ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Researchers test sugary solution to Alzheimer's disease
• Stopping hormone therapy might help breast cancer to regress
• Elephant behavior and conservation issues
• New 'magnetic yeast' marks step toward harnessing Nature's magnetic capabilities
• Molecular duo dictate human weight and energy levels
• Searching for the first stars
• Potential solution to melanoma's resistance to vemurafenib
• Toppling Raman shift in supercritical carbon dioxide: Vibrational mix shines new light on carbon sequestration measurements
• Open your eyes and smell the roses: Activating the visual cortex improves our sense of smell
• Mysterious electron acceleration explained: Computer simulation identifies source of aurora-causing high-speed electrons in space
• Mutated plants may be better for biofuels
• Eat your broccoli: Another mechanism discovered by which sulforaphane prevents cancer
• Lake Chad: Inhabitants adapt to lower water levels
• Nowhere to hide: Tigers threatened by human destruction of groundcover
• Developing sustainable power
• Cold air chills heart's oxygen supply, making snow shoveling dangerous for some people
• Overfishing threatens the survival of seabirds
• The Brazilian rainforest : Caught between biodiversity and business
• Initial genetic analysis reveals Iceman Ötzi predisposed to cardiovascular disease
• Newly emerging staph strain transits more easily among humans
• Study compares traits of autism, schizophrenia
• Stress changes how people make decisions
• Better health another reason for getting a degree
• Eye movement not engaged in 'arms race'
• Tomb exploration reveals first archaeological evidence of Christianity from the time of Jesus
• How cells make the most of limited resources
• Sperm cannot detect smells: End of 'Lily of the Valley phenomenon' in sperm research?
• How the brain responds to deceptive advertising
• Direct measurement of the formation length of photons
• New measuring techniques can improve efficiency, safety of nanoparticles
• World's smallest radio stations: Two molecules communicate via single photons
• Optogenetic tool elucidated: Opening of the ion channel with light
• How accurate are rapid flu tests?
• How immune system's 'first responders' target infection
• Ice Age coyotes were supersized compared to coyotes today, fossil study reveals

Researchers test sugary solution to Alzheimer's disease Posted: 28 Feb 2012 04:10 PM PST Slowing or preventing the development of Alzheimer's disease, a fatal brain condition expected to hit one in 85 people globally by 2050, may be as simple as ensuring a brain protein's sugar levels are maintained, according to researchers.

Stopping hormone therapy might help breast cancer to regress Posted: 28 Feb 2012 04:09 PM PST As soon as women quit hormone therapy, their rates of new breast cancer decline, supporting the hypothesis that stopping hormones can lead to tumor regression, according to a new report.

Elephant behavior and conservation issues Posted: 28 Feb 2012 04:09 PM PST Researchers are using fieldwork and genetics research to uncover insights into elephant population genetics and social behavior as well as how human activities alter elephants' social and genetic structures.

New 'magnetic yeast' marks step toward harnessing Nature's magnetic capabilities Posted: 28 Feb 2012 04:09 PM PST Researchers have developed a method for inducing magnetic sensitivity in an organism that is not naturally magnetic -- yeast. Their technology could potentially be used to magnetize a variety of different cell types in medical, industrial and research applications.

Molecular duo dictate human weight and energy levels Posted: 28 Feb 2012 04:09 PM PST Researchers have discovered a key cellular mechanism that may help the brain control how much we eat, what we weigh, and how much energy we have.

Searching for the first stars Posted: 28 Feb 2012 03:58 PM PST How did the first stars and galaxies bring the young universe out of its dark ages and into the light? Three prominent researchers discuss how new instruments and observational techniques may find the answer.

Potential solution to melanoma's resistance to vemurafenib Posted: 28 Feb 2012 03:58 PM PST Researchers have found that the XL888 inhibitor can prevent resistance to the chemotherapy drug vemurafenib, commonly used for treating patients with melanoma.

Toppling Raman shift in supercritical carbon dioxide: Vibrational mix shines new light on carbon sequestration measurements Posted: 28 Feb 2012 03:55 PM PST Just as a wine glass vibrates and sometimes breaks when a diva sings the right note, carbon dioxide vibrates when light or heat serenades it. When it does, carbon dioxide exhibits a vibrational puzzle known as Fermi resonance. Now, researchers studying geologic carbon storage have learned a bit more about the nature of carbon dioxide.

Open your eyes and smell the roses: Activating the visual cortex improves our sense of smell Posted: 28 Feb 2012 03:55 PM PST A new study reveals for the first time that activating the brain's visual cortex with a small amount of electrical stimulation actually improves our sense of smell.

Mysterious electron acceleration explained: Computer simulation identifies source of aurora-causing high-speed electrons in space Posted: 28 Feb 2012 12:22 PM PST A mysterious phenomenon detected by space probes has finally been explained, thanks to a massive computer simulation that was able to precisely align with details of spacecraft observations. The simulation shows that an active region in Earth's magnetotail, where "reconnection" events take place in the magnetic field, is roughly 1,000 times larger than had been thought.

Mutated plants may be better for biofuels Posted: 28 Feb 2012 12:21 PM PST A new study says genetic mutations in plants could make it easier to break down plant cellulose to the sugars that are fermented into biofuels.

Eat your broccoli: Another mechanism discovered by which sulforaphane prevents cancer Posted: 28 Feb 2012 11:05 AM PST Researchers have discovered yet another reason why the "sulforaphane" compound in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables is so good for you -- it provides not just one, but two ways to prevent cancer through the complex mechanism of epigenetics.

Lake Chad: Inhabitants adapt to lower water levels Posted: 28 Feb 2012 11:05 AM PST Lake Chad used to be one of the biggest lakes in the world, but its volume has been reduced to a tenth of what it was in the 1960s. The way this lake has dried up has become a symbol of climate change in action. It's true that the lake's water level has always changed, but this hasn't diminished the major changes to the lifestyle of the inhabitants of the lake's shoreline.

Nowhere to hide: Tigers threatened by human destruction of groundcover Posted: 28 Feb 2012 11:05 AM PST A new study is the first of its kind to systematically investigate the use of different land cover types for tiger habitat.

Developing sustainable power Posted: 28 Feb 2012 09:39 AM PST Scientists suggest that renewable energy is a viable option for electrical power in developing and emerging nations. Researchers point out that in most of these nations, the demand for energy far exceeds the generating capacity.

Cold air chills heart's oxygen supply, making snow shoveling dangerous for some people Posted: 28 Feb 2012 09:39 AM PST People with heart disease may not be able to compensate for their bodies' higher demand for oxygen when inhaling cold air, according to researchers, making snow shoveling and other activities dangerous for some.

Overfishing threatens the survival of seabirds Posted: 28 Feb 2012 09:38 AM PST From gannets to seagulls, puffins to penguins, all seabirds suffer the same drop in birth rates when the supply of fish drops to less than a third of maximum capacity. Below the critical level of one third of the fish biomass, the birds — and the stability of the entire ecosystem —- come under threat.

The Brazilian rainforest : Caught between biodiversity and business Posted: 28 Feb 2012 09:38 AM PST Brazil is exporting more and more agricultural produce: soya beans and beef in particular, but also corn, rice and sugar. Taken together, these exports represent half of Brazil's total today. The increase in the export of commodities brings both a higher degree of economic dependency and a threat to the Amazon rainforest.

Initial genetic analysis reveals Iceman Ötzi predisposed to cardiovascular disease Posted: 28 Feb 2012 09:38 AM PST The famous Iceman mummy known as Ötzi was genetically predisposed to cardiovascular diseases, according to recent studies. Not only was this genetic predisposition demonstrable in the 5,000-year-old ice mummy, there was also already a symptom in the form of arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.

Newly emerging staph strain transits more easily among humans Posted: 28 Feb 2012 08:43 AM PST Using genome sequencing and household surveillance, scientists have pieced together how a newly emerging type of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria has adapted to transmit more easily among humans. Their new study underscores the need for vigilance in surveillance of S. aureus.

Study compares traits of autism, schizophrenia Posted: 28 Feb 2012 08:43 AM PST A professor is studying the differences between the social impairments found in autism and schizophrenia to help develop better treatments for people with both disorders. Autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia are distinct disorders with unique characteristics, but they share similarities in social dysfunction.

Stress changes how people make decisions Posted: 28 Feb 2012 08:43 AM PST Trying to make a big decision while you're also preparing for a scary presentation? You might want to hold off on that. Feeling stressed changes how people weigh risk and reward. A new article published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, reviews how, under stress, people pay more attention to the upside of a possible outcome.

Better health another reason for getting a degree Posted: 28 Feb 2012 08:40 AM PST Attaining at least a bachelor's degree after 25 years of age is associated with better midlife health, new research shows.

Eye movement not engaged in 'arms race' Posted: 28 Feb 2012 08:40 AM PST We make our eye movements earlier or later in order to coordinate with movements of our arms, neuroscientists have found. Their study points to a mechanism in the brain that allows for this coordination and may have implications for rehabilitation and prosthetics.

Tomb exploration reveals first archaeological evidence of Christianity from the time of Jesus Posted: 28 Feb 2012 07:21 AM PST An examination via robotic camera of an Herodian era tomb near Jerusalem has yielded ossuary engravings that strongly imply Christian culture, including an icon that seems to invoke the Jonah story, the most popular icon in third century CE Roman tomb -- previously the earliest Christian images. The tomb is in close proximity to the controversial "Jesus Tomb," which contained an ossuary engraved "Jesus son of Joseph."

How cells make the most of limited resources Posted: 28 Feb 2012 07:20 AM PST The bacterium that causes atypical pneumonia is helping scientists uncover how cells make the most of limited resources. By measuring all the proteins this bacterium produces, scientists have found that the secret is fine-tuning.

Sperm cannot detect smells: End of 'Lily of the Valley phenomenon' in sperm research? Posted: 28 Feb 2012 07:20 AM PST Scientists have now discovered that sperm do not function like olfactory cells -- a finding that casts doubt on the assumption that scents play a role in fertilization.

How the brain responds to deceptive advertising Posted: 28 Feb 2012 07:20 AM PST Several specific regions of our brains are activated in a two-part process when we are exposed to deceptive advertising, according to new research. The work opens the door to further research that could help us understand how brain injury and aging may affect our susceptibility to fraud or misleading marketing.

Direct measurement of the formation length of photons Posted: 28 Feb 2012 07:20 AM PST How long does it take an electron to form a photon? The answer would normally be: so short a time that it cannot be measured. However, the scientists responsible for experiment NA63 have now succeeded in dragging out the process, thereby making it measurable.

New measuring techniques can improve efficiency, safety of nanoparticles Posted: 28 Feb 2012 07:20 AM PST Using high-precision microscopy and X-ray scattering techniques, researchers have gained eye-opening insights into the process of applying green chemistry to nanotechnology that results in high yields, improves efficiency and dramatically reduces waste and potential negative exposure to human health or the environment.

World's smallest radio stations: Two molecules communicate via single photons Posted: 28 Feb 2012 07:17 AM PST We know since the dawn of modern physics that although events in our everyday life can be described by classical physics, the interaction of light and matter is down deep governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. Despite this century-old wisdom, accessing truly quantum mechanical situations remains nontrivial, fascinating and noteworthy even in the laboratory. Recently, interest in this area has been boosted beyond academic curiosity because of the potential for more efficient and novel forms of information processing.

Optogenetic tool elucidated: Opening of the ion channel with light Posted: 28 Feb 2012 07:17 AM PST Controlling nerve cells with the aid of light: this is made possible by optogenetics. It enables, for example, the investigation of neurobiological processes with unprecedented spatial and temporal precision. Biophysicists have now succeeded in explaining the switching mechanism.

How accurate are rapid flu tests? Posted: 27 Feb 2012 05:47 PM PST A new study has put the accuracy of rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) under the microscope. The meta-analysis of 159 studies showed three key findings: that RIDTs can be used to confirm the flu, but not to rule it out; that test accuracy is higher in children than it is in adults; and that RIDTs are better at detecting the more common influenza A virus than they are at detecting influenza B.

How immune system's 'first responders' target infection Posted: 27 Feb 2012 01:28 PM PST Researchers have discovered previously unsuspected aspects of the chemokine guidance system used by the body's first line of defense against infection.

Ice Age coyotes were supersized compared to coyotes today, fossil study reveals Posted: 27 Feb 2012 12:27 PM PST Coyotes today are pint-sized compared to their Ice Age counterparts, finds a new fossil study. Between 11,500 and 10,000 years ago -- a mere blink of an eye in geologic terms -- coyotes shrunk to their present size. The sudden shrinkage was most likely a response to dwindling food supply and changing interactions with competitors, rather than warming climate, researchers say.

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