ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Patients' skin cells turned into heart muscle cells to repair their damaged hearts
• Discoveries into perception via popular magic tricks
• Best time to study the cosmos was more than 13 billion years ago
• Uproar over prostate-cancer screenings explained
• Tracking atlantic bluefin tuna shows migration secrets
• Civil engineers find savings where the rubber meets the road: Stiffer roads reduce fuel consumption
• How nanotechnology can help detect disease earlier
• Zapping deadly bacteria using space technology
• For monogamous sparrows, it doesn't pay to stray (but they do it anyway)
• Rapid DNA sequencing may soon be routine part of each patient's medical record
• Role of fusion gene in prostate cancer: Mutation found in half of all prostate cancers may lead to disease development
• New TB test promises to be cheap and fast
• Availability of hydrogen controls chemical structure of graphene oxide
• Neuron-nourishing cells appear to retaliate in Alzheimer's
• New means of safeguarding world fish stocks
• Flu shot during pregnancy shows unexpected benefits in large study
• Severe nuclear reactor accidents likely every 10 to 20 years, European study suggests
• Home damage after 9/11 linked with respiratory illness
• Space lawyer: Before humans step into commercial spaceflight, laws need giant leap
• New anti-cancer drug developed
• Volcanic island of Santorini displaying signs of unrest
• GPS for the brain: New brain map developed
• How Twitter is used to share information after a disaster
• Does polyploidy play a role in the onset of the Italian endemic flora?
• New frog species from Panama dyes fingers yellow
• How Staph bacteria gain resistance to last-line drug
• Archaeology: Spectacular tomb containing more than 80 individuals discovered in Peru
• How high fat foods impact diabetes and metabolic syndrome
• High prevalence of severe asthma with fungal sensitization
• Marine aquarium fish trade study reveals fewer fish, more species imported than previously estimated
• Stem cell research paves way for progress on dealing with Fragile X
• Making microscopic machines using metallic glass
• Disagreeable people prefer aggressive dogs, study suggests
• First Bose-Einstein condensate of erbium: Quantum condensate of the thirteenth kind
• Humanoid robot works side by side with people
• SpaceX launches Falcon 9/Dragon on historic mission to deliver cargo to International Space Station
• Richer parasite diversity helps protect frogs from viruses that cause malformed limbs
• Diabetes drug target identified
• Modern dog breeds genetically disconnected from ancient ancestors
• Students design a better pill bottle for the blind and visually impaired

Patients' skin cells turned into heart muscle cells to repair their damaged hearts Posted: 22 May 2012 05:06 PM PDT For the first time scientists have succeeded in taking skin cells from heart failure patients and reprogramming them to transform into healthy, new heart muscle cells that are capable of integrating with existing heart tissue.

Discoveries into perception via popular magic tricks Posted: 22 May 2012 03:07 PM PDT Researchers have unveiled how and why the public perceives some magic tricks in recent studies that could have real-world implications in military tactics, marketing and sports.

Best time to study the cosmos was more than 13 billion years ago Posted: 22 May 2012 03:06 PM PDT The universe is a marvelously complex place, filled with galaxies and larger-scale structures that have evolved over its 13.7-billion-year history. Those began as small perturbations of matter that grew over time, like ripples in a pond, as the universe expanded. By observing the large-scale cosmic wrinkles now, we can learn about the initial conditions of the universe. But is now really the best time to look?

Uproar over prostate-cancer screenings explained Posted: 22 May 2012 03:06 PM PDT Despite recent recommendations from the US Preventive Services Task Force, many people simply don't believe that the prostate-specific antigen test is ineffective. Even faced with overwhelming evidence, many activists and medical professionals are clamoring for men to continue receiving their annual PSA test. Why the disconnect? A new article examines the reasons why people are so reluctant to give up the PSA test.

Tracking atlantic bluefin tuna shows migration secrets Posted: 22 May 2012 02:54 PM PDT New fish-tagging studies of young bluefin tuna in the Atlantic off New England are offering the first fishery-independent, year-round data on dispersal patterns and habitat use for the popular game fish. Miniaturized pop-up satellite tags suitable for smaller fish helped make the research possible.

Civil engineers find savings where the rubber meets the road: Stiffer roads reduce fuel consumption Posted: 22 May 2012 01:14 PM PDT Pavement deflection under vehicle tires makes for a continuous uphill drive that increases fuel consumption, new research shows. A new study by civil engineers at MIT shows that using stiffer pavements on the nation's roads could reduce vehicle fuel consumption by as much as 3 percent — a savings that could add up to 273 million barrels of crude oil per year, or $15.6 billion at today's oil prices. This would result in an accompanying annual decrease in CO2 emissions of 46.5 million metric tons.

How nanotechnology can help detect disease earlier Posted: 22 May 2012 01:13 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a new way to precisely detect a single chemical at extremely low concentrations and high contamination.

Zapping deadly bacteria using space technology Posted: 22 May 2012 12:48 PM PDT Technology spin-off from long-running research aboard the International Space Station is opening up a new way to keep hospital patients safe from infections. Using plasma -- electrically charged gas -- researchers are developing ways to kill bacteria and viruses that can cause infections in hospitals.

For monogamous sparrows, it doesn't pay to stray (but they do it anyway) Posted: 22 May 2012 12:26 PM PDT It's quite common for a female song sparrow to stray from her breeding partner and mate with the male next door, but a new study shows that sleeping around can be costly.

Rapid DNA sequencing may soon be routine part of each patient's medical record Posted: 22 May 2012 12:26 PM PDT Rapid DNA sequencing may soon become a routine part of each individual's medical record, providing enormous information previously sequestered in the human genome's 3 billion nucleotide bases. Recent advances in sequencing technology using a tiny orifice known as a nanopore are covered in a new a article.

Role of fusion gene in prostate cancer: Mutation found in half of all prostate cancers may lead to disease development Posted: 22 May 2012 12:24 PM PDT Up to half of all prostate cancer cells have a chromosomal rearrangement that results in a new "fusion" gene and formation of its unique protein — but no one has known how that alteration promotes cancer growth. Now, researchers have found that in these cancer cells, the 3-D architecture of DNA, wrapped up in a little ball known as a chromatin, is warped in such a way that a switch has been thrown on thousands of genes, turning them on or off to promote abnormal, unchecked growth. Researchers also found that new chromosomal translocations form, further destabilizing the genome.

New TB test promises to be cheap and fast Posted: 22 May 2012 10:53 AM PDT Biomedical engineers have developed a microfluidic chip to test for latent tuberculosis. They hope the test will be cheaper, faster and more reliable than current testing for the disease.

Availability of hydrogen controls chemical structure of graphene oxide Posted: 22 May 2012 10:51 AM PDT A new study shows that the availability of hydrogen plays a significant role in determining the chemical and structural makeup of graphene oxide, a material that has potential uses in nano-electronics, nano-electromechanical systems, sensing, composites, optics, catalysis and energy storage.

Neuron-nourishing cells appear to retaliate in Alzheimer's Posted: 22 May 2012 10:51 AM PDT When brain cells start oozing too much of the amyloid protein that is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, the astrocytes that normally nourish and protect them deliver a suicide package instead, researchers report.

New means of safeguarding world fish stocks Posted: 22 May 2012 10:50 AM PDT Powerful and versatile new genetic tools will assist in safeguarding both European fish stocks and European consumers. A new article details the first system shown to identify populations of fish species to a forensic level of validation.

Flu shot during pregnancy shows unexpected benefits in large study Posted: 22 May 2012 10:49 AM PDT Getting a flu shot during pregnancy provides unanticipated benefits to the baby, according to the authors of a large population-based study examining the issue. Specifically, the study showed that H1N1 vaccination during the pandemic was associated with a significantly reduced risk of stillbirth, preterm birth and extremely small babies at birth.

Severe nuclear reactor accidents likely every 10 to 20 years, European study suggests Posted: 22 May 2012 10:49 AM PDT Western Europe has the worldwide highest risk of radioactive contamination caused by major reactor accidents. Catastrophic nuclear accidents such as the core meltdowns in Chernobyl and Fukushima are more likely to happen than previously assumed. Based on the operating hours of all civil nuclear reactors and the number of nuclear meltdowns that have occurred, scientists have calculated that such events may occur once every 10 to 20 years (based on the current number of reactors) -- some 200 times more often than estimated in the past.

Home damage after 9/11 linked with respiratory illness Posted: 22 May 2012 10:47 AM PDT Residents of Lower Manhattan who suffered home damage following the September 11 terrorist attacks are more likely to report respiratory symptoms and diseases than area residents whose homes were not damaged, concludes a new study .

Space lawyer: Before humans step into commercial spaceflight, laws need giant leap Posted: 22 May 2012 10:47 AM PDT SpaceX's launch to the International Space Station opens a new era in commercial spaceflight -- and raises questions about what laws govern private space companies and what legal obstacles affect future human space travel.

New anti-cancer drug developed Posted: 22 May 2012 08:52 AM PDT Scientists have created a new type of anti-cancer drug named BP-1-102. The drug, which can be orally administered, targets a key protein that triggers the development of many types of cancer including lung, breast and skin cancers. The development of BP-1-102 was guided by the research teams computer based molecular analysis of the cancer causing Stat 3 protein.

Volcanic island of Santorini displaying signs of unrest Posted: 22 May 2012 08:50 AM PDT Archived data from the Envisat satellite show that the volcanic island of Santorini has recently displayed signs of unrest. Even after the end of its mission, Envisat information continues to be exploited for the long-term monitoring of volcanoes.

GPS for the brain: New brain map developed Posted: 22 May 2012 08:50 AM PDT Researchers have developed a map of the human brain that shows great promise as a new guide to the inner workings of the body's most complex and critical organ.

How Twitter is used to share information after a disaster Posted: 22 May 2012 08:50 AM PDT A new study shows how people used Twitter following the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan, highlighting challenges for using the social media tool to share information. The study also indicates that social media haven't changed what we communicate so much as how quickly we can disseminate it.

Does polyploidy play a role in the onset of the Italian endemic flora? Posted: 22 May 2012 08:49 AM PDT Plants show a higher variation in chromosome numbers than animals do, mainly because of polyploidy -- the occurrence of more than two sets of chromosomes. In plants, polyploidy can cause reproductive isolation and the consequent onset of new species. Researchers now set out to estimate to what extent polyploidy is involved in the onset of the Italian endemic plants.

New frog species from Panama dyes fingers yellow Posted: 22 May 2012 08:49 AM PDT Biologists have discovered a new, beautiful golden frog species in western Panama. The frog that hides in very dense vegetation has attracted the scientists' attention when they first heard the characteristic call emitted by the males.

How Staph bacteria gain resistance to last-line drug Posted: 22 May 2012 08:49 AM PDT Scientists have determined the genome sequences of a dozen strains of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria known to be resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic of last resort. The researchers demonstrated that resistance arose independently in each strain, and identified shared features among the strains that may have helped them acquire vancomycin resistance and evade human immune defenses.

Archaeology: Spectacular tomb containing more than 80 individuals discovered in Peru Posted: 22 May 2012 08:46 AM PDT Archaeologists have discovered a spectacular tomb containing more than eighty individuals of different ages. This discovery – provisionally dated to around 1000 years ago – was made at the site of Pachacamac.

How high fat foods impact diabetes and metabolic syndrome Posted: 22 May 2012 08:45 AM PDT The Bcl10 protein helps the free fatty acids found in high fat foods impair insulin action and raise blood sugar, new research shows.

High prevalence of severe asthma with fungal sensitization Posted: 22 May 2012 08:03 AM PDT New research suggests that a significant proportion of children with asthma failing Step 4 or greater therapy may have severe asthma with fungal sensitization.

Marine aquarium fish trade study reveals fewer fish, more species imported than previously estimated Posted: 22 May 2012 08:03 AM PDT As the popularity of marine aquariums rises, so does the demand for wildlife inhabiting them. Most aquarium fish are harvested from their natural habitats -- primarily coral reefs -- and imported into the United States by the millions annually.

Stem cell research paves way for progress on dealing with Fragile X Posted: 22 May 2012 05:45 AM PDT Researchers have achieved, for the first time, the generation of neuronal cells from stem cells of Fragile X patients. The discovery paves the way for research that will examine restoration of normal gene expression in Fragile X patients.

Making microscopic machines using metallic glass Posted: 22 May 2012 05:45 AM PDT A new manufacturing technology allows researchers to mass produce components for use in next-generation computer storage devices and disposable medical and chemical test kits.

Disagreeable people prefer aggressive dogs, study suggests Posted: 22 May 2012 05:43 AM PDT Aggressive dog ownership is not always a sign of attempted dominance or actual delinquency. A new study finds that younger people who are disagreeable are more likely to prefer aggressive dogs, confirming the conventional wisdom that dogs match the personality of their owners.

First Bose-Einstein condensate of erbium: Quantum condensate of the thirteenth kind Posted: 22 May 2012 05:43 AM PDT Scientists have created a condensate of the exotic element erbium. Ultracold quantum gases have exceptional properties and offer an ideal system to study basic physical phenomena. Erbuim is a very exotic element, which due to its particular properties, offers new and fascinating possibilities to investigate fundamental questions in quantum physics.

Humanoid robot works side by side with people Posted: 22 May 2012 05:43 AM PDT The first robots reached the world of industry over 60 years ago. Since then, for security reasons, they have performed their work isolated in cages, and that prevented collaboration between workers and machines. Researches are embarking on a new era by incorporating into European industry the first robot capable of working shoulder to shoulder with people.

SpaceX launches Falcon 9/Dragon on historic mission to deliver cargo to International Space Station Posted: 22 May 2012 05:28 AM PDT A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket thundered into space and delivered a Dragon cargo capsule into orbit on May 22, 2012. The launch began an ambitious mission to show that the company is ready to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.

Richer parasite diversity helps protect frogs from viruses that cause malformed limbs Posted: 21 May 2012 01:38 PM PDT Increases in the diversity of parasites that attack amphibians cause a decrease in the infection success rate of virulent parasites, including one that causes malformed limbs and premature death, says a new study.

Diabetes drug target identified Posted: 21 May 2012 01:38 PM PDT New research points to the naturally produced protein apolipoprotein A-IV as a potential target for a new diabetes therapeutic.

Modern dog breeds genetically disconnected from ancient ancestors Posted: 21 May 2012 01:38 PM PDT Cross-breeding of dogs over thousands of years has made it extremely difficult to trace the ancient genetic roots of today's pets, according to a new study.

Students design a better pill bottle for the blind and visually impaired Posted: 21 May 2012 11:19 AM PDT Students have applied for a provisional patent on their design and prototype of a prescription-medicine pill bottle for the blind and visually impaired -- an innovation that could benefit millions of users.

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