ScienceDaily: Top News

---

• Moa's ark: Why the female giant moa was about twice the size of the male
• Neutrons help explain ozone poisoning and links to thousands of premature deaths each year
• Bean leaves can trap bedbugs, researchers find
• Genetics of life and death in an evolutionary arms-race
• Multiple genes robustly contribute to schizophrenia risk in replication study
• Co-infections not associated with worse outcomes during H1N1 pandemic
• Shingles vaccine is associated with reduction in both postherpetic neuralgia and herpes zoster
• Treatment leads to near-normal life expectancy for people with HIV in South Africa
• Manipulating calcium accumulation in blood vessels may provide a new way to treat heart disease
• A new approach for spinal muscular atrophy?
• Researchers create next-generation Alzheimer's disease model
• Genetic biomarker may help identify neuroblastomas vulnerable to novel class of drugs
• Engineered small pox may kill liver cancer
• In autism, age at diagnosis depends on specific symptoms
• Researchers find heart disorder genetic variants in stillbirth cases
• Small molecule unlocks key prostate cancer survival tactic
• Key pathway to stop dangerous, out-of-control inflammation discovered
• Hangover remedy examined: Yak-a-mein soup, a.k.a., ‘Old Sober’ 
• New evidence that egg white protein may help high blood pressure
• Surf's up: Turbulence tells sea urchins to settle down
• There is no single sexy chin, study shows
• Advancing secure communications: A better single-photon emitter for quantum cryptography
• Excess estrogen in pregnancy can silence BRCA1 in daughters, increasing breast cancer risk
• Exposure to space radiation reduces ability of intestinal cells to destroy oncoprotein
• Study reveals function of thousands of autoantibodies in blood
• Low on self-control? Surrounding yourself with strong-willed friends may help
• Measuring microbes makes wetland health monitoring more affordable, says researcher
• Producing new neurons under all circumstances: A challenge that is just a mouse away
• System provides clear brain scans of awake, unrestrained mice
• Meditating before lecture leads to better grades
• Blockade of pathogen's metabolism
• Electronic implants: New fast transcutaneous non-invasive battery recharger and energy feeder
• Nanotechnology imaging breakthrough
• No regrets: Close that menu and enjoy your meal more
• Short-term benefits seen with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for focal hand dystonia
• A step toward optical transistors?
• New evidence that natural substances in green coffee beans help control blood sugar levels
• Scientists seek sea urchin's secret to surviving ocean acidification
• Urban grass might be greener, but that doesn't mean it's 'greener'
• Research holds revelations about an ancient society's water conservation, purification
• Striped like a badger: New genus of bat identified in South Sudan
• New chart shows the entire topography of the Antarctic seafloor in detail for the first time
• First genetic factor in prostate cancer prognosis identified
• Der Steppenworm? Two new species differ from the elusive 'Mongolian Death Worm'
• Copper surfaces reduce the rate of health care-acquired infections in the ICU
• One-two punch could be key in treating blindness
• Gene variations predict chemotherapy side effects
• Removal of hypothalamic hamartoma curbs compulsive eating and excessive weight gain
• Major depression: Great success with pacemaker electrodes, small study suggests
• Stress during gestation causes a predisposition to the development of pathologies in adulthood
• Subtle hallmarks of psychiatric illness can reveal themselves even remotely
• Neolithic Iceman Ötzi had bad teeth: Periodontitis, tooth decay, accident-related dental damage in ice mummy
• Currently used drugs found active in laboratory mice against bioterror threats
• Better monitoring and diagnostics tackle algae biofuel pond crash problem
• Spring rains bring life to Midwest granaries but foster Gulf of Mexico 'Dead Zone'
• Environmental change triggers rapid evolution
• 'Spooky action at a distance' aboard the International Space Station
• Polluting plastic particles invade the Great Lakes
• How 'free will' is implemented in the brain and is it possible to intervene in the process?
• Google searches about mental illness follow seasonal patterns

Moa's ark: Why the female giant moa was about twice the size of the male Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:19 PM PDT The evolutionary reason for the massive difference in size between male and female giant moa -- the extinct giant birds of New Zealand -- has been revealed for the first time.

Neutrons help explain ozone poisoning and links to thousands of premature deaths each year Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:19 PM PDT Researchers have demonstrated ozone attacks on lung surface fluids.

Bean leaves can trap bedbugs, researchers find Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:19 PM PDT Inspired by a traditional Balkan bedbug remedy, researchers have documented how microscopic hairs on kidney bean leaves effectively stab and trap the biting insects. Scientists are now developing materials that mimic the geometry of the leaves.

Genetics of life and death in an evolutionary arms-race Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:19 PM PDT Scientists have found evidence of the genetic basis of the evolutionary arms-race between parasitoids and their aphid hosts.

Multiple genes robustly contribute to schizophrenia risk in replication study Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:35 PM PDT Multiple genes contribute to risk for schizophrenia and appear to function in pathways related to transmission of signals in the brain and immunity, according to an international study.

Co-infections not associated with worse outcomes during H1N1 pandemic Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:35 PM PDT A new study has found that despite complications, patients co-infected with the pandemic 2009-2010 influenza A H1N1 and a second respiratory virus were not associated with worse outcomes or admission to the hospital's intensive care unit.

Shingles vaccine is associated with reduction in both postherpetic neuralgia and herpes zoster Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:35 PM PDT A vaccine to prevent shingles may reduce by half the occurrence of this painful skin and nerve infection in older people (aged over 65 years) and may also reduce the rate of a painful complication of shingles, post-herpetic neuralgia, but has a very low uptake (only 4 percent) in older adults in the United States, according to a new study.

Treatment leads to near-normal life expectancy for people with HIV in South Africa Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:35 PM PDT In South Africa, people with HIV who start treatment with anti-AIDS drugs (antiretroviral therapy) have life expectancies around 80 percent of that of the general population provided that they start treatment before their CD4 count drops below 200 (cells per microliter), according to a study by South African researchers.

Manipulating calcium accumulation in blood vessels may provide a new way to treat heart disease Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:35 PM PDT Hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, is the primary cause of heart disease. It's caused by calcium accumulation in the blood vessels, which leads to obstruction of blood flow and heart complications. Although many risk factors for atherosclerosis have been identified, the cause isn't known and there's currently no way to reverse it once it sets in. In a new study, researchers have characterized the cells responsible for driving this calcium build-up in vessel walls.

A new approach for spinal muscular atrophy? Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:34 PM PDT Spinal muscular atrophy is a debilitating neuromuscular disease that in its most severe form is the leading genetic cause of infant death. By experimenting with an ALS drug in two very different animal models, researchers have identified a new potential mechanism for developing an SMA treatment.

Researchers create next-generation Alzheimer's disease model Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:34 PM PDT A new genetically engineered lab rat that has the full array of brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease supports the idea that increases in a molecule called beta-amyloid in the brain causes the disease.

Genetic biomarker may help identify neuroblastomas vulnerable to novel class of drugs Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:34 PM PDT An irregularity within many neuroblastoma cells may indicate whether the tumor is vulnerable to a new class of anti-cancer drugs known as BET bromodomain inhibitors

Engineered small pox may kill liver cancer Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:33 PM PDT As part of a multicenter clinical trial, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine are evaluating Pexa-Vec (JX-594) to slow the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma or liver cancer. Pexa-Vec is a genetically engineered virus that is used in the smallpox vaccine.

In autism, age at diagnosis depends on specific symptoms Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:33 PM PDT The age at which a child with autism is diagnosed is related to the particular suite of behavioral symptoms he or she exhibits, new research shows.

Researchers find heart disorder genetic variants in stillbirth cases Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:32 PM PDT In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers have discovered genetic mutations associated with long QT syndrome (LQTS), a genetic abnormality in the heart's electrical system, in a small number of intrauterine fetal deaths, according to a new study.

Small molecule unlocks key prostate cancer survival tactic Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:32 PM PDT The most recent in a series of studies has shown that a single molecule is at the heart of one of the most basic survival tactics of prostate cancer cells.

Key pathway to stop dangerous, out-of-control inflammation discovered Posted: 09 Apr 2013 01:08 PM PDT A potential new strategy to developing new drugs to control inflammation without serious side effects has been found by Georgia State University researchers and international colleagues.

Hangover remedy examined: Yak-a-mein soup, a.k.a., ‘Old Sober’  Posted: 09 Apr 2013 12:58 PM PDT One of the Crescent City's time-honored traditions -- a steaming bowl of Yak-a-mein Soup, a.k.a., "Old Sober" -- after a night of partying in the French Quarter actually does have a basis in scientific fact, according to new research.

New evidence that egg white protein may help high blood pressure Posted: 09 Apr 2013 12:58 PM PDT Scientists reported new evidence today that a component of egg whites -- already popular as a substitute for whole eggs among health-conscious consumers concerned about cholesterol in the yolk -- may have another beneficial effect in reducing blood pressure.

Surf's up: Turbulence tells sea urchins to settle down Posted: 09 Apr 2013 11:51 AM PDT Tumbling in the waves as they hit a rocky shore tells purple sea urchin larvae it's time to settle down and look for a spot to grow into an adult, researchers at have found.

There is no single sexy chin, study shows Posted: 09 Apr 2013 11:51 AM PDT A new global study finds significant geographic differences in chin shapes.

Advancing secure communications: A better single-photon emitter for quantum cryptography Posted: 09 Apr 2013 11:50 AM PDT In a development that could make the advanced form of secure communications known as quantum cryptography more practical, researchers have demonstrated a simpler, more efficient single-photon emitter that can be made using traditional semiconductor processing techniques.

Excess estrogen in pregnancy can silence BRCA1 in daughters, increasing breast cancer risk Posted: 09 Apr 2013 11:48 AM PDT Excess estrogen levels during pregnancy can disable, in their daughters, a powerful breast cancer tumor suppressor gene, say researchers. They found the DNA repair gene BRCA1 to be silenced in one year-old girls exposed to a high hormonal fetal environment.

Exposure to space radiation reduces ability of intestinal cells to destroy oncoprotein Posted: 09 Apr 2013 11:48 AM PDT With so much recent interest in space travel, many have asked, is it safe? Two studies funded by NASA help explain why space radiation may increase the risk of colorectal cancer in humans.

Study reveals function of thousands of autoantibodies in blood Posted: 09 Apr 2013 11:43 AM PDT Research suggests a new immunology frontier with evidence that blood contains thousands of autoantibodies that bind specifically to antigens from all over the body, clear cellular debris from injury and disease and vary by age, gender and disease state.

Low on self-control? Surrounding yourself with strong-willed friends may help Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:20 AM PDT People with low self-control prefer and depend on people with high self-control, possibly as a way to make up for the skills they themselves lack, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Measuring microbes makes wetland health monitoring more affordable, says researcher Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:20 AM PDT Tiny, unseen wetland creatures provided crucial indicators of the ecosystems' health in a new study. Using analysis of the microbiological health of wetlands is cheaper and faster than traditional assessments, and could lead to improvements in harnessing natural processes to filter human's wastewater.

Producing new neurons under all circumstances: A challenge that is just a mouse away Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:20 AM PDT Improving neuron production in elderly persons presenting with a decline in cognition is a major challenge facing an aging society and the emergence of neuro-degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. Researchers in France recently showed that the pharmacological blocking of the TGF-beta molecule improves the production of new neurons in the mouse model.

System provides clear brain scans of awake, unrestrained mice Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:19 AM PDT Researchers have shown that the AwakeSPECT system can obtain detailed, functional images of the brain of a freely moving, conscious mouse.

Meditating before lecture leads to better grades Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:18 AM PDT A new study shows that meditation before class might help students, especially freshmen, focus better and retain information. A random selection of students followed basic meditation instructions before a lecture, and the students who meditated before the lecture scored better on a quiz that followed than students who did not meditate.

Blockade of pathogen's metabolism Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:18 AM PDT In the search for new antibiotics, researchers are taking an unusual approach: They are developing peptides, short chains of protein building blocks that effectively inhibit a key enzyme of bacterial metabolism.

Electronic implants: New fast transcutaneous non-invasive battery recharger and energy feeder Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:18 AM PDT Scientists have developed a non-invasive battery recharger system for electronic implants that allows a longer life for the internal implantable devices in the human body such as pacemakers, defibrillators and electric hearts.

Nanotechnology imaging breakthrough Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:18 AM PDT Scientists have made a major breakthrough in measuring the structure of nanomaterials under extremely high pressures. They developed a new way to get around the severe distortions of high-energy X-ray beams that are used to image the structure of a gold nanocrystal.

No regrets: Close that menu and enjoy your meal more Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:12 AM PDT Certain physical acts of completion provide consumers with a sense of closure that makes them happier with their purchases, according to a new study.

Short-term benefits seen with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for focal hand dystonia Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:12 AM PDT Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is being increasingly explored as a therapeutic tool for movement disorders associated with deficient inhibition throughout the central nervous system. This includes treatment of focal hand dystonia (FHD), characterized by involuntary movement of the fingers either curling into the palm or extending outward. A new study reports short-term changes in behavioral, physiologic, and clinical measures that support further research into the therapeutic potential of rTMS.

A step toward optical transistors? Posted: 09 Apr 2013 09:47 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated a new way to control light in semiconductor nanocrystals.

New evidence that natural substances in green coffee beans help control blood sugar levels Posted: 09 Apr 2013 09:47 AM PDT Scientists today described evidence that natural substances extracted from unroasted coffee beans can help control the elevated blood sugar levels and body weight that underpin type 2 diabetes.

Scientists seek sea urchin's secret to surviving ocean acidification Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:16 AM PDT Ocean research reveals rapid evolutionary adaptations to a changing climate. Genetic variation is the key to this ability to deal with higher acidity.

Urban grass might be greener, but that doesn't mean it's 'greener' Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:16 AM PDT New research explores how efforts to keep urban lawns looking green and healthy might negate the soil's natural ability to store atmospheric toxins.

Research holds revelations about an ancient society's water conservation, purification Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:16 AM PDT New research at the ancient Maya site of Medicinal Trail in northwestern Belize is revealing how populations in more remote areas -- the hinterland societies -- built reservoirs to conserve water and turned to nature to purify their water supply.

Striped like a badger: New genus of bat identified in South Sudan Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:16 AM PDT Researchers have identified a new genus of bat, Niumbaha, after discovering a rare specimen in South Sudan. The word means "rare" or "unusual" in Zande, the language of the Azande people in Western Equatoria State, where the bat was captured. The bat is just the fifth specimen of its kind ever collected, and the first in South Sudan, which gained its independence in 2011.

New chart shows the entire topography of the Antarctic seafloor in detail for the first time Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:16 AM PDT Reliable information on the depth and floor structure of the Southern Ocean has so far been available for only few coastal regions of the Antarctic. Scientists have for the first time succeeded in creating a digital map of the entire Antarctic seafloor.

First genetic factor in prostate cancer prognosis identified Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:15 AM PDT Patients with prostate cancer and hereditary mutations in the BRCA2 gene have a worse prognosis and lower survival rates than do the rest of the patients with the disease.

Der Steppenworm? Two new species differ from the elusive 'Mongolian Death Worm' Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:15 AM PDT Scientists have discovered the first proper earthworms from the Outer Mongolian steppes. Although the two new species don't have the deadly biology of the legendary olgoi-khorkhoi, 'Mongolian Death Worm', they still intrigue with the abilities of their cousins to regenerate body parts when cut in two and survive within astonishing temperature ranges.

Copper surfaces reduce the rate of health care-acquired infections in the ICU Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:00 AM PDT Placement of copper objects in intensive care unit hospital rooms reduced the number of healthcare-acquired infections in patients by more than half, according to a new study.

One-two punch could be key in treating blindness Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that using two kinds of therapy in tandem may be a knockout combo against inherited disorders that cause blindness. While their study focused on man's best friend, the treatment could help restore vision in people, too.

Gene variations predict chemotherapy side effects Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:00 AM PDT Seemingly benign differences in genetic code from one person to the next could influence who develops side effects to chemotherapy, a new study has found. The study identified gene variations that can predispose people to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, a condition that is hard to predict and often debilitating enough to cause cancer patients to stop their treatment early.

Removal of hypothalamic hamartoma curbs compulsive eating and excessive weight gain Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:59 AM PDT Neurosurgeons report on the success they achieved when they removed a hypothalamic hamartoma from a 10-year-old girl to combat hyperphagia (excessive appetite and compulsive overeating) and consequent unhealthy weight gain.

Major depression: Great success with pacemaker electrodes, small study suggests Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:59 AM PDT Researchers implanted pacemaker electrodes into the medial forebrain bundle in the brains of patients suffering from major depression with amazing results: In six out of seven patients, symptoms improved both considerably and rapidly. The method of Deep Brain Stimulation had already been tested on various structures within the brain, but with clearly lesser effect.

Stress during gestation causes a predisposition to the development of pathologies in adulthood Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:59 AM PDT The intrauterine environment plays an important role in the health of the offspring. Now, experts from the affirm that the mother's stress, due to socio-economic or psycho-social causes, is associated with the development of pathologies related with obesity.

Subtle hallmarks of psychiatric illness can reveal themselves even remotely Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:59 AM PDT Researchers discovered that healthy people and those with borderline personality disorder displayed different patterns of behavior while playing an online strategy game, so much so that when healthy players played people with borderline personality disorder, they gave up on trying to predict what their partners would do next.

Neolithic Iceman Ötzi had bad teeth: Periodontitis, tooth decay, accident-related dental damage in ice mummy Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:59 AM PDT For the first time, researchers have been able to provide evidence of periodontitis, tooth decay and accident-related dental damage in the ice mummy 'Ötzi'. The latest scientific findings provide interesting information on the dietary patterns of the Neolithic Iceman and on the evolution of medically significant oral pathologies.

Currently used drugs found active in laboratory mice against bioterror threats Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:57 AM PDT In the most extensive screen of its kind, scientists have demonstrated the feasibility of repurposing already-approved drugs for use against highly pathogenic bacteria and viruses. The pathogens included emerging diseases and potential bioterror threats ranging from anthrax to the Marburg and Ebola viruses.

Better monitoring and diagnostics tackle algae biofuel pond crash problem Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:56 AM PDT Scientists are developing a suite of complementary technologies to help the emerging algae industry detect and quickly recover from algal pond crashes, an obstacle to large-scale algae cultivation for future biofuels.

Spring rains bring life to Midwest granaries but foster Gulf of Mexico 'Dead Zone' Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:56 AM PDT The most serious ongoing water pollution problem in the Gulf of Mexico originates not from oil rigs, as many people believe, but rainstorms and fields of corn and soybeans a thousand miles away in the Midwest. An expert on that problem -- the infamous Gulf of Mexico "Dead Zone" -- today called for greater awareness of the connections between rainfall and agriculture in the Midwest and the increasingly severe water quality problems in the gulf.

Environmental change triggers rapid evolution Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:54 AM PDT Environmental change can drive hard-wired evolutionary changes in animal species in a matter of generations. A new study overturns the common assumption that evolution only occurs gradually over hundreds or thousands of years.

'Spooky action at a distance' aboard the International Space Station Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:54 AM PDT Albert Einstein famously described quantum entanglement as "spooky action at distance"; however, up until now experiments that examine this peculiar aspect of physics have been limited to relatively small distances on Earth.

Polluting plastic particles invade the Great Lakes Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:54 AM PDT Floating plastic debris -- which helps populate the infamous "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" in the Pacific Ocean -- has become a problem in the Great Lakes, the largest body of fresh water in the world.

How 'free will' is implemented in the brain and is it possible to intervene in the process? Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:12 AM PDT Researchers have been able to identify the precise moment when a network of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain creates the signal to perform an action, before a person is even aware of deciding to take that action. Now they are building on this work to make initial attempts to interfere with consciously made decisions by decoding the pattern of brain activity in real time before an action is taken.

Google searches about mental illness follow seasonal patterns Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:12 AM PDT Google searches for information across all major mental illnesses and problems followed seasonal patterns, suggesting mental illness may be more strongly linked with seasonal patterns than previously thought.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Top News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610