ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• How do songbirds sing? In 3-D!
• Targeting hepatitis C treatment: The importance of interleukin (IL)-28
• Cheap and easy technique to snip DNA could revolutionize gene therapy
• New Chandra movie features neutron star action
• NASA's Curiosity Mars rover makes first use of its brush
• Galaxy's gamma-ray flares erupted far from its black hole
• Hubble image: The galaxy puzzle in the constellation of Centaurus
• The self-assembling particles that come from InSPACE
• NASA's Kepler gets a little help from its friends: Kepler's follow-up observers confirm new discoveries
• NASA's NuSTAR catches black holes in galaxy web
• Engineered bacteria make fuel from sunlight
• Detecting dusty clouds and stars: New radio wave technique uncovers shadows of clouds and stars in Milky Way's center
• Violence against teachers spurs urgent call to action
• Early study of outcomes from U.S. Medicare Part D can't explain North-South disparities, study finds
• Exocomets may be as common as exoplanets
• At least one in six stars has an Earth-sized planet, analysis finds
• Looming malpractice: Waiting for claims resolution takes up more than 10 per cent of the average medical career
• Costly breast cancer screenings don't add up to better outcomes, study finds
• HPV-associated cancer incidence rates point to needed efforts to increase HPV vaccination coverage
• Many U.S. physicians often fulfill patient requests for brand-name drugs instead of equivalent generics
• More changes in health care needed to fulfill promise of health information technology
• Red wine could mask testosterone levels, experts warn
• Black and Hispanic patients less likely to complete substance abuse treatment than white patients, study finds
• U.S. cancer death rates continue to drop, report shows
• Parkinson's disease itself does not increase risk of gambling, shopping addiction, study finds
• Can blood pressure drugs reduce the risk of dementia?
• New stem cell approach for blindness successful in mice
• Giant fossil predator provides insights into the rise of modern marine ecosystem structures
• Simulated mission to Mars reveals critical data about sleep needs for astronauts
• The reason we lose at games: Some games simply too complex for the human mind to understand
• Modified antibodies trigger immune response, point to novel vaccine design strategies
• How U.S. states decide which child receives early intervention for developmental problems
• Obese moms risk having babies with low vitamin D, study finds
• Researchers show new level of control over liquid crystals
• Molecular 'two-way radio' directs nerve cell branching and connectivity
• Mechanism of hearing is similar to car battery, researcher learns
• NASA's Kepler discovers 461 new planet candidates
• New path to more efficient organic solar cells uncovered
• Racial essentialism reduces creative thinking, makes people more closed-minded
• Timely reminders boost childhood immunizations rates
• A French nuclear exit?
• Sudden, massive outburst in neighbor galaxy surprises astronomers
• Comprehensive public health approach urged to curb gun violence in U.S.
• Mountains are only minor contributors to erosion and climate regulation
• Detrimental effect of obesity on lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease
• Psychological common ground could ease tensions among those with different religious beliefs
• Cognitive deficits from concussions still present after two months
• Book underscores Internet’s negative impact on religion
• Who deforested Central Africa: Humans or climate?
• Obesity weighs down on Tunisian women
• Studying rodents' habitats to prevent leptospirosis
• Modern parenting may hinder brain development, research suggests
• Targeting use of acid-suppressants in hospital patients
• New compound overcomes drug-resistant Staph infection in mice
• Stink bug: Combating a top-ranked invasive insect
• Captive hyenas outfox wild relatives
• Cell loss in the brain relates to variations in individual symptoms in Huntington’s disease
• Sublingual immunotherapy shows promise as treatment for peanut allergy
• Living cells behave like fluid-filled sponges
• Protein key to fighting and preventing obesity discovered

How do songbirds sing? In 3-D! Posted: 07 Jan 2013 04:07 PM PST Like humans, songbirds learn their vocalizations by imitation. Since their songs are used for finding a mate and retaining territories, birdsong is very important for reproductive success. High-field magnetic resonance imaging and micro-computed tomography have been used to construct stunning high resolution, 3-D, images, as well as a data set "morphome" of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) vocal organ, the syrinx.

Targeting hepatitis C treatment: The importance of interleukin (IL)-28 Posted: 07 Jan 2013 04:07 PM PST A metanalysis has confirmed that polymorphisms (SNP) in the gene coding for interleukin-28 (IL28B) influence natural hepatitis C viral (HCV) clearance and response to pegylated interferon-± plus ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV). Information about IL28B genotype could be used to provide personalized medicine and target treatment options effectively.

Cheap and easy technique to snip DNA could revolutionize gene therapy Posted: 07 Jan 2013 03:32 PM PST A simple, precise and inexpensive method for cutting DNA to insert genes into human cells could transform genetic medicine, making routine what now are expensive, complicated and rare procedures for replacing defective genes in order to fix genetic disease or even cure AIDS.

New Chandra movie features neutron star action Posted: 07 Jan 2013 03:27 PM PST Unlike with some blockbuster films, the sequel to a movie from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is better than the first. This latest movie features a deeper look at a fast moving jet of particles produced by a rapidly rotating neutron star, and may provide new insight into the nature of some of the densest matter in the universe.

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover makes first use of its brush Posted: 07 Jan 2013 03:24 PM PST NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has completed first-time use of a brush it carries to sweep dust off rocks. Nearing the end of a series of first-time uses of the rover's tools, the mission has cleared dust away from a targeted patch on a flat Martian rock using the Dust Removal Tool.

Galaxy's gamma-ray flares erupted far from its black hole Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:50 PM PST In 2011, a months-long blast of energy launched by an enormous black hole almost 11 billion years ago swept past Earth. Using a combination of data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the National Science Foundation's Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), the world's largest radio telescope, astronomers have zeroed in on the source of this ancient outburst.

Hubble image: The galaxy puzzle in the constellation of Centaurus Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:45 PM PST The Universe loves to fool our eyes, giving the impression that celestial objects are located at the same distance from Earth. A good example can be seen in a new spectacular image produced by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. The galaxies NGC 5011B and NGC 5011C are imaged against a starry background.

The self-assembling particles that come from InSPACE Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:42 PM PST Shape-shifting malleable, gelatinous forms are orbiting Earth at this very moment -- assembling and disassembling, growing as they are bombarded by magnetic pulses. These forms will take shape as astronauts run experiments involving smart fluids aboard the International Space Station.

NASA's Kepler gets a little help from its friends: Kepler's follow-up observers confirm new discoveries Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:39 PM PST More than 2,300 exoplanet candidate discoveries have made it the most prolific planet hunter in history. But even NASA's Kepler mission needs a little help from its friends. Enter the Kepler follow-up observation program, a consortium of astronomers dedicated to getting in-depth with the mission's findings and verifying them to an extremely high degree of confidence.

NASA's NuSTAR catches black holes in galaxy web Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:35 PM PST NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, set its X-ray eyes on a spiral galaxy and caught the brilliant glow of two black holes lurking inside.

Engineered bacteria make fuel from sunlight Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:17 PM PST Chemists have engineered blue-green algae to grow chemical precursors for fuels and plastics -- the first step in replacing fossil fuels as raw materials for the chemical industry.

Detecting dusty clouds and stars: New radio wave technique uncovers shadows of clouds and stars in Milky Way's center Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:17 PM PST Researchers have discovered a new tool for detecting dusty clouds and stars in the center of the Milky Way galaxy: simply take a picture using radio waves. Unlike in the optical, X-ray and infrared wavelengths, it is unusual to see a dark feature with radio waves. The technique has been used to identify so-called radio dark clouds and stars. Knowing details of these clouds is important because the clouds can produce stars.

Violence against teachers spurs urgent call to action Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:13 PM PST Teachers across the United States report alarmingly high rates of personally experiencing student violence and harassment while at school, according to an article published by the American Psychological Association that presents comprehensive recommendations to make schools safer for school personnel as well as students.

Early study of outcomes from U.S. Medicare Part D can't explain North-South disparities, study finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:13 PM PST A new study finds that in the U.S., Northern patients paid more, adhered more to key Medicare Part D drugs in first two years of the option.

Exocomets may be as common as exoplanets Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:22 PM PST Astronomers have found thousands of potential exoplanets and many stars with massive disks of gas and dust that suggest planets are forming, but not much of the stuff intermediate between dust and planets, such as asteroids, planetesimals and comets. Astronomers looked closely at a number of stars with dust disks and found evidence that they also have comets, suggesting that comets are a common accompaniment to planets in many stellar systems.

At least one in six stars has an Earth-sized planet, analysis finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:22 PM PST The quest for a twin Earth is heating up. Using NASA's Kepler spacecraft, astronomers are beginning to find Earth-sized planets orbiting distant stars. A new analysis of Kepler data shows that about 17 percent of stars have an Earth-sized planet in an orbit closer than Mercury. Since the Milky Way has about 100 billion stars, there are at least 17 billion Earth-sized worlds out there.

Looming malpractice: Waiting for claims resolution takes up more than 10 per cent of the average medical career Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:22 PM PST The average physician will spend more than ten percent of his or her career facing an open malpractice claim, according to a new U.S. study. Some specialists will spend upwards of 27 percent.

Costly breast cancer screenings don't add up to better outcomes, study finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:21 PM PST Even though U.S. Medicare spends over $1 billion per year on breast cancer screenings such as a mammography, there is no evidence that higher spending benefits older women, researchers have found.

HPV-associated cancer incidence rates point to needed efforts to increase HPV vaccination coverage Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:21 PM PST Despite the decline in cancer death rates in the US, there is an increase in incidence rates for cancers associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and more efforts are needed to increase HPV vaccination coverage levels to prevent the occurrence of these cancers in the future according to a study published Jan. 7 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Many U.S. physicians often fulfill patient requests for brand-name drugs instead of equivalent generics Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:21 PM PST More than a third of U.S. physicians responding to a national survey indicated they often or sometimes prescribed brand-name drugs when appropriate generic substitutes were available simply because patients requested the brand-name drug.

More changes in health care needed to fulfill promise of health information technology Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:21 PM PST Despite wide investments nationally in electronic medical records and related tools, the cost-saving promise of health information technology has not been reached because the systems deployed are neither interconnected nor easy to use.

Red wine could mask testosterone levels, experts warn Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:14 PM PST Red wine could give athletes and players a boost in the sports arena by increasing the amount of performance-enhancing hormone testosterone in their bodies, according to researchers in the UK.

Black and Hispanic patients less likely to complete substance abuse treatment than white patients, study finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:14 PM PST Roughly half of all black and Hispanic patients who enter publicly funded alcohol treatment programs do not complete treatment, compared to 62 percent of white patients, according to a new study from a team of researchers including the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Comparable disparities were also identified for drug treatment program completion rates.

U.S. cancer death rates continue to drop, report shows Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:13 PM PST The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1975–2009, shows that overall cancer death rates continued to decline in the United States among both men and women, among all major racial and ethnic groups, and for all of the most common cancer sites, including lung, colon and rectum, female breast, and prostate. However, the report also shows that death rates continued to increase during the latest time period (2000 through 2009) for melanoma of the skin (among men only) and for cancers of the liver, pancreas, and uterus. The special feature section on human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers shows that incidence rates are increasing for HPV-associated oropharyngeal and anal cancers and that vaccination coverage levels in the U.S. during 2008 and 2010 remained low among adolescent girls.

Parkinson's disease itself does not increase risk of gambling, shopping addiction, study finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:13 PM PST Parkinson's disease itself does not increase the risk of impulse control problems such as compulsive gambling and shopping that have been seen in people taking certain drugs for Parkinson's disease, according to new research.

Can blood pressure drugs reduce the risk of dementia? Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:13 PM PST People taking the blood pressure drugs called beta blockers may be less likely to have changes in the brain that can be signs of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, according to a new study.

New stem cell approach for blindness successful in mice Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:04 PM PST Blind mice can see again, after Oxford University researchers transplanted developing cells into their eyes and found they could re-form the entire light-sensitive layer of the retina.

Giant fossil predator provides insights into the rise of modern marine ecosystem structures Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:14 PM PST An international team of scientists has described a fossil marine predator measuring 8.6 meters in length (about 28 feet) recovered from the Nevada desert in 2010 as representing the first top predator in marine food chains feeding on prey similar to its own size.

Simulated mission to Mars reveals critical data about sleep needs for astronauts Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:14 PM PST In the first study of its kind, researchers have analyzed data on the impact of prolonged operational confinement on sleep, performance, and mood in astronauts from a simulated 520-day space mission to Mars. The findings revealed alterations of life-sustaining sleep patterns and neurobehavioral consequences for crew members that must be addressed for successful human interplanetary spaceflight.

The reason we lose at games: Some games simply too complex for the human mind to understand Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:12 PM PST If you have ever wondered why you never seem to win at skill-based games such as poker or chess, there might be a very good reason. Scientists have discovered that some games are simply impossible to fully learn, or too complex for the human mind to understand.

Modified antibodies trigger immune response, point to novel vaccine design strategies Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:12 PM PST In an approach with the potential to aid therapeutic vaccine development, Whitehead Institute scientists have shown that enzymatically modified antibodies can be used to generate highly targeted, potent responses from cells of the immune system.

How U.S. states decide which child receives early intervention for developmental problems Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:07 PM PST A new study has found large differences in the criteria that U.S. states use to determine eligibility for Medicare Part C early intervention services for infants and toddlers who have developmental delays. A developmental delay is any significant lag in a child's development as compared with typical child development.

Obese moms risk having babies with low vitamin D, study finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:07 PM PST Women who are obese at the start of their pregnancy may be passing on insufficient levels of vitamin D to their babies, according to a new study. The study found that babies born to lean mothers had a third higher amount of vitamin D compared to babies born to obese moms.

Researchers show new level of control over liquid crystals Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:07 PM PST An interdisciplinary team of researchers has shown a new way to direct the assembly of liquid crystals, generating small features that spontaneously arrange in arrays based on much larger templates.

Molecular 'two-way radio' directs nerve cell branching and connectivity Posted: 07 Jan 2013 11:57 AM PST Working with fruit flies, scientists have decoded the activity of protein signals that let certain nerve cells know when and where to branch so that they reach and connect to their correct muscle targets. The proteins' mammalian counterparts are known to have signaling roles in immunity, nervous system and heart development, and tumor progression, suggesting broad implications for human disease research.

Mechanism of hearing is similar to car battery, researcher learns Posted: 07 Jan 2013 11:57 AM PST Biologists have shown that one of the mechanisms involved in hearing is similar to the battery in your car. And if that isn't interesting enough, the scientists advanced their knowledge of human hearing by studying a similar auditory system in fruit flies -- and by making use of the fruit fly "love song."

NASA's Kepler discovers 461 new planet candidates Posted: 07 Jan 2013 11:31 AM PST NASA's Kepler mission Monday announced the discovery of 461 new planet candidates. Four of the potential new planets are less than twice the size of Earth and orbit in their sun's "habitable zone," the region in the planetary system where liquid water might exist on the surface of a planet.

New path to more efficient organic solar cells uncovered Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST Working at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source, an international team of scientists found that for highly efficient polymer/organic solar cells, size matters. Impure domains if made sufficiently small can lead to improved performances in polymer-based organic photovoltaics.

Racial essentialism reduces creative thinking, makes people more closed-minded Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST New research suggests that racial stereotypes and creativity have more in common than we might think. In an new article, researchers find that racial stereotyping and creative stagnation share a common mechanism: Categorical thinking.

Timely reminders boost childhood immunizations rates Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST New research shows that timely reminders from local and state health departments are more effective at increasing immunization rates than those from primary care providers.

A French nuclear exit? Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST France has been held up, worldwide, as the forerunner in using nuclear fission to produce electricity. However, a third of the nation's nuclear reactors will need replacing in the next decade, and public opinion has shifted toward reducing reliance on nuclear power.

Sudden, massive outburst in neighbor galaxy surprises astronomers Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST Astronomers making a long-term study of galaxies see sudden, energetic outburst in one of them. Still under observation, the outburst probably results from messy eating by a supermassive black hole.

Comprehensive public health approach urged to curb gun violence in U.S. Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST In the wake of the horrific school shootings in Newtown, Conn. in December, three experts say the best way to curb gun violence in the U.S. is to take a broad public health approach, drawing on proven, evidence-based strategies that have successfully reduced other public health threats like smoking, car crashes, and accidental poisonings. The authors make the case for a comprehensive public health approach to gun violence in an article published online Jan. 7, 2013 in JAMA.

Mountains are only minor contributors to erosion and climate regulation Posted: 07 Jan 2013 09:10 AM PST For years, geologists believed that mountains, due to their steep slopes and high rates of erosion, were large contributors to the trapping of carbon in ocean sediment. But a new study suggests that mountains do not play a significant role in this activity, turning a geological paradigm on its head.

Detrimental effect of obesity on lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease Posted: 07 Jan 2013 09:10 AM PST Researchers have recently used a neurodegeneration model of Alzheimer's disease to provide experimental evidence of the relationship between obesity and disorders linked to the tau protein. This research corroborates the theory that metabolic anomalies contribute massively to the development of dementia.

Psychological common ground could ease tensions among those with different religious beliefs Posted: 07 Jan 2013 09:10 AM PST A new study found that thoughts of death increased atheists, Christians, Muslims and agnostics conviction in their own world views. For example, contrary to the wartime aphorism that there are no atheists in foxholes, thoughts of death did not cause atheists to express belief in a deity.

Cognitive deficits from concussions still present after two months Posted: 07 Jan 2013 09:10 AM PST The ability to focus and switch tasks readily amid distractions was compromised for up to two months following brain concussions suffered by high school athletes, according to a new study.

Book underscores Internet’s negative impact on religion Posted: 07 Jan 2013 09:05 AM PST Religious groups aren't capturing the hearts of the millennial generation, and the Internet is partly to blame, says the author on a new book on building strong religious communities.

Who deforested Central Africa: Humans or climate? Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:14 AM PST It is a much debated question: why did Central African forests become partially fragmented between 2,500 and 2,000 years ago, leaving room for more open forest landscapes and savannah? Recently, researchers attempted to explain that it was the farming Bantu peoples who were responsible for this, through the large-scale clearing that they undertook.

Obesity weighs down on Tunisian women Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:14 AM PST Men and women in Tunisia are not equal before the scales. Tunisian women are three times as likely to suffer from obesity as their male compatriots.

Studying rodents' habitats to prevent leptospirosis Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:13 AM PST Leptospirosis is a water-related bacterial disease with a high incidence in Southeast Asia. People usually become infected through exposure to water contaminated by the urine of infected animals, mainly rats and mice. Researchers have revealed the relationship between rodents' environment and infection by leptospirosis bacteria. They showed that, whereas people mainly get infected in rice fields, the bacteria are present in a variety of environments, and particularly at the frontiers of fields and forests.

Modern parenting may hinder brain development, research suggests Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:05 AM PST Social practices and cultural beliefs of modern life are preventing healthy brain and emotional development in children, according to an interdisciplinary body of research.

Targeting use of acid-suppressants in hospital patients Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:05 AM PST Gastrointestinal bleeds which occur in the hospital, although rare, are a significant source of morbidity and mortality when they occur. Currently, the prophylactic use of acid-suppressive medication in non-critically ill patients in the hospital is not widely recommended. Despite this, these medications continue to be widely utilized for this purpose.

New compound overcomes drug-resistant Staph infection in mice Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:05 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new compound that restores the health of mice infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an otherwise dangerous bacterial infection. The new compound targets an enzyme not found in human cells but which is essential to bacterial survival.

Stink bug: Combating a top-ranked invasive insect Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:05 AM PST The stink bug, an invasive species, is a major economic threat to orchard fruits, garden vegetables and row crops. Scientists are searching for ways to control the stink bug by deciphering its genetic toolkit, studying the pheromones it releases, and evaluating potential attractants for use in commercial traps.

Captive hyenas outfox wild relatives Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:05 AM PST When it comes to solving puzzles, animals in captivity are, well, different animals than their wild brethren.

Cell loss in the brain relates to variations in individual symptoms in Huntington’s disease Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST Scientists have wrestled to understand why Huntington's disease, which is caused by a single gene mutation, can produce such variable symptoms. An authoritative review by a group of leading experts summarizes the progress relating cell loss in the striatum and cerebral cortex to symptom profile in Huntington's disease, suggesting a possible direction for developing targeted therapies.

Sublingual immunotherapy shows promise as treatment for peanut allergy Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST Daily doses of a liquid containing peanut powder, in gradually increasing amounts, enabled patients with peanut allergy to safely consume peanut in amounts at least 10 times greater than their baseline.

Living cells behave like fluid-filled sponges Posted: 07 Jan 2013 07:01 AM PST Animal cells behave like fluid-filled sponges in response to being mechanically deformed according to new research.

Protein key to fighting and preventing obesity discovered Posted: 07 Jan 2013 07:01 AM PST Scientists have identified a protein that, when absent, helps the body burn fat and prevents insulin resistance and obesity.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610