ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Preparatory drill test performed on Mars
• Scientists create 'building block' of quantum networks
• Surgeons find better ways to treat nerve compression disorder that can sideline athletes, studies suggest
• Holographic microscopy: Peering into living cells -- with neither dye nor fluophore
• Triple-negative breast cancer subtypes identified using microRNA
• New classes of magnetoelectric materials promise advances in computing technology
• Certain hormonal contraceptive may pose risk of Type 2 diabetes for obese women
• Protein paves the way for correct stem cell differentiation
• Experimental gene therapy treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy offers hope for youngster
• Colon cancer exhibits a corresponding epigenetic pattern in mice and humans
• Gene silencing spurs fountain of youth in mouse brain
• Nanoscopic microcavities offer newfound control in light filtering: Unique nanostructure produces novel 'plasmonic halos'
• Researchers to study how young adults use e-cigarettes, snus
• The amazing amphibians and reptiles of the Philippine island Luzon
• Charting progress in debate over medical research with animals
• For drug makers, new 3-D control opens wealth of options
• Most comprehensive tree of life shows placental mammal diversity exploded after age of dinosaurs
• Translation error tracked in the brain of dementia patients: Scientists identify enigmatic aggregates linked to neurodegenerative diseases
• Stress change during the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake illuminated
• Scientists solve mercury mystery, taking big step toward protecting human health
• Solving big-data bottleneck: Scientists team with business innovators to tackle research hurdles
• Largest-ever study of mammalian ancestry completed
• New evidence suggests comet or asteroid impact was last straw for dinosaurs
• Sugar influences the onset of flowering: Only when light, age and energy conditions are right do plants flower
• Excess protein linked to development of Parkinson's disease
• Fluorescent label sheds light on radioactive contamination
• Gold squeezed into micro-Velcro
• NASA telescopes discover strobe-like flashes in young stars
• NASA scientists build first-ever wide-field X-ray imager
• Animal magnetism: First evidence that magnetism helps salmon find home
• Scientists discover how the world's saltiest pond gets its salt
• Subcortical damage is 'primary cause' of neurological deficits after 'awake craniotomy'
• Long-term side-effects of targeted therapies in pediatric cancer patients
• Key protein revealed as trigger for stem cell development
• Cells forged from human skin show promise in treating multiple sclerosis, myelin disorders
• Immune systems of healthy adults 'remember' germs to which they've never been exposed
• Reassuring evidence: Anticancer drug does not accelerate tumor growth after treatment ends
• Potential target for age-related cognitive decline identified
• For ant pupae, status means being heard
• Zinc helps against infection by tapping brakes in immune response
• Key to antidepressant response uncovered
• Volcano location: Greenhouse-icehouse key? Episodic purging of 'carbonate capacitor' drives long-term climate cycle
• Privacy risk in your DNA
• Social network use reflects East-West disparity
• How men and women organize their (online) social networks differently
• 'Zombie' cells may outperform live ones as catalysts and conductors
• Veterans with mild TBI have brain abnormalities
• New look at human fossil suggests Eastern Europe was an important pathway in evolution
• Blame it on Barney: Student perceptions of an upright tyrannosaurus rex remain obsolete
• Permanent stress can cause type 2 diabetes in men, study suggests
• High-energy X-rays shine light on mystery of Picasso's paints
• Waste dump at the end of the world: Ecologists propose managing strategies to protect the Antarctic
• Unique peptide has therapeutic potential against cancers, neurological disorders, and infectious diseases
• New approach mimicking the body's natural defenses could help treat a therapy-resistant breast cancer
• Device made of DNA inserted into bacterial cell works like a diagnostic computer
• Drop in alcohol-related deaths by nearly a third follows minimum alcohol price increase of 10 percent

Preparatory drill test performed on Mars Posted: 07 Feb 2013 05:39 PM PST The drill on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity used both percussion and rotation to bore about 0.8 inch (2 centimeters) into a rock on Mars and generate cuttings for evaluation in advance of the rover's first sample-collection drilling.

Scientists create 'building block' of quantum networks Posted: 07 Feb 2013 04:21 PM PST A proof-of-concept device that could pave the way for on-chip optical quantum networks has been created by a group of researchers. The device has been described as the "building block of future quantum networks."

Surgeons find better ways to treat nerve compression disorder that can sideline athletes, studies suggest Posted: 07 Feb 2013 04:21 PM PST Two new studies suggest ways to improve surgical treatment for a debilitating condition caused by compressed nerves in the neck and shoulder.

Holographic microscopy: Peering into living cells -- with neither dye nor fluophore Posted: 07 Feb 2013 02:22 PM PST Thanks to holographic microscopy, two young scientists have developed a device that can create 3-D images of living cells, almost in real time, and track their reaction to various stimuli without the use of contrast dyes or fluorophores.

Triple-negative breast cancer subtypes identified using microRNA Posted: 07 Feb 2013 02:22 PM PST A new, large-scale study of triple-negative breast cancer shows that small molecules called microRNA can be used to define four subtypes of this aggressive malignancy. The findings could lead to new screening methods, prognostic markers and perhaps new targeted treatments for this aggressive and often-fatal form of breast cancer.

New classes of magnetoelectric materials promise advances in computing technology Posted: 07 Feb 2013 02:21 PM PST Physicists have developed new methods for controlling magnetic order in a particular class of materials known as "magnetoelectrics."

Certain hormonal contraceptive may pose risk of Type 2 diabetes for obese women Posted: 07 Feb 2013 02:21 PM PST A first-of-its-kind study by researchers indicates that healthy, obese, reproductive-age women who use long-acting reversible contraception containing the hormone progestin have a slightly increased risk for developing Type 2 diabetes when compared to those who use non-hormonal contraception.

Protein paves the way for correct stem cell differentiation Posted: 07 Feb 2013 02:21 PM PST A single embryonic stem cell can develop into more than 200 specialized cell types that make up our body. This maturation process is called differentiation and is tightly regulated. New research has identified a crucial role of the molecule Fbxl10 in differentiation of embryonic stem cells and suggests the molecule as a new potential target for cancer therapy.

Experimental gene therapy treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy offers hope for youngster Posted: 07 Feb 2013 02:21 PM PST Jacob Rutt is a bright 11-year-old who likes to draw detailed maps in his spare time. But the budding geographer has a hard time with physical skills most children take for granted -- running and climbing trees are beyond him, and even walking can be difficult. He was diagnosed with a form of muscular dystrophy known as Duchenne when he was two years old.

Colon cancer exhibits a corresponding epigenetic pattern in mice and humans Posted: 07 Feb 2013 02:21 PM PST The epigenetic investigation of mice can as a result contribute to early diagnosis of cancer in humans.

Gene silencing spurs fountain of youth in mouse brain Posted: 07 Feb 2013 12:09 PM PST Cognitive decline in old age is linked to decreasing production of new neurons. Scientists have discovered in mice that significantly more neurons are generated in the brains of older animals if a signaling molecule called Dickkopf-1 is turned off. In tests for spatial orientation and memory, mice in advanced adult age whose Dickkopf gene had been silenced reached an equal mental performance as young animals.

Nanoscopic microcavities offer newfound control in light filtering: Unique nanostructure produces novel 'plasmonic halos' Posted: 07 Feb 2013 12:09 PM PST Researchers report developing a unique nanostructure capable of filtering visible light into "plasmonic halos" of desired color output.

Researchers to study how young adults use e-cigarettes, snus Posted: 07 Feb 2013 12:08 PM PST Researchers are studying how young adults use hookahs, snus, electronic cigarettes, and other new tobacco products.

The amazing amphibians and reptiles of the Philippine island Luzon Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:16 AM PST Renewed interest in exploring the unique fauna of the northern Philippines has produced a series of notable discoveries, drawing attention to the astonishingly high level of species diversity in this small island archipelago. A recent categorization of the amphibians and reptiles of the Luzon Island offers insight into the unexpected variety of fascinating species that occur there and no where else in the world.

Charting progress in debate over medical research with animals Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:16 AM PST The scientific and ethical debate over the use of animals in medical research has raged for years, but perspectives are shifting, viewpoints are becoming more nuanced, and new initiatives are seeking alternatives to animal testing, according to a special report.

For drug makers, new 3-D control opens wealth of options Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:15 AM PST Scientists have demonstrated a new, highly versatile approach for quickly assembling drug-like compounds, establishing a broad new route to drug discovery and medical treatment.

Most comprehensive tree of life shows placental mammal diversity exploded after age of dinosaurs Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:14 AM PST Scientists have generated the most comprehensive tree of life to date on placental mammals, which are those bearing live young, including bats, rodents, whales and humans.

Translation error tracked in the brain of dementia patients: Scientists identify enigmatic aggregates linked to neurodegenerative diseases Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:14 AM PST In certain dementias silent areas of the genetic code are translated into highly unusual proteins by mistake. The proteins that have now been identified shouldn't actually exist.

Stress change during the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake illuminated Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:14 AM PST The March 11, 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake produced the largest slip ever recorded in an earthquake, over 50 meters. Such huge fault movement on the shallow portion of the megathrust boundary came as a surprise to seismologists because this portion of the subduction zone was not thought to be accumulating stress prior to the earthquake. In a recently published study, scientists shed light on the stress state on the fault that controls the very large slip.

Scientists solve mercury mystery, taking big step toward protecting human health Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:14 AM PST By identifying two genes required for transforming inorganic into organic mercury, which is far more toxic, scientists have just taken a significant step toward protecting human health.

Solving big-data bottleneck: Scientists team with business innovators to tackle research hurdles Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:14 AM PST Researchers have demonstrated that a crowdsourcing platform pioneered in the commercial sector can solve a complex biological problem more quickly than conventional approaches -- and at a fraction of the cost.

Largest-ever study of mammalian ancestry completed Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:14 AM PST A groundbreaking six-year research collaboration has produced the most complete picture yet of the evolution of placental mammals, the group that includes humans. Researchers utilizes molecular (DNA) and morphological (anatomy) data on an extraordinary scale. By combining these two types of data scientists reconstructed, to an unprecedented level of detail, the family tree of placental mammals.

New evidence suggests comet or asteroid impact was last straw for dinosaurs Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:14 AM PST While many assume that a comet or asteroid impact killed off the dinosaurs, the actual dates of the impact and extinction are imprecise enough that some have questioned the connection. Scientists have now dated the extinction with unprecedented precision and concluded that the impact and extinction where synchronous. While global climate change probably brought dinosaurs and other creatures to the brink, the impact likely was the final blow.

Sugar influences the onset of flowering: Only when light, age and energy conditions are right do plants flower Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:14 AM PST Only when light, age and energy conditions are right do plants flower. A plant can reproduce successfully only if it flowers at the appropriate time. Therefore, a complex network of photoreceptors and other proteins has evolved to monitor environmental conditions such as light and temperature.

Excess protein linked to development of Parkinson's disease Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:14 AM PST Researchers say overexpression of a protein called alpha-synuclein appears to disrupt vital recycling processes in neurons, starting with the terminal extensions of neurons and working its way back to the cells' center, with the potential consequence of progressive degeneration and eventual cell death.

Fluorescent label sheds light on radioactive contamination Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:12 AM PST Researchers have developed a way to detect caesium contamination on a scale of millimeters enabling the detection of small areas of radioactive contamination.

Gold squeezed into micro-Velcro Posted: 07 Feb 2013 11:11 AM PST Researchers have used self-assembling techniques to produce gold microwires that have suitable properties for micro-Velcro.

NASA telescopes discover strobe-like flashes in young stars Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:29 AM PST Two of NASA's great observatories, the Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes, have teamed up to uncover a mysterious infant star that behaves like a strobe light. Every 25.34 days, the object, designated LRLL 54361, unleashes a burst of light. Although a similar phenomenon has been observed in two other young stellar objects, this is the most powerful such beacon seen to date. The heart of the fireworks is hidden behind a dense disk and an envelope of dust. Astronomers propose the light flashes are caused by periodic interactions between two newly formed stars that are binary, or gravitationally bound to each other.

NASA scientists build first-ever wide-field X-ray imager Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:17 AM PST Three NASA scientists teamed up to develop and demonstrate NASA's first wide-field-of-view soft X-ray camera for studying "charge exchange," a poorly understood phenomenon that occurs when the solar wind collides with Earth's exosphere and neutral gas in interplanetary space.

Animal magnetism: First evidence that magnetism helps salmon find home Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:17 AM PST When migrating, sockeye salmon typically swim up to 4,000 miles into the ocean and then, years later, navigate back to the upstream reaches of the rivers in which they were born to spawn their young. Scientists, the fishing community and lay people have long wondered how salmon find their way to their home rivers over such epic distances.

Scientists discover how the world's saltiest pond gets its salt Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:17 AM PST Antarctica's Don Juan Pond exists only because its high salinity -- the highest of any body of water on the planet -- keeps it from freezing. New researcher finds that water sucked out of the air by parched, salty soil provides the saltwater brine that enables the pond to persist in one of the coldest and driest places on Earth. The findings could shed light on possibility of flowing water on Mars.

Subcortical damage is 'primary cause' of neurological deficits after 'awake craniotomy' Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:17 AM PST Injury to the subcortical structures of the inner brain is a major contributor to worsening neurological abnormalities after "awake craniotomy" for brain tumors, a new study reports.

Long-term side-effects of targeted therapies in pediatric cancer patients Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:16 AM PST Already we know that molecularly targeted therapies may stunt the growth of pediatric patients, delay puberty or speed the onset of diabetes. And researchers are just now starting to ask about additional, sometimes unforeseen side-effects, potentially including more subtle issues such as neurocognitive, balance and motor defects.

Key protein revealed as trigger for stem cell development Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:16 AM PST A natural trigger that enables stem cells to become any cell type in the body has been discovered by scientists. Researchers have identified a protein that kick-starts the process by which stem cells can develop to into different cells in the body, for instance liver or brain cells.

Cells forged from human skin show promise in treating multiple sclerosis, myelin disorders Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:16 AM PST Human brain cells created by reprogramming skin cells are highly effective in treating myelin disorders, a family of diseases that includes multiple sclerosis and rare childhood disorders called pediatric leukodystrophies.

Immune systems of healthy adults 'remember' germs to which they've never been exposed Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:16 AM PST It's established dogma that the immune system develops a "memory" of a microbial pathogen, with a correspondingly enhanced readiness to combat that microbe, only upon exposure to it -- or to its components though a vaccine. But a discovery casts doubt on that dogma. This research offers a possible clue as to why kids eat dirt.

Reassuring evidence: Anticancer drug does not accelerate tumor growth after treatment ends Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:15 AM PST Studies in animals have raised concerns that tumors may grow faster after the anticancer drug sunitinib is discontinued. But oncologists and physicists who collaborated to analyze data from the largest study of patients with kidney cancer convincingly demonstrate that such tumor acceleration does not occur in humans. The findings suggest that sunitinib does not cause lingering risks for patients after their treatment ends.

Potential target for age-related cognitive decline identified Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:15 AM PST As the elderly age, their ability to concentrate, reason, and recall facts tends to decline in part because their brains generate fewer new neurons than they did when they were younger. Now, researchers have discovered a molecule that accumulates with age and inhibits the formation of new neurons. The finding might help scientists design therapies to prevent age-related cognitive decline.

For ant pupae, status means being heard Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:15 AM PST For young ants at the pupal stage of life -- caught between larva and adulthood -- status is all about being heard. The findings add to evidence that ants can communicate abstract information through sound in addition to chemical cues.

Zinc helps against infection by tapping brakes in immune response Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:13 AM PST New research suggests that zinc helps control infections by gently tapping the brakes on the immune response in a way that prevents out-of-control inflammation that can be damaging and even deadly.

Key to antidepressant response uncovered Posted: 07 Feb 2013 10:13 AM PST Through a series of investigations in mice and humans, researchers have identified a protein that appears to be the target of both antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy. Results of their experiments explain how these therapies likely work to relieve depression by stimulating stem cells in the brain to grow and mature. In addition, the researchers say, these experiments raise the possibility of predicting individual people's response to depression therapy, and fine-tuning treatment accordingly.

Volcano location: Greenhouse-icehouse key? Episodic purging of 'carbonate capacitor' drives long-term climate cycle Posted: 07 Feb 2013 08:50 AM PST A new study suggests that Earth's repeated flip-flopping between greenhouse and icehouse climates during the past 500 million years may have been caused by an episodic flare-up of volcanoes at key locations where enormous amounts of carbon dioxide were poised for release into the atmosphere.

Privacy risk in your DNA Posted: 07 Feb 2013 08:49 AM PST Scientists have found that advances in DNA sequencing carry with them an enormous risk -- the theft of personal information from genetics databases poses a serious threat to privacy. They urge that new legislation concerning the maintenance of private and public databases, as well as anti-genetic-discrimination laws, should be drafted.

Social network use reflects East-West disparity Posted: 07 Feb 2013 08:49 AM PST The stark contrast between America's "me-first" culture and the "collective-good" mentality in China is reflected in the two countries' use of social networking sites, according to a new study led by a Michigan State University scholar.

How men and women organize their (online) social networks differently Posted: 07 Feb 2013 08:47 AM PST A new quantitative study of data assembled from the online multiplayer game Pardus examines ways men and women manage their social networks drastically different, even online.

'Zombie' cells may outperform live ones as catalysts and conductors Posted: 07 Feb 2013 08:46 AM PST A simple technique uses silica to coat a living cell both inside and outside. The process forms a near-perfect replica of the cell's structure, down to the tiniest organelle. The resulting model, heated, creates nature-sculpted nanotools with components far stronger than when built out of flesh.

Veterans with mild TBI have brain abnormalities Posted: 07 Feb 2013 08:46 AM PST A study by psychiatrists finds that soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) have measurable abnormalities in the white matter of their brains when compared to returning veterans who have not experienced TBI.

New look at human fossil suggests Eastern Europe was an important pathway in evolution Posted: 07 Feb 2013 08:46 AM PST A fossilized bone fragment found buried deep in the soil of a Serbian cave is causing scientists to reconsider what happened during a critical period in human development, when the strands of modern humanity were still coming together.

Blame it on Barney: Student perceptions of an upright tyrannosaurus rex remain obsolete Posted: 07 Feb 2013 08:45 AM PST Ask a college student to sketch a Tyrannosaurus rex, and he or she will probably draw an upright, tail-dragging creature with tiny arms. An 8-year-old will draw something similar. They're wrong, of course. The terrible T. rex, an agile, dynamic predator, never went upright. In fact, T. Rex tarried horizontal. So why are students' perceptions of the T. rex stalled in the early 1900s? A research team sought answers after years of anecdotally observing students drawing the T. rex incorrectly.

Permanent stress can cause type 2 diabetes in men, study suggests Posted: 07 Feb 2013 08:44 AM PST Men who reported permanent stress have a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than men who reported no stress. This is the finding of a 35-year prospective follow-up study of 7,500 men in Gothenburg, Sweden.

High-energy X-rays shine light on mystery of Picasso's paints Posted: 07 Feb 2013 06:31 AM PST Scientists have unraveled a decades-long debate among art scholars about what kind of paint Picasso used to create his masterpieces.

Waste dump at the end of the world: Ecologists propose managing strategies to protect the Antarctic Posted: 07 Feb 2013 06:30 AM PST Ecologists have found out that the environment of the Antarctic is far less intact than many people might think. The German ecologists make specific suggestions for the management of this sensitive region: The crucial point is the designation of the Fildes Peninsula as an 'Antarctic Specially Managed Area' (ASMA).

Unique peptide has therapeutic potential against cancers, neurological disorders, and infectious diseases Posted: 07 Feb 2013 06:30 AM PST Scientists have synthesized a peptide that shows potential for pharmaceutical development into agents for treating infections, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer through an ability to induce a cell-recycling process called autophagy.

New approach mimicking the body's natural defenses could help treat a therapy-resistant breast cancer Posted: 07 Feb 2013 04:42 AM PST A new combination of antibodies was found to be effective in mice against triple-negative breast cancer.

Device made of DNA inserted into bacterial cell works like a diagnostic computer Posted: 07 Feb 2013 04:42 AM PST A biological device made of DNA inserted into a bacterial cell works like a tiny diagnostic computer.

Drop in alcohol-related deaths by nearly a third follows minimum alcohol price increase of 10 percent Posted: 06 Feb 2013 09:20 PM PST A new study shows that, between 2002 and 2009, the percentage of deaths caused by alcohol in British Columbia, Canada dropped more than expected when minimum alcohol price was increased, while alcohol-related deaths increased when more private alcohol stores were opened. The paper has significant implications for international alcohol policy.

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