ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Mayfly with springtail hitchhiker: Amber specimen -- 16 million years old -- reveals unknown animal behaviors
• Association between rare neuromuscular disorder and loss of smell identified
• Crows don't digest prions, may transport them to other locations
• Children with autism can identify misbehavior but have trouble putting it in words, study finds
• Impact of autism may be different in men and women
• Dolphins can remain alert for up to 15 days at a time with no sign of fatigue
• Potential new drug therapy for Crohn's disease
• Leading bone marrow transplant expert recommends significant change to current practice
• Elevated indoor carbon dioxide impairs decision-making performance
• Study confirms magnetic properties of silicon nano-ribbons
• Antidepressants linked to increased risk of stroke, but risk is low, study finds
• Giant impact scenario may explain the unusual moons of Saturn
• Nearly four out of ten lesbians not routinely screened for cervical cancer, U.S. study finds
• Bloodstream infections cut by 44 percent in sickest hospital patients, study concludes
• Keck observations bring weather of Uranus into sharp focus
• New class of power inverter could mean cheaper, faster hybrid vehicles
• Overeating impairs brain insulin function, a mechanism that can lead to diabetes and obesity
• Two components of red meat combined with alteration in DNA repair increase risk for bladder cancer
• Depression and shortened telomeres increased bladder cancer mortality
• Jupiter: Turmoil from below, battering from above
• New fruit fly model of epilepsy reveals mechanisms behind fever-induced seizures
• Why are U.S. Eastern seaboard salt marshes falling apart?
• Mathematics and the ocean: Movement, mixing and climate modeling
• Leaves of carob tree, source of chocolate substitute, fight food-poisoning bacteria
• New malaria drug requires just one dose and appears twice as effective as existing regimen
• Epigenetic analysis of stomach cancer finds new disease subtypes
• New model reconciles the Moon's Earth-like composition with the giant impact theory of formation
• Do lefties, righties benefit differently from power nap? At 'rest,' brain's right hemisphere 'talks' more than left hemisphere does
• Student engineers design, build, fly 'printed' airplane
• Developing the next generation of microsensors: Microscale optical accelerometer created
• New advance could help soldiers, athletes, others rebound from traumatic brain injuries
• Infertility: How can ovulation function be restored?
• Cosmic rays could assist in healing Fukushima's nuclear scar
• Pathology of Huntington's disease identified
• Does true love wait? Age of first sexual experience predicts romantic outcomes in adulthood
• Calcium reveals connections between neurons
• Barley genome could hold key to better beer
• Evolutionary origins of our pretty smile
• Bus service for qubits: Spin-orbit qubits are right at home in electrical circuits
• Moon was created in giant smashup; Vaporization of impactor left signature in tiny excess of heavier form of zinc
• Breech births cause more problems for moms and babies when water breaks early
• Plant-based diets can remedy chronic diseases
• Doing nothing might be best management decision for forests destroyed by wind or ice
• New technique for sorting live cells may expedite biomedical research
• New cobalt-graphene catalyst could challenge platinum for use in fuel cells
• Searching for a silver bullet: Measuring biodiversity to inform species conservation
• Process controlling night vision clarifled
• Multivitamin use among middle-aged, older men results in modest reduction in cancer, study finds
• Discovery of two opposite ways humans voluntarily forget unwanted memories
• Novel chewing gum formulation helps prevent motion sickness
• Vegetable-derived compound effective in treating triple-negative breast cancer, research suggests
• Increased flavonoid intake reduced risk for aggressive prostate cancer
• Prolonged formula feeding, delay in solid foods was associated with increased risk for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• Corals and food security: Study shows nations at risk
• College students' sexual hookups more complex than originally thought
• Epigenetic difference in twins explains different risk of breast cancer
• Too late to stop global warming by cutting emissions? Scientists argue for adaption policies
• Extreme 'housework' cuts the life span of female Komodo dragons
• Even professional scientists are compelled to see purpose in nature, psychologists find
• Overcoming memories that trigger cocaine relapse

Mayfly with springtail hitchhiker: Amber specimen -- 16 million years old -- reveals unknown animal behaviors Posted: 17 Oct 2012 03:13 PM PDT Stunning images from a CT scan of amber have revealed the first evidence of any creature using an adult mayfly for transport. Researchers say this 16-million-year-old hitchhiker most likely demonstrates activity that is taking place today but has never previously been recorded.

Association between rare neuromuscular disorder and loss of smell identified Posted: 17 Oct 2012 03:12 PM PDT Changes in the ability to smell and taste can be caused by a simple cold or upper respiratory tract infection, but they may also be among the first signs of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. New research has revealed an association between an impaired sense of smell and myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease.

Crows don't digest prions, may transport them to other locations Posted: 17 Oct 2012 03:12 PM PDT Crows fed on prion-infected brains from mice can transmit these infectious agents in their feces and may play a role in the geographic spread of diseases caused by prions, such as chronic wasting disease or scrapie.

Children with autism can identify misbehavior but have trouble putting it in words, study finds Posted: 17 Oct 2012 03:12 PM PDT Children with autism have difficulty identifying inappropriate social behavior, and even when successful, they are often unable to justify why the behavior seemed inappropriate. New brain imaging studies show that children with autism may recognize socially inappropriate behavior, but have difficulty using spoken language to explain why the behavior is considered inappropriate, according to new research.

Impact of autism may be different in men and women Posted: 17 Oct 2012 03:12 PM PDT Men and women with autism spectrum conditions may show subtle but significant differences in the cognitive functions impacted by the condition, according to new research.

Dolphins can remain alert for up to 15 days at a time with no sign of fatigue Posted: 17 Oct 2012 03:12 PM PDT Dolphins sleep with only one half of their brains at a time, and according to new research, this trait allows them to stay constantly alert for at least 15 days in a row.

Potential new drug therapy for Crohn's disease Posted: 17 Oct 2012 03:02 PM PDT Ustekinumab, an antibody proven to treat the skin condition psoriasis, has now shown positive results in decreasing the debilitating effects of Crohn's Disease, according to new research.

Leading bone marrow transplant expert recommends significant change to current practice Posted: 17 Oct 2012 03:02 PM PDT One of the world's leading bone marrow transplant experts is recommending a significant change to current transplant practice for patients who need marrow or adult stem cells from an unrelated donor to treat hematologic malignancies.

Elevated indoor carbon dioxide impairs decision-making performance Posted: 17 Oct 2012 01:24 PM PDT Overturning decades of conventional wisdom, researchers have found that moderately high indoor concentrations of carbon dioxide can significantly impair people's decision-making performance. The results were unexpected and may have particular implications for schools and other spaces with high occupant density.

Study confirms magnetic properties of silicon nano-ribbons Posted: 17 Oct 2012 01:08 PM PDT Nano-ribbons of silicon configured so the atoms resemble chicken wire could hold the key to ultrahigh density data storage and information processing systems of the future, according to new research.

Antidepressants linked to increased risk of stroke, but risk is low, study finds Posted: 17 Oct 2012 01:08 PM PDT Research shows that use of popular antidepressants is linked to an increased risk of some strokes caused by bleeding in the brain, but that the risk is low, according to a multi-study analysis.

Giant impact scenario may explain the unusual moons of Saturn Posted: 17 Oct 2012 12:48 PM PDT Among the oddities of the outer solar system are the middle-sized moons of Saturn, a half-dozen icy bodies dwarfed by Saturn's massive moon Titan. According to a new model for the origin of the Saturn system, these middle-sized moons were spawned during giant impacts in which several major satellites merged to form Titan.

Nearly four out of ten lesbians not routinely screened for cervical cancer, U.S. study finds Posted: 17 Oct 2012 12:48 PM PDT Nearly 38% of lesbians polled in a national U.S. survey were not routinely screened for cervical cancer, putting them at risk of developing a highly preventable cancer, according to a new study. Cervical cancer is caused by a sexually transmitted virus, the human papillomavirus, and can be detected through regular Pap smears.

Bloodstream infections cut by 44 percent in sickest hospital patients, study concludes Posted: 17 Oct 2012 12:48 PM PDT A sweeping study on the issue of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals shows that using antimicrobial soap and ointment on all intensive-care patients significantly decreases bloodstream infection.

Keck observations bring weather of Uranus into sharp focus Posted: 17 Oct 2012 12:39 PM PDT In 1986, when Voyager swept past Uranus, the probe's portraits of the planet were "notoriously bland," disappointing scientists, yielding few new details of the planet and its atmosphere, and giving it a reputation as a bore of the solar system.

New class of power inverter could mean cheaper, faster hybrid vehicles Posted: 17 Oct 2012 12:39 PM PDT The discovery of a new class of power inverter could mean cheaper, faster hybrid vehicles and other green products. Scientists have invented a power inverter that employs just a single switching transistor and generates infinite-level voltages.

Overeating impairs brain insulin function, a mechanism that can lead to diabetes and obesity Posted: 17 Oct 2012 12:39 PM PDT New research sheds light on how overeating can cause a malfunction in brain insulin signaling, and lead to obesity and diabetes. Researchers found that overeating impairs the ability of brain insulin to suppress the breakdown of fat in adipose tissue.

Two components of red meat combined with alteration in DNA repair increase risk for bladder cancer Posted: 17 Oct 2012 12:39 PM PDT Two components of red meat -- dietary protein and dietary iron -- may combine to form powerful carcinogens, N-nitroso compounds, which increase risk for bladder cancer. Moreover, individuals with reduced ability to reverse the effects of N-nitroso compounds because of a genetic variation in their RAD52 gene could be at particularly high risk.

Depression and shortened telomeres increased bladder cancer mortality Posted: 17 Oct 2012 12:39 PM PDT The combination of shortened telomeres, a biological marker of aging associated with cancer development, and elevated depression significantly impacted bladder cancer mortality, according to new data.

Jupiter: Turmoil from below, battering from above Posted: 17 Oct 2012 11:33 AM PDT Jupiter, the mythical god of sky and thunder, would certainly be pleased at all the changes afoot at his namesake planet. As the planet gets peppered continually with small space rocks, wide belts of the atmosphere are changing color, hotspots are vanishing and reappearing, and clouds are gathering over one part of Jupiter, while dissipating over another.

New fruit fly model of epilepsy reveals mechanisms behind fever-induced seizures Posted: 17 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT Researchers have created a new fruit fly model of inherited epilepsy that's providing insights into the mechanisms underlying temperature-dependent seizures while establishing a platform from which to develop therapies for these disorders.

Why are U.S. Eastern seaboard salt marshes falling apart? Posted: 17 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT Salt marshes have been disintegrating and dying over the past two decades along the U.S. Eastern seaboard and other highly developed coastlines, without anyone fully understanding why. Scientists now report that nutrients -- such as nitrogen and phosphorus from septic and sewer systems and lawn fertilizers -- can cause salt-marsh loss.

Mathematics and the ocean: Movement, mixing and climate modeling Posted: 17 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT Mathematicians have described mathematical ideas from dynamical systems along with numerical modeling and experimental observations to analyze mixing in the ocean.

Leaves of carob tree, source of chocolate substitute, fight food-poisoning bacteria Posted: 17 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT Leaves of the plant that yields carob -- the substitute for chocolate that some consider healthier than chocolate -- are a rich source of antibacterial substances ideal for fighting the microbe responsible for listeriosis, a serious form of food poisoning, according to a new report.

New malaria drug requires just one dose and appears twice as effective as existing regimen Posted: 17 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT Scientists are reporting development of a new malaria drug that, in laboratory tests, has been twice as effective as the best current medicine against this global scourge and may fight off the disease with one dose, instead of the multiple doses that people often fail to take.

Epigenetic analysis of stomach cancer finds new disease subtypes Posted: 17 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT Researchers have identified numerous new subtypes of gastric cancer that are triggered by environmental factors.

New model reconciles the Moon's Earth-like composition with the giant impact theory of formation Posted: 17 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT The giant impact believed to have formed the Earth-Moon system has long been accepted as canon. However, a major challenge to the theory has been that the Earth and Moon have identical oxygen isotope compositions, even though earlier impact models indicated they should differ substantially. A new model accounts for this similarity in composition while also yielding an appropriate mass for Earth and the Moon.

Do lefties, righties benefit differently from power nap? At 'rest,' brain's right hemisphere 'talks' more than left hemisphere does Posted: 17 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT This study supports the benefits of a power nap. At rest, the right hemisphere talks more to itself and to the left hemisphere than the left hemisphere communicates -- whether the subject is right or left handed. Researchers explain that the brain could be doing housecleaning, classifying data, or consolidating memories, which could explain the power of napping. But could a power nap benefit righties more then lefties?

Student engineers design, build, fly 'printed' airplane Posted: 17 Oct 2012 11:13 AM PDT Two mechanical engineering students have built and flown a plastic airplane using 3-D printing technology.

Developing the next generation of microsensors: Microscale optical accelerometer created Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:20 AM PDT Setting the stage for a new class of motional sensors, researchers have developed a new ultrasensitive, microchip-scale accelerometer that uses laser light to measure displacement. Beyond consumer electronics, such sensors could help with oil and gas exploration deep within Earth, could improve the stabilization systems of fighter jets, and could even be used in some biomedical applications where more traditional sensors cannot operate.

New advance could help soldiers, athletes, others rebound from traumatic brain injuries Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:20 AM PDT A potential treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI), which affects thousands of soldiers, auto accident victims, athletes and others each year, has shown promise in laboratory research, scientists are reporting. TBI can occur in individuals who experience a violent blow to the head, a gunshot injury or exposure to an explosion. TBI currently cannot be treated and may result in permanent brain damage or death.

Infertility: How can ovulation function be restored? Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:20 AM PDT It is well known that breast feeding increases the secretion of the prolactin hormone and inhibits ovulation in women. This prevents the onset of a new pregnancy too soon, and so breast feeding was used in the past as a method of contraception. In addition to this physiological condition, there are many other pathological conditions in which the production of prolactin is increased. Thanks to new research, the intimate mechanism of the hyperprolactinaemia alterations affecting reproduction in mice has been discovered.

Cosmic rays could assist in healing Fukushima's nuclear scar Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:20 AM PDT Researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory have devised a method to use cosmic rays to gather detailed information from inside the damaged cores of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors, which were heavily damaged in March 2011 by a tsunami that followed a great earthquake.

Pathology of Huntington's disease identified Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:20 AM PDT A new study provides novel insight into the impact that Huntington's disease has on the brain.

Does true love wait? Age of first sexual experience predicts romantic outcomes in adulthood Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:18 AM PDT It's a common lament among parents: Kids are growing up too fast these days. Parents worry about their kids getting involved in all kinds of risky behavior, but they worry especially about their kids' forays into sexual relationships. A new study examines whether timing of sexual initiation in adolescence predicts romantic outcomes -- such as whether people get married or live with their partners, number of romantic partners, and relationship satisfaction -- later in adulthood.

Calcium reveals connections between neurons Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:18 AM PDT Neuroscientists have developed a way to monitor how brain cells coordinate with each other to control specific behaviors, such as initiating movement or detecting an odor.

Barley genome could hold key to better beer Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:18 AM PDT Scientists have published a high resolution draft of the barley genome. The research will help to produce new and better barley varieties that are vital for the beer and whisky industries.

Evolutionary origins of our pretty smile Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:18 AM PDT It takes both teeth and jaws to make a pretty smile, but the evolutionary origins of these parts of our anatomy have only just been discovered, thanks to a particle accelerator and a long dead fish.

Bus service for qubits: Spin-orbit qubits are right at home in electrical circuits Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:18 AM PDT Superconducting circuit technology meets semiconductor qubit technology to afford a means of moving quantum information from one place to another in future quantum computers.

Moon was created in giant smashup; Vaporization of impactor left signature in tiny excess of heavier form of zinc Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:18 AM PDT It's a big claim, but scientists say they have discovered evidence that the Moon was born in a flaming blaze of glory when a body the size of Mars collided with the early Earth. The evidence might not seem all that impressive to a nonscientist: a tiny excess of a heavier variant of the element zinc in Moon rocks. But the enrichment probably arose because heavier zinc atoms condensed out of the roiling cloud of vaporized rock created by a catastrophic collision faster than lighter zinc atoms, and the remaining vapor escaped before it could condense.

Breech births cause more problems for moms and babies when water breaks early Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Breech births increase the risk of complications for the mother and baby when the amniotic sac ruptures early.

Plant-based diets can remedy chronic diseases Posted: 17 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 63 percent of the deaths that occurred in 2008 were attributed to non-communicable chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, Type 2 diabetes and obesity—for which poor diets are contributing factors. Yet people that live in societies that eat healthy, plant-based diets rarely fall victim to these ailments. Research studies have long indicated that a high consumption of plant foods is associated with lower incidents of chronic disease. Recent discoveries in nutritional genomics now explain how plant-based diets are effective at warding off disease.

Doing nothing might be best management decision for forests destroyed by wind or ice Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:41 AM PDT In newscasts after intense wind and ice storms, damaged trees stand out: snapped limbs, uprooted trunks, entire forests blown nearly flat. In a storm's wake, landowners, municipalities and state agencies are faced with important financial and environmental decisions. New research yields a surprising result: when it comes to the health of forests, native plants and wildlife, the best management decision may be to do nothing.

New technique for sorting live cells may expedite biomedical research Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:41 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new technique that uses sound waves to rapidly separate selected collections of cells for use in biomedical research.

New cobalt-graphene catalyst could challenge platinum for use in fuel cells Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:39 AM PDT There's a new contender in the race to find an inexpensive alternative to platinum catalysts for use in hydrogen fuel cells. Chemists have developed a new material -- a graphene sheet covered by cobalt and cobalt-oxide nanoparticles -- that can catalyze the oxygen reduction reaction nearly as well as platinum does and is substantially more durable.

Searching for a silver bullet: Measuring biodiversity to inform species conservation Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:39 AM PDT Ecologists have found that evolutionary diversity can be an effective method for identifying hotspots of mammal biodiversity. They report that evolutionary diversity can be an effective proxy for both the sheer number of species as well as their characteristics and ecological roles. Their findings could help conservation organizations better protect threatened species across the globe.

Process controlling night vision clarifled Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:39 AM PDT On the road at night or on a tennis court at dusk, the eye can be deceived. Vision is not as sharp as in the light of day, and detecting a bicyclist on the road or a careening tennis ball can be tough. New research reveals the key chemical process that corrects for potential visual errors in low-light conditions. Understanding this fundamental step could lead to new treatments for visual deficits, or might one day boost normal night vision to new levels.

Multivitamin use among middle-aged, older men results in modest reduction in cancer, study finds Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:39 AM PDT In a randomized trial that included nearly 15,000 male physicians, long-term daily multivitamin use resulted in a modest but statistically significant reduction in cancer after more than a decade of treatment and follow-up.

Discovery of two opposite ways humans voluntarily forget unwanted memories Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:39 AM PDT If only there were a way to forget that humiliating faux pas at last night's dinner party. It turns out there's not one, but two opposite ways in which the brain allows us to voluntarily forget unwanted memories, according to a new study. The findings may explain how individuals can cope with undesirable experiences and could lead to the development of treatments to improve disorders of memory control.

Novel chewing gum formulation helps prevent motion sickness Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:39 AM PDT A new prototype for medicated chewing gum has been developed for motion sickness that may offer many advantages over conventional oral solid dosage forms. About 33 percent of people are susceptible to motion sickness in mild circumstances and 66 percent are affected in more severe conditions.

Vegetable-derived compound effective in treating triple-negative breast cancer, research suggests Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:39 AM PDT A new compound created from a rich source in vegetables including broccoli and brussel sprouts has been developed to combat triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC is one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer; it grows faster, spreads to other parts of the body earlier, is harder to detect on a mammogram and recurs more often.

Increased flavonoid intake reduced risk for aggressive prostate cancer Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:28 AM PDT A high total intake of flavonoids, a group of compounds found in plants, was inversely associated with the risk for highly aggressive prostate cancer, according to new data.

Prolonged formula feeding, delay in solid foods was associated with increased risk for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:28 AM PDT Results of one study indicate that the risk for developing pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia increased the longer a baby was fed formula and the longer solid foods were delayed.

Corals and food security: Study shows nations at risk Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:28 AM PDT A new study identifies countries most vulnerable to declining coral reef fisheries from a food-security perspective while providing a framework to plan for alternative protein sources needed to replace declining fisheries.

College students' sexual hookups more complex than originally thought Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:28 AM PDT Researchers prepared a comprehensive academic review of the sexual hookup culture. Their finding concluded that these encounters, which are increasingly becoming the 'norm,' mark a shift in the openness and acceptance of uncommitted sex among U.S. "emerging adults" during the transitional developmental period between adolescence and young adulthood.

Epigenetic difference in twins explains different risk of breast cancer Posted: 17 Oct 2012 07:29 AM PDT Researchers have identified an epigenetic change in a twin who will develop breast cancer but not in her healthy sister.

Too late to stop global warming by cutting emissions? Scientists argue for adaption policies Posted: 17 Oct 2012 07:29 AM PDT Governments and institutions should focus on developing adaption policies to address and mitigate against the negative impact of global warming, rather than putting the emphasis on carbon trading and capping greenhouse-gas emissions, argue two geoscientists in a new article.

Extreme 'housework' cuts the life span of female Komodo dragons Posted: 17 Oct 2012 07:29 AM PDT Researchers have found that female Komodo dragons live half as long as males on average, seemingly due to their physically demanding "housework" such as building huge nests and guarding eggs for up to six months.

Even professional scientists are compelled to see purpose in nature, psychologists find Posted: 17 Oct 2012 07:24 AM PDT A team of psychology researchers has found that, despite years of scientific training, even professional chemists, geologists, and physicists from major universities such as Harvard, MIT, and Yale cannot escape a deep-seated belief that natural phenomena exist for a purpose.

Overcoming memories that trigger cocaine relapse Posted: 17 Oct 2012 06:19 AM PDT Researchers have identified mechanisms in the brain responsible for regulating cocaine-seeking behavior, providing an avenue for drug development that could greatly reduce the high relapse rate in cocaine addiction.

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