ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Friday, June 17, 2011 ~ laniertech

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Friday, June 17, 2011

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

Mercury: Messenger orbital data confirm theories, reveal surprises (June 17, 2011) -- In March, the Messenger spacecraft entered orbit around Mercury to become that planet's first orbiter. The tiny craft is providing a wealth of new information and some surprises. For instance, Mercury's surface composition differs from that expected for the innermost of the terrestrial planets, and Mercury's magnetic field has a north-south asymmetry that affects the interaction of the surface with charged particles from the solar wind. ... > full story

First diagnostic test for hereditary children's disease (June 17, 2011) -- A breakthrough in genetic research has uncovered the defect behind a rare hereditary children's disease that inhibits the body's ability to break down vitamin D. This discovery has led researchers to develop the first genetic and biochemical tests that positively identify the disease. ... > full story

Landsat 5 satellite helps emergency managers fight largest fire in Arizona history (June 17, 2011) -- The largest fire in the history of the state of Arizona continues to burn and emergency managers and responders are using satellite data from a variety of instruments to plan their firefighting containment strategies and mitigation efforts once the fires are out. ... > full story

Structural biologists reveal novel drug binding site in NMDA receptor subunit (June 17, 2011) -- Structural biologists have obtained a precise molecular map of the binding site for an allosteric inhibitor in a subtype of the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor, which is commonly expressed in brain cells, dysfunctions of which have been implicated in depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. ... > full story

Zebra mussel invasion in Spain is irreversible, experts say (June 17, 2011) -- Scientists have characterizes eleven zebra mussel populations in the Ebro and the Júcar River Basin District and concludes that the arrival of this exotic species to Spanish river basins is "virtually irreversible". These research results, however, will help devise specific control strategies. ... > full story

Children as young as ten vomit to lose weight, with highest rates in boys (June 17, 2011) -- Children as young as ten are making themselves vomit in order to lose weight and the problem is more common in boys than girls. 13% of the 8,673 girls and 7,043 boys who took part in the research admitted they made themselves sick to lose weight. But the figures were much higher in younger children, with 16% of 10-12 year-olds and 15% of 13-15 year-olds vomiting. The figures fell to 8% in 16-18 year-olds. The study of 120 schools also found that 16% of the boys made themselves sick, compared with 10% of the girls. ... > full story

Scientists develop a fatty 'kryptonite' to defeat multidrug-resistant 'super bugs' (June 17, 2011) -- "Super bugs," which can cause wide-spread disease and may be resistant to most, if not all, conventional antibiotics, still have their weaknesses. A team of Canadian scientists discovered that specific mixtures of antimicrobial agents presented in lipid (fatty) mixtures can significantly boost the effectiveness of those agents to kill the resistant bacteria. ... > full story

Protein found that improves DNA repair under stress (June 17, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered an important new mechanism that allows cells to recognize when they are under stress and prime the DNA repair machinery to respond to the threat of damage. ... > full story

Plants teach humans a thing or two about fighting diseases (June 17, 2011) -- Avoiding germs to prevent sickness is commonplace for people. Wash hands often. Sneeze into your elbow. Those are among the tips humans learn. But plants, which are also vulnerable to pathogens, have to fend it alone. They grow where planted, in an environment teeming with microbes and other substances ready to attack. Texas scientists have learned from plants' immune response new information that could help understand humans' ability to ward off sickness. ... > full story

Roadmap published for dynamic mapping of estrogen signaling in breast cancer (June 17, 2011) -- The first roadmap to mathematical modeling of a powerful basic "decision circuit" in breast cancer has been developed. The preliminary mathematical model is the first result of work to develop a systems approach to understanding and treating one of the most common forms of breast cancer. ... > full story

Scientists learn how horseweed shrugs off herbicide (June 17, 2011) -- A team of scientists was able to follow molecules of the glyphosate-based Roundup herbicides as they entered a resistant weed and to discover exactly how the plant disarms it. In a new paper, they describe a herbicide application technique that can be used to outfox the resistance mechanism they had discovered. ... > full story

Focusing heavily on a task results in experience of deafness to perfectly audible sounds (June 17, 2011) -- How can someone with perfectly normal hearing become deaf to the world around them when their mind is on something else? New research suggests that focusing heavily on a task results in the experience of deafness to perfectly audible sounds. ... > full story

Comet Hartley 2 in hyperactive class of its own: CO<sub>2</sub> jets confirmed, new insight into composition, 'excited' rotation (June 16, 2011) -- Comet Hartley 2 is in a hyperactive class of its own compared to other comets visited by spacecraft, says a new study. New, in-depth analysis of the images and data taken during the flyby of the comet last fall by NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft confirms that carbon dioxide is the volatile fuel for Hartley 2's ice-spewing jets and provides new twists in the unfolding story of this small, but dynamic comet. ... > full story

New sealant gel is effective in closing spinal wounds following surgery, study finds (June 16, 2011) -- A gel that creates a watertight seal to close surgical wounds provides a significant advance in the treatment of patients following spinal procedures, effectively sealing spinal wounds 100 percent of the time, a national multicenter randomized study has found. ... > full story

Important aspects of signaling across cell membranes in plants revealed (June 16, 2011) -- Every living plant cell and animal cell is surrounded by a membrane that helps it communicate with other cells and the outside world. These cellular membranes contain receptor molecules that serve as the cell's eyes and ears. ... > full story

Why ketamine produces a fast antidepressant response (June 16, 2011) -- Scientists are shedding new light on why the anesthetic drug ketamine produces a fast-acting antidepressant response in patients with treatment-resistant depression. ... > full story

Fly larvae used to remove organic waste on an industrial scale (June 16, 2011) -- Researchers have used fly larvae to reduce animal feces and manure in a sustainable manner. ... > full story

Does driving a Porsche make a man more desirable to women? (June 16, 2011) -- New research finds that men's conspicuous spending is driven by the desire to have uncommitted romantic flings. And, gentlemen, women can see right through it. ... > full story

Metallic glass: A crystal at heart (June 16, 2011) -- Glass, by definition, is amorphous. But when scientists squeezed tiny samples of a metallic glass under high pressure, they got a surprise: The atoms lined up in a regular pattern to form a single crystal. The discovery offers a new window into the structure and behavior of metallic glasses, which have been used for decades in products such as anti-theft tags and power transformers but are still poorly understood. ... > full story

A stem cell target for expanding waistlines? (June 16, 2011) -- Researchers may have found the key to developing a method to rid the body of stem cells responsible for driving fat expansion. They've landed the first protein marker on the surface of those so-called adipose stromal cells (ASCs), which serve as progenitors of the cells that make up fat tissue. ... > full story

A knockout resource for mouse genetics: Mouse gene knockout resource will empower mammalian gene studies for a generation (June 16, 2011) -- Researchers report that they have knocked out almost 40 percent of the genes in the mouse genome. The results are founded on a novel, efficient production line that targets each specific gene in turn. This developing resource will be essential in our understanding of the role of genes in all mammals -- including humans. The completed resource will power studies in models of human disease. ... > full story

Molecular imaging pinpoints source of chronic back pain (June 16, 2011) -- A new study shows potential relief for patients who suffer chronic pain after back surgery. A molecular imaging procedure that combines functional and anatomical information about the body is able to zero in on the site of abnormal bone reaction and provide more accurate diagnoses and appropriate pain management for patients who have received hardware implants or bone grafts. ... > full story

Neutrons, simulations reveal details of molecule that complicates next-generation biofuels (June 16, 2011) -- A first-of-its-kind combination of experiment and simulation at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory is providing a close-up look at the molecule that complicates next-generation biofuels. Lignin, a major component of plant cell walls, aggregates to form clumps, which cause problems during the production of cellulosic ethanol. The exact shape and structure of the aggregates, however, have remained largely unknown. Researchers have revealed the surface structure of lignin aggregates down to 1 angstrom -- the equivalent of a 10 billionth of a meter or smaller than the width of a carbon atom. ... > full story

Bad sleep habits are associated with lower grades from high school through college (June 16, 2011) -- Poor sleep hygiene in college tend to persist through the senior year, a new study suggests. Students whose sleep hygiene worsened during college also showed a greater decline in their GPA. "Night owls" showed greater declines in GPA from high school to college and had a lower freshman GPA (2.84) than morning and intermediate types combined (3.18). Night owls shifted more toward a morning chronotype by their senior year, when there were no longer GPA differences between chronotypes. ... > full story

Gamma-ray flash came from star being eaten by massive black hole (June 16, 2011) -- A bright flash of gamma rays observed March 28 by the Swift satellite signaled the death of a star falling into a massive black hole, say a team of astronomers. According to their model, a star the mass of our sun got too close and was ripped apart; one-tenth of the mass was emitted as X-rays and gamma rays, much of it in a collimated jet aimed at Earth. ... > full story

Old, large, living trees must be left standing to protect nesting animals, study shows (June 16, 2011) -- Old trees must be protected to save the homes of more than 1,000 different bird and mammal species who nest, says a new study. Most animals can't carve out their own tree holes and rely on holes already formed. The study found that outside of North America, most animals nest in tree holes formed by damage and decay, a process that can take several centuries. ... > full story

Healing times for dental implants could be cut (June 16, 2011) -- The technology used to replace lost teeth with titanium dental implants could be improved. By studying the surface structure of dental implants not only at micro level but also at nano level, researchers have come up with a method that could shorten the healing time for patients. ... > full story

Port of Athens was once an island, French-Greek team finds (June 16, 2011) -- Piraeus, the main port of Athens, was an island from 4 800 -- 3 400 BC, in other words 4 500 years before the Parthenon was built on the Acropolis. This discovery was made by a French-Greek team who studied and dated sediments collected in the Piraeus area. ... > full story

Weekend sleep fails to improve performance, but women handle workweek sleep loss better (June 16, 2011) -- Performance decreases significantly after six nights of sleep restriction and did not improve after two nights of recovery sleep, a new study has found. Sleep restriction also caused subjective and objective sleepiness to increase significantly; however, sleepiness did improve after recovery. Compared with men, women were found to have less subjective sleepiness and less performance deterioration during sleep restriction, and greater improvements after recovery. These differences were associated with increased amounts of slow-wave sleep in women at baseline. ... > full story

First self-powered device with wireless data transmission (June 16, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting development of the first self-powered nano-device that can transmit data wirelessly over long distances. Researchers say it proves the feasibility of a futuristic genre of tiny implantable medical sensors, airborne and stationary surveillance cameras and sensors, wearable personal electronics, and other devices that operate independently without batteries on energy collected from the environment. ... > full story

Using living cells as an 'invisibility cloak' to hide drugs (June 16, 2011) -- The quest for better ways of encapsulating medicine so that it can reach diseased parts of the body has led scientists to harness -- for the first time -- living human cells to produce natural capsules with channels for releasing drugs and diagnostic agents. ... > full story

What will climate change and sea level rise mean for barrier islands? (June 16, 2011) -- A new survey of barrier islands offers the most thorough assessment to date of the thousands of small islands that hug the coasts of the world's landmasses. The study offers new insight into how the islands form and evolve over time -- and how they may fare as the climate changes and sea level rises. ... > full story

Understanding alcohol's damaging effects on the brain (June 16, 2011) -- While alcohol has a wide range of pharmacological effects on the body, the brain is a primary target. However, the molecular mechanisms by which alcohol alters neuronal activity in the brain are poorly understood. New findings concern the interactions of alcohol with prototype brain proteins thought to underlie alcohol actions in the brain. ... > full story

Golden algae responsible for killing millions of fish is less toxic in sunlight (June 16, 2011) -- A new study has found that sunlight decreases the toxicity of golden algae, which kills millions of fish in the southern United States every year. ... > full story

Animal instincts: Why do unhappy consumers prefer tactile sensations? (June 16, 2011) -- A new study explains why sad people are more likely to want to hug a teddy bear than seek out a visual experience such as looking at art. Hint: it has to do with our mammalian instincts. ... > full story

Scientists prove existence of 'magnetic ropes' that cause solar storms (June 16, 2011) -- Scientists discovered recently that a phenomenon called a giant magnetic rope is the cause of solar storms. Confirming the existence of this formation is a key first step in helping to mitigate the adverse effects that solar storm eruptions can have on satellite communications on Earth. ... > full story

Effects of premature birth can reach into adulthood (June 16, 2011) -- In the longest running US study of premature infants who are now 23 years old, a professor has found that premature infants are less healthy, have more social and school struggles and face a greater risk of heart-health problems in adulthood. ... > full story

Life expectancy in most US counties falls behind world's healthiest nations (June 16, 2011) -- While people in Japan, Canada, and other nations have enjoyed significant gains in life expectancy, most counties within the United States are falling behind, according to a new study. Researchers found that between 2000 and 2007 more than 80 percent of counties fell in standing against the average of the 10 nations with the best life expectancies in the world. ... > full story

Potential predictor of deadly cancer common in Asia (June 16, 2011) -- Researchers found a protein that could help predict the spread of the head and neck cancer nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC); this protein could also serve as part of a treatment strategy to stop the spread of the disease. ... > full story

Fish weight-watchers (June 16, 2011) -- Telling your partner to watch her weight is not recommended -- unless you're a male cleaner fish, according to a new study. ... > full story

U.S. specialty physicians turn away two-thirds of children with public insurance, study shows (June 16, 2011) -- Sixty-six percent of publicly insured children were unable to get a doctor's appointment for serious medical conditions including diabetes and seizures, while children with identical symptoms and private insurance were turned away only 11 percent of the time, according to an audit study of specialty physician practices in Cook County, Ill. ... > full story

Life after 'Snowball Earth': New fossils suggest rapid recovery of life after global freeze (June 16, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered hundreds of microscopic fossils in rocks dating back nearly 710 million years, around the time when the planet emerged from a global glaciation, or "Snowball Earth," event. The fossils are remnants of tiny, amoeba-like organisms that likely survived the harsh post-glacial environment by building armor and reaching out with microscopic "feet" to grab minerals from the environment, cobbling particles together to make protective shells. ... > full story

E. coli bacteria more likely to develop resistance after exposure to low levels of antibiotics (June 16, 2011) -- E. coli bacteria exposed to three common antibiotics were more likely to develop antibiotic resistance following low-level antibiotic exposure than after exposure to high concentrations that would kill the bacteria or inhibit their growth, according to a timely article. ... > full story

What makes a plant a plant? (June 16, 2011) -- Although scientists have been able to sequence the genomes of many organisms, they still lack a context for associating the proteins encoded in genes with specific biological processes. To better understand the genetics underlying plant physiology and ecology -- especially in regard to photosynthesis -- a team of researchers has identified a list of proteins encoded in the genomes of plants and green algae, but not in the genomes of organisms that don't generate energy through photosynthesis. ... > full story

Parkinson's disease: Why dopamine replacement therapy has a paradoxical effect on cognition (June 16, 2011) -- Dopamine replacement therapy, which is used to manage motor symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease, can, at times, adversely affect cognition. Now researchers have identified the reasons why. ... > full story

Early French had a taste for beer (June 16, 2011) -- A new study unveils archaeobotanical evidence of beer brewing in Iron Age France. ... > full story

Testing improves memory: Study examines why memory is enhanced by repeated retrieval (June 16, 2011) -- Many psychologists have believed that testing is good for memory, but only for the exact thing you are trying to remember: so-called "target memory." In a new study, researchers set out to test whether practice testing might boost other types of memory, too. Their conclusion: it does. ... > full story

Scientists override errant form of genetic signaling for first time: Changing genetic 'red light' to green holds promise for treating disease (June 16, 2011) -- Researchers found a new way to surpass a common mutation that is estimated to cause a third of genetic disorders. The mutation causes the body to create shortened, disabled proteins, which lead to disease like cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy and cancer. The newly discovered approach directs the body to create normal, full-length proteins and could aid the development of treatment strategies to change the course of these, and other debilitating genetic conditions. ... > full story