Space Season: Feb 17, 2011

Thursday, February 17, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Thursday, February 17, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Thursday, February 17, 2011

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

Drug therapy shows significant benefit in treating a leading cause of childhood blindness (February 17, 2011) -- A readily available, inexpensive drug therapy showed a significant benefit in treating premature infants with the worst and historically most difficult-to-treat cases of retinopathy of prematurity. ... > full story

Eating berries may lower risk of Parkinson's (February 17, 2011) -- New research shows men and women who regularly eat berries may have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, while men may also further lower their risk by regularly eating apples, oranges and other sources rich in dietary components called flavonoids. ... > full story

Biomarker could make diagnosing knee injury easier, less costly, othopaedists say (February 17, 2011) -- A recently discovered biomarker could help doctors diagnose a common type of knee injury, according to a new study. ... > full story

Security weaknesses in file-sharing methods used in clinical trials revealed (February 17, 2011) -- Patients who participate in clinical trials expect that their personal information will remain confidential, but a recent study found that the security practices used to transfer and share sensitive files were inadequate. ... > full story

Who's the boss? Americans respond faster to those with high social status (February 17, 2011) -- A new study examines how White Americans and Chinese people in China respond to pictures of their boss, suggesting cultural differences in our responses to authority figures. ... > full story

Whole genome sequencing used to help inform cancer therapy (February 17, 2011) -- Whole genome sequencing -- spelling out a person's entire DNA genetic code -- has moved one step closer to being a medical option for direct patient care. ... > full story

Customized knee replacement depends on surgeon's skill, not implant design, study finds (February 17, 2011) -- While the choices of knee implants are plentiful, the success of total knee replacement surgery still is dependent on the surgeon's skill, researchers say. ... > full story

Risks for quitting college identified (February 17, 2011) -- College students who consider dropping out are particularly sensitive to a handful of critical events including depression and loss of financial aid, according to a new study. ... > full story

Dwarfism gene linked to protection from cancer and diabetes (February 16, 2011) -- A long-term study finds extremely low incidence of cancer and diabetes among individuals with a growth-stunting genetic defect. The authors ask whether controlling growth hormone in healthy adults might provide similar protection. ... > full story

Bleeding disorder often misdiagnosed, study suggests (February 16, 2011) -- A rare bleeding disorder that can lead to life-threatening bleeding episodes is misdiagnosed in 15 percent of cases according to new findings. ... > full story

Statin may affect markers associated with progression of HIV, trial suggests (February 16, 2011) -- A recent multicenter clinical trial of atorvastatin found that although the drug did not inhibit plasma HIV RNA levels, it did inhibit expression of cellular markers of immune activation and inflammation in patients with HIV infection. ... > full story

To escape blame, be a victim, not a hero, new study finds (February 16, 2011) -- Great works and praiseworthy behavior may bring respect and admiration, but these won't help us to escape blame when we do something wrong, says a new study by researchers at the University of Maryland and Harvard University. To do that, the researchers say, one needs to be a victim not a hero! ... > full story

Brain insulin plays critical role in the development of diabetes (February 16, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a novel function of brain insulin, indicating that impaired brain insulin action may be the cause of the unrestrained lipolysis that initiates and worsens Type 2 diabetes in humans. ... > full story

New pneumococcal vaccine approach successful in early tests; Vaccine inhibits bacteria by mimicking naturally-acquired immunity (February 16, 2011) -- Pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae) accounts for as much as 11 percent of mortality in young children worldwide. While successful vaccines exist, they are expensive and only work against specific pneumococcal strains, with the risk of becoming less effective as new strains emerge. Researchers have now developed a new vaccine candidate that is potentially cheaper and able to protect against any pneumococcal strain. ... > full story

Dial 5683 for love: Dialing certain numbers on a cell phone changes your emotional state (February 16, 2011) -- A psychological scientist in Germany has found a way that cell phones, and specifically texting, have hacked into our brains. Just by typing the numbers that correspond to the letters in a word like "love," we can activate the meaning of that word in our minds. ... > full story

Hearing with your nose: How nasal stem cells could tackle childhood hearing problems (February 16, 2011) -- Stem cell scientists have found that patients suffering from hearing problems which began during infancy and childhood could benefit from a transplant of stem cells from their nose. The research reveals that mucosa-derived stem cells can help preserve hearing function during the early-onset of sensorineural hearing loss. ... > full story

Using chlorhexidine gluconate baths to reduce hospital-acquired infections (February 16, 2011) -- A new study has found a reduced risk of hospital-acquired infections when using two percent chlorhexidine gluconate cloths for daily bathing instead of soap and water. The study found a 64 percent decrease in the risk of acquiring an infection from either methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. ... > full story

Got a goal? A helpful partner isn't always helpful (February 16, 2011) -- You might think that a loving partner helps keep you on track -- say, when you want to stick to your jogging or concentrate on your studies. But a new study reports the opposite: Thinking about the support a significant other offers in pursuing goals can undermine the motivation to work toward those goals -- and can increase procrastination before getting down to work. ... > full story

Increasing brain enzyme may slow Alzheimer's disease progression; Study finds damaging accumulation of tau proteins removed (February 16, 2011) -- Increasing a naturally occurring enzyme in the brain slowed the damaging accumulation of tau proteins that are toxic to nerve cells and eventually lead to the neurofibrillary tangles, a major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. ... > full story

Losing hair at 20 is linked to increased risk of prostate cancer in later life, study finds (February 16, 2011) -- Men who start to lose hair at the age of 20 are more likely to develop prostate cancer in later life and might benefit from screening for the disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

Researchers model fetal-to-adult hemoglobin switching: Important step towards cure for blood diseases (February 16, 2011) -- Researchers have engineered mice that model the switch from fetal to adult hemoglobin, an important step towards curing genetic blood diseases such as sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia. ... > full story

Drivers engaging in a secondary task may pay more attention to the road, study suggests (February 16, 2011) -- Although many human factors/ergonomics studies conducted over the past few years indicate that drivers who talk on the phone fail to attend to the road and increase the likelihood of an accident, the monotony of driving may also pose an accident risk. ... > full story

Scientists discover cell of origin for childhood muscle cancer (February 16, 2011) -- Researchers have defined the cell of origin for a kind of cancer called sarcoma. They report that childhood and adult sarcomas are linked in their biology, mutations and the cells from which these tumors first start. These findings may lead to nonchemotherapy medicines that can inhibit "molecular targets" such as growth factor receptors, thereby stopping or eradicating the disease. ... > full story

Surgery without incisions for heartburn (February 16, 2011) -- Millions of Americans, or 10 percent of the population, suffer from daily heartburn or other symptoms of reflux such as regurgitation, chronic cough, hoarseness and dental erosion. In a city like Austin, as many as 180,000 to 210,000 people may suffer from heartburn/reflux. ... > full story

Analysis of violent deaths of Iraqi civilians between 2003-2008 (February 16, 2011) -- A new article provides the most detailed assessment thus far of civilian deaths in the course of the recent Iraq war. ... > full story

Zinc reduces the burden of the common cold (February 16, 2011) -- Zinc supplements reduce the severity and duration of illness caused by the common cold, according to a systematic review. The findings could help reduce the amount of time lost from work and school due to colds. ... > full story

Lavender oil has potent antifungal effect (February 16, 2011) -- Lavender oil could be used to combat the increasing incidence of antifungal-resistant infections, according to a new study. The essential oil shows a potent antifungal effect against strains of fungi responsible for common skin and nail infections. ... > full story

Overabundance of protein expands breast cancer stem cells; Two drugs block cancer-promoting chain of events (February 16, 2011) -- An essential protein for normal stem cell renewal also promotes the growth of breast cancer stem cells when it's overproduced in those cells, researchers report. ... > full story

Wireless device helps athletes get the most out of exercise (February 16, 2011) -- New research from the UK could help athletes train to their maximum potential without putting undue pressure on their muscles. A special wireless device -- called the iSense -- has been devised which is capable of predicting and detecting the status of muscles during training and can be adapted to any sport. ... > full story

Video games to enhance learning (February 16, 2011) -- It's a frustrating problem for many of today's parents: Little Jacob or Isabella is utterly indifferent to schoolwork during the day but then happily spends all evening engrossed in the latest video game. The solution isn't to banish the games, says one researcher. A far better approach, she says, is to make the learning experience more enjoyable by creating video games into which educational content and assessment tools have been surreptitiously added -- and to incorporate such games into school curricula. ... > full story

New study finds no cognitive impairment among ecstasy users (February 16, 2011) -- In contrast to many prior studies, ecstasy users in a new study showed no signs of cognitive impairment attributable to drug use: ecstasy use did not decrease mental ability. ... > full story

Atomic model of tropomyosin bound to actin (February 16, 2011) -- New research sheds light on the interaction between the semi-flexible protein tropomyosin and actin thin filaments. The study provides the first detailed atomic model of tropomyosin bound to actin and significantly advances the understanding of the dynamic relationship between these key cellular proteins. ... > full story

Alcohol's disruptive effects on sleep may be more pronounced among women (February 16, 2011) -- Researchers have known for decades that alcohol can initially deepen sleep during the early part of the night but then disrupt sleep during the latter part of the night; this is called a "rebound effect." A new study of the influence of gender and family history of alcoholism on sleep has found that intoxication can increase feelings of sleepiness while at the same time disrupt actual sleep measures in healthy women more than in healthy men. ... > full story

Good diets fight bad Alzheimer's genes: Diets high in fish oil have a beneficial effect in patients at risk, researcher says (February 16, 2011) -- Recent research suggests that a diet high in omega-3 oils and low in cholesterol can significantly reduce the negative affects of the APOE4 gene, which is an indicator of Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story

Designing new molecular tools to study the life and death of a cancer cell (February 16, 2011) -- Basic and translational research on cancer, and development of new cancer therapeutics, has focused on different aspects of cancer cellular function. One area of focus is the life and death of a cancer cell. In a new study, scientists have developed new synthetic molecules as models to study the structural and functional role of the proline residue and tetrapeptide sequence important for the regulation of cancer cell apoptosis by the XIAP protein. ... > full story

One third of us have tried dating websites with middle-aged suitors using them most (February 16, 2011) -- A new study suggests that nearly one in three of us who use the internet have visited online dating sites. An international survey of 24,000 men and women who are presently online found that just six per cent had gone to dating websites in 1997 but by 2009, 30 per cent of the sample had tried them with 15 per cent finding their current partner that way. ... > full story

Mental retardation gene provides insights into brain formation (February 15, 2011) -- Scientists have uncovered new clues to memory and learning by exploring the function of a single gene, and at the same time, have provided insights into a form of human mental retardation. ... > full story

Active wound healing can accelerate tumor formation, study finds (February 15, 2011) -- Processes that are involved in active wound healing can lead to an increased risk for basal cell carcinoma in the skin, according to a new study. ... > full story

New malaria vaccine depends on … mosquito bites? (February 15, 2011) -- The same menace that spreads malaria -- the mosquito bite -- could help wipe out the deadly disease, according to researchers working on a new vaccine. ... > full story

Method of DNA repair linked to higher likelihood of genetic mutation (February 15, 2011) -- Accurate transmission of genetic information requires the precise replication of DNA. Errors in DNA replication are common and nature has developed several cellular mechanisms for repairing these mistakes. Mutations, which can be deleterious (development of cancerous cells), or beneficial (evolutionary adaption), arise from uncorrected errors. Researchers report that a method by which cells repair breaks in their DNA, known as break-induced replication, is up to 2,800 times more likely to cause genetic mutation than normal DNA synthesis. ... > full story

You are what you app: Choice of smartphone applications define your computing style (February 15, 2011) -- The applications you add to your smartphone can label you as a specific "appitypes," says a professor of science and technology studies. ... > full story

'Healthy' patients at high risk of cardiac death identified (February 15, 2011) -- The way the heart responds to an early beat is predictive of cardiac death, especially for people with no conventional markers of cardiovascular disease, according to new research. ... > full story

Obesity and knee osteoarthritis shorten healthy years of life (February 15, 2011) -- Due to obesity and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, Americans over the age of 50 will together lose the equivalent of 86 million healthy years of life, concluded researchers who investigated the potential gains in quality and quantity of life that could be achieved averting losses due to obesity and knee OA. ... > full story

Why problem drinking during adolescence is never a 'phase' (February 15, 2011) -- The Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI) is widely used to assess adolescent drinking-related problems. Researchers used adolescent RAPI scores to(examine diagnoses of alcohol dependence during young adulthood. More drinking-related problems experienced at age 18 were associated with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence at age 25, and this predictive(association was stronger in females than males. ... > full story

Molecular link between reproduction in yeast and humans (February 15, 2011) -- A novel study draws a completely unexpected link between reproductive proteins in humans and proteins involved in fertilization in invertebrates, as well as mating between haploid cells in yeast. Because human and yeast are separated by 1 billion years of evolution, these findings may have important implications for our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying sex, and how they originated. ... > full story

Hearing loss associated with development of dementia (February 15, 2011) -- Older adults with hearing loss appear more likely to develop dementia, and their risk increases as hearing loss becomes more severe, according to a new article. ... > full story

Gene that regulates immune system linked to preeclampsia (February 15, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that the placentas of women who suffer preeclampsia during pregnancy have an overabundance of a gene associated with the regulation of the body's immune system. ... > full story

Many consumers believe 36 months is longer than 3 years (February 15, 2011) -- Consumers often have a distorted view when they compare information that involves numbers, according to a new study. ... > full story

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ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Thursday, February 17, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Thursday, February 17, 2011

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

Why are vines overtaking the American tropics? (February 17, 2011) -- Vines are becoming more abundant in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. This fundamental change in forest structure may have a profound impact on the animals, human communities and businesses that depend on forests for their livelihood. ... > full story

Fossil antelopes shed new light on today's sub-Saharan mammals (February 17, 2011) -- Modern-day Africa south of the Sahara is home to a unique variety of mammals, a great number of which are not found anywhere else in the world. New fossil antelope discoveries have provided a glimpse into the biogeographic configuration of Africa over the last seven million years. ... > full story

Acid oceans demand greater reef care (February 17, 2011) -- The more humanity acidifies and warms the world's oceans with carbon emissions, the harder we will have to work to save our coral reefs. That's the blunt message from a major new study which finds that ocean acidification and global warming will combine with local impacts like overfishing and nutrient runoff to weaken the world's coral reefs right when they are struggling to survive. ... > full story

New romaine lettuce lines launched; Breeding lines prove dieback resistant, show improved shelf life (February 17, 2011) -- Dieback disease caused by soil-borne viruses affects romaine and leaf-type lettuce, often resulting in extensive crop loss. Researchers in California introduced two new romaine breeding lines that proved exemplary in terms of both disease resistance and shelf life. In replicated field trials the two breeding lines showed complete resistance to dieback. Testing of salad-cut lettuce in modified atmosphere packaging indicated slower decay in the two new lines compared with other dieback-resistant romaine varieties. ... > full story

Finding a way to extend tomato shelf-life (February 16, 2011) -- Tomatoes spend so much time on shelves and in refrigerators that an estimated 20 percent are lost to spoilage, according to the US Department of Agriculture. But scientists with USDA's Agricultural Research Service are working with colleagues at Purdue University to extend the shelf life of tomatoes. The research also may lead to tomatoes that taste better and are more nutritious. ... > full story

Iceland volcano drilling suggests magma could become source of high-grade energy (February 16, 2011) -- Geologists drilling an exploratory geothermal well in 2009 in the Krafla volcano, Iceland, encountered a problem they were unprepared for: magma which flowed into the well at 2.1 kilometers depth, forcing the researchers to terminate the drilling. The research team believes it should be possible to find reasonably shallow bodies of magma elsewhere in Iceland and the world, which would make for attractive sources of high-grade energy. ... > full story

Ultra-fast suction traps leave no chance for prey animals (February 16, 2011) -- Bladderworts (Utricularia spp.) constitute the largest genus of carnivorous plants. They catch and digest prey animals, mainly small crustaceans, with millimetre-sized suction traps. These so-called bladders have fascinated scientists since Darwin's early works on carnivorous plants. Researchers have now investigated the biophysical details of this prey capture mechanism for the first time. ... > full story

Sterility in frogs caused by environmental pharmaceutical progestogens, study finds (February 16, 2011) -- Frogs appear to be very sensitive to progestogens, a kind of pharmaceutical that is released into the environment. Female tadpoles that swim in water containing a specific progestogen, levonorgestrel, are subject to abnormal ovarian and oviduct development, resulting in adult sterility, according to new research. ... > full story

Fossils may look like human bones: Biological anthropologists question claims for human ancestry (February 16, 2011) -- "Too simple" and "not so fast" suggest biological anthropologists about the origins of human ancestry. The anthropologists question the claims that several prominent fossil discoveries made in the last decade are our human ancestors. ... > full story

New way to estimate global rainfall and track ocean pollution (February 16, 2011) -- A new study suggests a new way to estimate how much of the ocean's pollution is falling from the sky. The new findings can help improve scientific understanding of how toxic airborne chemicals, from the burning of fossil fuels and industrial power plants emissions, are impacting the oceans globally. ... > full story

Pheromone increases foraging honey bees, leads to healthier hives (February 16, 2011) -- The application of a naturally occurring pheromone to honey bee test colonies increases colony growth resulting in stronger hives overall, according to a new study. The study comes amid national concern in the U.S. over the existence of honey bee Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) -- a combination of events that result in the death of a bee colony. The causes behind CCD remain unknown, but researchers are focusing on four possible contributing factors: disease, pests, environmental conditions and nutrition. ... > full story

Inhaling 'Red Mud Disaster' dust may not be as harmful to health as feared (February 16, 2011) -- Scientists in Hungary are reporting that the potential health effects of last October's Red Mud Disaster, one of the worst environmental accidents in Europe, may be less dangerous than previously feared. Their study concludes that the dust from the mud may be no more harmful than particles of ordinary urban air pollution. ... > full story

Living fast but dying older is possible -- if you're a sheep (February 16, 2011) -- Modern humans may live longer than hunter gatherers, chimpanzees, mountain sheep or the European robin, but what does that tell us about how we age relative to other species? Not much, according to new research, which looks at a new way of comparing how different species age. ... > full story

If greenhouse gas emissions stopped now, Earth would still likely get warmer, new research shows (February 16, 2011) -- As debate continues about potential policies to curb greenhouse gas emissions, new research shows the world is already committed to a warmer climate because of emissions that have occurred up to now. Even if all emissions were stopped now, temperatures would remain higher than pre-Industrial Revolution levels because the greenhouse gases already emitted are likely to persist in the atmosphere for thousands of years. ... > full story

Extinction predictor to help protect coral reefs (February 16, 2011) -- More than a third of coral reef fish species are in jeopardy of local extinction from the impacts of climate change on coral reefs, a new scientific study has found. A new predictive method developed by an international team of marine scientists has found that a third of reef fishes studied across the Indian Ocean are potentially vulnerable to increasing stresses on the reefs due to climate change. ... > full story

Active harpy eagle nest found in Maya Mountains of Belize (February 16, 2011) -- Biologists are studying what is thought to be the first active harpy eagle nest ever recorded in Belize, where the predatory birds were previously thought to be extinct. ... > full story

Monitoring killer mice from space: Green on satellite images warns of hantavirus outbreaks (February 16, 2011) -- The risk of deadly hantavirus outbreaks in people can be predicted months ahead of time by using satellite images to monitor surges in vegetation that boost mouse populations, a new study says. The method also might forecast outbreaks of other rodent-borne illnesses worldwide. ... > full story

Two new plants discovered in Spain (February 16, 2011) -- Just when everyone thought that almost every plant species on the Iberian Peninsula had been discovered, Spanish researchers have discovered Taraxacum decastroi and Taraxacum lacianense, two dandelions from the Pyrenees and the Cordillera Cantábrica mountain range, respectively. ... > full story

Uncovering the genome secrets of the Blackleg fungus (February 16, 2011) -- The genome of the Blackleg fungus, which causes the most damaging disease to canola crops worldwide, has been sequenced for the first time. ... > full story

Sentries in the garden shed: Plants that can detect environmental contaminants, explosives (February 15, 2011) -- Biologists have shown that plants can serve as highly specific sentries for environmental pollutants and explosives. How? By rewiring the plant's natural signaling processes. ... > full story

Science alone does not establish source of anthrax used in 2001 mailings, report finds (February 15, 2011) -- A US National Research Council committee asked to examine the scientific approaches used and conclusions reached by the Federal Bureau of Investigation during its investigation of the 2001 Bacillus anthracis mailings has determined that it is not possible to reach a definitive conclusion about the origins of the anthrax in letters mailed to New York City and Washington, D.C., based solely on the available scientific evidence. ... > full story

Worldwide sulfur emissions rose between 2000-2005, after decade of decline (February 15, 2011) -- A new analysis of sulfur emissions shows that after declining for a decade, worldwide emissions rose again in 2000 due largely to international shipping and a growing Chinese economy. An accurate read on sulfur emissions will help researchers predict future changes in climate and determine present day effects on the atmosphere, health and the environment. ... > full story

Rising seas will affect major US coastal cities by 2100, new research finds (February 15, 2011) -- Rising sea levels could threaten an average of 9 percent of the land within 180 US coastal cities by 2100, according to new research. The research is the first analysis of vulnerability to sea-level rise that includes every US coastal city in the lower 48 with a population of 50,000 or more. The Gulf and southern Atlantic coasts will be particularly hard hit. ... > full story

Genetic evidence that antioxidants can help treat cancer (February 15, 2011) -- Researchers have genetic evidence suggesting the antioxidant drugs currently used to treat lung disease, malaria and even the common cold can also help prevent and treat cancers because they fight against mitochondrial oxidative stress -- a culprit in driving tumor growth. ... > full story

Techniques to manipulate plant adaption in arid climates developed (February 15, 2011) -- By manipulating a specific gene, plant researchers have discovered they can impact lateral root growth. Lateral root development is a highly regulated process that determines a plant's growth and ability to adapt to life in different environmental conditions. ... > full story

Earliest humans not so different from us, research suggests (February 15, 2011) -- New research suggests that "behavioral modernity" is a flawed concept. In truth, early humans were not much different from us, an archaeologist argues. ... > full story

Vegans' elevated heart risk requires omega-3s and B12, study suggests (February 15, 2011) -- People who follow a vegan lifestyle -- strict vegetarians who try to eat no meat or animal products of any kind -- may increase their risk of developing blood clots and atherosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries," which are conditions that can lead to heart attacks and stroke, study suggests. ... > full story

Don't blame the pill for estrogen in drinking water (February 15, 2011) -- Contrary to popular belief, birth control pills account for less than 1 percent of the estrogens found in the nation's drinking water supplies, scientists have concluded in an analysis of studies published on the topic. Their report suggests that most of the sex hormone -- source of concern as an endocrine disruptor with possible adverse effects on people and wildlife -- enters drinking water supplies from other sources. ... > full story

World phosphorous use crosses critical threshold (February 15, 2011) -- Recalculating the global use of phosphorous, a fertilizer linchpin of modern agriculture, a team of researchers warns that the world's stocks may soon be in short supply and that overuse in the industrialized world has become a leading cause of the pollution of lakes, rivers and streams. ... > full story

How plants near Chernobyl shrug off radiation (February 15, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting discovery of the biological secrets that enable plants growing near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to adapt and flourish in highly radioactive soil -- legacy of the 1986 nuclear disaster in the Ukraine. ... > full story

Ancient Mesoamerican sculpture uncovered in southern Mexico (February 15, 2011) -- With one arm raised and a determined scowl, the figure looks ready to march right off his carved tablet and into the history books. If only we knew who he was -- corn god? Tribal chief? Sacred priest? ... > full story

Turtle populations affected by climate, habitat loss and overexploitation (February 15, 2011) -- Although turtles have been on the planet for about 220 million years, scientists now report that almost half of all turtle species is threatened. ... > full story

New research changes understanding of C4 plant evolution (February 15, 2011) -- A new analysis of fossilized grass-pollen grains deposited on ancient European lake and sea bottoms 16-35 million years ago reveals that C4 grasses evolved earlier than previously thought. This new evidence casts doubt on the widely held belief that the rise of this incredibly productive group of plants was driven by a large drop in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations during the Oligocene epoch. ... > full story

Macho muscle cells force their way to fusion (February 15, 2011) -- The fusion of muscle cells is a power struggle that involves a smaller mobile antagonist that points at, pokes and finally pushes into its larger, stationary partner using a newly identified finger-like projection, according to new research. ... > full story

X-rays show why van Gogh paintings lose their shine (February 14, 2011) -- Scientists using synchrotron X-rays have identified the chemical reaction in two van Gogh paintings that alters originally bright yellow colors into brown shades. This process is observed in many 19th century paintings. Microsamples of period paint samples and of the two paintings were analyzed, revealing how the chrome yellow pigments are covered by a brown shade under the influence of sunlight. ... > full story

Culling can't control deadly bat disease, mathematical model shows (February 14, 2011) -- Culling will not stop the spread of a deadly fungus that is threatening to wipe out hibernating bats in North America, according to a new mathematical model. ... > full story

Satisfied in submerged cages: Salmon happy in deeper water (February 14, 2011) -- It was thought to be impossible to farm salmon in submerged sea cages. But new research demonstrates otherwise. These findings may also prove valuable in combating sea lice and algae. ... > full story

Not so fast: Differences in the first embryonic cell lineage decision of mammals (February 14, 2011) -- New research shows that all not mammals are created equal. In fact, this work shows that the animals most commonly used by scientists to study mammalian genetics -- mice -- develop unusually quickly and may not always be representative of embryonic development in other mammals. The study identifies significant differences in the timing of cell fate commitment during mouse and cattle embryonic development and raises important strategic implications for the generation of embryonic stem cells. ... > full story

Quest for designer bacteria uncovers a 'Spy' (February 14, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a molecular assistant called Spy that helps bacteria excel at producing proteins for medical and industrial purposes. ... > full story

Deep-sea volcanic vents discovered in chilly waters of Southern Ocean (February 14, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a new set of deep-sea volcanic vents in the chilly waters of the Southern Ocean. The discovery is the fourth made by the research team in three years, which suggests that deep-sea vents may be more common in our oceans than previously thought. ... > full story

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ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Thursday, February 17, 2011

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Thursday, February 17, 2011

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

Build your online networks using social annotations (February 16, 2011) -- Researchers at Toshiba are working on a way of finding clusters of like-minded bloggers and others online using "social annotations." Social annotations are the tags and keywords, the comments and feedback that users, both content creators and others associate with their content. Their three-step approach could help you home in on people in a particular area of expertise much more efficiently and reliably than simply following search engine results. The same tools might also be used in targeted marketing. ... > full story

US Secret Service moves tiny town to virtual tiny town: Teaching Secret Service agents and officers how to prepare a site security plan (February 16, 2011) -- With the help of the US Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate, the Secret Service is giving training scenarios a high-tech edge: moving from static tabletop models to virtual kiosks with gaming technology and 3-D modeling. ... > full story

Astronomers identify thick disc of older stars in nearby Andromeda galaxy (February 16, 2011) -- Astronomers have identified for the first time a thick stellar disc in the nearby Andromeda galaxy, a major result from a five-year investigation. Andromeda is our nearest large spiral neighbor, close enough to be visible to the unaided eye. ... > full story

Device enables remote explosion of improvised land mines (February 16, 2011) -- Researchers in Switzerland have developed a new tool to eliminate improvised land mines by using electromagnetic energy. ... > full story

New material provides 25 percent greater thermoelectric conversion efficiency (February 16, 2011) -- Automobiles, military vehicles, even large-scale power generating facilities may someday operate more efficiently thanks to a new alloy developed at the US Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory. A team of researchers at the Lab achieved a 25 percent improvement in the ability of a material to convert heat into electrical energy. ... > full story

Herschel finds less dark matter but more stars (February 16, 2011) -- The European Space Agency's Herschel space observatory has discovered a population of dust-enshrouded galaxies that do not need as much dark matter as previously thought to collect gas and burst into star formation. ... > full story

Reconfigurable supercomputing outperforms rivals in important science applications (February 15, 2011) -- University of Florida researchers say their supercomputer, named Novo-G, is the world's fastest reconfigurable supercomputer and is able to perform some important science applications faster than the Chinese supercomputer touted as the world's most powerful. ... > full story

NASA releases images of human-made crater on comet (February 15, 2011) -- NASA's Stardust spacecraft returned new images of a comet showing a scar resulting from the 2005 Deep Impact mission. The images also showed the comet has a fragile and weak nucleus. ... > full story

New wireless technology developed for faster, more efficient networks (February 15, 2011) -- A new technology that allows wireless signals to be sent and received simultaneously on a single channel has been developed. The research could help build faster, more efficient communication networks, at least doubling the speed of existing networks. ... > full story

Milestone in path to large-scale quantum computing reached: New level of quantum control of light (February 15, 2011) -- An important milestone toward the realization of a large-scale quantum computer, and further demonstration of a new level of the quantum control of light, were just accomplished. ... > full story

Physicists isolate bound states in graphene-superconductor junctions (February 15, 2011) -- Researchers have documented the first observations of some unusual physics when two prominent electric materials are connected: superconductors and graphene. When sandwiched between superconductors, graphene can adopt superconducting capacity because paired electrons from the superconductor are translated to Andreev bound states (ABS) in the graphene. The researchers isolated and manipulated individual ABS by confining them to a graphene quantum dot, which could be used as a qubit for quantum computing. ... > full story

Jewel-toned organic phosphorescent crystals: A new class of light-emitting material (February 15, 2011) -- Pure organic compounds that glow in jewel tones could potentially lead to cheaper, more efficient and flexible display screens, among other applications. ... > full story

Scientists develop control system to allow spacecraft to think for themselves (February 15, 2011) -- The world's first control system that will allow engineers to program satellites and spacecraft to think for themselves has been developed. ... > full story

Comet hunter's first images of Tempel 1 (February 15, 2011) -- Mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have begun receiving the first of 72 anticipated images of comet Tempel 1 taken by NASA's Stardust spacecraft. ... > full story

NASA's Stardust spacecraft completes comet flyby (February 15, 2011) -- Mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., watched as data downlinked from the Stardust spacecraft indicated it completed its closest approach with comet Tempel 1. An hour after closest approach, the spacecraft turned to point its large, high-gain antenna at Earth. ... > full story

Next-generation electronic devices: Conduction, surface states in topological insulator nanoribbons controlled (February 14, 2011) -- In recent years, topological insulators have become one of the hottest topics in physics. These new materials act as both insulators and conductors, with their interior preventing the flow of electrical currents while their edges or surfaces allow the movement of a charge. Perhaps most importantly, the surfaces of topological insulators enable the transport of spin-polarized electrons while preventing the "scattering" typically associated with power consumption, in which electrons deviate from their trajectory, resulting in dissipation. Because of such characteristics, these materials hold great potential for use in future transistors, memory devices and magnetic sensors that are highly energy efficient and require less power. ... > full story

Training for walking on Mars (February 14, 2011) -- Three crewmembers of the Mars500 virtual flight to Mars have 'landed' on their destination planet and two of them took their first steps on the simulated martian terrain. ... > full story

Delving into manganite conductivity (February 14, 2011) -- Chemical compounds called manganites have been studied for many years since the discovery of colossal magnetoresistance, a property that promises important applications in the fields of magnetic sensors, magnetic random access memories and spintronic devices. However, understanding -- and ultimately controlling -- this effect remains a challenge, because much about manganite physics is still not known. This new research marks an important breakthrough in our understanding of the mysterious ways manganites respond when subjected to intense pressure. ... > full story

Massive flux of gas, in addition to liquid oil, at BP well blowout in Gulf (February 14, 2011) -- A new study that is the first to examine comprehensively the magnitude of hydrocarbon gases released during the Gulf of Mexico oil discharge has found that up to 500,000 tons of gaseous hydrocarbons were emitted. The authors conclude that such a large gas discharge could result in small-scale zones of "extensive and persistent depletion of oxygen." ... > full story

The recycled port? An alternative to dumping at sea (February 14, 2011) -- In search of a sustainable alternative to dumping at sea or disposal on land, researchers blended contaminated sediment with a special mix of binders to produce a safe construction material for use in ports and harbors. ... > full story

Fleeting fluctuations in superconductivity disappear close to transition temperature (February 14, 2011) -- As part of an ongoing effort to uncover details of how high-temperature superconductors carry electrical current with no resistance, scientists have measured fluctuations in superconductivity that disappear 10-15 Kelvin (K) above the transition temperature. The findings suggest that the transition to the non-superconducting state is driven by a loss of coherence among electron pairs. ... > full story

U.S. security experts help Kazakhstan safely transport, store Soviet-era bomb materials (February 14, 2011) -- U.S. experts helped reach a major milestone in the nation's nuclear nonproliferation efforts by working with the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan to move nuclear materials -- enough to build an estimated 775 nuclear weapons -- to safety. ... > full story

3-D movies on your cell phone (February 14, 2011) -- Researchers have combined the new mobile radio standard LTE-Advanced with a video coding technique. The technology promises to put 3-D movies on your cell phone. ... > full story

Deep interior of moon resembles Earth's core (February 13, 2011) -- The moon has long been studied to help us better understand our own planet. Of particular interest is the lunar interior, which could hold clues to its ancient origins. In an attempt to extract information on the very deep interior of the moon, researchers applied new technology to old data. Apollo seismic data was reanalyzed using modern methodologies and detected what many scientists have predicted: the moon has a core. ... > full story

Nanoparticles may enhance circulating tumor cell detection (February 12, 2011) -- Tiny gold particles can help doctors detect tumor cells circulating in the blood of patients with head and neck cancer, researchers have found. ... > full story

3-D digital dinosaur track download: A roadmap for saving at-risk natural history resources (February 12, 2011) -- Portable laser scanning technology allows researchers to tote a fossil discovery from field to lab in the form of digital data on a laptop. But standard formats to ensure data accessibility of these "digitypes" are needed, say paleontologists. They field-scanned a Texas dinosaur track, then back at the lab created an exact 3-D facsimile to scale. ... > full story

Superhalogens: New class of magic atomic clusters discovered (February 12, 2011) -- An international team of researchers has discovered a new class of magnetic superhalogens -- a class of atomic clusters able to exhibit unusual stability at a specific size and composition, which may be used to advance materials science by allowing scientists to create a new class of salts with magnetic and super-oxidizing properties not previously found. ... > full story

Scientists hope to cut years off development time of new antibiotics (February 12, 2011) -- Eliminating tens of thousands of manual lab experiments, researchers are working toward a method to cut the development time of new antibiotics. A computerized modeling system they're developing will speed up the often decade-long process. Pharmacy professors and engineering professors are focusing on dosing regimens to reveal which ones are most likely to be effective in combating infection and which are not worth pursuing. ... > full story

New view of family life in the North American nebula (February 11, 2011) -- Stars at all stages of development, from dusty little tots to young adults, are on display in a new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. This cosmic community is called the North American nebula. In visible light, the region resembles the North American continent, with the most striking resemblance being the Gulf of Mexico. But in Spitzer's infrared view, the continent disappears. Instead, a swirling landscape of dust and young stars comes into view. ... > full story

Making a point: Method prints nanostructures using hard, sharp 'pen' tips floating on soft polymer springs (February 11, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new technique for rapidly prototyping nanoscale devices and structures that is so inexpensive the "print head" can be thrown away when done. Hard-tip, soft-spring lithography rolls into one method the best of scanning-probe lithography -- high resolution -- and the best of polymer pen lithography -- low cost and easy implementation. The new method could be used in the areas of electronics, medical diagnostics and pharmaceuticals, among others. ... > full story

LED products billed as eco-friendly contain toxic metals, study finds (February 11, 2011) -- Those light-emitting diodes marketed as safe, environmentally preferable alternatives to traditional light bulbs actually contain lead, arsenic and a dozen other potentially hazardous substances, according to new research. ... > full story

Metaknowledge: Powerful new ways to electronically mine research (February 11, 2011) -- The Internet has become not only a tool for disseminating knowledge through scientific publications, but it also has the potential to shape scientific research through expanding the field of metaknowledge -- the study of knowledge itself. The new possibilities for metaknowledge include developing a better understanding of science's social context and the biases that can affect research findings and choices of research topic. ... > full story

Exercise helps overweight children think better, do better in math (February 11, 2011) -- Regular exercise improves the ability of overweight, previously inactive children to think, plan and even do math, researchers report. They hope the findings in 171 overweight 7- to 11-year-olds -- all sedentary when the study started - gives educators the evidence they need to ensure that regular, vigorous physical activity is a part of every school day. ... > full story

Study of volcanoes in the outer solar system produces unexpected bonus for nanotechnology (February 11, 2011) -- Mysterious expanding ice crystals in the moons of Saturn and Neptune may be of interest to future developers of microelectronics. Neutron scattering has discovered that methanol crystals that may be found in outer solar system ‘ice lavas’ have unusual expansion properties. The unexpected finding by a planetary geologist will interest developers of ‘nano-switches’ – single atom thick valves used in ‘micro-electronics’ at the nano scale. ... > full story

How much information is there in the world? (February 11, 2011) -- Think you're overloaded with information? Not even close. A new study calculates how much information humankind can handle. ... > full story

New method for reporting solar data (February 11, 2011) -- A straightforward new way to calculate, compile, and graphically present solar radiation measurements in a format that is accessible to decision makers and the general public has been developed. ... > full story

Two-timing spacecraft has date with another comet (February 11, 2011) -- NASA's Stardust spacecraft, equipped with the University of Chicago's Dust Flux Monitor Instrument, is hurtling at more than 24,000 miles an hour toward a Valentine's Day encounter with comet Tempel 1. ... > full story

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