ScienceDaily: Top News

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• New 'lab-on-a-chip' could revolutionize early diagnosis of cancer
• Toddlers regulate behavior to avoid making adults angry
• 'Cyberwar' against cancer gets a boost from intelligent nanocarriers
• Myasthenia gravis: Efficacy of potential therapy for autoimmune disorder of muscle weakness
• The unexamined diversity in the 'Coral Triangle'
• Liquid detergent pods pose risk to children's eye health
• Killer whales learn to communicate like dolphins
• Small molecule 'jams the switch' to prevent inflammatory cell death
• Stroke-fighting drug offers potential treatment for traumatic brain injury
• Closing the gap: Extreme desert gecko spotted on salt-flats in central Oman
• Sharing makes both good, bad experiences more intense
• Back off: Female chimps stressed out by competing suitors
• Testosterone promotes prostate cancer in rats
• A warm dark matter search
• Sandwiches a major contributor to dietary sodium intake
• Computers turned into powerful allies in fight against AIDS
• Probiotics protect children, pregnant women against heavy metal poisoning
• Coffee in the Genes? New genetic variants associated with coffee drinking
• Rural hospitals replicate experiences of big city stroke care
• Stroke patients past 90-day danger period remain at high risk for repeat event
• MRI technique detects evidence of cognitive decline before symptoms appear
• Due to landscape fragmentation, Brazil's rainforests are releasing more carbon dioxide than previously thought
• Adolescents with cerebral palsy report similar quality of life to their able-bodied peers
• Plants: Stressed parents, stronger offspring
• Molecule that protects women's eggs identified
• Fundamentals of physics confirmed: Experiments testing Einstein's time dilation and quantum electrodynamics
• World's first child born after uterus transplantation
• Near-death experiences? Results of the world's largest medical study of the human mind and consciousness at time of death
• Printing in the hobby room: Paper-thin and touch-sensitive displays on various materials
• Thyroid carcinoma: Biomarker reveals cancer cause
• Non-coding half of human genome unlocked with novel sequencing technique
• Getting the most out of aquaculture: Pearls of wisdom from farmed oysters
• Talking to your car is often distracting
• Potty training before age two linked to increased risk of later wetting problems
• Guidelines for clinical trials of Alzheimer's blood test
• 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics: Invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes
• New technique allows scientists to find rare stem cells within bone marrow

New 'lab-on-a-chip' could revolutionize early diagnosis of cancer Posted: 07 Oct 2014 10:14 AM PDT A breakthrough paper has been published describing researchers' invention of a miniaturized biomedical testing device for exosomes. "Exosomes are minuscule membrane vesicles -- or sacs -- released from most, if not all, cell types, including cancer cells," said one chemist. "They were once thought to be trash bags containing unwanted cellular contents. However, in the past decade scientists realized that exosomes play important roles in many biological functions through capsuling and delivering molecular messages in the form of nucleic acids and proteins from the donor cells to affect the functions of nearby or distant cells."

Toddlers regulate behavior to avoid making adults angry Posted: 07 Oct 2014 10:14 AM PDT Children as young as 15 months can detect anger when watching other people's social interactions and then use that emotional information to guide their own behavior. The study is the first evidence that younger toddlers are capable of using multiple cues from emotions and vision to understand the motivations of the people around them.

'Cyberwar' against cancer gets a boost from intelligent nanocarriers Posted: 07 Oct 2014 10:14 AM PDT Cancer possesses special traits for cooperative behavior and uses intricate communication to distribute tasks, share resources, and make decisions. New research now offers additional insight into the lethal interaction between cancer cells and the immune system's communications network.

Myasthenia gravis: Efficacy of potential therapy for autoimmune disorder of muscle weakness Posted: 07 Oct 2014 10:14 AM PDT A fast-acting 'vaccine' has been developed that can reverse the course of myasthenia gravis, a non-inherited autoimmune form of muscle weakness, in an animal model of the disease. Nearly 60,000 Americans suffer from myasthenia gravis, and the disease has no cure at this time.

The unexamined diversity in the 'Coral Triangle' Posted: 07 Oct 2014 08:12 AM PDT Research on zoantharians, a group of animals related to corals and anemones has demonstrated how little we know about marine diversity in the so-called 'center of marine biodiversity' located in the central Indo-Pacific Ocean.

Liquid detergent pods pose risk to children's eye health Posted: 07 Oct 2014 08:11 AM PDT Detergent pods may offer a simpler way to do laundry, but they represent a source of potential danger when in the hands of a young child. When squeezed or bitten into, these pods can burst and send detergent into the mouth, nose, and eyes.

Killer whales learn to communicate like dolphins Posted: 07 Oct 2014 08:10 AM PDT The sounds that most animals use to communicate are innate, not learned. However, a few species, including humans, can imitate new sounds and use them in appropriate social contexts. This ability, known as vocal learning, is one of the underpinnings of language. Now, researchers have found that killer whales can engage in cross-species vocal learning: when socialized with bottlenose dolphins, they shifted the sounds they made to more closely match their social partners.

Small molecule 'jams the switch' to prevent inflammatory cell death Posted: 07 Oct 2014 07:34 AM PDT A small molecule that blocks a form of cell death that triggers inflammation has been discovered by scientists, opening the door for potential new treatments for inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and psoriasis.

Stroke-fighting drug offers potential treatment for traumatic brain injury Posted: 07 Oct 2014 07:34 AM PDT The only drug currently approved for treatment of stroke's crippling effects shows promise, when administered as a nasal spray, to help heal similar damage in less severe forms of traumatic brain injury. In the first examination of its kind, researchers found in animal studies that the brain's limited ability to repair itself after trauma can be enhanced when treated with the drug tPA, or tissue plasminogen activator.

Closing the gap: Extreme desert gecko spotted on salt-flats in central Oman Posted: 07 Oct 2014 07:34 AM PDT Two new records of the salt-flat specialist gecko, Pseudoceramodactylus khobarensis, from the eastern Rub Al Khali desert in Arabia have closed the distributional knowledge gap for this species, offering a better understanding of the diversity pattern of this extreme desert dweller across the Arabian Peninsula.

Sharing makes both good, bad experiences more intense Posted: 07 Oct 2014 07:34 AM PDT Undergoing an experience with another person -- even if we do it in silence, with someone we met just moments ago -- seems to intensify that experience, according to new research. The research shows that people who share experiences with another person rate those experiences as more pleasant or unpleasant than those who undergo the experience on their own.

Back off: Female chimps stressed out by competing suitors Posted: 07 Oct 2014 07:31 AM PDT Being the center of attention can have its drawbacks. For female chimpanzees, being around too many rowdy males is disadvantageous when foraging for food, an effect that can ultimately interfere with her reproductive ability.

Testosterone promotes prostate cancer in rats Posted: 07 Oct 2014 07:31 AM PDT A researcher who found that testosterone raised the risk of prostate tumors and exacerbated the effects of carcinogenic chemical exposure in rats is urging caution in prescribing testosterone therapy to men who have not been diagnosed with hypogonadism, according to a new study.

A warm dark matter search Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:24 AM PDT The XMASS collaboration has reported its latest results on the search for warm dark matter. Their results rule out the possibility that super-weakly interacting massive bosonic particles constitute all dark matter in the universe.

Sandwiches a major contributor to dietary sodium intake Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:24 AM PDT Sandwiches make up a substantial part of the American diet and are a significant contributor to daily energy and sodium intake. By closely analyzing data from an American nationwide dietary intake survey, a team of researchers found that on any given day 49 percent of US adults eat at least one sandwich, and sandwiches account for one-fifth of total daily sodium intake.

Computers turned into powerful allies in fight against AIDS Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:23 AM PDT The battle against AIDS cannot be won in the laboratory alone. To fight the potentially deadly virus that 34 million people are suffering from we need help from computers. Now research turns computers into powerful allies in the battle.

Probiotics protect children, pregnant women against heavy metal poisoning Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:23 AM PDT Yogurt containing probiotic bacteria successfully protected children and pregnant women against heavy metal exposure in a recent study. Canadian and Tanzanian researchers created and distributed a special yogurt containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus bacteria and observed the outcomes against a control group.

Coffee in the Genes? New genetic variants associated with coffee drinking Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:23 AM PDT A new, large-scale study has identified six new genetic variants associated with habitual coffee drinking. "Coffee and caffeine have been linked to beneficial and adverse health effects. Our findings may allow us to identify subgroups of people most likely to benefit from increasing or decreasing coffee consumption for optimal health," said the lead author of the study.

Rural hospitals replicate experiences of big city stroke care Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:23 AM PDT A new model for stroke care is being studied in rural Alberta to reduce inequities in health across communities. This model shows how hospitals in rural areas can mimic the type of care that's often only available in larger centers.

Stroke patients past 90-day danger period remain at high risk for repeat event Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:23 AM PDT People who have had a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA or mini-stroke) are at high risk for a second similar event or other serious medical problems for at least five years and need better follow up and strategies to prevent these problems, according to data.

MRI technique detects evidence of cognitive decline before symptoms appear Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:23 AM PDT A magnetic resonance imaging technique can detect signs of cognitive decline in the brain even before symptoms appear, according to a new study. The technique has the potential to serve as a biomarker in very early diagnosis of preclinical dementia.

Due to landscape fragmentation, Brazil's rainforests are releasing more carbon dioxide than previously thought Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:23 AM PDT Because of the deforestation of tropical rainforests in Brazil, significantly more carbon has been lost than was previously assumed. The effect of the degradation has been underestimated in fragmented forest areas, since it was hitherto not possible to calculate the loss of the biomass at the forest edges and the higher emission of carbon dioxide.

Adolescents with cerebral palsy report similar quality of life to their able-bodied peers Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:22 AM PDT Adolescents with cerebral palsy face multiple challenges, but they rate their quality of life (QoL) on a par with their able-bodied peers, according to new research reporting on how adolescents with cerebral palsy from nine European regions feel about life.

Plants: Stressed parents, stronger offspring Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:22 AM PDT In 2012 plant scientists at Lancaster were among the first in the world to publish data explaining how plants exposed to pests or disease can pass on their immunity to their seedlings, giving them an inherited advantage which can still be seen several generations down the line. Now new research will further investigate the complex biological mechanisms behind this process, which they believe has an epigenetic basis.

Molecule that protects women's eggs identified Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:22 AM PDT In order to be able to have a child, a woman needs eggs that can grow and mature. After fertilization, an embryo forms. During the maturation process, the egg goes through a number of stages of reductional division, called meiosis. If problems occur during any of these stages, the woman can become infertile. Researchers now discovered that the molecule Greatwall kinase is of great importance in order for the eggs of the female mouse to be able to complete the first phase and move on to the second meiotic division during the maturation of the egg.

Fundamentals of physics confirmed: Experiments testing Einstein's time dilation and quantum electrodynamics Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:22 AM PDT The special theory of relativity and quantum electrodynamics are two important fundamentals of modern physics. They have been experimentally verified many times already and both have passed all the tests so far. In recent experiments, researchers in Germany accelerated ions to velocities near the speed of light and illuminated them with a laser. The results confirm the time dilation predicted for high velocities in the theory of relativity with an accuracy that has never before been achieved.

World's first child born after uterus transplantation Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:21 AM PDT Seven Swedish women have had embryos reintroduced after receiving wombs from living donors. Now the first transplanted woman has delivered a baby – a healthy and normally developed boy.

Near-death experiences? Results of the world's largest medical study of the human mind and consciousness at time of death Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:21 AM PDT The results of a four-year international study of 2060 cardiac arrest cases across 15 hospitals concludes the following. The themes relating to the experience of death appear far broader than what has been understood so far, or what has been described as so called near-death experiences. In some cases of cardiac arrest, memories of visual awareness compatible with so called out-of-body experiences may correspond with actual events. A higher proportion of people may have vivid death experiences, but do not recall them due to the effects of brain injury or sedative drugs on memory circuits. Widely used yet scientifically imprecise terms such as near-death and out-of-body experiences may not be sufficient to describe the actual experience of death. The recalled experience surrounding death merits a genuine investigation without prejudice.

Printing in the hobby room: Paper-thin and touch-sensitive displays on various materials Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:21 AM PDT Until now, if you want to print a greeting card for a loved one, you can use colorful graphics, fancy typefaces or special paper to enhance it. But what if you could integrate paper-thin displays into the cards, which could be printed at home and which would be able to depict self-created symbols or even react to touch? Those only some of the options computer scientists can now offer. They have just developed an approach that in the future will enable laypeople to print displays in any desired shape on various materials and therefore could change everyday life completely.

Thyroid carcinoma: Biomarker reveals cancer cause Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:20 AM PDT The expression of the protein CLIP2 provides information on whether a papillary thyroid carcinoma was induced by radiation or had a sporadic origin. With this discovery, scientists have identified a new biomarker for the diagnosis of the cancer cause.

Non-coding half of human genome unlocked with novel sequencing technique Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:17 AM PDT An obscure swatch of human DNA once thought to be nothing more than biological trash may actually offer a treasure trove of insight into complex genetic-related diseases such as cancer and diabetes, thanks to a novel sequencing technique developed by biologists.

Getting the most out of aquaculture: Pearls of wisdom from farmed oysters Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:17 AM PDT Oysters were fit with biosensors in a new study to measure how they respond to changing environmental conditions or stressors on aquaculture farms. The results have implications for achieving and maintaining ideal conditions for targeted species in aquatic environments.

Talking to your car is often distracting Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:16 AM PDT Two new studies show that despite public belief to the contrary, hands-free, voice-controlled automobile infotainment systems can distract drivers, although it is possible to design them to be safer. Apple's Siri and Chevrolet's MyLink were most distracting, while Toyota's Entune was least distracting, the study showed.

Potty training before age two linked to increased risk of later wetting problems Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:16 AM PDT Children who start toilet training before age 2 have a three times higher risk of developing daytime wetting problems later, according to new research. Additionally, in the current study, early trainers were three times more likely to complain of constipation than normal trainers. "Almost all of the children who had wetting also had constipation," the authors noted.

Guidelines for clinical trials of Alzheimer's blood test Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:16 AM PDT Researchers have moved a step closer to making a simple blood test to detect early Alzheimer's disease available for screening older adults. The highly rigid guidelines will be used in research for blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and will ensure every lab is following the same protocol when collecting blood, researchers said.

2014 Nobel Prize in Physics: Invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes Posted: 07 Oct 2014 04:17 AM PDT The 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to Isamu Akasaki, of Meijo University in Nagoya and Nagoya University, Japan; Hiroshi Amano, of Nagoya University, Japan; and Shuji Nakamura of the University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA "for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources."

New technique allows scientists to find rare stem cells within bone marrow Posted: 06 Oct 2014 12:21 PM PDT A new technique to identify populations of rare stem cells in bone marrow has been found by scientists. Until now, there has been no good way to separate MSCs from bone marrow cells that have already begun to differentiate into other cell types, but share the same molecules on the cell surface. This may be one reason why research results vary among labs, and why stem-cell treatments now in clinical trials are not as effective as they could be, says the paper's senior author.

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