ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Global warming 'not slowing down,' say researchers
• 'Double tsunami' doubled Japan destruction
• Ancient dry spells offer clues about the future of drought
• Where is the accurate memory? The eyes have it
• 'Label-free' imaging tool tracks nanotubes in cells, blood for biomedical research
• Marine predators in trouble
• Global winds could explain record rains, tornadoes
• Defensive measures: Toward a vaccine for Ebola
• Neurotransmitter dopamine might improve the treatment of cancer, new study suggests
• Infectious fungus, thought to be asexual, isn't
• Lessons learned from yeast about human leukemia: The power of basic model organisms in human health
• Researchers evaluate rice as a source of fetal arsenic exposure
• Childhood maltreatment associated with cerebral gray matter reductions in adolescents
• Physical fitness trumps body weight in reducing death risks, study finds
• Young women may reduce heart disease risk eating fish with omega 3 fatty acids, study finds
• Memory and attention problems may follow preemies into adulthood
• NASA's Voyager hits new region at solar system edge
• NASA's Kepler confirms its first planet in habitable zone outside our solar system
• Scientists rediscover rarest U.S. bumblebee: Cockerell's Bumblebee was last seen in the United States in 1956
• Proton beam experiments open new areas of research
• Record massive black holes discovered lurking in monster galaxies
• Preoperative aspirin therapy can benefit cardiac surgery patients, study finds
• Giant super-Earths made of diamond are possible, study suggests
• Scientists discover how brain corrects bumps to body
• Early Earth may have been prone to deep freezes, study finds
• Autism may involve disordered white matter in the brain
• Child abuse changes the brain, study finds
• Acquired traits can be inherited via small RNAs
• S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g electrical conductance to the limit
• Climate changes faster than species can adapt, rattlesnake study finds
• When the heat's on, some fish can cope: Certain tropical species have greater capacity to deal with rising sea temperatures than thought
• Astronomers find fastest rotating star
• Study of strong ground motion may show need to modify building codes
• Blood protein EPO involved in origin and spread of cancer
• 'Encouraging' skin cancer discovery
• New biochemical changes found in children with ADHD
• New interface could help Facebook members limit security leaks
• Global warming changes balance between parasite and host in fish
• Tiny genetic variation can predict ovarian cancer outcome
• How muscle fatigue originates in the head
• Researchers find MK1775 active against sarcomas
• Plant seeds protect their genetic material against dehydration

Global warming 'not slowing down,' say researchers Posted: 05 Dec 2011 04:17 PM PST Researchers have added further clarity to the global climate trend, proving that global warming is showing no signs of slowing down and that further increases are to be expected in the next few decades.

'Double tsunami' doubled Japan destruction Posted: 05 Dec 2011 03:19 PM PST Researchers discovered that the destructive tsunami generated by the March 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake was a long-hypothesized "merging tsunami" that doubled in intensity over rugged ocean ridges, amplifying its destructive power before reaching shore. Satellites captured not just one wave front that day, but at least two, which merged to form a single double-high wave far out at sea -- one capable of traveling long distances without losing its power.

Ancient dry spells offer clues about the future of drought Posted: 05 Dec 2011 03:19 PM PST As parts of Central America and the US Southwest endure some of the worst droughts to hit those areas in decades, scientists have unearthed new evidence about ancient dry spells that suggest the future could bring even more serious water shortages. Three researchers have presented new findings about the past and future of drought.

Where is the accurate memory? The eyes have it Posted: 05 Dec 2011 03:19 PM PST The witness points out the criminal in a police lineup. She swears she'd remember that face forever. Then DNA evidence shows she's got the wrong guy. It happens so frequently that many courts are looking with extreme skepticism at eyewitness testimony.

'Label-free' imaging tool tracks nanotubes in cells, blood for biomedical research Posted: 05 Dec 2011 02:02 PM PST Researchers have demonstrated a new imaging tool for tracking structures called carbon nanotubes in living cells and the bloodstream, which could aid efforts to perfect their use in biomedical research and clinical medicine.

Marine predators in trouble Posted: 05 Dec 2011 02:01 PM PST Iconic marine predators such as sharks, tunas, swordfish, and marlins are becoming increasingly rare under current fishing trends, say researchers.

Global winds could explain record rains, tornadoes Posted: 05 Dec 2011 02:01 PM PST Scientists have proposed a common root for an enormous deluge in western Tennessee in May 2010, and a historic outbreak of tornadoes centered on Alabama in April 2011. Both events seem to be linked to a relatively rare coupling between the polar and the subtropical jet streams.

Defensive measures: Toward a vaccine for Ebola Posted: 05 Dec 2011 02:00 PM PST Researchers have made progress toward a vaccine against the deadly Ebola virus. They have demonstrated that a plant-derived vaccine for Ebola provided strong immunological protection in a mouse model. If early efforts bear fruit, an Ebola vaccine could be stockpiled for use in the United States, should the country fall victim to a natural outbreak or a bioterrorism event in which a weaponized strain of the virus were unleashed on soldiers or the public.

Neurotransmitter dopamine might improve the treatment of cancer, new study suggests Posted: 05 Dec 2011 01:59 PM PST A new study found that injections of the neurotransmitter dopamine can improve blood flow to tumors and delivery of an anticancer drug, doubling the amount of drug reaching tumors and increasing its effectiveness. Dopamine also raised tumor oxygen levels, which typically improves the effectiveness of both chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The study suggests a use for dopamine in treating cancer and perhaps other disorders in which normalizing abnormal blood vessels might improve therapeutic responses.

Infectious fungus, thought to be asexual, isn't Posted: 05 Dec 2011 01:59 PM PST Candida tropicalis turns out to have sex, making it the second medically important member of the genus to be capable of mating. Sex may improve the survival of the species, particularly when it's under pressure. It may also mean the species can achieve greater virulence or drug resistance more quickly than previously thought.

Lessons learned from yeast about human leukemia: The power of basic model organisms in human health Posted: 05 Dec 2011 01:59 PM PST The trifecta of biological proof is to take a discovery made in a simple model organism like baker's yeast and track down its analogs or homologs in "higher" creatures right up the complexity scale to people, in this case, from yeast to fruit flies to humans. In a pair of related studies, scientists have hit such a trifecta, closing a circle of inquiry that they opened over a decade ago.

Researchers evaluate rice as a source of fetal arsenic exposure Posted: 05 Dec 2011 01:59 PM PST A new study advances our understanding of the sources of human exposure to arsenic and focuses attention on the potential for consuming harmful levels of arsenic via rice. Arsenic occurs naturally in the environment and in elevated concentrations it can be harmful to human health. Rice is susceptible to arsenic contamination due to its ability to extract arsenic from the environment into the rice plant.

Childhood maltreatment associated with cerebral gray matter reductions in adolescents Posted: 05 Dec 2011 01:51 PM PST Childhood maltreatment is associated with reductions in cerebral gray matter volume, and even if adolescents reporting exposure to maltreatment do not have symptoms that meet full criteria for psychiatric disorders, they may have cerebral gray matter changes that place them at risk for behavioral difficulties, according to a new study.

Physical fitness trumps body weight in reducing death risks, study finds Posted: 05 Dec 2011 01:51 PM PST Maintaining or improving physical fitness is linked to lower death risks even after controlling for BMI change, according to a new study. Becoming less fit is associated with higher death risks, regardless of BMI changes. BMI change was not associated with death risks.

Young women may reduce heart disease risk eating fish with omega 3 fatty acids, study finds Posted: 05 Dec 2011 01:51 PM PST Women who seldom or never eat fish may be increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease by 50 percent or more, according to the first population-based study among younger women. Those who ate fish most often, especially fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids, had 90 percent lower risk than those who ate little or no fish. The link with cardiovascular disease was evident, even among women in their 30s.

Memory and attention problems may follow preemies into adulthood Posted: 05 Dec 2011 01:51 PM PST Babies born at a very low birth weight are more likely to have memory and attention problems when they become adults than babies born at a low to normal weight, according to a new study.

NASA's Voyager hits new region at solar system edge Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:18 AM PST NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has entered a new region between our solar system and interstellar space. Data obtained from Voyager over the last year reveal this new region to be a kind of cosmic purgatory. In it, the wind of charged particles streaming out from our sun has calmed, our solar system's magnetic field is piled up, and higher-energy particles from inside our solar system appear to be leaking out into interstellar space.

NASA's Kepler confirms its first planet in habitable zone outside our solar system Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:10 AM PST NASA's Kepler mission has confirmed its first planet in the "habitable zone," the region around a star where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface. Kepler also has discovered more than 1,000 new planet candidates, nearly doubling its previously known count. Ten of these candidates are near-Earth-size and orbit in the habitable zone of their host star. Candidates require follow-up observations to verify they are actual planets.

Scientists rediscover rarest U.S. bumblebee: Cockerell's Bumblebee was last seen in the United States in 1956 Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:06 AM PST A team of scientists recently rediscovered the rarest species of bumblebee in the United States, last seen in 1956, living in the White Mountains of south-central New Mexico. Known as "Cockerell's Bumblebee," the bee was originally described in 1913 from six specimens collected along the Rio Ruidoso, with another 16 specimens collected near the town of Cloudcroft, and one more from Ruidoso, the most recent being in 1956.

Proton beam experiments open new areas of research Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:06 AM PST By focusing proton beams using high-intensity lasers, a team of scientists has discovered a new way to heat material and create new states of matter in the laboratory. In a new report, researchers unveiled new findings about how proton beams can be used in myriad applications.

Record massive black holes discovered lurking in monster galaxies Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:06 AM PST Astronomers using the Keck, Gemini and MacDonald observatories have discovered the largest black holes to date: Two monsters with masses equivalent to 10 billion suns that are threatening to consume anything, even light, within a region five times the size of our solar system. These monsters may be the remains of quasars that brightened the early universe.

Preoperative aspirin therapy can benefit cardiac surgery patients, study finds Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:06 AM PST Aspirin taken within five days of cardiac surgery is associated with a significant decrease in the risk of major postoperative complications, including renal failure, a lengthy intensive care unit stay and even early death, according to a study by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University and UC Davis Medical Center set to appear in the journal Annals of Surgery.

Giant super-Earths made of diamond are possible, study suggests Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:05 AM PST A planet made of diamonds may sound lovely, but you wouldn't want to live there. A new study suggests that some stars in the Milky Way could harbor "carbon super-Earths" – giant terrestrial planets that contain up to 50 percent diamond. But if they exist, those planets are likely devoid of life as we know it.

Scientists discover how brain corrects bumps to body Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:05 AM PST Researchers have identified the area of the brain that controls our ability to correct our movement after we've been hit or bumped -- a finding that may have implications for understanding why subjects with stroke often have severe difficulties moving.

Early Earth may have been prone to deep freezes, study finds Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:05 AM PST Researchers who have adapted a three-dimensional, general circulation model of Earth's climate to a time some 2.8 billion years ago when the sun was significantly fainter than present think the planet may have been more prone to catastrophic glaciation than previously believed.

Autism may involve disordered white matter in the brain Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:05 AM PST It's still unclear what's different in the brains of people with autism spectrum disorders, but evidence from genetic and cell studies points to abnormalities in how brain cells, connect to each other. A new study now provides visual evidence associating autism with a disorganized structure of brain connections, as well as defects in myelin -- the fatty, insulating coating that helps nerve fibers conduct signals and that makes up the brain's white matter.

Child abuse changes the brain, study finds Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:04 AM PST When children have been exposed to family violence, their brains become increasingly "tuned" for processing possible sources of threat, a new study reports. The findings reveal the same pattern of brain activity in these children as seen previously in soldiers exposed to combat.

Acquired traits can be inherited via small RNAs Posted: 05 Dec 2011 07:27 AM PST Researchers have found the first direct evidence that an acquired trait can be inherited without any DNA involvement. The findings suggest that Lamarck, whose theory of evolution was eclipsed by Darwin's, may not have been entirely wrong.

S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g electrical conductance to the limit Posted: 05 Dec 2011 07:27 AM PST Scientists have developed a method for mechanically controlling the geometry of a single molecule, situated in a junction between a pair of gold electrodes that form a simple circuit. The manipulations produced over tenfold increase in conductivity.

Climate changes faster than species can adapt, rattlesnake study finds Posted: 05 Dec 2011 07:26 AM PST The ranges of species will have to change dramatically as a result of climate change between now and 2100 because the climate will change more than 100 times faster than the rate at which species can adapt, according to a newly published study that focuses on North American rattlesnakes.

When the heat's on, some fish can cope: Certain tropical species have greater capacity to deal with rising sea temperatures than thought Posted: 05 Dec 2011 07:26 AM PST Australian scientists have discovered that some tropical fish have a greater capacity to cope with rising sea temperatures than previously thought – by adjusting over several generations. The discovery sheds a ray of hope amid the rising concern over the future of coral reefs and their fish under the levels of global warming expected to occur by the end of this century.

Astronomers find fastest rotating star Posted: 05 Dec 2011 07:24 AM PST The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope has picked up the fastest rotating star found so far. This massive bright young star lies in our neighboring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud, about 160,000 light-years from Earth. Astronomers think that it may have had a violent past and has been ejected from a double star system by its exploding companion.

Study of strong ground motion may show need to modify building codes Posted: 05 Dec 2011 07:24 AM PST New testing conducted in a steep, mountainous region of Utah, using mining induced events, is providing a new set of data necessary for better predictions on building codes, especially when earthquakes are a factor.

Blood protein EPO involved in origin and spread of cancer Posted: 05 Dec 2011 07:23 AM PST Researchers have demonstrated that a growth hormone, PDGF-BB, and the blood protein EPO are involved in the development of cancer tumors and that they combine to help the tumors proliferate in the body. These new preclinical findings offer new potential for inhibiting tumor growth and bypassing problems of resistance that exist with many drugs in current use.

'Encouraging' skin cancer discovery Posted: 05 Dec 2011 07:23 AM PST Scientists have made an important discovery in the fight against malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

New biochemical changes found in children with ADHD Posted: 05 Dec 2011 07:23 AM PST A new study shows that children with ADHD have nearly 50 percent less of a protein that is important for attention and learning. The finding may mean that there are other biochemical disturbances in the brains of individuals with ADHD than was previously believed.

New interface could help Facebook members limit security leaks Posted: 05 Dec 2011 05:23 AM PST A sign-up interface for Facebook apps could help members prevent personal information -- and their friends' information -- from leaking out through third-party games and apps to hackers and identity thieves.

Global warming changes balance between parasite and host in fish Posted: 05 Dec 2011 05:22 AM PST Worms infecting fish grow four times faster at higher temperatures and manipulate the behavior of fish.

Tiny genetic variation can predict ovarian cancer outcome Posted: 05 Dec 2011 05:22 AM PST Yale Cancer Center researchers have shown that a tiny genetic variation predicts chances of survival and response to treatment for patients with ovarian cancer.

How muscle fatigue originates in the head Posted: 05 Dec 2011 05:16 AM PST Researchers have now studied in detail what sportsmen and women know from experience: The head plays a key role in tiring endurance performances. They have discovered a mechanism in the brain that triggers a reduction in muscle performance during tiring activities and ensures that one's own physiological limits are not exceeded. For the first time, the study demonstrates empirically that muscle fatigue and changes in the interaction between neuronal structures are linked.

Researchers find MK1775 active against sarcomas Posted: 02 Dec 2011 12:57 PM PST MK1775, a small, selective inhibitor molecule, has been found to be active against many sarcomas. This finding suggests that a badly needed new agent against sarcomas -- especially sarcomas affecting children -- may be at hand.

Plant seeds protect their genetic material against dehydration Posted: 02 Dec 2011 06:10 AM PST Plant seeds represent a special biological system: They remain in a dormant state with a significantly reduced metabolism and are thus able to withstand harsh environmental conditions for extended periods. The water content of maturing seeds is lower than ten percent. Researchers have now discovered that the genetic material in seeds becomes more compact and the nuclei of the seed cells contract when the seeds begin to mature. The seeds probably protect their genetic material against dehydration in this way.

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