ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Complex wiring of the nervous system may rely on a just a handful of genes and proteins
• Putting the squeeze on planets outside our solar system
• C-sections linked to breathing problems in preterm infants, study suggests
• EEG pattern reflects brain's shift into low-energy, protective mode
• New method for creating tissue engineering scaffolds
• Grass to gas: Genome map speeds biofuel development
• Hovering not hard if you're top-heavy
• Fighting crimes against biodiversity: How to catch a killer weed
• Cannabis use doubles chances of vehicle crash
• Metastatic breast cancer hitches a free ride from the immune system
• A novel method for simultaneously measuring blood pressure and arterial stiffness
• Arthritic knees, but not hips, have robust repair response
• Neurologic improvement detected in rats receiving stem cell transplant
• For women with prior cesarean, optimal gestational age for elective delivery is week 39
• Domestic consumption main contributor to Africa's growing E-waste problem
• Phosphate additives pose a risk to health, study suggests
• Four natural extracts with anti-obesity effects tested on rats
• Curry spice component may help slow prostate tumor growth
• New method makes culture of complex tissue possible in any lab
• New integrated building model may improve fish farming operations
• An economic analysis of emerald ash borer management options
• New avenue for treating colon cancer
• Decoding the molecular machine behind E. coli and cholera
• A gentler way of doing brain surgery
• Creativity: Anyone can learn to be more inventive, expert says
• Fuel from market waste
• New technology platform for molecule-based electronics

Complex wiring of the nervous system may rely on a just a handful of genes and proteins Posted: 11 Feb 2012 06:53 AM PST Researchers have discovered a startling feature of early brain development that helps to explain how complex neuron wiring patterns are programmed using just a handful of critical genes. The findings may help scientists develop new therapies for neurological disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and provide insight into certain cancers.

Putting the squeeze on planets outside our solar system Posted: 11 Feb 2012 06:53 AM PST Using high-powered lasers, scientists have discovered that molten magnesium silicate undergoes a phase change in the liquid state, abruptly transforming to a more dense liquid with increasing pressure. The research provides insight into planet formation.

C-sections linked to breathing problems in preterm infants, study suggests Posted: 10 Feb 2012 10:34 AM PST A cesarean delivery, which was thought to be harmless, is associated with breathing problems in preterm babies who are small for gestational age, a new study suggests.

EEG pattern reflects brain's shift into low-energy, protective mode Posted: 10 Feb 2012 10:34 AM PST A distinctive pattern of brain activity associated with conditions including deep anesthesia, coma and congenital brain disorders appears to represent the brain's shift into a protective, low-activity state in response to reduced metabolic energy.

New method for creating tissue engineering scaffolds Posted: 10 Feb 2012 10:33 AM PST Researchers have developed a new method for creating scaffolds for tissue engineering applications, providing an alternative that is more flexible and less time-intensive than current technology.

Grass to gas: Genome map speeds biofuel development Posted: 10 Feb 2012 10:33 AM PST Researchers have taken a major step in the ongoing effort to find sources of cleaner, renewable energy by mapping the genomes of two originator cells of Miscanthus x giganteus, a large perennial grass with promise as a source of ethanol and bioenergy.

Hovering not hard if you're top-heavy Posted: 10 Feb 2012 10:32 AM PST Top-heavy structures are more likely to maintain their balance while hovering in the air than are those that bear a lower center of gravity, researchers have found. Their findings are counter to common perceptions that flight stability can be achieved only through a relatively even distribution of weight—and may offer new design principles for hovering aircraft.

Fighting crimes against biodiversity: How to catch a killer weed Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:12 AM PST Invasive species which have the potential to destroy biodiversity and influence global change could be tracked and controlled in the same way as wanted criminals, according to new research.

Cannabis use doubles chances of vehicle crash Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:12 AM PST Drivers who consume cannabis within three hours of driving are nearly twice as likely to cause a vehicle collision as those who are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol claims a paper published today on bmj.com.

Metastatic breast cancer hitches a free ride from the immune system Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:12 AM PST Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is the most lethal form of breast cancer . It spreads easily through the lymphatic and blood vessels, forming metastasis which can lead to multi-organ failure. New research demonstrates how IBC cells use IL-8, secreted as part of the anti-inflammatory response by a specific set of white blood cells (monocytes), to increase fibronectin expression.

A novel method for simultaneously measuring blood pressure and arterial stiffness Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:12 AM PST Arterial stiffness due to is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease but is very difficult to measure. A new method for measuring arterial stiffness has been developed. This simple, non-invasive, calculation is able to interpret standard oscillometric measurements to quantify both arterial stiffness and blood pressure simultaneously.

Arthritic knees, but not hips, have robust repair response Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:05 AM PST Researchers used new tools they developed to analyze knees and hips and discovered that osteoarthritic knee joints are in a constant state of repair, while hip joints are not.

Neurologic improvement detected in rats receiving stem cell transplant Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:02 AM PST Researchers report that early transplantation of human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells into the lateral ventricles of neonatal rats with birth-related brain damage is possible, and that the donor cells can survive and migrate in the recipient's brain. The study was designed to have the rat's brain damage mimic brain injury in infants with very low birth weight.

For women with prior cesarean, optimal gestational age for elective delivery is week 39 Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:02 AM PST For women with prior delivery via cesarean section the optimal timing of elective delivery for mother and baby is 39 weeks even after consideration of the risk with continuing pregnancy.

Domestic consumption main contributor to Africa's growing E-waste problem Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:00 AM PST new report sheds light on current recycling practices and on socio-economic characteristics of the E-waste sector in West Africa. In the five countries studied, between 650,000 and 1,000,000 tons of domestic E-waste are generated each year, which need to be managed to protect human health and the environment in the region.

Phosphate additives pose a risk to health, study suggests Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:00 AM PST Excessive consumption of phosphate is damaging to health. Therefore, food that contains phosphate additives should be labeled, researchers recommend.

Four natural extracts with anti-obesity effects tested on rats Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:00 AM PST Researchers have identified four plant extracts that might help in preventing and fighting obesity. The researchers identified the most effective plant extracts through in vitro assays; subsequently, extracts were tested on rats. While the results obtained are promising, further studies on animals are required to evaluate and confirm the anti-obesity effects of these extracts. Once their anti-obesity effects are confirmed on animals, the extracts will be tested on humans.

Curry spice component may help slow prostate tumor growth Posted: 10 Feb 2012 07:58 AM PST Curcumin, an active component of the Indian curry spice turmeric, may help slow down tumor growth in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients on androgen deprivation therapy, a new study suggests.

New method makes culture of complex tissue possible in any lab Posted: 09 Feb 2012 02:29 PM PST Scientists have developed a new method for making scaffolds for culturing tissue in three-dimensional arrangements that mimic those in the body. This advance allows the production of tissue culture scaffolds containing multiple structurally and chemically distinct layers using common laboratory reagents and materials.

New integrated building model may improve fish farming operations Posted: 09 Feb 2012 02:29 PM PST Those who have ventured to turn a vacant barn or garage into an aquaculture business have too often been defeated by high energy and feed costs, building-related woes and serious environmental problems. Now researchers are melding building design, fish ecology and aquaculture engineering techniques into a first-of-its-kind "building-integrated aquaculture" (BIAq) model to offer an affordable, more holistic and sustainable approach to indoor fish production located close to markets and able to succeed even in cold climates.

An economic analysis of emerald ash borer management options Posted: 09 Feb 2012 02:29 PM PST A new study examines several options for managing the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect that is destroying US ash trees.

New avenue for treating colon cancer Posted: 09 Feb 2012 02:29 PM PST Cell biologists have uncovered a new insight into colon cancer, the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The team analyzed human colon cancer specimens and found that in nearly 80 percent of them the variants of a gene (HNF4A) are out of balance. This imbalance appears to be the result of a complex, multi-step process by an enzyme (Src kinase).

Decoding the molecular machine behind E. coli and cholera Posted: 09 Feb 2012 02:28 PM PST Scientists have discovered the workings behind some of the bacteria that kill hundreds of thousands every year, possibly paving the way for new antibiotics that could treat infections more effectively.

A gentler way of doing brain surgery Posted: 09 Feb 2012 02:26 PM PST Brain surgery is getting much easier for many patients. Neurosurgeons are using catheters rather than open surgery to repair aneurysms and other defects. Patients recover in a few days, with less chance of cognitive deficits.

Creativity: Anyone can learn to be more inventive, expert says Posted: 09 Feb 2012 02:26 PM PST There will always be a wild, unpredictable quality to creativity and invention, says a cognitive psychology, because reaching an "Aha moment" means leaping tall mental obstacles. But he has developed a tookit for overcoming common roadblocks and improving problem-solving.

Fuel from market waste Posted: 09 Feb 2012 10:58 AM PST Mushy tomatoes, brown bananas and overripe cherries -- to date, waste from wholesale markets has ended up on the compost heap at best. In future it will be put to better use: Researchers have developed a new facility that ferments this waste to make methane, which can be used to power vehicles.

New technology platform for molecule-based electronics Posted: 09 Feb 2012 10:53 AM PST Researchers have developed a new nanotechnology platform for the development of molecule-based electronic components using the wonder material graphene.

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