ScienceDaily: Top News

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• A battery made of wood?
• Drug shows surprising efficacy as treatment for chronic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma
• Mindfulness can increase wellbeing and reduce stress in school children
• Scientists identify emotions based on brain activity
• Current global food production trajectory won't meet 2050 needs
• Carbon nanotube harpoon catches individual brain-cell signals
• Some parents want their child to redeem their broken dreams
• New details about H7N9 influenza infections that suddenly appeared in China
• Scientists date prehistoric bacterial invasion still present in today's plant and animal cells
• Metamorphosis of moon's water ice explained
• A shot in the arm for old antibiotics
• New technology reduces, controls CT radiation exposure in children: CT scan radiation reduced by 37 percent
• Less is more: Novel cellulose structure requires fewer enzymes to process biomass to fuel
• How neural stem cells create new and varied neurons
• Biological fitness trumps other traits in mating game
• Brain can plan actions toward things the eye doesn't see
• A new model -- and possible treatment -- for staph bone infections
• Estrogen is a new weapon against urinary tract infection in postmenopausal women
• Fate of the heart: Researchers track cellular events leading to cardiac regeneration
• Dietary fructose causes liver damage in animal model
• Powerful new technique to reveal protein function
• New microfluidic chip can help identify unwanted particles in water and food
• Stroke symptoms associated with developing memory and thinking problems, even without stroke
• Simple and inexpensive process to make a material for CO2 adsorption
• HIV-derived antibacterial shows promise against drug-resistant bacteria
• Practical new approach to holographic video could also enable 2-D displays with higher resolution and lower power consumption
• Milestone for quantum networks: First entanglement between light and an optical atomic coherence
• Mars had oxygen-rich atmosphere 4,000 million years ago
• Chemical that makes naked mole rats cancer-proof discovered
• Structure from disorder: Scientists find new source of versatility so 'floppy' proteins can get things done
• Nearly 7 in 10 Americans are on prescription drugs
• No danger of cancer through gene therapy virus, study suggests
• Antioxidant shows promise in Parkinson's disease
• Was prehistoric rock art strategically placed to reveal a cosmological puzzle?
• The rhythm of the Arctic summer: Diverse activity patterns of birds during the Arctic breeding season
• Unusual supernova is doubly unusual for being perfectly normal
• What do memories look like?
• Validating Maps of the Brain's Resting State
• New Alzheimer's research suggests possible cause: Interaction of proteins in brain
• 'Ugly' finding: Unattractive workers suffer more
• Sound waves precisely position nanowires
• Stress hormone could trigger mechanism for the onset of Alzheimer's
• Outlook is grim for mammals and birds as human population grows
• Researchers discover immunity mechanism: Platelets patrolling the bloodstream
• Origins of 'The Hoff' crab revealed
• Older males make better fathers says new research on beetles
• City slicker or country bumpkin: City-life changes blackbird personalities
• Siberian caves warn of permafrost meltdown
• Contribution of particulate matter from air pollution to forest decline
• Altered brain structure in pathological narcissism
• Distracted walking: Injuries soar for pedestrians on phones
• Research of essential molecule reveals important targets in diabetes and obesity
• New research backs genetic 'switches' in human evolution
• Possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico predicted
• Long distance calls by sugar molecules

A battery made of wood? Posted: 19 Jun 2013 04:52 PM PDT A sliver of wood coated with tin could make a tiny, long-lasting, efficient and environmentally friendly battery, say scientists.

Drug shows surprising efficacy as treatment for chronic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma Posted: 19 Jun 2013 04:52 PM PDT Clinical studies suggest that the novel, targeted agent ibrutinib shows real potential is a safe, effective, treatment for adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and for patients with mantle cell lymphoma.

Mindfulness can increase wellbeing and reduce stress in school children Posted: 19 Jun 2013 04:51 PM PDT Mindfulness -- a mental training that develops sustained attention that can change the ways people think, act and feel -- could reduce symptoms of stress and depression and promote wellbeing among school children, according to a new study.

Scientists identify emotions based on brain activity Posted: 19 Jun 2013 04:51 PM PDT For the first time, scientists have identified which emotion a person is experiencing based on brain activity. The study combines functional magnetic resonance imaging and machine learning to measure brain signals to accurately read emotions in individuals. The findings illustrate how the brain categorizes feelings, giving researchers the first reliable process to analyze emotions. Until now, research on emotions has been long stymied by the lack of reliable methods to evaluate them.

Current global food production trajectory won't meet 2050 needs Posted: 19 Jun 2013 04:51 PM PDT Crop yields worldwide are not increasing quickly enough to support estimated global needs in 2050, according to a new study.

Carbon nanotube harpoon catches individual brain-cell signals Posted: 19 Jun 2013 04:51 PM PDT Neuroscientists may soon be modern-day harpooners, snaring individual brain-cell signals instead of whales with tiny spears made of carbon nanotubes.

Some parents want their child to redeem their broken dreams Posted: 19 Jun 2013 04:49 PM PDT Some parents desire for their children to fulfill their own unrealized ambitions, just as psychologists have long theorized, according to a new first-of-its-kind study.

New details about H7N9 influenza infections that suddenly appeared in China Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:48 PM PDT Researchers have revealed new information about the latest strain of type A influenza, known as H7N9.

Scientists date prehistoric bacterial invasion still present in today's plant and animal cells Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:48 PM PDT How long ago did bacteria invade the one-celled ancestors of plants and animals to become energy-producing mitochondria and photosynthesizing chloroplasts? Researchers developed a statistical way to analyze the variation in genes common to mitochondria, chloroplasts and the eukaryotic nucleus to more precisely date these events. They found that the cyanobacterial invasion of plants took place millions of years more recently than thought.

Metamorphosis of moon's water ice explained Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:47 PM PDT Using data gathered by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, scientists believe they have solved a mystery from one of the solar system's coldest regions -- a permanently shadowed crater on the moon. They have explained how energetic particles penetrating lunar soil can create molecular hydrogen from water ice. The finding provides insight into how radiation can change the chemistry of water ice throughout the solar system.

A shot in the arm for old antibiotics Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:47 PM PDT Slipping bacteria some silver could give old antibiotics new life, scientists report. This could pave the way for new therapies for drug-resistant and recurrent infections.

New technology reduces, controls CT radiation exposure in children: CT scan radiation reduced by 37 percent Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:47 PM PDT Patients at certain hospitals are being exposed to significantly less radiation during CT scans because of new technology that allows doctors to more tightly control radiation doses. The first-of-its-kind imaging software reduced overall radiation exposure from CT scans by 37 percent.

Less is more: Novel cellulose structure requires fewer enzymes to process biomass to fuel Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:47 PM PDT Improved methods for breaking down cellulose nanofibers are central to cost-effective biofuel production and the subject of new research. Scientists are investigating the unique properties of crystalline cellulose nanofibers to develop novel chemical pretreatments and designer enzymes for biofuel production from cellulosic -- or non-food -- plant-derived biomass.

How neural stem cells create new and varied neurons Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:47 PM PDT A new study examining the brains of fruit flies reveals a novel stem cell mechanism that may help explain how neurons form in humans.

Biological fitness trumps other traits in mating game Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:47 PM PDT When a new species emerges following adaptive changes to its local environment, the process of choosing a mate can help protect the new species' genetic identity and increase the likelihood of its survival. But of the many observable traits in a potential mate, which particular traits does a female tend to prefer?

Brain can plan actions toward things the eye doesn't see Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:47 PM PDT People can plan strategic movements to several different targets at the same time, even when they see far fewer targets than are actually present, according to a new study.

A new model -- and possible treatment -- for staph bone infections Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:47 PM PDT Osteomyelitis -- a debilitating bone infection most frequently caused by Staphylococcus aureus ("staph") bacteria – is particularly challenging to treat. Now, investigators have identified a staph-killing compound that may be an effective treatment for osteomyelitis, and they have developed a new mouse model that will be useful for testing this compound and for generating additional therapeutic strategies.

Estrogen is a new weapon against urinary tract infection in postmenopausal women Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:46 PM PDT Estrogen stimulates the production of the body's own antibiotic and strengthens the cells in the urinary tract, according to a new study. The results show that estrogen supplements may help menopausal women to ward off recurrent urinary tract infections.

Fate of the heart: Researchers track cellular events leading to cardiac regeneration Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:44 PM PDT Scientists have visually monitored the dynamic cellular events that take place when cardiac regeneration occurs in zebrafish after cardiac ventricular injury. Their findings provide evidence that various cell lines in the heart are more plastic, or capable of transformation into new cell types, than previously thought.

Dietary fructose causes liver damage in animal model Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:44 PM PDT The role of dietary fructose in the development of obesity and fatty liver diseases remains controversial, with previous studies indicating that the problems resulted from fructose and a diet too high in calories. However, a new study conducted in an animal model showed that fructose rapidly caused liver damage even without weight gain. The researchers found that over the six-week study period liver damage more than doubled in the animals fed a high-fructose diet as compared to those in the control group.

Powerful new technique to reveal protein function Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:43 PM PDT A new technique allows scientists to study the function of individual proteins in individual cell types in a living organism, providing deeper insights into protein function by isolating its function. Until now there was no tool for this.

New microfluidic chip can help identify unwanted particles in water and food Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:43 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new microfabrication technique to develop three-dimensional microfluidic devices in polymers. The devices can be used in the analysis of cells and could prove useful in counterterrorism measures and in water and food safety concerns.

Stroke symptoms associated with developing memory and thinking problems, even without stroke Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:43 PM PDT People who experience any stroke symptoms —- but do not have a stroke —- may also be more likely to develop problems with memory and thinking, according to new research.

Simple and inexpensive process to make a material for CO2 adsorption Posted: 19 Jun 2013 01:15 PM PDT Researchers have developed a novel, simple method to synthesize hierarchically nanoporous frameworks of nanocrystalline metal oxides such as magnesia and ceria by the thermal conversion of well-designed metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).

HIV-derived antibacterial shows promise against drug-resistant bacteria Posted: 19 Jun 2013 10:25 AM PDT Scientists have developed antibacterial compounds, derived from the outer coating of HIV, that could be potential treatments for drug-resistant bacterial infections and appear to avoid generating resistance.

Practical new approach to holographic video could also enable 2-D displays with higher resolution and lower power consumption Posted: 19 Jun 2013 10:24 AM PDT A practical new approach to holographic video could also enable 2-D displays with higher resolution and lower power consumption.

Milestone for quantum networks: First entanglement between light and an optical atomic coherence Posted: 19 Jun 2013 10:24 AM PDT Using clouds of ultra-cold atoms and a pair of lasers operating at optical wavelengths, researchers have reached a quantum network milestone: entangling light with an optical atomic coherence composed of interacting atoms in two different states.

Mars had oxygen-rich atmosphere 4,000 million years ago Posted: 19 Jun 2013 10:24 AM PDT Differences between Martian meteorites and rocks examined by a NASA rover can be explained if Mars had an oxygen-rich atmosphere 4,000 million years ago -- well before the rise of atmospheric oxygen on Earth 2,500 million years ago.

Chemical that makes naked mole rats cancer-proof discovered Posted: 19 Jun 2013 10:24 AM PDT Scientists have discovered the chemical that makes naked mole rats cancer-proof. Naked mole rats are small, hairless, subterranean rodents that have never been known to get cancer, despite having a 30-year lifespan. Scientists discovered that these rodents are protected from cancer because their tissues are very rich with high molecular weight hyaluronan (HMW-HA).

Structure from disorder: Scientists find new source of versatility so 'floppy' proteins can get things done Posted: 19 Jun 2013 10:24 AM PDT Many proteins work like Swiss Army knives, fitting multiple functions into their elaborately folded structures. A bit mysteriously, some proteins manage to multitask even with structures that are unfolded and floppy -- "intrinsically disordered." Scientists have now discovered an important trick that a well-known intrinsically disordered protein uses to expand and control its functionality.

Nearly 7 in 10 Americans are on prescription drugs Posted: 19 Jun 2013 10:23 AM PDT Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug, and more than half take two, researchers say.

No danger of cancer through gene therapy virus, study suggests Posted: 19 Jun 2013 09:22 AM PDT The first modified adeno-associated virus was recently approved for clinical gene therapy in the Western world. Scientists say it appears that no cancer risk emanates from the virus used for gene delivery.

Antioxidant shows promise in Parkinson's disease Posted: 19 Jun 2013 09:21 AM PDT Diapocynin, a synthetic molecule derived from a naturally occurring compound (apocynin), has been found to protect neurobehavioral function in mice with Parkinson's Disease symptoms by preventing deficits in motor coordination.

Was prehistoric rock art strategically placed to reveal a cosmological puzzle? Posted: 19 Jun 2013 09:21 AM PDT Recently, the discoveries of prehistoric rock art have become more common. With these discoveries, according to one researcher, comes a single giant one -- all these drawing and engravings map the prehistoric peoples' cosmological world.

The rhythm of the Arctic summer: Diverse activity patterns of birds during the Arctic breeding season Posted: 19 Jun 2013 09:21 AM PDT Our internal circadian clock regulates daily life processes and is synchronized by external cues, the so-called Zeitgebers. The main cue is the light-dark cycle, whose strength is largely reduced in extreme habitats such as in the Arctic during the polar summer. Using a radiotelemetry system biologists have now found, in four bird species in Alaska, different daily activity patterns ranging from strictly rhythmic to completely arrhythmic.

Unusual supernova is doubly unusual for being perfectly normal Posted: 19 Jun 2013 09:21 AM PDT Type Ia supernovae are indispensable milestones for measuring the expansion of the universe. With definitive measures of Supernova 2011fe, the "Backyard Supernova" that thrilled amateur and professional astronomers alike in the summer of 2011, the Nearby Supernova Factory demonstrates that this unusually close-by Type Ia is such a perfect example of its kind that future Type Ia's -- and models meant to explain their physics -- must be measured against it.

What do memories look like? Posted: 19 Jun 2013 09:21 AM PDT Scientists develop a way to see the structures that store memories in a living brain.

Validating Maps of the Brain's Resting State Posted: 19 Jun 2013 09:19 AM PDT Researchers have provided important validation of maps of the brain at rest that may offer insights into changes in the brain that occur in neurological and psychiatric disorders.

New Alzheimer's research suggests possible cause: Interaction of proteins in brain Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:28 AM PDT For years, Alzheimer's researchers have focused on two proteins that accumulate in the brains of people with Alzheimer's and may contribute to the disease: Plaques made up of the protein amyloid-beta, and tangles of another protein, called tau.

'Ugly' finding: Unattractive workers suffer more Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:28 AM PDT People who are considered unattractive are more likely to be belittled and bullied in the workplace, according to a first-of-its-kind study.

Sound waves precisely position nanowires Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:28 AM PDT The smaller components become, the more difficult it is to create patterns in an economical and reproducible way, according to an interdisciplinary team of researchers who, using sound waves, can place nanowires in repeatable patterns for potential use in a variety of sensors, optoelectronics and nanoscale circuits.

Stress hormone could trigger mechanism for the onset of Alzheimer's Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:26 AM PDT A chemical hormone released in the body as a reaction to stress could be a key trigger of the mechanism for the late onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Outlook is grim for mammals and birds as human population grows Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:26 AM PDT The ongoing global growth in the human population will inevitably crowd out mammals and birds and has the potential to threaten hundreds of species with extinction within 40 years, new research shows.

Researchers discover immunity mechanism: Platelets patrolling the bloodstream Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:16 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a mechanism that is used to protect the body from harmful bacteria. Platelets, a component of blood typically associated with clotting, were discovered to actively search for specific bacteria, and upon detection, seal it off from the rest of the body. The findings provide the science community with a greater understanding of immunity.

Origins of 'The Hoff' crab revealed Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:16 AM PDT The history of a new type of crab, nicknamed 'The Hoff' because of its hairy chest, which lives around hydrothermal vents deep beneath the Southern Ocean and Indian Ocean, has been revealed for the first time.

Older males make better fathers says new research on beetles Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:16 AM PDT Researchers have found that older male burying beetles make better fathers than their younger counterparts. The study found that mature males, who had little chance of reproducing again, invested more effort in both mating and in parental care than younger males.

City slicker or country bumpkin: City-life changes blackbird personalities Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:15 AM PDT The origins of a young animal might have a significant impact on its behavior later on in life. Researchers have been able to demonstrate in hand-reared blackbirds that urban-born individuals are less curious and more cautious about new objects than their country counterparts. This study sheds light on an interesting debate on whether personality differences between rural and urban birds are behavioral adjustments to urban environments, or if there is an underlying evolutionary basis to the existence of different personalities in urban habitats.

Siberian caves warn of permafrost meltdown Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:15 AM PDT Climate records captured in Siberian caves suggest 1.5 degrees of warming is enough to trigger thawing of permafrost, according to a new article.

Contribution of particulate matter from air pollution to forest decline Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:14 AM PDT Air pollution is related to forest decline and also appears to attack the protecting wax on tree leaves and needles. Scientists have now discovered a responsible mechanism: particulate matter salt compounds that become deliquescent because of humidity and form a wick-like structure that removes water from leaves and promotes dehydration.

Altered brain structure in pathological narcissism Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:14 AM PDT A far-reaching disorder of the self-esteem is denoted as a narcissistic personality disorder. Persons with pathological narcissism on the one hand suffer from feelings of inferiority, while on the other hand projecting themselves to the world as arrogant, disparaging and self-absorbed. One of the key features of a narcissistic personality disorder is the lack of empathy. Although patients suffering from such a disorder are well able to recognize what other persons feel, think and intent, they display little compassion.

Distracted walking: Injuries soar for pedestrians on phones Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:10 AM PDT More than 1,500 pedestrians were estimated to be treated in emergency rooms in 2010 for injuries related to using a cell phone while walking, according to a new nationwide study.

Research of essential molecule reveals important targets in diabetes and obesity Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:10 AM PDT Medical researchers have made breakthrough advancements on a molecule that may provide more answers in understanding the precise molecular mechanisms by which insulin regulates glucose uptake in fat and muscle cells.

New research backs genetic 'switches' in human evolution Posted: 19 Jun 2013 06:13 AM PDT A new study offers further proof that the divergence of humans from chimpanzees some 4 million to 6 million years ago was profoundly influenced by mutations to DNA sequences that play roles in turning genes on and off.

Possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico predicted Posted: 18 Jun 2013 01:15 PM PDT Scientists are forecasting that this year's Gulf of Mexico hypoxic "dead" zone will be between 7,286 and 8,561 square miles which could place it among the ten largest recorded. A second forecast, for the Chesapeake Bay, calls for a smaller than average dead zone in the nation's largest estuary.

Long distance calls by sugar molecules Posted: 18 Jun 2013 01:15 PM PDT All our cells wear a coat of sugar molecules, so-called glycans. Researchers have now discovered that glycans rearrange water molecules over long distances. This may have an effect on how cells sense each other.

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