ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Workings of molecular motor revealed
• 'Zombie' worms found in Mediterranean fossil
• New drug shows promise against multiple sclerosis
• Hippocampus plays bigger memory role than previously thought
• Recipients of organ transplants at increased risk for broad range of cancers, study finds
• Low levels of alcohol consumption associated with small increased risk of breast cancer, study finds
• Age no longer a barrier to stem cell transplantation for older patients
• Pesky ants found in Hawaii demonstrate invasive characteristics
• Novel technique switches triple-negative breast cancer cells to hormone-receptor positive cells
• Obese adolescents benefit from high-dose vitamin D supplements: High doses safely combat nutritional deficiencies, study suggests
• Switching senses: Leeches shift the way they locate prey in adulthood
• Babies understand thought process of others at 10 months old, research suggests
• How a cancer-causing bacterium spurs cell death
• Bacteria may readily swap beneficial genes: Microbes trade genetic coding for antibiotic resistance and more
• Growing without cell division: Mechanism responsible for cell polyploidy pinpointed?
• New algorithm could substantially speed up MRI scans
• Research into unexplained miscarriages could impact heart and stroke treatment
• Key element of cell division: How daughter cells receive the same number of chromosomes
• Health risk from eating well-done meat may be underestimated
• Vitamin D study suggests no mortality benefit for older women
• Hormone in birth control shot linked to memory loss
• Bilateral hand transplant performed
• Wetlands: Drying intensifying wildfires, carbon release ninefold, study finds
• Scientists design experimental treatment for iron-overload diseases
• Structure, not scientists to blame for Los Alamos failings, article says
• Molecule that prevents Type 1 diabetes in mice discovered; Has similar effect on human cells
• Personal stem cell banks could be staple of future health care
• New tool developed for the study of spatial patterns in living cells
• Preterm birth rate shows three year improvement in most states
• Abnormal oscillation in the brain causes motor deficits in Parkinson's disease
• Poor sleep quality in first, third trimesters linked to preterm births
• How lonely you are may impact how well you sleep, research shows
• Multidrug-resistant acinetobacter baumannii found growing in nearly half of infected patient rooms
• For land conservation, formal and informal relationships influence success
• No higher risk of breast cancer for women who don't have BRCA mutation but have relatives who do
• Gecko-inspired tank robot scales walls
• Eastern U.S. forests not keeping pace with climate change, large study finds
• Using math and light to detect misshapen red blood cells

Workings of molecular motor revealed Posted: 01 Nov 2011 07:31 PM PDT The structure and function of a 'molecular motor' critical to the functioning of human organs and, when malfunctioning, implicated in cancer, kidney failure, and osteoporosis, has been revealed in unprecedented detail.

'Zombie' worms found in Mediterranean fossil Posted: 01 Nov 2011 05:43 PM PDT Traces of bizarre, bone-eating 'zombie' worms have been found on a 3-million-year-old fossil whale bone from Tuscany in Italy. It is the first time the genus Osedax has been found in the Mediterranean, and suggests Osedax were widespread throughout the world's oceans 6 million years ago.

New drug shows promise against multiple sclerosis Posted: 01 Nov 2011 02:36 PM PDT An experimental drug called Ocrelizumab has shown promise in a phase two clinical trial involving 220 people with multiple sclerosis, an often debilitating, chronic autoimmune disease that affects an increasing number of people in North America. It usually strikes young adults and is more common in women than in men.

Hippocampus plays bigger memory role than previously thought Posted: 01 Nov 2011 02:36 PM PDT In a pair of new studies, researchers report a new methodology that more deeply parses how and where certain types of memories are processed in the brain, and challenges earlier assumptions about the role of the hippocampus.

Recipients of organ transplants at increased risk for broad range of cancers, study finds Posted: 01 Nov 2011 02:10 PM PDT Patients who have received a solid organ transplant, such as kidney, liver, heart or lung, have an overall cancer risk that is double that of the general population, with an increased risk for many different types of malignancies, according to a new study.

Low levels of alcohol consumption associated with small increased risk of breast cancer, study finds Posted: 01 Nov 2011 02:10 PM PDT Consumption of three to six alcoholic drinks per week is associated with a small increase in the risk of breast cancer, and consumption in both earlier and later adult life is also associated with an increased risk, according to a new study.

Age no longer a barrier to stem cell transplantation for older patients Posted: 01 Nov 2011 02:10 PM PDT Age alone no longer should be considered a defining factor when determining whether an older patient with blood cancer is a candidate for stem cell transplantation. That's the conclusion of the first study summarizing long-term outcomes from a series of prospective clinical trials of patients age 60 and over who were treated with the mini-transplant, a "kinder, gentler" form of allogeneic (donor cell) stem cell transplantation.

Pesky ants found in Hawaii demonstrate invasive characteristics Posted: 01 Nov 2011 12:55 PM PDT Odorous house ants - so called because they tend to invade houses and smell like coconut when smashed - have found their way to Hawaii. And, according to entomologists, it doesn't seem as though they have plans to end their vacations.

Novel technique switches triple-negative breast cancer cells to hormone-receptor positive cells Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:13 AM PDT Within many hormone-receptor positive breast cancers lives a subpopulation of receptor-negative cells – knock down the hormone-receptor positive cells with anti-estrogen drugs and you may inadvertently promote tumor takeover by more dangerous, receptor-negative cells. A new study describes how to switch these receptor-negative cells back to a state that can be targeted by existing hormone therapies.

Obese adolescents benefit from high-dose vitamin D supplements: High doses safely combat nutritional deficiencies, study suggests Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:13 AM PDT Vitamin D deficiency is common in Americans, and especially in overweight and obese adolescents, according to the National Institutes of Health. Researchers have found that providing obese adolescents with a high daily dose of vitamin D3 is safe and effective in improving their vitamin D status.

Switching senses: Leeches shift the way they locate prey in adulthood Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:13 AM PDT Many meat-eating animals have unique ways of hunting down a meal using their senses. To find a tasty treat, bats use echolocation, snakes rely on infrared vision, and owls take advantage of the concave feathers on their faces, the better to help them hear possible prey. Leeches have not just one but two distinct ways of detecting dinner and, according to new findings, their preferred method changes as they age.

Babies understand thought process of others at 10 months old, research suggests Posted: 01 Nov 2011 10:02 AM PDT New research indicates that at 10 months, babies start to understand another person's thought process, providing new insights on how humans acquire knowledge and how communication develops.

How a cancer-causing bacterium spurs cell death Posted: 01 Nov 2011 10:02 AM PDT Researchers report they have figured out how the cancer-causing bacterium Helicobacter pylori attacks a cell's energy infrastructure, sparking a series of events in the cell that ultimately lead it to self-destruct. H. pylori are the only bacteria known to survive in the human stomach. Infection with the bacterium is associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

Bacteria may readily swap beneficial genes: Microbes trade genetic coding for antibiotic resistance and more Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:59 AM PDT Researchers say they've found evidence of a massive network of recent gene exchange connecting bacteria from around the world: 10,000 unique genes flowing via horizontal gene transfer among 2,235 bacterial genomes. Much as people can exchange information instantaneously in the digital age, bacteria associated with humans and their livestock appear to freely and rapidly exchange genetic material related to human disease and antibiotic resistance through a mechanism called horizontal gene transfer (HGT).

Growing without cell division: Mechanism responsible for cell polyploidy pinpointed? Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:59 AM PDT Biologists may have pinpointed for the first time the mechanism responsible for cell polyploidy, a state in which cells contain more than two paired sets of chromosomes.

New algorithm could substantially speed up MRI scans Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:59 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new algorithm that could substantially speed up MRI scans from 45 to 15 minutes.

Research into unexplained miscarriages could impact heart and stroke treatment Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:59 AM PDT Researchers have identified a potential new cause for unexplained miscarriages in mice.

Key element of cell division: How daughter cells receive the same number of chromosomes Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:59 AM PDT Scientists have uncovered the molecular process of how cells are bypassing the body's inbuilt "health checkpoint" with unequal numbers of chromosomes that have a higher risk of developing cancer.

Health risk from eating well-done meat may be underestimated Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:59 AM PDT Mice are often used to test whether substances in food are harmful to humans. This requires that mice and humans metabolize substances in the same way. Humans have certain enzymes in more parts of the body than mice. The health risk associated with harmful substances in food may therefore be underestimated.

Vitamin D study suggests no mortality benefit for older women Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:58 AM PDT A study of postmenopausal women found no significant mortality benefit from vitamin D after controlling for health risk factors such as abdominal obesity. The only exception was that thin-waisted women with low vitamin D levels might face some risk. The results agree with advice issued last year by the Institute of Medicine that cautioned against vitamin D having a benefit beyond bone health.

Hormone in birth control shot linked to memory loss Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:55 AM PDT The birth control shot Depo Provera offers a convenient alternative for women who don't want to remember to take a daily pill. Ironically, new research has shown the shot actually may impair a person's memory.

Bilateral hand transplant performed Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:55 AM PDT For the first time in the Delaware Valley region, a patient has undergone a complex and intricate transplant procedure that could significantly enhance the quality-of-life for persons with multiple limb loss.

Wetlands: Drying intensifying wildfires, carbon release ninefold, study finds Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:55 AM PDT Drying of northern wetlands has led to much more severe peatland wildfires and nine times as much carbon released into the atmosphere, according to new research.

Scientists design experimental treatment for iron-overload diseases Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:55 AM PDT Scientists have developed an experimental treatment for iron-overload diseases that affect millions worldwide. Researchers developed a new type of therapy based on small molecules that mimic a hormone that regulates iron called hepcidin. The findings could lead to new drugs to help prevent and treat iron-overload diseases.

Structure, not scientists to blame for Los Alamos failings, article says Posted: 01 Nov 2011 09:23 AM PDT Policy decisions and poor management have substantially undermined the US Los Alamos National Laboratory — and, consequently, U.S. national security, according to a new article. The article calls into question media and government stereotypes that have blamed Los Alamos's scientists for the decline.

Molecule that prevents Type 1 diabetes in mice discovered; Has similar effect on human cells Posted: 01 Nov 2011 06:54 AM PDT Researchers have found a specific molecule that can prevent the development of type 1 diabetes in mice and has a similar effect on human cells from diabetic patients.

Personal stem cell banks could be staple of future health care Posted: 01 Nov 2011 06:54 AM PDT Taking old stem cells, placing them in a young microenvironment, and increasing their numbers and capabilities raises an intriguing possibility -- that patients could one day be treated for age-related diseases using their own revitalized stem cells.

New tool developed for the study of spatial patterns in living cells Posted: 01 Nov 2011 06:54 AM PDT By embedding fixed arrays of gold nanoparticles into fluid lipid bilayers, scientists can study with unprecedented detail how the spatial patterns of chemical and physical properties on membranes can determine the fate of a cell -- whether it lives or dies, remains normal or turns cancerous.

Preterm birth rate shows three year improvement in most states Posted: 01 Nov 2011 06:53 AM PDT Preterm birth rates improved in almost every state between 2006 and 2009, according to the March of Dimes 2011 Premature Birth Report Card. The United States received a "C" based on comparing the nation's 2009 preliminary preterm birth rate of 12.2 percent with the March of Dimes new 2020 goal of 9.6 percent of all live births. The nation's preterm birth rate has declined nearly five percent from the 2006 peak of 12.8 percent.

Abnormal oscillation in the brain causes motor deficits in Parkinson's disease Posted: 01 Nov 2011 06:53 AM PDT Scientists have shown that the 'oscillatory' nature of electrical signals in subcortical nuclei, the basal ganglia, causes severe motor deficits in Parkinson's disease, by disturbing the information flow of motor commands.

Poor sleep quality in first, third trimesters linked to preterm births Posted: 01 Nov 2011 06:53 AM PDT Significant risk for preterm birth found in women reporting sleep disruptions during their first and third trimesters, even after medical risk factors and income levels were accounted for. However, it's inexpensive and uncomplicated to assess, and requires only a change in behavior to help reduce risk when intervened early enough.

How lonely you are may impact how well you sleep, research shows Posted: 01 Nov 2011 06:53 AM PDT Study of adults in tight-knit South Dakota community shows lonely feelings associated with compromised sleep -- that is, the stronger the loneliness, the more disruptions during the night, with potentially negative consequences on wellness. Results agree with 2002 study of college students, indicating that individuals young and old, in big towns and small, need to feel secure in their social setting to get a healthy night's rest.

Multidrug-resistant acinetobacter baumannii found growing in nearly half of infected patient rooms Posted: 01 Nov 2011 06:51 AM PDT Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB) was found in the environment of 48 percent of the rooms of patients colonized or infected with the pathogen, according to a new study.

For land conservation, formal and informal relationships influence success Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:06 PM PDT Are easements the most efficient way to conserve land and biodiversity? What easement structures are the most effective? Scientists compared two large easement projects dominated by grazing land: the Malpai Borderlands Group, straddling the Arizona-New Mexico border, and the Nature Conservancy's Lassen Foothills, in northern California and found some interesting results.

No higher risk of breast cancer for women who don't have BRCA mutation but have relatives who do Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:02 PM PDT In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers have shown that women related to a patient with a breast cancer caused by a hereditary mutation -- but who don't have the mutation themselves -- have no higher risk of getting cancer than relatives of patients with other types of breast cancer.

Gecko-inspired tank robot scales walls Posted: 31 Oct 2011 07:02 PM PDT Researchers have developed a tank-like robot that has the ability to scale smooth walls, opening up a series of applications ranging from inspecting pipes, buildings, aircraft and nuclear power plants to deployment in search and rescue operations.

Eastern U.S. forests not keeping pace with climate change, large study finds Posted: 31 Oct 2011 12:41 PM PDT More than half of eastern US tree species examined in a massive new study aren't adapting to climate change as quickly or consistently as predicted.

Using math and light to detect misshapen red blood cells Posted: 31 Oct 2011 09:12 AM PDT Researchers have pioneered a technique that will allow doctors to ascertain the healthy shape of red blood cells in just a few seconds, by analyzing the light scattered off hundreds of cells at a time.

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