ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Tree frogs chill out to collect precious water
• Large meta-analysis finds new genes for type 1 diabetes
• Mechanism uncovered for the establishment of vertebrate left–right asymmetry
• Overweight mothers increase asthma risk for their children
• 'Alarm clock' gene explains wake-up function of biological clock
• Knockout of protein prevents colon tumor formation in mice
• Apply public trust doctrine to 'rescue' wildlife from politics
• Unprecedented insight into fighting viral infections
• Technique to control light from nanoparticles
• Space telescopes reveal secrets of turbulent black hole
• 'Superfast' muscles responsible for bat echolocation
• Promising drug treatment for improving language, social function in people with autism
• Orbital observations of Mercury reveal flood lavas, hollows, and unprecedented surface details
• Breakthrough in understanding white matter development
• New technique identifies first events in tumor development
• Scientists release most accurate simulation of the universe to date
• Scientists and engineers create the 'perfect plastic'
• If you're happy and you know it: Researchers trail Twitter to track world's mood swings
• Building better catalysts
• NASA space telescope finds fewer asteroids near Earth
• Researchers explain hormonal role in glucose and fat metabolism
• Cocaine users have 45 percent increased risk of glaucoma
• Powerful antibody-based strategy suggests a new therapeutic approach to diabetes and obesity
• Pressurized vascular systems for self-healing materials
• Hydrogen released to fuel cell more quickly when stored in metal nanoparticles
• Neuroscientists record novel responses to faces from single neurons in humans
• Red wine ingredient resveratrol stops breast cancer growth, study suggests
• New analysis confirms sharks are in trouble
• Redefining the kilogram and the ampere
• Single dose of 'magic mushrooms' hallucinogen may create lasting personality change, study suggests
• Koalas' bellows boast about size
• Stardust discovered in far-off planetary systems
• World's first energy-storage membrane devised

Tree frogs chill out to collect precious water Posted: 29 Sep 2011 02:17 PM PDT Australian green tree frogs survive the dry season with the help of the same phenomenon that fogs up eyeglasses in the winter, new research shows.

Large meta-analysis finds new genes for type 1 diabetes Posted: 29 Sep 2011 02:17 PM PDT The largest-ever analysis of genetic data related to type 1 diabetes has uncovered new genes associated with the common metabolic disease, which affects 200 million people worldwide. The findings add to knowledge of gene networks involved in the origin of this complex disorder, in which patients depend on frequent insulin injections to control their blood sugar levels.

Mechanism uncovered for the establishment of vertebrate left–right asymmetry Posted: 29 Sep 2011 02:16 PM PDT A research team has demonstrated a mechanism by which left--right asymmetry in the body is established and maintained. The study offers a new model of how families of genes interact to promote and direct body asymmetry.

Overweight mothers increase asthma risk for their children Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:19 PM PDT The children of mothers who overweight or obese when they become pregnant are more likely to have asthma or wheezing as teenagers according to a team of researchers.

'Alarm clock' gene explains wake-up function of biological clock Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:13 PM PDT Ever wondered why you wake up in the morning -- even when the alarm clock isn't making jarring noises? Wonder no more. Researchers have identified a new component of the biological clock, a gene responsible for starting the clock from its restful state every morning.

Knockout of protein prevents colon tumor formation in mice Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:13 PM PDT A protein that regulates differentiation in normal tissue may play a very different role in colon and breast cancer, activating proliferation of damaged cells, according to researchers.

Apply public trust doctrine to 'rescue' wildlife from politics Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:13 PM PDT When a species recovers enough to be removed from the federal endangered species list, the public trust doctrine -- the principle that government must conserve natural resources for the public good -- should guide state management of wildlife, scientists say.

Unprecedented insight into fighting viral infections Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:13 PM PDT Researchers have determined the structure of a protein that is the first line of defense in fighting viral infections including influenza, hepatitis C, West Nile, rabies and measles.

Technique to control light from nanoparticles Posted: 29 Sep 2011 01:13 PM PDT Chemists have discovered a way to use liquid crystals to control light scattered from gold nanorods. The researchers use voltage to sensitively manipulate the alignment of liquid crystal molecules that alternately block and reveal light from the particles; the gold nanorods collect and retransmit light in a specific direction.

Space telescopes reveal secrets of turbulent black hole Posted: 29 Sep 2011 12:53 PM PDT Supermassive black holes at the hearts of active galaxies swallow large amounts of gas. During this feast they spill a lot of their 'food', which is discharged in turbulent outbursts. An international team of astronomers has revealed some striking features of such an outburst around a supermassive black hole in a distant galaxy. They found a very hot 'convertor' corona hovering above the black hole and cold gas 'bullets' in hotter diffuse gas, speeding outwards with velocities up to 700 km/s.

'Superfast' muscles responsible for bat echolocation Posted: 29 Sep 2011 12:21 PM PDT As nocturnal animals, bats rely echolocation to navigate and hunt prey. By bouncing sound waves off objects, including the bugs that are their main diet, bats can produce an accurate representation of their environment in total darkness. Now, researchers at the University of Southern Denmark and the University of Pennsylvania have shown that this amazing ability is enabled by a physical trait never before seen in mammals: so-called "superfast" muscles.

Promising drug treatment for improving language, social function in people with autism Posted: 29 Sep 2011 12:20 PM PDT Researchers are examining the use of propranolol (a drug used to treat high blood pressure and control heart rate as well as to reduce test anxiety) to improve the primary traits associated with autism -- difficulty with normal social skills, language and repetitive behaviors. Researchers say the drug is a promising new avenue for improving language and social function.

Orbital observations of Mercury reveal flood lavas, hollows, and unprecedented surface details Posted: 29 Sep 2011 12:09 PM PDT After only six months in orbit around Mercury, NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft is sending back information that has revolutionized the way scientists think about the innermost planet. Analyses of new data from the spacecraft show, among other things, new evidence that flood volcanism has been widespread on Mercury, the first close-up views of Mercury's "hollows," the first direct measurements of the chemical composition of Mercury's surface, and the first global inventory of plasma ions within Mercury's space environment.

Breakthrough in understanding white matter development Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:47 AM PDT Through the identification of a gene's impact on a signaling pathway, scientists continue to make progress in understanding the mechanics of a key brain developmental process: growth and repair of white matter, known as myelination.

New technique identifies first events in tumor development Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:47 AM PDT A novel technique that enables scientists to measure and document tumor-inducing changes in DNA is providing new insight into the earliest events involved in the formation of leukemias, lymphomas and sarcomas, and could potentially lead to the discovery of ways to stop those events.

Scientists release most accurate simulation of the universe to date Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:46 AM PDT The Bolshoi supercomputer simulation, the most accurate and detailed large cosmological simulation run to date, gives physicists and astronomers a powerful new tool for understanding such cosmic mysteries as galaxy formation, dark matter, and dark energy.

Scientists and engineers create the 'perfect plastic' Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:46 AM PDT Researchers have solved a long-standing problem that could revolutionize the way new plastics are developed.

If you're happy and you know it: Researchers trail Twitter to track world's mood swings Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:46 AM PDT Using Twitter to monitor the attitudes of 2.4 million people in 84 countries, researchers found that people all over the world awaken in a good mood -- but globally that cheer soon deteriorates once the workday progresses.

Building better catalysts Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:46 AM PDT Chemists have developed a method to design and test new catalysts, which are substances that speed chemical reactions and are crucial for producing energy, chemicals and industrial products. By using the new method, the chemists also made a discovery that will make it easier to design future catalysts.

NASA space telescope finds fewer asteroids near Earth Posted: 29 Sep 2011 10:50 AM PDT New observations by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, show there are significantly fewer near-Earth asteroids in the mid-size range than previously thought. The findings also indicate NASA has found more than 90 percent of the largest near-Earth asteroids, meeting a goal agreed to with Congress in 1998.

Researchers explain hormonal role in glucose and fat metabolism Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:29 AM PDT Hormone researchers have their sights set on providing long-term treatment options for diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases by better understanding estradiol, the most potent naturally occurring estrogen. They now believe that this estrogen hormone is a prominent regulator of several body functions in both females and males.

Cocaine users have 45 percent increased risk of glaucoma Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:29 AM PDT A study of the 5.3 million men and women seen in Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinics in a one-year period found that use of cocaine is predictive of open-angle glaucoma, the most common type of glaucoma. Current and former cocaine users had a 45 percent increased risk of glaucoma.

Powerful antibody-based strategy suggests a new therapeutic approach to diabetes and obesity Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:29 AM PDT Scientists have devised a way to overcome one of the major technical obstacles preventing a leading therapeutic target for diabetes and obesity from being addressed successfully by novel drugs.

Pressurized vascular systems for self-healing materials Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:29 AM PDT Artificial microvascular systems for self-repair of materials damage, such as cracks in a coating applied to a building or bridge, have relied on capillary force for transport of the healing agents. Now, researchers have demonstrated that an active pumping capability for pressurized delivery of liquid healing agents in microvascular systems significantly improves the degree of healing compared with capillary force methods.

Hydrogen released to fuel cell more quickly when stored in metal nanoparticles Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:28 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated that the size of a metal alloy nanoparticle influences the speed with which hydrogen gas is released when stored in a metal hydride. The smaller the size of the nanoparticle, the greater the speed at which the hydrogen gas makes its way to the fuel cell.

Neuroscientists record novel responses to faces from single neurons in humans Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:27 AM PDT Responding to faces is a critical tool for social interactions between humans. Without the ability to read faces and their expressions, it would be hard to tell friends from strangers upon first glance. Now, neuroscientists have discovered a novel response to human faces by looking at recordings from brain cells in neurosurgical patients.

Red wine ingredient resveratrol stops breast cancer growth, study suggests Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:32 AM PDT New research shows that resveratrol, the "healthy" ingredient in red wine, stops breast cancer cells from growing by blocking the growth effects of estrogen. This discovery suggests for the first time that resveratrol is able to counteract malignant progression since it inhibits the proliferation of hormone resistant breast cancer cells. This has important implications for treatment of women with breast cancer whose tumors develop resistance to hormonal therapy.

New analysis confirms sharks are in trouble Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:30 AM PDT Sharks are in big trouble on the Great Barrier Reef and worldwide, according to an Australian-based team who have developed a world-first way to measure rates of decline in shark populations.

Redefining the kilogram and the ampere Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:42 AM PDT New research using graphene presents the most precise measurements of the quantum Hall effect ever made, one of the key steps in the process to redefine two Système Internationale d'unités (SI) units. New research is underpinning the biggest change in the SI Units since the system began 50 years ago.

Single dose of 'magic mushrooms' hallucinogen may create lasting personality change, study suggests Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:42 AM PDT A single high dose of the hallucinogen psilocybin, the active ingredient in so-called "magic mushrooms," was enough to bring about a measurable personality change lasting at least a year in nearly 60 percent of the participants in a new study, according to researchers.

Koalas' bellows boast about size Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:42 AM PDT Koalas are usually slothful until the mating season when they begin bellowing. Intrigued by the marsupial's strange sound, biologists decided to find out what messages the koalas' bellows may send and discovered that they are boasting about their size. The largest koalas produce deeper resonances than smaller males, and even the smallest males produce resonances that make them sound larger than a bison, which are 100 times their size.

Stardust discovered in far-off planetary systems Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:40 AM PDT Searching for extra-solar planets -- which are planets outside of our solar system -- is very popular these days. About 700 planets are known at the moment, a number that is continuously rising due to refined observational techniques. Astronomers have just made a remarkable discovery: they were able to establish proof of so-called debris discs around two stars. The debris discs are remnants of the formation of the planets.

World's first energy-storage membrane devised Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:40 AM PDT Performance of a novel membrane surpasses existing rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors, promising a low-cost, environmentally-friendly energy source. Electrical energy storage and its management is becoming an urgent issue due to climate change and energy shortage. Scientists have now developed a membrane that not only promises greater cost-effectiveness in delivering energy, but is also an environmentally-friendly solution.

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