ScienceDaily: Top News

---

• Mechanized human hands: System designed to improve hand function lost to nerve damage
• How to make stronger, 'greener' cement: New formula could cut greenhouse-gas emissions
• Efficiently harvesting hydrogen fuel from Sun using Earth-abundant materials
• Agonizing rabies deaths can be stopped worldwide
• Earth's water is older than the sun: Likely originated as ices that formed in interstellar space
• Stone Age tools: Innovation was local, not imported, in Eurasia more than 300,000 years ago
• Amino acids? Interstellar molecules are branching out
• Stem cell transplant does not cure SHIV/AIDS after irradiation of infected rhesus macaques
• Putting the squeeze on quantum information
• Unlocking long-hidden mechanisms of plant cell division
• Solar cell compound probed under pressure
• Structure of enzyme that makes plant cellulose uncovered
• Yoga, meditation may help train brain to help people control computers with their mind
• Brazilian zoologists discovered the first obligate cave-dwelling flatworm in South America
• Brain chemical potential new hope in controlling Tourette Syndrome tics
• New organic semiconductor material: Organic tin in polymers increases their light absorption
• How physical exercise protects the brain from stress-induced depression
• Water research tackles growing grassland threat: Trees
• Surprising diversity of antibody family provides clues for HIV vaccine design
• Strategic or random? How the brain chooses
• Modified vitamin D shows promise as treatment for pancreatic cancer
• How the ends of chromosomes are maintained for cancer cell immortality
• Severe childhood epilepsies: Large international study pinpoints synapse genes with major roles
• Dinosaur family tree gives fresh insight into rapid rise of birds
• A galaxy of deception: Hubble snaps what looks like a young galaxy in the local Universe
• Sugars in the cornfield: Plants use defenses against pests, but they don't always work
• Celiac disease: A wriggly solution to a first-world problem
• Discovery may lead to better treatments for autoimmune diseases, bone loss
• Perfectionism is a bigger than perceived risk factor in suicide: Psychology expert
• Chemists recruit anthrax to deliver cancer drugs
• Autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammations: Advancing research
• Simple blood test could be used as tool for early cancer diagnosis
• ADHD: Brains not recognizing angry expressions
• How brain handles tactile sensations: New findings
• Biomarkers, stem cells offer new ways to treat deadly gut disease in premature babies
• Cell division: New technique reveals a role for histones
• Massive weight loss increases risk of complications in body-shaping surgery
• Natural selection causes early migration, shorter parental care for shorebirds
• Dengue fever, malaria in the Himalayas
• Human papilloma virus vaccination provides long-term protection
• Cryptogenic strokes may find explanation in heart
• Calming down immune cells could hold key to melanoma treatment
• Global sea levels rose up to five meters per century at the end of the last five ice age
• Live long and phosphor: Blue LED breakthrough for efficient electronics
• First mouse model for ALS dementia
• When David beats Goliath: Smaller birds can dominate larger species, especially when related
• Study supports camels as primary source of MERS-CoV transmission
• Increased risk of venous thromboembolism among NSAIDs users, study shows
• Skirt size increase linked to 33 percent greater postmenopausal breast cancer risk
• Working long hours linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes in people doing low socioeconomic status jobs
• Plant extract as possible Lupus treatment? Findings give new hope
• Better information about prenatal testing leads to fewer tests

Mechanized human hands: System designed to improve hand function lost to nerve damage Posted: 25 Sep 2014 02:26 PM PDT Engineers have developed and successfully demonstrated the value of a simple pulley mechanism to improve hand function after surgery. The device, tested in cadaver hands, is one of the first instruments ever created that could improve the transmission of mechanical forces and movement while implanted inside the body.

How to make stronger, 'greener' cement: New formula could cut greenhouse-gas emissions Posted: 25 Sep 2014 11:12 AM PDT Concrete is the world's most-used construction material, and a leading contributor to global warming, producing as much as one-tenth of industry-generated greenhouse-gas emissions. Now a new study suggests a way in which those emissions could be reduced by more than half -- and the result would be a stronger, more durable material.

Efficiently harvesting hydrogen fuel from Sun using Earth-abundant materials Posted: 25 Sep 2014 11:12 AM PDT Scientists have a new efficient way of producing hydrogen fuel from sunlight and water. By combining a pair of solar cells made with a mineral called perovskite and low cost electrodes, scientists have obtained a 12.3 percent conversion efficiency from solar energy to hydrogen, a record using Earth-abundant materials as opposed to rare metals.

Agonizing rabies deaths can be stopped worldwide Posted: 25 Sep 2014 11:12 AM PDT Ridding the world of rabies in humans is cost-effective and achievable through mass dog vaccination programs, an international team of researchers says. A rabies vaccine has long existed. Even so, the disease kills an estimated 69,000 people worldwide -- that's 189 each day. Forty percent of them are children, mostly in Africa and Asia. The disease is spread primarily through the saliva of infected dogs. Once a person develops symptoms, the chance that he or she will die is nearly 100-percent.

Earth's water is older than the sun: Likely originated as ices that formed in interstellar space Posted: 25 Sep 2014 11:12 AM PDT Water was crucial to the rise of life on Earth and is also important to evaluating the possibility of life on other planets. Identifying the original source of Earth's water is key to understanding how life-fostering environments come into being and how likely they are to be found elsewhere. New work found that much of our solar system's water likely originated as ices that formed in interstellar space.

Stone Age tools: Innovation was local, not imported, in Eurasia more than 300,000 years ago Posted: 25 Sep 2014 11:12 AM PDT Analysis of stone artifacts from the excavation of a 300,000-year-old site in Armenia shows that new technologies evolved locally, rather than being imported from outside, as previously thought.

Amino acids? Interstellar molecules are branching out Posted: 25 Sep 2014 11:12 AM PDT Scientists have for the first time detected a carbon-bearing molecule with a 'branched' structure in interstellar space. The discovery of iso-propyl cyanide opens a new frontier in the complexity of molecules found in regions of star formation, and bodes well for the presence of amino acids, for which this branched structure is a key characteristic.

Stem cell transplant does not cure SHIV/AIDS after irradiation of infected rhesus macaques Posted: 25 Sep 2014 11:12 AM PDT A new primate model has been developed to test treatments that might cure HIV/AIDS and suggests answers to questions raised by the 'Berlin patient,' the only human thought to have been cured so far.

Putting the squeeze on quantum information Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:28 AM PDT Researchers have shown that information stored in quantum bits can be exponentially compressed without losing information. The achievement is an important proof of principle, and could be useful for efficient quantum communications and information storage.

Unlocking long-hidden mechanisms of plant cell division Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:28 AM PDT Along with copying and splitting DNA during division, cells must have a way to break safely into two viable daughter cells, a process called cytokinesis. But the molecular basis of how plant cells accomplish this without mistakes has been unclear for many years. Now a detailed new model that for the first time proposes how plant cells precisely position a 'dynamic and complex' structure called a phragmoplast at the cell center during every division and how it directs cytokinesis.

Solar cell compound probed under pressure Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:27 AM PDT Gallium arsenide a semiconductor composed of gallium and arsenic is well known to have properties that promise practical applications. In the form of nanowires it has particular potential for use in solar cell manufacture and optoelectronics in many of the same applications that silicon is commonly used. But its natural semiconducting ability requires tuning to make it more desirable for use in manufacturing. New work offers a novel approach to such tuning.

Structure of enzyme that makes plant cellulose uncovered Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:26 AM PDT The structure of the enzyme that makes cellulose has been uncovered by researchers, a finding that could lead to easier ways of breaking down plant materials to make biofuels and other products and materials. The research also provides the most detailed glimpse to date of the complicated process by which cellulose -- the foundation of the plant cell wall and the most abundant organic compound on the planet -- is produced.

Yoga, meditation may help train brain to help people control computers with their mind Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:25 AM PDT People who practice yoga and meditation long term can learn to control a computer with their minds faster and better than people with little or no yoga or meditation experience, new research by biomedical engineers shows. The research could have major implications for treatments of people who are paralyzed or have neurodegenerative diseases.

Brazilian zoologists discovered the first obligate cave-dwelling flatworm in South America Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:25 AM PDT Typical cave-dwelling organisms, unpigmented and eyeless, were discovered in a karst area located in northeastern Brazil. The organisms were assigned to a new genus and species of freshwater flatworm and may constitute an oceanic relict. They represent the first obligate cave-dwelling flatworm in South America.

Brain chemical potential new hope in controlling Tourette Syndrome tics Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:23 AM PDT A chemical in the brain plays a vital role in controlling the involuntary movements and vocal tics associated with Tourette Syndrome, a new study has shown. The research could offer a potential new target for the development of more effective treatments to suppress these unwanted symptoms.

New organic semiconductor material: Organic tin in polymers increases their light absorption Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:13 AM PDT Researchers have integrated organic tin into semiconducting polymers (plastics) for the first time. Semiconducting polymers can be used, for example, for the absorption of sun light in solar cells. By incorporating organic tin into the plastic, light can be absorbed over a wide range of the solar spectrum.

How physical exercise protects the brain from stress-induced depression Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:13 AM PDT Physical exercise has many beneficial effects on human health, including the protection from stress-induced depression. However, until now the mechanisms that mediate this protective effect have been unknown. In a new study in mice, researchers show that exercise training induces changes in skeletal muscle that can purge the blood of a substance that accumulates during stress, and is harmful to the brain.

Water research tackles growing grassland threat: Trees Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:07 AM PDT Biologists are studying streams to prevent tallgrass prairies from turning into shrublands and forests. By looking at 25 years of data on the Konza Prairie Biological Station, they are researching grassland streams and the expansion of nearby woody vegetation, such as trees and shrubs. They have found that burn intervals may predict the rate of woody vegetation expansion along streams.

Surprising diversity of antibody family provides clues for HIV vaccine design Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:05 AM PDT Scientists have described how a single family of antibodies that broadly neutralizes different strains of HIV has evolved remarkably diverse structures to attack a vulnerable site on the virus. The findings provide clues for the design of a future HIV vaccine.

Strategic or random? How the brain chooses Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:05 AM PDT The brain can temporarily disconnect information about past experience from decision-making circuits, thereby triggering random behavior, a study has demonstrated. The new studies look at how the brain generates strategic and random behavior, and how it switches between the two modes.

Modified vitamin D shows promise as treatment for pancreatic cancer Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:05 AM PDT A vitamin D-derivative makes tumors vulnerable to chemotherapy, a new study shows. By attacking a wound repair mechanism called fibrosis, the findings may also have implications for other tough-to-treat tumors, such as lung, kidney and liver cancer, researchers report.

How the ends of chromosomes are maintained for cancer cell immortality Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:05 AM PDT Maintaining telomeres is a requisite feature of cells that are able to continuously divide and also a hallmark of human cancer. Telomeres are much like the plastic cap on the ends of shoelaces -- they keep the ends of DNA from fraying. In a new study, researchers describe a mechanism for how cancer cells take over one of the processes for telomere maintenance to gain an infinite lifespan.

Severe childhood epilepsies: Large international study pinpoints synapse genes with major roles Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:05 AM PDT An international research team has identified gene mutations causing severe, difficult-to-treat forms of childhood epilepsy. Many of the mutations disrupt functioning in the synapse, the junction at which nerve cells intercommunicate.

Dinosaur family tree gives fresh insight into rapid rise of birds Posted: 25 Sep 2014 10:05 AM PDT The study shows that the familiar anatomical features of birds – such as feathers, wings and wishbones – all first evolved piecemeal in their dinosaur ancestors over tens of millions of years. However, once a fully functioning bird body shape was complete, an evolutionary explosion began, causing a rapid increase in the rate at which birds evolved. This led eventually to the thousands of avian species that we know today.

A galaxy of deception: Hubble snaps what looks like a young galaxy in the local Universe Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:21 AM PDT Astronomers usually have to peer very far into the distance to see back in time, and view the Universe as it was when it was young. This new image of galaxy DDO 68, otherwise known as UGC 5340, was thought to offer an exception. This ragged collection of stars and gas clouds looks at first glance like a recently-formed galaxy in our own cosmic neighborhood. But, is it really as young as it looks?

Sugars in the cornfield: Plants use defenses against pests, but they don't always work Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:21 AM PDT Grasses and crops such as maize attach sugars to chemical defenses called benzoxazinoids to protect themselves from being poisoned by their own protective agents. Then, when an insect starts feeding, a plant enzyme removes the sugar to deploy the active toxin. Scientists have now discovered why this defensive strategy fails to work against Spodoptera larvae. Armyworms deactivate the maize chemical defense by reattaching the sugar in the opposite configuration.

Celiac disease: A wriggly solution to a first-world problem Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:09 AM PDT Groundbreaking results were achieved in a clinical trial using hookworms to reduce the symptoms of celiac disease. The results are good news for sufferers of other inflammatory conditions such as asthma and Crohn's disease. In the small trial run over a year, 12 participants were each experimentally infected with 20 Necator americanus (hookworm) larvae. They were then given gradually increasing doses of gluten, with their daily dose in the final stage being equivalent to a medium-sized bowl of spaghetti.

Discovery may lead to better treatments for autoimmune diseases, bone loss Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:09 AM PDT Scientists have developed an approach to creating treatments for osteoporosis and autoimmune diseases that may avoid the risk of infection and cancer posed by some current medications.

Perfectionism is a bigger than perceived risk factor in suicide: Psychology expert Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:09 AM PDT Experts are calling for closer attention to perfectionism's potential destructiveness, adding that clinical guidelines should include perfectionism as a separate factor for suicide risk assessment and intervention. 'There is an urgent need for looking at perfectionism with a person-centered approach as an individual and societal risk factor, when formulating clinical guidelines for suicide risk assessment and intervention, as well as public health approaches to suicide prevention,' says one researcher.

Chemists recruit anthrax to deliver cancer drugs Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:09 AM PDT With some tinkering, a deadly protein becomes an efficient carrier for antibody drugs, researchers have discovered. "Anthrax toxin is a professional at delivering large enzymes into cells," says one researcher. "We wondered if we could render anthrax toxin nontoxic, and use it as a platform to deliver antibody drugs into cells."

Autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammations: Advancing research Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:08 AM PDT Multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes and lupus are autoimmune diseases in which the immune cells can no longer differentiate between friend and foe and thus attack the body's own tissue. Here, the immunoproteasome, which supplies the immune system with information on processes within the cell, plays a central role. Chemists have now discovered a way to inhibit its functionality, thereby laying the foundation for possible optimizations of existing medications.

Simple blood test could be used as tool for early cancer diagnosis Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:08 AM PDT High levels of calcium in blood, a condition known as hypercalcemia, can be used by GPs as an early indication of certain types of cancer, according to a study by researchers. Hypercalcaemia is the most common metabolic disorder associated with cancer, occurring in 10 to 20 per cent of people with cancer. While its connection to cancer is well known, this study has, for the first time, shown that often it can predate the diagnosis of cancer in primary care.

ADHD: Brains not recognizing angry expressions Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:07 AM PDT The characteristics of facial expression recognition of children with ADHD has been initially identified by researchers by measuring hemodynamic response in the brain. They showed that children with ADHD showed significant hemodynamic response to the happy expression but not to the angry expression. This difference in the neural basis for the recognition of facial expression might be responsible for impairment in social recognition and the establishment of peer-relationships.

How brain handles tactile sensations: New findings Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:04 AM PDT The traditional understanding in neuroscience is that tactile sensations from the skin are only assembled to form a complete experience in the cerebral cortex, the most advanced part of the brain. However, this is challenged by new research findings that suggest both that other levels in the brain play a greater role than previously thought, and that a larger proportion of the brain's different structures are involved in the perception of touch.

Biomarkers, stem cells offer new ways to treat deadly gut disease in premature babies Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:02 AM PDT Two major breakthroughs in the treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis suggest that there may finally be a way to stop this lethal disease of prematurity. The condition creates an inexplicable combination of inflammation and infection that causes parts of the intestine to die. NEC progresses at a ruthless speed, leaving physicians with few options -- typically supportive care, emergency surgery or antibiotics.

Cell division: New technique reveals a role for histones Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:02 AM PDT Proteins known as histones give structure to DNA, which coils around them like string on spools. But as is so often the case in biology, it turns out there is more to these structures than meets the eye.

Massive weight loss increases risk of complications in body-shaping surgery Posted: 25 Sep 2014 07:02 AM PDT Patients who lost more than 100 pounds and those who shed weight through bariatric surgery had the highest risk of complications from later surgical procedures to reshape their leaner bodies, a new study shows.

Natural selection causes early migration, shorter parental care for shorebirds Posted: 25 Sep 2014 05:25 AM PDT All bird migrations are fraught with danger – from the risk of not finding enough food, to facing stormy weather, and most importantly – trying not to be eaten along the way. Raptors such as peregrine falcons are the main predators of migratory birds, and huge flocks of congregating shorebirds can be easy pickings. In a new paper, researchers provide new evidence that shorebird species can adopt substantially different ways of dealing with this predation pressure.

Dengue fever, malaria in the Himalayas Posted: 25 Sep 2014 05:22 AM PDT Research by Nepalese and German scientists analyzes the current situation of malaria and Dengue fever in the Himalayan country of Nepal, and highlights how they profit from climate change and globalization.

Human papilloma virus vaccination provides long-term protection Posted: 25 Sep 2014 05:22 AM PDT Persistent infection with a high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) type is a necessary prerequisite for the development of dysplasia and neoplasia of the cervix, precursors to cervical cancer. The HPV vaccination has been a subject of heated debate since it was launched. Now researchers have produced a systematic review that shows no decrease in protection over a period of five years following vaccination against HPV types 16 and 18.

Cryptogenic strokes may find explanation in heart Posted: 25 Sep 2014 05:22 AM PDT More than half of the patients who have suffered a stroke with no well-defined aetiology have an enlarged left atrial appendage of the heart, according to a study. The results indicate that the enlargement of the left atrial appendage may be an independent risk factor of strokes with cardiac origin.

Calming down immune cells could hold key to melanoma treatment Posted: 25 Sep 2014 05:22 AM PDT Immune cells may be responsible for drug resistance in melanoma patients, according to research. Scientists found that chemical signals produced by a type of immune cell, called macrophages, also act as a survival signal for melanoma cells.

Global sea levels rose up to five meters per century at the end of the last five ice age Posted: 25 Sep 2014 05:22 AM PDT Land-ice decay at the end of the last five ice-ages caused global sea-levels to rise at rates of up to 5.5 metres per century, according to a new study. Researchers developed a 500,000-year record of sea-level variability, to provide the first account of how quickly sea-level changed during the last five ice-age cycles. Scientists also found that more than 100 smaller events of sea-level rise took place in between the five major events.

Live long and phosphor: Blue LED breakthrough for efficient electronics Posted: 25 Sep 2014 05:14 AM PDT In a step that could lead to longer battery life in smartphones and lower power consumption for large-screen televisions, researchers have extended the lifetime of blue organic light emitting diodes by a factor of 10.

First mouse model for ALS dementia Posted: 24 Sep 2014 06:20 PM PDT The first animal model for ALS dementia, a form of ALS that also damages the brain, has been developed by scientists. The advance will allow researchers to directly see the brains of living mice, under anesthesia, at the microscopic level. This will accelerate drug testing by allowing direct monitoring of test drugs in real time to determine if they work.

When David beats Goliath: Smaller birds can dominate larger species, especially when related Posted: 24 Sep 2014 06:20 PM PDT Body size has long been recognized to play a key role in shaping species interactions, with larger species usually winning conflicts with their smaller counterparts. But a biologist has now found that occasionally, small species of birds can dominate larger species during aggressive interactions, particularly when they interact with distantly related species.

Study supports camels as primary source of MERS-CoV transmission Posted: 24 Sep 2014 06:20 PM PDT Scientists have provided experimental evidence supporting dromedary camels as the primary reservoir, or carrier, of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. The study involved three healthy camels exposed through the eyes, nose and throat to MERS-CoV isolated from a patient. Each camel developed a mild upper respiratory tract infection consistent with what scientists have observed throughout the Middle East.

Increased risk of venous thromboembolism among NSAIDs users, study shows Posted: 24 Sep 2014 06:20 PM PDT There is a statistically significant increased risk of venous thromboembolism -- a condition which includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism -- among users of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, a study concludes. NSAIDs are one of the most commonly used medications around the world, and they are already well-known for their potential adverse effects.

Skirt size increase linked to 33 percent greater postmenopausal breast cancer risk Posted: 24 Sep 2014 06:20 PM PDT Going up a skirt size over a period of 10 years between your mid 20s and mid 50s is linked to a 33 percent greater risk of developing breast cancer after the menopause, finds a large observational study.

Working long hours linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes in people doing low socioeconomic status jobs Posted: 24 Sep 2014 06:19 PM PDT People working for more than 55 hours per week doing manual work or other low socioeconomic status jobs have a 30% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to the largest study in this field so far.

Plant extract as possible Lupus treatment? Findings give new hope Posted: 24 Sep 2014 01:05 PM PDT Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system turns against itself, attacking a person's healthy tissue, cells and organs. New findings by a biomedical engineer and his team raise hope for a new class of drugs to treat lupus that may not include the long list of adverse risks and side effects often associated with current treatments for this disease.

Better information about prenatal testing leads to fewer tests Posted: 24 Sep 2014 01:04 PM PDT When pregnant women are educated about their choices on prenatal genetic testing, the number of tests actually drops, even when the tests are offered with no out-of-pocket costs, a clinical trial has found. The findings underscore the need for clear information on all prenatal testing options and their possible outcomes, including the option of no testing, before pregnant women decide whether or not to have genetic testing, the authors said.

You are subscribed to email updates from All Top News -- ScienceDaily To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610