ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Ladybugs taken hostage by wasps
• Brain's fear center is equipped with built-in suffocation sensor
• Chemists get custom-designed microscopic particles to self-assemble in liquid crystal
• Tobacco smoke exposure before heart transplantation may increase the risk of transplant failure
• Virtual streams created to help restore real ones
• Biology, training and profit sharing make best traders
• Bioengineers succeed in producing plastics without the use of fossil fuels
• Startled flies may provide insight into ADHD
• Scientists watch as peptides control crystal growth with 'switches, throttles and brakes'
• Cutting greenhouse pollutants could directly save millions of lives worldwide
• Unique Micronail Chip Makes Electronics And Bio Cells Communicate
• 'Too fat to be a princess?' Young girls worry about body image, study shows
• NASA satellites detect unexpected ice loss in East Antarctica
• Tailor-made HIV/AIDS treatment closer to reality
• Cause behind the characteristic shape of a long leaf revealed
• Proteins in lung cancer cells that may provide potential drug targets identified
• Sponges Recycle Carbon To Give Life To Coral Reefs
• Parent training key to improved treatment of behavior problems in children with autism
• When you eat may be just as vital to your health as what you eat
• Alzheimer's research sheds light on potential treatments for urinary tract infections
• New Imagining Technique Could Lead To Better Antibiotics And Cancer Drugs
• Chronic pain found to increase risk of falls in older adults
• Small faults in Southeast Spain reduce earthquake risk of larger ones
• Brains Benefit From Multilingualism
• Evolution of highly toxic box jellyfish unraveled
• New genetic cause of cardiac failure discovered
• Discovery Allows Scientists For The First Time To Annotate Genomes Experimentally
• Early protein processes crucial to formation and layering of myelin membrane
• Frost-Covered Phoenix Lander Seen In Winter Images From Mars
• You Say Po-TAY-to, And I Say Pot-AAH-to! Language Evolves Through Our Own Use Of It
• 'Safety valve' protects photosynthesis from too much light
• Hormone ghrelin can boost resistance to Parkinson's disease
• New computer cluster gets its grunt from games
• 'Scarless' thyroid surgery uses 3-D, high-def robotic equipment
• Carbon dioxide emissions continue significant climb
• Most top medical journals have publicly available conflict of interest policies, but substantial variation exists in definitions
• Cosmic 'dig' reveals vestiges of the Milky Way's building blocks
• Cells defend themselves from viruses, bacteria with armor of protein errors
• High-tech origami: Water droplets direct self-assembly process in thin-film materials
• Crosstalk between critical cell-signaling pathways holds clues to tumor invasion and metastasis
• Magic box for mission impossible
• Early relationships influence teen pain and depression
• Opposites attract: Monkeys choose mating partners with different genes
• Soy component may be key to fighting colon cancer
• Atomic-level snapshot catches protein motor in action
• Eye floaters and flashes of light linked to retinal tear, detachment
• Exposures to metals and diesel emissions in air linked to respiratory symptoms in children
• America's increasing food waste is laying waste to the environment

Ladybugs taken hostage by wasps Posted: 26 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Are ladybugs being overtaken by wasps? An entomologist is investigating a type of wasp present in Quebec that forces ladybugs to carry their larvae. These wasps lay their eggs on the ladybug's body, a common practice in the insect world, yet they don't kill their host.

Brain's fear center is equipped with built-in suffocation sensor Posted: 26 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST The portion of our brains that is responsible for registering fear and even panic has a built-in chemical sensor that is triggered by a primordial terror -- suffocation. A new article shows in studies of mice that the rise in acid levels in the brain upon breathing carbon dioxide triggers acid-sensing channels that evoke fear behavior.

Chemists get custom-designed microscopic particles to self-assemble in liquid crystal Posted: 26 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Chemists and physicists have succeeded in getting custom-shaped particles to interact and assemble in a controlled way in a liquid crystal.

Tobacco smoke exposure before heart transplantation may increase the risk of transplant failure Posted: 26 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Scientists provide the first direct evidence that cigarette smoke exposure prior to a heart transplant in either the donor, recipient, or both, accelerates the death of a transplanted heart.

Virtual streams created to help restore real ones Posted: 26 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Researchers have developed a unique new computer model called the Virtual StreamLab, designed to help restore real streams to a healthier state. The Virtual StreamLab demonstrates the physics of natural water flows at an unprecedented level of detail and realism.

Biology, training and profit sharing make best traders Posted: 26 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Researchers have identified a group of traders consistently able to outperform the market, even during the credit crisis. The study offers a rare glimpse into how biology, experience and compensation schemes work together to make a profitable and -- crucially -- a prudent risk taker.

Bioengineers succeed in producing plastics without the use of fossil fuels Posted: 26 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Scientists have succeeded in producing the polymers used for everyday plastics through bioengineering, rather than through the use of fossil fuel based chemicals, heralding the creation of environmentally conscious plastics.

Startled flies may provide insight into ADHD Posted: 26 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST It seems obvious that naturally waking up from sleep and being startled by something in the environment are two very different emotional states. However, the neuroscience that underlies these different forms of arousal has, for the most part, remained a mystery. Now, new research demonstrates that there are at least two completely separate and independent forms of arousal in fruit flies.

Scientists watch as peptides control crystal growth with 'switches, throttles and brakes' Posted: 26 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST By producing some of the highest resolution images of peptides attaching to mineral surfaces, scientists have a deeper understanding how biomolecules manipulate the growth crystals. This research may lead to a new treatment for kidney stones using biomolecules.

Cutting greenhouse pollutants could directly save millions of lives worldwide Posted: 26 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Six new international studies show that cutting greenhouse gases, in particular ozone and black carbon, can quickly save millions of lives worldwide in addition to slowing climate change.

Unique Micronail Chip Makes Electronics And Bio Cells Communicate Posted: 26 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST A unique microchip with microscopic nail structures enable close communication between the electronics and biological cells. The new chip is a mass-producible, easy-to-use tool in electrophysiology research, for example for fundamental research on the functioning and dysfunctioning of the brain. Each micronail structure serves as a close contact-point for one cell, and contains an electrode that can very accurately record and trigger in real-time the electrical activity of an individual electrogenic cell in a network.

'Too fat to be a princess?' Young girls worry about body image, study shows Posted: 26 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Nearly half of the 3- to 6-year-old girls in a new study worry about being fat. The study surprisingly concluded that the girls did not appear to be influenced by short video clips of stereotypically beautiful, thin princesses in animated children's movies. But it's still important for parents to use "The Princess and the Frog" and other movies to start conversations with their children about weight, skin color and their perceptions of beauty.

NASA satellites detect unexpected ice loss in East Antarctica Posted: 26 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST Using gravity measurement data from the NASA/German Aerospace Center's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, a team of scientists from the University of Texas at Austin has found that the East Antarctic ice sheet-home to about 90 percent of Earth's solid fresh water and previously considered stable-may have begun to lose ice.

Tailor-made HIV/AIDS treatment closer to reality Posted: 26 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST An innovative treatment for HIV patients has passed its first clinical trial with flying colors. The new approach is an immunotherapy customized for each individual patient.

Cause behind the characteristic shape of a long leaf revealed Posted: 26 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST Applied mathematicians dissected the morphology of the plantain lily, a characteristic long leaf with a saddle-like arc midsection and closely packed ripples along the edges. The simple cause of the lily's fan-like shape -- elastic relaxation resulting from bending during differential growth -- was revealed by using an equally simple technique, stretching foam ribbons.

Proteins in lung cancer cells that may provide potential drug targets identified Posted: 26 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers have identified a number of proteins whose activation allows them to distinguish between cancer and normal cells with almost 97 percent accuracy.

Sponges Recycle Carbon To Give Life To Coral Reefs Posted: 26 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST Coral reefs live in some of the most nutrient deficient waters on the planet, so how do they survive? Marine biologists have discovered that certain sponges could be the key to reef survival. They recycle dissolved organic carbon that is unavailable to other reef residents.

Parent training key to improved treatment of behavior problems in children with autism Posted: 26 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST The serious behavior problems that can occur in children with autism and related conditions can be reduced with a treatment plan that includes medication combined with a structured training program for parents, according to researchers.

When you eat may be just as vital to your health as what you eat Posted: 26 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST When you eat may be just as vital to your health as what you eat, found researchers. New experiments in mice revealed that the daily waxing and waning of thousands of genes in the liver -- the body's metabolic clearinghouse -- is mostly controlled by food intake and not by the body's circadian clock as conventional wisdom had it.

Alzheimer's research sheds light on potential treatments for urinary tract infections Posted: 26 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST Research into Alzheimer's disease seems an unlikely approach to yield a better way to fight urinary tract infections, but that's what scientists recently reported.

New Imagining Technique Could Lead To Better Antibiotics And Cancer Drugs Posted: 26 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST A recently devised method of imaging the chemical communication and warfare between microorganisms could lead to new antibiotics, antifungal, antiviral and anti-cancer drugs.

Chronic pain found to increase risk of falls in older adults Posted: 26 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST Chronic pain is experienced by as many as two out of three older adults. Now, a new study finds that pain may be more hazardous than previously thought, contributing to an increased risk of falls in adults over age 70.

Small faults in Southeast Spain reduce earthquake risk of larger ones Posted: 26 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST Scientists studying recent, active deformations in the Baetic mountain range have shown that the activity of smaller tectonic structures close to larger faults in the south east of the Iberian Peninsula partially offsets the risk of earthquakes.

Brains Benefit From Multilingualism Posted: 26 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST For a considerable time already there has been discussion within scientific circles about whether knowing and using multiple languages could possibly have positive effects on the human brain and thinking. There have been a number of international studies on the subject, which indicate that the ability to use more than one language brings an individual a considerable advantage.

Evolution of highly toxic box jellyfish unraveled Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST With thousands of stinging cells that can emit deadly venom from tentacles that can reach ten feet in length, the 50 or so species of box jellyfish have long been of interest to scientists and to the public. Yet little has been known about the evolution of this early branch in the animal tree of life. Researchers have now unraveled the evolutionary relationships among the various species of box jellyfish, thereby providing insight into the evolution of their toxicity.

New genetic cause of cardiac failure discovered Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Over the course of a lifetime, the heart pumps some 250 million liters of blood through the body. In the order to do this, the muscle fibers of the heart have to be extremely durable. Scientists have now discovered a protein that is responsible for the stability of the smallest muscular unit, the sarcomere.

Discovery Allows Scientists For The First Time To Annotate Genomes Experimentally Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Bioengineers have made a breakthrough development that will now allow scientists to perform full delineation of the location and use of genomic elements.

Early protein processes crucial to formation and layering of myelin membrane Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST A set of protein processes required in the early-stage conversion of glucose into fatty acids are critical to the proper formation and layering of myelin membrane, according to researchers. Essential to the proper functioning of the nervous system, myelin sheaths surround the axons of neurons and provide insulating effects that speed nerve conduction.

Frost-Covered Phoenix Lander Seen In Winter Images From Mars Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Winter images of NASA's Phoenix Lander showing the lander shrouded in dry-ice frost on Mars have been captured with the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, or HiRISE camera, aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

You Say Po-TAY-to, And I Say Pot-AAH-to! Language Evolves Through Our Own Use Of It Posted: 25 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Change in language can be compared with evolution in the world of animals and plants. According to a Dutch researcher, an individual user of language can spark off an evolution of his or her language. His new approach, comparing linguistic change with evolution, offers a number of advantages for the study of linguistic change.

'Safety valve' protects photosynthesis from too much light Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Photosynthetic organisms need to cope with a wide range of light intensities, which can change over timescales of seconds to minutes. Too much light can damage the photosynthetic machinery and cause cell death. Scientists have found that specific proteins in algae can act as a safety valve to dissipate excess absorbed light energy before it can wreak havoc in cells.

Hormone ghrelin can boost resistance to Parkinson's disease Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Ghrelin, a hormone produced in the stomach, may be used to boost resistance to, or slow, the development of Parkinson's disease, researchers report.

New computer cluster gets its grunt from games Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Technology designed to blast aliens in computer games is part of a new GPU (graphics processing units) computer cluster that will process research data thousands of times faster and more efficiently than a desktop PC.

'Scarless' thyroid surgery uses 3-D, high-def robotic equipment Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Surgeons are using a new form of endoscopic surgery that uses a small incision under the arm to remove all or a portion of the thyroid or parathyroid glands without leaving a scar on the neck.

Carbon dioxide emissions continue significant climb Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST The annual rate of increase in carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels has more than tripled in this decade, compared to the 1990s, reports an international consortium of scientists, who paint a bleak picture of the Earth's future unless "CO2 emissions [are] drastically reduced."

Most top medical journals have publicly available conflict of interest policies, but substantial variation exists in definitions Posted: 25 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Nearly 90 percent of medical journals with relatively high impact factors have policies addressing author conflict of interest available for public review, according to a new study. But many journals do not require authors to sign disclosure statements, and there is variability in how COI is defined.

Cosmic 'dig' reveals vestiges of the Milky Way's building blocks Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Peering through the thick dust clouds of our galaxy's "bulge" (the myriads of stars surrounding its center), astronomers have unveiled an unusual mix of stars in the stellar grouping known as Terzan 5. Never observed anywhere in the bulge before, this peculiar "cocktail" of stars suggests that Terzan 5 is in fact one of the bulge's primordial building blocks, most likely the relic of a dwarf galaxy that merged with the Milky Way during its very early days.

Cells defend themselves from viruses, bacteria with armor of protein errors Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST When cells are confronted with an invading virus or bacteria or exposed to an irritating chemical, they protect themselves by going off their DNA recipe and inserting the wrong amino acid into new proteins to defend them against damage, scientists have discovered. These "regulated errors" comprise a novel non-genetic mechanism by which cells can rapidly make important proteins more resistant to attack when stressed, said one of the researchers.

High-tech origami: Water droplets direct self-assembly process in thin-film materials Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have developed a technique for fabricating 3-D, single-crystalline silicon structures from thin films by coupling photolithography and a self-folding process driven by capillary interactions.

Crosstalk between critical cell-signaling pathways holds clues to tumor invasion and metastasis Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Two signaling pathways essential to normal human development -- the Wnt/Wingless and epidermal growth factor receptor pathways -- interact in ways that can promote tumor cell invasion and metastasis, researchers reported.

Magic box for mission impossible Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST For rescuers working in remote places working phones and Internet are literally a question of life and death. A team of researchers and businesses in Norway, Spain and Finland decided they need to be equipped with a box with the power to connect them to networks wherever they are.

Early relationships influence teen pain and depression Posted: 25 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Angst could be more than a rite of passage for insecure teenagers, according to a new study. Researchers have discovered that insecure adolescents experience more intense pain in the form of frequent headaches, abdominal pain and joint pain. These teens are also more likely to be depressed than peers with secure attachments.

Opposites attract: Monkeys choose mating partners with different genes Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST The world's largest species of monkey "chooses" mates with genes that are different from their own to guarantee healthy and strong offspring, according to a new research study.

Soy component may be key to fighting colon cancer Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST Scientists have identified a new class of therapeutic agents found naturally in soy that can prevent and possibly treat colon cancer, the third most deadly form of cancer. Sphingadienes are natural lipid molecules found in soy that research shows may be the key to fighting colon cancer.

Atomic-level snapshot catches protein motor in action Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST The atomic-level action of a remarkable class of ring-shaped protein motors has been uncovered using a state-of-the-art protein crystallography beamline at the Advanced Light Source. These protein motors play pivotal roles in gene expression and replication, and are vital to the survival of all biological cells, as well as infectious agents, such as the human papillomavirus, which has been linked to cervical cancer.

Eye floaters and flashes of light linked to retinal tear, detachment Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST Suddenly seeing floaters or flashes of light may indicate a serious eye problem that -- if untreated -- could lead to blindness, a new study shows.

Exposures to metals and diesel emissions in air linked to respiratory symptoms in children Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST Exposure shortly after birth to ambient metals from residential heating oil combustion and particles from diesel emissions are associated with respiratory symptoms in young inner city children, according to a new study. The study is the first to analyze the effects of exposure to airborne metals in this very young population and the findings could have important public health implications.

America's increasing food waste is laying waste to the environment Posted: 25 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST Food waste contributes to excess consumption of freshwater and fossil fuels which, along with methane and carbon dioxide emissions from decomposing food, impacts global climate change. Scientists have calculated the energy content of nationwide food waste from the difference between the US food supply and the food eaten by the population.

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