ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Two out of three very obese kids already have heart disease risk factors: High blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose evident even in under-12s
• Boosting new memories with wakeful resting
• Hypersonic inflatable heat shield successfully tested
• Strobe eyewear training improves visual memory
• Trial signals major milestone in hunt for new TB drugs
• Aging heart cells rejuvenated by modified stem cells
• First study of heart 'maps' for kids could help correct rapid rhythms
• Rise in temperatures and CO₂ follow each other closely in climate change
• Bloodstream scavenger inhibits clotting without increased bleeding
• Mice have distinct subsystem to handle smell associated with fear
• Cognitive changes may be only sign of fetal alcohol exposure
• Social deprivation has a measurable effect on brain growth
• Existence of vitamin 'deserts' in the ocean confirmed
• Climate change and deforestation: Pre-human effect on biodiversity in northern Madagascar
• Synthetic stimulants called 'bath salts' act in the brain like cocaine
• Why do anti-hunger and anti-obesity initiatives always fall short?
• Infants can use language to learn about people's intentions
• Polar bear evolution tracked climate change
• Microwave heating improves artificial bone
• New compounds inhibit prion infection
• Neural precursor cells induce cell death in certain brain tumors
• New model of disease contagion ranks US airports in terms of their spreading influence
• Powerful class of antioxidants may be potent Parkinson's treatment
• New findings break tanning misconceptions: There is no such thing as a safe tan
• New species of ancient rodents hint at what could be world's oldest grasslands
• Why does a vivid memory 'feel so real?'
• 'Red tide' species is deadlier than first thought
• Aspirin protects against Barrett's esophagus, study suggests
• Childhood obesity linked to cancer risk
• Loss of tiny liver molecule might lead to liver cancer
• Herding sheep really are selfish
• Caught in the act: Bats use the sound of copulating flies as a cue for foraging
• Why some types of multitasking are more dangerous
• Laser technology developed to fight cancer
• Survival rates for premature babies in high-level NICUs are better than previously reported
• Public sightings suggest increase in basking sharks in British waters
• Snacking and BMI linked to double effect of brain activity and self-control
• Judging DNA by its cover: Explaining the link between stem cells and cancer
• Fools' gold found to regulate oxygen
• New understanding of diabetes and kidney disease: Findings may lead to effective new treatments
• New clue on how brain processes visual information
• Printed photonic crystal mirrors shrink on-chip lasers down to size
• World's first violet nonpolar vertical-cavity laser technology created
• Pre-season fitness makes no difference to risk of injury, but type of sport and gender does, study suggests
• New epilepsy gene identified; possible new treatment option
• Mechanisms underlying blood disorders identified
• Type 2 diabetes drug, DPP-4 inhibitor linagliptin, is clinically effective for long-term use, thirty-two country trial suggests
• Microneedles target therapeutics to back of the eye
• New lipid screening guidelines for children overly aggressive, experts say
• Traveling through a volcano: How pre-eruption collisions affect what exits a volcano

Two out of three very obese kids already have heart disease risk factors: High blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose evident even in under-12s Posted: 23 Jul 2012 04:32 PM PDT Two out of three severely obese kids already have at least one risk factor for heart disease, suggests new research.

Boosting new memories with wakeful resting Posted: 23 Jul 2012 02:18 PM PDT Too often our memory starts acting like a particularly porous sieve: All the important fragments that should be caught and preserved somehow just disappear. So armed with pencils and bolstered by caffeine, legions of adults, especially older adults, tackle crossword puzzles, acrostics, Sudoku and a host of other activities designed to strengthen their flagging memory muscles.

Hypersonic inflatable heat shield successfully tested Posted: 23 Jul 2012 02:18 PM PDT A large inflatable heat shield developed by NASA's Space Technology Program has successfully survived a trip through Earth's atmosphere while traveling at hypersonic speeds up to 7,600 mph.

Strobe eyewear training improves visual memory Posted: 23 Jul 2012 02:18 PM PDT Participants in a new study engaged in physical activities, such as playing catch, while using either specialized eyewear that limits vision to only brief snapshots or while using eyewear with clear lenses that provides uninterrupted vision. There was an observed boost in their visual memory retention that was found to still be active 24 hours later.

Trial signals major milestone in hunt for new TB drugs Posted: 23 Jul 2012 02:18 PM PDT A novel approach to discover the first new tuberculosis (TB) combination drug regimen cleared a major hurdle when Phase II clinical trial results found it could kill more than 99 percent of patients' TB bacteria within two weeks and could be more effective than existing treatments, according to a new study. These results add to a growing body of evidence that the new regimen could reduce treatment by more than a year for some patients.

Aging heart cells rejuvenated by modified stem cells Posted: 23 Jul 2012 02:18 PM PDT Damaged and aged heart tissue of older heart failure patients was rejuvenated by stem cells modified by scientists, according to new research.

First study of heart 'maps' for kids could help correct rapid rhythms Posted: 23 Jul 2012 02:18 PM PDT Creating a 3-D map of the heart's electrical signals could help treat kids with rapid heartbeat. The new technique provides a more accurate guide for pediatric ablation.

Rise in temperatures and CO<sub>2</sub> follow each other closely in climate change Posted: 23 Jul 2012 01:27 PM PDT The greatest climate change the world has seen in the last 100,000 years was the transition from the ice age to the warm interglacial period. New research indicates that, contrary to previous opinion, the rise in temperature and the rise in the atmospheric carbon dioxide follow each other closely in terms of time.

Bloodstream scavenger inhibits clotting without increased bleeding Posted: 23 Jul 2012 01:27 PM PDT A compound that mops up debris of damaged cells from the bloodstream may be the first in a new class of drugs designed to address one of medicine's most difficult challenges -- stopping the formation of blood clots without triggering equally threatening bleeding.

Mice have distinct subsystem to handle smell associated with fear Posted: 23 Jul 2012 01:27 PM PDT Mice appear to have a specialized system for detecting and at least initially processing instinctually important smells such as those that denote predators. The finding raises a question about whether their response to those smells is hardwired.

Cognitive changes may be only sign of fetal alcohol exposure Posted: 23 Jul 2012 01:26 PM PDT Most children exposed to high levels of alcohol in the womb do not develop the distinct facial features seen in fetal alcohol syndrome, but instead show signs of abnormal intellectual or behavioral development, according to a new study.

Social deprivation has a measurable effect on brain growth Posted: 23 Jul 2012 01:26 PM PDT Social deprivation has a measurable effect on a child's brain growth. MRI scans show decreased grey and white matter among children in institutional care. At least eight million children worldwide live in institutional settings, according to UNICEF, exposing them to severe psychological and physical neglect.

Existence of vitamin 'deserts' in the ocean confirmed Posted: 23 Jul 2012 01:26 PM PDT Using a newly developed analytical technique was used to identify long-hypothesized vitamin B deficient zones in the ocean.

Climate change and deforestation: Pre-human effect on biodiversity in northern Madagascar Posted: 23 Jul 2012 01:24 PM PDT A recent study questions the prevailing account that degradation of tropical ecosystems is essentially a product of human activity. Their findings call for reassessment of the impact of local communities on their environment.

Synthetic stimulants called 'bath salts' act in the brain like cocaine Posted: 23 Jul 2012 12:10 PM PDT Results of a new study offer compelling evidence for the first time that mephedrone, like cocaine, does have potential for abuse and addiction.

Why do anti-hunger and anti-obesity initiatives always fall short? Posted: 23 Jul 2012 12:10 PM PDT Researchers argue that while hunger and obesity are caused by a perfect storm of multiple factors acting in concert, the efforts to counter them have been narrowly focused and isolated. Overcoming the many barriers to achieving healthy nutrition worldwide, the researchers argue, will instead require an unprecedented level of joint planning and action between academia, government, civil society and industry.

Infants can use language to learn about people's intentions Posted: 23 Jul 2012 12:10 PM PDT One year olds are able to detect how speech communicates unobservable intentions, researchers have found in a study that sheds new light on how early in life we can rely on language to acquire knowledge about matters that go beyond first-hand experiences.

Polar bear evolution tracked climate change Posted: 23 Jul 2012 12:10 PM PDT A whole-genome analysis suggests that polar bear numbers waxed and waned with climate change, and that the animals may have interbred with brown bears since becoming a distinct species millions of years ago.

Microwave heating improves artificial bone Posted: 23 Jul 2012 12:00 PM PDT An artificial bone scaffold could enhance the treatment of bone damage and defects through bone grafts.

New compounds inhibit prion infection Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:48 AM PDT Researchers have identified a new class of compounds that inhibit the spread of prions, misfolded proteins in the brain that trigger lethal neurodegenerative diseases in humans and animals. Scientists have now developed compounds that clear prions from infected cells derived from the brain.

Neural precursor cells induce cell death in certain brain tumors Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:48 AM PDT Neural precursor cells in the young brain suppress certain brain tumors such as high-grade gliomas, especially glioblastoma, which are among the most common and most aggressive tumors. Now researchers have deciphered the underlying mechanism of action with which neural precursor cells protect the young brain against these tumors.

New model of disease contagion ranks US airports in terms of their spreading influence Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:47 AM PDT A new model of disease contagion ranks US airports in terms of their spreading influence. Unlike existing models, the new model incorporates variations in travel patterns among individuals, the geographic locations of airports, the disparity in interactions among airports, and waiting times at individual airports. Airports in New York, Los Angeles and Honolulu are judged likeliest to play a significant role in the growth of a pandemic.

Powerful class of antioxidants may be potent Parkinson's treatment Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:47 AM PDT A new and powerful class of antioxidants could one day be a potent treatment for Parkinson's disease, researchers report.

New findings break tanning misconceptions: There is no such thing as a safe tan Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:47 AM PDT UV-induced melanin formation (tanning), traditionally thought to protect against skin cancer, has now been shown to be directly involved in melanoma formation in mammals, according to researchers. Dermatologists have been warning for years there is no such thing as a safe tan and this new data appears to confirm this, experts say.

New species of ancient rodents hint at what could be world's oldest grasslands Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:47 AM PDT Researchers have described two ancient species of South American rodents, including the oldest chinchilla, a discovery that substantiates what might be the earliest grasslands in the world. The two new species lived about 32.5 million years ago in what are now the Chilean Andes. Studies of the teeth of the ancient chinchilla support evidence indicating that the animals inhabited an open and dry environment 15 million years before grasslands emerged elsewhere in the world.

Why does a vivid memory 'feel so real?' Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:47 AM PDT Neuroscientists have found strong evidence that vivid memory and directly experiencing the real moment can trigger similar brain activation patterns.

'Red tide' species is deadlier than first thought Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:47 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that the plankton species Alexandrium tamarense -- prominent in harmful algal blooms -- contains not one, but two deadly toxins, with potential consequences for marine food chains.

Aspirin protects against Barrett's esophagus, study suggests Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:46 AM PDT Aspirin use appears to reduce the risk of Barrett's esophagus, the largest known risk factor for esophageal cancer.

Childhood obesity linked to cancer risk Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:46 AM PDT Researchers have found that obesity in adolescence, defined as a Body Mass Index in the 85th percentile and above, has a direct link to the incidence of bladder, urinary tract, and colorectal cancers in adulthood.

Loss of tiny liver molecule might lead to liver cancer Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:46 AM PDT A new study shows that loss of a molecule called microRNA-122 in liver cells might lead to liver cancer. Cancer scientists found that when the molecule is missing, the liver develops fat deposits, inflammation and tumors that resemble hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer. Artificially restoring the molecule dramatically reduced the size and number of tumors and might offer a new way to treat the disease.

Herding sheep really are selfish Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:46 AM PDT Many animals spend time together in large groups not because they enjoy each other's company, but rather because it lowers their own chances of being eaten should an uninvited guest arrive on the scene. Now, researchers who have strapped GPS-enabled backpacks to flocking sheep and a herding dog provide some of the first hard evidence that this "selfish herd theory" is true.

Caught in the act: Bats use the sound of copulating flies as a cue for foraging Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:45 AM PDT Mating activities are a dangerous business because the attention to other important events in the surroundings is often reduced. Therefore the duration of copulation itself is usually very short. About 100 years ago researchers argued that copulating animals are at a higher risk of being discovered and, consequently, being eaten by a predator. Yet, surprisingly, there are only few observations that support this hypothesis. Now, researchers have found that when they play a recording of the copulation sounds of flies, bats try to attack the loudspeakers.

Why some types of multitasking are more dangerous Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:44 AM PDT In a new study that has implications for distracted drivers, researchers found that people are better at juggling some types of multitasking than they are at others.

Laser technology developed to fight cancer Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:44 AM PDT Researchers have developed a technology that goes on a "seek and destroy" mission for cancerous tumors. They have harnessed the power of lasers to find, map and non-invasively destruct cancerous tumors.

Survival rates for premature babies in high-level NICUs are better than previously reported Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:44 AM PDT Premature babies are more likely to survive when they are born in high-level neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) than in hospitals without such facilities, and this benefit is considerably larger than previously reported.

Public sightings suggest increase in basking sharks in British waters Posted: 23 Jul 2012 07:54 AM PDT The number of basking sharks recorded in Britain's seas could be increasing, decades after being protected from commercial hunting in the late 20th century. The most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of basking shark sightings in UK waters shows a rise in the number of sightings from the 1980s through to the 2000s. It also suggests an increase in the proportion of medium and large-sized animals, suggesting an increase in the number of older sharks.

Snacking and BMI linked to double effect of brain activity and self-control Posted: 23 Jul 2012 07:54 AM PDT Snack consumption and BMI are linked to both brain activity and self-control. New research discovered that an individual's brain 'reward center' response to pictures of food predicted how much they subsequently ate. This had a greater effect on the amount they ate than their conscious feelings of hunger or how much they wanted the food.

Judging DNA by its cover: Explaining the link between stem cells and cancer Posted: 23 Jul 2012 07:54 AM PDT A newly-discovered molecular mechanism might explain the link between stem cells and cancer.

Fools' gold found to regulate oxygen Posted: 23 Jul 2012 07:54 AM PDT As sulfur cycles through Earth's atmosphere, oceans and land, it undergoes chemical changes that are often coupled to changes in other such elements as carbon and oxygen. Although this affects the concentration of free oxygen, sulfur has traditionally been portrayed as a secondary factor in regulating atmospheric oxygen, with most of the heavy lifting done by carbon. However, new findings suggest that sulfur's role may have been underestimated.

New understanding of diabetes and kidney disease: Findings may lead to effective new treatments Posted: 23 Jul 2012 07:50 AM PDT Scientists have identified biological mechanisms by which glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a gut hormone, protects against kidney disease, and also mechanisms that inhibit its actions in diabetes.

New clue on how brain processes visual information Posted: 23 Jul 2012 06:52 AM PDT Ever wonder how the human brain, which is constantly bombarded with millions of pieces of visual information, can filter out what's unimportant and focus on what's most useful?

Printed photonic crystal mirrors shrink on-chip lasers down to size Posted: 23 Jul 2012 06:52 AM PDT Electrical engineers have devised a new laser for on-chip optical connections that could give computers a huge boost in speed and energy efficiency.

World's first violet nonpolar vertical-cavity laser technology created Posted: 23 Jul 2012 06:52 AM PDT Researchers have developed the first violet nonpolar vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers based on m-plane gallium nitride semiconductors.

Pre-season fitness makes no difference to risk of injury, but type of sport and gender does, study suggests Posted: 23 Jul 2012 06:51 AM PDT A new study into varsity athletics found that women had a shorter time to injury than men and that certain sports, such as volleyball, also had a significantly shorter time to injury than others, such as hockey or basketball.

New epilepsy gene identified; possible new treatment option Posted: 23 Jul 2012 06:51 AM PDT Neuroscientists have identified a new gene involved in epilepsy and could potentially provide a new treatment option for patients with epilepsy.

Mechanisms underlying blood disorders identified Posted: 23 Jul 2012 06:50 AM PDT Scientists have uncovered a protein structure that regulates cell signalling and the formation of blood cells. The findings shed light on the mechanisms at play in hematological disorders and provide new opportunities for the design of disease-specific treatment.

Type 2 diabetes drug, DPP-4 inhibitor linagliptin, is clinically effective for long-term use, thirty-two country trial suggests Posted: 23 Jul 2012 06:50 AM PDT An extended trial of a drug for people with type 2 diabetes has confirmed that the oral DPP-4 inhibitor linagliptin is a safe and effective means of lowering glucose levels for up to 102 weeks, either on its own or in combination with other selected oral anti-diabetic medication.

Microneedles target therapeutics to back of the eye Posted: 23 Jul 2012 06:48 AM PDT Thanks to tiny microneedles, eye doctors may soon have a better way to treat diseases such as macular degeneration that affect tissues in the back of the eye.

New lipid screening guidelines for children overly aggressive, experts say Posted: 23 Jul 2012 06:48 AM PDT Recent guidelines recommending cholesterol tests for children fail to weigh health benefits against potential harms and costs, according to a new commentary.

Traveling through a volcano: How pre-eruption collisions affect what exits a volcano Posted: 23 Jul 2012 06:48 AM PDT Scientists widely believe that volcanic particle size is determined by the initial fragmentation process, when bubbly magma deep in the volcano changes into gas-particle flows. But new research indicates a more dynamic process where the amount and size of volcanic ash actually depend on what happens afterward, as the particles race toward the surface.

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