ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Plants use circadian rhythms to prepare for battle with insects
• Prolonged fructose intake not linked to rise in blood pressure, study suggests
• Link between sodium, calcium and heartbeat illuminated
• Sensing self and non-self: New research into immune tolerance
• First-of-its-kind stem cell study re-grows healthy heart muscle in heart attack patients
• New imaging methods show challenges of identifying cognitive abilities in severely brain-injured patients
• Hearing aid gap: Millions who could benefit remain untreated
• Brain-imaging technique predicts who will suffer cognitive decline over time
• Air pollution linked to cognitive decline in women
• Even moderate air pollution can raise stroke risks
• Radiation treatment generates cancer stem cells from less aggressive breast cancer cells, study suggests
• Neuron memory key to taming chronic pain, new research suggests
• Antibodies to intracellular cancer antigens combined with chemotherapy enhance anti-cancer immunity
• Compound may help in fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs
• Six to nine-month-olds understand the meaning of many spoken words
• Explosive evolution need not follow mass extinctions, study of ancient zooplankton finds
• Fish of Antarctica threatened by climate change
• Love, chocolate good for the heart, says cardiologist
• Newly identified fusion genes in lung and colorectal cancer may guide treatment with 'targeted' drugs
• Mexican-American youth add pounds as they lose native eating habits
• Planck all-sky images show cold gas and strange haze in Milky Way galaxy
• Where big fish take shelter has big impact on their ability to cope with climate change
• New HIV-vaccine tested on people shows limited success
• Children at risk for ingestion of PAHs from pavement sealant, study finds
• In older adults, fluctuating sense of control linked to cognitive ability
• New cases of rare genetic disorder identified
• Prognosis for heart failure patients improving
• Engineers create tandem polymer solar cells that set record for energy-conversion
• Stress in cells activates hepatitis viruses
• Molecular carpet: Startling results in synthetic chemistry
• Good aerobic capacity promotes learning
• Seniors show greater life satisfaction than young people, study suggests
• Overeating may double risk of memory loss
• Over-expression of a protein responsible for neuronal damage in Down's syndrome sufferers

Plants use circadian rhythms to prepare for battle with insects Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:56 PM PST In a study of the molecular underpinnings of plants' pest resistance, biologists have shown that plants use circadian rhythms to both anticipate raids by hungry insects and to time the production of defensive hormones that protect against insect attack. The researchers demonstrated that when the plants' timing was shifted, the plants were defenseless against daytime-feeding caterpillars.

Prolonged fructose intake not linked to rise in blood pressure, study suggests Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:56 PM PST Eating fructose over an extended period of time does not lead to an increase in blood pressure, according to new research.

Link between sodium, calcium and heartbeat illuminated Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:56 PM PST Researchers have revealed, for the first time, one of the molecular mechanisms that regulates the beating of heart cells by controlling the movement of sodium in out of the cells -- and what calcium has to do with it.

Sensing self and non-self: New research into immune tolerance Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:56 PM PST Cancer cells can undergo unchecked proliferation, producing self-antigens that are tolerated by the immune system, rather than being targeted for destruction. At the opposite extreme, autoimmune disorders can result when healthy cells in the body are misidentified as hazards. Researchers now examine how CD8 T cells -- critical weapons in the body's defensive arsenal -- are regulated when they transition from this tolerant state to an activated state and back.

First-of-its-kind stem cell study re-grows healthy heart muscle in heart attack patients Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:54 PM PST Results from a new clinical trial show that treating heart attack patients with an infusion of their own heart-derived cells helps damaged hearts re-grow healthy muscle. Patients who underwent the stem cell procedure demonstrated a significant reduction in the size of the scar left on the heart muscle by a heart attack. Patients also experienced a sizable increase in healthy heart muscle following the experimental stem cell treatments.

New imaging methods show challenges of identifying cognitive abilities in severely brain-injured patients Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:51 PM PST Only by employing complex machine-learning techniques to decipher repeated advanced brain scans were researchers able to provide evidence that a patient with a severe brain injury could, in her way, communicate accurately. Their study demonstrates how difficult it is to determine whether a patient can communicate using only measured brain activity, even if it is possible for them to generate reliable patterns of brain activation in response to instructed commands.

Hearing aid gap: Millions who could benefit remain untreated Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:51 PM PST Though an estimated 26.7 million Americans age 50 and older have hearing loss, only about one in seven uses a hearing aid, according to a new study.

Brain-imaging technique predicts who will suffer cognitive decline over time Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:51 PM PST Scientists have used a brain imaging tool that effectively tracked and predicted cognitive decline over a two-year period. The team had previously developed this tool that can assess the neurological changes associated with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Air pollution linked to cognitive decline in women Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:51 PM PST A large, prospective study indicates that chronic exposure to particulate air pollution may accelerate cognitive decline in older adults.

Even moderate air pollution can raise stroke risks Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:51 PM PST Air pollution, even at levels generally considered safe by federal regulations, increases the risk of stroke by 34 percent, researchers have found.

Radiation treatment generates cancer stem cells from less aggressive breast cancer cells, study suggests Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:51 PM PST Breast cancer stem cells are thought to be the sole source of tumor recurrence and are known to be resistant to radiation therapy and don't respond well to chemotherapy. Researchers report for the first time that radiation treatment -- despite killing half of all tumor cells during every treatment -- transforms other cancer cells into treatment-resistant breast cancer stem cells. Researchers stressed that breast cancer patients should not be alarmed by the study findings and should continue to undergo radiation if recommended by their oncologists.

Neuron memory key to taming chronic pain, new research suggests Posted: 13 Feb 2012 12:41 PM PST Researchers have found the key to understanding how memories of pain are stored in the brain. More importantly, the researchers are also able to suggest how these memories can be erased, making it possible to ease chronic pain.

Antibodies to intracellular cancer antigens combined with chemotherapy enhance anti-cancer immunity Posted: 13 Feb 2012 12:41 PM PST Scientists have confirmed that combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy in cancer treatment enhances the immune system's ability to find and eliminate cancer cells, even when the cancer-associated proteins targeted by the immune system are hidden behind the cancer cell membrane.

Compound may help in fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs Posted: 13 Feb 2012 12:41 PM PST Chemists have created a compound that makes existing antibiotics 16 times more effective against recently discovered antibiotic-resistant "superbugs."

Six to nine-month-olds understand the meaning of many spoken words Posted: 13 Feb 2012 12:40 PM PST At an age when "ba-ba" and "da-da" may be their only utterances, infants nevertheless comprehend words for many common objects, according to a new study.

Explosive evolution need not follow mass extinctions, study of ancient zooplankton finds Posted: 13 Feb 2012 12:40 PM PST Fossil record of graptoloids challenges the theory that immediately after a mass extinction, species develop new physical traits at a rapid pace.

Fish of Antarctica threatened by climate change Posted: 13 Feb 2012 12:40 PM PST A study of the evolutionary history of Antarctic fish and their "anti-freeze" proteins illustrates how tens of millions of years ago a lineage of fish adapted to newly formed polar conditions -- and how today they are endangered by a rapid rise in ocean temperatures.

Love, chocolate good for the heart, says cardiologist Posted: 13 Feb 2012 12:39 PM PST Being involved in a healthy, loving relationship is good for the heart, says a cardiologist. People who are married or who are in close, healthy relationships tend to be less likely to smoke, are more physically active and are more likely to have a well-developed social structure, she said. They are also more likely to have lower levels of stress and anxiety in their day-to-day lives.

Newly identified fusion genes in lung and colorectal cancer may guide treatment with 'targeted' drugs Posted: 13 Feb 2012 12:39 PM PST Novel gene abnormalities discovered in a subpopulation of lung and colorectal tumors could potentially identify patients with a good chance of responding to highly specific "targeted" drugs already in use for treating other cancers, scientists report. The genetic alterations – pieces of two genes fused together - showed up in a massive search of the DNA in stored tumor samples of non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer, said researchers. These specific genetic abnormalities had not been previously linked to the two cancer types.

Mexican-American youth add pounds as they lose native eating habits Posted: 13 Feb 2012 12:39 PM PST Researchers have found that Mexican-American youth gain pounds as they move away from the dietary habits of their native country, a move that is putting them at risk for serious health problems.

Planck all-sky images show cold gas and strange haze in Milky Way galaxy Posted: 13 Feb 2012 11:30 AM PST New images from the Planck mission show previously undiscovered islands of star formation and a mysterious haze of microwave emissions in our Milky Way galaxy. The views give scientists new treasures to mine and take them closer to understanding the secrets of our galaxy.

Where big fish take shelter has big impact on their ability to cope with climate change Posted: 13 Feb 2012 10:41 AM PST The choices big fish make on where to shelter could have a major influence on their ability to cope with climate change, say scientists. In research aimed at understanding the process of fish population decline when coral reefs sustain major damage, scientists have found that big fish show a marked preference for sheltering under large, flat table corals.

New HIV-vaccine tested on people shows limited success Posted: 13 Feb 2012 10:41 AM PST Scientists have tested a new 'therapeutic vaccine' against HIV on volunteers. The participants were 'so to say' vaccinated with their own cells. The immune system of the testees was better than before in attacking and suppressing the virus, the scientists have reported.

Children at risk for ingestion of PAHs from pavement sealant, study finds Posted: 13 Feb 2012 10:41 AM PST Children living near coal-tar-sealed pavement are likely to receive a far higher dose of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from incidental ingestion of house dust than do children living near unsealed pavement, and that dose is more than two times higher than the PAH dose children are estimated to receive from food.

In older adults, fluctuating sense of control linked to cognitive ability Posted: 13 Feb 2012 10:41 AM PST Everyone has moments when they feel more in control of their lives than at other times. New research shows that this sense of control fluctuates more often, and more quickly, than previously thought – and that this sense of control may actively affect cognitive abilities.

New cases of rare genetic disorder identified Posted: 13 Feb 2012 10:41 AM PST Scientists have shown a rare genetic disease, that causes crippling osteoarthritis in the spine and major joints, is far more prevalent worldwide than previously thought.

Prognosis for heart failure patients improving Posted: 13 Feb 2012 10:37 AM PST More than six million American adults suffer from heart failure. But, while the prevalence of this disease has increased over time, there are signs that deaths from it have not and hospitalization rates may be stabilizing as well. Healthcare professionals say this is good news and the future looks even more promising.

Engineers create tandem polymer solar cells that set record for energy-conversion Posted: 13 Feb 2012 10:37 AM PST Researchers in California report that they have significantly enhanced polymer solar cells' performance by building a device with a new "tandem" structure that combines multiple cells with different absorption bands. The device had a certified power-conversion efficiency of 8.62 percent and set a world record in July 2011. After the researchers incorporated a new infrared-absorbing polymer material into the device, the device's architecture proved to be widely applicable and the power-conversion efficiency jumped to 10.6 percent -- a new record -- as certified by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Stress in cells activates hepatitis viruses Posted: 13 Feb 2012 10:35 AM PST Substances which suppress the immune system while simultaneously keeping viral infections in check would be an ideal drug for organ transplant recipients. Scientists have now demonstrated that specific substances with such an activity profile caused a state of stress in cells which promotes the replication of hepatitis B viruses.

Molecular carpet: Startling results in synthetic chemistry Posted: 13 Feb 2012 10:34 AM PST Swiss scientists have created a minor sensation in synthetic chemistry. The team of scientists succeeded for the first time in producing regularly ordered planar polymers that form a kind of 'molecular carpet' on a nanometer scale.

Good aerobic capacity promotes learning Posted: 13 Feb 2012 05:42 AM PST Aerobic fitness has a favorable effect on cognitive functions. For example, physically active elderly people are less prone to aging-related cognitive decline than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. An increase in physical activity raises both aerobic capacity and learning ability in both humans and animals. However, it is not known whether it is the aerobic capacity or the pleasure and enrichment of physical activity that promotes cognitive functions.

Seniors show greater life satisfaction than young people, study suggests Posted: 13 Feb 2012 05:42 AM PST Healthy older adults reported less negative thinking compared to other age groups, leading to greater life satisfaction in seniors. The study examined the complex relationship between aging and factors leading to depression. Research suggests differences in the way age groups think can influence the onset of depression. Sufferers of negative thinking, or brooding, tend to fixate on their problems and feelings without taking action, which can intensify depressive moods and lead to the onset of depression.

Overeating may double risk of memory loss Posted: 13 Feb 2012 05:37 AM PST New research suggests that consuming between 2,100 and 6,000 calories per day may double the risk of memory loss, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), among people age 70 and older. MCI is the stage between normal memory loss that comes with aging and early Alzheimer's disease.

Over-expression of a protein responsible for neuronal damage in Down's syndrome sufferers Posted: 10 Feb 2012 10:32 AM PST A new study reproduced the same morphological and functional patterns of neuronal connections in a transgenic mouse as seen in people with Down's syndrome. Regulating the activity of this protein produced very similar neuronal growth to that in a healthy mouse.

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