ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Asymmetrical picture of the sun during magnetic field reversals
• History is key factor in plant disease virulence
• Fat outside of arteries may influence onset of coronary artery disease
• Mild winters are detrimental to butterflies
• Cancer therapies affect cognitive functioning among breast cancer survivors
• Single-neuron observations mark steps in Alzheimer's disease
• Cellular 'glue' resists breast cancer
• Most detailed maps yet of Africa's groundwater shows scattergun approach to borehole drilling likely to be unsuccessful
• Key genes that switch off with aging highlighted as potential targets for anti-aging therapies
• Computer-designed molecules point to new therapy for cystic fibrosis
• Modest alcohol consumption lowers risk of liver disease, study suggests
• Use of drug following first sign of possible multiple sclerosis reduces likelihood of progression to MS
• Cellular pathway linked to diabetes, heart disease

Asymmetrical picture of the sun during magnetic field reversals Posted: 21 Apr 2012 05:39 PM PDT Approximately every 11 years the magnetic field on the sun reverses completely -- the north magnetic pole switches to south, and vice versa. Now scientists highlight just how asymmetrical this process actually is.

History is key factor in plant disease virulence Posted: 21 Apr 2012 05:39 PM PDT The virulence of plant-borne diseases depends on not just the particular strain of a pathogen, but on where the pathogen has been before landing in its host, according to new research results.

Fat outside of arteries may influence onset of coronary artery disease Posted: 20 Apr 2012 09:39 AM PDT Researchers have confirmed that fat surrounding the outside of arteries in humans -- particularly the left coronary artery -- may influence the onset of coronary artery disease, or atherosclerosis, which is the leading cause of death in the US.

Mild winters are detrimental to butterflies Posted: 20 Apr 2012 09:38 AM PDT Mild winters, such as the one many of us just experienced, can be taxing for some butterfly or possibly other species.

Cancer therapies affect cognitive functioning among breast cancer survivors Posted: 20 Apr 2012 07:59 AM PDT Researchers have found that breast cancer survivors who have had chemotherapy, radiation or both do not perform as well on some cognitive tests as women who have not had cancer.

Single-neuron observations mark steps in Alzheimer's disease Posted: 20 Apr 2012 07:58 AM PDT Neuroscientists have observed correlations between increases in both soluble and plaque-forming beta-amyloid -- a protein implicated in the disease process -- and dysfunctional developments on several levels: individual cortical neurons, neuronal circuits, sensory cognition, and behavior. Their results show that these changes progress in parallel and that, together, they reveal distinct stages in Alzheimer's disease with a specific order in time.

Cellular 'glue' resists breast cancer Posted: 20 Apr 2012 07:55 AM PDT Early detection and advances in the treatment for breast cancer have improved the chances of survival, however new avenues for treatment are still needed in the battle against this disease. New research demonstrates that the protein Perp, associated with desmosomes (the glue that sticks cells together), is involved in suppressing breast cancer and provides a potential new target for future treatment.

Most detailed maps yet of Africa's groundwater shows scattergun approach to borehole drilling likely to be unsuccessful Posted: 20 Apr 2012 07:55 AM PDT A scattergun approach to borehole drilling in Africa is likely to be unsuccessful. This is the message from a group of researchers who have, for the first time, quantified the amount, and potential yield, of groundwater across the whole of Africa. They estimate the total volume of groundwater to be around 0.66 million km3 – more than 100 times the available surface freshwater on the continent – and hope that the assessment can inform plans to improve access to water in Africa, where 300 million people do not have access to safe drinking water.

Key genes that switch off with aging highlighted as potential targets for anti-aging therapies Posted: 19 Apr 2012 04:17 PM PDT Researchers have identified a group of "aging" genes that are switched on and off by natural mechanisms called epigenetic factors, influencing the rate of healthy aging and potential longevity.

Computer-designed molecules point to new therapy for cystic fibrosis Posted: 19 Apr 2012 04:17 PM PDT By developing software that uses 3-D models of proteins involved in cystic fibrosis, a team of scientists has identified several new molecules that may ease the symptoms of the disease.

Modest alcohol consumption lowers risk of liver disease, study suggests Posted: 19 Apr 2012 01:24 PM PDT People with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD) who consume alcohol in modest amounts – no more than one or two servings per day – are half as likely to develop hepatitis as non-drinkers with the same condition, report scientists.

Use of drug following first sign of possible multiple sclerosis reduces likelihood of progression to MS Posted: 19 Apr 2012 01:23 PM PDT People who received injections of the multiple sclerosis (MS) drug interferon beta-1a soon after their first signs of possible MS were less likely to progress to clinically definite MS than people who switched to interferon beta-1a from placebo, according to new phase three results of the three-year REFLEXION clinical trial.

Cellular pathway linked to diabetes, heart disease Posted: 19 Apr 2012 10:26 AM PDT Cardiac researchers have found that a certain cellular pathway is linked to obesity-related disorders, like diabetes, heart disease and fatty liver disease.

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