ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Female genital mutilation significantly reduces sexual quality of life, study finds
• Prototype of lunar water-prospecting robot to search for water ice at moon's northern pole
• New interactive system detects touch and gestures on any surface
• Screening method aids RNA drug development research
• Most pregnancy-related infections are caused by four treatable conditions, study finds
• Pioneer anomaly solved? Interstellar travelers of the future may be helped by physicist's calculations
• Hormone level linked with increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, death
• Synthetic liver enzyme could result in more effective drugs with fewer side effects
• Vitamin C prevents bone loss in animal models
• New link between high-fat 'Western' diet and atherosclerosis identified
• Most complex synthetic biology circuit yet: New sensor could be used to program cells to precisely monitor their environments
• How cancer cells break free from tumors: Study identifies adhesion molecules key to cancer’s spread through the body
• Caffeine may block inflammation linked to mild cognitive impairment
• 2010 Korea bomb 'tests' probably false alarms, says study
• Chronic kidney disease alters intestinal microbial flora
• Drawing a line, with carbon nanotubes: New low-cost, durable carbon nanotube sensors can be etched with mechanical pencils
• Topological superconductors: Seeking a robust home for qubits
• RMND1 mutation: Scientists discover gene behind rare disorders
• Glowing DNA invention points towards high speed disease detection
• IspH -- a protein free to choose its partners
• Dead stars could be the future of spacecraft navigation
• Greenhouse gas emissions mapped to building, street level for U.S. cities
• Doubling up on advanced prostate cancer with PARP inhibitors
• MRSA researchers identify new class of drug effective against superbug
• Graphene membranes may lead to enhanced natural gas production, less CO2 pollution
• Computational model identifies potential pathways to improve plant oil production
• App protects Facebook users from hackers
• New tool for making genetic engineering of microbial circuits reliably predictable
• Fast walking and jogging halve development of heart disease and stroke risk factors, research indicates
• Cannabis extract eases muscle stiffness typical of multiple sclerosis, study suggests
• Curb kids' screen time to stave off major health and developmental problems
• Putting a block on neuropathic pain before it starts: Tiny spheres filled with anesthetic from a shellfish toxin
• What might have caused recent increase of coral diseases in the Caribbean?
• Building a better drug to treat type 2 diabetes
• Biochemists open path to molecular 'chaperone' therapy for metabolic disease
• Wearing a knee brace following anterior cruciate ligament surgery has no effect on recovery
• An operating system in the cloud: TransOS could displace conventional desktop operating systems
• Large water reservoirs at the dawn of stellar birth
• Solar cells made from black silicon
• With a little exercise, your fat cells may coax liver to produce 'good' cholesterol
• Malaysian researchers create new durable wood-plastic composite material
• New way to determine amount of charge remaining in battery
• River Thames invaded with foreign species
• Computational intelligence opens up new avenues in Alzheimer's research
• Robots using tools: Researchers aim to create 'MacGyver' robot
• Swimming with hormones: Researchers unravel ancient urges that drive the social decisions of fish
• Combining chemotherapy drugs and immunotherapy cancer vaccines results in an enhanced anti-tumor effect: Study
• Go west, young lion: New study shows mountain lions dispersing from Nevada to California
• Sperm's swimming skills: Discovery shed light on male infertility, yields clues to development of male contraceptive pill
• Bariatric surgery not silver bullet for sleep apnoea, study finds
• 'Barcode' blood test for aggressive prostate cancer developed
• Control any device -- from mobile phones to television sets -- with just a wave of your hand
• Vast differences in polar ocean microbial communities
• Research on enhanced transmissibility in H5N1 influenza: Should the moratorium end?
• Healthy mom with lots of help key to thriving brood, wolf study shows
• New MRI technique used to identify early-stage coronary disease
• Learning from past flu epidemics to model outbreaks as they happen
• Dual spotlights in the brain: How we manage to attend to multiple objects without being distracted by irrelevant information
• Inflammation-fighting mechanism may point to new treatments of rheumatoid arthritis, other autoimmune diseases
• Marine worms reveal the deepest evolutionary patterns

Female genital mutilation significantly reduces sexual quality of life, study finds Posted: 09 Oct 2012 04:26 PM PDT Women who have undergone female genital mutilation have a significantly lower sexual quality of life, a new study finds.

Prototype of lunar water-prospecting robot to search for water ice at moon's northern pole Posted: 09 Oct 2012 02:37 PM PDT A robotics technology company has completed assembly of a full-size prototype of Polaris, a solar-powered robot that will search for potentially rich deposits of water ice at the moon's poles. The first of its kind, Polaris can accommodate a drill to bore one meter into the lunar surface and can operate in lunar regions characterized by dark, long shadows and a sun that hugs the horizon.

New interactive system detects touch and gestures on any surface Posted: 09 Oct 2012 02:15 PM PDT People can let their fingers -- and hands -- do the talking with a new touch-activated system that projects onto walls and other surfaces and allows users to interact with their environment and each other. The system identifies the fingers of a person's hand while touching any plain surface. It also recognizes hand posture and gestures, revealing individual users by their unique traits.

Screening method aids RNA drug development research Posted: 09 Oct 2012 02:14 PM PDT Scientists have developed a new method of screening more than three million combinations of interactions between RNA and small molecules to identify the best targets on RNA as well as the most promising potential drug compounds. This novel technology may lead to more efficient drug development.

Most pregnancy-related infections are caused by four treatable conditions, study finds Posted: 09 Oct 2012 02:14 PM PDT In low-and-middle income countries, pregnancy-related infections are a major cause of maternal death, can also be fatal to unborn and newborn babies, and are mostly caused by four types of conditions that are treatable and preventable, according to a review by U.S. researchers.

Pioneer anomaly solved? Interstellar travelers of the future may be helped by physicist's calculations Posted: 09 Oct 2012 01:11 PM PDT Interstellar travel will depend upon extremely precise measurements of every factor involved in the mission. The knowledge of those factors may be improved by a researcher's solution, found to a puzzle that has stumped astrophysicists for decades.

Hormone level linked with increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, death Posted: 09 Oct 2012 01:07 PM PDT Plasma levels of proneurotensin are associated with the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular and total mortality, and breast cancer in women during long-term follow-up.

Synthetic liver enzyme could result in more effective drugs with fewer side effects Posted: 09 Oct 2012 12:21 PM PDT Medicines could be made to have fewer side effects and work in smaller doses with the help of a synthetic enzyme developed at Princeton University that makes drug molecules more resistant to breakdown by the human liver.

Vitamin C prevents bone loss in animal models Posted: 09 Oct 2012 12:12 PM PDT Researchers have shown for the first time in an animal model that vitamin C actively protects against osteoporosis, a disease affecting large numbers of elderly women and men in which bones become brittle and can fracture.

New link between high-fat 'Western' diet and atherosclerosis identified Posted: 09 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Researchers have found that a diet high in saturated fat raises levels of endothelial lipase, an enzyme associated with the development of atherosclerosis, and, conversely, that a diet high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fat lowers levels of this enzyme. The findings establish a "new" link between diet and athersoclerosis and suggest a novel way to prevent cardiovascular heart disease. In addition, the research may help to explain why the type 2 diabetes drug rosiglitazone has been linked to heart problems.

Most complex synthetic biology circuit yet: New sensor could be used to program cells to precisely monitor their environments Posted: 09 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Using genes as interchangeable parts, synthetic biologists design cellular circuits that can perform new functions, such as sensing environmental conditions. However, the complexity that can be achieved in such circuits has been limited by a critical bottleneck: the difficulty in assembling genetic components that don't interfere with each other. Unlike electronic circuits on a silicon chip, biological circuits inside a cell cannot be physically isolated from one another.

How cancer cells break free from tumors: Study identifies adhesion molecules key to cancer’s spread through the body Posted: 09 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Although tumor metastasis causes about 90 percent of cancer deaths, the exact mechanism that allows cancer cells to spread from one part of the body to another is not well understood. One key question is how tumor cells detach from the structural elements that normally hold tissues in place, then reattach themselves in a new site. A new study reveals some of the cellular adhesion molecules that are critical to this process.

Caffeine may block inflammation linked to mild cognitive impairment Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:18 AM PDT A new study has discovered a novel signal that activates the brain-based inflammation associated with neurodegenerative diseases, and caffeine appears to block its activity. This discovery may eventually lead to drugs that could reverse or inhibit mild cognitive impairment.

2010 Korea bomb 'tests' probably false alarms, says study Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT This spring, a Swedish scientist sparked international concern with a journal article saying that radioactive particles detected in 2010 showed North Korea had set off at least two small nuclear blasts -- possibly in experiments designed to boost yields of much larger bombs. Separate claims surfaced that intelligence agencies suspected the detonations were done in cooperation with Iran. Now, a new paper says the tests likely never took place -- or that if they did, they were too tiny to have any military significance.

Chronic kidney disease alters intestinal microbial flora Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT Chronic kidney disease changes the composition of intestinal bacterial microbes that normally play a crucial role in staving off disease-causing pathogens and maintaining micronutrient balance, according to new research.

Drawing a line, with carbon nanotubes: New low-cost, durable carbon nanotube sensors can be etched with mechanical pencils Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT Researchers have designed a new type of pencil lead in which graphite is replaced with a compressed powder of carbon nanotubes. The lead, which can be used with a regular mechanical pencil, can inscribe sensors on any paper surface.

Topological superconductors: Seeking a robust home for qubits Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT A new study, taking into account realistic conditions for the first time, shows that Majorana qubits are possible.

RMND1 mutation: Scientists discover gene behind rare disorders Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT Scientists have uncovered the genetic defect underlying a group of rare genetic disorders. Using a new technique that has revolutionized genetic studies, the teams determined that mutations in the RMND1 gene were responsible for severe neurodegenerative disorders, in two infants, ultimately leading to their early death. Although the teams' investigations dealt with an infant, their discovery also has implications for understanding the causes of later-onset neurological diseases.

Glowing DNA invention points towards high speed disease detection Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT Many diseases, including cancers, leave genetic clues in the body just as criminals leave DNA at a crime scene. But tools to detect the DNA-like sickness clues known as miRNAs, tend to be slow and expensive. Now researchers have invented a DNA sensor, coupling genetic material to a luminous molecule which goes dark only in the presence of a specific target.

IspH -- a protein free to choose its partners Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:16 AM PDT The iron-sulfur protein IspH plays a central role in the terpene metabolism of several pathogens. The mechanism of the reaction provides an approach for developing new antibiotics, particularly against malaria and tuberculosis. While researching this enzyme, biochemists discovered a previously unknown reaction: IspH accepts two completely different classes of molecules as partners. This surprising insight opens up new perspectives in combating infectious diseases.

Dead stars could be the future of spacecraft navigation Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:16 AM PDT Scientists are investigating the feasibility of using dead stars to navigate spacecraft in deep space. If feasible, this technique may in future revolutionize the way spacecraft navigate in the outer Solar System and beyond.

Greenhouse gas emissions mapped to building, street level for U.S. cities Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:16 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new software system capable of estimating greenhouse gas emissions across entire urban landscapes, all the way down to roads and individual buildings. Until now, scientists quantified carbon dioxide emissions at a much broader level. "Hestia" combines extensive public database "data-mining" with traffic simulation and building-by-building energy-consumption modeling.

Doubling up on advanced prostate cancer with PARP inhibitors Posted: 09 Oct 2012 09:12 AM PDT A newly discovered function of PARP-1 could be the key to more effective therapeutics to treat advanced prostate cancer patients, a recent preclinical study suggests.

MRSA researchers identify new class of drug effective against superbug Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT In two separate published studies, researchers have discovered a new class of treatment against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as well as evidence of a growing need to quickly genotype individual strains of the organism most commonly referred to as the "superbug."

Graphene membranes may lead to enhanced natural gas production, less CO2 pollution Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT Engineering researchers have produced the first experimental results showing that atomically thin graphene membranes with tiny pores can effectively and efficiently separate gas molecules through size-selective sieving.

Computational model identifies potential pathways to improve plant oil production Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT Using a computational model they designed to incorporate detailed information about plants' interconnected metabolic processes, scientists have identified key pathways that appear to "favor" the production of either oils or proteins. The research may point the way to new strategies to tip the balance and increase plant oil production.

App protects Facebook users from hackers Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT A new app to detect spam and malware posts on Facebook users' walls was found to be highly accurate, fast and efficient, new study suggests.

New tool for making genetic engineering of microbial circuits reliably predictable Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT Researchers have developed an adapator that makes the genetic engineering of microbial components substantially easier and more predictable.

Fast walking and jogging halve development of heart disease and stroke risk factors, research indicates Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT Daily activities, such as fast walking and jogging, can curb the development of risk factors for heart disease and stroke by as much as 50 percent, whereas an hour's daily walk makes little difference, indicates new research.

Cannabis extract eases muscle stiffness typical of multiple sclerosis, study suggests Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT Cannabis seems to ease the painful muscle stiffness typical of multiple sclerosis, indicate phase III trial results.

Curb kids' screen time to stave off major health and developmental problems Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:21 AM PDT Curbs on children's daily screen time and delaying the age at which they start "the world's favorite pastime" are urgently needed to stave off the risk of serious health and developmental problems, argues a leading psychologist and child health expert.

Putting a block on neuropathic pain before it starts: Tiny spheres filled with anesthetic from a shellfish toxin Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:21 AM PDT Using tiny spheres filled with anesthetic from a shellfish toxin, researchers have developed a way to delay the rise of neuropathic pain, chronic pain from flawed signals transmitted by damaged nerves. The method may allow doctors to stop the cascade of events by which tissue or nerve injuries evolve into neuropathic pain, which affects 3.75 million children and adults in the US alone.

What might have caused recent increase of coral diseases in the Caribbean? Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:21 AM PDT Marine diseases are killing coral populations all over the world, threatening the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on reefs for food and protection from storms. Are these diseases new and unprecedented infections, or do they erupt from the stresses of environmental change?

Building a better drug to treat type 2 diabetes Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:21 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a new biological pathway in blood vessel cells, which may contribute to the blood pressure-lowering effects of TZD drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes. This finding may help to develop new therapies that retain the beneficial effect of TZDs but eliminate the adverse side effects.

Biochemists open path to molecular 'chaperone' therapy for metabolic disease Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:19 AM PDT Experts in revealing molecular structure by X-ray crystallography have identified two new small "chaperone" molecules that may be useful in treating the inherited metabolic disorder known as Schindler/Kanzaki disease. This offers hope for developing the first ever drug treatment for this very rare disease.

Wearing a knee brace following anterior cruciate ligament surgery has no effect on recovery Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:19 AM PDT Wearing a knee brace following anterior cruciate ligament surgery has no effect on a person's recovery.

An operating system in the cloud: TransOS could displace conventional desktop operating systems Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:19 AM PDT A new cloud-based operating system for all kinds of computer is being developed.

Large water reservoirs at the dawn of stellar birth Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:12 AM PDT The European Space Agency's Herschel space observatory has discovered enough water vapor to fill Earth's oceans more than 2000 times over, in a gas and dust cloud that is on the verge of collapsing into a new Sun-like star. Stars form within cold, dark clouds of gas and dust -- 'pre-stellar cores' -- that contain all the ingredients to make solar systems like our own.

Solar cells made from black silicon Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:12 AM PDT Solar cells convert three-quarters of the energy contained in the Sun's spectrum into electricity -- yet the infrared spectrum is entirely lost in standard solar cells. In contrast, black silicon solar cells are specifically designed to absorb this part of the Sun's spectrum -- and researchers have recently succeeded in doubling their overall efficiency.

With a little exercise, your fat cells may coax liver to produce 'good' cholesterol Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:12 AM PDT With a little exercise and dieting, overweight people with type 2 diabetes can still train their fat cells to produce a hormone believed to spur HDL cholesterol production, report medical researchers.

Malaysian researchers create new durable wood-plastic composite material Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:10 AM PDT Researchers from the Universiti Teknologi MARA in Malaysia have created a new durable wood-plastic composite (WPC). Recent discoveries in the production of new materials have enabled researchers to develop new types of composite materials that perform better and are more durable.

New way to determine amount of charge remaining in battery Posted: 09 Oct 2012 07:21 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new technique that allows users to better determine the amount of charge remaining in a battery in real time. That's good news for electric vehicle drivers, since it gives them a better idea of when their car may run out of juice.

River Thames invaded with foreign species Posted: 09 Oct 2012 07:21 AM PDT The second longest river in the UK, the River Thames, contains 96 non-native species, making it one of the most highly invaded freshwater systems in the world.

Computational intelligence opens up new avenues in Alzheimer's research Posted: 09 Oct 2012 07:16 AM PDT Researchers have used machine learning and data mining techniques to compare gene expresssion levels in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients in two key regions of the hippocampus: the dentate gyrus, where the disease appears to have little or no effect, and the entorhinal cortex, where Alzheimer's disease produces major neuronal damage. The results corroborate previous findings by other studies and set forth new working hypotheses for AD research.

Robots using tools: Researchers aim to create 'MacGyver' robot Posted: 09 Oct 2012 07:13 AM PDT Robots are increasingly being used in place of humans to explore hazardous and difficult-to-access environments, but they aren't yet able to interact with their environments as well as humans. If today's most sophisticated robot was trapped in a burning room by a jammed door, it would probably not know how to locate and use objects in the room to climb over any debris, pry open the door, and escape the building. A research team hopes to change that by giving robots the ability to use objects in their environments to accomplish high-level tasks.

Swimming with hormones: Researchers unravel ancient urges that drive the social decisions of fish Posted: 09 Oct 2012 07:13 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that a form of oxytocin—the hormone responsible for making humans fall in love—has a similar effect on fish, suggesting it is a key regulator of social behaviour that has evolved and endured since ancient times.

Combining chemotherapy drugs and immunotherapy cancer vaccines results in an enhanced anti-tumor effect: Study Posted: 09 Oct 2012 07:13 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that combining chemotherapy drugs and immunotherapy cancer vaccines results in an enhanced anti-tumor effect. The results, achieved by testing cancer cells in a laboratory, are surprising because chemotherapy generally reduces immunity and could cancel out the benefits of immunotherapy when given together.

Go west, young lion: New study shows mountain lions dispersing from Nevada to California Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:32 AM PDT A new study has identified two genetically distinct populations of mountain lions in California and Nevada and discovered -- to the surprise of scientists -- that portions of Nevada's Great Basin Desert are serving as a "source" for animals moving west to the Sierra Nevada mountains shared with California.

Sperm's swimming skills: Discovery shed light on male infertility, yields clues to development of male contraceptive pill Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:32 AM PDT New insights into the swimming skills of sperm shed light on male infertility, which affects one in 20 men, and could provide a new avenue to the development of a male contraceptive pill.

Bariatric surgery not silver bullet for sleep apnoea, study finds Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:32 AM PDT Although bariatric surgery results in greater weight loss than conventional measures, new research shows this does not translate into significantly greater improvement in obstructive sleep apnoea.

'Barcode' blood test for aggressive prostate cancer developed Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:32 AM PDT Scientists have designed a blood test that reads genetic changes like a barcode -- and can pick out aggressive prostate cancers by their particular pattern of gene activity. A research team found reading the pattern of genes switched on and off in blood cells could accurately detect which advanced prostate cancers had the worst survival.

Control any device -- from mobile phones to television sets -- with just a wave of your hand Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:30 AM PDT Forget the TV remote and the games controller, now you can control anything from your mobile phone to the television with just a wave of your hand. Researchers have developed a sensor the size of a wrist-watch which tracks the 3-D movement of the hand and allows the user to remotely control any device.

Vast differences in polar ocean microbial communities Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:30 AM PDT An international team of scientists has found that a clear difference exists between the marine microbial communities in the Southern and Arctic oceans. Their report contributes to a better understanding of the biodiverisity of marine life at the poles and its biogeography.

Research on enhanced transmissibility in H5N1 influenza: Should the moratorium end? Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:30 AM PDT In a series of commentaries, prominent microbiologists and physicians argue the cases both for and against lifting a voluntary moratorium on experiments to enhance the ability of the H5N1 virus to move from mammal to mammal, so-called "gain-of-function" research, and discuss the level of biosecurity that would be appropriate for moving that research forward.

Healthy mom with lots of help key to thriving brood, wolf study shows Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:30 AM PDT What does it take to raise successful, self-sufficient offspring? A healthy mom with lots of in-house help. While this advice may benefit humans, a recent study actually focuses on another group of large, social mammals -- namely, wolves.

New MRI technique used to identify early-stage coronary disease Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:30 AM PDT With the results of an MRI study from the National Institutes of Health, researchers say they are closer to finding an imaging technique that can identify thickening of the coronary artery wall, an early stage of coronary heart disease.

Learning from past flu epidemics to model outbreaks as they happen Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:28 AM PDT A new model of influenza transmission, using more detailed information about patterns and severity of infection than previous models, finds that cases and transmission rates of H1N1 during the 2009-2010 flu pandemic have been underestimated. This model can provide a more robust and accurate real-time estimate of infection during a pandemic, which will help health services prepare and respond to future outbreaks.

Dual spotlights in the brain: How we manage to attend to multiple objects without being distracted by irrelevant information Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:27 AM PDT The "tiki-taka"-style of the Spanish national football team is amazing to watch: Xavi passes to Andrès Iniesta, he just rebounds the ball once and it's right at Xabi Alonso's foot. The Spanish midfielders cross the field as if they run on rails, always maintaining attention on the ball and the teammates, the opponents chasing after them without a chance. Researchers have now uncovered how the human brain makes such excellence possible by dividing visual attention: The brain is capable of splitting its 'attentional spotlight' for an enhanced processing of multiple visual objects.

Inflammation-fighting mechanism may point to new treatments of rheumatoid arthritis, other autoimmune diseases Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:25 AM PDT Scientists in Belgium have discovered a mechanism used by the protein A20 to combat inflammation. This could be a very important point of focus in the search for a treatment for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, in which the patient suffers from chronic, uncontrolled inflammation.

Marine worms reveal the deepest evolutionary patterns Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:25 AM PDT Scientists have revealed new findings on the evolutionary relationships and structure of priapulids -- a group of carnivorous mud-dwelling worms living in shallow marine waters.

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