ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Burden of epilepsy in developing world described
• Honey bees fight back against Varroa
• Helicopter heroes save lives of severely injured patients
• Liver cells, insulin-producing cells, thymus can be grown in lymph nodes, team finds
• Researchers investigate aggression among kindergartners
• Hearing brains are 'deaf' to disappearance of sounds, study reveals
• Genetic sleuthing uncovers deadly new virus in Africa
• Simulations uncover 'flashy' secrets of merging black holes
• Nickelblock: An element's love-hate relationship with battery electrodes
• Deadly complication of stem cell transplants reduced in mice
• New fish species offers literal take on 'hooking up'
• Doctoral student developing next generation of lithium-ion batteries for longer lasting mobile devices, electric cars
• Measuring the universe’s 'exit door': For the first time, an international team has measured the radius of a black hole
• New clues about ancient water cycles shed light on U.S. deserts
• Dynamics of DNA packaging helps regulate formation of heart
• Napiergrass: A potential biofuel crop for the sunny Southeast
• NASA rover finds old streambed on Martian surface
• Increased hospital infections linked to nurse burnout
• Scientists capture clues to sustainability of fish populations
• It's not too late for troubled fisheries, experts say
• Uranium-contaminated site yields wealth of information on microbes 10 feet under
• Electronics that vanish in the environment or the body
• 'Semi-dwarf' trees may enable a green revolution for some forest crops
• Key part of old mystery in generating muscle mass solved
• Probability maps help sniff out food contamination
• Learning to overcome fear is difficult for teens
• Cyborg surgeon: Hand and technology combine in new surgical tool that enables superhuman precision
• Single-site laparoscopic surgery reduces pain of tumor removal
• New efficiency record for photovoltaic cells, thanks to heterojunction
• BMI and shuttle run among techniques new report recommends for youth fitness testing
• First real indicator of longevity in mammals discovered
• Nature's misfits: Reclassifying protists helps answer how many species remain undiscovered
• Obesity-related hormone discovered in fruit flies
• Major cancer protein amplifies global gene expression
• Shared pathway links Lou Gehrig's disease with spinal muscular atrophy
• Study adds to efforts to find more effective anti-inflammatory drugs
• Unique genetic marker discovery may help predict multiple sclerosis relapse
• Aggressive cancer exploits Myc oncogene to amplify global gene activity
• Scientists find molecular link to obesity/insulin resistance in mice
• New way of fighting high cholesterol upends assumptions
• Salt cedar beetle damage widespread after warm summer
• Scientists find way to control sugars
• Scientists bring the heat to refine renewable biofuel production
• Popular HIV drug may cause memory declines
• African-American youth exposed to more magazine and television alcohol advertising than youth in general
• Breakthrough on immune system and brain tumors
• Evolutionary psychologists study the purpose of punishment and reputation
• First use in patient of conditionally reprogrammed cells delivers clinical response
• Researchers find possible key to regulation of ovarian cancer stem cells
• Possible link between infants' regulatory behaviors and maternal mental health
• Scaling up polymer blobs
• La Bastida unearths 4,200-year-old fortification, unique in continental Europe
• Supernova SN 1006: Cause of brightest stellar event in recorded history illuminated
• Carnivorous plant catapults prey with snap-tentacles: Biologists describe new capture mechanism
• True love between grass and clover leads to richer harvest
• Breakthrough for type 2 diabetes treatment: Therapy involves the blockade of signalling by VEGF-B protein
• Risk markers for erectile dysfunction following radiation treatment in prostate cancer
• Shared genetic link in psychiatric and movement disorders
• New way to weed out problem stem cells, making therapy safer
• New method of resurfacing bone improves odds of successful grafts

Burden of epilepsy in developing world described Posted: 27 Sep 2012 05:54 PM PDT The burden of epilepsy in poorer parts of the world could be readily alleviated by reducing the preventable causes and improving access to treatment, according to a review article.

Honey bees fight back against Varroa Posted: 27 Sep 2012 05:53 PM PDT The parasitic mite Varroa destructor is a major contributor to the recent mysterious death of honey bee colonies. New research finds that specific proteins, released by damaged larvae and in the antennae of adult honey bees, can drive hygienic behavior of the adults and promote the removal of infected larvae from the hive.

Helicopter heroes save lives of severely injured patients Posted: 27 Sep 2012 05:53 PM PDT The benefits and cost effectiveness of helicopter transport for severely injured patients is of continued debate. New research shows that for severe blunt trauma, patients transported by helicopter had a lower risk of death, compared to those transported by road.

Liver cells, insulin-producing cells, thymus can be grown in lymph nodes, team finds Posted: 27 Sep 2012 02:49 PM PDT Lymph nodes can provide a suitable home for a variety of cells and tissues from other organs, suggesting a cell-based alternative to whole organ transplantation might one day be feasible, according to researchers.

Researchers investigate aggression among kindergartners Posted: 27 Sep 2012 02:49 PM PDT Not all aggressive children are aggressive for the same reasons, according to researchers, who found that some kindergartners who are aggressive show low verbal abilities while others are more easily physiologically aroused. The findings suggest that different types of treatments may be needed to help kids with different underlying causes for problem behavior.

Hearing brains are 'deaf' to disappearance of sounds, study reveals Posted: 27 Sep 2012 02:47 PM PDT Our brains are better at hearing new and approaching sounds than detecting when a sound disappears, according to a new study. The findings could explain why parents often fail to notice the sudden quiet from the playroom that usually accompanies the onset of mischief.

Genetic sleuthing uncovers deadly new virus in Africa Posted: 27 Sep 2012 02:43 PM PDT An isolated outbreak of a deadly disease known as acute hemorrhagic fever, which killed two people and left one gravely ill in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the summer of 2009, was probably caused by a novel virus scientists have never seen before.

Simulations uncover 'flashy' secrets of merging black holes Posted: 27 Sep 2012 12:31 PM PDT Researchers are using computational models to explore the mergers of supersized black holes. Their most recent work investigates what kind of "flash" might be seen by telescopes when astronomers ultimately find gravitational signals from such an event.

Nickelblock: An element's love-hate relationship with battery electrodes Posted: 27 Sep 2012 12:25 PM PDT Battery materials on the nano-scale reveal how nickel forms a physical barrier that impedes the shuttling of lithium ions in the electrode, reducing how fast the materials charge and discharge. The research also suggests a way to improve the materials.

Deadly complication of stem cell transplants reduced in mice Posted: 27 Sep 2012 12:25 PM PDT Studying leukemia in mice, researchers have reduced a life-threatening complication of stem cell transplants, the only curative treatment when leukemia returns.

New fish species offers literal take on 'hooking up' Posted: 27 Sep 2012 12:25 PM PDT A new species of freshwater fish has several interesting -- and perhaps cringe-inducing -- characteristics, including a series of four hooks on the male genitalia.

Doctoral student developing next generation of lithium-ion batteries for longer lasting mobile devices, electric cars Posted: 27 Sep 2012 12:21 PM PDT Researchers are developing new materials that could be used in future lithium-ion batteries. The materials look to improve the energy storage capacity of batteries so that laptops, cellphones, electric cars and other mobile devices will last longer between charges.

Measuring the universe’s 'exit door': For the first time, an international team has measured the radius of a black hole Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:45 AM PDT The point of no return: In astronomy, it's known as a black hole -- a region in space where the pull of gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. Black holes that can be billions of times more massive than our sun may reside at the heart of most galaxies. Such supermassive black holes are so powerful that activity at their boundaries can ripple throughout their host galaxies. Now, an international team has for the first time measured the radius of a black hole at the center of a distant galaxy -- the closest distance at which matter can approach before being irretrievably pulled into the black hole.

New clues about ancient water cycles shed light on U.S. deserts Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:42 AM PDT The deserts of Utah and Nevada have not always been dry. Now a researcher has found a new water cycle connection between the U.S. southwest and the tropics, and understanding the processes that have brought precipitation to the western US will help scientists better understand how the water cycle might be perturbed in the future.

Dynamics of DNA packaging helps regulate formation of heart Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:25 AM PDT A new regulator for heart formation has been discovered by studying how embryonic stem cells adjust the packaging of their DNA. This approach to finding genetic regulators may have the power to provide insight into the development of any tissue in the body – liver, brain, blood and so on. The impetus for learning how stem cells turn into heart muscle cells was to further research on repairing damaged hearts through tissue regeneration. The work also holds promise for understanding congenital heart defects.

Napiergrass: A potential biofuel crop for the sunny Southeast Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:25 AM PDT A grass fed to cattle throughout much of the tropics may become a biofuel crop that helps the nation meet its future energy needs, according to a scientist.

NASA rover finds old streambed on Martian surface Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:23 AM PDT NASA's Curiosity rover mission has found evidence a stream once ran vigorously across the area on Mars where the rover is driving. There is earlier evidence for the presence of water on Mars, but this evidence -- images of rocks containing ancient streambed gravels -- is the first of its kind.

Increased hospital infections linked to nurse burnout Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:15 AM PDT New research concludes that the degree of "burnout" experienced by nurses could relate directly to the frequency with which patients acquire infections during hospital stays.

Scientists capture clues to sustainability of fish populations Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:15 AM PDT Thanks to studies of a fish that gives birth to live young and is not fished commercially, scientists have discovered that food availability is a critical limiting factor in the health of fish populations.

It's not too late for troubled fisheries, experts say Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:15 AM PDT New research confirms suspicions that thousands of "data-poor" fisheries, representing some 80 percent of the world's fisheries, are in decline but could recover with proper management.

Uranium-contaminated site yields wealth of information on microbes 10 feet under Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:15 AM PDT At sites contaminated with heavy metals, remediation often involves feeding the naturally occurring bacteria in the soil to encourage them to turn soluble metals into solids that won't leech into aquifers and streams. To find out what these microbes are doing, scientists performed a metagenomic analysis of the underground microbial community at one former uranium mill site in Colorado, assigning more than 150,000 sequenced genes to 80 bacteria and Archaea.

Electronics that vanish in the environment or the body Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:15 AM PDT Physicians and environmentalists alike could soon be using a new class of electronic devices: small, robust and high performance, yet also biocompatible and capable of dissolving completely in water – or in bodily fluids. Researchers have demonstrated a new type of biodegradable electronics technology that could introduce new design paradigms for medical implants that resorb into the body, environmental monitors and compostable consumer devices.

'Semi-dwarf' trees may enable a green revolution for some forest crops Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:13 AM PDT The same "green revolution" concepts that have revolutionized crop agriculture and helped to feed billions of people around the world may now offer similar potential in forestry, scientists say, with benefits for wood, biomass production, drought stress and even greenhouse gas mitigation.

Key part of old mystery in generating muscle mass solved Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:13 AM PDT Working with mice, researchers have solved a key part of a muscle regeneration mystery plaguing scientists for years, adding strong support to the theory that muscle mass can be built without a complete, fully functional supply of muscle stem cells.

Probability maps help sniff out food contamination Posted: 27 Sep 2012 11:13 AM PDT Uncovering the sources of fresh food contamination could become faster and easier thanks to analysis done at Sandia National Laboratories' National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC). The study demonstrates how developing a probability map of the food supply network using stochastic network representation might shorten the time it takes to track down contaminated food sources.

Learning to overcome fear is difficult for teens Posted: 27 Sep 2012 10:06 AM PDT A new study shows that adolescents' reactions to threat remain high even when the danger is no longer present. According to researchers, once a teenager's brain is triggered by a threat, the ability to suppress an emotional response to the threat is diminished which may explain the peak in anxiety and stress-related disorders during this developmental period.

Cyborg surgeon: Hand and technology combine in new surgical tool that enables superhuman precision Posted: 27 Sep 2012 10:02 AM PDT Normally, surgeons' tiny hand tremors are inconsequential to the task, but for doctors specializing in fine-scale surgery, such as operating inside the human eye, freehand tremors can pose a serious risk for patients. By harnessing a specialized optical fiber sensor, a new "smart" surgical tool can compensate for this unwanted movement by making hundreds of precise position corrections each second – fast enough to keep the surgeon's hand on target.

Single-site laparoscopic surgery reduces pain of tumor removal Posted: 27 Sep 2012 10:02 AM PDT Researchers have found that recovery from an emerging, minimally invasive surgical technique called Laparo-Endoscopic Single-Site Surgery was less painful for kidney cancer patients than traditional laparoscopic surgery.

New efficiency record for photovoltaic cells, thanks to heterojunction Posted: 27 Sep 2012 10:02 AM PDT Scientists have developed photovoltaic cells with an energy conversion efficiency of 21.4 percent, the highest obtained for the type of substrate they used. This breakthrough will contribute to lowering the cost of solar-cell-based installations.

BMI and shuttle run among techniques new report recommends for youth fitness testing Posted: 27 Sep 2012 10:02 AM PDT Techniques ranging from running to push-ups to sit-and-reach tests have been used to measure various aspects of fitness.

First real indicator of longevity in mammals discovered Posted: 27 Sep 2012 10:02 AM PDT Scientists have demonstrated that longevity is defined at a molecular level by the length of telomeres. The work opens the door to further study of these cellular components in order to calculate the rate at which cells age and thus be able to determine life expectancy.

Nature's misfits: Reclassifying protists helps answer how many species remain undiscovered Posted: 27 Sep 2012 09:42 AM PDT Since the Victorian era, categorizing the natural world has challenged scientists. No group has presented a challenge as tricky as the protists, the tiny, complex life forms that are neither plants nor animals. A new reclassification of eukaryotic life forms draws together the latest research to clarify the current state of protist diversity and categorization, as well as the many species that remain to be discovered.

Obesity-related hormone discovered in fruit flies Posted: 27 Sep 2012 09:42 AM PDT Researchers have discovered in fruit flies a key metabolic hormone thought to be the exclusive property of vertebrates. The hormone, leptin, is a nutrient sensor, regulating energy intake and output and ultimately controlling appetite.

Major cancer protein amplifies global gene expression Posted: 27 Sep 2012 09:41 AM PDT Scientists may have discovered why a protein called MYC can provoke a variety of cancers. Like many proteins associated with cancer, MYC helps regulate cell growth. A new study found that, unlike many other cell growth regulators, MYC does not turn genes on or off, but instead boosts the expression of genes that are already turned on.

Shared pathway links Lou Gehrig's disease with spinal muscular atrophy Posted: 27 Sep 2012 09:41 AM PDT Scientists have long known the main proteins that lead to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy, respectively. Now research shows that these two motor neuron diseases likely share a pathway that leads to the development of disease.

Study adds to efforts to find more effective anti-inflammatory drugs Posted: 27 Sep 2012 09:41 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a previously unknown function for a protein that could add to the expanding arsenal of potential new drugs for battling inflammation and tissue fibrosis in a number of disease processes. Scientists report that a protein called TRPC6 mediates a molecular pathway critical to the body's repair processes following various forms of injury caused by disease.

Unique genetic marker discovery may help predict multiple sclerosis relapse Posted: 27 Sep 2012 09:36 AM PDT Scientists may be one step closer to predicting the uncertain course of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that can lay dormant for months or years, thanks to the discovery of a unique genetic marker. The marker is the first of its kind to be directly linked to MS.

Aggressive cancer exploits Myc oncogene to amplify global gene activity Posted: 27 Sep 2012 09:36 AM PDT Researchers have determined the mechanism used by c-Myc to increase the expression of all active genes in cancer cells. Elevated levels of c-Myc are linked to increased rates of metastasis, disease recurrence, and mortality in cancer patients. Guided by this new model, researchers hope to find ways to restrict c-Myc's activity to eradicate cancer cells that become dependent on c-Myc for their survival.

Scientists find molecular link to obesity/insulin resistance in mice Posted: 27 Sep 2012 09:36 AM PDT Researchers have identified a molecular link between thermogenesis and the development of inflammation in fat cells. Activating molecular switch in white fat cells enabled mice to eat a high-calorie diet without becoming obese or developing the inflammation that causes insulin resistance, report scientists.

New way of fighting high cholesterol upends assumptions Posted: 27 Sep 2012 09:36 AM PDT Atherosclerosis has been presumed to be the consequence of complicated interactions between overabundant cholesterol and resulting inflammation in the heart and blood vessels. Researchers now say the relationship is not exactly what it appears, and that a precursor to cholesterol actually suppresses inflammatory response genes. This precursor molecule could provide a new target for drugs designed to treat atherosclerosis.

Salt cedar beetle damage widespread after warm summer Posted: 27 Sep 2012 07:43 AM PDT Salt cedar along the waterways of the southern and eastern Panhandle is rapidly being defoliated and dying back, and one entomologist believes he knows why.

Scientists find way to control sugars Posted: 27 Sep 2012 07:43 AM PDT Scientists have found that the intestinal enzymes responsible for processing starchy foods can be turned on and off, helping to better control those processes in people with Type 2 diabetes.

Scientists bring the heat to refine renewable biofuel production Posted: 27 Sep 2012 07:43 AM PDT Perhaps inspired by Arizona's blazing summers, scientists have developed a new method that relies on heat to improve the yield and lower the costs of high-energy biofuels production, making renewable energy production more of an everyday reality.

Popular HIV drug may cause memory declines Posted: 27 Sep 2012 07:38 AM PDT The way the body metabolizes a commonly prescribed anti-retroviral drug that is used long term by patients infected with HIV may contribute to cognitive impairment by damaging nerve cells, new research suggests.

African-American youth exposed to more magazine and television alcohol advertising than youth in general Posted: 27 Sep 2012 07:38 AM PDT new study finds African-American youths are over-exposed to alcohol advertising.

Breakthrough on immune system and brain tumors Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:21 AM PDT In what could be a breakthrough in the treatment of deadly brain tumors, a team of researchers has discovered that the immune system reacts differently to different types of brain tissue, shedding light on why cancerous brain tumors are so difficult to treat.

Evolutionary psychologists study the purpose of punishment and reputation Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:21 AM PDT For two decades, evolutionary scientists have been locked in a debate over the evolved functions of three distinctive human behaviors: the great readiness we show for cooperating with new people, the strong interest we have in tracking others' reputations regarding how well they treat others, and the occasional interest we have in punishing people for selfishly mistreating others.

First use in patient of conditionally reprogrammed cells delivers clinical response Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:21 AM PDT Using a newly discovered cell technology, researchers were able to identify an effective therapy for a patient with a rare type of lung tumor. The single case study provides a snapshot of the new technology's promising potential; however, researchers strongly caution that it could be years before validation studies are completed and regulatory approval received for its broader use.

Researchers find possible key to regulation of ovarian cancer stem cells Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:19 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that the micro ribonucleic acid miR-214 plays a critical role in regulating ovarian cancer stem cell properties. This knowledge, said the researchers, could pave the way for a therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.

Possible link between infants' regulatory behaviors and maternal mental health Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:19 AM PDT Functional somatic symptoms are physical complaints, such as headaches, pain, fatigue, and dizziness, that cannot be explained medically. These symptoms affect 10-30 percent of children and adolescents and account for two - four percent of all pediatric doctor visits. A new study finds that infants with regulatory problems (i.e., feeding, sleeping, and tactile reactivity) and/or maternal psychiatric problems may have an increased risk of FSS in later childhood.

Scaling up polymer blobs Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:16 AM PDT Several new simulations performed on polymers outline their scaling-up behavior at extreme limits where it depends on their density and length.

La Bastida unearths 4,200-year-old fortification, unique in continental Europe Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:15 AM PDT Archaeological excavations carried out this year at the site of La Bastida (Totana, Murcia) have shed light on an imposing fortification system, unique for its time. The discovery, together with all other discoveries made in recent years, reaffirm that the city was the most advanced settlement in Europe in political and military terms during the Bronze Age (ca. 4,200 years ago -- 2,200 BCE), and is comparable only to the Minoan civilization of Crete.

Supernova SN 1006: Cause of brightest stellar event in recorded history illuminated Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:15 AM PDT Between April 30 and May 1 of the year 1006, the brightest stellar event ever recorded in history occurred: a supernova, or stellar explosion, that was widely observed by various civilizations from different places on Earth. More than a thousand years later, researchers have found that the supernova of 1006 (SN 1006) probably occurred as a result of the merger of two white dwarfs.

Carnivorous plant catapults prey with snap-tentacles: Biologists describe new capture mechanism Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:15 AM PDT Carnivorous plants feature complex mechanisms to survive in habitats poor in nutrients: trapping systems help them to lure, catch, kill, and digest small prey animals (mainly insects) and to take up the resulting nutrients. Traps that move are termed 'active', and such active systems are currently being investigated. Researchers show for the first time the trapping action of the particular sundew Drosera glanduligera.

True love between grass and clover leads to richer harvest Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:15 AM PDT Clover fixes atmospheric nitrogen, and plants growing nearby benefit. But does clover gain anything from its neighbors in return? Recent research reveals that, in mixed cropping, both nitrogen-fixing plants and their neighbors improve in weight and quality. The research revealed that levels of both carbon and especially nitrogen, a measure of food value, were higher in plant mixtures.

Breakthrough for type 2 diabetes treatment: Therapy involves the blockade of signalling by VEGF-B protein Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:15 AM PDT An international team of scientists has discovered an entirely new approach to the treatment of type II diabetes. The therapy involves the blockade of signalling by a protein known as VEGF-B and this prevents fat from accumulating in the 'wrong' places, such as in muscles and in the heart. As a result the cells within these tissues are once again able to respond to insulin.

Risk markers for erectile dysfunction following radiation treatment in prostate cancer Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:14 AM PDT In the first study of its kind, a research team discovered 12 genetic markers associated with the development of erectile dysfunction (ED) in prostate cancer patients who were treated with radiation.

Shared genetic link in psychiatric and movement disorders Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:12 AM PDT Rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism (RDP) is caused by a genetic mutation that often runs in families. Now researchers believe that same genetic predisposition might also be associated with psychiatric problems, such as anxiety, mood disorders and substance abuse/dependence.

New way to weed out problem stem cells, making therapy safer Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:12 AM PDT Researchers have found a way to detect and eliminate potentially troublemaking stem cells to make stem cell therapy safer. Induced Pluripotent Stem cells, also known as iPS cells, are bioengineered from adult tissues to have properties of embryonic stem cells, which have the unlimited capacity to differentiate and grow into any desired types of cells, such as skin, brain, lung and heart cells. However, during the differentiation process, some residual pluripotent or embryonic-like cells may remain and cause them to grow into tumors.

New method of resurfacing bone improves odds of successful grafts Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:40 PM PDT Coating a bone graft with an inorganic compound found in bones and teeth may significantly increase the likelihood of a successful implant, according to researchers.

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