ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• 'Adoption activity days' can help children find new families
• Clearer picture of how assassin bugs evolved: Entomologists reconstruct the evolutionary history
• New study brings a doubted exoplanet 'back from the dead'
• Sharing space: Proximity breeds collaboration
• C’est difficile: Researchers develop cocktail of bacteria that eradicates Clostridium difficile infection in mice
• Scientists step up hunt for bacterial genes tied to lyme disease
• Scientists deepen genetic understanding of multiple sclerosis
• Academia should fulfill social contract by supporting bioscience startups, case study says
• New genes for adult BMI levels: Versatile gene discovery chip used to detect gene variants involved in biology of obesity
• Exercise boosts satisfaction with life, researchers find
• Individual gene differences can be tested in zebrafish
• Warmer future oceans could cause phytoplankton to thrive near poles, shrink in tropics
• Stroke survivors who smoke raise risk of more strokes, heart attack, death
• Robots in the home: Will older adults roll out the welcome mat?
• Bioimaging: Aim for the stars
• Nanomaterials: Bringing crystals into line
• A 'nanoscale landscape' controls flow of surface electrons on a topological insulator: Stripe-like contours on a surface modulate electrons that behave like light
• New drug delivery system for bladder cancer using nanoparticles
• New genomics study shows ancestry could help solve disease riddles
• Stem cell therapies for multiple sclerosis, other myelin disorders expected soon
• Fishing for answers off Fukushima
• Fossils of first feathered dinosaurs from North America discovered: Clues on early wing uses
• Lucy and Selam's species climbed trees: Australopithecus afarensis shoulder blades show partially arboreal lifestyle
• Not-so-permanent permafrost: 850 billion tons of carbon stored in frozen Arctic ground could be released
• Isolation of Puerto Rico's manatees affects survival odds
• Malaria transmission peaks at much cooler temperatures than previously predicted
• Traditional fisheries management approach jeopardizes marine ecosystems worldwide, expert argues
• Data storage: Going with the grain
• Study reveals impact of public DNS services; Researchers develop tool to help
• Gene mutation linked to old age hearing loss identified
• NASA sees power in Hurricane Sandy moving toward Bahamas
• Triclosan -- harmful to ecological status of rivers -- needs to be monitored, researchers say
• Black widow's tango mortale in gamma-ray light: Scientists discover record-breaking millisecond pulsar with new analysis method
• Bushmeat pushes African species to the brink
• Size does matter in sexual selection, at least among beetles
• Far from random, evolution follows a predictable genetic pattern
• Galactic snack time: Stream of stars slowly being ingested by the Milky Way
• Impact of adversity on early life development demonstrated
• New technique to study how myeloids become white blood cells
• Safety glass cut to any shape
• Monster galaxy may have been stirred up by black-hole mischief
• Why astronauts experience low blood pressure after returning to Earth from space
• Using planarian flatworms to understand organ regeneration
• Omega-3 intake heightens working memory in healthy young adults
• Workouts in extreme weight-loss TV fuel negative attitudes about exercise, study finds
• Resveratrol falls short in health benefits, study shows
• Animal model of typhoid fever could lead to better vaccines
• Efficient, protein-based method for creating iPS cells developed
• Anesthesia drugs really do put us to sleep
• Genetic causes of a male infertility disorder revealed
• Sensory neurons identified as critical to sense of touch
• PFO closure may be superior to medical therapy in preventing stroke
• Dream come true: Fantasy football grabs attention of fans and franchises, creates jobs
• Major flaw in standard approach to global gene expression analysis identified
• Study reveals rate at which key genetic deletions contribute to male infertility
• Antibiotics that only partly block protein machinery allow germs to poison themselves
• Scientists create first mouse model of typhoid fever
• Structure discovered for promising tuberculosis drug target
• Genetic tradeoff: Harmful genes are widespread in yeast but hold hidden benefits
• Now the mobile phone goes emotional

'Adoption activity days' can help children find new families Posted: 25 Oct 2012 04:36 PM PDT Children's parties or activity days, where prospective adopters meet children awaiting adoption, could be part of the solution to the current adoption crisis, according to new research.

Clearer picture of how assassin bugs evolved: Entomologists reconstruct the evolutionary history Posted: 25 Oct 2012 02:46 PM PDT Assassin bugs, which lie in ambush for prey they attack with speed and agility, are found all over the world. But scientists' understanding of their evolutionary history is made difficult by access to incomplete data and only a limited number of young fossils. Entomologists have now produced a clearer snapshot of the entire evolutionary history of assassin bugs by integrating molecular, paleontological, behavioral and ecological data into their analyses.

New study brings a doubted exoplanet 'back from the dead' Posted: 25 Oct 2012 02:46 PM PDT A second look at data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is reanimating the claim that the nearby star Fomalhaut hosts a massive exoplanet. The study suggests that the planet, named Fomalhaut b, is a rare and possibly unique object that is completely shrouded by dust.

Sharing space: Proximity breeds collaboration Posted: 25 Oct 2012 02:46 PM PDT A new study shows that when researchers share a building, and especially a floor, the likelihood of forming new collaborations and obtaining funding increases dramatically. The findings have wide relevance to corporations, as well.

C’est difficile: Researchers develop cocktail of bacteria that eradicates Clostridium difficile infection in mice Posted: 25 Oct 2012 02:46 PM PDT In a new study, researchers used mice to identify a combination six naturally occurring bacteria that eradicate a highly contagious form of Clostridium difficile, an infectious bacterium associated with many hospital deaths. Three of the six bacteria have not been described before. This work may have significant implications for future control and treatment approaches.

Scientists step up hunt for bacterial genes tied to lyme disease Posted: 25 Oct 2012 02:41 PM PDT Lyme disease is a bacterial illness that affects tens of thousands. It can lead to abnormalities in the nervous system, heart and joints. New research into the bacterium's genetic makeup could advance the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of the disease.

Scientists deepen genetic understanding of multiple sclerosis Posted: 25 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT Scientists have discovered that 30 percent of our likelihood of developing multiple sclerosis can be explained by 475,806 genetic variants in our genome. Genome-wide Association Studies commonly screen these variants, looking for genetic links to diseases.

Academia should fulfill social contract by supporting bioscience startups, case study says Posted: 25 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT Universities not only provide the ideal petri dish for cultivating bioscience with commercial potential, but have a moral obligation to do so, given the opportunity to translate public funding into health and jobs, according to a new case study.

New genes for adult BMI levels: Versatile gene discovery chip used to detect gene variants involved in biology of obesity Posted: 25 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT A large international study has identified three new gene variants associated with body mass index levels in adults. The researchers used the CardioChip, a gene array designed to probe for gene variants relevant to cardiovascular and metabolic functions. Scientists say the research findings may provide fundamental insights into the biology of adult obesity.

Exercise boosts satisfaction with life, researchers find Posted: 25 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT Had a bad day? Extending your normal exercise routine by a few minutes may be the solution, according to researchers, who found that people's satisfaction with life was higher on days when they exercised more than usual.

Individual gene differences can be tested in zebrafish Posted: 25 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT The zebrafish is a potential tool for testing one class of unique individual genetic differences found in humans, and may yield information helpful for the emerging field of personalized medicine, according to a team of scientists. The differences, or mutations, in question create minor changes in amino acids -- the building blocks of DNA -- from person to person. Zebrafish can be used as a model to understand what biological effects result from these genetic mutations.

Warmer future oceans could cause phytoplankton to thrive near poles, shrink in tropics Posted: 25 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT In the future, warmer waters could significantly change ocean distribution of populations of phytoplankton, tiny organisms that could have a major effect on climate change. In a new study, researchers show that by the end of the 21st century, warmer oceans will cause populations of these marine microorganisms to thrive near the poles and shrink in equatorial waters.

Stroke survivors who smoke raise risk of more strokes, heart attack, death Posted: 25 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT Stroke survivors who smoke put themselves at a greater risk of additional strokes, heart attack or death than those who never smoked, according to new research.

Robots in the home: Will older adults roll out the welcome mat? Posted: 25 Oct 2012 01:15 PM PDT Robots have the potential to help older adults with daily activities that can become more challenging with age. But are people willing to use and accept the new technology? A new study indicates the answer is yes, unless the tasks involve personal care or social activities.

Bioimaging: Aim for the stars Posted: 25 Oct 2012 01:08 PM PDT Glucose–amine rings turn star-shaped fluorescent dyes into powerful probes for imaging cancer cells in three dimensions.

Nanomaterials: Bringing crystals into line Posted: 25 Oct 2012 01:08 PM PDT The temperature-controlled alignment of tiny crystals could help harness their collective properties for nanotechnology applications.

A 'nanoscale landscape' controls flow of surface electrons on a topological insulator: Stripe-like contours on a surface modulate electrons that behave like light Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:29 PM PDT Physicists report new insights into the behavior of electrons on the surface of a topological insulator, a class of material with unique properties that challenge some of the oldest laws of physics.

New drug delivery system for bladder cancer using nanoparticles Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:29 PM PDT Scientists have shown in experimental mouse models that a new drug delivery system allows for administration of three times the maximum tolerated dose of a standard drug therapy for advanced bladder cancer, leading to more effective cancer control without increasing toxicity.

New genomics study shows ancestry could help solve disease riddles Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:27 PM PDT Explosive advancement in human genome sequencing opens new possibilities for identifying the genetic roots of certain diseases and finding cures. However, so many variations among individual genomes exist that identifying mutations responsible for a specific disease has in many cases proven an insurmountable challenge. But now a new study reveals that by comparing the genomes of diseased patients with the genomes of people with sufficiently similar ancestries could dramatically simplify searches for harmful mutations, opening new treatment possibilities.

Stem cell therapies for multiple sclerosis, other myelin disorders expected soon Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:04 PM PDT Researchers are now on the threshold of human application of stem cell therapies for a class of neurological diseases known as myelin disorders -- a long list of diseases that include conditions such as multiple sclerosis, white matter stroke, cerebral palsy, certain dementias, and rare but fatal childhood disorders called pediatric leukodystrophies, experts say.

Fishing for answers off Fukushima Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:03 PM PDT Japan's "triple disaster," as it has become known, began on March 11, 2011, and remains unprecedented in its scope and complexity. To understand the lingering effects and potential public health implications of that chain of events, scientists are turning to a diverse and widespread sentinel in the world's ocean: fish.

Fossils of first feathered dinosaurs from North America discovered: Clues on early wing uses Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:03 PM PDT The first ornithomimid specimens preserved with feathers, recovered from 75 million-year-old rocks in the badlands of Alberta, Canada has been described.

Lucy and Selam's species climbed trees: Australopithecus afarensis shoulder blades show partially arboreal lifestyle Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:03 PM PDT Australopithecus afarensis was an upright walking species, but the question of whether it also spent much of its time in trees has been the subject of much debate. For the first time, scientists have thoroughly examined the two complete shoulder blades of the fossil "Selam." Analyses of these rare bones showed them to be quite apelike, suggesting that this species was adapted to climbing trees in addition to walking bipedally when on the ground.

Not-so-permanent permafrost: 850 billion tons of carbon stored in frozen Arctic ground could be released Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:54 AM PDT As much as 44 billion tons of nitrogen and 850 billion tons of carbon stored in Arctic permafrost, or frozen ground, could be released into the environment as the region begins to thaw over the next century as a result of a warmer planet, according to a new study led by the U.S. Geological Survey. This nitrogen and carbon are likely to impact ecosystems, the atmosphere, and water resources including rivers and lakes. For context, this is roughly the amount of carbon stored in the atmosphere today.

Isolation of Puerto Rico's manatees affects survival odds Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:52 AM PDT New evidence shows there is no cross-breeding between endangered manatees in Puerto Rico and those in Florida, resulting in less genetic diversity in Puerto Rico's small manatee population and impacting its odds of survival.

Malaria transmission peaks at much cooler temperatures than previously predicted Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:51 AM PDT The most deadly type of malaria in humans and the one most prevalent in Africa is one that is very sensitive to climate. Previously published scientific studies put the optimal temperature for malaria transmission from mosquitos to humans at 31 degrees C (88 degrees F), but according to a new mathematical model, the temperature for peak transmission of the parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is much, much lower.

Traditional fisheries management approach jeopardizes marine ecosystems worldwide, expert argues Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:45 AM PDT A new article urges cautions against continuing traditional fisheries management.

Data storage: Going with the grain Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:45 AM PDT Reducing information stored in magnetic thin films to the physical size of single grains could improve computer hard drives.

Study reveals impact of public DNS services; Researchers develop tool to help Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:08 AM PDT A new study has revealed that public DNS services could actually slow down users' web-surfing experience. As a result, researchers have developed a solution to help avoid such an impact: a tool called namehelp that could speed web performance by 40 percent.

Gene mutation linked to old age hearing loss identified Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:08 AM PDT Researchers have identified a genetic mutation linked to age-related hearing loss, a discovery that can lead to better prevention measures.

NASA sees power in Hurricane Sandy moving toward Bahamas Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:08 AM PDT NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Hurricane Sandy as it was moving over eastern Cuba early on Oct. 25. The AIRS instrument captured an infrared image of Sandy that showed a large area of very high, cold cloud tops indicating the power within the storm. Sandy is now headed toward the Bahamas and warnings and watches have already been posted for the mainland US.

Triclosan -- harmful to ecological status of rivers -- needs to be monitored, researchers say Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:08 AM PDT Researchers from Germany and Slovakia have pointed out that the chemical triclosan is one of those substances that are particularly harmful to the ecological status of rivers that are still not sufficiently monitored.

Black widow's tango mortale in gamma-ray light: Scientists discover record-breaking millisecond pulsar with new analysis method Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:07 AM PDT Pulsars are the compact remnants from explosions of massive stars. Some of them spin around their own axis hundreds of times per second, emitting beams of radiation into space. Until now, they could only be found through their pulsed radio emissions. Now, scientists have discovered a millisecond pulsar solely via its pulsed gamma radiation.

Bushmeat pushes African species to the brink Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:07 AM PDT A recent report says illegal hunting of wildlife in South African Development Community (SADC) states can lead to the eradication of many species across extensive areas and even complete ecological collapse.

Size does matter in sexual selection, at least among beetles Posted: 25 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT The size of genital spines has a measurable effect on sexual success in beetles, according to a recent article.

Far from random, evolution follows a predictable genetic pattern Posted: 25 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT Research suggests that knowledge of a species' genes -- and how certain external conditions affect the proteins encoded by those genes -- could be used to determine a predictable evolutionary pattern driven by outside factors. Scientists could then pinpoint how the diversity of adaptations seen in the natural world developed even in distantly related animals.

Galactic snack time: Stream of stars slowly being ingested by the Milky Way Posted: 25 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT Yale astronomers have caught the Milky Way having a snack. Using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, they have discovered a band, or stream, of stars believed to be the remnant of an ancient star cluster slowly being ingested by the Milky Way, Earth's home galaxy.

Impact of adversity on early life development demonstrated Posted: 25 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT It's time to end the nature versus nurture debate and embrace growing evidence that it's the interaction between biology and environment that influences human development. One study by evolutionary biologists using fruit flies showed that food deprivation and lack of adequate nutrition in early life had significant impact on adult behavior and quality of life.

New technique to study how myeloids become white blood cells Posted: 25 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT Researchers have created a new technique to study how myeloids, a type of blood stem cell, become the white blood cells important for immune system defense against infections and tissue damage. This approach offers new insights into the molecular mechanisms at work during myeloid differentiation, and may improve our ability to treat myeloid diseases like leukemia, the researchers report.

Safety glass cut to any shape Posted: 25 Oct 2012 10:07 AM PDT Shock-resistance is the great benefit of safety glass. However, the cut of the glass pane can make this difficult: With conventional processes, only straight cuts are possible. Yet a newly-developed method makes it possible to apply any cutting technique.

Monster galaxy may have been stirred up by black-hole mischief Posted: 25 Oct 2012 10:07 AM PDT Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have obtained a remarkable new view of a whopper of an elliptical galaxy that may have been puffed up by the actions of one or more black holes in its core.

Why astronauts experience low blood pressure after returning to Earth from space Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:26 AM PDT When astronauts return to Earth, their altitude isn't the only thing that drops -- their blood pressure does too. This condition, known as orthostatic hypotension, occurs in up to half of those astronauts on short-term missions (two weeks or less) and in nearly all astronauts after long-term missions (four to six months). A new research report solves the biological mystery of how this happens by showing that low gravity compromises the ability of arteries and veins to constrict normally, inhibiting the proper flow of blood.

Using planarian flatworms to understand organ regeneration Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:26 AM PDT Researchers report that they have identified genes that control growth and regeneration of the intestine in the freshwater planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. How animals repair their internal organs after injury is not well understood. Planarian flatworms are useful models for studying this question. After injury, they are able to re-grow missing body parts, as well as all as organs that are damaged or lost, such as brain, eyes, and intestine.

Omega-3 intake heightens working memory in healthy young adults Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:24 AM PDT In the first study of its kind, researchers have determined that healthy young adults ages 18-25 can improve their working memory even further by increasing their Omega-3 fatty acid intake.

Workouts in extreme weight-loss TV fuel negative attitudes about exercise, study finds Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:24 AM PDT The Biggest Loser might be a TV ratings winner, but its extreme depiction of exercise is more likely to turn people off than get them off the couch, according to new research.

Resveratrol falls short in health benefits, study shows Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:24 AM PDT Resveratrol, an ingredient in red wine thought to improve insulin sensitivity, reduce risk of heart disease and increase longevity, does not appear to have those benefits in healthy women, according to new research.

Animal model of typhoid fever could lead to better vaccines Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:22 AM PDT The first mouse model of the common bacterial disease typhoid fever is reported in a new study. Because the animals show human-like symptoms and respond positively to immunization, they could be used to develop more effective vaccines against the deadly pathogen.

Efficient, protein-based method for creating iPS cells developed Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:22 AM PDT Researchers have devised an efficient and safer way to make induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, by using just the proteins that the genes encode.

Anesthesia drugs really do put us to sleep Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:22 AM PDT When patients are put under anesthesia, they are often told they will be "put to sleep," and now it appears that in some ways that's exactly what the drugs do to the brain. New evidence in mice shows that the drugs don't just turn wakefulness "off," they also force important sleep circuits in the brain "on."

Genetic causes of a male infertility disorder revealed Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:22 AM PDT Severe spermatogenic failure is a genetic condition that causes low sperm count and infertility. Researchers have gained new insights into the genetic alterations that cause this disorder and their prevalence in populations of men around the world. The findings reveal which alterations are the greatest risk factors for the disease, and they could be immediately applicable in genetic counseling for assisted reproduction.

Sensory neurons identified as critical to sense of touch Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:22 AM PDT While studying the sense of touch, scientists have pinpointed specific neurons that appear to regulate perception. The sensory neurons are characterized by thin spikes, and based on their volume, these protrusions determine the cells' sensitivity to force.

PFO closure may be superior to medical therapy in preventing stroke Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:18 AM PDT Results of a large-scale, randomized clinical trial called RESPECT revealed that patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is superior to medical therapy in preventing recurrent stroke, according to a presentation of findings today at the TCT conference.

Dream come true: Fantasy football grabs attention of fans and franchises, creates jobs Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:18 AM PDT A fantasy of millions of individuals may be positively affecting job growth. Fantasy football is growing -- nearly 34 million individuals play fantasy sports and 75 percent of them play fantasy football -- and this growth has led to job creation, increased advertisement revenue and more football fans, according to one expert.

Major flaw in standard approach to global gene expression analysis identified Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:18 AM PDT Researchers report that common assumptions employed in the generation and interpretation of data from global gene expression analyses can lead to seriously flawed conclusions about gene activity and cell behavior in a wide range of current biological research.

Study reveals rate at which key genetic deletions contribute to male infertility Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:18 AM PDT A large-scale analysis of Y chromosomes from more than 20,000 men finds that two spontaneously recurring deletions along a complex region of the Y chromosome are responsible for approximately 8 percent of cases of failed sperm production, according to researchers.

Antibiotics that only partly block protein machinery allow germs to poison themselves Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:18 AM PDT Powerful antibiotics that scientists and physicians thought stop the growth of harmful bacteria by completely blocking their ability to make proteins actually allow the germs to continue producing certain proteins -- which may help do them in.

Scientists create first mouse model of typhoid fever Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:18 AM PDT Researchers have created the first true mouse model of typhoid infection. The development promises to advance the study of typhoid and the creation of new vaccines against the infection, which remains a major health threat in developing countries.

Structure discovered for promising tuberculosis drug target Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:18 AM PDT Researchers have figured out the three-dimensional shape of the protein responsible for creating unique bonds within the cell wall of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. The bonds make the bacteria resistant to currently available drug therapies, contributing to the alarming rise of these super-bacteria throughout the world.

Genetic tradeoff: Harmful genes are widespread in yeast but hold hidden benefits Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:18 AM PDT The genes responsible for inherited diseases are clearly bad for us, so why hasn't evolution, over time, weeded them out and eliminated them from the human genome altogether? Part of the reason seems to be that genes that can harm us at one stage of our lives are necessary and beneficial to us at other points in our development.

Now the mobile phone goes emotional Posted: 25 Oct 2012 08:29 AM PDT ForcePhone is a mobile synchronous haptic communication system. During phone calls, users can squeeze the side of the device and the pressure level is mapped to vibrations on the recipient's device. Computer scientists indicate that an additional haptic channel of communication can be integrated into mobile phone calls using a pressure to vibrotactile mapping with local and remote feedback.

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