ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Vaccine adjuvant uses host DNA to boost pathogen recognition
• Highly lethal Ebola virus has diagnostic Achilles' heel for biothreat detection, scientists say
• Experts call for research on prevalence of delayed neurological dysfunction after head injury
• Researchers help unlock pine beetle's Pandora's box
• Liver transplantation for patients with genetic liver conditions has high survival rate, study finds
• New live bi-ocular animations of two oceans now available
• Hubble sees light and dust in a nearby starburst galaxy
• Mapping the chemistry needed for life at Jupiter's moon Europa
• Fecal microbial transplantation found to be possible treatment for ulcerative colitis
• Material turns 'schizophrenic' on way to superconductivity
• Researchers identify edema inhibitor: Substance that can prevent the accumulation of fluid in body tissue
• New minimally invasive, MRI-guided laser treatment for brain tumor found to be promising in study
• Penn Medicine's new center for personalized diagnostics unlocks cancer's secrets
• Dead star warps light of companion red star, astronomers say
• Remote coral reefs can be tougher than they look: Western Australia’s Scott Reef has recovered from mass bleaching
• New vision of how we explore our world
• Public support can influence soldiers' mental health, bug killing study suggests
• Cancer checkpoint: Mitochondrial metabolic regulator SIRT4 guards against DNA damage
• Skin deep: Fruit flies reveal clues to wound healing in humans
• Stem cells enable personalized treatment for bleeding disorder
• The Snakelocks Anemone, a marine species prized in cooking, has been bred for the first time in captivity
• Ultrasonic sounds of the rainforest
• Power struggles are best kept out of the public eye: Audiences influence future status of quails following fights between rivals
• How can children's interests be protected in the face of poverty?
• Reducing salt and increasing potassium will have major global health benefits
• New frontiers in breast cancer screening
• EU minimum tax legislation for cigarettes has had no effect on smoking prevalence, according to new Spanish study
• Counting copy numbers characterizes prostate cancer
• The resilience of the Chilean coast after the earthquake of 2010
• Discovery in neuroscience could help re-wire appetite control
• Promising oil-drilling tool
• Breakthrough in chemical crystallography
• Asteroid and moon landing technology demonstrated
• Seeds of model cereal plant now available
• Suicide risk linked to rates of gun ownership, political conservatism
• How life may have first emerged on Earth: Foldable proteins in a high-salt environment
• Antibody evolution could guide HIV vaccine development
• First expansion of 'sea potato' seaweed into New England
• Findings from most in-depth study into UK parents who kill their children
• Overweight starting in early adulthood linked with kidney disease in older age
• Let me introduce myself -- leafcutter bee Megachile chomskyi from Texas

Vaccine adjuvant uses host DNA to boost pathogen recognition Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:46 PM PDT Aluminum salts, or alum, have been injected into billions of people as an adjuvant to make vaccines more effective. No one knows, however, how they boost the immune response. Researchers continue unraveling the mystery of adjuvants with a report that host DNA coats the alum adjuvant and induces two crucial cells to interact twice as long during the initial stimulation of the adaptive immune system.

Highly lethal Ebola virus has diagnostic Achilles' heel for biothreat detection, scientists say Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:46 PM PDT By screening a library of a billion llama antibodies on live Ebola viruses in the Texas Biomedical Research Institute's highest biocontainment laboratory, scientists in San Antonio have identified a potential weakness in the make-up of these deadly agents that can immediately yield a sensitive test.

Experts call for research on prevalence of delayed neurological dysfunction after head injury Posted: 05 Apr 2013 02:14 PM PDT One of the most controversial topics in neurology today is the prevalence of serious permanent brain damage after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Long-term studies and a search for genetic risk factors are required in order to predict an individual's risk for serious permanent brain damage, according to a new review article.

Researchers help unlock pine beetle's Pandora's box Posted: 05 Apr 2013 12:58 PM PDT A paper detailing the newly created sequencing of the mountain pine beetle's genome will be gold in the hands of scientists trying to stem the beetle's invasion into eastern forests.

Liver transplantation for patients with genetic liver conditions has high survival rate, study finds Posted: 05 Apr 2013 12:58 PM PDT Patients faced with the diagnosis of a life-threatening liver disease have to consider the seriousness of having a liver transplant, which can be a definitive cure for many acquired and genetic liver diseases. Among the main considerations are the anxiety of waiting for a donor organ, the risks associated with the transplant operation, and the chance that the transplant procedure will not achieve the desired result. There is also the six-figure cost of the procedure and accompanying patient care, all of which may not be completely covered by health insurance. But in a new study, researchers have found that liver transplants are worth the risk for people who have genetic liver conditions.

New live bi-ocular animations of two oceans now available Posted: 05 Apr 2013 11:41 AM PDT NOAA's GOES-13 and GOES-15 weather satellites sit 60 degrees apart in a fixed orbit over the eastern and western U.S., respectively, providing forecasters with a look at the movement of weather systems in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The GOES Project announced the creation of satellite animations of both GOES-13 and GOES-15 to show continuous views of both oceans, with conjoined images reminiscent of binoculars.

Hubble sees light and dust in a nearby starburst galaxy Posted: 05 Apr 2013 11:39 AM PDT The Hubble Space Telescope has taken an image of a small, sparkling hook in the dark sky -- a beautiful object is known as J082354.96+280621.6, or J082354.96 for short. It is a starburst galaxy, so named because of the incredibly (and unusually) high rate of star formation occurring within it.

Mapping the chemistry needed for life at Jupiter's moon Europa Posted: 05 Apr 2013 11:34 AM PDT A new paper led by a NASA researcher shows that hydrogen peroxide is abundant across much of the surface of Jupiter's moon Europa. The authors argue that if the peroxide on the surface of Europa mixes into the ocean below, it could be an important energy supply for simple forms of life, if life were to exist there.

Fecal microbial transplantation found to be possible treatment for ulcerative colitis Posted: 05 Apr 2013 08:28 AM PDT A new clinical trial has found that fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) has resulted in the improvement or absence of symptoms in most pediatric patients with active ulcerative colitis.

Material turns 'schizophrenic' on way to superconductivity Posted: 05 Apr 2013 07:48 AM PDT Physicists on the hunt for the origins of high-temperature superconductivity have published new findings this week about a material that becomes "schizophrenic" -- simultaneously exhibiting the characteristics of both a metallic conductor and an insulator. In a theoretical analysis, researchers offer an explanation for a strange series of observations described earlier this year by researchers at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in Menlo Park, Calif.

Researchers identify edema inhibitor: Substance that can prevent the accumulation of fluid in body tissue Posted: 05 Apr 2013 07:48 AM PDT Researchers in Germany have detected a substance that can prevent the accumulation of fluid in body tissue and thus edema formation. Their results could be important in the future for the treatment of excessive fluid retention in patients with chronic heart failure. The researchers have also discovered a new molecular mechanism controlling water homeostasis in the kidneys.

New minimally invasive, MRI-guided laser treatment for brain tumor found to be promising in study Posted: 05 Apr 2013 07:48 AM PDT The first-in-human study of the NeuroBlate Thermal Therapy System finds that it appears to provide a new, safe and minimally invasive procedure for treating recurrent glioblastoma, a malignant type of brain tumor.

Penn Medicine's new center for personalized diagnostics unlocks cancer's secrets Posted: 05 Apr 2013 07:47 AM PDT Penn Medicine's new Center for Personalized Diagnostics, a joint initiative of the department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine and the Abramson Cancer Center, is diving deeper into each patient's tumor with next generation DNA sequencing. These specialized tests can refine patient diagnoses with greater precision than standard imaging tests and blood work, all with an aim to broaden treatment options and improve their efficacy.

Dead star warps light of companion red star, astronomers say Posted: 05 Apr 2013 06:47 AM PDT Astronomers have observed the effects of a dead star bending the light of its companion red star. The findings are among the first detections of this effect -- a result predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity -- in binary, or double, star systems.

Remote coral reefs can be tougher than they look: Western Australia’s Scott Reef has recovered from mass bleaching Posted: 05 Apr 2013 06:45 AM PDT Isolated coral reefs can recover from catastrophic damage as effectively as those with nearby undisturbed neighbors, a long-term study by marine biologists has shown. Scott Reef, a remote coral system in the Indian Ocean, has largely recovered from a catastrophic mass bleaching event in 1998, according to the study.

New vision of how we explore our world Posted: 05 Apr 2013 06:45 AM PDT Brain researchers have discovered that we explore the world with our eyes in a different way than previously thought. Their results advance our understanding of how healthy observers and neurological patients interact and glean critical information from the world around them.

Public support can influence soldiers' mental health, bug killing study suggests Posted: 05 Apr 2013 06:45 AM PDT Can events supporting troops reduce the risk of soldiers experiencing combat-related stress disorders? A new study suggests so.

Cancer checkpoint: Mitochondrial metabolic regulator SIRT4 guards against DNA damage Posted: 05 Apr 2013 06:45 AM PDT Healthy cells don't just happen. As they grow and divide, they need checks and balances to ensure they function properly while adapting to changing conditions around them. Researchers studying a set of proteins that regulate physiology, caloric restriction and aging have discovered another important role that one of them plays. SIRT4, one of seven sirtuin proteins, is known for controlling fuel usage from its post in the mitochondria, the cell's energy source. It responds to stressful changes in the availability of nutrients for the cell.

Skin deep: Fruit flies reveal clues to wound healing in humans Posted: 05 Apr 2013 06:45 AM PDT A new way to study wound healing in flies suggests new targets for wound-healing drugs.

Stem cells enable personalized treatment for bleeding disorder Posted: 05 Apr 2013 06:43 AM PDT Scientists have shed light on a common bleeding disorder by growing and analysing stem cells from patients' blood to discover the cause of the disease in individual patients.

The Snakelocks Anemone, a marine species prized in cooking, has been bred for the first time in captivity Posted: 05 Apr 2013 06:43 AM PDT Researchers have managed to breed for the first time in captivity a marine animal known as the snakelocks anemone and have also begun breeding a species of sea cucumber although this process is still in its initial stages. Both species have great culinary potential and possess excellent nutritional properties.

Ultrasonic sounds of the rainforest Posted: 05 Apr 2013 05:25 AM PDT Research aimed at developing ultrasonic microphones with insect-like sensitivity is to continue in the rainforests of Colombia and Ecuador.

Power struggles are best kept out of the public eye: Audiences influence future status of quails following fights between rivals Posted: 05 Apr 2013 05:25 AM PDT For animals, prevailing in a fight affects their likelihood of winning future conflicts. The opposite is true of losing a fight. The sex hormone testosterone is often believed to mediate this "winner effect". Researchers have examined whether the presence of an audience influences the behavior and the testosterone changes of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) after a fight. The evidence shows that both winners and losers exhibit raised testosterone levels after a conflict without an audience.

How can children's interests be protected in the face of poverty? Posted: 05 Apr 2013 05:25 AM PDT According to several studies, more and more children around the world are separated from their homes and placed in residential facilities. However, most of them are neither orphaned nor abandoned: they are placed into these institutions due to financial or family difficulties, as is revealed by a new survey conducted in Madagascar.

Reducing salt and increasing potassium will have major global health benefits Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:44 AM PDT Cutting down on salt and, at the same time, increasing levels of potassium in our diet will have major health and cost benefits across the world, according to new studies.

New frontiers in breast cancer screening Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:44 AM PDT Researchers predict that advancements in breast cancer screening will need a personalized touch because mammography is not a "one strategy fits all" technology.

EU minimum tax legislation for cigarettes has had no effect on smoking prevalence, according to new Spanish study Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:44 AM PDT Up to 2009 there is no statistically significant evidence of any reduction in smoking amongst men – and very little evidence of a reduction in smoking amongst women – resulting from the introduction of EU minimum tax legislation in Spain in 2006. This is despite the price of cigarettes rising up to three times faster than before the legislation came into effect, according to a new study.

Counting copy numbers characterizes prostate cancer Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:44 AM PDT Non-invasive 'liquid biopsies' can find metastatic or recurrent prostate cancer, in a low cost assay suitable for most healthcare systems, finds new research. Genomic signatures of prostate cancer, isolated from plasma DNA, display abnormal copy numbers of specific areas of chromosomes. It is even possible to separate out patients who develop resistance against hormone deprivation therapy, which is the most common form of treatment in men with metastatic prostate cancer.

The resilience of the Chilean coast after the earthquake of 2010 Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:44 AM PDT In February 2010, a violent earthquake struck Chile, causing a tsunami 10 m in height. Affecting millions of people, the earthquake and giant wave also transformed the appearance of the coastline: the dunes and sandbars were flattened, and the coast subsided in places by up to 1 m. But although the inhabitants are still affected for the long term, the shore system quickly rebuilt itself.

Discovery in neuroscience could help re-wire appetite control Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:42 AM PDT Researchers have made a discovery in neuroscience that could offer a long-lasting solution to eating disorders such as obesity. It was previously thought that the nerve cells in the brain associated with appetite regulation were generated entirely during an embryo's development in the womb and therefore their numbers were fixed for life. But new research has identified a population of stem cells capable of generating new appetite-regulating neurons in the brains of young and adult rodents.

Promising oil-drilling tool Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:42 AM PDT An innovative new oil-drilling tool concept has seen the light of day.

Breakthrough in chemical crystallography Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:42 AM PDT Scientists have made a fundamental breakthrough in single-crystal X-ray analysis, the most powerful method for molecular structure determination.

Asteroid and moon landing technology demonstrated Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:42 AM PDT Last week Astrobotic successfully flew a sensor package designed to guide spacecraft safely to the surface of asteroids, moons, planets, and beyond.  The flight occurred on an unmanned helicopter operated by a pilot on the ground.  The flights are preparation for demonstration of this capability on a propulsive lander similar to Astrobotic's Griffin.

Seeds of model cereal plant now available Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:42 AM PDT Seeds of the model cereal plant Brachypodium distachyon are now available to the international scientific community.

Suicide risk linked to rates of gun ownership, political conservatism Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:40 AM PDT Residents of states with the highest rates of gun ownership and political conservatism are at greater risk of suicide than those in states with less gun ownership and less politically conservative leanings, according to a new study.

How life may have first emerged on Earth: Foldable proteins in a high-salt environment Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:40 AM PDT Scientists may be a step closer to understanding how life first emerged on Earth billions of years ago. Researchers have produced data supporting the idea that 10 amino acids believed to exist on Earth around 4 billion years ago were capable of forming foldable proteins in a high-salt (halophile) environment. Such proteins would have been capable of providing metabolic activity for the first living organisms to emerge on the planet between 3.5 and 3.9 billion years ago.

Antibody evolution could guide HIV vaccine development Posted: 04 Apr 2013 03:45 PM PDT Observing the evolution of a particular type of antibody in an infected HIV-1 patient, a new study has provided insights that will enable vaccination strategies that mimic the actual antibody development within the body.

First expansion of 'sea potato' seaweed into New England Posted: 04 Apr 2013 03:45 PM PDT There's a new seaweed in town, a brown, bulbous balloon befitting the nickname "sea potato." Its New England debut was spotted by two plant biology graduate students; now researchers are keeping a close eye on Colpomenia peregrina's progress to determine whether there is cause for alarm.

Findings from most in-depth study into UK parents who kill their children Posted: 04 Apr 2013 03:44 PM PDT Experts have revealed their findings from the most in-depth study ever to take place in the UK into the tragic instances of child killing by parents, known as filicide. The research found 37 per cent of parents and step-parents who killed their children were suffering from some form of mental illness and 12% had been in contact with mental health services within a year of the offense.

Overweight starting in early adulthood linked with kidney disease in older age Posted: 04 Apr 2013 03:44 PM PDT Individuals who are overweight starting in early adulthood are twice as likely to have chronic kidney disease at age 60 to 64 years than those who are not overweight. Larger waist-to-hip ratios ("apple-shaped" bodies) during middle age are also linked with chronic kidney disease at age 60 to 64 years.

Let me introduce myself -- leafcutter bee Megachile chomskyi from Texas Posted: 04 Apr 2013 09:24 AM PDT A new species of leafcutter bee, Megachile chomskyi, is described from Texas, United States. While many other genera within the family chew leaves or petals to build their nests, certain species within Megachile neatly cut them, hence their common name. The new species is named after Professor Noam Chomsky to commemorate his great contributions to the fields of linguistics, humanities and political science.

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