ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Languages written to design synthetic living systems useful for new products, health care
• Gene family that suppresses prostate cancer discovered
• One in five older Americans take medications that work against each other
• Roomy cages built from DNA could one day deliver drugs, devices
• More accurate data on thousands of years of climate change
• Stirring the simmering 'designer baby' pot
• When big isn't better: How the flu bug bit Google
• Turning raw natural gas into upgraded liquid alcohol fuel
• More to biological diversity than meets the eye: Specialization by insect species is the key
• Stumbling fruit flies lead scientists to discover gene essential for sensing joint position
• Better way to make unnatural amino acids devised
• New ovarian cancer targets proposed: Proteins called TAFs
• Equation to describe competition between genes
• You should be ashamed -- or maybe not
• Novel marker, possible therapeutic target for cardiovascular calcification identified
• We must forget to avoid serious mental disorders, and forgetting is actively regulated
• Scientists catch brain damage in the act
• Human brains 'hard-wired' to link what we see with what we do
• Africans' ability to digest milk linked to spread of cattle raising
• 'Fluorescent' mouse can teach us about many diseases, drugs
• Extinct California porpoise had a unique underbite
• Commonly used pain relievers have added benefit of fighting bacterial infection
• New fossil species reveals parental care of young from 450 million years ago
• Neuroscientists forge path toward understanding human brain
• 'Velcro protein' found to play surprising role in cell migration
• 'Super circles' to lessen rush-hour traffic congestion
• Graphene-metal sandwich: Combining graphene and copper may shrink electronics
• Oxygen's different shapes described
• Cancer stem cells destroyed with cryoablation and nanoparticle-encapsulated anticancer drug
• One out of two parents do not see their child's weight problem
• Gene variants protect against relapse after treatment for hepatitis C
• Tropical grassy ecosystems under threat, scientists warn
• Soft robotic fish moves like the real thing: New robotic fish can change direction almost as rapidly as a real fish
• A brake for spinning molecules: Precise control of rotational temperature of molecular ions for lab-based astrochemistry
• What happened when? How the brain stores memories by time
• Most of the sand in Alberta's oilsands came from eastern North America, study shows
• 'Love hormone' oxytocin could provide new treatment for anorexia, study suggests
• Origin of life: Simulating how Earth kick-started metabolism
• Exchange rate behaves like particles in a molecular fluid
• Genetic differences in female athletes with ACL injuries found in study
• Only small number of symptomatic side effects reported in those taking statins are actually attributable to statins, study finds
• A brain signal for psychosis risk
• Africa's air pollution underestimated in climate change models
• Targeting bacterial cell division to fight antibiotic resistance
• 3-D X-ray film: Rapid movements in real time
• Dinosaur skull may reveal T. rex's smaller cousin from the north
• Language 'evolution' may shed light on human migration out-of-Beringia: Relationship between Siberian, North American languages
• Project hoping to end alarming decline of bobwhite quail
• New rehabilitation methods for amputees, stroke patients developed
• Gestational diabetes may raise risk for heart disease in midlife
• Nicotine withdrawal weakens brain connections tied to self-control over cigarette cravings
• New fossil species: Origin of toothed whale echolocation
• 'Master regulator' of obesity? Distant IRX3 gene appears to interact with obesity-related FTO gene mutations

Languages written to design synthetic living systems useful for new products, health care Posted: 13 Mar 2014 01:45 PM PDT A computer-aided design tool has been developed to create genetic languages to guide the design of biological systems. Known as GenoCAD, the open-source software was developed by researchers to help synthetic biologists capture biological rules to engineer organisms that produce useful products or health-care solutions from inexpensive, renewable materials.

Gene family that suppresses prostate cancer discovered Posted: 13 Mar 2014 12:42 PM PDT Direct genetic evidence has been reported that a family of genes, called microRNA-34, are bona fide tumor suppressors. The researchers showed in mice how interplay between genes p53 and miR-34 jointly inhibits another cancer-causing gene called MET. In absence of p53 and miR-34, MET overexpresses a receptor protein and promotes unregulated cell growth and metastasis.

One in five older Americans take medications that work against each other Posted: 13 Mar 2014 12:42 PM PDT About three out of four older Americans have multiple chronic health conditions, and more than 20 percent of them are being treated with drugs that work at odds with each other -- the medication being used for one condition can actually make the other condition worse. Direct competition between medications is just one of the concerns, the report noted. Use of multiple medications can also lead to increased numbers of falls and delirium, dizziness, fatigue and anorexia.

Roomy cages built from DNA could one day deliver drugs, devices Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:27 AM PDT A set of self-assembling DNA cages one-tenth as wide as a bacterium have been created by scientists. These DNA nanostructures are some of the largest and most complex structures ever constructed solely from DNA, and they could one day deliver drugs, or house tiny bioreactors or photonic devices that diagnose disease.

More accurate data on thousands of years of climate change Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:27 AM PDT Using a new, cutting-edge isotopic tool, researchers have reconstructed the temperature history of a climatically important region in the Pacific Ocean. The study analyzes how much temperatures have increased in the region near Indonesia, and how ocean temperatures affect nearby tropical glaciers in Papua New Guinea and Borneo. Researchers also evaluated the accuracy of existing climate model predictions for that region. The findings illustrate that the region is very sensitive to climate change and that it has warmed considerably over the last 20,000 years, since the last ice age.

Stirring the simmering 'designer baby' pot Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:27 AM PDT From genetic and genomic testing to new techniques in human assisted reproduction, various technologies are providing parents with more of a say about the children they have and 'stirring the pot of 'designer baby' concerns.

When big isn't better: How the flu bug bit Google Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:26 AM PDT Numbers and data can be critical tools in bringing complex issues into focus. The understanding of diseases, for example, benefits from algorithms that help monitor their spread. But without context, a number may be just a number, or even misleading. Google's data-aggregating tool Google Flu Trend was designed to provide real-time monitoring of flu cases around the world, but it also illustrates where 'big-data' analysis can go wrong.

Turning raw natural gas into upgraded liquid alcohol fuel Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:26 AM PDT Chemists have discovered of a new way to turn raw natural gas into upgraded liquid alcohol fuel. The process uses ordinary 'main group' metals like thallium and lead to trigger the conversion of natural gas to liquid alcohol. The process occurs at far lower temperatures than current industry practices. This could help reduce dependence on petroleum.

More to biological diversity than meets the eye: Specialization by insect species is the key Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:24 AM PDT Scientists found greater diversity among insects in a rainforest in Peru than theory would predict. Scientists have been studying flies in the tropics for years, and now report evidence that there is more to a fly's ecological niche than where it lives and what it eats -- you have to look at what eats the fly, as well.

Stumbling fruit flies lead scientists to discover gene essential for sensing joint position Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:24 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a mechanism underlying sensory feedback that guides balance and limb movements. If the findings can be fully replicated in humans, they could lead to a better understanding of and treatments for disorders arising from faulty proprioception, the detection of body position.

Better way to make unnatural amino acids devised Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:24 AM PDT Chemists have devised a greatly improved technique for making amino acids not found in nature. These "unnatural" amino acids traditionally have been very difficult to synthesize, but are sought after by the pharmaceutical industry for their potential medical uses.

New ovarian cancer targets proposed: Proteins called TAFs Posted: 13 Mar 2014 10:43 AM PDT Proteins called TAFs were once thought to be generic cogs in the machinery of gene expression, but in a new study, scientists propose that they may be important suspects in the progression of ovarian cancer that should not continue to be overlooked. Scientists need such new leads in their investigation of ovarian cancer, the most deadly reproductive cancer. Mortality has remained tragically steady since the last major therapeutic breakthrough came in the 1990s. Pursuing the evidence that these proteins may be involved could allow researchers to make new progress.

Equation to describe competition between genes Posted: 13 Mar 2014 10:43 AM PDT Biologists typically conduct experiments first, and then develop models afterward to show how data fit with theory. New research flips that practice on its head. A biophysicist tackles questions in cellular biology as a physicist would -- by first formulating a model that can make predictions and then testing those predictions. Using this strategy, this research group has recently developed a mathematical model that accounts for the way genes compete with each other for the proteins that regulate their expression.

You should be ashamed -- or maybe not Posted: 13 Mar 2014 10:43 AM PDT Shame on you. These three simple words can temporarily -- or, when used too often, permanently -- destroy an individual's sense of value and self-worth.

Novel marker, possible therapeutic target for cardiovascular calcification identified Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:32 AM PDT Certain proteins in osteoclasts, a precursor to bone, may be used in helping to destroy cardiovascular calcification by dissolving mineral deposits, a team of researchers has learned. The research suggests a potential therapeutic avenue for patients with cardiovascular calcification.

We must forget to avoid serious mental disorders, and forgetting is actively regulated Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:32 AM PDT In order to function properly, the human brain requires the ability not only to store but also to forget: Through memory loss, unnecessary information is deleted and the nervous system retains its plasticity. A disruption of this process can lead to serious mental disorders. Scientists have now discovered a molecular mechanism that actively regulates the process of forgetting.

Scientists catch brain damage in the act Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:32 AM PDT Scientists have uncovered how inflammation and lack of oxygen conspire to cause brain damage in conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease, bringing researchers a step closer to finding potential targets to treat neurodegenerative disorders. Chronic inflammation and hypoxia, or oxygen deficiency, are hallmarks of several brain diseases, but little has been known about how they contribute to symptoms such as memory loss.

Human brains 'hard-wired' to link what we see with what we do Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:31 AM PDT Your brain's ability to instantly link what you see with what you do is down to a dedicated information 'highway,' suggests new research. For the first time, researchers have found evidence of a specialized mechanism for spatial self-awareness that combines visual cues with body motion. The newly-discovered system could explain why some schizophrenia patients feel like their actions are controlled by someone else.

Africans' ability to digest milk linked to spread of cattle raising Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:31 AM PDT A new study -- constituting the largest investigation ever of lactose tolerance in geographically diverse populations of Africans -- investigated the genetic origins of this trait and offers support to the idea that the ability to digest milk was a powerful selective force in a variety of African populations which raised cattle and consumed the animals' fresh milk.

'Fluorescent' mouse can teach us about many diseases, drugs Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:31 AM PDT A mouse has been created by scientists that expresses a fluorescing 'biosensor' in every cell of its body, allowing diseased cells and drugs to be tracked and evaluated in real time and in three dimensions.

Extinct California porpoise had a unique underbite Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:31 AM PDT Millions of years ago, the coast of California was home to a species of porpoise distinguished from its living relatives by a lower jaw that extended well beyond the upper. In other words, the long-lost porpoise had a rather distinct and unusual underbite. Careful analysis of the fossilized Semirostrum ceruttii skull also shows that the porpoise's pronounced beak included innervated jaws, which the animal likely used to feel for prey along the ocean floor.

Commonly used pain relievers have added benefit of fighting bacterial infection Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:31 AM PDT Some commonly used drugs that combat aches and pains, fever, and inflammation are also thought to have the ability to kill bacteria. New research reveals that these drugs, better known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, act on bacteria in a way that is fundamentally different from current antibiotics. The discovery could open up new strategies for fighting drug-resistant infections and 'superbugs.'

New fossil species reveals parental care of young from 450 million years ago Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:27 AM PDT A portrait of prehistoric parenthood captured deep in the fossil record has been uncovered by an international team of scientists. The 'nursery in the sea' has revealed a species new to science -- with specimens preserved incubating their eggs together with probable hatched individuals. As a result, the team has named the new species Luprisca incuba after Lucina, goddess of childbirth, and alluding to the fact that the fossils are ancient and in each case the mother was literally sitting on her eggs.

Neuroscientists forge path toward understanding human brain Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:27 AM PDT Metastable dynamics -- a subtle blend of integration and segregation in the brain that occurs on multiple levels (cells, brain regions, networks) -- underlies the real-time coordination necessary for the brain's dynamic cognitive, behavioral and social functions, neuroscientists have found.

'Velcro protein' found to play surprising role in cell migration Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:25 AM PDT Studying epithelial cells, the cell type that most commonly turns cancerous, researchers have identified a protein that causes cells to release from their neighbors and migrate away from healthy mammary, or breast, tissue in mice. "Our goal is to improve outcomes for patients with metastatic breast cancer, and this work takes us one step closer to doing so," says the lead author.

'Super circles' to lessen rush-hour traffic congestion Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:25 AM PDT While Mother Nature continues to challenge drivers across the country, a team of traffic engineers is working hard on a new way to make rush-hour commutes safer and faster in any weather. A "super circle" involves adding a stop light to one approach of a roundabout to control the number of vehicles entering during rush hours.

Graphene-metal sandwich: Combining graphene and copper may shrink electronics Posted: 13 Mar 2014 08:19 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that creating a graphene-copper-graphene 'sandwich' strongly enhances the heat conducting properties of copper, a discovery that could further help in the downscaling of electronics.

Oxygen's different shapes described Posted: 13 Mar 2014 08:19 AM PDT Oxygen-16, one of the key elements of life on Earth, is produced by a series of reactions inside of red giant stars. Now physicists have revealed how the element's nuclear shape changes depending on its state, even though other attributes such as spin and parity don't appear to differ. Their findings may shed light on how oxygen is produced.

Cancer stem cells destroyed with cryoablation and nanoparticle-encapsulated anticancer drug Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:17 AM PDT Combining nanodrug-based chemotherapy and cryoablation provides an effective strategy to eliminate cancer stem-like cells -- the root of cancer resistance and metastasis, which will help to improve the safety and efficacy of treating malignancies that are refractory to conventional therapies. Cryoablation (also called cryosurgery or cryotherapy) is an energy-based, minimally invasive surgical technique that has been investigated to treat a variety of diseases including cancer, which is done by freezing the diseased tissue to subzero temperature to induce irreversible damage.

One out of two parents do not see their child's weight problem Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:17 AM PDT One out of two parents of children with overweight feel that their child's weight is normal. Four out of ten parents of children with overweight or obesity are even worried that their child will get too thin. These are the findings of a European study of parents of more than 16,000 children.

Gene variants protect against relapse after treatment for hepatitis C Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:17 AM PDT Researchers have identified a gene that helps to explain why certain patients with chronic hepatitis C do not experience relapse after treatment. The discovery may contribute to more effective treatment. More than 100 million humans around the world are infected with hepatitis C virus. The infection gives rise to chronic liver inflammation, which may result in reduced liver function, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Even though anti-viral medications often efficiently eliminate the virus, the infection recurs in approximately one fifth of the patients.

Tropical grassy ecosystems under threat, scientists warn Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:17 AM PDT Scientists have found that tropical grassy areas, which play a critical role in the world's ecology, are under threat as a result of ineffective management. This land is often misclassified, which leads to degradation of the land and has a detrimental effect on the plants and animals that are indigenous to these areas.

Soft robotic fish moves like the real thing: New robotic fish can change direction almost as rapidly as a real fish Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:17 AM PDT Soft robots don't just have soft exteriors but are also powered by fluid flowing through flexible channels. Researchers now report the first self-contained autonomous soft robot capable of rapid body motion: a "fish" that can execute an escape maneuver, convulsing its body to change direction in just a fraction of a second, or almost as quickly as a real fish can.

A brake for spinning molecules: Precise control of rotational temperature of molecular ions for lab-based astrochemistry Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:17 AM PDT Chemical reactions taking place in outer space can now be more easily studied on Earth. Scientists discovered an efficient and versatile way of braking the rotation of molecular ions. The spinning speed of these ions is related to a rotational temperature. Using an extremely tenuous, cooled gas, the researchers have lowered this temperature to about -265 °C. From this record-low value, the researchers could vary the temperature up to -210 °C in a controlled manner.

What happened when? How the brain stores memories by time Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:27 AM PDT New research shows that a part of the brain called the hippocampus stores memories by their "temporal context" -- what happened before, and what came after -- and not by content. From brain scans of the hippocampus as the volunteers were answering questions in this study, researchers could identify patterns of activity specific to each image. But when they showed the volunteers the same images in a different sequence, they got different patterns of activity. In other words, the coding of the memory in the hippocampus was dependent on its context, not just on content.

Most of the sand in Alberta's oilsands came from eastern North America, study shows Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:27 AM PDT They're called the Alberta oilsands but most of the sand actually came from the Appalachian region on the eastern side of the North American continent, a new study shows. The oilsands also include sand from the Canadian Shield in northern and east-central Canada and from the Canadian Rockies in western Canada, the study says.

'Love hormone' oxytocin could provide new treatment for anorexia, study suggests Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:27 AM PDT Oxytocin, also known as the 'love hormone,' could provide a new treatment for anorexia nervosa, according to new research. The study found that oxytocin alters anorexic patients' tendencies to fixate on images of high calorie foods, and larger body shape. The findings follow an earlier study by the same group showing that oxytocin changed patients' responses to angry and disgusted faces.

Origin of life: Simulating how Earth kick-started metabolism Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:27 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new approach to simulating the energetic processes that may have led to the emergence of cell metabolism on Earth -- a crucial biological function for all living organisms. The research could help scientists to understand whether it is possible for life to have emerged in similar environments on other worlds.

Exchange rate behaves like particles in a molecular fluid Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:27 AM PDT The swings in market prices and exchange rates have the same foundations as molecule movements in physics. This has been demonstrated by a team of scientists from Switzerland and Japan.

Genetic differences in female athletes with ACL injuries found in study Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:26 AM PDT For the first time, a new study identified varied female-to-male expression of ribonucleic acid molecules leading to proteins maintaining ligament structure, that could explain why females are more likely to suffer an anterior cruciate ligament injury than males.

Only small number of symptomatic side effects reported in those taking statins are actually attributable to statins, study finds Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:24 AM PDT Only a small number of symptomatic side effects reported in those taking statins are actually attributable to statins, according to large meta-analysis of prevention trials, and investigators of a new study are calling on drug regulators to provide clear evidence to patients on claims of drug side effects.

A brain signal for psychosis risk Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:24 AM PDT Only one third of individuals identified as being at clinical high risk for psychosis actually convert to a psychotic disorder within a three-year follow-up period. This risk assessment is based on the presence of sub-threshold psychotic-like symptoms. Thus, clinical symptom criteria alone do not predict future psychosis risk with sufficient accuracy to justify aggressive early intervention, especially with medications such as antipsychotics that produce significant side effects.

Africa's air pollution underestimated in climate change models Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:24 AM PDT Human activity in Africa significantly contributes to air pollution. However, no detailed data regarding country-by-country pollutant emissions in the continent was available until now. To remedy this scientists mapped these emissions in Africa for 2005, before estimating them for 2030, using three scenarios. The researchers showed that the climate change models used by the IPCC underestimate Africa's emissions, which could account for 20-55% of global anthropogenic emissions of gaseous and particulate pollutants by 2030.

Targeting bacterial cell division to fight antibiotic resistance Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:22 AM PDT New research has found some compounds effective in blocking the proliferation of certain bacteria, raising hopes of a new class of drugs to combat antibiotic resistant infections.

3-D X-ray film: Rapid movements in real time Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:22 AM PDT How does the hip joint of a crawling weevil move? A technique to record 3-D X-ray films showing the internal movement dynamics in a spatially precise manner and, at the same time, in the temporal dimension has now been developed. The scientists applied this technique to a living weevil. From up to 100,000 two-dimensional radiographs per second, they generated complete 3D film sequences in real time or slow motion.

Dinosaur skull may reveal T. rex's smaller cousin from the north Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:20 PM PDT A 70-million-year-old fossil found in the Late Cretaceous sediments of Alaska reveals a new small tyrannosaur. Tyrannosaurs, the lineage of carnivorous theropod ("beast feet") dinosaurs that include T. rex, have captivated our attention, but the majority of our knowledge about this group comes from fossils from low- to mid-latitudes of North America and Asia. In this study, scientists analyzed the partial skull roof, maxilla, and jaw, recovered from Prince Creek Formation in Northern Alaska, of a dinosaur originally believed to belong to a different species, and then compared the fossils to known tyrannosaurine species.

Language 'evolution' may shed light on human migration out-of-Beringia: Relationship between Siberian, North American languages Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:20 PM PDT Evolutionary analysis applied to the relationship between North American and Central Siberian languages may indicate that people moved out from the Bering Land Bridge, with some migrating back to central Asia and others into North America.

Project hoping to end alarming decline of bobwhite quail Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:19 PM PDT The bobwhite quail, a favorite among hunters and wildlife enthusiasts alike throughout the United States, has literally flown the coop -- its numbers have been decreasing alarmingly for decades, but a groundbreaking project could prove to be a big move toward understanding bobwhite population trends.

New rehabilitation methods for amputees, stroke patients developed Posted: 12 Mar 2014 01:18 PM PDT When use of a dominant hand is lost by amputation or stroke, a patient is forced to compensate by using the nondominant hand exclusively for precision tasks like writing or drawing. Presently, the behavioral and neurological effects of chronic, forced use of the nondominant hand are largely understudied and unknown. Now, researchers have shed light on how a patient compensates when losing a dominant hand and suggest improved rehabilitation techniques for those suffering from amputation or stroke.

Gestational diabetes may raise risk for heart disease in midlife Posted: 12 Mar 2014 01:18 PM PDT Pregnant women may face an increased risk of early heart disease if they develop gestational diabetes. Early screening and intervention is important to identify later heart disease risk for these mothers, researchers said, along with recognizing reproductive characteristics that may contribute to disease risk in women to inform early prevention efforts.

Nicotine withdrawal weakens brain connections tied to self-control over cigarette cravings Posted: 12 Mar 2014 01:17 PM PDT A new brain imaging study shows how smokers suffering from nicotine withdrawal may have more trouble shifting from a key brain network—known as default mode, when people are in a so-called "introspective" state -— and into a control network that could help exert more conscious, self-control over cravings and to focus on quitting for good.

New fossil species: Origin of toothed whale echolocation Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:01 PM PDT A new fossil species, Cotylocara macei, shows evidence of echolocation and the complex anatomy underlying this unique behavior that has evolved in toothed whales, dolphins and porpoises. "Its dense bones and air sinuses would have helped this whale focus its vocalizations into a probing beam of sound, which likely helped it find food at night or in muddy water ocean waters," said the lead author.

'Master regulator' of obesity? Distant IRX3 gene appears to interact with obesity-related FTO gene mutations Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:00 PM PDT Mutations within the gene FTO have been implicated as the strongest genetic determinant of obesity risk in humans, but the mechanism behind this link remained unknown. Now, an international team of scientists has discovered that the obesity-associated elements within FTO interact with IRX3, a distant gene on the genome that appears to be the functional obesity gene. The FTO gene itself appears to have only a peripheral effect on obesity.

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