news: ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Tuesday, December 29, 2009

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Tuesday, December 29, 2009

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Seeing without looking: Brain structure crucial for moving the mind's spotlight (December 29, 2009) -- Like a spotlight that illuminates an otherwise dark scene, attention brings to mind specific details of our environment while shutting others out. A new study shows that the superior colliculus, a brain structure that primarily had been known for its role in the control of eye and head movements, is crucial for moving the mind's spotlight. ... > full story

Alzheimer's Disease: Amyloid Precursor Protein -- Good, Bad Or Both? (December 29, 2009) -- New data about amyloid precursor protein, or APP, a protein implicated in development of Alzheimer's disease, suggests it also may have a positive role -- directly affecting learning and memory during brain development. So is APP good or bad? Researchers say both, and that a balance of APP is critical. ... > full story

Researchers design a tool to induce controlled suicide in human cells (December 29, 2009) -- Researchers in Spain have designed a new tool to study rescue signaling pathways and cell suicide in depth. ... > full story

Relatives of boys with sexual birth defects not at risk for testicular germ cell cancer (December 29, 2009) -- Boys with the sexual birth defects known as hypospadias and cryptorchidism are at risk for developing testicular germ cell cancer, but their relatives are not, according to a new study. ... > full story

Study links real-time data to flu vaccine strategies (December 29, 2009) -- Adaptive vaccination strategies, based on age patterns of hospitalizations and deaths monitored in real-time during the early stages of a pandemic, outperform seasonal influenza vaccination allocation strategies, according to a new article. ... > full story

Scientists isolate new antifreeze molecule in Alaska beetle (December 29, 2009) -- Scientists have identified a novel antifreeze molecule in a freeze-tolerant Alaska beetle able to survive temperatures below minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Unlike all previously described biological antifreezes that contain protein, this new molecule, called xylomannan, has little or no protein. It is composed of a sugar and a fatty acid and may exist in new places within the cells of organisms. ... > full story

Afib Triggered By A Cell That Resembles A Pigment-producing Skin Cell (December 29, 2009) -- The source and mechanisms underlying the abnormal heart beats that initiate atrial fibrillation (Afib), the most common type of abnormal heart beat, have not been well determined. Researchers have now identified a population of cells that are like pigment-producing cells in the skin in the atria of the heart and pulmonary veins of mice and humans, and uncovered evidence in mice that these cells contribute to Afib. ... > full story

Deep sea anchors for offshore installations (December 29, 2009) -- A 13 meter-long, 80-ton anchor is currently being tested as a new mooring concept for offshore installations. ... > full story

RORalpha, the orchestrator of neuron protection (December 29, 2009) -- How do the brain cells called astrocytes ensure the protection of neurons? By studying the protagonists in the protection and satisfactory functioning of neurons, scientists have found a mechanism that clarifies the role of astrocytes. Crucial to this mechanism, RORalpha protein is revealed as an essential regulator of inflammatory factors. This discovery constitutes a new path for research on novel drugs in the event of cerebral lesions (e.g. neurodegenerative diseases or trauma). ... > full story

Researchers develop drug information interface to save lives (December 29, 2009) -- A new drug information interface system has been shown to help in dealing with visual and motor impairments, which can make sorting, holding and identifying pills a challenge as we age. ... > full story

Football (soccer) fights depression (December 29, 2009) -- Despite being a significant risk group, young men are amongst those least likely to seek professional help when mentally distressed or suicidal. The 'Back of the Net' program, a pilot initiative using football (called soccer in the U.S.) and cognitive behavioral based techniques was effective in decreasing symptoms of depression in young men. ... > full story

Why some continue to eat when full: Researchers find clues (December 28, 2009) -- New research in mice suggest that ghrelin might also work in the brain to make some people keep eating "pleasurable" foods when they're already full. ... > full story

One step closer to closure: Neuroscientists discover key to spinal cord defects (December 28, 2009) -- Spinal cord disorders like spina bifida arise during early development when future spinal cord cells growing in a flat layer fail to roll up into a tube. Researchers now report a never-before known link between protein transport and mouse spinal cord development, a discovery that opens new doors for research on all spinal defects. ... > full story

Seeing how evolutionary mechanisms yield biological diversity (December 28, 2009) -- A international team of scientists has discovered how changes in both gene expression and gene sequence led to the diversity of visual systems in African cichlid fish. ... > full story

Genetic causes identified for disturbances in lipid metabolism; implications for diabetes (December 28, 2009) -- Scientists have identified new gene variants associated with disturbances in the lipid metabolism. Some of these common human gene variants are already known to be risk factors for diabetes mellitus. ... > full story

Adjusting acidity with impunity (December 28, 2009) -- How do individual cells or proteins react to changing pH levels? Researchers have now developed a technique for ‘gently’ adjusting pH: in other words, without damaging biomolecules. This should soon allow them to measure the activity of a single enzyme as a function of pH. ... > full story

Couples are better able to cope with health shocks than singles, study finds (December 28, 2009) -- Marital status plays a significant role in how individuals cope economically with disability and health shocks, according to new research. ... > full story

Ladder-walking locusts use vision to climb, show big brains aren't always best (December 28, 2009) -- Scientists have shown for the first time that insects, like mammals, use vision rather than touch to find footholds. They made the discovery thanks to high-speed video cameras that they used to film desert locusts stepping along the rungs of a miniature ladder. The study sheds new light on insects' ability to perform complex tasks, such as visually guided limb control, usually associated with mammals. ... > full story

Microbes help mothers protect kids from allergies (December 28, 2009) -- A pregnant woman's exposure to microbes may protect her child from developing allergies later in life. Researchers in Germany find that exposure to environmental bacteria triggers a mild inflammatory response in pregnant mice that renders their offspring resistant to allergies. ... > full story

As the world churns: Earth's liquid outer core is slowly 'stirred' in a series of decades-long waves (December 28, 2009) -- A new study confirms theories that Earth's liquid outer core is slowly "stirred" in a series of regularly occurring waves of motion that last for decades. Measurements of Earth's magnetic field from observatory stations on land and ships at sea were combined with satellite data to determine common patterns of movement within Earth's core. The findings give scientists new insights into Earth's internal structure, the mechanisms that generate its magnetic field, and its geology. ... > full story

Miss whiplash with locking headrest, study suggests (December 28, 2009) -- Whiplash neck injuries among drivers and their passengers who have been shunted from behind are a major cause of long-term health problems and, in extreme cases, death. A new type of vehicle headrest promises to improve both safety and comfort. ... > full story

Protein that keeps stem cells poised for action identified (December 28, 2009) -- Researchers have now identified a critical component, called Jarid2, of this delicate balancing act -- one that both recruits other regulatory proteins to genes important in differentiation and also modulates their activity to keep them in a state of ongoing readiness. ... > full story

Of girls and geeks: Environment may be why women don't like computer science (December 28, 2009) -- In real estate, it's location, location, location. And when it comes to why girls and women shy away from careers in computer science, a key reason is environment, environment, environment. ... > full story

Neuroscientists store information in isolated brain tissue; possible basis of short-term memory (December 28, 2009) -- For the first time, neuroscientists have created stimulus-specific sustained activity patterns in brain circuits maintained in vitro. ... > full story

'Self-seeding' of cancer cells may play a critical role in tumor progression (December 28, 2009) -- Cancer progression is commonly thought of as a process involving the growth of a primary tumor followed by metastasis, in which cancer cells leave the primary tumor and spread to distant organs. A new study shows that circulating tumor cells -- cancer cells that break away from a primary tumor and disseminate to other areas of the body -- can also return to and grow in their tumor of origin, a newly discovered process called "self-seeding." ... > full story

Genetic predeterminants for diabetes in African-Americans identified (December 28, 2009) -- Researchers say a recent discovery suggests that inherited genetic variations exist between whites and blacks living in the US, leading to less efficient metabolism of glucose and predisposition to diabetes in blacks. ... > full story

A mechanical model of vocalization (December 28, 2009) -- When people speak, sing or shout, they produce sound by pushing air over their vocal folds -- bits of muscle and tissue that manipulate the air flow and vibrate within it. When someone has polyps or some other problem with their vocal folds, the airflow can be altered, affecting the sound production. ... > full story

Whiteflies sabotage alarm system of plant in distress (December 28, 2009) -- When spider mites attack a bean plant, the plant produces odors attracting predatory mites. These mites then exterminate the spider mite population, thus acting as a type of "bodyguard" for the plant. However, if the plant is simultaneously attacked by whiteflies, insects that are related to aphids, the plant becomes less attractive to the mites and therefore more vulnerable to spider mites, say entomologists. ... > full story

Seeing family for the holidays? Scientists discover how the stress might kill you (December 28, 2009) -- If you ever thought the stress of seeing your extended family over the holidays was slowly killing you -- bad news: a new study shows that you might be right. Here's the good news: results from the same study might lead to entirely new treatments that help keep autoimmune diseases like lupus, arthritis, and eczema under control. ... > full story

Giant planet set for cataclysmic show (December 28, 2009) -- A team of Chinese astronomers has discovered a giant planet close to the exotic binary star system QS Virginis. Although dormant now, in the future the two stars will one day erupt in a violent nova outburst. ... > full story

New agent for some drug-resistant non-small cell lung cancers (December 28, 2009) -- Scientists have discovered a compound capable of halting a common type of drug-resistant lung cancer. The researchers report that non-small cell lung cancers that had become invulnerable to the drugs Iressa and Tarceva were stymied by a new compound. The compound (WZ4002), whose basic chemical framework is different from that of other cancer drugs, acts against an epidermal growth factor receptor kinase that carries a specific structural defect. ... > full story

Some birds listen, instead of look, for mates (December 28, 2009) -- Looks can be deceiving, but certain bird species have figured out that a voice can tell them most of what they need to know to find the right mate. Researchers found that the higher the pitch of a male bird's song, the more genetic diversity that bird has, making him a better mate for breeding. ... > full story

Five exercises can reduce neck, shoulder pain of women office workers (December 28, 2009) -- Strength training exercises using dumbbells can reduce pain and improve function in the trapezius muscle among women suffering trapezius myalgia, a tenderness and tightness in the upper trapezius muscle. The results are the latest findings from an ongoing Danish study aimed at reducing repetitive strain injury caused by office work. ... > full story

Scientists argue for a new type of climate target (December 28, 2009) -- In order to avoid dangerous consequences for the earth's ecosystems, global emissions must peak around 2015, and they need to be cut by half between the peak and 2030, according to new findings. ... > full story

Aviation-based team training may influence clinicians' safety behaviors (December 28, 2009) -- Team training based on protocols originally developed for aviation crews may change safety-related behaviors and contribute to perceptions of empowerment among nurses and other surgical staff, according to a new study. ... > full story

Women tend to have better sense of touch due to smaller finger size (December 28, 2009) -- People who have smaller fingers have a finer sense of touch, according to new research. This finding explains why women tend to have better tactile acuity than men, because women on average have smaller fingers. ... > full story

High-blood-pressure treatment for the over-80s too aggressive, warns expert (December 28, 2009) -- People over 80 years are being treated too aggressively for high blood pressure, warns an expert. ... > full story

Spider Mite Predators Serve As Biological Control (December 28, 2009) -- The control of spider mites, which damage tree leaves, reduce fruit quality and cost growers millions of dollars in the use of pesticide and oil spraying, is being biologically controlled in Pennsylvania apple orchards with two tiny insects known to be natural predators. ... > full story

Drug for Alzheimer's disease does not appear to slow cognitive decline (December 28, 2009) -- Although there were promising results in a phase 2 trial, patients with mild Alzheimer disease who received the drug tarenflurbil as part of a phase 3 trial did not have better outcomes on measures of cognitive decline or loss of activities of daily living compared to patients who received placebo, according to a new study. ... > full story

How can evolutionary responses to climate change be measured? (December 28, 2009) -- As global temperatures continue to rise, scientists are presented with the complex challenge of understanding how species respond and adapt. ... > full story

Physician-assisted suicide: A perspective from advocates for people with disability (December 28, 2009) -- Although public opinion in the US on physician-assisted suicide is evenly divided, about half of states have either defeated bills to legalize assisted suicide or have passed laws explicitly banning it and only two states have legalized it. "A Disability Perspective on the Issue of Physician-Assisted Suicide," a special issue of Disability and Health Journal, examines the issues related to assisted suicide and disability, the legal considerations and the Oregon and Washington experiences. ... > full story

Orchids' sexual trickery explained: Leads to more efficient pollinating system (December 28, 2009) -- A new study reveals the reason why orchids use sexual trickery to lure insect pollinators. The study finds that sexual deception in orchids leads to a more efficient pollinating system. ... > full story

Modifying Neural Stem Cells Improves Their Therapeutic Efficacy (December 28, 2009) -- Stem cells isolated from the brain of adult mice (adult neural stem cells [aNSCs]) have shown very modest therapeutic effects in a mouse model of the chronic inflammatory neurodegenerative disease multiple sclerosis. But now, researchers have developed an approach to enhance the therapeutic effects of aNSCs in this model of multiple sclerosis, something that they hope might increase the chance that aNSC-based therapies might one day be developed for clinical use. ... > full story

Phragmites partners with microbes to plot native plants' demise (December 28, 2009) -- Researchers have uncovered a novel means of conquest employed by the common reed, Phragmites australis, which ranks as one of the world's most invasive plants. ... > full story

Antibiotic unsuccessful in preventing preterm labor (December 28, 2009) -- Scientists have found that an antibiotic, currently used to treat infections linked to incidences of premature births, does not help reduce the risk of preterm labor. ... > full story

Wet Ethanol Production Process Yields More Ethanol And More Co-products (December 28, 2009) -- Using a wet ethanol production method that begins by soaking corn kernels rather than grinding them, results in more gallons of ethanol and more usable co-products, giving ethanol producers a bigger bang for their buck -- by about 20 percent. ... > full story

How Differing Asian Cultures And Attitudes Impact Cancer Screening Rates (December 28, 2009) -- Asian-Americans have higher instances of certain types of cancer, yet screening rates remain dismal. A new study calls for culturally sensitive materials to stress the importance of early screening, to help close the disparity. ... > full story

Synesthetic experiences, such as seeing a certain color associated with a number, are real and automatic (December 27, 2009) -- For as many as 1 in 20 people, everyday experiences can elicit extra-ordinary associated sensations. The condition is known as synesthesia and the most common form involves "seeing" colors when reading words and numbers. ... > full story

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