ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Discerning males remain faithful ... if you are a spider
• Study points to potential treatment for stroke
• Component of pizza seasoning herb oregano kills prostate cancer cells
• Sombrero galaxy has split personality
• Do urban 'heat islands' hint at trees of future?
• Study finds surprising Arctic methane emission source
• NASA tests GPS monitoring system for big U.S. quakes
• Fireball over California/Nevada: How big was it?
• In protein folding, internal friction may play a more significant role than previously thought
• Vibrating steering wheel guides drivers while keeping their eyes on the road
• Molecular probes identify changes in fibronectin that may lead to disease
• 'Junk DNA' can sense viral infection: Promising tool in the battle between pathogen and host
• Following life's chemistry to the earliest branches on the tree of life
• New California population projection shows massive slowdown
• Blood transfusions still overused and may do more harm than good in some patients
• Chronic fatigue syndrome patients had reduced activity in brain’s 'reward center'
• Yeast cell reaction to Zoloft suggests alternative cause, drug target for depression
• Binge eating may lead to addiction-like behaviors
• Precise molecular surgery in the plant genome
• Mysterious 'monster' discovered by amateur paleontologist
• Cassini sees new objects blazing trails in Saturn ring
• Creating nano-structures from the bottom up
• Locked down, RNA editing yields odd fly behavior
• New concept for fast, low-cost DNA sequencing device
• Anti-depressants likely do more harm than good, study suggests
• Fewer complications, better outcomes with robot-assisted prostate cancer surgery
• Violence puts wear and tear on kids' DNA
• Wild birds respond differently to the first long days of a year
• Molecule movements that make us think: Ion channel’s voltage sensor can change its form
• Prions in the brain eliminated by homing molecules
• Did exploding stars help life on Earth thrive?
• Discovery improves understanding of how body maintains water balance
• Family life study reveals key events that can trigger eating disorders
• Leukemia cells have a remembrance of things past
• Anticonvulsant drug helps marijuana smokers kick the habit
• Palms reveal the significance of climate change for tropical biodiversity
• The fat stopper: Protein that regulates the creation of fat cells identified
• How ancient viruses became genomic 'superspreaders'
• Discovery of missing links for Salmonella's weapon system
• Fluorescent biosensor reveals mechanism critical to immune system amplification

Discerning males remain faithful ... if you are a spider Posted: 24 Apr 2012 07:27 PM PDT Discerning males remain faithful...if you are a spider. Sex for male orb web spiders is a two shot affair since the act of mating destroys their genitalia. If they survive being eaten during their first encounter with a female, they have two choices – to mate again with the same female (monogynous) or try to find a new partner (bigynous). New research shows that choice of mating behavior for A. bruennichi depends on the size and age of the first female they mate with.

Study points to potential treatment for stroke Posted: 24 Apr 2012 01:23 PM PDT Neuroscientists have demonstrated that a compound mimicking a key activity of a hefty, brain-based protein is capable of increasing the generation of new nerve cells, or neurons, in the brains of mice that have had strokes. The mice also exhibited a speedier recovery of their athletic ability.

Component of pizza seasoning herb oregano kills prostate cancer cells Posted: 24 Apr 2012 01:22 PM PDT Oregano, the common pizza and pasta seasoning herb, has long been known to possess a variety of beneficial health effects, but a new study indicates that an ingredient of this spice could potentially be used to treat prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in American men.

Sombrero galaxy has split personality Posted: 24 Apr 2012 01:14 PM PDT While some galaxies are rotund and others are slender disks like our spiral Milky Way, new observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope show that the Sombrero galaxy is both. The galaxy, which is a round elliptical galaxy with a thin disk embedded inside, is one of the first known to exhibit characteristics of the two different types. The findings will lead to a better understanding of galaxy evolution, a topic still poorly understood.

Do urban 'heat islands' hint at trees of future? Posted: 24 Apr 2012 12:43 PM PDT A new study shows that common native red oak seedlings grow as much as eight times faster in New York's Central Park than in more rural, cooler settings in the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains. Red oaks and their close relatives dominate areas ranging from northern Virginia to southern New England, so the study may have implications for changing climate and forest composition over a wide region.

Study finds surprising Arctic methane emission source Posted: 24 Apr 2012 11:51 AM PDT The fragile and rapidly changing Arctic region is home to large reservoirs of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. As Earth's climate warms, the methane, frozen in reservoirs stored in Arctic tundra soils or marine sediments, is vulnerable to being released into the atmosphere, where it can add to global warming. Now a multi-institutional study has uncovered a surprising and potentially important new source of Arctic methane: the ocean itself.

NASA tests GPS monitoring system for big U.S. quakes Posted: 24 Apr 2012 11:47 AM PDT The space-based technology that lets GPS-equipped motorists constantly update their precise location will undergo a major test of its ability to rapidly pinpoint the location and magnitude of strong earthquakes across the western United States. Results from the new Real-time Earthquake Analysis for Disaster (READI) Mitigation Network soon could be used to assist prompt disaster response and more accurate tsunami warnings.

Fireball over California/Nevada: How big was it? Posted: 24 Apr 2012 11:44 AM PDT A bright ball of light traveling east to west was seen over the skies of central/northern California Sunday morning, April 22. The former space rock-turned-flaming-meteor entered Earth's atmosphere around 8 a.m. PDT. Reports of the fireball have come in from as far north as Sacramento, Calif. and as far east as North Las Vegas, Nev.

In protein folding, internal friction may play a more significant role than previously thought Posted: 24 Apr 2012 11:23 AM PDT Researchers have reported a new understanding of a little-known process that happens in virtually every cell of our bodies.

Vibrating steering wheel guides drivers while keeping their eyes on the road Posted: 24 Apr 2012 11:23 AM PDT A vibrating steering wheel is an effective way to keep a driver's eyes safely on the road by providing an additional means to convey directions from a car's navigation system, researchers have shown.

Molecular probes identify changes in fibronectin that may lead to disease Posted: 24 Apr 2012 11:22 AM PDT Researchers have identified molecular probes capable of selectively attaching to fibronectin fibers under different strain states, enabling the detection and examination of fibronectin strain events that have been linked to pathological conditions including cancer and fibrosis.

'Junk DNA' can sense viral infection: Promising tool in the battle between pathogen and host Posted: 24 Apr 2012 11:22 AM PDT Non-coding RNA -- molecules that do not translate into proteins -- were once considered unimportant "junk DNA" by researchers. Now researchers have discovered that when infected with a virus, ncRNA gives off signals that indicate the presence of an infectious agent, providing researchers with a new avenue to fight off infections.

Following life's chemistry to the earliest branches on the tree of life Posted: 24 Apr 2012 11:21 AM PDT Scientists have traced the development of life-sustaining chemistry to the earliest forms of life on Earth.

New California population projection shows massive slowdown Posted: 24 Apr 2012 11:21 AM PDT A massive slowdown in California's population growth means the state likely won't reach 50 million residents until the year 2046, a new analysis shows.

Blood transfusions still overused and may do more harm than good in some patients Posted: 24 Apr 2012 11:21 AM PDT Citing the lack of clear guidelines for ordering blood transfusions during surgery, researchers say a new study confirms there is still wide variation in the use of transfusions and frequent use of transfused blood in patients who don't need it.

Chronic fatigue syndrome patients had reduced activity in brain’s 'reward center' Posted: 24 Apr 2012 11:21 AM PDT New findings on chronic fatigue syndrome add to the evidence about the biology of this mysterious disease.

Yeast cell reaction to Zoloft suggests alternative cause, drug target for depression Posted: 24 Apr 2012 09:19 AM PDT Researchers have observed a self-degradation response to the antidepressant Zoloft in yeast cells that could help provide new answers to lingering questions among scientists about how antidepressants work, as well as support the idea that depression is not solely linked to the neurotransmitter serotonin.

Binge eating may lead to addiction-like behaviors Posted: 24 Apr 2012 09:18 AM PDT A history of binge eating -- consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time -- may make an individual more likely to show other addiction-like behaviors, including substance abuse, according to researchers. In the short term, this finding may shed light on the factors that promote substance abuse, addiction, and relapse. In the long term, may help clinicians treat individuals suffering from this devastating disease.

Precise molecular surgery in the plant genome Posted: 24 Apr 2012 09:17 AM PDT Crop plants have always been adapted to the needs of man by breeding for them to carry more fruit, survive droughts, or resist pests. Green biotechnology now adds new tools to the classical breeding methods for a more rapid and efficient improvement of plant properties. The new biotechnological technique can more precisely and reliably install or modify genetic information in the plant genome.

Mysterious 'monster' discovered by amateur paleontologist Posted: 24 Apr 2012 09:17 AM PDT For 70 years, academic paleontologists in Cincinnati have been assisted by a dedicated corps of amateurs. One such amateur recently found a very large and very mysterious fossil that has paleontologists amazed.

Cassini sees new objects blazing trails in Saturn ring Posted: 24 Apr 2012 09:08 AM PDT Scientists have discovered strange half-mile-sized objects punching through parts of Saturn's F ring, leaving glittering trails behind them. These trails in the rings, which scientists are calling 'mini-jets', fill in a missing link in our understanding of the curious behaviour of the F ring.

Creating nano-structures from the bottom up Posted: 24 Apr 2012 09:07 AM PDT Microscopic particles are being coaxed by engineers to assemble themselves into larger crystalline structures by the use of varying concentrations of microscopic particles and magnetic fields.

Locked down, RNA editing yields odd fly behavior Posted: 24 Apr 2012 09:07 AM PDT At the level of proteins, organisms can adapt by editing their RNA -- an and editor can even edit itself. Scientists working with fruit flies found that "locking down" the self-editing process at two extremes created some strange behaviors. They also found that the process is significantly affected by temperature.

New concept for fast, low-cost DNA sequencing device Posted: 24 Apr 2012 09:04 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new concept for use in a high-speed genomic sequencing device that may have the potential to substantially drive down costs.

Anti-depressants likely do more harm than good, study suggests Posted: 24 Apr 2012 09:04 AM PDT Commonly prescribed anti-depressants appear to be doing patients more harm than good, say researchers who have published a paper examining the impact of the medications on the entire body.

Fewer complications, better outcomes with robot-assisted prostate cancer surgery Posted: 24 Apr 2012 06:59 AM PDT Robot-assisted surgery is now both more common and far more successful than radical "open" surgery to treat prostate cancer in the United States, according to a new study.

Violence puts wear and tear on kids' DNA Posted: 24 Apr 2012 06:59 AM PDT Children who have experienced violence might really be older than their years. The DNA of 10-year-olds who experienced violence in their young lives has been found to show wear and tear normally associated with aging, a new study has found.

Wild birds respond differently to the first long days of a year Posted: 24 Apr 2012 06:58 AM PDT The lengthening of days in late winter is an important signal that stimulates the reproductive activity of many animals. Animals living in the milder climatic conditions of southern Europe usually begin breeding earlier in spring compared to animals living in colder habitats further north. Scientists have now discovered that day length affects gene activity differentially in the brain of great tit populations from central and North Europe. This is particularly important because climate change has resulted in warmer temperatures in spring, and therefore day length has become a less reliable signal for the coming of spring. Since warmer spring temperatures also cause the insects that the birds need to feed their young to be available sooner, birds will have to change their breeding schedules accordingly.

Molecule movements that make us think: Ion channel’s voltage sensor can change its form Posted: 24 Apr 2012 06:57 AM PDT Every thought, every movement, every heartbeat is controlled by lightning-quick electrical impulses in the brain, the muscles, and the heart. But too much electrical excitability in the membranes of the cells can cause things like epilepsy and cardiac arrhythmia. A research group has now published new discoveries that can lead to new medicines for these diseases.

Prions in the brain eliminated by homing molecules Posted: 24 Apr 2012 06:57 AM PDT Toxic prions in the brain can be detected with self-illuminating polymers. The originators, at Linköping University in Sweden, has now shown that the same molecules can also render the prions harmless, and potentially cure fatal nerve-destroying illnesses.

Did exploding stars help life on Earth thrive? Posted: 24 Apr 2012 06:56 AM PDT Research by a Danish physicist suggests that the explosion of massive stars -- supernovae -- near the Solar System has strongly influenced the development of life.

Discovery improves understanding of how body maintains water balance Posted: 24 Apr 2012 06:56 AM PDT Scientists have identified a new mechanism responsible for regulating the flow of water into and out of cells. This discovery will improve understanding of how the body maintains its water balance in health and disease.

Family life study reveals key events that can trigger eating disorders Posted: 24 Apr 2012 06:56 AM PDT Eating disorders can be triggered by lack of support following traumatic events such as bereavement, relationship problems, abuse and sexual assault, according to new research. Even changing school or moving home can prove too much for some young people and lead to conditions such as anorexia or bulimia.

Leukemia cells have a remembrance of things past Posted: 24 Apr 2012 06:56 AM PDT Although people generally talk about "cancer", it is clear that the disease occurs in a bewildering variety of forms.  Even single groups of cancers, such as those of the white blood cells, may show widely differing properties.  How do the various cancers arise and what factors determine their progression?  Clues to these two issues, at least for leukemias, have now been provided.

Anticonvulsant drug helps marijuana smokers kick the habit Posted: 24 Apr 2012 06:56 AM PDT Scientists have found clinical evidence that the drug gabapentin, currently on the market to treat neuropathic pain and epilepsy, helps people to quit smoking marijuana (cannabis). Unlike traditional addiction treatments, gabapentin targets stress systems in the brain that are activated by drug withdrawal.

Palms reveal the significance of climate change for tropical biodiversity Posted: 23 Apr 2012 01:24 PM PDT Palm assemblages we find in the tropics today are to a large extent formed by climatic changes of the past, taking place over millions of years.

The fat stopper: Protein that regulates the creation of fat cells identified Posted: 23 Apr 2012 01:23 PM PDT A student may have found the key to keep fat cells from forming. He believes he has identified the trigger that turns a stem cell into a fat cell. Located on the surface of cells, the trigger, a protein called endoglin, regulates what type of cell an existing stem cell will become.

How ancient viruses became genomic 'superspreaders' Posted: 23 Apr 2012 12:31 PM PDT Scientists have uncovered clues as to how our genomes became riddled with viruses. The study reveals important information about the so–called 'dark matter' of our genome.

Discovery of missing links for Salmonella's weapon system Posted: 23 Apr 2012 12:31 PM PDT Scientists have discovered multiple gene switches in Salmonella that offer new ways to curb human infection. The discovery of the mechanisms of gene regulation could lead to the development of antibiotics to reduce the levels of disease caused by Salmonella.

Fluorescent biosensor reveals mechanism critical to immune system amplification Posted: 23 Apr 2012 10:20 AM PDT Using a new fluorescent biosensor they developed, researchers have discovered how a key set of immune cells exchange information during their coordinated assault on invading pathogens. The immune cells, called dendritic cells, are harnessed by cancer vaccines and other therapeutics used to amplify the immune system. The finding marks the first time that scientists have visualized how antigens are transferred in the immune system between dendritic cells.

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