ScienceDaily: Top News

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• A supercharged protein reduces damage from heart attack
• Planarian genes that control stem cell biology identified
• First evidence of hunting by prehistoric Ohioans (U.S.)
• Vitamin D shrinks fibroid tumors in rats
• Turning off small RNA: New tool designed for breaking the epigenetic code
• Clearer picture of how protein machine systems tweak gene expression
• Bacteria communicate by touch, new research suggests
• Sturdy Scandinavian conifers survived Ice Age
• Ocean acidification rate may be unprecedented, study says
• Generating power from salty water: Unique salt allows energy production to move inland
• How red blood cells get so big -- and the bad things that happen when they don't
• First computer model of how buds grow into leaves
• Antibodies are not required for immunity against some viruses
• How marijuana impairs memory
• Basic molecular 'wiring' of stem cells revealed
• Pioneering research reveals versatile bacterium's secrets
• Protein complex affects cells' ability to move, respond to external cues
• Cell and signaling pathway that regulates the placental blood stem cell niche identified
• Treating brain cancer with viral vector
• Nutrient found in dark meat of poultry, some seafood, may have cardiovascular benefits
• How anesthetic isoflurane induces Alzheimer's-like changes in mammalian brains
• What makes a robot fish attractive? Robot fish moves to the head of the school
• How does nearsightedness develop in children?
• In space and on Earth, why build it, when a robot can build it for you?
• Groundbreaking discovery on stem cell regulation
• Study of wildfire trends in Northwestern California shows no increase in severity over time
• Carbon dioxide catchers: New tools for identifying effective carbon capture technologies
• Fancy footwork and non-stick leg coating helps spiders not stick to their own webs
• Depression: An evolutionary byproduct of immune system?
• Leatherback turtle migration study identifies Pacific danger zones for endangered species
• Floor of oldest fossilized forest discovered: 385 million years old
• Promising approach to preventing Alzheimer's
• Bacteria tend leafcutter ants' gardens
• Two new extinct camel species discovered at Panama Canal excavation
• In what ways does lead damage the brain? It derails the brain's center for learning
• Nanofiber breakthrough holds promise for medicine and microprocessors
• Exotic material boosts electromagnetism safely

A supercharged protein reduces damage from heart attack Posted: 01 Mar 2012 03:09 PM PST Researchers have tapped into the body's own repair system to protect heart cells after an attack. In the study mice were bred to make a supercharged version of the protein focal adhesion kinase, or FAK.

Planarian genes that control stem cell biology identified Posted: 01 Mar 2012 03:09 PM PST Devising a novel method to identify potential genetic regulators in planarian stem cells, scientists have determined which of those genes affect the two main functions of stem cells.

First evidence of hunting by prehistoric Ohioans (U.S.) Posted: 01 Mar 2012 03:07 PM PST Cut marks found on Ice Age bones indicate that humans in Ohio hunted or scavenged earlier than previously known. A series of 41 incisions appear on an animal's left femur. Radiocarbon dating of the femur bone estimates its age to be between 13,435 to 13,738 years old. Microscopic analyses of the cut marks revealed that stone tools made the marks.

Vitamin D shrinks fibroid tumors in rats Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:37 AM PST Treatment with vitamin D reduced the size of uterine fibroids in laboratory rats predisposed to developing the benign tumors, reported researchers.

Turning off small RNA: New tool designed for breaking the epigenetic code Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:37 AM PST Scientists have known for years that minuscule strings of genetic material called small RNA are critically important to our genetic makeup, but finding out what they do hasn't been easy. Now scientists have developed a way to turn off small RNAs and find out just how important they can be.

Clearer picture of how protein machine systems tweak gene expression Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:37 AM PST Biologists have found that specific types of RNA polymerase enzymes, the molecular machines that convert DNA into RNA, can differ in function based on variation in the parts -- in this case protein subunits -- used to assemble those machines.

Bacteria communicate by touch, new research suggests Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:37 AM PST What if bacteria could talk to each other? What if they had a sense of touch? A new study suggests both, and theorizes that such cells may, in fact, need to communicate in order to perform certain functions.

Sturdy Scandinavian conifers survived Ice Age Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:37 AM PST Until now, it was presumed that the last glacial period denuded the Scandinavian landscape of trees until a gradual return of milder weather began and melted away the ice cover some 9,000 years ago. New research shows that some Scandinavian conifers survived the inhospitable ice age climate likely for several thousands of years.

Ocean acidification rate may be unprecedented, study says Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:37 AM PST The world's oceans may be turning acidic faster today from human carbon emissions than they did during four major extinctions in the last 300 million years, when natural pulses of carbon sent global temperatures soaring, says a new study. The study is the first of its kind to survey the geologic record for evidence of ocean acidification over this vast time period.

Generating power from salty water: Unique salt allows energy production to move inland Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:37 AM PST Production of energy from the difference between salt water and fresh water is most convenient near the oceans, but now, using an ammonium bicarbonate salt solution, researchers can combine bacterial degradation of waste water with energy extracted from the salt-water fresh-water gradient to produce power anywhere.

How red blood cells get so big -- and the bad things that happen when they don't Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:34 AM PST Researchers have discovered how megakaryocytes -- giant blood cells that produce wound-healing platelets -- manage to grow 10 to 15 times larger than other blood cells. The findings also hint at how a malfunction in this process may cause a form of leukemia.

First computer model of how buds grow into leaves Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:34 AM PST Leaves come in all shapes and sizes. Scientists have discovered the simple rules that control leaf shape during growth. Using this "recipe," they have developed the first computer model able to accurately emulate leaf growth from a bud.

Antibodies are not required for immunity against some viruses Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:34 AM PST A new study turns the well established theory that antibodies are required for antiviral immunity upside down and reveals that an unexpected partnership between the specific and non-specific divisions of the immune system is critical for fighting some types of viral infections. The research may lead to a new understanding of the best way to help protect those exposed to potentially lethal viruses, such as the rabies virus.

How marijuana impairs memory Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:34 AM PST A major downside of the medical use of marijuana is the drug's ill effects on working memory, the ability to transiently hold and process information for reasoning, comprehension and learning. Researchers provide new insight into the source of those memory lapses. The answer comes as quite a surprise: Marijuana's major psychoactive ingredient (THC) impairs memory independently of its direct effects on neurons.

Basic molecular 'wiring' of stem cells revealed Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:34 AM PST Scientists have created the first ever blueprint of how stem cells are wired to respond to the external signaling molecules to which they are constantly exposed. The finding, which reconciles years of conflicting results from labs across the world, gives scientists the ability to precisely control the development, or differentiation, of stem cells into specific cell types.

Pioneering research reveals versatile bacterium's secrets Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:33 AM PST Ground-breaking research will help to make one of the most versatile of bacteria even more useful to society and the environment. Though it lives naturally in the soil, the bacterium Bacillus subtilis is widely used as a model laboratory organism. It is also used as a 'cell factory' to produce vitamins for the food industry and, in biotechnology, to produce enzymes such as those used in washing powders.

Protein complex affects cells' ability to move, respond to external cues Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:33 AM PST Scientists have explained for the first time how a long-studied protein complex affects cell migration and how external cues affect cell's ability to migrate.

Cell and signaling pathway that regulates the placental blood stem cell niche identified Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:33 AM PST Stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individual's lifetime.

Treating brain cancer with viral vector Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:29 AM PST Surgeons are now starting to treat patients with recurrent brain cancer by directly injecting an investigational viral vector into their tumor.

Nutrient found in dark meat of poultry, some seafood, may have cardiovascular benefits Posted: 01 Mar 2012 08:33 AM PST A nutrient found in the dark meat of poultry may provide protection against coronary heart disease in women with high cholesterol, according to a new study.

How anesthetic isoflurane induces Alzheimer's-like changes in mammalian brains Posted: 01 Mar 2012 08:33 AM PST The association of the inhaled anesthetic isoflurane with Alzheimer's-disease-like changes in mammalian brains may by caused by the drug's effects on mitochondria, the structures in which most cellular energy is produced.

What makes a robot fish attractive? Robot fish moves to the head of the school Posted: 01 Mar 2012 08:33 AM PST Probing the largely unexplored question of what characteristics make a leader among schooling fish, researchers have discovered that by mimicking nature, a robotic fish can transform into a leader of live ones. In early experiments aimed at understanding how a robot could potentially lead wildlife from danger, the researchers were intrigued to find that their biomimetic robotic fish could not only infiltrate and be accepted by the swimmers, but actually assume a leadership role.

How does nearsightedness develop in children? Posted: 01 Mar 2012 08:32 AM PST Myopia (nearsightedness) develops in children when the lens stops compensating for continued growth of the eye, according to a new study.

In space and on Earth, why build it, when a robot can build it for you? Posted: 01 Mar 2012 08:32 AM PST Like something straight out of "Star Wars," armies of robots could nimbly be crawling up towers and skyscrapers to make repairs in the not-so-distant future, so humans don't have to.

Groundbreaking discovery on stem cell regulation Posted: 01 Mar 2012 07:39 AM PST Scientists have for the first time, identified that precise regulation of polyamine levels is critical for embryonic stem cell (ESC) self-renewal -- the ability of ESCs to divide indefinitely -- and directed differentiation. This paper is crucial for better understanding of ESC regulation.

Study of wildfire trends in Northwestern California shows no increase in severity over time Posted: 01 Mar 2012 07:39 AM PST Even though wildfires have increased in size over time, they haven't necessarily grown in severity nor had corresponding negative impacts to the ecosystem, according to a recent study.

Carbon dioxide catchers: New tools for identifying effective carbon capture technologies Posted: 01 Mar 2012 07:39 AM PST Using techniques from drug discovery, and state-of-the-art advances in mathematics, computational algorithms and supercomputing, researchers have developed a tool for identifying the most efficient porous materials for CO2.

Fancy footwork and non-stick leg coating helps spiders not stick to their own webs Posted: 01 Mar 2012 07:38 AM PST Researchers asked why spiders do not stick to their own sticky webs. Repeating old, widely quoted but poorly documented studies with modern equipment and techniques, they discovered that spiders' legs are protected by a covering of branching hairs and by a non-stick chemical coating and that they modify their behavior to avoid getting stuck.

Depression: An evolutionary byproduct of immune system? Posted: 01 Mar 2012 07:37 AM PST Depression is common enough -- afflicting one in ten adults in the United States -- that it seems the possibility of depression must be "hard-wired" into our brains. This has led biologists to propose several theories to account for how depression, or behaviors linked to it, can somehow offer an evolutionary advantage. Some previous proposals for the role of depression in evolution have focused on how it affects behavior in a social context. A pair of psychiatrists addresses this puzzle in a different way, tying together depression and resistance to infection. They propose that genetic variations that promote depression arose during evolution because they helped our ancestors fight infection.

Leatherback turtle migration study identifies Pacific danger zones for endangered species Posted: 01 Mar 2012 07:37 AM PST The majestic leatherback turtle is the largest sea turtle in the world, growing to more than 6 feet in length. It is also one of the most threatened. A major new study of migration patterns has identified high-use areas -- potential danger zones -- in the Pacific Ocean for this critically endangered species. This new understanding could help inform decisions about fishing practices to help reduce further deaths of this fragile species.

Floor of oldest fossilized forest discovered: 385 million years old Posted: 01 Mar 2012 07:27 AM PST The floor of the world's oldest forest has been unearthed. Scientists are now piecing together a view of this ancient site, dating back about 385 million years ago, which could shed new light on the role of modern-day forests and their impact on climate change.

Promising approach to preventing Alzheimer's Posted: 01 Mar 2012 07:27 AM PST As scientists struggle to find an effective way to prevent Alzheimer's disease, researchers may have found a new approach to interrupting the process that leads to the devastating disease.

Bacteria tend leafcutter ants' gardens Posted: 01 Mar 2012 05:41 AM PST New research points to two important roles for bacteria that live in the underground fungal gardens of leafcutter ants: they help decompose leaves that ants bring to the gardens and play a major role in turning those leaves into nutrients for both ants and the fungi. The findings could help researchers studying fungal enzymes to convert plants into biofuel.

Two new extinct camel species discovered at Panama Canal excavation Posted: 29 Feb 2012 09:11 AM PST The discovery of two new extinct camel species sheds new light on the history of the tropics, a region containing more than half the world's biodiversity and some of its most important ecosystems.

In what ways does lead damage the brain? It derails the brain's center for learning Posted: 29 Feb 2012 07:51 AM PST Exposure to lead wreaks havoc in the brain, with consequences that include lower IQ and reduced potential for learning. But the precise mechanism by which lead alters nerve cells in the brain has largely remained unknown. New research has used high-powered fluorescent microscopy and other advanced techniques to painstakingly chart the varied ways lead inflicts its damage.

Nanofiber breakthrough holds promise for medicine and microprocessors Posted: 29 Feb 2012 07:51 AM PST A new method for creating nanofibers made of proteins promises to greatly improve drug delivery methods, aid in regenerating human tissue, and pave the way to an organic method of building nanofibers for tiny, powerful microprocessors. Researchers have discovered how to make nanofibers using the COMP protein found in human cartilage. By adding different metal ions, researchers found the fibers would absorb or release drug molecules.

Exotic material boosts electromagnetism safely Posted: 29 Feb 2012 07:51 AM PST Using exotic man-made materials, scientists believe they can greatly enhance the forces of electromagnetism, one of the four fundamental forces of nature, without harming living beings or damaging electrical equipment.

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