ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Evolution of human intellect: Human-specific regulation of neuronal genes
• Beneficial microbes are 'selected and nurtured' in the human gut
• Human obedience: The myth of blind conformity
• Birch tree genome sequenced for first time
• Wormholes from centuries-old art prints reveal the history of the 'worms'
• Warming to shift heavy rainfall patterns in the UK
• Discovery offers new treatment for epilepsy
• High-speed video and artificial flowers shed light on mysteries of hummingbird-pollinated flowers
• Herbivore defense in ferns
• Natural fungus may provide effective bed bug control
• Nanotechnology simplifies hydrogen production for clean energy
• New electrically conductive polymer nanoparticles can generate heat to kill colorectal cancer cells
• Tiny probes shine brightly to reveal the location of targeted tissues
• New method helps target Parkinson's disease
• Decline in availability and use of electroconvulsive therapy for depression
• Seals gamble with their pups' futures
• Gold nanoparticles quickly detect hazardous chemicals
• Chimpanzees and bonobos may reveal clues to evolution of favor exchange in humans
• Ribosome regulates viral protein synthesis, revealing potential therapeutic target
• Impulsivity in first grade predicts problem gambling in late teen years for urban boys
• Bioinspired robot meets fish: Robotic fish research swims into new ethorobotics waters
• Well-known protein implicated in fibrosis
• Are social networking Internet sites a factor in psychotic symptoms?
• Synthetic membrane channels built out of DNA: Nanotech structures mimic nature's way of tunneling through cell walls
• Reasons for severe bleeding in hemophilia revealed
• Engineered bacteria can make the ultimate sacrifice for the good of the population
• Algae can take energy from other plants
• Urban noise makes flycatchers change length of their songs
• Fragile Western Isles ecosystem under threat: Misconceived sea defense measures will destroy machair, says expert
• Thousands of natural gas leaks discovered in Boston
• How does antibiotic resistance spread? Scientists find answers in the nose
• Bias in ecology and climate studies? How leaves shrink as they dry out is often overlooked
• Sweat glands play major role in healing human wounds
• Discovery of molecular pathway of Alzheimer's disease reveals new drug targets
• Nanomedicine breakthrough could improve chemotherapy for childhood cancer
• Nanotech device mimics dog's nose to detect explosives
• Hot gas bridges galaxy cluster pair
• Scientists identify inhibitor of myelin formation in central nervous system
• Finding rainbows on the nanoscale may lead to better solar cells and LED-displays
• Planet 'devoured in secret' by its own sun
• Telomere lengths predict life expectancy in the wild, research shows
• Hubble traps galactic fireflies
• Ah, that new car smell: NASA technology protects spacecraft from outgassed molecular contaminants
• What goes down must come back up: Effects of 2010-11 La Niña on global sea level
• Estrogenic plants linked to altered hormones, possible behavior changes in monkeys
• Beargrass, a plant of many roles, is focus of new report
• Cancer: Some cells don't know when to stop
• Medications are being discontinued, and the pharmacist may not know
• Today's domestic turkeys are genetically distinct from wild ancestors
• Smoking in pregnancy tied to lower reading scores
• Potential cause of Parkinson's disease identified
• New tumor tracking technique may improve outcomes for lung cancer patients
• Storm surge barriers for Manhattan could worsen effects on nearby areas: Other options proposed
• Faulty development of immature brain cells causes hydrocephalus
• Mars formed from similar building blocks to that of Earth, reveals study of Martian meteorites
• Chronic pain in parents appears associated with chronic pain in adolescents and young adults
• Electronic visits offer accurate diagnoses, may lead to overprescribing of antibiotics
• High Vitamin D levels in pregnancy may protect mother more than baby against multiple sclerosis
• Multiple sclerosis ‘immune exchange’ between brain and blood is uncovered
• Failed explosions explain most peculiar supernovae

Evolution of human intellect: Human-specific regulation of neuronal genes Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:49 PM PST A new study has identified hundreds of small regions of the genome that appear to be uniquely regulated in human neurons. These regulatory differences distinguish us from other primates, including monkeys and apes, and as neurons are at the core of our unique cognitive abilities, these features may ultimately hold the key to our intellectual prowess (and also to our potential vulnerability to a wide range of 'human-specific' diseases from autism to Alzheimer's).

Beneficial microbes are 'selected and nurtured' in the human gut Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:35 PM PST Animals, including humans, actively select the gut microbes that are the best partners and nurture them with nutritious secretions, suggests a new study.

Human obedience: The myth of blind conformity Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:35 PM PST In the 1960s and 1970s, classic social psychological studies were conducted that provided evidence that even normal, decent people can engage in acts of extreme cruelty when instructed to do so by others. However, professors revisit these studies' conclusions and explain how awful acts involve not just obedience, but enthusiasm too -- challenging the long-held belief that human beings are 'programmed' for conformity.

Birch tree genome sequenced for first time Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:35 PM PST Scientists have sequenced the genetic code of a birch tree for the first time, which could help protect birch populations.

Wormholes from centuries-old art prints reveal the history of the 'worms' Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:35 PM PST A new technique is the first of its kind to use printed art as a "trace fossil" to precisely date insect species and to identify their geographical locations. A biologistsdeveloped the technique and used it to examine art printed from woodblocks spanning five centuries. He then identified the species responsible for making the ever-present wormholes in European printed art since the Renaissance.

Warming to shift heavy rainfall patterns in the UK Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:33 PM PST It appears that it's not just us Brits who are fascinated with the UK weather. A group of researchers from Germany has taken to investigating the potential changes in extreme rainfall patterns across the UK as a result of future global warming and has found that in some regions, the time of year when we see the heaviest rainfall is set to shift.

Discovery offers new treatment for epilepsy Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:33 PM PST New drugs derived from components of a specific diet used by children with severe, drug-resistant epilepsy could offer a new treatment.

High-speed video and artificial flowers shed light on mysteries of hummingbird-pollinated flowers Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:33 PM PST How flowers have evolved particular colours, shapes and scents to attract pollinators has long fascinated ecologists. Now, using artificial flowers and high-speed video, researchers have gained intriguing insights into the intimate relationship between hummingbirds and the flowers they pollinate. The study is the first to measure how much energy hummingbirds use while hovering to feed from flowers of different orientation.

Herbivore defense in ferns Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:33 PM PST They dominated the earth for 200 million years and numerous different species can still be found all over the world: mosses, horsetails and ferns. Researchers have now found out that bracken ferns do not release any volatiles when they are attacked − unlike many of the now dominant and evolutionary younger flowering plants. Such an emission of volatile compounds may attract the pest insects' enemies, such as ichneumon wasps or predatory bugs, that parasitize herbivores. Nevertheless, volatile emission could be also elicited in fern fronds, if they had been treated with plant hormone jasmonic acid.

Natural fungus may provide effective bed bug control Posted: 20 Nov 2012 01:09 PM PST "Don't let the bed bugs bite" is no longer a harmless adage. In reality today, these bloodthirsty bugs infest thousands of homes. According to entomologists, biopesticides -- naturally occurring microorganisms -- might provide an answer to this pest problem.

Nanotechnology simplifies hydrogen production for clean energy Posted: 20 Nov 2012 01:09 PM PST In the first-ever experiment of its kind, researchers have demonstrated that clean energy hydrogen can be produced from water splitting by using very small metal particles that are exposed to sunlight.

New electrically conductive polymer nanoparticles can generate heat to kill colorectal cancer cells Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:24 PM PST Researchers have modified electrically conductive polymers, commonly used in solar energy applications, to develop revolutionary polymer nanoparticles for a medical application. When the nanoparticles are exposed to infrared light, they generate heat that can be used to kill colorectal cancer cells.

Tiny probes shine brightly to reveal the location of targeted tissues Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:24 PM PST Nanostructures called BRIGHTs seek out biomarkers on cells and then beam brightly to reveal their locations. In the tiny gap between the gold skin and the gold core of the nanoparticle, there is an electromagnetic hot spot that lights up the reporter molecules trapped there. BRIGHTs, which shine about 1.7 x 10^11 more brightly than isolated Raman reporters, are intended for use in noinvasive bioimaging.

New method helps target Parkinson's disease Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:24 PM PST Health professionals may soon have a new method of diagnosing Parkinson's disease, one that is noninvasive and inexpensive, and, in early testing, has proved to be effective more than 90 percent of the time.

Decline in availability and use of electroconvulsive therapy for depression Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:24 PM PST Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is considered the most effective treatment option for patients with severe depression who cannot find symptom relief through antidepressant medications or psychotherapy. In a new study, researchers found a sharp decline in the availability and use of ECT in general hospitals across the US.

Seals gamble with their pups' futures Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:24 PM PST Some grey seal mums adopt risky tactics when it comes to the future of their young, a strategy that can give their pup a real advantage, according to scientists.

Gold nanoparticles quickly detect hazardous chemicals Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:23 PM PST Scientists have developed a system to quickly detect trace amounts of chemicals like pollutants, explosives or illegal drugs. The new system can pick out a single target molecule from 10,000 trillion water molecules within milliseconds, by trapping it on a self-assembling single layer of gold nanoparticles. The technology opens the way to develop devices that are compact, reusable and easy to assemble, and could have a range of uses including detecting illegal drugs, explosives, pollutants in rivers or nerve gases released into the air.

Chimpanzees and bonobos may reveal clues to evolution of favor exchange in humans Posted: 20 Nov 2012 10:29 AM PST When your neighbor asks to borrow a cup of sugar and you readily comply, is your positive response a function of the give and take that characterize your longstanding relationship? Or does it represent payment -- or prepayment -- for the cup of sugar you borrowed last week, or may need to borrow a month from now?

Ribosome regulates viral protein synthesis, revealing potential therapeutic target Posted: 20 Nov 2012 10:29 AM PST Rather than target RNA viruses directly, aiming at the host cells they invade could hold promise, but any such strategy would have to be harmless to the host. Now, a surprising discovery made in ribosomes may point the way to fighting fatal viral infections such as rabies.

Impulsivity in first grade predicts problem gambling in late teen years for urban boys Posted: 20 Nov 2012 10:28 AM PST A developmental pattern of impulsiveness in young males is linked with gambling problems in late adolescence. Respondents considered to be in the high impulsivity track as early as first grade doubled the odds of meeting criteria for at-risk/problem gambling, and tripled the odds of meeting criteria for problem gambling. The study is the first to link a developmental pattern of impulsivity and late-adolescent gambling.

Bioinspired robot meets fish: Robotic fish research swims into new ethorobotics waters Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:20 AM PST New research is illuminating the emerging field of ethorobotics -- the study of bioinspired robots interacting with animal counterparts. They studied how real-time feedback attracted or repelled live zebrafish. The fish were more attracted to robots with tail motions that mimicked the live fish. The researchers hope that robots eventually may steer live animal or marine groups from danger.

Well-known protein implicated in fibrosis Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:20 AM PST Scientists have uncovered a new role for the protein toll-like receptor four in the development of tissue fibrosis, or scarring. This finding has implications for the treatment of scleroderma.

Are social networking Internet sites a factor in psychotic symptoms? Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:20 AM PST Internet communication is exploding -- and so is the possibility of a related psychopathology called Internet addiction. Now a researcher says that a review of several case studies from his own practice shows a direct connection between psychotic episodes and participation in certain online social networking sites.

Synthetic membrane channels built out of DNA: Nanotech structures mimic nature's way of tunneling through cell walls Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:20 AM PST Physicists have shown that synthetic membrane channels can be constructed through "DNA nanotechnology." This technique employs DNA molecules as programmable building materials for custom-designed, self-assembling, nanometer-scale structures. The researchers present evidence that their nature-inspired nanostructures may also behave like biological ion channels. Their results could mark a step toward applications of synthetic membrane channels as molecular sensors, antimicrobial agents, and drivers of novel nanodevices.

Reasons for severe bleeding in hemophilia revealed Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:20 AM PST New insights into what causes uncontrollable bleeding in hemophilia patients have been provided. By revealing that blood clots spread in traveling waves through vessels, the study offers new strategies that could lead to the development of more effective treatments for hemophilia as well as common cardiovascular disorders.

Engineered bacteria can make the ultimate sacrifice for the good of the population Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:19 AM PST Scientists have engineered bacteria that are capable of sacrificing themselves for the good of the bacterial population. These altruistically inclined bacteria can be used to demonstrate the conditions where programmed cell death becomes a distinct advantage for the survival of the bacterial population.

Algae can take energy from other plants Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:19 AM PST Flowers need water and light to grow. Even children learn that plants use sunlight to gather energy from earth and water. Biologists have made an astounding discovery that one plant has another way of doing this. They have confirmed for the first time that a plant not only engages in photosynthesis, but also has an alternative source of energy: it can draw it from other plants. This finding could also have a major impact on the future of bioenergy.

Urban noise makes flycatchers change length of their songs Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:19 AM PST Do birds change their tune in response to urban noise? It depends on the bird species, according to new research. Their work shows that while some birds do adapt their songs in noisy conditions by means of frequency changes, others like the vermilion flycatchers adapt their song by means of changes in song lengths.

Fragile Western Isles ecosystem under threat: Misconceived sea defense measures will destroy machair, says expert Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:19 AM PST The traditional crofting way of life is under threat in Scotland's Western Isles because of a fundamental misunderstanding of how Atlantic wave action affects their coastlines, a academic has revealed.

Thousands of natural gas leaks discovered in Boston Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:18 AM PST The City of Boston is riddled with more than 3,000 leaks from its aging natural-gas pipeline system, according to a new study.

How does antibiotic resistance spread? Scientists find answers in the nose Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:18 AM PST Microbiologists studying bacterial colonization in mice have discovered how the very rapid and efficient spread of antibiotic resistance works in the respiratory pathogen, Streptococcus pneumoniae (also known as the pneumococcus). The team found that resistance stems from the transfer of DNA between bacterial strains in biofilms in the nasopharynx, the area just behind the nose.

Bias in ecology and climate studies? How leaves shrink as they dry out is often overlooked Posted: 20 Nov 2012 07:04 AM PST The simple observation that leaves shrink when they dry out has far-reaching consequences for scientists studying how ecosystems work, a graduate student has discovered. Enlisting a team of 40 middle school students, he set out to study a phenomenon that has been largely overlooked by the scientific community but is likely to bias ecology and climate studies.

Sweat glands play major role in healing human wounds Posted: 20 Nov 2012 07:04 AM PST Researchers have discovered one of the body's most powerful secret weapons in healing: sweat glands.

Discovery of molecular pathway of Alzheimer's disease reveals new drug targets Posted: 20 Nov 2012 07:04 AM PST The discovery of the molecular pathway that drives the changes seen in the brains of Alzheimer's patients is reported today, revealing new targets for drug discovery that could be exploited to combat the disease. The study gives the most detailed understanding yet of the complex processes leading to Alzheimer's.

Nanomedicine breakthrough could improve chemotherapy for childhood cancer Posted: 20 Nov 2012 07:04 AM PST Medical researchers have developed a nanoparticle that could improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy for neuroblastoma by a factor of five.

Nanotech device mimics dog's nose to detect explosives Posted: 20 Nov 2012 07:04 AM PST Engineers have designed a detector that uses microfluidic nanotechnology to mimic the biological mechanism behind canine scent receptors. The device is both highly sensitive to trace amounts of certain vapor molecules, and able to tell a specific substance apart from similar molecules.

Hot gas bridges galaxy cluster pair Posted: 20 Nov 2012 07:01 AM PST Space telescope has made the first conclusive detection of a bridge of hot gas connecting a pair of galaxy clusters across 10 million light-years of intergalactic space.

Scientists identify inhibitor of myelin formation in central nervous system Posted: 20 Nov 2012 07:01 AM PST Scientists have discovered another molecule that plays an important role in regulating myelin formation in the central nervous system. Myelin promotes the conduction of nerve cell impulses by forming a sheath around their projections, the so-called axons, at specific locations -- acting like the plastic insulation around a power cord.

Finding rainbows on the nanoscale may lead to better solar cells and LED-displays Posted: 20 Nov 2012 05:50 AM PST New research may lead to improved solar cells and LED-displays. Researchers have demonstrated in detail how to separate colors and create 'rainbows' using nanoscale structures on a metal surface.

Planet 'devoured in secret' by its own sun Posted: 19 Nov 2012 06:31 PM PST A planet roughly 1.4 times the size of Jupiter is being consumed by its own star behind a shroud thanks to a magnesium veil absorbing all of certain light wavelengths, according to new observations. WASP-12 b, originally spotted in 2008, is a gas giant planet orbiting extremely close to its parent star. The distance between the star and planet is so small that the planet completes an orbit of its star in just over one Earth day. This proximity has "boiled off" a superheated gas cloud roughly three times the radius of Jupiter which feeds the star.

Telomere lengths predict life expectancy in the wild, research shows Posted: 19 Nov 2012 06:31 PM PST Researchers have found that biological age and life expectancy can be predicted by measuring an individual's DNA. They studied the length of chromosome caps -- known as telomeres -- in a 320-strong wild population of Seychelles Warblers on a small isolated island.

Hubble traps galactic fireflies Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:42 PM PST A remote sensing instrument that will peer into the ultraviolet to offer clues to how Mars might have lost its atmosphere has arrived at Lockheed Martin for integration into NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft.

Ah, that new car smell: NASA technology protects spacecraft from outgassed molecular contaminants Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:37 PM PST Outgassing -- the physical process that creates that oh-so-alluring new car smell -- isn't healthy for humans and, as it turns out, not particularly wholesome for sensitive satellite instruments, either. But a team of NASA engineers has created a new way to protect those instruments from its ill effects.

What goes down must come back up: Effects of 2010-11 La Niña on global sea level Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:29 PM PST In 2010-11, global sea level fell nearly a quarter inch. But, when it comes to long-term sea level, what comes down must eventually come back up.

Estrogenic plants linked to altered hormones, possible behavior changes in monkeys Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:14 PM PST Male red colobus monkeys that ate more of an estrogen-containing plant not only had higher levels of the hormones estradiol and cortisol in their systems, they were more aggressive, had more sex and groomed less. The finding that the consumption of plant-based hormones may have affected primate behavior suggests that it could have played an important role in primate evolution.

Beargrass, a plant of many roles, is focus of new report Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:14 PM PST Beargrass is an ecologically, culturally, and economically important plant in the Western United States and, for the first time, landowners, managers, and harvesters now have a comprehensive report about the species.

Cancer: Some cells don't know when to stop Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:14 PM PST Certain mutated cells keep trying to replicate their DNA -- with disastrous results -- even after medications rob them of the raw materials to do so, according to new research.

Medications are being discontinued, and the pharmacist may not know Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:13 PM PST More than 85,000 medications are discontinued each year by physicians, yet while physicians share this information with their patients, it is too often not shared with the pharmacists. This communication gap allows discontinued medications continue to be dispensed at pharmacies, representing an important patient safety concern.

Today's domestic turkeys are genetically distinct from wild ancestors Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:12 PM PST No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a succulent roasted turkey. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that consumers cook and eat more than 45 million turkeys every Thanksgiving. Very few Americans, however, know much about the difference between their gravy-smothered poultry and the poultry that earlier generations of Americans ate to celebrate the holiday. "Ancient turkeys weren't your Butterball," said Rob Fleischer, head of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics. "We set out to compare the genetic diversity of the domestic turkeys we eat today with that of the ancestral wild turkey from South Mexico. Some of what we found surprised us."

Smoking in pregnancy tied to lower reading scores Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:37 PM PST Researchers have found that children born to mothers who smoked more than one pack per day during pregnancy struggled on tests designed to measure how accurately a child reads aloud and comprehends what they read.

Potential cause of Parkinson's disease identified Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:36 PM PST Scientists have pinpointed a key factor controlling damage to brain cells in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. The discovery could lead to new targets for Parkinson's that may be useful in preventing the actual condition.

New tumor tracking technique may improve outcomes for lung cancer patients Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:35 PM PST Researchers have shown that a real-time tracking technique can better predict and track tumor motion and deliver higher levels of radiation to lung cancer patients and others with moving tumor targets, and also successfully be implemented into existing clinical equipment.

Storm surge barriers for Manhattan could worsen effects on nearby areas: Other options proposed Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:35 PM PST The flooding in New York and New Jersey caused by Superstorm Sandy prompted calls from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other officials to consider building storm surge barriers to protect Lower Manhattan from future catastrophes. But, such a strategy could make things even worse for outlying areas that were hit hard by the hurricane, such as Staten Island, the New Jersey Shore and Long Island's South Shore, a City College of New York landscape architecture professor warns.

Faulty development of immature brain cells causes hydrocephalus Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:35 PM PST Scientists have discovered a new cause of neonatal hydrocephalus. The team discovered that cell-signaling defects disrupt immature brain cells involved in normal brain development. Treatment with lithium bypasses the defect in mice and reduces the hydrocephalus.

Mars formed from similar building blocks to that of Earth, reveals study of Martian meteorites Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:35 PM PST A team of scientists studied the hydrogen in water from the Martian interior and found that Mars formed from similar building blocks to that of Earth, but that there were differences in the later evolution of the two planets. This implies that terrestrial planets, including Earth, have similar water sources.

Chronic pain in parents appears associated with chronic pain in adolescents and young adults Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:33 PM PST Chronic pain in parents appears to be associated with chronic nonspecific pain and chronic multisite pain in adolescents and young adults.

Electronic visits offer accurate diagnoses, may lead to overprescribing of antibiotics Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:33 PM PST One of the first studies to compare patients who see their doctors in person to those who receive care through the Internet, known as an e-visit, underscores both the promise and the pitfalls of this technology. Researchers found that patients who used e-visits for sinusitis and urinary tract infections (UTIs) were no more likely to need follow-up care than those who saw doctors in person.

High Vitamin D levels in pregnancy may protect mother more than baby against multiple sclerosis Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:33 PM PST Pregnant women who have higher levels of vitamin D in their blood may have a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis than women with lower levels, while their babies may not see the same protective effect, according to a new study.

Multiple sclerosis ‘immune exchange’ between brain and blood is uncovered Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:33 PM PST DNA sequences obtained from a handful of patients with multiple sclerosis have revealed the existence of an "immune exchange" that allows the disease-causing cells to move in and out of the brain.

Failed explosions explain most peculiar supernovae Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:32 PM PST Supercomputer simulations have revealed that a type of oddly dim, exploding star is probably a class of duds—one that could nonetheless throw new light on the mysterious nature of dark energy.

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