ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Newly hatched chicks of African honeyguide birds bite to death their foster siblings to eliminate competition
• Worrying rise in alcohol related deaths among patients with diabetes
• New research supports change to UK blood donation rules for men who have sex with men
• Biology of the soybean aphid in the United States
• Appalachian tiger swallowtail butterfly is a hybrid of two other swallowtails, scientists find
• Combination therapy rids common infection from implanted medical devices, researchers report
• Sick body, vigilant mind
• New limits on physician training hours could prove costly for US teaching hospitals
• Concurrent chemo and radiation therepy improves long-term survival for inoperable stage III lung cancer, study suggests
• Direct ancestor of Homo genus? Fossils show human-like hand, brain and pelvis in early hominin
• Mother's diet influences baby's allergies, research suggests
• New translator app makes sense of foreign-language food menus
• Chronic pain: Watch out before accepting diagnosis and treatment
• New material possible boon for lithium ion batteries
• Scientists overcome major obstacle for stem cell therapies and research
• Music professor analyzes the demographic profile of US high school music ensemble students
• Chemotherapy is as effective before breast cancer surgery as after, study suggests
• Evolving role of clinical microbiology laboratories
• Study in Tanzania finds fishery improvements outweigh fuelwood losses
• 'Invisible' world discovered: Planet alternately runs late and early in its orbit, tugged by second hidden world
• Cellular communications visualized with a vibrant color palette
• 800,000 years of abrupt climate variability: Earth's climate is capable of very rapid transitions
• Weakened malaria parasites form basis of new vaccine strategy
• Powered by seaweed: Polymer from algae may improve battery performance
• Gene that controls chronic pain identified
• Gypsy moth caterpillars hormonal slaves to virus gene
• The breathtaking dance of plants: How plants space out the pores through which they breathe
• Scientists identify viral gene driving sick gypsy moth caterpillars to climb high and die
• Hummingbirds all a-flutter during courtship
• Managing intellectual property a challenge for firms, innovators
• Hog waste producing electricity and carbon offsets
• Scientists probe connection between sight and touch in the brain
• Is estrogen going to your head? Growing deposits of bone in the skull means your hormones are out of whack, say researchers
• Chinese researchers identify insect host species of a famous Tibetan medicinal fungus
• Legume ipmPIPE Provides Real-Time Pest Data
• Improvements are needed for accuracy in gene-by-environment interaction studies, experts say
• Sediba hominid skull hints at later brain evolution
• New method to grow synthetic collagen unveiled: New material may find use in reconstructive surgery, cosmetics, tissue engineering
• Switching from coal to natural gas would do little for global climate, study indicates
• White House's Childhood Obesity Task Force must focus on providing treatment for minority children, experts argue
• Mantis shrimp: Ocean floor critters communicate in synchronized rumbles
• Genomic analysis of superbug provides clues to antibiotic resistance
• Soybean rust PIPE: Past, present and future
• Newly identified gene mutation linked to Parkinson's: Single 'spelling mistake' affects mechanism for converting a cell's genetic code into proteins
• Mitosis: New techniques expose surprises in cell division
• Scientists discover genetic mutation that causes Parkinson's disease
• Mutation links inherited narcolepsy with multiple neuropsychiatric disorders
• Process that clears cholesterol could reverse major cause of heart attack
• When infants gain the capacity for pain
• Babies distinguish pain from touch at 35-37 weeks, research finds
• Researchers probe genetic link to blindness
• King crabs threaten seafloor life near Antarctica
• Fossil discovery could be our oldest human ancestor
• Cancer: Antibodies can directly target oncoproteins inside cancer cells to suppress aggressive cancer growth
• Fossil discovery supports evolutionary link between Australopiths and Homo
• Handier than Homo habilis? Versatile hand of Australopithecus sediba makes a better candidate for an early tool-making hominin
• Australopithecus sediba paved the way for Homo species, new studies suggest
• Human brain evolution, new insight through X-rays: Experiment reveals brain shape of an early human ancestor
• New evidence suggests that Au. sediba is the best candidate for the genus Homo
• Physicians in varying specialties endure similar levels of mental effort, stress

Newly hatched chicks of African honeyguide birds bite to death their foster siblings to eliminate competition Posted: 08 Sep 2011 06:01 PM PDT Only a few days old and still blind and naked, chicks of the African greater honeyguide kill their newly hatched foster siblings in order to eliminate competition for parental care, new research has found.

Worrying rise in alcohol related deaths among patients with diabetes Posted: 08 Sep 2011 04:10 PM PDT Alcohol has become an important cause of death among patients with type 1 diabetes since the 1980s, concludes a new study.

New research supports change to UK blood donation rules for men who have sex with men Posted: 08 Sep 2011 04:10 PM PDT New research supports a change to the lifetime ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men.

Biology of the soybean aphid in the United States Posted: 08 Sep 2011 02:16 PM PDT A new article describes the biology and ecology profiles of the soybean aphid, an insect pest which can reduce soybean yields by $2.4 billion annually if left untreated.

Appalachian tiger swallowtail butterfly is a hybrid of two other swallowtails, scientists find Posted: 08 Sep 2011 02:16 PM PDT Flitting among the cool slopes of the Appalachian Mountains is a tiger swallowtail butterfly species that evolved when two other species of swallowtails hybridized long ago, a rarity in the animal world, biologists have found.

Combination therapy rids common infection from implanted medical devices, researchers report Posted: 08 Sep 2011 02:16 PM PDT Researchers have developed a therapy for a potentially deadly type of infection common in catheters, artificial joints and other 'in-dwelling' medical devices. The therapy targets fungal infections, which are hard to treat in such devices because they are composed of biofilms—complex groupings of cells that attach to surfaces. Biofilms, in turn, are coated in a gooey matrix that resists drugs.

Sick body, vigilant mind Posted: 08 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT We know that in keeping the body physically healthy, the mind both conscious and unconscious is a principle actor. Indeed, research has shown that the biological, or physiological, immune system that fights pathogens once they've entered the body can be kick-started by the "behavioral immune system," with which we notice, feel repulsed by, and act to avoid people who might make us sick.

New limits on physician training hours could prove costly for US teaching hospitals Posted: 08 Sep 2011 01:21 PM PDT The new limits on hours that physicians-in-training can work will prove costly for USteaching hospitals, which will need to spend up to $1.3 billion a year, and possibly more, to effect the changes.

Concurrent chemo and radiation therepy improves long-term survival for inoperable stage III lung cancer, study suggests Posted: 08 Sep 2011 01:21 PM PDT Nearly 50,000 Americans are diagnosed each year with stage III or locally advanced NSCLC, for which surgery is usually not a viable treatment option. Optimizing nonsurgical treatment strategies for these patients is an ongoing research endeavor. Now researchers report that treating patients with concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy significantly increased five-year survival rates compared with treating patients with radiation therapy upon completion of chemotherapy treatment.

Direct ancestor of Homo genus? Fossils show human-like hand, brain and pelvis in early hominin Posted: 08 Sep 2011 01:14 PM PDT The Australopithecus sediba discovered in 2008 could be the direct ancestor of the Homo genus. That is the conclusion of an international team of scientists. The researchers describe in five papers why their finding is more likely to come into consideration than earlier discoveries, like Homo habilis.

Mother's diet influences baby's allergies, research suggests Posted: 08 Sep 2011 01:14 PM PDT A possible link between what a mother eats during pregnancy and the risk of her child developing allergies has been identified in new research.

New translator app makes sense of foreign-language food menus Posted: 08 Sep 2011 12:28 PM PDT Researchers have created an application that enables cell phones and other portable devices to translate foreign-language food menus for English speakers and could be used for people who must follow restricted diets for medical reasons.

Chronic pain: Watch out before accepting diagnosis and treatment Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:53 AM PDT Experts argue that patients should be diligent in demanding proof of safety and benefit before beginning chronic pain treatment, as some medications have little evidence that they alleviate conditions for which they are prescribed. The experts dispel myths surrounding chronic Lyme disease, using it as an example of why patients ensure that diagnostic and treatment tools are approved by the FDA and not just recommended by other patients and physicians.

New material possible boon for lithium ion batteries Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:53 AM PDT Batteries could get a boost from a discovery that increases power, energy density and safety while dramatically reducing charge time.

Scientists overcome major obstacle for stem cell therapies and research Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:53 AM PDT Stem cells show great potential to enable treatments for conditions such as spinal injuries or Lou Gehrig's disease, and also as research tools. Scientists in the United States and Japan have developed a clever solution to the research obstacle of cell mixture purification that should prove more reliable than other methods, safer, and perhaps 100 times cheaper.

Music professor analyzes the demographic profile of US high school music ensemble students Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:53 AM PDT Scientists have been working to construct a national demographic profile of high school band, choir, and orchestra students in the US using evidence from the 2004 follow-up wave of the Education Longitudinal Study.

Chemotherapy is as effective before breast cancer surgery as after, study suggests Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:53 AM PDT Whether chemotherapy is given before or after breast-conserving therapy does not have an impact on long-term local-regional outcomes, suggesting treatment success is due more to biologic factors than chemotherapy timing, according to a new study.

Evolving role of clinical microbiology laboratories Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:53 AM PDT With the increasing availability of sophisticated technologies to rapidly diagnose and treat infectious diseases, the duties and the role of clinical laboratory microbiologists, who traditionally perform these tests, could see significant changes in the next few years, according to new research.

Study in Tanzania finds fishery improvements outweigh fuelwood losses Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:53 AM PDT When the government of Tanzania established Saadani National Park in 2005, it enhanced protection of the coastal mangrove ecosystem from further degradation. A new study found that the new park caused a short-term negative effect on the livelihood of those who harvest mangrove trees for fuelwood but a long-term benefit to their local communities from increased fishing opportunities.

'Invisible' world discovered: Planet alternately runs late and early in its orbit, tugged by second hidden world Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:51 AM PDT Usually, running five minutes late is a bad thing since you might lose your dinner reservation or miss out on tickets to the latest show. But when a planet runs five minutes late, astronomers get excited because it suggests that another world is nearby. NASA's Kepler spacecraft has spotted a planet that alternately runs late and early in its orbit because a second, "invisible" world is tugging on it.

Cellular communications visualized with a vibrant color palette Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:51 AM PDT Scientists have dramatically expanded the palette of fluorescent highlighters that can be used to track the movement of messengers inside of single cells.

800,000 years of abrupt climate variability: Earth's climate is capable of very rapid transitions Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:51 AM PDT An international team of scientists has produced a prediction of what climate records from Greenland might look like over the last 800,000 years. The team's reconstruction is based on the much longer ice core temperature record retrieved from Antarctica and uses a mathematical formulation to extend the Greenland record beyond its current limit.

Weakened malaria parasites form basis of new vaccine strategy Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:51 AM PDT Using live but weakened malaria parasites as the basis of a vaccine represents a potentially encouraging anti-malaria strategy, according to results of follow-up animal studies performed after the conclusion of a recent clinical trial in humans.

Powered by seaweed: Polymer from algae may improve battery performance Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:51 AM PDT By looking to Mother Nature for solutions, researchers have identified a promising new binder material for lithium-ion battery electrodes that could not only boost energy storage, but also eliminate the use of toxic compounds now used in manufacturing the components. Known as alginate, the material is extracted from common, fast-growing brown algae.

Gene that controls chronic pain identified Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:51 AM PDT A gene responsible for regulating chronic pain, called HCN2, has been identified. Chronic pain comes in two main varieties. The first, inflammatory pain, occurs when a persistent injury (e.g. a burn or arthritis) results in an enhanced sensitivity of pain-sensitive nerve endings, thus increasing the sensation of pain.

Gypsy moth caterpillars hormonal slaves to virus gene Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:50 AM PDT Gypsy moth caterpillars infected with baculovirus forfeit safety and stay in the treetops during the day because a virus gene manipulates their hormones to eat continuously and forgo molting, according to entomologists. The caterpillars die where they climb and infect other gypsy moth caterpillars.

The breathtaking dance of plants: How plants space out the pores through which they breathe Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:50 AM PDT The way in which plants space out the pores through which they breathe depends on keeping a protein active during stem cell growth, according to new research. The research could help scientists to tailor the number and arrangement of stomata to different environments. This could regulate the efficiency at which plants absorb carbon dioxide or diffuse water vapor.

Scientists identify viral gene driving sick gypsy moth caterpillars to climb high and die Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:50 AM PDT For a century, scientists have watched European gypsy moth caterpillars infected with a virus use their last strength to do something that a healthy gypsy moth caterpillar would never do in daylight hours -- climb high into a tree and onto a leaf. For scientists, the question has been how does a virus change its host's behavior?

Hummingbirds all a-flutter during courtship Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:50 AM PDT Though famous for their mid-air hovering during hunting, tiny hummingbirds have another trait that is literally telltale: males of some hummingbird species generate loud sounds with their tail feathers while courting females. Now, for the first time, the cause of these sounds has been identified.

Managing intellectual property a challenge for firms, innovators Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:14 AM PDT The increasing complexity of multi-invention technologies such as laptops and smartphones raises serious challenges for firms looking to cash in with the "next big thing," and points to a need for businesses to integrate their patent and business strategies, according to a patent strategy expert.

Hog waste producing electricity and carbon offsets Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:14 AM PDT A pilot waste-to-energy system constructed by Duke University and Duke Energy this week garnered the endorsement of Google Inc., which invests in high-quality carbon offsets from across the nation to fulfill its own carbon neutrality goals. The system, on a hog finishing facility 25 miles west of Winston-Salem, converts hog waste into electricity and creates carbon offset credits.

Scientists probe connection between sight and touch in the brain Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:14 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that as you look at an object, your brain not only processes what the object looks like, but remembers what it feels like to touch it as well. This connection is so strong that a computer examining data coming only from the part of your brain that processes touch can predict which object you are actually looking at.

Is estrogen going to your head? Growing deposits of bone in the skull means your hormones are out of whack, say researchers Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT Researchers in Israel have found that HFI, a hormonal condition that leads to the growth of bone masses in the inner skull, is far more likely to be found in young women today than in the past, when it was typically found in post-menopausal women. HFI, which does not have a cure, can lead to symptoms such as chronic headaches, weight gain, and thyroid irregularities.

Chinese researchers identify insect host species of a famous Tibetan medicinal fungus Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT Based on an extensive survey of the literature pertaining to the Chinese caterpillar fungus, a fungus with high medicinal and economic values, researchers investigated a total of 91 insect species and found 57 of these to be potential hosts to the fungus.

Legume ipmPIPE Provides Real-Time Pest Data Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT A new article describes the background, usage, and value of the Legume Integrated Pest Management Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education (ipmPIPE). The goal of the Legume ipmPIPE is to identify causes of losses (yield, quality, economic) in legumes and assist producers in minimizing those losses by implementing integrated pest management of pathogens and insect pests.

Improvements are needed for accuracy in gene-by-environment interaction studies, experts say Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT A new study concludes that genetic research drawing correlations between specific genes, environmental variables and the combined impact they have on the development of some psychiatric illnesses needs additional scrutiny and replication before being accepted as true.

Sediba hominid skull hints at later brain evolution Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:45 AM PDT An analysis of a skull from the most complete early hominid fossils ever found suggests the large, complex human brain may have evolved more rapidly and at a later time than some other human characteristics. If Australopithecus sediba is a human ancestor, as some suggest, then its fossils could help resolve long-standing debates about human brain evolution, say researchers.

New method to grow synthetic collagen unveiled: New material may find use in reconstructive surgery, cosmetics, tissue engineering Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:45 AM PDT In a significant advance for cosmetic and reconstructive medicine, scientists have unveiled a new method for making synthetic collagen. The new material, which forms from a liquid in as little as an hour, has many of the properties of natural collagen and may prove useful as a scaffold for regenerating new tissues and organs from stem cells.

Switching from coal to natural gas would do little for global climate, study indicates Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:45 AM PDT Although the burning of natural gas emits far less carbon dioxide than coal, a new study concludes that a greater reliance on natural gas would fail to significantly slow down climate change. Coal releases more carbon dioxide, but it also releases particles that cool the planet.

White House's Childhood Obesity Task Force must focus on providing treatment for minority children, experts argue Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:45 AM PDT To achieve the goals laid out by the White House's Childhood Obesity Task Force, researchers concluded that a shared emphasis on both obesity prevention and treatment strategies is required. Prevention programs alone cannot appropriately tackle the epidemic affecting children who are already obese, particularly minorities. Obesity treatment strategies need to be a key part of the equation.

Mantis shrimp: Ocean floor critters communicate in synchronized rumbles Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:45 AM PDT Mantis shrimp make noise with each individual seeming to have its own "voice" with which to communicate. The research team noted the "rumbles" were synchronized.

Genomic analysis of superbug provides clues to antibiotic resistance Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:44 AM PDT An analysis of the genome of a superbug has yielded crucial, novel information that could aid efforts to counteract the bacterium's resistance to an antibiotic of last resort.

Soybean rust PIPE: Past, present and future Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:44 AM PDT A new article describes the origin, function, successes, limitations, and future of the Soybean Rust Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education (PIPE).

Newly identified gene mutation linked to Parkinson's: Single 'spelling mistake' affects mechanism for converting a cell's genetic code into proteins Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:41 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a new gene responsible for Parkinson's disease. The mutation, a single "spelling mistake" among three billion nucleotides in DNA, regulates the mechanism for converting a cell's genetic code into proteins.

Mitosis: New techniques expose surprises in cell division Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:41 AM PDT Researchers have obtained the first high-resolution, three-dimensional images of a cell with a nucleus undergoing cell division. The observations, made using a powerful imaging technique in combination with a new method for slicing cell samples, indicate that one of the characteristic steps of mitosis is significantly different in some cells.

Scientists discover genetic mutation that causes Parkinson's disease Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:41 AM PDT A large team of international researchers have identified a new genetic cause of inherited Parkinson's disease that they say may be related to the inability of brain cells to handle biological stress.

Mutation links inherited narcolepsy with multiple neuropsychiatric disorders Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:41 AM PDT Narcolepsy is a rare disorder characterized by an excessive urge to sleep at inappropriate times and places. Narcoleptics are also often subject to "cataplexy," a sudden muscle weakness that is triggered by strong emotions. Although most cases of narcolepsy are thought to be caused by complex mechanisms, a small percentage of cases are associated with unidentified inherited mutations. Now, a new study uncovers a mutation that causes narcolepsy in a large family affected by the disorder.

Process that clears cholesterol could reverse major cause of heart attack Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:41 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that an ancient pathway called autophagy also mobilizes and exports cholesterol from cells.

When infants gain the capacity for pain Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:41 AM PDT A new study has for the first time revealed the time in development when infants appear able to tell the difference between pain and basic touch. The researchers, who report their findings online in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on September 8, say that the results, based on recordings of brain activity in preterm infants, may have implications for clinical care.

Babies distinguish pain from touch at 35-37 weeks, research finds Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:41 AM PDT Babies can distinguish painful stimuli as different from general touch from around 35-37 weeks gestation -- just before an infant would normally be born -- according to new research.

Researchers probe genetic link to blindness Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:41 AM PDT Researchers have used next-generation DNA sequencing techniques to discover what causes a rare form of inherited eye disorders, including cataracts and glaucoma, in young children.

King crabs threaten seafloor life near Antarctica Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:42 AM PDT King crabs and other crushing predators are thought to have been absent from cold Antarctic shelf waters for millions of years. Scientists speculate that the long absence of crushing predators has allowed the evolution of a unique Antarctic seafloor fauna with little resistance to predatory crabs. A recent study indicates that one species of king crab has moved 120 km across the continental shelf in West Antarctica and established a large, reproductive population in the Palmer Deep along the west Antarctic Peninsula.

Fossil discovery could be our oldest human ancestor Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:42 AM PDT Researchers have confirmed the age of possibly our oldest direct human ancestor at 1.98 million years old.

Cancer: Antibodies can directly target oncoproteins inside cancer cells to suppress aggressive cancer growth Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:42 AM PDT Scientists have made a landmark discovery in the battle against the rapid spread of aggressive cancers. Contrary to the current theory that antibodies can only bind to cancer proteins found on the cancer cell surface, scientists have now discovered that antibodies can in fact directly target oncoproteins that reside within the cancer cells to suppress aggressive cancer growth.

Fossil discovery supports evolutionary link between Australopiths and Homo Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:42 AM PDT Skeletal remains found in a South African cave may yield new clues to human development and answer key questions of the evolution of the human lineage, according to a new series of papers.

Handier than Homo habilis? Versatile hand of Australopithecus sediba makes a better candidate for an early tool-making hominin Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:42 AM PDT Hand bones from a single individual with a clear taxonomic affiliation are scarce in the hominin fossil record, which has hampered understanding of the evolution of manipulative abilities in hominins. An international team of researchers has now published a study that describes the earliest, most complete fossil hominin hand post-dating the appearance of stone tools in the archaeological record, the hand of a 1.98-million-year-old Australopithecus sediba from Malapa, South Africa.

Australopithecus sediba paved the way for Homo species, new studies suggest Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:41 AM PDT Researchers have revealed new details about the brain, pelvis, hands and feet of Australopithecus sediba, a primitive hominin that existed around the same time early Homo species first began to appear on Earth. Due to the "mosaic" nature of the hominin's features, researchers are now suggesting that Au. sediba is the best candidate for an ancestor to the Homo genus.

Human brain evolution, new insight through X-rays: Experiment reveals brain shape of an early human ancestor Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:41 AM PDT A new paper preveals an accurate, high-resolution X-ray scan of the brain case of Australopithecus sediba, an early human ancestor. The overall shape of the endocast resembles humans more than chimpanzees which, combined with the brain's small volume, is consistent with a model of gradual neural (brain) reorganization in the front part of the brain.

New evidence suggests that Au. sediba is the best candidate for the genus Homo Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:40 AM PDT A series of papers based on new evidence pertaining to various aspects of the anatomy of the species Australopithecus sediba reveals new, important elements attributed to Au. Sediba, the two type skeletons -- an analysis of the most complete hand ever described in an early hominin, the most complete undistorted pelvis ever discovered, the most accurate scan of an early human ancestors brain, new pieces of the foot and ankle, and one of the most accurate dates ever achieved for an early hominin site in Africa.

Physicians in varying specialties endure similar levels of mental effort, stress Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:40 AM PDT Researchers have used work intensity measurement tools to determine that the level of mental effort and stress within various specialty groups tends to be similar, a finding that may lead to more equitable payment for primary care physicians as well as validating these tools for further assessment of stress and workload in medicine with the goal of improving health care.

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