ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Preterm birth may be prevented with a few proven treatments, experts say
• Optical microscopes lend a hand to graphene research
• Uncommon features of Einstein's brain might explain his remarkable cognitive abilities
• Class of RNA molecules protects germ cells from damage
• Pushing boundaries of electron microscopy to unlock the potential of graphene
• Tenth of quirky creature's active genes are foreign: Believed to 'ingest' DNA from other simple organisms
• Probiotic worm treatment may improve symptoms of colitis by restoring gut bacteria to healthy state
• Vitamin D deficiency linked to type 1 diabetes
• How insects domesticate bacteria to live symbiotically: Symbiotic microbes' origin discovered after man impales hand on branch
• NASA Innovator of Year hunts for extraterrestrial amino acids
• Robotic explorers may usher in lunar 'water rush'
• NASA rover providing new weather and radiation data about Mars
• Scientists improve dating of early human settlement
• New injectable gels toughen up after entering the body
• Technology harvests energy from railroad train vibrations
• Arginine and proline enriched diet may speed wound healing in diabetes
• Scientists discover ways to optimize light sources for vision: Tuning lighting devices could save billions
• Neurons made from stem cells drive brain activity after transplantation in laboratory model
• Quick test speeds search for Alzheimer's drugs: Compound restores motor function and longevity to fruit flies
• Parkinson's disease protein causes disease spread and neuron death in healthy animals
• New way for antibiotic resistance to spread
• Using skills gleaned from video games, high school and college students outmatch medical residents in surgical simulations
• Cellphone bans associated with fewer urban accidents
• Potential new treatment to stop Alzheimer's disease: Molecular 'tweezers' break up toxic aggregations of proteins in mouse model
• Simplifying heart surgery with stretchable electronics devices
• Searching for elusive dark matter material
• Bone metastases treatment can improve overall survival
• Large-scale genomic testing feasible, impacts therapy
• Controlling heat flow through a nanostructure
• Physicists skirt thermal vibration, transfer optical signal via mechanical oscillator
• 'Space gems': Rare meteorites created in violent celestial collision
• Bioprinting has promising future: Scientists building structures for cells to grow on, in order to regenerate tissue
• Archaeologists identify oldest spear points: Used in hunting half-million years ago
• Key to super-sensory hearing? Newly identified hearing organ in bushcrickets' ears may inspire acoustic sensors
• Wax-filled nanotech yarn behaves like powerful, super-strong muscle
• How bacteria inactivate immune defenses
• Airborne particles smuggle pollutants to far reaches of globe
• Candidate for most distant galaxy discovered
• Chronic fatigue syndrome: System under stress
• Carbon nanotubes may protect DNA from oxidation
• 'Cloning' could make structurally pure nanotubes for nanoelectronics
• America's ancient hurricane belt and the U.S.-Canada equator
• These mini-bots were made for walking: Cells power biological machines
• Tracking brain gene response to territorial aggression
• Umbilical cord cells outperform bone marrow cells in repairing damaged hearts
• Streams show signs of degradation at earliest stages of urban development
• Saving salmon from deadly sea lice
• Protein-making machinery can switch gears with a small structural change process; Implications for immunity and cancer therapy
• Tapping into carbon dioxide storage potential of mine waste
• This is your brain on freestyle rap: Study reveals characteristic brain patterns of lyrical improvisation
• At least one-third of marine species remain undescribed
• Researchers use GPS tracking to monitor crab behaviour
• Meteorites reveal warm water existed on Mars
• When the going gets tough, the tough get…more relief from a placebo?
• Born-again star foreshadows fate of Solar System
• Electrical engineer turns brain implant research into products
• Molecular mechanisms underlying stem cell reprogramming decoded
• Hypothermia: Coming out of the cold

Preterm birth may be prevented with a few proven treatments, experts say Posted: 15 Nov 2012 06:06 PM PST Experts have set a target of lowering preterm birth rates by an average of 5 percent across 39 high-resource countries, including the United States, by 2015 to prevent prematurity for 58,000 babies a year.

Optical microscopes lend a hand to graphene research Posted: 15 Nov 2012 06:05 PM PST The remarkable properties and subsequent applications of graphene have been well-documented since it was first isolated in 2004; however, researchers are still trying to find a quick, cheap and efficient way of measuring its thickness. A group of researchers from China appear to have solved this problem by devising a universal method using just a standard optical microscope.

Uncommon features of Einstein's brain might explain his remarkable cognitive abilities Posted: 15 Nov 2012 06:04 PM PST Portions of Albert Einstein's brain have been found to be unlike those of most people and could be related to his extraordinary cognitive abilities, according to a new study.

Class of RNA molecules protects germ cells from damage Posted: 15 Nov 2012 02:22 PM PST Passing one's genes on to the next generation is a mark of evolutionary success. So it makes sense that the body would work to ensure that the genes the next generation inherits are exact replicas of the originals. Biologists have now identified one way the body does exactly that.

Pushing boundaries of electron microscopy to unlock the potential of graphene Posted: 15 Nov 2012 02:20 PM PST Electron microscopy is providing unprecedented views of the individual atoms in graphene, offering scientists a chance to unlock the material's full potential for uses from engine combustion to consumer electronics.

Tenth of quirky creature's active genes are foreign: Believed to 'ingest' DNA from other simple organisms Posted: 15 Nov 2012 02:20 PM PST Up to 10 percent of the active genes of an organism that has survived 80 million years without sex are foreign, a new study reveals. The asexual organism, the bdelloid rotifer, has acquired a tenth of its active genes from bacteria and other simple organisms like fungi and algae.

Probiotic worm treatment may improve symptoms of colitis by restoring gut bacteria to healthy state Posted: 15 Nov 2012 02:20 PM PST A new study on monkeys with chronic diarrhea that were treated by microscopic parasite worm (helminth) eggs has provided insights on how this form of therapy may heal the intestine. This condition in monkeys is similar to the inflammatory bowel diseases that affects up to 1.4 million Americans.

Vitamin D deficiency linked to type 1 diabetes Posted: 15 Nov 2012 02:13 PM PST A study has found a correlation between vitamin D3 serum levels and subsequent incidence of Type 1 diabetes. The six-year study of blood levels of nearly 2,000 individuals suggests a preventive role for vitamin D3 in this disease.

How insects domesticate bacteria to live symbiotically: Symbiotic microbes' origin discovered after man impales hand on branch Posted: 15 Nov 2012 02:13 PM PST Two years ago, a 71-year-old Indiana man impaled his hand on a branch after cutting down a dead crab apple tree, causing an infection that led scientists to discover a new bacterium and solve a mystery about how bacteria came to live inside insects.

NASA Innovator of Year hunts for extraterrestrial amino acids Posted: 15 Nov 2012 01:52 PM PST The hunt for the organic molecules that create proteins and enzymes critical for life here on Earth has largely happened in sophisticated terrestrial laboratories equipped with high-tech gadgetry needed to tease out their presence in space rocks and other extraterrestrial samples.

Robotic explorers may usher in lunar 'water rush' Posted: 15 Nov 2012 01:50 PM PST The American space program stands at the cusp of a "water rush" to the moon by several companies developing robotic prospectors for launch in the near future, according to a NASA scientist considering how to acquire and use water ice believed to be at the poles of the moon.

NASA rover providing new weather and radiation data about Mars Posted: 15 Nov 2012 01:48 PM PST Observations of wind patterns and natural radiation patterns on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover are helping scientists better understand the environment on the Red Planet's surface.

Scientists improve dating of early human settlement Posted: 15 Nov 2012 01:28 PM PST Archaeologists have significantly narrowed down the time frame during which the last major chapter in human colonization, the Polynesian triangle, occurred.

New injectable gels toughen up after entering the body Posted: 15 Nov 2012 01:28 PM PST Chemical engineers have now designed an injectable gel that responds to the body's high temperature by forming a reinforcing network that makes the gel much more durable, allowing it to function over a longer period of time.

Technology harvests energy from railroad train vibrations Posted: 15 Nov 2012 01:21 PM PST Engineers have won a national award for an innovative energy harvester that has the potential to save millions of dollars in energy costs for railroads while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The team developed a new type of energy harvester that converts the irregular, oscillatory motion of train-induced rail track vibrations into regular, unidirectional motion, in the same way that an electric voltage rectifier converts AC voltage into DC.

Arginine and proline enriched diet may speed wound healing in diabetes Posted: 15 Nov 2012 01:21 PM PST A diet enriched with arginine and proline could speed diabetes-related wound healing, a new study suggests.

Scientists discover ways to optimize light sources for vision: Tuning lighting devices could save billions Posted: 15 Nov 2012 12:26 PM PST Vision researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery into the optimization of light sources to human vision. By tuning lighting devices to work more efficiently with the human brain, the researchers believe billions of dollars in energy costs could be saved.

Neurons made from stem cells drive brain activity after transplantation in laboratory model Posted: 15 Nov 2012 12:26 PM PST Scientists are able to make neurons and other brain cells from stem cells, but getting these neurons to properly function when transplanted to a host has proven more difficult. Now, researchers have found a way to stimulate stem cell-derived neurons to direct cognitive function after transplantation to an existing neural network.

Quick test speeds search for Alzheimer's drugs: Compound restores motor function and longevity to fruit flies Posted: 15 Nov 2012 12:26 PM PST Researchers report that an efficient, high-volume technique for testing potential drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease uncovered an organic compound that restored motor function and longevity to fruit flies with the disease.

Parkinson's disease protein causes disease spread and neuron death in healthy animals Posted: 15 Nov 2012 12:25 PM PST Understanding how any disease progresses is one of the first and most important steps towards finding treatments to stop it. This has been the case for such brain-degenerating conditions as Alzheimer's disease. Now, after several years of incremental study, researchers have been able to piece together important steps in how Parkinson's disease (PD) spreads from cell to cell and leads to nerve cell death.

New way for antibiotic resistance to spread Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:18 AM PST Researchers have found an unlikely recipe for antibiotic resistant bacteria: Mix cow dung and soil, and add urine infused with metabolized antibiotic. The urine will kill off normal E. coli in the dung-soil mixture. But antibiotic-resistant E. coli will survive in the soil to recolonize in a cow's gut through pasture, forage or bedding.

Using skills gleaned from video games, high school and college students outmatch medical residents in surgical simulations Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:16 AM PST What can high school and college-age video game enthusiasts teach young surgeons-in-training? According to a new study the superior hand-eye coordination and hand skills gained from hours of repetitive joystick maneuvers mimic the abilities needed to perform today's most technologically advanced robotic surgeries.

Cellphone bans associated with fewer urban accidents Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:16 AM PST Cellphones and driving go together like knives and juggling. But when cellphone use is banned, are drivers any safer? It depends on where you're driving, a new study says. The study found that, long-term, enacting a cellphone ban was associated with a relative decrease in the accident rate in urban areas. However, in very rural areas, cellphone bans were associated with higher accident rates than would otherwise be expected.

Potential new treatment to stop Alzheimer's disease: Molecular 'tweezers' break up toxic aggregations of proteins in mouse model Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:16 AM PST Using a specific biological compound they call molecular "tweezers," researchers report that, for the first time in a living mouse model for Alzheimer's (AD), the compound cleared the existing amyloid ² and Tau aggregates, and proved protective to the neuron's synapses, another target common to AD.

Simplifying heart surgery with stretchable electronics devices Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:16 AM PST A catheter made from stretchable electronics can serve triple-duty during heart surgery, researchers have found. The findings could make cardiac ablation surgeries simpler and safer.

Searching for elusive dark matter material Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:16 AM PST Researchers are making key contributions to a physics experiment that will look for one of nature's most elusive particles, "dark matter," using a tank nearly a mile underground beneath the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Bone metastases treatment can improve overall survival Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:16 AM PST One of the most frequent sites of metastases is the bone, with an estimated 30 to 40 percent of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer developing bone loss. A study shows that the bone metastases drug denosumab was associated with improved overall survival compared with zoledonic acid.

Large-scale genomic testing feasible, impacts therapy Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:16 AM PST Targeted cancer therapy has been transforming the care of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is now standard practice for tumor specimens from NSCLC patients to be examined for EGFR mutations and ALK rearrangements to identify patients for therapy with EGFR and ALK inhibitors, respectively. Now, researchers say large-scale genomic testing is feasible within the clinical workflow, impacting therapeutic decisions.

Controlling heat flow through a nanostructure Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:15 AM PST Researchers found that heat moving in materials called superlattices behaves like waves; finding could enable better thermoelectrics.

Physicists skirt thermal vibration, transfer optical signal via mechanical oscillator Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:15 AM PST Using tiny radiation pressure forces, physicists converted an optical field, or signal, from one color to another, aided by a "dark mode." The conversion occurs through the coupling between light and a mechanical oscillator, without interruption by thermal mechanical vibrations.

'Space gems': Rare meteorites created in violent celestial collision Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:15 AM PST A tiny fraction of meteorites on Earth contain strikingly beautiful, translucent, olive-green crystals embedded in an iron-nickel matrix. Called pallasites, these "space gems" have fascinated scientists since they were first identified as originating from outer space more than 200 years ago. Now a new study shows that their origins were more dramatic than first thought.

Bioprinting has promising future: Scientists building structures for cells to grow on, in order to regenerate tissue Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:15 AM PST The pioneering concept of bioprinting is delivering promising results according to one of the early champions of the process.

Archaeologists identify oldest spear points: Used in hunting half-million years ago Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:15 AM PST A collaborative study found that human ancestors were making stone-tipped weapons 500,000 years ago at the South African archaeological site of Kathu Pan 1 -- 200,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Key to super-sensory hearing? Newly identified hearing organ in bushcrickets' ears may inspire acoustic sensors Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:15 AM PST Researchers have identified a new hearing organ which provides the missing link to understanding how sound is transmitted within the ears of bushcrickets. This discovery will make a valuable contribution to creating bio-inspired acoustic sensors of the future, from medical imaging equipment in hospitals to developing improved hearing aid devices.

Wax-filled nanotech yarn behaves like powerful, super-strong muscle Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:15 AM PST New artificial muscles made from nanotech yarns and infused with paraffin wax can lift more than 100,000 times their own weight and generate 85 times more mechanical power during contraction than the same size natural muscle, according to scientists. The artificial muscles are yarns constructed from carbon nanotubes.

How bacteria inactivate immune defenses Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:15 AM PST Scientists have identified a way in which Salmonella bacteria, which cause gastroenteritis and typhoid fever, counteract the defense mechanisms of human cells.

Airborne particles smuggle pollutants to far reaches of globe Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:14 AM PST Pollution from fossil fuel burning and forest fires reaches all the way to the Arctic, even though it should decay long before it travels that far. Now, lab research can explain how pollution makes its lofty journey: rather than ride on the surface of airborne particles, pollutants snuggle inside, protected from the elements on the way. The results will help scientists improve atmospheric air-quality and pollution transport models.

Candidate for most distant galaxy discovered Posted: 15 Nov 2012 11:14 AM PST By combining the power of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and one of nature's own natural "zoom lenses" in space, astronomers have set a new distance record for finding the farthest galaxy yet seen in the universe.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: System under stress Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:38 AM PST Evidence links autonomic functioning to cognitive impairment in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Carbon nanotubes may protect DNA from oxidation Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:38 AM PST NIST researchers have provided evidence that single-wall carbon nanotubes may help protect DNA molecules from damage by oxidation, which can lead to mutations. More studies are needed to see if the in vitro protective effect of nanotubes reported in the laboratory also occurs in vivo, that is, within a living organism.

'Cloning' could make structurally pure nanotubes for nanoelectronics Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:38 AM PST Researchers have demonstrated a technique for growing virtually pure samples of single-wall carbon nanotubes with identical structures, a process they liken to "cloning" the nanotubes. If it can be suitably scaled up, their approach could solve an important materials problem in nanoelectronics: producing carbon nanotubes of a specific structure to order.

America's ancient hurricane belt and the U.S.-Canada equator Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:37 AM PST The recent storms that have battered settlements on the east coast of America may have been much more frequent in the region 450 million years ago, according to scientists.

These mini-bots were made for walking: Cells power biological machines Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:37 AM PST They're soft, biocompatible, about 7 millimeters long -- and, incredibly, able to walk by themselves. Miniature "bio-bots" are making tracks in synthetic biology. The walking bio-bots demonstrate forward-engineering functional machines using only hydrogel, heart cells and a 3-D printer. The bio-bots could be customized for specific applications in medicine, energy or the environment.

Tracking brain gene response to territorial aggression Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:37 AM PST With a mate and a nest to protect, the male threespined stickleback is a fierce fish, chasing and biting other males until they go away. Now researchers are mapping the genetic underpinnings of the stickleback's aggressive behavior. Armed with tools that allow them to see which genes are activated or deactivated in response to social encounters, a team from the University of Illinois has identified broad patterns of gene activity that correspond to aggression in this fish.

Umbilical cord cells outperform bone marrow cells in repairing damaged hearts Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:37 AM PST A new study has shown that cells derived from the umbilical cord are more effective in restoring heart function after an acute myocardial infarction (in common parlance, a heart attack) in a pre-clinical model than a similar cell population derived from bone marrow.

Streams show signs of degradation at earliest stages of urban development Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:37 AM PST The loss of sensitive species in streams begins to occur at the initial stages of urban development, according to a new study. The study found that streams are more sensitive to development than previously understood.

Saving salmon from deadly sea lice Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:35 AM PST Biologists have some positive news for British Columbia's pink salmon populations, and the salmon farming industry that has struggled to protect both captive and wild salmon from sea lice infestations.

Protein-making machinery can switch gears with a small structural change process; Implications for immunity and cancer therapy Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:34 AM PST For the past several years, research has focused on the intricate actions of an ancient family of catalytic enzymes that play a key role in translation, the process of producing proteins. In a new study, scientists have shown that this enzyme can actually also work in another fundamental process in humans.

Tapping into carbon dioxide storage potential of mine waste Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:33 AM PST Economic value should be placed on the CO2 storage potential of mine waste, experts say.

This is your brain on freestyle rap: Study reveals characteristic brain patterns of lyrical improvisation Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:31 AM PST Researchers have shown that freestyle rapping is associated with a unique functional reallocation of brain activity in the prefrontal cortex and proposes a novel neural network that appears to be intimately involved in improvisatory and creative endeavors.

At least one-third of marine species remain undescribed Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:31 AM PST At least one-third of the species that inhabit the world's oceans may remain completely unknown to science. That's despite the fact that more species have been described in the last decade than in any previous one, according to a new report that details the first comprehensive register of marine species of the world -- a massive collaborative undertaking by hundreds of experts around the globe.

Researchers use GPS tracking to monitor crab behaviour Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:30 AM PST Researchers used GPS satellites for a long-term behavioral monitoring of land crab migration on Christmas Island. The scientists used a GPS-based telemetric system to analyze movements of freely roaming robber crabs, which is the first large-scale study of any arthropod using GPS technology to monitor behavior.

Meteorites reveal warm water existed on Mars Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:30 AM PST Hydrothermal fractures around Martian impact craters may have been a habitable environment for microbial life. New research into evidence of water on Mars determined that water temperatures on the Red Planet ranged from 50°C to 150°C. Microbes on Earth can live in similar waters, for example in the volcanic thermal springs at Yellowstone Park, the scientists behind the research point out.

When the going gets tough, the tough get…more relief from a placebo? Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:26 AM PST Are you good at coping when life gets tough? A straight-shooter? Will you help others without expecting anything in return? Those personality traits might do more than help you win a popularity contest. New neuroscience research suggests those qualities also might make you more likely to get pain relief from a placebo.

Born-again star foreshadows fate of Solar System Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:23 AM PST Astronomers have found evidence for a dying Sun-like star coming briefly back to life after casting its gassy shells out into space, mimicking the possible fate our own Solar System faces in a few billion years.

Electrical engineer turns brain implant research into products Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:23 AM PST An electrical engineering professor is developing products from technologies that assist in finding new approaches for treating nervous system disorders such as blindness, deafness, Parkinson's and epilepsy, while another set of clients is using them to control prosthetic limbs.

Molecular mechanisms underlying stem cell reprogramming decoded Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:23 AM PST Thanks to some careful detective work, scientist better understand just how iPS cells form – and why the Yamanaka process is inefficient, an important step to work out for regenerative medicine. The findings uncover cellular impediments to iPS cell development that, if overcome, could dramatically improve the efficiency and speed of iPS cell generation.

Hypothermia: Coming out of the cold Posted: 14 Nov 2012 04:26 PM PST New research provides clarity on the management and treatment of accidental hypothermia victims. The article reviews current knowledge of accidental hypothermia, along with a medical algorithm to help emergency medics make rapid on-site decisions.

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