ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Unique waste cleanup for rural areas developed
• Spouse's personality influences career success, study finds
• Exercise boosts tumor-fighting ability of chemotherapy, team finds
• Microplastic pollution discovered in St. Lawrence River sediments
• No sedative necessary: Scientists discover new 'sleep node' in the brain
• Sensing neuronal activity with light
• Miranda: An icy moon deformed by tidal heating
• VIP: New way to prevent spread of devastating diseases
• New insights on an ancient plague could improve treatments for infections
• Small, fast, and crowded: Mammal traits amplify tick-borne illness
• A new quality control pathway in the cell
• Pupil size shows reliability of decisions, before information on decision is presented
• A more efficient, lightweight and low-cost organic solar cell: Researchers broke the 'electrode barrier'
• How epigenetic memory is passed through generations: Sperm and eggs transmit memory of gene repression to embryos
• World population to keep growing this century, hit 11 billion by 2100
• Changes in coastal upwelling linked to temporary declines in marine ecosystem
• How pneumonia bacteria can compromise heart health
• Technique to model infections shows why live vaccines may be most effective
• New insights into the world of quantum materials
• New molecule allows for up to 10-fold increase in stem cell transplants
• Scientists discover 'dimmer switch' for mood disorders
• Human sense of fairness evolved to favor long-term cooperation, primate study suggests
• Toward quantum computing, spintronic memory, better displays: Nuclear spins control current in plastic LED
• Reliable and highly efficient method for making stem cells
• Flu vaccine for expectant moms a top priority, experts say
• New high-resolution satellite image analysis: 5 of 6 Syrian World Heritage sites 'exhibit significant damage'
• Gambling with confidence: Are you sure about that?
• Single dose of antidepressant changes the brain
• Stem cells use 'first aid kits' to repair damage
• Gene linked to increased dendritic spines -- a signpost of autism
• Newer tests clarify hereditary risk of cancer
• Germanium tin could mean better and cheaper infrared cameras in smartphones, and faster computer chips
• Pulse of a dead star powers intense gamma rays
• Comet landing mission: 'J' marks the spot for Rosetta's lander
• August and June-August global temperatures each reach record high, driven largely by record warm global oceans
• Mysterious volcanic eruption of 1808 described
• Tolerating, not fighting, viruses a viable survival strategy
• 'Honeybee' robots replicate swarm behavior
• Melanoma risk found to have genetic determinant
• Tropical rabbitfish a threat to Mediterranean Sea ecosystems
• Dogs can be pessimists, too
• Kids eat better if their parents went to college
• Men enjoy competition, but so do women, researchers find
• New microscopy technique yields fresh data on muscular dystrophy
• How stress tears us apart: Enzyme attacks synaptic molecule, leading to cognitive impairment
• How do neutron bells toll on the skin of the atomic nucleus? Vibrations of the surface of a heavy nucleus observed
• 'Lost chapel' skeletons found holding hands after 700 years
• Spontaneous mutations in key brain gene are a cause of autism, study concludes
• Carbon dioxide converted into a valuable resource
• Is Sahara Desert several million years older than previously thought?
• 'Office life' of bacteria may be their weak spot
• Wild berry extract may strengthen effectiveness of pancreatic cancer drug
• Getting water from fog: Shorebird's beak inspires research on water collection
• NASA releases IRIS footage of X-class flare
• CT scan is no more accurate than ultrasound to detect kidney stones, study finds
• Chemists modify antibiotic to vanquish resistant bacteria
• Vitiligo treatment holds promise for restoring skin pigmentation
• Neurobiological basis for key symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder found by brain imaging research
• In mice, vaccine stops urinary tract infections linked to catheters
• Novel mechanism involved in memory discovered

Unique waste cleanup for rural areas developed Posted: 18 Sep 2014 06:01 PM PDT A unique method has been developed to use microbes buried in pond sediment to power waste cleanup in rural areas. The first microbe-powered, self-sustaining wastewater treatment system could lead to an inexpensive and quick way to clean up waste from large farming operations and rural sewage treatment plants while reducing pollution.

Spouse's personality influences career success, study finds Posted: 18 Sep 2014 05:59 PM PDT As much as we might try to leave personal lives at home, the personality traits of a spouse have a way of following us into the workplace, exerting a powerful influence on promotions, salaries, job satisfaction and other measures of professional success, new research suggests.

Exercise boosts tumor-fighting ability of chemotherapy, team finds Posted: 18 Sep 2014 01:23 PM PDT Study after study has proven it true: exercise is good for you. But new research suggests that exercise may have an added benefit for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Their work, performed in a mouse model of melanoma, found that combining exercise with chemotherapy shrunk tumors more than chemotherapy alone.

Microplastic pollution discovered in St. Lawrence River sediments Posted: 18 Sep 2014 01:23 PM PDT Microplastics have been discovered widely distributed across the bottom of the St. Lawrence River, the first time such pollutants have been found in freshwater sediments. The microbeads likely originate from cosmetics, household cleansers, or industrial cleansers, to which they are commonly added as abrasives. Owing to their small size and buoyancy, they may readily pass through sewage treatment plants. Microplastics are a global contaminant in the world's oceans, but have only recently been detected in the surface waters of lakes and rivers.

No sedative necessary: Scientists discover new 'sleep node' in the brain Posted: 18 Sep 2014 01:23 PM PDT A sleep-promoting circuit located deep in the primitive brainstem has revealed how we fall into deep sleep. This is only the second 'sleep node' identified in the mammalian brain whose activity appears to be both necessary and sufficient to produce deep sleep.

Sensing neuronal activity with light Posted: 18 Sep 2014 01:23 PM PDT For years, neuroscientists have been trying to develop tools that would allow them to clearly view the brain's circuitry in action -- from the first moment a neuron fires to the resulting behavior in an organism. To get this complete picture, neuroscientists are working to develop a range of new tools to study the brain. Researchers have now developed one such tool that provides a new way of mapping neural networks in a living organism.

Miranda: An icy moon deformed by tidal heating Posted: 18 Sep 2014 01:22 PM PDT Miranda, a small, icy moon of Uranus, is one of the most visually striking and enigmatic bodies in the solar system. Despite its relatively small size, Miranda appears to have experienced an episode of intense resurfacing that resulted in the formation of at least three remarkable and unique surface features -- polygonal-shaped regions called coronae.

VIP: New way to prevent spread of devastating diseases Posted: 18 Sep 2014 12:09 PM PDT Researchers around the country are adopting a technique to try to guard against infection. The method, called VIP, was originally designed to trigger an immune response to HIV, and because of its success with HIV is now being studied, in mice, for protection against influenza, malaria, hepatitis C, and tuberculosis.

New insights on an ancient plague could improve treatments for infections Posted: 18 Sep 2014 12:08 PM PDT Dangerous new pathogens such as the Ebola virus invoke scary scenarios of deadly epidemics, but even ancient scourges such as the bubonic plague are still providing researchers with new insights on how the body responds to infections.

Small, fast, and crowded: Mammal traits amplify tick-borne illness Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:15 AM PDT In the U.S., some 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease annually. Thousands also suffer from babesiosis and anaplasmosis, tick-borne ailments that can occur alone or as co-infections with Lyme disease. In our struggle to manage the ever-growing list of tick-borne diseases, we need to understand which animals magnify human disease risk. New results suggest when generalist pathogens emerge, small mammals with large populations and a fast pace of life warrant careful monitoring.

A new quality control pathway in the cell Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:15 AM PDT Researchers have described a new protein quality control system in the inner nuclear membrane. The new system has two main functions, to eliminate misfolded proteins and to protect the nucleus from accumulating mislocalized or ectopic proteins. This may be especially relevant in non-dividing cells such as neurons.

Pupil size shows reliability of decisions, before information on decision is presented Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:15 AM PDT The precision with which people make decisions can be predicted by measuring pupil size before they are presented with any information about the decision, according to a new study.

A more efficient, lightweight and low-cost organic solar cell: Researchers broke the 'electrode barrier' Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:14 AM PDT For decades, polymer scientists and synthetic chemists working to improve the power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells were hampered by the inherent drawbacks of commonly used metal electrodes, including their instability and susceptibility to oxidation. Now for the first time, researchers have developed a more efficient, easily processable and lightweight solar cell that can use virtually any metal for the electrode, effectively breaking the 'electrode barrier.'

How epigenetic memory is passed through generations: Sperm and eggs transmit memory of gene repression to embryos Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:14 AM PDT A growing body of evidence suggests that environmental stresses can cause changes in gene expression that are transmitted from parents to their offspring, making 'epigenetics' a hot topic. Epigenetic modifications do not affect the DNA sequence of genes, but change how the DNA is packaged and how genes are expressed. Now, scientists have shown how epigenetic memory can be passed across generations and from cell to cell during development.

World population to keep growing this century, hit 11 billion by 2100 Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:14 AM PDT The chance that world population in 2100 will be between 9.6 billion and 12.3 billion people is 80 percent, according to the first such United Nations forecast to incorporate modern statistical tools.

Changes in coastal upwelling linked to temporary declines in marine ecosystem Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:14 AM PDT In findings of relevance to both conservationists and the fishing industry, new research links short-term reductions in growth and reproduction of marine animals off the California Coast to increasing variability in the strength of coastal upwelling currents -- currents which historically supply nutrients to the region's diverse ecosystem.

How pneumonia bacteria can compromise heart health Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:14 AM PDT Bacterial pneumonia in adults carries an elevated risk for adverse cardiac events (such as heart failure, arrhythmias, and heart attacks) that contribute substantially to mortality -- but how the heart is compromised has been unclear. A study now demonstrates that Streptococcus pneumoniae, the bacterium responsible for most cases of bacterial pneumonia, can invade the heart and cause the death of heart muscle cells.

Technique to model infections shows why live vaccines may be most effective Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:14 AM PDT Vaccines against Salmonella that use a live, but weakened, form of the bacteria are more effective than those that use only dead fragments because of the particular way in which they stimulate the immune system, according to new research.

New insights into the world of quantum materials Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:12 AM PDT A team of physicists has experimentally observed how the anisotropic properties of particles deform the Fermi surface in a quantum gas. The work provides the basis for future studies on how the geometry of particle interactions may influence the properties of a quantum system.

New molecule allows for up to 10-fold increase in stem cell transplants Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:11 AM PDT A new molecule, the first of its kind, allows for the multiplication of stem cells in a unit of cord blood. Umbilical cord stem cells are used for transplants aimed at curing a number of blood-related diseases, including leukemia, myeloma and lymphoma. For many patients this therapy comprises a treatment of last resort.

Scientists discover 'dimmer switch' for mood disorders Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:11 AM PDT Researchers have identified a control mechanism for an area of the brain that processes sensory and emotive information that humans experience as "disappointment." The discovery may provide be a neurochemical antidote for feeling let-down.

Human sense of fairness evolved to favor long-term cooperation, primate study suggests Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:11 AM PDT The human response to unfairness evolved in order to support long-term cooperation, according to a new research. Fairness is a social ideal that cannot be measured, so to understand the evolution of fairness in humans scientists have studied the behavioral responses to equal versus unequal reward division in other primates.

Toward quantum computing, spintronic memory, better displays: Nuclear spins control current in plastic LED Posted: 18 Sep 2014 11:11 AM PDT Physicists read "spins" in hydrogen nuclei and used the data to control current in a cheap, plastic LED – at room temperature and without strong magnetic fields. The study brings physics a step closer to practical "spintronic" devices: superfast computers, more compact data storage and plastic or organic LEDs, more efficient than those used today in display screens for cell phones, computers and televisions.

Reliable and highly efficient method for making stem cells Posted: 18 Sep 2014 10:09 AM PDT Scientists have found a way to boost dramatically the efficiency of the process for turning adult cells into so-called pluripotent stem cells by combining three well-known compounds, including vitamin C.

Flu vaccine for expectant moms a top priority, experts say Posted: 18 Sep 2014 09:14 AM PDT All pregnant women and those planning to become pregnant should receive a flu shot because the normal changes to a pregnant woman's immune system, heart and lungs put moms-to-be at increased risk of the harmful effects of flu infection, experts say. Also, babies born to mothers who got their flu shot while pregnant were protected from serious illness from influenza during their first six months of life, research shows.

New high-resolution satellite image analysis: 5 of 6 Syrian World Heritage sites 'exhibit significant damage' Posted: 18 Sep 2014 09:14 AM PDT In war-torn Syria, five of six World Heritage sites now 'exhibit significant damage' and some structures have been 'reduced to rubble,' according to new high-resolution satellite image analysis by the nonprofit, nonpartisan American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Gambling with confidence: Are you sure about that? Posted: 18 Sep 2014 09:14 AM PDT Confidence determines much of our path through life, but what is it? Most people would describe it as an emotion or a feeling. In contrast, scientists have found that confidence is actually a measurable quantity, and not reserved just for humans. The team has identified a brain region in rats whose function is required to for the animals to express confidence in their decisions.

Single dose of antidepressant changes the brain Posted: 18 Sep 2014 09:14 AM PDT A single dose of antidepressant is enough to produce dramatic changes in the functional architecture of the human brain. Brain scans taken of people before and after an acute dose of a commonly prescribed serotonin reuptake inhibitor reveal changes in connectivity within three hours, say researchers.

Stem cells use 'first aid kits' to repair damage Posted: 18 Sep 2014 09:13 AM PDT Neural stem cells -- master cells that can develop into any type of nerve cell -- are able to generate mini "first aid kits" and transfer them to immune cells, according to a new study.

Gene linked to increased dendritic spines -- a signpost of autism Posted: 18 Sep 2014 09:13 AM PDT Knocking out the gene NrCAM increases the number of dendritic spines on excitatory pyramidal neurons, researchers have discovered. Other studies have confirmed that the overabundance of dendritic spines allows for too many synaptic connections – a phenomenon strongly linked to autism.

Newer tests clarify hereditary risk of cancer Posted: 18 Sep 2014 09:13 AM PDT Not all genetics tests that screen for cancer risk are the same, says a genetics counselor. While knowing you are at a higher genetic risk for cancer is stressful, that knowledge can guide how you manage your health going forward. For instance, you might be more likely to stay on top of health screenings or choose to have preventative surgery, which can be a difficult choice, she outlines.

Germanium tin could mean better and cheaper infrared cameras in smartphones, and faster computer chips Posted: 18 Sep 2014 09:13 AM PDT Researchers have fabricated a new semiconductor material that can be used to build better and less expensive infrared cameras for smartphone and automobiles.

Pulse of a dead star powers intense gamma rays Posted: 18 Sep 2014 09:08 AM PDT NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, is helping to untangle the mystery of what powers high-energy gamma rays emanating from supernova. The observatory's high-energy X-ray eyes were able to peer into a particular site of powerful gamma rays and confirm the source: A spinning, dead star called a pulsar.

Comet landing mission: 'J' marks the spot for Rosetta's lander Posted: 18 Sep 2014 09:00 AM PDT The European Space Agency's Rosetta's lander, Philae, will target Site J, an intriguing region on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko that offers unique scientific potential, with hints of activity nearby, and minimum risk to the lander compared to the other candidate sites. The 220-pound (100-kilogram) lander is scheduled to reach the surface on November 11, where it will perform in-depth measurements to characterize the nucleus. Rosetta is an international mission spearheaded by the European Space Agency with support and instruments provided by NASA.

August and June-August global temperatures each reach record high, driven largely by record warm global oceans Posted: 18 Sep 2014 08:19 AM PDT According to NOAA scientists, the globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces for August 2014 was the highest for August since record keeping began in 1880. It also marked the 38th consecutive August with a global temperature above the 20th century average. The last below-average global temperature for August occurred in 1976.

Mysterious volcanic eruption of 1808 described Posted: 18 Sep 2014 08:12 AM PDT New light has been shed on one of the biggest volcanic eruptions in the last 500 years -- the so-called 'Unknown eruption' -- thanks to an unusual collaboration between a historian and a team of earth scientists.

Tolerating, not fighting, viruses a viable survival strategy Posted: 18 Sep 2014 08:12 AM PDT In ecology, disease tolerance is defined as a host strategy not to fight a pathogen tooth and nail, but rather tolerate it to live (and survive) better in the long term. One key feature of tolerance is that the disease only progresses very slowly -- if at all -- even if the host carries a high pathogen load. In some HIV sufferers, this approach is evident. A research team has now determined how strongly patients differ in their tolerance and upon which factors it depends.

'Honeybee' robots replicate swarm behavior Posted: 18 Sep 2014 08:11 AM PDT Computer scientists have created a low-cost, autonomous micro-robot which in large numbers can replicate the behavior of swarming honeybees.

Melanoma risk found to have genetic determinant Posted: 18 Sep 2014 08:11 AM PDT Longer telomeres increase the risk of melanoma, researchers report, suggesting that melanoma risk has a genetic determinant. Telomeres are a part of the genome that function like the plastic caps of your shoelaces, which prevent the laces from fraying. Instead they protect the ends of chromosomes from environmental damage, such as exposure to smoke or sunlight, which can harm them.

Tropical rabbitfish a threat to Mediterranean Sea ecosystems Posted: 18 Sep 2014 07:16 AM PDT The tropical rabbitfish, which have devastated algal forests in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, pose a major threat to the entire Mediterranean basin if their distribution continues to expand as the climate warms, a new study warns. Researchers surveyed more than 1000 kilometers of coastline in Turkey and Greece, where two species of plant-eating rabbitfish have become dominant, and found regions with abundant rabbitfish had become rocky barrens.

Dogs can be pessimists, too Posted: 18 Sep 2014 07:16 AM PDT Dogs generally seem to be cheerful, happy-go-lucky characters, so you might expect that most would have an optimistic outlook on life. In fact some dogs are distinctly more pessimistic than others, new research shows.

Kids eat better if their parents went to college Posted: 18 Sep 2014 07:16 AM PDT Children of college-educated parents eat more vegetables and drink less sugar, according to a new study. But it's still not enough, the study goes on to say, as all kids are falling short when it comes to eating healthier at school. The research suggests a parent's educational attainment, an indicator of socioeconomic status, may inform a child's diet.

Men enjoy competition, but so do women, researchers find Posted: 18 Sep 2014 06:55 AM PDT Common stereotypes would have us believe that men are more competitive and women more cooperative. Researchers studied the physiological responses to competitive and cooperative play, investigating emotions, i.e. how males and females are motivated to behave in these situations. While males did enjoy competition more than cooperation, females enjoyed both competition and cooperation equally.

New microscopy technique yields fresh data on muscular dystrophy Posted: 18 Sep 2014 06:14 AM PDT A new microscopy technique yields resolution an order of magnitude better than previously possible. Through this new technique, the researchers showed that dystrophin was responsible for regulating tiny molecular fluctuations in calcium channels while muscles are in use. The discovery suggests that a lack of functional dystrophin alters the dynamics of ion channels -- helping to cause the defective mechanical responses and the calcium imbalance that impair normal muscle activity in patients with muscular dystrophy.

How stress tears us apart: Enzyme attacks synaptic molecule, leading to cognitive impairment Posted: 18 Sep 2014 06:14 AM PDT Why is it that when people are too stressed they are often grouchy, grumpy, nasty, distracted or forgetful? Researchers have just highlighted a fundamental synaptic mechanism that explains the relationship between chronic stress and the loss of social skills and cognitive impairment. When triggered by stress, an enzyme attacks a synaptic regulatory molecule in the brain, leading to these problems.

How do neutron bells toll on the skin of the atomic nucleus? Vibrations of the surface of a heavy nucleus observed Posted: 18 Sep 2014 06:13 AM PDT Physicists have observed -- for the first time with such precision -- vibrations of the surface of a heavy nucleus, lead 208Pb. Through their extremely accurate measurements this team has unraveled the details of neutron oscillations in the atomic nucleus and determined how many neutrons on the surface, or 'skin', of the nucleus participate in unique vibrations known as pygmy resonances. If an accelerated ion of high energy impacts on the nucleus of a heavy element, it makes the nucleus vibrate in a very special manner: all of its neutrons begin to oscillate collectively with respect to all of its protons.

'Lost chapel' skeletons found holding hands after 700 years Posted: 18 Sep 2014 06:12 AM PDT Archaeologists have uncovered a trove of relics and remains at Chapel of St Morrell in Leicestershire. Some relationships last a lifetime -- and archaeologists have discovered that they can last even longer after unearthing two skeletons at a lost chapel in Leicestershire that have been holding hands for 700 years.

Spontaneous mutations in key brain gene are a cause of autism, study concludes Posted: 18 Sep 2014 06:10 AM PDT Spontaneous mutations in the brain gene TBR1 disrupt the function of the encoded protein in children with severe autism. In addition, there is a direct link between TBR1 and FOXP2, a well-known language-related protein, researchers report.

Carbon dioxide converted into a valuable resource Posted: 18 Sep 2014 06:10 AM PDT Researchers have opened a pilot plant that converts carbon dioxide and slag, the by-product of steel manufacturing, into a valuable mineral product. The product, Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC), is used in e.g. plastics, papers, rubbers and paints. The innovative plant represents the next stage prior commercialization of a new process that consumes carbon dioxide in order to convert a low-value by-product into a highly valuable resource for industry.

Is Sahara Desert several million years older than previously thought? Posted: 18 Sep 2014 06:10 AM PDT The Sahara is the world's largest subtropical desert. During the last decades, numerous scientific studies have probed its geological and archeological archives seeking to reveal its history. Despite some important breakthroughs, there are still basic questions that lack satisfactory answers. For example, how old is the Sahara desert? It is widely believed that Sahara desert first appeared during the last 2 to 3 million years, but recent discoveries such as ancient sand dunes and dust records in marine cores push the possible onset of Saharan aridity back in time by several million years.

'Office life' of bacteria may be their weak spot Posted: 17 Sep 2014 06:19 PM PDT We may be able to drown deadly bacteria in their own paperwork, scientists suggest. For the first time, researchers have shown how the "paper shredder" that keeps the bacteria E. coli on top of its day job works. Now the group is looking for ways to jam the mechanism and leave E. coli and similar bacteria in filing hell. Dr Kenneth McDowall, Associate Professor in Molecular Microbiology, who led the research, said: "If we block the 'shredder' using genetics in the lab, the bacteria drown in a flood of messages. The challenge now is to block it with drugs so that bacterial infections in humans can be killed. Our latest results give us a good idea how this can be done."

Wild berry extract may strengthen effectiveness of pancreatic cancer drug Posted: 17 Sep 2014 06:16 PM PDT A wild berry native to North America may strengthen the effectiveness of a chemotherapy drug commonly used to treat pancreatic cancer, reveals research. The study suggests that adding nutraceuticals to chemotherapy cycles may improve the effectiveness of conventional drugs, particularly in hard to treat cancers, such as pancreatic cancer.

Getting water from fog: Shorebird's beak inspires research on water collection Posted: 17 Sep 2014 02:33 PM PDT An engineering professor and his doctoral student have designed a device based on a shorebird's beak that can accumulate water collected from fog and dew. The device could provide water in drought-stricken areas of the world or deserts around the globe.

NASA releases IRIS footage of X-class flare Posted: 17 Sep 2014 02:32 PM PDT On Sept. 10, 2014, NASA's newest solar observatory, the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, joined other telescopes to witness an X-class flare -- an example of one of the strongest solar flares -- on the sun.

CT scan is no more accurate than ultrasound to detect kidney stones, study finds Posted: 17 Sep 2014 02:32 PM PDT To diagnose painful kidney stones in hospital emergency rooms, CT scans are no better than less-often-used ultrasound exams, according to a clinical study conducted at 15 medical centers. "Ultrasound is the right place to start," researchers said. "Radiation exposure is avoided, without any increase in any category of adverse events, and with no increase in cost."

Chemists modify antibiotic to vanquish resistant bacteria Posted: 17 Sep 2014 02:29 PM PDT Scientists have devised a new antibiotic based on vancomycin that is powerfully effective against vancomycin-resistant strains of MRSA and other disease-causing bacteria. The new vancomycin analog appears to have not one but two distinct mechanisms of anti-microbial action, against which bacteria probably cannot evolve resistance quickly.

Vitiligo treatment holds promise for restoring skin pigmentation Posted: 17 Sep 2014 02:27 PM PDT A treatment regimen is safe and effective for restoring skin pigmentation in vitiligo patients, according to a study. "Our findings offer patients with vitiligo worldwide a renewed hope for a bright future in the treatment of this disfiguring disease," says the study's lead author. "Patients with lesions on their face and arms could have a more rapid response to the combination treatment."

Neurobiological basis for key symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder found by brain imaging research Posted: 17 Sep 2014 02:27 PM PDT In a novel brain-imaging study among trauma victims, researchers have linked an opioid receptor in the brain -- associated with emotions -- to a narrow cluster of trauma symptoms, including sadness, emotional detachment and listlessness. The study holds important implications for targeted, personalized treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, a psychiatric condition affecting more than 8 million Americans that can cause a wide range of debilitating psychiatric symptoms.

In mice, vaccine stops urinary tract infections linked to catheters Posted: 17 Sep 2014 02:27 PM PDT The most common type of hospital-associated infection may be preventable with a vaccine, new research in mice suggests. The experimental vaccine prevented urinary tract infections associated with catheters.

Novel mechanism involved in memory discovered Posted: 17 Sep 2014 02:27 PM PDT The discovery of a novel mechanism in the brain involved in the formation of memory and learning has been made by scientists. The discovery could have therapeutic ramifications for conditions including dementia, age-related memory loss or even post-traumatic stress disorder.

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