ScienceDaily: Top News

---

• How brain cells shape temperature preferences
• Antidepressant contribution to arrhythmia risk clarified
• The need to feed programs Campylobacter's 'Sat Nav'
• Spring may come earlier to North American forests, increasing uptake of carbon dioxide
• Government mistrust deters older adults from HIV testing
• Online social networking at work can improve morale and reduce employee turnover
• NASA to launch ocean wind monitor to space station
• In-brain monitoring shows memory network
• Smaller Snacking is Smart Snacking: New study shows 'just a bite' will satisfy
• Working to identify early warning signs in juvenile offenders
• Tomorrow's life-saving medications may currently be living at the bottom of the sea
• Early-onset puberty in females explained
• Increasing severity of erectile dysfunction is a marker for increasing risk of cardiovascular disease and death
• ‘Zoomable’ map of poplar proteins offers new view of bioenergy crop
• Beer's bitter compounds could help brew new medicines
• Hydrogen sulfide: The next anti-aging agent?
• Antarctic lake beneath the ice sheet tested
• Fossilized conduits suggest water flowed beneath Martian surface
• Cultural evolution changes bird song
• Gene found that turns up effect of chemotherapy
• 'Master' proto-oncogene regulates stress-induced ovarian cancer metastasis
• Ants' behavior leads to research method for optimizing product development time, costs
• Attitudes toward HPV vaccination for boys
• Better way to culture central nervous cells
• Indoor air puts Chinese women nonsmokers at risk
• New evidence highlights threat to Caribbean coral reef growth: Many Caribbean coral reefs are starting to erode
• Lessons of the 1953 East Coast of England flood disaster
• Link found between insulin sensitivity, cells' powerhouses: Mice with mitochondrial mutation live longer, have less fat
• Real angry birds 'flip the bird' before a fight: Biologists use robots to study attacks of male swamp sparrows
• New options for transparent contact electrodes
• Epigenetic control of cardiogenesis
• New insights into managing our water resources
• New insights into conquering influenza
• Taking the stairs, raking leaves may have same health benefits as a trip to the gym
• Diabetes drug could hold promise for lung cancer patients
• Scientists trick iron-eating bacteria into breathing electrons instead
• Doctor-patient relationship: Physicians' brain scans indicate doctors can feel their patients' pain -- and their relief
• Could the timing of when you eat, be just as important as what you eat?
• Eating bright-colored fruits and vegetables may prevent or delay amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• A step towards repairing the central nervous system
• Simulations' Achille's heel
• Satellite visualization tool for high-resolution observation review (thor) accessible from any location with internet access
• Survival of the prettiest: Sexual selection can be inferred from the fossil record
• Streaming video over temporary networks
• Next generation solar cells: Trapping sunlight with microbeads
• Early menopause may occur in women with BRCA gene
• Health benefits of coming out of the closet demonstrated
• Debunking the ‘July Effect’: Surgery date has little impact on outcome
• Long-Term Outcomes Favor Heart Surgery Over Stents and Angioplasty
• Genetic test identifies small but deadly lung cancers

How brain cells shape temperature preferences Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:02 PM PST A new study shows that a complex set of overlapping neuronal circuits works in concert to drive temperature preferences in the fruit fly Drosophila by affecting a single target, a heavy bundle of neurons within the fly brain known as the mushroom body.

Antidepressant contribution to arrhythmia risk clarified Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:02 PM PST An analysis of the medical records of more than 38,000 patients clarifies the contribution of citalopram and other antidepressants to lengthening of the QT interval, an aspect of the heart's electrical activity that -- when prolonged -- may increase the risk of dangerous arrhythmias.

The need to feed programs Campylobacter's 'Sat Nav' Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:02 PM PST Researchers have uncovered how the food-borne bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni can change its swimming behavior to find a location with more food.

Spring may come earlier to North American forests, increasing uptake of carbon dioxide Posted: 29 Jan 2013 02:14 PM PST Trees in the con­ti­nen­tal US could send out new leaves in the spring up to 17 days ear­lier in the com­ing cen­tury than they did before global tem­per­a­tures started ris­ing, accord­ing to a new study. . These climate-driven changes could lead to changes in the com­po­si­tion of north­east­ern forests and give a boost to their abil­ity to take up car­bon dioxide.

Government mistrust deters older adults from HIV testing Posted: 29 Jan 2013 02:13 PM PST One of four people with HIV/AIDS is 50 or older, yet they are far more likely to be diagnosed when they are in the later stages of infection. Government mistrust and conspiracy fears are deeply ingrained in them and these concerns often deter these vulnerable individuals from getting tested for HIV.

Online social networking at work can improve morale and reduce employee turnover Posted: 29 Jan 2013 02:13 PM PST By allowing employees to participate in a work-sponsored internal social networking site, a company can improve morale and reduce turnover, according to a new article.

NASA to launch ocean wind monitor to space station Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:17 PM PST In a clever reuse of hardware originally built to test parts of NASA's QuikScat satellite, the agency will launch the ISS-RapidScat instrument to the International Space Station in 2014 to measure ocean surface wind speed and direction. The ISS-RapidScat instrument will help improve weather forecasts, including hurricane monitoring, and understanding of how ocean-atmosphere interactions influence Earth's climate.

In-brain monitoring shows memory network Posted: 29 Jan 2013 11:48 AM PST Working with patients with electrodes implanted in their brains, researchers have shown for the first time that areas of the brain work together at the same time to recall memories. The unique approach promises new insights into how we remember details of time and place.

Smaller Snacking is Smart Snacking: New study shows 'just a bite' will satisfy Posted: 29 Jan 2013 11:48 AM PST How much chocolate would you need to eat to be satisfied? Less than half as much as you think, according to a new snacking study.

Working to identify early warning signs in juvenile offenders Posted: 29 Jan 2013 11:47 AM PST Red flags are easy to recognize in the days following a tragic event like a mass shooting. That's why a group of researchers is working to identify those early warning signs in juvenile offenders before they turn into a pattern of criminal behavior.

Tomorrow's life-saving medications may currently be living at the bottom of the sea Posted: 29 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST Two new research articles demonstrate how the next class of powerful medications may currently reside at the bottom of the ocean. In both cases, the researchers were focused on ocean-based mollusks – a category of animal that includes snails, clams and squid and their bacterial companions.

Early-onset puberty in females explained Posted: 29 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST This research provides significant insight into the reasons why early-onset puberty occurs in females. The researchers located key genes that trigger puberty and highlighted how external forces (epigenetics) appear to be a possible cause of early-onset puberty in some cases.

Increasing severity of erectile dysfunction is a marker for increasing risk of cardiovascular disease and death Posted: 29 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST The risk of future cardiovascular disease and death increased with severity of erectile dysfunction in men both with and without a history of cardiovascular disease. While previous studies have shown an association between ED and CVD risk, this study finds that the severity of ED corresponds to the increased risk of CVD hospitalization and all-cause mortality.

‘Zoomable’ map of poplar proteins offers new view of bioenergy crop Posted: 29 Jan 2013 10:08 AM PST Researchers seeking to improve production of ethanol from woody crops have a new resource in the form of an extensive molecular map of poplar tree proteins.

Beer's bitter compounds could help brew new medicines Posted: 29 Jan 2013 10:08 AM PST Researchers using a century-old technique have determined the precise configuration of substances from hops that give beer its distinctive flavor. That could lead to formulation of new pharmaceuticals to treat diabetes, some cancers and other ailments.

Hydrogen sulfide: The next anti-aging agent? Posted: 29 Jan 2013 09:19 AM PST Hydrogen sulfide may play a wide-ranging role in staving off aging, according to a new article. In this review article, a team from China explores the compound's plethora of potential anti-aging pathways.

Antarctic lake beneath the ice sheet tested Posted: 29 Jan 2013 09:19 AM PST In a first-of-its-kind feat of science and engineering, scientists have successfully drilled through 800 meters (2,600 feet) of Antarctic ice to reach a subglacial lake and retrieve water and sediment samples that have been isolated from direct contact with the atmosphere for many thousands of years.

Fossilized conduits suggest water flowed beneath Martian surface Posted: 29 Jan 2013 09:19 AM PST Networks of narrow ridges found in impact craters on Mars appear to be the fossilized remnants of underground cracks through which water once flowed, according to a new analysis. The study bolsters the idea that the subsurface environment on Mars once had an active hydrology and could be a good place to search for evidence of past life.

Cultural evolution changes bird song Posted: 29 Jan 2013 09:19 AM PST Thanks to cultural evolution, male Savannah sparrows are changing their tune, partly to attract "the ladies." According to a study of more than 30 years of Savannah sparrows recordings, the birds are singing distinctly different songs today than their ancestors did 30 years ago -- changes passed along generation to generation, according to a new study.

Gene found that turns up effect of chemotherapy Posted: 29 Jan 2013 09:19 AM PST Chemotherapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer patients. However, many patients suffer from serious side-effects and a large proportion does not respond to the treatment. Researchers now show that the gene FBH1 helps turn up the effect of chemotherapy.

'Master' proto-oncogene regulates stress-induced ovarian cancer metastasis Posted: 29 Jan 2013 09:18 AM PST Scientists have discovered the signaling pathway whereby a master regulator of cancer cell proteins -- known as Src -- leads to ovarian cancer progression when exposed to stress hormones. The researchers report that beta blocker drugs mitigate this effect and reduce cancer deaths by an average of 17 percent.

Ants' behavior leads to research method for optimizing product development time, costs Posted: 29 Jan 2013 08:17 AM PST Trying to find just the right balance of time spent in meetings and time performing tasks is a tough problem for managers, but a researcher believes the behavior of ants may provide a useful lesson on how to do it.

Attitudes toward HPV vaccination for boys Posted: 29 Jan 2013 08:17 AM PST A new study has found that low-income and minority parents/guardians were receptive toward vaccinating boys against Human Papilloma Virus. However, racial/ethnic differences emerged in attitudes regarding school-entry mandates.

Better way to culture central nervous cells Posted: 29 Jan 2013 08:17 AM PST A protein associated with neuron damage in Alzheimer's patients provides a superior scaffold for growing central nervous system cells in the lab. The findings could have clinical implications for producing neural implants and offers new insights on the complex link between the apoE4 apolipoprotein and Alzheimer's disease.

Indoor air puts Chinese women nonsmokers at risk Posted: 29 Jan 2013 08:17 AM PST The hazards of breathing outdoor air in some Chinese cities have been well-documented. Now a study confirms that breathing indoor air also carries significant cancer risks, especially for Chinese women.

New evidence highlights threat to Caribbean coral reef growth: Many Caribbean coral reefs are starting to erode Posted: 29 Jan 2013 08:14 AM PST Coral reefs build their structures by both producing and accumulating calcium carbonate, and this is essential for the maintenance and continued vertical growth capacity of reefs. Researchers have discovered that the amount of new carbonate being added by Caribbean coral reefs is now significantly below rates measured over recent geological timescales, and in some habitats is as much as 70 percent lower.

Lessons of the 1953 East Coast of England flood disaster Posted: 29 Jan 2013 08:13 AM PST Sixty years ago, on 31 January and 1 February 1953, over 300 people died in flooding on the East Coast of England. Recent research has found that the Cabinet partly funded the response to avoid blame and further requests for funding.

Link found between insulin sensitivity, cells' powerhouses: Mice with mitochondrial mutation live longer, have less fat Posted: 29 Jan 2013 07:02 AM PST Mice with decreased activity of a protein complex involved in mitochondrial function exhibit reduced body weight and decreased fat mass, and their media life span is 20 percent longer. This intrigues scientists.

Real angry birds 'flip the bird' before a fight: Biologists use robots to study attacks of male swamp sparrows Posted: 29 Jan 2013 07:02 AM PST Male sparrows are capable of fighting to the death. But a new study shows that they often wave their wings wildly first in an attempt to avoid a dangerous brawl.

New options for transparent contact electrodes Posted: 29 Jan 2013 07:02 AM PST Found in flat screens, solar modules, or in new organic light-emitting diode (LED) displays, transparent electrodes have become ubiquitous. Typically, they consist of metal oxides like In2O3, SnO2, ZnO and TiO2. But since raw materials like indium are becoming more and more costly, researchers have begun to look elsewhere for alternatives.

Epigenetic control of cardiogenesis Posted: 29 Jan 2013 07:02 AM PST Scientists have now been able to demonstrate that non-coding RNA is essential for normal embryonic cardiogenesis.

New insights into managing our water resources Posted: 29 Jan 2013 07:02 AM PST Understanding how our water catchments react to natural disturbances, may offer hydrologists greater insight into how to manage our water supplies. Key to this, is an understanding of the steady state and why water responds differently in different circumstances.

New insights into conquering influenza Posted: 29 Jan 2013 07:02 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new protein that protects against viral infections such as influenza.

Taking the stairs, raking leaves may have same health benefits as a trip to the gym Posted: 29 Jan 2013 07:01 AM PST New research suggests the health benefits of small amounts of activity – even as small as one- and two-minute increments that add up to 30 minutes per day – can be just as beneficial as longer bouts of physical exercise achieved by a trip to the gym.

Diabetes drug could hold promise for lung cancer patients Posted: 29 Jan 2013 07:01 AM PST Ever since discovering a decade ago that a gene altered in lung cancer regulated an enzyme used in therapies against diabetes, one medical researcher has wondered if drugs originally designed to treat metabolic diseases could also work against cancer.

Scientists trick iron-eating bacteria into breathing electrons instead Posted: 29 Jan 2013 05:06 AM PST Scientists have developed a way to grow iron-oxidizing bacteria using electricity instead of iron, an advance that will allow them to better study the organisms and could one day be used to turn electricity into fuel.

Doctor-patient relationship: Physicians' brain scans indicate doctors can feel their patients' pain -- and their relief Posted: 29 Jan 2013 05:06 AM PST In a novel investigation in which physicians underwent brain scans while they believed they were actually treating patients, researchers have provided the first scientific evidence indicating that doctors truly can feel their patients' pain -- and can also experience their relief following treatment.

Could the timing of when you eat, be just as important as what you eat? Posted: 29 Jan 2013 05:06 AM PST Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital, have found that it's not simply what you eat, but also when you eat, that may help with weight-loss regulation.

Eating bright-colored fruits and vegetables may prevent or delay amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Posted: 29 Jan 2013 05:05 AM PST New research suggests that increased consumption of foods containing colorful carotenoids, particularly beta-carotene and lutein, may prevent or delay the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

A step towards repairing the central nervous system Posted: 29 Jan 2013 05:02 AM PST Despite recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of nerve injury, tissue-engineering solutions for repairing damage in the central nervous system (CNS) remain elusive, owing to the crucial and complex role played by the neural stem cell (NSC) niche. This zone, in which stem cells are retained after embryonic development for the production of new cells, exerts a tight control over many crucial tasks such as growth promotion and the recreation of essential biochemical and physical cues for neural cell differentiation.

Simulations' Achille's heel Posted: 29 Jan 2013 05:02 AM PST What can go wrong when computer simulations are applied outside their original context. In a new article scientists outline the many pitfalls associated with simulation methods such as Monte Carlo algorithms or other commonly used molecular dynamics approaches.

Satellite visualization tool for high-resolution observation review (thor) accessible from any location with internet access Posted: 29 Jan 2013 05:02 AM PST With minimal coding effort an Earth-observing satellite tool can be converted into a practical web-based application. In addition, a 3-D visualization technique has been developed.

Survival of the prettiest: Sexual selection can be inferred from the fossil record Posted: 29 Jan 2013 05:02 AM PST Detecting sexual selection in the fossil record is not impossible. The term "sexual selection" refers to the evolutionary pressures that relate to a species' ability to repel rivals, meet mates and pass on genes. We can observe these processes happening in living animals, but how do palaeontologists know that sexual selection operated in fossil ones?

Streaming video over temporary networks Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:56 AM PST There are extra challenges when accidents occur in hard-to-reach locations such as in a tunnel or impassable mountain terrain where no stable computer networks are found. For the past ten years, however, technology for mobile ad hoc networks that enable rescue workers to communicate with one another or with a command control centre has been available. These networks configure themselves automatically among mobile devices located within a given geographic area.

Next generation solar cells: Trapping sunlight with microbeads Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:56 AM PST In five to seven years, solar cells will have become much cheaper and only one-twentieth as thick as current solar cells. The trick is to deceive the sunlight with microbeads.

Early menopause may occur in women with BRCA gene Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:44 AM PST Women with harmful mutations in the BRCA gene, which put them at higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, tend to undergo menopause significantly sooner than other women, allowing them an even briefer reproductive window and possibly a higher risk of infertility, according to a new study.

Health benefits of coming out of the closet demonstrated Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:44 AM PST Lesbians, gays and bisexuals (LGBs) who are out to others have lower stress hormone levels and fewer symptoms of anxiety, depression, and burnout, according to researchers. Cortisol is a stress hormone in our body. When chronically strained, cortisol contributes to the 'wear and tear' exerted on multiple biological systems.

Debunking the ‘July Effect’: Surgery date has little impact on outcome Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:44 AM PST The "July Effect" -- the notion that the influx of new residents and fellows at teaching hospitals each July makes that the worse time of year to be a patient -- seems to be a myth, according to new research that examined nearly 1 million hospitalizations for patients undergoing spine surgery from 2001 to 2008. Among those going under the knife, researchers discovered that the month surgery occurred had an insignificant impact on patient outcomes.

Long-Term Outcomes Favor Heart Surgery Over Stents and Angioplasty Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:44 AM PST Patients who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery have a lower overall composite risk for heart attack, stroke, and death in the 4 years following the procedure compared to patients who undergo stenting or balloon procedures, according to a new study.

Genetic test identifies small but deadly lung cancers Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:44 AM PST A novel genetic test can help identify small but aggressive lung tumors associated with poor survival, according to a new study.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Top News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610