ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Thursday, April 7, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Thursday, April 7, 2011

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Two dying stars to be reborn as one (April 7, 2011) -- White dwarfs are dead stars that pack a Sun's-worth of matter into an Earth-sized ball. Astronomers have just discovered an amazing pair of white dwarfs whirling around each other once every 39 minutes. This is the shortest-period pair of white dwarfs now known. Moreover, in a few million years they will collide and merge to create a single star. ... > full story

Breast cancer patients' persistent fatigue is real, may actually speed up aging (April 7, 2011) -- The persistent fatigue that plagues one out of every three breast cancer survivors may be caused by one part of the autonomic nervous system running in overdrive, while the other part fails to slow it down. That imbalance of a natural system in the body appears linked to the tiredness and exhaustion that can burden cancer patients as much as a decade after their successful treatment. ... > full story

Micro aircraft improves avionic systems and sensors (April 7, 2011) -- Myriad sensors and systems provide modern aircraft with data for flight control. But a bird's eye perspective is also of great benefit when measuring pollutants, searching for missing persons and even in archaeological research. Postgraduate students have now developed an unmanned aerial vehicle that can be deployed for many such tasks. It has just successfully completed its maiden flight. ... > full story

New discovery explains weight problems in Huntingon’s disease (April 7, 2011) -- Huntington’s disease has long been linked to jerky movements. Now, researchers have shown that the metabolism can also be seriously affected by the hereditary disease. The new laboratory findings provide hope of entirely new treatment methods. ... > full story

Tungsten may not be the best shot for making 'green' bullets (April 7, 2011) -- With efforts underway to ban lead-based ammunition as a potential health and environmental hazard, scientists are reporting new evidence that a prime alternative material for bullets -- tungsten -- may not be a good substitute. The report found that tungsten accumulates in major structures of the immune system in animals. ... > full story

Off the hook: Who gets phished and why (April 7, 2011) -- Communication researchers have found that if you receive a lot of email, habitually respond to a good portion of it, maintain a lot of online relationships and conduct a large number of transactions online, you are more susceptible to email phishing expeditions than those who limit their online activity. ... > full story

Strong Indian crust thrust beneath the Tibetan Plateau, new study suggests (April 7, 2011) -- For many years, most scientists studying Tibet have thought that a very hot and very weak lower and middle crust underlies its plateau, flowing like a fluid. Now, scientists are questioning this long-held belief and proposing that an entirely different mechanism is at play. ... > full story

Body mass index in adolescence associated with early occurrence of diabetes and heart disease (April 7, 2011) -- A study of 37,000 teenagers found that diabetes risk is mainly associated with increased body mass index close to the time of diagnosis at early adulthood, while coronary heart disease risk is associated with elevated BMI both at adolescence and adulthood. ... > full story

Treating newborn horses: A unique form of pediatrics (April 7, 2011) -- Like any other newborn, the neonatal horse can be a challenging patient. Its immune system is still under construction, its blood chemistry can vary wildly, and -- like most infants -- it wants to stay close to mom. ... > full story

Memory problems may be sign of stroke risk (April 7, 2011) -- People who have memory problems or other declines in their mental abilities may be at higher risk for stroke, according to a new study. ... > full story

Taming carbon nanotubes (April 7, 2011) -- Carbon nanotubes have many attractive properties, and their structure and areas of application can be compared with those of graphene, the material for whose discovery the most recent Nobel Prize was awarded. In order to be able to exploit these properties, however, it is necessary to have full control of the manufacturing process. Scientists are now closing in on the answer. ... > full story

Shopping online, privacy, data protection and third-party tracking (April 7, 2011) -- In the wake of yet another e-commerce data breach in which the names and email addresses of millions of online shoppers and credit card users have been accessed illegally, researchers in the US suggest that privacy discussions, and ultimately legislation must urgently focus on the expanding roles of third-parties handling pervasive online customer profiles. ... > full story

Common dietary fat and intestinal microbes linked to heart disease (April 6, 2011) -- A new pathway has been discovered that links a common dietary lipid and intestinal microflora with an increased risk of heart disease. The study shows that people who eat a diet containing a common nutrient found in animal products (such as eggs, liver and other meats, cheese and other dairy products, fish, shellfish) are not predisposed to cardiovascular disease solely on their genetic make-up, but rather, how the micro-organisms that live in our digestive tracts metabolize a specific lipid -- phosphatidyl choline (also called lecithin). Lecithin and its metabolite, choline, are also found in many commercial baked goods, dietary supplements, and even children's vitamins. ... > full story

New prostate cancer test gives more accurate diagnosis (April 6, 2011) -- A new PSA test to screen for prostate cancer more accurately identified men with prostate cancer -- particularly the aggressive form of the disease -- and substantially reduced false positives compared to the two currently available commercial PSA tests, according to new research. The currently available screening tests result in a high number of false positives and lead to unnecessary biopsies and possible over-detection and over-treatment of indolent cancer that never would have caused suffering or death. ... > full story

Nano fitness: Helping enzymes stay active and keep in shape (April 6, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a new technique for boosting the stability of enzymes, making them useful under a much broader range of conditions. They confined lysozyme and other enzymes inside carefully engineered nanoscale holes, or nanopores. Instead of denaturing, these embedded enzymes mostly retained their 3-D structure and exhibited a significant increase in activity. ... > full story

Strawberries may slow precancerous growth in the esophagus, study suggests (April 6, 2011) -- Eating strawberries may be a way to help people at risk of esophageal cancer protect themselves from the disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

Seeing rice with X-rays may improve crop yields (April 6, 2011) -- Most people experience X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanners when they are evaluated for a suspected tumor or blood clot. Now rice plants have becoe the patients in a novel use of CT scanners as part of an agriculture study to increase rice yield. ... > full story

Instructors can reduce cheating by being clear, researcher says (April 6, 2011) -- A new study says that the reasons students give for cheating are rational, and that stricter punishments won't solve the problem. Instead, teachers should communicate clear standards and provide consistent enforcement to reduce instances of cheating. ... > full story

Birds must choose between mating and migrating (April 6, 2011) -- Sex or nice weather. That's the agonizing choice some birds face, according to a new study. Researchers discovered that for some male birds traveling to areas with lighter rainfall comes at the cost of attracting a female when they return home. ... > full story

Human taste cells regenerate in a dish (April 6, 2011) -- Following years of futile attempts, new research demonstrates that living human taste cells can be maintained in culture for at least seven months. The findings provide scientists with a valuable tool to learn about the human sense of taste and how it functions in health and disease. This advance ultimately will assist efforts to prevent and treat taste loss or impairment due to infection, radiation, chemotherapy and chemical exposures. ... > full story

Hotspots of genetic rearrangement: Findings in mice could aid understanding of how mammals genetically adapt (April 6, 2011) -- Researchers have zoomed in on mouse chromosomes to map hotspots of genetic recombination -- sites where DNA breaks and reforms to shuffle genes. The findings have the potential to improve the detection of genes linked to disease and to help understand the root causes of genetic abnormalities. ... > full story

Healthy welders may be at increased risk for early brain damage (April 6, 2011) -- New research suggests that workers exposed to welding fumes may be at risk for developing brain damage in an area of the brain also affected in Parkinson's disease. ... > full story

Climate change is making our environment 'bluer' (April 6, 2011) -- The "color" of our environment is becoming "bluer," a change that could have important implications for animals' risk of becoming extinct, ecologists have found. In a major study, researchers examined how quickly or slowly animal populations and their environment change over time, something ecologists describe using "spectral color." ... > full story

Are infants creating historical footprints with their eyes? (April 6, 2011) -- Learning how babies communicate can teach us a lot about the development of human social interactions. Psychologists studying infants' interactions have now found that babies are not simply living in the moment. Instead, infants seem to have particular interests that create historical footprints reflected in the infants' visual engagement over time. ... > full story

Coffee drinking in your genes? Genetic variants in two genes linked with caffeine intake (April 6, 2011) -- Two genes in which variation affects intake of caffeine, the most widely consumed stimulant in the world, have been discovered. Researchers examined genetic variation across the entire genome of more than 47,000 individuals. ... > full story

New drug is effective against the most common form of skin cancer, expert says (April 6, 2011) -- A new drug is effective in preventing new basal cell carcinomas in patients with an inherited predisposition to the disease. These patients with basal cell nevus syndrome develop large numbers of basal cells, which can become locally invasive or metastatic, according to an expert. ... > full story

Third dimension of specific cell cultivation (April 6, 2011) -- Researchers have succeeded in cultivating cells in specific locations on 3-D structures. The fascinating thing is that the cells are offered small "holds" in the micrometer range on the scaffold, to which they can adhere. Adhesion is possible only on these holds, not on the remaining structure. For the first time, cell adhesion and, hence, cell shape are influenced precisely in three dimensions. ... > full story

Obesity increases the risk of fetal and infant death, and the risk of complications after hysterectomy (April 6, 2011) -- Women who are obese during early pregnancy have a significantly increased risk of their baby dying before, during or up to one year after birth, according to new research. A second article shows that obesity increases the risk of complications, such as bleeding and infections, during and after a hysterectomy operation. ... > full story

Microbe responsible for methane from landfills identified (April 6, 2011) -- Researchers have long known that landfills produce methane, but had a hard time figuring out why -- since landfills do not start out as a friendly environment for the organisms that produce methane. New research shows that one species of microbe is paving the way for other methane producers. ... > full story

Older age memory loss tied to stress hormone receptor in brain (April 6, 2011) -- Scientists have shed new light on how older people may lose their memory with a development that could aid research into treatments for age-related memory disorders. Many believe that stress is bad for our brains especially as we get older. Now researchers have shown how two receptors in older brains react to a stress hormone called cortisol, which has been linked to increasing forgetfulness as we age. ... > full story

Did dinosaurs have lice? Researchers say it's possible (April 6, 2011) -- A new study louses up a popular theory of animal evolution and opens up the possibility that dinosaurs were early -- perhaps even the first -- animal hosts of lice. ... > full story

On-off switch for key 'factor' in heart disease and cancer discovered (April 6, 2011) -- Scientists have identified a cellular "on-off" switch that may have implications for treating cardiovascular disease and cancer. ... > full story

Where will the debris from Japan's tsunami drift in the ocean? (April 6, 2011) -- The huge tsunami triggered by the 9.0 Tohoku earthquake destroyed coastal towns near Sendai in Japan, washing such things as houses and cars into the ocean. Based on a model derived from past trajectories of drifting buoys, projections of where this debris might head over the next five to six years have been made. ... > full story

Progesterone reduces rate of early preterm birth in at-risk women, study suggests (April 6, 2011) -- A new study has found that progesterone, a naturally occurring hormone, reduced the rate of preterm birth before the 33rd week of pregnancy by 45 percent among one category of at-risk women. The women in the study had a short cervix, which is known to increase the risk for preterm birth. The cervix is the part of the uterus that opens and shortens during labor. ... > full story

Improving high-speed optical data transfer by employing ideas from TV antennas (April 6, 2011) -- Standard TV antennas receive signals carried by electromagnetic waves with frequencies in the MHz range and convert them into pulses of electric currents in the connected cables. The antenna connects two very different length scales: the carrier wavelength, ranging from centimeters to meters, and the size of the wiring, typically on the millimeter scale. Now, physicists have successfully applied this radiofrequency antenna concept to the optical wavelength range. ... > full story

Better a sprint than a marathon: Brief intense exercise better than endurance training for preventing cardiovascular disease (April 6, 2011) -- Exercise is important for preventing cardiovascular disease, especially in children and adolescents, but is all exercise equally beneficial? New research reveals that high intensity exercise is more beneficial than traditional endurance training. ... > full story

NASA's Spitzer discovers time-delayed jets around young star (April 6, 2011) -- Astronomers have discovered that two symmetrical jets shooting away from opposite sides of a blossoming star are experiencing a time delay: knots of gas and dust from one jet blast off four-and-a-half years later than identical knots from the other jet. The finding, which required the infrared vision of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, is helping astronomers understand how jets are produced around forming stars, including those resembling our sun when it was young. ... > full story

Device drops blood pressure in patients with difficult-to-treat hypertension (April 6, 2011) -- A device designed to treat people with resistant hypertension helped lower blood pressure by 33 points, a substantial drop that would otherwise require patients to take an additional three or four drugs, on top of this subgroup's usual regimen of up to five drugs, to control their difficult-to-treat condition. ... > full story

The 'molecular octopus': A little brother of 'Schroedinger’s cat' (April 6, 2011) -- For the first time, the quantum behavior of molecules consisting of more than 400 atoms was demonstrated by scientists. The research also sheds new light on an important aspect of the famous thought experiment known as "Schroedinger's cat". ... > full story

One step closer to a diagnostic test for schizophrenia (April 6, 2011) -- Scientists in Finland have revealed metabolic abnormalities that are associated with schizophrenia. This may be an important step towards development of a clinical test of the disease. ... > full story

Renewal of a life and physical sciences research program at NASA could facilitate longer, farther human space missions (April 6, 2011) -- By elevating its life and physical sciences research program, NASA could achieve the biological understanding and technical breakthroughs needed to allow humans to be sent deeper into space, according to a new report. ... > full story

Off-label marketing of medicines in the US is rife but difficult to control, study finds (April 6, 2011) -- Despite U.S. Federal Drug Administration regulation of the approval and use of pharmaceutical products, "off-label" marketing of drugs (for purposes other than those for which the drug was approved) has occurred in all aspects of the US health care system. In a new study, researchers report that the most common alleged off-label marketing practices also appear to be the most difficult to control through external regulatory approaches. ... > full story

Frozen comet's watery past: Discovery challenges paradigm of comets as 'dirty snowballs' frozen in time (April 6, 2011) -- Scientists have found convincing evidence for the presence of liquid water in a comet, shattering the current paradigm that comets never get warm enough to melt the ice that makes up the bulk of their material. ... > full story

Link between chronic depression and accelerated immune cell aging (April 6, 2011) -- Certain cases of major depression are associated with premature aging of immune cells, which may make people more susceptible to other serious illness, according to findings from a new study. ... > full story

Nanopolymer shows promise for helping reduce cancer side effects (April 6, 2011) -- A biochemist has demonstrated a process using nanotechnology to better assess whether cancer drugs hit their targets, which may help reduce drug side effects. ... > full story

Diabetes treatment may also provide protection against endometrial cancer (April 6, 2011) -- New research has found that metformin, a drug treatment used to treat diabetes and also in women with polycystic vary syndrome (PCOS), may potentially provide protection against endometrial cancer. ... > full story

Active electromagnetic suspension system can increase ride quality of cars by 60 percent (April 6, 2011) -- Researchers in the Netherlands have developed an active electromagnetic suspension system that can increase the ride quality of cars by 60 percent. Cars fitted with this suspension system are also safer because they no longer roll (sway) in corners. The system is developed in partnership with the Swedish company SKF, and is being demonstrated next week at the AutoRAI auto show in Amsterdam. ... > full story

Stronger alcohol 'buzz' predicts future binge drinking problems (April 6, 2011) -- For some people, alcohol is a social lubricant. For others, it's an unpleasant downer. New research shows that a person's response to alcohol can predict their future drinking behavior, including their frequency of binge drinking and the risk of developing an alcohol-use disorder. ... > full story

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