ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Monster galaxies lose their appetite with age
• Speedier scans reveal new distinctions in resting and active brain
• Novel drug shuts down master protein key to lymphoma
• Stimulating brain cells can make false memories
• Feeling left out can lead to risky financial decisions
• Las Cumbres Observatory 'Sinistro' astronomy imager captures first light
• Re-learning how to see: Researchers find crucial on-off switch in visual development
• New type of protein modification may play a role in cancer and diabetes
• Blocking key enzyme in cancer cells could lead to new therapy
• More accurate model of climate change's effect on soil
• Advance in regenerative medicine could make reprogrammed cells safer while improving their function
• Why shopaholics overspend? Poor credit management, buying to boost mood, study says
• Removing a protein enhances defense against bacteria in CGD mice
• Cool heads likely won't prevail in a hotter, wetter world: Climate change will likely exacerbate violence
• Climate change occurring ten times faster than at any time in past 65 million years
• New water splitting technique efficiently produces hydrogen fuel
• As climate, disease links become clearer, study highlights need to forecast future shifts
• Temperature alters population dynamics of common plant pests
• 'Soft' approach leads to revolutionary energy storage: Graphene-based supercapacitors
• Common genetic ancestors lived during roughly same time period
• Two dimensions of value: Dopamine neurons represent reward but not aversiveness
• Arctic sea-ice loss has widespread effects on wildlife
• Does your personality and how you look affect how you're treated at work?
• Long-sought method to efficiently make complex anticancer compound developed
• New treatment strategy for breast cancer spread to brain
• New apple varieties: Ladies and gentlemen, get ready to taste SnapDragon and RubyFrost
• The when and where of the Y: Research on Y chromosomes uncovers new clues about human ancestry
• Being bullied throughout childhood and teens may lead to more arrests, convictions, prison time
• Light that moves and molds gels
• Existing cropland could feed four billion more by dropping biofuels and animal feed
• New target for the fight against cancer as a result of excessive blood vessel formation
• Stray prenatal gene network suspected in schizophrenia
• A week's worth of camping synchs internal clock to sunrise and sunset
• Bacteria hold the clues to trade-offs in financial investments and evolution
• We each live in our own little world -- smellwise
• Promising compound could offer new treatment for heart failure
• When prescribing antibiotics, doctors most often choose strongest types of drugs
• Catching cancer early by chasing it: Portable diagnostic device that can travel to the patient
• A roadblock to personalized cancer care?
• Targeted therapy identified for protein that protects and nourishes cancer
• New insight into how brain 'learns' cocaine addiction
• New metabolic pathway involved in cell growth and implicated in cancer as well as metabolic disorders identified
• Potential nutritional therapy for childhood neurodegenerative disease
• New designer compound treats heart failure by targeting cell nucleus
• Efficient model for generating human induced pluripotent stem cells
• Researchers find home of best stem cells for bone marrow transplants
• Protein linked to cognitive deficits in Angelman syndrome discovered
• New model for staph bone infections outlined
• Antibiotic resistance among hospital-acquired infections is much greater than prior CDC estimates
• Researchers target 'cell sleep' to lower chances of cancer recurrence
• Fetal stress disrupts the way genes are transmitted
• Extreme wildfires in Western U.S. likely fueled by climate change
• Scientists discover mineral-making secrets potentially useful for new materials
• A new tool for brain research
• New target identified for food allergy therapy
• Breath analysis reliably indicates presence, level of infection in mice
• New analysis sheds light on the links between chemicals in our body and income
• Aerial pictures reveal climate change
• Fatty acids could aid cancer prevention and treatment
• 'Evolution will punish you if you're selfish and mean'

Monster galaxies lose their appetite with age Posted: 01 Aug 2013 04:57 PM PDT Our universe is filled with gobs of galaxies, bound together by gravity into larger families called clusters. Lying at the heart of most clusters is a monster galaxy thought to grow in size by merging with neighboring galaxies, a process astronomers call galactic cannibalism. New research from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) is showing that, contrary to previous theories, these gargantuan galaxies appear to slow their growth over time, feeding less and less off neighboring galaxies.

Speedier scans reveal new distinctions in resting and active brain Posted: 01 Aug 2013 03:04 PM PDT A boost in the speed of brain scans is unveiling new insights into how brain regions work with each other in cooperative groups called networks.

Novel drug shuts down master protein key to lymphoma Posted: 01 Aug 2013 03:04 PM PDT Researchers have discovered how an experimental drug is capable of completely eradicating human lymphoma in mice after just five doses. The study sets the stage for testing the drug in clinical trials of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, itself the seventh most frequently diagnosed cancer in the US.

Stimulating brain cells can make false memories Posted: 01 Aug 2013 03:03 PM PDT By activating a subset of brain cells in mice, researchers changed the way the animals remembered a particular setting. To determine if they could alter the way a mouse remembered a setting by activating neurons associated with it, researchers attempted to change whether or not a mouse was afraid of a particular cage. Their experiements implicated neurons in the brain's dentate gyrus as being responsible for inducing the animal's false memory of their cage.

Feeling left out can lead to risky financial decisions Posted: 01 Aug 2013 03:03 PM PDT People who feel isolated are more inclined to make risker financial decisions for bigger payoffs, according to new research.

Las Cumbres Observatory 'Sinistro' astronomy imager captures first light Posted: 01 Aug 2013 12:57 PM PDT The Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope has captured its first on-sky images with the production Sinistro CCD camera.

Re-learning how to see: Researchers find crucial on-off switch in visual development Posted: 01 Aug 2013 12:57 PM PDT A new discovery offers hope for treating "lazy eye" and other serious visual problems that are usually permanent unless they are corrected in early childhood.

New type of protein modification may play a role in cancer and diabetes Posted: 01 Aug 2013 12:57 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a new type of chemical modification that affects numerous proteins within mammalian cells. The modification appears to work as a regulator of important cellular processes including the metabolism of glucose. Further study of this modification could provide insights into the causes of diabetes, cancer and other disorders.

Blocking key enzyme in cancer cells could lead to new therapy Posted: 01 Aug 2013 12:57 PM PDT Researchers have identified a characteristic unique to cancer cells in an animal model of cancer -- and they believe it could be exploited as a target to develop new treatment strategies.

More accurate model of climate change's effect on soil Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:24 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new computer model to measure global warming's effect on soil worldwide that accounts for how bacteria and fungi in soil control carbon.

Advance in regenerative medicine could make reprogrammed cells safer while improving their function Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:24 AM PDT The enormous promise of regenerative medicine is matched by equally enormous challenges. But a new finding has the potential to improve both the safety and performance of reprogrammed cells.

Why shopaholics overspend? Poor credit management, buying to boost mood, study says Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:24 AM PDT Why do shopping addicts keep spending even in the face of harmful financial, emotional and social consequences? A new study suggests poor credit management and a belief that new purchases will create a happier life fuel compulsive buying.

Removing a protein enhances defense against bacteria in CGD mice Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:24 AM PDT Deletion of a protein in white blood cells improves their ability to fight the bacteria staphylococcus aureus and possibly other infections in mice with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), according to a new study. CGD, a genetic disorder also found in people, is marked by recurrent, life-threatening infections.

Cool heads likely won't prevail in a hotter, wetter world: Climate change will likely exacerbate violence Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:24 AM PDT Researchers report that even slight spikes in temperature and precipitation greatly increase the risk of personal and civil violence, and suggest that more human conflict is a likely outcome of climate change.

Climate change occurring ten times faster than at any time in past 65 million years Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:24 AM PDT Not only is the planet undergoing one of the largest climate changes in the past 65 million years, scientists report that it's occurring at a rate 10 times faster than any change in that period. Without intervention, this extreme pace could lead to a 5-6 degree Celsius spike in annual temperatures by the end of the century.

New water splitting technique efficiently produces hydrogen fuel Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:23 AM PDT Radically new technique uses the power of sunlight to efficiently split water into its components of hydrogen and oxygen, paving the way for the broad use of hydrogen as a clean, green fuel.

As climate, disease links become clearer, study highlights need to forecast future shifts Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:23 AM PDT Climate change is affecting the spread of infectious diseases worldwide, according to an international team of leading disease ecologists, with serious impacts to human health and biodiversity conservation.

Temperature alters population dynamics of common plant pests Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:23 AM PDT Temperature-driven changes alter outbreak patterns of tea tortrix -- an insect pest -- and may shed light on how temperature influences whether insects emerge as cohesive cohorts or continuously, according to an international team of researchers. These findings have implications for both pest control and how climate change may alter infestations.

'Soft' approach leads to revolutionary energy storage: Graphene-based supercapacitors Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:23 AM PDT Researchers have brought next generation energy storage closer with an engineering first -- a graphene-based device that is compact, yet lasts as long as a conventional battery.

Common genetic ancestors lived during roughly same time period Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:23 AM PDT Mitochondrial Eve and Y-chromosomal Adam -- two individuals who passed down a portion of their genomes to the vast expanse of humanity -- are known as our most recent common ancestors, or MRCAs. But many aspects of their existence, including when they lived, are shrouded in mystery. Now, a new study indicates the two roughly overlapped during evolutionary time: from between 120,000 to 156,000 years ago for the man, and between 99,000 and 148,000 years ago for the woman.

Two dimensions of value: Dopamine neurons represent reward but not aversiveness Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:23 AM PDT The experiments reported here show that dopamine neurons are sensitive to the value of reward but not punishment (like the aversiveness of a bitter taste). This demonstrates that reward and aversiveness are represented as two discrete dimensions (or categories) in the brain.

Arctic sea-ice loss has widespread effects on wildlife Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:23 AM PDT How the Arctic wildlife and humans will be affected by the continued melting of Arctic sea ice is explored in a review article in the journal Science, by an international team of scientists. The article examines relationships among algae, plankton, whales, and terrestrial animals such as caribou, arctic foxes, and walrus; as well as the effects of human exploration of previously inaccessible parts of the region.

Does your personality and how you look affect how you're treated at work? Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:22 AM PDT Is it a coincidence that the least attractive people in your office are the butt of all the jokes? A new study would suggest that it's not.

Long-sought method to efficiently make complex anticancer compound developed Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:22 AM PDT Scientists have achieved the first efficient chemical synthesis of ingenol, a highly complex, plant-derived compound that has long been of interest to drug developers for its anticancer potential. The achievement will enable scientists to synthesize a wide variety of ingenol derivatives and investigate their therapeutic properties. The achievement also sets the stage for the efficient commercial production of ingenol mebutate, a treatment for actinic keratosis (a common precursor to non-melanoma skin cancer), that at present must be extracted and refined inefficiently from plants.

New treatment strategy for breast cancer spread to brain Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:21 AM PDT Researchers have successfully combined cellular therapy and gene therapy in a mouse model system to develop a viable treatment strategy for breast cancer that has metastasized to the patient's brain.

New apple varieties: Ladies and gentlemen, get ready to taste SnapDragon and RubyFrost Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:21 AM PDT After years of development and consumer testing researchers have given the hottest new apples in the Empire State names worthy of their unique assets: SnapDragon and RubyFrost.

The when and where of the Y: Research on Y chromosomes uncovers new clues about human ancestry Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:21 AM PDT Using advanced analysis of DNA from Y chromosomes from men all over the world, scientists have shed new light on the mystery of when and how a few early human ancestors started to give rise to the incredible diversity of today's population.

Being bullied throughout childhood and teens may lead to more arrests, convictions, prison time Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:21 AM PDT People who were repeatedly bullied throughout childhood and adolescence were significantly more likely to go to prison than individuals who did not suffer repeated bullying, according to a new analysis.

Light that moves and molds gels Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:57 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated a biomimetic response using hydrogels -- a material that constitutes most contact lenses and microfluidic or fluid-controlled technologies. Their study is the first to show that these gels can be both reconfigured and controlled by light, undergoing self-sustained motion -- a uniquely biomimetic behavior.

Existing cropland could feed four billion more by dropping biofuels and animal feed Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:57 AM PDT The world's croplands could feed 4 billion more people than they do now just by shifting from producing animal feed and biofuels to producing exclusively food for human consumption, according to new research.

New target for the fight against cancer as a result of excessive blood vessel formation Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:56 AM PDT New blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) stimulates the growth of cancer and other diseases. Anti-angiogenic inhibitors slow down cancer growth by disrupting the blood supply to the tumor. To date, the success of these treatments is limited by resistance, poor efficiency and harmful side effects. Scientists reported that sugar metabolism (a process that we call glycolysis) also plays an essential role in the formation of new blood vessels.

Stray prenatal gene network suspected in schizophrenia Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:56 AM PDT Researchers have reverse-engineered the outlines of a disrupted prenatal gene network in schizophrenia, by tracing spontaneous mutations to where and when they likely cause damage in the brain. Some people with the brain disorder may suffer from impaired birth of new neurons in the front of their brain during prenatal development, suggest the researchers, who compared spontaneous mutations in 105 affected and 84 unaffected siblings, in families without previous histories of the illness.

A week's worth of camping synchs internal clock to sunrise and sunset Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:56 AM PDT Spending just one week exposed only to natural light while camping in the Rocky Mountains was enough to synch the circadian clocks of eight people participating in a University of Colorado Boulder study with the timing of sunrise and sunset.

Bacteria hold the clues to trade-offs in financial investments and evolution Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:52 AM PDT Scientists have found that bacteria have the potential to teach valuable investment lessons. The research takes advantage of the fact that bacteria, like humans, have limited resources and are constantly faced with investment decisions.

We each live in our own little world -- smellwise Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:52 AM PDT There are some smells we all find revolting. But toward a handful of odors, different people display different sensitivities. A pair of studies identifies the genetic differences that underpin the differences in smell sensitivity. The researchers tested 200 people for their sensitivity to 10 different chemical compounds. They then searched through the subjects' genomes for areas of the DNA that differed between people who could smell a given compound and those who could not.

Promising compound could offer new treatment for heart failure Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:52 AM PDT Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Current therapies are not adequately effective at improving health. A study reveals the key role of a family of molecules known as BET proteins in activating genes that contribute to heart failure. The study also demonstrates that a BET-inhibiting drug can protect against heart failure in mice, opening up promising new avenues for the treatment of this devastating condition.

When prescribing antibiotics, doctors most often choose strongest types of drugs Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:51 AM PDT When U.S. physicians prescribe antibiotics, more than 60 percent of the time they choose some of the strongest types of antibiotics, referred to as "broad spectrum," which are capable of killing multiple kinds of bacteria, researchers show in a new study.

Catching cancer early by chasing it: Portable diagnostic device that can travel to the patient Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:51 AM PDT Reaching a clinic in time to receive an early diagnosis for cancer -- when the disease is most treatable -- is a global problem. Now a team of researchers proposes a global solution: have a user-friendly diagnostic device travel to the patient, anywhere in the world.

A roadblock to personalized cancer care? Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:51 AM PDT Leading experts in cancer treatment and research, including university researchers, industry and insurance providers, have published a paper urging more focus and attention on the field of research that involves identifying genetic and molecular markers that help guide cancer treatment. The current attitude toward biomarker research has led to a vicious cycle that undervalues the crucial role these kinds of tests play in developing personalized cancer treatments.

Targeted therapy identified for protein that protects and nourishes cancer Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:50 AM PDT Scientists who identified a protein's dual role in cancer promotion have discovered a way to shut it down, opening a potential new avenue for cancer treatment.

New insight into how brain 'learns' cocaine addiction Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:50 AM PDT A team of researchers says it has solved the longstanding puzzle of why a key protein linked to learning is also needed to become addicted to cocaine. Results of the study describe how the learning-related protein works with other proteins to forge new pathways in the brain in response to a drug-induced rush of the "pleasure" molecule dopamine. By adding important detail to the process of addiction, the researchers say the work may point the way to new treatments.

New metabolic pathway involved in cell growth and implicated in cancer as well as metabolic disorders identified Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:50 AM PDT Researchers now have a more complete picture of one particular pathway that can lead to cancer and diabetes. Scientists uncovered how a protein called p62 has a cascade affect in regulating cell growth in response to the presence of nutrients such as amino acids and glucose.

Potential nutritional therapy for childhood neurodegenerative disease Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:50 AM PDT Researchers have identified the gene mutation responsible for a particularly severe form of pontocerebellar hyplasia, a currently incurable neurodegenerative disease affecting children. Based on results in cultured cells, they are hopeful that a nutritional supplement may one day be able to prevent or reverse the condition.

New designer compound treats heart failure by targeting cell nucleus Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:50 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new molecular pathway responsible for causing heart failure and showed that a first-in-class prototype drug, JQ1, blocks this pathway to protect the heart from damage.

Efficient model for generating human induced pluripotent stem cells Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:50 AM PDT Researchers report a simple, easily reproducible RNA-based method of generating human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Their approach has broad applicability for the successful production of iPSCs for use in human stem cell studies and eventual cell therapies.

Researchers find home of best stem cells for bone marrow transplants Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:50 AM PDT Researchers have revealed the location of human blood stem cells that may improve bone marrow transplants. The best stem cells are at the ends of the bone.

Protein linked to cognitive deficits in Angelman syndrome discovered Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:50 AM PDT A team of neuroscientists has identified a protein in laboratory mice linked to impairments similar to those afflicted with Angelman syndrome -- a condition associated with symptoms that include autism, intellectual disability, and motor abnormalities.

New model for staph bone infections outlined Posted: 01 Aug 2013 08:32 AM PDT Microbiologists have identified a staph-killing compound that may be an effective treatment for osteomyelitis.

Antibiotic resistance among hospital-acquired infections is much greater than prior CDC estimates Posted: 01 Aug 2013 08:32 AM PDT Hospital-acquired infections' antibiotic resistance is higher than prior CDC reports, and the FDA's reboot of its antibiotic development rules to combat these infections has fallen short.

Researchers target 'cell sleep' to lower chances of cancer recurrence Posted: 01 Aug 2013 08:31 AM PDT By preventing cancer cells from entering a state of cellular sleep, cancer drugs are more effective, and there is a lower chance of cancer recurrence, according to new research from an international research team. The discovery is the first to show that it is possible to therapeutically target cancer cells to keep them from entering a cellular state called quiescence, or "cell sleep."

Fetal stress disrupts the way genes are transmitted Posted: 01 Aug 2013 08:31 AM PDT Stress might have harmed your health even before you were born. In a new report, researchers find that epigenetic disruptions associated with chronic disease later in life are already common at birth. These aberrations result from stressors in the intrauterine environment (maternal smoking, diet, or high levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals). Consequently, the seeds of disease may be sown before birth, increasing the importance of optimal prenatal care.

Extreme wildfires in Western U.S. likely fueled by climate change Posted: 01 Aug 2013 08:31 AM PDT Climate change is likely fueling the larger and more destructive wildfires that are scorching vast areas of the American West, according to new research.

Scientists discover mineral-making secrets potentially useful for new materials Posted: 01 Aug 2013 08:31 AM PDT Proteins have gotten most of the attention in studies of how organic materials control the initial step of making the first tiny crystals that organisms use to build structures that help them move and protect themselves. Researchers have discovered that certain types of sugars, known as polysaccharides, may also control the timing and placement of minerals that animals use to produce hard structures.

A new tool for brain research Posted: 01 Aug 2013 08:31 AM PDT Physicists and neuroscientists have unlocked one of the mysteries of the human brain, thanks to new research using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG).

New target identified for food allergy therapy Posted: 01 Aug 2013 06:59 AM PDT Researchers have identified an enzyme that is essential to the allergic reaction to peanuts. Blocking the enzyme's activity in sensitized mice prevented diarrhea and inflammation, and reduced levels of several proteins associated with allergies. The findings identify the enzyme, known as Cyp11a1, as a potential target for treatment of increasingly common and potentially deadly food allergy.

Breath analysis reliably indicates presence, level of infection in mice Posted: 01 Aug 2013 06:59 AM PDT Breath analysis may prove to be an accurate, noninvasive way to quickly determine the severity of bacterial and other infections, according to a new study.

New analysis sheds light on the links between chemicals in our body and income Posted: 01 Aug 2013 06:59 AM PDT A new study has found that the build-up of harmful chemicals in the body is affecting people of all social standings -- not just those from economically deprived backgrounds as previously thought.

Aerial pictures reveal climate change Posted: 01 Aug 2013 06:55 AM PDT As a result of climate change, certain undesirable aquatic plants are starting to invade German water bodies. Even popular recreation areas like Lake Starnberg have been affected, leading to a growing need to monitor the spread of these plants. Up to now, regular monitoring has proven to be a costly process. But in a new approach, researchers have developed a quicker and less expensive method.

Fatty acids could aid cancer prevention and treatment Posted: 01 Aug 2013 06:55 AM PDT Omega-3 fatty acids, contained in oily fish such as salmon and trout, selectively inhibit growth and induce cell death in early and late-stage oral and skin cancers, according to new research.

'Evolution will punish you if you're selfish and mean' Posted: 01 Aug 2013 06:55 AM PDT Evolutionary biologists offer new evidence that evolution doesn't favor the selfish, disproving a theory popularized in 2012.

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