ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Speed limit on babies' vision
• Your brain on androids
• Dentists can identify people with undiagnosed diabetes
• 'Amplified' nanotubes may power the future
• Abnormal brain ultrasounds in premature infants indicate future risk of psychiatric disorders
• The unfolding 'SAGA' of transcriptional co-activators
• Swarms of locusts use social networking to communicate
• Protein may help diagnose and treat lymphoma in people and dogs
• First adenovirus to jump between monkeys and humans confirmed
• New gene identified for restless legs syndrome
• Stem cell study reveals complexity of glue molecule’s role in cancer
• Genome blueprint for horse and human vaccines
• Cod mislabelling four times more prevalent in Ireland than UK, study shows
• Does Chinese chocolate taste better than Swiss? Depends on when you find out
• When will a message of social responsibility backfire?
• Size matters: Why do people eat less when they have big forks?
• Shop when you're happy: Positive feelings improve consumer decision-making abilities
• When the first choice isn't available, why don't consumers choose the obvious second choice?
• Novel combined therapy extends life, diminishes pain in brain cancer patients
• Safety of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT): American Society for Radiation Oncology publishes white paper
• Stereotypes can affect how women 'angels' invest, according to new study
• Early-stage melanoma tumors contain clues to metastatic potential
• 'Dry rot' genome offers lessons for biofuel pretreatment processes: Breaking down cellulose without blasting lignin
• High social rank comes at a price, wild baboon study finds
• Loss of large predators disrupting multiple plant, animal and human ecosystems
• Loss of top animal predators has massive ecological effects
• Editing the genome: Scientists unveil new tools for rewriting the code of life
• Loss of large predators has caused widespread disruption of ecosystems
• Fast-shrinking Greenland glacier experienced rapid growth during cooler times
• NASA spacecraft to enter asteroid's orbit on July 15
• How to grow wires and tiny plates: Liquid processing method can control shapes of nanowires and produce complete electronic devices
• Wood products part of winning carbon-emissions equation, researchers say
• Mutation in a protein-sorting gene is linked with Parkinson's disease
• Enzymes for cell wall synthesis conserved across species barriers
• New technology allows disabled children to explore their creative side
• New material could offer hope to those with no voice
• Weight-loss surgery cost-effective for all obese, study suggests
• Latin American blueberries found to be 'extreme superfruits'
• Supercomputer: SDSC's Trestles provides rapid turnaround for diverse researchers
• Environmental factors predict underserved children's physical activity
• Current, not prior, depression predicts crack cocaine use
• Bone marrow transplant survival more than doubles for young high-risk leukemia patients
• Benefit of blood glucose lowering to near-normal levels remains unclear
• Link found between increased crops and deforestation in Amazon, but issue not so cut and dry
• New clues to the structural dynamics of BK channels
• Timothy syndrome mutations provide new insights into the structure of L-calcium channel
• No difference in women's and men's self-esteem in youth and early adulthood, study finds
• Dust storms: New way to undercut dust emissions
• Humans 'predisposed' to believe in gods and the afterlife
• Dramatic climate swings likely as world warms: Ancient El Niño clue to future floods
• New planets feature young star and twin Neptunes
• Most elliptical galaxies are 'like spirals'
• Soft memory device opens door to new biocompatible electronics
• Cancer gene therapy from camels
• Print your own teeth: Rapid prototyping comes to dentistry
• Study challenges baby formula claim
• Lab-grown meat would 'cut emissions and save energy'
• Coronary heart disease can go unrecognized, study finds
• Database explains strange survival of irregular verbs
• DNA cages 'can survive inside living cells'

Speed limit on babies' vision Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:15 PM PDT Babies have far less ability to recognize rapidly changing images than adults, according to new research. The results show that while infants can perceive flicker or movement, they may not be able to identify the individual elements within a moving or changing scene as well as an adult.

Your brain on androids Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:15 PM PDT Cognitive scientist have taken a peek inside the brains of people viewing videos of a humanoid robot. The functional MRI study suggests that what may be going on in the "uncanny valley" phenomenon is due to a perceptual mismatch between appearance and motion.

Dentists can identify people with undiagnosed diabetes Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:15 PM PDT Dental visits represent a chance to intervene in the diabetes epidemic by identifying individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes who are unaware of their condition, according to a new study.

'Amplified' nanotubes may power the future Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:15 PM PDT Scientists have achieved a pivotal breakthrough in the development of a cable that will make an efficient electric grid of the future possible. Armchair quantum wire (AQW) will be a weave of metallic nanotubes that can carry electricity with negligible loss over long distances. It will be an ideal replacement for the nation's copper-based grid, which leaks electricity at an estimated 5 percent per 100 miles of transmission.

Abnormal brain ultrasounds in premature infants indicate future risk of psychiatric disorders Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:15 PM PDT Infants born prematurely are at risk for injuries to the white and gray matter of the brain that affect cortical development and neural connectivity. Certain forms of these injuries can be detected in the neonatal period using ultrasound, according to new research.

The unfolding 'SAGA' of transcriptional co-activators Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:15 PM PDT Successful gene expression requires the concerted action of a host of regulatory factors. Long overshadowed by bona fide transcription factors, co-activators -- the hangers-on that facilitate transcription by docking onto transcription factors or modifying chromatin -- have recently come to the fore.

Swarms of locusts use social networking to communicate Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:14 PM PDT Social studies of Facebook and Twitter have been adapted to gain a greater understanding of the swarming behavior of locusts. The enormous success of social networking sites has vividly illustrated the importance of networking for humans; however for some animals, keeping informed about others of their kind is even more important.

Protein may help diagnose and treat lymphoma in people and dogs Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:14 PM PDT A protein that appears to play a key role in the formation of lymphoma and other tumors by inhibiting a tumor-suppressing gene has been identified by a team of veterinary and human medicine researchers. The newly identified protein may be a potential target for diagnosing and treating lymphoma in humans and animals.

First adenovirus to jump between monkeys and humans confirmed Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:14 PM PDT A novel virus that spread through a California monkey colony in late 2009 also infected a human researcher and a family member, researchers have found -- the first known example of an adenovirus "jumping" from one species to another and remaining contagious after the jump.

New gene identified for restless legs syndrome Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:14 PM PDT People suffering from restless legs syndrome experience unpleasant sensations in the legs at night for which the only remedy is movement. Now, scientists have identified new genetic risk factors for the disease. Carriers of these risk variants have an increased likelihood of developing RLS.

Stem cell study reveals complexity of glue molecule’s role in cancer Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:09 PM PDT A protein molecule that 'glues' cells together and so has a key role in cancer is also responsible for many other important functions of cells, a new study has found.

Genome blueprint for horse and human vaccines Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:09 PM PDT Two strains of Streptococcus bacteria that have evolved to cause potentially fatal infections in either horses or humans use the same box of tricks to cause disease. Exploiting their genetic similarities could lead to novel vaccines for both man and beast, according to a new review.

Cod mislabelling four times more prevalent in Ireland than UK, study shows Posted: 14 Jul 2011 04:09 PM PDT According to a new study, 28 percent of cod products in Ireland are mislabeled, as compared to 7 percent in the UK. Using a DNA barcoding technique (COI barcoding gene), scientists from Ireland genetically identified 226 cod products purchased from supermarkets, fishmongers and take-away outlets across Ireland (131) and the UK (95), and compared the results against the product labels.

Does Chinese chocolate taste better than Swiss? Depends on when you find out Posted: 14 Jul 2011 12:09 PM PDT When consumers taste a chocolate bar they think is made in Switzerland, they'll prefer it over one supposedly made in China, according to new study. But if you tell them where it's from after they taste the candy, they'll prefer the Chinese chocolate.

When will a message of social responsibility backfire? Posted: 14 Jul 2011 12:09 PM PDT Consumers don't react positively to all messages of corporate social responsibility, according to a new study. The message needs to line up with consumers' mindsets and understanding of the brands.

Size matters: Why do people eat less when they have big forks? Posted: 14 Jul 2011 12:09 PM PDT Larger portion sizes usually mean we eat more food, but according to new study, bigger bites lead to eating less -- in restaurant settings.

Shop when you're happy: Positive feelings improve consumer decision-making abilities Posted: 14 Jul 2011 12:09 PM PDT Consumers who are in a positive mood make quicker and more consistent judgments than unhappy people, according to a new study.

When the first choice isn't available, why don't consumers choose the obvious second choice? Posted: 14 Jul 2011 12:09 PM PDT Something strange happens when a consumer learns her favorite product choice isn't available: Instead of picking the runner-up, she'll reject it for another alternative, according to a new study.

Novel combined therapy extends life, diminishes pain in brain cancer patients Posted: 14 Jul 2011 12:09 PM PDT Researchers have created a novel combined technique to treat cancer patients by bathing the brain in chemotherapy and relieving pressure from spinal fluid build-up (hydrocephalus).

Safety of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT): American Society for Radiation Oncology publishes white paper Posted: 14 Jul 2011 11:21 AM PDT As part of the Target Safely initiative, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has developed a white paper, the first of a series of such papers, on the safe use of integrating intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) into the radiation oncology clinic.

Stereotypes can affect how women 'angels' invest, according to new study Posted: 14 Jul 2011 11:21 AM PDT Stereotypes about gender affect investment decision-making, even among successful women, researchers concluded in a new study on how gender affects investing strategies. Examining angel funds, or groups of wealthy investors who pool resources to make investments into a diverse array of start-up businesses, researchers found that the proportion of women angel investors in a group is related to the number of investments made by the group.

Early-stage melanoma tumors contain clues to metastatic potential Posted: 14 Jul 2011 11:21 AM PDT Scientists have demonstrated that it's possible -- early in a tumor's growth -- to identify cancer genes that endow the tumor with the ability to metastasize. Testing the technique in melanoma skin cancer, they found six abnormal genes that are both cancer-causing and metastasis-promoting. One of those genes, ACP5, can be used to predict whether human melanoma tumors are likely to spread.

'Dry rot' genome offers lessons for biofuel pretreatment processes: Breaking down cellulose without blasting lignin Posted: 14 Jul 2011 11:21 AM PDT Dry rot due to the fungus Serpula lacrymans causes millions of dollars worth of damage to homes and buildings around the world. Now a comparative analysis involving Serpula lacrymans, the second brown rot fungus to have its genome sequenced, sheds light on the mechanism by which Serpula breaks down cellulose and the role of brown rot fungi in the global carbon cycle.

High social rank comes at a price, wild baboon study finds Posted: 14 Jul 2011 11:21 AM PDT Being at the very top of a social hierarchy may be more costly than previously thought, according to a new study of wild baboons. The findings have implications in the study of social hierarchies and of the impact of social dominance on health and well-being, a subject of interest among researchers who study human and other animal populations.

Loss of large predators disrupting multiple plant, animal and human ecosystems Posted: 14 Jul 2011 11:21 AM PDT The enormous decline of large, apex predators and "consumers" ranging from wolves to lions, sharks and sea otters may represent the most powerful impacts humans have ever had on Earth's ecosystems, a group of 24 researchers say. The decline of such species around the world is much greater than previously understood and now affects many other ecological processes through what scientists call "trophic cascades," in which the loss of "top down" predation severely disrupts many other plant and animal species.

Loss of top animal predators has massive ecological effects Posted: 14 Jul 2011 11:21 AM PDT A new study concludes that the decline of large predators and herbivores in all regions of the world is causing substantial changes to Earth's terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. The paper claims that the loss of apex consumers from ecosystems "may be humankind's most pervasive influence on nature."

Editing the genome: Scientists unveil new tools for rewriting the code of life Posted: 14 Jul 2011 11:21 AM PDT Researchers have unveiled genome-engineering technologies capable of fundamentally re-engineering genomes from the nucleotide to the megabase scale. Treating the chromosome as both an editable and an evolvable template, the researchers have demonstrated methods to rewrite a cell's genome through powerful new tools for biotechnology, energy and agriculture.

Loss of large predators has caused widespread disruption of ecosystems Posted: 14 Jul 2011 11:21 AM PDT The decline of large predators and other "apex consumers" at the top of the food chain has disrupted ecosystems all over the planet, according to a review of recent findings conducted by an international team of scientists. The study looked at a wide range of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems and concluded that "the loss of apex consumers is arguably humankind's most pervasive influence on the natural world."

Fast-shrinking Greenland glacier experienced rapid growth during cooler times Posted: 14 Jul 2011 11:13 AM PDT Large, marine-calving glaciers have the ability not only to shrink rapidly in response to global warming, but to grow at a remarkable pace during periods of global cooling, according to geologists working in Greenland.

NASA spacecraft to enter asteroid's orbit on July 15 Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:36 AM PDT On July 15, NASA's Dawn spacecraft will begin a prolonged encounter with the asteroid Vesta, making the mission the first to enter orbit around a main-belt asteroid.

How to grow wires and tiny plates: Liquid processing method can control shapes of nanowires and produce complete electronic devices Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:31 AM PDT Researchers have found a way to grow submicroscopic wires in water with great precision, using a method that makes it possible to produce entire electronic devices through a liquid-based process.

Wood products part of winning carbon-emissions equation, researchers say Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:21 AM PDT The amount of carbon dioxide taken out of the atmosphere by forests could be quadrupled in 100 years by harvesting regularly and using the wood in place of steel and concrete that devour fossil fuels during manufacturing, producing carbon dioxide, researchers say in a new study.

Mutation in a protein-sorting gene is linked with Parkinson's disease Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:21 AM PDT Parkinson disease (PD) is a devastating incurable disease in which degeneration of dopamine neurons in the brainstem leads to tremors and problems with movement and coordination. An increasing proportion of patients appear to be genetically predisposed to disease. Now, two independent research groups have identified a mutation associated with an inherited form of PD. The papers provide new insight into the pathogenesis of late-onset PD and present compelling evidence that implicates a novel protein-recycling pathway in neurodegeneration.

Enzymes for cell wall synthesis conserved across species barriers Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:20 AM PDT Plants have neither supportive bone tissue nor muscles, and yet they can form rigid structures like stalks and even tree trunks. This is due to the fact that plant cells are enveloped by a stable cell wall. The main component of the plant cell wall is cellulose, which represents almost 50 percent of the total cell wall material and, at one billion tons per year, is the most frequently produced macromolecule in nature. Very little is known about the way in which cellulose is produced, and the knowledge that is available has mainly been obtained from the model plant thale cress which, although easy to study, is of no economic significance. Researchers have now succeeded in showing that knowledge obtained in thale cress can be applied to other plant species.

New technology allows disabled children to explore their creative side Posted: 14 Jul 2011 10:20 AM PDT Doodling, coloring in and drawing are all important parts of a child's development. But what if the child has a disability and does not have the use or control of their limbs? A team of researchers in the UK is working with charity SpecialEffect to use innovative technology to design a computer program to allow those with disabilities to be able to explore their creativity.

New material could offer hope to those with no voice Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:09 AM PDT Researchers are developing a synthetic material to revitalize damaged vocal cords.

Weight-loss surgery cost-effective for all obese, study suggests Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:08 AM PDT Bariatric surgery is not only cost-effective for treating people who are severely obese, but also for those who are mildly obese, according to a new study. The findings support making bariatric surgery available to all obese people, the researchers say.

Latin American blueberries found to be 'extreme superfruits' Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:08 AM PDT With antioxidant levels two to four times higher than the blueberries available in the US, two species native to Central and South America may challenge one of summer's favorite treats as a source of these disease-fighting substances.

Supercomputer: SDSC's Trestles provides rapid turnaround for diverse researchers Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:08 AM PDT Trestles, a supercomputer launched earlier this year, is proving itself as a valuable resource for researchers across a wide range of disciplines, from astrophysics to molecular dynamics, who need access to computational resources with rapid turnaround.

Environmental factors predict underserved children's physical activity Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:08 AM PDT A professor of kinesiology, health and sport studies has found that children living in underserved communities are less physically active than their higher-income counterparts. Now, in a follow-up study, he has found environmental factors that may affect underserved children's physical activity and fitness levels: classmate support, gender and confidence.

Current, not prior, depression predicts crack cocaine use Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:08 AM PDT Even after accounting for current crack use, a new study finds that women in drug court who are experiencing current major depression are more likely to use crack within four months than other women in drug court. The paper's lead author argues that depression screening and treatment may be important components of drug court services for crack-using women.

Bone marrow transplant survival more than doubles for young high-risk leukemia patients Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:08 AM PDT Bone marrow transplant survival more than doubled in recent years for young, high-risk leukemia patients, with patients who lacked genetically matched donors recording the most significant gains.

Benefit of blood glucose lowering to near-normal levels remains unclear Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:08 AM PDT Whether patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus benefit from attempts to lower their blood glucose levels to near-normal levels through treatment ("intensive blood glucose control") remains an unanswered question. The studies currently available provide indications of a benefit but also of potential harm, researchers say.

Link found between increased crops and deforestation in Amazon, but issue not so cut and dry Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:07 AM PDT Geographers are out to prove what environmental scientists have suspected for years: Increasing the production of soybean and biofuel crops in Brazil increases deforestation in the Amazon. Although this cause-and-effect finding seems fairly straightforward, the issue of deforestation in the Amazon is more complex and more devastating than previously believed.

New clues to the structural dynamics of BK channels Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:07 AM PDT BK channels (large-conductance, Ca2+-dependent K+ channels) are essential for the regulation of important biological processes such as smooth muscle tone and neuronal excitability. New research shows that BK channel activation involves structural rearrangements formerly not understood.

Timothy syndrome mutations provide new insights into the structure of L-calcium channel Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:07 AM PDT The human genome encodes 243 voltage-gated ion channels. Mutations in calcium channels can cause severe inherited diseases such as migraine, night blindness, autism spectrum disorders and Timothy syndrome, which leads to severe cardiovascular disorders. Researchers have now analyzed changes in molecular organization of calcium channels caused by Timothy syndrome mutations.

No difference in women's and men's self-esteem in youth and early adulthood, study finds Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:07 AM PDT New research concludes that no significant difference between men's and women's self-esteem occurs during adolescence and young adulthood.

Dust storms: New way to undercut dust emissions Posted: 14 Jul 2011 09:07 AM PDT There is literally a way to undercut dust emissions in the very driest parts of the Pacific Northwest's Columbia Plateau region, according to an agricultural scientist.

Humans 'predisposed' to believe in gods and the afterlife Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:38 AM PDT New research finds that humans have natural tendencies to believe in gods and an afterlife. Research suggests that people across many different cultures instinctively believe that some part of their mind, soul or spirit lives on after-death. The studies demonstrate that people are natural 'dualists' finding it easy to conceive of the separation of the mind and the body.

Dramatic climate swings likely as world warms: Ancient El Niño clue to future floods Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:32 AM PDT Dramatic climate swings behind both last year's Pakistan flooding and this year's Queensland floods in Australia are likely to continue as the world gets warmer, scientists predict.

New planets feature young star and twin Neptunes Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:24 AM PDT Scientists have discovered 10 new planets. Amongst them is one orbiting a star perhaps only a few tens of million years old, twin Neptune-sized planets, and a rare Saturn-like world.

Most elliptical galaxies are 'like spirals' Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:16 AM PDT The majority of 'elliptical' galaxies are not spherical but disc-shaped, resembling spiral galaxies such as our own Milky Way with the gas and dust removed, new observations suggest.

Soft memory device opens door to new biocompatible electronics Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:15 AM PDT Researchers have developed a memory device that is soft and functions well in wet environments -- opening the door to a new generation of biocompatible electronic devices.

Cancer gene therapy from camels Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:15 AM PDT Nanobodies produced from camel blood have unique properties, which can be used in future drug development. New research confirms that camel blood can help scientists in the fight against cancer.

Print your own teeth: Rapid prototyping comes to dentistry Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:15 AM PDT What if, instead of waiting days or weeks for a cast to be produced and prosthetic dental implants, false teeth and replacement crowns to be made, your dentist could quickly scan your jaw and "print" your new teeth using a rapid prototyping machine known as a 3-D printer?

Study challenges baby formula claim Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:15 AM PDT Hypoallergenic baby formula does not reduce a baby's risk of developing allergies in later life, a new study by researchers in Australia has found.

Lab-grown meat would 'cut emissions and save energy' Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:10 AM PDT Meat grown using tissue engineering techniques, so-called 'cultured meat', would generate up to 96% lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventionally produced meat, according to a new study.

Coronary heart disease can go unrecognized, study finds Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:10 AM PDT In a new study, researchers found that of 180 patients in whom a reference committee later identified coronary heart disease (CHD), 31.7% had originally been misdiagnosed by their family doctors as not having CHD ("false negative").

Database explains strange survival of irregular verbs Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:07 AM PDT An historical study of the development of irregular verbs in the hundreds of Romance languages including French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian and Catalan has revealed how these structures survive. Experts have also examined why they are learned by successive generations despite 'making no sense' or, apparently, having any function in the language.

DNA cages 'can survive inside living cells' Posted: 14 Jul 2011 07:03 AM PDT Scientists have shown for the first time that molecular cages made from DNA can enter and survive inside living cells.

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