| Warmest oceans ever recorded Posted: 14 Nov 2014 06:00 AM PST This summer has seen the highest global mean sea surface temperatures ever recorded. Temperatures even exceed those of the record-breaking 1998 El Nino year.  |
| Nonsmokers in automobiles are exposed to significant secondhand smoke Posted: 14 Nov 2014 06:00 AM PST Nonsmokers sitting in an automobile with a smoker for one hour had markers of significantly increased levels of carcinogens and other toxins in their urine, indicating that secondhand smoke in motor vehicles poses a potentially major health risk according to a groundbreaking study.  |
| Kidney function monitoring vital for people on lithium Posted: 14 Nov 2014 05:58 AM PST People with bipolar disorder who are being treated with the drug lithium are at risk of acute kidney damage and need careful monitoring, according to new research. Lithium is a mainstay treatment for bipolar disorder and it is known that the drug can cause a loss of kidney function. The new research establishes the link between short-term exposure to high levels and potential damage to the kidneys.  |
| New insight into common cause of blindness Posted: 14 Nov 2014 05:58 AM PST An important new factor behind one of the major causes of blindness has been discovered by scientists, which they hope could lead to new treatments. Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the major cause of blindness in the western world, affecting around 50 million people. It has been shown that sufferers are genetically predisposed to develop the condition.  |
| New mechanism for growth control discovered Posted: 14 Nov 2014 05:56 AM PST Research on Drosophila reveals that once activated during starvation, a newly-discovered regulatory system prevents the secretion of insulin like peptides, the counterparts of IGF and insulin in mammals.  |
| Three touchdowns for Rosetta’s lander Posted: 14 Nov 2014 05:56 AM PST After achieving touchdown on a comet for the first time in history, scientists and engineers are busy analyzing this new world and the nature of the landing. They discovered that the lander did not just touch down on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko once, but three times.  |
| Mission to discover hundreds of black holes could unlock secrets of the Universe Posted: 14 Nov 2014 05:56 AM PST Researchers have made a breakthrough in helping scientists discover hundreds of black holes throughout the universe. When two detectors are switched on in the US next year, scientists hope to pick up the faint ripples of black hole collisions millions of years ago, known as gravitational waves. Black holes cannot be seen, but scientists hope the revamped detectors -- which act like giant microphones -- will find remnants of black hole collisions.  |
| Scientists uncover vast numbers of DNA 'blind spots' that may hide cancer-causing mistakes Posted: 14 Nov 2014 05:56 AM PST More than 400 'blind spots' in DNA have been discovered, which researchers say could hide cancer-causing gene faults. The researchers found hidden faults in areas that are tricky for gene-reading technology to decode. This technique, which unravels cancer's genetic blueprint, is an important part of the research that scientists carry out to understand more about cancer's biology.  |
| Cannabis extract can have dramatic effect on brain cancer, says new research Posted: 14 Nov 2014 05:56 AM PST Experts have shown that when certain parts of cannabis are used to treat cancer tumors alongside radio therapy treatment the growths can virtually disappear.  |
| Killing cancer by protecting normal cells Posted: 14 Nov 2014 05:54 AM PST An anti-cancer drug protects normal cells from radiation damage and increases the effectiveness of radiation therapy in prostate cancer models, investigators report. Using human prostate cancer cells growing in mice, the researchers also showed that RTA 408 did not confer radiation protection to the cancer cells. In fact, when RTA 408 was given alone, without radiation, it also slowed the growth of human prostate cancer transplants in mice. In combination, it further amplified the tumor growth inhibitory effects of radiation.  |
| Seismic hazard in the Puget Lowland, Washington state, USA Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:51 PM PST Seismic hazards in the Puget Lowland of northwestern Washington include deep earthquakes associated with the Cascadia subduction zone and shallow earthquakes associated with crustal faults across the region. New research establishes not only that one of the more prominent crustal faults, the Darrington-Devils Mountain fault zone, displays evidence of strong earthquakes in the past, but that it will likely be a source of strong earthquakes in the future.  |
| 'Topological insulators' promising for spintronics, quantum computers Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:51 PM PST Researches have uncovered 'smoking-gun' evidence to confirm the workings of an emerging class of materials that could make possible 'spintronic' devices and practical quantum computers far more powerful than today's technologies.  |
| Chemists develop porous molecules that bind greenhouse gases Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:51 PM PST Chemistry researchers have developed a molecule that assembles spontaneously into a lightweight structure with microscopic pores capable of binding large quantities of several potent greenhouse gases.  |
| 'Hidden' emissions in traded meat calculated by researchers Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:51 PM PST The amount of methane and nitrous oxide that countries release into the atmosphere when producing meat from livestock has been estimated, for the first time, but an international team of researchers. This study assigned the emissions to the countries where the meat is ultimately consumed.  |
| Technology developed to improve lung cancer detection, treatment Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:49 PM PST A technology that improves the detection of tumors during radiation therapy for early-stage lung cancer has been developed by researchers. Their approach uses dual-energy imaging combined with fluoroscopy to view tumors during radiation therapy. This technology does not require an X-ray that produces both high-and low-energy images.  |
| New Alzheimer's-related memory disorder identified Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:49 PM PST A multi-institutional study has defined and established criteria for a new neurological disease closely resembling Alzheimer's disease called primary age-related tauopathy (PART). Patients with PART develop cognitive impairment that can be indistinguishable from Alzheimer's disease, but they lack amyloid plaques. Awareness of this neurological disease will help doctors diagnose and develop more effective treatments for patients with different types of memory impairment.  |
| Gene variants in organ donors linked to shorter survival of transplanted kidneys Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:49 PM PST Transplanted kidneys may not function long-term if they come from donors with variants in a particular gene. Results from a study confirmed that 2 APOL1 gene variants in donor kidneys were associated with more than a 2-fold increased risk of organ failure after transplantation.  |
| Nearly all patients with chronic kidney disease should take statins, guidelines indicate Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:49 PM PST A comparison of two different cholesterol management guidelines indicates that the vast majority of patients with chronic kidney disease are recommended to receive statins. 50% of people with chronic kidney disease who are recommended to receive statins are not taking them, the study shows.  |
| Key mechanism, potential target to prevent leukemia found Posted: 13 Nov 2014 12:29 PM PST Two proteins that appear crucial to the development -- and patient relapse -- of acute myeloid leukemia have been found by researchers. They have also shown they can block the development of leukemia by targeting those proteins.  |
| Scientists find way to reduce ovarian cancer tumors, chemo doses Posted: 13 Nov 2014 12:29 PM PST In a potential breakthrough against ovarian cancer, researchers have discovered how to both shrink tumors and improve drug delivery, allowing for lower doses of chemotherapy and reducing side effects.  |
| Intergalactic 'wind' is stripping galaxies of star-forming gas Posted: 13 Nov 2014 12:29 PM PST Astronomers have provided the first direct evidence that an intergalactic 'wind' is stripping galaxies of star-forming gas as they fall into clusters of galaxies. The observations help explain why galaxies found in clusters are known to have relatively little gas and less star formation when compared to non-cluster or 'field' galaxies.  |
| The science behind total recall: New player in brain function and memory Posted: 13 Nov 2014 12:29 PM PST Is it possible to change the amount of information the brain can store? Maybe, according to a new international study. The research has identified a molecule that puts a brake on brain processing and when removed, brain function and memory recall is improved.  |
| Lightning expected to increase by 50 percent with global warming Posted: 13 Nov 2014 11:21 AM PST Atmospheric scientists looked at predictions of precipitation and cloud buoyancy in 11 different climate models and concluded that their combined effect will generate 50 percent more electrical discharges to the ground by the end of the century because of global warming. The main cause is water vapor, which fuels explosive deep convection in the atmosphere. The more convection, the greater the charge separation and the more cloud-to-ground strikes.  |
| Magnetic fields frozen into meteorite grains tell a shocking tale of solar system birth Posted: 13 Nov 2014 11:21 AM PST Astrophysicists say that magnetic clues in a meteorite outline the earliest steps in the formation of the solar system and Earth-like planets.  |
| Bacteria become 'genomic tape recorders', recording chemical exposures in their DNA Posted: 13 Nov 2014 11:20 AM PST Engineers have transformed the genome of the bacterium E. coli into a long-term storage device for memory. They envision that this stable, erasable, and easy-to-retrieve memory will be well suited for applications such as sensors for environmental and medical monitoring.  |
| Females protect offspring from infanticide by forcing males to compete through sperm Posted: 13 Nov 2014 11:20 AM PST New research shows the females of some species will have many mates to ensure unclear paternity, so that males can't resort to killing their rival's offspring for fear of killing their own. This forces males to evolve to compete through sperm quantity, leading to ever-larger testicles. Scientists find that as testis size increases, infanticide disappears.  |
| Common cholesterol-fighting drug may prevent hysterectomies in women with uterine fibroids Posted: 13 Nov 2014 11:00 AM PST The cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin inhibits the growth of human uterine fibroid tumors, researchers have discovered for the first time. Statins, such as simvastatin, are commonly prescribed to lower high cholesterol levels. Beyond these well-known cholesterol-lowering abilities, statins also combat certain tumors. Statins have previously been shown to have anti-tumor effects on breast, ovarian, prostate, colon, leukemia and lung cancers. The effect of statins on uterine fibroids was unknown.  |
| Bio-inspired bleeding control: Synthesized platelet-like nanoparticles created Posted: 13 Nov 2014 11:00 AM PST Stanching the free flow of blood from an injury remains a holy grail of clinical medicine. Controlling blood flow is a primary concern and first line of defense for patients and medical staff in many situations, from traumatic injury to illness to surgery. If control is not established within the first few minutes of a hemorrhage, further treatment and healing are impossible. Taking a cue from the human body's own coagulation processes, researchers have synthesized platelet-like nanoparticles that can do more than clot blood.  |
| Self-repairing software tackles malware Posted: 13 Nov 2014 11:00 AM PST Computer scientists have developed software that not only detects and eradicates never-before-seen viruses and other malware, but also automatically repairs damage caused by them. The software then prevents the invader from ever infecting the computer again.  |
| The party's over for these youthful compact galaxies Posted: 13 Nov 2014 11:00 AM PST Scientists have uncovered young, massive, compact galaxies whose raucous star-making parties are ending early. The firestorm of star birth has blasted out most of the remaining gaseous fuel needed to make future generations of stars. Now the party's over for these gas-starved galaxies, and they are on track to possibly becoming so-called "red and dead galaxies," composed only of aging stars.  |
| Alaska shows no signs of rising Arctic methane, NASA study shows Posted: 13 Nov 2014 10:48 AM PST Despite large temperature increases in Alaska in recent decades, a new analysis of NASA airborne data finds that methane is not being released from Alaskan soils into the atmosphere at unusually high rates, as recent modeling and experimental studies have suggested. The new result shows that the changes in this part of the Arctic have not yet had enough impact to affect the global methane budget.  |
| People show 'blind insight' into decision making performance Posted: 13 Nov 2014 09:34 AM PST People can gauge the accuracy of their decisions, even if their decision making performance itself is no better than chance, according to a new study. In the study, people who showed chance-level decision making still reported greater confidence about decisions that turned out to be accurate and less confidence about decisions that turned out to be inaccurate.  |
| Researchers silence leading cancer-causing gene Posted: 13 Nov 2014 09:33 AM PST A new approach to block the KRAS oncogene, one of the most frequently mutated genes in human cancer, has been developed by researchers. The approach offers another route to attack KRAS, which has proven to be an elusive and frustrating target for drug developers.  |
| Disgust leads people to lie and cheat; Cleanliness promotes ethical behavior Posted: 13 Nov 2014 09:33 AM PST While feelings of disgust can increase behaviors like lying and cheating, cleanliness can help people return to ethical behavior, according to a recent study. The study highlights the powerful impact emotions have on individual decision-making.  |
| New process isolates promising material: Molybdenum disulfide has emerged as a leading successor to graphene Posted: 13 Nov 2014 09:32 AM PST Scientists are working to isolate atomically thin layers of molybdenum disulfide, a material with applications in electronics, optoelectronics, solar cells, and catalysis.  |
| Cats and athletes teach robots how to fall Posted: 13 Nov 2014 09:32 AM PST Scientists are studying mid-air orientation and impact behavior in both cats and humans as it applies to reduced impact in falling robots, especially those that one day may be used for search-and-rescue missions in hazardous conditions.  |
| How Campylobacter exploits chicken 'juice' highlights need for hygiene Posted: 13 Nov 2014 09:32 AM PST Campylobacter's persistence in food processing sites and the kitchen is boosted by 'chicken juice.' Organic matter exuding from chicken carcasses appears to provide these bacteria with the perfect environment to persist in the food chain. This emphasizes the importance of cleaning surfaces in food preparation, and may lead to more effective ways of cleaning that can reduce the incidence of Campylobacter.  |
| Ocean primed for more El Niño, experts say Posted: 13 Nov 2014 09:31 AM PST Salinity and temperature records from corals in a remote Pacific island in Kiribati show the ocean has warmed over the last sixty years and has set up the conditions for stronger El Niño weather events, which could significantly affect Australian weather.  |
| Intimidating chimpanzee males are more likely to become fathers Posted: 13 Nov 2014 09:29 AM PST Chimpanzee males that treat females aggressively father more offspring over time. The findings are based on genetic evidence of paternity and suggest that sexual coercion via long-term intimidation is an adaptive strategy for males in chimpanzee society.  |
| Liver, brain communicate in order to regulate appetite Posted: 13 Nov 2014 09:27 AM PST The liver stores excess glucose, sugar, in the form of glycogen — chains of glucose — which is later released to cover body energy requirements. Diabetic patients do not accumulate glucose well in the liver and this is one of the reasons why they suffer from hyperglycemia. A new study demonstrates that high hepatic glucose stores in mice prevents weigh gain. The researchers observed that in spite of having free access to an appetizing diet, the animals' appetite was reduced. This is the first time that a link has been observed between the liver and appetite.  |
| It’s not always the DNA: mRNA play vital role, often overlooked Posted: 13 Nov 2014 09:22 AM PST Scientists have mostly ignored mRNA, the molecule that ferries information from DNA to the cellular machines that make proteins, because these DNA transcripts are ephemeral and soon destroyed. But mRNA can be just as important, DNA scientists say. They found that oxidized messenger RNA jams the cellular machines that make protein. The failure to clear the jams and chew up bad messengers is associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.  |
| How do breast cancer cells transform normal cells into tumoral ones? Posted: 13 Nov 2014 08:03 AM PST A new study describes how exosomes secreted by tumor cells contain protein and microRNA molecules capable of transform neighboring cells into tumoral cells promoting tumor growth. "This finding," one researcher said, "opens the door to developing new biomarkers and new therapeutic strategies exploiting these characteristics of exosomes in breast tumors, and other tumors such as ovarian and endometrial cancer among others."  |
| Self-doping may be the key to superconductivity in room temperature Posted: 13 Nov 2014 08:03 AM PST Materials researchers have investigated the superconductor YBCO using advanced X-ray spectroscopy. YBCO is a well-known ceramic copper-based material that can conduct electricity without loss (superconductivity) when it is cooled below its critical temperature Tc=-183° C.  |
| Combatting illegal fishing in offshore marine reserves Posted: 13 Nov 2014 08:03 AM PST Conservation scientists say there needs to be a new approach to protecting offshore marine reserves. They have found a way to predict illegal fishing activities to help authorities better protect marine reserves.  |
| Software to automatically outline bones in x-rays Posted: 13 Nov 2014 08:00 AM PST Research into disorders such as arthritis will be helped by new software that automatically outlines bones – saving thousands of hours of manual work. "The idea of this software is to take the routine tasks out of human hands, so scientists can focus on drawing conclusions and developing treatments," developers said.  |
| Mars, too, has macroweather: But weather forecasting on the Red Planet is likely to be even trickier than on Earth Posted: 13 Nov 2014 08:00 AM PST Weather, which changes day-to-day due to constant fluctuations in the atmosphere, and climate, which varies over decades, are familiar. More recently, a third regime called "macroweather," has been used to describe the relatively stable regime between weather and climate.  |
| Is there organic matter on Mars? Chloromethane not due to contamination from Earth, research suggests Posted: 13 Nov 2014 08:00 AM PST Organic matter recently detected by NASA's robotic rover Curiosity is probably not due to contamination brought from Earth as researchers originally thought. A team of German and British scientists now suggests that the gaseous chlorinated organic compound -- chloromethane -- recently found on the Red Planet most likely comes from the soil of Mars, with its carbon and hydrogen probably deriving from meteorites that fell on the planet's surface.  |
| Legally prescribed opioid use may increase mortality in chronic pain patients Posted: 13 Nov 2014 08:00 AM PST Associations between opioid-related overdoses and increased prescription of opioids for chronic noncancer pain are well known. But some suggest that overdose occurs predominately in individuals who obtain opioids from nonmedical sources. In a new study, researchers found an increased risk of death associated with chronic pain without opioid treatment, as well as an even higher risk among those prescribed opioids for long-term use and a somewhat lower risk associated with short-term use.  |
| Oxytocin helps to better overcome fear Posted: 13 Nov 2014 08:00 AM PST Frightening experiences do not quickly fade from memory. A team of researchers has now been able to demonstrate in a study that the bonding hormone oxytocin inhibits the fear center in the brain and allows fear stimuli to subside more easily. This basic research could also usher in a new era in the treatment of anxiety disorders.  |
| Tiny needles offer potential new treatment for two major eye diseases Posted: 13 Nov 2014 07:55 AM PST Needles almost too small to be seen with the unaided eye could be the basis for new treatment options for two of the world's leading eye diseases: glaucoma and corneal neovascularization.  |
| Premature infants are exposed to unsafe levels of chemical in medical products used to save their lives Posted: 13 Nov 2014 07:54 AM PST Hospitalized premature infants are exposed to unsafe levels of a chemical found in numerous medical products used to treat them, raising questions about whether critically ill newborns may be adversely affected by equipment designed to help save their lives.  |
| Novel cancer vaccine approach for brain tumors Posted: 13 Nov 2014 07:54 AM PST Researchers unravel the mechanisms behind a novel cancer vaccine for brain tumors, paving the way for further development. Their new work drilled down to the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the vaccine, paving the way for further development and refinement of this new experimental treatment.  |
| Disease could cost black walnut industry millions, forest specialist warns Posted: 13 Nov 2014 07:54 AM PST Thousand cankers disease, which kills black walnut trees, has been confirmed in 15 states. Now experts are warning people to avoid moving firewood or lumber this winter to prevent spreading the disease to other states.  |
| New way to move atomically thin semiconductors for use in flexible devices Posted: 13 Nov 2014 05:52 AM PST Researchers have developed a new way to transfer thin semiconductor films, which are only one atom thick, onto arbitrary substrates, paving the way for flexible computing or photonic devices.  |
| Cold-induced pain linked to the garlic, mustard receptor Posted: 13 Nov 2014 05:51 AM PST Some people experience cold not only as feeling cold, but actually as a painful sensation. This applies even to fairly mild temperatures -- anything below 20°C. A group of researchers has now identified the mechanism in the body that creates this connection between cold and pain. It turns out that it is the same receptor that reacts to the pungent substances in mustard and garlic.  |
| Genotype found in 30 percent of als patients speeds up disease progression Posted: 13 Nov 2014 05:51 AM PST Mice bred to carry a gene variant found in a third of ALS patients have a faster disease progression and die sooner than mice with the standard genetic model of the disease, according to researchers. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a degeneration of lower and upper motor neurons in the brainstem, spinal cord and the motor cortex. The disease, which affects 12,000 Americans, leads to loss of muscle control. People with ALS typically die of respiratory failure when the muscles that control breathing fail.  |
| Moms with rheumatoid arthritis more likely to give birth prematurely Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:51 AM PST Babies of women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or pre-clinical RA -- the period prior to symptoms -- are 1.5 times more likely to be born prematurely in Denmark. Findings indicate that body measurements of the baby at birth were only slightly lower in children exposed to maternal or preclinical RA compared to those with no exposure to the disease.  |
| Switching on a dime: How plants function in shade, light Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:51 AM PST Plants grow in environments where the availability of light fluctuates quickly and drastically, for example from the shade of clouds passing overhead or of leaves on overhanging trees blowing in the wind. Plants thus have to rapidly adjust photosynthesis to maximize energy capture while preventing excess energy from causing damage. So how do plants prevent these changes in light intensity from affecting their ability to harvest the energy they need to survive? The response has to be extremely swift.  |
| Rosetta: What happens next? Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:50 AM PST Planetary scientist involved in early stages of mission says early data could provide information on formation of the solar system.  |
| Facial motion a clue to difficulties in social interaction among autistic adults Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:50 AM PST People on the autistic spectrum may struggle to recognize social cues, unfamiliar people or even someone's gender because of an inability to interpret changing facial expressions, new research has found.  |
