ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Friday, July 22, 2011 ~ Technology

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Friday, July 22, 2011

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Memories may skew visual perception (July 22, 2011) -- Psychologists have found that our visual perception can be contaminated by memories of what we have recently seen, impairing our ability to properly understand and act on what we are currently seeing. ... > full story

Liver, belly fat may identify high risks of heart disease in obese people (July 22, 2011) -- Increased liver fat and abdominal fat may increase risk of heart disease and other serious health problems, according to researchers. Measuring liver and belly fat may identify obese people at risk of developing abnormal cholesterol. For some obese people, fat is not metabolically detrimental. ... > full story

Juvenile diarrhea virus analyzed down to the atomic level (July 22, 2011) -- Scientists have used X-ray crystallography to define the structure -- down to the atomic level -- of a common virus that causes juvenile diarrhea. The new research could help direct efforts to develop medications that block the virus before it becomes infectious. ... > full story

Targeting toxin trafficking in plants and bacteria (July 22, 2011) -- Toxins produced by plants and bacteria pose a significant threat to humans, as emphasized by the recent effects of cucumber-borne Shiga toxin in Germany. Now, new research provides a clearer view of the combination of similar and divergent strategies that different toxins use to invade a human host cell. ... > full story

New discovery paves the way for using super strong nanostructured metals in cars (July 22, 2011) -- Super strong nanometals are beginning to play an important role in making cars even lighter, enabling them to stand collisions without fatal consequences for the passengers. A student has discovered a new phenomenon that will make nanometals more useful in practice. ... > full story

Do we buy cosmetics because they are useful or because they make us feel good? (July 22, 2011) -- People who use cosmetics buy these products primarily for emotional reasons, according to new research. The study was carried out on facial creams (hydrating and nutritive ones, colored or non-colored, and anti-wrinkle creams) and body creams (firming and anti-cellulite creams). ... > full story

Butterfly study sheds light on convergent evolution: Single gene controls mimicry across different species (July 22, 2011) -- For 150 years scientists have been trying to explain convergent evolution. One of the best-known examples of this is how poisonous butterflies from different species evolve to mimic each other's color patterns -- in effect joining forces to warn predators, "Don't eat us," while spreading the cost of this lesson. New research has solved part of the mystery by identifying a single gene called optix responsible for red wing color patterns in a wide variety of passion vine butterfly species. ... > full story

Vascular changes linked to dementia, experts say (July 22, 2011) -- High blood pressure is related to the development of age-related vascular cognitive impairment, according to a new American Heart Association/American Stroke Association scientific statement. Maintaining a healthy heart may also maintain a healthy functioning brain. Screening elderly patients for heart and stroke risk factors may also identify those at risk of dementia. ... > full story

New mechanism in the regulation of human genes (July 22, 2011) -- In order to create proteins, a protein-coding gene must be transcribed into RNA and in the splicing process shortened to the correct template. Scientists in Germany have now discovered how the U2AF protein enables this process. ... > full story

Detrimental weight loss: Scientists discover link between fat-cleaving enzymes and cancer-associated cachexia (July 22, 2011) -- Scientists in Austria have now directly linked lipid metabolism and cancer-associated cachexia. The researchers report that mice deficient in the lipid degrading enzyme adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) are fully protected against cancer-associated cachexia. ... > full story

Ohio Supercomputer Center lifts land speed racer toward 400-mph goal (July 22, 2011) -- A team of engineering students at the Ohio State University's Center for Automotive Research recently began running aerodynamics simulations at the Ohio Supercomputer Center, one of the first steps in the long and careful process of researching, designing, building and racing the fourth iteration of their record-breaking, alternative-fuel streamliner. In partnership with Venturi and A123 Systems, the team began the development process for a completely re-engineered test vehicle designed to break the 400-mph mark. ... > full story

No difference in women's and men's self-esteem in youth and early adulthood, study finds (July 22, 2011) -- New research concludes that no significant difference between men's and women's self-esteem occurs during adolescence and young adulthood. ... > full story

Parasites help reveal new ecological rules: Animal species large and small follow same rule for how common they are in ecosystems (July 21, 2011) -- Scientists say new research is expected to profoundly affect the field of ecology and can assist the management of ecosystems, including forests, lakes, and oceans. And it's all because of parasites. ... > full story

Key to help women fight infections during pregnancy (July 21, 2011) -- A normal but concerning consequence of pregnancy is the fact that pregnant women are more susceptible to infection. Researchers have now identified the underlying mechanisms for this physiologic immune suppression that may lead to new therapies to help ward off infections during pregnancy. ... > full story

Link between competing phases in cuprates leads to new theory; Discovery in parent of one high-temperature superconductor may lead to predictive control (July 21, 2011) -- A team of scientists studying the parent compound of a cuprate (copper-oxide) superconductor has discovered a link between two different states, or phases, of that matter -- and written a mathematical theory to describe the relationship. This work will help scientists predict the material's behavior under varying conditions, and may help explain how it's transformed into a superconductor able to carry current with no energy loss. ... > full story

Scientists complete first mapping of molecule found in human embryonic stem cells (July 21, 2011) -- Stem cell researchers have generated the first genome-wide mapping of a DNA modification called 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in embryonic stem cells, and discovered that it is predominantly found in genes that are turned on, or active. ... > full story

Proteins enable essential enzyme to maintain its grip on DNA (July 21, 2011) -- Scientists have identified a family of proteins that close a critical gap in an enzyme that is essential to all life, allowing the enzyme to maintain its grip on DNA and start the activation of genes. The enzyme, called RNA polymerase, is responsible for setting gene expression in motion in all cells. RNA polymerase wraps itself around the double helix of DNA, using one strand to match nucleotides and make a copy of genetic material. ... > full story

Chance favors the concentration of wealth, study shows; New model isolates the effects of chance in an investment-based economy (July 21, 2011) -- Most of our society's wealth is invested in businesses or other ventures that may or may not pan out. Thus, chance plays a role in where the wealth of a society will end up. But does chance favor the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few, or does it tend to level the playing field? ... > full story

Exoplanet aurora: An out-of-this-world sight (July 21, 2011) -- Earth's aurorae, or Northern and Southern Lights, provide a dazzling light show to people living in the polar regions. Shimmering curtains of green and red undulate across the sky like a living thing. New research shows that aurorae on distant "hot Jupiters" could be 100-1000 times brighter than Earthly aurorae. They also would ripple from equator to poles (due to the planet's proximity to any stellar eruptions), treating the entire planet to an otherworldly spectacle. ... > full story

Kidney dopamine regulates blood pressure, life span (July 21, 2011) -- The neurotransmitter dopamine is best known for its roles in the brain -- in signaling pathways that control movement, motivation, reward, learning and memory. Now, researchers report that dopamine produced outside the brain -- in the kidneys -- is important for renal function, blood pressure regulation and life span. Their studies suggest that the kidney-specific dopamine system may be a therapeutic target for treating hypertension and kidney diseases. ... > full story

'Freaky mouse' defeats common poison: House mice found unexpected ways to evolve resistance, study shows (July 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered common house mice found two distinct ways to evolve resistance to warfarin-based rodent poisons. ... > full story

Skin sentry cells promote distinct immune responses (July 21, 2011) -- A new study reveals that just as different soldiers in the field have different jobs, subsets of a type of immune cell that polices the barriers of the body can promote unique and opposite immune responses against the same type of infection. The research enhances our understanding of the early stages of the immune response and may have important implications for vaccinations and treatment of autoimmune diseases. ... > full story

Nanotechnology for water filter (July 21, 2011) -- Nanotechnology has developed tremendously in the past decade and was able to create many new materials with a vast range of potential applications. Carbon nanotubes possess exceptional electronic, mechanical and chemical properties, for example they can be used to clean polluted water. ... > full story

Chronic pain in homeless people not managed well, study finds; Almost half reported using street drugs to treat their pain (July 21, 2011) -- Chronic pain is not managed well in the general population and it's an even greater challenge for homeless people, according to new research. ... > full story

Researchers identify seventh and eighth bases of DNA (July 21, 2011) -- For decades, scientists have known that DNA consists of four basic units -- adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine. Those four bases have been taught in science textbooks and have formed the basis of the growing knowledge regarding how genes code for life. Yet in recent history, scientists have expanded that list from four to six. Now, researchers have discovered the seventh and eighth bases of DNA. ... > full story

Workings of brain protein suggest therapies for inherited intellectual disability, autism (July 21, 2011) -- Researchers now have a much clearer understanding of how mutations in a single gene can produce the complex cognitive deficits characteristic of Fragile X Syndrome, the most common inherited form of intellectual disability. As the majority of patients with Fragile X Syndrome also display autism-like symptoms, the findings offer hope for treating both conditions. ... > full story

Paternity testing helps fill in family tree for Puget Sound's killer whales: Inbreeding could reduce whales' genetic diversity (July 21, 2011) -- Scientists using DNA testing to fill in a missing link in the lives of killer whales that seasonally visit Washington's Puget Sound, have discovered that some of the progeny they studied were the result of matings within the same social subgroups, or pods, that are part of the overall population. ... > full story

Hospital bacteria outbreak linked to nasal spray (July 21, 2011) -- Infection control researchers investigating a rare bacterial outbreak of Burholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) identified contaminated nasal spray as the root cause of the infections, leading to a national recall of the product. A new article describes how researchers were able to trace the outbreak back to the nasal decongestant spray. ... > full story

Tevatron experiments close in on favored Higgs mass range (July 21, 2011) -- Experiments at the Department of Energy's Fermilab are close to reaching the critical sensitivity that is necessary to look for the existence of a light Higgs particle. Scientists from both the CDF and DZero collider experiments at Fermilab will present their new Higgs search results at the EPS High-Energy Physics conference, held in Grenoble, France, from July 21-27. ... > full story

Stronger social safety net leads to decrease in stress, childhood obesity (July 21, 2011) -- Social safety net programs that reduce psychosocial stressors for low-income families also ultimately lead to a reduction in childhood obesity, according to new research. ... > full story

Sperm coat protein may be key to male infertility (July 21, 2011) -- The loss of a protein that coats sperm may explain a significant proportion of infertility in men worldwide, according to a study by an international team of researchers. The research could open up new ways to screen and treat couples for infertility. ... > full story

Drug improves brain function in condition that leads to Alzheimer's (July 21, 2011) -- An existing anti-seizure drug improves memory and brain function in adults with a form of cognitive impairment that often leads to full-blown Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story

Unlisted ingredients in teas and herbal brews revealed in DNA tests by high school students (July 21, 2011) -- Take a second look at your iced or steaming tea. Guided by scientific experts, three New York City high school students using tabletop DNA technologies found several herbal brews and a few brands of tea contain ingredients unlisted on the manufacturers' package. The teen sleuths also demonstrated new-to-science genetic variation between broad-leaf teas from exported from India versus small-leaf teas exported from China. ... > full story

Study highlights success of brain surgery for severe epilepsy (July 21, 2011) -- Two-thirds of people with severe and otherwise untreatable epilepsy were completely cured of their frequent seizures after undergoing neurosurgery at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, according to a new study that examined 143 of these patients two years after their operations. ... > full story

Controlling movements with light (July 21, 2011) -- Researchers have succeeded in controlling the activity of certain nerve cells using light, thus influencing the movements of mice. By changing special receptors in nerve cells of the cerebellum such that they can be activated and deactivated by light, the researchers have shown that the signaling pathways, which are activated by the receptors play a crucial role in controlling movement. ... > full story

Washing away good and bad luck: People believe it works (July 21, 2011) -- Do people believe good and bad luck can be washed away? Yes, according to a new study. ... > full story

Heavy relative of the neutron discovered (July 21, 2011) -- Scientists have observed a new particle, the neutral Xi-sub-b. This particle contains three quarks: a strange quark, an up quark and a bottom quark (s-u-b). While its existence was predicted by the Standard Model, the observation of the neutral Xi-sub-b is significant because it strengthens our understanding of how quarks form matter. ... > full story

Scientists create vaccine against heroin high (July 21, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a highly successful vaccine against a heroin high and have indicated its therapeutic potential. ... > full story

NASA's space shuttle program ends with Atlantis landing (July 21, 2011) -- Wrapping up 30 years of unmatched achievements and blazing a trail for the next era of U.S. human spaceflight, NASA's storied Space Shuttle Program came to a "wheels stop" on Thursday (July 21, 2011) at the conclusion of its 135th mission. ... > full story

Spanish Fabry disease patients appear to react differently to the rest of Europe (July 21, 2011) -- Spanish patients with Fabry disease, a rare hereditary condition where abnormal fatty deposits collect in blood vessels and organs throughout the body, appear to react differently to those in other European countries. Spanish patients showed a different pattern of organ involvement in ill health and death to other European patients on the Fabry Outcome Survey. ... > full story

Seaweed as a rich new source of heart-healthy food ingredients (July 21, 2011) -- In an article that may bring smiles to the faces of vegetarians who consume no dairy products and vegans, who consume no animal-based foods, scientists have identified seaweed as a rich new potential source of heart-healthy food ingredients. Seaweed and other "macroalgae" could rival milk products as sources of these so-called "bioactive peptides." ... > full story

Scholar helps make Major League Baseball umpire schedule a hit (July 21, 2011) -- Scientists have created a complex method for scheduling Major League Baseball umpires which has proven so successful that the league has used it five of the past six seasons. ... > full story

Breakthrough in quantum computing: Researchers develop system that resists 'quantum bug' (July 21, 2011) -- Scientists have taken the next major step toward quantum computing, which will use quantum mechanics to revolutionize the way information is processed. Using high magnetic fields, researchers managed to suppress decoherence, which is one of the key stumbling blocks in quantum computing. ... > full story

Caffeine consumption linked to female infertility, study suggests (July 21, 2011) -- Caffeine reduces muscle activity in the Fallopian tubes that carry eggs from a woman's ovaries to her womb. "Our experiments were conducted in mice, but this finding goes a long way towards explaining why drinking caffeinated drinks can reduce a woman's chance of becoming pregnant," says one of the researchers. ... > full story

Full moon indicates impending danger from lion attack, study shows (July 21, 2011) -- A new study led by Craig Packer, an international lion expert based at the University of Minnesota's College of Biological Sciences, shows that while moonlight limits lions' success at hunting their four-legged prey, the last day of a full moon signals the beginning of a foraging opportunity for bipeds. ... > full story

When injured muscles mistakenly grow bones: Researchers discover brain chemical that causes strange, serious complication (July 21, 2011) -- For hundreds of thousands of people, injuring a muscle through an accident like falling off a bike or having surgery can result in a strange and serious complication. Their muscles start growing bones. New research shows a neuropeptide called Substance P appears to trigger the formation of the extraskeletal bone. Eliminating Substance P prevents the bone growth, offering a new drug target to prevent and treat the bone growth. ... > full story

An advance toward ultra-portable electronic devices (July 21, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting a key advance toward the long-awaited era of "single-molecule electronics," when common electronic circuits in computers, smart phones, audio players, and other devices may shrink to the size of a grain of sand. The breakthrough is a method for creating and attaching the tiny wires that will connect molecular components, reports a new study. ... > full story

Mother knows best for urban fox families (July 21, 2011) -- In urban fox families, mothers determine which cubs get to stay and which must leave while fathers have little say in the matter, new research by biologists in the UK has found. ... > full story

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