ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Study provides insights on protecting world's poor from climate change
• The eyes have it: How organic mercury can interfere with vision
• Plants in space: A novel method for fixing plant tissue samples maximizes time, resources, and data
• An unprecedented threat to Peru's cloud forests
• Calculating the true cost of a ton of mountaintop coal
• Pacific humpback whale abundance higher in British Columbia
• Aerobic fitness boosts learning, memory in 9-10-year-old children
• Australian tarantula venom contains novel insecticide against agricultural pests
• Paleorivers across Sahara may have supported ancient human migration routes
• Orangutans plan their future route and communicate it to others
• The final nail in the Jurassic Park coffin: Next generation sequencing reveals absence of DNA in sub-fossilized insects
• Researchers move endangered mussels to save them
• Who's got guts? Young infants expect animals to have insides
• Crop-raiding elephants flee tiger growls
• Climate change may speed up forests' life cycles
• AIDS vaccine candidate appears to completely clear virus from the body in monkeys
• Test could identify which prostate cancers require treatment
• New hope for women suffering from recurrent miscarriage
• Crucial pathway discovered to fight gut infection
• Embryonic stem cells produced in living adult organisms
• Faulty stem cell regulation may contribute to cognitive deficits associated with Down syndrome
• Pumping draws arsenic toward a big-city aquifer
• In odd-looking mutant, clues about how maize plants control stem cell number
• Astronomers explain why disk galaxies eventually look alike
• Unusual mechanism of DNA synthesis could explain genetic mutations
• Century old chemistry problem solved: Foundational reaction on stubborn chemicals may improve drug synthesis
• New antibiotic shows promise for treating MRSA pneumonia
• Nano-optics: Integrated optical circuits coming soon?
• Ophthalmology: Automated method to detect glaucoma in its early stages
• Radiotherapy in girls and the risk of breast cancer later in life
• Hottest days in some parts of Europe have warmed four times more than the global average
• Obesity combined with exposure to cigarette smoke may pose new health concerns
• 'Merlin' is a matchmaker, not a magician
• New system allows cloud customers to detect program-tampering
• T-rays offer potential for earlier diagnosis of melanoma
• Airbrushing could facilitate large-scale manufacture of carbon nanofibers
• Stress may lead to false confessions
• Versatile microRNAs choke off cancer blood supply, suppress metastasis
• How Schizophrenia affects the brain
• Map of galactic clouds where stars are born takes shape
• Global warming could change strength of El Niño
• Tiny number of Asian carp could be big problem for Great Lakes
• Robots take over economy: Sudden rise of global ecology of interacting robots trade at speeds too fast for humans
• Mosquito bites deliver potential new malaria vaccine
• Biodegradable cabinet: A new approach to sustainability
• How chromosome ends influence cellular aging
• Tiny diamonds to boost treatment of chemoresistant leukemia
• Selection drives functional evolution of large enzyme families
• Bacteria enhance growth of fruit trees up to 40 percent
• Breakthrough discerns normal memory loss from disease
• Substance that gives grapefruit its flavor and aroma could give insect pests the boot
• Fungal sex can generate new drug resistant, virulent strains
• Improving the lives of allergy sufferers
• Researchers map carbon footprint of UK towns and cities
• Mesothelioma: A targeted approach to asbestos-related cancer
• Alzheimer's: Newly identified protein pathology impairs RNA splicing

Study provides insights on protecting world's poor from climate change Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:48 PM PDT The worst impacts of climate change on the world's poorest fishing communities can likely be avoided by careful management of the local environment and investing in the diversification of options for local people, according to new research.

The eyes have it: How organic mercury can interfere with vision Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:48 PM PDT Methylmercury compounds specifically target the central nervous system, and among the many effects of their exposure are visual disturbances, which were previously thought to be solely due to methylmercury-induced damage to the brain visual cortex. However, after combining powerful synchrotron X-rays and methylmercury-poisoned zebrafish larvae, scientists have found that methylmercury may also directly affect vision by accumulating in the retinal photoreceptors, i.e., the cells that respond to light in our eyes.

Plants in space: A novel method for fixing plant tissue samples maximizes time, resources, and data Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:48 PM PDT Researchers are working to understand plant growth and development in spaceflight. They have developed a single fixation protocol for use in space that allows plant material to be used for multiple experimental applications. The new protocol boasts low costs and wide application to any situation where recovery of biological resources is limited.

An unprecedented threat to Peru's cloud forests Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:48 PM PDT Researchers have pieced together startling new evidence that shows rapid 21st century warming may spell doom for tree species in Peruvian cloud forests, with species losing 53-96 percent of their populations.

Calculating the true cost of a ton of mountaintop coal Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:48 PM PDT To meet current US coal demand through surface mining, an area of the Central Appalachians the size of Washington, D.C., would need to be mined every 81 days. A one-year supply of coal would require converting about 310 square miles of the region's mountains into surface mines, according to a new analysis.

Pacific humpback whale abundance higher in British Columbia Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:47 PM PDT Humpback whale populations are on the rise in the coastal fjords of British Columbia, doubling in size from 2004 to 2011.

Aerobic fitness boosts learning, memory in 9-10-year-old children Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:47 PM PDT Physical fitness can boost learning and memory in children, particularly when initial learning on a task is more challenging.

Australian tarantula venom contains novel insecticide against agricultural pests Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:47 PM PDT Spider venoms are usually toxic when injected into prey, but a new protein discovered in the venom of Australian tarantulas can also kill prey insects that consume the venom orally. The protein is strongly insecticidal to the cotton bollworm, an important agricultural pest.

Paleorivers across Sahara may have supported ancient human migration routes Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:47 PM PDT Three ancient river systems, now buried, may have created viable routes for human migration across the Sahara to the Mediterranean region about 100,000 years ago.

Orangutans plan their future route and communicate it to others Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:46 PM PDT Male orangutans plan their travel route up to one day in advance and communicate it to other members of their species. In order to attract females and repel male rivals, they call in the direction in which they are going to travel. Anthropologists have found that not only captive, but also wild-living orangutans make use of their planning ability.

The final nail in the Jurassic Park coffin: Next generation sequencing reveals absence of DNA in sub-fossilized insects Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:46 PM PDT It is hardly possible to talk about fossil insects in amber without the 1993 movie Jurassic Park entering the debate. The idea of recreating dinosaurs by extracting DNA from insects in amber has held the fascination of the public for two decades. Claims for successful extraction of DNA from amber up to 130 million-years-old by various scientists in the early 1990s were only seriously questioned when a study at the Natural History Museum, London, was unable to replicate the process. The original claims are now considered by many to be a text-book example of modern contaminant DNA in the samples. Nonetheless, some scientists hold fast to their original claims.Research can now confirm that the existence of DNA in amber fossils is highly unlikely.

Researchers move endangered mussels to save them Posted: 11 Sep 2013 01:10 PM PDT Researchers have transported two endangered freshwater mussel species from Pennsylvania to Illinois in an attempt to re-establish their populations in the western part of the Ohio River Basin.

Who's got guts? Young infants expect animals to have insides Posted: 11 Sep 2013 01:10 PM PDT A team of researchers has shown that 8-month-old infants expect objects they identify as animals to have insides.

Crop-raiding elephants flee tiger growls Posted: 11 Sep 2013 01:10 PM PDT Wild Asian elephants slink quietly away at the sound of a growling tiger, but trumpet and growl before retreating from leopard growls, researchers have found. The work could help Indian farmers protect their crops from marauding elephants and save the lives of both people and animals.

Climate change may speed up forests' life cycles Posted: 11 Sep 2013 01:10 PM PDT Many climate studies have predicted that tree species will respond to global warming by migrating via seed dispersal to cooler climates. But a study of 65 different species in 31 eastern states finds that nearly 80 percent of the species are staying in place and speeding up their life cycles.

AIDS vaccine candidate appears to completely clear virus from the body in monkeys Posted: 11 Sep 2013 11:17 AM PDT An HIV/AIDS vaccine candidate appears to have the ability to completely clear an AIDS-causing virus from the body. It is being tested through the use of a non-human primate form of HIV, called simian immunodeficiency virus, or SIV, which causes AIDS in monkeys. Following further development, it is hoped an HIV-form of the vaccine candidate can soon be tested in humans.

Test could identify which prostate cancers require treatment Posted: 11 Sep 2013 11:17 AM PDT The level of expression of three genes associated with aging can be used to predict whether seemingly low-risk prostate cancer will remain slow-growing, according to researchers. Use of this three-gene biomarker, in conjunction with existing cancer-staging tests, could help physicians better determine which men with early prostate cancer can be safely followed with "active surveillance" and spared the risks of prostate removal or other invasive treatment.

New hope for women suffering from recurrent miscarriage Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:20 AM PDT A team of researchers has published new data that could prove vital for advances in care for women who suffer from recurrent miscarriage.

Crucial pathway discovered to fight gut infection Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:20 AM PDT An international team of researchers has found a crucial pathway for defending the human gut against infection.

Embryonic stem cells produced in living adult organisms Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:19 AM PDT Scientists have produced embryonic stem cells within a living adult mammal. Researchers have also discovered that these embryonic stem cells, obtained directly from the inside of the organism, have a broader capacity for differentiation than those obtained via in vitro culture. Specifically, they have the characteristics of totipotent cells: a primitive state never before obtained in a laboratory.

Faulty stem cell regulation may contribute to cognitive deficits associated with Down syndrome Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:19 AM PDT The learning and physical disabilities that affect people with Down syndrome may be due at least in part to defective stem cell regulation throughout the body, according to researchers.

Pumping draws arsenic toward a big-city aquifer Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:19 AM PDT Naturally occurring arsenic pollutes wells across the world, especially in south and southeast Asia, where an estimated 100 million people are exposed to dangerous levels. Now, scientists working in Vietnam have shown that massive pumping of groundwater from a clean aquifer is slowly but surely drawing the poison into the water fro a nearby polluted one. The study, done near Hanoi, confirms suspicions that booming water usage could eventually threaten millions more people across Asia.

In odd-looking mutant, clues about how maize plants control stem cell number Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:19 AM PDT Plant geneticists have presented first evidence of a functional interaction in maize between an important class of signaling molecule called a G protein, which binds receptors, and an unexpected class of cell-surface receptors.

Astronomers explain why disk galaxies eventually look alike Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:17 AM PDT Astronomers have discovered the fundamental process responsible for the smooth, steady fade of older disk galaxies. They say the key is the clumps of interstellar gases and new stars within young galaxy disks.

Unusual mechanism of DNA synthesis could explain genetic mutations Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:17 AM PDT Researchers have discovered the details of how cells repair breaks in both strands of DNA, a potentially devastating kind of DNA damage.

Century old chemistry problem solved: Foundational reaction on stubborn chemicals may improve drug synthesis Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:17 AM PDT Chemists have found a way to apply a "foundational reaction" of organic chemistry to a stubborn class of chemicals, in a transformation that has been thought impossible for a century.

New antibiotic shows promise for treating MRSA pneumonia Posted: 11 Sep 2013 10:17 AM PDT A drug approved just two years ago for treating bacterial infections may hold promise for treating the potentially fatal MRSA pneumonia, according to a new study. Researchers found that patients treated with the antibiotic ceftaroline fosamil, or CPT-F, had a lower mortality rate after 28 days than the mortality rate seen in patients treated with vancomycin, the most common drug therapy for MRSA pneumonia.

Nano-optics: Integrated optical circuits coming soon? Posted: 11 Sep 2013 09:53 AM PDT An experimental demonstration of light scattering controlled by silicon nanoparticles augurs well for the development of integrated optical circuits.

Ophthalmology: Automated method to detect glaucoma in its early stages Posted: 11 Sep 2013 09:53 AM PDT Scientists have developed a novel automated technology that screens for glaucoma more accurately and quickly than existing methods.

Radiotherapy in girls and the risk of breast cancer later in life Posted: 11 Sep 2013 09:50 AM PDT Rsearchers have helped determine why exposing young women and girls under the age of 20 to ionizing radiation can substantially raise the risk of their developing breast cancer later in life.

Hottest days in some parts of Europe have warmed four times more than the global average Posted: 11 Sep 2013 09:07 AM PDT Some of the hottest days and coldest nights in parts of Europe have warmed more than four times the global average change since 1950, according to a new article.

Obesity combined with exposure to cigarette smoke may pose new health concerns Posted: 11 Sep 2013 09:07 AM PDT Millions of people who are obese and smoke tobacco may face additional health problems — including their responses to common prescription medicines — that extend beyond the well-known links with cancer, heart attacks and stroke, according to a new. The risks may extend to non-smokers who inhale smoke from cigarettes smouldering nearby.

'Merlin' is a matchmaker, not a magician Posted: 11 Sep 2013 08:47 AM PDT Researchers have figured out the specific job of a protein long implicated in tumors of the nervous system. Reporting on a new study, they detail what they call the "matchmaking" activities of a fruit fly protein called Merlin, whose human counterpart, NF2, is a tumor suppressor protein known to cause neurofibromatosis type II when mutated.

New system allows cloud customers to detect program-tampering Posted: 11 Sep 2013 08:47 AM PDT A new version of "zero-knowledge proofs" allows cloud customers to verify the proper execution of their software with a single packet of data.

T-rays offer potential for earlier diagnosis of melanoma Posted: 11 Sep 2013 08:46 AM PDT The technology that peeks underneath clothing at airport security screening check points has great potential for looking underneath human skin to diagnose cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages, scientists say.

Airbrushing could facilitate large-scale manufacture of carbon nanofibers Posted: 11 Sep 2013 07:34 AM PDT Researchers have used airbrushing techniques to grow vertically aligned carbon nanofibers on several different metal substrates, opening the door for incorporating these nanofibers into gene delivery devices, sensors, batteries and other technologies.

Stress may lead to false confessions Posted: 11 Sep 2013 07:33 AM PDT Imagine if you were wrongly accused of a crime. Would you be stressed? Researchers have found the innocent are often less stressed than the guilty. And that could put them at greater risk to admit to a crime they didn't commit.

Versatile microRNAs choke off cancer blood supply, suppress metastasis Posted: 11 Sep 2013 07:33 AM PDT A family of microRNAs blocks cancer progression and metastasis by stifling a tumor's ability to weave new blood vessels to support itself, researchers have reported.

How Schizophrenia affects the brain Posted: 11 Sep 2013 07:33 AM PDT A study has been published using brain scans to document the effects of schizophrenia on brain tissue. The findings may help doctors better understand the origin of the illness and the best ways to treat it.

Map of galactic clouds where stars are born takes shape Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:32 AM PDT Astronomers have completed the first stage of a map of the location of the most massive and mysterious objects in our galaxy -- the giant gas clouds where new stars are born. They identify the clouds -- which can be up to 100 light years across -- from the carbon monoxide they contain.

Global warming could change strength of El Niño Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:31 AM PDT Global warming could impact the El Niño Southern Oscillation, altering the cycles of El Niño and La Niña events that bring extreme drought and flooding to Australia and many other Pacific-rim countries.

Tiny number of Asian carp could be big problem for Great Lakes Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:31 AM PDT A tiny number of Asian carp could establish a population of the invasive fish in the Great Lakes, according to new research.

Robots take over economy: Sudden rise of global ecology of interacting robots trade at speeds too fast for humans Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:31 AM PDT Recently, the global financial market experienced a series of computer glitches that abruptly brought operations to a halt. One reason for these "flash freezes" may be the sudden emergence of mobs of ultrafast robots, which trade on the global markets and operate at speeds beyond human capability, thus overwhelming the system.

Mosquito bites deliver potential new malaria vaccine Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:30 AM PDT There is hope for new live-attenuated malaria vaccine according to a new study. This work has genetically engineered malaria parasites that are stunted through precise gene deletions, and these could be used as a vaccine that protects against malaria infection.

Biodegradable cabinet: A new approach to sustainability Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:30 AM PDT A furniture design academic has started creating furniture made from 100 per cent biodegradable material, which can be composted at the end of its lifespan.

How chromosome ends influence cellular aging Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:29 AM PDT By studying processes that occur at the ends of chromosomes, a team researchers has unravelled an important mechanism towards a better understanding of cellular aging.

Tiny diamonds to boost treatment of chemoresistant leukemia Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:29 AM PDT By binding multiple molecules of a common leukemia drug with nanodiamonds, scientists have managed to boost the delivery of the drug to leukemic cells and retain the drug within the cells to combat the cancer.

Selection drives functional evolution of large enzyme families Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:29 AM PDT Researchers show in a new study how natural selection drives functional evolution of a large protein family in conifer trees. The study sheds light on the mechanisms and adaptive significance of gene family evolution.

Bacteria enhance growth of fruit trees up to 40 percent Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:29 AM PDT Improvement in reforestation and agriculture is possible thanks to new work. Scientists used different strains of fungi and bacteria to promote development and health in trees, which have enabled them to accelerate growth of different species up to 40 percent.

Breakthrough discerns normal memory loss from disease Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:27 AM PDT Researchers have developed a reliable method to distinguish memory declines associated with healthy aging from the more-serious memory disorders years before obvious symptoms emerge. The method also allows research to accurately predict who is more likely to develop cognitive impairment without expensive tests or invasive procedures.

Substance that gives grapefruit its flavor and aroma could give insect pests the boot Posted: 11 Sep 2013 06:27 AM PDT The citrus flavor and aroma of grapefruit — already used in fruit juices, citrus-flavored beverages, and prestige perfumes and colognes — may be heading for a new use in battling mosquitoes, ticks, head lice and bedbugs thanks to a less expensive way of making large amounts of the once rare and pricey ingredient, scientists say.

Fungal sex can generate new drug resistant, virulent strains Posted: 10 Sep 2013 05:54 PM PDT Sex between genetically identical organisms has been found to create genetic changes and diversity where it did not previously exist. Studies of a fungus called Cryptococcus showed the process of sexual reproduction can result in extra copies of chromosomes that can be beneficial to the organism's survival. The discovery contributes to the understanding of sex, and lends insight into how pathogenic microbes can evolve to cause and spread diseases.

Improving the lives of allergy sufferers Posted: 10 Sep 2013 05:53 PM PDT Allergen immunotherapy improves the quality of life of people who are allergic to grass pollen and house dust mites, reveals a new study. With less time taken off work, the therapy yields economic as well as patient benefits.

Researchers map carbon footprint of UK towns and cities Posted: 10 Sep 2013 05:53 PM PDT The London borough of Newham is famed for producing talents such as Idris Elba, Plan B and Mo Farrah, whilst also playing host to the Olympic Stadium and West Ham United Football Club. Now an international group of researchers have found that its residents have the smallest carbon footprint in the UK.

Mesothelioma: A targeted approach to asbestos-related cancer Posted: 10 Sep 2013 05:53 PM PDT A new targeted therapy for asbestos-related tumors has shown promise in an animal model. The results raise hopes of a new therapy for this currently incurable cancer. Malignant mesothelioma (MMs) is a rare form of cancer, most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos. It tends to be diagnosed decades after exposure occurs, so is rarely caught early. Current treatments, including surgery and chemotherapy, have limited efficacy and unpleasant side effects.

Alzheimer's: Newly identified protein pathology impairs RNA splicing Posted: 10 Sep 2013 02:14 PM PDT Researchers have identified a previously unrecognized type of pathology in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. These tangle-like structures appear at early stages of Alzheimer's and are not found in other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. The appearance of these tangles, which sequester proteins involved in RNA splicing, is linked to widespread changes in Alzheimer's brains compared to healthy brains.

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