ScienceDaily: Top News

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• New RNA interference technique finds seven genes for head and neck cancer
• New 'pomegranate-inspired' design solves problems for lithium-ion batteries
• Researchers rejuvenate stem cell population from elderly mice, enabling muscle recovery
• Volcanoes, including Mt. Hood, can go from dormant to active in a few months
• Fertilization destabilizes global grassland ecosystems
• Loneliness is a major health risk for older adults
• Researchers hijack cancer migration mechanism to 'move' brain tumors
• Harvesting light, the single-molecule way: molecular mechanism of light harvesting may illuminate path forward to future solar cells
• Deep ocean needs policy, stewardship where it never existed, experts urge
• Psoriasis researchers identify molecular changes responsible for skin discoloration
• Making biodiverse agriculture part of a food-secure future
• Conserving potato agrobiodiversity: Top-down and bottom-up approach needed
• Can citrus ward off your risk of stroke?
• Chronology of geological events prior to the great extinction 66 million years ago
• Topiramate reduces heavy drinking among patients seeking to cut down on alcohol consumption
• Genetic chip will help salmon farmers breed better fish
• Cancer drugs hitch a ride on 'smart' gold nanoshells

New RNA interference technique finds seven genes for head and neck cancer Posted: 16 Feb 2014 03:20 PM PST In the hunt for genetic mutations that cause cancer, there is a lot of white noise. So although genetic sequencing has identified hundreds of genetic alterations linked to tumors, it's still an enormous challenge to figure out which ones are actually responsible for the growth and metastasis of cancer. Scientists have now created a new technique that can weed out that noise -- eliminating the random bystander genes and identifying the ones that are critical for cancer. Applying their technique to head and neck cancers, they've discovered seven new tumor-suppressor genes whose role in cancer was previously unknown.

New 'pomegranate-inspired' design solves problems for lithium-ion batteries Posted: 16 Feb 2014 12:17 PM PST A novel battery electrode features silicon nanoparticles clustered like pomegranate seeds in a tough carbon rind. The design could enable smaller, lighter rechargeable batteries for electric cars, cell phones and other devices.

Researchers rejuvenate stem cell population from elderly mice, enabling muscle recovery Posted: 16 Feb 2014 12:17 PM PST Researchers have pinpointed why normal aging is accompanied by a diminished ability to regain strength and mobility after muscle injury: over time, stem cells within muscle tissues dedicated to repairing damage become less able to generate new muscle fibers and struggle to self-renew. Scientists identified for the first time a process by which the older muscle stem cell populations can be rejuvenated to function like younger cells.

Volcanoes, including Mt. Hood, can go from dormant to active in a few months Posted: 16 Feb 2014 12:17 PM PST A new study suggests that the magma sitting 4-5 kilometers beneath the surface of Oregon's Mount Hood has been stored in near-solid conditions for thousands of years, but that the time it takes to liquefy and potentially erupt is surprisingly short -- perhaps as little as a couple of months.

Fertilization destabilizes global grassland ecosystems Posted: 16 Feb 2014 12:17 PM PST Fertilization of natural grasslands -- either intentionally or unintentionally as a side effect of global farming and industry -- is having a destabilizing effect on global grassland ecosystems. Using a network of natural grassland research sites around the world called the Nutrient Network, the study represents the first time such a large experiment has been conducted using naturally occurring sites. The researchers found that plant diversity in natural ecosystems creates more stable ecosystems over time because of less synchronized growth of plants.

Loneliness is a major health risk for older adults Posted: 16 Feb 2014 12:14 PM PST Feeling extreme loneliness can increase an older person's chances of premature death by 14 percent, according to new research.

Researchers hijack cancer migration mechanism to 'move' brain tumors Posted: 16 Feb 2014 12:14 PM PST One factor that makes glioblastoma cancers so difficult to treat is that malignant cells from the tumors spread throughout the brain by following nerve fibers and blood vessels to invade new locations. Now, researchers have learned to hijack this migratory mechanism, turning it against the cancer by using a film of nanofibers thinner than human hair to lure tumor cells away.

Harvesting light, the single-molecule way: molecular mechanism of light harvesting may illuminate path forward to future solar cells Posted: 16 Feb 2014 12:14 PM PST Scientists have reached new insights into one of the molecular mechanisms behind light harvesting, which enables photosynthetic organisms to thrive, even as weather conditions change from full sunlight to deep cloud cover. Probing these natural systems is helping us understand the basic mechanisms of light harvesting -- work that could help improve the design and efficiency of devices like solar cells in the future.

Deep ocean needs policy, stewardship where it never existed, experts urge Posted: 16 Feb 2014 12:13 PM PST echnological advances have made the extraction of deep sea mineral and precious metal deposits feasible, and the dwindling supply of land-based materials creates compelling economic incentives for deep sea industrialization. But at what cost? Plans to begin mining nodules of valuable metals from deep ocean deposits have oceanographers concerned about the lack of public awareness or international agreements governing these habitats. "The deep sea is out of sight, out of mind ... there's a whole level of concern that isn't being expressed when it comes to deep sea industrialization," an expert said.

Psoriasis researchers identify molecular changes responsible for skin discoloration Posted: 16 Feb 2014 12:05 PM PST Itchy, painful rashes -- such as those that occur with psoriasis -- are uncomfortable, but at least they fade when the flare-up subsides. Mostly. Evidence often remains in the form of dark, discolored areas of skin, serving as a reminder of the disease. A new study however, has uncovered the molecular roots of skin discoloration that is often associated with psoriasis, suggesting the possibility of new treatments for pigmentation changes seen not only in psoriasis, but also in other conditions such as eczema and acne.

Making biodiverse agriculture part of a food-secure future Posted: 15 Feb 2014 04:19 PM PST Is biodiverse agriculture an anachronism? Or is it a vital part of a food-secure future? Given the need to feed an estimated 2.4 billion more people by the year 2050, the drive toward large-scale, single-crop farming around the world may seem inexorable. But there's an important downside to this trend, argues one researcher.

Conserving potato agrobiodiversity: Top-down and bottom-up approach needed Posted: 15 Feb 2014 04:18 PM PST Mashed, smashed and fried, Americans love potatoes, but only a few varieties are grown in much of North American agriculture. In South America, where potatoes originated, more than 5,000 varieties continue to exist. A geographer is gathering all the information he can about the agrobiodiversity of these uniquely adapted tubers with an eye toward sustainability of this fourth largest food crop worldwide.

Can citrus ward off your risk of stroke? Posted: 14 Feb 2014 05:38 PM PST Eating foods that contain vitamin C may reduce your risk of the most common type of hemorrhagic stroke, according to a new study. Vitamin C is found in fruits and vegetables such as oranges, papaya, peppers, broccoli and strawberries. Hemorrhagic stroke is less common than ischemic stroke, but is more often deadly.

Chronology of geological events prior to the great extinction 66 million years ago Posted: 14 Feb 2014 04:54 AM PST New research focusing on the last 3 million years of the Cretaceous period, managed to detail exactly the chronology of the climatic, magnetic and biological events prior to the great extinction of 66 million years ago (Ma.), which includes the disappearance of almost all dinosaurs (except birds). Scientists analyzed gravitational interactions between the Earth, the Moon, the Sun and the planets of the solar system (principally Jupiter) in their work.

Topiramate reduces heavy drinking among patients seeking to cut down on alcohol consumption Posted: 14 Feb 2014 04:53 AM PST Heavy alcohol consumption is common in the United States and takes a personal and societal toll, with an annual estimated cost of $223.5 billion. Researchers have shown that the anticonvulsant medication, topiramate, previously shown to reduce drinking in patients committed to abstinence from alcohol, can also be helpful in treating problem drinkers whose aim is to curb their alcohol consumption – particularly among a specific group of patients whose genetic makeup appears to be linked to the efficacy of the therapy.

Genetic chip will help salmon farmers breed better fish Posted: 13 Feb 2014 07:04 PM PST Atlantic salmon production could be boosted by a new technology that will help select the best fish for breeding.

Cancer drugs hitch a ride on 'smart' gold nanoshells Posted: 13 Feb 2014 07:04 PM PST Nanoparticles capable of delivering drugs to specifically targeted cancer cells have been created by a group of researchers from China.

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