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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


Newt transcriptome offers insight into tissue regeneration

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 05:15 PM PST

Scientists have identified protein families expressed during tissue regeneration in newts, providing the groundwork for research into whether particular sets of genes are used for the purpose.

Adding movement to 'dry run' mental imagery enhances performance

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 05:15 PM PST

Adding movement to mental rehearsal can improve performance finds a new study. For high jumpers the study shows that dynamic imagery improves the number of successful attempts and the technical performance of jumps The technique of mental rehearsal is used to consolidate performance in many disciplines including music and sport. Motor imagery and physical practice use overlapping neural networks in the brain and the two together can improve performance as well as promoting recovery from injury.

Genetic variation controls predation: Benefits of being a mosaic

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 05:15 PM PST

A genetically mosaic Eucalyptus tree is able to control which leaves are saved from predation because of alterations in its genes, finds a new study. Between two leaves of the same tree there can be many genetic differences – this study found ten SNP, including ones in genes that regulate terpene production, which influence whether or not a leaf is edible

Exposure to air pollution is associated with increased deaths after heart attacks

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 05:15 PM PST

Air pollution contributes to an increased number of deaths among patients who have been admitted to hospital with heart attacks, according to a new study.

It's not just amyloid: White matter hyperintensities and Alzheimer's disease

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 02:22 PM PST

New findings suggest that along with amyloid deposits, white matter hyperintensities may be a second necessary factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Common IV fluid associated with reduced likelihood of full recovery in patients with cardiac arrest

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 02:22 PM PST

Although an intravenous fluid that paramedics in Japan often give to patients in cardiac arrest before they reach hospital may help restore circulation, it may also be linked to reduced survival with minimal neurological or physical damage one month later, according to a new study.

Biological marker predicts susceptibility to common cold

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 02:21 PM PST

Researchers have identified a biological marker in the immune system that -- beginning at about age 22 -- predicts our ability to fight off the common cold. The study found that the length of telomeres -- protective cap-like protein complexes at the ends of chromosomes -- predicts resistance to upper respiratory infections in young and midlife adults.

How predictable is evolution?

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 02:21 PM PST

Understanding how and why diversification occurs is important for understanding why there are so many species on Earth. Researchers show that similar -- or even identical -- mutations can occur during diversification in completely separate populations of E. coli evolving in different environments over more than 1000 generations. Evolution, therefore, can be surprisingly predictable.

Language protein differs in males, females

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 02:21 PM PST

Male rat pups have more of a specific brain protein associated with language development than females, according to a new study. The study also found sex differences in the brain protein in a small group of children. The findings may shed light on sex differences in communication in animals and language acquisition in people.

Cassini sheds light on cosmic particle accelerators

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:32 PM PST

During a chance encounter with what appears to be an unusually strong blast of solar wind at Saturn, NASA's Cassini spacecraft detected particles being accelerated to ultra-high energies. This is similar to the acceleration that takes place around distant supernovas.

NASA releases radar movie of asteroid 2012 DA14

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:30 PM PST

An initial sequence of radar images of asteroid 2012 DA14 was obtained on the night of Feb. 15/16, 2013, by NASA scientists using the 230-foot (70-meter) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif. Each of the 72 frames required 320 seconds of data collection by the Goldstone radar.

Mutant champions save imperiled species from almost-certain extinction

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:13 PM PST

Species facing widespread and rapid environmental changes can sometimes evolve quickly enough to dodge the extinction bullet. Scientists consider the genetic underpinnings of such an "evolutionary rescue."

New approach alters malaria maps

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:12 PM PST

Identifying areas of malarial infection risk depends more on daily temperature variation than on the average monthly temperatures, according to researchers, who believe that their results may also apply to environmentally temperature-dependent organisms other than the malaria parasite.

Engineering control theory helps create dynamic brain models

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:12 PM PST

Models of the human brain, patterned on engineering control theory, may some day help researchers control such neurological diseases as epilepsy, Parkinson's and migraines, according to a researcher who is using mathematical models of neuron networks from which more complex brain models emerge.

Powerful people are looking out for their future selves

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:12 PM PST

Would you prefer $120 today or $154 in one year? Your answer may depend on how powerful you feel, according to new research.

That's the way the droplets adhere: First direct views of how drops and bubbles adhere to surfaces -- and how they let go

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:12 PM PST

A new technique provides the first direct views of how drops and bubbles adhere to surfaces -- and how they let go.

Tool for reading the minds of mice developed

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:12 PM PST

Scientists have developed a system for observing real-time brain activity in a live mouse. The device could prove useful in studying new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's.

New compound holds high promise in battling kidney cancer

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:12 PM PST

Chemists have developed a compound that holds much promise in the laboratory in fighting renal (kidney) cancer. Named TIR-199, the compound targets the "proteasome," a cellular complex in kidney cancer cells, similar to the way the drug bortezomib, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, targets the proteasome in multiple myeloma cells, a cancer coming from bone marrow.

Rock-paper-scissors a parable for cycles in finance, fashion, politics and more

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:12 PM PST

Using a grown-up version of the rock-paper-scissors game, cognitive scientists offer a new theory of the group dynamics that arise in situations as varied as cycles of fashion, fluctuations of financial markets, eBay bidding wars and political campaign strategies. "People playing this kind of game subtly influence each other, converging on similar ways of reasoning over time. The natural analogy for the process is to a flock of birds veering in concert."

Infants in poverty show different physiological vulnerabilities to the care-giving environment

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:10 AM PST

Some infants raised in poverty exhibit physical traits that make them more vulnerable to poor care-giving, according to new research. The combination of physiological vulnerability and poor care-giving may lead these children to show increased problem behaviors later in childhood.

Potential epigenetic mechanisms for improved cancer therapy

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:07 AM PST

A review article proposes a new epigenetic hypothesis linked to tumor production and novel ideas about what causes progenitor cells to develop into cancer cells.

Diet of resistant starch helps the body resist colorectal cancer

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:07 AM PST

New research shows that resistant starch helps the body resist colorectal cancer through mechanisms including killing pre-cancerous cells and reducing inflammation that can otherwise promote cancer.

Theory of crystal formation complete again

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:07 AM PST

Exactly how a crystal forms from solution is a problem that has occupied scientists for decades. Researchers are now presenting the missing piece.

Semiconductor 'nano-shish-kebabs' created with potential for 3-D technologies

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:05 AM PST

Researchers have developed a new type of nanoscale structure that resembles a "nano-shish-kebab," consisting of multiple two-dimensional nanosheets that appear to be impaled upon a one-dimensional nanowire. But looks can be deceiving, as the nanowire and nanosheets are actually a single, three-dimensional structure consisting of a single, seamless series of germanium sulfide crystals. The structure holds promise for use in the creation of new, three-dimensional technologies.

Radio telescope, GPS use ionosphere to detect nuclear tests

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:05 AM PST

Analyzing radio telescope interferometry and GPS data recorded of the ionosphere, scientists are able to detect acoustic-gravity waves from surface and underground nuclear explosions.

Jurassic records warn of risk to marine life from global warming

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:05 AM PST

The risk posed by global warming and rising ocean temperatures to the future health of the world's marine ecosystem has been highlighted by scientists studying fossil records.

How seals sleep with only half their brain at a time

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:02 AM PST

Biologists have identified some of the brain chemicals that allow seals to sleep with half of their brain at a time.

New drug combination could prevent head and neck cancer in high-risk patients

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:02 AM PST

A new drug combination shows promise in reducing the risk for patients with advanced oral precancerous lesions to develop squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Synaptic molecule works differently than thought; may mean new targets for Alzheimer's

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:02 AM PST

Researchers have upended a long-held view about the basic functioning of a key receptor molecule involved in signaling between neurons, and describe how a compound linked to Alzheimer's disease impacts that receptor and weakens synaptic connections between brain cells.

Music therapy improves behavior in children with autism, study suggests

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:01 AM PST

Weekly music therapy sessions can have a positive effect on behavior in children with autism, reports a new article. In a study of 41 children, improvements were seen particularly in inattentive behaviors over a ten month period.

Nesting site protection 'key to save turtles from climate change'

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:16 AM PST

International marine scientists warned it will be vital to protect key marine turtle nesting grounds and areas that may be suitable for turtle nesting in the future to ensure that the marine reptiles have a better chance of withstanding climate change.

In fight against cancer, a closer look at nuclear blebbing

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:16 AM PST

Misshapen cell nuclei are frequently observed in the cells of people with cancer and other diseases, but what causes the abnormality -- and why it is associated with certain disorders -- has remained unclear. Researchers have now developed a mathematical model that clarifies the mechanisms that cause bulges known as "blebs" in cells' nuclear membranes. The work could be a step toward bleb prevention, which may ultimately provide potential therapies for related diseases.

New evidence for link between depression and heart disease

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:16 AM PST

Interleukin-6, an inflammatory biomarker associated with cardiovascular disease, is significantly higher in patients with major depression, a study has found.

Variations within influenza strain may explain varying patient response

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:15 AM PST

Researchers have found variations within H1N1 patients who were hospitalized during the 2009-10 pandemic and identified those that most impacted patients.

When it comes to genetic code, researchers prove optimum isn't always best

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:14 AM PST

Imagine two steel springs identical in look and composition but that perform differently because each was tempered at a different rate. Molecular biologists have shown that concept -- that the speed of creation affects performance -- applies to how a protein they studied impacts an organism's circadian clock function.

Raw meat diet may not be enough for cats (or tigers): Pet owners risk increased pathogens, nutrient imbalances

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:14 AM PST

Should your cat eat steak? Researchers report that raw meat diets can lack important nutrients. Though raw meat is a good source of protein for felines, pet owners need to supplement diets.

Eye movements reveal reading impairments in schizophrenia

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:14 AM PST

A study of eye movements in schizophrenia patients provides new evidence of impaired reading fluency in individuals with the mental illness. The findings could open avenues to earlier detection and intervention for people with the illness.

Reduced risk of preterm birth for pregnant women vaccinated during pandemic flu

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:13 AM PST

Pregnant women who received the H1N1 influenza vaccine during the 2009 pandemic were less likely to have premature babies, and their babies weighed more on average.

Nicotine lozenges, tobacco-free snuff help smokeless tobacco users quit

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:13 AM PST

Smokeless tobacco users who said they didn't want to quit changed their minds or significantly cut back when given nicotine lozenges or tobacco-free snuff in a new study.

Engineering cells for more efficient biofuel production

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:13 AM PST

Yeast research takes a step toward production of alternatives to gasoline.

Males' superior spatial ability likely is not an evolutionary adaptation; Testosterone 'side effect'?

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:13 AM PST

Males and females differ in a lot of traits (besides the obvious ones) and some evolutionary psychologists have proposed hypotheses to explain why. Some argue, for example, that males' slight, but significant, superiority in spatial navigation over females -- a phenomenon demonstrated repeatedly in many species, including humans -- is probably "adaptive," meaning that over the course of evolutionary history the trait gave males an advantage that led them to have more offspring than their peers. A new analysis found no support for this hypothesis.

Quick, efficient chip cleans up common flaws in amateur photographs

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:12 AM PST

Smartphone snapshots could be instantly converted into professional-looking photographs with just the touch of a button, thanks to a new processor chip.

Fungi offers new clues in asthma fight

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:12 AM PST

Hundreds of tiny fungal particles found in the lungs of asthma sufferers could offer new clues in the development of new treatments.

Russian fireball largest ever detected by Comprehensive Nuclear‑Test‑Ban Treaty Organization's infrasound sensors

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:12 AM PST

Infrasonic waves from the meteor that broke up over Russia's Ural mountains last week were the largest ever recorded by the Comprehensive Nuclear‑Test‑Ban Treaty Organization's International Monitoring System. Infrasound is low frequency sound with a range of less than 10 Hz. The blast was detected by 17 infrasound stations in the CTBTO's network, which tracks atomic blasts across the planet. The furthest station to record the sub-audible sound was 15,000km away in Antarctica.

'Growing' medicines in plants requires new regulations, experts say

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:12 AM PST

Scientists say amending an EU directive on GMOs could help stimulate innovation in making vaccines, cheaper pharmaceuticals and organic plastics using plants.

Is there a link between childhood obesity and ADHD, learning disabilities?

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:10 AM PST

A new study has established a possible link between high-fat diets and such childhood brain-based conditions as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and memory-dependent learning disabilities.

Abnormal growth regulation may occur in children with heart defects

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:09 AM PST

The poor growth seen in children born with complex heart defects may result from factors beyond deficient nutrition. A new study by pediatric researchers suggests that abnormalities in overall growth regulation play a role.

Steroid injection may lead to worse outcomes in patients with spinal stenosis

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:09 AM PST

For patients with spinal stenosis, epidural steroid injections (ESI) may actually lead to worse outcomes—- whether or not the patient later undergoes surgery, according to a new study.

Children with auditory processing disorder may now have more treatment options

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:09 AM PST

Researchers are helping children with auditory processing disorder receive better treatment. They have developed a program that uses evidence-based practices and incorporates speech-language pathologists into therapy.

Effects of human exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals examined in landmark United Nations report

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 08:55 AM PST

Many synthetic chemicals, untested for their disrupting effects on the hormone system, could have significant health implications according to the State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and WHO.

'Simplified' brain lets the iCub robot learn language

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:26 AM PST

The iCub humanoid robot will now be able to understand what is being said to it and even anticipate the end of a sentence.

Researchers coat spinal polymer implants with bioactive film to improve bonding with bone

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:25 AM PST

Researchers have for the first time successfully coated polymer implants with a bioactive film. The discovery should improve the success rate of such implants -- which are often used in spinal surgeries.

New insight into dogs' fear responses to noise

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:25 AM PST

A study has gained new insight into domestic dogs' fear responses to noises. The study provides an important insight into dogs' fear of noises, and could improve our understanding of behavioral signs of fear or anxiety.

'Uuneven' global sea-level rise predicted

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:24 AM PST

Sophisticated computer modelling has shown how sea-level rise over the coming century could affect some regions far more than others. The model shows that parts of the Pacific will see the highest rates of rise while some polar regions will actually experience falls in relative sea levels due to the ways sea, land and ice interact globally.

Gene linked to worse outcomes for melanoma

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:24 AM PST

Scientists have identified a gene present in some melanoma which appears to make the tumor cells more resistant to treatment.

New scorpion discovery near metropolitan Tucson, Arizona

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:23 AM PST

Zoologists have discovered a new species of Sky Island scorpion from the Santa Catalina Mountains of Arizona, less than 10 miles from metropolitan Tucson. Amazingly, the discovery was made by a biologist while looking for a completely different animal. The scorpion found "by mistake" adds a fascinating new species to the biodiversity of North America.

Phosphorus starvation linked to symptoms of citrus disease Huanglongbing in new study

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:23 AM PST

The citrus disease Huanglongbing is the most destructive disease threatening the citrus industry worldwide. Powerful diagnostic tools and management strategies are desired to control it. A new study profiled small Ribonucleic Acids from diseased and healthy plants and found that some could potentially be developed into early diagnosis markers.

We know when we're being lazy thinkers: Human thinkers are conscious cognitive misers

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:22 AM PST

A new study shows that human thinkers are conscious cognitive misers. Are we intellectually lazy? Yes we are, but we do know when we take the easy way out, according to a new study. Contrary to what psychologists believe, we are aware that we occasionally answer easier questions rather than the more complex ones we were asked, and we are also less confident about our answers when we do.

It may be educational, but what is that TV show really teaching your preschooler?

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:21 AM PST

Most parents carefully select what television programs and movies their children can watch. But a psychologist says educational shows could come with an added lesson that influences a child's behavior. Children exposed to educational programs were more aggressive in their interactions than those who weren't exposed.

Silencing of retinoblastoma gene found to regulate differentiation of myeloid cells in cancer

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:21 AM PST

Researchers have found a potential mechanism by which immune suppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells can prevent immune response from developing in cancer. This mechanism includes silencing the tumor suppressor gene retinoblastoma 1 or Rb1. Their data explains a new regulatory mechanism by which myeloid-derived suppressor cells are expanded in cancer.

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