ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Scientists find more precise way to turn off genes, a major goal of treatments that target cancer
• How to thrive in battery acid and among toxic metals
• 'Climate-smart strategies' proposed for spectacular US-Canadian landscape
• Low incidence of venous insufficiency in multiple sclerosis
• New clues to how flu virus spreads
• Scientists eradicate lung tumors in a pre-clinical mouse model
• Astronomers find 'lost' supernova
• Stocking Florida bass in Texas reservoirs may alter stream systems connected to stocked reservoirs
• Nanoparticles loaded with bee venom kill HIV
• The future of ion traps: Technology will continue to be leader in development of quantum computing architectures
• Is this peptide a key to happiness? Findings suggests possible new treatment for depression, other disorders
• Engineering breakthrough promises significantly more efficient solar cells
• Glaciers will melt faster than ever and loss could be irreversible warn scientists
• Prairie dogs disperse when all close kin have disappeared
• Support cells found in human brain make mice smarter
• Reconstruction of Earth climate history shows significance of recent temperature rise
• Long predicted atomic collapse state observed in graphene
• New study validates longevity pathway: Findings identify universal mechanism for activating anti-aging pathway
• Bees get a buzz from flower nectar containing caffeine
• New 3-D reconstructions show buried flood channels on Mars
• Biologists produce rainbow-colored algae
• Pushing the boundaries: Study provides key insight into how cells fuse
• Sniff, sniff: New form of animal communication discovered
• Hubble finds 'birth certificate' of oldest known star
• Improving electronics by solving nearly century-old problem
• Sea floor earthquake zones can act like a 'magnifying lens' strengthening tsunamis beyond what was through possible
• Key developmental mechanism in plants explained for first time
• Industrial chemicals found in food samples
• Ketchup turns somersaults
• Do-gooder or ne'er-do-well? Behavioral science explains patterns of moral behavior
• Better living through mindfulness
• Researchers find molecular switch turning on self-renewal of liver damage
• Changes in heart attack timing continue years after Hurricane Katrina
• Higher heart attack rates continue 6 years after Katrina
• Generations of cloned mice with normal lifespans created: 25th generation and counting
• What triggers puberty? Researchers discover mechanism that regulates steroid hormone production in fruit flies
• Molecular key to exhaustion following sleep deprivation
• Researchers discover workings of brain's 'GPS system'
• Pancakes with a side of math: A physiological model for sap exudation in maple trees
• Light shed on ancient origin of life
• Whoa there! Quick switch to 'barefoot' shoes can be bad to the bone
• The maternal effect: How mother deer protect their future kings
• How birds of different feathers flock together
• Bright comet in the evening sky
• Epigenetics: Neurons remember because they move genes in space
• Discovery of genetic mechanism allowing potato cultivation in northern latitudes
• Some brain cells are better virus fighters
• Age at first menstrual cycle, menopause tied to heart disease risk
• Up to half of gestational diabetes patients will develop type 2 diabetes, study finds
• Exercise shields children from stress, research indicates
• Internet searches can identify drug safety issues well ahead of public alerts
• Processed meat linked to premature death, large study finds
• Deep brain stimulation shows promise for patients with chronic, treatment resistant anorexia nervosa

Scientists find more precise way to turn off genes, a major goal of treatments that target cancer Posted: 07 Mar 2013 04:06 PM PST Scientists have found a more precise way to turn off genes, a finding that will speed research discoveries and biotech advances and may eventually prove useful in reprogramming cells to regenerate organs and tissues.

How to thrive in battery acid and among toxic metals Posted: 07 Mar 2013 04:06 PM PST In the movie Alien, the title character is an extraterrestrial creature that can survive brutal heat and resist the effects of toxins. In real life, organisms with similar traits exist, such as the "extremophile" red alga Galdieria sulphuraria. In hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, Galdieria uses energy from the sun to produce sugars through photosynthesis. In the darkness of old mineshafts in drainage as caustic as battery acid, it feeds on bacteria and survives high concentrations of arsenic and heavy metals. How has a one-celled alga acquired such flexibility and resilience?

'Climate-smart strategies' proposed for spectacular US-Canadian landscape Posted: 07 Mar 2013 04:06 PM PST A new report creates a conservation strategy that will promote wildlife resiliency in the Southern Canadian Rockies to the future impacts of climate change and road use. The report's "safe passages and safe havens" were informed in part by an assessment of six iconic species -- bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, grizzly bears, wolverines, mountain goats and bighorn sheep -- five of which were ranked as highly vulnerable to projected changes.

Low incidence of venous insufficiency in multiple sclerosis Posted: 07 Mar 2013 04:06 PM PST Results of a study using several imaging methods showed that chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency occurs at a low rate in both people with multiple sclerosis and non-MS volunteers, contrary to some previous studies.

New clues to how flu virus spreads Posted: 07 Mar 2013 04:06 PM PST People may more likely be exposed to the flu through airborne virus than previously thought, according to new research. The study also found that when flu patients wear a surgical mask, the release of virus in even the smallest airborne droplets can be significantly reduced.

Scientists eradicate lung tumors in a pre-clinical mouse model Posted: 07 Mar 2013 04:05 PM PST Scientists report that they have eradicated lung tumors in a pre-clinical mouse model. The study demonstrated the elimination of mouse lung tumours by inhibiting Myc, a protein that plays a key role in the development of many different tumours. The results confirm that repeated, long-term treatment does not cause side effects. Even more importantly, no resistance to treatment has been encountered, which is one of the biggest concerns with anticancer therapies.

Astronomers find 'lost' supernova Posted: 07 Mar 2013 01:16 PM PST Supernova explosions of massive stars are common in spiral galaxies like the Milky Way, where new stars are forming all the time. They are almost never seen in elliptical galaxies where star formation has nearly ceased. As a result, astronomers were surprised to find a young-looking supernova in an old galaxy.

Stocking Florida bass in Texas reservoirs may alter stream systems connected to stocked reservoirs Posted: 07 Mar 2013 01:16 PM PST A genetic analysis by biologists suggests that the stocking of Florida bass in Texas reservoirs impacts bass populations far beyond the actual stocking location.

Nanoparticles loaded with bee venom kill HIV Posted: 07 Mar 2013 01:03 PM PST Nanoparticles carrying a toxin found in bee venom can destroy human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) while leaving surrounding cells unharmed, researchers have shown. The finding is an important step toward developing a vaginal gel that may prevent the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The future of ion traps: Technology will continue to be leader in development of quantum computing architectures Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:57 AM PST Scientists speculate on ion trap technology as a scalable option for quantum information processing.

Is this peptide a key to happiness? Findings suggests possible new treatment for depression, other disorders Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:57 AM PST For the first time in humans, scientists have measured the release of a specific peptide, that greatly increased when subjects were happy, but decreased when they were sad. The findings have implications for the treatment of depression.

Engineering breakthrough promises significantly more efficient solar cells Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:57 AM PST A new technique could lead to significantly more efficient solar cells. Quantum dot photovoltaics offers the potential for low-cost, large-area solar power -- however these devices are not yet highly efficient in the infrared portion of the sun's spectrum, which is responsible for half of the sun's power that reaches Earth. The solution? Spectrally tuned, solution-processed plasmonic nanoparticles. These particles, researchers say, provide unprecedented control over light's propagation and absorption.

Glaciers will melt faster than ever and loss could be irreversible warn scientists Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:54 AM PST Canada's Arctic Archipelago glaciers will melt faster than ever in the next few centuries. Scientists have shown that 20 percent of the Canadian Arctic glaciers may have disappeared by the end of this century which would amount to an additional sea level rise of 3.5 centimeters.

Prairie dogs disperse when all close kin have disappeared Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:54 AM PST Prairie dogs pull up stakes and look for a new place to live when all their close kin have disappeared from their home territory -- a striking pattern of dispersal that has not been observed for any other species.

Support cells found in human brain make mice smarter Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:53 AM PST Glial cells -- a family of cells found in the human central nervous system and, until recently, considered mere "housekeepers" -- now appear to be essential to the unique complexity of the human brain. Scientists reached this conclusion after demonstrating that when transplanted into mice, these human cells could influence communication within the brain, allowing the animals to learn more rapidly.

Reconstruction of Earth climate history shows significance of recent temperature rise Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:53 AM PST Using data from 73 sites around the world, scientists have been able to reconstruct Earth's temperature history back to the end of the last Ice Age, revealing that the planet today is warmer than it has been during 70 to 80 percent of the time over the last 11,300 years.

Long predicted atomic collapse state observed in graphene Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:53 AM PST Seventy years ago theorists predicted superlarge nuclei would exhibit a quantum-mechanical phenomenon known as "atomic collapse." Recently materials scientists calculated that highly-charged impurities in graphene should exhibit a corresponding buildup of electrons partially localized in space and energy -- a unique electronic resonance. By constructing artificial superlarge nuclei on graphene, researchers have achieved the first experimental observation of long-sought atomic collapse, with important implications for the future of graphene-based electronic devices.

New study validates longevity pathway: Findings identify universal mechanism for activating anti-aging pathway Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:52 AM PST A new study demonstrates what researchers consider conclusive evidence that the red wine compound resveratrol directly activates a protein that promotes health and longevity in animal models. What's more, the researchers have uncovered the molecular mechanism for this interaction, and show that a class of more potent drugs currently in clinical trials act in a similar fashion.

Bees get a buzz from flower nectar containing caffeine Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:52 AM PST You may need a cup of coffee to kick start the day but it seems honeybees also get their buzz from drinking flower nectar containing caffeine.

New 3-D reconstructions show buried flood channels on Mars Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:52 AM PST New maps of the subsurface of Mars show for the first time buried channels below the surface of the red planet. Understanding the source and scale of the young channels present in Elysium Planitia -- an expanse of plains along the equator, and the youngest volcanic region on the planet -- is essential to comprehend recent Martian hydrologic activity and determine if such floods could have induced climate change.

Biologists produce rainbow-colored algae Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:51 AM PST What can green algae do for science if they weren't, well, green?

Pushing the boundaries: Study provides key insight into how cells fuse Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:51 AM PST Researchers have established a high-efficiency cell-cell fusion system, providing a new model to study how fusion works. The scientists showed that fusion between two cells is not equal and mutual as some assumed, but, rather, is initiated and driven by one of the fusion partners. The discovery, they say, could lead to improved treatments for muscular dystrophy, since muscle regeneration relies on cell fusion to make muscle fibers that contain hundreds or even thousands of nuclei.

Sniff, sniff: New form of animal communication discovered Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:51 AM PST Sniffing has been observed to also serve as a method for rats to communicate —- a fundamental discovery that may help scientists identify brain regions critical for interpreting communications cues and what brain malfunctions may cause some complex social disorders.

Hubble finds 'birth certificate' of oldest known star Posted: 07 Mar 2013 11:51 AM PST Astronomers have taken an important step closer to finding the birth certificate of a star that's been around for a very long time. The star could be as old as 14.5 billion years (plus or minus 0.8 billion years), which at first glance would make it older than the universe's calculated age of about 13.8 billion years, an obvious dilemma.

Improving electronics by solving nearly century-old problem Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:48 AM PST Scientists have solved an almost century-old problem that could further help downscale the size of electronic devices. The work focused on the low-frequency electronic 1/f noise, also known as pink noise and flicker noise. It is a signal or process with a power spectral density inversely proportional to the frequency. It was first discovered in vacuum tubes in 1925 and since then it has been found everywhere from fluctuations of the intensity in music recordings to human heart rates and electrical currents in materials and devices.

Sea floor earthquake zones can act like a 'magnifying lens' strengthening tsunamis beyond what was through possible Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:48 AM PST Until now, it was largely believed that the maximum tsunami height onshore could not exceed the depth of the seafloor. But new research shows that when focusing occurs, that scaling relationship breaks down and flooding can be up to 50 percent deeper with waves that do not lose height as they get closer to shore.

Key developmental mechanism in plants explained for first time Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:47 AM PST In simple animals like the fruit fly and more recently in plants and mammals, scientists have been able to identify some of the principal players in the developmental symphony. Scientists have now explained for the first time the operation of a mechanism in plants that controls a class of key developmental regulatory genes, called homeobox genes.

Industrial chemicals found in food samples Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:47 AM PST Researchers have discovered phthalates, industrial chemicals, in common foods purchased in the United States. Phthalates can be found in a variety of products and food packaging material, child-care articles and medical devices.

Ketchup turns somersaults Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:46 AM PST Blood, paint or ketchup are complex liquids composed of several different components. For the construction of pumps, or the improvement of technical processes scientists and engineers need description models. They make the special properties of such liquids predictable. Researchers have now developed such a model.

Do-gooder or ne'er-do-well? Behavioral science explains patterns of moral behavior Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:46 AM PST Does good behavior lead to more good behavior? Or do we try to balance our good and bad deeds? The answer depends on our ethical mindset, according to new research.

Better living through mindfulness Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:46 AM PST Results of a new study suggest that mindfulness -- awareness of the present moment -- may be linked to self-regulation throughout the day, and this may be an important contributor to better emotional and physical well-being.

Researchers find molecular switch turning on self-renewal of liver damage Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:45 AM PST The liver is one of the few organs in our body that can regenerate itself, but how it occurs is a biological mystery. New research from Denmark has identified a protein complex that act to switch on a self-regeneration program in the liver.

Changes in heart attack timing continue years after Hurricane Katrina Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:44 AM PST The upheaval caused by Hurricane Katrina seems to have disrupted the usual timing of heart attacks, shifting peak frequency from weekday mornings to weekend nights, in a change in pattern that persisted a full five years after the storm, according to new research.

Higher heart attack rates continue 6 years after Katrina Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:42 AM PST New Orleans residents continue to face a three-fold increased risk of heart attack post-Katrina -- a trend that has remained unchanged since the storm hit in 2005, according to new research.

Generations of cloned mice with normal lifespans created: 25th generation and counting Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:29 AM PST Using the technique that created Dolly the sheep, researchers have identified a way to produce healthy mouse clones that live a normal lifespan and can be sequentially cloned indefinitely.

What triggers puberty? Researchers discover mechanism that regulates steroid hormone production in fruit flies Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:29 AM PST Looking at the transformation of a fly larva into a pupa may help researchers understand the molecular mechanisms that trigger puberty. A study conducted on the fruit fly has identified an miRNA as key to the relationship between hormones that control growth and sexual maturity.

Molecular key to exhaustion following sleep deprivation Posted: 07 Mar 2013 09:29 AM PST Scientists have identified one of the molecular players in this process has been identified – at least in nematode round worms. Scientists report that even in Caenorhabditis elegans, a tiny nematode worm that feeds on bacteria, loss of sleep is "stressful."

Researchers discover workings of brain's 'GPS system' Posted: 07 Mar 2013 08:07 AM PST A new study pro­vides evi­dence for how the brain determines the body's location as it moves through its surroundings.

Pancakes with a side of math: A physiological model for sap exudation in maple trees Posted: 07 Mar 2013 08:07 AM PST The mechanisms behind sap exudation in sugar maple trees -- processes that trigger pressure differences causing sap to flow -- are a topic of much debate. In a new paper, researchers shed light on this subject by proposing a mathematical model for the essential physiological processes that drive sap flow.

Light shed on ancient origin of life Posted: 07 Mar 2013 08:06 AM PST Researchers discovered important genetic clues about the history of microorganisms called archaea and the origins of life itself in the first ever study of its kind. Results of their study shed light on one of Earth's oldest life forms.

Whoa there! Quick switch to 'barefoot' shoes can be bad to the bone Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:25 AM PST A new study from a team of exercise science professors found that runners who transition too quickly to 'barefoot' running shoes suffer an increased risk of injury to bones in the foot, including possible stress fractures.

The maternal effect: How mother deer protect their future kings Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:25 AM PST Just like the classic tale of Bambi, females from the deer family are more likely to invest more in the survival and health of their male offspring if there is a good chance those sons will become a "Great Prince of the Forest."

How birds of different feathers flock together Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:23 AM PST When different species of birds flock together, their flight formations are determined by social dynamics both between and within species.

Bright comet in the evening sky Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:23 AM PST Skywatchers in the northern hemisphere should enjoy a rare treat in the next few weeks, as Comet C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS enters the evening sky. Although the brightness of comets is notoriously difficult to predict, it looks as though this object may even be visible to the naked eye in the second half of March. Discovered by and named after the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii, the comet was first detected in June 2011, when it was an extremely faint object 1.2 billion km from the Sun. Looking at its path, astronomers soon realized that it could become very bright at its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) on March 10 this year.

Epigenetics: Neurons remember because they move genes in space Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:23 AM PST How do neurons store information about past events? A previously unknown mechanism of memory trace formation has been discovered. It appears that at least some events are remembered thanks to ... geometry.

Discovery of genetic mechanism allowing potato cultivation in northern latitudes Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:23 AM PST An international team of scientists has discovered a genetic mechanism which allows potato plants to develop tubers during the long days of spring and summer in northern latitudes. Wild potatoes, which originate in the Andes of South America, were brought to Europe by Spanish sailors in the late 16th century. Naturally occurring near the Equator, Andean potatoes develop tubers on days which are relatively shorter than those in high latitude summer. Newly discovered mutations in a single potato gene are likely to have contributed to the widespread success of the potato, which is the third most important food crop in the world today.

Some brain cells are better virus fighters Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:15 AM PST Natural immune defenses that resist viral infection are turned on in some brain cells but switched off in others, scientists have learned.

Age at first menstrual cycle, menopause tied to heart disease risk Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:15 AM PST Chinese women are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease if they have their first menstrual cycle or enter menopause later than their peers, according to a recent study.

Up to half of gestational diabetes patients will develop type 2 diabetes, study finds Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:15 AM PST Women who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy face a significantly higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the future, according to a recent study.

Exercise shields children from stress, research indicates Posted: 07 Mar 2013 06:15 AM PST Exercise may play a key role in helping children cope with stressful situations, according to a recent study.

Internet searches can identify drug safety issues well ahead of public alerts Posted: 06 Mar 2013 07:11 PM PST Internet searches on health symptoms can be used to identify drug side effects and could be used to develop a new kind of early warning system to boost drug safety, a new study indicates.

Processed meat linked to premature death, large study finds Posted: 06 Mar 2013 07:09 PM PST In a huge study of half a million men and women, researchers have demonstrated an association between processed meat and cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Deep brain stimulation shows promise for patients with chronic, treatment resistant anorexia nervosa Posted: 06 Mar 2013 07:08 PM PST In a world first, a team of researchers has shown that deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with chronic, severe and treatment-resistant anorexia nervosa (anorexia) helps some patients achieve and maintain improvements in body weight, mood, and anxiety.

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