ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Scientists develop novel technology to identify biomarkers for ulcerative colitis
• Not getting sleepy? Why hypnosis doesn't work for all
• Southern hemisphere becoming drier: Decline in April-May rainfall over south-east Australia
• Like humans, monkeys can make irrational decisions when making choices
• Novel blood-based protein signature determined for rare, aggressive lung cancer
• Key environmental factors influencing manta ray behavior identified
• Early humans began eating meat earlier than thought: Oldest known evidence of anemia caused by a nutritional deficiency
• New study sheds light on cancer-protective properties of milk
• Mathematics of leaf decay: A mathematical model reveals commonality within the diversity of leaf decay
• Mom's high blood pressure in pregnancy could affect child's IQ into old age
• A complete solution for oil-spill cleanup
• Ensuring high-quality dietary supplements with 'quality-by-design'
• New evidence on easing inflammation of brain cells for Alzheimer's disease
• Discovery leads to new hope against ovarian cancer
• Getting athletes back in the game sooner following shoulder injuries
• Tomb of Maya queen K'abel discovered in Guatemala
• Graphene nanopores can be controlled: Less costly ways of sequencing DNA
• Fifty-hour whole genome sequencing provides rapid diagnosis for children with genetic disorders
• Mouse model of debilitating lung disease suggests potential treatment regimen
• Onset of flu season raises concerns about human-to-pet transmission
• NASA's infrared observatory measures expansion of universe
• That's no primate: It's a fish! New look at fossil of 'lemur without a nose'
• Dozens of new de novo genetic mutations in schizophrenia identified
• Drug reverses abnormal brain function in Rett syndrome mice
• Ecologists start new Antarctic season comparing animals' handling of adversity
• Deforestation in snowy regions causes more floods
• Stem cell transplant survivors at increased risk of developing heart disease, study suggests
• New ways to protect avocados from beetles
• Which came first, shells or no shells? Ancient mollusk tells a contrary story
• Methane emissions can be traced back to Roman times
• Surprising black hole discovery changes picture of globular star clusters
• It's not too late for coral reefs, experts say
• Caffeinated coffee linked to vision loss
• Blocking tumor-induced inflammation impacts cancer development
• Economic abuse affects maternal mental health, parenting
• Study finds faults in proposed mental disorder diagnosis
• Common medicine helps repair brain after stroke, study in rats suggests
• Fear of treatment puts stress on women undergoing fertility therapy
• Got dry eyes? Measuring eyelid sensitivity may reflect the causes
• Home-based assessment tool for dementia screening
• Arctic sea ice shatters previous low records; Antarctic sea ice edges to record high
• Sea urchin's spiny strength revealed
• Study evaluates frequency of pediatric pain assessments
• New fanged dwarf dinosaur from Africa ate plants
• The brief but violent life of monogenetic volcanoes
• New firework causes severe eye injuries, warn doctors
• Doctors speak out about unnecessary care as cost put at $800 billion a year
• Surgeons recreate eggs in vitro to treat infertility
• Surgeons pilot expandable prosthetic valves for congenital heart disease
• Chloroquine makes comeback to combat malaria
• Innovative new defibrillator offers alternative for regulating heart beat
• The genetics of HIV-1 resistance
• Increase in allergies is not from being too clean, just losing touch with 'old friends'
• Almost 50% of fruits and vegetables in the EU is not consumed
• Nanoparticles against aging
• Numbers of women in science and technology fields alarmingly low in leading economies
• New plasma jet gives 'cold' shoulder to superbugs
• New 3-D camera for space missions
• Newly developed, simple test for gestational diabetes

Scientists develop novel technology to identify biomarkers for ulcerative colitis Posted: 03 Oct 2012 04:52 PM PDT Scientists have developed a novel technology that can identify, in animal models, potential biomarkers of ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the colon.

Not getting sleepy? Why hypnosis doesn't work for all Posted: 03 Oct 2012 04:51 PM PDT Not everyone is able to be hypnotized, and new research shows how the brains of such people differ from those who can easily be.

Southern hemisphere becoming drier: Decline in April-May rainfall over south-east Australia Posted: 03 Oct 2012 04:51 PM PDT A decline in April-May rainfall over south-east Australia is associated with a southward expansion of the subtropical dry-zone.

Like humans, monkeys can make irrational decisions when making choices Posted: 03 Oct 2012 04:51 PM PDT When making decisions about the value of an assortment of different objects, people approximate an average overall value, which though frequently useful can lead to apparently irrational decision-making. A new study shows for the first time that non-human primates also make similar "irrational" choices based on approximation.

Novel blood-based protein signature determined for rare, aggressive lung cancer Posted: 03 Oct 2012 04:51 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a panel of 13 blood proteins that may be effective biomarkers to detect malignant mesothelioma, according to a new study.

Key environmental factors influencing manta ray behavior identified Posted: 03 Oct 2012 04:51 PM PDT Manta rays are more likely to gather together under either a new or a full moon, according to new research published Oct. 3 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Fabrice Jaine and colleagues at the University of Queensland.

Early humans began eating meat earlier than thought: Oldest known evidence of anemia caused by a nutritional deficiency Posted: 03 Oct 2012 04:51 PM PDT A fragment of a child's skull discovered at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, shows the oldest known evidence of anemia caused by a nutritional deficiency, reports a new article. The discovery suggests that early human ancestors began eating meat much earlier in history than previously believed.

New study sheds light on cancer-protective properties of milk Posted: 03 Oct 2012 01:37 PM PDT Milk consumption has been linked to improved health, with decreased risks of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and colon cancer. Scientists found that lactoferricin4-14, a milk protein with known health effects, significantly reduces the growth rate of colon cancer cells over time by prolonging the period of the cell cycle before chromosomes are replicated. In a new study, investigators report that treatment with Lfcin4-14 reduced DNA damage in colon cancer cells exposed to ultraviolet light.

Mathematics of leaf decay: A mathematical model reveals commonality within the diversity of leaf decay Posted: 03 Oct 2012 01:37 PM PDT Researchers have analyzed data from a variety of forests and ecosystems across North America, and discovered general trends in decay rates among all leaves. The scientists devised a mathematical procedure to transform observations of decay into distributions of rates. They found that the shape of the resulting curve is independent of climate, location and leaf composition. However, the details of that shape -- the range of rates that it spans, and the mean rate -- vary with climatic conditions and plant composition. In general, the scientists found that plant composition determines the range of rates, and that as temperatures increase, all plant matter decays faster.

Mom's high blood pressure in pregnancy could affect child's IQ into old age Posted: 03 Oct 2012 01:36 PM PDT New research suggests that a mother's high blood pressure during pregnancy may have an effect on her child's thinking skills all the way into old age.

A complete solution for oil-spill cleanup Posted: 03 Oct 2012 12:09 PM PDT Scientists are describing what may be a "complete solution" to cleaning up oil spills -- a super-absorbent material that sops up 40 times its own weight in oil and then can be shipped to an oil refinery and processed to recover the oil.

Ensuring high-quality dietary supplements with 'quality-by-design' Posted: 03 Oct 2012 12:09 PM PDT If applied to the $5-billion-per-year dietary supplement industry, "quality by design" -- a mindset that helped revolutionize the manufacture of cars and hundreds of other products -- could ease concerns about the safety and integrity of the herbal products used by 80 percent of the world's population.

New evidence on easing inflammation of brain cells for Alzheimer's disease Posted: 03 Oct 2012 12:09 PM PDT New research proves the validity of one of the most promising approaches for combating Alzheimer's disease with medicines that treat not just some of the symptoms, but actually stop or prevent the disease itself, scientists are reporting. The study also identifies a potential new oral drug that the scientists say could lead the way.

Discovery leads to new hope against ovarian cancer Posted: 03 Oct 2012 12:09 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a new type of drug for the treatment of ovarian cancer that works in a way that should not only decrease the number of doses that patients need to take, but also may make it effective for patients whose cancer has become drug resistant.

Getting athletes back in the game sooner following shoulder injuries Posted: 03 Oct 2012 11:14 AM PDT Biceps tenodesis hastens recovery, cuts rehabilitation time for labrum tears allowing athletes to return to play sooner.

Tomb of Maya queen K'abel discovered in Guatemala Posted: 03 Oct 2012 11:14 AM PDT Archaeologists in Guatemala have discovered the tomb of Lady K'abel, a seventh-century Maya Holy Snake Lord considered one of the great queens of Classic Maya civilization. The tomb was discovered during excavations of the royal Maya city of El Perú-Waka' in northwestern Petén, Guatemala.

Graphene nanopores can be controlled: Less costly ways of sequencing DNA Posted: 03 Oct 2012 11:14 AM PDT Engineers have used advanced techniques to make the material graphene small enough to read DNA. Shrinking the size of a graphene pore to less than one nanometer opens the possibility of graphene as a low-cost tool to sequence DNA.

Fifty-hour whole genome sequencing provides rapid diagnosis for children with genetic disorders Posted: 03 Oct 2012 11:14 AM PDT The first use of whole genome information for quickly diagnosing critically ill infants has been reported. The team describes STAT-Seq, a whole genome sequencing approach - from blood sample to returning results to a physician - in about 50 hours. Currently, testing even a single gene takes six weeks or more.

Mouse model of debilitating lung disease suggests potential treatment regimen Posted: 03 Oct 2012 11:14 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new mouse model of LAM (pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis), producing a way to study disease etiology and develop drugs.

Onset of flu season raises concerns about human-to-pet transmission Posted: 03 Oct 2012 11:10 AM PDT As flu season approaches, people who get sick may not realize they can pass the flu not only to other humans, but possibly to other animals, including pets such as cats, dogs and ferrets. This concept, called "reverse zoonosis," is still poorly understood but has raised concern among some scientists and veterinarians.

NASA's infrared observatory measures expansion of universe Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:48 AM PDT Astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have announced the most precise measurement yet of the Hubble constant, or the rate at which our universe is stretching apart.

That's no primate: It's a fish! New look at fossil of 'lemur without a nose' Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:42 AM PDT A seven million-year-old South American fossil from a species known as Arrhinolemur scalabrinii -- which translates literally to "Scalabrini's lemur without a nose" -- has long been a curiosity because there is only one specimen in existence and it is unlike most other primates. There is a reason for that, scientists have discovered. The lemur without a nose is actually a fish.

Dozens of new de novo genetic mutations in schizophrenia identified Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:24 AM PDT Researchers have identified dozens of new spontaneous genetic mutations that play a significant role in the development of schizophrenia, adding to the growing list of genetic variants that can contribute to the disease. The study is the largest and most comprehensive of its kind.

Drug reverses abnormal brain function in Rett syndrome mice Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:24 AM PDT A promising study shows that in a mouse model of Rett syndrome, researchers were able to reverse abnormalities in brain activity and improve neurological function by treating the animals with an FDA-approved anesthesia drug, ketamine. Rett syndrome is among the most severe autism-related disorders, affecting about one in 10,000 female births per year, with no effective treatments available.

Ecologists start new Antarctic season comparing animals' handling of adversity Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:24 AM PDT Ecologists who are about to return to Antarctica have found that Weddell seals were better than Emperor penguins at handling adverse conditions from icebergs.

Deforestation in snowy regions causes more floods Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:23 AM PDT New research suggests that cutting down swaths of forest in snowy regions at least doubles -- and potentially quadruples -- the number of large floods that occur along the rivers and streams passing through those forests.

Stem cell transplant survivors at increased risk of developing heart disease, study suggests Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:23 AM PDT New research suggests that long-term survivors of hematopoietic cell transplants are at an increased risk of developing heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol when compared to the general population.

New ways to protect avocados from beetles Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:23 AM PDT Scientists are coming up with new strategies to combat a beetle threatening avocado trees in the U.S.

Which came first, shells or no shells? Ancient mollusk tells a contrary story Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:23 AM PDT A fossil unearthed in Great Britain may end a long-running debate about the mollusks, one of life's most diverse invertebrate groups: Which evolved first, shelled forms like clams and snails, or their shell-less, worm-like relatives?

Methane emissions can be traced back to Roman times Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:23 AM PDT Emissions of the greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere can be traced back thousands of years in the Greenland ice sheet. Using special analytical methods, researchers have determined how much methane originates from natural sources and how much is due to human activity. The results go back to Roman times and up to the present, where more than half of the emissions are now human-made.

Surprising black hole discovery changes picture of globular star clusters Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:21 AM PDT An unexpected discovery is forcing scientists to rethink their understanding of the environment in globular star clusters, tight-knit collections containing hundreds of thousands of stars. The astronomers were studying a globular cluster called Messier 22 (M22), a group of stars more than 10,000 light-years from Earth. They hoped to find evidence of a rare type of black hole in the cluster's center called an intermediate-mass black hole, which is more massive than those larger than the Sun's mass, but smaller than the supermassive black holes found at the cores of galaxies. However, they found something very surprising - two smaller black holes, which is unusual because most theorists say there should be at most one black hole in the cluster.

It's not too late for coral reefs, experts say Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:20 AM PDT Coral reefs – ecosystems of incredible environmental and economic value – are showing evidence of significant degradation, but do not have to be doomed. We can make a difference, researchers say.

Caffeinated coffee linked to vision loss Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:20 AM PDT A new study suggests caffeinated coffee drinkers should limit their intake to reduce their chances of developing vision loss or blindness. According to a scientific paper, heavy caffeinated coffee consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing exfoliation glaucoma, the leading cause of secondary glaucoma worldwide.

Blocking tumor-induced inflammation impacts cancer development Posted: 03 Oct 2012 10:19 AM PDT Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report the discovery of microbial–dependent mechanisms through which some cancers mount an inflammatory response that fuels their development and growth.

Economic abuse affects maternal mental health, parenting Posted: 03 Oct 2012 08:13 AM PDT Mothers who experience economic and psychological abuse during the first year of a relationship with their child's father are more likely to become depressed and spank the child in year five, researchers have found.

Study finds faults in proposed mental disorder diagnosis Posted: 03 Oct 2012 08:13 AM PDT New research finds a much anticipated addition to the revised Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition (DSM-5) questionable.

Common medicine helps repair brain after stroke, study in rats suggests Posted: 03 Oct 2012 08:11 AM PDT Post-stroke inflammation slows down recovery and impairs brain plasticity, reveal new results. The popular anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen restores the ability of brain cortex to reorganize – a process necessary for recovery of stroke-damaged functions.

Fear of treatment puts stress on women undergoing fertility therapy Posted: 03 Oct 2012 08:11 AM PDT Fertility treatment has a strong emotional impact on women who want to have children. A study of European countries with the highest number of assisted reproduction cycles identifies which aspects of reproduction treatment contribute to psychological stress. Inability to conceive is extremely stressful for women who want to have a family.

Got dry eyes? Measuring eyelid sensitivity may reflect the causes Posted: 03 Oct 2012 08:11 AM PDT A simple test of eyelid sensitivity may help vision professionals in evaluating one of the most common eye-related symptoms: dry eyes. A new study links increased eyelid sensitivity to decreased function of the eyelid margins.

Home-based assessment tool for dementia screening Posted: 03 Oct 2012 08:11 AM PDT Researchers have created a tool that allows adults to screen themselves for early signs of dementia. The home-based computer software is patterned after the paper-and-pencil Clock Drawing Test, one of health care's most commonly used screening exams for cognitive impairment.

Arctic sea ice shatters previous low records; Antarctic sea ice edges to record high Posted: 03 Oct 2012 07:37 AM PDT This September, sea ice covering the Arctic Ocean fell to the lowest extent in the satellite record, which began in 1979. Satellite data showed that the sea ice cover reached its lowest extent on September 16. Sea ice extent averaged for the month of September was also the lowest in the satellite record. As the Arctic was experiencing a record low minimum extent, the Antarctic sea ice was reaching record high levels, culminating in a Southern Hemisphere winter maximum extent of 19.44 million square kilometers (7.51 million square miles) on September 26.

Sea urchin's spiny strength revealed Posted: 03 Oct 2012 06:46 AM PDT For the first time, a team of Australian engineers has modelled the microscopic mechanics of a sea urchin's spine, gaining insight into how these unusual creatures withstand impacts in their aquatic environment.

Study evaluates frequency of pediatric pain assessments Posted: 03 Oct 2012 06:41 AM PDT A multi-site study showed a wide range of pain intensity scores in hospitalized infants and a significant number of them were found to have moderate to severe pain during their hospital stays.

New fanged dwarf dinosaur from Africa ate plants Posted: 03 Oct 2012 06:41 AM PDT With tiny one-inch long jaws, a new species of plant-eater has come to light in rocks in South Africa dating to the early dinosaur era, some 200 million years ago.

The brief but violent life of monogenetic volcanoes Posted: 03 Oct 2012 06:41 AM PDT A new study is providing insight into the explosive mechanisms of volcanoes that erupt just once, and then die.

New firework causes severe eye injuries, warn doctors Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:30 AM PDT A new type of firework caused severe eye injuries and blindness in children and adults at last year's bonfire night celebrations, warn doctors.

Doctors speak out about unnecessary care as cost put at $800 billion a year Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:30 AM PDT Leading doctors are calling for action to tackle unnecessary care that is estimated to account for up to $800 billion in the United States every year.

Surgeons recreate eggs in vitro to treat infertility Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:29 AM PDT Regenerative-medicine researchers have moved a promising step closer to helping infertile, premenopausal women produce enough eggs to become pregnant. Surgeons have now reported that they were able to stimulate ovarian cell production using an in vitro rat model, and observed as the cells matured into very early-stage eggs that could possibly be fertilized.

Surgeons pilot expandable prosthetic valves for congenital heart disease Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:29 AM PDT Surgeons have successfully implanted a modified version of an expandable prosthetic heart valve in several children with mitral valve disease. Unlike traditional prosthetic valves that have a fixed diameter, the expandable valve can be enlarged as a child grows, thus potentially avoiding the repeat valve replacement surgeries that are commonly required in a growing child. The new paradigm of expandable mitral valve replacement has potential to revolutionize care for infants and children with complex mitral valve disease.

Chloroquine makes comeback to combat malaria Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:29 AM PDT Malaria-drug monitoring over the past 30 years has shown that malaria parasites develop resistance to medicine, and the first signs of resistance to the newest drugs have just been observed. At the same time, resistance monitoring shows that the previously efficacious drug chloroquine is once again beginning to work against malaria. In time that will ensure cheaper treatment for the world's poor.

Innovative new defibrillator offers alternative for regulating heart beat Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:29 AM PDT Cardiologists have implanted a new innovative leadless defibrillator, the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S-ICD), to a 18 year-old patient. This was only the third time this new type of ICD had been implanted in Canada.

The genetics of HIV-1 resistance Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:27 AM PDT Drug resistance is a major problem when treating infections. This problem is multiplied when the infection, like HIV-1, is chronic. New research has examined the genetic footprint that drug resistance causes in HIV and found compensatory polymorphisms that help the resistant virus to survive.

Increase in allergies is not from being too clean, just losing touch with 'old friends' Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:27 AM PDT A new scientific report dismantles the myth that the epidemic rise in allergies in recent years has happened because we're living in sterile homes and overdoing hygiene. But far from saying microbial exposure is not important, the report concludes that losing touch with microbial 'old friends' may be a fundamental factor underlying rises in an even wider array of serious diseases.

Almost 50% of fruits and vegetables in the EU is not consumed Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:27 AM PDT Almost 50% of fruits and vegetables in the EU is not consumed. The main losses are connected to the production of fresh produce. 20% of the fresh produce is lost due to among others: accidental damage during threshing or fruit picking, damage by insects, mechanical damage and/or spillage during harvest operation and crops sorted out post-harvest following quality requirements by supermarkets and other companies. The lack of tuning between supply and demand is another reason for losses.

Nanoparticles against aging Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:27 AM PDT Scientists have developed an intelligent nanodevice that lays the foundations for the future development of new therapies against aging. The device consists of nanoparticles that can selectively release drugs in aged human cells. Its potential future use ranges from the treatment of diseases involving tissue or cellular degeneration such as cancer, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, among others, to accelerated aging disorders (progeria).

Numbers of women in science and technology fields alarmingly low in leading economies Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:27 AM PDT In the first study of its kind, researchers have found that numbers of women in the science, technology and innovation fields are alarmingly low in the world's leading economies, and are actually on the decline in others, including the United States.

New plasma jet gives 'cold' shoulder to superbugs Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:25 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new technique which has the potential to kill off hospital superbugs like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, C. difficile and MRSA.

New 3-D camera for space missions Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:25 AM PDT A new 3-D camera has been developed for space missions. Researchers are now completing a study identifying alternatives to the cameras currently deployed on spacecrafts and space rovers.

Newly developed, simple test for gestational diabetes Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:25 AM PDT The increasingly common condition of gestational diabetes can have serious consequences for both the mother and child if left untreated. Prompt diagnosis and therapy can protect against these consequences. A new testing method now makes diagnosis easier and also cheaper. The new analysis model for gestational diabetes is based on a mathematical risk model.

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