ScienceDaily: Top News

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• When hungry, Gulf of Mexico algae go toxic
• Using fat to fight brain cancer: Stem cells from human adipose tissue used to chase migrating cancer cells
• Preventing HIV infection with anti-HIV drugs in people at risk is cost-effective
• Weight gain after quitting smoking does not negate health benefits
• Brain imaging after mild head injury/concussion can show lesions
• European invader outcompetes Canadian plants even outside its usual temperature range
• Political strife undermines HIV treatment
• Promising new drug treats and protects against radiotherapy-associated oral mucositis
• Autistic children may be at greater risk of suicide ideation and attempts
• Earth-sized planets in habitable zones are more common than previously thought
• 'I don't want to pick!' Preschoolers know when they aren't sure
• New hope for reversing the effects of spinal cord injury
• Bitter melon juice prevents pancreatic cancer in mouse models
• Device may lead to quicker, more efficient diagnostics
• Canadian Arctic glacier melt accelerating, irreversible, projections suggest
• Four dinosaur egg species identified in Lleida, Spain
• Sri Lankan snake study reveals new species, rich biodiversity in island country
• Job burnout can severely compromise heart health
• Therapeutic targets to alter inflammation, type 2 diabetes
• Antibiotic-resistant strain of E. coli increasing among older adults and residents of nursing homes
• Nose's unheralded neighbor: Maxillary sinuses allow noses to change shapes
• Nearly a third of antibiotic prescriptions for dialysis patients inappropriate, experts say
• Some bacteria may protect against disease caused by stomach infection
• Heat-stressed cows spend more time standing
• New automated process simplifies alignment and splicing of multicore optical fibers
• Ultra-high-speed optical communications link sets new power efficiency record
• New distance record for 400 Gb/s data transmission
• Pre-clinical research shows promising treatment for diabetic wounds using stem cells
• Mystery of 'zombie worm' development unveiled
• Green food labels make nutrition-poor food seem healthy
• NASA Rover Finds Conditions Once Suited for Ancient Life on Mars
• Antarctic and Arctic insects use different genetic mechanisms to cope with lack of water
• Prediction of seasonal flu strains improves chances of universal vaccine
• Cryptic clams: Biologists find species hiding in plain view
• Repairing the nose after skin cancer in just one step
• Scientists identify why some fathers are left holding the baby
• Eel migration study reveals porbeagle shark predation in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
• Fungi may be able to replace plastics one day
• Financial incentives affect prostate cancer treatment patterns
• Brain spikes: Synchrony may be key to cracking brain's neural code
• Drug may improve outcomes after heart attack
• Logging debris gives newly planted Douglas-fir forests a leg-up
• Exercise during gestation might affect future fertility
• Spiders, not birds, may drive evolution of some butterflies
• Catalysts that produce 'green' fuel
• Earliest tobacco use in Pacific Northwest discovered
• Pesticide application as potential source of noroviruses in fresh food supply chains
• Babies prefer individuals who are nice to those like them and mean to those who aren't
• Fluorescent light revealed as gauge of coral health: Mysterious glow of light found to correlate with coral stress prior to bleaching
• Breaking the final barrier: Room-temperature electrically powered nanolasers
• New survey reports low rate of patient awareness during anesthesia
• Prenatal exposure to pesticide DDT linked to adult high blood pressure
• Biological wires carry electricity thanks to special amino acids
• Single concussion may cause lasting brain damage
• What impact does a day of roller derby have on our skin microbiome? Skaters skin microbiomes get mixed up 'bouting'
• Kid's consumption of sugared beverages linked to higher caloric intake of food
• Men in same-sex marriages are living longer, according to new study
• Astronomers discover extremely rare triple quasar
• Fertilizers could help tackle nutritional deficiency in African country
• Tickling the brain with magnetic stimulation improves memory in schizophrenia

When hungry, Gulf of Mexico algae go toxic Posted: 12 Mar 2013 02:16 PM PDT When Gulf of Mexico algae don't get enough nutrients, they focus their remaining energy on becoming more and more poisonous to ensure their survival, according to a new study.

Using fat to fight brain cancer: Stem cells from human adipose tissue used to chase migrating cancer cells Posted: 12 Mar 2013 02:16 PM PDT In laboratory studies, researchers say they have found that stem cells from a patient's own fat may have the potential to deliver new treatments directly into the brain after the surgical removal of a glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of brain tumor.

Preventing HIV infection with anti-HIV drugs in people at risk is cost-effective Posted: 12 Mar 2013 02:16 PM PDT An HIV prevention strategy in which people at risk of becoming exposed to HIV take antiretroviral drugs to reduce their chance of becoming infected (often referred to as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP), may be a cost-effective method of preventing HIV in some settings, according to a new study.

Weight gain after quitting smoking does not negate health benefits Posted: 12 Mar 2013 01:12 PM PDT A new study finds that the health effects of weight gained after quitting smoking do not counteract the known cardiovascular benefits of smoking cessation.

Brain imaging after mild head injury/concussion can show lesions Posted: 12 Mar 2013 01:11 PM PDT Brain imaging soon after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or mild concussion can detect tiny lesions that may eventually provide a target for treating people with mTBI.

European invader outcompetes Canadian plants even outside its usual temperature range Posted: 12 Mar 2013 12:20 PM PDT Vincetoxicum rossicum, commonly known as dog-strangling vine, is an alien invasive plant from the Ukraine and southwestern Russia that has now established itself in the northeastern United States and southern Ontario, Canada. This species successfully displaces local native plants, demonstrating high tolerance for environmental variables such as light and soil moisture.

Political strife undermines HIV treatment Posted: 12 Mar 2013 12:20 PM PDT Among other tragedies in countries with HIV epidemics, political violence can have the additional long-term consequence of an increase in viral resistance to treatment and HIV treatment failure, say experts. The researchers, who have studied post-strife treatment failure and resistance in Kenya, argue that officials and health care providers need to study and prepare for how violence disrupts antiretroviral treatment and complicates the epidemic.

Promising new drug treats and protects against radiotherapy-associated oral mucositis Posted: 12 Mar 2013 12:20 PM PDT Mouse model studies show that administered genetically or topically, protein Smad7 protects against or heals mouth sores commonly associated with cancer treatment.

Autistic children may be at greater risk of suicide ideation and attempts Posted: 12 Mar 2013 12:20 PM PDT Children with an autism spectrum disorder may be at greater risk for contemplating suicide or attempting suicide than children without autism, according to researchers.

Earth-sized planets in habitable zones are more common than previously thought Posted: 12 Mar 2013 12:20 PM PDT The number of potentially habitable planets is greater than previously thought, according to a new analysis by a Penn State researcher, and some of those planets are likely lurking around nearby stars.

'I don't want to pick!' Preschoolers know when they aren't sure Posted: 12 Mar 2013 12:20 PM PDT Children as young as 3 years old know when they are not sure about a decision, and can use that uncertainty to guide decision making, according to new research.

New hope for reversing the effects of spinal cord injury Posted: 12 Mar 2013 12:19 PM PDT New hope for reversing the effects of spinal cord injury may be found in a combination of stem cell therapy and physical therapy according to new findings.

Bitter melon juice prevents pancreatic cancer in mouse models Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:49 AM PDT A new study shows that bitter melon juice restricts the ability of pancreatic cancer cells to metabolize glucose, thus cutting the cells' energy source and eventually killing them.

Device may lead to quicker, more efficient diagnostics Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:49 AM PDT A twist on thin-film technology may provide a way to optically detect and analyze multiple substances simultaneously, leading to quicker diagnostics in such industries as health care and homeland security, according to researchers.

Canadian Arctic glacier melt accelerating, irreversible, projections suggest Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:49 AM PDT Ongoing glacier loss in the Canadian high Arctic is accelerating and probably irreversible, new model projections suggest. The Canadian high Arctic is home to the largest clustering of glacier ice outside of Greenland and Antarctica -- 146,000 square kilometers (about 60,000 square miles) of glacier ice spread across 36,000 islands.

Four dinosaur egg species identified in Lleida, Spain Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:49 AM PDT Scientists have for the first time documented detailed records of dinosaur egg fossils in the Coll de Nargó archaeological site in Lleida, Spain. Up until now, only one type of dinosaur egg had been documented in the region.

Sri Lankan snake study reveals new species, rich biodiversity in island country Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:49 AM PDT Alex Pyron's expertise is in family trees. Who is related to whom, who begat whom, how did they get where they are now. But not for humans: reptiles.

Job burnout can severely compromise heart health Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:49 AM PDT Dr. Sharon Toker of Tel Aviv University has found a link between job burnout and coronary heart disease (CHD), the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries that leads to angina and heart attacks. She says that her findings were more extreme than she expected and make burnout a stronger predictor of CHD than many other risk factors.

Therapeutic targets to alter inflammation, type 2 diabetes Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:47 AM PDT New research reveals that B cells regulate obesity-associated inflammation and type 2 diabetes through two specific mechanisms. The study indicates the importance of continuing to explore B cells as a therapeutic target to treat these diseases.

Antibiotic-resistant strain of E. coli increasing among older adults and residents of nursing homes Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:47 AM PDT Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) continues to proliferate, driven largely by expansion of a strain of E. coli know as sequence type ST131. A new study points to hospitals and long-term care facilities as settings in which this antibiotic-resistant strain is increasingly found.

Nose's unheralded neighbor: Maxillary sinuses allow noses to change shapes Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:47 AM PDT The maxillary sinuses, those pouches on either side of the human nose, have a purpose after all: They act as cushions to allow noses to assume different shapes. A new study explains the relationship for the first time.

Nearly a third of antibiotic prescriptions for dialysis patients inappropriate, experts say Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:47 AM PDT Patients who receive hemodialysis are at a significant risk of developing infections, a leading cause of hospitalization and death in this patient population. A new study highlights the need to improve antibiotic use in outpatient dialysis facilities as data shows nearly a third of antibiotic prescriptions are deemed inappropriate.

Some bacteria may protect against disease caused by stomach infection Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:47 AM PDT Half of the world's human population is infected with the stomach bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, yet it causes disease in only about 10 percent of those infected. Other bacteria living in the stomach may be a key factor in whether or not H. pylori causes disease, according to a new study.

Heat-stressed cows spend more time standing Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:47 AM PDT Animal scientists have found that cows stand for longer bouts of time on hot days. Standing allows cows to cool off, but standing also uses up more energy. If cows are encouraged to lie down, they may be more healthy and productive.

New automated process simplifies alignment and splicing of multicore optical fibers Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:46 AM PDT New multicore optical fibers have many times the signal-carrying capacity of traditional single-core fibers, but their use in telecommunications has been restricted because of the challenge in splicing them together. Now, a new technique offers an automated method for aligning and splicing multicore fibers, allowing engineers to take manual splicing out of the lab and into an automated production line.

Ultra-high-speed optical communications link sets new power efficiency record Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:46 AM PDT Ultrafast supercomputers that operate at speeds 100 times faster than current systems are now one step closer to reality. Researchers have found a way to transmit massive amounts of data with unprecedentedly low power consumption.

New distance record for 400 Gb/s data transmission Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:46 AM PDT Scientists have devised a new patent-pending technique enabling 400 Gb/s signals to be sent over today's 100 gigahertz-grid optical networks over ultra-long distances for the first time.

Pre-clinical research shows promising treatment for diabetic wounds using stem cells Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:45 AM PDT Pre-clinical research has generated some very promising findings using adult stem cells for the treatment of diabetic wounds.

Mystery of 'zombie worm' development unveiled Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:45 AM PDT How do bone-eating worms reproduce? A new study sheds light on this question through a detailed observation of the postembryonic development and sexual maturation of Osedax worms, also known as "zombie worms." These worms typically inhabit vertebrate bones on the seafloor.

Green food labels make nutrition-poor food seem healthy Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:44 AM PDT Green calorie labels may lead people to see nutrition-poor foods in a healthier light. A researcher says consumers are more likely to perceive a candy bar as more healthful when it has a green calorie label compared with when it had a red one – even though the number of calories are the same.

NASA Rover Finds Conditions Once Suited for Ancient Life on Mars Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:17 AM PDT An analysis of a rock sample collected by NASA's Curiosity rover shows ancient Mars could have supported living microbes. Scientists identified sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and carbon -- some of the key chemical ingredients for life -- in the powder Curiosity drilled out of a sedimentary rock near an ancient stream bed in Gale Crater on the Red Planet last month.

Antarctic and Arctic insects use different genetic mechanisms to cope with lack of water Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:18 AM PDT Although they live in similarly extreme ecosystems at opposite ends of the world, Antarctic insects appear to employ entirely different methods at the genetic level to cope with extremely dry conditions than their counterparts that live north of the Arctic Circle, according to a new study.

Prediction of seasonal flu strains improves chances of universal vaccine Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:18 AM PDT Researchers have determined a way to predict and protect against new strains of the flu virus, in the hope of improving immunity against the disease.

Cryptic clams: Biologists find species hiding in plain view Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:18 AM PDT Cryptic comments seem to have an ambiguous, obscure or hidden meaning. In biology, cryptic species are outwardly indistinguishable groups whose differences are hidden inside their genes.

Repairing the nose after skin cancer in just one step Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:18 AM PDT A new reconstruction technique allows surgeons to recreate a functioning nostril after removing skin cancer from the nose. The technique takes only one step, unlike the current practice that requires a return trip the operating room.

Scientists identify why some fathers are left holding the baby Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:18 AM PDT A century old mystery as to why, for some animals, it's the father rather than the mother that takes care of their young has been cracked by scientists.

Eel migration study reveals porbeagle shark predation in the Gulf of St. Lawrence Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:11 AM PDT Satellite tracking tags used to elucidate the migratory path of American eels from the St. Lawrence River to the Sargasso Sea prematurely detached from the specimens leading investigators to suspect significant predation during the eels' journey. Data from the tags revealed stomach temperatures and dive patterns consistent with porbeagle sharks. In addition to data collected by the satellite tags, only 4% of acoustically tagged eels were detected migrating into the Atlantic Ocean via the Cabot Strait (a major migratory pathway between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland). The study precedes the recent vote by CITES to more strictly enforce protection of five shark species including porbeagle sharks as well as recent international studies on the worldwide decline of sharks.

Fungi may be able to replace plastics one day Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:08 AM PDT Fungi, with the exception of shitake and certain other mushrooms, tend to be something we associate with moldy bread or dank-smelling mildew. But they really deserve more respect, say researchers. Fungi have fantastic capabilities and can be grown, under certain circumstances, in almost any shape and be totally biodegradable. And, if this weren't enough, they might have the potential to replace plastics one day. The secret is in the mycelia.

Financial incentives affect prostate cancer treatment patterns Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:08 AM PDT According to a new study, prostate cancer patients of urologists who own expensive radiation equipment are more likely to receive radiation treatment in lieu of surgery than patients treated by urologists without an ownership stake in the equipment.

Brain spikes: Synchrony may be key to cracking brain's neural code Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:08 AM PDT Biomedical engineers have detailed research progress toward "reading and writing the neural code." The neural code details how the brain's roughly 100 billion neurons turn raw sensory inputs into information we can use to see, hear and feel things in our environment.

Drug may improve outcomes after heart attack Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:25 AM PDT The prescription drug eplerenone appears to reduce the risk of cardiovascular mortality and heart failure after a heart attack by more than one-third, according to new research.

Logging debris gives newly planted Douglas-fir forests a leg-up Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:25 AM PDT The downed limbs and other woody debris that are inevitable byproducts of timber harvest could be among the most important components of post-harvest landscapes, according to a new study.

Exercise during gestation might affect future fertility Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:25 AM PDT Researchers have found that exercising pregnant sows could affect ovarian development in their fetuses. Fetuses from exercised sows had greater cell proliferation in their ovaries.

Spiders, not birds, may drive evolution of some butterflies Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:25 AM PDT Butterflies are among the most vibrant insects, with colorations sometimes designed to deflect predators. New research shows some of these defenses may be driven by enemies one-tenth their size.

Catalysts that produce 'green' fuel Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:22 AM PDT The energy produced by solar panels, be it heat or electricity, has to be used right away. It is hard to store and preserve and also its transportation can be rather complicated. Creating solar cells capable of producing energy in an easily storable and transportable way, that is to say fuel, is therefore the future challenge of solar energy. Scientists are now working on a catalyst that imitates and improves what nature has been able to do for millions of years.

Earliest tobacco use in Pacific Northwest discovered Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:10 AM PDT Native American hunter-gatherers living more than a thousand years ago in what is now northwestern California ate salmon, acorns and other foods, and now we know they also smoked tobacco -- the earliest known usage in the Pacific Northwest, according to a new study.

Pesticide application as potential source of noroviruses in fresh food supply chains Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:29 AM PDT Contaminated water used to dilute pesticides could be responsible for viruses entering the food chain, warn scientists.

Babies prefer individuals who are nice to those like them and mean to those who aren't Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:29 AM PDT Infants as young as nine months old prefer individuals who are nice to people like them and mean to people who aren't like them, according to a new study.

Fluorescent light revealed as gauge of coral health: Mysterious glow of light found to correlate with coral stress prior to bleaching Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:29 AM PDT Coral reef decline in recent years due to a variety of threats -- from pollution to climate warming -- has lent urgency to the search for new ways to evaluate their health. A new study has revealed that fluorescence, the dazzling but poorly understood light produced by corals, can be an effective tool for gauging their health.

Breaking the final barrier: Room-temperature electrically powered nanolasers Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:26 AM PDT An engineering research team has made an advance in nano-scale laser technology that should enable the improvement of many electronic devices, producing a nanolaser that operates at room temperature without need of a refrigeration system, is powered by a simple battery instead of by another laser, and is able to emit light continuously.

New survey reports low rate of patient awareness during anesthesia Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:26 AM PDT A major study looked at how many patients experienced accidental awareness during general anesthesia and found the rate to be low.

Prenatal exposure to pesticide DDT linked to adult high blood pressure Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:26 AM PDT Infant girls exposed to high levels of the pesticide DDT while still inside the womb are three times more likely to develop hypertension when they become adults, according to a new study.

Biological wires carry electricity thanks to special amino acids Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:26 AM PDT Slender bacterial nanowires require certain key amino acids in order to conduct electricity, according to a new study.

Single concussion may cause lasting brain damage Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:26 AM PDT A single concussion may cause lasting structural damage to the brain, according to a new study.

What impact does a day of roller derby have on our skin microbiome? Skaters skin microbiomes get mixed up 'bouting' Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:26 AM PDT The human skin is home to countless microorganisms that we can't see, but these microbes help define who we are. Our invisible passengers -- known as the skin microbiome -- contribute to our health in numerous ways including educating our immune system, protecting us from pathogens, and mediating skin disorders. In a new study, researchers investigated how the skin microbiome is transmitted between players in a contact sport, using roller derby as their model system.

Kid's consumption of sugared beverages linked to higher caloric intake of food Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:25 AM PDT A new study reports that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are primarily responsible for higher caloric intakes of children that consume SSBs as compared to children that do not (on a given day). In addition, SSB consumption is also associated with higher intake of unhealthy foods.

Men in same-sex marriages are living longer, according to new study Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:25 AM PDT The mortality rate for men in same-sex marriages has dropped markedly since the 1990s, according to a Danish study. However, same-sex married women have emerged as the group of women with the highest, and in recent years, even further increasing mortality.

Astronomers discover extremely rare triple quasar Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:25 AM PDT For only the second time in history, astronomers have discovered an extremely rare triple quasar system. Quasars are extremely bright and powerful sources of energy that sit in the center of a galaxy, surrounding a black hole. In systems with multiple quasars, the bodies are held together by gravity and are believed to be the product of galaxies colliding.

Fertilizers could help tackle nutritional deficiency in African country Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:25 AM PDT Enriching crops by adding a naturally-occurring soil mineral to fertilizers could potentially help to reduce disease and premature death in the African country of Malawi, researchers have said.

Tickling the brain with magnetic stimulation improves memory in schizophrenia Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:25 AM PDT Cognitive impairments are disabling for individuals with schizophrenia, and no satisfactory treatments currently exist. These impairments affect a wide range of cognition, including memory, attention, verbal and motor skills, and IQ. They appear in the earliest stages of the disease and disrupt or even prevent normal day-to-day functioning. Scientists are exploring a variety of strategies to reduce these impairments including "exercising the brain" with specially designed computer games and medications that might improve the function of brain circuits.

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