ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Cassini plasma spectrometer turns off
• Dawn mission video shows Vesta's coat of many colors
• Fish show autism-like gene expression in water with psychoactive pharmaceuticals
• Stealth behavior allows cockroaches to seemingly vanish
• Too few salmon is far worse than too many boats for killer whales
• Microbial communities changed after Deepwater Horizon Spill
• Why belly fat isn't all bad
• Growing presence of drug–resistant tuberculosis fuels need for more screening
• New drug found effective against rare form of basal cell skin cancer
• Sea temperatures less sensitive to CO₂ 13 million years ago
• Ecologists call for preservation of planet's remaining biological diversity
• Stress may delay brain development in early years
• Why hot, humid air triggers symptoms in patients with mild asthma
• Variations in sex steroid gene expression can predict aggressive behaviors, bird study shows
• Today's climate more sensitive to carbon dioxide than in past 12 million years
• Photosynthesis: A new way of looking at photosystem II
• Sensors detect contaminants in water in low concentrations
• Study links PTSD to hidden head injuries suffered in combat
• Three types of fetal cells can migrate into maternal organs during pregnancy: Some mothers literally carry pieces of their children in their bodies
• Brain cell activity imbalance may account for seizure susceptibility in angelman syndrome
• HIV drug may slow down metastatic breast cancer
• Sexual orientation fluctuation correlated to alcohol misuse
• The power of suggestion: What we expect influences our behavior, for better or worse
• Baby's genome deciphered prenatally from parents' lab tests
• Insomnia linked to hypertension
• This is your brain on no self-control
• Role of fungus in digestive disorders explored
• Gut immune cells keep beneficial microbes in their place
• To quit smoking, try eating more veggies and fruits
• First photos ever of jaguars in Colombian oil palm plantation
• Arctic ice melt is setting stage for severe winters
• New technique for detecting mold contamination in homes and other buildings
• New secrets from 'Bay of the Pirates' warship that sunk 2,300 years ago
• 1 million billion billion billion billion billion billion: Number of undiscovered drugs
• Evidence of impending tipping point for Earth
• The real culprit behind hardened arteries? Stem cells, says landmark study
• Video games may be helpful in treating 'Lazy eye' in adults
• Appalachian teens can quit sugary drinks with peer, community influence
• Warming climate sees tundra turn to forest
• Statistical model attempting to estimate level of alcohol consumption that is 'optimal' for health
• Have you heard? Nearly 15 percent of work email is gossip
• Complex world of gut microbes fine-tune body weight
• New technique to give us better understanding of human tissues
• Piracy at sea: Maritime piracy, violence and the international response
• First complete sequencing of pear genome
• How plants make cocaine
• Legendary lost city of Ciudad Blanca may have been found with airborne LiDAR
• Gasification may convert mesquite and juniper wood to a usable bioenergy
• Geoengineering could disrupt rainfall patterns
• A quick, cheap, accurate test for gluten intolerance
• Alzheimer plaques in 3D
• Artificial noses as diseases busters
• Key to controlling toxicity of Huntington's disease protein may be cell contents
• Calorie-restricted diet keeps heart young
• Seizure-freedom reported in 68% of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy patients
• Dinosaurs lighter than previously thought
• Homo heidelbergensis was only slightly taller than the Neanderthal
• New clues about the origin of cancer
• Compact and flexible thermal storage
• Between ear and brain, an orderly orchestra of synapses

Cassini plasma spectrometer turns off Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:06 PM PDT The Cassini plasma spectrometer instrument (CAPS) aboard NASA's Cassini spacecraft was turned off between Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2, when a circuit breaker tripped off after the instrument experienced some unexpected voltage shifts.

Dawn mission video shows Vesta's coat of many colors Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:05 PM PDT A new video from NASA's Dawn mission reveals the dappled, variegated surface of the giant asteroid Vesta. The animation drapes high-resolution false color images over a 3-D model of the Vesta terrain constructed from Dawn's observations. This visualization enables a detailed view of the variation in the material properties of Vesta in the context of its topography.

Fish show autism-like gene expression in water with psychoactive pharmaceuticals Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:38 PM PDT Psychoactive medications in water affect the gene expression profiles of fathead minnows in a way that mimics the gene expression patterns associated with autism spectrum disorder in genetically susceptible humans, according to new research.

Stealth behavior allows cockroaches to seemingly vanish Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:38 PM PDT Cockroaches, known for their stealth behavior, have a strategy up their sleeve only recently discovered by biologists. They are able to quickly disappear under ledges by flinging themselves off at full speed, grabbing the edge with hook-like claws on their hind legs, and swinging like a pendulum to land upside down underneath. Such a behavior was reproduced by a six-legged robot using Velcro strips.

Too few salmon is far worse than too many boats for killer whales Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:34 PM PDT Not having enough Chinook salmon to eat stresses out southern resident killer whales in the Pacific Northwest more than having boats nearby, according to hormone levels of whales summering in the waters between British Columbia and Washington.

Microbial communities changed after Deepwater Horizon Spill Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:34 PM PDT Communities of microbial organisms -- species such as nematodes, protists and fungi -- on beaches along the Gulf of Mexico changed significantly following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in April 2010. Researchers analyzed marine sediments from five Gulf Coast sites prior to and several months following shoreline oiling.

Why belly fat isn't all bad Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:34 PM PDT A fatty membrane in the belly called the omentum appears to play an important role in regulating the immune system. The finding could lead to new drugs for organ transplant patients and patients with auto-immune diseases.

Growing presence of drug–resistant tuberculosis fuels need for more screening Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:34 PM PDT Experts in the prevention and treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis are calling for increased screening and more rapid testing of the 9 million people worldwide estimated to be infected each year with TB, and now at risk for this form of the highly contagious lung disease. The call follows results of a survey showing that the harder-to-treat TB variants are much more widespread than previously thought.

New drug found effective against rare form of basal cell skin cancer Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:34 PM PDT A clinical study has demonstrated that a new drug, a targeted molecular therapy called vismodegib (trade name Erivedge™), can dramatically shrink basal cell skin cancers and prevent the formation of new ones, in patients with basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS) according to a phase II clinical study.

Sea temperatures less sensitive to CO<sub>2</sub> 13 million years ago Posted: 06 Jun 2012 01:49 PM PDT In the modern global climate, higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are associated with rising ocean temperatures. But the seas were not always so sensitive to this CO2 "forcing," according to a new report. Around 5 to 13 million years ago, oceans were warmer than they are today -- even though atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations were considerably lower.

Ecologists call for preservation of planet's remaining biological diversity Posted: 06 Jun 2012 01:49 PM PDT Twenty years after the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, 17 ecologists are calling for renewed international efforts to curb the loss of Earth's biological diversity. The loss is compromising nature's ability to provide goods and services essential for human well-being, the scientists say.

Stress may delay brain development in early years Posted: 06 Jun 2012 01:49 PM PDT Stress may affect brain development in children, altering growth of a specific piece of the brain and abilities associated with it, according to new research.

Why hot, humid air triggers symptoms in patients with mild asthma Posted: 06 Jun 2012 01:49 PM PDT Patients who inhaled an asthma drug before breathing in hot, humid air were able to prevent airway constriction that volunteers without asthma did not experience in the same environment.

Variations in sex steroid gene expression can predict aggressive behaviors, bird study shows Posted: 06 Jun 2012 01:49 PM PDT A biologist has shown that natural variation in measures of the brain's ability to process steroid hormones predicts functional variation in aggressive behavior. The new work has found strong and significant relationships between aggressive behavior in free-living birds and the abundance of messenger RNA in behaviorally relevant brain areas for three major sex steroid processing molecules: androgen receptor, estrogen receptor and aromatase.

Today's climate more sensitive to carbon dioxide than in past 12 million years Posted: 06 Jun 2012 01:49 PM PDT Until now, studies of Earth's climate have documented a strong correlation between global climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide; that is, during warm periods, high concentrations of CO2 persist, while colder times correspond to relatively low levels.

Photosynthesis: A new way of looking at photosystem II Posted: 06 Jun 2012 12:58 PM PDT Using ultrafast, intensely bright pulses of X-rays scientists have obtained the first ever images at room temperature of photosystem II, a protein complex critical for photosynthesis and future artificial photosynthetic systems.

Sensors detect contaminants in water in low concentrations Posted: 06 Jun 2012 12:58 PM PDT Many organic contaminants in the air and in drinking water need to be detected at very low-level concentrations. New research could be beneficial in detecting those contaminants.

Study links PTSD to hidden head injuries suffered in combat Posted: 06 Jun 2012 12:58 PM PDT Even when brain injury is so subtle that it can only be detected by an ultra-sensitive imaging test, the injury might predispose soldiers in combat to post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a new study.

Three types of fetal cells can migrate into maternal organs during pregnancy: Some mothers literally carry pieces of their children in their bodies Posted: 06 Jun 2012 12:58 PM PDT A pregnant woman's blood stream contains not only her own cells, but a small number of her child's, as well, and some of them remain in her internal organs long after the baby is born. Understanding the origin and identity of these cells is vital to understanding their potential effects on a mother's long-term health.

Brain cell activity imbalance may account for seizure susceptibility in angelman syndrome Posted: 06 Jun 2012 12:57 PM PDT Scientists may have pinpointed an underlying cause of the seizures that affect 90 percent of people with Angelman syndrome (AS), a neurodevelopmental disorder.

HIV drug may slow down metastatic breast cancer Posted: 06 Jun 2012 12:57 PM PDT The HIV drugs known as CCR5 antagonists may also help prevent aggressive breast cancers from metastasizing, researchers say.

Sexual orientation fluctuation correlated to alcohol misuse Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:28 AM PDT Many young adults explore and define their sexual identity in college, but that process can be stressful and lead to risky behaviors. In a new study, students whose sexual self-definition didn't fall into exclusively heterosexual or homosexual categories tended to misuse alcohol more frequently than people who had a firmly defined sexual orientation for a particular gender, according to new research.

The power of suggestion: What we expect influences our behavior, for better or worse Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:28 AM PDT A lucky rabbit foot. A glass of wine. A pill. What do these things all have in common? Their effects -- whether we do well on a test, whether we mingle at the cocktail party, whether we feel better -- all depend on the power of suggestion.

Baby's genome deciphered prenatally from parents' lab tests Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:28 AM PDT Maternal blood sampled at 18 weeks into a pregnancy and a paternal saliva specimen contained enough information for scientists to map the fetus' whole genome. Fetal DNA is in a pregnant women's bloodstream starting a few weeks after conception. Scientists assessed many and more subtle variations in the fetus' genome, down to a one-letter change in the DNA code, compared to current tests that screen for only a few major genetic errors.

Insomnia linked to hypertension Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:27 AM PDT People with insomnia may now have one more thing to keep them up at night: an increased likelihood of developing hypertension, according to a new study.

This is your brain on no self-control Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:27 AM PDT MRI images show what the brain looks like when you do something you know you shouldn't.

Role of fungus in digestive disorders explored Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:27 AM PDT Researchers say their examination of the fungi in the intestines suggests an important link between these microbes and inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis. In the new study researchers identified and characterized the large community of fungi inhabiting the large intestine in a model of the disease.

Gut immune cells keep beneficial microbes in their place Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:26 AM PDT Resident immune cells in intestinal tissues of healthy humans, mice, and non-human primates are critical in limiting the location of commensal bacteria. If the cells are depleted commensal bacteria move to peripheral tissues and promote inflammation. The bacteria were all members of a group called Alcaligenes, indicating a selective pathway to contain commensal bacteria.

To quit smoking, try eating more veggies and fruits Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:24 AM PDT Eating more fruits and vegetables may help you quit smoking and stay tobacco-free for longer, according to a new study. It is the first longitudinal study on the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and smoking cessation.

First photos ever of jaguars in Colombian oil palm plantation Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:24 AM PDT Camera traps recently produced the first photographic evidence of wild jaguars with cubs in an oil palm plantation in Colombia. These rare photos confirm that in some cases, jaguars are willing to move through oil palm. Importantly, the photos come from a small plantation adjacent to a protected area with some indigenous habitat present - perhaps the best case scenario for fostering jaguar use of palm oil tracts.

Arctic ice melt is setting stage for severe winters Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:24 AM PDT A dramatic melt-off of Arctic sea ice due to climate change is hitting closer to home than millions of Americans might think – triggering a domino effect leading to increased odds of severe winter weather outbreaks in the Northern Hemisphere's middle latitudes, according to new research.

New technique for detecting mold contamination in homes and other buildings Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:24 AM PDT With mold contamination of homes an ongoing concern – and a special threat to the 2.5 million foreclosed houses in the US, shuttered with little ventilation – scientists are reporting a new method to detect and identify low levels of airborne mold. The report describes a simple, fast method that could provide an early indication of potential contamination.

New secrets from 'Bay of the Pirates' warship that sunk 2,300 years ago Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:24 AM PDT A new study puts some finishing touches on the 2,300-year history of the beak-like weapon that an ancient warship used to ram enemy ships in the First Punic War, the conflict between ancient Rome and Carthage. The report also identifies a major threat that conservators must address in preserving this archaeological treasure for future generations.

1 million billion billion billion billion billion billion: Number of undiscovered drugs Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:23 AM PDT A new voyage into "chemical space" – occupied not by stars and planets but substances that could become useful in everyday life – has concluded that scientists have synthesized barely one tenth of one percent of potential medicines. The report estimates that the actual number of these so-called "small molecules" could be one novemdecillion (that's one with 60 zeroes), more than some estimates of the number of stars in the universe.

Evidence of impending tipping point for Earth Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:23 AM PDT A group of 22 scientists worldwide argue that the Earth is frighteningly close to a tipping point that would send the globe irreversibly into a state that could spell disaster for humans. The group note that human pressures and climate change can irreversibly change local ecosystems. The fear is that Earth faces planet-wide change that will disrupt global animal and plant communities as well as water and food supplies.

The real culprit behind hardened arteries? Stem cells, says landmark study Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:23 AM PDT Vascular diseases are actually a type of stem cell disease, according to a new study. The discovery challenges a long-standing belief that smooth muscle cells contribute to clogged blood vessels, and could revolutionize research into therapies for heart attacks and strokes, which account for one in three deaths in the United States.

Video games may be helpful in treating 'Lazy eye' in adults Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:22 AM PDT Suppose someone told you that researchers had discovered that a major cause of vision loss is treatable, and that the most promising new treatment is—playing video games? It may sound far-fetched, but those are the conclusions of a new article.

Appalachian teens can quit sugary drinks with peer, community influence Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:21 AM PDT Convincing people to reduce sugared drink consumption may not need the type of ban recently proposed in New York City. Rather, peer pressure may work better. A new study shows that a peer- and community-driven education approach successfully encouraged Appalachian high school students to reduce their intake of sugared drinks.

Warming climate sees tundra turn to forest Posted: 06 Jun 2012 08:31 AM PDT In just a few decades shrubs in the Arctic tundra have turned into trees as a result of the warming Arctic climate, creating patches of forest which, if replicated across the tundra, would significantly accelerate global warming.

Statistical model attempting to estimate level of alcohol consumption that is 'optimal' for health Posted: 06 Jun 2012 08:18 AM PDT Scientists have carried out a complex analysis in an attempt to determine the "optimal" level of alcohol consumption that is associated with the lowest rates of chronic disease in the UK. They conclude that the intake of about one-half of a typical drink per day would result in the healthiest outcomes, and the authors conclude that the recommended alcohol intake for the UK should be reduced from the current advised level of drinking.

Have you heard? Nearly 15 percent of work email is gossip Posted: 06 Jun 2012 08:17 AM PDT According to some estimates, the average corporate email user sends 112 emails every day. About one out of every seven of those messages, says a new study, can be called gossip.

Complex world of gut microbes fine-tune body weight Posted: 06 Jun 2012 07:27 AM PDT Gut microbes have a significant effect on nutrient absorption and energy regulation. The composition of microbial communities is shown to vary with age, body weight, and variety of food ingested; as well as in response to bariatric surgery for obesity, use of antibiotics and many other factors. Based on current findings, the authors suggest that therapeutic modification of the gut microbiome may offer an attractive approach to future treatment of nutrition-related maladies, including obesity and a range of serious health consequences linked to under-nutrition.

New technique to give us better understanding of human tissues Posted: 06 Jun 2012 07:27 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated that a relatively new microscopy technique can be used to improve our understanding of human tissues and other biomedical materials. The study focused specifically on eye tissues, which are damaged by scarring in diabetic patients.

Piracy at sea: Maritime piracy, violence and the international response Posted: 06 Jun 2012 07:27 AM PDT Researchers in Hong Kong have analyzed the incidence of maritime piracy during the last decade and have developed a way to predict whether or not a particular vessel, with a specific cargo, shipping in a given patch of water is likely to be a target for piracy and what degree of violence might be involved.

First complete sequencing of pear genome Posted: 06 Jun 2012 07:26 AM PDT Scientists have announced the first complete sequencing of pear genome. Pear (Pyrus spp.) is one of the major and oldest cultivated fruit trees in the temperate regions, which is likely to have originated during the Tertiary period (65-55 million years ago) in southwestern China. It is genetically diverse with more than 5,000 cultivars and accessions present all over the world that could be divided into two major groups, the European or "Occidental" pears and the Asiatic or "Oriental" pears.

How plants make cocaine Posted: 06 Jun 2012 07:26 AM PDT Cocaine is one of the most commonly used (and abused) plant-derived drugs in the world, but we have almost no modern information on how plants produce this complex alkaloid. Researchers have just discovered a key reaction in cocaine formation in the coca plant from South America, and identified the responsible enzyme. This enzyme was shown to belong to the aldo-keto-reductase protein family revealing some exciting new insights into the evolution of cocaine biosynthesis.

Legendary lost city of Ciudad Blanca may have been found with airborne LiDAR Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:27 AM PDT Archaeologists have used airborne laser mapping to unveil archaeological ruins in a Honduran rainforest. An initial analysis of the LiDAR survey has identified ruins that could be those of Ciudad Blanca or other long-hidden sites.

Gasification may convert mesquite and juniper wood to a usable bioenergy Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:27 AM PDT Biomass gasification is being considered as a possible technology for converting at least 10 million acres of Texas brush into biofuel, according to a rangeland ecologist.

Geoengineering could disrupt rainfall patterns Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:27 AM PDT A geoengineering solution to climate change could lead to significant rainfall reduction in Europe and North America, a team of European scientists concludes. The researchers studied how models of the Earth in a warm, CO2-rich world respond to an artificial reduction in the amount of sunlight reaching the planet's surface.

A quick, cheap, accurate test for gluten intolerance Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:26 AM PDT Coeliac disease affects millions of people worldwide, but many sufferers are not aware they have the condition or may have been misdiagnosed with other illnesses. A pioneering new test should soon be available in hospitals, offering an accurate, quick, cost-effective diagnosis and monitoring solution.

Alzheimer plaques in 3D Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:26 AM PDT Swiss researchers have succeeded in generating detailed three-dimensional images of the spatial distribution of amyloid plaques in the brains of mice afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. These plaques are accumulations of small pieces of protein in the brain and are a typical characteristic of Alzheimer's. The new technique used in the investigations provides an extremely precise research tool for a better understanding of the disease.

Artificial noses as diseases busters Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:26 AM PDT Artificial noses have, until now, been used to detect diseases such as urinary tract infection, Helicobacter pylori, tuberculosis, ear, nose and throat conditions and even lung cancer. They have also been clinically tested for use in continuous monitoring of different disease stages.

Key to controlling toxicity of Huntington's disease protein may be cell contents Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:25 AM PDT New research proposes novel therapeutic targets for treating Huntington's disease. A new study found the toxic effects of the huntingtin protein on cells may not be driven exclusively by the length of the protein's expansion, but also by which other proteins are present in the cell.

Calorie-restricted diet keeps heart young Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:25 AM PDT People who restrict their caloric intake in an effort to live longer have hearts that function more like those in people who are 20 years younger. Researchers have found that a key measure of the heart's ability to adapt to physical activity, stress and other factors, doesn't decline nearly as rapidly in people who have significantly restricted their caloric intake.

Seizure-freedom reported in 68% of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy patients Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:53 AM PDT A 25-year follow-up study reveals that 68% of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) became seizure-free, with nearly 30% no longer needing antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment.

Dinosaurs lighter than previously thought Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:53 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new technique to accurately measure the weight and size of dinosaurs and discovered they are not as heavy as previously thought.

Homo heidelbergensis was only slightly taller than the Neanderthal Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:53 AM PDT The reconstruction of 27 complete human limb bones found in Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain) has helped to determine the height of various species of the Pleistocene era. Homo heilderbergensis, like Neanderthals, were similar in height to the current population of the Mediterranean.

New clues about the origin of cancer Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:53 AM PDT Scientists have discovered new information about the origin of tumors. The scientists postulate that the initiation of a tumor and the type and aggressivity of the same depend on a specific combination of defects in several processes that safeguard cell integrity, such as DNA repair pathways and cell cycle check-points. The study also demonstrates that mice with a high degree of chromosomal instability and defective programmed cell death (apoptosis), two hallmarks of cancer, rarely develop tumors.

Compact and flexible thermal storage Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:53 AM PDT Biogas plants, combined heat and power plants don't just generate electricity, they also produce heat. However, unlike the electricity they yield, the heat generally dissipates unused. A new technology is set to change this: It will allow the heat to be stored lossfree in the smallest of spaces for lengthy periods of time, for use as and when required.

Between ear and brain, an orderly orchestra of synapses Posted: 05 Jun 2012 02:52 PM PDT A new study finds that the ear delivers sound information to the brain in a surprisingly organized fashion.

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