ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Computer analysis of EEG patterns suggests a potential diagnostic test for autism at two years old
• Math formula leads researchers to source of pollution
• Genetic heart diseases may be responsible for unexplained stillbirths
• Geoflow: Space station experiments shed light on conditions deep inside Earth
• Eating garbage: Bacteria for bioremediation
• Statins appear associated with reduced risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in men, women
• Ozone exposure linked to potential heart attacks
• Sounds of summer can be a danger to hearing
• Greenland ice may exaggerate magnitude of 13,000-year-old deep freeze
• Mercury mineral evolution tied to Supercontinent assembly over last 3 billion years
• Cambodia remains last vulture bastion in Southeast Asia
• Viewing images of high-calorie foods brings on high-calorie cravings, research finds
• Scientists struggle with mathematical details, study by biologists finds
• Biological switch paves way for improved biofuel production
• Lead poisoning blocks recovery of California condor population
• Mystery of the flatfish head solved
• Treating vitamin D deficiency may improve depression
• Testosterone-replacement therapy improves symptoms of metabolic syndrome
• Hormone, oxytocin, shows potential as weight-loss treatment
• Metformin may lower cancer risk in people with type 2 diabetes
• Cassini shows why jet streams cross-cut Saturn
• Scientists twist light to send data: Beams of light can be twisted and combined to transmit data dramatically faster
• Unraveling the mysteries of exotic superconductors: Magnetism may be responsible for superconductivity in iron-based superconductors
• Rate of severe reactions higher than thought in young children with food allergies
• Smallest and largest fetuses at greater risk of being stillborn, research finds
• Nano-sandwich technique slims down solar cells, improves efficiency
• Low vitamin D levels linked to weight gain in some older women
• New hormonal gel combination shows promise as reversible birth control for men
• Experimental drug helps diabetes patients lose weight
• 'Dessert with breakfast diet' helps avoid weight regain by reducing cravings
• Ratio of appetite-regulating hormones marker of successful dieters
• Secondhand smoke is linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity
• Experimental insulin drug prevents low blood sugar
• Why do fat cells get fat? New suspect identified
• Overweight men can boost low testosterone levels by losing weight
• Gut hormone receptor in brain is key to gastric emptying rate; may help prevent obesity
• Study slashes deforestation carbon emission estimate
• Neutrons explain how haemoglobin evolution in red blood cells helped the duck-billed platypus respire
• Type 2 diabetes, cured by weight loss surgery, returns in one-fifth of patients
• Speeding up bone growth by manipulating stem cells
• Diet, exercise or both? What obese older adults need to do to reduce cardiometabolic risk
• Timing of menopause symptoms relates to risk markers for heart disease, stroke
• Full-term children conceived with fertility drugs are shorter than their peers
• Fungicide used on farm crops linked to insulin resistance
• Do you always have room for dessert? Blame ghrelin, study authors say
• Binge eating improves with deep brain stimulation surgery
• Common diabetes drugs associated with increased risk of death
• Creative individuals travelled to the south Swedish inland 9,000 years ago
• Gut microbes battle a common set of viruses shared by global populations
• Remapping gang turf: Math model used for mapping chimp territories applies
• Timing of ADHD medication affect academic progress
• Exercise, even mild physical activity, may reduce breast cancer risk
• Better looking birds have more help at home with their chicks
• Exome sequencing gives cheaper, faster diagnosis in heterogeneous disease, study shows
• Large waistlines are linked to increased mortality risk older people
• Parts of Mars may have been modified by liquid water in recent geologic times
• New paints prevent fouling of ships' hulls
• Complex thinking behind the bow and arrow
• Toxins produced by algae lead to deviant behaviour and changes in brain activity in salmon
• How bacteria change movement direction in response to oxygen: Molecular interactions unravelled

Computer analysis of EEG patterns suggests a potential diagnostic test for autism at two years old Posted: 25 Jun 2012 05:30 PM PDT The largest, most rigorous study to date to investigate EEGs as a potential diagnostic tool for autism offers hope for an earlier, more definitive test. Widely available EEG testing can distinguish children with autism from neurotypical children as early as age two. Findings could be the basis for a future objective diagnostic test of autism particularly at younger ages when behavior-based measures are unreliable.

Math formula leads researchers to source of pollution Posted: 25 Jun 2012 05:30 PM PDT The leaking of environmentally damaging pollutants into our waters and atmosphere could soon be counteracted by a simple mathematical algorithm, according to researchers.

Genetic heart diseases may be responsible for unexplained stillbirths Posted: 25 Jun 2012 05:28 PM PDT Genetic researchers have made an important step towards resolving the mystery of the causes of intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD), or stillbirth, where a baby dies in the womb after the 14th week of gestation. IUFD is responsible for 60% of perinatal mortality and occurs in about one in every two hundred pregnancies in Europe. Up to half of these stillbirths are unexplained. Now scientists have found that up to 8% of these unexplained deaths may be caused by specific genetic heart conditions.

Geoflow: Space station experiments shed light on conditions deep inside Earth Posted: 25 Jun 2012 04:25 PM PDT ESA astronaut André Kuipers is running experiments on the International Space Station that are shedding light on conditions deep inside Earth. Orbiting some 400 km above us, Geoflow is offering insights into the inner workings of our planet.

Eating garbage: Bacteria for bioremediation Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:54 PM PDT A 150-foot-high garbage dump in Colombia, South America, may have new life as a public park. Researchers have demonstrated that bacteria found in the dump can be used to neutralize the contaminants in the soil.

Statins appear associated with reduced risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in men, women Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:54 PM PDT Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs appear to be associated with reduced risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in men and women, but do not appear to be associated with reduced all-cause mortality or stroke in women, according to a new report.

Ozone exposure linked to potential heart attacks Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:29 PM PDT Young, healthy adult volunteers exposed for two hours to ozone developed physiological changes associated with cardiovascular ailments, according to a small study.

Sounds of summer can be a danger to hearing Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:29 PM PDT Hearing can be permanently damaged by loud summer noises such as fireworks, marching bands, construction and the like. An audiologist explains decibels for common sounds and offers tips and expertise to safeguard hearing.

Greenland ice may exaggerate magnitude of 13,000-year-old deep freeze Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:29 PM PDT Ice samples pulled from nearly a mile below the surface of Greenland glaciers have long served as a historical thermometer, adding temperature data to studies of the local conditions up to the Northern Hemisphere's climate. But the method — comparing the ratio of oxygen isotopes buried as snow fell over millennia — may not be such a straightforward indicator of air temperature.

Mercury mineral evolution tied to Supercontinent assembly over last 3 billion years Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:23 PM PDT Mineral evolution posits that Earth's near-surface mineral diversity gradually increased through an array of chemical and biological processes. A dozen different species in interstellar dust particles that formed the solar system have evolved to more than 4500 species today. New work demonstrates that the creation of most minerals containing mercury is fundamentally linked to several episodes of supercontinent assembly over the last 3 billion years.

Cambodia remains last vulture bastion in Southeast Asia Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:23 PM PDT In face of what has become a precipitous slide toward extinction across the Asian continent, the vultures of Cambodia have persisted, giving conservationists hope that these important scavengers can come back from the brink, according to authors a new study.

Viewing images of high-calorie foods brings on high-calorie cravings, research finds Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:04 PM PDT New research indicates looking at images of high-calorie foods stimulates appetite and reward centers in the brain.

Scientists struggle with mathematical details, study by biologists finds Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:04 PM PDT Many people remember struggling with maths at school, but few of us would expect that professional scientists suffer from a similar problem in their daily work. A new study shows that scientists tend to overlook their colleagues' research if it is packed full of mathematical equations.

Biological switch paves way for improved biofuel production Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:04 PM PDT A mechanism that controls the way organisms breathe or photosynthesize has been discovered by scientists. The research could pave the way for improved biofuel production.

Lead poisoning blocks recovery of California condor population Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:04 PM PDT A comprehensive study shows that California condors are continually exposed to harmful levels of lead, the principal source of that lead is ammunition, and lead poisoning from ammunition is preventing the recovery of the condor population.

Mystery of the flatfish head solved Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:03 PM PDT A new discovery describes a fossil fish, named Heteronectes (meaning "different swimmer") that was found in 50 million year old marine rocks from northern Italy. This study provides the first detailed description of a primitive flatfish, revealing that the migrated eye had not yet crossed to the opposite side of the skull in early members of this group.

Treating vitamin D deficiency may improve depression Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:23 PM PDT Women with moderate to severe depression had substantial improvement in their symptoms of depression after they received treatment for their vitamin D deficiency, a new study finds.

Testosterone-replacement therapy improves symptoms of metabolic syndrome Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:23 PM PDT Hormone-replacement therapy significantly improved symptoms of metabolic syndrome associated with testosterone deficiency in men, a new study from Germany finds.

Hormone, oxytocin, shows potential as weight-loss treatment Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:23 PM PDT A reproductive hormone helps regulate food intake and energy metabolism without causing adverse effects, a new animal study finds.

Metformin may lower cancer risk in people with type 2 diabetes Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:23 PM PDT A commonly prescribed diabetes drug, metformin, reduces the overall cancer risk in people with Type 2 diabetes, a large systematic review study finds.

Cassini shows why jet streams cross-cut Saturn Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:05 PM PDT Turbulent jet streams, regions where winds blow faster than in other places, churn east and west across Saturn. Scientists have been trying to understand for years the mechanism that drives these wavy structures in Saturn's atmosphere and the source from which the jets derive their energy.

Scientists twist light to send data: Beams of light can be twisted and combined to transmit data dramatically faster Posted: 25 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT Researchers have developed a system of transmitting data using twisted beams of light at ultra-high speeds -- up to 2.56 terabits per second.

Unraveling the mysteries of exotic superconductors: Magnetism may be responsible for superconductivity in iron-based superconductors Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:59 AM PDT Scientists are using specialized techniques to help unravel the mysteries of iron-based superconductors. An international collaboration that magnetism may be helping or even responsible for superconductivity in iron-based superconductors.

Rate of severe reactions higher than thought in young children with food allergies Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:59 AM PDT Young children with allergies to milk and egg experience reactions to these and other foods more often than researchers had expected, a study reports. The study also found that severe and potentially life-threatening reactions in a significant number of these children occur and that some caregivers are hesitant to give such children epinephrine, a medication that reverses the symptoms of such reactions and can save lives.

Smallest and largest fetuses at greater risk of being stillborn, research finds Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:58 AM PDT The tiniest and the heaviest fetuses are at much higher risk of being stillborn than those of average weight, new research has found.

Nano-sandwich technique slims down solar cells, improves efficiency Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:58 AM PDT Researchers have found a way to create much slimmer thin-film solar cells without sacrificing the cells' ability to absorb solar energy. Making the cells thinner should significantly decrease manufacturing costs for the technology.

Low vitamin D levels linked to weight gain in some older women Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:54 AM PDT Older women with insufficient levels of Vitamin D gained more weight than those with sufficient levels of the vitamin, according to a new study. The study of more than 4,600 women ages 65 and older found that over nearly five years, those with insufficient levels of Vitamin D in their blood gained about two pounds more than those with adequate levels of the vitamin.

New hormonal gel combination shows promise as reversible birth control for men Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:51 AM PDT Male hormonal contraceptives applied daily to the skin reduce sperm production, finds a new study. Very low sperm counts resulted for about 89 percent of men using a new combination of hormones, the authors reported. They combined a transdermal (skin) gel containing the male hormone testosterone and a gel containing a new synthetic progestin called Nestorone.

Experimental drug helps diabetes patients lose weight Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:50 AM PDT An experimental drug helped significantly more overweight patients with diabetes shed pounds, compared with placebo, a new study finds.

'Dessert with breakfast diet' helps avoid weight regain by reducing cravings Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:50 AM PDT Dieters have less hunger and cravings throughout the day and are better able to keep off lost weight if they eat a carbohydrate-rich, protein-packed breakfast that includes dessert.

Ratio of appetite-regulating hormones marker of successful dieters Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:50 AM PDT A pre-diet measurement of two hormones related to weight regulation can help predict which dieters will be more likely to maintain their weight loss and who will not, according to a new study.

Secondhand smoke is linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:50 AM PDT Adults who are exposed to secondhand smoke have higher rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes than do nonsmokers without environmental exposure to tobacco smoke, a new study shows.

Experimental insulin drug prevents low blood sugar Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:50 AM PDT An experimental insulin drug prevented low blood sugar among diabetic patients more often than a popular drug on the market, a new study finds.

Why do fat cells get fat? New suspect identified Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:49 AM PDT As the world fights obesity at the human level, a new finding at the microscopic level could help fuel that fight. The work helps explain why fat-storing cells get fatter, and burn fat slower, as obesity sets in -- and could lead to new obesity drugs.

Overweight men can boost low testosterone levels by losing weight Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:49 AM PDT Weight loss can reduce the prevalence of low testosterone levels in overweight, middle-aged men with prediabetes by almost 50 percent, a new study finds.

Gut hormone receptor in brain is key to gastric emptying rate; may help prevent obesity Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:49 AM PDT Researchers have discovered how a hormone in the gut slows the rate at which the stomach empties and thus suppresses hunger and food intake.

Study slashes deforestation carbon emission estimate Posted: 25 Jun 2012 08:30 AM PDT A new study with NASA participation has sharply reduced previous estimates of how much carbon was emitted into Earth's atmosphere from tropical deforestation in the early 2000s.

Neutrons explain how haemoglobin evolution in red blood cells helped the duck-billed platypus respire Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT Scientists have explained the evolutionary history of haemoglobin using what might seem an unlikely array of samples. Researchers focused the world's most intense neutrons beams on the oxygen-carrying protein from a human, a duck-billed platypus, a chicken and a salt-water crocodile to explain how it has adapted to different body temperatures within different species.

Type 2 diabetes, cured by weight loss surgery, returns in one-fifth of patients Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT A new study shows that although gastric bypass surgery reverses Type 2 diabetes in a large percentage of obese patients, the disease recurs in about 21 percent of them within three to five years.

Speeding up bone growth by manipulating stem cells Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT Differentiation of stem cells into bone nodules is greatly accelerated by nanomolecular scaffolds.

Diet, exercise or both? What obese older adults need to do to reduce cardiometabolic risk Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT Obese older adults can reduce their chance of developing the metabolic syndrome by losing weight through dieting alone, but adding exercise to a weight loss program has even more benefit, a new study finds. The results show that a combination of diet-induced weight loss and frequent exercise almost doubled the improvement in insulin sensitivity compared with dieting alone.

Timing of menopause symptoms relates to risk markers for heart disease, stroke Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT The hot flashes and night sweats that most women experience early in menopause are not linked to increased levels of cardiovascular disease risk markers unless the symptoms persist or start many years after menopause begins.

Full-term children conceived with fertility drugs are shorter than their peers Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT Among children born full term, those conceived with the help of fertility drugs are slightly shorter than naturally conceived children but overall are physically healthy, a new study finds.

Fungicide used on farm crops linked to insulin resistance Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT A fungicide used on farm crops can induce insulin resistance, a new tissue-culture study finds, providing another piece of evidence linking environmental pollutants to diabetes.

Do you always have room for dessert? Blame ghrelin, study authors say Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:25 AM PDT A new study suggests that the appetite-inducing hormone ghrelin increases the incentive for humans to eat high-calorie foods, even on a full stomach.

Binge eating improves with deep brain stimulation surgery Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:25 AM PDT Deep brain stimulation reduces binge eating in mice, suggesting that this surgery, which is approved for treatment of certain neurologic and psychiatric disorders, may also be an effective therapy for obesity.

Common diabetes drugs associated with increased risk of death Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:22 AM PDT Compared to another popular drug, three widely used diabetes medications are associated with a greater risk of death, a large new analysis finds.

Creative individuals travelled to the south Swedish inland 9,000 years ago Posted: 25 Jun 2012 05:52 AM PDT Despite its good ecologic status, there were no permanent settlements in the south Swedish inland 9,000 years ago. Yet the area was visited by people who wanted to express their individuality and creativity and thereby gain status, new research suggests.

Gut microbes battle a common set of viruses shared by global populations Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:53 AM PDT The human gut is home to a teeming ecosystem of microbes that is intimately involved in both human health and disease. But while the gut microbiota is interacting with our body, they are also under constant attack from viruses. Researchers have analyzed a bacterial immune system, revealing a common set of viruses associated with gut microbiota in global populations.

Remapping gang turf: Math model used for mapping chimp territories applies Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:53 AM PDT A mathematical model that has been used for more than 80 years to determine the hunting range of wild animals holds promise for mapping the territories of street gangs, social scientists report. The way gangs break up their neighborhoods into unique territories is a lot like the way lions, chimpanzees or honey bees break up space, according to researchers.

Timing of ADHD medication affect academic progress Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:53 AM PDT Researchers have found a correlation between the age at which children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder begin taking medication, and how well they perform on standardized tests, particularly in math.

Exercise, even mild physical activity, may reduce breast cancer risk Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:53 AM PDT A new analysis has found that physical activity – either mild or intense and before or after menopause – may reduce breast cancer risk, but substantial weight gain may negate these benefits. The findings indicate that women can reduce their breast cancer risk by exercising and maintaining their weight.

Better looking birds have more help at home with their chicks Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:47 AM PDT In choosing a mate both males and females rely on visual cues to determine which potential partner will supply the best genes, best nesting site, best territory, and best parenting skills. New research shows that male blue tits' (Cyanistes caeruleus) parental behavior is determined by female ornamentation (ultraviolet coloration of the crown), as predicted by the differential allocation hypothesis (DAH).

Exome sequencing gives cheaper, faster diagnosis in heterogeneous disease, study shows Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:47 AM PDT The first report of the diagnostic use of the technique of exome sequencing,  where short sequences of DNA are analyzed, shows that it can give good results at low cost, according to new research.    The scientists were able to perform a genetic diagnosis in around 20% of 100 cases of patients with intellectual disability (ID) and 50% of the 25 cases of blindness studied.  Not only is the exome test cheaper, but results are available more quickly than with Sanger sequencing, they say.

Large waistlines are linked to increased mortality risk older people Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:47 AM PDT Older people with large waistlines have a higher mortality rate than those with a slim waistline.

Parts of Mars may have been modified by liquid water in recent geologic times Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:47 AM PDT A new study reveals that parts of Mars may have been modified by liquid water in recent geologic times, which might indicate more favourable conditions for life on the planet.

New paints prevent fouling of ships' hulls Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:47 AM PDT The colonization of hulls by algae, barnacles, mussels and other organisms is a major problem for both pleasure boats and merchant tonnage. Researchers have now developed new environmentally-friendly and effective bottom paints to prevent this.

Complex thinking behind the bow and arrow Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:46 AM PDT The bow and arrow have long been regarded as a possible indicator of culture in prehistoric times. Bows and arrows appear to have been in use for some 64,000 years, given evidence from South Africa. Until recently, their significance in human cognitive ability was unclear. Now two researchers have been able to decode the conceptual foundations of the bow and arrow.

Toxins produced by algae lead to deviant behaviour and changes in brain activity in salmon Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:44 AM PDT Salmon exposed to algal-produced neurotoxins show changes in both their brain activity and general behavior. It has also been found that very small doses of these toxins can have an affect on how salmon relate to other fish. These toxins are some of those that can cause food poisoning in people who eat contaminated mussels.

How bacteria change movement direction in response to oxygen: Molecular interactions unravelled Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:44 AM PDT How single cell organisms like bacteria manage to react to their environment is not yet completely understood. Scientists have now gained new insights into the molecular interactions during aerotaxis of Bacillus subtilis, i.e., the dependence of the movement direction on the oxygen concentration in the environment. The research team investigated the conformational changes within the protein HemAT. Via a signal transduction chain, this protein sends a command to the flagellar motor which controls the movement direction.

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