ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Neural stem cell transplant may tackle diabetes
• Astronomers find elusive planets in decade-old Hubble data
• Marijuana use may double the risk of accidents for drivers, study finds
• Genetic makeup affects testosterone concentrations in men
• Decade of effort yields diabetes susceptibility gene
• Ionic liquid catalyst helps turn emissions into fuel
• Archaeologist argues world's oldest temples were not temples at all
• Mine-hunting software helping doctors to identify rare cells in human cancer
• Preschool program improves standardized test scores through grade 5
• Southern California's tectonic plates revealed in detail
• Scientists identify cause of severe hypoglycemia
• Plants may have the genetic flexibility to respond to climate change
• Crab pulsar beams most energetic gamma rays ever detected from a pulsar
• New software models immune responses
• Changes in brain function in early HIV infection: A reliable indicator of disease prognosis?
• Expression of pluripotency-associated gene marks many types of adult stem cells
• Nuclear receptors battle it out during metamorphosis in new fruit fly model
• Scientists find stem cell reprogramming technique is safer than previously thought
• Is chivalry the norm for insects?
• Biochemists identify how tissue cells detect and perfect
• Hold the phone for vital signs: Researchers turn a smart phone into a medical monitor
• Supersaturated water vapor in Martian atmosphere
• 'Genetic biopsy' of human eggs might help pick the best for IVF
• Young and thin instead of old and bulky: Researchers report on changes in Arctic sea ice after return of research vessel Polarstern
• Dioxin-like chemical messenger makes brain tumors more aggressive
• New oral drug found to reduce relapses in multiple sclerosis patients
• Living species of aquatic beetle found in 20-million-year-old sediments
• Patient-specific stem cells: Major step toward cell-based therapies for life-threatening diseases
• How fair sanctions are orchestrated in the brain
• Venus has an ozone layer too, space probe discovers
• Increasingly precise data on radiation reflected from the Arctic sea area
• Everest expedition suggests nitric oxide benefits for intensive care patients
• Aggression-boldness gene identified in model fish
• Australia's endangered bettong reveals how weather effects species distribution
• Series of bumps sent Uranus into its sideways spin, new research suggests
• A new species of 'gigantic' mollusc has been discovered in the Antarctic waters
• Why climate models underestimated Arctic sea ice retreat: No Arctic sea ice in summer by end of century?
• Residual damage after heart attack no longer inevitable
• Krypton Hall effect thruster for spacecraft propulsion
• Invasive melanoma may be more likely in children than adults

Neural stem cell transplant may tackle diabetes Posted: 06 Oct 2011 04:38 PM PDT Researchers in Japan have discovered how a patient's neural stem cells could be used as an alternative source of the beta cells needed for a regenerative treatment for diabetes. The research reveals how harvesting stem cells could overcome a lack of beta cell transplants from donors.

Astronomers find elusive planets in decade-old Hubble data Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:36 PM PDT In a painstaking re-analysis of Hubble Space Telescope images from 1998, astronomers have found visual evidence for two extrasolar planets that went undetected back then. Finding these hidden gems in the Hubble archive gives astronomers an invaluable time machine for comparing much earlier planet orbital motion data to more recent observations. It also demonstrates a novel approach for planet hunting in archival Hubble data.

Marijuana use may double the risk of accidents for drivers, study finds Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Researchers have found that drivers who test positive for marijuana or report driving within three hours of marijuana use are more than twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in motor vehicle crashes. The researchers also found evidence that crash risk increases with the concentration of marijuana-produced compounds in the urine and the frequency of self-reported marijuana use.

Genetic makeup affects testosterone concentrations in men Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Genetics play an important role in the variation in, and risk of, low testosterone concentrations in men. Scientists have just completed the first genome-wide association study to examine the effects of common genetic variants on serum testosterone concentrations in men.

Decade of effort yields diabetes susceptibility gene Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Ten years of meticulous mouse breeding, screening, and record-keeping have finally paid off for researchers who have identified a diabetes susceptibility gene.

Ionic liquid catalyst helps turn emissions into fuel Posted: 06 Oct 2011 01:25 PM PDT Scientists have overcome one major obstacle to artificial photosynthesis, a promising technology that simultaneously reduces atmospheric carbon dioxide and produces fuel. They have now used an ionic liquid to catalyze the conversion of CO2 to CO, the first step in making fuel, greatly reducing the energy required to drive the process.

Archaeologist argues world's oldest temples were not temples at all Posted: 06 Oct 2011 01:25 PM PDT Ancient structures uncovered in Turkey and thought to be the world's oldest temples may not have been strictly religious buildings after all, according to a new article. Archaeologists argue that the buildings found at Gobekli Tepe may have been houses for people, not the gods.

Mine-hunting software helping doctors to identify rare cells in human cancer Posted: 06 Oct 2011 12:33 PM PDT Medical researchers are demonstrating new software developed for finding and recognizing undersea mines can help doctors identify cancer-related cells. The problem that physicians encounter in analyzing human cell images is similar to the Navy's challenge of finding undersea mines. Doctors must sift through hundreds of microscopic images containing millions of cells. To pinpoint specific cells, they use automated image analysis software called FARSIGHT, or Fluorescence Association Rules for Quantitative Insight.

Preschool program improves standardized test scores through grade 5 Posted: 06 Oct 2011 12:33 PM PDT Continued participation in the Harrisburg Preschool Program has led fifth-grade students to score higher on Pennsylvania System of School Assessment literacy and math tests than peers who have not participated in the HPP program, according to the final evaluation of the HPP initiative.

Southern California's tectonic plates revealed in detail Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:14 AM PDT Geologists have produced the most detailed picture of southern California's lithosphere, which is crucial to understanding the geological forces that shaped the area. The team found the lithosphere's thickness differs markedly throughout, yielding new insights into how rifting shaped the southern California terrain.

Scientists identify cause of severe hypoglycemia Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:14 AM PDT Scientists have identified the cause of a rare, life-threatening form of hypoglycemia. Their findings have the potential to lead to pharmaceutical treatments for the disorder.

Plants may have the genetic flexibility to respond to climate change Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:14 AM PDT Plants may have the genetic flexibility to respond to climate change. In experiments with the common European plant Arabidopsis thaliana, scientists have learned that climate is the agent that determines the suite of genes that gives the plant the best chance of surviving and reproducing throughout its natural range. The finding may unlock the molecular basis for other plants' adaptability to climate change.

Crab pulsar beams most energetic gamma rays ever detected from a pulsar Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:13 AM PDT Astrophysicists have detected pulsed gamma-ray emission from the Crab pulsar at energies far beyond what current theoretical models of pulsars can explain. With energies exceeding 100 billion electron-volts (100 GeV), the surprising gamma-ray pulses were detected by the VERITAS telescope array.

New software models immune responses Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:29 AM PDT New software lets researchers see how the immune system responds to pathogens that invade the bacteria-rich environment of the gut.

Changes in brain function in early HIV infection: A reliable indicator of disease prognosis? Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:29 AM PDT Measurable changes in brain function and communication between brain regions may be a consequence of virus-induced injury during the early stages of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. These abnormalities and their implications in disease prognosis are detailed in a new article.

Expression of pluripotency-associated gene marks many types of adult stem cells Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Investigators have found that Sox2 -- one of the transcription factors used in the conversion of adult stem cells into induced pluripotent stem cells -- is expressed in many adult tissues where it had not been previously observed and that Sox2-expressing cells in those tissues are true adult stem cells that can give rise to all mature cell types in those tissues.

Nuclear receptors battle it out during metamorphosis in new fruit fly model Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Growing up just got more complicated. Biochemistry researchers have shown for the first time that the receptor for a major insect molting hormone doesn't activate and repress genes as once thought. In fact, it only activates genes, and it is out-competed by a heme-binding receptor to repress the same genes during the larval to pupal transition in the fruit fly.

Scientists find stem cell reprogramming technique is safer than previously thought Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Stem cells made by reprogramming patients' own cells might one day be used as therapies for a host of diseases, but scientists have feared that dangerous mutations within these cells might be caused by current reprogramming techniques. A sophisticated new analysis of stem cells' DNA finds that such fears may be unwarranted.

Is chivalry the norm for insects? Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT The long-standing consensus of why insects stick together after mating has been turned on its head. This study shows that, contrary to previous thinking, females benefit from this arrangement just as much as males. Instead of dominating their female partners through bullying and aggressive behavior, males were revealed to be protective, even laying their lives on the line when their mates faced danger.

Biochemists identify how tissue cells detect and perfect Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Scientists have discovered how cells detect tissue damage and modify their repair properties accordingly. The findings could open up new opportunities for improving tissue repair in patients following illness or surgery.

Hold the phone for vital signs: Researchers turn a smart phone into a medical monitor Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:36 AM PDT Researchers are turning smartphones into sophisticated medical monitors able to capture and transmit vital physiological data. The team has already developed an app that measures heart rate, heart rhythm, respiration rate, and blood oxygen saturation using the phone's built-in video camera.

Supersaturated water vapor in Martian atmosphere Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:34 AM PDT Analysis of data collected by the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft leaves no room for doubt: the Martian atmosphere of contains water vapor in a supersaturated state. This surprising finding will enable scientists to better understand the water cycle on Mars, as well as the evolution of its atmosphere.

'Genetic biopsy' of human eggs might help pick the best for IVF Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:26 AM PDT Researchers have developed a way to extract information about gene expression from fertile human egg cells without hurting them. Expendable "polar bodies" in the cells reflect much the same information as the eggs themselves, researchers have determined.

Young and thin instead of old and bulky: Researchers report on changes in Arctic sea ice after return of research vessel Polarstern Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:26 AM PDT In the central Arctic the proportion of old, thick sea ice has declined significantly. Instead, the ice cover now largely consists of thin, one-year-old floes. This is one of the results that scientists brought back from the 26th Arctic expedition of the research vessel Polarstern.

Dioxin-like chemical messenger makes brain tumors more aggressive Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:26 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new metabolic pathway which makes malignant brain tumors more aggressive and weakens patients' immune systems. Using drugs to inhibit this metabolic pathway is a new approach in cancer treatment.

New oral drug found to reduce relapses in multiple sclerosis patients Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:48 AM PDT A new oral drug has been shown in a large international clinical trial to significantly reduce the relapse rate of people with multiple sclerosis and to slow the progression of the disease.

Living species of aquatic beetle found in 20-million-year-old sediments Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:48 AM PDT A study of an Early Miocene fossil from southern Siberia performed by an international team of researchers led to the surprising find that the fossil belongs to a species of aquatic beetles which is still alive today and widely distributed in Eurasia.

Patient-specific stem cells: Major step toward cell-based therapies for life-threatening diseases Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT A team of scientists has made an important advance in the development of patient-specific stem cells that could impact the study and treatment of diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's. For the first time, the scientists have derived embryonic stem cells from individual patients by adding the nuclei of adult skin cells from patients with type 1 diabetes to unfertilized donor oocytes.

How fair sanctions are orchestrated in the brain Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:53 AM PDT Scientists reveal that two frontal regions of the brain need to interact with one another when people punish unfair partners at their own expense. Neuroscientists and economists combined a brain stimulation method with a method for measuring brain activity in order to explore this neuronal network. The new findings could also be significant for therapeutic use in psychiatric and forensic patients.

Venus has an ozone layer too, space probe discovers Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:53 AM PDT The European Space Agency's Venus Express spacecraft has discovered an ozone layer high in the atmosphere of Venus. Comparing its properties with those of the equivalent layers on Earth and Mars will help astronomers refine their searches for life on other planets.

Increasingly precise data on radiation reflected from the Arctic sea area Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:53 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new, globally unique method for estimating surface albedo in the Arctic sea area solely on the basis of microwave data. Its advantage over conventional optical methods is that neither clouds nor darkness interfere with measurements.

Everest expedition suggests nitric oxide benefits for intensive care patients Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:43 AM PDT New shows how research from an Everest expedition looking at the affect of altitude on the body could herald a change in emergency treatment for patients suffering from hypoxia.

Aggression-boldness gene identified in model fish Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:42 AM PDT A gene responsible for aggressive and bold behavior has been identified in zebrafish. This specific behavioral association, whose three characteristics are boldness, exploratory behavior and aggressiveness, has been described in many animal species. In zebrafish, it could be due to the action of a single gene (fgfr-1) through its regulation of histamine levels in the brain, as histamine is the neurotransmitter involved in numerous behavioral traits.

Australia's endangered bettong reveals how weather effects species distribution Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:42 AM PDT Australian scientists studying the reliability of species distribution models for revealing the response of animals to climate change have focused their research on the endangered marsupial, the Northern Bettong. The research demonstrates that studying weather events, rather than the gradual changes of the climate, offers a clearer insight into the Bettong's movements, range boundaries and likely contact with competitors.

Series of bumps sent Uranus into its sideways spin, new research suggests Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:42 AM PDT Uranus' highly tilted axis makes it something of an oddball in our solar system. The accepted wisdom is that Uranus was knocked on its side by a single large impact, but new research rewrites our theories of how Uranus became so tilted and also solves fresh mysteries about the position and orbits of its moons.

A new species of 'gigantic' mollusc has been discovered in the Antarctic waters Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:42 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a rare mollusc in Antarctic waters that looks the same as limpets but is bigger in size than the species known to date. The specimen appeared in waters much further away from where this type of species is normally found.

Why climate models underestimated Arctic sea ice retreat: No Arctic sea ice in summer by end of century? Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:40 AM PDT In recent decades, Arctic sea ice has suffered a dramatic decline that exceeds climate model predictions. The unexpected rate of ice shrinkage has now been explained. Researchers argue that climate models underestimate the rate of ice thinning, which is actually about four times faster than calculations. This model bias is due to the poor representation of the sea ice southward drift out of the Arctic basin through the Fram Strait. When this mechanism was taken into account to correct the discrepancy between simulations and observations, results from the new model suggested that there will be no Arctic sea ice in summer by the end of the century.

Residual damage after heart attack no longer inevitable Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:40 AM PDT A new treatment could revolutionize the treatment of patients after a heart attack. Medical researchers have developed a protein solution which can be used to reduce the scarring of tissue caused by inflammation after a heart attack.

Krypton Hall effect thruster for spacecraft propulsion Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:40 AM PDT Electric propulsion (EP) is the future of astronautics. It can already compete successfully with chemical thrusters, especially for attitude control, orbit transfer and/or orbital station-keeping as well as for the main propulsion system for deep space missions. However, xenon, the propellant of choice in most EP devices, has a substantial drawback: its cost is very high. On the basis of the experience with plasma jet accelerators, a team of scientists and engineers from Poland has designed the Hall effect thruster optimised to work with krypton, a much more affordable noble gas.

Invasive melanoma may be more likely in children than adults Posted: 05 Oct 2011 02:07 PM PDT A new study of young people with melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer, has found that some children have a higher risk of invasive disease than adults.

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