people to sign their forms at the beginning instead of at the end. That's because attesting to the truthfulness of the information before a form is filled out tends to activate people's moral sense, making it harder for them to fudge their numbers after, says a new paper.

Kids with food allergies can fall through the cracks

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:14 AM PDT

More can be done to properly manage the care of American children with food allergies, especially when it comes to diagnostic testing and recognizing non-visual symptoms of severe allergic reactions, according to a new study.

Do SAT scores help or hurt in decisions about who will do well in college?

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:14 AM PDT

Every year, nervous high school juniors and seniors sit down and take the SAT. Their SAT scores will take on considerable importance over subsequent months, as college admissions teams choose incoming freshman classes. Some critics have argued that the SAT is biased against students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and new research puts that claim to the test. Findings suggest that the SAT may not be as biased as some people believe.

Long menopause allows killer whales to care for adult sons

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:14 AM PDT

Scientists have found the answer to why female killer whales have the longest menopause of any non-human species -- to care for their adult sons. The research shows that, for a male over 30, the death of his mother means an almost 14-fold-increase in the likelihood of his death within the following year.

How early social deprivation impairs long-term cognitive function

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:14 AM PDT

Children who suffer severe neglect have cognitive impairments as adults. A new study shows for the first time how functional impairments arise: Social isolation during early life prevents brain's white matter cells from maturing and producing myelin, the fatty "insulation" on nerve fibers, for transmitting long-distance messages in the brain. The study also identifies a molecular pathway involved, showing it is disrupted by social isolation.

New analysis tells how world eradicated deadliest cattle plague

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:14 AM PDT

A new analysis traces the recent global eradication of the deadliest of cattle diseases, crediting not only the development of a new, heat-resistant vaccine, but also the insight of local African herders, who guided scientists in deciding which animals to immunize and when.

Genes render some rice species sterile: System of three genes prevents hybrid rice from reproducing, new study shows

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:14 AM PDT

Researchers have identified a set of three genes that are responsible for hybrid sterility in rice, or the inability of many hybrid rice species to pass their genes on to the next generation. These findings inform a model that suggests how such hybrid sterility is maintained across rice species, and they may lead to the genetic improvement of rice as a food stock.

Do it yourself and save: Making equipment for the lab, in the lab

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:11 AM PDT

The open-source revolution is driving down the cost of doing science by letting researchers to make their own lab equipment.

How fast can ice sheets respond to climate change?

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:11 AM PDT

A new Arctic study is helping to unravel an important mystery surrounding climate change: How quickly glaciers can melt and grow in response to shifts in temperature. According to the new research, glaciers on Canada's Baffin Island expanded rapidly during a brief cold snap about 8,200 years ago. The discovery adds to a growing body of evidence showing that ice sheets reacted rapidly in the past to cooling or warming, raising concerns that they could do so again as Earth heats up.

Researchers look to alien soils for heat shield

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:04 AM PDT

An important test is coming up next week to see whether a heat shield made from the soil of the moon, Mars or an asteroid will stand up to the searing demands of a plunge through Earth's atmosphere. At stake is the possibility that future spacecraft could leave Earth without carrying a heavy heat shield and instead make one on the surface of another world and ride it home safely. The weight savings opens new possibilities ranging from using smaller rockets to carrying many more supplies on an exploration mission.

Boiling water without bubbles: Researchers engineer special surface, allowing water to boil without producing bubbles

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 10:29 AM PDT

Every cook knows that boiling water bubbles, right? New research turns that notion on its head. Scientists have shown how a specially engineered coated surface can create a stable vapor cushion between the surface and a hot liquid and eliminate the bubbles that are created during boiling.

Chemists develop nose-like array to 'smell' cancer

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 10:23 AM PDT

In the fight against cancer, knowing the enemy's identity is crucial for diagnosis and treatment, especially in metastatic cancers that spread between organs and tissues. Now chemists have developed a rapid, sensitive way to detect microscopic levels of many metastatic cell types in living tissue.

Daily disinfection of isolation rooms reduces contamination of healthcare workers' hands

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:36 AM PDT

New research demonstrates that daily cleaning of high-touch surfaces in isolation rooms of patients with Clostridium difficile or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus significantly reduces the rate of the pathogens on the hands of healthcare personnel. The findings underscore the importance of environmental cleaning for reducing the spread of difficult to treat infections.

Snakes minus birds equals more spiders for Guam: Ecologists look for effects of bird loss caused by invasive brown treesnake

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:36 AM PDT

Ecologists have found as many as 40 times more spiders in Guam's remote jungle than are found on nearby islands. The booming spider population is likely due to the destruction of the island's forest birds, including those that eat insects, by the invasive brown treesnake. The large-scale cross-island comparison uncovered a larger effect of birds on spiders than had been predicted from small-scale experiments.

Exercise may protect against future emotional stress, study shows

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:36 AM PDT

Moderate exercise may help people cope with anxiety and stress for an extended period of time post-workout, according to a study by kinesiology researchers.

Mutation breaks HIV's resistance to drugs

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can contain dozens of different mutations, called polymorphisms. In a recent study an international team of researchers found that one of those mutations, called 172K, made certain forms of the virus more susceptible to treatment. Soon, doctors will be able to use this knowledge to improve the drug regiment they prescribe to HIV-infected individuals.

Scientists use sound waves to levitate liquids, improve pharmaceuticals

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT

Scientists have been using an "acoustic levitator" to find new ways to achieve containerless drug processing.

Study of giant viruses shakes up tree of life

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT

A new study of giant viruses supports the idea that viruses are ancient living organisms and not inanimate molecular remnants run amok, as some scientists have argued. The study reshapes the universal family tree, adding a fourth major branch to the three that most scientists agree represent the fundamental domains of life.

Laser-powered 'needle' promises pain-free injections

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT

From flu shots to immunizations, needle injections are among the least popular staples of medical care. A new laser-based system that blasts microscopic jets of drugs into the skin could soon make getting a shot as painless as being hit with a puff of air. The system uses a laser to propel a tiny, precise stream of medicine with just the right amount of force.

Lack of oxygen in cancer cells leads to growth and metastasis

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT

The proteins HIF-1a and CD24 have both been implicated in the aggressive characteristics of hypoxic cancers. A new study shows that HIF-1a drives CD24 overexpression, and that CD24 then drives aggressive tumor features.

Parental divorce linked to stroke in males

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT

Men with divorced parents are significantly more likely to suffer a stroke than men from intact families, shows a new study. The study shows that adult men who had experienced parental divorce before they turned 18 are three times more likely to suffer a stroke than men whose parents did not divorce. Women from divorced families did not have a higher risk of stroke than women from intact families.

Immune system compensates for 'leaky gut' in inflammatory bowel disease susceptibility

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT

New research could clarify how inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), conditions that include ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, are triggered and develop. Scientists have shown how the immune system can compensate for a 'leaky gut' and prevent disease in mice that are susceptible to intestinal inflammation. These findings could explain why some individuals who are susceptible to developing IBD do or do not get the disease.

Geneticists verify cholesterol-cancer link

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered new genetic evidence linking cholesterol and cancer, raising the possibility that cholesterol medications could be useful in the future for cancer prevention or to augment existing cancer treatment. The data support several recent population-based studies that suggest individuals who take cholesterol-lowering drugs may have a reduced risk of cancer, and, conversely that individuals with the highest levels of cholesterol seem to have an elevated risk of cancer.

Missing pieces of DNA structure is a red flag for deadly skin cancer

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered a new biomarker for melanoma. The findings offer novel opportunities for skin cancer diagnostics, treatment and prevention.

Scientists map the genomic blueprint of the heart

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT

Scientists have revealed the precise order and timing of hundreds of genetic "switches" required to construct a fully functional heart from embryonic heart cells -- providing new clues into the genetic basis for some forms of congenital heart disease.

Natural killer T-cells in fat tissue guard against obesity, study finds

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT

Invariant natural killer T-cells (iNKT) are a unique subset of immune cells that are known to influence inflammatory responses. Now, a scientific team has found that iNKT cells play a protective role in guarding against obesity and the metabolic syndrome.

Fruit flies reveal new evolutionary link for studying human health: How they control body temperature through circadian rhythm

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT

New research reveals that fruit flies and mammals may share a surprising evolutionary link in how they control body temperature through circadian rhythm, unlocking new ways to study the insects as models of human development and disease. The study reports that similar to people, Drosophila fruit flies have a genetically driven internal clock. This circadian clock prompts the insects to seek out warmer or cooler external temperatures.

Two studies could lead to new personalized therapies for lung cancer patients

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:32 AM PDT

Lung cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and is associated with very low survival rates. Two new genome-sequencing studies have uncovered novel genes involved in the deadly disease, as well as striking differences in mutations found in patients with and without a history of smoking. The findings could pave the way for personalized therapies that boost survival rates.

Cloned receptor paves way for new breast and prostate cancer treatment

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:29 AM PDT

Researchers have cloned a T-cell receptor that binds to an antigen associated with prostate cancer and breast cancer. T cells that have been genetically equipped with this T-cell receptor have the ability to specifically kill prostate and breast cancer cells.

Under-twisted DNA origami delivers cancer drugs to tumors

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:29 AM PDT

Scientists in Sweden describe in a new study how so-called DNA origami can enhance the effect of certain cytostatics used in the treatment of cancer. With the aid of modern nanotechnology, scientists can target drugs direct to the tumor while leaving surrounding healthy tissue untouched.

Devastating red alga discovered creeping north to maine

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:28 AM PDT

The shores of Appledore Island, Maine -- just six miles from the New Hampshire coast -- are being invaded by an aggressive red algae that can foul popular tourist beaches and damage vital local fisheries, according to researchers.

'Siloed' agencies hindered in efforts to fight animal-to-human diseases, analysis finds

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:28 AM PDT

The "siloed" structure of U.S. health agencies is hindering efforts to spot and combat animal-to-human afflictions, such as West Nile Virus, New York University sociologist Colin Jerolmack has concluded after conducting an organizational analysis of their operations.

Tracking stem cell reprogramming: Biologists reveal genes key to development of pluripotency, in single cells

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:28 AM PDT

Several years ago, biologists discovered that regular body cells can be reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells -- cells with the ability to become any other type of cell. Such cells hold great promise for treating many human diseases. These induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are usually created by genetically modifying cells to overexpress four genes that make them revert to an immature, embryonic state. However, the procedure works in only a small percentage of cells. Now, new genetic markers identified by researchers at MIT and the Whitehead Institute could help make that process more efficient, allowing scientists to predict which treated cells will successfully become pluripotent.

In lung cancer, smokers have 10 times more genetic damage than never-smokers

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:28 AM PDT

Lung cancer patients with a history of smoking have 10 times more genetic mutations in their tumors than those with the disease who have never smoked, according to a new study.

Neural stem cells regenerate axons in severe spinal cord injury; functional recovery in rats

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:28 AM PDT

A a new study, researchers were able to regenerate "an astonishing degree" of axonal growth at the site of severe spinal cord injury in rats. Their research revealed that early stage neurons have the ability to survive and extend axons to form new, functional neuronal relays across an injury site in the adult central nervous system (CNS).

Study explains decrease in insulin-producing beta cells in diabetes

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:28 AM PDT

Scientists generally think that reduced insulin production by the pancreas, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes, is due to the death of the organ's beta cells. However, a new study shows that beta cells do not die but instead revert to a more fundamental, undifferentiated cell type. The findings suggest that strategies to prevent beta cells from de-differentiating, or to coax them to re-differentiate, might improve glucose balance in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Computer program can identify rough sketches

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:50 AM PDT

Computer scientists have developed a new program that can recognize rough sketches in real time, something that up to now had been very difficult for computers to do. To make the program work, the researchers used 20,000 real sketches to teach the program how humans actually sketch objects.

Cell death mystery yields new suspect for cancer drug development

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:50 AM PDT

A mysterious form of cell death, coded in proteins and enzymes, led to a discovery by researchers uncovering a prime suspect for new cancer drug development.

Analysis estimates effective PrEP dosing

Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:50 AM PDT

Several large clinical trials have demonstrated that a daily oral dose of one or two antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV infection can prevent infection in an approach known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. The level of protection, however, depends on taking the drugs regularly.

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