ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Genetic mutation implicated in 'broken' heart
• Smoking cessation meds shows promise as alcoholism treatment, study suggests
• Drinking alcohol shrinks critical brain regions in genetically vulnerable mice
• How fast you walk and your grip in middle age may predict dementia, stroke risk
• Autoinjectors offer way to treat prolonged seizures
• Low molecular weight heparin use in cancer treatment
• Boiling breakthrough: Nano-coating doubles rate of heat transfer
• New 'soft' motor made from artificial muscles
• Virtual ghost imaging: New technique enables imaging even through highly adverse conditions
• In new mass-production technique, robotic insects spring to life
• Time of year important in projections of climate change effects on ecosystems
• Traumatic brain injury linked to post-traumatic stress disorder, study suggests
• Extreme summer temperatures occur more frequently in U.S. now, analysis shows
• Dust from industrial-scale processing of nanomaterials carries high explosion risk
• Computer sleuthing helps unravel RNA's role in cellular function
• Climate change may increase risk of water shortages in hundreds of US counties by 2050
• Out of Africa? Data fail to support language origin in Africa
• Psychiatric diagnoses: Why no one is satisfied
• Plasmas torn apart: Discovery hints at origin of phenomena like solar flares
• Hospitalization of US underage drinkers common, costs $755 million a year
• Stem cell study in mice offers hope for treating heart attack patients
• Great eruption replay: Astronomers watch delayed broadcast of powerful stellar eruption
• Prions play powerful role in the survival and evolution of wild yeast strains
• Lava formations in Western U.S. linked to rip in giant slab of Earth
• Protein may play role in obesity, diabetes, aging
• Black hole came from a shredded galaxy
• Children may have highest exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles, found in candy and other products
• New defense mechanism against viruses and cancer identified
• In the mouth, smoking zaps healthy bacteria
• Diabetes may start in the intestines, research suggests
• Pocket microscope with accessory for ordinary smart phone
• Tiny chameleons discovered in Madagascar: Small enough to stand on the tip of a finger
• Newborn stars emerge from dark clouds in Taurus
• New molecule discovered in fight against allergy
• Virtual reality supports planning by architects
• New clues about how cancer cells communicate and grow

Genetic mutation implicated in 'broken' heart Posted: 15 Feb 2012 04:01 PM PST Researchers have found that mutations in a gene called TTN account for 18 percent of sporadic and 25 percent of familial cases of dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart becomes weakened and enlarged and cannot properly pump blood.

Smoking cessation meds shows promise as alcoholism treatment, study suggests Posted: 15 Feb 2012 04:01 PM PST A medication commonly used to help people stop smoking may have an unanticipated positive side effect for an entirely different vice: drinking alcohol. A new study finds that varenicline, sold as Chantix, increases the negative effects of alcohol and therefore could hold promise as a treatment for alcoholism.

Drinking alcohol shrinks critical brain regions in genetically vulnerable mice Posted: 15 Feb 2012 04:00 PM PST Brain scans of two strains of mice imbibing significant quantities of alcohol reveal serious shrinkage in some brain regions -- but only in mice lacking a particular type of receptor for dopamine, the brain's "reward" chemical. The study provides new evidence that these dopamine receptors may play a protective role against alcohol-induced brain damage.

How fast you walk and your grip in middle age may predict dementia, stroke risk Posted: 15 Feb 2012 03:58 PM PST Simple tests such as walking speed and hand grip strength may help doctors determine how likely it is a middle-aged person will develop dementia or stroke.

Autoinjectors offer way to treat prolonged seizures Posted: 15 Feb 2012 03:58 PM PST A mutli-site study offers paramedics a better tool for treating seizures -- autoinjectors were found to be a safe, effective alternative to giving drugs by IV.

Low molecular weight heparin use in cancer treatment Posted: 15 Feb 2012 03:58 PM PST Researchers suggest conclusive answers to key questions on the benefits of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) for cancer patients remain elusive - despite promising results from large studies.

Boiling breakthrough: Nano-coating doubles rate of heat transfer Posted: 15 Feb 2012 12:53 PM PST The old saw that a watched pot never boils may not apply to pots given an ultra-thin layer of aluminum oxide, which researchers have reported can double the heat transfer from a hot surface to a liquid.

New 'soft' motor made from artificial muscles Posted: 15 Feb 2012 12:53 PM PST The electrostatic motor, used more than 200 years ago by Benjamin Franklin to rotisserie a turkey, is making a comeback in a promising new design for motors that is light, soft, and operates without external electronic controllers.

Virtual ghost imaging: New technique enables imaging even through highly adverse conditions Posted: 15 Feb 2012 12:53 PM PST By using some of light's "spooky" quantum properties, researchers have created images of objects that might otherwise be hidden from view.

In new mass-production technique, robotic insects spring to life Posted: 15 Feb 2012 12:53 PM PST A new technique inspired by elegant pop-up books and origami will soon allow clones of robotic insects to be mass-produced by the sheet. Devised by engineers, the ingenious layering and folding process enables the rapid fabrication of not just microrobots, but a broad range of electromechanical devices.

Time of year important in projections of climate change effects on ecosystems Posted: 15 Feb 2012 12:53 PM PST Based on more than 25 years of data, ecologists looked at how droughts and heat waves affect grass growth during different months of the year.

Traumatic brain injury linked to post-traumatic stress disorder, study suggests Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:31 AM PST Scientists have provided the first evidence of a link between a traumatic brain injury and increased susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Extreme summer temperatures occur more frequently in U.S. now, analysis shows Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:31 AM PST Extreme summer temperatures are already occurring more frequently in the United States, and will become normal by mid-century if the world continues on a business as usual schedule of emitting greenhouse gases. By analyzing observations and results obtained from climate models, a new study has shown that previously rare high summertime (June, July and August) temperatures are already occurring more frequently in some regions of the 48 contiguous United States.

Dust from industrial-scale processing of nanomaterials carries high explosion risk Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:31 AM PST With expanded production of nanomaterials fast approaching, scientists are reporting indications that dust generated during processing may explode more easily than dust from other common dust explosion hazards. Their article indicates that nanomaterial dust could explode from a spark with only 1/30th the energy needed to ignite sugar dust — cause of the 2008 Portwentworth, Georgia, explosion that killed 13 people, injured 42 people and destroyed a factory.

Computer sleuthing helps unravel RNA's role in cellular function Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:31 AM PST Computer engineers may have just provided the medical community a new way of figuring out exactly how one of the three building blocks of life forms and functions. They have used a complex computer program to analyze RNA motifs – the subunits that make up RNA.

Climate change may increase risk of water shortages in hundreds of US counties by 2050 Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:30 AM PST More than one in three counties in the US could face a "high" or "extreme" risk of water shortages due to climate change by the middle of the 21st century, according to a new study. The report concluded seven in 10 of the more than 3,100 counties could face "some" risk of shortages of fresh water.

Out of Africa? Data fail to support language origin in Africa Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:30 AM PST Last year, a report claiming to support the idea that the origin of language can be traced to West Africa appeared in Science. The article caused quite a stir. Now a linguist has challenged its conclusions, in a commentary just published in Science.

Psychiatric diagnoses: Why no one is satisfied Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:29 AM PST As the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is revised for the first time since 1994, controversy about psychiatric diagnosis is reaching a fever pitch.

Plasmas torn apart: Discovery hints at origin of phenomena like solar flares Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:29 AM PST Using high-speed cameras to look at jets of plasma in the lab, researchers have made a discovery that may be important in understanding phenomena like solar flares and in developing nuclear fusion as a future energy source.

Hospitalization of US underage drinkers common, costs $755 million a year Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:28 AM PST Hospitalization for underage drinking is common in the United States, and it comes with a price tag -- the estimated total cost for these hospitalizations is about $755 million per year, a new study has found.

Stem cell study in mice offers hope for treating heart attack patients Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:28 AM PST A new stem cell study conducted in mice suggests a novel strategy for treating damaged cardiac tissue in patients following a heart attack. The approach potentially could improve cardiac function, minimize scar size, lead to the development of new blood vessels – and avoid the risk of tissue rejection.

Great eruption replay: Astronomers watch delayed broadcast of powerful stellar eruption Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:28 AM PST Astronomers are watching a delayed broadcast of a spectacular outburst from the unstable, behemoth double-star system Eta Carinae, an event initially seen on Earth nearly 170 years ago.

Prions play powerful role in the survival and evolution of wild yeast strains Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:28 AM PST Scientists have tested nearly 700 wild yeast strains isolated from diverse environments for the presence of known and unknown prion elements, finding them in one third of all strains. All the prions appear capable of creating diverse new traits, nearly half of which are beneficial. These unexpected findings stand as strong evidence against the common argument that prions are merely yeast "diseases" or rare artifacts of laboratory culture.

Lava formations in Western U.S. linked to rip in giant slab of Earth Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:28 AM PST Scientists have proposed mass melting as a new force behind volcanic activity in the Columbia River region.

Protein may play role in obesity, diabetes, aging Posted: 15 Feb 2012 09:39 AM PST Researchers have identified a potent regulator of sensitivity to insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. The new findings may help scientists find better treatments for type II diabetes, obesity and other health problems caused by the body's inability to properly regulate blood sugar.

Black hole came from a shredded galaxy Posted: 15 Feb 2012 09:39 AM PST Astronomers have found a cluster of young, blue stars encircling the first intermediate-mass black hole ever discovered. The presence of the star cluster suggests that the black hole was once at the core of a now-disintegrated dwarf galaxy. The discovery of the black hole and the star cluster has important implications for understanding the evolution of supermassive black holes and galaxies.

Children may have highest exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles, found in candy and other products Posted: 15 Feb 2012 09:38 AM PST Children may be receiving the highest exposure to nanoparticles of titanium dioxide in candy, which they eat in amounts much larger than adults, according to a new study. A new study provides the first broadly based information on amounts of the nanomaterial – a source of concern with regard to its potential health and environmental effects – in a wide range of consumer goods.

New defense mechanism against viruses and cancer identified Posted: 15 Feb 2012 09:37 AM PST Scientists have found a fundamentally new mechanism how our defense system is ramped up when facing a viral intruder. Exploitation of this mechanism in vaccines sparks new hope for better prevention and therapy of infectious diseases and cancer.

In the mouth, smoking zaps healthy bacteria Posted: 15 Feb 2012 09:33 AM PST According to a new study, smoking causes the body to turn against its own helpful bacteria, leaving smokers more vulnerable to disease.

Diabetes may start in the intestines, research suggests Posted: 15 Feb 2012 09:33 AM PST Scientists have made a surprising discovery about the origin of diabetes. Their research suggests that problems controlling blood sugar — the hallmark of diabetes — may begin in the intestines. The new study, in mice, may upend long-held theories about the causes of the disease.

Pocket microscope with accessory for ordinary smart phone Posted: 15 Feb 2012 05:30 AM PST Engineers have developed an optical accessory that turns an ordinary camera phone into a high-resolution microscope. The device is accurate to one hundredth of a millimeter. Among those who will benefit from the device are the printing industry, consumers, the security business, and even health care professionals.

Tiny chameleons discovered in Madagascar: Small enough to stand on the tip of a finger Posted: 15 Feb 2012 05:30 AM PST Four new species of miniaturized lizards have been identified in Madagascar. These lizards, just tens of millimeters from head to tail and in some cases small enough to stand on the head of a match, rank among the smallest reptiles in the world.

Newborn stars emerge from dark clouds in Taurus Posted: 15 Feb 2012 05:30 AM PST A new image from the APEX telescope in Chile shows a sinuous filament of cosmic dust more than ten light-years long. In it, newborn stars are hidden, and dense clouds of gas are on the verge of collapsing to form yet more stars. The cosmic dust grains are so cold that observations at wavelengths of around one millimeter are needed to detect their glow.

New molecule discovered in fight against allergy Posted: 15 Feb 2012 05:29 AM PST Scientists have discovered a new molecule that could offer the hope of new treatments for people allergic to the house dust mite.

Virtual reality supports planning by architects Posted: 15 Feb 2012 05:28 AM PST Even the most exact construction plan lacks many details and design options. The building owner needs imagination to obtain an idea of the constructed building. Now, new 3D video glasses provide a true representation in virtual reality. With the help of integrated high-resolution motion sensors, the virtual environment adapts to the natural movement of the head in real time.

New clues about how cancer cells communicate and grow Posted: 15 Feb 2012 05:28 AM PST Researchers have shown that the communication signals sent around the body by cancer cells, which are essential for the cancer to grow, may contain pieces of RNA – these substances, like DNA, are pieces of genetic code that can instruct cells, and ultimately the body, how to form. The same study also found early indications that these genetic instructions can be intercepted and modified by chemotherapy to help prevent cancer cells growing.

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