ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Tropical plankton invade arctic waters: Researchers see natural cycle, but questions arise on climate change
• New method to find novel connections from gene to gene, drug to drug and between scientists
• New drug could treat Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and brain injury
• Spider-Man adventure similar to actual science
• How a single brain trauma may lead to Alzheimer's disease
• New target for vaccine development in abundant immune cells
• Knee stress studied at tissue, cellular levels
• How a common fungus knows when to attack
• To understand childhood obesity, researchers look to inactive, fat rats
• Human papillomavirus types do not replace others after large-scale vaccination
• Yoga reduces stress; now it's known why
• New probe provides vital assist in brain cancer surgery
• Same adaptations evolve across different insects
• Pulling CO2 from air vital, but lower-cost technology a stumbling block so far, experts say
• Active forest management to reduce fire could help protect northern spotted owl
• How chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increases risk of lung cancer
• Under the right conditions, peptide blocks HIV infection at multiple points along the way
• Reducing traffic at 2008 Olympics yielded large cut in CO₂
• Oral drops for dog allergies pass another hurdle
• Driver of breast cancer stem cell metastasis found
• Locating gold and other minerals: New method uncovers half-million ton mineral deposit in rough mountain terrain
• Colonoscopy screening markedly reduces colorectal cancer incidence and death
• Unprecedented Greenland ice sheet surface melt
• Diets high in salt could deplete calcium in the body
• Solar events blocking Martian satellite signal pinpointed
• Historians discover medieval banking records hidden under coats of arms
• Carnivores: Beware of ticks
• New route for tackling treatment-resistant prostate cancer
• Better understanding of memory retrieval between children and adults
• Surprising link between ice and atmosphere: GPS can now measure ice melt, change in Greenland over months rather than years
• Mindfulness meditation reduces loneliness in older adults, study shows
• Scientists create artificial mother of pearl
• Paving the way to a scalable device for quantum information processing
• Regenerating bone tissue using gene therapy: New method may work with other tissues as well
• Bioactive protein from ancient medicinal plant may help combat melanoma and other cancers
• Reducing CO2: Research shows chemical and economic feasibility for capturing carbon dioxide directly from air
• Breakthrough technology focuses in on disease traits of single cells
• New recruits in the fight against disease: Anti-bacterial 'killing machine' deciphered
• Superfast evolution in sea stars
• Washington's forests will lose stored carbon as area burned by wildfire increases
• Feces fossils show connection between Native-Americans, diabetes: Did fat-hoarding genes develop from the nature of ancient feasts?
• Rodents seem depressed from dim light at night, but it can be reversed
• Using virtual reality an arm up to three or even four times the length of a real arm can be felt as if it was the person’s own arm
• Marine microorganisms hold the key to life on Earth
• Mangroves: A filter for heavy metals
• The new face of El Niño
• Marine protected areas: what is their impact on fishing?
• Bats, a reservoir of resurgent viruses
• Classifying neural circuit dysfunctions using neuroeconomics
• Like an orchestra without a conductor: Technology achieves synchronicity by itself
• Half of CVD deaths in Europe could be avoided with proper regulation, experts say
• Bend or stretch? How stressful is hyperflexion of horses' necks?

Tropical plankton invade arctic waters: Researchers see natural cycle, but questions arise on climate change Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:13 PM PDT For the first time, scientists have identified tropical and subtropical species of marine protozoa living in the Arctic Ocean. Apparently, they traveled thousands of miles on Atlantic currents and ended up above Norway with an unusual -- but naturally cyclic -- pulse of warm water, not as a direct result of overall warming climate, say the researchers. On the other hand: Arctic waters are warming rapidly, and such pulses are predicted to grow as global climate change causes shifts in long-distance currents.

New method to find novel connections from gene to gene, drug to drug and between scientists Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:13 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new computational method that will make it easier for scientists to identify and prioritize genes, drug targets, and strategies for repositioning drugs that are already on the market. By mining large datasets more simply and efficiently, researchers will be able to better understand gene-gene, protein-protein, and drug/side-effect interactions. The new algorithm will also help scientists identify fellow researchers with whom they can collaborate.

New drug could treat Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and brain injury Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:13 PM PDT A new class of drug shows early promise of being a one-size-fits-all therapy for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury by reducing inflammation in the brain. A new study reports when one of the new drugs is given to a mouse genetically engineered to develop Alzheimer's, it prevents the development of the disease when given during a newly identified therapeutic time window.

Spider-Man adventure similar to actual science Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:12 PM PDT A regenerative medicine researcher says that the plot of latest Spider-Man adventure isn't as far-fetched as people might think.

How a single brain trauma may lead to Alzheimer's disease Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:12 PM PDT A study, performed in mice and utilizing post-mortem samples of brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease, found that a single event of a moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) can disrupt proteins that regulate an enzyme associated with Alzheimer's. The new article identifies the complex mechanisms that result in a rapid and robust post-injury elevation of the enzyme in the brain.

New target for vaccine development in abundant immune cells Posted: 24 Jul 2012 01:10 PM PDT White blood cells called neutrophils, which are the first line of defense against infection, play an unexpected role by boosting antibody production, according to researchers. The findings suggest neutrophils have multiple roles within the immune system and function at levels previously unknown to the scientific community. The research provides groundbreaking insight into possible new approaches in vaccine development for blood-borne infections and HIV.

Knee stress studied at tissue, cellular levels Posted: 24 Jul 2012 01:10 PM PDT Scientists are developing virtual models of human knee joints to better understand how tissues and their individual cells react to heavy loads – virtual models that someday can be used to understand damage mechanisms caused by the aging process or by debilitating diseases.

How a common fungus knows when to attack Posted: 24 Jul 2012 12:36 PM PDT Researchers have now shown how a common fungus can adjust its physiology to become harmful in a host with compromised immune status. The study is the first to demonstrate that the hospitality of the host alters gene expression in the fungus Candida albicans.

To understand childhood obesity, researchers look to inactive, fat rats Posted: 24 Jul 2012 12:36 PM PDT A new article reviews dozens of studies on animal models of childhood obesity, suggesting that these models contribute knowledge impossible to attain from human research.

Human papillomavirus types do not replace others after large-scale vaccination Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:45 AM PDT Vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) are now recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for both teenage boys and girls. The vaccine protects against the two most common types of the virus that cause cervical cancer: HPV 16 and 18. Is there a chance that the increased number of people vaccinated might result in an increase of other types of HPV that cause cancer?

Yoga reduces stress; now it's known why Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:45 AM PDT Researchers have shown that practicing a form of yogic meditation for just 12 minutes daily for eight weeks led to a reduction in the biological mechanisms responsible for an increase in the immune system's inflammation response. Inflammation, if constantly activated, can contribute to a multitude of chronic health problems.

New probe provides vital assist in brain cancer surgery Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:45 AM PDT A new probe uses an innovative fluorescence-reading technology to help brain surgeons distinguish cancerous tissue from normal tissue. The probe tool, now already in use for brain surgery, may one day be used for surgeries for a variety of cancers.

Same adaptations evolve across different insects Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:45 AM PDT For years, scientists have questioned whether evolution is predictable, or whether chance events make such predictability unlikely. A new study finds that in the case of insects that developed resistance to a powerful plant toxin, the same adaptations have occurred independently, in separate species in different places and times.

Pulling CO2 from air vital, but lower-cost technology a stumbling block so far, experts say Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:45 AM PDT Emerging techniques to pull carbon dioxide from the air and store it away to stabilize the climate may become increasingly important as the planet tips into a state of potentially dangerous warming, researchers from Columbia University's Earth Institute argue in a paper out this week.

Active forest management to reduce fire could help protect northern spotted owl Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:45 AM PDT The northern spotted owl, a threatened species in the Pacific Northwest, would actually benefit in the long run from active management of the forest lands that form its primary habitat and are increasingly vulnerable to stand-replacing fire.

How chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increases risk of lung cancer Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:45 AM PDT A new study details novel mechanism of increased lung cancer risk due to COPD: long-term oxygen depletion stimulates signals that promote tumor growth.

Under the right conditions, peptide blocks HIV infection at multiple points along the way Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:45 AM PDT Using model cell lines, researchers have shown that human neutrophil peptide 1 effectively prevented HIV entry into cells in multiple ways.

Reducing traffic at 2008 Olympics yielded large cut in CO<sub>2</sub> Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:44 AM PDT China's efforts to reduce pollution for the Beijing Olympics has enabled scientists to quantify traffic impacts on carbon dioxide emissions. New research shows Beijing's lighter traffic achieved a percentage of the emissions cut that would be needed worldwide to prevent warming from exceeding 2 degrees Celsius.

Oral drops for dog allergies pass another hurdle Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:44 AM PDT Placing allergy drops under a dog's tongue can be as effective as allergy injections for controlling skin allergies.

Driver of breast cancer stem cell metastasis found Posted: 24 Jul 2012 10:16 AM PDT Researchers have found that a cancer gene linked to aggressive spread of the disease promotes breast cancer stem cells. The finding implies a new way to target the behavior of these lethal cells.

Locating gold and other minerals: New method uncovers half-million ton mineral deposit in rough mountain terrain Posted: 24 Jul 2012 10:16 AM PDT Despite advances in mining technology, mountain ranges prove notoriously difficult environments in the hunt for valuable minerals. Now a new three-dimensional mapping method is uncovering untold riches.

Colonoscopy screening markedly reduces colorectal cancer incidence and death Posted: 24 Jul 2012 10:16 AM PDT A new study found that colonoscopy with polypectomy significantly reduces colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and CRC-related death in the general population. 12 CRC cases were identified in the screening group of 1,912 patients and 213 cases of CRC were found in the non-screened group of 20,774 patients. One of the 12 persons of the screened individuals with CRC and 51 of the 213 persons of the non-screened individuals with CRC died because of their cancers.

Unprecedented Greenland ice sheet surface melt Posted: 24 Jul 2012 10:16 AM PDT For several days this month, Greenland's surface ice cover melted over a larger area than at any time in more than 30 years of satellite observations. Nearly the entire ice cover of Greenland, from its thin, low-lying coastal edges to its 2-mile-thick center, experienced some degree of melting at its surface, according to measurements from three independent satellites.

Diets high in salt could deplete calcium in the body Posted: 24 Jul 2012 10:16 AM PDT The scientific community has always wanted to know why people who eat high-salt diets are prone to developing medical problems such as kidney stones and osteoporosis. Medical researchers may have solved this puzzle through their work with animal lab models.

Solar events blocking Martian satellite signal pinpointed Posted: 24 Jul 2012 10:14 AM PDT In August of 2005, the Mars Express spacecraft was dutifully sending back data on the stratigraphy of the upper regions of the Martian crust when its signal kept getting interrupted. Scientists wanted to know why. Now, researchers have provided a clear answer.

Historians discover medieval banking records hidden under coats of arms Posted: 24 Jul 2012 08:51 AM PDT A rare accounting document, half-concealed beneath a coat of arms design, has revealed the activities of Italian bankers working in early 15th century London, decades before the capital became a financial powerhouse.

Carnivores: Beware of ticks Posted: 24 Jul 2012 08:51 AM PDT If you are a steak lover, enjoy your meat while you can. A new article explains why if you have been bitten by a tick, you may develop an allergy to red meat.

New route for tackling treatment-resistant prostate cancer Posted: 24 Jul 2012 08:51 AM PDT Scientists have identified a new treatment target for men with advanced prostate cancer that no longer responds to hormone therapy – a stage of the disease which usually proves lethal. They found that the protein paxillin regulates growth in advanced, castration-resistant prostate cancer cells – an important first step towards developing a treatment for men whose cancer prevails even after the most aggressive treatment.

Better understanding of memory retrieval between children and adults Posted: 24 Jul 2012 08:51 AM PDT Neuroscientists are taking a deeper look into how the brain mechanisms for memory retrieval differ between adults and children. While the memory systems are the same in many ways, the researchers have learned that crucial functions with relevance to learning and education differ.

Surprising link between ice and atmosphere: GPS can now measure ice melt, change in Greenland over months rather than years Posted: 24 Jul 2012 08:50 AM PDT Researchers have found a way to use GPS to measure short-term changes in the rate of ice loss on Greenland -- and reveal a surprising link between the ice and the atmosphere above it.

Mindfulness meditation reduces loneliness in older adults, study shows Posted: 24 Jul 2012 08:50 AM PDT For older adults, loneliness is a major risk factor for health problems -- such as cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's -- and death. A new study offers the first evidence that mindfulness meditation reduces loneliness in older adults. Researchers also found that mindfulness meditation lowered inflammation levels, which is thought to promote the development and progression of many diseases.

Scientists create artificial mother of pearl Posted: 24 Jul 2012 08:50 AM PDT Mimicking the way mother of pearl is created in nature, scientists have for the first time synthesized the strong, iridescent coating found on the inside of some mollusks.

Paving the way to a scalable device for quantum information processing Posted: 24 Jul 2012 08:50 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated for the first time a monolithic 3D ion microtrap array which could be scaled up to handle several tens of ion-based quantum bits. The research shows how it is possible to realize this device embedded in a semiconductor chip, and demonstrates the device's ability to confine individual ions at the nanoscale.

Regenerating bone tissue using gene therapy: New method may work with other tissues as well Posted: 24 Jul 2012 08:49 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new method of repairing bone using synthetic bone graft substitute material, which combined with gene therapy, can mimic real bone tissue and has potential to regenerate bone in patients who have lost large areas of bone from either disease or trauma.

Bioactive protein from ancient medicinal plant may help combat melanoma and other cancers Posted: 24 Jul 2012 08:48 AM PDT A protein extracted from the seeds of a legume tree that is native to parts of Asia has been found to inhibit cancer cell growth and also to discourage the spread of melanoma to other parts of the body in animal models. This tree has been used for centuries in traditional medicines.

Reducing CO2: Research shows chemical and economic feasibility for capturing carbon dioxide directly from air Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:46 AM PDT Scientists have recently advanced the case for extracting carbon dioxide directly from the air using newly-developed adsorbent materials.

Breakthrough technology focuses in on disease traits of single cells Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:46 AM PDT Scientists are pioneering a kind of miniaturized laboratory for the investigation of single cells. Known as the Cellarium, this live cell array technology will enable researchers to investigate the detailed behavior of individual cells -- providing unprecedented insights into their role in disease processes.

New recruits in the fight against disease: Anti-bacterial 'killing machine' deciphered Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:46 AM PDT Scientists have discovered the structure and operating procedures of a powerful anti-bacterial killing machine that could become an alternative to antibiotics.

Superfast evolution in sea stars Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:46 AM PDT How quickly can new species arise? In as little as 6,000 years, according to a study of Australian sea stars.

Washington's forests will lose stored carbon as area burned by wildfire increases Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:46 AM PDT Forests in the Pacific Northwest store more carbon than any other region in the United States, but our warming climate may undermine their storage potential. A new study has found that, by 2040, parts of Washington State could lose as much as a third of their carbon stores, as an increasing area of the state's forests is projected to be burned by wildfire.

Feces fossils show connection between Native-Americans, diabetes: Did fat-hoarding genes develop from the nature of ancient feasts? Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:44 AM PDT A new analysis suggests Natives' "thrifty" gene may not have evolved from a feast-and-famine lifestyle, but from high-fiber, low-fat diets in ancient times.

Rodents seem depressed from dim light at night, but it can be reversed Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:44 AM PDT Chronic exposure to dim light at night can lead to depressive symptoms in rodents -- but these negative effects can be reversed simply by returning to a standard light-dark cycle, a new study suggests.

Using virtual reality an arm up to three or even four times the length of a real arm can be felt as if it was the person’s own arm Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:43 AM PDT It is believed that our bodies are fixed and unchangeable except through the slow process of growing and ageing. Over recent years there have been research results that defy this common sense view - it seems that the human brain will quickly accept gross changes in the body - incorporating external objects such as a rubber arm into the body representation, and even whole bodies seen in virtual reality.

Marine microorganisms hold the key to life on Earth Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:43 AM PDT Few people realize that all life on earth evolved from microorganisms in the sea. Microorganisms, or microbes, are those organisms too small to be observed by the human eye and they are everywhere, often in huge numbers. Just one litre of coastal seawater contains up to a billion microbes including thousands of different types.

Mangroves: A filter for heavy metals Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:43 AM PDT A mangrove is a forest consisting of various species of mangrove trees growing with their bases submerged in water, at the interface between land and sea. They cover more than three quarters of tropical coastlines, that is to say almost 200,000km². In New Caledonia, they accounts for almost 80% of the island's western coastline. They act as a buffer zone between the lagoon and the mountain mining areas, rich in metallic elements (iron, manganese, nickel, chrome and cobalt, nearly all toxic pollutants).

The new face of El Niño Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:43 AM PDT Emerging once every two to seven years in the equatorial Pacific, El Niño causes disorder across the globe and for the global economy. But in the past ten years, it has changed its face. It is increasingly taking the form of Modoki, 'similar but different' as it was baptised by the Japanese team who first discovered this less tumultuous cousin that provokes droughts in India and Australia.

Marine protected areas: what is their impact on fishing? Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:43 AM PDT In a context of overfishing of aquatic resources, marine protected areas (MPAs) are tools for protecting biodiversity. These defined marine areas are subject to preservation measures to save habitats necessary for fish reproduction and juvenile growth. What role do they have to play in the management of halieutic resources?

Bats, a reservoir of resurgent viruses Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:42 AM PDT Measles, mumps, pneumonia, influenza and encephalitis in man, Carré's disease in dogs, Ovine Rinderpest (PPR)… all of these diseases are caused by viruses from the same family: Paramyxoviridae. A new study has led to the discovery of more than 60 new species of these dangerous infectious agents, almost double the number previously recorded. This family of highly diverse pathogens affects all animals, from canines to fowl, cattle and humans. As a result, it is not always easy to determine which host is responsible for these viruses. Thanks to testing carried across the globe, the research team has recently discovered their source: bats.

Classifying neural circuit dysfunctions using neuroeconomics Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:41 AM PDT The traditional approach to psychiatric diagnosis is based on grouping patients on the basis of symptom clusters. This approach to diagnosis has a number of problems, as symptoms are not necessarily specific to a single diagnosis. Symptoms may vary among patients with a particular diagnosis, and there are no clear diagnostic biomarkers or tests for psychiatry as there are for other areas of medicine. Scientists have now introduced a new classification scheme for psychiatric symptoms based on the state of a dysfunctional neural circuit.

Like an orchestra without a conductor: Technology achieves synchronicity by itself Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:41 AM PDT Is it possible to sound all the church bells across the country at precisely the same time, without one central agent setting the rhythm? Indeed, it is. Future technologies, such as decentralized control mechanisms for motor vehicle traffic or robot swarms, will increasingly come to rely on the ability to function in a similarly synchronous manner. Researchers have now developed a new method of self-organizing synchronization and have delivered mathematical proof of the systems' guaranteed ability to achieve synchrony under their own power.

Half of CVD deaths in Europe could be avoided with proper regulation, experts say Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:41 AM PDT Up to 50% of deaths from cardiovascular disease in Europe could be avoided by implementing population level changes such as taxation and regulation of advertising, experts say.

Bend or stretch? How stressful is hyperflexion of horses' necks? Posted: 24 Jul 2012 07:41 AM PDT Arguments over how best to train horses have raged for centuries.  Two years ago, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) was even moved to ban the practice of hyperflexion as a result of a petition signed by over 40,000 people claiming that it caused the animals unnecessary discomfort.  The FEI did make a distinction between hyperflexion by the use of extreme force and what it termed "low, deep and round" (LDR), which essentially achieves the same position without force.  How forceful hyperflexion should be distinguished from permissible LDR training was not clearly stated – instead, a working group has been established to come up with an acceptable definition.

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