ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Dreading pain can be worse than pain itself
• Sticky business: Magnetic pollen replicas offer multimodal adhesion
• Does obesity reshape our sense of taste?
• What can happen when graphene meets a semiconductor
• Black hole birth captured: Biggest, brightest to happen in at least 20 years
• How flu evolves to escape immunity
• Improve learning by taming instructional complexity
• The era of neutrino astronomy has begun
• Two Y genes can replace the entire Y chromosome for assisted reproduction in mice
• Monster gamma-ray burst in our cosmic neighborhood
• First Class 1 evidence for cognitive rehabilitation in MS
• Will 2-D tin be the next super material?
• Researchers map brain areas vital to understanding language
• Climate change may disrupt butterfly flight seasons
• Infrared vision lets researchers see through -- and into -- multiple layers of graphene
• Research sheds light on nerve regeneration following spinal cord injury
• How are fear-related behaviors, anxiety disorders controlled?
• Genomic variant associated with sun sensitivity, freckles identified
• Genetic defect keeps verbal cues from hitting the mark: Gene found in human speech problems affects singing, not learning in songbirds
• Newborn babies have built-in body awareness ability
• Who learns from the carrot, and who from the stick?
• The company you keep shapes what you learn, study in locusts suggests
• Newly identified brown fat stem cells hold possibilities for treating diabetes, obesity
• Two human proteins found to affect how 'jumping gene' gets around
• Oldest large body of ancient seawater identified under Chesapeake Bay
• Researchers gain fuller picture of cell protein reactions
• Insight on cell migration, movement of cancer cells
• Power boosting self-cleaning solar panels
• Stress, isolation take toll on those under 50 with HIV; older people fare better
• Ultrasound, nanoparticles may help diabetics avoid the needle
• Captive breeding for thousands of years has impaired olfactory functions in silkmoths
• Ancient Roman glass inspires modern science
• Infant galaxies merging near 'cosmic dawn'
• Playing computer games together makes brains feel and think alike
• New brain cells for Parkinson's and Huntington's patients? Attractants prevent nerve cell migration
• Amazon drones: The latest weapon in combatting climate change
• The last croak for Darwin's frog?
• Breakthrough for biofuel production from tiny marine algae
• Nut consumption linked to reduced death rate, study suggests
• Tiny antisense molecules increase 'good cholesterol' levels in obese primates
• Engineering education may diminish concern for public welfare issues
• 'Undruggable' mutation meets its match

Dreading pain can be worse than pain itself Posted: 21 Nov 2013 03:42 PM PST Faced with inevitable pain, most people would choose to get it out of the way as soon as possible, according to a new study.

Sticky business: Magnetic pollen replicas offer multimodal adhesion Posted: 21 Nov 2013 01:34 PM PST Researchers have created magnetic replicas of sunflower pollen grains using a wet chemical, layer-by-layer process that applies highly conformal iron oxide coatings. The replicas possess natural adhesion properties from the pollen while gaining magnetic behavior.

Does obesity reshape our sense of taste? Posted: 21 Nov 2013 12:49 PM PST Obesity may alter the way we taste at the most fundamental level: by changing how our tongues react to different foods. Biologists report that being severely overweight impaired the ability of mice to detect sweets.

What can happen when graphene meets a semiconductor Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:23 AM PST A new study has found that intrinsic ripples form on a sheet of graphene when it is placed on top of a semiconductor. The ripples further change the Schottky barrier height, affecting electron transport.

Black hole birth captured: Biggest, brightest to happen in at least 20 years Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:23 AM PST Intelligent telescopes designed by Los Alamos National Laboratory got a front row seat recently for an unusual birth. "This was the burst of the century," said James Wren, one of the scientists involved in the discovery. "It's the biggest, brightest one to happen in at least 20 years, and maybe even longer than that."

How flu evolves to escape immunity Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:23 AM PST Scientists have identified a potential way to improve future flu vaccines after discovering that seasonal flu typically escapes immunity from vaccines with as little as a single amino acid substitution.

Improve learning by taming instructional complexity Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:23 AM PST From using concrete or abstract materials to giving immediate or delayed feedback, there are rampant debates over the best teaching strategies to use. But, in reality, improving education is not as simple as choosing one technique over another. Carnegie Mellon University and Temple University researchers scoured the educational research landscape and found that because improved learning depends on many different factors, there are actually more than 205 trillion instructional options available.

The era of neutrino astronomy has begun Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:22 AM PST Astrophysicists using a telescope embedded in Antarctic ice have detected the mysterious phenomena known as cosmic neutrinos -- nearly massless particles streaming to Earth at the speed of light from outside our solar system, striking in a powerful burst of energy. Researchers now will try to detect the cosmic neutrinos' source.

Two Y genes can replace the entire Y chromosome for assisted reproduction in mice Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:22 AM PST Live mouse offspring can be generated with assisted reproduction using germ cells from males with the Y chromosome contribution limited to only two genes: the testis determinant factor Sry and the spermatogonial proliferation factor Eif2s3y.

Monster gamma-ray burst in our cosmic neighborhood Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:22 AM PST Gamma-ray bursts are violent bursts of gamma radiation associated with exploding massive stars. For the first time ever, researchers have observed an unusually powerful gamma-ray burst in the relatively nearby universe -- a monster gamma-ray burst.

First Class 1 evidence for cognitive rehabilitation in MS Posted: 21 Nov 2013 10:56 AM PST Researchers published the results of the MEMREHAB Trial, providing the first Class I evidence for the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis.

Will 2-D tin be the next super material? Posted: 21 Nov 2013 10:56 AM PST A single layer of tin atoms could be the world's first material to conduct electricity with 100 percent efficiency at the temperatures that computer chips operate, according to theoretical physicists.

Researchers map brain areas vital to understanding language Posted: 21 Nov 2013 10:56 AM PST In a new study, researchers uncovered the brain mechanisms that underlie discourse comprehension, or the ability to understand written or spoken language through the construction of rich mental models.

Climate change may disrupt butterfly flight seasons Posted: 21 Nov 2013 10:56 AM PST The flight season timing of a wide variety of butterflies is responsive to temperature and could be altered by climate change, according to a new study that leverages more than a century's worth of museum and weather records.

Infrared vision lets researchers see through -- and into -- multiple layers of graphene Posted: 21 Nov 2013 10:02 AM PST Scientists have developed a technique for "seeing through" a stack of graphene sheets to identify and describe the electronic properties of each individual sheet -- even when the sheets are covering each other up.

Research sheds light on nerve regeneration following spinal cord injury Posted: 21 Nov 2013 10:02 AM PST Researchers have discovered how the sea lamprey, an eel-like fish, regrows the neurons that comprise the long nerve "highways" that link the brain to the spinal cord. Findings may guide future efforts to promote recovery in humans who have suffered spinal cord injuries.

How are fear-related behaviors, anxiety disorders controlled? Posted: 21 Nov 2013 10:00 AM PST A team of researchers has just shown that interneurons located in the forebrain at the level of the prefrontal cortex are heavily involved in the control of fear responses.

Genomic variant associated with sun sensitivity, freckles identified Posted: 21 Nov 2013 10:00 AM PST Researchers have identified a genomic variant strongly associated with sensitivity to the sun, brown hair, blue eyes -- and freckles.

Genetic defect keeps verbal cues from hitting the mark: Gene found in human speech problems affects singing, not learning in songbirds Posted: 21 Nov 2013 09:59 AM PST A genetic defect that profoundly affects speech in humans also disrupts the ability of songbirds to sing effective courtship tunes. This defect in a gene called FoxP2 renders the brain circuitry insensitive to feel-good chemicals that serve as a reward for speaking the correct syllable or hitting the right note, a recent study shows.

Newborn babies have built-in body awareness ability Posted: 21 Nov 2013 09:58 AM PST The ability to differentiate your own body from others is a fundamental skill, critical for humans' ability to interact with their environments and the people in them. Now, researchers provide some of the first evidence that newborn babies enter the world with the essential mechanisms for this kind of body awareness already in place.

Who learns from the carrot, and who from the stick? Posted: 21 Nov 2013 09:58 AM PST To flexibly deal with our ever-changing world, it is thought that we need to learn from both the negative and positive consequences of our behavior. In other words, from punishment and reward. Scientists have now demonstrated that serotonin and dopamine related genes influence how we base our choices on past punishments or rewards. This influence depends on which gene variant you inherited from your parents.

The company you keep shapes what you learn, study in locusts suggests Posted: 21 Nov 2013 09:58 AM PST A team of scientists has shown how the environment shapes learning and memory by training locusts like Pavlov's dog to associate different smells with reward or punishment.

Newly identified brown fat stem cells hold possibilities for treating diabetes, obesity Posted: 21 Nov 2013 09:56 AM PST The recent identification of brown fat stem cells in adult humans may lead to new treatments for heart and endocrine disorders, according to a new study.

Two human proteins found to affect how 'jumping gene' gets around Posted: 21 Nov 2013 09:56 AM PST Using a new method to catch elusive "jumping genes" in the act, researchers have found two human proteins that are used by one type of DNA to replicate itself and move from place to place. The discovery breaks new ground in understanding the arms race between a jumping gene driven to colonize new areas of the human genome and cells working to limit the risk posed by such volatile bits of DNA.

Oldest large body of ancient seawater identified under Chesapeake Bay Posted: 21 Nov 2013 08:49 AM PST USGS scientists have determined that high-salinity groundwater found more than 1,000 meters (0.6 mi.) deep under the Chesapeake Bay is actually remnant water from the Early Cretaceous North Atlantic Sea and is probably 100-145 million years old. This is the oldest sizeable body of seawater to be identified worldwide.

Researchers gain fuller picture of cell protein reactions Posted: 21 Nov 2013 08:18 AM PST Researchers have developed a new technique for analyzing complex enzyme activity within cells.

Insight on cell migration, movement of cancer cells Posted: 21 Nov 2013 08:18 AM PST The migration of groups of cells in order to form tissues is common during the development of an organism. Discovering how these multiple movements are achieved is not only crucial to understand the basic principles of development, but provides new information and insights for further research into processes associated with the spread of cancer.

Power boosting self-cleaning solar panels Posted: 21 Nov 2013 08:18 AM PST High-power, self-cleaning solar panels might be coming soon to a roof near you. There are two obvious problems with photovoltaic cells, solar panels. First, they are very shiny and so a lot of the incident sunlight is simply reflected back into the sky rather than being converted into electricity. Secondly, they get dirty with dust and debris caught on the wind and residues left behind by rain and birds. Now, new research suggests that it might be possible to add a nanoscopic relief pattern to the surface of solar cells that makes them non-reflective significantly boosting efficiency and at the same time making them highly non-stick and self-cleaning.

Stress, isolation take toll on those under 50 with HIV; older people fare better Posted: 21 Nov 2013 07:51 AM PST Researchers were surprised to learn that people younger than 50 years old with HIV feel more isolated and stressed than older people with the disease. They expected their study to reveal just the opposite.

Ultrasound, nanoparticles may help diabetics avoid the needle Posted: 21 Nov 2013 07:51 AM PST A new nanotechnology-based technique for regulating blood sugar in diabetics may give patients the ability to release insulin painlessly using a small ultrasound device, allowing them to go days between injections -- rather than using needles to give themselves multiple insulin injections each day.

Captive breeding for thousands of years has impaired olfactory functions in silkmoths Posted: 21 Nov 2013 07:38 AM PST Domesticated silkmoths Bombyx mori have a much more limited perception of environmental odors compared to their wild relatives. A new study on silkmoths revealed that the insects' ability to perceive environmental odours has been reduced after about 5000 years of domestication by humans. Scientists compared olfactory functions in Bombyx mori and in their wild ancestors. Perception of the pheromone bombykol, however, remained highly sensitive in domesticated males.

Ancient Roman glass inspires modern science Posted: 21 Nov 2013 07:36 AM PST A 1700-year-old Roman glass cup is inspiring researchers in their search for new ways to exploit nanoparticles and their interactions with light.

Infant galaxies merging near 'cosmic dawn' Posted: 21 Nov 2013 07:36 AM PST Astronomers using the combined power of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have discovered a far-flung trio of primitive galaxies nestled inside an enormous blob of primordial gas nearly 13 billion light-years from Earth.

Playing computer games together makes brains feel and think alike Posted: 21 Nov 2013 06:14 AM PST Scientists have discovered that playing computer games can bring players' emotional responses and brain activity into unison. By measuring the activity of facial muscles and imaging the brain while gaming, the group found out that people go through similar emotions and display matching brainwaves.

New brain cells for Parkinson's and Huntington's patients? Attractants prevent nerve cell migration Posted: 21 Nov 2013 06:13 AM PST Medical researchers have been working toward implanting nerve precursor cells in the brains of patients with Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. It was hoped that these cells would assume the function of the cells that have died off. However, the implanted nerve cells frequently did not migrate as hoped, rather they hardly move from the site. Scientists have now discovered an important cause of this: Attractants secreted by the precursor cells prevent the maturing nerve cells from migrating into the brain.

Amazon drones: The latest weapon in combatting climate change Posted: 21 Nov 2013 06:12 AM PST A flying, insect-like robot will give an unprecedented look at Peru's tropical cloud forest, one of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems and a key indicator of global climate change.

The last croak for Darwin's frog? Posted: 20 Nov 2013 04:23 PM PST Deadly amphibian disease chytridiomycosis has caused the extinction of Darwin's frogs, believe scientists.

Breakthrough for biofuel production from tiny marine algae Posted: 20 Nov 2013 04:21 PM PST Researchers have developed a method for greatly enhancing biofuel production in tiny marine algae.

Nut consumption linked to reduced death rate, study suggests Posted: 20 Nov 2013 04:21 PM PST In the largest study of its kind, people who ate a daily handful of nuts were 20 percent less likely to die from any cause over a 30-year period than were those who didn't consume nuts, say scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Harvard School of Public Health

Tiny antisense molecules increase 'good cholesterol' levels in obese primates Posted: 20 Nov 2013 11:37 AM PST A strategy to increase levels of beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL) has been shown for the first time to be effective in non-human primates. The approach uses tiny antisense sequences to block the action of microRNAs that would otherwise inhibit a protein required for generation of HDL, the "good cholesterol" that helps remove harmful lipids from the body.

Engineering education may diminish concern for public welfare issues Posted: 20 Nov 2013 10:39 AM PST Collegiate engineering education may foster a "culture of disengagement" regarding issues of public welfare, according to new research.

'Undruggable' mutation meets its match Posted: 20 Nov 2013 10:34 AM PST Researchers have identified and exploited a newfound "Achilles heel" in K-Ras, the most commonly mutated oncogene in human cancers. K-Ras has earned a reputation as being "undruggable" because scientific researchers have failed to design a drug that successfully targets the mutant gene. The weak point is a newly discovered "pocket," or binding site, identified a team that has designed a chemical compound that fits inside this pocket and inhibits the normal activity of mutant K-Ras, but leaves the normal protein untouched.

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