ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Extreme climate change linked to early animal evolution
• Leptin may play a role in hearing and vision loss, zebrafish study suggests
• 'I'm bored!' -- Research on attention sheds light on the unengaged mind
• Ready for your close-up? Distance at which facial photos are taken influences perception, study shows
• Molecular process in fat cells that influences stress and longevity identified
• Asteroid's troughs suggest stunted planet
• Hurricane Irene polluted Catskills watershed
• Two categories of multiple sclerosis patients defined
• Researchers discover what vampire squids eat: It's not what you think
• Researchers determine how inflammatory cells function, setting stage for future remedies
• Artificially intelligent game bots pass the Turing test on Turing's centenary
• Skip the cake? Neural processes at work during self-regulation identified
• New strategy for battling HIV
• Tracking koala disease: New findings from old DNA
• Exposure to school-age children ups severity of cold infections
• Biologist discovers mammal with salamander-like regenerative abilities
• Gut bacteria could could play key role in development of type 2 diabetes
• Scientists make old muscles young again in attempt to combat aging
• Large 2012 earthquake triggered temblors worldwide for nearly a week
• Pregnancy generates maternal immune-suppressive cells that protect the fetus
• Salt marsh carbon may play role in slowing climate warming
• Magnitude-8.7 quake was part of crustal plate breakup
• Taking the battle against the toxic trio beyond 'Leaves of three, leave it be'
• Protein structure unlocks one mystery of multi-drug tolerance
• Pain pill abuse: Research sheds light on potential habit-forming properties of tramadol
• Reducing acrylamide levels in french fries
• Search for element 113 concluded at last
• More heart patients staying out of hospital thanks to telemonitoring
• How is a Kindle like a cuttlefish? Parallels between e-Paper technology and biological organisms that change color
• New simulation method produces realistic fluid movements
• Melatonin and exercise work against Alzheimer's in mice
• Ancient Buddhist statue made of meteorite, new study reveals
• Blood test accurately detects early stages of lung, breast cancer in humans
• Study pinpoints epigenetic function of common cancer-causing protein: It's not what science thought
• Coral hotspots found in deepwater canyons off northeast US coast
• Robotic surgery through the mouth safe for removing tumors of the voice box, study shows
• Computers match humans in understanding art
• Brain parts can evolve independently, shows analysis of brains of 10,000 mice
• Backpack-toting birds help researchers reveal migratory divide, conservation hotspots
• 3-D images of 300-million-year-old insects revealed
• Rich colors of a cosmic seagull
• Nanotechnology device aims to prevent malaria deaths through rapid diagnosis
• Inner city infants have different patterns of viral respiratory illness than infants in the suburbs
• Using antibodies against immune deficiency
• Slave rebellion is widespread in ants
• Severe hunger increases breast cancer risk in war survivors, study suggests
• Brain tumours: Artificial stimulation of the immune system could mean less aggressive treatment
• Learning requires rhythmical activity of neurons
• Researchers even closer to early detection of Parkinson's disease
• Dawn suggests special delivery of hydrated material to Vesta
• Oldest ivory workshop in the world discovered in Saxony-Anhalt
• Researchers uncover biochemical chain of events needed to maintain an erection
• Future health risks for obese children may be greater than previously thought

Extreme climate change linked to early animal evolution Posted: 26 Sep 2012 01:17 PM PDT An international team of scientists has uncovered new evidence linking extreme climate change, oxygen rise, and early animal evolution.

Leptin may play a role in hearing and vision loss, zebrafish study suggests Posted: 26 Sep 2012 12:30 PM PDT Leptin -- commonly dubbed the "fat hormone" -- does more than tell the brain when to eat. A new study shows that leptin may play a role in hearing and vision loss. This discovery, made in zebrafish treated to produce low leptin, could ultimately help doctors better understand sensory loss in humans.

'I'm bored!' -- Research on attention sheds light on the unengaged mind Posted: 26 Sep 2012 12:30 PM PDT Boredom is often seen as a trivial and temporary, but it can also be a chronic and pervasive stressor that has significant consequences for health and well-being. Despite this, boredom itself is still poorly understood. A new article explores the mental processes that underlie our feelings of boredom with the aim of creating a precise definition of boredom that can be applied across a variety of theoretical frameworks.

Ready for your close-up? Distance at which facial photos are taken influences perception, study shows Posted: 26 Sep 2012 12:30 PM PDT As the saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Previous studies have examined how our social judgments of pictures of people are influenced by factors such as whether the person is smiling or frowning, but until now one factor has never been investigated: the distance between the photographer and the subject. According to a new study, this turns out to make a difference.

Molecular process in fat cells that influences stress and longevity identified Posted: 26 Sep 2012 12:29 PM PDT Scientists have identified a new factor -- microRNA processing in fat tissue -- which plays a major role in aging and stress resistance. This finding may lead to the development of treatments that increase stress resistance and longevity and improve metabolism.

Asteroid's troughs suggest stunted planet Posted: 26 Sep 2012 11:35 AM PDT Enormous troughs that reach across the asteroid Vesta may actually be stretch marks that hint of a complexity beyond most asteroids. Scientists have been trying to determine the origin of these unusual troughs since their discovery just last year. Now, a new analysis supports the notion that the troughs are faults that formed when a fellow asteroid smacked into Vesta's south pole. The research reinforces the claim that Vesta has a layered interior, a quality normally reserved for larger bodies, such as planets and large moons.

Hurricane Irene polluted Catskills watershed Posted: 26 Sep 2012 11:17 AM PDT The water quality of lakes and coastal systems will be altered if hurricanes intensify in a warming world, according to a new study.

Two categories of multiple sclerosis patients defined Posted: 26 Sep 2012 11:16 AM PDT Medical researchers have found a way to distinguish patients with multiple sclerosis into two meaningful subsets.

Researchers discover what vampire squids eat: It's not what you think Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT Over the last 100 years, perhaps a dozen scientific papers have been published on the mysterious vampire squid, but no one has been able to figure out exactly what it eats. A new article shows for the first time that the vampire squid uses two thread-like filaments to capture bits of organic debris that sink down from the ocean surface into the deep sea.

Researchers determine how inflammatory cells function, setting stage for future remedies Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT A research team has determined how cells that cause inflammatory ailments, such as Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis, differentiate from stem cells and ultimately affect the clinical outcome of these diseases.

Artificially intelligent game bots pass the Turing test on Turing's centenary Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT An artificially intelligent virtual gamer has won the BotPrize by convincing a panel of judges that it was more human-like than half the humans it competed against. The victory comes 100 years after the birth of mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing, whose "Turing test" stands as one of the foundational definitions of what constitutes true machine intelligence.

Skip the cake? Neural processes at work during self-regulation identified Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT When making healthy choices, we often have to engage in an internal struggle. Now, scientists have identified the neural processes at work during such self-regulation -- and what determines whether you choose chocolate cake or something healthier.

New strategy for battling HIV Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT New research shows how the HIV virus targets "veterans" or memory T-cells could change how drugs are used to stop the virus.

Tracking koala disease: New findings from old DNA Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT DNA extracted from the skins of koalas displayed in European and North American museums shows that a retrovirus has been a problem for the animals for much longer than was thought, according to researchers.

Exposure to school-age children ups severity of cold infections Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT Exposure to school-age children raises the odds that a person with lung disease who catches a cold will actually suffer symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat and cough. While many studies have found that being around school-age children increases the risk of infection, the new findings go one step further: Of people who come down with colds, the course of the infection is much more likely to be worse in people exposed to children.

Biologist discovers mammal with salamander-like regenerative abilities Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT A small African mammal with an unusual ability to regrow damaged tissues could inspire new research in regenerative medicine, a new study finds.

Gut bacteria could could play key role in development of type 2 diabetes Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT Studying gut bacteria can reveal a range of human illness. Now, new research shows that the composition of a person's intestinal bacteria could play an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Scientists make old muscles young again in attempt to combat aging Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT An international team of scientists has identified for the first time a key factor responsible for declining muscle repair during aging, and discovered how to halt the process in mice with a common drug. Although an early study, the findings provide clues as to how muscles lose mass with age, which can result in weakness that affects mobility and may cause falls.

Large 2012 earthquake triggered temblors worldwide for nearly a week Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT This year's largest earthquake, a magnitude 8.6 temblor on April 11 centered in the East Indian Ocean off Sumatra, did little damage, but it triggered quakes around the world for at least a week, according to a new analysis by seismologists.

Pregnancy generates maternal immune-suppressive cells that protect the fetus Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT A new study suggests it might be possible to develop vaccines to prevent premature birth and other pregnancy complications. If so, such vaccines would be the first intended to stimulate the subset of regulatory CD4 T cells that suppress the immune response.

Salt marsh carbon may play role in slowing climate warming Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:26 AM PDT A warming climate and rising seas will enable salt marshes to more rapidly capture and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, possibly playing a role in slowing the rate of climate change, according to a new study.

Magnitude-8.7 quake was part of crustal plate breakup Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:26 AM PDT Seismologists have known for years that the Indo-Australian plate of Earth's crust is slowly breaking apart, but they saw it in action last April when at least four faults broke in a magnitude-8.7 earthquake that may be the largest of its type ever recorded.

Taking the battle against the toxic trio beyond 'Leaves of three, leave it be' Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT With more than half of all adults allergic to poison ivy, oak and sumac, scientists are reporting an advance toward an inexpensive spray that could reveal the presence of the rash-causing toxic oil on the skin, clothing, garden tools, and even the family pet. Using the spray would enable people to wash off the oil, or avoid further contact, in time to sidestep days of misery.

Protein structure unlocks one mystery of multi-drug tolerance Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT The structures of key bacterial proteins have revealed one of the biochemical secrets that enables bacteria to outwit antibiotics.

Pain pill abuse: Research sheds light on potential habit-forming properties of tramadol Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT A study by a team of University of Kentucky researchers has shed new light on the potential habit-forming properties of the popular pain medication tramadol.

Reducing acrylamide levels in french fries Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT The process for preparing frozen, par-fried potato strips -- distributed to some food outlets for making french fries -- can influence the formation of acrylamide in the fries that people eat, a new study has found. The study identifies potential ways of reducing levels of acrylamide, which the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer regard as a "probable human carcinogen."

Search for element 113 concluded at last Posted: 26 Sep 2012 08:27 AM PDT The most unambiguous data to date on the elusive 113th atomic element has now been obtained. A chain of six consecutive alpha decays, produced in experiments at the RIKEN Radioisotope Beam Factory (RIBF), conclusively identifies the element through connections to well-known daughter nuclides.

More heart patients staying out of hospital thanks to telemonitoring Posted: 26 Sep 2012 08:27 AM PDT The use of telemonitoring for cardiac patients is increasing – despite mixed evidence as to how effective it really is.

How is a Kindle like a cuttlefish? Parallels between e-Paper technology and biological organisms that change color Posted: 26 Sep 2012 08:01 AM PDT New research examines parallels between e-Paper technology (the technology behind sunlight-readable devices like the Kindle) and biological organisms that change color.

New simulation method produces realistic fluid movements Posted: 26 Sep 2012 08:01 AM PDT What does a yogurt look like over time? The food industry will soon be able to answer this question using a new fluid simulation tool.

Melatonin and exercise work against Alzheimer's in mice Posted: 26 Sep 2012 08:01 AM PDT The combination of two neuroprotective therapies, voluntary physical exercise, and the daily intake of melatonin has been shown to have a synergistic effect against brain deterioration in rodents with three different mutations of Alzheimer's disease.

Ancient Buddhist statue made of meteorite, new study reveals Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:42 AM PDT An ancient Buddhist statue which was first recovered by a Nazi expedition in 1938 has been analyzed by a team of scientists. The probably 1,000-year-old statue, called the "Iron Man", weighs 10 kilograms, portrays the Buddhist god Vaisravana and is believed to originate from the pre-Buddhist Bon culture of the 11th Century. Geochemical analyses by the German-Austrian research team revealed that the priceless statue was carved from an ataxite, a very rare class of iron meteorites.

Blood test accurately detects early stages of lung, breast cancer in humans Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:42 AM PDT In less than an hour, a new test can detect breast cancer and non-small lung cancer -- the most common type of lung cancer -- before symptoms like coughing and weight loss start. Researchers anticipate testing for the early stages of pancreatic cancer shortly.

Study pinpoints epigenetic function of common cancer-causing protein: It's not what science thought Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:46 AM PDT "This is a potent oncogene whose mechanism we thought we knew. But basically in this paper we demolish the accepted model. DNp63a doesn't work through p53 – it operates through epigenetic silencing of anti-proliferative genes," says the study's senior author, Joaquin M. Espinosa, Ph.D.

Coral hotspots found in deepwater canyons off northeast US coast Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT For the first time in decades, researchers have conducted an extensive exploration for deep-sea corals and sponges in submarine canyons off the northeastern coast of the US. The survey revealed coral "hotspots," and found that a new coral habitat suitability model could help predict where corals are likely to occur.

Robotic surgery through the mouth safe for removing tumors of the voice box, study shows Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT Robotic surgery though the mouth is a safe and effective way to remove tumors of the throat and voice box, according to a new study.

Computers match humans in understanding art Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT Understanding and evaluating art has widely been considered as a task meant for humans, until now. Computer scientists tackled the question "can machines understand art?" The results were very surprising. In fact, an algorithm has been developed that demonstrates computers are able to "understand" art in a fashion very similar to how art historians perform their analysis, mimicking the perception of expert art critiques.

Brain parts can evolve independently, shows analysis of brains of 10,000 mice Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT Scientists have found compelling evidence that parts of the brain can evolve independently from each other. The brains of approximately 10,000 mice were analyzed. Seven individual parts of each brain were measured by volume and weight. The entire genome, except the Y chromosome, was scanned for each animal and the gene set for each brain part identified. The findings promise to significantly advance our understanding of the brain.

Backpack-toting birds help researchers reveal migratory divide, conservation hotspots Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT By outfitting two British Columbia subspecies of Swainson's thrushes with penny-sized, state-of-the-art geolocators, researchers have been able to map their wildly divergent migration routes and pinpoint conservation hotspots.

3-D images of 300-million-year-old insects revealed Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT Stunning 3-D images of 300-million-year-old insects have been revealed for the first time by researchers. The scientists have used a high resolution form of CT scanning to reconstruct two 305-million-year-old juvenile insects. Without the pioneering approach to imaging, these tiny insects -- which are three-dimensional holes in a rock -- would have been impossible to study.

Rich colors of a cosmic seagull Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:29 AM PDT A new image from the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Observatory shows part of a stellar nursery nicknamed the Seagull Nebula. This cloud of gas, formally called Sharpless 2-292, seems to form the head of the seagull and glows brightly due to the energetic radiation from a very hot young star lurking at its heart.

Nanotechnology device aims to prevent malaria deaths through rapid diagnosis Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:29 AM PDT A pioneering mobile device using cutting-edge nanotechnology to rapidly detect malaria infection and drug resistance could revolutionize how the disease is diagnosed and treated.

Inner city infants have different patterns of viral respiratory illness than infants in the suburbs Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:29 AM PDT Children living in low-income urban areas appear especially prone to developing asthma, possibly related to infections they acquire early in life. Researchers investigated viral respiratory illnesses and their possible role in the development of asthma in urban versus suburban babies. The differences in viral illness patterns they found provide insights that could help guide the development of new asthma treatments in children.

Using antibodies against immune deficiency Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:29 AM PDT Early, intensive therapy with a biotechnologically produced medication can provide significantly faster pain relief for patients with rheumatic joint inflammation. Damage to joints can also be reduced when the medication is applied right at the beginning of the illness, according to new research.

Slave rebellion is widespread in ants Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:29 AM PDT Enslaved worker ants kill the offspring of their parasites and thereby improve the chances of survival for their neighboring relatives. According to new research, this behavior now appears to be a widespread characteristic that is not limited to isolated occurrences.

Severe hunger increases breast cancer risk in war survivors, study suggests Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:26 AM PDT Jewish women who were severely exposed to hunger during World War Two were five times more likely to develop breast cancer than women who were mildly exposed, according to new research

Brain tumours: Artificial stimulation of the immune system could mean less aggressive treatment Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:26 AM PDT Brain metastases are common secondary complications of other types of cancer, particularly lung, breast and skin cancer. The body's own immune response in the brain is rendered powerless in the fight against these metastases by inflammatory reactions. Researchers have now, for the first time, precisely characterized the brain's immune response to infiltrating metastases. This could pave the way to the development of new, less aggressive treatment options.

Learning requires rhythmical activity of neurons Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:26 AM PDT The hippocampus represents an important brain structure for learning. Scientists have discovered how it filters electrical neuronal signals through an input and output control, thus regulating learning and memory processes.

Researchers even closer to early detection of Parkinson's disease Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:26 AM PDT Medical researchers have now elaborated on the discovery of a way to detect Parkinson's disease at an early stage, and applications in clinical care are not far away.

Dawn suggests special delivery of hydrated material to Vesta Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:26 AM PDT The mechanism by which water is incorporated into the terrestrial planets is a matter of extensive debate for planetary scientists. Now, observations of Vesta by NASA's Dawn mission suggest that hydrous materials were delivered to the giant asteroid mainly through a build-up of small particles during an epoch when the Solar System was rich in dust.

Oldest ivory workshop in the world discovered in Saxony-Anhalt Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:26 AM PDT Excavations at the mammoth hunting site of Breitenbach near Zeitz have uncovered a 35,000-year-old ivory workshop.

Researchers uncover biochemical chain of events needed to maintain an erection Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:17 AM PDT For two decades, scientists have known the biochemical factors that trigger penile erection, but not what's needed to maintain one. Now new research uncovers the biochemical chain of events involved in that process. The information, say scientists, may lead to new therapies to help men who have erectile dysfunction.

Future health risks for obese children may be greater than previously thought Posted: 25 Sep 2012 03:36 PM PDT Being obese as a child or adolescent may have a larger effect on future health than previously thought, suggests a new study.

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