ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Santa Ana Watershed study completed
• First in-human trial of endoxifen shows promise as breast cancer treatment
• From friend to foe: How benign bacteria evolve into virulent pathogens
• Programming smart molecules: Machine-learning algorithms could make chemical reactions intelligent
• Medical mystery solved
• Keeping the lights on: New way to predict cascading power outages
• Bonefish spawning behavior in Bahamas surprising, may aid conservation
• Sniffing out danger: Fearful memories can trigger heightened sense of smell
• Aquatic comb jelly floats into new evolutionary position
• Noble gas molecule discovered in space
• Speeding up gene discovery
• Scientists discover double meaning in genetic code
• Revolutionizing solar energy: Quantum waves found at the heart of organic solar cells
• Rapid evolution of novel forms: Environmental change triggers inborn capacity for adaptation
• Graphene-based nano-antennas may enable networks of tiny machines
• Smashing science: Scientists discover how explosives respond to shockwaves
• Tooth structure and wear provide clues to ecology and evolution of ancient marine creatures
• Physicists provide answers for predicted behavior in relaxors: Thin films studied used in electronic devices
• Fast radio bursts might come from nearby stars
• Light and sound fire scientists' imaginations
• How bats took over the night
• Diabetes drugs affect hearts of men, women differently
• Surprise: Duck-billed dinosaurs had fleshy 'cocks comb'
• Partially blocking blood vessels' energy source may stop cancer growth, blindness, other conditions
• Combining mutants results in 5-fold lifespan extension in C. elegans
• Neuroscience method of optogenetics as good as electrical stimulation
• First step of metastasis halted in mice with breast cancer
• Salmonella jams signals from bacteria-fighting mast cells
• Hubble Space Telescope sees evidence of water vapor venting off Jupiter moon
• Study of rodent family tree puts brakes on commonly held understanding of evolution
• Stealth maneuver allows nectar bats to target insect prey
• Collapse of the universe is closer than ever before
• New species of horse, 4.4 million years old
• A penguin's tale: Diet linked to breeding failure
• Asia Pacific must prepare for catastrophic increase in fragility fractures
• Variety of genetic risk behind bone cancer in dogs
• Scientists map food security, self-provision of major cities
• Open Access Article on Biological Effects of the Popular Artificial Sweetener Sucralose
• Suicidality test being brought to market
• Revolutionary method for gluing gels and biological tissues
• Blood can transmit Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• New study shows link between perfluorinated compounds, diabetes
• Better protection for mangroves with models for successful seedling establishment
• Brain structure shows affinity with numbers
• Controlling PCs and tablets with hand movements
• What the past tells us about modern sea-level rise
• Novel bio-inspired method to grow high-quality graphene for high-end electronic devices
• Environment drives genetics in 'Evolution Canyon': Discovery sheds light on climate change
• Report urges new innovation to address global traffic deaths
• Sleep-deprived mice show connection with diabetes, age

Santa Ana Watershed study completed Posted: 12 Dec 2013 03:58 PM PST The Santa Ana River Watershed Basin Study, which addresses water supply and demand projections for the next 50 years and identifies potential climate change impacts to Southern California's Santa Ana River Watershed, has been released. This study is a first of its kind for the predominately urban basin. It encompasses approximately 2,600 square miles in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties and is home to more than 6 million residents.

First in-human trial of endoxifen shows promise as breast cancer treatment Posted: 12 Dec 2013 03:58 PM PST A Phase I trial of endoxifen, an active metabolite of the cancer drug tamoxifen, indicates that the experimental drug is safe, with early evidence for anti-tumor activity, a study has found. The findings indicate that Z-endoxifen may provide a new and better treatment for some women with estrogen positive breast cancer and, in particular, for those women who do not respond to tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors.

From friend to foe: How benign bacteria evolve into virulent pathogens Posted: 12 Dec 2013 03:58 PM PST Bacteria can evolve rapidly to adapt to environmental change. When the "environment" is the immune response of an infected host, this evolution can turn harmless bacteria into life-threatening pathogens. A new study provides insight into how this happens.

Programming smart molecules: Machine-learning algorithms could make chemical reactions intelligent Posted: 12 Dec 2013 01:03 PM PST Computer scientists have shown that an important class of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms could be implemented using chemical reactions. In the long term, they say, such theoretical developments could open the door for "smart drugs" that can automatically detect, diagnose, and treat a variety of diseases using a cocktail of chemicals that can perform AI-type reasoning.

Medical mystery solved Posted: 12 Dec 2013 01:03 PM PST An international team has identified a new disease related to NKH, a finding that resolves previously baffling cases, including the death of a Colorado girl.

Keeping the lights on: New way to predict cascading power outages Posted: 12 Dec 2013 01:03 PM PST A method of assessing the stability of large-scale power grids in real time could bring the world closer to its goal of producing and utilizing a smart grid. The algorithmic approach can predict future massive instabilities in the power grid and make power outages a thing of the past.

Bonefish spawning behavior in Bahamas surprising, may aid conservation Posted: 12 Dec 2013 01:03 PM PST Bonefish, sometimes called the gray ghost, are among the most elusive and highly prized quarry of recreational anglers in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas and similar tropical habitats around the world. Now a research team has documented rarely seen pre-spawning behavior in bonefish, which should aid future conservation efforts.

Sniffing out danger: Fearful memories can trigger heightened sense of smell Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:22 AM PST Neuroscientists studying the olfactory -- sense of smell -- system in mice have discovered that fear reaction can occur at the sensory level, even before the brain has the opportunity to interpret that the odor could mean trouble.

Aquatic comb jelly floats into new evolutionary position Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:21 AM PST In a study that compares the genomes of aquatic life forms, researchers have found evidence to shuffle the branches of the tree of life. The cornerstone of the study is the researchers' sequencing, assembly, annotation and analysis of the genome of Mnemiopsis leidyi, a comb jelly native to the coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.

Noble gas molecule discovered in space Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:21 AM PST A molecule containing a noble gas has been discovered in space. The molecule, argon hydride, was seen in the Crab Nebula, the remains of a star that exploded 1,000 years ago.

Speeding up gene discovery Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:21 AM PST Researchers develop a new gene-editing system that enables large-scale studies of gene function.

Scientists discover double meaning in genetic code Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:21 AM PST Scientists have discovered a second code hiding within DNA. The second code contains information that changes how scientists read the instructions contained in DNA and interpret mutations to make sense of health and disease. Genomes use the genetic code to write two separate languages. One describes how proteins are made, and the other instructs the cell on how genes are controlled. One language is written on top of the other.

Revolutionizing solar energy: Quantum waves found at the heart of organic solar cells Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:20 AM PST Researchers have been able to tune 'coherence' in organic nanostructures due to the surprise discovery of wavelike electrons in organic materials, revealing the key to generating "long-lived charges" in organic solar cells - material that could revolutionize solar energy.

Rapid evolution of novel forms: Environmental change triggers inborn capacity for adaptation Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:19 AM PST In the classical view of evolution, species experience spontaneous genetic mutations that produce various novel traits—some helpful, some detrimental. Nature then selects for those most beneficial, passing them along to subsequent generations. It's an elegant model. It's also an extremely time-consuming process likely to fail organisms needing to cope with sudden, potentially life-threatening changes in their environments. Scientists now report that, at least in the case of one variety of cavefish, one agent of evolutionary change is the heat shock protein known as HSP90.

Graphene-based nano-antennas may enable networks of tiny machines Posted: 12 Dec 2013 10:25 AM PST By taking advantage of the unique electronic properties of the material known as graphene, researchers now believe they're on track to connect networks of nanomachines powered by small amounts of scavenged energy.

Smashing science: Scientists discover how explosives respond to shockwaves Posted: 12 Dec 2013 10:25 AM PST Researchers have combined ultrafast time-resolved experimental measurements with theory to reveal how an explosive responds to a high-impact shock.

Tooth structure and wear provide clues to ecology and evolution of ancient marine creatures Posted: 12 Dec 2013 10:24 AM PST New studies shed light on ancient creatures' dental structure and wear -- and how these unique characteristics helped them live and adapt to their environments.

Physicists provide answers for predicted behavior in relaxors: Thin films studied used in electronic devices Posted: 12 Dec 2013 10:23 AM PST New research shows that behavior can be predicted and understood in thin films made of materials called relaxors, which can be used in electronic devices.

Fast radio bursts might come from nearby stars Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:34 AM PST First discovered in 2007, "fast radio bursts" continue to defy explanation. These cosmic chirps last for only a thousandth of a second. The characteristics of the radio pulses suggested that they came from galaxies billions of light-years away. However, new work points to a much closer origin -- flaring stars within our own galaxy.

Light and sound fire scientists' imaginations Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:33 AM PST The state of the art in photonics, phononics and phoXonics is discussed in a new open-access review.

How bats took over the night Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:33 AM PST Blessed with the power of echolocation -- reflected sound -- bats rule the night skies. And while it seems that echolocation works together with normal vision to give bats an evolutionary edge, nobody knows exactly how. Now research suggests that bats use vision to keep track of where they're going and echolocation to hunt tiny insects that most nocturnal predators can't see. The findings add to scientific understanding of sensory evolution.

Diabetes drugs affect hearts of men, women differently Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:33 AM PST Widely used treatments for type 2 diabetes have different effects on the hearts of men and women, even as the drugs control blood sugar equally well in both sexes, according to researchers. The investigators used PET scans to measure heart and whole-body metabolism in patients taking common diabetes drugs.

Surprise: Duck-billed dinosaurs had fleshy 'cocks comb' Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:33 AM PST A rare, mummified specimen of the duck-billed dinosaur Edmontosauraus regalis shows for the first time that those dinosaurs' heads were adorned with a fleshy comb, most similar to the roosters' red crest.

Partially blocking blood vessels' energy source may stop cancer growth, blindness, other conditions Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:33 AM PST Inhibiting the formation of new blood vessels is a common strategy for treating a range of conditions such as cancer, inflammatory diseases, and age-related macular degeneration. Unfortunately, drug inefficiency, resistance, and relapse have limited the success of this approach. Now new research reveals that targeting the metabolism of blood vessels may be a way around these shortcomings.

Combining mutants results in 5-fold lifespan extension in C. elegans Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:33 AM PST What are the limits to longevity? Scientists combined mutations in two pathways well-known for lifespan extension and report a synergistic five-fold lifespan extension in the nematode C. elegans. The worms lived to the human equivalent of 400 to 500 years. The research introduces the possibility of combination therapy for aging and could help explain why scientists are having a difficult time identifying single genes responsible for long lives in human centenarians.

Neuroscience method of optogenetics as good as electrical stimulation Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:33 AM PST Researchers have shown that optogenetics -- a technique that uses pulses of visible light to alter the behavior of brain cells -- can be as good as or possibly better than the older technique of using small bursts of electrical current. Optogenetics had been used in small rodent models. Research has shown that optogenetics works effectively in larger, more complex brains.

First step of metastasis halted in mice with breast cancer Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:32 AM PST Cell biologists have identified a unique class of breast cancer cells that lead the process of invasion into surrounding tissues. Because invasion is the first step in the deadly process of cancer metastasis, the researchers say they may have found a weak link in cancer's armor and a possible new target for therapy.

Salmonella jams signals from bacteria-fighting mast cells Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:32 AM PST A protein in Salmonella inactivates mast cells -- critical players in the body's fight against bacteria and other pathogens -- rendering them unable to protect against bacterial spread in the body, according to researchers.

Hubble Space Telescope sees evidence of water vapor venting off Jupiter moon Posted: 12 Dec 2013 08:33 AM PST NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has observed water vapor above the frigid south polar region of Jupiter's moon Europa, providing the first strong evidence of water plumes erupting off the moon's surface. Previous scientific findings from other sources already point to the existence of an ocean located under Europa's icy crust. Researchers are not yet fully certain whether the detected water vapor is generated by erupting water plumes on the surface, but they are confident this is the most likely explanation.

Study of rodent family tree puts brakes on commonly held understanding of evolution Posted: 12 Dec 2013 08:30 AM PST Rodents can tell us a lot about the way species evolve after they move into new areas, according to a new and exceptionally broad study.

Stealth maneuver allows nectar bats to target insect prey Posted: 12 Dec 2013 08:30 AM PST A nectar-feeding bat that was thought to eat insects in passing has been discovered to target its moving prey with stealth precision, according to new research.

Collapse of the universe is closer than ever before Posted: 12 Dec 2013 08:30 AM PST Maybe it happens tomorrow. Maybe in a billion years. Physicists have long predicted that the universe may one day collapse, and that everything in it will be compressed to a small hard ball. New calculations now confirm this prediction -- and they also conclude that the risk of a collapse is even greater than previously thought.

New species of horse, 4.4 million years old Posted: 12 Dec 2013 08:30 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new species of fossil horse from 4.4 million-year-old fossil-rich deposits in Ethiopia. About the size of a small zebra, Eurygnathohippus woldegabrieli had three-toed hooves and grazed the grasslands and shrubby woods in the Afar Region.

A penguin's tale: Diet linked to breeding failure Posted: 12 Dec 2013 07:33 AM PST A study on a Victorian penguin colony has revealed new insight into the link between seabird diet and breeding success.

Asia Pacific must prepare for catastrophic increase in fragility fractures Posted: 12 Dec 2013 07:01 AM PST A new report shows that osteoporosis is a serious problem throughout the Asia Pacific, with the number of fracture sufferers to rise dramatically in the coming decades. The report provides new and updated information and data about the status and epidemiology of osteoporosis in the region.

Variety of genetic risk behind bone cancer in dogs Posted: 12 Dec 2013 07:01 AM PST Bone cancer in dogs is affected by a variety of genetic risk factors. Researchers have discussed these variabilities in a new study published.

Scientists map food security, self-provision of major cities Posted: 12 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST Wealthy capital cities vary greatly in their dependence on the global food market. The Australian capital Canberra produces the majority of its most common food in its regional hinterland, while Tokyo primarily ensures its food security through import. The Copenhagen hinterland produces less than half of the consumption of the most common foods. For the first time, researchers have mapped the food systems of capital cities, an essential insight for future food security.

Open Access Article on Biological Effects of the Popular Artificial Sweetener Sucralose Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:59 AM PST The artificial sweetener sucralose is a biologically active compound according to an extensive review.

Suicidality test being brought to market Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:58 AM PST A new test should help doctors to decrease the risk of suicidality in patients treated with antidepressants who show certain gene markers. Researchers plan to launch the test immediately as a laboratory developed test. In addition, clinical studies in support of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration submission for market clearance, CE marking and reimbursement will be initiated.

Revolutionary method for gluing gels and biological tissues Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:56 AM PST Researchers have discovered an efficient and easy-to-use method for bonding together gels and biological tissues. Medical researchers have succeeded in obtaining very strong adhesion between two gels by spreading on their surface a solution containing nanoparticles. Until now, there was no entirely satisfactory method of obtaining adhesion between two gels or two biological tissues.

Blood can transmit Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:56 AM PST Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare but fatal disease in humans. For the first time, the presence of infectivity in the blood of patients affected by sporadic and the new variant of CJD has been established by scientists. Complementary investigations are underway, but the available results support the contention that CJD might be transmitted by blood transfusion and/or the use of blood derived products.

New study shows link between perfluorinated compounds, diabetes Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:56 AM PST Perfluorinated compounds are environmental toxins that are found in fire extinguishing foam and water-repellent textiles, among other items. In a new study, a research team has seen links between high levels of perfluorinated compounds in the blood and diabetes. The research group has previously shown associations between high levels of environmental toxins, such as PCB, pesticides, and phthalates and diabetes.

Better protection for mangroves with models for successful seedling establishment Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:55 AM PST Seedlings of mangroves do not have an easy time to get established. Many forces of nature work against their anchorage in the soil. Human intervention in coastal areas and climate change also make life difficult for mangrove seedlings.

Brain structure shows affinity with numbers Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:55 AM PST The structure of the brain shows the way in which we process numbers. People either do this spatially or non-spatially. A study shows for the first time that these individual differences have a structural basis in the brain.

Controlling PCs and tablets with hand movements Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:55 AM PST Scientists are working to develop interaction between themselves and mobiles/ iPads - which does not require touching the display. They have been able to scroll through pages for some time. Now they are working on selecting and moving objects, or saying stop by raising a hand.

What the past tells us about modern sea-level rise Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:55 AM PST Researchers report that sea-level rise since the industrial revolution has been fast by natural standards and - at current rates - may reach 80cm above the modern level by 2100 and 2.5 meters by 2200. The team used geological evidence of the past few million years to derive a background pattern of natural sea-level rise. This was compared with historical tide-gauge and satellite observations of sea-level change for the 'global warming' period, since the industrial revolution.

Novel bio-inspired method to grow high-quality graphene for high-end electronic devices Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:49 AM PST Researchers have successfully developed an innovative one-step method to grow and transfer high-quality graphene on silicon and other stiff substrates, opening up opportunities for graphene to be used in high-value applications that are currently not technologically feasible.

Environment drives genetics in 'Evolution Canyon': Discovery sheds light on climate change Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:49 AM PST Researchers studying life from a unique natural environment in Israel discover heat stress seems to influence a species' genetic makeup, a finding that may influence understanding of climate change.

Report urges new innovation to address global traffic deaths Posted: 11 Dec 2013 03:52 PM PST New report has been developed to address global traffic deaths, and urges new innovation to address the problem.

Sleep-deprived mice show connection with diabetes, age Posted: 11 Dec 2013 03:52 PM PST For the first time, researchers describe the effect of sleep deprivation on the unfolded protein response in peripheral tissue. Stress in pancreatic cells due to sleep deprivation may contribute to the loss or dysfunction of cells important to maintaining proper blood sugar levels, and that these functions may be exacerbated by normal aging. The combined effect of aging and sleep deprivation resulted in a loss of control of blood sugar, somewhat like pre-diabetes in mice.

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