ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Electronic nose could be used to detect sleep apnea
• Reclaiming rare earths: Improving process to recycle rare-earth materials
• Heart attack victims in rich, white neighborhoods twice as likely to get CPR than people who collapse in poor, black neighborhoods
• Feeling hot, hot, hot: Climate shapes distribution and movement of humans as it does other animals
• Satellite images tell tales of changing biodiversity
• Older people guess weights less accurately than younger people
• Archer fish hunt insects with water jet six times stronger than their muscular power
• Gaps in border controls are related to alien insect invasions in Europe
• Area of the brain that processes empathy identified
• Let it snow! Solar panels can take it
• Nearly 80 million Americans won't need vitamin D supplements under new guidelines
• Moderate drinking decreases number of new brain cells
• Video game with biofeedback teaches children to curb their anger
• Plants provide accurate low-cost alternative for diagnosis of West Nile Virus
• 2012 Antarctic ozone hole second smallest in 20 years
• New target for cancer research uncovered
• Timing is everything: Hormone use may reduce or increase Alzheimer's disease risk in women
• Pigs may look healthy but can test positive for flu at fairs
• Revealing a mini-supermassive black hole
• Americans use more efficient and renewable energy technologies
• Self-affirmation enhances performance, makes us receptive to our mistakes
• Challenging Parkinson's dogma: Dopamine may not be the only key player in this tragic neurodegenerative disease
• Measuring table-top accelerators' state-of-the-art beams: Slicing through the electron beam
• Is obesity irreversible? Timing is key in weight loss
• Research findings breathe new life into lung disease
• Why 'singing' sand dunes hum certain notes
• Scientists target bacterial transfer of resistance genes
• A sense of control, even if illusory, eliminates emotion-driven distortions of time
• Large-scale production of biofuels made from algae poses sustainability concerns
• Brain waves reveal video game aptitude
• Gene linked to inflammation in the aorta may contribute to abdominal aortic aneurysm
• Survival of U.S. Affordable Care Act assessed in new commentaries
• Parkinson's breakthough could slow disease progression
• Astronomers report that dark matter 'halos' may contain stars, disprove other theories
• Bacterial wires explain enigmatic electric currents in the seabed
• New gene therapy method tested in human cells ... and it works, researchers report
• Genome analysis of pancreas tumors reveals new pathway
• 'Grassroots' neurons wire and fire together for dominance in the brain
• 100-million-year-old coelacanth fish discovered in Texas is new species from Cretaceous
• Flycatchers' genomes explain how one species became two
• Chewing betel quid exposes half a billion people to direct carcinogens
• Two-drug synergy may treat drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia
• Speed limits on cargo ships could reduce their pollutants by more than half
• Risk factors in hospital readmissions among general surgery patients identified in study
• Potatoes created with higher levels of carotenoids
• Hot flashes can come back after SSRI
• Brainwave training boosts network for cognitive control and affects mind-wandering
• Forestry's waste wood offers habitat for small forest-floor animals
• Hypnosis helps hot flashes, study suggests
• Pica: Unearthing a hidden dietary behavior
• Wood completely broken down into its component parts
• Did bacteria spark evolution of multicellular life?
• New insights into membrane-assisted self-assembly
• Herbal and dietary supplements can adversely affect prescribed drugs, says extensive review
• Mouse model exposes a new type of T cell to target melanoma
• Earth's magnetosphere behaves like a sieve
• An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth: Majority of vendettas originate within a group
• Lactation protein suppresses tumors and metastasis in breast cancer
• High-pressure science gets super-sized
• New insight on managing fungal meningitis

Electronic nose could be used to detect sleep apnea Posted: 24 Oct 2012 05:48 PM PDT An electronic nose, used to detect the presence of molecules in the breath of a patient, could be used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.

Reclaiming rare earths: Improving process to recycle rare-earth materials Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:55 PM PDT Recycling keeps paper, plastics, and even jeans out of landfills. Could recycling rare-earth magnets do the same? Perhaps, if the recycling process can be improved. Scientists are working to more effectively remove the neodymium, a rare earth element, from the mix of other materials in a magnet. Initial results show recycled materials maintain the properties that make rare-earth magnets useful.

Heart attack victims in rich, white neighborhoods twice as likely to get CPR than people who collapse in poor, black neighborhoods Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:55 PM PDT In the first study of its kind, researchers have found that those who suffer cardiac arrests in upper income, white neighborhoods are nearly twice as likely to get cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) than people who collapse in low-income, black neighborhoods.

Feeling hot, hot, hot: Climate shapes distribution and movement of humans as it does other animals Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT Research shows importance of population movement and growth in shaping climate change over the past century in the United States

Satellite images tell tales of changing biodiversity Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT Analysis of texture differences in satellite images may be an effective way to monitor changes in vegetation, soil and water patterns over time, with potential implications for measuring biodiversity as well, according to new research.

Older people guess weights less accurately than younger people Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT As we grow older, we are less capable of correctly estimating differences in the weights of objects we lift, according to a new study.

Archer fish hunt insects with water jet six times stronger than their muscular power Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT Archer fish knock their insect prey out of overhanging vegetation with a jet of water several times more powerful than the fish's muscles. New research now shows that the fish generate this power externally using water dynamics rather than with any specialized internal organs. The research provides the first explanation for how archer fish can generate such powerful jets to capture their prey.

Gaps in border controls are related to alien insect invasions in Europe Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT European countries with gaps in border security surrounding agricultural imports have been invaded by the largest number of exotic insect pests, according to new research.

Area of the brain that processes empathy identified Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:52 PM PDT Study provides the first evidence suggesting that the empathy deficits in patients with brain damage to the anterior insular cortex are surprisingly similar to the empathy deficits found in several psychiatric diseases, including autism spectrum disorders, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and conduct disorders, suggesting potentially common neural deficits in those psychiatric populations.

Let it snow! Solar panels can take it Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:52 PM PDT Even if the weather outside is frightful, solar cells can still generate a delightful amount of electricity.

Nearly 80 million Americans won't need vitamin D supplements under new guidelines Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:52 PM PDT Nearly 80 million Americans would no longer need to take vitamin D supplements under new Institute of Medicine guidelines, according to a new study.

Moderate drinking decreases number of new brain cells Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT Moderate to binge drinking significantly reduces the structural integrity of the adult brain. The new research indicates that daily drinking decreases nerve cell development in the hippocampus part of the brain -- necessary for some type of learning and memory -- by 40 percent.

Video game with biofeedback teaches children to curb their anger Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT Children with serious anger problems can be helped by a video game that hones their ability to regulate their emotions, finds a new study. Noticing that children with anger control problems are often uninterested in psychotherapy, but eager to play video games, researchers developed "RAGE Control" to motivate children to practice emotional control skills.

Plants provide accurate low-cost alternative for diagnosis of West Nile Virus Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT Biologists have developed a new method of testing for West Nile, using plants to produce biological reagents for detection and diagnosis.

2012 Antarctic ozone hole second smallest in 20 years Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT The average area covered by the Antarctic ozone hole this year was the second smallest in the last 20 years. Scientists attribute the change to warmer temperatures in the Antarctic lower stratosphere.

New target for cancer research uncovered Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT Scientists have detailed a new target for anti-cancer drug development that is sitting at the ends of our DNA. Researchers found a patch of amino acids that, if blocked by a drug docked onto the chromosome end at this location, may prevent cancerous cells from reproducing. The amino acids at this site are called the "TEL patch" and once modified, the end of the chromosome is unable to recruit the telomerase enzyme, which is necessary for growth of many cancerous cells.

Timing is everything: Hormone use may reduce or increase Alzheimer's disease risk in women Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT A new study suggests that women who begin taking hormone therapy within five years of menopause may reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Pigs may look healthy but can test positive for flu at fairs Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:46 PM PDT More than 80 percent of pigs that tested positive for influenza A virus at Ohio county fairs between 2009 and 2011 showed no signs of illness in a new study. A second study showed a 99+ percent genetic similarity among human and pig flu viruses from 2012, indicating interspecies transmission.

Revealing a mini-supermassive black hole Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:09 PM PDT One of the lowest mass supermassive black holes ever observed in the middle of a galaxy has now been identified. The host galaxy is of a type not expected to harbor supermassive black holes, suggesting that this black hole, while related to its supermassive cousins, may have a different origin.

Americans use more efficient and renewable energy technologies Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:08 PM PDT Americans used less energy in 2011 than in the previous year due mainly to a shift to higher-efficiency energy technologies in the transportation and residential sectors. Meanwhile, less coal was used but more natural gas was consumed according to the most recent energy flow charts.

Self-affirmation enhances performance, makes us receptive to our mistakes Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:08 PM PDT From the mistakes we make at work or school to our blunders in romantic relationships, we are constantly reminded of how we could be better. By focusing on the important qualities that make us who we are -- a process called self-affirmation -- we preserve our self-worth in the face of our shortcomings. New research explores the neurophysiological reactions that could explain how self-affirmation helps us deal with threats to our self-integrity.

Challenging Parkinson's dogma: Dopamine may not be the only key player in this tragic neurodegenerative disease Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:07 PM PDT Scientists may have discovered why the standard treatment for Parkinson's disease is often effective for only a limited period of time. Their research could lead to a better understanding of many brain disorders, from drug addiction to depression, that share certain signaling molecules involved in modulating brain activity.

Measuring table-top accelerators' state-of-the-art beams: Slicing through the electron beam Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:07 PM PDT Accurate tests of the beam quality of laser plasma accelerators (LPAs) assume new importance with the approaching advent of the one-meter-long, 10-billion-electron-volt, bringing the promise of "table-top accelerators" closer to realization. Accelerator scientists have now devised novel techniques for characterizing extraordinarily short beam pulses in the complex environment of LPAs, including the metric known as slice-energy spread.

Is obesity irreversible? Timing is key in weight loss Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:16 AM PDT It's one of the most frustrating mysteries of weight loss -- why the weight inevitably comes back.

Research findings breathe new life into lung disease Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:16 AM PDT New research shows that while muscle cells are responsible for constricting or dilating the blood vessels, they are not responsible for sensing the amount of oxygen that gets to the lungs.

Why 'singing' sand dunes hum certain notes Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:02 AM PDT What does Elvis Presley have in common with a sand dune? No, it's not that people sometimes spot both in the vicinity of Las Vegas. Instead, some sand dunes, like The King, can sing. And new research looking for clues to how streams of sand can sing may explain why some dunes croon in more than one pitch at the same time.

Scientists target bacterial transfer of resistance genes Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT The bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae -- which can cause pneumonia, meningitis, bacteremia and sepsis -- likes to share its antibiotic-defeating weaponry with its neighbors. Individual cells can pass resistance genes to one another through a process called horizontal gene transfer, or by "transformation," the uptake of DNA from the environment. Now researchers report that they can interrupt the cascade of cellular events that allows S. pneumoniae to swap or suck up DNA.

A sense of control, even if illusory, eliminates emotion-driven distortions of time Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT We humans have a fairly erratic sense of time. We tend to misjudge the duration of events, particularly when they are emotional in nature. Disturbingly negative experiences, for example, seem to last much longer than they actually do. And highly positive experiences seem to pass more quickly than negative ones. Now researchers say they have found a way to lessen these emotion-driven time distortions.

Large-scale production of biofuels made from algae poses sustainability concerns Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT Scaling up the production of biofuels made from algae to meet at least five percent -- approximately 39 billion liters -- of US transportation fuel needs would place unsustainable demands on energy, water, and nutrients.

Brain waves reveal video game aptitude Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT Scientists report that they can predict who will improve most on an unfamiliar video game by looking at their brain waves.

Gene linked to inflammation in the aorta may contribute to abdominal aortic aneurysm Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT A gene known to be involved in cancer and cardiovascular development may be the cause of inflammation in the most common form of aortic aneurysm and may be a key to treatment, according to new research. The study is the first to show that Notch 1 signaling is activated in abdominal aortic aneurysmal tissue in mice and humans.

Survival of U.S. Affordable Care Act assessed in new commentaries Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT As the presidential candidates clash over the fate of the U.S. Affordable Care Act, a set of seven essays by leading legal experts, economists, and scholars examines the implications of the Supreme Court's decision on the ACA and makes it clear that there is no consensus about what is economically or morally just when it comes to health care coverage in this country.

Parkinson's breakthough could slow disease progression Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT In an early-stage breakthrough, scientists have developed a new family of compounds that could slow the progression of Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and there is no treatment to slow the advance of the disease. The compounds are a new class of potential therapeutics.

Astronomers report that dark matter 'halos' may contain stars, disprove other theories Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT Do dark matter "halos" that make up most of the matter in the universe contain a small number of stars? Astronomers now make a case for that.

Bacterial wires explain enigmatic electric currents in the seabed Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:33 AM PDT The enigma of electric currents in the seabed is solved. Scientists have discovered bacteria that function as living electrical cables. Each of the centimeter-long 'cable bacteria' contains a bundle of insulated wires leading an electric current from one end to the other.

New gene therapy method tested in human cells ... and it works, researchers report Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:33 AM PDT Development of a new gene therapy method to prevent certain mitochondrial gene based diseases has reached a significant milestone. Researchers have successfully demonstrated their procedure in human cells. It's believed that this research, along with other efforts, will pave the way for future clinical trials in human subjects.

Genome analysis of pancreas tumors reveals new pathway Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:33 AM PDT The latest genomic analysis of pancreatic tumors identified two new pathways involved in the disease, information that could be capitalized on to develop new and earlier diagnostic tests for the disease.

'Grassroots' neurons wire and fire together for dominance in the brain Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT Inside the brain, an unpredictable race -- like a political campaign -- is being run. Multiple candidates, each with a network of supporters, have organized themselves into various left- and right-wing clusters -- like grassroots political teams working feverishly to reinforce a vision that bands them together. While scientists know that neurons in the brain anatomically organize themselves into these network camps, or clusters, the implications of such groupings on neural dynamics have remained unclear until now.

100-million-year-old coelacanth fish discovered in Texas is new species from Cretaceous Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT A fossil discovered in Texas is a new species of coelacanth fish. Paleontologists identified the skull as a 100 million-year-old coelacanth, making it the youngest discovered in Texas. The new species, Reidus hilli, brings to 81 the world's coelacanth species, including two alive today. Coelacanth fish have eluded extinction for 400 million years. Reidus hilli belongs to Dipluridae, a new family that is transitional between Mawsoniidae and Latimeriidae families.

Flycatchers' genomes explain how one species became two Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT Just how new species are established is still one of the most central questions in biology. Biologists now describe how they mapped the genomes of the European pied flycatcher and the collared flycatcher and found that it is disparate chromosome structures rather than separate adaptations in individual genes that underlies the separation of the species.

Chewing betel quid exposes half a billion people to direct carcinogens Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:48 AM PDT Chewing betel quid -- the fourth most popular psychoactive substance in the world after tobacco, alcohol and caffeine -- exposes its 600 million users to substances that act as direct carcinogens in the mouth, scientists are reporting in a new study.

Two-drug synergy may treat drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:48 AM PDT Researchers have dissected a case of synergy in drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia to understand the mechanism by which two drugs, danusertib and bosutinib, work together to overcome resistance in the BCR-ABL gatekeeper mutation-specific disease.

Speed limits on cargo ships could reduce their pollutants by more than half Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:48 AM PDT Putting a speed limit on cargo ships as they sail near ports and coastlines could cut their emission of air pollutants by up to 70 percent, reducing the impact of marine shipping on Earth's climate and human health, scientists have found.

Risk factors in hospital readmissions among general surgery patients identified in study Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:47 AM PDT Identifying risk factors in hospital re-admissions could help improve patient care and hospital bottom lines, according to a new study.

Potatoes created with higher levels of carotenoids Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:47 AM PDT Potatoes with higher levels of beneficial carotenoids are the result of new studies to improve one of America's most popular vegetables. Scientists bred yellow potatoes with carotenoid levels that are two to three times higher than those of the popular Yukon Gold yellow-fleshed potato variety.

Hot flashes can come back after SSRI Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:47 AM PDT Hot flashes and night sweats can return after women stop using escitalopram -- an antidepressant -- to treat these menopause symptoms, according to a new study. This is typical of stopping hormone therapy as well.

Brainwave training boosts network for cognitive control and affects mind-wandering Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:47 AM PDT A breakthrough study has found that training of the well-known brainwave in humans, the alpha rhythm, enhances a brain network responsible for cognitive-control. The training technique, termed neurofeedback, is being considered as a promising new method for restoring brain function in mental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Forestry's waste wood offers habitat for small forest-floor animals Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:46 AM PDT The wood that remains after a tree harvesting operation is often burned to reduce the hazard of fire or is removed for bioenergy production. But another option should be considered—leaving the wood for forest wildlife whose habitat has been disturbed during clear-cut forestry operations. Woody debris on the floor of the forest is essential for maintaining biodiversity and long-term ecosystem productivity.

Hypnosis helps hot flashes, study suggests Posted: 24 Oct 2012 08:15 AM PDT Hypnosis can help cut hot flashes by as much as 74 percent, shows a new study. This is the first controlled, randomized study of the technique to manage hot flashes, which affect as much as 80 percent of women who go through menopause.

Pica: Unearthing a hidden dietary behavior Posted: 24 Oct 2012 08:15 AM PDT A new study is showing that pica – and particularly geophagy, or the eating of soil or clay – is far more prevalent in Madagascar, one of the few areas of the world where it had gone unreported, than researchers previously thought. The research also suggests that the behavior may be more prevalent worldwide, particularly among men, than initially believed.

Wood completely broken down into its component parts Posted: 24 Oct 2012 08:14 AM PDT Crude oil is getting scarce. This is why researchers are seeking to substitute petroleum-based products – like plastics – with sustainable raw materials. Waste wood, divided into lignin and cellulose, could serve as a raw material. A pilot plant has been set up to handle this division on a larger scale.

Did bacteria spark evolution of multicellular life? Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:17 AM PDT Choanoflagellates are single-celled plankton and the closest living relatives of animals, including humans. Molecular biologists have found that these organisms form colonies only when triggered by previously unknown bacteria. The discovery suggests that early single-celled organisms may originally have come together in the presence of bacteria, perhaps to make more efficient feeding machines that eventually evolved into multicellular life.

New insights into membrane-assisted self-assembly Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:17 AM PDT How proteins and virus capsids – complex protein structures that encase the genetic material of viruses – form structures near to a fluctuating membrane is simulated by physicists with advanced computational techniques. The results are relevant to the understanding of biophysical processes.

Herbal and dietary supplements can adversely affect prescribed drugs, says extensive review Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:17 AM PDT A number of herbs and dietary supplements (HDS) can cause potentially harmful drug interactions, particularly among people receiving medication for problems with their central nervous or cardiovascular systems. Researchers examined 54 review articles and 31 original studies. They found that the greatest problems were caused by interactions between prescribed drugs and HDS that included ingredients such as St John's Wort, magnesium, calcium, iron or ginkgo.

Mouse model exposes a new type of T cell to target melanoma Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:17 AM PDT Cancers arise in the body all the time. Most are nipped in the bud by the immune response, not least by its T cells, which detect telltale molecular markers -- or antigens -- on cancer cells and destroy them before they grow into tumors. Cancer cells, for their part, evolve constantly to evade such assassination. Those that succeed become full-blown malignancies. Yet, given the right sort of help, the immune system can destroy even these entrenched tumors.

Earth's magnetosphere behaves like a sieve Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:16 AM PDT Our protective magnetic bubble lets the solar wind in under a wider range of conditions than previously believed. Earth's magnetic field is our planet's first line of defense against the bombardment of the solar wind. This stream of plasma is launched by the Sun and travels across the Solar System, carrying its own magnetic field with it. Depending on how the solar wind's interplanetary magnetic field – IMF – is aligned with Earth's magnetic field, different phenomena can arise in Earth's immediate environment.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth: Majority of vendettas originate within a group Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:16 AM PDT It all began with a harmless game of soccer among young men in northwestern Albania. After one of the players had been injured in a subsequent dispute, his team members shot a relative of the suspected attacker. Now the male members of the families involved in the blood feud do not dare leave their homes. Such vendettas and blood feuds occur in many societies, sometimes lasting for decades. The harm for the participants is enormous and lacks apparent benefit, as the participants often no longer remember what actually triggered the quarrel. Theoretical calculations also demonstrate that vendettas are costly for the participants from an evolutionary point of view and should therefore not develop. Scientists have now investigated the genesis of vendettas.

Lactation protein suppresses tumors and metastasis in breast cancer Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:15 AM PDT A protein that is necessary for lactation in mammals inhibits the critical cellular transition that is an early indicator of breast cancer and metastasis, according to new research.

High-pressure science gets super-sized Posted: 24 Oct 2012 06:33 AM PDT The study of materials at extreme conditions took a giant leap forward with the discovery of a way to generate super high pressures without using shock waves whose accompanying heat turns solids to liquid. This discovery will allow scientists for the first time to reach static pressure levels exceeding four million atmospheres, a high-pressure environment where new unique compounds could be formed, materials change their chemical and physical properties, and metals become insulators.

New insight on managing fungal meningitis Posted: 24 Oct 2012 06:33 AM PDT As the number of fungal meningitis cases in the United States continues to rise, physicians across the country are faced with how best to provide the early treatment that can save lives. An infectious disease expert has now detailed how the outbreak evolved and the complexities of providing anti-fungal treatments.

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