ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Language structure… you're born with it
• Blocking DNA repair mechanisms could improve radiation therapy for deadly brain cancer
• Surprising truth about obsessive-compulsive thinking
• What songbirds tell us about how we learn
• Is the power grid too big?
• Future computers that are normally off
• DNA modifications measured in blood signal related changes in the brain
• Living organ regenerated for first time: Thymus rebuilt in mice
• Business: Creativity and innovation need to talk more
• Black carbon is ancient by the time it reaches seafloor
• Scalable CVD process for making 2-D molybdenum diselenide
• Synthetic gene circuits pump up cell signals in study of neurodegenerative diseases
• Expanding particles to engineer defects: Adding larger particle to crystalline system can create order rather than distortions
• New epidemiology model combines multiple genomic data
• Tracking sugar movement in plants
• How coughs and sneezes float much farther than you think
• Hybrid technology could make Star Trek-style medical tricorder a reality
• Humans and Neandertals interbred, new method confirms
• Antimicrobial from soaps promotes bacteria buildup in human noses
• Saturn's hexagon: An amazing phenomenon
• BPA and related chemicals: Human safety thresholds for endocrine disrupting chemicals may be inaccurate
• Patients with paraplegia regain voluntary movement after spinal stimulation
• From athletes to couch potatoes: Humans through 6,000 years of farming
• Natural protein Elafin against gluten intolerance?
• Hormone therapy linked to lower non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk
• Breakthrough technology can repair severe tissue damage
• Severe obesity on the rise among children in the U.S.
• Genes increase the stress of social disadvantage for some children
• Missing piece of air particle equation hiding in the walls
• Seeing double: New study explains evolution of duplicate genes
• For good and ill, immune response to cancer cuts both ways

Language structure… you're born with it Posted: 08 Apr 2014 09:23 AM PDT Humans are unique in their ability to acquire language. But how? A new study shows that we are in fact born with the basic fundamental knowledge of language, thus shedding light on the age-old linguistic 'nature vs. nurture' debate.

Blocking DNA repair mechanisms could improve radiation therapy for deadly brain cancer Posted: 08 Apr 2014 09:21 AM PDT In both cancer cell lines and in mice, blocking critical DNA repair mechanisms could improve the effectiveness of radiation therapy for highly fatal brain tumors called glioblastomas, research shows. Radiation therapy causes double-strand breaks in DNA that must be repaired for tumors to keep growing. Scientists have long theorized that if they could find a way to block repairs from being made, they could prevent tumors from growing or at least slow down the growth, thereby extending patients' survival.

Surprising truth about obsessive-compulsive thinking Posted: 08 Apr 2014 09:21 AM PDT People who check whether their hands are clean or imagine their house might be on fire are not alone. New global research shows that 94 percent of people experience unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images and/or impulses. The study people on six continents, and found that the thoughts, images and impulses symptomatic of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are widespread.

What songbirds tell us about how we learn Posted: 08 Apr 2014 09:19 AM PDT When you throw a wild pitch or sing a flat note, it could be that your basal ganglia made you do it. This area in the middle of the brain is involved in motor control and learning. And one reason for that errant toss or off-key note may be that your brain prompted you to vary your behavior to help you learn, from trial-and-error, to perform better. But how does the brain do this, how does it cause you to vary your behavior?

Is the power grid too big? Posted: 08 Apr 2014 09:19 AM PDT Researchers are asking whether there is a "right" size for the U.S. power grid; they believe that smaller grids would reduce the likelihood of severe outages, such as the 2003 Northeast blackout, likening the grid behavior to sandpiles: "Sandpiles are stable until you get to a certain height. Then you add one more grain and the whole thing starts to avalanche."

Future computers that are normally off Posted: 08 Apr 2014 09:19 AM PDT Researchers have broadly envisioned the future of spin-transfer torque magnetoresistive random access memory (STT-MRAM), and they have now described how it will radically alter computer architectures and consumer electronics.

DNA modifications measured in blood signal related changes in the brain Posted: 08 Apr 2014 09:19 AM PDT Researchers say they have confirmed suspicions that DNA modifications found in the blood of mice exposed to high levels of stress hormone — and showing signs of anxiety — are directly related to changes found in their brain tissues. Scientists say this research offers the first evidence that epigenetic changes that alter the way genes function without changing their underlying DNA sequence -- and are detectable in blood -- mirror alterations in brain tissue linked to underlying psychiatric diseases.

Living organ regenerated for first time: Thymus rebuilt in mice Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:56 AM PDT Scientists have succeeded in regenerating a living organ for the first time. Researchers rebuilt the thymus -- an organ in the body located next to the heart that produces important immune cells. The advance could pave the way for new therapies for people with damaged immune systems and genetic conditions that affect thymus development. The team reactivated a natural mechanism that shuts down with age to rejuvenate the thymus in very old mice. After treatment, the regenerated organ had a similar structure to that found in a young mouse.

Business: Creativity and innovation need to talk more Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:22 AM PDT Creativity and innovation are not sufficiently integrated in either the business world or academic research, according to a new study. Scientists reviewed the rapidly growing body of research into creativity and innovation in the workplace, with particular attention to the period from 2002 to 2013.

Black carbon is ancient by the time it reaches seafloor Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:22 AM PDT A fraction of the carbon that finds its way into Earth's oceans -- the black soot and charcoal residue of fires -- stays there for thousands for years. A first-of-its-kind analysis shows how some black carbon breaks away and hitches a ride to the ocean floor on passing particles.

Scalable CVD process for making 2-D molybdenum diselenide Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:22 AM PDT Nanoengineering researchers have unveiled a potentially scalable method for making one-atom-thick layers of molybdenum diselenide -- a material that is similar to graphene but has better properties for making certain electronic devices like switchable transistors and light-emitting diodes.

Synthetic gene circuits pump up cell signals in study of neurodegenerative diseases Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:22 AM PDT Synthetic genetic circuitry created by researchers is helping them monitor cell mechanisms that degrade the misfolded proteins implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. Scientists have designed a sophisticated circuit that signals increases in the degradation of proteins by the cell's ubiquitin proteasome system.

Expanding particles to engineer defects: Adding larger particle to crystalline system can create order rather than distortions Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:22 AM PDT Materials scientists have long known that introducing defects into three-dimensional materials can improve their mechanical and electronic properties. Now a new study finds how defects affect two-dimensional crystalline structures, and the results hold information for designing new materials.

New epidemiology model combines multiple genomic data Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:21 AM PDT Data about DNA differences, gene expression, or methylation can each tell epidemiologists something about the link between genomics and disease. A new statistical model that can integrate all those sources provides a markedly improved analysis, according to two new papers.

Tracking sugar movement in plants Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:21 AM PDT A long-held belief that plant hormones control the shape of plant growth has been overturned by new research. Instead, it has shown that this process starts with sugar. Researchers conducted critical radiotracer studies that support the new theory that plant sugars play a dominant role in regulating branching at plant stems. While branching has relevance in agriculture, it is also very important in bioenergy crop production.

How coughs and sneezes float much farther than you think Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:21 AM PDT The next time you feel a sneeze coming on, raise your elbow to cover up that multiphase turbulent buoyant cloud you're about to expel. It turns out that smaller droplets that emerge in a cough or sneeze may travel five to 200 times further than they would if those droplets simply moved as groups of unconnected particles -- which is what previous estimates had assumed.

Hybrid technology could make Star Trek-style medical tricorder a reality Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:14 AM PDT Scientists are aiming to develop a handheld testing device to provide same day diagnosis from a patient's bedside. In the fictional Star-Trek universe, the tricorder was used to remotely scan patients for a diagnosis. The new device could replace the current conventional diagnostic method, which is lengthy and is limited to single point measurements, due to the prohibitive costs and sample volumes required, preventing continuous monitoring of disease progression.

Humans and Neandertals interbred, new method confirms Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:12 AM PDT Technical objections to the idea that Neandertals interbred with the ancestors of Eurasians have been overcome, thanks to a new genome analysis method. The technique can more confidently detect the genetic signatures of interbreeding than previous approaches and will be useful for evolutionary studies of other ancient or rare DNA samples.

Antimicrobial from soaps promotes bacteria buildup in human noses Posted: 08 Apr 2014 04:49 AM PDT An antimicrobial agent found in common household soaps, shampoos and toothpastes may be finding its way inside human noses where it promotes the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and could predispose some people to infection.

Saturn's hexagon: An amazing phenomenon Posted: 08 Apr 2014 04:48 AM PDT An unusual structure with a hexagonal shape surrounding Saturn's north pole was spotted on the planet for the first time thirty years ago. Nothing similar with such a regular geometry had ever been seen on any planet in the solar system. Astronomers have now been able to study and measure the phenomenon and, among other achievements, establish its rotation period. What is more, this period could be the same as that of the planet itself. Saturn is the only planet in the solar system whose rotation time remains unknown.

BPA and related chemicals: Human safety thresholds for endocrine disrupting chemicals may be inaccurate Posted: 08 Apr 2014 04:48 AM PDT Human and rat testes respond differently to endocrine disrupting chemicals such as BPA in two thirds of all cases, according to a recent review. As human safety levels are extrapolated from rodent data, the study could lead to a re-evaluation of the acceptable daily intake for many endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors are compounds that interfere with animal hormone (or endocrine) systems in various ways.

Patients with paraplegia regain voluntary movement after spinal stimulation Posted: 08 Apr 2014 04:46 AM PDT Four people with paraplegia are able to voluntarily move previously paralyzed muscles as a result of a novel therapy involving electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, according to a new study. All four participants were classified with a chronic motor complete spinal cord injury and were unable to move their lower extremities prior to the implantation of an epidural stimulator.

From athletes to couch potatoes: Humans through 6,000 years of farming Posted: 07 Apr 2014 06:49 PM PDT Research into the strength and shape of lower limb bones shows that, in the first 6,000 years of farming, our ancestors in Central Europe became less active as their tasks diversified and technology improved. Anthropologists show that this drop in mobility was particularly marked in men.

Natural protein Elafin against gluten intolerance? Posted: 07 Apr 2014 04:27 PM PDT Elafin, a human protein, plays a key role against the inflammatory reaction typical of celiac disease (gluten intolerance), research has shown. The researchers have also developed a probiotic bacterium able to deliver Elafin in the gut of mice. This innovation paves the way to new strategies to treat gluten intolerance.

Hormone therapy linked to lower non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk Posted: 07 Apr 2014 01:46 PM PDT Menopausal hormone therapy use is linked to a lower risk of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, research has found. "The connection between lymphomas and menopausal hormone therapy use hinges on understanding the disease's biology and the window of susceptibility," the lead researcher said. "Hormone therapy is of interest because the loss of estrogen coupled with aging in women result in decreased immune function, which can elevate risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma."

Breakthrough technology can repair severe tissue damage Posted: 07 Apr 2014 01:45 PM PDT A biomedical engineering breakthrough could speed soft tissue injury recovery and limit disfigurement from radical cancer surgeries. It could circumvent the need to harvest and transfer large amounts of tissue, avoiding many current complications. The study provides evidence that tissue-specific cells, such as myoblasts (cells that form muscles), endothelial cells (the thin layer of cells that lines the interior surface of blood vessels), and fibroblasts (the cells providing the structural framework for animal tissues), are necessary for successful muscle flap engineering as the added cells "rapidly and more effectively integrated within the host tissue," the researchers say.

Severe obesity on the rise among children in the U.S. Posted: 07 Apr 2014 01:45 PM PDT A new analysis finds that all classes of obesity in children have increased over the last 14 years. In addition, there is a troubling upward trend in the more severe forms of childhood obesity.

Genes increase the stress of social disadvantage for some children Posted: 07 Apr 2014 12:39 PM PDT Genes amplify the stress of harsh environments for some children, and magnify the advantage of supportive environments for other children, according to a study that's one of the first to document how genes interacting with social environments affect biomarkers of stress. The study used telomere length as a marker of stress. Found at the ends of chromosomes, telomeres generally shorten with age, and when individuals are exposed to disease and chronic stress, including the stress of living in a disadvantaged environment.

Missing piece of air particle equation hiding in the walls Posted: 07 Apr 2014 12:39 PM PDT A new study showed that vapor losses to the walls of laboratory chambers can suppress the formation of secondary organic aerosol, which in turn has contributed to the underprediction of SOA in climate and air quality models.

Seeing double: New study explains evolution of duplicate genes Posted: 07 Apr 2014 12:38 PM PDT From time to time, living cells will accidently make an extra copy of a gene during the normal replication process. Throughout the history of life, evolution has molded some of these seemingly superfluous genes into a source of genetic novelty, adaptation and diversity. A new study shows one way that some duplicate genes could have long-ago escaped elimination from the genome, leading to the genetic innovation seen in modern life.

For good and ill, immune response to cancer cuts both ways Posted: 07 Apr 2014 12:38 PM PDT The difference between an immune response that kills cancer cells and one that conversely stimulates tumor growth can be as narrow as a "double-edged sword," report researchers. The concept of naturally occurring "immunosurveillance" against malignancies is not new, and there is compelling evidence for it. But understanding this process is confounded by the fact that some types of immune reaction promote tumor development.

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