ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• How stress can boost immune system
• Preventing or better managing diabetes may prevent cognitive decline
• Dad's brains mean more to his son's success than his money: Study
• Proximity of new planets stuns even astronomers
• Avian flu viruses which are transmissible between humans could evolve in nature
• Top predators key to extinctions as planet warms
• Study of phase change materials could lead to better computer memory
• Researchers tune the strain in graphene drumheads to create quantum dots
• Immune system molecule weaves cobweb-like nanonets to snag Salmonella, other intestinal microbes
• Arctic climate more vulnerable than thought, maybe linked to Antarctic ice-sheet behavior
• New cause of spinal muscular atrophy described
• Could Mars have sustained life? Extensive water in Mars' interior
• Elephant seals help uncover slower-than-expected Antarctic melting
• Waves of responders deploy omics to track Deepwater Horizon cleanup microbes
• Stopping and starting cancer cell cycle weakens and defeats multiple myeloma
• Astronomers spy two planets in tight quarters as they orbit a distant star
• Parents -- not TV -- may determine whether kids are active or couch potatoes
• Common blood pressure drug linked to severe gastrointestinal problems
• Lab-engineered kidney project reaches early milestone
• Focusing on water for Central Everglades essential to reversing whole ecosystem's continuing decline
• Racial and gender profiling can affect outcome of traffic stops
• Nano-infused paint can detect strain
• New anti-inflammatory drugs pinch off reactive oxygen species at the source
• Enzyme offers new therapeutic target for cancer drugs
• Genomics and African queens: Diversity within Ethiopian genomes reveals imprints of historical events
• Our microbes, ourselves: Billions of bacteria within, essential for immune function, are ours alone
• New candidate drug stops cancer cells, regenerates nerve cells
• Functional links between autism and genes explained
• Spiders enlisted in fight against woodworms: Could they also help control malaria?
• The 'Truman Show' delusion: Life as a reality TV show
• Giant Ibex lived in the Southern Pyrenees after the Ice Age
• DNA used to identify deceased along Texas-Mexico border
• Protein may be key to psoriasis and wound care
• Stagnating life expectancies in United States: Poorer U.S. citizens live five years less than the affluent
• Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' predictions feature uncertainty
• Graphene Research: Trapping light in a carbon net
• Misidentified and contaminated cell lines lead to faulty cancer science, experts say
• Tracking stem cells in the body
• A virtual look at the zebrafish brain
• Drug study shows clubbers have little interest in new wave legal highs
• Darwin’s principles say cancer will always evolve to resist treatment
• Microelectronics: Two at a time
• Eating disorder behaviors and weight concerns are common in women over 50
• How cheetahs outpace greyhounds
• How active is your child really?
• Drug combo can block mother-to-infant HIV transmission, study suggests
• 'Brain pacemaker' effective for years against Parkinson's disease
• Omega-3 lowers inflammation in overweight older adults

How stress can boost immune system Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:35 PM PDT Scientist have tracked the trajectories of key immune cells in response to short-term stress and traced, in great detail, how hormones triggered by such stress enhance immune readiness. The study, conducted in rats, adds weight to evidence that immune responsiveness is heightened, rather than suppressed as many believe, by the so-called "fight-or-flight" response.

Preventing or better managing diabetes may prevent cognitive decline Posted: 21 Jun 2012 04:59 PM PDT Preventing diabetes or delaying its onset has been thought to stave off cognitive decline -- a connection strongly supported by the results of a nine-year study.

Dad's brains mean more to his son's success than his money: Study Posted: 21 Jun 2012 04:59 PM PDT Sons of fathers with high incomes tend to end up with higher than average incomes themselves, but new research shows that it's not just dad's money that helps a son on his way.

Proximity of new planets stuns even astronomers Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:23 PM PDT One is a rocky planet 1.5 times the size of Earth. The other is a gaseous world nearly four times Earth's size. Together they form a spectacular system in which two planets orbit closer to each other than any yet discovered.

Avian flu viruses which are transmissible between humans could evolve in nature Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:15 PM PDT It might be possible for human-to-human airborne transmissible avian H5N1 influenza viruses to evolve in nature, new research has found.

Top predators key to extinctions as planet warms Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:15 PM PDT Global warming may cause more extinctions than predicted if scientists fail to account for interactions among species in their models, researchers argue in a new article.

Study of phase change materials could lead to better computer memory Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:15 PM PDT Memory devices for computers require a large collection of components that can switch between two states, which represent the ones and zeros of binary language. Engineers hope to make next-generation chips with materials that distinguish between these states by physically rearranging their atoms into different phases. Researchers have now provided new insight into how this phase change happens, which could help engineers make memory storage devices faster and more efficient.

Researchers tune the strain in graphene drumheads to create quantum dots Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:15 PM PDT Researchers have shown that they can tune the strain in graphene suspended like drumheads over microscopic holes in a substrate of silicon oxide using the tip of an advanced scanning probe microscope and a conducting plate below the substrate. Tuning the strain enabled the group to create areas in the graphene where electrons behaved as though they were confined to quantum dots.

Immune system molecule weaves cobweb-like nanonets to snag Salmonella, other intestinal microbes Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:15 PM PDT Scientists have found that human alpha-defensin 6 (HD6) -- a key component of the body's innate defense system -- binds to microbial surfaces and forms "nanonets" that surround, entangle and disable microbes, preventing bacteria from attaching to or invading intestinal cells.

Arctic climate more vulnerable than thought, maybe linked to Antarctic ice-sheet behavior Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:15 PM PDT First analyses of the longest sediment core ever collected on land in the Arctic provide dramatic, "astonishing" documentation that intense warm intervals, warmer than scientists thought possible, occurred there over the past 2.8 million years. Further, these extreme inter-glacial warm periods correspond closely with times when parts of Antarctica were ice-free and also warm, suggesting strong inter-hemispheric climate connectivity. The Polar Regions are much more vulnerable to change than once believed, they add.

New cause of spinal muscular atrophy described Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:13 PM PDT Scientists have discovered that a commonly held assumption is wrong and that a separate role of the SMN gene – still not completely elucidated -- is likely responsible for the disease's manifestations.

Could Mars have sustained life? Extensive water in Mars' interior Posted: 21 Jun 2012 11:14 AM PDT Until now, Earth was the only planet known to have vast reservoirs of water in its interior. Scientists analyzed the water content of two Martian meteorites and found that the amount of water in places of the Martian mantle is vastly larger than previous estimates and is similar to that of Earth's. The results affect our understanding about Martian geologic history, how water got to the Martian surface, and whether Mars could have sustained life.

Elephant seals help uncover slower-than-expected Antarctic melting Posted: 21 Jun 2012 11:13 AM PDT A team of scientists have drilled holes through an Antarctic ice shelf, the Fimbul Ice Shelf, to gather the first direct measurements regarding melting of the shelf's underside. A group of elephant seals, outfitted with sensors that measure salinity, temperature, and depth sensors added fundamental information to the scientists' data set, which led the researchers to conclude that parts of eastern Antarctica are melting at significantly lower rates than current models predict.

Waves of responders deploy omics to track Deepwater Horizon cleanup microbes Posted: 21 Jun 2012 11:13 AM PDT In the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico two years ago, a team of researchers found that marine microbial communities also played a role in the dispersal process.

Stopping and starting cancer cell cycle weakens and defeats multiple myeloma Posted: 21 Jun 2012 11:13 AM PDT Researchers have devised an innovative boxer-like strategy, based on the serial use of two anti-cancer drugs, to deliver a one-two punch to first weaken the defenses of multiple myeloma and then deliver the final knock-out punch to win the fight.

Astronomers spy two planets in tight quarters as they orbit a distant star Posted: 21 Jun 2012 11:13 AM PDT Astronomers have discovered a bigger version of Earth locked in an orbital tug-of-war with a much larger, Neptune-sized planet as they orbit very close to each other around the same star.

Parents -- not TV -- may determine whether kids are active or couch potatoes Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Researchers at Oregon State University have confirmed what we knew all along -- children in this country are increasingly sedentary, spending too much time sitting and looking at electronic screens. But it's not necessarily because of the newest gee-whiz gadgets -- parents play a major factor in whether young children are on the move.

Common blood pressure drug linked to severe gastrointestinal problems Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Researchers have discovered an association between a commonly prescribed blood pressure drug, Olmesartan, and severe gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and electrolyte abnormalities -- symptoms common among those who have celiac disease.

Lab-engineered kidney project reaches early milestone Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Regenerative medicine researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have reached an early milestone in a long-term project that aims to build replacement kidneys in the lab to help solve the shortage of donor organs.

Focusing on water for Central Everglades essential to reversing whole ecosystem's continuing decline Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Twelve years into a multibillion-dollar state and federal effort to save the Florida Everglades, little progress has been made in restoring the core of the ecosystem, says a new congressionally mandated report.

Racial and gender profiling can affect outcome of traffic stops Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Racial profiling can involve an additional factor: Gender. A researcher is analyzing police actions during routine traffic stops to understand how race and gender are connected.

Nano-infused paint can detect strain Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Nanotube-infused paint can reveal strain in materials by its fluorescence. The material holds promise for detecting strain in aircraft, bridges and buildings.

New anti-inflammatory drugs pinch off reactive oxygen species at the source Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Scientists have identified a new type of anti-inflammatory compound that may be useful in treating a wide range of conditions, including neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. These compounds inhibit the enzyme Nox2, part of a family of enzymes responsible for producing reactive oxygen species.

Enzyme offers new therapeutic target for cancer drugs Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:06 AM PDT Researchers have uncovered a new signal transduction pathway specifically devoted to the regulation of alternative RNA splicing, a process that allows a single gene to produce or code multiple types of protein variants. The discovery suggests the new pathway might be a fruitful target for new cancer drugs.

Genomics and African queens: Diversity within Ethiopian genomes reveals imprints of historical events Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:06 AM PDT Researchers have started to unveil the genetic heritage of Ethiopian populations, who are among the most diverse in the world, and lie at the gateway from Africa. They found that the genomes of some Ethiopian populations bear striking similarities to those of populations in Israel and Syria, a potential genetic legacy of the Queen of Sheba and her companions.

Our microbes, ourselves: Billions of bacteria within, essential for immune function, are ours alone Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:06 AM PDT Gut bacteria's key role in immunity is tuned to the host species, suggesting that the superabundant microbes lining our digestive tract are ultimately our evolutionary partners. This study, the first to demonstrate that microbes are specific to their host species, also sheds light on what's called the hygiene hypothesis.

New candidate drug stops cancer cells, regenerates nerve cells Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:06 AM PDT Scientists have developed a small-molecule-inhibiting drug that in early laboratory cell tests stopped breast cancer cells from spreading and also promoted the growth of early nerve cells called neurites. The scientists named their lead drug candidate "Rhosin" and hope future testing shows it to be promising for the treatment of various cancers or nervous system damage.

Functional links between autism and genes explained Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:06 AM PDT A pioneering report of genome-wide gene expression in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) finds genetic changes that help explain why one person has an ASD and another does not. The study, pinpoints ASD risk factors by comparing changes in gene expression with DNA mutation data in the same individuals. This innovative approach is likely to pave the way for future personalized medicine, not just for ASD but also for any disease with a genetic component.

Spiders enlisted in fight against woodworms: Could they also help control malaria? Posted: 21 Jun 2012 09:55 AM PDT Property owners who need to banish destructive woodworm could have an eight-legged alternative to chemical sprays that are potentially dangerous and only partially effective.  They could enlist the aid of very special spiders that will seek and devour the destructive grubs. And a further, exciting possibility is that malaria could be curtailed by the creatures.

The 'Truman Show' delusion: Life as a reality TV show Posted: 21 Jun 2012 09:54 AM PDT Over the last decade, millions of words have been written about the effect of 'Reality TV' on our cultural and social lives. Much less discussed are the possible interior ramifications such forms of broadcasting can have on our minds. A vital new investigation into this subject has just been published.

Giant Ibex lived in the Southern Pyrenees after the Ice Age Posted: 21 Jun 2012 09:54 AM PDT The sub-species of the Iberian mountain goat Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica became extinct in the year 2000 before its biological and phytogenetic characteristics could be explored in depth. A new study has shed light on their size, origin and post-Ice environmental conditions after discovering three skull fossils from between 4,000 and 7,000 years ago in the southwest of the Pyrenees.

DNA used to identify deceased along Texas-Mexico border Posted: 21 Jun 2012 09:49 AM PDT Baylor professor organizes a field school to a Texas border town to exhume bodies of those that died while crossing the border for the purpose of identification and repatriation to Mexico.

Protein may be key to psoriasis and wound care Posted: 21 Jun 2012 09:49 AM PDT Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder in which skin cells proliferate out of control. For some hard-to-heal wounds, the problem is just the opposite: Restorative skin cells don't grow well or fast enough. Researchers now describe a molecule that may lead to new treatments for both problems.

Stagnating life expectancies in United States: Poorer U.S. citizens live five years less than the affluent Posted: 21 Jun 2012 08:34 AM PDT Despite modest gains in lifespan over the past century, the United States still trails many of the world's countries when it comes to life expectancy, and its poorest citizens live approximately five years less than more affluent persons, according to a new study.

Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' predictions feature uncertainty Posted: 21 Jun 2012 08:34 AM PDT Scientists are predicting that this year's Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone could range from a low of approximately 1,197 square miles to as much as 6,213 square miles. The wide range is the result of using two different forecast models. The forecast is based on Mississippi River nutrient inputs compiled annually by the US Geological Survey.

Graphene Research: Trapping light in a carbon net Posted: 21 Jun 2012 08:33 AM PDT Graphene, an ordered monolayer of carbon, is the thinnest substance known, and yet has extraordinary mechanical strength. A new study shows that its two-dimensional network of atoms can even trap light.

Misidentified and contaminated cell lines lead to faulty cancer science, experts say Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:20 AM PDT Due to a high rate of contamination, misidentification and redundancy in widely available cell lines, researchers may be drawing faulty conclusions, experts say.

Tracking stem cells in the body Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:20 AM PDT Researchers have developed new methods to track stem cells and further understanding of what happens to them after they have been in the body for a significant period of time.

A virtual look at the zebrafish brain Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:20 AM PDT Scientists have long dreamed of being able to grasp the brain as a whole rather than just understanding the function of individual nerve cells. Researchers have now taken a big step toward making this dream a reality. The researchers developed microscopic imaging techniques and software for observing and comparing all of the genes of the zebrafish brain, and thus also the factors influencing its nerve cells, in a three-dimensional virtual model.

Drug study shows clubbers have little interest in new wave legal highs Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:20 AM PDT Clubbers show little interest in the subsequent wave of legal highs that have become available since mephedrone was banned, according to a new study.

Darwin’s principles say cancer will always evolve to resist treatment Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:19 AM PDT Cancer is subject to the evolutionary processes laid out by Charles Darwin in his concept of natural selection, experts say. Natural selection was the process identified by Darwin by which nature selects certain physical attributes, or phenotypes, to pass on to offspring to better "fit" the organism to the environment.

Microelectronics: Two at a time Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:18 AM PDT A new design reduces the areal footprint of nanowire transistors by a factor of two. Scientists have now integrated two transistors onto a single vertical silicon nanowire, pushing the areal density limit of nanowire transistors even further.

Eating disorder behaviors and weight concerns are common in women over 50 Posted: 21 Jun 2012 04:09 AM PDT Eating disorders are commonly seen as an issue faced by teenagers and young women, but a new study reveals that age is no barrier to disordered eating. In women aged 50 and over, 3.5 percent report binge eating, nearly eight percent report purging, and more than 70 percent are trying to lose weight. The study revealed that 62 percent of women claimed that their weight or shape negatively impacted on their life.

How cheetahs outpace greyhounds Posted: 21 Jun 2012 04:09 AM PDT Cheetahs are the high-performance sports cars of the animal kingdom, but how do they outstrip other elite athletes when using the same sprint technique? Biologists compared the performance of captive cheetahs and greyhounds and found that in addition to increasing their stride frequency, the cheetahs spend longer in contact with the ground, probably to protect their limbs from stress fractures at high speed.

How active is your child really? Posted: 20 Jun 2012 06:32 PM PDT Children younger than eight need to be targeted to make sure they lead more active lives to combat our obesity time-bomb, researchers say. Their new study reveals that children are not spending enough time being active and that girls are already becoming more sedentary than boys by the age of eight.

Drug combo can block mother-to-infant HIV transmission, study suggests Posted: 20 Jun 2012 06:28 PM PDT A two- or three-drug combination given within 48 hours of birth to infants born of HIV-positive mothers can reduce the risk of intrapartum HIV acquisition by about half, compared to AZT alone.

'Brain pacemaker' effective for years against Parkinson's disease Posted: 20 Jun 2012 01:24 PM PDT A "brain pacemaker" called deep brain stimulation remains an effective treatment for Parkinson's disease for at least three years.

Omega-3 lowers inflammation in overweight older adults Posted: 20 Jun 2012 12:39 PM PDT New research shows that omega-3 fatty acid supplements can lower inflammation in healthy, but overweight, middle-aged and older adults, suggesting that regular use of these supplements could help protect against and treat certain illnesses.

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ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Carcinogens linked to cancer stem cells, but spinach can help
• Turning down the dial: Ocean energy development with less sound
• Apple peel compound boosts brown fat, reduces obesity in mice
• Discovery increases understanding how bacteria spread
• Scientists gain understanding of self-cleaning gecko foot hair
• Children exposed to HIV in the womb at increased risk for hearing loss
• Role of cellular protein demonstrated in regulation of binge eating
• 'Master molecule' may improve stem cell treatment of heart attacks
• Muscular dystrophy: MG53 protein is shown to repair cell and tissue damage
• Asymmetry may provide clue to superconductivity
• What motivates generosity? Researchers study Muslims and Catholics
• Structure of RNAi complex now crystal clear
• Researchers estimate ice content of crater at moon's south pole
• Trouble on the horizon for genetically modified crops?
• Healthy muscle mass linked to healthy bones, but there are gender differences
• Soon after the Big Bang, heavier elements emerge: Tin-100, a doubly magic nucleus
• New drugs, new ways to target androgens in prostate cancer therapy
• Respect matters more than money for happiness in life
• Online weight loss programs that feature successful dieters may help
• All things big and small: The brain's discerning taste for size
• Graphene is a tunable plasmonic medium
• Chemical analysis of pottery reveals first dairying in Saharan Africa nearly 7,000 years ago
• Megapixel camera? Try gigapixel
• How humans predict other's decisions
• Taming light with graphene
• Poor role models: Children say two-thirds of parents do 'almost no physical activity'
• Molecule thought cancer foe actually helps thyroid tumors grow
• Scientists identify protein required to regrow injured nerves in limbs
• Proposed drug may reverse Huntington's disease symptoms: Single treatment gives long-term improvement in animals
• Melting sea ice threatens emperor penguins
• Preserved frogs hold clues to deadly pathogen
• Gold nanoparticles capable of 'unzipping' DNA
• Nano-pesticides: Solution or threat for a cleaner and greener agriculture?
• Stars, jets and batteries: Multi-faceted magnetic phenomenon confirmed in the laboratory for the first time
• Earliest record of mating fossil vertebrates: Nine pairs of fossilized turtles died while mating 47 million years ago
• Health check for European streams
• Surgery 'Reanimates' smile in patients with facial paralysis
• What's your name again? Lack of interest, not brain's ability, may be why we forget
• Confusion can be beneficial for learning
• Understanding of spinal muscular atrophy improved with use of stem cells
• Solar nanowire array may increase percentage of sun's frequencies available for energy conversion
• Sorghum should be in the biofuel crop mix, experts say
• New clue to unexplained excited delirium deaths
• Very Large Telescope takes a close look at the War and Peace Nebula
• Why the vibrant city of Palmyra was located in the middle of what is now the Syrian Desert
• Risk factors for heart attack remain low seven years after gastric bypass
• Restoring streamside forests helps songbirds survive the winter in California's Central Valley
• Assessing Olympic terrorism threats
• Does background noise make consumers buy more innovative products?
• Retail therapy: Shopping to cope with future challenges
• Noisy environments make young songbirds shuffle their tunes: Baby songbirds shape their species' playlist
• Resveratrol may be natural exercise performance enhancer
• Low/moderate drinking in early pregnancy has no adverse effects on children aged five, study suggests
• Mother goats do not forget their kids
• Eat less meat and farm efficiently to tackle climate change

Carcinogens linked to cancer stem cells, but spinach can help Posted: 20 Jun 2012 06:32 PM PDT Researchers for the first time have traced the actions of a known carcinogen in cooked meat to its complex biological effects on microRNA and cancer stem cells. They also found that spinach can help prevent some of the damage done by this carcinogen.

Turning down the dial: Ocean energy development with less sound Posted: 20 Jun 2012 06:30 PM PDT A new laboratory test can help limit the injuries fish receive from loud, underwater booms created during pile driving, the practice of pounding long, hollow steel piles into the ocean floor to erect structures such as tidal energy turbines.

Apple peel compound boosts brown fat, reduces obesity in mice Posted: 20 Jun 2012 06:28 PM PDT Obesity and its associated problems such as diabetes and fatty liver disease are increasingly common global health concerns. A new study shows that a natural substance found in apple peel can partially protect mice from obesity and some of its harmful effects.

Discovery increases understanding how bacteria spread Posted: 20 Jun 2012 01:24 PM PDT A researcher is moving closer to understanding how infection is caused by the spread of bacteria.

Scientists gain understanding of self-cleaning gecko foot hair Posted: 20 Jun 2012 01:24 PM PDT Wall-climbing robots, bioadhesives or other sticky substances can benefit greatly from a recent discovery about the self-cleaning and reuse abilities of a gecko. The sticky yet clean attribute of this discovery is the gecko toe pad and its ability to repeatedly attach and detach to a surface.

Children exposed to HIV in the womb at increased risk for hearing loss Posted: 20 Jun 2012 12:40 PM PDT Children exposed to HIV in the womb may be more likely to experience hearing loss by age 16 than are their unexposed peers.

Role of cellular protein demonstrated in regulation of binge eating Posted: 20 Jun 2012 12:40 PM PDT Researchers have demonstrated in experimental models that blocking the Sigma-1 receptor, a cellular protein, reduced binge eating and caused binge eaters to eat more slowly.

'Master molecule' may improve stem cell treatment of heart attacks Posted: 20 Jun 2012 12:39 PM PDT A single protein molecule may hold the key to turning cardiac stem cells into blood vessels or muscle tissue, a finding that may lead to better ways to treat heart attack patients.

Muscular dystrophy: MG53 protein is shown to repair cell and tissue damage Posted: 20 Jun 2012 12:38 PM PDT Throughout the lifecycle, injury to the body's cells occurs naturally, as well as through trauma. Cells have the ability to repair and regenerate themselves, but a defect in the repair process can lead to cardiovascular, neurological, muscular or pulmonary diseases. Recent discoveries of key genes that control cell repair have advanced the often painstaking search for ways to enhance the repair process. A new study reports that the protein MG53, previously shown to be the key initiator in the cell membrane repair process, has the potential to be used directly as a therapeutic approach to treating traumatic tissue damage.

Asymmetry may provide clue to superconductivity Posted: 20 Jun 2012 11:33 AM PDT Physicists are reporting intriguing new details regarding the quirky electronic properties of high-temperature superconductors (HTS). They discovered an asymmetric electronic order that extends into the superconducting temperature range in a recently discovered iron-based HTS. The asymmetric feature also bears a striking resemblance to the "pseudogap" order found in copper-based HTSs.

What motivates generosity? Researchers study Muslims and Catholics Posted: 20 Jun 2012 11:32 AM PDT Generosity is accepted and encouraged as a practice, but the reasons behind the behavior are not well understood. Researchers are exploring what motivates people to be generous and how religion influences their actions.

Structure of RNAi complex now crystal clear Posted: 20 Jun 2012 11:32 AM PDT Researchers have determined and analyzed the crystal structure of a yeast Argonaute protein bound to RNA, which plays a key role in the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway that silences genes.

Researchers estimate ice content of crater at moon's south pole Posted: 20 Jun 2012 11:11 AM PDT NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft has returned data that indicate ice may make up as much as 22 percent of the surface material in a crater located on the moon's south pole. The team of NASA and university scientists using laser light from LRO's laser altimeter examined the floor of Shackleton crater. They found the crater's floor is brighter than those of other nearby craters, which is consistent with the presence of small amounts of ice. This information will help researchers understand crater formation and study other uncharted areas of the moon.

Trouble on the horizon for genetically modified crops? Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT Pests are adapting to genetically modified crops in unexpected ways, including dominant resistance not previously observed in the lab, researchers have discovered. The findings underscore the importance of closely monitoring and countering pest resistance to biotech crops.

Healthy muscle mass linked to healthy bones, but there are gender differences Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT A new study looked at skeletal muscle mass and bone health across the life span and discovered distinct differences in how muscle affects the two layers of bone in men and women.

Soon after the Big Bang, heavier elements emerge: Tin-100, a doubly magic nucleus Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT A few minutes after the Big Bang the universe contained no other elements than hydrogen and helium. Physicists have now succeeded in producing tin-100, a very unstable yet important element for understanding the formation of heavier elements.

New drugs, new ways to target androgens in prostate cancer therapy Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT Prostate cancer cells require androgens including testosterone to grow. A recent review describes new classes of drugs that target androgens in novel ways, providing alternatives to the traditional methods that frequently carry high side effects.

Respect matters more than money for happiness in life Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT New research suggests that overall happiness in life is more related to how much you are respected and admired by those around you, not to the status that comes from how much money you have stashed in your bank account.

Online weight loss programs that feature successful dieters may help Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT A Web-based program featuring successful strategies of others who have lost weight may be an effective strategy for weight loss, according to researchers.

All things big and small: The brain's discerning taste for size Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT The brain organizes objects based on their physical size, with a specific region of the brain reserved for recognizing large objects and another reserved for small objects, according to a new article. These findings could have major implications for fields like robotics, and could lead to a greater understanding of how the brain organizes and maps information.

Graphene is a tunable plasmonic medium Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT With a beam of infrared light, scientists have sent ripples of electrons along the surface of graphene and demonstrated that they can control the length and height of these oscillations, called plasmons, using a simple electrical circuit. This is the first time anyone has observed plasmons on graphene, sheets of carbon just one atom thick, and an important step toward using plasmons to process and transmit information in spaces too tight to use light.

Chemical analysis of pottery reveals first dairying in Saharan Africa nearly 7,000 years ago Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:31 AM PDT The first unequivocal evidence that humans in prehistoric Saharan Africa used cattle for their milk nearly 7,000 years ago is described in new research.

Megapixel camera? Try gigapixel Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:31 AM PDT By synchronizing 98 tiny cameras in a single device, electrical engineers have developed a prototype camera that can create images with unprecedented detail. The camera's resolution is five times better than 20/20 human vision over a 120 degree horizontal field. The new camera has the potential to capture up to 50 gigapixels of data, which is 50,000 megapixels. By comparison, most consumer cameras are capable of taking photographs with sizes ranging from 8 to 40 megapixels.

How humans predict other's decisions Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:31 AM PDT Researchers have uncovered two brain signals in the human prefrontal cortex involved in how humans predict the decisions of other people. Their results suggest that the two signals, each located in distinct prefrontal circuits, strike a balance between expected and observed rewards and choices, enabling humans to predict the actions of people with different values than their own.

Taming light with graphene Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:30 AM PDT Scientists have visualized the trapping and confinement of light on graphene, making a sheet of carbon atoms the most promising candidate for optical information processing on the nano-scale, optical detection, and ultrafast optoelectronics.

Poor role models: Children say two-thirds of parents do 'almost no physical activity' Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:30 AM PDT Children who said their parents do almost no physical activity have a 50 per cent greater risk of being unfit than children with more physically active parents, according to new research.

Molecule thought cancer foe actually helps thyroid tumors grow Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:29 AM PDT A molecule widely believed to fight many forms of cancer actually helps deadly thyroid tumors grow, and cancer therapies now being tested in humans might boost the activity of this newly revealed bad guy, researchers say.

Scientists identify protein required to regrow injured nerves in limbs Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:29 AM PDT A protein required to regrow injured peripheral nerves has been identified. The finding, in mice, has implications for improving recovery after nerve injury in the extremities. It also opens new avenues of investigation toward triggering nerve regeneration in the central nervous system, notorious for its inability to heal.

Proposed drug may reverse Huntington's disease symptoms: Single treatment gives long-term improvement in animals Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:29 AM PDT With a single drug treatment, researchers can silence the mutated gene responsible for Huntington's disease, slowing and partially reversing progression of the fatal neurodegenerative disorder in animal models.

Melting sea ice threatens emperor penguins Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:33 AM PDT At nearly four feet tall, the Emperor penguin is Antarctica's largest sea bird -- and thanks to films like "March of the Penguins" and "Happy Feet," it's also one of the continent's most iconic. If global temperatures continue to rise, however, the Emperor penguins in Terre Adélie, in East Antarctica may eventually disappear, according to a new study.

Preserved frogs hold clues to deadly pathogen Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:32 AM PDT A graduate student has developed a novel means for charting the history of a pathogen deadly to amphibians worldwide.

Gold nanoparticles capable of 'unzipping' DNA Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:32 AM PDT Gold nanoparticles with a slight positive charge work collectively to unravel DNA's double helix. This finding has ramifications for gene therapy research and the emerging field of DNA-based electronics.

Nano-pesticides: Solution or threat for a cleaner and greener agriculture? Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:32 AM PDT Research is urgently needed to evaluate the risks and benefits of nano-pesticides to human and environmental health. Scientists recently performed an extensive analysis of this emerging field of research. The study presents the current scientific state of art on nano-pesticides and identifies direction priorities for future research.

Stars, jets and batteries: Multi-faceted magnetic phenomenon confirmed in the laboratory for the first time Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:32 AM PDT Magnetic instabilities play a crucial role in the emergence of black holes and other cosmic phenomena. The confirmation of such a magnetic instability – the Tayler instability – was successfully achieved for the first time. The findings should be able to facilitate construction of large liquid-metal batteries, which are under discussion as cheap storage facilities for renewable energy.

Earliest record of mating fossil vertebrates: Nine pairs of fossilized turtles died while mating 47 million years ago Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:31 AM PDT The fossil record consists mostly of the fragmentary remains of ancient animals and plants. But some finds can provide spectacular insights into the life and environment of ancient organisms. Scientists have just discovered nine pairs of fossilized turtles that perished in the act of mating.

Health check for European streams Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:31 AM PDT In a unique field experiment, ten research groups from nine different countries have studied the ecological status of 100 streams across Europe. This was the first study to make extensive use of leaf-litter breakdown as an assessment method.

Surgery 'Reanimates' smile in patients with facial paralysis Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:30 AM PDT A surgical technique using a muscle flap from the thigh restores facial motion —- and the ability to smile —- in patients with facial nerve paralysis resulting from neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), reports a new study.

What's your name again? Lack of interest, not brain's ability, may be why we forget Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:30 AM PDT We've all been there: Meeting someone new and seconds later forgetting his or her name. According to an expert, it's not necessarily your brain that determines how well we remember names, but rather our level of interest.

Confusion can be beneficial for learning Posted: 20 Jun 2012 07:32 AM PDT Most of us assume that confidence and certainty are preferred over uncertainty and bewilderment when it comes to learning complex information. But a new study shows that confusion when learning can be beneficial if it is properly induced, effectively regulated and ultimately resolved.

Understanding of spinal muscular atrophy improved with use of stem cells Posted: 20 Jun 2012 07:10 AM PDT Scientists have pioneered research on how motor-neuron cell-death occurs in patients with spinal muscular atrophy, offering an important clue in identifying potential medicines to treat this leading genetic cause of death in infants and toddlers.

Solar nanowire array may increase percentage of sun's frequencies available for energy conversion Posted: 20 Jun 2012 07:10 AM PDT Using a nanowire substrate to anchor advanced photovoltaic materials, researchers are able to alleviate strains between materials that otherwise would shorten life spans for photovoltaic products.

Sorghum should be in the biofuel crop mix, experts say Posted: 20 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT Sweet and biomass sorghum would meet the need for next-generation biofuels to be environmentally sustainable, easily adopted by producers and take advantage of existing agricultural infrastructure.

New clue to unexplained excited delirium deaths Posted: 20 Jun 2012 07:08 AM PDT Research sheds light on unexpected deaths that may be caused by an abnormal cardiac condition called Long QT Syndrome, compounded by a situation of Excited Delirium (ExD) Syndrome.

Very Large Telescope takes a close look at the War and Peace Nebula Posted: 20 Jun 2012 05:31 AM PDT ESO's Very Large Telescope has taken the most detailed image so far of a spectacular part of the stellar nursery called the War and Peace Nebula. The view shows many hot young stars, glowing clouds of gas and weird dust formations sculpted by ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds.

Why the vibrant city of Palmyra was located in the middle of what is now the Syrian Desert Posted: 20 Jun 2012 05:31 AM PDT Norwegian archaeologists have solved one of the great puzzles of the Roman Empire: Why was the vibrant city of Palmyra located in the middle of the Syrian Desert?

Risk factors for heart attack remain low seven years after gastric bypass Posted: 20 Jun 2012 04:37 AM PDT Total cholesterol, triglycerides and C-reactive protein levels are among 11 risk factors for heart attack that remained greatly reduced up to seven years after gastric bypass surgery, according to a new study.

Restoring streamside forests helps songbirds survive the winter in California's Central Valley Posted: 19 Jun 2012 08:02 PM PDT Restoring floodplain forests in the Central Valley of California helps songbirds survive through the winter, a finding previously substantiated only for summer nesting birds.

Assessing Olympic terrorism threats Posted: 19 Jun 2012 08:01 PM PDT Experts say that the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London in July and August represent a potential terrorist threat as the successor to the late Osama bin Laden and a medical doctor himself, struggles to regain "face" amongst extremists opposing the West.

Does background noise make consumers buy more innovative products? Posted: 19 Jun 2012 08:00 PM PDT Moderate background noise enhances creativity and makes consumers more likely to buy new and innovative products, according to a new study.

Retail therapy: Shopping to cope with future challenges Posted: 19 Jun 2012 08:00 PM PDT Consumers often shop to cope with stressful situations but they are much more selective when it comes to shopping as a way to cope with future challenges, according to a new study.

Noisy environments make young songbirds shuffle their tunes: Baby songbirds shape their species' playlist Posted: 19 Jun 2012 07:59 PM PDT iPod owners aren't the only ones who frequently shuffle their favorite tunes. Baby songbirds do it, too, a new study shows.

Resveratrol may be natural exercise performance enhancer Posted: 19 Jun 2012 07:59 PM PDT A natural compound found in some fruits, nuts and red wine may enhance exercise training and performance, demonstrates newly published medical research.

Low/moderate drinking in early pregnancy has no adverse effects on children aged five, study suggests Posted: 19 Jun 2012 07:59 PM PDT Low and moderate weekly alcohol consumption in early pregnancy is not associated with adverse neuropsychological effects in children aged five, suggests a series of new articles. However, high levels of alcohol per week were linked with a lower attention span among five year olds.

Mother goats do not forget their kids Posted: 19 Jun 2012 07:59 PM PDT Mother goats remember the calls of their kids for up to 11-17 months, scientists have found.

Eat less meat and farm efficiently to tackle climate change Posted: 19 Jun 2012 07:59 PM PDT We need to eat less meat and recycle our waste to re-balance the global carbon cycle and reduce our risk of dangerous levels of climate change. New research shows that if today's meat-eating habits continue, the predicted rise in the global population could spell ecological disaster. But changes in our lifestyle and our farming could make space for growing crops for bioenergy and carbon storage.

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