ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Oldest existing lizard-like fossil hints at scaly origins
• Fat and obesity gene also affects hip fracture
• Genetic study pushes back timeline for first significant human population expansion
• Acupuncture or counselling plus usual care may improve depression symptoms
• Neurological basis for lack of empathy in psychopaths
• Vaccine against pneumococcal infections has led to widespread reduction in serious disease
• New adsorbent is more effective and environmentally friendly for treating wastewater
• How stress can rewire brain making benign smells malodorous
• MicroRNA-31 might predict lung-cancer spread
• Late Cretaceous Period was likely ice-free
• Dangers and potential of nanomaterials examined
• Living better with heart failure by changing what you eat
• Astronomers discover densest galaxy ever
• Emissions and costs of power plant cycling necessary for increased wind and solar calculated
• Uphill for the trees of the world
• Vitamin D alone does little to protect bone health in postmenopausal women
• New steering tech for heavy equipment saves fuel, ups efficiency
• Disease-specific human embryonic stem cell lines placed on NIH registry
• Chemists slide a splitting catalyst over DNA for first time
• Possible way to turn fungus from foe to friend
• Time to rethink misguided policies that promote biofuels to protect climate, experts say
• New research shows how heart cells communicate to regulate heart activity
• Rare mutations increase risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease
• Adjusting bacteria in intestines may lead to obesity treatments
• Cheats of the bird world: Cuckoo finches fool host parents
• Fusion, anyone? Not quite yet, but scientists show just how close we've come
• Develop after-sex contraceptive pill for routine use, urge researchers: Political opposition biggest hurdle
• Researchers successfully test model for implant device reactions
• Reliable method detects suicidal propensity
• No age-related differences in post-concussion symptoms
• Northern moths may fare better under climate warming than expected
• iPhones for the eyes: Smart phone photography to help diagnose eye disease
• HPV linked to growing number of young adults with oropharyngeal cancer
• New theory for analysing interacting nuclear spins in solvents
• Europe-wide studies published on cormorant-fishery conflicts
• New device to revolutionize gaming in virtual realities
• New methods increases food and bioenergy production from cassava
• Caffeine consumption slows down brain development, rat study shows
• Scientists develop artificial surfaces insects cannot stick to
• The dragon awakens: Colossal explosion from supermassive black hole at centre of galaxy revealed
• Counting on neodymium: Promising candidate for information processing with magnetic molecules
• Voyager 1 magnetic data surprise intrigues researchers
• Drug found to eradicate HIV permanently from infected cells
• Brain may rely on computer-like mechanism to make sense of novel situations
• New password in a heartbeat
• Managed care reduces hospitalizations in nursing home residents with advanced dementia
• Implanted device helps patients with central sleep apnea
• Some heart birth defects may increase children's heart infection risk
• Bedsharing associated with longer breastfeeding; study warns of bedsharing risk
• Genetic and physiological basis for metabolic diseases
• Cancer-killing cells controlled by epigenetic process

Oldest existing lizard-like fossil hints at scaly origins Posted: 24 Sep 2013 04:36 PM PDT The fossilized remains of a reptile closely related to lizards are the oldest yet to be discovered. Two new fossil jaws discovered in Vellberg, Germany provide the first direct evidence that the ancestors of lizards, snakes and tuatara (known collectively as lepidosaurs), were alive during the Middle Triassic period -- around 240 million years ago.

Fat and obesity gene also affects hip fracture Posted: 24 Sep 2013 02:44 PM PDT Researchers have demonstrated a strong association between the FTO (fat and obesity) gene and hip fracture in women. While the gene is already well known to affect diabetes and obesity, this is the first study to show that its high-risk variant can increase the risk of hip fracture by as much as 82 percent.

Genetic study pushes back timeline for first significant human population expansion Posted: 24 Sep 2013 02:43 PM PDT Using new genetic tools, the authors conclude that the first significant expansion of human populations appears to be much older than the emergence of farming and herding, dating back to the Paleolithic (60,000-80,000 years ago) rather than Neolithic age (10,000 years ago). They also suggest that strong Paleolithic expansions may have favored the emergence of sedentary farming in some populations during the Neolithic.

Acupuncture or counselling plus usual care may improve depression symptoms Posted: 24 Sep 2013 02:43 PM PDT Acupuncture or counselling plus usual care 'may improve' depression symptoms.

Neurological basis for lack of empathy in psychopaths Posted: 24 Sep 2013 02:43 PM PDT When individuals with psychopathy imagine others in pain, brain areas necessary for feeling empathy and concern for others fail to become active and be connected to other important regions involved in affective processing and decision-making, reports a new study.

Vaccine against pneumococcal infections has led to widespread reduction in serious disease Posted: 24 Sep 2013 02:43 PM PDT Vaccination with the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine-7 [PCV7 -- a vaccine that covers 7 strains (serotypes) of Streptococcus pneumoniae is linked to overall decreases in the rate of serious infections caused by this bacterium, such as pneumonia and meningitis, referred to as invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), but small increases in IPD caused by serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae not covered by the vaccine, according to a new study.

New adsorbent is more effective and environmentally friendly for treating wastewater Posted: 24 Sep 2013 02:41 PM PDT A new adsorbent for removing emerging contaminants from wastewater that is more effective, reusable and eco-friendly, has been developed.

How stress can rewire brain making benign smells malodorous Posted: 24 Sep 2013 02:41 PM PDT In evolutionary terms, smell is among the oldest of the senses. New research shows how anxiety or stress can rewire the brain, linking centers of emotion and olfactory processing, to make typically benign smells malodorous.

MicroRNA-31 might predict lung-cancer spread Posted: 24 Sep 2013 01:08 PM PDT A new study suggests that measuring levels of miR-31 in tumor tissue might accurately determine whether the most common form of lung cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. The findings could lead to improvements in the ability of doctors to stage and treat certain patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Late Cretaceous Period was likely ice-free Posted: 24 Sep 2013 12:39 PM PDT For years, scientists have thought that a continental ice sheet formed during the Late Cretaceous Period more than 90 million years ago when the climate was much warmer than it is today. Now, researchers have found evidence suggesting that no ice sheet formed at this time. This finding could help environmentalists and scientists predict what Earth's climate will be as carbon dioxide levels continue to rise.

Dangers and potential of nanomaterials examined Posted: 24 Sep 2013 12:36 PM PDT After a decade of rapidly growing industrial use, unimaginably tiny particles surround us everywhere, every day, in everything we do. Used in the manufacturing of cosmetics, clothing, paints, food, drug delivery systems and many other familiar products we all use daily, little is known about the effects these materials have on health. Scientists are now finding inhalation of engineered nanomaterials negatively impacts gestational development in animal models.

Living better with heart failure by changing what you eat Posted: 24 Sep 2013 12:36 PM PDT Just 21 days of following a low-sodium DASH diet lowered blood pressure and improved heart function for older adults living with a common type of heart failure.

Astronomers discover densest galaxy ever Posted: 24 Sep 2013 11:17 AM PDT Imagine the distance between the sun and the star nearest to it -- a star called Alpha Centauri. That's a distance of about four light years. Now, imagine as many as 10,000 of our suns crammed into that relatively small space. That is about the density of a galaxy that was recently discovered by an international team of astronomers led by a Michigan State University faculty member.

Emissions and costs of power plant cycling necessary for increased wind and solar calculated Posted: 24 Sep 2013 11:16 AM PDT New research quantifies the potential impacts of increasing wind and solar power generation on the operators of fossil-fueled power plants in the West. To accommodate higher amounts of wind and solar power on the electric grid, utilities must ramp down and ramp up or stop and start conventional generators more frequently to provide reliable power for their customers -- a practice called cycling.

Uphill for the trees of the world Posted: 24 Sep 2013 11:10 AM PDT You'll need to get out your mountain boots to go for a walk in the woods in the future. A new study shows that forests are to an increasing extent growing on steep slopes all over the world.

Vitamin D alone does little to protect bone health in postmenopausal women Posted: 24 Sep 2013 10:51 AM PDT While calcium supplements noticeably improved bone health in postmenopausal women, vitamin D supplements did not reduce bone turnover, according to a recent study.

New steering tech for heavy equipment saves fuel, ups efficiency Posted: 24 Sep 2013 09:28 AM PDT Researchers have shown how to reduce fuel consumption while improving the efficiency of hydraulic steering systems in heavy construction equipment.

Disease-specific human embryonic stem cell lines placed on NIH registry Posted: 24 Sep 2013 09:28 AM PDT Scientists have announced that 16 human embryonic stem cell lines have been approved by the National Institutes of Health, making them freely available for federally-funded research in the USA. The stem cell lines, which carry genes for a variety of hereditary disorders, are considered to be ideal research tools for designing models to understand disease progression, and ultimately in helping scientists develop new treatments for patients.

Chemists slide a splitting catalyst over DNA for first time Posted: 24 Sep 2013 09:26 AM PDT Chemists have developed a catalyst that binds to DNA, slides over it, and splits the molecule in particular places. The researchers were able to do this by synthetically modifying a natural catalyst. This finding is a first in the field of chemistry and will help in the selective modification of polymers such as DNA.

Possible way to turn fungus from foe to friend Posted: 24 Sep 2013 09:24 AM PDT Candida albicans is a double agent: In most of us, it lives peacefully, but for people whose immune systems are compromised by HIV or other severe illnesses, it is frequently deadly. Now a new study shows how targeting a specific fungal component might turn the fungus from a lion back into a kitten.

Time to rethink misguided policies that promote biofuels to protect climate, experts say Posted: 24 Sep 2013 09:24 AM PDT Policymakers need to rethink the idea of promoting biofuels to protect the climate because the methods used to justify such policies are inherently flawed, according to a University of Michigan energy researcher.

New research shows how heart cells communicate to regulate heart activity Posted: 24 Sep 2013 08:34 AM PDT New research is leading to a better understanding of what happens during heart failure, knowledge that could lead to better therapeutics or a more accurate predictor of risk. The research found the heart is regulated not only by nervous systems but also by heart cells sending messages to each other through the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Rare mutations increase risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease Posted: 24 Sep 2013 08:34 AM PDT Researchers have identified and validated two rare gene mutations that appear to cause the common form of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that strikes after the age of 60. The two mutations occur in a gene called ADAM10, which now becomes the second pathologically-confirmed gene for late-onset AD and the fifth AD gene overall.

Adjusting bacteria in intestines may lead to obesity treatments Posted: 24 Sep 2013 08:34 AM PDT A drug that appears to target specific intestinal bacteria in the guts of mice may create a chain reaction that could eventually lead to new treatments for obesity and diabetes in humans, according to a team of researchers.

Cheats of the bird world: Cuckoo finches fool host parents Posted: 24 Sep 2013 08:34 AM PDT Cuckoo finches that lay more than one egg in their victims' nests have a better chance of bamboozling host parents into fostering their parasitic young, a study has found.

Fusion, anyone? Not quite yet, but scientists show just how close we've come Posted: 24 Sep 2013 08:31 AM PDT The dream of igniting a self-sustained fusion reaction with high yields of energy, a feat likened to creating a miniature star on Earth, is getting closer to becoming reality, according to a new review of recent research.

Develop after-sex contraceptive pill for routine use, urge researchers: Political opposition biggest hurdle Posted: 24 Sep 2013 08:00 AM PDT A contraceptive pill that could be routinely used after, rather than before, sex and fertilization is probably scientifically feasible and would probably be welcomed by many women, say researchers.

Researchers successfully test model for implant device reactions Posted: 24 Sep 2013 07:35 AM PDT A team of researchers has used mathematical modeling to develop a computer simulation they hope will one day improve the treatment of dangerous reactions to medical implants such as stents, catheters and artificial joints. Results from their computational model of foreign-body reactions to implants were consistent with biological models in lab tests.

Reliable method detects suicidal propensity Posted: 24 Sep 2013 07:32 AM PDT A simple measurement of the sweat gland activity of a depressed person can determine if he or she is suicidal -- with 97 percent accuracy. Now another large clinical study confirms the correlation.

No age-related differences in post-concussion symptoms Posted: 24 Sep 2013 07:32 AM PDT Do young athletes fare worse after sustaining a sports-related concussion than older athletes? To find out, researchers compared symptoms associated with concussion in middle/high school-age athletes with those in college-age athletes to determine whether age-related differences exist. These researchers found no significant differences between the two age groups in the number or severity of sports-related concussion symptoms or in the amount of time it took for athletes' concussion symptoms to return to baseline values.

Northern moths may fare better under climate warming than expected Posted: 24 Sep 2013 07:32 AM PDT Moths in northern Finland are less susceptible to rising temperatures than expected, suggesting high latitude moth populations around the world may be partly buffered from the effects of rapid climate warming, according to a new Dartmouth-Finnish study based on the most extensive analyses yet conducted of seasonal patterns in forest animals.

iPhones for the eyes: Smart phone photography to help diagnose eye disease Posted: 24 Sep 2013 07:30 AM PDT Researchers describe the relatively simple technique of fundus photography in eyes using a smartphone, an inexpensive app for the smartphone, and instruments that are readily available in an ophthalmic practice.

HPV linked to growing number of young adults with oropharyngeal cancer Posted: 24 Sep 2013 07:30 AM PDT The human papillomavirus (HPV) may be to blame for the alarming increase of young adults with oropharyngeal cancer, according to researchers.

New theory for analysing interacting nuclear spins in solvents Posted: 24 Sep 2013 06:15 AM PDT Hardly a spectroscopic method boasts so many different applications as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, better known as "NMR." The approach of NMR spectroscopy is based on monitoring the so-called nuclear spin, namely the angular momentum of atoms, or, more precisely: the magnetic moment associated with them. The atom thus becomes a bar magnet, whose axis is aligned within a magnetic field but is otherwise arbitrarily oriented within its environment.

Europe-wide studies published on cormorant-fishery conflicts Posted: 24 Sep 2013 06:15 AM PDT Findings from a major Europe-wide study into cormorant-fishery conflicts are published this week, providing one of the most detailed ecological and socio-economic investigations of these fish-eating birds, their impacts and implications for their management.

New device to revolutionize gaming in virtual realities Posted: 24 Sep 2013 06:15 AM PDT How is it possible to walk through 3-D virtual realities while staying in one place? Engineers have solved this problem and are now introducing their "Virtualizer".

New methods increases food and bioenergy production from cassava Posted: 24 Sep 2013 06:13 AM PDT New ways to utilize starch from cassava can provide food to an additional 30 million people without taking more arable land than today. By 2030, the figure will be 100 million. In addition, the same land can also contribute to an increased production of bioenergy.

Caffeine consumption slows down brain development, rat study shows Posted: 24 Sep 2013 06:13 AM PDT Humans and other mammals show particularly intensive sleeping patterns during puberty. The brain also matures fastest in this period. But when pubescent rats are administered caffeine, the maturing processes in their brains are delayed, a new study shows.

Scientists develop artificial surfaces insects cannot stick to Posted: 24 Sep 2013 06:13 AM PDT Beetles, cockroaches, and ants will have a harder time walking up the sides of buildings or air conditioners in the future -- thanks to the bio-inspired, anti-adhesive surfaces. The team studied plant surfaces in order to determine what influence cell form and microstructure as well as surface chemistry exert on the adhesion behavior of insects.

The dragon awakens: Colossal explosion from supermassive black hole at centre of galaxy revealed Posted: 24 Sep 2013 06:13 AM PDT Two million years ago, a supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy erupted in an explosion so immensely powerful that it lit up a cloud 200,000 light years away, astronomers have revealed.

Counting on neodymium: Promising candidate for information processing with magnetic molecules Posted: 24 Sep 2013 06:13 AM PDT Magnetic molecules are regarded as promising functional units for the future of information processing. Scientists have now produce particularly robust magnetic molecules that enable a direct electrical readout of magnetic information. This was made possible by selecting the rare earth metal neodymium as the central building block of the molecule.

Voyager 1 magnetic data surprise intrigues researchers Posted: 24 Sep 2013 06:05 AM PDT Scientists are exploring surprising data from Voyager 1's crossing of the heliopause into the interstellar medium of our galaxy.

Drug found to eradicate HIV permanently from infected cells Posted: 23 Sep 2013 05:01 PM PDT The anti-fungal drug Ciclopirox causes HIV-infected cells to commit suicide by jamming up the cells' powerhouse, the mitochondria, according to a new study. And unlike current anti-HIV drugs, Ciclopirox completely eradicates infectious HIV from cell cultures, with no rebound of virus when the drug is stopped.

Brain may rely on computer-like mechanism to make sense of novel situations Posted: 23 Sep 2013 02:59 PM PDT Our brains give us the remarkable ability to make sense of situations we've never encountered before -- a familiar person in an unfamiliar place, for example, or a coworker in a different job role -- but the mechanism our brains use to accomplish this has been a longstanding mystery of neuroscience. Now, researchers have demonstrated that our brains could process these new situations by relying on a method similar to the "pointer" system used by computers. "Pointers" are used to tell a computer where to look for information stored elsewhere in the system to replace a variable.

New password in a heartbeat Posted: 23 Sep 2013 02:59 PM PDT Researchers propose a system to prevent cyberattacks on pacemakers, defibrillators and other devices that use wireless communications.

Managed care reduces hospitalizations in nursing home residents with advanced dementia Posted: 23 Sep 2013 02:57 PM PDT Nursing home residents with advanced dementia commonly experience burdensome, costly interventions that do not improve their quality of life or extend their survival. Now a new study suggests that providing intensive primary care services may result in less burdensome and less costly care for these terminally ill residents.

Implanted device helps patients with central sleep apnea Posted: 23 Sep 2013 02:57 PM PDT A small implant being studied for the treatment of central sleep apnea is showing significant promise in patients.

Some heart birth defects may increase children's heart infection risk Posted: 23 Sep 2013 02:57 PM PDT Children with specific types of heart birth defects who are under 3 or who've had cardiac surgery within the last six months may face an elevated risk of heart infection. Parents of children with heart birth defects should discuss with their physicians how to prevent these potentially serious infections.

Bedsharing associated with longer breastfeeding; study warns of bedsharing risk Posted: 23 Sep 2013 02:56 PM PDT Frequent bedsharing between a mother and infant was associated with longer duration of breastfeeding, but researchers warned of the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) associated with bedsharing.

Genetic and physiological basis for metabolic diseases Posted: 23 Sep 2013 12:55 PM PDT The results of a new study provide a significant step in understanding the molecular, genetic and physiological basis for a spectrum of metabolic diseases related to circadian function.

Cancer-killing cells controlled by epigenetic process Posted: 23 Sep 2013 12:55 PM PDT Natural killer cells are white blood cells that can kill and contain cancer and infectious diseases. Scientists have identified a specific enzyme that controls the development of natural killer cells in the body. Understanding how that enzyme affects the natural killer cell may help focus future drug development in the fight against cancer.

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